Saxony
 

Plan to drive from Berlin to Prague after a five day stay. Plan to stop in Dresden for 2 nights, 5 days in Prague, 1 night in Telc and 1 night in Karlovy Cesky. Then return to Berlin for departure with an overnight in Prague. It was suggested that we shorten Berlin and Prague and visit Saxony, especially due to time of the year.
Would appreciate suggestions as to where to go. What are the road conditions? Snow? Where to stay? Castles?
Thank you for your help.
Alex

What time of year are you considering?

December 1 through December 17

Karlovy Cesky? Is there such a place? Or do you mean Karlovy Vary? Or do you mean Cesky Krumlov?
Czech to be sure the tours you want to take operate in December. Telc might be a bust without touring the castle, as would CK.

Weather in early Dec will be cold, but not likely to be snow. Dresden does not get a lot of snow in the first place and it's still late fall. The biggest thing you'll notice about the weather is how short the days are. Dresden is quite far north and it'll start getting dark by 4pm.

You can use Dresden as a base and do day trips to nearby Meissen, or up the Elbe valley to Bastei and Koenigstein castles.

The road conditions should be fine. Although the mountains usually get snow in Dec they roads are cleared quickly. Make sure the rental car has winter tyres.

In Dec you should definitely spend some time in the Erzgebirge mountains. It is *the* German Christmas region, where the original wooden Christmas items like pyramids, nutcrackers, candle arches etc. are manufactured. Every small town and little village has its own large pyramid on the main square, the windows of the houses are decorated with candle arches and figures etc. Christmas Markets are to find in each town - but not all the time through December in small towns - and they are much less commercialised than in big cities (or *hot* tourist spots like Rothenburg).

My favourite towns in this region are Freiberg, Annaberg-Buchholz, Schwarzenberg - the latter particularly charming, the others with outstanding sights (churches, museums, mining museums). Some castles to visit in this area are Augustusburg, Scharfenstein, Schwarzenberg e.g. Very nice is also the narrow-gauge steam railway near Annaberg-Buchholz to Oberwiesenthal.

The most famous town is Kurort Seiffen - this small town has some of the best (and most expensive) manufactures for Christmas items. It tends to be overrun with visitors on December weekends and loses charm then. But Monday - Friday is fine for a visit.

As for accommodation - there is a wide choice, of course. You can choose from B&B over inn (Gasthof) to 4star hotel, locations in towns or isolated with panoramic views.

In case you are not so much into Christmassy ambience you should visit Görlitz, one of the best preserved old towns in Germany - an hour east of Dresden. A jewel of architecture from Gothic to Art Nouveau styles.

Thank you for your information, very helpful. We are planning to allocate 4 days to the area based out of Dresden.
Makes sense?
Alex

Yes, that makes sense. Dresden is centrally enough located and you can do day trips from there (although you would not run out of things to do in Dresden and close surroundings as well!).

Ingo, thank you for your suggestions.We now plan to stay 3 nights in Dresden, drive to Gorlitz for one night, then drive to Prague. We are considering the Romantik Hotel Tuchmacher. Please let us have your good advice as to this plan.
Thank you, Alex

Sounds like a good plan.

I personally think the Hotel Börse is better than the Tuchmacher, but I must admit I have not stayed in either - living too close :-)

If you decide for the Tuchmacher please make sure to get a room in the historic building - as far as I know they have a modern annex - and if possible a room with wooden ceiling from Baroque times.

I.