Mosel in Winter?
 

While the main reason we are heading to Germany is for the Christmas markets, I don’t want to go into market overload and so we are trying to sprinkle in some other activities, namely wine. Haha. We are focusing on Bavaria and Salzburg.

I was originally planning on 2 nights in Bacharach and and one night in Cochem. My question is, is it worth going to this region in the winter (will things be open?) or is it better saved for a different spring/fall trip? Or for less time? If we skip the Mosel and the Rhine, any suggestions of stops for wine?

I’d love to visit a spa but won’t make it to Baden Baden. Any other suggestions that won’t break the bank?

When we went to Austria/Switzerland last year two of our favorite stops were Hallstatt and Wengen. We’re looking for a scenic stop for a day or two of relaxation. There are so many options, I’d love to hear what people’s favorites (that are easily accessible via train to Munich or Salzburg).

One other question, I really want to visit Neuschwanstein. I know Fussen is one of the best spots to easily access Neuschwanstein but are there any other towns that are easily accessible by train?

One other question, I really want to visit Neuschwanstein. I know Fussen is one of the best spots to easily access Neuschwanstein but are there any other towns that are easily accessible by train?>

Nope the tracks end in Fussen, just two miles from Mad Ludwig's fantasty casstle - buses or taxis awaiting at the station.

Reutte, Austria has a train station just several miles from Fussen - again buses or taxis take you thru the river gap connecting Fussen and Reutte.

>I’d love to visit a spa but won’t make it to Baden Baden. Any other suggestions that won’t >break the bank?

If you are flying in and out of Frankfurt, Wiesbaden is a spa town about 40 mins by train to the west, on the way to the Rhine gorge. Most Americans know it because it's also the home of one of the NATO bases (Wiesbaden-Erbenheim), but it doesn't get much of a look in on this board. Nevertheless it is popular with German tourists. It was a big attraction in the 19th century; elegant architecture and a casino and Kurhaus, where musical and other performances are held. There is a range of accommodations (may I suggest the Hotel Oranien, for a pretty small hotel near the pedestrian zone, or the Crowne Plaza Wiesbaden for a chain hotel that won't break the bank and is well-located). There are two spas in Wiesbaden, the Kaiser-Friedrich-Therme (the older, pretty one, at the end of the pedestrian zone), and the Thermalbad Aukammtal, which is just out of town and is modern. Spas are serious business in Germany - if you are a public servant, your health fund will pay for you to take the waters as a cure against various illnesses.

http://www.hotel-oranien.de/en/
http://www.ihg.com/crowneplaza/hotel...ge/hoteldetail
http://www.wiesbaden.de/en/tourism/t...eing/index.php

Lavandula

Sorry you've got me a bit confused. You said you are "focusing on Bavaria and Salzburg" whileall your destinations mentioned except Füssen are far away from Bavaria. And Bavaria's only wine region is located in the north of the state in Franconia.

I would prefer doing Mosel and Rhine during the warmer seasons when there are leaves and more colours. In winter everything depends on the weather. In rare occasions if there is sunshine and maybe a bit of snow or hoarfrost it's fine, but if the sky is overcast, everything will have lighter or darker shades of the same greyish-brown colour - rocks, soil, plants, buildings, water, sky...

Many hotels along the Mosel are closed in winter. It is a river prone to flooding too, which could complicate things for you. We went at the end of October one year and everything was on the point of closing down for the season. All very grey with low clouds, fine drizzle and evenings gathering in. I can't imagine there is a lot to do after dark along the Mosel in winter - and there is a lot of dark at that time of year.

I think there would be no harm in visiting Bacharach - but additionally, if you didn't want to spend much time doing the Rhine, you could still see a wine-growing region making Wiesbaden your base - the Rheingau has many small charming towns that make their living from wine growing. The Strausswirtschaften (summertime taverns) will not all be open but bigger ones like Schloss Johannisberg will, as will many restaurants. You get an elegant experience combined with a great view of the Rhine. Rüdesheim will have a Christmas market (crowded) and you could also see Kloster Eberbach, where part of The Name of the Rose was filmed. It's about half an hour from Wiesbaden by train, or an easy drive.

http://www.schloss-johannisberg.de/en/

Lavandula

the Mosel is grim in winter IME and that's why many hotels close -no one comes here in winter. The Rhine could be more interesting - at least the river is still full of boats and the K-D tourist boat thru the Rhine Gorge runs once a day or so depending on demand (k-d.com).

Thanks for all the info. quokka sorry to confuse, I didn't list out the entire itinerary which includes Nuremberg, Wurzburg, Regensburg, Stuttgart & Rothenburg.

If you are going to Stuttgart, well, that is a wine region too, and might satisfy some of your requirements.

Lavandula

I stayed in Bacharach after Christmas 2011. The tourist office was closed, the restaurant I wanted to eat in was closed, the pizza/kebap place we ate at one night was closed for 6 weeks when we went the next night.

Bacharach is no place to stay in the winter.