Austria is the essence of the Alps, with its welcoming spirit, "Sound of Music" setting, colorful Tyrolean chalets and incredible panoramas of mountains, lakes, and meadows. Begin in Innsbruck, a world-renowned sports center with superb facilities, glorious trails, and Hapsburg palaces as lavish as wedding cakes. Kitzbuhel in summer is a walkers dream, with miles of well-kept paths that lead through mountain pastures, green forests, and the world's highest flower garden. We stop at traditional "Almshuts" where walkers have been welcomed for centuries, with food, drink, and shelter. Modern cable cars carry us over the snowy peaks and glaciers. After dark, Kitzbuhel's cosmopolitan nightlife beckons. Salzburg, with its landmark spires, magnificent churches, and concert halls are a monument to its favorite son, Mozart.

The sparkling blue Danube winds gently through Austria and Hungary, traveling to some of the most scenic landscapes in all of Europe. We'll follow the river to remarkable Melk abbey and the cathedral at Esztergom. Then onto the proud city of Budapest. The music, the richly flavored cuisine, and countless oldworld delights make this a grand tour of Eastern Europe.!

Whether hiking, cycling, riding a chair lift, paragliding from a hilltop, or skiing down a glacier, this adventure inspires at every turn. All of Mother Nature's bounty embraces you in this land of Mozart and "The Sound of Music."