Alpine Escape: Germany, Austria and Italy

Ten days, three countries, hundreds of years of history to uncover, and many, many strudel to eat... Let's get things started: willkommen to Munich! After meeting our expert local Tour Leader and the fellow travellers by our side, we'll sit down for our first meal together – a masterclass in Bavarian comfort. Unapologetically stodgy and with a slight sour kick, we might expect roast pork with crackling, lentil stew and beautifully dense (and satisfyingly heavy!) dumplings from our first taste of traditional alpine cuisine. All washed down with a stein (or two) of the city's famed lager or weissbier, naturally. Prost to the adventure ahead!

Meersburg doesn't announce itself. You round a corner and suddenly there it is: a tumble of half-timbered houses in every shade of ochre and cream, spilling down a hillside towards the glistening water. We'll have some free time to wander its lanes and find our own favourite corner before joining a local guide for an intimate stroll through the town's past.

The cobbled lanes lead eventually to Meersburg Castle – full of deliciously dark tales and literary musings, its walls have sheltered poets and baffled invaders for over a thousand years. Climb the ramparts for commanding views over Lake Constance, just as the castle's residents have done since the seventh century. By late afternoon we'll make our way across the water to Konstanz, our lakeside base for the next two nights. The evening is yours to find a table by the water and watch the light fade over the Alps.

Oh go on then, just one more crusty roll or pretzel-inspired pastry for the road this morning... it's time for the glittering expanse of Lake Constance to take centre stage with a full day on the water!

Our first port of call is Mainau Island, a floating botanical masterpiece. Feel the world quieten as you wander beneath the canopy of 150-year-old giants in the arboretum, or find yourself lost in the delicate, hypnotic dance of the butterfly house. Afterwards, we'll set sail for Unteruhldingen, a UNESCO World Heritage site that feels like a portal to the past. Here, reconstructed Stone Age dwellings stand on stilts above the water. Imagine the flickering hearths and the splash of oars from 4,000 years ago, as ancient families built their lives suspended between the sky and the lakebed.

With feet back on dry land, dinner is yours to discover! Look out for felchen on the menu; this delicate whitefish is caught fresh from the lake daily and is typically served Müllerin Art (dusted in flour and sautéed in butter with parsley and lemon). Pair it with a crisp Müller-Thurgau white wine – grown on the very slopes you saw from the boat today – for a truly regional feast.

Auf Wiedersehen Lake Constance! This morning we'll make a short-but-sweet stop in the island-town of Lindau. You could easily get wonderfully tangled its labyrinth of medieval streets, but the real magic lies at the harbour entrance. Look up to see the Bavarian Lion guarding the port, and soak up the panoramic views where the emerald lake meets the first jagged teeth of the Swiss Alps.

Next, we'll turn the wheels of our luxury minicoach towards the mountains and the historic Alpine Road – a winding ribbon that brings a ‘wow' moment around every bend. We may even pull into a tucked-away alpine village for lunch; our Tour Leader knows just the spot! Whether it's a sun-drenched terrace or a wood-panelled stube, only those who truly know these passes will be dining there... By late afternoon, we'll arrive in Innsbruck: the 'Capital of the Alps'. What better way to end the day than soaking in our hotel's rooftop hot tub, watching as the sunset hits the snow-capped peaks from the warmth of the water.

Ahh, there's nothing quite like waking up to that crisp mountain air! We'll spend our morning uncovering the city's history with a local guide, strolling past the Triumphal Arch and the formidable Imperial Palace. Stand beneath the shimmer of the Golden Roof, a 15th-century masterpiece that served as a royal box for the Habsburgs, and hear the whispered scandals and triumphs of the dynasty that once ruled half the world.

After tracing the city's royal footsteps, we'll take to the skies. A sleek cable car will whisk us from the city centre to the 'Jewel of the Alps' – the Nordkette. From our mountain lookout the views are cinematic, and the pastel-coloured houses far below look more like a miniature village.

And this evening? Follow the scent of sizzling butter to a local tavern. Tonight may be the night for a classic Wiener Schnitzel: veal or pork, hammered thin and fried to a perfect golden crisp. Delicious!

Our compass turns towards the south this morning, leaving the medieval spires of Innsbruck behind for the sharp peaks of the Italian Dolomites. Tucked away in the Val Gardena valley, the peaceful village of Santa Cristina is our first destination of the day – renowned for its 400-year-old tradition of woodcarving. Here we'll go behind the scenes at a long-standing family workshop. Listen to the rhythmic tap-tap of chisels and watch master craftsmen and women breathe life into blocks of wood with incredible precision. Take a moment to browse the intricate designs with a coffee in hand, or perhaps find a hand-carved treasure to bring home.

Later, we'll wind our way to Campitello di Fassa, a village that looks as though it was plucked from a fairytale. This is the heart of Ladin culture: a unique mountain community with its own ancient language and traditions. To finish off the day, we'll sit down for a group dinner filled with the hearty alpine flavours born in these valleys. And show off our new wood-carved ornaments, naturally!

Start your day in true Italian style with a frothy cappuccino or un caffè (espresso) with breakfast, with the Dolomites framed in the window. Then we'll take to the skies above Val Gardena on the Seceda cable car, rising above the treeline in a world of bare rock, sweeping meadows and silence.

Alpe di Seceda sits on the sunny side of the valley, at the foot of the Parco Naturale Cisles-Odle – part of the Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage Site. The jagged Odle peaks rise in a dramatic wall behind you, while the valley floor stretches out far below, It's the kind of panorama that makes you stand very still and breathe it all in.

Back on the valley floor, the evening is yours to discover Campitello di Fassa's local life. Go on a hunt for casunziei – half-moon shaped, stuffed pasta often filled with roasted beetroot and served with melted butter and poppy seeds. Or simply sit back and enjoy a well-earned aperitivo under the shadow of the peaks.

Today is a drive to remember. We'll leave the Italian Dolomites behind and head north into Austria, climbing the Großglockner High Alpine Road – one of the great mountain drives of Europe. The road twists and turns through harpin bends, rising to over 2,500 metres above sea level, with the Großglockner itself (Austria's highest peak) watching over the whole scene.

We'll stop along the way to take it all in and sit down for a well-earned lunch with those views as a backdrop. The air up here is cool and sharp even in summer, and the silence between gusts of mountain wind is absolute.

By the time the valley opens out below us, we'll arrive in Zell am See, a quaint Austrian alpine town sitting right on the edge of its namesake lake, with the Kitzsteinhorn glacier glinting above. The evening is yours to explore its neat promenades, dip into a lakeside restaurant or simply breathe in the mountain air.

This morning we'll head north to the Schafberg mountain, where the SchafbergBahn – a vintage cog railway – has been carrying passengers up through pine forests and rocky outcrops since 1893. The journey to the summit takes around 35 minutes, and every metre of it earns its keep. At the top, the Salzkammergut lake district stretches out in every direction, a glittering patchwork of deep blue lakes, green hills and the first hints of the Alps giving way to gentler country.

Back on the valley floor, we'll board a boat for a cruise across the Wolfgangsee – one of the most beautiful lakes in the region, its shores dotted with pretty villages and the white spire of the pilgrimage church at St Wolfgang catching the light from the water.

By late afternoon we'll arrive in Salzburg, Mozart's birthplace and one of the most beautiful baroque cities in Europe. Dinner tonight is yours to discover. The old town is full of tucked-away restaurants serving Salzburger Nockerl, a sweet, cloud-like soufflé that's as light as the city feels.

There's a particular pleasure in being shown a city by someone who loves it. This morning your Tour Leader will lead us through the streets of Salzburg's baroque town – from the lively Getreidegasse, lined with its famous guild signs, to the elegant Mirabell Gardens, where the perfectly trimmed hedges and mountain backdrop feel almost impossibly picturesque. Along the way, we'll hear the story of Mozart, Salzburg's most famous son, whose music still echoes around every corner of this city.

The afternoon is yours to browse the Alter Markt, linger over a coffee in one of the grand cafés, or treat yourself to a box of Mozartkugeln – the pistachio and marzipan chocolates that have been made here since 1890 and remain the most satisfying souvenir the city has to offer.

This evening we'll come together for our farewell dinner before heading to Mirabell Palace for a Mozart concert. The palace's Marble Hall – where the young Mozart himself once performed – is one of the most atmospheric concert venues in Europe. The perfect note on which to end our Alpine Escape.

After a final alpine breakfast, we'll board our luxury minicoach for the last time and make the three-hour journey back to Munich, where our Alpine Escape comes to a close. Three countries, ten nights, a cog railway, two cable cars, a boat across a mountain lake and a Mozart concert in a baroque palace – it's been quite the adventure. Safe travels, and thank you for sharing the back roads with us.