Lakeside Austria - Magical Zell am See

Our VIP door-to-door travel service collects you from home for your flight to Salzburg. On arrival we transfer to cosmopolitan Zell am See and our hotel, where we’ll have a welcome drink.

Journey to Austria’s highest mountain, the Grossglockner. We’ll travel around 36 hairpin turns, passing waterfalls, lakes, colourful meadows, green pastures and peaks. A feat of 1930s engineering and through the toil of over 4,000 workers, the Alpine Road stretches like a ribbon across 48km of the mountains to Austria’s largest National Park - Tauren.
We’ll stop at the Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe viewpoint over the glacier, where the Habsburg emperor once stood, and discover some fascinating history. There’ll be time too for photographs at the fairytale setting of Fuscher Lake. We’ll return via picturesque Heiligenblut and Lienz.

Excursions & visits:
• Excursion on Grossglockner High Alpine Road (all day)

Today is at leisure. Maybe explore the chocolate-box town and its colourful chalets full of shops and restaurants. Make sure you sample some Zwiebelrostbraten - beef and baby dumplings, finish off your meal with a delightfully light and fluffy Sachertorte (chocolate cake). Or join an optional excursion to the lakes area of Salzkammergut.

We travel to the phenomenal Krimml Waterfalls. Shrouded by mist and viridescent pine forests, there are several viewpoints to enjoy the thundering spectacle of Europe’s highest falls. We’ll then head to the lovely medieval town of Rattenberg and Kisslinger glassblowing shop, where demonstrations of their centuries-old techniques can be seen alongside beautiful creations. For some refreshment, we complete our excursion in Brixen im Thale with a guided visit at a schnapps distillery. The afternoon is free.

Excursions & visits:
• Excursion to Krimml Waterfalls, glassblowing demonstrations in Rattenberg and schnapps tasting in Brixen im Thale (morning)

Today is at leisure. If you don’t fancy travelling far there’s much to enjoy at our base in Zell am See. From the hotel you could stroll towards the shores of the magnificent Zeller See, a bluer-than-blue lake. Potter on the lakeside promenade, take a boat trip or ride the cable car right to the top of Schmittenhöhe Mountain.

We’ll spend the day exploring magical Salzburg. Gaze upon the Alpine backdrop of enchanting city steeped in rich cultural heritage - perfect for art and music aficionados. We take a guided tour of the city - known as Mozart’s birthplace - that rises majestically from the banks of the Salzach River. There’s a heady mix of baroque domes and spires, as well as the imposing clifftop Hohensalzburg Fortress - one of the oldest medieval castles in Europe. We take a walk around the Old Town with grandiose architecture and the UNESCO-listed historical centre.
We’ll also see some of the filming locations for ‘The Sound of Music’, as well as learn more about composer Mozart’s life and work. The afternoon is free for more exploring. Perhaps you’ll head to the stunning gardens of Mirabellgarten and admire the baroque splendour of a city planned by the ruling prince-archbishops. Or maybe you might want to grab a beer and Wiener schnitzel and just soak in the atmosphere in the Old Town.

Excursions & visits:
• City tour of Salzburg (morning)

In the morning, we’ll follow the Salzach River and head towards Mühlbach am Hochkönig, a former copper-mining town. We’ll discover why the area is so popular with skiers and hikers, with an abundance of gorgeous mountain views, including The Hochkönig range - the highest in the Berchtesgaden Alps. Afterwards, we’ll make our way to the quaint village of Dienten, with a ruggedly romantic ambience. We’ll learn fascinating folklore and the legend of ‘devil holes’. We’ll finish off our half-day tour with a slice of cake and coffee in the fairytale town of Maria Alm set in the foothills of the Steineres Meer mountains, and peek at the pretty pilgrimage church. After returning to Zell am See, the afternoon is free for more exploring or relaxing.

Excursions & visits:
• Excursion to the Hochkönig and Maria Alm (morning)

Transfer to the airport for your return flight to the UK. Upon arrival, your vehicle will be waiting for the journey home.