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Germany itinerary questions (14 nights)

Posted by (Pittsburgh, PA) on

Hello all! I'm planning my first trip to Europe since 2019. I've never been to Germany before, and I'm looking for some advice on a very loose itinerary for 14 nights. I'm arriving in Munich on April 23 and leaving from Berlin on May 7. I'm a 32-year-old male who enjoys hiking, history and music.

I do have a specific reason for this trip: I'll be visiting my Bavarian friend who just had a baby last year. She and her boyfriend have a farmhouse near Regensburg, where they live. I'll be visiting their farm for a couple nights during my stay in Munich, but I'll mostly be staying in their apartment within Munich's city center, where I plan on focusing the majority of my week in Bavaria.

I don't really have a specific itinerary at this point: I know I'm a spending 7 nights bouncing between Munich, Regensburg and wherever else in Bavaria that we find interesting. My friend said she may join me on a couple excursions, particularly a stop in Regensburg itself as well as a possible trip to Berchtesgaden to hike to Konigsee.

My second week is slightly more structured: 3 nights in Dresden, before my final 4 nights in Berlin. Even then, still pretty loose, but the need to reserve accommodation necessitates a little more planning than Bavaria.

Based off that admittedly loose itinerary, I have a question for you fine folks on how I can plan some more specific details:

  1. What are some possible day trips from Munich? I'm already aware of Fussen and Neuschwanstein (I'll likely be doing those as a day trip from Munich), and I have no plans to visit Dachau. I'll be using public transport. My Bavarian friend recommended Zugspitze, but I would like a couple other options to consider.

  2. How do you feel about Berchtesgaden as a day trip from my friend's farmhouse near Regensburg? I think staying a night in the actual town is probably necessary (particularly after hiking to Konigsee), but they believe they can drive out there and back without too much hassle. Sounds like a stretch to me, but they are closer to Berchtesgaden than the many tourists leaving from Munich and it's difficult to be dissuaded by the locals.

  3. Rick doesn't seem to have much appreciation for Heidelberg, but my Bavarian said that could be a good option for an overnight stay during my week in Bavaria. However, that's quite a long train ride (3.5 hours, according to her), and she's never ever been there before. It's also on the complete opposite side of the country compared to the rest of my "itinerary." I'm inclined to say no, but I'm curious as to how you folks feel about Heidelberg and the surrounding Neckar Valley for a night or two.

  4. I'm inclined to stop in Nuremberg on the way from Munich to Dresden, but my Bavarian friend doesn't think this is worthwhile. Not sure if this is a Munich thing or not, but she really doesn't like Nuremberg. I think she believes it's too similar to Regensburg to be worth a stop? However, I'm not entirely convinced. Let me know if you think Nuremberg is worth a stop or if you have other potential options between Munich and Dresden.

  5. I'm curious about day trips from Dresden. Leipzig is a potential choice (though I could stop there on the way to Berlin). I have also heard interesting opinions about Gorlitz and Saxony Switzerland. I only have two days in Dresden, so I'm not sure if any of those potential destinations are worth sacrificing a day in Dresden.

I'm sure I'll have more questions based off your recommendations. Thanks in advance!

Posted by
2589 posts

Forget Heidelberg if it’s 3 1/2 hours. If there is something in Nuremberg interests you, then I would stop there. I think Bamberg is also on the train line. I liked it better than Nuremberg. Does your friend have an opinion on it? You might want to look at the Mittenwald area as a place for a hike ( www.alpenwelt-karwendel.de )

Posted by
162 posts

I actually asked my friend about Bamberg but she didn't directly respond. We've been discussing a lot of potential spots and she must have just missed that one, though she did urge me to skip Nuremberg.

Why did you prefer Bamberg over Nuremberg?

Posted by
7072 posts

1.) It's nearly 5 hours round trip on trains and buses for Munich > N'stein bus stop > Munich. Then to catch one of the 30-minute tours, you have the 1-hour+ round-trip walk to the entrance:

https://neuschwanstein.de/englisch/tourist/howtoget.htm

If this is an important destination for you, it might be better to stay overnight and do something else in the area as well. I suggest instead that you visit Nymphenburg (in Munich.) There's more to see and you can do it at your own pace.

2.) B'gaden would be possible from Munich, again if you had 5 hours for public transport. From Regensburg it's 6+ hours round trip by car according to viamichelin.

A shorter and probably better day trip into the Alps is probably Mittenwald - by direct train it's 3 hours / 40 minutes total round trip from Munich's central station. You might have time to stop off in Garmisch on the way - it's on the same train route. Read this day trip guide to Mittenwald for details on the Karwendelbahn (lift,) the Leutasch Gorge, hiking options, and the town's other charms.

Other day trip towns you should look into that are closer to Munich:

Landsberg am Lech (Romantic Road town)
Landshut
Augsburg
Ulm (the furthest out of these four, 1.25 hrs. each way by high-speed train or 2 hrs. by cheaper regional train (Bayern Ticket day pass.)

Posted by
162 posts

I believe she actually mentioned Mittenwald as a possibility. Still, I wonder if it's possible to do Munich-to-Berchtesgaden by car as a day trip rather than Regensburg. Google says roundtrip would take less than 4 hours of driving, so not optimal but possible.

I would not have guessed Neuschwanstein was such a long roundtrip from Munich, so that's good to know. Those links that you provided were extremely helpful, Russ! I'm not sure if I have much interest in actually touring the interior of the castle, but I understand there's decent hiking and photo opportunities within close distance of Neuschwanstein. Still, that's a lot of traveling, walking and hiking for a single day of travel.

Posted by
4046 posts

Nathan,

First, I absolutely loved everything you wrote about Poland. Now, I'll offer my answers to your questions...

  1. Garmisch-Partenkirchen offers Zugspitze, but also has Partnachklamm and the 1932 Winter Olympic Stadium. How about Andechs Monastery? Russ's suggestions are always excellent.

  2. I love Königssee. But I would not do it as a day trip from Munich or Regensburg. The driving times are deceptive because of the dreaded Stau (traffic backups) that can happen anywhere on German highways but are particularly prevalent around Munich. I would tend to want to sleep in Berchtesgaden the night before hiking so I could get an early start and perhaps the night after hiking, too.

  3. Heidelberg? Just say Nein. Too far away.

  4. If you love WWII history, Nuremberg is the place to stop. I'm a bigger fan of Erfurt in Thuringia, which is also along the way to Dresden. Not really on the US tourist radar. Hardly touched by air raids during WWII, so great architecture. Great main square (Domplatz). The Alte Synagogue dates back to the 13th century. Merchant's Bridge. Part of East Germany so Cold War history. Luther history. Parks/gardens. Relaxed vibe. Topf und Söhne museum that examines how a normal industrial conglomerate with normal owners and employees could become entangled in state-run genocide by building the ovens for Auschwitz and other extermination camps. Leipzig is on the way to Dresden or on the way to Berlin. Great train station! Nikolaikirche. Oct 9, 1989 Monday Demonstration. Völkerschlachtdenkmal (Monument of the Battle of the Nations) -- one of the most amazing structures I have seen. Nice Stasi museum. Johann Sebastian Bach.

  5. I haven't made it to Dresden yet, but it's on my radar. I'm an outdoors guy (and not so much a royal jewel guy). I couldn't go to Dresden without heading to Saxon Switzerland, but I could also easily fill 2 days in Dresden without Saxon Switzerland. Or royal jewels.

Posted by
4046 posts

Music? I think you'll just miss the Bosnian band Dubioza kolektiv. Their performance is one heck of a show. April 27 Berlin. April 29 Dresden. May 2 Munich.

Posted by
162 posts

Thanks for the kind words and great advice, Dave! It's hard to believe that Poland is so far away. The time has really flown since October 2019, but I'm beyond excited to get back to Europe.

As you know, I'm a huge fan WWII history, so I might have to eschew my friend's advice and stop in Nuremberg on the way from Munich to Dresden. Or, I could do Nuremberg as a day trip during my week in Bavaria and stop in either Erfurt or Bamberg on the way to Dresden.

I think you're correct about staying a night in Berchtesgaden as well. I personally prefer waking up at dawn to get a start on my hikes, especially when I'm hiking several miles over mountainous terrain. I don't see how we could realistically and enjoyably do Konigsee within a single day without staying at least a single night within Berchtesgaden.

Posted by
140 posts

Leipzig, Halle and Dessau deserve a visit.

Leipzig is a booming city. It has heritage of the Battle of Nations, Bach and revolt against the communist regime.

Dessau has 2 World Heritage sites
- Bauhaus
And Garden Kingdom.

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