I'm going to be cashing in some miles and flying to/from FRA this Dec (2-14) and will be staying for 12days/11 nights. A few yrs ago I did a whirlwind tour (Rothenburg, Fussen, Zurich, Zermatt, Grindelwald, Bern, Baden-Baden, Heidelburg). This time I'm looking for something a little less hectic.

I was thinking of using Munich and Bern (Switzerland) as bases for 3 nights each. Then maybe 2-3 days in Salzburg and/or Innsbruck. I'd like to explore some part of SW Germany for a night or two as we return back to FRA to break up the lengthy rail trip from Bern. Any nice towns easy to get to via rail that would be worth visiting in December?

I'm just trying to figure out some options and logistics of getting around most efficiently w/o a car while enjoy the sights (castles, churches, markets, museums).
Thanks.

Freiburg would be an option. You'll most likely come through Freiburg when going from Bern to FRA by train.

Heidelberg is also not too far off the direct train route.

Of course, I should also mention Karlsruhe

Mainz is an interesting town for a day. If you are flying back out of FRA, you may want to stop there on the way back.
If you have a car, it can be a great drive along the river. I did it from Mainz to Bonn. Scenic and a couple cool little towns.
Not sure if headed south is as scenic.
I would second Heidelberg and the castle there.

If you're staying in Munich you can visit the Nuremberg christmas market. With German rail, it is just a one hour ride from Munich.

Also still reachable in an acceptable timeframe (2 hours by train from Munich) is Bamberg, which is one of the few towns in Germany that wasn't destroyed during the 2nd world war. Its old city quarters are a UNESCO world heritage and definitely worth visiting. The beer there is also great (the small town (70K inhabitants) still has 11 local breweries).

Just about every town in southern Germany will have some sort of Christmas market going on. N�rnberg and Regensburg are two close towns to Munich that will have larger markets, and both are very accessible by train (and cheap with the Bayern ticket). The Altstadt area of N�rnberg is worth every minute you spend exploring it. W�rzburg also has a Christmas market, and is somewhat closer to Frankfurt.

If you are into skiing, there will certainly be a nice base of snow on the Zugspitze, and Garmisch is about 1 1/2 hours from Munich by train.

Hope the food prices in Switzerland don't give you sticker shock!

If you are into skiing, there will certainly be a nice base of snow on the Zugspitze, and Garmisch is about 1 1/2 hours from Munich by train.

Even if you don't ski Garmisch Partenkirchen is a great place to stop and Mittenwald also. The train stops in the center of town, easy walking.

Umm.......... isn't Munich/Garmisch etc S E Germany?

Thanks for the suggestions. Now that I have some free time I'll investigate the suggestions here and do some more research. Other than arriving/living via Frankfurt pretty much all my options are open.

It sounds like there are a number of interesting places to see within a reasonable train ride from Munich.

Since December is low season I just need to verify the castles/places are open. I know some, like Berchtesgaden is closed (I guess due to weather).

I'm also still pondering whether to stay in Bern or somewhere else in Switzerland. Bern seems pretty central to visiting a number of places (anything from Thun, Neuchatel, Lucerne, Lusanne, Interlaken). Staying somewhere more scenic usually involves less convenient train rides.

Heidelberg I won't rule out although I did a brief visit there in 2008.

Thanks.

I think you'll find that Switzerland and its excellent rail service proves the exception to this statement. However, rail travel can be pricey especially if you take the scenic routes like the Glacier Express. You might like to look into the Half Price Abonnement or similar scheme if you have a lot of travel to do in Switzerland.

Is it worth considering getting a Eurail pass to cover various countries for a short time period so you have flexibility and a pre-paid price, most likely in your home currency?

With Munich as his base and Innsbruck being on his list of maybes then Garmisch is one of the villages that he would be passing through on his way. Easy on and off from the train station with many things to see and do. I loved Salzburg. Switzerland is just out of my price range. We still talk about how much meals cost there and the lack thereof.

In southwestern Germany, Lindau is worth a visit and at least a full day. I recently stayed at the Bayerischer Hof and it is right on the Seepromenade.

If we move away from the southwest, the OP might enjoy southern Bavaria and the Garmisch-Partenkirchen area. I was just there a week or so ago and stayed at a wonderful 5* resort/spa, Schlo� Elmau, which I would highly recommend.

What do people think of Herrenchiemsee and Nymphenburg Castles? Both seem fairly close to Munich. Unless Linderhof is too hard to get to via trains that seems like a must see. I know some of these places would be nicer to see in the spring but you can't have everything. As long as they aren't close I can make do.

Garmisch sounds interesting (I know we've gotten off track from SW Germany but that is ok). I wouldn't mind someplace with snow and maybe a romantic sleigh ride or something similar. Last time I went I had months to research but this trip came up quickly.

Any suggestions for a nice but not outrageously expensive hotel in Munich that is close to a train station?

Schlo� Nymphenburg is not only close to Munich but it is in Munich.

It is quite beautiful to visit in winter. A few photos I took are in the article "Jonathan Spira�s Munich" on page 2.

Berchtesgaden. Stay at the InterContinental.

When you say train station, do you mean a major train station or an U-Bahn or S-Bahn station?

That is a good question. Staying near some major form of public transportation makes getting around quicker. The drawback, at times, is more noise and sometimes a less desirable area. Having never been to Munich I'm open to suggestions. I'm not looking for hostels or a super cheap place but don't need a four seasons type place either.

Has anyone stayed at Hotel Kriemhild or is familiar with its location (Guntherstrasse 16, 80639)? Too far out of the way? Or Jedermann Hotel?

I'm guessing the time I'm going (Early December) is low season and I might be able to get a good deal?

Thanks.