Help! on Germany and Czech
 

Hello all.
I need some help planning a first part of April 2004 trip.
My husband and I (mid fifties) plan to go to (need to go to all concentration camps in all the areas)Berlin and surrounding area, Munich and surrounding areas, and other Bavarian towns, possibly Vienna or Salzburg or Danube, and possibly Prague and Cesky Krumlov. We will fly out of the US to Berlin. Then depart from Munich. We have about 17 days (not include traveling time from and to US)
Questions:
1) Easter is in the middle of our time period. Is it pretty busy during that time?
2) We plan on using public transportation. Is it cheaper and easier to rent a car? If so, should we start from Berlin all the way to the end of the trip? Or should we do it in parts?
3) Will it hard to find a budget accommodation (B&B or something like that) without making a reservation ahead of time?Any recommendation on this?
4) Any interesting places you recommend to visit?
5) Is it possible to cover all I mentioned? If not, which ones are reasonable to cut out?

Any answers would be greatly appreciated.

This is a tall order.

You "need" to got to "all" (?) concentration camps?

I'm not sure why go to more than two (I only know the names of three or four - - and of those, Auschwitz is in Poland, you know; how many are there?)

Anyhow, if you are ready for it, you will add much to this trip to do it all by rental car. Do you speak some German? If not, I would recommend starting on that ASAP. Today would be a good day to start.

I have never traveled in Germany on or around Easter, but I imagine it to be moderatley busy, as spring goes - - which is to say, nowhere as busy as summer.

With 17 days, leasing a car might save you a considerable amount of money over conventional rental. Search this forum for "lease" or "leasing". You will need to specify that you plan to go into the Czech Republic (and/or Poland) as they will need to add documentation to permit that (and possibly some nominal cost).

3. Budget accommodations are not hard to find - - but again, today would be a good day to start. why wait until you get there, wasting valuable trip time on something you can do so much easier, faster and better here - - on the internet before you go. For big cites, you might start with www.timeout.com - - or right here on Fodors.com (Rants'n'Raves); for smaller towns, a large number of them have good websites under www.townname.de (insert the name of a town)

That might get you started.

Best wishes,

Rex

Hi Rex,

There were nine camps in Germany and Czech Republic. Two near Berlin, one near Prague.

See http://history1900s.about.com/librar...aust/blmap.htm

Be careful, ira - - next some nutcase will accuse you of advertising for about.com

Or the internet, generally...

;)

Well, personally I would do the rental car. I have rented from AutoEurope for our last few trips, and they did not have any restrictions on entering former Eastern bloc countries (might be different if renting a high-end car...we go cheap).
Of course, there is Dachau (near Munich), but another interesting one, just off the "freeway" in Austria as you go east out of Munich, is Malthausen. Very interesting. It was a work camp more than a death camp. If I remember my maps correctly (see viamichelin.com for maps) you could go north from Malthausen and get to Czesky Krumlov....which I wouldn't miss if I were in the area.

Frankly, we never make reservations, but call one day ahead to reserve...and have almost never had a problem...and we go in June. So I don't imagine you will need to worry about things being full, but others may have a different story on that. We usually use Rick Steve's guidebooks to find places to stay. They are always clean and comfortable...but won't be good for people who need 4 star stuff. For us, a clean bed and shower is all that is necessary.
Email me if you have other questions.

For the record we have rented from Autoeurope as recently in 2002 and 2003 taking the car into Czech R. and Hungary. The cars came from Hertz & Alamo. We are cheap too and most assuredly there are additional charges to do so and proper papers too. You do not receive the 5% discount going in to eastern block countries. Both cars were rented in Germany as the starting point.

i would strongly suggest that you consider the car rental idea...i will follow-up with the address of a great agent i just used for 2 rentals in germany...both well below anything i could find on line...that will be an additional post..

on this nov/dec trip we visited both dacau, which is an easy drive from munich (maybe 30 minutes) and there is public transportation there also...

we also visited terrizin (perhaps spelled incorrectly)...it is just north of prague...we did not find it interesting...did not visit the museum as it was closed when we were there...the town is depressing and hardly any thing has been done to it...it was interes5ting to see the barracks like buildings....all in bad repair....this town is perhaps 1 hour north of prague, just off the highway...

i would suggest that you get a car in berlin, drive south and visit dresden for a day or two (fabulous town overlooked by americans)...see hotel listed below...then continue on to prague for a couple of days (you might want to skip czech rep as there are restrictions on taking cars there for theft reasons, but it is well worth the trip..definately go to cesky krumlov...lovely small town...see hotel below...from there you can easily go into austria via linz and visit where you want including salzburg and then head west to munich

the dresden pensione (which is fabulous and right on the tram line for easy access to downtown...it is newly renovated with original art on all walls, magnificantly run, best breakfast in germany): Pensione am Grossen Garten..70 euro double with private bath; will post web site on my next posting here

in cesky krumlov the hotel is: dum u vaclava...www.uvaclava.cz huge rooms, lovely breakfast, great location, limited parking at end of street...right in the middle of the old section of town...highly recommended...about 80 euro, double

it will be very easy to find accomodation all over germany, especially in april...

test

car rental: www.gemut.com american company

grossen gaten www. pension-am-grossen-garten.de grossen garten is 2 words

good luck

Hi (esp. rhkkmk!)

I don't think you would need a car. Public transportation in Germany is sufficient - but not sure about Czech Republic.

I absolutely agree with rhkkmk that you should include Dresden. It is right on the route to Prague and well worth a stop. His accommodation tip is also excellent.

Not to miss is an evening at the Semper Opera. With a little luck this can be a "once in a lifetime experience", exactly what it was for dear American friends and me a couple of weeks ago.

A "must" activity in Dresden is IMO (beside a walk through the old town) a steam boat trip from the city centre to Pillnitz Palace. It takes about 90 minutes (back by tram/bus). Pillnitz Palace is a stunning ensemble of a Baroque Palace (with chinese architecture elements) with large, beautiful garden etc. Mid April the famous Camellia (the oldest - 260 years - and biggest in Europe) will be in full bloom.

Another must see is the fortress Königstein 20 km south of Dresden, enroute to Prague. It is located on a flat-top sandstone hill and offers gorgeous views.

I highly recommend to make reservations in advance, because Easter holidays are a favourite time for Germans to travel.

Ingo

Ira - I don't know them all but I can definitely tell you from travels in eastern Europe that there are at least a dozen camps not listed on that map. It's only the well documented ones you see there.

Tiaw - unless this is some kind of university study I do not think you "need to go to all concentration camps". Not only are you basically in the wrong area, but just one trip to one of the ones off the record, off the history books that only the locals know about on a rainy day when you hear the screams in your ears... Well, let's just say your sanity is going to be breached at around the 4th or 5th one even if you don't have one of the truely creepy experiences alot of us have. It was five years before I could even discuss having been there without breaking down. It's not 8 years that I can write a note to you like this.

Instead - have a really good time in such a great area. Go to one camp so you understand, try not to make it Dachau. In my opinion it's more of a sterile museum. You can definitely do the highlights without a car. Even if you get a car, as long as you're seeing mostly the regular tourist spots, rent a car only once for a day or two. Use that to get to the great little villages in the area.

If you are doing both Berlin and Munich and the areas in between, leave it at that. There is loads to do.

The exact places I'm sure you can see from other messages. In Bavaria everything from the castles to Rothenburg to Salzburg to Konigsee. For something off the general path, look into Wasserburg. You can find budget places, and you can find them as you go at that time of year. But if you are not going by car, then they'll mostly be in the regular city areas and you might as well pick them out and make reservations.

I guess I was trying to hard to please my husband when I said all the concentration camps. I myself will not go because it's too upseting for me. We'll split when he does his concentration camps thing. And I agree with everyone that one should be enough.
Is it too much to add Prague and Cesky Krumlov to my Berlin, Munich and Bavaria?

If you decide to visit Terezin, I highly recommend you sign up for a tour with Precious Legacy in Prague. We did it in September and were very glad we did. Our guide was a survivor and shared a lot of his memories with us. It ended up being one of the most memorable and meaningful days of our trip to the Czech Republic and Hungary.

www.legacytours.cz

no it is not too much to do if you keep moving...even if it upsetting to visit the camps, it is important to each person to make one visit if you can muster the fortitude...
the distances you describe are not too far and the countryside is beautiful...
i stick by my car suggestions, as i feel that too much time is consummed using trains that are not direct and that you have to keep to a schedule...for instance...to drive to cesky k from prague takes maybe 1.5-2 hours...on the bus (the best way, it takes about 3 hours according to posts on this board) and train takes even longer because of changes....from berlin to dresden or pargue you can direct trains of course, but not to smaller places...i guess i just too much an american to deviate...


ingo---now we have to return in good weather to go up river with you and of course the opera....rhk