Southern Germany this October - advice needed!

Everything you are talking about doing is easy to do by train (and bus). It might take a little more time, but cost a lot less.

I like your idea of going only as far as Bacharach the first night, particularly with a car. You don't want to be driving while jetlagged and tired. I've fallen asleep on the train before. Sure glad I wasn't driving.

I wasn't impressed with Baden-Baden. I thought it was a big city without much Schwarzwald character. You might to better in Bad Herrenalb, Gernsbach, or Freudenstadt. They're much prettier.

Getting to Triberg probably means driving the river valley from Hausach. It's a beautiful place but I wouldn't want to be trying to drive and look at scenery at the same time. There is a very famous rail line, the Schwarzwaldbahn, along the side of the valley. It goes through Triberg and Donaueschingen. You might think seriously about the train.

I wasn't too impressed with Reutte; not very pretty. If you have a car there and stay outside town at Zum Schluxen, which a lot of people here recommend, it might not be so bad, but Pfronten, just west of there at the German border is much prettier. There are regular buses from Pfronten to Füssen; it takes about half an hour.

The bus that goes from Füssen Bhf to Hohenschwangau (schedule here) goes on to Oberammergau. The TI office at Hohenschwangau, right behind the bus stop, told me last September that visitors to the castle can leave their luggage behind the counter. You could come in from Pfronten, leave your luggage at the TI office, see the castles, then go on to Oberammergau on the bus.

I think your itinerary looks really good. I think Bacharach for 3 nights is good, esp when dealing with jetlag. We did exactly that when we arrived in Germany this last fall. However, we did day trip up to Koln to see the cathedral. If you are not doing that, you can probably get by with 2 days here. We had some truly great food and wine here. Try the Fedderweiss (sp?) It will likely be in season and you can only get it in the fall. You will see everyone drinking this bubbly lemonade stuff. It's a young wine with very low alcohol - Its yum!

Rothenburg - 2 nights. So relaxing and pretty.

Baden-Baden - it is not for everyone. But we LOVED it! Two major experiences here were (1) the baths. Yes it was co-ed and NAKED but what an experience. It is truly like time traveling back to ancient Rome and experiecing the luxury of a bath house. It was truly a highlight. But in addition, my husband and I lucked out because (2) the museum had a temp exhibit showcasing Mark Chagall which was an introduction to us. Great exhibit. So we loved our short time in Baden-Baden and I would go back in a heart beat.

Never been to Ruette.

As for Munich- are you going during Oktoberfest? Probably not if you are starting the begining of your trip in Oct. For the year-round Oktoberfest feel - go to the Hofbrauhaus and get a giant beer! Mmmmmm. The English Garden was amazing (the largest park in Europe). If you didn't get your fill of naked people in Baden-Baden, you might here! The Residenz is really nice (audio tour is dry but probably still worth it). The Deutches museum was not a favorite of mine. The Glockenspiel is nothing special - but go! You will see it on tv and be able to recognize it instantly as having been there. The outdoor market nearby is great. Get a picnic and head to the English Garden.

Everthing looks good, but with a rental car, I would stay just about anywhere else in the Bavarian/Tyrolian Alps but Reutte. Every resort town in the region has a luge, so don't think you need to ride the Tegelberg. My favorite base, both in winter and summer, is Garmisch-Partenkirchen, due to the central location and easy access to hiking and the Zugspitze. Mittenwald is also a good option.

Munich- The Englischergarten is, in my opionion, the 2nd best urban park in Europe. There are several great beer halls, of which the Hofbrauhaus is the most well known, if most touristy (I thought the hall run by the Augustiner brewery- can't remember the name- had a less frat-like atmosphere and better food). The reconstructed Residenz is worth a visit, as are the art galleries.

I tasted Federweiss November 2008 in Cochem. Reminds me very much of the Neuewein that they serve with Zwiebelkuchen (onion tart) so many places in Germany about the same time. I think it is sweet and low alcohol because they are so anxious to drink it, they don't wait for it to ferment completely - hence the cloudy look.

Cochem has a Federweissfest the first weekend in November.

Thank you so much for your responses! I really needed some input from people who have been there. Your feedback is a tremendous help! If there's anything else, please post and let me know! I'm definitely rethinking the stop in Reutte....

If you will definitely have a car try to see Wieskirsche, a beautiful Rococco style church in the countryside. We drove there from Hohenschwangau and it was a pleasant side trip. You will need good directions. Regretted that we missed Lindau which was not too far away--maybe closer to Oberammergau.

Hi,

Looks good. We did a very similar trip in Oct. '07.

From Frankfurt airport, Bacharach is an easy hour (maybe a bit longer) drive.

Burg Eltz is our favorite castle anywhere, Marksburg castle (on the Rhine) is a very close second.

www.burg-eltz.de/e_index.html

www.marksburg.de/default.htm

I'd stay 2 nights in Rothenburg. Take the Nightwatchmans Tour (8pm) while
there.

www.nightwatchman.de

Reutte, I agree with Tom... I'd stay just about anywhere else. We like and stayed in Fuessen on 2 seperate trips. The Tegelberg luge ride is great. The Wieskirche is amazing.

www.wieskirche.de

Never been to the Black Forest area, so I can't comment on it.

Hope this helps.

Paul

Ashley,

I'll just address one of your points now, and may have further comments later.

"Would love advice on what's the best thing to do here."

There's LOTS to do in Munich! Could you provide some details on what type(s) of things you're interested in? A few suggestions....

Marienplatz

Hofbrauhaus

Deutsches Museum (16 kM of exhibits at the main site)

Munich walking tours

Day trip to Dachau (you can do this either on your own or with Radius Tours - check their website for details and current prices).

I'd suggest having a look at a copy of the Germany 2010 Guidebook for touring suggestions in ALL the places you'll be visiting.

I'll be in the Black Forest area this year, so will have more up-to-date information after my trip.

Cheers!

I like your itinerary, but you may need to rethink the order. I'd switch Baden-Baden and Rothenberg.

we did your itinerary but backwards. rheinfels ruin on the rhine was great. we also used our third day in the area to daytrip to koln. stayed in stuttgart just so we could tour the bmw museum. it exceeded expectations. we drove through the black forest in a long day(best prices on cuckoo clocks)touring the clock museum in furtwangen. its scenic but as rick says it really is just a forest. we overnited in titisee just for convenience, its missable, and drove along the bodensee. we stayed in reutte but it sounds like others recommend elsewhere. it worked for us. we hiked to ehrenberg ruin from our b&b, toured the major castles, went up the zugspitze, rode a luge in imst austria. this was our favorite area of the trip, i recommend 3 nites. we spent one evening and a day in rothenberg which was sufficient. do the watchman tour. our two days in munich we enjoyed the alte and neue pinachotek museums, the viktualien market (forgive my spelling) and took a trip to dachau, IMO a must. hope you enjoy your trip.