After you pickup your European Delivery car, Where will you go???

[kushalp]

For anyone that is planning on doing ED.

I've been trying to pre-plan a good road trip within Europe. Naturally France and Italy are very close to Munich, but I don't think i want to rush and hit both in the 5 days i will be there.

Can anyone give recomendations of good points of interest in and around Munich (including france and italy) that will also allow for some good driving between them?

[larryn]

5 days? I wouldn't turn it into a Italian trip then. That's not enough time.

I would recommend Munich > Rothenburg ob der Tauber >Fuessen > Garmisch-Partenkirschen > Salzburg > Munich. Incredible roads, views, and stuff to do.

Rothenburg is a "still intact" medievil city.
Fuessen has a couple of not-to-miss castles (Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein - as well as Linderhof)
Garmisch-Partenkirschen.. just a great Bavarian city (skip if you want)
Salzburg is breathtaking with Castle Mirabella and the fortress on the hill - might be my fav EU city.

Plus, there's tons to do in Munich... The world is your oyster. :smile:

[B25 Jim]

Italy via Austrian alps will be a spectacular drive. Personally, I am doing A8 to Stuttgart (I have Family there), A5 to A4 connecting in France, and straight away to Paris. I will only be there 3 days so gotta make it quick. Downtown Munich (the rathaus, and Marien Kirche) are very neat. Both King Ludwig the 1st and 2nd are buried (1st in Marien Church and 2nd in a Church to the west of the Rathaus). To the east (not far) in Austria is Salzburg, birthplace of Mozart... neat town, and south of that is Berchtesgarten, which holds Hitlers eagles nest (for those interested in history), and the Konigsee... which is absolutely gorgeous. About 2 hours west is King Ludwigs summerhome...Linderhoff, near Garmisch. and another hour west of that is the famous Neuschwanstein, right by Fussen. North of that (or West of Munich) is Ulm. Ulm holds a spectacular church... Gothic, and enormous. Beautiful view too! If you go into Italy, anywhere is neat... you just can't go wrong down there. :thumbup:

[B25 Jim]

Originally Posted by larryn

5 days? I wouldn't turn it into a Italian trip then. That's not enough time.

I would recommend Munich > Rothenburg ob der Tauber >Fuessen > Garmisch-Partenkirschen > Salzburg > Munich. Incredible roads, views, and stuff to do.

Rothenburg is a "still intact" medievil city.
Fuessen has a couple of not-to-miss castles (Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein - as well as Linderhof)
Garmisch-Partenkirschen.. just a great Bavarian city (skip if you want)
Salzburg is breathtaking with Castle Mirabella and the fortress on the hill - might be my fav EU city.

Plus, there's tons to do in Munich... The world is your oyster. :smile:

I agree with you on Salzburg... deffinately in my top 2!

[larryn]

Originally Posted by B25 Jim

I agree with you on Salzburg... deffinately in my top 2!

Jim, we bot recommended largely the same trip, but in opposite directions!

[dclee1]

Nice - I like these recommendations. I've been to Munich, with a daytrip to Neuschwanstein (sp?), Salzburg, Prague, and most of the other major cities around there that are a part of the package deals on bmw.com. I highly recommend Prague for anyone who hasn't been there - gorgeous medieval looking town, has gotten somewhat touristy as of late.

I'd be looking for smaller towns to hit up, so Larry your itinerary is something I"m going to take a hard look at.

Is anyone planning on stopping by the Nurnbergring?

[B25 Jim]

Originally Posted by larryn

Jim, we bot recommended largely the same trip, but in opposite directions!

Yup, seems we both have seen the same things! It really is a neat area... I can't wait for April! :thumbup:

[larryn]

Originally Posted by dclee1

I'd be looking for smaller towns to hit up, so Larry your itinerary is something I"m going to take a hard look at.

Try Dinkelsbuhl and Heidelburg then. Heidelburg is absolutely gorgeous! I stayed at the Hotel Garni am Kornmarkt. Fantastic family owned place in a cobblestoned walking plaza, under the shadow of the amazing castle up on the hill. (extremely memorable)

Dinkelsbuhl is a less touristy version of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, with all the walled medievil coolness, but less hurried and tourist laden. It's very close to Rothenburg o.d.t. too.

Almost all larger cities have an Altstadt section (old part of town) that is quaint, and usually on a major river (Main, Rhine, Danube).

[128er]

Pick up a Jan 2008 edition of Automobile Mag. It highlights the best sections of the Autobahn.

[B25 Jim]

Oh, and if you go into Austria, be sure to get an International Drivers liscense. You can get them at AAA for 50 bucks or so. Last I saw it was illegal in Austria for US drivers to not have them... that may have changed though, or spread... who knows...

[gocal73]

My sister and brother-in-law visit Europe often due to his job. They usually stay about two weeks to a month and take the train everywhere. Even though they own two BMW's and have owned several more through the years, they have never done ED. I always thought this was weird since they go to Europe so often.
When I asked my sister about this recently, she really discouraged me regarding ED. I was totally surprised because she loves Europe. She told me Germany is cool toward cars, but France is hypersensitive to speeders. She also said some unkind things about Italian cops, bribes and car jackers (and she loves Italy!). I was really bummed and kinda gave up on the ED idea because of her opinion. I was thinking of Munich to Paris to Tuscany and drop the car in Rome. She told me to do the opposite. Rome to Tuscany by car. To Paris by train, and then Paris to Munich by train. Then drive the new car around Germany and head home. I told her I really don't want to stay that long, 5-7 days only. She basically told me to ditch the train and fly between Paris, Rome and Munich. But, she remained firm that driving between these cities is not a good idea.
I'd be interested in the opinions and experiences of those who have experienced ED (the BMW kind that is). Thanks.

[gbent]

Originally Posted by larryn

5 days? I wouldn't turn it into a Italian trip then. That's not enough time.

I would recommend Munich > Rothenburg ob der Tauber >Fuessen > Garmisch-Partenkirschen > Salzburg > Munich. Incredible roads, views, and stuff to do.

Rothenburg is a "still intact" medievil city.
Fuessen has a couple of not-to-miss castles (Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein - as well as Linderhof)
Garmisch-Partenkirschen.. just a great Bavarian city (skip if you want)
Salzburg is breathtaking with Castle Mirabella and the fortress on the hill - might be my fav EU city.

Plus, there's tons to do in Munich... The world is your oyster. :smile:

Wow! You just about described our June ED trip to the letter!

[AwesomeBMW]

Originally Posted by larryn

I would recommend Munich > Rothenburg ob der Tauber >Fuessen > Garmisch-Partenkirschen > Salzburg > Munich. Incredible roads, views, and stuff to do.

holy crap...that's exactly what my family did when we were last in Germany (except I also visited realitives in stuttgart, but you wouldn't have done that because their my relatives, and not yours:biggrin

Can't wait to do ED with my 135i :thumbup:

[larryn]

I have been going over every year for the past 4 yrs or so, and at least every other year for a long time before that. I try not to go to the same place more than a couple times, other than when visiting relatives. I have a bunch of other suggestions if kushalp was staying longer, but (as others have done), the loop that I suggested is one not to be missed, at least once in your lifetime.

The Prague suggestion is great, and you can swing by Regensburg too. if you do, don't forget to have a meal at the Historisches Wuerstkuchl (historical sausage kitchen) right on the Danube, order a plate of 10 sausages with Kraut and their homemade mustard, and people watch over a Hefeweizen or three.

[135-CS]

Well my plan for my ED on june would be, pick up the car on munich then drive to Venice stay two days, then stay one day on Milan (Italy), then stay one day on Monaco, then stay one day on Rhone Alpes (France) and the most important day France Formula 1, then I would stay my last three days on Paris, and left the car on Paris airport.

I am waiting these days!!!!!!

[confusion]

i'm still not certain if my wife and i will do ed or not but my tentative plans if we do are:

fly into paris (my wife's always wanted to go) and stay for a couple days. then head to munich where i would pick up the car. we'd then drive down to nice, likely stopping somewhere in italy on the way, and catch the f1 race in monaco (5/25) before heading back to the u.s.

i asked my friend (from france, currently living in sweden, traveled all over europe, has done 2 EDs) his thoughts and here's what he had to say:

Definitely no shortage of options for a 7-10 day trip. Here are two I thought of (a 3rd could be to visit some of the Swiss lakes). My only rec is don't try and hit too much - I did that one year and all that ended up happening is I was super worn down and didn't enjoy it that much. I'd personally pick two areas you want to hit and spend most of your time there.

#1 (if want to hit Venice)
- Salzburg. 1:30 from Munich. Picturesque town in Austria on way to Venice. You could stop there for the afternoon. I have a friend who lives there and could give resto/site recs
- Venice. Obviously you could spend 3 days here easy. 4:30 hr from Salzburg (nice drive through Dolomites)
- French Riviera. 5-6 hrs from Venice (depending on the city). On the way if you wanted you could stop in Vicenza, Verona, or towns on the Italian Riviera like Portofino. Drive isn't that scenic if you take the big highways but you will see a lot of the countryside. I'd skip Portofino if you're going to S. of France. Verona is nice though. Wouldn't stop in both Verona & Vicenza personally.

#2 (if want to hit Lake Como)
- Garmisch-Partenkirchen. 1 hr south of Munich. Home to Newschwenstein (sp?) castles that Disneyworld was modeled after...they're impressive. Good afternoon trip
- Lake Como. 5:30 hrs south of Garmisch. IThe western route via Lichenstein takes you through some nice Swiss countryside/mountain ranges (though not the Matterhorn which is further west). Downside is Swiss border is a little bit of a pain. Eastern route is also nice and go through Innsbruck which is a cool town. I have no rec on whether to stay in Bellagio or Como - I'm sure your dad could tell you.
- French Riveria. Trip from Bellagio is 4-5 hours depending on which city you go to. No city worth stopping in on the way that I can think of - avoid Milan and Genova...big industrial cities. Not the Italy people really envision.

Once in French Riveria...
Easy to spend 4-5 days here. Worth visiting Monaco, Cannes, Nice, St. Tropez, Ville France Sur Mer, and St. Paul de Vence if you have time (medieval town favored by artists in mountains an hour north of Nice/Cannes). Since you have a car, there is a great scenic road that runs right along the coast that winds its way from Monaco to Cannes which takes you through all the towns like Ville Franche and St. Jean Cap Ferrat. Ville Franche is a nice place to stop and have lunch at the port (there are 3 or four good seafood restos at the harbor and its very relaxed). I like Cannes as a base camp unless the Film Festival is going on (in which case Nice is a good option or Juan les Pins). From Cannes your 30-45 min to Nice, an hour from Monaco, and 1-2 hours to St. Tropez (highway vs. coastal road). Note on French Riveria - it won't be that warm yet...probably around 65-75 which makes it possible to go the beach but not like the summer. You may need a light sweater at night or on a windy day.

Let me know if you have any q's...just some initial thoughts...also let me know if you want Paris recs

if you guys have any questions, i'm sure my friend wouldn't mind answering them. hope this helps!

[B25 Jim]

Originally Posted by AwesomeBMW

holy crap...that's exactly what my family did when we were last in Germany (except I also visited realitives in stuttgart, but you wouldn't have done that because their my relatives, and not yours:biggrin

Can't wait to do ED with my 135i :thumbup:

LOL, I visited relatives in Stuttgart too!!!

[B25 Jim]

Originally Posted by 135i-CS

Well my plan for my ED on june would be, pick up the car on munich then drive to Venice stay two days, then stay one day on Milan (Italy), then stay one day on Monaco, then stay one day on Rhone Alpes (France) and the most important day France Formula 1, then I would stay my last three days on Paris, and left the car on Paris airport.

I am waiting these days!!!!!!

The dropoff point is at the Paris Airport. I would really push anyone who was going to Paris with their car to avoid driving downtown AT ALL! Take the Metro everywhere... a lot easier, and a lot less likely to scratch, ding, or otherwise damage your car.

[larryn]

I would NOT recommend dropping the car off in Italy for an ED. There are no provisions for the car to be put on a train or flatbed to get it back to Munich. They actually drive your car from Italy to Munich, which I know I wouldn't want a stranger doing to my brand new car! This is the only ED drop off place that does this...

[tomo]

DAVOS TO STELVIO PASS THE BEST BIT OF ROAD IN THE WORLD.

[mikeo]

kushalp, love your avatar. He was one of my favorite character actors and made a good living with those eyes!

Well. had to cancel the Ed, but I'll be enjoying all of your trips vicariously! We spent 16 days in the South of France last April and can recommend it. 6 days in Canne, which was OK, as we generally prefer smaller villages. I Second the recommendation on Juan de Pin, and St. Tropez. Nice was too busy for my taste. I really like Avignon and the Chateauneuf du Pape a lot for its historical feel and the river there is gorgeous.

But bottom line, I'm an Italiophile and just prefer the food there. To name a few widely spaced favorite places: Venice, Rome (an exception in big cites), Sorrento and Positano on the Amalfie Coast, Siena, Cortona and San Gimignano in Tuscany, Lucca, Florence for the art and Duomo. Many people overlook the Piedmont region but I think it is wonderful, the wines and food are spectacular, and it has some really laid back smaller villages and towns. Everyone thinks of Lake Como in the North but don't overlook Lake Maggiore in the West or Lake Garda in the East.

I could go on and on...

[atr_hugo]

At some point (hopefully this year), this is the trip I'll drag She Who Must Be Obeyed on:

Day 0 – Sunday: Depart US

Day 1 - Monday: Arrive Munich AM – decompress, drink beer

Day 2 – Tuesday: Munich, pick up car AM travel to Cortina d'Ampezzo via Zell am See, Grossglockner

Day 3 – Wednesday: Cortina d'Ampezzo. travel to Venice

Day 4 – Thursday: Venice, late afternoon travel to Garda, Italy

Day 5 – Friday: Garda, travel to Seefeld in Tirol via Bormio, Passo dello Stelvio

Day6 – Saturday: Seefeld in Tirol, sightseeing Innsbruck (train from Seefeld to Innsbruck?)

Day 7 – Sunday: Seefeld in Tirol, sightseeing Zugspitze,Garmisch-Partenkirchen

Day 8 – Monday: Seefeld in Tirol, sightseeing Neuschwanstein, Oberamergau

Day 9 – Tuesday: Seefeld in Tirol, travel to Mulhouse, France via Liechtenstein & Switzerland

Day 10 – Wednesday: Mulhouse, Schlumpf AM, travel to Baden-Baden via Black Forest PM

Day 11 – Thursday: Baden-Baden, travel to Munich

Day 12 – Friday: Munich, drop off car – drink beer

Day 13 – Saturday: return to US