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Itineraries/Europe/Germany

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.

12 nights
Family of 4
~A$23,220
4 stops
Munich & Bavaria3n
Füssen & Neuschwanstein2n
Europa-Park (Rust)2n
Berlin4n
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Your stop-by-stop itinerary

4 stops across 12 nights. Each one chosen so you experience a different side of Germany.

1

Munich & Bavaria

3 nights
Fly 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 stay: Family hotel or apartment near Marienplatz or in Schwabing
2

Füssen & Neuschwanstein

2 nights
Train 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 stay: Family guesthouse or hotel in Füssen Old Town
3

Europa-Park (Rust)

2 nights
Train 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 stay: Europa-Park resort hotel or family hotel in Rust/Ringsheim
4

Berlin

4 nights
ICE 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 stay: Family apartment or hotel in Mitte, Prenzlauer Berg, or Kreuzberg

Good to know

Estimated cost

The ~A$23,220 estimate covers accommodation across all 4 stops. Flights, daily spending, activities, and transport are additional — use SaveToRoam’s savings planner to track it all.

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