My wife and I are heading to Germany at the end of August. we’ll be there for a week and our plans to see family fell through so we need a new plan. So I turn to you Dopers, what should we see in Germany. We’ll have 5 days free to do the tourist thing. We’ll be starting in Brunsbuttel (sp?) if it matters. Any and all suggestions are welcome. Thanks!
PS: Anyone know the best way to get from Frankfurt to Brunsbuttel? Thanks again!
First thing, get out of Frankfurt…no offence to people who live there, but for first time USA tourists, it has all the charm of Gary, Indiana. (I would be able to show you some cool things there, but they are few and far apart).
I do not know Bunsbuttel (?), but if it is a small village, it could be just what you are looking for. Lots of small, “unheard of” villages still retain the charm and local color you are probably looking for.
Very touristy, but still fun, are the boat cruises on the Lorelei with stops at castles.
Other large cities, such as Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, and Munich all have great nightlife, great museums and usually some pretty good concerts/opera/cabarets.
One “trick” to travelling throughout Europe or just within Germany: Look at a map. Find point A (your landing location) and pick a point Z (a destination). Buy a train ticket from A to Z.
The “trick”? These tickets have a period of validity (check for sure, but I think standard is 3 months?) As long as you are going in one general direction (due East for example) you can get off the train anywhere along the route (for an hour, a day or even longer) and then get back on the next train going in that direction. This way, when looking out the window, you can just see what looks pretty/interesting and get off. Find a cheap local pension/inn and discover the area by foot or bike or rental car (beware of cars, they drive like madpeople over there and gas is about $5 gallon!).
This is the best way to discover the country on your own.
Also, most major train station are pretty much in the middle of town, and all of them have a tourist center that will fill you in on the availablitly and price of hotels - from cheap to top of the line, as well as local events that are happening at the moment.
Speaking of cars however, should you have $$$$$$, you could always buy a Mercedes or BMW (cheaper there) for export, drive it around and have it shipped by boat back to USA (now considered “used” and thus cheaper than new).
Should you not have $$$$$, then stick with train plan.
Many, not most, Germans speak some English. Speak slowly and clearly, avoiding slang/idioms (ie do not say: What’s a schnitzel gonna set me back? - instead try “How much does a schnitzel cost?”). Simple words, simple sentences and you get simple answers.
Go into any department store while you are there…great name brands off the rack for a pittance compared to what you pay here, plus cheaper souvenirs and postcards than the tourist traps in the center of towns.
Be careful of the beer…goes down well, but MUCH higher alcohol content.
You can use ATM machines with your US debit cards.
Chocolate…need I say more…
You will have a great time!
Viel Spass! (have fun).
(I hope this doesn’t post twice, but I seem to be having problems submitting this to the board this morning…forgive me.)
Thanks for the info. Brunsbuttel is a bit north of Hamburg. We definitely are not getting a car, I have heard how bad it is for drivers that are not used to their driving style.
drink beer. purchase Michael Schumacher paraphanalia. visit the Mercedes and BMW factorys. drink more beer, with various sausage and cabbage dishes.
thats what **I ** would do.
Plenty of time to learn basic german phrases; learn their tipping procedures (in Bavaria, at least, leaving money on the table is considered pretty rude, or at least used to be.)
Their chocolate is excellent and cheap, I was buying 100g bars for around 25 cents, I believe I spent around 150DM on chocolate, coffee, mustard, krauterbutter, wine, etc.
Buying a car and shipping it back isn’t as simple as it sounds, only export versions can be practically shipped back, although it still will save you some buckage.
Visit the Fishmarket in Hamburg. Take a short cruise on the Elbe. Check and see if the Museumsueferfest* (23-25 August) is going on while you are in Frankfurt, it’s a cool festival mostly on the south side of the Main river, all of the Museums along there are open and free, arts and crafts sales, some music and the beer and grilled food thing all in one place.
Some links:
A Germany Tourism link with a customisable guide to events.
Germany Tourism Net
*Museumsueferfest site is under construction, book mark it and check back in a month or so. Definitely worth a look if you are anyway in Frankfurt.
Go to the Deutsches Museum in Munich. It’s mainly concerned with technology and various types of engineering topics. It’s huge and probably the best touristy thing I’ve seen in Europe. Well, it’s a tie with the Louvre but it’s that good.
Well, you could always attack France. They’re easy.
Or Poland, for that matter.
Get lost wandering. Talk to locals. Eat regional foods. Drink tons of German beer. Tour a castle.
If you want to stay in Northern Germany, I’ve heard the North Sea Islands are quite nice, as is Sylt up by Denmark.
If you have time, I’d certainly recommend Heidelberg. It’s pretty much the epitome of a quaint university town. Freiburg is also nice, and a great hub from which to explore the Black Forest.
If you’re into idyllic settings then these two towns are the ones for you.
If you want to see the world’s largest cuckoo clock you can also pop into Triberg (also in the Black Forest). Of course, there’s better things to do in Germany than check out oversized timekeeping devices…
Frankfurt is best avoided. Berlin, a must if you want culture, action, plenty of things to do, etc. The Bavarian alps are quite beautiful, and I have a soft place in my heart for Munich (München). The English Gardens there are beautiful, the beer halls are gemütlich, and for a big city it’s pretty relaxed.
The Autobahns aren’t as bad as you’d think. I’ve driven on them and, as an American driver, I’ve encountered no problems. Just remember that Europeans are very strict about lane usage compared with America. Do NOT pass on the right, and use the far left lane ONLY for passing or cruising at 200 kph. German drivers tend to be awfully impatient if you clog up the left lane for them, even if you are passing another car. You’ll probably see plenty of Mercedes flashing you.
Contrary to popular belief, the better section of the Autobahn DOES have speed limits. Pay attention to the signs. And regardless, the autobahn is rarely uncongested enough to allow Formula One-style driving. But the average speed is certainly quite higher than in the US. Probably something akin to 85 miles per hour. But it is extrememly safe.