Germany, Switzerland & Austria
Reviews
Julia our Tour Manager, was exceptionally impressive with her knowledge about not only the areas we toured but also all the detailed historic knowledge she so willingly enjoyed sharing. She was a walking encyclopedia on just about any subject you would ask her about! Our driver, Palvo from Warsaw, Poland, was extremely polite greeting us warmly with a big smile every time we boarded his bus. He was always there to assist us boarding or unloading his bus. He was a very careful driver and was always dressed with a crisp white shirt and tie! He kept his bus immaculately clean and always provided fresh bottles of water for us.
Linda C.I just completed the Jewels of the Alpine trip and it was wonderful. What made the trip so wonderful was our tour guide Nadine. She is excellent. Energetic, caring and compassionate, knowledgeable and professional. We have traveled more than 20 trip with Gate 1 and we had always had excellent guide but Nadine is there on the top of the list. We are so impressed with your company we never hesitate to tell people about you and we know some who have taken our advice and done a trip with you. I am 85 so our land tours are cutting down, even though we have two scheduled for next year, but we cruise a lot more. I always have Gate 1 trips available on my phone to show people where you go and how inexpensive they are. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Darlene C.First we want to start off by saying our guide, Siobhan was one of the best guides we have ever had and Gate 1 is lucky to have her. Granted Switzerland has a lot to offer travelers but she made the experience even better with her knowledge, friendliness, concern and positive delightful attitude and personality. She also added extra excursions for us on the few free days/afternoons we had and she made all these extras look easy to organize and treated every one as if it were the first time she had ever done so. She was always enthusiastic and looked forward to everything on our itinerary. Everywhere in Switzerland is eye candy. The beauty of the lakes and mountains make this trip special and the added bonus was the Glacier Express. We never thought we'd want to endure a slow 8 hour train trip but along with the beauty, Siobhan provided activities and team building exercises that made the time fly by.
Joseph E.This was our sixth trip with Gate1. The river cruise experience far exceeded our expectations .....on land or on the water our tour guides and staff were A+. The Monarch Princess crew was absolutely amazing- so friendly, helpful and upbeat! The total experience was superb!
Linda J.We had a wonderful time, best trip ever! Switzerland is just jaw dropping, unbelievable beautiful, majestic and amazing! The tour is great, we enjoyed the whole trip, foremost we were blessed with great weather and the BEST TOUR MANAGER in our opinion - Dennis! He's a true gem, and Gate 1 is very fortunate to have him. We were blessed with his knowledge, experience, genuine care and wisdom. Dennis is the quintessential Tour Manager/Advisor. We couldn't have asked for more. Our group was wonderful, different folks from different walks of life, backgrounds and personalities. We are grateful we all got along so well. We are blessed with new friendships and truly appreciate the time we had. A few words to describe the experience: Precious, beautiful, unforgettable memories and happiness! We are thankful for you, you've been most helpful, supportive and very patient with us.
Theresa C.Our Switzerland trip was truly incredible. Frederica, our tour director, was a delightful and highly professional guide. She efficiently managed all our arrangements, leaving us with no concerns. This was our first time with Gate 1, and we had an amazing time. We will certainly be using Gate 1 for our future travels.
Amratban P.We just got back this weekend from our 2nd small discovery tour & our 3rd gate1 escorted travel tour. Among the 3 escorted gate1 travel tour, I would say this is so far "the Best of the Best tour", we've ever experienced so far traveling with gate1 travel. Our tour manager and bus safety driver, Beatrice and Marionne respectively, were an unbeatable combination in our overall travel safety and group travel tour efficiency. All of us in the group of 22 diverse travelers were in sync & respectful in our departure & arrival times. Everything went very well and we are very pleased with Beatrice's wealth of knowledge about Switzerland's culture and diversity. All her food and dining recommendations during our leisure time on our own were spot on, especially with regards to Laderach Swiss chocolates. We wanted to keep on travelling with Beatrice & Marionne as our tour manager & travel driver partner in all our future gate1 escorted travels from now on. We have recommended Gate1 escorted travels even before to many of our friends. And sincerely, we will continue to do so, adding Beatrice & Marionne's names as highly recommended travel partners to all our friends future escorted travel plans. My wife & I are planning our 2024 vacay. As a matter of fact, we don't mind going back to Switzerland again with gate1 travels.
Rico L.The Swiss Alpine Jewels tour was 12 days of spectacular natural beauty. Everywhere we went, everywhere we looked we saw gorgeous views before us! We cannot stop talking about the joy it gave us to be there with the like-minded people who were in our group. In addition to the incredible beauty of the country, we enjoyed the company of an excellent driver named Deiter and an exceptional tour manager Serge. Serge and Deiter were a wonderful team that took care of us like we were their family. Serge, a resident of Salzburg, Austria, was filled with knowledge of and love for Switzerland which he imparted to us in a way that made us love Switzerland even more. In addition to his great knowledge of Switzerland and Europe, he shared his wisdom in a wonderfully subtle way that always kept us smiling. I could go on, but let me end by saying that of the eight Gate1 trips we have done since we started traveling with Gate 1 in 2019, the Swiss Alpine Jewels is the most magnificent!
Marjorie H.Our hiking tour in Switzerland was fantastic! Our tour guide was truly exceptional in creating a memorable experience for us. Not every scheduled activity occurred as planned but our tour leader did her best to compensate with viable alternatives.
Barry B.My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our trip. It was well organized and the accommodations were excellent. But a special note needs to be mentioned about our tour manager Colin Batch. Colin was beyond excellent. He was very knowledgeable, informative and communicated well. He was constantly taking care of us and worked very hard to meet our needs. We especially enjoyed the small things he did such as trivia games and small gifts he gave out In our opinion, the tour was excellent but Colin put it over the top. We are hoping that Colin will be our tour manager for that trips well! We are very happy and satisfied with our trip and are starting to plan our next trip with Gate1.
Donald A.Just got back from our Switzerland Tour which was outstanding. Our tour Director Joanna (Asia) could not have been more professional and friendly. She handled any issues like a pro and never missed a step. She treated everyone like a new found friend and really made the trip outstanding. With Asia as our tour guide, the trip exceeded all expectations. We could have not had a better tour director. We are looking forward to another trip with Gate1.
Robert R.Katarina was outstanding! What an amazing tour manager!! No one compares to her! If I knew she would be the tour manager in the future I would book another trip.
Sherry G.My trip was absolutely spectacular. Our Alpine guides : Marina and Angela were outstanding! Every aspect of our Swiss Hiking tour was top notch.
Mary K.As usual with Gate 1 trips overall that we have participated in over the past years, our trip to Switzerland under the subject reservation was GREAT and the tour guide and bus driver both did a superb job to make sure all was safe and that all ran as smooth as possible as we moved through our tour activities day to day!! Thanks again for a wonderful experience to the World of travel.. We saw and learned so, so much.. This was at least our 6th trip with Gate 1.. The guides used for your trips are very well trained and knowledgeable on details. Our guide on this trip did a great job to lead the overall group. We appreciate all the efforts put forth by our tour guide and bus driver.
Robert S.Our trip to Germany, Switzerland and Austria was fabulous. Our tour guide Julian was extraordinary. He anticipated every need, made clear each day's agenda, entertained the group with numerous activities that facilitated laughter and friendships and educated us with his wealth of knowledge about the area. In addition he remained easily accessible to address all concerns at every minute of the trip. Regarding transportation, we found Thomas to be a very safe bus driver and one who was dependable and pleasant. All in all the tour guide and transportation services could not have been any better. Thank you Gate 1 for a wonderful travel experience and putting an outstanding staff in place for our travel.
Donna G.This was my 1st group tour. Dennis was an amazing tour manager. He was so well organized, it made the trip easy. He got us to places on time and in front of the crowds, which I really appreciated. He gave us great advice of things to do on our own or places to eat. Dennis is really and funny and kept us very engaged with humor and insight into our destinations. His shoes will be hard to fill for any tour manager I encounter in the future.
Eleanor H.My trip was the BEST! Switzerland has such natural beauty you can't help but love it. But what enhanced the trip was Dennis. He is one of the best tour guides I've ever had. Organized, knowledgeable, witty, informational, entertaining, helpful, safety first mentality, he goes way above and beyond what's expected of him. And an all around nice guy. I've been traveling around the world since I was 19. Eventually worked for the airlines and am a constant traveler. I say this not to brag but to make a point that I have experienced the gambit of fantastic trips to not good trips. This was one of the top trips I've taken. The itinerary was fabulous ( don't change a thing!) hotel's lovely, meals delicious and again Dennis made it all the more special. Can't speak highly enough about him. He's an Alpine Jewel. I love Gate1. This might have been my 10th Gate1 and I keep referring others to your company because you do it right. More of the world for less.
Lynne T.This was my 50th Gate 1 trip, and from the moment I was greeted so warmly at the Milan airport by our pre-stay tour manager Remo, I knew it would be special. Two nights in charming Baveno on Lake Maggiore, followed by two nights in lovely Lucerne before proceeding to Basel for a city tour and boarding of my home for the next week on the Rhine River cruise to Amsterdam, the "Monarch Empress". Your flagship and what a beautiful ship: pristine, comfortable, so well designed and with a crew that run it like a Swiss clock. There were so many standouts from start to finish, the great, efficient and personable crew led by our Ukrainian Capt. Igor, Pavel, Marius, George, Kris, Nora, Nura, the wonderful guys at reception, and all who did their part, our head chef and his staff and his delicious menus - every meal was so good and dinners were very special and wine plentiful, and of course not forgetting the G1 staff, our fantastic Cruise Director Soma, fun, knowledgeable, kind and supremely organized and the delightful Activity Director, Laura. Above all they are both just wonderful human beings. The Rhine River cruise is not as picturesque as the Danube, but it is the beating heart of Europe and there is a lot of commercial barge traffic and industry along the way, but port calls were very charming, well thought out and so interesting, and there is a very beautiful stretch between Rüdesheim and Koblenz with so many castles and a constant castle alert from our leader Soma! It was a fabulous trip and as always sorry to see it end, but I know that it is just until the next one and more adventures with G1 - my special thanks for this one and for truly being treated like a Queen, who doesn't love that!
Lorraine P.Could not recommend George our guide more . He was absolutely a wonderful man . We travelled as a Group of 10 Australians . We would do another trip with George in a heartbeat . Our driver was fabulous and very nice man. We are now on our River cruise with gate 1
Jennifer K.Just a few additional comments about our Rhine trip: Our room steward, Lily, couldn't have been more available, kind & cheerful, or hard working. She's an asset to your company. Krismanto, waiter, actively went out of his way to be kind, funny, & remembered your personal preferences ( my iced tea in the a.m.). He sought me out to ensure I had what I liked. Even when I wasn't at his table. He's a very hard worker & a ray of sunshine. He reminded me of my early cruising days with the level of service & attention to detail. Thank you Kris. At the end of our trip our driver was wonderful. His name was Robert. Excellent driver. Funny & kind. He even went out of his way to return items that my friend left in the van. Thank you Robert. Laura was our entertainment director. Another truly kind person. She just made things fun. From stretch / yoga in the a.m. to games & activities at night...she was great. Our only reservation about sailing Gate1 again was the lack of activities at night. With this new position ( & Laura especially), that was no longer a concern. Bart is pleasant & knowledgeable. Ever present. But, if you are observant, you realize how much work & coordination he does behind the scenes. Well done.
Margaret L.My husband's dream since he was a boy was to see the Matterhorn. His dream finally came true during our Switzerland Tour with Gate 1. Neither of us can put into mere words how fabulous this tour was. The cities, villages, hotels, food, the vistas and landscape were beyond what we had hoped for. This tour, and our tour guide Siobhan (pronounced Sha-vonne), exceeded our expectations and then some. I highly recommend anyone looking to do this tour watch the video of this tour on the Gate 1 site. It does a much better job than I could with the tour description. Our highlights of the trip were: #1 the Matterhorn, #2 Trummelbach Falls, #3 the Gornergrat Mountains. Every day was an exciting adventure. Siobhan not only showed us those items on our itinerary but also had many extra surprises to share with us as well. These are called the SSS's, for "Siobhan's Special Surprises". At almost every turn in the road, or street corner we passed, Siobhan had history or information to share. Not only was she a wealth of information but she has a great sense of humor too. She is a very caring person whose goal was to be sure each and every one of us had a fantastic experience. Siobhan took time to get to know each of us. She was always available for any questions we might have or issue that arose which she promptly resolved. A tour can be just a tour, or it can be an experience of a lifetime. I sincerely believe a knowledgeable, well prepared and caring tour manager can make all the difference. Another important person to be mentioned is our tour bus driver, Josep (no h). He made sure we traveled in a clean, comfortable bus. His excellent driving skills in many tight spots, often brought rounds of applause. This was our 2nd tour using Gate 1 Travel, but it won't be the last. We are already looking at other tours with them too. Some of our tour companions have done multiple Gate 1 tours, as well as a number of our friends, and they all swear by the quality and value offered.
James K.The trip was fantastic! Dennis, our tour manager, was top notch and made our vacation so memorable. He provided great leadership, guidance, and commentary.. he even provided great recommendations on things to do and places to eat and shop during leisure time. I can't wait to take another trip with your company. He was even great with my children (11, 13, and 18) who came with me. Deni's vast knowledge of Switzerland allowed us to have seamless travel, we were always ahead of the crowds in all locations.
Brian C.It was a beautiful trip. Well prepared by our trip manager and her assistant. We really enjoy the trip. Very appreciate our manager Marina and her assistant Angela shared both their knowledge about the region we visited. Great job. Special thanks to Marina and Angela.
Seuo C.It was superb. I will book another walking tour with you in the future.
Ronald A.I would like to expand on my recent survey and say our tour guide Just was over-the-top great. We've always had VERY good guides but he was kind of special. I appreciated how he always made sure we were looked after, safe and sound, whether it was navigating public transportation or crossing a busy street! His friendly demeanor kept up a great vibe with our group. Everyone seemed to be having an excellent time throughout the trip, very much due to his leadership and personality. He always had great recommendations for food/restaurants. What I loved the most was his effort to always make sure our time in any one place surpassed expectations. It's actually some of those times that I think back on most fondly.
Tamra W.OUTSTANDING. My tour guide Julia was Just AMAZING her knowledge professionalism, and just her effervescent personality made the whole trip the GREATEST TRIP TO CHECK OFF MY BUCKET LIST. Please acknowledge her for her total commitment to her profession. We were 41 people on this tour and she had everyone just come together like we were all of the same family. her knowledge of every where we toured and her ability to know her people on the tour was just an unbelievable talent. Every night I would sit outside and enjoy the the night and a Cigar and she waited until everyone was safe back in the hotel. Talk about COMMITMENT!!! Again Please Congratulate her and Thank her again for me.
Salvatore R.My sister and I recently traveled on the Christmas Markets trip to Switzerland and France. This was our first Gate 1 trip and we weren't sure what to expect, the trip was amazing! Our tour manager, Nadine, was there to greet us at the hotel the moment we arrived - and saw us off on the last day as we departed for the airport. Nadine was professional in every way and an expert in each of the towns/Markets we visited. Our 8 day trip was executed with precision so we were able to see and learn so much more than we would have on our own. I will highly recommend Gate 1 to my friends.
Julie P.Our trip was amazing. And Switzerland was beautiful. We appreciated the stays at Wengen and Zermatt areas. Loved small group of 18. Marija was an excellent tour manager with her local knowledge, her caring attitude, and her quick-to-resolve skill that brought happy results to a few of our adventurous "mission impossible" occasions. Along with our driver, Peter, they both went above and beyond expectations, to ensure we had wonderful experiences. Thank you.
Van T.Returned home from Switzerland on July 20. The trip was fabulous owing primarily to the tour director Dennis. He was extremely organized. Have over 2000 pictures of a beautiful country. Hats off to Gate 1!
James L.We were seriously hyped to make a trip during Covid-times. We specifically selected Switzerland to visit as a single, safe, superior, expensive country. Also, that major attractions are outdoors, free from Covid risk. Still, we were again seriously concerned about getting there dodging a phalanx of regulatory travel obstacles, and once there, how we would manage the bureaucracy of national medical rules. But, after the initial indoctrination of procedures by our trusted travel guide, Fred and seeing how easily we guests adapted, t'was smooth sailing on placid Swiss lakes and down-skiing on incredible snow-capped Alps. What makes a tour of like this successful? For us: Obtaining a memorable impression of places during the limited time available. This tour succeeded excellently, a quick and spare overview of Switzerland. Our most wonderful surprises: the beauty of mountains and valleys, the power of money and industrialization. Our companions were uniformly a very experienced group which made our travels all the more stimulating. The tour guide is key to obtaining a rapid cultural impression. Our very experienced guide was Fred (from neighboring Austria), an exceedingly personable retired-CEO who was a fountain of understandable history and geography enroute. For the safety and security of guests, he conscientiously repeated instructions and directions to shepherd us during peregrinations. Regarding planning, we luckily benefited from rare perfect weather, especially in the mountains, and from strategically located, superior hotels selected for us by Gate1. The number and quality of included meals were just right. I missed museums we normally visit. But wake-me-up! In Switzerland it's the mountains and nature that are de-rigeur! Riding the bus was a minor disadvantage, required to transport us from place to place, but was such delight to enjoy the beauty of the passing valleys, mountains, sky, lakes and scenery. A surprising aspect of this swift journey is how small Switzerland really is... we covered a mere 1100km or 680 miles during our sighting of 9 locales. Perfect tours are those you perfect yourself. For us this 10-day excursion succeeded as a gem of an overview of Switzerland. We will travel with Gate1 again.
Tibor K.It was amazing voyage. As always Gate 1 provided excellent service. Monique, our tour guide made sure we were all safe. She and our bus driver Irene provided outstanding service. As always, I'd like to say thank you to Gate 1. You guys are amazing. We are looking forward to traveling with you, as long as we are going to travel. That was our 25th trip, looking for at least 25 more.
Regina ROur trip was great. Charlotte, our guide, was very special. I've taken many trips and all our tour guides were very good. Charlotte, however, was bubbly, very caring, always on top of things and personable with all her passengers. Our hotels were always in a good location and comfortable according to American standards. The breakfasts were great as always and the excursions and general timing throughout the trip was perfect.
Barbara F. Escanaba, MIWe would like to thank Gate 1 Travel and staff for a GREAT vacation. This trip to Switzerland was everything we had hoped it would be and much more. The itinerary was well planned and allowed for group and personal experiences. We will definitely be traveling with Gate 1 again!
Anthony and Kim D. Saltville, VAIt was wonderful! Nadine (our tour guide) and Reinhard (our coach driver) were beyond amazing! Nadine always made sure we were comfortable and had great suggestions for things to do. Reinhard is possibly the best driver I’ve ever been in a coach with.
Allison V. Wallingford, PAOur tour was well researched and well planned, and our Tour Manager Dennis was very knowledgeable, organized, and had a wonderful personality. I've been on a dozen or so guided trips all over the world, and this was one of the best yet. This trip was fabulous! I'll definitely travel with Gate1 Travel Discovery again.
Linda R. Powhatan, VAOur Switzerland trip was one of our best Gate 1 trips. Our tour manager Julia was one of the best we've had on our Gate 1 tours. She made certain every thing went off as planned and even had to improvise when a huge Techno event barred our Zurich excursion. We simply left Zurich and extended our city tours elsewhere. A great trip!
Victor C. Folsom, CAWe couldn’t have asked for a more fantastic European trip! From our wonderful accommodations, tour guide,Marc Van Reil,who was amazing,and travel ease, it was an experience which will be remembered for years to come! Of course, last but not least,was your helpfulness,knowledge, and understanding,Josh, for making this trip so uncomplicated!
Janet P. Sewell, NJWe enjoyed our trip so much. I cannot speak highly enough of our tour manager, Julian, as well as our bus driver, Tibor. It was our first time to travel internationally and we found the trip to be so easy and fun. We plan on booking another trip with Gate 1 within the next couple of years.
Jackie S. Beasley, TXBarry and I had the best trip ever. With Julian's wonderful personality the days flew by so quickly fun fun all day long.he has such a wonderful knowledge of all the history of the cities we were in.The extra touches of chocolates, making sure we were all on the bus , we were taken care of like family. The hotels food excursions were so interesting we will always remember . Will take another trip with Gate 1 again.
Carmel S. St Thomas, ON, CAI had a wonderful trip to Switzerland. Our tour manager and guide, Monique was excellent. She was so knowledgeable about the culture and places we saw, and she really helped make the trip so enjoyable. Kurt, our driver, was also great. We stayed in lovely hotels, and the itinerary was wonderful, enabling us to see and do so much. I have visited Switzerland many times, but this was my first time with a tour. I would definitely consider going on another tour with Gate 1.
Joyce Z. Glenshaw, PAThe trip was great. Our tour manager was knowledgeable and enthusiastic. We have learned a lot about Switzerland. Swiss people were very polite and friendly. Some towns are amazingly beautiful. The food there was good. Shopping for chocolates and watches was excellent. We have enjoyed this trip very much.
Chi-Ming H. Barrington, RIA great experience! Beautiful weather...beautiful blue-green lakes, green pastures dotted w/grazing cattle, goats & sheep...towering white-capped Alps...even the white puffy clouds added to the overall beauty of Switzerland! We loved the sounds of cattle bells, the beautiful music of the long horns, the church bells in all all the little villages & towns...but we did miss hearing the yodeling! Our tour guide...Remo...made it all happen...we loved his wit, his knowledge...first time for a guided tour in Europe, so first Gate 1 experience, and cannot imagine not having Remo for future trips! We hated to leave Switzerland & hated saying goodbye to Remo!
Susan T. Knoxville, TNOur trip was great and especially our Tour Guide Panareo was amusing and very knowledgeable. We definitely will consider doing another trip through Gate 1.
Akhtar P. Tucson, AZWe thoroughly enjoyed our trip through Switzerland. Otmar was an excellent guide, very organized with lots of valuable information about the country. Hotels were very nice. Pace of activities was good and Otmar had good suggestions for activities and restaurants during our free time. Otmar was very helpful in arranging transportation to the airport from Lugano to Milan. We continue to be impressed by Gate 1's itineraries and value. We look forward to our next Gate 1 trip in May.
Kathy R. Vernon Hills, ILWe had a wonderful time. While we have toured with other companies, this was our first time with Gate 1 and we were very pleased. We had an excellent tour guide, Remo Beretta, and we enjoyed the accommodations and the food, and it was a very good trip. Even the weather cooperated. So, thanks to you, and Gate 1.
Rene S. Warminster, PAThe trip was wonderful. would like to thank you all for meticulous planning. Ottoman, our guide, was excellent.
Jaswant G. Carmel, INHad a great time, many thanks for all your help in getting this of the ground. Look forward to our next one.
Ken S. VIC, Australia
It was my first tour to Switzerland and second with Gate 1. The trip was amazing, and I enjoyed every minute of it. The tour was planned very well. Everything was 1st class all the way, from hotels to the transportation. Our tour guide Remo Beretta was the best I have ever had. He was personable, helpful, very professional and made everything run smoothly. I'd like to have him as the tour guide in my future travel with Gate1 (I look forward to booking my next trip with them to Italy).
Thank you Gate1 for this Tour - I have lots of wonderful memories!
Larisa S. Union, NJ
Our trip was fantastic!! What beautiful countryside in Bavaria!! Dawn, our tour guide was exceptional and very helpful. My husband is gluten free and she was a big help in translating his needs. We met many new friends with whom we intend to stay in contact.
Thank you Gate 1 for a wonderful trip. We will be using your services again.
Joan W, Olney, MD
Our trip was great! We had a wonderful tour manager, Otmar (who we also had on a Gate1 Christmas Markets tour 3 years ago), fantastic bus driver, Daown, very friendly group of fellow travelers, and the most beautiful scenery in the world. What more could we ask for? Although it was the rainy season, the sun came out just at the times we needed it to (complete view of the Matterhorn and majestic mountain views at 10,000+ feet up) and it was just cool enough for us Floridians.
Flights, tours, hotels, etc., all went well for us. We want to give special accolades to Otmar for calming my husband when he left his fanny pack on a restaurant seat on a day trip to Italy (and didn't discover it till we were back in Switzerland). Otmar took the time to call the restaurant to be sure the bag was there and plans to pick it up on his next tour there and will mail it home to us.
This was our third trip on Gate 1 and we hope to take many more. I'm sure I speak for my husband, his sister, and our friend who were also on the trip.
Patricia A. Coral Springs, FL