k_traveler

Any thoughts, recommendations for places to stay or favorite activities, etc on this 10-day itinerary for May? We like outdoors activities more than museums, but like to have a few indoor options if we get stuck w/ poor weather. We plan to do most by public transit.

Day 1 (Cochem) - land Cologne, lunch & tour dom before continuing to Cochem
Day 2-3 (Cochem) - one day biking, other day Burg Eltz
Day 4 (Würzburg) - leave bags in Koblenz locker for Rhine cruise, then to Würzburg
Day 5-6 (Würzburg) - some combination of explore town, day trip to Bamberg, Nuremberg
Day 7 (Garmisch) - Rent car for day, stop in Rothenburg, maybe Fussen on way to Garmisch
Day 8-9 (Garmisch) - some combination of hiking and nearby towns, maybe Linderhof (is there an easy way to get here via public transit from Garmisch?)
Day 10 (Munich)
Day 11 - Early flight home from Munich

PalenQ

Day 7 (Garmisch) - Rent car for day, stop in Rothenburg, maybe Fussen on way to Garmisch>

That's a long long day - mainly two-lane roads - hard to stop even in Fussen on that long a drive - I'd either stay in Fuessen - a really neat town no one ever even sees as they stampeded to Neuschwanstein two miles out of town.

Actually from Fuessuen you can do like the trains do an go via Reutte, Austria to Garmisch, via the Zugspitze mainly thru Austria - probably the quickest way

I'd stay in Bamberg - one of the loveliest towns in Germany and day trip to Nurnberg - Wurzburg is super but I think quite a poke by trains from Bamberg and Nurnberg.

For the trains part be sure to look in Lander Tickets - regional tickets where up to several can ride all day on regional trains for 30 euros or so - can't take fast trains but many trains in those areas are regional.

For lots of great dope on German trains check www.seat61.com; www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com.

Not sure why renting car for only one day - you can take trains or the Romantic Road bus to Fuessen from Rothenburg or Wurzburg.

From Garmish to Linderhof by public transit a snap - train to Oberammergau and take bus from there to Linderhof - that's what I did.

Fussgaenger

Cologne, Cochem, Burg Eltz, a 6-hour Rhine cruise from Koblenz (if you're going to see the attractive part between St. Goar and Bingen anyway,) then Würzburg, Bamberg, Nuremberg, Rothenburg, the Romantic Road towns, Füssen, Garmisch, Oberammergau, Linderhof, Munich... and your route involves 800 km or more... and you want some outdoor activities too - and you have 10 days.

No way.

You can surely have a nice time with 10 days but trying to do all that puts you in perpetual motion. There's no point in giving you tips on anything until you cut this down to a manageable trip.

If you want some doable suggestions, tell us if you already have the flights bought, your travel dates, how many travelers. Maybe we can help you do a good portion of this in an efficient manner.

Maybe instead of so many stops on the way to MUC, you could just nail down some base towns and fit in whatever suits you as you go. My gut says pick MAXIMUM 3 bases to stay in for 3-4 days each. 2 bases for 4-5 days would be better, IMO.

Logistics would dictate these possible bases:

1.) Cochem.

2.) Then Nuremberg (train hub, possible day trip to Rothenburg, Bamberg, Würzburg, but not all.)

3.) Since you really have no time for all of Munich, a 3rd base might be Augsburg (a train hub on the southern Romantic Road.) From there you could day trip to Munich for 1 or 2 sights, Garmisch, Füssen, Nördlingen or other Romantic Road towns (but no way to all.)

k_traveler

Fussgaenger - Right now I have 3 bases w/ 3 nights each - Cochem, Wurzburg, and Garmisch. The last night in Munich is mostly because I have an early flight out of Munich the next day. I agree that my travel days may be a bit busy - but otherwise I am collecting ideas for things to do and will choose my actual day trips when I'm there.

PalenQ - googlemaps gives drive times of 1 hr Wurzburg to Rothenburg, 2 hr Rothenburg to Fussen, and 1 hour Fussen to Garmishc (totaling ~4 hour drive time broken up w/ stops). Are these times not realistic? I realize the last hour might feel long, but I think that'd be easier than adding an extra hotel to move from.

Thanks for the tips!

Fussgaenger

I see now... mistakenly thought you were staying in Nuremberg overnight too and that you were trying to day trip to both Bamberg and Nuremberg in a single day, and that you hoped to see Munich.

Your bases should make the trip theoretically doable as long as you realize that you will not have time for many of the popular destinations and activities - on the Rhine, for one (Bacharach, Oberwesel, St. Goar w/Rheinfels; Linz am Rhein and Braubach w/Marksburg on the east bank.)

With a day for Mosel biking and much of a day for Burg Eltz there's not a whole lot of time for the Cochem area's many options - a cruise to Beilstein and back? Reichsburg's falconry exhibition? The chairlift to Pinnerkreuz? Winery visits? Maybe you'll squeeze in something.

The Rhine is also a premiere hiking venue with trails on both left and right banks. A Rhine cruise as planned involves the train ride to Koblenz, a bus or a long city walk from Koblenz station to the KD dock... then there's the backtrack-train-trip to Koblenz for your bags, plus the long train trip from Koblenz to Würzburg, tying up virtually the whole of day 4. More time in this area would not be poorly spent, which in part is my reason for saying 2 bases and covering less geography would be an improvement.

http://www.romantic-germany.info/Rhe...il.4134.0.html
http://www.romantic-germany.info/Rhe...eg.6751.0.html

Places to stay: what requirements/budget do you have?

flpab

http://zugspitze.de/en/winter/mountain/wank The Wank in Garmisch is great to do as is the Partnach gorge by the Olympic stadium.

We fly in to Frankfurt a lot and in May we are going to Rothenburg Ob der Tauber again and then Speyer and Cochem. We usually drive to Garmisch from Rothenburg. If you do that from Cochem you will want to spend several hours walking around and then to Fussen if you wanted to see the Castle that would eat up a couple of hours or more. You will have longer hours of daylight. Rothenburg is fun to spend the night after the tour buses leave and you can do the night watchmen tour. Hokey but very fun.

Do go to Oberammergau while in Garmisch, Ettal is along the way if you are driving. Linderhof is not far from there. I was more impressed with the grounds than the actual house tour. Try and get into Munich mid afternoon so you can at least stop in at the Hofbrau House or my fav Ausgustiner. The Marienplatz is a must see. We always stay in the city and have no problem getting an early morning train to the airport.

Garmisch is so pretty and there is so much hiking and things to see and do. The food and beer are very good also.

swandav2000

Hi k_traveler,

Yes, getting from Garmisch to Linderhof is a snap by public transport, as PalenQ notes.

There is no longer a train between Garmisch and Oberammergau -- just take the bus from Garmisch to Ettal and transfer there for the bus to Linderhof. The bus from Garmisch to Ettal runs right through Oberammergau, so you can easily stop there either coming or going to see that delightful village. I'd also recommend a nice stop to see the Ettal monestary -- the bus stop is right in front of it. It's just a lovely transit.

You can see the connections at the German rail site at

www.bahn.com

and your destination will be

"Linderhof Schloss, Ettal"

(the German spelling will look like: Schloß)

Have fun as you plan!

s

flpab

I wondered about that swandav. We alwasys have a car so no problem. I know coming from Munich you can get the train at Murnau to Oberammergau. After leaving the Ettal monestary there is a private woodcarver on the left side of the road. Prices are great and he has some of the best and unusual items for gifts. Half the price of in town.

PalenQ

What a wonderful day - Etal, Oberammergau and Linderhof! My bus stopped on the main road in front of the palace.

flpab

hey pal, you know I am going to Cochem and Speyer in May because of you. We are meeting friends in Rothenburg one night and then doing a loop back to Frankfurt.

k_traveler

Is it really possible to see Linderhof, the Ettal monastery, and Oberammergau all in one day? How much time would you want/expect to spend at each? And what would you do in Oberammergau if you were only there for a couple hours?

flpab

Yes it is possible. You will go into the church and look around, maybe 30 to 60 min. Oberammergau is the home to the Passion play that the village has been doing since 1600 and something. They do it every 10 years. It is the home to a woodcarver school so many woodcarving shops. The houses are all painted with beautiful art. There is a NATO school. It is located on the outskirts of town and use to be an SS base. Many lovely shops and places to eat and pictures to take.
Linderhof grounds are nice and the house tour is very short so you can do it all.

swandav2000

Well, flpab, perhaps I misspoke. It is possible to go from Garmisch to Oberammergau by train . . . but that's with a change in Murnau. And that doesn't make sense to me, adding an unnecessary connection. So much easier to just take the busses.

Have to admit I'm sorry you drive in this area -- our glaciers are melting!! Public transport is so good, one doesn't really need a car unless mobility challenged.

s

flpab

swandav, my husband was always given a car when he would get orders at the NATO school. We rented one last year because I had a broken foot and was hobbling. We rented it in Garmisch for several days only. We have done it without and it is easy.
I agree, easier to take bus since you would have go to Murnau first to change trains. Not so bad if you were coming from Munich.

PalenQ

Are these times not realistic?>

Not IME - those roads are mainly two-lane roads that when I have been on them were very crowded - the driving times may be for the autobahn which would not take you thru any cute old towns so that may well be the case.