Highlights of Austria: Vienna, Salzburg & the Alps

Today you explore imperial Vienna with an expert local guide. You begin at the vast Hofburg, the Habsburgs' winter palace at the heart of the city, taking in the Imperial Apartments and the treasury with its crown jewels, and perhaps watching the famous white Lipizzaner horses of the Spanish Riding School at their morning exercise. You stroll the grand Ringstrasse, the sweeping boulevard lined with monumental buildings, the Opera House, Parliament, the twin museums and the neo-Gothic City Hall, and explore the medieval heart around soaring St Stephen's Cathedral, climbing or admiring its patterned roof and lofty spire. You wander the elegant lanes and squares of the old city, alive with cafes and shops. In the afternoon, you might linger in a legendary coffee house over cake and a melange. This evening is free to savour Vienna. Rest well.

Today you discover more of Vienna's imperial and artistic splendour. You visit the glorious Schonbrunn Palace, the Habsburgs' vast summer residence, touring its opulent state rooms where emperors and empresses lived and Mozart played as a child, and strolling its magnificent baroque gardens that rise to the Gloriette with sweeping views over the city. In the afternoon, you visit the beautiful Belvedere, a pair of baroque palaces set in formal gardens, now home to Austria's greatest art, including Gustav Klimt's shimmering golden masterpiece The Kiss. You might also wander the lively Naschmarkt, Vienna's bustling open-air food market, sampling delicacies from around the world. The grandeur, art and atmosphere are captivating. This evening you might attend a classical concert or opera, or simply enjoy dinner in a cosy wine tavern. Rest well, for tomorrow you journey to Salzburg.

This morning you board a comfortable, scenic train westward across the beautiful Austrian countryside to Salzburg, the baroque birthplace of Mozart, where you are met and settled into your hotel. Salzburg is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, a masterpiece of domes and spires set on a river between green hills and crowned by its mighty fortress. With your guide, you explore the enchanting Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, wandering the elegant Getreidegasse with its wrought-iron shop signs and Mozart's birthplace, admiring the grand Cathedral and the Residenz, and pausing in the atmospheric squares. You cross the river to the beautiful Mirabell Gardens, made famous by The Sound of Music, with their fountains and flowerbeds framing the fortress. The baroque beauty and musical heritage are captivating. This evening, savour Salzburg's cosy taverns and cafes. Rest well.

Today you delve deeper into Salzburg and its beautiful surroundings. You ride the funicular up to the mighty Hohensalzburg fortress, one of the largest and best-preserved medieval castles in Europe, exploring its ramparts, chambers and museums and drinking in sweeping views over the city's domes and spires to the Alps beyond. You follow the story of Mozart through the city of his birth, and, for fans, trace beloved locations from The Sound of Music, from the Mirabell Gardens to the lake and hills nearby. You might take an optional excursion into the lovely lake-and-mountain scenery of the surrounding Salzkammergut, or linger over coffee and Salzburg's famous fluffy Nockerl dessert. The blend of history, music and beauty is enchanting. This evening you might enjoy a Mozart dinner concert in a historic hall. Rest well, ready for beautiful Hallstatt tomorrow.

Today you journey into the beautiful Salzkammergut, Austria's storybook lake district, to the village of Hallstatt. You travel through a landscape of jewel-like lakes, green meadows and steep wooded mountains, perhaps pausing at the elegant lakeside town of St Wolfgang or the pretty village of St Gilgen along the way. You 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, flower-filled balconies and a slender church spire reflected in the water. You wander its narrow lanes and lakeside promenade, take in the famous view, and ride the funicular to the Skywalk viewpoint high above, perhaps visiting the ancient salt mine. The serene beauty is magical. This evening you settle into Hallstatt, savouring the peace of the lake as the light fades. Rest well.

This morning you enjoy the peace of Hallstatt in the soft early light, perhaps a quiet lakeside stroll before the day-trippers arrive, then journey westward towards the Tyrol and the city of Innsbruck. The drive and scenic rail route lead you deeper into the Alps, through valleys ringed by ever-higher peaks, to Innsbruck, the beautifully situated capital of the Tyrol, where you are met and settled into your hotel. Innsbruck's colourful Old Town, golden-roofed medieval heart and imperial buildings are set against a breathtaking wall of snow-capped mountains. With your guide, you begin to explore the charming centre, taking in the famous Golden Roof and the grand Hofburg. The blend of imperial elegance and Alpine grandeur is spectacular. This evening, a traditional Tyrolean dinner introduces you to hearty mountain fare and folk warmth. Rest well.

Today you explore Innsbruck and ascend into the spectacular Tyrolean Alps. In the morning you tour the charming Old Town with your guide, taking in the famous Golden Roof, the imperial Hofburg palace, the Imperial Church with its bronze figures, and the elegant arcaded streets, perhaps visiting the dazzling Swarovski Crystal Worlds nearby, a surreal and glittering world of crystal art. Then you ride the spectacular Nordkette cable car, which climbs 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. You might walk a stretch of high mountain path, drinking in the pure Alpine air and panorama. The combination of imperial city and towering Alps is exhilarating. This evening you savour a final Tyrolean dinner, reflecting on your wonderful journey. Rest well ahead of your departure.

After a final morning amid the beauty of Innsbruck, perhaps a last stroll through the Old Town, a coffee beneath the mountains or some souvenir shopping, you are transferred to the airport for your onward departure (or a connecting service, as your journey requires). You leave having experienced the very best of Austria, imperial Vienna with its palaces, cathedral and coffee houses, baroque Salzburg with its fortress and Mozart heritage, the impossibly pretty lakeside village of Hallstatt, and the Alpine splendour of Innsbruck beneath the Tyrolean peaks. The images stay vivid long after you land, the golden gardens of Schonbrunn, the domes of Salzburg beneath its fortress, the reflection of Hallstatt in its still lake, and the snow-capped mountains ringing Innsbruck. Austria offers culture, beauty, music and Alpine grandeur in abundance, and you depart already dreaming of a return to this captivating and cultured land.