A Two-Week Itinerary To Germany Starting In Munich

It’s impossible to do Germany in a week. Even two weeks is a bit too short to really get a flavour for the country without being exhausted from travelling all the time. Still, with a bit of prioritising, it is possible to have a leisurely whirlwind vacation in Germany if you can only stay for two weeks. The first leg of this tour begins in Munich and ends in Berlin. Here, the second leg or week starts in Berlin and finishes in Munich. Happy planning!

Day 1: Quedlinburg

It’s a three-hour train ride from Berlin to Quedlinburg, so be sure to leave early enough that you can arrive in the village/UNESCO World Heritage site by about 11am. It’s adorable in and of itself and interesting to compare to Rothenburg from the first leg of the tour, but the best thing is getting to ride a steam train up the mountain. Even more fun in winter.

Day 2: Essen

Days 3–4: Cologne

Day 3

This morning you can be at your leisure, as Cologne is just an hour from Essen by train and they leave multiple times an hour. It’s worth planning on eating well in Cologne. The Kölsch culture and customs are all about having a beer and watching the world go by. Try your hand at finishing a portion of Haxe at one of the many Brauhauses near the main station before venturing forth on an afternoon guided tour of the Kölner Dom. For dinner, push the boat out and head to Le Moisonnier, the best restaurant in town.

Day 4

The next day, ease into things with a walk along the Rhine, starting near the train station and walking south along the Promenade. Pop into the Chocolate Museum or Mustard Museum if that’s your thing, aiming to end up at Die Fette Kuh for lunch. The burgers are otherworldly, but it’s not a place to linger. Which is just as well. Catching the early-afternoon train to Cochem will get you there just in time to check in, have a tour around town, and grab dinner at Zom Stüffje.

Day 5: Burg Eltz

Probably the best-preserved Medieval castle in all of Germany, Burg Eltz is really the perfect place to indulge all your knight and damsel fantasies. Take the train from Cochem to Moselkern and walk though the forest for about an hour to get to the castle, or splurge on a taxi. Sleep at your hotel in Cochem and get ready for an early start to Heidelberg for day six.

Day 6: Heidelberg

On everyone’s list of places to see in Germany, Heidelberg doesn’t disappoint. If you haven’t had your fill of castles, Heidelberg has a pretty impressive one, but the main fun of visiting the city is walking around the town, absorbing the 900 years of history and eating lots of cake. Treat yourself to some Malaysian food for lunch at Serai, one of the favourite restaurants in town among locals.

Day 7: Munich

You can go directly to Munich airport from Heidelberg in about three-and-a-half hours, so if you have an early flight it’s best to stay in an airport hotel and leave Heidelberg in the evening. If you have a bit more time, you could stop in Stuttgart on the way and hit the Mercedes Museum, but for a more leisurely end to your trip, go straight to Munich and enjoy another restorative visit to the Blue Spa. Your skin will thank you.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.