At long last, it was good to be traveling again. "Going to the top of the Schilthorn! We enjoyed bonding with our fellow tour members, who all had the same positive, curious outlook. Best things to do in Magdeburg, Berlin, Nuremberg, Munich, Vienna, Salzburg, Zurich, Bern, Interlaken, Freiburg im Breisgau, this is my 9th rs tour. It was a real fun group. Its nice having a guide & driver make our vacation run smoothly! Lake Hallstatt was great but, I would not advertise the salt mine anymore that was to underwhelming. She had, at least me, back in the groove of traveling with an empty tank and on-time! This was an amazing tour. "Hiking in the Alps with musical cow bells all around us the hills were truly alive with music!". He went over and above to provide us with the best experience imaginable.He even changed up our schedule due to the weather so we would have better views of the mountains in Switzerland. I learned so much on this tour about history and geography. My wife and I had a great time and really enjoyed the whole experience. Trier was a pleasant surprise, as I had not been expecting it to be so interesting. It was a fantastic experience even though our group was decimated by COVID. Your AAA membership is a membership for life. "Switzerland was probably the biggest 'wow' for me. All of our tours have been amazing and this one was no exception. Sleep in Vienna. "Riding into the Lauterbrunnen Valley. There was so much variety. This time the snow accentuated the beauty of the mountains and created a new appreciation for the majesty of the area. Bus: 7 hours. First - hiking through the Swiss Alps during our stay at Murren. We had a private tour of the lake. Your AAA membership is a membership for life. It met all of our expectations, and our guice, Andrea, was a huge part of that. There were many unique stops, historically educational & fun things to do: churches, hikes, luge etc. Also enjoyed the Third Man Museum.". Our guide, Hans was great, the fellow tourists were great. It was a wonderful dream come true for me, even with a hiccup in the beginning and losing our main guide Matthias, we were left in great hands with Thomas. She would give us a map of the city we were traveling to with things to do highlighted on it. Saw a lot, not terribly rushed. "Each destination was very different and special. Webuniversity of st andrews medicine entry requirements. Sleep on Lake Hallstatt. Fellow passengers were exhausted. Murren was delightful!". He made sure everyone was satisfied with everything. Biggest need would be to have WIFi on the traveling bus. This was my son's first trip to Europe and he had a wonderful time. We felt we were able to see and experience what we needed without feeling we missed key elements. Our guide, Hans, was very knowledgeable and entertaining. "Waking in Mrren that 1st morning, opening my curtains and seeing all the snow! The tour has great variety of history, culture, time in nature, social time with tour group, contemplative time at Austrian concentration camp. The Northern Lights tour departs at approximately 9 PM from Oct 1 - Mar 14, and 10 PM from Sep 1 - Sep 30 & Mar 15 - Apr 15. The beautiful setting and exceptionally talented musicians just blew us away.". the sites were fantastic. "Hiking the North Face in Murren! This was a very active tour for us and we walked a lot! B: 3 days if you plan to visit all the villages in Lauterbrunnen valley. Strenuous walking: 28 miles throughout the day with lots of hills, stairs, and uneven terrain. The hotels were all well situated, and the locations and stops in-between were all fun and interesting. She gave history behind every place we were visiting. Germany Austria Switzerland France are all located in central Europe and are all quite close so they make a tidy little driving route. I cant stop telling my friends how awesome a Rick Steves tour is! The view from our hotel in Murren was Incredible. Web14 days in Germany, Austria & Switzerland Itinerary. This morning we'll witness the roaring, thundering, crashing, splashing display of nature's awesome power in Trmmelbach Falls a series of subterranean waterfalls that plunge hundreds of feet into darkness behind the valley's cliffs. 2023 Rick Steves' Europe, Inc. | So many different experiences, Rick Steves Tours definitely knows how to give you the best experiences without any marketing or need to buy extras. WebLow Unpublished Prices on Trafalgar - Christmas Markets of Austria, Germany and Switzerland by Trafalgar Tours with 16 Reviews - Tour Id: 184954. 3. ", Hans our guide did an excellent job despite a diverse group and the added stress of Covid requirements. Join us for the Best of Germany, Austria & Switzerland in 14 Days! Our tour guide as well as the city tour guides were all excellent and we learned so much and traveled with a small group of like minded people. in Austria. Tour Grindelwald and Interlaken from Lucerne. Reasonably well organized. The beer gardens in Munich looked like fun even if I don't like beer. It didn't matter that the concert was cancelled because the tour exceeded expectations. Other than that, I loved every place the tour took us. The variety of this tour was really amazing, we saw fantastic scenery and some of the best museums we have ever been to while learning about history and culture. In a tour that had a ton of great moments, the time spent in the swiss alps towers above the rest.". RS members are very like minded making it great fun to spend free time in a small group of new friends. "Murren, Switzerland: the picture postcard valley, mountain views of Eiger and Jungfrau, going up to the Schilthorn, the gondola rides, the town of Murren itself; all "wow"!". "Definitely when the Swiss Alps came into full view for the first time. From there we took a cable car to Mannlichen, then hiked from Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg. From the back of the cathedral he sang an aria. "Waking up to the Alps on our first morning in Switzerlandthen seeing them from our gondola later that day". My account; Log out February 27, 2023 new bill passed in nj for inmates 2022 No Comments . The scenery, churches, castles, Mauthsuaen Holocaust memorial, Murren, and Lake Hallstatt were wondeful. Our 2020 tour finally happened this year and it was worth the wait. Our tour guide made the experience so much better because of his outstanding knowledge of the history of all 3 countries. Tara took us to a grand beer hall for a schnitzel dinner. "The tour's 3-nt stay in Mrren was the perfect stop between Germany's Mosel/BlackForest regions and what was to follow in Bavaria and Austria. Would have preferred staying in Hallstatt not other side of lake. We especially loved our hotel which offered a front-row view of the Munch, Eiger, and Jungfrau off our private Deck.". (I might have liked it especially because, although Baroque in style, it is slightly subdued and in better taste than the over-the-top examples we saw elsewhere.)". FABULOUS! Beautiful, green, valley bordered by steep Alps. We thoroughly enjoyed all of the experiences on our tour and the friends & memories made along the way made this a great trip. I think we got real lucky that nobody got sick and the weather was on our side every single day. Guide was very good. "Trummelbach Falls were spectacular. Use AAA on your smartphone to find cheap gas nearby and get travel information, AAA Diamond rated hotels, restaurants, attractions, events, and more. Nothing is firm at this point and we are open to any suggestions. "Murren and the Alps. Lake Halstatt in Austria was beautiful! We loved Baden Baden, Salzburg and Lake Hallstatt. Thats it wait for 14 working days to process your Visa and get it once approved. We had a wonderful time, the group was fantastic, nobody was troublesome or falling behind, all but a few were seasoned travelers. Had to ride the Ferris wheel during our free time". For more information about transportation options for getting to and from your tour, see your Rick Steves tour guidebook. That allows the whole trip to run smoothly. Iris and Walter were a treasured team for us! The itinerary and the experiences we had were so much fun. Even watching her breathing techniques was fascinating. We'll meet at 4 p.m. at our hotel in Cologne for a "Welcome to Germany" meeting. Our guide sent the tape to Edmonds and the next day Rick sent a video response that was played at breakfast. Bus: 4 hours. This morning we'll make our way to postcard-pretty Lake Hallstatt. Since we all wore our masks religiously on the bus and around any gatherings one has to guess where the Covid infection started. We had a fantastic guide and he made what was already a wonderful tour outstanding! The Egyptian museum in Munich was amazing and something we added at the last minute on our free time. This was our first RS tour and it did not Disappoint. My favorite sight was Salzburg Cathedral, probably the most beautiful cathedral I've ever seen. Signing up & paying for tour was great. Andbeing above the clouds at the Schilthorn..sadly the weather wasnt great to hike". No bus. We got to learn some back ground on all the people we met. I didnt know what to expect for the optional hiking. Use it every day to get discounts and deals at places to shop around town from restaurant deals, hotel deals, movie tickets, and more. Europe 10 Day Trip to Germany Austria Switzerland Itinerary The rule of 'No Grumps' was adhered to, but the lack of AC meant I had 2-3 decent nights of rest, the remaining was very sweaty near sleepless nights on very hot days. I will definitely be going back to see more of Switzerland. And the thrill walk was really fun!". Our guide Iris was just great, other tour members were friendly and fun, and the trip itinerary was great. Our private outdoor accordion, yodeling and Alp horn concert (complete with us all joining in a polka train at the end), was also very memorable.". Salzburg and Hallstatt were also highlights. C: Gruyeres can be visited on a day trip from Montreux. No bus. Overall it was very good, our tour guide could not have been better. Inspiring and dedicated owner made it a special experience. "Salzburg, walking through an arch and seeing the old town and castle above.". We saw a lot of interesting sights and had great experiences such as riding the luge in the Black Forest and touring the salt mine in Hallstadt. The cities we visited were interesting. Octoberfest was my draw to scheduling this time of year, which was a very rainy day and evening. We loved the size of the group, and were blessed with great traveling companions. 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". Absolutely beautiful.". Looking out at the mountain vistas every morning was a real treat.". WebChristmas Markets of Austria, Germany and Switzerland . We didn't get great weather but it cleared up enough to get some good views of the peaks.". We also loved hiking in the Swiss Alps. It was a great time from day one to day 14. WebMembership. It's far too cute for our bus, so after settling in to our lakeside lodging we'll enjoy a boat cruise past breathtaking villages and craggy mountain vistas. Sleep in Baden-Baden. Our tour guide, Thomas, was wonderful. We fell in love with Switzerland (I was skeptical before the trip). "The Berner Oberland area - wow! We rode a train up from the Lauterbrunnen valley to Wengen. Outstanding sites visited, tour guide, fellow tourists and bus driver. Walking through the Trummelbach Falls was amazing seeing what nature can do with time. 14 days in Germany, Austria & Switzerland Michael in Munich was incredible! Our group of fellow travelers were wonderful and kind! Loved the Switzerland portion enough that I think well return for that tour. The scenery was absolutely incredible. "My favorite wow moments were many. "LOTS of them! Opportunity to enjoy Oktoberfest in Munich! Day 2: Arrive in Frankfurt / Night Watchmans Tour. Tonight, we'll enjoy dinner together in Munich. The rest of the day is all yours to loiter in the thin air, find your way back down to Mrren, explore more of the magnificent mountains on your own, or ride a narrow-gauge railway up the other side of the valley to Kleine Scheidegg near the majestic Eiger and Jungfrau peaks. This was our first Rick Steves tour and it was nothing short of magical. We enjoyed him as well. Upon arrival in Frankfurt, Germany our deluxe motorcoach awaits us. The scenery was unlike anything we've ever experienced.". We had not been to many of the places we visited on this tour. We thought the tour was perfect in every way! Bus: 5 hours. The "Buddy Check" system was a great way to make sure nobody got lost ir left behind between stops. Matthias was a great leader and provided us with a lot of insight into pre & post WWII history & culture which helped to put many of the sights into perspective. Our two week tour was wonderful. I loved the history of each place, both from Iris & the city guides. 520 km. "The depth of the peaceful silence in Murren, the stunning views of the mountains, the town, the cows nothing like anything I had previously experienced. Also, would like any suggestion on where I can add 3-4 days to the end of the trip. Murren was the best part of my trip. 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. Most days are moderate to strenuously paced with 28 miles of walking, including hilly terrain and lots of stairs. It was foggy when we started and I now understand why Swiss farmers put bells on their cows. The cultural and historical perspective of the area was outstanding. 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. Tara was very thorough and organized. You'll have the afternoon free to take a brisk mountain walk or explore more of the Berner Oberland on your own before we regroup for dinner. 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. Hotels all provided pleasant stay, enjoyed breakfasts and pleasant staff. So many opportunities for hiking.". 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. They sounded like wind chimes!". It was great overall. The other tour guides were also excellent. Every view looked like a postcard. Our tour guide Iris and her assistant Francis contributed to it in so many ways, they were the greatest. Everyone was happy crying from that.". "Mrren was my favorite stop. Most tour members arrange to fly into the Cologne-Bonn airport (CGN) and out of Vienna (VIE) choose "multicity" on flight-booking websites. WebClimb aboard for our overnight flight across the Atlantic Ocean. We had a great first time tour group experience. The tour meals were excellent. Spectacular sights, interesting commentary and fun companions on the tour. "I think my favorite "wow" moment was in the Swiss Alps. Adjust to constant Alpine weather changes that can interfere with sightseeing. WebAnswer 1 of 4: Me and my boyfriend are planning a 2 week road trip in Bavaria/South Germany and parts of Austria and Switzerland this summer and would love some advice on our route/the number of days in each place and Better than anyone else in the business. He was always cheerful and upbeat, and very knowledgable about the history of the places we visited.There was a good mix of cities, history, castles and beautiful scenery, plus lots of free time to do our own exploring. He is passionate about traveling the world, good kosher food / restaurants, social media & the web, technology, hiking, strategy games, and spending time with his friends & family. Signed up in 2019 for 2020, again in 2020 for 2021 and then in 2021 for 2022! From the beauty of the Bavaria mountains, to the vibrant colors of flowers in Berner Overland, to the thundering water at Trummelbach Falls, the mountains in Switzerland, it was just so WOW seeing God's glory.". Moderate walking: 26 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. I could actually feel my stress melting away as we sailed through the calm waters and beautiful scenery. He was very skilled and personable. Nothing is firm at this point and we are open to any suggestions. But wait, your holiday doesnt have to end just yet! 2000 year old Roman ruins in Trier. No bus. I think there could be a week long immersive tour for Vienna and another for Salzburg. Sleep in Cologne. Once you go on one of these tours it will be hard to go back to your old way of traveling.". For COVID-19 Travel and RS Tours information, Your guide will give you a run-down of local concerts you could enjoy this evening. She was very much in tune to the needs and interests of the group. "When Tara sent a short video of Rhys saying"I love you Rick Steves" and Rick sent a reply back to Rhys. Another great tour! I still have a hard time believing it was real! "Honestly this doesnt probably help with planning your tours but my wow moment was when the tour ended, we used being in Europe and the confidence wed gained from the 2 week tour to launch into our own extension trip to Budapest. interesting and exciting without being exhausting. 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