Call to book01904 521 936
Tour Search
#Favourites

Italian Christmas & Austrian New Year

Save
13 days From £3,495 £3,395 per person
4.0 stars(9 reviews)
Gallery
Map

Discover the seasonal delights of Austria and Italy on one festive holiday.

Save up to £150pp

Save up to £150pp on selected Europe 2024 holidays when you book by 31st October 2023.

View terms and conditions

2023 Tour code: IGX24

About the tour

Enjoy the festive period in two of Europe's most spectacular winter destinations. Shimmering Lake Garda at Christmas is enchanting while beautiful Innsbruck is the perfect place to enjoy fantastic New Year's celebrations.

Highlights

What’s included

Itinerary

Day 1 – London to Turin: Crossing the Alps to Italy

Meeting at the London St Pancras, we travel on the Eurostar to Paris in Standard Premier Class, where we change for the First Class service direct to Turin, passing the Alps as we travel to the handsome Italian city of Turin where we spend the night in a hotel in the heart of the city's historic centre. We enjoy our first dinner together in a stylish restaurant nearby.

Includes
  • Dinner
  • Eurostar Meal
Day 2 – Through northern Italy to Lake Garda

After breakfast there's time to explore Turin at leisure. This dignified city is an important centre of business, finance and technology, and is also a showcase of Baroque, Renaissance and modern architecture. Fringed by the Italian Alps, the city's wide boulevards and grand public squares are lined with enticing cafés and bars. Just a short walk from our hotel is a stylish pedestrianised shopping district.

In the mid-afternoon we continue our journey into northern Italy, passing through Milan on our way to the lakeside town of Bardolino, where we check into our 4-Star lakefront hotel for six nights and enjoy a three-course dinner.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 3 - Christmas Eve in Sirmione, the ‘Pearl of Lake Garda’

This morning we travel to delightful Sirmione where there's free time for you to look around. Located at the southern end of Lake Garda, where the lakefront is almost sea-like, the town is a pleasure to discover, bursting with history and charm. You could stop off at the imposing Rocca Scaligera, a beautifully preserved 13th-century castle surrounded by a large water-filled moat, take a stroll through the old quarter of town or visit the Grotte di Catullo, the remains of one of the largest Roman villas in Italy. We return to Bardolino in the afternoon, where there is time to relax before we celebrate Christmas Eve with a gala dinner at our hotel in the evening.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4 – Celebrating Christmas Day on Lake Garda

Christmas Day is a time for relaxation and celebration, and we have a free morning after breakfast to enjoy in whatever way we wish. A gentle stroll by Lake Garda could take you to the small nearby village of Cisano where pastel-coloured buildings gather round a small square on the delightful lakefront, or to the centre beautiful Bardolino with grand, tiled avenues opening on incredible views of Lake Garda. For ultimate relaxation, our spa hotel contains thermal baths, swimming pools, a sauna and a beauty spa. In the early afternoon, we gather to celebrate Christmas together over a festive dinner before having the option for a laid-back afternoon. A three-course gala dinner tonight leads into an evening of live music as we get into the Christmas spirit in our wonderful surroundings.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 5 - Raise a glass on a Boxing Day wine tasting

Following a relaxed breakfast, we enjoy an excursion by coach to the Franciacorta wine region. Here, we stop at a local winery for a tour that teaches us all about the production process followed by an expert-led tasting of the vineyard's different vintages accompanied by local specialities. On the return to our hotel, tea and coffee and a selection of small pastries and cakes awaits, before we enjoy a gala dinner in the evening.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 6 – Enjoy the unique charm of Venice

We transfer by rail to the floating city of Venice, where we enjoy a private boat transfer that takes us straight to St Mark's Square for a guided walking tour of Venice's main attractions, including the Doge's Palace, the Bridge of Sighs, and the Rialto Bridge. With some free time afterwards, you may like to take a traditional gondola ride through the winding network of canals or take a water taxi to the island of Murano, famed for its age-old glass-blowing techniques. Afterwards why not warm up in a cosy café overlooking St Mark's Square with a cup of delicious cioccolata calda? A private boat transfer takes us back to the train and a three-course dinner at our Bardolino hotel.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 7 – Visit historic Verona before crossing the Alps to Austria

Leaving Lake Garda behind, we take the train to Verona, where we enjoy a guided tour of a city filled with Roman ruins, medieval buildings, Italian culture and romance, and famous as the setting for Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. In a UNESCO World Heritage-listed city centre, we visit Juliet's iconic balcony and the Roman arena, an open-air venue still used for performances today, where some free time could lend itself to indulging in lunch in one of the many restaurants around Piazza Brà. In mid-afternoon, we board the train for a direct journey to Innsbruck in Austria. This spectacular route through the Alps reveals some magical wintry scenes as we leave Italy by the Brenner Pass. Our hotel in central Innsbruck looks out to the majestic snow-capped peaks of the Austrian Alps. We check in for five nights and sit down for a three-course dinner with tea and coffee included.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 8 - Experience the historic Zillertalbahn to charming Mayrhofen

Travelling on the Zillertalbahn today, we step aboard heritage carriages for an atmospheric journey through the delightful Ziller Valley. The railway's distinctive red engine stands out against the snow-clad landscapes as we marvel at sights such as rushing Ziller river, enchanting Tyrolean towns that look as if they belong on a Christmas card and meadows blanketed in thick, fresh snow. We arrive in Mayrhofen where you have free time to ride to the summit of Penken via a gondola cable car, walk the cobbled streets or visit the Ahorn Eagle's Stage, an observation point for alpine birds of prey.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 9 - Explore beautiful Innsbruck at your leisure

Enjoy a free day to explore Innsbruck today, perhaps taking a walk beside the Inn river or past the fountains and pavilion of the Innsbrucker Hofgarten - landscaped royal palace gardens that date from the early 15th century. Innsbruck is a city of many delightful churches, including the baroque cathedral and gothic Hofkirche. For a day of relaxation, our 4-Star hotel has luxurious spa and wellness facilities.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 10 – Ride the Stubaitalbahn on New Year’s Eve

Our New Year celebrations begin with a journey through the wintry scenery of the Stubai Valley aboard the narrow-gauge Stubaitalbahn. From Innsbruck, it winds up through gentle meadows, providing great views of the city below. Passing sleepy villages, the route then plunges into a landscape of icy forests and alpine meadows laden with snow, before winding its way down to the peaceful valley town of Fulpmes. Back in Innsbruck, the festivities get into full swing with a gala dinner and wine.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 11 - See in the new year with a tour of Innsbruck

We wake up on New Year's Day with the wintry mountains looking on to festive Innsbruck. The gentle bustle of picture-perfect streets and the seasonal weather combine to charming effect on this enchanting day full of anticipation. After breakfast, we enjoy a guided walking tour of beautiful Innsbruck, followed by a leisurely afternoon during which you can explore further. With a remarkably picturesque medieval centre, the town is dotted with impressive buildings, including Herzog-Friedrich-Strasse. Here, a shimmering golden Habsburg roof, the ornate Hölbling house and the imposing 14th-century watchtower look out over buildings with arched arcaded frontages. We gather this evening for a three-course dinner.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 12 – Travel through Germany to Cologne

This morning, we board the train down the Inn valley to Munich, Stuttgart and onwards to Cologne. Passing through the historic cities of Augsburg and Ulm, and fairytale towns such as Schwäbisch Gmünd and Limberg and der Lahn, we then arrive at our Rhine-side destination of Cologne, dominated by its imposing, twin-spired Gothic cathedral. We check in to our overnight hotel, where we enjoy dinner.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 13 - Homeward bound

Our wonderful festive tour concludes today as we travel from Cologne to Brussels, before catching our final train, the Eurostar, to London St Pancras. Arriving in London, we say farewell to our travelling companions and recall the winter wonders we have witnessed in Italy and Austria.

Includes
  • Breakfast

Additional information

Please note

Please note that while every departure of this tour will feature the same excursions, the order may differ from that shown above.

Departure times

Provisional departure and return times, where available, can be found together with our dates and prices by clicking on the 'Prices & Availability' button. We write to all booked customers approximately 10 weeks prior to the start of their tour to advise the exact departure and return time for their particular group.

Mobility information

Due to the nature of our tours they are generally unsuitable for those with restricted mobility. If you’d like to discuss any particular holiday with us in this respect, then please don’t hesitate to call us.

Hotels

Hotel Caesius Spa Resort

Hotel Caesius Spa Resort, Bardolino

View hotel

Hotel Innsbruck, Innsbruck

Hotel Innsbruck, Innsbruck

View hotel

Trains

Eurostar
Stubai Valley Railway
Zillertalbahn

Enhance your holiday

Upgrades

Inclusive Luggage Upgrade
London Hotels
UK rail connections

Reviews

4.0 stars4.0 / 5 · 9 reviews

  1. 5 stars
    (2)
  2. 4 stars
    (5)
  3. 3 stars
    (2)
  4. 2 stars
    (0)
  5. 1 star
    (0)

David

4 stars

Submitted 16/Jan

A mix up with the the coaches at Koln station after a long & tiring journey. We were first taken to the wrong hotel being used by GRJ. The train from Koln was routed down the so called scenic route of the River Rhine in December when we would have preferred a faster route vis Frankfurt. Why did we not have a direct service to Innsbruck, particularly as we had a real struggle to board our train in Munich. Why did the guide in Verona not take us to the amphitheatre in Verona and over ran her time marching around the city? The trip to Fulpmes would have been better on non-Xmas Day when hotels cafes etc would have been open?

Collected by Trustpilot

GD

5 stars

Submitted 15/Jan

I would say it came up to the GRJ standards. It visited some places I have seen before and some that I have not. I joined the trip because I have no family and friends who would contact me during the holiday season. However I am not sure that I would like to do it again. I think that maybe I would have liked a warmer climate, but not too warm. I have used the Baggageman before but I was not sure about the new company. I think possibly we have to blame Brexit for the details that had to be declared for the trip. I didn't realise that the name of the company was Sherpr and although I had a strange email telling me to set a password earlier on I had no idea what it was for so put it aside. I packed my case three weeks early ready for collection dates and was surprised to have a phone call telling me if I was going to take the advantage of luggage carrying I had about 24 hours to get cracking. Then I realised what the request for a password was all about. However, with a little help from the company and also GRJ I got it done. I was thankful that our luggage was taken on between hotels as I don't think I could have managed 2 cases. Rob told me that was what we would be doing when he rang me but in practise this did not happen. It was unfortunate that some cases did not arrive back at the end of the tour and one still hasn't. My case arrived on Thursday. It was damaged on the first leg of the journey, this was a worry but I have all back now. Don't think I shall be able to get the case repaired. It was such a simple thing and I have taken the case all over the world previous to this but that's it. Hope that these comments will help. I would have preferred the old way of filling in comments rather than just ticking boxes as they didn't always fit what I would have said but if that's progress so be it. Glenys

Collected by Trustpilot

Frank

4 stars

Submitted 10/Jan

Great break over Christmas and New Year. Excellent facilities in Innsbruck. Desenzano hotel food not as good as has been in the past.

Collected by Trustpilot

Sheila O'Donnell

3 stars

Submitted 10/Jan

Not one of Great Rails better organised trips

Collected by Trustpilot

Joy Wood

4 stars

Submitted 10/Jan

food could be better in quantity and quality days slightly less hectic and not such early starts places and organisation was very good

Collected by Trustpilot

Peter Caul

5 stars

Submitted 10/Jan

Well organised tour with good hotels, except the Concord in Turin which didn't do itself any favours. The tour manager was enthusiastic and kept us informed about what was going on. The luggage company was excellent and gave excellent service

Collected by Trustpilot

Show all 9 reviews

Tailor made for you

Customise this tour with Great Rail Journeys Independent

Related inspiration from our journey blog