Scootergirl

We would like to visit Germany in about a year, but need some suggestions. Since we have never traveled overseas, is it better to schedule with a tour group, or try to set the trip up on our own. I do know we want to go to Wittenberg, and the Black Forest area, but does anyone have any other suggestions. We enjoy outside walking, hiking, history and beautiful architect. We don't mind seeing the usually touristy attractions, but would love other suggestions too.

Moderator1

Moved to the Europe Forum

BDKR

"Since we have never traveled overseas, is it better to schedule with a tour group, or try to set the trip up on our own.'

Have you travelled on your own in your home country(USA I assume)? If yes, there's no reason why would you have to go with a tour group abroad.

Travelling abroad works more or less like travelling at home, they just speak another language, but English is widely spoken in Germany.

"we want to go to Wittenberg, and the Black Forest area, but does anyone have any other suggestions. We enjoy outside walking, hiking, history and beautiful architect."

How much time will you have and when do you travel?

For hiking I recommend 2 areas which are much better for hiking than the Black Forest.

1) The Bavarian Alps

2) The Saxon Switzerland

I guess you're going to Wittenberg because of Martin Luther. It's worth to discover other places connected to his life like Wartburg castle or Worms(which also has the largest medieval Jewish cemetery of Europe)

bilboburgler

Firstly getting around in Europe on your own without a car is very easy and especially so in Germany. Have a read of seat61.com to get to understand the rules and use bahn.de for detailed timetables. Most of the train tickets can be bought from the comfort of your own home and picked up in Germany at a ticket machine, but do a bit of reading first.

In about a year suggests October which is frankly not a great time for wandering in the woods. It is a better time for huddling around Christmas markets or finding a nice town with some museums to sink into a wine sozzled mess in a good inn. Assuming you really do want to go walking or you want to go earlier in the year I would look at the Mosel. You can follow the Mosel all the way up into France and the "wander weg" can be down on the riverfront or up on cliffs overlooking the meandering river and stopping off at castles. Such walks can be supported by the local trains and boats that ply along the rivers.

You can do similar sort of holidays on a shed load of German rivers and canals because the same routes that followed the water also lead to the laying of railway track. Booking accom is dead easy with booking.com but you may find in some of the smaller places that google maps will identify the local B&Bs and single rooms that will also come up at Tourist Info. Nearly every town has a web site which tells you about wine festivals etc and they are nearly always something like "name of town".de how simple it that. Trier.de for example and you nearly always will find a EN in the top left hand corner or a British Union Jack which means English.

You may also like to consider cycling, lots of places offer cycles to rent, there are thousands of miles of off road cycle paths and both taxis to move luggage or organisations to do the same, it is a very healthy and safe way of enjoying a holiday.

Now when exactly are you thinking of coming?

Macross

Why Wittenburg? I am thinking of where you can fly into and out of. Maybe an open jaw ticket into Hamburg and out of Munich or Frankfurt. Can you say from what airport you are flying from? We are going north of Wittenburg this summer so my husband can see this submarine. I booked three nights as we are coming from Berlin but I am not thrilled with the area. He needs two days to see all that interest him. I love the Black Forest area, Bavaria is always my favourite part of Germany though. I love the alps and the villages there. Look at Garmisch, south of Munich. You don't need a car. Public transportation is top notch. Train and bus. Ibis hotels, airbnb, VRBO and guest houses are all affordable. Cash is still used in many places regardless of what some say here. Just make sure when you book you take note of payment. Hotels take credit cards but many other places like cash.

Lubitsch

Macross is it possible that you are weirdly confusing Wittenberg with Wittenburg? Otherwise your comments make little sense ...

As bilboburgler said: when is this taking place? And also: how much time do you have? With two destinations far apart you already have partly planned your trip.

Macross

Yes, BDKR's comment about Martin Luther threw me iff. I still wonder why. Maybe relatives there. Berlin/Tegel might work as an airport for flying into and Frankfurt for leaving.

BDKR

"In about a year suggests October which is frankly not a great time for wandering in the woods. It is a better time for huddling around Christmas markets or finding a nice town with some museums to sink into a wine sozzled mess in a good inn."

September-October is exactly a great time to go hiking in the mountains of Germany(even in the Alps, but for some hikes there October may be too late depending on the weather). The weather is pleasently cool, the leaves are turning in colour and the weather is usually drier than in spring.

Christmas markets don't open in October, although visiting museums and sinking into a wine/beer sozzled mess in a good inn are always great options.

Public transport in Germany is indeed top notch, but the train system has an ongoing issues(understaffed) and deleyed or even cancelled trains are unfortunately more like the norm than the exception, but I'd still prefer trains than driving. At least do a mix of driving and trains(and riverboats - a great experience on the Rhine and the Elbe).

BDKR

"Macross is it possible that you are weirdly confusing Wittenberg with Wittenburg?"

English speakers often change the letters e and u when anglicising German city names. For example from Nürnberg it gets Nuremburg and not Nuremberg. Sometimes o and u are also changed(although it is less common) Frankfort instead of Frankfurt.

Macross

It helps to have my contacts in early in the morning. There are two places, one with the e and one with the u.

bilboburgler

we still need the OP to advise us which month

September can be lovely, or just damp. October as September just colder and November is wetter and colder. I prefer September especially if you are in sheltered valleys facing south when the sun can warm up the air to very high levels and the vine harvest can be at its height.

Still, it depends a bit on the sort of hiking the OP likes to do.

Scootergirl

Well after reading the thread, we are now thinking sometime in 2021, so what is the best time of the year to go that is not too hot, but not too cold. (sounds like I'm Goldilocks) I thought Germany had the same seasonal weather similar to Pennsylvania, so I'm leaning towards early September. If not, then I am open for suggestions. Just at the beginning stages of research, but I appreciate all of the information offered.

Scootergirl

Yes we have traveled throughout the U.S., but we usually fly to our destination, rent a car, and travel around the area for about 9-10 days. We are planning on a 2 week trip to Germany. Do you think that is sufficient amount of time, for flying from the east coast?

Yes you are correct about Martin Luther, and I will look into the other suggestions. I thank you for your ideas.

Scootergirl

I"m still in early stages of planning, so not sure where we would fly into, but we are more likely flying out of Philadelphia, PA. We could fly out of one of the Washington DC airports because we live about half way between the two. We were going to Wittenberg to see Castle Church. There are four of us traveling together, and trying to decide where to go. I thank you for all your suggestions, and the heads up about public transportation. Any other suggestions are greatly appreciated.

BDKR

"I thought Germany had the same seasonal weather similar to Pennsylvania, so I'm leaning towards early September."

I think this is more or less correct and September is indeed a perfect time. May is also a great time, before the hot summer, green fields, flowers, the yellow rape fields.

"Yes we have traveled throughout the U.S., but we usually fly to our destination, rent a car, and travel around the area for about 9-10 days."

Well, you could travel just like that in Germany.

"We are planning on a 2 week trip to Germany. Do you think that is sufficient amount of time, for flying from the east coast?"

Yes, that's sufficient, but the more time you have the better. Germany has enough sights to last for a lifetime.

"I"m still in early stages of planning, so not sure where we would fly into"

It doesn't really matter which airport you fly into. Any major airport of Germany(FRA, MUC, BER) will do, I'd pick the flight that is most convenient for you(schedule wise, or favourite airline or best price).

"Yes you are correct about Martin Luther, and I will look into the other suggestions."

https://www.germany.travel/en/specia...er-routes.html

SeoValor

I am living in germany from last two years now and would say Berlin and Munich are best places to visit.
In summer you can visit to ostsee.

alainr

we wanted to stay in bad schandau in early july and hike and take the river trips. we won't have a car. where do you recommend to base ourselves? what hotel?
alternatively, we could stay in Dresden and just go there for the day. i 'd appreciate your input!

Ingo

Bad Schandau is a good base, transportation hub and enough restaurants and some shops, too. Yes, I would stay there in July (when it can be quite hot in the city Dresden.) Hotel depends on price range, the choices are plenty.

janisj

alainr: You have tacked your question on to an old thread with different issues/questions. You will do much better to start a thread of your own.