papertraveller

We had planned to spend six days based in Rudesheim this summer, but now are thinking we should change our base to one of the smaller towns along the Rhine. We're looking for recommendations for places to stay, as well as wine tours. St. Goar? Is Bacharach too quiet?
Also, we want to end our trip with a couple of days in Wurzburg -- all recommendations appreciated!

Russ

In summer, all the Rhine towns get pretty busy. Ruedesheim isn't quite within the Rhine Gorge proper but is nice enough - fairly overrun with summer tourists. Bacharach has lots of half timbered buildings - it tends to attract lots of Rick Steves devotees. St. Goar has the most scenic position in the Rhine Gorge, IMO, with 3 castles visible from town - my favorite town there. Boppard is good if you want a slightly larger town. Both Boppard and St. Goar have car ferries; if using the train, St. Goar is better, as you can cross by ferry to St. Goarshausen and use the east bank trains to head up to Marksburg castle, Ruedesheim, etc. For a longer (3-6 day) stay, try Walter Huppertz' Rheinblick apartment - very reasonable with a great view of the river and close to everything.

Gary_Mc

Würzburg is one of my favorite cities.

Most folks really liked the Baroque Archbishop Residence. My wife certainly did.

I prefer the Marienberg Festung (castle) across the river. I especially like the Mainfränkisches Museum at the castle with is an interesting eclectic collection of artworks, furniture, etc. from Franconia. There is another museum at the castle that is devoted to city of Würzburg.

There is a pleasant walk up to the Kappele also across the river with great sights of the city and "Fourteen Stages of the Cross".

Würzburg sits in the middle of wine region and it is quite easy to get a nice glass with you meal.

Hope that you enjoy yourself.

Regards, Gary

papertraveller

Thanks for the suggestions. Russ, can you give me any more details about the apartments? We are travelling with our seven-year-old daughter, and that sounds appealing!

And Gary -- where would you recommend in Wurzburg? We are thinking about extending the number of days there.

bettyk

Please, if you have extra time in Wurzburg, try to get outside of the city and visit some of the fabulous small towns in the surrounding area.

I can personally recommend the following:

Dettelbach and Iphofen - a little south and east of Wurzburg

Wertheim - north and west of Wurzburg on the River Main

I am especially fond of Dettelbach and Iphofen. Both are charming and have few American tourists.

Dettelbach's website (www.dettelbach.de) and Wertheim's website (www.wertheim.de) both have some info in English. The wesbsite for Iphofen (www.iphofen.de) is only in German.

ekellyga

Also, for small towns, try Weikersheim (sp?) which is close to Rothenburg. W has a small "burg" with tours, (but the tour is in German...and you have to read from a guidebook). Also near there is an amazing hand carved wooden altar in a small church across from a "thimble museum". maybe some other poster can fill you in on better details

Russ

Paper:

Below are two webpages on the Huppertz apartments with contact info. Each is different, not all have a river view. The Rheinblick apt. where we stayed is on the top floor - 2 bedrooms, one at each end of the apartment, a well-equipped kitchen, comfortable living room. It's just across from the K-D docks, a couple of blocks to the train station and the pedestrians-only main street, Heerstrasse. Mr. Huppertzofered the use of several bikes he keeps in the cellar - he also keeps bottled beverages there - beer, soda, mineral water - for guests at a reasonable price.

http://www.loreleytal.com/st.goar/fe...tz/english.htm
www.loreley-apartments.de/

I would agree with extending a stay in the Würzburg area, although perhaps not in W'burg proper, which was flattened in WWII - a very nice city by anyone's standards, but quite large and a little less charming than other towns in the region, I think. Sommerhausen, just outside of W'burg, is a nice place where visitors often settle in for the Franconian wine experience. Iphofen, Bad Windsheim (open air museum there), Neustadt an der Aisch are good choices too. We stayed in Neustadt a few years ago - a very pleasant small town with a nice town square surrounded by eateries and outdoor cafes, well located for daytrips by train or car to W'burg, Nuremberg, Rothenburg, Bad Windsheim. We had an apartment there for several days -= a large, simply furnished studio-type place with kitchen and balcony - for less than 30 Euros. There's a bed for two and a pull-out couch for a third person (which my 9-year-old daughter found very comfy.) Nice owners - they still send us a Christmas card, of all things. Here's their webpage:

http://www.accommodation.de/48003.htm

Gary_Mc

Accommodations Würzburg: We really liked the Hotel St. Josef:

http://www.hotel-st-josef.de/

They are moderately priced and have a good breakfast. The are close to the pedestrian zone, the train station and all the main sights. Its also in the same block as one of the wine tasting outlet-restaurants (Burgerspital I believe).

There are indeed many nice small towns around Würzburg. I lived there for a couple years and a Sunday drive was a joy. But, I prefer to stay in town as it is a transportation hub and within walking distance of the sights that I mentioned. I can see how others would have a different view.

Regards, Gary

papertraveller

Thank you all for the suggestions. It's making the cold winter weather months easier to bear as we plan a warm-weather adventure!

Bob_KY

I also enjoyed Bad Mergentheim, which is near Wurzburg. It was not touristy at all, but a great example of a German town. I would highly recommend spending a few hours there.

Watzmann

When staying in Würzburg, I'd recommend you to stay at the Hotel Walfisch, right at the bank of the river. It has a fantasic view (if you have a room looking on the river!) and is still right in the city centre: http://www.hotel-walfisch.com/ It is true, Würzburg was flattened in WWII, but the major historical buildings were reconstructed, and yet, it is not such a unique ensemble like Rothenburg or Regensburg or Bamberg. Day trips to the vinemaker villages up and down the river Main are a must. If you decide to stay outside the city, I'd second the above suggestion of Sommerhausen. Sommerhausen looks like a Mini-size Rothenburg, it is a small walled town (rather a village) and a favourite sunday destination for the people of Würzburg: http://www.sommerhausen.de/pages/index-e.html A great restaurant with also some rooms is Restaurant and Hotel Philipp: http://www.restaurant-philipp.de/. If visiting the barocque "Residenz" in the heart of Würzburg, don't only visit the Residenz itself, but also have a look at the gigantic wine cellar underneath (tours available, come with a small vine sample): http://www.hofkeller.de/hofkeller/start.html Great vine bars (Weinstuben) in Würzburg proper, where the locals meet, are: Maulaffenbäck (you may even eat your brought along snack there along with your wine)http://www.weinstube-maulaffenbaeck.de/ , Johanniterbäck http://www.johanniterbaeck.de/, Sandertorbäck (best franconian food in town), Weinstube Vier Jahreszeiten, Weinstube Popp, and the vine bars of the two largest vineries of Würzburg, the Juliusspital http://www.juliusspital.de/html/1_ENG_HTML.htm and the Bürgerspital http://www.buergerspital.de/wineesta...rt178,314.html. Another favourite of the locals is the Weinstube "Spielberg" in the village of Randersacker, just between Würzburg and Sommerhausen, a Sunday-Must ;-) http://www.randersacker.de/. A boat cruise from Würzburg to the village of Veitshöchheim is also very nice, Veitshöchheim has the summer residence of the Würzburg prince-bishops, it is situated in the largest rococo garden still in existence, worldwide:http://www.schloesser.bayern.de/engl...ts/veitsho.htm

matman167

I have Relatives in Bingen which is near Mainz and Ingelheim. I think you will love the small towns along the Rhine. Rudesheim is full of Tourists and i don't recommend going there in the summer. it is nice there but if you want to see natives not trying to sell you anything, and see a normal town and what its like in real life without many tourists go to Bacharach , St Goar. ect. There are Ferries that carry over on each side of the Rhine. I think you will enjoy it because there are so many castles and history in that arear that you will want to spend weeks there. ive been there 6 times and still love it. i am actually taking my mother for the first time This May