Hi all! I had clients at work who wanted me to put together a trip to Germany for them. They had very specific dates and places they wanted to visit. However, after everything I did, they decided they wanted to go to Italy instead. Ah me, I have to spend another afternoon planning a five-star trip for people who are addicted to travel. Seriously, they pay me to do this.

Anyway, I created a kick-ass itinerary for Germany which I do not want to waste. So here it is. Granted, these people had all kinds of money so I put them in hotels (actual hotels!) but you'll probably want to look at hostels. (What a great tie in for my last blog post!) And also, they wanted to rent a car to drive themselves all over the place. I suggest the bus. Just make sure to read the section on public transportation in foreign countries before you go.

Day One: Arrive in Frankfurt. Transport to accommodations. Afternoon free to catch up on jet lag. I suggest wandering around the Old Town, setting your own pace.

Day Two: Visit the museums. There are several to choose from including film museums, Jewish museums, modern art museums, cultural museums, etc. Also, you must visit St. Bartholomew which is a beautiful cathedral. Take some time in the afternoon to find a local restaurant and sample some local food -- and beer!

Optional Day: You may add an extra day to take a day trip to one of the towns around Frankfurt. Many of them have seasonal fairs. I'm thinking specifically of Wiesbaden which isn't far, a short bus ride will get you there and back in one day.

Day Three through Five: I chose a three night cruise for my clients -- it's a pretty reasonable price considering you get to sleep somewhere, get as much food as you want, and get tours of all the places you dock. If your budget doesn't allow for a cruise, I highly suggest finding some other way to explore the Rhine River Valley. There are several UNESCO World Heritage Sites you won't want to miss.

Day Six: Arrive in Strasbourg -- which is actually France, but let's not split hairs here. Spend some time exploring this town, spend the night.

Day Seven: Explore the Black Forest. My clients would have rented a car and visited Baden-Baden, driven down the B500 which is a popular scenic road, and arrived in Freudenstadt to spend the night. I chose those towns mainly because they were fun to say (seriously) but you can explore however you wish just as long as you explore!

Day Eight: Morning drive (or bus) to Stuttgart. Explore this city! Overnight.
Optional Extension: Since you are this far south in Germany you might as well go a little further south to visit Castle Neuschwanstein. In fact, I demand that you do.
Depending on where you end your trip you can catch a flight back home in Munich or travel from Stuttgart back to Frankfurt.

...OR... since you're already in Europe, pick another country to explore!

Auf Wiedersehen!