Switzerland & Austria

Tietoja kohteesta: Genevan kaupungissa asuu 200 000 asukasta ja se on yksi Sveitsin suurimmista. Se on kantonin pääkaupunki ja sijaitsee Lac Leman -järvellä, joka tunnetaan myös Genevan järvenä. Kaupungin halki virtaa Rhône-joki, joka saa alkunsa järvestä. Se on viehättävä kaupunki, jossa on lukuisia siltoja. Gotiikan tyylinen St-Pierre-katedraali hallitsee vanhaa kaupunkia, jossa on kapeita, mutkittelevia katuja ja kukkien koristamia taloja. Katedraalin pohjoistornista avautuu upea näkymä vanhaan kaupunkiin. Suurin osa kaupungin museoista sijaitsee vanhassa kaupungissa. Musée d’Art et d’Histoire ylpeilee eklektisyydellään. Näyttelyt ulottuvat antiikin kreikkalaisista vaaseista dadaismin taiteeseen. Petit Palaisissa on upea modernin taiteen kokoelma intiimissä 1800-luvun palatsissa. Genevan järvenranta on kaunis. Rohkea Jet d’Eau on yksi maailman korkeimmista suihkulähteistä. Älä missaa hyvin hoidettua Jardin Anglais -puistoa, jossa on kuuluisa Horloge Fleurie, suuri kukilla koristeltu kello, joka on pystytetty kunnianosoituksena Genevan kelloteollisuudelle. Geneve on edelleen kansainvälinen kaupunki, joka on ollut vuosisatojen ajan, ja joka ilmentää Sveitsin puolueettomuutta, joka on toivottanut tervetulleeksi niin erilaisia vieraita kuin Leninin ja Borgesin. Nykyään diplomaatit ja lukemattomien yritysten johtajat täyttävät Geneven toimistot, vaikka harvoin sen tahrattomat kadut. Rauhallinen ja viehättävä Geneve on Sveitsin miellyttävin kaupunki.

Tietoja kohteesta: Interlaken on kaupunki ja kunta Interlaken-Oberhaslin hallintoalueella Sveitsin Bernin kantonissa. Se on tärkeä ja tunnettu matkailukohde Bernin Oberlandin alueella Sveitsin Alpeilla, ja se on pääasiallinen liikenneportti alueen vuorille ja järville. Kaupunki sijaitsee Bödelin alueella, Thunin ja Brienzerin järvien välissä, ja Aare-joen varrella, joka virtaa näiden kahden järven välissä. PÄÄMATKAILUKOHTEET • Höheweg on Interlakenin pääkatu, joka kulkee Interlaken Westin ja Interlaken Ostin rautatieasemien välillä. Käy katsomassa "Japanilaista puutarhaa", 150-vuotiasta Victoria Jungfrau Grand Hotellia, ja älä missaa kaunista näkymää kuuluisalle lumipeitteiselle Jungfrau-vuorelle "Höhematte" -puistosta. • Jungfrau-Aletsch-Bietschhorn on jäätiköity UNESCO:n maailmanperintökohde Interlakenin yläpuolella Bernin Alpeilla. • Unterseen. Unterseen on pieni vanha kaupunki lähellä Interlaken Westin juna-asemaa.

About the destination: Innsbruck, provincial capital of Tyrol and fifth largest city in Austria, is the country’s centre of winter activities and occasionally of the world’s alpine interest, having hosted the Winter Olympic Games twice. The Nordkette cable car and an extensive network of mountain paths radiate from Innsbruck, making the stunning surrounding Alps equally accessible for winter skiers and summer hikers. The Altstad is the centre of Innsbruck, and the Goldenes Dachl, Golden Roof, is both the centre of the Altstad and the city’s emblem. The building from the 15th century, is a mixture of Gothic and Baroque, and of course has a golden roof. The frescoes in the interior show scenes from the aristocrat's life of that time. All of the decorations on the current structure are carefully executed replicas. The original reliefs are on permanent display in the Tyrolean State Museum, also known as the Tiroler Landesmuseum. Housed in the building is the Golden Roof Museum which has an exhibition about Emperor Maximilian I and his times, as well as the history of Innsbruck's emblem. Lovers of the Gothic art shouldn’t miss the Tiroler Landesmuseum, its collection includes beautifully coloured, delicately etched stained glass windows, a few altars and paintings and an array of modern works. Maria-Theresien Strasse is Innsbruck's main street and a wonderful place to stroll around or sit at one of the side cafes and watch people go by. At one end there is the Triumphal arch which leads to the old town. Maria-Theresien Strasse is a lovely pedestrian area, with pavement cafés, Baroque architecture, restaurants, and views of the stunning mountains. Innsbruck offers a fairly unique winter holiday proposition, mixing gorgeous mountain scenery with architectural grandeur, and big city buzz with hundreds of shops, restaurants and funky bars.

About the destination: Salzburg, birthplace of Mozart, lies at the border of Austria and Germany. The Salzach River separated Salzburg’s old and new towns. The old town is impressive and concentrated. It centres around the broad Residenzplatz, and is largely a pedestrian zone. The relatively new town centres around Mirabellplatz and Markartplatz. Salzburg’s impressive hills rise straight out of the old town. The most conspicuous hilltop fortification is the Hohensalzburg, build over the centuries on an ancient Celtic and Roman site, and now the largest fully preserved medieval castle in Europe. For splendour of another sort visit the Schloss Mirabell and its Gardens, located right next to the Salzach River and the Mozarteum University of Music and Arts. The castle was built by an archbishop for his beloved courtesan. You can wander around extravagant rose and flower gardens and marvel at the stone dwarves in the Zwerglgarten. To learn about Mozart and his life, go to his Geburtshaus, Mozart's birth house. The street itself is worth a look, the guild signs and painted wall decorations are much as they were at the time Mozart’s birth. The house exhibits pictures, letters, and stage sets for the various operas Mozart wrote. Protected by forested mountains, Salzburg is a city of enchantment whose voice is expressed in some of the world’s most sublime music, composed by favourite son, Mozart. The age that produced the unrivalled musical genius of Mozart also built the beautiful castles and churches of Salzburg, and spawned a love of music that lives on today in Salzburg’s countless concert series and annual summer festival.

About the destination: Zell am See is the administrative capital of the Zell am See District in the Austrian state of Salzburg. Whenever you come to Zell am See it is always a special holiday experience, no matter if it is summer or winter. A place to enjoy the lakes, mountains and everlasting ice at the Kitzsteinhorn glacier. The vast Zell am See-Kaprun skiing area is perfectly suited for professional skiers / snowboarders and beginners alike. The skiing season in Zell am See-Kaprun starts early autumn and extends into early summer. The well-developed cycling paths in the Salzburg holiday region are highly suitable for families and cyclists that enjoy travelling at a comfortable pace. You will find numerous inns and cafes on the wayside to cover your refreshment needs. One of the best places for a relaxing spa day in Zell am See-Kaprun is the modern “Taunern Spa“ located close to mount Kitzsteinhorn or one of many Wellnes & SPA hotels where you can choose from a wide range of beauty and wellness treatments. In Zell am See you can also practice others activities, like hiking, play golf, aviation or shopping.

About the destination: Hallstatt, Upper Austria, is a village in the Salzkammergut, a region in Austria. It is located near the Hallstätter See. Hallstatt is known for its production of salt, dating back to prehistoric times, and gave its name to the Hallstatt culture, a culture often linked to Celtic, Proto-Celtic, and pre-Illyrian peoples. MAIN TOURIST ATTRACTIONS • Cultural Heritage Museum. A small but interesting museum displaying 7000 years of Hallstatt history. • Beinhaus. Due to the extremely limited space in the cemetery, burials are only temporary. • The town. Simply enjoy the peace and quiet of the town.

About the destination: Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria. It is a beautiful romantic city and famous for its coffee culture and cafes, classical music and concert halls, historical buildings, horse-drawn carriages, and its charming streets. There is a rich cultural diversity in Vienna, and its location at the very heart of Europe makes it also an excellent starting point for travelling around Europe. Vienna an impressing city to visit, the city is dominated by the Ringstrasse, a four kilometer long boulevard which encircles the center of the city. The city is filled with modern conveniences and attractions but blanketed as well with reminders of a great historical and cultural heritage. Excellent museums, palaces, gardens, architectural triumphs, remnants of ancient inhabitants, statuary, and grand cafes blend with trendy shops, excellent restaurants, accessible musical venues, modern museums and sculpture, and upscale hotels to make Vienna a very attractive. The extensive pedestrianized streets of the old city are a delight, lined by beautiful old buildings, populated by the young and old, filled with local shops, boutiques and cafes, and with the unexpected around every turn. The center city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Vienna is history and music, poetry and culture, modernism and tradition, nostalgia and grandeur.