Hello, My husband & I are trying to plan our next European trip & have been watching Rick Steves episodes & researching like crazy. I'm wondering if you think this would be possible to do in 3 weeks? Bruges, Belgium Small towns in Germany Possibly Austria Switzerland/Alps
Venice (4-5 nights at the end of the trip) Flying open jaw into Belgium, out of Venice.
Posted by
OP
Sacramento, CA
46 posts
We plan to go in October of 2014. We are open to open jaw rental car or train travel.
Posted by
Tel Aviv
15794 posts
What time of year? If you want to rent a car for part of the trip, you will either have to do a loop or pay a hefty drop-off fee if you are taking the car from one country to another.
Posted by
Wyckoff, NJ, USA
7936 posts
It might be a better use of your time to leave Bruges for a Belgium/France/Netherlands trip. A lot of Germany has just as much charm as Bruges. I'd say rent a car within Germany, use a train to see Innsbruck, Salzburg, and Vienna, just do Rick's high points by train in Switzerland, and train to Venice. If you want to see a lot of Switzerland, I'd drop Austria, but I liked those three cities - and a week in Vienna is very possible for those with enough time! Do you understand how expensive Switzerland is? You won't be able to see all parts of Germany in a week or ten days, so select an area to neglect, for another trip. Say, Berlin-Prague-Budapest.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
33991 posts
I think that sounds like a nice 3 week trip. Easily linked by trains, and if your daily journeys are reasonably short in Germany easily done by local trains and Laender tickets which are very cheap. Brussels to Bruges and return are a doddle. Around Frankfurt am Main are several beautiful fachwerk (half timbered) towns, all easily available by train. Consider Idstein, Budingen, Braunfels and several others. In the northern Black Forest, Gengenbach is a lovely place and a good base. Gengenbach, like most of the smaller towns in the Black Forest, participates in the Konus Card which provides free local and regional buses and trains as well many other benefits. All around Germany are lovely small towns - you need to pick a couple of areas. Austria and Switzerland can both provide beautiful views. Vienna is quite a long way from everything else. Venice is special. 4 or 5 days is a good long time. Be aware that because you usually will have to change planes to get from Venice to the States your flight from Venice is likely to be pretty early in the day. If you aren't keen on that you could start in Venice and end in Bruges.