Before leaving the valley behind, we'll stop in the ber-quaint village of Beilstein for lunch together along the riverbank. Find the right tour for you through Austria and Germany. With the amount of rain that we were having, the waterfall were fast and powerful. Call us for a quick quote! His knowledge and enthusiasm made the trip. I have celiac disease and can not eat gluten. My mood going into the tour was not great: I was apprehensive about traveling far from home, about COVID, about how much the world might have changed in the last two years plus - but I had a wonderful time. hear the power of the rushing water. Later this afternoon we'll arrive in Salzburg and settle into our quaint hotel. Especially notable was the meal at our lodgings for Lake Halstatt. This was our third Rick Steves tour! It was not what I expected. The "Buddy Check" system was a great way to make sure nobody got lost ir left behind between stops. Bus: 2 hours. It was a real fun group. "Probably Mrren, Switzerland - the gondolas, the hiking, the gasp-around-every-corner it was hard to beat!". The GAS tour was an interesting mix of castles, beautiful mountains, interesting history and great food. Guides: awesome. 90%. The itinerary and the experiences we had were so much fun. Walter our driver was also great. Best of Germany 4.5 819 reviews Best of Germany Last Minute Deal Was $3,075 Save up to $307 From $2,768 Find this price Available Dates Easy Quote Your itinerary Dates & prices Reviews Last Minute Deal Was $3,075 From $2,768 Available Dates Chat Now Your itinerary Dates & prices Reviews Trip Year 2023 2024 Great! Some history and art, paintings at all the museums. Mostly, she was an excellent teacher! Best of Germany, Austria & Switzerland in 14 Days Tour - Travelstride There is the perfect amount of time with the group, and time on your own. Gerhard Strassgschwandtner and his museum are amazing and profound. He really cared about giving us a good experience and did everything in his power to make that happen, it was the trip of a lifetime and I've been to Europe several times, this was the best because of him. Hopefully I'll have an opportunity to discuss that more in the review. Nothing better than a glass of wine and enjoying a view that you only get when staying in out-of-way places like Murren (two gondola rides to get up to the town). It was a good tour. This was our 4th Rick Steves trip and our fellow travelers rivaled the ones we had on our Village Italy in 14 Days tour. The experiences were wonderful, the surprises from our guide were so special, like the private music concerts in Mrren, the boat all to ourselves in Hallstatt, and the city Heuringer in Vienna. Sleep in Vienna. ", "There was a wow moment in every country we visited. The places visited were interesting and historical. Going to Oktoberfest in Munich was a blast, too. Neither of us expected such power and beauty when she opened her mouth to sing. On this tour, mountains, Mozart, and mugs of beer all clink together to create a totally yodely adventure. preferred. The skilled driver and tour guides were THE best, the scenery & tours were amazing. We rode a train up from the Lauterbrunnen valley to Wengen. The day we went up there the weather was very clear.". It was an absolute joy of my life and I would recommend it to anyone.". Locations visited were all fantastic. The location, the back patio for gathering was such a pleasure. Most days are moderate to strenuously paced with 28 miles of walking, including hilly terrain and lots of stairs. Our tour was fabulous! ", Great hotels; great bus driver; amazing locations, We had a great time and everything went very smooth, "Every day every location we went to was a wow", Well organized tour, Tara was an excellent guide. "Murren, Switzerland was our biggest wow moment. Hans, our guide, was very witty, and did a fabulous job organizing activities despite the challenge of some bad weather in Switzerland (it was chilly & rainy like Seattle in December). "I was most wowed by Murren in the Swiss Alps - from the majestic views to the small dairy farm we visited with a tour from the farmer.". "Murren was the wow factor for our tour, by far! "The southern Bavaria countryside and the scenery near Neuschwanstein. I remember thinking, "Thank god I'm on this tour! We had one of the best tour groups. I didn't care for Munich.". Met fun and interesting people. I highly recommend the trip to everyone. "The Berner Oberland area - wow! Then we'll drive up into Switzerland's snow-peaked Berner Oberland country. The tour offered a wonderful variety of experiences, from the natural beauty of Murren Switzerland to the history-rich sites of Mauthausen and Vienna. September on Sale. Fellow passengers were exhausted. "The view of the Swiss Alps from our Hotel room was unbeatable. Best of Austria & Germany Tours & Tour Packages - Firebird Tours Opportunity to enjoy Oktoberfest in Munich! It was amazing- Andrea was kind, friendly, knowledgeable, personable, the activities were well planned, great balance between group stuff and alone time. Those are my WOW moments. I would have rather gone to Rothenburg over Munich. We had a great trip! It allowed us to learn our preferences. Day 1 Welcome to Frankfurt Embrace centuries-old heritage charm and modern style in the vibrant city of Frankfurt, our springboard for a delightful exploration of the best of Germany and Austria. This is a very active tour! "We loved hearing the cow bells while hiking in Murren, Switzerland. There were occasions we would have liked more time like the open air museum and Lake Hallstat. Moderate walking: 26 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. Single Supplement $875. I wish we could be on another tour together. Staying in Murren was even more amazing. Just stunning. Aweinspiring!". "Being with my wife is always my favorite wow moment". We had a guided hike with a picnic and it was amazing. We fell in love with Switzerland (I was skeptical before the trip). This was our 2nd RS Tour, and this tour was equally fantastic. This morning we'll make our way to postcard-pretty Lake Hallstatt. "Flying umbrella handles! The GAS trip covered a lot of ground, literally and figuratively. "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!". Admire the spires of Cologne and Salzburg, cruise along the Rhine and criss-cross 'East' and 'West' in Berlin. Our guide, the bus driver, the locations. Hiking in the Alps was a bucket list item and it did not disappoint.". The spectacular views, wandering cows, pubs with the trail passing through the patios. Loved the Switzerland portion enough that I think well return for that tour. We saw many interesting places and had some great experiences. Great itinerary, great fellow travelers, great tour guide. As were the local guides in Munich (history teacher) and Vienna (3RD Man Museum). Would have preferred staying in Hallstatt not other side of lake. "There were so many "wow" moments but my favorites were the Swiss Alps and Lake Hallstatt. There were many unique stops, historically educational & fun things to do: churches, hikes, luge etc. ", Pretty much what we expected after being on a previous RS tour: a great guide, skilled bus driver, pleasant accommodations, interesting experiences and meeting nice people in our tour group, "The cows my husband and I encountered on our walk from Gimmelwald back to Murren, watching a young couple with an armful of bells, along with their tiny little blond daughter proudly carrying one of her own, as they cut through a field and disappeared. Thomas is an amazing tour guide, he had the absolute best recommendations for food and sightseeing. All three are "WOW's". Great Tour! Exploring, wandering, drinking Schwath Monch beer and sharing a cheese board while looking at the glorious Swiss Alps.". preferred. Small towns and cities seem to have more appeal that the big cities like Vienna. Once you go on one of these tours it will be hard to go back to your old way of traveling.". The trip details were perfectly executed. We always enjoy the learning aspect of the tour - i.e. "When Tara sent a short video of Rhys saying"I love you Rick Steves" and Rick sent a reply back to Rhys. Germany, Switzerland & Austria Tour | EF Go Ahead Tours 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. Light to strenuous walking (your choice). "We loved Lake Halstatt! 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. Outstanding!!! Covered in enchanting forests, Cinderella-inspired castles, quaint villages and emerging cities, a trip to Germany will leave you with memories to cherish for years to come. Walter, our bus driver was terrific, and was missed when he was finished with driving in Vienna. USTOA. Our guide was so personable, knew the history of every location, knowledgeable and overall a very nice person. Our tour guide, Thomas, was truly the best and made the experience top notch. Any time between May and October is a good time to take a Best of Germany, Austria & Switzerland tour. The tour was well organized and planned and the guide was excellent. 10 Best Austria and Germany Tours & Trips 2023/2024 - TourRadar ", This tour was a whirlwind of extraordinary sites, cuisine, history and current events. Also the visit to the Third Man Museum in Vienna was way too long and the local guide there was very eccentric to say the least. It was foggy and the clouds opened up to reveal the Castle. It was absolutely fabulous! We ended up loving it and now want to go back and explore Eastern Europe.". Best of Germany Sightseeing Tours Grand Cities, Castles, and The Romantic Rhine. Most tour members arrange to fly into the Cologne-Bonn airport (CGN) and out of Vienna (VIE) choose "multicity" on flight-booking websites. "It has to be the Alps because it is hard to imagine that it really could be as beautiful as it is. On a Rick Steves' tour, there is something for everybody. Time for a few pictures before the clouds closed in again. How to Get Taylor Swift 'Eras Tour' International Tickets - TODAY Read here the best itineraries. As always, a wonderful trip! Our tour guide was outstanding, really a lot of fun, we had excellent hotels and the various siteseeing tours were excellent. Adjust to constant Alpine weather changes that can interfere with sightseeing. Free 3 day booking hold and flexible change options. "Several wow moments, but hiking in the Swiss Alps and experiencing the majesty of nature was a key one.". Read more. Strenuous walking: 28 miles throughout the day with lots of hills, stairs, and uneven terrain. Everything was wonderful. Light walking: 24 miles throughout the day on mostly level terrain. It was a bit larger group than I expected (28 if I recall correctly), but that wasn't a problem. Beautifully quaint lake and village We'd been to Murren on a prior R.S. Our group was a terrific mix of new friends! Like the other RS tours Ive done, it ran like clockwork. Be on your feet, walking and standing for up to three hours, indoors and outdoors, in all weather conditions. Facinating history. We were also blessed to be traveling with a good group of folks. Beautiful! Beyond the beauty of the Rhine and Wachau, you'll explore Vienna's musical treasures, Alpine landscapes and the castle of a shy king. The tour was outstanding, but impacted by many tour members contracting covid. 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 !!!". The scenery, churches, castles, Mauthsuaen Holocaust memorial, Murren, and Lake Hallstatt were wondeful. After orientation and transportation lessons, be able to navigate towns and cities on your own. When I opened the drapes to the balcony of our room we saw a view of the mountains that was amazing. The local guides were also good. Salzburg and Hallstatt were also highlights. "My favorite wow moments were many. "The days we spent in the Swiss Alps in Murren were amazing. 100+. Romantic Germany and Austria (Self Drive) - Tripmasters Our group of fellow travelers were wonderful and kind! We enjoyed the tour thoroughly. "The Swiss Alps! Germany Tours & Vacation Packages | Tauck Just wow". "Probably meeting a very friendly, kind man at a schnapps bar in Salzburg. There was so much variety. The views everywhere we looked were just breathtaking. Here's what you'll see and do on our Germany, Austria & Switzerland tour: Fine print: You are responsible for the cost of your drinks and free-time sightseeing. "Hiking in the Alps with musical cow bells all around us the hills were truly alive with music!". Small Group Tour. Currency. Our group was a mixture of people from across the US, some who were very knowledgeable travelers. Germany Tours & Vacations 2023 & 2024 | Rick Steves Europe Modern cities, medieval towns and all the sights in between make this Best of Germany and Austria experience one you'll remember. The tour was wonderful! So well informed about the history of each country we visited and the current politics too! "Going to Hallstatt, Austria was my favorite part of our trip. I could actually feel my stress melting away as we sailed through the calm waters and beautiful scenery.". She was very knowledgeable, organized, and had a great personality. I feel like we fit so much into two weeks that I dont even know how we did it. We'll end our day with an orientation walk through the historic center and share a "Welcome to Austria" dinner together. Sleep in Mrren. If you are drinking with locals in Germany, look a person in the eye and say Prost before sipping on your beverage. He was very smart and able to keep things interesting. "Riding into the Lauterbrunnen Valley. The beauty was overwhelming. We went to bed late and got up early and I never slept on the bus! Starting in Trier, along Germany's scenic Mosel River, your Rick Steves guide will make this region's history and culture come alive in royal Munich, fairy-tale . It goes by fast, then you look back and wonder how did we do all those things! Going up in the gondolas and seeing how green was the grass. Wonderful tour, great people, caring and well informed guide. Bavaria is famous for its fairy-tale castles, built by King Ludwig II, the "Mad King," and this tour from Munich visits . After hiking back down, you'll have free time for lunch before leaving Germany behind. My wife and I had a great time and really enjoyed the whole experience. He took us to the University Cathedral. Once tour started, it was very good. We enjoyed learning so much about the countries and their history and their way of life now. On this two-week tour, mountains, Mozart, and mugs of beer all clink together to create a totally yodel-y adventure. Everywhere you looked it was like a painting. "I've traveled extensively in Europe, but not much in the Germanic countries. I loved the history of each place, both from Iris & the city guides. The tour meals were excellent. Having time to hike and experience the area was a wow moment for sure. Eliminate Trier, Baden-Baden. I want to travel in a maximum group size of up to: Copyright TourRadar. We especially loved our hotel which offered a front-row view of the Munch, Eiger, and Jungfrau off our private Deck.". 10 days in Germany? got to see all the sights listed & more. Sign up for free and earn commission on every booking by registering as an accredited TourRadar Agent. How much to tip Tipping in Europe is optional yet appreciated; therefore, leave up to 10% of the bill if you've enjoyed the service. Delve into the youthful aura and romantic vibes of Heidelberg, an ancient German university town. Then we'll follow the Danube Valley to the grand finale of our tour Vienna, once the capital of Europe's wealthiest empire. We had a terrific time on our 2 week tour through Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. "See the Alps of Switzerland. $4,295 to $4,595 + Air. "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. This tour combines the best of three of our other tours - the River Castles, Bavarian Castles, and Imperial Castles Tours. $4,295 to $4,595 + Air. On this tour of Germany and Austria, your Rick Steves guide will bring this region's rich history and culture to life in festive Munich, Baroque Salzburg, sparkling Lake Hallstatt, monastic Melk, the blue Danube, and royal Vienna with cozy villages and alpine vistas all along the way. And I know Eris worked hard to calculate the best possible time to be there and it worked!". "Our time in Switzerland was the "WOW" for us! Our tour guide, Ruby, was a blast and really made everyone feel welcome. "Our hike in Switzerland, The Hapsburg palaces and Lake Hallstatt. This was an amazing tour. Such an awesome day!". The beautiful setting and exceptionally talented musicians just blew us away.". Ruby was a wonderful guide and we enjoyed all of the scheduled activities, as well as having time to create our own agenda in the afternoons. Love our room & the view in Murren, scenery, small town just everything. Sleep in Cologne. Reasonably well organized. We covered a lot of territory within GAS so spent a lot of hours on the bus. 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. Up to 50% OFF. We stayed 3 extra nights and there is still more I want to do in Vienna. Getting to Trier was not a good experience, as plane delayed coming out of Toronto, making catching train to Koblenz a challenge, as had to catch slow train. Truly enjoyable, relaxing and awe inspiring. Well organized, good variety of activities, excellent guide, awareness of stops, bathrooms and time for a drink or snack. ", Best tour guide ever! "Our favorite wow moment was waking up to a view of the Swiss Alps each day we were in Mrren. Baden Baden was my birthday, and we had fun celebrating with a picnic lunch in an amazing garden. "The Lauterbrunnen Valley was one of the more impressive places Ive ever been in my life. Simply put it was the best vacation I've ever had. 4.7. 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. 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. We'll begin our day with a walking tour of Cologne, tracing the city's Roman origins and cultural rise to Germany's religious center in the Middle Ages. This was a very active tour for us and we walked a lot! "Lauterbrunnen Valley and our ascent to our hotel in Murren! This was a fantastic tour, well planned and executed every step of the way. We had a fantastic guide and he made what was already a wonderful tour outstanding! "Waking up in my hotel room in the Berner Oberland with the doors to my balcony open and an amazing view of the rising sun touching the snow capped peaks of the Swiss Alps.". I love love our guide Thomas!! Very organized, exceeded my expectations. "The gorgeous scenery in Mrren and the Lauterbrunnen valley in Switzerland blew me away. She was so organized, knowledgeable & able to keep the entire group on task with ease. Excellent mix of city adventures and small town/ rural experiences. We loved the variety of experiences of the tour. Overall it was very good, our tour guide could not have been better. Overall, it was a very nice, laid back tour.