See the best Germany has to offer: stunning landscapes, charming medieval towns, and cosmopolitan cities. Begin at Munich Airport (MUC), end at Berlin-Brandenburg Airport (BER) in Berlin.
Days 1 and 2: Munich
Fly into Munich, where you’ll spend the first three nights. Make sure you visit the Marienplatz to watch the charming, twirling figures of the Glockenspiel in the tower of the Rathaus (Town Hall). Explore the massive Viktualienmarkt market for lunch at one of the food stalls. Visit one of many world-class museums, then wander through the sprawling Englischer Garten (English Garden). Throughout the city, you can sit elbow to elbow with genial Bavarians at long tables in sunny beer gardens, savoring a liter of cold Helles or Hefeweizen and a salty pretzel.
Day 3: Neuschwanstein
From Munich it’s an easy day trip to Germany’s fairy-tale castle, Schloss Neuschwanstein, in Schwangau. Though the 19th-century castle’s fantastic silhouette has made it famous, this creation is more opera set than piece of history. Tickets are timed and should be booked in advance. Tours last about half an hour. Closer to town (and easier to get tickets for), Schloss Hohenschwangau is also open for tours. Return to Munich city center in the evening and treat yourself to a hearty meal of Schweinshaxe (roasted pork knuckle) and potatoes.
Logistics: Train from Munich’s Hauptbahnhof (main train station) to Füssen, then 15-minute bus ride to Hohenschwangau. From there it’s a 30-minute walk to the castle; 3 hours.
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Day 4: Freiburg im Breisgau
Get an early start to arrive by late morning in Freiburg im Breisgau, one of Germany’s most beautiful historic towns. Damaged during WWII, it has been rebuilt to preserve its delightful medieval character. Its cathedral is a masterpiece of Gothic architecture. Explore on foot, or by bike, and look out for the Bächle, or little brooks, that run for kilometers through this bustling university town in wine country.
Logistics: Train from Munich’s Hauptbahnhof to Freiburg im Breisgau; 4 hours.
Day 5: The Black Forest
Freiburg puts you at the perfect point from which to explore the spruce-covered, low-lying mountains of the Black Forest. For a romp around the great outdoors, set out for Titisee, a placid glacial lake, passing deep gorges along the way. Or treat yourself to a spa day in tony Baden-Baden, relaxing in curative waters. In the evening, return to Freiburg and rest up before the next day’s train ride to the north.
Logistics: The one-way train journey from Freiburg im Breisgau to Titisee or Baden-Baden takes about an hour.
Days 6 and 7: Hamburg
Hamburg is one of Germany’s wealthiest cities and the country’s largest port. If you’re in Hamburg on Sunday, wake up early to visit the open-air Fischmarkt (fish market). Then take a cruise through the city’s canals with views of the Speicherstadt historic warehouse district, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The city offers exclusive shopping along the Jungfernstieg, a lakeside promenade. Try to get tickets for an evening concert at the Elbphilharmonie.
Logistics: Train from Freiburg im Breisgau to Hamburg Hauptbahnhof; 6 hours and 45 minutes.
Days 8 and 9: Berlin
Start the day at two of the city’s most iconic symbols, the Reichstag and the nearby Brandenburg Gate (note that if you want to visit the Reichstag dome, you need to register in advance). Head south to experience the moving silence in the maze of the Holocaust memorial, the Denkmal für die Ermordeten Juden Europas. Stop by Potsdamer Platz, which embodies the city’s renaissance: once a no-go zone between East and West Berlin, the square now teems with glittering towers of optimism. A bit farther south is the Topographie des Terrors, an exhibition telling the story of the Nazi takeover in harrowing detail. Take public Bus 300, which travels down the grand, tree-lined boulevard Unter der Linden, to the colossal Berliner Dom cathedral. You can then devote the entire afternoon to the stupendous collections of the Museumsinsel (buy your tickets in advance if possible to save time.)
Spend the second day exploring the young side of Berlin, in Kreuzberg. This is a good time to rent a bicycle. Browse vintage clothing stores and indie boutiques and have lunch at Markthalle Neun, home to a bevy of excellent local food stalls, then head south to Tempelhofer Park, the historic airfield-turned-park. Exit the park to Neukölln, a working-class neighborhood that has emerged as an epicenter of cool. For lunch, there are many Middle Eastern eateries. Continue east and cross the Spree over the redbrick Oberbaum Bridge, which served as a border crossing between East and West Berlin. On the other side of the river is Friedrichshain and the famous East Side Gallery.
Logistics: Train from Hamburg Hauptbahnhof to Berlin Hauptbahnhof; 2 hours and 30 minutes.
Day 10: Potsdam
If you can tear yourself away from Berlin, take a day trip out to Potsdam and tour the opulent palaces and manicured gardens of Sanssouci Park. Schloss Sanssouci, a palace constructed to resemble Versailles, was used as a summer getaway for Frederick the Great and is a must-see (buy tickets in advance if you can). Return to Berlin in the evening to explore more of its distinct neighborhoods, like Turkish Kreuzberg or lively Prenzlauer Berg. The next day, fly home from Berlin.
Logistics: Train from Berlin Hauptbahnhof to Potsdam Hauptbahnhof; 30 minutes each way.