My husband and were thinking of taking a <BR>Globus tour in mid oct. We've never been to <BR>Switzerland,Germany or Austria and the itinerary covered all three plus Lake Como in <BR>two weeks, including Vienna. After reading <BR>some of the comments, I think we might be <BR>happier if did it on our own, staying in only <BR>three places and doing day trips. Would it <BR>be cheaper to rent a car in Germany and return it to Switzerland at which time we <BR>could get a rail pass? Any suggestions on <BR>what towns to stay in and hotels, apts and <BR>B&Bs would be greatly appreciated. We've <BR>driven in Ireland and also from Monte Carlo <BR>to Portofino and Venice, so we are capable of <BR>driving in Europe. Should I just forget about the bus tour? I do like the idea of <BR>staying put in one place for a while, but <BR>will we see enough? I'm making myself crazy <BR>over this, please help!!! Thanks, Denise

We usually rent a car in Germany. Prefer that to public transport or tours as you can do and see what you want, when you want. I would recommend some time in Bavaria. Garmisch is a great area to explore and easy for day trip to Innsbruck. Also Berchtesgaden and day trip into Salzburg. You would not go wrong spending time in those areas. If you want a few hotel ideas, email me and I will tell you where we have stayed. You can also refer to the Karen Brown book on Germany for some good ideas. <BR>

For some strange reason, renting a car in Germany is approximately $100/wk LESS for a decent size car, than what it is in Austria. <BR> <BR>A word of caution if you decide to do so: for driving in Austria you need a temporary permit, which they refer to as a 'vignette.' Nowhere do they tell you this. A 10 day vignette costs about $8, and is easily available in the gas stations near the border, and most travel agents (reiseburos). <BR> <BR>I drove around the area for a week and no one stopped me. On asking around, I found that they usually pick the more traveled routes, Munich- Salzburg, Salz.- Wienn etc. Why the warning? A $200 ticket, payable on the spot, if you are stopped without one! <BR> <BR>The reason I was not stopped is probably because this time around I focused on small, bucolic UNDERpopulated towns, typically with a population of less than a thousand, pure mountain air and staggering vistas. There is nothing that can describe the atmosphere in these towns, the intense sense of peace, the lap of the lake, the tinkling bells on the cows and the freshest food and dairy, from the nearby farmhouses. I made a few daytrips - into the bigger towns. This way of travelling is impossibble, if you don't have a car, and, if you stick to the country roads as much as you can, you see the countryside from a point of view that you otherwise cannot get. An added bonus: small towns are cheaper to stay in, often a third of what the big cities charge for accomodations. You've already splurged on the car, Use it! The only 'city' I spent a night in was Innsbruck, hardly a big city, and a gem of a town. <BR>E-mail me if you need more info. <BR>Happy Trails.

<BR>Forget the tour. You will enjoy it so much more and have so much more leisure on your own. Renting a car cost less in Germany but dropping it off in Switzerland will probably cost a bundle in the drop off fee. Best to drop it in the country you got it from. Hallstatt in Austria is very nice. Lucerne in Switzerland nice bigger town. <BR>Bavaria is beautiful.

Denise: Do you get the feeling that we are all "Do it on your own" kind of folks? <BR> <BR>I agree, drive in Germany and Austria and use the train in Switzerland. <BR> <BR>If you'd like some input, email me and I'll send a copy of our Germany trip notes from July, '97 and some ideas maybe from our itinerary for our Bavaria trip scheduled for May. <BR> <BR>Good luck! <BR>

Denise, This will be a great trip and a <BR>doing it on your own will be easy. <BR>Get your car at Munich as you arrive, <BR>[use Auto Europe at 800-223-5555] and <BR>head for Salzburg first. I would suggest <BR>that you try to push it up 2 weeks to <BR>be safer from possible weather problems. <BR>I could talk all day about where to go <BR>next, but I would include Hallstatt and <BR>Garmisch with the car, ending up in <BR>Lugano to drop the car and then train <BR>back to Zurich via Interlaken to depart, <BR>or, Keep the car the entire trip and then loop back to Munich via Appenzill. <BR>Lots of good choices--depends on your <BR>travel style and budget. But, do it earlier if you can and do it yourself.

Thanks to Lily,Tops and Bob..I went to <BR>barnes& Noble today to see if I could find Karen Brown's book on Itineraries, the only one they carried was Switzerland. I have a copy of the Relais & Chateaux Guide..Of course, very expensive, but maybe worth a stay. I'm still confused but if we fly into Frankfurt and drive to Rothenburg, maybe stay 2 nights then on to Saltzberg, and stay in Hallstadt? Over to Innsbruck and up the Rhine? As I said, I'm so confused. Maybe, If I gave you my favorite places it would help. Loved the south of France, we stayed in Monte Carlo and our first day there we drove <BR>up the mountain to EZE, beautiful town, magnificent scenary, next day drove to St.Paul de Vence, (not sure of the spelling) but it was a beautiful medieval city just a short distance from monaco. Enjoyed Capri and would like to spend more time in Positano on the Amalfi Coast. With this in mind, what would you suggest as an itinerary through Germany,Austria and Switz. Quality time is more important than seeing everything... Thanks to anyone who can help me..I think everyone on this forum is sensational...so informative Thank You All Again!!!Denise

And also thank you Lee!

Definitely do it yourself. If you go to Interlaken, be sure to check out the Bucherer clock & watch store. I bought a watch years ago & it is still going great. Before last Xmas I emailed them & got a catalog, then faxed the credit card # & order. Within 10 days I got everything in perfect order & they checked to be sure all was ok. We stayed at Hotel Weisses Kruez in Interlaken--runs a little over $100/night. I understand Lauterbrennan is cheaper & is not that far. Loved Interlaken. In Germany, don't miss Berlin--most incredible city with so much history. From a museum with entire ancient ruin to Checkpoint Charlie Museum, great. Potsdam, Kurfurstendam Strasse, Brandenburg Gate, etc. People, food, everything is great.

Thanks Linda, But now I'm really getting nuts. Since my maiden name was Schier, and I have not been able to find out where my grandparents were from, I wonder if I should spend time in Berlin and/or Hamburg. So many questions, so little time!!!!Can anyone help!!!

Denise: You are very welcome. <BR> <BR>For our itinerary in May, we are flying into Frankfurt and we drive over to the Rhine to stay two days at the hotel Cafe' Post in Assmanshausen. We will then drive to Munich to stay two days and see some of the city, staying at the Hotel Uhland (thanks to this forum!). We then head down to Garmisch, Ettal, Linderhof and are staying at the Alte Post Hotel in Oberammergau (forum, again!). We will drive to Neuschwanstein and to Ulm, arriving at the Hotel Goldene Rose in Dinkelsbuhl. Next, we go to Rothenburg as a day trip and then to Frankfurt for a couple of days at the Holiday Inn in Sachsenhausen. Our trip will be 10 days, total. <BR> <BR>If you fly into Frankfurt, You could head to the Rhine, which is close by, then to Rothenburg, heading east, then to Munich, Bertchesgaden and on to Salzburg. If you head back into Germany, or not, you could get to Innsbruck and also see the beautiful towns on the German side like Garmisch, etc. Obviously, you itinerary would revolve around where in you fly in and out of. You could fly out of Munich, for example. <BR> <BR>Since you'd like to see the three countries, you could fly into Zurich and maybe take in some spots like Bern, Interlaken and Lucerne. You can reach these by train. You could head into Germany, renting a car and go east to Garmisch and you could see Innsbruck at that point, then moving on to Salzberg. You can then return to Germany through Bertchesgaden, stop in Munich and then catch autobahn A7 to Rothenberg. Afterward, you could head west to Frankfurt (two hours) and then to the Rhine, finally flying out of Frankfurt airport. Whew! <BR> <BR>An alternative may be to break your trip into two different trips. Trip #1 may be Bavaria and Austria, while trip #2 (at a later date) could be Switzerland and on up to the Rhine and Mosel River areas. Just a suggestion. <BR> <BR>Good luck, it's not an easy decision!

You're welcome. Just for fun, have you thought about trying to contact distant relatives in Germany. The telephone directory on line for Germany is www01.teleauskunft.de/cgi-bin/tron.cgi They have an English version & you type in the name & up pops all the people in Germany with that name.

Denise, I think you should take charge here. It is YOUR trip, and ideas from all of us strangers are just that, ideas colored by our own experiences. <BR> <BR>Here's a suggestion: Make an itiernery. A Real one, e.g. Day 1: Town A, Day 2: Town A to Town B, etc. Understand that it is not carved in stone and you can change it as you continue to plan, but its gotta be Real. Then post it here and invite opinions/improvements/suggestions <BR>I think you will then be able to get a real handle on your trip. You've gotten excellent suggestions, and I am not being harsh on anybody here. That is not my intent, folks, so no hard feelings. <BR> <BR>PS: Forget B&N. Karen Brown has a great website that covers all of Europe at <BR>http://www.karenbrown.com/ <BR> <BR>Happy Trails.

Hi Guys, It's me again. Thanks again for all your wonderful advice. I shall take your suggestion, Top, and get organized. I thought Frankfurt was the best arr and dep. city since I was under the impression that the prettiest part of the Romantic Road is down from Frankfurt to Rothenburg. Also, I thought it would be more practical to pick up and drop the rental in the same location. Lee, I think your itinery sounds very good. How far is the hotel Cafe'Post in Assmanshausen from Frankfurt. I know we will be exhausted in in need of a good meal and comfortable bed. FYI,saw an article at Conde Nast Traveler on line entitled "How to Sleep Like a King" in Franconia. Interesting, although most of the hotels in the article were quite expensive. site http://travel.epicurious.com. Also saw something about a Styrian Autumn Festival in Graz Oct. through Nov. Is it worthwhile. Thank you all again and I am definitly going to get my act together. Denise

Denise: When we arrive at Frankfurt airport on May 24, we'll be driving over to Assmanshausen from there. Look for autobahn A3 (Wiesbaden/Mainz/Koln) and head to Rudesheim, you exit there and Assmanshausen is about 5 Km beyond it. Total time is about 45 minutes. The Hotel Cafe-Post is right on the river, across from the Castle Rheinstein. <BR> <BR>From Franfurt city center, you can find A66 at "Nordwestkreuz" on the city's westside and head again over to Wiesbaden and Rudesheim. This would take about 30-40 minutes, depending on traffic. <BR> <BR>Whether you are coming from Frankfurt city center or the airport, you'll want to get on the Rhine River road at Rudesheim, not at say, Weisbaden. It's the easier and shorter route. <BR> <BR>If you need any other details, let me know. You can get info on the hotel at <BR>www.rheinhotel.com, including pictures. <BR> <BR>Happy travels!

Denise: Congratulations! If you read the last post that you put up and the earlier ones, you will see how far you have come. Absolutely correct on both counts re the car and the Romantische Strasse. <BR> <BR>Here's a very useful site from where you can print out driving directions, maps, estimate trip distances; volumes of info can be printed out for free, thanks to your friendly (Euro) Shell Dealer. They have two options: fastest and shortest; I wish they'd add another: most scenic. So always talk to the locals before leaving, they often know things that the guidebooks don't. <BR> <BR>Click on Route Planner at <BR>http://www.euroshell.com <BR> <BR>PS: If it loads in German, don't despair. There IS an Englisn version, look for an English or American flag, top of the LHS of the page, I think. <BR>Looking forward to your itienery...

<BR>I enjoyed reading everyone's advice. I'm amazed that noone mentioned Heidelburg and it's beautiful castle. It is about an hours drive south of Frankfort. It's an old university town with cobbled streets, great restaurants on the Necker River. The autobahn is close by so it doesn't take long to make a detour. It was not bombed during the war so it has held it's charm. Have a great trip.

Denise: My rental car experience is that you may rent your car in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland and drop it off in one of those countries at a reasonable extra fee . However, the rentals I've used do not allow travel into Italy & other neighboring countries. Hope this helps in planning your itinerary. Also, I found Karen Brown's hotel recommendations delightful. <BR>

Denise: I definitely understand your feeling overwhelmed, but planning your trip yourself is really worth it! I am planning exactly the trip you initially mentioned to Germany, Austria, and Switzerland over a 2 week time frame the end of April. I've never been to Europe, so educating myself and getting information is key. I've clocked MANY hours into it mostly on the internet and many on this website, but I have learned so much just planning it (mostly from the very helpful people on this forum) and it's been truly enjoyable! <BR>Anyway, I believe the best way to start is to determine your length of time and what you want to see. I wanted to see as much as possible in 2 weeks because I've never been and know it will be a LONG time before I return. So, to maximize my time, I'm flying into one city and out of another. Anyway, here's our ambitious itinerary: We're starting in the Berner Oberland (Swiss Alps)and staying in Interlaken 2 nights using the Rail for transportation. That area's highlight will be the Jungfraujoch trip and hiking. Then, we're taking a day trip to Lucerne and departing that night on an overnight train to Salzburg (7 hrs.) We'll be in Salzburg 2 nights and on the following day will take a morning train to Munich (3 hrs). We'll be in Munich 2 nights and on the following day will pick up our rental car at the train station. We'll drive to Southern Bavaria (1-2 hrs) spending 2 nights in Garmisch using it as our homebase to explore the area. On the following morning we'll drive to Rothenburg (about 4 hours) and spend 1 night there. The following afternoon we'll drive to Wurzburg (40 miles), explore a little and drop off our car rental there. Then, we catch an early evening train to Bacharach (a small town on The Rhine recommended by Rick Steves) which is about a 3 hour trip. We'll spend 2 nights there and on the following day catch an early train (1 1/2 hrs)to Frankfurt Airport to catch an 11:30 flight home. <BR>This is a very ambitious itinerary because I had alot I wanted to see in 2 weeks, but it is doable. So, you have to decide what's important to you and how much moving around you want to be doing. If you want to see all three countries as I do, I recommend flying into Frankfurt and out of Zurich or vice versa, as someone mentioned. That will save you time. Or, if you want a slower pace and just to focus on Germany that would be great, too. I still would recommend flying into one city and out of another just so you're not backtracking, provided your airfare is good for that. Check out the difference - that may determine it for you! <BR>Anyway, that's my 2 cents on your dilemna - I just had to respond since your situation was so similiar to mine! I hope I've been of help to you. If you want any other information on some excellent websites, lodging, etc., feel free to contact me directly. And, I'll tell you, read this Forum ALOT because this has definitely been my best resource for planning this trip! Good luck and remember that planning is half the fun!

Hi Denise, <BR>this is Miriam from Germany. I would like to help you to trace your relatives in Germany. I think itīs much easier for me being here..If you have any informations except the last name give it to me and Iīll see what I can do for you. I can also help you with other problems you may have concerning your trip. <BR>Miriam