Need Help! We're flying into Frankfurt in May '04; have 20 days to drive! Already have accomodations booked for 2 nights each in Frankfurt, Munich and Budapest. This was our original itinerary: Frankfurt, Nurenburg, Vienna, Budapest, Kormend, Graz, Tarviso, Venice, Milan, Luzern, Vaduz, Innsbruck, Salzburg, Munich, Stuttgart, and Frankfurt. Is this TOO MUCH??? This is our first European trip - what pitfalls should we avoid? Trying to see/do too much? Suggestions for accomodations in other cities? Any cities to not go see? Thanks.

You pointed out the three cities where you will be staying two days; so do that means that you are overnighting on the other 13 cities you listed? If that is the case, your itinerary is crazy; that is the first pitfall to avoid; trying to cover too much. Go back to the drafting board in a hurry. I don't even understand why/how some of the cities are listed? (Budapest but no Prague???) Sorry, but I have to ask, is this for real or is this a "troll" question?

A quick reply-yes, that is far too much for 20 days. You will stop in many places but what will you get out of such short visits? My suggestion is to cut the list and spend more time in fewer places. You can take side trips from the main stop. The beauty of staying in a place more than 1 night is you can unpack/relax/have longer days. Go with the idea that you will return and don't overload in one trip. More later.

Agree, you are trying to do much too much. with that tinerary you will have time only for checking in and out of hotels and driving from one place to another. you will not be able to see/do anything.

Here's my advice:

Step 1 - take the list of potential stops and rank in order of their importance to you

Step 2 - for each put a list of the places you want to see (a castle, a museum, a church, a waterfall/mountain, etc) and estimate the time needed to see it (keeping in mind you will be driving in places you don;t know and will need to find the town, find a place to park, walk to the site, etc.)

Step 3 - get a good map of europe and figure out the distances and driving times between each of the places (speed limits are higher on the highways - so you can probably average 75 or so including gas/potty stops but you have to leave time for meals) and on local roads you'll probably be doing more like 45 or so - including time to get a little lost, circle around roundabouts, deal with traffic or construction, etc)

As a general rule it is much easier to stay several nights in one place and do day trips than to change hotels all the time. that way you spend much less time packing/unpacking, checking in, checking out and finding the hotel and somewhere to park.

Lastly, one of the chief joys of a driving trip is serendipity - the chance to stop and visit something that intrigues you that you may not even have know about before you left. If you're on such a mad whirl you'll have no time for this - or to enjoy your trip at all.

Cancel one night in Frankfurt. Count on at least two nights each in Vienna and Venice. Then start seeing how much travel time you have left and cut down the rest of your itinerary accordingly.

You've got five countries: Germany, Austria, Hungary, Italy, and Switzerland.

You are committed to Germany (Frankfurt).
We spent two weeks doing a fairly quick loop through Germany-Switzerland; if you are interested, search under "SW Germany and Switerland trip report" for details.

With 3 weeks, you could add Austria.

But: consider dropping Budapest. Among other reasons, taking a car into Eastern Europe adds a surcharge.

I seriously suggest you do Italy on another trip.

check viamichelin.com for driving times.

Have you started the booking process for your car yet? By all means look at a lease plan which has a 17 minimum. AutoFrance is my favorite. There are others. You will get a brand new car and it comes with complete insurance and road coverage.

Szanti-how are the travel plans? What have you decided ?

We spent 2 weeks on just Bavaria and the Mosel River and felt rushed. But some people do enjoy just moving more than actually stopping and experiencing places. If you are one of those, then your itinerary should work. I wouldn't spend even 1 night in Frankfurt--not that it is terrible, but it has a lot less to offer than many other places on your route.