GERMANY

[pupkus7]

So we're planning to go on our second trip now (our first was Italy this past summer... thanks you guys for your help on that one) and we decided that we want to go to Germany sometime in early May. Problem is that we really don't know too much about the country or exactly where we wanna go?!

We're pretty laid back people and mainly like hiking, biking, scenery, architecture, and people. A bit of art and history is also nice. Also, we tend to mix up Big Cities and small towns.

Do you guys have any suggestions on places to go?
At a glance, a few places caught our eye:

Berlin, Rothenburg, Heidelberg, Karlsruhe(my mother lived here for years), Bremen...

basically we just need to be pointed in a direction and kicked into gear; any suggestions?

thanks guys!
Kristian & Juli ;D

[WillTravel]

Berlin (and Potsdam) are the only places I've been in Germany, but they are so worth a visit. That could be part of the urban portion of your tour. Maybe pick up a Lonely Planet Germany (I think there is one), and see what they suggest.

[Eagle]

pupkus7, welcome back! Hope you had a great time in Italy. With regard to a travelling in Germany, a bit of further information would help. For example, how long will you be travelling, have you been there before and is there anything in particular you want to see? Also, are you interested in short "side trips" to Austria or Switzerland while you're there?

One route that might work for you is something like this (based on how much time you have available):

- flight to Frankfurt
- Rothenburg (good relaxing place to get over jet lag for a few days)
- Munich (day trips to Dachau, Ludwig's Castles or perhaps even Salzburg, Berchtesgaden, etc.)
- Freiburg (visit Hausach Open Air Museum or other attractions)
- Baden Baden
- Heidelberg
- Bacharach (visit Burg Elz Castle, St. Goar & Rheinfells Castle, perhaps Rhine boat trip? I believe there's a good Aviation Musuem near Trier, but I'd have to do a bit of research for more specific information)
- Cologne
- Berlin
- flight home

This is fairly efficient "circular route", but of course there are alternatives. Good luck with your planning!!!

[herrbert]

If you like biking and hiking in the mountains, then I suggest to take a look at Berchtesgaden / Königssee. (It's really close to Salzburg - possible daytrip?).

Other area's in the south, that are worth seeing, and spending some time is the area around Garmish Partenkirchen and Mittelwald. (daytrip possible to Innsbruck) And also the valley: Walsertal, Oberstdorf is the most well-known town.

Personally I would take the time to spend some time in Austria as well. (I love mountains - the higher, the better!) Zell am See/Kaprun is a good place for Hiking, Biking and some other action sports (Climbing, Rafting, Canyoning and Skiing).

I don't know the aviationmuseum in Trier, but there is a museum of this kind in Sinsheim (between Heidelberg, and Heilbronn), If you want (and you have the budget, you could stay in Waldenburg, it is a small walled place, on top of a rock, near Heillbronn, there is a good hotel there).

I also like a place called Nördlingen. It is a walled town, with a nice old town inside. If you look for it, you can see it is situated inside an old meteorcrater (which is huge, and very old, so it's nothing like meteor crater in Arizona (it's an Arizona - right?), which is really young, but you can still see some of the features. Only thing is ... this town is way out of any route, I have ever read here. You can find the town between Ulm and Augsburg.