Germany - picturesque village wanted

[GreigM]

I'm looking for suggestions for somewhere within 4 to 5 hours drive (say 300 miles) of either Rotterdam or Zeebrugge to stay in germany for a few days. Prefer it to be germany as the Mrs speaks the language (which means I don't have to dust off my french!!).
Looking for somewhere:
Scenic
Not over-priced
Has nice scenic walks available
A few cafe's/restaurants to sit outside on a nice sunny afternoon
Other interesting stuff within about an hours drive for day trips

You get the picture, nice place, not too busy/bustling just to relax in the sun for a while.

We have a 6 month old baby with pram and all that crap to consider, hence we're looking for the easy life.

Any suggestions? Will consider non-germany, but after having another trip to the 'ring and remembering quite how nice a part of the world it is I'm drawn back that direction.

[itsnotarace]

Cochem, then you can stop off at the Nurburgring on the way past for a cheeky lap drive around the one way system

[GreigM]

itsnotarace said:

Cochem, then you can stop off at the Nurburgring on the way past for a cheeky lap drive around the one way system

Great suggestion - unfortunately we stopped there a couple of years ago on a ring trip, so the Mrs will want a change of scene

Something similar would be great though...

[itsnotarace]

Boppard

[GreigM]

itsnotarace said:

Boppard

looks very promising indeed, thanks.

[Dieter7S4]

Stayed in Todtmoos in the Black Forest a few years back, very pretty with some good bars and hotels/restaurants. All the walking you need as well!!!

ETA http://www.todtmoos.de/index_en.php

Edited by Dieter7S4 on Thursday 28th April 13:35

[Shay HTFC]

Bernkastel Kues.. very nice. Or just go to any town along the Mosel. Its a really pretty part of the world.

[itsnotarace]

Obviously bigger than a village but the Koblenz old town and Aachen are both nice to visit.

[Hugo a Gogo]

GreigM said:

itsnotarace said:

Boppard

looks very promising indeed, thanks.

Boppard, St Goar, Bacharach, Lorelei etc up and down the nicest bit of the Rhein is very nice, castles and boat trips, wine etc

you could get a train along the river from Boppard to Bingen, then a boat back down the Rhein (upstream is VERY slow)

edit: as above
you could add Koblenz into that trip

[GreigM]

All good suggestions, thanks everyone....now some decisions to make...

[NoVetec]

Haven't been there for a while so unsure on price but Monchengladbach is fairly scenic with plenty of cafe's and bars. Rheindahlen is nearby too, can't remember much to do there for fun but they sell spaghetti ice cream . This is all about a 125 mile drive from Rotterdam.

[Silver993tt]

Stolberg (Rheinland) in NRW, not far from Aachen, less than 3hrs from Rotterdam.

Directions from Rotterdam:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&amp...

Lovely village/town:

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/44283244

[Hugo a Gogo]

good call, some nice little villages round there, Kornelimünster, up to Röttgen, down to Stolberg

[Targarama]

Monschau, just a little South of Aachen. Lovely little old town.

[ellisd82]

Black Forest is all beautiful, or even closer, Bad Lauterberg Im Harz. Beautiful spa town with decent roads and scenery. Harz region all is good.

[cptsideways]

Targarama said:

Monschau, just a little South of Aachen. Lovely little old town.

Stunning place & on route to the ring too

[MidlandDan84]

Bruggen near the dutch border is nice, visited lastweek whilst in the Netherlands, typical German town with old castle nice shops and bars, not far from Monchengladbach and within a national park (the name escapes me).

[The real Apache]

MidlandDan84 said:

Bruggen near the dutch border is nice, visited lastweek whilst in the Netherlands, typical German town with old castle nice shops and bars, not far from Monchengladbach and within a national park (the name escapes me).

Harik see is just outside too,

with a little Schloss, cafes, cruise boat, walks

[dazzalse]

Hariksee is fabulous we have a house on the lake , its just over the dutch border and is a 3 hour drive from dunkirk, very quiet in the winter months but very busy in the summer, we were there all of April and the weather was great and there were lots of people about there are a couple of cafes on the lake and a few pubs, with a more upmarket restaurant 5 minutes from the lake, good shopping in Roermond, about 13 km away

[arfur]

Area around Neumarkt is nice

Plenty to do and see