Best of Germany, Austria & Switzerland in 14 Days Tour

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Going up the Schilthorn in the Swiss Alps"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our overall experience was outstanding! The sites selected, the time allotments, the travel experience all very well done.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"For us the "Wow" moment was our stay in Muren. The scenery was unlike anything we've ever experienced."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

We had a great time with all 28 people on our trip. We got to learn some back ground on all the people we met. Some history and art, paintings at all the museums. Got to sample some great wine and beer.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Alps were our wow moment. We had three beautiful sunny days and 70 degree weather. Everywhere you looked it was like a painting."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We waited 3 years for this trip!!! Signed up in 2019 for 2020, again in 2020 for 2021 and then in 2021 for 2022! It lived up to all that was promised! Our wonderful guide Andrea was amazing, knowledgeable, fun and inspiring! Our group of fellow travelers were wonderful and kind! I researched all the things to do ( I had a long time to do it!) and it made the trip more enjoyable, interesting and fulfilling!! We went to bed late and got up early and I never slept on the bus! My dream came true!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Every day there was a wow moment! 2000 year old Roman ruins in Trier. Our balcony view of the Swiss Alps and the cows with their bells in Murren. Seeing the palace in Munich and the treasury. Neuschwanstein castle with the fall colors shrouded in fog. Beautiful Salzburg and all the Sound of Music places to see! Tiny Hallstatt in the fall colors and Vienna with all the beautiful architecture, museums, and churches! Last, but not least our wonderful guide, Andrea and our fellow tour members!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had not been to many of the places we visited on this tour. Our experiences seeing new places and meeting new people (both on and off the tour) was fantastic. We have already started talking about which places we want to go back and visit again.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"One of the most memorable may have been the young woman at the cooking school in Salzburg who sang opera during our dinner experience there. Neither of us expected such power and beauty when she opened her mouth to sing. WOW! Even watching her breathing techniques was fascinating. Such a cool and unexpected surprise! Another biggie had to be the beauty of Murren and the Swiss Alps. We had zero expectations for that section of the trip. It was AMAZING, our favorite part."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Andrea was extremely knowledgeable, friendly and attentive to the group’s needs. The accommodations and meals were all fantastic.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our stay in Switzerland was superb! The views and weather were breathtaking. A bonus was the trees were changing colors. I didn’t know what to expect for the optional hiking. It was mostly flat, not mountains. I think you should add that to the information you send tour groups."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Overall, great trip.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Swiss Alps. Breathtaking scenery and perfect weather."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Everything about the tour contributed to the overall educational experience: the cities & towns visited, the in-between stops, the narratives of both the tour and local guides and the clever little surprises sprinkled throughout.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Each new venue was a "wow" because I thought hotels, natural beauty, information presented couldn't get any better than the venue we were at - - but they did, every one!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Wow! Our tour was fantastic. When I kept thinking it couldn't get any better it did. Our tour guide, Thomas, was wonderful. He made sure everyone was satisfied with everything. He went over and above to provide us with the best experience imaginable.He even changed up our schedule due to the weather so we would have better views of the mountains in Switzerland. We had 20 in our group and everyone was great. We had so much fun!. I wish we could be on another tour together.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many but if I had to chose it would be staying in Murren and doing the hikes and taking the gondola up to Schilthorn and doing the trill walk at Birg."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our first experience with a group tour, and we found it to be an excellent balance of great education and leadership from our guide, Thomas, and local guides, as well as ample free time to explore on our own. We loved the itinerary of this trip. We visited small cities, medium cities, large cities, and small villages in the Alps. We went to palaces and castles, rode subways and funiculars and trams, had a boat ride and hiked in the Alps.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"This is a hard one as there were many 'wow" moments for me. But being a nature lover, I keep coming back to the views of the Alps from our hotel in Murren. Right up there though is the view of the quaint market square in Hallstatt from our hotel balcony and of course the boat ride on Lake Hallstatt."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

What an amazing tour. Beautiful landscapes so rich with history.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Standing atop Schilthorn Pit Gloria and soaking in the majestic views."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Mix and Tempo of the Trip was classic Rick Steve's! Better than anyone else in the business.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Local Musician's in Murien"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We thought the tour was perfect in every way! We loved every minute! Our tour guide, Thomas, was truly the best and made the experience top notch. I can’t stop telling my friends how awesome a Rick Steves tour is!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Murren, Switzerland was our biggest wow moment. This has to be the most beautiful place on earth! Our room balcony overlooking the alps had a magnificent view. Our private outdoor accordion, yodeling and Alp horn concert (complete with us all joining in a polka train at the end), was also very memorable."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Terrific tour guide. Enjoyed the cities we visited, the sights we saw and the hotels that we stayed in.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Switzerland and sunrise over the Alps."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great guide, terrific group, fantastic experiences!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Waking up to the Alps on our first morning in Switzerland…then seeing them from our gondola later that day"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I love love our guide Thomas!! He made the trip excellent!! As for the local tour guides they also were outstanding. Locations visited were all fantastic. The exception being Vienna. I like the third man museum and history yet I felt only one day there would’ve been suffice.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Murren, Switzerland and 007 site!!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour offered a wonderful variety of experiences, from the natural beauty of Murren Switzerland to the history-rich sites of Mauthausen and Vienna. The tour guide was excellent, making the experience both fun and educational.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The southern Bavaria countryside and the scenery near Neuschwanstein. The fall colors were a great bonus."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was absolutely fabulous! The pace of the tour with planned activities and free time was outstanding! The hotels and restaurants we used were top notch and made for a wonderful overall experience!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Swiss Alps"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was wonderful! We did have a lot of cloudy/rainy days but our tour guide Hans was terrific in keeping us laughing and having a good time! We loved Baden Baden, Salzburg and Lake Hallstatt. The people we met in Germany, Switzerland and Austria were so friendly and I have never seen so much bread in all my life. The tour of Mauthausen concentration camp was so important, you see things like this in the movies but it's so much more being there.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite "wow" moment was in Baden Baden when my husband and I decided at the last minute to go to the Friedrichsbad Spa. I can't explain how wonderful it felt and believe it or not it was very relaxing!"

Overall rating: rating 3 of 5

We had one of the best tour groups. The cities we visited were interesting. The rainy days put a drain on a lot of the adventures that I was looking forward to and did not occur. Octoberfest was my draw to scheduling this time of year, which was a very rainy day and evening. I would love to revisit Schilthorn and be able to hike the Swiss Alps on a not so soggy and rainy time of year. The visibility at Schilthorn was zero.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Trummelbach Falls were spectacular. With the amount of rain that we were having, the waterfall were fast and powerful. Very beautiful experience."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

It was great overall. The only negative was weather which no one could control. Our guide did a great job getting us through a lot of rain.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Visiting Hallstatt, Austria. So beautiful."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great tour guide, great cities, great hotels, great food, great transportation. Great Tour!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Switzerland!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Overall the tour was good but not great.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The natural scenery"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great itinerary, great fellow travelers, great tour guide. This was our 4th Rick Steves trip and our fellow travelers rivaled the ones we had on our Village Italy in 14 Days tour. It was a real fun group. Hans, our guide, was very witty, and did a fabulous job organizing activities despite the challenge of some bad weather in Switzerland (it was chilly & rainy like Seattle in December).

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Flying umbrella handles! (That's an inside joke our tour and Hans will laugh at). All joking aside, it's hard to choose between The Schilthorn, Neuschwanstein, or Lake Hallstatt. All three are "WOW's". From my engineering perspective, the gondolas and funiculars are really cool, too. Amazing how they built those on sheer cliffs -- what a challenge! Going to Oktoberfest in Munich was a blast, too. Hey, it's just hard to distill the trip into a single WOW."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Signing up & paying for tour was great. Enjoyed adventure of getting to Trier & the city itself. There were many unique stops, historically educational & fun things to do: churches, hikes, luge etc. It’s nice having a guide & driver make our vacation run smoothly!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Driving into Hallstatt & seeing the view of a hidden village. The view from our room was beautiful & the town quaint & fun to wander. And…being above the clouds at the Schilthorn..sadly the weather wasn’t great to hike"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Like the other RS tours I’ve done, it ran like clockwork. Very well structured and planned. It goes by fast, then you look back and wonder how did we do all those things!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Probably meeting a very friendly, kind man at a schnapps bar in Salzburg. He took us to the University Cathedral. There he told us of the rooms acoustics and had us go to the alter. From the back of the cathedral he sang an aria. Amazingly, beautiful! Everyone there clapped. An RS moent!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

highly educational and enjoyable. Excellent guide, great variety and wonderful travel companions.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Salzburg was a delightful city and Murren Switzerland and Lake Hallstatt, Austria were unbelievably beautiful. The concentration camp visit at the Mauthausen Memorial was beyond sobering."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

As always, a wonderful trip! At long last, it was good to be traveling again. Eris (our tour guide) was organized, personable, knowledgeable, helpful and humorous (even though she said Germans have no sense of humor!). She had, at least me, back in the groove of traveling with an empty tank and on-time! Beautiful countries all three!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"So many "wow" moments! But my favorite one was when the gondola cracked through the clouds on what was a very rainy portion of the trip, and we had a 360 Degree view of the top of the Alps at the top of the Schilthorn! Beautiful! Although only for a few minutes it was stunning! Time for a few pictures before the clouds closed in again. And I know Eris worked hard to calculate the best possible time to be there and it worked!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

FABULOUS! This was our 2nd RS Tour, and we had a wonderful time. Ruby, our guide, helped us create some great memories that we will treasure for years to come. She has such a fun personality and sense of humor. Johnny, our bus driver, got us safely where we needed to go. We enjoyed him as well. We are hooked on RS Tours! There is the perfect amount of time with the group, and time on your own. We also learned so much history and culture and tried new food, that we wouldn’t have on our own.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Swiss Alps! Even though we were there in 2019 on the BOE14 tour, I think the Swiss Alps will always “Wow!” us! I described the Lauterbrunnen Valley as Yosemite on steroids during our 2019 trip. Staying in Murren was even more amazing. We had lovely, heavenly views from our hotel, and took some hikes in the breathtaking nature that surrounds the area. The cowbells are a treat! And the alphorn and accordion player concert with a view of the alps was just perfect! I could go on and on!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our second RSE tour, the GAS itinerary and collection of tour mates were all fantastic. Our guide, Ruby, went above and beyond to make sure everyone was getting what they wanted out of experience. One noticeable difference between this and our first tour (2015) was the caliber of local guides, which in this instance really added to the overall quality and content of the tour. Hans/Trier, Michael/Munich, and Bridgette/Salzburg really brought those venues to life with their knowledge and stories.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The tour's 3-nt stay in Mürren was the perfect stop between Germany's Mosel/BlackForest regions and what was to follow in Bavaria and Austria. We were blessed with incredible weather during Berner Oberland portion of the tour, allowing opportunity to hike from Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg on an absolutely crystal-clear autumn day. Finishing the hike with lunch at Grindelwaldblick's patio tables -- sipping a Rugenbräu with the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau within reach -- was a true moment in time."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I loved our GAS tour. Had so much fun, learned new things and enjoyed meeting our tour group.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Going to Hallstatt, Austria was my favorite part of our trip. Such a beautiful little village"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my 1st RS tour. It was a fantastic experience even though our group was decimated by COVID.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Waking in Mürren that 1st morning, opening my curtains and seeing all the snow! It was magical!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Bryan, our tour guide, was unbelievably great - intelligent, informative and often funny. people were all great. The other tour guides were also excellent. The places visited were interesting and historical. The tour meals were excellent. Biggest need would be to have WIFi on the traveling bus. Since we all wore our masks religiously on the bus and around any gatherings one has to guess where the Covid infection started.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Both Murren and Hallstatt were unbelievable, Salzburg was really interesting too. Small towns and cities seem to have more appeal that the big cities like Vienna. However, everything in Europe holds so much history and culture."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This trip is a wonderful overview of the three countries. We experienced highlights of the cities visited and had the opportunity to travel with friends who we met on previous RS trips

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Being in Murren after a snowfall. We had been in Murren 2 weeks before and enjoyed glorious weather and great hiking. This time the snow accentuated the beauty of the mountains and created a new appreciation for the majesty of the area."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Most of the stops were not "tourist" stops and not expected

Favorite "WOW" moment

"All the "surprises" given by our tour guide Bryan"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Bryan was an excellent guide, hotels were very nice, Frank was an excellent bus driver!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"When I opened the drapes in Murren and it was snowing!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was outstanding, but impacted by many tour members contracting covid.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Mountain views in switzerland"

Overall rating: rating 3 of 5

Had it not been for COVID, this would have been an outstanding tour. I think more needs to be done to keep everyone safe. Hopefully I'll have an opportunity to discuss that more in the review.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My "wow" moment was finally getting to visit Hallstatt. I'm an amateur photographer and I've wanted to photograph there forever."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Best tour guide ever! Really enjoyed the whole trip.Too bad about the Covid infections ramped in our trip

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Waterfall inside a mountain in Murren"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour was fantastic. Great guide, excellent group of travelers, comfortable bus with lots of room to spread out. The hotels were all well situated, and the locations and stops in-between were all fun and interesting.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hiking in the Alps alongside cows with their bells ringing."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Overall, the tour is a fantastic way to see a lot in a relatively short period of time. For me, it struck a great balance of quality and quantity. The only experiences I would recommend changing would be Trier and Baden Baden in favor of the Rhine Valley. Other than that, I loved every place the tour took us. The tour guide, Hans, was fantastic as well. He was fun, knowledgeable, and kept the group entertained. If you're looking to see a lot and have it organized for you, this is the way to go!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Stopping to hang out with the cows in the Swiss Alps during an incredibly picturesque hike. The views were spectacular (it was impossible to take a bad picture) and hearing the cow bells (more cowbell) as we hiked with mountains in the backdrop was majestic. The whole experience was unexpected and truly incredible. I left with some incredible pictures, and memories for a lifetime."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Reasonably well organized. Definitely a couple questionable hotel and restaurant choices. Guide was very good.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Staying in Murren Switzerland"

Overall rating: rating 3 of 5

It was a good tour. There were some good moments and some not so good moments.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Switzerland"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I really enjoyed traveling with this group of people and especially our guide, Hans. We saw a lot of interesting sights and had great experiences such as riding the luge in the Black Forest and touring the salt mine in Hallstadt.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I've traveled extensively in Europe, but not much in the Germanic countries. My favorite sight was Salzburg Cathedral, probably the most beautiful cathedral I've ever seen. (I might have liked it especially because, although Baroque in style, it is slightly subdued and in better taste than the over-the-top examples we saw elsewhere.)"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

another great Rick Steves tour! Our guide, Hans, was very knowledgeable and entertaining. we had a great group of tour members too.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Staying in Murren and taking the gondolas up to the Schilthorn and around the valley. We didn't get great weather but it cleared up enough to get some good views of the peaks."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Outstanding sites visited, tour guide, fellow tourists and bus driver.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The luge ….. just kidding … coin toss - either Murren or Hallstatt"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our two week tour was wonderful. Iris was the best guide you can have. She was very knowledgeable, organized, and had a great personality. Walter our driver was also great. He was very skilled and personable. The places we went were all very interesting and beautiful. I felt that there was a good balance of group activities and personal time to explore. We were also blessed to be traveling with a good group of folks. It was a great time from day one to day 14.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite wow moments were many. The history of Trier, the hiking in Murren, the concert in Salzburg, the beer gardens in Munich, the boat ride on Lake Hallstatt, and the beauty of Vienna. We really enjoyed the Gutach open air museum in the Black Forest."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I thoroughly enjoyed this tour- a lot of variety and incredible beauty. I was glad that The concentration camp was included. It wouldn’t seem right to travel to this area and not acknowledge the atrocities that are part of the history. Our guide, Iris, was very knowledgeable and this was the most punctual group we’ve ever traveled with. That allows the whole trip to run smoothly.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Swiss Alps were even more incredible than I had hoped. Being able to stay in Murren as long as we did was a definite plus. Wandering along the paths from village to village, stopping to pick up fresh cheese and sausage - just perfect!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour has great variety of history, culture, time in nature, social time with tour group, contemplative time at Austrian concentration camp. Our tour guide, Iris, was outstanding. She kept us on schedule ( German promptness) , selected excellent restaurants, and even adjusted our trip to the top of the Alps for the day with the best weather. Mostly, she was an excellent teacher! I feel like I learned a lot of world history.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hiking in the Alps with musical cow bells all around us— the hills were truly alive with music!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We loved the variety of experiences of the tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"We loved Switzerland!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The cultural and historical perspective of the area was outstanding.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"We loved hiking in Switzerland."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was wonderful! We had a great first time tour group experience. We had an amazing tour guide, Iris. She was so organized, knowledgeable & able to keep the entire group on task with ease. Walter, our bus driver was terrific, and was missed when he was finished with driving in Vienna. Iris and Walter were a treasured team for us! We loved the size of the group, and were blessed with great traveling companions.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"So many! Switzerland was a favorite for me. Murren was stunning, & I truly loved the surprise Alp horn & music before dinner. Lake Halstatt in Austria was beautiful! I loved the history of each place, both from Iris & the city guides. Michael in Munich was incredible! I could have listened to him all day!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Exceed my expectations.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hiking the Swiss Alps"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a wonderful tour. Our guide Iris was just great, other tour members were friendly and fun, and the trip itinerary was great. We enjoyed the variety of this trip, visiting both larger cities as well as smaller countryside towns. We're already planning our next Rick Steves tour!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"We loved hearing the cow bells while hiking in Murren, Switzerland. They sounded like wind chimes!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our fifth Rick Steves tour, so obviously we like them! This one seemed particularly well done, and we had a fantastic tour group. Iris was the perfect guide, and Walter drove the bus with skill and constant good humor. Loved the Switzerland portion enough that I think we’ll return for that tour. We spent time in Bacharach before the tour, and I highly recommend the area.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Lake Hallstatt was my “wow” moment simply because I didn’t expect it to be that beautiful. I enjoyed everywhere we went"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We thoroughly enjoyed all of the experiences on our tour and the friends & memories made along the way made this a great trip. As usual, the Rick Steves' guides are the best. Our primary guide Matty had to leave our tour and take over another tour, the apprentice guide Thomas took over and was fantastic.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The days we spent in the Swiss Alps in Murren were amazing. It is such a unique and wonderful area. Looking out at the mountain vistas every morning was a real treat."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our first RS tour and it did not Disappoint. Though we had to switch from the main guide to the apprentice guide Thomas. He was outstanding. The hotels were very good especially in Murren and Vienna. More time was need in Baden Baden and the Black Forest and could have done without the local guide in Vienna. Lake Hallstatt was great but, I would not advertise the salt mine anymore that was to underwhelming.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Even though it was very foggy most of the time were at the Schilthorn I will still say the time spent in the Alps. My first look at the mountains was OMG. Walking through the Trummelbach Falls was amazing seeing what nature can do with time. The most amazing thing I recall is the vibrancy of the colors. Going up in the gondolas and seeing how green was the grass. Walking through Grindlewald and the Red in the Roses and the Purple colors. were just so vibrant. Those are my WOW moments."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was a wonderful dream come true for me, even with a hiccup in the beginning and losing our main guide Matthias, we were left in great hands with Thomas. It was educational and cultural which is what I was looking for in the tour. There was a few things I didn't care for but it was all part of the experience. It was great to learn about Thomas'perspective on growing up and living in what was East Berlin and being able to teach him some of our American idioms.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing all of the beauty that this world has to offer and not being caught in the politics of it all. From the beauty of the Bavaria mountains, to the vibrant colors of flowers in Berner Overland, to the thundering water at Trummelbach Falls, the mountains in Switzerland, it was just so WOW seeing God's glory."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great! Our guide was so personable, knew the history of every location, knowledgeable and overall a very nice person. We actually had two and I would say this for both of them.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Overall speaking for my husband and me Switzerland. Love our room & the view in Murren, scenery, small town just everything. For me personally, Lake Hallstatt. The lake views & proximity to hotel room was so great. Loved the town & salt mine."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Loved Muerren. I think overall too far and too many short overnight stops. Eliminate Trier, Baden-Baden. Increase additional days in Salzburg, Halstatt, and Vienna. Name should be "A Taste of..." Exhausting as is. Fellow passengers were exhausted. Evening tours and native docents should be no more than one hour in duration. More free elective time needed.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Third Man Museum. Gerhard Strassgschwandtner and his museum are amazing and profound. Life Changing. Americans in particular need to get it the cost of Facism and Totalitarianism."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

It was a good combination of culture, local lore, history, and fun

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Mountain scenery"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hiking the Swiss Alps was the most fun ever!!!!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Tour was enjoyable as always. We had a great guide and our group was really cohesive so that added to the fun.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hiking the Swiss Alps"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Wonderful tour with great balance of historical lessons and outdoor beauty. Perfect amount of group vs. on your own time. RS members are very like minded making it great fun to spend free time in a small group of new friends. RS did a good job of keeping members up to date prior to leaving US, Covid Protical's, etc.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hiking the North Face in Murren! The spectacular views, wandering cows, pubs with the trail passing through the patios. RS Tours take you to your hotel in the Swiss Alps that takes 2 gondolas to arrive, you know you're in a special place."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Another great tour! Perfectly situated hotels and a skillful guide made for a wonderful experience.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hiking the North Face trail in Switzerland on a beautiful sunny day, and then finishing the day with a beer on a terrace in Gimmelwald."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Andrea is an amazing tour guide, extremely knowledgeable and a genuinely nice person. We were very fortunate to have only 14 persons in our group. Henri, our bus driver is a skilled driver and was willing to engage with our group. The overall itinerary was diverse and well planned, would eliminate Baden Baden.if possible would add another day in Salzburg. Hotels all provided pleasant stay, enjoyed breakfasts and pleasant staff. Would have preferred staying in Hallstatt not other side of lake.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Tour with Gerhard including the tour of the Opera House when we were the only persons in there. Also enjoyed the Third Man Museum."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We loved it! We enjoyed learning so much about the countries and their history and their way of life now. Small group size was a big plus.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Berner Oberland area - wow! So beautiful. Also all the Roman history of Trier: the museum and the baths."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Great tour. A fun mix of education, scheduled activities, and free time. It was a bit larger group than I expected (28 if I recall correctly), but that wasn't a problem. Tour and hotel staff members were kind and friendly. I was pleasantly surprised that finding vegetarian food was not a problem. I remember thinking, "Thank god I'm on this tour! There's no way I could have arranged all these different activities on my own."

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the Swiss Alps from my hotel room window."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Overall it was very good, our tour guide could not have been better. The local guides were also good.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Salzburg, walking through an arch and seeing the old town and castle above."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour was a wonderful taste of GAS. It had more travel/bus time than the other tours we have taken with RS, but the days were well planned and still provided ample free time. Matthias was a great leader and provided us with a lot of insight into pre & post WWII history & culture which helped to put many of the sights into perspective.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Lauterbrunnen Valley is more beautiful than I imagined and impossible to appreciate without being there. I will definitely be going back to see more of Switzerland. I think there could be a week long immersive tour for Vienna and another for Salzburg. We stayed 3 extra nights and there is still more I want to do in Vienna. I feel like we just touched the surface of Salzburg."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Getting to Trier was not a good experience, as plane delayed coming out of Toronto, making catching train to Koblenz a challenge, as had to catch slow train. I am glad I took the extra day as recommended by RS tour so I was stressed, but not worried about making it to Trier in time for tour. Once tour started, it was very good. Not a fan of Trier, would not go back. I loved Baden-Baden, and Switzerland.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Switzerland, the mountains and hiking"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour is well organized. All of the guides are well experienced and helpful. We believe that we received fair value for what we paid.

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our guide Donald was excellent! Good mixture of big cities and small beautiful town and our fellow travelers were both fun and interesting.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Murren Switzerland!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

We had a great trip! Donald was an excellent tour guide, very patient, helpful and organized. And Knowledgeable! I found all the information regarding transportation in Murren confusing but he helped tremendously in that regard. Our group was wonderful also as usual. My main regret was that we didn’t have more time in Vienna,I felt that we really didn’t do it justice—partly due to time constraints but also because as our last stop, I think the whole group was kind of exhausted!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Alps of course! Also the view from the breakfast room in our Vienna hotel, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, I believe? Awe—inspiring!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

My wife and I had a great time and really enjoyed the whole experience.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Lake Hallstat was amazing."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I learned so much on this tour about history and geography. I never knew how beautiful Germany was. I had heard Switzerland was gorgeous, and it lived up to expectations. We loved riding on the big tour bus with plenty of room for us each to have our own seat. It was great not having to plan for hotels or worry about getting anywhere on time. Lodging and food was pretty much taken care of us by the tour. The tour was exactly as described in the tour brochures, including activity levels.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hiking in Switzerland. We rode a train up from the Lauterbrunnen valley to Wengen. From there we took a cable car to Mannlichen, then hiked from Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg. We saw very few people on this hike. It was foggy when we started and I now understand why Swiss farmers put bells on their cows. Even though we could not see very far ahead through the fog, we could locate the cows throughout the valleys below by the sound of their bells. The scenery was spectacular."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great, as usual. This was our 9th ...

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Lake Halstaf (?) in Austria. Beautifully quaint lake and village We'd been to Murren on a prior R.S. tour, and named it our wow moment then (2006), so rather than name it again ..."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We enjoyed everything about the Best of Germany, Switzerland, and Germany tour; including the beautiful cities chosen for our stays, informative and exciting tour excursions each day, picturesque hotels, and a wonderful cultural experience with a good mix of group and independent time.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The town of Murren in Switzerland’s Alps was a “wow” moment of our tour which was “jaw dropping” and beautiful. We especially loved our hotel which offered a front-row view of the Munch, Eiger, and Jungfrau off our private Deck."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I loved my Best of Germany, Austria & Switzerland tour! There is little that could be done to make the experience any better! Iris is the most phenomenal tour guide and we had the luxury of also having Francis as Iris' assistant and he could not have been the more perfect addition to our experience. Both Iris' and Francis' knowledge of European history was such an added bonus and made every day enjoyable! Bravo Iris and Francis!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The three days spent in Murren, Switzerland were jaw-dropping gorgeous! I kept saying I was running out of adjectives to describe the beauty! Our yummy fondue dinner in Murren was such a delight as well."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour was fabulous! Every stop was interesting, educational, and exceeded my expectations. The variety of sites and experiences was perfect…. interesting and exciting without being exhausting.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Mürren was my favorite stop. Every view looked like a postcard. Hiking in the Alps was a bucket list item and it did not disappoint."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The skilled driver and tour guides were THE best, the scenery & tours were amazing. The rule of 'No Grumps' was adhered to, but the lack of AC meant I had 2-3 decent nights of rest, the remaining was very sweaty near sleepless nights on very hot days. I will not do another summer tour with Rick Steves unless that is addressed.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Switzerland landscapes, waterfalls & mountain ranges were truly breathtaking."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was an amazing tour. Our tour guide Iris and her assistant Francis contributed to it in so many ways, they were the greatest. There was so much variety. I have to thank Iris for providing me with gluten free meals. I have celiac disease and can not eat gluten. I would have liked to have spent more time in Baden Baden but don’t know how you would have done that since I wouldn’t have wanted time to have been taken from anywhere else. I did not like the tour guide in Vienna, cynical.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite moments was the time spent in Mürren, Lake Hallstatt and the Open air museum in the Black Forrest. I come from German immigrant farmers and there were so many similarities to my family farm. It was an absolute joy of my life and I would recommend it to anyone."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour was AWESOME. We were blown away at every stop from Trier to Baden Baden, Murren, Munich, Salzburg, Halstatt, and Vienna, and at each stop along the way (with extra points for the luge ride in the Black Forest). Every stop was a highlight and we left with that "Rick Steve's Feeling" of knowing that if we go back, we could do it ourselves. And a special shout-out to Iris, our tour guide, who was so generous in what and how she shared her vast experience (and her patience) with us.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Murren and the Alps. To be taken thousands of feet up a sheer rock cliff in a cable car, to look DOWN on people riding parasails, to be face to face with the Alps (and their sadly receding glaciers), to hear the never ending roar of water flowing down the mountain faces in the night, and to stand on the peak of one of those mountains and have a 360 degree view of the world......just WOW."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my first trip to Europe. Our tour guide made the experience so much better because of his outstanding knowledge of the history of all 3 countries. I loved his sense of humor, the many surprises that he had for us, his interaction with our bus driver, (Big John), and he kept the bus rides from being boring by telling stories about his personal life or history of the places that we saw along the bus route. He gave us many options for things to do once we got to our destination.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The location of the hotel in Switzerland was amazing. Murren was the best part of my trip. I loved that we had to take a gondola to get there, and the views were amazing. I could sleep with my windows open and hear the cow bells in the distance. Being able to hike into the Alps from the hotel was worth the price of the whole trip. The hotels in Murren, Lake Hallstatt and Vienna were incredible. I would have rather gone to Rothenburg over Munich. I didn't care for Munich."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour guide was outstanding, really a lot of fun, we had excellent hotels and the various siteseeing tours were excellent.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our time in Murren was breathtaking. The hikes were a lot of fun and we had a wonderful hotel."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a fantastic guide and he made what was already a wonderful tour outstanding!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Murren, Switzerland: the picture postcard valley, mountain views of Eiger and Jungfrau, going up to the Schilthorn, the gondola rides, the town of Murren itself; all "wow"!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Profound!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hallstatt was fabulous!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our 2020 tour finally happened this year and it was worth the wait. This is our 3rd tour and as always, our guide and bus driver were professional, organized, and fun. We covered a lot of territory within GAS so spent a lot of hours on the bus. This was not a deterrent as we had many great conversations with the entire group and saw a lot of beautiful places. All of the stops were great places.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Neuschwanstein Castle was the reason we booked this particular tour and it did not disappoint. We were able to go on the Mary's Bridge. It was foggy and the clouds opened up to reveal the Castle. It took my breath away. The best surprise was Murren. We loved our time in the Alps. The scenery was breathtaking. Hallstatt was amazing-wish the boat tour had been longer as it was so peaceful on the lake."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was extremely well organized and contained a great balance of "programmed" time versus "independent" time. We felt we were able to see and experience what we needed without feeling we missed key elements. We really appreciated having 2+ days at each location to settle in and become familiar with the location.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Several wow moments, but hiking in the Swiss Alps and experiencing the majesty of nature was a key one."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We were traveling with our 3 kids (ages 15,15 and 13) and I was initially a little apprehensive that we wouldn’t “fit in” or that the kids would be bored. That never happened! Our two guides made a point to make sure the kids were engaged and interested and the rest of the group was wonderful as well. Knowing my kids were having fun made it easier for me to have fun and it was really great to experience this trip with my family.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Honestly this doesn’t probably help with planning your tours but my wow moment was when the tour ended, we used being in Europe and the confidence we’d gained from the 2 week tour to launch into our own extension trip to Budapest. We may never have just gone to Budapest on our own - it maybe seemed too far east or too foreign - but getting there with the tour launched us in to our own exploration. We ended up loving it and now want to go back and explore Eastern Europe."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

First tour experience and would definitely do it again. Well spaced out and planned with stops and durations, felt like really maximized our time.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Paragliding in the Alps"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Tara and Ruby were our guides. The group became like a "family". Tara was very thorough and organized. She would give us a map of the city we were traveling to with things to do highlighted on it. She gave history behind every place we were visiting. The "Buddy Check" system was a great way to make sure nobody got lost ir left behind between stops. The scenery, churches, castles, Mauthsuaen Holocaust memorial, Murren, and Lake Hallstatt were wondeful.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"When Tara sent a short video of Rhys saying"I love you Rick Steves" and Rick sent a reply back to Rhys. Everyone was happy crying from that."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our guide, Tara, was outstanding in every way and made sure that we had the best experience possible. We enjoyed bonding with our fellow tour members, who all had the same positive, curious outlook.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"We loved Hallstatt--the private boat ride for an introduction to the area, the old-world hotel, and the winding "back streets"--just so relaxing and unique."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my first Rick Steves tour. I loved the whole experience. Not having to worry about where we were going next, or how we were going to get there. I enjoyed getting to know other tour members and making some life long friends. I'm looking forward to my next Rick Steves vacation.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"When we were in Hallstatt, Austria waiting for the boat to pick us up. While the scenery was breathtaking, the dock was filled with people waiting to get on the relatively large boat for a sight seeing excursion. When the boat docked, the crew on the boat called out for "Rick Steves" and only the Rick Steves tour group boarded the boat, leaving all of the others on the dock as we pulled away. We had a private tour of the lake. Hallstatt was a beautiful area."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our first Rick Steves tour and it was nothing short of magical. The itinerary and the experiences we had were so much fun. Our tour guides were amazing and our tour group became very much like a family. This was my son's first trip to Europe and he had a wonderful time. Not sure travel to Europe will ever be the same after this experience.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many "wow" moments but my favorites were the Swiss Alps and Lake Hallstatt. So much natural beauty."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

My mood going into the tour was not great: I was apprehensive about traveling far from home, about COVID, about how much the world might have changed in the last two years plus... - but I had a wonderful time. I faced each day looking for new scenes and new adventures, and knew I'd be supported by the tour guides and fellow travelers. The trip opened my eyes and ears and mind once again to exploring, as well as to just being still, being alive in the here and now.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our view from the balcony of the hotel in Murren: mind-boggling."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

this is my 9th rs tour. they all have been great & this was no exception. tara & ruby were fantastic directors, but i have never had a bad director on a rs tour. the sites were fantastic. hotels great. food fantastic as always. fellow travelers were very friendly. got to see all the sights listed & more. everything that i have come to expect from a rs tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"wow moment was the underground waterfall in murren switzerland. i love waterfalls, but this one was different since you got to be so close to it. hear the power of the rushing water. the rocks & its beauty were outstanding. i always enjoy any unesco site & this one didn't disappoint. be sure to keep it on the tour."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We already had tickets to a Pearl Jam concert and chose this tour because it ended at the right time and place for the concert. It didn't matter that the concert was cancelled because the tour exceeded expectations. Facinating history. Great people.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our tour group included a family with a challenged, young boy. Led by the way our guides treated him with respect, the whole group ended up adopting him. One day he was taped saying he loved Rick Steves. Our guide sent the tape to Edmonds and the next day Rick sent a video response that was played at breakfast. The whole room teared up!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

outstanding itinerary, very professional guides great group of fellow travelers

Favorite "WOW" moment

"When I found out that joining a Rick Steves Tour was a little like joining a cult. Once you go on one of these tours it will be hard to go back to your old way of traveling."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was great having expert guides throughout.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Getting to our hotel in Mürren."

Overall rating: rating 1 of 5

Simply put it was the best vacation I've ever had. I think we got real lucky that nobody got sick and the weather was on our side every single day. Our tour guide Andrea was just fantastic.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Lauterbrunnen Valley and our ascent to our hotel in Murren! In a tour that had a ton of great moments, the time spent in the swiss alps towers above the rest."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour was fantastic! We saw many interesting places and had some great experiences. Andrea was an excellent guide - informative, knowledgeable, very upbeat, and organized. She was very much in tune to the needs and interests of the group.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Going to the top of the Schilthorn! The scenery and views were breathtaking- no picture could do it justice. And the thrill walk was really fun!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a wonderful time, the group was fantastic, nobody was troublesome or falling behind, all but a few were seasoned travelers. Fantastic sights and stops. We got lucky with perfect weather.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Murren, and the Schilthorn visit was breathtaking. My daughter said, "Alaska is Washington (state) on steroids, Switzerland is Alaska on steroids!""

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was amazing- Andrea was kind, friendly, knowledgeable, personable, the activities were well planned, great balance between group stuff and alone time.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Concentration camp, Murren"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Everything about this tour was perfect. Our guide, the bus driver, the locations.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Switzerland was probably the biggest 'wow' for me. The beauty was overwhelming. So many opportunities for hiking."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great itinerary, wonderful guide (Andrea Wolf), great local guides, brilliant side trip choices, top notch accommodations, comfortable bus with a personable driver (Eric).

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Murren and the waterfalls, Lake Hallstatt!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It met all of our expectations, and our guice, Andrea, was a huge part of that.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were several, but we attended a choir performance at a church in Hallstatt that was one of those spur-of-the moment, little nuggets you can't plan for. They were world class. A close second was approaching Lauterbrunnen valley. It's so beautiful it doesn't seem real."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent trip: tour guide, city guides, variety of locations and experiences, co-travelers.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Riding into the Lauterbrunnen Valley. Beautiful, green, valley bordered by steep Alps. It was not what I expected. Every view in the Swiss Alps was stunning."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Our trip was extremely enjoyable with fantastic exposures to the scenery of Switzerland, southern Germany, and Austria. I felt the balance between guided tours and free time to explore museums and hike on our own was perfect. Our guide, Andrea Wolf, was very knowledgeable, very pleasant, and very considerate of all of the guests under her care.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Lauterbrunnen Valley was one of the more impressive places I’ve ever been in my life. The view from our hotel in Murren was Incredible. Every time we looked at our hotel window we saw the Jungfrau, monk, and Eiger mountains displayed across the eastern side of the valley."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was an awesome tour, and Marijan, our guide, did a wonderful job of showing us a great time. He was always cheerful and upbeat, and very knowledgable about the history of the places we visited.There was a good mix of cities, history, castles and beautiful scenery, plus lots of free time to do our own exploring. Also, good food, good beer, and good company!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our time in Switzerland was the "WOW" for us! The scenery was absolutely incredible. Going up to the Schilthorn on a clear morning, and seeing all around us the beautiful peaks, and walking on the Thrill Walk."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

What kept me from giving tour an outstanding rating had to do with short time in Baden Baden, arrived early evening, would have liked an afternoon and evening there. Also the visit to the Third Man Museum in Vienna was way too long and the local guide there was very eccentric to say the least.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"In Switzerland, looking out my window and seeing the Monch, Eiger, and Jungfrau gleaming in the sun, as well as our cable car ride up to the Schlithorn, and doing the "Thrill Walk". Actually everything about the Berner Oberland was a "Wow" including a rather interesting hike on the North Face. Murren was delightful!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The tour was well organized and planned and the guide was excellent.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Views from Schlitthorn"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I would define the tour as very active, by choice. It was hard to sit still when there was so much to see, learn about, and explore on our own. The tour was very well organized, and our tour guide, Iris, was a true professional.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"That's hard to pin point, but, I guess it was our stay in Murren, Switzerland. The scenery in every direction (including downward) was amazing, hiking the North Trail was amazing, the constant ringing of cow bells was magical, and the hang gliders were fun to watch. Swimming for free at the local sports center after our hike was perfect, and listening to a late evening rainstorm from our bedroom window lulled me to sleep."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Really exceptional itinerary that mixed smaller sites with big attractions and ample free time with group activities. Our tour guide, Iris, was fantastic.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Probably Mürren, Switzerland - the gondolas, the hiking, the gasp-around-every-corner... it was hard to beat!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Good variety in the locations, soaking up the beauty of the mountains one day, walking through a bustling city the next.... never a dull moment.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The depth of the peaceful silence in Murren, the stunning views of the mountains, the town, the cows... nothing like anything I had previously experienced."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Loved the food, scenery, group and guide, she was excellent

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Looking out of our hotel room in Murren Switzerland at the Alps. Just wow"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We’ll planned and executed

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hallstatt"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was our first Rick Steves trip, and it lived up to everything we had hear about them.A wonderful itinerary, lovely people, small group, lots of free time, which I especially appreciated. Have been on tours where things were scheduled so tightly, sometimes there was very little time to explore on our own. Cannot praise our tour guide, Iris enough., she was magnificent. Efficient, welcoming, so knowledgeable, personable and a lovely sense of humor. Our whole group connected with her!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our hike in Switzerland, The Hapsburg palaces and Lake Hallstatt. Plus, the fun food and beer. The market in Munich. The incredible desserts!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Fastastic guide Eris and wonderful visits to Germany, Austria dn Switzerland.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Perhaps the luge ride and the over all scenery in Murren"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Overall, the experience was wonderful. The experiences were wonderful, the surprises from our guide were so special, like the private music concerts in Mürren, the boat all to ourselves in Hallstatt, and the city Heuringer in Vienna. We enjoyed the mix of free time and scheduled activities.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Definitely when the Swiss Alps came into full view for the first time. Beyond breath-taking!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was an awesome tour, Hans did a wonderful job guiding us. The variety of this tour was really amazing, we saw fantastic scenery and some of the best museums we have ever been to while learning about history and culture. Like all tours, there was at least one town we visited that we loved and never even through about visiting. RS takes us to places we didn’t know we would want to go. This was a very active tour for us and we walked a lot!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It has to be the Alps because it is hard to imagine that it really could be as beautiful as it is. We had a guided hike with a picnic and it was amazing. The Egyptian museum in Munich was amazing and something we added at the last minute on our free time. We also loved Trier, so much to do and see."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We were very excited to be able to take the tour, after having our scheduled trip cancelled in 2020 due to Covid. All my expectations were met and even exceeded in many instances. Trier was a pleasant surprise, as I had not been expecting it to be so interesting. All our stops were equally well worth it, with a nice mix of fun, beautiful scenery, fascinating history, and great food and friends. I highly recommend the trip to everyone.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I think my favorite "wow" moment was in the Swiss Alps. We checked into our hotel and went to our room. When I opened the drapes to the balcony of our room we saw a view of the mountains that was amazing. Everywhere we looked was a picture postcard view."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Riding up the gondola to Murren and viewing the Alps all around me. Breathtaking!!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

On a Rick Steves' tour, there is something for everybody.

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent tour, well organized, experienced tour guide that seamlessly handled the logistics so we could enjoy every day of our trip and maximize our time. The local tour guides are great, the love for their countries shone through.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hiking in the Swiss Alps on a perfect summer day. The beautiful mountains and wildflowers and of course the cows! The Third Man museum in Vienna was a must see!! Inspiring and dedicated owner made it a special experience. Had to ride the Ferris wheel during our free time"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

In addition to the scheduled tour activities, we love the free time to explore on our own. The mixture of planned activities with personal explorations is what “sells” us on your tours.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The hike in Swiss Alps near Mürren was a highlight."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Hans our guide did an excellent job despite a diverse group and the added stress of Covid requirements

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent tour guide, traveled with a relatively small group that made me feel comfortable traveling solo, and enjoyed seeing sites without being pressured to buy stuff.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hard to identify one wow moment but being atop the Schilthorn in Murren, Switzerland, took my breath away. Absolutely beautiful."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Wonderful tour, great people, caring and well informed guide.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Time spent in Murren."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a terrific time on our 2 week tour through Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. So many different experiences, Rick Steves Tours definitely knows how to give you the best experiences without any marketing or need to buy extras. Our tour guide as well as the city tour guides were all excellent and we learned so much and traveled with a small group of like minded people.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Stepping out onto our hotel balcony in Murren, being on a cliff and looking out over the Alps with clear skies and birds singing and cow bell jingles."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great people (fellow group members, guides, bus driver,...); great itinerary; unexpected beauty; perfect blend of history, culture, sights, sounds, food, and walking.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hallstatt."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Wonderful!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Murren and Vienna and Saltzburg, desserts and pretzels instead of bread on the tables in Germany."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The GAS tour was an interesting mix of castles, beautiful mountains, interesting history and great food. Our guide, Andrea, was cheerful, organized, interesting/informative and did her best to adapt to covid protocols. This was our 5th Rick Steves Tour and as with the others it was well run. If I were asked for improvements, I would have liked more time in Baden-Baden. Although I know we were warned about it the bus ride to Munich seemed long.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite WOW moments were The Schilthorn (even though it was our second time), Burg Eltz, an authentic crazy patchwork of rooms (I can understand why it's Ricks favorite) and Trümmelbach Falls. Trier was interesting with the Porta Nigra gate. The beer gardens in Munich looked like fun even if I don't like beer. Vienna showed me it's nice to be "King"."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hiking n the alps."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

excellent

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Murren and Salzburg"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Spectacular sights, interesting commentary and fun companions on the tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Murren Switzerland was very special both views and cows with bells!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

We enjoyed the trip very much but if we do another in the future will probably focus on those with less travel time / more time to explore the destinations. The lodgings, food, guides, etc., were all very good.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The two castles, Burg Eltz and Neuschwanstein."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our 2nd RS Tour, and this tour was equally fantastic. The Itinerary, amount of free time, and the expertise of our guide Andrea made this a trip to cherish.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Each destination was very different and special. I would have to say that our gondola trip to Schilthorn on a beautiful clear sunny morning was the top "WOW" moment. We also loved hiking in the Swiss Alps. The views were spectacular."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Overall, it was a very nice, laid back tour. The group all got along very well and we all enjoyed ourselves.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Being in the Swiss Alps and hiking from Murren to a little farm house! Such an awesome day!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Very enjoyable and educational.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing and experiencing the Swiss Alps"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Tour guide was great, a lot of COVID rust but great enjoyable group!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Salzburg"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was definitely different traveling in the age of Covid. Despite that we enjoyed this tour very much. Hans de Kiefte was outstanding as our guide and everyone in our tour group seemed to get along very well. We fell in love with Switzerland (I was skeptical before the trip). Salzburg and Hallstatt were also highlights. Overall this was another fantastic Rick Steve’s tour experience.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our favorite wow moment was waking up to a view of the Swiss Alps each day we were in Mürren. A close second was the boat ride on Lake Hallstatt. I could actually feel my stress melting away as we sailed through the calm waters and beautiful scenery."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Great tour group and great guide

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Being with my wife is always my favorite wow moment"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was a repeat tour for me, with my 'first time on a tour' husband. Our guide, Hans, mixed things up a bit, with different sights/experiences than on my previous tour. We had a great fun group, lots of laughs, and only one really rainy day in Munich.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Two moments come to mind, first is the Schilthorn, we had a beautiful sunny day, with amazing views. The second was our boat ride on Lake Hallstatt, again with sunny weather and gorgeous views."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Everything was great. Our guide, Hans was great, the fellow tourists were great.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Alps at Murren."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our third Rick Steves tour! All of our tours have been amazing and this one was no exception. We were a little nervous about pandemic issues but everything went very smoothly. Our main tour guide as well as the local tour guides were knowledgeable, flexible, and true pros at handling any unexpected hiccups. We found people in all of the countries we visited to be very friendly and welcoming.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"So hard to choose but I've narrowed it down to two! First - hiking through the Swiss Alps during our stay at Murren. The views everywhere we looked were just breathtaking. I still have a hard time believing it was real! The second experience was going to a chamber music concert one evening in Salzburg at the Mirabell Palace. The beautiful setting and exceptionally talented musicians just blew us away."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Very organized, exceeded my expectations.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Each day had wow moments, and too many highlights to pick a best. But most unusual experience would have been up in the Swiss Alps."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We waited three long years for a green light to keep on traveling with Rick Steves! We were excited about this itinerary. It was so fun to meet our guide, Tara, and our tour group members. The sweetest thing was seeing how happy all the vendors and other RS tour guides were to see us since we were the first GAS tour since COVID. We found some wonderful friends on the tour, too...and we fell in love again with Germany, Austria, and Switzerland!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"LOTS of them! Munich was grand fun - loved the local guide, Brigetta. Tara took us to a grand beer hall for a schnitzel dinner. Baden Baden was my birthday, and we had fun celebrating with a picnic lunch in an amazing garden. Salzburg held lots of special memories - the cemetery was a unique experience! It was interesting to see the current fashion trends on display."

Overall rating: rating 3 of 5

Great hotels; great bus driver; amazing locations

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the Alps in Murren, Switzerland"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was a very good tour with many new experiences. It was great to get back to traveling after two years off.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Standing on top of the world in Switzerland."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Well organized tour, Tara was an excellent guide

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Vienna has so much to offer!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a great time and everything went very smooth

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Every day every location we went to was a wow"