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Stay in Hannoversch Muenden versus another night in Bamberg?

Stay in Hannoversch Muenden versus another night in Bamberg?

Old Aug 4th, 2012, 05:10 PM
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Stay in Hannoversch Muenden versus another night in Bamberg?

Hello, Fodorites ~

After much planning, now I'm second-guessing part of the itinerary for our upcoming trip this fall ~ mainly because I love fachwerk/historic architecture and keep discovering little towns that I'm dying to see. I realize I can't see it all, we hate rushing around, and I'm sure we'll be back (this is my 5th trip to Germany). But I'm still having a hard time with this one, would love your opinions:

Original plan:
3 nights/2 days in Bamberg.
Then a long travel day (via train) from Bamberg to Lueneburg, stopping at Celle and Hann. Muenden for a few hours en route.

New idea:
2 nights/2 days in Bamberg.
Then an afternoon train to Hann. Muenden (overnight), then continue on to Lueneburg the next day, possibly stopping at Goettingen, as well as Celle.

*Is it worth sacrificing a third night in Bamberg for a night in Hann. Muenden (and possibly Goettingen), or will I be sorry I have to leave Bamberg so soon?

*Is an overnight in Hann. Muenden worth it, or should we just try to see it for a few hours en route north?

I welcome all of your thoughts/suggestions! Thanks in advance.
NanBug is offline  
Old Aug 4th, 2012, 06:40 PM
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Bamberg to Lueneberg via Hann Muenden and Celle is 6:30 - 7:00 hours travel time. How were you planning on visiting both of them? If you leave Bamberg at 08:27 and only stop for 2 hours in Hann Muenden (no Celle at all), you won't arrive in Lueneberg until 5:00 p.m..

As much as I love Bamberg, and hate one night stops, if you are the kind of traveler who is willing to consider stopping for only a couple of hours in Hann Muenden, Goettingen and/or Celle, perhaps it makes sense to only stay the 2 nights in Bamberg and give yourself a little more time to see the other places on the way to Lueneberg. That is probably a bigger factor than if Hann Muenden is "worth" an overnight.
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Old Aug 4th, 2012, 08:10 PM
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Thanks, Aramis. I appreciate your thoughts.

Yes, it would be a very long day if we did both Celle and Hann. Muenden en route: we'd leave Bamberg on the 7:25 train, have 4+ hours in H. Muenden, then 2+ hours in Celle, and arrive in Lueneburg at 19:15. Ugh. The fly in the ointment with all of these visits is the lack of luggage lockers in Celle and H.M., too.

I'm leaning toward reducing Bamberg to 2 nights and having almost 3 full days there -- and departing for Hann. Muenden late afternoon on the 3rd day. Then we could spend a few hours in HM in the morning, then make our way north through Celle to Lueneburg by dinner time. We then have 2 nights in Lueneburg.

I hate one night stays, too, but this may be the only way to see these towns. The other option is to skip them both and save for the next trip.

I'll keep chewing on this. Thanks again!
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Old Aug 4th, 2012, 11:40 PM
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Hann. Münden is a very pretty little town in a beautiful location.
But being kind of small, I wonder if you don't get bored when you have stay half a day and the night.
IMO, this leg of your itinerary would be done best by car as there is more to see than the two towns you mentioned.
I would shave one night off Bamberg, rent a car for 2 days, and follow the Half Timber and/or Fairy Tale Road downstream. You would have much more flexibility to decide where to spend the night. And won't need reservations.
There are several castles and manors along the route which have been converted into hotels (and are not accessible by public transport), like Sababurg or Schwöbber.

A possible route could be
Bamberg - Fulda via Autobahn 70/7
Fulda - Lauterbach - Alsfeld (another gem) via B 254
Alsfeld - Schwalmstadt - Kassel - Hann. Münden via B 254 / A 49/7
Hann. Münden - upper Weser valley - Bodenwerder (remember Munchhausen?) - Hämelschenburg - Hameln via B 80/83
Hameln - Hannover - Celle via B217/3
Celle - Lüneburg via B 191/4

You can downsize the routing at your own discretion, e.g. skip the part from Fulda to Hann. Münden and follow A7 until you get to the latter.

Many villages along the route are just nice to "drive through" or will give you some good impressions even if you walked just around for half an hour (you can hardly walk around longer in Hann. Münden anyway) and had a coffee in one of the old houses.
Alsfeld can keep you busy a bit longer, but not much.
The only two real towns along the route that people might choose as proper destinations of their own right would be Hameln/Hamelin and Celle.
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Old Aug 5th, 2012, 05:00 AM
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I'll throw a little fuel on the fire of "next time".

Hann Muenden, Goettingen, and Celle would fit in very nicely with visits to Quedlinburg, Wernigerode, Goslar, Duderstadt, Hameln, and the Weser Valley noted by Cowboy.

When you think about it, that is probably two more trips worth right there.....
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Old Aug 5th, 2012, 07:08 AM
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Thank you both!

Renting a car did cross my mind, so I'll ponder that, too. Although we usually take the train, the route you outlined is very tempting and seems a lot more efficient and scenic.

I did make a trip to the Harz Mountains about 4 years ago, but would love to go back. Loved it all, especially Quedlinburg. But yes, I do need a re-visit. Never enough time to see it all, it seems.

Thanks again!
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