Hi All! I am currently fine-tuning the details of an upcoming trip to Italy, Switzerland and Germany this August, and would greatly welcome any input or suggestions from the Fodorites regarding my plans! It will be my tenth trip to Europe in the past six years, but will be my first solo trip (although I will be meeting up with a German friend of mine who lives in Freiburg, Germany for a few days), so it won't be just me the whole time. And, although on all past trips I was usually the "planner" of the group, I guess the fact that this will be mainly a solo trip has me doing even more research and planning (if that's possible!) to be sure things go smoothly, hence the request for input from all of you!

As for the August agenda, I know, I've been to Italy in August before...hot hot hot! However, due to my son's school and daycare situation (and our family's baseball/softball schedules, and my husband's work schedule), August was really the only time I could make this work. So, the tickets are already purchased, and August it is! Actually I'm rather excited about being there mid-summer, truth be told, since the last few times to Europe have been in the winter to get the good airfare. I am glad to not have to pack an umbrella this time, and who knows? Maybe I'll get better at packing light without having to drag winter clothes around!

Anyway, here's how the plans are shaping up:

SATURDAY: Fly from Seattle to Venice, Italy (with one stopover in Amsterdam), ARRIVE IN VENICE ON SUNDAY. I am excited to arrive at La Serenissima properly this time, arriving at St. Mark's Square rather than the train station! (I've done the cram-packed vaporetto from the train station in August before with all my luggage...fun in hindsight, yes...but not fun at the time! Here's to hoping the vaporetto from the airport will be better. We'll see.

Friends of the family are letting me stay at their place in San Marco (they'll be out of town). This will be my third time to Venice and the second time staying there - the place is magical. It's got its own private rooftop terrace so you can get a bird's eye view up over this sometimes claustrophobic city, especially with all of the tourists and heat of August. (Don't get me wrong though; I love Venice! Especially when I get to stay at this place.) I speak a bit of Italian so am also excited to dust off my language skills and attempt to use them a bit again. (Spero che posso ricordare!)

MONDAY: Hang out in Venice! I might do a whole bunch of stuff, I might do nothing. One thing I will do is drink cafe lattes on the terrace and listen to Vivaldi each morning. I'm a walker, so will most likely traipse all over the city, and cross lots of bridges!

TUESDAY: Ditto! Also, I have never been to Santa Maria della Salute or inside the Doge's Palace, so may do one or the other, or both. May also try to visit St. Mark's again as I don't think it's possible to go there too many times.

WEDNESDAY: I just made a reservation with Avventure Bellissime to do a day trip to Vicenza to tour this Palladian town, replete with stops at Villa Godi, Villa Rotonda and a drive along the Brenta Canal. I can hardly wait! I am a history major, a classics minor, an architecture buff and an Italy lover...I also am a huge Thomas Jefferson fan and have visited his home Monticello, which was modeled after Villa Rotonda. Seeing Vicenza, and especially la Villa Rotonda, will be a dream come true for me. Yippee!

THURSDAY: Train to Luzern, Switzerland. Will be staying at Hotel Zum Weissen Kreusz.

FRIDAY: Plan to go up to Mt. Pilatus if it's not too cloudy. If it is cloudy, maybe a boat trip on the lake, and just checking out Luzern! It will be my first time to Switzerland. Hope to not overdose on fondue and chocolate!

SATURDAY: Train to Freiburg, Germany. (Also my first time to Germany.) Even though my German friend offered to let me stay with her at her apartment, I opted for a hotel for as I told her: "I think I would be tired of myself after three days! I don't want to subject you to that." Plus I am a hotel lover - I like to do what I please when on vacation without having to worry about being a good house guest. If I want to leave my dirty socks on the floor, I will!

SUNDAY: Freiburg! I met my friend through work and she is really a neat person. I assume we'll tour the city and just hang out together.

MONDAY: My Freiburg pal has offered to take me on a hike in the Black Forest. Sounds great, and she goes all the time so I trust I'm in good hands on that one! My husband says if she brings a shovel and asks me to dig a hole I should run away. He has a really bad sense of humor.

TUESDAY: This day we're planning a day trip to Colmar, France, If I'm still alive, that is. I haven't done much reading up on Colmar. Any ideas on good places to go? (Museums, restaurants? I've seen photos of Little Venice and that looks like a must. Also, I'm a weirdo vegetarian - but one that is used to making do in a meat-eating French world - but just thought I'd add that so I wouldn't waste anybody's time, if they were going to go into detail regarding a place's pepper steak or something!)

WEDNESDAY - Not sure what I'm going to do yet this day. My friend has to be at work on Wednesday, so I'll be back on my own. I fly out of Frankfurt airport on Thursday morning (10:30 departure) so was thinking of training north Wednesday morning, maybe getting a little closer to Frankfurt and seeing a new town. I originally was thinking Bacharach or St. Goar and maybe doing a short Rhein cruise to see the castles but this area just looks so great, and I don't want to short change it. (I would love to have a few days there and also see the Mosel Valley.) So that's probably out.

Other places I've been debating are Gengenbach, Heidelberg and Baden-Baden, but I'm currently leaning toward the latter due to a few reasons: Gengenbach looks adorable but I speak no German, and I think this might be a big hindrance there, especially solo. Plus the train connections aren't fabulous and I don't want to get too tricky Thursday morning when I have to be at Frankfurt airport by 8:30 or so.

Heidelberg looks very attractive but I've heard it's super-touristy. (Hell, I'll be coming from Venice though; what could be more touristy than that!?!) But the more I read about Heidelberg, I think this may be one of those places where you either love it or you hate it? Anyway, it's still an option...there's a good chance I'll be one that loves it!

However, Baden-Baden is really looking interesting, and the train connections are great, with non-stops from Freiburg and to Frankfurt airport. I also think it may be a perfect place for a last relaxing day, as I can spend the day at the baths and then maybe take in a leisurely walk around this stately town and maybe check out the casino if I'm up for it.

So those are the plans I've come up with so far. Any advice you could offer is most welcome, and thanks in advance for your time!

You'll have a great time in Freiburg!!!
It's a wonderful small city, a lot of history beautiful church (you can climb the stairs to the tower), wonderful places for a cold beer and delicious traditional food. Enjoy yourself!

Plus: All the hiking paths in the black forest are well marked so that you pretty much can not get lost at all...

Thanks, Kascha912!

Also, I forgot to add that I'm thinking of staying at the Hotel Alleehaus while in Freiburg and just got a quote this morning from the Hotel Am Markt in Baden-Baden. I would welcome any comments on these hotel options, in addition to the itinerary. Thanks!

I don't have a map in front of me, LB, which is more convenient for the Frankfurt flughafen, Baden-Baden or Bacharach? Bacharach is a dandy Rhine village. The only other advice I can give is to taste an onion pie while in Colmar. J.

Hi jmw. I just checked German train website and see that there's a non-stop train from Bacharach to Flughafen on the morning I leave; it takes 1:18 and the non-stop from Baden-Baden takes 1:23...so it's a complete toss-up between the two of them as far as rail connections go.

And I would love to do a short Rhein cruise. Maybe I should throw Bacharach back into the running. Have you any hotel recommendations for Bacharach? It does look very quaint. Decisions decisions!

Thanks for reminding me about the onion pies while in France (tart a l'oignon? I can't remember). I love those!

Luna: I would recommend spending your last couple of days in and around the mosel valley before flying out of frankfurt. Mosel is much less touristed and much more beautifulr than Rhine.