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Day 1 | Arrival Graz Thalerhof airport
We welcome you at the airport and drive to downtown Graz to check into our accommodation.
Welcome dinner at a restaurant in downtown Graz.
Graz
The capital city of Styria and second largest city of Austria has
300.000 residents.
- Is a university city with 60.000 students from all over the world
- Is a UNESCO cultural heritage site
- Is a UNESCO city of design
- Was named the most livable city in Europe
And so much more ...
Day 2 | Graz
Graz combines the then and the now in a very harmonic way.
The best-preserved baroque and renaissance town of all of Europe is in perfect symbiosis with modern art buildings. Truly a hidden gem for visitors.
Experience Graz during Christmas, - the 5th season, and prepare to be enchanted by its unique atmosphere.
One surprise follows the next as we walk to the main square and inhale the scent of cookies and fragrant punch.
We will “fly "up our icon Schlossberg by taking the funicular railway. A very exciting experience. Now you will overlook the city of Graz. One building nestled against the next, and a breathtaking view that, - on a clear day, might allow you to see as far as Slovenia.
Now we have the choice to walk down the stairs or take the road back to downtown. One of our most incredible Christmas markets is set up on the Rock Schlossberg.
We will have lunch on mount Schlossberg.
Winter in Styria can get quite chill, therefore in the afternoon, we need a bit of a warmup, so it's just perfect to visit the worldwide largest historical armory Zeughaus with over 32.000 objects bearing witness of cruel war and battles between the 15th to the 18th century.
We will have dinner at a restaurant downtown.
Day 3 | Graz - Castle Eggenberg
There is no way to visit Graz without exploring Castle Eggenberg.
Situated just a short drive by public transport you might feel like you are sent back in time.
Built by the princely Eggenberg family during the Thirty Years' War, this castle is a masterpiece that reveals the family's education and inspiration.
Once more a UNESCO heritage site get ready to learn about the time and innovation, witness the forethought of people from the 17th century to create something lasting for centuries and many more years into the future.
We will have lunch in Schloss Eggenberg.
Back in downtown Graz there is still so much more to see and learn. We stroll through the narrow streets of the city and just absorb its history and see different marketplaces (the city is filled with markets of different topics).
We will have dinner at a downtown restaurant.
Day 4 | Spa
You would not have visited Austria (Styria) unless you spent a day in a Spa.
A visit at a thermal spa is a delightful time and something very unique to Styria. The spas hot mineral waters were discovered during oil drilling in 1970.
Spas have a long history, especially warm water with a certain taste of minerals have long attracted the interest of people. For many centuries man realized warm water makes us feel comfortable and in ancient history it was considered the 'Place of the Gods'. Nowadays we still can find traces from Celtic times where it had a cult status,
Soaking in an outdoor pool with natural warm water and watching nature all around must be one of the most delightful experience possible. Experience this wonderful feeling for yourself,
We spend the day in the spa and have lunch at the spa resort.
Later this afternoon we will drive to the Salzkammergut region, a three-hour drive takes us into the Alps. Now, for the first time, you might see snow on the mountain tops.
We will hae dinner in the town of Bad Ischl.
Day 5 | Bad Ischl
We made it into the mountains. Bad ischl is the heart of Salzkammergut our northern range of the limestone Alps and the summer residence of our last emperor Franz Josef, who spent 83 summers out of his 86 years of lifespan there.
Imagine you are stepping back in time over 100 years and seemingly nothing has changed, and you will dive into history and handcraft to get an idea of long-lost times, of high society and the life of the common people.
Bad Ischl has an incredible hand craft and art Christmas market, which we are going to explore before we need a warmup at cafe Zauner where we will have our lunch.
The afternoon is spent admiring the inside of the Kaiservilla, to see how our Emperor used to live. This building is still in the possession of the Habsburg family and parts of it are open to the public.
We will enjoy dinner in Bad Ischl.
Day 6 | Salzburg
A short one-hour drive through the winter wonder land along several lakes leads us to Mozart's birth town Salzburg.
The festival-adorned city is even more radiant than usual, with the scent of roasted chestnuts, mulled wine, and delicious Christmas cookies wafting through the lanes of the historic district.
Advent in Salzburg promises countless unforgettable impressions.
While the Christmas market Museum at Mozarts square is open year-round, special exhibitions and concerts will attract many visitors.
To see the area from above, we take the cable car up to Hohensalzburg , - the proud Castle above Salzburg.
We will have lunch on the go
We take as much time as you wish up our way to the castle but still need to explore the downtown with its rich history.
We will have dinner on our way back to our accommodation in Bad Ischl.
Day 7 | Schladming Upper Styria - Graz
Our last day of the trip unveils anther gem that is not to be missed - the village of Schladming.
Schladming is a former mining town in upper Styria.
Nowadays it is the host of an international skiing competition - not surprisingly with six mountains around.
The Christmas market in Schladming is called one of the most beautiful of all of Europe,
Tradition meets modern times. Local artists show their handcrafted items, and all of this is accompanied by delicious local cuisine and the breathtaking landscape all around us.
We will have lunch at the market and enough time for you to explore the village with its small shops filled with traditional costumes like 'Dirndl and Lederhosen'.
We meet up again to make our way back to Graz where we have our Goodby Dinner.
Day 8 | Departure
Transfer to the airport Graz Thalerhof airport to bid our farewell