My wife and I are traveling from Venice through the Alps at the conclusion of our Europe trip in the summer.

We have about 4 days and can fly out of any major airport (travel through Austria/Bavaria and fly out of Munich). My question is what are the cannot miss cities, attractions and best places to stay?

I know many of these places could be a vacation by themselves. Some other discussions talk highly of stuttgart, eagles nest, interlaken area, salzburg but one who has only traveled to europe once needs some help.

I enjoy the area south of Interlaken.

However, Heilgenblut in southern Austria is a quaint little place, but perhaps not good for all 4 days.

I suggest coming up through the Dolomites to Cortina d'Apezzo (or similar locale) then to Heilgenblut, then Salzburg, then fly home from Munich international.

Stuttgart is not exactly the Alps.

Sorry not stuttgart but Hallstatt

I've made a similar trip two years ago. Went from Venice to Cortina, only about a 2 to 3 hour drive. From there, on to Traunkirchen on the Traunsee in Austria, a very picturesque area, stopping at Hallstatt on the way. From Traunkirchen, it's an easy autobahn drive back to Munich airport. Any other one of the Salzkammergut lakes would also make a good stop: Mondsee or Wolfgangsee, for example. Good luck.

I could also go east or west and fly out of switzerland or Vienna. Just wondering about the can't miss places in the Alps.

If I was headed for Munich as a final destination I would do Salzburg and the Bavarian alps with stops in Fussen to see the castles, Oberammergau, maybe Garmish and Mittenwald and then the saltmines in B'gaden. I understand that Eagle's Nest is skippable. Leave a day or two for Munich itself.

To see the best of the Dolomites I highly recommend you drive some of the spectacular mountain passes (e.g Falzarego, Valparola, Gardena, Sella ...) west of Cortina. This is some of the best mountain scenery in Europe. En route the Lagazuoi cable-car ride is awesome - don't miss it!

Lake Braies (west of Dobbiaco) is one of the most beautiful lakes in Italy - another must-see.

If you decide to stay overnight in the Dolomites I'd recommend Ortisei or Castelrotto - both delightful Tyrolean villages.

Hope this helps ...

Steve

I would train or drive from Venice to Salzburg. Get a rental car there and stay your last 4 days in 1 spot....any area around/near Berchtesgaden or the outlying small towns. Since you said summer, I would pick a hotel/guesthouse out of town in one of the "cooler" spots, since A/C is generally non existent.
During these 4 days, you can do B'gaden/Salzburg/Rossfeld Strasse/Salt Mines/Hiking/ Konigsee/day trip to Hallstadt if you want, and your choice of many other spots...
I disagree about the Eagle's Nest...although not much is left..there is still plenty to see and learn. There is also a new museum near the Eagle's Nest with plenty of info. If you have an interest in history, this area is jam packed. Additionally, the area around the Eagle's Nest was picked for its' beauty, it really is gorgeous in this area.
You may be able to fly out of Salzburg, which is nice because its' a small airport, but if you fly out of Munich the drive from B'Gaden is roughly 2 hours and fairly easy . Alternatively, you could turn you car in in Salzburg and take the train to Munich...

You don't say how you are travelling, but if you want to see the scenery, I would suggest trains. When driving, you have to watch the road, but you can also stop and walk around.

For a relatively quick scenic tour, I would suggest you get to Lugano, then take the Bernina express (one leg is actually by bus), one of the most scenic train rides in the world, into Switzerland. With only four days, you could then continue the train ride to Lauterbrunnen in the hills above Interlaken. From Lauterbrunnen, you can easily reach many scenic venues (not that Lauterbrunnen itself is not scenic). From Lauterbrunnen, I would train to either Zurich or Geneva and fly home from there.

Thanks for the information. We could travel by car or train. I question I have is what is the best "knock-your-socks-off scenary for someone that has never been to the Alps. With time restrictions, should we go to Dolomites, Bavarian Alps, or areas in Switzerland?

"knock-your-socks-off"...

The Dolomites!

Definitely the Dolomites! No contest really ...

Steve