Information on Wernigerode - worth seeing?
 

We (four of us) will be in Germany in mid to late September and will be traveling by train from the Bochum area to Berlin and from there to Dresden. I heard that Wernigerode was worth a stop along the way but really don't know much about that area at all. I do love scenic views and nature. Any details of the area or advice would be greatly appreciated. Would also be interested in any B and B type places (cost location etc.) for an overnight stay there if we decide to make it a stop... Thank you in advance. Fodorites are the best.

We spent a day in Wernigerode in 1997. It has quite a nice castle above the town, with amazing views. The town below is filled with impressive renovated wooden houses (Fachwerk). Supposedly, during the communist rule it wasa show place where they took foreign guests/dignitaries. It is located in the Harz mountain area which was an East German resort area.
Another must see is Quedlinburg which is built on a hilltop spreading downhill like a circle. It has more of authentic feel and the setting is more interesting. I would assume that by now it has just as many renovated fachwerk houses since it was declared as some UN world heritage place a couple years later.

Hello,

I agree with DAX. Wernigerode is worth to visit, it has a nice old town, the town hall is particularly picturesque. The castle above the town is called "Neuschwanstein of the Harz mountains". Means that it was rebuilt in 19th century in "old" style, not very authentic IMO.

Much more worth a visit is Quedlinburg, as DAX mentioned. Other favourite places of mine in the area are Gernrode (Romanesque church) and Halberstadt (Romanesque church and Gothic cathedral, the town severely damaged in WWII, though).

For scenic views go to Thale e.g. and take the gondola up to "Hexentanzplatz", a mystic place high above the valley with views of rocky patches.

Or take the funny little narrow-gauge railway up to Mt. Brocken (starting in Wernigerode), the highest mountain of the Harz. Make sure it is a sunny day, b/c the summit is more than half of the year hidden in clouds.

Ingo

PS: No news from the opera yet? :)

Thank you all for the information.
Ingo: Heard from the opera in Dresden yesterday and all I have to do is fax back how many reservations I need. I am not sure how much of the family will be going with us and am waiting to hear from them. If I don't hear in the next day or so, will go ahead and just reserve for the four of us and my former exchange student. Thank you so much for your help on this matter and the information on Dresden.

Would it be better to stay overnight in Quedlinburg rather than Wernigerode?

Glad to hear you heard from the opera. Will be a great experience, I am sure.

Yes, I'd rather stay in Quedlinburg than in Wernigerode, but finally it depends on which accommodation is available. I stayed in both, but it was a couple of years ago. I'll try to find a brochure or bill or so in my papers and tell you the names ...

Ingo: Thanks again for your help. We will probably be with my other exchange student's family but I like to know as much as possible about the area etc we are going to visit and housing suggestions are always helpful.

I found out we stayed at the small ***Hotel Am Anger in Wernigerode. Central but quiet location, very nice ambience.

The website is only in German, but they have lots of pics and you can probably find out room rates. Post again or email me if you need help.

www.hotel-am-anger.de

Haven't found the B&B in Quedlinburg yet.

Quedlinburg!

We stayed here in 2000: http://www.altstadtwinkel.de/eindex.html

It's a neat old place, very near the center of the town.

JP: Since you were there in 2000, can you tell me a little about what we should see while in the area?

Hi! Another town in this area that is on the UNESCO World Heritage list as well is Goslar. I've not been there, but what may be interesting is that Goslar was in the former West, whereas Werni & Qued were in the former East. Since the towns are probably pretty similar, maybe it's interesting to see how constant upkeep vs. steady decay and radical renovation compare...

For what it's worth, I have stayed in Goslar which was a Kaiser city just west of Wernigerode. Both towns have gone through a lot more renovation/gentrification than Quedlinburg but Goslar has better restaurants & real shops (vs bland east german stores). There was more rundown neglected structures around Quedlinburg which one might consider as part of the "east german town" charm.
In case you want to consider staying at a grand B&B:
We stayed at the historical Hotel Kaiserworth (www.Kaiserworth.de) in Goslar. Very nice rooms with authentic ambiance & furnitures, good indoor & outdoor restaurant (quite lively at night). Room prices are extremely reasonable for the quality interior. It has a grand staircase but no elevator.

Thanks for the BandB suggestion as well as the information. I will check it out.