Berlin to Munich: The Complete German Journey
Two weeks is the sweet spot for a first-time Germany trip — enough time to go beyond the highlights and into the country’s heart. This itinerary takes you from the raw history of Berlin, through the Baroque splendour of Dresden and the medieval perfection of Rothenburg, west to the castle-crowned Rhine Valley and into the deep green of the Black Forest, then south to Munich’s beer gardens, Neuschwanstein’s turrets, and finally the Alpine majesty of Garmisch. You’ll travel by train and car, through landscapes that shift from Prussian plains to fairy-tale forests to the sudden drama of the Alps.
14-Day Itinerary Overview
Route: Berlin (3) → Dresden (1) → Rothenburg (1) → Heidelberg (1) → Black Forest (2) → Rhine Valley (1) → Munich (3) → Neuschwanstein & Garmisch (2) — one-way south with car hire in Rothenburg
Best for: First-time comprehensive Germany tour, couples, history and nature lovers
Budget: €1,700–2,400 per person (excluding international flights)
Direction: One-way south — train from Berlin to Rothenburg, then car for the western and southern legs
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Days 1–2: Berlin — History & Heartbeat
Day 1: Arrive, settle in Mitte. Visit Brandenburg Gate (free), Reichstag Dome (free, pre-book), Holocaust Memorial (free). Evening at Markthalle Neun street food.
Day 2: East Side Gallery (free), Kreuzberg street art, Topography of Terror (free), Berlin Wall Memorial (free). Evening in Prenzlauer Berg.
Accommodation: Berlin Mitte — 3 nights hostel €75–105 or budget double €180–270
Entry costs over 2 days: All major memorials free; budget €25–40 for optional museums
Day 3: Berlin → Dresden — Baroque by Rail
Take the 09:14 ICE to Dresden Hauptbahnhof (2 hours, €25–35). Drop bags and walk to the Zwinger courtyard (free) — the Baroque palace complex housing Raphael’s Sistine Madonna (€12 for the Old Masters Picture Gallery). Cross the Brühlsche Terrasse to the Frauenkirche (free) — climb the dome (€8) for the best view. Evening: Elbe river promenade, dinner in the Neustadt district — try the craft beer scene on Alaunstrasse.
Accommodation: Dresden Neustadt — guesthouse double €55–85
Entry costs: Zwinger courtyard free, Frauenkirche free, dome climb €8
Day 4: Dresden → Rothenburg — Medieval Dream
Take the 08:30 train to Rothenburg ob der Tauber via Nuremberg (4 hours, €40–50). Pick up your rental car at Rothenburg station. Walk the city walls (free), climb the town hall tower (€4), visit the Medieval Crime Museum (€7). Stay the night in Rothenburg — when the tour buses leave at 5 PM, the medieval city becomes yours.
Accommodation: Rothenburg — guesthouse double €60–95
Entry costs: Walls free, town hall tower €4, Crime Museum €7
Day 5: Rothenburg → Heidelberg — Romantic Road West
Drive from Rothenburg to Heidelberg (2 hours) via the Romantic Road. Stop at the medieval village of Dinkelsbühl for a coffee (30-minute detour, free to walk the walls). Arrive in Heidelberg by midday. Visit Heidelberg Castle (€8, 2 hours) — the magnificent ruin with the world’s largest wine barrel and the famous view over the old town. Walk the Philosophenweg trail (free, 1 hour) for the classic postcard perspective. Evening: student Kneipe dinner in the Altstadt.
Accommodation: Heidelberg — guesthouse double €60–95
Entry costs: Castle €8 (includes funicular), Philosophenweg free
Days 6–7: Black Forest — Waterfalls & Spas
Day 6: Drive from Heidelberg to Triberg (1.5 hours). Visit Triberg Waterfalls (€7, 2 hours) — Germany’s highest falls at 163 metres. Explore the House of 1,000 Clocks. Drive 45 minutes to Freiburg for the night — walk the Bächle-lined streets, climb the Münster tower (€3.50). Dinner at a Weinstube in the Altstadt.
Day 7: Drive to the Mummelsee lake (1 hour) on the Schwarzwaldhochstrasse — the most scenic road in the Black Forest. Hike the 1.1 km lake trail (free). Continue to Baden-Baden (45 minutes) for the afternoon — visit the Caracalla Spa (€23 for 3 hours of thermal pools and saunas). Evening: Casino or gourmet dinner in Baden-Baden’s Belle Époque Friedrichsbad district.
Accommodation: Freiburg (Day 6) + Baden-Baden (Day 7) — guesthouse €55–90/night
Entry costs: Triberg Waterfalls €7, Freiburg Münster €3.50, Caracalla Spa €23
Day 8: Black Forest → Rhine Valley — Vineyards & Castles
Drive from Baden-Baden to Bacharach in the Rhine Valley (2 hours). Spend the morning wine tasting in Bacharach — the village is one of the most beautiful on the Rhine (tasting flights €8–12). Take the ferry from St. Goar to the Lorelei rock (€2.50). Visit Burg Rheinfels in St. Goar (€6) — the largest castle ruin on the river. Drive 1 hour to Frankfurt for the night if you’re continuing by train, or base yourself in Bacharach for a romantic evening on the river.
Accommodation: Bacharach or Frankfurt — guesthouse double €60–90
Entry costs: Burg Rheinfels €6, wine tasting €8–12
Days 9–10: Munich — Beer & Baroque
Day 9: Drive from Bacharach to Munich (4 hours via A3/A9). Check in near the Hauptbahnhof. Visit Marienplatz for the 12:00 Glockenspiel, climb Alter Peter (€3). Afternoon at the Residenz (€10, 2 hours). Evening: Augustiner-Keller beer garden.
Day 10: Rent a bike (€12–15) — cycle the Englischer Garten to the Chinesischer Turm beer garden, watch the Eisbach surfers. Cycle the canal path to Nymphenburg Palace (free grounds, palace €12). Evening: dinner in the Glockenbachviertel.
Accommodation: Munich — 3 nights hostel €90–135 or budget double €210–330
Entry costs: Alter Peter €3, Residenz €10, Nymphenburg €12, bike rental €12–15
Day 11: Neuschwanstein & Füssen
Drive from Munich to Hohenschwangau (1.5 hours). Pre-booked tour of Neuschwanstein Castle (€17.50, 35 minutes). Hike to Marienbrücke for THE photo (free, 10-minute walk). Visit Hohenschwangau Castle (€15), Ludwig II’s childhood home. Drive 5 minutes to Füssen — explore the medieval town, Hohes Schloss, and St. Mang’s Abbey. Evening at a traditional Gasthaus in Füssen.
Accommodation: Füssen — guesthouse double €55–85
Entry costs: Neuschwanstein €17.50, Hohenschwangau €15 (combined €31.50)
Days 12–13: Garmisch — Zugspitze & Alpine Trails
Day 12: Drive from Füssen to Garmisch-Partenkirchen (1 hour). Take the Zugspitze cable car to Germany’s highest peak (€62 return). Afternoon: hike the Partnachklamm gorge (€6).
Day 13: Via Ferrata on the Alpspitze (cable car €34, kit rental €15) or the Eibsee lake circuit (free, 7 km, 2 hours). Afternoon: relax at the Eibsee lake or explore the Garmisch Olympic ski stadium. Evening: Steinbier at the Brauhaus Garmisch.
Accommodation: Garmisch — 2 nights guesthouse €120–200
Entry costs: Zugspitze €62, Partnachklamm €6, Alpspitzbahn €34
Day 14: Return to Munich & Departure
Drive from Garmisch back to Munich (1.5 hours). Arrive by 10:00. Visit the Alte Pinakothek (€8) for one of Europe’s finest Old Masters collections if time allows. Alternatively, explore the Schwabing district for last-minute souvenir shopping. Return the rental car at Munich Hauptbahnhof or at Munich Airport. If flying out, allow 45 minutes on the S-Bahn from Hauptbahnhof to Munich Airport.
Driving time: Garmisch to Munich 1.5 hours, to Munich Airport 2 hours
Optional: BMW Museum (€10, 2 hours) at the Olympic Park if you have a late flight
Budget Summary: 14-Day Germany Itinerary
Estimated Total: €1,700–2,400 per person (excluding international flights)
- Accommodation (13 nights): €500–800
- Car rental + fuel + tolls (10 days): €450–600
- Trains (Berlin–Dresden, Dresden–Rothenburg): €65–85
- Zugspitze cable car: €62
- Neuschwanstein + Hohenschwangau: €31–40
- Caracalla Spa: €23
- Other admissions: €80–120
- Food (14 days): €200–320
- Miscellaneous: €60–90
Best Season: May–October (all outdoor attractions open); December for Christmas markets
Recommended For: Comprehensive first-time Germany tour, couples, travellers who want to see everything
Disclaimer: Neuschwanstein tickets must be booked online in advance. Zugspitze cable car weather-dependent. Reichstag Dome requires advance registration (2+ weeks). Caracalla Spa has textile-free zones. Austrian Autobahn vignette required if crossing border. Prices are 2026 estimates and may vary seasonally.