17 day germany, austria, switzerland, bruges, and amsterdam

Well, you have 5 countries in 17 days, so it is lots of traveling and not much time to sightsee. What towns do you want to go to in all of these countries? Have you thought about just concentrating on the Benelux region. Covering the Rhine, the Netherlands and Belgium? Trying to include Austria and Switzerland seems way, way too much. There are no places that one must see or do other than the ones that you personally want to see and do.

I am planning on flying in to Frankfort and out of Amsterdam, tickets are already purchased. Our tenative plans are driving to Rothenburg for two nights. then to Ruette for two days, on to Appenzell, Ebenalp for a night. Up to the black forest with a night in Baden-Baden, continuing up the Rhine where we will be staying with friends for 2 nights. A night in Brugges, 3 nights in Amsterdam. This gives us a couple nights to breathe where we want. Does this still sound like too much?

I would skip Vienna only becuz it takes along time to drive there in your routing and back. Gimmelwald may be snowing when you are there have an option in case. Work out your routing on viamichelin.com and see if you are ok with all the driving involved and poss rain or snow. Me, I would condense your driving alot more, it can be exhausting for 17 days. I never drive more than 3 hrs in europe a day as a rule.

Does this still sound like too much? Dear God, yes it does! You can definately fit in everything in the time frame you have alloted... but that´s A LOT of driving in 17 days. It looks like you want to see rural destinations, but you´re traveling at a time of year when daylight hours start to get much shorter, and heavy fog is common. Also, most of us who have seen Reutte were not impressed. Likewise, the Romantic Road is no different from any other two lane secondary road in that part of Germany. It isn´t worth the time to drive unless their are specific towns along the route you want to see.

cynthia, even for 17-days, that sounds like an enormous amount of driving, especially considering the distances you'll be covering. Even if it is feasible, you won't really have time to see much in the places you'll be visiting. Have you calculated the driving times on each leg of your trip? ¶ * NOTE THAT "Austria, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Ukraine, and Vatican City do, by law at least, require non-Europeans to carry an International Driving Permit (IDP) along with their domestic license." (that includes several of the countries you'll be visiting). * In addition, for driving in Switzerland a highway tax permit is compulsory, however I don't have any details on it at the moment. ¶ Regarding Ebenalp which accommodations were you planning to use? I was in Appenzell in mid-June, and wasn't able to get to Ebenalp due to the weather (the locals told me that due to the SNOW, it wouldn't be a good idea). The weather in Appenzell was pouring rain most of the time I was there. ¶ A GPS unit would be a really good idea, along with some good Maps. Good luck!

Although I like Nuremberg and Bamberg (a recent discovery), i wouldnt do them as day trips from Rothenberg. Stay in Rothenberg and enjoy it. It is definitely a "destination" town. If you need a break go South a few villages to Nordlingen or Dinkelsbuhl for a half day (many years ago i did this by Europabus, but schedules may have changed). If you really want to do Nuremberg then cut a day off Rothenberg so you only have a one way travel and spend tthe night in Nuremberg (within the walls if possible).

I think you can have a perfectly lovely trip on that route in that amount of time. Suggested itin: Oct 13-15 in the walled town of Rothenburg. Take daytrips to Nuremberg, Bamberg, and/or Würzbug, all smallish cities. Bamberg is especially well preserved and gorgeous. The nearby village of Bad Windsheim has an open-air museum that depicts traditional country life in Bavaria. Watch the video: www.freilandmuseum.de/v02/pub/index.html?navID=de1&poolID=2&IDS=GuvqUEwt Oct 16-19 in Berchtesgaden. Head south along the RR through the other towns until you near Augsburg, then head for beautiful Berchtesgaden. You might want to stop at Herrenchiemsee castle on the way, near Prien. The mountain scenery here is great for a stay, and daytrips into Austria are easy. Visit the nearby Königssee. You'd probably want to see Salzburg and Hallstatt in Austria. Oct 20-22: Interlaken, Switzerland, good base town for trips to Schilthorn peak if the weather is good. You could stay in a nearby village if Interlaken seems touristy, but it should be fairly quiet there in October. Oct. 23-25: Middle Rhine and Mosel Valleys. Cochem, Bacharach, St. Goar or Boppard are good village bases. Rhine Cruise boats run through O' 24. Visit ancient Trier, tour Marksburg Castle in Braubach: www.marksburg.de Oct 26-27: Bruges Oct 28-30: Amsterdam I would not drive this entire route! Too much work and expense. Take the train from FRA to Rothenburg; do daytrips there by train (Bayern ticket.) Rent a car in that area for 3 days and drive the RR and on to Berchtesgaden; do outings to Austria by car from there. Then drop car and get train tickets on 10/20 to Interlaken and after that to the Rhine (39 Euros per route, advance purchase: http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en The same site will get you 29-Euro tickets to Bruges. Bruges to A'dam: not very expensive by train for regular tix.

You have to narrow down your itinerary...I would skip Switzerland and choose between Amsterdam and Brugges since seeing the Alps and that Swiss landscape don't interest me. You asked about Vienna. I definitely would go to Vienna over Amsterdam and Switzerland. Went to Amsterdam once for 2 days, an important place culturally and historically, but I wasn't attracted to the city. But with Vienna you'll need to reconcile that since you don't prefer big cities; Vienna is enchanting, charming, and, to me, haunting. Remember: es gibt nur ein Wien. (only one Vienna)

First place, learn to spell FrankfUrt and REUtte. . . . . ¶ Second, if you are going to drive the Romantic Road in one day, only briefly stopping in the towns on the way, don't bother. Reutte, BTW, is not worth a day, let alone two. Spend two days on the Romantic Road. Spend a night in, say, Nördlingen. That will give you the time to see Dinkelsbühl and Donauwörth, Augsburg, or Landsberg, on the way. . . . . ¶ I hope your ticket are not really to Frankfort, 'cause you are going to have a difficult time driving from Kentucky to Germany.

Hi Cynthia, Wow to me this sounds like alot. We to are traveling for 17 days. I can't really offer itinerary advise because well we haven't gone to Europe yet we leave next Thursday for our first trip! But I can tell you what our itinerary is. We are flying into Amsterdam and out of Munich. 2 nights Amsterdam 3 nights on the Rhine 4 nights Berlin 3 nights Rothenberg (sorry if it's misspelled) 3 nights Salzburg 1 night Munich It took me months of planning this and the very helpful advise of all here on this board. Wendy

Too much. Love Wien. Too far off this route. Bet the reason you want Reutte is for the castles? Agree that Reutte not so hot. We liked staying in Fussen. At zum Goldene Hecht. Gotta like bells though. (we do) Agree that RR advertising hype. Sorry to pop dreams.