So, you're taking the Best of Munich, Salzburg, Vienna tour.....

I have not totally thought this out yet, but given the time constrictions in Munich, I want to get to the creche museum at the Bavarian National Museum which is closed on Monday. I want to go to Dallmayr which is closed on Sunday - fantastic Christmas candy bars - good stocking stuffers. Also, the Viktualienmarkt is closed on Sunday. I figure I won't get to Nürnberg so I need to get my Nürnberger Bratwurst in Munich. A little closer to time, I will check out services in Der Alter Peter.

I have been to Munich and Salzburg many times, but never to Vienna. I want to get to a Heuriger where they play Schrammelmusik. I know most Heurigen are open in summer, but apparently some stay open in winter. A quest!

I usually fly via Heathrow, so the lure of London is strong coming or going.

Tschüß!

Both big cities have many museums that you won't have time for during your time with the group, as well as more palaces, parks, etc, so I assume that you plan to stay in the cities, not move on. If you didn't already see this note on the tour page, it's a start:

Here are some suggestions for sightseeing in Munich that we will not be doing as a group (see the guidebook for details): Nymphenburg Palace, Deutsches Museum, Residenz Palace, BMW World, Olympic Park, Neue Pinakothek, Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial. Remember, we will tour nearby Neuschwanstein Castle as a group on Day 2.

I particularly recommend the BMW factory tour (reserve ahead), my family really liked the Transport branch of the Deutsches Museum, and I've enjoyed the smaller Munich City Museum (with rotating special exhibits). There is no concentration camp visit on this tour, so Dachau is your best option to include that history. In Vienna, there are many art museums from which to choose. Rick only gives one star to the KunstHausWien (museum of the artist Hunderwasser) but it's one of my favorites.

The creche museum sounds very interesting, Debbie!

I had originally thought of perhaps trying to get down to Berchtesgaden/Eagle's Nest but as I looked further, it is closed in the winter, which would make total sense, located as it is in the mountains.

Even though I went to Dachau, as did you, on the 21 BOE I have considered going back. I felt pretty rushed when we visited and it was pouring rain, so not easy to get to some of the buildings further away from the entrance.

We had great weather when we went to Dachau so I feel we saw just about as much as we could there. It was not something I will likely forget. I think we may hang in Munich pre tour........and will hopefully be able to be off work long enough to squeak out another day post tour (giving us 4 nights). I had thought of this itinerary.......Vienna to Regensburg to Stuttgart to Strasbourgh/Colmar back to Munich.....then flying home from Munich. I suppose we'd take the train although I'm not too keen on trying to make a whole lot of connections on the trains (since we have no experience traveling by train in Europe). Is that too ambitious? Which cities would warrant an overnight stay? Which Christmas markets need to be experienced daytime AND nighttime? I guess those would be our overnighters.

Kathy the trains in Europe (well France anyway) work great. We went to Bayeux last time and this trip to France we will have numerous trains (Bayeux-Paris, Nice-Avignon, Avignon-Lyon, Lyon-Paris). Getting tickets is a breeze on line before leaving. Just about to hit the mark when we can make our reservations for the trip. We are still in the process of making our plans for the beginning and end of the GAS. So thinking of staying in Vienna a few extra days, Berchtesgaden. Nurnberg, Wurzburg then fly out of Frankfurt. Of course still working on the logistics.

loved the Deutches Museum. Very interesting.

We were just in Munich, Nuremberg, and Salzburg for the Christmas markets. While we flew into Munich, we then trained to Nuremberg for three nights. Then we trained back to Munich for four nights. Day trip by train from Munich to Salzburg. I highly recommend a day trip from Munich to Nuremberg. It's only an hour by train from Munich. We met people who had trained from Munich to Nuremberg for the day and they said it was easy. The Nazi sites in Nuremberg are very informative. We enjoyed walking the streets and especially the Christmas market. Hope you are planning your trip in late Nov -Dec. so as to enjoy the markets. They are truly magical!!!