mdciti

Ask for feedback / reco's on logistics etc... - traveling in early/mid September 17 days total - like spending 2,3,4 days in a location - will change plans and stay longer if we really enjoy
* fly into Munich and use as base for:
- Day 1 = travel day
- Day 2-3 - full days in Munich
- Day 4 rent car meandering drive to Fussen (Neuschwanstein castle etc) spend one night near or in Fussen
- Day 5 - return to Munich - evening train to Salzburg (2hrs) - too much in one day?
- Day 6 - Salzburg
- Day 7 - Salzburg
- Day 8 - Where it gets interesting - return to Munich from Salzburg and fly to Milan /which becomes a full travel day or is there a travel alternative that forgoes flying and puts Milan at then end as its our departure city? - that would get us to:
- Day 9 -12 Lakes region Como - use Verano as base ?/ maybe a day trip to Bozen?
- Day 13 -15 - Travel to and sightsee Cinque Terre
- Day 16-17 - travel to Milan quick sightsee & depart home

Thank you in advance

bvlenci

I think you mean Varenna on Lake Como.

You can get there by train from Salzburg, but it would be a long day, on four different trains.

First from Salzburg to Innsbruck (about two hours)
Innsbruck to Verona (about 3 1/2 hours, very scenic)
Verona to Milan (little over an hour)
Milan to Varenna (an hour)

With time between trains, it takes somewhat more than 9 hours. However, your other plan will take a full day as well.

After Lake Como, you could then go to somewhere in the Cinque Terre. Depending on where exactly you go (of the five villages) it could take four to five hours on two or three different trains.

All told, it's a lot of time on trains. I would suggest choosing either Lake Como or the Cinque Terre, and giving another day or two to Milan, and any other days left over to one of your other destinations, maybe in Fussen or somewhere nearby.

I myself would consider two or three nights on Lake Como to be plenty. The towns are very touristy. The Cinque Terre is also very touristy, and the villages are packed to the gills in September. If you're interested in hiking and are pretty fit, there are plenty of less-crowded trails in the hills above the Cinque Terre towns. If you're not up for hiking, two or three nights in the Cinque Terre should be plenty.

neckervd

Munich city center - Milan bus Terminals takes 6 1/2 hrs by bus; by plane it may be 1 hr shorter.
For Varenna, you can leave the bus at Lugano and change there to a local bus to Menaggio
Salzburg - Varenna will always take a full day,
either via Innsbruck - Verona - Milan
or via Zurich - Monza
or via Landeck - Scuol - St. Moritz - Chiavenna
or via Sargans - Chur - Spluegen - Chiavenna

neckervd

Most scenic itinerary: via Engiadina - Bernina - Valtellina. Salzburg dp 7.56, 9.56 and 11.56, for example:
Salzburg dp 7.56 - Landeck 10.31/10.55 - Scuol-Tarasp ar 12.28. Lunch stop. Dp 13.34 to Pontresina 14.55/15.04 - Tirano 17.00/17.08 - Varenna ar 18.36.

mdciti

Hi

Thank you for information / suggestion. Confirmed my gut feeling too much for time we have.

1st revision:

- Fly in and out of Munich - 9/13 - depart 9/28 (total of 13 days to utilize)
- 9/13 travel day - arrive in Munich mid morning /travel to hotel etc..
- 9/14 - Full day Munich
- 9/15 (Friday) - rent car drive to Fussen (Neuschwanstein castle etc)
* any suggestions on route or stops along the way would be great?. Would end the day in Fussen spend night in or near Fussen.
* Fussen hotel reco's with car park?
- 9/16 (Saturday) - See castle etc.. drive to Salzburg (3+hours without stops)
* any suggestions on route or stops along the way would be great?. Would end the day / night in Salzburg.
* Salzburg hotel Reco's with car park?
- 9/17 - Salzburg
- 9/18 - Salzburg
- 9/19 - Drive back to Munich

Need thoughts as I totally underestimated travel time from Munich to Lake Como and Cinque Terre, so we are rethinking entire itinerary after Munich: would like to get to another base (fly from Munich and back to Munich for departure home) spend remaining 7 days exploring via day trips etc...
(have been to majority of Italy) thought about Nice & French Riviera
other thoughts?

Thank you