I am spending 21 days in Germany. Any advice on scheduling how many days to spend where? I need help deciding on which rail pass to buy. Thanks

Diane, <BR>Your particular interests and any budget constraints will dictate where you go. Tell us what they are and we can advise intelligently. Where do you WANT to go, and why?

Diane, <BR>Your particular interests and any budget constraints will dictate where you go. Tell us what they are and we can advise intelligently. Where do you WANT to go, and why?

wes, thanks, sorry I was so vague. I am interested in seeing castles, museums, Black Forest, shopping for Christmas ornaments I have heard about and possibly a clock. What I don't know is how long to spend in all these areas I have heard about (Frankfurt, Rhine, Black Forest). I am planning on packing very light and probably staying in hostels. <BR>

Diane: Along the middle Rhine, between Mainz/Weisbaden and Koblenz, there is perhaps twenty five castles in this area. Some are private and some are in ruin, but it is truly quite a spectacle. <BR>Locate a map of this region and you will find hostels in the area, also. Three or four days would be fine, especially if you venture just west along the Mosel River to say, Cochem. <BR> <BR>You could get the 15 day total travel rail pass. <BR> <BR>You could visit nearby Frankfurt, which has Europe's tallest building at 63 floors, but it is not a giant metropolis. There is plenty to do with the Romer Platz, St. Bartholomew cathedral and Sachsenhausen pub district all close together. <BR> <BR>The most famous Christmas store is Kathe Wohlfarht's in Rothenburg on the Tauber. The city is a 500+ year old medieval walled town that is about two hours' east of Frankfurt. Two days would do it, here. Visit nearby Dinkelsbuhl, if possible. <BR> <BR>In the Black Forest, you can visit Freiburg among other towns where cuckoo clocks are very famous. I bought a clock in Garmisch in Bavaria, about 14 years ago and it still works good today. Another two days. <BR> <BR>Now, Bavaria! Go to Munich where you find museums, Dachau concentration camp, Nyphenburg castle, the Marienplatz, the Frauenkirche, etc, etc. Spend about three days in the city, maybe four. Move on to Garmisch, Ettal, Linderhof Castle, Oberammergau, Steingaden (Wieskirche), Neuschwanstein Castle and so on. You could spend about a week in this area alone. <BR> <BR>The opportunities are endless. There are towns in between Dinkelsbuhl and Munich for example that you could visit. You won't be bored! <BR> <BR>Have a good trip!

Thanks, Lee!! That was great info! I had heard that I needed to visit some of those places, but had no idea, even with reading guide books, how long each would take. I will study a map and maybe be able to figure it all out. Thanks again. diane <BR>

A german railpass will likely pay off. Even a Europass may work. This is because train travel in germany is very expensive. Any ride over 2 hours long will cost at least $30 or more. If you plan to hit the rail, a pass will likely pay off. A few places you may want to consider often missed by the tourist hordes include Bamburg, Regensburg, and Passau. For more rail tips feel free to contact me.