Germany. Where to start?
 

I really hate overly broad questions, but I'm going to have to ask one.

I'm going to be flying into Frankfurt and want to spend some time in Germany, but really don't know where I should focus my time and where I should go.

Any thoughts?

I'd be looking at maybe one to two weeks in Germany, I won't have a car and will be depending on public transport. Without sounding like a dating video, I'm interested in historic sights, scenery and architecture.

Thanks to anyone who can help with some ideas?

May I suggest you the following:

You arrive in Frankfurt and I think spend a least one day in Frankfurt. After you have visited Frankfurt, you take the train in direction Koblenz through the Rhine Valley (Loreley), Koblenz is worth a visit of a day, but I you are short of time, continue to Cologne. Cologne has beside the cathedral (Dom) some interesting museums, so that you could spend two days here.

From Cologne you can travel by Metropolitain Train direct to Hamburg. Hamburg is in my eyes good for a stay of two or three days. Perhaps you try to visit Hamburg during the weekend, when the famous Fischmarkt takes place. The new buildings in the Speicherstadt are very nice. Beside this, there are several good hotels in Hamburg.

From Hamburg you could also do a side trip to Lübeck (with it’s famous Holstentor) and a centre, with is on the Unesco List.

Form Hamburg I would travel by ICE to Berlin, our capital. Berlin is – as I say – always in motion, as the city is never as at the last visit. Brandburger Tom and Reichstagkuppel, Potsdamer Platz and Friedrichstraße, Kuhdamm and Wannsee, a trip to Sanssouci Potsdam, there are several places of interest, your stay will probably be to short. But after some days in Berlin continue to Dresden (Semperoper, Zwinger) and travel after a visit in Dresden to Munich.

Munich ha its own flair, a mixture not easy to describe in words – I myself simply like the city. I suggest you a visit in the Deutsches Museum (a technical museum) and the three Pinakothek Museums (paintings and in the Pinakothek der Moderne also design and architecture).

If you visit on your way back to Frankfurt also Heidelberg is you own decision, but it is worth a visit. You could also travel back form Munich to Frankfurt by plane.

To sum up, a visit in Berlin and in Munich is a "Must"

I hope, this is a little help.

Jan

I think Jan already posted the 'main' things to do.
You should also consider a stop in Leipzig instead of or in addition to Dresden. And from Munich, Nürnberg isn't too far.
There are lots of other amazing places in Germany but if you are relying on public transport you should probably stick to the larger cities.

http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...m/thumbsup.gif very good advice.

Writing the first post in my lunch break at work, I can now add some links for further help:


Frankfurt
http://www.frankfurt-tourismus.de/

For further help see also the airport Forum @ flyertalk


Koblenz
http://www.koblenz.de/touristik_kult...touristik.html


Loreley
in my eyes not really good and helpful:
http://www.loreley.de


Köln
http://www.koeln.de/go/1/content/guide_body.html


Hamburg:
http://www.hamburg.de
http://www.freizeitziele.hamburg.de/


Berlin
http://www.berlin.de

Leipzig
http://www.leipzig.de/de/tourist/indexts.htm


Dresden
http://www.dresden.de/index.html?page=/ger/c_05.html


München
http://www.muenchen.de/Tourismus/14/index.html


The German Railway network (Deutsche Bahn) can be found here:
http://www.bahn.de/pv/view/index.shtml

One word, try to avoid regional trains during Rush Hour, they are crowded with people and therefore not very comfortable (I use them often http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...orum/frown.gif )

Jan

Bus tour from Munich to Neuschwanstein Castle, then Hohenschwangau castle, then Schloss Linderhoff, Garmish and then Oberammergau. A great one day tour of three fairytale castles, inlcuding the one Disney is based on, and introduction to mad King Ludwig and some interesting German villages including where the Passion play is performed.

http://www.germanworld.com/neu.htm

(Webcam)

http://www.superwebcam.de/03.jpg
http://www.superwebcam.de/02.jpg
http://www.superwebcam.de/01.jpg

http://www.germanworld.com/hohen.htm

http://www.germanworld.com/lind.htm

http://www.oberammergau.de/ot_e/index.htm

A few questions I am hoping the board can answer.

Am arriving via air in Munich on Feb 14 (Saturday) at 8 AM, and am trying to catch a 9 AM train. Is one hour enough time to gather baggage, clear customs, and purchase a train ticket?

I am traveling via train on Feb 14 from Munich to St. Anton, Austria, via Innsbruck. Are advance train reservations necessary?

Thanks.

[This message has been edited by seajac03 (edited Feb 04, 2004).]

I hope you won't mind getting advice from a newbie like me.
You didn't mention what time of year you'll be going, but I assume you are NOT going in the middle of winter. Since you like historic sites, scenery and architecture, here are my thoughts:

There isn't much to see at all in Frankfurt, no need to spend more than 1 day. Then you can head towards Mosel/Rhine rivers and take a ferry cruise; and if you stay overnight at a few towns, that will easily take up 5 days or so.
You can take a side trip to Bonn (if you're interested in Beethoven) or Heidelberg as well.

If you are going in the summertime, you can leave from Frankfurt and tour the "Romantic Road" which you will end up in Munich. The DB runs buses 1-2/day along that route and you can get on/off at the towns on the way. Munich itself has a few good museums, Dachau is nearby, and of course beer.

Another option would be to fly or train from Frankfurt to Berlin (I'm not too sure which no frills airlines serve that route). There's tons of stuff to see there and you wouldn't be disappointed. Berlin itself deserves 3-4 days, and add 1 day for a sidetrip to Potsdam.

Hope this helps. Have a great trip!

You'll need some time to get from airport to Munich central train station by suburban train, so 1 hr in between won't be enough. Train reservations are not necessary, but highly recommended during weekends and on that route.

Thanks daysleeper,

My train is leaving from the Munich Airport -- is one hour enough to clear customs and get baggage and make the train?

Per the reservations, if I miss the 9 AM train, can I use the ticket on a later train?

Thanks Jan, yk (great first post - welcome to flyertalk) and everyone.

At this stage I'm looking at traveling at the start of May, my thinking was the weather will be improving and I won't have to battle the summer crowds.

Some really good ideas - Jan it sounds like a perfect itinerary (you don’t work for the German Tourist Board do you? http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...orum/smile.gif). I do have the option of flying out of Munich, so I think I may do this, thereby freeing up some more time. I must admit I was only thinking of perhaps an overnight stay in Berlin, I can see this was a mistake and will definitely spend a lot longer there.

Those great links are really giving me something to think about as well.

1hr would be enough, if all works well, and you arrive in time.

You can use the ticket on a later train but you'll lose the reserved seat. If you miss the 9am train, you can go to the train ("Deutsche Bahn") ticket counter and by a new "express" reservation. It's only a few euros.

Only 1 night in Berlin? NO WAY!!! I just don't get it, WHY OH WHY all these tourists from overseas spend ages in rather uninteresting areas but miss the best parts of the country. And PLEASE skip Heidelberg, the castle there is a JOKE.

http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...orum/smile.gif

Don't tell this the people in Heidelberg http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...um/biggrin.gif

One day in Berlin is definitely to short; it should be at least two or three days. You will need some days only for the Top Museum
e.g.
Antikensammlung (Pergammonmuseum)
http://www.smb.spk-berlin.de/ant/i.html.

and also Potsdamer Platz, französischer Dom, etc.

And no, I do not work for the German Tourist Board ....

daysleeper,

Other than the German Train website reservations system (which is in German), do you know how I can make the train reservation from the US?