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 Museums of Fine Arts,  the Parliament building, the National Theatre, the City Hall, the University and City Park. We will also visit Hofburg – the royal palace in Vienna, and then  walk to the beautiful Gothic St. Stefan’s cathedral. At the end of tour we visit the Schönbrunn Palace near Vienna, where we take a tour of some of the most magnificently decorated rooms. Rest of the day – free time.  Overnight in Vienna.

Day 3

Vienna – Melk – Steyr – Scharding (297 km/4 h)
After a short city tour in Melk, we visit Melk Abbey. This beautiful  fully restored 18th century Benedictine Abbey goes back about 1000 years. Many say it is the most beautiful Baroque abbey in the world - part palace, part monastery, and part opera set - and with a commanding view of the Danube.  Stop for sightseeing in Steyr to visit this unique city, one of the best preserved old towns in Austria.  Steyr is famous for its historic town center built around the Town square, with fine pieces of Gothic architecture. Arrival in Scharding for overnight.

Day 4

Scharding – Wels – Gmunden – Bad Ischl (150 km/2.30 min)
City tour in Scharding  The Baroque pearl of Upper Austria is Shcharding am Inn. The city located directly on the river bordering Bavaria is especially known for the Baroque “Silberzeile” on the Oberer Stadtplatz.  The Schärding merchants and tradesmen were so rich that they were able to invest their “silver” in the most marvelous facades near and far. There is no doubt that the people of Schärding created a gem in this way that has endured time.  Next city in our picturesque tour is Wels – in the heart of Upper Austria looking back on nearly 2,000 years of history. The location in the country's center made Wels flourish as a major trading point in medieval times as well.  Incidentally the trading business is still present in Wels - since then the city has achieved a far reaching reputation as a trade fair location.  Secret tip: The great epochs of the history of Wels are condensed in a small space in the convent of Minorities: (The Roman foundations, the medieval convent and the modern interior additions).  Carrying on we have a lot to see! On the north bank of Lake Traunsee lies the city of Gmunden, with its Mediterranean lake promenade and the characteristic lakefront Ort Castle. If the scenery of the city, the dark blue, sparkling lake and the almost vertical cliffs of the Traunstein didn’t exist already on the opposite bank, somebody would have had to invent them. A product for which the city on Lake Traun is internationally renowned is Gmund ceramics. Arrival in Bad Ischl, Overnight in Bad Ischl.

Day 5

Bad Isvhl
“It was very nice, I was very pleased.” With this bon mot, which is attributed to the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph, his majesty would have probably thus described his stays in Bad Ischl.    It is certain  that all his life he loved to come to the Salzkammergut. Until 1914 Franz Joseph spent his summers in Bad Ischl and thus caused a sustainable effect. The epoch of royal summer holidays left its mark on the city's image. The crown jewel from those times is the Kaiservilla. And of course there are many stories told about the monarch - from the imperial Guglhupf cake made by the courteous confectionery Zauner to the legendary hunting trips in the Salzkammergut mountains.
Morning – city tour in Bad Ischl. Afternoon – resting time or optional visit to Salzburg. Overnight in Bad Ischl.

Day 6

Bad Ischl – Hallstatt – St. Michael – Judenburg (150 km/2.40 min)
On our first stop today we take a tour of  the Austrian Town of Hallstatt – part of the World’s Greatest Attractions travel video series by GeoBeats. The little town of Hallstatt is a beautiful, peaceful, and historically significant destination. It is located in picturesque mountains alongside its scenic lake, the Hallstatter See.  This ancient but small area is one of the oldest in Europe. In St. Michael we take a short rest-stop. Next city we are going to see is Judenburg.  The mix of Styrian lifestyle, Mediterranean influence, Venetian atmosphere and the best of Swiss pine, sounds rather unusual at first. But they make a perfect match and offer a variety that is so typical, so cozy and so special that it could only be found in Judenburg. This a place we have chosen to stay for a night!  Overnight in Judenburg.

Day 7

Judenburg – Eisenstadt – Rust – Vienna (270 km/3.30 min)
On the way from Judenburg to Vienna we stop in Eisenstadt  located in  Burgenland province which is the easternmost region of Austria.  Eisenstadt’s major attraction is Schloss Esterhazy (1364). Count Esterhazy restored it initially in Baroque and later in classical style (1663-1672). Today the palace serves as a venue for a range of cultural events including the orchestral concerts and operas of the famous Haydn festival. Joseph Haydn, a leading composer of the classical period, left a lasting impression on Eisenstadt where he lived and worked as Prince Esterhazy’s Kapellmeister (music director) for over 40 years. Today Haydn’s white marble tomb can be seen in the Bergkirche (Haydnkirche).  Other sights include the Haydn mausoleum and the Haydn House. We will also visit the city called Rust. The free city of Rust is known as a “town of storks and fine wines”. With its lovingly maintained bourgeois town houses boasting colorful Baroque and Renaissance facades, the town is an absolute gem.  Rust’s Old Town is home to the biggest stork colony in the Burgenland, with lots of stork’s nests on the chimneys, which are generally thought to bring good luck. Arrival in Vienna, Overnight in Vienna.

Day 8

Vienna–departure

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