Best of Germany — Self-Launched
12 days · Germany
Trafalgar charges £2,650
No-markup version: ~£1,475 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 12-day self-launched version of Trafalgar's "Best of Germany" coach tour: same classic loop — Frankfurt, Rhine Valley, Cologne, Hamburg, Berlin, Dresden, Nuremberg, Rothenburg, Munich, Neuschwanstein, the Black Forest and Heidelberg — but booked yourself using hostel dorms and budget guesthouses, Deutsche Bahn trains, regional buses and self-bookable walking tours. Expect roughly £1,400-1,600 per person all-in versus around £2,650 for the guided coach version (Trafalgar from US$3,398 p.p.), with far more time in the places you actually like (several reviewers complained the coach pace was a "forced march" and the Black Forest stop only 30 minutes — here you get a full night and a day there). All figures are ballpark estimates for a solo traveller willing to book 6-10 weeks ahead.
Day-by-day
Arrive Frankfurt — Römerberg and the skyline
Frankfurt am Main
Fly or train into Frankfurt and check into a hostel near Hauptbahnhof or in Sachsenhausen. Spend the late afternoon doing your own walk of the Römerberg square, the half-timbered houses and the Main riverbank with the Museum Embankment, then head up the Main Tower observation deck (~£7.50) at dusk for the finance-district skyline Trafalgar's 'orientation tour' covers from street level. Eat at the Kleinmarkthalle food market or a cheap Sachsenhausen apple-wine tavern (Apfelwein ~£4).
🚌S-Bahn from Frankfurt Airport to Hauptbahnhof, ~£5.50 (RMV single ticket)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel near Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof (~£25/night)
- →Römerberg square self-walk
- →Main Tower rooftop viewpoint (~£7.50)
- →Kleinmarkthalle food market
- →Main riverbank stroll
Rhine Valley cruise to St. Goar, then Cologne
Rhine Valley / Cologne
Take the regional train from Frankfurt to Rüdesheim (~£10, 1h15). Board the KD Rhine ferry down the UNESCO gorge past the Lorelei rock to St. Goar (~£18 one-way, 1h45) — same scenery as the tour's cruise but on a scheduled boat. Lunch in St. Goar overlooking the river. Then hop the train from St. Goarshausen to Koblenz and onwards to Cologne (~£22 total, 2h). Evening: free entry to Cologne Cathedral if open, or wander the Altstadt brewhouses.
🚌Regional trains Frankfurt → Rüdesheim (~£10) and St. Goarshausen → Cologne (~£22); KD ferry St. Goar–Rüdesheim stretch (~£18)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, Cologne (~£22/night)
- →KD Rhine cruise through Lorelei gorge (~£18)
- →St. Goar riverside lunch
- →Cologne Cathedral (free)
- →Cologne Altstadt evening walk
Cologne morning, train to Hamburg
Cologne / Hamburg
Morning free walking tour of Cologne (free, tip-based via GetYourGuide/local guides, tip ~£5) covering the cathedral, Roman remains and the old town. Grab a Kölsch and a halve Hahn snack for lunch. Early afternoon take the direct ICE to Hamburg (~£30 if booked ahead, 3h40). Check in near Sternschanze or St. Pauli, then do the Speicherstadt warehouse district and Elbphilharmonie plaza (free) at golden hour, plus a cheap dinner at a Fischmarkt-adjacent kiosk.
🚌ICE Cologne → Hamburg, ~£30 booked in advance
🛏Hostel dorm in Sternschanze/St. Pauli, Hamburg (~£24/night)
- →Free walking tour of Cologne (~£5 tip)
- →Speicherstadt and Elbphilharmonie plaza (free)
- →St. Pauli evening wander
Hamburg harbour and Mönckebergstrasse, to Berlin
Hamburg / Berlin
Start with a cheap public harbour ferry loop on line 62 (HVV day ticket ~£7) instead of the tour's optional paid harbour cruise — it passes the docks and container terminals. Walk Mönckebergstrasse and the Alster, then take an afternoon ICE to Berlin (~£35 if booked ahead, 1h45). Evening in Kreuzberg or Neukölln for street food and cheap bars.
🚌HVV day ticket (~£7); ICE Hamburg → Berlin ~£35 booked ahead
🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Mitte/Kreuzberg, Berlin (~£24/night)
- →HVV public harbour ferry line 62 (~£7)
- →Alster lakeside walk
- →Mönckebergstrasse shopping street
- →Kreuzberg street food evening
Berlin — Third Reich and Wall history on foot
Berlin
Do the classic self-guided route: Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag dome (free, register online in advance), Tiergarten, Unter den Linden, then the Berlin Wall Memorial on Bernauer Strasse with its free open-air exhibition and preserved death strip. Add a £12-15 tip-based 'Berlin Third Reich & Cold War' walking tour from GetYourGuide for the context Trafalgar's local specialist provides. Evening: Museum Island at night and a döner for dinner.
🚌Berlin AB day ticket (~£8.80)
🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Mitte/Kreuzberg, Berlin (~£24/night)
- →Reichstag dome (free, pre-book)
- →Brandenburg Gate & Unter den Linden
- →Berlin Wall Memorial, Bernauer Strasse (free)
- →Third Reich/Cold War walking tour (~£13)
- →East Side Gallery (free)
Potsdam and Sanssouci day trip
Potsdam / Berlin
Take the S7 or regional train to Potsdam (~£4 each way, 40 min) — the optional add-on Trafalgar sells. Walk the Glienicke 'Spy Bridge', then the UNESCO park at Sanssouci; the palace interior needs a timed ticket (~£16, book on the SPSG site), but the terraced gardens, Neues Palais exterior and Chinese House are free or cheap. Lunch by the Heiliger See, back to Berlin for the evening.
🚌S-Bahn/regional train Berlin → Potsdam, ~£4 each way
🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Mitte/Kreuzberg, Berlin (~£24/night)
- →Sanssouci Park and gardens
- →Sanssouci Palace entry (~£16, pre-book)
- →Glienicke Bridge
- →Heiliger See lakeside lunch
Train to Dresden — baroque old town
Dresden
Morning ICE to Dresden (~£25 booked ahead, 1h50). Drop bags and join a free walking tour of the reconstructed Altstadt (tip ~£5) covering the Frauenkirche, Zwinger courtyard, Semper Opera and the Brühl's Terrace. Climb the Frauenkirche dome (~£10) for the view, then cross the river to the Neustadt for cheap dinner and street art on Alaunstrasse.
🚌ICE Berlin → Dresden ~£25 booked ahead
🛏Hostel dorm in Dresden Neustadt or Altstadt (~£22/night)
- →Free walking tour of Dresden Altstadt (~£5 tip)
- →Frauenkirche dome climb (~£10)
- →Zwinger courtyards (free)
- →Neustadt street art walk
Dresden morning, Nuremberg via Mödlareuth
Dresden / Nuremberg
Morning at the reconstructed Frauenkirche interior or the Albertinum. Then head south by train toward Nuremberg (~£35, 3h30 via Hof). If you want the tour's Cold War village stop, break the journey at Hof and take a local bus/taxi to the Mödlareuth Open Air Museum on the old East–West border (~£10 combined, check bus days) — note it is fiddly on public transport; many travellers skip it and spend the time in Nuremberg instead. Evening: Nuremberg's Hauptmarkt, castle ramparts lit up and a bratwurst supper.
🚌Regional/ICE trains Dresden → Nuremberg ~£35; optional local bus to Mödlareuth ~£10
🛏Budget hotel or hostel in Nuremberg Altstadt (~£24/night)
- →Frauenkirche Dresden interior
- →Mödlareuth border museum (optional, ~£5 entry)
- →Nuremberg Hauptmarkt
- →Nuremberg Castle exterior at dusk
Nuremberg WWII sites, then Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Nuremberg / Rothenburg
Morning in the free Documentation Center grounds and the Nazi Party Rally Grounds (museum ~£5), then the castle courtyard and the medieval lanes below. After lunch take the train to Rothenburg ob der Tauber (~£10, 1h20 with a change at Ansbach/Steinach). Stay inside the walls in a guesthouse; do the full circuit of the town wall walkway (free) and the market square with the Old Town Hall at sunset — the experience most reviewers wished had been longer on the coach tour.
🚌Train Nuremberg → Rothenburg ob der Tauber, ~£10
🛏Guesthouse/pension inside the walls of Rothenburg (~£28/night)
- →Nazi Party Rally Grounds Documentation Center (~£5)
- →Rothenburg town wall walk (free)
- →Marktplatz and Old Town Hall
- →Night Watchman evening walk (~£8, self-bookable)
Rothenburg morning, Munich and Dachau
Rothenburg / Munich
Early morning stroll before the day-trippers arrive, then train to Munich via Steinach and Treuchtlingen (~£20, 2h45). Check in near Hauptbahnhof or Westpark. Afternoon: S2 train to Dachau (~£5 return) for the Concentration Camp Memorial, which is free to enter with an audio guide (~£4) — a self-guided version of the tour's local-specialist visit. Evening in the beer halls or a Marienplatz wander with the Glockenspiel.
🚌Regional trains Rothenburg → Munich ~£20; Munich S2 to Dachau ~£5 return with day ticket
🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel near Munich Hauptbahnhof (~£28/night)
- →Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial (free, audio guide ~£4)
- →Marienplatz and Glockenspiel
- →St. Peter's Church tower climb (~£4)
- →Traditional beer hall evening
Neuschwanstein Castle day trip
Munich / Neuschwanstein
Book the Bayern Ticket (~£25 for one, covers all regional trains in Bavaria for a day) and take the train to Füssen (~2h), then bus 73/78 to Hohenschwangau. Pre-book the Neuschwanstein castle tour online (€20 / ~£17) — it sells out, book 2-4 weeks ahead. Hike up via the Marienbrücke for the postcard view (free). Return to Munich for dinner; the day is long but you get real time at the castle rather than a coach photo-stop.
🚌Bayern Ticket (~£25) covering Munich–Füssen regional trains and local buses
🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel near Munich Hauptbahnhof (~£28/night)
- →Neuschwanstein Castle guided interior (~£17, pre-book)
- →Marienbrücke viewpoint hike (free)
- →Hohenschwangau village
- →Füssen old town
Black Forest and Heidelberg, back to Frankfurt
Black Forest / Heidelberg / Frankfurt
Take a regional train to Freiburg (~£30 with a Baden-Württemberg/Länder ticket) and a bus into the Höllental or Titisee for a half-day of actual Black Forest walking — far more than the 30-minute stop the coach tour allows. See a cuckoo-clock workshop in Titisee or Triberg, then train north to Heidelberg (~£20, 2h) for the castle ruins terrace (~£9) and the Old Town lanes. Final evening train to Frankfurt (~£15, 1h); farewell dinner and last night near the station.
🚌Länder-ticket regional trains Munich → Freiburg (~£30), Freiburg → Heidelberg (~£20), Heidelberg → Frankfurt (~£15)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel near Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof (~£25/night)
- →Black Forest walking at Titisee/Höllental
- →Cuckoo-clock workshop visit (~£5)
- →Heidelberg Castle ruins (~£9)
- →Heidelberg Old Town walk
Self-launched vs. Trafalgar
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Trafalgar | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,475 | £2,650 |
| Duration | 12 days | 12 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,175 per person (44%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Trafalgar-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,475
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Best of Germany — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,475 per person for 12 days in Germany. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Trafalgar?+
Yes — Trafalgar charges around £2,650 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,475 — a saving of roughly £1,175 (44%) per person.
How long is the Germany trip?+
This itinerary runs 12 days, covering 12 day-by-day stops through Germany.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, city-breaks, backpacker trip through Germany, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
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