Going to Germany/Czech Republic, what are the don't miss sights?

In My Humble Opinion
1

I’m so excited. I’m going to Germany to see a friend over Spring Break next month.
However, she will not be out of school and her parents, of course, work. This is fine because I want to see as much of the country as I can during my all too brief sojourn to the old country.

So, with that in mind, I came up with the following tentative itinerary:

Friday: Arrive in Berlin
Saturday and Sunday: See Berlin and Potsdam (where they live) with my friend and her family
Monday: Rent a car and drive to Munich
Tuesday: Explore Munich and its environs
Wednesday: Leave Munich and drive to Prague
Thursday: Leave Prague and drive to Leipzig (where my friend attends university)
Friday: Leave Leipzig and return to Berlin; drop off car
Saturday: Berlin/Potsdam
Sunday: Return home :frowning:

My short list of must see places has:

Berlin
Brandenburg Gate
Berlin Wall/Checkpoint Charle Museum

Munich (and area)
Neuschwanstein Castle

Prague
Charles Bridge

So, what should I add to my list? Are there any small towns or villages between here and there that are worth seeing? Anything grossly overrated that you feel I would be better of skipping? What are the best beers? The worst? Any other tips, hints, bargains, or advice?

Finally, are there any Dopers who curently live in or near the mentioned cities who would like to have an International Dopefest while I am over there (March 10-19, BTW)? I would love to share a beer with you. :slight_smile:

2

Don’t underestimate the distances. In particular, if you drive to Neuschwanstein, see Neuschwanstein and drive back there isn’t much left of your one day in Munich, so if there is just the one day you might prefer spending it in the city proper.

Unless you really enjoy driving you might consider going the first leg by train and only renting your car in Munich.

When you book your rental car specify that your will drive into the Czech Republic - depending on the rental firm and the car model the rental firm’s terms may preclude driving into the Czech Republic (particular for the more upmarket models, as these are apt to not return).
For your reference the approximate distances are

Berlin-Munich: about 600 km/by road: ca. 5-6 h (by rail: 6 1/2 h)
Munich-Neuschwanstein, one way: about 100 km/by road: ca. 2 h (by rail+bus: 2 h 20 min)
Munich-Prague: about 400 km/by road: ca. 4 h (by rail: 6-8 h)
Prague-Leipzig: about 250 km/by road: ca. 3 1/2 h (by rail: 3 h 40 min)
Leipzig-Berlin: about 200 km/by road: ca. 2 h (by rail: 1 1/2 to 2 h)

3

In Prague, I liked the Mucha museum and the museum of Communism a lot.

The Viktualienmarkt in Munich is awesome. Make sure you eat some weisswurst.

4

Agreed that it’s a lot of driving to plan to do. You’ll be lucky to see anything at all of Prague. This is a good Europe-wide rail timetable search, although remember to enter local names (i.e. Praha and Munchen). And rail travel is infinitely less tiring, when you’re busy every day.

To be honest, I’d suggest leaving Prague for a separate holiday, to do it justice, and to give yourself extra time (and flexibility) in Munich and Leipzig. I’d also question whether you need to rent a car at all - few places in the world do public transport as efficiently as the Germans.

5

If you only have a single day, see the major sights in Prague. Start at the Museum at the top of Wenceslaus Square, walk through New Town to Old Town Square, over across the Charles Bridge, through the Mala Strana and St. Nicholas cathedral (stop in Jo’s Bar right across and get a beer), and up to see Prague Castle. Get a map and some tourist info before you go so you’ll know where to go and what you’re looking at. That’s a good single afternoon.

6

GorillaMan, I had thought about doing the train, but my friend was the one who actually suggested the car rental.

And, after looking at the link you provided, it looks like it is actually cheaper to rent a car than the cumulative train fares would be. I can rent a car for that week for 196 Euros (including taxes and fees), while the train would cost 210.60 Euros.

Plus, wouldn’t a car afford more freedom to make side trips, stop in picturesque little villages, and whatnot?
tschild, how can I find out in advance if a car is allowed into the Czech Republic? Also, what are the roads around Neuschwanstein like that time of the year? And, what is the weather, in general, like in March?

And to everyone else, I do realize that I have a lot planned. I also know that people can and do get burnt-out from trying to do too much in too short of a time and see everything.

That said, if I were going to be embarking on a three week, 15 country tour, I wouldn’t dream of going so hard. But, I figure with just one week (and who knows when I would be able to come back), I would try to make the most of it. Plus, Prague just looks like an incredible city…a photographer’s dream.

I really appreciate the input so far…anything else?

7

Go with a big-name rental company, book in advance, and confirm that you can do this. It shouldn’t be a big deal, but they may need to ensure extra documents are provided. Oh, and don’t forget to budget for fuel costs - in Germany they’re currently over twice those in the US.

8

One tank of gas will make up the difference, and then some.

Neuschwanstein is beautiful, but I wouldn’t skip out on Munich to see it. The Deutsches Museum (sort of the German Smithsonian) is in Munich, and that’s a day all by itself. And see if you’re going to be there during Fasching; it’s sort of the German (or just Bavarian) version of Mardi Gras, and they celebrate it in Munich. In favor of Neuschwanstein is that you’re already seeing two great cities, and the trip to the castle would get you out in the countryside a bit.

I sort of hate to say it, but if you have to cut out one city, I’d suggest Berlin. Checkpoint Charlie and the preserved section of the Wall are fascinating because that stuff happened during my lifetime. I mean, a few steps in the Death Strip is a pretty damn powerful history lesson. But apart from that, it’s a pretty modern city. In Prague, you can see where the Catholic envoys were thrown out of a castle window and started the Thirty Years War.

Be careful with unregulated taxis in Prague, they will seriously gouge tourists.

I took the trains everywhere when I was in Europe, and you just can’t beat the convenience. They’re on time and comfortable, and in Munich and Prague they put you right in the middle of the city and can hook you up with tourist info, maps, and everything you need to get around the city. Berlin doesn’t have one central train station (though they were working on one about a year ago, so maybe it’s finished); if you do take the trains to/from Berlin, pay attention to which station you’ll be at. Check the prices for a Eurail pass, different countries and durations; unlimited trips and it might save you some money. If you go for that, you’ll need to buy it before you leave.

On the other hand, driving there is a blast, if you like a challenge. I rented a car there for one weekend. Know the rules, especially for when you’re on the Autobahn. (Basically, never pass on the right, stay to the right unless you’re passing someone, and closing speeds are much higher than you’re used to so pay attention far ahead and behind.) Also, the road networks are complex and completely unfamiliar, and the cities aren’t the usual grids, so be ready for some tricky navigation. If you have the option of a car with a navigation computer, take it. Mine was a godsend, once I figured out how to reset it to English.

However you travel and whatever you see, it should be fantastic.

9

Well, I’ll be leaving one week from tomorrow. I’ve got my passport handy and my undies ironed. I still need to get one of those plug converters for the outlets there.

Any other last minute tips or advice?

10

Don’t underestimate the effect of this.

It is very easy to become disoriented in an unfamiliar gridless city where you don’t have a mental map of the place, especially when it’s cloudy. I found Londin confusing and I was travelling on foot and by tube! At least I could stop and look anround and check out my map. I can only imagine what it would be like when driving an unfamiliar car in an unfamiliar country.

11

In Berlin, you can do a double decker bus tour to get a great feel for the city while not having to deal with finding a parking spot ( a nightmare in any big city.)

There is also KaDeWe which is short for something else that I cannot remember and I am sure DMark will trot in and give better tips. It is a fantastic shopping center ( spelled with $$$) where you can dress like one of those trendy Jans and Hans’ for a buttload of euros.

Potsdam has Sans Souci (amongst other large mansions/castles) of the past royalty. That is a good day trip in itself with loads of walking.
You could also do a day trip into Poland from Berlin. Not so much to do, but it will make you thankful for what you have. (we went into Poland by Berlin and drove North to the other major enterance that is something like Sczercinszin. Like a backwards C we drove. Beautiful and very poor. It’s like Mexico without the weather, beaches or location.

12

Holy moly, what an itinerary! :eek:

You’ll be doing a lot of driving. Which can be fun, but if I were you, I’d spend more time in either Munich or Prague, and ditch one of the two. Either city is gorgeous - I lean towards Prague as the prettiest, but both are worth a 2 to 3 day visit, easily.

A rental for a week, for €196… that makes it sound like you went for the lower end of the scale. Understandable, but bear in mind that Autobahn driving in a 1.1 litre Volkswagen Lupo will be an uncomfortable experience. And a rather unnerving one, seeing as everyone around you will pass you with 100 km/h+ differences in their Beemers and Porsches. :smiley:

You’ll be doing a lot of clicks, and you’ll want to travel fast (and in Germany, you can). Invest in a decent car that’ll do at least a cruising speed of 180 km/h. And yes, expect to spend at least twice that rental price on fuel, if not more.

Taking a rental into the Czech Republic shouldn’t be a problem, really. You need a special sticker for travel on Czech roads. It can be picked up right after the border, and will cost you about €10-15 if memory serves (I drove to Prague about 2 years ago). There is vast differences in driving styles between Germany and Czech, though. Pay close attention to what you’re doing, because Prague can be a bit hectic if you’re not used to European inner city driving. The Germans, whilst fast, are mostly very courteous drivers, unless your car has yellow plates and an NL-sticker on the rear. :wink:

13

I would suggest seeing a Schlachtplatte with an accompanying selection of fine local beers. It truly is an imposing sight and an authentically German one at that :cool:
Just remember to have a packet of alka-seltzer handy…

14

Wow- just saw this! Agree with Coldfire, mega plans afoot!

I would seriously re-consider that much in that time. Too hectic and the amount of time spent driving means that you will see less of the destinations and a whole lotta rolling countryside. Which is pretty, but, in the end, if you’ve seen 100 kilometers of rolling countryside, you’ve seen it all…

Seriously consider the trains. Berlin to Prague in 5 hours (7am to noon and you are good to go). Overnights to/from Munich. There’s a 3pm to 8 pm train from here to Leipzig (and if you buy the tickets for your trip to Leipzig AND then to Berlin here, they will be cheaper by a lot).

However you get here, Prague castle area is great to wander around in. Start up there and then wander down into town, cross Charles Bridge, then meander into Old Town. Public transport is great, so you won’t use the car. In fact, do you have a hotel lined up that has parking? They’re not in every hotel, especially the cheap ones. And those that do have them will charge you extra…

Trains, the best way to travel Europe!

-Tcat

15

Prague: everything! I spent a week there with Mom and Bro-who-is-single last August. The castle is gorgeous; I loved St Vitus; when in doubt, we give Mom something Mucha or Gaudi-related so she was in shocked bliss for the first three days. My brother took at least two dozen pictures of “the dancing houses”. We took a day trip to Karlstejn (gorgeous) but otherwise stayed in town.

I second… uhm… threecond or whatever… the suggestion of using trains. I get lost on central european geography, but maybe you can stick Cescy Krumlov in there.

Trains are nice because Someone Else Drives Them and after a few hours of rolling hills you can fall asleep (or semi). You can get an Europass for those specific countries which will make them cheaper (European trains are a lot cheaper than Amtrax).

The subway in Prague is also the best I’ve ever seen. The signs are very clear and they stop enough time for people to get off and back on; you could detect the “newbie” Spaniards and Italians because we all stayed very close to the door (we’d get cured of it after 24 hours top).

16

One very important note.

The A9 (between Berlin and Munich) is a 4-lane highway for a lot of its distance, and there are no speed limits. Make sure you’re confident at driving for long distances on a road that’s very narrow by US standards at speeds around 100-120 mph.

17

Probably while being overtaken fairly regularly.
A german colleague giving me a lift got his BMW past 140mph or so (238kph I think). I’ve been in the back of a taxi doing 90mph on the autobahn in the dark while the driver was flipping through his road atlas finding the little town my hotel was in. Germans are very comfortable with high speeds, which can be disconcerting for foreigners.

18

Thank you for the opinions one and all.

A decided to change my itenerary just a bit and spend two nights in Praha instead of one. That will give me one solid day (Thursday) to see the sights there.

One final question, what kinds of crowds will I encounter in Munchen, Neushwanstein, and Praha this time of the year?

Oh, and Tomcat, would you want to meet for a beer next Thursday evening? First one’s on me.

Again, thanks for the opinions and advice, and I’ll let you know how it went when I get back.

Tschüss!

19

I just saw this thread now so it’s probably too late to offer any constructive advice. I agree with most of the points here about the number of things you’re trying to achieve. If I had to cut out anything it’d be the time in Berlin, it’s my least favorite of all these places by a fairly wide margin. We took a unbeliveably cool walking tour with this old, ex-British inteligence officer that was great (about 10 hours of walking the city). His stories were amazing. But still, it pales in comparison to how cool Munich, Prague and Neuschwanstein are. Maximuze your time in those places. I agree that cutting out Prague and saving it for another trip would be a good idea, but if you’re unlikely to be back then Prague is a can’t miss.

Shorten the stay in Berlin, skip or shorten Leipzig. Here’s what my itinerary would look like if you decide that you can;t miss Prague this time around:

Friday: Arrive in Berlin
Saturday and Sunday: See Berlin and Potsdam
Monday: Rent a car and drive to Munich
Tuesday: Explore Munich and its environs (Neuschwanstein)
Wednesday: Leave Munich and drive to Prague
Thursday: Explore Prague
Friday: Leave Prague and stop by Leipzig
Saturday: Return to Berlin, return car
Sunday: Return home

If you can get back sometime soon to see Prague as it’s own trip, HIGHLY recommended, then perhaps you can use that extra time to visit Innsbruck and see the Alps. By doing so you could extend your stay in Munich and Leipzig and Neuschwanstein would be somewhat on the way.

20

Hi-

I might be having a Pilsner with a friend that runs an expat community website here…I’m sure it would be fine for you to join us. Send me an email where/when you will be. I can also get you cheap rates at hotels through my work, just let me know your price range.

-Tcat