Tyrolean All Inclusive: Austria’s Breathtaking Alps

Your holiday begins at London St Pancras International as you meet your Tour Manager and fellow travellers, ready to board the Eurostar to Brussels. In the Belgian capital, you transfer to a train to Mannheim.

The German city of Mannheim is located on the confluence of the Rhine and Neckar rivers and is renowned for its expansive Baroque palace. Completed in 1760 and now housing the city's revered university, the terracotta and ochre Mannheim Baroque Palace is one of the largest in Europe and is just a short walk from your 4-Star hotel.

This evening your group gathers for your first dinner together in your hotel near the station.

• Dinner

This morning you take the short walk to Mannheim station and embark on a journey through the Alps to Austria. Changing in Munich, you travel across the Austrian border passing beautiful alpine valleys surrounded by impressive, craggy peaks.

In Wörgl, you are transferred by coach to the pretty resort of Kirchberg, where you check into your hotel for six nights. This charming Tyrolean town of part-timbered chalets is nestled amid gentle mountains and extensive alpine pastures.

Your hotel is on the edge of the village and provides excellent views of the surrounding scenery. With a pool, spa and wellness centre and typical Tyrolean hospitality, your hotel is a great place to unwind after sightseeing. You enjoy your first dinner in Austria in the hotel this evening. The all-inclusive package includes drinks from 9am to 10pm, afternoon coffee and cakes, and breakfast, lunch and dinner each day.

• Breakfast, Dinner

After breakfast today, you travel by coach to Germany through some incredible alpine scenery to a location that is as emotive as it is spectacular.

Towering at the top of a mountain high above the Bavarian town of Berchtesgaden is the Eagle's Nest, originally built to coincide with Adolf Hitler's 50th birthday and to impress visiting dignitaries. Despite its infamous past, the site was saved from post-war destruction and is now preserved as an important historical monument. A guide is with you for the full day to explain the history of the Eagle's Nest. You reach the summit by way of a lift inside the mountain and are greeted by astonishing panoramic views of the peaks and lakes of this elemental borderland between Germany and Austria. The Eagle's Nest building is currently owned by a charitable trust, and you have free time to explore this unique piece of 20th-century history.

Afterwards, you descend the mountain by coach and have time to enjoy your picnic lunch in picture-book Berchtesgaden. The gorgeous centre is a fairytale collection of pastel-coloured buildings painted with folk murals, while the Schlossplatz (Castle Square) is surrounded by arcaded shops, the pink frontage of the Baroque castle, and the 12th-century church with its twin towers.

You return to Kirchberg in the afternoon with time to relax before dinner this evening.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

You have a day at leisure today to either unwind and make use of the hotel's spa facilities or familiarise yourself with your base of Kirchberg in Tirol. Peeking through the huddle of traditional chalets is the green spire of the parish church, perched on a small hill. Legend has it that the church was originally going to be built in the town centre, but before the wooden shingles could be attached to the roof, pigeons carried them up the hill. The residents saw this as a sign from God and decided to relocate the church to its current location.

Kirchberg is ideally located for scenic hillside strolls offering great views of the valley. Another activity popular with residents is swimming in the 'badesee' or bathing lake. The crystal-clear waters of this artificial lake and the heated outdoor pool offer relaxation in full view of beautiful forests and rolling hills.

With lunch available at the hotel, as well as coffee and cakes between 3pm and 4.30pm, today is an ideal day to take it easy and relax.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

You transfer by coach to Salzburg, the birthplace of Mozart and the setting for The Sound of Music and discover this musical city in the company of Trudy, the singing tour guide. Overlooked by the huge 11th-century Hohensalzburg Fortress, set high on a hill, we stroll through the charming Old Town. The churches, squares and alleyways here are incredibly well preserved and dominated by fabulous Baroque spires in a UNESCO World Heritage site.

With an afternoon to explore by yourselves, there are many options in this gorgeous city of noble white buildings huddled either side of the Salzach river. Salzburg is renowned for its musical and culture heritage and Mozart was instrumental in this. You can visit the former residence of the Mozart family, who lived at Getreidegasse 9 from 1747 to 1773. It is where Wolfgang was born in 1756 and is now a house museum detailing his young life. His old Makartplatz home is also a museum displaying artifacts from the composer's life.

You could also take a walk along the river or through the Mirabell Garden before you return to Kirchberg by coach in the early evening for dinner and drinks.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Taking a coach transfer to Jenbach, you join the narrow-gauge Zillertalbahn Railway. First opened in 1902, this 19-mile journey passes through the picturesque Ziller Valley. Travelling through lush green pastures stretching between rolling alpine hills, you pass remote villages of half-timbered houses and traditional chalets on your way to charming Mayrhofen, at the head of the valley, backdropped by increasingly tall peaks.

On arrival in Mayrhofen, you return by coach down the valley to Pertisau on the shores of Achensee. As the largest lake in the region, it is referred to as the 'Tyrolean Sea' or the 'Fjord of the Alps'. Renowned for its natural beauty, the emerald waters nestle between the stunning scenery of the Karwendel and Rofan mountains. From the appealing village of Pertisau, you embark on a short boat ride down the lake to Seespitz. You have time here to explore the lakeside and could enjoy your picnic lunch overlooking the serene waters and panoramic mountains before returning to your hotel for dinner and drinks this evening.

Please Note - For departures 11/05/24 and 12/10/24 we will travel on the Achenseebahn Steam Cog Railway

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

With a day at leisure, there is no shortage of options if you want to explore further afield. The famous mountain resort of neighbouring Kitzbühel is just a short and scenic train journey away. With charming medieval streets filled with colourful buildings containing chic shops, bars and cafés, this attractive town oozes Tyrolean character.

The quintessential alpine town of St Johann is home to the quaint Mariä Himmelfahrt church. With its yellow façade and twin Baroque towers, it has an ornately decorated interior and sits in the main square alongside equally graceful buildings. Housed in an 18th-century penitentiary for dissolute priests, the town's museum details the social and natural history of the region.

A picturesque train journey through valleys can take you to gorgeous Lake Zell and the lakeside town of Zell am See. You can stroll along the lakefront promenade, stopping to savour one of the many delightful views while enjoying your picnic lunch, before discovering the picture-book triangular Stadtplatz in the centre. From Zell am See, you can also take the local bus to the spectacular Krimml Waterfalls, the highest in Austria.

Regrouping at your hotel this evening, you gather for your final dinner together in Austria.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast this morning, a coach transfers your group to Wörgl where you board the train across the German border to Munich. Here, you swap to the train through Germany to Cologne. Passing through the charming city of Ulm, look out for its majestic minster, the spire of which is the tallest in the world. From Frankfurt, you travel through rolling wooded hills before crossing the Rhine into Cologne.

On arrival in Cologne this evening, you check into your overnight hotel, where you have dinner.

• Breakfast, Dinner

After breakfast this morning, you return to Cologne station to board the train to Brussels, switching in the Belgian capital to the Eurostar service bound for London St Pancras International.

As the train travels through the English countryside and into London, you can look back on this incredible holiday and the beautiful alpine scenery you have witnessed. On arrival at St Pancras, you say farewell to your Tour Manager and fellow travellers with whom you have shared these unforgettable experiences.

• Breakfast