Itinerary Comments - Germany
 

Here is our tentative itinerary for a 20 day (-2 for travel) vacation this June. My family of five (18Boy, 16Girl, 11Boy) will be leaving So. Cal., flying into Amsterdam and out of Munich. We will be renting a car and packing light!

Arrive in Amsterdam early morning – 2 nights
~~Day in Amsterdam (mostly likely outside of Amsterdam)
Drive or train? to Brugge, Belgium – 2 nights (130 miles)
~~Day in Brugge
Drive or train? to the Moselle Valley area-3 nights (260 miles)
~~Day trip to Frankfurt for World Cup Game
~~Day in Moselle Valley
Day thru Wurzburg ending in Rothenburg (Night Watchman’s tour) – 1 night (170 miles)
Day thru Schwabisch Hall/Bad Wimpfen/Heidelberg ending in Baden-Baden – 2 nights (160 miles)
~~Day in Baden-Baden
Day thru Black Forest area down towards Titisee ending in Konstanz/Lindau area – 2 nights (180 miles)
~~Day in Konstanz/Lindau/Lake Bodensee
Day to Fussen/Reutte – 1 night (65 miles)
Day thru Bad Wiessee/Marktschelienberg ending in Hallstadt – 2 nights (175 miles)
~~Day in Hallstadt
Drive to Munich – 2 nights (130 miles)
~~Day in Munich

I figure with 200 miles or less a day we can make each destination on the autobahn in half a day or less and if we prefer to drive the back roads we can spend the whole day sightseeing, eating, and shopping until we get to our next destination. Town names given just to suggest the route we’ve chosen. I would love to hear your opinions on whether or not this is the best route to take.

ALSO, I have one more day that I can add anywhere after the World Cup game. Where would you add it? I’m considering an extra night in Rothenburg with a day trip down to Dinkelsbuhl, or maybe a day trip to Nurmberg…or both?

Can anyone help me?

Your plan sounds very ambitious. It's doable, but I think you'll all be exhausted when it's over. It’s difficult to know what exactly to recommend, but I would suggest that you narrow your travels down by not trying to cover Amsterdam to Munich and beyond in less than 3 weeks. Increase the number of nights in places of most interest to you, give yourselves time to fully explore them, and cut out some others. For example, I’d definitely put in the extra day in the Rothenburg area, but am not sure I’d use it for a day trip to Nuernberg. I would aim to stay in areas that are worth spending at least 3 nights, rather that averaging 2 nights per place.

The day trip to Frankfurt from the Mosel Valley will be a very, very long day, especially when you anticipate what the traffic may be like. Also, I wasn't fond of Titisee.

I think traveling by car is a great way to see Europe, and I generally prefer it to train travel. However, it is easy to fly past some wonderful places on the way to “planned” destinations if one is not careful. Leave some gaps in your plan so that you can fully take advantage of unexpected discoveries.

All the best to you!

Love2sing,

I think your itinerary looks fine. Many Fodors folks like a slower pace, but my sister and I also enjoy seeing a lot of country in a relatively short time.

I suggest renting a car for this trip, at least starting from the Mosel area. (I've had difficulties with car rentals where I picked up in one country, like Belgium, and dropped in another, such as Germany.)

If this were my trip, I'd drop Brugge and add one day to Amsterdam and one day to the area around Fussen (Neueschwanstein, Schloss Linderhoff, and Kloster Ettal.) It's just gorgeous country.

I try hard to avoid one-night stands. They make you feel rushed more than anything else. I'd be tempted to cut something in order to eliminate the one-nighters in Rothenburg and Fussen (both of which deserve 2 nights!). Actually, I might skip Baden-Baden - although the kids will like the swimming/spa experience there. Since you do have that one extra night to play with - yes, I'd add it to Rothenburg.

I just returned from a 10 day trip to Germany with my family of 6. I am looking at yourf itinerary with lust in my heart. I agree with Mary Fran - it sounds great. I too prefer a faster pace. I like to see as much as I can on vacation. My teenagers get plenty of sleep in the car as we drive. You should pick up your car rental in Amsterdam on the day you are ready to leave for Bruges. Why pay for days where it'll sit in a parking lot while you tour Amsterdam. Don't reverse the trip because picking up a car at a German airport will cost you a 19% surcharge. I suggest you start your car search with Novacarhire.com. I started using them about 5 years ago and love the deals they have given me.

About the only thing I'd do differently is spend two nights in the Fuessen area and just one Lindau. There are so many great places to stay in Bavaria that you really can't go wrong anywhere you look. I really like the little town of Hohenfurch at the Schonach-Hof (see this thread: http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=2). It sounds like you want to visit the Salzburg/Berchtesgaden corner with your stop in Markt Schellenberg(?). We stayed in nearby Schongau bei Konigsee at a really cute Gasthaus (http://www.gaestehaus-stoeckl.de/Englisch/inde.html). Sissy and Claus couldn't have been more helpful and kind. Real nice rooms, quiet location, great breakfast all for less than $25.00 per person per night.