Welcome to Enchanting Journeys

Willkommen in Deutschland. Arrive in Munich.

After you exit in the Arrival Hall at Terminal? -  Munich International Airport, subsequent to Immigration & Customs, you will be welcomed by The Journeys representative who will ensure your comfort & transfer you to the hotel. He / she will provide assistance during Check-in & also discuss the program for the next few days.

The natural habitat of well-heeled power dressers & Lederhosen-clad thigh-slappers, Mediterranean-style street cafes and Mitteleuropa beer halls, highbrow art & high-tech industry, Germany’s unofficial southern capital, Munich is famous for its beautiful architecture, fine culture & the annual Oktoberfest beer celebration.

Tall tankards and high-tech cars, edgy art & Lederhosen - Munich is a city where traditional & modern sit side by side like few places on earth.

Munich’s various quirks, the things that make the city the place it is, might be what stick in the memory most. Whether it be the inebriated oompah band, that special knife for eating monster radishes, the Bavarians outrageous dialect, the mad hat traditions of the Oktoberfest or the surfers on the Eisbach wave - you are sure to discover some freakish aspect of Munich life every day. And then there is the local garb - nowhere else in central Europe do the locals don their traditional costume - the famous Lederhosen & Dirndl - as readily as the Munchners, so why not join them?

Munich has long been known as the ‘city of art & beer’, so before you head off to the pub, take some time to savour the local art scene. The Kunstareal, Munich’s art quarter, is the place to start, with four major venues displaying everything from Dutch masters to 1960s design.

The locals have a word for it - Gemutlichkeit - that untranslatable intermingling of cosiness, well-being & laid-back attitude. In Munich, you will sense it most under the fairy lights of a summer beer garden, people-watching in the English Garden & behind the wheel of a BMW heading south. It may be just the local character, but a large share of Gemutlichkeit must come from the fact that the Bavarian capital is one of the most affluent cities on the planet, it’s economy larger than most small countries, its infrastructure well-tended.

Check-in at the hotel.

Balance of the day at leisure or perhaps opt for one of the many options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Morning, Check-out & reach any of the designated Pick-up Point for the regular Bus tour & explore Munich (on your own) on a full day tour with an audio commentary

Enjoy Munich in an open air double-decker buses. You may hop on & hop off at the stops of your choice (Buses depart from 10:00am to 5:00pm, every 30 minutes) & take your time getting around the city (we will be happy to offer suggestions).

You may hop on & hop off at the stops of your choice & take your time getting around the city (we will be happy to offer suggestions).

Munich is rich in history, continental & local, and the architecture, streets, churches, gardens & public spaces reflect the best of centuries of competing cultures.

Munich’s walkable centre retains a small-town air but holds some world-class sights, especially art galleries and museums. Throw in royal Bavarian heritage, an entire suburb of Olympic legacy and a kitbag of dark tourism and it's clear why southern Germany’s metropolis is such a favourite among those who seek out the past but like to hit the town once they’re done.

Munich's cultural scene is second to none in Germany, with the Museums even considered by some to outrank Berlin in quality & many travelers to Munich are absolutely stunned by the quality of the architecture. If you are looking for Alpine cliches, they are all here, but the Bavarian metropolis has many an unexpected card down its Dirndl.

You will discover sights such as the Pinakotheken art museum, the world famous Hofbrauhaus, the National Theater with the Royal Palace, Marienplatz & the Viktualien market with its colorful outdoor stalls. You will have a fantastic panoramic view from the top of the 290 meter high Olympic Tower.

Continue to the Palace of Nymphenburg, the former summer residence of the Bavarian elector princes & kings with its beautiful and spacious gardens. To get an impression of modern Munich, you will also visit the Olympic grounds where you will find other attractions like Sea Life, the BMW museum and the new BMW Car World.

Return to the hotel & relax.

Balance of the day at leisure or perhaps opt for one of the many options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Morning, meet the Tour-guide at 08.00 am & start the 8 hour full day excursion today with a visit to Neuschwanstein Castle, built by Ludwig II, the notorious “Mad King“.

Schloss Neuschwanstein is a 19^th century Romanesque revival palace on a rugged hill above the village of Hohenschwangau near Fussen (Entrance ticket not included, to be paid directly).

The setting of Neuschwanstein could not be more idyllic. Today, it is one of the most popular of all the palaces & castles in Europe.

Appearing through the mountaintops like a mirage, Schloss Neuschwanstein was the model for Disney’s Sleeping Beauty castle.

King Ludwig II planned this fairy-tale pile himself, with the help of a stage designer rather than an architect. He envisioned it as a giant stage on which to recreate the world of Germanic mythology, inspired by the operatic works of his friend Richard Wagner. The most impressive room is the Sangersaal (Minstrels’ Hall), whose frescos depict scenes from the opera Tannhauser.

Built as a romantic medieval castle, work started in 1869 & like so many of Ludwig’s grand schemes, was never finished. For all the coffer-depleting sums spent on it, the king spent just over 170 days in residence.

Completed sections include Ludwig’s Tristan & Isolde themed bedroom, dominated by a huge Gothic-style bed crowned with intricately carved cathedral-like spires; a gaudy artificial grotto (another allusion to Tannhauser); &  the Byzantine-style Thronsaal (Throne Room) with an incredible mosaic floor containing over two million stones. The painting opposite the (throneless) throne platform depicts another castle dreamed up by Ludwig that was never built (he planned many more). Almost every window provides tour-halting views across the plain below.

Seven weeks after the death of King Ludwig II in 1886, Neuschwanstein was opened to the public. The shy king had built the castle in order to withdraw from public life - now vast numbers of people come to view his private refuge. Every year 1.4 million + people visit "the castle of the fairy-tale king". On a single summer day, around 6,000 visitors stream through rooms that were intended for a single inhabitant.

The Castle Tour ends with a 20 minute film on the castle & its creator. There is reasonably priced cafe & the inevitable gift shops.

For the postcard view of Neuschwanstein & the plains beyond, walk 10 minutes up to Marienbrucke (Mary’s Bridge), which spans the spectacular Pollat Gorge over a waterfall just above the castle. It is said Ludwig enjoyed coming up here after dark to watch the candlelight radiating from the Sangersaal.

Drive on to the nearby Linderhof Palace.

Linderhof Schloss is the smallest of the three palaces built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria & the only one which he lived to see completed.

Ludwig II, who was crowned king in 1864, began his building activities in 1867 / 68 by redesigning his rooms in the Munich Residenz & laying the foundation stone of Neuschwanstein Castle. In 1868 he was already making his first plans for Linderhof. However, neither the palace modelled on Versailles that was to be sited on the floor of the valley nor the large Byzantine palace envisaged by Ludwig II were ever built.

Instead, the new building developed around the forester's house (designated as the "Royal Lodge") belonging to his father Maximilian II, which was located in the open space in front of the present palace & was used by the king when crown prince on hunting expeditions with his father.  Linderhof Palace, the eventual result of a long period of building & rebuilding, is the only large palace King Ludwig II lived to see completed.

There are plenty of walking trails & scenic spots perfect for lingering on the palace grounds. There are also a few food options near the parking lot where you can get pretzels, small flatbread pizzas, beer & pastries. 

Drive back to the hotel in Munich.

Balance of the day at leisure or perhaps opt for one of the many options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Today, you leave for Austria.

In time, you will be met by The Journeys Rep & transferred to Munich Hauptbahnhof to board your non-stop train to Vienna.

On arrival at Vienna Hauptbahnhof, the swish central hub station used by all international trains,  you will be welcomed by a Journeys Rep & transferred to the hotel.

Welcome to Vienna, Austria’s capital.

Imperial Architecture | Masterpiece-filled Museums | Soul-stirring Music

Baroque streetscapes & imperial palaces set the stage for Vienna's artistic & musical masterpieces alongside its coffee-house culture and vibrant epicurean & design scenes.

Vienna, lies in the country’s east on the Danube River. Vienna's imperial grandeur is the legacy of the powerful Habsburg monarchy.  The city is also known for its Imperial palaces, including Schonbrunn, the Habsburgs’ summer residence.

Their home for more than six centuries, the Hofburg palace complex, incorporates the Burgkapelle (Imperial Chapel), where the Vienna Boys' Choir sings Sunday Mass & the famed Spanish Riding School, where Lipizzaner stallions perform elegant equine ballet, along with a trove of museums, including in the chandeliered Kaiserappartements (Imperial Apartments).

Other immense palaces include the baroque Schloss Belvedere &  the Habsburgs' 1441 room summer residence, Schloss Schonbrunn, while 19^th century splendours such as the neo-Gothic Rathaus (City Hall) line the magnificent Ringstrasse encircling the Innere Stadt (inner city).

In one of the Habsburgs' most dazzling Rinsgstrasse palaces, the Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna, houses the imperial art collection, packed with priceless works by Old Masters & treasures including one of the world's richest coin collections.

Behind the Hofburg, the former imperial stables & other contemporary buildings have been transformed into the innovative Museums Quartier district, with a diverse ensemble of museums, showcasing 19^th – 20^th century Austrian art at the Leopold Museum to often-shocking avant-garde works at the contemporary MUMOK.

Meteorites, fossils & prehistoric finds fill the Naturhistorisches Museum, while exquisite furnishings at the applied-arts Museum fur Angewandte Kunst are also among the artistic feasts in store. Also displayed are works by Egon Schiele, Gustav Klimt & other artists.

Its artistic & intellectual legacy was shaped by its famous residents. With a musical heritage that includes composers Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Josef Haydn, Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert, Johann Strauss (father & son), Johannes Brahms & Gustav Mahler, among countless others, Vienna is known as the City of Music.

Its cache of incredible venues where you can catch performances today include the acoustically renowned Musikverein, used by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, the gold & crystal main opera house, the Staatsoper  & the multistage Konzerthaus, as well as the dedicated home of the Vienna Boys' Choir. The Music comes to life through interactive exhibits at the captivating Haus der Musik Museum.

Not to leave food behind, the Viennese appreciation of the finer things in life extends to its opulent coffee-house 'living rooms' serving spectacular cakes; its beloved pub like Beisln dishing up hearty portions of Wiener Schnitzel, Tafelspitz (prime boiled beef) & goulash; elegant restaurants; & its fine Austrian wines served in vaulted Vinothek (wine bar) cellars & in rustic vine-draped Heurigen (wine taverns) in the vineyards fringing the city. Local & international delicacies fill the heady Naschmarkt stalls & creative chefs are experimenting with local produce & fresh new flavour combinations in innovative, often repurposed venues.

Check-in at the hotel.

Balance of the day at leisure to explore independently or perhaps opt for one of the many options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Morning, start early & walk to the Meeting Point (unguided - on your own) to board the open-top, double-decker bus discover the city at your own pace.  

Hop on / Hop off bus ticket is valid for full day, giving you the opportunity to either stay on the bus for the entire 1 hour loop or choose to hop on & off at any of the 20 stops that you find interesting around the city and get on the next bus (every 15 - 25 minutes).

Listen to an introductory overview (audio-commentary via headphones) as you see all that Vienna has to offer, including top-notch art galleries & eclectic neighborhoods. Listen to the audio commentary for a richer understanding of each major landmark that you pass the best attractions that the city has to offer.

Ride the double decker bus & soak up the sights of the imperial architecture & impressive buildings, including St Stephen’s Cathedral, Schonbrunn Palace & the House of Music, Vienna State Opera, Hofburg Palace, Belvedere Palace, St Charles’ Church.

Hop-off the bus to take a closer look at these magnificent landmarks & to explore the city's beautiful open spaces, like People’s Park. There are 2 Itineraries & after you finish with one, you can hop on to the other bus. Walk through the city center where the buses are not allowed to drive and check out the delectable cake shops & typical Viennese coffeehouses.

You will learn more about the history of the famous Ring Street & will also have the possibility to explore the Prater area with its Giant Ferries Wheel as also the area around the Blue Danube.

Return to the hotel at your preference.

Balance of the day at leisure to explore independently or perhaps opt for one of the many options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Morning, meet the Tour-guide at 08.00 am & start the 8 hour full day excursion to the UNESCO listed Wachau Valley.

Get a true taste of the Austrian countryside as you drive along the Danube River through charming villages & scenic landscape.

Morning, meet the Tour-guide at 08.00 am & start the 8 hour excursion to the UNESCO listed Wachau Valley known for its rolling hills, vineyards & fortresses.

Watch the scenery change from the capital’s bustling streets to the picturesque landscape of the Austrian countryside, as you journey through the 24 mile stretch of the Danube River.

Renowned for its quality wines, stunning villages & breathtaking scenery, the picturesque Wachau Valley, is the perfect place to enjoy a day away from Vienna

Learn about its fascinating culture & history and sampling local wine as well as some other delicacies like the valley’s famed local specialties & go for a wine tasting in a small local winery. Get a true taste of the Austrian countryside as you drive along the Danube River through charming villages & scenic landscape.

Besides the highlights, you will break away from the crowds to also see the more authentic & off-the-beaten-track landscapes.

Visit stunning villages & historical sites like the UNESCO World Heritage listed medieval town of Durnstein made famous by Richard the Lionheart was held captive in 1192.

Visit the valley’s lavish baroque church founded in 987, all while learning the rich heritage & history behind the Wachau Valley.  

After working up an appetite, get cozy in a traditional family-run Austrian local wine tavern and savor a traditional lunch & taste the region’s best wines in a small, intimate cellar (not included - direct payment).

Enjoy some free time to explore the charming streets & the castle ruins in Durnstein

Then, sit back & enjoy the spectacular scenery as you are driven driving deeper into the valley, to g to Spitz, where you will hop aboard a boat.

On a relaxing 70 minute scenic Danube river cruise between the historic villages of Spitz & Melk, you will take in stunning views of Wachau Valley from yet another perspective - the middle of the majestic River Danube.

Arrive in Melk & disembark.

Walk to the Benedictine Melk Abbey. Located above the town of Melk on a rocky outcrop, this impressive monastery boasts stunning views of the Danube river down below.

First established in the 11^th century, the Baroque-style abbey with its opulent baroque church adorned in bright frescoes, has housed monks for over 900 years. Melk Abbey's impressive library of medieval manuscripts is one of the day's hidden highlights.  

Before returning to Vienna, you will also have the chance to sample local blends at a small winery, as well as other regional specialties.

Reach the hotel.

Balance of the day at leisure to explore independently or perhaps opt for one of the many options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Finally, it is time to say good-bye.

Check-out of the hotel by 12:00 noon (if the departure time is later in the evening, we will request the hotel to allow the use of the hotel facilities & to leave the luggage at the Bell Desk if you have the time to walk out). 

In time, you will be met by a Journeys Rep, who will ensure your comfort & transfer you to Terminal? -  Vienna International Airport for your onward journey.  B

 .

***        End of Services      ***