"Stepping out onto our hotel balcony in Murren, being on a cliff and looking out over the Alps with clear skies and birds singing and cow bell jingles.". It was great to learn about Thomas'perspective on growing up and living in what was East Berlin and being able to teach him some of our American idioms. Not a fan of Trier, would not go back. Our tour guides were amazing and our tour group became very much like a family. Overall, the experience was wonderful. This was our 4th Rick Steves trip and our fellow travelers rivaled the ones we had on our Village Italy in 14 Days tour. ", "Lake Halstaf (?) "So many! Trains from Austria to Switzerland Day trains: Railjet Xpress High-speed Railjet Xpress trains connect Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck and several other Austrian towns to Zurich, Budapest, Munich and Prague. To reach Switzerland, we recommend the route via Innsbruck as it's more scenic than the one through Munich. Biggest need would be to have WIFi on the traveling bus. Use it every day to get discounts and deals at places to shop around town from restaurant deals, hotel deals, movie tickets, and more. Long-term Visa: Visa for more than 90 days Visit. We waited 3 years for this trip!!! Iris is the most phenomenal tour guide and we had the luxury of also having Francis as Iris' assistant and he could not have been the more perfect addition to our experience. food fantastic as always. Tonight, we'll enjoy dinner together in Munich. Overall it was very good, our tour guide could not have been better. "There were several, but we attended a choir performance at a church in Hallstatt that was one of those spur-of-the moment, little nuggets you can't plan for. At long last, it was good to be traveling again. "Each new venue was a "wow" because I thought hotels, natural beauty, information presented couldn't get any better than the venue we were at - - but they did, every one!". Duration: 8 Days; Then, spend the rest of your day savouring the sights, sounds and smells of Munichs Christmas market a dazzling display of twinkling lights, carols and a magnificent Christmas tree. The tour was outstanding, but impacted by many tour members contracting covid. Before leaving the valley behind, we'll stop in the ber-quaint village of Beilstein for lunch together along the riverbank. "The Swiss Alps! Bus: 6 hours. However, the months of May, June, September, and October are best for combining the convenience of peak season with generally good weather and lighter crowds. With the amount of rain that we were having, the waterfall were fast and powerful. WebChristmas Markets of Austria, Germany and Switzerland . "Standing on top of the world in Switzerland. The view from our hotel in Murren was Incredible. Need recommendations for two adults to plan an itinerary to include 10 Day Germany and Austria Itinerary Day 1: Munich Highlight: Patricks parents flight landed late morning Munich time, so we met them at the airport, dropped their luggage off at our place, and then headed out to get lunch. I can't explain how wonderful it felt and believe it or not it was very relaxing!". Join us for the Best of Germany, Austria & Switzerland in 14 Days! Inspiring and dedicated owner made it a special experience. Meals: In Flight Day 2: Arrive in Frankfurt / Night Watchmans Tour Upon arrival in Frankfurt, Germany our deluxe motorcoach awaits us. The 9 Best Castle Tours to Take in GermanyNeuschwanstein Castle. Always at the top of every list of castles to see in Germany, Neuschwanstein is packed full of tourists nearly all the time.Hohenzollern Castle. The House of Hohenzollern was the last royal house in power before the monarchy was abolished completely after the First Wold War.Hohenschwangau. Schloss Augustusburg Brhl. We found people in all of the countries we visited to be very friendly and welcoming. And the thrill walk was really fun!". The views were spectacular (it was impossible to take a bad picture) and hearing the cow bells (more cowbell) as we hiked with mountains in the backdrop was majestic. We visited small cities, medium cities, large cities, and small villages in the Alps. ", "Swiss Alps. We checked into our hotel and went to our room. Terrific tour guide. Since we all wore our masks religiously on the bus and around any gatherings one has to guess where the Covid infection started. We also learned so much history and culture and tried new food, that we wouldnt have on our own. I will not do another summer tour with Rick Steves unless that is addressed. The market in Munich. see our FAQ. Our guide, the bus driver, the locations. Even watching her breathing techniques was fascinating. I think more needs to be done to keep everyone safe. "Switzerland was probably the biggest 'wow' for me. This was our fifth Rick Steves tour, so obviously we like them! Accessibility Information Skip Navigation. Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, and France (11 days 10 nights) October 9-20, 2023 BOOK NOW $2995 double occupancy single occupancy ($3895) not including airfare Deposit ($700) Small group size was a big plus. "Murren Switzerland was very special both views and cows with bells!". I loved his sense of humor, the many surprises that he had for us, his interaction with our bus driver, (Big John), and he kept the bus rides from being boring by telling stories about his personal life or history of the places that we saw along the bus route. Hotels all provided pleasant stay, enjoyed breakfasts and pleasant staff. the rocks & its beauty were outstanding. Hallstatt was a beautiful area.". She was so organized, knowledgeable & able to keep the entire group on task with ease. Upon arrival, we'll take an orientation stroll through town. HOW TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR A VISA INTERVIEW AT THE GERMAN CONSULATE OF CHICAGO? I kept saying I was running out of adjectives to describe the beauty! It wouldnt seem right to travel to this area and not acknowledge the atrocities that are part of the history. Time for a few pictures before the clouds closed in again. On our Best of Germany, Austria & Switzerland in 14 Days tour among other things you'll need to happily, "Going up the Schilthorn in the Swiss Alps". Everything about this tour was perfect. She was very much in tune to the needs and interests of the group. She kept us on schedule ( German promptness) , selected excellent restaurants, and even adjusted our trip to the top of the Alps for the day with the best weather. Tiny Hallstatt in the fall colors and Vienna with all the beautiful architecture, museums, and churches! Click here to see offer Terms & Conditions. We also loved hiking in the Swiss Alps. Beautiful! Baden Baden was my birthday, and we had fun celebrating with a picnic lunch in an amazing garden. Wow! There is little that could be done to make the experience any better! Just wow". She had, at least me, back in the groove of traveling with an empty tank and on-time! The mixture of planned activities with personal explorations is what sells us on your tours. "For us the "Wow" moment was our stay in Muren. Sleep in Salzburg. A direct train from the Frankfurt airport to Cologne's central train station is about an hour. Then we'll follow the Danube Valley to the grand finale of our tour Vienna, once the capital of Europe's wealthiest empire. It was interesting to see the current fashion trends on display. The rainy days put a drain on a lot of the adventures that I was looking forward to and did not occur. Munich was grand fun - loved the local guide, Brigetta. We enjoyed learning so much about the countries and their history and their way of life now. "The Lauterbrunnen Valley is more beautiful than I imagined and impossible to appreciate without being there. The second experience was going to a chamber music concert one evening in Salzburg at the Mirabell Palace. It was a very good tour with many new experiences. The rest of the day is yours to stroll around Germany's most livable city, soak up some culture at its world-class museums, or rent a bike to pedal the car-free paths of the English Garden and Isar River. The beer gardens in Munich looked like fun even if I don't like beer. "My favorite "wow" moment was in Baden Baden when my husband and I decided at the last minute to go to the Friedrichsbad Spa. Everything about the tour contributed to the overall educational experience: the cities & towns visited, the in-between stops, the narratives of both the tour and local guides and the clever little surprises sprinkled throughout. fellow travelers were very friendly. Such an awesome day!". Beautiful countries all three! So beautiful.". Good variety in the locations, soaking up the beauty of the mountains one day, walking through a bustling city the next. never a dull moment. To be taken thousands of feet up a sheer rock cliff in a cable car, to look DOWN on people riding parasails, to be face to face with the Alps (and their sadly receding glaciers), to hear the never ending roar of water flowing down the mountain faces in the night, and to stand on the peak of one of those mountains and have a 360 degree view of the worldjust WOW.". We enjoyed the trip very much but if we do another in the future will probably focus on those with less travel time / more time to explore the destinations. Great guide, terrific group, fantastic experiences! "When I opened the drapes in Murren and it was snowing!". "One of the most memorable may have been the young woman at the cooking school in Salzburg who sang opera during our dinner experience there. WebThe total driving time for this itinerary would be about 5 hours 30 minutes with a total distance of approx. Most tour members arrange to fly into the Cologne-Bonn airport (CGN) and out of Vienna (VIE) choose "multicity" on flight-booking websites. We covered a lot of territory within GAS so spent a lot of hours on the bus. "I think my favorite "wow" moment was in the Swiss Alps. We went to bed late and got up early and I never slept on the bus! Day 13 Wed, 27 May 2020 Salzburg -> Vienna in morning. I remember thinking, "Thank god I'm on this tour! Today's drive is a good time to catch up on your trip journal, listen to music, curl up with a good book, or just sit back and enjoy views of pristine mountains and sparkling lakes. Our tour guide, Thomas, was truly the best and made the experience top notch. Trier was a pleasant surprise, as I had not been expecting it to be so interesting. The views were spectacular.". I loved Baden-Baden, and Switzerland. My main regret was that we didnt have more time in Vienna,I felt that we really didnt do it justicepartly due to time constraints but also because as our last stop, I think the whole group was kind of exhausted! I did not like the tour guide in Vienna, cynical. Saw a lot, not terribly rushed. Meals: In Flight. "Hard to identify one wow moment but being atop the Schilthorn in Murren, Switzerland, took my breath away. If you're looking to see a lot and have it organized for you, this is the way to go! The exception being Vienna. In Bavaria two to five people can travel on a "Bayern Ticket" daypass all day for 28 Euros total. We had a great first time tour group experience. Signing up & paying for tour was great. Such a cool and unexpected surprise! We may never have just gone to Budapest on our own - it maybe seemed too far east or too foreign - but getting there with the tour launched us in to our own exploration. Our guide, Andrea Wolf, was very knowledgeable, very pleasant, and very considerate of all of the guests under her care. I would love to revisit Schilthorn and be able to hike the Swiss Alps on a not so soggy and rainy time of year. Switzerland Austria itinerary 7 days Day 1: Arrive in Vienna. I could actually feel my stress melting away as we sailed through the calm waters and beautiful scenery. "Our view from the balcony of the hotel in Murren: mind-boggling.". Our guide, Tara, was outstanding in every way and made sure that we had the best experience possible. It was a good tour. I would have to say that our gondola trip to Schilthorn on a beautiful clear sunny morning was the top "WOW" moment. Adjust to constant Alpine weather changes that can interfere with sightseeing. ", "Riding up the gondola to Murren and viewing the Alps all around me. Sleep in Baden-Baden. Sleep in Munich. My first look at the mountains was OMG. The only negative was weather which no one could control. 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