5 Irish in Amsterdam, Dresden, Berlin
 

Hi.
I'm planning a family trip next August(2017)
We are 2 adults(some would say 1 adult + 1 middle-aged adolescent) & 3 teens(14, 16, 18).

Itinerary as follows

Dublin to Amsterdam
Amsterdam to Dresden
Dresden to Berlin
Berlin to Dublin

Stage 1:
Fly to Amsterdam(our home is in Dublin)
Stay for about 6 days
Take in Canals, Museums(Anne Frank in particular), cycling etc.

Stage 2:
Amsterdam to Dresden. Stay for 5 days.
I have been looking at a couple of options here.
Flights look expensive, so train might be an option.
I saw an overnight trip involving a stop in Cologne(2 hours), then going on to Dresden.

In Dresden, Museums(again), cycling(again) e.g. maybe take a trip up to Sächsische Schweiz?
go to Meissen?

Stage 3
Dresden to Berlin. Stay for 3/4 days.
Train or Bus to Berlin(I've heard the bus is very reasonable).
Obviously, Berlin is packed with sights, but would like to do something different.

For accommodation, we were hoping to use AirBnB, but this would be our first time.
Or maybe Youth hostels would be an option?

Would be open to amending this itinerary. It's based on getting to & from Dublin, as cheaply as possible. Everything in between is negotiable.

One thing we all enjoy is visiting Theme parks.
We've been to Europa park, Steinwasenpark, & Skyline park in Deutschland, Tivoli Gardens, Legoland & Bakken in Danmark.
We would love to fit one in on our trip.

Cycling is another must. But a bit of culture would also be nice. If there were any festivals, concerts, etc., along the way & we could check out, that would be great.

We love using public transport on the Continent, but any advice on same, would be gratefully accepted.

Does anyone out there have any tips.

Vielen dank, Dank u, Go raibh maith agat, Thank you, in advance.
Slán.

Austin

It's 12 hours by train via Berlin from Amsterdam to Dresden. It would make more sense to go to Berlin first (6 hours by train) and then Dresden, also by train. From Dresden there is a relatively cheap flight with Vueling and Ryanair, going via Barcelona. the trip would take 8 hours and you would arrive in Dublin at 11 p.m., but I would prefer to arrive home late at night than at a foreign destination.

https://www.skyscanner.com/

I can only help with the Dresden portion. Here we go.

How challenging can the cycling day be? There is the Elbe river cycling trail which is very easy, in large parts also very scenic, but crowded on weekends and possibly also in August, since it's school holidays time here. More challenging options (with considerable ascents/downhill) are doable in Saxon Switzerland and the Erzgebirge mountains - easy to get to from Dresden. If you need detailed info, let me know.

Yes, go to Meissen. Besides the porcelain manufacture it also means castle, cathedral, picturesque old town and vineyards/wine tastings. Possibly as cycling trip, despite the crowds (they are not that bad in this direction.)

Saxon Switzerland is a *must*, especially for outdoor activities loving people. As said above, lots of options for cycling, but also hiking (obviously), which involves iron and wooden ladders (called "Stiege" in German) - absolutely not boring for the teens. Schrammstein massif between Bad Schandau and the Czech border is perfect for this. You may also include an excursion to the Czech Republic, right beyond the border is the largest sandstone arch in central Europe (Pravcicka brana), which can be included in a day hike together with a boat ride in a canyon (Edmundova souteska). Starting point is Hrensko, ferry from Schöna (Germany), terminal station of the commuter train S1 from Dresden.

As for museums, the State Art Collections are the obvious choice, but I'd also encourage you to see the Military History museum and the Hygiene Museum - both excellent and pretty unique in Germany.

I.

Having just returned from Amsterdam, I would suggest that you think carefully about cycling in the city. Locals cycle as a means of transport, not for sightseeing and they go very fast. Up to you, of course.

There are inexpensive flights from Amsterdam to Berlin, so I would do that. As said take the train from berlin to Dresden and back to Berlin again. It is backtracking but probably the best option for you.

There are overnight train connections between Amsterdam and both Berlin and Dresden-both involve changing around 10:30 pm to the actual CNL hotel train at Duisburg - taking regular trains from Amsterdam there.

Get a private compartment and bring any drink or food aboard - save on the cost of a hotel and time even over flying.

Get to Berlin about 7 am- Dresden about 9am.

For lots on trains check www.seat61.com - great info on discounted train tickets if you book far in advance or perhaps shortly before (www.bahn.de/en- the German Railways official site); www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.