Your host and guide is MIKE ROSS, your local guide to the world since 1982.  The entire tour is from only TWO HOTELS and includes air from Detroit, breakfast and dinner daily, superior class hotels/private bath, private van and driver, and features GERMANY, AUSTRIA, N. ITALY, SWITZERLAND and FRANCE. Entrances /services as noted. Participants should enjoy walking, as many sights are available only to pedestrians.

Day 1: Board our jet for the overnight flight to Europe.

Day 2: After arrival we drive to the lovely Alpine village of Ruhpolding. We will explore the little streets and shops here this afternoon. Spend some of the afternoon in the hot springs spa if you wish!

Day 3: The sights of "The Sound of Music" surround us today in SALZBURG, AUSTRIA. We take a walking tour of this famous city, visit the Salzburg Cathedral, see the house where Mozart was born and the church in which Maria von Trapp was married. Enjoy the music in the streets, the huge pretzels and the wonderful smells of chocolate and berry desserts.

Day 4: Through the Alps today to the incredible Neuschwanstein Castle. The gleaming white turrets and towers inspired Disney to design his Cinderella castle after it and it has become the very icon of Germany. The drive over this section of the Alps is one of the most famous in Europe.

Day 5: A whole day in spectacular MUNICH, GERMANY, capital of Bavaria and only 25 miles north of the Alps. We will see the university section of Schwabing, the famous Hofbrauhaus with the original Beer Garten, the beautiful parks and fountains and take a stroll down Kaufinger Street, the Fifth Avenue of Munich.Along the way we will see the Glockenspiel high up in the new city hall.

Day 6: South today into the beautiful Alpine village of VIPITENO, ITALY. This is a true Italian experience. The village is filled with wonderful olive oils, pasta, cannelloni, wine and sunshine. The leather goods are excellent, the patio restaurants filled with the smell of cheeses and sauces, and the Palazzo is reminiscent of the villages of Urbino and Siena.

Day 7: A drive along the German Alpine Road brings us to the mountain lake Königsee. We will take a boat trip across the lake to see the red-domed Bartholomew Chapel with the towering Watzman Peak in the background. Later we will explore the village of Berchtesgaden.

Day 8: A drive through the leafy hills of Southern Germany with a stop in one of the lovely villages brings us into the wine growing area of the southern Rhine. Near the French border is the tiny vineyard town of Ihringen our home for the week.

Day 9: Into the Vosges Mountains of eastern France to the ancient medieval town of Colmar. Colmar is famous for its luscious wine, great food, wooden balconies that line narrow streets and the "Venetian Quarter" with its canals and quays, turrets, cobblestones and fluffy French bread. This afternoon we take a cruise on the southern Rhine River and enjoy the green hills and fields that are alive with verdant vineyards.

Day 10: Birthplace of the Grimm Fairy Tales, legends of kings and goblins, we visit the Black Forest today. The meandering roads climb up and down the thickly pine forested hills, through tiny villages and past sky blue lakes.

Day 11:South into the Swiss Alps to the heart of the country, Lake Lucerne.Along the lake sits the incomparable city of Lucerne, surrounded by towering, glistening snow-capped Alps. A walking tour takes us up to the Glacier Gardens, back into the city market place and for a view of the Kapell Bridge, symbol of the city. Take a boat cruise, enjoy lunch at an outdoor cafe, visit the Picasso museum or the National Transportation Museum with its full sized jet airliner.

Day 12: A day in Strasbourg. Originally a Roman town, later located in Germany then in France, this city is a microcosm of France itself and is regarded as a small Paris, second most popular city in the nation. It is dominated by the magnificent Cathedral de Notre Dame de Strasbourg which dates to the year 1000. The marvelous astronomical clock and the lovely Gothic architecture make this a must see. Nearby is the section of the town know as "Petite France", a collection of medieval buildings that evoke France through the ages and reflect life as it is all over France today.

Day 13: A visit to Freiburg, capital of the Black Forest and a famous university town. The shady parks, cool cafes, lively city market filled with everything from books to flowers to vegetables and collectibles, the beautiful department stores and tiny boutiques, and the little rivers that flow throughout the town all make up the character of this unique city. A walking tour reveals all this, the remarkable history and its remarkable people. This afternoon is a winery tour and wine tasting back in Ihringen.