My husband and I won a trip to Germany: flights from Canada to Dusseldorf, 6 nights at any Romantik Inn, a car for a week and a train pass (4 out of 30 days). We will be travelling for 2 weeks. Of course we will need to supplement the car/train. When we arrive in Dusseldorf we would like to travel by train to Berlin. Before we fly home we'd like to spend the last few days in the Mossel Valley. What do we do for the other 8 days? We have many thoughts - not enough time. I find it very difficult to get a handle on driving distances. Our thoughts are Dresden, Quedlingburg, Wurtzburg, time in the Bavarian Alps. Any suggestions?
Barbara

How nice for you! I don't have as much to add as some posters but this will bring your question to the top and hopefully you'll get more help.

We went to Germany in May: two nights in Mosel (don't miss Burg Eltz!!); one night in Rothenburg ob der Tauber (recommended!); three nights in Munich. Bavaria was just gorgeous. I've heard great things about Wurzburg and Quedlinburg.

We also had a railpass and just loved the ease of hopping on and off at will. Don't bring too much luggage, though as it gets heavy!

Hoping some others can add to this for you.

I love Bavaria and would definately recommend that your consider spending your extra time in Munich, Salzburg and the Bavarian Alps (with all of Ludwig's Castles).

I need visual representations to help my planning so I get a new map of the area and draw circles in 50 mile (about an hour's driving time) around my base of operations. That way I can see how far I can get in all directions in about one hour, two hours, three hours, etc.

You can also quickly find out driving times and distances on Mapquest or ViaMichelin.Com. You don't need or want a car in the big cities because of parking and driving issues so you might plan accordingly. Almost every big city in Europe has excellent public transportation.

Enjoy your trip.

Thanks AisleSeat for the Michelin web site. This gives me lots of help when planning the driving.

I have never been to Germany, but have been planning a fall trip for a while now, so I can offer some suggestions based on my research. I doubt you will need to supplement the car/train. But you will obviously need more hotels nights!

How about something like this - similar to my itinerary, but in reverse! I am assuming your 2 weeks actually includes the extra weekend, giving 16 days.

1. Arrive Dusseldorf, catch train that afternoon to Berlin. (3 nights)
2. Berlin
3. Berlin
4. Train to Dresden (2 nights)
5. Dresden
6. Train to Munich (3 nights)
7. Munich
8. Munich
9. Pick up car and drive the long way through Garmisch to Fussen (2 nights)
10. See King Ludwigs Castles / Bavaria
11. Drive along Romantic Road, stopping in towns along the way to Rothenburg (1 night)
12. Rothenburg and Drive to Wurtzburg (2 nights)
13. Wurtzburg
14. Drive to Mosel (Cochem?) stopping in Rhine towns on the way (2 nights)
15. Mosel
16. Drop car in Koblenz, and take train to Dusseldorf for flight home.

I am not familiar with Romantic Inns, but if possible spend your free nights in more expensive Berlin and Munich.

When will you do this trip? Some of the places you may wish to visit depend on the seaon and what the weather will be like then.

Generally, I like Sockboy's itinerary, except that I think (and I know others agree with me) that Fuessen-Neuschwanstein is terribly overrated. So, you might stay in Garmisch and take the cog-railway up the Zugspitz Mountain, or add a "Garmisch Day" to your Munich stay, deciding on the spur of the moment when to go there by train, depending on the weather. In that case, get a Bayern Karte at the RR station. It costs EUR 19.00, is good for both of you for unlimited travel between the times of 9:00AM and 3:00AM the next day. There are frequent trains to Garmisch. (http:bahn.de)

Or, get a car and drive the scenic route to Berchtesgaden, drive up to the Obersalzberg and change to a bus to the Kehlsteinhaus (Hitler's former teahouse). Magnificent view. Drive back to Munich the fast way, on the autobahn, perhaps stopping in Prien (Bernau exit) to visit King Ludwig's palace on the Herreninsel (island) in the Chiemsee (lake).

Let me know if you want more details.

You mentioned Quedlinburg, and I think that it, and the nearby towns of Wernigerode, Blankenburg, Thale and Halberstadt are well worth a detour. But they lie well west of Berlin so you would need to do them as soon as your Berlin stay is over.

Where do you pick up the car? If you have a choice, then take it in Berlin, take in the afore-mentioned area (2 nights), make an early start and then head via Goettingen due south to Würzburg (you could be there by 11am, and it can be adequately visited in a day) and then over to Nuremberg for the night.

Use the rest of your car-hire to see the Alps (two nights), the Neckar (Heidelberg und nearby - two nights) and the Rhine (Mainz and nearby - 2 nights) and then you can train it to the Mosel valley from wherever you drop the car off (Frankfurt?) and have three nights there (if my calcualtions are correct.

If the worst comes to the worst you can buy a train ticket or two to complete your trip.

Enjoy!

Harzer

Like I said, I haven't actually taken my trip yet. I appreciate treplow's comment on Fussen. I myself have been waffling back and forth on spending time there, or adding it to Munich and taking a day trip. Other parts of Bavaria do sound much more appealing, but I would like to see the castles at least from the outside.

I agree with Treplow--Fussen is very overrated. Time better spent in the Wurzburg and Cochem/Mosel area. Have a great trip!

Lots of folks with differing opinions of the Füssen/Schwangau area. Mine is that it is a wonderful section of Germany - well worth a visit. With the Royal Castles, the Wieskirche, Oberammergau, the Ettal, and Linderhof all in the same vicinity - I just don't see how anyone can say it's 'overrated'. Versus what alternative? One or two extra days in Munich? I don't see it...

Someone also writes that "Neuschwanstein is terribly overrated". I don't get it... I know the difference between a real castle and Neuschwanstein and I realize the interior tour might not match some other great buildings but how can anyone say she isn't magnificient sitting up there above Hohenschwangau and St. Coloman. Millions of people have visited Ludwig's creations and have been impressed. I certainly am. You seldom find negative comments about this section of Bavaria except for it being 'touristy'. Of course it's touristy - it's a great place to visit - at least once in your travels. The trick is to visit when it's 'less touristy'.

Thanks for all your suggestions. We are narrowing in on 3 nights in Berlin, eliminating Dresden. Take the train south to Munich, pick up a car and spend 4 nights around Garnish Partenkirchen. We would then drive the Romantic Road north to stay at Bamberg for 2 nights, then on to the Mossel area for 4 nights. I think this is more relaxed. We prefer to stay more than 1 night in any location. We won't be able to get to Quedlinburg I guess.

Hulladaze,

Now that you have decided to include the Bavarian alps in your vacation you will be surprised to find out how close things are to each other. From Garmish, Mittenwald is about 20 miles, Oberammergau is @ 20 miles the other way and you go right by the Etal Monestary on the way, not to mention the turn off to Schloss Linderhoff which is just a few miles. A little further down the road is Wieskirche and then it is just a few miles to Fussen/Schwangau. We like to stay in UnterPinswang just on the Austrian side of the border from Fussen in a little working farm gasthaus called Gasthaus von Schluxen.

Dispite what other people have said. Neuschwanstein is the most famous castle in the world, even though is wasn't used much after it was built. You owe it to yourself to see it while you are there. You can get a double ticket that also gets you into Hohenschwangau which is very close, to see how people who lived in castles really lived.

The trip to the top of the Zugspitze out of Garmish could be spectacular if the weather is clear. If not you may not get the views because of the clouds.

I envy you winning this as a prize. You should have a great time. While you are in Munich treat yourself to a Bavarian dinner at the Augustiner Restaurant in the fussganger zone. Try the weiss-wurst with sweet "Munchner" mustard with a side of blau kraut and a Mas of Helles Beir. MMMMM!

Actually, Neuschwanstein is a real castle. It just isn't real old. It is the fantastic creation of a fevered imagination--and the entire history of Bavaria during Ludwig's reign is wrapped up in that confection. And it is real pretty up there.

Just because it isn't 1,000 years old doesn't mean it isn't worth a visit.

Be sure to see Burg Eltz when you visit the Mosel--another pretty castle, much older than Neuschwanstein and very well preserved, although Eltz doesn't have as interesting a history.

AisleSeat -- I agree -- staying at the Gutshof zum Schluxen is a great location; you can walk through the woods, across the Austrian-German border, to Neuschwanstein.

> Try the weiss-wurst with sweet "Munchner" mustard with a side of blau kraut

Weißwürste und Blaukraut sounds repulsive. Did they really offer you this combination??

Weisswurst at dinner? Ach, du Lieber!

Weisswurst must be eaten before noon, with sweet mustard, pretzels (actually Brezen), and beer. Don't eat the skin.

Dinner? Gott im Himmel!!!!!!

Right.. Sadly, nowadays they do anything to make money, even serving Weißwürste to tourists in the evening with Blaukraut! Or maybe even let them eat the skin. Just what has happened to our culture...

logos--it's the insidious influence of the almighty Euro!

AisleSeat--though I bet the Weisswurst still tasted pretty good even if it was after the noon hour.