The Glorious Austrian Tyrol

Fly to Zurich and transfer to your home away from home in delightful Flirsch am Arlberg. Settle into your surroundings with a welcome drink, and, depending on the time you arrive, perhaps enjoy your first glimpse of this wonderful place before a traditional dinner in the hotel.

On today’s first excursion, you’ll board the coach for the short ride along the valley to St Anton, one of Austria’s many pretty ski resorts. Wander through the flower-decked streets, and perhaps enjoy a morning coffee in one of the delightful cafes, before re-boarding the coach for the journey on into the neighbouring Voralberg region and on to beautiful Lake Constance. Known locally as Bodensee, the lake borders Austria, Switzerland and Germany, and you’ll drive around its shore to the popular island-town of Lindau, your idyllic gateway to Bavaria. Here, the improbably beautiful Altstadt (old town) is one of southern Germany’s greatest treasures, and the busy harbour is watched over by a lighthouse and a Bavarian lion, and is surrounded by grand hotels and cafes. Take a stroll through the beautiful town, and perhaps enjoy lunch on the lake promenade, before returning to Flirsch at the end of a wonderful day.

Today you're free to enjoy the delights of Flirsch and its surroundings. Set in a beautiful valley surrounded by the Tyrolean Alps, the village is a welcoming mountain resort, with stunning scenery all around. The emphasis here is firmly on enjoying the outdoor life, and the resort offers numerous hiking trails should you wish to explore on foot. Nearby, larger St Anton (which you visited briefly on Day Two) offers a wider range of activities, including a public spa and a cable car to the heights above, and is easily reached by bus from Flirsch. An optional excursion today brings the opportunity to explore the surrounding Alps on a panoramic tour of the mountains and to enjoy the scenic delights of the Silvretta High Alpine Road (when open), and its predictably breath-taking surroundings.

Today’s included excursion takes you to Imperial Innsbruck, the elegant Tyrolean capital. See the imposing Wilten Monaster, the famous Olympic ski-jump and the historic triumphal arch before beginning a guided tour of the city with your tour manager. With its old town, or Altstadt, and famous Maria- Theresien-Strasse, Innsbruck is a delight. Highlights include the famous Golden Roof, the copper-tiled covering above a window from which the Kaiser Maximilian would look down on the city. Be sure to stop for coffee and cake at one of the old town's many cafes, and perhaps take the Hungerburg Funicular (payable locally) from its futuristic base station for a bird’s eye view of the surrounding peaks.

An optional excursion today heads to the tiny Principality of Liechtenstein, the world’s last German-speaking monarchy, and a place of tranquil, forested beauty and great tradition, especially in its glorious capital Vaduz. The city is both seat of government and home to the reigning Prince Hans Adam, who lives in the towering, turreted Schloss Vaduz. After a fascinating few hours (stamp collectors might explore the world-famous Briefmarken museum) you’ll returning to Flirsch via Feldkirch. This wonderful, medieval town still retains its towers and turrets, and you'll find shops, cafes and restaurants hidden behind its ancient city walls.

Your last included excursion is today’s visit to Bavaria, where you'll see the extraordinary turrets and towers of ‘Mad’ King Ludwig’s famous castle at Neuschwanstein. Built high on a rocky crag, and every bit as fantastical inside as out (entrance payable locally), with Gothic bedrooms and decorations inspired by Wagnerian opera, the castle is a wonder to behold. Don’t miss strolling across the Marienbrucke for the classic view of this more-Disney-than-Disney fantasy, in its stunning setting.

Spend your last day enjoying the pleasures of Flirsch and its surroundings, or join a final optional excursion to the classic Tyrolean town of Seefeld, with its onion-domed church, elegant shops and array of eateries, both in the town and in the hills above.

However you spend your day, enjoy a last dinner at the hotel, no doubt recalling the highlights of the past wonderful week.

Bid "Auf Wiedersehen" to your hosts, and transfer back to the airport to check in for your flight home.