Alsace France to Western Germany
Feb 20th, 2016, 08:13 PM
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Alsace France to Western Germany
My husband and I are traveling Aug. 31 - Sept. 12 (12 days) flying into Munich and out of Frankfort. We love food, wine, quaint towns, markets, and some castles and history. We plan on renting a car for most of the trip. The only places we know we want to visit are: Munich - 2 or 3 days, Alsace region (possibly staying in Riquewher)- 4 days, Rothenburg Odt 1 day. Other places we are considering are the Black Forest, Freiburg, Trier or Cochem, and Nuremberg. We prefer to stay a minimum of 2 nights in each place and like to do day trips. I would appreciate any help for this trip.
Feb 20th, 2016, 09:30 PM
#2
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Use www.michelin.com to determine driving times and routes between your destinations. Four days in Riquewihr sounds like a long time and I like the place.
Feb 21st, 2016, 01:05 AM
#3
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We spent a full week in Riquewihr and loved it! There are lots of small towns and villages to visit and some fantastic food!
Our pics are here
https://flickr.com/photos/[email protected]
Our pics are here
https://flickr.com/photos/[email protected]
Feb 21st, 2016, 03:28 AM
#4
I love Alasace, the Pfalz and the Mosel (follow my name back over the years and there are all kinds of threads).
I'd consider passing by a wine festival and these happen most weekends from late spring to early autumn somewhere in all three regions. Google is your friend here. Most "festivals" are an opportunity to sell sausage and clear out the cheaper wines but still well worth the fun, even if only in a field for 3 or 4 hours.
Trier is well worth the visit just for the roman buildings, you can hire bikes from the railway station and whizz around town if moving the car is a pain.
Castles on the Mosel are good, consider even Luxembourg which is all that is left of a massive fortress along the cliff edge and only a short drive from Trier.
I'd consider passing by a wine festival and these happen most weekends from late spring to early autumn somewhere in all three regions. Google is your friend here. Most "festivals" are an opportunity to sell sausage and clear out the cheaper wines but still well worth the fun, even if only in a field for 3 or 4 hours.
Trier is well worth the visit just for the roman buildings, you can hire bikes from the railway station and whizz around town if moving the car is a pain.
Castles on the Mosel are good, consider even Luxembourg which is all that is left of a massive fortress along the cliff edge and only a short drive from Trier.
Feb 21st, 2016, 09:35 AM
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We have done the Germany/Alsace vacation on two occasions and plan on a third in the near future. Riquewihr makes a great base to explore the Alsace, it is a beautiful medieval village with numerous colorful half timbered buildings. In my opinion the best castle is about 50 minutes by car to Castle Haut-Koenigsbourg, a majestic fortress overseeing the entire Alsace region. You can tour the castle in about an hour. Our favorite town in the Alsace is Colmar with a beautiful old town full of colorful buildings, great restaurants, cafes and a great museum in the Unterlinden Museum. Other beautiful villages/towns include Andlau (30 min)where we stayed, Obernai (35 min), Kintzheim (20 min) with castle ruins, and Strasbourg is less than an hours drive. You mentioned history...the only German concentration camp situated in France during WW II was in Natzweiler-Struthof (1 hour drive). The camp is well preserved and it is quite a sombering experience to visit.
Also, crossing the Rhine into Freiburg Germany is less than an hour from Riquewihr.
We also loved the Mosel Valley, an area rich in vineyards, castles and beautiful villages along the Mosel River. We stayed in Bernkastel-Kues, a wine themed village full of colorful half timbered buildings, directly on the river with a 9th century castle ruins overlooking the valley. From Kues it is easy rides to Trier (40 min), Zell (40 min), Traben-Trarbach (25 min) and Koblenz (1 hour).
Mike
Also, crossing the Rhine into Freiburg Germany is less than an hour from Riquewihr.
We also loved the Mosel Valley, an area rich in vineyards, castles and beautiful villages along the Mosel River. We stayed in Bernkastel-Kues, a wine themed village full of colorful half timbered buildings, directly on the river with a 9th century castle ruins overlooking the valley. From Kues it is easy rides to Trier (40 min), Zell (40 min), Traben-Trarbach (25 min) and Koblenz (1 hour).
Mike
Feb 21st, 2016, 06:52 PM
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Thank you all for this great information. We are even more sure that we want to spend several days in the Alsace region. What about a couple of days in the Black Forest in Gengenbach? Is Gengenbach better than Freiburg? Also, should we stay in Trier or just make it a day trip from Riquewihr?
Feb 21st, 2016, 11:09 PM
#8
You don't have a lot of time, you need to start structuring your itin so we can discuss it, you could do Trier as a day trip but use viamichelin for timings and add 25% to whatever it gives (google is not so good in Europe).
Your Itin is presently too much full of "could I's" ;-)
Your Itin is presently too much full of "could I's" ;-)
Feb 22nd, 2016, 08:36 PM
#10
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Mike1728, Do you prefer Colmar or Riquewihr as the Alsace home base? You also mentioned Bernkastel-Kues and the Mosel Valley. Do you prefer this area instead of Rothenburg and Wurszberg on the Rhine? We have not been to either and only have time for one of them.
Feb 22nd, 2016, 08:40 PM
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We rented a gite from here
http://www.i-love-riquewihr.com
It was called Sylvaner.
Glad you enjoyed the photos!
http://www.i-love-riquewihr.com
It was called Sylvaner.
Glad you enjoyed the photos!
Feb 22nd, 2016, 11:25 PM
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>> Is Gengenbach better than Freiburg? <<
Gengenbach is a very small town - very cute, very picturesque and certainly worth a visit, but after 2 or 3 hours you have seen everything. It may be a good base for the Vogtsbauerhof open-air museum and for Triberg (waterfalls and cuckoo clocks).
Freiburg is an university town, much bigger, also with a quaint old town and with a splendid cathedral, but otherwise completely different in character: lots of restaurants, shops and urban life. Freiburg is in the Rhine Valley and from there the drive into the Black Forest (which is a mountain chain) takes 45 minutes (through the Höllental - "Hell's Canyon").
The third option would be staying right IN the High Black Forest. There are several towns which would make good bases:
- Titisee is a picturesque little town with a lake, but quite touristy with lots of hotels, restaurants, souvenir shops and Chinese tourists.
- Schluchsee, on the Black Forest's largest lake, is somewhat quieter, although the range of hotels is much greater than in Titisee. There is a trail around the lake, you can rent boats, cruise the lake with a steamer etc.
- Menzenschwand is the most authentic and most picturesque towns in the Black Forest, still many traditional wooden farmhouses, beautiful scenery, a waterfall, a deer park, a glacial valley with impressive moraines, excellent hiking trails and a most beautiful thermal spa.
- Feldberg is the highest mountain of the Black Forest. It is certainly worth a visit. You can take the cable tram up to the summit and walk there. Or you can hike down to the incredibly scenic Feldsee. Feldberg is not a proper town but a winter sports resorts with many hotels somewhat scattered across the mountains and meadows.
- Rothaus (Grafenhausen) is a historic brewery with a traditional, wood-paneled restaurant and a modern hotel. In walking distance you find a traditional Black Forest house which is now a museum (Hüsli), two historic chapels and a small lake.
Gengenbach is a very small town - very cute, very picturesque and certainly worth a visit, but after 2 or 3 hours you have seen everything. It may be a good base for the Vogtsbauerhof open-air museum and for Triberg (waterfalls and cuckoo clocks).
Freiburg is an university town, much bigger, also with a quaint old town and with a splendid cathedral, but otherwise completely different in character: lots of restaurants, shops and urban life. Freiburg is in the Rhine Valley and from there the drive into the Black Forest (which is a mountain chain) takes 45 minutes (through the Höllental - "Hell's Canyon").
The third option would be staying right IN the High Black Forest. There are several towns which would make good bases:
- Titisee is a picturesque little town with a lake, but quite touristy with lots of hotels, restaurants, souvenir shops and Chinese tourists.
- Schluchsee, on the Black Forest's largest lake, is somewhat quieter, although the range of hotels is much greater than in Titisee. There is a trail around the lake, you can rent boats, cruise the lake with a steamer etc.
- Menzenschwand is the most authentic and most picturesque towns in the Black Forest, still many traditional wooden farmhouses, beautiful scenery, a waterfall, a deer park, a glacial valley with impressive moraines, excellent hiking trails and a most beautiful thermal spa.
- Feldberg is the highest mountain of the Black Forest. It is certainly worth a visit. You can take the cable tram up to the summit and walk there. Or you can hike down to the incredibly scenic Feldsee. Feldberg is not a proper town but a winter sports resorts with many hotels somewhat scattered across the mountains and meadows.
- Rothaus (Grafenhausen) is a historic brewery with a traditional, wood-paneled restaurant and a modern hotel. In walking distance you find a traditional Black Forest house which is now a museum (Hüsli), two historic chapels and a small lake.
Feb 24th, 2016, 01:24 PM
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Pam6000,
I think you will find more options for lodging, restaurants, things to do in Colmar as opposed to Riquewihr. As Riquewihr is an easy day trip from Colmar, I would base in Colmar. Riquewihr and maybe Kayserberg (a beautiful Alsatian village with castle ruins overlooking the village) can be done in an easy day trip from Colmar, even a half day trip, the villages are so close.
Please advise on your itinerary as the Mosel and the Black Forest each have their own unique identity, and offer different experiences/cultural offerings. How much time time will you spend in either?
Either way, you are building up to a great vacation!
I think you will find more options for lodging, restaurants, things to do in Colmar as opposed to Riquewihr. As Riquewihr is an easy day trip from Colmar, I would base in Colmar. Riquewihr and maybe Kayserberg (a beautiful Alsatian village with castle ruins overlooking the village) can be done in an easy day trip from Colmar, even a half day trip, the villages are so close.
Please advise on your itinerary as the Mosel and the Black Forest each have their own unique identity, and offer different experiences/cultural offerings. How much time time will you spend in either?
Either way, you are building up to a great vacation!
Feb 26th, 2016, 09:37 AM
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On the Alsace Wine Road there are lots of pretty villages, we particularly liked Eguisheim and Kaysersberg.
Strasbourg, the capital of Alsace is wonderful, and if you wanted to venture a bit further into France, to include a city that is a big contrast with all the other places, I'd recommend Nancy, the very elegant capital of Lorraine. It has a UNESCO World Heritage Site (Placa Stanislas) and lots of beautiful art nouveau buildings.
Strasbourg, the capital of Alsace is wonderful, and if you wanted to venture a bit further into France, to include a city that is a big contrast with all the other places, I'd recommend Nancy, the very elegant capital of Lorraine. It has a UNESCO World Heritage Site (Placa Stanislas) and lots of beautiful art nouveau buildings.
Mar 4th, 2016, 08:31 PM
#16
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So many places, so little time. I think this will be our itinerary:
Salzberg 2 nights, Garmish 2 nights, drive through Black Forest to Alsace for 4 nights, Rothenburg ob der Tauber 2 nights, Mainz last night and fly out of Frankfurt.
Thanks for all the input.
Salzberg 2 nights, Garmish 2 nights, drive through Black Forest to Alsace for 4 nights, Rothenburg ob der Tauber 2 nights, Mainz last night and fly out of Frankfurt.
Thanks for all the input.
Apr 14th, 2016, 03:03 PM
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Hi, we hope to do a similar trip next year 2017. You mention you are flying into Munich. Will you be renting a car to get to Saltzburg? I would be very interested in the route you will take to get there and how long it will take as I would like to emulate yours if you find it good. I would also be very interested in the end result of your trip.
Thanks in advance for any help you can provide!
Thanks in advance for any help you can provide!
Apr 14th, 2016, 03:22 PM
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http://www.hugel.com/ Go here, great tour and wine.
Apr 14th, 2016, 06:04 PM
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Sorry - but I don;t see here what transport you will be using - assume you wil be driving since this area is ideal for it.
IMHO the Alsace are is worth at least 5 nights (2 days in Strasbourg, one in Colmar and one visiting the wine villages).
The Black Forest is charming. We stayed at a gasthaus in a small village near Freiburg (actually on a farm with a crowing cock and mooing cows at about 5 am) and visited a number of cute small villages including Triberg, just wandering the roads. Also visited Schaffhausen Falls which was wonderful.
We loved Trier and spent 4 nights there, one plus days in the town, one in Luxembourg and one in the Moselle. You could esily do more day trips from there and we found several charming restaurants in the town - along with the very impressive Roman remains.
IMHO the Alsace are is worth at least 5 nights (2 days in Strasbourg, one in Colmar and one visiting the wine villages).
The Black Forest is charming. We stayed at a gasthaus in a small village near Freiburg (actually on a farm with a crowing cock and mooing cows at about 5 am) and visited a number of cute small villages including Triberg, just wandering the roads. Also visited Schaffhausen Falls which was wonderful.
We loved Trier and spent 4 nights there, one plus days in the town, one in Luxembourg and one in the Moselle. You could esily do more day trips from there and we found several charming restaurants in the town - along with the very impressive Roman remains.
Apr 15th, 2016, 05:05 PM
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YEs we will be renting a car. Thank-you for the info. We always like to stay an extra week at the end of our travels and rent an apartment or small cottage just to relax..........is there anywhere you would suggest? I think by what I have read, we would go from Munich to Saltzburg then probably do the Black Forest region and then Alsace. Just not sure if we should spend the last week in France or Germany. If we spent a week in Alsace we would then weave our way back to fly out of Germany possibly out of Frankfurt. If we were to travel the "Romantic Road" by car is it as scenic as taking a boatride up the Rhine?
