Visiting Germany, suggestions needed

The SWMBO and I along with another couple will be spending a few weeks in Germany this summer. We are flying into Frankfurt, but from there we are unsure of what to do. We haven't decided yet where to fly home from either. The only stipulation we have is that everyone wants to see the Alps. I know many of you live in or have lived in Germany or make frequent trips. We're not really interested in tourist traps but also don't want to miss seeing anything that would be worth visiting. Any and all suggestions are appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Do a beer tour while there.

One of the best experiences I've had was a trip to Bamberg and taking a tour of the Weyermann® Malzfabrik facility. I have toured dozens of breweries, large and small, but this is the first time I had ever visited a maltings. If you're able to swing up there, do it. They have details on their web site regarding tours. And while in town, take in a couple of the local smoked beers... There is a web site or two documenting the best places to visit in Bamberg.

Also, it's not to far from Rothenburg ob der Tauber, which is a beautiful place to visit-- one of the best preserved medieval towns in the world.

A couple years ago I flew into Paris and drove south along the French-German border to the Italian border. Then into the Italian Dolomites and continued east through the lake region.

You could do something similar but continue through the Alps. Garnish-Partenkirken is home to the Zugspitz, the highest mountain in Germany.

There's also Castle Neuschwanstien in Hohenschwangau that is in a by cool area.

It's great that you're thinking of returning from a different city, but it complicates things a bit with rental cars. No problem if you're taking the trains.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out!

Take the train from Frankfurt to Cologne - very scenic, and there you are right in Koelsch country and just a few minutes away from Duesseldorf Alt country as well.

Germany is a big country. Don't try to cover too much ground in one trip. If you are heading to the Alps, that puts you in Bavaria. Munich is a must, of course. It's only about 2 hours by car or train to Salzburg. Nurnberg is an interesting city, with lots of medieval history and a really cool castle perched atop a hill in the center of the city. Bamberg is not far from there, home of rauchbier. The Regensburg area has Roggenbier, something hard to find in the U.S. Lots of beer-related things to do.

You might want to take the train from Cologne to Nurnberg, the one that goes along the Rhine river. You'll see plenty of countryside, with the ruins of a couple ancient castles on the hilltops along the way. It's better in autumn, because of the golden colors of the trees & the sun being reflected in the water, but it's nice in summer too.

The kolsch in Cologne is very tasty & not to be missed. In Nurnberg, the Nurnberger wurst is sooo tasty! The city is full of history, from the Nurnberg castle, (you can still see & touch bullet holes from WW2 in some places) to the St. Lorenz kirche church in old town Nurnberg.
I don't know if it's still there or not, but there used to be a pub called the Baerleiner that was within a few blocks of St Lorenz Kirche, not far from Weisser turm; they had the best alt beer ever; but that was 30 years ago. In summer, there will be a fest of some sort at least once a month, with rides, beer & food. Stop in at the guest-houses, they'll oftentimes have some of the best food & drink.

Neuschwanstein Castle is not to be missed, and if you're going to southern Germany, Munich is a must, as is the Black Forest Open Air Museum near Hausach; it's a place that has people doing things like wood carving, clock making, and daily life from the 1500's to the 1700's, well worth the trip.

Here's a tip I learned when I was there: if you buy a German one beer, he'll most likely buy you two. Try to speak a little bit of the language, the locals will be much more inclined to talk with you and/or help you; they might even invite you into their homes if you are able to carry on a conversation. Hope you have a great trip!
Regards, GF.

That one castle on the hill in Nurnburg sits in the middle of the Nurbergring, the most famous of all Grand Prix tracks. There's a pub nearby that's supposed to have good food & beer from what I saw. They have track tours as well. The track is still in use for sports car racing & the like,with open track days for some 10 marks a lap. I watched my first GP race from their,where Fangio won in 1957.

Castle Neuschwanstien in Hohenschwangau was a big waste of time and money in my opinion. There are only a few rooms that are finished that you can see. Its not exactly on the highway either so it will take a good bit of time, and money to see. Buy a postcard and call that one covered.

I really enjoyed the Zeppelin Museum (Hindenburg and Graf Zeppelin not Led) which is in Friedrichshafen, right on lake Constance which is also nice.

Rent a Mercedes or BMW and Drive the Autobahn. Others can probably elaborate better that I, but there is a pecking order based on what kind of car you have on the autobahn. When I was there traffic in the slow lane was motoring along about 100-120.

Dachau is just outside Munich Not exactly a happy place, but something people should see.

I drove From Munich down to Innsbruck its a nice drive thru the alps. Garmisch-Partenkirchen is along the way and a nice place, good Christmas decoration shopping there.

Neuschwanstein is worth a drive by if you're in the area. I wouldn't devote a half day to it but its a very impressive sight. The views of it from the surrounding area is the real draw.

Travel is like beer, we each have our likes and dislikes. All I'll say is don't let anyone tell you what you must see or what isn't worth your time. Some of the best times I've had was when things didn't go according to plan.

Frankly, Munich holds no attraction for me but that's just an example of different tastes.

You're heading to one of the most beautiful areas of the world, you'll never see all of it, so enjoy what you can and don't run yourselves ragged. The cool stuff has been there for a thousand years or so, it'll still be there a few years from now for your next visit.

As a natural born German I feel I can comment here Below are a few areas and what they have to offer. In general your best way of transportation will be by train.



Go to Cologne for sure. They have a Biermuseum which serves a ton of different beers (http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaura...iermuseum-Cologne_North_Rhine_Westphalia.html). As others mentioned, there are tons of breweries in Cologne, Düsseldorf, and Dortmund. You can get back and forth via public transport and each city has its own flair.

If you like it more scenic you should go to the Ahrtal which is a nice vineyard area. It's close to the former capital of Germany, Bonn. Many old towns and villages there.

Berlin is a must if you like it big. Enjoy your liters of Berliner Weisse, preferably with "Schuss". The Berlin Zoo is pretty awesome as are the historic monuments and buildings. Maybe you'll even run into Matt Damon

Stay in the South if you like mountains and more farms. Most of the hops farms are there too. Look into Tübingen, Stuttgart, etc. Exquisite landscapes!

Then of course there's Munich and Bavaria in General.

When I visited friends and family several years back I drove: Frankfurt --> Lohmar --> Rottenburg --> Munich --> Düsseldorf --> Wilhelmshaven --> Düsseldorf all in 3 days. No fun but possible

Send me a PM if you want to chat more and I'll be glad to share my wisdom

The best part of Germany is that it's close to Belgium.

It depends on what you're looking for, but Germany has a lot to offer, aside from beer related places. The alps are beautiful and there's a lot of nice scenery once you get out of the cities. Visitors like to see cities, varies industries, architecture, historical places, mountains, lakes, rivers, shore lines, etc. It's all there. The beauty of Europe is that travelling 50-100 miles can transport you to an entirely different environment, even different cultures or countries.

But seriously, for a beer brewer, and having several weeks, I'd consider a trip through Belgium and visit some of its 140+ breweries.

From Germany you can easily travel to and through Switzerland, Italy, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark etc. and experience Western Europe in 2-3 weeks. And there's something in it for all of you travelling together.

Just to add, it's been ten years since I've driven the autobahn but do everyone a favor and research the hell out of it before you give it a try.

Driving in Germany, and in Europe in general, is a different animal than it is here. It's taken very seriously.

Ten years ago, the BMW's were the cruise missiles. I probably got passed by fifty of them for every Porsche.

And stay the hell out of the left lane!

Rhumbline said:

Just to add, it's been ten years since I've driven the autobahn but do everyone a favor and research the hell out of it before you give it a try.

Driving in Germany, and in Europe in general, is a different animal than it is here. It's taken very seriously.

Ten years ago, the BMW's were the cruise missiles. I probably got passed by fifty of them for every Porsche.

And stay the hell out of the left lane!

Click to expand...

+1 on staying out of the left lane of the Autobahn. It is intended only for passing, and as soon as there's a space to merge right you must do so. You can be ticketed for lingering in the passing lane. You will also have fast drivers flashing their headlamps and flipping you off. No matter how fast you go somebody will want to go faster.

However, the places where you can really open it up on the Autobahn are getting more and more scarce. Even on rural stretches there will be lots of traffic. And trucks. Due to the EU there has been an explosion of international semi truck traffic. Watch out for the overloaded, junky semis from eastern Europe. I've seen quite a few scary-looking trailers weaving back and forth due to poor load-balancing.

Rail travel is very efficient and you can almost set your watch by arrivals and departures. Second-class tickets are much cheaper than first class and the seats are still quite comfortable and roomy. Intercity trains travel over 100 MPH, and the French TGV can approach 180 in some stretches.

English is widely spoken, but learn some basics in German if you don't know some already. Even uttering rudimentary "cave man" German will help break the ice and people will respond favorably. Chances are, the German person will start conversing with you in English after that. Most people are friendly and willing to help if you show some initiative to communicate.

Don't be an "ugly American" and talk about how things are "done back home." Embrace the fact that the way of life is different there and don't be afraid to try new things and listen to new points of view.

See sights, eat good food, drink good beer, meet the locals. You will have a blast! Enjoy your trip, and don't forget to share lots of pics.

"Hello", "good bye", "please", and "thank you". And of course "2 beers please". In whatever language is appropriate for the country you are in really goes a long way with the locals.

Leave your tennis shoes at home, unless you are going for a run while on vacation.
Don't ask for Ice.
Be prompt. If something starts at 12:00, that means that at 12:01 you are late.

Rothenburg ob der Tauber Is a interesting old city surrounded by city walls, I enjoyed spending a afternoon walking around.

If you have someone in your family was in Germany during WW2, see if you can figure out where they were, and go there. Or if your family came from Germany see if you can get a idea where and visit. Always good to get a dose of your own history, as well as the local culture.

I'd like to do that someday myself. My dad's side is from Upper Bavaria,a decent size city that the wall ran right through the middle of. I forget the name,but it's around Wurtemburg someplace. My ancestor's grandpa Kroeger was some kind of warlord. He was deeded some 3 counties of land around Corley,WV,& our family's mountain is roughly in the middle of it. We've been here since 1734. I'd love to see if he had a castle or other,& maybe a painting of him. Haven't found much info besides his lifespan from 1600-1684....

I was stationed just south of Cologne for 3 years. If you're going south to the Alps, make a trip to see the Eagle's Nest. It's touristy, but one of the most scenic places I have ever been. Munich has Oktoberfest if you happen to be there at the right time. Chiemsee is a lake with 2 islands, one has a monestary where they make a kirche (sp?) and the other has a copy of Versailles Palace. If you get off the autobahn, there are many little catsles, breweries and wineries to visit all over. Enjoy, I am jealous. Post a trip report when you get back so we can all live vicariously through you!

http://www.kehlsteinhaus.de/en/index.php

http://en.chiemsee-alpenland.de/

Thank you everyone for the very thorough replies! I've got lots of great info to get me going now. Talking with the other couple, after our week in Frankfurt I think we'll head up to Cologne on the train for a few days, then off to Nurnberg/Bamberg for another few days and then on to Munich. We'll try to find a place to stay in a suburb town of Munich and rent a car to do day trips around Bavaria and to see the mountains. That should expose us to plenty of sights and beers without spoiling our relaxed "vacation mode" mental state. As much as I would love to spend time in Belgium (and kicking myself for not going when I had the chance on my company's dime), I'd rather save that for a separate trip than to try cramming it into this one. No matter what we end up doing, I'm sure we'll have a blast and I'll definitely share some pics and report back on how it went. Thanks again!

Funny that someone said "Don't ask for ice." +1, you won't find it. You also won't find "still" water; it's all carbonated and room temperature. That was the hardest thing for me. Learn a few phrases in German, that definitely helps. The only thing I can add that I haven't read so far is that I stayed in a couple tiny "gasthauses" (bed & breakfasts) in Bayern area, and each made their own beer... and OH MY GAWWWWWD WAS IT GOOD!!!!! Dunkel and helles lagers are what I found, and unbelievably good! By the way, I'm jealous as helle! Have fun! Oh, if you want to see a cool, beautiful, creepy gothic church, complete with gargoyles, see if Freiburg is within reach. Prost!

Keith66 said:

Funny that someone said "Don't ask for ice." +1, you won't find it. You also won't find "still" water; it's all carbonated and room temperature. That was the hardest thing for me. Learn a few phrases in German, that definitely helps. The only thing I can add that I haven't read so far is that I stayed in a couple tiny "gasthauses" (bed & breakfasts) in Bayern area, and each made their own beer... and OH MY GAWWWWWD WAS IT GOOD!!!!! Dunkel and helles lagers are what I found, and unbelievably good! By the way, I'm jealous as helle! Have fun! Oh, if you want to see a cool, beautiful, creepy gothic church, complete with gargoyles, see if Freiburg is within reach. Prost!

Click to expand...

These two highlighted comments are definitely wrong. The reason why you don't want ice is because in Germany you don't get free refills and restaurants save a lot of money by putting ice in your cup instead of soda. This might not be as applicable in nicer establishments but definitely at fast food places. You can get all kinds of carbonation levels of water ranging from still (most likely French) to very fizzy. They all should come chilled and not at room temperature.

However, I can agree that Freiburg is worth visiting

funnycreature said:

These two highlighted comments are definitely wrong. The reason why you don't want ice is because in Germany you don't get free refills and restaurants save a lot of money by putting ice in your cup instead of soda. This might not be as applicable in nicer establishments but definitely at fast food places. You can get all kinds of carbonation levels of water ranging from still (most likely French) to very fizzy. They all should come chilled and not at room temperature. [snip]

Click to expand...

Unless things have changed, pretty much everywhere in Europe you don't get [EDIT] free refills on anything. You get small glasses of soda (by US standards) and small cups of coffee, unless you order a "Café Grande" (France or Belgium). Most places won't serve you water by default, you'll have to ask for it, and when you do they'll typically bring you a bottle of "mineral water" not something from the faucet. And it will be on your tab. You may as well get a beer instead

Knowing this, you will find a few places that offer bottomless cups of coffee.

funnycreature said:

These two highlighted comments are definitely wrong.

Click to expand...

Apparently your experience was different than mine, which is neither wrong nor right, simply different. When I asked for water in a restaurant or someone's home, I received carbonated mineral water without ice, sometimes refrigerated, never "ice cold" as is typical in the US. I once specifically asked for non-carbonated water with ice cubes, then got a look that said "Oh, you're an American." Certainly motivates one to request beer the next time. Maybe my experience was the exception. Drink beer, problem solved.

As Keith66 said, most of the privately owned "Gasthausen" or "Zimmer und Frühstück" (B&B) are a good find. Typically you stay in their spare/guest rooms, sometimes a dedicated part of the home. Again, unless Europe has caught on with the American way, Bed & Breakfasts are generally not the lavish $$$ get-aways you find here.

Small, privately owned hotels/motels are the next level, followed by Holiday Inns and the likes with Hiltons, Marriotts, Sakuras, etc. at the top of the range.

If you'll be in Bavaria, there's a cool town that is famous for wood carving. It's called Oberammergau. It's pretty close to Neuschwanstein Castle. Every building in town is a typical timber frame structure with murals painted on the stucco. They have a brewery in town in a hotel. There is a cool church nearby that had cows roaming trough the front yard. Also been to Dachau, it's not pleasant but worth a trip. Rhine river cruises are pretty cool, you can see lots of old castles and vineyards on the hillsides.

3 years ago me, my wife and our 5 month old daughter went to Europe for a month. Best trip of my life.

We landed in Amsterdam, bought a Eurorail pass. We backpacked the entire month with the exception of taking a cab on the Italian train companies dime when their train broke down in the middle of nowhere one evening. We stayed at hostels that had semi private rooms the entire trip.

From Amsterdam we went to Bruges, then embarked on a trip to Westvleteren, to find that nobody knew how to get there and once we were there, it was closed ! Still a totally delightful trip, which included spending a night in a small castle in some tiny beautiful little town.

If you go to Westvleteren, check when it is open. If its not officially open, they will not allow you in at all. Nothing to do but sit beside the road, except that there is a wonderful countryside nature trail nearby. We did that for a couple hours.

If not driving, I think the expedient way to get there is to take the train to Poperinge and then a bus will take you to Westvleteren. You then call the bus and they will pick you up ! But don't take my word for any of this - call before hand. BTW, nobody in Bruges knows Westvleteren exists, even though the bars there have about 20 delicous beers on hand.

The tiny beautiful town with the castle was probably Roeselare, but it could have been any in the region. They all have stunning churches, beauiful countryside, great bars, etc.

I loved the Antwerp train station.

I don't know what was better in Belgium; the breakfasts or the beer. Or the food for that matter.

Highlight of that part of the trip was riding the trains while drinking the beer (and wine), watching the beautiful countryside zip by, meeting the locals. Or was it having dinner in a platz ?

Anyway... Germany... we came to Germany via Italy and Switzerland. Switzerland was beautiful, scenery wise, but the food and beer were terrible after being in Belgium and Italy. I'm not a foodie or anything, but honestly after what we were treated to in those countries, Switzerland was terrible. And fairly expensive too.

On to Germany... we started in Munich, IIRC. Many good beers there, lots of history. Really a nice city. Lots of war history if you are into that sort of thing. The highlight of all of Germany was Bamberg. Stunning. So much history. There is a brewing museum there.

There was this little brewpub on some side street with its 3 barrel system in a stone building with rustic planked benches and wooden arches. They didn't make outstanding beer, but it was pretty good and the experience of it all - the town, the beer, the buildings, all the history - was just overwhelming.

FYI, the beer of the Bamberg area is Rauchbeir, ie smoked beer. Its an aquired taste that I don't like. They are very fond and proud of it. They brew other beers there, but not predominenty. I think there are over a dozen breweries in and around Bamburg.

The train rides through the German country side were fantastic.

We then went on to Frankfurt which was also really nice.

We took a night train from Frankfurt to Paris. That was a mistake. Very uncomfortable, almost no sleep at all. Should have spent the night in Frankfurt and taken a day train to Paris.

Tip: make sure you take along a mobile device that is good for viewing maps that you can put a SIM chip in with a local carrier. Access to telephone service is paramount when planning things on the fly and maps and train schedules are essential to efficient travel. I think something like a Samsung Note II would be perfect. Phones are a little small. A tablet would be good, but it either needs to tether to a phone or have data service. We didn't find a lot of good Wifi service outside of the major cities.

I would pick some regions based on what you want to see and plan for some accomodations and wing the rest. I think over planning a trip ruins it. Winging it makes for a bit of stress at times, but allows lots of flexibility.

Backpacking is a great way to travel. The locals in all these countries are very friendly.

I have pictures if you want to see them. PM me if you have questions.

Hope this helps.

One more tip, if you haven't already done so, contact your credit card company and tell them your travel plans.

Same with your bank if you plan on using ATM's. ask both what their policies are regarding service fees or you might get an ugly surprise. I've seen many people frustrated when their cards were shut down.

Bank of America has a great policy for ATM withdrawals. Fees are minimal and you get the actual exchange rate for that day.

Have a great trip.

Here's what I'd do, no doubt:
(although you couldn't drag me with you....I'd probably never want to leave)

Google Map directions from frankfurt to Garmisch, with stops

Rent a car. Head south out of Frankfurt to Heidelburg for lunch and maybe a tour of the castle, if there is time. Lots of good pubs in town (college town),

Head south to Freiburg, the gateway to the Black Forest, from here on is a scenic feast.

Keep going to Titesee and Feldberg. Beautiful area. Great people. The spot on the map is actually a great Gasthaus in Feldberg: Schwarzwaldgasthof Adler (Hotel Adler). Enjoy a meal of local catch wild board and venison, or trout from local streams. Stay at the gasthaus, if there's room, if not there are a lot of hotels in the area (it's a ski town). I've never gone anywhere in Germany with reservations. That kills the fun. Nothing like walking up to a gasthaus at 1:00AM drunk throwing money at a 80 year old woman. They usually feel sorry for you and treat you extra nice.

Next day, head east and enjoy the scenery of the Boden See as you head to Neuschwanstein Castle (tourist trap but worth the trip).

After that, keep going east to Garmisch. Lots of hotels there, tour the Zugspitz just 5-minutes south of town (there's a cable car that takes you to a ski house on the peak).

The directions stop there. Head south to Innsbruck or north to Munich, or both! They're not far.


It's easy to get around Germany with a good map. All the roads go right to the center of each town and roads are well marked. Buy a road atlas.

If using your fingers to show numbers to order beers, remember your thumb is 1, the rest of your fingers are 2-5. If you just show your pointer finger, trying to order one, you're likely going to get 2.

What?!? No mention of the Kreuzberg monastery yet?

It may be a bit off your course if you're planning on a more southerly trip, but if you're heading north from Frankfurt at all, veer a bit to the east. Just to the southeast of Fulda there is a town called Wildflicken, and a mountain peak called the Kreuzberg. Just below mountain peak is a monastery, Kloster Kreuzberg, which should be Mecca for any beer enthusiast. The monks brew the beer, and there is a biergarten on site where you can enjoy some delicious food and some of the delicious brew these Holymen make.

I would commit any number of various offenses in order to get another sip of this nectar of the gods.

Don't confuse the Kreuzberg peak with the town of Kreuzberg. I believe that is much further to the Northeast, near Berlin.

chawagi said:

What?!? No mention of the Kreuzberg monastery yet?

It may be a bit off your course if you're planning on a more southerly trip, but if you're heading north from Frankfurt at all, veer a bit to the east. Just to the southeast of Fulda there is a town called Wildflicken, and a mountain peak called the Kreuzberg. Just below mountain peak is a monastery, Kloster Kreuzberg, which should be Mecca for any beer enthusiast. The monks brew the beer, and there is a biergarten on site where you can enjoy some delicious food and some of the delicious brew these Holymen make.

I would commit any number of various offenses in order to get another sip of this nectar of the gods.

Don't confuse the Kreuzberg peak with the town of Kreuzberg. I believe that is much further to the Northeast, near Berlin.

Click to expand...

+1,000,000,000!!! Been there, done that, got the 1 liter clay stein to prove it! (It was full of beer when I got it.) Most holy of brews! Well worth the trip!

Drink lots of beer and have a great time!

Keith66 said:

+1,000,000,000!!! Been there, done that, got the 1 liter clay stein to prove it! (It was full of beer when I got it.) Most holy of brews! Well worth the trip!

Click to expand...

Frig ! Now I have to go back. Shucks. I hate it when I mess up and have to do things over...

Airplanedoc said:

Rothenburg ob der Tauber Is a interesting old city surrounded by city walls, I enjoyed spending a afternoon walking around.

Click to expand...

I gotta second this one. My first wife, Anja, was from Rothenberg o.d. Tauber, and I used to love spending the weekends there when we were dating. There's a gorgeous park at the edge of the town where you can look off the wall to the valley below, not to mention the Town square clock that honors the story of how Rothenburg won some kind of conflict by it's mayor beating the enemy leader in a drinking contest (There's no cuckoo, the windows open and the two mechanical men chug liters of wine).

Then there's the Saint James Kirche (church) which is a beautiful church from the 1500's with a hand carved wooden Triptych on the altar showing three stages of Christ's life, and a crystal that supposedly contains a drop of Christ's blood. I'm an Atheist, and this church was awe inspiring even to me just by the sheer history you can almost feel when you enter this church.

Also, the Kathe Wohlfahrt Christmas Market is neat to walk around even if you don't buy anything. You can visit the Crime museum where you can see the old forms of torture and control that were used on criminals in the middle ages.

Then to satisfy your sweet tooth you can enjoy a Schneeballen (Snowball), a local pastry delicacy that was invented in Rothenberg.

Weezy said:

Nothing like walking up to a gasthaus at 1:00AM drunk throwing money at a 80 year old woman. They usually feel sorry for you and treat you extra nice.

Click to expand...

Wanna bet ? Try travelling with a cute 5 month old infant ! Every woman aged 20 to 70 wants to stop see the baby and talk and give you tips and... you name it. Especially the Italian women.

Did I mention that half the women in Europe are supermodel material ??? My lasting impression of Amsterdam is supermodels on bicycles.

brewman ! said:

...

Did I mention that half the women in Europe are supermodel material ??? My lasting impression of Amsterdam is supermodels on bicycles.

Click to expand...

I was thinking that maybe I was deluding myself after my first visit to Italy. It seemed that every woman I saw was just stunning. I mean supermodel stunning. they seem to have that aura of confidence that turns me on.

I marked it down to travel honeymoon phase but I swear that I didn't see a homely woman anywhere in the country, except the obvious American women.

I will always remember sitting along the Arno river in Florence and hearing an Italian woman just ripping a guy to shreds verbally. I've no idea what she was saying, but I'd pay to have her give me hell like that.

Of course, the Germans are a much more subdued group, The op won't be subjected to any of that.

You have to have a beer in Hofbrauhaus in Munich. Touristy--yes. Fun, absolutely. I also recommend a short Rhine Cruise starting in Bingen. Stop in the towns along the way and visit the weinstubes. Berg Eltz is a castle close to the Mosel that is worth a stop. If you can find a fest, go. I liked Heidelberg. Lots of shops,bars and restaurants. The Vetters Brew Pub was memorable. Great country. Friendly people. Would love to go back.

masonsjax said:

The SWMBO and I along with another couple will be spending a few weeks in Germany this summer. We are flying into Frankfurt, but from there we are unsure of what to do. We haven't decided yet where to fly home from either. The only stipulation we have is that everyone wants to see the Alps. I know many of you live in or have lived in Germany or make frequent trips. We're not really interested in tourist traps but also don't want to miss seeing anything that would be worth visiting. Any and all suggestions are appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Click to expand...

Lucky you..

My suggestion as a person who has never been to Germany is... have fun.

If you get a chance go here: http://www.woinemer-hausbrauerei.de/ It's my favorite home brewery. I still have and use a growler from there. They serve great food and fantastic beer. It's between Frankfurt and Heidelberg. BTW Heidelberg is a great city. I recommend it.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

Looking at these websites reminds me of something... I got the impression that German people are less apt to speak English than people from France, Belgium and Italy.

My wife is multi lingual and we were almost never stuck for lack of being able to communicate with the locals in these countries, but I seem to recall that it was the most difficult in Germany. Some Germans have very good English. But I found that many don't.

I'm not one to talk as I only speak English, and some people doubt even that !

I don't really have much to add to what has already been said. Just wanted to say the mrs and I went in 2011 and it was awesome. Even touristy as it was Nueschwannstein Castle has pretty cool views. Here is one from the castle courtyard to a bridge behind the castle. The bridge is the thin line near the top of the photo.


And then of course one from the bridge to the castle.


One over the side of said bridge just because I LOVE heights so much....


The architecture and artworks were fabulous. Our tour guide called it an ABC tour another bloody castle, another bloody church.

Here is a statue of St.George fighting a dragon I found wandering around Berlin one day looking for nothing specific to occupy myself.


My point was whatever you find yourself doing there is always something nearby that is fun/pleasurable to experience. We went from Frankfurt to Remagen, Cologne, Berlin, Munich, Leipzig, Nuremberg, Oberammergau, and quite a few other places and was not bored or looking for something to occupy ourselves with. Even on the go go go we had a blast. No matter what plans you make it will be an awesome time.


Sent from somewhere to someone

Eisenach. Former East Germany. A few things I remember from there: Wartburg Castle, great biergarten in the town below the castle (Thuringen?), Johan S Bach's home (great tour), some church to do with Martin Luther (not King of course), WWII bullet holes in dilapidated plain gray buildings from communist days, very historic, very interesting! Worth the trip. Not too far from Kreuzberg Monastery and some of the best beer I've ever tasted! Eisenach. Look it up.