Philip

Thanks for assistance.......I put a similar post in General Interest.

ANSWER ~ because we use frequent flyer miles to book business class on Delta AND as many of you know they have VERY few seats. We try to book 331 days prior to departure.

Maybe this will help:

Myself and wife
Have traveled to other parts of Europe (leaving for Tuscany in 3 weeks)
Starting from scratch with no preconceived ideas
13 nights (15 days when you include travel from Texas)
Mild weather (e.g., flowers blooming) but perhaps shoulder season
Hopefully 2/3 nights in each location
Will have automobile
Looking for classic tourist destinations and activities
Like moderate to high moderate accommodations ~ e.g., smaller hotels, inns, B&B
Love wonderful "local" restaurants

I suspect there are alot of tourist with such a challenge. Would very much appreciate your thoughts on itinerary, when to go, accomodations and restaurants. Thanks!

SusanP

I can't help with your itinerary, but just so you know, you don't need to post in General Interest plus under a specific country. There is only one Europe board, so they all show up in the same place. Selecting a specific country just means that when someone searches on that country in the future, your post will show up.

Eloise

Both questions come up on the "Europe" board, which is not divided into the sub-categories listed.

To go from one to the other to see whether there are replies, click on your name at the beginning of your message. All your posts will appear in the left-hand column.

SusanP

If everyone answers the other post, this one will drop out of sight and you don't have to worry about it.

Patrick

You aren't early at all!

I've been working the last few days on an itineary for next summer as well -- and need to have it pretty well set by June so that I can book the first leg then for May of 2006 (also using FF miles).

Besides, I want to make sure we can get "our" apartments in London, Paris, Rome, and Venice.

Now. Favorite destinations for YOU?
We need to know a little more? Looking for some cities? Vienna? Munich? or more for mountain and country settings?
Loved Garmisch and doing the Ludwig sites.
Anything in Switzerland in the Berner Oberland -- Grindelwald is a favorite, or Weggis on the lake.
Halstatt in Austria? Could be just one or two nights.

First of all for only 13 days (that's only four to five stops at two to three nights each), I'd consider dropping at least one of your countries, unless you're sticking to a very smallish circle (very southeastern Germany, and very southwestern Austria with northern Switzerland only).
What are your options for flying into and out of?

Eloise

Please do check your other post, where I have replied with some suggestions that I think are basic and reasonable.

march123

Not early at all! I am planning my late Sept 2006 trip to Italy as we speak! I don't think I'm too early. The planning is half the fun.

gradyghost

Hello Philip:

A few years ago, we flew into Munich, then by train to Salzburg, Lugano, Assmannshausen (on the Rhine), and flew home from Frankfurt. We did this by train and spent a large part of the two weeks in Lugano. A very pleasant, certainly scenic trip with a variety of food and wine. The Hotel Krone in Assmannshausen is a great place to decompress before heading home. Enjoy your planning. Gradyghost

rex

Since you are - - as I judge it - - just collecting random info (anecdotal, in some cases) for now, my contribution will be a similarly random collection of relevant experience. I have been to Southern Germany/CH/Austria nine times, but I will exclude info on destinations furthest from the intersection of these three countries (i.e., northrn Germany, eastern Austria, western Switzerland). I advise you to do the same - - unless you have some strong personal reason, I suggest keeping your circle small - - pass on Berlin, Vienna, Geneva/Basel (I realize that you arelady indicated concentrating only on southern</B Germany). Possibilites on the "fringe" which I have enjoyed are: Graz, Weimar and maybe parts of the Black Forest. Southeast Germany and Southwest Germany are really more like two countries in making up this plan (each as big as eastern Switzerland or eastern Austria).

Not all the places I have stayed (lodging choices) are worth hmentioning, since some have been moderate to low moderate (which fit my/our needs at the time).

Towns/cities/attractions I enjoyed:

Munich (big)
- Deutsches Museum
- Alte Pinakothek
- Insel dr Muehle (hotel)
Landshut (small) - neat old town; world's tallest all-brick church
Rothenburg ob der Tauber (small, somewhat touristy)
Ulm (medium-small) - - awesome Munster
Oberkirch (small-ish) - - in the Black Forest; excellent for fruit/wine industry; not sure about flowering trees blooming in spring
Kur & Sporthotel Traube Tonbach (high end hotel and ultra-high end restaurant) in Baiersbronn, in the Black Forest
Baden-Baden (medium) - - better ("classier?) casino than Monte Carlo
Schloss Neuweier (restaurant), ner Baden-Baden
Burg Eltz - most awesome castle in Germany (all of Europe?) but barely meets the definition of "southern" Germany
Schloss Linderhof - the more "wow" of the Mad Ludwig palaces, en route to
Neuschwanstein - the must-see (but stay in Reutte/Berwang/Breitenwang - - see Austria)

Whew... this is fairly long already... I think I'll post Switzerland and Austria as separate parts.

Best wishes,

Rex

dsm22

I always plan a year or more in advance.
I have to strike a reasonable budget, and then save, save, save! I need that goal to push me along and I look forward to it as I plan.

I think a lot of people on this board plan their trips early.

I also think the more organized you are the more you get to see. Things tend to move more smoothly, even better with a plan "B".

Maybe it's the "manager" in me. I like to have a plan.

And yes, with frequent flyer mile you cannot wait until the last moment.