Overview
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Road Trip Itinerary to Germany, Austria & Dolomites
This road trip to Germany, Austria, and the Dolomites was our very first with our van. The original plan was to go to Norway, but unfortunately, the covid pandemic put a stop to that. We chose to explore a little closer to home, and what a trip it was!
We left with just a few places pinned on Google Maps, without a fixed plan. Little did we know that these countries, so close to home, had so many insane places.
With this itinerary, we want to inspire you to visit a variety of places in one single road trip and the freedom to adapt this itinerary to your interests. You can even add the Czech Republic to your itinerary. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to do that due to the COVID restrictions.
Note: We traveled with our own campervan, so we did not include places to stay in this itinerary. We did put some nice camping spots in this post, for people who are traveling with a van too.
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Day 1: Harz
We started our road trip in Harz. Here you can see and even take a ride with a real steam train along the Brockenbahn in the Harz mountains. Besides the steam train, you can also pay a visit to the beautiful Harz National Park.
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Day 2: Berlin
You can’t travel through Germany without paying a visit to its interesting capital city Berlin. Places you definitely have to visit are:
Brandenburger Tor
Holocaust Memorial
Berlin Cathedral
Fernsehturm
Reichstag
Berlin Wall
Tip: We stayed the night at the parking lot of a wildlife park in Baruth/Mark.
If possible, please ask the owner for permission.
Day 3: Rakotzbrücke: The Devil's Bridge
Rakotzbrücke, also known as the Devil’s Bridge, is a bridge that would fit perfectly in a fairy tale book. This beautiful piece of architecture can be found in Kromlauer Park in Gablenz.
This is an 81-ha park similar to an English garden with many small ponds and lakes.
Day 3: Saxon Switzerland - Kleiner Winterberg
The Saxon Switzerland National Park is the only national park in Saxony and the only rock national park in Germany. There are many beautiful trails and hikes in this national park. One of the most beautiful places is Kleiner Winterberg, a hill with an amazing panoramic view over the rear of Saxon Switzerland.
Hotels
Best places to stay in Germany and enjoy a comfortable trip.
Struppen
Bad Schandau
Kurort Rathen
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Day 4: Saxon Switzerland - Bastei
Another stunning and interesting place in the Saxon Switzerland National Park is the Bastei. This is a stunning rock formation, characterized by enormous steep rocks. Here you find a few short hiking trails with some impressive viewpoints, through gorges and between and over the rocks. A must-see here is the Bastei Brücke, an impressive stony bridge that connects multiple rocks of the Bastei rock formation.
The rest of the day you’ll need to drive all the way to the next stop: Köningssee. Or you can add some stops along this way (for example Prague) because you can drive through the Czech Republic. We were not allowed to drive through Czech Republic because of Covid restrictions.
Tip: Close to Königssee, you can stay the night at the Rossfeld Panorama Strasse (€9,00 toll to access this road).
Day 5: Königssee & Obersee
Königssee and Obsersee are two beautiful lakes in the National Park of Berchtesgaden.
Königssee is often referred to as one of the most beautiful lakes in Germany. You can take an electric boat to reach Obersee and you can go for a walk to the viewpoint of Rabenwand.
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Day 6: Schlegeisspeicher
The Schlegeisspeicher or Schlegeis reservoir is a beautiful, but artificially created, reservoir in the Zillertal.
Since the 1970s the water of this reservoir has been used to generate electricity. To enjoy an amazing view over the lake and the valley, you can walk up to the Olpererhütte and walk over the Kebema Panoramabrücke, one of the most famous suspension bridges in Austria.
Day 7: Tre Cime Di Lavaredo
Tre Cime di Lavaredo, also known as Drei Zinnen, are three impressive mountain peaks and probably the most famous peaks in the Alps. It is such a jaw-dropping place and therefore, it is not surprising that they are the symbol of the Dolomiti UNESCO World Heritage site. This unique place has so much to offer from stunning views over those impressive limestone peaks and reflective lakes to great rifugios and a lot of awesome photo opportunities. It’s the perfect scenery for a day full of hiking.
Camping tip: Stay the night in the parking lot at Rifugio Auronzo, watch the beautiful stars at night, and wake up in a breathtaking landscape.
Day 8: Lago Di Braies
Lago Di Braies or Pragser Wildsee is probably the most famous place among tourists in the Dolomites, and we can’t deny that it’s really worth adding to your schedule. It’s one of the most beautiful alpine lakes in the Dolomites and it is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The rest of the day you can spend in the beautiful region of Val di Funes on your way to Seiser Alm.
Hotels
Discover the best places to sleep near Val di Funes. Book your stay and enjoy!
Day 9: Seiser Alm
Seiser Alm, also known as Alpe di Suisi, is the biggest and highest mountain meadow in Europe. In summer it is a beautiful area to enjoy numerous walks through this wavy landscape surrounded by various mountain peaks. In winter it is the ideal place for a winter sports vacation.
Tip: Seiser Alm is the most beautiful and least crowded during sunrise. We therefore recommend that you go very early to fully enjoy this magical place!
Day 9: Seceda
The Seceda is a 2519-meter-high mountain in Val Gardena, in the middle of the Dolomites. Besides the breathtaking view of peaks and valleys, Seceda is a true paradise for outdoor enthusiasts like hikers, mountain bikers, and climbers.
Enjoy your last moment in the Dolomites because soon you will cross the border into Austria and Germany again!
Day 10: Sylvensteinsee
Sylvensteinsee is, just like Schlegeisspeicher, a man-made reservoir in the Isar Valley. This crystal clear lake is surrounded by hiking trails and you can enjoy a scenic ride when driving over the Sylvenstein bridge.
Day 10: Partnachklamm
Partnachklamm is a deep gorge in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in the South of Germany. The gorge is 702 meters long, with limestone walls that reach 80 meters high, and acts as a natural conduit for the Partnach River. When you enter the Partnach Gorge you’ll be amazed by the massive rock faces and the rushing water through the gorge beneath and next to you.
Day 11: Plansee
Plansee is a stunning mountain lake in the Austrian region of Tyrol. It is the second-largest lake in Austria and it is located close to the border with Germany. You can enjoy a swim in the refreshing water, rent a kayak or SUP, go for a boat ride, or you can go for a hike up to an impressive viewpoint over the lake.
Tip: When you’re driving from Partnachklamm to Plansee, you can also pay a visit to the gorgeous Eibsee. We made a quick stop here but it was way too busy. But it’s definitely worth a visit too when it’s not crowded.
Day 12: Schloss Neuschwanstein
On a craggy cliff above the village of Hohenschwangau in Bavaria, you find the world-famous Neuschwanstein Castle. It is probably one of the most famous castles and even sights in Germany.
This castle inspired Walt Disney and served as a model for his famous Sleeping Beauty Castle.
You can walk around the castle and cross a bridge from where you have a beautiful view of the whole castle!
Hotels
Discover the best places to sleep in the Bavaria area. Book your stay and enjoy!
Schwarzwald
Schwarzwald, or the Black Forest, is a densely forested area and low mountain range in southwestern Germany, located in the state of Baden-Württemberg. You can take many different walks here. Or you can drive along the Schwarzwald Hochstrasse. This is a 60-kilometer-long winding road that takes you, via Freudenstadt to Baden-Baden, through coniferous trees, and over hills with gorgeous views over the Rhine Valley and the Vosges. If you have the chance you should definitely drive by the Kreuzfelsenkurve, the sharpest curve in Schwarzwald.
Tip: When driving from Schwarzwald to Burg Eltz, you can also pay a visit to the castle ruins of Wegelnburg. It was on our list too but unfortunately, it was closed due to covid. Nevertheless, we are pretty sure it is definitely worth a visit.
Day 13: Burg Eltz
Burg Eltz or Eltz Castle is one the most beautiful castles in Germany. It is located in Wierschem, in a valley of the Moselle between Koblenz and Cochem. In this area, you can also enjoy various walks through the Eltzerbos around the castle. There are walks of different lengths and levels of difficulty.
Geierlay Hängeseilbrücke
Time to go home
This was our 2-week road-trip to Germany, Austria, and Dolomites. We only saw a little of Austria, but if you have more time, we’re sure you can add more places in this stunning country, or you can add some places in the Czech Republic too.
We hope this itinerary will help you plan an amazing road trip.
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us and we’re more than happy to help you.
Enjoy your trip and drive safely!
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Win-Win for everyone
Did you know that, if you buy or book something through our links, we receive a small commission?
However, you still pay the same and therefore have no extra costs! So a win-win for everyone. This way, we can continue to add even more travel inspiration and tips to this blog for your next adventure. Thanks a lot!
