The Hills Are Alive
Austria’s Mountains & Lakes
May 26 - June 5, 2011

BEAUTY TO MAKE THE HEART SING

Austria is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It borders Germany and the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west. Settled in ancient times by Celtic tribes, the country was a mystery for centuries to all but its immediate European neighbors. If anything, Austria came to be known for its musical heritage, being home to such composing giants as Alban Berg, Anton Bruckner, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Gustav Mahler, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Arnold Schoenberg, Franz Schubert, and Johann Strauss I and II.
     Austria came to the forefront of the world’s awareness with the release of the Academy Award-winning musical The Sound of Music. Based on the true story of Austria’s Trapp Family Singers, director Robert Wise filmed entirely on location in Salzburg and the surrounding environs. When the film became the biggest hit in movie history up to that time, Austria became one of the world’s top tourist destinations. Now 45 years after the film’s release, people still come to see the locations used in the film. But Austria is not just a movie set. This European beauty is noted for its historical buildings, awe-inspiring museums and galleries, and breathtaking mountain scenery. Groundbreaking cultural figures pepper the country’s history, from the aforementioned composers to psychologist Sigmund Freud. Glorious architectural riches include reminders of the once-powerful Hapsburgs, who dominated central Europe for seven centuries and whose exploits and glories define much of Austria’s history since the 13th century.
     An elegant and spacious baroque city, Salzburg is set against a backdrop of breathtaking alpine scenery. To the south, the snow-capped mountains of the Hohe Tauern serve as a natural barrier, while the hills and lakes of the Salzkammergut beckon to the south-east. High on a hill sits the imposing fortress Hohensalzburg, overlooking the entire city and reached by either walking through the narrow, winding Festungsgasse or by taking the funicular. UNESCO proclaimed The Altstadt (old city) a World Heritage Site, now largely closed to vehicles and mostly a pedestrian wonderland. Interesting sights include the Peterskirche (St Peter’s Abbey, with cemetery and catacombs), the Domkirche (intended to rival St Peter’s in Rome) and the Alter Markt (old market square).
     Situated in the heart of the Alpine region, the country’s most mountainous province, the Tirol, has lush forests, quaint hamlets and alpine pastures, beautiful valleys and crystal clear mountain lakes. In summer it is a popular destination for hikers; in winter, all sports are on offer. Traditional Tirolean architecture is reflected in the villages, churches and castles. Called “Land im Gebirge” (Land in the Mountains) in medieval times, the Tirol is the country’s playground.
     Innsbruck is the capital of the Tirol, and twice host to the Winter Olympics. An 800-year-old university town, it has many palatial buildings dating from Austria’s cultural Renaissance in the 16th to 18th centuries, and a 12th-century castle. When Kaiser Maximilian based the imperial court here in the 1490s, the city became a European center of culture and politics. For natural beauty, the summit of Hungerburg (at 6,000 feet), reach by funicular and cable car, offers a spectacular view over the town and southern Alps.
     Austria is filled with romantic palaces, charming inns and coffeehouses, and historic Baroque churches. The cities are like living museums, full of life and innovation, and capturing the romance and history of Europe in a way that gives you a glimpse into how royals lived in past centuries. Renowned for its majestic mountains and stunning scenery, Austria is a place that will sing to you. Indeed, the hills are alive with the sound of music.

ITINERARY

Thursday, May 26, 2011
Depart From Home

Take an overnight flight from your home city, departing today and arriving in Salzburg, Austria (airport code SZG), sometime tomorrow. If flights arriving into Salzburg and departing from Innsbruck (code INN) are too expensive, you’ll find cheaper flight options if you fly round-trip into Munich, Germany (code MUC), and connect by train with the beginning and ending cities of the tour. The train trip from Munich to Salzburg takes about two hours. At the end of the tour, Innsbruck is also just a two-hour train trip from Munich.

Friday, May 27, 2011
Arrival in Austria

Most international flights arrive into Salzburg by this afternoon. It is easy to get from the airport to the city center, and no group transfers are included in this tour since we are not all arriving at the same time. You will need to take a taxi or mass transit on your own to our hotel. Rest up from jet-lag this afternoon, or do some exploring near the hotel. At cocktail hour, our group gathers for the first time in the hotel lobby to get acquainted over drinks. Later we walk to St. Peter’s Monastery, the world’s oldest restaurant, where we have our Welcome Dinner. Afterwards we may sample the small gay scene on the city’s East Bank. Overnight in Salzburg.     (Dinner included)

Saturday, May 28, 2011
Salzburg Sightseeing

After breakfast at our hotel, enjoy a half-day guided sightseeing tour of the city, visiting several of the locations used in the Academy Award-winning film The Sound of Music. First settled by the Celts and then the Romans, Salzburg’s wealth derived from the salt and silver mines in the nearby Salzkammergut. The whole area was controlled by Prince-Archbishops, who combined spiritual power with the temporal power of a prince, taxing the citizens and building fine buildings, especially during the 16th and 17th centuries. Enjoy a walking tour, including the Mirabell Gardens (site of Sound of Music’s “Do-Re-Mi” number) and palace, the Residenzplatz (song “I Have Confidence in Me”), an elegant square in the very center of the city, and Nonnberg Abbey (song “How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria”). Take a funicular up to the Fortress Hohensalzburg, former stronghold of the Prince-Archbishops built in the 11th century, overlooking the city from its lofty promontory. Overnight in Salzburg.     (Breakfast)

Sunday, May 29, 2011
Eagle’s Nest / Schloss Hellbronn

This morning take an excursion to Berchtesgaden to visit Hitler’s “Eagle’s Nest,” the teahouse built as a gift from the Party faithful for his 50th birthday. Set in spectacular mountain scenery, Hiltler ran the Third Reich from the nearby complex of buildings when not in Berlin. We return to Salzburg via Schloss Hellbronn (song “16 going on 17”), one of the most beautiful baroque villas built by the Prince-Archbishops, famous for its trick fountains.     (Breakfast)

Monday, May 30, 2011
Salzkammergut / Bad Ischl

This morning, we leave Salzburg to explore the Salzkammergut, the region of 76 lakes which was once a restricted area producing salt under the control of the Prince-Archbishops of Salzburg. See Lake Fuschl (The Sound of Music’s opening scenes), one of the most beautiful of the lakes, and St. Gilgen, where Mozart’s mother was born, before visiting St. Wolfgang, home of the White Horse Inn featured in the operetta of the same name. The town, on the banks of Lake St. Wolfgang, is a well known resort, and the Gothic altar by Michel Pacher in the church is considered one of the most outstanding examples of woodcarving in Austria.
     Continue a short distance to Bad Ischl, largest town of the area and preferred vacation spot of Emperor Franz Joseph and his Bavarian wife Elizabeth, known as Sissy. After checking in at our hotel, enjoy a walk through the town to their summer residence, the Kaiservilla, where we will have a guided tour. Dinner is included tonight. Overnight in Bad Ischl.     (Breakfast / Dinner)

Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Obertraun / Hallstatt

This morning take a full-day excursion to various towns in the region. Drive the short distance from Bad Ischl to Obertraun, a village on Lake Hallstatt from where departs the cable car up the Krippenstein mountain. Visit the Ice Caves, a natural wonder where the passage of water over millions of years excavated a labyrinth of caves, given names such as “King Arthur’s Cathedral” and “Ice Palace” to reflect the forms the ice has taken. Then continue on the second stage of the cable car to reach the summit of the Krippenstein at nearly 7000 feet, and enjoy an unforgettable panorama of Hallstatt, the Traun valley and the Dachstain glacier.
     Decend the Krippenstein to visit the village of Hallstatt, a UNESCO World Heritage site, which gave its name to the Hallstatt Culture, dating back 3000 years. The village, which is one of the prettiest in Austria, occupies a narrow strip of land between the lake and the mountain, where pastel colored baroque houses cling precariously to the slopes. Return to our hotel in Bad Ischl in the afternoon.     (Breakfast)

Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Three Lakes

Today take another full-day excursion. We drive into the Stirian Salzkammergut across the Potschen Pass and discover three lakes of incredible beauty, the first being Grundlsee with its emerald waters shimmering like a jewel. Enjoy a panoramic walk from the eastern end of the lake through the forest to Toplitzsee, a small lake with much wilder scenery. Following a break for lunch, continue to Altaussee, a resort town on the lake of the same name where the air is considered among the best in Austria. Overnight in Bad Ischl.     (Breakfast)

Thursday, June 2, 2011
The Tirol

After breakfast, we check out of our hotel and drive into the Tirol region. We arrive first at Mondsee, on the lake of the same name, where we visit the church used for the wedding scene in The Sound of Music. Then we drive along the valley of the River Inn into the Tirol, once an independent duchy and now one of the world’s foremost holiday regions. We make a stop in Rattenberg, a beautiful village which owed its prosperity to the nearby silver mines. Once the silver ran out in the 17th century, the town had no way of rebuilding, hence its exceptional state of preservation. More recently, Rattenberg has specialized in fine glassware. Before arriving in Innsbruck, visit Swarovski’s Crystal World, the home of the famous crystal company, and take a ride into the fantastic world of crystal-making. In the afternoon, we arrive in Innsbruck, capital of the Tirol and site of the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympics, for our three-night stay.     (Breakfast / Dinner)

Friday, June 3, 2011
Innsbruck Sightseeing

After breakfast, take a morning sightseeing tour of Innsbruck, including the Hofburg, the Habsburg palace rebuilt by Maria Theresa between 1766 and 1770, and St. James Cathedral. With its blend of the old and the new, Innsbruck is a disarming and charming city, set against the glorious backdrop of the Austrian Alps. The afternoon and evening are free. Overnight in Innsbruck.     (Breakfast)

Saturday, June 4, 2011
Free Day / Farewell Dinner

After breakfast, enjoy an entirely free day to do as you please. With its combination of medieval lanes and Hapsburg residences, modern sculptures and outdoor cafes, Innsbruck has plenty of surprises in store. Our group will rejoin this evening and walk from our hotel to a nearby restaurant where we celebrate our Austrian adventure with a Farewell Dinner. Overnight in Innsbruck.     (Breakfast / Dinner)

Sunday, June 5, 2011
Departure

The tour ends officially after breakfast this morning. Arrange your return flight home for any convenient time today. Since we are not flying as a group, no airport transfers have been included in the tour cost. If you are traveling by train to Munich, please budget plenty of time for train check-in, the 2-hour train trip, a transfer to Munich’s airport and international flight check-in. You should allow five hours at the very least for any transfers back to the Munich airport.     (Breakfast)

ACCOMMODATIONS
(Click hotel name to read description)

Salzburg:  Best Western Hotel Steigelbrau (4*)

Bad Ischl:  Hotel Goldener Ochs (4*)

Innsbruck:  Hotel Innsbruck (4*)

THE BOTTOM LINE
(tour prices per person)

Price:  $3,195 double occupancy

Private Room:  $500 additional, for a total of $3,695. (Toto Tours will try to match you with a roommate if you are traveling alone and want to share a room. If this is not possible, a single supplement will be applied to your reservation before the final payment date.)

Twin Sole Use (TSU) Supplement:  $600 additional, for a total price of $3,795. Private rooms for single occupancy in Europe are often much smaller than rooms intended for occupancy by two people. If you wish to have a private room, and guarantee that you have a room that is the same size as those occupied by two people, it is necessary to pay the “Twin Sole Use” (TSU) supplement. This supplement is added to the double occupancy rate.

Deposit:  $600 (Due at time of registration for the tour. May be paid with a credit card.)

Remaining Balance:  $2,595 double / $3,095 single / $3,195 TSU
(Assumes $600 deposit has already been made.)

Remaining Balance Due:  March 7, 2011
(Full payment required with reservation form if enrolling after this date.)

Included:  Nine nights hotel accommodations; services of a full-time guide plus services of a full-time Toto Tours Manager; air-conditioned motorcoach for sightseeing excursions; all entrance fees for guided excursions except those listed as “optional”; meals and accommodations as listed in the itinerary.

Not Included:  International air and ground transportation to Salzburg, Austria and returning from Innsbruck, Austria; airport transfers at beginning and end of the tour; meals and activities not specifically included in the itinerary; insurance; alcoholic beverages; soft drinks; bottled water; laundry; telephone calls; faxes; any other expenses of a personal nature. Tips to drivers and guides not included. We will give collective tips throughout the tour at appropriate times, and a recommended group tip contribution will be announced prior to departure.

RESERVATIONS

To reserve a place on this tour, click on the “Reservations” link above. Type in the information requested in each field, print the form, then sign and mail it to Toto Tours with your $600 deposit check. You also have the option to pay for your tour deposit with a Visa or MasterCard. The remaining balance is due 80 days prior to departure (by March 7, 2011). Tour registration is not complete until we have received both the form and your deposit check.
     Toto Tours does not accept credit cards as a form of payment except for the amount of the tour deposit ($600 maximum can be charged per tour). An installment plan is possible. Our mailing address is: Toto Tours, 1326 W. Albion Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60626-4753. Make checks payable to: Toto Tours, Ltd.