Returning to NYC from Oz we'll have a 3-day stop-over in Frankfurt. Wish to make the most of it and visit Germany but with only three day's it will be tight. Will start real early in the morning each day. Any ideas for an itinerary? And/or places to stay? Am I expecting too much with only three days?

Falcon <BR> <BR>Heading over to the Rhein would be my first choice. We stayed in St. Goar and took little side trips by boat and train. Asolutely beautiful area, relaxing and easily done from Frankfurt. Reachable by train if you don't have a car. Don't forget your camera!

Thanks betsy <BR>Where specifically in the Rhine? <BR> <BR>I was also planning to do: <BR>Frankfurt, Munich ,Wurzburg, Nurnburg, Vienna, Zurich, and back to Frankfurt

Falcon, are you by any chance related to Messrs Flan and Loaf?

Falcon <BR>Indeed you will have 3-day, but don't you think you will be so tired because of the flight from the other side of the world. <BR>I think you can do Frankfurt, and should choose one city from your list, Munchen sounds nice, and easy to get to from FRA.

Falcon, <BR>Consider staying in Assmannshausen on the Rhine. Assmannshausen is about 45 minutes from the Frankfurt airport. A small village, it's somewhat less touristy than neighboring Rudesheim. From there, you can tour the Rhine easily by boat or auto. Recommend you seek accommodations at the HOtel Cafe Post, a small hotel on the banks of the Rhine with vineyards to the rear. Double room ranges from 100DM to 180DM. Go to the website www.loreleyvalley.com It's a busy site with a lot of verbiage. In the upper frame look for and click on Assmannshausen, you'll then find the hotel, with photos, maps, rates and such good stuff.

Falcon: Wes has good advice. The middle Rhine is very easily reached from Frankfurt and the area between Mainz/Weisbaden and Koblenz has probably the greatest concentration of castles to be found anywhere. There are lovely towns dating hundreds of years all along this area. Just pick several and stop. You can ride the cable car to the Neiderwald Monument in Rudesheim, go up on top of Lorelei Rock, visit the Deuchtes Eck in Koblenz and have dinner along the river, Take in Bacharch, St. Goar, etc., etc. <BR> <BR>We have stayed at the Hotel Cafe' Post in Assmanshausen, as other Fodorite's have, Monica comes to mind as the most recent and we can vouch for the accommodations. It is small, but right on the river and the family Hotger will make your stay comfortable and affordable. <BR> <BR>Have fun!

I would suggest either a stay in Rothenburg or Trier. Hotels are very affordable. Rothenburg is famous for being a walled city with the "Christmas shop" and Trier has 2nd century Roman ruins and nearby wineries. have fun

Hi Falcon, <BR> <BR>Yes, I can agree with Lee and Wes. Wes recommend the Hotel Cafe Post in Assmannshausen and Lee also vouched for the place. Wonderful place on the Rhine. The owners wrote to use and offered "their best room." We paid 180DM which included a great breakfast and all taxes. We enjoyed the Rhine area stopping along the way to the various town and also the Moselle River to include a visit to Trier. Interesting Roman town. For a 3 day visit, I would choose the Rhine area. Great wines too!

I tend to agree with other posters. If you only have 3 days, do the Rhine area and enjoy it. Come back later to do the other towns. <BR> <BR>While doing the Rhine you can also see the Moselle area if time warrants. More wine growing area and just as nice as Rhine River. They are very close together. We stayed in Cochem on the Moselle at the Alte Thorndecke and enjoyed that area. In Assmannhausen we stayed at the Krone, a large hotel right on the river in case the Post is not available. You can also stay on the Rhine the evening before your departure from Frankfurt as the early morning drive from there to airport is not bad. It beats staying in an airport hotel.

I would advice you not to go to Germany! There have been numerous reports of foreigners been attacked by the natives in the press. Take care

I'm a foreigner living in Germany. I feel safer here than I do in the states!

Patt/Wes/Lee/Larry/Monica/Bob <BR> <BR>I always had the impression that the transport system inside Germany was very efficient and fast and the places didn't seem that far apart, so that I could do Frankfurt in the morning, Frankfurt afternoon etc - but now I'll take your word for it that' it's a bit too ambitious. <BR> <BR>So Rhine valley it is then then!. It sounds a bit off the beaten track though.. .is it OK to speak English there? <BR>Thanks ! ! <BR> <BR>Winston - I thought attacks were against immigrants from eastern Europe - are you suggesting this has now moved to tourists as well ? <BR> <BR>Paige - Interesting ! Why do you feel safer in Germany ? ? Did you live in a tough place in the states ? ?how long have you lived in Germany and where ? Do you think some parts of Germany are less safe than others , if so which? <BR>

Oops forgot one other question: <BR>Isn't the Rhineland a main wine area? <BR>If so are there free(i.e. no obligation to buy) wine-tasting events??

I've lived in Munich for 2 years. I can't speak for all of Germany, but Bavaria is really safe. Why? Hardly any guns and people are law abiding citizens. I never lived in "tough places" in the states but just about everyone I know there has been the victim of some crime, myself included. From what I've heard, the old east Germany isn't as safe.

I would love to visit Munich. Maybe I can still do it for the day (2 days Rhineland + 1 day Munich)..What made you choose Munich ? I heard it was very « German » if you know what I mean (i.e. not cosmopolitan at all and very different from home)

I can tell you that as a black man, people in Germany were giving me constant abuse. THEY DID NOT LIKE ME

We didn't exactly pick Munich. A company similar to the one we worked for in the states recruited us. We had always wanted to live in Europe so we jumped at the chance. I wouldn't say Munich isn't cosmopolitan, it's just not on the same scale as, say, Berlin. I think every city in Europe is very different from home! By the way, where is Oz?

Winston, what sort of abuse did you get? Where in Germany were you?

Paige- <BR>Oz is what Australians call Australia. I met some « Auzzies » in the states and they convinced me to <BR>make a trip over there as I'm doing. They also told me to stop-over in Germany of I could. Munich was one of the places they suggested especially, if you like beer. They did tell me however that despite the 'beer garden » culture, Munich was a very introverted and old-fashioned place, the folks down there were not open, especially if you could not speak German. Apart from the charming central district and there beer gardens there is little else to see in the city. To see the famous Walt Disney castle one would have to take a cab as it a few miles outside the city. <BR>. <BR> <BR>Winston - <BR>I am quite shocked. Can you speak German ? What did you do about it ? <BR>