Planning stage Family of four trip to Bavaria, Austria, Switzerland?

Hi K,

You might wish to consider into Stuttgart and out of Munich, or VV.

I have a trip report that might help you at this early stage: Ira Visits Europe – May, 2007 (Salzburg, Fuessen, Bodensee, Burgundy, Alsace)
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=2&tid=35014078

Enjoy your planning

You could start in Munich, then head south to the Alps, come north on the Romantic Road, and finish off in the Rhine, flying home from Frankfurt. That would hit the areas you want to see without backtracking. And both Munich and Frankfurt have plenty of flights, so you should be able to get good routings.

I wouldn't visit Switzerland on this trip - you have plenty with just Germany and a little of Austria.

ttt

Thank you Ira! You have helped me so much in the past and I can't wait to devour your trip report! Thank you November Moon for your advice.

In your opinion, is 2 weeks too long in this specific area with teenagers who may not want to chill as much as their parents? Should we take our trip into France or Switzerland?

Again, thank you!

Hi K,

>is 2 weeks too long in this specific area with teenagers...<

I don't think so.

Munich - 3 nights
Romantic Road - 1-2 nights
Fussen (Castles) - 2-3 nights
Rothenburg, - 2-3 nights
Saltzburg, - 3 nights

"So far, my areas of interest are: Munich, Rhine Valley, Romantic Road, Fussen (Castles) - Garmish, O'gau, Rothenburg, Heidleberg, Saltzburg..."

"We are interested in staying in gorgeous little German towns (Heidelberg, Rothenburg), seeing castles, gorgeous views and unfamilliar places..."

None of these places are unfamiliar to tourists. Some have ridiculous crowds (Neuschwanstein, Rothenburg) and in others, the tourists don't get in the way too badly.

For scenery and castles, Salzburg is a good choice. Hohensalzburg (in Salzburg) and Hohenwerfen (which has a falconry show you'd all enjoy, in nearby Werfen) make for solid castle visits:

http://www.salzburg-burgen.at/en/

Expect Salzburg to be very busy and book early. Consider a daytrip from there to Berchtesgaden and the Königssee Lake for amazing scenery, or to Hallstatt.

http://www.nationalgeographic.de/thumbnails/gallery/52/79/00/blick-ueber-den-koenigssee-7952.jpg

http://www.citypictures.org/r-europe-148-austria-192-hallstatt-austria-2230.htm

Heidelberg: NOT a "little German town" at all, OK but not exceptional.

Garmisch: great scenery and outdoor stuff - be sure to see nearby Mittenwald too.

Rothenburg: not as big as Heidelberg but not "little" if you count the number of visitors on the street. Tourism is its only real industry, and it gets packed in summer. It's especially well-preserved and worth a day's visit if you can handle the heavy dose of tourists and the souvenir shops, etc.

Bamberg is a fantastic old-world city worth a daytrip from Rothenburg. Nuremberg is a great option too.

Rhine Valley: your best one-stop choice for castles, scenery, and small, attractive villages. Unlike Neuschwanstein, a late 19th-century creation, these are real castles that have stood (or taken a beating) for over 800+ years, and though they get busy, they are somewhat off the radar of international tourists; you can enjoy these places without feeling like a cow in a milking line. You can tour these two easily.

Marksburg in Braubach: www.roadstoruins.com/marksburg.htm , www.marksburg.de

Rheinfels in St. Goar: www.st-goar.de/17-1-.html

Villages that evoke the old world:

Linz (only one north of Koblenz)
Bacharach
Oberwesel
Boppard
Braubach
Kaub
St. Goar

So... you could do as november moon suggests. Fly into MUC, see Salzburg, B'gaden, Munich, Garmisch - figure a week for this.

Then head north to Rothenburg/Bamberg/Nuremberg for 3 days.

Then finalize your trip with a 3-4-day stay on the Middle Rhine. There are some direct morning trains to FRA from Oberwesel or Boppard that take one hour and one hour, 15 min's, respectively.

consider staying in apartments(fewo is the German abbreviation). you can get an apt. for less than a week. We stayed in one in Rothenburg and one outside Salzburg. see my trip report at www.bensbauernhof.com. The website is a great source of practical info.

Are you having a car or using the train. If using the train, you may want to use the Bayern-ticket - 29 euro for all of you for the day

Thank you all! I am grateful for your responses and this is exactly why I love this forum. You gave me things to ponder that I simply could not have known before traveling there. I am going to look into Munich and Frankfurt flights this week and then the fun of what hotels in beautiful towns!

This sounds like a great trip. In Munich the kids will enjoy the Deutsches Museum and the Englisher Garten. If you go to Reutte near Neuschwanstein there is a big Sommerroddlebahn. A luge ride down a metal trough. You have a brake handle to control your speed. On the castle scene Hohenschwangau Salzburg and Wurfen are both great. Up around Rothenburg you can catch the Castle road by the Necker river. It is studded with castles at every turn.

On our dates of travel, it was better to book flights into Frankfurt - 12 days in country and then out of Munich. We arrive in Frankfurt at 1:00 p.m. I think we will rent a car and leave the city. Would Heidleberg be a good first choice? I'm open to other suggestions for our first two days in Germany. Thanks!

That would be a nice short drive.

Hi KimiG - I think I remember you from when we were both planning trips to Italy. We did a Munich,Fussen, Prague, Cesky Krumlov, Salzburg trip in June 2008 when our kids were 16 and 12. We did not do as much of Germany as you are planning since we went to the Czech Republic instead, but some of the places do overlap. Here is a link to my trip report, which you may find helpful:
http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/trip-report-family4travels-to-munich-prague-cesky-krumlov-salzburg-fussen-bavaria-bohemia-bretzen.cfm

Heidleberg or Rothenburg ODT would be great first stops. I am usually bushed on the first day after I have flown a long way. I have learned to pace myself. It think I would probably choose Rothenburg if for no other reason tha it is a small town and you don't have to fight city traffic.

If you are renting a car for the journey keep in mind that there is a 19 percent surtax on cars rented in Germany at airports or train stations. You can save a lot of euros if you miss that expense. Contact Bob or Andy Bestor at Gemutlchkeit Travel. Gemut.com. They have always been very helpful to me on car rentals in Europe.

I haven't checked back in a long time. jgg: I am excited to check out your trip report and Aisle seat: to reach out to gemut. So grateful!

I must say jgg, I am obsessed with your travel report. I do remember talking to you when planning our family trip to Italy (which was wonderful in every way). I love the idea of going to Prague as well. This is now what I am considering - would love to have input.

Rothenburg - 2 nights
Prague - 3 nights
CK - 1 night
Saltzburg - 2 nights
Fussen - 1 night
Munich - 3 nights

After reading your trip report, I love the idea of going to CK, but perhpas should do 3 nights in Saltzburg instead?

Thank you -

ttt

KimiG,

If you can bear one more trip report on Bavaria and Salzburg, ours from 2011 is below.

http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/bavaria-and-salzburg-with-the-children.cfm