Going to Germany this summer with three other people. Have taken ideas from Rick Steves book but want to know if this is enough time and the best places to see in Germany.
Day 1 travel to Europe...rent car, drive to Cochem and stay
Day 2 Burg Eltz Castle and then explore the Rhine River Valley...stay in St. Goar
Day 3 Drive to Rothenberg and spend day and one night there
Day 4 Drive the Romantic Road to Munich
Day 5 Munich
Day 6 Munich
Day 7 Get rid of car and take train to Prague
Day 8 Prague
Day 9 Take train to Berlin
Day 10 Berlin
Day 11 Travel home

Your comments are appreciated!!

Where are you flying into? Berlin?

Have you bought your tickets yet? If not, I'd suggest flying open jaw into Frankfurt, out of Berlin.

Personally, I enjoyed the Rhine/Mosel area so much. I'd shift a day in Munich and add it to Rhine area. I might even leave out Prague, although I understand the allure.

Get rid of the car at the end of day four, you do not need a car in Munich.

I agree that you don't need the car in Munich. The city has a GREAT transportation network (train and busses) so unless you are really needing to drive somewhere (like hours outside of Munich), you won't need the car, thus freeing up some EUR to visit a few local "watering holes".

I would drive the Romantic Road to Fussen and spend the night there and visit the famous castle either that night, or first thing the next morning, and then drive to Munich. Your ending seems a bit rushed, but everyone has a different preference.

Hey Watland,

I agree with shifting a day in Munich to somewhere else (Prague or Berlin maybe??) I was in Munich in 04, and I really enjoyed it but I would say stick to one day there, it's not large.

I hope you enjoy your trip!!

Layla

Hi W,

>Day 1 travel to Europe....
Where, specifically?

I'm tired out from those one-nighters.

You are going to take a 6-hr train ride to Prague so that you can take a 5-hr train ride to Berlin? That's an entire day lost to travel.

I suggest sticking to Germany - maybe a daytrip to Salzburg from Munich.

You won't need the car in Munich.

Hi watland, I appreciate everything you want to do but I feel like you are trying to cover too much ground in a very short time period. I agree about Prague...it doesn't make sense to do all that traveling for only one day. Living in SW Germany, I have come to realize that even with the Autobahn, it takes a lot longer to get from place to place than you might think.

Burg Eltz is very close to the Mosel Valley - I think you would be able to see more (of an incredibly gorgeous river valley) if you stayed along the Mosel River.

Also there is really no point to Day 4 - you can hardly see anything along the Romantic Road in one day...maybe stop at one town for lunch? (we spent 5 days traveling from Wuerzburg to Schwangau and thought that was rather quick!) What makes it "romantische" is the many wonderful small towns to stop and spend time in...if you don't have time, then just get on the Autobahn. The "road" itself isn't all that spectacular. (As an aside, the Romantic Road doesn't actually go to Munich, it goes to Fuessen.)

If you have only 10 days, I agree that 1 day in Munich is enough - you can take a very nice walking tour around the old city in 1 day, although you won't have time for the big museums or gardens.

I agree that you should skip Prague for this trip. It doesn't really fit, and there is so much to do and see in Berlin that you should devote the Prague day to it instead.

I don't think it's necessarily too much time in Munich. I find it hard to get bored in Munich, especially with visits to the palaces in the suburbs. However, I would keep that second day there, and if you want to, do a day trip by train (no need to keep the car once you get to Munich, so you should return it on day 4) to Neuschwanstein or Oberammergau.

I also like Bob KY's plan to use the car to drive all the way to Fussen on day 4 to spend the night there, and then make your way to Munich. That said, if you do that plan, I would definitely not scrap on the two days in Munich. You won't get to Fussen until after the castle has closed, so you'll spend most of day 5 seeing the castle and driving back to Munich. You'll need day 6 to see the city.