Traveling to/through Germany - Reisen in Deutschland

[il fenomeno]

Originally Posted by ØlandDK

you suggest lübeck, freiburg & heidelberg are more interesting than hamburg? were you stoned on your trips?

[Kame]

6 hours? What kind of boat tour is that? The very enormous Hafenrundfahrt with a trip to Brunsbüttel?

[erbse]

He's talking about the Rhine-Moselle tour I guess. Well, it depends on sky's taste - if he's searching for wonderful landscapes, neat towns and magnificent castles he's on the right track with that one.

If he prefers sightseeing & clubbing/whatever in cities though, he should pick Berlin, Hamburg and/or Munich first. As further choices, I'd suggest Dresden (+ Elbe valley with Meißen and Sächsische Schweiz), Potsdam (together with Berlin), Stralsund, Schwerin, Lübeck, Heidelberg, Freiburg and (if he wants some awesome German kitsch) Rothenburg o.d. Tauber

Sky - if you want to see some great European beaches, go to the islands of Rügen and Usedom (insiders' tip!).

[ØlandDK]

Originally Posted by il fenomeno

you suggest lübeck, freiburg & heidelberg are more interesting than hamburg? were you stoned on your trips?

I never said that. I made a list about larger and smaller cities. HH wasn't good enough for my top 3 in the larger cities and obviously to big for the small city list. Which part didn't you understand - I can translate it for you if you want to.

[il fenomeno]

i did not understand the list with the larger and smaller cities. can you visit 3 smaller cities (across the country) instead of a large one in the same time?

[ØlandDK]

yes. why should that be a problem?

[ØlandDK]

ah ok know I know what you mean. No of course you can't but you can visit 3 small instead of 3 big or 2 big and one small etc.

[skysdalimit]

Thanks guys I really appreciate it.

1. So here's what I'm seeing so far on Hamburg...it sounds better than I thought! What would be the best time between January and June to visit?

http://www.hamburg-tourism.de/en/sig...st-of-hamburg/

2. I really want to visit Munich too, with it's location near the mountains. It would be sweet to see Neuschwanstein. It's basically the perfect fairy tale castle. How far is it from Munich? Could I take a tour from Munich to see the castle area?

Berlin of course is a must-see.

As everyone mentioned, Frankfurt has very little in it, so maybe I will spend less than a day there on the way to Munich or Berlin.

3. I will certainly have to stop off in Cologne. How long do you think I would need to see all the major sites in Cologne?

4. I know many people mentioned Heidelburg and some of the smaller towns...which of the small towns would be the best to see?

5. About the beaches you mentioned: are they the topless kind?

Thanks again for all the help guys!

[thun]

Munich - Füssen is two hours by train, from there you have to catch a bus or taxi for the last 5km. Easily possible in one day. If you go in winter don't forget warm clothes (snow...), if you go in summer you can hang around the lakes around for one or two hours. Hiking boots give you access to the Pöllat gorge, the best way up to the castle and without the herds of tourists. The second castle (Hohenschwangau) is woth a visit as well. Don't miss Marienbrücke for the best photo spot. And bring your own food, the area of Hohenschwangau is probably Germanys only real tourist trap.
I would go to Munich without stopping in Frankfurt for long, you loose too much time and there's plenty of things to see in Munich.

Cologne is a day tip, I would do that spontaneously if you wake up after a long night and don't want to go to uni (you'll experience these days, believe me). One day should be enough.

Heidelberg and Frankfurt would be possible on the same weekend. If so, don't catch the high speed trains from Cologne but use a "normal" train which goes through the Rhine valley (whine, castles, etc.) to frankfurt. Don't miss to stop at at least one village (plan a whole day for the Rhine Valley, e. g. you could stay overnight in Frankfurt and go to Heidelberg the next day).

The website of Deutsche Bahn (www.bahn.de) offers online schedules, so you can easily check the travel time and fares there. Should be in English as well.

[Golden Age]

Originally Posted by skysdalimit

1. So here's what I'm seeing so far on Hamburg...it sounds better than I thought! What would be the best time between January and June to visit?

It gets nice in May. Then one can stroll along the Landungsbrücken area and also go on boat trips along the Alster. A trip to nearby UNESCO world heritage town Lübeck may also be of interest.

Originally Posted by skysdalimit

2. I really want to visit Munich too, with it's location near the mountains. It would be sweet to see Neuschwanstein. It's basically the perfect fairy tale castle. How far is it from Munich? Could I take a tour from Munich to see the castle area?

Neuschwanstein is fun, but it's a bit out of the way. Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany's most well-known ski resort town with the Zugspitze mountain is also worth a trip (only 45 mins from Munich). Also, the Starnberger See or the Chiemsee lakes are fantastic places in the summer.

Originally Posted by skysdalimit

As everyone mentioned, Frankfurt has very little in it, so maybe I will spend less than a day there on the way to Munich or Berlin.

Frankfurt's city center is a bit dull, but the museums along the Main, the view from the Main Tower observation deck or the apple wine gardens in Sachsenhausen and Bornheim make it an appealing place nonetheless. Spending a day will not get boring.

Originally Posted by skysdalimit

3. I will certainly have to stop off in Cologne. How long do you think I would need to see all the major sites in Cologne?

Cologne is not that great a city. The cathedral is a must-see, but the city center is grey and forgettable. Instead go spend the rest of the day in the student town of Bonn which is only 30 minutes away. It is a very green city, full of cafes, historic neighborhoods and great walks along the Rhine river.

Originally Posted by skysdalimit

4. I know many people mentioned Heidelburg and some of the smaller towns...which of the small towns would be the best to see?

Heidelberg is the biggest and most well-known student town. It's a bit too touristy for many, but the historic city center is an eye pleaser. Other small towns that are nice would be Regensburg or Bamberg (in Bavaria) with its beautiful old towns; Baden-Baden in the Black Forest (beautiful spa city) and Wiesbaden near Frankfurt (looks like a small version of Paris).

Originally Posted by skysdalimit

5. About the beaches you mentioned: are they the topless kind?

Look for the sign "FKK" and you won't be disappointed.

[Bahnsteig4]

I remember spending a day in Hamburg in August 2007 and thinking: "Must be a great place in summer."

[Patrick]

Originally Posted by Golden Age

Look for the sign "FKK" and you won't be disappointed.

no granny alert?

[Bahnsteig4]

Always, somehow. Hot chicks are much less inclined to undress than old, fat cows. At least here in Vienna. Human rights violations?

[erbse]

No. Not on the Island of Usedom at least, I assure you

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Pleasure Island


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[Mercedes S600]

Schöne Pics haste da gemacht.

[erbse]

Für's Forum bin ich mir für nichts zu schade.

[Bahnsteig4]

Ahhh...they're so average.

[ØlandDK]

Originally Posted by Golden Age

Look for the sign "FKK" and you won't be disappointed.

Maybe it was ment like he was afraid of seeing a german woman topless?

[erbse]

Originally Posted by Bahnsteig4

Ahhh...they're so average.

That's the point. Even average looks like first class compared to the rest of Germanic Europe over here.

[Bahnsteig4]

Usedom, here I come!