cindyloiacano2825

Need recommendations for first time travel to Europe. We are looking at France or Germany, would like to do both but will only have 8 days there (10 with air travel) so guessing that we should pick one. We love great food, history, the arts, hiking and the outdoors. We are laid back prefer jeans over dresses/suits, and would like a mix of planned tours and free time. Looking for recommendations on country, tours and best way to travel (tour group or ?)

Travel_Nerd

Need more info on your actual interests to assist in recommendations. Both are large counties with plenty to see, eat, experience.

History? Any particular time period? Museums? Any particular art style? Food/wine? Any preference?

I don't think what you wear is a concern here. Instead, think more about why both countries appeal to you.

With only 8 days on the ground, you really only have time for one country,, only one region with it, really. If you give us more of an idea what you want to see, we can recommend based upon that.

StuDudley

Since 1977, we have spent 3 weeks vacationing in Germany, and more than 3 years total in France. We'll be in France for 2 months this year. Haven't been to Germany this century. Too much of Germany was destroyed in WWII. IMO, food is much better in France. My wife is 1/4 German - Fischer is her maiden name.

Stu Dudley

hetismij2

That is a very odd thing to say Stu. France wasn't left unscathed by two world wars either.

Some indication of your ages, and whether you like fast moving travel or would refer a slower pace for you 8 days, whether you want to travel by train and bus or will rent a car. Do you want mostly city based or countryside? Hotels or Airbnb/holiday rental?

bilboburgler

Alsace is right on the border, unique culture, nice little mountains, wine food, pretty with some interesting museums and military debris of many periods. Train from Paris.

Trains seat61.com

Local french tourist information is fantastic, either town or region based, lots of info in three languages is normal. In Alsace that is French, German and English.

Start by looking at Strasbourg, the Colmar and then say Rorschwihr all in Alsace .

https://www.visit.alsace/en/
https://www.visitstrasbourg.fr/en/we...in-strasbourg/
https://www.ribeauville-riquewihr.co...rorschwihr.htm

You'll spot the shear quality of the site and the amount of local info available. If this was my first time in Europe I might take the Train to Strasbourg, stay in a nice hotel with good reception, then train to a village or Colmar and either bike/hike from the village using local buses or even local taxis to get into the hills and then walk down into town through the vinyards. Once in the villages you don't need to pay so much for hotels and everyone relaxes, note that the European star system is not the same as the US system so staying in a small 3 star hotel or even 2 can be fine, it just means that it might not have a lift (stars are about equipment and size), use booking.com to chose your hotel and read the customer experience

StuDudley

""That is a very odd thing to say Stu. France wasn't left unscathed by two world wars either."

Berlin suffered a lot more damage than Paris. Munich, & Cologne were hit a lot harder than Toulouse, Bordeaux, or Lyon. Marseille & Tours were bombed quite a bit.

Stu Dudley

hetismij2

It is still an odd reason to discount Germany. It isn't my favourite country to visit but it does have a lot going for it, which has nothing to do with bombing. Many places in Germany were completely rebuilt in the the original style after the war.
There many lovely places to visit and to hike and enjoy in Germany, and there is plenty of history too.
I know most people on this forum prefer France but to say it is because of war damage in Germany, caused by the Allies what is more, is absurd.
You might as well say London isn't worth visiting.
The food is different but I have had excellent meals and wine in Germany and some truly duff food and wine served up in France.

Travel_Nerd

It depends on where in Germany or France and what the OP wants to see in either country to make a determination as to "this place is not worth it because of WW2 damage/restoration." To me, that's like saying Dubrovnik is not worth going to because the walls had to be restored post-1991 due to Homeland War damage.

I also have had some of the best meals of my life in Germany and so-so ones in France. That can happen anywhere.

Both countries are worth traveling to. Clearly one person prefers France and that is fine. It is the OPs trip and based upon their preferences, one may be better than the other for them.

Christina

There isn't any reason whatsoever you can't visit both Germany and France in 8 days. I've done it, why ever not. YOu just can't cover as much, that's all. You could easily do four days in Berlin, fly to Paris, then do 4 days in Paris, or something like that.

If you want to travel around the country more in-depth, not so much, but you could do a couple days in two cities in at least one country, if you wanted.

However, since you've never been to Europe before, probalby pick one country as how to do certain things and get around may need some learning experience.

Liking to wear jeans is kind of irrelevant, people wear them everywhere.

coral22

Congratulations on your first trip!
First of all, when is this trip?

Next, city energy, mountains, charming small towns, water front, stunning vistas?
In 8 days, I would pick a big city and somewhere else with a more restful personality.

Finally, where can you fly from and back, the least painfully? You shouldn't eat up your travel time with multiple connections and difficult departure and arrival times. Since you are so open, I would let that be part of your decision.

France and Germany are both wonderful, but have very distinct personalities. I think the edge would go to France for food. You need to look at some travel books and travel blogs with pictures and descriptions of areas and experiences so you can get a feel for where your heart is leading you. Happy planning!

HeHateTweeter

That is an odd disqualifier. The Germany of 2023 is not the Germany of 2003 and certainly not the Germany of 1945.

I'm fascinated by Western history, but we all have different interests. I would probably do 3 days in Berlin, 3 days in Paris.

HeHateTweeter

That is an odd disqualifier. The Germany of 2023 is not the Germany of 2003 and certainly not the Germany of 1945.

I'm fascinated by Western history, but we all have different interests. I would probably do 3 days in Berlin, 3 days in Paris. Yes, the food is better in most of France.

tomboy

My two cents:
Go rural

Why? to me, Paris, Berlin, Prague, Brussels are, in a way, similar to Chicago, LA, Detroit, etc., in that they're big cities populated by folks living their career. The languages differ, the architecture differs, the foods differ, but in general, those cities are "quite developed"

To me, Bavaria seemed more laid back than northern Germany. Provence seemed more laid back than Paris. And so forth. In short, away from the "big city", folks lived life to enjoy life; in the big cities, they live life to get ahead.

So the answer the poster seeks depends on what the poster seeks in a vacation.

shelemm

In France, Provence is gorgeous with many spectacular features. In a week you can see a chateau, ruins, an ochre quarry, a gorge, 7th century BC grottoes, a fort, take a boat ride out of Marseille, vineyards, hilltop villages, a landscape and museums dedicated to Impressionist artists that made the region famous, a walled town, daring modern art. It is a place of important art, flowers, chalky cliffs, the sea, the Mistral, farms, and a unique culture and cuisine.

Since you only have eight days, you should spend all of it in Provence, rent a car, and just travel around carefree.

bilboburgler

flying Paris to Berlin seems to be spitting in the face of Climate Change, do one or the other or do a border region (crossing is easy, you will not see any divide, just a small sign) but you have a very small holiday to be splittiing it

MichGuy

France for the arts and Germany (Bavaria) for the outdoors. Both of these countries are too big to see everything in one vacation. I suggest picking one of the following areas to focus your trip:

1. Munich and Bavaria -- Fussen, Neuschwanstein, Garmisch, hiking, Salzburg, Regensburg

2. Paris and day trips -- Paris is Paris, the Loire valley, Versailles, Reims, Normandy - OR - Paris plus Provence (TGV to Avignon)

You really can't go wrong.

dfourh

There were 4.6 billion (yes billion) passenger boardings on commercial aircraft last year. This is the OP's first trip to Europe. To deny the OP that one flight seems more like spitting at the OP, than spitting at climate change. Here's why you can do everything imaginable to minimize your 'carbon footprint' (a term invented by British Petroleum to make individuals feel responsible for climate change instead of British Petroleum) and it won't matter (large-scale policy change is the only thing that won't be a drop of water on a hot stone):

". . . our individual carbon footprint has no significant impact on the level of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere.
The main reason that our personal actions don’t matter is that the top 5 sectors that contribute to global emissions— electricity production (25%), Food/agriculture/land use/deforestation (24%), industry/all factories and businesses making stuff (20%), transportation (15%), buildings (5%), and making up the last 10% the transportation and manufacturing of fossil fuels (ex: methane leak from a truck)—we can’t change any of these conditions with our independent decisions. To institutionalize change in these areas, political policies and systematic developments must be implemented.
Focusing on what we can control, the major actions that impact our carbon footprints’ still minimize emissions by almost nothing. For instance, if a person were to adopt all of the most effective climate strategies—having fewer children, driving less/electric, flying less, becoming more energy efficient (insulate home), and switching to a plant-based diet— and enact them perfectly, they would still only reduce total emissions by just .0000000003%."
https://berkleyspectator.com/3291/op...tprint-matter/

jeffreycwuk

There isn't a hard bother between the 2 countries, so border crossing on each of the 8 days can work.

Alsace Lorraine and nearby regions can work to allow op to do both countries.

A lot of interesting cities, towns and sights. Baden Baden
Strasbourg
Freiburg

bilboburgler

I'm well aware of those numbers, but I'm also aware that every journey of a 1000 miles starts with a single step, which is in the ball park of .0000000003%

Travel_Nerd

The OP has not posted in nearly a month and perhaps has moved on.