2 Week Itinerary Feedback

I would seriously take the 2 nights TBD and add them to Budapest. As it stands now, it seems you will arrive Budapest (and likely be jet-lagged) and then only have one full day and most of another for sightseeing. With 4 nights there, you wouldn't be rushing around and you could even squeeze in a day trip into the Hungarian countryside. And unless you've been to Vienna before (can't speak to Salzburg - haven't been there), I wouldn't bother to visit for only one night. I'd wait until you can give it at least 3 nights.

I have a suggestion, but I am wanting to know what in Fussen you are wanting to see? If it is just the castle - you can do that as a day trip from Munich. So if it were me, I would maybe consider this: Budapest (2), Prague (3) and then Vienna for 3 nights. Tour Vienna and take a day trip to the Wachau Valley for a biking/winery tour. We did this in October of 2009 and I will say that we were lucky and got a gorgeous October day...that weather may not be easy to repeat. (so I add that disclaimer). www.grapegrazingtour.com Omit Fussen as a stay and instead head to Munich for 4 nights with a daytrip to Fussen to see the castles.

If you go from Budapest to Prague and then to Vienna, you're backtracking. My suggestion would be Budapest > Vienna > Prague > Salzburg > Munich. I too would skip Fussen and add those nights to Budapest &/or Vienna.

Thanks for all the feedback. I should clarify that we fly into Budapest on Wednesday morning and plan to take the overnight train from Budapest to Prague on Friday night. Therefore, we will actually have almost 3 full days in Budapest (though being jet-lagged is a possibility, though not something we've seriously experienced in the past). So we then plan to be in Prague until Tuesday-ish... and then it gets murky until we fly out of Munich on the following Tuesday. A little more information about us - we travel to Europe every few years and love the experience of "getting in" with the locals. Our favorites so far have been Bruges, Amsterdam, Florence, and Dingle. So - I guess I am trying to figure out what area / town will fill that role this trip, if that makes any sense. I love wine (and wineries, etc); my husband loves beer (and breweries and the whole experience - he's a brewer). We love the idea of including a biking tour, as well.
So - since I can't find any clear recommendations in a Rick book for this particular combination of areas (I'm juggling 4 of his books for this one!) I'm looking for feedback from ya'll! Thanks!

Detouring from the topic of your itinerary for a moment to speak about beer/breweries, you may already know about this but just outside Prague is the Pilsner Urquell brewery in Plzen. It sounds like it might be right up your husband's alley: http://www.prazdroj.cz/en/ (click on "Come and Visit" for more information) We did the tour last year and took the Student Agency Bus from Prague to Plzen; the ride took about an hour or so from the bus station. To reach the bus station you would take the Metro Yellow line from Old Town to the last stop (Zlicin). Additionally, there are other brewery tours you could do as day trips from Prague (such as Kozel). The Prague forum at TripAdvisor.com is a wealth of information and you might find this post useful: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g274707-i96-k3970613-Breweries_and_or_wineries_in_or_around_Prague-Prague_Bohemia.html Sorry for the detour, but if you were interested in these day trips then you may want to plan on more time in Prague. And I'll forgive you only having 2 nights in Budapest if you promise to eat a langos from the Central Market Hall. :)

Hi Annie, Salzburg is a great town and I highly recommend you use your two TBD nights there... even steal one night from Fussen (and put the other Fussen night in Munich... then do a day trip from Munich to Fussen). In Salzburg (1) I've heard about a Sound Of Music tour on bikes... gets you out into the countryside on bike even if you don't love the Sound of Music. (2) cable car to the top of the Untersburg - easy bus ride from town and there's a pub at the top where he can have his beer and you can have your wine and you both can enjoy the view! I've got pix if you'd like a preview =) I always have my RS with me but for Munich my FAVORITE guide book is The Beer Drinker's Guide To Munich... (http://www.beerdrinkersguide.com/BDGWebsite/GardensIndex.htm) Prost!
-Libby

If your husband is a brewer - professional or home - I strongly suggest the Augustiner Bräustübl in Salzburg (plus, Salzburg itself ain't too shabby!). You can easily ride bikes through the town; there are bike paths all along the river - gorgeous! - and you can hike on a beautiful wooded trail to Augustiner. This is serious hiking country. I've included the link...make note of the operating hours! This is a very highly-regarded brewery, and I think you'd really enjoy the experience! (make sure your speakers are on for the first link! click on both buttons: "The Brewery" and "Bräustübl Tavern" after you've enjoyed your 'pour') http://www.augustinerbier.at/ http://www.augustinerbier.at/panogastgarten/gastgarten.htm I don't believe they have wine there (but you can surely get some very tasty Austrian wines elsewhere in town), but they do have many other types of drinks - soft drinks, etc., if you don't 'do' beer. I also recommend "The Beer Drinker's Guide to Munich" - Augustiner SALZBURG (not to be confused with the tasty Augustiner MUNICH) gets its higest rating!