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help with Germany roadtrip

Hi! My husband and I are going to Europe in November. We are flying open jaw, into Venice where we will stay 3 nights, then fly into Munich, landing around 2:30pm.

Munich is not a priorty for us, we prefer smaller, quaint towns. We do want to experience beer, sausage, pretzels, castles, Dachau, etc.

After hours upon hours, and days upon days, we're finally getting somewhat of a plan down for our German roadtrip, but are looking for any advice, in things you think we should avoid, change, add, etc.

Currently, we're thinking of picking up our rental car in Munich, and driving to Fussen. We thought we'd stay either 1 or 2 nights in Fussen, the first day we arrive, it will likely be around 6 or 7pm, so the next day would be when we could explore the Neuschwanstein Castle, etc.

We could either stay an additional night, or drive from there to Salzburg. I think we plan to stay 2 nights in Salzburg, then on our departing day, drive to Dachau. Explore Dachau, then drive through to Rothenburg ob der Tauber, where we would stay 2 nights.

Then we'd drive to Bacharach or St. Goar - stay 2 more nights. We'd like to explore the Rhine.

We have a total of 7 nights in Germany (plus the 2 in Salzburg)...

From Germany, we're driving to Belgium. We are still deciding whether we should drive all the way into Brugge (where we will stay for 2 or 3 nights, still deciding), and then Brussels for 1 night before returning our car the next day and training into Paris. Or we can split up the drive from Germany, and stay in Brussels that first night, and then drive on to Brugge for 2 or 3 nights (still deciding - any advice?) - then drive to Brussels to return the car and take the train into Paris.

Any advice would be very welcome!!

Thank you so much!

Posted by
7170 posts

Keep in mind 2 nights in a location is really only 1.5 days ( or less depending on travel time) which doesn't leave a lot of touring/exploring time anywhere.

Also you might want to check into what it will cost to get car in Germany then drop off in different country-can be very expensive!

Posted by
46 posts

Thanks, Christine! Yep, we have already rented our car from Munich, and returning in Brussels.

And, have been using Viamichelin to estimate drive times... just wondering what some advice on what we can skip, and should spend more time on, etc. :)

Posted by
6 posts

Hello Lizzy,

I like your itinerary and would recommend staying in Salzburg for 2 nights, it is one of my favorite towns.

For Neuschwanstein, make sure you go as early as possible. If you wait until 10 or 11 am it will be filled with tour groups and bus loads are dropping more groups off. Once you get a time-stamped ticket in the town of Hohenschwangau, make your way up the mountain to the Marienbruecke (if there is enough time before your tour) and take pictures of the castle from the bridge. It is an amazing view! After that it is a 10 min walk uphill to the castle entrance.

We saw Brussels and Brugge last year and my favorite would be Brugge. Small town, very walkable. Brussels felt like it could be "any other large European city", I was not too impressed.

Hope this helps you with your planning. Sebastian

Posted by
7170 posts

Lizzy- I am really not the one to advise- just now planning our first trip to Germany in May. But it seems to me that you are trying to cover a lot of ground and will be spending most of your time on Autobahn getting places.
Can you fly from Venice to Salzburg? Since you have no interest in Munich I wonder why you are going there just to get a car? Have you already booked flights and rental car- Nov is a long way off!

As for your list- it feels like you are just checking off "places" that are on RS tours ;) I get that- we are doing some of the same locations but have twice the amount of time that you do (we will have 11 nights in Germany then 4 in Salzburg)

Anyway I would try to start in Salzburg I guess- get car there if you must - drive to Fussen then to Dachau on way to RoT.
Dachau is going to take a good portion of your day- as will the castles- not sure that all fits in one day along with a couple hours drive time. Or if it is just the concentration camp experience you are looking for you could see Mauthausen on your way out of Salzburg instead.
Or you could train from Salzburg to Munich- get car- see Dachau then head down to Fussen- see castles next am.
Or fly into Munich- go to Salzburg first then hit Fussen, Dachau on way to RoT.

I will leave any further suggestions to the more experienced German travelers but what you have proposed just doesn't seem to flow right to me- looks like a lot of back and forth!

Posted by
46 posts

Thanks, Sebastian! What do you think if we stay just one night in Fussen, get up early for the Castles then drive into Salzburg? 2 nights in Salzburg, drive into Dachau... Rothenburg ob der Tauber, where we would stay 2 nights. ( basically giving us 1 day and 2 nights)

Then we'd drive to Bacharach or St. Goar - stay 2 more nights.

Thank you for the great tips!!

Posted by
46 posts

Unfortunately the only flights into Salzburg were $500+ plus 5 hours flight time, with a stop. Venice to Munich was only $80 and a 1 hour flight.

Yes, flights have been booked. Incredible deal for less than $900 round-trip for each of us open jaw from Sacramento into Venice, out of Paris, with an extended 2 night layover in Dublin.

We booked our open jaw car last night.

We have 7 nights total in Germany and alotted 2 in Salzburg.

Our original plan was to overnight train from Venice to Salzburg, but was more expensive and gets in a 4am into Austria, which doesn't make sense.

Our next plan was to drive. From Munich to Salzburg, but then we'd likely have to miss Fussen that way, going through Dachau up the romantic road.

Thanks so much for your input!

Posted by
6 posts

I like the plan, just remember that you have a 3 hour drive after visiting Neuschwanstein ahead of you, which might get you into Salzburg pretty late in the day. We stayed at the Boutiquehotel am Dom, I highly recommend it. Small hotel right in the middle of the old town, nicely remodeled.

The rest of your plan sounds good and exciting, especially Bacharach or St. Goar, both places I have not been to, but they are on my to-do-list ;)

Posted by
7170 posts

OK makes sense- we got a great deal like that as well- about $800 per RT into FRA out of AMS.

What about this:

Arrive Munich- get car- see Dachau- drive to Fussen arrive pm- 1 night Fussen
See Castles in AM- drive to Salzburg via Alpenstrasse- 2 nights
Drive to RoT via Regensburg/Nuremberg- RoT 2 nights
Drive to Rhine- 2 nights

ETA oops now I see arrival Munich 2:30- is that set in stone? That would not allow enough time for Dachau.

Posted by
46 posts

Good ideas! We really would like to see Dachau right from Munich, but we don't get in until 2:35, and Dachau closes at 5pm, don't think we'd make it after picking up our car.

I'll look into your other ideas!

Posted by
7170 posts

Have you considered Mauthausen?

Or consider 1 night in Munich- enjoy an evening there then hit the road early for Dachau then Fussen.

We are actually skipping Dachau- (I've been to Sachsenhausen) and we are planning to visit Terezin while in Prague and I do think it is an important experience- we just could not take 2 camps on our trip.

Posted by
46 posts

Day 1 - arrive in Venice at 6pm, get to hotel around 8
Day 2 - Venice
Day 3 - Venice
Day 4 - depart Venice, arrive in Munich at 2:30pm, stay in Munich
Day 5 - go to Dachau, drive to Fussen ( 2 hours)
Day 6 - wake up early, tour Neuschwanstein Castle, drive to Salzburg (3.5 hours)
Day 7 - Salzburg
Day 8 - drive to Rothenburg ob der Tauber (4.5 hours)
Day 9 - Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Day 10 - Drive to St. Goar (3.5 hours)
Day 11 - Rhine
Day 12 - Rhine
Day 13 - Drive to Brugge (5 hours)
Day 14 - Brugge
Day 15 - Brugge
Day 16 - Drive to Brussels (1.5 hours - Christmas market in Brussels & breweries)
Day 17 - Return car, train to Paris
Day 18 - Paris
Day 19 - Paris
Day 20 - Depart Paris, arrive in Dublin at
Day 21 - Dublin
Day 22 - Fly Home

Posted by
7170 posts

I like it better now.
Was thinking about orig plan of driving from Munich to Fussen on arrival and was going to mention that it will be dark by 4ish- so you would not really "see" much on the way.
Consider a stop to visit Wieskirche on way to Fussen.