Wonders of Austria (8D7N)

Your Austrian journey begins in Vienna, where you’ll be met on arrival and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to settle in, rest after your journey or begin getting a feel for the city.

In the afternoon, you’ll receive information about the days ahead, either directly or through the information board at your hotel reception.

Overnight in Vienna.

Today gives you your first proper introduction to Austria’s capital. A panoramic city tour takes you along Vienna’s grand avenues, past impressive palaces and elegant parks before bringing you into the historic centre.

As evening arrives, you’ll return to the heart of the city. Vienna takes on a different character after dark, with illuminated historic buildings and lively streets providing time to wander, dine or simply enjoy the atmosphere.

Overnight in Vienna.

Leave Vienna behind and follow the Danube into the Wachau Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where medieval towns, vineyards and river landscapes shape the journey.

Your first stop is Krems, known for its medieval historic centre.

From here, continue to Dürnstein, a small village surrounded by vineyards and green hills. The ruins of its hilltop castle are associated with the story of Richard the Lionheart.

The journey continues to Melk, where you’ll have time for lunch before visiting its Benedictine Abbey. The Baroque complex is known for its library, Marble Hall and gardens.

A brief stop at St Florian follows before arriving in Linz during the afternoon.

There will be time to explore Linz independently, including the historic centre and Hauptplatz, before settling into the evening.

Admire the Baroque architecture on the south bank contrasting with hyper-modern, color-shifting LED glass facades reflected across the Danube. Standing in the middle of the main pedestrian walkway puts you right between both facades, giving you a 360° panoramic view of the north bank, the glowing south bank, and the reflections streaming down the middle of the river.

Overnight in Linz.

Today brings a change of pace as you travel through Austria’s lake country.

In Gmunden, on the shores of Lake Traunsee, you’ll board a cruise of approximately one hour, with the surrounding mountains and lakeside architecture providing a changing backdrop.

After disembarking in Ebensee, continue to St Wolfgang on Lake Wolfgangsee. With its painted historic façades, cozy lakeside cafés, and tranquil waters, it is the perfect spot for a midday break. The atmospheric scenery makes the town a natural place to slow down and have a drink or lunch.

You’ll reach Salzburg in the late afternoon. With the rest of the afternoon free, you can discover the UNESCO-listed historic centre, from its Baroque architecture and medieval squares to its churches and imposing fortress. Salzburg is also the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Take an evening walk through the lantern-lit Getreidegasse and stop to see the illuminated Mozart Monument. 

Sound of Music fans can visit Mirabell Gardens in the evening. This is where the children performed their Do-Re-Mi finale. The main garden gate stays unlocked into the late evening. Download a GPSmyCity aoo ("Sound of Music Tour"). The app offers an offline map with step-by-step walking directions and audio/text guides that link central film sights without requiring cellular data.

If you want to catch a live music performance, Salzburg offers a variety of evening concerts dedicated to  Mozart, held in historic venues where the composer himself lived, worked, or performed

For panoramic night views of the illuminated castle and Old Town, take the Mönchsberg lift (operates to 9pm from Tuesday to Sunday) up to the terrace of the Museum der Moderne, or stroll the footpaths along the cliffside.

Insider Tip: Visit Cafe Tomaselli, Austria’s oldest continuously operating coffee house, dating back to 1700.

The cafe is famous for its house specialties:

• Einspänner Tomaselli: A signature twist served in a glass featuring mocha coffee, a splash of egg liqueur, and a generous cap of whipped cream.

• Mozart Kaffee: A popular local specialty combining strong black coffee or espresso with Mozart chocolate liqueur, topped with whipped cream and cocoa powder or chocolate shavings.

For an IG-worthy treat, head over to nur Coffee in Salzburg’s Old Town before it closes at 6.30pm. It is famous for its coffee in a waffle -"Waffolino". Espresso, cappuccino, or iced specialty drinks poured directly into a crunchy waffle cone coated inside with thick melted chocolate, pistachio cream, and rimmed with crumbles. It only operates from a takeaway window counter.

The original Salzburger Mozartkugel (Mozart Chocolate Balls) from Café Fürst remains the ultimate Salzburg souvenir. Hand-dipped in rich dark chocolate over pistachio marzipan and nougat, each confectionery follows the authentic 1890 recipe. Packaged in signature blue-and-silver foil, these fresh, artisanal treats offer a true, historic taste of Austria that factory-made versions found in supermarkets simply cannot match.

Overnight in Salzburg.

You will go deeper into Austria’s mountain landscapes, beginning underground at Salzwelten, Austria’s largest salt mines. Your guided visit includes an underground train journey and a boat ride across a subterranean salt lake, offering a glimpse into the region’s long relationship with salt mining.

Back above ground, continue to Zell am See, a lakeside town framed by Alpine peaks. There’s time to explore its historic centre, see its medieval tower and stop for lunch.

The route then leads to the Krimml Waterfalls in Hohe Tauern National Park. With a total drop of 380 metres across three cascades, they are Austria’s highest waterfalls. Admission is included.

Continue to Innsbruck, the capital of Tyrol, where dramatic mountain scenery surrounds a pedestrianised historic centre and its famous Golden Roof.

Overnight in Innsbruck.

Explore the Tyrolean landscapes around Innsbruck. Begin at Swarovski Crystal Worlds, located  in Wattens. Here, you can admire how Swarovski reimagines crystal as a medium for world-class contemporary art and sensory wonder. This iconic destination blends fantasy with fine craft, offering a striking departure from traditional Alpine castles and historic Old Towns. 

Your journey begins at the green-turfed Giant, sculpted into the hillside with water cascading into a reflecting pond. Passing through its entrance reveals 18 subterranean Chambers of Wonder, where internationally acclaimed artists—such as Yayoi Kusama, Brian Eno, and Lee Bul—have crafted surreal, room-scale installations exploring light, infinity, and optical illusion.

Outdoor Art Landscape: Beyond the underground chambers, the surrounding 7.5-hectare gardens feature monumental open-air installations. The standout is the ethereal Crystal Cloud, woven from roughly 800,000 hand-mounted crystals suspended above a black mirror pool that captures the shifting Tyrolean sky and mountain peaks.

Continue into the mountains to Seefeld, a popular ski resort with a pleasant pedestrian centre. From here, cross into Bavaria and travel to Mittenwald, a town known for its fresco-painted houses and long-standing violin-making tradition.

You’ll have free time to explore Mittenwald and enjoy lunch before returning to Innsbruck in the early afternoon. The remainder of the day is free, giving you space to revisit the old town, find a café or simply enjoy the mountain setting.

Overnight in Innsbruck.

After breakfast, your Austrian journey continues back towards Vienna. You’ll be transferred to Innsbruck station for the high-speed train, with scheduled arrival in Vienna at around 1:45pm.

The train journey is normally made without an Europamundo guide, with tickets provided and the station transfer included. Depending on the number of travellers, the journey may instead be made by coach with the guide.

With the afternoon ahead of you in Vienna, you can return to a favourite part of the city, enjoy a relaxed meal or simply take some time to reflect on the journey so far.

Overnight in Vienna.

After breakfast, your journey through Austria comes to an end.

You’ll leave with unforgettable memories of alpine vistas, imperial grandeur, and the timeless melodies of Austria.

End of journey in Vienna.