We have planned We planned this trip for two years by watching every Rick Steves TV program on anything to do with Norway, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Austria, Poland and Iceland. We started our 7 wk trip on Sept 15, 2016 and arrived back in Boston November 5, 2016. 49 days of absolute enjoyment and awe.
Our whole trip was based upon Rick Steves, Guidebooks, Travel TV shows, and Forum. We asked several questions on the Forum, received prompt replies that helped us make connections and visit the best sites in the area. We started in Oslo, all day train to Bergen, one day Fjiord via small craft and back to Bergen via express ship and back to Oslo. We then flew to Zurich, took a train to Luzern, spent a day seeing the sights of old town Luzern and the next day following Rick Steves advice took a train, and Gondola to Murren and stayed at the Bacharach Hotel.
Of our entire 7 weeks, our stay at the Blumenthal Hotel in Murren ranked # 1. Picturesque village on the mountainside and Hospitalitay that will always be ranked as our #1 experience. The food was over the top. Three days in Murren then onto Montreaux and the Chocolate train. Delightful and worth the trip. Golden Pass train to Zermatt for two day stay and visited the Matterhorn via the Gonnergrat. Gorgeous views. Zermatt to Samedan via the Glacier Express and onto Rome via the Bernina Express, Lake Como, and Lugano. 6 Days in Rome, 3 days in Florence then all day Swiss Rail and Eurorail to Bacharach Germany. ( Rick Steve's suggestion). Well worth the trip. Bacharach was a goregeous frozen in time pituresque German village. Rhine river trip the next day according to one of Rick Steve's TV shows. Onto Munich, Haufbraus, Bavarian Castles and then EuroRail onto Vienna for 3 days.
Viennea Boy's Choir, a Vienna Music concert then onto Kakow via EuroRail and one day visit to Auschwitz. EuoRail to Warsaw and onto Berlin for 6 days. We had dinner at Rick's suggestion at restaurant in E. Berlin. Absolutely wonderful!!! Finally to Reykjavik, the Northern Lights and home to Boston.
We planned the trip for two years and followed Rick Steve's advice all the way. Everything came off like it was planned. We could not have been more pleased. Plan our own trip, experience it and have it follow the schedule as planned.
Thank you Rick Steves for all your assistance and thank you for making this such a wonderful vacation.
Margo & CJ