Touring Holidays In Austria

With grand palaces and beautiful baroque streetscapes, visiting the Austrian city of Vienna is like taking a journey back in time to the days of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, when the city ruled not only Austria but a large part of central Europe. It’s not surprising that Vienna’s stunning historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Examples of the city’s illustrious history, including 27 palaces, lie on virtually every street corner. On our trips to Vienna, we’ll explore highlights like Hofburg, the former Imperial winter residence, and the magnificent Schönbrunn Palace, all with an expert guide.

Surrounded by incredible Alpine scenery, the city of Salzburg looks like something out of a fairytale. Salzburg literally means ‘Salt Fortress’, referring to toll exacted on salt barges that travelled up the Salzach River and through the town in the 8th century. Today Austria’s fourth largest city, Salzburg is best known as the birthplace of Mozart and as the setting for the ‘Sound of Music.’ On our holidays including Salzburg, we’ll take a guided half-day walking tour to visit the beautiful Mirabell Gardens and the pedestrianised street ‘Getreidegasse’, where the 18th century composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born.

Innsbruck is the capital city of Tyrol, located on the Inn River and bordered by the Alps. This beautiful city is home to an array of historical highlights including the fascinating medieval old town, Wilten Abbey Basilica and Ambras Castle. The city’s most famous attraction is The Goldenes Dachl (Golden Roof), a landmark structure slated with 2,657 fire-glided copper shingles and located in the heart of the historic district. We’ll see all of this and more on our holidays including Innsbruck with a guided walking tour of the city and plenty of free time to explore at a leisurely pace.

Set in the Austrian Alps, Kitzbühel is a fashionable mountain resort best known for its annual downhill ski race, the Hahnenkamm. This charming town boasts a number of upscale shops and restaurants in its quaint medieval centre. On our holidays to the Austrian Alps, we’ll stay near the town of Kitzbühel, so we can spend our leisure time wandering its narrow streets, exploring the top of the mountain or just having a coffee at one of the many outdoor cafes and watching the world go by.

The lower Austrian town of Melk is most famous for its beautiful Benedictine Abbey, which overlooks the Danube River and the stunning Wachau valley. First established in the 11th century, the Baroque-style abbey is adorned in bright frescoes and has housed monks for over 900 years. Melk Abbey has been beautifully restored and is an absolute must-see when visiting the Danube Valley. On our Austrian holidays including Melk, we’ll have the opportunity to tour this abbey with an expert, local guide to give us the history of this incredible location.

A must-see attraction for all holidays to Vienna is Schönbrunn Palace, the summer residence of the Habsburg family. The Habsburg monarchy ruled Austria, Hungary and parts of the surrounding countries for over 600 years and Schönbrunn serves as a window into their lavish lifestyles. The grounds are home to lush gardens, impressive sculptures and even some fake Roman Ruins, built by Ferdinand Hetzendorf von Hohenberg in 1778. On our holidays to Vienna, we’ll get to explore this beautifully ornate palace as part of a guided, full day city tour.

Another former royal residence to visit is the Hofburg, which was originally the official seat of the Habsburg Empire. Once an impressive fortress with a moat and drawbridge, today the palace is home to a mix of museums and ministries. Though many additions and modifications have been made to the building over time, it still stays true to its historic origins and serves as a breathtaking reminder of this once powerful monarchy. Our trips to Vienna include a visit to the Hofburg with an expert guide who will explain all about this landmark’s rich history.

The Ringstrasse boulevard is home to a number of famous Viennese sights, including the Vienna State Opera House and the Votive Church. This area of the city takes visitors back in time, providing an insight into the period when Vienna was one of the most important capitals of the world. On our holidays to Vienna, we’ll tour this impressive boulevard and take in the architectural highlights of the area with an expert guide to point out the imperial style for which the city is known.

Vienna has no shortage of magnificent palaces, but Belvedere might be the finest example of Baroque architecture that the city has to offer. Built during at time of extensive construction in Vienna, it was originally used as a residence for the Habsburgs. Today, Belvedere is a fantastic art gallery housing famous paintings like The Kiss by Gustav Klimt. While in Vienna, we’ll enjoy plenty of free time to visit this must-see attraction, with tips on what to see inside from our expert guide.