Going up to the Schilthorn on a clear morning, and seeing all around us the beautiful peaks, and walking on the Thrill Walk.". and the town on Lake Hallstatt,". There was a few things I didn't care for but it was all part of the experience. I know it was beyond your control, but the people were amazing - we had lots of fun! We loved Baden Baden, Salzburg and Lake Hallstatt. Another great tour! ", "The entire Murren experience and the Hapsburg treasures in Vienna were unforgettable.". The most popular month to go is September, which has the highest number of tour departures. "We loved Hallstatt--the private boat ride for an introduction to the area, the old-world hotel, and the winding "back streets"--just so relaxing and unique.". Locations visited were all fantastic. Handle steep walks and long castle stair climbs at Burg Eltz and Neuschwanstein. Our guide Bryan was very professional, the cities and the flow of the tour had a nice pace (even though there were multiple times that freeway construction did cause some delays) and the little surprises along the way were appreciated. And I know Eris worked hard to calculate the best possible time to be there and it worked!". I loved every minute it. Not sure how he made some of those turns and curves! Well organized, good variety of activities, excellent guide, awareness of stops, bathrooms and time for a drink or snack. Treasures of Germany, Prague and Austria | Indus Travels Our guide, Hans was great, the fellow tourists were great. Was great to visit major cities and their main attractions. During your Stay There are no more restrictions (public transport, shops, hotels etc.) The people we met in Germany, Switzerland and Austria were so friendly and I have never seen so much bread in all my life. Each country has so much history. The walks down to Gimmiwald and back from the falls were, without a doubt, the most beautiful part of the entire trip - a memory I will cherish for the rest of my life.". It was a very good tour with many new experiences. This tour did not disappoint! We were also blessed to be traveling with a good group of folks. "Each destination was very different and special. Sleep in Cologne. The beautiful setting and exceptionally talented musicians just blew us away.". Two weeks was a long time for me to be gone from my job, but it was an awesome two weeks. ", Great tour. Wonderful. "", This tour was a whirlwind of extraordinary sites, cuisine, history and current events. Biggest need would be to have WIFi on the traveling bus. "When I woke up in Switzerland looking at mountains". Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany. The setting, the acoustics, excellence. Fantastic sights and stops. No bus. Sleep on Lake Hallstatt. Every time we looked at our hotel window we saw the Jungfrau, monk, and Eiger mountains displayed across the eastern side of the valley.". Octoberfest was my draw to scheduling this time of year, which was a very rainy day and evening. Alternatively, you can fly into Frankfurt am Main (FRA) as this airport will have the most direct flights. Excellent mix of city adventures and small town/ rural experiences. Enjoyed the cities we visited, the sights we saw and the hotels that we stayed in. Sleep in Baden-Baden. Tonight we'll meet for our last dinner together, where we'll share travel memories and toast new friends. The Alps were gorgeous but I live in the middle of the Cascades and Olympics. Excellent tour, well organized, experienced tour guide that seamlessly handled the logistics so we could enjoy every day of our trip and maximize our time. A good idea: print out the PDF file's bike transport label. Germany Tours & Vacations 2023 & 2024 | Rick Steves Europe We already had tickets to a Pearl Jam concert and chose this tour because it ended at the right time and place for the concert. "Hiking the North Face trail in Switzerland on a beautiful sunny day, and then finishing the day with a beer on a terrace in Gimmelwald. This was our first tour and first time to Europe. "The favorite "wow" moment has to be the Swiss Alps. It was great overall. "Murren and the surrounding area was beautiful! Drank new beers and wines. While the scenery was breathtaking, the dock was filled with people waiting to get on the relatively large boat for a sight seeing excursion. "Murren and the waterfalls, Lake Hallstatt!". When the boat docked, the crew on the boat called out for "Rick Steves" and only the Rick Steves tour group boarded the boat, leaving all of the others on the dock as we pulled away. Wow! Signing up & paying for tour was great. We were very fortunate to have only 14 persons in our group. It was not what I expected. In Vienna, masks must be worn on public. We were very excited to be able to take the tour, after having our scheduled trip cancelled in 2020 due to Covid. This is a very active tour! The exception being Vienna. Great! It was hard to sit still when there was so much to see, learn about, and explore on our own. I left with some incredible pictures, and memories for a lifetime.". Great people. Salzburg held lots of special memories - the cemetery was a unique experience! The hikes were a lot of fun and we had a wonderful hotel.". Having time to hike and experience the area was a wow moment for sure.". We thoroughly enjoyed each place we visited in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. Walter, our bus driver was terrific, and was missed when he was finished with driving in Vienna. Amazing how they built those on sheer cliffs -- what a challenge! I come from German immigrant farmers and there were so many similarities to my family farm. were just so vibrant. We enjoyed the tour thoroughly. Both Austria and Germany have a wide array of adventure travel options for those interested. March 2022: Current Travel Rules for Austria We had an amazing tour guide, Iris. Excellent guide, great variety and wonderful travel companions. "The breathtaking views of the Switzerland landscapes. We had perfect weather and with the blue skies and gorgeous mountains, it made for a perfect moment of beauty!". We found some wonderful friends on the tour, tooand we fell in love again with Germany, Austria, and Switzerland! Also LOVED our stay at Lake Hallstadt, our hotel view & the town were amazing.". We had a wonderful time, the group was fantastic, nobody was troublesome or falling behind, all but a few were seasoned travelers. On a Rick Steves' tour, there is something for everybody. Cheap Flights to Vienna "The Mozart concert in Salzburg at the Schloss Konzerte Mirabell. Have been on tours where things were scheduled so tightly, sometimes there was very little time to explore on our own. Can I cross the border between Germany and Austria in my hire car? There's no way I could have arranged all these different activities on my own. I would recommend this tour to anyone. "Standing on top of the world in Switzerland. All of our tours have been amazing and this one was no exception. Really enjoyed the whole trip.Too bad about the Covid infections ramped in our trip. The GAS tour was an interesting mix of castles, beautiful mountains, interesting history and great food. Overall, the tour was good. We were traveling with our 3 kids (ages 15,15 and 13) and I was initially a little apprehensive that we wouldnt fit in or that the kids would be bored. What an amazing tour. The view from our hotel in Murren was Incredible. Overall, it was a very nice, laid back tour. My jaw dropped entering Switzerland for the first time and seeing the gorgeous waterfalls and grazing cows with bells against the backdrop of the towering Alps. The feeling of the snow topped mountains all around me accompanied by the sound of the cow bells will have a place in my heart forever.". Overall, it was a terrific trip. I would love to see more of the country. they all have been great & this was no exception. Boat: 1 hour. The tour was very well organized, the destinations were amazing, and our guide and group were great! So much fun. $4,295 to $4,595 + Air. We had a great group of travelers and visited some amazing locations. So much natural beauty.". Our guide, Tara, was outstanding in every way and made sure that we had the best experience possible. This pleasantly-paced yet interesting itinerary will begin in Munich and take you from Bavaria into Austria, a Mecca of classical music, amazing Alpine views and pinot noir wines. "Trummelbach Falls in Switzerland was a wow!". The tour meals were great. Read more. Had to ride the Ferris wheel during our free time". "For her, in Gimelwald watching a young farm family with their tiny daughter walking into a pasture where their cows were in order to attach bells, and seeing the cows get really excited and mooing when they arrived. We thoroughly enjoyed all of the experiences on our tour and the friends & memories made along the way made this a great trip. 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.". "Tour with Gerhard including the tour of the Opera House when we were the only persons in there. There was about the right amount of free vs structured time, and we generally did not feel rushed. "Riding into the Lauterbrunnen Valley. The tour of Mauthausen concentration camp was so important, you see things like this in the movies but it's so much more being there. What a wonderful trip. All of the stops were great places. "Its a tie. The tour guide, Matthias, was exceptional. Very helpful and what a great singer!!! Our 2020 tour finally happened this year and it was worth the wait. Such a beautiful little village". And a special shout-out to Iris, our tour guide, who was so generous in what and how she shared her vast experience (and her patience) with us. There are 9 ways to get from Austria to Germany by plane, train, bus, night train, rideshare or car Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner. "My favorite moments was the time spent in Mrren, Lake Hallstatt and the Open air museum in the Black Forrest. The landscape of Switzerland is majestic.". It was a bit larger group than I expected (28 if I recall correctly), but that wasn't a problem. Austria to Germany - 9 ways to travel via train, plane, bus - Rome2rio Like the other RS tours Ive done, it ran like clockwork. Overall this was another fantastic Rick Steves tour experience. Munich was grand fun - loved the local guide, Brigetta. Light walking: 24 miles throughout the day on mostly level terrain. Staff at airports across Italy will go on strike on Saturday 15 July over a failure to renew their contract which expired six years ago. The tour offered a wonderful variety of experiences, from the natural beauty of Murren Switzerland to the history-rich sites of Mauthausen and Vienna. 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. Absolutely beautiful. DAY 2 - Munich Spend another day exploring beautiful Munich. It provided an excellent variety of cities, landscape, history and nature. There was a solid balance between tour time and on our own time. He gave us great insight to the culture and history of Germany. Everything went well. It was wonderful! They were world class. Tara took us to a grand beer hall for a schnitzel dinner. Perfect amount of group vs. on your own time. Overall, the tour was great. Germany and Austria join other European countries in loosening many So well informed about the history of each country we visited and the current politics too! "Staying in Murren and taking the gondolas up to the Schilthorn and around the valley. Bus: 5 hours. We'll stop for lunch on our way to the heart of Bavaria home of fairy-tale castles, well-worn lederhosen, sing-along beer gardens, and oompah-hospitality. It took my breath away. We are hooked on RS Tours! "Waking up to the Alps on our first morning in Switzerlandthen seeing them from our gondola later that day". Would have liked to go to Rothenburg on this trip. We really enjoyed the open air museum in the Black Forest. Bryan, our tour guide, was unbelievably great - intelligent, informative and often funny. We had a great guide and our group was really cohesive so that added to the fun. We saw many interesting places and had some great experiences. Day 1: Fly to Munich or Memmingen and pick up rental car Day 2: Explore Munich Day 3: The Dachau Concentration Camp Day 4: Fussen and Neuschenwenstein castle Day 5: Ettal abbey, Oberammergau, Garmisch Partenkirchen Day 6: Partnach Gorge Day 7: Linderhof castle, Plansee, and Karwendelbahn Day 8: Walchensee & drive to Unterwossen Had it not been for COVID, this would have been an outstanding tour. Moderate walking: 26 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. Recommended option Fly Munich to Graz 3h 1m Fly from Munich (MUC) to Graz (GRZ) MUC - GRZ 121 - 474 Cheapest option There was also a disconnect, at least with me, with the tour guide. The NS Documentation Center and the Third Man Museum (as an illustration of how the war impacted Vienna) were my favorites, as well as seeing how each city was rebuilt after the war.". Our tour guide, Bryan, was very knowledgeable. Neuschwanstein castle with the fall colors shrouded in fog. Quick Facts PASSPORT VALIDITY: Three months beyond planned date of departure from the Schengen area including transit (strictly enforced). Germany's disease control agency, the Robert Koch Institute, currently classifies a spate of EU member states high-risk countries, among them Belgium, the Netherlands, Greece, Austria and Croatia . Iris was the best guide you can have. Our guide, Hans, mixed things up a bit, with different sights/experiences than on my previous tour. 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. Tickets cost 61 and the journey takes 13h 30m. This was our third Rick Steves tour! Both Iris' and Francis' knowledge of European history was such an added bonus and made every day enjoyable! "So many! This well-designed 9-Day Germany and Austria Rail Circle tour from/to Frankfurt Airport takes you to some of the most charming cities in Central Europe: Salzburg and Vienna in Austria, Munich, Nuremberg, Heidelberg and Regensburg in Germany. That never happened! It was as beautiful as I imagined. 2023 Rick Steves' Europe, Inc. | CST# 2086743 | The town was quaint and the personnel couldn't have been nicer to our group. "Salzburg, walking through an arch and seeing the old town and castle above.". The tour was outstanding, but impacted by many tour members contracting covid. "Getting up in the morning and seeing the Swiss alps outside - to someone from the Midwest, this is another world. Can anyone tell me of good sources to help build an itinerary. The only negative was weather which no one could control. This was our first Rick Steves tour to see three countries we'd never visited and we were very happy with the choice. He was fun, knowledgeable, and kept the group entertained. It was definitely different traveling in the age of Covid. This evening, well regroup for dinner together at our mountain chalet. I loved the whole experience. ", "Impossible. Moderate walking: 26 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. He took us to the University Cathedral. ", "Lake Halstaf (?) We also loved Trier, so much to do and see.". Tour Highlights Itinerary Reviews Enhance Your Trip VIEW ALL About This Tour Share This was an amazing tour. Im from Colorado so I do know mountains but these mountains are a whole new category!!!". No bus. He made the trip excellent!! The beautiful mountains and wildflowers and of course the cows! We'll end our day with an orientation walk through the historic center and share a "Welcome to Austria" dinner together. tara & ruby were fantastic directors, but i have never had a bad director on a rs tour. Most importantly, I learned a lot! You just didnt have to worry about a thing. I think there could be a week long immersive tour for Vienna and another for Salzburg. Thursday, June 13, 2024 6:05 AM. We checked into our hotel and went to our room. Lots of climbing in the Swiss alps - be sure you and your luggage can handle a couple of flights of stairs. The location, the back patio for gathering was such a pleasure. Our whole group connected with her! We felt we were able to see and experience what we needed without feeling we missed key elements. Plus, the fun food and beer. She has such a fun personality and sense of humor. We went to palaces and castles, rode subways and funiculars and trams, had a boat ride and hiked in the Alps. One noticeable difference between this and our first tour (2015) was the caliber of local guides, which in this instance really added to the overall quality and content of the tour. A fun mix of education, scheduled activities, and free time. We really appreciated the experience and passion the local tour guides had for the history and culture of their country and town. The tour was extremely well organized and contained a great balance of "programmed" time versus "independent" time. It was a great balance. I feel like I learned a lot of world history. From the back of the cathedral he sang an aria. Lake Hallstatt". We stayed 3 extra nights and there is still more I want to do in Vienna. We were excited about this itinerary. Murren was the best part of my trip. The Egyptian museum in Munich was amazing and something we added at the last minute on our free time. Guides were very informative and helpful, willing to answer any questions. "Seeing all of the beauty that this world has to offer and not being caught in the politics of it all. It was also timely (for color pictures of what these cities looked like after being bombed, look at Ukraine today). Overall, the tour was wonderful and well worth the money! 10 Day Europe Itinerary: Germany, Italy, Switzerland + Austria! "Neuschwanstein Castle was the reason we booked this particular tour and it did not disappoint. Germany, Switzerland, and Austria share a language, but their appeals are varied. She was so positive, fun and knowledgeable. The tour was well organized, Mattie was excellent as our guide, our city guides were very engaging and informative, the scenery was breath-taking, the cities like Cologne were unexpectedly historic and had precious artifacts in the various museums, and the group was great! people were all great. It was great not having to plan for hotels or worry about getting anywhere on time. "The town of Murren in Switzerlands Alps was a wow moment of our tour which was jaw dropping and beautiful. 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. Moderate walking: 26 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. I loved the history of each place, both from Iris & the city guides. be sure to keep it on the tour.". The hotels were all well situated, and the locations and stops in-between were all fun and interesting. Our primary guide Matty had to leave our tour and take over another tour, the apprentice guide Thomas took over and was fantastic. No Bbs. The bus was always clean and the driver was friendly and kind. Every stop was a highlight and we left with that "Rick Steve's Feeling" of knowing that if we go back, we could do it ourselves. You will see some of the most mesmerizing landscapes, famous landmarks, and extravagant attractions in Europe as you make your way from Berlin to Vienna. I felt the balance between guided tours and free time to explore museums and hike on our own was perfect. ", It was a good combination of culture, local lore, history, and fun. "Hallstatt. Our guide Andrea was amazing and so was her assistant Ruby. i always enjoy any unesco site & this one didn't disappoint. The tour was exactly as described in the tour brochures, including activity levels. No bus. Our tour guide Thomas was excellent a real people person , as well as informative, I feel like Thomas was so incredibly knowledgeable on all of the countries and areas we visited .. "Berne Oberland , Switzerland all of it !!!". And Knowledgeable! It was organized in typical Rick Steves fashion with interesting venues, cozy hotels, and comfortable transportation. The food was also very good. It was so fun to meet our guide, Tara, and our tour group members. The tour is well organized. Overall it was very good, our tour guide could not have been better. It was interesting to see the current fashion trends on display. Even watching her breathing techniques was fascinating. Being able to hike into the Alps from the hotel was worth the price of the whole trip. Lake Hallstatt was great but, I would not advertise the salt mine anymore that was to underwhelming. Despite that we enjoyed this tour very much. The scenery was spectacular. Our balcony view of the Swiss Alps and the cows with their bells in Murren. This was our first Rick Steve's Tour. Great itinerary, wonderful guide (Andrea Wolf), great local guides, brilliant side trip choices, top notch accommodations, comfortable bus with a personable driver (Eric). 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. "It has to be the Alps because it is hard to imagine that it really could be as beautiful as it is. Travel to Germany during Covid-19: What you need to know before - CNN Best Time to Go to Germany by Rick Steves Hallstatt was a beautiful area.". Also enjoyed the Third Man Museum.". There was so much variety. Hey, it's just hard to distill the trip into a single WOW.". We enjoyed him as well. Had so much fun, learned new things and enjoyed meeting our tour group. Atlas Cruises and Tours (atlastravelweb.com) offers two . More time was need in Baden Baden and the Black Forest and could have done without the local guide in Vienna. Matheus (Mattie) was awesome. Andbeing above the clouds at the Schilthorn..sadly the weather wasnt great to hike". I was pleasantly surprised that finding vegetarian food was not a problem. However, there's still a national border between the two countries. Everything that I hoped to experience happened and so much more. "The view of the Swiss Alps from our Hotel room was unbeatable. For more information about transportation options for getting to and from your tour, see your Rick Steves tour guidebook. She would give us a map of the city we were traveling to with things to do highlighted on it. "Switzerland. It was nice to be in a small town after being in the city and the landscape is breathtaking. "Perhaps the luge ride and the over all scenery in Murren". "My favorite wow moments were many. The tour guide, Hans, was fantastic as well. You can do this in our website's travel information section, in DB Navigator or by phone at +49 30 2970 (costs depend on provider). Before the concert was a meal up on the top of the Fortress which offered beautiful mountain views. "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!". "Our time in Switzerland was the "WOW" for us! The tour has great variety of history, culture, time in nature, social time with tour group, contemplative time at Austrian concentration camp. The tour was very interesting, I seen so many different sites and learned so much! Enjoyed adventure of getting to Trier & the city itself. Light walking: 24 miles throughout the day on mostly level terrain. Sleep in Vienna. Many different kinds of quality beer, tasty fresh trout, authentic Austrian goulash, German sausages and sauerkraut, excellent chocolate, pastry and daily bread.". Day 1: Fly into Frankfurt at 7:00AM, train to Mainz, rest and recover from jet lag Day 2: Morning train to Bingen, Rhine River cruise from Bingen to St Goar, Train to Bacharach Day 3. We covered a lot of territory within GAS so spent a lot of hours on the bus. Concentration Camp Dachau vs Terezin 7:05 pm. we had a great group of tour members too. We've got 876 tours going to Austria and Germany, starting from just 3 days in length, and the longest tour is 32 days. Our room balcony overlooking the alps had a magnificent view. The only downside to the tour was that the tour itself felt poorly planned. Still current at: 21 July 2023 Updated: 3 July 2023 Latest update: This travel advice has been rewritten to make it easier to read and understand. Vaccines cannot protect you from many diseases in Germany, so your behaviors are important. Would like to acknowledge the food and drink as well. I enjoyed getting to know other tour members and making some life long friends. ", "Seeing the Swiss Alps from my hotel room window.". Travelling to Germany - GOV.UK However, they are subject to quarantine and testing . CURRENCY RESTRICTIONS FOR ENTRY: 10,000 Euros or equivalent CURRENCY RESTRICTIONS FOR EXIT: 10,000 Euros or equivalent ALL / Embassies and Consulates His knowledge and enthusiasm made the trip. Outstanding tour guide (Thomas). "Every location was so different from the others so it's hard to select a single magic moment. ", "Swiss Alps. We had so much fun!. Our guide Matty was great. Tour and hotel staff members were kind and friendly. Though we had to switch from the main guide to the apprentice guide Thomas. Join us for the Best of Germany, Austria & Switzerland in 14 Days! We had a great fun group, lots of laughs, and only one really rainy day in Munich. He was very smart and able to keep things interesting. This was my first trip to Europe. That allows the whole trip to run smoothly. The scenery in every direction (including downward) was amazing, hiking the North Trail was amazing, the constant ringing of cow bells was magical, and the hang gliders were fun to watch. A direct train from the Frankfurt airport to Cologne's central train station is about an hour. Sleep in Vienna. The whole tour was very well planned and organized. Our guide, Ruby, went above and beyond to make sure everyone was getting what they wanted out of experience. I loved that we had to take a gondola to get there, and the views were amazing. Actually everything about the Berner Oberland was a "Wow" including a rather interesting hike on the North Face. 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. It was, wow- we're sitting in this beautiful building in Salzburg & listening to wonderful musicians play Mozart. "Probably waking up from our hotel at Murren and seeing the view of breathtaking mountains from our window. ", Great hotels; great bus driver; amazing locations. 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. The second was our boat ride on Lake Hallstatt, again with sunny weather and gorgeous views.". The tour guide was excellent. First - hiking through the Swiss Alps during our stay at Murren. "Probably meeting a very friendly, kind man at a schnapps bar in Salzburg. The weather was perfect which added to a glorious evening. This tour was fantastic. ", Best tour guide ever! One month prior to the tour departure, you'll find the directions to your first tour hotel and a complete list of hotels where we'll be staying in the Documents section of your tour account. We're already planning our next Rick Steves tour! Such a wonderful triptruly once in a lifetime. The tour was well organized and planned and the guide was excellent. and it made the trip more enjoyable, interesting and fulfilling!! We had three beautiful sunny days and 70 degree weather. When entering Austria, the PCR test must not be older than 72 hours, and the rapid antigen test must not be older than 24 hours. Join us on this journey from the German and Austrian Alps down the Reformation Road. Bus: 4 hours. She was incredible!! It got off to a rocky start in Cologne, which in my opinion is not the best city to start a tour. Tour guide was great, a lot of COVID rust but great enjoyable group! Our tour was fabulous! "We loved hearing the cow bells while hiking in Murren, Switzerland. No bus. Since we all wore our masks religiously on the bus and around any gatherings one has to guess where the Covid infection started. Beautiful landscapes so rich with history. The history of Trier, the hiking in Murren, the concert in Salzburg, the beer gardens in Munich, the boat ride on Lake Hallstatt, and the beauty of Vienna. Life Changing. Great people (fellow group members, guides, bus driver,); great itinerary; unexpected beauty; perfect blend of history, culture, sights, sounds, food, and walking. Definitely a couple questionable hotel and restaurant choices.
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