What did you do during your free time on GAS?

Hi Lori, I did this tour solo in 2010, great tour! In Salzburg a few tour members and I went to a concert. Some purchased tickets in advance, I didn't but the concierge got one for me the day of the concert, no problem. We went out to dinner before the concert and stopped for dessert afterwards, a very nice evening. I also visited the Mozart Museum (not great). Wish I would have walked up to see the castle.

Thank you Donna!
I appreciate the information and the heads up about the Mozart Museum. I would have most likely done that and now I know that there are better options. I appreciate it.
Lori

I did the GAS tour last fall. I'd suggest getting to Trier at least one if not 2 nights before the tour. I found lots of stuff to do in Trier and did not get it all done. Part of that was due to the heat the end of August which was perishing!

I just realized I actually did a Trip Report so you can see what I did on most of the free days.

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/tours/trip-report-8-27-16-gas-tour

I enjoyed everything I did in the free time but didn't get to all I thought I would see.

Trier: I was there for 2 nights ahead on my own and then met up with a friend on the tour the evening before the tour started. She suggested we spend time in the cathedral/Dom even though it was covered on the tour and this was a very good suggestion. The walking tour was fast paced and we did not really have more than about 15 minutes to spend in the cathedral before we had to meet up with the bus and take off for lunch and Burg Elz.

Baden-Baden - Many did the baths, others took the tram up to a look out. I enjoyed strolling along the Allee looking at birds and people watching. I found it beautiful!

Muerren - I had been to Muerren before on the 21 BOE and knew exactly what I wanted to do and it worked out really well. Most of the others did the same thing I wanted to do on Day 2 and Day 1 worked out well with 2 other gals who hiked with me.

Munich - In retrospect I would probably have opted for an early lunch in Munich, then done the Neue Pinokotek and another museum afterward (they are in the same area). I let myself get too hungry on this day and did not have as much energy and attention as would have needed to add a second museum.

Salzburg - Enjoyed wandering around the old city. Intended to get up to the castle but it was raining so opted out of that. I did go back to some of the things we saw on the walking tour, particularly the cathedral so I could spend a bit more time in there.

Hallstatt - covered pretty well in the trip report

Vienna - Did not get to the museums that I thought would be interesting, did enjoy walking around, eating in a sidewalk cafe with other tour members.

I did do a lot of leg work on sights I wanted to see for this trip. I have also been on VI and I don't think I planned ahead at all on that one altho I should have!!

Have a wonderful time. This is a great trip!

Here's another thread about the GAS tour and how some people spent their time: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/tours/gas-may-2017

I just took this tour on August 27th and this is my 14th RS tour! It is a great tour, you will enjoy it. I stayed in Vienna for four extra days and loved the city and all the things you can see in do in this city. Look at the RS scrapbooks on the GAS tour and watch free YouTube videos from Rick Steves and others on the places and sites you will be going to on the GAS tour. Do make sure you layer and bring warm clothing for the Swiss Alps. Each town and city is very charming and quaint.

Vienna has wonderful museums to visit, lovely cafes which are outstanding and just walking around the city which is beautiful. During my free time I went to the Albertina museum which had wonderful paintings and beautiful period rooms.

Trier is easy to get around and there is no public transportation, everything is in easy walking distance. Do make sure you go into the churches and see the gardens before the tour as there is no time the day of the tour and there are church services on Sunday the day the tour starts. So do go at least one or two days earlier. I went to the lovely museum they had which was right next to the
The Porta Nigra the day of the tour and before the tour started. (Latin for black gate) is a large Roman city gate in Trier, Germany. It is today the largest Roman city gate north of the Alps. It is designated as part of the Roman Monuments, Cathedral of St. Peter and Church of Our Lady in Trier UNESCO World Heritage Site. I really wanted to go into the Porta Nigra and go to the top but ran out of time.

Baden-Baden has a two wonderful spas. For a family, I would recommend bring bathing suits and go swimming at the pools. I went to the other spa on the single sex day and that is the naked spa, which sounds bad but really was great. But others that were a family or husband and wife went to the pools where you wear a bathing suit and liked it. Baden-Baden is a lovely city and again all walking which is nice. Both cities have beautiful shops and wonderful window displays. No time for the shops but I took a ton of photos of window displays in all the towns we visited. I just loved this tour so much, I could do it again. That is how much I enjoyed all the places we visited. I would read up on what you want to see in your free time. If you have any questions, feel free to pm me. ( Private message me).

Vienna is also a great walking city but they do have an excellent subway system and trams and easy to use.

Hallstatt was a favorite and we took a lovely boat ride. I did not have time to see the town but saw a little to know it was very charming. I did go to the top to see the waterfalls which were amazing.

I loved the Swiss Alps and I loved the views from the cable cars you need to take to get to the top and to get to your hotel. Views were stunning and seeing cows and doing the walks were just so relaxing and freeing from every day life. I cannot say enough about this tour and what we saw and did. I also enjoyed the two beautiful castles we toured.

Munich is a wonderful city. There is the palace in the city ( again easy waking around Munich) and I did go to that on the BOE tour. It is called The Munich Residenz and I do recommend seeing that. That is a must see, and the palace is beautiful. This trip I went to the Neue Pinakothek art museums which I enjoyed.
I am sure I have much more I could tell you about each place we visited on that tour. So if you have any questions, let me know. Have a great time!!!!