Looking to drive and I’m looking for help to set up an itinerary. We move fast. Just want an overview to determine where to come back and visit with more time. I was thinking 2 days in Cologne. 2 days in Munich 1 day in Austria 2 days in Switzerland 1 day in Black Forest. Head back to Cologne to fly out. Thoughts would be appreciated

Why Cologne for more than a short look at cathedral? Stay there you last day(s) and head out right away from airport by car? You will be seeing lots of autobahns but little of those places if you keep that schedule but for a marathon drive to see where you want to come back OK. Suggest not driving too far first day but say along autobahn to Heidelberg - one of nicest looking German towns and one of few not decimated in WW2.

But here goes:

Night 1 - Heidleberg
2- Munich
3- Munich
4- via Fussen and Mad Ludwig's fantasy castles to Reutte, Austria just a few miles from Fussen and on way to Switzerland.
5- Drive to Lucerne
6- drive to Interlaken area Jungfrau Region - epitome of awesome Alpine Wonderland of Switzerland - drive to say Grindelwald to take in that lovely panorama eyeball to eyeball with glacier-girdled soaring peaks.
7- drive via Rhine Falls - Schaluffhausen and into Black Forest - stay night in Freiburg - really neat town or in smaller village in the forest area
8- drive via famous Rhine Gorge to a cute riverside town like St. Goar or Bingen, etc. for a respite from large cities.
9- drive along Rhine to Bonn - nice break - to Cologne
10- Cologne.

If only 8 days on ground scrap Rhine Gorge except for a drive by and head to Cologne.

Some great resources for where to go on that route - www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com.

Thank you. I will be starting in Amsterdam for one night. Then Heading to Cologne so my daughter can visit with friends. I will be exploring on my own while she visits. Any additional things you recommend me seeing I’d appreciate it. Lucerne is all I want to see. Anymore details I’d appreciate since I’m overwhelmed with everything I’m reading.

Lucerne is all I want to see>

If spending 2 days there and want to see Alpine splendor drive to Engelberg, about an hour (or take train) and hop on the famous rotating cable cars up Mt Titlis and a sea of ice and snow.

I've been to Cologne dozens of times on business - not recently -but have jogged thru the whole city and though pleasant I think it has a paucity of must sights which to me is great - nice vest-pocket Altstadt for meals and some really neat Turkish areas and an acclaimed art museum next to cathedral. What I enjoyed was just walking along the Rhine Ufer - riverside walkway often thronged with strollers.

When are you going -month?

April 1to 12

Are you driving from Amsterdam to Cologne? If so check on fees for picking up car in one country and returning it in another -if dauntingly steep as could be take the train from Amsterdam to Cologne in just a couple of hours and if you will be in Cologne the next day too just pick up rental car when ready to leave city.

Starting from Cologne by car of course you'd want to blast right along to Munich -previously thought you were landing in Cologne.

www.bahn.de/en for booking own discounted tickets on trains to Cologne. See www.seat61.com for great advise on doing that. Much cheaper than walk-up fares - see bahn.de/en for various available fares -can book I think 90 maybe 60 days in advance.

Anyone know if there is any Cologne made in Cologne?

I’ll be picking the car up in Amsterdam and return it there. Also considering picking up in Cologne and return there. And take train from Amsterdam to Cologne. More worried about making it easy for me. With 2 students and I think a friend of mine will be driving with me a car would be cheaper. I just want to make sure I have the right cities to stay and bigger attractions so they can visit. One shot for them. For me, I think I’ll be back. Feedback is wonderful. Thank you

With 2 students and I think a friend of mine will be driving with me a car would be cheaper.>

Probably so - cheapest train would be 29 euros p.p. if available and would be usually if book when booking starts.

But I'd do the car anyway for easiness.

You could consider stopping at the famous Kroller-Muller museum and national park near Arnhem and see the world's 2nd largest collection of van Gogh paintings and a nice outdoor statue garden. Maybe good for leg stretch stop and something relevant to students perhaps. Just off the autoroute.

Try to spend a few days in Amsterdam if not just to see Anne Frank House and famous art museums and gorgeous canal-laced city.

Cheers!

Sorry -- but you do not have NEARLY enough time to drive from Amsterdam to Cologne, Munich, Austria, Switzerland, the Black Forest and back to Amsterdam.

That would be a 3 week trip even moving fast.

Hi the art museum next to Cologne Cathedral is a Roman museum as Cologne was occupied by Romans in past. Very nice little museum. Also the Kroller Muller museum has some amazing Van Goghs, set in a little forest along Rhein River, I think it is. In Munich, short train ride out to Dacchau, very moving place. Amsterdam has much to see and do....esp Reichs Museum, Van Gogh Museum, Resistance Museum, canal trips, etc. of course Ann Frank house, need tickets ahead, way ahead. Sue

Please consult your other thread:
https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...m#last-comment

"the art museum next to Cologne Cathedral is a Roman museum"
There are two museums next to each other. One is the Römisch-
Germanische Museum (Roman-Germanic Museum) about the history of Cologne in Roman times, the other is the Museum Ludwig, a museum of modern art, arguably one of the best museums of that kind in Germany.

Also the Kroller Muller museum has some amazing Van Goghs, set in a little forest along Rhein River, I think it is.>

Kroller-Muller is in Netherlands miles away from Cologne and not on any train line.

Yes everything of main interest in Cologne is nicely bundled together smack next to the main train station - the cathedral and museums and pleasant pedstrian main shopping street and lovely Rhine Ufer riverside footpaths.

Anyone know if there is any Cologne made in Cologne?

Yes. It is called 4711

Thanks Dukey!

And the HQ in Cologne has a museum on it:

https://www.cologne-tourism.com/attr...nces-4711.html

I would definitely go to the Ludwig Museum in Cologne. And Kröller-Müller, near Arnhem is nearly on the German border, so could fit a drive to Cologne.

One caution, be careful with the rental car issue, We rented a car in 'Amsterdam and had it two weeks, to return it to same city. We did not have a mark on car and rental agent filed for a dent/ damage on car, which was not there. We did dispute it. Sue

Yes take photos of car when you pick it up and have agent acknowledge those dents, etc that are there.

Take photographs when you return the car, too.