AandED

We'll be in Vienna and Salzburg in mid-August, en route to Spa, Belgium for the F1 race there. We originally thought we'd head to Brugge for ~3 days either before or after Spa but are now wondering, given our stops in Austria, if we should seriously consider skipping Brugge and going to medieval Bavaria instead for a more well-rounded trip. I can't find a post comparing these two areas so am hoping for opinions from Fodorites that have been to both. Further, if medieval Bavaria is recommended instead, which town(s) we should see and/or stay in (Passau vs. Regensburg vs. Rothenburg) on whether we should drive there from Salzburg or take a train?

We're in our early 40s and travel at a relaxed pace, preferring stay in apartments a la AirBnB vs. hotels and 'act local' wherever we go (e.g., hang out in town plazas & watch life go but, with some culture mixed in). The full trip is about 2 weeks - 5-6 days in Vienna, 2-3 in Salzburg, 2-3 somewhere else (re: this post!), 3 days based in Aachen for the F1 races.

full disclosure: here's an earlier inquiry I've made on this trip with more about us and our itinerary if curious: http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...erary-help.cfm)

Thanks in advance for your help!

AandED

P.S. sorry about the crappy grammar and spelling - the iPad is not optimal for all things!

dfourh

I'm not a big fan of Brugge in high season - - it is packed [and, for me, pardon my French (Dutch?) it is just a bit too polished and prissy]. And did I mention packed? You will likely find as many charms in Bavaria, with a bit more ease and breathing room to enjoy them.

dfourh

P.S. I would stay in Regensburg and/or Bamberg. Passau is super nice, but smallish. Regensburg is remarkable - - a miracle how it survived the bombings. Bamberg has what is perhaps the best preserved medieval center in Bavaria. Rothenburg is really worth seeing, but it is also a bit high on the polished/prissy-meter.

LSky

Brugge is only Brugge, meaning that it's only one town and a bit of a distance (imo, a little boring but that's another debate.)

You're instincts to stay in Germany are excellent and the Romantic Road is a great place to start.

brendonb29

Brugge is gorgeous, but not much to do besides the canals, Church of the Holy Blood, Our Saviors Church, Chocolate and Lace. The Mosel and Rhein are incredible. I love the towns of: Bernkastel-Kues, Monschau, Trier, Cochem, St.Goar, Bacharach, Regensburg, Bamberg, Heidelburg, Rothenburg.

AandED

Thank you, that is so helpful! We really don't like being crushed by tourists - this is what turned us off on previous trips to Barcelona and Prague. (For the same reason, we have always avoided Europe in July and Aug but this time it can't be helped due to a number of factors).

Do you recommend having a car in this area or taking the train?
How many days do you recommend? We can take some from Vienna...

Thank you again!