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 co