Departs on:

• Saturday, 07 September 2013

This is a truly European panoramic holiday, staying right in the heart of the Austrian Alps. Enjoy spectacular mountain scenery, peaceful Alpine pastures, picture-postcard villages with wooden chalets bedecked with flowers, crystal clear lakes and crisp mountain air. Add to this an exciting journey on the famous Swiss Glacier Express railway and you have the perfect Lakes and Mountains alpine holiday. Our hotel is in the Arlberg region of the Austrian Alps. This is one of the most popular areas of Austria with British visitors, with snow-capped mountains and different views around every corner.

Accommodation

We have chosen typical resorts in the Vorarlberg Alps region of Austria, perfectly located for our exciting excursion programme. Each village has a character all of its own and we are confident that you will not be disappointed with our choice. You’ll stay for six nights at a selected 3 star standard hotel such as the Hotel Pettneuerhof in Pettneu or the Hotel Basur in Flirsch, where you will receive a very warm welcome. Our hotels have a restaurant and bar and the comfortable bedrooms have en-suite private bathroom, TV and telephone. Continental buffet breakfasts and evening meals are included each day of your stay in Austria.

Overnight stays in France are in good, city style hotels, with continental breakfast. All bedrooms are en-suite.

Itinerary

Day 1 - UK to France

Local departure by coach then the mid-morning crossing to Calais and onwards to our overnight hotel in northern France.

Day 2 - France to Austria

Continuing south to Austria and our resort for our six night stay. B, D

Day 3 - Swiss Glacier Express

The highlight of our holiday will surely be the breathtaking 21/4 hour journey on the Swiss Glacier Express - one of the great railway journeys of the world!  We board the train in Chur and travel west on the most spectacular section of the line in our reserved standard class seat. Throughout the entire adventure we pass an ever-changing landscape of outstanding natural beauty with mountain forests, deep ravines and snow-capped mountains which soar up to 12,000 feet.  Our unforgettable journey takes us first through the Upper Rhine valley, to the source of this majestic river.  From here the famous Swiss mountain railway crosses the Oberalp Pass, at 6,670 feet the highest point on the line. We now descend, in an impressive series of loops, to the winter sports resort of Andermatt, which is situated on a sunny plateau, right in the very heart of the Alps. Our coach meets us in Andermatt and we return to our hotel via Lake Lucerne. Please note that on certain peak dates the train journey will be from Andermatt to Chur. B, D.

Day 4 - At Leisure

A day to relax and unwind in the comfortable surroundings of our hotel,
and perhaps to make your first discoveries in our Austrian resort. B, D

Day 5 - Optional Excursion to Innsbruck

An optional excursion takes us to the charming city of Innsbruck - the Tyrolean Capital. Innsbruck is situated in the Inn Valley and is surrounded by the Tyrolean Alps. Not to be missed is a stroll around the historic ’Old Town’, with the Hofburg Imperial Palace, and the city’s famed Golden Roof. We’ll also visit the Berg Isel Olympic ski jump, from where there are some marvellous views over the city. B, D

Day 6 - Lake Constance
A day of endless delights our fantastic Alpine coach tour takes us via Liechtenstein and high into the Engadine region of the Swiss Alp, through beautiful valleys to enjoy the sort of scenery that will take your breath away! The fantastic scenery becomes ever more dramatic as we approach Klosters, a fabulous ski resort which is a favourite with our own Royal Family. After our visit we return via the tiny Principality of Liechtenstein, where we stop awhile in the capital city, Vaduz, before making our way back to our hotel B, D.

Day 7 - Magical Switzerland, Klosters and Liechtenstein

A day of endless delights our fantastic Alpine coach tour takes us via Liechtenstein and high into the Engadine region of the Swiss Alp, through beautiful valleys to enjoy the sort of scenery that will take your breath away! The fantastic scenery becomes ever more dramatic as we approach Klosters, a fabulous ski resort which is a favourite with our own Royal Family. After our visit we return via the tiny Principality of Liechtenstein, where we stop awhile in the capital city, Vaduz, before making our way back to our hotel. B, D

Day 8 - Austria to France

Depart after breakfast and on to our overnight hotel in northern France. B.

Day 9 - France to UK

To Calais, Dover then return home. B.


Included Meals: B = Breakfast, D = Dinner

Included in Price

•    Local departure points

•    British coach throughout

•    Return Channel crossings

•    6 nights accommodation in Austria with dinner and breakfast

•    2 nights accommodation in France with breakfast

•    Twin bedrooms with en-suite private bathroom

•    Swiss Glacier Express rail journey

•    Coach excursion to Lake Constance and Lindau in Germany

•    Coach excursion to Liechtenstein and the ski resort of Klosters in Switzerland

•    Services of a Mistral Representative in Austria

•    All taxes, service charges and road tolls

•    Full ABTA financial security

Optional Excursions

Innsbruck

An optional excursion takes us to the charming city of Innsbruck - the Tyrolean Capital. Innsbruck is situated in the Inn Valley and is surrounded by the Tyrolean Alps. Not to be missed is a stroll around the historic ’Old Town’, with the Hofburg Imperial Palace, and the city’s famed Golden Roof. We’ll also visit the Berg Isel Olympic ski jump, from where there are some marvellous views over the city.