Village Life in the Alps June 17—25, 2005 Enjoy the unrivaled charm and stunning natural beauty of the Austrian, German, and Italian Alps on this new Village Life travel program. While staying amidst a magnificent alpine setting at a four-star, family-owned traditional Tyrolean hotel in the quaint town of Igls, experience the region's fascinating history and rich culture with visits to such landmarks as Mozart's birthplace at Salzburg and Ludwig II's fairy-tale Neuschwanstein Castle in Füssen, Germany. Enjoy the breathtaking beauty and regal architecture of Innsbruck and experience the charm of Italian alpine towns such as Merano and Bolzano. Also, see the mysterious 5,300-year-old "Iceman" ice mummy, visit a working farm and enhance your understanding and enjoyment of the region by attending special cultural presentations and a Village Forum discussion with local residents. From $2,095 per person all inclusive land program. Airfare from the U.S. available. This trip is offered in cooperation with Thomas P. Gohagan & Company. Detailed Itinerary Day One—U.S./In Transit Travel from the U.S. to Innsbruck, Austria. Day Two—Innsbruck and Igls Arrive in Innsbruck. Enjoy a scenic motorcoach transfer to the alpine village of Igls and the Hotel Igls. Gather for a private welcome reception at the hotel this evening. Day Three—Innsbruck Set on the banks of its namesake river and surrounded by the Alps, Innsbruck ("bridge on the Inn") dominates the historic European trade routes between north and south, and east and west. Take a walking tour of historic Innsbruck, followed by an afternoon at leisure for independent exploration. Day Four—Italy's South Tyrol Across the Brenner Pass—the link between Austria and Italy—lie the towns of Bolzano and Merano, the gateway to Italy's spectacular Dolomite Alps. Here the Germanic and Latin worlds meet, and street signs appear in two languages. Enjoy a tour of Bolzano, including a visit to the South Tyrolean Museum of Archeology, the last resting place of the Iceman "Otzi," whose more than 5,000-year-old remains form a direct link to the Neolithic Era. In the nearby spa town of Merano, admire its Gothic churches, medieval city center and verdant parks and gardens. Day Five—Historic Mining Towns of Tyrol At the bustling town of Schwaz, miners wrested from the stone the hidden wealth that underpinned Tyrol's prosperity in ages past—silver. Here you can don miner's apparel and enter the heart of the working mine that once contained the richest veins of silver and copper in Central Europe. Continue to Hall, a perfectly preserved late medieval gem that grew rich from the trade in salt. Visit Castle Hasegg, a 16th-century fortress that houses the Mint Tower, where a silver coin known as a Thaler was first put into circulation. Enjoy an evening guided Laternenwandern ("latern walk") to an alpine chalet, where refreshments will be served. Day Six—Salzburg Its magnificent alpine setting combined with its ornate Baroque churches and the immortal musical legacy of its most famous son, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Salzburg epitomizes all that is Austrian. Begin your tour in Altstadt (Old Town), designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, and view Fortress Hohensalzburg, the Cathedral and the Festival Quarter. Then continue to Mozart's residence and the elegant Mirabell Gardens. After a visit to Mozart's birthplace, enjoy a private lecture by Dr. Franz Wasner about Salzburg's famous Von Trapp family, celebrated in The Sound of Music. Day Seven—Germany's Bavarian Alps At the foot of the Bavarian Alps towers the fairy-tale castle of Neuschwanstein, the personal fantasy of the 19th-century King Ludwig II, known to his subjects as "the Mad." The neighboring town of Fussen, situated at the southern terminus of the Romantic Road, preserves a medieval ambiance in its quaint lanes, bustling Marktplatz and 16th-century castle. This evening, enjoy the exclusive Village Forum featuring local Tyrolean residents who will discuss contemporary issues of the region. Day Eight—Mosern Complementing the scenic splendor of Tyrol's soaring peaks is the tranquil beauty of its rich farms and meadows. To this day, Tyroleans remain wedded to the soil, as you will have occasion to experience on an excursion to a working, family-owned farm in the hamlet of Mosern. There, the Neuner family will welcome you to their ancestral homestead of Spacklerhof. Then ride in a horse-drawn wagon to a secluded mountain lake and "summer pasture" where the family's sheep graze. The day also includes a workshop on the Tyrolean art of dry flower binding. Day Nine—Return to the U.S. Transfer to Innsbruck for your return to the U.S. The organizers of the tour reserve the right to make changes to this itinerary as may be necessary for the integrity of the program and for the comfort and safety of the passengers. Hotel Igls Enjoy seven nights at the four-star Hotel Igls. Established in 1871, this family-owned and operated hotel is built in a typically Tyrolean chalet-style and offers a cozy ambiance, comfortable accommodations and warm hospitality. Set in an ideal location, the hotel is adjacent to the village and an in-village working farm and offers easy access by tram to nearby Innsbruck. The owners take great pride in offering personalized service to guests. Each room is individually configured and tastefully appointed with cozy traditional furnishings, and features private facilities, telephone and television. Most rooms have balconies with breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains. Meals typify the hearty fare of the Tyrol. The breakfast buffet features a “farmers’ corner” of the freshest local produce, cheeses and meats, and lunch and dinner provide guests with the opportunity to savor regional specialties. The hotel lounge provides an inviting gathering place before and after meals. Special Guest Speaker The story of the real-life Von Trapp Family Singers has been immortalized in the film The Sound of Music. In a specially arranged exclusive lecture, Franz Matthias Wasner, Ph.D., namesake and nephew of the monsignor and artistic director who served as the family’s private chaplain, will provide further insights into the lives of Georg and Maria von Trapp and their musically gifted children. Wasner’s ties to Salzburg run deep. A native of the region, Dr. Wasner is an adviser on art and science for the government of the province of Salzburg. Through his uncle, a monsignor who accompanied Maria von Trapp and her family for 20 years—on their thrilling escape from Austria in 1938; during their sojourn in the United States’ Green Mountains of Vermont, where they started a new life; and on their missionary journeys to the South Pacific—Wasner has gained an insider’s perspective on Salzburg’s most famous and beloved family, and he looks forward to sharing his insights with you. Included Features seven nights’ accommodations at the Hotel Igls private welcome reception in the hotel three meals each day—including two-course lunches and three-course dinners—featuring regional specialties prepared with fresh, locally produced ingredients; a special festive Austrian dinner will be served one night a 24-hour local public transportation/admissions pass for Igls, Innsbruck and Hall for individual sightseeing all tours and excursions listed, led by an exclusive local cultural expert:  half-day tour of Innsbruck full-day excursion to Bolzano and Merano, Italy, featuring a visit to Bolzano’s South Tyrolean Museum of Archaeology to see the Ice Man half-day excursion to the silver mine of Schwaz and in Hall mint your own thaler full-day excursion to Salzburg, the city of Mozart full-day excursion to Füssen, Germany, to tour Neuschwanstein, the fairy-tale castle of King Ludwig II half-day excursion to Mösern to visit a typical Tyrolean working, family-owned mountainside farm exclusive Village Forum featuring local Tyrolean residents who will discuss contemporary issues of region specially arranged Laternenwandern (an evening guided mountain lantern walk) to an alpine chalet where refreshments will be served Franz Wasner, Ph.D., to provide an exclusive perspective on the famous Von Trapp family of the Sound of Music fame exclusively arranged workshop on the Tyrolean art of dry flower binding transfers and luggage handling abroad for passengers traveling on group flights gratuities to guides and drivers on included excursions a hospitality desk in the hotel the services of an experience program director throughout the program travel document wallet, name badge and pre-departure information for each passenger automatic $250,000 flight insurance for each passenger ticketed on flights by Gohagan & Company Not Included in the Cost of the Tour airfare and associated local taxes federal inspection fees airport facility taxes and local departure air taxes land taxes  passport fees personal expenses such as laundry, telephone calls, meals and alcoholic beverages not listed in the “included features” section optional sightseeing excursions services other than those specifically mentioned in the “included features” section services other than those specifically mentioned in the “included features” section transfers and luggage handling to/from airport/hotel/ship on day(s) of arrival and/or departure if you have not purchased your air arrangements through Gohagan & Company, or if you are arriving or departing earlier and/or later than the arrival and/or departure of the group flights accident/sickness, trip cancellation and baggage insurance excess baggage charges on aircraft Tour Cost $2,095 per person, double occupancy $600 additional for single occupancy $195 for taxes additional per person and subject to change $1,150 round trip airfare Los Angeles/Innsbruck and Innsbruck/Los Angeles Deposit/Final Payment: A $500 per person deposit is required to confirm your reservation; final payment is due to Gohagan & Company by March 14, 2005. Deposit checks should be payable to Thomas P. Gohagan & Company and sent to aggieAdventures Travel Program, Cal Aggie Alumni Association, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616-8517. Deposits can also be made by credit card; however, all final payments are required to be made by check or wire transfer. Cancellations and Refunds: Cancellations for all or any part of the trip will not be effective until they are received in writing in the offices of Gohagan & Company. Should you have to cancel, the following terms will apply: reservations are subject to a $100 per person cancellation fee from the time of booking up to and including 120 days prior to departure; cancellations received from 95 through 119 days prior to departure are subject to a $500 per person cancellation fee; from 45 through 94 days prior to departure 50% of the published tour cost will be charged; from 22 through 44 days prior to departure 75% of the published tour cost will be charged; and cancellations received 21 days or less prior to departure, a no-show or early return from the trip will result in forfeiture of 100% of the published tour cost. These cancellation fees are for the land program and are in addition to any applicable cancellation fees for the airlines. Trip cancellation insurance is strongly recommended! For further information, contact Jennifer Barber, director of the aggieAdventures travel program, Cal Aggie Alumni Association, UC Davis, at (530) 754-9903 or e-mail jabarber@ucdavis.edu. Travel plans for this tour will be arranged by Thomas P. Gohagan & Company in Chicago, Illinois, (800) 922-3088.