Our first destination is Bad Ischl, the elegant spa town that became the summer residence of Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elisabeth, better known as Sisi. Grand villas, historic cafés and reminders of imperial life reveal a different side of Austria — refined, romantic and closely connected with the Habsburg past.
We’ll discover the town’s imperial heritage and learn why Bad Ischl became such an important retreat for the imperial family, aristocrats and artists. Then we continue through the spectacular landscapes of the Salzkammergut, surrounded by lakes, forests and Alpine peaks on our way toward Hallstatt.