Germany - where to go/what to see
Discussion
So the gf and I have decided on another driving holiday for November.
We've got about a week and we'll be taking the Touring. My initial idea was to drive to Copenhagen however from what I can see, apart from Copenhagen there's not much else to Denmark, especially at this time of year.
As such, we're thinking Germany, one of our targets being Berlin.
I've been to Germany before (Munich for the Oktoberfest and Frankfurt). I was wondering if anyone could suggest any cities of note worth visiting.
Unfortunately we'll be a couple of weeks too early for the Christmas markets
We've got about a week and we'll be taking the Touring. My initial idea was to drive to Copenhagen however from what I can see, apart from Copenhagen there's not much else to Denmark, especially at this time of year.
As such, we're thinking Germany, one of our targets being Berlin.
I've been to Germany before (Munich for the Oktoberfest and Frankfurt). I was wondering if anyone could suggest any cities of note worth visiting.
Unfortunately we'll be a couple of weeks too early for the Christmas markets
k up they made of Coventry which suffered less damageI worked in Hamburg on and off for a number of years and is the only city I really like. I'm not a fan of big city life but Hamburg was one place I could live in. It's so green and open, a harbour and, of course, the Reeperbahn. The Reeperbahn is more of an entertainment center these days with good clubs and shows.
I still remember ordering 60 KFC buckets from the small outlet there and taking them back to the shipyard, where we were pulling an all-nighter, in the boss' Merc S600.
I still remember ordering 60 KFC buckets from the small outlet there and taking them back to the shipyard, where we were pulling an all-nighter, in the boss' Merc S600.
Stuttgart for the Porsche and Mercedes museums, even though you're a BMW man I think you'd be impressed by the Merc museum, I didn't see that much of the city itself the 2 times I've been as it was purely for Merc related things but you're also close to the Black Forest with it's scenic drives.
Also I highly recommend the Technik museums at Speyer and Sinsheim, near-ish to Stuttgart- Speyer is more aircraft but Sinsheim has Concorde on it's roof and a huge collection of amazing cars.
Also I highly recommend the Technik museums at Speyer and Sinsheim, near-ish to Stuttgart- Speyer is more aircraft but Sinsheim has Concorde on it's roof and a huge collection of amazing cars.
What sort of cities are you after - is it large cosmo type places or smaller traditional?
I stayed in Baden Baden at the end of a recent 10 day tour and found it to be a bit sterile, lots of posh shops and boutiques. The hotel was cracking though with an excellent underground garage if you want the details.
The rest of the trip was spent bimbling from Wurzburg - Augsberg - Fussen - Meersburg - Glotteral - Baden Baden - Kirchsahr (for Nurburgring).
Fussen is a nice little town with absolutely fantastic scenery all around and is right next to the Neushwanstein Castle (would be spectacular in winter).
All this lot is fairly close to Stuttgart if you fancy hitting the Porsche museum.
I stayed in Baden Baden at the end of a recent 10 day tour and found it to be a bit sterile, lots of posh shops and boutiques. The hotel was cracking though with an excellent underground garage if you want the details.
The rest of the trip was spent bimbling from Wurzburg - Augsberg - Fussen - Meersburg - Glotteral - Baden Baden - Kirchsahr (for Nurburgring).
Fussen is a nice little town with absolutely fantastic scenery all around and is right next to the Neushwanstein Castle (would be spectacular in winter).
All this lot is fairly close to Stuttgart if you fancy hitting the Porsche museum.
Stop off for a night in Bonn - the city is fantastic, and often neglected in favour of Cologne just down the road - and you are only 45 mins. from the Nurburgring, too.
Berlin is awesome, I preferred to stay in the old Eastern side of the city - stayed at the Etap (now Ibis Budget) near Alexanderplatz. Cheap and convenient, with secure underground parking.
Make sure you approach via Checkpoint Alpha and stop off at the museum - we also stopped at Allied Checkpoint Bravo, but that's just an abandoned building in a service station these days. The Communist Checkpoint Bravo was a little harder to find and closed when we got there!
If you're doing Checkpoint Charlie, get there early (as in, before 9am), so you can get photos before the money-grabbing actors in uniform take up station.
The museum of East German Life near the Alexanderplatz is fascinating - and if you get a chance, get up the Fernsehturm - sadly, we didn't have time.
Berlin is awesome, I preferred to stay in the old Eastern side of the city - stayed at the Etap (now Ibis Budget) near Alexanderplatz. Cheap and convenient, with secure underground parking.
Make sure you approach via Checkpoint Alpha and stop off at the museum - we also stopped at Allied Checkpoint Bravo, but that's just an abandoned building in a service station these days. The Communist Checkpoint Bravo was a little harder to find and closed when we got there!
If you're doing Checkpoint Charlie, get there early (as in, before 9am), so you can get photos before the money-grabbing actors in uniform take up station.
The museum of East German Life near the Alexanderplatz is fascinating - and if you get a chance, get up the Fernsehturm - sadly, we didn't have time.
berlin is a good choice. lots to see and do,you'll love it, i always have a great time when we go there on a gig.
i would have picked berlin 1st, with hamburg a very close 2nd, (miniatur wunderland) is great, and freiburg would have been my 3rd choice. some cracking bars, think the one we used had over 100 whiskeys
i would have picked berlin 1st, with hamburg a very close 2nd, (miniatur wunderland) is great, and freiburg would have been my 3rd choice. some cracking bars, think the one we used had over 100 whiskeys
2nd vote for Heidelberg.
If you are driving from west through to east (ie from Calais area) then Heidelberg could be en-route.
Also Leipzig is worth a visit.
Depends what interests you to be honest.
Germany is a BIG counrty and LOTS to see and do.
I've been many times and prefer holiday there than anywhere in the UK.
If you are driving from west through to east (ie from Calais area) then Heidelberg could be en-route.
Also Leipzig is worth a visit.
Depends what interests you to be honest.
Germany is a BIG counrty and LOTS to see and do.
I've been many times and prefer holiday there than anywhere in the UK.
Thank you for all the good suggestions.
Given the amount of time we have (not much!) I've come up with a route and itinerary. Would appreciate any feedback/opinions.
Route:
Day 1: London -> Dover -> Dunkirk -> Cologne (Dun to Col 230 miles, 3hrs 46m)
Day 2: Cologne
Day 3: Cologne -> Berlin (358 miles, 5hrs 45m)
Day 4: Berlin
Day 5: Berlin
Day 6: Berlin -> Hamburg (179 miles, 3 hrs 14 mins)
Day 7: Hamburg
Day 8: Hamburg ->Amsterdam (289 miles, 4hrs 38 mins)
Day 9: Amsterdam
Day 10: Amsterdam -> Dunkirk -> Dover ->London (Ams to Dun 203 miles, 3hrs 21 mins)
Total of 1261 miles (excluding the driving in Britain)
Tried to space things out and give us a couple of days in each place (Berlin gets 3 nights) so we can actually see the sights. No crazy miles in one day (Cologne to Berlin being equivalent to one of typical London to Peebles (Scotland) drives).
Opinions? Anything you'd change/alter/include?
Given the amount of time we have (not much!) I've come up with a route and itinerary. Would appreciate any feedback/opinions.
Route:
Day 1: London -> Dover -> Dunkirk -> Cologne (Dun to Col 230 miles, 3hrs 46m)
Day 2: Cologne
Day 3: Cologne -> Berlin (358 miles, 5hrs 45m)
Day 4: Berlin
Day 5: Berlin
Day 6: Berlin -> Hamburg (179 miles, 3 hrs 14 mins)
Day 7: Hamburg
Day 8: Hamburg ->Amsterdam (289 miles, 4hrs 38 mins)
Day 9: Amsterdam
Day 10: Amsterdam -> Dunkirk -> Dover ->London (Ams to Dun 203 miles, 3hrs 21 mins)
Total of 1261 miles (excluding the driving in Britain)
Tried to space things out and give us a couple of days in each place (Berlin gets 3 nights) so we can actually see the sights. No crazy miles in one day (Cologne to Berlin being equivalent to one of typical London to Peebles (Scotland) drives).
Opinions? Anything you'd change/alter/include?
for Berlin a bloke I know runs this company http://www.insidertour.com/ for walking tours, various themed tours, cold war, ww2, baroque etc
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