Description

Come and discover the places which marked the life of the Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary, Elisabeth of Wittelsbach, also known as Sissi. You will start in Bavaria, her place of birth, travel through Austria, her empire, to finally reach Hungary, her favourite country.

Day 1: Arrival in Munich +
Arrive in the region of Munich in the evening. Check-in at the hotel. Dinner and accommodation.
Day 2: Munich – Starnberger See – Salzburg / approx. 220 km +
In the morning, guided tour of Munich, world beer capital and host of the annual Oktoberfest, famous around the world. The Bavarian capital is also home to the headquarters of the prestigious car company, BMW. Above all, Munich is a mix of convivial traditions and modernity. Panoramic city tour: the wide avenue of Ludwigstraße, the Residenz, the Prinzregentenstraße, the English Garden, and the Maximilianeum. Enjoy a walk through the city centre: the Marienplatz, the New City Hall, St. Peter’s Church, the oldest church of the old town, the Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady), recognisable by its green onion spires, and the Viktualienmarkt. Discover the birthplace of Sissi at the Herzog-Max-Palais (views of the outside) in the Ludwigstraße, which was the winter residence of her parents (today home to the Deutsche Bundesbank). Continue to the Starnberger See, one of Germany’s greatest lakes but also notorious as the location where Ludwig II died, an event remembered by a wooden cross in the lake. Boat trip. From the lake, you will see the Castle of Possenhofen, summer residence of Sissi’s family, where she spent her happy and carefree childhood. Continue to the region of Salzburg. Check-in at the hotel. Dinner and accommodation.

Day 3: Salzburg / approx. 20 km +
In the morning, guided tour of Salzburg, whose old town is protected by an impressive fortress. The spirit of Mozart still floats through the traditional alleyways with their old roadside shops and houses giving a very special charm to the city. Discover the baroque cathedral, the “Rome of the Alps”, the majestic 16th century Residenz (residence of Archbishops for centuries), Mozart square and Market Square, before you will reach the famous “Getreidegasse”, an alley with multiple gilded wrought iron shop signs, where, at n°9, you will find Mozart’s birthplace. In the afternoon, leisure time to explore the city. Return to the hotel. Dinner and accommodation.
Day 4: Fuschl am See – Bad Ischl – Gmunden – Melk – Vienna / approx. 320 km +
Depart for Bad Ischl. Stop at the Fuschlsee, whose Renaissance style castle served as a backdrop for several Sissi related films. Then, you will reach the little spa town of Bad Ischl, declared imperial summer residence by Emperor Franz Joseph. Visit to the elegant imperial villa, surrounded by a magnificent park, which still conveys the atmosphere of the time when Franz Joseph and Sissi stayed there. Here it was that they met for the first time. Continue towards Vienna. Stop at Melk to visit the magnificent Benedictine abbey and its garden, which overlooks the city of Melk and the Danube. Arrival in the Austrian capital in the evening. Check-in at the hotel in the region of Vienna. Dinner and accommodation.

Day 5: Vienna / approx. 105 km +
Guided tour of Vienna. Following the Ringstrasse, several majestic buildings follow one another, embodying the splendours of the empire: the Opera, the “Kunsthistorisches Museum” of Vienna, the Hofburg, the Parliament, the Stock Exchange… In the old town, whose historic centre has been listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage site, discover St. Stephen’s cathedral, the Graben and the Kohlmarkt. In the afternoon, guided tour of Schönbrunn Palace, which was both, imperial summer residence and cultural and political centre for the Hapsburg family. Discover the Great Gallery (one of the most magnificent Rococo interiors in existence), the Hall of Ceremonies, the Millions Room and the apartments of Maria Theresa and Francis Stephen of Lorraine, where Napoleon stayed during his occupation of Vienna and later his son, “L’aiglon” (little eagle), lived until his death here at 21. Visit to the Carriage Museum, which houses the Coronation Coach, the cars of Franz Joseph and Sissi, but also the carriage in which Napoleon was crowned King of Italy. Return to the hotel. Dinner and accommodation.

Day 6: Vienna – Vienna Woods / approx. 85 km +
Continue the guided tour of the capital, with a walk through the interior courtyards of the Hofburg, former winter residence of the emperors. Within the palace discover the Imperial Apartments and experience the way of life of Emperor Franz Joseph and Sissi. In the Sissi Museum the private life of the empress is displayed through an array of fascinating exhibits: the Coronation gown, extensive silverware which demonstrates the elaborate table decoration of the imperial court, her imperial railway carriage, and even her beauty recipes. Then, visit the Ceremony Room and the National Library, one of the most beautiful examples of Baroque style in the world. In the afternoon, depart from the city to discover the Vienna Woods. Visit the famous hunting lodge of Mayerling where Sissi had to face the most terrible misfortune. Here her son Rudolf, Crown Prince and heir to the throne, took his life together with his beloved. Return to the hotel. Dinner and accommodation.

Day 7: Budapest / approx. 240 km +
Arrive in Budapest, the “pearl” of the Danube, one of Europe’s most beautiful cities. Guided tour of the Hungarian capital. The afternoon will be dedicated to visiting the district of Pest: the Parliament (Europe’s largest – admission with extra charge and according to availability), St Stephen’s Basilica and the National Opera. You will then follow the elegant Andrássy Avenue to the huge Heroes’ Square, dominated by the Millennium Monument, recognized as a World Heritage site by UNESCO. In the City Park discover the various façades of Vajdahunyad Castle, which shows the different styles of Hungarian architecture through the ages. Check-in at the hotel. Dinner and accommodation.

Day 8: Budapest / approx. 20 km +
Continue your visit by crossing the Danube to reach Buda and the Castle Quarter. Inside the castle area, which is also part of the UNESCO World Heritage site, visit Matthias’ Church, with its glazed tile roof and its rich interior decoration. Then, Fishermen’s Bastion a stunning terrace of neo-Romanesque style. Passing in front of the royal palace, you will ascend to the summit of Mount Gellért, where a belvedere reveals a panoramic view over the Danube and the city. In the afternoon, visit Gödöllö Palace, an 18th Century Baroque building of remarkable architecture only a few kilometres from Budapest. The Hungarian population offered it as a present to its beloved Empress Sissi. The palace became her refuge, where she was able to escape and to live more freely, without the strict rules of the court in Vienna. An exciting visit, after which you can enjoy a walk through the large and magnificent park surrounding the palace. Return to the hotel. Dinner and accommodation.
Day 9: Departure +
Depart after breakfast.

GUARANTEED DEPARTURE DATES 2017:

May 13 | June 3 | June 17 | July 1 | July 22 | August 12 | August 26 | September 9 | September 23 | October 7