Hi, my husband and I are going to southern Germany and Austria this summer and I'm looking for some help to finalize the itinerary. We're flying into and out of Munich and will be traveling late June/early July for a total of 11 nights. We're in our early 30s and are looking for outdoor activities, food, and history/architecture.

We're spending the first 3 nights in Munich, then picking up a car and heading towards Salzburg. Spending 2 or 3 nights there. I'm less interested in the city of Salzburg and more in the things around - the Berchtesgaden national park and the lakes district.

We're going to end with a night or two in the Bavarian Alps (Oberammergau, Mittenwald maybe) to do the Zugspitze cable car, Neuschwaschein, etc, then spending the last night in Munich before flying out the next day.

The middle 4-5 days after Salzburg are where I'm having trouble deciding between/among Innsbruck, somewhere else in the middle, maybe Badgastein, and the Dolomites. I've seen some really beautiful pictures of the Dolomites and I really want to check them out, but am not sure if that's squeezing too much in. My husband also wants to drive the Grossglockner road, so it might make sense to go through the Dolomites then back up to Bavaria. Will we be missing out if we skip Innsbruck?

Something like:
Option 1 - 1 night Badgastein, doing the Lammerklam Gorge on the way and also checking out Hohe Tuern national park, then driving Grossglockner to Dolomites, spending 2-3 nights there, then 1-2 nights Bavarian Alps
Option 2 - 3 nights Innsbruck, maybe try a day trip to Dolomites, then 2 nights Bavarian Alps
Or something else?

Look into the region south of Innsbruck - Bolzano, Merano, Cortina d'Ampezzo - you just might have a lot of fun there.

Innsbruck is lovely but perhaps a bit of a let down after Salzburg. You might check out some of the smaller towns in the Austrian lake district such as St. Wolfgang, St. Gilgen, Bad Ischl and Hallstatt to name a few... on your way, sort of, to Zell am See and Grossglockner.

I wouldn'tg waste my time in the Salzburgerland and head directly to Grossglockner - Lienz - Innichen - 3 Zinnen - Cortina d'Ampezzo - Falzarego Pass - Sella Pass - Ortisei - Brixen - Sterzing - Innsbruck - Munich.

What Neckverd says. I am not a huge fan of Innsbruck as it is a city in a land of mountains and scenery. The drives from Cortina to Ortisei and back up the Brenner Pass would be terrific after the Grossglockner.

Thanks, I think I'll try to plan for the Dolomites and bypass Innsbruck. Does anyone have any specific towns in that area that would be a good central base, if coming in through the east and leaving through the north?

I also agree that Innsbruck could be skipped. It was a nice city, but it is just that - a city!

I would highly recommend Hallstatt, Austria, in the Salzgammergut Lakes District. It is picturesque, quaint and unique. You could take a Salt Mine Tour from there as well as visit the UNESCO World Heritage View from up the funicular. Definitely my favorite place in Austria.

Any additional thoughts for moi and GemmaRose regarding her last post?