Classic Austrian Alps

Gathering at London St Pancras this morning, your holiday begins by meeting the Tour Manager and fellow travellers ahead of this tour to the beautiful Austrian Alps.

Boarding the Eurostar service, we travel to Brussels in Plus class, enjoying a light meal at our seats on the way. In the Belgian capital, we change trains, continuing in First Class via Cologne to the German city of Munich for an overnight stop.

The capital of Bavaria, Munich effortlessly blends traditional charm with modern urban life. Famous for its historic Old Town, world-renowned beer gardens and close proximity to the Bavarian Alps, the city offers a rich mix of culture, history and everyday life. At its heart lies Marienplatz, the city's central square, where the ornate Neues Rathaus draws crowds with its famous Glockenspiel. Nearby, the twin domes of Frauenkirche rise above the skyline, a lasting symbol of the city. On arrival, we check in to our nearby hotel for the night and enjoy our first dinner together as a group this evening.

• Eurostar Light Meal
• Dinner

Setting off after a lesiurely breakfast this morning, we return to Munich station to carry on our journey. Boarding a scenic local train, we travel across the Austrian border to Wörgl, watching as the gentle Bavarian countryside gives way to the dramatic landscapes of the majestic Alps.

From here, a coach transfers us to St Johann, where we check in to our hotel for the next six nights. Set in a broad amphitheatre-like valley and surrounded by the towering summits of the Tyrolean Alps, this charming town enjoys an idyllic setting. It's a beautiful and peaceful base for our alpine holiday - brimming with traditional buildings adorned by colourful flowerboxes.

Our family-run hotel has an idyllic chalet-style façade, and we settle down to enjoy dinner with beers, local wines and soft drinks included, as they are every night of our stay.

• Breakfast, Dinner
• Drinks package included with Dinner

After our first breakfast in Austria, there is free time to explore St Johann at leisure, with a picnic lunch for you to enjoy as you wish.

The quaint Mariä Himmelfahrt church, with a yellow façade and twin Baroque towers, has an ornately decorated interior and sits in the main square, while the town's museum details the region's social and natural history - and is housed in an 18th-century penitentiary for dissolute priests. Leaving from near our hotel, the Harschbichl cable car delivers incredible views of peaks and valleys on its way to the mountain more than 5,000ft above sea level, where the taller Kitzbühel Horn dominates the skyline and breathtaking vistas stretch as far as the eye can see.

Returning to the hotel at leisure, you can enjoy coffee and cake this afternoon, before dinner.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Drinks package included with Dinner

A visit to the Hohe Tauern National Park after breakfast is a holiday highlight as we ride over the highest surfaced mountain pass in Austria.

Our first stop is the evocatively named Edelweissspitze, an 8,400ft peak accessible by road that offers jaw-dropping panoramic views of snow-capped mountains. Afterwards, we travel through the wilderness to the summit of the Hochtor Pass. As the route winds gently down the mountains, we take a short diversion to Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe. Named after the Habsburg emperor who stopped here in 1856, this viewpoint commands mind-blowing views of the Grossglockner, Austria's highest mountain, and the snaking Pasterze Glacier, the largest in the eastern Alps. There is free time here to enjoy your picnic lunch while soaking up the scenery and keeping an eye out for native ibex and marmots.

Next, we continue to our next destination, journeying through alpine valleys to the lakeside town of Zell am See. Here, we enjoy a relaxing cruise across the sapphire-blue Lake Zell, a great way to admire the lush forests, rolling hills and towering mountains beyond. Back on land, we return to to St Johann, ready for dinner this evening.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Drinks package included during Dinner

Travelling by coach to Jenbach after breakfast, we join the narrow-gauge Zillertal Railway for a 19-mile journey through the picturesque Ziller Valley. First opened in 1902, the route is operated by a steam engine hauling beautifully restored carriages through lush green pastures stretching between rolling hills. Views of remote villages of half-timbered houses and traditional chalets guide our way to Mayrhofen.

This popular alpine town at the head of a valley is backdropped by increasingly tall peaks, and you're free to explore the pretty streets lined with cafés and shops. Alternatively, take a cable car higher into the mountains to enjoy panoramic views while savouring your picnic lunch. The Penken cable car carries passengers to a mountainside meadow offering breathtaking views of Mayrhofen and its surrounding snow-capped peaks. At the top of the Ahorn cable car is a rustic amphitheatre, crystal-clear lakes, pastoral huts and spectacular views.

Returning to Jenbach by rail in the early afternoon, we travel by coach back at our St Johann hotel with free time to relax or explore before gathering for tonight's dinner.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Drinks package included with Dinner

The birthplace of Mozart and the setting for The Sound of Music, Salzburg is our destination after breakfast today and we explore this musical city's impressive sights during a guided tour. Overlooked by the 11th-century Hohensalzburg Fortress, set high on a hill, we stroll through the well-preserved and UNESCO-listed Old Town, admiring churches, squares, alleyways and Baroque spires.

With an afternoon at leisure, there are many appealing options. You might choose to visit the former residence of the Mozart family, who lived at Getreidegasse 9 from 1747 to 1773. It is where Wolfgang was born in 1756 and is now a house museum detailing his young life. His old Makartplatz home is also a museum displaying artefacts from the composer's life. Alternatively, you could take a walk along the river, visit Mirabell Garden or take a cable-car ride up Untersberg Mountain for spectacular views across the Berchtesgaden Alps.

This evening, we enjoy dinner at our St Johann hotel.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Drinks package included with Dinner

Today you are free to enjoy St Johann and the surrounding areas at your own pace. You might choose to visit nearby Kitzbühel, just a short train journey away. Known for its attractive medieval centre, it's a delight to explore, with colourful buildings, boutique shops and inviting cafés. You might also like to take the Hahnenkamm cable car for panoramic views across the mountain landscape, with a selection of scenic walking trails to enjoy at the top.

Alternatively, you could travel further afield to Innsbruck, the capital of Tyrol, where historic architecture meets a vibrant alpine setting. While here, you might consider a visit to the renowned Swarovski Crystal Worlds, a glittering attraction just outside the city.

If you would prefer a more relaxed, St Johann offers the perfect setting for a gentle walk or simply soaking up the atmosphere of this charming Tyrolean town. However you choose to spend your day, we reconvene this evening for a traditional Tyrolean dinner, featuring regional specialities.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Drinks package included with Dinner

Leaving St Johann this morning, a coach transfers us to nearby Wörgl. Here, we board a local train and say goodbye to the wonderful Austrian Alps as we journey towards Munich.

In the Bavarian capital, we board the service to Cologne in First Class. Passing through the charming city of Ulm, look out for its majestic minster, whose spire is the tallest completed church tower in the world.

Arriving in Cologne the early evening, our hotel is just a short distance from the main station. Set on the banks of the Rhine, this city boasts a rich history, from its origins as the Roman settlement of Colonia to its status today as one of Germany's great cultural centres. After checking in, we have our final dinner together as a group.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Our time in St Johann allowed us to experience the stunning Austrian Alps, from its awe-inspiring landscapes to its charming towns. After exploring the Grossglockner High Alpine Road, riding the Zillertal railway to Mayrhofen, cruising Lake Zell and discovering the beauty of Salzburg.

After breakfast this morning, we return to Cologne station to board the train to Brussels in First Class. In the Belgian capital, we switch to the Eurostar service in Plus class and enjoy a light meal at our seats as we travel to London St Pancras, where you exploration of the Austrian Alps concludes.

• Breakfast
• Eurostar light meal