ED 09/08-20: Innsbruck, Lugano(SWI), Nice (FRA). If you've been there, I need HELP!

[ssabripo]

Hi guys,

looks like we are changing itineraries since my wife just loved some of the pics and feedback from some of you guys, so I need a little help, specially with hotels and routes to take.

here is what we are thinking:

1) arrive in Munich on 9/9 from MIA
2) Pick up Car on 9/10, look around munich
3) goto innsbruck on 9/11 (stay overnite)
See map here


4)goto Lugano (SWI), via Stelvio pass on 9/12 :bigpimp:...stay there 9/13 too.
See Map here


5) goto Nice (FRA) on 9/14 (am), stay around Nice/Monaco/Cannes thru 9/15 overnite:
See Map here

6) Drop off car 9/16 AM in Nice, take TGV from Nice -> Paris, arrive in Paris in the PM.

7) stay in Paris (FRA), 9/16pm - 9/19 overnite, fly back to MIA 9/20!





so, couple of questions please:

a) are there any better routes/ "Must See" paths I could take instead?

b) For those who stayed in Innsbruck, Lugano, and Nice, could you recommend me a decent but "affordable" hotel or bed/breakfast place? :thumbup:

[dixon1763]

Hi,

I just did some of this trip on my ED excursion. We stayed in Innsbruck at the Seiler hotel, which was reasonably affordable (120 Euros a night), but not that nice and near the trainstation. If I were you, I would drive 12 K out of Innsbruck toward the Brenner Pass on the 182 road and stay in one of the hotels on the way to Matrei am Brenner. You'll have a true "alpine" experience, spend less money than you would in Innsbruck, and still be close enough to the city to eat there and walk around the old part of town, which is really cool. Plus, the corners on the 182 are nice, and road surface is wonderful.

Otherwise, if you want to do the Stelvio, I recommend Bolzano, Italy as well as Lugano. Lugano is beautiful, but it's cool to check out Bolzano, which is a pretty magical place (just ask Ezra Pound)! The Hotel Greif is nice, as is its sister hotel, the Park Hotel Laurin. They're a little more expensive (140 Euros per night), but beautiful. At the very least you should have drink or a coffee in the bar of the Park Hotel Laurin.

Have a great trip!

[ssabripo]

Originally Posted by dixon1763

Hi,

I just did some of this trip on my ED excursion. We stayed in Innsbruck at the Seiler hotel, which was reasonably affordable (120 Euros a night), but not that nice and near the trainstation. If I were you, I would drive 12 K out of Innsbruck toward the Brenner Pass on the 182 road and stay in one of the hotels on the way to Matrei am Brenner. You'll have a true "alpine" experience, spend less money than you would in Innsbruck, and still be close enough to the city to eat there and walk around the old part of town, which is really cool. Plus, the corners on the 182 are nice, and road surface is wonderful.

Otherwise, if you want to do the Stelvio, I recommend Bolzano, Italy as well as Lugano. Lugano is beautiful, but it's cool to check out Bolzano, which is a pretty magical place (just ask Ezra Pound)! The Hotel Greif is nice, as is its sister hotel, the Park Hotel Laurin. They're a little more expensive (140 Euros per night), but beautiful. At the very least you should have drink or a coffee in the bar of the Park Hotel Laurin.

Have a great trip!

that's great info Dixon!, thanks:w00t:

so any ideas on the hotels outside innsbruck?

My wife definitely wants to go to Lugano, but I may convince her to do one nite lugano, one nite bolzano. are the hotel Greif and Park Laurin in lugano?

thanks again.

[adc]

Originally Posted by ssabripo

My wife definitely wants to go to Lugano, but I may convince her to do one nite lugano, one nite bolzano. are the hotel Greif and Park Laurin in lugano?

thanks again.

Those 2 hotels are in the Bolzano area. Bolzano is south of Innsbruck on the Autobahn - it's in fact the easiest access exit for the Stelvio pass.

Let me look around for Innsbruck hotel ideas - I'll get back to you.


Try to get your wife to switch from Lugano (which is nice) to some other place on the Lake Como. Como area is magical, truly unforgettable - and it's the kind of place that makes wifes happy and romantic. :wink:


As far as Nice - find a place to stay outside of it. If you can wait until tomorrow, I can check out the Rick Steves guides for a suitable place - cozy, reasonable and authentic.

[ssabripo]

Originally Posted by adc

Those 2 hotels are in the Bolzano area. Bolzano is south of Innsbruck on the Autobahn - it's in fact the easiest access exit for the Stelvio pass.

Let me look around for Innsbruck hotel ideas - I'll get back to you.


Try to get your wife to switch from Lugano (which is nice) to some other place on the Lake Como. Como area is magical, truly unforgettable - and it's the kind of place that makes wifes happy and romantic. :wink:


As far as Nice - find a place to stay outside of it. If you can wait until tomorrow, I can check out the Rick Steves guides for a suitable place - cozy, reasonable and authentic.

awesome! thanks...I will definitely wait!:w00t:

I don't think my wife is dead set on Lugano, so long as we stay around that part of the lake. I'm open to anything around there.

[ez311]

The IBIS in Innsbruck by the hauptbahnhof is a pretty good deal. I stayed there in April and it was very clean and the location is very good as well. There's an underground parking garage directly under the hotel.

[CAMike]

I live in Northern Italy and have been to these areas several times (except Lugano...so many places to travel and so little time but it's on Uncle Sam's dime so I can't complain too much!!). PM me if you have specific questions. I'd stay in Garmisch before I'd stay in Innsbruck (only about 40 mins from Innsbruck as for me, outside of the old town, there isn't much to see in Innsbruck). IMO It's MUCH shorter to go from Munich to Innsbruck via Garmisch (then on through Mittenwald and down the hill into Innsbruck) on the 95 then the way you have it mapped. Just my 2 cents. Lots to see between Munich and Nice that you'll miss out on but the Stelvio Pass is a fun drive...be warned that you will be close to the end of the big European vacation time and could hit some residual traffic but it should be going against your direction. If you are going to see the back roads, you have a great route. If you are wanting "see" some bigger sites then you'll miss out. It all depends upon what you are wanting from the trip. Have a BLAST on your trip!!

[ssabripo]

Originally Posted by CAMike

I live in Northern Italy and have been to these areas several times (except Lugano...so many places to travel and so little time but it's on Uncle Sam's dime so I can't complain too much!!). PM me if you have specific questions. I'd stay in Garmisch before I'd stay in Innsbruck (only about 40 mins from Innsbruck as for me, outside of the old town, there isn't much to see in Innsbruck). IMO It's MUCH shorter to go from Munich to Innsbruck via Garmisch (then on through Mittenwald and down the hill into Innsbruck) on the 95 then the way you have it mapped. Just my 2 cents. Lots to see between Munich and Nice that you'll miss out on but the Stelvio Pass is a fun drive...be warned that you will be close to the end of the big European vacation time and could hit some residual traffic but it should be going against your direction. If you are going to see the back roads, you have a great route. If you are wanting "see" some bigger sites then you'll miss out. It all depends upon what you are wanting from the trip. Have a BLAST on your trip!!

I absolutely want to see more of the alps via backroads, etc....

could you googlemap the route from munich to Garmisch the way you are suggesting? perhaps I'm missing it, but it seems a bit roundabout..:iono:

I actually wanted to go to salzburg instead of innsbruck, but it's out of the way. perhaps Garmisch is nicer than Innsbruck, right?

I DEFINITELY want to go thru the Stelvio pass...there is no going around that! :thumbup:

please do share more info if you can! thanks again.

[adc]

Originally Posted by ssabripo

could you googlemap the route from munich to Garmisch the way you are suggesting? perhaps I'm missing it, but it seems a bit roundabout..

I think he means this:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=e...89&ie=UTF8&z=8

I've had both good and bad experiences going this way. The Autobahn ends at Garmisch, then it's two lane roads with villages and if there is even the slightest traffic snag, you're in for hours. But of course the views are much better, and the steep descent towards Innsbruck thrilling (unless you're behind a truck or van).

If you want to be sure to make it to the Innsbruck neighborhood in time, stick to your original plan - just my opinion.

**************

Whichever way you decide to get to Innsbruck, instead of turning west from Innsbruck after that, head straight down on A13, exit at Bolzano and head on SS38 towards Stelvio. The way you've mapped it you will miss the Northern ascent, because you will come in from Switzerland instead of Italy (not to mention you will be going on a dirt road).

After that, head towards Lake Como. There are numerous recommendations for hotels around this lake, but I've only been there once and stayed at Albergo Lenno in Lenno:
www.albergolenno.com
It's a classy hotel with indoor parking and the vaporetto station is right on front of it - even on a drizzly evening the place looks magical... At Lake Como, just take a day pass for the ferry and jump from village to village via ferry (Varenna, Bellagio, Como are all wonderful places).

Here is how I suggest you do it for maximum thrills:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=e...8,5.657959&z=7

To recap, my recommendations come from the following:
1. Stelvio is best done on the asphalt Italy-only road, SS 38. Come from the North, up the 48 switchbacks, bask at the top and wait for the adrenalin shake to wear off, then descend towards the 38 (?) Southern switchbacks and head towards relaxing Como.
2. Como area is nicer than Lugano.
3. It's still an easy and interesting drive from Como towards your next destination, Nice.

I'll look up some Nice hotel recommendations for you tomorrow.
Do you have some sort of GPS with you?

[ssabripo]

holy crap ADC! that is invaluable information!

thanks a million....I will certainly look over this tonite!

ps- I dont have a GPS yet, but my car has Navy, and I'm hoping to get the Borrowed euro DVD's for it thru bimmerfest

[dixon1763]

The recommendations on the route from Munich to Innsbruck via Garmisch and on Como are spot on.

At Como, we stayed in Bellagio. It's quite possibly the most beautiful place I've ever been.

[InsaneSkippy]

Cool! My first night after Munich was in Innsbruck as well. We loved it there, the drive down on the E60 was awesome as well. Enjoy yourself!

[j8smith]

Playing devils advocate here, But you do realize you will be driving right by Monza on the day of the Italian GrandPrix :wink:.

Seriously though, some things to do. Since you are staying in Innsbruck, check out the schnapps store in the old town. They wouldn't let us leave until we had tried 5 different flavours.

In monaco, try to drive the gp course. But don't down shift and accelerate through the tunnel under the hotel, there are gaurds at the entrances. Also, try to drive the different routes between nice and monaco. Tight and twisty with great views.

In Nice climb to the top of Le chateau for a nice view of the city. And since you are going with your wife, wear sunglasses and scan with your eyes when you go to the beach. Although prepare yourself, because young and OLD go topless in france.

[imported_Captain Slow]

Between Monaco and Nice take one of the coastal roads and not the main Hwy. I think the middle one goes through the town of Eze. Well worth a stop. It's a nice old town built on top of a rock above the coast. No cars only walking. The wife might like to tour the Fragonard perfume factory which is also here. In Nice be sure and walk through the old part of town.

[ssabripo]

absolutely outstanding guys! I'm making notes of all these suggestions.

adc, I emailed albergo lenno hotel, and they told me they have one room left, at 155Euro! ouch I'm gonna email them back and see if I can get a better rate, but if not, then I guess that will do.

I'm looking at the trip to innsbruck from munich and seeing if I should stay in the outskirts of innsbruck, or in Bolzano.

[adc]

Originally Posted by ssabripo

adc, I emailed albergo lenno hotel, and they told me they have one room left, at 155Euro! ouch I'm gonna email them back and see if I can get a better rate, but if not, then I guess that will do.

Think of it this way - in every trip, you need to splurge at least once if traveling with the wife/gf. Make her feel special and cater to her needs for a day or so and she will be as responsive as your new 135i.

The Como area, with a hotel like this and a day spent taking it easy on the lake ferries and wonderful little towns around the coast will do it for you. :wink:

I'm looking at the trip to innsbruck from munich and seeing if I should stay in the outskirts of innsbruck, or in Bolzano.

After spending a skiing vacation in Innsbruck, I'd probably go for Bolzano or Merano. It's closer to the Stelvio, which means you can get a nice long breakfast with a few espresso's before heading out to conquer the beast.

I've heard good things about the 2 Bolzano area hotels mentioned here. A good site for booking Italy and France hotels is www.venere.com. Find the hotel(s) there and then try finding reviews at www.tripadvisor.com.

And I haven't forgotten about the Nice area recommendations, I just couldn't find the book. Off the top of my hat, I'd say go a little North of Nice in the hills area, towards Vence and St. Paul-de-Vence - the latter is a must see anyway, it is absolutely picture perfect. If you can book a room in that area, you can visit it in the morning before the tourist buses arrive.


I'll re-iterate, any kind of GPS is a huge advantage - takes the stress out of navigating unknown locales. Just get any cheap Garmin Nuvi unit on sale, and if it doesn't have Euro maps preloaded send me a PM and I'll set you up with one.

[vjordan]

my wife and i have stayed a number of times in this great little hotel at the end of promenade anglaise, at the very end, on the point...PRIMHOTEL SUISSE..it would be hard to do better, and the price is usually very good...great scenery..on the water,across the street.
Very close to the old city...good restaurants in area ..decent parking..can't miss...google map w/ satellite..amazing harbour..good restaurants around corner of point..the hotel next to it is even more of a luxury..also worth it..ENJOY...CIAO

[vjordan]

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04-16-2008, 06:46 PM #1 (permalink) annie2
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Join Date: Oct 2007
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Hotels in Nice France – where to stay
We four are planning a vacation in Nice, France and need details on hotels in Nice, France. We heard that ‘Nice’ is a wonderful place and has beautiful beaches, anybody was staying there in sea view hotel with budget accommodation, if so just help us to find a hotel near sea in Nice. Thanks in advance.

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05-02-2008, 03:49 PM #2 (permalink) Lynnie81
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Join Date: May 2008
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Posts: 139


Re: Hotels in Nice France – where to stay
Theres are several beautiful hotels in Nice but i will provide you with details of a few which are close to the water as requested.

Suisse - Hotels Ocre et Azur. This is a 3star hotel which is described as follows.

The Hotel Suisse boasts a prime location, right next to Baie des Anges, offering a panoramic view of the Mediterranean. The lively downtown area is within easy reach of the hotel. Recently restored, it offers an elegant interior and cosy, welcoming rooms. Our kind staff is always available to assist you. You are welcome to visit the hotel's bar with its panoramic view of the seaside

Meridien - Nice. Also 3 stars described as follows

The hotel Meridien Nice enjoys an excellent location at the start of Promenade des Anglais, offering a panoramic view of the beautiful Baie des Anges and the sparkling blue Mediterranean Sea. The gorgeous Albert I Park is just east of the hotel, and the trendy tourist area and old town of Nice are also within walking distance.

Best Westerm - Riviera. Also 3 stars

Тhe Best Western Riviera hotel is just a short walk away from the golden Mediterranean beaches of Nice. Near the city centre, from here you can explore the famous Promenade des Anglais and all the beauties the city has to offer.

You havent mentioned when you plan to travel so i cant comment on the avaiablility of these hotels but should you need anymore information, for example, telephone numbers or room rates let me know

Yesterday, 05:10 AM #3 (permalink) alex15
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 6


Re: Hotels in Nice France – where to stay
Thanks Lynnie nice information.

Yesterday, 05:14 AM #4 (permalink) alex15
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 6


Re: Hotels in Nice France – where to stay
I would like to go there.

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[ssabripo]

Originally Posted by adc

Think of it this way - in every trip, you need to splurge at least once if traveling with the wife/gf. Make her feel special and cater to her needs for a day or so and she will be as responsive as your new 135i.

The Como area, with a hotel like this and a day spent taking it easy on the lake ferries and wonderful little towns around the coast will do it for you. :wink:

Agreed.... I think that will be a great little "investment" to get some brownie points for when the modding starts!

Originally Posted by adc

After spending a skiing vacation in Innsbruck, I'd probably go for Bolzano or Merano. It's closer to the Stelvio, which means you can get a nice long breakfast with a few espresso's before heading out to conquer the beast.I've heard good things about the 2 Bolzano area hotels mentioned here. A good site for booking Italy and France hotels is www.venere.com. Find the hotel(s) there and then try finding reviews at www.tripadvisor.com.

yeah, I think I'm gonna drive to innsbruck via Garmische, but stay in bolzano overnite for dinner, etc. Then get up in the morning, get a nice breakfast, and head over to the Stelvio, and onto Como!

ps- the picture you posted earlier, where is that? is that bolzano, or the lake como area? my wife LOVED it!

Originally Posted by adc

And I haven't forgotten about the Nice area recommendations, I just couldn't find the book. Off the top of my hat, I'd say go a little North of Nice in the hills area, towards Vence and St. Paul-de-Vence - the latter is a must see anyway, it is absolutely picture perfect. If you can book a room in that area, you can visit it in the morning before the tourist buses arrive.

Yeah, I will wait for the Nice recommendation as well. Vjordan has a very good recommendation below, which I also got on bimmerfest. But still, send me what you got.

Originally Posted by adc

I'll re-iterate, any kind of GPS is a huge advantage - takes the stress out of navigating unknown locales. Just get any cheap Garmin Nuvi unit on sale, and if it doesn't have Euro maps preloaded send me a PM and I'll set you up with one.

I'm gonna try hard to get my hands on the Navy Euro DVD's if I can....I think it would be a shame not to use the navy on this car when I have one!:biggrin:

If that deosn't pan out, I think I can borrow a Nuvi 680 from a guy at work, and hopefully find some euro maps for it.

Originally Posted by vjordan

my wife and i have stayed a number of times in this great little hotel at the end of promenade anglaise, at the very end, on the point...PRIMHOTEL SUISSE..it would be hard to do better, and the price is usually very good...great scenery..on the water,across the street.
Very close to the old city...good restaurants in area ..decent parking..can't miss...google map w/ satellite..amazing harbour..good restaurants around corner of point..the hotel next to it is even more of a luxury..also worth it..ENJOY...CIAO

Outstanding Vjordan! thank you! I also got that same hotel recommended from another guy in bimmerfest, so I will definitely look into it.

any other recommendations in or around Nice?

[adc]

Originally Posted by ssabripo

ps- the picture you posted earlier, where is that? is that bolzano, or the lake como area? my wife LOVED it!

That was the Como area, from our balcony at Albergo Lenno. Just ask for the room facing the vaporetto station when you book it...
But I have more pictures from our last trip here:
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=212244

Como, Stelvio, Monaco and Southern France plus the Ring - if you have the time and patience to go through it...

I'm gonna try hard to get my hands on the Navy Euro DVD's if I can....I think it would be a shame not to use the navy on this car when I have one!:biggrin:

Over at bimmerfest's ED forum, beewang runs a NAV loaner program, worth every cent. There's a sticky at the top for it...

If that deosn't pan out, I think I can borrow a Nuvi 680 from a guy at work, and hopefully find some euro maps for it.

I think the 680 has Euro maps - check with Garmin. But if nothing else pans out, let me know.

[ssabripo]

will do! thanks adc. Don't forget some more info on Nice when you get a chance! your help has been invaluable!

ps- beewang says he will have a copy for me for the euro DVD!

[ssabripo]

here are some updates as per your recommendations:



1) arrive in Munich on 9/9 from MIA (hotels TBD)
2) Pick up Car on 9/10, look around munich
3) goto Bolzano (ITA) via Garmische and Innsbruck on 9/11 (stay overnite). Hotel: Parkhotel Laurin
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=e...89&ie=UTF8&z=8M


4) Goto Lenno, near Como, via Stelvio Pass on 9/12. Stay overnite in Lenno area for two nites (9/12-9/13), at hotel Albergo Lenno
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=e...7&ie=UTF8&z=10


5) goto Nice (FRA), via Varezza on 9/14 am. Stay in Nice from 9/14pm-9/16am. Hotel: Hotel Suisse
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=e...8,6.146851&z=8



6) Drop off car 9/16 AM in Nice, take TGV from Nice -> Paris, arrive in Paris in the PM.

7) stay in Paris (FRA), 9/16pm - 9/19 overnite, fly back to MIA 9/20! hotels TBD


any thoughts?


couple of google earth shots of the path I plan on taking from Bolzano thru the stelvio pass and onto lenno:

approaching from north/east via Bolzano:



leaving Stelvio down thru south/west down towards Bormio and onto Lenno/Como: