AisleSeat

My vote would be Munich. There are things to do, see and experience there for 3 days, you can take day tours to Ludwig's castles and there is a big airport there that will get you home to Chicago by way of one of the entry points like Copenhagen, London or Amsterdam.

librarianlady

Forget roughing it in an apt. Stay at the Hotel Zugspitze. Here's the info on the long handled shoe horn they give you: Hotel Zugspitze Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Klammstrasse 19 Phone 08821/901-0 Fax 08821/901-333. I know that they have a website. I stayed there in late March in 2003 and it was great. It is a "Wellness Center", fairly small, with a spectacular pool (indoors, but opening onto a small garden), 4 kinds of saunas, great locker/shower rooms and lots of facials, massages, etc....if you go that way. My room had a balcony overlooking the Zugspitze and everything was clean and bright. They have a wonderful breakfast and low-key, but friendly staff. It was one block from the main streets of shopping and restuarants. I think that they had two "apt. units" next to the main building. Consider a day trip to Innsbruck, Aust. - I had just come from there, but I think that I saw info posted about day bus trips and Innsbruck is a little jewel and the 90 minute drive is too lovely for words. Or, you can take a day trip to Fuessen and visit Ludwig's digs. I love Bavaria and can't wait to go back. Enjoy.

rhkkmk

to me bertchesgaden would be fantastic...salzburg is nearby and the area is lovely especially in the fall...

jonathanrhunt

I was in a small town called Staufen, that is located in the Black Forrest, for three days in the summer of 2004. This is a great small wine growing town that has a lot of charm. It is near the larger town of Freiburg that also has a lot to see.