We are planning our first family trip to Europe in June. I might be crazy, but there are 6 of us, kids ages 16, 13, 9, 9. We have alloted 21 days, with rt flights into Munich. My initial itinerary is Munich to Salsburg to Fussen to Gimmelwald to Paris to London and then return through Brussels to Rothenberg to Munich. I am looking for experienced advice in these matters:
1. Main attractions to see and suggested stays (days/nights) in each city.
2. Is it difficult to find sleeping arrangements for a family my size? Any suggestions.
3. Want to use Eurorail, but what cities am I better off renting a car?
4. Can I get a car big enough?
5. Anything along this route you would suggest seeing? Especially returning from Brussels.
6. Any advice for a large family like mine?
Thank you.
Posted by
Nederland, CO
1530 posts
Tim, It sounds like a great trip. My husband and I went last year with 3 of our children (2 of them are adults). I found that a lot of places had family rooms, but didn't advertise them. In Salzburg we stayed at the Golden Ente which is one of the more pricey places Rick recommends, however they have a family apartment that is cheaper than many other places, and it's in a great location. We stayed in Murren at the Eiger Guesthouse and had 2 adjoining rooms. The Hotel Staubach in Lauterbrunnen has a similar setup - where you can get 2 adjoining rooms.
I prefer taking the train vs. driving. When we went to Fussen we rented a car for a few days which allowed us to stay in nearby Pinswang at the Gusthof zum Schluxen which is where Rick's Family europe tours stay because it's a great place for kids. They have a large playground, bikes for rent and many animals. While there we also drove and hiked up to the Ehrenberg ruins which my son loved, and the car made it easy to get to the luge ride near Fussen.
I would suggest going to Brugge instead of Brussels.
Rail passes are much cheaper for the kids, especially if you get a regional pass in the Berner Oberland. A multi day pass for the kids is only something like $16 when accompanied by a parent.
Lastly I would say with a 21 day trip its important to take a break in the middle where you just relax and have fun without rushing around seeing sights and visiting museums. The Berner Oberland is a great place for this.
Posted by
Ottawa, Ontario,, Canada
521 posts
Hey Tim,
Are you sure it would not be better to go Munich to Fuessen (even perhaps as a day-trip) to Salzburg then to Gimmelwald? If you want to travel by train, as you indicated, have you checked the travel times on a site like the Deutsche Bahn trip search?