I am new at international travel. I am interested in hearing more information from anyone who could suggest the best way to travel through Europe.

My husband and I would like to dive right into planning a three week trip. We would like to start in Italy and move north and end in Germany for Oktoberfest. Any initial advice on where to start, etc. would be helpful.

I know this is really general, but just trying to get a feel for the board. Thanks!

IMHO, the "best way to travel through Europe" is by rental car - getting onto scenic rural roads and passing through small towns and villages. Obviously, if the larger cities are what interest you, having a car wouldn't make sense.

Also - it's problematic (and expensive) to pick up a car in one country and drop it in another.

I am still trying to figure out exactly where we want to go. I am interested in Rome and he is interested in Munich, but the cities in between are the problem...figuring out where we want to go. I am not all about the BIG touristy places; although, I would like to see some of them. I am much more interested in engrossing myself in the culture, traveling to less known areas and eating/drinking a lot.

I guess my question wasn't clear. I am looking for towns to visit, more cultural areas vs. tourist places (big big crowds and tours do not interest me). I also want to eat/drink in local places. I also do not want to stay at high end hotels. I want more quaint places.

I guess my question is...where do I start?

Assuming you have a map, pick out a series of towns/cities between Rome and Munich, i.e. Florence, Verona, Salzburg, etc and use the 'Search' function here to learn about the pros and cons of each...

Thank you Tuck. I appreciate that. I will do as you suggest and come back for more specific questions later. Thank you again.

Oktoberfest September '02 was cold, snowy and the biggest European disappointment ever.
M

Buy open jaw tickets arriving Rome, departing from Munich. Octoberfest is pretty popular, so I'd get the tickets, get the hotel reservation in Munich, and then do the rest - you might even inquire about hotel reservations first to make sure you can get them.

You don't have quite as much time to plan as you think, because given 3 weeks, you'll only have 20 nights. Assuming you want to spend at least 3 nights in Rome in the beginning, and 3 nights in Munich at the end, you have only 14 nights to plan for. For those 14 nights I would recommend at most 4 other destinations.

If you decide you want to rent a car, you will not want to have a car in either Rome or Munich. If you want to go to Florence and or/Venice, those are also places where you will not use a car. So do you want to see countryside, seaside, small hill towns, or are you drawn to the cultural icons? If you rent a car in one country, e.g., Italy, and drop it off in another country, e.g., Germany, the drop off fees are huge. If you drop it off at a different site in the same country, it's usually not very big or there may be no drop-off fee.

Here is the official website for Oktoberfest, September 22 - October 7 2007:
http://www.oktoberfest.de/en/

Enjoy the planning!

I'd fly into and out of Germany ... just make a loop trip. This will save you money on a car, and on flights.

For instance, you could fly into Frankfurt, drive to the Black Forest (Freiburg, Baden-Baden, etc.), then drive south into Switzerland (Bernese Oberland or Lucerne, etc.), then into Italy. You could go stay on Lake Como, then go down to Florence/Siena/Tuscany, then to Rome, then up to Venice, and back to Munich.

You could do all of that in two weeks, and save a TON of money on cars and flights

THANK YOU!! I would have to discuss car travel with my husband but I would prefer the smaller towns so a car is a possibility.

And, we are planning for Fall 2008. After planning our wedding, I knew we needed time to research and organize this trip. I like spontanaity but getting there and getting home is important.

Even if it is cold, rainy, snowy in Munich, I doubt we woudln't have a good time. My husband is German and wants to vist his "roots."

I appreciate the feedback and will continue to ask questions as I figure this whole travel thing out. It's much different than the small Carribbean island we got married on .

Thanks again.

The loop trip definitely sounds more doable. I like that suggestion. I will definitely discuss that with my TA.

Again, thank you!

It's pretty unusual for it to be "cold, rainy, and snowy" during Oktoberfest. We were in Munich in 2002 also, although in late August. That was a particularly cold and rainy year (there was flooding in Bavaria while we were there).

There are several ways you could go about this. I think a combination of car and train would work best. Fly into Rome, spend as much time as you like there. Train to someplace in Tuscany and tour the small towns for several more days, then drop the car. There is a direct train route from Florence to Munich that includes Bolzano, which makes a nice stop. From there, train to Germany. You could go directly to Munich, pick up another car, and tour for several more days, visiting Bavaria (castles, etc). Then turn in the car and spend your last few days at Oktoberfest.

You will have a nice trip, and part of the fun is in the planning. You asked 'where to start"! A MAP is the very best way. And yes , you'd want to turn in your car in the same country you rented it (not necessarily the same city). No extra charge for doing it that way.
And: since your husband is of Germany heritage, you'd probably want to put the emphasis on that.

(could you leave Rome and the central/southern part of Italy for another trip?) Italy is so nice, and there is so much to cover. Some people don't even care for Rome all that much, but it IS a nice city to visit.)

Driving in Germany, Austria, Switz is easy and wonderful...and lots of fun. Nice to stop along the way in small and scenic places and villages, ....have a picnic, walk the streets etc...
You could work it out so as not to have a car in the larger cities...(though WE have done it and it works out fine).

Flying into Frankfurt (and out of Munich) would be one option....... Plenty to see in Germany, but if you want you could "dip" down into northern Italy. We did that last year, driving: something like FRankfurt, Salzburg, Venice, Lake Garda (or Como),Switz, Alsace, Rhine River , back to Frankfurt........OR plan ,when in the Salzburg ,area to attend Octoberfest and Munich.
I can't imagine, if you don't like crowds and large tourists groups that you would much like Octoberfest....but then again you might! &gt
October is a wonderful time to travel in Europe!!!!!

There is WEALTH of information on the internet by googling "whatever' and pulling up more than you want each time.

Have fun planning and the trip will eventually all "gel" together.!!!

With due respect to robbydee, while the loop idea is a good one, that's way too much driving, especially the Tuscany and Rome leg.

The OP said she is "interested in engrossing myself in the culture" - for this I suggest a slower pace, settling in for a few nights here and there. I suggest, from Lake Como, head straight to Venice then over to Munich.

I find the Eyewitness travel guides to be really helpful in the beginning stages of trip planning. There are lots of color pictures and short descriptions. On our last trip, my husband and I both went through the Eyewitness guide and made lists of places that caught our eye. Then we compared lists and pared things down based on priorities and logistics. We ended up with a really nice trip.

Hi M,

>I am not all about the BIG touristy places; ...I am much more interested in engrossing myself in the culture, ... and eating/drinking a lot.<

That's why the big touristy places are so touristy.

I suggest:

Fly into Rome - 5 nights,
Daytrip to Orvieto

Train to Florence - 5 nights
Daytrip to Siena

Train to Venice - 4 nights

Train to Munich - 6 nights
Daytrip to Salzburg
Daytrip to Dachau
Daytrip to Fuessen

Fly home.

Enjoy your visit.

I appreciate all your feedback. In the beginning of planning my wedding I was at a total loss so this is the same feeling. I will just figure it out as I go but I find message boards to be an easier way to navigate as i go with so many people to help with the little things you might not know about.

I definitely want to do both in one trip as I don't know if I'll ever get the chance to go back. I appreciate all of your sentiments and do plan on taking everything into consideration and spending time with a map. Who would have thought?!?!

And, although I don't love big crowds, I do know that is what Oktoberfest is all about. I just don't want to spend my entire trip waiting in lines or tour groups....I would like for us to explore on our own. I suppose I should have rephrased that. I do like the idea of a slower pace. I don't want to be on too strict of a schedule and i also would like to use the train as well.

I've never been on one (I'm from Indiana...no need for one here). And, I haven't been to many other places (other states and the Carribbean) so I am ready to get out there.

I really enjoy this board already. And, again thank you. Keep thosse ideas coming. I'm sure I'll be back during the planning stages (and I have a feeling since it is JUST for my husband and me, it will be much more easy to organize than my destination wedding!) You all have given me a place to start. yay!