Itiniary tips for Germany vist, including the Mosel, Rhine, and Bavaria

Two things from my side.

Close to Mainz you will find Eltville at river Rhine which is much smaller and quaint. Good opportunity to stay.
For movie fans Kloster Eberbach (monastery) is a great opportunity for overnight stay and wine tasting - you know parts of it from the name of the rose with Sean Connery.

After Rothenburg odT you can consider either Bamberg with World Heritage old town and / or Herzogenaurach, global HQs of Adidas and Puma, with nice old town elements and outlets of both brands plus Nike (link). Tip: check for VAT refund.

Have a good journey.

Thanks MarkK! I'll be sure to check that out.

I’d take your 3 open days and split them 2 to Rhine/Mosel and 1 to Rothenburg

I'd add days on either the Rhine, or the Mosel. And if you like medieval history, and you don't visit the Fortress Ehrenbreitstein above Koblenz you're missing one of the greats (much better than Burg Eltz). Likewise, if you go all the way up the Rhine to Rudesheim you should go up to the Niederwalddenkmal. (I don't understand why more tourist don't visit this). Don't miss the Roman temple to Isis in Mainz, or the Chagall windows at St Stephans. There are a lot of castles on the Rhine, but Rheinfels is the one to hike up to for the view. If you must cruise, take the Rhine as a day trip. If you have a car just head to Trier from Cochem, along the river, and stop any place you find. (You probably won't make Trier, but there's a lot to see enroute.) More medieval stuff near Rothenberg is the open air museum in Bad Windsheim. You should also take a look and see if there's a fest while you're here; they have them every weekend somewhere along the Rhine and Mosel.

Thanks for all the great suggestions. I think I'll definitely add one or two days to Mosel/Rhine. Also I read that Boppard might be a better base on the Rhine over Bacharach since it may be too sleepy, so I think I'll take that into account.

Your trip very much resembles mine last summer, although we traveled by car when we left Dusseldorf then returned the car when we arrived in Munich.

Day 8-10 - Open
Day 11-14 - Munich (including a day trip to Neuschwanstein)

After Rothenberg Obt, I would recommend staying somewhere in the Alps, either Garmisch-Partenkirchen or Fussen. It really is a beautiful region. That way, you eliminate a day trip to Neuschwanstein while in Munich and it opens up a day trip to Salzburg if you're so inclined.

Your post is just fine, frankly the more information you provide, the better. Welcome to the Forum! There's been some great ideas already posted, so I will only comment on my visit last week to Mainz. I really enjoyed it, though the Old Town is small, there is plenty to see. Personally, I would prioritize the Chagall Stained Glass windows at 10:00 AM opening, it was empty, (take cash for post cards & if you want the audio guide, which was great). And the Gutenberg Museum (closed Mondays). Print demo on the hour until 4PM except 1PM included in your ticket price.

Here's my trip report, for a longer version! I did find a nice cafe within walking distance of St Stephans, worth it for the baked goods alone. And I've linked a worthwhile Stephen Fry documentary on Gutenberg in TR. Enjoy your trip, it sounds wonderful! https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/6-nights-in-germany-mainz-heidelberg-heidelberg-was-gorgeous.

We just got back Wed from Germany and Amsterdam trip. We stayed in Boppard for two nights at the Bellevue Rheinhotel. Beautiful room with a balcony overlooking the river. The hotel staff were all so welcoming. We did a day cruise with KD from Boppard to St Goar and back, purchasing tickets about 15min before the cruise started. While in St Goar we toured the Burg Rheinfels castle. It was a great day trip, highly recommend.

Thanks for the tips on Mainz, Sandancisco! I know very little of the town, aside from the historical importance, so it's great to have some insight on what to see!
AnnieD, after reading some here on the forum I think Boppard will be our base for the Rhine, so I'll be sure to check out the Bellevue Rheinhotel. Did you visit the Mosel too? If so, was it the same deal as with the KD, where you did not need to book the cruise in advance?

Hallvard, no we only stayed on the Rhine. We only had 2 days there, and now wish we had stayed longer. The towns of Boppard and St. Goar were really nice to walk around and stop in shops, cafe's. etc.

From my side I would suggest you to have a look at this hotel in Munich, where I had a great stay couple of months ago. Excellent value for money!

Please take AnnieD's comment regarding more time for the Rhine/Mosel. 2 days will not do the trick.

http://www.loreley-info.com/eng/rhein-rhine/walking-hiking.php

The map above covers the most scenic part of the Rhine Valley. There are nice Rhine towns outside this zone (Mainz, Eltville,. etc.) but a stay within the scenic part will enhance your experience. Boppard is great. St Goar too. If you add time to the area, as you should, and wish to stay in just ONE place, Boppard works well for doing a day trip to the Mosel. One Mosel day is better than no Mosel days, but you will feel like AnnieD did about leaving too early... make time for 2 days there (Cochem?) with at least one overnight if possible.

If you love medieval history as you claim, please don't skip Marksburg Castle. Click on the map icon and go to the Marksburg Castle page for details. Rheinfels (in St Goar) is a worthwhile set of ruins if you have time; Marksburg is essential. The town of Braubach (home of Marksburg) is only 12 minutes from Koblenz by train and quite enchanting - walk through and have a meal there during your visit.

Cruising the Rhine: AnnieD's cruise missed the most scenic part. Cruise from Bingen (or Rüdesheim) to St Goar (or St Goarshausen) at a minimum; continue past St Goar to Boppard with an additional hour if time permits.

Cruising the Mosel: We've found the segment between Traben-Trarbach and Bernkastel the most rewarding... 2 hours on the water, some time in these two wine towns (Bernkastel has stunning old half-timbered buildings!) and an hour of transport to Bernkastel beforehand, with a little less time for the return to your Cochem base town afterward... This is a full-day undertaking, but very worthwhile.

Mainz: A night there should be adequate. If you are pressed for time, consider turning Mainz into a stopover between the Rhine/Mosel and Munich. Mainz has station lockers where you can leave bags while you do some focused sightseeing there for a few hours. Mainz > Munich by train takes about 4 hours if you leave town at around 16:00.

One tip: Figure out what days are Sundays, and verify your itinerary those days. In Germany almost all shops, stores, supermarkets, and a variety of other things will be closed. Most restaurants and tourist sights will be open though. Some towns are a bit dead on Sunday, but parks and outdoor venues will be more crowded than usual if the weather is nice. The same goes for Holidays. For Summer, Whit Monday, Corpus Christi Day, and Assumption might apply.

If your plans align with a medium size town, with a Market, Saturdays can be really vibrant and fun, just to wander the city center and mingle with people.

Yes visit Franconia and Oberphalz. Lots to see and the Bier is 1/4 price.