Wildflowers & Gardens of the Alps aboard the Luxury Danube Express Train

You will be met at the airport and transferred to your art nouveau hotel, which boasts panoramic views across the River Danube. Enjoy a Welcome Dinner in these elegant surrounds and meet your fellow travellers. Stay Two Nights: Budapest, The Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace or similar (D)

Enjoy a morning tour of of Budapest's sights including the Castle District, St. Mathias Church and a panoramic view of the city from Gellert Hill. We will also see the Citadel, the Opera House, St Stephen's Cathedral, Heroes Square and the City Park.

This afternoon take a walk with your Botanical Guides to see some of the secret gardens of Budapest,  before you enjoy free time to stroll along the banks of the Danube, or perhaps see the city's other sights. (B/L/D)

We enjoy a morning reception in the impressive Royal Waiting Room at Budapest Nyugati station before boarding the luxurious Danube Express. Settle into your beautifully appointed cabin and enjoy lunch as the train makes its way to Vienna.

This afternoon, visit the World Heritage-listed Schönbrunn Palace, featuring awe-inspiring Baroque architecture and exquisite gardens.

Afterwards, visit the Alpine Garden, where you can see edelweiss, gentians and alpine roses.

This evening, we will enjoy a private concert at the House of Mozart, featuring the Vienna Supreme Orchestra. Stay Six Nights: Danube Express Train (B/L/D)

Travel across central Austria, and into the Alps, during an incredibly scenic morning's journey. See alpine wildflowers within this stunning setting. Travel over the Semmering Pass and through the famous skiing village of Kitzbuhel to Jenbach.

Following lunch, take a scenic drive to picturesque Lake Achen for a cruise on the water. Continue to Innsbruck, known for its imperial, as well as modern, architecture. The Tyrolean State Museum features a fine collection of Austrian art.

Afterwards, enjoy a tour of Innsbruck, which includes a visit to the Hofgarten. This Court Garden was originally established on the site of a river meadow in the sixteenth century, under the direction of Archduke Ferdinand II. This was once one of the most elaborate gardens north of the Alps. (B/L/D)

Relax and watch Vorarlberg's scenery unfold in front of your eyes. We pass through the village of St. Anton before crossing Liechtenstein and into Switzerland. Our train runs along the edge of Lake Zürich before arriving in the city. You may prefer to disembark the train earlier, in Buchs, and take a cable car to Alpengarten Hoher Kasten to see a variety of alpine plant species. Enjoy exceptional views of Lake Constance, before arriving in Zurich by coach. (B/L/D)

Depart Zürich and travel along Lake Zug and Lake Lucerne, before starting the very scenic climb to St Gotthard Pass. The pass winds its way along a succession of switchbacks through epic mountain scenery. Descend through Lugano to Italy's Lake Como. Here we visit the gardens of Villa Carlotta and Villa Balbianello. Both of these idyllic Italian gardens occupy stunning lake settings.

This evening, arrive in Milan, celebrated for its standing within the world of fashion, as well as for the magnificently restored Gothic Duomo cathedral and the Teatro La Scala opera house. (B/L/D)

Travel along the south shore of Lake Garda to Verona, famous for being the setting of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Visit Giardino Giusti, regarded to be among the most beautiful Renaissance gardens in Europe. In Trieste, we see the vast Piazza Unità d'Italia, the main town square. Climb the hill to the Church of San Giusto, which was built around a medieval complex which dates to the 13th century. (B/L/D)

Wake early this morning as our train crosses the border into Slovenia. We roll on before a backdrop of sharply rising peaks, comprising part of the Julian Alps, until we reach the serene Lake Bled. The lake's island, church and castle make for an incredibly picturesque sight in the alpine foothills of north-western Slovenia. Continue to Ljubljana for an afternoon tour, which takes us to some of the country's most prominent sites, such as Preseren Square, Three Bridges and the Dragon Bridge. (B/L/D)

Head south towards Mestre, where our train travels along the three-mile causeway that crosses the Venice Lagoon. Soon, we arrive at Venice Santa Lucia station, located on the stunning Grand Canal. We disembark our train and check into our luxurious hotel, the opulent Hotel Danieli. Stay Two Nights: Venice, Hotel Danieli or similar (B/L/D)

Venice is a truly captivating and romantic city, its breathtaking beauty affecting first-time visitors and regulars alike. Enjoy a ‘Secret Gardens of Venice' walking tour this morning and hear how locals managed to build exquisite gardens in such a difficult environment.

This afternoon, enjoy some free time to explore the city at your own pace before enjoying a Farewell Dinner. (B/L/D)

After breakfast at our hotel, you will be transferred to the airport as our journey concludes. (B)