6 Days in S. Germany from Basel, Suggestions?

[wekim]

My wife and I are ending a Viking Sun cruise in Basel. We have 6 days to tour around southern Germany in a rental car (5 days if we spend the first night off the ship in Basel.) Then return the car at Basel airport for our flight home. So, we welcome any suggested routes/sights/places to stay. We enjoy nice scenery, historic places, and usually avoid big cities. Thanks!

[John Bull]

We'll be touring that area by car in a couple of weeks. Toured extensively a few decades ago, just a few business trips since.

I'm guessing you'll be there between May & September.

 

You've got a number of options, in no particular order:..........

 

To the north-east, The Black Forest (Schwarzwald), broadly starting at Schonau-im-Schwarzwald (under an hour from Basel) up through Titisee-Neustadt to Baden Baden, which is a further 3 hours through the Black Forest (though only a couple of hours from Basel if you take the autobahn :( )

 

The Rhine Valley north of the Black Forest is pretty built-up & industrial, Karlsruhe, Frankfurt, etc. though there are a few little gems if you're heading east from there, such as Heidelburg & the River Neckar. But in the main I've found the drive across to Nuremberg or Munich (Munchen) pretty boring though here I've only ever stuck to the autobahn heading to Austria rather than touring.

If you do get as far as Munich, its worth the extra 90 minutes to Saltzburg, then south from there into the Austrian Alps - the Eagle's Nest at Berchtesgaden and Lake Zell, then back via Innsbruck

 

To the east, Innsbruck in Austria is under 4 hours, and from there the Brenner Pass takes you south to Italy's Lake Garda (Lago Di Garda), Verona, even Venice. Though that may be a bit much in a six-day tour.

 

To the south-east, 60 - 90 minutes, to the Swiss Alps. Broadly starting at Interlaken - check out the Jungfraujoch railway for a day-trip to the top of the Jungfrau, and a drive up to Grindelwald to see the north face of the Eiger).......... and Lucerne (Luzern) - check out a day-trip involving lake steamer, cog-railway up Mt Pilatus, down from Pilatus by large-gondola cablecar then small-gondolas, then bus back to Lucerne.

Beyond Interlaken & Lucerne up into the Alps using the mountain passes such as the Susten Pass, Grimsel Pass, Furka Pass (stopping off to walk inside the glacier at Gletsch). Mebbe head to Lake Como and/or Italy's Lake Maggiore using the St Gotthard pass one way & the Simplon Pass the other way.

Many of these passes are now redundant, through traffic uses new highways & tunnels so the old passes are decently traffic-free. Many are closed in winter.

 

To the south, Lake Geneva is only a couple of hours & the city itself a further 30 minutes. Beyond are the French Alps, but IMHO they're not as interesting, scenic or impressive as the Swiss Alps.

 

To the east, after the pleasant if unexciting Vosges mountains is the Burgundy wine region of the Cote d'Or - places like Gevrey-Chambertin, Nuits St Georges, Beaune.

 

I'd be inclined to put the Black Forest & Swiss Alps, mebbe the Austrian Alps, at the top of the list - certainly for scenic driving.

 

You'll probably get a broader response if you post on TripAdvisor.

 

Just MHO as always

 

JB :)

Edited June 27, 2014 by John Bull

[wekim]

Thanks John! I'll post in TA also. Your suggestions have given me new ideas on our drive. Question: Do you book hotels in advance or not? We would like to drive and be able to stop at a town we like. But, we understand in August that may be difficult.

[John Bull]

Thanks John! I'll post in TA also. Your suggestions have given me new ideas on our drive. Question: Do you book hotels in advance or not? We would like to drive and be able to stop at a town we like. But, we understand in August that may be difficult.

 

 

Yes, it's not a good time of year to make it up as you go along, particularly weekends.

 

Difficult to advise you - difficult to figure for ourselves. :D

But we're playing it safe, getting too old & boring, I'm afraid. :rolleyes:

We've just completed our hotel bookings for late July. There's quite a few that don't even need a credit card number & accept only local cash. Others (via booking.com) with free cancellation up to that pm and yet others with the choice of cancellable/non-cancellable at different prices.

 

Because we want to do the Lucerne lake steamer/Pilatus cog-rail & cablecars tour (did it decades ago) we're two-nighting at Lucerne, and because we want to go up the Jungfrau we're also two-nighting at Interlaken.

 

We've figured slow & scenic routes, but with the option of switching along the way onto faster or shorter roads if we've tarried too long.

For instance the direct valley route Lucerne to Interlaken is under an hour, but we're planning a 6 - 7 hour route through the Alps via the St Gotthard Pass, the Simplon Pass, the Furka Pass & the Susten Pass - a route that we can trim as we go, by 2 hours or by 3 hours depending on time, mood & weather.

 

A few BTWs:

- aim for hotels outside the main towns or with own free parking.

- many hotels don't have in-room coffee, we're taking a kettle & supplies but I guess you won't have that luxury.

- most places have Wi-Fi but often the signal is poor, makes it difficult to book ahead day-by-day.

- Zimmer Frei (room free) is the sign you'll see in Germany/north Switzerland for "Vacancy".

- gas prices vary between Austria (cheapest), Germany (most expensive) France & Switzerland. So fill the tank when appropriate.

http://www.fuel-prices-europe.info/index.php?sort=4

 

Have fun plannin' ;)

 

JB :)

[Giantfan13]

John seems to be the expert on regions and driving distances.

 

I spent 3 years in Germany while in the service and went to the Bavarian \region many times. I loved Munich and the surrounding areas. If you have time to explore this region, try to go to Oberammergau (SP) where the original Passion Paly is done every 10 year. Just a truly picture perfect Bavarian town. Also in the area is the castle of Mad King Ludwig (again, spelling). You've seen the castle many times, as the one Disney used for is Disneyland.

Also, outside of Munich is the Dachau concentration camp. For me, a do not miss thing to see.

 

Anyway, just some ideas form my time a long time ago.

 

Also, if you've never driven the autobahns in Germany, take your heart medication before you go. :D:D:D:D:D

 

Cheers

 

Len

Edited June 28, 2014 by Giantfan13

[wekim]

Thank you all! We'll try and stick to country roads and avoid the autobahn if possible. I can tell that we'll have to cut down on our list, as we can't do it all in 6 days. Being able to enjoy yourself with what you have is an art!

[4774Papa]

John Bull had some great ideas. However, if you want to visit Southern Germany, I have a few ideas.

 

DW and I lived four years in Augsburg, Germany and traveled widely in the area. You can visit the Black Forest area via Baden Baden, but I would go to Triberg, in the Black Forest. You could head up farther northeast for Rothenberg on the Tauber, a five hundred year old walled city, perfectly preserved. You are not on the Romantic Road. You could take the road on down to another old city, Dinkelsbuhel, then down to Augsburg and Munich, then down to Garmish (or head over to Salzburg and Berchtesgaden), then back through Austria to Innsbruck. You are probably out of time by now, but if not pass through some of the sites mentioned by John Bull in Switzerland.

[tvmovielover]

We had a wonderful time in the Munich area a few years ago. Munich itself has a lot to offer but southern Bavaria also does. Our most memorable day included some towns mentioned above. We left Munich very early to get the early tour of the Disney/Ludwig castle. You are driving through farm fields and you suddenly see the Neuschwanstein castle across the fields and in front of the mountains. After that it was mid-morning and we passed through more fields to see the rococo church Wieskirche. It sits in a small town and looks like just another small town church until you go inside and it takes your breath away with the gilt on gilt on white. We were so captivated that we ended up going on to several small towns with baroque and rococo churches including Oberamergau and ending up at Linderhof-Mad Ludwig's last castle which has beautiful gardens. We went on to Garmisch (we were going to go up the mountain but it was too foggy) and ate there before returning to Munich so you can see a lot in on day or see it better in more days. As said, you could go on to Salzburg too. The Black Forest is great but Bavaria is a little different and was country roads. On our Rhine trip, we went around Switzerland for five days first but we went from town to town by train so no idea how the roads are.

[miss dee]

Yes, it's not a good time of year to make it up as you go along, particularly weekends.

 

Difficult to advise you - difficult to figure for ourselves. :D

But we're playing it safe, getting too old & boring, I'm afraid. :rolleyes:

We've just completed our hotel bookings for late July. There's quite a few that don't even need a credit card number & accept only local cash. Others (via booking.com) with free cancellation up to that pm and yet others with the choice of cancellable/non-cancellable at different prices.

 

Because we want to do the Lucerne lake steamer/Pilatus cog-rail & cablecars tour (did it decades ago) we're two-nighting at Lucerne, and because we want to go up the Jungfrau we're also two-nighting at Interlaken.

 

We've figured slow & scenic routes, but with the option of switching along the way onto faster or shorter roads if we've tarried too long.

For instance the direct valley route Lucerne to Interlaken is under an hour, but we're planning a 6 - 7 hour route through the Alps via the St Gotthard Pass, the Simplon Pass, the Furka Pass & the Susten Pass - a route that we can trim as we go, by 2 hours or by 3 hours depending on time, mood & weather.

 

A few BTWs:

- aim for hotels outside the main towns or with own free parking.

- many hotels don't have in-room coffee, we're taking a kettle & supplies but I guess you won't have that luxury.

- most places have Wi-Fi but often the signal is poor, makes it difficult to book ahead day-by-day.

- Zimmer Frei (room free) is the sign you'll see in Germany/north Switzerland for "Vacancy".

- gas prices vary between Austria (cheapest), Germany (most expensive) France & Switzerland. So fill the tank when appropriate.

http://www.fuel-prices-europe.info/index.php?sort=4

 

Have fun plannin' ;)

 

JB :)

can you give me some suggestions for helsinki. we have already been to porvo

[John Bull]

can you give me some suggestions for helsinki. we have already been to porvo

 

Hi, Miss Dee,

 

Probably best to start a fresh thread asking about Helsinki, cos it's about 1500 miles from the subject of this thread - Basel, on the French/Swiss/German border :p

 

We've had just one freezing cold day in Helsinki as a port-of-call, spent on the tram which operates an interesting circular route from the market place, and in a warm waterside coffee shop.

Because it was so cold (early May, & we were unlucky with a cold front) we'd abandoned plans to take the ferry across to the fortress & other sights on the island of Suomenlinna.

Give that island some thought.

 

I know others on this thread have also been to Helsinki, they might also have ideas.

But really you'll get a better response by starting a new thread on this forum entitled something like "What to do in Helsinki?"

And check out past threads by typing Helsinki into the "search this forum" facility.

 

JB :)

[miss dee]

Hi, Miss Dee,

 

Probably best to start a fresh thread asking about Helsinki, cos it's about 1500 miles from the subject of this thread - Basel, on the French/Swiss/German border :p

 

We've had just one freezing cold day in Helsinki as a port-of-call, spent on the tram which operates an interesting circular route from the market place, and in a warm waterside coffee shop.

Because it was so cold (early May, & we were unlucky with a cold front) we'd abandoned plans to take the ferry across to the fortress & other sights on the island of Suomenlinna.

Give that island some thought.

 

I know others on this thread have also been to Helsinki, they might also have ideas.

But really you'll get a better response by starting a new thread on this forum entitled something like "What to do in Helsinki?"

And check out past threads by typing Helsinki into the "search this forum" facility.

 

JB :)

thank you. i tried to start a new thread , but i was unsuccessful. i guess that i don't know how to do it properly.

[wekim]

First, go to the Helsinki forum. It's under "Northern Europe & Baltics". Just like how you got here, just go to the Helsinki forum.

 

Then search "things to do" in the Helsinki forum. That will give you answers to your question.

 

Then, if you still have questions, start a new thread with your specific question.

 

You can do it. Just stumble along like the rest of us did at first!

[John Bull]

thank you. i tried to start a new thread , but i was unsuccessful. i guess that i don't know how to do it properly.

 

You started a new thread successfully, but you put it in the wrong forum.

Kinda like wekim did with this thread, cos this forum is for northern Europe & the Baltics - which includes Helsinki but not Basel :D

So you can blame wekim for the confusion ;)

 

So re-post your question in this (northern Europe & Baltics) forum.

Edit: I see you've managed it :)

 

Yep, CC takes a bit of getting used to for us technophobes - but well worth persevering cos there's just so much useful info.

 

Of course I never make mistakes. :)

ps. Just noticed a typo in my first post. :D

- the Vogues & Burgundy are of course to the west of Basel, not the east.

 

JB :)

Edited June 29, 2014 by John Bull