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Suggestions for December trip - Switzerland, Germany, Austria?

Suggestions for December trip - Switzerland, Germany, Austria?

Old Aug 20th, 2018, 06:26 AM
  #41  
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Thanks guys. We're committed to arriving Zurich departing Munich. As I mentioned upthread, we're not planning to ski. We're into winter hiking, with or without snow.

scrb11 - sounds like you need a winter trip to Switzerland. You won't be disappointed.
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Old Aug 20th, 2018, 01:14 PM
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Sent, right? ;-)
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Old Aug 20th, 2018, 01:32 PM
  #43  
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Bingo Ingo!
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Old Aug 20th, 2018, 08:59 PM
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Originally Posted by Melnq8

scrb11 - sounds like you need a winter trip to Switzerland. You won't be disappointed.
Doing a summer trip in Switzerland right now. It's beautiful but even when it's sunny, it's hazy and often clouds up in the afternoons.

Seems more crisp in the winter. But it appears there are a lot of ski resorts in the French Alps just an hour away from Geneva airport.
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Old Aug 21st, 2018, 03:32 AM
  #45  
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I've run across a few articles regarding 'the ashtray of Europe' (Austria).

Curious about the experience of non-smoking Fodorites in Austria - what I've read is almost enough to put me off.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...spite-petition

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/18/w...oking-ban.html
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Old Aug 21st, 2018, 04:36 AM
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I have to say I didn’t even notice smoking in Austrian restaurants last year. Then again I had some dinners as half board and I guess hotels and inns wouldn’t want smoking. A lot of the restaurants in smaller villages are part of hotels.

i can’t stand being around smokers even outside.
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Old Aug 21st, 2018, 04:58 AM
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We have been living in Vienna for six years; we are and have always been non-smokers. To be honest, at first it appeared that, "everyone" smoked because our baseline was the U.S. Then, we stopped caring. With but a couple of exceptions we frequent only restaurants and heuriger in Vienna that are either fully, or offer "true" non-smoking sections; and we have yet to run out of smoke-free restaurants to enjoy. We have a preferred Serbian place and a couple of heuriger (in winter, with the inside tables) where we have to walk through the smoking section to reach the clean air, but that is our choice. Out in the provinces, who are we to tell an octogenarian who has hiked up the same mountain with us that he can't enjoy his Schnitzel and a smoke at the Hütte? We will either sit elsewhere or move along; we just can not get worked up over the matter.
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Old Aug 22nd, 2018, 05:44 AM
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Thank you both. It's restaurants and hotels that concern me - can't deal with eating in smoking restaurants. I have memories of doing just that years ago in Switzerland (!) and thought I'd asphyxiate on the spot. I'm looking into apartments, and I now know to specifically look for non-smoking although I realize that might be hit and miss.
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Old Aug 27th, 2018, 01:34 PM
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Iceland Air called this morning - seems our flight from Denver has been cancelled! We've rescheduled departure for two days earlier, so our trip has gone from 22 to 24 nights.

I'm still researching and have a long way to go, but a question has come up regarding the ferries in Austria - if we base ourselves in St. Gilgen, St. Wolfgang or Strobl (yet to decide which) does it make sense to buy a week long ferry ticket (we could well be there for five nights, still pondering).

I'm wondering 1) if the ferry from place-to-place is a one off type of tourist thing or 2) the only transportation option between villages and 3) and if there's sufficient walking opportunities/sight seeing/hanging about to justify more than a single visit to each village.
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Old Aug 27th, 2018, 11:32 PM
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Winter activities on Wolfgangsee will encompass the usual; that is, dedicated winter wandering, cross-country skiing, ice skating, tobogganing, and so forth. The chairlifts at 12erhorn (Zwölferhorn) will be open, and the Schafbergbahn will have a special schedule during Advent.

The ferry is not the only transportation between the cities, and I don't know if weekly tickets are possible. There is regional bus service between the cities; and I recall seeing a special Hop-on, Hop-off bus when we were there for the Adventmarkts. The regional bus may have a special schedule for the holidays, too.

To the question of whether there is enough to do to justify more than one day in each village, my opinion would be a caveated "no." The three are not identical per se, though you'll be doing the same things in each: a winter activity, enjoying the market, shopping, and probably having a meal. With five nights I would be researching day trips.
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Old Aug 28th, 2018, 05:42 AM
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Thank you fourfortravel - just what I needed. I guess I'd thought of each village as day trips, but seems that's not the case?
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Old Aug 28th, 2018, 06:00 AM
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I don't see each of the three villages on Wolfgangsee as its own, dedicated "day trip" in the absence of an additional activity. Say, for example you wanted to take the Schafbergbahn up to the Alm for winter wandering, then spend the afternoon and evening shopping and enjoying the market and dinner in St. Wolfgang. The following day you could take the Zwölferhorn lift above Sankt Gilgen for more winter wandering, then spend the afternoon enjoying the market. For us these would be full days, but not what I would label a "day trip." Salzburg, or maybe Hallstatt would be a "day trip" for us. Does that make more sense?
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Old Aug 28th, 2018, 03:43 PM
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Yes, it makes perfect sense, thank you!
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Old Aug 29th, 2018, 09:49 AM
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fourfortravel -

I see there is an Advent train to the Dorneralpe and a winter walking trail from the Schafberg Mountain cog railway station to the Dorneralm plateau and beyond. Have you taken this walk? I assume one could combine the Advent train with the walk?

I also see the Zwölferhorn lift above St Gilgen will be operating - I've sent them a note asking about walks, but just wondering if you had any specific recommendations up there?

I really appreciate your help. The more I look though, the harder it becomes to make a decision. Hallstatt looks wonderful too.
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Old Aug 29th, 2018, 10:00 AM
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Does the cogwheel train from St. Wolfgang run in the winter?
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Old Aug 29th, 2018, 11:12 AM
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https://www.schafbergbahn.at/content...108_GB_WEB.pdf

apparently not.
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Old Aug 29th, 2018, 11:25 AM
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Ah well.

I missed my chance to go up. It was kind of sunny when I arrived, late in the afternoon, so I didn't go up that day.

Next day was completely fogged over (yet people were still buying tickets to go up even though the monitor at the ticket office showed you couldn't see anything up there) and then the day after, it poured.

Got to revisit just for the cog wheel and also the cable car over Konigsee, which was out of service.
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Old Aug 29th, 2018, 12:53 PM
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Yes, it runs during advent from November 23rd to December 23rd, 2018, Thursday to Sunday only.

http://www.wolfgangseer-advent.at/hi...eam-train.html

Last edited by Melnq8; Aug 29th, 2018 at 12:55 PM.
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Old Aug 29th, 2018, 09:21 PM
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Originally Posted by Melnq8
fourfortravel -
I also see the Zwölferhorn lift above St Gilgen will be operating - I've sent them a note asking about walks, but just wondering if you had any specific recommendations up there?
Hi again,

Not sure if this will be super helpful, as you seem to already have some sources to find appropriate hikes in the areas you're going.

But just in case -- thought I'd share two sites that have been wonderful in finding hikes & bike rides here in Bavaria; I assume they also cover Switzerland:

https://www.komoot.com/

https://www.outdooractive.com/en/

They both have apps so that you can save your intended walks, and use the map feature as you go along.

Have fun!

s
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Old Aug 29th, 2018, 11:16 PM
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We have taken the Schafbergbahn up, and wandered down the Schafbergweg, but in the summer. In the winter I would imagine needing serious hiking boots unless the trails will be winter maintained during the Adventmarkt season. As for Zwuolferhorn wanders, there is a lovely 5km loop wander that doesn't require snowshoes.

I, too, use outdooractive.com as well as bergwelten.com when planning our outings, and have the former as an app.
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