Walk & Discover: Austrian Tyrol

Arrive at the airport for your flight to Munich. We transfer by coach to Seefeld, one of Tyrol’s most attractive villages, where we stay for seven nights at our hotel.

After breakfast, we take the short drive to the Tyrolean capital of Innsbruck, where our local guide will take us on a tour of this delightful historic city. A legacy of the city’s long and varied history is the beautiful architecture. Among numerous visual treats are the copper-tiled ‘Golden Roof’, the city’s Baroque cathedral and the Imperial Palace, once home of the only female Habsburg ruler, Empress Maria Theresa.

Innsbruck is a truly enchanting destination, and there’s ample time to wander its medieval streets, absorb the genteel ambience or enjoy a performance by talented street musicians before returning to Seefeld in the mid-afternoon. The rest of the day is at your leisure.

Ringed by breathtaking limestone peaks, Seefeld is renowned for its cross-country skiing and excellent walking trails. After breakfast we have a choice of walks exploring the area.

We exit the town of Seefeld through the city park that hugs the shores of Wildsee, a sparkling lake surrounded by forests and a beautiful nature reserve. Following a forest trail, we make our way through a small hamlet on the outskirts of the town. As we ascend the trail, we catch glimpses of Seefeld down below and pass under the Hochangerbahn chairlift before descending through the forest back to town.

From Seefeld we follow a lovely trail through a pine forest, catching glimpses of the surrounding mountains before arriving at the little lake of Wildmoos. We follow a short, sharp forest track with views over Lottensee, a lake that appears periodically depending on meltwater levels underground. Then we descend to the picture-perfect Möserersee, a small lake surrounded by spruce trees. After a stop for refreshments, we begin our gentle descent through forests and meadows back to Seefeld.

You have a free day to relax and enjoy the attractions in and around Seefeld. Keen to visit the mountains surrounding the village such as Seefelder Joch and Härmelekopf? Various chairlifts, cable cars or a funicular railway will whisk you to the top without effort. Whatever your choice, you’re assured of another superb meal at the hotel this evening.

After breakfast we drive to Achensee, Tyrol’s largest lake and perhaps the most stunning – this fjord-like body of water is flanked by the scenic peaks of the Karwendel and Rofan mountains. We arrive at the picturesque village of Pertisau on the lake’s western shore and have some free time to wander before setting off on another wonderful walk.

Both Green and Blue walks follow a delightful trail along Achensee with fantastic views across to the Rofan mountains. As we pass through forested tracks and make our gradual ascent, we are rewarded with superb views of Achensee and the small waterfalls that feed the lake. The path leads into the forest and a traditional Austrian inn at Gaisalm serving food and drinks, after which our paths diverge.

Those of us on the Green route will take a boat ride to Scholastika at the opposite end of the lake, where there are restaurants, bars and a pretty park to relax in.

Our Blue walk continues along the lake and up a stairway for wonderful views to the east. The narrow and sometimes exposed trail takes us past waterfalls, ravines and meadows to Scholastika, where we board our coach to return to Seefeld.

Today we drive across the border into nearby Bavaria where we pass Germany’s highest mountain, the 9,718-foot Zugspitze. The journey includes two of Germany’s most iconic routes – the fabled ‘Romantic Road’ passing through quintessential Bavarian countryside and the equally grand ‘German Alpine Road’. The latter leads to the instantly recognisable focus of today’s tour – Neuschwanstein.

The architecture is similarly impressive inside, as you’ll discover on our guided tour taking you through sumptuous halls, salons and dining rooms. Later we return to Seefeld.

We journey east to the medieval town of Kufstein, nestled at the foot of the mighty limestone Kaisergebirge close to the German border. All around us are incredible views, orchid-filled alpine meadows and the idyllic peaks of the magnificent Wilder Kaiser mountains. We take the Kaiser chairlift up to Brentejoch mountain station, the starting point of both our walks today.

As we meander through pretty meadows and the beautiful spruce forest of the nature reserve, we enjoy wonderful views over the Kaisertal valley to the Kitzbühel Alps in the distance. After a stop at Brentenjochalm Inn for a drink, we continue through the forest, pausing to admire superb views of the Brandenberg Alps. Afterwards there is free time to explore at your leisure and absorb the spectacular views over Kufstein before we take the chairlift back to town.

From the chairlift, we ascend through forest and take in wonderful views over the Kaisertal. Upon reaching Gamskogel, the trail descends, the forest thins out and we ramble through meadows – the views of the Wilder Kaiser to the Kitzbühel Alps are breathtaking.

The trail continues to Steinburg Chapel, from where we follow the Alderweg – ‘Eagles Way’ – a long-distance walking trail that passes through the Tyrolean Alps and descends back to the Brentenjochalm Inn, where we reward ourselves with a drink before taking the chairlift back down to the valley.

After both walks, there’s free time to explore Kufstein. Visit the impressive medieval fortress that crowns the town or simply wander as you wish before we return to Seefeld for our final dinner.