newbee86

Hello,
We are traveling to Germany for 8 days in December with our 2.5 years old daughter.
I was in Berlin end of November for work and I loved it, I thought it was too cold but at least now i know how to prepare for my trip.
Its My husband's first time in Germany, and all our previous holidays were in the summer. We originally planned to travel in December to enjoy festive season in Europe. after my recent trip to Germany, and because of a good package we booked a flight to and from Frankfurt . from there we are not sure what to do, we made a small itinerary with gaps as follows:

Day 1 17th : arrive in Frankfurt at 6 am take train to Nuremberg arrive at hotel around 9-10 am
Day 2 18th: Nuremberg with trip to Rothenburg for christmas market.
Day 3 19th: ? do we stay and extra day in Nuremberg?is there much to see here?
Day 4 20thnot sure where to go here? stuttgart ? Munich?
Day 5 21st
Day 6: 22nd: morning train to Heidelberg (castle and enjoy town) sleep in Heidelberg
Day 7 23rd:Morning train to Frankfurt (Sight seeing and Shopping)
Day 8 24th: Frankfurt ( Half day shopping and half day christmas dinner)
Day 9 25th: Fly from frankfurt 10:00 am

Not sure what to do here in winter time, maybe it would help to give a little info about what we usually do when traveling, we usually spend all morning roaming around from one major attraction to another ( Buildings, churches, museums) not necessarily go in to all of them we select as we go. during the night drinking and dining and we will probably enjoy the christmas markets. we are interested in art, architecture history and culture. we appreciate small towns only if we include big cities in our trips.

On day 20,21st I'm not sure where to go, is stuttgart a nice city to go to? what can we do there in this weather? is it too crazy to take a train to Munich for just 2 days? maybe alternatively we stay in the area and see what part of the black forest we would be able to see.

Appreciate any help on this .. also if you have some suggestions of where we can spend the half day of the 24th, do restaurants or local pubs serve christmas dinner? we would like a non smoking cozy atmosphere.

Thanks in advance

nytraveler

Well expect December to be colder than Nov. Make sure you have warm clothes for the little one since they can feel cold more. Most important are hats and good warm footgear - since you lose most heat through your head and your feet on cold pavements.

You need to make reservations for a Christmas eve dinner in advance since some places close early for the holiday. I would check with your hotel for recos.

bilboburgler

Stuttgart is very car orientated with a sprawling city centre which I dislike, unless you want to try for one of the car factory tours I'd avoid.

You are close enough to pop over to Strasbourg which is pretty fine, Trier has a nice old centre and some fine roman bits, i'd try for an old town centre with nice buildings, Ulm is possible but may be a bit out of the way.

I'd do a search by google maps with the images turned on

flpab

Nuremberg has a lot to see. I love Hotel Victoria inside the city walls.

Fussgaenger

I don't think you achieve much with the extra travel it would require to visit Stuttgart and Heidelberg.

Once you're in Nuremberg you have dozens of great options. I would stay there the first 6 nights and then do Frankfurt as planned on Days 7-9.

"art, architecture history and culture.."

Nuremberg is an excellent train hub. These cities would suit your interests and would involve short day trips by train.

BAMBERG
BAYREUTH
REGENSBURG
WUERZBURG

Munich: you can even do a day trip to Munich from Nuremberg if you wish.

Fussgaenger

Forgot to mention the Tagesticket Plus day pass - perfect for your train outings to Bamberg and Bayreuth:

http://www.vgn.de/en/dayticket?Edition=en

The Bayern Ticket gets you to the other destinations:
http://www.munich-touristinfo.de/Bavaria-Ticket.htm

traveller1959

Today we have 15° C here in Germany, due to Southwestern winds. But it will get colder sooner or later. Be also prepared for rain.

Fussgaenger has said it.

From Nürnberg to Bamberg - a very romantic town - it is just 31 minutes by train. To München it is 1:03 by train, to Würzburg (magnificent palace) it is 53 minutes. So, from Nürnberg you have excellent options for daytrips. With your little one, you do not want to change hotels too often and it is not necessary.

I would not go to Stuttgart - the above mentioned destinations are more attractive than Stuttgart and in easy reach.

Although I actually have an apartment in the Black Forest, I would not recommend going there. Better stay in Northern Bavaria and South Hessen.

bilboburgler

Bamburg; another vote for.

newbee86

Thanks everyone for your recommendations.
then do you suggest that we could squeeze Munich since it is only and hour away?

Day 1 17th : arrive in Frankfurt at 6 am take train to Nuremberg arrive at hotel around 9-10 am
Day 2 18th: Nuremberg with trip to Rothenburg for christmas market.
Day 3 19th: Nuremberg with day trip to Bamburg
Day 4 20th:Nuremberg with day trip to Bayreuth
Day 5 21st: morning train to Munich
Day 6: 22nd: Munich
Day 7 23rd:Morning train to Frankfurt (Sight seeing and Shopping)
Day 8 24th: Frankfurt ( Half day shopping and half day christmas dinner)
Day 9 25th: Fly from frankfurt 10:00 am

thats a total of 4 days nuremberg, 2 days Munich and 1.5 days Frankfurt. (MY Husband wants to see Munich even though I would rather keep it for another trip)


or should it be this way?
Day 1 17th : arrive in Frankfurt at 6 am take train to Nuremberg arrive at hotel around 9-10 am
Day 2 18th: Nuremberg with trip to Rothenburg for christmas market.
Day 3 19th: Nuremberg with day trip to Bamburg
Day 4 20th:Morning train to Munich
Day 5 21st:Munich (with day trip to somewhere not sure where either the castles or Salzburg)
Day 6: 22nd: Munich
Day 7 23rd:Morning train to Frankfurt (Sight seeing and Shopping)
Day 8 24th: Frankfurt ( Half day shopping and half day christmas dinner)
Day 9 25th: Fly from frankfurt 10:00 am

Total of 3 days in each city and a 1.5 day in Frankfurt.

we keep Heidelberg and the black forest for another trip.


I looked online for hotels which serve christmas dinner in Frankfurt but i dint find information, would you be kind and suggest some of them so i can make a reservation?

traveller1959

Both itineraries work, it is a matter of your taste if you prefer a more or less time in München and a daytrip to the castles of Salzburg (both is possible, depending a bit on weather - so decide when you are there).

For Christmas Eve dinners Frankfurt, a quick search revealed these options:

Hessischer Hof (a classic grand hotel)
http://www.hessischer-hof.de/de/weih...otel-frankfurt

Amouse Bouche: Gebeizter Heilbutt mit Kumquats und Meerrettichschaum (cured halibut with kumquats and horseradish foam)

***

Gefülltes "Label Rouge" Stubenküken und gebackene Jackobsmuschel mit Kernöl-Emulsion und confiertem Kürbis (stuffed spring chicken and baked scallop with nut oil emulsion and pumpkin confit)


***

Krustentierschaumsuppe mit lauwarmem Hummersandwich (shellfish foam soup with lukewarm lobster sandwich)

***

Himbeersorbet mit altem Balsamico (raspberry sherbet with aged balsamico)

***

Odenwälder Kalbsfilet mit Kräutern gespickt,Topinambur und gratinierten Morchelkartoffeln (filet of veal with herbs, Jerusalem artichoke and grated potatoes with morels)

***

Waldhonig-Mousse mit Nougat-Krokant-Sauce und Rotweinpunsch-Crèmeeis (forest honey mousse with gianduja croquant sauce and creamy red wine punch icecream)

It is 119€ p.p. including wines and all beverages (which seems fair to me)

Unfortunately I could not find this menu on their English site.

Roomers Hotel (a contemporary design hotel)
http://www.roomers-frankfurt.com/weihnachten/
Ibericorücken gebeizt
Karotten mit Nelken und Anis glasiert Rote Beete roh mariniert (rack of cured Iberico pork, glazed carots with cloves and aniseed, marinated red beets)

Maronenschaumsuppe Ochsenschwanz (chestnut foam soup with oxtail)

Brust und Keule von der Gans
Mandel-Rotkraut Kartoffelknödel geschmelzt Bratapfel (breast and leg of goose, red cabbage with almonds, potato dumplings, baked apple = traditional German Christmas dish)

Parfait
Williams-Christ Birne gegrillt Chocolate Fudge Glühweingel (parfait with grilled pear, chocolate fudge and jellied mulled wine)

69€ p.p. without beverages

Other hotels with Christmas-Eve-dinners:
Le Meridien (French business hotel)
http://www.restaurant-leparc.de/de/weihnachten

Inter Continental
http://www.frankfurt.intercontinenta...nda-restaurant
They have a buffet (what I don't consider very stylish) for 68€ including wines and beverages

Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof
https://www.steigenberger.com/hotels...scher-kalender
5-course menu with a glass of champagne for 119€ p.p.

newbee86

thanks a lot for your help. traveller1959

sla019

>>I love Hotel Victoria inside the city walls.<<

I'm not totally inclined to subscribe to this, since the hotel is rather old. If travelling on a budget, I'd suggest Hotel Steichele (which has a nice Weinstube. If you can spend a bit more, the Dürer hotel, just a few steps from Albrecht Dürer's house:

http://www.steichele.de/

http://www.duerer-hotel.de/angebote/?lang=en

PalenQ

Check www.seat61.com for great info on discounted tickets between regions - like when you go to Frankfurt - www.bahn.de/en for Lander Tickets fussg so helpfully informed you about - for general info on German trains I also like www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com. Regional passes like the Bavarian one also come in first class I believe for not much more money and IME on regional trains well worth the few extra euros - IME 2nd class on these commuter trains generally can be very crowded at rush hours and when say groups of school kinds swarm aboard as happened on my Munich to Fussen train once as these trains also act as school buses at times.

flpab

slaQ19, I think you must have my hotel Victoria confused. Yes it an older building but restored and very nice. Best breakfast we have every had in all of our many trips to Germany.

http://www.hotelvictoria.de/en/home.html