Our Owners can discover storybook castles and glittering palaces amidst impressive Alpine vistas as they explore Austria, Germany and Switzerland with Collette tours. Owners can spend 9,000 Vacation Club Points per couple for a gorgeous 13 day tour reaching altitudes upwards of 10,000 feet. This tour is perfect for Owners who want some adventure with minimal physical requirements.
The tour begins in Vienna where Owners enjoy dinner in the quaint wine making village of Grinzing before they spend the night at the 4-star Mercure Grand Hotel Biedermerier Wien. Owners will spend the next two days in Vienna, enjoying a guided tour of Schoembrunn Palace and Stephan's Cathedral. Schoenbrunn Palace was built in the 17th century by Emperor Leopold I as a hunting lodge, today visitors can stay the night, take a tour of the exhibitions or dine at the Café. Next, Owners will be amazed at the beauty of Stephen's Cathedral and still, to this day, you can witness Sunday services.
In addition, the Cathedral is a popular wedding, baptism location and home of the second-biggest church bell in the world. Day four of this tour Owners leave Vienna and charter a cruise ship, sailing on the beautiful Danube River, to Salzburg. Once in Salzburg Owners take a walking tour of the ancient city and see sights such as, the house where Mozart was born and raised. Then take a tour of Mirabell Palace and Gardens. Mirabell palace was built as a token of love by a Prince for a Princess and the castle grounds truly imitate the beauty of their love.
For the next three days Owners will be enjoying Germany. Starting in Munich they will tour the Olympic Park where Germany hosted the Olympics three times and the world-famous Glockenspiel a chiming clock tower. The Owners then travel and stay for 2 nights in the quaint village of Oberammergau where Owners experience a magical dinner and visit with entertainers from a famous play called, “The Passion Play”. The play is a reenactment of the resurrection of Christ and usually runs every 10 years.
Owners then make their way to Switzerland, stopping at the mysterious Black Forest. The Black Forest, a mountainous region in southwest Germany, bordering France and is known for its dense evergreen forests and picturesque villages, which inspired some of the Brothers Grimm fairy tales. It's also renowned for the cuckoo clocks produced in the region since the 1700s.
Owners first stop in Switzerland is the city of Zermatt, where they will visit the Chateau de Chillon and experience one of the most photographed castles in the world. Chateau de Chillon is located along the shores of Lake Geneva and has been around since the 12 century. Its strategic location was intended to control passage between Northern and Southern Europe.
Then board a train called the Matterhorn Gottard Bahn enjoying a panoramic journey through the Swiss Alps arriving at the village of Zermatt. The city of Zermatt is positioned at the base of the famous Matterhorn Mountain, home to world class snow skiing and beautiful summer hiking. The final day of this tour Owners will take a scenic waking tour of romantic old town of Lucerne and then enjoy free time, Owners meet for a farewell dinner.
Exploring the Alpine Countries tour will excite anyone at any age! Experience the intrigue of Old World castles and cathedrals, be in awe of the untouched beauty of the Black Forest, zip through the Swiss Alps on an epic journey of discovery and then end the journey at the base of the majestic Matterhorn mountain range.
