back to Austria

Austria

Advent in Austria with The Venerable Philip Jones and Mrs Anne Jones

Celebrate the season the traditional way!

Spend the days leading up to Christmas in a magnificent alpine setting where the advent customs of its regions, towns and villages are the perfect antidote to the pre-Christmas rush. Be part of authentic advent traditions whilst visiting the Advent markets in the picturesque villages of Zell Am See, Rattenberg and Berchtesgaden. Walk the Berchtesgaden Emmaus Trail and past the churches and chapels in the Berchtesgaden market and above the town and enjoy an afternoon horse-drawn sleigh ride in Zell am See. With so many extras included you will be able to enjoy the sounds of church bells, traditional carols and festive brass band music with the smell of fresh cinnamon from Christmas treats and bubbling gluhwein as you wander the traditional Advent markets. The emphasis is more on traditional clothing from local woolens, handicrafts, wood carvings and nativity scenes reflecting the true meaning of Christmas. We invite you to join us for our unspoiled celebration at this special time of the year.

 

 

Itinerary

  1. To Salzburg

    Arrival at Salzburg Airport. Your tour manager Rena Bremer will welcome you. Coach transfer to your hotel located in Zell am See, the capital of the Pinzgau district. This evening you may have the chance to witness one of the Advent traditions of Austria, the „Perchtenlauf“. The so-called „Perchten“ are half animal, half human and stroll and roar through the village, accompanied by the sounds of bells. But don’t worry, Saint Nicholas will accompany them! Dinner in the hotel. Optional service of Compline.

  2. Rattenberg

    Today you will visit the medieval town of Rattenberg. During the Advent time the city offers a magical and charming Christmas market lit up by candles. You will have the opportunity to walk up to the impressive ruins of the former Rattenberg fortress and visit the stunning local church. There will be time to enjoy the Christmas market and traditional Austrian music before we return to our hotel for dinner. Optional service of Compline.

  3. Zell am See

    After an early breakfast, we walk to the Auferstehungskirche (Church of Resurection) where Holy Communion will be celebrated at 09:00.  Today we spend the day in Zell am See. This charming city is situated at the foot of the Schmittenhöhe mountain and on the shores of Lake Zell. During an orientation walk of the city, Rena will take you to some of the main sites including St Hippolyte’s Church and the town’s main square Stadtplatsz. Take your time to find the right place for a light lunch before we board the boat for a lake cruise on lake Zell. After returning to the shore, you may wish to visit the city’s Christmas market, the “Sternenadvent”. Vibrant stars are reflected in the water of Lake Zell, the sweet smell of biscuits is in the air, and magical moments await „star advent“ visitors at the bandstand in Elisabethpark by the lake. Today there will also be the opportunity to take a horse-drawn sleigh ride in Zell am See. Dinner in the hotel. Optional service of Compline.

  4. Salzburg

    Today you will visit Salzburg, the city of Mozart and Sound of Music, overlooked by the famous medieval fortress Hohensalzburg. After a guided tour of the main sites of the city, you are free to either stroll through the streets of Salzburg to do some shopping or stop for lunch, or visit the famous Salzburg Advent market in front of the Dom. In the afternoon, continue to the famous pilgimage church of Maria Plain. Maria Plain, which is located to the north-east of Salzburg City, has been a beloved pilgrimage destination since the 17th century. The three-story façade with two towers was modelled after Salzburg Cathedral and is visible from far away. The church’s interior is filled with a golden aura, underscored by tones of blue and white. Maria Plain’s famous painting is the focal point of the high altar itself. Return to your hotel for dinner. Optional service of Compline.

  5. Berchtesgaden

    Today Austrian Christians celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and you may choose to take the opportunity to join a public Mass. Later today you drive to the Bavarian village of Berchtesgaden. Berchtesgaden had already been receiving prominent guests before the term holiday was even invented - Bavaria's kings, artists and noblemen preferred this town over others. Fortunately, you no longer have to be an aristocrat to enjoy the place! The town invites you to discover interesting sights such as the historic Rococo town centre with its town houses, monastery church and royal palace. Today, there will be the opportunity to walk the Berchtesgaden Emmaus Trail. It takes about an hour and takes you past the churches and chapels in the Berchtesgaden market and above the town. During Advent, the Emmaus Trail becomes a lantern trail: 75 oversized lanterns, modelled on Berchtesgaden craftsmanship, illuminate the path atmospherically. There will be some time to visit the local Christmas Market before we return to our hotel for dinner. Optional service of Compline.

  6. Jakobskreuz and Maria Kirchental

    Today you visit the largest accessible summit cross in the world, the Jakobskreuz. It is located on top of the summit of the Buchensteinwand, the most beautiful panoramic mountain in the Pillersee valley. To reach the cross, you will ascend with a chairlift. Inside the cross there is a small chapel where you may stop for a prayer. The four viewing platforms of the cross can be easily reached in a passenger lift. Today lunch will be included in a local restaurant. After lunch you continue to the village St Martin bei Lofer, where you have to change to minibuses as no big buses are allowed on the narrow road to Maria Kirchental. Alongside Maria Plain this place is certainly one of the most-visited pilgrimage churches in the province of Salzburg. Pilgrims have been coming here for over 300 years to visit the “mountain crystal among pilgrimage churches”, as a former Bishop so aptly described this place. This Baroque jewel was designed by the legendary Johannes Bernhard Fischer von Erlach and was consecrated in 1701. The double-towered, two-storey east facade and the expanse of the interior space are particularly impressive. The church has one of the best-known and most significant collections of votive images in Austria. Return to your hotel for dinner. Optional service of Compline.

  7. Home

    After an early breakfast, we head to Salzburg airport and check-in for your flights to London Heathrow.

  8. Home

    Our tour manager will escort us to Salzburg Airport for our flight back to London.

Essential Information

The cost is £2,599 per person sharing a double or twin room. 

The tour includes:

  • 6 nights in Zell am See at the Hotel Fisch Inn (or similar)
  • Daily breakfast, evening meals and one lunch on DAY 6
  • Private air-conditioned coach with driver for transfers and touring
  • Local English-speaking tour manager throughout
  • Individual headsets
  • All entrance fees (as per itinerary)
  • Gratuities
  • Outbound flight from Gatwick to Salzburg
  • Inbound flight from Salzburg to Gatwick

Flights from other airports including transfers on arrival can be arranged at a supplement subject to availability, you can also book this tour without flights. For more information please ask for details. Please ask for a quote when booking.

 

Practical information

Entry requirements

British Citizen and EU Citizen Passport holders can currently enter Austria freely with no restrictions or other documentation required. Stays within the EU can be up to 90 days (can be spread over multiple visits) within any 180-day period.

Please note your passport must be valid for six months after your return from Austria.

Full details of entry requirements and any required vaccinations will be detailed in your final paperwork 14 days before departure.

For the latest and most up to date travel advice including entry requirements please consult the Foreign & Commonwealth Development Office travel advice website.

www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice

Health & wellbeing

For travel within the EU you should ensure that you have the Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) which is free of charge.  You can apply for the GHIC card by calling 0191 218 1999 or applying on line at…

www.nhs.uk/ghic

The level of cover offered by the GHIC card varies by country visited and is only applicable in state-run health facilities. In some countries coverage may just be a partial contribution.

Adequate insurance cover will be required for all hospital emergencies and doctors’ visits.

Climate

In Austria the average temperature during your stay should be around -5 to +4 degrees centigrade. It is advisable to bring some warm clothes and layers for the days as well as a winter hat, gloves and a scarf. In the mountains weather can change rapidly for worse or better and a misty start often leads to a glorious afternoon. We never can see what is the other side of the mountain and the weather is often difficult to predict so please be prepared.

Clothing

Dress is casual throughout the holiday. You may wish to take one or two smarter items for the evenings. Warm casual clothing is recommended in the day time with evenings being smart/casual. As the sightseeing visits require a certain amount of walking, we suggest you take a pair of warm lined shoes or boots with decent grip to walk in the snow or the occasional icy surface are a must. Austrians often wear real fur which are family heirlooms handed down from generation to generation and not seen as taboo as they are in the U.K.

Please bring a hat, scarf and gloves to keep warm as well as a pair of sunglasses as the glare of sunshine (hopefully) on snow can be quite strong.

Mobility

There is a certain amount of walking (and stairs) involved on a daily basis on this holiday so please make sure you pack comfy footwear for this so that you are prepared. Your Tour Manager will keep you updated on a daily basis with what to expect the following day. If you are finding it difficult to keep up then please make sure you tell your Tour Manager who can help you to find places to rest and relax and then you can re-join the group at a later stage.

Some streets in towns and villages that you will visit will be cobbled. We suggest you take a pair of comfortable shoes with good grips or trainers. For your guided walking tours in Salzburg and Oberndorf you must be prepared to be on your feet for up to 90 minutes.

The McCabe Educational Trust

The McCabe Educational Trust is an independent registered charity with the aim of helping inspiring people we meet on some of our pilgrimages. As ‘the haves’ encounter the ‘have nots’ the Trust has become a practical tool for one to help the other.

McCabe Pilgrimages invite all travellers to become partners in this work. A £20 voluntary donation to the Trust’s work is added to every pilgrim’s invoice and all money raised in this way is given in full to the projects the Trust supports. This scheme is voluntary and confidential with nobody put under any pressure to participate.

Travel insurance

Ensuring that your holidays are appropriately protected is one of our main priorities. That’s why we have specifically chosen Holiday Extras as our *preferred travel insurance provider to ensure that you are protected before and whilst you are travelling. Holiday Extras offer McCabe Travel guests favourable rates for single trip, multi-trip and annual policies.

For more information or to obtain a quote click below for their website

https://www.holidayextras.com/travel-insurance

Or call them on 0800 083 3551 to speak to a friendly advisor.

Please quote AG628 upon calling to receive the best rates

Full financial security

All money paid to McCabe is fully secure. Holidays including flights are covered by our ATOL license from the Civil Aviation Authority, and holidays without flights are protected by our membership of the ABTOT bonding scheme. If a pilgrimage is cancelled, for instance through lack of numbers or for political considerations, McCabe will promptly refund all monies paid.

AITO Quality Statement

McCabe Pilgrimages is a member of the Association of Independent Tour Operators. The Association represents Britain’s leading independent tour operators and encourages high standards of quality and service. McCabe abides by the Association’s Code of Conduct and adheres to the AITO Quality Charter.

You can read McCabe reviews on the AITO website here

 

Read reviews

Dates

Our Programme Tour Leader Tour Dates Availability
Advent in Zell am Zee, Austria Advent in Austria with The Venerable Philip Jones and Mrs Anne Jones Departing From London Gatwick Prices from £2499 pp The Venerable Philip Jones 04/12/2026 for 7 days Download brochure Book now Make an enquiry

Send to a friend




    Advent in Austria with The Venerable Philip Jones and Mrs Anne Jones

    Prices from £2,499 pp

    Read more

    Fellowship Tours

    A portfolio of tours with regular travellers in mind

    Read more