Traveling in luxury doesn’t have to break the bank, especially if you know how to optimize points, miles, and rewards.
Sandra (aka Zuzu) and I took a 1 week European adventure through Germany and Switzerland, with quick stops in Austria and Liechtenstein.
If we’d paid cash for our First Class flights and 5 star luxury hotels, this would have been a $20,000 trip. Instead, our total out of pocket cost was just $1,940!
In this post, we’ll take you through each day of our 1 week itinerary, sharing our experiences, budget breakdowns, and tips on how you can travel in style without spending a fortune.
Positioning Flight for a Week in Europe: Flying from Nashville to NYC
Our journey began with what I’m calling “Day 0,” a strategic positioning flight from Nashville to New York City… for free*.
Since there are rarely good deals on flights directly from Nashville to Europe, we used Southwest Rapid Rewards points and Zuzu’s Companion Pass to get to NYC and start our week long vacation.
One of the best deals in award travel, the Southwest Companion Pass allows her to fly free* from February 2024 through the end of 2025. (Anytime I fly on Southwest, she can come along for free & just pay the taxes!)
The flight was quick and easy, costing us just $5.60 each in taxes. So it was pretty close to FREE!
Normal price was $189 per person so we’ve already saved $367 on this trip!
International Driver’s Permit
Before we left home, I got an International Driver’s Permit (IDP) for $33 so I could legally drive in Europe. As a tourist, you can drive legally in Germany & Switzerland with just a US Drivers License but I knew we’d be in Austria where an IDP is required.
Quick, Cheap Stay in NYC
After arriving in NYC, we checked into the Hyatt Place Flushing for free using Hyatt points, saving us $346 on our first night’s stay.
That evening, we dined next door at the Michelin-starred Nan Xiang, known for its famous soup dumplings. While the meal wasn’t life-changing, it was still a pretty enjoyable experience for just $28.
Budget, Day 0
For each day of our trip, I’ll do a recap of what we spent that day plus a running total of what we spent & saved for the trip to that point. For Day 0, our total out of pocket expenses were just $84. The 2 big expenses were $33 for the IDP and $28 for dinner.
Budget Highlights, Day 0:
- Positioning Flights (Nashville-NYC): $11.20 taxes (saved $367)
- Hyatt Place Flushing (NYC): $0 (saved $346)
- International Driver’s Permit: $33
- Food: $40
Budget Summary:
- Spent: $84
- Saved: $713
Spoiler Alert: The biggest difference in how we get to travel vs normal people is that our flights and hotels are usually free or close to it. Check out our Guide to Free Luxury Travel if you want the full details of how anyone with a middle class income and middle class expenses can take (almost) free vacations.
Day 1: Long Day of Travel! NYC to Exploring Munich
Now that we’ve positioned from Nashville to New York to take advantage of a spectacular flight deal, we feel like our 1 week European adventure has officially started.
Afternoon at JFK Airport
We spent the afternoon at JFK Airport, relaxing at the Chase Sapphire Lounge before our flight.
Access to the lounge was free thanks to our favorite credit card, saving us $59 per person. The brand new Sapphire Lounge at JFK is one of the nicest airport lounges we’ve seen with free food, drinks, and comfortable seating.
Knowing that we’d have 2 nice meals on our First Class flight, we sampled the menu and had a few drinks, but we tried to not fill up before the flight to Munich.
Scoring a First Class Flight Deal to Munich
This entire trip is centered around the luxurious round trip flights that we found for an incredibly great deal.
For months, I’ve been watching prices for 2 tickets in 1st Class (technically International Business Class) between the US and Europe.
We had a 6 week window when we could travel… and we would be happy going just about anywhere in Europe on our 1st trip there. With flexibility on our dates as well as the departure & arrival airports, I was finding alot of options but few that were affordable.
Then I found this incredible deal!
Normally $11,668 for 2 people to fly in luxury between JFK and Munich, I found an option to use 200k Amex points and only $250 cash for 2 roundtrip tickets!
Only available on long haul flights, Delta One seats are the nicest cabin that Delta offers in the world.
FYI, in my daily budget recap, I’ll allocate the cost and the savings for the outbound flights separate from the return flights: half on Day 1 and half on Day 7.
That works out to spending 100k points plus $125 for our 2 seats to Germany. We saved $5,709 on each leg of this trip! Another way to look at is that we’re using points to get a 98% Discount on the normal price that Delta charges!
Flying 1st Class to Munich
Our Delta One 1st Class flight departed at 6pm and lasted over 8 hours. While the lie-flat seats were much, much better than being in coach, they didn’t quite live up to our high expectations.
Our seats were very comfortable for sitting & reclining, just not great for sleeping.
There are 2 aisles in First Class with 1 seat on each window and 2 seats together in the middle. We took these 2 middle seats.
There’s a middle divider between the 2 seats that can be raised or lowered. Below the screens, you can see the foot well that gives you gobs of leg room when it’s a seat. When you convert the seat to bed mode, that foot well is where your feet go.
With the seats in lie-flat position, I was pleasantly surprised that I had enough length for my 6’5″ frame.
Unfortunately, Zuzu & I both struggled to find a comfortable position laying down. It was kinda like laying in a box without much space. So we got zero decent sleep during the flight.
The two in-flight meals were pretty good. Definitely better than what you get in coach and better than I’ve had flying domestic First Class, but it wasn’t great. After take off, we had a dinner that started with an appetizer of soup, salad & tuna.
Then we had a main course which was decent but not exactly memorable. Likewise, breakfast 7 hours later was pretty good, just not great.
What did make the flight memorable, though, was an incident with one of the Flight Attendants assigned to First Class.
I Got in Trouble for Taking Pictures
The moment that I stepped onto the plane at JFK, a clearly agitated Flight Attendant barked at me to turn off my GoPro. I complied IMMEDIATELY and went directly to my seat.
We’ve all seen the stories of power tripping Flight Attendants. I sure didn’t want to get thrown off the plane!
But that wasn’t the end of it. Next thing I know, a gate manager comes to have a stern talk with me. They don’t want pictures & video going viral and making them look bad.
I did not say this to him, but have you seen Instagram & YouTube? The internet is littered with pictures and videos of people on planes. I have no idea why this Flight Attendant singled me out.
And why in the world did she escalate her gripe to a manager? Like I said, I immediately complied and I didn’t say anything disrespectful to either the FA or the manager.
And then… HOLY COW! The Captain came out to talk with me!!
What started as an overreaction by a petulant FA turned into an crazy situation where I ended up being invited to visit the cockpit! The Captain was awesome. Super nice and very personable. He insisted that I could take all the pictures that I wanted on HIS airplane.
Don’t think many passengers get a selfie in the cockpit of a 767 with the pilot & copilot!
While the cockpit visit was really, really cool, the whole situation felt bizarre and a bit unsettling. Not at all what you expect flying 1st class. The other FA’s were fine but I’d hate to think of getting this treatment and service if we’d actually paid Delta $11,000 in cash!
Arriving in Munich and Checking into the Andaz
Due to the time difference, we arrived in Munich at what felt like 4am for us, but it was actually the middle of the day in Germany. After not getting any decent sleep on the flight, Zuzu & I were both exhausted by the time we landed. We’d heard the best way to avoid jet lag was to stay up until the local bedtime, so we pushed ourselves to stay awake and make the most of our first day in Europe.
We picked up our rental car at the airport ($377 for a week in a very nice Volvo SUV) and drove straight to the Andaz Munich. This is the 3rd Andaz we’ve visited and we had high expectations based on the wonderful Andaz Maui and the very nice Andaz 5th Avenue in NYC.
The hotel was as luxurious as we had hoped. We used Hyatt points to book a free room and our wonderful concierge, Bernhard, arranged for a free upgrade to the massive “Residence Suite.” It was 1,100 square feet of pure luxury.
Glad we didn’t have to pay cash for it. With breakfast & valet parking, it would have been $669 for 1 night!
Exploring Munich
After checking in, we took a trolley to Marianplatz and headed straight to Hofbräuhaus. Several of the places we visited were influenced by Sandra’s trip to Europe when she was in high school, and Hofbräuhaus was one of her favorite spots back then.
After sampling the local beer and some traditional Bavarian food, we got to one of the most important objectives of our trip: buying a replacement for Zuzu’s beloved 35-year-old Hofbräuhaus sweatshirt, lol!
After Hofbräuhaus, we walked back to Marianplatz. For the price of a beer, we got a table with a perfect view of the famous Glockenspiel. It was getting hard to keep our eyes open but the lively atmosphere and historic charm of Munich kept us going just long enough to (hopefully) stave off jet lag.
Evening Return to the Andaz Munich:
As the day came to a close, we took the trolley back to the Andaz Munich. Completely worn out from being awake for 30 hours, we finally turned in for the night. Despite the exhaustion, it was the perfect start to our European adventure.
Budget, Day 1
For the outbound flight from NYC to MUC, we spent $125 and saved $5709. When you include the flight with $377 for a 1 week car rental and everything else in Munich, we spent $660 today. That brings our total out-of-pocket so far to $779.
Budget Highlights, Day 1
- Andaz Munich Schwabinger Tor: $0 (saved $669)
- Delta One Flight (NYC to Munich): $62.50 per person (saved $5,709)
- Hofbräuhaus Souvenir Sweatshirt: $40
Budget Breakdown
- Spent: $779
- Saved: $7,241
Day 2: From Munich to Zurich – Exploring Four Countries in One Day
Since we only had 1 week in Germany and Switzerland, jet lag was a big concern to us.
How We Beat Jet Lag in Europe
We didn’t want to waste several days feeling lousy so we planned to avoid jet lag by:
- Sleeping on the flight
- Staying up until the local bedtime once we arrived in Germany
- Getting a good nights sleep once we settled in at our hotel
It was disappointing that we couldn’t sleep on the lie flat seats on our Delta flight. And the Flight Attendant whack, whack, whacking some ice in the middle of the flight didn’t help either. But pushing through the exhaustion once we got to Germany was the right choice.
After 30 hours of travel yesterday, we slept for 10 hours straight at the Andaz Munich and had zero issues with jet lag after that.
The Best Bavarian Breakfast Buffet!
We did wake up in time to try the hotel’s fantastic buffet, free for us as Hyatt Globalists.
Normally $40/person, it was one of our favorite hotel breakfasts ever. Massive selection including fresh pastries, fruits, pretzels, meats, cheeses, fresh jams/spreads and dozens of muesli & granola options.
There’s even an entire “Wurst” section of German sausages!
And if that’s not enough, our free breakfast even included a made-to-order dish from the menu!
Fueled up and excited, you can’t ask for a much better way to start our 1st full day in Europe!
Leaving Munich and First Experience on the Autobahn
After checking out, we hit the road for our journey from Munich to Zurich. This was our first experience driving on the Autobahn, and it was an absolute thrill.
Legally driving nearly twice as fast as on American interstates? Even if we would have been suffering from jet lag, that really got the adrenaline pumping!
The smooth roads and respectful drivers made it even better as we sped through the scenic landscapes of southern Germany.
First Stop: Neuschwanstein Castle Visit
Our first major stop after leaving Munich was the fairy-tale-like Neuschwanstein Castle. As the direct inspiration for the castle in Disneyland, this was one of Sandra’s favorite stops when she visited Europe as a teenager.
The castle, with its towering spires and stunning location on a rugged hill above the village of Hohenschwangau, looked just as magical as she remembered.
Parking and entry fees cost us about $20, but the views and memories were priceless. We didn’t pay extra for the full tour, but the stop was well worth the time.
How We Saved Money on Food in Europe
In what turned out to be frequent money saver for us, we had stopped this morning at a market in the tiny, rural town of Steingaden, Germany.
They obviously don’t get many tourists in this market but, despite a significant language barrier, we are soooo glad we stopped here.
With nothing but hand signals, we bought meat & cheese from a really sweet lady at the deli. Then the bakery lady steered us to the best bread we had on our trip.
For $25.23, we had lunch sandwiches, some German cookies and beer. We also got our 1st bottle of Radler, a mix of German beer and lemonade that we both liked.
Our lunch picnic in the shadow of Neuschwanstein Castle was great, cheap and memorable.
Since we had brought a travel cooler with us, we ended up having a picnic lunch almost every day. I don’t include the savings in our Budget Summary but this probably saved us at least $200 on the trip.
You’ll see later in the post how our food and drink expenses were extremely low for this vacation. Not quite as low as when we goto one of our favorite All Inclusive Resorts, but pretty dang cheap for a 1 week luxury trip to Germany and Switzerland!
A Brief Drive Through Austria
After leaving Neuschwanstein Castle, we continued our drive, briefly crossing the border into Austria. The glimpse we got of the Austrian countryside was beautiful.
It also sparked our interest in seeing more of Austria. You see, we knew we had to drive back from Zurich to Munich in a few days but we didn’t have a specific route planned yet. Google Maps gave us several options but none of them included Austria.
We literally said, Let’s loop through Austria on the way back. How about we go through Innsbruck?
That turned out to be an excellent decision.
Quick Stop in Liechtenstein
Before reaching Zurich, we made a quick detour to visit Liechtenstein, one of the smallest countries in the world.
This was a special stop for me. I think around 5th grade, I heard of Liechtenstein and was kind of obsessed with it for a while. A quick visit on this trip was mandatory for me.
The country is tiny, but it’s packed with charm. We spent some time walking around the capital, Vaduz, taking in the quaint atmosphere and snapping a few photos. It was a brief visit, but it fulfilled a childhood dream. If we hadn’t discovered how to optimize points and miles, I doubt this would have ever happened.
Evening Arrival in Zurich
As the day came to an end, we crossed into Switzerland and headed to our ritzy hotel in the expensive city of Zurich.
While I think our rented Volvo XC60 SUV was a very nice car, we dropped it with the valet right next to hotel’s House Car: a Rolls Royce Phantom that’s worth about $500k!
Wow! Talk about feeling out of place.
We checked into the most posh hotel we’ve ever visited: the 5 star Park Hyatt Zurich. The registration person had a very Swiss air of efficiency and was maybe just a touch aloof. That might have bothered this Tennessee hillbilly but then I overheard a guest discussing his $40,000 bill! That guest got the exact same treatment, lol.
OK, now THAT made me feel a bit smug. This guy spent a small fortune at this hotel vs our bill is going to be $ZERO.
Anyway, these hillbillies got an upgrade to a nice Jr Suite. With valet parking and breakfast, that would cost most guests $1,483 per night. It was free for us with 40k Hyatt points and Hyatt Globalist status.
If you’re interested in the math, that means each Hyatt point was worth 3.7 cents. I track every hotel booking in a blog post & calculate what Hyatt points are worth. Since 2021, we’ve gotten over $100,000 of free stays for around 2.5 million points.
Same as when we checked into the huge (free) suite at the Andaz Munich last night, it was late so we didn’t enjoy anything other than a good night’s sleep.
Budget, Day 2
Our biggest expenses today were paying for toll vignettes (stickers) for Austria & Switzerland. They don’t have toll booths. You essentially buy a multi-day pass when you enter the country. $116 for 2 vignettes and a tank of gas. Pretty stoked that we were in 4 countries today and spent only $148!
Budget Highlights, Day 2
- Neuschwanstein Parking & Entry Fees: $20
- Drive from Munich to Zurich: $116 for gas and tolls
- Park Hyatt Zurich Suite: $0 (saved $1,483 per night)
Budget Summary
- Spent: $927
- Saved: $8,742
Day 3: Lauterbrunnen – Discovering the Most Scenic Village in Switzerland
We woke up excited for our first full day in Switzerland!
After a lavish breakfast at the Park Hyatt Zurich (free for us, of course!), we set out on our day trip to Lauterbrunnen.
The Drive to Lauterbrunnen
Even with a mostly cloudy day, the drive itself was worth the trip. Swiss Autobahn for a couple hours and then gorgeous winding roads through the countryside, with steep cliffs and snow-capped mountains in the distance.
Lauterbrunnen doesn’t seem real. It’s like something out of a postcard.
Nestled in a narrow valley, this tiny village is surrounded by towering rock faces and dotted with 72 waterfalls. Yes, 72!
For our Tennessee friends, think about Gatlinburg, but a totally non-touristy version of Gatlinburg (no Ripley’s & no mini golf) with just a handful of centuries old buildings instead of miles of Holiday Inns and pancake places. And then make the mountains twice as tall with sheer cliffs (straight up & down) on both sides of the town, only a few hundred yards apart.
Then have 72 snow-fed waterfalls coming off those sheer cliffs!
Thank goodness for the XL panoramic moonroof on our rental car. Most of the time in Lauterbrunnen, we were looking straight up those cliffs at the waterfalls!
Exploring Lauterbrunnen
We skipped the quaint shops and cafes in favor of driving a bit further into the narrow valley.
And then it happened.
The most iconic moment of our trip: a cow traffic jam.
After turning around near the end of the valley, we got stuck behind locals moving their herd of cows from one farm to another.
It was one of those unexpected, authentic experiences that you can’t plan but end up being the highlight of your vacation!
After spending some more time soaking in the views and snapping photos, we stopped at the Zweilütschinen train station parking lot for our daily picnic lunch.
It may seem strange to picnic at a train station but it was a small spot where the Lauterbrunnen valley intersected with the Gündlischwand valley.
Just beautiful.
Then we reluctantly made our way back to Zurich.
Even though it rained most of the time we were there, Lauterbrunnen easily ranks as one of the most beautiful places we’ve ever visited. We’d go back in a heartbeat.
Evening in Zurich
By the time we got back to Zurich, it was late and we were pretty tired from the day’s adventures.
We decided to stay in and relax at the hotel, skipping any big dinner plans for a couple of snacks from our travel cooler. It was nice to wind down in the comfort of our suite after a day filled with so much natural beauty.
Budget, Day 3
Other than a tank of gas and a little food at a market, we had NO expenses today. Being able to have a free hotel, with free parking and a big free breakfast makes a HUGE difference in what you spend on vacation. Make sure to get our free eBook and learn how you can travel for (almost) free like we do!
Budget Highlights, Day 3
- Food: $19.78 at Co-op Lauterbrunnen
- Gas: $51
- Park Hyatt Zurich Suite: $0 (saved $1,483 per night)
Budget Summary
- Spent: $998
- Saved: $10,207
Day 4: Exploring Mount Pilatus in the Swiss Alps
We started the day with another fantastic breakfast at our ritzy hotel. Since we get free breakfast at all Hyatt properties, we often don’t see the bill. But this morning we did and it was… $155 for the 2 of us!
Free Breakfast at Park Hyatt Zurich
Free breakfast is definitely one of our favorite perks of being a Hyatt Globalist. Especially in one of the most expensive hotels, in one of the most expensive cities in the world!
I mentioned earlier that the Park Hyatt Zurich front desk staff was very professional but just a little bit…. what’s the word…. snobby? aloof? patronizing? I want to compliment one of our servers at breakfast: Michael. He was the epitome of Swiss efficiency with zero of the negative traits.
He seemed to anticipate our needs, always there when we needed him and invisible when we didn’t. As opposed to the front desk staff, he made us feel that we were actually appreciated with his genuine smile and friendly words. When we started a conversation, he asked about our trip and offered the helpful insight of a local.
Michael was easily the star of the staff at one of the most expensive hotels we’ve ever visited.
Silver Round Trip Experience to Mount Pilatus
Our biggest splurge on this 1 week adventure to Germany and Switzerland was our day trip to Mt Pilatus. Since it was close to our hotel in Zurich, this was the perfect chance to explore a summit of the iconic Swiss Alps.
At $212 for 2 people, the “Silver Round Trip” tickets were our best option.
As the name implies, the Pilatus Silver Round Trip is a full round trip from Lucerne with 5 modes of transportation:
- Train between Lucerne and Alpnachstad
- Cogwheel train between Alpnachstad and the top of Mt Pilatus
- Dragon Ride aerial cableway between Mt Pilatus and Fräkmüntegg
- Panoramic Gondola between Fräkmüntegg and the town of Kriens
- Bus between Kriens and Lucerne
You can choose which direction to take on the Silver Roundtrip:
- Lucern to Alpnachstad to Mt Pilatus to Fräkmüntegg to Kriens to Lucerne, or
- Lucern to Kriens to Fräkmüntegg to Mt Pilatus to Alpnachstad to Lucerne
Instead of starting with the bus from Lucerne to Kriens and taking the aerial trams up, we started with a train ride along the shore of Lake Lucerne and took the “steepest cogwheel train in the world” up to the summit.
Either direction will make for spectacular views but the time table for clockwise was a better fit for us.
And I think our Silver Round Trip direction was a little better for revealing the beauty of the area. The leisurely 5 minute gondola ride from Fräkmüntegg to Kriens down the last half of the mountain was a great way to (almost) end our Mt Pilatus day trip. On our Instagram page, I added a short video clip of that gondola ride which is one of our favorite memories of this trip.
The last leg back to Lucerne was “just a bus” ride. It was fine, but nothing special.
That’s how we decided to buy the clockwise Silver Round Trip tickets. Now, back to our adventure.
From Lucerne to Mt Pilatus
After driving to Lucerne, we caught the 1st leg of our Silver Round Trip on the train from the main train station: Bahnhof Luzern.
Compared to US train stations, Bahnhof Luzern was more like a combination airport and shopping center. The rail system in Europe is much better than the US and the Swiss rail system is considered to be the best in Europe. We easily found our train and hopped on the 1st leg of our day trip.
The 20 minute ride along Lake Lucerne was as picturesque as you’d expect, with the deep blue water on our left side and the towering Swiss Alps on the right. Plenty of seating space and big panoramic windows let us really enjoy the views on the train ride from Lucerne.
Once we arrived at the small Alpnachstad station, we boarded the world’s steepest cogwheel train, which slowly climbed nearly 7,000 feet to the summit.
The ride was an experience in itself, offering breathtaking views all the way up.
Exploring Mount Pilatus
At the summit, we were greeted by light rain and heavy clouds.
There’s a good sized indoor welcome center and restaurant when you get off the cogwheel train. With the light rain, we explored a little museum which connected the welcome center to a 30 room full service hotel. The hotel opened in 1888 in response to a surge in tourists visiting Mt Pilatus.
Apparently, Queen Victoria rode her pony up Mt Pilatus in 1868 and gave a massive boost to Swiss tourism and specifically to the Dragon Mountain, as the Queen called it.
After 30 minutes, the rain finally let off and we went outside to see what we could see.
The clouds drifted in and out, sometimes completely obscuring the peaks and the views. When the clouds did clear, the sight of the Swiss Alps was absolutely spectacular.
Even with the less-than-ideal weather, we still really enjoyed our time at the summit. We wish we would have gotten luckier with the weather because we would have loved to stay longer and take in the views. But the experience of being up there, above the clouds, was unforgettable.
And I got a kiss at the top of the world!
From the top, we took the Dragon Ride gondola halfway down the mountain to Fräkmüntegg. There’s an entire adventure park there, with zip lines, a rope course, a toboggan run, and even treetop tents for those brave enough to spend the night on the mountain.
We didn’t stay long, just enough to take in the sights before continuing our descent.
Gondola Ride to Kriens
To get the rest of the way down the mountain, we hopped into smaller (Opryland-size) gondolas for a picturesque ride above fields and streams, with the sound of cowbells echoing from the cows grazing below. I think Sandra & I enjoyed this 5 minute, peaceful ride across the beautiful fields almost as much as anything on our trip.
The entire experience of getting up and down Mount Pilatus was truly unforgettable, despite the weather.
Afternoon in Lucerne
After reaching the base of the mountain, we took a quick bus ride back to Bahnhof Luzern and made our way on foot into Lucerne’s old city.
With its charming medieval architecture and the iconic Chapel Bridge, Lucerne is the kind of place you could spend hours just wandering around.
But we had evening plans in Zurich so we only spent a couple of hours exploring the city. We grabbed a $10 snack of an Apple Studel and a Berliner donut.
Taking in the views of the Reuss River where it meets Lake Lucerne before we headed back to Zurich, it felt like we’d already had a fantastic day.
But we weren’t done yet.
Fondue Dinner & Zurich Sightseeing
Back in Zurich, we decided to splurge a bit on dinner and treated ourselves to traditional Swiss fondue. Several reviews listed the cozy Fribourger Fonduestuebli as one of the best fondue restaurants in Zurich. They were right.
It was tiny, with seating for only 25 people inside this intimate and authentically Swiss fondue restaurant. With a bottle of wine, our meal came to $97, which was well worth it for the experience.
After dinner, we took a moonlit stroll through Zurich, exploring the city’s streets and soaking in the atmosphere. Zurich at night is just as beautiful as it is during the day, with the reflections of the city lights shimmering on the Limmat River.
Evening Return to the Park Hyatt Zurich
Following a full day of adventure, exploration, and fondue, we made our way back to the Park Hyatt. Our luxurious suite was the perfect place for a good night’s sleep before heading back to Germany. Especially since our room was free!
Budget, Day 4
Behind Day #1, this was the 2nd most expensive day of our trip. We spent $418 between Mt Pilatus and our fancy fondue dinner. While we got alot for $418, we’re budget travelers who really need to keep our out-of-pocket expenses as low as possible.
On some of our trips, we average under $100/day since our flights and hotel are (almost) free. Fortunately, we’ll spend much, much less the next few days.
Budget Highlights, Day 4
- Mount Pilatus Excursion: $212 tickets, $76 souvenirs, $23 parking (total $311)
- Fondue Dinner: $97 for dinner with wine
- Park Hyatt Zurich Suite: $0 (saved $1,483 per night)
- Lucerne Snack: $10
Budget Summary
- Spent: $1,455
- Saved: $10,207
Day 5: Innsbruck and Völs, Scenic Route from Zurich to Munich
After another great breakfast at the Park Hyatt Zurich (free for us instead of $155), we packed up and checked out, ready to hit the road again. Today’s plan was to make our way back to Munich, but we took a very different route than Google Map was suggesting.
From Zurich to Innsbruck
Leaving Zurich, we set our sights on Innsbruck, a stop we had decided on during our brief drive through Austria on Day 2. That quick glimpse of the Austrian countryside had us wanting more, and we hoped driving through Innsbruck would give us a good sampling of Austria.
As we drove through Switzerland and Austria, we found ourselves passing through just tons and tons of tunnels.
Tunnels in the mountainous region of the Alps? Who’da thunk it!
OK, I wasn’t surprised there were tunnels. It was just that there were So Freaking Many Tunnels compared to what we’re accustomed to back home.
An Unexpected Detour and Scenic Drive
Just when we thought the drive couldn’t get more scenic, we hit a roadblock: one of the MANY tunnels on the Autobahn was closed. This unexpected detour took us off the main highway and onto a winding road from Langen am Arlberg up to what felt like the top of the snow-covered Alps at Arlberg Passhöhe.
The road was incredibly winding, even more so than the famous Road to Hana in Maui which we visited a couple of years ago. We loved the Road to Hana, but some people think it’s the most dangerous, winding road they’ve ever driven. This road through the Alps reminded us of that, but with even more twists and turns.
Although it took longer to drive, the detour was a blessing in disguise. The views were incredible, and the sense of adventure was even better. We were so glad to have taken this detour and enjoyed these backroads through the heart of the Alps.
A Pleasant Surprise in Innsbruck
After navigating the twisting roads and taking in the stunning mountain views, we finally made our way down to Innsbruck, Austria.
Sandra had been to Innsbruck as a teenager, but it hadn’t been a major highlight of her trip back then. This time, though, Innsbruck knocked it out of the park for us with its combination of historic architecture and stunning Alpine views.
We parked in the Old City and wandered around the shops and cafes in this 500 year old area. The snow-capped mountains served as a breathtaking backdrop to the city’s historic buildings.
It was one of those places where you could easily lose track of time just walking around and soaking in the sights.
For lunch, we found a little spot by the Inn River and enjoyed some surprisingly good pizza and beer while taking in the views. It was a simple, yet perfect stop for lunch.
Total cost for lunch? Only $22, a bargain for the food, drink and scenery.
Go Völs! Our Favorite Suburb of Innsbruck
After lunch, we drove to another highlight of our trip. These Tennessee Volunteers got to visit an entire town of Vols!
As huge University of Tennessee Vols fans, we were beyond excited to explore Völs, a small suburb just outside Innsbruck. Naturally, we had to take a few photos in our Big Orange gear!
For a mostly residential suburb, Völs was really cool. It kinda had an Alpine atmosphere, with the old buildings and the majestic Alps towering in the background. But it also had McDonalds, Starbucks, a car lot and a small Völs mall!
Read our full blog post on visiting Völs here.
Driving Through the Alps
From Völs, we took the scenic route back to Munich, driving through the heart of the Alps. The roads wound through small towns like Hochzirl, Rosshütte, Seefeld, Scharnitz, Mittenwald, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, and Oberau.
The scenery was breathtaking, with rolling hills, lush green fields, and the majestic Alps all around us.
The drive through the Alps was yet another highlight of our week in Germany and Switzerland, offering stunning views and a sense of adventure. And it seemed like there were random castles around every turn!
Our Second Night in Munich
After a day filled with beautiful drives and charming stops, we got back to Munich after dark and checked into the Andaz Munich again. Our great concierge from our first stay, Bernhard, had secured a free upgrade to the Andaz View Suite for us!
The suite was amazing, and our favorite part? Zuzu and I each had our own bathroom, lol! Oh, that plus the fact that it was free.
Budget, Day 5
As opposed to our $418 day yesterday, this was a pretty cheap day spending only $102.
We checked out of the fancy Park Hyatt Zurich where our bill for 3 nights in a Suite with valet & breakfast was $0 thanks to #HyattPoints. And we checked into the fancy Andaz Munich which will also be free.
Lunch in Innsbruck was $22 for pizza & beer. Gas & parking was our biggest expense today. With a few snacks that we bought when we filled the tank, that added up to $80.
Budget Highlights, Day 5
- Lunch in Innsbruck: $22 for pizza and beer
- Gas & a few Snacks: $80
- Andaz Munich Suite: $0 (saved $669 per night)
Budget Summary
- Spent: $1,557
- Saved: $12,359
Day 6: Visiting Salzburg: The Sound of Music and More
Our second stay at the Andaz Munich had us waking up in luxury once again and heading down to the excellent Bavarian breakfast buffet.
Saving Money with a Big Free Breakfast
While the Andaz Munich breakfast is one of the best Hyatt breakfasts we’ve had, free breakfast always plays an outsized role in how we get to travel for cheap.
Not only are we getting 1 free meal, we’re often able to skip lunch or just have a small snack instead of a more expensive lunch. Most of our travel days start with a big breakfast that keeps us full though a day of travel and sightseeing. On alot of travel days, we only have to spend money on food for dinner.
That’s exactly what happened today. After another hearty breakfast at the hotel (which would have cost $80), we packed up and hit the road for Salzburg, Austria. The 2-ish hour drive from Munich made it a perfect destination for a day trip.
Morning Drive to Salzburg
We left Munich around 11 am, driving straight to Salzburg and arriving about 2 pm. This final daylight drive through the Alps was as stunning as our drives earlier this week. It seemed like there was yet another breathtaking view around every corner and beyond every hill.
Exploring Salzburg
Sandra was especially excited to return to Salzburg. Not only is she a huge fan of The Sound of Music, but Salzburg was also one of her favorite stops when she visited Europe in high school. She couldn’t wait to revisit the filming locations she had seen back then and share them with me.
Our first destination was the iconic Fortress Hohensalzburg Castle, perched high above the Old City. As one of the largest medieval castles in Europe, it offers sweeping views of Salzburg and the surrounding mountains. Our 2 tickets were $31.
We spent a couple of hours exploring the fortress, walking the steep and narrow steps, and taking in the panoramic views. It’s a bit of a workout, but the stunning scenery made it all worth it.
After exploring the fortress, we took the cogwheel train down and visited St. Peter’s Cemetery and Catacombs, our first Sound of Music location of the day.
This beautiful cemetery, with its well-kept graves and the catacombs carved into the rock, was the setting for a movie scene you probably remember. Just before their final escape, the von Trapp family hides from the Nazis in these catacombs.
The Sound of Music Locations
Sandra was loving our time in Salzburg and getting to see these Sound of Music locations again.
While you can pay to get a guided tour of the Sound of Music locations, we skipped that extra cost and just walked to several of the spots made famous in the movie. I’m sure the tours are great but we’re trying to stretch our travel budget so that we can take more trips this year.
From the 1500 year old catacombs of St. Peter’s Cemetery, we walked past the decidedly modern big gold ball sculpture, “Sphaera,” which you can easily see from the Fortress. This 2007 modern art piece, with a man standing on top of a giant golden ball, added a quirky touch to the historic setting, and we snapped a few fun photos there.
It was definitely NOT in The Sound of Music.
Next, we made our way through Residenzplatz Square, a grand and spacious square surrounded by beautiful baroque buildings. With the Residenz Fountain in the center, this really looks like something straight out of the Medieval ages.
It was easy to see why this spot was used in The Sound of Music. During the carriage ride scene, Maria and the children sing as they pass this fountain.
From Residenzplatz, the next plaza over is Mozartplatz. It’s a square dedicated to Salzburg’s most famous son, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Even though the statue of Mozart was surrounded by construction crews, the square is a must stop attraction in Salzburg.
It was a little late in the day but there were still quite a few street performers and tourists in Mozartplatz. In good weather, it can get pretty crowded.
Mirabell Palace & Garden
Our last stop was Mirabell Palace & Garden, another iconic Sound of Music location.
The gardens were magnificent with flowers and meticulously maintained lawns. And Fortress Hohensalzburg is a straight shot up from the gardens as you can see in the background of our photo.
Our first stop was the Hedge Tunnel, where the von Trapp children ran and sang. Sandra actually did a little twirl here, just like Maria in the movie. I took a few pictures as I tried to catch her great smile while she zoomed through the hedges.
Next, we visited the Gnome Garden, where the von Trapp kids sang “Do-Re-Mi.” Sandra was in her element.
She knows her gnomes!
The highlight of our Mirabell Palace visit was the famous Musical Steps. Zuzu recreated the famous scene of Julie Andrews hitting the high note at the end of “Do-Re-Mi” as she climbed those steps.
Snacks and Supermarket Stop
Having had a big breakfast at the Andaz Munich, we weren’t really hungry for lunch. We snacked from our travel cooler on the ride to Salzburg & again when we drove to Mirabell Palace.
As the day turned to dusk and we headed out of Salzburg, we made a quick stop at Hofer Dankt supermarket (it’s a European Aldi’s) to pick up some bread, meat, and cheese.
It may seem basic, but we really enjoyed these simple meals with local foods. This time, we didn’t stop to eat; we just ate in the car on our way back to Munich.
Salzburg to Munich
The drive back to Munich was less enjoyable, as it rained the whole way. Driving on the Autobahn in the dark and rain is about as much fun as it sounds (not fun at all), but we managed it safely and made it back to the Andaz Munich for our final night there.
Final Night at the Andaz Munich
Back in our suite, we kicked back and took a moment to unwind after all the excitement. The Andaz Munich had been an incredible home base for our time in Germany.
We were happy and sad at the same time. Happy to have enjoyed a wonderful week in Germany and Switzerland, but sad knowing this was our last night before flying home.
Budget, Day 6
Our final full day in Europe was great & cheap. We spent a total of $149, mostly on two tanks of gas and parking in Salzburg.
Budget Highlights, Day 6
- Groceries for Dinner: $7.35
- Gas: $42 + $52
- Parking: $6 + $13
- Andaz Munich Suite: $0 (saved $669 per night)
Budget Summary
- Spent: $1,706
- Saved: $12,878
Day 7: Traveling from Munich to NYC and Home to Nashville
Our last day of our trip to Germany and Switzerland began with the familiar comfort of breakfast at the Andaz Munich. Once again we enjoyed their massive spread for free instead of an $80 charge.
Morning at Munich Airport
As we were checking out, we finally got our picture sitting on the Andaz’s famous golden pretzel sculpture in the lobby. It’s just a fun and fitting picture to remember our time in Bavaria.
Then, we returned our rental car at the Munich airport. Topping off the tank was $30.
With a couple of hours before our flight, we made the most of our time by relaxing in the Munich Airport World Lounge, courtesy of our credit card perks. Comfortable seating, free food, drinks, and a quiet space made waiting for our flight a lot more pleasant.
Anyone can get into this lounge for $60 per person.
Entry was free for us as a perk of my favorite travel credit card. While we probably didn’t get $120 of value from this lounge visit, it’s MUCH better than sitting at crowded, uncomfortable airport gates.
If it’s not free for you, I could see paying if you have a long wait for a flight at the Munich airport.
Delta One: First Class from Munich to New York City
Our flight back to the States was in Delta One first class again. After a not so great Delta One experience on the flight from JFK to Munich, we were hoping this flight would go a little better.
And it did.
Zuzu’s highlight of this flight?
When we boarded, we met a family sitting next to us with 2 adorable little girls. Not 5 minutes after striking up a conversation, Sandra was holding and playing with the baby while the mother got the big sister settled in for our 9 hour flight.
They got along great and the mom was happy to take our picture with Sandra holding the little one!
My highlight of this flight? I didn’t get yelled at by a Delta Flight Attendant, lol.
Seriously, as far as the Delta One experience goes, it was fine. Just like on the JFK to Munich flight a week ago, the lie-flat seats were a big improvement over coach but we still couldn’t sleep. We managed to rest a little, which made the 8-hour flight more bearable.
The meals were pretty good, and overall, the experience was pleasant, especially considering we used points to reduce our out of pocket cost from $5,834 to only $125, a 98% discount.
We LOVE to travel so we’re occasionally going to have an 8+ hour flight. While we don’t have $11,000 to fly in these comfortable seats, I sure am glad that we figured out how get them for a 98% discount!
Arriving in New York City
We touched down at JFK Airport at 2:30 local time, tired but happy with how smoothly the trip had gone so far. Thanks to Global Entry (a free perk from our favorite credit card), we breezed through U.S. customs in no time.
btw, if you don’t have Global Entry, you should definitely get the free CBP Mobile Passport Control (MPC) app. It makes getting through U.S. customs much easier than normal and it’s totally free!
After clearing customs, we took a Lyft to LaGuardia Airport for our flight to Nashville. The $66 ride was one of our last expenses on the trip.
By the time we arrived at LGA, we’d been awake for 17 hours and were already exhausted. Our scheduled Southwest flight was supposed to get us home around 9 pm Central time, making it a 20-hour day. Long, but not a crazy long day.
This is where our itinerary started to go sideways.
Our Southwest flight to Nashville was canceled, and after some scrambling, we got rebooked on a backup flight, which then got delayed. Thankfully, Zuzu flies free on the Southwest Companion Pass, so we didn’t have to worry about the extra cost of rebooking. While the delays were frustrating, we were grateful for the perks that made the situation more manageable.
Making the Most of a Long Layover at the Chase Lounge
With 7 hours to kill, we headed to the Chase Sapphire Lounge at LaGuardia Airport. Having free access to this fantastic airport lounge was a lifesaver after such a long travel day. This Chase lounge was even better than the one at JFK; spacious and elegant, with a huge circular bar in the center.
It also featured a dramatic staircase leading up to a quieter second floor.
Upstairs, we found comfortable chairs, grabbed some food and drinks, and settled in to pass the time. Already up for close to 20 hours, we were tired and a bit grumpy about the delay, just like many other passengers. But being in the lounge made things a lot more bearable. The quality of the free food and drinks was really good, with both a buffet and table service available.
This was far better than hunting down some overpriced airport dinner, and definitely much more comfortable than sitting in the hard, crowded seats at the gate.
On normal travels, we appreciate a nice airport lounge. It’s even more appreciated when the gate is overcrowded with tired and frustrated passengers dealing with the same delays we’re facing.
Heading Home to Nashville
Finally, after a 7-hour delay, we boarded our Southwest flight ($5 each) and headed to Nashville. We got home around midnight, exhausted from the long journey but happy to be back. It had been a 25-hour travel day, but the experiences, memories, and stories we brought back were well worth the exhaustion.
Budget, Day 7
We spent $234 on the last day of our luxury (but cheap) 7 day trip to Germany and Switzerland.
Over the course of 25 hours, $234 was our total out of pocket cost for 5 very nice meals, 2 transatlantic 1st Class seats, fancy airport lounges in both Germany and the USA, and a Lyft ride across NYC.
Budget Highlights, Day 7
- Delta One from Munich to JFK: $125
- Lyft/Uber: $66
- All You Can Eat/Drink for 7 hours at LGA Airport: $0
Budget Summary
- Spent: $1,940
- Saved: $19,002
Final Thoughts: Our Cheap Luxury Trip to Germany and Switzerland
This 7 day adventure in Germany and Switzerland was everything we had hoped for and more. From the thrill of driving on the Autobahn, to the breathtaking views of the Swiss Alps, and the charming streets of Salzburg, every moment was unforgettable.
And thanks to our savvy use of points and miles, we managed to do it all for under $2,000.
Budget for our 1 Week Europe Trip
If we’d paid cash for everything that we did, this luxury trip would not have been cheap. It would have cost a staggering $20,944! Considering that our annual travel budget is around $4-5k, there’s no way we would have taken this trip to Europe if we had to pay cash.
The only reason we could enjoy so much luxury on the trip to Germany and Switzerland is because we learned how to optimize points and miles in 2021. While many people earn some cash back or rewards with their credit cards, we show people how to take it to the next level. With our process, most people with middle class incomes (& middle class expenses) can earn a free vacation every year.
Here are the final numbers for what we actually spent and saved on this once in a lifetime trip to Germany and Switzerland!
Hotels: $0 (full price $6,802)
- 1 Night Hyatt Place Flushing (NYC): $0 + 12k Hyatt points
- 3 Nights Andaz Munich Suites: $0 + 69k Hyatt points
- 3 Nights Park Hyatt Zurich: $0 + 125k Hyatt points
Flights: $272.40 (full price $11,668 + $526 = $12,194)
- 2 RT Tickets JFK-MUC Delta One: $250 cash + 200k Amex points
- 2 RT Tickets Southwest: $22.40 + 19,131 points + SWA Companion Pass
Airport Lounges: $0 (full price $278)
- JFK, Chase Sapphire Lounge: $27×2
- JFK, Amex Centurion Lounge: $50
- MUC, Airport World Lounge: $60×2
- LGA, Chase Sapphire Lounge: $27×2
- (Price for guest entry. No entry without correct credit card)
Car Expenses: $948
- SUV Rental: $377.49 (7 days Volvo CX60)
- Gas: $275.29
- Parking: $51.78
- Tolls: $60.28 (SW: $47.50, AU $12.78)
- Trolley: $34.45
- Lyft: $118.09
- International Driver’s License: $33
Food & Drinks: $331
- Markets: $99
- Fribourger Fonduestubli: $97.13 (Fondue)
- Hofbräuhaus Munich: $33.17
- Café am Marienplatz: $53.30
- Magic Pizza: $21.83
- Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao: $28.17
- (We got free hotel breakfast every day)
Entertainment & Souvenirs: $389
- Mt Pilatus Silver Round Trip: $212.63
- Fortress Salzburg: 31.49
- Souvenirs: 145.10
Leave a Reply