Arriving at Oberwesel © Travel Signposts

Oberwesel, a town in Rhineland-Palatinate, is a regular stop for the river cruises that ply the Middle Rhine River.

As the river boat approaches this historic town, the castle on the hill and fortification towers point towards Oberwesel’s role as a medieval fortress. In fact, Oberwesel’s medieval character is one of the best preserved amongst the towns along the Middle Rhine Valley. The town is surrounded by an impressive medieval city wall which is mostly intact and of the 21 original defensive towers along the city wall, 16 are still standing.

Medieval Oberwesel

Visitors to Oberwesel can get a good sense of what this town looked like in the Middle Ages. Parts of the city wall have been restored and allows the visitor to walk along it and enjoy views of the Rhine. And if height is not a worry, you can even climb up one of the defensive towers for a spectacular view of the Rhine River.

A star attraction in Oberwesel is Schönburg Castle, one of the oldest hilltop castles in the Middle Rhine Valley. Schönburg Castle dates back to the early 12th century when it was owned by the Archbishop of Magdeburg. Once occupied by various armies during the Thirty years’ War and destroyed during the Palatinate War of Succession, this Rhine castle is now a hotel - Burghotel auf Schönburg.

St. Martin's Church - Oberwesel

The other important historical landmarks in Oberwesel are the churches and abbey ruin which point to the influence and wealth of the clergy in the past. St. Martin’s Church and Wernerkapelle are both richly decorated and the attractive Liebfrauenkirche is today one of the important high Gothic churches in Germany.

Every two years, Oberwesel celebrates its medieval heritage in a pageant that is the biggest display of its kind in the Middle Rhine. The next Mittelalterliches Spectaculum (Medieval Spectaculum) is in May 2012 (Pentecost weekend).

Oberwesel and its Wine Festival

Whilst Oberwesel treasures its medieval heritage, fastforward into the 21st century, the town is today one of the largest vineyard towns in the Middle Rhine Valley. Like Assmannhausen, Oberwesel is famous for its red wine. Each year, on the first Saturday in August, the Rhine River Red Wine Festival brings lots of wine lovers to Oberwesel and its Marktplatz is a sea of visitors.

Oberwesel Hotels

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like living in a castle, why not treat yourself to a stay at the Burghotel auf Schönburg. Within the walls of this medieval castle is an exquisite hotel with great views of Oberwesel and the Rhine River Valley.  For something more modern, Hotel Augustin’s is a newly opened hotel, only 100 metres from the River Rhine and the Oberwesel boat jetty.   Or, if you prefer a traditional hotel, the Goldener Pfropfenzieher is in Oberwesel’s Old Town.  See here for the complete list of hotels in Oberwesel.

Map of Oberwesel:

Assmannshausen - A Red Wine Town

The vineyards of the Rhine Valley, we all know, are famous for their white wines (in particular the Rieslings) and their many wine festivals. There are however some towns and villages  in the Upper Middle Rhine where red is their favourite drop and Assmannshausen is one such village.

“Assmannshausen in Red”

Assmannshausen is a little wine village near Rüdesheim that is famous for its red wine. Red wine connoiseurs seek out this medieval town on the Rhine River for its annual red wine festival. Assmannshausen produces Pinot Noir and the grapes come from the “Höllenberg” (hell mountain) – see how steep it is.

“Assmannshausen in Red” is a one-day red wine festival usually held on a Saturday in May or June. During this wine festival, wine connoiseurs can enjoy the famous Assmannshäuser wines in the numerous historical taverns in the village and outdoors. And of course there’ll local food to taste and live music, including many wine songs of the Rhine.

Things to See and Do

Stroll through the town and see the lovely half-timbered houses. In Assmannshausen’s late-Gothic style church is  a 15th century Madonna. Also worth taking a look is Clemens Chapel, a 12th century basilica as well as the Niederwald hunting lodge.

On the Rhine promenade is the famous luxury hotel and guesthouse, the Hotel Krone Assmannshausen. This 450-year old historic hotel was a famous poet’s lodge in the 19th century. From Assmannshausen one can enjoy a good view of the Rheinstein Castle which is opposite the village.

Rhine River cruises are always popular.  The KD ships that ply between Koblenz and Rüdesheim stop at Assmannshausen. A recommended trip to do is on the paddle steamer, the GOETHE.

Other popular activities include guided hikes or cycling trips to the nearby vineyards.

If you’re intending to make Assmannshausen the base for your holidays, you can search for hotels,  read hotel reviews and book your Assmannshausen hotel HERE.

Map of Rhine River:

Walking the Southern Wine Road © Südliche Weinstrasse

The Rheinland-Pfalz Forest (or Rhineland-Palatinate Forest) is one of the biggest nature reserves in Europe and walking and trekking enthusiasts and nature lovers will find a world of natural beauty here. In particular, the Südliche Weinstrasse, or Southern Wine Road district, with its picturesque valleys, gently rolling slopes of vineyards and meandering streams, is ideal walking and hiking country. Many of the marked trails here take walkers past ruined medieval castles, quaint woodland cabins, taverns and village inns.

Südliche Weinstrasse Walking Trails

The Pfälzer Weinsteig and Pfälzer Waldpfad are both quality-certified premium trails. For walkers seeking a challenging trail, the 153-kilometre Weinsteig trail is among the most difficult in the Pflaz region and features over 12,000 metres of climbs and descends. The Annweilerer Burgenweg and the Pfälzer Hüttentour are premium trails where walkers will come across castles, crags, cabins, forests and vineyards on a one-day tour. For longer walking tours lasting several days, there are several pristine trekking sites where walkers can pitch tents for the night.

A walk along the Pfälzer Mandelpfad trail is highly recommended, especially during the almond blossom season in March. With the almond groves covered by almond blossoms, the landscape is a sea of pink.

Almond Blossoms Season © Südliche Weinstrasse

The Pfälzer Mandelpfad is a 60 km trail and walkers can follow the pink band along the fragrant Palatinate almond path, starting from the almond flower village of Gimmeldingen at Neustadt up to Bad Bergzabern in the Southern Palatinate close to the French border. Gimmeldingen is famous for the Gimmeldinger Mandelblütenfest (Gimmeldingen Almond Blossom Festival), which also the first wine festival in the year.

To take the hassle out of organizing your own walk, the Southern Wine Road Association has walking tour packages that include B&B accommodation, luggage transfer, chocolate tasting, wine tasting and a sightseeing visit. For further information on booking the Pfälzer Mandelpfad walking holiday package email the Südliche Weinstrasse at info@suedlicheweinstrasse.de or telephone (0 63 41) 940-408.

The Pfälzer Keschdeweg trail, which follows a striking line of chestnut trees from Neustadt to Hauenstein, is a must in June, when the air is filled with the scent of chestnut blossom. Autumn is also a good time for a walking tour, when the delicious chestnuts are ripe and can be bought at the chestnut markets in Hauenstein, Annweiler and Edenkoben.

Getting to Südliche Weinstrasse is easy. The main station in Kaiserslautern is the gateway to the Palatinate Forest and can be reached quickly and easily by the InterCityExpress.

For more information on walking in Germany, walking trails and walking tour packages, contact the Südliche Weinstrasse.

Information:
Southern Wine Road Association
National Tourist Board
Cross Mill 2, 76829 Landau
Tel : 06341/940407
Website: www.suedlicheweinstrasse.de

You can also search your own Rhineland-Palatinate hotels, read hotel reviews and book your hotel HERE >

Walking in Moselle by Moselland Tourism

For the intrepid walker, walking holidays in Germany is now much easier, especially for those who would like to explore the Mosel region. Hiking is a National sport in Germany and whether you wish to do the more challenging seven-day Moselle Hills Trails or prefer to amble along the shorter and gentler three-day Moselle Crest Trails, the latest offerings of hiking holidays by Moselland Tourism cover a spread of walking trails for walkers. And, the great news is that you can walk from one destination to another without having to worry about luggage – yes, your luggage can be transferred to your next destination.

The walking tours offered by Moselland Tourism is not just about pounding the grounds of the Moselle region.  The walks will allow visitors to explore the winegrowers’ villages and towns and to experience the typical Moselle atmosphere.  The walking holiday package not only covers your B&B accommodation but also includes a sightseeing tour, a wine tasting session and on the longer walks, a river boat cruise on the Moselle River. Hiking maps and information on the walks are provided.

Sample 7-day Walking Holidays

From Trier to Zell:

This walk starts from Trier, the oldest city in Germany, to the small Moselle town of Zell. The walk is covered in 5 daily stages of 12 to 25 km. Your evening stops on this walk are in the towns of Trier, Mehring, Klüsserath, Lieser, Traben-Trarbach and with two nights in Zell where you will also stay for the weekend.

From Traben-Trarbach to Kobern-Gondorf:

This hike starts from the art-nouveau city of Traben-Trarbach on the central Moselle and finishes at Kobern-Gondorf on the lower Moselle. The walk is covered in 5 daily stages of 13 to 20 km. Your evening stops on this walk are in the towns of Traben-Trarbach, Zell, Bremm, Treis-Karden, Hatzenport and with two nights in Kobern-Gondorf where you will spend another two relaxing days.

Sample 3-day Walking Holidays

Walking in Mosel © Moselland Tourism/InMotion

From Nittel to Trier:

This walk starts from Nittel, goes through Wasserliesch and on to Trier and is completed in two stages of 14 km each. In Nittel high dolomite and limestone cliffs form an impressive panoramic landscape. Wasserliesch is surrounded by protected natural areas and offers the opportunity to discover rare species of orchids. The target of the second stage is Trier a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

From Piesport to Traben-Trarbach

The first day of this walk is from Piesport to Bernkastel-Kues (19 km) where walkers will find the Wine Cultural Centre with a Vinothek (enoteca) and the Wine Museum. The next day the target of the walk is Traben-Trarbach (16 km). There you will visit the Museum of the Middle Moselle. A taxi transfer to Piesport will be organised for the return journey.

These walking tour packages are great for those contemplating walking in Germany, but don’t want to do their own research and planning. The walking holiday packages are very reasonably priced as well – approximately 350 € p.p. for the 7-day walk and 185 € for the shorter walks (based on double occupancy).

For more information on these walking holiday tours contact:

Moselland Tourism
Kordelweg 1
54470 Bernkastel-Kues
Tel     : +49 (0)6531 97330
Email:  info@mosellandtouristik.de
Web   :  www.mosellandtouristik.de

Cycling in Mosel - Photo Courtesy Mosel Tourism

For the illustrious cyclist who wants to enjoy cycling holidays in Germany, the Mosel Tourist Board is making biking holidays in the Mosel region much easier.

The Mosel is one of Germany’s most beautiful rivers and the Mosel Valley’s reputation as a fine wine-growing region is well-known. Impressive stretches of wine terraces, picturesque wine-growing towns, imposing castles, Roman monuments all combine to form a scenic landscape to provide a wide variety of sights and experiences for the visitor. Whilst many people arrive by car, by boat, or on tour coaches, it’s just as possible to enjoy the beautiful Mosel region on a leisurely cycling holiday.

To attract visitors who would like to enjoy cycling holidays in Germany, the Mosel Tourist Board have put together some cycling routes, such as the Mosel Cycle Route, and biking holiday packages to assist those who wish to tour Germany by bike.

Cycling in the Moselland Region

The new “Cycling in the Moselland Region” publication by Moselland Tourism, provides cycling enthusiasts with an extensive overview of the bicycle tours available in the Moselle wine region. As specialists in bicycle tours to the Moselland region, they are able to offer various tours on the Mosel-cycling-track. The bicycle trips can last anywhere between two and seven days depending on how much you want to do on your cycling holiday.  And, the great thing is that you can book the bicycle tours in stages and use them as a basis for day trips or as a round trip. You can also pre-book your accommodation and, if desired, luggage transportation.

Cycling in Moselland - Photo courtesy of Moselland Tourism

An example of the cycling holiday is the seven-day cycling tour to the annual BUGA – Federal Horticultural Show in Koblenz. In this cycling tour, cyclists will head along the Moselradweg track in four one-day stages from Trier to Koblenz, have a two-day stopover in Trier and the cycling tour is capped off with a stay in Koblenz to attend the Federal Horticultural Show on the banks of the Rhine.

Built into your itinerary is time to stop and enjoy the many cultural highlights along the way, a sightseeing tour in Trier, and a wine tasting session.

The cycling tour package includes seven nights at selected properties, a guided tour and combo ticket for the Roman buildings in Trier, a regional dinner, a wine-tasting session, a cruise on the Moselle River and a day pass to the horticultural show, including the cable car ride.  And of course your cycling route and map will be provided.  For the latest biking tour prices and further information check the Mosel Tourist Board website.  If you prefer to select your own Mosel region hotels, you can search, read hotel reviews and book your Mosel hotels here.>

Information:
Mosellandtouristik GmbH
Kordelweg 1, D-54470 Bernkastel-Kues
Telephone: +49 (0)6531-97330
Website : www.mosellandtouristik.de/en/

Mosel Region - Photo by Moselland Tourism..

Germany has 13 distinct wine regions and the Mosel, although fifth in terms of production, is undoubtedly the most famous of it’s wine regions internationally.

The Mosel (or Moselle in French) region covers the Saar, Ruwer and Mosel river valleys and no matter from which direction or by whichever of the roads or rivers you arrive, vineyards dominate the countryside. This is ever more evident when you’re looking up the slopes from a Mosel River cruise boat. That is why these three rivers form a common wine growing region with its Riesling wine being one of the finest in the world. Although Mosel is famous mainly for its Riesling grape, Elbling and Müller-Thurgau are also produced here.

Le Terroir

The Mosel region is known for its steep slopes with vineyards overlooking the river.  The Keuper and layers of shell limestone, which provide excellent conditions especially for the Elbling vines, border the wide valley that guides the Upper Mosel.

Near Trier, Germany’s oldest city, the Mosel valley expands into the soft new red sandstone layers of the valley. Here, it then widens before the river cuts its path in huge loops from Schweich through the Rhenish slate mountains to separate the Eifel from the Hunsrück. This is how the steep slopes formed and here the Central Mosel valley begins.

The Lower Mosel region from Zell is marked by elaborately laid out wine terraces, which is why this region is also known as the ‘terraced Mosel’. The steep slopes capture the heat of the sun and the deeply rooted vines collect minerals from the soil, resulting in the immense elegance and unique taste to the Mosel wines. For this reason, the Riesling produced in the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer region is amongst the world’s best.

Tour of the Mosel Wine Growing Region

The mild climate of the Mosel is not only conducive for wine growing, but it also makes the Mosel region an attractive year-round holiday destination.Visitors can be sure of enjoying the hospitality of the Mosel folk as well as the region’s historical towns and romantic timber-frame villages.

Mosel Wine Region - Photo by Moselland Tourism

Moselland Tourism, in cooperation with the region’s businesses, have put together a fully arranged wine tour for those who wish to explore the fifth largest of Germany’s wine regions.

Over four entertaining wine tasting sessions wine lovers will become acquainted with a number of Mosel wines and typical vintner cuisine.  Also, a visit to a Viticulture Museum documents the life and work of the vintner.

What is the Package?

From 322 Euro per person in a double room, Moselland guests will stay in B&Bs in selected vineyards, wine hotels or guest houses. The package is predominantly aimed at couples and small groups and it is possible to do this by bike, on foot or by car. Arrival is on Sunday and departure on Friday with dates available all year round.

Package:
• 5 x B&B in selected vineyards, wine hotels or guest houses, accommodation with SH/WC
(The accommodation comprise of 1 x Lower Moselle location, 1 x Central Moselle, 1 x Ruwer, 1 x Saar, 1 x Upper Moselle)
• 4 x wine-tasting sessions (Lower Moselle, Central Moselle, Saar, Upper Moselle)
• 1 x Moselle/Saar/Ruwer wine-tasting in the Kues wine boutique
• 1 x 4-course menu with appropriate wines

Price per person: Double Room 322 €, Single Room 382 €.  Included in the package are Road maps and a folder with extensive information.

Above is just one example of several fully-arranged packages by the Mosel Tourism Board which takes visitors to the world of the famous wine region of the Riesling grape and to romantic locations along the Mosel River.  The Mosel region is also busy with wine festivals from Spring right through to Fall, so it’s possible to plan your visit to coincide with a festival.

For further information and booking enquiries, contact the Moselland Tourism below:

Mosellandtouristik GmbH
Kordelweg 1, D-54470 Bernkastel-Kues
Phone: +49 (0)6531-97330
Email: info@mosellandtouristik.de
Website: www.mosellandtouristik.de/en/

Search and read reviews on Mosel hotels here >

Part 2 of our Highlights of Germany tour post covers Day 5 till the end of the tour (see part 1 here >). As with the first part of this post, the sections in blue are from the brochure, followed by my comments in the white panels.

DAY 5: Berlin (Sun.) Once the city of contrasts, with the Wall separating two different worlds, fascinating Berlin has since developed into a harmonious blend of new and old, preserving its historical buildings and impressive neo-classical boulevards as well as creating brand new buildings in modern architectural styles. See all of this on the included city sightseeing tour, with a local guide. This afternoon, enjoy an optional excursion to historic Potsdam to visit the landscaped gardens of Sanssouci Park, and the Cecilienhof Castle. (B) Hotel: Abba Berlin (4*)

Berlin Marathon © Travel Signposts Today’s program was switched around as the Berlin Marathon was on and many of the streets in the city centre were closed off. The afternoon optional excursion to Potsdam was swapped to the morning and the Berlin sightseeing tour was moved to the afternoon when hopefully the Marathon would be over.We’ve been to Potsdam before so we didn’t join in this optional. After a leisurely breakfast we went down the road to watch the Marathon and then made our way to Brandenburg Tor to watch the runners finishing at the Brandenburg Gate. We’ve not had much luck with the weather so far and it was quite a cold and wet day. On the train ride to the Brandenburg Gate we saw a runner who had pulled out of the race. Inspite of the metallic blanket that he had, he was shaking from the cold. We hadn’t planned on watching the Berlin Marathon, but did enjoy it. It was inspiring watching the ordinary runners making it to the Brandenburg Gate. The pained, but determined looks on their faces showed the courage of these runners. We then walked around Friedrichstrasse and had a nice cup of coffee at the famous Café Einstein. As it looked like we were not going to make it back for the city sightseeing tour we decided to stay in town. This turned out to be a good decision as our travel companions said that the coach had great difficulty getting near some of the tourist sights due to the road closures. Two of the ladies weren’t very impressed when the coach left them behind at the Brandenburg Gate and they had to find their own way back to the Abba Hotel. This can happen so be warned.

DAY 6: Berlin – Dresden – Leipzig (Mon.) This morning, visit Dresden, the old capital of Saxony and often called ‘the Florence of the Elbe’, to experience this beautiful city effortlessly blending the traditional and the modern. Take an included tour of the sights today including the Zwinger Carillon Pavilion, the beautifully restored Frauenkirche and much more. Later, continue to Leipzig, where the great composers Johann Sebastian Bach and Felix Mendelssohn lived the last years of their lives. The city is home to the renaissance Old Town and St Nicholas Church – the site where the ‘peaceful revolution’ was born, which led, eventually, to the reunification of Germany. Laden with historical architecture and a vibrant cultural scene, Leipzig is your base for tonight. (B, D) Hotel: Ramada Treff (4*)

Leipzig © Travel Signposts 8 a.m. departure, in heavy rain, for Dresden. Dresden was the only destination so far where we had a local guide to take us around. Unfortunately, as it was raining, she took us to the Residenz art gallery for shelter and from there she gave a very rushed history of Dresden.We had a quick tapas lunch and then wondered down to the river for a few shots. Next destination was Leipzig which was a 1-1/2 hour drive on the autobahn. Before arriving in the city, we made a quick stop at the monument to the Battle of the Nations for photo snaps, but the wet weather had gotten to many of our fellow travellers who weren’t keen on getting out in the rain. At Leipzig the coach stopped near St. Thomas Church where Bach’s tomb lies. After St. Thomas we walked to the old town centre. Leipzig is a city that’s associated with many composers and for those who love classical music, you can discover Leipzig on a Music Trail. Other Leipzig attractions include the historic Auerbachs Keller, the Mädler Passage, the Leipzig Altes Rathaus (Old City Hall) and the Leipzig Alte Handelsbörse. Our hotel tonight was the Ramada at Schongauer Strasse and not the scenic Ramada Treff as in our original document. The hotel was about 25 minutes drive from Leipzig town centre. Our non-smoking room smelled badly of stale cigarette so we asked to be moved. Apart from the soap dispenser in the bath, there was no other collateral in the room, not even a piece of soap for the wash basin. Tony rang room service and that we were missing shampoo, soap, etc. and was advised that only in the Business class rooms do they provide these. The buffet dinner didn’t look too interesting for us, so we stuck with having salad only which was fine. Breakfast in the morning was good.

DAY 7: Leipzig – Weimar – Coburg – Nuremberg (Tue.) Your first stop today is Weimar, renowned as an intellectual centre throughout the late 18th and early 19th centuries and former home to scholars such as Goethe, Schiller and Liszt. Famed for having the historical period ‘Weimar Republic’ named after it, the city’s cultural and architectural importance was also recognised by its appointment as a UNESCO World Heritage site. After time in Weimar, continue to Coburg to admire the mighty Veste Coburg Castle, built in 1225 and dominating the town from the hillside, before heading to Nuremberg for one night. (B) Hotel: Ramada Parkhotel (4*)

Weimar Theatre Square © Travel Signposts This was another wet and dreary day. The drive to Weimar took 1.5 hours. We dropped off near the Theatre Square where Goethe and Schiller’s statues are.We were taken on a small walk to the old city square where we had time to explore on our own. I didn’t know too much about Weimar before coming here, and was surprised at the number of things to see in this relatively small town. Weimar was home to scholars like Goethe, Schiller and Liszt, and had the reputation of being an intellectual centre throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. If you have time, you could visit Goethe’s or Schiller’s house. For those who like sausages, this is where you could try Thuringia sausage and there were a few stalls in the market square. Next stop was Coburg where we visited the Coburg Palace. There was lots to see in the Palace and with our audio guide,  we explored the rooms on our own. It took about 1 hour and it kept us out of the wet… From Coburg we drove to Nuremberg, a city with many reminders of Germany’s dark times during WWII and also famous for the Nuremberg Trials. The first stop here was the Zeppelin Fields and luckily on this visit there was no event happening and we were able to climb up to the grandstand. The TD suggested a change in itinerary here as she indicated that for us to go to the hotel and then come back to Nuremberg the next morning for sightseeing, we would be losing time. Nuremburg by Night © Travel Signposts Her suggestion was to see Nuremberg this evening and have dinner here before going to the hotel. She also hinted that having dinner at Ansbach was a little inconvenient as we would have to walk 15 minutes downhill and then back uphill after dinner.We went along with her suggestion as Nuremberg is a beautiful town, full of sightseeing attractions. There was a fair on and some of the stalls were still operating in the evening.At 8 p.m. we left for our Nuremberg hotel which had been switched from the Ramada Parkhotel Nuremberg to the Hotel am Drechselgarten in Ansbach. This was really disappointing as the Ramada Parkhotel is minutes away from Nuremberg city centre whereas Ansbach is 40 kms away. Even worse, the Hotel am Drechselgarten is not in Ansbach town but on a little hill on the fringe of town. The road up to the hotel was dark and with high bushes on both sides. For a while we thought we were lost and even the driver joked about it. It was a good thing that the TD suggested dinner in Nuremberg as it would have been difficult for the elderly travellers to walk 15 minutes downhill into Ansbach and then back uphill after dinner.

DAY 8: Nuremberg – Romantic Road – Rothenburg – Munich (Wed.) Begin with an included visit to some of Nuremberg’s highlights including Gothic churches, ancient ramparts and elegant patrician houses. Later, travel along one of Europe’s most beautiful routes, the Romantic Road, passing villages and hamlets protected by ancient medieval towers, spectacular terraced vineyards, stunning natural landscapes, picturesque half-timbered houses and richly decorated stonework. Enjoy a stop in the charming, picture-postcard town of Rothenburg, set alongside the Tauber River, before continuing on to the Bavarian capital, Munich, for two nights. (B, D) Hotel: Rivoli (3*)

Rothenburg © Travel Signposts This morning we travelled along part of Germany’s famous Romantic Road on our way to Rothenburg. What a delight, to have got off the autobahn for a change. Rothenburg is one of the highlight towns on the Romantic Road. We enjoyed the walk around the fortress wall so much that towards the end we were rushed for time.After Rothenburg we made tracks for Munich and along the way we stopped for 45 minutes at Nordlingen, a small medieval town. When we arrived at our Munich hotel, those who were doing Oberammergau transferred to another bus and left straight away. Our Munich hotel had been changed as well from the Rivoli to the Best Western Grand City Hotel, Neufarhn. The Rivoli is about 5 km to Munich’s Marienplatz whereas Neufarhn is on the train line to the airport and in fact you get off two stops before the airport. Tony asked the hotel receptionist how long it would take to travel by public transport to the city and she said that it would take about one hour to catch the bus and train. This hotel switch had put us at a disadvantage as far as location is concerned.

DAY 9: Munich (Thur.) Often called ‘Germany’s secret capital’, experience the best of Munich today on an included city sightseeing tour, with a local guide. Take time to admire the beautiful main square, Marienplatz, perhaps do some shopping, or stop and sip its most famous product: beer. There are several optional excursions for you to choose from so you can tailor today to best suit you and really make the most of this fantastic city. (B) Hotel: Rivoli (3*)

Hofbrauhaus Dray © Travel Signposts This morning we left at 8:30 a.m. for our Munich sightseeing tour, but first we had to pick up the local guide from the BMW Centre. This centre is huge and impressive. We arrived in town at about 9 a.m. and toured Munich town by coach. Later, we got off at the Opera House Square and walked to Marienplatz for the 11 a.m. Glockenspiel. Marienplatz was full of tourists and the whole area was quite lively.We had free time after the Glockenspiel so we went to the the famous Viktualienmarkt just off the square. This market is much larger than I had imagined and it was a great place to visit, full of stalls and people having beers and snacks. We had to rush somewhat as we wanted to get to the Oktoberfest. From Marienplatz we caught the S-Bahn to Oktoberfest, which was easy enough. There were streams of people making their way there so by just following the crowd, we arrived at the Theresienwiese Oktoberfest grounds.  Actually, our timing was impeccable.  The colourful and beautifully decorated Hofbrauhaus dray had just arrived causing much excitement amongst visitors. I was surprised at how enjoyable Oktoberfest was to visit, even for a non-beer drinker like myself. The sun showed its face which made walking around the Oktoberfest grounds much more pleasant. From Oktoberfest we went back to Marienplatz to explore the city centre a little further before catching the train back to Neufarhn. The hotel receptionist was right, you do have to allow about an hour for the train and bus connections plus travel time to the Best Western Grand City Hotel, Neufarhn. We got back with just enough time to have a quick shower and then we were out again to the Hofbräuhaus in the city centre for an Oktoberfest evening. We thought the atmosphere here was a little flat and our visit to the Oktoberfest grounds at Theresienwiese in the afternoon was more enjoyable.

DAY 10: Munich – Neuschwanstein – Black Forest (Fri.) Visit the most famous 19th century neo-romantic castle in the world: King Ludwig II’s Neuschwanstein Castle. This spectacular fairytale-styled castle is perched high in a dominant cliff-top position overlooking the frontier town of Füssen. This afternoon, continue across this breathtaking landscape to the Black Forest for one night. (B, D) Hotel: Treff at Bad Herrenalb (3*)

It was a 7.30 a.m. departure this morning as we had to pick up the folks who went to Oberammergau before heading for Neuschwanstein. They looked weary when they got on the coach, but enjoyed their Oberammergau experience. Treff Hotel where we were to stay At Neuschwanstein, a minibus brought us up to the castle. There were supposed to be two buses, but we jammed into one to save time. At the Castle we had a 30-minute guided tour, which was excellent. It would have been nice to be able to spend more time there but King Ludwig’s castle is a busy place and group after group of visitors are processed through the place. After the castle visit we took the horse-drawn carriage down to Hohenschwangau for the experience. We probably would have got down just as quickly on foot, as we had to change horses halfway, but riding the carriage was easier on the feet! After Neuschwanstein, it was back onto the autobahn for the Black Forest. On the way, there was a stop at a cuckoo-clock place for those who wanted to shop. Substitute hotel in Offenbach Our Black Forest hotel was supposed to be the Treff at Bad Herrenalb and here again was another hotel substitution which was very disappointing. Like our travel companions, we had looked up the Treff at Bad Herrenalb and were much looking forward to an evening at this Black Forest retreat. Instead, we ended up at the Palmengarten Hotel, a hotel that was certainly not of an ‘equivalent standard’ to the Treff. Our TD suggested that we should have dinner on arrival at 7:30 p.m. or else we may have to wait to 8.30 or 9.00 pm. The group agreed with her suggestion, but the service was rather slow and the mains arrived at 8.30 p.m., so we gained nothing from starting at an earlier time.

DAY 11: Black Forest – Heidelberg – Frankfurt (Sat.) Today, head to Heidelberg for a short visit to the medieval Old Town with its pretty cobbled streets, lovely gateway and charismatic central square. Home to Germany’s oldest and best-known university, the city is also regarded as the inspiration and source of myths for the German Romantic movement. From here, continue to Frankfurt for one night. (B) Hotel: Holiday Inn Frankfurt City(4*)

This morning we headed for Heidelberg, a favourite German town. We had free time to explore on our own. We didn’t think we’d have much time to go up to the castle so we walked all over the old city centre. After Heidelberg we drove to Frankfurt and instead of the Holiday Inn Frankfurt, we were put into the Tryp Hotel in Katharinenkreisel. This Tryp Hotel is convenient for getting to Frankfurt Airport, but to get to the city there is a walk to the train station and about 15 minutes on the train to the Central Station. From the Central Station we walked to the old town which is certainly worth visiting.

DAY 12: Frankfurt (Sat.) Transfer to the airport for your flight home (B)

As our package did not include transfers, we caught a taxi to Frankfurt Airport and it cost Euro 25.

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SUMMARY
The itinerary for this Highlights of Germany tour is a good tour but I felt it required a few extra days so as to avoid using the autobahn so much. Germany has so much to offer the tourist and I didn’t feel that we got to see the country, except at destinations, as we were on the autobahn most of the time. The towns we visited were great.

The hotel switches were disappointing as the substituted hotels were a fair distance from the city centre, making it difficult for passengers to get into town in the evenings. Our Black Forest Hotel was supposed to be at the Treff resort in the village of Bad Herrenalb in the heart of the Black Forest. The substitution for the Palmengarten Hotel in Offenbach was particularly disappointing. We didn’t consider the substitution to be for an ‘equivalent standard’ hotel, as can be seen from the images above, and the Palmengarten Hotel was nowhere near the Black Forest.

The high number of hotel substitutions was unusual for us. As Cosmos was not able to provide the travel documentation till three weeks before the tour date, these changes were not known till quite late and by which time we were already on the road on a separate trip.

For more information on Germany, see our Germany Travel Blog >.

Germany Tour - Route Map

This is the itinerary of a 12-day Cosmos Highlights of Germany tour which we did in September 2010. It’s actually 10 days of touring when you discount the arrival and departure days.  This tour starts and ends in Frankfurt.

When we were looking for tours of Germany in 2010, Cosmos was the only tour operator that offered an itinerary covering the north of Germany.  In particular we wanted to visit towns like Hamelin and Lübeck.  Cosmos is the budget brand of the Globus Group and when we booked this tour we were aware that the hotels would be of a lesser grade than the premium tours and that they would probably be on the fringe of towns, rather than in the centre.

In  preparation for the trip, I researched a few of the hotels for the tour and emailed them to find out about internet access and transport to the city and the sightseeing attractions.

Unfortunately, some of that preparation work went to waste as by the time we joined the tour, six out of the nine hotels had been changed.

Occasionally tour operators can swap hotels due to operational reasons, however, having such a large number of hotel changes is quite unusual.  In choosing our tours, the itinerary and hotels are important considerations, so the hotel changes were very disappointing.

The itinerary for this tour was good but in discussing with our fellow travellers on the tour we found concerns about the following:

• the inconsistent standard of the hotels used
• many of the substituted hotels were a considerable distance from the city centre
• at a couple of hotels there was no porter service
• as the tour covers a huge distance in only 10 days, most of the travel was on the autobahn so we saw little of the country when we were on the road, except for a stretch along the Romantic Road

The sections in blue are from the brochure, followed by my comments in the white panels.

DAY 1: Frankfurt (Wed.) Fly to Frankfurt where you will be met and transferred to your hotel for one night. (D) Hotel:  Mercure at Friedrichsdorf (4*)

Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof © Travel Signposts The package that we bought did not include transfers so we made our own way from Frankfurt Airport to Friedrichsdorf by train and were surprised at how far out of Frankfurt the hotel was.  The Mercure Friedrichsdorf is about 25 km north of Frankfurt central station.  When we arrived at Friedrichsdorf, we shared a taxi to the hotel with another couple.  It cost Euro 5.00 which is a very small price to pay since we had no idea where the hotel was.The Mercure at Friedrichsdorf appears to be one of the hotels that Cosmos uses for its Highlights of Germany tour start hotel.  The choice of this hotel to start a tour from is ‘interesting’ as it is a long distance from the centre of Frankfurt. Apart from a large supermarket and a petrol station, there was nothing of interest near the Mercure. The tour briefing was held in a small bar downstairs and this was followed by dinner.  The bar was far too small for the size of the group.  There were not enough tables for all to have dinner at so some of us had our dinner at the bar whilst others ate at little round bar tables where you’d normally have drinks at.  The food was what I would classify as survival food, edible but nothing to write home about. The next morning, breakfast was again at the downstairs bar.  The early risers got some food, but when we arrived there was little food left, i.e. no milk, cheese, fruit or choice of breads.  The young waitress on duty was overwhelmed by requests for coffee cups, milk etc..  We did see the breakfast arriving just as we had to leave.  For a 4* hotel, one would expect better service.

DAY 2: Frankfurt – Rhine Cruise – Cologne (Thur.) Begin today with a leisurely cruise along one of Germany’s most famous rivers – the romantic Rhine. Board your cruiser and sail between steep, forested banks and awesome Rhineland panoramas. Pass the legendary Lorelei Rock, said to have been home to sirens who lured sailors to their demise, before heading to Cologne for a visit to the impressive Gothic cathedral with its breathtaking interior. (B, D) Hotel: Holiday Inn Koeln or Bonn Airport at Cologne (4*)

Rhine River Cruise © Travel Signposts The 1.5 hour Rhine River cruise was from Oberwesel to Boppard.  Cruises on the Rhine are always enjoyable, no matter how many times you’ve done it, especially when the weather is fine.  The small town of Boppard was a lunch stop.  We weren’t given any information about the town, so we just strolled along the main street and along the riverfront.Next we headed for Cologne and arrived at about 3:30 p.m.  We were given two hours to roam on our own.  Again, not much information was provided as to where to go and what to see, etc. Fortunately for us, we’ve been in Cologne on a couple of visits previously and we knew our way around. Our hotel tonight was the Ramada Bruehl (3*) and not at either of the 4* advertised hotels in the original itinerary.  The Ramada Bruehl is some 25 minutes out of Cologne so we didn’t feel inclined to try and get into town in the evening.  The hotel room was fine, but there was no air-conditioning in the room.  It was a warm day so when we arrived, the room felt like a sauna.  Tony did the wise thing and asked for a fan to be delivered to our room. Dinner was a buffet.  Breakfast was good and more in line with what we expect traditional German breakfasts to be, i.e. good choice of breads and yoghurt and fruit.

DAY 3: Cologne – Hamelin – Hamburg (Fri.) This morning, journey into the Lower Saxony region to visit Hamelin, a town made famous by the Brothers Grimm Pied Piper fairytale. Spend time exploring the beautiful medieval old town, with its Haemelschenburg Castle, the town centre’s colourful historical buildings or the Hochzeitshaus, whose elaborate gables and clockwork figures depict the Pied Piper’s tale. Later, continue to Hamburg and arrive in time for an optional harbour cruise. (B) Hotel: NH Suite Hotel or Queens (4*)

Hamelin, Pied Piper © Travel Signposts It was a 7:30 a.m. departure this morning as the drive to Hamelin was 3.5 hours.  Not many smiley faces this morning and there were complaints about hot rooms and not sleeping well.Being a long drive, there was plenty of time for our Tour Director (TD) to download on optional tours.  There was a Hamburg harbour cruise this evening to see Hamburg’s famous port area and she needed to know numbers straight away.  Cruising around the industrial port area didn’t attract too much interest initially and TD added a little ‘sweetener’ by saying that after the cruise, she would take us on a walk of the Reeperbahn district to see the nightlife. 10:30 a.m. – We stopped at a petrol station cafe for half an hour morning stop.  It had been raining and accidents have caused traffic jams. Back on the coach and TD gave a briefing on Hamelin, the legend of the Pied Piper and the German autobahn.  I think many of the  passengers were too sleepy to pay too much attention. Arrived in Hamelin at 12:00 and our TD escorted us to the Hochzeitshaus for the the glockenspiel.  We had arrived just in time for this.   After this 15 minute show, we had time for a quick lunch and a dash around the main mall. Hamelin is a beautiful town, but unfortunately, it was wet and grey.  Time here was too short as well. Drive to Hamburg hotel was two hours and the hotel tonight was the Best Western Queens.  This hotel is in the suburb of Winterhude, north from the centre of Hamburg. We were due to leave for our Hamburg Port cruise at 6 p.m., half an hour after arrival at the hotel.  After 15 minutes’ wait and no sign of our luggage, Tony went and fetched our cases.  TD tells us later that the porter at this place is notoriously slow.  Our friends who chose not to do the cruise stayed in the hotel as, like the first two destinations, there was nothing nearby except for a petrol station and a supermarket.  I believe the railway station is about 10 minutes walk from the hotel but in the wet and dark, finding one’s way into town on public transport probably wasn’t too tempting a proposition, especially after a long day on the road. Hamburg Reeperbahn © GNTB The Hamburg port cruise was in a small private boat for the group only.  There was a covered section that was heated, but after a while it got too hot.  The local guide gave commentary about all the ships in the harbour, what was being built, ship tonnages, the freight and Hamburg’s trade with the rest of the world, etc.  She was a fountain of information and even knew all the statistics about the cranes in the port.  The cruise was pleasant but unfortunately with the rain and grey night skies, photography was impossible.After the cruise, we drove through the Reeperbahn district and saw the bright lights of Hamburg’s red light district with its many clubs and discos.  Although the TD said that she would take us on a walk through the Reeperbahn, she changed her mind when the time came.  This was a little disappointing as we were hoping to get some shots of Hamburg nightlife. When we got back at the Best Western Queens, we went in search of this ‘Italian restaurant’ which was the only other place for dinner if you didn’t want to eat at the hotel.  The Paradise City Club isn’t exactly an Italian restaurant, but they do serve pizzas, pastas and some other foods.  Apart from a couple of elderly ladies there, the place was deserted which got us a little worried as to what the food might be like.  The restaurant was actually closed, but the owner said that he could do us a pizza and salad, which was all we wanted.  That was very kind of him as his mates at the back were waiting for him to join in for drinks. We were quite surprised when the pizza turned out to be quite nice and complimented the owner on this.  He was quite chuffed and stayed around to chat with us.

DAY 4: Hamburg – Lübeck – Berlin (Sat.) Enjoy an orientation drive around cosmopolitan Hamburg, Germany’s greatest maritime and second largest city. Observe the impressive merchants’ houses, glistening canals and lavish promenades before continuing to the ‘Queen of Hansa’: Lübeck. The founding city of the Hanseatic League, Lübeck was a former centre for all the sea-borne trade around the Baltic and North Seas. Still adorned with beautiful medieval and Gothic architecture, the city is considered the cultural capital of northern Germany and its oval Old Quarter is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Later, continue to Berlin for two nights in Germany’s vibrant capital. (B) Hotel: Abba Berlin (4*)

Niederegger Marzipan © Travel Signposts We were meant to depart at 8.00 this morning but there was a slight delay.  The ‘slow porter’ did not show for work this morning so the driver, TD and some of the passengers helped with loading the cases onto the coach.  TD was ropable about it!We had an orientation drive around Hamburg city centre and then were given some time to take snaps.  Being Saturday morning, most of the buildings were not due to open till about 10 a.m. so we didn’t get to see the inside of any of Hamburg’s attractions. Next stop was Lübeck.  We were dropped off at the Holstentor and it’s about a ten minute walk to the old town.  This beautiful Hanseatic League town deserves more than the two hours we had.  Lübeck is famous for its marzipan and you could spend half an hour in the Niederegger patisserie alone, admiring all the sweets.  Like most marzipan lovers, I stood in the long line to pay for my marzipan treat.  The marzipan was very good and worth the time queuing. After dashing around town, we also went up the tower of St. Peter’s Church for an aerial view of Lübeck.  This is well worth doing but you do have to watch your time as there is only one lift transporting visitors up and down the tower.  Lübeck was one of the reasons for doing this tour and this beautiful medieval town did not disappoint. After Lübeck we made tracks for Berlin and the Abba Berlin Hotel was our home for two nights.  The Abba is a smart hotel and the only one so far that was quite central.  There were several restaurants close by, so dining out was not a problem.

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See here for Part 2 of our Highlights of Germany tour itinerary >

Abba Berlin Hotel © Travel Signposts..

Our two-night stay in Berlin was at the abba Berlin Hotel, a new, design hotel that opened about a year ago.  Not being an ABBA fan, the name of the hotel caused Tony a little pre-arrival anxiety – gosh, will we be hearing non-stop ABBA music piped throughout the hotel and will we be able to escape from it. We were also quite concerned that our Berlin hotel might be yet another hotel that’s out in the sticks, as has mostly been the case on this tour.

But we needn’t have been concerned – there was no ABBA music and the abba Berlin Hotel is at Lietzenburger Strasse 89, a seven minute walk to the Uhlandstrasse U-Bahn. Although you have to make a couple of changes to get to the city attractions, the hotel is considered to be quite central and the train journeys on the U-Bahn and S-Bahn are quite easy to navigate.

Room
Our hotel room 612 was large with a big chandelier in a curved corner of the room. There is a refrigerator in the room and Wi-Fi connections, but you have to pay for usage (Euro 6.00 for 1 hour or 10.00 for 24 hours). If you don’t have your own computer, there is an internet cafe in the next street close to the abba. The rooms have wooden floor covering, but the soundproofing is very good and there was no noise from the floor above.

The collateral in the bathroom is comprehensive, with everything you would need for an overnight stay, i.e. toothbrush, toothpaste, shaving kit, body lotion, etc.

Food
Breakfast is the usual nice spread of German breads, pastries, cheeses, fresh fruit, yoghurt and the spread of cooked food – what we expect of German hotels.

What We Liked about the Abba
Its stylish designs and the chandelier in the room gives a sense of luxury, even for guests who are on tour. The lobby area has stylish designer chairs and is nicely decorated.

On Uhlandstrasse, within a five minute walk from the abba Berlin Hotel, there are numerous cafes and restaurants offering, Italian, Asian, seafood and other cuisines. Some are more formal than others and you have a choice of budgets. Also closeby is the famous Kurfürstendamm shopping street.

What We Weren’t Keen on about the Abba
The air-conditioning in our room wasn’t working.  The housekeeper should be trained to send the faults report card to room maintenance instead of hanging the card back on the door. Internet and Wi-Fi in the room should be made available free of charge.  Starbucks can provide free Wi-Fi for the cost of a cup of coffee so hotels like abba Berlin should be able to as well.

Abba has a new hotel in London Hyde Park and we will be happy to stay at this hotel again.

Book your abba Berlin Hotel here.>

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Berlin Map:

Pilatushaus and Kaiserburg

Situated on the Pegnitz River and the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal, Nuremberg (Nürnberg in German) is Franconia’s largest city. The first recorded mention of Nuremberg can be traced back to 1050 when a document signed by Emperor Heinrich III freed his serf Sigena. The document also mentions the location of the Imperial Castle.

Due to its location on key trade routes, Nuremberg became one of the main trade centres on the route from Italy to Northern Europe. One of the high points in the city’s history was in the 14th century when Charles IV named Nuremberg as the city where newly elected kings of Germany must hold their first Reichstag, making Nuremberg one of the three most prominent cities of the Empire.

Famous for the Nuremberg Trials

Nuremberg’s darkest times during its modern history were during the WWII when the Nazi Party chose Nuremberg to be site of huge Nazi Party conventions and rallies. The famous Nuremberg Trials still attract a lot of interest.

Printers and publishers have a long history in this city. Nuremberg today is a city with a very modern outlook and it has morphed itself into a major toy manufacturing centre in Europe – 30% of German toys are produced in Nuremberg.  The Nuremberg toy fair (Spielwarenmesse International Toy Fair Nürnberg) is the largest international toys and games trade fair in the world.  Nuremberg is also one of the top 15 largest trade fair centres in the world.

St. Lorenzkirche, Nuremberg

Things to See and Do in Nuremberg

For the visitor, Nuremberg is a city that’s famous for its lebkuchen (gingerbread), Nürnberger bratwurst (long thing sausages), its Christkindlesmarkt and the many other fairs and festivals.

Nuremberg old town is easy to explore on foot and most visitors will probably start their visit at the Hauptmarkt (main market square) with its Gothic Schöner Brunnen and Frauenkirche. In the next square is St. Sebaldus Kirche one of Nuremberg’s oldest churches.

The Pegnitz River carves the old town into the north and southern parts, with a Renaissance bridge, the Fleischbrücke crossing it. On the bank of the Pegnitz River stands the Heilig-Geist-Spital, the 14th century Hospital of the Holy Spirit.   St Lorenz-Kirche (St. Lorenz church), one of the most important buildings in Nuremberg, is on the southern side of the river.

For those wanting to shop, the southern part of the city is full of shopping opportunities. Walk along Karolinenstrasse and towards the end of the street there are lots of shops around the Weisser Turm and Jakobs Kirche areas.

Once a walled city visitors can still see well-preserved wall gates and towers on the fringe of the old city. Some of the other sightseeing attractions in Nuremberg include the famous Kaiserburg, Albrecht-Durer Haus in the northwest and the German Nationalmuseum on the southern fringe. Outside the old town, the popular sightseeing attractions include the Zeppelin Field and the Nuremberg Trials Memorial.

There are plenty of hotels in Nürnberg city centre and many of them are within easy reach Nuremberg Airport.

Search, reach hotel reviews and book your Nuremberg hotels HERE.