Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein
May 11th, 2001, 07:40 PM
#1
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Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein
Hi Folks, My wife and I plan to visit northern Germany the last two weeks of June 2001. We'll be renting a car and driving. We want to spend time in Hamburg, and the area north of there, Schl.-Holst., up to the Denmark border, then drive to Berlin for several days in that area. Any pointers or suggestions on interesting things to see, historical sites along the way, and so on? How about hotels, the more modest budget type, say midclass, nice but not gold plated, or B and B's, or as they call them, 'zimmer frei'? Anyone have recent feedback and experiences in these areas? Thanks for any comments offered. Ron
May 16th, 2001, 10:39 AM
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Moin-Moin (local greeting for the north country) <BR> <BR>Here are a few ideas: <BR> <BR>Hamburg - must take a boat tour of the harbor and/or Alster. Best bet is to take the "Fleet" tour originating by the Alsterpavillion on the Jungfernstieg. This combines the best of both with the added bonus of the city canals and locks. <BR> <BR>Wilkomm-Höft near the suburb of Blankenese. A suitable restaurant in a lovely park like setting where all paasing oceangoing vessels are greeted with their national colors and anthems. <BR> <BR>Reeperbahn - Sure this famous "entertainment quarter" and adjacent <BR>red-light district are brash and tacky, but it is so tied in to Hamburg's history and identity that it is a must-see. <BR> <BR>Sunday Morning Fischmarkt in St. Pauli. Not just for Fish - you want it?? ...you can buy it at the Fischmarkt. Best place in the world to get an attitude adjustment at 6:00am on a Sunday morning! <BR> <BR>Near Hamburg: <BR>The Lüneburger Heide (Heath) a wonderful ecscape from the big-city... beautiful rural country-side less than an hour south of town. <BR> <BR>Schleswig-Holstein: <BR>Navel memorial and Museum near Kiel <BR>Schleswig-Holstein Open-Air museum in Molfsee <BR>Wikingermuseum in Haithabu (site of an ancient viking settlement) near the town of Schleswig
May 16th, 2001, 07:01 PM
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To add to the previous posts: <BR> <BR>1. Take a day trip to Wedel and go to the Elbe where the big ships come in. Watch them play the national anthem of each ship and raise the flag as they come in! <BR> <BR>2. Go to Lubeck and see the Puppetry Museum. Take in a puppet show even if you don't speak German. The stories are simple and you will understand them. I know I did. <BR> <BR>3. Similarly, go to see "Buddy" in Hamburg. The story line is simple and all the songs are in English. There will be no problem understanding it. <BR> <BR>I loved Hamburg when I did a home exchange there!
May 25th, 2001, 05:12 PM
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Definitely go to Luebeck, an old Hanse Town. It wasn't bombed during the war and lots of old buildings, the town hall, Marien Church, the old hospital, twon gate, etc. Go to Niederegger, the bakery/cafe and try their famous Luebecker marzipan. <BR>Have fun!
Jun 1st, 2001, 08:41 AM
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Thanks to everyone for your feedback on the original question. We'll be leaving next week for Frankfurt, then driving down the Rhine to Cologne, on our way northward. Does anyone have experience with 'zimmer frei' in the Cologne area? Do they exist there? How about Gasthaus accomodations? Any suggestions?
May 25th, 2006, 06:49 AM
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Author: bikegirl
Date: 02/17/2006, 04:33 am
My husband and I will be going to Germany for three weeks this fall and would like some ideas on what to see. We are not fans of big cities but love to explore small towns.
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Author: traveller1959
Date: 02/17/2006, 05:02 am
Beautiful, you have the chance to explore the whole country and not only the South like most of the Fodorites!
Let's start with Berlin. Although you do not like big city, the capital is a must. Full of history, architecture, an extreme diversity of neighborhoods, world-class museums (The Pergamon Museum!)... If you are in Berlin, you certainly include Potsdam (kind of suburb) with its castles and gardens.
North of Berlin there is Mecklenburg, countryside with hundreds of lakes. Lots of romantic castles, many of them have been turned into luxury hotels. The heart of Mecklenburg is Schwerin, a rather small town at a lake with one of the most beautiful castles of Germany. If you go further North, you reach the Baltic coast with white sandy beaches. Most spectacular is the island of Rügen with its chalk rocks.
If you stay in the North but go more to the west you will reach Schleswig-Holstein. There are small fishers' villages with grass-covered houses, like Husum and Büsum. The island of Sylt is Germany's Cape Cod - beautiful landscape, beautiful traditional houses, excellent opportunities to eat fresh oysters and lobster.
After so much countryside, you may like a bustling city like Hamburg. You may make a boat trip to Helgoland, an island composed of red sandstone. In the Northwest, Bremen is a charming city with a wonderful historical center.
One hour to the South, you will find the Münsterland with lots of molded castles and little villages. The city of Münster with its famous 16th-century-city hall (where the treaty of the Whestphalian Peace was negotiated) and a splendid cathedral.
You may do something unusual and visit the Ruhr Valley, a former industrial districts where many old industrial structures have been turned into museums and cultural places.
A must-see is the City of Cologne: The gothic cathedral, a dozen (!) romanesque churches, Roman ruins, medieval buildings...
You must also see Aachen with the cathedral where Charlemagne was crowned exactly in the year 800 A.D.
The former capital, Bonn, is also a nice city to visit, with excellent museums.
Now, you are at the Rhine. This is a fairytale landscape with tons of castles, romantic ruins and charming old villages. You may also visit some of the tributaries to the Rhine, especially the Ahr (the world's northernmost wine-growing region) and the Mosel.
At the southern end of the canyon section of the Rhine you find Frankfurt and Southern Germany begins. Heidelberg, the charming villages of Rothenburg and Dinkelsbühl are well-known to Americans. Do not miss Würzburg (castle) and Nürnberg! München is a big city, but resembles a small town. Explore the Bavarian castle region (Linderhof, Neuschwanstein, Hohenschwangau, Wieskirche), see the Alps (Zugspitze) and don't miss to visit some of the lakes at the foots of the mountains (near Berchtesgaden and Bad Reichenhall).
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Author: adeben
Date: 02/17/2006, 05:34 am
I'm not too sure when the fall is, but here's what I'll be doing in Germany this September-October. I have been to Germany about six times, and have seen much of the country. This time I intend to travel exclusively by train instead of driving a car as has been my past practice. I fly to Frankfurt , and go to Bad Hersfeld where I will unwind from the trip and partake of the local spa. Next, Wurzburg for two days where I will spend some time visiting the Residence, and the town centre. Then two days in Bad Staffelstein near Bamberg, from which I will visit the famous pilgrimage church ar Vierzehnheiligen, a Baroque masterpiece by the great architect Balthazar Neumann, whose portrait was on the 50 deutschmark note. Down to Augsburg, reputedly a city worth visiting. On to Bad Durkheim for two days before spending a weekend with friends in Dillenburg, just north of Frankfurt. Dusseldorf is next, then Bremen (and Bremerhaven). I will visit Rostock and Lubeck, two old Hanseatic League towns, before going down to Potsdam to see Sans Souci. Then Weimar, Nurnburg and finally Worms before flying out of Frankfurt. This will take me about four weeks. Should be fun.
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Author: traveller1959
Date: 02/17/2006, 11:32 am
ttt
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Author: noe847
Date: 02/17/2006, 12:09 pm
We were just in Germany at Christmas, but based on the descriptions by traveller and adeben I want to go back, especially to see the northern parts!
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Author: RufusTFirefly
Date: 02/17/2006, 12:19 pm
I highly recommend Bamberg, a lovely old large town (or small city depending on your perspective).
It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site--has both a Pope and Emperor buried there. It was an Imperial city so the public buildings, museums, and such are impressive for a relatively small city.
The Altstadt is lovely--never damaged in the war--and it is a functioning part of the city, not a tourist ghetto. The Regnitz River runs right through the Altstadt, adding to the interest and charm.
It gets enough tourists that there's a good tourism infrastructure, but it's not overrun by bussed-in daytrippers or tour groups like some places.
If either of you is a fan of good beer, Bamberg is one of the world's beer capitals. Has the highest concentration of independent breweries and the highest per capita consumption of beer in Europe (maybe the world, can't remember for certain). And what they consume is prime stuff.
Road and rail connections are very good.
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Author: Rosalinda
Date: 05/25/2006, 10:47 am
I would highly recommend Schleswig. We stayed at the Ringhotel Strandhalle which was charming (in a "shabby chic" way) with very helpful staff and great location on the yacht harbor. There is so much to see and the town is very manageable. There is the "Wikinger-Haitabu" site which is the presentation of the Viking town of Hedeby - possibly the most important Viking site existing. The Schloss Gottorf has amazing art, both medieval and very modern, as well as 3 "bog" people and lots of history. The town has a cathedral with a spectacular wooden carved altarpiece and a "fishermen's village". From the hotel you could walk to everything except Hedeby. We stayed two nights and could have been happy with three. Also, just an hour away is the Danish town of Ribe which is worth a couple of days by itself!
Date: 02/17/2006, 04:33 am
My husband and I will be going to Germany for three weeks this fall and would like some ideas on what to see. We are not fans of big cities but love to explore small towns.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author: traveller1959
Date: 02/17/2006, 05:02 am
Beautiful, you have the chance to explore the whole country and not only the South like most of the Fodorites!
Let's start with Berlin. Although you do not like big city, the capital is a must. Full of history, architecture, an extreme diversity of neighborhoods, world-class museums (The Pergamon Museum!)... If you are in Berlin, you certainly include Potsdam (kind of suburb) with its castles and gardens.
North of Berlin there is Mecklenburg, countryside with hundreds of lakes. Lots of romantic castles, many of them have been turned into luxury hotels. The heart of Mecklenburg is Schwerin, a rather small town at a lake with one of the most beautiful castles of Germany. If you go further North, you reach the Baltic coast with white sandy beaches. Most spectacular is the island of Rügen with its chalk rocks.
If you stay in the North but go more to the west you will reach Schleswig-Holstein. There are small fishers' villages with grass-covered houses, like Husum and Büsum. The island of Sylt is Germany's Cape Cod - beautiful landscape, beautiful traditional houses, excellent opportunities to eat fresh oysters and lobster.
After so much countryside, you may like a bustling city like Hamburg. You may make a boat trip to Helgoland, an island composed of red sandstone. In the Northwest, Bremen is a charming city with a wonderful historical center.
One hour to the South, you will find the Münsterland with lots of molded castles and little villages. The city of Münster with its famous 16th-century-city hall (where the treaty of the Whestphalian Peace was negotiated) and a splendid cathedral.
You may do something unusual and visit the Ruhr Valley, a former industrial districts where many old industrial structures have been turned into museums and cultural places.
A must-see is the City of Cologne: The gothic cathedral, a dozen (!) romanesque churches, Roman ruins, medieval buildings...
You must also see Aachen with the cathedral where Charlemagne was crowned exactly in the year 800 A.D.
The former capital, Bonn, is also a nice city to visit, with excellent museums.
Now, you are at the Rhine. This is a fairytale landscape with tons of castles, romantic ruins and charming old villages. You may also visit some of the tributaries to the Rhine, especially the Ahr (the world's northernmost wine-growing region) and the Mosel.
At the southern end of the canyon section of the Rhine you find Frankfurt and Southern Germany begins. Heidelberg, the charming villages of Rothenburg and Dinkelsbühl are well-known to Americans. Do not miss Würzburg (castle) and Nürnberg! München is a big city, but resembles a small town. Explore the Bavarian castle region (Linderhof, Neuschwanstein, Hohenschwangau, Wieskirche), see the Alps (Zugspitze) and don't miss to visit some of the lakes at the foots of the mountains (near Berchtesgaden and Bad Reichenhall).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author: adeben
Date: 02/17/2006, 05:34 am
I'm not too sure when the fall is, but here's what I'll be doing in Germany this September-October. I have been to Germany about six times, and have seen much of the country. This time I intend to travel exclusively by train instead of driving a car as has been my past practice. I fly to Frankfurt , and go to Bad Hersfeld where I will unwind from the trip and partake of the local spa. Next, Wurzburg for two days where I will spend some time visiting the Residence, and the town centre. Then two days in Bad Staffelstein near Bamberg, from which I will visit the famous pilgrimage church ar Vierzehnheiligen, a Baroque masterpiece by the great architect Balthazar Neumann, whose portrait was on the 50 deutschmark note. Down to Augsburg, reputedly a city worth visiting. On to Bad Durkheim for two days before spending a weekend with friends in Dillenburg, just north of Frankfurt. Dusseldorf is next, then Bremen (and Bremerhaven). I will visit Rostock and Lubeck, two old Hanseatic League towns, before going down to Potsdam to see Sans Souci. Then Weimar, Nurnburg and finally Worms before flying out of Frankfurt. This will take me about four weeks. Should be fun.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author: traveller1959
Date: 02/17/2006, 11:32 am
ttt
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author: noe847
Date: 02/17/2006, 12:09 pm
We were just in Germany at Christmas, but based on the descriptions by traveller and adeben I want to go back, especially to see the northern parts!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author: RufusTFirefly
Date: 02/17/2006, 12:19 pm
I highly recommend Bamberg, a lovely old large town (or small city depending on your perspective).
It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site--has both a Pope and Emperor buried there. It was an Imperial city so the public buildings, museums, and such are impressive for a relatively small city.
The Altstadt is lovely--never damaged in the war--and it is a functioning part of the city, not a tourist ghetto. The Regnitz River runs right through the Altstadt, adding to the interest and charm.
It gets enough tourists that there's a good tourism infrastructure, but it's not overrun by bussed-in daytrippers or tour groups like some places.
If either of you is a fan of good beer, Bamberg is one of the world's beer capitals. Has the highest concentration of independent breweries and the highest per capita consumption of beer in Europe (maybe the world, can't remember for certain). And what they consume is prime stuff.
Road and rail connections are very good.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author: Rosalinda
Date: 05/25/2006, 10:47 am
I would highly recommend Schleswig. We stayed at the Ringhotel Strandhalle which was charming (in a "shabby chic" way) with very helpful staff and great location on the yacht harbor. There is so much to see and the town is very manageable. There is the "Wikinger-Haitabu" site which is the presentation of the Viking town of Hedeby - possibly the most important Viking site existing. The Schloss Gottorf has amazing art, both medieval and very modern, as well as 3 "bog" people and lots of history. The town has a cathedral with a spectacular wooden carved altarpiece and a "fishermen's village". From the hotel you could walk to everything except Hedeby. We stayed two nights and could have been happy with three. Also, just an hour away is the Danish town of Ribe which is worth a couple of days by itself!
