My husband and I have eleven days in Germany. We're spending 5 of them on Rhine/Mosel area. I'm confused as to how to allocate the other days. We'll have a car. We've been to Munich and the King Ludwig castles. After Cochem, we're going to visit Trier and Heidelberg on the way to Baden-Baden. One night there. Then to Munich for 2 nights (even though we've been there, we have have such great memories of sitting in Marienplatz, drinking beer and people-watching). Then to Rothenburg ? Wurzburg? We'd like to see Nuremberg too. How difficult is it to stay in Rothenburg and drive to Frankfurt airport for 11:00am departure? Is the Baden-Baden stop a waste? could we just go on to Munich?

HI D,

Have you considered Strasbourg?

Rothenburg, Wuerzburg Nuernberg, seem like a great way to round out your trip.

Rothenburg to FRA is a little over 1.5 hours and it is 100% highway miles. I have done what you are asking twice (heading to Toronto?), leaving at 7:45 a.m. on a Sunday, with no problem. I might be a little nervous if it was a weekday since I don't know the rush hour traffic situation around FRA. I would stay in Rothenburg if you can but Wuerzburg is only 1:10 from FRA and getting to both Nuernberg and Rothenburg are a snap at 1:15 and 0:40 minutes respectively.

Cochem - Trier - Heidelberg - Baden Baden is 4 hours driving. Presuming you stop for 2 hours each in Trier and Heidelberg, and leave at 9: a.m. you will hit Baden Baden at around 5:00 p.m. dog tired. You have another 3:15 to Munich the next day.

I am not a big fan of Heidelberg - it's not awful but it never wowed me. I think it gets some of it's cachet because so many Americans were stationed in and around it after the War, rather than for any innate charm.

I kind of like D's suggestion - head from Trier to Strasbourg - a fascinating small city with the Franco-German mix - that gets left off a lot of itineraries because of its location. It is only 3.5 hours from Cochem so you get more foot time in Trier and Strasbourg before the same 3.5 hour drive the next day to Munich.

Thank you!

My husband wants to go to Heidelberg and since I'm planning most of the trip, I want to include his choice. However, I will definitely think about Strasbourg. It seems like we would get a taste of the Black Forest anyway as we drive form there to Munich and that was the point.

Thank you for answering about the distance to the FRA airport. Even with turning in the car, we should have time to make the plane.

Frankfurt traffic jams can be awful, especially if there's a trade fair or some repars on the highways. On a Sunday everything is free but on a weekday I think you should figure in plenty of safety time.