I have always wanted to ask this general question. And, of course, I realize there are many wonderful cities, and areas in both parts of the country. I also realize people have diverse tastes. But...

If you had to choose the region of the country that in your opinion would appeal to the greatest number of people as tourists, which would it be, northern, or southern Germany? If you would like, please say why also. Thank you.

I enjoy the south--more hilly/mountainous terrain. I also like the bavarian beer better than what I've had in the north.

The South for sure it's less industrialized. especially along the rhein.

Although I am partial to the South, there are many very scenic and interseting places in middle Germany,(Mittel Deutschland, sort of swath cutting across from Dresden to Thuringia, Swiss Francony (Fraenkische Scweiz)and then also the Harz area. Also, some areas of Northern Germany, along the seashore of the Baltic (Ostsee) and North Sea (Nordsee) is interesting. All these areas are generally overlooked bt American tourists on the Rothenburg - Fuessen - Salzburg Grand Tour.

The US Army allowed me to live for 6 years in Germany. I can not remember a single bad weekend trip, let alone a bad vacation there.

Southern Bavaria has the greatest concentration of tourist sites with the biggest wow factor. We never tired of visiting there.

I was first assigned to the Landstuhl hospital and fell in love with the Rhein-Pfalz area. It is still closest to my heart but not on our itinerary for our next trip as my wife has no ties to the area and it is hard to get into it a few days.

My wife and I went to Bremerhaven together. I am reluctant to recommend it to tourists but living there was great. The seafood was good and the songs of skylarks along the dike is something that I am glad that I did not miss. I would sooner give up memories of Neuschwanstein as beautiful as it is.

My wife and I also lived near Nurnberg together. She had earlier lived in Nurnberg and I in Wurzburg. Franken is the area which we have the most in common and is the destination in our scheduled next trip. It seems more Deutsch to me than the tourist meccas further south.

I guess the north-south division is not one that matters to us. There is too much to enjoy in every corner of Germany that we visited.

Regards, Gary

Brings back fond memories, Gary Mc.

I went to high school for one year in Nurnberg--my father was stationed in Bamberg with the 2nd Armored Cavalry.

Bremerhaven is the first place I ever saw a strip show. That was back in 1962. I was almost 15, and I found it quite entertaining!

With apologies to all the people from New York, New Joisey, and points thereabout, I have found northern Germany to be like the northeast U.S. That is, people are more brusque, less friendly, and generally not very receptive to strangers.

Yet in the south of Germany, especially Bavaria, there are much more friendly people and (IMO) much more scenery than in the north. The north has its great cities, but the south has its great scenery. I relate again to the southern U.S., where I find the people to be much friendlier than in the north. Wonder if it's the cold weather.

ttt