Assist Please: A'dam/Cologne/Mosel Valley/Aachen
 

Next month I am visiting my son who lives in Amsterdam and we are planning a long weekend trip of two or three overnights. Currently we are thinking of Cologne to Mosel Valley to Aachen with Cologne being a half day visit moving on to the Mosel Valley for our first overnight. I would like suggestions as to length of stay/where to stay for each of the remaining two areas and anything else you'd like to add.

During our time in the Mosel Valley I'd like to do a boat trip, see castles both standing and in ruins, walk and explore villages--love looking at architecture and gardens, maybe visit small museums--I really like house tours, drink beer and wine, and eat--not at the foodie level though :) Not a shopper.

In poking around previous posts I've seen Koblenz and Cochem frequently mentioned, where would you stay? In researching I get distracted by all the other beautiful places to experience and know from previous travel that I'd prefer to concentrate on smaller areas than spend time running around and I suspect that already the scope of this trip is too wide for our time frame. That said, I hear the upper Rhine is pretty spectacular too...would you swap out Mosel for upper? Would you take Aachen out of the mix and save for a separate trip? An overnight trip to Aachen had been planned for our last visit to Amsterdam and didn't happen because we had so much else to explore given that it was our first visit; there's just so much to see!

Thank you.

How are you travelling?

what do you mean by 'Upper Rhine' - if north of Koblenz it is lots of industry and ho-hum scenery - best of Rhine is the Rhine Gorge Bingen-Koblenz. Cochem yes would be my recommendation for a picture postcard wine town on a lovely stretch of Mosel.

Cochem has a ruined castle and a Ersatz pristine rebuilt medieval castle and Burg Eltz - one of Germany's most famous castles -is a short train and bus/taxi ride away.

Take the boat Cochem-Beilstein to experience one of the most beautiful stretches of Mosel and see your tiny villages and even tiptoe thru the sloping vineyards.

For lots on this area see www.budgeteuropetravel.com and their online European Planning & Rail Guide's Germany chapter and www.ricksteves.com.

Trains would be fine from Amsterdam - stop off at Cologne for few-hour look at cathedral and end up in Cochem but car would be nicer for Cochem-Aachen.

Thank you Pal; I was thinking Bingen area when I wrote upper Rhine.

Hetismij2: good question. Train from Amsterdam to Cologne and am open after that. I'd thought maybe river cruise from Cologne to a point south but will review Pal's suggestion for boat Coachem to Beilstein; I'd meant to mention Beilstein in my original post. We could rent a car.

After my original post I poked around Beilstein hotel sites and on quick run through there may not be availability mid-September and if there is there may be a two night minimum. It does seem like a perfectly lovely place to spend two nights!

Bingen not a bad base.

I think Koblenz and Cochem are a bit too big and touristy, but you may find either is fine.

I prefer Trier and Bernkastel, the second is smaller and just lots of little houses, Trier is larger but with finer Roman stuff.

Beer in Mosel is ok, but really the wine is far better.

I think Koblenz and Cochem are a bit too big and touristy, but you may find either is fine.>

Koblenz is a big city with none of the small-town ambience of Cochem which though is heavily touristed but in Sept the crowds thin out a bit.

Beilstein would only be a good base if you had a car. No trains and only slow buses to rail stations.

I'd suggest doing a Rhine Cruise - like those offered by K-D (k-d.com) down the prettiest part of the Rhine Gorge - could do it from a Cochem base by train.

Aachen I might axe off this trip -lots of stuff in Rhine/Mosel areas.

Cologne-Koblenz is a long all-day boat ride with marginal things of interest IMO.

Book Amsterdam-Cologne-wherever tickets at www.bahn.de/en and book early for discounted tickets.

Beilstein is indeed a lovely place to stay. As well s the castle there is an old Jewish cemetery which is worth a visit.
We had a car when we stayed there, having driven from home in the Netherlands.
Any of the villages along the Mosel are lovely but they do get crowded. I think renting a car would be a good idea as it also gives you the freedom to head up into the Eiffel for instance.
Renting one in Cologne and leaving it in Aachen might be easier to organise than renting one in Cochem.
Book the train to Cologne asap to get the best price on it. Currently around €30 2nd class, €40 for first.

Book the train to Cologne asap to get the best price on it. Currently around €30 2nd class, €40 for first>

Yup those discounted tickets can disappear anytime - and for 10 extra euros I'd go first class - significantly more relaxed though most folks find 2nd class fine -1st is finer - you can even order food and drinks that will be brought to your seat!

Make a seat reservation along with the tickets as German trains are often quite full - you can always board but getting say two seats together could be tough without the optional seat reservation.

Hi sorriso,

Sorry I can't help with the overall itinerary, but for what it's worth ...

I spent 5 nights in Trier this past June, and aside from the Roman stuff and two churches (worth a day, perhaps), I didn't find anything interesting or charming in the town.

I spent 2 nights in Aachen during the same trip, and I adored the town. I was awfully sorry that I hadn't planned for more time there ... the architecture, the maze of intriguing alleys, the history ringing off the cobblestones, the cozy squares lined with inviting cafes, all enchanted me.

Have fun as you plan!

s

little villages on the Mosel do not really get crowded in Sept, the Dutch are starting to go home and the Germans are all back at work, we find you can always find a bed for the night, unless there is a festival in town that night. The festivals swirl up and down the valley extending the season.

The most dramatic boat trip in Germany is from Bingen north to St. Goar.

https://gruppentouristik.com/sites/d.../Rheinlauf.jpg

This is where you'll take in the tightest concentration of castles, villages, and vine-clad cliffsides. I'd do it on Day 1 after a visit to Cologne.

Bingen is not central to both rivers. Neither is Beilstein. Koblenz is a major train hub for both rivers and would be a logical base considering how much you are packing in. I'd spend all nights there. Here's an itinerary for Day 1.

Day 1: A'dam (8:02) to Cologne (10:45) for stopover. Cologne (13:53) to Koblenz (14:46), stow bags in locker. Koblenz (15:04) to Bingen (15:46) and walk to boat dock for 16:30 cruise north. Disembark in St. Goar (17:55) for dinner. Continue north to Bingen at your leisure, fetch bags, check into a hotel near the station.

Daytrip on the Mosel: Cochem and Burg Eltz; possible cruise to Beilstein and back from Cochem but this will be a long day if you manage it.

Other area options you might find time for:

You will be there during wine fest season - the Rhine towns have one just about every weekend so share your exact dates to find out which town to go to.

Boppard is only 15 minutes south of Koblenz on the west bank.

http://schnuggel-elsje.de/upload/Bilder/IMG_0131.JPG

http://ext.pimg.tw/samlucky5711/1379...g?v=1379089585

Braubach and the never-destroyed Marksburg Castle is 10 minutes south of Koblenz on the east bank:

https://www.romantischer-rhein.de/up...ltstadt_02.jpg

http://www.marksburg.de/en/

Yes! All kinds of responses to read, thank you. I just popped in to say that train is booked to Cologne/Koeln/Koln.

Fussgaenger would you propose for days two and three as well please?

We have decided this will be a three overnight weekend (Thursday, Friday, Saturday--must be back in Amsterdam by late afternoon on Sunday). Yes, we can rent a car.

And that is the train that we booked from Amsterdam!

Fussgaenger: thank you for sharing the photos, exactly captures what I am eager to see. We're leaving Amsterdam Thursday, September 21.

We like to bike-ride, touring not off road.

by all means rent a bike for a day on the Mosel -one of primo biking venues in Europe - Cochem has many - check the train station -used to be at least you could rent there and return at another train station - Traben-Trarbach would make a good destination with chance of returning by train.

Bikes on the Mosel are very good, very flat, mainly away from roads (on black top) and relatively cheap, the trains let you take them back. Generally go West to East as it is with the prevailing wind.

I think the boats to Beilstein may take them too and Beilstein to Cochem is a wonderful short putz - yes bike downstream along Mosel - at times like a wind tunnel (I know - a decade of leading bike trips up the Mosel - put rented bike on train and go upstream and bike down - going into wind can be like climbing mountains.

We enjoyed our several days in Aachen, although the August heat and humidity might be a good reason to go in cooler weather. There's much to see in the town, from the cathedral to the bakeries with all sorts of the gingerbread for which the town is known.

"Fussgaenger would you propose for days two and three as well please?"

Well, you've already got a plan for one of those in Burg Eltz and Cochem. A few details for that day maybe...

Train to Moselkern (30 min.), walk to Burg Eltz, tour, walk back to Moselkern, train to Cochem (15 min.), train back to Koblenz (45 min.)

Train day pass: the VRM mini-group ticket at €22.10 covers all your trains. Buy it from a Koblenz ticket machine. Go on a Sat or Sun so you can use the ticket prior to 9:00. Details:

http://www.vrminfo.de/en/tickets/tic...eisure-ticket/

Trail to Eltz from Moselkern: http://www.bensbauernhof.com/burgeltzfrommoselkern.html

Squeezing in a cruise to Beilstein might work... Get an early start out of Koblenz (7:27 train?) and shoot for the 15:00 cruise to Beilstein (16:00) and return to Cochem on the 17:30 boat.

Last train back to Koblenz from Cochem is right around 22:00 (takes 45 min.)

Then on another day... I already suggested Braubach (Marksburg) and Boppard... You'd use the same VRM mini-group ticket for this day. Train to Braubach (10 min.) see town and walk up to Castle (takes 20 minutes, steep, not dangerous) for 1-hour tour, then walk back (for mid-day meal?) - https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4143/4...d7071291_b.jpg

After that, train from Braubach to St. Goarshausen (20 min.) and cross river to St. Goar (ferry runs all day and is covered by day pass.)

http://www.schiffbilder.de/1024/pers...chen-18381.jpg

See the town and catch a train to Boppard (15 min.)
Chairlift ride and short walk to Gedeonseck to enjoy that view over the town and river. Chairlift closes at 18:00.

Do Boppard town walk - https://www.boppard-tourismus.de/fil...-05-102821.pdf - or make your own way around.

Weinhaus Heilig Grab near station, or other establishment (Boppard has a LOT of places to wine and dine.)

http://www.deutschlandgourmet.info/b...ab-Boppard.jpg

Severus-stuben: http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/med...rus-stuben.jpg

Last train back to Koblenz (takes about 15 minutes) at either 22:51 or :06 after midnight.

BTW You need to check the train times yourself for the dates in question since I just picked a random date to give you a rough idea about how the day might proceed.

Obviously you can rent a car if you want to but you don't need to.


Also - I could see a stopover in Aachen on the way back to A'dam on Sunday. You will need to schedule a specific stopover period if you are booking a saver fare (Sparpreis Ticket) back to A'dam. 3-4 hours might work.

Day 1 - Thursday: If you've already booked A'dam-Cologne for Thursday, that's a shame if indeed you are going to do the cruise that day. You'll need additional tickets to reach Bingen in that case. (After the cruise to St. Goar, just buy a local ticket to Koblenz for a few Euros.)

Fuss- are you saying and what I understand to be true also that A'dam-Cologne and A'dam-Bingen would be about the same price on a discounted basis -guess I could look up but that's too much work as you no doubt know!

Cheers!

There's no way to know for sure without exact dates and times, Palenq, but that's my sense of it.

I just checked a random date and looked at two different departures from A'dam and found that it costs exactly €30 extra for two to travel to Bingen rather than Cologne.

Separate tickets for Cologne - Bingen came up at €40 - €60.

Well I guess I'd want to stop off for a few hours in Cologne to see the humungous Gothic cathedral, plopped smack dab next to the main train station (sacrilege!), one of the world's largest, so having separate tickets necessary in that case.

Cologne has other things of interest but for the average tourist little to make them linger as much more interesting things await in the Rhine/Mosel already discussed.

Thanks for responding!

Separate tickets for Cologne - Bingen came up at €40 - €60.>

Maybe there is some regional Lander discount?

A month out Cologne-Bingen seems cheapest booked in advance about 30 euros each.

Same date Amsterdam-Bingen was available for 39 euros!

Thank you all so much! I am terrifically excited by this miniadventure in the middle of my vacation. I'm all good with stopping in Cologne to explore for a bit--originally Cologne was proposed as the place to go for the weekend. My son reports, "the Dutch seem to like it" because so many of his co-workers recommended it but as I researched I realized what may seem ho-hum to them is exciting to me; I needed more than Cologne!

Cologne for the average tourist should be a few-hour stop as yes there are so many more exciting spots nearby than a modern huge city -but I can see why Dutch like it -night life, shopping, etc. and close to home.

I've literally spent collective weeks in Cologne in past on business and it is in many ways a fascinating city with ethnic neighborhoods, great nightlife, etc. but for the casual tourist looking for more wow -it lies elsewhere - like in your case Rhine/Mosel/Aachen.

I have to admit that Cologne is not "there" for me either, they can't even pour a beer properly

Fussgaenger: you suggested departing the Rhine cruise in St. Goar at 17:55 for dinner and then "Continue north to Bingen at your leisure, fetch bags, check into a hotel near the station." (I believe you meant continue north to Koblenz, not Bingen) Looking at KD timetable http://www.kdrhine.com/rhineschedule.htm it looks as though there is no later cruise to get back aboard. Or am I reading it incorrectly?

If that's the case perhaps we'd stay aboard and cruise just to Boppard or Braubach and make that our base for two nights. Thoughts from all please!

"Continue north to Bingen at your leisure, fetch bags, check into a hotel near the station."

You are right! Sorry for that messed-up utterance. Ending the cruise in St. Goar was the plan. Should have said, "Continue north by train to Koblenz..."

It's only 27 minutes to Koblenz by train. There is no good reason to cruise all the way to Koblenz for an additional 2.3 hours - the scenery north of St. Goar is not quite as delightful and somewhat repetitive. And that additional cruising would cost each of you an additional €20 or so. Train fare is €8 each - buy ticket at St. Goar station on the platform from a ticket machine.

I'd suggest cruising all the way to Koblenz if you had the whole day but if in a hurry yes the best part is Rudesheim/Bingen to St Goar area but for others make a leisurely day of it - get off say at Braubach to visit Marksburg Castle - the only castle on this stretch of Rhine that is a real intact medieval castle - others are either newer or Ersatz - rebuilt or in ruins.

Then take boat to Koblenz as the Rhine Ufer (Rhineside esplanade) is delightful - many beer stubes, etc. along the way from boat dock to the Uber famous in Germany Deutsches-Eck Monument at the confluence of Rhine and Mosel rivers - a monument to German Unity that Germans flock to - really sweet scene where the two rivers join- across the Rhine is the clifftop Ehrenbreitsen fortress to which you can take aerial cable car up to the top or pedestrian boats to the bottom entrance and walk up via tunnels hewn out of the cliffs - stupendous views up top!

https://www.google.com/search?q=kobl...w=1745&bih=864

Then walk thru Koblenz' nice Altstadt full of outdoor cafes and restaurants and its thriving pedestrian shopping area to Koblenz' train station to return to where you may be staying on the Rhine or Mosel.

Koblenz is a large city but the riverfront is especially nice and overall not old-world dreamy city but a neat modern one.

So if you have a full day make a nice full day out of the Rhine cruise.

I booked us for two nights in Boppard and was planning on Saturday night in Cochem--turns out EVERYONE wants to be in Cochem on Saturday night! We were planning on doing a bike ride Cochem to Traben-Trarbach either Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning and would like to be in the area...any thoughts?

Take the train to Cochem via Koblenz and rent bikes - takes about an hour Boppard-Cochem with frequent departures.