Musical Vienna & Salzburg with Oberammergau Passion Play

These Oberammergau Passion Play suggested itineraries are available to groups of 10 + guests.

Specific inclusions may vary depending on your specific chosen travel dates/day of the week and availability of attractions/special events.

TENTATIVE SUGGESTED ITINERARY

Depart home for your overnight flight to VIenna

Arrive Vienna

We arrive today into the musical city of Vienna. Vienna was for a long time the capital of a great Empire and is a glorious Imperial city with fine Baroque buildings, palaces and gardens. It is the city of the Waltz ,the capital of the Operetta and the cultural and spiritual home to many world-famous composers - Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Gluck, Brahms, Hugo Wolf, Bruckner, Mahler ,Johann Strauss to name but a few. This afternoon we will have a perfect introduction to Vienna with a walk through the old town to visit St Stephensdom. This exquisite 12^th century Cathedral is also known as the Dom Kirche and symbolizes Vienna as much for being a cultural historic gem as a moving place of worship.

Gather together for our welcome dinner & overnight in Vienna.

Vienna

The historic centre of Vienna is justly listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Our guided tour today drives along the famous Ringstrasse - a wide boulevard which replaced the original city walls which used to enclose the old town of Vienna . Along the way we see the great Vienna Opera House, the neoclassical Austrian Parliament building ,the Neo-Gothic City Hall, the Burgtheatre, and the Votivkirche. We also note the exquisite art deco buildings such as The Secession building that make Vienna so unique and exceptionally beautiful .We visit the Central Cemetery of Vienna also known as The Musicans Cemetery where luminaries such as Mozart, Beethoven , Schubert, Brams , Strauss and Schonberg are buried or memorialized here. After a break for lunch at leisure we make our way into The Hofburg in the old town of Vienna. This is the former imperial palace originally founded in the 13^th century. Our visit includes the sumptuous Imperial Apartments, the Sisi Museum & Silver Collection.

This evening we have an early supper before attending a musical concert at one of Vienna’s famous classical concert venues - the Kursalon, Karlskirche, Konzerthaus Mozartsaal.

Vienna

The morning we visit a UNESCO world heritage site in Vienna, the wonderful 18th century Schönbrunn Palace which is the former summer residence of the Habsburg royal family. This 1,441 room Baroque palace is one of the most important architectural, cultural and historical monuments in Austria. We have a guided tour which takes us to some of the highlights including the Great Gallery, the Round Chinese Cabinet room, the Walnut room , the Yellow Room and the Vieux-Lacque Room. We will also explore the Baroque gardens and the lavish Neptune fountain sculpted in 1780. We return to Vienna and leisure time for lunch . Afterwards enjoy two musical highlights when we visit Beethoven’s Pasqualatihaus and then Schubert’s House - the home where he was born and spent his early years. After our visits we enjoy an important Viennese tradition taking coffee with delicious pastries in a Viennese coffee houses.

Evening at leisure to enjoy in your own way.

Vienna – Melk - Salzburg

We will take an exquisite scenic drive this morning through Austria. The panorama is one of vivid green plains and meadows, huge mountains and vast expanses of crystal mirror-like lakes. We will make a stop at the picturesque little town of Melk, which is best known for its massive Benedictine Abbey, one of the most splendid monastic houses in Austria. This stunning Abbey was begun in the 11^th century and is now a Baroque building filled with treasures. We pause for lunch at leisure here in this picturesque beauty spot. Afterwards we continue our journey to Mozart’s beautiful city of Salzburg whose picturesque old town centre is a UNESCO designated World Heritage Site.

Dinner and overnight in Salzburg

Salzburg & Oberndorf

We will discover this baroque city, the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, during our guided walking tour this morning with a local Salzburg guide. The baroque centre of Salzburg is in a wonderful setting, set over the river Salzach, with a skyline of turrets, towers and church bell towers. Explore some of the most picturesque streets with their wrought-iron signs and lovely squares with sculptured fountains. There are countless architectural treasures including St Peter’s Cathedral, Mirabell Gardens, and the lively Getreidegasse. Here on this famous street at No 9 is the house where Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born. We will visit the house now restored beautifully as a museum.  Our afternoon excursion will take us to the nearby Oberndorf & Arndorf. Oberndorf was made famous for the Christmas carol „Silent Night, Holy Night!“.Franz Xaver Gruber, teacher and organist, composed “Silent Night, Holy Night!” to lyrics by Joseph Mohr, an assistant priest in the small town near Salzburg. We will visit both the Silent Night Chapel and the nearby Silent Night Museum.

We return to Salzburg for dinner and music as we attend a musical Mozart dinner concert.

Salzburg – Linderhof - Oberammergau

This morning we will commence our journey through Austria and into Germany. The route takes us through the stunning landscape of the Austrian Alps into the mellow undulating green hills and valleys, and lush forests of Bavaria. We will stop to visit one of King Ludwig II’s beautifully ornate palaces – his fine and magical Linderhof Palace. We will continue then to the pretty mountain village of Oberammergau. This delightful village is set in the Ammergau Alps and is famous for the Passion Play which takes place every decade and has done so since 1634.

Dinner and overnight.

The 2020 Passion Play - Oberammergau

This morning we enjoy exploring the village enjoying the picturesque frescoed houses and the beautiful alpine setting. The atmosphere in the village builds as the time approaches for the start of the first part of the play in the afternoon, which continues after dinner in the evening at the atmospheric open-air Passion Play Theatre. Witness a unique and momentous occasion as you experience the Oberammergau 2020 Passion Play. The Oberammergau Passion Play is a play on an epic level and a truly once in a life time experience. No one can fail to be moved by this emotive production which tells the story of the Passion in the life of Jesus - the story of living, suffering, dying and the resurrection. Be blown away by the monumental stage with its moving and beautiful ‘tableux’ painted in pastel hues, the huge numbers of its chorus and the authentic costumes. Be moved by the beautiful music with full orchestra and choir, given an ethereal quality by the atmosphere of the stage, the stars above and the beauty of the stage sets.

2:30PM-5:00PM Afternoon Passion Play performance

5:00PM-8:00PM Time for dinner at your hotel

8:00PM-10:00PM The Passion Play performance continues this evening.

Overnight Oberammergau (B, D)

After breakfast, group transfer to Innsbruck or Munich airport for your flight home or extend your stay in Europe independently.