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11 day Best of Austria & Switzerland
Day 1 -
Make your own way to join the tour in Vienna on day 2
Day 2 - Arrival in Vienna, Austria
Time to rest or start exploring the Viennese capital. At 6 p.m.
meet your Tour Director and traveling companions for a welcome
dinner at your hotel. (D)
Day 3 - Vienna
Meet your Local Guide and start your sightseeing with vistas of
Prater Park with its giant Ferris wheel, and the United Nations
City on the banks of the Danube River. Then drive along Ring
Boulevard, pass the State Opera House, the Jewish quarter, and stop
at the Hofburg Palace, winter residence of the Austrian Imperial
family. Marvel at the impressive courtyards and famous Heldenplatz
and visit awesome ST. STEPHEN'S CATHEDRAL. Afternoon at leisure.
Optional excursions to Schönbrunn Palace and the wine village
of Grinzing are available. (BB)
Day 4 - At Leisure in Vienna
A full day to explore Vienna independently. Why not visit the
imposing Hofburg Palace with the precious Hapsburg dynasty
treasures? If you are interested in great paintings, do not miss
the Museum of Fine Arts, with works by Jan Van Eyck, Rubens,
Rembrandt, Raphael, and more. Later you may want to join an
optional excursion. (BB)
Day 5 - Vienna-Melk-Salzburg
This morning enjoy a leisurely DANUBE CRUISE from Krems to
Weissenkirchen. From here follow the Danube Valley to historic Melk
for pictures of the Melk Abbey. No landscape is more typically
Austrian than the Salzkammergut lakeland. A picture stop at the
Parish Church in Mondsee, which was used for the wedding scenes of
The Sound of Music, then continue to Salzburg. (BB,D)
Day 6 - Salzburg
A pleasant stroll with a Local Guide takes you through the
historic center. Admire exquisite MIRABELL GARDENS, the Great
Festival Hall, ST. PETER'S CHURCHYARD, the monumental Domplatz and
take pictures of Mozart's birthplace in the charming Getreidegasse.
Afternoon at leisure with optional possibilities. (BB)
Day 7 - Salzburg-Innsbruck-St. Moritz, Switzerland
Morning visit to Innsbruck in the Tyrolean Mountains. Enjoy a
pleasant walk through its quaint medieval lanes to Emperor
Maximilian's GOLDEN ROOF. Next enter the Swiss Engadine, considered
by many as the most beautiful mountain area in the world with its
deep-blue lakes, airy larch forests that turn golden in the fall,
mountain peaks exceeding 12,000 feet and quaint villages with
massive white stone houses in the characteristic Grisons style. The
rest of the day is at leisure in ritzy St. Moritz. (BB,D)
Day 8 - St. Moritz-Chur-Zermatt
Drive through exhilarating Alpine scenery. At Chur board the
first-class panoramic coach of the world-renowned GLACIER EXPRESS
TRAIN. Admire thundering waterfalls, impressive peaks, glacial ice
fields, and tiny villages as you pass through the Valais, a region
known for its great mountain resorts and excellent wines. This
afternoon you are in Zermatt, a picturesque cluster of rustic
chalets beneath the majestic Matterhorn. (BB,D)
Day 9 - At Leisure in Zermatt
An entire day at leisure to breathe the fresh mountain air
and to catch up on your postcards. A suggestion: ride Europe's
highest rack-railway to 10,272-foot Gornergrat for a breathtaking
panoramic view of the Alps. (BB)
Day 10 - Zermatt-Berne
Board the MOUNTAIN TRAIN to Täsch and motor through the
vineyards and apricot groves of the lower Rhône Valley to the
shores of Lake Geneva. Here enjoy a highlight visit to CHILLON
CASTLE, the 12th-century water fortress immortalized by the poet
Lord Byron. Evening arrival in Berne. (BB,D)
Day 11 - Berne-Interlaken-Lucerne
Sightseeing with a Local Guide starts at the popular BEAR PIT
and then focuses on the monumental Federal Palace and the
beautifully preserved medieval Old Town. Witness the hourly parade
of painted figures at the Clock Tower and take your pictures of
ornate, flower-adorned fountains. Leisurely lunch break in
Interlaken, beautifully situated beneath the towering Jungfrau.
Over Brünig Pass to picture-book Lucerne. You may wish to sign
up for a folklore party with yodeling and alphorn blowing for a
first-hand impression of Alpine merrymaking. (BB)
Day 12 - Lucerne
On your walking tour this morning, admire Thorwaldsen's LION
MONUMENT, the ornate patrician houses of the walled Old Town, then
cross the famous covered CHAPEL BRIDGE to the Jesuit church.
Afterwards shop for watches and choose from our optional
activities: climb a mountain by cable car, or take a cruise on the
fjord-like lake. Tonight a farewell dinner to celebrate the success
of your Swiss vacation. (BB,D)
Day 13 - Lucerne-Zurich Airport
Leave the tour to make your way home.
Other Information -
Every Journey Tells a Story
A Globus Journey. When you travel with Globus, you get more
than the sights. You get the stories behind them that bring a
destination to life, creating unforgettable journeys.
Let Globus take you to places that expand your horizons and
encourage personal discovery. Experience a destination in a deeper,
more memorable way-the Globus way.
The Globus Difference
Globus vacations are designed to offer you flexibility and choice,
plus a pace that best fits the way you want to travel. Globus
offers MORE included features, MORE quality hotels, and MORE
experience with more than 75 years of taking travelers on
unforgettable journeys. In addition, Globus offers MORE value with
an average price less per day than our nearest competitor. The
safety of our travelers and the richness of our vacations is a
priority, and it is what has made Globus the worldwide leader in
travel and a name you can trust.
With Globus, you visit the key sights, but, more importantly, you
learn the stories behind the sights-from the Sistine Chapel, the
Colosseum and the Forum in Rome, to the Prado Museum in Madrid and
Michelangelo's David in the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence, your
journey is filled with insider's information unique to your Globus
vacation. You'll also enjoy many inclusions such as cruises,
high-speed trains, and Local Guides. We offer over twice the number
of included features as our nearest competitor, without any
additional cost to you.
Globus not only brings you the experiences that others simply don't
offer, we also ensure that you end up with more free time to enjoy
your destination on your own. Most competitors require you to take
extra optional excursions to see these important sights, costing
you additional time and money. And, if you don't join their
excursion, you'll spend most of your time waiting in line. But with
Globus, these sights are already included, freeing up the remainder
of your time to enjoy independent activities.
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Saving Options -
Various reductions are possible: group reduction, child reduction,
triple room reduction, multiple tour reduction.
Discount for young tour members
Share the pleasure of a Globus tour with your children and
grandchildren and take advantage of a 10 percent discount on the
land-only price. For eligibility, children must be under 18 years
old on the departure date, and must be accompanied by an adult.
On escorted tours we do not accept children under eight years old
because we've found that they are too young to enjoy these
vacations.
On Monograms-Independent Vacations there is no age
restriction.
New!
For Monograms-Independent Vacations the following land only
discounts apply:
- Free of charge: infants under 2 years of age sharing adult's
accommodation
- 50% discount: under 12 years of age when sharing accommodation
with two adults
- 10% discount: under 18 years of age
Note:
We recommend that children under 12 years of age share
accommodation with an adult.
Triple room reduction
On most Globus tours you receive a reduction when three people
travel together and share the same accommodation. Triple room
reductions are listed on the tour pages. A word of caution: Triple
rooms usually are not larger than twin rooms, and the third bed, if
there is one, is often a rollaway put in a twin-bedded room for the
night.
Avoid
the single room supplement
Single rooms are expensive and often are quite small. We do not
take reservations on a "share" basis because we have found that
strangers rarely enjoy sharing a room for the duration of a
vacation. Sidestep the single room supplement by traveling with a
friend. It's less expensive and much more fun!
Pay
less for your second tour
We charge you list price for your first vacation in 2007, but
for every additional Globus vacation that you take in the same
year, you pay US$35 under list. It's fun to combine vacations to
make the perfect trip, or ask your travel agent for suggestions.
This discount does not apply if one of the vacations is a single
city stay Monograms vacation.
Consecutive vacations can be booked with or without transatlantic
flights. Any intra-European flights between vacations cannot be
reserved as part of the Globus package. Please ask your travel
agent to reserve and ticket such flights for you.
Save
by forming your own group
If you form your own group, you'll receive the following rebates
on the land arrangement of your tour. On vacations to Mexico and
vacations including a cruise of three or more nights, one person
travels free in a group of 32; while one person travels at half
price in a group of 16. On River Cruise Vacations, one person
travels free in a group of 16.
On all other tours, one person travels free in a group of 16; one
person travels at half price in a group of eight.
These rebates are applicable to land-only prices (not air-inclusive
prices). Free and half-price land arrangements are credited at the
twin rate; single room supplements have to be paid in full.
Tour conditions for group bookings may differ from those for
individual bookings.
Joining
late and leaving early
Many Globus land arrangements start and end in London. If you
have already spent time in the British capital, you may want to
skip one or more of the included London nights or even join at the
first overnight hotel on the Continent. Call your Travel Consultant
for any reductions that apply to your vacation for joining late or
leaving early. Vacations with these reductions are sold on a
land-only basis.
It's
in your interest to book early
Plan your vacation in advance, and book your tour as soon as
possible to guard against the disappointment of not finding space.
Many Globus tours sell out months before the departure date.
And remember, the moment we receive your deposit your land price is
guaranteed.
This is valuable protection against currency fluctuations and other
cost increases. So please don't wait. Contact your travel agent now
for a vacation you'll never forget!
Accurate, detailed tour descriptions -
Read ourtour descriptions and you'll understand the true value of
our tours. The agenda for each day is spelled out so that you know
exactly what is included in the price. Inside visits are spelled
out in UPPERCASE. With Globus you don't have to guess. Compare what
we give you in a tour with what other companies offer-and then
compare prices. You'll see why knowledgeable travelers consider
Globus vacations the best value on the market with even more
savings in the off season.
Help Along The Way -
Professional Tour Director while touring, Cruise Director on river
cruises, Local Host services on independent vacations, and hosts to
assist you at airports and hotels.
Hotels -
Twin-bedded rooms with private bath or shower, hotel taxes, service
charges, and tips for baggage handling.
Globus Hotels Set the Standard for First-class Touring
At the end of a busy day of sightseeing, you want to relax in
comfortable, clean, attractive accommodations. At our first-class,
conveniently located hotels, you'll always feel welcome and well
looked after.
We know that excellent accommodations are of paramount
importance to your enjoyment on tour. Our hotels--many of them
through long association with us--have mastered the art of handling
group check-ins and baggage speedily, preparing tasty and wholesome
meals, and balancing the need for efficiency with the desire of
each traveler to receive individual attention.
You won't be surprised with any hidden charges when you check
out of your Globus hotel. All hotel taxes and tips for restaurant
service and baggage handling are included in the price of your
tour.
Hotel
locations maximize your sightseeing time
We take extra care to select downtown locations for our
independent tours and for longer stays on escorted tours, when your
itinerary features days at leisure to explore on your own.
When your itinerary allows time only for a good night's sleep
between two busy sightseeing days, our expert contractors sometimes
sensibly opt for quiet residential areas.
And you'll be delighted with our choice of hotels in scenic
countryside locations. Wake up to the sound of cow bells, take a
morning walk in crisp mountain air, enjoy glorious panoramic views
of the majestic Alps or the Norwegian fjord country.
Superior
accommodation
Globus uses chains such as Crowne Plaza, Forte, Hilton, Holiday
Inn, Hyatt, Inter-Continental, Jolly, Queens Moat Houses, Marriott,
Mövenpick, Radisson SAS, Renaissance, Scandic, Sheraton,
Sofitel, Thistle and Westin.
The specific hotels we have selected for you are listed
separately for each tour. The vast majority of our hotels are rated
deluxe (D), superior first-class (SF), or first-class (F). In
overnight places where there is no hotel in these categories or
where our demand exceeds the supply, we choose the best available
superior tourist-class (ST) hotels.
Most hotels have amenities such as satellite TV, mini-bar, a
cocktail lounge, a restaurant, room service and concierge services.
Many also have a swimming pool, health club, shops, and dry
cleaning and laundry services.
Globus hotel ratings follow standards set by the independent
Official Hotel Guide (OHG) or by national tourist boards. The
specific rating for each contract hotel is determined by our
quality controllers.
We reserve the right to substitute hotels listed on the tour
pages with hotels of equivalent standard. With your Globus travel
documents you'll receive a list of hotel addresses, telephone
numbers, and fax numbers for your tour.
Transportation -
Including private deluxe motor coach with air-conditioning and
extra leg room.
We offer many modes of transportation, from trains and motorcoaches
to cruise ships and ferries. Each is selected and designed with
comfort in mind.
Coaches -
Each Globus motor coach has upholstered, reclining seats with
headrests and individual air-conditioning vents. A high-fidelity
sound system broadcasts your Tour Director's commentary to every
seat. Our custom of daily seat rotation gives everyone a variety of
vantage points to see the passing countryside and city scenes.
Limited group size for extra comfort
The length and width of modern motor coaches is standard,
prescribed by law. The difference among tour operators is in the
number of seats installed and actually sold. While it is customary
to install and sell 53 seats, Globus installs fewer seats for extra
leg room, and limits group size to a maximum of 46 tour members.
The extra space contributes enormously to your comfort. For airport
and port transfers in Britain we generally use motorcoaches with 53
seats.
Smoke-free coaches
For non-smokers and
moderate smokers an otherwise perfect vacation can be spoiled if
they are forced to inhale other people's smoke on a motor coach. We
therefore do not allow smoking on the coach. There are plenty of
opportunities to smoke during the frequent stops.
Globus drivers are experienced professionals
Globus drivers take pride in driving and in their vehicles, keeping
them in great shape and spotlessly clean. Your driver will help you
on and off the motor coach with a smile and load your bags with
care. Our travellers consistently lavish the highest praise on the
person behind the wheel!
Trains,
Ferries, Cruises and Gondola Rides
Many of our itineraries include cruises, river jet boat and
mountain gondola rides, whale-watching expeditions, and journeys by
train. Experience the ultra-modern Eurostar train from Rome to
Florence and the exciting high-speed AVE train from Madrid to
Seville. In the Canadian Rockies, you might take one of the sleek,
ultra-modern BC Ferries or, if travelling by rail car in Canada or
Alaska, enjoy travel operated by VIA Rail ®. Other fascinating
Globus vacations feature cruises on the Rhine or Venetian Canals to
enhance your travel experience.
Ships and River Cruises -
Globus provides the most spacious and newest ships from Avalon
Waterways. Features include unmatched luxury, fine dining, larger
accommodations and impeccable service. Whether you're travelling
Europe, Russia or China-on a Globus river cruise, you'll always
feel well looked after.
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