6+ days in Frankfurt-help?? What to do? Itineary suggestions?
Apr 21st, 2009, 12:56 PM
#1
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6+ days in Frankfurt-help?? What to do? Itineary suggestions?
My friend and I will be arriving in Frankfurt on Oct 11 (early a.m.) from the US and will be leaving in the late afternoon of the 17th from Frankfurt to Venice (via Ryanair). From what I have read on here, Frankfurt is probably not a place we'd want to stay for 6ish days! Any itinerary suggestions? We plan to rent a car for the 6 days to be mobile and get around and see anything/everything we can! Understand the Rhine is a beautiful thing to see and they have cruises...any suggestions of an itinerary? We are completely open to suggestions on both an itinerary that is doable. I know sometimes people can pack too much into a short time and you don't have time to "enjoy" the trip and what all you see 
Anyway, suggestions on places/towns to stay (and hotels, too) would be awesome! We are budget travelers (not hostel stayers though Thanks for any suggestions! Fares from Frankfurt to Venice on Ryanair are like $18 Eruos each (which seems dirt cheap and I don't think a train fare would beat them), but wondered about driving from Germany to Luzern and possibly getting a train ticket from Luzern to Venice. Where could I check on train fares from Luzern to Venice? Any suggestions. Sorry to be so full of questions. This is our first trip to Germany! Thanks in advance for any help!
Anyway, suggestions on places/towns to stay (and hotels, too) would be awesome! We are budget travelers (not hostel stayers though Thanks for any suggestions! Fares from Frankfurt to Venice on Ryanair are like $18 Eruos each (which seems dirt cheap and I don't think a train fare would beat them), but wondered about driving from Germany to Luzern and possibly getting a train ticket from Luzern to Venice. Where could I check on train fares from Luzern to Venice? Any suggestions. Sorry to be so full of questions. This is our first trip to Germany! Thanks in advance for any help!
Apr 21st, 2009, 01:36 PM
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I really don't like Frankfurt, so if it were me, I'd grab the car and go. Be aware that the German trains are very good and you can get some really good deals on regional passes.
Check train schedules and prices at
www.bahn.de
Check train schedules and prices at
www.bahn.de
Apr 21st, 2009, 01:44 PM
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Frankfurt is not bad as day trip base if you plan to travel around by train. BUT: You will not want to stay in Frankfurt all the time because there is the Frankfurt book fair beginning on Oct 14 and hotel prices will skyrocket. So if you want to see Frankfurt, spend the first or maybe second day there but then run...
Ryanair departs from Frankfurt Hahn which is nowhere near the city but 120 kms further west in the Hunsrück hills - in other words, near the Rhine and Mosel valley. So there is no need to go into the city again at the end of your trip. There are shuttle buses from Koblenz and Trier, for example.
Some inspiration about the Rhine gorge: http://www.welterbe-mittelrheintal.d...php?id=318&L=3
This website is a goldmine of information.
The Mosel valley is IMHO even more beautiful than the Rhine valley. Middle Rhine and Mosel, starting in Frankfurt and ending in Trier, is a route that makes sense in 6 days.
Ryanair departs from Frankfurt Hahn which is nowhere near the city but 120 kms further west in the Hunsrück hills - in other words, near the Rhine and Mosel valley. So there is no need to go into the city again at the end of your trip. There are shuttle buses from Koblenz and Trier, for example.
Some inspiration about the Rhine gorge: http://www.welterbe-mittelrheintal.d...php?id=318&L=3
This website is a goldmine of information.
The Mosel valley is IMHO even more beautiful than the Rhine valley. Middle Rhine and Mosel, starting in Frankfurt and ending in Trier, is a route that makes sense in 6 days.
Apr 21st, 2009, 02:28 PM
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I would drive from Frankfurt Airport to Wurzburg for 2 nights. It's less than 1-1/2 hrs drive. You could then do a day trip the second day to either Bamberg (about 1 hr) or Rothenburg (under 1 hr).
http://www.romanticroad.com/wuerzburg/sights.htm
http://bamberg.travel/www_tks/bamber...268_89_7_f.htm
http://www.romanticroad.com/rothenburg/sights.php
From Wurzburg, you could visit the University town of Heidelberg for 1 night. It's a short 2 hr drive, which should give you most of the day to explore Heidelberg.
http://www.heidelberg.de/servlet/PB/..._l2/index.html
After Heidelberg, drive to either Cochem on the Mosel River or Bacharach on the Rhine for 2 or 3 nights depending on what time your Ryanair flight to Venice is on the 17th. If your flight out is early, then you might want to spend the night of the 16th nearer to the airport.
There is a lot to do in the Rhine/Mosel area including Burg Eltz and all the lovely wine villages up and down the river.
http://cochem.de/tourismus/starten.htm
http://www.bacharach.de/english/code.../frameset.html
http://www.burgeltz.de/e_index.html
http://www.romanticroad.com/wuerzburg/sights.htm
http://bamberg.travel/www_tks/bamber...268_89_7_f.htm
http://www.romanticroad.com/rothenburg/sights.php
From Wurzburg, you could visit the University town of Heidelberg for 1 night. It's a short 2 hr drive, which should give you most of the day to explore Heidelberg.
http://www.heidelberg.de/servlet/PB/..._l2/index.html
After Heidelberg, drive to either Cochem on the Mosel River or Bacharach on the Rhine for 2 or 3 nights depending on what time your Ryanair flight to Venice is on the 17th. If your flight out is early, then you might want to spend the night of the 16th nearer to the airport.
There is a lot to do in the Rhine/Mosel area including Burg Eltz and all the lovely wine villages up and down the river.
http://cochem.de/tourismus/starten.htm
http://www.bacharach.de/english/code.../frameset.html
http://www.burgeltz.de/e_index.html
Apr 21st, 2009, 04:22 PM
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Ok. Here is my best idea.
First, cancel the car rental.
Second, take the train from the Frankfurt airport ( yup, it is on the lower level ) to a city called Bamberg. It is about an hour and one half by train. Don't bother stopping anywhere else.
Third, when you get there, ask anyone with a red and blue coat on, initials DB, where the Aecht Scherlenka Restaurant is. It will be a 20 minute walk from the Bamberg train station. Walk to that general area.
Fourth, find a nice cheap hotel or a private home that has bedrooms for rent. They are called zimmer frei's. There are quite a few so don't stress. Check in. Tell them to leave the hall lights on so you can see where you are going late at night.
Fifth, go the restaurant and start enjoying the world famous beer they serve. It will be the best beer you have ever tasted. You will know what to do from that point on.
First, cancel the car rental.
Second, take the train from the Frankfurt airport ( yup, it is on the lower level ) to a city called Bamberg. It is about an hour and one half by train. Don't bother stopping anywhere else.
Third, when you get there, ask anyone with a red and blue coat on, initials DB, where the Aecht Scherlenka Restaurant is. It will be a 20 minute walk from the Bamberg train station. Walk to that general area.
Fourth, find a nice cheap hotel or a private home that has bedrooms for rent. They are called zimmer frei's. There are quite a few so don't stress. Check in. Tell them to leave the hall lights on so you can see where you are going late at night.
Fifth, go the restaurant and start enjoying the world famous beer they serve. It will be the best beer you have ever tasted. You will know what to do from that point on.
Apr 21st, 2009, 09:51 PM
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You will need to take a bus from Hahn airport to get to Frankfurt, it costs 12 € and will take about 1.5 hours.
For things to see and do in Frankfurt and the surrounding areas take a look at this city guide. Hostels, and lower priced hotels are on here, along with links to the Rhein area and many small towns in the Frankfurt area, including Heidelberg.
http://frankfurt-on-foot-cityguide.blogspot.com/
For things to see and do in Frankfurt and the surrounding areas take a look at this city guide. Hostels, and lower priced hotels are on here, along with links to the Rhein area and many small towns in the Frankfurt area, including Heidelberg.
http://frankfurt-on-foot-cityguide.blogspot.com/
Apr 23rd, 2009, 08:55 AM
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Thank you EVERYONE! I really would prefer to NOT rent a car but was concerned about not being able to get around to the smaller surounding cities of Frankfurt. Thanks for all the great tips, too on itinerary suggestions...Wurzburg, Mosel valley, Heidelburg. I think staying at a hotel on the Rhein sounds wonderful. We both "city" girls at heart and love shopping for "native to the area stuff" but we both enjoy seeing beautiful country as well. Thanks for all the suggestions. We'll definitely be hitting some of those towns! Just underwent teeth surgery, so haven't a chance to really research the links sent by all. THANKS AGAIN fellow fodorites!
