City break Germany

[FunkyGibbon]

We've done Berlin and Munich and loved them both.

We like a bit of culture, good bars and good food. We like the more boutique style hotel over a big corporate chain.

Been looking at Hamburg for 3 to 4 nights mid February.

Any views from the PH collective? Should we be looking elsewhere?

TIA

FG

[anonymous-user]

I would suggest Cologne over Hamburg - lots of culture, and some great bars and restaurants. My last footy trip to Germany was Bremen last October - a surprisingly brilliant place to spend a few days. Very cheap flights to both from Stansted (my local airport).

[FunkyGibbon]

Thanks will take a look.

FG

[Gareth1974]

Stuttgart is a good bet if you like cars, the excellent Mercedes and Porsche museums are there, a good indoor option in February.

Or a curve ball option - visit one of the Alpine resorts in Southern Germany, should be good nightlife and spectacular scenery at this time of the year, and even if you don’t ski, you can go tobogganing instead http://zugspitze.de/en/winter/mountain/zugspitze/r...

[FunkyGibbon]

Great idea, thanks. Will take a look.

[chilistrucker]

All good shouts.
I really liked Freiburg in the South, beautiful place with some great bars, also close to French and Swiss borders.

If you do Hamburg the Reeperbahn makes for an interesting walk around and make sure you visit Mini-atur Wunderland, it’s cracking.

Think there is also a car or motorsport museum in the old docks.

Yep, Prototyp museum. We didn’t have time, looks like I may have missed out.

Edited by chilistrucker on Wednesday 3rd January 21:54

[stuartmmcfc]

had ham said:

I would suggest Cologne over Hamburg - lots of culture, and some great bars and restaurants. My last footy trip to Germany was Bremen last October - a surprisingly brilliant place to spend a few days. Very cheap flights to both from Stansted (my local airport).

The boat/bars along the Rhine are great.

[Yipper]

Trier.
Garmisch.
Berchtesgaden.
Freiburg.
Nuremburg.
Rothenburg.

[hoegaardenruls]

For a 4 night stay in a city, and considering Berlin and Munich are ticked off, I'd also consider Vienna (admittedly not Germany, but German-speaking) - big enough, and covers the requirements.

[gigglebug]

Yipper said:

Trier.
Garmisch.
Berchtesgaden.
Freiburg.
Nuremburg.
Rothenburg.

Are just some of the paces I have found on Google but, having never been to any of them, I cannot give you a personal view on what they are actually like and why I have recommended them.

I have finished your post for you Yipper so that the OP is under no illusion that you don't have any idea what you talking about.

[viggyp]

Heidelberg is a very nice place with quite a lot going on. I loved it although the last time I went was close to 9 years ago.

[rednotdead]

Rothenburg is too small for 3-4 nights. It's the kind of place you overnight in. Good place to visit though with a great museum of torture, and 'proper' Christmas shops if you like that kind of thing.

Dusseldorf AltStadt is recommended, lots of good restaurants and bars. Aachen might be worth a look too.

[Mr. Potato Head]

chilistrucker said:

Yep, Prototyp museum. We didn’t have time, looks like I may have missed out.

This place was pretty quiet when we went in there. Some bloke came over to ask how we were doing, turned out to be the owner and we got about 2 hrs of chat with him.
He's a total gent and a mine of information.

Maritime Museum in Hamburg is also excellent, but is a right old trek to see all of it.

Hamburg is great.

[toon10]

You can't go wrong with Hamburg. It's a cool city with a good vibe and a decent nightlife. I'm often there with work along with Luebeck which is also nice but maybe a bit small and quiet for a lively few nights away.

[RC1807]

gigglebug said:

Yipper said:

Trier.
Garmisch.
Berchtesgaden.
Freiburg.
Nuremburg.
Rothenburg.

Are just some of the paces I have found on Google but, having never been to any of them, I cannot give you a personal view on what they are actually like and why I have recommended them.

I have finished your post for you Yipper so that the OP is under no illusion that you don't have any idea what you talking about.

Trier's tiny!
fk all going on there, really! It was a Roman Garrison town and has some nice architecture in the city centre, and it's on the Moselle River, surrounded by vineyards, but... for a few days? NO! A day and a half, at the very most!


OP: May I put a spanner in the works?
Where I live and work is increasingly accessible - and international: Luxembourg.
Served by SleazyJet from LGW, Roiyanair from STN, BA from LHR and Luxair from LCY.
Also driveable from Calais/Dunkerque in 3 1/2 hours.
(Trier is also only 40 km away, and Lux is on the Moselle too, but with more and better wine producers )

Boutique hotels in the City.
GREAT restaurants.
City walks.
Cycle routes.
Country hikes.
Wine tasting at vineyards.
Multi-lingual residents.

https://www.luxembourg-city.com/en

Edited by RC1807 on Thursday 4th January 16:41

[anonymous-user]

rednotdead said:

Dusseldorf AltStadt is recommended, lots of good restaurants and bars.

Indeed, and there is some great shopping in Dusseldorf - most famously on the high-end Königsallee. Dusseldorf and Cologne are easily combined - less than half an hour between them by (cheap) train. So close, but a very different feel to each in my opinion.

As a left-field alternative suggestion, how about Baden-Baden, which is, I guess, the German equivalent of our Bath.

[anonymous-user]

Nuremberg, really nice old style city, with a castle, nice hotels, i stayed in a nice one, not a boutique though. Then got the first class train to Stuttgart which is interesting as well.

[FunkyGibbon]

Hi folks, lots of great ideas many thanks.

Almost too much choice.

Thanks FG

[FunkyGibbon]

RC1807 said:

Trier's tiny!
fk all going on there, really! It was a Roman Garrison town and has some nice architecture in the city centre, and it's on the Moselle River, surrounded by vineyards, but... for a few days? NO! A day and a half, at the very most!


OP: May I put a spanner in the works?
Where I live and work is increasingly accessible - and international: Luxembourg.
Served by SleazyJet from LGW, Roiyanair from STN, BA from LHR and Luxair from LCY.
Also driveable from Calais/Dunkerque in 3 1/2 hours.
(Trier is also only 40 km away, and Lux is on the Moselle too, but with more and better wine producers )

Boutique hotels in the City.
GREAT restaurants.
City walks.
Cycle routes.
Country hikes.
Wine tasting at vineyards.
Multi-lingual residents.

https://www.luxembourg-city.com/en

Edited by RC1807 on Thursday 4th January 16:41

You may indeed lob in a spanner. Had not even considered that. Will take a look.

FG

Edited by FunkyGibbon on Thursday 4th January 19:27

[cardigankid]

I'm sure that Luxembourg is great but to suggest that the wine is better than the Middle Mosel is misguided. Trier is a lovely city surrounded by delightful villages and countryside where you could disappear for a month, and close to Bernkastel, Cochem and Koblenz. The Ring is not far away. Fly to Hahn and rent a car.

Marburg and Weimar are other very pretty if small towns.

Rothenburg is small and a tourist trap. Nuremberg was bombed and obviously a modern restoration, like Wurzburg and Dresden.

Not Germany but I recommend Bratislava and Budapest for city breaks.

Another vote for Stuttgart - Mercedes and Porsche Museums and try the restaurant at the Dinkel Acker Brewery.