Munich-Alps-Fussen-Milan-Florence-Monaco-Nice in our new BMW 640 Gran Coupe
Sep 22, 2012, 6:47 am
#16
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Great TR! We stayed a week in Bad Wiessee by the Tegernsee last winter. Very nice area! Of course, we didn't have quite the same car you did...
Sep 22, 2012, 8:30 am
#18
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Sep 23, 2012, 6:19 am
#21
Join Date: Mar 2005
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Munich Airport Arrival/Train Transfer: Advice: Grab the free cart in baggage claim. You can take this all the way to the train boarding area. I couldn't figure out which ticket to purchase at the machine but a visit with a ticket agent fixed that. We purchased the combo group ticket (2-people) to include the trip from the airport to Munich with access to the U-bahn and S-bahn for the rest of the day. 20 euros for two.
Got on the train labeled S8 Herrsching (or you can take the S1). Rode along in the country for a while and wonder if we were going in the wrong direction, (your not). 30-40 minutes to Marienplatz station.
.
Got on the train labeled S8 Herrsching (or you can take the S1). Rode along in the country for a while and wonder if we were going in the wrong direction, (your not). 30-40 minutes to Marienplatz station.
.
There is a slight mistake in your otherwise good description of getting from Munich Airport to Le Meridien. You were not taking the train to Marienplatz station, but to the main station (Hauptbahnhof), which your photos of the station clearly confirms.
Marienplatz is the central square of Munich, but not the central station. Marienplatz doesn't have a station building as such.
As the S-bahn station at Munich airport (Flughafen Terminal) is a terminus, it is happily impossible to go in the wrong direction when taking a train from the airport. There are two lines, both go through central Munich, and all trains stop at all stations downtown (but enter the city from opposite directions). Personally I prefer S1 as being slightly more scenic (but usually a bit slower when not going to Hauptbahnhof or points to the west of the centre).
Sep 24, 2012, 8:43 am
#24
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Great trip report with excellent photos!
There is a slight mistake in your otherwise good description of getting from Munich Airport to Le Meridien. You were not taking the train to Marienplatz station, but to the main station (Hauptbahnhof), which your photos of the station clearly confirms.
Marienplatz is the central square of Munich, but not the central station. Marienplatz doesn't have a station building as such.
As the S-bahn station at Munich airport (Flughafen Terminal) is a terminus, it is happily impossible to go in the wrong direction when taking a train from the airport. There are two lines, both go through central Munich, and all trains stop at all stations downtown (but enter the city from opposite directions). Personally I prefer S1 as being slightly more scenic (but usually a bit slower when not going to Hauptbahnhof or points to the west of the centre).
There is a slight mistake in your otherwise good description of getting from Munich Airport to Le Meridien. You were not taking the train to Marienplatz station, but to the main station (Hauptbahnhof), which your photos of the station clearly confirms.
Marienplatz is the central square of Munich, but not the central station. Marienplatz doesn't have a station building as such.
As the S-bahn station at Munich airport (Flughafen Terminal) is a terminus, it is happily impossible to go in the wrong direction when taking a train from the airport. There are two lines, both go through central Munich, and all trains stop at all stations downtown (but enter the city from opposite directions). Personally I prefer S1 as being slightly more scenic (but usually a bit slower when not going to Hauptbahnhof or points to the west of the centre).
Sep 24, 2012, 8:48 am
#25
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Sep 24, 2012, 8:50 am
#26
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They do have their stuff together. As you descend down the stairs towards your car, they spin it on a turntable and illuminate it with spot lights!
Sep 24, 2012, 8:51 am
#27
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Going to Milan
Day 4: On the way to Milan via St. Moritz in the Alps & Lake Como
This was our longest driving day of the trip. We figured around 7 hours from Fussen to Milan. We wanted to leave early enough to have dinner in Como and then arrive in Milan that evening. The following morning, we had tickets to see Leonardo da Vinci's last supper painting, a giant mural.
Leaving the Höhenschwangau area.
Heading out towards the Alps.
In the Alps, headed to St. Moritz. You can see our Emission sticker on the bottom right of the windshield along with our Vignettes.
My wife got car sick from all of the twisties and we had to stop for rest breaks. We lost the Swiss Vignette along the way. We looked for another spot to purchase a second, luckily, no one was open and we didn't get pulled over.
Our Austrian and Swiss Vignettes are stuffed in the headliner to take home later for souvenirs.
(The 10 day Austrian Vignette was inexpensive. The one year Swiss Vignette was expensive at 33 Euros.)
Beautiful mountain scenery. Reminds me a little of Colorado and the Rockies.
Random interior photo of the car in St. Moritz.
Needless to say, it was already dark outside and we had not arrived at Lake Como yet. So we changed our plan and decided to eat dinner in St. Moritz. The problem was we had no idea where to eat. The nav system was good at telling us where the restaurants were located, but no way of telling us the quality or cuisine. So we pulled up to the swank Kempinski, Grand Hotel des Bains and asked the valet staff where to go for a nice but quick bite.
Kempinski Grand Hotel des Bains, we were so tired that we contemplated spending the night here. We pushed on.
Stopping for dinner at the Kempinski recommended Restaurant Veltlinerkeller. The food was good. They had a lot of grilled wild game on the menu. This appealed to the Hawaiian (Kalua Pig) and Texan (Venison) in me!
There was no parking so we just parked on the side of the road, a narrow side street, the restaurant in the background.
Lake Como, we can say we've been but that's about it. We drove around the lake on our way to Milan, but it was pitch black.
We did get lost once and had to pull over to the side of the road for an accidental romantic moment over looking the lake and the twinkling lights of the towns at its edges. It was so dark we had no idea where we were. It was nice but sadly the extent of our Lake Como experience. Next time we'll spend a couple of nights here to make up for it.
We arrived in Milan around 1:00 am so no photos. We went straight to bed! The view out our window in the morning.
Our morning view from the Westin Palace, Milan. The Duomo off in the distance.
The Duomo di Milano up close. They also offer tours on the roof. You can take the elevator or climb the steps for the view.
The height of the doors compared to us!
The massive size of the doors is quite impressive. The shot starts at half way up the doors. The casting is quite beautiful.
The interior of the Duomo. What an amazing and reverent place.
One of the many side chapels along the long wall on each side.
The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, the glass-roofed shopping arcade next to the Duomo.
The shopping arcade of Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.
Turning on the Bull's testicles with the heel of your foot for good luck!
The central dome of the arcade.
Next we were off for the highlight of our visit to Milan, the viewing of Da Vinci's last supper at the Basilica di Santa Maria delle Grazie. The painting depicts the reaction given by each apostle when Jesus said one of them would betray him. No photos were allowed but there are plenty of pictures on-line. It was an amazing experience to see it up close and personal.
Outside the gift shop of the Basilica.
The tour completed at the Duomo so we decided to eat lunch here before heading back to the hotel and driving to Florence. The department store across the street has rented it's space out to multiple restaurants. So we wandered around looking at the various menus until we found the right spot. It is really busy but it was only about a 10 minute wait.
Great view of the Duomo and plaza. The food was excellent as well. It's really difficult to get bad food in Italy.
Next stop, Florence.
This was our longest driving day of the trip. We figured around 7 hours from Fussen to Milan. We wanted to leave early enough to have dinner in Como and then arrive in Milan that evening. The following morning, we had tickets to see Leonardo da Vinci's last supper painting, a giant mural.
Leaving the Höhenschwangau area.
Heading out towards the Alps.
In the Alps, headed to St. Moritz. You can see our Emission sticker on the bottom right of the windshield along with our Vignettes.
My wife got car sick from all of the twisties and we had to stop for rest breaks. We lost the Swiss Vignette along the way. We looked for another spot to purchase a second, luckily, no one was open and we didn't get pulled over.
Our Austrian and Swiss Vignettes are stuffed in the headliner to take home later for souvenirs.
(The 10 day Austrian Vignette was inexpensive. The one year Swiss Vignette was expensive at 33 Euros.)
Beautiful mountain scenery. Reminds me a little of Colorado and the Rockies.
Random interior photo of the car in St. Moritz.
Needless to say, it was already dark outside and we had not arrived at Lake Como yet. So we changed our plan and decided to eat dinner in St. Moritz. The problem was we had no idea where to eat. The nav system was good at telling us where the restaurants were located, but no way of telling us the quality or cuisine. So we pulled up to the swank Kempinski, Grand Hotel des Bains and asked the valet staff where to go for a nice but quick bite.
Kempinski Grand Hotel des Bains, we were so tired that we contemplated spending the night here. We pushed on.
Stopping for dinner at the Kempinski recommended Restaurant Veltlinerkeller. The food was good. They had a lot of grilled wild game on the menu. This appealed to the Hawaiian (Kalua Pig) and Texan (Venison) in me!
There was no parking so we just parked on the side of the road, a narrow side street, the restaurant in the background.
Lake Como, we can say we've been but that's about it. We drove around the lake on our way to Milan, but it was pitch black.
We did get lost once and had to pull over to the side of the road for an accidental romantic moment over looking the lake and the twinkling lights of the towns at its edges. It was so dark we had no idea where we were. It was nice but sadly the extent of our Lake Como experience. Next time we'll spend a couple of nights here to make up for it.
We arrived in Milan around 1:00 am so no photos. We went straight to bed! The view out our window in the morning.
Our morning view from the Westin Palace, Milan. The Duomo off in the distance.
The Duomo di Milano up close. They also offer tours on the roof. You can take the elevator or climb the steps for the view.
The height of the doors compared to us!
The massive size of the doors is quite impressive. The shot starts at half way up the doors. The casting is quite beautiful.
The interior of the Duomo. What an amazing and reverent place.
One of the many side chapels along the long wall on each side.
The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, the glass-roofed shopping arcade next to the Duomo.
The shopping arcade of Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.
Turning on the Bull's testicles with the heel of your foot for good luck!
The central dome of the arcade.
Next we were off for the highlight of our visit to Milan, the viewing of Da Vinci's last supper at the Basilica di Santa Maria delle Grazie. The painting depicts the reaction given by each apostle when Jesus said one of them would betray him. No photos were allowed but there are plenty of pictures on-line. It was an amazing experience to see it up close and personal.
Outside the gift shop of the Basilica.
The tour completed at the Duomo so we decided to eat lunch here before heading back to the hotel and driving to Florence. The department store across the street has rented it's space out to multiple restaurants. So we wandered around looking at the various menus until we found the right spot. It is really busy but it was only about a 10 minute wait.
Great view of the Duomo and plaza. The food was excellent as well. It's really difficult to get bad food in Italy.
Next stop, Florence.
Last edited by EXPLAT; Sep 25, 2012 at 6:08 am
Sep 24, 2012, 3:34 pm
#28
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: UK
Posts: 10,709
A really great report, so far. The 6 series is my fav BMW.
I am glad you enjoyed the BA flight over to the UK from the US.
I am always surprised that the Mcdonalds, in the shopping arcade of Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, is still there. The rents must be high.
I am looking forward to the rest of the report.
I am glad you enjoyed the BA flight over to the UK from the US.
I am always surprised that the Mcdonalds, in the shopping arcade of Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, is still there. The rents must be high.
I am looking forward to the rest of the report.
Sep 24, 2012, 5:03 pm
#30
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Hawaii & Texas
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First of all, you get a 7% discount off of MSRP when you do European delivery, so this pays for your vacation. Additional discounts may also be available between yourself and the dealer and could also include promotions such as lease incentives, test drive incentives, loyalty incentives, etc.
BMW also provides two weeks of auto insurance, (you can pay to extend this for up to three months) and shipping back to the United States.
So it all works out. Having the car in Germany to drive it where it was born on the Autobahn, priceless!