The Grand Germany Beer Tour

Our heartfelt thanks to Zicasso’s travel designer and her team at Zicasso’s tour operator for planning our recent trip to Germany. It’s been a lifelong dream to see the places that my father so lovingly described during his years stationed in the army in Stuttgart. She took the time to listen to our reasons for planning the trip and understood the selected towns. The planning and preparation in the months leading up to the trip did not disappoint. She helped us map out the trip and maximize our time in Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Munich, and Garmisch.

In terms of bookings, she selected excellent hotels that were centrally located, elegant, and had all the comforts of home. In each of the cities, she linked us to guides who were knowledgeable, insightful, and fun. Transportation arrangements were smooth and easy, either on the ICE train, boat ride, or car service.

Our guide to the Cannstatter festival in Stuttgart was fantastic. He grew up in Stuttgart and was able to tell us the history of it, teach us a proper German toast, and offered us great places to dine afterwards.

Our guide and driver from Munich to Garmisch took us to Neuschwanstein Castle and then surprised us with additional stops along the way in a small village to learn of the local culture and churches. Our last stop of the day was at a monastery. We enjoyed a fabulous piece of Black Forest cake. During this time, he asked us how we were able to book through this travel company. We explained about Zicasso and he expressed his delight that we were able to book a small, authentic company versus the big-box tour. He was right.

Our travel designer customized the trip to us and no cookie cutter. She was very flexible when there was a last-minute change to the itinerary due to a winery closing unexpectedly early. She made the arrangements happen quickly and it enabled us to meet with the wine maker at a winery in Stuttgart and spend a morning on the patio wine tasting with him.

Our last leg of the trip was Garmisch. I am not sure if she was the one to order the spectacular weather (I wouldn’t put it past her abilities), but the clouds cleared and the trip up the Zugspitze was breathtaking. Such a delight and change from the bigger cities.

At the end segment of the trip, my husband was more and more impressed with the quality of the trip: tours and hotels that I was able to book with our travel designer's guidance. I could not be more pleased with the experience of the trip and the work she put in to make this dream trip a reality. Thank you for helping me connect to my father’s time in Germany. My heartfelt recommendations and appreciation.

Zicasso’s tour company did an excellent job, from start to finish, planning our trip to Germany! The itinerary they planned was just wonderful and because of them, we truly enjoyed our trip! Everything was taken care of, from the time we arrived in Frankfurt until we left from Munich.

They gave us a printed itinerary of our entire trip, which included hotel vouchers, train tickets, tour tickets, and everything else we needed. This is the first time that has ever happened in any of our trips. They gave us a daily update on our drivers and guides. They made sure we were informed of any changes. We also had access to them via WhatsApp and they were always available whenever we had questions or concerns.

This was the most stress-free vacation we've ever had! They took care of everything for us! We got to meet the staff at Oktoberfest and they were just wonderful! We highly recommend this tour company to anyone planning a trip to Germany or anywhere else! We would use them the next time we go to Europe!

The planning and organization for our trip to Germany and Austria was expertly handled by Zicasso's travel partner. We could not have asked for a better trip. 

We gathered our adult children and friends together to celebrate Christmas and New Year in the Old World. In and around Munich, we saw Neuschwanstein and many of the city's beautifully ornate churches. We also visited the Christmas markets and beer halls, and ate way to much fabulous German food. 

Our agent contracted private guides in Munich and Salzburg. These guides were superior. They had detailed knowledge of the area, its history, and people. 

We spent Christmas in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. It is a lovely, magical town in the shadow of Germany's highest mountain, Zugspitze. On Christmas Day, I took the cable car up the mountain and the sights from the top were tremendous. On the day we were there, we could see 230km in all directions. Of course, when in the Alps, you must ski, so we visited Hintertux for a day of skiing and glacier exploration.  

Then we went to Salzburg to explore the sites of Mozart's birthplace, but there is so much more to the town than that. The town has over 1,000 years of history and the people there could not have been more hospitable. 

From there, we went back to Munich to celebrate New Year at Tollwood. 

Thank you, and a special thanks to our travel team for all the planning that went into the trip. It was pleasantly unforgettable. And I cannot forget our guides. The guides in Munich and Salzburg were excellent – extremely knowledgeable, personable, and always there when needed. I cannot wait to go back, and when I do, I will be planning our trip through your company.

Things went according to plan and schedule, with the exception of one hotel being changed late in the game, but all accommodations were great and we had a really nice trip. Zicasso’s tour operator helped us book a few tours for others who were not part of our overall trip, but who we were meeting in Germany, and that was extremely helpful.

Our trip to Austria and Germany was initiated with a desire to see the Christmas markets. And yes, these were magical, but Zicasso’s travel company also included guided trips at each location to fully enjoy our trip. The private ride through Bavaria to Neuschwanstein Castle was Christmas-card picturesque. Walking through Vienna on a guided tour was as if we were visiting Franz Joseph and Sisi. The travel company created an itinerary that balanced the needs of a group with different ages, interests, and budgets, and everyone had a magnificent time.

This is the second trip that I have booked through Zicasso. This trip included everything that I asked for.

Our time at Oktoberfest was definitely a highlight and an unforgettable experience! We were paired with guides for Neuschwanstein Castle and Dachau, who were knowledgeable and helped us better understand the German culture, as well as historical context. I loved just walking the streets in Salzburg; it is a gorgeous city!

The tour operator, overall, was responsive to my questions and requests; I was very happy with them. I would recommend this tour operator to anyone planning to travel to Germany and plan to use Zicasso for my next family vacation.