1. Planning: Trip Across 6 Countries In Central Europe
2. Prague: My perspective of this medieval city
3. Budapest: City of the hot springs with beautiful architectures
4. Vienna: This is what it feels like walking in a Palace except it is as big as a city
5. Lucerne: Best panoramic views of the city from Mt. Pilatus
6. Zermatt: Meeting Matterhorn
7. Interlaken: Gateway to Jungfraujoch
8. Milan: My first exposure in Italy
Europe is one region of the world I haven't been to excluding Iceland in late 2017, so starting sometime in late 2018, I decided to plan a trip to Europe.
After many hours of research and countless revisions, the final plan was complete. I planned this trip to visit 6 central European countries in a circular loop starting in Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, and then finally back to Germany.
Frankfurt
Frankfurt was more so just a connecting stop during this trip, but surprisingly my stay at the Sheraton Frankfurt Airport Hotel was fantastic. The hotel was very clean, and there were a lot of facilities including a night bar with multiple pool tables. The layout also gave me a modern feel, but I found it hilarious that the hotel was gigantic and made me feel like walking in a maze on my way to the room.
As the capital of the Czech Republic, its historic architecture attracts numerous tourists each year. One could choose to sit in the old town square having some of the best beer in the country or walk on the 14th-century Charles Bridge are enough reasons to visit. Last but not least, you wouldn't want to miss the Astronomical Clock dating back to the 15th century.
Budapest consists of two cities: Buda and Pest, joined together and separated by Europe's second-longest river, the Danube. Head to the Buda Castle and enjoy the panoramic view of the city, join the Parliament Building tour, embrace Hungarian food, and certainly, don't forget to experience in one of Budapest's famous baths.
In the world capital of music, imperial-like architectures can be found everywhere you go, and you don't want to miss Belvedere Palace and Schonbrunn Palace. Don't forget to attend one of the classical music concerts in the Musikverein, State Opera, or Symphonic Orchestra before you leave the city.
Unsurprisingly, the financial center of Switzerland demonstrates why it's one of the most expensive cities in the country, with many high-end luxury brand stores on both sides of the streets. However, don't let the surface of its wealth scare you away. Look beyond that, and the city is a gateway to anywhere in the country.
Not only do tourists love the most iconic site located in the center of the city, The Chapel Bridge, but it's also surrounded by spectacular scenery from any angle regardless of how you view it. Additionally, three nearby mountains, Rigi, Pilatus, and Titlis are all part of the Swiss Alps, and they're definitely the most popular activity for a day trip from the city.
The mighty Matterhorn alone should give you all the reasons you need to pay a visit here. Moreover, the area is one of the premier destinations for winter activities such as skiing and snowboarding in the Swiss Alps. While you are here, consider visiting 5-Seenweg, Glacier Paradise, and Gornergrat. Staying up in the mountains overnight is even better!
This town is a gateway to the Jungfrau region and sits between the two emerald-colored Lakes Thun and Brienz. The area is a paradise for mountaineers because of its numerous hiking trails and magnificent views of the Bernese Oberland region of Switzerland. Paragliding, one of the most popular activities here, allows you to overlook Lakes Thun and Brienz from the sky.
If you're a fashion lover, you have to visit the Quadrilatero della Moda. As a photographer, there's nothing better than visiting the most iconic Duomo di Milano while embracing its culture. If you're a foodie, then the local spaghetti and pizza are something you don't want to miss, and they certainly live up to the hype and do not disappoint.
It's very convenient to travel by train in Europe. Eurail Pass and Swiss Pass allow you to take an unlimited amount of rides except for a few scenarios in Europe and Switzerland respectively. Before you decide to buy a pass, the two factors you should consider are time and frequency of the use.
Moreover, there are a lot of options in Switzerland's rail pass such as Swiss Travel Pass, Swiss Travel Pass Flex, and Swiss Half Fare Card. To find out which one suits you the best, you should list the itinerary entirely and calculate the cost of each individual segment to see the differences.
Websites information for rail passes and the time table of the train:
1. https://www.swiss-pass.ch/
2. https://www.omio.com
In my case, time is everything to me, so I even opt to take flights here and there to maximize the amount of time I get.
Apps to download in Switzerland
SBB Mobile: The app can store the ticket and the travel pass, but you're supposed to bring a physical copy of travel pass still. The app shows the departure and arrival time, departure and arrival platform, and how to change the train if needed.
Cost
Here are the charts for my major expenses during this trip. The total hotel cost is shown in the chart below, but transportation and hotel costs were split between my friend and me.
Have you been to any of these cities? I'm excited to hear about your experience! Stay tuned for the next episode of this series.
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