A Grand Rail Adventure: Milan, the Alps & Vienna

Arrive Milan Location Information Description

Milan, Italy

The tour begins at 6:00 PM at the Excelsior Hotel Gallia. A transfer is included from Milan Malpensa Airport to the Excelsior Hotel Gallia, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Milan in the heart of the city, opposite the Central Station and close to the fashion district.

Join the group this evening for a welcome reception and dinner at the hotel.

Dinner

Excelsior Hotel Gallia, a Luxury Collection Hotel,

A Taste of Milan Location Information Description

Milan, Italy

Discover the historic center of this modern metropolis known for sophistication, cutting-edge fashion, and art. Begin the day with a visit to the awe-inspiring Milan Cathedral (the Duomo). Built with Candoglia marble shipped from quarries around Lake Maggiore, the immense Duomo took 600 years to build and is still a work in progress, adorned with thousands of gargoyles and sculpted figures, soaring columns, vaulted ceilings, stained glass, and flying buttresses, and a rooftop terrace with breathtaking views.

From the Duomo it's a short walk to a no-less impressive commercial cathedral, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, a 19th-century shopping arcade under a monumental glass and ironwork ceiling, housing a busy warren of boutiques, restaurants, bars and cafes. Or take a walking tour of the Brera District, a romantic bohemian neighborhood of narrow cobbled streets, galleries, and artisans' shops known as the Milanese Montmartre. Drive outside the city for a visit to a working farm, or cascina, where you'll get a tour and a hands-on cooking lesson in local cuisine, followed by lunch.

Return to the city for free time on your own, then join the group for dinner this evening at a local restaurant.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Excelsior Hotel Gallia, a Luxury Collection Hotel,

Como and a Rail Journey to Remember Location Information Description

Lake Como, Italy

Depart for Como for a walking tour of its charming narrow streets and pastel houses beside enchanting Lake Como, lined with stately villas, terraces and promenades, against a dramatic backdrop of snow-capped mountains. Visit the 14th-century marble Duomo, decorated with tapestries, frescoes, and paintings, for an exclusive organ concert.

Location Information Description

Chiasso, Switzerland

Depart for Chiasso, Switzerland and board the Danube Express, your hotel on wheels for the next three nights. Have lunch aboard the train as you head for the St. Gotthard Pass en route to Zurich. A spectacular landscape of rugged granite mountains, plunging valleys, and mountain lakes, the St. Gotthard Pass links northern and southern Switzerland, making it historically and culturally significant as well as a breathtaking scenic journey. You'll also glide past stunning Lake Lucerne, where alpine mountains, meadows and forests roll down to meet its wandering shores.

Dine aboard the Danube Express tonight.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Golden Eagle Danube Express Train

Zurich & Vaduz Location Information Description

Zurich, Switzerland

Today a walking tour of Zurich begins with a visit to the Kunsthaus Museum of Art, whose collections of 4,000 paintings, sculptures, and installations include works by Monet, Munch, Picasso, and Van Gogh, as well as works dating back to the Middle Ages, with an emphasis on Swiss masters.

Location Information Description

Vaduz, Liechtenstein

Then explore Zurich's captivating Old Town with a local guide. Lunch on the train as you ride through scenic landscapes of mountains, farms, and villages to Vaduz in Liechtenstein. Nestled beside the Rhine, Vaduz, the nation's capital, is a fascinating city of art, eclectic architecture, and vantage points for panoramic views. A walking tour of the town's historic center is followed by an opportunity to view the clifftop medieval castle that is still the residence of the royal family; trails and overlooks on the grounds offer stunning, princely views of the valley, the imposing mountain range, and the entire city.

Dine on board the train this evening.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Golden Eagle Danube Express Train

Innsbruck & Lake Achen Location Information Description

Innsbruck, Austria

Beside the striking Nordkette mountain range, Innsbruck is known as the Capital of the Alps, once a favorite retreat of the Habsburgs, who kept a lavish imperial residence here. Take a walking tour of Innsbruck's medieval old town with a local guide.

Location Information Description

Jenbach, Austria

after lunch the Danube Express travels the Semmering Pass through some of the most scenic landscapes in central Austria to Jenbach, where you'll travel up 1400 feet to fjord-like Lake Achen – so large it's sometimes called an inland sea – a popular destination for Austrians on summer holiday.

Location Information Description

Lake Achen, Austria

Cruise the lake to a spit of land that can only be reached by boat or on foot; here you'll find a traditional Austrian tavern, beaches, a forest with hiking trails, and an alpine pasture – feel like a local and enjoy the natural surroundings.

Location Information Description

Vienna, Austria

Return to the Danube Express for a farewell dinner and depart for Vienna.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Golden Eagle Danube Express Train

Vienna & Schönbrunn Palace after hours Location Information Description

Vienna, Austria

Begin your day in Vienna with an exclusive concert with sparkling wine (or soft drinks) in an intimate setting, then return to the train for lunch.

This afternoon you'll check into your premier hotel in the heart of the city, an Art Deco gem built in 1892, directly opposite the Vienna State Opera House.

Later, join the group for a private, after-hours tour of Schönbrunn Palace, the opulent Habsburg summer residence inspired by Versailles; your guided tour starts at the Gloriette, a hilltop Roman-style pavilion with a viewing platform overlooking the vast landscaped gardens, then continues on to the magnificent Imperial apartments of Emperor Franz Joseph and his wife Elisabeth.

Dinner tonight is at the Cafe Residenz, a classic Viennese cafe in the eastern wing of the palace.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Hotel Bristol, Vienna

Hofburg & Belvedere in Vienna Location Information Description

Vienna, Austria

Get a tour of city sights today, featuring views of the Hofburg, the former Imperial Palace. Now the official home of the Austrian President and government offices, the Hofburg was a royal residence for over 600 years, begun as a medieval castle and expanded by each emperor to its imposing layout today, with 18 wings, 19 courtyards, and 2,600 rooms; your tour includes the lavishly restored apartments of Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elisabeth.

Late this morning, visit the Belvedere Palace, former residence of Prince Eugene of Savoy, now a museum housing collections of Austrian art from the Middle Ages to the present, masterpieces by Impressionists including Monet and Van Gogh, and the world's largest collection of Gustav Klimt paintings. Enjoy free time to explore Vienna on your own,

Join the group for a farewell reception and dinner at your hotel.

Breakfast, Dinner

Hotel Bristol, Vienna

Location Information Description

Vienna, Austria

The tour ends in Vienna after breakfast.Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from the Hotel Bristol to Vienna International Airport. Allow at least three hours for flight check-in.

Breakfast

ALL guests must carefully verify the existing identification requirements for their particular travel situation DIRECTLY WITH THEIR LOCAL CONSULATES OR EMBASSIES or with a visa service, as these requirements may change. Guests without proper documentation may be denied entry and will not be entitled to a refund

• 60 days or more before departure: $350.00 per person
• 59-8 days before departure: $600.00 per person
• 7-1 days before departure: $900.00 per person
• On departure day and later: 100% of total price
• Any changes or cancellations to airline reservations made through Tauck either before or after departure are subject to the cancellation / change policies of the individual airlines. In n some instances these cancellation / change fees may be up to 100% of the ticket price.
• Cancellation fees may also apply to any additional services, including extra night accommodations, independently supplied services, and optional excursions reserved prior to, during, and after the tour. If flight changes, including, but not limited to, flight cancellations or name changes, are requested after full land and air deposits are received, revision fees, change fees, or airline cancellation fees will apply.
• All cancellations must be received in writing prior to tour departure. The cancellation policy will apply according to the date that the cancellation notification is received. The MINIMUM cancellation penalty is the deposit amount.
• The purchase to trip cancellation insurance is strongly recommended.

• Land only “from price” is per person based on two people sharing a room together and does not include airfare unless expressly stated.
• All prices are in US Dollars.
• A $350 non-refundable, non-transferable, per-person, per-vacation deposit is required to reserve space for you. Payment of the deposit indicates you have read and accepted all Terms & Conditions. Your booking is not confirmed until the deposit payment is processed and you receive a confirmation invoice.
• Final payment is due 75 days prior to departure. Within the final payment date, payment in full is required at time of booking to reserve space. Reservations (land, cruise, and air) are canceled if final payment is not received by the due date.
• Additional deposits or payments are required for international air added to the start and/or end of your vacation.