So you want to drop Munich from 4 nights to 2 in order to spend 1 night in each of Heidelberg and Rothenburg, and then travel from one of them to GP for your next night? With one of the two Munich nights being your jet-lagged arrival day?

That is a really a stretch objective and I don't think many would sign up for it on a logistical basis or as a reasonable allotment of time. You would have only 2 nights in Munich before taking a couple of 2-3 hour trips for single night stays in each of RodT and Heidelberg to immediately end up in the Alps for 13 nights over 4 locations that are all within 3 hours of each other (and 3 of them are only 60 minutes from each other).

If it were me, and I really wanted to see RodT (which I would) and Heidelberg (which I wouldn't) I would take some days from those 13 Alps days to accomplish it.

Are you avid hikers who plan to hoof around the Alps daily for 6 or so of the 8 days allotted for GP and Berchtesgaden??

Hi Aramis. I'm sorry, but you have misunderstood. I mentioned that "with the above itinerary, we still have 2 nights to fill". In other words, we fly into Munich and have planned for spend 39 nights as outlined in the itinerary. However, we do not fly out until AFTER the 41st night. We still have 2 nights more to spend somewhere in Europe. We certainly will not be reducing our 4-night stay in Munich.

BTW, our original plan was to spend 7 nights in Munich and a few days each in GP and Berchtesgaden, but we were inundated with posters imploring that we spend far more time in the Alps rather than in Munich.

You mentioned that you would not stay in Heidelberg. So would we be better off staying in Rothenburg for 2 nights?

I think you will be bored to tears staying so long in Rothenburg. Give it a couple of hours to walk around if you like, but if you want a more authentic, medieval town, not filled with buses and souvenir stores, there are better ones. Büdingen would be my suggestion. Heidelberg is worth a stop, but you don't have to stay there overnight. Würzburg would also be good.

Have you considered traveling down the Rhine for a day or so? Or on your way north, a stop in Erfurt, Quedlinburg or Lübeck?

I would spend more time in Amsterdam, with perhaps a day trip to Delft by train.

Sorry, that misinterpretation was my fault, not yours.

You can surely fit 2 nights in somewhere north of Munich. I don't know if I would split them 1/1 between Heidelberg and Rothenburg. Unless you are avid hikers, mountaineers (in Oz?), or just love to sit gazing at mountains for days, I really do think that 13 days in the Alps is a lot. Berchtesgaden, Salzburg (glorious), and St. Gilgen are all within 60 minutes of each other

I have been to RodT 3 times and will return. In no way does it bore me to tears. It is at its best between 5 p.m. and 9 a.m., and you don't get that unless you stay overnight. While not chock full of majestic sites, it makes a good base to see some other places in the area; Nurnberg, Wurzburg, and Dinkelsbuehl, for example, all within 90 minutes by train or bus. With 2 days there, you have quite a few options

Hi Aramis. Your point about staying overnight in RodT is the reason I planned an overnight stay. We learned on our last (8-week) trip through Europe that the best time in touristy places is after the day-trippers have all left.

St Mark's Square in Venice was a comparitive ghost town after 6pm - wonderful!

As far as hiking, mountaineering etc. Again, we have learned when travelling for a longer period - I know a lot of Americans are unable to travel for longer than a few weeks - like we do, we sometimes just want to veg out. Have a laundry day; grab a coffee and not do much else. It gives you a second wind prior to the next adventure. We were told that the Alpine region in Germany/Austria was idea for just that.
But, that said, we are open for suggestions if you can think of places better spent than 13 days in Alpine territory.

Hi Cathinjoetown. You know, after I had already submitted my original post here, I thought whoops - someone is going to think we are mad only staying in Amsterdam for 2 nights. I should have explained. On our last trip we spent 7 nights in Amsterdam and had the most wonderful time ever. Love the place. This time around, we simply wanted to spend a little more time in Bruges because we only stayed there for 2 nights last time. It is not possible to fly out of Bruges (or even Brussels) back to Oz, so we opted for Amsterdam as our outgoing city because we love it so much. So, it really is just a nice place to revisit prior to heading back home.

Mainhattengirl - got to be from the Big Apple with that moniker! Thanks for your suggestions. I will research them all and see what we can do to visit some of the places you recommended.

Thank you all, once again. Keep the suggestions coming!

What are you going to do with say 4 nights in Berchestgaden or Garmish?

maybe take a day away from both and stay overnight in both Hiedelberg and Rothenburg, two of Germany's most romantic and gorgeous cities - but ones that can easily be seen in a half day or so.

and yes if you have not been to Amsterdam - I think you have - then two more nights there would be great.

Hi Palen. I'm sorry, I must not be explaning myself very well. The two nights are additional to the itinerary outlined above. We don't need to take any days from anywhere to make up those two days - they are additional and currently unaccounted for. So it sounds like you would agree with my initial idea of staying in both Rothenburg and Hiedelberg for a night each.

To answer your other question, our plan is:

Berchestgaden:
1. Take a boat trip on the Koenigsee
2. Visit Eagle's Nest
3. Visit obersalzburg Salt Mines

Garmish:
1. Head to Fussen and see both of Ludwig's castles
2. Visit Schloss Linderhof to see the Ludwig's version of Versailles
3. Have a look at Oberammergau and Mittenwald

If you have more "must see" suggestions, please share.

On Amsterdam, yes I explained in my last post that we spent a week there in April this year and loved it. We are only returning there as a logical outbound city for our flight back to Oz after having spent a few days in Bruges. We are staying two nights, however, rather than just the one we need to fly out, BECAUSE we love Amsterdam so much!

If you have more "must see" suggestions, please share.?

Have you been to Herrenchiemsee, Mad Ludwig's clone, kind of, of Versailles ( a k a the Bavarian Versailles) lovingly plopped on an island in the placid Chiemsee - a short train ride from Berchtesgaden to Prien from whose station you can take an tiny steam train down to the docks or do a short walk for boats to the island the lovely palace is on.

I enjoyed this Mad Ludwig castle as much as any - I thoroughly enjoyed them all Ersatz or not - a surprise at every turn!

Visit Schloss Linderhof to see the Ludwig's version of Versailles>

perhaps I was mistaken about the Bavarian Versailles being Herrenchiemsee Palace - I'll have to check that out!

For the things you want to do in Berchtesgaden, the tour, the Koenigsee, etc., you do not need four nights and then another four in Garmisch? Too many IMO The Ludwig "version of Versailles is the palace at Herrenchiemsee.

Munich itself is worth at least two nights IMO; Rothenburg you can do in one full day.

http://www.herrenchiemsee.de/englisch/n_palace/index.htm

yes indeedy - official site explains how it was patterned on Versailles by the ego-maniacal King 'Mad' Ludwig - check out his dour picture on the site!

Hi Palen, Dukey

Thanks for your info. I don't know where I got Schloss Linderhof from then. What is the significance of that castle if it has nothing to do with Versaille?

Linderhof I believe was Mad Ludwig's hunting lodge - or hunting palace really - if I recall right it has many hunting trophies - stuffed critters in it - I enjoyed Linderhof very very much even though it were a long time ago and I do not recall a lot - would certainly include it as a main thing and an easy commute by bus from Garmisch (via Oberammergau I believe, another city worth a look.

Hi steve,

sorry i can't help re the Linderhof controversy, but i can suggest that you add your two days to Dresden. so much to see and do there with boat trips, bike rides by the Elbe, the Bastion, plus the sights of Dresden which are going to take at least a day. we only had two nights there and felt really short-changed.

and while you're in Berlin [or en route between Dresden and Berlin] do make time for Potsdam. IMO the Sans Souci palace is well worth a trip by itself:

http://www.potsdam.de/cms/beitrag/10001008/34080/

It really is interesting to see how we all have different ideas how to manage your time!! i was going to suggest shortening your time to one overnight in Dresden, we spent about 4 hours there and that was plenty of time to see the restored "old town" area. If you are traveling from Prague you can arrive early in the day and if you leave mid day the next day to travel to Berlin that would be, IMO, enough time in Dresden.

If you are traveling from Prague you can arrive early in the day and if you leave mid day the next day to travel to Berlin that would be, IMO, enough time in Dresden.>>

if Dresden were only the restored "old town", snowflake, i might agree with you. but as you will see from what I've posted, it isn't. There's the Neustadt for example which is "neu" only in the sense that it isn't alt ie it's 18th century. Fascinating to wander round for a few hours. then there are the other things I mentioned as well - which obviously you didn't have time for either.

you might not be interested in those things, but that doesn't mean that they aren't worth doing!

Hi Steve, we are jsut back in Oz after 5 weeks in Germany and I hope to start posting a trip report later today. We covered some of the same ground that you are planning so you may be interested in how we spent our time.

Incidentally, I think that King Ludwig admired the French aristocracy and almost all of his palaces show some influence from Versailles. Linderhof is a small palace in a lovely setting - there are only a handful of rooms but they are exquisite.

Annhig, I was only making a suggestion....as noted when I started out my comments...we all have different ideas on how to manage our time and how long we want to stay in each place!!!

Thanks everyone - this thread seems to have suddenly picked up life again!

Annhig - I totally understand where you are coming from. I had heard that Dresden was a lovely place to visit and most people mentioned the Green Vault. However, I found quite by accident (would you believe my Windows 7 Desktop background featuring Germany) that there is much to see and do around Bastei Bridge. See the following link:

http://tripideas.org/the-bastei-bridge-connecting-to-nature-in-germany/

Absolutely lovely! However, we are now committed to spending 2 nights - 3 days in Dresden.

Hi GregY2 - looking forward to reading your trip report.

Sorry guys, but we have now decided on spending the 2 nights in Rothenburg ob der Tauber.

While I'm on that subject - I had a quick check of transport between Munich and RodT and could only find a train that required the following 2 changes:

1. Treuchtlingen (5 minute transfer) and
2. Steinach (4 minute transfer)

It's been a while since I was able to do the 100m in under 10 seconds, so can anyone tell me if this schedule is even doable? On a couple of test scenarios, the 4 minute transfer consisted of getting from Platform 2 to Platform 7. I trust they are small stations

Regards, Steve

Treuchtlingen and Steinach are fairly small stations where changes are quick - at Steinach the shuttle train from Rothenburg terminates and IMe should be standing there when connecting trains arrive. I would not worry about either connection.

In Dresden I would with 3 days consider doing a trip to nearby Saxon Switzerland - one of the loveliest river valleys in all of Europe IMO - reddish sandstone cliffs topped by ancient forts, cute riverside towns - boats and trains running the length of it (incuding mainline from Prague)

http://www.saechsische-schweiz.de/start/click.system?navid=65

Steve I see you mentioned the Bastei Bridge and I had not seen that or would have known that you were planning a day in Saxon Switzerland already. Sorry for mistake.

annhig said;

"if Dresden were only the restored "old town", snowflake, i might agree with you. but as you will see from what I've posted, it isn't."

Someone doesn't take too kindly to not being agreed with. Because, I mean, the things annhig posted that should be so convincing are;

"boat trips, bike rides by the Elbe, the Bastion, plus the sights of Dresden"

Don't worry snowflake - the rest of us understood your post.

Consider Bamberg - it is a neat town filled with half-timbered buildings and fabulous beer I would substitute it for Rothenburg.

Also, I would spend more time in Amsterdam if possible - maybe take a night from Bruges.

Hi Palen - no problems,it's easy to miss a few words out of a number of posts. But, yes Saxon Switzerland, the town of Bastei and its Bridge are a must-see for us!

Hi november_moon, thanks for your suggestions re: Bamberg, we will research it.

Regarding Amsterdam, if you could read all of the post you will see I mentioned that we were in Amsterdam for 1 full week in April this year. We had a great time and we love Amsterdam. However, this time around, we are only visiting Amsterdam again because we need an outgoing international airport to get back to Oz. From Bruges our closest choices were either Paris or Amsterdam. We chose Amstersdam because we loved it so much. But, we do not need to stay any longer this trip.

Before a flight I often like to stay in a hotel right at Schiphol Airport or on its periphery - day trip into Amsterdam for the day and put up here at night - take shuttle bus to flight from any of several hotels that may well be not only better but cheaper than equivalent ones inside Amsterdam itself and with trains running to and from the airport and central station round the clock never a problem getting back.

www.accorhotels.com has several - I stay in the cheapest the ETAP, right next to the more upscale IBIS.

Ah, I missed that bit about the week in Amsterdam.

I echo november moon's high recommendation of Bamberg - I was completely blown away by the number of old buildings all lovingly bisected by roaring rivers.

Steve - one reason I love staying at a Schiphol hotel the night before my flight is that staying in Amsterdam often means a long commute to the airport - at least if going by public transit - schelpping bags and all to the main train station to get the airport train, etc. But at the airport just hop on the free shuttle bus and in minutes be at the terminal.

Hi PalenQ,

Sounds a great idea. I'm looking at accommodation in Amsterdam right now.

Another question I have: Whenever I search on day trips from, for example, GP or Berchtesgaden, they all seem to originate from big cities like Munich or Salzburg. We will be visiting those cities of course, but we need to know how to get to places like the Ludwig's castles from GP - not from Munich.

Is there a couple of sites you can recommend for doing these types of days tours? First preference would be to do them independently, but also would consider a local tour operator. Just obviously don't want to travel all the way from GP to Munich just to pick up a day trip.

Thanks, Steve.

http://www.germany-insider-facts.com/bus-travel-in-bavaria.html#.UH8OBW_Afq0

RVO buses I believe is the company running many buses on routes you are interested in.

Thanks Palen. Again, the link you provided is superb. Just how many times HAVE you been to Germany/Austria/Switzerland?

You seem to have a wealth of knowledge in these areas.

Thanks again, Steve.

Just how many times HAVE you been to Germany/Austria/Switzerland?

Germany and Switzerland just about at least once a year since 1969 - Austria about every other year. Thankfully I was employed in the European travel industry in various ways and was paid to travel all over - could never have done it for leisure as I do now (and thus travel less!)

Thanks for your nice comments and as I love to say about folks traveling in Germanic speaking areas "Have a Gut Fahrt" - something I've seen on train station platforms and meaning something like "Have a good ride or journey" so have a good fahrt on your trip!

I can assure you, Palen, that I am very aware that a good Fahrt does wonders for the Gut! Whoops, I need to be aware that this is a public forum otherwise this line of humour could be endless. LOL.

Thanks again for all your help and amazing links!

"Gute Reise" [what a german is more likely to say] doesn't have the same ring, does it?