Bamberg + ?
 

Starting to daydream about my next vacation, which may occur as early as first half of April or as late as late September (not MY choice-work constraints).
Will only have 8 days/7 nights. Will definitely base myself in Bamberg (mind made up here).
Travelling by train, by self. Can get by in german language.
Looking for daytrips--no big cities.
Any comments specifically on the following:
Dinkelsbuehl - hassle here, must go by bus as no train station.
Noerdlingen- tower, crater-depression, preserved city walls in concentric circles.
Coberg
Ingolstadt - Museum of medical history is the big draw (went to Zurich's and LOVED it, as I am in medical profession). Also, for the Frankenstein connection.

Wurzburg?

We are going to Germany this summer and spending a few nights in Bamberg as well, so I have been thinking about day trip options too. Wurzburg is on our list of possibilities - it looks like it is a really neat town. I'll be interested to see what others suggest.

Of the towns you mentioned, I have been to Diklesbuehl, which I liked a lot. We stopped there enroute from Nuremburg to the Alps. It is a neat town, not a lot of tourists. I don't know that I would choose it as a day trip from Bamberg though since there are so many other towns that are easier to get to.

Nuremburg is an easy trip from Bamburg - we stayed a few nights there on a previous trip to Germany. The old town is pretty large and the castle is neat. The old town is definitely not just a tourist mecca - there is definitely a fair amount going on. We liked seeing the old and the new, the new use for old buildings, and so on - seeing a town with the altstadt still in use.

On the other side of the spectrum is Rothenburg obT - I am not sure how the train connections are from Bamberg to RobT since it is at the end of a spur line, it might take a couple train changes. Anyway - this town has a very picturesque old town that looks like it hasn't been touched in centuries. It does get mobbed by tourists though, so be prepared for that if you go there. We found though that most tourists seemed to enter the old town and head straight for the main town square. We broke left immediately upon entering the old town and left the crowds behind. It was neat to wander the streets, walk along the city wall, and just poke around. They have a crime and punishment museum which was interesting - disturbing, but interesting.

Schloss Pommersfelden
Basilica Vierzehnheiligen
Coburg
Bayreuth
Kulmbach

need more? :-)

Fränkische Schweiz ("Franconian Switzerland"), hilly landscape with rocks and caves and little towns like Pottenstein and Gößweinstein

Ingolstadt has a lot lore to offer than the museum. My Ingolstadt page over on VT http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/f86bd/c365/ is still a fragment but might contain some tips that will be of interest to you. Plan a full day.

Regensburg

The wine towns in the Main valley - Volkach, for example

If going to see Vierzehnheiligen, combine with Banz abbey on the opposite side of the valley.

Need more? ;-)

I second Vierzehnheiligen - a little work to get there by train but that is offset by its proximity;

http://www.vierzehnheiligen.eu/en/an...anchor=1010003

Coburg, Kulmbach, and Nurnberg would be on my day trip list from Bamberg, too.

Wow!! two fans of two of my favorite places, which I thought no one else liked:

Fränkische Schweiz ("Franconian Switzerland"), hilly landscape with rocks and caves and little towns like Pottenstein and Gößweinstein

Schloss Pommersfelden

Thanks everyone for the suggestions.
I should note that I have already been to R.o.d.T several times and Nuernburg as well.
Will definitely investigate Pommersfelden, Coburg and Kulmbach.
Vierzehnheiligen looked good, but I wasn't sure if accessible by train and foot...?
Wuerzburg also remains in the running....
I think I have plenty of options now!

Fathrin:
Thanks for the link.
Ingolstadt definitely makes the cut!
Aramis:
Your link provides nice directions to 14 Holy ones--Thanks!

You ever walked the Mosel or taken a bike ride down it?

bilbo:
Yes, have been to Mosel and Rhein many times...great areas!
This will be my ?12th trip to Germany and/or Switzerland.
But before this week, I hadn't heard about or investigated
Ingolstadt/Kulmbach/Coburg/Vierzehnheiligen or Pommersfelden! (And each of their websites look fan-tabulous)!
Love exporing new, off the beaten path towns!
Thanks everyone...

Well, just to add to your confusion, check out Amberg.

www.amberg.de

I agree this is a great area and as MUCH as I enjoy traveling around by rail, Franconia, and I do mean OFF THE BEATEN PATH backroads of Franconia were ideal with a CAR! I know I know..but at least consider it.

I hope you like beer? Franconia is a beer region with many special types of beer, small and micro breweries everywhere. Probably the most interesting area for beer lovers in the whole country because of its variety.
If you are more into wine, there are the excellent wines from the Main valley (wine region Franken). Be prepared for dry and veeeeery dry whites, though.

We loved Bamberg. In fact, we stayed in a guestroom at one of the brew pubs, the Brauerei Spezial. Reasonably priced, comfortable, with its own bath, and including breakfast. Just outside the old town, but within easy walking distance. (We walked from the train station, too.)

quokka: I DO love beer!
In fact I see that they offer a beer-tasters tour for 20 E, to include a Bamberger Rucksack, a Stein and 5 coupons to be used in the town's 9 breweries for a drink! I know, kitschzig, aber....ich muss!
Dukey: nope, nope, nope! Will never rent a car in Europe, despite the considerable pros of same (especially since I will be solo, with no co-guide!)
Betty: Am looking up Amberg next!
Unfortunately (or actually maybe, better, the trip will not occur until September--April is out. More time to build anticipation!)

mokka - Do you have a link for the beer-tasters tour? Our upcoming trip has a beer theme and that tour sounds great. In fact, when we were in Germany several years ago, we tried the Rauchbier in Nuremburg and decided right then and there that the next opportunity we would visit Bamberg, the home of that heavenly brew :) We arrive in Frankfurt and will go directly to Bamberg by train.

We are doing our whole trip by train as well - we've rented cars in Europe on other trips - but this one is all about the beer :)

novmom:
I am having a hard time finding the actual link this afternoon :-(...
I know that I started searching under www.stadt.bamberg.de/
click Left under 'Bamberg erleben' (experience Bamberg)
then left again for 'Stadtinfo' (city info)
left again for 'Stadtfuehrungen in Bamberg' (city tours in Bamberg)--at the bottom, they allude to it under
"Angebote in der Stadt" -offers in the city-------
BierSchmecker Touren, but I couldn't find it beyond that.
I know it was 20 Euros pp and tickets had to be purchased in the Tourist Office. Note that this was a self-guided tour with city map denoting participating brewery sites.
Otherwise, you can find a more organized tour under "Stadtfuehrungen" listed as "Bamberg und sein fluessiges Brot"--or Bamberg and its flowing/liquid bread!
This is a 1.5 hour adventure in a local pub with 0.2 L tastings of light, wheat and smoke beer with a pretzel, accompanied by fact-filled narrative by host.
70 E in german language and 80 E in English (max 25 persons).
The self-guided one works better for me, so I would just inquire at the TI--I'm sure they can help.
Also know that there is a ber-brewing 'museum' in town!
Sorry but the site does not seem to have any english pages yet available.
If I can relocate the link, I will post it!

AHA! Found it!
www.bamberg.info
Ihre BierSchmecker Tour 2011.
20 E for backpack, beerstein, beer coasters, map, 5 coupons for 1/2 Liter beers at 8 (sorry, not 9!)participating breweries AND free entrance to the brewery museum OR a beer opener! No more than 2 coupons can be used at any ONE brewery to encourage visiting at least 3 of them.
My perseverance paid off!

Thank-you mokka - that looks great.