Ok, I know I 'm early, but let the dreaming begin!
Starting to plan a 10 night trip to the Harz region next Spring. Entering country in Frankfurt. Definitely want to visit Goslar, Wernigerode and Quedlinburg for a week in a FeWo. Like smaller towns, but would like a choice of restaurants and at least a grocery or two.
In your opinion, which of theses 3 towns makes the best base?
We will likely spend the final 3 nights in a hotel along the Rhein (Bacharach is calling me to return!)

Ok, also considering Garmisch. Its been 25 yrs since I visited there, and I never went up the Zugspitze!

Can't give any advice, but all three of those are wonderful towns.

I guess it depends on what you want to do - Quedlingburg is a UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE for its wonderful old town - all three of those towns are sizable cities. Goslar was really neat too. Wernigerode I thought nice but less so - are you planning to take the Harzerbahn steam trains to Brocken? Assume but if no:

https://www.google.com/search?q=brok...w=1280&bih=631

I guess you could drive to Brocken, Germany's high 'peak' outside Bavarian Alps I think but I loved the train.

We've spent some time in the Harz mountains and there are several nice villages/towns/whatever to visit but I notice that the area gets short shrift with many guide books. If you decide on this area I'll be interested to see how everything goes as we'd like to make it back there.

During our last visit in 2014 we visited Wernigerode and Quedlinburg, and it was refreshing that you could not just assume that everyone knew some English so we got to practice our German a bit more than normal. Enjoy your planning!. I envy you that you're able to go so soon, and at such a nice time of year!

After multiple trips to both Switzerland & Germany, YouTube videos and tourist comments lead me to believe that a Brocken visit would be a bit underwhelming. So its not a priority, but if we're looking for a half-day trip, we may visit.

> I guess you could drive to Brocken, Germany's high 'peak' outside Bavarian Alps I think but I loved the train.

Wrong. You cannot drive. And it's not Germany's highest peak outside the Bavarian Alps (Black Forest, Bavarian Forest, Erzgebirge have higher peaks.)

Mokka, did you decide whether it's Harz or Garmisch? My favourite town of the three is Wernigerode, but that's maybe because we stayed in a fantastic hotel there, Gotisches Haus, right next to the picturesque town hall. Also, Wernigerode gave me more 'mountain' feeling than Quedlinburg, and it had the most colourful, best renovated - albeit smaller - old town.

The trip up to the Brocken on the train was a bit too long, but I wanted to visit because of the WWII and Cold War associations and also the because of its part in Walpurgisnacht in Goethe's "Faust." There was a fierce wind blowing from the peak as I walked to the hotel there.

I'm glad I went, as I'd been wondering about it, but it wasn't thrilling. My understanding is that there's a big celebration on the Brocken on Walpurgisnacht, April 30. People dress in costumes and party.

Wernigerode has souvenirs that have joking witch associations.

Well sounds like Brocken is worse than I remembered - I was enamored with the steam train but yes not an awesome mountain railway.

Still keeping an eye out for that bargain airfare, but planning to home base in Goslar (some great-sounding Gasthoefe) for 6 nights, then switch to Bacharach/Bingen or Boppard for 4 nights, in order to be closer to FRA for departure.
I have been to the Rhein area several times, but never to the Harz. Just watching to grab a better airfare!

Goslar was awesome and neighboring Celle really neat too.

Yes! Patience paid off! Under $600 PIT---FRA RT on Delta! Decided on 7 nights in a Goslar FeWo and 4 nights somewhere along the Rhine. Now the fun of planning begins....AND we'll be in the area for the Witches Night on April 30th!

The witches have their own place to dance ;-)
https://www.bodetal.de/harz-holiday/...platz.html?L=1

There is actually much more to see in the Harz mountains than Quedlinburg and Wernigerode. Though both hold probably the title of the crown jewels for picture-perfect towns.

The steam trains in the Harz mountains run on regular schedules, and are (which makes them somewhat unique) not just tourist trains up to Brocken (which is in clouds almost all the time anyway) but go across the area as a regular means of transportation.
https://www.hsb-wr.de/en/mehr-erfahr.../harzquerbahn/

Goslar is the town with the richest history and also holds the title of a UNESCO world heritage site.
You probably have browsed their TI website already.
https://www.goslar.de/home-en
One of the major attractions in town is the Rammelsberg ore mine and museum - in business for 1,000 years now -- the mine, not the museum ;-).
Mining was what made the Harz mountain towns rich - a couple centuries ago, not nowadays.
And, of course, the Kaiserpfalz, the imperial palace:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Palace_of_Goslar

Another unique but somewhat hidden UNESCO WH site in the area are the creeks, ponds, and small canals which "fueled" the mining industry with constantly available water to power the mills. This system is some 800 years old and more than 200 miles long (the latter I had to look up). Nowadays, you have hiking trails along this ancient power management and distribution system which take you across the mountains at hardly any noticeable grade.
I haven't found any useful English language website to explain this - but maybe you can run this one through Google translate and see if the result is comprehendable:
https://www.oberharz.de/sommer/kultu...eltkulturerbe/

By the way - did you already mention if you will have a car?
Since you want to based in Goslar, I think it is more convenient to take the train from Frankfurt airport after the long flight.
And, if you want it, just rent the car for your days in the Harz mountains.
While the drive from Frankfurt to Goslar could already take you through some other fairytale regions and towns, it may not be the best to do that after a red-eye flight (IF that is what brings you into FRA).
From Goslar, Wernigerode and Quedlinburg are just a 30/40 minute drive on federal highway 6 - which is improved to motorway standards. It's more a quick means to get from A to B than excessively scenic.
Highway 4 cuts through the Western Harz mountains and offers more vistas. Most of the section between Goslar and Braunlage is four lanes.
The rest of the road network of the Harz is mostly 2-lane highways, often winding roads following a river or creek, which are good for slow-paced explorations by car. The options to get out of the car and do some hiking are too numerous to mention in detail. Trails go literally everywhere.

Hi mokka4,

Yikes, I didn't see this post when you were considering a visit to GaP! So sorry about that!

But it sounds like you have a great plan, and that sounds like a wonderful area to explore!

Hope I'll see it & will respond if you consider GaP in the future!

Have a great trip!

s

Can't wait for the TR, Mokka4!

Pal, you must be thinking of someplace else; Celle is not a neighbor of Goslar..

Wow, Cowboy- thanks for the links!
We will not have a car, using strictly trains, that IS why we chose Goslar as our base (quickest from FRA, and most central for day trips).