RiverChica

Hello,

I just booked a 7-night trip to Germany for two weeks from now. So I signed up for this forum because I'd love help with my itinerary. I'm flying into Munich and out of Berlin. I will be traveling with another female - we are healthy/active in our early 30s and enjoy history, arts/architecture, nature (hiking) and good food/beer/wine. We like cities but also like quaint towns. We don't want to spend more than $120USD/night on a hotel if possible. We were thinking 3 nights in Munich, 1 night in Bamberg, 2-3 nights in Berlin? Or possible skip Bamberg and do Salzberg or Prague. Or just stick with Munich and Berlin with day trips?

Input on the itinerary in general, getting around, top sights, and hotel/accommodation suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

Thank you!

laurie_ann

In Berlin two of our favorites were The Story of Berlin Museum (the entire history including to most recent time as a divided city, very good displays and these cool headphones that knew when you were approaching an exhibit and the explanation and background music would start, also includes a walking tour to a nuclear bomb shelter in the parking garage next door-- here is entry from wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/THE_STORY_OF_BERLIN) and the Checkpoint Charlie Museum. Berlin is also a great city for art and other museums, although some have been on a big refurbishing plan and closed for months at time so check websites for most recent information. We missed a chance to go up in Reichstag - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reichstag_building

RiverChica

Thanks, LaurieAnn. Any advice on lodging? Did you go to Munich or anywhere else?

treplow

I would just stick to Munich and Berlin.

Don't know whether you have access to pastadditions of the New York Times. In the Travel Section of July 12 was a write-up of the Circus Hotel in the Check In/Check Out feature. The hotel is an addition to the Circus hostel. I checked it out at www.circus-berlin de and it sounds like fun and within your budget. The location is great.

In Munich, check whether the Pension Englischer Hof is still on the web. Used to get good write-ups and has a good location, close to the Muenchner Freiheti in Schwabin, which is a major trafic tranmsit point in the So-Ho type of area in Munich.

treplow

I hit the submit button too early: The Pension was called Pension Englischer Garten. The traffic transit center is Muenchner Freiheit, and it is in Schwabing. Sorry.

RiverChica

Thank you for the hotel suggestions! The place in Berlin looks nice and convenient. Do you think Prague would be too much to add to our itinerary en route to Berlin?

ButterflyGirl06

My husband and I stayed at Hotel Uhland in Munich and enjoyed it very much. It is near a subway station and within walking distance to the main square. The staff spoke English and was helpful with suggestions on what to do and see. Breakfast was included, too and consisted of various coldcuts, cheeses, breads, cereals (fresh granola, even!) and hard boiled eggs. Quite hardy. I can't remember how much it was but it was fairly inexpensive. I would definitely recommend it. While we were in Munich we visited the Christmas Markets (this was last December), went to the Deutsche museum, strolled the English Gardens and took the train then bus to the Neuschwanstein Castle (a day trip).

laurie_ann

Prague is great but I wouldn't try to do all three in one week. Don't remember lodging in Berlin but it was a pensione in one of the old courtyard buildings in the former East Berlin.

methuseus

My fiance and I are going to Munich in a couple weeks for 10 days (see "Munich and Castles" on this forum) and thought about adding a few days in Nuernburg or Frankfurt, but we didn't want to cut our time in Munich short. We think doing Berlin and Munich in a week is pushing it. Adding Prague would just make you wish you didn't spend so much time travelling. Or so we have experienced in a couple US trips, at least.

RiverChica

I have been doing some research on the trains etc and agree with the recommendation to skip Prague - thank you!

What do you think about a night in Bamberg (or similar) en route to Berlin? Or could that be an afternoon stop?

In Munich, we want to wander the city for a day, definitely want to visit Dachau and likely also the castles.

Hotel Uhland looks right up oour alley - thanks for the rec!

Paul1950

Bamberg would be better than either Prague or Salzburg. I love Bamberg, but I don't know if the stop is worth it for only one day.

dfr4848

I agree to just stick with Munich and Berlin. You've really got just 3 full days in each with travel day in between. There's an awful lot to keep you busy for 3 days in each city.

And definitely visit Dachau. Very, very moving. Easy 25 min ride from Hauptbahnhof on the S-bahn.

RiverChica

Thank you, everyone, for your input. I think I'm going to go against the grain and look for one stop on the route between Munich and Berlin. We arrive in Munich at 7:30am so will have that FULL day and two more full days and then would depart the following morning early. I'd like to get about halfway to Berlin and stop in a pretty, bike-able town for an overnight and then hop on the train the next morning for another three full days in Berlin before we depart the country.

I know that is not the popular opinion, but it is what we would like. That said, any suggestions for an idyllic, bike-able town between Munich and Berlin where we could spend an afternoon biking around and enjoying the scenery (not necessarily historic sights, just nature, pretty buildings and/or views)? Thank you!

joannyc

Try looking online at these towns to see if you like them:

Leipzig
Dresden
Chemnitz
Halle

treplow

Any university town between Munich anmd Berlin is most lkely "bikabale". I know Wuerzburg is and imagine Bamberg is also. From Wuerzburg you can bike along the Main river, in either direction to one of the nearby wine-towns/villages.

One year, we biked fom Frankfurt to Wuerzburg, practically all the way along the Main. Great. but hard work!

RiverChica

Thanks, Treplow. Exactly the info I was looking for. JoannNYC, thank you for your input but I think those locations are a little more "city" and not as quaint/different as we are hoping to find.

Thanks again everyone for your input.