Germany, Austria, & Switzerland
September 2023
Quick summary: I’ll start by saying three countries in one trip might be a bit too much! However, if you don’t mind packing up every few days and moving around by train, you’ll love it.
Overview of locations: Munich (Germany) to Salzburg (Austria) to Innsbruck (Austria) to Interlaken (Switzerland) to Zurich (Switzerland). We flew into Munich and flew home from Zurich. We took trains between destinations and if we had day trips, we took either buses or trains.
Itinerary:
Day 1: Travel to Munich
Day 2: Rothenburg ob der Tauber & Harburg castle OR Dachau
Day 3: Neuschwanstein
Day 4: Travel to Salzburg & explore Salzburg
Day 5: Day trip to Hallstatt OR wander Salzburg
Day 6: Travel to Innsbruck & explore Innsbruck
Day 7: Day trip to Hintertux Glacier OR wander Innsbruck
Day 8: Travel to Interlaken
Day 9: Explore Interlaken
Day 10: Day trip to Grindewald
Day 11: Travel home
Munich, Germany
Where we stayed
We stayed at Novotel Munich and were very happy! The hotel seemed to be recently remodeled and updated. Our rooms were clean and fresh. The amenities were awesome! Pool, sauna, and really lovely restaurant / bar on the ground level. Staff is very accommodating. They do provide a 22 euro breakfast. We stopped at the local DB or Aldi to pick up fruit, milk, and oatmeal. Each room has a kettle so we were able to eat breakfast in our rooms and less expensively. We were not city center and maybe off the beaten path and we liked it that way. The train in Munich is very easy to use, with many lines having the same stops, it’s hard to screw up. We took the train for almost everything, except when there was a break down. We wanted to get to Oktoberfest ASAP so we took a taxi instead of waiting for train repairs. Priorities.
What we ate
A lot of the time we ate on the go but here are a couple of places I remember. Day 1, we started in Marienplatz at The Ratskeller. The plaza was packed, we were tired and hungry, it was easy. We ordered beers and why wouldn’t we? It was opening weekend of Oktoberfest and everyone was in their lederhosen and dirndl! We ordered some German sausage, pretzels with mustard and big steins of Oktoberfest. Day 2, at Oktoberfest, we had more beer and more German sausage. Are you seeing a pattern here? Day 3 at Neuschwanstein Castle, we ate on the go and grabbed sandwiches from a local shop.
What we did
Day one: this was our travel day so we wandered the city. We started in Marienplatz where we bought dirndl and lederhosen. The men went to Lederhosen Wagner and the women went to Almenrausch. They both offer a wide array of choices, something for every budget. The ladies went low end at 50 euros each and the men went mid-range at 200-300 euros each. The men can add hats, shirts, and socks.
Day two: the group split up. Erin and Jaime took a day trip to Rothenburg ob der Tauber. The charming city looks straight out of a fairytale with its medieval architecture. If you have time for it, make the trip! The rest of us went to the Dachau Concentration Camp. It was a heartbreaking few hours and one we think everyone should witness once in their lives. After Dachau, we returned to Munich. It was the opening weekend of Oktoberfest so we donned our lederhosen and dirndls and made our way. Here’s what you need to know about Oktoberfest: you don’t need a ticket for entry. I spent hours trying to figure out if we needed to reserve tables. Unless you have a huge party of people or plan to sit there all day, there is no need for a reservation. I will say they do turn tables for serving meals. We did seem to walk into tents after a meal had been served. Within 5 minutes, a waitress grabbed us and we had beers. A few moments later, we found a place to sit. We even took our beer to their outdoor seating and had no issue finding a seat. My advice. Don’t overthink it. Just wing it and go. You’ll be fine! And walk into every tent. They are all so beautifully and uniquely decorated. We had SO much fun!
Day three: the whole group went to Neuschwanstein Castle. This castle inspired Disney’s castle and the valley in which it sits is a beautiful setting. The castle is incredibly picturesque and there is a smaller castle you can see as well. We bought tickets to go inside Neuschwanstein Castle only. They were 17.50 Euros a piece. We took a train to the castle, however, we found a bus for the journey home that was easier. We recommend finding a bus versus navigating through train changes. Please also know – the inside of the castle is “meh”. They castle was never finished so there isn’t much to see. I wish the German government could find a way to preserve it but to also finish it and open it more to the public. Sad to think of all of those empty, unfinished rooms! I’d still recommend it, just manage your expectations. I think the tour lasted all of 15 minutes.
Salzburg, Austria
Where we stayed
We stayed at the Austria Trend Europa Salzburg Hotel. It was close to the train station and I liked that. It was also close to a grocery store so we could grab some supplies and an affordable dinner one night. However, if I were to do it over, I’d stay closer to city center.
What we ate
The first day in Salzburg, we stopped for lunch after our tour at a place called Triangel. We wanted a lighter lunch and ordered salads or small plates, beers, and espressos. In Hallstatt, we stopped for a bite at *****8. Our last night in Salzburg was Sean birthday. We surprised him with a dinner at a traditional Austrian restaurant called IMLAUER brewery-restaurant. We had an outdoor table and as the sunset, lights came on and it was truly a magical night underneath the trees. The food was excellent.
What we did
Day 4: We took the train from Munich, Germany to Salzburg, Austria. The ride wasn’t too long. When we got to Austria, we checked our luggage at the hotel and ventured out to explore the city. The fort on the hill was the obvious choice so we headed there for a tour.
Day 5: We split up again. Ryan, Sean, and Deanna were tired of trains so they decided to relax and enjoy Salzburg. Erin, Jaime, and I were set on seeing Hallstatt. I’ve wanted to go to Hallstatt since seeing a picture used in a training. It did not disappoint. We jumped on a bus that took us right to the lake and brought us home. You could have done other add ons, like to Eagle’s Nest, however, we just wanted to spend time in Hallstatt. I highly recommend visiting or even staying there. It was beautiful. I’d retire there if I could!
Innsbruck, Austria
Innsbruck was the absolute suprise for me during this trip. I had thought it would be a pass through city. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I fell in love with Innsbruck and cannot wait to go back. We didn’t get enough time in this charming city. It’s stolen my heart and I WILL be back.
Where we stayed
We stayed in my favorite hotel of the trip. It was called The Penz and I loved where we were located. We were right across the street from the cutest little bar called Liquid Diary. Cocktails were pricey but amazing. We stopped in for one and loved the atmosphere. It’s a must stop!
What we ate and drank
What we did
Interlaken, Switzerland
Innsbruck was the absolute suprise for me during this trip. I had thought it would be a pass through city. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I fell in love with Innsbruck and cannot wait to go back. We didn’t get enough time in this charming city. It’s stolen my heart and I WILL be back.
Where we stayed
We stayed in my favorite hotel of the trip. It was called The Penz and I loved where we were located. We were right across the street from the cutest little bar called Liquid Diary. Cocktails were pricey but amazing. We stopped in for one and loved the atmosphere. It’s a must stop!
What we ate and drank
What we did
Overall we had a great trip! We would like to go back to Greece to venture into the country – Delphi is on our list! And we’d like to experience some of the smaller, quieter islands some day. If you have questions on anything we’ve shared, please reach out! Or if you’ve been to Greece and feel like we’ve missed out on something, we want to know!
Cheers!
Sean & Jamie
