Tour Type:Winter Touring Tour Duration:11 Days (10 Nights) From:Munich toMunich Tour Code:CSA Operator:Albatross
from AU $3,054 pp
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Tour Description
Imagine a festive Christmas over 4 days on the shores of magnificent Lake Bled deep in the Slovenian Alps, plus medieval Innsbruck, the Fairytale Castle of Neuschwanstein, Bolzano, the jagged Italian Dolomites and the snow fields of Kranjska Gora in the Julian Alps. Add to this the canals of Venice, the old city of Ljubljana, dramatic Lake Bohinj, Christmas markets, Brass Bands, the 'Sinking of the Bells of Wishes' and, to cap it all, staying 2 more nights in a dreamy Italian Castle. What a combination!
Tour Highlights:
Celebrate Christmas over 4 nights on the shores of magnificent Lake Bled in Slovenia
Savour the fabulous Christmas Markets in Munich, Innsbruck, Bolzano and Ljubljana
Enjoy a Christmas Eve dinner with music, Christmas Day Turkey lunch, a Boxing Day Brass Band Concert and the local ceremony of the ‘Sinking of the Bells’
Take a ride on a horse and buggy up to Neuschwanstein Castle followed by lunch in the village, before visiting the extraordinary Weiskirche and the ‘Passion Play’ village of Oberammergau
Stay 2 nights in medieval Innsbruck and visit the amazing Swarovski Crystal Worlds
In Bolzano, shop in the Christmas Markets and see Otzi - the mummified mountain man
Stay 2 nights in a glorious Italian Castle and visit the canals and hump backed bridges and canals of Venice
Visit Villach, the old city of Ljubljana and beautiful Lake Bohinj on the way to the snow fields of Kranjska Gora in the Julian Alps
Visit Mozart’s Salzburg before enjoying a farewell meal in Munich
Tour Inclusions
All sightseeing, scenic drives and excursions described in the itinerary
Fully escorted by our experienced Tour Manager
First class touring coach
End of tour tips to Tour Manager, drivers and guides
10 nights First Class accommodation
Hotel porterage (1 bag per person)
Buffet breakfasts daily
9 dinners including Christmas Eve dinner with Zither Music and Special Farewell dinner
Christmas Day Turkey lunch
Tea and coffee with all dinners
Welcome drink in Munich and Lake Bled
Local guides - Neuschwanstein Castle, Venice, Ljubljana, Kranjska Gora and Salzburg
Entrance and horse and buggy ride to Neuschwanstein Castle
Munich
Your tour commences this evening in wonderful Munich. Shopping is always excellent in Munich - particularly around the town hall and the decorated wooden Christmas Market stalls. Before your Bavarian style buffet dinner enjoy a welcome drink in the hotel. Stay:Maritim (D)
Day 2
Munich - Innsbruck
Joining our touring coach we drive into the Bavarian Alps. First stop will be at the richly decorated Weiskirche (Church in the Meadows) with its incredible painted ceilings. Next stop will be in the tiny village of Hohenschwangau where we visit the famous fairytale Neuschwanstein Castle of 'Mad' King Ludwig. We’ve included a horse and carriage ride to take you up the wooded road to enjoy a tour through the Wagner inspired state rooms. Later this afternoon we drive over the scenic Fern Pass and down into the Inn Valley and the Winter Olympic city of Innsbruck where we will stay the next two nights. Dinner is included tonight and the Christmas Markets await. Stay:Grauer Baer (B/D)
Day 3
Innsbruck
Following the spectacular Inn Valley to Wattens we visit the Swarovski ‘Kristallwelten’ (‘Crystal Worlds’ - entrance included). Built into a small hill the entrance is through the mouth of a Goblin with huge crystal eyes. A weird and wonderful crystal experience lays within. Back to Innsbruck your afternoon is free to explore the Old Town and see the famous ‘Golden Roof’ above the medieval town square with its delightful Christmas Markets. Time to do that last minute shopping, indulge in the mulled wine and ginger biscuits and take in the music, fabulously decorated trees and folklore displays. You simply must spoil yourself with a traditional tall aromatic coffee and a calories-busting apfelstrudel! Maybe a rich chocolate torte cake? Mmmm! (B/D)
Day 4
Castelbrando
Crossing over the Brenner Pass we stop mid morning in the charming town of Bolzano. You’ll have time to enjoy the delightful Town Hall square and shop along the covered arcades and arches of Via dei Portici. We’ve also included a visit to the Museum of Archaeology where you can see the mummified remains of Ötzi – the famous Ice Man - along with a fascinating exhibition documenting the Ancient History of Italy’s South Tyrol. This afternoon we follow the Sugano Valley from Trento through the Italian Alps to the superb CastelBrando in the foothills of the Dolomites. On arrival we have included a guided tour of the castle – there is a lot to see - and this will be your home for the next two evocative nights. Located above the medieval village of Cison di Valmarino this 2,000 year old Roman fortress was turned into a sumptuous noble’s palace in the 13th Century. Stay:CastelBrando (B/D)
Day 5
Castelbrando
Today we visit nearby Venice – arguably one of the most romantic cities in the world. At Tronchetto we board a boat to take us to St Marc’s Square where we join our expert local guide for a walking tour. The rest of the day is free to shop and explore the myriad of narrow, water lined streets and canals spanned by humped back bridges. Dinner this evening is back in ‘our’ cas. (B/D)
Day 6
Glorious Lake Bled Before crossing the Slovenian border we duck into Austria and visit the old town of Villach with its main square (Hauptplatz) surrounded by fine 16th-century houses. Entering the Julian Alps we reach the natural wonder of Lake Bled where the tranquil waters are surrounded by impressive snow covered peaks and overlooked by the imposing castle. A dramatic place to spend Christmas! Your afternoon is at leisure to take a walk around the lake or visit the castle. Over the next four nights all dinners are included. Christmas Eve is a buffet dinner with music and a traditional Christmas Turkey lunch is also included. Stay: The Golf Hotel
(B/D)
Day 7
Glorious Lake Bled
This morning we join our local guide and visit Slovenia’s capital, Ljubljana, which means ‘beloved’ in Slovene. Retaining the charm and warmth of a small town, it is literally filled to capacity with Baroque churches, palaces, museums and quaint bridges traversing the canals and rivers. Pedestrian areas in the historic Old Town overflow with cafe tables and street entertainers. This evening enjoy a special dinner with Zither Music. Those wishing to make their own way to attend midnight mass will enjoy pastries and a hot drink on their return. (B/D)
Day 8
Glorious Lake Bled Spend Christmas relaxing on the shores of Lake Bled and enjoying the magnificent scenery and excellent hotel facilities. A traditional Christmas Turkey lunch will be enjoyed by all. In the evening we gather on the lakeside to witness the local ceremony of the ‘Sinking of the Bells of Wishes’. Tonight enjoy a live band playing in your hotel. What a way to spend Christmas.(B/L/D)
Day 9
Glorious Lake Bled
There is nothing quite like a day playing in the mountains! Joined by our local guide we drive through the Bohinj Valley which stretches through the Triglav National Park to visit the beautiful Lake Bohinj. We then continue our drive north to the breathtaking Zgornjesavska Valley and reach the resort town of Kranjska Gora, famed for it's Ski World Cup competitions and Ski 'flights' on the giant ski-jump in Planica. There are so many choices for you to enjoy yourself. Rent a toboggan? Go snow walking? Or take a chair lift to the top of the mountains for views that go on forever. Alternatively explore this vibrant ski resort packed with shops and restaurants. This evening we’ve included tickets to Bled’s annual Boxing Day Brass Band concert. (B/D)
Day 10
Munich
Driving north we cross back into Austria and reach Salzburg - the Baroque city of Mozart sitting beneath its enormous Festung (Fortress) where we enjoy a leisurely lunch time in the old town centre. Mozart’s Birthplace makes a fascinating visit. Mid afternoon we depart Salzburg and arrive into Munich for our last evening together. Your farewell dinner tonight will be enjoyed in a local German restaurant. Stay:Maritim (B/D)
Day 11
Depart Munich
Sadly your Christmas tour is now complete, and its time to bid farewell. Maybe you will be joining one of our exciting New Year programmes. (B/D)
Click on the icon if you would like to view an electronic version of the brochure online.
11 Day Christmas in the Slovenian Alps Reviews
Tour reviews from past clients of Global Journeys.
1 Reviews,
Average Rating 5.0
of 5.
Thanks for the opportunity to review our recent trip - Christmas in the Solvenian Alps. First of all, thank you very much for your fantastic service. We had a few special requests which you were able to arrange for us and we really appreciate the effort you went to in liaising with the tour operators. Nothing was any trouble for you and we received excellent service and communication from you at every turn of the booking process. The trip with Albatross Tours was just perfect. We had an very good tour guide and happy friendly driver and the itinerary was just brilliant. We especially enjoyed the fact that this tour had two to four night stays in each location and this made for a relaxing and care free experience. The quality of the hotels was excellent and the location of these hotels was very central and made it easy to walk around and do our own thing with plenty of free time thrown in. We had plenty of time on the organised trips to visit the highlight places to enjoy the Christmas atmosphere and experience the Christmas markets and see how the Europeans decorate their towns and shops for the festive season. Overall, we were thoroughly satisfied with the whole package and we really enjoyed ourselves and the company of fellow minded travelers - which is what it is all about. Thanks again for everything and we will look forward to see what is on offer for 2012 and beyond.
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Value For Money Accommodaton Tour Guide Tour Pace Global Journeys Experience
Ken Martin & Lynne Webb (Australia) Tour Date 18/12/2011
Tour Prices
Tour prices are per person. Please request a quote for tour availability.
EXCLUSIVE SPECIAL OFFER*
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Subject to availability at the time of booking.
START DATE
END DATE
BROCHURE
(Twin Share)
BROCHURE
(Single)
OUR
SAVINGS
OUR
PRICE
18 Dec 2012
28 Dec 2012
AU $3,179
AU $3,668
Save $125
AU $3,054
Note: The majority of departures above will proceed or are guaranteed to depart. We will outline the status of your departure date in your quote along with all applicable discounts and specials.
Tour Discounts & Options:
Tour options, extras, upgrades and discounts!
Click on the descriptions below for more detail. We will apply all valid discounts automatically to your quote to provide you with the best possible price. Terms & Conditions apply to the discounts below.
The prices on our site are land only prices. If you would like to include flights with your quote, then we have some amazing specials for you to take advantage of!
Flight specials only apply for clients booking this tour from Global Journeys. Terms & Conditions apply and full details will be provided in your quote.
General Information
The information below relates to this itinerary only.
Tour Operator: Albatross Tours
Albatross Travel was established in 1995 and offers European escorted coach tours designed specifically for Australians and New Zealanders. With smaller group sizes and a more sensible pace with 2, 3, 4 and even 5 night stays in most places, you will enjoy much more genuine sightseeing time and less time sitting on coaches. All Albatross tours are genuinely inclusive and already includes all excursions, special visits, sightseeing tours, feature dinners and even your end of tour tips!
Our tours are 'genuinely inclusive' – even 'end of tour' tips to your tour manager and driver are included. You will NOT find any 'options lists' or later charged excursions and extras. We include all the sightseeing, special dinners and relevant entrances.
Our tours are designed with a more leisurely pace with 2, 3, 4 and even 5 night stays - that's important; you are not constantly packing and unpacking your bags.
Our tours are specifically designed to suit the travel needs of Australian and New Zealand passengers. We have less travelling time and more sightseeing time. We indicate the average number of kilometres travelled per day on each tour.
Our feature hotels are selected for their style, character or location
Travel documents, including any paper tickets or e-ticket itineraries and other information, are sent approximately two to three weeks prior to departure, provided full payment has been received by Global Journeys.
Not fully inclusive as we don't include all meals. Albatross Tours are genuinely inclusive - there are no 'options lists' or later charged excursions on our tours and even 'end of tour' tips to your tour manager and driver are included. We include all the sightseeing, 'special' dinners and relevant entrance fees.
Albatross touring coaches are first class, air conditioned touring coaches with 44-49 seats. Anzac and Christmas tours have a maximum of 42 passengers, European Summer tours have a maximum of only 30 passengers!
Our hotels are generally First Class. If a first class hotel is not used the alternative is selected for a very good reason - for its style, character or central location. Sometimes in certain towns or regions, first class hotels are simply not available. Naturally all bedrooms in all hotels have private facilities. Generally throughout Europe tea and coffee making facilities are NOT available in the rooms.
No, each country varies due to that country's system of grading hotel rooms (e.g. room size, facilities etc). Single rooms in European and Turkish Hotels are sometimes smaller than twin rooms and quite often have one single bed. Regarding twin share rooms. Throughout much of central Europe traditional hotels sometimes offer 'French Twins' which are 2 separate beds and mattresses attached together and sharing a single headboard. These are used for twin share or double rooms.
Yes, however Individual passengers can request us to match them up in a twin share room with another individual of the same sex. Should we not be able to match you in a twin share room by the final tour balance payment date the single room supplement rate will apply. Please Note: should you be 'matched' with another person we cannot be held responsible if the choice is not to your satisfaction. You must consider there will always be a certain risk of incompatibility.
Tipping is an integral part of the service industry in Europe. A service worker – waiter, taxi driver, barman etc will be paid a base salary to perform a task and their employers expect them to supplement their wages by earning tips. Remember your tour package price INCLUDES the end of tour tips to both your Tour Manager and Driver.
No, all prices shown are land only prices for the tours. You need to add the cost of international flights, air taxes and fuel surcharges, travel insurance. Your Global Journeys dedicated tour consultant can organise these for you if you wish or you can book your own. Before booking your flights please confirm with us that your tour departure date is Guaranteed to operate.
No – you will be required to make your own way to and from the hotel at the beginning and end of the tour. Our passengers all arrive independently on different dates, from different locations and since many arrive by train or using car rental we are unable to book individual transfers.
We have Guaranteed Group departures. All Albatross tours are group touring programmes. The term 'group tour' is defined as having a minimum of 7 passengers travelling. Once the tour confirms 7 deposited passengers travelling, it guarantees that the group tour will depart. Please ask your Global Journeys consultant and we will confirm the current status the tour departure.
We have a dedicated section on our website providing more detailed information on Albatross Tours including FAQ's on what you need to know before, during and after your travel; as well as information on their 'Touring Styles', and a comprehensive search facility to enable you to easily find more of their tours. Read more> (NB: This link will take you away from this tour itinerary page).
Airport Transfer Information
You will be required to make your own way to and from the hotel at the beginning and end of the tour. Albatross are unable to include individual transfers. Global Journeys can book extra pre and post tour accommodation to fit in with your flight arrival and departure dates.
Terms & Conditions:
Yep, all the boring small print! We still recommend you read it all though, as no one likes surprises. Click here to read them now - they will open in a new window, or print them off to read over later with a cup of coffee!
Albatross Travel was established in 1995 and offers European escorted coach tours designed specifically for Australians and New Zealanders. With smaller group sizes and a more sensible pace with 2, 3, 4 and even 5 night stays in most places, you will enjoy much more genuine sightseeing time and less time sitting on coaches. All Albatross tours are genuinely inclusive and already includes all excursions, special visits, sightseeing tours, feature dinners and even your end of tour tips!