Lovely Salzburg, nestled between two mountains on the banks of the Salzach River, is dominated by rich scenery and its enormous 11th century fortress. Baroque villas, churches, monasteries and palaces ringed by gardens, parks and sparkling fountains preserve its oldworld charm. Close by is the strikingly beautiful region of 13 glistening lakes and rich green hills that Julie Andrews found to be so “alive with The Sound of Music,” offering us magnificent landscapes of great natural beauty for entertaining you in our balloons. We’ll drift through gently sloping Alpine foothills, over crystal clear lakes, country villages and meadow-carpeted valleys in many hues of green. Brightly painted onion-domed churches and charming old farmhouses, gaily decorated with masses of flowers in the traditional Austrian style, will slip quietly beneath us. The permanently snow-covered Alps provide a breathtaking background. The welcoming Austrian farm families make our landings delightful. It’s a wonderful region in which to play.

Day 1 - Our trip meets at 3:00 p.m. at 5 star Hotel Schloss Fuschl, with afternoon check-in for four nights at this beautifully restored, 14th century former hunting castle of the Archbishops of Salzburg. Welcome reception and depart for our late afternoon balloon adventure through very pretty meadowlands. Dinner party at our historic hotel.

Day 2 - After breakfast explore the romantic “old city” of Salzurg, birthplace of Mozart and filled with Baroque and Gothic architectural treasures under UNESCO protection. A highlight will be the colorful and lively Getreidegasse, Austria’s most beautiful shopping area. A quaint old lane of high, narrow houses with medieval wrought iron guild signs, it is full of fashionable shops and romantic passageways. Our wonderful city guide, Heidi, with her interesting stories, makes this morning’s walking tour a real pleasure. Our elaborate lunch will be on the terrace of 5 star Sacher Hotel, followed by our late afternoon balloon adventure through the Lakes District countryside. Dinner at our lovely hotel.

Day 3 - Morning drive to colorful St. Gilgen, gaily painted in the many soft pastel colors of the Austrian style. Board a lake steamer and sail to the extremely picturesque old market town of St. Wolfgang, with its even more richly decorated 15th century houses and its world famous Baroque style church filled with unusually magnificent furnishings. For luncheon we’ll be the guests of one of Salzburg’s most celebrated personalities and our very good friend, Princess Manni Wittgenstein, in her lovely Alpine home. She is a brilliant hostess, sharing with us wonderful tales of her fascinating life. She also frequently flies with our guests in our balloons, and thoroughly enjoys helping us make their Austrian visit a memorable one. Late afternoon balloon adventure through the beautiful Austrian landscape, returning to Schloss Fuschl for dinner.

Day 4 - Today we’ll explore the ancient village of Hallstaat, easily the most striking lakeside village in the region. This tiny, picturesque hamlet clings to a ledge at the foot of a steep cliff, surrounded by the towering Dachstein mountains. Best enjoyed from the water, we will use a small fleet of electric boats to slowly cruise back and forth along the shoreline of ancient boathouses and quaint wooden homes. A major Celtic archaeological landmark and UNESCO protected site, the treasures unearthed here are so extensive that one era in Celtic studies (800 - 400 BC) is called “the Hallstatt period.” A pre-luncheon rafting party with champagne will be held on the lake before dining in a charming restaurant. Late afternoon balloon adventure through the summer meadowlands of the Alpine foothills, with farewell dinner party at Schloss Fuschl.

Day 5 - Our trip ends after breakfast at our hotel.

Salzburg Lakes & Alpine Foothills
September 1-5, 2006 & 2007
$7,471 per person, double occupancy, single supplement $996