Need help planning a trip in Bavaria
 

My wife and I are traveling to Germany over Thanksgiving. We are flying into and out of Frankfurt...not my first choice...and spending six nights. I studied in Nurnberg and know Bavaria well, but I have never tried to cram multiple cities into such a short trip. I would like to take my wife to Rothenburg, Munich, and the Castles near Fussen. Other possible destinations are Salzburg and Nurnberg. Any ideas for a six day itinerary -- remembering that we have to be back in Frankfurt on night 6.

Thanks for any assistance you can provide.

If it was me and I really wanted a whirlwind tour.... I would spend the first night in Rothenburg.

After spending the evening and most of the morning there I would drive to Fussen for night 2.

The next morning I would see the castles then drive the back roads to Weisekirche and spend night 3 in Oberammergau.

After dropping by Linderhoff I would drive to Bretschesgaden and then on to Salzburg for night 4. Spend the day there and either stay one more night and drive to Munich in the morning or go to Munich in the evening for night 5.

Is your head spinning yet? Did I mention getting an unlimited Kilometers rent car?

Back to Nuremberg and then Frankfurt and sleep all the way home.

Are you panning to drive or takes the trains?

IMO if you really want your wife to SEE anything other than just a blur, I would retain Rothenburg, Munich, and the castles and possibly Nurnberg while forgetting Salzburg entirely.

I honestly don't think you need to spend an entire day and night in Rothenburg and I think Munich would be worth at least two days and nights. Do you have any ideas of exactly what you'd like to show your wife in that city? The Residenze, Schloss Nymphenburg, Marienplatz, etc. come to mind immediately; Dachau? area around Starnberg? Herrenchiemsee for the largest and probably the most elaborately-decoratedof all the Ludwig edifices?

How many of the castles do you want to see? I agree that doing this via Oberammergau which is much more "charming" than Fuessen IMO might be a good idea. For the castle portion I would definitely consider renting a car.

Am sure others will have even more suggestions.

You'll be there at the height of Christmas market season.

If you don't want to drive, I'd take a train from the airport to Bamberg. Two nights in Bamberg with a possible daytrip to Nuernberg for the grand daddy of all Christmas markets, then train to Munich. 2 nights in Munich with a daytrip to Hohenschwanagau and Neuschwanstein castles.

Then train to Rothenburg o.d. Tauber and finally train back to the airport.

Train travel into and out of Rothenburg takes a couple of stops from just about anywhere, so you might want to drive or consider part train travel and part car (for the portions outside the big cities), purely personal preference.

Here are my suggestions, given your stated preferences. I agree you should drop Salzburg. The first day is messy if jet-lagged and you ought to avoid driving. I suggest you cover some ground though by taking the first direct express train from FRA to Munich for 3 nights there. Unwind/snooze on the train and at your hotel there on day 1, see what you can if you have the time and energy. Days 2 and 3 could be spent in Munich and doing a daytrip to Fuessen and the castles (maybe better by train to avoid Munich traffic.) Get your car and head to Rothenburg on day 4, Nuremberg on day 5, Bamberg then Frankfurt on day 6. I don't really think anyone should miss the Nuremberg Christmas market if in the area, and Bamberg is a short but very special detour.

I was originally thinking we would train the trip, but I think I have now decided I would like to drive -- especially during the Romantic Road section and for the castles.

Sounds like you may be saying Salzburg should be saved for a later date, and I tend to agree. As much as I love the city, it may be too much of a blur to try to include it in such a quick trip. We may have to save it for a return.

And when deciding on an Alpine city to base which would you choose, Fussen, Oberammergau, or Reutte?

Thanks for the tips.

Oberammergau is the most charming little town to me of the three mentioned, then Fussen, the Reutte. Close by Oberammergau is Weiskirche, Linderhoff and Ettal Monestary (is that how you spell that?).

On top of all that it is not too far from the place where you pick up the autobahn from Garmish to Munich.

AisleSeat--Three excellent suggestions, and close enough on the names, but, to be exact, Wieskirche and Linderhof.

http://www.wieskirche.de/

http://www.linderhof.de/

http://www.kloster-ettal.de/

Thanks again for the assistance. I've been to Weiskirche and was planning on returning this trip. And I was just looking at the Linderhof website.

Any recommendations for a place to stay in Oberammergau? Not looking to break the bank -- I'll save that for Munich -- but would like the true Alpine Bavarian experience.

I would agree about Oberammergau especially if you'd like your wife to see an almost stereotypical "Bavarian" scene..you know, the baroque decoration inside the church, chalet architecture, all those wood carvers..hey, why not? It's Germany.

I've done everything you want to do by rail and public bus but i do feel you'll get max flexibility if you have a car for the castle portion if nothing else. I would park and leave the car in Munich since public transport for all the "major" sites is so good.

If you have a car, you might consider staying in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. It is a short drive to the three alpine castles and churches mentioned. Plus a ride up to the Zugspitze would provide some great views on a clear day.

I googled Oberammergau.de hotels and got two or three 3* options in the 65 euro range.