The buses aren’t (say) Peruvian standard (seriously, comfy as) but pleasant enough. And an overnight bus makes you money, given accomodation almost certainly costs more than it does…
(Did overnight bus trips from Barcelona to Toulouse, and Kiel to Copenhagen, last year.)
The buses aren’t (say) Peruvian standard (seriously, comfy as) but pleasant enough. And an overnight bus makes you money, given accomodation almost certainly costs more than it does…(Did overnight bus trips from Barcelona to Toulouse, and Kiel to Copenhagen, last year.)
Cool, thanks. I think I’ll give it a go this summer. Perhaps fly back to save time and in case I really hate it.
I do like the idea of jumping on a bus after work on a Friday then waking up somewhere else for the rest of the weekend. It could be a pretty cheap thing to do as I would just need accommodation for the Saturday night and maybe fly home Sunday night.
It appears that our Best of Germany tour in Aug-Sep isn't going ahead...presumably due to lack of interest. Already paid for it too, together with Insight's 2 tour discount.To fit in with the times, looks like Globus’s German Vistas is the best alternative. It misses the western part of Germany though, including Frankfurt and the Rhine. The rest of it is much the same. Not sure whether we’d be flying into Frankfurt or Berlin, but a lady we’re travelling with spent more than 20 years in the USAF. She should be able to rustle up some old colleagues who had experience flying to Germany…whether they landed or not is a different matter…although they may well have flown to West Berlin in the old days pre-Wall coming down. She also spent 20+ years in the CIA so that bit of travelling around Checkpoint Charlie should be covered too.
The end of this tour has to link up with the start of the next tour of Central Europe starting in Prague, so 3 days to get from Munich to Prague. It’s a train trip of 5-6 hours. Might be looking for suggestions how to fill in those 3 days. Dachau isn’t an option because that’s included in the tour. Might even have a chance to pick up Koala’s Russian dolls in Essendon outfits, near the bridge in Prague. Three days under the table at the Hofbrauhaus isn’t an option either since my desistation from alcoholic beverages. Wouldn’t need to order Ein Stein to work that out.
Cesky Krumlov?
We do Cesky Krumlov on the second tour from Prague to Warsaw…but thanks anyway.
Train it through Austria? Munich to Innsbruck is very scenic, as is the Semmerling area.
Salzburg for Sound of Music & Mozart?I love the German Alps. We try to go walking there every weekend in summer if we can. If you’re not up for walks the are always the cable cars that take you up. I think a lot of tourists go to Garmisch-Partenkirchen because there are tours there from Munich, but pretty much every mountain has a cable if you can get to it.
Also @Alan_Noonan_10 are you including Neuschwanstein castle? Or have you done that?
Neuschwanstein and the Schwarzewald are in the tour…
Cool. Neuschwanstein is greatI’ve been past there before back in 1989, but not inside.
Not sure that doing Munich to Prague via Austria is the go. We do Vienna on the tour. Been to Salzburg before and not sure I’d bother again. I’ll need to check the map, I’d say.
Nuremberg is on the way. I like it, it’s got lots of nice buildings, it’s kind of like a theme of the town to look like this:
It’s also one of those towns that claim to have invented a lot of things like the bratwurst and ginger bread.
Pilsen could also be a stop over. The whole town smells like malty goodness and has some good underground tours. And the brewery tour is also cool, unless you really hate beer (I think you mentioned you’re not a drinker though.
Otherwise Bamburg is supposed to be nice, but I’ve never been there. Also Bayerisherwald is nice.
Alcohol now has a fairly savage impact on me. It destroys my sleep and a hangover last for days.
Nuremburg isn’t on this tour…it was on the cancelled one. With its history, might need to consider stopping there, if just for a brattie and gingerbread.
It appears that our Best of Germany tour in Aug-Sep isn't going ahead...presumably due to lack of interest. Already paid for it too, together with Insight's 2 tour discount.To fit in with the times, looks like Globus’s German Vistas is the best alternative. It misses the western part of Germany though, including Frankfurt and the Rhine. The rest of it is much the same. Not sure whether we’d be flying into Frankfurt or Berlin, but a lady we’re travelling with spent more than 20 years in the USAF. She should be able to rustle up some old colleagues who had experience flying to Germany…whether they landed or not is a different matter…although they may well have flown to West Berlin in the old days pre-Wall coming down. She also spent 20+ years in the CIA so that bit of travelling around Checkpoint Charlie should be covered too.
The end of this tour has to link up with the start of the next tour of Central Europe starting in Prague, so 3 days to get from Munich to Prague. It’s a train trip of 5-6 hours. Might be looking for suggestions how to fill in those 3 days. Dachau isn’t an option because that’s included in the tour. Might even have a chance to pick up Koala’s Russian dolls in Essendon outfits, near the bridge in Prague. Three days under the table at the Hofbrauhaus isn’t an option either since my desistation from alcoholic beverages. Wouldn’t need to order Ein Stein to work that out.
Cesky Krumlov?
We do Cesky Krumlov on the second tour from Prague to Warsaw…but thanks anyway.
Train it through Austria? Munich to Innsbruck is very scenic, as is the Semmerling area.
Salzburg for Sound of Music & Mozart?I love the German Alps. We try to go walking there every weekend in summer if we can. If you’re not up for walks the are always the cable cars that take you up. I think a lot of tourists go to Garmisch-Partenkirchen because there are tours there from Munich, but pretty much every mountain has a cable if you can get to it.
Also @Alan_Noonan_10 are you including Neuschwanstein castle? Or have you done that?
Neuschwanstein and the Schwarzewald are in the tour…
Cool. Neuschwanstein is greatI’ve been past there before back in 1989, but not inside.
Not sure that doing Munich to Prague via Austria is the go. We do Vienna on the tour. Been to Salzburg before and not sure I’d bother again. I’ll need to check the map, I’d say.
Nuremberg is on the way. I like it, it’s got lots of nice buildings, it’s kind of like a theme of the town to look like this:
It’s also one of those towns that claim to have invented a lot of things like the bratwurst and ginger bread.
Pilsen could also be a stop over. The whole town smells like malty goodness and has some good underground tours. And the brewery tour is also cool, unless you really hate beer (I think you mentioned you’re not a drinker though.
Otherwise Bamburg is supposed to be nice, but I’ve never been there. Also Bayerisherwald is nice.
Alcohol now has a fairly savage impact on me. It destroys my sleep and a hangover last for days.
Nuremburg isn’t on this tour…it was on the cancelled one. With its history, might need to consider stopping there, if just for a brattie and gingerbread.
Yes, perfect place for History. Hitler had a lot of buildings constructed there, was that the place he wanted to turn into a new German Capital?
Königssee/Berchtesgaden are also highly recomended. From there you can visit Eaglesnest. And Königssee is also pretty nice to do a boat tour. My parents loved it.
Has anybody ever tried doing an overnight bus?eg:
22:40
08:10
Munich central bus station
Torino (Vittorio Emanuele)
9:30 HRS.Direct
32.90 €Or would that be a bad idea comfort wise?
Took a bus from London to Edinburgh overnight. Spent a day there then bus back. I wouldn’t recommend that but one way is fine.
It appears that our Best of Germany tour in Aug-Sep isn't going ahead...presumably due to lack of interest. Already paid for it too, together with Insight's 2 tour discount.To fit in with the times, looks like Globus’s German Vistas is the best alternative. It misses the western part of Germany though, including Frankfurt and the Rhine. The rest of it is much the same. Not sure whether we’d be flying into Frankfurt or Berlin, but a lady we’re travelling with spent more than 20 years in the USAF. She should be able to rustle up some old colleagues who had experience flying to Germany…whether they landed or not is a different matter…although they may well have flown to West Berlin in the old days pre-Wall coming down. She also spent 20+ years in the CIA so that bit of travelling around Checkpoint Charlie should be covered too.
The end of this tour has to link up with the start of the next tour of Central Europe starting in Prague, so 3 days to get from Munich to Prague. It’s a train trip of 5-6 hours. Might be looking for suggestions how to fill in those 3 days. Dachau isn’t an option because that’s included in the tour. Might even have a chance to pick up Koala’s Russian dolls in Essendon outfits, near the bridge in Prague. Three days under the table at the Hofbrauhaus isn’t an option either since my desistation from alcoholic beverages. Wouldn’t need to order Ein Stein to work that out.
Cesky Krumlov?
We do Cesky Krumlov on the second tour from Prague to Warsaw…but thanks anyway.
Train it through Austria? Munich to Innsbruck is very scenic, as is the Semmerling area.
Salzburg for Sound of Music & Mozart?I love the German Alps. We try to go walking there every weekend in summer if we can. If you’re not up for walks the are always the cable cars that take you up. I think a lot of tourists go to Garmisch-Partenkirchen because there are tours there from Munich, but pretty much every mountain has a cable if you can get to it.
Also @Alan_Noonan_10 are you including Neuschwanstein castle? Or have you done that?
Neuschwanstein and the Schwarzewald are in the tour…
Cool. Neuschwanstein is greatI’ve been past there before back in 1989, but not inside.
Not sure that doing Munich to Prague via Austria is the go. We do Vienna on the tour. Been to Salzburg before and not sure I’d bother again. I’ll need to check the map, I’d say.
Nuremberg is on the way. I like it, it’s got lots of nice buildings, it’s kind of like a theme of the town to look like this:
It’s also one of those towns that claim to have invented a lot of things like the bratwurst and ginger bread.
Pilsen could also be a stop over. The whole town smells like malty goodness and has some good underground tours. And the brewery tour is also cool, unless you really hate beer (I think you mentioned you’re not a drinker though.
Otherwise Bamburg is supposed to be nice, but I’ve never been there. Also Bayerisherwald is nice.
Alcohol now has a fairly savage impact on me. It destroys my sleep and a hangover last for days.
Nuremburg isn’t on this tour…it was on the cancelled one. With its history, might need to consider stopping there, if just for a brattie and gingerbread.
Yes, perfect place for History. Hitler had a lot of buildings constructed there, was that the place he wanted to turn into a new German Capital?
Königssee/Berchtesgaden are also highly recomended. From there you can visit Eaglesnest. And Königssee is also pretty nice to do a boat tour. My parents loved it.
I heard the Eagle’s Nest had been demolished. Not true? I do remember it vividly from Band of Brothers.
I’ve heard of Königsee but not really familiar with it.
I fondly remenber Achen ( or Aix La Chappelle in the old books) and Lake of Constance, with the Bernadotte and Swedish royals links.
It appears that our Best of Germany tour in Aug-Sep isn't going ahead...presumably due to lack of interest. Already paid for it too, together with Insight's 2 tour discount.To fit in with the times, looks like Globus’s German Vistas is the best alternative. It misses the western part of Germany though, including Frankfurt and the Rhine. The rest of it is much the same. Not sure whether we’d be flying into Frankfurt or Berlin, but a lady we’re travelling with spent more than 20 years in the USAF. She should be able to rustle up some old colleagues who had experience flying to Germany…whether they landed or not is a different matter…although they may well have flown to West Berlin in the old days pre-Wall coming down. She also spent 20+ years in the CIA so that bit of travelling around Checkpoint Charlie should be covered too.
The end of this tour has to link up with the start of the next tour of Central Europe starting in Prague, so 3 days to get from Munich to Prague. It’s a train trip of 5-6 hours. Might be looking for suggestions how to fill in those 3 days. Dachau isn’t an option because that’s included in the tour. Might even have a chance to pick up Koala’s Russian dolls in Essendon outfits, near the bridge in Prague. Three days under the table at the Hofbrauhaus isn’t an option either since my desistation from alcoholic beverages. Wouldn’t need to order Ein Stein to work that out.
Cesky Krumlov?
We do Cesky Krumlov on the second tour from Prague to Warsaw…but thanks anyway.
Train it through Austria? Munich to Innsbruck is very scenic, as is the Semmerling area.
Salzburg for Sound of Music & Mozart?I love the German Alps. We try to go walking there every weekend in summer if we can. If you’re not up for walks the are always the cable cars that take you up. I think a lot of tourists go to Garmisch-Partenkirchen because there are tours there from Munich, but pretty much every mountain has a cable if you can get to it.
Also @Alan_Noonan_10 are you including Neuschwanstein castle? Or have you done that?
Neuschwanstein and the Schwarzewald are in the tour…
Cool. Neuschwanstein is greatI’ve been past there before back in 1989, but not inside.
Not sure that doing Munich to Prague via Austria is the go. We do Vienna on the tour. Been to Salzburg before and not sure I’d bother again. I’ll need to check the map, I’d say.
Nuremberg is on the way. I like it, it’s got lots of nice buildings, it’s kind of like a theme of the town to look like this:
It’s also one of those towns that claim to have invented a lot of things like the bratwurst and ginger bread.
Pilsen could also be a stop over. The whole town smells like malty goodness and has some good underground tours. And the brewery tour is also cool, unless you really hate beer (I think you mentioned you’re not a drinker though.
Otherwise Bamburg is supposed to be nice, but I’ve never been there. Also Bayerisherwald is nice.
Alcohol now has a fairly savage impact on me. It destroys my sleep and a hangover last for days.
Nuremburg isn’t on this tour…it was on the cancelled one. With its history, might need to consider stopping there, if just for a brattie and gingerbread.
Yes, perfect place for History. Hitler had a lot of buildings constructed there, was that the place he wanted to turn into a new German Capital?
Königssee/Berchtesgaden are also highly recomended. From there you can visit Eaglesnest. And Königssee is also pretty nice to do a boat tour. My parents loved it.
I heard the Eagle’s Nest had been demolished. Not true? I do remember it vividly from Band of Brothers.
I’ve heard of Königsee but not really familiar with it.
Konigsee is a beautiful lake to visit and take a boat trip if time permits. The Eagle’s nest is a nice restaurant now and little about the place remains from the Nazi era. There are tours we were told which went to some of the lower rooms and cellar area where some signs of the Allies attack remain however we didn’t take the tour so can’t comment
Going to Japan from 24th August to mid September. What’s the weather like around that time? Heard you can get alot of typhoons.
We are staying in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Okinawa.
Any tips on places to go and things to do? Already staying at Disneyland for 2 days.
Middle to tail end of summer so it’ll be very hot. May be typhoons, which could affect the Okinawa part of the trip. It’s a gamble - once we flew in at the start of one and spent one whole day of two days stuck in the hotel.
Don’t bother with much historical/cultural stuff in Tokyo, get your fill in Kyoto. In Kyoto, the must-sees are Kiyomizu Temple, Kinkakuji (Golden Temple), and walking the side streets of Gion. After that there are still dozens and dozens of impressive temples and shrines.
Try nearby Nara if you have time. The giant Buddha in Todai-ji, and the deer in Nara Park are really cool. Tokyo will give you the buzz of crowds, shopping, and nightlife. The sheer size of the city is dizzying. Osaka provides good eating, and the castle area is good.
Check festival calendars to see what’s gonna be happening in each city. Summer has a bunch of cool festivals usually, like danjiri (pulled floats).
Okinawa has a great aquarium in Naha (better than the good one in Osaka), the local cuisine and music is enjoyable (often combined, with live shamisen playing in restaurants). Plenty of relaxing beaches, of course, but jellyfish could be around, so perhaps seek out netted beaches or get advice from your hotel.
Make sure you spend a day at Disney Sea, I enjoyed it more than Disneyland!
If you get stuck with a stupid hot day in Tokyo go and visit any of their museums. They are dirt cheap (the main natural history museum was only 500 yen) and air conditioned! The train museum was good fun too and very cheap. Simulators, ride on stuff, models, and obviously real life trains as well including working turntable. Also roof available to take photos of the 8/10 train lines as they go by (including Shinkansen).
Latest thought is to do a longer Trafalgar tour of Germany which finishes in Frankfurt the day before we have to be in Prague, so probably have no other sightseeing options.
Just have to get the other two to agree.
Latest thought is to do a longer Trafalgar tour of Germany which finishes in Frankfurt the day before we have to be in Prague, so probably have no other sightseeing options.Just have to get the other two to agree.
Going to Japan from 24th August to mid September. What's the weather like around that time? Heard you can get alot of typhoons. We are staying in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Okinawa.Any tips on places to go and things to do? Already staying at Disneyland for 2 days.
Around Tokyo I loved Shimokitazawa; a more relaxed and hip part of Tokyo. If you are a serious music fan then check out Club 251; it costs about $60 for the locals BUT foreign tourists get free entry. As a musician I was stunned at how good the bands were. As a former sound engineer I don’t think I will ever mix another band without doubting myself: I’m not worthy! Please go here.
Osaka Castle is ace and the grounds are huge, so much more impressive than I thought it would be, the turtles are big in the moat too. In Kyoto the walk around the Gion/Yasaka shrine/Kiyomizu area is pretty hard to beat.
Looks like Insight have opened up our original tour again. Not a guaranteed departure but ‘Book Now’ button is back.
Looks like Insight have opened up our original tour again. Not a guaranteed departure but 'Book Now' button is back.After our trip to Scotland, Wales and England in May, Mrs Gwilty is doing a 15 tour with Cosmos Tours in June - takes in Germany, Austria, Poland, Hungary and Czech Repaublic. I've asked her to bring back an Auschwitz snow dome. http://www.cosmostours.com.au/2017/europe-tours/central-eastern-and-alpine-europe-tours
Looks like Insight have opened up our original tour again. Not a guaranteed departure but 'Book Now' button is back.After our trip to Scotland, Wales and England in May, Mrs Gwilty is doing a 15 tour with Cosmos Tours in June - takes in Germany, Austria, Poland, Hungary and Czech Repaublic. I've asked her to bring back an Auschwitz snow dome. http://www.cosmostours.com.au/2017/europe-tours/central-eastern-and-alpine-europe-tours
And a selfie in front of the gas chambers. I hear they’re all the go these days.
Sounds like that one is a combination of our two trips.
Some pics from Mexico City
Teotihuacan
Diego Rivera mural
Frida’s leg
Trump cartoon
Aztec Jabberwocky
