We decided there was no better time than the present for our first trip to Europe together (hopefully, the first of many!) I am Europe obsessed and I love planning trips. It's the next best thing than the actual trip itself. I love an organized itinerary, spreadsheet, and "to do" list that is a mile long. If you are anxious about planning a trip, check out Trip Advisor. There are so many reviews and helpful tips, you can't go wrong and it makes planning super easy.
I knew we wanted to go in September (our anniversary is September 1, the weather is nice, and the crowds start to decrease) but the hardest part of planning was figuring out where to go. Where in the entire world do you want to travel to? It's a situation I have never been in and it was quite intimidating and stressful at first. My dad gave me the best advice when it came to narrowing down places to go, "You can't think about what you are missing, there is just too much to see over there. Just concentrate on what you are able to see and variety." This resonated in my mind all through the planning process.
I chose Venice because this was the #1 city on my bucket list. We chose Germany because of Oktoberfest (we may never be in Europe during these 2 weeks again) and for the nature & adventurous part of the trip. We chose Prague for the culture and nightlife, and also because it is inexpensive. We had the perfect variety of romance, history, breathtaking views, and culture.
The countdown to our European vacation to Germany, Prague, and Venice was excruciating. It was all I could think about during the day and dream about at night. I have never looked forward to anything so much in my entire life. As all days you look forward to do, September 18th at 7:44pm came and we were off for a trip of a life time!
Garmisch-Partenkirchen, GERMANY
We landed in Munich around noon, rented a car and headed an hour south. I love a quaint, mountain-resort town nestled in the mountains and this was no exception.
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The next morning we checked out the Neuschwanstein Castle, which was actually the inspiration behind Cinderella's Castle. Isn't she spectacular?
We could have stayed in Fussen forever, but we knew there was more to be seen and experienced in Rothenburg ob der Tauber. We headed 2 hours north towards my favorite town in the world.
I knew we wanted to go in September (our anniversary is September 1, the weather is nice, and the crowds start to decrease) but the hardest part of planning was figuring out where to go. Where in the entire world do you want to travel to? It's a situation I have never been in and it was quite intimidating and stressful at first. My dad gave me the best advice when it came to narrowing down places to go, "You can't think about what you are missing, there is just too much to see over there. Just concentrate on what you are able to see and variety." This resonated in my mind all through the planning process.
I chose Venice because this was the #1 city on my bucket list. We chose Germany because of Oktoberfest (we may never be in Europe during these 2 weeks again) and for the nature & adventurous part of the trip. We chose Prague for the culture and nightlife, and also because it is inexpensive. We had the perfect variety of romance, history, breathtaking views, and culture.
The countdown to our European vacation to Germany, Prague, and Venice was excruciating. It was all I could think about during the day and dream about at night. I have never looked forward to anything so much in my entire life. As all days you look forward to do, September 18th at 7:44pm came and we were off for a trip of a life time!
Garmisch-Partenkirchen, GERMANY
We landed in Munich around noon, rented a car and headed an hour south. I love a quaint, mountain-resort town nestled in the mountains and this was no exception.
My favorite hotel that we stayed at, Hotel Edelweiss. Walking distance to all the major attractions, clean, helpful staff who spoke English and offered great advice on the area.
Our first stop was the Partnach Gorge! We walked to where the nearby Partnach river rushes through a narrow gorge. It is loud and exciting, not to mention, we had a few good laughs when we got absolutely soaked!
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Garmisch-Partenkirchen used to be two separate towns until Hitler forced them to become one for the 1936 Winter Olympics which was also the first time alpine skiing was featured.
The Olympic stadium from 1936
The South is known for having the highest rates of obesity in the US, and Germany has the highest number of overweight people in Europe. I used to think the South had the best comfort food, but there's nothing as comforting and delicious as German food. Wiener Schnitzel, potatoes with bacon & scallions, cheese spatzle, potato dumplings, and pork knuckle all contributed to full & happy bellies .
Why can't every morning be this easy?
View of Lake Eibsee & The Alps from inside the cable car on the way to the top of Zugspitze, the highest point in Germany!
We spent some time exploring the views from 9,700 feet above sea level. The views into 4 countries were breathtaking, as was the Gluhwein served during happy hour at the summit . We took a short walk and paddle boarded around Lake Eibsee (which looked more like the clear, emerald Caribbean than a lake) before we were off to our next stop in Germany!
Fussen, GERMANY
We drove an hour and checked into our next hotel while anxiously awaiting the next activity on our itinerary- Paragliding!!!!!
This just looks insanely awesome, doesn't it!?!?! What I would give to be the girl in this photo. As we arrived, our guide let us know that the wind conditions and weather were going to keep us from paragliding that afternoon. I was super bummed as this was the thing I was looking forward to the most and we were only staying in Fussen for one night Sometimes plans don't always work out the way you want them to, but you better believe this is on my bucket list. ***If you ever are in the area and want to check this out, try Fly Royal Paragliding http://www.fly-royal.de/ .
Photos and reviews can be found on: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g187316-d4552206-Reviews-FLY_ROYAL_Paragliding-Fussen_Swabia_Bavaria.html ***
Photos and reviews can be found on: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g187316-d4552206-Reviews-FLY_ROYAL_Paragliding-Fussen_Swabia_Bavaria.html ***
I was disappointed and pretty down after we weren't able to go Paragliding. My husband, always looking on the bright side, said "At least we saved $400. Let's go into town and enjoy a nice dinner." I love when "Plan B" turns out even better than the original plan. I loved walking around this quaint town and relaxing for the evening.
The next morning we checked out the Neuschwanstein Castle, which was actually the inspiration behind Cinderella's Castle. Isn't she spectacular?
We could have stayed in Fussen forever, but we knew there was more to be seen and experienced in Rothenburg ob der Tauber. We headed 2 hours north towards my favorite town in the world.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber, GERMANY
I checked out this town back in 2005 when visiting with my family. I loved it so much and I knew I would return one day to this well preserved medieval town. This picturesque town is just amazing, I annoyed myself by saying the word "cute!" around every corner. I loved walking around the town and checking out all the German clothing stores, bakeries, pubs, and coffee shops. Not much of a nightlife, but it has a rich history and is often referred to as "Europe's best kept secret" ....and I would have to agree.
Just adorable.
Walking around the old medieval wall that surrounds the city
Medieval Crime Museum
Rainy Sunday evening stroll
Night Watchman Tour; a guided night tour about the history of the city through the eyes of the "night watchman" who helped protect the city. Entertaining and informative ...I would HIGHLY recommend this. Check out Trip Advisor for more information: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g187319-d808619-Reviews-The_Night_Watchman_Tour-Rothenburg_Middle_Franconia_Franconia_Bavaria.html
Germany is my favorite country that I have had the opportunity to visit. I loved everything about it; the views and experiences felt too good to be true. I couldn't help but think to myself, what a wonderful world.
Luckily, we didn't have to say goodbye to Germany for too long as we knew we would return in a week for Oktoberfest and our flight out of Munich. We were off to Prague!!
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