Steal my Alpine Adventure Itinerary!
Alpine Adventure - 9 Days
I've spent countless hours planning trips for with my two children and I'd love you to be able to experience these itineraries -please steal!
The first European trip I took with my kids was to Germany and Switzerland - and they still talk about to this day! From storybook cities (Munich and Zurich), fairytale castles (see above: Neuschwanstein), high adventures (venturing to the "Top of Europe" Jungfraujoch, paragliding in Lauterbrunnen) and eating cheese fondue - this trip has something for everyone. We took this trip in June - but any season is beautiful.
Day 1 – Begin the Journey
- Depart US on a flight of your choosing to Munich
- In the center of Old Town, Munich stay at Hotel Torbräu which has been looking after guests since 1490 - making it the oldest hotel in Munich
Day 2 – Discover Munich, Recover form Jetlag
- Walk around Old Town - make sure to see the Neues Rathaus (town hall, pictured) with its famous glockenspiel (clock tower); so many souvenir shops - so little time.
- Lunch and/or dinner at the Ratskeller located in the cellar of the Rathaus or at one of the many beer gardens/halls - my favorite is Augustiner Keller (make sure to visit the cellar - hence the "keller" in the name!) and try their famed "hefeweizen" (wheat beer).
Day 3 – Munich: e-Bikes & Beer Halls
- Hop on an e-bike tour and let the bikes do the work!
- Visit Marienplatz, Olympic Park, the English Garden, watch the surfers on the Eisbachwelle (Eisbach wave), Maximilianeum (seat of Bavarian state parliament), Hofgarten (royal garden) in the Residenz and finally tour Nymphemburg Palace.
- Fun fact: the drinking age for spirits in Germany is 18 and 16 for beer and, I'm not making this up, 14 years old for beer if you're out at a restaurant with your parents!
- Dinner: Spatenhaus or other classic bavarian beer/ food hall such as the Hofbrauhaus (pictured right)- surprisingly kid friendly!
Day 4 – Castle Day
- Hop on a day tour to a truly one-in-a-lifetime sight - a surprisingly new (19th century) castle: Neuschwanstein (pictured at top of page).
- Built by "crazy" King Ludwig II of Bavaria beginning in 1869, it was never finished and now serves as a tourist attraction.
- Nearby and easy to add on is another castle - Linderhof (pictured)
- Dinner: Zum Alten back in Old Town Munich
Day 5 – Train to Switzerland through Lauterbrunnen valley
- Take the breathtaking train to the small town of picture-perfect Wengen, Switzerland - no cars are allowed!
- Stay at the Beausite Hotel
Day 6 – UNESCO Site: Jungfraujoch: The "Top of Europe"
- Wake to see the three mountains of the "Bernese Oberland" area: Eiger, (Ogre) Monch (Monk) and Jungfrau (Virgin)
- Hop on the train from Wengen and go to the "Top of Europe" - the highest rail station in Europe
- At the top, there is an enormous underground "city" with lots of activities (walking through ice tunnels, ice sculptures, etc.), restaurants, shops, and of course hiking outside to the glacier to snap photos!
- While you're out, take another train to the top of the Shilthorn to the Piz Gloria restaurant from the 1969 James Bond movie "On Her Majesty's Secret Service"
- Dinner: back in Wengen eat fondue at one of many authentic restaurants such as the Eiger
Day 7 – Paragliding in Lauterbrunnen
- This activity is in my top ten of all time things I've done - even my 65-year-old sister did it!
- Pictured is my daughter, Maddy, in the paraglider (safely tandem with an instructor)
- Take a train up to yet another beautiful town, Murren, where the paragliding instructors hitch you up and then you run until the air catches you and they take you on the ride of your life before setting you back down on the valley floor!
- We also took an ATV tour to a beautiful chalet high in the mountains to learn how to make authentic Swiss Cheese!
Days 8 & 9 – Zurich
- Take another beautiful train ride through the verdant mountains of Switzerland to Zurich
- We chose a hotel near the airport (Movenpick) and then went into the city to explore
- We also did an escape room - we booked the whole room so it was just our family - lots of fun!
- Fly out of Zurich
Pyramids & Petra
Pyramids & Petra
Pyramids & Petra
If you’ve been dreaming of a trip to the either Petra or the Pyramids, this trip is for you! This 9-day adventure combines the history of both the Pyramids of Giza, Egypt and Petra in Jordan. The trip is full of wonder and discovery at both of these sights.
Roman Holiday
Pyramids & Petra
Pyramids & Petra
Italy is truly the country of dreams - I combined the history and awe inspiring sights of Rome and the Vatican with a beach holiday on the Amalfi Coast. This trip is great for kids as well - you can temper the museums and history with lots of fun activities and a beautiful beach to boot!
Turkish Delight
Pyramids & Petra
Turkish Delight
Turkey seems to still fly a bit under the radar with US tourists, but it's one of safest, most beautiful places we've been. We went to Istanbul for the history and mosques and then to Cappadocia for the underground cities and balloon rides and finished up in Fethiye at a beautiful beach resort.