Savor the Swiss Countryside

Travel to the Swiss Countryside Like many of you who have delayed plans to Europe this past year, we’re excited to hear that the EU is opening to vaccinated travelers this summer. But we’re still not sure about rushing back to cities like Rome, Paris, and Barcelona, unless we know that there will be some sense of normalcy visiting all major sites and dining out. Our focus so far has been to design trips to the European countryside. There’s no better time to visit the Swiss Alps, Icelandic glaciers, Norwegian fjords, Scottish Highlands, and off-the-beaten-track Greek isles. Whether you prefer to travel independently or a group, ActiveTravels know the best way to get you deep into the scenic European countryside. Let’s start with Switzerland.

The Swiss Alps is blessed with an intricate network of trains and gondolas that can connect with endless opportunities for high adventure right outside your hotel doorstep. You never have to travel far, thus spending far less time in shuttles or transfers to the next destination. Swiss chocolate and fondue might be the main draw to the country, but one look at lofty Eiger Peak, standing 13,020 feet, as you take a gondola high above the mountain village of Grindelwald, and you can’t help but be mesmerized by the mix of snowcapped peaks, green valleys, glacier-fed waterfalls, and large lakes. Add Bern to your itinerary and you’ll have the unique opportunity to tube done the Aare River and take an E-bike ride in scenic Emmental Valley. We were fortunate to travel to Switzerland with Backroads on a family trip designed for older children. It still ranks as one of the top five trips we took as a family.

Contact ActiveTravels and we’ll get started on your Swiss Adventure!

Bucket List Travel, Slice of Europe

Amalfi Coast First-time visitors to ActiveTravels often ask us what’s our expertise? That’s not an easy question to answer, because we delight in sending you to the most remote corners of the globe, whether it’s the chance to see the orangutans of Sumatra or hiking the W Trek in Chilean Patagonia’s Torres del Paine National Park. Yes, we know New England like the back of our hand. But we also know Europe exceptionally well and wow, do we love our local suppliers, especially TFL in Italy, Madrid and Beyond in Spain, Celebrated in Scotland, Ireland, and the UK, and Original Senses in Greece. It’s easy for us to design itineraries in major cities like London, Paris, Amsterdam, Barcelona, and Rome. Yet, if you want to get a real taste of Europe away from the masses, please give us the chance to show you Puglia, Provence, and Paros, where the Europeans go on vacation. Whether you want to bike to Monet’s house in Giverny, go out on a tasty tapas tour in Madrid, hike the Dolomites, or sail to Greek’s undiscovered islands, we’ll create those lasting memories! Also consider slowing down on two wheels with Backroads, DuVine, VBT and Ciclismo Classico, biking and hiking outfitters, who know how to get you off-the-beaten-track to more isolated and scenic locales.

Daytrip Comes to America

Daytrip private drives Since Daytrip debuted in 2015, we’ve worked with them to book a number of drives for clients around the European continent. They’re a fantastic alternative to train or plane travel, especially when you want to stop along the way to visit an off-the-beaten track town or sight. For example, Lisa and I used the company in Spain on a 3-hour drive from Granada to Seville. We stopped for lunch in Ronda and toured the picturesque town and bullring that Hemingway made famous with the driver/guide before continuing on to Seville. It was one of the most relaxing days of the trip, lounging in the back of a comfortable Mercedes sedan while taking in the scenic Spanish countryside. We were happy to see that Daytrip finally made it to American shores, offering their private services on the East and West coast. I plugged in Boston to New York and saw that they’re offering a chance to break up the trip by hiking in Purgatory Chasm outside of Worcester or visiting the Mark Twain House in Hartford. Let ActiveTravels know when you want to leave the driving to someone else and we’ll go over the options from Daytrip.