hulal

We have 4 days to get from Maastricht to Brussels and are considering the following agenda: 1 nite Cologne, the Rhine 1 nite Koblenz, then a train to Moselikern to see Burg Eltz, getting over to Achen and from there taking a train to Brussels. Does anyone have any ideas if this too much to see in such a short amount of time? Also what is the best order to see these sites. I appreciate any advice.

wanderfrau

I wouldn't want to change hotels every night. Based on what you want to see, this is my recommendation:
- Skip Koblenz and spend two nights in a small village along the Mosel, like Cochem; do a day trip to Burg Eltz
- Spend two nights in Cologne and do a day trip to Aachen. Take the train from Cologne to Brussels.

Have fun!

lavandula

I think the above advice is sound. You can probably see everything if you don't want to linger. Cologne itself is not that special (read: re-built after WWII) but the cathedral is important and the museums are good. The shopping area is also good. Aachen is much smaller. Read up on your history before you go, it's the coronation site for all the German emperors and Charlemagne used to live there. Have a good trip

Lavandula

hulal

THanks for your help. We are coming from Maastricht so we will see Achen on our travels. After the time in Cologne we will be in Brussels for a few days. While in Germany we really want to see old villages that are train convenient since that is our form of travel. Maybe Cologne isn't the town to stay in? We really don't want to stay at a different hotel every night. What might be a better town? Also which river if we only visit one?

hulal

I should read better before I reply. I see wanderfrau has answered my questions for the most part. Sorry

PalenQ

https://www.google.com/search?q=coch...=1600&bih=1075

cochem is your dream smallish town base - Burg Eltz is just a feww miles down river from it with trains or boats to Moselkern or if active rent a bike and ride along one of Europe's primo biking venues - the Mosel Valley to many is much cuter than the Rhine and everyone loves Cochem.

I would do Cologne - a mdoern city that was blitzed to bits in WW2 - cochem is a great base from which to hop by train to the nearby Rhine to do the classic Rhine boat ride (Rudesheim to Koblenz) and also you may want to day trip to Trier - Cochem has great rail links to Brussels via Luxembourg (another town that is a good 2-hour stop - one of the most physically gorgeous towns in Europe as a deep gorge bisects it.

For lots on German trains I always spotlight IMO these superb IMO sites - www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com. There is a Germany-Benelux railpass but you really are not traveling long distances so it is probably not viable (but it is also valid). check fares at www.bahn.de/en - German Railways official web site - schedules for all European trains; fares for those involving Germany.

hulal

thank you! I am wondering if it would be better to go from Maastricht, spend a 1/2 day in Aachen, then go to Cologne for the night, the next day (mid day) take a train to Koblenz and take a boat ride on the Mosel River to Cochem where we would stay 2 nights to explore that area. From Cochem we would take a train to Brussels. Is this possible and is it really complicated and expensive to make happen?

PalenQ

t, the next day (mid day) take a train to Koblenz and take a boat ride on the Mosel River to Cochem where we would stay 2 nights to explore that area.>

OK but can't take a boat to Cochem as it runs from Koblenz just in the morning to Cochem - but you can take a train from Koblenz and in 20 minutes be in Cochem.

the boat ride Cochem to Beilstein is fantastic - over what many call the most scenic of the Mosel Valley - vineyards carpeting most of the valley most of the town. Again this makes a great bike ride and bikes can be rented to Cochem's train station.