10-Nights Alpine Countries

Black Forest

The Black Forest is a wooded mountain range in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany, with many beautiful hiking trails. It is bordered by the Rhine valley to the west and south. Picturesque towns are plentiful in the Black Forest, and popular tourist destinations include the Schluchse and the Titisee, the thermal bath town Baden-Baden, Gengenbach, Freudenstadt, and Hinterzarten to name a few.

Lucerne

Without a doubt one of the prettiest towns in Switzerland, Lucerne lies in the heart of the country on famous lake of Lucerne. Dotted with Renaissance and Baroque fountains, colorful paintings on the gables and commanded by the exquisite wooden bridge, the Kapellbrücke and Wasserturm, the 13th century octagonal water tower, Lucerne's character is pure charm. Spectacular views and sights abound from almost every vantage point in and around Lucerne. The Old Town Hall is a fine example of a Renaissance building while the City Wall, built between 1350 and 1405 stands proud above the city. A stroll along the quay leads past the modern health resort and onto the largest, most important Transport Museum in Europe and the only Planetarium in Switzerland. The famous Lion Monument and Glacier Garden make for remarkable viewing as do the mountain peaks surrounding the city. A short drive from town takes visitors to some of the most breathtaking landscapes on earth, and a short drive from Viewaldstätter Lake leads to nearby winter resorts and many more lakes.

Oberammergau

If Oberammergau did not have the reputation it does, it would have been one of the quietest places among numerous others in the Alps. But its tradition made it that well-known. This tradition does apply to handicraft, to history up to the legends and stories of the village. Oberammergau and the surrounding countryside offer a variety of events and sites, such as hiking and biking tours, winter sports, and tours to the vicinity of Oberammergau. Oberammergau is famous for its wood carving tradition and tromp d'oeil paintings. Today there are about 120 wood sculptors in Oberammergau, actively carving and selling a large variety of wooden artefacts, from figures of saints to household goods. Carvers School offers courses providing specialist training for wood carvers.

Salzburg

Mozart's birthplace and "festival city" of breathtaking scenic beauty, "The Sound of Music" resonates in every alleyway and picture perfect street of Salzburg. One of the most famous cities in the world, Salzburg used to be called "Rome of the North" - because of Italian influence on its architecture and because it was for centuries the major center of religious power in the German world. Today, it is perhaps the best existing example of a Baroque city, a riotously decorative style of architecture. Salzburg's most important attraction is still music and the two festivals, Festpielhause and Easter Festival, which annually transform the city into a music-lovers paradise.

Vienna

Vienna is dominated by imperial castles and places: Schonbrunn, the magnificent summer residence, the Imperial Coach Collection, the Palm House, the Butterfly House, Belvedere Palace, magnificent state rooms in Hofburg, and the imperial crown in the Treasury. Stop by Ringstraße - the showplace of the monarchy built where Emperor Franz Joseph ordered the demolition of city walls. Important buildings include the State Opera, the Museums of Fine Arts and Natural History, Parliament, City Hall and Vienna University. The world capital of music. A long line of great composers Johann Strauss, Haydn and Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert, Mahler and Schonberg all worked here. A city with splendid concert halls, such as the Golden Hall, from which the Philharmonic's New Year's Day concert is broadcast annually. International stars love to appear here in the State Opera, Volksoper, Konzerthaus, and at festivals like the Vienna Festival, the Klangbogen concerts during the Musical Summer, the Jazz Festval and the Haydn, Mozart and Schubert festivals.