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The full coverage terms and details, including limitations and exclusions, are contained in the insurance policy. To view/download the policy, go to https://policy.travelexinsurance.com/GPB-0521. Travelex Insurance Services, Inc. CA Agency License #0D10209. Travel Insurance is underwritten by Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company; NAIC #22276. X41
A non-refundable $500 deposit per person is required with your registration form in order to reserve your spot. An additional non-refundable $500 deposit per person is required by December 15, 2021.
Final payment is due March 10, 2022
Meals/beverages other than those listed on the itinerary, beverages other than tea or coffee with included meals unless indicated, items of a personal nature/souvenirs, phone calls and faxes from hotels, travel protection plan, passport fees, visa fees (if applicable), current baggage fees at the airport as assessed by the airline, and any service not listed in the above inclusions.
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Our journey begins as we board our flight to Zurich, Switzerland.
Note: The airport location and airline will be confirmed nine months before departure.
Upon arrival in Zurich, we will be met by our guide and coach and begin our exciting alpine adventure with a short drive north to visit the largest waterfall in Europe, the Rhine Falls. This impressive waterfall marks the beginning of the navigable portion of the Rhine River. A cruise will get us up close and personal with the falls for a chance to take some spectacular photos. Then we are off to the city of Lucerne on the shores of the magnificent Lake Lucerne. Here, we’ll cross the famous wooden Chapel Bridge and see the Lion Monument designed by the Danish sculptor Thorwaldsen as a memorial to Swiss mercenaries that lost their lives defending the King of France. After a full day, we gather for a delicious welcome dinner.
(Dinner included)
After breakfast this morning, we will embark on a wonderful day of sightseeing, beginning with a short drive over the Brünig Pass, past Interlaken, and up a narrow valley to Lauterbrunnen, known as “the village of waterfalls.” A cogwheel train awaits for the journey to the Kleine Scheidegg rail station to take in the panoramic view of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau Mountains! Enjoy some free time to hike the gentle paths in the area or simply sit and take in the amazing view at 7,000 feet above sea level! We then continue our train ride down the mountain to the charming village of Grindelwald before returning to Lucerne via Brünig Pass for a delightful dinner this evening.
(Breakfast and dinner included)
We say goodbye to Switzerland this morning as we head through the postage-stamp country of Liechtenstein and on to Innsbruck, Austria. A guided tour will introduce us to the beautiful capital of Tyrol. Surrounded by the panorama of the Alps, Innsbruck is an internationally renowned winter sports center and played host to the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympics. The city’s historic center is a wonderful mix of medieval history, grand architecture from the Kaiser’s time, and some modern elements. One of the crown jewels of Innsbruck is the Imperial Palace, considered one of the three most significant cultural buildings in the country. The tour will come to an end at our hotel for time to freshen up before we enjoy a Tyrolean dance and yodeling show with dinner.
(Breakfast and dinner included)
Following breakfast, we will journey toward Salzburg with a stop for a fun, educational, and memorable adventure at the Berchtesgaden Salt Mine! We’ll don our mining garb and slide down into the earth to learn about this important industry that made the area prosperous. Once back above ground, a short drive will bring us to Salzburg for a walking tour. Our local guide will introduce us to the city of Mozart and The Sound of Music as we stroll through the historical center. Places we may see include the Mirabell Gardens with the “Do Re Mi” steps that served as the setting for that famous musical scene in The Sound of Music, the festival hall, and Mozart’s birthplace. Listen for the Glockenspiel Tower’s bells ringing to a melody of Mozart! The remainder of the afternoon is at your leisure. With a wide variety of sights to see and shops to browse, there’s plenty to keep you entertained! Consider riding the funicular to the Salzburg fortress overlooking the beautiful city.
(Breakfast included)
This morning we will cross the German border again to head up a mountain and back in time to Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest in the Obersalzberg area. This Third Reich-era building was a foreboding mountaintop retreat used by Hitler during WWII. Many of Hitler’s ideas and decisions that led to war and the Holocaust can be traced back to this very idyllic mountainside. We’ll learn more about the construction and use of the Eagle’s Nest, hear how Obersalzberg served as the cradle of the party and became a stage on which world history was enacted, and visit the Dokumentation Obersalzberg for access to the underground bunker system. The journey back to Salzburg will be a scenic one as we drive along the Rossfeld panoramic motorway, the highest panoramic road in the Alps. Tonight we are in for a real treat with a very special dining experience!
(Breakfast and dinner included)
Enjoy breakfast this morning and say goodbye to Austria as we venture toward Oberammergau, Germany. The journey will take us over the Bavarian Alps, and time to appreciate the views is a must! In Garmisch-Partenkirchen we’ll embark on a cogwheel train ride up the Zugspitze via a nearly three-mile tunnel to explore the high alpine world. After we get acclimated to the altitude, we will then board the Gletscherbahn cable car to reach the summit with a breathtaking 360-degree view. From here, one can see more than four hundred mountain peaks across Germany, Austria, Italy, and Switzerland! Then it’s time to descend the mountain via Cable car Zugspitze. Enjoy the staggering views from the floor-to-ceiling window far into the foothills of the Alps and down to the wildly romantic Eibsee lake. From Eibsee, the cogwheel train will take us back to our waiting motorcoach for the remainder of the drive to the Oberammergau area. Settle in for the next two nights and join the group for dinner.
(Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included)
In Oberammergau, admire the bright frescoes that adorn many of the homes and businesses and perhaps do some shopping for a souvenir woodcarving for which the village is famous. This afternoon we will attend Part One of the Passion Play! In 1633, the plague raged in many parts of Europe, including Oberammergau. Villagers promised to perform the suffering, death, and resurrection of Christ every ten years if no one else died of the plague. The villagers were answered by God and held the first Passion Play in 1634, and the community has kept its promise for nearly four hundred years! After dinner, we will return to the theater for Part Two of the play.
(Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included)
Today’s touring begins with a visit to the rococo Benedictine monastery in Ettal. The large, castle-like grounds of the monastery are the result of a long historical development and demonstrate one of the main concerns of a Benedictine Abbey: being an independent religious community which produces everything needed for life and thus has all the important workshops and undertakings, if possible, within the confines of the monastery. Ettal Abbey runs a brewery, a distillery, a bookstore, an art publishing house, a hotel, a cheese factory joint venture, and several smaller companies. Up next is a tour of Linderhof Palace nestled in the Bavarian countryside. Modeled after Versailles on a smaller scale, Linderhof was the favorite of King Ludwig II’s three castles and is considered one of the most beautiful castles in the world. The castle has an exquisite collection of vases, and every room contains four pounds of gold leaf! Following our tour, we will continue on to Munich for an evening at leisure.
(Breakfast included)
We’ll begin the day with breakfast and then set out to explore Munich, Bavaria’s friendly capital city. Our sightseeing tour will include Olympic Park, views of the beautiful Nymphenburg Palace, the Marienplatz with the world-famous Glockenspiel, the revered Frauenkirche with its “Devil’s Footprint,” and many more iconic sites. We’ll also take a quick look inside the famous Hofbraühaus. Locals and tourists from around the world flock to this bustling beer hall where the main area holds up to 1,300 guests. It’s a tradition for regulars to have a long-standing table reservation (the oldest regulars’ table has been held for the last 70 years!), and they can even rent lockers to hold their personal beer mugs. The remainder of the afternoon is yours to do as you wish. Consider visiting the tomb of King Ludwig II in St. Michaelskirche or exploring the Viktualien Market. This 240,000-square-foot market has 140 stalls and shops offering flowers, exotic fruit, meats, spices, cheese, wine, tea, and more. We’ll then gather for a wonderful farewell dinner this evening.
(Breakfast and dinner included)
Following breakfast at the hotel, we will transfer to the airport for our flight home with memories of opulent palaces, scenic alpine views, and the inspiring Passion Play.
(Breakfast included)