Hello we have 25 days to spend in CEntral Europe. We are flying in and out of FRankfurt. Our plan was to do Nuremberg Munich Salzburg Budapest Vienna Prague and then back to Fankfurt. Is this enough time for these stops. The one stop i am wondering about is Munich do i need it or could we visit it from Salzburg to save the unpacking of the suitcases one more time. We have to see Salzburg. Any help will be appreciated. We are open to suggestions.
Posted by
Virginia
597 posts
25 days is wonderful. I'm sure you will get 11 different opinions from 10 different responders. My suggestion would be to substitute Rothenburg for Nuremburg. You can always do a day trip to Nuremburg. I would spend more time in in Salzburg and do day trips to Munich (I'm not a Munich fan) and Hallstatt. Guessing that your first and last day will be travel days, that leaves you with about 4 days per city for traveling and exploring. One more city would put you at about 3 days per city which some people think that is enough.
In Salzburg you can see the fortress, take the SOM tours, travel through the lake region (postcard type scenery), visit old town, see the water garden at Hellbrum, take a trip to the Eagles Nest (? WWII related), go to a Mozart concert. I'm sure others can give you more suggestions.
Happy travels. Have fun.
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16893 posts
I'm surprised that you don't yet have 11 different opinions from 10 different responders. I think the plan still needs a couple of smaller towns. You can train direct from Salzburg to Budapest in 6 hours, or Munich-Budapest in 7.5 hours. Or you can break the trip at a smaller town, like Hallstatt.
Many people do Salzburg as a daytrip from Munich, or you could do it the other way. Vienna has the best palaces and art museums in your plan, so I won't push Munich's art museums, but if you like car factories or transport museums, that can be a focus in Munich.
Will you visit a concentration camp memorial? Dachau is a short S-Bahn ride from Munich, but Mauthausen is more interesting, without much detour from the main Austrian rail line.
If traveling by train, look at the European East pass, which doesn't cover Germany but costs half as much as a 4-country Selectpass.
Posted by
OP
6 posts
Hi Laura thanks for your comments i still have questions for you. Here is our plan but not written in stone. We are staying in Neustdt after we leave Frankfurt. Then on to Salzburg with an outing to Hallstatt. Can you suggest another day trip from Salzburg. We are thinking of staying there for 4 days? Then off to Budapest for 4 or 5 days. Then to Viena for 4 or 5 days. One of our days trips would be Wachau valley for the wine country. Any other suggestions are welcome. Then off to Prague. What i really need help with is finding some budget accommodations in all of these places. Salzburg is being difficult at the moment. Should i try and stay a bit out of the city perhaps to find something more affordable. Do you have any recommendations for hotels or small aparatment with a kitchenette. If you would comment on this itinerary it would be so appreciated. We are seasoned travellers but not to this part of the world. Our hotel rooms will only be to sleep in so i am not looking to spend a lot of money on them.
Posted by
Virginia
597 posts
ckurrusk,
Check in RS book for good suggestions for places to stay. We stayed at a B&B suggested by RS just outside old town and took the 15 minute bus ride into town. Also if you check AIRBNB you will find everything from renting a room to a whole apartment with kitchen. Other posts have several suggestions. Good luck.
Posted by
Mahone Bay, Canada
328 posts
Berchtesgaden, the Konigsee and Eagle's Nest would make another great day trip from Salzburg.