We are trying to create a leisurely trip punctuated by some manditory time blocks. We are ages 67 and 75. The youngster, me, has travelled in some of these areas before but DH has not. After much research of plane, train and car options that zig zag through three countries, I decided to rent a car for 20 days. I rented it in Germany thru AAA for cost of $520, will pay with credit card that provides insurance. We enjoy walking around, genle walks or short hikes, good food, wonderful scenery, historic towns. We enoy a combination of B & B, modest hotels and splurge resorts.
So here's my tentative itinerary with questions:
8/26 arrive Frankfurt Int'l @ 4:30 pm after 3 days visit with friends near London
drive tp Cochem, 3 night stay at Villa Vinum -free pkg a big +
8/27 Walk around Cochjem, drive to visit Burg Eltz from Moleskin,etc.
1/2 day Mosel cruise from Cochem to Beilstein
8/28 drive to Rudesheim to board 1/2 cruise to Boppard or Koblenz, stop at St. Goar or
visit this and couple other villages by car, return to Cochem
8/29 drive to Trier, mid afternoon drive to Colmar (3 hrs), stay 3 nts at Hotel St. Martin,
LaMaison des tetes or Le Colombier (recommendations svp)
8/30 tour Colmar wine region on and off main wine route
8/31 more touring, go to wine festiveal in Eguisheim (if my info is correct)
9/1 drive Colmar to Weggis (2 hrs) - I chose Weggis as a base from which to visit Zurich & Lucerne
or drive Colmar to Zurich for the day, the proceed to Weggis in evening after dinner good idea or bad?? Weggis Hotel SeaHotel Gotthard
9/2 drive or train to Lucerne for full day
9/3 drive to Launterbrunnen - this is where I get iffy. Whether to stay in Lucerne area and do more from there or move on Launterbrunnen would give us access to mountain scenery without the craziness of Interlaken
9/6 & 7 stay in Vevey (Le Mirador Kempinski), tour Montgreaux and area by steamer, train, car
9/8 drive west into France and stay overnight somewhere midway between Geneve and
Chateauroux. Any ideas?
9/9-9/12 - stay at Chateaux Les Dreydes near Le Chalet - we're meeting friends there
9/12 drive to Auxerre for lunch (I love this town) and on to Strasbourg (c omfort Hotel)
9/13 2 days Heidelberg
9/16 depart FRA for USA.
Reality Check on German, Swiss, French Itinerary
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If you could fly into Frankfurt Hahn rather than international the trip to Cochem will be easier.
Look out for Bruno Sorg at Eguisheim, some very fine wine
I'll check out the wine and the man, thanks. We have to leave London from Heathrow since its closest (35minutes) to where our friends live. That limited our flight options and I checked many.
Any comments on number of days in each area and plan for 9/3 on.
Sorry Robbie, I have visited bits of Switzerland a fair number of times (10-15) and find it over costly, staff rude, views dull and generally not worth the time so I hesitate to advise on most of it.
If it were me I'd enjoy the delights of Mulhouse, Bescancon, then up along the Doubs (doube?) river enjoying the Jura Alps until I came down at Geneva
Whoa, Bilboburger left me speechless, Switzerland with rude staff, and dull views?? Not the Switzerland I (or others, check the Switzerland Forum, or just Google Switzerland and check images) have visited.
If Bilbo has visited 10-15 times and doesn't like it, it must be for business?
However he is correct, it is expensive! But I think well worth it, one of the most beautiful spots on earth.
Check out Lauterbrunnen, Wengen or Grindelwald. No dull views there.
Business and family
Family only live there to get out of main-european tax flows. Business less so as most Swiss have moved their companies over the border to avoid Swiss currency.
If you want views you need to go to Norway which is aweful or is it awesome, anyway lots of awe in Norway.
Robbietravels, you will love Burg Eltz, it's magical. Easy walk down, long uphill back, but there's a shuttle.
If you get off in St Goar be sure to visit Rheinfels Castle for lunch. If you check around, I think again there is some type of shuttle to get up there.
We also stayed at Hotel SeaHotel Gotthard in Weggis, it was very pleasant. We took the boat to Lucerne, it was awesome! I'd take Zurich out and concentrate on Weggis and Lucerne. The train up to Mt Rigi is spectacular if good weather.
I don't know how it fits into your schedule, but I would visit Heidelburg and Strasbourg on the way south to Weggis, and then fly home from Geneva or Paris. You have a lot of driving and short overnights.
To clarify, we will spend the day in Zurich because my DH loves cities and I know he'll like Zurich. Wrenwood, glad to hear your positive comments on SeaHotel Gotthard in Weggis, where we stay 3 nights.
I wouldn't miss a chance to visit Heidelberg. After we spend 3 nights at a hotel in Pouligny Notre Dame (central France) we make our way back to Frankfurt because that was where we could get BC seats on miles. So after the hotel in Pouligny where we meet up with friends, we'll drive northeast and overnight In Strasbourg. If we like it, we'll spend time wandering the city the next morning. Later we'll drive to Heidelberg for a 2 nights stay before turning in the car and staying at an airport hotel before early am departure the following am.
Maybe I'm wacho but 3 night stays are enough for me to enjoy an area. We can no longer hike, except for long walks with little elevation so we enjoy driving around the countryside, exploring villages and wining and dining well. We have 3 night stays in Cochem, Colmar, Weggis and Pouligny ND. With Dh turning 75 I wanted him to experience a few places I've enjoyed and feel confident he'll like. We'll see.
I do have to disagree with you Bilboburgler on Switzerland. I have not been in 10 years but when I was there last, I spent a week on Lake Lugano and thoroughly enjoyed it. In younger years I've spent weeks seeing the country in a VW camper. To me its beautiful. I also love France, this will be my 21st trip there.
Whether you stay in Lauterbrunnen or one of the other towns, don't miss the Bernese Oberland. Last time we stayed in Grindlewald, next year we hope to stay in Wengen.
The region of Lugano is wonderful: if you should go don't miss Valle Maggia and Val Verzasca and have dinner in the Ticino's grottos is a grat expereince!
Have a nice time in Switzerland!
Thanks, dansa, merci.