1 week in Winter Itinerary
Beautiful snow-capped scenery aside, the best part about traveling through Europe in winter is the lack of crowds. Keep in mind that days are short and transport to and within smaller towns may be affected by snowfall. But if you’re looking for a rapid 1 week winter itinerary that will showcase the best of Europe’s mountains and most epic rail routes, look no further than this.
Itinerary highlights
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Day 1: Geneva
Geneva skyline with famous Jet d'Eau at Lake Geneva
Walk the shores of the lake and take in the incredible scenery.
Visit the Jet d’Eau, a stunning large fountain in the city.
View incredible artwork in Musée d’Art et d’Histoire, the largest art museum in Geneva.
Take a brisk walk through Parc Des Bastions, a beautiful natural park in the city centre.
Geneva Airport is an easy seven minute train ride away from the city centre. If arriving by plane in Paris, you can reach Geneva on an SNCF French Railways train in approximately three hours.
Days 2 - 3: Interlaken
Oberried am Brienzersee and misty Alps mountains
Catch a regional train from Geneva to Montreux, and then board the GoldenPass Scenic train to Interlaken.
Take a boat ride on either Lake Thun or Lake Brienz, included in your Eurail Pass.
Take a small private train to the pristine village of Lauterbrunnen.
Ride the train to the top of the Jungfrau, the highest train station in Europe.
Ensure that you take the GoldenPass Scenic train from Montreux to Interlaken. You can do this by including Zweisimmen as a stopover in your route plan. The entire journey will take approximately four and a half hours. Reservations are optional but recommended.
Day 4: Lucerne
The red tiled roofs of the old town of Lucerne
Walk the historic covered bridges of Lucerne.
Get an overview of Switzerland’s transport achievements at the fascinating Swiss Transport Museum.
Take in the panoramic views from the old city walls and towers.
Continue on the GoldenPass Line to Lucerne. There are trains leaving on this line throughout the day, and the journey takes under two hours.
Days 5 - 6: Munich
City Hall and Christmas market at night in Munich
Join a walking tour of the historic Old Town.
Take a refreshing cycle or walk through the Englischer Garten and locate the still wave on the river.
Tour Linderhof Palace, a lavish 19th-century royal residence.
Visit the BMW Museum and nearby Olympic Village.
Wander between the stalls of a traditional Christmas market and visit the largest nativity scene in the world at the Bavarian National Museum.
The train ride from Lucerne to Munich is quite lengthy and will require a change in Zurich. There are regular connections between Lucerne and Zurich. Once in Zurich, there is a high-speed connection to Munich at 08:16 AM and again at 11:08 AM. It requires an advance reservation, but reduces the time between these two cities to under four hours.
Day 7: Salzburg
The historic city of Salzburg with Salzach river in winter
Visit a Christmas market to eat traditional Austrian cookies and baked goods.
Warm up in one of the city’s many saunas and outdoor spas.
Walk the narrow streets of the Salzburg Old Town.
Take in a view of the city and snow-capped peaks from the Hohensalzburg Castle.
There are trains between Munich and Salzburg approximately every half hour that do not require reservations and take under two hours.
Is 1 week winter itinerary for me?
Winter is a fantastic time to explore Europe, and this 1 week winter itinerary will give you the best of the alpine views, scenic rail routes, and a taste of some of her most festive cities.
If you take the early trains, and follow the scenic routes, you’ll also be exposed to some of the most remarkable scenery from the warmth and comfort of the carriage.
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