Hi
I am back from my trip on sat morning... well it is a fruit and eventful holiday.
I travelled to frankfurt with DS alone as hubby will only fly in from USA the next day. Took SQ - well there is a reason why their ranking dropped from 1 to 3 and i also met a couple who is allergic to children !!! but lucky a sharp steward notice that and arranged the couple to move to other row that is empty. Because it is 12-13hrs flight and time difference, DS sleeping hrs was screwed up and i ended up not being about to sleep and as a result on 3rd day of our trip both of us are down with fever but lucky brought DS medicine so still ok for him but not me i have to hunt for pharmacy to get medication.
as ours are driving holiday so it is own time own target ..managed to find most of the attraction along romantic route except some that is closed for some local event ( closed the entire road leading to that attraction) and like what mychildren said their instruction all in german not very helpful so got to ask around and thank goodness most of them can speak english and are helpful
as for Neuschwanstein Castle , the exterior is undergoing renovation now and not sure what event is going on ... we have to q an hr to park the car, q an hr to collect the tix and the english tour are fully taken up and the time slot we got doesnt allow to attend as we need to move on to other attraction before the sky turned dark ( thank goodness they have long daylight now ... 8++pm then sky turned dark)
one thing to note is the temp turned very fast it can be bright sunny and warm one moment and next month it can be chilled /cold maybe that is one of the reason why both my ds and I fall sick . food wise is quite ok for us but DS due to flu... on food strike refuse to eat so no choice it is either milk or cereal or his snack.
for us the car rental and attraction and accommodation and 1st class ICE back to frankfurt cost us EURO 2004 and +/- the petrol and snack etc another EURO 500 . both my airtix and DS cost around $2500 (hubby's airtix paid by company and add'l stopped over fee of $400 self paid) so it is considered cheap for a 10days holiday
my itinerary from
http://www.toeurope.eu/ as follows:-
day 1
Day 1: Frankfurt - Aschaffenburg - Würzburg
Arrive in Frankfurt and pick up your AVIS rental car at Frankfurt International Airport or in Frankfurt City Centre. From the airport take the "Autobahn" to Aschaffenburg to visit Johannisburg Palace and Gardens (30 minutes, 47 kilometers - 30 miles). The important Renaissance Palace was built 1605-1614. It also features an art gallery (admission included). From Aschaffenburg follow the Autobahn right into Würzburg, your first stop at the Romantic Road (55 minutes, 80 kilometers - 50 miles). The Dorint Novotel is located in the City Centre.
The city is idyllically located amidst vineyards, with the mediaeval fortress Marienberg towering above. Würzburg is old bishop´s see and lively town, proudly presenting monuments of different eras. Culture, art, history and hospitality are ever-present in this remarkable city!
The "Fürstbischöfliche Residenz", Prince bishops residence (admission included) are today a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Day 2: Day trip to Bamberg
Today you will make a day trip to an UNESCO World Heritage Site, the city of Bamberg. Bamberg is a rarity even by German standards, as the basic fabric of the Old Town is largely obtained, over one thousand (!) buildings are land marked.
A main attraction is of course also the Imperial Cathedral (admission included), built on one of Bamberg´s seven hills. Marvel at the enigma of the cathedral's most well-known sculpture, the Bamberg horseman, as of today no one knows who the author is and whom it represents! The Imperial cathedral is one of the most important works of art in the surroundings.
Day 3: Würzburg - Bad Mergentheim - Weikersheim - Creglingen
In the morning follow the Romantic Road via Bad Mergentheim (you might want to visit the market place), supposed to go Weikersheim (Renaissance Palace and Garden) and Creglingen (Riemenschneider Altar in the Church of the Lord) but the road to these places are closed so we move on to Rothenburg ob der Tauber, one of Germany's most beautiful mediaeval cities. Taking a walk thru this charming little town is truly a journey back in time. Rothenburg ob der Tauber was once a powerful free imperial town and its monuments, landmarks and buildings still bear witness to these days. Marvel at the half-timbered buildings and at town walls which are withstanding time since hundreds of years, protecting the city since the Middle Ages. Visit the town's most famous spot, the Ploenlein square, probably the most photographed place in Rothenburg. Also very interesting to see is the Spitalbastei Gate, created by Leonhard Weidmann, the latin inscription on the gate reading: " Peace to those who enter, health to those who leave". - spooky but yet beautiful. there is a lane that is facing a church no matter how i take photo with manual or auto mode it will turned out blurred and hubby also got a painless bruise on his arm
The Gothic St.James church is the town's most prominent church, here you can take a minute and relax in quietness while you enjoy the beauty of the famous Altar of the Holy Blood and the Twelve Apostles Altar. Every step you take in this old town is a step thru history with yet another beautiful spot to be discovered around the corner.
Rothenburg also offers museums which are cultural highlights, such as the Christmas Museum with an exhibition showing Christmas tradition in Germany, the Doll and Toy Museum where the history of playthings is shown, as well as the Crime Museum, where the visitor gets an insight into the law and especially its execution during the last 700 years. At night you may want to take an English-speaking tour with the Night watchman (EUR 6).
Your First-class hotel Eisenhut is centrally located in the Old Town. - hotel come with whirlpool bath tub but no aircon !! it is so warm in the room
Day 4: Day trip to Nuremberg
Today you will make a day trip from Rothenburg ob der Tauber to Nuremberg. The city's history reaches back to the year 1050, its name "nourenberc" translating into "rocky hill". Nuremberg's famous landmark, the Kaiserburg (Imperial Castle, admission included), towers above the Old town, which is protected by the 5 kilometers long city wall with its many towers. When exploring the beauty of Nuremberg's mediaeval Old Town one can start at the Koenigstor ("Kingsgate"), from where the timber framed buildings, the Gothic Church of St.Lawrence and the Church of St.Sebaldus can be easily reached by foot.
Right next to the Koenigstor there is the Handwerkerhof (craft center), here you will feel like you are back in the mediaeval times, there are craft workshops like they used to have a long time ago as well as a gingerbread bakery. Make sure to enjoy a Nuremberg Bratwurst along with a beer or a glass of Frankenwein.
In the evening drive back to your hotel in Rothenburg ob der Tauber.
Day 5: Dinkelsbühl - Nördlingen - Donauwörth - Augsburg
Following the Romantic Road on your way to Nördlingen (80 minutes, 80 kilometers, 50 miles) via Schillingsfürst (baroque Castle) and Feuchtwangen visit the former Free Imperial Town of Dinkelsbühl, located in the middle of the Romantic Road.
The historical old town with 16 towers, fortifications and magnificent patrician buildings is under a preservation order. The most important sights include the Minster of St. Georg, one of Germany´s most beautiful late Gothic hall churches, the 'Weinmarkt' (wine market), the 'Deutsches Haus', the old hospital, the town mill and the picturesque 'Rothenburger' pond alongside the town wall.
From Dinkelsbühl follow the Romantic Road via Wallerstein to Nördlingen. The former Free Imperial Town of Nördlingen still has an almost complete medieval townscape. It is the only town in Germany with walls and battlements that can be walked all the way round. The historical old town is dominated by its landmark, the late Gothic hall church of St. George, with its 90 m high bell tower 'Daniel', which can be climbed 365 days a year.
Via Donauwörth you follow the Romantic Road to Augsburg. Your First-class Steigenberger Hotel 3 Mohren is located in Augsburg City Centre. - a biz class hotel but yet their aircon is like heater ... and their solution to our complaint is offer us a standing fan
Day 6: Day trip to Wies Church and Neuschwanstein Castle
Follow the Romantic Road via Landsberg am Lech to visit the Market place and on to Steigaden to visit the World famous Pilgrimage Church of 'Flagellated Saviour in the Meadow', a late work of the brothers Dominikus and Johann Baptist Zimmermann. Drive on to Hohenschwangau where Neuschwanstein Castle is located.
The picture of Neuschwanstein is probably present in everybody's mind but certainly for those traveling along the Romantic Road. Be prepared that reality will surpass all pictures and imaginations: Neuschwanstein seems to be taken out of a fairy tale! Seeing the castle from the outside is unforgettable, a tour of the insight, which was originally built for the one famous inhabitant Ludwig II (admission included), will make the picture perfect!
Make sure to take some time to explore the castle grounds, the view of Neuschwanstein from the bridge behind it are like none other!
In the evening drive back to your hotel in Augsburg.
Day 7: Augsburg to Munich/ Munich Airport
In Munich you can return your car in the City Centre, at the Airport . simply no time for attraction cos we stopped over at the BMW Welt
if you notice from the itinerary most of it say the admission are icnluded but when reached some attraction alot of them said it is not
and some of the attraction need to hike quite a distance before one can reach the palace so be prepared to walk and climb hill
. They are familiar with the environment and know where to run to hide but we don't.