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Austria’s Great CitiesInnsbruck, Salzburg & Vienna
Handsome monuments, colourful histories, and streets that take you back in time, combine to give Innsbruck, Salzburg and Vienna a special allure, particularly in winter. With the streets much quieter, you can enjoy these three very different cities in all their splendour, the snow on the rooftops, the Christmas markets in December and the steamy windows of the atmospheric coffee houses adding to the enchantment. Nights: 7 Starting point: Hotel Weisses Kreuz (3*), Innsbruck. Located in the quiet, pedestrianised streets of the Old Town, the traditionally Tyrolean Weisses Kreuz is well-placed for visiting Innsbruck’s major sights. The origins of the hotel date back to the 15th century; Mozart stayed here in 1769. Bedrooms are furnished with classical elegance, while the hotel’s facilities include a wine cellar and coffee shop.
Day 1: today is free to explore Innsbruck, known as ‘the city at the heart of the Alps’ because it is surrounded by towering peaks. Take your time to wander through the pretty squares and charming streets of the Old Town. Emperor Maximilian I, who reigned from Innsbruck in the late 15th century, left his mark on the city in the form of numerous grand monuments, not least the Goldenes Dachl (a covered balcony clad in 2,657 gilded copper tiles from which his courtiers could look over the square below) and the Cenotaph (an empty tomb surrounded by 28 impressive statues). Also worth seeking out are the Tiroler Volkskunstmuseum, the City Tower, whose onion-shaped dome affords splendid views over the Old Town, and the Renaissance palace of Ambras. Accommodation: Hotel Weisses Kreuz, as above. Day 2: your first train journey takes you north-east, on a scenic two-hour ride through the picturesque Inn Valley and past the dramatic Emperor’s Mountains to Salzburg.
Accommodation: Altstadt Hotel Wolf-Dietrich (4*), Salzburg. This friendly, intimate hotel (there are just 27 well-equipped rooms) is located on the north bank of the river, about 10 minutes’ walk from the Old Town. For some relaxation after a day of sightseeing, make the most of the hotel’s indoor pool and sauna. Day 3: in contrast to charming Innsbruck, Salzburg is vibrant and cosmopolitan, its rich culture inextricably linked with its most famous son, Mozart. The delightful Old Town is a place to stroll at leisure, discovering Baroque churches and elegant squares. The main sights include the Residenzplaz – on which stand the magnificent Baroque cathedral, Bishop’s Palace and Glockenspiel, which rings its 35 bells several times daily – Mozart’s childhood home, which is now a museum, and the Schloss (fortress), which perches on a hill above the cathedral, next to a Benedictine abbey. Accommodation: Altstadt Hotel Wolf-Dietrich, as above. Day 4: leaving Salzburg, you head by rail to Linz, from where the train follows the River Danube and passes through woodland to reach the former Imperial capital, Vienna. The journey takes approximately three-and-a-quarter hours.
Accommodation: Hotel Kaiserhof (4*), Vienna. Like the city, this central, late 19th-century hotel is steeped in history (the Richard family have been offering hospitality to guests on the site for eight generations), and highly elegant. Enjoy a complimentary glass of champagne with breakfast to start your day in style. Days 5 & 6: you have two full days to explore the Austrian capital and to soak up its unique atmosphere. Palaces seemingly abound – be sure not to miss the Hofburg (described as a ‘city within a city’) with its many works of art and architectural treasures, the vast Baroque Schönbrunn Palace in whose Hall of Mirrors the 6-year-old Mozart astonished the Empress Maria-Theresa with his precocious talents, and the 18th-century Upper and Lower Palaces of the Belvedere, which contain some marvellous works of art, including pieces by members of the Austrian Secession movement. Accommodation: Hotel Kaiserhof, as above. Similar holidays: From Innsbruck to Venice, The Glacier Express, Through the Pyrenees Prices & travel 2008/2009:
Included travel: British Airways out Heathrow-Munich (1h50) (dep 0940) & rail to Innsbruck (2h20). Home British Airways Vienna-Heathrow (2h35) (arr 2025) > Notes on prices > Any queries? Let us call you back  |
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Innsbruck, 'the city at the heart of the Alps' 
