I'm sure there is another thread somewhere on this, but I am so excited that we just booked our 4th RS to GAS September 16-29, 2017! It's the only GAS tour so far that's nearly full. Would love to connect with others going to GAS in 2017 or hear from alums with advice only they can give!
Patty
Hi Patty! Just finished the GAS Tour last Friday and had a wonderful time. My guide was Carlos Meissner who was superb.
I recommend getting to Trier at least the night ahead if not 2. One couple missed the first full day (walking tour of Trier and the trip to Burg Eltz) as their flight was delayed then cancelled. I flew in to Paris for a few days then took the train to Trier via Saarbrucken.
I stayed 2 nights ahead and stayed in the tour hotel which is an Assisted Living facility with hotel space. Do plan to take a taxi from the station and have the address written down as well as a googlemap route printed out. Your taxi driver will likely not know the hotel.
I had a number of things on the list to do in Trier and got to some of them. Frankly it was SO hot in Trier (95!!) that I was finished with sightseeing by mid-afternoon. You won't have that problem with the time of year you've chosen. Do plan to see the Konstantin Basilica and the Dom at least on the Saturday as there is not time on the walking tour and it will likely be a Sunday so they will be having services.
I had done the 21 BOE in 2014 and loved Switzerland so was looking forward to 3 nights there. It was fantastic, as anticipated. We did the Schilthorn and hiked from Almendhubel which is just above Mürren on the first day then did Trümmelbach Falls as a group the next morning with most of us making our way up the Wengen side of the valley to do the Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg hike in the afternoon.
On your night in Hallstatt I recommend just taking a small bag for the night. The bus drives thru to the far end of town and drops off. Then you and your bags board a boat for a short cruise on the lake (maybe 45 minutes??) then you offload near the hotel. However, the next morning you have to walk back thru town with luggage to get to where the bus is parked. It would just have been easier to have a small bag. In Baden-Baden the bus can get pretty close to the hotel so no problem.
I love to talk about my trips so let me know if you have specific questions. I am still traveling but should have fair wifi. I'll do a trip report when I get back the first of Oct.
Patty - you will love it, it's such a great tour! I learned a lot about what to do during my free time and what to expect by looking through the tour scrapbooks. It also helps pass the time while waiting! Every single stop on that tour was awe-inspiring to us! I'll PM you the link to my scrapbook, which is like my trip report. If you have any other questions, let me know!
And I learned about flying in to Paris and doing the train via Saarbrucken from Tamara, lol!!
Thanks again!
I'm glad it worked out, Pam!! :) Can't wait to read your trip report and hear all about it!
My husband and I did this tour a year ago and loved it. We went 3 days early and took the train the St Goar on the Rhine River. We then took the local Rhine river tours (KD line) to see castles etc. It was a lovely way to get acclimated to the new time. One day we took the Boat up River to Assmanhausen and the second day we took the boat down River to Koblenz. Loved it! At the end of the tour we took the train from Vienna to Rothenburg. It's a lovely little walled town with beautiful little houses full of window boxes. We saw it on one of Rick's videos and just had to visit. After 2 days we took the train back to Frankfurt and flew home. The trains in Germany are amazing! They are fairly easy to navigate if you download the Eurail app on your phone. We bought a Eurail pass as we took the train 5 different times. We got a good deal of 5 days of travel for the price of 4. Tamara's scrapbook is very good. Check it out. I'm excited for you. September is a great time to travel.
Several of us took the tandem paragliding trip in Murren. It was a nice day and while expensive it was worth it to me. Something to think about beforehand.
Hi Patster67: I was on Pam's tour this past August and September and loved it There are so many things to do in your free time, but you will have to choose one or two things to do and do it. Think about what you want to do in your free time and make a list and bring it, this way when you have free time, you won't be looking at the guide book to figure out what you want to see. This tour was busy, an adventure and thrilling! Layer, layer, layer. Bring a rain jacket, jeans, two pairs of comfortable shoes, casual clothes, and one warm sweater. I agree with Pam, if you can pack an overnight bag for Hallstatt that would be good. If you decide to go to the optional mozart concert, bring a nice blouse and slacks. No need for a dress, but no jeans. Read the tour scrapbooks, they have valuable information and great photos. I stayed four extra days after the tour in Vienna and was happy I did. If you have time, stay a few days in Vienna and make sure you get to Trier at least the day before the tour. Trier is nice to have two days before the tour. I agree with Pam make sure you see the churches and gardens before the tour as there is not much time on the tour and church services are going on, in Trier. In Baden-Baden, I went to the spa and loved it. I was worried but it was actually a lot of fun and relaxing. Save some room in your suitcase if your a shopper, there are tons of beautiful shops. I just found Austria and Germany to be shopping meccas than any other places I visited on other tours. I loved this tour so much, I hope to do the 8 day Munich-Vienna tour next year and combine it with another tour. PM if you have any questions. Have a great time!!
I was reminded of something else with Ann's post. If you want to do the Mozart Concert in Salzburg, in addition to no jeans, no athletic shoes either. Our group had mixed reviews on this. Some were not opera fans and didn't realize that was what was presented.
