We are flying from Atlanta to Zurich on Saturday, March 31, 2007, arriving in Zurich on Sunday, April 1. There will be 3 of us -- me, my husband, and our 17-year-old son. He's taking German in school and is real interested in history. Here's the plan so far (and I know there are lots of holes in the plan) with questions:

April 1 - arrive in Zurich; train to Munich; overnight in Munich.

April 2 - Munich; overnight in Munich.

April 3 - Drive or train to Garmisch; overnight in Garmisch;

April 4 - overnight in Garmisch;

April 5 - overnight in Garmisch;

April 6 - Drive or train to Rothenburg; overnight in Rothenburg;

April 7 - tour Rothenburg during day; overnight in Rothenburg or Stuttgart;

April 8 - Fly out of Stuttgart airport around 11:00 a.m. to Atlanta.

QUESTIONS:

1. We need hotel for Munich. Would like to be in City Center. Ideas?

2. Would it be better to drive or train to Garmisch?

3. If we train to Garmisch, should we rent car to drive to Rothenburg (stopping at castles along way).

4. Good place to stay in Rothenburg?

5. Would it be better to spend last night in Stuttgart near airport, or would it be better to spend 2 nights in Rothenburg and drive to the airport on the morning of our flight?

That's all the questions for now, but I'm sure there will be lots more. Thanks so much for helping us.

If going by train be sure to investigate the Bavarian Pass, a real bargain you can all travel on on one pass i believe for a pittance. Can't take the fastest trains but the places you're going that won't matter too much - all places you're going to are in Bavaria i believe except Stuttgart which is just outside it. Buy this pass at Bavarian train stations.

For our trip last summer (Munich, Nuremberg, Fussen), we really enjoyed having a car in the Alps. It was nice to be able to stop when and where we wanted, go check out little places, and so on. For Munich and Nuremberg (including a day trip to Rothenberg) we didn't miss having a car at all.

Thanks!

First of all, I want to congratulate you on a very sensible plan, no rushing fromn place to place.

Zuerich to Munich by train makes sense.

Add an extra night in Munich, to visit the Deutsche Museum and possible Dachau concentration camp. It's a short S-Bahn trip from the city center. Your son (and you probably, too) would enjoy the Deutsche Museum. It got everything from the history of European trains, planes, ships, a coal mine, etc. If your soin i intrested in histrory, I think Daahcu would add another dimension.

Can't be of much help on hotels, because I either stayed in my mother's Apt. there or in expensive business hotels. But others on this board can be of real help there. You probably want to stay near the RR sration for its central location..

In the evening of Apri 3, pick up a rental car, in the city near the RR station. For the three of you, a VW Golf-size car would suffice, preferably with a manual transmission, because for an automatoic you have to go for a larger car. Check the AuoEurope web site for prices etc. and a VW dealer in Atlanta to check the size.

From Munich, take the A-9 Autobahn to the Landsberg exit 25. Head south on the B-17 (B=Bundestrasse, similar to our US highway designation)to Steingaden, after a brief's a nice old town. Historical significance. Hitler was jailed in the castle and wrote his book "Mein Kampof" there.

In Steingaden, ( a small town), look for the signs to the Wieskirche near the center of town. Turn left and visit the Wieskirche, about 10km from Steinhgaden. This abbey-like church is a beautiful example of Bavarian baoque, located in meadows (as the name implies)with the Fuessen mountains in the background.,

From Munich, drive to Garmisch, either on the Autobahn A-95, or

Try Hotel Uhland in Munich. They have a very nice and large triple room. The hotel is an old mansion in a nice residential neighborhood close to the train station (but not too close).

Assuming you'll be driving, I suggest that you not stay IN Garmisch but rather in or near a more scenic town or village in the area. Maybe Oberammergau or Mittenwald. Be sure to include the Zugspitse in your plans.

You're at least an hour and a half from Stuttgart (from Rothenburg).

When we were in Munich, we stayed in 2 hotels (one at the beginning and one at the end of our trip).

The Hotel Laimerhof was really great - it is outside the center of the city, but easily accessible with the S-Bahn or the tram - about a 10 minute ride from the main train station. Great little hotel in a really nice neighborhood. The Nymphenberg Palace is practically in the backyard and a really great beer garden called the Hirschgarten is a short walk away. It might be a little far out for what you are looking for though.

The other hotel we stayed in was the Kings Hotel First Class on Dachauer street, about a block from the main train station. This hotel was nice too - larger hotel in the center of things. The neighborhood wasn't very picturesque though - nothing dangerous about it, but nothing charming either. Typical for being that close to the main train station.

Samsaf, I somehow hit the wrong button: Let me repeat the part I lost:

Ignore the last sentence and let's pick up at the Wies.

There are a couple of typical Bavarian restaurants for lunch at the Wies.

The Wies is actually about 5km off the main Steingaden-Eichelsbaher Bruecke road. After your visit to the Wies, get back on that road, east to Echelsbacher Bruecke and the B-23, south to Oberammgau, Ettal (a big monastery open to the public)and the A-95 To Garmisch.

If you are early enough, between Oberammergau and Ettal look for the Schloss Linderhof signs, and take this detour. Linderhof is one of King Ludwig II "dream" palaces; I persoanlly find it more interesting than Neuschwanstein.

Spend the night in Garmisch. On the next day, April 6 you have a choice: If the mountains are clear, take the German B-23/Austrian A-187 west to Lermoos. From there take the cable car to the top of the Zugspitze. The top straddles Germany and Austria; the German part is the highest mountain in Germany, about 10,000ft. There will be still a lot of snow at the top, so dress warmly and wear solid shoes. The view of the alps is breathtaking.

The road in the valley between Garmisch and Lermoos is very scenic.

After the Zugspitze, head on the Austrian B-179 and follow the signs to Fuessen. In Fuessen, look at least at the exterior of Neuschwnstein castle.

For planning purposes, allow about 2 1/2 hrs from Fussen to Rotheneburg, north on the A-7 Autobahn.

If the weather is not so good, follow the same route to Fuessen and spend more time, visiting the Neuschwanstein castle interior; or if you couldn't visit Linderhof, backtrack past Ettal and visit Linderhof then. There is an unnumbered backroad from Linderhof to the Austrian B-179. I have never driven it and don't know what's it like in March. So check before you take it. Otherwise, just go back the way you came and take the Lermoos route.

Either way, spend the night in Rothenburg.

In the afternoon of April 7 head to the Stuttgart airport:

From the Rothenburg exit (#108),head south on the A-7 to the intersection with the A-6 (22km). Head west on the A-6 to the intersection with A-81 (exit 38, 72km). Head south on the A-81 to the intersection with the A-8 (exit # 19, 51km), and head east on the A-8 to the Stuttgart airport exit (exit 53, about 25km).

The airport is right next to the A-8 Autobahn and there are several hotels/motels nearby.

Now the A-81/A-8 tend to be a bit crowded around rush hour (they are by-passing Stuttgart proper); I would allow about 2 1/2- 3hrs from Rothenburg to the airport. But all the roads I described are good and clearly marked, so I wouldn't mind driving them in the dark.

Thank you so much for all this information. It has been really helpful, and I appreciate it.

Good place to stay in Rothenburg: Stay within the walls. Good place is the Reichs Kuchenmeister near St Jacobs Church. We are staying there again for #6 time in June 07. Get there in time to do the Nightwatchman's Tour at 8pm from the town square.

Get a car in Munich and drive Garmisch then to Rothenburg. Driving is easy and fun to stop along the way. None of the distances you are talking about are too long and the train will add time to your daily plans that can be used touring.