maggie_f

I have been to Germany a couple of times (never Berlin) but this will be my husband's lst trip to the birthplace of his grandparents.

Day one: SFO to Berlin
We have 3 nights in Berlin (plan to go to Potsdam, too). Will pick car up on last day.

Day 4: Drive to Duderstadt area, where family originated, perhaps spend the night, or else drive on to Zwikau, where my grandmother was born.

Day 5: From either Duderstadt or Zwikau, go through Bamberg, to Wurzberg, & drive Romantic Rd. for 2 nights in Rothenburg odt. I know it's touristy, but I love it, and want him to see it, too.

Day 7: Again drive south on the Romantic Rd., & then head toward Oberammergau, Kloster Ettal, Wieskirche, and then on to Maria Gern for 2 nights, so we can see Berchtesgaden area and take Eagle's Nest tour, & perhaps short cruise on Konigsee.

Day 9: To Munich, via Altotting and Marktl, for 3 nights. We have a factory tour in Ulm (Krieghoff) one morning, and will stop in Dachau on way back to Munich. On day 12, we fly to Rome for 5 nights.

Does this sound like too much driving? I may have to eliminate Zwikau. Any other suggestions or "must-sees" on the way? Also, any suggestions for good restaurants in the out-of-the-way places?
Thank you for any ideas. This board is great --- always a great help with planning.

Shanna

It IS a lot of driving, although the roads allow you to get around easily. The big cities in Germany don't hold a lot of fascination for me, but like you both I was following an ancestor (Freinsheim on the Weinstrasse in the Pfalz) and found the small towns really captured my heart and imagination. Also - I love wine and beer! So driving is limited. Why don't you write down "must sees" and leave it at those. You will find other places along the way to fill in any extra time, but will still not feel rushed to get here or there. Rothenburg OTD is a must see and it really takes little time - but a full day to "experience" it, especially if you want to walk along the walls. Don't rush your trip; your memories should be precise, not a blur. And, as my used to be husband used to say: save some for later (although sometimes I thought he was full of it). Have a great trip - I probably don't have to tell you that the Germans are fantastic!

Michael

3 nights in Berlin means two full days, not counting the first when you will be jet-lagged after a 13 hour plane ride. Drop Potsdam; there's more than enough to do in Berlin.

Edda

Maggie f: the places you are visiting are all very beautiful, although some also touristy. Why don't you stay in Germany, visit the Bodensee or the German Tuscany, the Pfalz?

Shanna: I have read a lot of your nice comments on the Pfalz. I am from the Pfalz and in October "I am going back to the place were I was born" (a song by Eric Anderson).

Edda

maggie_f

Thank you all for your input. It is much appreciated. Will let you know how it works out!!

Vttraveler

It seems a shame to miss visiting Zwikau because of the family connection but it does add a lot of driving if you are going from Berlin to Duderstadt then to Zwickau.

Bamberg and Wurzburg are both beautiful cities but you can't do both justice in one day en route to Rothenburg.

I like Schloss Harburg off the Romantic Road south of Nordlingen.
I would do Linderhof instead of Oberammergau

In the alps you could cut out the Berchtesgaden area and consider going up the Zugspitze from Garmisch. That is truly spectacular (obviously highly weather-dependent). Then you have an easy drive up to Munich.

noe847

This sounds like a fairly ambitious itinerary. If I were you, I'd skip Berlin entirely on this trip. Fly into Frankfurt and do Duderstadt from there. That way you can concentrate on central and southern Germany without spreading yourself too thin. And Berlin/Potsdam is too amazing to attempt it in the three nights (with the first day pretty well lost to jet lag). To add something new for you, I suggest you add some time to a new town or two on your route through Bavaria.

Then on your next trip (!) you can do Berlin/Potsdam, maybe Dresden and Prague - or Berlin and then head west. I just spent 6 nights Berlin and 2 in Dresden, and am going back for another 9 nights in Berlin/northern Germany in September.

My three trips to Bavaria were combined with Austria.

maggie_f

Yes, Noe, I read your trip report ---- awsome, and very helpful. However, Berlin is the one place on this trip that I've never seen --- so I want to at least get a taste! Actually, we'll have a good 2 1/2 days -- and we usually keep moving that first day. If we skip Potsdam this trip, we can see the Berlin highlights.

noe847

I can understand your eagerness, maggie_f, and I'm sure you'll get enough of a taste to know what you want when you come back.

If you are thinking of doing the Reichstag, that might be a good first day activity, along with the Brandenburg Gate and Unter den Linden.