German city break in Jan or Feb
Discussion
My wife and I fancy a long weekend in a German city early next year.
We'd like somewhere pretty that's good for walking around with nice architecture, museums, good restaurants and enough to keep us occupied for a few days. Ideally, it would coincide with any kind of festival at the same time.
Any recommendations?
We'd like somewhere pretty that's good for walking around with nice architecture, museums, good restaurants and enough to keep us occupied for a few days. Ideally, it would coincide with any kind of festival at the same time.
Any recommendations?
LeoSayer said:
My wife and I fancy a long weekend in a German city early next year.
We'd like somewhere pretty that's good for walking around with nice architecture, museums, good restaurants and enough to keep us occupied for a few days. Ideally, it would coincide with any kind of festival at the same time.
Any recommendations?
As my other half is German I've seen quite a bit of the country over the last few years. I really like the place and could potentially see myself living there at some point in my life. In terms of a good city break I think it is hard to beat Berlin. There is plenty to see there, lots of history, all the shops you could want, plenty of restaurants and an interesting mix of architecture. Most of the budget airlines do reasonably cheap flights to Berlin as well.We'd like somewhere pretty that's good for walking around with nice architecture, museums, good restaurants and enough to keep us occupied for a few days. Ideally, it would coincide with any kind of festival at the same time.
Any recommendations?
RedWhiteMonkey said:
Most of Germany suffers from properly cold and snowy winters, although unlike the UK their country doesn't grind to a halt when it happens. Some places are quite charming and romantic covered in snow.
We are going to Rothenburg ob de Tauber for New Year, it was beautiful in the summer so we want to see what it looks like with a bit of snow!marine boy said:
RedWhiteMonkey said:
Most of Germany suffers from properly cold and snowy winters, although unlike the UK their country doesn't grind to a halt when it happens. Some places are quite charming and romantic covered in snow.
We are going to Rothenburg ob de Tauber for New Year, it was beautiful in the summer so we want to see what it looks like with a bit of snow!I've spent quite a bit of time in Germany, having been posted there for a total of about 9 years, and I agree with the comments about cold and snow not putting a damper on things. If you've never been to Berlin it's a really good place to start. Any of the other major cities are good, but I'd recommend Berlin for a first-timer.
Fascinating history and architecture, good cultural life, easy to get around, and very vibrant.
Eating-out in Germany tends to be of high quality and better value than much of the rest of Europe too.
Fascinating history and architecture, good cultural life, easy to get around, and very vibrant.
Eating-out in Germany tends to be of high quality and better value than much of the rest of Europe too.
RedWhiteMonkey said:
Most of Germany suffers from properly cold and snowy winters, although unlike the UK their country doesn't grind to a halt when it happens.
Why is it that some people can't see the absurdity of sentences like this?My sister lives in Geneva. It doesn't ground to a halt when it snow there, either. Call the Daily Mail! Incompetence in the UK!
Alternatively, it could be because they get significant snow every year throughout the winter, so everyone has snow chains or tyres to get them over the first day or so of an unexpected blast, and for the remainder, over 50% of their equivalent of council tax goes on winter road clearing.
Getting back on topic, Germany wouldn't be my first destination by a long shot, but Munich was quite nice (the people didn't really feel very German) and Heidelberg looks quite beautiful...
Actually, I drove back from Hamburg in January last year with snow and -7ºc temperatures and with big wide summer run-flat tyres it was absolutely terrifying. It was lucky that I found a gritter lorry on the motorway to follow or I'd still be there 
But I seemed to be the only one struggling. Literally every other car I saw was clearly on winter tyres (big spec cars on cheap steel rims) and just steamed past me everywhere. Old women, Smart cars, big automatic mercs ... everyone. This is a huge part of the reason the country keeps moving I think!
df
But I seemed to be the only one struggling. Literally every other car I saw was clearly on winter tyres (big spec cars on cheap steel rims) and just steamed past me everywhere. Old women, Smart cars, big automatic mercs ... everyone. This is a huge part of the reason the country keeps moving I think!
df
Kermit power said:
RedWhiteMonkey said:
Most of Germany suffers from properly cold and snowy winters, although unlike the UK their country doesn't grind to a halt when it happens.
Why is it that some people can't see the absurdity of sentences like this?My sister lives in Geneva. It doesn't ground to a halt when it snow there, either. Call the Daily Mail! Incompetence in the UK!
Alternatively, it could be because they get significant snow every year throughout the winter, so everyone has snow chains or tyres to get them over the first day or so of an unexpected blast, and for the remainder, over 50% of their equivalent of council tax goes on winter road clearing.
Getting back on topic, Germany wouldn't be my first destination by a long shot, but Munich was quite nice (the people didn't really feel very German) and Heidelberg looks quite beautiful...
RedWhiteMonkey said:
Kermit power said:
RedWhiteMonkey said:
Most of Germany suffers from properly cold and snowy winters, although unlike the UK their country doesn't grind to a halt when it happens.
Why is it that some people can't see the absurdity of sentences like this?My sister lives in Geneva. It doesn't ground to a halt when it snow there, either. Call the Daily Mail! Incompetence in the UK!
Alternatively, it could be because they get significant snow every year throughout the winter, so everyone has snow chains or tyres to get them over the first day or so of an unexpected blast, and for the remainder, over 50% of their equivalent of council tax goes on winter road clearing.
Getting back on topic, Germany wouldn't be my first destination by a long shot, but Munich was quite nice (the people didn't really feel very German) and Heidelberg looks quite beautiful...
Kermit power said:
Alternatively, it could be because they get significant snow every year throughout the winter, so everyone has snow chains or tyres to get them over the first day or so of an unexpected blast, and for the remainder, over 50% of their equivalent of council tax goes on winter road clearing.
Getting back on topic, Germany wouldn't be my first destination by a long shot, but Munich was quite nice (the people didn't really feel very German) and Heidelberg looks quite beautiful...
When I was in Northern Germany there were not significant snowfalls each year, just like the UK. However, nearly everyone swapped their wheels to alternatives shod with winter tyres between October and end of March. This is because unlike the majority in the UK, they undrestand that winter tyres aren't just for snow covered roads but are much more efficient in temperatures below 7C, whether wet or dry. The 'council tax' in Germany is a fraction of that in the UK, I was paying around €200 per year, so 50% of that is a lot less than that of the UK and yet they do a job light years ahead of that in the UK. The reason they cope is that they take a long term view to their infrastructure and people tend to take road conditions much more seriously there. Only yesterday there were a few people posting on a PH thread boasting how they were going out to 'play' on public roads that were covered in snow. No one I know in Germany would contemplate doing this in what are treacherous conditions. Getting back on topic, Germany wouldn't be my first destination by a long shot, but Munich was quite nice (the people didn't really feel very German) and Heidelberg looks quite beautiful...
It's a different culture and one which I really like hence why I spend lots of time there
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