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Need help plaining the middle.

Posted by on

My fiancé and I are planning a trip in late September thru early October. I think 21 day or so. She has Barcelona, the Vatican and Prague on her list. I am looking at the alps Switzerland, German, Austria (maybe Ireland but maybe out of the way)

I am putting together the plan. I think flight to Barcelona couple days, then fly to Rome. Then at the end of the trip we go Vienna and fly out of Prague back to the states. I am having trouble with the middle. The alps section. Anyone have any recommendation of old itineraries that worked well thru the alps. I have watched the videos, just not as easy to plan as the big cities of Europe.

Thanks for the ideas,

Posted by
11751 posts

How many days in "the middle?" What do you want to do in the alps? Are you hikers?

FWIW I think Barcelona is a long way to go for "a couple of days." Hopefully you will stay at least 4 nights

It is best to count nights so is your trip something like this?

4 nights Barcelona

4-5 nights Rome

X nights in Alps

4 nights Vienna

3 in Prague

My experience is in the alps in Italy (the Dolomites) and in Switzerland, the Lauterbrunnen area. Both the Val Gardena (Dolomites) and Berner-Oberland (SW) make for a great experience and a nice break from cities. Switzerland costs a bit more and the food is better in Italy (IMHO) but each area is unique and so different from anything one can find in the U.S. We go to both areas with some regularity. If you choose the Val Gardena, look at Ortisei and not Castelrotto or Bolzano. Ortisei is more "in " the mountains and is particularly scenic. It's also a lot of fun to spend a couple of nights IN the Alpe di Siusi at Hotel Saltria or Alpenhotel Panorama so you can take great day hikes practically outside your door.

Some of the lifts start shutting down in late September in the Val Gardena and by early-to-mid October they are pretty much all shut down until ski season starts. Not sure what the status is in the Lauterbrunnen Valley but maybe Chris from Murren wil weigh in. They may run longer there. It's well worth 4 nights in either area. If you want more info on hotels in one area or another, post another question/reply.

Posted by
271 posts

Lifts and huts (and everyone should experience a hut) both start, and mostly finish, shutting down by end of September, starting around the 23rd.

Seems like a lot to put in 21 days. I flew into Frankfurt and out of Vienna decades ago, heading south from Frankfurt, through Germany, into Switzerland, through Lichtenstein, and into Austria, finally arriving in Vienna. 21 days. I took my time, but I did not dawdle.

If you are going for 21 days go ahead and forget your arrival day and your departure day (or the day BEFORE your departure if you are leaving in the morning). Those days are shot and do not 'count' for sightseeing (or doing whatever you are there to do). Down to 19 days. Forget any other 'flying days', they are shot. Then look at how many days you have left. Work within that number. I discount ANY traveling days, even though I know that I will see many things along the way.

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