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10-12 days - Czech Republic/Austria/Munich?

10-12 days - Czech Republic/Austria/Munich?

Old Apr 11th, 2017, 02:19 PM
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10-12 days - Czech Republic/Austria/Munich?

My husband and I are going to visit our son who has been studying in Prague this semester. We are using our airline miles and getting in and out of Prague is a no go at this point. We're trying to decide what to do in a 10-12 day timespan, understanding that we can't start or end in Prague. Too bad. Munich and Vienna both seem doable in terms of flying in and out, so we considered flying into Munich, train to Salzburg, up to Prague and the Czech Republic in general and ending in Vienna. I'm afraid we're trying to do too much. And I'm wondering if we should allow more time in the Czech Republic since he's been there (mostly in Prague). Slovenia is also on the table. We need to pare down big time. Being rushed is not my idea of a good time. I'm completely open to suggestions. My husband loves train travel but the goal is not to be on a train the whole time. We both like agriculture/permaculture, food, gardens, good tea, castles, interesting architecture, festivals (me), quaint accomodations. Son is really flexible. Looking for moderately priced accomodations.
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Old Apr 11th, 2017, 02:31 PM
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3 nights in each major city are a minimum IMO - including a half-day to get there - more if possible in Vienna or Munich where there are wonderful day trips. Trains are great- especially in first class-pre-book your tickets far in advance to get neat discounts at national railway sites -do it yourselves - see www.seat61.com for helpful hints on that -for general rail info www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

I'd say

Munich
Salzburg
Prague
Vienna

would be more than enough in that time frame. Maybe a day in Brataslava -easy day trip from Vienna by train or hydrofoil.

You could rent a car in Salzburg and return it in Vienna too - driving is not hard and you set your own pace.
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Old Apr 11th, 2017, 03:19 PM
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I would concentrate my stay in the Czech Republic. It has so many wonderful places that it would be a pity to miss them. Vienna would be a logical point for start and finish: 4 hrs from Prague with a more or less hourly train. You could go to Prague via Brno. Smaller provincial cities like Hradec Kralove or Olomouc can be done as a day trip from Prague, but could also be a base for one or two nights. With a car you could stay in Telc and explore that lovely area.
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Old Apr 11th, 2017, 04:14 PM
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"We both like agriculture/permaculture, food, gardens, good tea, castles, interesting architecture, festivals (me), quaint accomodations."

You are right to not want to spend all your time coming and going.

You will have your hands quite full already with Munich, Salzburg and Prague. Those will be fine for castles/palaces/gardens. I would not add Vienna. It's huge and time-consuming. Add some smaller, quainter, old-world towns with half-timbered buildings and cobblestones along the way.

The plan below tics most of your boxes with 5 nights in the CZ Republic, 2 in Salzburg, 5 in Munich/Bavaria

Days 1-3: Munich; travel to Salzburg in evening Day 3.
Days 4-5: Salzburg; possible outing to Berchtesgaden (Alps)
Days 5,6: Travel to and visit some combination of smaller, old-world Franconian towns:
Bamberg, Rothenburg, Bad Windsheim, Iphofen, Marktbreit

Iphofen is big on vineyards/wine and adorable:
http://tramino.s3.amazonaws.com/s/ip...en-english.pdf

Days 7-9: Prague (Train to Nuremberg, then German Railways' IC Bus from Nuremberg is fastest.)

Days 10-11: Day trips from Prague - http://www.myczechrepublic.com/pragu...day_trips.html

Day 12: return to Munich (IC Bus)

For 10 days you need to snip here and there.

Festivals? Too bad you left no clues about when your trip is.
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Old Apr 11th, 2017, 04:17 PM
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Hey, I botched that. You can't have two Day 5s.

I would probably make it 4 nights total in Prague, 3 in the city, with ONE day trip.
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Old Apr 11th, 2017, 04:27 PM
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Sorry, we'll be there around May 19-31st or thereabouts.
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Old Apr 11th, 2017, 04:34 PM
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So many options! We're torn between really immersing ourselves in the Czech Republic and Vienna or doing the Munich/Salzburg/Prague thing. I'm going to check again and see if there isn't a viable flight out of Prague.

Still open to suggestions so keep them coming and as we narrow things down I'll probably have more questions of my own.

Thank you all so much. I've not been to this part of Europe before and it's been 2 decades since I've been abroad at all. So thank you for your thoughts.
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Old Apr 11th, 2017, 05:31 PM
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If you decide to spend a lot of time in Czech Republic, I recommend, besides Prague, visiting Cesky Krumlov, Karlovy Vary, and Telc. They are all wonderful cities! Telc is small but lovely, and the surrounding area is beauiful. Karlovy Vary, with its mineral springs and spas, is very different from Prague, including its architecture. Some people go to Cesky Krumlov and Karlovy Vary as day trips from Prague, but I think they deserve more time, and your trip will be more relaxing.
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Old Apr 11th, 2017, 08:44 PM
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I think your fear that you are trying to do too much is justified. Sorry.

Here's what I recommend: Get some good guidebooks (or spend some time with a few in your local library), identify the things you most want to see in each location, check their opening/closing times on the internet, and mark them on a calendar. Then pencil in your transportation, add some time on either side (for getting to/from your lodging, checking in/out, packing/unpacking, getting oriented, etc.). Then see how things fit together.

You may have to make some difficult choices, but IMO, you don't face any BAD ones -- all of the places you've mentioned are delightful. The question is how to minimize your travel time so that you can maximize the time you have to actually see and experience these wonderful places.

Hope that helps!
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Old Apr 11th, 2017, 11:11 PM
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Can you fly into/out of Vienna? Or into Prague/out of Vienna, or vice versa?

May is a fabulous time in Central Europe, and with 10-12 days your could really enjoy CZ and use a few of those days in Vienna surrounding your flight. Festivals and markets spring up; castles and palaces are open, many with beautiful gardens and in or near charming towns.

In addition to Karlovy Vary, Telc, and Cesky Krumlov, we have enjoyed our visits to at least these destinations:

Plsen (home to the Czech Pilsner)
Ceske Budjovice and the nearby Hluboka nad Vltavou castle
The castle complex of Lednice-Valtice
Kromeriz and the Archbishop's Palace and gardens
Brno as a day trip (they have a castle, too)
Ostrava, the steel city that literally built the Iron Curtain
Olomuoc
Mikulov and wine tasting

And of course, Prague. Prague has a lively food scene, and is one of the reasons we have visited 8 times. The Saturday markets are especially fun.

Happy Planning!
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Old Apr 12th, 2017, 10:31 AM
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Czech out Trebon sometime -was there ages ago with my mother whose father grew up there and even then in dingy commie days it had an impressive town square - can't imagine how it must shine now:

https://www.google.com/search?q=treb...w=1745&bih=864
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Old Apr 23rd, 2017, 08:24 AM
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Thank you all. Will check back and let you know the particulars of our travel plans but wanted to let you know that given the challenges of scheduling our flight, we're flying in to Dresden and out of Munich and we have 14 days total now (including travel time to and from).

Some lovely suggestions, so thanks and if you have others, please do let me know.
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Old Apr 23rd, 2017, 02:29 PM
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A great day out of Dresden goes by boat or train or car south to Saxon Switzerland - one of the most gorgeous stretches of river valley in Europe IMO:

https://www.google.com/search?q=saxo...w=1745&bih=864

Also Meissen just north makes an interesting day trip for its famous porcelain factory/museum and a neat old city with a historic church on a hill in its center.
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Old Apr 29th, 2017, 06:41 PM
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Thank you PalenQ!
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Old Apr 30th, 2017, 01:11 PM
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For those local day trips see if there is a Lander Card pass where several folks can travel on regional trains and urban transports for the whole day - unlimited- assume Saxon Switzerland and Dresden and Meissen may all be in one Lander or state.
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Old May 6th, 2017, 06:16 PM
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Here is what we are thinking (still in fairly broad terms):
Dates: arriving Dresden on May 19 in the evening, departing Munich May 31 in the morning. (13 days)

We're are thinking of narrowing our accommodation stays to 3, or at most 4, places: Prague, Salzburg and Munich

Day 1: arrive in Dresden around 6:45 pm.. Take train immediately to Prague
Day 2-3: Prague
Days 4-5: day trips like Karlovy Vary, Cesky Sternberk...another other top picks?

Day 6: train to Salzburg
Day 7, 8: Salzburg
Day 9, 10 train/car to alps around the castles - farm there if we can get a room

THIS IS WHERE WE'RE running into issues...We'd heard of a neat farm - the hotel Schluxen but there are no rooms available on these dates. We'd thought it would be neat to use that as a base...
We're really stuck on trying to figure out the Salzburg to Munich leg. We'd like to spend more time outside of Munich rather than in it. Would love to visit castles and the countryside...not sure how difficult it would be to rent a car and drive as well...would appreciate any thoughts here.

?Days 11: train to Munich
?Days 11 and 12 in Munich
Day 13: depart for home in a.m.

Thanks again for your advice!
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Old May 7th, 2017, 02:09 PM
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Would love to visit castles and the countryside...not sure how difficult it would be to rent a car and drive as well...would appreciate any thoughts here.>

One castle - Mad Ludwig's Herrenchiemsee - his version of Versailles sits on an island in the Chiemsee - about half-way between Munich and Salburg. It is a favorite Ludwig castle for many folks

Trains go right to near the dock - Prien is the town.

https://www.google.com/search?q=herr...w=1745&bih=864

I would not drive in and out of Munich but take trains- Dachau is in the suburbs and a short S-Bahn+bus ride away. Fussen and Mad Ludwig's fantasty Neuschwanstein is about 2 hours each way by train (or car).
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Old Jan 27th, 2024, 12:09 PM
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Im a few years late to the convo :)

Originally Posted by macworld
Sorry, we'll be there around May 19-31st or thereabouts.
Hi!
we are interested in doing this iten. Munich, Vienna, Prague (maybe not in that order) and the same dates as well..... Wondering what you ended up doing.

Would love advice...
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Old Jan 27th, 2024, 12:27 PM
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perhaps start a new thread of your own, one of the writers is dead

revisiting old threads is not done for a reason
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