📷 Felix / Unsplash (Unsplash License)
Ten days from Berlin to the Alps, by car. First the historic cities — Berlin for the first two days, then Dresden and Nuremberg — followed by the Romantic Road through Rothenburg to Neuschwanstein, and finally the Bavarian mountains and lakes. Munich closes the journey with two days. The pace is active: accommodation changes seven times in ten days, so this is not a route for those who want to unpack once and stay put.
Want navigation through the entire route?
Open route in Google MapsYour first encounter with the city: the Brandenburg Gate, Unter den Linden, and Museum Island. The first day is not a race — Berlin is too vast to see in full, so you pick and choose.
Entrance is completely free and the gate is accessible 24 hours a day. Visiting early in the morning is recommended for better photography without crowds.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Free access, public mural on a remnant of the Berlin Wall — open 24/7.
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Individual tickets 12-14€, Bereichskarte (all island museums) 19€. The Berlin Welcome Card Museum Island is an excellent option for a one-day visit.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Free admission. Many restaurants, cinemas and casinos in the vicinity.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
A day for everything that brings people back a second time: the city's division and its lasting traces, museums and neighbourhoods beyond the centre. The same accommodation as the night before.
A baroque city centre rebuilt from the ruins of war: Frauenkirche, Zwinger, Semperoper, and the Brühlsche Terrasse overlooking the river. The city is best explored on foot; a vehicle is only needed to get there.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
The longest drive of the journey: 313 km from Dresden, around three and a half hours of pure driving. This is therefore a transfer day with a selective visit, not a full programme. Kaiserburg above the rooftops and the Hauptmarkt with the Schöner Brunnen can easily fit into an afternoon; the Nuremberg Trials Memorial in Courtroom 600 remains an option, depending on arrival time and opening hours. The city does not conceal its difficult history, but that history deserves time.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
A city within intact medieval walls: Plönlein, a walk along the ramparts via the Turmweg, and the square with the Town Hall. A short drive from Nuremberg leaves a full day for exploring on foot.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
The Romantic Road heads south and ends right here in Füssen. Given the length of the journey, Neuschwanstein is not on the agenda for this day: tickets are issued for a specific time slot, and the walk from the ticket centre up to the castle takes a fair amount of effort. Today is for arriving and exploring Füssen's old town; the castles are saved for tomorrow morning.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
The morning is devoted to Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau, with a pre-booked time slot, followed by a transfer east to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The Zugspitze does not fit into this day, nor into the next: the ascent to the summit demands a day of its own, so it remains a recommendation for a separate visit.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Heading east through the Alpine belt, 193 km from Garmisch. On this drive, one great thing fits into the day — not two: Königssee, explored exclusively by electric boat to St Bartholomä. Kehlsteinhaus, perched above the valley, is an alternative for those who value a panoramic view over a boat trip — it operates seasonally, so availability should be checked before you arrive.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Drive back northwest, from the mountains to the plain. In the afternoon, a first circuit through Munich: Marienplatz, the Frauenkirche, and the Residenz.
The ticket provides access to all permanent exhibitions. Online purchase in advance is recommended. The museum is so large that it is impossible to see everything in one day — plan your priority sections ahead of time.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
The square is free to visit. The Glockenspiel chimes at 11am, 12pm and 5pm (in summer also at 6pm). For the view from the top of the Neue Rathaus tower, a nominal ticket of around 3 EUR is charged.
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On Sundays, admission is a symbolic 1 EUR — ideal for visitors on a limited budget. Tickets can be purchased at the ticket office or online. The museum is closed on Mondays.
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The park is free and open year-round. Chinesischer Turm with its beer garden is a special attraction — beer is paid for on the spot. Surfers on the artificial wave at Eisbach are visible from the bridge.
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The combined ticket for the Residence and Treasury costs around 14 EUR and is recommended as the Treasury contains exceptional exhibits. Arriving in the morning hours is advised. The Cuvilliés Theatre within the complex requires a separate ticket.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Entrance to the cathedral is free. The tower is currently under renovation and may be closed to visitors. A morning visit is recommended before the tourist crowds arrive. The church is an active place of worship.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
The ticket for the Olympic Tower (observation deck) costs around 13 EUR and includes views of the Alps in good weather. The park is free to walk through. The Olympic Stadium can be visited with guided tours, which are paid separately.
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The combined ticket of 15 EUR includes the palace, the carriage museum, and the park pavilions. The park is free and accessible throughout the year. A visit in spring is recommended when the fountains are running and the gardens are in full bloom.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Prices and availability are on the partner's website.
Your final day with no driving: explore the English Garden, visit beer halls, and choose from Munich's many museums. Munich is also the most convenient departure point for your journey home.
Everything you need for Germany for the First Time — 10 Days in one place