Planning Your Germany Itinerary: 4 Days, a Week, or Longer
If you are planning a trip to Germany, you probably think of beer, lederhosen, and Neuschwanstein Castle. Maybe pretzels and sausages too. But there’s so much more to Germany than that little slice of Bavaria, and you can’t see it all in one week in Germany.
Each region has its own differences. Food, accents and dialects, traditional dress, and more vary from one part of the country to another. That’s why you can decide to explore different parts of the country on your Germany itinerary or stay in region and really get to know it. I don’t recommend trying to see the whole country in one trip, though it is possible to see a part of Germany in a week.
Germany sightseeing tours
Sightseeing tours provide expert knowledge about local culture and history. They can be a great way to compliment your trip to Germany. Here are a few tours in Germany we recommend:
- Neuschwanstein Day Tour from Munich: Visit Germany’s most famous castle with this guided tour from Munich.
- Munich WWII Combo: Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site and Third Reich Walking Tour: Visit Dachau on a day trip from Munich for a somber look at one of the most well-known concentration camps.
- Guided Tour of Potsdam from Berlin: Visit the many palaces of Potsdam, one of the most popular day trips from Berlin.
- Berlin TV Tower Skip-the-Line ticket: Book your ticket ahead of time and skip the lines at the Berlin TV Tower.
- Rhine Valley Castle Boat Tour: The best way to see a bunch of castles in the Rhine Valley area is from a boat tour on the river.
Germany has lots of cities, outdoor activities, culture, history, and food just waiting to be explored. Decide what aspects of the country are important to you, and start planning your Germany itinerary.
One Week in Germany
If you only have 7 days in Germany, try to restrict yourself to two cities and a couple of day trips. Train travel between major cities is pretty fast, but will still account for half a day to switch bases.
Here are a few ideas for 7 day Germany itineraries. Each of them links to in depth guides, but you can find more overview information about certain cities and regions below in this post.
And make sure you know what to wear and what to pack for Germany.
1 Week in Germany: Berlin and Munich
This is a simple straightforward itinerary to see two faces of the country. Some of the traditional in Munich and more of the modern day in Berlin. Transport between the two is fast and flights should be accessible.
For more details, read this full itinerary for 1 week in Germany in Berlin and Munich.
3-4 days in Munich – Bavaria is probably what you think of as German: pretzels, beer, castles. Three and a half days in Munich is enough to explore the city, but also get out to Neuschwanstein to brush with the Alps.
Keep reading below for things to do in Munich, and check out our full guide to Munich. Find a late afternoon train to head to Berlin, check into your hotel there, and head out for dinner.
3-4 days in Berlin – Berlin is a very different kind of city than any other in Germany. History is prevalent in the museums and the remnants of the wall. However each neighborhood is different.
It is worth spending time visiting not just the center with the Brandenburg Gate and the Museums, but also some of the Eastern neighborhoods which range from hip to deliciously grungy.
Different people, different vibe, and different food, that is Berlin. Whether you want clubs or museums, Berlin has it all. Our Berlin guide has all the info you need, and read more below about things to do in Berlin.
1 Week in Germany: Maritime Experience
Rivers and boats have defined Germany’s history and this sample itinerary shows them off.
4 days in Koblenz and the Rhine – Base yourself in Koblenz and explore the Rhein and Moselle river valleys. This is wine country and castle country, enjoy them. Koblenz is right in the middle of the area, but Cologne and Bonn are not far as bigger city bases.
There is more in this area than you can see in just a few days if you want to see every little town and sample every wine, but 3 days is pretty good as an overview. Our full guide of the Rhine area is here, or check out our Rhine River packing list.
3 days in Hamburg – From the Rhine to the Elbe, head north to the Hanseatic City of Hamburg to experience a very different end of the country. Here beer is king and the architecture is very different. Sample a big harbor city that hasn’t forgotten its history, but still embraces the modern.
Don’t forget to make a day for Miniatur Wunderland, an enormous mini train museum that you could easily spend a few hours enjoying. Check out all the wonderful things to do in Hamburg.
7 Days in Germany: Black Forest and Beyond
Think Germany is all about the big cities? Head down to the Black Forest and see just how attached to nature Germany can be. This is one of several areas of the country obsessed with the outdoors.
Hiking and biking options abound in the land that the Grimm Brothers found many of their stories. Explore from the famous castle town of Heidelberg through Coo-coo clock style villages, German spas known by the Romans, down to Freiburg in the southwest corner, and up into the high forest.
Check out our full guide of how to spend 1 week in the Black Forest.
Two weeks in Germany… or longer
If you have 10 days or two weeks to explore Germany, you can see a lot of the country. Don’t stretch yourself too thin by moving so much that you don’t see anything. But a few days in each area can give you a glimpse of the many sides of Germany.
Look at the one week itinerary ideas above and put two together or mix them with some of the cities and regions detailed below.
>>Read: How to Pack for 2 Weeks in a Carry On
4 days to a week in Berlin
Berlin is a wonderful addition to any Germany itinerary. Germany’s capital is packed with culture, history, and delicious international food. Explore the history of World War II, the Cold War, and the Berlin Wall era, try food from the different cultures that shape the city, and learn what makes it so unique in Germany.
A week isn’t even long enough to see it all, but it’s a good start. Four days gives you enough time to see a few different neighborhoods and the big sights while still enough downtime to relax like a Berliner.
Plan on exploring a lot of Berlin in a few days? Consider getting a Berlin city pass, which gives you transportation as well as entry to dozens of museums and other attractions.
- East Side Gallery – When the Berlin Wall came down, this section was left standing and is now covered in paintings with strong messages. Words can’t describe it. Take your time and admire the art.
- Bernauer Strasse – One section of the wall divided a street and a neighborhood. People were moved from their homes, and even an entire cemetery was moved to accommodate the wall. The open air museum/memorial that stands here today is one of the best places to learn about the history of the Berlin Wall Era. The visitor’s center shows two free 15 minute films, in English and German, about the wall that are well worth watching.
- Mauer Park – Literally translated as Wall Park, the Berlin Wall once ran through this area. Today the park is a popular place to hang out on Sundays where you’ll find a huge flea market as well as food and drink stalls.
- Reichstag building – This glass-domed building houses the Germany government. Take an audio tour inside the dome itself for some great views and interesting information. You must register ahead of time to take the tour, so click here for more info.
- Checkpoint Charlie Museum – Checkpoint Charlie was the most famous crossing point between East and West Berlin. The museum explores the history of the Berlin Wall as well as freedom and human rights issues. Info here.
- DDR Museum – This interactive museum shows what life was like in former East Germany. Info here.
- Stasi Museum – This museum is all about the actions of the authorities in East Germany against those who dared to disagree and refused to conform. Info here.
- Holocaust Memorial – A major part of Germany’s history, this memorial honors the Jews who were killed in the Holocaust. Be sure to visit both the inside and outside sections. Info here.
- Museum Island – Five museums are located on an island in the Spree River: Pergamon Museum, Bode Museum, Neues Museum, Altes Museum, and Alte Nationalgalerie. These house art and artifacts from different periods in history. The Pergamon Museum receives more visitors than any other museum in Berlin.
- Berliner Dom – This is Berlin’s most famous cathedral, and it’s quite impressive to see. You can climb to the top as well for great views of the city.
- Brandenburg Gate – One of the old city gates, the Brandenburg Gate (Brandenburger Tor in German) has become the symbol of the city.
- Charlottenburg Palace – This is the largest palace in Berlin, and the only surviving royal residence in the city. It was built in 1699.
- TV Tower – Located near Alexanderplatz, the TV Tower (Fernsehturm in German) is the best place in Berlin for views of the city from above. The line can be quite long though, so book your ticket ahead of time and skip the lines.
- Boat trip on the Spree – The Spree River meanders through the city, and a boat tour is a fun way to see some of the sights along the way.
- Walking tour – Walking tours are a great way to explore a section of the city and its history. Try a walking tour that focuses on the Cold War. Take a walking tour that explores East Berlin and its history. Or take a stroll off the beaten path.
- Day trip to Potsdam – The most famous sight here is the Sanssouci Palace, inspired by Versailles. There are several other palaces to visit in the city, as well as Roman baths and old architecture. Consider a guided tour of Potsdam from Berlin so you can learn the history of the royal palace and you won’t have to worry about getting lost.
See here for more things to do in Berlin.
Explore Leipzig and Dresden
To really limit the amount of time you spend in transit, consider spending a week in eastern Germany by giving yourself 3 to 4 days in Berlin plus a day or so each in Leipzig and Dresden. Leipzig is just over an hour by train from Berlin, and Dresden is about 2 hours by train.
1 day in Leipzig: Leipzig is the largest city in the state of Saxony, and one of the largest cities in eastern Germany. The city played a big roll in the fall of the Wall between East and West Germany in 1989. Visit St. Nicholas Church, the center for many of the demonstrations that occurred in the lead-up to the collapse of the Wall.
Leipzig is known for being the former home to composer Johann Sebastian Bach from 1723 until his death. It’s a great city to explore if you enjoy music history.
The old town is really pretty, and there’s a big market square in the center worth checking out. The old city hall building sits on the main square and now houses a museum of the city’s history.
1 day in Dresden: Dresden is the capital of Saxony, and it sits along the Elbe River, with parts of the city on each side of the river. Like Leipzig, Dresden is a beautiful city to wander through and enjoy the old town and the city’s green spaces.
Check out the gorgeous Frauenkirche church and the main square in the old town. Make sure to wander from the old town to the new town and on both sides of the river to get a good view of both sides of the city and its skyline.
Dresden is located close to Saxon Switzerland, a gorgeous national park worth visiting if you want to get out into nature.
4 to 5 days in Munich
Each region of Germany has its own traditional clothing, but the images you’ve seen are most likely from Munich and Bavaria. More people here still wear the traditional clothing than anywhere else in the country.
You’ll also find giant pretzels and beers here more often than in other parts of the country. Include Munich on your Germany itinerary for a completely different view of German culture than what you’ll experience anywhere else.
Four days is plenty to see the big sights of the city and take a day trip out to Neuschwanstein Castle. There are plenty of places to see in Bavaria and Munich well connected to Austria, so it makes a nice stop on a longer route.
- Rathaus – Munich’s Rathaus (city hall) is a detailed and gorgeous building located in Marienplatz. Its famous Glockenspiel chimes one to three times a day depending on the time of year.
- St. Peter’s Church – This church is opposite the Rathaus, and you can climb the stairs in the tower for some amazing views of the Rathaus and the rest of Munich.
- Frauenkirche – The two towers of the most well-known cathedral in Munich shape the city’s skyline.
- Beer gardens and markets – There are markets and beer gardens throughout the city, which are very enjoyable on a sunny day. Right near Marienplatz is a big market and a rare city-owned beer garden (most are owned by individual breweries) that has different beer each month. Have a beer and soak up the atmosphere. Or visit the famous Hofbrauhaus, the most well-known brewery in Munich.
- Day trip to Dachau – The mistakes of the past should not be forgotten. Visit Dachau on a day trip from Munich for a somber look at one of the most well-known concentration camps.
- Day trip to Neuschwanstein Castle – This is the most famous castle in Germany, and it’s the one you most often see on postcards. You can’t go in without paying for their 35 minute guided tour. It’s possible to get to the castle on your own, but it’s much easier with a day tour from Munich.
Spending longer in Munich? Check out how to spend a week in Munich.
Bavaria itinerary
Bavaria is a huge region of Germany with lots of wonderful cities and nature. You could easily spend a week in Bavaria alone if you wanted. If you are interested in spending one week in Germany in this region, here are a few cities and other areas to consider adding to your itinerary. Some can be visited as a day trip from Munich, but some are a bit farther or deserve a little more time:
- Nuremberg: Nuremberg has a gorgeous old town, and parts of the old city walls still stand in places. It was the host of Nazi rallies in the 20s and 30s and is a great place to learn about WWII history.
- Bamberg: Bamberg is a cute smaller town not far from Nuremberg. It’s known for its smoky Rauchbier and the picturesque old town hall building that sits in the middle of the river.
- Regensburg: Regensburg’s medieval center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Check out the Gothic cathedral, the 12th century stone bridge, and the Arched Gate (Porta Praetoria) which was built in 179 AD.
- Rothenburg ob der Tauber and the Romantic Road: The Romantic Road is a region in Northern Bavaria known for quaint little towns, and Rothenburg is one of the most famous towns on this route. While most of Germany is easy to explore by train, this is one area that might be fun to explore with a car.
- Garmisch-Partenkirchen: If you want more nature, go south of Munich to Garmisch-Partenkirchen for a German Alpine experience. This is a great spot for skiing in the winter. But all year round, you can check out Partnach Gorge, Zugspitze (the highest mountain in Germany), and many other outdoor activities in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
Hamburg – 3 to 4 days
Hamburg doesn’t receive as many tourists as Berlin and Munich, but it’s worth including on your Germany itinerary. The city is located close to the sea, and as a result Hamburg has its own unique maritime history. The city also has quite a few interesting museums, a variety of architecture styles, and quite a vibrant music scene.
- Speicherstadt – Due to Hamburg’s rich maritime background, there is an area of warehouses called Speicherstadt that now houses museums and and is full of history about the city. Canals run between sections of the warehouses. This is an interesting area to explore on a tour to get a feel for what Hamburg was once like.
- Miniatur Wunderland – This is the world’s largest model railway exhibit, although it’s so much more than model trains. The displays include entire cities and even a fully functional airport all made to scale. The details are impressive, and it’s well worth spending a few hours here. I’ve been there twice and spent about 4 hours each time. It’s a good idea to book your tickets ahead of time. See their site here for more info.
- Harbor – Explore the harbor area that has had such a strong influence on the city, and take a boat tour for a closer look.
- Beatles history – The Beatles played in Hamburg early in their career and have left their mark. Go see the clubs they played at in the Reeperbahn neighborhood. If clubs aren’t really your thing, check out Beatles Platz, a square in St. Pauli with life-sized siloutte statues of the Beatles.
- Rathaus – Hamburg’s Rathaus, or city hall, is an impressive building in the center of the old town.
- St. Michael’s Cathedral – This cathedral offers amazing views of Hamburg from its tower.
- Art museums – Hamburg has quite a collection of art museums. The most famous is Kunsthalle because of its large collection of permanent art as well as special exhibits that come and go throughout the year.
- Fish market – Fish plays a big role in Hamburg’s cuisine due to its location on the water. Visit the fish market early on Sunday morning and take in the lively atmosphere, and try a fish sandwich almost anywhere in the city.
See here for more things to do in Hamburg.
Day trip to Lübeck
If you’re spending a few days in Hamburg and want to venture out a bit farther, visit Lübeck. It’s also a former Hanseatic city with a rich maritime history. Lübeck was the capital of the Hanseatic League and is now home to the Hansemuseum.
See the impressive Holstentor, the Gothic city gate at the edge of the old town that greets you on the short walk from the train station into the center. Then wander through the old town and admire the architecture. Check out the town hall building, St. Mary’s Church, and the Lübeck Cathedral. Climb the tower at St. Peter’s Church for a view of Lübeck from above.
Lübeck is a very walkable city, and we’ve never had to use public transportation here. It is well connected to Hamburg and other parts of Germany, and makes for an easy side trip from Hamburg or even an overnight trip from Berlin.
Black Forest and nearby – 3 days to a week
The Black Forest is famous for its dense trees, ham, cake, cuckoo clocks, hiking, and as the setting of the Grimm fairy tales. Explore some of the smaller cities in this area as well as Germany’s outdoors.
Nearby, but not quite in the Black Forest, is the popular city of Heidelberg with its impressive castle. How long you spend here really depends on how much of the area you’re interested in seeing.
A few days is enough for a single city and some hiking up in the forest. A dedicated week could get you to both Heidelberg and Freiburg as well as some tastes of the outdoors.
France and Switzerland are nearby Freiburg, so if you have more time feel free to explore beyond Germany’s borders. If this interests you, check out Colmar or Strasbourg in France, or the Bernese Oberland region of Switzerland.
- Baden Baden – This is a smaller city that was once a Roman bath town. Today it’s popular with tourists who want to enjoy thermal baths and spas.
- Freiburg – At the south end of the Black Forest, this city has a youthful atmosphere due to its university. Wander through the old town, and use Freiburg as a base to explore the surrounding nature.
- Mountains and lakes – Feldberg and Schauinsland are two of the highest peaks in the Black Forest. Titisee and Schluchsee (“see” means lake in German) are two popular lakes for swimming and other water activities.
- Heidelberg – While not actually part of the Black Forest, Heidelberg is just a little ways north of the forest and well worth a visit. The remains of its castle are impressive, and you can get wonderful views of the city and the river from the castle.
See here for more on how to spend a week in the Black Forest.
Rhine and Moselle Valley – 2 days to 1 week
The Rhine is Germany’s longest river and the focus of the country’s wine country. It is also home of a high concentration of castles. You could spend just a few days seeing the highlights or a whole week to just deeply explore the area with a glass (or two) of wine every night.
If all you want to see is cute castles perched on the top of steep cliffs, you could do this area in a day or two. Take a river cruise and then get up close to at least one castle. If you like small towns and wine tasting, you can easily spend a week in this area.
- Rhine Cruise – The stretch of the river between Bingen and Koblenz takes about 3 hours to see on a boat and has a large concentration of castles perched on the steep cliffs. If you want this highlights, this is the tour to take.
- Koblenz – Koblenz is a small town, but is a perfect base to explore the area. It is at the confluence of the Moselle and Rhine rivers, the end of the castle tour (with a castle of its own) and a decent transport hub.
- Moselle River – The Moselle river runs west from the Luxembourg border to meet the Rhine at Koblenz. Some of the most famous wines in Germany come from this region and although not as dense with castles, is not barren. Check out Burg Eltz for a cool looking castle.
- Trier – Trier was once a far northern outpost of the Roman empire and the ruins of a Roman gate still stand in the city.
- Cologne – If you want to see a big city and a huge cathedral, take a train to Cologne. It is mostly a big city, but has some nice churches and museums as well as more restaurant and shopping options than the smaller towns. Also check out the local Kolsch beer.
If you are interested in this area, check out our in depth guide on how to spend a week in the Rhine Valley.
Transport
Getting To Germany
If you are in central Europe already, trains to Germany should be easy to find. If you are flying, Germany is pretty well connected.
Internationally, Frankfurt is the biggest airport, though Munich, Berlin, and Hamburg are reasonably well connected. There are several smaller airports scattered across the country, but check times and compare with the trains. Sometimes it can be faster to take the train.
Getting Around
Transport in Germany is nearly synonymous with the train system. Deutsche Bahn runs trains to nearly every nook and cranny of the country. If you buy tickets ahead of time you can get some good deals.
Check out the Regional Tickets too. Each State has its own ticket so they vary in price, but mostly you can buy them for a group of up to 5 for fairly cheap and they cover public transport and regional trains in a wide region for the whole day. They are a great deal for a family doing day trips from a city base. Just remember you can’t use the fast trains (IC/ICE).
If you want super cheap and have time to spend, look into the buses well. They can take a lot longer and are not as comfortable, but you can sometimes find seats for 19 Euros or less, depending on the route. FlixBus is a great bus option in Germany, and many other parts of Europe.
Within cities, public transport is common. A combination of trains, trams, and buses cross every large German city and many small ones. You may not need it though. Most of the historical centers are small and totally walkable.
Transport is on the honor system with big penalties if you are caught without a ticket, so make sure you buy one before getting on a tram or bus.
Check out a full in depth post on transport in Germany.
Germany travel planning and inspiration
Hopefully our Germany itinerary and ideas for planning one week in Germany have been helpful. The following posts provide more in-depth information about Germany travel, tours in Germany, and specific cities and regions. And if you’re looking for a little inspiration, be sure to check out the books and movies recommended below.
- Castles and Wine: 1 Week Itinerary in the Rhine Valley
- Black Forest & Beyond: 1 Week Itinerary in Germany
- A Week of Things to do in Munich: An Itinerary
- Things to do in Hamburg
- Things to do in Berlin
- Understanding Germany’s Food Culture
- Understanding Food and Beer in Munich
- Transportation in Germany
- Lonely Planet Germany
- Rick Steves Germany
- German Men Sit Down to Pee and Other Insights into German Culture: A humorous, though often accurate, look at German culture for anyone moving to or even just visiting Germany.
- Good Bye, Lenin!: A touching, humorous, and at times emotional story of a woman and her son when the Berlin Wall came down. She has just fallen into a coma, and when she wakes up months later, the wall has come down. But since she was loyal to the East, her son shields her from the shock of the new world outside by pretending nothing has changed. In German with English subtitles, but really worth it.
Ali Garland is a travel packing expert who loves to explore the world. She has 20 years of experience traveling with only carry on bags. On Travel Made Simple, she shares her best tips for packing less, dealing with layovers, and more tips that will help you have the best vacation. Originally from the US, she now lives in Berlin with her husband and their Yorkie. Read more 
Rishad Ali
November 14, 2019 @ 9:46 am
Dear Mr Ali Garland
hope you are in good health.
we are planning to travel from amsterdam to dusseldorf on Dec 1st via train.
and then to hire car from cologne or dusseldorf to Munich.
we have 3 days only, dec 1 2nd and 3rd night travel back from munich to dubai.
can you please let us know the places to visit in between dusseldorf to munich.
Thank you so much
Ali Garland
November 14, 2019 @ 10:20 am
Hi Rishad! If you’re trying to decide between Dusseldorf and Cologne, I’d definitely recommend Cologne. And then driving from Cologne to Munich looks like 6-7 hours IF there are no traffic issues, so that’s most of your day. (Also remember that the days are really short right now, so you’ll get about 8.5 hours of daylight at the beginning of December.) So I really don’t think you have time for anything else. I think you’re barely going to have time to experience Cologne (or Dusseldorf if you choose there) and Munich in 3 days, so I wouldn’t recommend trying to add in anything else. If you really want a stop along the way, maybe try to plan on lunch in a small town like Rothenburg of der Tauber. It’s really cute, very well known, but also not a huge place so you won’t need much time there, and it’s in northern Bavaria pretty much on the way to Munich.
Jennifer
November 11, 2019 @ 3:31 pm
Hello! My husband, 13 year old son and I will be flying from California on July 27th and picking up my son in Frankfurt on July 3rd (and all going to Greece from there). That gives us 4 full days in Germany. Where do you recommend we fly in to? I was thinking Munich and then taking a train to Frankfurt? We would like to mix city life with some beautiful outdoorsy time. We are open to an
Ali Garland
November 12, 2019 @ 9:49 am
Hi Jennifer! I see you’ve also left a comment on the Black Forest itinerary, so I’m going to answer you over there.
Denzel Nikstoen
November 5, 2019 @ 7:41 am
Hi, wonderful information!! I’m looking to be in Germany in June 2020, so far only for about a week with 4 nights in Berlin, followed by 4 nights in Munich – though we are considering adding an extra 2 days to see a little bit more before heading down to Verona in Italy. Is there anywhere you could recommend within this travel path that would be a worthy stop within Germany? Also, I know it’s not covered in this blog, but do you think 2 days in Prague is enough time as a stop between Berlin and Munich if we were to plan for that?
Additionally, could you recommend a neighbourhood to stay in Berlin? I’ve heard there’s no ‘city centre’ and that it can be considered a kind of sprawled-out city, so not sure where to look into staying. Cheers!
Ali Garland
November 5, 2019 @ 11:34 am
Thanks! I think 4 days in Berlin and 4 days in Munich sounds like a great plan, and if you decide to go to Prague, I think 2 days is manageable. I have a 3 day Prague itinerary here, but I think you could easily condense that into 2 days.
If you’re looking for other cities to see in between Berlin and Germany, there are plenty! Leipzig and Dresden are both a little south of Berlin, and I think they’re both great. A day is probably enough for either one. Or if you want to explore someplace else in Bavaria, closer to Munich, Nuremberg is definitely worthwhile.
You’re right that Berlin doesn’t have a true city center the way lots of other cities do in Europe. Alexanderplatz is probably the closest to a center as the city has, so you might want to aim for staying within 15 minutes (by public transport) of that. Just don’t stay too close to Alexanderplatz itself because it’s a super touristy area and there isn’t great food. Lots of attractions in that area, so it’s worth spending some time there, but I wouldn’t want to eat there. That neighborhood is called Mitte, and as long as you go out a stop or two on the Ubahn from Alexanderplatz, you’ll find good stuff. The neighborhoods of Prenzlauer Berg, Friedrichshain, and Kreuzberg are all centrally located and interesting and have good food, and you’ll still be a reasonable distance from the sights. It also depends on what you want to do. If you want to see lots of museums and Checkpoint Charlie (overrated honestly) and Brandenburg Gate and a few other things like that, the more traditional tourist attractions, staying in Mitte is probably most efficient. But if you’re more interested in relaxing and going to cafes and seeing the more hipster/alternative parts of the city, consider staying in one of the other neighborhoods I listed.
There are tons of worthwhile sights in the city, but I highly recommend going to the Bernauer Strasse Wall Memorial. Berlin has tons of attractions, but for Cold War history, that’s my favorite.
Here’s the public transport site: https://www.bvg.de/en. Public transport is really easy to use in Berlin. It’s honor system, which means you have to buy a ticket and validated it, but you might never get checked. But if you do get checked and you don’t have a ticket, the fine is something like 60 euros, and claiming ignorance for being a tourist will not work. Anyway, I recommend mapping out a few routes with that site to see how far things are from where you’re thinking of staying. Also look for the VBB app for your phone. In Munich, the transport app you want is MVV.
I hope this helps!
Amy
October 18, 2019 @ 4:33 am
Hi! My boyfriend and I are planning a trip to Germany between 12/22 to 12/30, then heading to Paris for New Years, and back to Germany 1/2-1/6. I am sooo overwhelmed how to plan for this trip. We are flying in and out of Munich. Originally we are thinking starting out in Munich for 2 days, then Berlin for 3 days, Hamburg for 3 days, Paris for 4 days, and then back to Munich for 3 days.
We like to visit the castles, maybe go skiing at Zugspitz, and hike Partnacklamm (is it worth it?). I am also interested in Black Forest. What is the best way to enjoy all these places without feeling wasting too much time on the road?
Ali Garland
October 18, 2019 @ 11:30 am
Hi Amy! It does sound like just a little bit too much moving around. Especially since there will be more things closed during that time of year. Definitely do some research on specific attractions you want to see in the cities and find out their opening schedule for the holidays. Often things in Germany will be closed December 24, 25, 26, even a lot of restaurants. But if you’re in Berlin during Christmas (sounds like you might be) I’d recommend the Christmas market in front of this palace on December 25. It’s one of the few Christmas markets open on the 25th, and it’s really pretty and there are plenty of options for things to eat. Also, have you booked a hotel for Paris yet? NYE is a very popular time to travel in most cities, so you might want to check that out and make sure you can still get a room if you haven’t already.
I’ve never been to Zugspitz or Partnachklamm so I can’t really advise you on that. If you like skiing, I have heard it’s a great area. Check out this blog post for some info. I think the big question is, do you want to do down there for a day trip and just ski/hike for a day and then go back to Munich? Or do you want to spend a night or two in that area?
The other big thing to take into account is travel time. Here’s the Deutsche Bahn website in English so you can see how long it takes to get from one city to another. When comparing train time to flight time, always remember you’ll need several hours more than the actual time of the flight. Hamburg to Paris is 8-9 hours by train, so that would be worth flying. Munich to Berlin is 4 1/2 hours by train, so that’s probably what I’d choose. Even though the flight time is about 1 hour 20 minutes, you’ll have to account for time to get to the airport (45 minutes or so), get there an hour ahead of your flight, and then it takes about 45 minutes to get into the city after your flight, so you’re still talking about the same amount of time. And the Black Forest is farther away than you might think, it’s not day trip distance from Munich.
Honestly, as much as I love Hamburg, that might need to get cut to give yourselves a little more breathing room. You could spend your first few days in Munich, maybe a day trip to Neuschwanstein Castle if that interests you. Then go to Berlin for a few days, maybe 4 days even because it’s a bigger city than Munich. Then fly to Paris, 4 days there is probably good. Then back to Munich, plus go skiing. If you like fast-paced travel, you could probably still squeeze in Hamburg after Berlin (Berlin to Hamburg is only about 2 hours by train) and then fly from there to Paris, and you could probably get away with just 2 days in Hamburg if that helps. (If you do go to Hamburg, check out Miniatur Wunderland, and allow for a few hours, it’s fantastic!) But I definitely wouldn’t try to get to the Black Forest on this trip. The closest city to Munich that’s in the Black Forest is Baden-Baden, and it’s 3 1/2 hours away by train, and then you’re still not really IN the forest.
Really sketch things out so you can see what kind of time you’re dealing with. From A to B takes X hours, so how much time does that leave you in the city? In general, I assume I lose at least half a day when moving from one city to another, maybe a little less for something like Berlin to Hamburg since they’re not so far from each other. And definitely look at the opening schedules for sights you want to see during that time since they might have limited hours/days during the holidays. Sorry this was really wordy, but I hope it helps!
Amy Chan
October 18, 2019 @ 8:46 pm
This is great! Exactly what I am looking for.
Do you recommend getting the Munich Card and the Munich City Pass Card?
Ali Garland
October 21, 2019 @ 10:56 am
I think it really depends on what you want to do while you’re there. It looks like one gets you free entrance into a bunch of places, and the other gets you discounts to those places, so you don’t need both. But look at the list of places you can get into for free/discounted and decide if you’re actually interested in going to a lot of them. They’re mostly museums and art galleries. Also, take a look at my Munich itinerary for some ideas on what to do while you’re there. Both the Munich card and the city pass also include public transport, which is nice, but affordable on its own if you aren’t interested in going to tons of museums. The ticket machines at the Ubahn/Sbahn stations will switch to English, so it’s easy to figure out, and if you’re staying in the center of the city, most of the sights are within walking distance anyway.
Archana Nair
September 15, 2019 @ 7:25 pm
Hi,weplan to travel October 25th till Nov 5th 2019 to Germany from India . We would be getting in and out of Germany from Frankfurt and would like to cover black forest,Berlin,Munich,Heidlebergh and Sttutgarh and if possible the romantic road .
Few questions –
1. Best route map to travel through to cover all locations
2. Is the time when we plan to travel too cold in Germany ? What temperatures can we expect ?
Thanx ,
ARCHANA
Ali Garland
September 16, 2019 @ 2:24 pm
Hi Archana! That’s a lot of ground to cover in just 11-12 days! If you have to cut something, I’d cut Stuttgart, unless you have a really specific reason why you want to go there. It’s just not a very exciting city. And you probably don’t really need to spend time in Frankfurt other than flying in and out. It’s not a bad city, but the rest of your list is more enjoyable.
I think part of what will determine your route is whether you’re renting a car and driving or taking the trains. If you’re taking trains, check out the Deutsche Bahn site (in English) and play around with the order to see what works best for you. Either way, you will probably have some backtracking just based on the geography, but that shouldn’t be a big deal.
The Romantic Road is a series of towns, so you should decide how many of the towns you want to see and how much time you want to spend in that region. I’ve only been to two of the towns and I’ve never done a proper Romantic Road trip, so I suggest looking at this site for some great info about the towns, distances, and much more.
The Black Forest is a pretty big region as well, so you need to decide on a town or city. I like Freiburg because I lived there for several years, it’s a really cute small city with enough of shops and restaurants to keep you going but also has easy access to the forest itself and some little towns in the forest, but Baden Baden (a spa town) could be good too, and it’s a little closer to Heidelberg, plus there are other choices if you want a smaller town. Check out my Black Forest itinerary for some info on options.
I plugged the cities into Google Maps, including a few random Romantic Road towns (Rothenburg is worth seeing, and Fussen is where Neuschwanstein Castle is, the rest I chose at random) so you can see what a route could look like. Feel free to swap out Freiburg for Baden Baden or someplace else, or change the order, but I think this is a good starting point at least: https://goo.gl/maps/9sogz6e9fcpDsVkz5
As for the weather, that’s a definite in between period in Germany. It won’t be hot, but it won’t be as cold as January would be. Late October/early November is still fall weather, but if you live in a hot region of India, it might feel rather cold to you. Bring jackets and clothes you can layer in case it gets colder. I’d suggest looking up the weather for the cities you’re going to a few days before your trip to see what the forecast shows to make it a little easier to pack.
I hope this helps, and have a great trip!
Kamini
May 28, 2019 @ 10:19 pm
Thanks so much for your detailed article!
What would you recommend for a 4-5 days trip to Frankfurt? We will be there from 4th – 9th of July. Traveling with a 8 yr old kid.
Ali Garland
May 31, 2019 @ 10:34 am
Hi Kamini! You could probably spend a day or so exploring Frankfurt, but it’s mostly a modern city, not quite as charming as some other parts of the country. I’d recommend using it as a base for some day trips, like Heidelberg, the Black Forest, the Rhine Valley, Cologne.
Alice
January 14, 2019 @ 5:17 pm
Hi I’m plan to explore Germany from Berlin as my starting point.
Places I like to explore in German is Black Forest, Neuschwanstein castle, Munich, Cologne, Frankfurt and Heidelberg.
Need advice from you how to arrange the trip. I have 2 weeks to explore the country.
Ali Garland
January 15, 2019 @ 11:47 am
Hi Alice! Two weeks sounds like a good amount of time to explore Germany! If you haven’t already booked your flights, I’d recommend flying into Berlin and then out of either Frankfurt or Munich so you don’t have to backtrack. So one route you could do is Berlin – Cologne – Frankfurt and Heidelberg – Black Forest – Munich and Neuschwanstein Castle. I’d suggest at least 3 days for Berlin and 3 days for Munich, and then spread out the other days to the other destinations. Frankfurt isn’t too exciting, but it’s not a bad city, I just wouldn’t plan a lot of time there. And Heidelberg is really pretty but small enough to not need more than a day or two. The Black Forest is a large area, so you’ll want to choose a town or two to see. We actually have a full Black Forest itinerary here that might help you decide what part you want to see. Neuschwanstein can be done as a day trip from Munich, either on your own if you want or with an organized tour. Check out our Munich itinerary here for tips on what to do in the city and how to do the day trip to the castle. This itinerary is for a full week, but you can easily narrow it down to a few days by cutting out a few things that don’t interest you as much. As for getting around, check out Omio to see times and prices for trains, buses, and even flights. I don’t think it’s worth flying such a short distance though. I hope this helps!
Sarah
July 31, 2019 @ 5:39 am
Hi Ali,
This information is wonderful, thank you so much!
My husband and I will be travelling to Germany in October this year
We land in Frankfurt on the 29th September and want to head straight to Rothenburg ob der Tauber for two nights . We then will be going to Munich for Oktoberfest until the 4th October.
After that we do not have anything planned (we fly out of Frankfurt on the 13th October) and were thinking of Stuttgart/Reutlingen (as that is where my husbands family was from), Rhine and Cologne.
What else do you suggest we do? What would be the best transport to use and do you think we should book accommodation ahead of time, or book the accomodation as we go? (except Munich)
Thank you!
Ali Garland
August 2, 2019 @ 12:59 pm
Hi Sarah! Sounds like a great trip! At that time of year, you’d probably be fine to book accommodation as you go, with the exception of Munich for Oktoberfest. I hope you’ve already booked that because things book up months or even a year in advance for Oktoberfest. But everywhere else should be fine, plus it gives you some flexibility if you don’t book ahead everywhere. Maybe try to book the next place a day or two before you get there.
There are tons of places you could go, just depends on what you’re interested in. The Black Forest is really pretty. Freiburg is a nice small city to visit for a few days and you can use it as a base to explore the Black Forest. We have a Black Forest itinerary here for some ideas. A little farther north from the Black Forest is the Rhine River Valley where you can see lots of German castles. There are boat tours you can do, including day tours if you want to spend a day on the river and hopping off occasionally to check out a castle. It’s also a great wine region, if that interests you. Here’s our Rhine Valley itinerary to give you some ideas for that region. If you want more cities, Hamburg and Berlin are both fantastic and very different from each other and very different from Munich. Hamburg is a port city, so it has a different feel to it, and there’s a lot of maritime history there, as well as some Beattles history. Berlin has the interesting WWII and Cold War history, plus a very diverse food scene since it’s such an international city. If you’re looking for somewhat smaller cities, check out Nuremberg and Bamberg, not far from Munich, or Dresden and Leipzig, just a few hours south of Berlin.
We have a whole post about transportation in Germany here, that’ll explain different train ticket types and info about regional passes that might help. But in short, the train system is really great and easy to use, and I highly recommend it. In some cases, it might be worth taking FlixBus instead since they’re cheaper, but I don’t think the bus is as comfortable as the train for longer distances, so you just have to compare the cost with the time and go with what you feel comfortable with.
Rose
January 5, 2019 @ 9:05 pm
Hi love reading up on Germany I lived near Frankfurt many years ago however would like to go for one week in June with my two kids are 11 and 14 was going to fly into Munich. What itinerary would you recommend?
Ali Garland
January 6, 2019 @ 11:54 am
Hi Rose! We have a full Munich itinerary post over here, and if you want some side trips to add into that, I’d recommend Rothenburg, Salzburg, or Nuremberg. I’ve mentioned Neuschwanstein Castle in the Munich post, and that’s probably worth checking out with the kids. I think a week would be great for exploring Munich plus a few day trips! Also, check out our post about food in Munich. I’m sure you’re familiar with German food, but it’s very regional! I hope those posts help get you started!
Roberta Struski
September 17, 2018 @ 2:09 am
Hi
I’m looking for some guidance in planning a first time trip to Germany.
There are 4 of us- family trip- all adults.
Not sure of time of year yet.
Wanted your opinion on seeing the following cities/ towns . Where to fly in and out of.
How many days in each place- don’t want to rush each place. Trains or I found this site online- Bavarian Chauffeur Toot tours- Driver
Might be 12-14 days.
Berlin
Koblenz- 1 day river cruise
Heidelburg
Rothenberg
Munich
Thank- you
Roberta
Roberta Struski
September 18, 2018 @ 8:53 pm
Ok Thank-you.
Roberta
September 26, 2018 @ 1:34 am
Haven’t heard back- is there anything I need to add?
Ali Garland
October 2, 2018 @ 5:06 am
Sorry for the delay, I’ve been traveling through national parks with almost no internet!
Ali Garland
October 2, 2018 @ 5:04 am
Hi Roberta! I think 12-14 days total is a great amount of time to explore the cities you’ve listed. Berlin and Munich are both big cities with a lot to offer, so I’d give them each about 3 days. One day each for Heidelberg and Rothenburg should be fine. Same with the one day river cruise in Koblenz, although if you really wanted to see a lot of that area, you certainly could add more time. I have a full Rhine Valley itinerary here if you’re looking for ideas. I’d also suggest considering a day trip from Munich to Dachau concentration camp since that’s an important part of German history. There are organized tours, usually half day length, which means less hassle for you with logistics, and it’s great to have a guide tell you about the place. I’d do this in addition to the 3 days in Munich. And then just remember that it’ll take you some time to get from one city to the next, so even though I’m only adding up to about 9-10 days, you’ll lose some time on transport days. Check out bahn.com, the German rail site, for trains around the country. You can switch the site to English. I hope this helps!
SB
August 7, 2018 @ 6:40 am
Hello,
your blog is great and super helpful. I am planning to trip to Germany in October and have about 12 days. I was thinking of the following places I want to try to see and wanted to get you opinion . Please let me know if it will work better if I move things around?
fly to Munich… then
Munich – 4 days
– dacahu – day trip
– Fussen – day trip
Transport – drive or train ?
rhine valley/ baden baden/ heidelburg -3
Transport drive or train?
Nurenburg – 2 days
Tranport – fly or train to Berlin
Berlin – 3 days
fly back home from berlin
I was wondering this makes sense or if you would add or delete something? your help is greatly appreciated
Ali Garland
August 13, 2018 @ 6:30 pm
Hi! For the most part, I think this sounds pretty good. Make sure your Munich dates don’t conflict with Oktoberfest (Sep 22, 2018 – Oct 7, 2018) unless you want to be there during that time AND you’re willing to pay a ton more for a hotel, if there’s even anything left at this point. But hopefully you’re going after it’s over. I’d recommend taking the train for day trips because it’s just so easy to get around without renting a car. For Fussen (I assume you’re planning on going to Neuschwanstein) you can either go on your own or take a tour if you don’t want to deal with the hassle. I have some info in my Munich itinerary on how to get there on your own if you’re not interested in a tour, check that out here. Just remember that no matter what, the only way you can go into the castle is with one of their tours, and it’s worth booking ahead in case there are lines.
For the Rhine Valley/Baden Baden/ Heidelberg part, I think that might be too much for 3 days considering the time you’d lose in transport. Whether you drive or take the train (again, I almost always vote for train) it looks like it’s about 2 hours from Heidelberg to Koblenz in the Rhine Valley. If you’re an early morning person and you’re ok with a go go go kind of trip, maybe you could handle changing cities every day, but I always find that speed exhausting. Transport days always suck up more time than it looks like on paper. If this was my trip, I’d cut one of these, probably Baden Baden, and spend one day in Heidelberg and 2 days in the Rhine Valley (Koblenz is a good base to see some of the castles in the area). I have a Rhine Valley itinerary here, and a Black Forest itinerary here to give you some ideas. And since the closest airport to any of these cities is Frankfurt, it’s much easier to take the train to Nuremberg.
From Nuremberg to Berlin, the train is about 3 1/2 hours, so that would be my vote. The flight is about 1 hour 15 minutes, but remember you have to be there about an hour before the flight, plus the time it takes to get to the airport and out again once you land, and the train stations are more centrally located than the airports, so you’ll end up taking at least the same amount of time, if not more, if you fly instead of taking the train. And I think the train is more relaxing and has nicer scenery.
To check out train times and schedules, here’s the Deutsche Bahn site in English. On IC and ICE trains, it’s sometimes worth reserving a seat for a few extra euros, especially if it’s a weekend or Monday morning.
I hope this helps, and have a great trip!
Sarah Thomas
July 25, 2018 @ 6:06 am
Hello!
Your website is great and very helpful! We’re looking to plan a trip during Oktoberfest for 10 days flying into Frankfurt for 2 days, heading to rothenberg for 1 day, Munich for 3 days, 1 day for Neuschwanstein, 2 days in the Black Forest region, and back to Frankfurt for 1 day. We’ll be traveling with a 5yr old and 2yr old. Do you think this is too ambitious and would you have recommendations for any particular activities that are enjoyable for kids in these destinations? Thank you!
Ali Garland
August 1, 2018 @ 10:38 am
Hi Sarah! Before you plan too much, make sure you look at hotel availability for Munich during the time you’re thinking of. Things book up well in advance for Oktoberfest, sometimes a year in advance. Frankfurt isn’t too exciting, so I’d suggest going to Heidelberg, but don’t let me stop you if you had something specific in mind for Frankfurt. I don’t have kids, so I don’t know what it’s like to travel with them, but if you’ve traveled with them before, you’ll probably be ok. Keep in mind that jet lag might be more difficult for them since they don’t know how to deal with it…or maybe they nap enough that they’ll actually recover quicker than you will! I don’t think Oktoberfest is very kid friendly with all the crowds and rowdy drunk people, so keep that in mind. I think it would also be good to make sure you understand how long it takes to get from one city to the next (whether you’re going by train or renting a car) so you’ll have a better idea of how much time you’ll actually have in each place. Some places, like Rothenberg and Neuschwanstein, might be easier to do as a tour from Munich. You can certainly do them on your own, but I wonder if the logistics of it all might be easier considering you’re traveling with small kids. For the Black Forest, check out Freiburg or Baden Baden if you want something that feels bigger than a village. I used to live in Freiburg, and it’s a lovely town. Baden Baden is a spa town. I have more about the Black Forest here. Again, I don’t have kids so I’m probably not the best person for recommendations for things to do with kids, but there’s always something since many people have kids. Try looking at the tourism board websites for the cities you’re going to.
Manjunath Kamasani
June 1, 2018 @ 7:13 pm
Hi , will be reaching Frankfurt in the month of august. whats the best itinerary for 3 days in germany? will be leaving for salzburg after 3 days.
Ali Garland
June 2, 2018 @ 5:59 pm
Wow, 3 days isn’t a lot! Are you flying to Salzburg? And where from? If you’re flying out of Frankfurt to Salzburg, I’d suggest some day trips from Frankfurt, like Heidelberg, Rothenburg, Black Forest, etc. You can find a bunch of suggestions here. If you’re taking the train to Salzburg, consider going to Munich for a few days and then taking the train from there to Salzburg. You can spend a few days in Munich quite easily. Or you can take a day trip to Rothenburg or Neuschwanstein Castle or Nuremburg from there.
Sapna
May 15, 2018 @ 6:08 pm
Hi Mathew! Thank you for the very detailed write up which is very helpful for a first timer like me. However there is no mention of the automobile factories in Germany. It would be great if you can provide some insight on how it can be covered during this trip
Ali Garland
May 21, 2018 @ 4:50 pm
Hi Sapna! I should definitely update the itinerary to include some of that info! If you’re going to Munich, I have a more detailed Munich itinerary here. There’s a brief mention of the BMW museum there, but not a ton of detail. The museum’s site is here, and if you click on “directions and parking” you’ll see how to get there. This article has info on 11 different places to visit in Germany if you love cars, including the Mercedes and Porsche museums in Stuttgart. I hope that helps get you started!
Jane
May 13, 2018 @ 10:12 pm
We have two weeks. Thinking of flying into Frankfurt. We’d like to see Heidelberg, Black Forest, Mürren, Switzerland, Munich, Rothenberg and Salzburg. Too much? What order would you suggest?
Ali Garland
May 21, 2018 @ 4:17 pm
Hi Jane! As long as you’re ok with a fast-paced trip, I think this is doable. If you’re planning on using trains, check schedules and amount of time between destinations on the Deutsche Bahn site here in English. (When you’re looking for Rothenburg, you want Rothenburg ob der Tauber.) You won’t be able to buy tickets for most routes that don’t include Germany, but at least you can use it to plan and know how much time you’ll spend on trains each day. Consider doing Salzburg and even Rothenburg as day trips from Munich, that way you won’t have to move around quite so much. This tour option sounds good for day trips to Salzburg and Rothenburg from Munich, gives you a discount for booking both together, but they’re on different days. Then you could fly into Frankfurt and out of Munich, and your order would be: land in Frankfurt and go to Heidelberg that day (they’re close, no real need to stay in Frankfurt), then go somewhere in the Black Forest (Check out my Black Forest itinerary here for some tips and info on a few towns in the area), then to Switzerland, then to Munich. I also have a Munich itinerary here so you can look through the different things to do in Munich. If you’re renting a car, you’ll have a little more flexibility, but make sure you read up on the different road rules in Europe, and make sure your rental car can be taken from Germany into Switzerland and Austria, because Switzerland requires some kind of sticker/permit, and I think Austria has something similar. I haven’t done it myself, so I don’t know exactly how it works, but it’s worth looking into. I hope this helps, and I hope you have a great trip!
Avi Slutsky
December 13, 2017 @ 8:31 pm
Hello this is a great post.
I have a 1 wek and a half .
I like night life .beaches. huge foodie. Walks. Sceanery whats the best itenerary coming from brussels
Ali Garland
December 16, 2017 @ 10:46 am
Hi Avi! Germany doesn’t have tons of beaches, though if that’s really important to you, check out the north coast. Just don’t expect it to be super warm like Spain or Italy would be in the summer. If you like night life and food, I’d recommend spending a lot of time in bigger cities, like Berlin, Munich, and Hamburg. In Berlin, you’ll find tons of bars and clubs, plus the most international food in the country. In Munich and Hamburg, you’ll also find lots of clubs and bars, and you can try lots of local German food from those two regions. All of these cities are close enough to nature that you can get to quieter settings for hiking, if that’s what you mean by scenery and walks. Or you can take day trips to smaller nearby towns.
Matthew Cheyne
July 6, 2014 @ 5:29 am
Thank you for this itinerary. It’s quite comprehensive and a great starting place for all of us 🙂
I’m so glad that there is more to Germany than just stereotypical Bavaria. I was wondering, will you do a dedicated post on Berlin? It’s such a big part of Germany and its history. I could easily spend a lot of time there exploring. If you do such a post, be sure it include the Alternative Berlin Walking Tour. I’ve read posts on it before and I think it’s awesome.
Ali Garland
July 7, 2014 @ 12:05 pm
Thanks Matthew! Yes, I’ve actually already written the post about Berlin, and I’ll have a few others about different parts of the country. I didn’t even think about the alternative walking tour, mostly because we didn’t do that one when we were in Berlin. But maybe I’ll go back and see if I can round up a few walking tours that look good for Berlin. There were a few times we were thinking about doing some kind of walking tour, but we were there in late fall/winter, and it always seemed to rain when we thought about going.
Brian
July 2, 2014 @ 3:12 pm
Great summary/itinerary! I also love your photo if Munich’s Marienplatz.
Brian
Ali Garland
July 2, 2014 @ 5:41 pm
Thanks Brian!