Walker42

After a few false starts I’ve finalized the bones of our 19 day trip in July/Aug. Our stays in Bruges and Ribeauville are paid for, and I’ve got reservations or inquiries into the other stops. We will rent a car in Dusseldorf and return it in Bamberg sometime during our stay there depending on the daytrips we decide to take.

Day 1: Arrive Dusseldorf, lunch in Aachen, Leuven.
Day 2: Leuven - Brussels - Bruges
Day 3: Bruges
Day 4: Bruges (Sunday mass)
Day 5: early daytrip to Lille(?) - Ghent
Day 6: Ghent
Day 7: Ghent - Luxembourg - Nancy
Day 8: Nancy - Ribeauville
Day 9: Ribeauville
Day 10: Ribeauville
Day 11: Ribeauville (Sunday mass in Strasbourg)?
Day 12: Ribeauville
Day 13: Ribeauville - ? - Rothenburg
Day 14; Rothenburg
Day 15: Rothenburg - Wurzburg - Bamberg
Day 16: daytrip Coburg, Bamberg
Day 17: daytrip, Bamberg
Day 18: Bamberg (Sunday mass)
Day 19: Bamberg - train - Cologne
Day 20: early train to Dusseldorf airport.

Our first night is flexible for now, but a stop in Leuven seems like a necessity to see the Stadhuis, which from photos strikes me as one of the most impressive man made objects I’ve ever seen. It’s maybe a good stop for our first night as well?

I’m considering Lille just because the Michelin Green guide is extremely stingy awarding 3 stars to “Old Towns,” but Lille’s wins that rank. Was thinking of about 6 hours in Lille.

Ghent is having their big 10 day summer festival, which is why I’m planning 2 nights – so we have 2 nights and a full day to enjoy it.

Thinking of about 4 hours in Luxembourg, then Nancy to eat at Excelsior and see the nighttime illuminations in Place Stanislas. The next day we’ll tour Nancy (or not) as long as we wish before heading on to Ribeauville.

Ribeauville for 5 nights visiting with friends. Daytrips as needed.

I have a long time yet to decide on a stop between Ribeauville and Rothenburg. Even though I know there are many towns worth seeing (Heidelberg)? , as well as palaces like Ludwigsburg and Bruchsal, I think this would be a good point for some kind of contrast to the rest of the trip. (?)

My first thought is to attend mass in Strasbourg while we are in Alsace, but maybe there are other good options? I would love to be able to have an experience like a mass I attended in Durham, which left me just about cowering under my pew from the awesome organ music!

Thanks for all the help getting to this point!

tom18

I don't know what it's like to go to Mass there, but the Strasbourg Cathedral is awesome. For one thing, it has the Astronomical Clock, which, among other things, has a display in which Jesus and the apostles come out of the clock, somewhat like a glockenspiel. If you do an internet search, you'll find some videos that show what I'm talking about. On weekdays, the "show" occurs at 12:30, but I don't know if that holds for Sundays as well.

Another interesting feature of this cathedral is that the organ console, rather than being in a loft at the back of the church, actually hangs on one of the side walls. Unfortunately, it was not being played when we were there, so I don't know what it sounds like.

When you are in Bruges, you might like to see the sculpture of Michelangelo's Madonna of Bruges, a complement to his Pieta.

And in Ghent, you might want to see the Ghent Altarpiece, a large and complex 15th-century panel painting. The altarpiece now has its own interactive website: http://closertovaneyck.kikirpa.be/#home/sub=altarpiece

The stories of both the Bruges Madonna and the Ghent Altarpiece were told in the book, The Monuments Men, which describes how the Allies tried to save various works of arts from the Nazis during and after WWII.

adeben

1* I'd spend a whole day in Nancy: there is certainly enough to see there to justify the time.
2* After you have been in Alsace for a week and visited various towns there (Riquewihr, Eguisheim, Bergheim, etc), Rothenburg will be an anticlimax: Alsace has a number of 'Rothenburgs'.
3* I assume that your brief stop at Wurzburg will be to see the Residence? That will require a few hours.
4* When you are in Bambergt, schedule a visit to the pilgrimage church of Vierzehnheiligen near Lichtenfels. It is one of the great churches of the world, let alone Germany.
It was designed by Balthazar Neumann.
5* If you are interested in trying a German spa, Obermaintherme at Bad Staffelstein is excellent.

adeben

6* If you are interested in organ music, there are two Silbermann organs in Alsace at Ebersmunster and Marmoutier. It might be worth attending a recital/service at either of those, both of which are within easy range of Ribeauville.

lavandula

I think you've got the balance right for the cities / towns you mention. Leuven is pretty, ditto Nancy. In Germany you might think of stopping in Tübingen (university town) on the way to Rothenburg.

If you don't like Rothenburg, Dinkelsbühl, which is nearby, is almost as good but with far fewer tourists. I prefer it because I hate getting gouged with tourist prices.

Generally I like everywhere else on your agenda. Have a great time!

Lavandula

Walker42

Thanks for the detailed advice you guys!

{2* After you have been in Alsace for a week and visited various towns there (Riquewihr, Eguisheim, Bergheim, etc), Rothenburg will be an anticlimax: Alsace has a number of 'Rothenburgs'.}

I appreciate this comment quite a bit. Funny you mention "anticlimax" because originally I had tried to work this trip in reverse - Germany, France, Belgium - but mainly due to the Ghent festival I turned it around. I usually try to build up a vacation like this to some sort of peak, but I realize I’ll be giving that up by heading to Bamberg last. There’s something to be said for dénouements, anyway. 

I read someone’s comments comparing Bamberg to Strasbourg as “more of the same” (I love the variety of viewpoints here!) which to me is less of a sin than “not as nice.” I would like to avoid the feeling of seeing a “second rate Alsace” in Rothenburg. I was optimistic that I could instead see a “first rate Rothenburg” if you know what I mean. By all means I agree that if I will be comparing Rothenburg unfavorably to Alsace (and wishing I had just stayed in Alsace!) I would like to avoid it. This is the reason I decided against the Mosel.

On the other hand if the problem with Rothenburg is the tourists and the tourist infrastructure I have no problems with that.

{If you don't like Rothenburg, Dinkelsbühl, which is nearby, is almost as good}

This trip I am trying to avoid anyplace that is an “almost as good.” Just as a guiding principal with the kids for their first time in Europe I feel the need to impress them. Without them on board I am a “backroads” traveler and prefer low-key places. I am trying to sneak Coburg into the itinerary but it has what looks like a first-rate(?) castle and a small but impressive palace to wow the kids – hopefully. Probably these days it is full of tourists anyway. 

Vierzehnheiligen – this was the tipping point that made me decide on Bamberg as a destination. I wouldn’t miss it! Bad Staffelstein spa is an excellent idea.

Thanks for the tips about the organ recitals, definitely interested.

{ In Germany you might think of stopping in Tübingen (university town) on the way to Rothenburg.}

Thanks, Hohenzollern Castle and Tubingen are my second choice to Rothenburg. Really the only reason Rothenburg won is the 90 minutes or so of extra drive time to Hohenzollern/Tubingen.

mokka4

Went to Vierzehnheiligen May 2012-it was a lovely trip!
Hiked back down (unintentionally).
Click on my name to read my Bamberg Trip Report from last year (included daytrips to Wuerzburg, Nuernberg and Amberg).
Ah, memories (of smoke beer -Rauchbier)!