Help w/ 5 day Romantic Road/ Bavaria: Frankfurt to Munich Itinerary

July 26th Wednesday - Fussen Neuschwanstein Castle , Mary’s Bridge
(picnic) and Zupgspite

I think the common opinion on this board is that if you are going up the Zugspitze, go up as early in the day as you can, because it often clouds over later in the day (like mid-day?)

You are not doing very much of the Romantic Road. Würzburg and Rothenburg are on the Road, as is Augsburg. Actually, the Road itself is nothing special, just a country lane clogged with cars, buses, trucks, and farm vehicles. It's the towns on them.

Actually, I think I would stay the first night in Nürnberg, then do Bamberg, Würzburg, and stay in Rothenburg. From Rothenburg, follow the Romantic Road via Feuchtwangen, Dinkelsbühl, Nördlingen, to Augsburg. From Augsburg, go to Garmisch so you can go up the Zugspitze first thing in the morning, then go to Füssen.

Excellent advise, thank you! We will plan a separate day for that.

There is so much to see in Nurnberg! The Spielzeugmuseum, the Germanisches Nationalmuseum, the Altstadt, Lorenzkirche and the Hauptmarktplatz, and Weisser Turm and the amazing Ehekarussel. And then the Dutzendeich area with the Dokumentation Center (which was not even there the last time I was there!) What's to see in Bamberg, anyway?

You are attempting to squeeze Würzburg, Nuremberg, Bamberg, Rothenburg, and Augsburg into 2 days (24th-25th) with maybe a couple of hours tossed in on the 23rd. That just doesn't work, IMO.

"We love outdoors-lakes and mountains, the German scenery."

Well, you have too many cities, especially since you include the above places AND Munich. AND then maybe Dachau, which takes up a fair amount of time. I'd drop some, keep the smaller places.

Frankfurt, Nuremberg, Augsburg, and Munich aren't so much fun with a car coming and going.

Changing hotels all the time takes time.

I would try this.

7/ 23 - Train to Würzburg, not Frankfurt. Not stopping for the car will save you time. Sleep Würzburg
7/ 24 - Train to Bamberg and back (Bayern Ticket day pass, direct train.) Maybe you'll have a little time for Würzburg. Sleep Würzburg.
7/ 25 - Drop Nuremberg. Nice but big-city and time-consuming and a bit like Bamberg and Würzburg in some ways. Pick up car. Drive to Rothenburg, Landsberg am Lech (another Romantic Road town, but smaller than Augsburg, which I suggest you drop) and then to Füssen. Sleep Füssen.
7/ 26 - As planned. Sleep Füssen.
7/ 27 - After you're done in the Alps this day, drop the car in Füssen in the late afternoon and take the train into Munich for 2 nights (Bayern Ticket or Bayern Ticket Nacht.)
7/ 28 - As planned. Sleep Munich. If you visit Dachau, (it's a direct "S" train to Dachau Bahnhof, then a 7-min. bus ride to the KZ camp.)
7/ 29 - Take the direct train to MUC airport from Munich.

The part with the car should be simpler this way. And only 3 hotel reservations to make.

IMO Neuschwanstein is a big time--and-Euro-eater, Rothenburg a tourist mecca. Also, the Zugspitze... As an outdoors-lover I think the gorges of Garmisch-Partenkirchen and the Mittenwald scenery are a better experience altogether.

"What's to see in Bamberg, anyway?"

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/624
https://en.bamberg.info/sehenswertes/
https://www.europeanbeerguide.net/bambpubs.htm

You have to determine your own travel pace. This would be too quick for me. Where is the time to stop, savor a cup of coffee and take it all in. I like all the towns that mentioned 23-25 but would only visit half of them based on your interests.

Beautiful areas that you are visiting.

Gary

I lived in Aschaffenburg and Wurzburg and here is a suggestion since you will be driving. First, take the train to Aschaffenburg and rent the car there. In Aschaffenburg there is a lovely castle named Johannesburg (sp?). There is also Pompeiigean (sp?) which is a replica a villa in Pompeii. If you drive the old road (not the autobahn) to between A'burg and W'burg, just south of Haibach which is just south of A'burg is the village of Messpelbrun. It has a fairy tale moated castle that has been in the same family for 5-600 years. In W'burg visit the Prince Bishop's Residence. Be sure to see the Hofkirche on one end of the Residenze. Easy to miss if you are not looking for it. The Marienberg Fortress is ok but if time is tight skip it. The view of it from the town is more impressive that the view of the town from the fortress. From W'burg it is a short drive from Rothenburg.

Wow you have been so helpful! RUSS- your itinerary is excellent, could you help me with a few more questions? I agree that we have too many cities, I've been given too much advice haha.

7/ 23 - Train to Würzburg, not Frankfurt. Sleep Würzburg

7/ 24 - Train to Bamberg and back (Bayern Ticket day pass, direct train.) Maybe you'll have a little time for Würzburg. Sleep Würzburg. Do you suggest Bamberg? My cousin lived there so he recommended it, but I'm wondering if we should take this day out and either explore Wurzburg more or go straight to Rothenburg so we can add an extra day in Munich

7/ 25 - Where do you suggest picking up the car? In Wurzburg?. Pick up car. Drive to Rothenburg, Landsberg am Lech and then to Füssen. Sleep Füssen.

7/ 26 - Neuschwanstein Castle. Sleep Füssen. Do we need a whole day for the castle or could we visit the gorges you mentioned?

7/ 27 - gorges of Garmisch-Partenkirchen and the Mittenwald scenery. Do you have a specific town or place to visit the gorges? Are they close to the castle? After you're done in the Alps this day, drop the car in Füssen in the late afternoon and take the train into Munich for 2 nights (Bayern Ticket or Bayern Ticket Nacht.)

7/ 28 - Explore Munich. Sleep Munich. If you visit Dachau, (it's a direct "S" train to Dachau Bahnhof, then a 7-min. bus ride to the KZ camp.)

7/ 29 - Take the direct train to MUC airport from Munich.

*Unless we can do the gorges in the same day as the castle, I think we may need to subtract something so our time in Munich is not so rushed. Thoughts? *

In Aschaffenburg there is a lovely castle named Johannesburg (sp?). There is also Pompeiigean (sp?) which is a replica a villa in Pompeii.

Schloss Johannisburg hosts a curious collection of modells of ancient Roman buildings carved of cork in the 18 century. And it has a nice wine tavern.
The Pompeianum was build by Friedrich Gärtner, the architect of the Greek parliament in Athens (and former palace of Otto of Wittelsbach, then king of Greece). Both are well worth visiting.

7/ 24 - Do you suggest Bamberg? ...I'm wondering if we should take this day out and either explore Wurzburg more...

I did, but nothing is a "must" - it's your trip, and you are indeed shorting Würzburg as it is. So that sounds good to me if it sounds good to you. The Residenz and the adjoining Hofkirche are worthwhile. Take the guided tour. These are the "must-sees" according to the TI office but you can surely pick and choose. Rick has a page on Würzburg. It's a nice city with some nice spots for hanging out as well - like the Goldene Gans Biergarten. The Stachel is one of W'burg's nicer establishments.

If you are ambitious and want to see a bit of the pretty countryside and another little town, go to IPHOFEN (pronounced ipp-hoe-fun.) It's an old walled town with towers, only 25 minutes by direct train, with an emphasis on wine and art. See the pictures. Trains go there every hour at :09 after throughout the afternoon and evening. Return train schedules vary but also run late into the evening. It's a very small town that you can see in 2 hours easily enough. Here's the town's brochure: http://tramino.s3.amazonaws.com/s/iphofen/685626/stadtplan-iphofen-english.pdf

7/ 25 - Where do you suggest picking up the car? In Wurzburg? Yes.

7/ 26 - "Do we need a whole day for the castle or could we visit the gorges you mentioned?"

N'stein is a late 19th-century palace with a faux castle exterior - not a real castle. The tour is only 30 minutes. It's an hour's walk up and back from the ticket office however. It won't take you all day if you're in Füssen already. The gorges are in the GARMISCH area, not Füssen.

7/ 27 - (gorges of Garmisch-Partenkirchen and the Mittenwald scenery...) Here's a page that explains the Partnach Gorge details. The Leutasch Gorge is just outside Mittenwald. Mittenwald and Garmisch-Partenkirchen are quite near each other - and relatively far from Füssen.

Since you had the Zugspitze (Garmisch) in mind, I would suggest that you spend some time in Garmisch and in Mittenwald - 2 nights (25th and 26th) in Garmisch, probably - and also see one or two of the gorges - all this in lieu of Füssen. Then on the 27th, drive over to Füssen on the way to Munich. It's a nice town and a pretty area as well. It has it's own real castle, actually. I don't recommend ttouring N'stein, however - IMO it's worth seeing from afar though. But the tour is a choice you can make if you really want to. Reservations are in order if so to save time.

G-P has the Fraundorfer Inn - a fun place for its Bavarian Evening. Traditional food, music, and dance all in one.
Here's a guide to Mittenwald.