50 days in Germany Itinerary

As the country's biggest port and one of the busiest in all of Europe, Hamburg has a well-deserved reputation as Germany's Gateway to the World.

Get in touch with nature at Port of Hamburg and The Wadden Sea, Germany. Explore hidden gems such as Alster and Holstentor. Venture out of the city with trips to Marktplatz (in Bremen) and Lubeck (Lubeck Altstadt (Lubeck Oldtown) & Theaterfigurenmuseum). The adventure continues: take in the local highlights with Walking tours, appreciate the extensive heritage of Alter Elbtunnel, examine the collection at Miniatur Wunderland, and learn about wildlife with up-close encounters at Tierpark Hagenbeck.

To see ratings, reviews, other places to visit, and tourist information, you can read our Hamburg trip itinerary planner.

Sydney, Australia to Hamburg is an approximately 24.5-hour flight. Traveling from Sydney to Hamburg, you'll gain 9 hours due to the time zone difference. Expect a daytime high around 24°C in June, and nighttime lows around 12°C. Finish your sightseeing early on the 12th (Sun) so you can take a train to Berlin.

The country's capital and largest city, Berlin is a diverse urban center boasting a lively nightlife and countless things to do.

Kids will appreciate attractions like Brandenburg Gate and The Holocaust Memorial - Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. Discover out-of-the-way places like Großer Tiergarten and Berlin Central Station. There's lots more to do: get a sense of history and politics at Reichstag Building, admire the masterpieces at Pergamonmuseum, make a trip to Gendarmenmarkt, and take an in-depth tour of Deutsches Historisches Museum.

For photos, maps, more things to do, and more tourist information, refer to the Berlin online travel planner.

You can take a train from Hamburg to Berlin in 2.5 hours. Other options are to drive; or take a bus. Finish your sightseeing early on the 19th (Sun) to allow enough time to drive to Dresden.

Dresden boasts a long history as a royal residence of many Saxon kings.

Escape the urban bustle at Elbe Sandstone Mountains and Obere Schleuse Kirnitschklamm. Explore hidden gems such as Frauenkirche Dresden and The Dresden Zwinger. Explore the numerous day-trip ideas around Dresden: Leipzig (Zoo Leipzig, Volkerschlachtdenkmal, &more). The adventure continues: admire the landmark architecture of Bruehlsche Terrasse, get engrossed in the history at Royal Palace (Residenzschloss), take a leisurely stroll along Elbufer, and see the interesting displays at Neues Grünes Gewölbe.

To find where to stay, photos, traveler tips, and more tourist information, read our Dresden visit planning website.

Traveling by car from Berlin to Dresden takes 2 hours. Alternatively, you can take a train; or take a bus. In June, daytime highs in Dresden are 25°C, while nighttime lows are 14°C. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 24th (Fri) to allow time to fly to Munich.

Often described as the city of laptops and lederhosen, Munich is an international center of business, engineering, research, and medicine that still maintains a rich cultural heritage and age-old traditions.

You'll discover tucked-away gems like Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site and Nymphenburg Palace. Kids will appreciate attractions like New Town Hall (Neus Rathaus) and Deutsches Museum. Venture out of the city with trips to Schloss Hohenschwangau (in Hohenschwangau), Altstadt von Fuessen (in Fussen) and Schloss Neuschwanstein (in Schwangau). The adventure continues: contemplate the waterfront views at English Garden, explore the world behind art at Alte Pinakothek, enjoy breathtaking views from Frauenkirche, and hunt for treasures at Viktualienmarkt.

For where to stay, reviews, other places to visit, and other tourist information, use the Munich trip planner.

You can fly from Dresden to Munich in 2.5 hours. Alternatively, you can drive; or take a train. June in Munich sees daily highs of 26°C and lows of 13°C at night. Finish up your sightseeing early on the 30th (Thu) so you can go by car to Berchtesgaden.

Bordered on three sides by Austria, Berchtesgaden is encircled by snow-capped mountain peaks that offer sweeping views of the entire region.

Discover out-of-the-way places like Konigssee and Dokumentationszentrum Obersalzberg. Take a break from the city and head to Nationalparkzentrum - Haus der Berge and Der Carl von Linde Weg. Take a break from Berchtesgaden with a short trip to Herrenchiemsee New Palace in Herreninsel, about 1h 5 min away. There's much more to do: take some stellar pictures from The Eagle's Nest, go deep underground at Salzbergwerk Berchtesgaden, and pause for some serene contemplation at St. Bartholomew's Church.

For reviews, where to stay, photos, and other tourist information, read our Berchtesgaden online tour builder.

Traveling by car from Munich to Berchtesgaden takes 1.5 hours. Alternatively, you can take a bus; or do a combination of train and bus. In June, daytime highs in Berchtesgaden are 26°C, while nighttime lows are 15°C. Finish your sightseeing early on the 4th (Mon) to allow enough time to drive to Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Nestled within the Bavarian Alps, Garmisch-Partenkirchen offers a classic mountain feel along with world-class winter sports.

Start off your visit on the 5th (Tue): step into the grandiose world of Schloss Linderhof and then take your sightseeing to a higher altitude at Zugspitze. Get ready for a full day of sightseeing on the next day: stroll through Eibsee and then identify plant and animal life at Partnachklamm.

For other places to visit, ratings, maps, and other tourist information, you can read our Garmisch-Partenkirchen itinerary builder tool.

You can drive from Berchtesgaden to Garmisch-Partenkirchen in 2.5 hours. Alternatively, you can take a train; or do a combination of bus and train. In July, daytime highs in Garmisch-Partenkirchen are 30°C, while nighttime lows are 16°C. Finish your sightseeing early on the 6th (Wed) to allow enough time to drive to Nuremberg.

Nuremberg's historic town center stands in the shadow of a towering imperial castle that dominates its northwestern corner.

Step off the beaten path and head to Naturschutzgebiet Holle and Bamberg Altstadt. Kids will appreciate attractions like Altstadt and Old Town. Change things up with these side-trips from Nuremberg: Donaudurchbruch (in Kelheim) and Cathedral of St Peter's (in Regensburg). There's still lots to do: steep yourself in history at Reichsparteigelande (Nazi Party Rally Grounds), make a trip to St. Lorenz Church, take in the architecture and atmosphere at St. Sebaldus Church, and step into the grandiose world of Kaiserburg Nurnberg.

To see ratings, more things to do, maps, and other tourist information, you can read our Nuremberg trip planner.

Getting from Garmisch-Partenkirchen to Nuremberg by car takes about 2.5 hours. Other options: take a train; or take a bus. In July, daytime highs in Nuremberg are 30°C, while nighttime lows are 15°C. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 10th (Sun) early enough to drive to Rothenburg.

An old imperial city, Rothenburg is the main tourist stop on the scenic Romantic Road of Bavaria.

Kick off your visit on the 11th (Mon): contemplate in the serene atmosphere at St. Jacob's Church (St. Jakobskirche), then see the interesting displays at Medieval Crime Museum (Mittelalterliches Kriminalmuseum), then wander the streets of Altstadt, and finally steep yourself in history at Town Walls. On your second day here, step into the grandiose world of Fortress Marienberg, step into the grandiose world of Würzburg Residence, snap pictures at Alte Mainbruecke, then take in the architecture and atmosphere at Marienkapelle, then take an in-depth tour of Reichsstadtmuseum, and finally get a sense of history and politics at Stadt Rothenburg ob der Tauber.

To find more things to do, photos, traveler tips, and other tourist information, use the Rothenburg vacation planner.

Traveling by car from Nuremberg to Rothenburg takes 1.5 hours. Alternatively, you can take a train; or do a combination of train and bus. In July in Rothenburg, expect temperatures between 28°C during the day and 17°C at night. Cap off your sightseeing on the 12th (Tue) early enough to go by car to Heidelberg.

A vibrant university city, Heidelberg is nestled in the picturesque Neckar river valley.

Bring the kids along to Schloss Heidelberg and Mercedes-Benz Museum. Step off the beaten path and head to Altstadt (Old Town) and Eschbacher Klippen. Explore Heidelberg's surroundings by going to Europa-Park (in Rust), Lichtentaler Allee (in Baden-Baden) and Palmengarten (in Frankfurt). There's still lots to do: take in the views from Old Bridge (Karl Theodor Bridge) and examine the collection at Porsche Museum.

To see maps, ratings, traveler tips, and other tourist information, read Heidelberg online day trip planner.

Getting from Rothenburg to Heidelberg by car takes about 2 hours. Other options: take a train; or do a combination of bus and train. In July, plan for daily highs up to 31°C, and evening lows to 18°C. Finish up your sightseeing early on the 16th (Sat) so you can go by car to Trier.

Trier may be the oldest city in Germany, founded long before the Roman times.

Explore hidden gems such as Adrenaline & Extreme Tours and Reichsburg Cochem. Kids will appreciate attractions like Porta Nigra and Hauptmarkt. Step out of Trier with an excursion to Eltz Castle in Wierschem--about 1h 20 min away. There's lots more to do: admire the landmark architecture of St. Peter's Cathedral (Dom), get a sense of history and politics at Kurfurstliches Palais, examine the collection at Rhineland Museum (Rheinisches Landesmuseum), and get the lay of the land with Walking tours.

For photos, ratings, where to stay, and tourist information, go to the Trier attractions website.

You can drive from Heidelberg to Trier in 2 hours. Alternatively, you can take a train; or take a bus. In July, daily temperatures in Trier can reach 28°C, while at night they dip to 16°C. Cap off your sightseeing on the 19th (Tue) early enough to go by car to Cologne.

Though Cologne famously contains 12 Romanesque churches, the city's top prize remains its landmark Gothic cathedral.

Step off the beaten path and head to Phantasialand and NS Documentation Centre of the City of Cologne. Kids will appreciate attractions like Nationalpark Eifel and Ehrenbreitstein Fortress. Venture out of the city with trips to Aachen Cathedral (in Aachen) and Deutsches Eck (German Corner) (in Koblenz). The adventure continues: admire the striking features of Cologne Cathedral, take in the views from Hohenzollern Bridge, and explore the world behind art at Wallraf-Richartz Museum.

For more things to do, ratings, other places to visit, and other tourist information, read our Cologne itinerary planning tool.

Getting from Trier to Cologne by car takes about 2 hours. Other options: take a train; or take a bus. July in Cologne sees daily highs of 29°C and lows of 16°C at night. Cap off your sightseeing on the 23rd (Sat) early enough to catch the flight back home.