Lily

Planning trip to Germany next May from Brugges through Cochem to Rothenburg to Munich but then unsure whether to continue to Salzberg, Vienna or Lucerne, Lugano. Any opinions? We'll have a week in Germany and this would be for the second week.

brookwood

Salzburg and Vienna are entirely different types of cities and areas. They are so different that I think it depends on what you want to see and do.

Luzern is a large town on a beautiful lake in the Swiss mountains. Lugano is on the southside of the Alps on the sunny side. It too is on a lovely lake, but one that looks to me like it is more heavily populated.

Vienna, of course, is a major European capital city with more than 1.5 million inhabitants. It is the cultural center of that part of Europe and the former home of the Hapsburg monarchy which ruled Austria and Hungary for centuries.

Salzburg is a fairly large city as well, with an interesting old town and some worthwhile tourist attractions. I think Salzburg is a little overplayed, but that does not keep it from having considerable appeal. I have enjoyed my visits there quite a bit. The Marionetten Theater is almost a magic show to music, and the cultural aspects of the city are considerable.

I think I might be able to help more if I knew a little bit about what you would like to see and do.

In terms of travel time, Vienna is a lot closer to Munich than Lugano. If you want lakes and mountains around lakes, then Lugano and Luzern are the place to be.

If you want larger cities and the sophistication of a major cultural center that is also a major European crossroads, then take Salzburg and Vienna.

I have visited both Switzerland and Austria, and I would be hard pressed to make a clear choice. I did both on one trip, so I did not have to choose!! And it was a very good trip. If you are forced to select one or the other, it becomes a personal preference decision.

Lily

Thanks Brookwood. Well my husband and I like cities but we will have been to Amsterdam and Munich already. I guess what I'm looking for is a place to settle down for a few days after travelling from place to place through Germany. We're middle aged, leaving teens at home, have enjoyed Paris, Normandy and Loire and Rome, Venice, Tuscany. We like to travel around the first week then settle in one spot for the second week in an area with day trips like Montepulciano or Amboise for instance. Any thoughts?

brookwood

Well, Luzern is a bustling place, but somehow has a tranquility about it that other cities seem to lack. At least that is my impression.

You are close enough to the mountains to take a trip up Mt. Pilatus and close enough to the lake to take a day long cruise.

You are in fact close enough to the Berner Oberland for a trip to Lauterbrunnen or Grindelwald and places even higher.

From Luzern, Grindelwald itself can be reached in 3 hours with a change in Interlaken Ost. Coming back, because the late afternoon schedule will probably require a longer route back.

I enjoy Lauterbrunnen and from there we drove to Luzern and back easily for a day. A car is a little faster than a train.

There are also some good museums in Luzern. I have visited the transportation museum twice and found both visits interesting.

Lugano is a lovely place and of highly different character because of the Italian influence. I think a trip to the sunny side of the Alps would be a good change of pace.

Even so, I like Vienna. It is different from London, Paris, and most any other city. I find it to be a unique blend because for years and years it was the center of an empire and the crossroads of that part of Europe. It is literally a city where east meets west and the cultural influences are striking.

I think the mixture of cultures is well represented by the language badges worn by the guides at Schönbrunn Palace.
I saw such combinations as Russian, Turkish, and German; Russian, Hungarian, and German. Then of course, English, Italian, and German, or English, French and German. And some even had fluency in 4 languages which led to some unique combinations.

It is a tough call, but if you want tranquility, pick some place like Luzern, or Engelberg, or Meiringen, or Brienz or, if you want the mountains, Mürren or Wengen. The latter two are car free and perched up on the shelf of a the valley. Very quiet and peaceful with eye-popping views.

brookwood

Sorry for the bad syntax on the return from Grindelwald to Luzern. The return trip late in the afternoon is through Spiez which actually to the west whereas you want to go east and north. So the more indirect route takes more time.

I admit to a heavy bias for the Berner Oberland. Wengen is about as peaceful as it gets; so is Mürren.

I stay in Lauterbrunnen in an apartment for a week or more at a time, and enjoy the fact that I can get to many places from there.

We have done it with a rental car and without.

BTilke

I would recommend Lugano, for something different from all the German touring. It will be beautiful at that time of year. Pick a good hotel with a nice view and a pool (if you're going in late May, you will be able to use it). Drinking a glass of Ticino wine by the pool while admiring the gorgeous view sounds pretty relaxing...Plus there are plenty of day activity opportunities...funiculars to the top of the various mountains around town, boat trips, day trips to Milan, Ascona, Bellinzona, Lake Como. Good food, great shopping (http://www.foxtown.ch/mendrisio/it/welcome.html)
Second choice would be Vienna. I've been spending two weeks in Vienna every year for the last six years and haven't runout of things to do yet.
I like both Salzburg and Luzern, but for this trip, think you might enjoy Lugano or Vienna more.

Lily

Thanks Brookwood and BTilke. Lots of good info for us to ponder!

Lily

topping for more feedback?

teacherlady

This question reminds me of a situation we experienced a while back. After going to Munich and Salzburg my husband and I were also looking for a place to settle down and have a vacation from our vacation. Before we left we asked the advice of the wife of a friend of ours whom we happened to run into at a restaurant. She strongly recommended we go to a place called Wengen and just hang out for a while. We did of course and loved it so much that we have been back and sent relatives who loved it as much as we did. A few years later we decided to sell our house and decided to use as our realtor the lady who told us about Wengen, simply because she told us about Wengen. She did a good job and made a bundle off our house, all because she told us about that beautiful place. Skip Lucerne and spend a few days in Wengen, you'll be glad yo did.

Underhill

After Munich, why not spend a few days exploring the surrounding region? You could stay in Garmisch-Partenkirken and from there see several of King Ludwig's castles and the beautiful countryside. How long will you be in Munich? Several days at least are needed to explore the major highlights of the city.

offlady

We did a similar trip a few years ago. We spent a week in Germany--Koln, Muenster, Hamburg, Berlin, and Munich, then to Florence, Rome, Venice with day trips to Salzburg and Lugano. I agree Lugano was very refreshing. Saltzburg was a great city to walk around--1,000 yr old castle up on the hill, catacombs, open markets, Mozart's home. From Munich we took the Neuschwenstein tour (King Ludwig's castle that Disney designed his Magic Kingdom castle after)- beautiful scenery and well worth the trip.