Hi everyone

My next trip - 16 nights in late May/early June, starting and ending in Munich, and visiting as many scenic parts of the Alps as I can fit in, in that time!

I plan to drive the Grossglockner and then down into the Dolomites, over to Lake Como, up into Switzerland, over to France, back through Switzerland... and try to at least pass through Leichtenstein while doing so!

Maybe best of all - I will be doing this in a new BMW - I'm taking delivery of it in Munich through BMW's wonderful buying program.

Any tips on great drives, scenic villages would be welcomed!

Here's a few recent Fodor's threads which might be helpful:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=2
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=2
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=2

Oops, the links don't work. The titles of the threads are:
What is the best road to drive in Alps?
Milan to Lake Hallstatt
Driving from Farmisch to Lake Como

What fun ! Can I tag along and navigate?
Get a good map and let me brainstorm some of my favorite destinations in that loop. You will not have time for all, but you pick the ones that attract you--in that time I would pick 6:
Oberammergau[Bavaria]
Hallstatt[ Salzkammergut]
Castelrotto/Ortisei[Dolomites/Val Gardena]
Orta San Giulio[Italy lakes]
Kandestag[Swiss Alps]
Grindelwald[Berner Oberland
Annecy[ French Alps]

That is a good start---you pick the routes and the timing.
If you opt for Lake Como then stay on the west shore and make Luzern your next stop before the Berner Oberland. Have a great trip !

Caodog, thanks, I've been researching there as well and I've bookmarked those!

Bob, thank you! I'm trying to firm up a sort-of itinerary - which will be "pass-dependent" as well - trying to max out on the beautiful passes.

So far it kind of looks like:

Two nights Munich, pick up car.
One night Zell am See, next morning Grossglockner all day.
One night Heiligenblut
Two nights in the Dolomites (Castelrotto or Bolzano?)
The day we leave the Dolomites, we will take the Stelvio Pass, into Switzerland - maybe stay one night near St. Moritz (I visited Pontresina a few years ago...)
Two nights in Varenna (maybe 3 nights?)
Two nights in the Mont Blanc area (Chamonix? Annecy?)
One night in Vevey - since it is so close to Annecy/Chamonix, we can actually see a fair bit of it with only one night, since we'd arrive early and could leave the next day as we wished.
Three nights in the Berner Oberland - unless of course we head out early enough to see Neuschwanstein, maybe a night in Fussen.

Last night must be Munich.

We have to go through the Grand St. Bernard Pass - trying to figure out where that ties in, after Varenna. (and the Grand St. Bernard Hospice)

I'm still researching the other "must-see" passes and so on.

We'd be up for light hiking in the area, too. Still thinking about this, but it's taking shape finally.

OK, some tweaks:

I hope this thread becomes something useful for later travelers trying to decide on a driving route.

I haven't narrowed down routes quite yet and when I do, I'll post back. I also need to think of backup routes in case we get socked in and can't do the higher stuff.

I'm now thinking, timewise:

2 nights Munich
1 night Zell am See, before the Grossglockner.
3 nights Dolomites (will visit Heiligenblut, with the extra daylight we can make the Castelrotto (?) area before dark I think...)
Stelvio Pass experience
3 or 4 nights in Varenna (Lake Como)
Grand St. Bernard pass, on the way to Vevey (or environs, not sure where yet).
1 or maybe 2 nights Vevey
3 nights in the Berner Oberland
Last night in Munich.

I'm thinking I might be able to be flexible on timing and not reserve every single night ahead of time - although in Varenna we have to stay at the Eremo Gaudio again, it was magnificent.