Kandace_York

Hello. I'm reworking our Europe vacation thanks to the comments here (no, seriously -- thank you!), and I'm looking for a home base we could stay for a few days. We'll be going to Fussen (Neuschwanstein) and Freiburg (Rust/Europa-Park) and then heading to Strasbourg for a couple days.

We're a family of four with 13-year-old daughters. We're not really into big cities and we like the outdoors.

I can't decide between Konstanz, Schaffhausen, Friedrichshafen, Memmingen, Augsburg, Stuttgart ... there are appealing things about each of them.

Anyone who's been to these places, what are your favorites?

Thanks --

Kandace

Aramis

It's your lucky day - Meersburg is just a little bit (like 8 minutes) over halfway between Fussen and Freiburg. Memmingen is far to close to Fussen, and Augsburg is backtracking a bit. They are both cities, too. Friedrichshafen does not have that much to offer, compared to a few other places in the immediate area, I am afraid. Meersburg is a great little town perched on the side of Lake Konstanz

I suggest you stay south and head due east From Fussen to Friedrichshafen, then on to Meersburg. From Meersburg you could visit Lindau, the garden island of Mainau (a short ferry ride) and Konstanz, all very worthy places.

On your way from Meersburg to Rust, you could stop at the Rhine Falls, near Schaffhausen ( I think you have that one targeted already) and then proceed through the Black Forest to Freiburg and up to Rust.

Google up some images on Meersburg, Lindau, and Mainau - that might help you decide.

joannyc

I know some people like Stuttgart for some reason but I'm not one of them. I found it to be a very gray, concrete, ugly city. Got out of there after one night.

Sorry to those of you who like it.

iris1745

Agree with Aramis; Meersburg is a lovely place to stay. We stayed at Hotel Zum Shiff. A boat trip to Konstanz is fun. If you are going anywhere near Stuttgart, I think Tubingen would be a much more interesting place to stay. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meersburg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tubingen

Russ

Memmingen is a pleasant old walled town and an ideal spot to do your trip economically. It straddles two states - Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg - and as a "border town" it is a valid starting or ending point for inexpensive daypasses offered by the German states, or "Länder". You can travel from Füssen to Memmingen (the Bavaria segment) on a "Bayern (Bavaria) Ticket", then proceed the next day on a "B-W Ticket" all the way to Freiburg. The cost for your entire family would be 29 Euros for each travel day:

http://www.bahn.com/i/view/USA/en/pr...r-ticket.shtml

The same strategy works for Ulm.

Russ

BTW, Lindau is also a "border town" that would allow you to use the same strategy.

You've probably checked, but in case you haven't, Meersburg does NOT have a train station; you'd need to catch a bus from Friedrichshafen. Although bus rides are generally included on Länder Tickets, Meersburg lies outside Bavaria in B-W, and you'd need to pay not only for the Bayern ticket on that day but also for your transport between Lindau and Meersburg. Then get a B-W ticket for day 2.