We just returned from Italy last week. It is NOT unbearably hot. My husband hates the heat and even he said it wasn't that bad. I would also urge you to reconsider Italy.

"We like to just go with the flow. Not looking for strict itineraries. Thinking of driving along the Rhine and photographing old castles."

The old-world towns and the natural scenery you will find here will compete heavily with the castles for some camera-attention. Strongly recommend a journey up the Mosel River toward as well for similar treats.

Burg Eltz (near Moselkern) - http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/73...6bfc1e8b96.jpg

Cochem - http://www.der-takt.de/typo3temp/_pr...087e83a8d1.jpg

"Do we need to book hotels ahead of time or can we just find B&B's as needed."

Probably but it could be time-consuming and result in left-overs at a price you don't want to pay. I would look for an apartment for a week or so in some town central to both river valleys. Then you can wander at whim from day to day and not fuss with room-finding.

The link below has lots of listings for this region. I saw good availability in August at a rental in Alf (Ferienwohnung Arras, in the Moselle/Zeller Land area.) Alf is a wine village with its own castle (Arras) and lots of scenic hiking trails. It would make a good base for the Mosel and possibly for day trips to the Rhine. You can check the availability calendars for the other area listings as well.

https://www.vacation-apartments.com/...nd-palatinate/

The thousands and thousands of northern Europeans who head for the Greek Islands in July and August apparently don't think it's too hot. True, Athens and parts of the mainland are very hot in mid-summer, but the islands are cooler due to northerly winds. Weather forecasts for Paros in the Cyclades, for example, show high temperatures over the next week to be around 30°C, which is 86°F. Central Athens during the same period will be about 5°C hotter.

Cnote- we had reservations on Delta to Stuttgart 2 days after 9-11. Of course all flights were grounded. However, flights were allowed a few days later so we only missed the first 3 days of our vacation. Interesting part of this story is that the entry passport control at the Stuttgart Flughafen was not staffed. At any rate, unless you are worried about the political situation in Turkey, I wouldn't cancel your vacation just yet. Hopefully the flights will be resumed in time for your vacation to proceed with minimal disruption.

Have a great trip!!!

concur with the above comments about the Mosel review valley - also travelling through the Alsace region of France (which is along the Rhine) is intriguing, especially if you like white wine!

If you do make a detour into Luxembourg, and are interested in WWII history. a visit to the American Cemetery with Gen Patton's grave is worth a look.

concur with the above comments about the Mosel review valley - also travelling through the Alsace region of France (which is along the Rhine) is intriguing, especially if you like white wine!

If you do make a detour into Luxembourg, and are interested in WWII history. a visit to the American Cemetery with Gen Patton's grave is worth a look.

sorry about the duplicate - local computer problem.

Cnote- missed your comment about cancellation to MmePerdue so ignore my "stay the course" recommendation.
Prague/Munich/Rhine/Mosel as suggested by Fussg would make a good 2 week trip. Prague/Munich/Paris would also make a good 2 week trip but it is all big cities. Prague/Munich/Bernese Oberland would give you more variations, but Switzerland is not cheap.

Have a good trip!!!