From Castelrotto to the Engadin to Zurich - please help
Mar 27th, 2006, 12:43 AM
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From Castelrotto to the Engadin to Zurich - please help
I have reworked the plans for our upcoming holiday to Europe this August after getting replies to my earlier post.
We will start at Munich and drive to Castelrotto. We will spend about 4 days in that area. Then we plan to drive to the Engadin area and stay in Guarda for 4-5 days. Finally, we fly back home from Zurich. We need to stop somewhere between Guarda and Zurich and we would still have about 3 more days to spend.
Since we are travelling with 2 small (2 and 6)children we do not want to drive very long distances- 2-3 hours max.
I would really appreciate your help with driving times between the above mentioned destinations. Firstly between Munich and Castelrotto, then bet. Castelrotto and Guarda and then ofcourse we are still looking for where to go after Guarda.
Thanks in advance for your replies.
We will start at Munich and drive to Castelrotto. We will spend about 4 days in that area. Then we plan to drive to the Engadin area and stay in Guarda for 4-5 days. Finally, we fly back home from Zurich. We need to stop somewhere between Guarda and Zurich and we would still have about 3 more days to spend.
Since we are travelling with 2 small (2 and 6)children we do not want to drive very long distances- 2-3 hours max.
I would really appreciate your help with driving times between the above mentioned destinations. Firstly between Munich and Castelrotto, then bet. Castelrotto and Guarda and then ofcourse we are still looking for where to go after Guarda.
Thanks in advance for your replies.
Mar 27th, 2006, 07:27 AM
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Deepa, Have you used viamichelin.com before--it is a great tool. It will also give you detailed maps of your routing and destinations. I suspect you are talking 4 hours plus. I always add 10% to their times.
Mar 27th, 2006, 10:56 AM
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I suggest you drive Castelrotto - Bolzano - Merano - Mals - Nauders - Martina - Guarda.
I think if you drive fast you can do it in 3.5 hours. But the drive is quite scenic in some parts and you I assume you would certainly want to stop here and there and take some photos or just enjoy the scenery.
After Guarda you could go to the Appenzell area or stay at a lake - Lake Constance (Bodensee) or Lake Zürich come to my mind. Or what about Maienfeld (home of Heidi) with the spa town Bad Ragaz nearby?
I think if you drive fast you can do it in 3.5 hours. But the drive is quite scenic in some parts and you I assume you would certainly want to stop here and there and take some photos or just enjoy the scenery.
After Guarda you could go to the Appenzell area or stay at a lake - Lake Constance (Bodensee) or Lake Zürich come to my mind. Or what about Maienfeld (home of Heidi) with the spa town Bad Ragaz nearby?
Mar 27th, 2006, 11:46 AM
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schuler, I wondered if I should recommend the detour via Stilfserjoch pass. Not with the kids and the 2-3 hours driving distance max. I thought.
It's indeed a very scenic drive (endless serpentines!). For the Stilfserjoch take the road from Spondinig (about 60 km past Merano) to the south. A very few km after the pass turn right via Umbrailpass into Switzerland and drive via Sta. Maria, Ofen Pass and Zernez to Guarda. The detour is at least 1.5 hours.
It's indeed a very scenic drive (endless serpentines!). For the Stilfserjoch take the road from Spondinig (about 60 km past Merano) to the south. A very few km after the pass turn right via Umbrailpass into Switzerland and drive via Sta. Maria, Ofen Pass and Zernez to Guarda. The detour is at least 1.5 hours.
Mar 27th, 2006, 11:52 AM
#6
Thanks, Ingo, for the details! Do you know all that from memory? Quite impressive.
I agree, it is quite a trip with kids. Definitely shouldn't be done with children who get carsick or if you are tight on time.
We did it with ours (10 & 8) in a convertible so it was very special. We couldn't drive very fast because my son started to feel a bit sick. They loved the stop where we watched other cars, buses, motorcyclists and bicyclists driving over the pass. Quite an experience.
I agree, it is quite a trip with kids. Definitely shouldn't be done with children who get carsick or if you are tight on time.
We did it with ours (10 & 8) in a convertible so it was very special. We couldn't drive very fast because my son started to feel a bit sick. They loved the stop where we watched other cars, buses, motorcyclists and bicyclists driving over the pass. Quite an experience.
Mar 28th, 2006, 01:28 AM
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Thanks all of you for your suggestions. Cathay Pacific has just thrown my Zurich plan out the window. They no longer run a direct flight from Zurich. So we will have to revert to the original plan of connecting through Munich to Frankfurt.
I think the plan is now begining to look like this. Land in to Munich and drive straight to St. Wolfgang (1.5 hours or so). Stay there 3 nights. Drive from there to Castelrotto (3 hours +) and stay about 4 nights. Then drive to Guarda (3+ hours)and stay 5 nights. Drive from there to Munich (3 + hours) and stay in Munich 2 nights. Fly to Frankfurt and then on to HK. We have friends in Munich and a bit of a break after all the driving and almost 15 hours of flying time ahead made me plan to stay in Munich for the last 2 nights.
I have used Mappy.com for the driving times but will check on viamichelin as well. I chose Guarda since Ingo's recommendation for the Hotel Meisser looked lovely. I hope it will serve as a good base to explore the Engadin valley which we have never done before and which Bob seems to like as well. All other places and hotels are familiar territory.
Ingo I printed your trip report and took it with me and savoured it over a great cup of cafe latte a few hours ago. Have made a list of places to visit. Being with kids and driving everywhere, our pace will be slower and museums and churches will be of limited interest. Our focus would be small to medium sized charming towns and natural beauty.
Please let me know what you think of this itinerary esp. with regards to the Switzerland day trips, hotel choice and driving times.
Many thanks
Deepa
I think the plan is now begining to look like this. Land in to Munich and drive straight to St. Wolfgang (1.5 hours or so). Stay there 3 nights. Drive from there to Castelrotto (3 hours +) and stay about 4 nights. Then drive to Guarda (3+ hours)and stay 5 nights. Drive from there to Munich (3 + hours) and stay in Munich 2 nights. Fly to Frankfurt and then on to HK. We have friends in Munich and a bit of a break after all the driving and almost 15 hours of flying time ahead made me plan to stay in Munich for the last 2 nights.
I have used Mappy.com for the driving times but will check on viamichelin as well. I chose Guarda since Ingo's recommendation for the Hotel Meisser looked lovely. I hope it will serve as a good base to explore the Engadin valley which we have never done before and which Bob seems to like as well. All other places and hotels are familiar territory.
Ingo I printed your trip report and took it with me and savoured it over a great cup of cafe latte a few hours ago. Have made a list of places to visit. Being with kids and driving everywhere, our pace will be slower and museums and churches will be of limited interest. Our focus would be small to medium sized charming towns and natural beauty.
Please let me know what you think of this itinerary esp. with regards to the Switzerland day trips, hotel choice and driving times.
Many thanks
Deepa
Mar 28th, 2006, 09:18 AM
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Sorry for the change of flights. But, like Bob I like your new itinerary too. Sounds like a nice one!
You said 2 or 3 full days in Guarda? Well, Guarda is small (but picturesque) and exploring should not take more time than the afternoon of your arrival day. Guarda is the home of "Uorsin", the fairy tale, a little boy who wanted to have the biggest cow bell. It is simply a wonderful story for kids (and adults too ;-) ) and I highly recommend you buy a book (English available, but mostly pictures) in Guarda, or a woodcarved Uorsin figure. There is also a goat cheesery in town and you might try the cheese - and you'll hopefully see some goats!
One of the other days I you should drive up to the Upper Engadin - Sils would be perfect for natural beauty (lakes and mountains). Maybe do a horse carriage ride in the Fex valley. If there is time left, you could on your way back take the funicular up to Muottas Muragl (and down again). Parking at the funicular. I could also imagine a drive to Morteratsch would be a good idea. Park the car and walk to the glacier. Next to the restaurant/train station is a cheesery in the woods. Try some cheese!
The other day spend in the Lower Engadin - explore Scuol, maybe pay a visit to the spa - could be fun for your 6year old. Don't you think you would want to drive the five km to Tarasp from Scuol and see the castle there at least from outside?
Another option would be to drive to Zernez, visit the National Park house (I saw kids of very young age there, maybe 6) where they have excellent information with pictures and also multimedia about the nature (animals, flowers etc) in the Natinal Park. Afterwards you could drive up to Ofen Pass and do a (very) short hike. Maybe you can also see some of the animals in nature.
Another cute small town is Zuoz. Well, there are so many ...
You said 2 or 3 full days in Guarda? Well, Guarda is small (but picturesque) and exploring should not take more time than the afternoon of your arrival day. Guarda is the home of "Uorsin", the fairy tale, a little boy who wanted to have the biggest cow bell. It is simply a wonderful story for kids (and adults too ;-) ) and I highly recommend you buy a book (English available, but mostly pictures) in Guarda, or a woodcarved Uorsin figure. There is also a goat cheesery in town and you might try the cheese - and you'll hopefully see some goats!
One of the other days I you should drive up to the Upper Engadin - Sils would be perfect for natural beauty (lakes and mountains). Maybe do a horse carriage ride in the Fex valley. If there is time left, you could on your way back take the funicular up to Muottas Muragl (and down again). Parking at the funicular. I could also imagine a drive to Morteratsch would be a good idea. Park the car and walk to the glacier. Next to the restaurant/train station is a cheesery in the woods. Try some cheese!
The other day spend in the Lower Engadin - explore Scuol, maybe pay a visit to the spa - could be fun for your 6year old. Don't you think you would want to drive the five km to Tarasp from Scuol and see the castle there at least from outside?
Another option would be to drive to Zernez, visit the National Park house (I saw kids of very young age there, maybe 6) where they have excellent information with pictures and also multimedia about the nature (animals, flowers etc) in the Natinal Park. Afterwards you could drive up to Ofen Pass and do a (very) short hike. Maybe you can also see some of the animals in nature.
Another cute small town is Zuoz. Well, there are so many ...
Mar 28th, 2006, 02:15 PM
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Thanks for the reply Ingo. We will have more like 4.5 days in Guarda so we will certainly be able to do about 2 day-trips out everyday. Your suggestions are wonderful. Your description of Chur seemed very nice. We might add that in. Do you have any recoemmendation in the Appenzell area. I think it may be doable in a couple of hours drive from Guarda.
