Innsbruck to Salzburg

We rendezvous in Innsbruck, home to the Winter Olympic Games of 1964 and 1976, for a guided walk through the old part of this alpine city. We see Maximilian of Habsburg's Little Golden Roof and the Empress Maria Theresa's Imperial Palace and take Tram No. 6 up to the mountain resort of Igls. We enjoy an aperitif on the terrace before an Introductory Talk and Welcome Dinner.

After breakfast, we take the gondola lift almost to the peak of the Patscher Kofel, for our morning walk on the wooded slopes with far-reaching views amid the resonant scents of the forest. We lunch at Heiligwasser and return along the St John's Way (Johannesweg), passing the fourteen Stations of the Cross. We return to Igls for our dinner.

Today we walk at a lower level with sweeping panoramas over Innsbruck, the Inn valley and the mountains beyond. On high alpine pastures, we pass centuries' old mountain huts where we may quench our thirst. We stop at the Aldranser Alm for lunch on the terrace; try the Tyrolean Dumplings or noodle soup, as stimulating as the breathtaking view. We end our walking at Rinn with the tale of the martyr-child Andreas and continue to renowned Kitzbuhel by road.

We visit the Frauenkirche, with its massive square tower, and set off for the 'Schwarzsee', the Black Lake, with its incredible back drop of the Wilder Kaiser. A moderate walk takes us to the Steuerberg for lunch in a traditional Wirtshaus, before returning to medieval Kitzbuhel, with time to wander the busy, traffic-free streets of the Old Town and to enjoy an Apfelstrudel with Afternoon Tea. A special Tyrolean evening awaits us.

We walk the peaceful heights of the Kitzbuhel Alps along the old Roman Way. We pause in the pretty market town of St Johann in Tirol and admire the large inns decorated with wall-paintings. There is time to browse the shops and enjoy an irresistible strudel before continuing our journey by train to Zell am See, passing the lake en route. A private boat takes us across the lake and drops us on Tummersbach shore. From here we walk to our hotel to have dinner overlooking the lake with time to explore the pretty garden before we dine.

After a hearty breakfast, we spend the morning walking in the hills of the impressive Steinernen Meer mountain range circling the northern side of the Zeller lake. We stop for lunch along the way and then descend to the lovely resort town of Zell for shopping and afternoon tea. We return to our hotel for our delicious Farewell Dinner.

We leave our mountain home for the drive to Salzburg. After passing through the stunning mountain scenery of Bavaria in southern Germany, we are greeted by the awe-inspiring sight of the great Hohensalzburg, the former stronghold of the Prince-Archbishops, lording it over the delightful city, one of Europe's treasures. On our guided tour, we see the von Trapp home from 'The Sound of Music', the Basilica of St Peter, the Archbishop's Residenz, the former Jewish ghetto, the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and the St Sebastian cemetery where his wife and father are buried. We say 'Auf Wiedersehen' at the rail station.