CHE12

Oh and if you have time when you get to Strasbourg you might like to visit Colmar too. It's even smaller than Strasbourg and even more quaint and picturesque. It has a canal and lots of coloured half timbered houses and is smaller and more compact. You can get there via a direct train from Strasbourg and we went in late October and enjoyed eating tarte Flambée with local wine in one of the outdoor restaurants (do make a reservation in advance if you can as at lunchtime all the restaurants get really full) and strolled around the old town. If you have time visit the Unterlinden Museum. It's fairy tale like but can get very busy !

CHE12

Oh well done with the SD card!!! Perfect! You will need that for both Strasbourg (and Colmar if you go there too!) We took a boat trip on the Batorama boats in Strasbourg and that was a great was of seeing many ofthe sights from a different angle!

Dennis54

I have a power converter with type C adapter. Does one need a Type J adapter also? When is rhe Swiss J plug used?

Also, how many euros should i take, per day? My lodging and meals are paid. Just for incedentals, maybe coffee and dessert.

I know that Switzerland has their own currency, but will they accept euros, or dollars?

Thanks again

bilboburgler

Normally I'd ask if they accept pesos in Chicago? But for a premium the Swiss will take euros

Joke
No, use the currency of the country and use cards where you can and don't agree to dynamic conversion

CHE12

The national currency in Switzerland is Swiss francs and there are plenty of banks around (and ATMs) so I would definitely change some money and pay in the local currency to get the best rate. Euros are also widely accepted in hotels and restaurants but the conversion rates are not favourable.

Regarding how much to spend on incidentals it's very difficult to say - the minimum you're likely to pay say for a cappuccino coffee in Zurich for example is around CHF 5.50 or CHF 6 and in a fancy hotel it can quite easily be CHF 7.50 or more. A slice of cake or dessert in a cafe, for example a cream slice, is typically around CHF 5 and then if you fancy a salad in a restaurant or a pizza they can easily cost more than CHF 20/ 25 + depending on what type etc. A glass of wine 1 decilitre (ie small) starts at around CHF 8 in Zurich) and then you may wish to visit a museum or two, take a tram or a boat ride - so it can all add up. Taxis are horrendously expensive but there is Uber in Zurich! The good news is that all the fountains have fresh drinking water in Zurich ( so take a water flask with you) and you have over 1200 to choose from! See here: https://newinzurich.com/2019/01/free...200-fountains/

lavandula

Even if you do pay in euro and it is accepted, you might get your change in Swiss francs, so be prepared for that too

Lavandula

Dennis54

Anyone have information about J outlets
I read that a C plugs will go into J outlets, so why would one need a J adapter?

lavandula

I think J has an extra pin. It is the Swiss and Liechtenstein standard. A C fits into a J, so you don't need a special adapter for Switzerland if you have a C. The extra pin is there as an earth (a grounding pin) so I guess it is extra security against getting zapped, that's why it's there.

Lavandula

Dennis54

Thanks for all your great ideas. My wife and I had a glorious cruise in March. I had meant to thank all of you sooner. Here are a few pictures.

Old Strassburg


a castle on the Rhine River


near Koblenz

All my best pictures are in Google pictures. I will find a few more and post them.



our next adventure is either an Alaska Cruise or a British Isles tour/cruise. thanks to all

lavandula

Hi Dennis54, so nice to hear back about your trip. Glad you had a good time! It would be great to see more photos!

Lavandula

Dennis54

Hello, I easily could post 100 images of my trip. I tried to narrow in down to a just dozen or so. There are only so many cathedrals, stained glass, and Rhine castles that one cares to see. I only posted ones that I thought were very unique or interesting.


from Interlaken looking at Jungfrau

in Interlaken, taken from a side street.

to me, a breathtaking image of a mountain in Grindelwald

Basel cathedral

Chagall windows in St Stephens, Mainz Germany

Carnival fountain in Mainz

Town along the Rhine River

Another town along the Rhine River

Through the old city wall, Looking towards the Reichsburg Castle in Cochem

De Gaulle airport....why we ALMOST missed our plane, they were short customs agents during the strike in Paris Spring 2013

touringtimothy

You're missing out on the French side of the Rhine which is the best part. I lived around Trier for years and it's not that interesting. Very few spots for good food in Cochem and pretty uneventfull. Bern Kastelkues in Germany is a nice smaller village. Also Luxembourg. Id recommend the smaller French villages along the wine route.

aliced

Your river cruise company will give you a day-by-day of what is planned for each stop and timing at each. Read it, then go to library and get books on the Rhine, and find out which stops most interest you. Pick out from guidebooks what you definitely want to see. In these villages, there is no chance of getting lost, just go off on your own, you can get city maps of all spots at the TI booths everywhere which might already be on the boat. Every evening before you get to a new stop, you'll have a port talk giving highlights as to the destination.

Having done 16 trips to Europe on our own, and only two escorted tours (in St. Petersburg Russia & Ephesus Turkey) we finally did our first river cruise last month. Last minute deal was too good to pass up: Danube - 14 days - from Budapest to Prague. We had been to Vienna before so found new things there. The small villages along the Danube were ok, Bratislava was very interesting, others not so much. But if your boat docks there, your choices are rather limited to get elsewhere. Example: in Vienna we considered getting a private guide to drive us to Salzburg or take the train, but realized it would have been too stressful for a day, as the train is 1 1/2 hr each way back to boat. Salzburg is a gem, but timing didnt work. We would not consider another river cruise frankly, preferring one country at a time at length in detail. Especially true of cruises on Elbe or Rhine.

BUT, from Zurich, I'd definitely book a train to Lucerne for at least 3 nights and explore that gorgeous area. If your calendar and wallet allow, I'd then go down to Bern/Interlaken for another 3 nights before returning home. The train ride from Lucerne to Interlaken is fabulous and breathtaking. Hey, at least it's still one international flight home!

Bon Voyage!

lavandula

Hi aliced, you've missed the boat. Dennis54 has already returned - hence all the photos!

Lavandula

TDudette

Your photos are stunning, Dennis54. Care to share the name of the camera you used?? Where to next?

aliced

Hah! Thanks Lavandula, glad they got down to the Jungfrau. My river cruise comments stand.

Dennis54

Lol... The scenery is stunning....NOT my camera. I used a plane old Samsung Galaxy A51....which is a basic model.

Dennis54

We did see Strasburg. We did go into Paris, but I did not post any of those as you have seen all the images 1000 times. My cousin went into the French wine country in southern France and said it was wonderful. We were on a Rhine river cruise, so not a lot of wiggle room on itinerary. But yes, southern France is very appealing!

Dennis54

Alice, everything you said is so true. This was my wife's FIRST trip to Europe. So she wanted to get an "overview" trip under her belt. We are planning a longer British Isles tour this coming spring or autumn. Again, try to hit the highlights, then come back and stay where we enjoy.
But yes, everything you said about the cruise ship info was spot on.
AND Lucerne and Interlaken. We both wanted to go to the Swiss Alps. So we took a day bus tour to Interlaken via Lucerne. Lucerne looks so nice and quaint. Some here said that Interlaken was a tourist trap. Well that my be so, however the views there are so breathtaking. We took the train up to Grindelwald to spend the day. It is such a lovely town. For us people from the southern US, being there was like a fantasy!
Anyway, thanks for you advise on your other trips.
Stay safe