8 nights after cruise ends in Basel - where to go?

2 nights gives you one full day touring, 3 nights gets you 2 full days of touring.

3 nights isn't very long in the Lauterbrunnen Valley.

Are you aware of the Huge international drop charge you will have renting a car in Switzerland and returning it in the Netherlands? They can't rent it out, an employee has to collect it and you pay for that plus a premium.

I personally would not drive back to Amsterdam from Basel, but there are plenty of good car excursions along the way. I mean, with 8 days to fill, you could use a car. Do you know how expensive Switzerland is? Because you're taking a river cruise, I have to ask if you are ready to do all the planning for FIT travel?

Two other approaches to consider (if you like them):

1)To avoid the international drop charges, take a taxi across the river to Weil am Rhein. Rent the car and see either western Germany, or Alsace, France, or some of both. If you limit yourself to Germany, you might be able to get as far as the Middle Rhine and enjoy a 2 hour boat ride from Bingen to Boppard. Return the car in Koblenz (or even Cologne) and take the train to Amsterdam, where you stay downtown the last night.

2)See as much of Switzerland as you can afford, and fly to Amsterdam from Zurich. I like the towns along the Rhine, like Stein Am Rhein, Aarau, and the Rheinfall. But you have named some bigger attractions in Switzerland already. I'm not big on airport hotels, but if your flight to Amsterdam gets in late in the day, you might as well stay at the airport-unless you've never been to Amsterdam before. In that case, I'd go a day early.

I know that Switzerland is expensive, but this will most likely be my only trip there in my lifetime. I don't want to short-change Switzerland, but how many mountains does one need to see ? We are regular FITs, having planned 2.5 weeks in Italy one year. 2.5 weeks in Spain last year - both with a lot of driving. My H likes to drive and we can see what we want to see that way, so that is why we were thinking of driving back up to Amsterdam, but on the France side since we will have done a lot of the Rhine on the cruise. We are going in to Amsterdam 3 days ahead of the cruise start.

Another new acronym for me - FIT. Does it mean that you work out before travel so you don't get tired?

Nigel, it's not a trendy modern text-message term. Travel agents have used it (perhaps ruefully ... ) for many years to describe Free and Independent Travelers who don't buy anything "packaged" from them. Now that airlines don't usually pay commissions for air tickets, they yield even less for agents. But I was talking about desire or willingness to do your own research and booking.

I would travel from Basel directly to Lauterbrunnen on June 3. Enjoy the area. Train to Lucerne and spend two nights, Train to Zurich and fly to Amsterdam the day before your flight home. Driving is very expensive and time consuming and invites fatigue.

Concur. Spend the rest of the time in the Alps. That is what Switzerland is all about. Someplace neat in the Berner Oberland, like Wengen or Muerren. Car-free villages that can only be accessed by train or cable car. 4 nights there, then 3 nights in Luzern. Fly to Amsterdam from Zurich on June 10. KLM and Swiss have frequent nonstops.

We loved Luzern - stayed in the Old Town near the bridge. Had a great walk along the old city walls and along the side of the lake. And Basel is also worth at least a day. I am surprised your cruise didn’t go to Colmar. Close to Amsterdam, Haarlem is very nice and easy to get to Schipol airport by bus or train.

We did that Viking cruise last May. Ended in Basel, train to Lauterbrunnen. 3 nights was perfect. Have also been to Lucerne, and it is beautiful as well. I love Switzerland!

If you are doing the Rhine Getaway, Colmar is one of the optional excursions. That was the only optional trip we chose, but we thought it was well worth it!

Enjoy!

Thanks for the input. I am convinced to stay in Switzerland.

Baandyfan - We are doing the Rhine Getaway. I saw Colmar as an optional trip, but since we have never been to any of the towns that are on the cruise itinerary, I thought we would just do those this time. I will look again. Any other hints for the Rhine Getaway cruise?

Rent car and drive back to Amsterdam, seeing Colmar or other small towns in France/Belgium on the way, spending 2 nights on the road

dwarren, you appear not to have picked up on Nigel's comment that renting a car in Switzerland and returning it in the Netherlands will be very expensive. An employee would have to drive it back again.
I like your plan, I think that bit could be tweaked to:

• Train to Colmar, pick up car to drive round wine villages near Colmar.
• One of:
  • a) Return car at Basel airport (French side), fly to Amsterdam.
  • b) Train from Colmar via Strasbourg (short visit) to Amsterdam.
  • c) Train from Colmar to Paris, x nights, train to Amsterdam. I don't think you have enough nights for this option.

dwarren2, we sailed May 27, and the visit to Kinderjiik was chilly. We were glad we had warm, packable jackets.

As far as as the cruise itself: we really enjoyed eating most of our meals on the Aquavit Terrace. Viking does a really good job of getting you from the ship to sights if it is not walkable. That is why I would do Colmar through Viking.

Lauterbrunnen was just gorgeous. Don't book any trips up the mountains until you get there and see what the weather is. Wengen and Murren both wonderful Swiss villages.

If your flight arrives in Amsterdam early enough, check in on the ship, get settled, eat lunch, and head out to explore the city. If you have enough time, book tickets to the Anne Frank House. I visited it years ago, but it is so much better now. It is so well done, but you must have a timed entry ticket. We also visited the Van Gogh museum and then headed back to ship in time for dinner. Another option is a canal cruise. The ship doesn't sail until around midnight, but you probably want to be back for dinner. The food is really good!

We are doing the Paris and the Normandy Beaches Viking Tour this year, and I am looking forward to it, but I can't imagine that it could be any more enjoyable than the Rhine getaway.

You are going to have a wonderful trip!!