Austria And Switzerland Self Drive Tours-13 Nights/14 Days From Vienna to Vienna

Welcome to romantic Vienna, a city of great diversity of art, architecture and culinary delights. The former home of the Habsburg court, the city still has the trappings of the imperial capital it once was and its downtown historic center is like an open-air museum with its many famous buildings.
You will find many fine shopping streets. Visit the Danube Tower for breathtaking views of the city.
Accommodation: Tourist Class Hotel Alexander or similar (2 nights)

Vienna is also a dynamic city, famous for its electronic music scene and, of course, its coffee culture with its many beautiful traditional coffee bars offering delicious coffee and delectable pastries.
The Viennese take their food quite seriously and throughout the day you will find superb food and fine wines.

Your journey today takes you to the historic old town of Graz with its alleys and squares, impressive buildings, museums and galleries.
A funicular will take you effortlessly to Schlossberg castle which is perched upon a hill in the middle of the city and has spectacular views. From Graz your drive to Klagenfurt, where we have arranged your overnight stay, takes you through beautiful mountainous regions with an astonishing number of small castles.
Klagenfurt’s best-known landmark is in the main square and is a legendary dragon that haunted the area and was finally killed by the inhabitants. The Klagenfurt Cathedral is a spectacular baroque building.
Accommodation: Tourist & First Class Hotel Seepark or similar

From Klagenfurt your drive to Cortina can only be described as spectacular as you view the stark grandeur of the Dolomites of Corina-d’Ampezzo.
Take the short cut to Innsbruck by crossing into Italy on the way to the Brenner Pass, and take a short diversion to Cortina, whose most fashionable street is the Corso, lined with boutiques, antique shops, art galleries, cafes and restaurants.
A visit to the Lagazuoi and Torri area’s open-air museum is a memorable event, a perfect combination of nature and history in one of the most beautiful areas of the Dolomites. Located in the Inn Valley between high mountains is the beautiful city of Innsbruck, where we have arranged your overnight stay.
One of the city’s greatest landmarks is the Golden Roof, a three-story balcony on a house in the heart of Innsbruck’s Old Town. Capped with 2,600 gold-plated copper tiles, it was constructed for Emperor Maximilian I to serve as a royal box where he could sit in luxury and enjoy tournaments in the square below.
Accommodation: Tourist Class Hotel Ramada Tivoli or similar

From Innsbruck your drive will take you through the beautiful scenery of Austria and Switzerland’s mountains and lakes to St. Moritz, where we have arranged your overnight stay. You will pass alpine cattle wearing large cowbells - Swiss farmers have used such bells for centuries to locate their herd as they graze in the Alpine meadows.
Arrive at the glamorous resort of St. Moritz, surrounded by the beautiful lake landscape of the Upper Engadine. In winter it is one of the best-known ski resorts in the world and in summertime it offers sailing, tennis, health spa and a golfer’s paradise with its five golf courses.
Accommodation: Tourist & First Class Hotel Schweizerhof or similar

From Romanish speaking St. Moritz drive into Ticino, Switzerland’s Italian speaking canton. Your first stop today takes you to the beautiful old town of Bellinzona, east of the Ticino River and at the foot of the Alps it stretches along the river valley. A fortress since Roman times, Bellinzona is famous for its three castles, Castelgrande, Montebello and Sasso Corbaro.
A walk around the town is a trip back in time. From Bellinzona continue your drive through the mountains to Lugano, where we have arranged your overnight stay. A town of parks and flowers, villas and sacred buildings, with its Mediterranean flair it offers all the advantages of a world-class city combined with the flavor of a small town.
The historic town center, with its squares and arcades, is traffic-free and home to numerous Italianate Lombardy style buildings. Numerous parks invite you to laze around and enjoy the atmosphere while the lakeside promenade of the Belvedere Gardens boasts countless sub-tropical plants and modern works of art.
Take a boat trip around Lugano followed by dinner of Swiss-Italian food - perhaps risotto or share a fondue - for the perfect end of the day
Accommodation: Touris Class Hotel Delfino or similar

Leave Lugano and cross the border into Italy and to Stresa, a resort town on the shores of Lake Maggiore. From here your journey takes you over the Simplon Pass – a high mountain pass between the Italian Pennine Alps and the Lepontine Alps in Switzerland.
It follows the natural topography of some of the most scenic landscapes in Europe. Near the summit of the pass is a hospice, first mentioned in 1235 as in the charge of the Order of St. John and now occupied by Augustinians.
Should the road be closed between December and early May, automobiles are diverted onto flatbed trains to be carried through one of the longest railway tunnels in the world, the Simplon Tunnel.
Pass Sion as you journey through vineyards and against the breathtaking backdrop of snow-covered Alps to the town of Montreaux, nestled in a sheltered bay on Lake Geneva, and where we have arranged your overnight stay.
Take a walk along the flower-bordered lake promenade with its restaurants and piano and jazz bars. The famous Montreux Jazz Festival takes place every June/July.
Accommodation: Tourist Class Hotel Helvistie or similar

Surrounded by vineyards with Lake Geneva at its feet, Lausanne is one of Switzerland’s most beautiful cities. It is a city of steep hills with vistas of blue water, glittering sunlight and the white capped Savoy Alps peeping between gaps in buildings.
Here you will find parks, flowers and tree-lined lakefront promenades. At the heart of Lausanne is its Old Town with the cobbled Place de la Palud, a perfect spot for people watching with plenty of pavement cafes. Every hour on the hour mechanical figures emerge on the wall behind the fountain for a chiming display Drive around the lake to Geneva, the worldwide center for diplomacy including the headquarters of the United Nations and the Red Cross.
It has many art galleries, fine shopping and interesting cafes, bars and restaurants. One of its most famous landmarks is the magnificent Jet d’Eau whose white plume marks the city from afar. The lake itself is a memorable sight. Leave Geneva for one of Switzerland’s most charming cities, Bern, where we have arranged your overnight stay.
Its quiet cobbled lanes are lined with sandstone-arcaded buildings that have barely changed over the past five hundred years and the wide main cobbled thoroughfare of the old town features many arcaded buildings. At no.49 is the Einstein House, the apartment and workplace of the famous scientist. You can find delicious local food at many of the cozy bars in this ancient city.
Accommodadion: Tourist Class Hotel Sorellino Arabelle or similar

From Berne your drive takes you to Interlaken, one of Switzerland’s oldest resorts, famed for its superb views towards the Jungfrau massif which lies perfectly framed between two hills to the south of the town.
Its long main street, Hoheweg, is lined with cafes and grand hotels, and bordered on one side with lawns and flowerbeds. Drive through glorious scenery to Lucerne where we have arranged your overnight stay.
With its beautiful lakeside setting, impressive mountain views and picturesque medieval town squares lined with fountains and historic houses, it is a delightful town. Walk Lucerne’s medieval battlements and explore cobbled alleys and hidden garden courtyards.
End your day at one of Lucerne’s many restaurants and try the delicious typical Swiss dish of Roesti – a combination of fried grated crispy potatoes and gruyere cheese.
Accommodation: Tourist Class Hotel De La Paix or similar

Next stop is Basel, located on the River Rhine and bordering both Germany and France. The attractive old town, with its cobbled streets and fountains, has antique and craft shops, cafes, and beautiful old buildings such as the 12th century cathedral and the Barfusserkirche, now the Historical Museum.
Then continue to Zurich for your overnight stay. A popular place for nightlife is the Old Town on the left bank of the River Limmat, with many bars and cafes tucked away on the side streets.
Visit a traditional beer cellar with lengthy tables that are shared as diners tuck into classic Zurich cuisine.
Accommodation: Tourist Class Hotel Montana or similar

Leave Switzerland’s largest city for Liechtenstein – the world’s smallest German-speaking country. Governed by a monarch who lives in a Gothic castle on a hill, the country has stunning natural beauty. Measuring only 25km x 6km it is filled with lush green forests, craggy cliffs, quaint villages and friendly locals.
From Liechtenstein continue your drive through the spectacular scenery of the Swiss Alps to Davos, where we have arranged your overnight stay. Davos is way up in the mountains and one of the highest cities in Europe.
Famous for its annual meetings of the World Economic Forum, it is popular all year round. It is a bustling place offering fine shopping and dining, famous for its fresh mountain air and huge outdoor and indoor skating rinks, sports center and miles of picturesque walking paths.
Accommodation: Tourist Class Hotel Cresta or similar

From Davos we cross the border at Martina into Austria then continue to Salzburg where we have arranged your overnight stay. Noted for its beautiful Alpine setting, it is a city of spires, green hills and romantic parks and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Amongst the Old Town’s famous sights is the Hohensalzburg Castle, which sits on a hill with views over Salzburg.
Visit the magnificent Residenz Palace, Mozart’s birthplace and Mozart’s residence. Try the local cuisine of Flanken followed by Salzburger Chazerai.
Accommodation: Tourist Class Hotel De La Paix or similar

Leave the charm of Salzburg and continue on back to Austria''s romantic capital, Vienna, for your overnight stay. See the famous Lipizzaner horse show, an equestrian tradition that dates from the 16th century.
Music has a great impact to this city, home to such famous composers as Johann Strauss. Hear great operas with world star guests, the Viennese Philharmonic Orchestra and the world-famous Vienna Boys Choir.
This evening dine on some of Vienna’s world famous cuisine of Wiener Schnitzel, apple strudel and Sachertorte.
Accommodation: Tourist Class Hotel Alexander or similar, or a Tourist Class Airport Hotel

Drop off your car at the airport for your return flight home.