samanthapr

Hello,

I am planning a trip with my partner from February 10-18th 2017 and am currently planning the below itinerary.
Feb 10-11: Munich
Feb 12: Rothenburg
Feb 13: Mosel Valley
Feb 14: Rhine Valley
Feb 15-16: Amsterdam
Feb 17-18: Berlin

I wanted to know if the above itinerary makes sense? I need to be in Amsterdam on the 15th for a concert so that is what I'm working around. If anyone has a better suggestions of the flow of cities or any advice as to weather we will be satisfied with the amount of time spent in each city it would be greatly appreciated.

We are planning on travelling by train.

We are both interested in seeing as many museums, scenic spots, and good food.

Sassafrass

What day are you actually arriving in Munich?
What day are you actually planning to depart from Berlin?
Have you calculated travel times, including the time it will take to get from your hotel to the train station, and from the next train station to your next hotel? Travel will take up more time than you think. Example. If most of the 17th is travel and you depart on the 18th, when would you actually see Berlin?

nytraveler

All of the places you are going to have a real winter (highs in the 30s or 40s F) - so be prepared for cold, possibly snow and have nice warm clothes and something to make sure your feet stay dry if you have sleet or snow.

Also you have way too many places for the few days you will be there - and will spend most of your time on the train rather than sightseeing. Have a look at bahn.de to see the actual schedules.

Then lay the trip out day by day - where you will wake, what you will see/do, what travel there is (add 2 hours to the train time listed to get to/fro hotels) and where you will sleep.

I think you will very shortly that you have way more time on the train than actually doing/seeing anything.

greg

For travel time, use www.bahn.com. The Amsterdam-Berlin is one long trek. Takes about 6.5 hours. It is one train if that is a consolation.

Because you are moving so often, while you are hitting many places, you will not be able to accomplish your objective of visiting as many museum and scenic spots as possible.

Amsterdam and Berlin are outliers. You would have recouped a lot of time to "see as many museums and scenic spots" if you could have ended your trip in Amsterdam.

michelhuebeli

Not sure why the Mosel valley in February for just one day. What are you looking for? There are picturesque destinations, but not suited for a "drive-by" ("rail-by") visit.

Give that extra day to the Rhine trip instead, for an overnight in Cologne before taking the train from Cologne to Amsterdam (about 4 hours).

From Rothenburg ob der Tauber to the Rhine, say in Mainz, it takes more than three hours - Rothenburg is stuck out in the countryside on a minor local/regional train line.

Taking the train down the Rhine from, say, Mainz to Cologne makes sense on a good day, maybe even with a lunch stop, you see all kinds of castle ruins and such from the train if you pay attention and look up. You won't see the Loreley, she'll be hibernating...

In Cologne plan at least on a visit to the Chocolate museum, the cathedral (right across from the train station), and a meal with a local wine from just up the road, or the typical beer they're so proud of, the "Kölsche".

samanthapr

hello,

After reading everyone's responses, it does sound like I am trying to do too much in too little time.

I am now considering seeing the concert in Berlin on the 12th with the itinerary below. Please advise if this sounds more feasible in the time given and if we will get a good taste of the art and scenery Europe has to offer?

-Do you think we can still squeeze in a day somewhere to see the Rhine river valley or Mosel where I wanted to see Burg eltz castle?

-Will the below itinerary offer me a view of a good castle..i only need to see one great picturesque castle and I will be satisified.



Fly into Berlin the 10th morning
Feb 10-13: Berlin
Take the train from Berlin to Dresden the 13th early morning (2 hours)
Feb 13: Dresden
Take Train from Dresdon 14th morning to Rothenburg ob der Tauber (5.5 hours)
Feb 14-15: Rothenburg
Take train from Rothenburg ob der tauber to Munich (3 hours)
Feb 16-18th: Munich
18th evening fly out of Munich back to Los Angeles

janisj

>>Feb 10-13: Berlin
Take the train from Berlin to Dresden the 13th early morning (2 hours)
Feb 13: Dresden
Take Train from Dresdon 14th morning to Rothenburg ob der Tauber (5.5 hours)
Feb 14-15: Rothenburg
Take train from Rothenburg ob der tauber to Munich (3 hours)
Feb 16-18th: Munich
18th evening fly out of Munich back to Los Angeles<<

What that actually is:

Feb 10-12: Berlin 2.5 days - possibly jet lagged
Feb 13: Dresden a little over 1/2 a day in Dresden
Feb 14-15: Rothenburg a little over 1 day for Rothenburg
Feb 16-17th: Munich 1 full and 2 half days in Munich
18th evening fly out of Munich back to Los Angeles

Still too much/too many destinations in winter IMO . . .

Fussgaenger

"Do you think we can still squeeze in a day somewhere to see the Rhine river valley or Mosel where I wanted to see Burg eltz castle?...Will the below itinerary offer me a view of a good castle.."

Fly into Berlin the 10th morning
Feb 10-13: Berlin

In Berlin you'll actually have the nights of Feb 10-12. But Berlin is huge, and your time will be compromised by the concert. Don't shortchange the place - spend the 13th and 14th there too instead of in Dresden.

Feb 14-15: Rothenburg

Rothenburg is handsome and cutesy. But it will take you 5.5 hours to get there, and there's no castle there to speak of.

Why not use that travel time instead to visit the Rhine/Mosel area, where you'll have DOZENS of real castles and cutesy villages at your feet??

Get a room near the Koblenz station for the 15th and 16th. From Koblenz you can reach the gorgeous town of BRAUBACH in 10 minutes by train. MARKSBURG is there - a never-destroyed medieval castle that is OPEN for tours in winter from 11-4.

http://www.marksburg.de/en/
http://www.romantischer-rhein.de/upl...ltstadt_02.jpg

Then visit some other towns. All the places that follow are less than 45 minutes from Koblenz.

Oberwesel and Bacharach are just 5 minutes from each other, further south of Koblenz on the Rhine...
Bacharach - https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...arach_BW_1.JPG
Oberwesel - http://www.oberwesel.de/en/wandern0/stadtmauerrundweg/
Rüdesheim is an old-world town with a gorgeous Christmas market - http://w-d-n.de/en/presse

Cochem on the Mosel is fabulous, not far from Burg Eltz, and also has a gorgeous castle and Christmas market:

http://www.der-takt.de/typo3temp/_pr...087e83a8d1.jpg
http://static.panoramio.com/photos/large/31506410.jpg

On the 17th, once you've seen these places sufficiently, travel to Mainz for a final night. Mainz has a terrific Christmas market too. From Mainz it's only 25 minutes by direct train to FRA airport for your flight home.

PalenQ

If doing that by train -fine -check out the Germany Railpass which lets you hop on virtually any train anytime-compare vs restricted discounted tickets- if close go for the pass. Great info on German trains- www.seat61.com; www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com. And heed what Fussganger says - always great info -especially on Rhine and Mosel areas.

PalenQ

From Mainz it's only 25 minutes by direct train to FRA airport for your flight home.>

Weisbaden is just across the river from Mainz and having stayed in both I preferred the lush park-like setting of this spa town.

Mainz is a nice city but a rather big city- you could even stay in Frankfurt the final night if into popular Christmas Markets.

PalenQ

Cochem on the Mosel is fabulous, not far from Burg Eltz, and also has a gorgeous castle and Christmas market

Christmas Market is on in February or did I miss a change in dates from the OP - February?

Fussgaenger

Christmas market... not in Feb! (I confused w/ another inquiry, clearly.)

samanthapr

Are any of the below covering the romantic road because I would like to see a town that is on that road which is why I originally went with Rothenburg ob der tauber.

You removed Munich from the itinerary @Fussgaenger, do you not think Munich is worth seeing on this trip? I don't know when I will be back in Germany and it was one of the must see places according to Rick Steves travel guide?

If I cancel Dresden and Rothenburg is the below feasible to end in Munich?

Berlin
Koblenz
Cochem
Munich

Fussgaenger

"You removed Munich from the itinerary @Fussgaenger, do you not think Munich is worth seeing on this trip? I don't know when I will be back in Germany and it was one of the must see places according to Rick Steves travel guide?"

Here's what I was thinking, roughly. You arrive on the 10th, depart on the 18th. On the 10th, if you're only a little jet-lagged, you might get in half a day to see something. The concert on the 12th may impact that day too by half a day. So I count 4 full days maximum of sightseeing time for Berlin in my plan (arriving on the 10th, departing early on the 15th.) That's a very typical length of time for this city.

Then you have 5.5 hours on the 15th for the train trip to Koblenz - so you have maybe half a day around there - maybe a visit to Marksburg Castle - and a second day in the area - maybe Cochem, the hike to Burg Eltz and Bacharach/Oberwesel in a very full day. Then you wake up on the 17th in Koblenz. You could spend a full day in Mainz on this day, or you could split the day between Rüdesheim and Mainz.

It's perfectly possible to travel to Munich on the morning of the 15th instead and spend the remainder of your time there. But you will have already seen a major German city, and that would mean no time at all in the smaller, old-world places with towers and town walls and ornate half-timbered buildings (like Rothenburg and/or the Rhine towns and castles) that you had on your wish list.

I suggest you follow Rick Steves' packing tips very closely but play very loosely with his itinerary suggestions. Everything is optional in Germany. What matters most are YOUR wishes, IMO.

Fussgaenger

"If I cancel Dresden and Rothenburg is the below feasible to end in Munich?

Berlin
Koblenz
Cochem
Munich"

I don't see how you squeeze out TIME enough for Munich with those places. None of those are "Romantic Road" towns - but as the photos show, Cochem, Braubach, and the other "Romantic Rhine" towns are pretty romantic. And then there are the castles there as well.

You could perhaps substitute Rothenburg for the Rhine/Mosel and end in Munich - ON the 15th, 5.5 hours by train to R'burg, spend just the p.m. of the 15th in R'burg, and leave the next morning for Munich. That would provide close to 2 full days for Munich. It just seems a big imbalance of big city over the more romantic places that pepper your wish list.

Mainz is a lot smaller than a place like Munich, Berlin or Frankfurt. You can cover it on foot - lots of pedestrians-only zones (pink streets):

http://www.zappgames.com/Stadtplan_CMYK.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8517/8...8e0b61f0_b.jpg

Many nice photos of Mainz here:
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1175713

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7288/...314eed2f_b.jpg

Fussgaenger

hmmm... Let's squeeze that empty toothpaste tube one more time... This could get you to Rothenburg/Romantic Road and to the Rhine for a day or so each.

Berlin as above 10th-14th but depart Berlin in the PM on the 14th (16:30) for Würzburg (Romantic Road town, 20:26) and check in near station.

15th: Day trip to Rothenburg (Romantic Road) and back to Würzburg for pm.

16th: Morning in Würzburg; train (11:55) to Mainz (13:55) for pm and evening.

17th: Day trip to Bacharach and Marksburg Castle in Braubach, possibly Rüdesheim in late pm (probably no time for the Mosel) - return to Mainz.

18th: Fly out FRA

samanthapr

Thank you Fussgaenger! I think this last itinerary post is the what we are going to do as it hits all the top wish list stops!
Everyones input has really helped in planning the route!



Berlin as above 10th-14th but depart Berlin in the PM on the 14th (16:30) for Würzburg (Romantic Road town, 20:26) and check in near station.

15th: Day trip to Rothenburg (Romantic Road) and back to Würzburg for pm.

16th: Morning in Würzburg; train (11:55) to Mainz (13:55) for pm and evening.

17th: Day trip to Bacharach and Marksburg Castle in Braubach, possibly Rüdesheim in late pm (probably no time for the Mosel) - return to Mainz.

18th: Fly out FRA

samanthapr

Regarding getting around would ICE be my best and cheapest option or do you think we should I should take a bus?

Fussgaenger

A BUS?? Hopefully not.

You should take the high-speed trains (IC, ICE, EC) wherever possible for the shortest journey times on your two long journeys. Berlin-Würzburg-Mainz routes should be available on these trains exclusively.

Berlin-Würzburg normally requires a change from one high-speed train to another in the junction town of Fulda.

There are a FEW direct trains between W'burg and Mainz. If theres' not one available around the time you want to travel, there'll be a high-speed train from W'burg and then a connection to make to a regional train (probably at Frankfurt's main station.)

All this (along with track arrival numbers and times) is clearly indicated at the DB website when you hunt down an itinerary for a specific date and time:

http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en

Some places (Rothenburg, St. Goar, most day trip destinations) are small and are not served by high-speed trains - so from your base towns of Würzburg and Mainz you would normally use regional trains. Again the DB site shows you connections.

You can probably pin down some cheap fares for your two long travel legs at the DB site (saver fares are all train-specific - you must use the trains you book, basically.)

The other train trips can be bought on site using local day passes.

Alternatively, look at the DB website for rail passes. A two-person twin pass in 2nd class can be very competitive with the cost of individual tickets - and very convenient, even if it's not quite as cheap. The 7-day, flexi-pass version of this ticket is currently on sale (for a few more days) at a 20% discount at the DB site - $326 for two would cover...

1.) Berlin airport to...? nearest S-Bahn station for your hotel there
2.) Berlin-W'burg
3.) W'burg-Rothenburg and back
4.) W'burg-Mainz
5.) Mainz-Rhine river day trip - Mainz
6.) Mainz - FRA airport

I do not know the details of your concert, but perhaps on the 12th you could use the rail pass on the S-Bahn to get there. That would be the 7th day. Or use it for some other train journey, or not at all.

With the rail pass, your major journeys do NOT have to be pre-ordained. You can change your plans at will with the rail pass. That's a big advantage.

https://www.bahn.com/i/view/USA/en/p...romotion.shtml

Now I realize you probably don't have your flights booked yet. But if you are going for sure, even if you change your mind on your itinerary between now and February, or fly into different airports, you can still use this rail pass. It is good all over Germany (and a few foreign destinations) and is not tied at all to your specific travel plans.

If you buy your rail pass after the deadline, you'll pay according to the prices here:

https://www.bahn.com/i/view/USA/en/p...ss-flexi.shtml

(You don't have to buy the normal price pass online - you can buy it in Germany once you arrive if you wish.)

PalenQ

for the flexibility and freedom to just hop any train the German Twin Railpass special sounds well special. No fooling around booking discounted train tickets in stone.