Germany Intineray-after much fodorite input. Please critique!!
May 30th, 2005, 04:09 PM
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Germany Intineray-after much fodorite input. Please critique!!
First of all, thank you so much for all of everyone's help. Here is what I have determined. Day 1 arrive Frankfurt airport rent car-drive to either Castle Hotel Auf Schoenburg in Oberwesel or Reinfels Castle Hotel in St Goar. Tour the Rhine and on Day 2 depart in the afternoon to Rothenburg to spend the night (any suggestions of a good place). Day 3 get up early and finish the Romantic Road to Fussen stay in fussen that night. Day 4 drive to Munich (drop off rental car) Day 5 Munich. Day 6 train to Salzburg. Day 7 depart Salzburg for home. How does that sound? I did really have my heart set on Lucern,Switzerland so if anyone thinks I should skip the whole romantic road and head to Switzerland instead let me know. Thanks so much.
May 30th, 2005, 04:45 PM
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My feeling is that you'll catch some flack for trying to do too much, but I tend to travel like you are planning. We move quick and see lots. We've done all of those places in the past 2 or 3 years.
My only suggestion is to make sure you catch the "night watchman's tour" in Rothenburg. You'll be glad you are spending the night, as R'burg is crowded with tourists during the day in the summer.
The tour starts on the town square, by the "water trough", takes about an hour, walking, in English. Just ask around. I think it starts at 8pm. Someone will tell you the correct time. Just look for a tall guy dressed up in 16th century garb, carrying a scythe.
Email me if you have any questions.
EK
My only suggestion is to make sure you catch the "night watchman's tour" in Rothenburg. You'll be glad you are spending the night, as R'burg is crowded with tourists during the day in the summer.
The tour starts on the town square, by the "water trough", takes about an hour, walking, in English. Just ask around. I think it starts at 8pm. Someone will tell you the correct time. Just look for a tall guy dressed up in 16th century garb, carrying a scythe.
Email me if you have any questions.
EK
May 30th, 2005, 06:24 PM
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CR, sounds good to me.
Now here is a suggested route from Fuessen to Munich:
Fuessen to Steingaden on the (federal highway)B-17. (26km)
Turn east in S. toward Echelsbacher Bruecke (9km). About 4km out of S. follow the signs to the Wieskirche. This church is a beautiful example of Bavarian baroque. As the name implies, the church is located in the meadows.It's quite big.
Continue toward Echelsbacher Bruecke. There, head south on the B-23 toward Oberammergau, Kloster Ettal and Oberau. (25km)I'm sure you have heard of Oberammergau; Kloster Ettal has beautiful abbey.
If you think you have enough time, take the 22km roundtrip detour from just north of Ettal to King Ludwig's other famous palace, Schloss Linderhof.
From Oberau head north on the Autobahn A-95 to Munich.(72km)
You can turn your car in near the main station. If that is too confusing, take the A-99 by-pass to the A-9 autobahn (Muenchen - Nuernberg) and get off at the airport exit north of the city; drop your car off there, and take the shuttle train (S-Bahn) back into the city center.
Good luck and have fun.
As for hotels in Rothenburg, go back to some earlier threads and you will find several mentions. I usually stay outside of the town, either in Bad Windsheim (Kurhotel), or Ansbach (Best Western).
On your way from Rothenburg to Fuessen, if you have the time, get off the A-7 at the Dinkelsbuehl/Fichtenau exit (#112), and take the 11 km detour into Dinkelsbuehl. I like it better than Rothenburg, but that is "Geschmacksache" {German for matter of taste). To get back on the A-7 take the road to Ellwangen (it's called the German Ferienstrasse - vacation route), 23km, and tack back to the A-7 autobahn at the #113 Einfahrt (entrance ramp), 5km.
Now here is a suggested route from Fuessen to Munich:
Fuessen to Steingaden on the (federal highway)B-17. (26km)
Turn east in S. toward Echelsbacher Bruecke (9km). About 4km out of S. follow the signs to the Wieskirche. This church is a beautiful example of Bavarian baroque. As the name implies, the church is located in the meadows.It's quite big.
Continue toward Echelsbacher Bruecke. There, head south on the B-23 toward Oberammergau, Kloster Ettal and Oberau. (25km)I'm sure you have heard of Oberammergau; Kloster Ettal has beautiful abbey.
If you think you have enough time, take the 22km roundtrip detour from just north of Ettal to King Ludwig's other famous palace, Schloss Linderhof.
From Oberau head north on the Autobahn A-95 to Munich.(72km)
You can turn your car in near the main station. If that is too confusing, take the A-99 by-pass to the A-9 autobahn (Muenchen - Nuernberg) and get off at the airport exit north of the city; drop your car off there, and take the shuttle train (S-Bahn) back into the city center.
Good luck and have fun.
As for hotels in Rothenburg, go back to some earlier threads and you will find several mentions. I usually stay outside of the town, either in Bad Windsheim (Kurhotel), or Ansbach (Best Western).
On your way from Rothenburg to Fuessen, if you have the time, get off the A-7 at the Dinkelsbuehl/Fichtenau exit (#112), and take the 11 km detour into Dinkelsbuehl. I like it better than Rothenburg, but that is "Geschmacksache" {German for matter of taste). To get back on the A-7 take the road to Ellwangen (it's called the German Ferienstrasse - vacation route), 23km, and tack back to the A-7 autobahn at the #113 Einfahrt (entrance ramp), 5km.
May 31st, 2005, 02:38 PM
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ekellyga speaks the truth! Rothenburg is much better without crowds (approx after 3:30-4:00 PM and before 11:30 AM or so). In early May this year we spent a night at the Burg Hotel. It was superb. The service was excellent, food good, hotel beautiful. They upgraded us to a suite (large bedroom by European standards) and a very nice sitting room with a lovely courtyard view. Very large bathroom. The pretty dining room had the most beautiful views of the valleys and hills. I paid 150 € per night for two people including the large breakfast. Well worth it.
We also went to Salzburg/Lake District for a day on a tour. Beautiful area. I wish we had spent a few days there. St. Wolfgangsee was my favorite place.
PS: Do the Night Watchman's Tour for me - we had to bail on it because there were gale force winds and rains and very very cold temps! Hope the weather is better for you. (Burg Hotel supplies free use of umbrellas for guests.) Enjoy!
We also went to Salzburg/Lake District for a day on a tour. Beautiful area. I wish we had spent a few days there. St. Wolfgangsee was my favorite place.
PS: Do the Night Watchman's Tour for me - we had to bail on it because there were gale force winds and rains and very very cold temps! Hope the weather is better for you. (Burg Hotel supplies free use of umbrellas for guests.) Enjoy!
May 31st, 2005, 03:41 PM
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Thanks everyone for all of the info. I will definately do the Night Watchmans tour. We probably wont leave the Rhine area until after lunch so we should be arriving Rothenburg after the crowds leave. Also, thanks for the alternate route info. I really appreciate it and do wish that I had weeks to spend in Germany.
May 31st, 2005, 03:51 PM
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I think the Night Watchman's Tour starts around 9pm, not 8pm... but you can easily check once you are there.
We enjoyed our stay at Gasthof Greifen in Feburary (just off the main square where the town hall is located). We paid 65€ per night for a double room with private bathroom (shower, not bathtub), great breakfast included. No phone in the room and no hairdryer, but room was spacious and spotlessly clean and the location is impossible to beat. They have a good restaurant on the main level.
We enjoyed our stay at Gasthof Greifen in Feburary (just off the main square where the town hall is located). We paid 65€ per night for a double room with private bathroom (shower, not bathtub), great breakfast included. No phone in the room and no hairdryer, but room was spacious and spotlessly clean and the location is impossible to beat. They have a good restaurant on the main level.
Jun 10th, 2005, 09:41 AM
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Goodness gracious, don't skip the Romantic Road for Lucerne!. Why does it hoold such interest for you? You can get the Alps in on the way to Salzburg.
I would recommend that you skip the Rhine. I am a 6 time traveller to Germany and it is the only place that has thoroughly disappointed me. We actually stayed in Schoenburg, like you are planning.
The Rhine may have one of the most gloried histories of any European waterway, but it's present leaves much to be desired.
It is a large brown noisy unscenic bargeway that is double tracked with rail lines (each side) that are unsightly and run 24 hours a day.
The Mosel is probably what you are thinking of when you think of what the rhine will be. It is small, enchanting, dreamy and picture perfect.
Salzburg is my favourite place in all Europe. Visit St. Peter's cemetery near the foot of Hohensalzburg. I get goosebumps everytime I think of that mystical little courtyard -beautiful.
Have fun.
I would recommend that you skip the Rhine. I am a 6 time traveller to Germany and it is the only place that has thoroughly disappointed me. We actually stayed in Schoenburg, like you are planning.
The Rhine may have one of the most gloried histories of any European waterway, but it's present leaves much to be desired.
It is a large brown noisy unscenic bargeway that is double tracked with rail lines (each side) that are unsightly and run 24 hours a day.
The Mosel is probably what you are thinking of when you think of what the rhine will be. It is small, enchanting, dreamy and picture perfect.
Salzburg is my favourite place in all Europe. Visit St. Peter's cemetery near the foot of Hohensalzburg. I get goosebumps everytime I think of that mystical little courtyard -beautiful.
Have fun.
Jun 10th, 2005, 02:24 PM
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One problem with getting to Rothenburg in the afternoon is that, while it's less crowded with the day-tour crowds, some of the most interesting sights and shops start to close up when those tour buses leave town.
Jun 14th, 2005, 05:03 PM
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I live in Würzburg and I´m quite interested in local gourmet cuisine. Latest 'newcomer' gourmetwise in Rothenburg has been the restaurant/hotel Mittermaier (http://www.mittermeier.rothenburg.de/ehtml/port_e.htm). Great cooking with a local touch and a nice hotel too. I can also recommend the Hotel/Restaurant Markusturm www.markusturm.de .
