Hi,

We will be visiting Germany for 2 weeks coming December, and we have 6 nights in Munich, so practically 5 full days. I was thinking of spending 2 (plus half day on arrival from Nuremberg) days going around Munich, and then 3 days doing some day trips, either on my own using trains or a group tour. Which of these is best especially during December:

Neuschwanstein & Linderhof (group tour)
Garmisch-Partenkirchen (using trains)
Augsburg (using trains)
Regensburg (using trains)
...any other suggestions?

We like history, cities, architecture, and nice scenery.

Hi theabez,

I have a few suggestions for your trip to Garmisch-P.

If you are city/town people, I suggest you visit Mittenwald as well as Garmisch, and you can easily do both in one day. Use the Bavaria Ticket for all-day transport. Take the train to Mittenwald and stroll through town, and make a stop at the violin museum to get a view of how cottage industry and families evolved in the region over time. Then take a bus or train to Garmisch, and stroll through the pedestrian zone in town.

If you want some time in the countryside, then you can choose either Mittenwald or Garmisch.

If Mittenwald, take the train there, then head for the Lautersee and the Ferchensee, about 45 minutes' walk. You can opt to walk up the Kranzberg, about 2h, and have lunch at the wonderful restaurant at the top, then take the ski lift or walk back down.

If you want to ascend some mountains, take the train to Garmisch, then go downstairs at the train station and follow the tunnel to the Zugspitzbahn. Take the Zugspitzbahn up to the Zugspitzplatt (1h30), then take the cable car up to the very summit (about 15 minutes if you have to wait). Have lunch up there with the stunning views. Then take the cable car all the way down to the Eibsee with astounding views over the lake. At the bottom, walk around the Eibsee (about 1h30), then have coffee & cake at the lakeside hotel. Take the Eibsee bus back to Garmisch and get off at the Marienplatz, then walk down the pedestrian zone through town and continue on to the train station for your trip back to Munich. This itinerary gives you mountains, countryside, and a bit of town.

Have fun as you plan!

s

You can do Neuschwanstein and Linderhof as well as Herrenchiemsee by train from Munich without doing the group tour. However, if you are insistent upon having an English language tour of the inside of these places you have to be a bit more informed and prepared.

I am posting simply to say that you do not HAVE to be in a group to see these places.

Keep in mind that Dec is winter. You will have short mostly grey days/early dark, chilly rain and possibility of snow with possible delays if traveling by road. Trains are less likely to be delayed by weather.

For visits to Mad Ludwig castles be sure to schedule tours in advance if you want them done in English, We personally prefer Linderhof and especially Herrenchiemsee versus Neuschwanstein.

Agree with suggestion to do the zugspitz from Garmisch - did this on my first tip to europe - almost 40 years ago - and still remember it since it was my first real mountain.

You can do Neuschwanstein and Linderhof as well as Herrenchiemsee by train from Munich without doing the group tour>

No trains to Linderhof but you can train to Oberammergau then take a bus there.

Agree with Dukey you do NOT need any group tour to easily reach these places - check out the Bavarian Pass that for about 30 euros allows several people to travel on regional trains and city transports the whole day - per group not person - valid to all the destinations you mention - for lots on German trains and Bavarian ones in particular check www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

We have really enjoyed Augsburg and Regensburg in recent years. Both are very walkable towns, with the main pedestrian zone near the train station. In December, Regensburg has a Christmas Market that is fairly unique regarding its setting on the Thurn und Taxis palace grounds.

http://mcchelsea.smugmug.com/Advent-...5030947_4WtqMc

In the city we best liked Regensburg for its medieval squares and and narrow streets, which make it a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visiting the cathedral and some of several churches of many different architectural styles will give you a chance to escape the weather.

http://mcchelsea.smugmug.com/Advent-...5028020_t5NQGm

We visited Augsburg in April. My last visit to it in December was in the 1970's. Enjoyed it in any case. We best liked the area around the cathedral and the Gold Room in the City Hall (Rathaus). The Christmas market is right in front of city hall.

We spent multiple days in both towns and believe they would each easily fill a day. Either (both) would be great day trips in December. BTW Christmas Markets for us are mainly about atmosphere. Goods are so-so to our tastes.

I liked Nurnberg - a nice city and one with the lragest intact relics of the Third Reich in Hitler's Parade Grounds just south of town - here is the stadium from whose balcony he famously reviewed goose-stepping troops and the long long granite block or perhaps marbe parade grounds - all nicely restored in the past decades - plus a museum of Third Reich.

It sounds as though you will already have visited Nuremberg which would have been an obvious suggestion. Landshut is another interesting city near Munich.

You can do BOTH Neuschwanstein and Linderhof by taking a train to Fuessen. From there you can either use a local bus service or take a taxi to those two "castle" sites. You will have MUCH better public transport connections from Fuessen than you will from Oberammergau.

Linderhof is nowhere near Füssen -- it is near Oberammergau. Linderhof is more than 40 km from Füssen, so a taxi might cost around 100€.

s

I took a bus from Fussen to Linderhof but if going to Linderhof itself take a train to Oberammergau and then short bus ride. But as Dukey says you can do both - end u in Oberammergau and take the train back to Munich - take train to Fussen and be sure to have booked a time slot for the tour or wait hours in line.

That said I think it may be rather hard to do justice to each of Mad Ludwig's creations by public transporation in one day - depends on how nicely bus schedules fit in and they may not be all that frequent at times during the day.

I agree you don't really need a group tour to see Fussen castle.

What about Salzburg? It's an easy day-trip from Munich.

Again check out the Bavarian Lander Card or pass - lets you take any regional train and city transports and even covers travel to Salzburg, Austria - about 30 euros for up to several folks total - it will take about 45 minutes longer to Salzburg on regional trains but the savings will be immense and yes that is a great GREAT day trip to a GREAT GREAT gorgeous Baroque city.

PalenQ, I remember using a train/bus pass called the Bayern pass, I think. It was a huge savings for 4 people traveling to Salzburg and back to Munich.

I didn't say that Linderhof is "near Fuessen." What I DID say was that you can GET to Linderhof from Fuessen. That "station" in Oberfammergau has basically been closed for several years now. What is at the end of the platform is a ticket machine. Perhaps one could call using a cellphone to get a taxi or ask about how to get to the nearest bus stop.

Tabernash - yes the Bavaria Pass is what I was talking about - generically called Lander Cards as many German Lands - regions I believe - have their own version - always dirt cheap - even though you are restricted to regional trains, which are not nearly so quick as the fastest trains - I kind of like these local trains that stop all the time - and going by scenery at lower speeds can be neat too - ICEs often blow along at nearly 190 mph in places - though not in Bavaria - only well over 100 mph there as there are yet few high-speed rail lines built to accommodate such speeds safely.

Sorry I misunderstood you, Dukey1. It was this statement that caused my confusion:

"You can do BOTH Neuschwanstein and Linderhof by taking a train to Fuessen. From there you can either use a local bus service or take a taxi to those two "castle" sites."

I would assume that if one could take a taxi from Füssen to Linderhof, then they are close or close-ish. Hence in my reply I note that they are not that close and a taxi would be quite expensive.

s

Hence in my reply I note that they are not that close and a taxi would be quite expensive.>

Yes but I am always socked at how many Fodorites hire private drivers for longish day trips - if you got the moolah a taxi could get you there quickly - Linderhof from Fussen.

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