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Finalizing Itinerary looking for suggestions:
I posted earlier including Switzerland but after everyone helping and pouring over all suggestions here is the new request. We cut Switzerland: Looked at everyone's suggestions. And after some research have decided we are more hike/bike/small towns people and not so much city. We want to see Salzburg-Vienna-Munich highlights but would really like to get out in the countryside. So with that said. Here is a 1st draft of that kind of itinerary. It still has holes and I think could really use some help. So feel free to pick it apart.Thank You.

May 24 - Arrive Munich pick up rental car drive to Salzburg.
Spend 4 nights at Haus Am Moos
Day 1 :See Salzburg City attractions
Day 2: Berschtesgaden/Eagles Nest
Day 3: King Ludwig Castle
Day 4: Check out of Haus Am Moos and drive to Salzkammergut region

May 28 - 1 night stay in St Wolfgang area or Bad Ischl- In that area would like to take the Cog Rail - Possible hikes - 5 fingers- Dachstein Cave etc
May 29- Drive to Hallstatt- Stay over night - Salt Mine- hike etc
May 30 - Drive to Vienna stay 3 nights. In an apartment Neutragasse C 7th District-See city highlights
June 2- Drive to Melk area and bicyle along Danube between Durnstein and Melk / boat etc. Overnight in Durnstien?
June 3- Drive to Munich- See highlights of Munich for 3 days
June 6- Either stay in the Fussen area to see Neuschwanstein or make this more nights in Munich and Fussen is just a day trip.
June 9- Fly out of Munich

Which King Ludwig Castle are you referring to on Day 3?

Hi T,

Looks good to me.

I guess that you will visit Herrenchiemsee from Salzburg.

>Either stay in the Fussen area to see Neuschwanstein or make this more nights in Munich and Fussen is just a day trip.<

Stay in Fuessen and, since you have a car, visit Linderhoff. I think it is the best of Ludwig's castles.

We enjoyed the Hotel Zum Hechten, which seems to have been recently renovated. http://www.hotel-hechten.com/

((I))

Thanks Bettyk and Ira I was referring to -Neuschwanstein Castle but I like Ira's idea to visit Linderhoff. I also like the idea of staying in Fuessen so I will build that in and work on the hotel mentioned today. Quick question: I am stuck on 2 parts.

1.In the Salzkammergut region- I broke up the nights and am staying in St Wolfgang area and 1 night Hallstatt. Does it make more sense to spend 2 nights in one place and see the area? Where is that one spot. I seem to be in love with Hallstatt from pictures but maybe I need to get over staying the night:)

2.Regarding the drive from Melk area to Munich- All in one day or break it up and stay a night somewhere along the way back.

Thanks again - I really appreciate the help.

Teresa

I hope you realize that the drive from Salzburg to Fussen is over 3 hours each way--not a good idea.

The reason I asked was because you also mention Neuschwanstein on June 6th.

We love BOTH St. Gilgen on Wolfgangsee and Hallstatt so I understand your dilemma. That said, I think Hallstatt is a better experience if you do stay the night. So many people come in during the day on tour buses so it is less crowded in the late afternoon and evening. I suggest you do a day trip to either St. Gilgen or St. Wolfgang depending on whether you want to go up on the Schafbergbahn from Wolfgang or take the cable car up to the Zwolferhorn.

http://www.visit-salzburg.net/surrou...olfgangsee.htm

http://www.salzkammergut.at/en/nix-0...berg_Bahn.html

We travel by train and spent three nights in St. Wolfgang and one of our day trips was to Bad Ischl and Hallstatt. There is no train from BI to SW but a handy bus and we never tired of the short very scenic drive between the two places. We took train from BI to Hallstatt and a boat meets the train to take you across the lake. A beautiful sight to see. Hallstatt is small so we were able to see H and BI in one day.
We also spent two nights in Fuessen to go to Neuschwanstein and then three nights in Mittenwald.While Fuessen is nice it did not have the charm of Mittenwald. With a car you will have lots of flexibility and choices.

Hi,

Concerning the Salzkammergut... I'd stay in 1 place for 2 nights. Example: St. Gilgen to Hallstatt is only about a 30 to 40 minute drive. I wouldn't change hotels 2 daus in a row for for that distance. FYI: Salzburg to Hallstatt is less than a 1:30 drive.

Neuschwanstein is 10 minutes from Fuessen. We also stayed at the Hotel zum Hechten in Fuessen. Twice actually. I would spend the nights in Fuessen. Besides Neuschwanstien and Hohenschwangau castles, there's the Tegelberg cable car and Sommerrodelbahn (luge ride) about a mile from these castles. The Zugspitze, from nearby Ehrwald, Austria, is also another "thing to do" while based in Fuessen. Linderhof also, as mentioned previously.

Just a suggestion... For the Salzburg/Berchtesgaden part, if the Haus am Moos is not booked, I'd suggest staying in the Berchtesgaden area. We love staying in Ramsau bei Berchtesgaden for our visits to the Salzburg/Berchtesgaden area. Just a thought.

Another thought is I'd make Fuessen my first stop, and the Vienna/Melk/Munich stops at the end of the trip. Just seems more logical to me. What you have is fine, but for me, I'd rather not have 2 Munich visits, meaning June 3, 4 and 5 in Munich, a couple of nights in Fuessen and then need to go back to Munich (or the airport area) for your flight home. This way you could return the car upon arriving in Munich and spend your last 3 nights. You most likely won't need a car in Munich anyway. Just some thoughts.

Paul

Hi all-
Thanks ! Your right bettyk I meant Neuschwanstein on the 6th and Herrenchiemsee as a day trip out of Salzburg.:)
Also Bettyk I think you are right we will stay 2night in Hallstatt and day travel to some of the sights in that area.

Paul- I think your idea is great and am going to make those changes.( BTW we have to go to Salzburg 1st to pick up daughter from a semester abroad that is why I am starting trip in Salzburg) I think I am concerned about 5 of us in the car from Melk area to Fuessen maybe I need to build a night somewhere along the way. I realize that is over a 4 hr drive. I have these tickets that I have to fly in and out of Munich. So I am stuck coming back from Vienna. I sometimes wonder if I should cut Vienna and concentrate on a big circle area of Munich-Salzburg etc? Thoughts? If not then I think the above itinerary with a few minor tweaks is pretty close:) Thanks to everyones help.Below is an updated itin per suggestions:

May 24 - Arrive Munich pick up rental car drive to Salzburg.
May 25 - Get to know Salzburg
May 26 - Berchtesgaden/Eagles Nest/ Konigsee
May 27 - Herrenchiemsee ?
May 28 - Drive to Hallstat ( stopping along the way St Wolfgang / Cog railway etc
May 29 - Hallstatt salt mines/ dachstein caves / etc
May 30 - Drive to Vienna stopping along the way 3.5 hr drive
May 31 - Vienna (get to know city)
June 1 - Must see's of Vienna
June 2 - Check out of Vienna drive to Melk area ( not sure where staying yet. Booking biking from Krems to Spitz or some biking on Danube with boat ride. Staying one night in the area. Might change mind and just make this a day trip out of Vienna (not sure)
June 3 - Melk to Fuessen 2 nights Fuessen ( long day not sure if want to break this up.
June 4 - Fuessen - See Neuschwanstein sights/cable car / luge ride etc
June 5 or 6 - Fuessen to Munich
June 6 or 7 - Munich
June - 9 Fly out of Munich home to Seattle

To stay with you're most recent revision, I'd stay nights 6/6, 6/7 and 6/8 (6/8 is not on your list above) Munich. If you left Fuessen early enough on 6/5, you'd have the better part of the day arriving in Munich plus the entire next day.

This allows you, if you feel it's necessary, to spend the night (6/3) between Melk and Fuessen in Prien (on the Chiemsee, where Herrenchiemsee Palace is). This way you don't need to take a day from Salzburg to "backtrack" to Herrenchiemsee. Prien is about the midpoint of your longest drive (Melk to Fuessen). It still allows for 2 nights in Fuessen, 6/4 and 6/5.


May 24 - Arrive Munich pick up rental car drive to Salzburg.
May 25 - Get to know Salzburg
May 26 - Berchtesgaden/Eagles Nest/ Konigsee
May 27 - Herrenchiemsee ?
May 28 - Drive to Hallstat ( stopping along the way St Wolfgang / Cog railway etc
May 29 - Hallstatt salt mines/ dachstein caves / etc
May 30 - Drive to Vienna stopping along the way 3.5 hr drive
May 31 - Vienna (get to know city)
June 1 - Must see's of Vienna
June 2 - Check out of Vienna drive to Melk area ( not sure where staying yet. Booking biking from Krems to Spitz or some biking on Danube with boat ride. Staying one night in the area. Might change mind and just make this a day trip out of Vienna (not sure)
June 3 - Melk to Prien - stay 1 night, see Herrenchiemsee Palace
June 4 - Prien to Fuessen
June 6 - Fuessen
June 7 - Fuessen to Munich
June 8 - Munich
June 9 - fly home

If you do the drive Melk to Fuessen, it's going to be about 4 to 5 hours, mostly on highways. My wife and I did a similar lenght drive from Rothenberg to Berchtesgaden a few years ago. Not our best day, but not terrible. We left Rothenberg around 9:30 or so and were in Berchtesgaden before 3pm. Still had time to check in, relax, unwind and go spend a nice evening out.

Paul

I just noticed I left out June 3... you could add this to one of your stops, Prien, Fuessen or Munich.

Just a note, Prien to Fuessen is about 2:30 and Fuessen to Munich is maybe 2 hours.

Sorry, I meant I left out June 5th! Where's the edit button!