deladeb

We are flying into Frankfurt and heading to the Berner Oberland region for 4 days. On our way we will have 2 days for this 5 hour drive. Where should we stop to see cute towns, castles, Churches, scenic views, lakes, alpine slides or interesting museums while heading the 2 days there?
What should we not miss in Germany/Switzerland on the remaining 5 days? (We've been to Heidelberg castle, Munich, Dachau, Neuschwanstein castle, Linderhof, Weiskirche, Rothenburg, Stein am Rhein, Burg Eltz, Herrenchiemsee, Lindau, Hallstatt, and the St Moritz region on previous trips). Thanks in advance for assistance.

PalenQ

How about the Mosel Valley and or The Rhine Gorge - The Mosel is the most gorgeous river valley in Germany if not Europe IMO - the Rhine is a more woradaky river with some nice things on it in the Rhine Gorge (between Koblenz south to Bingen.

Cochem is a picture-postcard town of your dreams - base there 2-3 days and explore the Mosel - up to Trier - one of Germany's oldest towns and one with lots of Roman ruins - The Mosel between Cochem and Bernkastel is gorgeous - little wine towns dot the sinuously twisting snake-like river valley.

Burg Eltz you've been to so maybe you've been to the Mosel and Rhine also?

Anyway - dreamy Cochem and the Mosel:

https://www.google.com/search?q=coch...=1600&bih=1075

The Mosel:

https://www.google.com/search?q=mose...=1600&bih=1075

And the Black Forest up from Freiburg - a cute town itself - makes for nice drives - a scenic way to Switzerland would be to wind your way thru the Black Forest area via Titsee and Seeburg with a dreamy Alpine lake - Donauschau (sp?) a cute town that is near the source of the Danube and then down via the Rhine Falls just inside Switzerland - go via Gstaad to taste another sweet Alpine resort.

neckervd

You may check
Alsace
or
Valais (if you like high mountains and easily accessible glaciers)
or
3 Lakes area (Lakes Neuchael - Murten - Biel)

texasbookworm

My favorite city in Germany is Trier--maybe head there, spend most of day, night, all next day, and then finish drive?

OR Worms is certainly worth a visit. And Speyer,too, is great for a few hours.

OR have you been to Mainz?

(and you know this drive will likely take more than 5 hours, depending on the traffic. Looks like you've traveled in Germany a good bit, so you are probably aware of some of the real snarls and traffic delays possible even on their excellent autobahns--and of course likely if take any more scenic routes. Probably preaching to the choir here!)

deladeb

Thank-you palenQ, neckervd and Texasbookworm. I had forgotten we've been to Trier, Mosel Valley, Alsace. I need to check my photo albums for Cochem. Bernkastel sounds familiar though.
I will definitely consider Worms, Speyer and Mainz, Valais, and the 3 lakes area of Neuchatel, Murten and Biel along with Titsee and Seeburg with it's lake, Donauschau (sp?)near the source of the Danube and go via Gstaad to see an Alpine resort.
Any other areas to suggest that pop into your head is appreciated.

Vttraveler

If you want to see Worms and Speyer you could also consider going along the Neckar Valley. Bad Wimpfen is an interesting historic town.

Wurzburg and the Main Valley would not be on your way south, but this area is near Frankfurt and also a good one to explore.

PalenQ

Worms and Speyer are nice enough towns but are not the old-worldish places of your dreams all in all I think - now the Neckar Valley and the Castle Road that hugs it between Heidelberg and Rothenburg most of the way is a really neat scenic road yes lined by castles - more than you'll see in the Rhine Gorge - and neat old cities - the Caslte Road is a great way to wind your way over to Bavaria.

Travelforbeer

If you want to spend 2 nights in towns that you haven't seen, try the first in Gengenbach and the second in Freiburg (per PalenQ's suggestion). Both are relatively close to A5 on the direct path between FRA and the BO. And if you only have one night to spend (this is 2 days to some folks) then choose either one.

Have a great trip!!!

neckervd

In my opinion, there is not much to see at Donaueschingen.
As to Gstaad, it seams that there are people who like it, me not; I prefer villages which are really in the Alps and from where you can see at least 1 glacier.

But Gstaad is still better than the whole Hinterzarten-Neustadt-Titisee-Schluchsee-Seebrugg thing.

PalenQ

But Gstaad is still better than the whole Hinterzarten-Neustadt-Titisee-Schluchsee-Seebrugg thing.>

Gstaad is a primo Alpine area which they will see enough of later.

the Black Forest drives are very scenic - can't drive around Gstaad much, just park the car there and use conveyances to get to the hills which again you will have seen up to your eyeballs in other places later.

neckervd

"can't drive around Gstaad much"

not less than around Titisee.
But as I said above, I prefer real alpine areas anyway.

PalenQ

No the Black Forest ain't an Alpine area and you walk around the Titisee - one of the most popular and sweet walks in Germany IME -you'll get all the dramatic Alps in Switzerland but what you won't get are those neat old German towns - a nice drive from Freibourg winds thru the Black Forest to Ulm, Germany and its stupendous cathedral and down to Lindau or Constance on the Bodensee and then to Switzerland.