nine days late November/early December Prague, Leipzig and Berlin
Sep 12th, 2015, 06:59 PM
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nine days late November/early December Prague, Leipzig and Berlin
My husband and I will be flying into Prague on Nov. 25 to meet our daughter. We would like to spend time in Prague, Leipzig; with a possible stop in Dresden on the way, and Berlin. We must fly out of Berlin no later than Dec. 5. We have never been to these places. We would appreciate any help you could give us with our itinerary. We plan on taking the train. We enjoy the outdoors, museums, art, local foods, theater and would like to see some of the Christmas markets. Possible day trips from Prague or Berlin could be an option. Thank you.
Sep 13th, 2015, 01:10 AM
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Hello
I would do Leipzig (about one hour) and even Dresden (2 hours) as daytrips from Berlin.
Trains are absolutely great in Germany and it is easy to use them and not costly at all.
So I' stay 3-4 days in Prague, the rest in Berlin and from there you can organize yourself.
You'd save the hassle of carrying luggage, check in etc.
Can't comment on museums, I went a lot of times to these cities but always during work, so visited them in the evning or night.
I would do Leipzig (about one hour) and even Dresden (2 hours) as daytrips from Berlin.
Trains are absolutely great in Germany and it is easy to use them and not costly at all.
So I' stay 3-4 days in Prague, the rest in Berlin and from there you can organize yourself.
You'd save the hassle of carrying luggage, check in etc.
Can't comment on museums, I went a lot of times to these cities but always during work, so visited them in the evning or night.
Sep 13th, 2015, 04:31 AM
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Well I don;t see a lot of time outdoors - but then the countryside is likely to be quite grey and dreary that time of year. You may be luck and get brisk weather with some sun or you may get cold with rain, sleet and even snow possible.
Agree to do this trip from just 2 hotels to avoid wasting a lot of time moving from one to another. Doing day trips from Berlin will save a lot of time.
Prague has a number of great museums but IMHO the most wonderful sight is the castle/cathedral/golden lane complex. Be sure to visit the town hall at the beginning of the trip to get info on low cost walking tours and musical activities (do get to the opera house if at all possible). The music scene is very extensive, varied and inexpensive compared to western europe. Here we used almost all feet - plus a few taxis - to get around but our hotels were either in or right on the edge of the Old Town.
In Berlin I think the single best sight is the Pergamon Museum, esp the Ishtar Gate, but also all of the museums on museum island and others throughout the city. Check out the Michelin green guide to pick which ones to see and get a plethora of details. We have been there only in spring so walked most places, but the S/U bahn are very convenient.
Be aware that prices are also quite low versus many other places in western europe.
Agree to do this trip from just 2 hotels to avoid wasting a lot of time moving from one to another. Doing day trips from Berlin will save a lot of time.
Prague has a number of great museums but IMHO the most wonderful sight is the castle/cathedral/golden lane complex. Be sure to visit the town hall at the beginning of the trip to get info on low cost walking tours and musical activities (do get to the opera house if at all possible). The music scene is very extensive, varied and inexpensive compared to western europe. Here we used almost all feet - plus a few taxis - to get around but our hotels were either in or right on the edge of the Old Town.
In Berlin I think the single best sight is the Pergamon Museum, esp the Ishtar Gate, but also all of the museums on museum island and others throughout the city. Check out the Michelin green guide to pick which ones to see and get a plethora of details. We have been there only in spring so walked most places, but the S/U bahn are very convenient.
Be aware that prices are also quite low versus many other places in western europe.
Sep 13th, 2015, 05:36 AM
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Christmas markets are magical especially at night. Unless you are willing come back to Berlin late at night on day trips, for this case, staying overnight in Dresden, which you are passing by anyway, allows you to experience the evening Christmas market magic as well as being able to visit numerous INDOOR attractions in Dresden. While you might usually enjoy outdoors, it can be very very cold and snowy at this time.
Additional hotel check-in/out become a hassle if you are heavy packers. Carrying a lot of large luggage is a hassle if traveling on a train irrespective of whether you are stopping overnights in Dresden or not.
Many recommendations on how you configure number of places and days to stay often assume fair weather long day light visits. When neither is true, you might consider altering the mix to reflect what can be reasonably achieved.
Additional hotel check-in/out become a hassle if you are heavy packers. Carrying a lot of large luggage is a hassle if traveling on a train irrespective of whether you are stopping overnights in Dresden or not.
Many recommendations on how you configure number of places and days to stay often assume fair weather long day light visits. When neither is true, you might consider altering the mix to reflect what can be reasonably achieved.
Sep 13th, 2015, 09:20 AM
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> We enjoy
- the outdoors,
End of November/early December is usually a lousy time for outdoors; short daylight, often overcast, grey, foggy, snow if you're lucky (or not, depending on you
)
- museums, art,
All of the cities mentioned have excellent museums and art, but it is beyond me why you prefer Leipzig over Dresden. Dresden's art museums e.g. beat those of Prague easily.
- local foods,
You'll find very good restaurants with local/regional food in all those cities.
- theater
Do you speak Czech or German? Otherwise I don't recommend you go and see a play, you'll be bored to death. Music theatre (opera, musicals) are a different story, though. Lots of options in each city.
- and would like to see some of the Christmas markets.
Prague's Christmas markets pale compared to those in Dresden and Leipzig, and in particular to those in the mountain towns that are between Prague and Dresden/Leipzig - the Ore mountains (Erzgebirge in German) are *the* Christmas county and this is where all these fantastic wooden Christmas items are made (nutcrackers, pyramids, candle arches, smokers ...). The Christmas markets there are the most charming anywhere (check out Annaberg-Buchholz, Schneeberg, Seiffen, Freiberg ...)
I would not recommend day trips from Berlin to Leipzig or Dresden; better stay overnight. Especially since it's along the route from Prague anyway. For example, stay two nights in Dresden, then see Leipzig on the way to Berlin.
If you're not planning to spend two nights in the Erzgebirge mountains, that is ;-)
- the outdoors,
End of November/early December is usually a lousy time for outdoors; short daylight, often overcast, grey, foggy, snow if you're lucky (or not, depending on you
)- museums, art,
All of the cities mentioned have excellent museums and art, but it is beyond me why you prefer Leipzig over Dresden. Dresden's art museums e.g. beat those of Prague easily.
- local foods,
You'll find very good restaurants with local/regional food in all those cities.
- theater
Do you speak Czech or German? Otherwise I don't recommend you go and see a play, you'll be bored to death. Music theatre (opera, musicals) are a different story, though. Lots of options in each city.
- and would like to see some of the Christmas markets.
Prague's Christmas markets pale compared to those in Dresden and Leipzig, and in particular to those in the mountain towns that are between Prague and Dresden/Leipzig - the Ore mountains (Erzgebirge in German) are *the* Christmas county and this is where all these fantastic wooden Christmas items are made (nutcrackers, pyramids, candle arches, smokers ...). The Christmas markets there are the most charming anywhere (check out Annaberg-Buchholz, Schneeberg, Seiffen, Freiberg ...)
I would not recommend day trips from Berlin to Leipzig or Dresden; better stay overnight. Especially since it's along the route from Prague anyway. For example, stay two nights in Dresden, then see Leipzig on the way to Berlin.
If you're not planning to spend two nights in the Erzgebirge mountains, that is ;-)
Sep 13th, 2015, 01:16 PM
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I actually preferred Leipzig over Dresden. Why? I just thought it was more charming, and I also am very interested in classical music--Leipzig has 3 major composer's homes/museums (Bach, Mendelssohn, Schumann). Their university has one of the most important musical instrument museums in the world. Dresden can't compare on those measures. I didn't think it was particularly charming at all, so yeah, it's got a couple major art galleries/museums but that isn't everything.
this is just a partial list of the museums in Leipzig http://english.leipzig.de/leisure-cu...urism/museums/
In addition, Leipzig has a nice city history museum in the old city hall, and the coffee museum was fun, also.
I much more enjoyed my visit to Leipzig than Dresden, in fact. And their rail station is about the best I've seen in Europe, on top of that.
this is just a partial list of the museums in Leipzig http://english.leipzig.de/leisure-cu...urism/museums/
In addition, Leipzig has a nice city history museum in the old city hall, and the coffee museum was fun, also.
I much more enjoyed my visit to Leipzig than Dresden, in fact. And their rail station is about the best I've seen in Europe, on top of that.
Sep 14th, 2015, 07:22 AM
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Ingo
We went to the 'magic lantern' in Prague + a fabulous show mixing opera and comics + Eurydice puppet show x years ago.
We didn't get one word but loved it !
Same applied to me when I went to see Cats on Broadway : I didn't catch one word on 10 and it was still fabulous -> it depends on what is played.
Same applies when I go to see an opera of Verdi close to home : these guys sing in ... italian !!
We went to the 'magic lantern' in Prague + a fabulous show mixing opera and comics + Eurydice puppet show x years ago.
We didn't get one word but loved it !
Same applied to me when I went to see Cats on Broadway : I didn't catch one word on 10 and it was still fabulous -> it depends on what is played.
Same applies when I go to see an opera of Verdi close to home : these guys sing in ... italian !!
Sep 14th, 2015, 09:25 AM
#10
In Berlin, most of the Pergamon Museum is closed and under reconstruction.( since Oct 2014)
Make sure you go to the Neues Museum to see the bust of Nefertiti, beautiful!
Two newer museums we enjoyed seeing were the Jewish Museum and The Ropography of Terror. The last museum is a chronological account in large displays of the Nazis and WWII. It is built on top of SS HQ. I found it it very interesring and it clarified a lot of the bistory for me. Adjacent to it is a large standing remnant of the Berlin Wall.
Also the Memorial to the Murdered Jews is behind the Adlon Hotel and the US Embassy. It is a large dramatic outdoor memorial but also has a museum underneath it.
We really enjoyed Aigner Restaurant, new German cuisine, on Charlottestrasse.
Make sure you go to the Neues Museum to see the bust of Nefertiti, beautiful!
Two newer museums we enjoyed seeing were the Jewish Museum and The Ropography of Terror. The last museum is a chronological account in large displays of the Nazis and WWII. It is built on top of SS HQ. I found it it very interesring and it clarified a lot of the bistory for me. Adjacent to it is a large standing remnant of the Berlin Wall.
Also the Memorial to the Murdered Jews is behind the Adlon Hotel and the US Embassy. It is a large dramatic outdoor memorial but also has a museum underneath it.
We really enjoyed Aigner Restaurant, new German cuisine, on Charlottestrasse.
Sep 14th, 2015, 01:25 PM
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I would recommend 3 nights in each of Prague, Dresden and Berlin, visiting Leipzig as either a day trip from Dresden or on the way to Berlin - leaving Dresden early and storing your luggage at the station in Leipzig.
I can't imagine too many people selecting Leipzig over Dresden by virtue of the fact that its Hauptbahnhof is nicer and it has some composers homes museums and a musical instrument museum that Dresden doesn't - unless......they were a music student with a deep appreciation for German composers?
I can't imagine too many people selecting Leipzig over Dresden by virtue of the fact that its Hauptbahnhof is nicer and it has some composers homes museums and a musical instrument museum that Dresden doesn't - unless......they were a music student with a deep appreciation for German composers?
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