1 Week in December: Germany or Germany/Austria?
 

Hi there, Our family (kids 15-20 yrs old) has 1 week in December before Christmas for a trip. We're considering visiting the Christmas markets and sightseeing. Would you recommend sticking with Germany (Berlin and Munich and perhaps 1 other place) or doing mixing with Austria (Munich( 3 nights), Salzburg (2 nights), Vienna (3 nights))? If sticking only with Germany please let me know your thoughts on how many nights in each place and what other town you might add in given we only have 1 week. Any other suggestions are appreciated since we're just getting started with these plans. Thank you!

Big place Germany. I'd stick to the Mosel and the Pfalz for a similar holiday. While Berlin is the big city I'd prefer the slightly smaller towns with a more trad/local christmas fare/fair.

With only a week (although it looks like you have eight nights?) , I'd stick to two locations in Germany or choose Munich/Salzburg. Lots of direct trains from Munich to Salzburg, and they're both lovely at Christmas. You could also make a day trip from Salzburg to the Salzkammergut, which consists of several small towns accessible by bus/ferry with some fun Christmas Markets (St Wolfgang/Strobl/St Giglen).

https://www.salzkammergut.at/en/acti...ut-region.html

If you have eight nights, I'd suggest four in Munich (from which you can make several easy day trips) and four in Salzburg. Or if sticking to Germany, I'd suggest 3-4 in Munich, and the rest in Bamberg or Nurnburg, from which you can also make several day trips (to say, Regensburg, etc).

You're really spoiled for choice.

I once arranged a girls Christmas trip to Germany - we hit three spots in eight nights, and it was way too much moving about. We started and ended in Munich and spent a few nights each in Rothenburg ob der Tauber (Christmas central) and a few nights in Bamberg.