Amsterdam, Berlin, Munich and Switzerland?
 

My wife and I are early 60's, retired and planning a trip next year to the Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland. We've traveled to many other countries in Europe but we're trying to take the road less travelled this time - and as I dig in I find it a bit overwhelming as we've typically picked just one country at a time for travel.

We prefer to settle and explore at a more deliberate pace vs trying to see everything if that makes sense, get a feel for where we're visiting. To that end, we're thinking about perhaps a month, knowing we'll see what we see.

My initial thoughts are:

Amsterdam - 7 days including a couple of day trips by train to perhaps Utrect, Zaanse Schans or other. We are losing the first day for the most part so 6 full days.

then a long train ride to Berlin

Berlin - 7 days with no car, staying in the city. Perhaps a day too long but we lose a day for travel, we love history and would enjoy a day or two of just cafes and strolls

Munich Plus - 7 or 8 days? This is where i start to question next stage. We'd like to see Munich and want to go south from Berlin as we'll be heading to Switzerland. We'd also like to see some of the German countryside. Ideally we'd take a train to Munich from Berlin and rent a car there for a few day trips. I do understand that "some of the countryside" is a bit vague but Dachau, Nuremberg, one of the many quaint town/villages, Neuschwanstein all seem reasonable? The thought is perhaps 4 days in Munich to see the city interspersed with 4 day trips.

Is this a reasonable way to see some of Germany for a first trip?

Switzerland - 7-9 days? Notice I don't have a specific region as I'm a bit overwhelmed. I know we're pretty far east going from Munich, but looking to drop the car in Munich and take a train (likely trains) to somewhere majestic such as Grindelwald or Interlaken or really anywhere. We'll fly out of Zurich and that region looked pretty reasonable for transport into the city if that makes sense. Our hiking days are pretty much in the rear view mirror :unsure:, we're looking to find one spot to settle, take tours or train rides - really just enjoy the view. We really are an open book for where to visit in the Alps on this last leg. We'll end up staying in Zurich for 2ish nights pre flight back, hence the 7-9 days.....

Any guidance is greatly appreciated! Thanks :-)

As someone who spends a month or more in Switzerland most years, your itinerary is a bit full on for me, but I can suggest a few areas in Switzerland.

Looks like you can get from Munich to Zurich via direct train - eight trains a day - in about 3.5 hours.

You don't mention time of year, which can make a huge difference in where to visit. Most first time visitors to Switzerland head for the Berner Oberland, but it's not an area I'd recommend in the summer as it's full on with tourists from throughout the world.

Areas to consider:

Berner Oberland -

https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-us/...nese-oberland/

Engadine - (note - there's an upper and a lower Engadine - with 9 days, I'd suggest four nights in each)

https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-us/...tions/engadin/

Ticino -

https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-us/...ations/ticino/

Valais -

https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-us/...ations/valais/

While not my personal favorite, a lot of people like the Lucerne region:

https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-us/...tions/lucerne/

And Montreux:

https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-us/...treux-riviera/

As for Munich, no need to rent a car. You can see plenty by public transport, and there's a lot to see in the area:

Mittenwald:

https://www.germansights.com/mittenwald/

Garmisch-Partenkirchen:

https://www.gapa-tourismus.de/en

Fussen:

https://www.fuessen.de/en/

Other cities, such as Augsburg:

https://www.germany.travel/en/cities.../augsburg.html

Bamberg:

https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/624/

Regensburg:

https://www.germany.travel/en/cities...egensburg.html

And of course, Salzburg, Austria, where you can spend another 4-5 days alone:

https://www.salzburg.info/en

I meant to add - we're planning for late August into September for our trip.....late spring would be an option as well....

In that case, I'd personally avoid the Berner Oberland like the plague.

For Switzerland, I'll second Melnq8's suggestion of the Engadine, with time split between the Upper and Lower areas. Or the area around Montreux / Lausanne.

There is a night train from Amsterdam to Berlin.
https://www.europeansleeper.eu/

Book it early - it is popular.

What interests you? What are you hoping for from your Amsterdam stay? Can you ride a bike?
What you have listed so far is well on the beaten path I'm afraid.

I just returned from Switzerland last week. Since you don’t hike you don’t have to stay long in the Berner Oberland. Most people stay about 2 nights. According to the locals August is peak tourist season but September is better since kids are back in school. September also apparently has best weather.

We based one year in St. Moritz and another year in Montreux. Both were just incredible, hard to decide, but decidedly different. Engedine was mountains, lakes, hiking, scenery, beauty, less crowded, more expensive. Montreux was warmer, more lakes and ferries, certainly access and proximity to the mountains but also day trips to France and other really fine places. Of the two I may choose Montreux simply for the variety and options. Use the trains no need for an auto. Either place would be great.

If you plan to visit Salzburg (IMO the better choice than Nuremberg, the nazi concentration camp of Dachau or the kitsch castle of Neuschwanstein), the next logical step would be a train ride to the Swiss Engadin Valley, may be liike this:
Salzburg dp by train 7.56 to Landeck ar 10.31, dp by bus 10.45 to Scuol ar 12.27, deposit your luggage at the railway station and enjoy the scenic village, the castle and the alpine thermal spa and proceed then by scenic train to your destination in the ENGADIN Valley (Samedan, Pontresina, Sils Maria or so). From threre you can go by train, bus or cableway to as many view points and glaciers as you like or proceed by Bernina Express or Palm Express to Lake Como or to Lugano in Southern Switzerland..........

This is great, and much appreciated! I agree that it’s perhaps too full as we typically pick a country and spend a few weeks to a month there. I’m not sure if we’ll get out to this area again and this is an attempt to thread the needle if you will.

Thank you again for taking the time, I’m going through all of your links, and knowing we don’t necessarily need a car in Munich is very helpful as well….

Hetismij2, I did see the night train from Amsterdam, looking at that. Yes, we ride bikes, want to do a boat tour, see museums. We just want to the experience of being there, meeting people from there. With only a week in the Netherlands we figured Amsterdam would allow for those things with a couple of trips outside the city. Yes, not exactly the road less travelled on that level….simply visiting 3 new countries is what I meant. It’s not a lot of time in each, so not easy.

If you do one of your daytrips to shift to the east of NL, it would help you with your travel into Germany. e.g: moving to around Apeldoorn and crossing the border from there, shaves 2.5 hours off your travel to Berlin on your travel day. Cross border train travel NL - GER is notoriously shoddy with only one option via Enschedé. European sleeper to Berlin needs to be booked early, and they're expanding next year. In general, Ams-Berlin takes 6 hours, but German Railways has a reputation for serious delays.

In Amsterdam, tourists are well shielded from any real Dutch experience, so maybe look for those outside of Amsterdam.

If you decide to cycle in Amsterdam, then get the bike renter to give you a chat about local rules of cycling. I love riding in the Netherlands but the big cities can be a little daunting

I usually advise people to rent bikes at Central Station, immediately take the ferry across to Noord and then go cycling along Nieuwendammerdijk to Durgerdam and beyond. It's in a protected countryside area and you don´t experience the breakneck pace of Dutch cyclists in Amsterdam centre.

The video says it's "rush hour¨, but this is an important through - route and intersection so the traffic is fairly constant there:
Ask yourself if you can function comfortably in this flow and then decide. I would advise against. If you get it wrong, you'll be cursed at.