Austria

ACCOMODATIONS AND CLIMATE

Innsbruck (map) is 3.5 hours by road from Lucerne. Hotel Maximilian. In center city.

BBC weather says that in May, Innsbruck's temperature ranges from 46 to 68 degrees Farenheit. Its climate is equivalent to that of Moscow and Montreal.

GLOBUS ITINERARY

Friday, May 23...Lucerne–Liechtenstein–Innsbruck, Austria

.......Then leave Switzerland, stop in the Principality of Liechtenstein, and continue to Innsbruck in the Austrian Tyrol. Take pictures of Emperor Maximilian’s GOLDEN ROOF. (BB,D)

Optional...Tyrolean Folklore Evening

The most traditional Alpine folklore show in town! Enjoy this entertaining evening including Schuhplatteln dancers, yodeling, lederhosen, dirndls, and zither music. Drinks included. Approximate value: EUR €36 per person.

Saturday, May 24....Innsbruck–Venice, Italy

The spectacular Brenner Pass leads through the barrier of the Tyrolean Alps to Italy. Enter Venice in style by PRIVATE BOAT to ST. MARK’S SQUARE.....

ITINERARY

Innsbruck is 3.5 hours by road from Lucerne. We doubt we will have much time there. Innsbruck was annexed by the Germans during WW2, and there was a concentration camp nearby.

The Golden Roof was built in 1500. (Picture.) It was decorated with 2657 fire-gilded copper tiles for Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor. The reliefs on the balcony show coats of arms, symbols and other figures in his life.

If we do have time in Innsbruck, there are a number of things within close walking distance. The railroad station, where there is a tourist information desk, is not close. There is a TI a few blocks from the hotel, at Burrggraben 3, open 9am to 6pm. If there turns out to be alot of time, a page of attractions is here.

As an alternative to Globus's optional folklore tour, Rick Steves says that city hotels offer slap dancing entertainment nearly nightly at 8:30 pm starting in April for €20, including a drink with the 2-hour show, tickets at the Tourist Information booths. Video of slap dancing.

The Brenner Pass is one of the principal passes through the Alps, along the border between Austria and Italy. On the 6-lane autobahn, it is the lowest (1370 m) and easiest of the Alpine passes. The Europe Bridge over the Sill River is 600 feet high and 1/2 mile long. The pass is infamous for heavy traffic conjestion.

It take over 4 hours to get to Venice from Innsbruck, by way of Verona and Vincenza Italy.