Alps My Way

So excited. I am going September 16-27. What town did you stay at in The Dolomites?
Any specific recommendations for what to do and see in the areas you visited? I love walking and hiking.
Any must visit restaurants?
Did you have time to hike and see Otiz the Iceman?
Thanks so much. Regina White

Hi Regina!
You’re going at a wonderful time, from what I’ve read.
We had a spectacular European adventure in the Alps!

So, in Italy, our town was Bolzano & we stayed in the most beautiful hotel I’ve ever lodged called Hotel Citta. It was amazing! The service was outstanding, the rooms were incredible… & on & on! We arrived in the late afternoon & our amazing tour guide, Laurel, recommended strongly that if we wanted to see the Otzi museum, we should go as soon as we checked into our rooms b/c, if I recall correctly, they closed at 4:30. I’m pretty sure that most everyone in our group did just as she suggested and walked directly there. It took about 6 minutes & we passed a beautiful street food market along the way. Perfect timing! The museum was open but empty. We practically had the beautiful museum (at least 3 floors) all to ourselves. There is no photography allowed inside (just so you know) and we were able to view Otzi several times with no wait through the very tiny window. I HIGHLY recommend viewing the PBS Nova special on Otzi before leaving the USA. It meant so much more to be able to see it all since we actually had a very clear understanding of the history, etc. before we ever arrived. I thought the breakfast at Hotel Citaa was the best on the entire trip & that is saying a lot because there was not a bad one! My one regret was that we didn’t take a little more time to enjoy the morning fare b/c we needed to reach the Alpe di Suise lifts & spend the day there. And, the morning of departure day is always a whirlwind so no leisurely breakfast. A piece of advice: be at the door ready to enter the buffet the moment they open so you can enjoy it for as long as you have.
Our favorite thing to do was grocery shop & eat in our rooms. The stores are so fun & it’s not very expensive (much less than restaurants) We tried so many new foods! I will say that we loved the restaurant in Hotel Citta but it was pricey. However, very relaxed and amazing! We splurged & each got the feast of Tyrol (not sure of the exact name. Shaby from the front desk recommended it) & we have zero regrets. We had the beautiful place to ourselves because most places in Europe eat SO MUCH LATER than we do in the USA. At least, a lot later than our family. So, 7:00pm, no one but us was in the restaurant until nearly 8:30. Shaby told us to make a reservation even for ‘early’. I think it helps them be staffed accordingly.

In Salzburg, we adored a restaurant called Die Weiss. It is within walking distance to the Hotel Hofwirt & so very authentic! Our cab driver from the airport told us about it and it truly does feel like a local favorite & not at all touristy. We were adventurous & tried things we couldn’t even pronounce & didn’t regret it one bit. :) Good, fast service & the beer was amazing. I don’t even drink beer in America but in Austria (and Germany!) it’s incredible!
Also went to a Biergarten 1 night that Rick talks about in a Salzburg episode. Huge, LOUD and fantastic! We adored it! It was a bit of struggle to find & we ended up walking around for about 45 minutes lost but we were so happy to be in Salzburg that it didn’t really matter!
Since I’m mentioning Salzburg, I'd be remised not to give a bit of warning about Bolzano. We went from Salzburg that felt so safe & quaint to Bolzano that didn’t have the same vibe. Granted, we were busy with the Alpe di Suise (which was amazing even on a cloudy day with no mountain in site!) & had little time to walk around like we did in Salzburg, but that “safe and cozy” feeling just wasn’t in Bolzano, IMO. However, you can stay in the touristy bubble & have a wonderful time without any worries! Just be aware of pick pockets. Nothing happened, but we had gone learning that such a thing can & will happen anywhere. Like in USA!
I hope I’ve not overwhelmed you with too much information. I am happy to answer anymore questions! I love reliving the best travel experience of my life!
Mitzi

I reached my max characters in the previous reply (HAHA!) so I can give more of the must do experiences next time :)

~M

Thanks for sharing about your tour. I’m so tempted to take it just for the beautiful scenery. Did you take many long hikes? What ages was your group? Did you tend to stay together or did y’all do different things during the day?

And how was the interaction with your tour guide/manager? it is so different from the tours that are structured, but boy, the reports I’ve read really tells me everyone loves it.

Thanks, Lynda

Mitzi,
Thanks so much for your wonderful report. Such helpful information. I really hope we stay in Bolzano because I want to see Otzi and get a chance to hike. I already fear the time in the Dolomites is way too short!! Looking so forward to this tour. It will be my second RS tour, and is part of of a 2 1/2 month long European adventure for me.
I will watch the NOVA special you recommended. I am sure I will have more questions in the next few weeks. Thanks again. Regina

Mitzi - thank you for taking the time to post this information. We are going next June and now trying to identify more specific hikes and restaurants, etc. VERY HELPFUL!

I’m so glad that reliving my wonderful RS European vacation can be some help to others on their way :)
The restaurants we ate at in Salzburg were Die Weisse (https://www.dieweisse.at/en/) near our hotel Hofwirt and we loved it! Also loved the Biergarten Augustiner (https://www.augustinerbier.at/) but be prepared for it to be loud. It was raining that day so everyone was inside. I’m sure the volume would be just fine if the outdoor seating was also available. I suggest watching the RS show where he actually demonstrates how to wash out your mug and get your beverage. I remembered seeing him do it and it made the process so much easier because I wouldn’t have known what to do otherwise. The food choices were so delicious! Also, one of my favorite eats was one night when my daughters wanted to go to bed so my husband and son wanted to go down the street and look for some desserts. Unfortunately, all the amazing bakeries we’d seen earlier in the day were closed but the ice cream shoppes were still open. My piece of advise here is to by-pass the nearest one to Hotel Hofwirt and continue on down a few minutes further near the bridge and there is a darling ice cream shoppe on the corner on the left called “Alpz Gelato and Café”. If photos can be posted in the forums, I will show a picture of the incredible crepe I got. Made fresh right there and then. Plus, it had indoor seating and many choices of flavors. If I recall, the ice cream storefront on the right closer to the hotel had 3 flavors and no outdoor seating. Also, if you want some fresh fruit, there’s a little stand on that same street that we got red currants and the best strawberries I’ve ever eaten. Truly! More about food – the breakfast at Hotel Hofwirt is fantastic! We ate very well in the morning and only had a snack in the afternoons. The hotel lobby also offers beverages 24/7. Alpine water from the mountain! YUM! My daughter and I also ate little bit from the farmers market that was near the horse fountain in the old city. It’s not a huge market but fresh greens made my day. Overall, I didn’t see a lot of salad on our trip so picking up a bag of washed greens at the grocery store or from the markets was a tip I’d suggest. I love greens so I would just snack on them out of the bag. I would ask for an ice bucket at some of the hotels and let it sit on the ice to keep it fresh overnight. I might be the strange one that likes greens but anyway… my family liked them too, especially with the fresh fruits. BTW, my family on this trip consisted of my husband and I and our 23 year old triplets. 2 girls and a boy.
Bolzano, I mentioned the restaurant at Hotel Citta was delicious. We also got gelato from the stand outside our hotel in the Waltherplaz called “Vogelino Gelato and Take Away”. My family loved it!
We ate authentic Italian Pizza in Italy at a place called Pizzera Maradona. It was really good however, I don’t recommend it because it was outside the safe-feeling bubble and about a 15 minute walk. Plus, it’s really more of a takeout place. We picked it b/c it has high ratings. Favorite food in Italy: Restaurant Panorama in the Alpe di Suisi. Ate outside with coats on. BEST FOOD! and beautiful.
Fussen is a wonderful place and I wish we’d had more time there! 1st night, ate at the Thai place our tour guide loved. It was good at the time b/c we were tired but I'd do more research next time. Next day, My daughter and I stumbled upon this amazing deli (think high-end deli) with some seating inside (it was hot outside). We loved it so much! It’s called “Vinzenzmurr” on the main street about 10 minutes from the Hotel Zum Hechten where we lodged. Our RS group ate dinner that night at the hotel and it was amazing! I recommend getting extra ice cream with the apple strudel! You’ll thank me later.
Next :Eats in Wengen Switzerland & Chamonix France

Wengen and Chamonix Foods:

In Wengen (the most beautiful place on earth!) we adored our Hotel Regina and the breakfast was wonderful. We mostly ate foods from the Coop grocery store while sitting on our balcony to enjoy the beautiful views of the gorgeous mountains! The best food we had from Wengen was from this bakery called Bäckerei Konditorei Vincenz (https://www.vincenz-wengen.ch/en/) The sweet confections were amazing but the real stars were the savory pies, or wurst (sausages) wrapped in puff pastries. Something new everyday. Loved it! The day we visited Gimmelwald, we ate at an adorable place called Pension Gimmelwald Hotel / Bar / Restaurant (https://www.hotel-pensiongimmelwald.ch/en/)
The food was pretty good, the service was ok but not great but none of that mattered one little bit because the village is so charming and the VIEW was spectacular! Plus, we were hungry! Win-win.

Chamonix, the breakfast at Hotel L’arve was great like all the other places. The one restaurant we ate (the night of arrival) was recommended by our guide during the little walk through orientation. It was called “Le Monchu” (https://lemonchu-chamonix.fr/en/). It was very authentic and probably a local favorite. We should have had reservations but we were clueless & arrived about 5:45 because we were starving. They let us stay but said they have people coming for our table at 7:00. They were nice about it. I got the best dish of the trip at this place. Escargot! The rest of the family got the famous raclettes.
The coals from those two hibachi type fires were so hot that we all got very warm and drank pitchers of water. Overall, it was very good but I still prefer shopping (Super U grocery store) for some very interesting and tasty groceries and making our own little picnic dinners. The produce is always fresh and delicious. Fun new products to try and plenty yummy french chocolates! There is a wonderful farmers/artisan food market (and crafts) on Saturdays in Chamonix, very close to Hotel L'arve. If you’re there, it’s an absolute must, IMO. We were in a hurry to get the train for the Mer de Glace so we didn’t get any food but it all looked SO delicious! Next time, for sure.

Next Post: Hikes, walks, and a wonderful day with 36,000 steps on the tracker!

Thanks for sharing about your tour. I’m so tempted to take it just for the beautiful scenery. Did you take many long hikes? What ages was your group? Did you tend to stay together or did y’all do different things during the day?
And how was the interaction with your tour guide/manager? it is so different from the tours that are structured, but boy, the reports I’ve read really tells me everyone loves it.
Thanks, Lynda

@Lynda,
We loved our tour guide, Laurel! She was just a perfect fit for this group. The interaction was lovely between my family and her as well as every one in our entire tour group. The bus driver becomes part of the "family" too and we all just got along beautifully! I don't know if that's always the case but our particular blend just hit it off. Didn't mean we all wanted to go spend every touring moment with one another (but some actually did)! Our family of 5 had been apart for several years since my kids had just graduated college so when our RS group wasn't eating a meal or riding in the bus together, my 5 went off and did our own thing. That's the nature of the MY way tours. Friendly when together but expectations are every mini group has their own agenda. We usually all headed our direction after breakfast. BTW, I'm 55 years young and my husband is 56. I'd say we were the youngest in our RS group. There was another family of 3 with a sweet girl in her late 20's and I believe most of the others were probably early to mid 60s. I'd venture to say at least 2 couples were active 70s. As mentioned in a previous post, my triplets are 23 (and a half). Sometimes, even our little family of 5 would split and do different mini-adventures. 2 of us weren't bike riders so 3 went 1 route and 2 of us another on several occasions. And the scenery ! Absolutely STUNNING! Just unimaginably beautiful! I suppose I need to start a RS scrapbook so I can post pictures. Also, German is spoken in every country we visited. Yes, French is also spoken as well as Italian but German was understood in every place we went. I have been learning German through the DuoLingo free app 4 months before departure and it really helped me feel like I could at least communicate my needs. Plus, there's a free version and it's FUN!
More later! Gotta go work to save up for another RS tour! Prost!

Hi Mitzi,

Thanks so much for this detailed information! We are going on this tour Aug. 28-Sept. 8. We are also staying in Bolzano and looking forward to seeing Otzi, so I appreciate the tip about the NOVA special. We will check it out. We are also staying in Wengen. We have been on multiple RS tours, but this is the first where there was a transportation cost to get to our hotel. I am curious whether you were given a ticket for the train to Wengen or if everyone had to purchase tickets?

Thanks again for sharing your experience and recommendations!

Sherri

Hello Sherri,
That's a great question about the train to Wengen! The initial ticket to get to our hotel Regina and then the final ticket to get back to the valley on departure day were purchased by our guide, Laurel, and not an expense we had to incur. However, all other excursions on that train we were responsible for paying for.

I highly recommend the SBB Mobile App for purchasing lift tickets, trains, etc. whilst in Switzerland. It was quick, easy and respected by multitudes.

I know you'll have a fabulous time on your RS Alps vacation ! I'm happy to answer anymore questions.

~M

Mitzi — Thanks so much for all this fabulous tour info. I am thinking I’ll have to do a lot of hiking to balance out all the good food you mentioned! We’re headed out on the tour at the end of August and I’m trying to figure out the whole jacket/sweater/fleece packing thing. It’s been a hot summer in Europe so I don’t want to take too much, but will definitely bring a good rain jacket. How was the weather and what worked layer-wise for you in June?

Hello Iceland!
I love sharing with others about the fabulous ALPs vacation we had in June! One of these days, I'm going to make a RS scrapbook!
Turns out, I weighed the morning we left for Europe and the morning after we got back and it was EXACTLY the same. So, eat what you want and enjoy the amazing time in a breathtaking place! Yes, the hiking/ walking was a great balance to the yummy food :)
Clothes. If I had to do it again (and oh, I hope we'll get to go again, someday!) I would take so much less ! Our group of 5 adults took only carry-ons and no checked luggage on our way to Europe. Even so, I didn't need some of what I took. I think I read an article on here by RS (?) that said something along the lines of put what you think are your essentials on the floor (bed, wherever) then cut that in half. Then, half again. And it's true! June (or hotter months) even in the Alps only required some warmer selections for a couple of the places. We arrived at the Alpe Di Suissi very early in the morning and it was still misty/cloudy (not raining) and we were underdressed. Didn't even bring the warm clothes with us that particular day that we'd carried in our luggage. Ended up purchasing some very nice and extremely expensive gloves, etc. in one of the many clothing stores at those lifts. Great memories but a big dent in the wallet. A nice, merino wool toboggan was $36! Gloves, $35. That was our own fault. Don't underestimate the low temps in the beautiful mountain meadows! You are really up there in elevation. So, we love our "souvenirs" but could have spent that money elsewhere. Lots of words just to tell you that most of the other places were not cold enough for more than a light jacket during our trip. I read another article on here that said a scarf can class up any outfit so I took a nice scarf and wore it often for warmth and "fashion" and it took up very little space. There is a shop in Salzburg that sold gorgeous scarfs (she had a scarf display outside on the sidewalk) where I bought a beautiful, colorful one for only $15. It was near the Mirabelle Gardens. I only took 1 heavy-ish zip up sweater but it wasn't needed except once. It took up too much room and I could have just worn layers more wisely. I took about 5 sleeveless blouses (wrinkle free) that I could just put a lite little jacket over. When it got to 90 degrees one day in Murren, I was so glad I could just shed the layers and tie the jacket around my waist as we were walking from town to town.

So, in a nutshell, I think layers are the answer- a nice versatile scarf , lightweight jacket and maybe a toboggan. All take up very little space and can be worn multiple times. Shoes. 1 good pair of tennis/hiking shoes that are in nice enough condition to wear out to eat is all I'm taking next time! I over packed and never used my sandals. Cobblestones were not a good match for such footwear. I nearly twisted an ankle.

I'm happy to answer more questions ! Prost!

I'm also trying to decide what to pack, so this is very helpful! Thank you so much for sharing your experience, and I hope you do decide to do a scrapbook. I have relied heavily on them while planning this trip. Thanks again!

Thanks for all the packing tips! I am a horrible packer so if I read your advice multiple times I am hoping it will sink in. Ha! One more question. Do you recommend taking shorts or do pants work for most of the hiking and/or walking around the towns? I don’t wear capris or own convertible pants and am just not sure if taking shorts is one more thing that just doesn’t need to be packed. Of course I’ll check the weather before I leave but it’s always good to hear from someone who’s been on the tour.

Hey Iceland,
Shorts: I wore them many times during our early/mid June Alps adventure. I checked the 10-day weather forecast for our destinations, but particularly Salzburg. Turns out that it was our coldest location (other than our destinations that required lifts, like the Alpe Di Suissi) where we ended up wearing pants, scarves, jackets most of the time we were outdoors. The rest of the towns had begun warming up and our hottest day was in Switzerland where it reached 90 degrees (F)! One might think that it would have been chilly with snow-capped mountains surrounding you but it was pretty warm most of our time in the Wengen area.

My 2 pairs of shorts were 'bermuda' length (is that even a term anymore??), not quite to the knees and not very short. Notice I said that I wore them often and I said I only brought 2 pairs. European travel is a bit like camping, really. One re-wears their clothing before they get laundered. For the most part, I didn't perspire, really... and I brought many fresh changes of under clothes.

Oh, and let me share one of the coolest packing tips I read about and then used quite successfully! We purchased neck pillow covers that had zippers. Voila! Extra packing space and everyone allows them on the plane! I got lots of socks and other little clothing items in the neck pillow covers and it served 2 purposes on the trip! More free space in my carry ons and a cushion! During the return journey, we checked some luggage so we didn't use them on the way home.

Happy to answer anymore questions! ~ Mitzi

Hi Mitzi-
This is SO helpful! We’re going July-August 2025- my husband and I (70) plus our DIL and 16 yo grandson. So excited! I appreciate your helpful tips and all the packing info as well. Did you need to reserve any activities in advance? I’m thinking particularly of those a 16 yo boy would enjoy! Thanks again!

Mitzi--thanks for providing so much information about your trip. We're taking this tour next June, and I'm bookmarking this thread for future reference. The neck pillow cover idea is absolutely brilliant!

One question--are you saying you mainly wore shorts in the towns rather than on the trails? I have hiking trousers and am thinking of investing in some hiking shorts that look more like regular bermuda shorts (yes that term is still used!), but might just bring my regular bermuda shorts if I'm not likely to use them on the trails. Our tour begins June 16.

One question--are you saying you mainly wore shorts in the towns rather than on the trails?
Leslie,
It depended on the place we were and the temperatures. The "cities" were hotter than one might imagine so, yes, we often wore shorts when walking around the city. The hot pavement is different than the hiking paths. If I was gone all day, I'd still wear shorts even if it was cool in the morning. We kept an eye on the weather forecasts. I'd wear a light jacket and, as I wrote in a different reply, would just shed the layers as needed.
Hope that helps :)

~M

Thanks for the info. I'm already weighing my wardrobe options. Since we're hoping to spend a week in Paris pre-tour and a week in London post-tour, it's going to be interesting trying to balance the hiking portion and the city portions of our trip. Of course we won't have tour mates in the cities, so I could wear the same thing every day and no one but my husband would know. :-)

Haha
Leslie,
If it makes you feel any better, I'm pretty sure everybody re-wore their clothing :) It's expected

lamusic,
We did reserve several activities before we left the USA. We purchased tickets for the Castle(s) in the Fussen area. Also purchased tix in advance for the Eagle's Nest (Kehlsteinhaus) bus. My 23 year olds all love history so 2 were glad they went with their Dad. My other daughter and I explored Salzburg and opted out of that particular tour. What one actually reserves for the Eagle's nest is the bus (which is the only way to access the Eagle's Nest). Be sure to leave plenty of time for the museum there. I know several people reserved a spot in advance for the Salzburg Sound of Music biking tour. We chose to go to the Abby instead and get pictures of the famous doorway where Maria (Julie Andrews) is leaving the convent in order to become the nanny for the Von Trapp family. You can go inside the chapel. It was silent and reverent. Lovely experience. No tix needed. We didn't really do a great deal of planning for our June '24 RS M W tour! Life was busy. Not having an agenda was not the way we'd ever done our vacations in the past but it was also nice to just be flexible and have lower expectations. That way, when the clouds were heavy and the Dolomites could not be seen or it was socked in at the Zugspitze and our tour had to skip it, we weren't devastated. At all. We were just happy to be together in gorgeous Europe. So many great things happened that a few wishes not being granted was really not a big deal.
I'm not sure what your 16 y.o. young man would enjoy the most. Be sure to watch all the RS tv shows that you can about the places you'll visit. We loved doing that as a family and learned SO much! So, in a way, we really did plan because when you're standing in front of something that you saw on the TV, one feels 'prepared' ....
But, believe me, if you've never seen the Alps up close and personal in Switzerland, nothing can prepare you for the BEAUTY! and majesty of those splendid mountains! I want to go back :)

Mitzi-
Thanks so much again for such a thoughtful and complete reply to my question! I’m looking forward to everything!

Walks, Hikes, and Steps:
Salzburg – walked so very much through this gorgeous old city & didn’t feel tired because it was absolutely lovely. 16,000 steps one day & never left pavement, except when it turned to cobblestones. Amazing history, incredibly friendly people, delicious foods, never-ending shopping opportunities, & fun biergartens! Sleep was great. But, be prepared for no A/C. I assume it varies from hotel to hotel. Our trip was in early June & we never felt hot in our rooms. Windows can usually always open wide, in case you need a cool breeze.
Tip: If you like to use washcloths in your shower, bring your own b/c only 1 hotel out of 5 had them.

Bolzano: Again, city walking. Hiking the Alpe Di Suissi is lovely and offers easy to more strenuous. Most of our RS group went to the ‘witches’ trail but our family of 5 did not. We chose the Panorama trail and loved every minute of our meadow adventure. Peaceful, nearly silent atmosphere except for the tinkling of cow bells or the birds twittering, or a goat bleating. Paths were sandy-ish. Well-defined. We ate at the hotel restaurant for our lunch after a long morning hike/walk. Heavy cloud cover and never saw a Dolomite from our alpine meadow but maybe next time! I think if one has an attitude of appreciating the beauty in front of you, the mountains you can’t see won’t be missed. Hoping all of you have clear weather but you can have a fantastic time even if it’s rainy.
Fussen: Bike riding, walking throughout the city and beyond. 3 of our 5 rode bikes to the Castles and 2 of us took the city bus. Once there, you walk a bit (5 minutes?) up the hill to the tram that takes you to Mary’s bridge where you have the famous view of King Ludwig’s Neuschwanstein. We didn’t go see Hohenschwangau this trip. It’s on our wish list for next time. The hike up to Neuschwanstein from the bridge was probably one of the more strenuous walks we did on the trip. It’s not long but it’s steep. Give yourself time so you won’t miss your assigned ticket entry.
They are sticklers for not being late. A family from our group was denied entry because they were not belly up to the rope when that clock snapped to their time. They pull the rope back. Wait about 25 seconds and then place it back, turn & walk away. There is zero late entry. We had a wonderful time in Fussen & loved the charm this Bavarian town had to offer.

Wengen: 36,000 steps was clocked on a fellow member of our tour. They were from CO and had plenty of mountain hiking experience. They would leave before sunrise and not return until the evening. They shared with us that they got in 36,000 steps that 1 single day and loved every minute of it. Just know that there is plenty to do in the Lauterbrunnen Valley area with a range of difficulty from easy to expert. We took a lift from the valley to Murren & then walked around the charming town & then onto (a bucket list item!) of visiting Gimmelwald. The weather was hot but clear & we had breathtaking views throughout our walk, the whole day. We stopped when we wanted a break & strolled when we wanted to slow down. The pace is up to you! BTW, a lot of people get Grindelwald mixed up with Gimmelwald. We had seen a RS episode where he spoke of how much he loved Gimmelwald and being so close while based in Wengen was so exciting! Probably my favorite day of a life-changing trip that didn’t contain a bad day!
Chamonix and conclusion next post....

Chamonix: This was our last city of the RS tour and the bus ride was … hmm.. how to word this… exhilarating and expertly done by a professional driver. We scaled mountains with drop-offs that took my breath away and down the other side. Safely! A long trip but worth it to see Mount Blanc! The weather was not on our side for this final stop on the tour. It was full of cloud cover and rain all the days but we wore our rain coats, took our umbrellas and made the best of it! The clouds would break now and again & we got some beautiful photos. Unfortunately, the major lifts (like the Aguille di Midi) were not running while we were there but we hope to go again someday!
3 of our 5 went on a day long hike in the drizzle and had many more steps than my daughter and I. We opted to stay in town and shop, eat lunch at our hotel and relax while we packed for departure day.

I walked, hiked, strolled. Woke early, went to bed early and made the most of every day. We ate world-class foods, nibbled our way through street markets and lived a culinary adventure for 2 weeks! I long for those days again, as those, when we were in beautiful Europe, were some of the best I've had in my blessed life.

As always, I’m more than happy to answer any questions !
~Prost!
Mitzi

Mitzi - this has been so very helpful.
We leave June 9, 2025. I have gotten very confused about the passes we will need, half-price, for what ones, etc. But decided to worry about researching that more in 2025! I also have been thinking about how many reservations are really necessary beforehand....and I'm assuming the tour guide helps you think through scheduling and that sort of thing? Information on packing very helpful. I have cut and pasted into a document your information!

Marna,
You're going to have a wonderful, magical time in the Alps! I can't wait to return someday!
Yes, our guide, Laurel, checked with people on the bus when we were traveling to the next city and asked if we had questions about reservations, etc.

I'm happy to answer any other questions I may be able to help you with~
Mitzi