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stuck on itinerary

Im planning a trip for two weeks to mainly Germany(Nuremberg, Rothenburg, Berchsengarden, Munich and Fussen) with Salzburg and Lucern being the exceptions. I am just trying to plan this last bit of travel from Lucern to Frankfurt where we fly out- I have 3 full days of travel, with the third day ending in Frankfurt where we will stay the night before we fly out next day. I wanted to experience some of the Black Forest, we are driving. Option #1 is leave Lucern, and travel to Triberg, view the falls, and clock shops, from there travel to Gangenbach, sightsee, visit the glass blowing Dorothennbutte, and spend the night in Gangenbach, and next day drive to Frankfurt and do some sightseeing in the city.
Option #2 Leave Lucern, go to Triberg, then drive to Freiburg, spend the night there, next day sightsee Freiburg, leave later in the day to ? maybe Heidelberg- spend day then on to Frankfurt for the night and catch plane next day.

any suggestions? Ive seen Freiburg vs Gangenbach forums, and I understand the distinction, just really torn between the two. I also could add one more day by leaving from Lucern one day earlier. Let me know your thoughts. My husband and I are in our fifties and able to walk easily, I like the idea of the smaller unique villages, but with some interest like winerys or food tours. I also have crossed Lake Titizee off our list. Thanks for any help

Posted by
6663 posts

Freiburg actually makes for a nice SHORT stopover, and you gain little by overnighting there, so I'd suggest this...

Day 1: Luzern > Freiburg for a few hours (the Münster and the Marktplatz for sure) > Gengenbach for pm and overnight. Now you are untorn.

Day 2: Gengenbach > Black Forest Open Air Museum in Gutach

This visit is just way more interesting than all of Triberg, IMO. You will surely take away more from here than from the small museum in Triberg, the waterfall, the touristy shops, etc. There's no crime in seeing Triberg in the afternoon, if you wish, before heading north to some other place like Heidelberg for the night. But I think the short drive up the Gutach Valley to Wolfach , Schiltach, Alpirsbach is actually more scenic and more rewarding on the whole.

https://de.academic.ru/pictures/dewiki/86/Verlaufskarte_Kinzigtalbahn.png

Like Gengenbach, Schiltach is a town on the German Fachwerkstrasse (Half-timbered house route.)

https://www.deutsche-fachwerkstrasse.de/en/Routes_Cities/From-the-River-Neckar-to-the-Black-Forest-and-Lake-Constance.html

Heidelberg for the night... maybe. You said,

I like the idea of the smaller unique villages, but with some interest like winerys or food tours.

Try Besigheim for the night, also on the Neckar River.. It's on the Fachwerkstrasse, like Schiltach and Gengenbach, and on your way north. AND it's a serious wine town. Voted Germany's most beautiful wine village in 2010.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/32/Neckar_watershed_closer.gif

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1xqGvinerc

This Besigheim inn has a Weinbar, pretty straightforward..

Posted by
32 posts

I'd love to know more about your itinerary! We're planning a trip to see many of the same spots and I'm curious how you're traveling and how many nights you're spending in each place.

Posted by
6 posts

thanks to all for your replies. It is so helpful to get some real ideas from travelers. Russ, I think I like your suggestions, and I had Open Air museum on my possible list, also Alpirsbach . The other villages you mentioned I believe are close enough to accomplish all on one day, and then drive on to over night at Besigheim. Mignon, the wine village of Ihringen looks lovely, and I might squeeze that in after a morning spent in Frieburg. As for Max asking about my itinerary- here it is... I haven't planned a trip to Europe since I backpacked a very long time ago, only using Foders books so hopefully I am planning a trip that makes sense!
Day1 - fly into Frankfurt and spend the night there.
day 2 Drive to Rothenburg, sightsee and drive on to Nuremberg. stay the night
day 3 sightsee Nuremberg and stay 2nd night there
day 4- drive to Salzburg and stay the night
day 5- sight see Salzburg stay 2nd night
day 6- drive to Berchsengarden- tour Eagles Nest- stay the night in Berchsengarden.
day 7- drive to Munich- sightsee, spend the night
day 8- munich sightsee and spend 2nd night
day 9 drive to tour castles- Neuschwanstein, Hohenschwangau- spend night in Fussen
day 10- drive to Lucern- sightsee and spend night
day 11- sightsee and spend 2nd night Lucern
day 12- drive to Freiburg, sightsee- maybe also see Ihringen- and drive to Gengenbach and spend the night.
day 13-drive up Gutach Valley and. visit towns Wolfach, Schitach and Alpirsbach and go to Besigheim to spend the night
day 14- sightsee more around the area and drive on to Frankfurt and spend night near airport
day 15 fly home

thanks all for your suggestions, and if you have any little fixes for this plan, let me know, It is really helpful!

Posted by
6663 posts

A little fix that might help you both pronounce and spell one of your towns... Berch-tes-ga-den... Everyone I know botches it pretty badly. Get it right, and you might be the only American in town who can say and spell it.

syllable by syllable... Right now you're writing it with two r's, but it has only the first one. And when you say the name, you don't make any r-sounds...

1) (BEH-UHCK) (like a Brit might pronounce "beark"... with "uh" for the "r" sound.. but squish it all into one syllable.

2) tess

3) gah

4) den

Repeat until comfort settles in. Off you go...

Posted by
6522 posts

AMM, I would second Russ's recommendation for Gengenbach and the open air museum. I stayed in Gengenbach last year for 4 nights and absolutely loved it. It's charming with many half-timbered houses and small enough to retain that village feel but large enough to have some good hotels and restaurants. If you want to look at some photos of it, I took quite a few and posted them in an online journal (aka blog).😊 https://mostlytraveled.wordpress.com/2022/05/04/day-10-gengenbach-and-the-black-forest/

And if you go to the next day, you can see photos and info about the Open Air museum - I just loved it and spent several hours there. https://mostlytraveled.wordpress.com/2022/05/05/day-11-the-black-forest-vogtsbauernhof/

Posted by
1301 posts

12-13. I would spend more time in der Schweiz if the weather is cooperating. Long drive then to Frankfurt. Plan a stop/over night along the way.

Posted by
6 posts

Russ,
thank you for that lesson! I had a feeling I was spelling it wrong, but didn't take the time to correct it. These German names are super long:)). Still working on the itinerary, I am so thankful for all the help!

Posted by
6 posts

Mardee,
your pictures are amazing, and I believe I have run across them, maybe in another forum you participated in... it looks gorgeous- any recommendations for a hotel?

Posted by
6522 posts

I stayed at the Stadthotel Pfeffermühle and loved it there! The staff was extremely friendly, the room was quite large and very comfortable, the price was very reasonable and it was a convenient location. It was right on the outskirts of town and a short walk to the train station. Although you said you were driving, so they do have parking available. I think there are some photos of my room in one of the links I sent you. Probably the first one.

Posted by
2427 posts

I agree with Russ’ intinerary. You might add in a ride or 2 at the Sommerrodelbahn ( alpine coaster ) next door to the Open Air Museum. Sorry, no hotel recommendations. I stay appartments there

Posted by
32901 posts

I was going to throw in a route the the dense forest area of the Black Forest, with hairpin turns and steep ascents and descents, and lookouts at the tops, but I think you already have plenty to getting on with in 3 days.

When you decide you really love the area and plan to return for a longer time we can go to the advanced, but quite slow, class.

Posted by
6522 posts

I was going to throw in a route the the dense forest area of the Black Forest, with hairpin turns and steep ascents and descents, and lookouts at the tops

Nigel, my legs started quivering as soon as I read this!