Hubbie and I hope to travel for 4-5 weeks mid 2007. Flying from Australia to Frankfurt, driving to Heidelberg (3 nights) and exploring wine regions an Neckar Valley. From here, would like to head south for 3 days but not sure where to stay - thinking of Stuttgart and exploring surrounding wine regions. Any suggestions for this area? Would like to stay in the same hotel for the 3 nights (hate packing/unpacking and we don't mind driving-Australia is a big country!). Then off to Strasbourg (3 nights), Colmar (4 nights) (although not sure if we should stay in a smaller wine village instead-what do you think? Then Dijon or Beaune for 4 nights (which would you suggest?). Next 4 nights in Troyes to explore champagne country, then back to Germany along the Mosel River for 3 nights(should I stay in Cochem or Koblenz?). Fly out from Frankfurt to Estonia for 3 /4 nights to see a friend. Then home to Australia.
Lots of questions, I know, but I 'm having a hard time deciding. By the way, we have travelled to France twice before (so this is a second stay in Burgundy-we love wine!) and our first time to Germany. Thanks in anticipation for your wordly advice.

Sounds like a nice trip! The only thing I can make a suggestion for is Alsace. We stayed in Turckheim, not far from Colmar. We really liked staying there because it was an easy drive into Colmar, but also to the surrounding towns and vineyards.

The town's website is at http://www.turckheim-alsace.com/

If you look under Tourist Information, Bed & Breakfast, there are a couple of rooms at Madame Marie-Rose Fega's place. That's where we stayed. A beautiful, spacious room with private sink and shower, and a very good breakfast. When it's nice, you can eat on the terrace overlooking the vineyards.

If you will be around Stuttgart, you might visit the Remstal wine road:
www.remstal-route.de

Some of the small towns have hiking trails or even "artwalks" through the vineyards. I believe the wines of this area are a bit lighter than the Neckar wines.

A nice place to stay would be Hotel Krone, in Weinstadt Beutelsbach:
http://www.z-online.de/hotels/weinstadt-hotel/

The Remstalkellerai, with a tasting room offering wines from all the villages, is in Beutelsbach.

Hi Mideba,
I have a German friend here in Oz who says that Tubingen [university town near Stuttgart]is her favourite town in Germany, and Freiburg is her second choice. As she's from Oehringen [where the Socceroos were based], this is the part of Germany she knows best. From what she's told me, Australians are very welcome in Oehringen now, and that's a pretty area too - and a wine area.

Strasbourg and Colmar are both very good places to visit but a week in these two places is overkill. 3 days tops for both is what I'd suggest.

Agree with Suelynn that Tuebingen and Freiburg are excellent destinations; 3 days for the two is about right. Drive through the Black Forest towns on your way. Besides, you need a little break from the wine thing somewhere!

Since you don't mind driving, why not head to Switzerland (Bernese Oberland?) for 3 days or so between or after the "Stuttgart area" and the Alsace? It would add some beautiful contrast to your route.

Happy travels.

I like to recommend staying at the Chateau d'Issenbourg if you plan to tour Alsace. The rooms have a lot of local character (not Four Seasons style) the wine list at the restaurant is first class, unfortunately they lost their Michelin star in the 90's. We returned to stay there a decade later and still enjoyed it.

Thanks for the advice. Russ, I thought of a week in the Alsace would be needed to see all the wine villages as well as Colmar and Stras. Also, would giv us time to relax a little and really appreciate the wine. Where do you recommend I stay, in Colmar or a small wine village? Suelynne, I originally had Freiberg in the plans but I thought it was too far south and not really worth the time. Would you recommend staying there instead of the other areas I mentioned?

My sequence would be the Rheingau including doing the cable car over the vines

Pfalz but select carefully, Chablis in the north of burgundy (try the cave de cooperative as they do a great tour and try the ancient cellars under irancy.

Then down into Burgundy visit the cave des haut cotes and whereever the fancy takes you

Consider Sancerre (it is not too far but take tastings in the valley not on the hill top (too pricy and low quality)

Alsace (of course) but think about a bike rather than a car. Finally Mosel but take the train (seriously worth while and try staying in one of the old art deco hotels on the way