Northern Germany
Dec 4th, 2008 | 07:27 AM
#3
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,572
Likes: 0
That covers a huge area. How about you narrow it down a bit, maybe with the help of some DVDs and travel videos, from your local library or from Netflix?
How long is your trip?
And what is it you're after - nature reserves and natural parks like the Lüneburger Heide, or industrialized areas with dense population and lots of museums and city offerings, or beaches like Sylt etc., or port cities like Hamburg, or historic university cities...???
Figure out your priorities, then pick a region or city, and then look for hotel and restaurant info - the latter is the least of your problem.
How long is your trip?
And what is it you're after - nature reserves and natural parks like the Lüneburger Heide, or industrialized areas with dense population and lots of museums and city offerings, or beaches like Sylt etc., or port cities like Hamburg, or historic university cities...???
Figure out your priorities, then pick a region or city, and then look for hotel and restaurant info - the latter is the least of your problem.
Dec 4th, 2008 | 10:28 AM
#4
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 6,047
Likes: 0
Northern Germany is a huge area indeed. You can explore it for eight weeks and still you have seen just half of it.
I try to give you an (incomplete) list of attractive places, starting from the southwest and heading northeast.
- The Münsterland is a very attractive region with a charming historical city (Münster) and some of the most spectacular castles and palaces in Germany (Nordkirchen, Vischering etc.).
- Papenburg in the northwestern corner of Germany is a picturesque quaint town. Besides, you have the rare chance to see how cruise ships are being built (e.g. Celebrity Solstice was built here).
- Going eastwards, you reach Bremen - a very attractive city with world-class museums (science museum, maritime museum) and picturesque old buildings.
- Southeast of Bremen, there is Celle, another quaint old town.
- North of Celle, you find Hamburg - a spectacular metropolis with lots of attractions.
- North of Hamburg, you may visit some of those pictureque shrimp boat ports like Büsum and Husum.
- There are many north sea islands with long sandy beaches and dunes. Perhaps the most attractive one is Sylt, which is comparable to the Hamptons.
- On the Baltic coast, Lübeck is a spectacular historic town.
- Heading further eastwards, you find Mecklenburg with sandy beaches, thousands of lakes and dozens of castles and palaces. Most spectacular are Schwerin and Güstrow.
- Further eastwards on the Baltic coast, Wismar and Rostock are historical port towns.
- You find spectacular coastline in Fischland/Zingst, Rügen and Usedom.
Now, come and stay eight weeks and explore. And come again.
I try to give you an (incomplete) list of attractive places, starting from the southwest and heading northeast.
- The Münsterland is a very attractive region with a charming historical city (Münster) and some of the most spectacular castles and palaces in Germany (Nordkirchen, Vischering etc.).
- Papenburg in the northwestern corner of Germany is a picturesque quaint town. Besides, you have the rare chance to see how cruise ships are being built (e.g. Celebrity Solstice was built here).
- Going eastwards, you reach Bremen - a very attractive city with world-class museums (science museum, maritime museum) and picturesque old buildings.
- Southeast of Bremen, there is Celle, another quaint old town.
- North of Celle, you find Hamburg - a spectacular metropolis with lots of attractions.
- North of Hamburg, you may visit some of those pictureque shrimp boat ports like Büsum and Husum.
- There are many north sea islands with long sandy beaches and dunes. Perhaps the most attractive one is Sylt, which is comparable to the Hamptons.
- On the Baltic coast, Lübeck is a spectacular historic town.
- Heading further eastwards, you find Mecklenburg with sandy beaches, thousands of lakes and dozens of castles and palaces. Most spectacular are Schwerin and Güstrow.
- Further eastwards on the Baltic coast, Wismar and Rostock are historical port towns.
- You find spectacular coastline in Fischland/Zingst, Rügen and Usedom.
Now, come and stay eight weeks and explore. And come again.
Dec 4th, 2008 | 12:27 PM
#6
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,214
Likes: 0
I second every single entry in the long list traveller1959 provided.
Let me further add:
- Ostfriesland with its rich history in places like Emden, Aurich and Norden, the leaning tower of the church in Suurhusen which puts Pisa to shame, the charming town of Leer, the even more charming fishermen's village of Greetsiel...
- Oldenburg, another charming town with palace and park
- near Bremen, the artist colony of Worpswede and nearby Fischerhude in the moor
- Ostholstein, the so-called Holsatian Switzerland, with rolling hills, countless lakes, forests and - most beautiful in May!! - yellow blooming rape fields, the old towns and palaces of Plön and Eutin...
- the seaside resort of Cuxhaven with its tidelands, a carriage ride over to the islands of Neuwerk over 13 kms of dry sea bottom at low tide
- the bird zoo at Walsrode
- the Weser valley with its old towns and characteristic renaissance architecture
- Nord-Ostsee-Kanal, watching big ocean ships at the canal locks in Brunsbüttel or Kiel-Holtenau
- a bit further South, the Harz mountains, old towns like Goslar, Wernigerode, Quedlinburg, Wolfenbüttel
- Lüneburg, another spectacular historical town which in the past became rich with the trade of salt
(... how long did you say you are staying? We can easily keep you busy for two months.)
Let me further add:
- Ostfriesland with its rich history in places like Emden, Aurich and Norden, the leaning tower of the church in Suurhusen which puts Pisa to shame, the charming town of Leer, the even more charming fishermen's village of Greetsiel...
- Oldenburg, another charming town with palace and park
- near Bremen, the artist colony of Worpswede and nearby Fischerhude in the moor
- Ostholstein, the so-called Holsatian Switzerland, with rolling hills, countless lakes, forests and - most beautiful in May!! - yellow blooming rape fields, the old towns and palaces of Plön and Eutin...
- the seaside resort of Cuxhaven with its tidelands, a carriage ride over to the islands of Neuwerk over 13 kms of dry sea bottom at low tide
- the bird zoo at Walsrode
- the Weser valley with its old towns and characteristic renaissance architecture
- Nord-Ostsee-Kanal, watching big ocean ships at the canal locks in Brunsbüttel or Kiel-Holtenau
- a bit further South, the Harz mountains, old towns like Goslar, Wernigerode, Quedlinburg, Wolfenbüttel
- Lüneburg, another spectacular historical town which in the past became rich with the trade of salt
(... how long did you say you are staying? We can easily keep you busy for two months.)
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Dec 6th, 2008 | 06:13 AM
#10
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 68
Likes: 0
Spargel time is a great time to go.
Mecklenburg is an area that is little known by many tourists. Waren on the Muritz is a good base for day trips. Malchin, Malchow, Teterow, and Gustrow (with Barlach's floating angel in the Dom and Renaissance castle) are all interesting towns. These towns may be small but they have individual charm.
There are many boat trips on the various lakes available.
For different castles try Schwerin or Ludwigslust with it's paper machie carvings that look like wood.
Mecklenburg is an area that is little known by many tourists. Waren on the Muritz is a good base for day trips. Malchin, Malchow, Teterow, and Gustrow (with Barlach's floating angel in the Dom and Renaissance castle) are all interesting towns. These towns may be small but they have individual charm.
There are many boat trips on the various lakes available.
For different castles try Schwerin or Ludwigslust with it's paper machie carvings that look like wood.
