A Two Week European Vacation
This past September, my husband and I spent 14 days in Europe through Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. We saw a great mix of historical sites, however spent most of our trip hiking and finding some solitude in the backcountry. We wanted to share our two week itinerary to help you plan your travels to these three beautiful countries. This time of year is considered shoulder season in Germany, Austria and Switzerland so the hotel rates were lower and there were less tourists floating around.
Day 1 to 2 // Munich, Germany
We started off our two week Euro adventure by doing some urban hiking. We went to two of Munich’s oldest breweries, Augustiner built in 1328 and Hafbrauhaus in 1589.
We visited Dachau Concentration Camp just outside of the city. These historical events and the people who suffered here will never be forgotten. Such an eerie feeling seeing sights of original trees, buildings still erected and the grounds still in tact.
Toured the Munich Residence, where a palace once housed dukes, electors and kings in Bavaria from 1508 to 1918. A significant portion of it was destroyed during WWII, but have since been rebuilt and restored. Now, a public museum. Off to the mountains of tomorrow!
Day 3 to 5 // Berchtesgaden, Germany
We started off this leg by visiting Salzberwerk salt mine, which is still an active salt mine that has been in operation since 1517. It was pouring outside, so it was the perfect activity for a soaked day. The next day after the rain cleared, we hiked up to the Eagles Nest “Kehlsteinhaus” nestled in the mountains at 6,017 feet. It was a house constructed as a 50th bday gift to Hitler. So creepy to see old bunkers and homes the nazi party used to live. This area is called Obersalzberg, a mountain community which became Hitlers Southern headquarters.
Next, we made our way to the backcountry to hike up to Watzmannahus, an alpine hut in the Bavarian Alps. The Watzmann is the third highest mountain in Germany. It was a hot day and we endured over 4,000 elevation gain in about 4 miles, so the beer at the hut for Tim was well deserved.
We then made our way into Salzburg, Austria where we visited Fortress Hohensalzburg that was built in 1077 by Archbishop Gebhard. I had the Game of Thrones theme song stuck in my head the whole time. Just spectacular to see the rich history of how people once lived. Long post, just so much to share!
Day 5 to 7 // Hallstatt, Austria
A serene lakeside town in the valley of the Austrian Alps, Halstatt provided some of the most picturesque views throughout our trip. The wooden colored homes and structures nestled at the base of Halstatt Lake and greenery of the mountains were breathtaking, . Though some parts were too touristy for us with endless selfie sticks, we found some solitude away from crowds. We took the Dachstein Gondola and hiked over 30 miles, bouldering through alpine meadows, traversing waterfalls in lush forests that remind us of back home, and walking among jagged peaks in the clouds.
Day 8 to 10 // Grainau, Germany
We changed our plans, cancelled our hotel in Innsbruck, and decided to drive to see another part of the Bavarian Alps. We ventured to Grainau, Germany, the home of the tallest peak in the country, Zugspitze, which stands at 9,717 feet tall. We hiked the Hollentalklamm Gorge, which is now on my top 10 favorite hikes of all time. You wander through hand carved canyons that were chipped away 100 of years ago. Impressed by the landscapes and craftsmanship!
Next stop, we visited the town of Füssen, Germany. One of the reasons we stopped here was to hike to the Neuschwanstein castle. This castle inspired Walt Disney to build the Magic Kingdom. It is one of the most visited castles in the world. King Ludwig II began building this castle in 1868. He only lived in it for 6 months before his mysterious death. Apparently, in the original plans, the castle would include 200 rooms, but only 13 rooms were completed. We couldn’t take photos inside, but it was magnificent and majestic to say the least ✨
Day 10 to 12 // Mürren, Switzerland
Really saved the best for the last leg, Switzerland! We made our way to a serene mountain town in the Jungfrau Region. This region consists of two valleys and three mountain regions. Mürren is trails galore from your hotel doorsteps with vast landscapes of alpine peaks, thundering waterfalls, glacier fields, and green meadows. By far my favorite stop of the entire trip. Though the total of our expenses for hotel and food in Switzerland were more than Austria and Germany combined, I highly recommend a few days in the Swiss Alps. Book 6-months or more in advance for the best rates.
Day 13 to 14 // Zermatt, Switzerland
Our last part of our travels brought us to Zermatt, Switzerland, a mountain town nestled at 5,276 feet known for world class skiing and mountaineering. Even fulfilled a life long dream of hiking to the base of the Matterhorn, which is one of the tallest mountains in the Alps and Europe standing at 14,692 feet tall. The Matterhorn straddles the Swiss-Italian border. We wanted to summit, however didn’t have time this trip. We were trying to beat daylight.
Our journey ended in Zurich, Switzerland the largest city in Switzerland known for its banking and financial business districts, medieval architecture and beautiful metropolitan streets filled with shops and eateries. In total, we hiked and walked over 140 miles through Europe.
