Music TOUR  of Austria
 
Escorted

Day 4. Full day excursion to Eizenstadt ,capital city of the easternmost province of Burgenland. Visit the Esterhazy palace, home of the princely dynasty that once employed Joseph Haydn as a court composer. Many of Haydn's most famous works were created and first played among these walls. Visit the Haydn Hall and house, and the Haydn mausoleum perched atop the church hill.

Burgenland is Austria's most versatile wine growing region, renowned for its rich red, desert and ice wines. At Rust, Lake Neusiedl we'll visit a typical Burgenland wine cellar and have lunch there. Overnight at Austria's only steppe lake, Lake Neusidel.  In the afternoon you will have the opportunity to see the birthplace of an other master who emanated from the province of Burgenland, in the town of Raiding, Franz Liszt.  

Day 5. After Breakfast departure  to Baden. Short walking tour of the spa city, once visited by royalties, emperors and many famous composers. Maria Theresia, Emperor Franz I., Napoleon regularly frequented this therapeutic site. The city invokes the spirit of its rich musical past wherever you look. Haydn was a regular guest here, so was the Royal Composer, Antonio Salieri and later Ludwig von Beethoven. See the quaint little house where Beethoven composed many of his masterpieces, among them the "Missa Solemnis"; the Mozarthof where the "Ave Verum Corpus" was inspired and was also first performed in Baden's parish church.  

The town is also favored by the musical legends of the twentieth century. We'll show you the favorite retreat of Placido Domingo among others.

Our next stop is Mayerling, noteworthy in Austrian history as the site of the double suicide of Crown Prince Rudolf and Mary Vetsera, an event that remains unexplained even today.  We'll continue on to the magnificent baroque abbey of Melk, well-known for its many manuscripts. Overnight at Krems, Austria's oldest city dating back to the 10th century.

Day 6. Today we'll take you on a morning city tour of the medieval city, followed by a journey to the Wachau Valley and its surrounding Danube area. The region is characterized by castle ruins and typical terraced vineyards. During your short cruise on the river, view the castle of Durnstein, where once Richard the Lionhearted was held in captivity on his return from the Holly Land. Sample the local wines at Spitz, the charming center of wine-culture. Overnight at Krems.

Day 7. Along the shores on the Danube, we travel through the Nibelung land that gave its name to the famous Nibelung Songs popularized by Wagner's operas. We'll reach Linz, once home of the Austrian composer, Anton Bruckner. Tour of Austria's third largest city. See the Bruckner House, Alter Dom, Landhaus, Martinskirche, St. Martin's church which dates back to the 8th century, as well as the Abbey of St. Florian, where "God's musician", Anton Bruckner toiled on his compositions for many years. Evening free. Dinner and overnight in Linz.  

Day 8 Departure to Salzburg via the Salzkammergut lake district. Stop at the house where Mozart's mother was born and at the spa town of Bad Ischl. In 1897 Johna Strauss, the King of the Waltz, directed a gala performance at the spa theatre. Bruckner, Brahms, Kalman and Oscar Strauss composed here. Fran Lehar lived in Bad Ischl  for 30 years composing here among others his favorite operetta, The Merry Widow".  Visit his villa on the banks of the Traun. Lunch at the romantic Inn to the Write Horse at the charming typical village at Wolfgang Lake where the operetta of the same title took its name from. Overnight in Salzburg

Day 9. Sightseeing in Salzburg with visit to Mozart's house and the Mirabel palace and garden, former residence of the bishops, drive by the Karajan House. Afternoon free for souvenir chopping or optional tour to visit the palces where the Sound of Music movie was filmed. Evening concert at the Medieval Hohensalzburg Fortress overlooking the charming city.

Day 10 Morning free. Transfer to the airport to board the flight back to your home destination or continue on to Munich.    

Price includes: 

• Return air transportation to Vienna Back from Salzburg

• modern AC coach transportation throughout the tour

• sightseeing as specified in the itinerary

• services of a tour escort

• services of local guides

• first class accommodation with daily breakfast and dinner

• One opera ticket and one church concert with the Vienna Boy's Choir, one concert ticket

• hotel and departure taxes.

For bookings please call ALLEGRO HOLIDAYS at 416-362-3387 or 1-800-838-6860