since i noticed that we have quite a few people from Europa i though i would ask this question here. i am planning a trip to germany here in june hopefully. i would probably spend 2 weeks there. is there anything that i should see while i am there. just as a heads up i like to see the stuff that is not a "tourist trap" i like to see the out of the way things. we plan on berlin and munich but where else can we go. i do know that we could spend at least 2 weeks in either city alone but i want to see as much of the country as possible. i might even make a trip up to sweden to get some fresh snus 8).
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Maybe see Lindau or Friedrichschafen on Lake Konstanz - not far from Munich, but it would be a nice tour around the south if you're into the walking-about sort of thing. Frankfurt if you want want nightlife scene, maybe Stuttgart if you want to see the Porsche museum. Nürburg would be a wild stop if you're feeling risky and have cash to spare on hiring a car for a whip around the Nürburgring. Only about €16 or something like that for a 20km lap around a one-way racetrack - just don't tell the hire car place you're taking it to the ring! :lol: The Hofbrauhaus in Munich is definitely a bit touristy, but still worth going at least once - the place is a riot! Expect only a 90dl mass with lots of head, but...who's complaining, eh? Could go on... lots to see there, really. What sort of stuff are you into? Any type of thing you'd like to see or do? Museums, clubs, chillin' and strolling around, sports, festivals? Anything you're not so keen on? -
Actually, if you make it to Stuttgart, you could also hit up the Carl-Zeiss planetarium there - more a "kids" thing, but screw it...fun for big kids too! It's a huge 360° "cinema" of sorts - projected onto the interior of a domed roof to give the impression of the night sky. Cool if you're into skywatching/astronomy, etc. There's usually a regular show and some themed bit that changes each season or so.Comment
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^Ah, you mean the IMAX/OMNIMAX? Yeah, this is for big kids too, no doubt
Here's some more info on that one ...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IMAXComment
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Slatter: Berlin? ... you should be looking forward to this city! If you have the slightest interest in post-war history this place is a must in my humble opinion. Take a stroll down Unter den Linden and see the old and somewhat brutal Russian war monument near the famous Brandenburg Gate. Walk along the line of the Berlin wall, which is still noticeable across the city. The 'Checkpoint Charlie'-museum is small but very interesting too. Here you can see some of the gimmicks that the DDR citizens used to make it over (or under) the wall into the west. Also consider The Jewish Museum, its incredible and really informative - and also a a big architectonic experience (by Daniel Libeskind). Well, just suggestions. Berlin is also great for general walking aimlessly around ... you'll find interesting sights like pearls on a string.
:wink:Comment
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Guess, I have to join this thread.
Since I spent almost every of my vacations in foreign countries, I probably have seen less of my country than some of the other members. I've never been to Berlin, for example. Since the city has been totally destroyed in WWII, it doesn't seem to be more than a mixture of cheap post-war architecture and tasteless post-reunion-governmental-buildings. Otherwise, Subtilo is certainly right.
O.K., if I wanted to see the most of Germany within 14 days, I'd rent a car first. Germany is about half as big a Texas, so every place can be reached within a day! I'd start with the Rhine, from the north (at the Dutch border) to the south, along the French and up to the Swiss border.
Aachen, about 70 miles west of the Rhine, is worth a visit. It is one of the oldest German towns and the former capital of the Frankish Empire, which later got devided into what's nowadays known as France and Germany. The town somewhat smells of history, the dome is very impressive and well, I visited the town several times and it feels so international, that I'm always amazed, that I actually can talk German to the people there.
The Nürburgring also is not so far away from Aachen (the name has nothing to do with Nuremberg, BTW). I kind of learned driving on the Nürburgring, not as a professional driver, but I also once drove the course, while some professional drivers did their training. I only reached a maximum-speed of around 80 mph with my old VW-Passat :lol:, but really learned how to drive through curves. That was back in 1987 or 1988.
Cologne is a must see also, I guess. A little further up the Rhine, right after Frankfurt lies the town of Nierstein, which has a very nice micro-climate during summer, almost sub-tropical. Due to this, they have some very fine wine. Visit the Niersteiner Winzergenossenschaft to do a wine-tasting. I really like their Dornfelder, and their other varieties are not bad as well.
I've never been further down the Rhine, but you'll also see Stuttgart and many other towns, most of them with an architecture, that goes back to the Roman Empire, just by following the river up to the Swiss border. Like Zero already mentioned, it also has some high-tech-locations to offer.
From there, you really should drive to Munich, which is an impressive town. I was there once in 1984 with my school-class. The beer was less expensive, back then 8).
From Munich, I'd hit the Autobahn and drive around 3 hours up to the River Weser and follow that river up to Bremen, which is another city, that has some international spirit. I spent my military service in and around Bremen. Some nice people are living there. Along that river, you'll get a chance to visit the more rural parts of Germany. The Kautabakmuseum (chewing tobacco museum) in Witzenhausen is certainly worth a visit as well as the town of Hameln (you maybe know the pied piper's myth).
One hour away from Bremen lies Hamburg with it's world famous Reeperbahn Street (a conglomerate of brothels).
From Bremen or Hamburg, I'd drive to the north of eastern Germany, the island of Rügen is very impressive, it gives the opportunity to do some swimming in the Baltic Sea and it has a ferry to Sweden (nothing left to say about this, I guess).
From there I'd drive to Berlin and further south. Eisenach, the hometown of Martin Luther, is impressive (forget about it in case your catholic :wink: ). Everyone seems to be exalted about Dresden, too, which I never visited.
As I said, Germany isn't that big, as long as you have a car, so just feel free to make your own plans and also a printed tourist guide surely knows more, than I do.
Keep in mind, that the climate in Germany is terrible. It can be cold and rainy even in the summer. A former working colleague of mine, who was from East Germany (the former communist dictatorship, called the German Democratic :lol: Republic) and spent most of his life in Russia, once called the climate in Germany "neither maritime nor continental, just crappy".
Godspeed!Comment
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Precisely! That's what makes it so interesting ... at least from a certain perspective :lol:Originally posted by chainsnuserComment
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well now i am going to have to visit Hamburg. My friend who is lutheren said we were going to have to stop by Eisenach just to satisfy his parents. i also noticed that i am going to have to stop and visit the black forest. My banker actually told me about the Nürburgring and i am already going to go on that one. thanks for the ideas every one.Comment
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No, this thing :Originally posted by Subtilo
http://www.planetarium-stuttgart.de/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetarium
Quite different from an IMAX.
gotta learn the song :lol:Cologne is a must see also, I guess.
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now i have to go to Cologne.i am going to talk to my friends about going to Aachen i just love the old towns the older the better. i just hope that i have enough money when the time comes to go. lolComment
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change your dollars to Euros now - god knows what the exchange rate will be in six months time! :lol: :shock:Comment
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that is true i had forgotten about that thanks for the reminderComment
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It's all about the singalong. Gotta learn In München steht ein Hofbräuhaus for Munich too! Bavaria rocks :lol:Originally posted by slatter
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i like this stuff sooooo much we dont really have anything like this in amerika. gotta love itComment
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well it looks like we are going to spend most fo our time in munich and then head over to deggendorf but we really have not decided that yet.Comment
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