Day 1

Arrival at Vienna airport and transfer to the hotel. Overnight in Vienna.

Day 2   

Vienna – Discover the capital of Austria
Depart for Vienna City tour, which will introduce you to the most important sights of the Austrian capital. As we drive around the famous 'Ringstrasse', Vienna's main boulevard, we shall see the State Opera, the Museum of Fine Art, the Parliament building, the National Theatre, the City Hall, the University and City Park. We will also visit Hofburg – the royal palace in Vienna, then walk to the beautiful Gothic St. Stefan’s cathedral. At the end of the tour we visit the Schönbrunn Palace near Vienna, where we will take a tour of some of the most magnificently decorated rooms. Rest of the day – free time. Overnight in Vienna.

Day 3 

Vienna – Wachau – Melk – Vienna (125 km/1.50 min)
The Wachau follows the Danube river for 33 kilometers from Melk to Krems and reaches into the side-valleys of the Wachauer Garden. The region is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, filled with stunning baroque architecture, atmospheric towns and vineyards. On the road You will see among other things the town of Dürnstein, with castle ruins above it. King Richard of England was held for ransom here while returning from the Crusades. We visit the city of Krems, a 1000 year old town. Also a fun look at the old buildings and streets of Krems which are from Renaissance times – old and impressive. Later we visit Melk Abbey. It goes back about 1000 years - a beautiful 18th-century Benedictine Abbey now fully restored. Many say this is the most beautiful Baroque abbey in the world - part palace, part monastery, part opera set - and with a commanding view of the Danube. Overnight in Vienna.

Day 4

Vienna – Linz (185 km/2.30 min) – Kremsmünster – Salzburg (140 km/1.40 min)
On the way to Salzburg we stop in Linz. There is a lot to discover in the Upper Austrian capital Linz. The modern cultural city is dynamic and offers a variety of interesting places and historical corners, which you can experience best during a city tour or a walk through the city. The beautiful main square with the Holy Trinity, St. Mary's cathedral, castle museum and Ars Electronica Centre are just a few of the highlights that are worth exploring. Discover the beauty of the city during a short city tour. Next stop is Kremmsmünster. The Abbey in Kremsmünster was founded in 777 by Duke Tassilo III of Bavaria and is one of the oldest abbeys of central Europe. Situated on a striking ice age terrace above the town, it dominates the whole Krems valley. The Benedictine monks lead a famous school which has existed since 1549, and has an astronomical and geophysical observatory in the "Mathematical Tower" of the abbey. Overnight in Salzburg.

Day 5

Salzburg 
Discover Salzburg: Known worldwide as the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the city of Salzburg is famous for its architecture, often called the Rome of the North, with magnificent monuments in Baroque and Renaissance style. Salzburg is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The tour begins at the Palace of Mirabell, built in 1606 for the Archbishop of Salzburg. Then passing by the Mozarteum (University of Music) we arrive at the Market Square with the Trinity Church, a Baroque masterpiece. Crossing over Salt River we get to the Hellbrunn Palace for a short photo break. The Hellbrunn Palace was built in the 17th century as a hunting lodge and weekend residence of Archbishops of Salzburg. On the way back to the city center we will pass the palace of Frohnburg and the Nonnberg Abbey, before entering the heart of the city through the Siegmunds Gate. The tour finishes in Mozart Square with the statue of the composer, and the cathedral. In the afternoon we continue our tour and visit Hohensalzburg, the landmark of Salzburg, which is Central Europe’s largest intact fortress and offers fantastic views of the city. Overnight in Salzburg.

Day 6

Lakes and Mountains of Salzburg (150 km/2.30 min)
The Salzkammergut is the famous region close to Salzburg with its magnificent mountains, crystal clear lakes and typical Austrian villages. This region was well-liked by the archbishops of Salzburg  as well as by the emperor Franz Josef. The tour goes via lake St. Gilgen at the Wolfgangsee. From there it is a very attractive way around the lake Wolfgang to the town of St. Wolfgang, which is one of our highlights. Then we continue to Bad Ischl. We have a break in Wolfgangsee, to view the local Church with the famous winged altar, a masterpiece by Michael Pacher from the XVth century. We will also will see the famous Hotel White Horse Inn. Bad Ischl is a little spa-town, in the heart of the Salzkammergut, surrounded by wooded hills next to the River Traun. It was the summer residence of the Emperor Franz Josef, and much of the town shows the architectural style of the old Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. In the town center we shall see  Ferdinand-Aubock Square with the parish church from 1753. We will also see the Imperial Villa (Kaiservilla), the summer palace of the Emperor with a beautiful park around the villa. We will stop at St. Gilgen, the town where Mozart’s mother was born, and of course, part of the excursion will include St. Wolfgang.  Overnight in Salzburg.
 

Day 7

Salzburg – Vienna (298 km/3.45 min)
Overnight in Vienna.

Day 8

Vienna 
Leisure time, afternoon transfer to the airport for final departure.

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