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First-time solo trip: 2 weeks in Austria & Bavaria this fall

Posted by on

Hello everyone!

I'm in the early stages of planning my first-ever solo trip to Europe for this upcoming autumn, and I've settled on a rough itinerary focusing on Austria and Bavaria. The dream is to experience a mix of vibrant cities, stunning alpine scenery, and those charming small towns I'm always reading about here.

My tentative plan is to fly into Munich, spend a few days there, then travel to Salzburg. After that, I'm hoping to visit places like Hallstatt and the Berchtesgaden area before looping back. I have about two weeks in total.

While I've been devouring Rick's guidebooks and the forum archives (which are a goldmine!), I would love some fresh, personal advice.

For a first-time solo traveler in fall, is this route manageable and well-connected by public transport?

Are there any "can't-miss" day trips or a charming village I might be overlooking?

I'm especially interested in finding a guesthouse or small hotel with a friendly, social atmosphere where it's easy to meet fellow travelers. Any standout recommendations?

To give you a better sense of the kind of travel I enjoy, I found a past discussion that really resonated with me. It's full of the thoughtful, experience-driven advice this community is known for: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/new

Thank you so much in advance for sharing your wisdom. I'm all ears and incredibly excited for this adventure

Posted by
1071 posts

Re public xport, between Munich and Salzburg is simple. Salzburg to Berchtsgarden is also
easy. To get to Hallstatt is possible, but you need to pay attention to where you are staying
with regards to getting there after the train/ferry.

If you want charming villages and towns, perhaps Fussen or Augsburg.

I don't think you're that likely to bond with fellow travelers staying in a hotel or guesthouse.
With any luck you're out most of the day sightseeing. More likely on a tour, or in a beerhall
or bar.

You're not that far from the Austrian Alps; if you want to head into the mountains, Kitzbuhel or
Zell am See are options. In the fall, they may be a bit slow, and if you wanted to take a gondola
up you'd want to confirm opening hours as they usually reduce/shut down at some point.
You could do Garmisch and also tour Neuschwanstein.

Posted by
9464 posts

Lots to see in Austria and Bavaria.
We lived in Augsburg, Germany from 1987-91 and loved it.
In Austria, Salzburg is worth 2-3 days and yes, Berchtesgaden is nearby and the Eagle's Nest is great.

Viena is worth 2-3 days minimum. Lots of history and its great to do a concert.

Garmish and nearby Fussen have great castles to visit, and going up Germany's highest mountain, the Zugspitze is a must. Take the cable car or cog train. Also, from Fussen you can go up The Romantic Road, which visits several walled medieval towns, well preserved.
https://www.romanticroadgermany.com
It's not too hard to see the reason for the popularity - despite the modern roots of the idea, the tour combines the historic cities of Würzburg and Augsburg with the three medieval walled towns of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Dinkelsbühl and Nördlingen, and then finishes off with the tourist highlights of Neuschwanstein Castle and the Alps.

Augsburg is an ancient city over 2000 years old, founded by Emperor Augustus. It is worth at least a half day visit.
walled towns like Nordlingen and Dinkelsbuhl are like more famous Rothenburg, but with fewer tourists.
You would need to rent a car to do this. The road ends in Wurzburg.

Consider visiting Nuremberg, north of Munich.

Posted by
35985 posts

the other post from this OP has been sent for review due to misleading spam link

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