Hello all, my wife and I are planning our first trip to Europe this spring, roughly 4/20 to 5/2, give or take a day on the back end depending on flight prices. We are forced to use these dates due to vacation days and flight prices.
Context: we originally wanted to spend all of our time in Italy, but with it being around Easter in Italy during a year of Jubilee, we became hesitant due to crowds and prices. We would spend time in Venice, Florence, and Rome(in that order) with day trips from Florence.
Once I found out about the year of Jubilee, we started to pivot and look into Germany. Flight wise, our cheapest option would be to fly into Berlin and depart from Prague or Venice. Two possible itineraries:
Berlin-(possibly Prague)-Munich-Venice or Berlin-Munich-Prague
The first itinerary is very busy, so we are thinking of removing Prague, or just spending one day in Venice.
We would love to be in Munich for spring festival, and we know we want to see some castles and explore Bavaria. I would love to soak in the history of World War II and the Reformation. Prague's architecture looks beautiful. We want to enjoy the culture, food, history, architecture, and the beauty.
Both trips, we will travel everywhere by train.
Here I am, looking for advice and direction.
Question 1: Will it be a bad idea to go to Italy at this time? We want to do this trip cost effectively.
Question 2: Which trip would you recommend for a first time trip across the pond?
Question 3: If the 2nd trip is preferred - which itinerary is better?
Question4: Are we crazy for planning our first trip without a tour?