jedye

Wife and I are going to Germany for two weeks with two kids (14 and 11) for a wedding. Our first weekend (Sat and Sun) we will be in Hamburg with family who already live there acting as tour guides - our first week (Mon - Thur) we will be on our own - but stationed in Potsdam, our second weekend (Fri - Sun) in Jena at the wedding, our last week (mon-fri) back in Potsdam with our family who already live there showing us the greater Berlin area. Esentially I need help planning our first week, we are renting a car. I have read about Dresden, Leipzeg, Erfurt, Eisenhach, Weirmer, etc (Saxony and Thurniga(?)) All seem nice, but people here in the states keep telling me if I go one place, to go to Bavaria. Any suggesstions on what cities we should see during that first week monday - thursday? Should we stick just to Saxony - Thurniga? Should we venture to the Baltic Sea? Should we venture down south to Bavaria? Any help you can provide will be greatly appreaciated. We really are looking forward to exploring old buildings and cities, taking in culture and experiencing as many things as we can. Also any suggestions on lengths of stay at the each town (1/2 day 1 day. 2 day, etc.) Thanks, or should I say Danka!

Dutch

What time of year will you be going?

I would suggest sticking with Hamburg, Berlin, and then Saxony. A day trip to Lubeck and Travemude from Hamburg would be quite nice.

I love Bavaria, but since you will be in Northern Germany, I would stay up there to see the sights.

lavandula

I have been to Jena a number of times for work although not for some years now. It is a nice little town, although some big open spaces in the centre hint at war damage. For all I know these could have been built on by now. It did not really damage the ambiance of the town. When I stayed there I usually just visited the tourist board for accommodation, but the last time I went, it was not for work and I went with people who had a car. We stayed outside the town in a very beautiful green valley,
Waldhotel Linzmuehle
Im Leubengrund
07768 Kahla
Telefon: 036424-840
Fax: 036424-84220
http://www.waldhotel-linzmuehle.de/index.html
Unfortunately the website is all in German but you can still explore the photos and if you click on 'Kontakt" you can send them an email. I don't know how practical it would be for you to stay there depending on the time of the wedding but a walk in the valley is wonderful.
If you are taking the train to Jena you will find that the railway station is quite a walk from the town.

Also if you are thinking about spending any time in Thueringen or nearby, you might consider visiting Leipzig, which is a really go-ahead city to the north-east of Jena, or Bamberg, which is about the same distance to the south (the northern tip of Bavaria). If it were me, I think I would prefer to visit Thueringen and Sachsen which are less touristy and more unspoilt.
Lavandula

lavandula

I might just reiterate that the hotel recommendation is only accessible by car, as it's quite a way out of Jena.

jedye

thanks for your comments - we are going in August

hsv

August is a great time of the year. Despite of what some people in the states - who most likely haven't been to other parts of Germany - tell you, Bavaria isn't the only pretty part of Germany and, although Germany is often associated with it, Bavaria isn't synonymous for Germany.
In fact the summer in the North is very attractive and apart from Hamburg, you have a gazillion other options for interesting (and scenic) sights:
- Island of Sylt in the North Sea (Germany's equivalent to Martha's Vineyard)
- Luebeck, maybe incombination with an afternoon at the beach in Timmendorfer Strand
- Bremen
- Schwerin
- Lakes in Mecklenburg Vorpommern
- Fischland/Darss peninsula at the Baltic Sea
- Islands of Ruegen and Usedom

You could then proceed to Berlin and Dresden (both of which are not considered Northern Germany).

Admittedly you will not see:
- mountains
- churches with onion shaped spires
- Lederhosen
- strange hats with chipmunk tails
- strange dances with natives hitting their shoes and other parts of their bodies.