Munich 1st Stop

[ironman]

hi. i already booked my ticket for my 1st trip to europe.
travel starts from KL of Oct 2 and 1st stop is Munich which is Oct 3. Yes, it's Oktoberfest. I know it's crowded, etc..etc..etc. live life to the fullest
I have 3 weeks and need to be back to Munich on or before Oct 23 morning since my flight back is 4PM the same day.

Travel/ Stay plans

1. Munich (3days)
2. Amsterdam (3days)
3. Brussels ( 1 day)
4. Paris (2days)
5. Venice (1day)
6. Florence (2days)
7. Pisa/Siena (1 day)
8. Rome (3days)
9. Prague (3 days)

i know some of the places i have above are surprising at 1 or 2 days. But i just want to see the place. I really dont need to get "inside" museums or places. maybe things might change. I'm aware i need to travel by plane in some point to save time.


i have routes in mind but still need some advise on how it should go.


cheers,
dan

[madamtrashheap]

dan, as you have booked your ticket in and out of Munich, maybe consider the most logical geographical route for your itinerary. I'd also consider returning to Munich the night before your flight to ensure there are no delays getting to the airport on 23rd Oct. The last thing you want at the end of your trip is to be stressing about strikes, train delays or any other matter which could mean not catching your flight.

I note that you don't, at the moment, plan to visit museums, etc on your trip, so considering that, you have probably allowed enough time in each city. You may find that in cities like Rome or Paris you will end up inside/on top of sights such as the Colosseum, Vatican Museums (Sistine Chapel), Louvre, Eiffel Tower, so perhaps allow 3 days in Paris as you have for Rome.

Two recommendations for destinations:
Pisa/Siena - these are in opposite directions so consider using half a day in Florence to take the 1 hour train ride to Pisa. It can be done in a morning, unless you plan to book a ticket to climb the Tower, in which case do this online and ahead of time. Siena is a pretty town, so you may want to allow a whole day there.

Brussels - depending on your reasons for visiting, consider moving that day to Brugge/Bruges and spending half a day in Brussels instead. I'm a fan of Belgium all round, but I find that most people enjoy time in both cities - they both have great outdoor sightseeing opportunities and are worth the time, plus the train ride is less than an hour between them.

Once you've considered a route, the methods of transport between each city will become apparent, and flights and train rides will apply.

For accommodation in Munich during Oktoberfest, get this booked as soon as you can, if you haven't already. If you are looking at places like Wombats, HI or The Tent, they often don't release space until closer to the time (July/August) so don't panic if you can't find availability just yet. But keep vigilant about it as you don't want to have to stay in Innsbruck and travel to Munich each day if your focus is O'fest - not that there's anything wrong with Innsbruck, quite the contrary, but it's unnecessary travel time if your organised. You'll love the 'Fest, even if it is crowded, busy, etc, that's half the experience!