Next year in Sept I am going on the Germany, Austria and Switzerland tour with Rick Steve's and I would like to add on 4 nights at the end to some off the beaten path town in Germany. I would like either a lake or small town with hiking . Any recommendations? I just returned from a cruise in the med and ended the trip with 4 nights in Varenna, Italy. It was wonderful.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19099 posts
Do you really want to end off the beaten path in Germany. It looks like the GAS tour ends in Vienna. Have you considered the area around Melk and Krems. Cesky Krulov is closer than Germany. Or the lake district of the Salzkammergut, Mondsee or St. Gilgen. If you have to go all the way to German, consider the area around Holzkirchen, Schliersee, Tegernsee, Bad Tölz, or Kochelsee. For hiking, go to Berchtesgaden. I hear there is a lake (Königssee there too).
Posted by
Los Angeles, California
1986 posts
I would first consider where the tour ends and also where your return flight is from. And tend to aim at those areas
Posted by
Germany, Germany
813 posts
If the tour ends in Vienna, consider going to Bratislava, Slovakia. A nice resort area is Lake Balaton, Hungary. On the way you can make a pitstop in Herend, Hungary, home of the famous Herendi chinaware. You could get back from there to Vienna fairly easily, too. If it does end in Germany.... where?
Posted by
OP
San Clemente, Ca.
408 posts
It does end in Vienna. I have been to Vienna already and will be visiting it again on the tour. My husband and I really like Germany, Austria and Switzerland and that is why I was thinking of flying out of Munich. I have been to many areas of Germany, Austria and Switzerland but I am looking for a place that is not touristy and crowded. I loved Varenna because it was beautiful, quiet, not crowded and had some hiking and boating to keep us busy if we wanted to. I loved Dubrovnik, Corfu, and Kotor but they were all packed with too many people. I will check out the areas that all of you have mentioned, I do like Eastern Europe. Thanks for the recommendations. I am early in my planning.