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Emperor’s route – from Royal Vienna through Green Slovenia to Adriatic coast in Trieste, known as window to the world of mighty Habsburg Empire.

SHORT ITINERARY

HORSE CARRIAGE, source BBC
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DAY 1: VIENNA – tour starts

Arrival to Vienna – welcome dinner – overnight Vienna
HOFBURG, source Popp-Hackner
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DAY 2: VIENNA – SCHOENBRUNN PALACE

Vienna orientation walk – Ring road panoramic drive – Schoenbrun palace visit – overnight Vienna
GRAZ, Popp Hackner
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DAY 3: VIENNA – THAL (ARNIE’S VILLAGE) – GRAZ

Depart Vienna – Hundertwasser house – Thal, Arnie’s birth house visit – lunch – orientation tour of Graz – overnight Graz
MARIBOR, source Matej Vranic
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DAY 4: GRAZ – MARIBOR – LJUBLJANA

Depart Graz – Maribor city tour – arrival to Ljubljana – Food & Wine city walk – overnight in Ljubljana
Bled lake, source Ales Fevzer
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DAY 5: LJUBLJANA – BLED – BOHINJ – LJUBLJANA

Vintgar gorge – Bled lake – Bled castle – Bohinj lake – lunch – overnight in Ljubljana
PREDJAMA CASTLE, source Bostjan Burger
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DAY 6: LJUBLJANA – POSTOJNA CAVE – PREDJAMA CASTLE – LJUBLJANA

Postojna cave – Predjama castle – beer tasting and lunch – overnight in Ljubljana
PIRAN, source Ubald Trnkoczy
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DAY 7: LJUBLJANA – SKOCJAN CAVES – PIRAN - TRIESTE

Skocjan caves – lunch in Karst tavern – stud farm Lipica – coastal town of Piran – overnight in Trieste
MIRAMARE CASTLE, National Geographic
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DAY 8: TRIESTE – MIRAMARE CASTLE

Trieste city walk – Miramare castle visit – farewell dinner – overnight Trieste
TRIESTE, source Elle Decor
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DAY 9: TRIESTE – tour ends

Safe travels!

ABOUT THIS TOUR

Country: Austria, Slovenia, Italy

Duration: 9 days / 8 nights

Type of Travel: escorted, with local guides

Group Size: maximum 8 (van), maximum 26 (public bus tour)

Recommended for: families with older children, couples, individuals, friends

Transportation: modern tour bus

Inclusive: main entrance fees

Accommodation: 4* or 3* hotels

Meals: 8 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 4 dinners, wine tasting, beer tasting

Physical Rating:     

DETAILED ITINERARY

DAY 1: VIENNA – tour starts

Welcome to Vienna, the capital of Austria! A vibrant city with baroque streetscapes, imperial palaces, art and design, musical masterpieces and coffee-house culture.
Arrival to your hotel and time to freshen up. In the evening meet your Tour guide at your hotel for orientation briefing, followed by a lovely welcome dinner.

Meals: dinner
Overnight: Vienna

DAY 2: VIENNA – SCHOENBRUNN PALACE

Start your day with an orientation walk of the old town that once was surrounded and protected with the city walls. See St. Stephen’s Cathedral – one of Europe’s great Gothic structures, stroll on Kärntnerstrasse and perhaps stop in famous Sacher hotel, where even more famous Sacher chocolate cake was invented. Free time for lunch. Get your camera ready for a circuit of the famous Ring Road. This grand boulevard is built along the lines of the old city walls and showcases many of the capital’s architectural masterpieces, including the Opera House and magnificent Hofburg Imperial Residence. Next is a visit and magnificent tour of the Schoenbrunn palace. The site of the Palace and Gardens of Schönbrunn is outstanding as one of the most impressive and well preserved Baroque ensembles of its kind in Europe. A small hunting lodge and later summer residence of the Habsburg family became a symbol of the power and influence of the House of Habsburg over a long period of European history, from the end of the 17th to the early 20th century. Free time to explore the gardens where you can visit Europe’s oldest ZOO or get lost in Maze & Labyrinth. A walk away there is also a Technical museum of Vienna. Drive back to historical city center, you can visit Imperial Palace (Hofburg), State Opera House, art museum Albertina, or a City Hall. Maybe you want to see Vienna from panoramic wheel Wiener Riesenrad or have some fun at amusement park Prater. Evening at leisure.

Meals: breakfast
Overnight: Vienna

DAY 3: VIENNA - THAL (ARNIE’S VILLAGE) - GRAZ

Before departing Vienna to Graz, stop to see a unique work of architectural art – colorful Hundertwasser house, an architecture style so different and fun but still very livable. Continue towards Thal, a village known as a birthplace of Arnold Schwarzenegger. “I’ll be back.” Hardly anyone could fail to recognize Arnold Schwarzenegger’s famous line. Even though he doesn’t actually come back in person that often, nevertheless you can gain an intimate insight into the childhood and career of this international star at the Arnold-Schwarzenegger Museum, located at his place of birth in Thal near Graz. The beautiful building was constructed in 1806 and is the original forester’s lodge of the Count of Herberstein and Eggenberg. Followed by lunch. Afternoon arrival to a nearby city of Graz, the second-largest city in Austria after Vienna. For centuries, Graz was more important to Slovenes, both politically and culturally, than the capital of Slovenia, Ljubljana and strong ties remained till this day. Have a walk through Graz’s historic center, one of the best preserved ones in Central Europe and learn about this UNESCO listed city which is boosting with another title from 2008 – City of Culinary Delights. Evening at leisure.

Meals: breakfast, lunch
Overnight: Graz

DAY 4: GRAZ – MARIBOR – LJUBLJANA

Depart from Graz to Ljubljana. Stop in Slovenia’s second largest city, Maribor; European Capital of Culture of 2012. Maribor is a home of the oldest – 400 years old – vine in the world. We will have a lovely stroll through this city of wine, friendly people, great sights and monuments before we get to our final destination of the tour – Ljubljana. Centrally located capital city of Slovenia has a feel of metropolis with small-town friendliness. With over 50,000 students it is a city with young vibe and great respect toward seniors. With over 10,000 cultural events that take place in the city every year, Ljubljana is called a city of culture. Boosting with rich history; from the legacy of Roman Emona; through to the Renaissance, Baroque and Art Nouveau to modern Ljubljana that was shaped by the strong personal style of Jože Plečnik, it is also a home of one of the oldest philharmonic orchestra in the world. By arrival to Ljubljana we take you to a culinary journey of Slovenian food and drinks. Our excellent graded Slovenian food & wine city walk in Ljubljana* includes a selection of Slovenian typical dishes and wines. Along with tastings in different restaurants, we will visit Ljubljana’s best features like Plecnik’s Triple bridge, baroque St. Nicholas Cathedral, Renaissance City hall and Art Nouveau street. We will not let you leave hungry of food nor information.

Meals: breakfast, dinner (replaced by several tastings)
Overnight: Ljubljana

DAY 5: LJUBLJANA - BLED - BOHINJ - LJUBLJANA

Start your day excursion to the sunny side of the Julian Alps. Enjoy a picturesque hike in a 1,6 km/1 mi long Vintgar gorge* which carves its way through the vertical rocks and is graced with waterfalls, pools and rapids. A short bus ride brings us to the shores of the beautiful glacial lake of Bled surrounded by the Julian Alps. This place is a nature escape for those searching peace and fresh mountain air. To step back in time, we will visit a typical medieval gothic Bled castle built on 130 m/426 feet high cliff. Optional visit to the tiny island of Lake Bled in the middle of the lake is possible with a traditional wooden rowing boat called pletna. In the island’s church, you can ring a bell of wishes, a tradition, that is most possibly 500 years old. Let’s explore deeper in Triglav National Park and drive through picturesque alpine villages and pastures full of hayracks to the biggest Slovenian lake – Bohinj. Optional cable car ride to Mt. Vogel** where you will be rewarded with astonishing views of mountain peaks and lake Bohinj on your palm. If you decide to get a lift above the clouds, let us give you a hint: Lunch up there tastes even better!

Meals: breakfast
Overnight: Ljubljana

*Vintgar gorge is open to visitors from Easter time till November 1st.
**Mount Vogel visit is weather permitted.

DAY 6: LJUBLJANA - POSTOJNA CAVE - PREDJAMA CASTLE - LJUBLJANA

Today we will take you to the home of baby dragons and knights. It sounds like a fairytale, right? Number one visited attraction in Slovenia is the Queen of the caves – Postojna cave. It is a system of chambers, halls and passages that you enter by open train which adds to the experience of depths and adventure. Countless stalagmite and stalactite formations are lit well enough even to take pictures. You will hear about Slovenia’s most unusual creature that we are fond of and call a human fish. Short drive away there is one of a kind, the Renaissance-style Predjama castle which has a reputation for being the most hunted castle in Europe. It is nestled in the mouth of a cave and is set within a 123-meter-tall (404 feet) rock face. Let us walk you through the story of chateau’s famous resident knight Erazem Lueger. Drive back to the capital to learn more about beer making in the city’s largest brewery and its museum and enjoy the best part of the process; beer tasting*. Traditional lunch that will compliment brewer’s nectar, is included in this beer experience.

Meals: breakfast, lunch and beer tasting
Overnight: Ljubljana

*for beer tasting you need to be minimum 18 years old. On Sundays and public holidays brewery is closed and will be replaced by tasting in suitable pub/bar.

DAY 7: LJUBLJANA – SKOCJAN CAVES – PIRAN – TRIESTE

Morning departure to a place that looks like something out of The Lord of the Rings. Skocjan caves are a UNESCO protected site. The real attraction here is the largest underground cavern in all of Europe. What steals the show from other caves are spectacular views from many footbridges overlooking underground canyon and the underground river flowing inside the cave. As you walk along, you have to remind yourself that what you see is real. Lunch in traditional Karst tavern. On the way to the coast, we shortly stop in Lipica stud farm, home to almost 400 Lipizzaner horses, nourishing a tradition of over 400 years. Photo stop in the edge of Karst that offers views over Slovenian coast and Italian town of Trieste. On the coast is the town of Piran where Venetian Republic has left its legacy that one can feel in narrow winding streets, houses huddled close together, beautiful squares and churches. Enjoy some free time wandering around this well preserved medieval town with cafes and ‘gelaterias’ lined on the seaside promenade. Arrival to nearby Italian town, Trieste. Evening at leisure.

Meals: breakfast, traditional Karst lunch with small wine tasting
Overnight: Trieste

DAY 8: TRIESTE – MIRAMARE CASTLE

Trieste, an important port town, once a window to the world of mighty Habsburg Empire, was, to many immigrants from Europe, a starting point with embarkation on the ships sailing to the New World! We will have a city walk through the streets and alleys that will make you feel like you are in Central Europe – unique for the Mediterranean world. Admire colossal square Piazza Unita Italia that lies at the forefront of the historic old town and faces out towards the Adriatic Sea. Due to its immense size, it is known as the largest square situated next to the sea in Europe. Several prestigious and important buildings line the square including the Town Hall – Each of which features a stunning design and beautiful architecture. Located next to the Piazza Unita Italia, the Piazza dell Borsa is a great place to take in the local life. Markets and small fairs are sometimes held here and it is a great place for shopping and mingling. Short walk away there is the Grand Canal, a small waterway that has stood since the 1700’s to allow boats direct access into the city to unload their cargo. You can find at least one religious site from each European religion in Trieste; besides many beautiful Catholic churches, you can find Greek and Serbian Orthodox churches, Evangelical Lutheran Church and one of the oldest and biggest synagogues in Europe. After an orientation walk, you will have some free time to explore on your own, taste delicious coffee and/or Italian snacks. Suggestions and pointers will be given to you by your guide.
A short drive away is Miramare castle that was commissioned in the 2nd half of the 19th century by the Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian of Habsburg as a residence for himself and his wife, Charlotte of Belgium. It is surrounded by a flourishing park full of precious botanic species and has a charming panoramic view, given its location on a cliff high above the sea. Visit a luxurious aristocratic residence which has preserved its original furnishings.
Say good bye to your fellow travelers over lovely farewell dinner.

Meals: breakfast, farewell dinner
Overnight: Trieste

DAY 9: TRIESTE – tour ends

Safe travels!

Meals: breakfast or breakfast box (depends of your check out)
Note: If you need a transfer to the airport or want to continue with extension travel to neighboring countries, let us know – we will handle everything for you.

PRICE

NUMBER OF PEOPLE TRAVELLING PRICE PER PERSON IN EUR
1 5300 €
2 3200 €
3 2500 €
4 2150 €
5 1950 €
6 1850 €
7 1750 €
8 1650 €

Included in the price: 

  • Small groups of maximum 8 travellers
  • All transfers and sightseeing per itinerary in modern air-conditioned vehicles
  • 8 nights First Class accommodation (2 nights in Vienna, 1 night in Graz, 3 nights in Ljubljana, 2 nights in Trieste)
  • City hotel taxes, tourist taxes
  • Hotel porterage
  • Meals: 8 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 dinners; including welcome dinner in Vienna, Slovenian food & wine city walk in Ljubljana with 5 food tastings and 4 different wines and farewell dinner in Trieste
    wine tasting, beer tasting
  • Entrance fees: Arnold Schwarzenegger Museum, Schoenbrunn Palace, Vintgar gorge, Bled castle, Postojna cave, Predjama castle, Brewery museum*, Skocjan caves, Miramare castle
  • Services of local English-speaking tour guide throughout
  • Comprehensive, guided sightseeing
  • Active itinerary with unique features

*Brewery museum is closed on Sundays and public holidays and will be replaced by suitable pub/bar

Not included in the price (private van tour): 

  • Transfer from/to the airport (from 29 EUR per person one way)
  • Everything that is not listed in the ‘Included in the price’ sector
  • Personal expenses (meals, drinks, shopping etc.)
  • Gratuities
  • Supplement for single room from 475 EUR (per person per tour)

Pick up: 

By itinerary in the program.

Accommodation: 

  • Vienna: Hotel City Central 4* or similar
  • Graz: Hotel Weitzer Graz 4* or similar
  • Ljubljana: Central Hotel 4* or Hotel Galleria 4* or Allegro Hotel 4* or similar
  • Trieste: Urban Hotel Design 4* or Hotel Continentale 4* or NH Trieste 4* or similar

Note: 5* star hotels upon request

from 1650 eur

click HERE to see our dates & prices

Included in the price: 

  • Small groups of maximum 26 travellers
  • All transfers and sightseeing per itinerary in modern air-conditioned vehicles
  • 8 nights First Class accommodation (2 nights in Vienna, 1 night in Graz, 3 nights in Ljubljana, 2 nights in Trieste)
  • City hotel taxes, tourist taxes
  • Hotel porterage
  • Meals: 8 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 dinners; including welcome dinner in Vienna, Slovenian food & wine city walk in Ljubljana with 5 food tastings and 4 different wines and farewell dinner in Triestewine tasting, beer tasting
  • Entrance fees: Arnold Schwarzenegger Museum, Schoenbrunn Palace, Vintgar gorge, Bled castle, Postojna cave, Predjama castle, Brewery museum*, Skocjan caves, Miramare castle
  • Services of local English-speaking tour guide throughout
  • Comprehensive, guided sightseeing
  • Active itinerary with unique features

*Brewery museum is closed on Sundays and public holidays and will be replaced by suitable pub/bar

 

Not included in the price: 

  • Transfer from/to the airport (from 29 EUR per person one way)
  • Everything that is not listed in the ‘Included in the price’ sector
  • Personal expenses (meals, drinks, shopping etc.)
  • Gratuities
  • Supplement for single room from 475 EUR (per person per tour)

Pick up: 

By itinerary in the program.

Accommodation: 

  • Vienna: Hotel City Central 4* or similar
  • Graz: Hotel Weitzer Graz 4* or similar
  • Ljubljana: Central Hotel 4* or Hotel Galleria 4* or Allegro Hotel 4* or similar
  • Trieste: Urban Hotel Design 4* or Hotel Continentale 4* or NH Trieste 4* or similar

Note: 5* star hotels upon request

You are welcome to contact us.

We are flexible in adjusting program to your needs.
Suggestions: traditional meals, wine tastings, visit of museums, sports activities, hikes etc.

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