Austrian Lakes & Peaks

Pretty as a picture, the Austrian Lake District (Salzkammergut), is a glorious region of sparkling blue lakes, soaring mountains, lush green valleys and idyllic villages. Experience the region at its best when you visit picturesque St Wolfgang and photogenic Hallstatt. You also visit the 'Sound of Music' city of Salzburg, renowned for its palaces, gardens and magnificent Hohensalzburg Fortress as well as for being Mozart's birth place. Excursions include entrance to the Kaiservilla plus rides on Schafberg Mountain Railway, the Hallstatt cable railway and a boat trip on Lake Wolfgang. Simply stunning!\n\nThis special 11-day tour takes a more leisurely route down to Austria (and back) with time to explore a few different places along the way including Augsburg, Nuremberg and Dachau.\nFor the 9-day Austrian Lakes tour, please click hereExtended journey at a more leisurely pace
Day 1 - After joining your holiday coach, head south to Dover for your ferry crossing to France. Continue through France for your overnight hotel stop just over the border in Germany at the 3* Mercure Hotel Saarbruecken Sued. BB\n\nDay 2 - After breakfast continue through Germany this morning via the Autobahn network with a comfort stop at the famous Hockenheim Ring (provided there is no track event taking place at that time - TBC). The Welcome Centre has a direct view of the start and finish line and you can also visit the grandstand. There is a stylish café and fan shop. Then it's back on the road as you head to Augsburg, one of Germany's oldest cities founded by the Romans in 15 BC. Enjoy a tour of the old town (part walking) with a local English speaking guide for an insight into Augsburg's long and prestigious history. Highlights include the opulent Renaissance City Hall, the picturesque Fuggerei (the world's oldest social housing complex still in existence since 1521) and the impressive Maximilian Street, one of Germany's loveliest boulevards. Check into 4* Leonardo Hotel Augsburg for dinner (set menu) and overnight. DBB\n\nDay 3 - A relaxed start today for the short drive to Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site. Officially called the KZ-Gedenkstätte Dachau, this was the Nazis' first concentration camp, built by Heinrich Himmler in March 1933 to house political prisoners. In total, it 'processed' more than 200,000 inmates, killing at least 43,000, and is now a haunting memorial. A local guide will take you through the site on a walking tour (approx. 2 hours) with paces to rest along the way. There is a visitor centre and café. Drive on through Bavaria for your first sight of the magnificent Alps and scenic Austrian countryside to check into your resort hotel for your 6-night stay at 3* Hotel Lohninger-Schober in the little hamlet of Hipping, just outside Sankt Georgen im Attergau. DBB\n\nDay 4 - 8 - At leisure with four included excursions and a full day at leisure with return train ticket to Attersee and boat cruise).\n\nThe hotel is located in a rural location in the tiny hamlet of Hipping and is just a 10-minute walk to the railway halt for the regular local train services to the Attersee Lake (approx. 13 mins by train). On your free day a return train ticket is included as well as a 1 hour 10 min boat cruise on Lake Attersee. After the boat trip you may like to enjoy some free time in Attersee before taking the train back to Hipping. The hotel also offers a little tour around Hipping and the locality in its own little 'road train'\n\nIncluded Excursions\nSalzburg\nSalzburg - one of Europe's most enchanting cities, famous as the birthplace of Mozart and the setting for "The Sound of Music". A charming Baroque city in its own right, it is dominated by the magnificent Hohensalzburg Fortress, church steeples, quaint courtyards, pedestrian alleyways and magnificent buildings. Don't miss the famous Getreidegasse, the narrow lane in which Mozart was born and of course who could resist skipping and dancing through the glorious Mirabell gardens? A walking tour (2 hours) is included for you to gain an orientation of Salzburg before enjoying time to explore at leisure\n\nHallstatt & Bad Ischl - Pretty as a Picture\nHead to Bad Ischl, the handsome spa town made famous by Emperor Franz Josef as the location of his summer residence, the Kaiservilla, where entrance is included for a self-guided visit. Then it is off to the UNESCO World Heritage site of picturesque Hallstatt, nestled on the banks of the Halstättersee with a backdrop of the towering Dachstein mountains - truly a photographer's delight. A return ride on the cable railway takes you comfortably up to the Hallstatt high valley. A panoramic lift and sky bridge takes you to a viewing platform and free-floating skywalk, 360m above the town, from where you can admire a fabulous view of the historic town centre, the lake and Salzkammergut region - breathtaking!\n\nLake Wolfgang & Schafberg Mountain Railway\nJourney through the Salzkammergut to the traffic-free village of St Gilgen, a place that was a source of inspiration for Mozart and home to his mother. Full of character with its frescoed houses, take a stroll past interesting shops and bustling cafes. Take a 30-minute cruise across the water to the picture-perfect resort town of St Wolfgang where you will board the steepest cog railway in Austria, the Schafberg Mountain Railway. In just 35 minutes, the railway rises 1190 vertical metres and on a clear day, you will be treated to a 360-degree panoramic view of the sparkling lakes of Wolfgang in Austria and Chiemsee in Germany with soaring mountains majestically framing the spectacular scenery.\n\nBerchtesgaden & Eagle's Nest\nNip over the border into Germany today to the small alpine town of Berchtesgaden, best known for the 'Eagle's Nest', perched 1,834m high on the Obersalzburg mountain. The 'Kehlstein' lodge was infamously used by Hitler and other Nazi party members during World War II and since 1952, the building has been open to the public as a mountain top restaurant offering the most spectacular views across the region and the serene Lake Konigssee. The Eagle's Nest was originally designed by Martin Bormann and is one of the few undamaged monuments of the Hitler era. Due to its high elevation, the Eagle's Nest is only accessible by special mountain buses and then by lift. There will be a brief introduction and tour by a local guide.\n\nDay 9 - Today it's farewell to Austria as you return to Germany and Bavaria's second city, Nuremberg. Nowhere in Germany gives such a powerful impression of the highs and lows of German history and despite terrible destruction during WW II, much of the city remains convincingly medieval in appearance. Together with a local English-speaking guide explore Nuremberg (part coach / part walking) with its lanes of half-timbered houses in the city's Altstadt, still encircled by its medieval city walls. There may be an opportunity to stop at the site of the infamous Nuremberg rallies (some renovation works scheduled for 2026). Check into the 3* Park Inn by Radisson Nuremberg for overnight and dinner (set menu). DBB\n\nDay 10 - Depart Nuremberg and travel through Germany today for your last overnight stop of the tour in the charming Dutch town of Valkenburg, known for its historical sites, natural beauty, and vibrant culture. Your last overnight stays at the 3* Hotel Schaepkens van St Fijt on the edge of town with dinner (set menu). Just a 10-minute walk into the centre, you may like to stroll into town later this evening for a drink and some people watching from one of the many street cafes and bars. A great way to round off your epic European journey! DBB\n\nDay 11 - After breakfast, head through Belgium and France to the port for the return to England.\nIMPORTANT TRAVEL INFORMATION EES (European Entry & Exit System). This is the new entry and exit system for UK citizens (and many other citizens) when entering or exiting the EU. For more information, please visit travel-europe.europa.eu/ees_en.At present there is no fixed start date - planned October 2025.The ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System) 'Visa-waiver' programme is currently expected to be implemented 6 months after the EES comes into place. Please note: Once implemented ETIAS will be compulsory, like a Passport. No ETIAS - No Entry. It is your responsibility to make sure you have the required documentation in place.For the latest information regarding ETIAS please visit: 'travel-europe.europa.eu/etias_en' or 'Gov.uk'.Passport\nFor advice on passports when travelling into Europe please visit https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/holiday-cancellations-and-compensation/travelling-in-europe/

Holiday Highlights
- Hotel for 6 nights in Austria with continental breakfast buffet & 3-course buffet dinner- Overnight hotel for 1 nights with breakfast- Overnight hotels for 3 nights with breakfast & dinner (set menu)- Stop at the Hockenheim Ring (subject to confirmation of event schedule)- Guided tours of Ausgburg, Salzburg & Nuremberg (may be part by coach / park walking)- Entrance to Fuggerei in Augsburg- Entrance & tour of Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial site- Entrance and self-guided visit to Kaiservilla in Bad Ischl- Return ride on Hallstatt Cable Railway- One way cruise St Gilgen - St Wolfgang- Return ride on the Schafberg Mountain Railway- Visit & introduction to the Eagle's Nest with local shuttle bus serviceHotel Lohninger-Schober, Hipping 3* family-run hotel
This charming chalet-style 3* traditional hotel has been family-run for three generations. It is situated in a wonderfully quiet location surrounded by greenery in the holiday hamlet of Hipping, approximately two kilometres from the centre of Sankt Georgen. The railway stop for local trains to Lake Attersee is a 10-minute walk away. The hotel comprises two buildings (approx 20m apart with a lift in both buildings). Cosy guestrooms feature TV, hairdryer, balcony and en-suite with shower. NB Twin rooms are continental twins (two mattresses on one bedframe). Hotel facilities include sauna and steam, a small indoor pool as well as a seasonal outdoor pool. There is a stylish, traditional restaurant / bar as well as a terrace. The hotel includes a themed buffet or BBQ (depending on the weather) one evening and also includes a little tour of the region in its own 'road train'.\n\nNB Porterage is not available on this holiday