Central Europe Travel Itinerary
+ Top Attractions (By Train)

The capital city of Germany is home to many great museums and monuments. Two great spots to view the Berlin Wall are at the Berlin Wall Memorial north of the city center and the longer East Side Gallery along the river east of the city center.

Berlin's other three most iconic attractions are all located next to each other, including the Reichstag Building which you can climb to the top of for excellent views, the grandiose Brandenburg Gate, and the massive Holocaust Memorial to the Jews of Europe, a very striking and unique monument.

Another very popular attraction is the Checkpoint Charlie preserved guardhouse, which sits on the former border between East and West Berlin. The massive Berliner Fernsehturm TV tower is an iconic symbol of Berlin which hosts a panoramic observation offering amazing views over the city.

Prague is a stunning Bohemian city and the capital of the Czech Republic, full of beautiful and historic Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque style buildings.

It's very scenic to walk amongst the many historical structures of Prague's Old Town, especially around the Old Town Square. This square hosts the famous medieval Prague Astronomical Clock, as well as the imposing 14th century gothic Church of Our Lady before Tyn and the lavish baroque St. Nicholas' Church. Be sure to climb to the top of the clock tower for fantastic views over the Old Town.

Near the Old Town Square you can tour the elegant baroque Klementium Library which is famous for its gorgeous and highly ornate interior. Other highly recommended attractions in Old Town Prague include the stunning Powder Tower (a massive medieval city gate), and the extravagant intricately decorated Spanish Synagogue.

Austria's capital of Vienna is a magnificent city which hosts many festivals and palaces. In the city center is the vast royal 13th century Hofburg Palace, which sits upon both the grandiose Heldenplatz (Heroes Square) and Michaelerplatz plaza.

The Hofburg Palace hosts the lavish Imperial Apartments, as well as the Imperial Treasury and the breathtaking Austrian National Library with its majestic grand hall. Also within the palace complex is the Albertina Museum, and adjacent to the palace you can tour the stately Vienna Operahouse.

Hungary's capital city is an amazing and beautiful place, which is actually comprised of two historic cities Buda and Pest on opposite sides of the Danube River, which together make up the modern city. Perhaps the best way to see the city is from a small river cruise along the Danube, of which there are many options to choose from.

The city's most iconic attractions are located along the Danube River, including the massive gothic Hungarian Parliament Building, the Szechenyi Chain Bridge, and the expansive Buda Castle.

Salzburg is an incredibly beautiful city located in the Austrian Alps which is both the birthplace of Mozart and also the setting for The Sound of Music film. Among Salzburg's top attractions is the Mirabell Palace and its gorgeous manicured gardens, which feature views of the hilltop Hohensalzburg Fortress across the river.

The massive medieval Hohensalzburg hosts a large variety of interesting exhibits and treasures within an extremely well-preserved 11th century fortress, from which you can also enjoy amazing views over the city while exploring.

Below the Hohensalzburg Fortress is the stately Residenzplatz plaza, which is surrounded by lovely baroque structures including the Salzburg Cathedral and the lavish Salzburg Residenz palace. This stunning 17th century palace hosts extravagant ornate interiors and priceless fine art, which you can see with a tour.

Also notable in town are two museums located in former homes of Mozart including the Mozart's Birthplace where the famous composer was born, and the Mozart Wohnhaus Museum where Mozart once lived. On the outskirts of Salzburg is the popular Schloss Hellbrunn, a lavish baroque villa with gardens, a large park, and even a zoo.

The Salzkammergut region is arguably one of the most beautiful areas of the world, with several serene lakeside villages set amongst tall gorgeous lush mountains.

Among these villages Hallstatt is the most popular and is actually part of a UNESCO world heritage region. Be sure to walk around the village to enjoy its beauty, especially the charming Marktplatz square. In Hallstatt be sure to enjoy the views just above the village from the Wonderful View viewpoint, and just north of town be sure to enjoy the picturesque views of Hallstatt from the Classic Village Viewpoint.

From Hallstatt you can take the funicular rail up the mountain to the Skywalk Hallstatt to enjoy views over the idyllic Hallstatter See Lake from high above. Next to the skywalk you can tour the Salt Mine Hallstatt from which the region's wealth historically arose. To enjoy more incredible views, take the ferry to nearby Obertraun, where you can take the chairlift up to breathtaking 5 Fingers Vista Point atop Krippenstein Mountain.

One of the region's other most scenic towns is St. Wolfgang im Salzkammergut. This is another town you must walk around to admire, which features stunning traditional Austrian architecture. You can also take a small train from town up to the top Schafberg Mountain to enjoy majestic views over the lakes and villages below.

Munich is the capital of Bavaria in Southern Germany, a city with many attractions including palaces and many museums. Try to visit Munich on Sunday as many museums offer free entrance or reduced prices, including the Glypothek, Pinakothek der Moderne, Alte Pinakothek, and Bavarian National Museum.

Most of the city's museums are concentrated just northwest of the historic center in the Kunstareal art district. The Alte Pinakothek contains art from the 14th-18th centuries, the Neue Pinakothek contains art from the 18th and 19th centuries, and the Pinakothek der Moderne is a modern and contemporary art museum.

Also in Kunstareal is the Egyptian Museum Munich, the Glypothek containing ancient Greek and Roman sculptures, the Lenbachhaus museum of contemporary art, and more. The latter two museums sit on the striking King's Square.

To the southeast of the historic center you'll find the Deutsches Museum, the largest science and technology museum in the world. Further out from the city center to the north are the incredible futuristic structures of the BMW Welt and BMW Museum showcasing many vehicles.

Southwest of Munich near the Austrian border you'll find the lovely town of Füssen and the village of Hohenschwangau, which hosts two magnificent castles that belonged to King Ludwig II of Bavaria. To reach Füssen you'll need to take 1 or 2 trains from Central Munich, which takes about 2 hours. It's highly recommended that you purchase your tickets for the castles ahead of time as they tend to be in very high demand, resulting in a long wait before being able to tour the castles.

Before visiting the castles you can enjoy the beautiful medieval center of Füssen, where you'll find the impressive Hohes Schloss Füssen, a castle you can admire from outside. Adjacent is the beautiful 9th century Benedictine Monastery of St. Mang, which is best viewed from just across the river. Also nearby along this river is the beautiful Lechfall Waterfall.