Three weeks in Germany, input appreciated...
 

We are going to Germany next June; it is not our first time there but our destinations on this trip are new to us. We will be traveling by train. Our tentative schedule:

Fly into Munich - 4 nights
Regensburg- 3 nights
Bamberg- 3 nights
Dresden- 4 nights
Berlin - 6 nights (We will fly out of Berlin)

We like cute towns and are not overly interested in museums.
Do you think our division of time is okay? Three nights' stay is about minimum for us.

I have not booked hotels but have found some I like although I welcome your suggestions. We prefer central hotels; not ones that require transportation to get into the center.

Munich - Hotel Uhland
Regensburg- (Grand or) Petit Hotel Orphee or Sorat Insel-Hotel Regensburg
Bamberg- BW Hotel Bamberg or Hotel Tandem
Dresden- NH Altmarkt. (Ingo, I know you like the Hotel Martha and that is a consideration.)
Berlin- Melia

Other than arriving on 7 June and departing on 27 June, we are flexible. I am ready to book hotels, however, as I am finding some unavailability.

Thanks.

Well just a comment on the trains - go to www.bahn.de/en for schedules and fares - discounted tickets exist for long-distance trains but note that these are train-specific and are sold in limited numbers so must be booked in stone weeks in advance to guarantee (or they could be available nearly until train - you never know) - if you want full flexibility to hop any train anytime investigate the German Twin Railpass which allows just that.

Though Munich to Regensburg and to Bamberg from there all fall into the Bavaria Pass scheme - sold locally at train stations giving you unlimited trains for a day in the confines of Bavaria but you are restricted to much slower and less comfy local trains - the pass would let you hop any ICE or IC train - and for 4 days of travel pass prices can even rival the discounted fares on www.bahn.de.

For lots of great info on German trains I always spotlight these IMO Uber fine sites: http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id9.html; www.seat61.com; www.ricksteves.com.

German central train stations - Hauptbahnhofs - are ubiquitously ringed by many hotels, especially chains that offer modern facilities and rooms at a good price.

"We like cute towns..."

You seem to be planning all your time in cities of some size - 13 nights in major cities and 7 in smaller cities - so with this comment, are you inviting suggestions for alternatives to these cities, or for cute towns that you might take daytrips to from these cities?

Thanks for your reply, Russ. My comment was ambiguous. I had originally planned to stay in Nuremberg but axed that for Regensburg and Bamberg. I think Berlin requires the most nights as it is the main reason for our Germany trip ( a city I have wanted to visit) and it is a big city. I am happy with my choices, just don't know if I have divided my time for the best. Are four nights too much for Dresden?

We are not ones who day trip, although we may do that once while in Munich. My original plan was to add Salzburg to this trip but will save that for another time.

PalenQ, thanks for your input. We aren't budget travelers so I think the best for us is a twin rail pass which gives us a lot of options. I have researched this as well.

The Melia in Berlin was excellent and great location for public transportation. We booked through their site online and got a €15 credit each day. The breakfasts are included and wonderful.

The NH Altmarkt is a good option. Right in the centre, unlike the Martha, which requires either 10 minutes walking or a short tram ride to the old town.

You won't hear me saying 4 nights is too long for Dresden. You could easily spend twice that long in the city if you do some excursions and not get bored (even if you're not interested in museums). There are dozens of picturesque, smaller towns in the surroundings as well as castles/palaces/gardens, natural sights like the National Park Saxon Switzerland and activities like steam train/paddle steamer rides, wine/beer tastings etc.

Seems like you read some of my older posts, so no need to list websites here, eh?

PalenQ, thanks for your input. We aren't budget travelers so I think the best for us is a twin rail pass which gives us a lot of options. I have researched this as well.>

If you are not budget travelers then by all means get a first-class German Twin Pass - there are lots of benefits - bigger seats, lots more room for luggage and always ALWAYS IME empty seats so you can just hop on and be sure of getting a seat - not so in 2nd class which is usually much more crowded.

OK, I understand your rationale but what are you planning to do for THREE nights in Bamberg? I like the place, too, but...

ttt

I stayed for 7 nights in Bamberg last May, and was glad that I made the choice!
Of course, there happened to be a WeinFest going on, and we did make daytrips to Amberg, Nurnberg, Ingolstadt and the Vierzehnheiligen, but 3 days would be quite enjoyable -spent visiting the 1000 year old cathedral, the many quaint beer gardens (consider buying the BierSchmecker ticket), the many cozy corners, bridges and lanes....
Judi: if any interest click on my name for last year's TR!

Besides being one of the cutest German towns I've seen - gushing rivers run right thru it Bamberg is also a great base like mokka4 describes - so many neat places within a beer stein's throw of it.

Babylon, thanks for your reply. I signed up for the Melia card and will get a fifteen percent discount on our stay, along with other perks perhaps.

Ingo, I read all your posts! I'm glad to hear the NH Altmarkt is okay.

PalenQ, yes, we will get the first-class pass. It makes good sense, not a lot more money.

Dukey, we are easily entertained. We spent sixteen weeks in Nerja, Spain this year doing "nothing". We will be coming from Spain next year on our Germany trip.

mokka, thanks for your input. I know you would be a good travel partner with your sense of humor and knowledge of the German language.

Nurnberg to me is a fascinating city that is an easy day trip from Bamberg or your other bases - if interested in Third Reich relics Nurnberg has more of these than any other city (it says) - just south of town is Hitler's former parade grounds with the stadium box where he used to view the goose-stepping troops - the long wide parade grounds have been restored and there is a museum there documenting things that happened here in the very heart of the Third Reich's ceremonial parading of troops, etc.

Nurnberg also is a fine town itself - don't neglect it.

Saxon Switzerland is just south of Dresden and to me rivals any river valley in Germany except the Mosel Valley - you can take boats thru it or trains run along its eastern flank - check out the Basteii and other forts topping red sandstone cliffs.

Are you planning to check out Saxon Switzerland?

https://www.google.com/search?q=saxo...bih=1075&dpr=1

Beautiful images, PalenQ. As we will be in Dresden four nights, I plan a river cruise on one of those days.

There are so many fascinating places; some will have to wait for another trip. I doubt that we get to Nurnberg on this trip but thanks for your input.

Near Dresden is also Meissen - an old town with a neat church on a hill in its center and the famous Meissen Porcelan factory and museum - the reason most folks come here - a short train ride from Dresden.

We stayed at the Sorat several years ago and our river view room gave us a great view of the cathedral and all the activity on the river. Enjoyed our stay there.