I hope this is the right forum for this question - I've been kind of prowling around for a few weeks but haven't posted much. I've been planning an itinerary for my first backpacking trip since January (and planning the trip itself since I was about 6 years old!) I'm moving to the Netherlands this August, and plan on starting my trip in the last week (22nd). I've painstakingly arranged this itinerary with extensive advice from Rick Steves' guidebooks, personal advice from friends, and various other sources. However, I think this is the best place to ask about itinerary/timing issues, since I obviously have never been to these places and can only plan so much. A couple of things to note: - I have traveled to Europe on five different occasions, so I'm not a stranger to the continent. - I have been to London, Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris, and Berlin, which is why all of those cities are left out of this particular trip - as well as Italy, because that will be a separate trip next year. - I'm still debating between Budapest and Krakow, but leaning toward Budapest for my solo trip. Seeing Auschwitz outside Krakow is very important to me for personal reasons, but I don't think I can do it alone - so I think I'll see it another time with my boyfriend or family. So...if anyone would like to read this over and has any advice, I'd be very appreciative. Thank you SO much! :) (see next post, this one is too long)
Posted by
OP
San Diego, CA, United States
9 posts
ITINERARY (done all by train, except final flight home, with Eurail Pass 5 countries, 10 days in 2 months) DAY 1: Frankfurt, Germany DAY 2: Rothenburg (arrive mid-morning) DAY 3: Rothenburg (late afternoon train to Fussen) DAY 4: Fussen (castles) DAY 5: Bern, Switzerland (travel day from Fussen to Bern) DAY 6: Bern DAY 7: Interlaken (stay in Gimmelwald) DAY 8: Gimmelwald/Berner Oberland DAY 9: Gimmelwald/Berner Oberland DAY 10: Munich (arrive afternoon) DAY 11: Munich DAY 12: Hallstatt, Austria (arrive afternoon) DAY 13: Hallstatt DAY 14: Salzburg (arrive afternoon) DAY 15: Salzburg DAY 16: Vienna (arrive midday -- meeting/staying with friends in Vienna) DAY 17: Vienna DAY 18: Vienna DAY 19: Budapest, Hungary
(arrive midday) DAY 20: Budapest DAY 21: Budapest DAY 22: Prague, Czech Republic (arrive afternoon) DAY 23: Prague DAY 24: Prague DAY 25: Home (Eindhoven, Netherlands)
Posted by
OP
San Diego, CA, United States
9 posts
Thanks for the advice, Kathy! You bring up a good point about Munich, and it's one I am familiar with...it's been frustrating to try to coordinate my travels through there, but the main reason I ended up going down into Switzerland first and then into Munich is because it cuts the train travel time down by nearly half. A train from Interlaken to Salzburg was over 12 hours with 4-6 changes, while Interlaken to Munich is about 6-7 hours with 2 changes. It simply saved me an entire day of tedious train travel. This way, I can get into Munich and spend a few days, then zip down to Salzburg in 2 hours. As for Rothenburg obT, it's actually one of my priorities so I'd really like to see it on this trip. I was originally going to do the Romantic Road coach from Frankfurt all the way through the towns to Fussen, but ended up recently changing that. The only places I'd be stopping on the route would be Rothenburg, Munich, and Fussen, so I didn't want to spend twice the amount of money on the coach tour when I could take the train directly where I want to go. And I'm already planning a separate trip through the Rhine and Mosel Valley, with Cochem and river towns, down to the Black Forest, with my boyfriend at another time. That's why I didn't include them on this trip... Although maybe I could do them on this trip, and then see Rothenburg and Munich another time with him instead? Would it make more sense geographically to do the Rhine/Mosel/Black Forest before going down into Switzerland? Ah, decisions, decisions. Thanks again for your help!
Posted by
Germany, Germany
813 posts
For starters, that's prime travel time for Europeans, so be prepared, many hostels are already full until mid-September. You're back tracking through Munich twice, which seems like a waste of some valuable travel time. I say from Frankfurt, you head south to Switzerland, skip Rothenburg odT, and then head east to Fuessen, Munich, etc. In my opinion, if you're living in Eindhoven, you'll be able to visit RodT another time.