We are traveling for 9 days (this includes travel days) and are thinking of Munich and Salzburg. We are in the very beginning stages of putting this trip together. Looking for suggestions on if we have time and should add another town/city to the itinerary. Any suggestions are appreciated. Thank you.

Berchtesgaden comes to mind- it is a short distance from Salzburg (you could actually do a day trip from Salzburg and not change hotels) and is a small town with a nice lake (Konigssee). It is different than (large) Munich and (medium) Salzburg. A day trip allows you to choose a day when the weather is best.

Have a great trip!!!

Wonderful, thank you!! I like that idea this way it's lessing packing up and moving. Thank you!!

Another vote for Berchtesgaden. The Königssee is breathtakingly scenic. There are mountain peaks (easily accesible with tramways). There is Hitler's eerie bunker.

En route between Salzburg and München you may visit Herrenchiemsee (one of Ludwig's castles on an island).

Oberndorf bei Salzburg is an easy half-day (or less) trip, to see the chapel where "Silent Night" was sung for the first time. It is accessible via train from Salzburg.

As others have noted, Herrenchiemsee and Königsee are worthwhile destinations within reach of Salzburg as day outings, as well.

Happy Planning!

You could try the link below for a free condensed primer on Berchtesgaden...

http://harrimantravelbooks.com/BGD.html

Thanks everyone for the great ideas and info. Very much appreciated!!

You can also go to Neuschwanstein and spend the night at one of the inns right below the castle; some nice hikes if you are up for it. Or the Salzkammergut region outside of Salzburg if you are looking for mountains and lakes.

OK, we have settled on flying out on a Monday and returning the following Tuesday. I'm now looking for suggestions on should we stay in the hotel in Munich and do day trips to the suggestions above then move onto Salzburg and stay there a few days and do day trips from there as a base? Or would the recommendation be to stay in Munich for X amount of days, then move to another hotel, another and then Salzburg? If that's the recommendation then suggestions on exactly what towns would be good to stay in? Based on the suggestions of where to go and what to see above. Hope this makes sense, thank you!!

Are you traveling by train or car or bike or thumb?

Trains go everywhere - to all the wonderful places folks above have mentioned and with the Bavarian Pass two folks can travel all day on regional towns (perfect for your plans) for just 28 euros - good also on city transports in Munich and on some bus lines I believe (not sure about that but in case you want to go to Linderhof, another of Mad Ludwig's fantasy castles near Oberammergau you take a bus from there.

For lots on German trains and places to go on them check www.ricksteves.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com (check out this one's European Planning & Rail Guide's German chapter online) and www.seat61.com.

And I simply loved Herrenchiemsee - Mad Ludwig's Bavarian Versailles, lovingly set on an island in the middle of an idyllic Alpine lake - take train to Prien then tiny train to the docks or do a short walk there.

Base cities are great -Dachau is also a short day trip out of Munich by S-Bahn if that type of place interests you and IMO if you have not seen such a place it is a sobering experience for sure that will forever linger in your mind.

You could even do a day trip to the Czech Republic - a town near border to experience some place very different from spiffy Germany and Austria.

Thank you, great suggestions/tips. We may do a combo of trains and perhaps a car rental for a couple of days. My husband thinks we're better off renting a car and using that for day trips on our own vs. day tours.

My thoughts have been, hotel in Munich for a few days, hotel in Salzburg for perhaps two to three days and a hotel in Fussen for a night?

I think with either Munich or Salzburg we have multiple options on day trips and taking all of the suggestions above to try to see.

My question at this point is should I try for a hotel in another village/town? That's where I'm coming up with perhaps a night in Fussen.

Thoughts on Fussen for a night or another town?

Thank you!!

"...we have settled on flying out on a Monday and returning the following Tuesday."

That means just 7 nights in Germany altogether. You will likely want to spend the final night in Munich or near MUC airport, right? Usually best not to have ground travel demands prior to an international flight. So at the end I'd suggest arriving late on Saturday in Munich. That gives you 2 days (Sun, Mon.) in the city (see your museums on Sunday) which I think is sort of a minimum if you're going to visit Munich at all. So I see no need for time-consuming day trips by car or by train out of or back into Munich. If you have to rent a car (would not be my choice for these destinations) at least you can drop it in Munich on Saturday for good. (Direct trains from Munich's central station go to the airport, and with the same sort of frequency that one-liter bier glasses are raised in the Augustinerkeller.)

That leaves your first 4 nights (Tue-Fri) and a bit less than a full day of sightseeing on Saturday.

It is time-consuming to be packing, unpacking, and checking in and out, so I'd suggest staying in just ONE additional town besides Munich. Berchtesgaden has already been suggested as a destination to visit, but it would also be a good choice for a 4-night stay and a good base for day trips to Salzburg and to Ludwig II's Herrenchiemsee Palace, as PalenQ has wisely suggested. I'd prefer B'gaden to Salzburg myself.

Herrenchiemsee is a rocking-good palace - maybe the best of all the Ludwig options - but also a good alternative base for 4 nights to do day independent trips to Salzburg and Berchtesgaden. Not that you can stay in the Palace itself - heh - but you can certainly in the town of PRIEN AM CHIEMSEE which is on the lake.

CHECK OUT THIS MAP: http://outdoor.winklworld.de/images/chiemsee.jpg

See Herreninsel in the lake? That's where the palace is. You take a boat from the dock just outside Prien. Prien is just to the right of the lake. As you can see you are a very short train ride or car ride from the Alps... The Kampenwand peaks are accessed by cable lift from the nearby town of Aschau - great scenery and hiking there. The lake itself is great for watersports and biking around. You are also only an hour from Salzburg and an hour from Munich (by train anyway - probably the same by car) and only a little further from Berchtesgaden.

The other good thing about Prien is that it's not too far from Munich or from Munich airport. It would be a fairly short drive (or train ride) there on Day 1.

http://www.chiemseehotels.com/chiemsee-hotels.php

"You can also go to Neuschwanstein and spend the night at one of the inns right below the castle..."

I don't think an additional stay in Fuessen is worth the extra ground travel given your limited time in Germany. Neuschwanstein was built in the late 19th century so by definition it isn't a genuine castle at all anyway - just a palatial residence mocked up to resemble a castle of old. If you want to see a real castle, Hohenwerfen is just outside Salzburg. You can catch a free-flight falconry show there too.

http://www.mauser.cc/tl_files/bilder...ohenwerfen.jpg
http://www.salzburg-burgen.at/en/wer...rfen/index.htm

Some purists disdain Neuschwanstein as an ersatz castle but many others rave about it - including me - this is Europe's most famous castle for good reason - a surprise at every turn inside - not you typical often boring old castle with period furnishings but many weird but delightful things:

https://www.google.com/search?q=Neus...w=1745&bih=868

Plus spend the whole day here - take the foot paths up into the forested hills behind the castle to the Marienbrucke (bridge) from where you get a stunning view of the castle nestled in awesome scenery above and below it:

https://www.google.com/search?q=mari...w=1745&bih=868

'Mad' Ludwig himself used to trek up to the bridge to sit and ponder his fantasy castle whilst under construction- he actually only lived in the not quite finished castle a few days before he was found drown in a lake near Munich - Munich authorities probably killing him to pull the plug on his castle-building spree that was bankrupting the Bavarian Treasury.

I stayed in Schwangau, a resort under the castle and loved it - the local band came out in evening and played on the shores of the lake =- Fussen too is a great place to stay and explore - it has a rushing river thru a gorge right in town that many never realize is there - lots of guesthouses for a cozy stay.

If short on time yes just do the castle but if not stay the day and night!

"...this is Europe's most famous castle for good reason..."

IMO that reason has much more to do with the "castle" in Disneyland (which was modeled after N'stein) - and with the omnipresent Disney logo - than anything else. Walt called his creation a castle - but that doesn't make it a real castle, and it doesn't make Neuschwanstein a real castle either.

The castle/palace distinction is not a matter of "purism" so much as it is a matter historical fact and cultural attention to detail. Medieval castles built for protection against invaders had thick walls were built for battle. N'stein and other more modern structures that were built as homes for royalty are completely different in purpose and build. Germans think this distinction matters - and they use the word "BURG" for castle. But they do not use "Burg" for N'stein or similar, more modern structures - N'stein is a "SCHLOSS" - German for "palace" - end of subject in Germany.

Americans on the other hand have no experience with castles or palaces back home so they don't make the distinction well in their own language. But understanding the German way of looking at history is essential for understanding what you are looking at in Germany. Using the right words is part of that.

None of this means N'stein isn't worthwhile. Having done the tour twice, the second time because the first tour was so poorly executed, and having seen many European palaces and castles, it is my opinion that it is NOT so worthwhile. The overcrowded tour is only 30 minutes long, costs lots of Euros, is lots of trouble to get there from elsewhere... I only recommend a trip to Fuessen if you are visiting for several other reasons for a longer period of time. Others are welcome to disagree.

Thank you for the wonderful information!! I agree I want to stay the night before in Munich, don't want to chance it on my fly day home.

I'll share all of this with my husband, awesome suggestions, information, ideas, etc.

Can not thank everyone enough!!

Let you know we make out.

Germans think this distinction matters - and they use the word "BURG" for castle. But they do not use "Burg" for N'stein or similar, more modern structures - N'stein is a "SCHLOSS" - German for "palace" - end of subject in Germany.>

thrice I've been there and always heard lots of German being spoken and there are lots of German-language tours - one wonders why if Germans so disdain it - they go for the same reason Americans and others do - this is a one-off type place - research the history of the place and 'Mad' Ludwig- dubbed 'Mad' because of his penchant for building fantasy castles - this gives the place more intrigue.

Me and fuzz have been thru this many times and I respect his/her point of view that Neuschwanstein is a waste of time - I can understand that from the purist he/she is in castles- but we can agree I hope to disagree.

I feel compelled to give another version when he disses the place as folks then may not go when in fact they may really enjoy it - especially with kids.

Neither one is right or wrong - very subjective.

Neuschwanstein Castle and area indeed is one of my very favorite things in Europe.

Thank you to all again. We were looking at staying in Fussen because I thought that was a good central spot to see things. Honestly not sure where I got that one but a big thank you to Fussgaenger, I think perhaps a stay in Berchtesgaden is a much better choice for doing the day trips/locations suggested above.

I also think after giving this more thought and reading all of the great input that two hotels maybe the better route to take. If my husband is really bent on staying in Salzburg perhaps I can add that for a night.

Since we are arriving into Munich my brain was on auto pilot for "I have to find a hotel in Munich" but again thank you I have to go back to Munich at the end of the trip and stay there since I'm flying out of Munich so great suggestion, get there Saturday and stay there until the flight out, checking out the museums, etc.

Thanks for the great input. Very much appreciated.

Yes Fussen is not well-located for those day trips - not sure Berchetsgaden is either but Garmisch-P certainly is and you can also take a train up the Zugspitze from it. Munich is but about an hour away by train.

"I think perhaps a stay in Berchtesgaden is a much better choice for doing the day trips/locations suggested above."

Then you will probably want to have a look at this very complete guide to the area (known as the "Berchtesgadener Land." There are lots more sights, activities and day trips than are mentioned in this thread, including the Marktschellenberg ice cave, salt mines, WW II stuff...:

http://www.berchtesgadener-land.com/en/home

IMO you can do Salzburg in one day trip from B'gaden if you wish.

If you're heading first thing to B'gaden after an overnight flight, I'd advise letting the German Railways do the driving. A Bayern ticket for two adults gets you from MUC airport to B'gaden for E28. It will of course get you back to Munich as well. Buy it from a machine at the airport train station:

https://www.bahn.com/i/view/USA/en/p...a-ticket.shtml

The same ticket will get you to Munich. It's not hard to get to the Koenigssee or Salzburg by public transport but you may want a rental car once you're in B'gaden for certain day trips on one day or the other, trips that would otherwise be too tricky.

Staying in Berchtesgaden means you get a free visitors card. Just ask for one from your innkeeper or B&B operator. The card gives you FREE local bus and train transportation (frequent and efficient) and discounted transport into Salzburg. It also offers discounts at local attractions (lifts, spas, ice caves etc.)

http://www.berchtesgaden.de/en/free-of-charge-with-bus

The above site has very complete accommodations listings as well.