Fjords, Windmills, Mountains & Lakes

This was the most ambitious trip we had ever taken, because we visited cities in seven countries and travelled over 5,400 kilometers. We took all forms of transportation: Airplanes, trains, boats, busses, trams, cable cars, ziplines, rental car and even a tricycle. We planned all of the travel ourselves, because there is so much information available that it's straight forward (ie; lots of Googling) to do this.

Our goals for this trip were to see various things in Europe that we haven't seen previously and to take our time to enjoy each place, sample the food, the beer and wine, the culture and to stretch ourselves beyond our normal life in Florida. This is the first time we are travelling without others (children/parents) being with us and we are excited for our first European adventure together.

As you can see in our route map below, we visited seven countries, we travelled 5,400 kilometers and we had a great time in each location. We are "morning people" and were out & about early each day to see everything there was to see. If we saw something that we had not previously considered or seen, and if we had time, then we would do that as well.

For this trip, we researched hotels and places that we wanted to stay in, to make sure that the locations were easy to get to and central to activities and things we wanted to see. Using Google Maps & Google Images made this process very easy, and the results of our research would be placed into a growing "trip planner document" that provided us with a daily game plan of where we could go, and what we might want to see along the way. To view the details of how we plan trips, click here.

Because of the length of this trip, and the number of cities & countries we visited, this blog will be organized by "City & Area Description" and not "by day". This will allow us to describe where we went, what we did and what we saw & enjoyed in chronological order.

We landed in Vienna at 12:05PM, had a quick lunch and walked to the Auto Europe Rental desk to obtain our car. Wound up getting a VW Golf, very comfortable, good A/C unit and off we drove to find Lake Hallstatt, Austria.

It is 300+ kilometers from the Vienna International Airport to our rental in Obertraun, and a third of the trip would be on local mountainous roads. We had paper maps as well as cellular mapping, but cell phone service in the mountains is erratic at best until you get near the Hallstatt area.

We have used Auto Europe repeatedly over the years that we have been traveling to Europe. We have never had any issue with the cost, the service, or the vehicles we have rented. This is not an "advertisement plug", it is simply advice to any of you who plan to rent a car while you are in Europe.

Please also be aware that you need a "vignette" toll sticker to drive on Austria’s motorways and expressways. It is available at the border, at petrol stations, or online. Click here to learn more about the toll stickers.

WARNING: Failure to display the toll sticker on your windshield will result in you being stopped by the autobahn police and issued a ticket. Some rental car companies take care of this requirement through use of a permanent RFID device on the windshield, but you should be aware of the requirement and ask your rental car company how tolls are going to be processed.

Our route took us south from Vienna and over the mountains to the village of Obertraun, where our house rental is located. 311 kilometers, mostly over autobahn with the final 75 kilometers on beautiful mountain roads.

As you can see in image # 3, there were a number of houses (or chateaus) perched on top of various hills as we continued on the autobahn. It must be very difficult to have moved construction materials up those hills!

Word of caution - and this is a note to all potential car rental people out there; If you rent a car in one country and expect to drop it off in another country, you are probably going to pay a huge "return the car charge". I used the word "probably" because you would need to ask your auto rental company about their policies, as not all companies may charge you extra for a drop-off in another country. Your best option is to structure your trip so that you return the rental car to the city & country where you rented it.

NOTE: Many mapping systems will tell you to go west from Vienna and then drive south to the western side of Lake Hallstatt, this is a much longer route than necessary, go south from Vienna on the Autobahn E56 and S6. It is approximately 20 minutes faster trip, and more scenic than the northern route.

Our driving route from Austria took us past numerous lakes in Switzerland; Zurichsee, Zugersee, Lake Lucerne, Sarnersee, Lungernersee, Brienzersee, and then Interlaken, where we turned east and drove up into the mountains to Grindelwald. It is a long day's drive, over 710 kilometers (441 miles), however since most of the drive is in the mountains it requires 8+ hours when you add pit stops, etc.

At this stage of the trip, we thought this was the most spectacular mountain drive we had ever taken, however, we were not yet aware of Route 11 (see our Susten Pass Page for that drive).

When driving through Switzerland, it's essential to adhere to local traffic rules and be mindful of the unique conditions. Here are some cautions to consider:

• Speed Limits: Respect speed limits, which can vary between urban and rural areas. Be aware of reduced speed zones near construction sites.
• Mountain Roads: If navigating mountainous regions, such as the Swiss Alps, exercise caution on narrow and winding roads. Follow traffic signs and drive defensively, especially in adverse weather conditions.
• Winter Conditions: In winter, many areas may experience snow and ice. Equip your vehicle with appropriate winter tires, and be prepared for changing weather conditions. Follow any road closures or advisories due to snow.
• Tunnels: Switzerland has numerous tunnels. Pay attention to signage, use headlights, and maintain a safe distance while driving through them. Most tunnels are equipped with speed detection devices and camera systems, if you speed through a tunnel the camera system will take a picture of your license plate and the ticket will be sent to you (or your rental car company).
• Parking: Be aware of parking regulations, as they are strictly enforced. In some areas, parking discs are required to indicate your arrival time.
• Public Transportation: Watch for trams and buses, especially in urban areas. Respect their right of way.
• Traffic Rules: Understand and follow the Swiss traffic rules, including right-of-way and traffic signals. Switzerland has strict traffic regulations, and violations may result in fines.
• Vignette: If you plan to drive on Swiss highways, you will need a motorway vignette. Purchase and affix it to your windshield before entering the highway - or you will stopped and fined. You can buy the sticker vignette at filling stations, post offices, and at customs posts at the border. You can also get it online from the Swiss Post website. They are planning on offering a "digital vignette" in 2024, go to this website to get more info about that program.
• Road Signs: Familiarize yourself with Swiss road signs and follow them carefully. They provide important information about speed limits, directions, and potential hazards.
• Alcohol Limits: Switzerland has strict alcohol limits for drivers. It is advisable to avoid alcohol consumption if you plan to drive.

Always stay informed about local regulations and road conditions, and adjust your driving accordingly. Additionally, consider obtaining up-to-date maps or using GPS to navigate efficiently through the Swiss road network.

Click here to view a Google Map of our route.

• The entire trip was planned via Google, some Expedia, VRBO and a lot of discussion about what we might want to see in each location. Google allowed us to dig into an area via map & images, and it permitted us to become familiar with each location and what to expect there.
• Most of the trains we used were scheduled in advance via the Internet, going directly to the rail system that had the most train service to the destination we were going to. The rental car in Vienna was also reserved online and we used Auto Europe as they had the best prices and no mileage fees, etc.
• We always create a "Trip Document" where we list the dates, times, locations, etc, of where we need to be. We do not always adhere 100% to the plan, if something comes up that looks like fun then we will give it a try.
• Our detailed planning gave us the ability to navigate through seven countries without any surprises or major failures.
• In most locations, we did not acquire advance reservations or tickets, for example in Grindelwald, we just walked up to the train station to get tickets to ride up to the Jungfraujoch. To preclude issues with that approach, we always went earlier in the morning than most tourists, and we never had a "crowd" problem. This varies from trip to trip, it has become typical now in Europe to see destinations require "date & time" advance reservations. This gives them the ability to keep their facilities from becoming over-crowded.
• Seven countries, 5,400 kilometers and we had a great time in each location. We are "morning people" and were out & about early each day to see everything there was to see. If we saw something that we had not previously considered or seen, and if we had time, then we would do that as well.