This document provides travel information about Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. It includes facts about each country as well as tips on the best times to travel, how to get there, recommended destinations, activities, and hotels. Key details include Austria being the size of Maine, Germany being the size of Montana, and Switzerland being twice the size of New Jersey. Popular destinations mentioned are Salzburg, Munich, Black Forest, Swiss Alps, and more. The document aims to inform travelers on traveling to and experiencing the regions.

1. Marsa Kindl-Omuse
Marketing Manager NA
Ricarda Lindner
Regional Manager Americas
Alex Herrmann
Director Americas

2. Facts & Travel Tips

3. Alps

4. Austria
 Size of US State of
Maine
 8 European Neighbors
 9 Federal States
 Population 8.5 Mio
 Currency: Euro
 Official Language:
German
Quick Facts
Germany
 Size of US State of
Montana
 9 European Neighbors
 16 Federal States
 Population 81 Mio
 Currency: Euro
 Official Language:
German
Switzerland
 App. twice the size of the
US State of New Jersey
 5 European Neighbors
 26 Cantons
 Population 8 Mio
 Currency: Swiss Franc
 Official Languages:
German, French, Italian &
Romansh
English widely spoken in all three countries

5. Best Times to Travel
Summer Season
 May – September
Special Seasons
 Oct (Wine Harvest)
 Nov – Dec (Christmas Markets)
 Jan - Feb (Viennese Ball Season)
 March (Easter Celebrations)
Winter Season
 December - April

6. How to Get to the Alps
Austrian Airlines to Vienna:
 From Washington D.C. (IAD)
 From New York (JFK)
 From Chicago (ORD)
 From Toronto (YYZ)
Swiss International Airlines to Zurich:
 From New York (JFK) (and to Geneva)
 From Newark (EWR)
 From Boston (BOS)
 From Chicago (ORD)
 From Los Angeles (LAX)
 From Miami (MIA)
 From San Francisco (SFO)
 From Montreal (YUL)
Lufthansa to Frankfurt, Düsseldorf, Munich:
45,000 seats per week from US to Germany
 From Boston (BOS) From San Fran (SFO)
 From Charlotte (CLT) From Washington (IAD)
 From Chicago (ORD) From Toronto (YYZ)
 From Dallas (DFW) From Montreal (YUL)
 From Denver (DEN) From Vancouver (YVR)
 From Detroit (DTW)
 From Houston (IAH)
 From Los Angeles (LAX)
 From Miami (MIA)
 From New York (JFK, EWR)
 From Orlando (MCO)
 From Philadelphia (PHL)
 From Seattle (SEA)
US Airways, Delta, United and AA also offer service to the Alps.

7. 2hrs
Traveling by Car

8. Traveling by Train

9. Our Recommendations

10. Culture Tips
Sustainable Architecture
 Local timber & energy-efficient
 Bregenzerwald / Vorarlberg
 www.bergenzerwald.at
Dirndl Couture
 From folk wear to haute couture
 Innsbruck, Salzburg, Salzkammergut, Vienna
 www.austria.info/dirndl
Salzburg Festival
 One of the world’s music highlights
 Salzburg City
 www.salzburgerfestspiele.at/summer

11. King Ludwig II’s Castles
 Neuschwanstein Castle
 Hohenschwangau Castle
 Linderhof Palace
 www.schloesser.bayern.de
Museums
 Lenbachhaus Munich
 State Gallery Stuttgart
 Museum of Violin Making Mittenwald
Car Experience
 BMW World, Munich
 Mercedes Museum, Stuttgart
 Porsche Museum, Stuttgart
 www.germany.travel (search “cars”)
Culture Tips

12. Old City Stein am Rhein
 Medieval old towns famous for its
magnificent murals.
 Schaffhausen Region
 www.schaffhauserland.ch
Therme Vals
 Wellness and famous architecture
 Graubunden region
 www.therme-vals.ch
Open Air Museum Ballenberg
 About 100 residential and agricultural
buildings from all over Switzerland
 Bernese Oberland
 www.ballenberg.ch
Culture Tips

13. Natural Wonders
National Park Hohe Tauern
 Alps’ largest Nature Reserve
 Mittersill, Salzburg Region
 www.nationalpark.at/en
Krimml Waterfalls
 Europe’s tallest waterfalls (1250ft), 3 tiers
 Krimml, Salzburg Region
 www.wasserfaelle-krimml.at
Hallstatt Village
 Ancient salt mining village (7,000 BC),
nestled along lake and mountain
 Hallstatt, Upper Austria Region
 www.hallstatt.net

14. Natural Wonders
Zugspitze
 Germany’s highest peak (10,000 ft.)
 Striking panoramas over the Alps and glacier
 www.zugspitze.de
Schellenberg Ice Cave
 Germany’s only developed ice cave, formed
by thousands of years of rain and snowmelt
 Near Berchtesgaden, 1.5 hours southwest of
Munich
 www.berchtesgadener-land.info
Black Forest
 Dense forests and magnificent mountain
peaks, mysterious glacial lakes
 Delicious cakes and top-notch culinary
experiences
 www.blackforest-tourism.com

15. Natural Wonders
Aletsch Glacier
 Europe’s largest glacier & UNESCO World
Heritage Site
 Bernese Oberland
 www.jungfraualetsch.ch/en/world-heritage.html
National Park
 Impressive piece of Alpine landscape,
with a wealth of flora and fauna.
 Engadin
 www.nationalpark.ch
Lavaux Vineyard Terraces
 The largest contiguous vineyard region &
UNESCO World Heritage Site
 Lake Geneva Region
 www.lavaux-unesco.ch/en

16. Culinary Tips
Via Culinaria
 7 culinary paths, individual itinerary
 Salzburg Region
 www.via-culinaria.com
Stanz – Distilling Village
 Top-quality Schnapps made in a quaint village
 Village of Stanz / Tirol
 www.tirolwest.at/xxl/en/stanz
5* Arlberg Hospiz
 Brotherhood of St. Christoph 1386, wine
cellar started 620 years ago
 St.Christoph in the Arlberg/Tirol
 www.arlberghospiz.at

17. Culinary Tips
Baiersbronn
 Culinary stronghold 1.5 hours south of
Heidelberg: 3 Michelin-star rated restaurants
 Guided culinary hiking tours focusing on
food, herbs, beer or schnapps
 www.baiersbronn.de
Munich
 11 Michelin star rated restaurants
 Variety of cuisines including local produce
 Chefs transform traditional food to gourmet
experiences
 www.muenchen.de
Seehotel Überfahrt
 1 hour south of Munich at Lake Tegernsee
 2 Michelin stars & cooking classes in English
 www.seehotel-ueberfahrt.com

18. Culinary Tips
Kornhauskeller Bern
 Bernese High Baroque style restaurant
 Bern city
 www.myswitzerland.com/en/historic-
kornhauskeller-bern.html
La Maison du Gruyères
 delicious and versatile cheese from western
Switzerland
 Fribourg Region
 www.lamaisondugruyere.ch
Grotto Pozzasc
 Taste the typical polenta in that idyllic Ticino inn
 Ticino Region
 www.myswitzerland.com/en/grotto-pozzasc.html

19. Luxury Hotels
5*S Interalpen-Hotel Tyrol
 Seefeld (30 min to Innsbruck)
 Leading Hotel of the World
 www.interalpen-tyrol.com
5* Schloss Fuschl Resort & Spa
 Hof bei Salzburg (15 min to Salzburg)
 Luxury Collection
 www.schlossfuschlsalzburg.com
5* Grand Tirolia Ski & Spa Resort Kitzbühel
 Kitzbühel (1hr to Innsbruck, 1.5hrs to
Salzburg)
 Small Luxury Hotel of the World
 www.grand-tirolia.com

20. Luxury Hotels
Munich
 11 five-star hotels incl. famous “Bayerischer Hof”
 International brands and traditional Bavarian
style accommodation
 www.muenchen.de
Reindl’s Partenkirchner Hof
 In the heart of Garmisch-Partenkirchen
 Authentic Bavarian style paired with luxury
service and facilities
 www.reindls.de
South-West Germany
 Baden-Baden: 3 five-star hotels Spa Eldorado
and gateway to the Black Forest
 Baiersbronn: 3 five-star hotels Culinary Gem
 www.tourism-bw.com

21. Luxury Hotels
5* Resort Collina D’Oro
 In Lugano
 Healing Hotels of the World
 www.resortcollinadoro.com
5* Beau Rivage Palace
 In Lausanne
 Leading Hotels of the World
 www.brp.ch
5* Hotel Park Weggis
 In Weggis near Lucerne
 Relais & Chateau
 www.parkweggis.ch

22. Newsworthy

23. New Flight Service Chicago to Vienna
 5 flights a week operated with Boeing 767
 VO* OS 066; code share: UA6740
 New full-flat seats in Business Class
 www.austrian.com
Austria
5* Hotel Boom in Vienna
 Ritz Carlton Vienna – Opened Fall 2012
 Sans Souci – Opened Q1 2013
 Palais Hansen Kempinski - Opened Q1 2013
 Park Hyatt - Opening 2014
 www.vienna.info
Third Friendliest Country in Europe
 The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report
2013 by the World Economic Forum
 140 countries surveyed

24. Germany
Richard Wagner’s 200th birthday
 Germany and Bayreuth celebrate
 Bayreuth Festival: Jul 25-Aug 27, 2013
 www.bayreuther-festspiele.de
Munich Airport VIP wing
 Exclusive VIP car/limousine access
 VIP SUITES - individual and conference
 Separate security screening, passport control
and customs clearance / VAT refunds
 www.munich-airport.de
Germany’s TOP100 App
 Rated by 46,000 tourists:
1. Neuschwanstein Castle
2. Europa-Park, Rust
3. Cologne Cathedral
 www.germany.travel/top100

25. Switzerland
New openings 4 & 5* Hotels
 4* InterContinental Resort & Spa in Davos –
Opening Dec 2013
 5* The Alpina Gstaad – Opened Dec 2012
 4* Sheraton Zurich Hotel - Opening 2014
New double-deck cable car to Mt Stanserhorn
 Lake Lucerne Region
 2 cabins and open upper deck
 Capacity: 90 persons
 www.stanserhorn.ch/en/
Launch of new E-learning Program
 For agents based in the US and Canada
 In collaboration with Travel Agent Academy
 Available August 1st, the Swiss National Day
 Gold-level and Platinum-level

26. www.austria.info
www.germany.travel
ww.myswitzerland.com