Date

  Day

Activity

Description

Meals

2-Sep

Thursday

Depart Fairbanks

Condor Flight 4067, 3:20PM

3-Sep

Friday

Arrive Frankfurt, Germany  

10:20AM

Depart Frankfurt

Lufthansa Flight 970, 1:40PM

Arrive Munich, Germany  

2:35PM

We board our motorcoach for a sixty-six mile journey to Garmisch in the German Alps.  Our hotel will have dinner waiting for us. Posthotel 2nights.

D

4-Sep

Saturday

In Garmisch, day-trip to Neuschwanstein & the

Zugspitze

We'll start very early this morning to beat the crowds on our day trip to Füssen and our guided tour of the Neuschwanstein Castle.  Be prepared for an approximately 15 minute uphill hike or for a small fee, take a horse & buggy ride up to the castle.  After our morning at the castle, our motorcoach will take us to the cable car station for a trip to the top Germany's highest mountain, the Zugspitze, where we can enjoy the spectacular views and alpine skiiers.  Lunch will be provided.  After a short motorcoach ride back to Garmisch, enjoy the rest of your day as you wish.

B, L, D

  Date

 Day

Activity

Description

Meals

5-Sep

Sunday

Leave Garmisch for

Mayrhofen, Austria

After breakfast, we depart Garmisch for an 85 mile ride to the charming town of Mayrhofen, located in one of Austria's most beautiful valleys, the Zillertal.  Along the way, we stop at Innsbruck to view the 2600 tiles of the Golden Roof located in the center of the city.  Along the Inn River Valley Autobahn, we will stop at the Swarovski Crystal Glass Factory showroom to admire a wide array of glassware and jewelry.  In the afternoon, we arrive at the Kramerwirt Hotel in Mayrhofen, for a two night stay.  Afternoon free to explore on your own. 

B, D

6-Sep

Monday

In Mayrhofen, day-trip to Hintertux

In the morning, there is time to wander through the streets and alleys to window shop and explore.  Watch the arrival of a small, narrow-gauge steam train arriving daily from Jenbach.  In the afternoon, we take a ride to the end of the valley to Hintertux at the foot of a glacier.  Here we enjoy a traditional European kaffeeklatsch (coffee & apple strudel).  Return to Mayrhofen with the remainder of the day unplanned. 

B, D

7-Sep

Tuesday

Leave Mayrhofen for Steyr, Austria

Depart Mayrhofen for an approximately 226 mile trip to Steyr, a town in the Austrian federal state of Upper Austria, located at the confluence of the rivers Steyr and Enns.  Steyr is famous for its historic town center around the "Stadtplatz" (town square), which has been very well preserved for several hundred years, and which was largely restored following World War II. Its best-known piece of architecture is called The Bummerlhaus which is considered one of the finest pieces of Gothic architecture for its size in Central Europe.  Stops will be made for photo opportunities and lunch can be purchased enroute.  Hotel Minichemayr 1night.

B, D

  Date

Day

Activity

Description

Meals

8-Sep

Wednesday

Leave Steyr for Budapest, Hungary

We will partake of a very early breakfast and depart for a full day of travel to cover the approximately 290 miles from Steyr to Budapest.  We cross the border at Nickelsdorf and travel through Hungarian landscape with rustic villages, large farms, huge fields of sunflowers and apricot plantations, arriving Budapest early afternoon in time to enjoy a city tour.  Stops will be made for photo opportunities and lunch can be purchased enroute.

B

Board Avalon Tapestry for Danube River Cruise

Discover the fascinating Danube with its charming small towns and exciting cities on this river cruise.  From Budapest, board your river cruise vessel and begin exploring the Danube, from Slovakia’s vibrant capital of Bratislava to the natural beauty of Austria’s Wachau Valley.  Your vacation ends in Vienna, the “City of Music.”  Board ship between 4:00 and 5:00pm; attend a welcome reception and meet our crew.  Dinner served onboard the ship.

D

9-Sep

Thursday

Onboard

Bratislava, Slovakia - A morning to relax onboard and enjoy the beautiful scenery on both sides of the Danube.  As you cruise upriver, Hungary is on your left and Slovakia is on your right.  The two countries share the Danube for a 58 mile stretch, with the border in the middle of the river.  Situated at the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains, Bratislava is the dynamic capital of Slovakia.  The charming old town with its town hall and Mirbach Palace as well as the gothic cathedral of St. Martin should not be missed. 

B, L, D

 Date

 Day

Activity

Description

Meals

10-Sep

Friday

Onboard

Durnstein, Austria-Melk - This morning our first stop in Durnstein known for its magnificent baroque style abbey with its blue facade, lying right in the heart of Wachau wine region.  Above town are the ruins of the castle where England's King Richard the Lionheart was imprisoned in 1192.  Explore this picturesque little town on your own or choose from a number of optional excursions.  Melk's magnificent Benedictine Abbey dominates the town from its commanding hill site, and is one of Europe's largest monasteries.  A guided visit of this abbey is included.  The view from the terrace over the Danube and surrounding countryside is breathtaking.  

B, L, D

11-Sep

Saturday

Onboard

Linz-Grein, Linz is Austria's third largest town lies on both bank of the Danube and is an important industrial town and busy river port.  Culture is an important part of life in Linz.  The composer Anton Bruckner lived here and Mozart's Linzer Symphony was composed in the city.  Choose from a variety of optional activities today.  In the late afternoon, arrive in the attractive country resort of Grein which is nestled at the foot of a bluff in the shadow of its castle and tour the highlights with a local guide.  The turret houses on the main square make for excellent photo opportunities

B, L, D

12-Sep

Sunday

Disembark Vienna, Austria

Disembark after breakfast, proceed by motorcoach for a city tour of Vienna.  Before we check in to our hotel a visit to the Schönbrunn Palace (the summer residence of the Austrian emperors) is planned.  The entire complex was added to the UNESCO's world cultural heritage list.

B, D

13-Sep

Monday

In Vienna

Most of the day is at your leisure.  Am Stephansplatz Hotel is close to Kartner Strasse, a pedestrian zone for some good shopping. 

B, D

 Date

   Day

Activity

Description

Meals

14-Sep

Tuesday

Leave Vienna for Prague,

Czech Republic

After breakfast, depart Vienna for an approximately 212 mile drive to Prague.  We cross into the Czech Republic near Breclav.  From here, we travel on the Czech Motorway for the final 165 miles.  Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic.  Nicknames for Prague have included "the mother of cities", "city of a hundred spires", and "the golden city".  Situated on the River Vltava in central Bohemia, Prague has been the political, cultural, and economic center of the Czech state for more than 1100 years. For many decades during the Gothic and Renaissance eras, Prague was the permanent seat of two Holy Roman Emperors and thus was also the capital of the Holy Roman Empire.  Since 1992, the extensive historic center of Prague has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites, making the city one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe.  Hotel:  Mercure Center. 

B, D

15-Sep

Wednesday

In Prague

After breakfast, motorcoach city sight-seeing tour is scheduled.  For those who are up for it, there will be an extensive walking tour of this great city after our motorcoach tour. Rest of the day at your leisure.

B, D

16-Sep

Thursday

Depart Prague for Frankfurt

Lufthansa Flight 3267, 6:00AM

Arrive Frankfurt

7:10AM

Depart Frankfurt for Fairbanks

Condor Flight 4066, 11:20AM

Arrive Fairbanks

1:20PM