We will be staying in Vilseck near US Army Base while visiting our son. We will be there for 10 days and are looking for advise on things to do. We already are planning to go to Nurnberg for the Christmas Market.
We were also trying to decide about going to Austria, the Czech Republic, or Poland.
We would really appreciate any advise or ideas you would be able to share. We have done alot of traveling in the US(all states except Alaska), but have never traveled abroad.

Thanks!
Rita & Gary

For 10 days I might go to Munich and Salzburg. Garmisch is also fun...you might ride up the Zugspite...depending on the weather. Rothenburg is a medieval town not too far from Nurnberg. YOu will find plenty to do in southern germany and austria without having to go to Poland or Czech rep. Will you be driving or taking the train? Is your son coming with you?

We wanted to take to weekend trips with our son. Vilseck is about 30 miles from the Czeck border, which is really much closer than Munich.
We will be driving his "89 BMW--hope it makes it!
We had been told that in the Czech Republic we could do some very inexpensive shopping, but how and where?

What do you recommend in Munich & Salzburg?

I think the best source of info might be from your son. Most bases in Europe have people who help with travel for personnel, employees, and anyone who has anything to do with America, basically. When I was in the military in Germany my parents visited and got travel perks and deals.

Here are some towns I've enjoyed in Northern Bavaria that make for good daytrips:

Bamberg (see the Vierzehnheiligen Basilica north of town too - Amazing "Rokoko" interior!)

Straubing (SE of Regensburg)

The towns of Weissenburg (old walled town), Eichstaett, and Pappenheim, huddled close together south of Nuremberg on and near the Altmuehl River

Wuerzburg, NE of Nuremberg, is a bit larger place, on the order of Nuremberg, with a pretty setting on the Main River and a fantastic palace known as the "Residenz".

For 21 Euros/day total, the 3 of you can ride the local and Regional trains on weekdays using the "Bayern Ticket" and travel to any town within Bavaria. Could be cheaper than gas alone for a daytrip, and it might make for an enjoyable change of pace. (There's a weekend daypass too good for all of Germany at 28 Euros per group of 5 traveling together.)

Rita, go to the "Search this Forum" box and type in the name Wes Fowler. Then go to the box to the right and scroll down and highlight "Germany." Press "Find." Wes was our resident Bavaria expert until his death several months ago. His advice is like gold.

ritajmae, jor is right. The base will definitely have an information center for military and their visitors. You should ask your son to look into that before you get there. They will have everything from tours you can take (with our without him) to pre-printed driving directions to most major sites and other items of interest. Also, you should have him check with someone on the base because I don't think you would be authorized to drive his car. You might want to be sure just in case.

There are some good suggestions for you in this thread. Best of which is to have your son chat with the base travel agency. If you are a "shopper" ask him to check with some of the ladies on the base (the officers wives) about the crystal and china factories in the towns along the Czech border and those that ran along what was the East/West border. It's been 20 years since I shopped them....but the bargains.....amazing....look for Kaiser, Heinrich and Nachtman factories. They should be very close by (if I recall corectly the town of Selb is central to the factories)

RITAJMAE: To properly respond, we should know more about your likes/dislikes re: castles/chateaus/cathedrals,
scenery (mountains, forests),
big city vs small village,
modern vs medieval,
intellectual vs not
interest (or dis-interest) in history, art, architecture, etc.

We are interested in variety of touring areas. We enjoy historic sites, castles,foods from different countries, shopping, smaller towns and scenery.
We are not terribly intested in art museums and busy cities.

Historic sites: Bamberg, Wurzburg (Residenz is very interesting) Bad Mergentheim, Rothenburg, Dinkelsbuhl, Neresheim
Castles: more than numerous. Put both "castles" and Germany in a search engine. There are probably >1000
Smaller towns and scenery:For a pleasant (not quaint) place which apparently Germans see as a resort, check into Gasweinstein, a small village maybe 50 miles NNE of Wurzburg in the foothills on the way to Czech Republic. Good for one day. Beautiful church with melodious "laughing" bells. Pension across the street. Not far from Pommersfelden, another beautiful castle (at one time belonged to prince bishop of Wurzburg,
Do make an effort to see Prague

Hey Rita,

I've had plenty of friends in the Army and Air Force that saw alot of Germany and Europe from the back of bus. I do know that there are plenty of bus tours that are organized by the travel agencies on the military bases. Don't know whether you have interest in that kind of thing. Might be a good idea. Let them figure out all of the planning. Simply get on the bus, go and enjoy. Besides, if you enjoy adult beverages, it may make better sense to have some one else do the driving.

If big cities turn you off, then try to avoid Munich and Salzburg. They are just too big and too crowded for me. I much prefer to be in the smaller villages and towns. There are plenty for you to choose from. Christmas is a wonderful time of the year in Germany and Austria.

Innsbruck in Austria was a great time for me. The city did a real nice job. Just keep in mind that much of Europe shuts down a few days before Christmas and doesn't open back up until after the New Years. Many of the shop keepers and inn keepers in the smaller towns do vacation that time of the year. Bigger cities aren't effected, but the smaller ones are.

You could head down to Kufstein. It's on the Austrian border, about an hour or so from Munich. From Kufstein you could get into St Johann and the Tirol region of Austria. Been there 5 times. Very few Americans. Doubt if the Grossglockner Street is open, but you could certainly drive towards this part of Austria.

As far as Salzburg is concerned. I'd much rather stay in a town like Berchtesgaden and do a short 55 minutes drive in Salzburg from Berchtesgaden. Plenty to do in that part of Germany

You can easily consider Rothenburg. This town is very touristy but you can certainly check it out. Everyone else seems to. Been there once, doubt if I'll go back any time soon. Too crowded.

You could drive into the old East German section of the country. there are some wonderful Christmas markets in the Dresden area. Alot of crystal to look at along with the town of Meissen where they make the special China.

Just a few thoughts for you. There is so much to do. keep in mind that the weather could be lousy that time of the year. It is rare to find a full day of sun. You probably won't get to see much of the landscape.

Anyway, have a great time. I'm still thinking about a week to Austria. Will probably stay in a small village called Elmau. 35 minutes from Kufstein.

ritajmae~~how was your trip to Germany?