tgb87

We (my parents, wife and I) are landing at Frankfurt in the 2nd week of May for 14 nights. Here is what I have so far.

1. We will be coming from the East and after an overnight flight, we will reach early morning. We will rent a car and drive to our hotel in Boppard. Depending on how we feel, we will probably spend most of the day in the hotel and around town.

2. We plan to take a cruise from Boppard to Koblenz in the morning. We might explore a few towns along the Rhine/Mosel in the second part of the day.

3. We were originally planning to drive through the Romantic Road. But my wife really wants to visit the Bernese Oberland. It'll be 6 hrs of driving and a 2 hr stop in either Colmar or Freiburg. Should arrive in Lauterbrunnenaround 6PM.

4. Depending on the weather, a trip to Jungfraujoch, Schilthorn or First, exploring the villages and some hiking.

5. More of the same. We will leave near 5PM for Fussen. (4 hr drive)

6. Neuschwanstein Castle and Fussen before heading for Salzburg. (3 hr drive)

7. Salzburg

8. Berchtesgaden and Konigssee (maybe some paragliding or even skydiving)

9. Hallstat before heading for Vienna in the evening.

10. Vienna

11. Vienna

12. Drive to either Zamek Lednice or Český Krumlov before Prague

13. Prague

14. Prague

15. Drive to Bohemian Switzerland before returning the car at Berlin's SXF and flying late night.

Is this a reasonable itinerary? Too much driving? I'm concerned we have too much planned, especially in the first half of our trip. We are generally relaxed on vacation, but don't mind spending time in the car. I'm also concerned after reading about driving in Europe. We have two drivers and when on vacation in the USA or UK, we routinely drive 5hr+.

We are flexible on the itinerary and willing to change a few things:
1) Bavaria instead of Berner Oberland
2) More time in Berner Oberland, Fussen by either skipping or reducing the time in Prague and/or Vienna.
3) Return the car on the German side near Salzburg and use the train from there. Fly from Prague instead of Berlin. A car will let us stop in Hallstat, Zamek Lednice and Bohemian Switerland. We will also have a bit of luggage. The cost will be slightly higher for the car, considering parking in the cities, but we don't mind spending that for convenience.

Fussgaenger

"2. We plan to take a cruise from Boppard to Koblenz in the morning. We might explore a few towns along the Rhine/Mosel in the second part of the day."

You'll be cruising the least scenic part if you try that. Take the train to Bingen and cruise back to Boppard - this cruise takes 2.3 hours. The map below showse Bingen-St. Goar, but St. Goar-Boppard is also good and worth the additional 45 minutes:

http://www.bingen-ruedesheimer.com/i...-valley290.jpg

Show your train ticket at the KD dock and you'll get a 20% cruise discount - that will nearly cover the cost of the train (train tickets are €10 each.)

"5. We will leave near 5PM for Fussen. (4 hr drive)... 6. Neuschwanstein Castle and Fussen before heading for Salzburg. (3 hr drive)"

You will love the Berner Oberland.

Neuschwanstein: not a real castle and not worth the hassle, IMO, for a 30-min. tour. For a much better experience, skip it and see the "real thing" across the Rhine (use the car ferry) from Boppard in the adorable town of Braubach.

Marksburg Castle: http://www.marksburg.de/en/
Braubach: https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4143/4...d7071291_b.jpg

Or tour Hohenwerfen just outside Salzburg:
http://www.markmarissink.com/wp-cont...n/DSCF0697.jpg
http://www.salzburg-burgen.at/en/wer...iten/index.htm

nytraveler

Sorry - too many places in too little time.

We have done numerous road trips in europe and in 2 weeks we would do no more than 4 stops/hotels. You can do day trips from that but staying in 6 different places and making trips every day is just too much driving and not enough seeing/doing.

Can;t tell you which to drop but I would definitely bag Neuschwanstein and probably skip the whole Fussen stop.

tgb87

Thanks for your reply. I will definitely keep in mind that I should go to Bingen instead of north. Braubach looks interesting too.

The drive from Lauterbrunnen to Salzburg is around 6 hours. We want to spend a good part of the day in BO before leaving. Fussen is a one hour detour. We could just drive through the shortest route and stop when we get tired.

tgb87

@nytraveler

What if we stayed an additional night in Bernese Oberland and just drive to Salzburg the next?

Fussgaenger

"I will definitely keep in mind that I should go to Bingen instead of north."

Right... but you don't want to get on the boat in Boppard and head to Bingen... That direction turns the exact same stretch of river from a 2.3-hour cruise into a FOUR-hour cruise because you'll be bucking the current. Train to Bingen first, boat back.