Bavarian Castles Winter Wonderland & the Swiss Glacier Express

Regional departure by coach or Door-to-Door service, then to Belgium for an overnight stay.

After breakfast, settle back in your seat for the journey south into Austria. We continue into the Vorarlberg region of Austria, arriving in the medieval town of Feldkirch this evening, where we stay for the next four nights.

Join us today on our superb included excursion to Germany and to the Bavarian town of Füssen. En route, we pause at the village of Hohenschwangau, home to the spectacular Hohenschwangau Castle and the famous Neuschwanstein Castle.

King Maximilian, the father of King Ludwig II, acquired Hohenschwangau castle as a ruin in 1832. He rebuilt it according to the original plans and after completion, the castle was used as the summer and hunting residence of the Bavarian royal family. Neuschwanstein Castle is the famous fairy tale castle built by Mad King Ludwig and is one of Germany’s most popular images. It was the inspiration behind Walt Disney’s Sleeping Beauty’s Castle and also seen in the film ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’.

There will be time at leisure in Hohenschwangau village where you can photograph Neuschwanstein Castle (weather permitting). You can choose to remain in Hohenschwangau and enjoy a tour of Neuschwanstein Castle (entrance at extra cost), or join our visit to nearby Füssen, a charming town located on the edge of the Alps and also the highest in Bavaria. There will be free time to explore before we collect anyone who stayed to visit Neuschwanstein Castle, then return to our hotel later this afternoon.

Location: Hohenschwangau & Füssen

We depart our hotel after breakfast on our included excursion and travel to Chur, the capital of the Swiss canton of Graubünden. With over 5,000 years of history, Chur rightfully claims to be the oldest city in Switzerland. Here we board the world-famous Swiss Glacier Express.

Beginning at the lowest point of the route, we will travel through the dramatic landscape of the Rhine gorge, often referred to as the 'Swiss Grand Canyon', from where the Rhine River has carved deep into the white rocks. We will then began to climb upwards to the spectacular Oberalp Pass, reaching a height of 2034 metres before arriving in the charming ski resort of Andermatt.

Please note: on some departures, this excursion will run in the opposite direction: we will travel by coach to Andermatt and enjoy a ride on the Swiss Glacier Express to Chur.

Location: Swiss Glacier Express

Today's included excursion takes us firstly to the picturesque village of Lech, where you can join our optional horse and carriage ride. Lasting for approximately 30 minutes, sit back and relax as the expert horsemen lead you through the beautiful Alpine scenery.

We then continue to the town of St. Anton, situated on the Arlberg massif and surrounded by Alpine peaks and wooded hills. St. Anton is famous as a winter resort on account of its outstanding natural scenery. There will be free time for you to explore all the town has to offer.

Location: Lech & St. Anton

We leave Austria and head north, arriving in Belgium this evening for an overnight stay.

Return home.