Southern Europe, 43 days of new experiences

[Meggsy]

My first attempt at a trip report so any feedback appreciated. 18 months ago my wife and a friend discussed going on a trip to Spain for a couple of weeks. We worked hard to convince them that their husbands should be invited too. As these things tend to do for Aussies we thought it was a long way to go just for a trip through Spain so decided to look at some mediterranean cruise options to tack on also. Eventually we settled on an itinerary that saw us visiting 11 countries on a mixture of self drive, guided bus tour and cruise over 43 days. Thankfully we all have good employers that gave us the time off work, with sufficient notice

The plan was to start in Zurich with an easy paced 5 days of self driving before flying to Madrid to join a 15 day guided bus tour through Spain and Portugal ending in Barcelona. We would then have a a few days self driving through southern France before heading to Venice for 3 days. Onto Rome to join our 10 day cruise before finishing the trip with 4 days in Rome.

Day 1

Flights

Gold Coast (OOL) - Sydney (SYD) Virgin Australia VA 518 11:05 - 12:35 Aircraft B737 J class seats 1A and 1C

Sydney (SYD) - Singapore (SIN) Singapore Airlines SQ 222 15:00 - 21:20 Aircraft A380 Suites (old) Seats 1A and 2A

Singapore (SIN) - Zurich (ZRH) Singapore Airlines SQ 346 01:25 - 08:15 Aircraft A380 Suites (new) Seats 1A and 2A

All flights departed and arrived as scheduled and all booked as reward seats (VA) and savers (SQ) using virgin points directly or transferred to Krisflyer. We decided to depart from Sydney so we could experience Suites. Invitation to The Private Room in SIN given to us at check in in Sydney. We had about 1 hour in the SQ F lounge in Sydney before being escorted to the aircraft for departure. Our first time in Suites class and enjoying the experience so far.

On arrival in SIN we met our travelling companions who had just arrived on an SQ flight from BNE, had a bit of a wander through T3 and then headed to the lounge to kill a few hours. A few drinks and a shower later and we were heading to the gate for our flight to Zurich. We chose 1A /2A due to being able to drop the dividing wall. This is a good option for couples and it was a most enjoyable flight.

I found the bed a little too firm for my liking but slept in the recliner for a few hours very comfortably. That aside I could not fault the experience. The food, drinks, service and amenities were everything we hoped they would be.

Our travelling companions were on the same flight to Zurich but travelling in Y. The CSM went down stairs, found them and invited them up to sit with us for a while, gave us a bottle of champagne and some extra deserts to share. A nice gesture and one our friends appreciated very much.

 

[RB]

Looking forward to more! Takes a lot to write a report covering that amount of time so I appreciate your efforts.

 

[BriarFlyer]

I see that 1A is already taken, so I'll pop over to 1K. Looking forward to the trip (report.)

 

[drron]

I see that 1A is already taken, so I'll pop over to 1K. Looking forward to the trip (report.)

So I'll take 2K and that should relegate JohnM to the J cabin.
Good to see you taking the plunge.Just use your own style-every writer of TRs has a different style.

 

[kermatu]

Looking good so far.

 

[LadyC]

Sounds like it could be a fun trip - as long as the friendship survives it!

 

[Meggsy]

Day 2

Landed in Zurich Just before 8am local time and after a lengthy taxi we arrived at the gate 15 minutes later and began disembarking. A fond farewell and thanks to the crew that looked after us so well and we were on our way. A bit of a walk to the Skymetro then on to collect our bags. Breezed through immigration and was sitting in the Airport Centre drinking a coffee by 8:45. We intended to leave some luggage that we would not require until later in the trip at the left luggage centre. This was easy enough to find and shortly after we were on the train into the city and fingers crossed our hotel would have a room available for an early check in.

We planned to stay in Zurich for two nights and chose to stay at the Hotel Montana. It was about a 5 minute walk from Zurich Hauptbahnhof and close to the bus station where our city tour departed from later that day. As luck would have it we arrived at the hotel to find no rooms available. It was only 10:30am after all so we left the bags with reception and headed out to explore a little. We had booked a 3 hour guided city tour for 1 pm so a chance to stretch the legs, get our bearings and find somewhere for lunch.

The tour consisted of a drive through the CBD area, the universities on the eastern side of the river, a drive down the eastern side of the lake, crossing on the car ferry before heading back to the start point up the western side. We also had a stop off to catch the cable car up to Felsenegg for some wonderful lake views. Shame the weather didn’t cooperate.

4:00pm return and back to the hotel to check in and freshen up before finding somewhere for dinner. The rooms were basic but modern, quite spacious and had a comfortable bed and a good shower. We headed out and found a nice restaurant on the river, had a feed and back for an early night.

 

[Meggsy]

Sounds like it could be a fun trip - as long as the friendship survives it!

We have been travelling together for some years now and never any dramas. This is the longest one though so will be a good test.

 

[Milboo]

Hope you enjoyed Zurich! I really liked it - especially exploring the Old Town. And the Bircher muesli from Sprungli Cafe.

 

[ellen10]

Signing on and looking forward to reading about your travels.

 

[Meggsy]

Day 3

An early start (Sunday morning) to get some exercise and go for a stroll through the old town part of Zurich before breakfast. I was reminded of my teen years as I passed many night clubbers the worse for wear hitting the streets (some literally) as the sun came up. Back to the hotel for breakfast and shower before heading out to the airport to pick up our rental car. The hotel buffet breakfast was quite nice. Good range of hot and cold food and had some of the best strawberry yoghurt I have ever tasted. Locally produced and went well with the cereal, fruits or on its own.

Coffee charged and feeling better after a great nights sleep we boarded the airport train for the short journey to ZRH and quickly found the Alamo desk on arrival. We had booked a luxury SUV and were given a brand new Alfa Romeo Stelvio. A very nice car to drive although luggage space was very tight with 4 adults in the car.

Our plan for the day was to head east to a town called Konstanz on Lake Constance, then follow the lake edge up to Stein am Rhein and then onto Schaffhausen, Rheinfall and back to Zurich. Very easy driving once we cleared the ZRH neighbourhood and, while not perfect, the weather was improving. Google maps and car play worked a treat for navigation. The onboard nav system worked fine but we could not work out how to change the language to English so relied on our phones.

Just before entering Konstanz you cross the border from Switzerland into Germany. There is an actual border post with a chicane set up of witches hats and an occupied police vehicle but no requirement to stop unless advised to do so. Straight through we went and set about finding some parking to go and explore on foot.

After wandering through many alleyways, and plazas we found ourselves at the Konstanz Port. There is a wonderful rotating statue of Imperia at the port entrance. This is a very pretty lake side town and one we could have spent the whole day exploring It is very neat and tidy and quite picturesque and very happy we came here.


Our chariot for the next 4 days


Some local architecture


The town was very quiet but also very tidy and clean


An old port side warehouse converted into a German Restaurant overlooking the port


Looking back toward the railway station


The town clock tower


Rotating statue of Imperia

 

[Meggsy]

Day 3, continued

After leaving Konstanz we made our way up to Stein am Rhein, our intended lunch stop. This is a well maintained, historical Rhine river side village that was recommended to me by a friend. After searching for a short while we found some parking not too far from the main street and set off once again to explore. First mistake of the trip was to not read ALL of the signs in the carpark as apparently I was in a space that had to be paid for 7 days a week where as other spaces did not require payment on a Sunday. A nasty surprise was waiting on my windscreen on our return. Lesson learnt.

A compact little village it is and relatively flat so getting around on foot is easy. There is a Square with lovely painted frescoes on the building facades on either side and the town hall overlooking from the top. Lots of cafe’s, bakeries, restaurants in the square and on the riverfront so plenty of options for lunch. We chose a bakery just opposite the fountain in the square and the food was delicious. Fed and watered we were soon back on the road heading to Schaffhausen.

After crossing the Rhine to enter Schaffhausen we made a beeline up the hill to Munot Castle (fortress) that overlooks the town. A nice vantage point from up on the top deck with great views of the town and river. There are also some nice rose gardens up there worth looking at if you enjoy flowers. A short drive around the town followed and then onto Rheinfalls.

On arrival we found car parking in the main park close to the entrance. Grabbed our tickets and set off for the walk down to the falls. A little bit of a hike but all downhill. There are a few different vantage points on the way down and plenty of photo opportunities along the way. It is quite spectacular when you are right at the bottom and can feel the power of the water. Cameras just can’t capture it properly. Spent about an hour wandering around the different viewing places before heading back up.

There is a short walk from the very bottom to about 1/3 of the way back up where you can use a lift to get back to the top. A mandatory browse through the souvenir store ensued before we hit the road once more for the drive back to Zurich.

A fairly uneventful drive and about 90 minutes later we were parked in the hotel basement thinking about a beer and what to do for dinner. We ended up wandering up to the main train station and finding a restaurant underground that served hearty local meals as well as the usual burgers, pizzas etc.

A good feed and a couple of beers later, reflecting on a wonderful day out led us to start thinking with anticipation of what tomorrow would be like as we left Zurich for Grindelwald via Lucerne.

Painted Facades


Painted Facades


It's only a camera, not a miracle worker


The Town Hall at the top of the square


The Rhine river at Stein am Rhein


The view from Munot castle at Schaffhausen


More views from Munot castle at Schaffhausen


Rheinfalls

 

[Meggsy]

Day 4

Woke up to another grey day weather wise but with the forecast of clearing weather we indulged in the hotel breakfast once again before loading the car, checking out and hitting the highway for Lucerne. It was far easier to get out of Zurich than I expected and literally 10 minutes after leaving the hotel we were listening to some tunes on Spotify and enjoying the Swiss countryside, along with a major tunnel or three. A short 45 minute drive and we were on the lookout for parking in Lucerne. Parked in the Lowencentre shopping mall carpark. The plan was to do some exploring on foot, grab a bite of lunch and then head on to Grindelwald for the night.

First stop was the monument called the Lion of Lucerne. It is carved into the cliff face of an old quarry and is to commemorate the Swiss Guards who were massacred at Tuileries Palace in Paris during the French Revolution. The facial expression on the lion is one of sadness and pain, I found it to be quite moving.

From the monument we wandered through some of the small laneways and across town to the Chapel Bridge. Quite unique and very pretty, adorned with flowering plants down both sides. Was a good place to stop and have a coffee on the edge of the Reuss and watch the world float by for a while. There is something about watching swans and ducks gliding about on a river that is relaxing.

Continued the walk across the chapel bridge, down to the ferry terminal and main train station before heading back across the main bridge to find somewhere for lunch. We settled on a bakery near the lowencentre mall for a sandwich and pastries.


The Lion of Lucerne




Chapel Bridge


Chapel Bridge


Looking downstream from the Chapel Bridge


Lucerne Railway station


Back toward the city from railway station

 

[Meggsy]

Day 4 continued

Back on the road for the 1 hour drive to Interlaken. Such a beautiful drive through the country and along the lake edges. I have never seen such greenery anywhere in my travels. The weather is continuing to improve and we manage to get some great photos along the drive. A quick pitstop in Interlaken for an ice cream and a short wander then saw us back on the road for the 30 minute drive to Grindelwald.

As we arrived in the main street of Grindelwald the sheer beauty of the alps in the background made it difficult to keep my eyes on the road. We quickly found our hotel (Hotel Grindelwalderhof) and checked in, parked the car and set off to explore the village. The main purpose for staying here was to explore the local area and do a trip to Jungfraujoch or Top of Europe.

We called into the tourist information centre to enquire about tickets and the best time to go as the weather forecast was not looking too good for the next day. The very helpful lady assured us the weather would be perfect the next day and if we wanted to head up on either of the first 2 trains with ‘Good Morning’ tickets we would save about CHF 110 for 2 of us. Full price ticket was CHF 190 from Grindelwald vs CHF 135 for the Good Morning tickets. We are early risers so it was a simple decision.

Tickets secured for the next day we continued our exploring of the souvenir shops looking at all things Swiss before heading off to dinner at Onkel Toms Pizza Restaurant. The food and beers were very nice and there was a great atmosphere for a small place. Grindelwalds main street, Dorfstrasse, is quite compact.

It is about a 15-20 minute walk from one end to the other with all manner of bars, restaurants hotels and shops along the way. A short stroll after dinner back to the hotel before settling in for the night.


Did I mention it was green?








Interlaken


Stunning panorama from our hotel room balcony


Our hotel, Grindelwalderhof


Dorfstrasse, the main street of Grindelwald

 

[kermatu]

Think I may have stayed at the Grindelwalderhof as a kid 25 years ago. Enjoying your pics of the area.

 

[VPS]

Beautiful scenery. I still remember my trip up the Jungfrau - I took a whole roll of 36 photos in one day!!

 

[Meggsy]

Beautiful scenery. I still remember my trip up the Jungfrau - I took a whole roll of 36 photos in one day!!

Ahh yes the good old days of 35mm film where you were only limited by how much film you could afford and carry. We are very spoilt today from a photography perspective.

 

[Meggsy]

Day 5

An early start today to meet the conditions of our Good Morning tickets to Jungfrau. The conditions for these tickets are that you must be on either the 8:00am or 8:30am trains from Kleine Scheidegg to Jungfraujoch. These are the first 2 trains of the day that head up the mountain. You must also depart Jungfraujoch by no later than 1:13pm back to Kleine Scheidegg. We boarded a train from Grindelwald at 7:25am for the first 30 minute leg then we had a couple of minutes to change trains at Kleine Scheidegg. This second train was quite full with most of it reserved seating for tour groups or people who paid the extra fee. We all got seats and settled in for the spectacular climb to the top. This leg takes about 50 minutes and includes a couple of stops at special vantage points where you can alight the train for a few minutes for a photo opportunity. A short hop later and we had arrived at the Top of Europe.

First order of business was to find a coffee. There is a small café just as you exit the station that serves sandwiches, pastries, hot and cold drinks etc. None of the other restaurants were open at this time. We quickly fuelled up and set off to explore knowing we had about 4 hours. We headed up to the Sphinx observation deck to be greeted by an amazing clear day, views for miles and not a puff of breeze. The conditions could not be better. Walking around the deck gives you a 360 degree view of the glacier and different mountain aspects along with many great photos on a day like this.

We soon headed off back down the lifts to check out the ice palace. This is a series of tunnels and ice carvings made in the glacier. On the walk to the ice palace you also pass through the Jungfrau Panorama, a 360 degree cinematic type experience and the Alpine Sensation, which is a story of the hardships the miners suffered when constructing the railway. It ends alongside a giant snow globe before you enter the ice palace. Along this walk there is also a place you can head out onto the snow for a play if you choose.

Considering we were spending most of the trip in warm climates we chose not to bring any heavy snow gear but the day was so nice none of us felt cold at any time We ventured out onto the snow and played around for a while. Wasn’t game enough to make a snow angel but enjoyed watching members of the Korean tour group try. Onto the ice palace to wander the tunnels and check out the various ice carvings. From the ice palace you can make your way back into the main building through the shops where we made a beeline for the Lindt store followed by the other souvenir shops.

Before we knew it the time was 12:30 so we headed to the train station to wait for our ride down the mountain. 4 hours was plenty of time to see and do everything. If you chose to stay and have lunch in one of the restaurants you might be pressed for time but it is certainly doable.

A perfect day








Map of the complex


Ice Carvings


One of the tunnels through the glacier


The Sphinx observatory and viewing platform from the snow play area


The giant snow globe


Walking through the Alpine sensation area

The view heading back down

 

[Meggsy]

Day 5 continued

We had a slight change of plans on the way down and decided that as the day was only half over we would try and change our return train from Kleine Scheidegg to Grindelwald direct to one that went via Lauterbrunnen and Zweilutschinen. We asked at the ticket office at Kleine Scheidegg and was told no problem. We had to pay a few CHF’s extra to change the ticket and we were soon on our way for the 45 minute trip to Lauterbrunnen.

What a spectacular trip this was! I think my wife took several hundred photos on this leg. We hopped off at Lauterbrunnen and had some lunch in a restaurant just by the train station. The purpose of getting off here was that we were going to go to Trummelbach falls. Trummelbach falls is a series of 10 glacier fed falls that are inside a cave system. It costs CHF 11 per adult (cash only) entry and is well worth it if you are in the area. You can catch a public bus that departs every half hour from the train station and it was about a 10 minute trip to the falls entrance.

On entering the falls there is a funicular that will take you up to fall number 5. From there you have to walk through a series of ascending tunnels and staircases to get to the number 10 fall at the top. You can then descend all the way back to the bottom falls on foot but nothing too taxing. Caution, it is very loud in places and a little damp from the spray but very rewarding to see the whole series of falls. On leaving the falls we stopped at the onsite café for a cold one before catching the bus back to Lauterbrunnen train station.

We caught the train down to Zweilutschinen where we had to change trains for the next leg home to Grindelwald. An interesting observation here is that the Grindelwald train comes from Interlaken and literally splits in half at this station. Half continues onto Grindelwald while the other half goes to Lauterbrunnen. Luckily we joined the right half and about 20 minutes later we were back in Grindelwald after a wonderful day out.

It was about 7:00pm by this stage and we decided to try the local Fondue for dinner. We grabbed a table at the Restaurant Memory and ordered the local Cheese Fondue for the four of us. I discovered this day I am not a fan of cheese fondue. Everyone else thought it was great and the rest of our order was delicious. A few beers and no desert later this day was done and we headed back to Hotel for a well earned sleep.

All of the images below are of the train trip from Klein Scheidegg to Lauterbrunnen bar the last two of Trummelbach falls.

 

[ellen10]

What spectacular wether you had for a great day. Brings back fond memories of our trip 4 years ago. We did a very similar trip to yours but based ourselves in Wengen. The noise of Trummelbach fall was amazing. Great photos!