The Alps by Rail: 14 Days Escorted Tour The Alps stretch across the center of Europe in a display of natural grandeur, towering above the countryside of Austria, Switzerland and Italy. Visit Vienna and Salzburg. Stay in St. Moritz, Italy's Lake Como, Zermatt at the base of the Matterhorn, and charming lakeside Lucerne. Rail enthusiasts will love traveling on famous and scenic trains through the breathtaking splendor of the Alpine scenery. Inclusions Highlights Features Itinerary Dates Inclusions 3 nights at the Hotel Bristol in Vienna 2 nights at the Hotel Bristol Salzburg 1 night at the Crystal Hotel in St. Moritz 2 nights at the Palace Hotel at Lake Como 2 nights at the Seiler Hotel Mont Cervin in Zermatt 2 nights at the Palace Luzern in Lucerne First class train rides 12 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 9 dinners Highlights Visit Vienna's Hofburg Palace, Schonbrunn Palace and the Vienna Woods Attend a Salzburger Marionetten Theater performance Sightsee Salzburg's Residenz Palace and Schloss Mirabell Explore Mozart's birthplace in Salzburg's old town Take the Bernina Express Train from St. Moritz to Tirano Cruise on Italian Lake Como Ride a cog railway up the Gornergrat for views of the Matterhorn Ride the famous High-Alpine Glacier Express Train End your tour with a stay at the Palace Luzern in Lucerne Special Features Separate handling and transfers of luggage for the scenic train rides are pre-arranged. Attend a concert in Vienna and the Marionetten Theater in Salzburg.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Departure day
Board your overnight flight to Austria.

Day 2 - Arrive Vienna
Welcome to Vienna, Austria's refined capital on the Danube River, known for its coffeehouses, the Hofburg, and the waltz. Your elegant Viennese hotel is set in the very heart of the city opposite the State Opera. HOTEL BRISTOL

Day 3 - Schonbrunn Palace/Vienna Woods
See the Baroque masterpiece Schonbrunn Palace, often compared to Versailles. About 40 of the Palace's 1400 rooms are open to visitors. Then visit the formal gardens of Belvedere Castle. Explore the hilly Vienna Woods this afternoon, inspiration for Schubert's music and Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony. During the excursion, visit the former royal hunting lodge at Mayerling, today a commemorative chapel for the Hapsburg Crown Prince Rudolph and Baroness Vetsera. Enjoy a Viennese dinner out on the town. HOTEL BRISTOL

Day 4 - Hofburg Palace/Vienna/Mozart musical
Fortifications confined Vienna's growth until the 1850s, when Franz Joseph built the Ringstrasse. Along this wide boulevard, see the University, Parliament and Natural History Museum. Walk (the best way to experience Vienna) on the pedestrian Karntnerstrasse to the Hofburg Palace, the Imperial Palace of the Habsburg dynasty, to visit the Treasury and see the crown jewels. When in Vienna, the white Lipizzaner horses of the Spanish Riding School are stabled here. The afternoon is free and this evening attend a Vienna Mozart Orchestra performance. HOTEL BRISTOL

Day 5 - Train to Salzburg
Sit back, relax and admire the green hillsides and charming small towns as you travel by train through the Austrian countryside to Salzburg. On this afternoon's guided tour in Salzburg, see the 17th century Residenz Palace, the Glockenspiel Tower and Schloss Mirabell. Walk through the Old Town, a totally charming medieval setting of narrow and winding streets, where you'll visit the birthplace of Salzburg's most famous son, Mozart. HOTEL BRISTOL SALZBURG

Day 6 - Salzkammergut/Free time
Crystal lakes, Alpine peaks and meadows and charming villages surround you on the drive through the Salzkammergut, made famous by The Sound Of Music's von Trapp family. See one of the finest examples of Gothic wood carving, an altarpiece from the 15th century in St. Wolfgang. The afternoon is free to enjoy Salzburg's charming Old Town on your own. This evening, attend a performance at the Salzburger Marionetten Theater. HOTEL BRISTOL SALZBURG

Day 7 - St. Moritz, Switzerland
Dramatic deep gorges, sparking Alpine lakes and rivers, and impressive mountain peaks slide by on the Maria Theresia Train ride this morning. Enter Switzerland and continue by motorcoach through the Engadine Valley to St. Moritz, a popular spa even in the Middle Ages, today one of Europe's most fashionable resorts. CRYSTAL HOTEL

Day 8 - Bernina Express/Italy/Lake Como
Experience the highest railway over the Alps-the Bernina Express. This train follows wild gorges, fascinating loop tunnels and white glaciers over the Alps, then descends to the Mediterranean beauty of northern Italy, where suddenly the mild climate provides luxuriant flowers and palm trees. Disembark at Tirano and drive to Lake Como, the world-famous Italian resort region where the worries of life melt away. Stay two nights in the heart of the town of Como. PALACE HOTEL

Day 9 - Lake Como Cruise
A morning walking tour of the town of Como precedes a private cruise on the lake, past fashionable resorts, beckoning villages, pretty villas and gorgeous lakeside scenery. The late afternoon is at leisure to stroll the town or relax at an outdoor cafe, with the blue lake and mountains as a backdrop. PALACE HOTEL

Days 10 & 11 - The Alps/Zermatt/Matterhorn
Re-enter Switzerland via the lakeside resorts of Lugano and Locarno, then cut across another section of Italy and over the Simplon Pass. Stay two nights in Zermatt, at the base of the mighty Matterhorn and starting point for climbing expeditions. Cars are not allowed in Zermatt, so you have a horse-drawn cab ride on arrival. On Wednesday take the cog railway up the Gornergrat to 10,197 feet to marvel at unforgettable panoramas of glaciers, the Matterhorn, Monta Rosa and surrounding Alpine mountain peaks. Your afternoon is free to wander about the town shops of Zermatt. SEILER HOTEL MONT CERVIN

Days 12 & 13 - Glacier Express/Lucerne
Cross the roof of the Swiss Alps aboard the remarkable Glacier Express Train. The train toils up steep grades and rounds curves so sharp it seems to tie itself in a knot. You're treated to views of Swiss villages, of farmhouses with bright shutters, and of narrow river valleys. Enjoy lunch in Andermatt, and see the hamlet of William Tell fame (Altdorf), before continuing to Lucerne to stay two nights on the lake shoreline. All of Friday is free to explore Lucerne, another great town to stroll, in a beautiful lakeside setting. Try the path along the lakeshore to the wooden Chapel Bridge or the winding streets of the Old Town. Your farewell dinner is at the deluxe PALACE LUZERN.

Day 14 - Conclude Zurich
Early morning transfer to Zurich airport for your return flights. Please do not book flights earlier than 10:30 AM. Auf Wiedersehen!

Travel Dates & Rates

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• Land only rate is per person based on double occupancy. International airfare is not included. Please inquire about our competitive rates at the time of booking. With the purchase of international airfare through Maupintour, arrival and departure transfers are included. Single supplement is from $1099. Triple reduction is from $155 per person. Pre/post nights are available upon request. Reservation deposit is $500 per person. Travel insurance is highly recommended

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