travelling by car from Baden Baden to Nuremberg
Apr 10th, 2016, 03:48 AM
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travelling by car from Baden Baden to Nuremberg
My wife and I are in our 40's, very fit and love a bit of adventure and romance. We are travelling in May from Amsterdam through Germany to Prague. We have 6 NIGHTS and need a bit of advice. We are thinking:
Amsterdam - Cologne 1 night in Cologne TRAIN
Cologne to Baden Baden 3 nights in Baden Baden TRAIN
Baden Baden to Nuremberg DRIVE (what do you think should we drive or train) 2 nights in Nuremberg
Nuremberg to Prague BUS
We are totally open to suggestions and changes to our itinerary. We're not sure about stopping in Cologne but thought it might break up that train journey.
thanks
Amsterdam - Cologne 1 night in Cologne TRAIN
Cologne to Baden Baden 3 nights in Baden Baden TRAIN
Baden Baden to Nuremberg DRIVE (what do you think should we drive or train) 2 nights in Nuremberg
Nuremberg to Prague BUS
We are totally open to suggestions and changes to our itinerary. We're not sure about stopping in Cologne but thought it might break up that train journey.
thanks
Apr 10th, 2016, 04:30 AM
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"Amsterdam - Cologne 1 night in Cologne TRAIN
Cologne to Baden Baden 3 nights in Baden Baden TRAIN"
Amsterdam to Baden-Baden from Amsterdam takes maybe 5+ hours if you leave on the 8:05 - not too bad - but you can break it up if you like. Cologne is fine if there are specific things you wish to see/do there, but it isn't the only place to stop over...
I don't quite understand the pull to Baden-Baden, especially for 3 nights. Casinos and spa treatments are the focus there. Some mistakenly believe B-B is in the Black Forest or may be a good place for outings - but B-B isn't and isn't (at least not for train users since the station lies well outside the center and requires a bus ride.)
You are headed to Nuremberg after that - and B-B represents a real detour. It's not clear when you're going but let's assume it's not in winter. You say you are "very fit and love a bit of adventure and romance." So with 4 days starting from Amsterdam, I would probably suggest the following:
Day 1: Amsterdam to Cologne (possible stopover for 4-5 hours for sightseeing, use station luggage storage facility.) Continue south by train and arrive in the Middle Rhine Valley town of Boppard in the early evening. Spend 4 nights here - maybe a riverfront hotel?
http://static.wixstatic.com/media/c7...0_0.00_jpg_srz
Boppard is a nice old-world town with lots of dining and lodging options and very good train connections to places of interest in the Middle Rhine Valley (Romantic Rhine) and Mosel River valleys. Over the next 3 days, you can do some biking or some hiking along the Rhine Castle Trail.
http://www.romantic-germany.info/Rhe...eg.6751.0.html
You can take a river cruise past some of the 40 medieval castles that dot this 40-mile stretch of the Rhine River. You can take a tour of Marksburg Castle just across the river and north in Braubach) or Rheinfels Castle (just a few minutes south of Boppard by train) or Burg Eltz Castle (train ride up the Mosel River valley + a pleasant hike.)
http://de.best-wallpaper.net/wallpap..._1920x1200.jpg
You could visit some other old-world towns like Oberwesel, Bacharach, and Cochem.
Then on Day 5 you can catch a train to Nuremberg - possibly in a stop in the attractive and interesting town of Würzburg, at the northen end of the Romantic Road, which is on the way to N'berg - just drop bags in a Würzburg station locker for a few hours.
Cologne to Baden Baden 3 nights in Baden Baden TRAIN"
Amsterdam to Baden-Baden from Amsterdam takes maybe 5+ hours if you leave on the 8:05 - not too bad - but you can break it up if you like. Cologne is fine if there are specific things you wish to see/do there, but it isn't the only place to stop over...
I don't quite understand the pull to Baden-Baden, especially for 3 nights. Casinos and spa treatments are the focus there. Some mistakenly believe B-B is in the Black Forest or may be a good place for outings - but B-B isn't and isn't (at least not for train users since the station lies well outside the center and requires a bus ride.)
You are headed to Nuremberg after that - and B-B represents a real detour. It's not clear when you're going but let's assume it's not in winter. You say you are "very fit and love a bit of adventure and romance." So with 4 days starting from Amsterdam, I would probably suggest the following:
Day 1: Amsterdam to Cologne (possible stopover for 4-5 hours for sightseeing, use station luggage storage facility.) Continue south by train and arrive in the Middle Rhine Valley town of Boppard in the early evening. Spend 4 nights here - maybe a riverfront hotel?
http://static.wixstatic.com/media/c7...0_0.00_jpg_srz
Boppard is a nice old-world town with lots of dining and lodging options and very good train connections to places of interest in the Middle Rhine Valley (Romantic Rhine) and Mosel River valleys. Over the next 3 days, you can do some biking or some hiking along the Rhine Castle Trail.
http://www.romantic-germany.info/Rhe...eg.6751.0.html
You can take a river cruise past some of the 40 medieval castles that dot this 40-mile stretch of the Rhine River. You can take a tour of Marksburg Castle just across the river and north in Braubach) or Rheinfels Castle (just a few minutes south of Boppard by train) or Burg Eltz Castle (train ride up the Mosel River valley + a pleasant hike.)
http://de.best-wallpaper.net/wallpap..._1920x1200.jpg
You could visit some other old-world towns like Oberwesel, Bacharach, and Cochem.
Then on Day 5 you can catch a train to Nuremberg - possibly in a stop in the attractive and interesting town of Würzburg, at the northen end of the Romantic Road, which is on the way to N'berg - just drop bags in a Würzburg station locker for a few hours.
Apr 10th, 2016, 07:25 AM
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There is a direct train, leaving Amsterdam at 8:05 and arriving in Cologne at 10:46.
Cologne has fantastic attractions:
- The cathedral is outstanding - one of the largest gothic cathedrals at all, one of the few with completed spires, with the shrine of the Three Magi from the 13th century and a very richt treasury.
- The Romano-Germanic Museum is one of the best museums of Roman times in the world - with one of the best mosaics, a large tomb, the very best antique glassware at all and many thousand other items.
These two are the must-sees and require three or four hours. In addition, if you are interested in arts, you find two world-class art museums right next to the Cathedral, one for medieval art and one for modern and contemporary art. There are the ruins of the Roman governor's palace in the basement of the City Hall and a walkable 2,000-year-old sewer. There are 12 romanesque churches, which are 700 to 900 years old. You find remnants of a Jewish mikwe from the Middle Ages.
And you have the traditional breweries, e.g. Früh, opposite the Cathedral. So, you easily fill a day, when you arrive with the 10:46 train.
I second the suggestion of spending two or three nights in the Middle Rhine Valley.
And I am wondering too what do you want in Baden-Baden. There are only two reasons to go there: Gambling in the Casino (but there are many other casinos in Germany) and spending a few hours in one of the spas (but there are many more spas in other places in Germany). Otherwise, Baden-Baden is boring, full of Russians and senior citizens and has no access into the Black Forest.
If you have a special reason to go to Baden-Baden (e.g. visiting friends or researching ancestry), spend 3 or 4 hours in one of the spas and stay overnight elsewhere (e.g. in the Black Forest).
But with your itinerary from Amsterdam to Prague, I would rather suggest spending a few days in the Middle Rhine Valley and a few days in Franconia (Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Würzburg, Bamberg).
Cologne has fantastic attractions:
- The cathedral is outstanding - one of the largest gothic cathedrals at all, one of the few with completed spires, with the shrine of the Three Magi from the 13th century and a very richt treasury.
- The Romano-Germanic Museum is one of the best museums of Roman times in the world - with one of the best mosaics, a large tomb, the very best antique glassware at all and many thousand other items.
These two are the must-sees and require three or four hours. In addition, if you are interested in arts, you find two world-class art museums right next to the Cathedral, one for medieval art and one for modern and contemporary art. There are the ruins of the Roman governor's palace in the basement of the City Hall and a walkable 2,000-year-old sewer. There are 12 romanesque churches, which are 700 to 900 years old. You find remnants of a Jewish mikwe from the Middle Ages.
And you have the traditional breweries, e.g. Früh, opposite the Cathedral. So, you easily fill a day, when you arrive with the 10:46 train.
I second the suggestion of spending two or three nights in the Middle Rhine Valley.
And I am wondering too what do you want in Baden-Baden. There are only two reasons to go there: Gambling in the Casino (but there are many other casinos in Germany) and spending a few hours in one of the spas (but there are many more spas in other places in Germany). Otherwise, Baden-Baden is boring, full of Russians and senior citizens and has no access into the Black Forest.
If you have a special reason to go to Baden-Baden (e.g. visiting friends or researching ancestry), spend 3 or 4 hours in one of the spas and stay overnight elsewhere (e.g. in the Black Forest).
But with your itinerary from Amsterdam to Prague, I would rather suggest spending a few days in the Middle Rhine Valley and a few days in Franconia (Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Würzburg, Bamberg).
Apr 10th, 2016, 08:05 AM
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"There are only two reasons to go there."
Oh rubbish--you bleat this same poorly informed or ridiculously biased (or both) information every time Baden-Baden comes up.
We've been to Baden-Baden more than a dozen times and I don't gamble. Just one of the things you've obviously never bothered to learn about is the first-class modern art museum, the Frieder Burda
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...rttemberg.html
and the Festspielhaus, which regularly attracts world-class performers.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...rttemberg.html
The Lichtentaler Allee is beautiful to stroll through and every time we do so, we see plenty of families and couples who aren't senior citizens.
Many of the hotels offer walking tours, which show you the town's Roman roots and also its connection to Russian literature.
Yes, there are plenty of Russians there, whom I find interesting and not a reason to hold my nose and move on.
Oh rubbish--you bleat this same poorly informed or ridiculously biased (or both) information every time Baden-Baden comes up.
We've been to Baden-Baden more than a dozen times and I don't gamble. Just one of the things you've obviously never bothered to learn about is the first-class modern art museum, the Frieder Burda
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...rttemberg.html
and the Festspielhaus, which regularly attracts world-class performers.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...rttemberg.html
The Lichtentaler Allee is beautiful to stroll through and every time we do so, we see plenty of families and couples who aren't senior citizens.
Many of the hotels offer walking tours, which show you the town's Roman roots and also its connection to Russian literature.
Yes, there are plenty of Russians there, whom I find interesting and not a reason to hold my nose and move on.
Apr 12th, 2016, 04:12 AM
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My wife is so glad we signed in and posted. You're suggestions are great. Thanks so much. We are coming in end of May and early June and love the idea of stopping over in Cologne and then on to Boppard and travel around from the there. We will be definitely investigating how to fill our itinerary around there, and you suggestions sound great.
We also like the idea of Wurzburg as a stop over. Thank-you. From there we go to Prague for 2 nights (we were going to do 4 but now think we might spend more time on your suggested itinerary.
I really don't like the idea of sitting on a cruise down the Rhine, it sounds a bit boring, even if there is a lot to see, but it sounds like there will be plenty of bike options and hike options.
Is it worth hiring a car from there to travel a bit further or not necessary.
We also like the idea of Wurzburg as a stop over. Thank-you. From there we go to Prague for 2 nights (we were going to do 4 but now think we might spend more time on your suggested itinerary.
I really don't like the idea of sitting on a cruise down the Rhine, it sounds a bit boring, even if there is a lot to see, but it sounds like there will be plenty of bike options and hike options.
Is it worth hiring a car from there to travel a bit further or not necessary.
Apr 12th, 2016, 07:19 AM
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"I really don't like the idea of sitting on a cruise down the Rhine, it sounds a bit boring, even if there is a lot to see..."
A cruise isn't mandatory. But then again, you get a very unique perspective on the scenery. I don't like sitting for long periods either - one of the reasons I prefer trains to cars (where I'm sitting AND immobilized by my seat belt.) On the cruise you can roam around a bit on deck. Also, it is possible to shorten the Rhine cruise to the most significant scenery, and of course you'll want to cruise WITH the current since any cruise takes about 50% longer in the other direction. A lot of folks waste 6 hours on a cruise traveling southbound from Koblenz to Bingen when they only need to spend about 85 minutes, which is what it takes to see the best part - just board in BINGEN and get off in ST. GOAR (which is just a few miles south of Boppard.) Take the train first from your base town to Bingen and walk to the dock. KD Boats leave Bingen at 9:30, 10:30, 11:30, 14:30 and 16:30 in high season - and KD offers a 20% discount on the cruise if you show the train ticket used to get there (which almost pays for the train ticket.)
Here's a map of the best part described above:
http://www.bingen-ruedesheimer.com/i...-valley290.jpg
"Is it worth hiring a car from there to travel a bit further or not necessary."
Not necessary. Both the Rhine and Mosel rivers are well served by frequent trains - the Rhine has rails on both river banks. Day passes make getting around easy and cheap.
This rail map is overkill but you can zoom in on the Middle Rhine Valley (Boppard, St. Goar) and see the multitude of destinations at your feet:
http://www.vrminfo.de/fileadmin/data...reckennetz.pdf
BTW there are ferries in Boppard and St. Goar that run all day long to the oppposite riverbank and permit access to trains there - good to know if you plan to visit Marksburg Castle in Braubach or other east bank towns.
A cruise isn't mandatory. But then again, you get a very unique perspective on the scenery. I don't like sitting for long periods either - one of the reasons I prefer trains to cars (where I'm sitting AND immobilized by my seat belt.) On the cruise you can roam around a bit on deck. Also, it is possible to shorten the Rhine cruise to the most significant scenery, and of course you'll want to cruise WITH the current since any cruise takes about 50% longer in the other direction. A lot of folks waste 6 hours on a cruise traveling southbound from Koblenz to Bingen when they only need to spend about 85 minutes, which is what it takes to see the best part - just board in BINGEN and get off in ST. GOAR (which is just a few miles south of Boppard.) Take the train first from your base town to Bingen and walk to the dock. KD Boats leave Bingen at 9:30, 10:30, 11:30, 14:30 and 16:30 in high season - and KD offers a 20% discount on the cruise if you show the train ticket used to get there (which almost pays for the train ticket.)
Here's a map of the best part described above:
http://www.bingen-ruedesheimer.com/i...-valley290.jpg
"Is it worth hiring a car from there to travel a bit further or not necessary."
Not necessary. Both the Rhine and Mosel rivers are well served by frequent trains - the Rhine has rails on both river banks. Day passes make getting around easy and cheap.
This rail map is overkill but you can zoom in on the Middle Rhine Valley (Boppard, St. Goar) and see the multitude of destinations at your feet:
http://www.vrminfo.de/fileadmin/data...reckennetz.pdf
BTW there are ferries in Boppard and St. Goar that run all day long to the oppposite riverbank and permit access to trains there - good to know if you plan to visit Marksburg Castle in Braubach or other east bank towns.
Apr 13th, 2016, 03:34 AM
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Again, thank you so much for all this great information. We are so excited, now we've just got to book the accommodation and enjoy this incredible journey you've helped us plan. The cruise you've suggested downstream will definitely will suit me. Thanks for the advice on the trains as well, really good to know.
