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First European Tour

MickyTwoPints

MickyTwoPints

Messages
156
Location
Chandlers Ford
Vehicle
T5 SE 180
Hi all

We're planning our first two week European Tour in our California. Planning on heading out in July.

These are my initial thoughts on a route:
https://goo.gl/maps/wp5SYmyffq52

Day 1: Drive to Liege, arriving mid-afternoon.
Day 2: Whole day in Liege
Day 3: Drive to Heidelberg arriving about lunchtime
Day 4: Whole day in Heidelberg
Day 5: ?
Day 6: ?
Day 7: Drive to Innsbruck arrive around lunchtime
Day 8: Whole day in Innsbruck
Day 9: Drive to Lake Constance - around Meersburg - arrive about lunchtime
Day 10: Whole day around Lake Constance
Day 11: Whole day around Lake Constance
Day 12: Drive to Luxembourg City arrive early afternoon
Day 13: Whole day in Luxembourg City
Day 14: Drive to Lille arriving about lunchtime
Day 15: Drive Home

As you can see, we have a couple of question marks around days 5 and 6 as I'm not sure where we should be heading for these two days on the way to Innsbruck. Any suggestions? Looking for great scenery and interesting places to visit.

Also, is Innsbruck a good place to go for our first visit to the area or are there better, possibly with fewer people where we should be headed. For this part of our trip, we looking for amazing scenery, good food, preferably a nice town to visit and explore.

Overall, does this look like a reasonable route? Any suggestions of places to go/avoid on the way and places to stay would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Mike
 
Well the direct route takes you through some of our very favorite places:

Fussen - Beautiful Town, Huge Scenic Lake, Spa's,

fussen.jpg

Neuschwanstein Castle and more..

Fairytale-Castles-in-Germany-neuschwanstein-castle-in-Fussen-Bavaria.jpg

Then a) or b) If you want to see both then you need to head for Garmisch-Partenkirchen first.

a) Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a great town surrounded by mountains and ski slopes. Interesting town centre and trips up several cable cars to choose from. Also the beautiful lake Eibsee one of the highest lakes in Europe with cable car to top of the Zugdpitz the highest mountain in Germany.

garmisch.jpg

b) Ehrwald, Lermoos, Bibiweir is lovely trio of villages just below the Zugspitz on the Austrian side. They are all charming and worth a visit and all offer (cheap) lifts up the mountains with wonderful views. Seebensee is a two hour walk at the top of the Ehwald lift but the most amazing lake in the Alps.

ehrwald.jpg

From here Innsbruck is just over the Fernpass (Lovely Blue Lake half way) and only 30 minutes away.

We frequent this area a lot and keep going back again and again.

Seebensee:

seebensee (2).jpg

View from the top of the Zugspitz:

zugspitz (5).jpg

Zugspitz from Lermoos/Ehrwald/Bibiweir:

Zugspitz (6).jpg

route.jpg
 
Last edited:
MickyTwoPints said:
Hi all

We're planning our first two week European Tour in our California. Planning on heading out in July.

These are my initial thoughts on a route:
https://goo.gl/maps/wp5SYmyffq52

Day 1: Drive to Liege, arriving mid-afternoon.
Day 2: Whole day in Liege
Day 3: Drive to Heidelberg arriving about lunchtime
Day 4: Whole day in Heidelberg
Day 5: ?
Day 6: ?
Day 7: Drive to Innsbruck arrive around lunchtime
Day 8: Whole day in Innsbruck
Day 9: Drive to Lake Constance - around Meersburg - arrive about lunchtime
Day 10: Whole day around Lake Constance
Day 11: Whole day around Lake Constance
Day 12: Drive to Luxembourg City arrive early afternoon
Day 13: Whole day in Luxembourg City
Day 14: Drive to Lille arriving about lunchtime
Day 15: Drive Home

As you can see, we have a couple of question marks around days 5 and 6 as I'm not sure where we should be heading for these two days on the way to Innsbruck. Any suggestions? Looking for great scenery and interesting places to visit.

Also, is Innsbruck a good place to go for our first visit to the area or are there better, possibly with fewer people where we should be headed. For this part of our trip, we looking for amazing scenery, good food, preferably a nice town to visit and explore.

Overall, does this look like a reasonable route? Any suggestions of places to go/avoid on the way and places to stay would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Mike[/QUOTE
Maybe move Heidelberg on a day and head to Koblenz and follow the river Rhein down towards Heidelberg. Rüdesheim am Rhein is worth a visit, good campsite too, next to an open air pool.
Click to expand...
 
Those are great ideas. We haven't been to that part of the world before so once we get past Cologne we're a little lost. Fortunately, there's no better place to get ideas and tips than on this forum.

:thanks

Mike
 
lauterbrunnen. Switzerland. easy drive from Austria. also called the valley of the waterfalls . but sssshhhhh.
 
Wow! That looks amazing. I think it's just a little too far for us on this trip but I will definitely keep this in my 'Places I really need to visit in my Campervan' folder for future reference. It looks stunning so I'll get there before too long.

:thanks

Mike
 
Hi Sapto
Thanks for the tips. I had thought about staying here in Innsbruck:
https://en.camping.info/austria/tyrol/camping-innsbruck-kranebitterhof-19279
but your recommendation looks much better so I'll update our plans.

For Lake Constance we were thinking of going here:
https://www.schlosshelmsdorf.de/en/sleeping/camping/
but I'll check out your recommendation too as it looks like it's in a great spot.

Hi Gazellio
We've rewritten our plans based on your earlier recommendations and we're heading to Fussen for a couple of days via Rüdesheim am Rhein as recommended by Westfalia.

Our plan was to stay here:
https://www.camping-hopfensee.de
Any idea about this site?

Camping Resort Zugpitze looks very nice (love the snow video). I'm not sure we have time to squeeze a night in there though but I'll try.

Thanks again all. This info is really helpful.

I can see I'm going to have to make a few trips down towards Austria and Switzerland I've the next few years as there are so many great places to see.

:cheers

Mike
 
Another question I've just thought of...

We're planning on going mid-July after my daughters college breaks up but about 10 days before the school summer holidays.

I'm thinking that I'd better book these campsites in advance to make sure we get in but at the same time I like the idea of being flexible with our plans. Do you think it's necessary to book or do you think we'll be OK in most places if we just turn up for a couple of nights?

Mike
 
MickyTwoPints said:
Hi Sapto
Thanks for the tips. I had thought about staying here in Innsbruck:
https://en.camping.info/austria/tyrol/camping-innsbruck-kranebitterhof-19279
but your recommendation looks much better so I'll update our plans.

For Lake Constance we were thinking of going here:
https://www.schlosshelmsdorf.de/en/sleeping/camping/
but I'll check out your recommendation too as it looks like it's in a great spot.

Hi Gazellio
We've rewritten our plans based on your earlier recommendations and we're heading to Fussen for a couple of days via Rüdesheim am Rhein as recommended by Westfalia.

Our plan was to stay here:
https://www.camping-hopfensee.de
Any idea about this site?

Camping Resort Zugpitze looks very nice (love the snow video). I'm not sure we have time to squeeze a night in there though but I'll try.

Thanks again all. This info is really helpful.

I can see I'm going to have to make a few trips down towards Austria and Switzerland I've the next few years as there are so many great places to see.

:cheers

Mike
Click to expand...

After Fussen head for Innsbruck via Reutte (Not Garmisch Route) the A Road passes through some very scenic areas and then the pass over to the Innsbruck side. Just before the pass you will have the option for a quick look at Lermoos/Ehrwald/Zugspitz triangle its worth the 10 minute diversion just to see that view of the Zugspitz even if you not stopping at the amazing camping at 4000ft.

camping.jpg
 
Last edited:
MickyTwoPints said:
Another question I've just thought of...

We're planning on going mid-July after my daughters college breaks up but about 10 days before the school summer holidays.

I'm thinking that I'd better book these campsites in advance to make sure we get in but at the same time I like the idea of being flexible with our plans. Do you think it's necessary to book or do you think we'll be OK in most places if we just turn up for a couple of nights?

Mike
Click to expand...
In my experience it is better to book in advanced if you really want to stay somewhere specific.
 
sapto said:
Hello MikyTwoPints
We stayed here for one night, place was almost fully booked. We had pitch nr. 260. Everything is okay and there's small town nearby. Taking your bicycles with you is a great idea if you like to cycle around the lake.
View attachment 29307

We also stay one night here: http://www.camping-brunnen.de/ (nr. 18) but the best pitches are imo 40 - 44...

View attachment 29308
Click to expand...

CAMPING BRUNNEN is where we stay in Fussen its a bike ride into town along the lake path. Excellent site.
 
Lauterbrunnen is spectacular, but our favourite campsite in that area is Eigernordwand in Grindelwald. 400 metres from the railway station from which you can go up the Jungfraujoch (station at about 11000 feet) and the cable car to Mannlichen and Wengen. No need to book in summer. Buy a pass for the railways and cable cars. In the evening sit outside your Cali with a beer and a pair of binoculars looking at the north face of the Eiger......................... !
 
Camping Brunnen it is then. :)

That campsite at Grindewald looks fantastic. Definitely one to add to the list of places to visit when we get into Switzerland. Thanks
 
There is a large part of the A8 that has been affected by the Stuttgart 21 project for at least the last 2 years and I believe that this project does not finish until at least 2019. It goes from near Stuttgart to near the red symbol on the route.
It caused us significant delays on our last 2 summer trips, whilst it slows things down I am not certain there are any better routes.
 
Gazellio said:
Well the direct route takes you through some of our very favorite places:

Fussen - Beautiful Town, Huge Scenic Lake, Spa's,

View attachment 29278

Neuschwanstein Castle and more..

View attachment 29273

Then a) or b) If you want to see both then you need to head for Garmisch-Partenkirchen first.

a) Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a great town surrounded by mountains and ski slopes. Interesting town centre and trips up several cable cars to choose from. Also the beautiful lake Eibsee one of the highest lakes in Europe with cable car to top of the Zugdpitz the highest mountain in Germany.

View attachment 29279

b) Ehrwald, Lermoos, Bibiweir is lovely trio of villages just below the Zugspitz on the Austrian side. They are all charming and worth a visit and all offer (cheap) lifts up the mountains with wonderful views. Seebensee is a two hour walk at the top of the Ehwald lift but the most amazing lake in the Alps.

View attachment 29281

From here Innsbruck is just over the Fernpass (Lovely Blue Lake half way) and only 30 minutes away.

We frequent this area a lot and keep going back again and again.

Seebensee:

View attachment 29268

View from the top of the Zugspitz:

View attachment 29271

Zugspitz from Lermoos/Ehrwald/Bibiweir:

View attachment 29272

View attachment 29270
Click to expand...

Hi Gazellio

We've chatted before about VW Retro alloys. Got them and I love 'em. Especially as they work so well with the Candy white. :):).
You asked for a picture or two...please see attached.
The lower colour is from original VW type 1 split screen. The rear door VW roundel is colour matched. Awning cover in Candy white to coordinate.:thumb

20180603_133556.jpg

20180603_135033.jpg

We are doing our European tour from 6th to 25th September...and I have a question..

Having read your post (and a few others) we have incorporated some of your great ideas. Our route will be:
First night west of Aachen (site - gastmolen.nl)
Then pick up the Romantic Rhine route (overnight near Mainz)
On to Rothenburg for a couple of days ( camping-tauberromantik.de)
Next, thanks for the recommendation to Zugspitz-resort.at for 3 days visiting Fussen, Garmisch, The Neuschwanstein, Lauterbrunnen and the Ehrwald/Lermoos/Bibier trio etc
Here comes my question...whilst the Zugspitz resort is only just over the border from Germany into Austria and from there we will then be travelling across to Konstanz to visit friends who live there, will we need an Austrian vignette do you think to just do the Zugspitz resort?...it's the only bit of Austria we are visiting.

In case you are interested our itinerary continues ..

Konstanz for 2 days(fliesshorn.de. site)
Grindewald for a couple of days (eigernordwand.ch site)...Yes we will need a vignette for Switzerland
Frieburg (Kirnemartes.de site)
Up to Vaals (gastmol;en.nl site again)
Brugges foe a couple of days (Camping Memling)

Any more good suggestions of places/things on our route?

Hope to hear from you soon:thanks
 
Wrinkly Ninja said:
Hi Gazellio

We've chatted before about VW Retro alloys. Got them and I love 'em. Especially as they work so well with the Candy white. :):).
You asked for a picture or two...please see attached.
The lower colour is from original VW type 1 split screen. The rear door VW roundel is colour matched. Awning cover in Candy white to coordinate.:thumb

View attachment 37297

View attachment 37298

We are doing our European tour from 6th to 25th September...and I have a question..

Having read your post (and a few others) we have incorporated some of your great ideas. Our route will be:
First night west of Aachen (site - gastmolen.nl)
Then pick up the Romantic Rhine route (overnight near Mainz)
On to Rothenburg for a couple of days ( camping-tauberromantik.de)
Next, thanks for the recommendation to Zugspitz-resort.at for 3 days visiting Fussen, Garmisch, The Neuschwanstein, Lauterbrunnen and the Ehrwald/Lermoos/Bibier trio etc
Here comes my question...whilst the Zugspitz resort is only just over the border from Germany into Austria and from there we will then be travelling across to Konstanz to visit friends who live there, will we need an Austrian vignette do you think to just do the Zugspitz resort?...it's the only bit of Austria we are visiting.

In case you are interested our itinerary continues ..

Konstanz for 2 days(fliesshorn.de. site)
Grindewald for a couple of days (eigernordwand.ch site)...Yes we will need a vignette for Switzerland
Frieburg (Kirnemartes.de site)
Up to Vaals (gastmol;en.nl site again)
Brugges foe a couple of days (Camping Memling)

Any more good suggestions of places/things on our route?

Hope to hear from you soon:thanks
Click to expand...

Nice looking bus you have there :thumb
 
Here comes my question...whilst the Zugspitz resort is only just over the border from Germany into Austria and from there we will then be travelling across to Konstanz to visit friends who live there, will we need an Austrian vignette do you think to just do the Zugspitz resort?...it's the only bit of Austria we are visiting.

The easy answer is NO you only need it if you use the Austrian Motorways.

Love your van by the way its fantastic

Itinerary is brilliant from start to finish I may even use it on my next trip :)!

PS: You will LOVE the Zugspitz resort make sure you eat in in the hotel Restaurant best food EVER

PPS: Its 20-30 minutes from Garmisch to Zugspitz Resort or vise versa there are no borders and the road follows a lovelly mountain river.

PPPS: While in Garmisch/Zugspitz area Eibsee is well worth a visit as is a trip up the Zugspitz either directly from the Zugspitz Resort or from Eibsee on the German side.

PPPPS: Great site near Lahr in Black Forest https://spacamping.de/

We also go to Grindewald great choice best part of northern/Middle Switzerland. Next time go to Locarno on Lake Maggiore in the south.

Gaz
 
Last edited:
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