March 9-15th we'll be flying in and out of Munich. Ive gotten great advice from a few of you on this trip! Boyfriend has never been abroad. Me:travel afficianado. I was planning on this trip checking out Munich and spending 2 days driving through Bavarian villages. He just sprung that hed also like to see Vienna. Thoughts? Are all 3 doable in pretty much 5 days or should we pick between Vienna and romantic road?

Is the trip about "doing" places or about actually seeing and enjoying them? I'd seriously recommend picking one or the other. 5 days is short, especialy if it includes overcoming jet lag (don't know where you are flying in from).

Just a thought: Munich and Vienna would be two big cities that are, from the point of view of a traveller who has never been to Europe, quite similar. (Of course they are not alike and both worth a visit etc. etc. etc. - folks, please don't beat me up. One could easily spend five days or more in either of them.)

It's a very common mistake (IMHO) among travellers from outside Europe to focus on big cities only. Especially in Germany. Most cities here have been heavily hit by World War II bombs. Intact, well preserved historical town centres can be found in smaller places. So it seems a good idea to me to see some countryside and smaller towns/villages after Munich - like, for example, along the Romantic Road.

Thats my line of thinking as well. Ive already done those trips where we jump from one city/country to the next in a short time, and i feel some of those bavarian villages will be a nice juxtraposition to the big city. I think concentrating on Bavaria will be a good trip. Just wanted to make sure I wasnt being selfish and having a 1st time abroad-er miss anything.

Our family has visited Munich and the Bavarian Alps several times-- and also Vienna. It's farther between Munich and Vienna than it might seem, and you would lose a lot of time traveling between the two.

I'd split my time between Munich and the Bavarian Alps. You don't need or want a car in Munich, but you will in the Alps. We normally base in the village of Oberammergau, which puts you in easy reach of much of what you'd probably be interested in. And the scenery is drop-dead beautiful. Berchtesgaden would be another possibility and would allow a day trip to Salzburg, but that may be complicating a relatively short trip.

Just be aware that the weather will be quite cool in early March. You may even encounter snow. (Here's a link to some photos from our last trip to Oberammergau in mid-April 2005: http://www.slowphotos.com/photo/show...y.php?cat=3581)

Kathy

I agree fully with all assessments. In five days, one or the other but not both.
I know Munich the best of he major European cities. I think 3 days in the city would enable you to see the major sights. Driving around the southern part of Bavaria is fun and interesting.

In late March, you can still go skiing.