A little more sleep in the air.
The airplane pillow with a strap that attaches to the seat was part of our Europe packing list. A small detail we brought along to help us rest on the overnight flight.
Read the packing noteA family adventure
Europe with the family.
Germany · Switzerland · Italy · Austria
Four countries, a graduation to celebrate, and room to slow down. Follow our route through Munich, the Swiss Alps, Lake Garda and Venice, with all the details that made it work.
Angela’s take
The trip I’d
tell a friend about.
Europe with kids works when you stop trying to make every hour educational. Pick the views, the meals, and the experiences everyone will remember, then give the trip enough breathing room to stay happy.
xo, AngelaDo it again
Keep the Swiss Alps as a meaningful part of the itinerary instead of rushing through them.
A note for next time
Start the Grindelwald-First day earlier and protect downtime after long flights, drives, and train-transfer days.
The memory that stays
Standing in the mountains at Wengen-Mannlichen with the whole family and the Alps behind you.
A little perspective before you go
Our trip,
at a glance.
Mountains, lakes, and a couple of city days. Here’s how the main pieces of our Europe trip fit together.
The main journey
- Munich
The start of our adventure.
- Wengen
Our base in the Swiss Alps.
- Lake Garda
Lakeside time and day trips.
- Hall in Tirol
A stop on the drive back.
- Munich airport
Back to Munich for the flight home.
We visited Venice and Verona on separate day trips, returning to our Lake Garda base.
The full itinerary
Here’s how
our days unfolded.
The big plans and the small details, straight from our trip notes.
This records our trip. Check current hours, transport schedules, and booking details when planning yours.
01Munich
02Wengen
03Lake Garda
04Venice
05Verona
06Hall in Tirol
01Monday, June 16Travel day to Munich
- Drive to Houston, park near the airport, and take the afternoon nonstop flight to Munich.
- Make the travel day boring on purpose. Long-haul family trips need cushion, snacks, chargers, and easy logistics.
- Do not put any must-do sightseeing on the same calendar day as departure.
02Tuesday, June 17Arrive in Munich, eat at Hofbrauhaus, ease into the trip
- Land in Munich, pick up the rental car, and check the current driving documents and road-toll requirements for your route.
- Meet family in Old Town for lunch at Hofbrauhaus, tour the Residenz, then walk back through Marienplatz.
- Watch the Glockenspiel at 5:00 PM if the timing works.
- Check into the VRBO, grab simple groceries from REWE, and make the first night early.
03Wednesday, June 18Dachau, Bogenhauser Hof, and FC Bayern
- Drive to Dachau in the morning and use the self-guided audio tour.
- Go back toward the VRBO for lunch at Bogenhauser Hof, which ended up being really good.
- Do the FC Bayern arena tour in the late afternoon.
- Dinner at Haxen Grill near Marienplatz.
04Thursday, June 19Bike tour, St. Peter's views, and Munich flexibility
- Corpus Christi changed the morning plan because many stores were closed, so breakfast near Marienplatz became the move.
- Mike's Bike Tour was a strong half-day plan and included the English Garden and lunch at the Japanese beer garden.
- Climbing St. Peter's Church tower was a highlight and worth doing for the views.
- End the night easy. Drinks next door at Bogenhauser Hof were a nice adult reset.
05Friday, June 20Munich to Lindau to Wengen
- Leave Munich for Lindau, park in the garage, have lunch on the waterfront, and give the kids time to climb the lighthouse.
- Stop by the church where family had history, then walk past the Rathaus before getting back on the road.
- Drive to Lauterbrunnen, park behind the train station, and take the train to Wengen. Sit on the right side for the best views.
- Buy Swiss Half Fare Cards and the family pass in the SBB app or at the station. For this trip, it beat the larger regional passes.
- Take a taxi from the Wengen train station to the VRBO with luggage. Angela's note: best decision ever.
06Saturday, June 21Wengen to Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg hike
- Sleep in, make breakfast at the VRBO, pack lunches, and get day tickets at the Wengen train station.
- Ride the Mannlichen cable car, enjoy the playground and views, then hike the easy 2.5-mile route to Kleine Scheidegg.
- Start hikes earlier than you think. A slow morning worked out, but weather rolled in and rain or hail can arrive fast.
- Train back to Wengen and have dinner at Restaurant Eiger for raclette and fondue.
07Sunday, June 22Grindelwald-First adventure day
- Get up early. It took about two hours to get from Wengen to Grindelwald-First.
- Buy the Adventure Package at Grindelwald-First and choose activities once you are up top.
- Do First Glider first because the line moves slowly. The Cliff Walk is free and worth doing.
- The Trottibike descent was one of the most fun parts of the trip.
- Lunch at Barry's in Grindelwald was pricey but worked because everyone was starving.
- Dinner in at the Wengen VRBO with charcuterie from Coop was perfect after a full day.
08Monday, June 23Allmendhubel, North Face Trail, Murren, and Lauterbrunnen
- Take the train and lifts to Allmendhubel, use the playground and bathrooms, then hike the North Face Trail down to Murren.
- The trail is beautiful but longer than it sounds at about four miles. Use AllTrails because it is easy to get off track.
- Cafe Liv in Murren was cute and good after the hike.
- Visit Trummelbach Falls and then walk toward Staubbach Falls in Lauterbrunnen.
- End with dinner at Alpenkrauter in Wengen. It was the best Wengen meal of the trip and needs a reservation.
09Tuesday, June 24Wengen to Como to Lazise
- Train back to Lauterbrunnen, pick up the car, and drive toward Como for lunch.
- Como parking was harder and the day was hotter than expected, so keep this stop simple.
- Lago Food & Co worked well for a waterfront lunch.
- Skip Milan if it makes the day too full. The trip did not need it.
- Arrive in Lazise on Lake Garda and have dinner at Classique. Angela would definitely go back.
10Wednesday, June 25Venice day trip by train
- Taking the train from Peschiera into Venice was the right call and much easier than driving all the way in.
- Do the Venice for Beginners tour in the morning.
- For the gondola, the standard cash ride near St. Mark's was enough. Paying more for a longer or better version was not necessary.
- Train back to Lake Garda felt relaxing after the city.
- Leave room for a simple Lazise dinner, shopping, and gelato.
11Thursday, June 26Verona tour and Lake Garda dinner
- Book the Verona tour and ask the guide to build in a snack or grab-and-go lunch stop. That was a game changer for the boys.
- Cafe Cappa was an excellent lunch recommendation from the guide.
- Gelateria Ponte Pietra may have been the best gelato of the trip.
- Walk back through old town, play by the river near the castle, then return to Lazise.
- Dinner at Oreste was popular and good, but not a must-repeat compared with Classique.
12Friday, June 27Lazise to Austria to Munich airport
- Check out, walk around the Lazise castle area, then drive toward Austria.
- Hall in Tirol worked well as a smaller, easier-to-navigate stop than Innsbruck.
- Restaurant Geisterburg was a good lunch find, especially outside in the garden patio.
- Finish at the Hilton Munich Airport, return the rental car, and keep dinner simple at the hotel.
13Saturday, June 28Fly home
- Use the airport hotel shuttle and keep departure morning simple.
- After this many moves, the win is a clean exit with no extra sightseeing.
A few pages from the camera roll
The in-between
is the good part.
Real moments from this trip. The views, the meals, and being there together.
Save yourself a little research
The notes
worth keeping.
Treat Switzerland as the scenic anchor, not just a pass-through.
01
Let the Swiss mountain days flex with the weather. You want to be able to see.
02
Use the SBB app constantly and ask the Wengen station agents what ticket combo makes sense that day.
03
Take the train into Venice from Peschiera instead of driving all the way in.
04
Build in recovery after long travel days because that is what keeps the trip fun.
Stays & useful links
StayMunich VRBOWorked as the Munich home base, with REWE close enough for first-night groceries.StayWengen VRBOThe Swiss Alps home base. Taking a taxi from the train station to the chalet was the best decision.StayLake Garda VRBOGood base for Lazise, Venice by train, Verona, and the drive back toward Munich.ExperienceJungfrau RegionUse this as the planning hub for the Wengen, Mannlichen, Grindelwald, and Jungfrau area.PlanningVenice official tourismGood for transport passes, city logistics, and current visitor rules.PlanningSBB MobileEssential for Swiss train times, lift connections, and deciding which passes actually save money.PlanningMeteoSwissCheck this before choosing each Swiss mountain day. Visibility matters.ExperienceGrindelwald-First Adventure PackageBest for First Glider, Cliff Walk, Trottibike, and other activity combinations.ExperienceWalks Inside VeniceUsed for the Venice for Beginners tour.ExperienceVerona ToursThe private Verona tour was a strong fit, especially with a planned snack stop for the boys.
Pack a little smarter
Less “did we
forget…?”
More ready to go.
The packing list from this trip. Check things off as you pack, or print a copy for the kitchen counter.
All packing listsEurope with the family: packing list
Your progress stays in this browser. Adapt this list to your family and the weather.
Plane and transfer days9 items
Walking days8 items
Mountain days8 items
Small things. Better travel days.
A few things
on our list.
Power for the way home.
Between train tickets, directions, and photos, our phones had a full itinerary, too. A portable charger belongs in the day bag, with its charging cable.
Read the packing note