We're planning our yearly vacation and are deciding where to go and for how long to stay at each location. We're 30 years old and will be in a group of 4 - 8 people who are all mobile and interested in seeing the city sites while embracing the culture and enjoying the non-touristy areas (local bars, clubs and restaurants). We're thinking 3 nights (2 1/2 days) in Berlin, 1 day stop over in Dresden on the way to Prague, 3 nights in Prague (2 1/2 days) and then Munich for 3 nights (2 1/2 days). Is that enough time to not feel rushed and see a lot of what each city has to offer? We just went on our honeymoon to Madrid, Barcelona and Mallorca and the 3 nights and 2 1/2 days seemed to be enough time to see everything we wanted to see in each city. Thank you.
Posted by
Seattle
4637 posts
I don't know what you want to see in each city but if it is what I wanted to see then it's not enough time. But if that's what you got and you cannot change it then you have to go with it.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32353 posts
matt,
If I'm reading correctly, your trip has a time frame of 10 days? I agree with Ilja in the previous reply. More time would be nice but if that's all you have, I guess it will have to do.
Dresden especially deserves more time (IMO). A one-day stop will likely only be a few hours by the time you travel there from Berlin, stow your luggage, sightsee and then get back in time to retrieve your luggage and connect with the train to Prague.
Posted by
Frankfurt, Germany
9222 posts
I think your plan looks really rushed and doesn't seem to consider travel times between any of these 4 cities. For me, I would drop some of the time in Munich and add it to Berlin and spend at least an entire day in Dresden.
Are you flying into Berlin and departing from Prague?
Posted by
Tel Aviv
15791 posts
I don't think that I would spend a day in Dresden without staying overnight. Others will have different opinions based on their experiences. I visited Dresden (2 nights, 1 evening + 1 full day) and had beautiful picturesque sunsets, and loved strolling after dark. During the day I kept reminding myself that I was in Germany, because it felt more like Prague (where I'd visiting a couple years earlier). Unless you have something special that you want to see or do there.
Posted by
Washington DC Region, USA
7054 posts
No way is 2 1/2 days enough for a city like Berlin unless your interests are very narrow. You could spend all your time just in Berlin and not get bored. I think using two (I assume like-minded) people traveling on their honeymoon as a reference for traveling with 4-8 people is probably not representative unless all of you are on the same page. When you throw in 4-8 people, then things slow down even more as far as being efficient in getting from place to place (even minor decisions on what to do next on a trip will bog you down). I would pick two cities max, not four, unless you want to speed through them.
Posted by
Gettysburg PA
7170 posts
Agreed that Berlin needs more than 2.5 days.
We had 4 nights/3.5 days and each day was packed- there was so much more we could have/wanted to see/do.
For a 10 night trip I'd stick to 3 locations.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32353 posts
matt,
While your trip as described may be feasible, the consensus seems to be that you'll either need to add more time to your trip or skip one of the sightseeing stops.
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
I agree with the other replies, in that I'd want more time in these places (particularly Berlin), so I'd drop a city. However, if 3 nights was enough you in Madrid and Barcelona, you may find it enough for these cities. Everyone's travel style is different.
The point about the time and energy it takes to get between places is a good one. Even if you don't need more time for sightseeing, the time and wear-and-tear of changing cities means I'd want one more night in each place.
Do look at some lists of attractions, and determine what are your personal "must-sees" in each place. This will help you figure out if 2.5 days is enough for a place or not. For instance, here are Rick's lists (click At A Glance on each page):
Berlin: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/germany/berlin
Dresden: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/germany/dresden
Prague: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/czech-republic/prague
Posted by
Sacramento, CA
691 posts
I think the best way to determine how much time you stay in a city is to consider the main things you want to see. All of us have different interests; where someone else might stay most of the day in the Louvre, my husband and I felt we saw what we needed to see in 2.5 hours. Sure there was more we might enjoy, but that is the time we had and it was good for us. You can always spend more time in any one place. But you are young and might be going back to these cities sometime. So your "survey course" could give you an idea of what more you want to see next time. Base your decision on the time you have, and the basic interests of your traveling party. Also, since you are young, you might enjoy traveling at a quicker pace than many of us who post to this site. Wherever you go, and however much time you are there, ENJOY!
Posted by
New York City, NY, USA
5678 posts
I agree with those who say you'll be rushed in Berlin. It's an amazing place and it has a lot happening. I suspect that if you dig in a bit, you will not only find the museums and sites that Rick Steves suggests, but also clubs and concerts and more. You might want to hit TripAdvisor and ask. I would say save Munich for another trip. You will be back. :)