Hinnah

Hi everyone!

Me & my husband are planning for a month trip to Europe in November for our anniversary. This will be our first time to Europe. Kindly bear with me for this long post!
I know most of you won't suggest Europe for november but since we live in middle east we really appreciate cooler temperatures (including rainfalls) plus lesser crowds.

Area of interests:
Good food, medieval towns, castles, countryside or coastal views/drives. We aren't too much into museums or ruins but appreciate renaissance art & cathedrals.

Below is my tentative itinerary, would you please advice if the days assigned to each city makes sense. We haven't booked any tickets yet so the itinerary is open for any valuable changes suggested.
All of the transit flights/trains will be taken during morning so that we can reach the next city around noon or before that, which will give us approx half day for that particular city.

30th 0ct - Arrival in Amsterdam
31st, 1st, 2nd nov - Amsterdam
3rd - fly to Berlin
4th, 5th, 6th - berlin
7th - berlin to Prague via train
8th, 9th, 10th - explore Prague
11th - Prague to Munich via train
12th - day trip to salzburg from Munich
13th - day trip to Rothenburg ob der tauber from Munich
14th - day trip to Mittenwald from munich
15th - day trip to ludwig castle from munich
16th - flight from Munich to florence (arrival at 12.40pm)
17th - day trip to Venice from florence
18th - day trip to Sienna from florence
19th - explore florence
20th - florence to Rome via train
21st - explore Rome
22nd - day trip to Amalfi coast from rome
23rd - rome to Barcelona (fly with Ryanair)
24th, 25th, 26th - Barcelona
27th - fly back home

Questions;
1. We are well aware it will be a rainy season in most parts of Europe, will it still be a good idea to do Amalfi coast, we aren't expecting a beach experience anyway. But would want to have a look at the beautiful coastline.
2. What kind of clothing should we pack for the northern Europe.
3. Is day trip to ludwig castle possible from Munich?
4. Can you please suggest best day trips from berlin.
5. Can you also suggest some more beautiful medieval towns like Rothenburg.

Kathie

Do you have any interest in Munich? While you spend 5 nights there, you have no days - every day is a day trip. Think about whether that is what you want. I find back-to-back day trips exhausting.

I don't think a day trip to Venice from Florence is a great idea. I would want at least a couple of nights there. And you have just one day for Rome. I'd cut the Amalfi coast and spend at least that day in Rome.

For me, you have too many destinations. Even with the minor changes I've suggested, this will be an exhausting trip. Pause and consider what is most important to you on this trip - what are the places you most want to see?

The first part of your trip looks good, with three full days in each Amsterdam, Berlin and Prague. But you are asking about day trips from Berlin. Do give yourself some time to explore these places.

Don't forget that it isn't just rain and cold you will be contending with but also darkness. Days are very short in November in the northern part of your trip.

PalenQ

About trains - www.bahn.de/en the German Railways official site has easy to reference schedules and fares for all your trips and if you book early enough can nab discounted train fares much cheaper than walk up fares. Includes trains to Amsterdam, Prague from Germany too.

In Bavaria - covering all your day trips out of Munich you can use the Bavarian Lander Ticket - good for hopping on at will regional trains throughout Bavaria and even to Salzburg, Austria. Buy that at any German train station-no need to pre-book - about 30 euros for 2 people total for the whole day- good for Fussen (Ludwig's castles a few miles by taxi or bus from the Fussen station) and all your trips from Munich.

For lots on German trains check www.seat61.com- great info on discounted tickets; www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.ricksteves.com.

THE day trip not to miss from Berlin of course goes to nearby Potsdam and the Prussian Versailles - Sans Soucci Palace - awesome baby as is the vast park it sits in. Sachenhausen is close too for a concentration/workcamp memorial- sobering if not joyous experience.

Hinnah

Thanks @palenQ for all the helpful info! would def look into the day trip you suggested for berlin.

@kathie thanks for the suggestions and you are right about Munich, i should cut back on a day trip to Rothenburg or Mittenwald and add one more day maybe to explore Munich itself. Guess i got carried away with the medieval towns.
Also i didn't add a stay in venice because of the possible aqua alta problem in the rainy season, not sure to risk few days in venice.

I would love to see more medieval towns or countryside or coastline beauty but not sure how to add that! Thats why wanted to include Amalfi coast.

suze

I would either spend at least a few days in Venice or skip it entirely. To do it as a day trip from Florence doesn't make sense to me.

Overall I think you have WAY too much rushing around (a day trip every day for 4 days in a row in Munich, for example).

You could cut about 1/2 the stops out and still have a very fast-paced trip.

StCirq

You are flitting all over the place. No time to see or enjoy anything. Cut down your destinations by half. Buy open-jaw tickets.

Venice as a daytrip from Florence makes No sense. Buy and study a map of Italy and understand the scale.

It's not just "rainy season," (there isn't a rainy season in Europe, just different seasonal temperatures), which means little in Europe, but "boring season," when shopkeepers and restaurant owners and resort people shut down and go to bali and Thailand and take their annual vacations. The Amalfi Coast is a waste of time and money at that time of year, for example.

Hinnah

Thanks for suggestions, they all make sense.
So I should cut down on 2 of the day trips from Munich plus add one more day to it to explore the city itself.
Also maybe i can drop rome altogether and instead visit venice? That way i will have 2 days in venice and 3 1/2 days in florence. Does this sound better?

nytraveler

Do not bother with the AC. Many hotels and restaurants are closed for the season, most of the ferries are not running (and if the sea is rough none of them run). It's a very long day trip with little to see or do in November.

Agree there is a lot to see and do in Munich and I would want at least 1 and probably 2 days there.

Do realize that the issue is not just cold or rain but that days are short (late sunrise and early sunset, it's very dreary, trees are leafless, no flowers and grass can be brown and crunchy). And sights are not open late into the evening as they are in warmer weather.

sla019

>13th - day trip to Rothenburg ob der tauber from Munich

I'd not do that. You will spend approx. 6 hours on trains for a visiting time of 4:30 including lunch time: assuming that you would leave Munich by 9am, you would arrive at noon, sunset in Nov. is around 16:30.

PalenQ

A few hours in Rothenburg was to me enough - just a nice old medieval town- well exceptionally preserved one - I'd rather spend all those hours coming and going at some place nearer to Munich- like Salzburg, Austria, Nurnberg, Mad Ludwig Castles, Dachau, etc.

Agree with sla019