GERMANY-AUSTRIA-SWITZERLAND in 12 days
Explore the grand imperial city of Vienna, famous for castles, kings, music, and cuisine. Then, you’ll have two relaxing days in Salzburg’s famous city center. A visit to Neuschwanstein Castle and nearby Reutte rounds out the fifth day of the tour. We’ll head to Switzerland for my favorite alpine village experience in the beautiful Lauterbrunnen valley. Leaving the Alps, take a turn to the north and follow the Rhine River valley through the Black Forest to the cute little town of Rothenburg. Finally, visit Hitler’s first concentration camp in Dachau before capping off your tour with two days in Munich, the capital city of Bavaria.
Your Adventure Starts Here!
| PRICE FROM | DATES | |
|---|---|---|
| $4549 + air | Jun 15-26, 2026 |  |
| $4749 + air | *Sep 14-25, 2026 | |
| *=enjoy Octoberfest |
Vienna – 2 nights
Salzburg – 2 nights
Reutte – 1 night
Lauterbrunnen – 2 nights
Rothenburg – 2 nights
Munich – 2 nights
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Single Room Additional Cost ~$850-$880
ITINERARY
DAY 1: Welcome to Vienna – Meet your Exploring Europe guide at 3:00 p.m. in the lobby of your Vienna hotel for greetings and introductions. Then we will take a walking tour through the historical heart of Vienna so you can get your bearings. We will make a stop at the massive St. Stephen’s Cathedral before heading off for dinner in one of our favorite restaurants. Sleep for 2 nights in Vienna. Walking: Moderate. Dinner.
DAY 2: Vienna – After breakfast, we will begin a walking tour concentrating on the royal Habsburgs and their importance to this city. You will visit the Opera House (when open), the Hofburg Palace, the Imperial Apartments, and the Royal Treasury. The remainder of the day and evening is free to explore another museum or a palace or slow down and enjoy the coffee café culture. Walking: Moderate.
DAY 3: Salzburg and The Sound of Music! – Today, we will head west along the Danube, tracing the route of the Habsburg tradesmen. Closing in on Salzburg, we will strike out on a driving tour, hitting the highlights of the popular movie, The Sound of Music. Later, stroll through the historic old town taking in several famous musical sights and churches. After a bit of free time, we will meet for dinner at the Augustiner Braühaus, a huge beer hall and garden in the hills overlooking the city. Driving: 4 hours. Walking: moderate. Sleep for 2 nights in Salzburg. Dinner.
DAY 4: Salzburg – We’ll spend most of the morning on a historical walking tour of Salzburg’s old town. This was the home to Mozart and the Von Trapp family so we tie in a lot of musical elements as well. After the walking tour, you will have the remainder of the day and evening to explore more of Salzburg on your own. Your guide will be available to help with your sightseeing plans and activities. Walking: moderate.
DAY 5: Neuschwanstein Castle – Today, we will head west into the scenic mountains of Bavaria. You will have most of the afternoon to explore Schloss Neuschwanstein, the fairy-tale fantasy castle of Bavaria’s King Ludwig II. You’ll recognize it as Walt Disney’s model for Cinderella’s Castle. Later, we will drive back across the border and set up in Reutte, Austria, for the evening. Here, enjoy dinner featuring fresh Austrian cuisine in a traditional guesthouse setting. Driving: 4 hours. Walking: Strenuous. Sleep 1 night in Reutte. Dinner.
DAY 6: Liechtenstein and Switzerland – Driving through lush mountain meadows and alpine foothills, we will arrive in the tiny country of Liechtenstein in time for lunch. Enjoy a stop in Vaduz, the capital city, and get your passport stamped! Then it is on to Switzerland. The beautiful Lauterbrunnen Valley is located in the heart of the Swiss Alps and is filled with waterfalls, glaciers, and cowbells. After checking into the hotel, you’ll have the remainder of the afternoon to settle in. Tonight, enjoy a traditional Swiss dinner at a favorite restaurant. Driving: 6 hours. Walking: light. Sleep 2 nights in Lauterbrunnen. Dinner.
DAY 7: Enjoy the mountains! – You may want to hike, ride a lift to a mountain summit, or even play in the snow. The hills are filled with alpine villages, shops, restaurants, hiking trails, and mountain lifts. Walking: Your choice.
DAY 8: The Black Forest and Rothenburg – We will get an early start this morning as we leave the Alps and head up the Rhine River valley. Along the way, enjoy a stop for lunch in a German town near the Black Forest. Later, arrive in Rothenburg for hotel check-in and dinner. Driving: 8 hours (with stops). Walking: Light. Sleep for 2 nights in Rothenburg. Dinner.
DAY 9: Rothenburg – You will have the entire day to do a little exploring on your own in Rothenburg. Enjoy a stroll in the castle gardens, a walk on the medieval-era town walls, plenty of shopping, wine tasting, and of course, their cute little “Christmas all year” shops. Walking: Your choice.
DAY 10: Munich – It is a short ride on the Autobahn down to Munich. Before heading into town, we will start our tour on a somber note as we visit Hitler’s first concentration camp in Dachau. Learn how in 1943, this became the model for all future camps. Then, let’s head directly to Munich’s bustling city center for a walking tour of the city’s highlights and an opportunity to take a break at a famous beer garden. Settle in at our hotel and enjoy a relaxing afternoon and evening. Driving: 3 hours. Walking: moderate. Sleep for 2 nights in Munich.
DAY 11: Munich – Enjoy an event-free day in town. Tonight, we’ll meet for a festive farewell dinner at one of my favorite restaurants. Walking: Your choice. Dinner.
DAY 12: So Long, Farewell – Your tour ends this morning after breakfast. There are no scheduled activities today. Munich’s train station and airport are nearby, and your guide will be happy to point you in the right direction for your onward journey. Auf Wiedersehen!
Itinerary specifics are subject to change.
INCLUSIONS
Transportation provided by coach and/or minibus from your first hotel in Vienna to your final hotel in Munich.
11 nights accommodation in centrally located hotels, guesthouses, and B&Bs. All rooms have private en-suite baths.
All tips and gratuities to guides, drivers, restaurant, and hotel staff.
Guaranteed Small Group consisting of 6-18 travelers.
All breakfasts and six of your dinners or lunches.
Water is included with all meals. Soda, coffee, tea, beer, wine, or other beverages are up to you.
Traditional dining experiences at some of David’s personal favorite restaurants. Eating well is a priority, and you’ll enjoy fine regional fare featuring the best the locale has to offer.
Tours and admissions to the following attractions, experiences, and sights: Walking tours in Vienna; Salzburg, Rothenburg, and Munich; Vienna Hofburg Palace tour; Sound of Music walking and driving tour; Castle Neuschwanstein guided tour; Swiss Alps orientation and free day for alpine experiences; Dachau WWII concentration camp visit; and more.
A full-time Exploring Europe guide and local experts dedicated to bringing to life the art, history, and culture of the tour destinations.
David’s tour handouts are delivered electronically and detail each day’s historical and cultural experiences.
Free luggage tags and David’s custom-designed drawstring backpacks.
Our Unconditional Tour Price Guarantee, once locked in, will never change.
$50 Tour Alumni discount for each David McGuffin tour you’ve taken prior to this travel year.
EXCLUSIONS
Comprehensive Trip insurance. We strongly recommend comprehensive insurance for tour.
Fee for passports.
Beer, wine, spirits, and soda during the tour.
Laundry, phone, internet, and personal items
Extras and optional activities.
Anything not mentioned in the itinerary.
TERMS & CONDITIONS
CANCELLATION POLICY
CANCELLATIONS AND REFUNDS:
Deposits- Deposits for tours are fully refundable for 30 days from your initial application and deposit date, unless otherwise noted. If you book a tour less than 90 days before its departure date, full payment is due immediately, and the entire tour cost becomes non-refundable after seven days. After these dates, deposits are not refundable and will be forfeited if you cancel your tour reservation.
Payments- Tour payments are due in full 90 days before your tour departure date. If you find you must cancel between 90-0 days before your tour departure, please contact us immediately. We will work with you to transfer your payments to another tour departing within 18 months. We strongly recommend that everyone purchase comprehensive travel insurance that covers tour cancellations, emergency medical, and other unexpected events.
Cancellations will be effective when the written notification is received at David McGuffin›s Exploring Europe by mail, e-mail, or fax.
SIGN UP BY EMAIL OR POST
If you do not want to sign up online:
You may download a tour application and send it to us with payment.
-OR-
You may return it by:
- FAX 1-800-570-1351
- Email – info@davidmcguffin.com
- email – take a photo of the form with your smartphone and attach it to an email
- TXT – take a photo with your smartphone and TXT to 904-612-8149
KEY TO WALKING & ACTIVITY
Walking and Physical Activity: We have planned this trip to provide maximum tour experiences. The basic nature of Europe does require some degree of physical activity to get out and see the sights, especially in the big cities. To help you plan, we’ve included a daily projection of physical activity. Here is the key for our walking activity ratings:
Light – Walking done on level surfaces with some hills and elevation gains. Two miles or less of required walking during the day.
Moderate – Walking done on paved and gravel paths and cobbled city sidewalks. To enjoy the full tour experience, some uphill and downhill walking is expected, as is standing while viewing sights or museums. Four to six miles of walking per day.
Strenuous – Walking done on rugged and rocky paths and city-cobbled sidewalks. There will be steps and stairs. Up to three hours standing in museums or experience sites. Up to eight miles of walking per day.
Your Choice – No matter what your walking ability, we will help you find alternative ways to enjoy and experience all Europe has to offer. To get the most out of our tours, you should be able to operate at the light level every day with spurts of moderate and strenuous.
PRE-TOUR RESOURCES
Now that you’ve decided to join this tour, we are sure you’ll have some questions. Don’t worry. We are here to help you through each aspect of your tour from start to finish.
DAVID’S 60 SECONDS DESTINATION VIDEOS
Join David as he shares impromptu moments from his travels in the United Kingdom. Watching these short 60-second segments are a great way to experience David’s travel style and adventures. Watch David Explores Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
David’s TRAVEL TALK TUESDAY almost-weekly broadcast and Video Series Blog.
Every week, when David is not traveling in Europe, he presents a LIVE broadcast on Zoom and Facebook. Check it out on Tuesdays at 7:30 PM Eastern Time.
Each Travel Talk Tuesday session is recorded. Watch them here.
DAVID’S BLOG ARTICLES
David and his team have answered many travel-related questions, and they are all tucked away on his blog. But, no need to go there. Just type in a keyword in the search box at the top or bottom of this page (it’s the gray rectangle with a small magnifying glass icon), and you will get results for your query.
PLEASE SEND US AN EMAIL OR GIVE US A CALL.
We are happy to answer your travel questions and give advice and suggestions. tours@davidmcguffin.com or 800-570-1351.
Testimonials & Reviews of our GERMANY-AUSTRIA-SWISS Tours
Thank you so much for such a lovely trip! I certainly enjoyed your guidance and care. The manner of care that you and Charlotte gave us was outstanding in every way. I, especially, appreciated your patience in my being so slow and tiring easily. After having fallen the week before the trip, I was so nervous that I would fall again.
The tours on our day trips to Florence and the other small towns gave such a wonderful insight into the history and culture of Italy.
My favorite place was Marcampo and meeting Claudia and her mom. The cooking class and the evening wine sharing were a highlight. Volterra had so much history I've never heard before. The views were so dramatic. Your selection of good restaurants took the worry out of finding a decent place to eat which all of my meals were excellent.
Your sharing somewhere special to you made the whole experience a lifetime event for me. I felt like family. You both are so very special in just being you!! Thanking you again for such a unique experience!
First, I would like to say that the Best of Ireland 12-day tour we took from October 12-24, 2025, was really fantastic. The itinerary was perfect for the opportunity to see all the “must see” sights in Ireland. The start of the tour in Belfast is a wise choice; it gave us the opportunity to end the trip in Dublin after seeing to country which gave a better perspective of the history of the island.
The hotels were perfect in that they were located in the cities which made it possible to explore around the towns then have dinner and drinks.
Finally, and most important, our tour guide and driver, David Grey, was absolutely wonderful.
I cannot say enough kind words and accolades about David. The tour would not have been as memorable without his sense of humor, great insights and his general caring of us as guests in his country. It was an honor and a privilege to get to know David. David took the time to get to know all his guests and would ask us what our interests and needs were.
David also stopped at a few places not on the itinerary which allowed us a better insight into the country. It was great to see the bridge from the John Wayne movie, The Quiet Man, and visiting St. Brigid’s Well in Liscannor was memorable.
I mentioned to David in passing how I would like to try some poteen after having a drink in Kilkenny. David went out of his way to obtain some local poteen for all the tour guests to have a toast after our memorable Italian dinner. It was one of the highlights of our trip.
It was our great pleasure to travel with David & Charlotte for the 3rd time. Our tour which began in Budapest, Hungary ended in Dubrovnik, Croatia. This tour was atypical as we began w a bus and boarded a yacht halfway through. Budapest was nice, but the Croatian island ports were stunning. Plitvice National Park and the tour with a ranger was a highlight as well. We absorbed a remarkable amount of history and saw vineyards, a century's old winery and midieval villages. We traveled with a group of 8 friends and family which was an added bonus! It was also wonderful to be hosted on this tour by our new Croatian friends, Kruno & Suzanna! Thanks again, David!
My husband and I toured southern Ireland and Scotland. It was a celebration of our 30th anniversary. I know many have mentioned David Grey but he was amazing His flexbility , knowledge and overall character made the trip. We also enjoyed the Scotland driver- Ian who had a wonderful personality . The group dinner selections did not disappoint. Amazing food . We felt like we saw so much of both countries and enjoyed having it all planned where to go .
This was my first tour with David, likely not my last. We traversed incredible sites in Sicily. David made it easy, with informative dialogue and guides, and an outstanding driver, Paolo.
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