Highlights of Austria: Mountains, Lakes and Spectacular Salzburg

This seven-night escorted tour with Travelsphere begins with a flight to Munich and transfer to a hotel in Austria’s Tyrolean Alps, where you’ll stay for most of the week. Day trips take in Innsbruck, with its old town and Golden Roof, and a cable car ride above the Inn Valley for alpine views.

Three days are left at leisure in Niederau, a chance to explore the surrounding mountains or take optional excursions across the border to South Tyrol or the Bavarian villages of Oberammergau and Ettal. A boat cruise on the clear waters of Lake Achensee and a visit to Rattenberg, Austria’s smallest town, reveal quieter corners of the region with its glassblowing tradition.

Salzburg delivers a full day with its old town streets and Mirabell Gardens, capped by a tour of Hellbrunn Palace and its unusual trick fountains. The trip concludes with a transfer back to Munich for the flight home. A steady pace and Alpine setting foster thoughtful wandering rather than rushing.