Bavaria, Switzerland, Northern Italy, Austria
 

We are planning a 10 day visit to this area at the end of the month and are trying to decide on the best course of action. We know we are going to explore Bavaria (my family has roots in Wurtzberg) and are going to Salzberg (to visit friends) We are flying in and out of Munich. We will have a car. My question, is this too little time to do all 4 areas, or do we narrow it down to either Switzerland or Northern Italy??? We've never been to Switzerland and while we've been to Venice, our friends have not and we've never done the Lakes!
We arrive Sunday morning and were planning on starting in Germany and working our way to Austria. We leave the following Tuesday and will be traveling back to Munich from Salzberg.

Your only fixed locations are Munich and Salzburg (and possibly Venice), right?
I hope you just mentioned Würzburg, but not plan to go there as well?! It would be in a completely different direction...

Just a few generic facts for starters:

End of August will be another high season on the autobahns, esp. south-north, as many school vacations come to an end in Germany and neighboring countries.

In Venice, your car will sit idle in a garage (but you probably know that already)

Switzerland is currently very expensive, especially against the US dollar. If you allow for general simplifications, you can calculate the same budget for one day in Switzerland as for 2-3 days in Germany or Austria.

10 days is not a whole lot of days. Especially not to see central Switzerland -- but there is a possibility to incorporate scenic parts of Eastern Switzerland into a loop from/to Munich.

Munich
Garmisch (Linderhof palace, Ettal monastery) or
( or Füssen (Wieskirche, Neuschwanstein, HOhenschwangau))
AUSTRIA
Landeck
Nauders
SWITZERLAND
Scuol
(loop around Swiss Nationalpark, from Scuol it's Hwy 27/28)
ITALY
Lago di Garda
Verona
Venice (IMO, 2 nights minimum)
Dolomites region / Cortina
AUSTRIA
Lienz (NOT Linz)
Grossglockner Alpine Road
Salzburg
GERMANY
Munich

I will not say that this is a leisurly or feasible itinerary for 10 days.
It's quite rushed, and the aforementioned place names are more waypoints to check the route on a map. Not saying that you will have time to see all. You will need to make a selection
The lakes region with L. Maggiore, L. di Como, etc. would be too far west/ out of the way if Venice was a fixed destination in the east.

>Nauders
plus tax free Samnaun for "cheaper" gas and booze.
It's not that cheap anymore since the Franc skyrocketed, but still one liter at 1.25€ plus all sorts of imported booze, watches etc.

In Samaun, they still sell Ethanol and "bio"diesel free fuels.
No food for fuel!

Hi dr,

>planning a 10 day visit to this area at the end of the month and are trying to decide on the best course of action<

A: It certainly isn't visiting 4 major venues in 10 days.

B: The end of THIS month?

I suggest Munich for 2 nights, a drive down to Neuchwanstein (3 nights) with visits to Oberramergau, Linderhof and the Wieskirche, then up the Romantic Road to Rothenburg-ob-der-Tauber (3 nights) with a visit to Wurzburg. Your last day is a quick drive back to Munich for an overnight before you fly home.

Enjoy Bavaria.

((I))

Agree that doing 4 different areas in 10 days (and is that 10 days on the ground or are you conting the days yuo land and depart- meaning you have only 8 days) is really way 2 much. I wod limit myself to 2 places at the most - oryou will spend 75% of your vacation nust getting from one place to another.

(I'm not against road trips - have done many of them - but not somany places inso little time.)

Thanks all. The 10 days does not include the travel days. We were already thinking of limiting ourselves to 2 or 3 places! Just wanted some input and you all have been very helpful!