Discover Switzerland, Austria & Bavaria
Discover Switzerland, Austria & Bavaria
Discover Switzerland, Austria & Bavaria
10 Days Starting in Bern, Switzerland and ending in Innsbruck, Austria
Visiting: Bern, Lucerne, Innsbruck, Salzburg
Tour operator:
Tour code:
15459
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Tour operated in:
EnglishInterests:
Cultural, Foodie and Wine Tours, Gardens & Nature Tours, History
Activities:
Tour Overview
Embark on an unforgettable journey through the heart of Europe with the "Discover Switzerland, Austria & Bavaria" tour. This captivating adventure offers a blend of cultural exploration and scenic beauty, featuring extended stays in two charming cities. Begin in Bern, Switzerland's historic capital, where cobbled streets and medieval architecture await. Experience the magic of Lucerne's Old Town and the musical traditions of the Swiss Alps with an alphorn and yodeling demonstration. In Austria, explore Salzburg's storied past and dine at the ancient St. Peter's Restaurant. Discover Innsbruck's vibrant culture and enjoy a Tyrolean folklore show. The tour culminates in Bavaria, Germany, with a visit to the opulent Linderhof Palace. With leisurely days and immersive experiences, this tour promises a rich tapestry of history, culture, and breathtaking landscapes.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Overnight Flight
Location: Bern
Accommodation Name: Hotel Bern
Discover spectacular Switzerland, Austria and Bavaria on a tour featuring 4-night stays in two cities.
Day 2 : Bern, Switzerland
Location: Bern
Accommodation Name: Hotel Bern
Meals Included: Dinner
Your journey begins in Bern, the capital of Switzerland. This UNESCO World Heritage site rests in the Swiss countryside. The cobbled Old Town section is so well preserved that residents who lived here 500 years ago would still find it familiar today. This evening, join your fellow travelers for a welcome dinner featuring local cuisine.
Day 3 : Bern
Location: Bern
Accommodation Name: Hotel Bern
Explore delightful Bern on a panoramic sightseeing tour, led by a local guide, featuring the Bundeshaus (the Swiss Parliament), the famous Bear Pit, the Rose Gardens and the gothic cathedral which dominates Old Town’s skyline. The remainder of the day is at leisure to explore independently. Perhaps you’ll take a ride in the red carriages of the Gurtenbahn funicular railway, climbing Gurten Mountain to an altitude of 2,574 feet (858 meters) for impressive views of Bern, the surrounding towns and mountains.
Day 4 : Bern - Habkern - Bern
Location: Bern
Accommodation Name: Hotel Bern
Meals Included: Lunch
Today, depart Bern and head to the small mountain village outside of Interlaken – Habkern. Boasting classic postcard imagery of Switzerland, enjoy a tour with a local workshop owner learning how the alphorn is made, and even entertain your musical side by playing one. After, explore the world of yodeling through a professional demonstration. Perhaps you’re a natural and never knew. Finish your afternoon with a fondue lunch at a local restaurant before heading back to Bern. Enjoy the rest of your afternoon at leisure.
Day 5 : Bern - Lucerne - Bern
Location: Lucerne
Accommodation Name: Hotel Bern
Meals Included: Dinner
Set out for Lucerne, the “Swiss Paradise on the Lake.” Enjoy a leisurely paced Altstadt (Old Town) walking tour, exploring the hidden treasures of this 800-year-old city such as the covered Chapel Bridge (1333); the famous Water Tower, which has served as a prison, watchtower and treasury; the Renaissance-style Town Hall; the baroque Jesuit Church; and the Lion Monument, carved from natural rock to commemorate the heroic Swiss Guard. Tonight, dine at one of Bern’s great restaurants.
Day 6 : Bern - Liechtenstein - Innsbruck, Austria
Location: Innsbruck
Accommodation Name: Hotel Innsbruck
En route to Innsbruck, make your way through Liechtenstein, the smallest German-speaking country in the world and the only country to lie entirely within the Alps. Upon arrival in Innsbruck, it’s your choice! Select one of two leisurely walking tours: join a local guide as you discover the city’s history, culture and popular attractions including Maria-Theresien-Strasse, the Hofburg and the “Golden Roof" -OR- you may embark on a tour focusing on Innsbruck’s unique architectural structures including its famous ski jump.
Day 7 : Innsbruck - Salzburg - Innsbruck
Location: Salzburg
Accommodation Name: Hotel Innsbruck
Meals Included: Lunch
Travel through the picturesque Austrian countryside to Salzburg. Enjoy a walking tour featuring Mirabell Gardens (seen in The Sound of Music), the quaint Getreidegasse (birthplace of Mozart), and many other highlights of this beautiful city. Complete your afternoon with a delightful lunch at the 1,200-year-old St. Peter’s Restaurant, the oldest in Austria and still owned by the monks.
Day 8 : Innsbruck
Location: Innsbruck
Accommodation Name: Hotel Innsbruck
Savor a free day in this beautiful city. You may stroll through Old Town and shop at many of the city’s outstanding stores or you may just relax and breathe in the mountain air while enjoying a beverage in one of the many cafés that dot this charming city. Later, experience the rich musical tradition of mountainous Austria during a Tyrolean folklore show hosted by a well-known local musical family.
Day 9 : Innsbruck - Bavaria, Germany - Innsbruck
Location: Innsbruck
Accommodation Name: Hotel Innsbruck
Meals Included: Dinner
Tour Linderhof Palace, the only palace - out of three - that King Ludwig II lived to see completed. Walk the extraordinary halls that were modeled after Versailles with an expert guide and bask in the luxury of past royals. After, make your way to the Ettal Abbey* – a Benedictine monastery founded in 1330 by Louis IV. Here, you’ll tour the Basilica followed by a brewery tour complete with tastings. Next, return to Innsbruck. Tonight, you are treated to a farewell dinner at a traditional Tyrolean restaurant.
Day 10 : Innsbruck - Tour Ends
Location: Innsbruck
Your tour comes to an end in Innsbruck.
What's Included
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Alphorn and Yodeling Demonstration
Witness the creation of Alpine music during an alphorn and yodeling demonstration.
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4-Night Stays
Relax and unwind with two leisurely 4-night stays.
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Tyrolean Folklore Show
Experience a Tyrolean Folklore show in Innsbruck.
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Lunch at St. Peter's Restaurant
Savor lunch at the 1,200-year-old St. Peter's Restaurant, Austria's oldest.
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Fondue Lunch
Experience a fondue lunch in a picturesque alpine town.
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Tyrolean Cuisine Dinner
Dine on Tyrolean cuisine at a local restaurant.
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Walking Tour of Lucerne's Altstadt
Enjoy a walking tour of Lucerne's Altstadt (Old Town).
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Tour of Linderhof Palace
Tour Linderhof Palace and its beautiful gardens.
What's Not Included
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Mount Pilatus Excursion
The excursion to Mount Pilatus does not include lunch.
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Optional Seefeld Visit
The visit to Seefeld and the country cottage is optional and requires a minimum of 10 passengers.
Experiences
Witness the creation of Alpine music during an alphorn and yodeling demonstration.Relax and unwind with two leisurely 4-night stays.Experience a Tyrolean Folklore show in Innsbruck.
Options
Lucerne: Mount Pilatus Enjoy the splendor of pure nature while gliding over a clear landscape in panoramic gondolas and spectacular cable cars. Ascend Pilatus via a unique excursion on the steepest railway of the world with a gradient of 48%. Upon arrival at the top, soak in the magnificent Alpine view from 7,000 feet above sea level. During leisure time at the summit, stroll the walkway for views from a different vantage point, or enjoy Swiss culinary delights on your own in one of the various restaurants (lunch is not included). Return back down the mountain by panoramic gondola for yet another bird’s eye view. Duration approximately 3 hour(s). Transportation is included. A minimum of 15 passenger(s) is required to operate this option.
In the off-season (November to mid-May) the cogwheel train is unavailable and both the ascent and descent will be by panorama gondolas and aerial cableway. The option may be cancelled due to maintenance work or inclement weather.
Highest elevation: 7,000 feet.
Innsbruck: Spectacular Seefeld and Country Cottage Visit How better to spend a free day than visiting the romantic Alpine village of Seefeld. Beautifully situated at 3,600 feet above sea level, this charming Tyrolean town commands breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and countryside. Known as one of the world's greatest ski resorts, Seefeld offers a relaxed atmosphere in an Alpine setting with miles of trails for walking, lakes, fine shopping, dining possibilities and fresh, Alpine air. After arriving by train, enjoy a glass of schnapps and a traditional horse and buggy ride. While at the small country home, learn how to make your own apple strudel and indulge in the chance to sample one of Austria’s famous sweets! Duration approximately 5 hour(s). Transportation is included. A minimum of 10 passenger(s) is required to operate this option.
Culinaries
Savor lunch at the 1,200-year-old St. Peter's Restaurant, Austria's oldest.Experience a fondue lunch in a picturesque alpine town.Dine on Tyrolean cuisine at a local restaurant.
Must See
Spend a day exploring Salzburg's historic past and charming old town.Enjoy a walking tour of Lucerne's Altstadt (Old Town).Tour Linderhof Palace and its beautiful gardens.
Choice Highlights
Bern Bern, the capital of the Swiss Confederation, has a population of about 660,000 in the metro area. It is located in west central Switzerland, in a bend of the Aare River. Legend says that the city got its name from the first animal the founder, Berchtold V, Duke of Zahringen, saw when he was hunting: a bear. In honor of this legend, bears are kept in an enclosure in the city center. The old town is a UNESCO World Heritage site, with its beautifully preserved medieval buildings, and the major sights are the bear pit, the Cathedral and the Zytglogge (medieval clock tower).
Alphorn Maker
Yodeling Demonstration
Fondue Lunch
Lucerne This city of 80,000 people is in north-central Switzerland in the canton of Lucerne and sits on the shores of Lake Lucerne. The town began with a Benedictine monastery in the 8th century and gained importance from its location on trade routes. The most famous sights in Lucerne are the wooden Kapellbrucke (Chapel Bridge) across the Reuss River, the Hofkirche (Church of St. Leodegar) and the Swiss Museum of Transport. The city celebrates Carnival every year beginning the Thursday before Ash Wednesday. Mt Pilatus, with the world’s steepest cog railway, is visible from Lucerne.
Austrian Alps This Alpine region covers much of western Austria, and contains some of the highest peaks in the Alps, such as the 12,370 ft/3770 m Wildspitze. The city of Innsbruck is in the heart of the Austrian Alps, and Salzburg is in the foothills on the northeastern end of the mountains. Other well-known destinations in these mountains are Zell am See, St. Anton am Arlberg and Saalbach, and skiing and mountaineering are the most popular activities here.
Cultural City Tour or Architectural Tour Today in Innsbruck, you have the choice between two activities. First you may choose to embark on a cultural tour to discover the city’s history and popular attractions, including Maria Theresien Strasse, the Hofburg, and the Golden Roof. Your other option is to embark on an architectural tour focusing on Innsbruck’s unique architectural structures, including its famous ski jump.
Cultural City Tour
Activity Level 2: Travelers will need to walk for 30 minutes at a time.
Architectural Tour
Activity Level 2: Travelers will need to walk for 30 minutes at a time.
Innsbruck This is the capital of the state of Tyrol in the Alps of western Austria. Innsbruck is famous as a winter sports center and was the site of the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympics. It is beautifully situated in the valley of the Inn River, and its most famous sights are the Golden Roof (a structure made from 2,800 gilded copper tiles that was added in 1500 to a building to celebrate the marriage of Emperor Maximilian I), the beautifully preserved city center with buildings covered in traditional Christmas decorations in the season, and the surrounding mountains.
Salzburg The name of this city means “Salt Fortress” and it comes from the custom of taxing salt shipments down the Salzach River. It is the 4th largest city in Austria, and the capital of the state of Salzburg. The baroque Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the city sits in a valley surrounded by the Alps. Mozart was born here in the 18th century, and the city was the setting for “The Sound of Music”. Salzburg became part of Austria in the early 19th century, given by Bavaria. Some of the important sights are the Salzburg Castle, Salzburg Cathedral, Mirabell Gardens, the birthplace of Mozart and sites associated with “The Sound of Music.”
Mirabell Gardens These gardens are located on the grounds of the Mirabell Palace, built by Prince-Archbishop Wolf Raitenau for his mistress, Salome Alt in 1606, and she lived there for 6 years until he was deposed. The gardens were created in the early 18th century , and are geometrically designed and filled with mythology-inspired sculptures. Emperor Franz Joseph opened the gardens to the public in 1854. Scenes from “The Sound of Music” were filmed here, including the “Do Re Mi” song with the children dancing around a horse fountain.
St. Peter's Restaurant Enjoy the 1,200-year-old St. Peter’s restaurant. Stiftskeller St. Peter is a restaurant within the monastery walls of St. Peter's Arch abbey in Salzburg, Austria. At the heart of Europe’s oldest restaurant, which dates back to 803, is Austrian culture, history and modernity. St. Peter Stiftskeller first built as inn, prospered into homes of the nobility including Austrian composer, Michael Haydn. It soon became the quarters for French troops during the Napoleonic wars in 1809. The culinary arts have flourished for centuries at St. Peter Stiftskeller and continue to evolve. Seasonal changes and sophisticated ingredients contribute to an ever-changing dining experience.
Bavaria Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast, and its capital is Munich. It makes up almost 1/5 of Germany today, and was a powerful Duchy and Kingdom dating from 555 until its inclusion in modern Germany in the 19th century. The flag is white and blue, representing the colors of sky and heaven. Much of southern Bavaria is in the Alps, including the town of Oberammeragau. Many Bavarians consider themselves Bavaria first, German second. For many Americans, Bavaria brings to mind cars (BMW) and beer (Munich’s Oktoberfest).
Linderhof Palace Inspired by Versailles and built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria in 1886, Linderhof Palace has a Baroque facade with rich Rococco ornamentation inside. The Palace is an excellent way to see the incomparable artistry of the era’s craftspeople. Look for such lush decorations as a carpet made of ostrich plumes, an ivory candelabra and a table top inlayed with lapis-lazuli, amethyst and chalcedony.
Tyrolean Folklore Show Traditional costumes for the Tyrol region in Austria include lederhosen and dirndls, and brightly embroidered fabrics. The dances are similar to jigs, and the most famous is the Schuhplattler (shoe-slapping) dance. The instruments may include long Alpine horns, cow bells, zithers and harps. Yodeling is also sometimes featured.
Mode of Transport
Travel through the picturesque landscapes of Switzerland, Austria, and Bavaria with included transportation, ensuring a seamless journey between destinations and allowing you to fully immerse in the scenic beauty.
Accommodation
Enjoy comfortable stays at Hotel Bern and Hotel Innsbruck, offering a blend of modern amenities and traditional charm, ensuring a relaxing retreat after your daily adventures.
Check out our Q&As
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What unique musical experiences are included in the tour?
The tour includes a demonstration of Alpine music creation, where you can learn about and even try playing the alphorn. Additionally, there is a yodeling demonstration and a Tyrolean folklore show hosted by a local musical family in Innsbruck.
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What historical sites will be visited during the tour?
The tour visits several historical sites including the UNESCO World Heritage site of Bern's Old Town, the 1,200-year-old St. Peter's Restaurant in Salzburg, and Linderhof Palace in Bavaria, which was inspired by Versailles.
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Are there any culinary experiences included in the tour?
Yes, the tour includes a fondue lunch in a picturesque alpine town, lunch at the historic St. Peter's Restaurant in Salzburg, and a farewell dinner at a traditional Tyrolean restaurant.
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What options are available for exploring Innsbruck?
In Innsbruck, you have the option to choose between a cultural city tour focusing on the city's history and popular attractions, or an architectural tour that highlights Innsbruck's unique structures, including its famous ski jump.
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What leisure activities are available in Lucerne?
In Lucerne, you can enjoy a leisurely paced walking tour of the Old Town, exploring sites like the Chapel Bridge, Water Tower, Town Hall, Jesuit Church, and the Lion Monument. Additionally, there is an optional excursion to Mount Pilatus, where you can enjoy panoramic views and Swiss culinary delights.
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Can I pre-purchase optional excursions/activities?
Yes, the majority of optional excursions and activities are available for advance purchase for applicable tours provided that you make your options purchase prior to 15 days of the tour departure. Collette makes it convenient to reserve presold options by visiting our website for a full listing of activities and excursions or when your reservation is made with our reservations staff. In addition, there are benefits to prepurchasing options including a price guarantee once your tour is paid in full. So, while the cost of an optional activity may change from the time you book your tour, once payment is received in full, your preselected options are guaranteed by Collette at their original price. Although you can still purchase options while on tour, reserving them ahead of time ensures you a spot in the event that the activity sells out. Collette will provide a refund if you cancel a presold option prior to tour departure. Any presold options canceled while on tour are nonrefundable.
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Can my children travel on tour?
Children over the age of 5 may travel on a Collette tour accompanied by an adult. Child land rates are valid for ages 5-12, sharing a room with two full-paying adults. Participation in any products that include Safari or Game Drive components, is limited to travelers aged 13 and up. This will include tours to Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa and India.
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What is the difference between a twin room and double room?
In certain countries, hotel rooms tend to be smaller than U.S. standard accommodations. A double room is designed to accommodate two people, but may not have two separate beds. A twin-bedded room has two separate beds of any size, and is the type most commonly utilized.
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Do you provide VISA processing for all applicable destinations?
Collette does not process VISAs. Every nation has its own specific requirements. Check the embassy or consulate website for the country you are visiting to find the forms and information you need. The process of getting a VISA can take two weeks to two months.
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Do I need a passport?
Government-issued ID is required for all air travel. A valid passport is required for all trips outside the USA. All passengers should check with the appropriate foreign consulate for entry and validity requirements. We recommend that your passport has six months validity, and at least 3 blank pages. Passports and visas are the responsibility of each client. International Borders. Any child under age 16 (traveling without a parent or legal guardian to Canada) must have written permission from a parent or legal guardian. Please be advised that if you have been convicted of an offense, or have committed a criminal act that is an offense under the laws where it occurred and would be an offense in Canada, you may be inadmissible into Canada. You will need to apply for a Minister's Permit of Approval of Rehabilitation at a Canadian Consulate. All other travelers should contact the appropriate consulate for entry requirements in other international destinations. In South Africa, children are required to have a passport as well as additional documentation to travel with you into and out of the country. Please consult the South African Embassy for the current specific requirements related to your travel dates. If travelling internationally with a child under the age of 18, please check directly with the airline for the legal documentation that is required. It is the sole responsibility of the guest to procure the proper documentation to travel and many requirements vary by airline and destination. Collette will not be responsible for costs incurred for missed flights or canceled tours where a guest fails to secure proper documentation.
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Is there a lot of walking on tour?
We pride ourselves on bringing travelers the very best experiences a destination offers. Our itineraries include many activities and may consist of walking on uneven terrain or significant walking at times. Some of the most unique sightseeing can mean accessing locations that restrict motorcoaches, especially in historic areas. Some hotels/lodges in remote locations may not have elevators. For your comfort, we recommend bringing walking shoes.
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Free Date Changes
CTS demo white label allows you to make 20 free date changes, as long as the change is made at least 0 days before the start of the tour.
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Low Deposit
CTS demo white label requires a minimum deposit of 55% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 30 days before departure.
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