Welcome to Austria and its historic capital, Vienna. This evening, meet with your tour director and get to know the details of your tour.  For those arriving during the day, spend some time exploring the city from your centrally-located hotel.

Our day starts with a sightseeing tour of Vienna, voted as one of the most livable cities in the world. Shaped by its artistic residents of the past, this is a city that has perfected the blend of tradition and history. 

Walk in the footsteps of monarchs goneby through the inner city and around the Hofburg. Once the imperial palace of the Habsberg dynasty and one of the largest palace complexes in the world, the Hofburg is now home to a collection of museums, churches and the famous Spanish Riding School. Continue on to St. Stephan’s Cathedral, the Austrian Parliament, City Hall and Karlskirche, an 18th-century baroque church built by Emperor Charles VI. 

Our tour will also take us beyond the Ringstrasse, Vienna’s famous circular road that replaced the old medieval city walls, to Schöbrunn Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Another former residence of the Habsburgs, Schöbrunn Palace was the summer palace for notable monarchs including Maria Theresa, Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elisabeth. Tour the imperial apartments, take a turn around the gardens or watch pastry chefs create their iconic apfelstrudel in the Court Bakery. 

Enjoy the afternoon free at your leisure. Head to the Graben, Vienna’s famous shopping street for some retail therapy or unwind at one of the many cafes in the city centre — be sure to order a piece of Sacher torte with your coffee!

This morning, leave the empirical capital behind and drive towards Salzburg. Our first stop will be the famous Melk Abbey which contains the tomb of Saint Coloman of Stockerau and the remains of several members of the House of Babenberg, Austria’s first ruling dynasty. 

Continue to Linz, third-biggest city in Austria and capital of Upper Austria region for an included lunch and walking tour of this constantly changing and developing city. In the late afternoon, arrive in picturesque Salzburg with free time to explore the city after check-in.

After breakfast, embark on a guided tour of the old town of Salzburg and view iconic sites including the Cathedral, Franciscan Church, Mozart Square and the Salzburg Carillon. If you’re a fan of the Sound of Music, be sure to keep your camera ready as you’ll likely recongnise many filming locations of this family classic, including Mirabell Gardens and Nonnberg Abbey. 

In your free time, why not head down Getreidegasse, the heart of Salzburg’s old town to No. 9 — Mozart’s Birthplace. One of Austria’s most visited museums, this is not to be missed for any fans of Mozart.

In the morning, we’ll head to the famous Swarovski Crystal World, opened in 1995 to mark the centennial anniversary of the company’s founding. Designed by multimedia artist André Heller, this unique and magical place is a beloved attraction that has brought moments of wonder to over 15 million visitors from around the world. 

We’ll then continue to Innsbruck, the capital of the Tyrol region, and most famous for its home in the heart of the Austrian Alps. The city itself has some impressive medieval buildings to explore including the famous Golden Roof and St. Jacob’s Cathedral.

This morning, we leave Austria behind as we cross the Dolomites into Italy and head for Bolzano. After spending some time in Bolzano, taking in its magnificent Gothic buildings and alpine surroundings, we’ll drive to Lake Garda and arrive in the late afternoon. Relax with an evening at your leisure, enjoying the facilities at your hotel or taking in the magnificent views from the lakefront.

Today is yours to explore the stunning Lake Garda area. As Italy’s largest lake, there’s no shortage of activities to fill your day. Unwind by the beach, wander through nearby towns, or cruise out to the privately-owned Isola del Garda for a guided tour of the gardens and part of the Venetian neo-Gothic style villa — the choice is yours!

After breakfast, we’ll continue our journey through Italy and head south-east towards the Adriatic with a stop on the way in romantic Verona, the setting of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Enjoy a guided tour of the city to Piazza delle Erbe, UNESCO World Heritage Site Arena Di Verona — one of the best preserved Roman amphitheatre and of course, Juliet’s house. Stand on the infamous balcony and beckon to your Romeo, leave a note to your beloved tucked into the wall outside or rub the statue of Juliet for some of your own luck in love.

In the evening, we’ll arrive into the Mestre region of Venice and enjoy some of the nearby restaurants for dinner.

Welcome to the world’s most famous city on water, Venice. Catch a taxi boat directly into the heart of the city where our guided city tour will begin. Making our way to the striking St. Marco’s Square, listen to the stories of famous Venetians as we wander through the winding streets and canals past the Basilica with its  famous mosaics and bell tower, the nearby Astrological tower, Doge’s Palace and Rialto bridge.

In the afternoon, enjoy free time to get lost and explore this magical city.

Start to say ciao to Italy as we head to northeast Italy’s most cosmopolitan city, Trieste. The famous Austrian Habsburg dynasty coined this city ‘the little Vienna on the sea’ and with its characteristic mix of languages, people and religions, it's easy to see why. Take a guided tour through the Piazza Unità and its surrounding palazzos, the Greek Orthodox Church of San Nicolò on the Trieste Canal Grande and the neighbourhood built at the behest of Maria Theresa of Austria. 

Enjoy lunch in a traditional trattoria before departing Italy for Slovenia. Arrive into Slovenia’s capital and largest city, Ljubljana, with free time in the late afternoon.

After breakfast, it’s time to explore the colourful Slovenian capital. Lined with outdoor cafes and restaurants, follow the Ljubljanica River on a guided walking tour as it intersects the city’s old town, passing through Preseren Square, over the Triple Bridge, the fish market, town hall and Ljubljana Cathedral. To complete our tour, we’ll take the funicular up to the castle hill and learn more about Slovenia’s history at one of the most beautiful castles in Europe, Ljubljana Castle. Be sure to admire the stunning views across Slovenia from the castle walls!

This evening, we’ll meet for an included dinner.

Say goodbye to stunning Slovenia as we drive to Croatia. Upon arrival to its capital, embark on a walking tour of Zagreb including the Gornji Grad and the historic Kaptol district, home to churches, palaces, museums and galleries. Then, enjoy a free afternoon to discover the city on your own time.

Our journey in Croatia continues as we head to one of the country's most famous sights, the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Plitvivce Lakes. Easily one of the most beautiful national parks in the world, Plitvice National Park will absolutely take your breath away. 

With its exceptional natural beauty, this area has always attracted nature lovers and was Croatia’s first proclaimed national park. Wander through the paths around 16 emerald-turquoise lakes that are connected to each other by a fabulous system of waterfalls. After an included lunch, we’ll once again reach the shores of the Adriatic to stay at the seaside holiday village, Opatija. 

This evening is yours to explore from your centrally-located hotel.

Istria is the largest peninsula in the Adriatic Sea, located at the head of the Adriatic and shared by three countries – Italy, Slovenia and Croatia. Today, we’ll visit Rovinj, one of the most picturesque towns in Croatia. Its old town was built on what was once an island (now connected to the mainland) and is easily one of the most photogenic towns on the Mediterranean. 

We’ll also visit one of the Istrian agritourism farms for local tastings of produce before continuing north to Porec, a town smaller than Rovinj but no less quaint. Stroll through the narrow streets of its old town before returning to Opatija in the afternoon.

Leave the coast behind as we drive inland and cross the border back into Slovenia. Our destination for this morning is truly a sight to behold; the medieval marvel of Predjama Castle. An incredible renaissance fortress, Predjama is the largest cave castle in the world, built within the mouth of a cave with access to a complex system of secret tunnels. 

We’ll also visit nearby Postojna Cave and take the world’s only train journey inside a cave to explore breathtaking caverns and towering stalagmites and stalactites. Be sure to keep an eye out for the so-called baby dragons that also reside here, deep within the cave system! 

Enjoy an included lunch before travelling to the Julian Alps, where you’ll be surrounded by rolling hills and pristine nature.

Get ready for a day of unforgettable sightseeing in this Alpine fairytale setting! Even though you will wake up surrounded by the beautiful Julian Alps, more immense natural beauty awaits as we visit Lake Bled, considered to be one of the most beautiful lakes in the world.  

With a church perched on an island in the middle of the lake, and a striking medieval castle sitting on the cliffs above, Bled will not easily be forgotten. And neither will your next stop; Lake Bohinj, the largest lake in Slovenia. Here, we will take a cable car up Mount Vogel for incredible views down over Triglav National Park.  

After an included lunch, spend some free time admiring the surrounding beauty of the lake shore before driving back to our hotel in the Julian Alps. Reminisce on your adventure at a farewell dinner this evening.

After breakfast, your journey across this beautiful part of Europe concludes with an included transfer from the Julian Alps to Ljubljana Airport.