Discover the traditions of Germany, Switzerland and Austria on this tour through medieval towns, Alpine peaks and the sophisticated glamour of Vienna. While this tour highlights Mozart’s birthplace, the natural beauty of the Rheinfall and the fairytale castle of Neuschwanstein, the stars of this tour are the beer steins and oom-pah bands of Germany’s Oktoberfest.

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 - Overnight Flight

Your trip begins with a regularly scheduled overnight flight to Frankfurt aboard an internationally recognized airline.

Day 2 - Heidelberg Region

A Go Ahead representative greets you at the airport in Frankfurt after you clear customs and then assists you with the transfer to your hotel in the Heidelberg Region. The rest of the day is free to relax. Meet your fellow travelers at an included dinner this evening.
Included meals: breakfast (in flight), dinner

Day 3 - Heidelberg Region

This morning, enjoy a guided tour of Heidelberg. You’ll visit the city’s rose-colored hilltop castle, the grounds of the oldest university in Germany and Heidelberg’s elegant market square. This afternoon is free at leisure. You may wish to join an optional tour of Schwetzingen Castle and its 172 acres of gardens, which combine French formal and English landscape gardening styles.
Included meals: breakfast
Included entrances: Heidelberg Castle

$35 USD

Castle & Gardens of Schwetzingen Travel to Schwetzingen Castle and its internationally famed garden. Spanning 178 acres, the spacious and ornate gardens welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, and feature a unique combination of French and English landscaping styles. Savor the sights of this exquisitely maintained compound on a tour led by a local guide.

Day 4 - Lucerne

Journey to the thundering Rhine Falls and through the Black Forest, the darkly mysterious setting for many of the Grimm brothers’ fairy tales. Later, cross into Switzerland to arrive in Lucerne. Dinner is included this evening.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner

Day 5 - Lucerne

A professional local guide acquaints you with this Alpine town. Stroll down narrow streets and across the Kapellbrücke, a covered bridge whose history dates back to medieval days. The murals lining its walls are nearly identical to those painted in the 14th century. Be on the lookout for the colorful hand-painted façades along the cobbled streets of the Old Town. You’ll also view the captivating Löwendenkmal (Lion Monument), a sandstone statue commemorating Swiss Guards slain in the 1792. This afternoon, join an optional excursion up nearby Mount Pilatus via cable car for gorgeous views of the surrounding Alps.
Included meals: breakfast

$99 USD

Mount Pilatus This scenic excursion begins with a cruise on Lake Lucerne. After docking, ascend the 7,000-foot Mount Pilatus on the world’s steepest cog-wheel railway. Legend holds that the mountain was named for Pontius Pilate, blown here by the devil after the Crucifixion. From the peak, the views of the Alps are stunning; on a clear day, you can see for 200 miles. Toward the end of your trip, you’ll return to the base of the mountain via gondola. Please note: The cruise and cog railway only run from mid-May through October. During the winter months, this excursion includes the cable car ride only. If the cog railway is unavailable, you will enjoy lunch at the summit.

Day 6 - Innsbruck

Leaving Lucerne, travel into Liechtenstein, a tiny Alpine principality dating back to the Holy Roman Empire. Pass the royal family’s hilltop castle, still in use as a royal residence, as you visit Liechtenstein’s capital, Vaduz. Next, return to Austria, arriving later in the day in Innsbruck. Site of two winter Olympics and capital of the Austrian Tyrol, Innsbruck is a mix of centuries-old royal splendor and modern allure. On a guided tour, you’ll see the famed Golden Roof and the Triumphbogen, a triumphal arch built during by the Habsburg Empress Maria Theresa to commemorate a royal marriage. Dinner is included tonight.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner

Day 7 - Munich

Departing Innsbruck this morning, return to Germany. You’ll journey through the mountains of Bavaria to Neuschwanstein, retreat of “Mad” King Ludwig. View the castle’s turrets and towers as you approach along winding roads. Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty Castle was modeled on this same fairy-tale design. As you tour the castle, you’ll see many examples of the young king’s eclectic tastes. Within its chambers are a stalactite grotto, artifacts of all kinds, and murals depicting his favorite scenes from Wagnerian operas. Arrive in Munich this afternoon for a guided tour of the city. A local guide introduces you to the landmarks of the cosmopolitan Bavarian capital. Follow the stately Ludwigstraße to the district of Schwabing, a favorite of students and artists, and on to the Olympic complex. You’ll also step inside Nymphenburg Palace, the summer home of the dukes, prince-electors and kings of Bavaria. Enjoy an included dinner this evening.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner
Included entrances: Neuschwanstein, Nymphenburg Palace

Day 8 - Munich

Join thousands of beer-lovers from all over the world as you help celebrate Munich’s Oktoberfest. Today, you’ll enjoy special admission to one of the city’s most largest beer tents. The tent also serves true Bavarian delicacies (not included) throughout the day to complement your drink.
Included meals: breakfast
Included entrances: Oktoberfest tent

Day 9 - Salzburg

Leaving Munich this morning, cross the border into Austria and continue to the charming city of Salzburg. An included sightseeing tour introduces you to the city. Later, stop in Getreidegaße for a tour of the Mozart House and a walk through the Mirabell Gardens. Dinner is included this evening.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner
Included entrances: Mozart House

Day 10 - Salzburg

Discover more of Salzburg on your own today. Alternatively, join our optional Eagle’s Nest & Salt Mines excursion for a look at the mines that brought Salzburg to prominence and a nearby mountaintop retreat built as a birthday present for Adolf Hiter. This evening, enjoy our optional Mozart Concert & Dinner excursion.
Included meals: breakfast

$105 USD

Eagle’s Nest & Salt Mines Drive through the Bavarian Alps to the mountain village of Berchtesgaden, where you can tour the 450-year-old salt mines that brought wealth to Bavaria and Salzburg. Continue to Obersalzberg, where a scenic bus ride along steep gorges affords gorgeous views of the snow-capped Alps. Here, you’ll visit the Eagle’s Nest, built as an Alpine retreat for Adolf Hitler's 50th birthday. Please note: The elevation of the Eagle’s Nest is approximately 4,500 feet, which might not be advisable for travelers with heart/lung problems or other altitude-related limitations. This optional is seasonal from mid-May to late September.

$115 USD

Mozart Concert & Dinner Step inside the 1,200-year-old Stiftstkellar St. Peter inside St. Peter's Abbey for a night of food and the music of Mozart. Mozart composed over 600 works in his short life, and tonight, you'll hear his masterpieces as you dine. Please note: This excursion requires advanced reservations and payment at least 20 days prior to departure.

Day 11 - Vienna

Transfer to Vienna today, stopping en route in Melk, where you’ll enjoy a guided tour of the town’s Baroque abbey. Then continue your drive through the Austrian countryside to Vienna, the city of the waltz and enjoy an included dinner with your group. After hotel check-in, spend the rest of the day exploring Vienna on your own. Dinner is included tonight.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner
Included entrances: Melk Abbey

Day 12 - Vienna

A local guide introduces you to Vienna this morning. Highlights include the Opera House, the majestic monuments of the Ringstraße and the Hofburg, the Habsburgs’ winter palace. Then travel to Schönbrunn Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its intricately designed gardens. Your afternoon is free for a stroll through the Stadtpark or a horse-drawn carriage ride to St. Stephen’s Cathedral. This evening, opt to attend our Traditional
Viennese Heurigen Evening. At this optional evening event, you’ll take a ride on the Prater Ferris Wheel and dine at a local restaurant where you’ll enjoy wine made by the people serving dinner.
Included meals: breakfast

$99 USD

Traditional Viennese Heurigen Evening Enjoy a scenic drive to the picturesque village of Grinzing, where you'll savor traditional Austrian heurigen cuisine in a cozy Old World setting. Heurigen are traditional restaurants that serve their own wine, and you'll enjoy a festive evening of food, drink and music. Then, take a ride on Vienna’s Prater Ferris Wheel, which offers a one-of-a-kind view of the city.

Day 13 - Vienna

Enjoy today at leisure. You might wish to take a stroll through Vienna’s pedestrian zone, stopping at the Hotel Sacher for a taste of its world-famous Sachertorte, or view the elegant Lipizzaner horses in the Spanish Riding School. Alternatively, join an Map Key optional excursion to Bratislava for a guided tour of the Slovakian capital.
Included meals: breakfast

$95 USD

Bratislava Walk through Bratislava’s Old Town on a guided tour of the Slovakian capital. Stroll along cobblestone streets in the shadow of Brastislavsky Hrad, the hilltop 18th-century castle overlooking the Old Town. Then, tour the famous Hall of Mirrors inside the pink Primates’ Palace, where Napoleon and the Austrian emperor signed the Peace of Pressburg of 1805. Lunch is included. Please note: Depending on the day of the week, you may visit St. Martin's Cathedral instead of the palace.

Day 14 - Vienna

Continue on our tour extension to Budapest. Otherwise, a Go Ahead representative escorts you to the airport for your return flight home.
Included meals: breakfast
(In the case of early morning departures, breakfast may not be included.)