Itinerary advice

"Would appreciate advice on my choice of home bases."
You already sound very sure about the base towns you've named - these "will be" your bases - and you sound sold on using travel recommendations from Rick's book in connection with these bases. So I'm unsure what you would like to hear about these places as base towns.

Simply what I said....advice on my choices of home bases. Are those good choices? I think everyone knows what a home base should provide.....places to stay, restaurants, nice atmosphere, lots of "stuff" nearby to see and do. Since I've never been to Germany and our goal is to see some highlights of southern Germany, I'd like to know if my choices for home bases are good ones.

Katy- as Russ said, it sounds like you already have your home bases selected. But here is my 2 cents worth- I would be pretty bored spending 4 nights in Rothenburg, spend 1 night there and then push on to Bamberg or Nuremberg or Salzburg for a 3 night homebase. Compared to Rothenburg, you should be able to find cheaper digs in one of these 3 cities. And I would split the last 6 nights evenly between Garmisch and Munich. But that is just my preference- Have a great trip. And don't drink and drive, the laws are pretty strict in Germany...

That's the kind of feedback I was looking for. Thank you. We are just brainstorming now, but, geographically, we wanted to choose places that were near the four main areas we'd like to explore: The Rhine Valley, the Romantic Road area, Tirol, and Munich. Thanks for your input!

I would mostly agree with Kenneth, but I would spend 2 nights in Rothenburg for 1 full day. You won't really have any new areas in Rothenburg to explore after that in my opinion, or new things to do in the evenings. I would also add a night to Munich. There is enough to see and do in Munich itself for at least 2 full days.

Hi Katy,

Yes, your bases are good and the order is logical. I would probably make a few changes. I loved Rothenburg, but would make it 2, maybe 3 nights at the most. Mittenwald is a favorite of ours, but would make it 3 nights and put those nights to a stay in the Berchtesgaden/Salzburg area. If not, I would at least move 1 night from Rothenburg to somewhere else.

Paul

"We are just brainstorming now." Oh. OK.

3 nights on the Rhine: It seems that most Rick readers end up in Bacharach. I like Bacharach but less as a base town and more as a place to visit for a short while. You'll find a wider choice of eateries and accommodations in Boppard, a larger town on a huge curve in the Rhine with a nice number of half-timbered buildings and with a bit more to do. There's a pleasant town square filled with outdoor cafes, a small set of Roman-era ruins, a lengthy river promenade, and a nice chairlift ride to a nearby lookout as well, at the top of which, after a short walk, you'll find the Gedeonseck terrace-cafe with a commanding view of the river and town:

(Gedeonseck, slightly goofy photo)
Boppard (on right)
Boppard's tea house

Most of Boppard's accommodations huddle by the river promenade a good distance from the railway and are less impacted by noise from passing trains than places in Bacharach, where the tracks cut right alongside the narrow town for its entire length. Also, grocery stores are more numerous if you're packing lunches for outings or renting an apartment (as many area visitors do.)

Boppard is a good place to end a river cruise as well - so it's convenient to stay there. You would take a direct train south to Bingen, then board a northbound cruise boat and get off in Boppard 2.3 hours later having cruised the most scenic segment.

Boppard is also a slightly better location for heading over to Cochem on the Mosel River, a very good outing if you have the time - terrific old town with walls and towers, castle with falconry show:

Cochem

Bacharach, Oberwesel (old town walls and towers here too), and St. Goar (home of Rheinfels Castle) are other towns of interest on the same bank of the River as Boppard and can be reached easily as well.

Oberwesel

I have never been that tied to the idea of a homebase, but moved house more often on most trips. For drivers, Rothenburg has the advantage of easy parking lots, whereas train travelers would always have to make a connection at Steinach. Four nights with such a small-town selection of sights and restaurants might be too much; after all, the town wall is only about 1.5 miles in circumference.

Thanks y'all for the advice. One thing I hate about traveling is moving to a new hotel every night. That's why I want to stay a few nights in the Rhine Valley, a few nights near Rothenburg, a night in the Black Forest, several nights in the Tirol, and finish in Munich. (I added the Black Forest stopover since we have to meet one of my husband's clients nearby.) Lots more research to do! All comments appreciated!!