12 Days in Germany
Neuschwanstein Castle towering above the Bavarian Alps, pretzels bigger than your kids' heads at a Munich beer garden, fairy-tale villages on the Romantic Road, Europa-Park's Silver Star coaster, and Berlin's living history from the Brandenburg Gate to the East Side Gallery. Twelve nights through Germany's family-friendly best — castles, theme parks, and cities that make history feel alive.
Plan to save
Your weekly savings target
A$556 / week
to save before you go · A$15,009 total · 27 weeks until you leave
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Your stop-by-stop itinerary
4 stops across 11 nights. Each one chosen so you experience a different side of Germany.
Stop
01
Munich & Bavaria
3 nightsFly into Munich (MUC) from Sydney via Singapore, Dubai, or Doha (20-24h total). S-Bahn S1/S8 from airport to city centre (€13/adult, free under 6). Buy a Bayern-Ticket (€29 + €10/extra person) for unlimited regional trains across Bavaria.
Highlights
- Marienplatz + New Town Hall Glockenspiel — the mechanical clock show plays at 11am, 12pm, and 5pm daily
- Englischer Garten — surfing on the Eisbach wave (watch from the bridge), beer garden at Chinesischer Turm, 900 acres of parkland
- Deutsches Museum — world''s largest science and technology museum, flight simulators, mining tunnels, planetarium (€15/adult, free under 6)
- BMW Welt + Olympic Park — free BMW exhibition, Olympic Tower panorama (€13/adult), stadium roof climb for older kids
- Day trip to Salzburg, Austria — 1.5h by Bayern-Ticket train, Sound of Music sites, Hohensalzburg Fortress
- Viktualienmarkt — Munich''s permanent food market, weisswurst for breakfast, giant pretzels, fruit smoothie stands
Local tips
- The Bayern-Ticket is the single best transport deal in Germany — €29 base + €10 per extra person covers unlimited regional trains, S-Bahn, U-Bahn, buses and trams across all of Bavaria for a full day. Family of 4 = €59 total.
- Stay near Marienplatz or in Schwabing for U-Bahn access to everything. Munich is very walkable in the centre but you need the U-Bahn for the Deutsches Museum and Olympic Park.
- If visiting in late September/early October, Oktoberfest is on — family-friendly until about 3pm, then it gets rowdy. The Oide Wiesn section is calmer with traditional rides.
Suggested stayFamily hotel or apartment near Marienplatz or in Schwabing
Stop
02
Füssen & Neuschwanstein
2 nightsTrain Munich Hbf → Füssen (2h direct, covered by Bayern-Ticket). Füssen is walkable; bus 73/78 to Neuschwanstein castles (10 min, €2.40/pp). Return via Romantic Road bus or train to Rust (via Ulm/Freiburg, 4-5h).
Highlights
- Neuschwanstein Castle — the Disney castle inspiration, book timed tickets 2 months ahead (€15/adult, free under 18). Walk up or take the horse carriage
- Hohenschwangau Castle — the childhood castle directly opposite Neuschwanstein, less crowded, same ticket office
- Marienbrücke bridge — the iconic photo viewpoint over Neuschwanstein (free, 15 min uphill walk from the castle)
- Füssen Old Town — painted Baroque facades, Lechfall waterfall gorge walk, Forggensee lake swimming in summer
- Tegelberg Cable Car — panoramic Alps views from 1,720m, paragliding launch point, summer toboggan run at the base (€5/ride)
- Romantic Road driving — if you have a car, the B17 south of Augsburg through Landsberg and Schongau is picture-postcard Bavaria
Local tips
- Book Neuschwanstein tickets online at hohenschwangau.de exactly 2 months before your visit date — they release at midnight CET and popular time slots (10am-1pm) sell out within days. Under-18s are free but still need a reservation.
- Do both castles in one morning — Hohenschwangau first (9am slot), then walk up to Neuschwanstein (10:30-11am slot). Afternoon free for Tegelberg cable car or Füssen town.
- Füssen is a genuine overnight destination, not just a Neuschwanstein pit stop. The Old Town, Lechfall gorge, and Forggensee are worth a full second day.
Suggested stayFamily guesthouse or hotel in Füssen Old Town
Stop
03
Europa-Park (Rust)
2 nightsTrain Füssen → Freiburg (via Ulm, 4h with Bayern-Ticket + Baden-Württemberg-Ticket). Bus from Freiburg to Rust (30 min). Or drive Romantic Road (4-5h). Night train or ICE Rust area → Berlin on departure day (5-6h).
Highlights
- Europa-Park — Germany''s #1 theme park (€62/adult, €53.50/child 4-11), 100+ rides across 18 themed country zones
- Silver Star — Europe''s tallest roller coaster (73m), for thrill-seeking older kids and parents
- Arthur — indoor/outdoor dark ride through a miniature world, the signature family ride
- Voletarium — flying theatre ride over European landmarks, similar to Soarin'' at Disney
- Enchanted Forest + Grimm''s Fairy Tale zone — gentle rides and walk-through stories for under-7s
- Rulantica water park — indoor/outdoor water world adjacent to the main park (separate ticket €42/adult, combo deals available)
Local tips
- Two days at Europa-Park is the sweet spot for families — Day 1 for the main park highlights, Day 2 for Rulantica water park or revisiting favourite rides. One day is too rushed with young kids.
- Stay at an on-site Europa-Park hotel for 30-minute early entry before public opening. The resort hotels are themed and part of the experience — kids rate the stay as highly as the park itself.
- Buy tickets online ahead of time — Europa-Park uses dynamic pricing and peak-day surcharges. Midweek is cheaper and less crowded than weekends.
Suggested stayEuropa-Park resort hotel or family hotel in Rust/Ringsheim
Stop
04
Berlin
4 nightsICE train from Freiburg/Rust area → Berlin Hbf (5-6h, €50-90/adult with Sparpreis early booking). Berlin is excellent on public transport — AB zone day ticket €9.50/adult, free under 6. Fly out Berlin BER → Sydney via hub.
Highlights
- Brandenburg Gate + Reichstag dome — free rooftop visit with audio guide, book online 2 weeks ahead
- East Side Gallery — 1.3 km of Berlin Wall murals along the Spree, free, open-air, powerful for older kids
- Berlin Zoo + Aquarium — Germany''s oldest zoo, panda bears, combined ticket €27/adult, €14/child
- Museum Island — Pergamon Museum (ancient Babylon gate), Neues Museum (Nefertiti bust). Combo ticket €22/adult, free under 18
- Checkpoint Charlie + DDR Museum — Cold War history made interactive and tactile (DDR Museum €14/adult, €7/child)
- Mauerpark Sunday flea market + outdoor karaoke — Berlin''s best family Sunday activity, free
- Tempelhofer Feld — former airport runway, now Berlin''s wildest park. Bring bikes, kites, or rollerblades
Local tips
- Prenzlauer Berg is Berlin''s most family-friendly neighbourhood — playgrounds on every block, excellent brunch cafés, and a 10-minute tram to Museum Island. Kreuzberg is edgier but has the best food scene.
- The Berlin Welcome Card (€35/adult for 72h) covers all public transport zones AB + museum discounts. Worth it for 4 days of transport alone at €9.50/day.
- Berlin is cheap by Western European standards — budget €50-70 for a family dinner vs €80-120 in Paris. Street food (currywurst, döner, falafel) is €4-6/person.
Suggested stayFamily apartment or hotel in Mitte, Prenzlauer Berg, or Kreuzberg
Real cost estimates · calibrated 2026, not glossy estimates
What it costs
All-in for a family of 4.
Here’s what Germany costs across the four components SaveToRoam tracks. Flights are shoulder-season ex-Australia; travel insurance and personal extras vary.
| Component | Family of 4 |
|---|---|
Flights Return economy flights ex-AU (mid-shoulder estimate) €1,425 per person | €5,700 |
Accommodation 4 stops | €1,920 |
Activities & local transport Activities & local transport (estimated) €243 per person | €972 |
Daily food & local transit 11 nights × family of 4 | €616 |
Trip total Insurance & personal extras separate | €9,208 ~A$15,838 |
What it covers
The ~A$15,009 estimate is all-in for a family of 4 — accommodation across 4 stops, shoulder-season flights from Australia, activities and local transport, and daily food. Travel insurance and personal extras vary, so we keep them separate.
What you get
When you use this template, SaveToRoam creates your trip with all 4 stops, every cost component pre-loaded, and a personalised savings plan with a weekly target. You choose your dates — we handle the maths.
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