This may be a silly question, but are you talking about buying the BMW, driving it around in Europe, and then having it sent home? Or just renting the car for your time there? It seems like different people are talking about both options... I'm just curious, because I know you obviously can buy BMWs abroad, but I'm not sure how it's done...

By the way, it sounds like you had a great trip, cparris! What a great mom you are to pick your overnights by the skateparks!

Tweeter, sounds like a great itinerary. You will definitely have fun driving around Tuscany.

I'd do Munich first, then pick up the car and head for Salzburg. ((b))

ceb1222 - We're talking about the European Delivery Program. Flying to Munich, pick up your car and tour Europe, drop off the car and have it shipped back to the States, and fly home.

This website will give you some information on pricing and how to get started.

http://www.eurobuyers.com/ ((b))

Thanks, Budman... going to check it out right now!

I wanted to say that you can also lease the car. If you lease you get a cheaper lease rate...based on the price of the car which is discounted if you pick up in Munich. You also get 30 days insurance. Remember though it takes 4-6 weeks to send the car back. If you buy the car I think you get longer insurance...maybe 3 months...but you will have to check.

We stayed at the Marriot the first night because it was close and easy to get to the pick up place. We dropped off in Munich and stayed at a hotel near the city center. It was also easy to drive out of town from the Mariott. You could very easily pick up and go directly to Salzburg. It isn't a far drive. We would have done that if I had to do the trip over. It is also an easy drive to Salzburg.

Remember when you go into Austria there is a roadside stop where you need to purchase a car sticker for the number of days you will be driving in Austria. They do this instead of tolls.

The road side stops in Austria and also Italy had decent food when you are traveling and don't want to stop at a restaurant. The driving we found quite easy...the signs are easy to follow...just make sure you know the towns you are going to. There are alot of postings on driving in fodors. just remember not to stay in the left lane unless you are passing!!!

I didn't have time until now to finish this report. After Alpbach we went to Innsbruck for 1 night. We stayed at the Hilton as we had got a pretty reasonable room rate over the internet. Innsbruck is a pretty city. The views from the top floors of the hilton were amazing. My kids liked the shopping...of course. I think they were ready to be in a city after the small towns. We ate lunch at an outdoor restaurant right next to the hotel which had decent Italian food. We didn't have time to do much more than walk around the old city.
For dinner we ate at a Thai restaurant in the Mall. I can't remember the name, but the restaurant was packed with mainly austrians. The food was quite good and the drinks also. There were tables also outside. There was a breakfast buffet at the hotel which was included and decent. A very quick visit, but enjoyable. Next stop Garmisch.

Hi cparris,
I also stayed at the Wolf Dietrich in Salzburg and enjoyed dinner at the Ahrlich. The mad-cow scare was in full swing when I was there. Their menu went into great detail about the origin of their beef (local herd - born, bred, and slaughtered within 25 miles of Salzburg) with assurances that there was no chance of contamination. It was the best darn pot roast I ever had. Also loved the potatoes - pureed, mixed with a local cheese, rolled into little balls and coated with roasted hazelnuts, fried very lightly to bring it all together. Food is such a highlight of travel memories!

After Innsbruck we went to Garmisch-Partenkirchen and stayed at Hotel Reindl's Partenkirhner Hof. On the way we stopped in Mittenwald which was very cute. (Many of the buildings are painted and have flower boxes.) Reindl's was a nice hotel with a good restaurant.We had lunch there the first day and breakfast was also included and very good. It was very close to the train station. To get to Partenkirchen we had to cross the main road...about 5-10 minute walk. Partenkirchen is cute. While we were there they had a street festival with food and entertainment all along the street. There were great umpa bands and alot of guys running around in laederhausen.(did I spell that right) It was a very fun atmosphere. There were alot of outdoor tables set up to hear the music and eat and of course drink beer. I thought that also the location of the Posthotel Partenkirchen and the Gasthof Fraundorfer were nice...right on the main street in Partenkirchen. The Fraundorfer is also a great place to spend an evening eating and listening to music and seeing slap dancing.
Right next to Reindl's hotel was a path leading to the olympic stadium, and close to that is an incredible hike. We took the Grascekbahn cable car one way up the mountain. There is a hotel at the top which we had a soft drink outside before starting (they also have food and drinks). Then we walked down the mountain. There is a nice path which goes over the river. When you get down you can walk back along the river with the soaring gorges on each side. It is really a great hike. At the bottom it is a 10 min. walk to the stadium. From the stadium there is a nice path along the river back to the hotel. (we took a taxi to the cable car and walked back). We also took the train from the station near the hotel to the Zugspite. We took the cog wheel train up and the cable car down. When you take the train up it stops at a big lodge where you can eat. Then you can take another cable car to the very top. I think the restaurant at the very top looked nicer. The other one was a cafeteria. The views from the top are amazing...and the views taking the cable car down from the very top are also incredible. It was nice to go up on the cog wheel train and come down on the cable car. From the bottom near the lake it is a short walk to the train which goes back into town. I really liked staying in Garmisch-Partnekirchen.