sorriso

Next month I am visiting my son who lives in Amsterdam and we are planning a long weekend trip of two or three overnights. Currently we are thinking of Cologne to Mosel Valley to Aachen with Cologne being a half day visit moving on to the Mosel Valley for our first overnight. I would like suggestions as to length of stay/where to stay for each of the remaining two areas and anything else you'd like to add.

During our time in the Mosel Valley I'd like to do a boat trip, see castles both standing and in ruins, walk and explore villages--love looking at architecture and gardens, maybe visit small museums--I really like house tours, drink beer and wine, and eat--not at the foodie level though Not a shopper.

In poking around previous posts I've seen Koblenz and Cochem frequently mentioned, where would you stay? In researching I get distracted by all the other beautiful places to experience and know from previous travel that I'd prefer to concentrate on smaller areas than spend time running around and I suspect that already the scope of this trip is too wide for our time frame. That said, I hear the upper Rhine is pretty spectacular too...would you swap out Mosel for upper? Would you take Aachen out of the mix and save for a separate trip? An overnight trip to Aachen had been planned for our last visit to Amsterdam and didn't happen because we had so much else to explore given that it was our first visit; there's just so much to see!

Thank you.

hetismij2

How are you travelling?

PalenQ

what do you mean by 'Upper Rhine' - if north of Koblenz it is lots of industry and ho-hum scenery - best of Rhine is the Rhine Gorge Bingen-Koblenz. Cochem yes would be my recommendation for a picture postcard wine town on a lovely stretch of Mosel.

Cochem has a ruined castle and a Ersatz pristine rebuilt medieval castle and Burg Eltz - one of Germany's most famous castles -is a short train and bus/taxi ride away.

Take the boat Cochem-Beilstein to experience one of the most beautiful stretches of Mosel and see your tiny villages and even tiptoe thru the sloping vineyards.

For lots on this area see www.budgeteuropetravel.com and their online European Planning & Rail Guide's Germany chapter and www.ricksteves.com.

Trains would be fine from Amsterdam - stop off at Cologne for few-hour look at cathedral and end up in Cochem but car would be nicer for Cochem-Aachen.

sorriso

Thank you Pal; I was thinking Bingen area when I wrote upper Rhine.

Hetismij2: good question. Train from Amsterdam to Cologne and am open after that. I'd thought maybe river cruise from Cologne to a point south but will review Pal's suggestion for boat Coachem to Beilstein; I'd meant to mention Beilstein in my original post. We could rent a car.

After my original post I poked around Beilstein hotel sites and on quick run through there may not be availability mid-September and if there is there may be a two night minimum. It does seem like a perfectly lovely place to spend two nights!

bilboburgler

Bingen not a bad base.

I think Koblenz and Cochem are a bit too big and touristy, but you may find either is fine.

I prefer Trier and Bernkastel, the second is smaller and just lots of little houses, Trier is larger but with finer Roman stuff.

Beer in Mosel is ok, but really the wine is far better.

PalenQ

I think Koblenz and Cochem are a bit too big and touristy, but you may find either is fine.>

Koblenz is a big city with none of the small-town ambience of Cochem which though is heavily touristed but in Sept the crowds thin out a bit.

Beilstein would only be a good base if you had a car. No trains and only slow buses to rail stations.

I'd suggest doing a Rhine Cruise - like those offered by K-D (k-d.com) down the prettiest part of the Rhine Gorge - could do it from a Cochem base by train.

Aachen I might axe off this trip -lots of stuff in Rhine/Mosel areas.

Cologne-Koblenz is a long all-day boat ride with marginal things of interest IMO.

Book Amsterdam-Cologne-wherever tickets at www.bahn.de/en and book early for discounted tickets.

hetismij2

Beilstein is indeed a lovely place to stay. As well s the castle there is an old Jewish cemetery which is worth a visit.
We had a car when we stayed there, having driven from home in the Netherlands.
Any of the villages along the Mosel are lovely but they do get crowded. I think renting a car would be a good idea as it also gives you the freedom to head up into the Eiffel for instance.
Renting one in Cologne and leaving it in Aachen might be easier to organise than renting one in Cochem.
Book the train to Cologne asap to get the best price on it. Currently around €30 2nd class, €40 for first.

PalenQ

Book the train to Cologne asap to get the best price on it. Currently around €30 2nd class, €40 for first>

Yup those discounted tickets can disappear anytime - and for 10 extra euros I'd go first class - significantly more relaxed though most folks find 2nd class fine -1st is finer - you can even order food and drinks that will be brought to your seat!

Make a seat reservation along with the tickets as German trains are often quite full - you can always board but getting say two seats together could be tough without the optional seat reservation.

swandav2000

Hi sorriso,

Sorry I can't help with the overall itinerary, but for what it's worth ...

I spent 5 nights in Trier this past June, and aside from the Roman stuff and two churches (worth a day, perhaps), I didn't find anything interesting or charming in the town.

I spent 2 nights in Aachen during the same trip, and I adored the town. I was awfully sorry that I hadn't planned for more time there ... the architecture, the maze of intriguing alleys, the history ringing off the cobblestones, the cozy squares lined with inviting cafes, all enchanted me.

Have fun as you plan!

s

bilboburgler

little villages on the Mosel do not really get crowded in Sept, the Dutch are starting to go home and the Germans are all back at work, we find you can always find a bed for the night, unless there is a festival in town that night. The festivals swirl up and down the valley extending the season.

Fussgaenger

The most dramatic boat trip in Germany is from Bingen north to St. Goar.

https://gruppentouristik.com/sites/d.../Rheinlauf.jpg

This is where you'll take in the tightest concentration of castles, villages, and vine-clad cliffsides. I'd do it on Day 1 after a visit to Cologne.

Bingen is not central to both rivers. Neither is Beilstein. Koblenz is a major train hub for both rivers and would be a logical base considering how much you are packing in. I'd spend all nights there. Here's an itinerary for Day 1.

Day 1: A'dam (8:02) to Cologne (10:45) for stopover. Cologne (13:53) to Koblenz (14:46), stow bags in locker. Koblenz (15:04) to Bingen (15:46) and walk to boat dock for 16:30 cruise north. Disembark in St. Goar (17:55) for dinner. Continue north to Bingen at your leisure, fetch bags, check into a hotel near the station.

Daytrip on the Mosel: Cochem and Burg Eltz; possible cruise to Beilstein and back from Cochem but this will be a long day if you manage it.

Other area options you might find time for:

You will be there during wine fest season - the Rhine towns have one just about every weekend so share your exact dates to find out which town to go to.

Boppard is only 15 minutes south of Koblenz on the west bank.

http://schnuggel-elsje.de/upload/Bilder/IMG_0131.JPG

http://ext.pimg.tw/samlucky5711/1379...g?v=1379089585

Braubach and the never-destroyed Marksburg Castle is 10 minutes south of Koblenz on the east bank:

https://www.romantischer-rhein.de/up...ltstadt_02.jpg

http://www.marksburg.de/en/

sorriso

Yes! All kinds of responses to read, thank you. I just popped in to say that train is booked to Cologne/Koeln/Koln.

sorriso

Fussgaenger would you propose for days two and three as well please?

We have decided this will be a three overnight weekend (Thursday, Friday, Saturday--must be back in Amsterdam by late afternoon on Sunday). Yes, we can rent a car.

sorriso

And that is the train that we booked from Amsterdam!

sorriso

Fussgaenger: thank you for sharing the photos, exactly captures what I am eager to see. We're leaving Amsterdam Thursday, September 21.

We like to bike-ride, touring not off road.

PalenQ

by all means rent a bike for a day on the Mosel -one of primo biking venues in Europe - Cochem has many - check the train station -used to be at least you could rent there and return at another train station - Traben-Trarbach would make a good destination with chance of returning by train.

bilboburgler

Bikes on the Mosel are very good, very flat, mainly away from roads (on black top) and relatively cheap, the trains let you take them back. Generally go West to East as it is with the prevailing wind.

PalenQ

I think the boats to Beilstein may take them too and Beilstein to Cochem is a wonderful short putz - yes bike downstream along Mosel - at times like a wind tunnel (I know - a decade of leading bike trips up the Mosel - put rented bike on train and go upstream and bike down - going into wind can be like climbing mountains.

Underhill

We enjoyed our several days in Aachen, although the August heat and humidity might be a good reason to go in cooler weather. There's much to see in the town, from the cathedral to the bakeries with all sorts of the gingerbread for which the town is known.

Fussgaenger

"Fussgaenger would you propose for days two and three as well please?"

Well, you've already got a plan for one of those in Burg Eltz and Cochem. A few details for that day maybe...

Train to Moselkern (30 min.), walk to Burg Eltz, tour, walk back to Moselkern, train to Cochem (15 min.), train back to Koblenz (45 min.)

Train day pass: the VRM mini-group ticket at €22.10 covers all your trains. Buy it from a Koblenz ticket machine. Go on a Sat or Sun so you can use the ticket prior to 9:00. Details:

http://www.vrminfo.de/en/tickets/tic...eisure-ticket/

Trail to Eltz from Moselkern: http://www.bensbauernhof.com/burgeltzfrommoselkern.html

Squeezing in a cruise to Beilstein might work... Get an early start out of Koblenz (7:27 train?) and shoot for the 15:00 cruise to Beilstein (16:00) and return to Cochem on the 17:30 boat.

Last train back to Koblenz from Cochem is right around 22:00 (takes 45 min.)

Then on another day... I already suggested Braubach (Marksburg) and Boppard... You'd use the same VRM mini-group ticket for this day. Train to Braubach (10 min.) see town and walk up to Castle (takes 20 minutes, steep, not dangerous) for 1-hour tour, then walk back (for mid-day meal?) - https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4143/4...d7071291_b.jpg

After that, train from Braubach to St. Goarshausen (20 min.) and cross river to St. Goar (ferry runs all day and is covered by day pass.)

http://www.schiffbilder.de/1024/pers...chen-18381.jpg

See the town and catch a train to Boppard (15 min.)
Chairlift ride and short walk to Gedeonseck to enjoy that view over the town and river. Chairlift closes at 18:00.

Do Boppard town walk - https://www.boppard-tourismus.de/fil...-05-102821.pdf - or make your own way around.

Weinhaus Heilig Grab near station, or other establishment (Boppard has a LOT of places to wine and dine.)

http://www.deutschlandgourmet.info/b...ab-Boppard.jpg

Severus-stuben: http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/med...rus-stuben.jpg

Last train back to Koblenz (takes about 15 minutes) at either 22:51 or :06 after midnight.