We will be traveling with another couple next late Sept or early Oct. and we will be driving through Italy. Our last destination in Italy is Venice and we would like to continue into Bavaria. Can you suggest a itinerary that would take about 4 days and bring us back to Milan. We would love to see Salzburg as it is usually highly rated by many fodorites.

Let me see if I understand. You want to drive from Venice to Salzburg, into Germany and then end up in Milan all within 4 days?

The trip from Venice to Salzburg is about 5 hours without stops - so you would need to spend 2 nights there it see much of anything in the town and spend a few hours exploring the countryside.

To head from Salzburg into Germany would take about 3 hours to Munich - a little less to Southern Bavaria. But you would half a day and one night there and would then have to head directly back to Milan (about another 6 hour drive).

Suggest you either add more days - or stick to exploring the Salzburg area and not head into Germany if you want time to explore much.

All is not lost.
Drive 6 hrs to Southern Bavaria Garmisch-Partenkirchen via Venice-Verona-Innsbruck. Stay 3 nights G-P (2 full days).
1st full day see King Ludwig's castles, Wieskirche or Ettal,and Oberammergau. 2nd day the Passion Play, or Zugspitze, or Munich (1hr), or Salzburg(2hrs), or a castle you missed on day 1.

Next day-Drive to Milan via Garmisch- Vaduz-Lugano-Milan(about 6 hrs). If you have a 4th night stop along the way.
You have seen the best of Baveria.

I agree with nytraveler that a loop Venice to Salzburg into southern Bavaria then back to Milan is overly ambitious in four days.

hi bogger - <<Can you suggest a itinerary that would take about 4 days and bring us back to Milan. We would love to see Salzburg as it is usually highly rated by many fodorites. >>

so are lots of places bogger, but that doesn't mean that it's a good idea to combine them with a trip to Italy!!

you could do a much more relaxed 4 day trip just working your way from Venice to milan, via, for example, Verona, lake garda, [still just about in season, I think] Ravenna, bologna, and many other smaller places in between.

IMHO Salzburg and southern Bavaria would form a whole other trip which you would enjoy much more if you weren't so rushed.

Bogger - maybe consider dropping "Bavaria" and spending your time in Austria only, Slazburg, Kitzbuhel, Innsbruk for example

Thank you dugi-otok, that trip seems reasonable. I agree the trip I had first thought about is too much. Salzburg is out
and southern Bavaria seems possible. If the other couple isn't in agreement we can take annhig's advice and leisurely travel back to Milan via Verona etc. Thank you all for your advice.

bogger,

Have you thought about a drive through Italy's Dolomite region instead? Not only will you get spectacular alpine scenery and charming villages (most are very Austria in atmoshere), there's also the very beautiful old towns of Brixen/Bressanone, Bruneck/Brunico, Sterzing/Vipiteno, Bozen/Bolzano just to name a few. All (incl. the Dolomites themselves) within a days drive of either Venice and/or Milan.

Paul

Is there any end to the possibilities? It's very difficult to plan when Italy provides such beauty and travel experiences. I guess southern Bavaria is sooo tempting.

Highly agree with pja1!