Explore our unforgettable journey through Italy, Germany, and Croatia with a detailed itinerary, favorite moments, and helpful travel tips.
We recently went on the most epic Europe Trip and I have the Itinerary for you! I couldn’t have been more happy with everything we did on our 2 week trip which included a cruise in the middle ~ so let me share with you our itinerary from start to finish.
Suggested Itinerary Overview: Germany → Croatia → Italy
Day 1– Munich, Germany:
From the US we arrived at Munich at 7:30am. The biggest tip I can tell you is DO NOT go to the hotel and go to sleep. Stay awake for as long as you can.
Hotel~ We stayed at the Hotel Excelsior by Geisel which was in walking distance to the train station in Munich. The hotel was great and the staff was super friendly. We left our bags and went out for the day and explored Munich visiting several churches and shops.
Dinner ~ We ate at Hofbrauhaus ~ a really fun German dining hall with authentic German food and Beer. You can sit inside (there was a German band) or sit outside in a cute courtyard. After our early dinner we went back to hotel. Ya’ll ~ I don’t think I have ever fell asleep that fast before. 🙂 Seriously!!!
Day 2–Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany
We had one thing planned for today and it was Epic ~ take a tour to the beautiful Neuschwanstein Castle.
We signed up for a bus tour leaving from Munich. We boarded the bus which was a 2 hour bus ride to the castle. Our tour guide actually taught us everything we needed to know about the history of the castle and King Ludwig II.
When we arrived in the town or Hohenschwangau we could see the beautiful castle that sits on a hill overlooking the valley. We spent about an hour getting some lunch and walking around the cute village. We then traveled up to the castle for our tour. Want to hear more about my day at the castle? I will let you know everything about it soon!
After the amazing castle tour we headed home. For dinner we ate at the Augustiner. It was wonderful and we were able to sit outside ~ it was a beautiful night and great food. Highly recommend!!
Day 3- Train Ride to Venice
We left Munich, Germany in the morning and took a train to Venice, Italy. The train took us through Astria which was absolutely beautiful. The train ride was almost 9 hours but honestly it wasn’t that bad. We were with family so we decided to go first class and we brought cards to play and enjoyed lunch and the views.
Venice Airbnb~ We arrived in Venice before dinner and stayed at an Airbnb. We found a wonderful restaurant right on the canal which I highly recommend. It was fun watching boats go by.
Day 4- Venice (Day 1)
We checked out of our Airbnb and walked around a little more exploring Venice.
We took a taxi to the Cruise port to board our Viking Cruise. We were able to get on the boat really fast and get checked into our stateroom. We unpacked and explored the boat awhile longer before dinner.
Our cruise was staying one more day in Venice so we would have the whole next day to sightsee in Venice. The Viking boat was beautiful (as expected) and since it was a Viking Ocean boat they had several pools! BTW if you are ever looking for me on a cruise you can probably find me at the pool. LOL
Day 5- Venice (Day 2)
From our cruise ship we boarded a boat and headed back to Venice for a day of sightseeing.
We started at St. Mark’s Square and Basilica. (the city’s cathedral dating back to the 9th century.) It was AMAZING!! (If you are a Disney fan than you will recognize the Bell Tower which is the tallest structure in the city)
We also walked through the streets (they were like a maze) and visited the Rialto Bridge with an amazing view of the Grand Canal. After some shopping (I got a leather purse) we headed back to the ship and left Venice about 5pm! On to our next stop!!
Day 6- Croatia
We docked a little later in the morning so I was up with my coffee and watched us arrive! It was Beautiful!!
We boarded a bus for an excursion to the Krka National Park waterfalls and it was breathtaking. We walked around a trail that took us all around and above the waterfalls. You might want to note that there are a lot of stairs and walking at this park.
Our excursion was a 2 parter so next we headed (with some great scenic views) to a cute little Croatian town called Skradin. We walked around here for about 45 minutes and were able to do some shopping and get snacks. This was our one night in Croatia but you may want to stay longer. It is such a beautiful country!
Want to hear more about our Excursion? Check out my blog post all about it here:
Day 7- Bari, Italy
This cute town is off the east coast on the Adriatic sea. We took a walking tour of the town and learned all about St. Nicholas (or father Christmas.) It was so interesting!!!
Next up~ Basilica di San Nicola where many Christians took pilgrimages here to visit St. Nicholas’s remains. He was revered for his generosity and help of the poor and protector of women. We were here during the mourning period of Pope Francis so it was it was both a little somber and crowded than usual but an honor to be there during that time.
At the end of our tour we stopped at an Italian restaurant and sampled some really good pasta. Bari is known for their amazing cuisine.
Day 8- Crotone, Italy
This was a self guided tour so we were able to explore on our own. We actally walked over to the beach and ate lunch on the pier at a cute restaurant. (it was a great place to take pictures too.). They had some good shopping and we walked to a church and also were able to tour a archeological museum.
Day 9 – Sicily, Italy
This was a really fun day. Sicily is so pretty and we took a tour bus to the near by town of Taormina. If you are a fan of the TV show “White Lotus” then you will recognize this town from the Italy season. There was so much great shopping that we pretty much spent most the time in the stores.
I also ate my favorite gelato of the trip at Don Peppinu. (Go to the back of the store where you find the cutest courtyard to sit and enjoy the tasty treat.)
Before we left the town we walked to a lookout point and got some amazing pictures. The weather was a little overcast with rain so that was probably the only bummer ~ but we will just have to go back someday!
Day 10: Capri, Italy
This was my favorite day of the whole trip. Capri was absolutely beautiful and we had picture perfect weather.
From Naples we took a ferryboat and then a tram up to the top of the island where the town center is located. We walked to the back of the island to Via Krupp ~ a walkway down to the water with the most amazing views!!!
We had to try the frozen lemonade ~ you know the island is famous for it’s lemons. We then headed to Via Camerelle which is the shopping avenue with prestigious stores.
Other things to do in Capri:
*Rent a boat to see the Blue Grotto. *Ride a chairlift to the top of Mount Soloaro *Visit the beautiful Gardens of Augustus.
Capri has several Boutique hotels to stay in ~ I plan to go back and spend several days next time. This was the one place on our trip I was truly sad to leave.
Day 11: Rome Day 1
The week on the Viking Ship went so fast. It was time to disembark and head to Rome. We loved our cruise ~ For more on our Viking Cruise adventures I will have a post about our ship later.
We took a tour of the Vatican Museum, St Peter’s Square and the Cathedral. We were actually there the day Pope Leo was announced which was one of the most amazing events of my life. We had just left St. Peter’s Square heading to dinner and witnessed everyone running to the Square. Nuns, Priests were running down the street. It was so cool!
For dinner we found a small Italian mom and pop restaurant recommended by a local and it was fantastic. (Best idea is to ask locals for food recommendations) We sat there and watched on TV as they presented the new Pope and he came out on the balcony to speak. The restaurant owners were so excited we were from American because that is where Pope Leo is from.
Day 12: Rome Day 2
In the morning we headed to the Colosseum and Forum. We bought tickets online a few months before. (Make sure you go to a reputable website as sometimes there are scam websites).
We had a great day touring both areas. We only spent about 4 hours but could have spent a lot more. The Forum was huge!
Pro Tip: Make sure to pack water and sunscreen (especially in the warmer months) because you will do a lot of walking and it gets HOT.
After another wonderful meal (recommended by a local again) we headed to the Trevi Fountain. We also enjoyed Gelato and ended our trip at the Spanish Steps. This was really cool at night!
Day 13: Back to the US
We ended our trip with a smooth flight home to the US from Rome.
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Final Thoughts: Making Your Germany–Italy–Croatia Trip Unforgettable
This itinerary was the perfect mix of adventure, leisure times and rich with old world history. You can follow this itinerary with a cruise or go on your own adventure renting cars and Airbnbs. Have you been to Europe before? Share an itinerary you enjoyed in the comments.
