Grand Tour of Austria: Graz, Vienna, the Wachau, Salzburg & the Tyrol

Today you explore elegant Graz with an expert local guide. You wander the beautiful UNESCO Old Town, its handsome main square, elegant lanes, Renaissance courtyards and grand cathedral, soaking up the lively, youthful atmosphere of this university city. You climb or ride the funicular up the Schlossberg, the wooded hill at the city's heart, to its famous clock tower, an emblem of Graz, for sweeping views over the sea of red roofs to the mountains beyond. You marvel at the striking modern Kunsthaus art museum, a friendly blue blob on the river, and the island bridge, and might taste Styrian specialities and wines at a market or tavern. The beauty and atmosphere are delightful. This evening is free to savour Graz. Rest well, for tomorrow you journey to imperial Vienna.

This morning you journey by scenic train northward through the green Styrian hills to Vienna, the stately old capital of the Habsburg empire, where you are met and settled into your hotel in the elegant heart of the city. Vienna is one of the most beautiful and cultured cities in the world, of grand palaces, glittering music and cherished coffee houses. With your guide, you begin to explore, taking in the medieval heart around soaring St Stephen's Cathedral and strolling the grand Ringstrasse, the sweeping boulevard of monumental buildings, the Opera House, Parliament, the twin museums and the neo-Gothic City Hall. You linger in a legendary coffee house over cake and a melange. The imperial grandeur is captivating. This evening you might attend a glittering concert or the opera, or enjoy dinner in a cosy wine tavern. Rest well, ready for more of imperial Vienna tomorrow.

Today you immerse yourself in imperial Vienna with your expert guide. You explore the vast Hofburg, the Habsburgs' winter palace, with its imperial apartments and treasury of crown jewels, and perhaps glimpse the famous white Lipizzaner horses of the Spanish Riding School. You visit the glorious Schonbrunn palace, the summer residence, touring its opulent state rooms where a young Mozart once played, and strolling its magnificent baroque gardens rising to the Gloriette with sweeping views over the city. The imperial grandeur is magnificent. In the afternoon you might explore further, or relax in a grand cafe. This evening is free to savour Vienna, perhaps another concert or a fine dinner. Rest well, for tomorrow you discover Vienna's art and the bustling Naschmarkt, before journeying into the Wachau wine valley.

Today you savour more of Vienna's glittering art and lively markets. You visit the beautiful Belvedere, a pair of baroque palaces set in formal gardens, home to Austria's greatest art, including Gustav Klimt's shimmering golden masterpiece The Kiss. You wander the bustling Naschmarkt, Vienna's famous open-air food market, a feast of stalls piled with olives, cheeses, spices and delicacies, lined with tempting cafes. The afternoon is yours to explore further, perhaps the imperial crypt, a museum, the elegant shopping streets, or simply more coffee houses and grand facades. The art, flavours and atmosphere are captivating. This evening you might enjoy a final glittering concert or opera in the city of music, or a cosy Viennese dinner. Rest well, for tomorrow you journey westward into the enchanting Wachau wine valley, its vineyards, castles and the great abbey of Melk awaiting.

Today you journey westward from Vienna into the enchanting Wachau Valley, the loveliest stretch of the Austrian Danube. You cruise a beautiful stretch of the river, watching terraced vineyards, apricot orchards, ruined hilltop castles and pretty wine villages drift past in the golden light, and visit the jewel-like village of Durnstein, clustered beneath a ruined castle, with its beautiful blue-and-white baroque church, tasting the crisp Wachau wines. You tour the magnificent baroque abbey of Melk, perched high above the Danube, with its breathtaking marble hall, spectacular frescoed library and sumptuous golden church. The beauty, wine and grandeur are captivating. As the day ends, you settle into your hotel at Krems, the charming old wine town at the valley's edge. This evening, a Wachau wine dinner awaits. Rest well, cradled in the vineyards of the Wachau.

This morning you journey westward across beautiful Austria to the enchanting Salzkammergut lake district and the impossibly pretty village of Hallstatt. You travel by scenic route through a landscape of jewel-like lakes, green meadows and steep wooded mountains, perhaps pausing at a lovely lakeside town along the way, and arrive at Hallstatt, cradled between a mirror-still lake and towering peaks, one of the most beautiful villages in the world, a cluster of pastel houses reflected in the water. You wander its flower-decked lanes and lakeside promenade, take in the famous view, and ride the funicular to the Skywalk viewpoint high above. The serene beauty is magical. This evening you settle into Hallstatt, savouring the peace of the lake as the day-trippers depart and the light softens. Rest well, cradled in the beauty of the Salzkammergut.

This morning you enjoy the peace of Hallstatt in the soft early light, perhaps a quiet lakeside stroll or a visit to the ancient salt mine high above, before journeying the short, scenic distance to Salzburg, the baroque birthplace of Mozart, where you settle into your hotel near the enchanting Old Town. Salzburg is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, a masterpiece of domes and spires crowned by its mighty fortress. With your guide you explore the Old Town, following Mozart through the city of his birth on the Getreidegasse, admiring the grand Cathedral and squares, and strolling the beautiful Mirabell Gardens, made famous by The Sound of Music. The baroque beauty and music are enchanting. This evening you might attend an intimate Mozart concert or dine in a cosy tavern. Rest well, savouring beautiful Salzburg.

Today you delve deeper into beautiful, musical Salzburg. You ride the funicular up to the mighty Hohensalzburg fortress, one of the largest medieval castles in Europe, exploring its ramparts and chambers and drinking in sweeping views over the city's domes and spires to the Alps beyond. You continue to follow Mozart through the city, visiting his family home and the places bound up with his life, and, for film lovers, trace beloved Sound of Music locations amid the gardens, lake and hills. You might take an excursion into the surrounding lake-and-mountain scenery, or linger over coffee and Salzburg's famous fluffy Nockerl. The history, music and beauty are enchanting. This evening you savour a fine Salzburg dinner, perhaps a Mozart dinner concert. Rest well, for tomorrow you journey into the spectacular Tyrolean Alps, the grand finale of your journey.

This morning you journey by scenic train westward, deep into the Alps, to Innsbruck, the beautifully situated capital of the Tyrol, ringed by a breathtaking wall of snow-capped peaks, where you settle into your hotel. The railway threads through gorgeous valleys and ever-higher mountains, a spectacular journey in itself. With your guide, you explore Innsbruck's colourful Old Town, taking in the famous Golden Roof, the imperial Hofburg palace and the Imperial Church, and the elegant arcaded streets set against the towering mountains. The blend of imperial elegance and Alpine grandeur is spectacular. This evening, a traditional Tyrolean dinner introduces you to hearty mountain fare, folk warmth and the beauty of the Alps, a wonderful start to the grand finale of your journey. Rest well, ready to ride high into the spectacular Tyrolean peaks tomorrow.

Today you savour Innsbruck and ascend into the spectacular Tyrolean Alps, the crowning finale of your grand tour. In the morning you explore more of the charming Old Town with your guide, perhaps visiting the dazzling Swarovski Crystal Worlds nearby, a glittering world of crystal art. Then you ride the spectacular Nordkette cable car, which soars from the very heart of the city high into the mountains, for breathtaking views over Innsbruck, the Inn valley and the endless snow-capped peaks, perhaps walking a stretch of high mountain path in the pure Alpine air. The combination of imperial city and towering Alps is exhilarating, a spectacular climax to your journey across Austria. This evening you savour a final celebratory dinner, reflecting on the great cities, wine valley, lakes, baroque beauty and Alps you have experienced. Rest well ahead of your departure tomorrow.

After a final morning amid the beauty of Innsbruck, perhaps a last stroll through the Old Town beneath the mountains, a coffee or some souvenir shopping, you are transferred to the airport for your onward departure. You leave having experienced the full beauty and culture of Austria on this comprehensive grand tour, elegant Graz with its red-roofed Old Town, imperial Vienna with its palaces, opera and coffee houses, the Wachau wine valley and abbey of Melk, lakeside Hallstatt and the Salzkammergut, baroque Salzburg with its fortress and Mozart heritage, and the spectacular Tyrolean Alps at Innsbruck. The images stay vivid long after you land, the clock tower of Graz, the gardens of Schonbrunn, the vineyards of the Wachau, the reflection of Hallstatt, the domes of Salzburg, and the snow-capped peaks around Innsbruck. Austria has given you cities, wine, lakes, music and mountains in glorious abundance, and you depart already dreaming of a return to this most beautiful and cultured of lands.