travel0102

Hi fellow fodorites,

I am sure someone has gone on this route before and can help me out. Our family of 5 is taking a stopover in Munich, Germany for 12 days. I found out couple days ago that the famous tulips gardens are open till May 21st. I am tempted to go there. I am wondering if it is realistic (and is it a scenic road trip for the most part) to rent a car on 15th and drive couple hours from Munich and take a night stopover. In the day, see the area for 1/2 day and then drive three to four hours and spend the night of 16th and 17th (may be -- one or two nights) at some other place. Try to be close to Amsterdam by 18th. May be visit the Gardens on 19th (couple days before it closes -- will all the flowers gone by then ..) and stay in the area for 3 nights -- take the canal tour in amsterdam and see major sights. Somewhere around 21st, we should start driving towards Munich again and see the way .. and then take a flight on 27th -- is it doable? Please help me .. what should I do .. if it is crazy then what is a better option?

Thanks a lot

Palenque

Yup IMO very doable

en route to amsterdam you could stop in Heidelberg, one of the few German towns not decimated in WWII and then head to the Rhine Gorge (south of Koblenz - drive right along the river to Koblenz then go up the Mosel Valley - to me Europe's most gorgeous river valley - serpentine like river coursing in a deep often vineyard-clad gorge - numerous cute wine towns en route. Cochem is a great base - cute wine town or Bernkastel or smaller ones like Beilstein (Haus Lippmann hotel there has gotten so many rave reviews from Fodorites.

Then take the Mosel up via Trier - Germany's oldest city well worth a few-hour look - one Charlemagne's capital of the Western roman Empire it has the Porta Negra, to me the finest intact Roman relic north of the Alps - immense stone block pile that was called the gateway to the Eastern roman empire - a nice town center and old Roman temple that was converted to a basilica, etc.

Then via Luxembourg, also worth a short stop to see this gogeous town with a deep gorge bisecting it - to me one of Europe's most physically gorgeous towns.

Then meander thru rural Luxembourg via Maastricht to Amsterdam.

This is not the most direct driving route but all told one of the most scenic and interesting drives in Europe IMO

flygirl

Hi

I had a trip once that was the reverse of yours - flew into Amsterdam and home from Munich. I was in Amsterdam over the weekend and the Monday morning took a train to Den Haag to have lunch with a friend and then back on the train after lunch to continue on to Cologne for the night. I picked up the rental car there and my next stop was Heidelberg for 3-4 nights and then finally on to Munich for another 4 nights or so.

It was quite doable but I did have an open jaw ticket which really helped.

hetismij

The A2 motorway in the Netherlands, which links Amsterdam with Maastricht (and on into Belgium and all points south) is undergoing major reconstruction at the moment, which will last all year, and cause a lot of traffic problems. So if you can plan a route which doesn't involve driving the A2 I suggest you do. If you can't work around the A2, and I admit it is difficult, be prepared for delays and diversions.
Otherwise it sounds like a very doable plan.
We did it once, driving down to Munich where my husband had meetings then back up again.

Haus Lippmann in Beilstein (www.hotel-haus-lipmann.com) rightly gets rave reviews here btw.

Palenque

hetismij - the Haus Lipmann website shows the quintessential Mosel wine village - pastel-hued houses huddled together with vineyards swirling around it and the ubiquitous ruined castle (Burg) looming high above it. And a boat dock for boat rides up and down the Mosel (to Cochem or Bernkastel is great by boat)

hetismij

Yep Pal - that is Beilstein. The hotel is lovely, the owners very friendly, their English superb, and the food and wine is great. The village is delightful, complete with ruined castle and the most fascinating thing for me was the Jewish cemetery up on the hill. So yes every one who raves about the place rightly does so.

travel0102

All, Thanks for your help and insights. It seems that driving that much when parts of the highways are under construction will be an issue. Someone suggested me to go to Mainau in Germany which is not far from Munich and it has lots of floral display (nothing like Tulip gardens . but still great). I called and sent email to Gardens in Amsterdam since it will be the tail end of the season, but they do not give me an exact answer -- so I am leaning to stay in Munich and Bavaria area this time. Thank all of you for sharing your knowledge and experience with me.

ira

Hey trav,

>I am leaning to stay in Munich and Bavaria area this time. <

Keep leaning.

You've made a very good decision.

Rather than spending 2 days on the road, you can visit Mainau from your base on the Bodensee. Plus, you get a boat ride.

See http://www.mainau.de/

Cowboy1968

Whatever you will eventually do, keep in mind that Ascension Day (May 21st, a Thursday) is a public holiday in Germany, and many people take a day off also on the following Friday to get a long weekend. Major tourist sites like Mainau island will be really busy during those days.