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Rick Steves' Best of Germany, Austria & Switzerland Tour, Day by Day
What's it like to experience a slice of Europe where mountains, Mozart, and mugs of beer all clink together to create a totally yodel-y adventure? Hop aboard this slideshow preview of our Best of Germany, Austria & Switzerland in 14 Days tour. Let's go!
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Days 1: Welcome to Germany
We'll meet at our hotel in Koblenz this afternoon. After a short "Welcome to Germany" meeting, we'll take an orientation walking tour, learning about Koblenz's historical importance as a strategic base from Roman times through WWII. After visiting the Deutches Eck, the symbolic heart of Germany where the Mosel and Rhine rivers meet, we'll get acquainted over dinner together.
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Day 2: Burg Eltz and the Mosel River
We'll begin our day with a morning drive along the peaceful Mosel River to the mighty Burg Eltz — Europe's oldest castle still in use as a residence — where we'll tour the complex and experience firsthand how lords and ladies lived 500 years ago. Afterward, we'll stop in the über-quaint village of Beilstein for lunch together along the river and time to explore before returning to Koblenz. The rest of your day is free to take a walk along the river promenade and enjoy some classic German cuisine at one of the town's many restaurants.
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Day 3: Elegant Baden-Baden
This morning, we'll hop aboard our big, comfy bus and head toward the Black Forest and the old resort town of Baden-Baden, famous for its mineral baths and games of chance. Upon arrival, we'll take an orientation stroll through town showcasing the stylish streets, grand casino, and famous baths. Then you'll have the rest of the day free to wander along the shaded riverside promenade, put on your fanciest duds and visit the casino, or relax with a long soak before you enjoy dinner on your own.
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Days 4: Black Forest and Beyond
We'll start our day with a scenic drive through dense forests on our way to the Black Forest Open-Air Museum. Here we'll have a local guide walk us through the preserved farmhouses and mills, leaving some free time to linger in the past, before enjoying lunch together. Then we'll drive up into Switzerland's snow-capped Berner Oberland country. At the end of the deep Lauterbrunnen Valley, we'll take a thrilling gondola lift up to our hotel in clifftop Mürren, where we'll enjoy amazing views and have dinner together.
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Day 5: The Schilthorn and Hiking in the Swiss Alps
Let's begin the day with a thrilling ride up the gondola lift to the top of the 10,000-foot Schilthorn with a view of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau peaks. The rest of the day is all yours to loiter in the thin air, find your way back down to Mürren, and explore more of the magnificent mountains on your own.
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Day 6: More of the Berner Oberland
Starting the day, we'll head to the thundering Trümmelbach Falls, a unique set of waterfalls encased behind the valley walls. The rest of the day you're free to explore more of Europe's most dramatic scenery. You may consider a mountain excursion that combines a narrow-gauge railway, a gondola lift, and a spectacular alpine walk above the tree line, surrounded by a panorama of cut-glass peaks. Later this evening, we'll regroup for dinner together at our mountain chalet.
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Day 7: Scenic Drive into Bavaria
Today's drive is a good time to catch up on your trip journal, listen to music, curl up with a good book, or just sit back and enjoy views of pristine mountains and sparkling lakes. We'll stop for lunch on our way to the heart of Bavaria — home of fairy-tale castles, well-worn lederhosen, sing-along beer gardens, and oompah-hospitality. Tonight, we'll enjoy dinner together in Munich.
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Day 8: All Day to Explore Munich
We'll spend our morning getting a behind-the-scenes look at Munich with a walking tour through its historic Old Town, learning about the "checkered" history and traditions of Bavaria. The rest of the day is yours to stroll around Germany's most livable city, soak up some culture at its world-class museums, or rent a bike to pedal the car-free paths of the English Garden and Isar River.
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Days 9: Neuschwanstein and Salzburg
This morning we'll drive through farming country, then take an uphill hike to tour the fairy-tale fantasy of "Mad" King Ludwig: Neuschwanstein Castle. After hiking back down, you'll have free time for lunch before leaving Germany behind. Later this afternoon we'll arrive in Salzburg and settle into our quaint hotel. We'll end our day with an orientation walk through the historic center and share a "Welcome to Austria" dinner together.
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Day 10: All Day to Soak Up Salzburg
Salzburg is a perfect town for a walking tour, and that's how we'll spend our morning: strolling under the wrought-iron signs of the Getreidegasse, going Baroque at the Salzburg Cathedral, and exploring the Mirabell Gardens. The rest of your day is free for wandering through Salzburg's magnificent gardens, hiking up the fortress hill for a panoramic view, or pedaling a rented bike into the countryside, singing "do, re, mi." Your guide will give you a rundown of local concerts you could enjoy this evening.
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Day 11: Lessons of History
Today we'll drive towards the Danube River Valley, stopping en route to visit the thought-provoking Mauthausen concentration camp memorial, where we'll learn about the Holocaust and lessons of 1933–1945. Following the Danube downstream, we'll make our way to one of the most scenic sections of the river, the Wachau Valley. You'll have free time to commune with nature and soak in the scenery before enjoying dinner together.
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Days 12: Austria's Wachau Valley
This morning, we'll tour the artistic treasures and Baroque wonders of the Benedictine abbey at Melk. Then we'll cruise Austria's prettiest stretch of the Danube River, passing by quaint villages and lush hillsides blanketed in vineyards, before continuing on to the grand finale of our tour — Vienna, once the capital of Europe's wealthiest empire. We'll cap our day with an evening walking tour through historic Vienna before setting you free for dinner on your own.
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Day 13: All Day in Classy Vienna
We'll begin our day in sophisticated Vienna with a trip to the Third Man Museum for a fascinating look at the city's post-WWII history. Then we'll explore the city's rich Habsburg heritage by marveling at the massive art collection at the Kunsthistoriches Museum. Your afternoon is free to explore another world-class museum or two, or to slow down and enjoy sipping a coffee in the city where Europe's café scene was born. Tonight we'll meet for our last dinner together, where we'll share travel memories and toast new friends. Prost!
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Day 14: Tour Over After Breakfast
It's a breeze to reach Vienna's airport by train, bus or taxi. You'll have easy connections to home, or on to other points in Europe. Auf Wiedersehen!
Learn more about Rick Steves' Best of Germany, Austria & Switzerland in 14 Days tour.
(Itinerary specifics subject to change.)