[Travel] Places to visit and stay in Germany

[Lethargic]

Would go via the Moselle valley for the vineyards and to Koblenz and then Cologne.

Good shout, follow the Rhine before getting to Koblenz (A61) and head down into the Rhine valley for any of the smaller villages which are spectacular with their small castles over looking the vineyards and river. Before that you have the Black Forest which is great although it will be bloody cold at this time of year but city wise there is Baden Baden.
Avoid Karlsruhe, dirty industrial city and I found Bonn a bit bland.

 

[Hastings gull]

Thanks for suggestions - we’ve been to Berlin before and have plans for Hamburg. We’ve done most of Belgium and Northern France before. So maybe we’ll do 3 days in Black Forest and the 3 days in Cologne

Yes, go to Freiburg. Take the cable car up to the Black Forest hills, enjoy the famous gateau and you will also love the old town. The lake at Titisee is worth a visit and you could climb -or take the cable car -to the top of the Feldberg. Then on your way home, turn towards Luxemburg (at Karlsruhe) and fill up there. Fuel is much cheaper there and you can then avoid the French tolls. Karlsruhe -A65 to Landau, then B10 to Luxemburg (short but very pretty stretch non motorway) then around Lux. to Namur -Lille -Dunkirk. It will save you about £50.00.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

The lake at Titisee is worth a visit

Come on, surely it's not just me

 

[Hastings gull]

Come on, surely it's not just me

Don't lower the tone . ..

 

[Lady Whistledown]

If you're able to spend some time in Bavaria, you could take her here https://zugspitze.de/en/Our-mountain-worlds/The-areas/Mount-Wank

In the words of the local tourism bureau: if you're after "leisurely mountain hikes with impressive views, the Wank is the first choice".

Ideal with your lovely wife, or indeed as a solo adventure.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Don't lower the tone . ..

Awkward. Didn't see this until after my next post

 

[zefarelly]

Come on, surely it's not just me

My only experience of German lakes is Chiemsee, its lovely there . . . The company I worked for Kock Hightex were Just up the road . . .in Rimsting

 

[mile oak]

Lubeck.

 

[Blue3]

If you like Roman history the city of Trier is well worth a visit it has the black tower the only remaining complete Roman tower and the palace of Constantine a diversion to the Rhine Gorge the Upper Middle Rhine Valley then a short drive around 1.5 hours to the river Neckar and Heidelberg With its castle and palaces, the Black Forest then onto Munich iabout 3 hours down the road

 

[CheeseRolls]

Nuremberg is another potential stop off. Lovely little town.

 

[Sorrel]

I loved the holiday we had in the Black Forest back in 2012; no idea what it's like now, but we stayed in Freiburg and had a great fortnight in the area.

 

[Nightfall]

Dear font of all knowledge, the Mrs and I have decided we are going to do a drive holiday down to Annecy / French alps regional (have a week there) then instead of heading straight back we’d drive into Germany and have 3 or 4 nights in a couple of places on the way back to the channel. So I’m looking for advice on which areas the great people of NSC have been and stayed. Otherwise it’s me and google as none of our friends have gone beyond Berlin, Munich or Hamburg

I migh be greek but I live in Hamburg for the past 14 years. I have visited pretty much every corner of Germany. Are you limited in how far you are willing to go from the borders with France ? Do you want to include Switzerland as well ? ( I studied 5 years in the University there and can recommend as well)
If yes then a beautiful route would be :

Annecy - Geneva - Gruyeres - Colmar - Strasbourg - Cochem

Cochem

If you want to go straight to Germany then:

Cochem- Eltz Castle (a castle that belongs to the same family since the 12th Century

You can combine with many of the castles and villages in the area. This is the famous Castle Route. The whole Route starts from the West and ends in Czechia, but you can do parts of it. This is in english and and quite informative : https://www.germany.travel/en/nature-outdoor-activities/the-castle-road.html

If you decide to go to Bavaria : Lindau - Rothenburg ob der Taube - Würzburg - Bamberg

Rothenburg ob der Taube is always in the top 10 most beautiful villages in Germany, and if you are ancient like me you might recognize it as the inspiration for the game "Monkey Island". In Bamberg you can also try the amazing local smoked beers.

If you want to go further into Germany then the Harz area :

Goslar - Wernigerode - Quedlinburg - Harz Natural park - Take the Brocke Steam train : https://en.harzinfo.de/pure-nature/mount-brocken/narrow-gauge-railway
Amazing hiking trails : https://harzspots.com/en/erkunden/wanderwege/
Or take the track through the top of the forest : https://en.harzinfo.de/things-to-see-do/fun-and-active/harz-treetop-path-baumschwebebahn-harz

If you can narrow it down, or you tell me your preferences and things you prefer to see we can find the ideal for you, feel free to PM me if you need more information

Cheers

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Freiburg, it's got to be on your route and it's a stunning city and right on the edge of the Black Forest

 

[Anger]

It was hit, but it was by no means "pummelled to bits" - in fact it was pretty much the only thing in Cologne left standing.

View attachment 196375

Climbing one of those spires (inside) was the first time I developed my ever-since close relationship with vertigo.

Right up in the ‘pointy bit’ and with exposed views down to the ground on each side I found that I couldn’t climb another step as my legs went to jelly.

 

[saafend_seagull]

I live next to Mosel (working in Luxembourg) and been in and around the area for 15 years in a town on what would be your route home in trier (oldest town in Germany).

Would go >>konstanz (optional as limited time) > Freiburg > Strasbourg > cochem (day trip) > saarburg (day trip), you could even chuck remich in Luxembourg in > trier (bitburg also close if want some beer tasting) > Lille > Calais

Depends time of year too as lots of wine tasting places.

Driving through Switzerland is about 50e for toll I think from memory.

Someone said Dortmund lol, probably the biggest dump in Germany after schalke and Essen.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I loved the holiday we had in the Black Forest back in 2012; no idea what it's like now, but we stayed in Freiburg and had a great fortnight in the area.

We did the same in 2003, staying on a caravan site in Kinzigtal. Beautiful area.

 

[Super Sub]

Garmische in the German Alps is fabulous.
The Zugspitze is the highest mountain in Germany and is close by. At the top, you can go to the Austrian side too.
Partnach Gorge and Mount Wank are a stones throw away, as is Eibsee lake.
The wife and I went last September and coupled it with 2 days in Munich.
We will return… Loved it

 

[Nightfall]

Someone said Dortmund lol, probably the biggest dump in Germany after schalke and Essen.

And Hannover

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

Lake Konstanz is fabulous. Hire bikes and then stop off to swim in the lake. Great food, beer and wine.
Huge fan.

 

[Mackenzie]

We go to Saarburg sometimes, it’s lovely. They’ve got a wine festival on 7th September which is good fun. Germany is great.