Just for the record:

The fortress at Carcassonne is a thorough reconstruction by Eugene Viollet-Le-Duc, done over a span of about 10 years, ending in 1853 or so.

Ah, zeppole, thanks for that. I looked at the website and the city looks impressive.

Guess that makes Rothenburg even more special since the medievel buildings there are actually, well, medievel!

DAX says... "I absolutely wouldn't sacrifice/reduce Salzburg for those dinky towns along the Rhine or Mosel."

In defense of the Rhine/Mosel...

Salzburg's attractions lie within a relatively snug area - a day and a half works there IMO on a tightly scheduled itin like this one - but it requires a bit more travel and time to see the Rhine/Mosel region, to make your way to and through the castles there, to take a hike or a bike ride or a river cruise, to visit a winery... and to maybe even relax briefly from the otherwise hectic schedule Bjork has penciled out. The "varied scenery" Bjork is looking for would be much less varied without the Rhine/Mosel area.

That said, Bjork, you are visiting some choice destinations, and it's hard for you to go wrong - just leave yourselves a little time to see the places you go.

I too love the towns along the Mosel River -- in particular, Beilstein and Bernkastle-Kues. Burg Eltz is a lovely castle near Cochem that is still inhabited. Trier is a large city but it is the oldest city in Germany with some interesting Roman ruins.

The castles on the Rhine make a visit worthwhile but it is a much busier river than the Mosel so not as charming in my opinion.

As Russ says, the sights in Salzburg are in a small area and can easily be explored in a day. I love Salzburg. It is a beautiful city with excellent views from the Hohensalzburg Fortress.

We've been to Germany numerous times and are still finding amazing sights tucked away in every corner!