Need help planning first trip to Munich, Bibarch an der Riss & Lucerne
 

Hi Everyone,
Me and wife are travelling to Germany (Biberach an der riss) for work and also thinking of taking time off to visit Munich and Lucerne. The forums have been really useful in selecting few places to go and here is my tentative itinerary. This will be our first trip so would really appreciate any feedback on must see/so and hotel in the area.
Sep 19 - Fly from US to Munich
Sep 20 & 21 - Stay in Munich (explore city - Marienplatz, old town)..Any other suggestions?
Sep 22 & 25 - work in Biberach an der riss.
Sept 23 & 24 - Not sure if we should stay in Bibarch or go somewhere? Any suggestions?
Sep 26 - Train to Lucerne, relax, waking tour of the city
Sept 27, 28 - Boat ride on Lake Lucerne, mountain train up to Rigi's summit ( we love hiking, is there any hike we can do?)
Sep 29 -30 - Is it worth spending time in Zurich or is it better spent in Lucerne?
Oct 1st - Fly back to US from Zurich

Thanks!

Ttt

Better to stay in Lucerne - or head for Interlake or the villages on the foothills of the Berner Oberland to ascend the Jungfrau if possible. There are hikes all over the place - based on your ability, time and willingness to climb at all (some are close to flat).

I would go to BO first, then spend a night or 2 in Lucerne - only an hour by train from the Zurich airport.

Thanks nytraveler. Interlaken seems to be very beautiful. We plan to spend 2 night in Interlaken and 2 nights Lucerne. Looking forward to it.

http://www.bmw-welt.com/en/visitor_i...urs/plant.html

My husband and I really enjoyed this tour.

For 23 - 24 you might think of visiting Ulm and Memmingen, provided you have seen Biberach first. You are not far off the Allgäu, which is a beautiful rural landscape.

Lavandula

we love hiking, is there any hike we can do?)>

From Rigi Kulm or the summit station I did a wonderful hike back down but not to the lake but to Arth-Goldau train station to the east - really nice gently descending walk thru cow pastures, etc.

Is there a reason to visit Lucerne instead of the Jungfrau Region - to many the highlight of Switzerland for first-timers - the dreamy picture of Switzerland perhaps etched in many folks' minds eyes - of glacier-girdled peaks soaring thousands of feet above lush meadows - views from hotel balconies in say Wengen or Grindelwald are so so awesome - can hike to glaciers - hop toylike trains or thrilling aerial cable ways going off in all directions, etc.

Hikes for all abilities and energies - a panoply of things to do - boat rides too on the two lakes bookending Interlaken - anyway in case you did not consider the Jungfrau Region in and around Interlaken - to me the best place for anyone never having been to Switzerland and wishing to fulfill the Alpine Wonderland picture of Switzerland which Lucerne or its lake or Rigi, etc, though nice, will not fulfill.

If going by train check out the 4-consecutive-day Swiss Pass that covers not only trains but city buses and trams and metros, postal buses, lake boats and gives 50% off most lifts to mountain tops - your pass could kick in at the German-Austrian border and take you right to Zurich Airport when done.

For lots of stuff on Swiss trains, passes, etc I always spotlight these IMO superb sites: www.swisstravelsystem.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

Jungfrau Region in Images:

https://www.google.com/search?q=jung...=1600&bih=1075

Getting to Interlaken and then to the hill towns like Grindelwald, Wengen, is easy by train- just a few hours longer than to Lucerne. Lucerne is a lovely city on a lovely lake but the Alpine Wonderland many folks dream of ain't there.

Sur - I failed to see where you said you were going to spend two nights in Interlaken and Lucerne both - sorry - most folks on their first time would not stay in Interlaken but right up in the hills eyeball to eyeball with the snow-girdled peaks rising thousands of feet just a few miles from your hotel balcony.

Interlaken is nice but it ain't at all the Alpine wonderland many are looking for - Grindelwald is my favorite - others - and especially older folks absolutely love Wengen - many like Lauterbrunnen though the views there are not so awesome as Lauterbrunnen sits in a deep gorge - or Murren, though that is a bit more isolated than the other places for getting around to place like the Jungfraujoch.

Two days ain't much and a third day IMO would be better spent in the Jungfrau Region and one full day for Lucerne is all many people need - even with a lake-boat ride.

and there is little or no Alpine hiking in the Lucerne area on par with that in the Jungfrau Region.

For Lake Lucerne the classic boat ride goes to Fluelen at the fjord-like southern tip of what to me is Switzerland's prettiest lake - at Fluelen take the train quickly back to Lucerne - you can get off at Vitznau on this route and do the Rigi train up and back and take the next boat - making a lovely day of it out on the lake.

If interested in the trappings of a group tour take the William Tell Express boat which includes a full meal and commentary by guide I believe.

Swiss Passes are fully valid on the boats and Rigi train and train back to Lucerne but to ride the official William Tell boat (actually a reserved place on regular boats just for the groups) requires a heft supplement to cover the cost of the meal and tour guide.

Or if you want to do Mt Pilatus - the uniquely visaged mountain peaks that looms high over Lucerne itself and a boat ride to take the boat from Lucerne to Alpnachstad - then take what is ubiquitously called one of Europe's most dramatic mountain railways to the Pilatus Kulm - or summit for so so fantastic views all around.

From the summit you can take a thrilling aerial cable way down a different route - to Krens in suburban Lucerne from where buses scott you back to Lucerne.

Pilatus is a whole difference experience that much more mild Mt Rigi.

@Lavandula : Thanks for the suggestions. Couldn't find any hotels in Biberach so we are staying in Ulm. We will explore the town. Memmingen will be little far from Ulm but depending on how much time we have, may go to Memmingen.
@PalenQ : Thanks for the suggestions. Really appreciate all the info and ideas. Just purchased swiss pass. I guess will stick with 2 days in each Interlaken and Lucerne as hotels are booked. Since we have swiss pass we will go to Wengen.
I was debating between Pilatus and Rigi but you made my decision easy. Pilatus aerial cable way is closed so will have to take cogwheel railway.

Thanks again.

Sur0112, in Munich I recommend you take a stroll from Karlsplatz http://maps.furkl.com/?c=48.139,11.5656&z=15 to Hofbräuhaus http://maps.furkl.com/?c=48.1376,11.5799&z=15 and dine there with excellent Bavarian beer and sauerkraut.

Pilatus unfortunately IME of being in Lucerne many times rather fickle about hiding its unique visage behind clouds - so if on the first day in Lucerne the skies around it are clear go fot it - next day it may not be.

Pilatus aerial cable way is closed so will have to take cogwheel railway.>

thanks for that tidbit - do you know how long it will be closed?

Thanks.

Sep 20 & 21 - Stay in Munich (explore city - Marienplatz, old town)..Any other suggestions?>

Well do not miss Oktoberfest, which begins on Sep 20 this year I believe and the first weekend is when they have the lively colorful parades thru town to the festival grounds - with Budweiser-type horses hauling humongous beer kegs to the festival grounds where the Mayor of Munich with pomp and circumstance taps the first keg and declares Octoberfest on.

Prost!

Note getting accommodations for Sep 20-21 and during Oktoberfest can be very hard - hopefully you have secured something by now? If not conisder day tripping in from some nearby nice place - I did once from Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Lots of groups on drunks revelers in their city or club colors marching around Munich during Oktoberfest which to me is kind of a neat site all its own. Just don't get on a train full of them as I was once!

If you have't foun a hotel yet there are 4 Motel 1's in
Munich. I recently stayed in the sud one.

here's a link:
http://www.motel-one.com/en/hotels/munich/

Thanks for the link to Motel 1 - will keep it in mind next trip to Munich.

Sep 20 & 21 - Stay in Munich (explore city - Marienplatz, old town)..Any other suggestions?>

Perhaps another day in Munich - arrival day may not see much - many folks take the short S-Bahn ride from Munich to suburban Dachau to visit the camp/memorial from the Nazi era.