Rick Steves' Germany, Austria, Switzerland & Prague: 2001
Please share any ways we can improve or fix this guidebook. Are there recommendations in this book that disappointed you? Do you have any new experiences or new places we should consider? Any warnings or tips for people traveling with existing edition? (Please note: Feedback on specific hotels, costs, etc. is deleted yearly after Rick uses it to update his guidebook. However, general, timeless recommendations have been left here online.)
Rick's books/programs
On reading some of the previous posted messages, I'de like to throw in my
two cents worth.I find Ricks books very informative and useful, not just
for the information but to elevate my excitment for traveling and pump me
up for my next trip.(Watching the telvision programs is a great way to encourage
you to save for that next trip)However I agree with some of the posts.It
is just a guideline to get you started on your travels.Not to follow word
for word.place to place. You should attempt to plan your own journey.My
wife and I find our own accomodations when we arrive in a town, and have
had no problems locating descent lodging, even during peak seasons.I find
my own back doors by finding places that only one or two guide books mention(and
have had very good luck) I have to admit it was exciting to find a B&B in
York that Rick frequents,quite by accident. We didnt stay there though.The
owner showed us Christmas cards sent to him by Rick and his family. But
it is so much more exciting and fufilling to do it on your own.I find Ricks
travel guidelines, like packing light,How to plan an itinerary and how to
pick the right train pass etc to be the most useful part of his book.I have
been inspired to visit places based on Ricks books and programs but that
is only a springboard to start my travel itinerary.From there I do my own
research.As far as far as general travel information I find Rick's books
to be by far the best in the industry, but it is not a "Bible" which I follow
to the letter.Find your own places.There is so much out there to discover
on your own You Can Do It!!!
Martin <email>
Livermore, Ca USA 12/29/02
A few comments from an April trip (late, but I think are still valid), especially
about things not highlighted in the Steves GASP guide. Trier is well worth
a visit, as Rick mentions, but one thing not in the book is that Luxembourg
makes a great daytrip from Trier. It's only about a 45-minute inexpensive
train trip with frequent service, and Luxembourg City (while not worth a
lengthy visit) is an interesting small city set high on a bluff with UNESCO "world heritage site" fortifications. The layout, architecture, and ambiance
are actually reminiscent of Quebec City (not too surprising when one realizes
they share a common heritage as 17th-century garrison towns on the frontier
of the French empire). Collect a new country, but no need to change money
(Lux uses the euro too). Deeper in Germany, I think Wurzburg, while not
as postcard-pretty as Rothenburg, makes a much better home base to see Franconia
for the train traveler. It's a major rail junction with great connections
anywhere rather than a branch-line dead end, and to my mind has a more authentic
ambiance than the beautiful but a bit kitschy Rothenburg. Rothenburg should
be seen, but best as a day trip. Wurzburg has several great wine taverns,
plus a handy laundromat about 2 tram stops N. of RR station. Another excellent
excursion from Wurzburg is Bamberg, about an hour away. This town gets a
bit of an unfair rap in the Steves book, in my opinion, being dismissed
in a sentence as one of several Rothenburg wanna-be's. Actually, it has
just as much architectural beauty and cultural interest as Rothenburg (although
it's a bigger town that's a bit more spread out), but with far fewer tourists.
Don't miss the famous "rauchbier" (smoked beer), an acquired taste it's
worth trying to acquire.
PBB
USA 12/23/02
Rothenburg and Nurnburg
Just returned two hours ago (22 Dec 02) from Rothenburg and Nurnburg. Both
cities had Christmas markets; Rothenburg is more charming, Nurnburg is larger.
We stayed one night at Hotel Schranne (www.schranne.com) in Rothenburg.
Great hotel for 62 Euro per night. As an American living in Germany, I had
only one disappointment. The hotel did not accept VAT forms. The hotel is
very nice. Small, super clean and comfortable rooms about 30 meters inside
the north wall of the city. Stairs leading up the wall are about 50 meters
from the hotel. We would definitely stay there again. They also have a good
breakfast. Even though we weren't able to book at any of the other hotels
or gasthouses listed on this web site due to the Xmas market season, while
walking through the city, we saw numerous gasthouses with rooms available.
I'd be willing to go back without reservations in the future — even during
the Xmas market season. This was our second visit to Rothenburg. It's a
beautiful, charming walled village. If staying overnight, definitly take
the Night Watchman's tour. George, the guide, is great and did a wonderful
tour. Lot's of cool factoids about the city and the Middle Ages. It's a
great 4 euro investment. We will be returning in Feb 03 for the old city
volks march and will book rooms at the same hotel again. We spent the day
in Nurnburg after volksmarching in Oberasbach, about 10k outside Nurnburg.
Nurnburg is a much larger walled city than Rothenburg. There are many churches
and historic sites in the old town. It's worth a day visit. The Xmas market
in Nurnburg is large and crowded. We were a bit disappointed, since many
booths sell the same items. However, the Nurnburger wurst sandwich was great.
So was the halb meter wurst (that's a 1/2 meter long sausage sandwich!)
Tim <email>
Ramstein, Germany 12/22/02
Swiss Cities
Rick says to avoid cities in Switzerland except Bern. We disagree having
just spent 3 days in Zurich and one day in Luzern during November. In bad
weather there is much more to do than in a small country town. In any event
both of these cities are beautiful, contain many interesting sights, some
great restaurants and are well worth a stop on an itinerary at any time
of year.
David Love <email>
Sydney, NSW Australia 12/04/02
Travelling in the Off Season
We have just returned from a trip to Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy
during November. Rick recommends many small towns which are effectively
shut down at this time of year. For example, Lauterbrunnen was a waste of
time as only one hotel and restaurant was open. We stayed in Interlaken
which was a much better location for this time of year. Also Bellagio on
Lake Como only had one hotel and restaurant open. Tourists should avoid
this area during November. Whilst the Cinque Terre was quiet we still found
excellent accommodation at Albergo Pasquale in Monterosso. Many restaurants
were open in the towns. At this time of year I have found it better to visit
cities rather than towns as there are nearly always plenty of things to
do.
David Love <email>
Sydney, NSW Australia 12/04/02
Reutte
We recently stayed in Reutte during November and most of Rick's recommended
hotels were closed. We stayed at a great hotel in the centre of town called
Hotel zum Mohren, Untermarkt 26, www.hotel-mohren.at. For only 80 Euro we
had a huge modern room plus breakfast for two.
David Love <email>
Sydxney, NSW Australia 12/04/02
Wallstreet im Hamilton cafe, Baden-Baden
This is a great little restaurant. The general manager, Matthius, speaks
perfect English and went to great pains to make sure we enjoyed our meal.
Has great traditional German food. Several of the items we requested were
posted on the lunch specials board, but Matthius brought them to us for
dinner.
John Ringquist <email>
San Diego, CA USA 12/04/02
Vienna, Prague, Cesky Krumlov, Salzburg & Amsterdam
We shared an apartment in Vienna for 9 days with another couple. We ate
breakfast there, packed a picnic lunch and then had dinner out. It was a
great experience to shop at the neighborhood grocery & bakery every few
days. If you plan to visit some place for 4 days or more, renting an apartment
is an economical, interesting and pleasant option. We used www.holiday-rentals.com.
The four of us enjoyed using Rick's book to see all the sights and to select
many of our restaurants. We attended two marvelous concerts at Musikverein
(our apartment mate was the featured soloist) and had a grand evening at
the Opera(Staatsoper). Each person had a display that translated the performance
into their language. Possible additions to book: -Griechenbeisl Restaurant
on Fleischmarkt (mentioned in several previous messages and worth the splurge).
One block past Zanoni & Zanoni from St. Stephan’s Cathedral and then
about ½ block to the right. -Minoriten Kirche (a couple blocks North of
the Imperial Apartments). We all thought the mosaic of “The Last Supper” was almost as good as Leonardo's masterpiece in Milan.
We then spent 4 nights in Prague at Residence U TRI BUBNU (The House of The Three Drums) (www.utribubnu.cz). It was very nice, the staff was friendly, the breakfast buffet was good and the location was great (100 yards from Old Town Square)! They have a year round special of stay 4 nights, pay for three. Once again, we used Rick's book to tour the city and for restaurant selection. We enjoyed excellent meals at Restaurant U Plebana and Ozivle Drevo, but the best meal on our trip was at Plzenska Restaurace. A highlight for us was that President Havel and several of his Ministers also dined there and it was the day before he hosted President Bush for the NATO Summit. We went on three tours with City Walks (take three, pay for two). The young ladies who were our guides were informative and lots of fun. They also made sure that we stayed away from any trouble with the NATO Summit demonstrators. We found the people in The Czech Republic to be very friendly and helpful.
Next, we spent two nights at Pension Anna in beautiful Cesky Krumlov. It was a nice place to stay and the included breakfasts were very good. Although we didn’t request it, the hosts insisted on getting up an hour early to serve us breakfast on the morning we left so we could catch our bus. The locals told us the best way to go between there and Cesky Budejovice was bus (26 kc or less than $1). The bus stop was only three blocks from Pension Anna and in Cesky Budejovice the bus station is across the street from the train station and about ½ block to the left. It is at Horni Ulice 157 and the phone # is 0337/713-344. If you face the Tourist Information building, there is a little alley that goes off to the right. Go down the alley about 40-45 steps and it’s on the rights side. It is a super place that was jammed full of people having a good time and eating great food. I think we were the only patrons speaking English. This place should be in your next book! Quite a few phone numbers in the book were out-of-date. The TI has a great website with current information at http://www.ckrumlov.cz/uk/mesto/rpphv/i_sezuby.htm. There is also an interesting interactive map at http://www.ckrumlov.cz/uk/atlas/i_cmm.htm. Another good site is http://www.angelfire.com/va/voooom/Krumlov.html.
In Salzburg, we stayed 3 nights at the 4-star Austria Trend Hotel Europa
($208). Although it’s not the type of accommodation usually recommended
in Steves' books, its low season rates and stay 3, pay for 2 special,
made it quite a bit cheaper than the places in the book that we checked
with. Our room on the 12th floor had a magnificent view of the Hohensalzburg
Fortress, the city and the mountains. The included breakfast had things
like smoked salmon, Champagne, various meats, omelets, etc. (pure luxury).
We found it through www.accomline.com. We had a great time on The Sound
of Music Tour (show up a little early and sit in the front of the bus).
There was also good hiking around the Kapuzinerkirche und Kloster.
Gregg & Judy Nielson <email>
Rapid City, SD USA 12/01/02
Beware Rick's disciples
I want to amplify something from Hilde's post of 9/27/02. While Rick is
a TERRIFIC resource, and a helluva nice guy, I've found that many people
carry around his books as if they were the gospel, going only where he suggests,
sleeping only where he recommends, etc. Rick's justly earned popularity
turned out to be the bane of our existence at places in Italy (Civita di
Bagnoreggio and the Cinque Terrae, to mention but two locations): most of
the Americans we ran into swore by Rick. I swear by him, too, but have learned
that a little more research, keeping Rick's advice in mind, will help me
find places where people are a bit less fanatical….and more "local." I
recommend that you all give this independent approach a try, because it
can lead you to meet some wonderful people, either citizen of the host country,
or people from all over the world. As an example: my partner and I were
tired and hungry after a long day of hiking in the Cinque Terrae. We had
checked into our hotel mid-morning, and during the course of our hike that
day, we found TONS of people toting Rick's book (especially in Rick's favorite
town, Vernazza). It was a bit of a turn-off. By the time we got home and
relaxed, then went to dinner, we were questioning whether we wanted to spend
more time there, altho it was pretty, or go on to another place that was
a little less "Yankee" in nature. Knowing enough Italian to be dangerous,
I translated everything on the menu except the "coniglie," and commented
to my partner that I knew the word, but just couldn't come up with it. The
beautiful elderly woman at the adjacent table leaned over and, in heavily
accented English, said, "It means rabbit — I ordered it and it is delicious." I thanked her for the advice, ordered the rabbit, and during the course
of the next hour, we chatted intermittently back and forth. As it turns
out, she was from Germany, was in the Cinque Terrae with friends, and had
been not only to Oregon (our home state), but to a part of rural Oregon
where I had grown up. This experience was wonderful, and can be attributed
more to departing somewhat from Rick's advice than from following it. And
it just confirmed what we'd been thinking — get the basics from Rick, and
then branch out a bit. It works! Now….all we need to do is some more research
for Berlin and Prague and points in between — we took the plunge for that
screaming Lufthansa deal introducing their non-stop service from PDX to
Frankfurt. Happy travels, all. And thank you, Rick, for all your work and
wisdom!
Steve <email>
Portland, OR USA 11/24/02
Germany
Rick's book was very helpful on my recent trip to Germany. Although I stayed
with people most places and did not always take his advice, most of it was
very valuable. What I agree with: Rothenburg was very enjoyable and I'm
very glad I took the time to go. I did do most of my shopping here. Of course
it was close to the end of my trip too so it made sense. I wish I had remembered
his advice about NOT trying their special pastry schneeballe. It was really
bad and I ended up throwing it into the trash. Quite stale tasting. I was
quite surprized since their pastries and breads in German bakeries are great!
Walking the wall was fun. Wurzburg: I stayed in the pension Rick recommended
close to the hauptbanhof. Pension Spehnkuch. It was exactly what Rick described.
Very basic with not even any soap on the sink in your room, toilet and shower
acros the hall but comfortable, quiet enough and very clean. The breakfast
was adequate and they were nice enough to fix me a breakfast set up the
night before for the morning I needed to leave early. Many places I've been
if you need to leave before their usual breakfast hours, you are out of
luck. They offered to set it up and were quite generous in what they left
for me. I had some interesting conversations with both of them in the evenings
about American politics. (Don't get me started on that!) She was more fluent
in English than he was so your designation of Markus SE isn't quite correct.
Heidelberg to Cologne: I took the train as it followed the Rhine river and
was able to get some good photos through the windows of some of the robber
barons castles. If it were not for the book, I would not have been prepared.
What I do not agree with: Wurzburg: Information on tours of the town and
the Residence in English is not correct. Neither exist any more. Heidelberg:
I enjoyed this town a lot and do not know why Rick gives it such a bad rap.
The castle was great. Big and a great combination of ruin and restoration
with a good tour in English and models showing what it had looked like before
the French ruined so much of it. I enjoyed seeing the places where university
students have traditionally fought duels in this town. Hamburg: Although
I did not spend a lot of time here, I feel it is definitely worth visiting
and was very disappointed that Rick does not even mention it. If it is because
it is not a back door, well, neither are Munich or Berlin. What else I liked:
I visited a friend very far north in Kiel. Although Kiel is probably not
worth a visit that far north on its own, it was interesting to see country
that has had such Danish influence and see the difference between it and
the south. We went over to Friedrichstadt, which is a small but very interesting
old village and drove up to Tondor, Denmark, another interesting small village
with the most incredible apple tart with cream that made my knees buckle!
Trains: I had a five day train pass, which worked out really well. The trains
are all electric, very clean and never off by more than ten minutes (in
my experience), great information and easy to figure out everything. Although
the announcements are usually in German, they often have a LCD readout that
tells you the time and date (useful when you need to enter the date on your
train pass or want to know how much longer before you get into the station.)
It alternates with letting you know it will be stopping soon and what the
name of the next station is. I could go on about other useful things they
have but in general I found them to be the easiest trains I've ridden in
Europe.
Kathleen <email>
Olympia, WA USA 11/21/02
Trip to Germany
We recently made a trip to Germany, staying at four inns that you recommend
in your "Germany, Austria & Switzerland" book. Your book was a great investment!
First we stayed in Bacharach at the Altkoelnisher. What a delightful place!
The proprietors couldn't have been more gracious. Then we traveled on to
Rothenburg an der Tauber, staying outside the walls at the Hornburg. The
couple who wan this place made us feel as though we were one of the family.
Very clean and well furnished. On to Munich, staying at the Hotel Uhland.
This was a top notch hotel with all the trimmings. Too bad we were only
there for one night. Then we traveled to Reutte, Austria, staying at the
Maximilian for two nights. What a disappointment! We arrived to be told
that they didn't think we had a reservation. After some time they found
we had made reservations weeks before. We are in our 70's and they put us
on the 3-1/2 stock, meaning we had to climb numerous stairs with our luggage.
Wehad reservations for Thursday and Friday nights. On Friday night after
the banks had closed, we were advised that their credit card machine was
out of order so we must pay with cash or traveller's checks. Since your
book told us that they accepted credit cards, we were not prepared to pay
cash. We used traveller's checks and they charged us a surchage of 5 Euros.
Needless to say, we did not feel very welcome at this establishment. The
staff was very aloof and short.Perhaps it might be good for you to warn
future travellers of their tactics. Again, thank you for your assistance
in making our trip to Germany most enjoyable (mostly).
Don Christensen <email>
Sylvania, OH USA 11/13/02
Marksburg Castle in new GAS edition / Monschau
Rick: I was pleased to see from your page on Rheinland Castles that you've
included Marksburg Castle in your next edition! Unlike many castles, it's
relatively easy to get to if travelling by train and open nearly all year,
and though not as "fine" as Burg Eltz, it has a wonderfully rustic feel
to it — very authentically medieval and un-museumlike. For a preview, go
to www.roadstoruins.com/marksburg.htm . For your next edition, I'd like
to humbly suggest a new "back door" for you to explore: Monschau, a wonderfully
preserved weavers' town south of Aachen in Germany's "Eifel" region, brimming
with half-timbered buildings and cobblestones. Yes, there are tourists,
mostly European, but the town has escaped most of the kitsch we find nowadays
in places that are more popular with international tourists.
Russ <email>
Galt, CA USA 11/10/02
Hotel Raidel, Rothenburg
Hotel Raidel, despite Rick's comments was very nice I think it was only
euro 28 a night for a single with bath in the room. Herr Raidel was very
helpful and breakfast was great. Herr Raidel brought me a pot of tea, plate
full of cheese and meats, basket of bread, yogurt, etc. And then said to
me "Are you not hungry" when I didn't eat everything on the table. He gave
me enough food for 4. I was the only person in the house that was not German.
My little bit of German and Herr Raidel's English made communication no
problem
John <email>
Wilmington, NC USA 11/08/02
Staying in Rothenburg
We first becane aquainted with Rick through watching him on Public TV out
of Milwaukee, WI. We purchased Europe Through the Back Door, and then wanting
something more detailed, we added Germany, Austria, and Switzerland to our
collection. This became our bible while traveling, and we used it daily,
for eating, sleeping, walking tours, shopping, and train connections. The
only descrepancy we found was that the Hotel Altfrankische Weinstube am
Klosterhof, in Rothenburg, no longer accepts credit cards. The stay there,
however, was delightful, and the dinner delicious. Our first shopping stop
in that city was the Friese Shop. Anneliese is all, and more, than stated
in the book. We shopped, exchanged,money, and on a rainy morning stored
our luggage there. An exceptional surprise was her son, Berni, driving us
to the train station so we wouldn't have to walk in the rain. We tried to
pay him, but all he asked was that we'd tell Rick they were good to us.
He also said that they get a customer every day of the year who is using
Rick's book. And Rick's picture is right on the front door — what a celebrity
he is in Rothenburg! k
Francine <email>
Fond du Lac, WI USA 11/07/02
Taxi in and around Prague
In the "Transportation Connections — Prague" section of the Germany, etc.,
book, Mike's Chauffeur Service is mentioned as being reliable and fairly
priced. In connection with a week in Prague in October, 2002, we arranged
for Mike to pick us up at the airport, take us to Terezin (where he had
arranged a tour for us), and then take us to our hotel in Prague. When we
left, we had an early morning flight and Mike picked us up on time at 6
AM. Not only is Mike reliable and reasonable on his prices, he is a very
pleasant, friendly, and interesting guy. He also has great ideas on restaurants
and on Czech beers!
Richard Anderson <email>
Newington, CT USA 11/06/02
Germany
We visited Germany in September, my first visit back in 40 years. Rick's
book was very helpful. Our best hotel experience was in Rothenburg at Hotel
Raidel, which Rick says will "do in a pinch". We felt the Raidels were very
nice and the rooms we had were excellent (for the price!). It does help
if you speak and understand German, as Herr Raidel does not seem really
confident in his English, which actually is quite adequate. We stayed at
Hotel Uhland in Munich and were quite pleased. All in all, we had no bad
experiences at all, even the train breaking down on the way to Fuessen was
kind of fun-although a problem for some of the non German speakers, as all
announcements, etc were only in German. But I'm certain that there will
always be someone around to translate! We had some folks who heard us speaking
English approach us for translation services and everything went well! Suzannes
Bed and Breakfast was fine, although a little expensive for the "attic special".
Next time we'll stay downstairs on the first floor! I would suggest staying
away from the big chain hotels. We stayed in one our last night in Frankfurt
a/M and it was ok, but very expensive and food was not up to the standards
we had become used to!
Hank Morris <email>
La Mesa, CA USA 11/03/02
St. Goar
I stayed a couple nights at the Pension of Herr and Frau Kurz in St Goar
this past July. I didn't find train noise to be a problem there. When you
walk through the tunnel under the train tracks and then start climbing stairs,
turn to the right through the STONE ARCH to find the Kurz's home. It's one
he@*# of a climb up to the next village otherwise! Because of the rampant
price-gouging going on in Germany since the introduction of the Euro, rooms
are a few Euros more than the Kurz's had anticipated and reported in Rick's
book. Still a great bargain, though, if you don't mind the limited hot water
for showers. (There's a nominal charge for those, by the way.) It is best
if you can phone them first to check on room availability. Herr Kurz doesn't
speak much English, but Frau Kurz does much better. I found the Kurz's to
be most gracious, but maybe my German fluency made things easier. When I
told them I wanted to visit both Castle Rheinfels (just up the street) and
Burg Eltz in the Mosel, they advised me to allow most of a day if traveling
by train from St. Goar and walking to see Burg Eltz. That saved me from
making a mistake, and I was able to visit both. Whether it's with this couple
or at any other Zimmer, cut the Germans some slack on their prices, if slightly
different from what the guidebooks quote. Electricity costs have gone through
the roof, and prices are higher all over Germany because of businesses taking
advantage of the Euro conversion to boost prices. My cousins near Cologne
and friends in the former East Germany all complained about these same things
too.
Jim Rogers
Centennial, CO USA 11/02/02
Danube River Cruise: Take a Bus One Leg / Bikes One-Way Only Now
We did the Danube river cruise from Melk to Krems and then took a bus back.
The return bus trip is not suggested in the 2002 edition, but I think it
should be. There's no need to do a round trip on the river. I think it would
be rather boring. Instead, take the bus one way as you'll see a close up
view of these little vineyard towns. It was really a delight. Also, we discovered
that you cannot rent a bike and ride it one-way any longer (contrary to
what the book says). They recently changed the bike rental policy and trips
can only be two-way. A shame.
Patrick Barnes <email>
Cedar Rapids, IA USA 10/31/02
Finding Heurigers Outside of Vienna
Using the 2002 edition, we tried to go to the Heurigers that Rick mentions
near a *train stop* called Gumpoldskirchen. However, there is no train stop
there. In fact, most people hadn't heard of it. What you have to do is get
off at Guntramsdorf (not *Neu* Gumtramsdorf) and then take a bus or taxi.
Patrick Barnes <email>
Cedar Rapids, IA USA 10/31/02
Map Errors in Melk, Austria
While using the 2002 edition of this book I discovered a few discrepancies
that are worth mentioning. First, the map of Melk incorrectly has the hotel
at 7 Linzerstrasse on the left side of the street as you walk towards the
town square. Although there is a door and a sign on the left side, this
entrance is not used. The entrance is actually about 75 yards towards the
town center and on the right, through the pizzeria. This is not marked *at
all* as a hotel, even when inside. You have to go through the door straight
ahead as you walk in and then up the stairs. Nice place to stay, but tough
to find with the directions in this edition. Second, there are *two* boat
ramps in Melk for the Danube River cruises. The map indicates that there
is only one: across a single lane bridge and out onto a spit of land. However,
we almost missed our boat as we assumed this was the dock (only one on the
map) when, in fact, our boat left from an inlet that is reached by turning
right in front of the bridge and walking about 100 yards. This ramp was
closer to town.
Patrick Barnes <email>
Cedar Rapids, IA USA 10/31/02
Nuremberg
I spent a month in Nuremberg last year, and found it a great base to explore
Bavaria from. The old city is beautiful, clean and delightful to wander,
feels very safe. As well as the site of the Nuremberg trials, this was one
of the centres of the first and second reich, and has great history dating
back into the middle ages. The musuem is fantastic, and the kirches and
hauptmarkt beautifully restored. A tour of the vaults under the city (there
are two- a WWII tour and a beer tour) is excellent, but there is little
information unless you know who to ask. We found English-speaking guides
at the museum, the castle, and the vaults with little trouble and no extra
cost.
Anna <email>
Melbourne, Vic Australia 10/30/02
Hallstat is incredible! If you drive, after the tunnell make sure you
make a an immediate left. It is easy to miss. We stayed at Verena Lobissers
house. She is a gracious hostess but the only nice local we found. However
the scenery more than makes up for it. Rothenburg was quaint and lovely.
If you go, stay the night and do the night watchmen tour. Its alot of fun!
Also, the town is deserted at night you have it to yourself. Beleive it
or not, we got to Neuschwanstein castle at 3PM and got on the last tour
bus up to the castle. It 's alot of walking but worth it. The view at the
top is incredible. We just got back 2 weeks ago and it was prime fall foliage.
If you don't mind it being chilly October is a great time to travel, there
were tourists but not too crowded.
Jennifer Williams <email>
Coatesville, PA USA 10/30/02
German Tour
Wish we had had more time in Rothenburg. The most delightful town we visited
outside the middle Rhine region where we had an apartment in St. Goar for
two weeks. The Friese shop in Rothenburg not only gave us the discount on
items we bought but Anneliese even provided us with a ride with her son
to the train station as I had had knee surgery recently and was having difficulty
walking. Best restaurant in St. Goar was at the Hotel Hauser. The Bakery
around the corner from the apartment was something special and the people
were wonderful.Best Italian food in Germany was at Schells in Berlin. Thanks
for providing such a wonderful tour book. It was invaluable.
Lwrence Buono <email>
Spring Hill, , FL USA 10/28/02
Germany and Austria
Rothenburg: Hotel Hornburg gets a mention in Rick's book, but it was an
understatement, as it was easily the best place we stayed in our European
trip. The huge dogs are pathetically entertaining in thier laziness. Martin
has all the right recommendations, and he couldn't be more pleasant. The
rooms, especially on the top floor, are very comfortable and reasonably
priced. Breakfast: I don't know what most people expect, but my wife and
I grew tired of the meat and bread German breakfasts quickly. Has anyone
yet introduced the fried egg to our German & Austrian friends yet? Salzburg:
What an aggravating tourist trap the old city is. We went there on a day
trip, and left with a sour taste unfortunately. If you aren't totally into
the classical Mozart scene, expensive "junk" shops (a 12 euro decorated
egg!), and so-so food, then skip it. There are plenty of other cities where
one can see old buildings and beautiful fountains. Innsbruck: I think Rick
was too nice to Innsbruck in his book. Bottom line: if you aren't a skier,
and unless you enjoy staring at a golden roof, or you have a passion for
boredom, don't waster your valuable time. Transportation: I know Rick mentions
renting a car in Germany to have the best experience, but I think their
transportation system is SO good that you don't need the headache. Car rental
wasn't exactly cheap, and we all know how expensive the fuel is. Get a railpass,
buy public transportation tickets for reasonable prices in each city that
you would need to get around. It just seems to make more sense to me……
Mike <email>
Jax, FL USA 10/25/02
Romantic Road / phone cards
Rick, we used your book(s) on a 3 week trip to Italy, Switzerland and Germany.
I was 98% satisfied with your information! Only change I would have made
would have been regarding the romantic road bus tour. We p/u in Wurzberg
at 10:00 am. It was a bit of a disappointment — not worth a whole day. Would
have suggested to p/u in Rothenberg as the sites after that were much better
and we would have had the morning to see & shop Rothenberg. Tour co does
not allow enough time in Rothenburg. Only other suggestion we did not like!
It was using the pre-paid euro phone card with the PIN number. We tried
(even after calling customer service) to use it for 3 weeks and it only
worked once. Nothing but a hassle. The card w/the electronic stripe worked
right away!
Deb Johnson <email>
Phoenix, AZ USA 10/23/02
Go to Prague
We just returned from a two week trip to Germany, Prague, Austria, and Italy.
By far Prague was the highlight of the trip. Cheap, Beautiful, great food,
Romantic and did I say Cheap. The Hotel Jullian is a great place to stay.
Shawn Bilak <email>
Conyers, GA USA 10/22/02
Trumer Stube in Salzburg
We have just returned from Austria and stayed at Trumer Stube in Salzburg.
The hosts were delightful but unfortunately our room was in the front on
the street side. There are two bars in the street beneath the hotel and
we were sleepless for 3 nights listening to drunks. Every little noise is
magnified because the street is a narrow canyon.Please advise people to
book rooms in the back of the hotel.
Fred Rogers <email>
Denver, CO USA 10/21/02
Guesthouse Lida
I just wanted to express my gratitude for Rick in his recommendation of
the Guesthouse Lida in Prague. The room was great, the location was fantastic,
and the help we received from Jan was above and beyond what you'd expect.
If you're going to Prague, stay there!
Colby Holland <email>
Grand Prairie, TX USA 10/13/02
Comments on recent stay in Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Brugge
We returned October 5 spending three weeks in Germany, Austria, Switzerland
and Brugge, Belgium.
We think Brugge is a must visit city for travelers. Great sights, food, shopping and a gem. Hotel Cordieanier rooms were very small and suitable for two.
Bacharach was wonderful and Pension Lettie was perfect;clean, bright with excellent breakfast and she`s a great help. Take the Rhine boar ride.
We would recommend a stay in Rothenburg for the night watchman tour and good dinners. Hotel Gerberhaus was the best hotel we stayed in on the trip and not expensive.
Salzburg was wonderful but the old city is touristy. We stayed at Hotel Trummer Stube which was nice, Silvia very helpful for tickets and information and don`t miss the Sound of Music tour or a Mozart dinner concert. Food here was great.
Murren was great this time of year and there had been a new snowfall. Hotel Alpina was comfortable and good food was available.
Hotel Lotschberg in Interlaken was a good one night stay, but Interlaken
is a large tourist trap. The boat trip in Interlaken is worth taking.
Bill Lages <email>
Sudbury, VT USA 10/11/02
Zell sleeping
Just stayed in Zell on the Mosel Gasthaus Thiesen was very poor . 3rd floor
rooms shaired baths. 1st floor rooms very noisy. Found much better room
at Gastehaus Am Romerbad on street of same name near T I
R.L. McCary <email>
Shreveport, La USA 10/07/02
Germany/Austria Highlights & Comments
Upon unpacking my well-worn, rained-on Rick Steves Guide to Germany, Austria
and Switzerland last night I was compelled to share some ramblings about
these countries. My grandparents came from Germany and I felt completely
at home in this complex, beautiful country, as well as its neighbor, Austria.
My fiancee, Michael, and I just spent the last 11 days swilling beer and eating phenominal food during Oktoberfest (seriously the happiest place on earth — forget about Disney), hiking dramatic mountians to view centuries-old castles, tasting local wines, cruising the Rhine…. the list goes on. We consulted the guide the entire way, saving us time and money.
Munich: It's true, even during Oktoberfest the city was easy to maneuver. We were there during opening weekend and I would recommend it to anyone, including those who don't really like being in crowded areas (like myself). Oktoberfest IS a big party, but just controlled enough to feel safe. I've never experienced a celebration of this magnitude, and it was a true joy getting to know so many people from around the world. Try to find a hotel near the festival grounds as it's great to kind of come and go easily. Also, make the trip to Andechs. It's worth it.
Fussen: After touring the Ludwig Castles, staying at Suzanne's B & B was terrific. Yes, she's a little different, but we found her quite helpful and kind once you got to know her, showing us driving routes, telling us about places to eat. Try to get room #3 if you want some stretching out space.
Salzburg: Amazing city. It was cold and rainy when we were there but we loved our experiences just the same. We never would have sampled the local "Gluhwein," a hot, spicy red wine, if it hadn't been chilly. The Augustiner Braustubl was really neat, a kind of "food court" in a classic setting. I also highly recommend the Schlosskonzert for lovers of classical music. No cheesy dinner theater experience here. It isn't every day you can hear Baroque music played in a twinkling, gilded hall. Also, don't miss St. Peter's Cemetery and church. The Sound of Music tour was also a delight and a true must if you aren't otherwise touring the countryside outside of the city.
Wurzburg/Rothenburg: Wurzburg was only ok, not much really here except for the Residenz (amazing). The Hotel Zur Stadt Mainz (recommended by the guide) had the most unbelieveable breakfast in a warm, truly Bavarian atmosphere. The proprietors were warm and the room very comfortable with a great view of the cathedral out of our window. Also, if you get tired of German food (which, for me, is hard to do) try this little Italian place down the road from the Zur Stadt Mainz: La Botte Doro at 13 Semmelstrasse. Very good Italian food, terrific service.
Rothenburg is simply a must-see. Definitely take a walk around the wall at sunset if possible.
The Rhein/Mosel Region: We cancelled our ridiculous Frankfurt hotel reservations (235 euros per night) and opted to try staying in Bacharach at the Hotel Kranenturm. A smart decision, as we were closer to all the sites AND saved around 400 euros in the process. Bacharach has several terrific restaurants, including the Munze, and the terrific wine bar Rick mentioned. We ordered the sampler tray and wound up sharing it with an American woman travelling by herself. A great way to make new friends! A couple of things to mention, though, about the Hotel Kranenturm. If you have packed anything more than a couple of shirts it is quite a haul to get to your room. We were on the fourth floor and getting up the winding staircase with suitcases was a little challenging. There is some train noise at night but if you are exhausted every night from touring and you keep the windows shut tight it shouldn't be too bad.
Must sees: Take the Rhine cruise, climb (actually, tram it if you can as the uphill hike is brutal, especially with a wine buzz from your Rhine cruise!) to Rheinfels Castle, hike to Burg Eltz (and get pleasantly lost like we did, meet a nice German couple who will show you the way out of the woods down a path through some vineyards!) and sip some wine in Beilstein.
All in all, we found Germans to be quite warm, conversational and highly
efficient. While riding in the trains from town to town we pondered when
we could come back again sometime soon.
Paula <email>
Orlando, FL USA 10/01/02
Rick's Guide Book
A report from a 68 yr old Aussie male who has just completed a 2 week holiday
using Rick's "GermanAustria& Switzerland"book 2002.
Frankfurt: for proximity to the rail & cost i selected "Pension Schneider"…Rick is correct…it is a "strange oasis of decency & quiet"in a rough area…very clean,good b'fast, run by two nice ladies Gabbie & Annie…good value.
Rhine cruise: once again followed Rick's advice for the time-constrained…did the cruise St Goar to Baccarach…great…and both towns were interesting as well.
Rome: regret I did not have Rick,s Italian book but I can recommend staying at a convent. They need guests for income so there are no religious requirements….I chose to attend chapel but most guests did not. It was wonderfully peaceful and very well appointed room with ensuite …E39 p.d.inc.continental b'fast…no tv or radio (wunderbar).
Vienna: "Schweizer Pension Solderer" was very good value [E36}clean,good b'fast,but the main man was coldly ,teutonically efficient but unfriendly. Rick,s advice about the Lipizzaner horses at morning training was much appreciated.
Salszburg: Trude Poppenburger was the greatest…really a great host…good English and good advice…felt "at-home".
Innsbruck: Hotel Weiss Kreuz was great…central,good value,very comfortable,great b'fast.
Munich: Hotel Haberstock was great… I had a "back" room, very quiet. good b'fast,short walk from train…Alfred is still there & still charming.The absolute best meal {with great house Red} was had at the Bistro about 75 meters from Hotel same street,same side as Hotel…highly recommended and not expensive.
Summary: I could not have done this trip without your book…it is a wonderful
resource…I appreciate you!
Michael Dunlea <email>
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia 10/01/02
Switzerland
I just got back from my 15-day vacation spent in Switzerland and it was
so wonderful and beautiful there I can't wait to go back! It was definitely
a bummer coming back to work at my full-time job after so much fun. Traveling
definitely changes you and enriches you as a person, and makes you want
to see Switzerland again and the rest of the world too!
This was my first time traveling alone (I'm a 26-year old woman) and I don't think there could be a better country than Switzerland to do it in. The people are helpful and friendly, but they also don't bother you, and many speak English very well (I speak some German though so I had fun practicing that there.) The train system is incredibly easy and convenient to use (I had the 15-day Swiss Pass which made traveling a breeze and completely free except for special excursions such as to the top of Mt. Pilatus). And the scenery is simply spectacular. Plus Switzerland really makes things easy for tourists and travelers. I love love love Switzerland.
My favorite places there were (in order): the Jungfrau Region (Interlaken, Lauterbrunnen, and Gimmelwald), Luzern, and Bern. All of these places are wonderful and fun and beautiful. I also went to Zurich, Basel, Biel/Bienne, Montreaux, Lugano, and Zermatt, and enjoyed these places too.
I read Rick Steves' guidebook on GAS and got some useful info from it, but also agree that it shortchanges Switzerland and leaves out a lot. I was there 15 days and I feel like I saw a lot but still only scratched the surface, I will definitely have to return.
But I can agree with him that Gimmelwald is pretty heavenly — very peaceful and beautiful. I mainly relied on the Let's Go Austria/Switzerland 2002 guidebook (cutting off the Austria part to make my pack lighter) and found it very helpful with lodging recommendations right on for the budget traveler. Recommendations for the cities I stayed in, in order of my route:
Zurich: Hotel Martahaus (easy walk from train station, centrally located, clean and comfortable, you have more privacy because each dorm bed is curtained off like its own little room.) I do not recommend City Hotel/Backpacker Biber — seven flights up to your room is a long way to walk at the end of your trip with luggage grown heavy with gifts, plus it's noisy and worn and just not nearly as nice as Hotel Martahaus, and only a few dollars cheaper. In fact, staying my last night there it was so noisy from the surrounding street noise that I left, knowing I could probably sleep better at the airport. So I slept in the airport in the Andachtsraum/Chapel there — much quieter and more comfortable than the airport lounge chairs, no one bothered me, I had a blow-up pillow so I slept well enough to wake up at 7 am fairly rested and catch my flight.
Basel: I didn't enjoy Basel as much as I could have because the Youth Hostel was such a long long walk from the train station in the rain but it was okay, plus I slipped on a wet leaf in the rain and skinned up my knee pretty badly. Would rate above City Hotel/Backpackers Biber but below all of the other places I stayed in — more institutional in feel and not as cozy as the other places. The town is probably pretty special but I unfortunately didn't get to see much of it. Had a nice free breakfast at the hostel though with a view of the Rhine River from the dining room windows before heading on to Bern.
Bern: stayed 3 nights in Bern because I loved the hostel there so much, and according to the hostel guestbook comments so had other guests. I took side trips from there to the Swiss National Expo in Biel/Bienne and Montreaux's Castle Chillon, plus the city is great and you can rent a bike for the day for free and see a lot more of the town that way. Enjoyed the bear pits, rose garden, the cathedral with great views from the top of the spire, and just this beautiful town with great ambience in general. The name of the nice hostel is Backpackers Bern/Hotel Glocke, in the heart of the town and easy to get to from the train station. Very clean and comfortable, pretty view of the town and clock tower, with a nice kitchen and common room and the cheapest laundry I found.
Luzern: This town of about 60,000 people with the River Reuss running through it and plenty of swans and romantic bridges spanning it is really really beautiful, and at night the lights reflected on the river are romantic, and the lake as seen from a steamer with breathtaking mountains and pretty towns ringing it and sailboats and kayakers is really gorgeous. Even though it's a relatively small town, Saturday nights there can be pretty lively and fun for a young person. I fell in love with this place too and it's my second favorite region in Switzerland. I took the 1 1/2 hour breathtakingly gorgeous boat ride to Alpenachstad (free with SwissPass) and then took the steepest cogwheel train in the world to the top of Mt. Pilatus — definitely worth the 40.60 Swiss Franks.
Anyways, stayed in the old town in the Touristen Hotel in a dorm room with a view of the river and Mt. Pilatus — nice place with a very friendly and nice receptionist and I like the colors pink and sea green, so enjoyed the color scheme of my room. Also stayed on the return trip on my way back to Zurich to fly back home at the Backpacker's Lucerne — not as conveniently located as Touristen Hotel but very nice and highly rated by fellow travelers. With heavy luggage though definitely difficult to walk to at night. If you're not burdened with gifts though, it's okay. A little deserted for a walk too so I was a little scared sometimes walking there late at night. Overall rate Touristen Hotel a little better because of proximity to sights and less deserted night walk, but had a nice double all to myself at Backpackers which I enjoyed immensely at the end of my trip.
Lugano: Hotel Montarino — formerly a luxury villa, palm trees, nice place, nice terrace to sit on and eat dinner cooked in hostel kitchen while admiring views of the mountains and lakes of Lugano. I think Locarno though is even prettier than Lugano. Stayed in a 6-bed comfortable co-ed dorm there with a skylight. Very easy walk from train station. Has a swimming pool.
Zermatt: Hotel Bahnhof — right next to the train station, quiet, clean, most beautiful huge kitchen and common room of all with beautiful plants all around, nice staff. I think a much better place to stay than the youth hostel there though of course much quieter, will have to go out in the evening to get your socializing kicks. I had the 8-bed dorm room all to myself my 1st night there with great views of the mountains from my window.
Interlaken: Backpacker's Villa Sonnenhof — was very nice. Go visit Balmer's night club if you want to enjoy the party scene but do not stay there. Backpacker's Villa is so much nicer and just a short walk to Balmer's if you want to visit the crowd there. Plus Backpacker's Villa is next to the beautiful Hoehenmatte park area in the middle of Interlaken.
Lauterbrunnen: Valley Hostel — definitely one of the very nicest places I stayed. The owners are very friendly and nice, they have a garden and you can lay in the sun out there in one of their lounge chairs. My 6 bed dorm room was very clean open and spacious with a balcony and marvelous views of the mountains, gardens, chalets on the hillsides, and the Staubbach Falls. Loved the town of Lauterbrunnen, and it's only 20 minutes by train to Interlaken, so it was easy for me to jet over to Interlaken to do the adventure sports which really made my trip extra special and fun: zorbing and paragliding with Alpin Center (ask for Dino for paragliding — he's really nice and great), and canyoning with Alpin Raft which was scary, fun, and a blast, and the two handsome guides right there to save you from drowning in waterfalls made it even more fun and not so scary.
Gimmelwald: Unfortunately I didn't get to stay here, I ran out of time, but I fell in love with the place and the cute kitten/teenage cat I met there who liked to scare the chickens. The Mountain Hostel there though did look very nice. There isn't really much commerce in Gimmelwald, so if you need provisions or cash, best to stock up in Lauterbrunnen or Interlaken before taking the bus to Stechelberg, then the cable car up to Gimmelwald.
Overall review of Switzerland: A+ I never had to make a reservation traveling in the shoulder season of September, and enjoyed complete flexibility in my itinerary using the trains free and without limit. It is definitely more expensive there, but it wasn't too bad. I averaged about $20 a night for clean and comfortable, if very basic, lodgings because what was important to me was the sights, not my room, even though I was pleasantly surprised by the niceness of the budget hostels there. Plus a bonus of hostels is there are more people to talk to.
To get around the very expensive restaurant meals there, I tried to fill up on the free hostel breakfasts which were sometimes included, shop at markets and grocery stores, beer is cheaper than soda there:-), buy little snacks from snack stands or delis, and I brought my own tea bags and filled my Nalgene bottle with free hot water and supplemented my diet with Luna energy bars when I had trouble finding food. Once a while I splurged and ate a delicious restaurant meal of local cuisine (Raclette is delicious!) Overall this was good because keeping busy all the time, walking a lot, and not eating as much to save money, you end up coming home a little lighter and more muscular — a definite bonus.
If you will be spending a lot of time in Switzerland, the Swiss Pass or Flexipass is a good investment, saves a lot of time to be able to hop on trains, boats, and buses without buying tickets and gives a lot of flexibility. I maybe packed a little too light. I think the size of my bag was fine (1 Rick Steves carry on size backpack and the Rick Steves Civita daypack) but I could have fit more clothes in there and wish I had. I only had one pair of fairly lightweight black cotton pants I wore everday, which were very comfortable, but in some of the more chilly areas I could have used my Levis and maybe another sweater. It can be hard to find a nice pair of well-fitting jeans in Switzerland that aren't exorbitantly expensive, so I recommend bringing more than one pair of pants, namely jeans. I wore Tevas with socks everyday, and Tevas are very comfortable shoes, but next time I would bring a pair of lightweight hikers too, for the more rugged, wet terrain.
Switzerland can be rainy and cloudy, but also pleasantly sunny. It was about 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit in the daytime there most of the time I was there, and the lightweight 85-cent emergency poncho I carried in my daypack came in very handy when the sun suddenly turned into rain.
People there are pleasant and non-threatening, I felt very safe there
even as a young woman traveling alone. And it's beautiful with tons to
do and I met lots of great people even as an introvert who's normally
somewhat shy — locals and fellow travelers alike — so GO! Switzerland has
gotten me excited about seeing the rest of Europe someday and definitely
spending another couple weeks in such a wonderful country as Switzerland.
Rachel Nix <email>
Santa Rosa, CA USA 09/29/02
Guidebook Value
I needed a break from work & just went wandering through the Graffiti Wall
messages. While noting the criticisms of various pensions & hotels and suggestions
of places to go/do/see/eat that are NOT in Rick's books, I realised that
we're all doing what he's suggesting we do: we're doing it off the beaten
track, doing it our way, having fun. I've used his book on Austria & Germany
for 3 trips now in the past 6 years and have had mixed feelings about where
he suggests we go. There are places *I* have wanted to go and have gone
and had a great time. I rarely go on tours, only when it's more convenient
to do so than going off on my own.
This past April my daughter and I spent over 3 weeks in Austria & Germany. It was Vienna-Klagenfurt-Salzburg-Herrenchiemsee-Innsbruck-Wattens (Swarovski Factory/Museum) — Donaueschingen & Furtwangen (Black Forest)-Munich-Wurzburg-Rothenburg-Frankfurt-home. I think we stayed in Rick-recommended hotels nearly all of the time, except in Klagenfurt, Austria, where we have relatives who gave us a flat to crash in. And in Black Forest, where we were tracking the source of the Danube, we found the hotel by writing to Donaueschingen's Tourist Bureau. I'm sorry some of you had bad experiences with hotels & pensions. Ours were mostly good. One problem one was in Wurzburg, where the hotel was on the city ring, a very noisy place, but convenient to the train station. The noise could be controlled by the closed windows, but the curtains didn't close all the way, so we had a street light in our face, which wasn't fun. Best hotel was in Vienna, just a couple of blocks from Stefansplatz. And we actually found a laundromat in Munich! My daughter was fed up with washing clothing in a sink and drying it in the shower.
Overall, I think Rick's books are good — as GUIDES. Remember, that's what
they are, just GUIDEbooks. They give suggstions, tips, do's and don'ts.
I agree that Rick's people need to check the hotels & pensions on a regular
basis as I have had problems with 1 or 2 over the past 6 years. Wish I
could go back again next year!
Hilde <email>
Old Bridge, NJ USA 09/27/02
Germany & Austria
Mid-September 10 day trip to Germany was glorious! Hotel Altkoelnischer
Hof in Bacharach was great….central location, great breakfast, friendly
staff. Rothenburg was memorable, we should have stayed several days. Hotel
Golden Greifen had helpful staff, great food, perfect location. Take the
nightwatchman tour, very informative and fun. Riemenschneider carvings in
Rothenburg and Herrgottskirche in Credlingen were very moving. The actual
road journey on romantische strasse was OK, but easy to get lost on.
German maps were better for driving than French (Michelin) Maps….Highways better marked. However, trip itinerary made on www.Michelin.com was highly useful. Salzburg a real highlight, Hotel Goldene Ente had nice breakfast and good location.
Augustiner Monastery's biergarten a beer lover's Nirvana….Rick's book
understates what a great place it is! Sound of Music tour very fun, great
scenery even if you don't care about the movie. Residenz at Wurzburg was
a treat. Do your laundry in Wurzburg…. two doors down from the laundramat
is a little restaurant with great beer! The bridge over the river has
great statues and view of the Burg on the hill. Hotel Schoenleber was
clean with a great location and helpful staff. Memorable trip. Vielen
Danke, Rick, we just did what you said and had a ball!
Herb <email>
Crescent Springs, KY USA 09/25/02
Nuremberg
An ideal town for a couple of days "rest". Anyone interested in WWII history
should not miss the Documentation Center in Nuremberg. It provides the most
comprehensive and objective exhibition of the Nazi movement we have ever
seen. In addition, you can visit the courtroom where the Nuremberg trials
were held. It is open for tours Saturdays and Sundays only, 1-4 p.m. on
the hour. M-F it continues to serve as a working courtroom. The center of
town is walled, much like Rothenburg, and easy place to navigate. You can
merely wander without fear of getting lost.
Julie
Huntington Beach, CA USA 09/25/02
We recently spent eight nights in Germany and the two nights in Rothenburg
O.T. at Hotel Horngurg were the best value. Great rooms nicely decorated,
good breakfast included, easy walk to the market square and a very pleasant
and helpful family to make the stay more enjoyable.
Jim & Anne Nichols
Fort Worth, TX USA 09/25/02
Just returned from two weeks in Germany, Eastern France, Switzerland and Austria. Loved the Rhine boat tour. Rick's Rhine guide in the book was great. I was also confused by the Rheinfels castle map but then again it's a confusing place. The map gives you an "aerial" view, but when you're walking around all you can see is walls everywhere(or what's left of them).
We also went to Trier, Colmar, Interlaken and Salzburg. In Trier, the Hotel Frankenturm was a great value, huge room, and centrally located.
In Colmar, the rooms at Maison Jund were a little rundown but for the price couldn't be beat. If you're in Colmar, go in the Monoprix store (France's version of a super Wal-Mart). We could've spent hours there just looking at the food, clothing, gadgets and bakery items. Great place to buy picnic items.
Switzerland was wonderful. If in Interlaken, stay at the Happy Inn Lodge, but don't pay for the meager, over-priced breakfast. Rick's guidebook description doesn't do the place justice. Yes, it's noisy in the evenings, but the guys that run the place are friendly and fun and make the place feel very homey. Interlaken is not as bad as Rick makes it sound, as long as you get away from the couple of blocks near the train station. You can rent bikes at the train station and explore this great town and the surrounding villages and lakes.
Salzburg is gorgeous but completely overrun with tourists, mostly American. The old town is becoming a big tourist trap. I was there about 8 years ago and it's getting worse. Institut St. Sebastian is a cheap and convenient place to stay but serves a crappy breakfast (one roll and murky coffee). The Sound of Music tour was great — lots of fun and enjoyed the alpine slide. We loved the classical music concert at the Mirabellplatz. Beautiful setting. Get details at the TI.
I could go on and on. I'm still suffering from what I call Post Trip
Letdown Syndrome (where you're bummed out about being home and having
to go back to work and wish you were still sipping a coffee in an outdoor
cafe). Happy travels everyone.
Ann
Knoxville, TN USA 09/23/02
Gimmelwald
Here are some tips on getting to Gimmelwald. If you arrive in Interlaken
and have not made reservations yet there is a Hotel Board with a free telephone
that connects to almost all the hotels/hostels in Gimmelwald and Murren.
Just pick up the phone and put in the correct # shown on the board.
If you arrive at the Lauterbrunnen train station between 7 PM -10PM
the bus that take you to the cable car station in Stechelberg does not
run during that time. The bus resumes at 10. Don't worry about missing
the cable car because the bus driver also runs the cable car at that time.
Jeff <email>
Miami Beach, FL USA 09/20/02
Rating the sights on our GAS trip
Our trip highlights: The Berner Oberland — gorgeous place. Salzerkammergut
Lakes area — amazing natural beauty, loved the trip from Salzburg to Hallstatt.
If you have a car stop in St. Gilgen along the way. Rural Bavaria — lush
greenery, distant villages and rolling hills; the Romantic Road sections
Rick recommends are right-on.
For us the cities didn't rate as highly. In Munich we liked Marienplatz and pedestrian zones. Old town Salzburg is cute and fun. Vienna is elegant; the Opera house tour was excellent.
Rothenburg is all its cracked up to be. Hallstatt is worth half a day. Rick makes it sound like you can just drive right into the town upon arrival. You need a special card to open the gates: park your car in lot 1, walk down to your hotel and get the access card. What we saw at Mauthausen hit us the next day; very moving. Bacharach is an adorable little town. The walk to Reinfels castle from the village of St. Goar is STEEP!
The Romantic Road route can be hard to follow since it's not always one road/highway number. Get a map that has the route marked; the TIs I checked didn't have this. When you hit a fork, signs don't tell you which one is the Romantic Road; if you chose correctly you will (eventually) see "Romantic Road" markers confirming your selection….otherwise you worry until you see one. A good route map would be an excellent addition to Rick's book.
In general if you've planned ahead you won't find TIs to be as helpful
as Rick does. Some disseminate misinformation (Bacharach TI esp). Many
of the TI hours in Rick's book are wrong. Add 10% to the attraction prices
he lists. His hotel prices are correct. Rick's Reinfels castle tour is
hard to follow. We met with 2 other groups struggling to understand his
directions. His Salzburg walking tour is good though. We saw people with
Rick's book everywhere. You won't be alone!
Jai <email>
Mountain View, CA USA 09/20/02
Heidelberg
I had such an interesting visit to Heidelberg, despite its being "touristy." Like Venice, there's a reason it's been a stop on the Grand Tour for two
centuries. If you go, buy the Heidelberg Pass (2 days, 12 Euro)for all transport,
major attractions, discount on the 2-hour English walking tour of the old
city. The ancient castle that inspired so many writers (Goethe, Mark Twain)
is fascinating and fun to photograph.
I enjoyed visiting the birthplace and "boyhood home" (a small apartment) of Weimarer Republic first president Friedrich Ebert, the working-class president who followed WWI.
Because Rick omits Heidelberg, I used the city's website www.cvb-heidelberg.de
to find the inn listings. I chose Zeiglerbrau mostly on instinct, and
it proved satisfactorily clean, inexpensive and a good location halfway
between the train station and the castle off the main commercial square,
Bismarck-platz. All the buses go there. The funky part is that it is located
above Billy Blues, a lively restaurant-bar, and that you check in at the
bar and check out at night, since they are closed in the a.m. Cash only!
A double for Euro 55 includes shower and TV, no phone. They speak English.
Call them at 49 6221 25333 or you can try emailing info@billyblues.de.
Sarajane <email>
Seattle, WA USA 09/19/02
Hotel Grades for our GAS trip
Rothenburg — stayed with the Mosers. Room was fine, but that's it. They
asked us what breakfast time we wanted, said it was ok and then later complained
about the time we gave them. Not the warm with-a-family experience I expected.
I'd look elsewhere. Grade: C-
Fussen area — Stayed at Pension Schwansee and could see Neuschwanstein at night from our room. Room was fine, breakfast was skimpy: just bread and jam. Grade: B-
Salzburg — Stayed at the Institute St. Sebastien. Nice people, clean place, good location. Would stay there again. Grade: B+
Hallstatt — Gasthof Simony; nobody there at reception when we arrived — very annoying, wasted time. Otherwise OK — clean room, no major problems; we left early so didn't have breakfast. Grade: C+
Vienna — Pension Hargita, the worst place on our whole trip. The minute we arrived (at 10PM) we were hounded for payment. I've never experienced anything like it. I didn't have the cash so they asked me to go out, late at night to an ATM to get some. The rooms are clean but very noisy; right on Mariahilferstrasse. Grade: D
Muerren — Eiger Guesthouse. This place rocks in every way. Clean rooms, helpful staff, great location, huge breakfast. Grade: A+
Bacharach — Pension Lettie. Very friendly and helpful. Room was super
clean. Huge breakfast. Grage: A
Jai
Mountain View, CA USA 09/18/02
Hohenschwengau not worthwhile
We bought the King's Ticket to tour both Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau
because Rick speaks so highly of the latter's tour. What a mistake. The
tour was awful, giving no insights into Ludwig's life as Rick claims it
does. The tour simply gave background on the castle and the artifacts within
it. I would advise readers to skip this place; just go to Neuschwanstein
early in the AM to beat the crowds.
Jai
Mountain View, CA USA 09/18/02
schoenbrunn
It´s certainly a good idea to have a full day for the Schoenbrunn area when
you´re in Vienna. The palace is beautiful, but very crowded, especially
before noon. Try to visit p.m. (and outside of weekends) if you can, and
get the audioguides, they´re actually pretty good — with music. Wander around
in the gardens and do make the hike up the Gloriette hill, it´s steep but
worth it for the view. By all means spend a few hours in the zoo, it´s really
one of the best I´ve ever been to, no comparison to what it was like a few
years ago. There´s a nice aquarium, a rainforest area, and if you´ve never
seen koalas before, this is the place to go. Subway stops are Schoenbrunn
for the palace and Hietzing for the zoo. There are places to get food there,
but it´s probably better to bring some provisions along. Enjoy!
Nick
Seattle, WA USA 09/16/02
Autsria and Germany Highlights
just back from 3 1/2 weeks in europe. was in Austria and Germany. Here are
some comments:
1.) After 12 days in Italy, Austria is a pleasant reurn to sanity. Polite drivers that stop for pedestrians, meals with meat, vegetables and potatoes in one course, and substantial breakfasts — just great.
2.) we stayed at Hotel weisse Taube(www.weissetaube.at). You should ask for he back rooms, they are quieter. It is located very close to Mozart Platz.
3.) A car is necessary to experience all this area or certainly a tour. We went on the sound of music tour and loved it. It is in the city and takes you far into the country. Our kids loved the luge ride
3.) Fussen is great. Unlike previous comments, we found Suzanne's bed and breakfast great. Suzanne welcomed us — our children loved her dog and her bunnies. She really helped us with restaurants and where to go
4.) The Musical Ludwig II was great. An excellent musical but very expensive. However, the location — on a lake looking up at the castle is unbelievable. The musical scenes are also unbelievable.
5.) Rothenburg is best seen if you make an overnight stay. The evening watchman's tour was great. We stayed at Hotel Klosterstuble (hotel@klosterstueble.de)
6.) The Medival crime musseum in Rothenburg is great
Barry <email>
Edmonton, 09/14/02
Eating in Wurtzburg
I'd like to report a wrong address in the "Eating in Wurtzburg" section
(p. 113 of the 2002 ed.) Wirtshaus zum Lammle is at Marienplatz 5, not Marktplatz
5). However, the directions and description are correct)
Richard Watts <email>
Mentone, CA USA 09/11/02
Austria and Germany
We just returned from 2 marvelous weeks in Austria and Bavaria. No flood
problems at all. We were surprised by dearth of American tourists. Not even
any Americans on our English tour of Neuschwanstein! Since I do not always
seek the absolute bargain basement accomodations, often a bit difficult
to manage with 2 little guys 3 and 6 yrs. old, I wanted to share some wonderful
hotels that we found. I avoid chain/cookie cutter hotels and found these
to be family run, personalized, and full of local character and charm. Spotless
bathrooms, too!
In Vienna, we stayed at Hotel Koenig von Ungarn, 50m behind Stephansdom! Part of the building is the Figaro House where Mozart lived. Our family suite had parent's room, full bath and walkin closets downstairs. 2 kid's beds (curtained and set into the wall, fairy-tale style), another full bath, and terrace with view of Stephansdom steeple upstairs. A royal breakfast buffet, plus hot food from the kitchen (such as omelets), was included. We paid 210Euro per night for 4 people (less than published rate). The staff was extremely friendly to my kids and very welcoming. Rooms were lovely but not delicate. They play Viennese waltzes in the breakfast room, but it's not tourist schmaltzy. We thought it was a tremendous value for the level of accomodation and location. They can be reached at www.abnet.at. It is justifiably popular; you must reserve in advance.
Despite Rick's advice, we found the Vienna Card to be a good value. The museum discounts were tiny, but we use public transport a lot to save little legs, and for that alone the card was worth every eurocent.
Near Salzburg, we found the wonderful Schloss Haunsperg in Oberalm bei Hallein. This is a smallish, 16th cent., family-run-for-40-yrs, casual palace — a dream for kids and grownups. The enthusiastic owners are full of historical info and the breakfast was to die for. We paid 200E for a family suite that included 4, yes 4, bedrooms and full bath off of a private hall. We had more beds than we could use! For a large family group, this is a perfect option. Also, their doubles are spacious (we got to see all the rooms!) and start at E67. We felt like members of the family and were treated to a tour of the ancient cellars, baroque attic and on-site chapel. We would return there in a second. They have a website.
Incidentally, the Salzburg area is packed with activities, esp. if you have a car. Besides the salt mine and waterfall hikes, our hands-down favorite was Hohenwerfen castle. It is the quintessential medieval castle with a comprehensive tour incl. ramparts, towers, boiling oil kitchens, dungeon, ancient clock tower and a live falconry show at 11 and 3 every day. Also, the day we were there, they were demonstrating medieval crafts and swordfighting. My boys got to try out crossbows and catapults. It was the best day of our trip. TIP: take the 5E taxi up the hill. LOTS of steps await you at the top; my kids loved it anyway. I am surprised this castle doesn't appear in more guide books-I consider it a must-see for this area.
I can recommend our last hotel, Hotel Ruebezahl in Schwangau, but for adults only. Their website advertises "family friendly," but they were icy to my kids. You could hear a pin drop, the dining room was so quiet. Yikes! Our E190 family apartment (a good thing to ask for in this area) included 3 BR (room for 6, if one uses a crib), full bath, living room, full kitchen and outdoor terrace, plus a fabulous view of Neuschwanstein castle. This was great, but we took our meals elsewhere. Fixed breakfast in the room 2 days-cheaper and friendlier. The place would be lovely for a couple on a romantic excursion, but I cannot recommend it for kids.
Rick's recommendation to eat at Gasthaus zum Stern in Oberammergau was perfect. Lots of locals and our kids were certainly NOT the loudest people in the place.
Also, the summer luge track 2 min. from Neuschwanstein was a huge hit. No age limit, no liability waivers, just rip-roaring speed and lots of fun. Worth the price of the guidebook just to know about this!
I plan to post more kid-specific info on that grafitti wall. Go Go Go!
There's no one else there!
Angela <email>
Sammamish, WA USA 09/06/02
CHEAPEST TRAIN RIDES
YES! The Regional Train pass that allows 5 people to travel on one ticket
throughout Bavaria is the best deal around at 21 Euros! I don´t know why
its not in the books. The people at the train station will not tell you
about it unless you ask. But you can see it on the self-service Ticket Machines
if you can read a little German. Wonderful deal. If you purchase a Eurail
pass you can use it in the other countries and save in Germany.
Fridolin
Rothenburg, USA 09/06/02
Rick in Rothenburg
When Rick was a young backpacker and just starting out his travels, the
people of Rothenburg helped Rick out, treated him as one of their own, inviting
him into their private homes to roll out his sleeping bag. Now it seems
his "professional distance" is preventing him from discovering many further
new insights from locals. It was sad to see and nothing for our benefit.
Maybe he needs to take a vacation from his vacation for awhile.
Wanderer <email>
Rothenburg, Germany 09/06/02
Rhine Valley, Germany
Visited Germany 622/02 to 6/2802 staying in Angelbachtel and Bacharach.
Found Mr. Steves book generally useful subject to comments below.
Had the misfortune to eat at Hotel Am Markt in St Goar. The bathrooms were dirty and the food — lets just say it sucked big time. The food was also expensive considering the quality and 5 Euros (~$5) for a small glass of coke is just a plain rip off. Maybe the place changed hands since your book was published.
However for just a little more money, I strongly suggest eating at the Rhein Hotel, Bacharach. The restaurant was *wonderful* (including breakfast), the accommodations comfortable and the prices fair. The owners made us feel right at home and we could not have wished for a more pleasant stay. I would expect to pay $50/head in DC for food and service of same quality and it came to about $20/head including tip (entree, desert and drinks) Earplugs are thoughfully provided in the rooms since the hotel is right next to the railroad line.
Enjoyed Heidelberg. A local offered us very good directions out of city
(essential as signage is somewhat suspect in and around the historic district)
Tim
'Burbs of DC, MD USA 08/30/02
Roundup of Germany hotel and sightseeing comments
Best Hotel Used: Hotel Maximilian in Reutte, Austria — friendly staff,
big rooms, delightful garden dining, local countryside and activities. Romanischer
Kaiser in Trier was also excellent.
Worst Hotel: We had no bad hotels, but Hotel Bristol offered us a room for 4 that was in reality a room for 2 with a rollaway and foldout twin matress. With our 2 teenagers and two parents, there was nearly no floor space left to walk in. The next night we booked an extra room at an extra 40 Euro and were very comfortable. Be warned that the Turkish restaurant across the street from Bristol plays loud belly-dancing music from 10-11:30 each night.
Most overrated sight: Open air Black Forest Museum north of Triberg. A lot of walking to see a collection of Black Forest farmhouses — we'd have been better off spending the time on a free forest hike. Teen-age kids were definitely bored.
Most underrated sight: Glider flying in Reutte — my two kids (13 and 16) got a 40 minute flight for 36 Euro each, along with stupendous sightseeing of the Alps. Warning — be prepared for almost no English speaking by the pilots and ground crew. You have to use sign language and broken English/German to communicate. Just go up and talk to the ground crew working on the runway. Park near airport buildings and walk to the ground crew location.
Incorrect information: Trier notes in guidebook — the location of the
Roman amphitheater ruins on page 153. The guidebook states the amphitheater
is 650 feet from the Landesmuseum. That's the distance to the bath ruins
(Kaiserthermen), but following the signs to the amphitheater results in
a walk of 0.5 miles (0.8 km)from the baths, far from the rest of the city
center. We were lucky to grab a bus and a kind old lady who got us back
to the Porta Nigra by helping us with our bus transfer. That was a big
plus in our experiences, but please prepare people for the long walk,
especially roundtrip back to city center.
T. Jones <email>
Fairfax, VA USA 08/30/02
Switzerland in summer
We stayed some days in Jungfrau region, Zermatt and lake Leman.
In the Jungfrau region we stayed at Hotel Staubach, in Lauterbrunnen. I think this is a place well positioned in order to make trips in the region (well connected by public transport and with a beautiful view of the falls). The Hotel Staubach is not expensive, their staff speaks perfect English (some of them are American) and the rooms are good. There are few restaurants in the village (most of them belong to the hotels, but the prices were not so high as we thought).
In Zermatt we stayed in Hotel-Restaurant Stockhorn (near the church) and we enjoyed very much the village and the mountains. Zermatt is more expensive than Jungfrau region, there are more beautiful shops and a long number of restaurants, hotels, etc; the Stockhorn has affordable rooms to rent with TV and telephone.
The last stop of our trip was Vevey on the Lac Leman, near Geneva. We stayed in the Riviera Lodge which is very well located (they gave us a brochure with lot of discount tickets to use in different places of the area: very interesting as we went free on some funiculars, trains, museums, etc.). The region is beautiful and it is interesting to hike the route of vineyards (villages between the vineyards with paths well marked and with scenic views). The route is between Vevey and Lausanne and you can walk or combine it with the train and/or the boat.
To sum up, Switzerland is amazing with lots of landscapes and typical
villages. The trains are perfect, not overcrowded, on time, clean and
with discounts if you buy one of its rail cards (we bought Swiss Flexi
Pass). I recommend it!
Anna <email>
Barcelona, Spain 08/28/02
Rothenburg conversation club comments
Hello, I saw Fridolin's comments about the Rothenburg conversation club
patron's comments that were negative about Rick and felt compelled to add
my 2cents.
If you read his memoir, "Postcards from Europe", Rick expresses mixed feelings about what he characterizes as his partial responsibility for turning Rothenburg into a bit of an over-run tourist mecca. It is a particulary thoughtful section of the book where he ruminates on how his advocacy of Rothenburg has contributed to a commercialism there that detracts from what initially attracted him to it. His description of the Rothenburg merchants comes off a tad on the unflattering side, but still, I am truly surprised that people that owe him a large measure of thier prosperity would speak against him in public.
Moreover, it is the reporter's duty to be "standoffish" from those whose
services he is appraising (or a better word might be detached). Rick Steves
in not in business with the vendors of Rothenburg, and that is a good
thing. His professional distance is a duty that he performs for our benefit,
and one for which we should be grateful. Shame on the locals of Rothenburg
if they groused publicly about Rick. He deserves better from them.
Robert Bundy <email>
Los Angeles, CA USA 08/28/02
German speaking countries
SALZBURG — Buy the Card and use the busses and stay in the cheaper places
away from the center.
HALLSTATT — Except for the salt mine, just enjoy the beauty; don't expectexcitement. Frau Lenz Haus offers 3rd floor suite with great "Seeblick" for 35 E but steep 13 minute climb.
MUNICH — Why pay top price for clutter, noise, congestion and overbooking questions? Skip downtown and fax a reservation to Familie Jordan Zimmer in VATERSTETTEN for 2/3 the price, freindly, sweet hosts, full floor to yourself, suburbs, AND 2 minutes from the S Bahn which will whisk you anywhere in town in 20 minutes. Bug him about his lack of email.
ROTHENBURG — Many nice spots. If with car, consider 5 minute drive to stay in tiny, picturesque BETTWAR.
HEIDELBERG — worth a half day to see the castle. Warning — don't drive there; buy the Card and take the trams. Stay in adjacent EPPELHEIM at the beautiful, flower-strewn, ambience-laden Hotel Birkenhof with no Americans in sight.
BACHARACH — Lettie of Pension Lettie is a dear, but if your bedroom window is open, there will be some train noise. Pension Winzerhaus is 5 minute walk from town but can park there and Steffan is warm and helpful.
VIENNA — Pension Schweizer Solderer is convenient but room was tiny with tiny bath yet other rooms were double the size at same price; so ASK about room size when reserving.
REUTTE (Ehenbichl) — Saw comment that Pension Hohenrainer was "seedy". I found it delightful and splendid and very reasonable. Must strongly disagree and wonder if we stayed at the same place?
Don't bother with travelers' checks; use your ATM card everywhere. Add up to 1/2 more time to walk anywhere from what Rick Steves states; I am still walking from the railroad to Burg Eltz!
If anyone has questions about what to see or recommendations on where
to stay, email me. I visit this area frequently.
David S. baumgartner <email>
Bluffton, OH USA 08/27/02
Places we stayed in Central Europe
Just back last week after two weeks in flood soaked Central Europe. We actually
left early because of the floods. ): Here are my comments on the places
we stayed in Switzerland, Austria, Germany, and the Czech Republic. Some
are from GAS, some are not. I'd be happy to answer any questions!
Gimmelwald, Switzerland — Walter's Hotel Mittaghorn, 80CHF ($53) for a double with shower cube, shared toilet, and breakfast. We were tired from the long flight and train from Zurich and wanted some sleep, so we opted out of the Mountain Hostel when we met some Americans on the cable car lugging up their cases of the night's beer. Walter's was quite an experience! Unfortunately Europe was in the middle of an historical cold, rainy mess. Visibility was about 10 feet and we missed the magnificent Jungfrau views. You can hear every footstep in this creaky old farmhouse. The room was very worn and a little dirty (just needed a really good cleaning), and some curtains or shades on the window would have been nice! This place is not for the finicky! The bed was comfortable enough and the comforters sure kept us warm on that cold, August night. Breakfast was good, and we didn't find Walter to be cranky at all! He wouldn't cook dinner for us, though, because we were the only guests. The price seemed kind of high for the quality and cleanliness of the room, but keep in mind that Walter sends most of his profits to support a village in Ecuador. After all, this is Switzerland! Character: A, Cleanliness: C, Location: A, Staff: A, Value: A-
Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland — Valley Hostel www.valleyhostel.ch/ 22CHF ($15 each) for a dorm bed with balcony. Clean hostel, extremely caring hosts, and the scenery is hard to beat. Diverse crowd — bunked with an American, an Australian, an Austrian, and an Argentine. Many Koreans stay here as well. They don't serve breakfast, but they have a great kitchen that most guests seemed to use to prepare evening meals. The staff will prepare you a cheese fondue for the best price in town (order ahead). It was a joy falling asleep to the soothing sound of hundreds of waterfalls in the distance. Character: B, Cleanliness: A, Location: A, Staff: A+, Value: A
Lucerne, Switzerland — Hotel Pickwick www.hotelpickwick.ch/english/index.html 105CHF ($67) for a double with shared facilities, balcony and view of covered bridges. We decided to treat ourselves to a hotel, and this was a decent choice. Room was clean and had a fabulous view overlooking the Kapellbrücke. It has a great location on Rathausquai and a good British pub on the ground floor. Desk staff can be difficult to locate, but security was excellent; you need a magnetic key to enter a floor, a room, a bathroom, etc. Some of the hotel's floors looked very out of date; the fourth floor where we stayed was decently decorated. We were given a better price for the room (probably because of the weather and lack of tourists), since the price inside the room said 125CHF. Character: B, Cleanliness: B, Location: A, Staff: C, Value: B+
Munich, Germany — Hotel Helvetia www.hotel-helvetia.de 59Euro ($58) for a double with shared facilities and breakfast. Convenient location close to the train station and just a few minutes walk to the old town gate. New carpets or tile and a coat of non-white paint would really spruce this place up, but a decent value for a city hotel. Staff was nice, and they have free internet access (but only one computer). Character: C, Cleanliness: B, Location: B+, Staff: B, Value: B
Salzburg, Austria — Pension Elisabeth www.pension-elisabeth.at 39Euro ($38) for a double with shared facilities and breakfast. A short ride from the old town on the efficient Salzburg city bus #15. Room was small but clean, bed was very creaky! We asked to be moved to a back room because the sound of traffic was loud in the front rooms. Bathrooms had overflowing trash, and the shower was backed up (they fixed it right away). They play Mozart at breakfast. Character: B, Cleanliness: C+, Location: C, Staff: B, Value: B-
Hallstatt — Gasthof Simony www.hallstatt.net/gasthof/simony/ 40Euro ($39) for a double with shared facilities and breakfast. 500 years old and full of character, it was the most comfortable of the places we stayed. Bed was great, but the breakfast was a backpackers dream! Cereals, milk, orange juice, an assortment of fruit, meats, cheeses, pastries, and bread, along with several great jams, Nutella, tea, coffee, or hot chocolate. Luckily we had this huge breakfast because events on our journey to the Czech Republic kept us from eating again that day. Susanna was very friendly and has "USA Today" and other newspapers for her guests. Had a good dinner at their little restaurant on the lake. Be sure to confirm your reservation. Character: A, Cleanliness: B+, Location: A, Staff: A, Value: A
Prague, Czech Republic — Purple House www.volny.cz/chameleon/PH.htm 800CZK
($26) for a small double room in the loft with shared facilities. A decent
Prague taxi driver brought us here , to his friend's place, at 11pm. Room
was like Harry Potter's cupboard under the stairs, only with a skylight.
I suppose it was decent for the price, but we were just ready to go home
and didn't give it an honest try. The rest of the small hotel looked very
nice, and probably was a lot more expensive! Our room served us very well
for the 4 hours we used it. Conveniently, there is a tram around the corner;
we had to close the skylight because it kept us awake, though. Character:
C, Cleanliness: C, Location: C, Staff: B, Value: C+
Monique <email>
Boston, MA USA 08/26/02
Dee Dee, sorry about your experience
We were at Gasthof Simony last week and I can't say enough great things
about it. I had heard in the past that Susanna is sometimes 'forgetful'
with her reservations, so I reconfirmed mine before leaving the US. Of course,
we wanted the cheaper room without bath, so that makes it easier! I can
certainly understand that everyone has their own personal needs (especially
a woman in her 70's, she has earned the right!), but I think the Europeans
sometime don't see it that way. Hope you have a better stay next time.
Monique <email>
Boston, MA USA 08/26/02
Suzanne's B & B, Fussen, Germany
My family and I stayed at Suzanne's B & B in Fussen, Germany. We wanted
to try one of the locations suggested by Rick Steves' "Germany, Austria
& Switzerland" 2002 travel guide.
We found the owner to be very unfriendly and would strongly suggest you
remove her B & B from your guide book. Any comment or question directed
to Suzanne (the owner) was met with sarcasm, a put-down or rude stare.
She was the only person we met on our entire trip who was not pleasant.
She told me personaly that any shop keeper who took a travelers check
was a "fool". I witnessed a young girl berated because she asked for a
hot chocolate drink then also wanted tea. I noticed all guest were moving
around her with their heads down in hopes of not meeting with her brusque
demeanor. In my opinon she is most definitly in the wrong business.
Bob Daniel <email>
Burnsville, MN USA 08/26/02
Koblenz Mainz
A sketch map of Koblenz showing the route from the KD ship quay to the Bahnhof
would be very useful. We tried asking the locals but it appears that they
are not big users of the trains. If one flies into Frankfurt consider staying
in Mainz. It is a cheap ride on the Sbahn. There is a convenient hotel close
to the KD quay on the Rhine so one can get a good breakfast and then catch
the first down stream ship of the day. (Hotel Stadt Koblenz- they have a
web page)
Robert Evans <email>
Edmonton, AB Canada 08/24/02
Hallstatt Gasthof Simony did not honor reservation
We had a bad experience in Hallstatt at Gasthof Simony. They refused to
honor our guaranteed reservation for rooms with bath and switched us to
rooms without bath & shower. One of the rooms was for my 76 year old mother.
They were very rude and the only thing they would offer was to get us rooms
with baths in seperate hotels. We did not want to have my mother seperated
so we stayed there. Upon check-out they refused to accept credit cards and
we had to go get cash. I would not recommend that place at all.
Dee Dee Owen <email>
Lugano, Switzerland 08/24/02
Rick In Rothenburg
At the last Wed. night meeting of the English Conversation Club (ECC) here
in Rothenburg, it was disappointing to hear that the locals opinion of Rick´s
recent visit here was quite negative. He was described as "stand-offish"
and disinterested….the other words I won´t dare mention. Sounds like fame
has done a very sad thing indeed.
Fridolin (the happy one) <email>
Rothenburg, Bavaria Germany 08/23/02
Private rooms in homes
We stopped at an information booth as we entered Salzburg and inquired about
directions to Maria Gassner's place that was recommended by Rick Steves.
We were told that the Health Department had been contacted about "sanitation
problems" at her home and they were told not to recommend it any longer.
We did end up staying at her place as we felt that the accommodations were
"okay". We would recommend through that Mr. Steves or his representative
inspect each place yearly that he recommends. We were told by Frau Gassner
that Mr. Steves had only called her this year and that he doesn't stop by
each year to check out her place.
Lael Starkweather <email>
Hastings, MN USA 08/19/02
G.A.S. Guide
Rothenburg was charming and well worth a visit. We stayed at Hotel Bristol
in Munich; was able to get Rick Steves cash price of 74 euro a night without
difficulty . Hotel was fine but beware of hotel parking garage like a small
cave, very few spaces and very very difficult to get out of (we had slight
accident trying to go up the ramp to exit). Anyway, Munich was great! Also
visited Dachau which was very well done and touching. On to Switzerland:
stayed in Lauterbrunnen in Hotel Oberland ( not in book ), very pleased
with hotel, had waterfall view. Up to Gimmelwald and Piz Gloria on the Schilthorn:
rained but cleared within 15 min, well worth expensive cable car rides.
Back to Germany: Black Forest, Freiburg, Baden Baden, and Triberg were great
fun! also visited Heidleburg, which we would recommend. All of Rick Steves'
recommendations turned out well. I took the guidebook everywhere; towards
the end of the trip, even my husband was reaching for it on a regular basis!
Christina Bucholz <email>
Va Beach, Va USA 08/16/02
Munich
Rick's recommendation of Hotel Bristol in Munich was great! It is far enough
from the train station to miss the seedier area, close enough to walk to
both the train and the Marienplatz easily. Great staff and good breakfast.
On a VERY rainy night, while staying there, we ventured just four doors
away to Il Dottore Ristorante, a fabulous, friendly, and moderate Italian
restaurant. For those active teens and twenty-somethings, Mike's Bikes bike
tours were a great way to see the city.
The Panorama tour of Linderhof and Neuschwanstein was marked by a very
enthusiastic tour guide and helpful people, but even the hike down from
the latter castle can be treacherous. Not recommended for those unsure
on their feet, as it can be steep and slippery in the rain.
sally cohen <email>
san francisco, ca USA 08/11/02
Glacier Express
We went out of our way to go on the Glacier Express — what a mistake. So
many of the train trips are beautiful, we didn't need to pay extra for a
long, slow trip — no glaciers!
Ginny <email>
Walnut Creek, Ca USA 08/08/02
Germany/Austria/Czech feedback
Germany: Hotel Uhland in Munich was lovely, elegant area with easy walk
to Marienplatz; hotel recommended Altes Hackerhaus for dinner….we loved
the Roast Suckling Pig in dark beer sauce.
Hohenschwangau/Neuschweinstein: the walk through the forest up to the castle was well worth the time & effort; the tour was better than we expected, very informative. We stayed in Hohenschwangau and recommend it because it's tiny and most visitors leave the area by evening. You have the lit-up castle to yourselves….it's magical.
Bamberg: same architects who gave us the jewels of Prague designed the buildings in Bamberg, the tiny city is beautiful; UNESCO site; Hotel Weierich is classy & classic, wood carved chandeliers in restaurant
Czech Republic: Prague….everything Rick says is true: be alert and write down what you select from menus so you can check the bill at the end; and calculate approximately what's due. We tried two restaurants of Rick's recommendations: one great/one terrible: Restaurant U Plebana was wonderful, good service & value Avoid Plzenska Restaurace U Dvou Kocek: skimpy servings; tried to sell us up on everything (offered drinks upon arrival as if it was a courtesy….we declined); bread was rock hard, they charged $1 pp cover plus $1 pp for music. Very surly service.
For a change of pace we stayed in an apartment in Prague. It was interesting shopping in markets and being away from tourists, but we missed the help of hotel/pension people.
Cesky Krumlov: being only 30-40 Km from Germany and Austria, it's a favorite weekend destination. Absolutely charming, well worth the time and effort to get there. Be sure to get your bus tickets in advance so you have a reserved seat, otherwise you might stand for the 2.5 hrs. to Prague; they fill the bus to bursting. Hotel Straninger was excellent (3 rooms, center) built in 1300's is a UNESCO site, as is the whole town.
General: We loved the freedom of Rick's travel backpacks. No luggage
to check in; hands free to get on public transportation or walk across
town to our accommodations; well designed & plenty roomy for a three week
vacation.
Tatiana
USA 08/06/02
Germany and Austria
Recently returned from a three week trip to Germany and Austria and wished
to share some thoughts:
1. Rented a car from Alamo at Frankfurt Airport, very helpful staff but the only location is upstairs in Terminal 2.
2. Spent a night in Rothenburg, at the Kloster Stubel, beautiful room and great service in the resturant. Town square, Kathe Wohlfarht stores and Criminal Museum are easy walks from the hotel.
3. May want to consider the new LEGOLAND in Gunzburg, Germany. This amusement park just opened in May, but I know my kids loved it. Stayed at the Hotel Zur Post in nearby Leipheim (very nice, great food). Legoland has a website where you can order tickets and book rooms on-line.
4. Stayed at the Pension Hohenrainer in Ehenbichl, Austria. Rooms were okay, but not the best we had seen. Ate at the adjacent Gasthaus Schlosswirt, good food but very slow service. If hiking up to the Ehrenburg ruins, be advised that it is an extremely steep hike.
5. Cable car to the Zugspitz from Ehrwald is an exhilarating experience. Signage is not the greatest. Keep heading up the mountain from the village of Ehrwald, on the north end.
6. If in the Salzkammergut area, and you can get to Linz, the cathedral at St. Florian is well worth a visit.
7. While visiting the Rhine/Lorelei region, stayed at a lovely place called Weingut Sonnehof in the village of Oberheimbach, a few kilometers south of Bacharach and two kilometers up in the hills. Hostess does wine tasting if requested. Some very nice home grown wines are available.
7. The Jost store in Bacharach is definitely worth a visit. Very friendly service, large selection and reasonable prices.
We used our ATM card in many places in Germany and Austria, but one word
of caution. Many ATM machines are inside the bank lobby and you need a
bank card to open the main doors to access the machines. Our US ATM cards
show to be invalid. Waiting outside a bank for a local to use their card
to gain entrance may not be the safest thing to do. The book was extremely
helpful in helping to plan our trip.
Dave Baumann <email>
Saginaw, TX USA 08/02/02
Regional daily pass
I often use the "Happy Weekend" pass in Germany which costs only 28 euros
offering unlimited travel for up to 5 people travelling on one pass for
all of Germany on any one weekend day; it is one of the best train deals
in all of Europe. The problem was that during weekdays, the pass was not
available and German trains were extremely expensive. I recently discovered
the regional passes which, for 21 euros, function exactly as the weekend
pass but can be used on any day of the week for any one region, e.g. Bavaria.
This spring, I arrived in Frankfurt and paid a small amount to travel to
the first town in Bavaria where I bought the pass. I then was able to travel
to Munich and then to Fussen for only 21 euros (and I could have had 4 others
with me at no additional cost!) Heck of a deal. Rick, put this in your guidebook.
In the meantime, see the German Timetable link in Rick's "Travel Links" section (see national passes on the webpage).
steve
dallas, tx USA 08/01/02
Austria, Germany & Swiss
R. Steves book Austria, Switzerland & Germany was fabulous. Had his map
also which helped in charting our path. We were in Switzerland & Germany
mostly and we found Ludwig's sister castles a great tour, but definitely
should have gotten there AM as afternoon was beastly with tourists! Bought
a Shell map for $3 Euros; a bargain! German people were friendly & went
out of their way to be helpful. Rick's phrasebook was another must! Left
on 7-15-02 and returned 7-25-02, Dauchau & Mauthausen camps were a must-see
experience. Also greatly enjoyed Eagles Nest-but due to volume and construction
(redoing a resort at base of mountain!) make it in the AM also. Loved Salzburg
too! Thanks Rick, you made our trip a real delight!
Regina Anagnostis <email>
Whiting, NJ USA 07/30/02
germany and vienna
an outline of my week trip through germany and vienna, along with eastern
europe
frankfurt — other than the zoo and palmgarten, only a handy place to sleep — hotel an der galluswarte and hotel golz were both pleasant places
koln — the dam and roman museum are excellent — the praetorium i was told is closed until further notice — also went to aachen — the dom and rauthaus are nice and the treasury is excellent — hotel berg was quite cozy in the rain
berlin — pension knesebeck was quiet and peaceful with a great breakfast — highlights — pergammon, 3rd reich walking tour, egyptian museum, gemaldegalen, dom, haus on checkpoint charlie, zoo, the historical museum had a great free exhibit on the persecution of witches make sure u visit sachsenhausen concentration camp — very eerie — potsdam is great but skip sansoucci palace and do neue palace — also do a tour if u want to do cecilhof, poor metro in potsdam. the aquarium was lame and the ethnological museum is not worth the hassle to reach
nurnberg — amazing town — kaiserburg is great along with the old town. do not miss the nazi documentation center on the old rally grounds — the most comprehensive display on nazis in germany — a must for history fans. hotel gasthof schwalen is clean with a great location by the train station, the TI is the friendliest i found in germany
rothenburg — the town itself is the display — worth it — night watchman tour, criminal museum, town walls, vaults, churches, towers are all worth it — pension hoffman was the nicest place i stayed in the 3 weeks.
wurzburg — the residenz is beautiful and it is great to church hop through the many churches in town.
heidelberg — very scenic with a great castle and old town but it is a hassle to reach from the train station and VERY crowded — get there early.
buy a bahn pass — very handy and easy to train hop in germany.
vienna — the city is breathtaking — skip the hofsburg palace interior
and enjoy just walking around — haus of music and the kunsthistorisches
museum are excellent but the other museums are a bit pricey and not very
impressive — schonbrunn palace/zoo/gardens are great — take the tran 1
tour and skip the vienna card, it is a scam. hotel pfeilgrasse is cheap
and very friendly but can be noisy and the breakfast is a joke.
marc <email>
greenwich, ct USA 07/28/02
Sheri in CO re: German railpass
A few years back, the options were either a 5- or 10-day pass, whether purchased
here or from DB in Germany. Now, if you buy the pass from Rick Steves or
other domestic agents, you have your choice of any number of days. I purchased
some 4-day passes about a year ago. It could be that this new flexibility
isn't available from DB directly. Another definite advantage of purchasing
from domestic agents is that the pass is cheaper — when you buy it over
there, you must also pay the hefty VAT tax.
Russ <email>
Galt, CA USA 07/25/02
German Railpass Options
I had reason to base my trip out of Stuttgart. When buying a German Rail
Pass, I was only give the choice of 5 or 10 days. The agent at the DB information
desk said Americans are always asking about 6-, 7-, and 8-day options. I
ended up buying a 10-day but only will use 8 days of it. Anyone else run
into this problem?
Sheri <email>
CO USA 07/25/02
Switzerland, Austria, & Bavaria highlights
Re: Switzerland — No problems at all in Switzerland — Go to Zurich and Luzern — they
are great!! So is Bern — I took a day trip from Luzern there. Much better
deals in shops than in the tourist areas of Interlaken but you will find
Switzeland more expensive than other European countries. If you think in
Canadian $ terms — Canadian $ and Swiss Francs are about even in value.
Don't stay in Interlaken — go to the MOUNTAINS!!! Murren and Wengen are both wonderful. The weather is touchier to go up to Jungfraujoch and I personally missed seeing the Eiger from there — you only see Monch and Jungfrau. European returnees to the area make a point to go back up to Schilthorn. And don't forget to see the Trummelbach Falls — 10 falls inside and out of a mountain that empty Monch, Eiger, Jungfrau glaciers.
Re: Matterhorn — Once in your life you should go to Zermatt and see the Matterhorn taking the cog rail up. Get off at the second stop if you want outstanding pictures of the Matterhorn. The Glacier Express is interesting but it is a long day (8hrs) when you already have 8 days of train travel planned.
Re: Vienna — When you go to Vienna plan to take in theVienna Boys Choir, Lipizzaner stallions and Opera at Vienna State Opera House — none perform in July and August. You will not see the Vienna Boys Choir during the worship service but they appear and sing one piece in front of you after the worship service. At the Lipizzaner stallion performance I was looking down on the horses — yes you stand and lean (don't worry you won't fall) over to see the horses perform and then you could sit between performances. I saw Carmen (2nd row from the front was $178 which I think is pricey) but they have a little screen on the seat in front of you that translates everything into English. And if you know Carmen, I'm certain some of those boy soldiers are also Vienna Boy Choir kids. And take the 2 p.m. English walking tour of Vienna — very good and reasonable 11 euros.
Re: Salzburg — get there Salzburg card — it gets you into many things and I know I saved over $10 in one day. But don't buy it and get caught in the shops — you'll waste valuable time. Take in the marionette theatre — it will be a recording of an opera but those marionettes become magical and "alive."
Re: Hallstatt — a sweet town — eat their good trout on the waterfront and buy their pottery — it's reasonable!
Re: Innsbruck — I wished I had stayed longer. It's a lovely town. Like Interlaken I stayed up in one of the hill towns that is served by city buses. I saw a wonderful FREE Tyrolean band, dance group, and yodeling men's choir. It's a town that treats you nicely. They also have a card similar to the Salzburg card.
Re: Swarowski — their window display in Vienna is wonderful But buy the crystal jewelry made with Swarowski crystals but put together elsewhere — it will save you many $$$$.
Re: Ludwig's Castles — Hofenschwangau is good. Neuschwanstein (Cinderella) is mobbed with people and 2 hours is not enough time between castles IN THE HEAT!! The horse and bus transportation system gets bogged down. I was fortunate that while asking about directions for walking the Green Jeep (another way up to Neuschwanstein) showed up. Linderhof was Ludwig's favorite and on the inside it is made to resemble Versailles and you can take pictures there.
Re: Rothenburg — take their 2 p.m. tour — it gives you good information and gets you around to the important spots for 4 euros.
RE: Obeammergau: Take a tour of the passion play theatre — $2.50 for 1/2 of information and behind the scenes look at the passion play. It's a sweet town and they treat you nicely.
Re: Munich — go to their market — they had the best prices this trip. I
was in Switzerland, Austria, and Bavaria. Their 10:45 walking tour for
9 euros is good. The train station TI seemed to be manned by people who
were more interested in helping you than the downtown location. Beware! — the
escalators on the Sbahn stop working after rush hour and so does the elevator.
So if you have heavy luggage and are coming in after 7 p.m. you better
have muscles to drag the luggage up those stairs. Don't expect the subway
people to help by turning on the escalator or elevator!
JBent <email>
Grand Rapids, MI USA 07/19/02
Austria/ Prague
The book Germany, Austria and Switzerland (with Prague) was a wonderful
resource overall.
We had a lovely stay at Maria's B&B in Vienna. Maria was a lovely hostess and we enjoyed one of her charming large rooms. All the tips in the book contributed to four super days in Vienna.
Our only caution was the winery mentioned for its great view. Rick suggest to get your food first. Not a good idea. We waited forty minutes and were never waited on for drinks. We eventually left and went to one of the wine halls down at the hill and had a lovely "touristy" time.
Hall in Austria was great, so too Halstatt though it was good that we brought our e-mail print out of our contract. We were given a large double, though we were quoted a small double price…. a simple mix up. When we presented our contract there was no argument, just simple grace from Simone who gave us the room for the price on the contract. In reality the true price was close to twice the amount.
Jan at the Lida House was a great host in Prague. He even drove us to the airport at a great discount than the cabs.
The Czech. Rep. economy is growing the Crown is now 30. to the dollar. Rick had it set at 40.
Over all the book was a tremendous help…. I was reminded by my companion that sometimes it's best to take the suggestions with a grain of salt and not as a holy grail of must see destinations.
With that said the Jewish Cemetery in Prague is a must. It was very inexpensive and with a three hour tour guide at an extra 40. Crowns or $1.50 it was remarkable to say the least. An awesome museum.
Thanks so much for your very fine advice and comments. We hope we contributed
to Rick's reputation as having considerate travelers who follow his guide
books.
Nils Haaland <email>
Omaha, NE USA 07/18/02
Austria and Germany trip (and learnings)
I just came for a 2 week trip to Germany and Austria (Munich, Fussen, Salzburg,
Hallstatt, Vienna, Leipzig and Baden-Baden). Except for Leipzig, where I
was visiting friends, I followed Rick's book. Feel free to look at my pictures
at http://www-db.stanford.edu/~crespo/Pictures/austria02
Here are a few things that I found different than the book:
No more bike rental in Austrian train stations: due to the high maintenance cost, OBB is not renting bikes anymore. In most cities, hotels have taken over the niche and they are now renting bikes. In Melk, I rented a very good bike from "Hotel Zur Post" (10 euro for full day, 7 euro after 3pm). OBB is also offering "Bike and Train" deals that are good if you are not traveling on a rail pass.
In Vienna, I enjoyed the free Music Film Festival in front of the City Hall (Rathausplatz). Daily during the summer (at twilight), videos of concerts and operas are shown. Good alternative for a city that dies culturally in the summer.
Overall, prices in Austria for public transportation and hotels are about 10% higher than quoted in Rick's book (e.g., Vienna 7-day pass is 12.50, instead of 11.50). I guess the transition to the euro wasn't as "inflation free" as promoted.
Don't go to Baden-Baden on a Monday if you are looking for theater or concerts…. everything is closed.
As usual, Rick's recommendation for lodging were great overall. Special
high marks for Hotel Am Markt in Baden-Baden for friendliness, superb
location, and good prices. Happy Travels!
Arturo Crespo <email>
Mountain View, CA USA 07/17/02
Hotel Staubbach, Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland
Hotel Staubbach in Lauterbrunnen,s Switzerland was the best!! We stayed
for 3 nights at this hotel and were sad to leave. The hotel was clean and
our room was spacious, but it was the view of the Jungfrau, the valley and
the waterfall from the balcony, as well as the friendliness and the helpfulness
of the staff that was really impressive! The front desk staff were from
the U.S. and Canada and spoke English, and did everything they could to
help us whenever asked. The atmosphere fosters a sense of comeraderie among
the guests that we did not find anywhere else on our trip. On our first
night we met several other guests while just sitting on the balcony enjoying
the magnificent view. (Even the rooms without balconies have access to a
separate space on the balcony via hallway access.)
The town of Lauterbrunnen itself was very safe and friendly, and the only place that we allowed our 13-year-old son to wander on his own. It was smaller and less commercial than most of the other towns we visited in Switzerland. We rented mountain bikes in town and had a great day biking. They have terrific pedestrian and bike trails in the valley.
No one should miss this unbelievable area, and the Hotel Staubbach receives
our very highest recommendations!
Kim Whites <email>
Costa Mesa, CA USA 07/15/02
Bad zimmer experience
From my recent experience (June 29- July 1, 2002) there should be a warning
in R.S.'s 2002 Guide to Germany, Austria and Switzerland, on page 313 in
reference to Maria Gassner's zimmer. The prices were wrong and it was not
comfortable or decent.
I have no idea how R. S. could have stayed here and /or advised anyone else to stay there. Mrs. Gassner did speak English and sell the Salzburg cards..but I would advise anyone to sleep and eat somewhere else. The only reason to stop there would be to buy the Salzburg card if your clean zimmer doesn't sell one.
The whole house smelled of cat urine from the resident cat: our bedroom, the halls and even the breakfast room. Our room looked as if it had not been cleaned all season, with cobwebs and dust on floors and furniture ample for writing your name. There was liberal amounts of cat and human hair on breakfast linens, and in the stale uncovered food. The breakfast breads were clearly rejects from some bakery's 2 or more day old shelf. There was no price break for a 3 night stay. It was the dirtiest and most expensive zimmer we have stayed in these last two summers.
Checking out the reported laundry in the basement revealed the Gassner jam making facilities. A filthy uncovered jam pot and small dirty stove in a utility room ,not a kitchen. I saw no sink for washing anything. The stove was lined with filthy jam jars and swarming with flies which also visited the near by dirty cat food dish. The jars on the stove were no cleaner than the ones set on the breakfast table for 3 mornings in a row. The jars were not cleaned just refilled and returned to table with the layers of jam they had accumulated.
After a total of 7 weeks in '01 and '02 using R.S.'s guides, I'd like
to also encourage travelers to trust their own nose and eyes, to ask to
see the facility and to have a clear written understanding of costs with
the zimmer owner… Just because a place is listed in a guide book is no
guarantee. Don't be intimidated into staying in poor accommodations just
because you told the owner on day one that you'd be staying for 3 nights.
Sure it is a private home and you don't want to be rude but it is a public
business, too. Our zimmer which was smelly and dirty on day one, didn't
get any better by day 3. It just tainted our memory of the Salzburg visit.
K. Chilton <email>
Powder Springs, Ga USA 07/11/02
Restaurant TROIA
Your book made our Honeymoon so nice. We stayed at many Hotels you recommended
and were very pleased. We found a wonderful restaurant in Heidelberg I wanted
to clue you in on. Restaurant TROIA on Dreikonigstrasse 6 tel 06221-600540
Excellent spanish influenced meals great prices. Owners Margret and Nureddin
Kirma were so nice. We ate their 2 nights in a row re: it was our favorite
dining experience in all of Europe. Good stuff check out.
Chris Olsen <email>
Campbell, CA USA 07/10/02
Hotel in Koln
Of the eight small hotels throughout Europe that our family of four stayed
in during June 2002, the quaint Das Kleine Stapelhauschen in Koln was easily
our favorite. Wonderful room, great food, very helpful and friendly staff,
and a location at the fish market that was convenient to everything! Built
in 1235 with a clean, richly evocative decor, it will definately host us
again.
Almont Pierce <email>
McLean, VA USA 07/06/02
Hotel Tanneck
The Hotel Tanneck in Baden-Baden lived up to the review in the book and
more. The views from the balcony are grand and the walk down hill into town
is like something from Mann's The Magic Mountain:clean air, ancient pines,
huge rhododendrons, accordian players.
USA 07/04/02
Trip experiences
Returned 2 weeks ago from our mega trip; we used Rick's GAS book about half
of the time. We traveled for with our 16 month old daughter, I will add
kid specific things on the Traveling with kids board, but I can sum that
experience up in two words, "Do it".
Rothenburg was cool, but honestly a let down, don't go there after seeing Austria! See it in the beginning of your trip and you will appreciate it more. The same for the Romantic road. I also thought Dinkelsbuhl was more attractive a town; it is more photogenic. The buildings are brighter and more colorful. The walkable wall in Rothenburg is really cool. Since we had a car, we stayed well outside the walls and paid E34 for a double with breakfast. The host name was Christine Schmidt and she was extremely nice, the TI can look her up and tell you how to get there, its too far w/o a car. Any hotel in Rothenburg within the walls has an inflated value of their worth and will charge over E70 for a room.
Munich, this the best city we visited. It doesn't have a large number of "required" sights which makes it fun. The biergartens are the best. I even got a chance to meet Rick Steves himself there. Hint to those who stumble upon Rick Steves: Finish the monster pretzel that you might be chewing first, and know your hotel name because he will probably ask you. I just consumed most of a 1 liter stein and was washing down the pretzel with the rest when I saw him. It was Ok though because I got made fun of by Rick Steves for forgetting where I was staying. I did have my book for him to sign, so I was able to look it up.
The place I couldn't remember was the Hotel Uhland, one of the best places we stayed on the trip, Rick said that it was "too nice a place for a guy who drinks too much in the biergartens." The hotel owners are extremely nice, and give excellent advice.
Thanks to them, we went to the Augustiner Keller Biergarten for dinner. What an awesome place, the real deal, and where the Munich people go. The beer is the best there I have ever tasted. Get the beer with mineral water (actually tonic water, I later discovered). We drank 2 liters over the 3 hours we stayed there. There is a children's playground. Don't expect to get a whole table to yourself at any biergarten. During the day we went to the English Garden park, what a beautiful place. My only advice is to avoid the beer at the biergarten in the park, it tasted like it is spiced with nutmeg.
Reutte: We stayed at Helene Haissl's private zimmer. She was nice to us (at first), but I have to be honest and not recommend it. She "requires" breakfast at 7:30, which worked the first day, and was a little early the second. After breakfast on the second night, she told us we had to be out of the room by 9 AM. That seemed a little early but we said that we will try. Come 8:30, she starts cleaning the bathroom and my wife couldn't even use it before we left. She became very terse as 9AM approached and we felt very rushed. Remember, we have a toddler and all the accessories that go with that. I have never in Europe ever heard of having to be out by 9AM.
Fussen: Kings Castles, don't look for the names Neuschwannstein and Hohenschwangau on road signs; look for "Konigschlosser", which is what the castles are called on road signs. We got there early as Rick says and they didn't have an English tour until two hours after we would have liked it. So we bought the German tour instead which was more convenient. When we got inside, we lined up in the English line, and took the tour with another group in English with no problem. This saved us 2 hours, which helped us to go the great water park in Ruette with an huge outdoor pool, indoor pool and waterslide. There is also a pool for toddlers.
Salzburg. We stayed on Moostrasse at the private zimmer that Rick describes as having lots of farm animals. I highly recommend it, our host was super nice, and the animals were exciting for my daughter to see. Don't take the #16 bus that takes you from Moostrasse to downtown. It was fine for getting you there, but runs very infrequently for getting you home.
Hallstat is everything Rick says it is. We stayed at Frau Lenz's. For what she lacks in warmth, the views from the rooms more than make up for. The ice caves are worth visiting. We couldn't do the salt mine tour because they don't allow kids under 6.
Cesky Krumlov is a true gem. It is being discovered, but still has loads of charm. Rent a canoe and paddle the river. We couldn't because of our daughter but we badly wanted to. We stayed at Pension Panarama, which we found by driving around, I don't know if it is in the book. They even do laundry if you stay 2 nights. 800Kn a night for double with in-room breakfast tray. No English, but some German spoken.
Every trip to Austria should include Mauthausen. It was a shame that there were 20x the people at the beautiful but boring Melk abbey. Don't leave without walking to the quarry and down the steps of death. Danube valley was a letdown for us, but it was dreary weather. We did the Krems to Melk stretch but couldn't stop or pull over due to precious nap time. We thought it would be more spectacular.
Vienna was a good time. The best thing for us was the Schonbrunner zoo. It is the oldest in the world and the best I have ever been to. Don't skip the aquarium. Stayed at Hotel Lucia for E70 a night plus 6.33 parking. 3 star place, but no A/C and next to busy street. Great breakfast. Not in Rick's book.
We spent a day in Bratislava which we got to from Vienna via hydrofoil. Great city and extremely affordable. Nice traffic-free zones.
Ebenalp was wonderful. The Berggasthaus Aescher is a awesome place to spend the night. The view is breathtaking, people nice, and food delicious. The hike down is wonderful, and should not be skipped. It is worth the extra 40 minutes to walk all the way around the lake.
Lastly, my condolences to all those whose European vacations are now
10% more expensive due to the dollar tanking. I was affected but it really
got bad just in the last two weeks.
Steve Zavocki <email>
Lewisville, TX USA 07/03/02
Germany/Austria
Just returned from 2 weeks in Germany/Austria. Highly recommend Munich,
Garmisch area, Rothenburg, Mittenwald violin making museum, Innsbruck Folk
Art museum (they have moved whole homes/rooms from the 16th century indoors),
Salzburg Sound of Music tour, Nuernberg, Wuerzburg archbishop's residence,
Heidelberg fortress/castle (restaurant there is very good), St. Goar. We
stayed at the Schloss Rheinfels castle/hotel at St. Goar and were disappointed — for the price they were not attentive to details. Restaurant very good,
though. Hidden treasure: Bad Herrenalb in northern Black Forest — a health
resort for Germans. Stayed at Hotel Harzer and had best service and attention — they brought bathrobes to the boys in the pool!
Lisa Kilmer <email>
kokomo, IN USA 06/30/02
Russia, Czech Republic,Germany, Luxembourg,Italy
My husband and I just returned from a wonderful trip that took us to Moscow
for 4 days and the rest of the time we rented a car in Munich and drove
to Tabor in the Czech Republic, Germany, Luxembourg, Austria and Italy.
In Moscow we stayed with a friend that resides there and it was a neat experience. In Russia we recommend that you take cash since travelers checks and debit or credit cards are not used very much. They will accept the US$.
All of the places we stayed at in the rest of our trip were found via the Internet and through the Rick Steves guidebook. We did see lots of people with the Rick Steves' book in hand. Rick needs to adjust his guidebooks for people that want to drive around Europe. The distances might say it only takes 30 minutes and it actually takes you a couple of hours from point a to b.
We enjoyed our drive through the Czech Republic beautiful countryside. We stayed in Tabor a small and quaint town. We recommend Villa Cerny Leknin, which we found at www.hotelprague.cz/tabor/cernyleknin/leknin_e.html. It was beautiful, reasonably priced and elegant with breakfast included.
We spent three exceptional nights in bad Wiessee at the Gastehaus Marianne DiNunzio. It was the highlight of our trip. It is only 45 minutes from Munich. A charming couple Michael, Marianne and their daughter Michaela run the guesthouse who will spend hours telling you stories. They kept us laughing. They even took us to a local festival our last night. We were spoiled rotten. The rooms are spacious, clean & comfortable. It includes a huge breakfast of fruit, egg, meats and cheese, bread, juice and a special surprise each day. On our next trip to Germany we are making Bad Wiessee a must stop. Gastehaus Marianne DiNunzio, Munchner Strade59, 93707 Bad Wiessee- telephone 080 22/83510e-mail MDiNunzio@t-online.de, website www.gaestehaus-bayern.de
We highly recommend the Hotel-Garni Hornburg in Rothenburg, Germany, and the wonderful & helpful people that run it Martin and Gabriele. Wonderful breakfast; spacious and beautiful room. www.hotelhornburg.rothenburg.de or e-mail hotelhornburg@t-online.de We took the "Walk of the Night Watchman" tour and it was very informative and comical. www.nightwatchman.de, we also walked the wall at 6:30 A.M.and we had it all to ourselves. What a beautiful town.
In Luxembourg we stayed in Vianden. Hotel-Restaurant Heintz very reasonably priced and it includes breakfast. Charming town with its own castle. www.hotel-heintz.lu e-mail hoheintz@pt.lu Grand-rue, 55 L-9410 Vianden telephone (00 352) 83 41 55, Fax (00 352) 83 45 59
We drove to Trier and took the Romer-Express tour and drove through the Mosel Valley, very charming towns. We spent two nights in Boppard on the Rhine at Haus-Weller; very inexpensive with breakfast included. http://www.loreleytal.com/boppard/hotel/haus-weller/index.html
We took a Rhine riverboat tour on the KD line and spent the afternoon in Bacharach. We spent one night in Sterzing/Vipiteno at the Gasthof-Albergo Klammer. www.gasthof-klammer.com
All of the places mentioned above have their own town WebPages and finding
your local ATM (bankomat) was very easy. Most of the places accepted credit
card with the exception of a few. Traveling through Europe is now very
easy with one currency. We have made our own web page with pictures of
our trip. www.geocities.com/elkpenguin2002/index.html
Kris and Maria Skweres <email>
Cheyenne, WY USA 06/29/02
Why do hotels take credit card numbers and then not have a room?
My impression is that many hotels overbook to compensate. For example, at
Pension Seibel in Munich, I called and gave my credit card number over the
phone for the reservation. When I arrived, I was told they did not have
my reservation but that they would try to get a room for me. If I had not
shown up, Pension Seibel would have been able to charge my credit card to
cover the room cost. There should have been no worry about overbooking just
in case the room went empty with respect to my reservation. Why did they
take my credit card number? They found us a room (half the size and no double
bed). We complained and were provided a room with a clogged shower that
could have been easily fixed — they did nothing.
The only conclusions about the situation can be: 1) They are poor at
organization 2) They purposely overbook 3) They are dishonest and like
to use the bait and switch technique (I lean to this one after I was shown
a room half the size but then provided a normal room after I complained).
So, the conclusion is not all hotels *and* customers operate with proper
business ethics.
Paul Rudolph
Pittsburgh, PA USA 06/28/02
Salzburg
My wife and I just returned from 15 days in Germany and Austria. We used
Rick's book for 90% of what we did and were surprised to meet him in Vienna,
making his rounds and checking everything out. We especially enjoyed Salzburg.
Our visit there was made very special by Herbert and Ilse at the HOTEL am
NUSSDORFER. They recommended the Mozart Dinner Concert that Rick mentions
and arranged for a taxi to deliver us to the front door, which is quite
a feat in a city where cars are restricted. The show was fantastic, one
of the highlights of our trip. Ilsa prepares a great breakfast and even
cooked us scrambled eggs and bacon.
We didn't care much for Hallstatt, beautiful place, but everything was old and uncomfortable. After looking at the rooms available we decided to go to St. Wolfgang and stayed in a lovely Zimmer, PENSION SEEHOF, with our room looking right on the lake and with a swimming dock.
We also loved ROTHENBURG, go there last if possible or you will be comparing
everything other place to it. Martin and Gabrielle at the HORNBURG were
great and what a lovely place to stay with no traffic noise. Thanks Rick
for great groundwork in your book.
Rhett Eleazer <email>
Columbia, SC USA 06/25/02
Rothenburg, Bacharach, Mosel
Just got back from a two week train trip with my son from Prague to Paris,
by way of Nurnberg, Rothenburg, Bacharach, Koln, and Brugge. If you take
the train on weekends, you get a fantastic family rate (in Bavaria, at least)
Nurnberg (not in Rick's book) is a great town for a day trip. The station
is just outside the old city wall. Several churches, a great castle, the
German National Museum, and a new museum dedicated to the nazi era (you
have to take a streetcar for this one) the Durer haus is worth a visit.
Also, Rick doesn't mention Bernkastel-Kues, a great little wine town
on the Mosel in his book, but it's definitely worth a stop. Bacharach
on the Rhine was a great stop and we missed Rick by an hour as he was
making his rounds. The "night watchman" tour in Rothenburg was very entertaining
and informative. We stayed at the Gasthaus Raidl there — he refers to
the hosts as the Addams family, but the rooms are wonderful with modern
plumbing. We had a balcony outside our room and a great breakfast for
about $58. Plenty of vacancies in all the small towns in early june. The
hostel at the top of the Stahleck castle in Bacharach is great if you
don't mind the uphill hike to get there.
Bob Keeney <email>
grapevine, tx USA 06/20/02
Innsbruck — Pension Paula
I want to say some good words about Innsbruck. First, it is a beautifully
situated city. We found it to be a fine place to stay and then make side
trips (even in the clouds the trip to Walderalm above Gnadenwald is a "must".)
I recommend the Pension Paula in Innsbruck — very affordable, small and
tidy rooms with balconies that overlook the entire city. One of the best
meals was dinner at the Ottoburg. Innsbruck was a delightful experience
for us.
Craig Sale <email>
Schaumburg, IL USA 06/19/02
Hohenschwangau — Alpenhotel Meier
Had a wonderful 2 nights at this small hotel. Conveniently within walking
distance of the castles, yet outside the touristy hub of the village. The
rooms overlook a cow pasture — quaint and scenic with the distant clang
of cowbells. The rooms were large and non-smoking rooms were available.
The food in the restaurant was terrific; it is one recommended by locals.
Füssen and environs are all within minues if you have a car. Thanks for
listing this delightful accommodation!
Craig Sale <email>
Schaumburg, IL USA 06/19/02
Vive Nyon!
I must heartily second Linda's post regarding a trip to Nyon, Switzerland.
I haven't continued onto Yvoire via the ferry, but Nyon is a delightful,
compact town with sweeping Lake Geneva views from several locations. The
local museum that houses the area's Roman artifacts is worth a visit; ask
to borrow one of the helpful English-language translations of the exhibit
highlights. The town is on main rail lines to all of Switzerland's main
cities; in fact, should I return to Switzerland in the future, I'd stay
in Nyon rather than Bern. If you are a vegetarian and can't face eating
yet another cheese sandwich, consider sacrificing some integrity and grab
a veggie burger at, of all places, the local McDonald's. I have no idea
why Swiss Micky D's serve them, but they made for satisfactory and cheap
meal-on-the-go.
Tom <email>
Los Angeles, CA USA 06/18/02
Vienna & Melk
We stayed at the Haydn Hotel in Vienna, recommended in Rick's guidebook.
It was located near a subway station and handy for getting about Vienna.
The staff was friendly and the room comfortable and quiet even though on
the street side. The eating place Akakiko Sushi recommended in the guidebook
has since moved to 42-48 Mariahilferstrasse from #40 in the book. Took the
day trip to Melk. Toured the Abbey with senior discounts for the admission
and then following Rick's and the TI's directions, walked to the boat dock
for the Danube River cruise to Krems. We were pleasantly surprised to find
senior discounts for the boat tickets. Enjoyed the relaxing cruise on the
river. Upon arrival in Krems, we had to stop at a gas station to get directions
to the train station. Asked 2 persons before we were headed in the right
direction on the Ringstrasse to the town center. It was a long 30-minute
walk but we found the 4th traffic light and a sign to the train station.
Rick's suggestion to get off at Vienna's Spittelau station was a great timesaver
because of the efficient U-Bahn station there and we returned to our hotel
quickly.
Lorene Leong
Honolulu, HI USA 06/17/02
Frankfurt am Main hotel
An enthusiastic recommendation goes to Manhattan Hotel (069/234748). Cheeful,
helpful staff. Clean, comfortable, and chic room and appointments. The weekend
rate (as of 6/1/02) was $58 for a single room including the delicious breakfast.
It is directly across from the HBf on Duesseldorferstrasse. And is about
12 minutes away from the airport via the S-Bahn. Though not neccessarily
a back door, it is nonetheless a first rate choice for the night after arrival
at or before the departure from FRA.
Peter <email>
Palo Alto, CA USA 06/16/02
Hallstatt Lodging Contact Information
Lodging POCs for the 2002 guidebook do not work. E-mails have been returned
and phone numbers are wrong. The directions for placing international calls
from with in Europe are not clear.
John Kliem <email>
Naples, USA 06/16/02
Geneva, Switzerland
I spend 3 months each year in Switzerland, and my suggestion is, if you
are spending anytime near Geneva, you must go to Nyon, about 15 mins. via
auto route and take the boat over the lake to Yvoire, France, about a 30
min ride. You will not be disappointed. Rick, you must try this. It will
be like stepping back in time. This was a suggestion from the locals.
Linda D <email>
Warrington, PA USA 06/15/02
Pension Lettie Phone Number
Rick Pension Lettie in Bacharach has a new phone number that she wanted
me to pass on…. it is 069-7903-50. Thanks!
JU <email>
St. Paul, MN USA 06/10/02
Smoke free tea house in Berlin
For a welcome respite from the usual smoke-filled restaurants/cafes, TeeTeaThe
on Goltzstrasse (Eisenacher U-Bahn stop) offers a wonderful assortment of
black, green and herbal teas (yes, they have chai, too, a.k.a. "yogi tea")and
a quiet, nonsmoking environment in which to enjoy them. A great place for
reading, writing and catching your breath. Pastries are pretty good. Sandwiches
okay. 4 p.m. happy hour features exotic tea varieties at a discounted price.
ALindou <email>
Seattle, WA USA 06/08/02
Re: Hotel Helvetica in Munich
I think Helen's comments below are a valuable illustration of the importance
of hotel etiquette. Hotels are indeed in a customer service industry, but
they are in business to make money and more importantly, courtesy is a dance
performed by two people. On two occasions, by her own admission, Helen made
changes to her reservation that Hotel Helvetica tried to accomodate, but
they in turn requested that she simply call them on a given date to confirm.
In both cases she did not keep up her end of the bargain and call them as
agreed. If you want to make bookings or changes to existing bookings, and
any hotel asks you to call and confirm or email a confirmation and you fail
to do so, then clearly you are at fault and can make no complaint. Hotel
have no-shows all the time. If you request a change and they request a confirmation,
show them the courtesy you would like shown to you.
Robert Bundy <email>
Los Angeles, CA USA 06/03/02
Munich Hotel
I have a complaint about Hotel Helvetia in Munich recommended by Rick.
Prior to leaving for Germany I booked the hotel via e-mail for three nights
at the end of May. I received the confirmation and rates promptly which
was great. I stopped by the hotel mid-way during my trip to drop off two
bags of souvenirs and confirmed my booking for the end of May at that
time. They were kind enough to let me store my bags of souvenirs with
them so things were okay until then.
Things started to go awry a week before my stay with them — my travel plans changed. I called the hotel immediately to rebook the room for just one night (i.e. the last night) out of the original three. I was told they had room and that it shouldn't be a problem, BUT, could I please call back the next day to confirm. I was unable to call back the very next day because I was on the road, but did call in the morning two days later. I was told they had no booking for me and to call back at 2:00pm and speak to someone in charge of reservations. I was unable to call back at 2:00pm, but instead showed up at the hotel on the day of arrival at which time I was told they had no room for me.
They still had the original booking for three nights, but turned me away because they had no written record of the changes I asked for. They seemed to doubt the fact that I had called ahead to make the changes. By this time I was feeling very irritated. I then asked if I could collect my souvenirs, dreading the possibility that they might have misplaced those. Luckily, I got my bags of souvenirs back. When I asked if I could use their phone to book another hotel. I was directed to the pay phone.
I was extremely irritated by this lack of customer service. I was now
out of a place to stay because of their mistake and inefficiency and yet
was told to use a pay phone to find alternative accommodation — the nerve
of them. The least they could do was to offer a courtesy phone. Luckily,
I had stayed at the hotel next door last year (Hotel Haberstock where
friendly Alfred knew what customer service is all about). I walked next
door and there was Alfred at the desk — my savior. He remembered me from
last year and put me up for the night. Now that's personable service.
I should have stuck with Hotel Haberstock all along. So there you are,
two hotels located side by side in Munich, both recommended by Rick. One
belongs in the book (Hotel Haberstock), the other (Hotel Helvetia) clearly
does not. Helen Hii
Helen Hii <email>
Vancouver, BC, USA 06/02/02
Switzerland and Italy part of Rick's book
I think the Switzerland portion of Rick's book is very inadequate. Don't
recommend this if driving. I also think he shortchanges the country greatly;
we found it wonderful, friendly, clean and much to see. (Rick: Furka Pass
railcar is very important and a must know to all drivers and not even mentioned.
And Zermatt (also not mentioned) is fantastic and beautiful; the ice carvings
inside the glacier are something to see at Klein Matterhorn) Just back from
3 weeks. Montreux very classy, Lake Geneva so much better than Lake Como
(what is the big deal about Lake Como area — dirty, rundown, Lake Como dirty,
food not anything to write home about, Bellagio disappointing with all the
traffic, and don't even want to get into how driving in Italy was. We couldn't
wait to leave. And Eremo Gaudio hotel in Varenna so-so. All Americans staying
there, no heat, a very long walk to town, no ammenties including no hair
dryer, ants in room, dinner there was horrible (don't suggest doing that).
Just don't see what Rick sees at all.
D.J. French <email>
Incline Village, NV USA 05/29/02
minor corrections, dittos, blather
Hello, Just returned from a trip through Germany, Austria & Hungary, and
had a wonderful time. Rick's advice was great as always, and I usually hesitate
to just say "ditto!" as it contributes nothing, but here are a few things
I want to pass along:
Berlin: The Brohan museum is fantastic. Rick mentions it but we would put three triangles by it. If you like the impressionists and turn of the century art, you'll be a kid in a candy store. The work contained within is a unique take — ya gotta go. Pension peters is a treat, for its rooms, its location and its great staff. Annika is friendly and delightful. I wouldn't stay anywhere else.
Melk. When we arrived we went directly to Hotel Furst, where we had reservations. They were very nice, but said that the rate quoted in Rick's book for a double room w/out shower (which I had confirmed via email) was wrong and that when it said "D-38 Euro" that meant that it was 38 Euro PER PERSON IN THE ROOM, or twice the money. They said that many people had made that mistake. I confessed that I could not afford that so they offered us what they described as thier "worst room" (They stressed this repeatedly — I almost asked to see it out of curiousity) for a mere 68 euros. I thanked them and said I had to discuss it with my wife, then we left and went a half a block down to Gastoff Goldener Stern and got a Db-53 (that means a double WITH a bath for 53 euros to GGS for two people — just like in the book!) The GGS folks were great and incidently the place has been recently renovated. Our room was brand spankin' new from the scandinavian design furniture to the sparkling marble bathroom to the canopy bed. There was even a gerbera daisy on the bedspread. I am sure that Hotel Furst will be grateful that I am passing the correction about room rates along to Rick's readers so as to clear up any confusion.
As for Melk itself, much as we enjoyed the Abbey (a must-see) Melk itself was a snooze for us. We saw grinning bikers raving enthusiastically but it must be noted that they were either coming or going, not staying in Melk. There's just not anything to do or see after the abbey, and for repose and idleness we would have done much better to stay an extra day in Hallstatt (which was a highlight of our trip). I'd advise stopping, lockering up your bags at the station, seeing the abbey and then either going to Hallstatt or to Vienna.
Hallstatt: The Catholic church and the cultural history museum are being renovated but you won't care. Grumbling about that in Hallstatt is like complaining about Heidi Klum's nailpolish color. If you want a timeless romantic moment, rent a canoe and row your honey out to the middle of the lake and let time stop for a while.
Salzburg: PLAN TO BE THERE ON A SUNDAY! We were there all weekend and
the sights are all open on Sunday but the endless stores were mostly closed
and the crowds were greatly reduced. Saturday you see tourists, Sundays
you see Salzburg. Rob P.S. If anyone has questions about Budapest (not
one of Rick's destinations), I'd be happy to help.
Robert Bundy <email>
Los Angeles, CA USA 05/22/02
Berln
Just got back from Berlin, if you have any questions about what to do, just
email me.
Jane <email>
Houston, TX USA 05/18/02
Romantic Road Bus
I took the bus trip from Munich to Rothenburg on a Sunday in early May.
Euraide no longer books the trips. I just showed up at the bus and paid
the driver, it only cost 13.60 euro! The bus only had 4 passengers, 2 americans
and 2 japanese. The Bus driver did not speak very much english, but he was
nice and since there was only 4 people he gave us more time than scheduled
for the stops. I don't think I would have enjoyed the trip as much in the
high season.
John <email>
Wilmington, NC USA 05/15/02
hotel Am Markt, Munich
Hotel Am Markt in Munich was a most unpleasant experience. we reserved a
nonsmoking room one week ahead of time and arrived to a so smoky room and
the only one available. Price was high, breakfat minimal never again — too
many other good hotels in Munich even though the location was great.
Elizabeth Fox <email>
Denton, , TX USA 05/11/02
Rothenburg backdoors
Gerberhaus and Annaleise Freise are both delights of Rothenburg! Annaleise
will guess your nationality by your shoes — try to avoid sport-type shoes
and see if she can guess. One tip for travelers, get in shape. Start at
least 5 months in advance and WALK at least 3 miles/day. You will be so
greatful after only one day in Germany. Another hidden gem of Germany? Bayreuth!
KMK
MN USA 05/07/02
Romatische Strasse, Germany
Catching the Romantic Road bus in Wuerzburg proved a challenge. Look for
Gleis 13 at the bus station next to the Hauptbahnhof. For up to date directions,
check with the information desk in the train station; the bus personnel
had no clue.
Elizabeth Jean Menning <email>
Estes Park, CO USA 04/24/02
Glacier Express
My daughter and I were enchanted by our Disentis-Brig-Zermatt Glacier Express
trip and highly recommend reserving seats in the first class panoramic car.
With clear weather, the price of !36 Swiss francs is worth it. (2nd class
fare is 82 Swiss francs)
Elizabeth Jean Menning <email>
Estes Park, CO USA 04/24/02
Prague — Guest House Lida Contact Info
I have been getting emails from Graffiti Wall readers asking about contact
info for my March posting on Guest House Lida. Here's the info: Guest House
Lida is in a good neighborhood of the Podoli (Prague 4)district. It's less
than a five minute walk to the Pražského Povstání Metro stop on the
Green (C)line. Contact info: Jiri Prouza LIDA GUEST HOUSE Lopatecka 26 147
00 PRAHA 4 Czech Republic e-mail: lida@login.cz tel.: 420 2 61214766 fax:
420 2 61214766 Happy Travels! Deborah.
D. Floyd <email>
Sunnyvale, CA USA 04/19/02
Innsbruck, Austria
Austria was wonderful except for Innsbruck, didn't look like anything has
happened there since last Olympics 30 years ago.Probably the last time Hotel
Goldene Krone was updated also. Would suggest looking elsewhere for accomodations.
c waldenberger <email>
waukesha, wi USA 04/14/02
Pension In Munich
I have used Rick's book on several occasions and have always had great luck.
This time, however, I was very disappointed. My friend and I reserved a
room in Munich. It did say that the bathroom was not attached, but private.
That is common in Europe, so that was ok. When we arrived, I about died!
First, it was a filthy place. Walls were dirty, smelled, cobwebs and that
is not the worst part. Not only was the bathroom not attached, it was in
the owners private residence. We had to share with her, her son and another
guest. To top it off, the bathroom was very dirty and full of mildew. It
was very hard to use. One of the reasons we chose this place was because
it was run by an American/English woman. She was nice and spoke English,
but her place was disgusting. Rick…I would reccommend revising this in
your book……I live in Europe and most places I've stayed in that are run
by the Germans are always clean, even if they are moderate in size.
J. H. <email>
Ansbach, Germany 04/01/02
Hotels in Germany
I just returned from 2 weeks in Germany, during which we stayed at the Hotel
Gerberhaus in Rothenburg and Hotel Atlanta in Berlin (both recommended in
Rick's book). Both were very nice, although we were a little put off by
the tiny, smoke-filled bar at Hotel Gerberhaus (through which you must squeeze
at night to get to your room), although the rooms themselves were smoke-free.
Both hotels have a significant number of steps (64 to reach our room in
Hotel Atlanta), which was not a problem for me and my husband, but my mother
who was traveling with us had some trouble. Hotel Atlanta's location could
not have been better (less than half a block of Ku'damm)and they had rooms
available at a reasonable price, even when virtually every other hotel we
tried in Berlin was booked to capacity.
Cynthia Scherb
Kansas City, MO USA 03/28/02
Germany
In June of 2001 5 of us went from Denver to Frankfurt, Germany on the then
new direct flight on United. I/we did our homework and read Rick's guidebook
on Germany, Austria and Switzerland. We rented a car at the Frankfurt airport
and dropped it at Munich airport. We stayed at Pension Lettie the first
night and then moved to Burg Stahleck Castle Hostel. We had a lovely room
for 5 in a castle tower. Breakfast was good and so was the dinner.
The Burg Rheinfels (St Goar) self guided tour was really neat. We also stayed in Rothenburg at Pension Then. Mrs Then had recently lost her husband who was the one who corresponded with Rick Steves regarding room rates, etc. She made some changes in my book and asked if I would pass them on to Rick's readers. She noted that a double room is 85 DM, not 100 DM. A single is 45 DM. This place is really clean. Breakfast was lovely. There is a laundromat across the street.
The method of finding a room at the city limits of Rothenburg was truly
wonderful. There is a map of the city and a list of the accomodations
listed by price, with a number next to it. You push the button with that
number and it lights up, showing you how to get from where you are to
where you need to go. When you dial that number on the phone, the proprieter
answers and can tell you if they have accomodations. Rothenburg was really
neat too. The night watchman tour was amusing and informative.
Joan Tubutis <email>
Centennial, CO USA 03/28/02
AUSTRIA
We spent 3 wonderful weeks in Austria last summer, specially in Spitz an
der Donau (Wachau area), Hallstatt and Wien. In Spitz an der Donau we stayed
at Hotel Garni Winzerin, beautiful place and good management. The village
is plenty of Heurigen (wine taverns), the real ones (very different from
those around Wien) and the food and views excellent. We only met some German
and Czech tourists, in some places they hardly speak English. Hallstatt
is one of the gems of Austria, but the surroundings like Gosau worth a visit,
too. Finally, in Wien we stayed at K & T Boarding House. I recommend the
house, centrally located, easy walking to reach tourist places. Don't forget
to visit the Radhaus in July-August's nights (opera festival+international
food tasting+good ambience). We really enjoy it!!!
Anna <email>
Barcelona, Spain 03/25/02
Hotels-Rothenburg
Just wanted to say that we stayed at the Gastehaus Raidel in Rothenburg
December 2001 which Rick had described as run by grim people/made him feel
like singing the Adams Family song etc. We found the owners to be very charming,
warm and accomodating in every way. Just wanted to put in a good word for
them!! Good breakfast, clean rooms and helpful staff!
Anne Olson <email>
Brucken, Germany 03/20/02
Good food & Hotels
Good local food at the Augustiner Schwanthaler 85 across from the hotel
Fidelio. Try the Holzfallersteak Schweinfilets Rustwiebeln und Bratharttoffeln
Also try the Hotel Buren in Triberg
Ron Simpson <email>
Schaghticoke , NY USA 03/18/02
Prague — Guest House Lida
My husband & I have traveled to Czech Republic each year for 7 years visiting
his family all around the country. We found that Guest House Lida listed
by Rick is the best place to stay in Prague(the only city we don't have
family to stay with). My family & I stayed there for 3 days earlier this
week. It was almost like staying with family. Jiri(George)Prouza was extremely
helpful with info(he speaks both English and Czech) and a wonderful host.
We had a nice room & the buffet breakfast offered a good variety of food.
Jiri made sure we had everything we needed — from Metro tickets(for the
vending machine impaired) to reserving theater tickets — at no extra cost.
We were there off-season, so we paid only $63 a night instead of $70 for
a quiet triple room with its own private bathroom. Hotels at twice the price
could not compare with this place!
D. Floyd <email>
Sunnyvale, CA USA 03/13/02
Mosel Valley
I just came back from Mosel Valley trip over the weekend. This is one of
the best scenic drives I have taken in Europe. The best way to experience
Mosel Valley is by a car. I spent a night in Bernkastel Youth Hostel. The
hostel is wonderful, and is located next to Burg Landshut which overlooks
Mosel River and the town of Bernkastel. The town, especially the marktplatz,
is very charming. I think Rick should cover this town more in his book.
I definitely liked this town better than Zell and Cochem, and highly recommend
this town. My next stop was Zell. I did not find this town interesting at
all. I did go up to the tower and checked out the valley from the top. My
next stop was Beilstein. This is an interesting town with small roads and
stores. I did go up to the castle ruin, but it was closed. There is a great
view of the valley from the top though. My next stop was Cochem. I liked
the town for its liveliness, though it is somewhat commercialized. I went
up to Burg Cochem for a great view of the valley and the town. There was
a Youth Hostel across the river, but it was being torn down. I am not sure
whether it is being renovated or demolished. My last stop was Burg Eltz.
Since I have a car, I drove to the closest parking area to the burg mentioned
in the book. The burg is only open from 1 APR to 31 OCT according to the
sign at the parking lot. The book states that it is open from APR to NOV.
Even if the burg is closed, you can still park at the parking lot (for free
when the burg is closed), and walk down (couple of minutes) to the view-stand
for a great view of the burg from the top. I think this area provides a
much better view of the burg than the park-and-hike-along-the-trail view.
Overall, the trip was excellent, and I highly recommend it. I can definitely
understand why Rick does not recommend places like Heidelberg which is overrated
and overcrowded. There are far more interesting and "untouched by tourists" places such as towns along Mosel Valley. Trust me….I lived in Heidelberg
for 13 months, and still live in Germany now.
Jay <email>
Schweinfurt, Germany 03/12/02
Why no Hamburg?
Rick, can't understand your failure to include *Hamburg* in "Germany, Austria
& Switzerland (+ Prague)."
Michael Kraft <email>
New York, NY USA 03/02/02
St. Goar
First of all, my wife and I are off-season travelers. We usually travel
in the dead of Winter. Recently(2/02) we spend some time in St. Goar. We
attempted to follow Rick's guide on a hiking trip over to the Loreley. Be
aware, you can get lost if you only follow Rick's tips. Look for the green "hiking" signs talong the way. And. even if you get lost, you may run into
a vinyaed where you can hang with some of the locals and drink\buy some
of thier wine. Additionally, the concert area above the Loreley that Rick
mentions is closed(fenced). But, it's still a wonderful hike.
Mike Allen <email>
Tampa, FL USA 02/20/02
Gulash Museum, Vienna
Oh, and while in Vienna definitely try the Gulash Museum, which is a restaurant
around the corner from St. Stephan's. They have more than gulash there (I
had an amazingly good mozarella, tomato, and basil salad), and we ended
up eating there twice. Yum! Good service, English spoken but mostly full
of German-speakers.
Caroline
New England, USA 02/11/02
Munich to Vienna
My husband and I took ten days to drive from Munich to Vienna. We used Rick's
book as a jumping-off place for our planning, and he never steered us wrong!
Our first night in Fussen, we stayed at the Hotel Gasthaus zum Hechten. We had trouble finding where to park, but the hotel was spotless and the staff friendly. We saw another Rick Steves guidebook across the breakfast room, but we mostly heard German being spoken.
Halstatt was amazing. We were there in November when the lake was wind-swept and mysterious. Though the town was sleepy, it was wonderful. Salzburg itself was not our cup of tea. We did enjoy the castle (not the hike up — the funicular was out of order), but we enjoyed the countryside more. Staying up on the hillside in Hall the previous night was more to our tastes. We stayed at the Hotel Maria Theresia, where the staff did speak English but the guests did not. We had a large room with a big balcony overlooking the valley and Alps beyond — we almost didn't want to leave the room for dinner because of that view. The church cemetery was filled with candles glowing at night.
Melk on the Danube/Donau was wonderful. We stayed at the Hotel Furst, and our tiny but tidy room looked out over the pedestrian square. We were able to park a compact car behind the hotel! Melk was a charming town. The sky was as full of color as the baroque paintings inside the abbey, and the view over the town and the river was gorgeous. We found everyone there to be very friendly. I spoke mostly German in Melk, but everyone seemed able to say a few key phrases in English, too.
We ended our trip with a few days in Vienna. We stayed at the Hotel Admiral, which was very close to a subway (U-bahn) stop. The staff was nice, and, though the lobby is, as Rick says, more serviceable than beautiful, our room was almost a suite. It was enormous, with a large bathroom, a couch, two chairs, a table, a closet, and a tv, and the side-street was quiet. Though it lacked the homeyness of a B&B, it was comfortable.
While in Vienna, we took a day-trip to Hungary. We chatted with the border guards (there is a passport check going in and a trunk inspection going out) about the recent election. Seeing cold war concrete housing blocks so near to one of the most Baroque and decorated cities in the world was a reminder of times past and the hope for the future.
I recommend visiting Germany and Austria in the shoulder-/off-season.
Although some hotels were closed for the month, we had booked ahead so
we knew that we were covered for each night.
Caroline
New England, USA 02/11/02
Lauterbrunnen
Valley Hostel (www.valleyhostel.ch) in the magnificent Lauterbrunnen Valley,
Switzerland, was great. Clean, quiet, rustic but modern, great hosts, kitchen
sharing, parking, family rooms, very convenient to all mountain towns; Gimmelwald,
Murren, Wengen etc., lifts and trains, and to the waterfall attractions.
If you are looking for a party, stay in Interlaken. Otherwise this is a
great choice. I prefer the Valley to staying on the mountains. More options
of what to do if the weather is bad and you can have a car. Reutte Hostel
was very nice as well.
Brian <email>
Pompano Beach, FL USA 02/08/02
Ludwig's castle directions
We used the book all the way through Munich and into Garmisch-Partenkirchen — it was really most helpful, except for the map of Schwangau and the entrance
to the village. It was very, very confusing! We actually got lost in the
village of Fussen….maybe just some better directions….But thanks for a
great trip.
kimberley shields <email>
portland, or USA 02/05/02
Rhine cruise
We took Rick's advice to cruise "the best hour" of the Rhine, from St. Goar
to Bacharach. On an afternoon in early July, it was the hottest hour we
spent during our trip. The boat was jam packed and there was no shade available.
Definitely not a pleasant experience.
Janet <email>
CO USA 02/01/02
Much-Used Book
After moving to Germany, one of our first day-trips was to Rothenburg, since
it is only 30 minutes from where we live. I was thrilled to actually be
there. Standing in the Marktplatz and completing the 360 degree orientation
was a blast. Just like I was writing it myself. Golden arches & nutella
stories are quite humerous when you are actully standing in the middle of
this magnificent medeivel city. I use the guidebook now to plan day trips,
weekend trips, and drives through the country. Thanks to all of the staff
who work on these publications and preparing my family and I for a very
unique living opportunity.
John Smith <email>
Albertshofen, Germany, GER 01/23/02
More on Prague
I did not go into Prague's Jewish museums (except the Pinkas Synagogue)
because they charge so much; instead I strolled around peering into the
shops (weird mixture of the real thing and tourist kitsch), looking at the
synagogue architecture from the outside and enjoying the relative absence
of crowds.
Mary from Oregon
USA 01/22/02
Prague is "skippable"?!
Prague does seem to have jumped onto the tourism bandwagon with both stinky
feet, but I don't believe it is "skippable". I don't mind a touch of urban
grunge as much as the next person, but I didn't find it any dirtier than,
say, Lisbon. When you speak of a great, ancient city that it is easy for
many people to come away with wildly different experiences. Prague is quite
commercial these days.
While I too was moved, especially by the children's drawings and the
cemetery, it was this complex of Jewish museums that I found to be the
most cynically exploitative of any museum I've seen in Europe. Rick warns
that the prices are posted in Czech in longhand and in Euros (for the
tourists) at ten times the money, but it still rankles. For what I paid
to see there I could have gone to the Lourve, the British Museum and and
had money left over for coffee. Further, they divy up into five "museums"
what really is just one museum, all with separate entry fees. One of them
is no bigger than a studio apartment and contains a dozen or so Alms cups
and nothing more. And perhaps I'm alone in this but one of the thrills
of a muesum is to be in the very presence of the thing itself. Go to the
British Museum and there see the actual Rosetta stone, etc. At the Jewish
museums in Prague almost everything is a reproduction.
Robert Bundy <email>
Los Angeles, CA USA 01/22/02
Heidelberg
Rick says to skip Heidelberg. We disagree. No, it is not as charming as
Rothenburg, and it is too commercial, but there is a reason people have
flocked to the castle for hundreds of years, and the museum is terrific.
According to my daughter "Like all the Smithsonians crammed into one." We'd
recommend Heidelberg to anyone.
Tom Carter <email>
Cheverly, MD USA 01/14/02
Prague and Vienna
We really enjoyed our time in Prague and Vienna. We were in Prague for 8
days about 3 weeks after 9/11/01. One of the first things we saw when rounding
the corner near Wenceslas Square were tanks and Czech military with machine
guns guarding Radio Free Europe, an American Owned organization.
Anyway, as far as rick's advisements go: The hotels he recommended did not offer enough variety. We had to search elsewhere but did enjoy Hotel Olea and Hotel Esplanade while there.
We found a terrific French restaurant that you should add. $78 USD for wine and a 5 course meal. The owner is from France and everything is flown in weekly. So folks from the Bristish Embassy in Prague recommended it.
Brasserie Le Moliere in Praha 2 near Hotel Olea.
The Urquell pub was very unfriendly and nothing like the Beer Gardens in Germany.
Vienna: The K & T boarding house was very well priced and large. We enjoyed
it.
Carrie & Andre Roberson <email>
San Diego, CA USA 01/14/02
Hotel Neue Post Innsbruck
We paid 1750 ATS per night (127 euros) for a double room. IMO, the room
was worth about half that. It was a bit worn looking and the bathroom was
out of date. But it was the weekend before New Year's, so I assumed that
was what we were paying for.
They never cleaned our room! We were out and about all day and went back to our room in the evening, to find that it hadn't been cleaned. So we told the front desk clerk as we went to dinner and assumed someone would take care of it. When we came back a few hours later it still hadn't been cleaned. The front desk clerk gave us towels and toilet paper. On check out I pointed this out and requested a discount, as it hardly seemed fair to charge the same for a dirty room as a clean room, but they wouldn't do it. So I sent an e-mail to the hotel manager, expressing my dissatisfaction with the situation and he didn't even acknowledge my note.
Anyway, it wasn't a horrible experience, but I wouldn't stay there again
and I wouldn't recommend it at all. If anyone at the hotel had tried in
the least to make the situation right, I would've been pleased, but no
one could be bothered.
Paige <email>
Munich, Germany 01/04/02
Munich to Prague — stop in Plzen
Stop off in Plzen for a day on the way from Munich to Prague. It has wonderful
recently restored baroque and art nouveau architecture (much nicer than
Prague's Wenceslas Square, which is covered with electronic billboards)
and has some of the best beer in Europe. Gambrinus is an outstanding beer
if you like a darker brew. The West Bohemia Museum is recently restored
and has a small but interesting collection of 16th-17th century firearms,
but the building itself is worth seeing. I enjoyed Pilzen far more than
Prague — it's cleaner, less crowded and less commercialized.
Mary from Oregon
USA 01/03/02
Guide book in Austria and Germany
I really enjoyed Rick's book and helpful comments, however, the small maps
of various cities, Munich and Salzburg, were NOT helpful. We booked a room
in Salzburg, one that Rick recommends, but the directions from the guidebook
were misleading. He fails to mention several roads are only pedestrian or
only one-way. He also infers that the "city" is just off the autobahn, when
it's 15 to 20 miles from the autobahn. Salzburg is a wonderful city and
yes, the sound of music tour is a bit smaltzy, but it was loads of fun.
Rick, please do a piece on Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany in your next
book. It's a bit touristy and a German resort town, but it's got lots to
offer at reasonable prices. I would recommend the only way to travel to
and from Munich is by train. Good travels!
Rick <email>
warner robins, GA USA 01/03/02
Pension Seibel-Munich
Pension Seibel in Munich has gone schussing downhill since our last stay
! We've stayed there several times and have always loved the location and
the family atmosphere — but this time the atmosphere was gone (new management?),
the room was in disrepair (broken toilet seat, missing bathroom tiles, broken
HEAVY window that actually blew off its hinges into the room! Still a fabulous
location, but definitely ask to see the room before committing!
Berkland <email>
Arlington, VA USA 12/18/01
Have you ever thought of going to Augsburg, Germany?
I watched your show and it was wonderful. I am a german citizen and moved
to the US 3 years ago after marrying a US citizen. My hometown is Augsburg,
a historic town in the south close to Munich. You might want to consider
going there one day. Mozarts father was born there, it has the oldest home
for poor older residents in the world, the rent is under 5 Marks a month!
Luther wrote his theses there?! And there is a lot more that I know you
would enjoy. It was home to many american GI's over the years, before they
closed the Bases a few years ago. There will be a historic Festival "Das
Brunnenfest" in 2002, which is great to see! And so much more…. I love
to watch your shows, they bring my Home in my living room, and you appear
sensitive to the local customs and traditions. Thank you.
Heike <email>
CO USA 12/15/01
Eastern European city connections
The GAS guide needs to add a few more entries to its list of Eastern Europe
city train connections. There's nothing on Vienna — Bratislava connections
from what I saw in the GAS guide. Bratislava is not very far off the Eurail
territory but this does not tell me if it's valid for any portion of the
Slovak side. Many websites don't seem to have this information either on
the pricing. Best thing I recommend is to check at Vienna South station
for any trains to Bratislava. For Budapest, it would be useful to know which
trains from Vienna could be used with Eurail pass without having to pay
for a couchette/sleeperette. I had to take a later train one time because
of this.
Josh Hanz <email>
Foster City, CA USA 12/09/01
A backdoor way to get to Prague from Munich
One thing the GAS guide might be able to use, is a backdoor method to get
to Prague from Munich. Although it's quicker to take a EuroCity train from
Munich to Prague, I'd like to offer a cheap and more homely method. Warning,
this is only recommended for the brave and adventurous. Passport is required
(may also need visa for some countries) It costs about 50 Euro for the complete
trip for second class. Included are two Schönes Wochenende tickets, or two
BayernTickets, or any combination thereof, as well as daily roundtrip fares
from Zelezna Ruda to Prague central station via Pilsen and Klatovy.
You start at Munich central station, arrive at 7 in the morning. You will take a RegionalExpress train to Plattling via Landshut. Change trains to a Regionalbahn (a modern articulated diesel train) to Bayerisch Eisenstein, right at the Czech border. Disembark at Bayerisch Eisenstein, have your passport checked, and cross into the Czech Republic. Change money at the bank at the back of the building, then go to the CD train office to buy a ticket to Prague, via Pilsen.
Then, board the train to Pilsen which will wait about ten minutes. It's a diesel run to Klatovy. This stretch is slow, and the train stops at all stations. But you get a very scenic view of the southwestern Czech Republic.
Once you arrive in Pilsen, you would have about an hour or so until your next train to Prague arrives. You can go shopping or do some sightseeing. The nearest tram stop however is away from the station, and you will have to buy tickets for each ride you take, no round trip tickets are available. Depending on the train to Prague you take, it may not stop at every station. Once you arrive in Prague, buy a 24 hour ticket or whatever season ticket you'd like depending on your stay.
Now you want to go back to Munich. Usually the latest train to go back
to Munich leaves about 2 PM. Before you go back, buy a ticket to Zelezna
Ruda via Pilsen. When you go back, you might see second class compartments
that will accomodate up to eight people (!) Once you get to Pilsen, you
might not have enough time to do anything. Board the train to Karlovy
Vary via Klatovy, then at Klatovy, change to a diesel train. Then cross
back into Germany. Changing to the train back to Munich, at Plattling,
there's not much time to buy anything to eat (I learned this the hard
way-try to get a bratwurst in under five minutes!) The quick RegionalExpress
will whisk you back to Munich. You'll think it's a bullettrain compared
to what you were riding before. But it's quite an adventure, and one I'd
recommend for the Prague section of the GAS guidebook.
Josh Hanz <email>
Foster City, CA USA 12/09/01
Prague metro line B to Cern´y Most
In the 2002 GAS guide with the Prague section, the yellow line "B" according
to the map on page 214 only goes to Ceskomoravska. On more recent maps,
this line goes five stations further to Cerny Most. The new stations, in
this order Vysocanska, Kolbenova, Hloutebin, Rajska Zahrada, Cerny Most.
Red Line C is also building stations north of Holesovice station.
For a nice view of the city, I recommend taking a trip on the C line to
Vysehrad and look across the small canyon. Otherwise you can visit the tower
near the Jirihoz Bodebrad, along the green line "A". Djekuji / thanks,
Josh Hanz <email>
Foster City, CA USA 12/09/01
The Ticino backdoors of Switzerland
I think you need to also have a section on the Ticino, the canton where
Italian is spoken (it's also spoken in parts of Graubünden). So I would
like to add my bits to it, from several visits from 1987 to as recently
as April 2001. I found nice places to stay in Lugano's Paradiso district
for anywhere from 60 to 70 Francs per night. Transportation is fairly efficient
in Lugano, during the weekdays, and adequate enough to get to the FFS train
station on Sundays, the same goes for Locarno, Bellinzona and Chiasso. There's
a very good view of the lake Lugano, as well as Mount San Salvatore and
Monte Bré. You can also see into Italy from Lugano, but not Campione (which
is like an Italian land-island inside of Switzerland, just a mile north
of Bissone).
In Bellinzona, Castelgrande is a must-see site, even if you don't go in it. Saturday mornings there is a nice flea market, and on the midtown street, you can see all the cantonal flags hanging down.
Locarno is a nice lakeside resort, similar to Lugano, but on the Lake Maggiore. The FFS train station isn't in Locarno itself, but just a few steps outside the city limits. If you go underground to the FART (pardon the acronym) station, it runs three stations under Locarno. It goes all the way to Domodossola in Italy, past the border station in Camedo (Swiss side). Locarno has a youth hostel along the FART line.
Mendrisio has a shopping center called "Fox Town" which unfortunately isn't very easy to reach by public transport. It's somewhere between the town's entry to the Autostrada northbound, and the FFS train station. FoxTown is a nice factory outlet store, where designer products can be purchased for a fraction of the price at the average department store.
Last but not least, Chiasso is at the southernmost end of Switzerland. Anything between Chiasso and Bissone is called the "Mendrisiotto" region. Chiasso station is right at the border with Italy, and if you leave the station, and go right, you will see an actual border crossing. The last Manor store there is within walking distance to the border. Como is not very far off from there. If you have a radio handy, Chiasso is the furthest most point that you can hear the German broadcast of DRS 1.
To get from the Milan Malpensa airport to Ticino, I recommend Flycar,
sponsored by the Swiss Post (it's a nice postal bus, for just 20 Francs
or 16 Euro to Lugano, about 13 to Mendrisio). The scenery after Varese
is breathtaking. It's quite a constrast by going through the border to
Stabio, and you're literally entering mountain country. This is a fine
example of a back-door, in my opinion.
Josh Hanz <email>
Foster City, CA USA 12/09/01
With a car in Czech Republic
Just returned from spending Thanksgiving week in Prague and Cesky Krumlov.
Since Rick doesn't talk a lot about driving into the Czech Republic, most
of my comments will be about that. My wife and I drove from Germany into
Prague. There was about a 30 minute wait to cross the border into Czech
Republic; the long line was because there was only one booth open. They
didn't check our passports. We had to buy a toll sticker (just like Austria
and Switzerland); they took DM (this was good, as we entered Czech Republic
without any korunas.) The roads were fine. It was very foggy the entire
way, so we didn't get to see much of the landscape. The drive into Prague
was pretty much like driving into any big city; a few wrong turns and some
traffic (we arrived around 4 in the afternoon on Saturday) but it wasn't
too bad. We had a street map — highly recommended.
Since I've heard many stories about cars getting broken in to and stolen in former east block countries, I was concerned about the parking. We decided to stay at the Cloister Inn, since they had a small enclosed courtyard for cars; Rick doesn't mention this, but they have a website with all the details. The parking cost 250kc/day.
The drive from Prague to CK was largely uneventful; the countryside, though probably not as lush as at other times of the year, was still worth driving through. We drove through many small towns on the way.
It took about three hours to get to CK. Our pension was in the pedestrian district (as most are) and we weren't sure if we could drive in, so we parked at one of the lots outside of the city center, walked to the pension and was given a pass by our hostess, allowing us to drive in the pedestrian zone. This was good as we were stopped by police as we entered the pedestrian zone; we showed our pass and they waved us through. Our pension was on a dead end street; parking was on the street in a spot reserved for our pension, so in CK when a pension says they have private parking, it is probably on the street.
CK has a web site at http://www.ckrumlov.cz/uk — it's great! It has everything you need to know for planning your trip, including a 3-D map.
Now, as for the drive from CK back to Germany — well, it was snowing
and our path back to Germany was on narrow, hilly rural roads. Driving
on rural roads in the Czech Republic during a heavy snow is an adventure
in itself. If you're not used to driving on snow, don't risk it
Gary <email>
Laurel, MD USA 11/30/01
Koln cathedral's treasury
Rick's 2001 Germany, etc book mentions that the treasury for the Koln cathedral
wasn't worth it. That was true in the past but this year it is newly renovated.
It was wonderfully interesting, complete with many English descriptions.
Not only are there many reliquaries but some very old artifacts found in
the oldest parts of the cathedral. It is certainly worth a look!
Jennifer Wagnon <email>
Dexheim, Germany 11/10/01
Where to stay, what to do, and I wish I had gone to….
Going to Salzburg? Stay with Trudy. She is in Steve's GAS book. She is WONDERFUL
and so are her accommodations. And I could not believe the rates. The rates
were so low, I felt guilty. We left her a BIG TIP! Our family stayed there
for $28.00 a night. Yes, $28.00 with Breakfast!
Don't miss the visit to the Eagle's Nest and the museum at the bunkers.
Well worth it.
Going to Munich or Berlin, DON'T miss the Third Reich Walking Tours.
Don’t miss a chance go to Vienna. What a wonderful city. There is
so much to do and see. All without a car. Stay at the Post Hotel. Great
location!
Didn't care much for Dachau, it was too much in your face, pictures of
people larger than life. (It was educational.) Funny…. when I was there,
I saw tour guides waving Israeli flags; but this camp only housed a minority
of Jews and the gas chambers were never used. I wish I had visited Mauthausen
or one of the other camps to understand just how horrible people can be
to each other. (My guide said Dachau was the “Club Med” of
the camps.)
Rob
American, USA 11/05/01
Bern- Maerzilibahn cable car extra charge
The Maerzilibahn cable car, the one that is situated behind the Swiss Parliament
in Bern and goes down to somewhere close to the Aare river, is not covered
with the Swiss Pass or any Bern public transit pass, so you have to pay
one franc per ride, up or down. A book of 20 tickets costs 18 Francs but
isn't worth it if you're there for only two or three days. The walk uphill/downhill
is quite steep.
Also, the Youth Hostel is directly accessible from the train station
by public transportation only at night when the line 30 is running. So
this is definitely something to take into consideration. Luckily the Swiss
Pass does cover the Bern bus.
Josh Hanz <email>
Foster City, CA USA 11/03/01
Just back from 2.5 weeks in Germany & Austria. We drove and had no problems (Europe by Car for the rental). The hotel Hornburg in Rothenburg is wonderful, Martin makes you feel so welcome! The breakfast was great, location excellent. In Vienna we stayed at Pension Pharmador (http://www.inthotels.com/pharmador/eindex.htm). I picked it because it had free parking, but I would recommend it to everyone. Very quiet even in the middle of the city. It was nice having the convenience of an elevator and the luxury of a full bath with a tub! Very reasonable priced and friendly staff and a full breakfast with free newspapers!! We walked to everything (we are in our late 40"s). I can't say enough about it.
Another nice place in a big city was the Bloberger Hotel (http://www.blobergerhof.at/keuschnigg/index1-e.htm)
just outside of Salzburg. The bus was less than a block away and took
us right into the city! We were disappointed in Halstatt (sorry!), we
arrived in the town about 10am and by 1pm we had seen everything, but
could not get into our hotel until after 5pm! (Gasthof Simony, nice place).
Next time we would have made this a stop, then traveled on to another
town for the overnight. If you are flying out of Frankfurt I would recommend
spending a day seeing the Museums. They were wonderful. You can buy a
Museum Card for one price and get in any Museum in the city for the next
two days. Be sure and see the Duane Hanson exhibit at the Schirn Kunsthalle.
Just another note, most eating establishment close from 2pm until 6pm.
A few places we wanted to stay at were above restaurants and we had to
wait until after 6pm to inquire about a room. Your welcome to write if
you have a question!
debra <email>
grants pass, or USA 11/03/01
Melk-Krems, Vienna and Lausanne
If in Vienna and planning a Melk Krems boat trip be aware that the schedule
Rick supplies in the book for times is good only UP TO October, not THROUGH
October. In october there is only one daily trip. There are no trips after
October. Don't miss the Abbey. It is decadent. They have an ultra guilded
church with bedecked skeletons and a lovely garden. Eat in town though,
the Abby's food is…. blah. Beware the monk with a gold Rolex watch…. he
seems to be exempt from the poverty vow. I would like to whole heartedly
second Pension Suzanne in Vienna. They are incredibly nice there and the
rooms are clean and just a hop to the opera house, the metro and downtown.
Do not skip his suggested tram ride. Also, if fgoing to Lausanne SW., be
sure to stay in The Regina (also his suggestion). The rooms offer a magnifico
view of the castle, the beds and covers promote incredibly deep sleep and
the owners and night man are beyond friendly and helpful. Go on the boat
ride to the castle. It is a highlight.
Shannan <email>
Keys, FL USA 10/24/01
Gimmelwald
Save yourself some hard ach and don't go to Gimmelwald. Because it is the
most wonderful place I have been, I didn't want to leave. We stayed at the
Eggman's bed and breakfast. We had a great private room with a kitchenette,
and our own patio to enjoy dinner with a spectacular view. The bed was great
and I wanted to down comforter, but my cousin made me leave it. Murren was
a great little town to relax in. We went to Schilthorn for breakfast, which
was great. And spent at day at Jungfraujouch which is even better. If you
want lunch there make reservations so you can get a window seat. I guess
the hiking is something around Gimmelwald, but we enjoyed the view on a
patio in Murren and soaked it all up. We were there 3 day’s and it
was not even close to being enough.
Wendy <email>
Brooklyn Park, MN USA 10/23/01
Germany ,Austria And Switzerland
Rick Steves' Germany, Austria & Switzerland (GAS) — did it — loved it! Thanks
for the help. Skip old Frau Fischer's Haus Sarstein in Hallstatt, dirty,
dirty. (I think Rick left her out of the latest edition but she didn't know
that?) Consider staying in and visiting Bad Ischl. It is a neat town in
itself and one can easily make day trips to Hallstatt from there. (But would
miss the peaceful ambiance of evenings and mornings on the lake.) Stop in
and get a smoked whitefish or trout from the small market that the two Hallstatt
fisherman operate. (You will see them tending their nets most every morning)
Try to hit Innsbruck on July First. A very colorful morning assembly on
Friedrich Strasse and parade through town by many militia units in traditional
Tyrolean costume to honor the heroes of the battles against the conquering
Bavarians in the early 1800's. See our negative comments and suggestion
concerning the Salzburg Panorama Sound of Music Tour on the Grafitti Board's
"Tours other than Ours". Stayed in St Gallen, Switzerland and bused and
trained to everything in the Appenzell area. Saw more and enjoyed it immensly.
Buy the Appenzeller Card!! Really wanted to bus from Reutte over the Mochtannberg
Pass to St Galen via Dornbin, Austria to see and visit the Bregenzer Wald
in Voralberg, planning to spend one night in one of the villages along the
way. But, there are no through bus connections over the pass until 7 July.
(We got to Reutte on the 5th!) Up until the 7th the buses run only as far
as Warth from Reutte on the east side and from Dornbirn only as far as Schrocken
on the west side. Has Rick Steves ever checked that route out? Was it a
bad plan in the first place?
David Law <email>
Tacoma, WA USA 10/21/01
Munich
Just back from a trip to Italy which started and ended in Munich. A little
correction: the Lufthansa bus from train station to airport now costs 18
DM per person. It's exceptionally easy to find/use. We arrived in Munich
on the opening day of Oktoberfest and recommend it highly! We had no idea
what to expect — it was great fun. The next morning, we had planned to
catch a train to Italy but due to a train strike were delayed and discovered
the Oktoberfest Parade instead. It's held the 2nd day of Oktoberfest and
what a spectacle! Almost three hours of fabulous costumes and bands and
herds of oxen with loud bells …. again, great fun. We stayed at the recommended
Hotel Bristol, which is about 15 minutes walk from train station and 10
minutes from Oktoberfest grounds. Nice hotel — friendly English-speaking
staff. Feather pillows and duvets (unless you're allergic, in which case
they provide polyester). Big buffet breakfast with eggs! Our room cost 280
DM (about $130) during Oktoberfest and 145 DM (special Rick cash price)
three weeks later. Good place for dinner: Hackerhaus (just a couple of blocks
from Hotel Bristol).
Charlene <email>
Centennial, CO USA 10/16/01
Cologne Sites
Just returned from a family wedding in Cologne, Germany. Thanks to Ricks
advice was even able to entertain German visitors — I took some of the smaller
cousins to the chocolate museum in Cologne — good for school age kids, but
leave the younger ones home. Extensive exhibits in English and free samples!
The Roman museum next to the cathedral has brief summaries on its permanent
collection in English & French now. Temporary exhibits on the main floor
(I was told) are rarely translated. Worth a visit for the incredible glassware
alone!
Cathy W.
San Jose, CA USA 10/14/01
Germany
We just returned from 2 great weeks in Germany. Frankfurt, Rothenburg, Munich,
Bavaria, Black Forest/Triberg, Heidleburg, Baden, Cologne, Rhine, Trier,
Mosel. Used Rick and Eyewitness. Will answer questions and provide suggestions
upon request.
Mike <email>
Taylorsville, OH USA 10/09/01
Just Back
We just got back from Austria, we used Rick's guide book and faired very
well with the following exceptions:
1. You should recommend Gruner Baum hotel in Hallstatt.
2. The Cafe Winkler is closed for renovations
3. We took Bob's special tour instead of Panorama tours, we were very glad
we did, Bob's uses small minivans (less people), the guide Steve was fantastic!
Susan Leitner <email>
Columbia, MD USA 10/07/01
Hallstatt Austria
I agree about the Gruner Baum, we had a lovely room with a great balcony
overlooking the lake, not to mention the great meal, and nice staff. I think
you should add the Gruner Baum to your book!
Susan Leitner <email>
Columbia, MD USA 10/07/01
Hallstatt, Austria
We had a great time in Hallstatt, Austria despite the fact that it rained
for virtually the entire time we were there. Three points:
1. The Hotel Gruner Baum was a great place to stay. Friendly proprieters,
good food, and 2 cats and a dog to greet guests.
2. Whenever the bill was brought to our table, the waitperson gave us a
recap of what we were paying for, I don't think the bill was "padded" the
way a previous poster had described.
3. We thought is was funny when we ate at one of the restaurants in Hallstatt
and some annoying Americans asked the waitress to "take all the skin and
bones off the fish," and after that wanted tartar sauce. The waitress told
them to remember they were not in the U.S. and to respect local customs.
We almost stood up and applauded!
John Piepkorn <email>
Minneapolis, MN USA 10/02/01
Linderhof, etc
Just came back from 3 weeks in Germany, Austria, Switzerland (well, sort
of), Belgium, Italy, Lichtenstein, and the Netherlands. Whew. We based out
of Garmish, Germany since we are military and it was a great centrally located
area. So glad I read Rick's books because although my husband used to live
here, much had changed in the 5 years that had gone by. For instance, Neuschwanstein
was just like Rick said, my husband remembered walking right up to the castle
and going in. Hohenschwangau is well worth the parking and long line headaches.
Even better is Linderhof, and we didn't get to go inside. But that was the
beauty of it, we came right before sunset and we were the only ones there…in
August! It was like it was our castle.
We daytripped to Trento, Italy. Wish I had brought a page or two with me
on that town…gorgeous, but it was hard to find a restaurant as we were "winging it". Venice was good when we went because it rained and most of
the tourists stayed away.
The biggest headache of the whole trip was the Frankfurt airport. The airport
is alright, but plan extra time to do the VAT form. We went up and down
and asked everyone where to go and it ended up more of a pain than it was
worth.
Lichtenstein -yawn- best part is the tunnel, and get ready for long lines
to get into Switzerland, and don't think of driving through Switzerland
without forking out some cash.
Marissa Jones <email>
Abilene, TX USA 10/01/01
Vienna
I strongly urge anyone traveling to Vienna to avoid Hotel Corvinus. I have
always had great experiences with the hotels I found in Rick Steve's books
with the exception of Hotel Corvinus. The owner overcharged me for my stay
there. He does not keep his word.
Russel
Denver, CO USA 09/25/01
My wife and I stayed at the Hotel Uhland in Munich, in early August.
A great bargain indeed as the room only came to $80 US. It was very convenient
to the U-Bahn and down the street from the Octoberfest site, which is actually
a wonderful little neighborhood. The only thing that I would add to the
guide book was that there are no smoke free rooms (but you could barely
tell that). My wife and I also used Rick's guide book to select Pension
Suzanne in Vienna. Great location as it is right on the same street at the
Opera House. One thing that we noticed in this hotel was the continental
breakfast versus the full breakfast that we really enjoyed in Munich. There
was no difference noted in the guide book and I think that is something
that could be added. All in all a great trip!!
Happy European Traveler
Atlanta, GA USA 09/10/01
We stayed at Hotel Am Markt in St Goar for a one night "on the way
to somewhere else" stop. It was great. We arrived only minutes before the
restaurant closed, but they stayed open for us. We thought the food was
great and the prices were extremely reasonable….we sat outside and fell
in love with watching the Rhein go by. Our rooms were spotless. We wish
we'd planned several days along the river!
Nancy <email>
Millersville, MD USA 09/06/01
I just came back from 17 days with my family in Germany,Austria, Slovakia
and Czech Republic. Every hotel was booked using Rick's recommendation.
Rothenburg:Kloster Stueble, Munich:Hotel Uhland, Salzburg:Hotel Jedermann,Vienna:Hotel
Admiral and Prague:Hotel 16. All were clean, the staff helpful and with
good locations. We drove and found free parking everywhere but Prague. If
staying in Heidelberg, I highly recommend the Hotel Hollander Hof a few
feet from the Old Bridge and right on the the Neckar River. We were there
for the fireworks and castle illuminarion on 9/1. The book was our bible.
Mark Draganescu <email>
Chalfont, PA USA 09/04/01
I had a bad experience in Hallstatt, Austria. We came in on the last train
and were not met by the ferry despite the posted times. We signaled with
flashlights to see if they would make the run which they did for the price
of 500 schillings ($US 33.33) as opposed to the regular price of 25 schillings
($US 1.67). We then ate at two different restaurants and got tabs without
food listings just prices so we had no idea how badly padded the tab was.
It's a real tourist trap.
Stephen Sutherland
Huntington Beach, California USA 08/25/01
While driving from Baden Baden to Bacharach, we decided to stop for
a few hours in Heidelberg, even though Rick does not recommend it and writes
it is not worth the time. I found it to be absolutely charming and full
of character, with old cobbled streets and creaky old buildings. The bridge
across the river has great views of the castle. Yes, there were a lot of
tourists, but that was part of the fun. I certainly would have enjoyed spending
a night there to explore the castle that hovers over the town but I had
reservations elsewhere. I'm glad to have stopped there.
Linda
Danville, CA USA 08/24/01
My family recently spent 2 weeks in Europe and found many helpful tips
in Ricks books. One word of warning, however, regarding the Hotel Helvetia
in Munich. I would definitely NOT recommend it for families. It was near
the train station (we thought convenient). Quite a sleezy area and right
on the street. Although the windows on the front are soundproof and quiet
enough when closed, it was too hot to leave the windows closed (no fan in
the room) and much too noisy with them open. The second night we requested
something on the back side of the hotel and while it was quieter, the further
back we went, the dirtier it got. Food was fine and price was right.
K Beitz <email>
Burlington, ky USA 08/22/01
Hello all. Earlier this year my wife and I cycled from Vienna to the
Salzkammergut area just outside of Salzburg. It was a great trip cycling
mainly along the famous Danube cycle paths. We have written a web page to
help others who are thinking of doing something like this. If you would
like to check it out visit http://mikven.tripod.com/AustriaWebPage.htm
mike venamore <email>
brisbane, Australia 08/18/01
The book is a good starting point, but as others have learned, there are other places in these countries that merit mention and exploration. Beginning in Vienna, we thought the Spanish Riding School rehearsal was pretty boring and not worth the wait in line. We stayed at Pension Funfhaus where we had their 2-bedroom "apartment." The rooms were a bit small, and although I knew Europeans often keep their "toilets" and "bathrooms" separate, there was no sink in the "toilet" room, which was a bit odd. But for $30/night/person, it wasn't a bad deal! Directions to the Vienna Woods are a bit vague in the guidebook; You need to know that the bus #38A doesn't always go up to the "top" of the Vienna Woods. Sometimes it turns around and goes back to the other end of the line!
My friend took us to a "Heurigen-wannabe" in Vienna, just off Stefansplatz. I think the name was Esterhazy. Food was great, and the place was in a real wine cellar. Wine tasted like Heurigen wine, too! Regina also told us about a small shop that sold gelato?
Rick doesn't say much about Klagenfurt and uses it only as a sleepover place for his tours. It's a wonderful Roman provincial capital. We visited some great places, like Hofausterwitz, a medieval castle on top of a lava plug that has been owned by the same family since about the 12th century — and it's never been conquered by any army. There are also Roman archaeological sites in the nearby mountains and a church on top of one such site (Magdalenenburg) that was built on top of a Roman temple that was built on top of a Celtic "church." And the Worthersee (Lake Worth) is glorious.
Munich was our next big city! Munich is great, but keep in mind that it starts dying on Saturday night. We were lucky to find anyplace open for food on Sunday. And Pension Seibel is getting too full of itself. Rick's recommendations have made its owners cocky.
Dachau was tricky to get to and in the rain it was truly gloomy and frightful. We did NOT like the fact that the area near the crematorium had been "prettied up," with gardens and flowers, and there were only a few small ground level plaques that told you this is where prisoners were shot.
Neuschwanstein in the rain isn't much fun and the crowds in July are horrendous. We did take a bus tour so we got to see Linderhof, which was lovely!
We drove in a rental car to Wurzburg. We all found the Romantic Road boring. We did stop in a little town where the road crosses the Danube River (known as the Donau) and it was lovely, with its pastel houses and all the flowers. The Marienburg is always worth a visit and a bus from the bus station next to the train station takes you right up there. We stayed in a pension of Rick's recommendation. It was indeed cheap, just down the street from the train station, but did it ever smell musty on the ground floor!
We took a river cruise up the Mainz River which is a waste — the boat is nice, but the scenery on one bank is non-existent — all industrial stuff — and on the other side there were only a few green spots.
Leaving Germany via Frankfurt Airport was about as stressful as in any
US airport. A word of advice about the tax refund forms. In Austria, we
just handed the completed form to the appropriate customs person who cheerfully
gave us our VAT back. In Frankfurt's airport, the 2 men snarled at us
because we didn't have the purchased items with us — we had mailed them
home! They finally stamped the forms and sent us to the cashier. I have
to agree that some more detail needs to be put in the guidebook and that
while Rick may find certain cities/villages great, this is really a judgment
call, his opinions, his tastes. He needs to encourage us to go to other
places and to send his own people there, too, to check them out for the
best things to see, do and where to stay and eat.
Hilde Horvath <email>
Old Bridge, NJ USA 08/17/01
I agree that it's really important to learn basic words and phrases of the
country you are traveling in. However, for some reason German has always
been extremely difficult for me. I can now speak enough German to get around;
however, understanding the language when someone else speaks it full speed
is a horse of another color. When I ask them "Wiederholen Sie, bitte" or
"Sprechen Sie langsamer, bitte," they automatically launch into English.
They were so anxious to practice their English that they wouldn't let me
practice my German!
Mary from Oregon
USA 08/11/01
An addition to my 6/14 notes on Vienna: If you love classical sacred
music, be sure to plan your stay in Vienna to include Sunday. Every church
features a famous choral work at Sunday morning services, and a number of
them also have sacred music on Sunday evenings (Mozart's Vespers and the
Bach Magnificat were advertised while I was there). Rick mentions the Vienna
Boys Choir but not the other outstanding choral music happening all over
Vienna on Sunday.
Mary from Oregon
USA 08/11/01
Often what we perceive as rudeness is just big-city brusqueness, or hurry.
Munich waiters and waitresses can be "brisk", to be sure, but it isn't necessarily
rudeness, and isn't directed toward foreigners. As you know, in most of
Europe you are welcome to a table for the entire evening, so a reserved
table would not be offered to anyone else on the expectation that they would
be finished before the "reservees" show up. Just a thought. My own experiences
in Munich last summer were all very pleasant — -including an unplanned visit
to a German dentist! I hope you encounter friendlier people next time.
Lura <email>
Seattle, WA USA 08/07/01
My wife and I returned from a little over 2 weeks in Europe. The last few days were driving from Verona (wonderful place and people) through the mountains to Austria (wonderful place and people), and spending 2-3 days in Munich, before flying out of Zurich.
We couldn't get out of Munich fast enough. I am of German heritage on one side of my family, and had really looked forward to fun in Bavaria. As soon as it became apparent that we were not fluent in German, we were met with the greatest rudeness. We were even told there were no tables available in two restaurants, when we could see 20 or so empty, and we were early by European standards. We were clean, tidy and dressed appropriately.
Believe me when I say that the rudeness encountered in Munich makes NYC
and Paris look wonderful.
Tom Tapscott <email>
Durham, NC USA 08/05/01
One of my favorite areas in Germany is the Rhine/Mosel region, and I've found Rick's guidebook info to be quite accurate. Still, here are a couple of ideas for the next edition. First of all, the "Gemütlichkeit" of staying in someone's home is quite special, as Rick points out, but when there are so few of these "Zimmer" options in the guidebook, they become overbooked and quickly unavailable to spontaneous, call-ahead travelers like me. In St. Goar, for example, Frau Kurz is the only listing in this category, and she's way overbooked as a result. The tourist offices are great, but they have very limited hours and don't recommend places.
Secondly, while Rheinfels and Burg-Eltz make for great tours, Eltz is closed from Novermber through March, and Rheinfels open only on weekends in the winter. However, Marksburg Castle, across the river and a few km to the north of Rheinfels, provides an excellent tour of a real, undestroyed knight's castle, and the place is open nearly year-round. With so few places open in the off-season, I hope you'll include a description and info on Marksburg in your future editions.
Finally, with the confusion over the trail to Burg Eltz, perhaps you
could use the Ringelsteiner Mühle restaurant, out in the woods outside
Moselkern, as a landmark in your trail description, a place name that
locals would recognize and be able to use to assist hikers gone astray.
Russ Staub <email>
Galt, CA USA 08/04/01
I have had nothing but good experiences using Rick Steve's books, but yesterday I had the most bizzare "Backdoor Experience" I would ever care to have.
My friend and I are currently traveling through Austria, and decided to stay in Hallstatt a few days…. Absolutely incredible town. However, next to the Youth Hostel in town, there is a butcher shop. Apparently Tuesday morning is slaughter day, as at seven in the morning, the town awoke to the screams of pigs!
I looked out the window, and somehow overnight they had brought pigs into a little pen behind it, and one by one, a dozen pigs were caught by two Austrian guys, covered in blood, wearing cute little hats, dragged into the shop and shot. We heard all of it, and the blood being hosed down the creek. Pigs make the most horrid screaming noise when they are being caught and dragged to their deaths.
Now I realize this is where pork comes from, and I had pork schnitzel just today, but I was quite shocked to see this next to the youth hostel in a town overrun by tour busses.
Rick promises getting you closer to the locals and their everyday cultural
goings on, and I guess I sure have experienced this.
Jeremy Young <email>
Lake Stevens, WA USA 08/01/01
A warning about Pension Perschy in Vienna. I emailed this pension for
prices. They emailed me back with a price and reservation offer. I responded
the next day with my credit card number to guarantee the reservation. Instead
of confirmation, I received an email stating that they had quoted me the
wrong price and gave me a new price at about 500 ATS higher. I understand
that mistakes happen, and I also realize that procedures are different in
other countries. However, I don't patronize any business which doesn't honor
their commitments. I'd be curious to know if this has happened to others.
If you make a reservation at Pension Pertschy, I recommend that you take
documentation of the price quoted to avoid an unpleasant surprise when you
get to Vienna.
Randy
USA 07/28/01
Our Family went to Germany, Switzerland and Austria this past Spring. Perhaps this summary may be helpful to someone.
Miami — Dusseldorf, non stop, via LTU airline over Easter break, excellent flight and service on this German airline. Myself, wife and two kids, 15 and 12. Used an Entertainment Book coupon for car rental upgrade at National Car Rental in Dusseldorf. Reserved a mid-size car and wound up with a triple upgrade to a Vectra Station Wagon which was great for a family of four. Dusseldorf to Bacharach. Beautiful little village on Rhine.
Stayed in family room at Hotel Kranenturn. Nice, quaint, creaky old Europe, castle type atmosphere. Cannot overemphasize the noise level of the trains that run all night however. Very, very, very VERY, loud. If it were not for the earplugs they provide it would be unbearable. We had a very good dinner there and Fatima is great. Nice village to walk around and hike up steep hill to castle which is now a hostel. Rhine cruise boats are right across the street. Could not take the cruise due to the cold, so we toured the Rhine by car which worked out great.
Must address the weather issue. We were shocked at the cold weather we had in April. Freezing. We wore thermals and heavy coats almost every day. People told us it was unusual for April but this was the second year in a row that we froze in Europe in mid April. We probably only had five days that hit 50 degrees and most days were in the thirties. Travel books told us the average daytime temperature in April is 59 degrees, ours was about 40 degrees. Other than that off season travel is great. No crowds, choice of accomodations and restaurants, more attention from locals.
Found a very good, inexpensive local restaurant in Koblenz called Chianti. Visited St. Goar and Rhinefels Castle. Good sightseeing…. Bacharach to Rothenburg . Nice ride after we picked up the Romantic Road. Rothenburg is fantastic. Great shopping and walking around. Kids loved the torture museum. Took the Night Watchman tour which is a lot of fun. Great nightime views from the gardens of the walled city. Stayed at Pension Freund which is nice as they give you a two room apt for the cost of a room. Only spent one night there.
Romantic Road to Munich. Enjoyed Dinkelsbuhl and Nordlington, but Rothenburg remains special. Highly recommend Hotel Uhland in Munich. Great large family room on first floor of very nice neighborhood and excellent breakfast. Free Parking….Brisk 20 minute walk to central Munich. Took the morning Munich Walking tour. Very informative and interesting. Hofbrauhaus is the best at night. Excellent Italian restaurant near Hotel Uhland, La Fiorentina; great food and friendly staff. Went to Dachau for an afternoon. Very moving and good experience for teens.
Munich to Reutte with stops at Mittenwald, Garmisch, Oberammergau for quick visits. Highly recommend Youth Hostel in Reutte. Clean, friendly, family room with bath and breakfast. Nice hosts. Very good restaurant down the road — Soyer’s Sennerland, great Pizza.
Lauterbrunnen was great. Valley Hostel in Lauterbrunnen valley has a nice family room, wonderful helpful hosts and communal kitchen. Visited and enjoyed Trummelbach falls and Staubbach falls. Special train and lift passes for kids allows them to ride inexpensively. The scenery was spectacular. Took a few hikes.
In Trier, we had a nice dinner and friendly staff at the Gaststatte Zum Schwarzen Ochsen, at the town square. Spent last day stopping at signs that said "Winegut" and stopped to sample the wines. Mosel Valley road hugs the river all the way. Great scenery; Zell, Cochem and Bernkastle were favorites. Nice Hostel on mountain overlooking Bernkastle.
Tips- Go off season but bring thermals, pack light, one backpack, one
daybag per person (we did laundry twice at Hostels). Try hosteling for
a family, most hostels have family rooms. For general travel Rick’s
books are great. Use an Eyewitness type book for specifics. Revisit sights
at night. We went back to Neuschwanstein, Hohenschwangau, Fussen, Ehrenberg
and other places after dark and they are amazing when lit up and so quiet.
We were the only ones there.
Brian Dunne <email>
Pompano Beach, FL USA 07/25/01
Traveled two weeks in Germany with German Rail Pass and had a great
time. After having spent two nights in Beilstein, however, I think next
time I'd make that a home base for a week or more and just take day trips
from there with a rental car. What an idyllic spot! The Hotel Haus Lipmann
was great, with meals (and their wonderful wines) on the vine-covered terrace
and our room looking out over the Mosel. We did find that, at least in summer,
there are more buses between Cochem and Beilstein than mentioned in Rick's
book, with one around 17:00, one around 18:00, and the last around 23:00.
Bus stop is beside the train station (hard right when coming out of the
station). We had no trouble finding our way to Burg Eltz from the Moselkern
train station (however, I always carry more than one guidebook). The Hotel
Hornburg in Rothenburg was as great as everyone on this site has said (see
11/14/00 posting for details). The owners have two large dogs. They're very
well-behaved, but allergy sufferers might need to know this. We especially
enjoyed the walk to Detwang and the wine terrace of the Gasthof zum Schwarzes
Lamm. In Bacharach, we loved eating at Wolfshoehle, which is somewhat off
the tourist track. Our itinerary included Luebeck in the north, quite an
interesting place. I think Rick's readers would enjoy the Hotel Alte Stadtwache,
situated on the Krahenteich ("crow pond") in the southern part of the city
where few tourists go (www.altestadtwache.de). Good food there and also
at an Italian restaurant a few doors farther down the street (San Marco,
I think it was). And finally, for those like Mary (below) who are frustrated
at not being able to talk to people, learn a little bit of the language!
Why should we expect people to speak English? We've used the "Learn in Your
Car" series for Spanish, Italian and now German and find knowing some of
the language invaluable in our travels. In Rothenburg, we were able to stop
an American woman who was about to have her whole family drink from a fountain
above a horse trough (the sign "Kein Trinkwasser" meant nothing to her).
Janet <email>
CO USA 07/25/01
Another gripe, about the chapter on Prague. Please, Rick, refer to
sights in the native language, not in English. It's not much help talking
about the Charles Bridge when all the signs say Karlovy Most! The same is
true in any language for tourist information offices and automatic teller
machines. If you want to find them, asking for TIs and ATMs will get you
nowhere fast. Please use the local terms!
Mary from Oregon
USA 07/23/01
Finally have time to respond not to Rick's guidebook, which omits the
former East Germany, but to his article on Luther in Travel News some months
ago. I spent the first week of May traveling to the Luther and Bach sites
in Eastern Germany. I had already been to Wittenburg in 1992, when there
were few tourist facilities and nobody at all spoke English. It was so frustrating
to meet so many friendly people and not be able to talk to them! This year
I found lots of tourist facilities and lots of English speakers, especially
among the young, who were very anxious to try out their English on me. While
facilities and knowledge of English have improved, one thing hasn't changed — the
people are as friendly as they were in 1992. I found the people I met far
more friendly than their western Germany counterparts. If you go: The Lutherhaus
in Wittenburg is closed for renovation. A few of the things from the Lutherhaus
have been moved to the Cranach house, but most of them are unavailable.
This is not, therefore, a great year to go stalking the Luther Trail. The
Marienkirche where Luther preached is open; the Schlosskirche, where Luther
is buried and where he posted the 95 Theses, is also being renovated and
is open although full of scaffolding. In Eisleben, where Luther was born
and died, there are two museums, one for the birth house and one for the
death house. Each contains primarily photocopies of what is in the Lutherhaus
at Wittenburg, but if you have to go this year you'll get more info than
you'll get from the closed Lutherhaus. The Graf von Mansfeld Hotel in the
center of Eisleben is beautiful. Since a single room was the equivalent
of US$40, it really isn't that splurgy, but with enormous rooms beautifully
decorated in 18th century style, heated towel racks in the bathrooms, etc.,
it felt like staying in a palace! The restaurant is great, too. I am a sucker
for any place that offers a "spargelkarte" (asparagus menu), and this was
the best I found in my German travels. Eisenach, birthplace of Bach and
home of the Wartburg Castle where Luther translated the Bible, is a really
beautiful town and well worth a visit (it's on the main rail line to Leipzig,
too). I was fascinated by the castle, which has lots more history than just
Luther. The incident which inspired Wagner's Tannhauser took place there;
also Saint Elizabeth, who at the age of 4(!) was married to one of the counts.
My favorite story about the Wartburg was of Ludovic der Springer (Louie
the Jumper) who came upon the site and reportedly said, "Wart, burg [wait,
mountain] and I'll build my castle here." Unfortunately someone else owned
the real estate and wouldn't sell. Louie got around this by having baskets
of dirt from his own land brought to the Wartburg so he could swear to the
Holy Roman Emperor that he built the castle on his own soil. Finally, Leipzig's
Thomaskirche, where Bach is buried, has motet concerts Friday at 6 p.m.
and Saturday at 3 p.m. (the same concert done twice); there is also Bach
music at Sunday services. I didn't get to Erfurt where Luther attended the
university. I drove from Eisenach to Leipzig, planning to give Erfurt a
brief stop on the way, but with several of the dreaded stauen (traffic jams)
on the Autobahn, I barely made it to Leipzig in time to avoid paying an
extra day's car rental. It took 4 hours to drive 200 kilometers! I was told
that Friday is not a good day for driving on the Autobahn. I should have
turned the car in at Eisenach and taken the train!
Mary from Oregon
USA 07/23/01
Re getting to Burg Eltz: I don't know about the walking directions,
but Rick's driving directions to the upper parking lot were excellent!
Mary from Oregon
USA 07/20/01
The Swiss Pass was a joy. I paid just $160 for the second class pass
and had access to all the trains, lake steamers, and city transit that I
needed. When I tired of Lucerne, buried beneath summer tourists, I hopped
a train to Zurich, checked out the gleaming Marc Chagall stained glass at
the Fraumunster, dashed back to the train station and hopped the next train
back to Bern. The pass paid for itself many times over. I was in Switzerland
for five nights. I based myself at the handy Rick-recommended Hotel National
in Bern — a quick walk from the train station and pretty much everything
else in town. The ancient elevator was a grand daily experience in itself.
The Bundeshaus view terrace was a fine site from which to view the Eiger,
Monch, and Jungfrau one evening, just before sunset. The Musee Olympique
in Lausanne made for a wonderful afternoon. The garden and the path up toward
the museum make a most attractive approach. I received a 25% discount with
my Swiss Pass, too. Even casual fans of the Olympic Games should pay a visit
to this interesting museum. I enjoyed an afternoon in the town of Nyon — midway between Geneva and Lausanne. The Roman museum is small and informative
(ask to borrow the English-language translation at the cashier). The Picasso
Museum was the favorite thing about my visit to Lucerne. The many photos
of Picasso at work and play are quite touching. The Matterhorn was completely
hidden behind clouds the morning I visited Zermatt, but the town of Zermatt
was quiet and peaceful (at least on that particular Friday afternoon). Fribourg
was the last Swiss town I visited. It has a picturesque old town, and a
very attractive cathedral with glorious Art Nouveau stained glass.
Tom <email>
Los Angeles, CA USA 07/19/01
My husband and I just returned from three wonderful weeks in Europe.
Using Rick's book as a guide, we had many great experiences and were overwhelmed
with the beauty of Gimmelwald! That said, we do have a couple warnings for
those travelling to Rothenburg or Fussen. We loved Rothenburg and found
it delightfully uncrowded, especially for early July, but were disappointed
that the listing for Gasthof Marktplatz did not mention that is is right
next to the clock tower that chimes very loudly, and hourly, all through
the night. The room was nice, clean, and had a great view, but those bells
are definitely something to be aware of. Also, if you travel to Fussen and
plan on hiking to the Tegelberg gondola, there are some things to be aware
of. First, the hike from the castle to the gondola, while very steep in
places, is a nice hike with great views. And watching the hang gliders and
parasailors take off at the top is a definite thrill! The warning we want
to pass along, and one we wish that Rick would include in his book, is to
be VERY CAREFUL if you choose to hike down instead of taking the gondola.
We had originally planned to take the gondola down to the luge area, but
the gondola was experiencing "technical difficulties" and was not moving,
so we decided to hike down. We consulted the trail map at the top and noticed
there was a trail that followed the same "path" as the gondola. DO NOT TAKE
THIS TRAIL! We are both experienced hikers and could not believe that this
"trail" even existed, let alone was not clearly marked with some sort of
international symbol for danger. Our descent along this trail consisted
of one and a half hours of clinging to chains bolted in to hillsides and
sheer rock faces while looking for small toe holds for our feet. We literally
feared for our lives in some places and ended up with very bloody knuckles
and shaken spirits. Like I said, we are experienced hikers, logging many
miles in SE Alaska, western Montana, and the Washington Cascades, and nothing
we have ever seen compares to what we experienced on this trail. We do accept
some responsibility for not finding out more ahead of time, but in our defense,
we did consult the map and the trail had one sign at the top in German,
but given the amount of international tourists to the area, we really felt
that there should be a much clearer warning about the severity of the trail.
So please learn from our mistake and wait for the gondola! The bright side
was we made it down shaken, but safe, enjoyed a few great luge rides at
the bottom as well as some large and tasty german beers!
Kim Ward <email>
Klamath Falls, OR USA 07/19/01
Rick's book was invaluable in Germany….loved the Hotel Kranenturn
in Bacharach…excellent restaurant, friendly staff, lovely town….the train
did not bother us but could really be a problem if you are a light sleeper
at all. Munich, stayed at the Pension Seibel……great location, although
a little confusing as the entrance is between the shopping area for 2 shoe
stores. It was a pleasant place, simple rooms but adequate, good breakfast.
Only disappointment was the Deutches Museum. My husband and I both love
science and work in science fields but found this not worthy of the a visit….most
exhibits that were interactive were broken…few explanations in english….I
would skip it even if I were in town on a Monday when most other sites are
closed. We did Fussen and the castles on our own without difficulty….just
a 4:00 am train…but were delighted when 2 stops out of town we found ourselves
on the "school train" with 50-100 8-13 year olds. Then we rode the "school
bus" in with them to the area below the castles….we were the only ones
on the 8:30 am tour at Honneschwangau….quite an experience for us and our
personal guide. Thank you for all of the great tips!
Debbie Phibbs <email>
Mukilteo, WA USA 07/17/01
We visited Plzen, Prague, High Tatry, Hallstatt, Schonau am Konigsee,
Munich, Rothenburg, the Rhine, Amsterdam, and Berlin. Steeves' Germ/Aust/Switz
was our main tool for the trip. However, we found Americans toting the Steeves'
books everywhere (especially in Hallstatt and Bacharach). So, if you want
to avoid being surrouned with others from the US, don't follow Rick's #1
picks….go further down on the lists (one can only hope Rick will increase
the number of places to stay so we can avoid "family" reunions). That said,
we adored Gasthoff Simony in Hallstatt and Ursula Orth's place in Bacharach.
Parking was tricky, but manageable. We rent cars when we travel and find
that most books cater to train hoppers. The farther out you go from city
centers, the eaisier the parking. Take notes of places you really like so
you can make reservations for yourself or friends easily a second time.
(I'm planning a honeymoon for some friends right now and am sifting through
my charge receipts for info.) Follow Rick's advice about saying "hello"
and "goodbye". It's the easiest way to get someone to help you. (Hello Rick!
Do you have any openings?….I can be packed and at the airport in 20 minutes.)
Ciao.
Jeanne Chapman <email>
Arlington, VA USA 07/16/01
Rick Steves raves about Burg Eltz castle (on the Mosel)in his book and
many people on the Internet said it was one of their highlights in Germany
so I was really looking forward to seeing it. We started with great frustration
though. Rick Steves and people on the Internet said it was easy to get
lost getting to this castle so I decided we should just follow Steves'
directions to the letter. Trouble is his letter wasn't very good. We followed
his guide as to how to walk up to Burg Eltz from the Moselkern train station
but his description of how to get to the path up there was faulty. We
ended up walking around in circles and arguing about what way to go. My
husband is fluent in German fortunately so we could ask locals how to
get there……although we saw few people out on the street. A retarded
man we met twice couldn't tell us (but he sure liked shaking our hands).
A man who was gardening told us to go back the way we came but he wasn't
clearer than that and probably a frustrating hour or more later we finally
found a trailhead. More like happened to stumble across it……it certain
was never marked at all from the train station and it was quite a long,
long ways from the station. The heavily wooded trail up was rather steep
in places but pleasant and full of Germans. I always get a kick out of
being on a long forest trail in Germany and seeing so many toddlers, elderly
grandmothers and women wearing heels as one sees! The German's enjoy long
wooded walks..something 95% of Americans probably would never do. It took
us about an hour or so to get up to the top and the great view one then
sees of Burg Eltz. I do wish Rick Steves would have *clear* directions
in his next edition of this book on how to get to the path leading up
there though!
Anna
USA 07/08/01
We visited Gimmewald recently as part of our 25 day trip to Europe.
We absolutely loved it in the Swiss Alps. My husband and I thought it
would be an adventure to take one of the hikes Rick Steves recommends.
It was the one from the top of the Schilthorn, you take the lift down
to Birg, and hike from there to Gimmewald. My husband and I are both physically
fit and young, although not experienced hikers by any means. Unfortunately,
while Rick says this hike is *interesting* he does not indicate the difficulty
or danger. It was our own fault for being ignorant, but we set out on
the hike with one bottle of water each, a small bag of trail mix, and
no sunscreen. Well, we were in for a surprise. It was six hours of hiking,
and there were places I literally feared for my life, and watched in agony,
afraid my husband was going to fall and cruch his skull on the rocks below.
Horrible switchbacks led down the face in one area, full of slippery gravel
in which you could lose your footing and tumble down the mountain. Very
precarious footing in another stretch, in which you have a cable to hold
on to — don't look down! A couple other places were frozen snow over waterfalls.
These presented two dangers. One, that the snow would break under your
feet, sending you crashing down, the other that your feet would slip on
the slippery surface, also resulting in a fall down the mountain. Once
we crossed the face, we finally reached a point where it was much less
dangerous and we were able to admire the amazing view. But by now we were
both sunburned, hungry, thirsty, and our legs were quivering with either
nervousness or exertion, or maybe both. The remainder of the hike was
much more pleasant, along a ridge, into a timy village where we had some
much needed lunch, and behind a waterfall, my favorite moment of the trip.
But it was a long day, we were both exhausted and severely sunburned at
the end of it, and from start to finish, including our "lunch break" it
was about a seven hour hike. I don't recommend it if you are not an experienced
hiker, or with someone who is!
Dana McMahan <email>
Villa Hills, KY USA 07/06/01
My eldest son, his family and I just returned from visiting Burg Eltz
along the Mosel in Germany. We lucked out and found about 20 other Americans
for an English language tour with no waiting. A spectacular and beautiful
castle, where you can see how real people really lived. Rick doesn't mention
in his writeup that there is a Treasury in the basement for which there
is a small extra charge. It is well worth visiting as it contains not
only jewelry, china, gold and silver but a marvelous collection of swords,
coats of mail, halberds, maces, crossbows and other medieval weapons,
and also a great collection of early firearms (how could they ever hold
those horribly long and heavy things up to their shoulders and aim?) This
collection was a big hit with my 10 and 12 year old grandsons. Also, a
family of 2 adults and up to 3 children can get a family ticket for a
10 mark disount. Finally, the 10 min. walk from the upper parking lot
to the castle is more like 15 (is Rick a race walker?), not counting a
5 minute stop for photos at the castle viewpoint. And it's about 25 minutes'
walk back up the hill. Well worth it, though. The Mosel Valley is beautiful;
in addition to a road on each side there are bike paths, most of the way
separated from the road. A great bike trip, and an easy one if you go
downstream. I've been told that you can return with bikes on the train
to your starting point.
Mary from Oregon
USA 07/03/01
EBENALP!EBENALP!EBENALP! This is the very small location in Switzerland
that Rick mentions. The only way to get there is the gondola from Wasserauen.
The Berggasthaus Ascher is the place that has rain water pumped through
it. No showers, bunk style beds, but don't let that scare you. My friend
and I had just come from Prague and Munich and the difference was staggering.
The two owners of the guest house, Claudia and Bennie, were two of the
nicest people we met on our trip. The air was the sweetest I've ever smelled.
I just wish I could have bottled it. Finally, the views….incredible.
We went on June 30th and there was still snow around us. It wasn't cold,
60's-70's, but the snow was there. The house is beautifully perched in
the cliff-side and gets just enough cool breezes to really refresh you.
The Rosti and Sausage (hash browns, but better), was wonderful. I had
a killer sore throat when we got there, but couldn't stop eating. If you
ever get a chance to go, please do so. I'll be scanning the pictures into
my web site this week. http://www.bigfoot.com/~petesawyer Check it by
Sunday and you'll see what I'm talking about.
Pete <email>
NJ USA 07/02/01
When you have comments about a hotel, a place to see,an area of special
interest to visit, etc., Be specific about your information.!! Generic
information is useless. Give the name of the place exactly, the hotel,
the bed-&-breakfast, and a brief description including addresses and one
or two unique features of the place, to help others orient themselves
to your information. Also, identify the place in relationship to one or
two other iportant places close by to help those who read your comments
understand exactly what you are talking about. Please.
Art. <email>
fort worth, tx USA 07/01/01
On your way up from Italy to Vienna, tour down through Graz, Austria.
I had the privelege of living here for four months. I have since taken
two groups of friends over to Europe, and insisted they stop through Graz.
They were always reluctant, but later noted it as a highlight of their
trip. If I could give one super backdoor suggestion, it would be Mixnitz,
and the short hike along the little-known "Baerenschuetz-Klamm". This
was EVERYONE'S favorite. Below are some links, including a map. Once you
make it to Mixnitz, any local will gladly point you in the direction of
the hike. A country road leads you up to a dirt path, and about 45 minutes
later you'll reach a pay gate (about $4), where the beautiful hike begins
through waterfalls, up a very steep canyon. Wooden ladders/bridges are
built new nearly every year (avalanches destroy them regularly). Wear
a raincoat, as some of the ladders and bridges take you underneath or
too near the water to avoid getting wet. Don't go if you're afraid of
heights, or weary of walking on wooden ladders with railings. Most should
have no problems. The hike down is quite easy, and follows old roman "tracks"
carved into the limestone path. The last kilometer or so winds through
green pastures and Austrian cows with klanging bells. The whole trip should
take about 4 hours if you're slow. I've done it in two hours — but that
was nearly running! It doesn't get any more backdoor than this!! Nor does
it get any more BEAUTIFUL!! It is well worth the detour!!!!!! http://www.bacher-reisen.com/tag5.html
http://www.cis.tugraz.at/lsg/Fotos/Bklamm/Onbridge.jpg http://home.snafu.de/simon/IMAGES/mixnitz.html
http://www.cis.tugraz.at/lsg/Fotos/Bklamm/Klamm.jpg
Mike from Moscow <email>
Moscow, ID USA 06/26/01
My sister and I just returned from a 15 night trip to Germany and Austria
and had a wonderful time — and we found Rick's book extremely helpful.
One tip I would give is for Rick to state clearer directions to some of
the sites. Sometimes he just tells you which U-bahn stop to get off at
and you expect to see the sight as you emerge from the station. This is
usually not the case. The exact address would be helpful and maps with
all the street names. Just for this reason alone, I would suggest people
bring copies of a second travel book that lists the addresses. Used in
conjunction, we were able to find our way. We started out in Munich and
stayed 5 nights at the Hotel Helvetia, which was very basic. It was very
close to the train station which made it convenient, but also put it in
a slightly seedy area. However, the reception desk always was manned by
a friendly employee, so we felt safe within the hotel. It was clean, had
nice beds with duvets, was pretty noisy, offered a meager breakfast (just
rolls/jam), and had an odd smell in the hallways (the Ali Baba restaurant
on the ground floor perhaps?) Anyway, it was fine for the price. In Munich,
we had fun at the Hofbrauhaus (good food and beer) and were surprised
by how interesting the Deutsches Museum was (the self-serve restaurant
was a great choice for lunch). I also cannot stress enough how great the
Euraide tour (office at the main train station) to Neuschwanstein was.
They depart tour every Wednesday in June and July at 7:30am and it was
perfectly run by Alan (the owner of Euraide). In one day we saw Neuschwanstein,
Linderhof, Wies Church and a bonus trip to Kloister Ettal. This would
never be possible on one's own. Definitely try to hike up to Mary's Bridge
at Neuschwanstein if you are fairly fit — to see the castle from such
a vantage point was a highlight of the trip. Alan stated that the tour
usually sells out by noon on the Tuesday before the tour so get to the
train station before then or reserve your spot through their website (www.euraide.de).
In Innsbruck (a beautiful city) we stayed at the Pension Paula (pensionpaula.at)
and was thrilled with our double room with bath, balcony and spectacular
view. All for about $45 double. The famous golden roof is truly only a
golden awning — pretty disappointing, but the Imperial Court Palace is
very interesting and the scenery of the town is the true attraction. Definitely
take one of the cable cars up to get an even better look at the Alps.
If you are planning on seeing most of the sights I recommend buying an
Innsbruck Card which includes all admissions and transportation for 1-3
days. It pretty much pays for itself if you take a cable car ride. Next
we were on to Salzburg — which was very rainy — bring an umbrella! We
stayed at the Pension Bergland which was a bit of a hike to the old center,
but was clean and very nice (note: my sister and I were both allergic
to the bedding or something in the room — and we don't normally have this
problem. For this reason alone, I wouldn't stay there again) The breakfast
included cold cuts and cereal, which was a nice break from just bread.
As a major fan of The Sound of Music, it breaks my heart to NOT recommend
the tour given by Panorama Tours. It was a complete waste of time. The
guide was surly, they just drove us by some sights that I think merited
a stop of the bus, they stopped the bus at a lake town that had nothing
to do with the Sound of Music except that it had a Sound of Music souvenir
shop (can we say, commission?) and in general was not fun. My sister and
I could have found all of the sights we were shown (and more) on our own
(with the exception of the wedding church) and not wasted our time and
money. Also, we found the Salzburg Card to be a great time and money saver.
It was so nice to just hand the cards over instead of dealing with cash
all the time. If you get the card, try to visit Stiegl's Brauwelt (Brauhausstrasse
9) for an informative presentation on beer-making. A bit expensive if
you don't have the card, but a great deal if you do, as you end the tour
with 2 small beers (their definition of small is .3 L!), a pretzel and
a souvenir of another beer. If you get tired of Austria food, I can recommend
the Spaghetti & Co restaurant at Getreidrgasse 14 near Mozart's birthplace
for a tasty, inexpensive meal. There is also a location near St. Stephen's
in Vienna. In Vienna, we stayed at the Pension Wild which was a major
disappointment. Although in a fairly convenient location, the rooms were
far from Rick's description as we found our room very small, not very
clean, with a wall lamp missing and dilapidated furniture. More disturbing
though, was the fact that there was never anyone at reception (you have
to buzz them to check in and out) which I found unsafe (anyone off the
street could just wander up to the rooms). It was especially disturbing
when we came back to the pension around 11pm and the front door was still
unlocked (it was supposed to be locked up around 9pm, I believe). This
makes a 3am trip to the hallway bathroom kind of a scary experience. Otherwise,
Vienna was wonderful. Definitely follow Rick's tip to get tickets to the
Spanish Riding School's morning practice around 11am. No line, and we
ended up getting seats after about a half hour of standing. Plenty of
time to admire the horses. Also, next trip we will just get standing tickets
to the opera house. We splurged on seats for 490 ats each and it turned
out the gallery standing section was only 3 rows in back of us. We didn't
end up staying the whole time anyway (4 1/2 hours of Wagner is a lot)
and we would have felt less guilty about leaving the standing room section.
Schonbrunn was wonderful and we got the VIP tickets which included the
grand tour, the maze, the view from the top of the gloriette, and an apple
strudel baking presentation (with a sample!) at the old bakery. Definitely
a highlight. Sorry this is so long, but thought it might help. Have a
great trip!
S Smith <email>
Los Angeles, CA USA 06/26/01
Ah, those European holidays, where everything closes up tight and all
Europe is on the move, filling up hotels and hostels: Rick does not highlight
these enough in his guidebooks. Please, Rick, highlight holidays in each
country for the next revision. Until Rick does this, Lonely Planet guidebooks
have a complete list. Especially be aware of holidays that differ each
year, depending on the date of Easter: Good Friday and Easter Monday,
Ascension Day, the Monday after Pentecost (Whitmonday) and Corpus Christi
(10 days after Pentecost). I knew about the others but got caught in Germany
by Corpus Christi this year. You need to be aware that most stores and
museums will be closed on these days. Germany's Sunday closures are also
a pain — all stores are closed from 2 p.m. Saturday until Sunday morning.
In France, most stores are open Sundays and closed Mondays. Not all holidays
are celebrated in all countries. Also be aware that the week before and
after Easter, Ascension Day weekend and Pentecost weekend see lots of
locals on holiday, especially in southern climes, making reservations
well in advance mandatory.
Mary from Oregon
USA 06/19/01
Just had a wonderful week in Germany and wanted to share some tips.
First off, check the holidays before you leave! We only packed a week's
worth of clothes for a two-week vacation because we knew there was a laundromat
near our hotel in Munich. Well, Monday June 4 is a national holiday in
Germany (Whitmonday, whatever that is)and not only the laundromat but
EVERY store in the country was closed. (We went to Plan B, which is the
Rick-approved bathroom sink laundry, which actually doesn't work too bad
except that in Italy my wife left a white shirt to soak in the sink and
the maid took it with the dirty linen and we couldn't get it back.) Anyway,
the rest of our trip was spent at the Burg Liebenstein, a castle overlooking
the Rhine about 15 km south of Koblenz. I can DEFINITELY recommend this
hotel/castle — about $80 a night, beautiful rooms, and wonderful small-family-inn
type service. Plus, you're an hour's drive from Cologne or Frankfurt.
Rick recommends St. Goar and Bacharach and they are both wonderful, charming
little towns. One thing to keep in mind, however, when staying along this
part of the Rhine is the trains. There are train tracks that run along
either side of the river and they are probably the busiest tracks in Germany,
if not Europe. Find out how close your hotel is to the tracks, because
a train comes by every ten to fifteen minutes 24 hours a day — that is
NO exaggeration!
Robert Young <email>
Cincinnati, OH USA 06/19/01
I realize that you issue your books thinking about weight & space, but
really…….The German-Austria-Switzerland & Prague tries to do too much
in too little space. Why do France & Italy each rate their own volumes,
but these countries do not? Expand your horizons!!!! I really believe
that Germany is big and interesting enough to rate its own book all by
itself. Prague could be inserted into the back without too much trouble.
Austria & Switzerland could comfortably remain together with more coverage.
If you're traveling to Germany, it doesn't mean that you want information
for Austria & vice versa. Now that Germany has been united for over 10
years, more coverage should be made for its eastern territories. Eisleben,
Dresden, & other regions are still off the beaten path for many. LIttle
crowds and welcoming hosts abound, but there is no place to get information
about them other than the Lonely Planet series. They don't put out updated
versions on a yearly basis either. The Rhine & Mosel regions are wonderful,
but very much on the beaten path nowadays. They are crowded, packed, and
full of tourists. I realize that you visit your tried & true areas yearly
ensuring that the information is current. But I do believe that you should
consider expanding the scope of your recomendation for getting away from
the hords of tour buses. Austria & Germany have many off the beaten areas
which are neglected by all American travel texts. This is an opportunity
that you should not pass up. We as readers & travelers beg for more information
on the roads less traveled:-)
Sara <email>
06/19/01
We just returned from a two week trip to Europe that included the Bernese
Oberland. Beautiful! I have to admit, we did not stay in Gimmelwald, but
in Muerren at the Hotel Eiger. This is not a budget choice, but it was
wonderful. I would recommend buying the Swiss Pass if you're going to
be in Switzerland for any length of time — second class is fine. We hopped
on and off trains, boats, and buses throughout the country with our saver
passes.
Beth <email>
Columbia, SC USA 06/18/01
We had a double room for 5 nights reserved at the Pension Seibel in
Munich in Jun. Upon arriving, they gave us a single room — very small.
The next night they moved us into a double room, which was far nicer.
It overlooked the inner courtyard, which was very noisy beginning at 8am
with businesses putting trash out, etc.
Dave
Md USA 06/18/01
To add to the N. Germany sights described by Frank from Ohio, formerly
from Germany, I'd like to mention the lovely town of Celle, just north
of Hannover, with lovely late-medieval-early-renaissance houses lovingly
kept in mint condition by their owners. Also, in NW Germany, there's the
Teutoberger Forest, which I visited near Osnabruck. This forest has historical
associations because there was a big battle between Romans and Germans
there in the first century AD which ended any Roman hopes of conquering
Germany (and later led to the fall of the Roman Empire as Germanic peoples
were pushed westward by invasions of their territory from the east). And
the Teutobergerwald is a beautiful place to hike! Finally, there is the
Eiffel Massif between there and Trier, another beautiful but untouristed
area worth visiting.
Mary from Oregon
USA 06/17/01
Well I'm just back from Germany and Switzerland, a very special trip.
Once again the Rick Steves guide suggested experiences that I'll remember
for a long time to come. To the lady who was disappointed by the Hotel
Staubach at Lauterbrunnen, I feel for you — I loved the heck out of the
hotel, but only because I had a room with a balcony. I got up at dawn,
and watched the mist wreath the little green valley, and watched the waterfalls
coming down from the peaks. It's a rustic hotel, it's like getting a summer-camp
cabin in Yosemite, but I loved it. Phone shower across the hall, washbasin
in the room, funky spare-Grandma-room appointments. If you can deal with
that (and insist on a balcony room), you can't beat the price (~35.00
was what I paid for a single). Took the railway from Wengen to the top
of (forget which peak? starts with M), climbed fairly easily to the very
top of the peak, and got a 360 degree view of the most beautiful mountains+the
2 Interlaken lakes. Then, took the lifts to the top of the Schilthorn
and had lunch at the revolving restaurant. All Rick Steves recommendations
and much fun. Then in Montreux, saw the great Chateau Chillon. This is
now second only to Arundel in Sussex, England, as my favorite castle in
the world. Great old tapestries, armory, original oak furniture, coats-of-arms
painted on the walls, and foot-and-a-half diameter oak pillars holding
up the ceilings. Marvelous castle dating from the 12th century or before.
A warning to those going to Germany's Mosel valley: I went to Zell, and
loved loved loved the place, and the Hotel Gruener Kranz (very kind people
there); Burg Eltz is RS' favorite castle in all Europe, but I didn't end
up able to see it, because: Zell and environs are a TREK from the autobahn.
I mean, you get off the autobahn, and you're traveling for MOONS before
you reach it. Also, the little villages (charming though they certainly
are) are so small that they weren't listed on my map. Zell was, but the
other villages you go through on the way aren't, so you're passing through
maybe 10 little villages that aren't on your map, and the road signs don't
point to any major towns or autobahns mostly, just to the next little
unknown village! So you spend maybe an hour winding around these places
and wonder, am I completely lost? It was 2:30 a.m. before I got to the
hotel. Although, the weirdest thing yet: there's a 24-hour BP gas station
in Zell! Of all the places for it? So finally I could ask directions.
Whoosh. And the castle did look beautiful, but I ran out of time and never
got to see the inside. Next time, though, for definite! I'm going back
to Zell and to the Hotel Gruener Kranz and to Burg Eltz.
Andrew <email>
USA 06/15/01
Salzburg, this time. Rick's 15 minutes from the train station to his
recommended Institute St. Sebastian took about 40 minutes trying to find
my way from his map and asking directions. Street signs are woefully lacking
in Salzburg (they are evidently not replaced after a building is painted
or remodeled?). It took 25 minutes to go the other way when I knew where
I was going! If you are short-legged like me, double Rick's walking times!
Mary from Oregon
USA 06/14/01
Some comments on Rick's Vienna directions after being there: (1) If
you are basing in the Mariahilferstrasse area, do not take the Metro from
the Westbahnhof all the way to Stefansplatz when you first leave your
hotel or hostel. Instead, get out at the Volkstheater stop, which is on
the Ring. From there, take Rick's recommended tour of the Ring on Tram
#2. Volkstheater is 2 stops along the Ring from the Staatsoper where his
"tour" starts. When you get to the Staatsoper the second time, get out
and take the walking tour recommended in the book, which gets you to Stefansplatz.
This saves a lot of unnecessary walking (from Stefansplatz out to the
Staatsoper and back again). The Volkstheater metro station is also where
you catch the tram to the Museum quarter. (2) Be sure to catch the El
Greco exhibit at the Kunsthistorisches Museum through Sept. 1. Even if
you've seen most of the paintings elsewhere (I have), the exhibit is so
dramatically lit that the paintings show to much more advantage than they
do in their "home" locations. The great, almost abstract "View of Toledo"
from the NY Metropolitan Museum is there, looking 1000% more dramatic
than at the Met! (3) Opera — if you do the stehplatz (standing room) bit
at the Staatsoper, the parterre Stehplatz recommended by Rick are often
oversold; I had to stand on the steps at the back and saw very little.
Take your binoculars to the nosebleed section in the gallery. They wouldn't
let me go up there with a parterre ticket. (4)Spanish Riding School: Definitely
go to the museum first and watch the video of the performance in the basement.
During the "morning exercise" the first horses schooled were relatively
green; the later horses were more advanced (argument for going in nearer
11:00 unless you're a dressage fanatic like me). You won't see a rehearsal
of a performance; you will see horses and riders working on individual
moves. If you pay attention to the video and to the museum's other explanations
of the various movements, you will recognize many of them during the practice.
If you're completely ignorant of dressage and not particularly interested
in horses, either get tickets for an actual performance or just go to
the museum and watch the video; for you the rehearsal will be about as
exciting as watching cement set. By the way, you can see the same moves
cheaper by going to Spain and attending a performance (much easier to
get into) at the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art at Jerez de
la Frontera. This style of riding, after all, originated in Spain!
Mary from Oregon
USA 06/14/01
In many Americans' minds, Germany is mostly Bier and Lederhosen and fairytale castles. I think that's very sad because Germany is so much more than that. I am a German, and, coming from the North, I grew up in the American traveler's German Terra Incognita. By introducing you to some of the overlooked attractions of the North, I hope to make you think about how far off the beaten path you really should travel.
For example, Germany's second-biggest city: No, it's not München (Munich), it's Hamburg! I have lived there for years, and it is my favorite German city. It is called the most English of all German cities due to longstanding trade ties with the Islands. You can tour its huge, modern, yet more than 800-year-old harbor by boat, with an English-speaking guide.
Hamburg is trade — visit the Speicherstadt ("storage city," rows of old warehouses which can be accessed by land and sea and are still in use for some of the most expensive goods like artwork, carpets or electronics), and don't forget the big trading houses between downtown and the harbor, especially the Chilehaus.
There is the magnificent Rathaus (city hall); the stock exchange, museums, theaters and musicals; more — but less glamorous — bridges than in Venice; the central Alster lake with its swans and sailboats, surrounded by the mansions of the wealthy; the old and new botanical garden, lots of bars and restaurants, the Reeperbahn (a world-famous red light district), neat shopping malls, Hagenbeck's Tierpark (the zoo), and the list goes on.
You can get everywhere using public transportation — there are special passes for tourists that will also give you free entry or reduced prices at a lot of attractions.
One of my Hamburg favorites is the Fischmarkt (fish market), which starts at 6 AM every Sunday and where not only all sorts of fish, but everything imaginable — and some unimaginable things — are sold. There is live music, and some of the vendors make an unforgettable competition out of loudly advertising and aggressively selling their wares. Watch out, you could be hit by flying bunches of bananas, oranges, or the occasional rubber tree!
The other Hamburg favorite of mine is the Croque, a baguette baked like a pizza — very crispy yet messy to eat, and it really hits the spot when you are hungry. They used to be a craze, but today you might have to search for one, because they are mostly sold in little hole-in-the-wall places where workers and shoppers go to have lunch.
Other than Hamburg, there are many more cities in the North. Like Hamburg, Lüneburg belonged to the Hanse, the powerful medieval trade organization around the North and Baltic Seas. It became rich through salt, which was (and is to this day) washed out of an underground salt deposit by water. Lüneburg today is a spa town with great brick architecture — and a valley where the ground has caved in from a thousand years of salt production.
South of Lüneburg you can find the Lüneburger Heide, a remote, sometimes hilly heather landscape that has been formed by grazing sheep for centuries because it was too sandy and swampy for agriculture. You may still see the occasional shepherd and his (or her) flock and dogs.
The heather landscape extends south toward Hannover, which has for many years, starting in the early 18th century, been part of the domain and even the home of the King of England. Even Ahlden, the little village 30 miles north of Hannover where I grew up, has its role in that story:
King Georg I, the first King of England and Hannover, had his wife Sophie Dorothea banished to the little castle in Ahlden when he discovered that she had an affair with the Swedish officer Count Koenigsmarck, and she lived there for the rest of her life. The Count conveniently vanished one day after visiting her, and dire conspiracy theories have surrounded his disappearance ever since. The story has even been made into a movie (Saraband for Dead Lovers, 1948).
The castle still exists. A big antiques dealer owns it, and several times a year the village is flooded with luxury cars when he organizes auctions there.
Our other claims to fame include a 1200-year-old church tower base, and a memorial in the forest where Germany's last wolf was shot in 1948. I admit, all that wouldn't be first on a tourist's list, but something that should be lies 10 miles north of Ahlden, near the city of Walsrode: The Vogelpark Walsrode, the world's largest bird park, famous not only for its birds but also for its landscaping. Plan to spend a full day there if you can. (www.vogelpark-walsrode.de)
I haven't mentioned beer yet, but Northerners love it no less than other Germans. We are proud of our brewing tradition and patchwork of regional brands, and if you visit the Vogelpark, the regional beer is called Schnuckenbräu. It is brewed at a little brewery at the Hotel Forellenhof, two miles north of the Vogelpark. The hotel not only has a very good restaurant, but also the Schnuckenstube, a little brew pub, where you can drink, eat and watch the brewmaster do his work (he speaks English and answer your questions). Everything at the pub is beer-related: The dishes are prepared with beer, the tables are decorated with beer ingredients, and even the free snack food is not peanuts or pretzels but malted barley.
Happy vacation!
Frank <email>
Cincinnati, OH USA 06/10/01
We planned our recent trip to Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Alsace using Europe Through the Back Door and the Germany, Austria, and Switzerland books. It was great. The books helped us plan what was important to us in each area but we were also flexible.
We stayed at Pension Weiher in Hohenschwangau with a great view of Neushwanstein at night. This had added benefits: we did not pay for parking but walked to purchase tickets. There was an additional savings because when we registered at the Pension, we were given a receipt that gave us significant discounts to the castles and shopping.
In Vienna, we stayed at the Hotel Admiral. When we asked at check-in about reasonable restaurants close by we were directed around the corner to a wonderful small family-run Spanish restaurant (Pedro's) where we had delicious sauteed calamari and sangria. It is perfect for a romantic evening. (From Hotel Admiral go left and at the end of the block go left again. It will be mid-block on your left side.)
Mistake we made: I used old maps. We would have fared much better by using Rick's tip to pick up road maps in Europe. (Although getting lost, we stumbled on some lovely sights). Also, because my husband likes structure, we booked all our hotels ahead. It rained the entire time we were in Hallstat and in retrospect we would have loved that additional time in Vienna.
My husband never wanted to go anywhere where they did not speak English so this trip was planned to give him photographic opportunities. He loved it and tried to converse himself with a little German and a lot of pantomime. Result: now he thinks we should take some German conversational courses and go to the area again, adding some new destinations but definitely doing Vienna again. (And this is someone who usually detests cities).
We arrived in Vienna a few days after the El Greco exhibit opened in the Kunsthistorisches Museum. Fantastic!
Top lodging on the trip: Pension Bergland. Beautiful room, great breakfast, and inexpensive internet access. Internet helped me not to get homesick on this trip since we could stay in touch with family.
We were disappointed at Hotel Staubach in Lauterbrunnen. Our first night there was the last night the Rick Steves group was there so the hotel was full. I did not realize when I booked that we would be higher than the elevators up a narrow, dark flight of stairs and in the attic. It rained and I was quite claustrophic. My husband offered to cancel and move on to France but we stayed and I am glad we did. The room didn't get any better with the hotel less empty, but I became fascinated watching the 5 am activity at the little bakery across the street. One of the best moments of the entire trip was when we took items purchased from the bakery and used one of the exit balconies on the floor below ours to sit, eat, and look down the valley and at the mountains. BUT if we had known the room situation, I would gladly have paid more money to have been down one floor with a balcony.
If you are still planning your dream trip, realize that you can do it
with the help of the guidebooks and good planning. B&Bs and small family
hotels are wonderful ways to interact with people. Budgets can be kept
by using the local bakery, butcher, and grocery store. Often lunch for
2 was less than $5, with some food left for a snack. This was usually
the local bread, cheese, and meat with a beverage. To add wine, figure
in another $5. Bon Voyage.
Carol Proctor <email>
Wayne, PA USA 06/10/01
To differ with Mr. Farley (two comments below):
1) The art exhibit at the Swavorski Crystal site is fantastic….do not
skip it. This is exactly what sets Americans aside from natives….it's
odd but it is good, especially the Brian Eno room. 2) Stores on Sunday,
particularly in Austria, are not always closed. In many towns the bare
essentials are available; just ask.
Albert Hanker
Bern, CH 06/10/01
Betlem Club in Prague is one of our favorite hotels. Everyone is tremendously cheery and helpful and the rooms are cozy and have great character. Highly recommended! Also the current exchange rates mean that they can meet you at the airport and take you to the hotel for about fifteen bucks (for both of us). For us it was well worth it.
Also, stick to Rick's recommendation for city walks and look out for
copycats (VERY simliar names, brochures, colors, fonts, etc.). Some fellow
travelers we met paid way too much for a "pub tour" that consisted of
being walked to two nearby pubs and being bought one Pilsner. That's it.
The brochure they showed me promised history, interesting stories, etc.,
but the guide didn't tell them anything at all and discouraged questions
with terse answers. Word to the wise.
Robert Bundy <email>
Los Angeles, CA USA 06/08/01
My wife and I just returned from Bavaria/Tirol. Rick's travel guides and website provided outstanding information, which included simple details that saved us a huge amount of time (example: toll stamps for Austria and where to purchase cardboard time clocks for parking). The best thing I did was prior to departing on my trip was buying and reviewing Rick's travel guides and video tapes, as it pays to do your homework.
Anyone traveling to Bavaria and Tirol, make an effort to travel to Bolzano, Italy (about 60 km south of Brenner) and see the "Iceman" exhibit, which has been shown on the Discovery Channel. It was fascinating and well worth the trip.
At Neuschwanstein, take the bus uphill (get a one-way ticket) and walk down. Save your climbing/hiking energy for the Ehrenburg Ruins in Reutte. The Ehrenburg Ruins are well worth the effort and will invigorate your (maybe winded) spirit with a spectacular view.
While in Innsbruck, make sure you visit the Swavorski Crystal Factory, but skip the art tour and go straight to the store. The art tour through the factory is strange (and I love art and artists), but the store displays some beautiful crystal figures and jewelry.
Above all else, the people in the Bavarian and Tirol regions are wonderful. I really made an effort to talk to them and was surprised to find out how similar we all are. As Steves recommends, take the time to meet the people, as it is well worth it.
Here are a few other lessons learned:
1. Research the weather for the region you will be visiting.
2. Research the official holidays for the region and adjust your itinerary accordingly. Sunday is simple: you can expect stores to be closed.
3. Pack rain gear no matter what and carry it with you. This will save you tons of time, especially in tourist season when vendors/merchants rapidly sell out during an unexpected shower.
4. Don't eat just German food in Bavaria. There is a great variety of regional foods available. We ate at a Greek restaurant (called El Greco) in Garmisch, Germany and it was fantasic.
5. Buy and use hiking poles.
6. Go easy on top of the Zugspitze (10,000+ feet above sea level), as you will feel lightheaded and out of breath from simply climbing a few steps. I'm in great physical shape, but my head was spinning like a top after climbing the steps to the lookout. Take the elevator and go easy.
In closing, we had a wonderful time. Thanks to everyone who has and
continues to contribute to this site, as I found the advice you provided
to be essential. Thanks Rick and also Kathy Wardlaw (past traveler/contributor)
for all the great information. Now, where should we go next?
Mike Farley <email>
Bartlett, TN USA 06/06/01
Just returned from a trip using this guidebook and enjoyed it tremendously!
Pension Unitas in Prague was just as Rick described — very central, affordable and spotlessly clean. We also tried two of Rick's restaurant recommendations in Prague and found the food very good and the locals friendly.
Pension Seibel in Munich was also great, although upon arrival our room wasn't ready until 4 pm, even though we told them that we had arrived on a night train from Prague and were completely exhausted!
Our Black Forest drive from Munich, including overnight stays in Baden Baden (Hotel Am Markt) and Staufen was truly memorable, and you haven't really lived until you've experienced the Caracalla Baths in Baden Baden. Overall, a great experience with a great guidebook.
I would recommend that Rick give at least some treatment to Zurich.
We flew home from Zurich so had to spend one night there, but I found
it to be a charming, friendly city, if a bit expensive. We took a two-hour
cruise on Lake Zurich in beautiful weather and enjoyed it very much.
Carrie Pratt <email>
San Francisco, CA USA 06/05/01
Just a note to any Canadian citizen that as of April 2 the Czech Republic
requires all Canadian passport holders to have a visa in order to enter
Czech. Visas are not available at borders or airports, only at Czech consulates.
They take about a week to get. We found this out the hard way — at 3:30
a.m. when the German border police came through to check passports, and
were unceremoniously dumped at a train station on the border at 4 a.m.
Nancy Fawley <email>
Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bavaria Germany 06/05/01
Just came back from Germany and Austria, used Rick's book and were very happy with everywhere we stayed.
Just one caution if you have reservations with Pension Soebel in Munich:
We made reservations before leaving for our trip, and received a confirmation,
via fax. When we arreived the lady of the establishment told us our room
was in the hotel, not the pension. The difference was central location
vs. away from everything. WE knew this because it was made clear in Rick's
book, and we had reserved for the Pension. The woman kept saying, "It's
all the same" when we insisted on staying where we were, where we had
reserved a room. Only when we finally asked if we could leave our bags
while searching for a room in the city center did the woman change her
story and then we got the key to a very nice room in a prime location.
dee <email>
seattle, wa USA 06/04/01
Some friends and I just returned from a trip which included the Czech Repbulic. Rick's information on Prague was invaluable to us. We can vouch for the helpfulness of the Ave hotel booking service — they found us a great, affordable room in a non-touristy area, and their staff was very helpful and friendly — a nice orientation to the city.
We took an evening dinner cruise on the Vlatva; the buffet dinner was terrible, but the nighttime views from the upper deck were priceless.
Following Rick's recommendation, we also visited Cesky Krumlov, and we can't say enough good things about it. It's a very beautiful little town with friendly, helpful people, and a visit there is a nice complement to the big-city experience of Prague.
We stayed in a family-run pension, the Hotel Nika, which was a little ways from the center of town — very charming, but it definitely helped to have a German-speaker in our group as our hosts were fluent in German, but spoke little English. (We found this to be true of many Cesky Krumlov residents, especially the taxi drivers.) Taxis are good, cheap transportation, and the drivers appear to be honest (which was NOT our experience in Prague).
Two different tours of the castle are offered with English-speaking guides, but apparently both tours are not given every day in English. We found this a little confusing, but we enjoyed the tour we received.
For a good meal in Cesky Krumlov, we highly recommend Na Ostrove, which
has outdoor seating overlooking the river. Try the garlic soup, the pork
medallions Viennese, and the "ice queen" dessert — a crepe filled with
jam, fruit and ice cream and topped with whipped cream and chocolate.
Delicious!
Pat <email>
USA 06/02/01
Just returned from a wonderful trip to Prague. I highly recommend the Guesthouse Lida. We stayed in one of his four new rooms which have very modern showers.
As far as I'm concerned, Jan Prouza is the best host in Europe. He took the time to orient us to the city and answer all our questions (there were many!). He also arranges tours to the other parts of Bohemia.
The guidebook is a little unclear with the house's location: it is a
10-minute walk to the metro station and then three stops to get near Old
Town (about 5 minutes). If you plan to visit Prague, Jan and his family
will take good care of you!
Heather Martin <email>
Seattle, WA USA 05/22/01
My wife and I recently returned from our 3rd wonderful trip to Europe since 1998. We have always used Rick's recommendations to get around safely and happily.
In Bacharach, we enjoyed Hotel Altkolnischer Hof, but were locked out b/c we returned from a day trip around 10pm. Luckily the owners heard us pounding on the doors and came downstairs to let us in!
Burg Eltz was worth seeing; Burg Rheinfels and the town of St. Goar were a disappointment. I would stay on the Mosel if we return.
In Munich, Kings Hotel (at the weekend rate!) was very nice: big fancy 4-star hotel 5 minutes from the train station and 10 minutes from Marienplatz. Hofbrauhaus is a must, even if you don't eat. What a fun time, and we didn't even get drunk!
Dachau was definitely sobering, but a must if you haven't seen a concentration camp. Definitely go if you can.
Salzburg: What a nice surprise, with classical musicians playing their violins in the street. We saw a Mozart dinner concert at the 1000-year-old restaurant recommended in Rick's book. Although $40 each for dinner is expensive, the memory was definitely worth it. Salzburg is a great place to stroll!
Our hotel (Pension Bergland) was clean and spacious, but not a classy splurge as Rick mentions in the book. Just an inexpensive, clean, basic place. We will stay somewhere else if we return.
I had looked forward to visiting Hallstatt for years, but it was a disappointment. It is beautiful, but it's out of the way. It reminded us of Lake Como in Italy, but not as convenient. The train tracks were under repair so we bused in rather than riding in on the Stephanie.
We made reservations 2 months prior w/ Susan at Gasthof Simony and were VERY disappointed when she put us in the hotel next door with no explanation or apology. There were 9 others who were bumped as well. The friendly hotelier next door explained that it's a regular occurrence since Susan doesn't have a computer and tends to misplace things.
The salt mine tour was fun; go if you visit.
We had our 2nd best European dinner of all time (after Auberge du Champs du Mars in Paris — thanks Rick!) at Gasthof Zauner. Absolutely delicious and inexpensive! Eat there if you visit Hallstatt!
In Fussen, Hotel Kurcafe was a very nice place with wonderful views of the Alps from our balcony. The Luge nearby was a blast — keep both hands on the stick!
We ate dinner twice at Rick's recommended restaurant (next door to Infoodays). The owners were so friendly and made us feel at home when we visited. What nice people!
We took the beautiful Romantic Road bus trip from Fussen to Rothenburg. The fields of gold were goregous. In Rothenburg, Hotel Hornburg was our favorite hotel of the entire trip! I actually heard of it from other readers who posted it here on the Grafriti Wall. Our room was huge, the people were great, and the location is as convenient as can be!
The night watchman's tour is a must. That guy is wonderfully entertaining!
The shopping is a huge hit, too. We bought so many ornaments at Kathe
Wolfhart's store, I think we alone paid her May electric bill! Thanks
again, Rick!
Bill and Karen Dills <email>
Orlando, Fl USA 05/16/01
I read about Hallstatt on this website and some more via www.hallstatt.net. I was really looking forward to enjoying this little town. When I got there, it exceeded my expectations. There was only a handful of locals walking the streets during the midweek afternoon. The town was ours to savor! Take a boat ride on the lake. We took a paddleboat out for some great views and relaxation. It's a must-see!
Salzburg was as enjoyable as on my previous visit.
I made it to Innsbruck this trip & kind of wished I had gone to Hall
or somewhere else instead. I guess I expected more from the hype of being
in the Alps & the Olympics.
Joe Fill <email>
Westminster, CO USA 05/14/01
Hi Rick! Thanks for the great advice through your guidebooks. Terry and I have just returned from a whirlwind trip to Europe. We need to tell you about a wonderful hotel in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland. It is the Hotel Oberland and what a place — clean, affordable, friendly. Ursula and Mark Nolan were the greatest of hosts. They helped plan activities, served great food, and we feel really deserve some attention from you and your staff. Their location just down from the train and bus station makes it easy to get around.
Hotel & Restaurant Oberland
CH-3822 Lauterbrunnen
Phone ++41(0)33 855 12 41, Fax ++41(0) 33 855 42 41.
Julie Widau <email>
Indianapolis, IN USA 05/13/01
I was in Berlin last November and took some cash to exchange for DM. To my surprise, I found that the banks would only exchange new bills (they are more counterfeit-proof). They will exchange old bills only if you go to the Staatsbank. When I returned, I asked my bank about it and they were not aware of this.
As others say, I find it difficult to use traveler's checks these days. Credit, bank debit or ATM cards are the easiest.
By the way, Berlin is a beautiful city and the Tiergarten is a wonderful
place to spend a beautiful fall day.
Tina Hanna <email>
Austin, TX USA 05/06/01
The Astron hotel chain offers beautiful hotels all over Germany and
Austria, plus some in Switzerland, for exceptionally low rates. Astron
are 4-star hotels and can even impress a spoiled American tourist like
myself. You get their lowest rates on their website at www.astron.de (site
in English available). Example: In Vienna, Astron Hotel Belvedere, located
between the Belvedere palace and the Kärntner Ring, the main shopping
area, has rates from U$60 per room/nite.
Andreas Schuerrle <email>
San Diego, CA USA 05/03/01
Please expand the book to include the "East" as it does not stop at the "line" thru Berlin and resume with the city of Prague! (And put Leipzig onto the cheat sheet of European point-to-point trains.) You are missing the HEART and the cultural center of Germany. Nobody had a complete enough guide, so I was forced to write each town's tourist office for info on sights, trains, hotels, hostels, bus lines etc.
Examples of just a few things you won't see on the West side: Leipzig
and its music-drenched cultural life; Gera, a one-time capital and a fine
midieval city in the Thuringian forest; Meissen; Plauen and its rich tradition
of lace & embroidery making, instrument manufacture and brewery tours
(much of it FREE FREE FREE).
Rosemary Storbel <email>
Minneapolis, MN USA 05/02/01
My wife and I are in Hall in the midst of our 4-week holiday. I got
appendicitis while at Gasthof Badl and had to have surgery immediately.
Frau Steiner got me to the hospital and drove my wife around, finding
lodging closer to me than back to her hotel. Frau Steiner and her daughter
saved the day. I will recuperate at her hotel and am sure will be treated
like family.
Jim and Kristy Paggi <email>
Benicia, Ca USA 04/24/01
My wife and I just got back from Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland. It is nestled in the lush valley below Murren and Wengen. We spent a night at the Hotel Oberland. It is one of the best family-run hotels I have ever stayed in. The operators of the hotel, Ursula and Mark, were so hospitable and friendly. We even got pictures with them. The hotel has a bar and an excellent restaurant. The fondue and the service is impeccable.
I recommend requesting the room that has the view of the waterfall.
There is something wonderful about falling asleep to the sound of a 900-foot
waterfall outside your window. And at night the town illuminates it from
8-11pm. What an experience!
Kevin Kifer <email>
Manassas, VA USA 04/24/01
if you are traveling to frankfurt or the rhine area, i highly recommend
the hotel admiral in weisbaden, run by gerda and nick speros. their 4th
floor rooms even have their own kitchenettes and their rates are reasonable!
marie
USA 04/22/01
When in Rothenberg stop and see Helene Then at Pension Then. She still
gets up every morning and rides her bike faithfully to "die supermarkt
und die backerie." Keeps a nice gausthaus. We're going back in May!
Dave Bridenbaugh <email>
Cincinnati, Oh USA 04/11/01
Rick, you need to add some more on Switzerland. Also, Chateau Chillon can be reached (or returned) from Montreaux by bus. Since the train only runs hourly, the trolley bus is a good alternative. The bus stop is right by the castle and is on a street parallel to but below the train station.
Also coments on your guidebooks in general:
1) Please mention in the local language what an ATM machine is called.
2) You suggest getting lots of cash fewer times to save time. With ATMs, it only takes a minute anyway.
3) Get big cash at beginning and smaller amounts at end from ATM to avoid having money left over.
4) One way to get rid of excess cash: pay last night's hotel bill with
your remaining cash up to what you have left (or will need at airport)
and then put the rest on a credit card. Great for getting rid of all that
pocket change!
John Pezzano <email>
Atlanta, GA USA 04/10/01
I just returned from Prague. Great city. I will definitely go back.
But a tip to tourists. If you go to the Prague Castle don't pay for the
audioguide. The information is useless. Any decent guidebook of Prague
will have much more information.
Paul M. Mucha <email>
Cleveland, OH USA 04/08/01
My family and I stayed at the City Hotel on Weberstrasse in Freiburg in March 2001. It was great and within walking distance to the old city. The hotel staff was friendly and helpful especially when they saw we had kids ages 5 and 8. They all speak some English and went out of their way to be helpful. The breakfast was fruit, cereal, meats, cheeses, juice, and breads. Another good feature was they had an underground garage for guests only. The fee was US$90 a night plus $6 for the garage. It was well worth it.
In Fussen, we stayed at the Hotel Sonne. This is our second time to
stay there and I think Rick should add this hotel to his list. The rooms
are clean, spacious, and modern. The staff is friendly and most of them
speak English. The fee was US$90 a night for a dbl. and included breakfast.
They have a small parking area in front of the hotel at no charge. The
location is in the center of town; the street name escapes me, but Rick's
recommended Hotel Kurcafe is on the corner. Please make reservations if
you travel mid-April through the summer, as there are many people there
visiting Neuschwanstein Castle and the city is packed and hotels are full.
But we had no problem in March just walking in. Happy Travels!
maria beisert <email>
houston, TX USA 03/28/01
My wife and I just returned. While in Fussen, Germany we stayed at Elisabeth's
B&B. It's located about 100 yards form the train station. The price was
very reasonable and the room was very nice. We could not ask for anything
better. We highly recommend Elisabeth's.
Robert <email>
Pflugerville, TX USA 03/22/01
My wife and I just returned from 21 days in Europe. Had a wonderful time. Even though it was still early in the year, we had wonderful weather throughout and were able to beat the crowds.
Krakow, Poland is wonderful. The Palace is a must-do sight. The cloth market in old town is wonderful.
In Salzburg, Pension Panzer was a wonderful little Pension with a great host.
Then drove to Hallstatt. What a wonderful little city. Even in the winter Hallstatt is beautiful.
We love driving the road along the Rhein. Spent the night at one of
the castles, Burg Reichestein. What a view and for only $80. Had a great
restaurant with great food.
Roger Hus <email>
Pinconning, Mi USA 03/21/01
Hey Rick, I was born in Weil Der Stadt near Stuttgart (you can get there
with the S6 from the Stuttgart train station for DM8.20). Weil Der Stadt
is the gateway to the Black Forest and is also the city where Johannes
Kepler, the German astronomer, was born in 1571. By the marktplatz they
have his birthhouse made into a museum.
Thomas W Maguire <email>
Dalton, GA USA 03/18/01
My wife and I stayed at the Hotel Kranenturm in Bacharach in early March 2001. The innkeeper, Fatima, was very nice and accommodating, and the place had charm. However, do not underestimate the proximity to the train tracks. Our room was on the train track side of the hotel, and even with triple-paned windows, the noise was loud to say the least.
In town, we ate at three restaurants not listed by Rick, but they were all very good (wolfschole and jaegar-something were the best).
Driving was very easy, even though we do not speak or read German.
Matt Shaner <email>
Houston, Tx USA 03/17/01
Stayed recently at the Hotel Bristol in Munich, Germany. It was everything
Rick said it would be and a whole lot more. Johann was a very gracious
host as was his English-speaking staff. The buffet breakfast each morning
was out of this world. Location was in the heart of the city and great
for walking around as well as easy access to public transportation. They
even had a garage to park my rented car for a modest 15DM/night ($7.50).
Highly recommended.
Jim and Hope <email>
Fulton, MD USA 03/11/01
We just got back from our tour of Bavaria, Austria and the Rhineland.
Of the 6 hotels where we stayed which were recommended by Rick Steves,
all were either outstanding or very good. All of the hotels were centrally
located. My only complaint is that not all were equipped with elevators,
and not all had available parking.
John Flores <email>
Sacramento, CA USA 03/05/01
In Munich, a friend set us up in the Hotel Domus on St. Anna Street,
near the old city. At about $100 per double, it's probably out of the
price range of Rick's listings; nevertheless, the rooms were very accessible
by elevator, we had the best breakfast there in all of Europe, and the
neighborhood is charming. One of the best-kept secrets of Munich is right
next door, the old cloister church of St. Anna's. (Not to be confused
with the newer, larger church across the street with the same name.) Go
in the side door, which is always open, and take a peek. It is a jewel
box.
Donna <email>
Salinas, CA USA 02/21/01
Jeff Penkowski (below) was right on with his Weihnachmarkts (Christmas
markets) comments. I experienced the ones in Heidelberg and Rothenberg,
and my wife loved the one in Nuremberg when we lived there. Go at night….they
are at their magical best after dark. My favorite German experience!
Jason Thompson <email>
Virginia Beach, VA USA 02/20/01
My husband and two daughters and I spent two weeks last April in Munich, Salzburg and Vienna. Memories that still give me goosebumps:
Salzburg:
— Mozart Dinner Concert. Yes, it's for tourists, but the food was delicious
and the music was divine. So much fun too.
— dinner at the Cafe Winkler, sitting outside, listening to all the church
bells ring at 6 p.m. The best pictures we took of the city were from this
vantage point.
— just off the Linzergasse, take an alleyway up to the Capuchin Cloister.
The stations of the cross are depicted on the walk up and when you arrive
you are blessed with another wonderful view of the city.
Vienna:
— splurge and take a carriage ride around the old city just as it is
getting dark. This is definitely a "pinch me" experience.
— Rick's quick-and-dirty ring tour is a great orientation to the city
too.
Donna Doornik <email>
Salinas, CA USA 02/19/01
My wife, 18-year-old daughter, and I visited Germany, Austria, and Switzerland during August 2000. We used your book almost exclusively, and had a great time.
We started out visiting a German girl who had been an exchange student at our house earlier in the year. Her family lives in Kirchhain, near Marburg. If you can visit people and stay in their homes, by all means do so. You learn things about the country you otherwise would not be able to see. (Marburg is not in the book, but it is worth a visit. It is a nice college town with a beautiful cathedral, a fort, and nice shopping.)
Rothenburg was one of the highlights of our trip. The Gasthof Marktplatz, in your book, has a great location, right on the market place. The walking tour by the Night Watchman is a must.
When seeing the Tirol and Bavaria, we recommend not staying in Ruette. It is out of the way, with nothing special of its own.
Do go to Neuschwanstein, but GET THERE EARLY in the morning. We got there before opening time, and still had a 20-minute wait in line once the ticket booths opened. When we got out, we saw the line going on and on. People had lawn chairs with them for the wait. The gorgeous view from the bridge behind the castle is well worth the hike to it.
Linderhof Palace is another great spot.
In Munich, we highly recommend the walking tours listed in Rick's book.
Salzburg was fun. We enjoyed the Sound of Music Tour, even though it sounded like it would be tacky. If you can, catch some of the music during the Music Festival. We especially enjoyed a chamber music concert, with dinner, in the castle overlooking the city.
For a wonderful experience in the Swiss Alps, take the cable car to Murren. We stayed at the Hotel Alpina, built right on a cliff. The best day of the trip was a hike above Murren. The hike starts at the top of a cable railroad ride, and wends around in the mountains. It is gorgeous, and not strenuous.
Bacharach was a nice stop on the Rhine. We stayed in Ursula Orth's place,
recommended by Rick. It was very nice. We highly recommend Rolf Jung's
walking tour, starting from the tourist information office. The river
tour on the boat starting from Bacharach was also nice.
Rick Bartholomew <email>
Olympia, WA USA 02/16/01
Just came back from Germany; a few comments/reflections:
1. I made a brief stop at St Goar and was amused to see quite a few hotels and restaurants posting signs "recommended by Rick Steves" (all of them were closed for the winter, by the way).
2. This trip's discovery was Bad Wimpfen (an easy day trip from either Stuttgart or Heidelberg, or any town in the Neckar Valley). It wasn't mentioned in any of my guidebooks (I had 4, including Rick's), and it deserves to be. The town dates back to Roman times and is a curious mix of architectural styles (from Romanesque to Gothic), has beautiful ruins and churches, and more half-timbered houses than you ever wanted to see. Okay, you can never have enough half-timbered houses, but you get the idea.
3. Many places in Europe are better visited off-season; the only thing
missing is the tourist crowds. With Germany, this is not the case. It
is far better to visit Germany during the summer or late spring if you
can; for the most obvious reasons: the hills and vineyards are green,
the castles are open, the boats cruise the Rhine and the Mosel, etc. I
still enjoyed it, but not nearly as much as my summer trip.
L B <email>
USA 02/13/01
Rick describes the restaurant at the Hotel Stadt Melk as merely "respectable."
We experienced our best meal there. The food and the service were outstanding.
Quite an unexpected surprise. The rooms are comfortable and the staff
is friendly.
Stephen H
USA 02/08/01
Best-kept secret in Europe is Prague. Absolutely fell in love with it! It is the last frontier for appearing, at first glance, like post-World War II Europe. The architecture is fantastic, everywhere you turn. I highly recommend traveling to the Czech Republic before it becomes too commercialized.
We were there in mid-September 2000. The weather was moderate, 65-70 and cool evenings.
One word of advice: we purchased our train tickets in Munich ahead of
time. There's a great place in the train station to do this. The tickets
were from Vienna to the Czech border, then separately to Prague and reversed
going out of the country.
Pat Summers <email>
Kearney, MO USA 02/08/01
We used Rick's book for a quick visit to the Bavarian Alps the week before Christmas 2000. We especially enjoyed our stay at Suzanne's B&B in Fussen. It is a perfect location for touring the region and within walking distance of the pedestrian area of Fussen. Suzanne was a wonderful hostess and our room was fantastic.
I do think that the book shortchanges Geneva, Switzerland by not including
anything about this wonderful city. There are many things to discover
in Geneva but it is dismissed with a statement about the hustle and bustle
of the city. I beg to differ and would appreciate its inclusion in this
book; after all, it is a gateway to the French and Swiss Alps.
Mary Klugherz <email>
Ketchikan, AK USA 02/04/01
[Dear Mary, and Jeff Penkowski (below):
Thanks for your suggestions. It is true that we skip many worthy cities and places in our guidebook coverage. And we will continue to do so. My books cover what I think makes it into the best first 30 days in a country or region. Geneva, Stuttgart and Frankfurt — by my assessment — don't quite make it. As for Christmas markets, I also try to focus on things that will be there to enjoy throughout the year.
Our books are more select, packable, and researched more often and more in person than our competition. This is possible only with our current approach to things. For information on places that we don't cover, we recommend the advice of your friendly local travel bookstore.
Ciao, Rick Steves]
Tip for visting the new Reichstag in Berlin: Go at night! I went at 9:30
PM (they stop letting visitors in at 10 PM) and you can stay until midnight.
It was great — no lines, and seeing Berlin from the top of the building at
night is great! This was in October, so check the times before going.
Betty <email>
Oak Park, IL USA 01/27/01
I've used Rick's books for vacation trips to Italy and Spain (including the side trip to Tangiers), so I previewed the Germany book prior to a business trip during December 2000. Was so disappointed in the lack of coverage for Stuttgart and Frankfurt that I decided not to buy it.
Please expand the Frankfurt section to cover a visit of Frankfurt's historic center. There's so much history to see and it can be done in one to two days. Also there is a TI in Frankfurt town center which has English tour books.
Also, add a general section on Germany's Weihnachmarkts. Every town
and city I visited had one of these Christmas markets located in/near
the historic center and served traditional German food.
Jeff Penkowski <email>
Concord, OH USA 01/17/01
We found a couple of "Back Doors" on a recent trip to Germany: the city of Ulm with its wonderful cathedral, and Bamberg with its picturesque town hall built on a bridge over the river.
The cathedral in Ulm has the highest church steeple in the world. We climbed it — 768 steps up a narrow winding staircase — for great views over the city. The Christmas market was in full swing in the main market square below and was packed with European tourists. The choir stalls inside the cathedral are magnificent with their numerous examples of beautiful medieval woodcarving. We also enjoyed a short walk along the city wall to the Metzgerturm and the quaint Fishermen's Quarter.
We also liked Bamberg. Hard to believe for the second week of December,
but we actually saw some roses blooming in the Rose Garden located in
the inner courtyard of the New Residence. Seems that Germany was having
an unusually warm December.
Marilyn
Poughkeepsie, NY USA 01/16/01
Spent two weeks in Austria and Switzerland the last of September. Thank you, Rick, for making this trip so enjoyable and much easier! What makes it nice is that you can experience as much of the country and culture as you choose, but undoubtedly, if you crave English conversation, there is always a Rick Steves reader close by! Favorites:
Vienna — lovely metropolitan city, teeming with music, shopping and historical sites. Pension Pertschy — lovely hotel, great location, helpful staff, reasonably priced. Schonbrunn Palace beautiful; great food at the outdoor cafe off the square. Marvelous restaurant called Ofenloch, fairly close to hotel, with local people, great food and a marvelous waiter. He made the evening!
Salzburg — beautiful city, very crowded. Lovely Hotel Bergland, 15-minute walk from center, very nice accommodations. Biergarten Weisse two blocks away — typical beer garden food but great fun. Lots of young people singing local songs.
Melk — our hotel was on the square and we had a difficult time finding it. If you come during the day, you are not allowed to drive to your hotel. The abbey is beautiful!
Hallstatt — heaven! What a lovely little town! Gasthof Simony — lovely old hotel. Room #12 is tiny — but with a lovely balcony overlooking the lake. Proprietress very accommodating. Had dinner twice at Gasthof Zauner, also on the square. Excellent food — make reservations.
Switzerland — Take the trip up to the Schilthorn and don't be discouraged if it is cloudy in the valley. We found to our delight that once we got to Murren, we were above the clouds! If you get to Grindlewald, have the cheese fondue at Hotel Oberland. Delicious!
A few observations:
— I had very little problem finding someone who spoke English. I found
everyone to be very friendly; just make certain you are!
— How good is your back? Pack light!
— We picnicked almost everyday at lunch and those meals were some of our
most memorable.
— It would have been easier to fly into one city and out of another. Saves
driving.
— Had no problem renting a car and enjoyed being able to go wherever the
mood struck us. — Although the countries are relatively small, still felt like I was rushing
all the time. Spent three days in Vienna, three days in Hallstatt and
two in Salzburg, but never enough time.
Jane Longfellow <jlongfelhb@yahoo.com>
Huntington Beach, CA USA 01/14/01
My family and I went on a fantastic 2-week trip to Germany, Austria and Switzerland this past June. We rented a car (Ford 5 speed — manual shift) out of Frankfurt. We traveled the backroads as much as possible. And driving the alpine roads of Europe was the experience of a lifetime.
From Fussen, Germany to Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland, we passed through Andermatt, Switzerland and the Fukra and Grimsel Passes. In keeping with Rick's rating system, this was a 3-triangle experience! I cannot recommend doing this enough. Just pay attention to your driving.
There is a book that I highly recommend: "Motorcycle Journeys Through The Alps," by John Hermann. It can be ordered from Whitehorse Press at www.WhitehorsePress.com. This book describes all the great roads in the Alps. This is an invaluable aid for those who want to drive the great alpine roads.
Also, it's a great help to obtain detailed road maps before you head
out. I ordered maps by Kummerly and Frey (great detail) from Omni Resources
at www.omnimap.com.
Eddie Merrill <epmamm@msn.com>
Fayetteville, Georgia USA 01/13/01
We just returned from a two-week trip to Austria and Prague.
Schweizer Pension in Vienna was wonderful. Anita Klaus, the owner, and her husband are great hosts, and the rooms are spacious and clean. We stayed for 8 nights. Our large room with bath cost only $70 U.S. per night. That included breakfast. On a few mornings we had to leave very early and they set out food the night before for us so we would have something to eat. The building isn't fancy and you have to take a creaky elevator, but it is a wonderful place to stay.
We had a walking tour with Vienna Walks (which was excellent) and it ended up at a very interesting new Jewish museum at Judenplatz. The museum incorporates the ruins of an old synagogue and the interactive displays are very interesting.
In Prague we stayed at lovely hotel called U Pava in the Lesser Quarter. It was a splurge ($150 U.S.) but it was absolutely gorgeous. Our room was beautiful and we had a view of the castle. On the night we stayed, it snowed, and when we woke up in the morning, the castle was covered in snow.
One warning about Prague: if you want to do any sightseeing (i.e. the castle) go early in the morning. By 10 a.m. the crowds at the castle were ridiculous and we skipped some of the sights because it was so crowded.
Finally, I know that Rick does not cover Zell am See but if you are
a skier, this is a great resort town to visit. It is on a pretty lake
and the town is charming. The skiing is pretty good (although the snow
conditions when we were there weren't great) and there are lots of other
things to do. If you go, try to avoid the pensions and hotels along the
pedestrian area. They can be a little noisy.
SFTraveler
CA USA 01/10/01
We just visited Germany last week, following suggestions from Rick Steves' book, but several options weren't available. So we found, and recommend:
Trier — Hotel Pauline, only a block from Hotel zum Christopher, 210DM for a triple, great breakfast.
Rothenburg — Pension Becker, about 2 blocks from Market Square, very
clean, simple furniture, proprietors spoke good English, 140DM for a triple.
Karla Keller <kkel@jvlnet.com>
Edgerton, WI USA 01/09/01
My husband and I stayed at a fabulous apartment-hotel in Vienna, within
walking distance of the railway station. For appr. $70. a night we had
a spacious and beautifully furnished apartment, a fully equipped kitchen
and such amenities as a towel-warmer in the bathroom. We were treated
to a great breakfast in the morning and to some delicious Viennese pastries
from their cozy Konditorei (coffee shop) upon returning from sightseeing.
They made our stay in Vienna unforgettable! (Appartement-Haus Walch, phone
43(1)5974238, fax 43(1)5974238-20, and e-mail: appawalch@webcity.at, Website:
www.apartment.at/pav5-e.htm)
Mary Vandenberg <jmvandenberg@cts.com>
San Diego, CA USA 01/08/01
Berlin….fantastic city! Loved it and wished I had more time there.
Hotel recommendation (if you don't mind train noise, but it stops at midnight):
the Hotel Kunstlerheim Luise, in the Mitte district (Luisenstrasse 19,
tel. 280 69 41). Every room is artist-designed and each one different.
I was in a very black & white striped room with a wall mural of 4 hefty
ladies in various modes of dress. The lobby also sports unusual decorating.
The breakfast does leave much to be desired (for the price of the room).
Note: you do get ear plugs on the night stands….no kidding. One room
I looked at had a train passing by so close you could have touched it.
But if it isn't quaint churchbells, it's train noise.
Betty <bamop@aol.com>
Oak Park, IL USA 01/07/01
As I read other readers' accounts of the great hospitality from Suzanne's
B&B in Fussen I am wondering if I stayed in the same place. In all of
seven weeks of travel we never came across such a grumpy, even surly proprietor.
Maybe she was having a few bad days! We were also rather shocked when
the "attic special" turned out to have a ceiling so low that my husband
could never stand upright. The train tracks that run right next to the
B&B also cause middle-of-the-night rumblings and noise. I do agree that
the B&B was clean. But at 190dm for my family of five it was a rip-off!
C.Marck
Seattle, WA USA 01/02/01