Bavarian Alps vs. Swiss Alps
 

I'm planning a trip next summer for 12 days with 2 teenage daughters. Would like to stay longer but am on frequent flier tickets so I had to take what they had. I had hoped to cover 5 days in Paris, 3 days in Berner Oberland, and 4 days in Bavaria but every itinerary I try seems too rushed...and two days lost with Paris-Switzerland and then Switzerland to southern Germany. Should I forego the Berner Oberland area and just spend those days in southern Germany doing the Bavarian Alps instead of the Swiss Alps? I have alwasyd dreamt of seeing those oh-so-high Jungfrau area peaks, but I don't want to feel so rushed we don't enjoy it. Are the Bavarian Alps just as lovely/impressive...or would I be settling for second best?

The Bavarian Alps are by far not as impressive as the Swiss Alps (Berner Oberland in your case). Almost no glaciers in the Bavarian Alps.

I'd probably skip the Bavarian Alps, though your original itinerary doesn't sound too rushed to me.

Although I love Bavaria, if you have never seen the Swiss Alps, I think you need to go there.

To make your trip less rushed, consider skipping Bavaria and spending the 7 days in an apartment in the Swiss Alps to soak in the atmosphere. Lots of hiking and day trip opportunities.

My husband and I have just returned from the Swiss Alps and the scenery is magnificent. We rented an apartment in Interlaken for 3 weeks and had a Swiss Rail Pass. Interlaken is a good base as the mountains (Jungfrau, Monch and Eiger) are so close and the pass also includes ferries and buses. The Swiss travel system is so good, always on time and the trains are very clean. There are lots of walks in this area. We went in May which was not crowded with tourists. They had had a late snow fall and some of the paths were covered so maybe the middle to end May would be safer. Good luck - we plan to go back.

I really love Germany and Bavaria but the thing about the Berner Oberland is the mountains are right in your FACE! It is just absolutely gorgeous.

If it was me, I'd do the 5 days in Paris, 4-5 days in the Berner Oberland and 2-3 days on Bodensee which borders Germany and Switzerland. We loved Meersburg but Lindau is really pretty too. And if you love flowers, you can take a short boat trip to Mainau Island. I have never seen such a beautiful array of flowers and they should be in full bloom in summer.

http://www.meersburg.de
http://www.mainau.de/htdocs/en/0101.htm

Swiss Alps win.
Specifically consider Wengen.. my 12 yr wants to move their .. really, we toured all over Europe this summer, 14 day tour, Rome, Venice, Florence, Wengen, Burgundy and Paris. PLus we did 12 days on our own in Paris.

She loved Paris and Wengen the best, but wants to live in Wengen.

It seems pretty unaninimous....the Swiss Alps it is! The reason we are doing Bavaria also is that I would love to see the Ludwig Castles, Rothenburg and also experience Dachau. The next task is figuring out the itinerary for that part....I think I"ve decided to take the train to Karlsruhe as it is no changes after Interlaken. Then renting a car in Karlsruhe and driving to Rothenberg and spending the late afternoon, evening and some of the next morning. Then driving to Dachau in time for an early afternoon tour, then onto Fussen. The next day will be castles, luge and drive to Munich. That gives us the night in Munich, and the following day and evening before our flight out at noon the following day. Those last few days are what feel too rushed to me, and I don't like staying at three different locations over four night, but it is the only way I can figure out how to do it.

I dissent from the unanimity...

>> Are the Bavarian Alps just as lovely/impressive...or would I be settling for second best? <<

IMHO, the area around Berchtesgaden is VERY "lovely/impressive". And scenic too!

So is the area around Garmisch with the Zugspitze and the Leutaschtal nearby. You're practically there when in Füssen.

>> Those last few days are what feel too rushed to me, and I don't like staying at three different locations over four night, but it is the only way I can figure out how to do it. <<

I think that "settling for second best" might be a better option than
feeling "too rushed".

True, there are no glaciers in the Bavarian Alps. But that doesn't mean that they aren't beautiful in their own very special way!

I'm not sure if price is a factor but Austria provides some gorgeous alps for better value (IMO).

They are better than southern Germany's but not quite equal to the Swiss.

See some of my trip reports for details...