Help with itinerary - first time to Germany single woman travelling alone!
 

I would love to go to Germany - there are good fares on US Air to Frankfurt or Munich. I will be going sometime in March - can be gone only about ten days. I like small towns but also love museums, churches, concerts. <BR> <BR>I will be travelling alone and would prefer not to rent a car but would rather take trains. Any suggestions on which city to fly into and either day trips or overnites would be most welcome as would tips on hotels. I am fairly adventuresome and think I can dredge up some of my high school German. <BR> <BR>Would also appreciate any hints on which guidebooks to purchase. Oh yes - I would prefer not spending over $100/night hotel if possible. <BR> <BR>Thanks so much - I learn so much from this forum <BR> <BR>Pam

Pam, <BR>Frankfurt offers the possibility of trips to the Rhine and Mosel valleys, the Black Forest, Wurzburg and the upper part of the Romantic Highway. Munich opens the doors to Upper Bavaria and the Allgau, Ludwig II's castles, magnificent Baroque churches and monastic buildings, alpine lakes and charming country villages and perhaps an exploration of Salzburg, Austria. Guidebooks will help you decide which area to visit, as will respondents here. Among the guides to check out are the Michelin Green Guide to Germany (ISBN 206150402-7), the Visitor's Guide to Bavaria published by Hunter Publishing (ISBN 1 55650 085), Germany, A Phaidon Cultural Guide (ISBN 0-13-354143-6), the Insight Guide to Germany and Baedeker's Germany (ISBN 0-02-861362-7) which is accompanied by a large, well detailed fold out map of Germany. <BR> <BR>If you like small towns and are budgeting $100 for accommodations, I think you should seriously consider renting an auto. You can find really fine, immaculate accommodations in gasthauses throughout Germany for well under $100, most with excellent and reasonably priced restaurants featuring regional dishes. Comparable accommodations in cities will be far more expensive. The cost savings in gasthauses will offset the auto rental costs. The auto will allow you much more flexibility in your traveling as well. <BR> <BR>If interested, I can provide you with some suggestions for itineraries in the Black Forest, Rhine and Mosel valleys, the Allgau and Bavarian Pfaffenwinkel; all are geared to auto travel rather than train. <BR> <BR>Regarding accommodations, you might want to look at the website http://www.reisen-mit-preisen.de/rmp...sh/framee.html for small country inns and gasthausen, their amentities and costs. Look too at the website www.muenchen.de/index.html and click on the British/American flag at the bottom of the screen for English script. It will give you an indication of what Munich has to offer. <BR> <BR>Check the website www.deutschland-tourismus.de/e/1496.html for travel ideas from the German National Tourist Office and http://www.bahn.hafas.de/bin/detect....n/query.exe/en to plot your travels if by rail. <BR> <BR>Feel free to Email me if you have any questions about German travel.

Hi Pam, <BR> <BR>Sounds like great fun! I've also been looking for ideas. Along with the great advise from friends here, I have found several helpful websites. I will be glad to send you the links if you email me. <BR> <BR>

Pam, you will have a wonderful time. I have traveled alone in Germany many times and always enjoy it. I second the suggestion from Wes that you rent a car... rates are not that bad, gas mileage is good, and although a German rail pass might cost less for transportation, you will find that you appreciate the flexibility of being able to visit and/or stay in some of the smaller villages or out in the country, which is where you'll find the "real" Germany. Please feel free to email me directly, too and I'll be glad to try to help.

Pam, I travel alone in Germany fairly frequently, mostly on business. I always have a car and have planned many day (and a few over night )trips for myself. Please feel free to email me directly with specific questions.