Iteniery almost complete..is it realistic?
 

My Husband and I are planning for our first trip to Europe in July. We will be arriving from the US via Brussels. We will be in Europe for 16 days. Our tentative plan is listed below. I know we are changing home bases often but I think we can handle. Are we trying too much, is the schedule realistic? Can we combine any locations? Thank you your input!

Day 1 - Arrive in Brussels at 7:30 a.m., train to Bruges for 2 nights
Day 2 - Bruges
Day 3 - Train to Bayeux, France for 2 nights
Day 4 - Normandy tours
Day 5 - Train to Berchtesgaden for 3 nights (via Paris and night train to Munich)
Day 6 - Berchtesgaden
Day 7 - Berchtesgaden - side trip to Salzburg
Day 8 - Train to Munich for 3 nights
Day 9 - Munich
Day 10 - Munich
Day 11 - Rent car and head to Ruette, Austria for 2 nights
Day 12 - Ruette and surrounding area
Day 13 - Neuschwanstein in morning then head to Rothenburg for 1 night on Romantic Road
Day 14 - Romantic Road then drop off car in Frankfurt in late afternoon, train to Koblenz for 2 nights
Day 15 - Koblenz
Day 16 - Train to Brussels for 1 night
Day 17 - fly home

Whenever someone asks if their itinerary is realistic I believe they already know it's not. This is crazy. One thing I can guarantee is that you'll be seeing the inside of lots of trains!

Have you looked at how long it will take to get from one place to another and add time to get to and from the train stations?

I'm not sure what you mean by "combine locations" as none of them are near each other.

Why not try to focus on one area and have time to relax and take in the sights.

I am worn out !
I do not understand if you plan to train to Munich anyway why not stay there and get the car when you leave for Bavaria.

Thanks for the input. As I said this is our first trip and there are so many things we want to see. I had cut some places and looks like I need to cut more. Since we are flying into Belgium, going to Bruges is easy. My Husband's one main request was doing a Normandy tour. So although Bayeux is not really near anything else we wanted to do, it is necessary. So I will be looking to cut out some in Germany. We both like WWII history, getting outdoors and taking in the surroundings and want to enjoy the food and beer in all locations. We are not big into seeing art museums. Suggestions on what is best for us to cut out?

It seems your probably could have recovered one or more days by not having to back track to Brussels. Was is possible to fly in to BRU/CDG and out of MUC for example? If change your flight now, would the change fee be compensated by not having to back track to BRU?

Greg...yes that was an option flying out of MUC but the flight I found was $1000 cheaper for two tickets than what I was seeing with the open jawed flights. The flight options were not as convenient either getting back to our home. Our current flight does require us to travel back to BRU to fly out but that is why I thought we could just move that direction over a few days in a car at our own pace and hit some hightlight cities and activities on the way with the extra funds to enjoy it.

Although I love Bruges I would cut that out of your itinerary and head straight for Bayeux when you arrive. You can doze on the train. Add a day to Bayeux - one for the D Day beaches and the second day for the Peace Museum in Caen and to see something of Bayeux.

I would also cut out Ruette. This will give you a bit less running around.

You are trying to do WAY too many places and should cut out at least 3 -or you will hve a very long tour of the train stations of europe.

And I don;t understand why an open jaw ticket would be so expensive. Are you sure you looked at multi-destination tickets versus 2 one ways?

Yes- I would make a few changes to your iternary-you will be spending too much time traveling and checking in and out of hotels-I would skip Ruette,Austria and from Munich do a day trip possibly to Salzburg or even Kufstein-and then spend more time in ROthenburg-lovely city with possibly a side trip to Nurnburg or Regensburg.But have fun jpsp

Looks pretty rushed to me as well, and I'm prone to pack things in when I travel.

I think it's entirely possible to see Salzburg as a day trip from Munich. And my understanding is that allowing a full day for Neuschwanstein isn't excessive -- half a day strikes me as optimistic.

Have seen the opinion expressed before that Berchtesgaden isn't all it's cracked up to be, but I don't speak from experience. That might be one place to trim if you're looking to cut out something. And Normandy strikes me as pretty out of the way compared to the rest of what you're seeing.

But you know best what your priorities are. Best of luck regardless of what you decide.

Thank you all for your comments. Normandy spa priority for my Husband so we are going to do our best to go there for him eventhough it is out of the way. Ruette was a base for us to do the castles, Zugspitze, Oberammergau. I am not set on staying in Ruette but would like to spend time in this area even if in another base. I think we would prefer to do this area over Berchtesgaden. We wanted to see the Eagle's Nest there. It is worth it for the trip to Berchtesgaden?? We may drop Berchtesgaden and Bruges which would give us 5 nights to add to Munich, Rothenburg and Ruette (or another base cloase to that area).

Suggest when you stay in Bayeux try the B&B "Logis Les Remparts". A very clean and lovely B&B in the middle of this beautiful town (check the www).
They make their own apple cider which is yummy.
Don't forget to see the Bayeux Tapestry whist in town.

Hi,

If you skip going to Berchtesgaden and Bruges and have an extra 5 nights, I'd add one to Munich (visit Salzburg as a day trip), one to Rothenburg (it's much quieter in the early am. and after dinner), one somewhere else and add 2 nights to Reutte, although I'd substitute either Fuessen or Mittenwald instead of Reutte. I say 4 nights in "Reutte" since there's so much you can see and do in the general area. There's Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau castle's, Linderhof Palace (much better than Neuschwanstein IMO), Ettal Monestary, the Wies Kirche (Wies Church), Tegelberg cable car and luge ride which is a mile or so from Neuschwanstein, Oberammergau, Mittenwald, Fuessen, the Zugspitze (w/a car, do the Zugspitze trip from nearby Ehrwald, Austria. It's cheaper and generally less crowded).

Almost forgot, the Nightwatchman Tour in Rothenburg was probably the best hour we spent there.

www.wieskirche.de/eframset.htm
(click on "Panorama View" and use your mouse to tour the interior)

www,zugspitze.at

www.nightwatchman.de

Just some opinions.

Paul

Paul is right---why Reutte? Only Rick stay there.

sorry... www.zugspitze.at

Sorry, I can not advise, because I do not know what is an ITENIERY.

<< Sorry, I can not advise, because I do not know what is an ITENIERY >>

Marighita - your post gave me a good laugh! It's one of the alternate spellings of ITINERARY!! LOL

Ok. My revised ITINERARY is below. Does this seem better, more doable?

Day 1 - Arrive in Brussels at 7:30 a.m., train to Bruges for 2 nights
Day 2 - Bruges
Day 3 - Train to Bayeux, France for 3 nights
Day 4 - Normandy tours
Day 5 - Bayeux area
Day 6 - Train to Munich(via Paris and night train to Munich or flight). Stay for 5 nights.
Day 7 - Munich
Day 8 - Munich (side trip to Salzburg)
Day 9 - Munich
Day 10 - Munich (rent car and do day trip to Eagle's Nest)
Day 11 - Drive to Mittenwald or similar town. Stay 3 nights
Day 12 - Mittenwald and surrounding area
Day 13 - Mittenwald and surrounding area
Day 14 - Drive to Rothenburg (stay 2 nights)
Day 15 - Rothenburg
Day 16 - Return car and train to Brussels for 1 night
Day 17 - fly home

When in Mittenwald we want to do the castles, Zugspitze, and luge and visit some of the surrounding towns.

Thanks for any additional input. Your comments have already helped me a lot!

Hi,

My suggestion would be skip the day trip to Salzburg (Day 8) and spend that day in Munich.

Rent the car on Day 9 and drive to the Berchtesgaden area and stay 2 nights. Visit Salzburg (20 or so minutes away) and the Eagle's Nest, plus maybe take a boat ride on the Konigssee and visit Berchtesgaden (you're there anyway). Then drive to Mittenwald and stay 3 nights (we love Mittenwald by the way).

Paul

We did not stay in Mittenwald, but in Fussen, as we wanted to be very close to Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau castles.
From Fussen we visited also Linderhof castle, and in the same day, Oberamergau with its painted houses.

We loved Zugspitze, but you have to take weather into consideration for a trip to the top.

In Munich don't miss The Residence (more than 120 rooms).

As a day trip from Munich it will be nice to go to -Herrenchiemsee castle (90 km from Munchen). You can go by car or train and then take a boat to the island. The castle is in a large park. It is the largest palace built by Ludwig II and it has a mirror hall like Versailles.

Have a nice trip!