Itinary Suggestions for Germany/Austria 12d/11n trip

I'm wondering if you want to stop by the Rhine, since you listed wanting to see castles and scenery. I'd suggest dropping Freiberg and Heidelberg from the list and adding the Rhine. The rest of the trip sounds great!

Hi Richard. Would you consider going to northern Germany this time, since you have already been to the southern part? I like Hamburg and there are a lot of beautiful towns in and around the Harz Mountains.

If you're near Heidelberg and want to see some castles that seem to be completely off the typical tourist radar, check out some of the towns along the Bergstrasses, like Weinheim, Hemsbach, Heppenheim, Zwingenberg, and Bensheim. This region is also known for its wine. I also think the town of Lorsch has one of the prettiest town squares in the area, which sits just adjacent to a monastery that dates back to the Carolingian period.

Nurnberg has the largest Christmas Market which also provides evening entertainment. You may want to include Wurzburg (beautiful palace), Oberammergau (alpine village) and Garmisch (zugspitze is a must if you are in the area)! All of these are easy day trips from Munich if used as a base. Salzburg also has a wonderful Christmas Market with lots of activities - ice skating in the square, concerts. Perhaps traveling back to Frankfurt for your final night as they also have a nice Christmas Market in the old town square.

Thanks for the suggestions. So much to see and so little time. I'm going to spend more time this weekend checking train schedules and try to figure out an efficient route. I'm kind of thinking Nuremberg-Munich-Salzburg-Freiburg and somewhere else for a couple of nights, maybe Garmisch. (Geez, just realized I misspelled Nuremberg in my original message.)

Definitely make the trip to Garmisch and stay a night or two there. Take the tram up the Zugspitze and get to the top. The view is incredible, you are on top of the world up there inside the Alps, it's amazing. The town of Garmisch is also very cute and beautiful. Salzburg is also wonderful - if you can, make the trip out of the city and go see the lake district. The scenery is amazing. Also, just outside of Salzburg go up the Untersburg mountain - there is a gondola to take you to the top. Much like the Zugspitze - though it looks down over the whole of Salzburg. Beautiful views! Have fun

Now my tentative plans are (number in parenthesis is the number of nights at each location): Frankfurt->Rothenburg(2)->Munich(4)->Salzburg(2)->Nurnberg(2)->Frankfurt(1) I wasn't planning to do Rothenburg again but my friend hasn't seen it before and that is one place she wanted to see. I enjoyed it so I don't mind seeing it again. I'm wondering about 4 nights in Munich. Most likely we will be taking day trips from Munich to places such as Linderhof, Garmisch, etc. so I guess that is ok. I had wanted to spend a day or so in the Black Forest region but that doesn't look likely. If anyone has any suggestions don't hesitate to give them :)

Richard, your revised itinerary looks good. i could quite comfortably do it myself. 4 days in Munich is fine, if yu get bored or anzious there are always daytrips to take- but you could also spend time in Munich on longer trips to the Museums (stad Museum is small enough and varied enough that you dont get bored) or even to Nymphenburg Palace if that ineterests you. Or even a long lazy afternoon in the beer garden in Englsiher garden (wish i'd had longer to spend there). rothenburg 2 days is really conmfortable, and your friend will want to go back

Your adjusted itinerary looks great!! At that time of year, it will be beautiful and fun. Munich has so much to offer you will not be bored with the museums, cathedrals, markets, Hofbrauhaus, etc. and as previously mentioned it is a good base for day trips to various mountain villages such as Garmisch. You may want to take in Dallmayr on Dienerstrasse as it is the ultimate foodhall and dessert stop in Munich - your girlfriend will love it! We make a stop there on every trip to Munich.

Dallmayr food store was recommended to me on my last trip- but it was rainy and i didnt find it. Pity

Anyone know anything about Europaischer Hof or the Golden Leaf Hotels? The first one seems to be located at the east end of the train station. How is that area? The Golden Leaf looks to be at the south end of the English Gardens.
Since we will be staying 4 nights I'd like something nice although not in the $300+night range. Being convenient to the train station is good unless it is very noisy or more of a seedy area.

Richard you didn't spell Nuremberg incorrectly in your original post, you spelt it correctly the German way, except for the later typing error when you spelt it Numberg!