My wife and I have a fair amount of time to spend in Germany in mid October. We have a fairly loose set of goals and some standing plans that I may want to cancel depending on your feedback. We will be renting a car and driving to each destination. So far our itinerary looks like this: 10/14 - 10/16 Get acquainted with the timezone change and hang around Munich. Hotels booked. 10/16 Drive to Vienna. Current plan is to take it slow but not stop for the night until Vienna (I am skeptical about turning a min 5 hour trip into a 10 hour trip). 10/16 - 10/19 Play around in Vienna and see the sights. Hotels booked. 10/19 Drive to Hallstatt 10/19 - 10/29 We have general ideas on what to do at this point. Eagles nest, Ludwig castles, Salzburg, etc (need more ideas). The Eagles nest tour ends for the year on the 21st. The wife would love to at least step foot in Switzerland as well. 10/29 - 11/1 Hang around Munich and actually appreciate the city/surrounding area. We may be able to fit the Ludwig castles in during this time. Hotels booked.
11/1 Leave for home
Posted by
Stuttgart, Germany
3050 posts
Hello from a former Bay Area-n! You've got a lot of time to see a relatively compact area, which is great. You'll be in Vienna during wine harvest season, and given how much time you have, I would consider adding an extra day. There's a ton to do in Vienna, and with an extra day you could easily go wine tasting in the nearby countryside if that's your thing. Bratislava is very close to Vienna, and while I haven't been, it sounds fantastic. Might be a nice idea for a day trip before heading to Halstatt. Setting foot in Switzerland won't be an issue with the amount of time you have - after Halstatt, consider driving towards the Bodensee (Lake Constance) which borders Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. You could even drive through nearby Lichtenstein! (Fun to say you did it!) Then you could visit Lindau in Germany, and go to two of Ludwig's castles from there (Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau). I don't not recommend going to the Hofbrauhaus - it's a tourist trap but worth seeing, for the history and just to do it. Don't miss the little museum on the second floor. What I don't recommend doing is eating at the Hofbrauhaus - the food is overpriced and mediocre. Augustiner Keller by the train station is a better choice for beer hall atmosphere and great food, surrounded by locals as opposed to tourists.
Posted by
Richmond, Virginia, USA
345 posts
I can't agree about the Hofbräuhaus. Yes, it is touristy but Munich locals DO patronize it - just look at all the Stammtisch! I have eaten there many times and never got a bad meal. Yeah, the oompah band is geared toward the tourists, but it is still alot of fun and you get to meet people from all over the world. After a liter or so of beer you can screw up the courage to try your high school German, Russian or whatever! It's a unique experience that should be enjoyed at least once.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19274 posts
Here is the menu from the Hofbräuhaus. I've eaten there a few times and never thought the food was overpriced, considering it is Munich. Plus there is entertainment. I think that the band and the music played is kind of a microcosm of Oktoberfest.
Posted by
Stuttgart, Germany
3050 posts
There's a lot of overpriced food options in Munich. The Hofbrauhaus is one of them. Why bother when there's much better places to eat that are also cheaper? I've never had a good meal there. And while there might be a few locals who hang out there, the vast majority of the crowds are tourists. Are people really trying to sell someone on the Hofbrauhaus or just trying to justify your own lack of exploration in Munich? Seriously guys!