Alpine Explorer Oberammergau (12 Days, Standard)

Sightseeing Highlights

Lago Maggiore
Lago Maggiore is Italy's second largest lake and it's located on the south side of the Alps in both Italy and Switzerland. The climate, in the winter and summer, is mild enough to produce Mediterranean vegetation, with many gardens growing rare and exotic plants. Many islands sit within the lake, including the Borromean Islands, the Brissago Islands, Castelli di Cannero, and Isolina Partegora.

Island Dinner
Set sail for a panoramic cruise of magical Lago Maggiore with the majestic Alps as its incredible backdrop. Cruise to Isola dei Pescatori, one of the beautiful Borromean islands, and enjoy a delicious dinner.

Zermatt
This town is located in southwest Switzerland in the canton of Valais, and is best known by the nearby 14,000ft (4267m) Matterhorn. The town began as an agricultural area and in the 19th century became famous as a ski and mountaineering resort. Most of the town now depends on tourism, and in ski season the town of 5,000 swells several times over. To keep the air clean, all vehicles are now electric and mostly silent, with only emergency access by gas-powered vehicles such as firetrucks. The famous Glacier Express train which begins in far eastern Switzerland near St. Moritz ends in Zermatt.

Glacier Express Train
This famous bright red train runs the length of southern Switzerland between Zermatt in the west and St. Moritz in the east, and is known as the “slowest express train in the world.” The trip takes about 7 ½ hours and it traverses its highest point at the Oberalp Pass at 6,700 feet (2042 meters). Some sections are steep enough to require a rack-and-pinion system on the tracks. The cars have panoramic windows and domes, and there is a restaurant car. The towns it links are among the most famous ski resorts in the world, and it gets its name from the Rhone Glacier in western Switzerland, one of the sources of Lake Geneva and the Rhone River.

St. Moritz
St. Moritz is a ski resort town in southeast Switzerland known as a “jet set” destination and playground of the wealthy. It is in the canton of Graubunden, not far from the Italian border, also not far from the highest peak in eastern Switzerland, Pic Bernina (13,200 feet/4023 meters). St. Moritz is named for St. Maurice, a Roman martyred there in the 3rd century, and first became popular as a pilgrimage site with healing spring waters. The 1928 and 1948 Winter Olympics were held here. The town was used in the opening scenes of Alfred Hitchcock 's original version of “The Man Who Knew Too Much” with Peter Lorre in 1934.

Innsbruck
This is the capital of the state of Tyrol in the Alps of western Austria. Innsbruck is famous as a winter sports center and was the site of the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympics. It is beautifully situated in the valley of the Inn River, and its most famous sights are the Golden Roof (a structure made from 2,800 gilded copper tiles that was added in 1500 to a building to celebrate the marriage of Emperor Maximilian I), the beautifully preserved city center with buildings covered in traditional Christmas decorations in the season, and the surrounding mountains.

Salzburg
The name of this city means “Salt Fortress” and it comes from the custom of taxing salt shipments down the Salzach River. It is the 4th largest city in Austria, and the capital of the state of Salzburg. The baroque Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the city sits in a valley surrounded by the Alps. Mozart was born here in the 18th century, and the city was the setting for “The Sound of Music”. Salzburg became part of Austria in the early 19th century, given by Bavaria. Some of the important sights are the Salzburg Castle, Salzburg Cathedral, Mirabell Gardens, the birthplace of Mozart and sites associated with “The Sound of Music”.

St. Peter 's Restaurant
Guests will enjoy a lovely full course meal including wine and beer, while comfortably seated in an 1,200-year-old St. Peter 's restaurant. Stiftskeller St. Peter is a restaurant within the monastery walls of St. Peter's Arch abbey in Salzburg, Austria. At the heart of Europe 's oldest restaurant, which dates back to 803, is Austrian culture, history and modernity. St. Peter Stiftskeller first built as inn, prospered into homes of the nobility including Austrian composer, Michael Haydn. It soon became the quarters for French troops during the Napoleonic wars in 1809. The culinary arts have flourished for centuries at St. Peter Stiftskeller and continue to evolve. Seasonal changes and sophisticated ingredients contribute to an ever-changing dining experience.

Mozart Dinner Concert at St. Peter's Stiftskeller
This magical evening takes place in the elegant Baroque hall of the centuries old St. Peter 's Restaurant. The hall is part of the famous Benedictine Monastery of St. Peter and is one of the few remaining concert venues that is still permitted to use real candle light to enhance the experience. Enjoy a special three course dinner prepared from authentic 18th century recipes.

Linderhof Palace
Inspired by Versailles and built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria in 1886, Linderhof Palace has a Baroque facade with rich Rococco ornamentation inside. The Palace is an excellent way to see the incomparable artistry of the era 's craftspeople. Look for such lush decorations as a carpet made of ostrich plumes, an ivory candelabra and a table top inlayed with lapis-lazuli, amethyst and chalcedony.

Oberammergau
Travel to the picturesque Bavarian hamlet of Oberammergau and witness a performance of the epic Passion Play. This legendary play is only performed every ten years, and has been performed every ten years since the Black Plague ended in 1634.

Munich
This is the 3rd largest city in Germany and capital of Bavaria, population about 1.5 million in the city itself. It began as the site of a Benedictine monastery where the old city is today, and the name of the city comes from the word “monk”. It is famous today as the home of Oktoberfest and the Hofbrauhaus, the Glockenspiel clock in the Old Town Hall, its Christmas Market and the headquarters of BMW and Siemens. There are several universities there and it was the site of the 1972 Summer Olympics.

What's Included

Hotel Details:

• Zacchera Hotels (Lago Maggiore) - Stresa, Italy
• Hotel Alex - Zermatt, Switzerland
• Hotel Steffani - St. Moritz, Switzerland
• Hotel Innsbruck - Innsbruck, Austria
• Oberammergau region hotel - Oberammergau Region, Germany
• Sheraton Munich Arabellapark Hotel - Munich, Germany

Dates & Prices

Note: Rows highlighted in green below are guaranteed departures