tucsonan07

Hello. My wife and I (along with out 2 year old) are considering a 2 week trip to central Europe. I have put the following itinerary together and was wondering if this sounds ok. We are renting a car since we don't want to be luging luggage and the baby around the train stations:

Germany and Belgium: Two week Trip by Car
Fri June 22 Day 0: Fly to MUC

Sat June 23 Day 1: Fly into Munich, 1 night – Arrive 6:30 pm
Pick up car rental

Sun June 24 Day 2: Drive to Bavaria 2 nights (Reutte Aust or Fussen Germ) - 82 miles

Mon June 25 Day 3: Bavaria region driving

Tues June 26 Day 4: Drive through Romatic Road Sleep in Rothenburg 3 nights - 167 miles

Wed June 27 Day 5: Rothenburg

Thur June 28 Day 6: day trip to Dinkelsbuhl – 30 miles

Fri June 29 Day 7: Rothenburg leave for Wuezburg 1 night - 42 miles

Sat June 30 Day 8: Wuezburg

Sun July 1 Day 9: Wuezbug, leave for Rhine Valley (St Goar/Bacharach) 2 nights- 122 miles

Mon July 2 Day 10: Rhine Valley

Tues July 3 Day 11: Rhine Valley, leave for Brussels 4 nights - 200 miles

Wed July 4 Day 12: Brussels

Thurs July 5 Day 13: day drip to Brugge (62 miles)

Fri July 6 Day 14: Brussels (drop car off possibily)

Sat July 7 Day 15: Brussels, leave to home
Day 22: Fly home

treplow

You should plan to pick up and return your car in the same country. In that case there's no drop-off charge. But coss-border, the charges can run very high.

I counsel against arriving in Munich at 6:30P and planning to drive to Reutte or Fuesen the same day. Not clear if that was you intention.

Not sure if you want to spend 3 nights in Rothenburg. You can visit Dinkelsbuehl on your way from Fuessen to R.

Not sure what you mean by Bavaria Region driving. B. is a big state.

You might think about driving to Rothenburg via Lake Constance, or spend time in the Garmisch area.

You might be smart, dropping your car off in Cologne and taking the train to Bruessels. A car in B. is nothing but a nuisance, and the Belgian drivers are wild.

I gather by your e-mail address you live in Tucson. Cal me at 299-7184 if you want to talk further about your plans

tucsonan07

Thank You for the suggestions. I did notice the high charge (300-500 euros) when droping the car off in another country. I am going to go ahead and do just that and not drive in Belgium, droping off car in Cologne (Koln). We were staying one night in Munich (to sleep and not risk drivng at night in an unfamiliar area). Also in talking with my wife we decided to cut out one day in Rothenburg (and just stop in Dinkelsbuhl on the way), skipping Brussels, and do 2 nights in Bugges instead and finish off in Paris.

Would 2 nights in the Rhine Valley be ok (too much/too little time)? Is 2 night in Rothenburg ok?

Germany/Austria/France: Two week Trip by Car/Train
Sun June 24 Day 1: Fly into Munich, 1 night – Arrive 6:30 pm
Pick up car rental
Mon June 25 Day 2: Drive to Bavaria 2 nights (Reutte Aust or Fussen Germ) - 82 miles
Tues June 26 Day 3: Bavaria
Wed June 27 Day 4: Drive through Romatic Road Sleep in Rothenburg 2 nights - 167 miles – stop in Dinkelsbuhl
Thurs June 28 Day 5: Rothenburg
Fri June 29 Day 6: Rothenbug leave for Wuezburg 1 night - 42 miles
Sat June 30 Day 7: Wuezburg, leave for Rhine Valley (St Goar/Bacharach) 2 nights- 122 miles
Sun July 1 Day 8: Rhine Valley
Mon July 2 Day 9: Rhine Valley, leave for Koln (92 miles) to take train to Brugge 2 nights
Tues July 3 Day 10: Brugge
Wed July 4 Day 11: Brugge, leave for Paris (train)
Thurs July 5 Day 12: Paris
Fri July 6 Day 13: Paris
Sat July 7 Day 14: Paris, leave home

Russ

Sounds alright, basically, but I don't understand the 3 nights in Rothenburg - too much. Just see Dinkelsbuehl on the way to Rothenburg and save the backtracking.

Brussels is just okay. I'd suggest a musch shorter stay - like your last night - and spending at least 2 nights in Bruges instead.

Also, after your Rhine visit, you might really enjoy a night or two on the Mosel River (Cochem?) with stops in Bernkastel and/or Trier.

Russ

Just saw your last post - good changes, but Paris is hardly do-able in 3 days, far less so with an infant.

tucsonan07

Well after much discussion we have added more to our itinerary. We cut Rhine by 1 day and added Strasburg and Innsbruck. I am really contimplating adding 1 day to Strasburg and eliminating Wuezburg (or possibiliy adding back to Rhine). Adding the 1 day in Strasburg may help (jet lag). I have been trying to eliminate 1 night stays if they are a short distance from each place.

Fri June 22 Day 0: Fly from PHX to MUC

Sat June 23 Day 1: Fly into Munich, 1 night – Arrive 6:30 pm

Sun June 24 Day 2: Munich drive to Salzburg (89 miles) 1 night - Pick up car rental on Sunday in Munich

Mon June 25 Day 3: Salzburg drive to Innsbruck (117 miles) 1 night

Tues June 26 Day 4: Innsbruck drive to Bavaria 2 night, stay in either Reutte, Aust. (58 miles) or Fussen, Germ (68 miles)

Wed June 27 Day 5: Bavaria

Thur June 28 Day 6: Bavaria drive through Romatic Road Sleep in Rothenburg (167 miles) 2 nights, with a stop in Dinkelsbuhl

Fri June 29 Day 7: Rothenburg

Sat June 30 Day 8: Rothenburg leave for Wuezburg (42 miles) 1 night

Sun July 1 Day 9: Wuezburg, leave for Rhine Valley (122 miles), stay in either St Goar or Bacharach 1 night

Mon July 2 Day 10: Rhine Valley, leave for (Koln) (92 miles) to take train to Brugge 2 nights

Tues July 3 Day 11: Brugge

Wed July 4 Day 12: Brugge, leave for Paris on train

Thurs July 5 Day 13: Paris

Fri July 6 Day 14: Paris

Sat July 7 Day 15: Paris, leave to PHX