Insight Vacations special pricing!! Christmas Markets of Austria & Bavaria December 10, 2018 $1,630.00 per person/dbl Discover the magic of Austria & Bavaria s Christmas Markets. Take in the sights, sounds and flavors of this winter wonderland experience as you journey through the Bavarian Alps with their snow-capped mountains, musical Salzburg, the magical castle in Neuschwanstein, and on to heartwarming Munich. Day 1 Your Journey Begins Board your overnight flight to Europe Day 2 Welcome to Vienna At Vienna airport, transfers for your hotel leave at 10:00, 13:00 and 15:00. Meet your Travel Director at 18:00 and travel to a local restaurant for your Welcome Dinner. Enjoy the opportunity to mingle with fellow guests over a delightful meal and wine. Hotel: Hilton Vienna Meals: Dinner with wine Day 3 The Hapsburgs of Vienna At this time of year, the Austrian capital is a place of nostalgia and romance, with concerts, nativity displays and many official Advent Markets selling a vast array of seasonal gifts and mouth-watering treats. Join your Local Expert for a private tour of Maria Theresa's Schönbrunn Palace. Then get your camera ready for a circuit of the famous Ring Road. This grand boulevard is built along the lines of the old city walls and showcases many of the capital's architectural masterpieces, including the Opera House and Hofburg Imperial Residence. You also see the City Hall and its surrounding parklands, festively decorated in a sea of lights - the perfect setting for the Viennese Christmas Market. Here your Travel Director will
introduce you to a market stallholder to enjoy sampling a Viennese winter dessert, complemented perfectly with a traditional fragrant glass of Glühwein. Hotel: Hilton Vienna Day 4 Free Time in Salzburg Journey through the rich farmlands of eastern Austria towards the lakes and mountains of the Salzkammergut and the enchanting city of Salzburg. Hotel: Arcotel Castellani, Salzburg., Dinner with Wine Day 5 The City of Mozart. (Relaxed Start) Come December, the spires and domes of Salzburg's old town are often draped in snow. Walk with your Local Expert to see Mozart's family home on the Getreidegasse, beautifully decorated at this time of year. Then head on to the rosy hues of the 500-yearold Christmas Market in front of the cathedral. Culinary delicacies, candied fruits, hot mulled wine and the lovingly decorated stalls invite visitors to stop and browse. Hotel: Arcotel Castellani, Salzburg. Day 6 A Scenic Drive to Innsbruck (Relaxed Start) A lovely drive brings you to the Inn Valley and the mountainringed Tyrolean capital of Innsbruck. In front of the Golden Roof, surrounded by beautifully preserved medieval facades, you'll find the traditional Christmas Market is in full swing. After some time to explore, enjoy delightful scenery and crisp, fresh air on a horse-drawn carriage ride through the countryside of Tyrol. In the evening, drive to the charming town of Hall in Tirol, which boasts Austria's best-preserved ensemble of historic buildings. Soak up the friendly Yuletide atmosphere at Hall's traditional Christmas market, before enjoying a highlight banquet with wine in a 700-yearold building. After delighting your palate with Austrian specialties and wine, it's a merry drive back to Innsbruck.
Hotel: AC by Marriott, Innsbruck., Dinner with Wine Day 7 Oberammergau & Neuschwanstein Travel into the beautiful scenery of the German Alps to visit Oberammergau, home of the Passion Play since 1634. See the immense theatre and admire the colorful painted chalets, then continue to the fairy-tale castle of Neuschwanstein, perched on a spectacular Alpine mountainside. With a Local Expert, visit the exuberantly decorated apartments, including the Throne Room, before driving on to the Bavarian capital of Munich. Please note: Neuschwanstein Castle visits require a good level of mobility due to the number of stairs in the building and uphill, on-foot access to the castle during winter. Those who do not wish to ascend to the castle can enjoy a coffee and cake, while admiring the beautiful castle vista. Hotel: Leonardo Royal Hotel Munich Day 8 Munich (Relaxed Start) Enjoy an orientation of the city which concludes in Marienplatz beside the soaring Town Hall, famous for its Glockenspiel. Beneath the gigantic Christmas tree, Munich s traditional Christmas Market is an entrancing festival of light and music. In the evening, join your travelling companions at a local restaurant for a festive Celebration Dinner with wine and good cheer! Hotel: Leonardo Royal Hotel Munich., Dinner with Wine Day 9 Auf Wiedersehen Munich! Your departure transfer arrives at Munich Airport at 09:30. ***Welcome Home***
Included Experiences: Vienna: The sheer opulence of Schönbrunn Palace will exhilarate your senses. Your Local Expert will bring to life the story of the Habsburgs during your tour of the royal grounds. Salzburg: With a Local Expert, see Mozart s family home on the Getreidegasse and the 500-year-old market in front of the cathedral. Neuschwanstein: With a Local Expert, visit King Ludwig II's fairy-tale castle, built high in the Bavarian Alps and rumored to be the inspiration of Walt Disney's castles. Highlights: Vienna: Tour the Ring Road to see the Hofburg Imperial Residence, Opera House, Parliament Building and Karlskirche. Innsbruck: During your orientation you will see the Golden Roof and Imperial Palace in the Old Town. Innsbruck: Meet your coachman and enjoy a delightful journey through Tyrol s picturesque countryside on your horse-drawn Fiaker. Oberammergau: Visit the home of the Passion Play, to see the immense theatre and the colourfully painted chalets. Munich: During your orientation of the city with your Travel Director, see the Victory Arch, Town Hall and Glockenspiel in Marienplatz. Christmas Markets: You will have the chance to be dazzled by the magic of Christmas, with local handicrafts and delicious, seasonally-festive treats like Glühwein. Included Dining: Vienna: At the Christmas Market, meet a local stallholder and sample a delightful Viennese winter dessert, complimented perfectly with a traditional fragrant glass of Glühwein. Hall in Tirol: Situated perfectly in a 700-year-old building in the charming town of Hall in Tirol, enjoy a medieval banquet of Austrian specialities with wine. Munich: Join your newfound friends for a festive Celebration Dinner with wine and good cheer! Dining Summary: 7 Buffet Breakfasts (BB) and 3 Dinners with Wine (DW) all with tea or coffee. Tour Inclusions: Our highly-skilled Travel Director will ensure your journey is seamless, serving as your expert guide, consummate organizer, and friend overseas. Enjoy the comfort of Insight's luxury, air-conditioned, 40-seat coach with double the standard legroom and onboard washroom.
Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary. We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door. Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels. Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available). From time to time, your Travel Director will enchant you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination. If your arrival and/or departure flights are as per the itinerary start and end dates, then transfers are available at scheduled times. If your flights are outside these times, or you have booked additional nights accommodation with Insight Vacations, you may purchase transfers or make your own way from/to the airport. **Rate and availability subject to change without notice.**