two weeks in bavaria

My gf and I are going to bavaria for two weeks in apr/may. I was thinking of using stuttgart as a base and then taking day or mulit-day trips to the surrounding area (fussen, austria, rhine valley). wondering if anyone had suggestions about itinerary or other places we should see. Thanks for the info.

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First, Stuttgart is in Baden-Wuerttemberg, not Bavaria which is also in southern Germany. You are in luck if you wish to attend the Fruehlingfest auf dem Wasen (largest spring beer festival in Germany) from 15April to 7May. I would recommend a tour of the city (walking or preferable bus) using the tourist office across the street from the train station. This will acquaint you with most central Stuttgart sights and you will learn the history of the city. Stuttgart also has the excellent Mercedes Benz museum (liked by even non-car lovers) and also the Porsche museum which will appeal mainly to Porsche enthusiasts; the second largest mineral baths in Europe after Budapest; Europe%26#39;s largest combination zoo-botanical gardens in Wilhelma with its wonderful Moorish architecture of this former palace; the Staatsgallerie art museum; excellent opera and ballet; and many other museums.

Reachable by the excellent public transport (S-bahn) are the largest baroque palace in Germany at Ludwigsburg, with two smaller palaces and nice gardens including a fairy tale garden; the excellent old town center of Esslingen; and also any town at the end of an S-bahn line can be enjoyably visited for several hours. Within a 100 km (60 mile) radius are the northern parts of the Black Forest (southern part is more scenic); the old college towns of Heidelberg and Tuebingen; the spa town of Baden-Baden; the very picturesque fairy tale-like castles of Hohenzollern (Hechingen) and Lichtenstein; Ulm with its record high cathedral tower; the well preserved old monasteries at Mulbronn, Bebenhausen, and walled Comburg; the castles and vineyards along the lower Neckar River; the Romantic Road walled towns of Rothenburg ob der Tauber (don%26#39;t miss), Dinkelsbuehl, and Noerdlingen; the old town centers of Besigheim, Schwaebisch Hall and Schwaebisch Gmuend; the the nice cliff scenery of the NW side of the Schwaebische Alb and its castles.

2-3 hours away are Alsace, France; the Basel area of Switzerland; and western Austria. The Bodensee shared by Germany, Switzerland and Austria is nice (I particularly like Meersburg and Lindau) with the Alps being on the Swiss and Austrian side. Neuschwanstein Castle is also this distance away and shouldn%26#39;t be missed.

All these places are wonderful to visit and would easily fill up your entire vacation. The rest of Germany is also full of interesting things to see and do. You should have a wonderful trip.