Munich and Salzburg Sensations

Your first day in Munich is spent at your leisure, with time to acclimatize and rest up from your flight.

This is a full-day walking tour of Munich, with a private guide and driver at your disposal. Stops include the ornate Bavarian royal home the Munich Residenz, the Opera House, Odeons Square, the Bavarian army monument, and the stunning Theater Church. The neoclassic King’s Square is the center of cultural life in Munich, home to the Kunstareal gallery. And the impressive Nymphenburg Palace is a sprawling 500-acre showpiece from 1675, replete with Rococo interiors and Baroque gardens.

Your guide will also include a look at cultural and historical sites like the Munich Cathedral and Mary’s Square, New and Old Town Halls, and St. Peter, Munich’s oldest church.

Today brings a more somber tone, with a tour of the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial, one of the first camps established by the Nazi regime in 1933. You will learn about its early years as a detention center for political prisoners and vocal anti-regime opponents, and its employment as a prison for more than 200,000 people from 1938 until April 1945.

Neuschwanstein Castle is on your agenda today, a two-hour private transfer south of Munich, into the forests of Bavaria. One of three luxurious castles built by the former King of Bavaria Ludwig II, it was intended as a retreat in honor of the king’s friend, composer Richard Wagner. The storybook glamor of this 19th-century turreted hilltop castle never fails to impress visitors, its elaborate interiors having recently undergone extensive restorations. The castle is well-known for its famous Singer’s Hall and magnificent Throne Room, but also noted for having the latest technical innovations of the day, including a battery-powered bell system to call the servants.

Today, enjoy a private transfer south of Munich to the village of Oberammergau, renowned for its local artisans who produce wonderful wooden pieces of a mainly religious nature and for its traditional houses decorated with Baroque frescoes – including the Forsthaus, the Mussldomahaus and the Pilatushaus. Oberammergau is also famous for its Passion Plays, considered the most significant in the world, which have been performed every 10 years for the past 400 years.

Your journey continues eastward today, with a stop at the glacial Lake Tegernsee, a spa town noted for its natural scenery and hiking trails. A stop at the Büttenpapierfabrik Gmund paper company details how the manufacturer has been supplying luxury paper products for clients like Tiffany, Hermès, Armani, and Swarovski. You then continue to the Austrian city of Salzburg, the birthplace of Mozart.

Today in Salzburg, you will discover its glorious landscapes, gardens, palaces, and coffee houses. Your private tour of the “Rome of the North” takes in the city’s history of classical music, abundant natural treasures, architectural jewels, and UNESCO World Heritage Sites. See where Wolfgang Mozart was born and enjoy tours of the breathtaking St. Peter’s church, the Salzburg Cathedral, the Statue at Mozartplatz, and the Hohensalzburg Castle.

Guests will also enjoy the unique experience of the renowned Salzburg Riding Dinner, a sightseeing tour where your horse and carriage make restaurant stops along the route for delightful dinner courses and drinks served right inside the carriage.

Your first stop today is in the mountainside retreat of Obersalzberg, situated above the market town of Berchtesgaden back in Germany. Your visit here includes the trip up the long road to Kehlstein House, its notoriety linked to its use as a mountaintop base for the Third Reich. At the top, a tunnel leads into the mountain, where an elevator takes you directly up into the Eagle's Nest.

Afterward, your guide will take you to Schloss Berchtesgaden, one of Bavaria’s most important – and still privately owned – castles, featuring more than 200 rooms. The palace tour includes its elaborate state rooms and private quarters, plus a collection of armory that is truly unique. The artwork on display includes precious furniture, exquisite porcelain, and paintings by major artists. The view from the Upper Rose Garden of Watzmann Mountain is considered to be the most splendid in the entire valley.

Enjoy a full-day tour of Salzkammergut, a stunningly beautiful region of lakes and mountain ranges east of Salzburg. Enjoy a scenic ride along Lake Fuschlsee and Lake Wolfgangsee, then pass by Bad Ischl, the former summer residence of the Austrian emperors, before reaching the charming little town of Hallstatt at Lake Hallstättersee, the heart of the Salzkammergut area. There, you will be enchanted by the spectacular mountain and lake scenery. The return trip takes you to Lake Gosausee and along the Lammer River. A stop at Kaiservilla, the summer home of Emperor Franz Josef, can also be arranged.

Today, we bid goodbye to Germany and Austria with your return flight home.