Urgent Assistance Needed: Planning Our Trip

Our daily budget is approximately €150.

For each of you or both of you?

Does your budget including lodging, or is it the budget for food, sites, local transport, misc? 150 euros for two people, if it includes all of the above plus lodging, is pretty low for your destination countries...also, where/how do you intend to "cook most" of your meals? Are you staying in. fully equipped AirBnBs or similar?

Thank you for your swift responses, wmt1 and Jojo Rabbit. Apologies for the confusion. Our daily expenses per person in Europe amount to 150 euros, covering all our needs. We're opting for budget-friendly options and won't be indulging in expensive tours. Essentially, we're keeping things economical. Our plan is to stay in self-catered Airbnbs, allowing us to cook breakfast and dine out for only one meal to save money.

OK, that budget looks better...your single largest daily outlay will be for lodging, so you should already be getting a handle on that, and then you will be better prepared to evaluate if you have enough money for the rest of your goals. If you combine the money, out of 300 euros a day, your combined cost of lodging could easily eat up half of your budget. But I am speculating, not sure what you are finding that would be acceptable to you in terms of comfort, location, and amenities...keep in mind that in general, it costs more in cities than outlying areas (there are exceptions for smaller high tourist interest towns, though, like in Bavaria and Austria)...Prague may be the most expensive place you intend to stay...if you were instead traveling to Poland, Hungary, and say Slovenia, your overall costs would be lower than the higher priced countries you are looking at, particularly Germany and Austria...you get a lot more bang for your money in Eastern Europe vs Western Europe...good luck...

If you are truly struggling, take a prefab tour from RS or another reputable company. It's supposed to be a vacation ...

Or find a travel agent, they do this for a living.

I'm just going with your Austria/Bavaria/Prague/Alps comments, as well as no museums, etc.

Fly in to Munich, day trips to G-P/Zugspitz, Füssen & Augsburg. 5 - 6 days
Train to Bolzano, bus to Ortisei. 3 - 4 days explore the valley and the mountains.
Ortisei to Vienna. 5 - 6 days So much to see in this area. Check other threads.
Vienna to Prague. 5 - 6 days So much to see in this area. Check other threads in Czech Republic.

Very rough outline, look for towns along train routes mentioned where you may want to spend a day or two instead of extended stays in base cities. Day trip out of the larger cities as well.

Marc gave a good outline. I would add at least one full day to Prague. It's extremely beautiful. Vienna deserves two to three full days, but its center is very compact.

September is no longer low season. Book your hotels soon for great, inexpensive options.

Thank you, Phred, Marc, and Barkinpark, for the valuable suggestions. We prefer traveling independently rather than joining tours as it offers more flexibility. I'll definitely look into the travel itinerary Marc suggested. Could you please advise if May is a better time to travel in terms of weather, views and expenses?

Alas, May is no longer shoulder season anymore, either. The weather may be a little cooler, but otherwise crowds/cost will be about the same.

Thank you for your feedback,Kayla ! It reaffirms the value of seeking assistance from this forum. I've gained access to the latest updates, which is invaluable, considering that information from website sources can sometimes be outdated, particularly regarding shoulder seasons for travel to Central Europe. Your responses are truly appreciated

Hi , I'm contemplating whether it's necessary to visit Vienna. I'm considering skipping Vienna and instead devoting more time to Salzburg or other scenic places . The reasons being, I'm not particularly fond of history, and I'm not a fan of big cities. However, when I discussed this with my neighbor, who lived in Austria for over 20 years, he was shocked. He said that if I don't visit Vienna, I haven't truly experienced Austria. I'd appreciate your feedback on this.

Hi , I'm contemplating whether it's necessary to visit Vienna. I'm considering skipping Vienna and instead devoting more time to Salzburg or other scenic places . The reasons being, I'm not particularly fond of history, and I'm not a fan of big cities. However, when I discussed this with my neighbor, who lived in Austria for over 20 years, he was shocked. He said that if I don't visit Vienna, I haven't truly experienced Austria. I'd appreciate your feedback on this.

Since you brought up the idea of pruning your itinerary, I would choose Vienna over Prague: Stick with Bavaria and Austria for the heart of your trip, do spend a couple of nights each in Munich and Vienna (you could fly into one and out of the other), and instead of trekking to the Czech Republic, add Slovenia to this trip, a country that fully meets your desire for "more scenic" places...look up Lake Bled for an idea of what Slovenia offers...

You mentioned traveling independently offers more flexibility- yes it does regarding daily activities, but I would have all lodging booked in advance, because of the surge in travel post- covid. You will have a better chance of finding budget accomodation if you book well in advance. The spring and fall seasons are no longer shoulder season in term of less tourists.
Check also regarding sites that require advance timed entry.
Check local holidays also.
Join the country and city related Facebook groups, as they offer valuable on the ground, real time info.
Have a great trip!

If you skip Vienna, then you may regret. Salzburg has a small old town and can be finished in one day. The Alps are surrounding it, so you will get your mountain views.

Our hearts are set on experiencing easy hikes and witnessing the
majestic Alps, scenes reminiscent of those in novels and movies.

I was in Germany this past spring and found this site when I planned a couple of day hikes near Trier and Hiedelberg https://www.germany.travel/en/nature-outdoor-activities/hiking.html

To keep costs down and to meet your need to be able to cook for yourselves, I suggest you look into hostels. Just make sure that the hostels you pick have a kitchen for guest use.

I believe there are no “must see’s”. Every trip we take requires choices. You will only regret the places you chose not to see, if you allow someone to make you feel that way.

Vienna is nice but it is not a “must see” if you don’t have enough time or are not interested.

I would look at the Stubai area of Austria. It's very close to Innsbruck. We have stayed there several times and are returning in September. The reason I bring it up is your budget. We have stayed in a B&B there for 100 euros a night. It included breakfast and the Stubai Card:

https://www.stubai.at/en/accommodations/stubai-super-card/

As you can see, we get to use the lifts for free, ride the fantastic rodelbahn once for free, and lots more. It even includes going up to the Stubai Glacier. If you are using public transportation, there is a train that goes there from Innsbruck. Once there, they have a great bus system that goes up and down the valley regularly. It is also included in the Stubai card.

One caution: Not every B&B gives you the Stubai card. Be sure and book somewhere that does offer it. This web site also provides lots of information on hikes and things in the area:

https://www.stubai.at/en/

There is a restaurant at the top of every lift, beautiful waterfalls you can see from the road, and so much beauty. I have also been to Seefeld. I much prefer Stubai. It is a better value and has much more to do.

I also found Vienna to be more about culture, music, museums, and palaces. We only spent a day there, but we have not returned. I also have friends who say it's there favorite place. I prefer small villages and natural beauty.

For 150 a day (each) you're not going to find much decent lodging in Bavaria in SEP. Octoberfest is the last two weeks of the month and hotels are already getting full and at full price for tourist season. And lodging with a kitchen is rare. You should look at hostels over hotels, but those will fill up also with students and younger travelers.

With your travel goals and, the number of days for this trip and the destinations, I agree with your choice of not participating in a tour.

In addition to Salzburg as related to hiking at your leisure , how about the western part of Austria, the Tirol and the South Tirol, if you want to enter into Italy.

150€ per day is what I spent in Germany last fall for my wife and I - total, not each. Look at staying in vacation apartments - ferienwohnung. Towns have websites that usually have lists of all accomodations. Wikipedia entries for towns will list the website. Websites probably will have a tab listing hikes in the area.

Dear All,

Sorry for the late response. Thank you, JojoRabbit, Pat, Barkinpark, jkh, Texas Travel Mom, Connie, KGC, Fred, and Stephen, for all your tips and useful links. It feels good to know that there are so many helpful and kind travelers out there willing to share their knowledge with others.

I googled the places mentioned, such as Ortisei. The place is beautiful, but I think it's really out of my budget. Most of my expenses will likely go towards accommodation. Bavaria also seems quite expensive, so I might make it a series of day trips rather than staying there.

I still need to finalize my itinerary before booking my air ticket. I'm thinking of flying into Munich and out of either Vienna or Prague. My very rough outline is:

• 6 days in Munich, including day trips to Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Augsburg (staying in Füssen)
• 2 days in Mittenwald
• 5 days in the Stubai area
• 2 days in the Salzburg area (Hallstatt, Berchtesgaden)
• 2 days in Vienna
• 2 days in Prague
• 3 days in Cesky Krumlov

Kindly advise me on my 22-day itinerary with public transport, especially where I should base myself. Thank you in advance.

For the 2 day stay in Vienna, I assume that is 2 full days, ie, you're spending 3 nights. That's rather short for this splendid city and capital. Would you consider dropping Cesky Krumlov?

Vienna is a very easy city to navigate by public transport, using a combination trams and the U-Bahn (subway). Signage is clear. When you go down the stairs / escalator to reach the platform of the U-Bahn line, look at the sign to see if your stop is to the left or the right , arrows point the way.

Your itinerary seems out of balance and disordered to me. For instance the last 3 stops on your itinerary need some work, at least the order. It makes little sense to end your trip anywhere but the city where you catch your homeward bound flight, so with this plan end it in Prague, or consider ending the trip in Vienna and leaving the Czech Republic for another trip. Check open jaw flight prices first to Munich and then from both cities to see if there is a price break choosing one over the other if nothing else.

With your 3 country plan, I would trim time from Munich and add it elsewhere, and cut back on Stubai. Maybe cut the days in Munich to 3, cut Cesky Krumlov to one full day, cut a few days from Stubai, then add those days elsewhere in Austria like Vienna, and add a day or two to Prague? IMO, Munich, on a 3 week multi country itinerary, is worth maybe 3 days, tops. All else being equal, I would choose to spend more days in Vienna and Prague than Munich - that is personal preference, based on prior travels. I am just not a huge fan of Munich...Berlin, on the other hand, is worth a week...

Tips: when counting days of a trip, it makes more sense to count where you spend your nights. If you tend to count the "day" of your overnight flight to Europe as a trip day, your first "night" of the trip is on the plane. The day you arrive in Munich, for instance, is lost to jet lag, getting situated. Your trip really "begins" on the day after you arrive, or after the first 2 nights of your trip. You have more changes of location and more travel days in your trip than I would do - you have lost half to 3/4 of the day on "moving" days that are eaten up checking out of a hotel, transiting by bus, train or plane, checking in to a hotel. My rule of thumb is to average 3+ nights per location, never do one night stops, limit 2 night stops, and aim for 3 or 4 night stops.

In your itinerary you put the emphasis on the wrong places.

Munich 6 days , Vienna 2 days - it should be the opposite.

Cesky Krumlov 3 days - far too much. This is a tiny, beautiful and pittoresque town, but within half of a day you have seen everything. Additionally, it is somewhat out of the way. Best is to go there inbetween when travelling from Prague to Vienna (or vice versa).

Why did you choose the Stubai area for five nights? Two nights is enough. Also, 150e per night will be tight there. The scenery is just ok, nothing too special, in my opinion. I have been there twice.
Zugspitze is far more interesting and fun. Konsigsee is serene and scenic. Another alternative is Seefeld. There are some interesting hikes around this town, which once hosted the winter Olympics.