I`m thinking of going to england/germany end of October, sadly i`ll miss the oktoberfest in germany,i`ll only have about 3 days in germany so i was looking for suggestions on the best area I should hit up, I`m wanting to see the usual tourist things like the castles and mountains etc. any suggestions "ministering" would be appreciated thanks all

Black Forest to visit where the cuckoo clocks are made. Berlin to see where the wall once stood, and where Kennedy gave his famous speech, "Ich bin ein Berliner."

Frankfurt am Main on the western side of Germany. So many quaint towns and castles to choose from, you'll find lots wherever you roam.

You should find some beer gardens there, even if Ocktoberfest is over when you arrive. "It is not just for Oktoberfest that locals and tourists gather around long picnic tables to drink endless liters of beer. Biergartens (or simply "beer gardens" in English) open as soon as the chill is gone and continue until the last German gives in to fall. Biergarten season is a beautiful season in Germany."

https://www.tripsavvy.com/what-to-expect-at-german-biergarten-1519627

Munich is where they originated. Now they're common elsewhere as well.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/08/2018 10:19AM by Amyjo.

I'm going to Frankfurt in a few weeks. Where are you going?

I live in Germany. There's a lot to see here. There are lots of castles in southern Germany... in fact most towns have one. If you want mountains, I'd recommend Munich or maybe Garmisch-Partenkirchen. There are lots of castles in that area. Garmisch isn't far from the famed Neuschwanstein, which is probably the most famous castle. Linderhof, which was also built by King Ludwig, is also in that area.

When most people think of Germany, they think of Bavaria. ;-)

I'm a history buff, and enjoyed the museums and historical sites in Berlin, many of them are depressing as hell. If you want castles, scenery, gemutlichkeit or however you spell it, take the advice above and skip Berlin and the big cities, Frankfurt, Hamburg etc.

Much of Frankfort was destroyed in WWII, therefore it's a pretty modern city. It could almost be anywhere. If you are looking for Old World Charm, you won't really find it in Frankfort.

For a first time to Germany, for three days, for vacation.

Munich hands down. Bavaria is literally a place of dreams or at least that is what I think.

My late wife and I wanted to go back to Germany....more castles to see, more beer and wine to enjoy and more autobahn time.

Hamburg, Lübeck, Berlin.

Or Hamburg, Lübeck, Bremen.(I think I am partial to cities of the old Hanseatic League.)


Cologne, Trier and Strasbourg (in France, but just on the other side of the border) could be another beautiful itinerary.


There is just so much to see, because Germany is NOT all like Bavaria.

While I love Frankfurt, because I lived there for two decades, it is not a must see if you have only three days in Germany.

Right... but Bavaria is where the most impressive castles and mountains are, which is why I suggested it. Personally, I really enjoyed Hamburg, Cologne, Trier, and, to a lesser extent, Berlin. But I probably wouldn’t choose any of them if I only had three days and wanted to see castles and mountains.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/08/2018 03:07PM by knotheadusc.

If I ever make it over to Germany, I will need to visit BOTH Frankfurts. Frankfurt am Main, and Frankfurt der Oder. Both on opposite sides of the country.

My book printing and publishing forefathers of the Talmud and Hebrew/German prayer books reigned from Frankfurt der Oder. Many of them are buried in the Jewish cemetery there across the bridge in Poland.

One of their sons moved his printing business to Frankfurt am Main, and made his home there along with his Dutch wife. A street plaza is named after him to this day (he lived 200 years ago.) When I travel now since becoming interested in family history, I plan my visits to places to correlate with that as much as the places themselves. :-)

Looking for a Black Forest cuckoo clock would be on my bucket list while there also. But there are so many to choose from! ;-)

Amyjo, since you've never been to Germany, why are you commenting? Maybe you should travel there first and then offer an opinion.

It's a small planet.

I've studied German in college and world history. I have German ancestry in my DNA.

What business is it of yours whether I comment or not just because I haven't been there yet? It is none of your business! You sound like a busy body. With a drive-by username.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/08/2018 09:40PM by Amyjo.

I'd recommend a KD line Rhein river cruise from Bingen to Kobelenz. Lots of castles and vineyards and beautiful scenery. Then take a train from Koblenz and stop at a few of the small towns along the way. I'm sure you'll find some good wine there, but when I made the trip I was a missionary and most of the Germany Frankfurt mission, including the president, were on board.

Anyway, Bingen is near Mainz and Wiesbaden, not far from Frankfurt.

Also, Heidelberg is a great place to visit. And Dresden! And Berlin!

Jim

If you're going to try to get the flavour of Germanor or any other country in only three days, it's best not to go, unless you have business there, anyway. You can't even see Germany's most boring city (that would be Frankfurt) in three days.

Most boring city, eh?

Sign me up! I like boring! (fewer tourists to get in the way of a good time.)

:)

The castles would be fun to visit, and the charming cities dotting the countryside. Bavarian Alps? Absowootly.

There was a time I once considered moving to Germany as an undergrad. Until one of my classmates talked me out of it. She was from Germany. She told me I would hate it there, like she did. That was why she moved to America. They were so militaristic, were her words. If I wanted to really practice my German she recommended Austria to me. She thought Austria was a much better fit for my personality.

cludgie is right, as usual.


Practice German in Austria? Hahahahaha!!!


Germany militaristic? Who? Where???


Also, why are Americans so obsessed with castles?!? Because you don't have any? There is so much else to see!

It ain't the castles, it's the history. Americans travel all over the US to divert themselves. From Wine Country to amusement parks. What they will never get in the US is a stroll through the Uffizi and a hike in and around Hohenschwangau.

Americans have castles. Just not as many as Europe. :)

When wasn't Austria German speaking?

Perhaps Germany isn't as militaristic as it once was. My friend who told me that was born and raised there. She left because she hated how militaristic it was. That was a generation ago. Maybe it's loosened up since then?



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/08/2018 05:11PM by Amyjo.

Austrian accents are rarely Hochdeutsch. They can be very difficult to understand, as are Swiss accents. That's all that was meant.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/08/2018 06:03PM by Lorraine aka síóg.

Thanks Lorraine, that's exactly what I meant, the Austrian accent...

And how right you are. You need to stay a few weeks to get used to it. Austrians use some different words, too, much like British v. American English. The Swiss are even worse for that, and you have to know some French to understand their German.

Then there is much better history in Europe, than the German castles. You even mentioned the Uffizi! Which is not a castle and in not in Germany.

Mountains? Visit the Dolomites. Oh, they also are not in Germany.

I cannot stand the stereotype tourists have of Germany being all like Bavaria.

Ditto. Bavaria is not Germany. It's a bit like going to Texas to "see America." Choose a region and go. Like Tyrrhenia says, go to the Dolomites (northern Italy) if you want a beautiful, quiet, and charming Alpine stay. There's no more beautiful part of the continent.

Or Salzburg

Now that's the real Germany. Yeah skip Bavaria and hit Kaiser Strasse in Hamburg while you are at it. That's real Germany.

Personally I thin Bavaria is quite nicer than Texas, at least I would much rather spend three days in Bayern.

If you can, see Rothenberg. Munich is nice for historical sites.

Head for Munich or Dresden. Must see places.