Driving Tour - Austria, Bavaria, Switzerland
 

I'm looking for some trip ideas. Here is what I am working with:

Start/End points in Munich, Vienna, Prague?, Bern or Southern France. Travel by car. Munich for Oktoberfest (sept 22nd 2013). 10-12 over night stays. Don't think I wanna spend more than 2 days in each location (probably tour the host city for 1 day then day trip from there to surrounding areas). Points of interest: Eagle's Nest, Salzburg, Bavarian Castles, Bernese Alps, Innsbrouck) I'm just trying to get a good start/end point which would accomdate international flights at a reasonable price, 5-6 'home base' stops for 2 days.

After some thinking it may seem like too much time over a small region of land, maybe should be spread out more? I get a Deal with Hilton Hotels so larger cities can accomadate that, however I am not trying to stay too often in larger cities.

Any feedback would be helpful (points of interests, time allocation, regions, scenery, etc...)

Cost is a factor as well. Travel for 2 complete for about $6,000. I understand Rental Car fees for cross county drops is expensive but I am willing to pay that. I think I did enough research to say that $6,000 should be pretty close. I would like to travel parallel to the Alps (ie. not from Munich to Munich)

I don;t think it's too much time over a small area I think it's way too little time over an area with a plethora of things to see and do.

And why start/end in Munich - do an open jaw ticket into your first city and home from your last - saves time and costs no more.

IMHO Munich, Prague and Vienna need at least 3 days (4 nights each). Your other stops need at least 3 nights.

It looks like you are just checking names off a list rather than actually seeing or learning anything.

I don't plan on starting and ending in Munich. Most likely will Start in Vienna and End in Basel.

Rough Plan:
Cleveland to Vienna
Vienna - 2 nights
Salzburg - 2 nights
Munich - 2 nights
Innsbrouck - 2 Nights
Bern - 2 Nights
Basel - 2 Nights
Basel to Cleveland

Probably right about too little time however, Munich, Salzberg and Innsbrouck are all very close to each other so the days trips throughout that area should allow for ample time to see the sights and experience the culture.

"And why start/end in Munich - do an open jaw ticket into your first city and home from your last.."

OP never said he was starting and ending in Munich. He never said he was starting anywhere specific and specifically contemplates an open jaw.

" - saves time and costs no more."

You keep posting this about the cost of open jaws but it is not necessarily true. In fact, it is usually not true, especially when the OP makes it clear, as they do here, that they are driving and have accepted the cost of cross-border drops.


"It looks like you are just checking names off a list rather than actually seeing or learning anything."

That is an especially arrogant comment. Are you proud of that one?

Open jaw tickets do not typically cost any more since they are 1/;2 the price of the first city and 1/2 the price of the last city. If one city is further than the other and costs $100 more - than an open jaw ticket will cost $50 more than a RT to the nearer city and $50 less than the RT to the further city.

And, sorry - but spending half a day in a city and then part of a day in a daytrip IS checking off names on a list. the op hasn't allowed time to get form one place to another. How much can you actually learn about a city in half a day? If that isn't IITTMBB I don;t now what is.

I have been to all of these cities - a couple several times and some many times - on a number of different trips - some road trips - and while I don;t think Basel is the most exciting place in the world - any city deserves a full day. And just lumping Munich, Innsbruck and Salzburg into one set of close places - prevents you from really learning about any of them. (Which part do Mad Ludwig's Castles fall into - the day in Munich? the day outside of Munich? the day in Innsbruck?

Nytraveler seems like a douche. Dont comment on this thread anymore