Germany tour this year recommendations

[Katies-travels]

Thinking of touring for a month would like to go Bavaria (castles) and also possibly Poland , interested also WW2 and cultural and nice to meet people.

Any recommendations greatly appreciated best month to go not too cold or wet
we have toured France and Holland so used to continental touring but would also appreciated advice on tyres as have read its compulsory to have winter tyres ? Even in summer.

Thanks in advance

 

[sciac2001]

We toured Western part of Germany last September with normal tyres.
The Rhine and Mosel are obvious places to see, we did the beautiful Black Forest and a few years back went east up to the Polish border then skirted the northern coast.
The west was definitely the best, as we found the former Eastern part quite dour.... with the exception of the main cities such as Magdeburg, Dresden and Leipzig. Berlin worth a visit if only to tick the box. A highlight for me along the boring route through was stumbling across what I can only call a salvage yard, but with many Cold War military relics left over by the Ruskies. I have no idea where this was though, sorry.
Lubeck was nice but a long way up through uninteresting scenery to get there. Munich and Baveria very nice and you can stay at the Bayern Munich footy stadium - the stadium tour well worth it.
Plus... I quite like the Germans.

 

[bladerunner]

Winter tyres are for November to March I believe

 

[Chipster]

There is a Castles Tourist Road

The Castle Road: a romantic trail of castles and palaces - Germany Travel

The name of this route really speaks for itself. Castle after castle and no end of picturesque little towns full of half-timbered buildings line the Castle Road, which spans almost 1,200 kilometres from Mannheim to Prague in the Czech Republic.

www.germany.travel

For WW2 stuff, the obvious is Bertchesgaten (Eagles Nest/Burghoff/ Zum Turkmen /Documentation Centre)

Bit left field but We thoroughly enjoyed Peenemunde (V2 rocket), Prora, Rugen. Nice white beaches. Interesting Stellplatz in the area.

 

[Grianan]

My German friends say winter tyres from O to O - October to Easter so normal tyres fine in the summer.

Last year we went down the Mosel which was lovely then headed to Heidelberg and Rothenburg ob der Tauber (stunning, wonderful place), had to miss Nordlingen and Dinklsbuhl due to time constraints but picked up the Alpenstrasse from Füssen to Königsee which was absolutely beautiful. Then headed up to Regensburg area which was also lovely.

Everyone we met was super friendly. I also spent a week in Dortmund in November and again found everyone friendly. I try really hard to speak a little German but I’m starting proper lessons this week as my vocabulary is random and extremely limited (food and drink only!!).

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[berni109]

For more detailed info use the search function(top right).
We did mosel down to the rhine then south across to the 'romantic route' for some interesting old walled towns. West across to lake constance and back via the black forest. Great tour.

 

[Landy Andy]

I will go against most on here, and say avoid the Mosel, most boring place we have been too. But each to their own. Sitting doing nothing is not our thing.

 

[Lenny HB]

Have a look at my Croatian trip (link in signature) spent a couple of week traveling down through Germany.

 

[Caggsie1]

Lake Constance is nice, further south. also along with Mosel. Lots of Stellplatz-Radar. Certainly didn’t sit doing nothing. There’s loads to see and do.

 

[Grianan]

I will go against most on here, and say avoid the Mosel, most boring place we have been too. But each to their own. Sitting doing nothing is not our thing.

We spent 3 days on the Mosel and didn’t find it boring ... visited some pretty villages and larger towns - Cochem one day, Bernkastel Kues another and Zell on the third. Chilled and lovely scenery. The steepness of the vibeyards is breathtaking and the monorail system to farm them interesting. Cochem is a little touristy but rather pretty, made a nice relaxing start to our holiday. Bernkastel is pretty too and has some history with relation to the Jewish population and Zell has an interesting museum about winemaking and the history of the black cat story. We rather enjoyed it and

would have enjoyed it even more if we’d had the bikes with us.

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[suavecarve]

We have been dipping in and out of Germany for about 3 to 4 years now but plan an exclusive month Germany/Austria this year.
We keep trying to get the Mosel bug but fail dismally to want to stay more than a night. The vineyards are steep and the scenery is pretty and there is a stop every 5kms full of motorhomes.
We have done the alpinestrasse (superb drive) and most of the romantic road (RR is overrated in our opinion) been down to Berchtesgaarden (in bad weather).
Black forest and Bavaria (from what we have seen so far) are the places to go.
A few stops we have been to that we would return to Include Gaggenau near to Baden Baden at the free therme stopover, Emmendingen just north of Freiburg, Bacharach on the Rhine, Sobernheim for the mud walk (and a superb volcanic lake in the middle of nowhere) Bad Durkheim, Heidelberg, Lake Chiemsee, Trier and Schwangau.
We have a motorbike so Emmendingen for example is used as a base to go to Freiberg.
I would only bother with going inside one of the Ludwig castles and personally wouldnt bother again. Staying outside and looking at them there is far superior on the view and the wallet.
Be prepared to try a therme on a dowdy day but be prepared it is a clothes free experience.

Dipping in and out of Austria along that border to include Innsbruk and Salzberg and Millstat is our cunning plan and NB the price of diesel of out there. You may have to pay for more stopovers though. Austria and Germany are significantly cheaper than France at the moment in our view. Beer, food, ice creams, diesel, coffee, attractions.

 

[PhilG]

Winter Tyres... clue is in the name, else they would just be tyres, right.


Lots of lovely places, just have to pick out the highlights of what other folk have done.

 

[Grianan]

suavecarve ... interested where else in Bavaria you’d recommend? We did Mosel, Rothenburg and the Alpinestrasse from Fussen to Königsee last year then a couple of nights on the Naab just north of Regensburg. We had a great time but feel we’ve done the highlights and not sure where to go next. I’m dithering about Austria because a) we don’t like to book ahead but are going last fortnight in July and b) were over 3500kg.

 

[Stealaway]

Mittenwald and Garmish. Don't tell everybody ??

 

[suavecarve]

suavecarve ... interested where else in Bavaria you’d recommend? We did Mosel, Rothenburg and the Alpinestrasse from Fussen to Königsee last year then a couple of nights on the Naab just north of Regensburg. We had a great time but feel we’ve done the highlights and not sure where to go next. I’m dithering about Austria because a) we don’t like to book ahead but are going last fortnight in July and b) were over 3500kg.

I think we have done the same sort of trip in a similar van. We are over 3500 kgs as well and we were "concerned" about Austria because of the go box, however, although we didnt spend an awful amount of time going through we learnt enough to be going back and travelling (at this stage) Innsbruk to Millstat to Salzberg without using paying roads.
The Glossglockner is a must do at some stage so if you have to cross the alps (or want to) then this would be the way i would go and you just lie about the weight of your van to the pleasant young lady on the barrier to get it at the cheaper rate (33 eurosish) and this entitles you to take numerous photos and spend all day up there. Never heard a bad word said about it.
Millstat is a town on a lovely lake but they have a Millstat card that enables you to do all sorts during your stay, museums, saunas, swimming, electric bikes, boat trips, cable cars etc.
Neckar valley knocks spots off the Moselle for us.
Going down or up the Rhine was also more interesting, mainly because of the motorbike and hitting the routes up in the hills around Bingen to Sobernheim. Keep an eye out for the Rhine on fire (something like that) as each Saturday they have a huge fireworks display somewhere on the Rhine but trying to get in is difficult. You can book in advance for Bingen.
We went to Titisee as there were some waterfalls and a lake and a nice town however when we got there the aire wasnt the best, they charged for daytime parking and worst of all they wanted 10 euros each to go and see the waterfalls whereas 50 miles West at Herrison you can see a far more superior set of falls for nothing and pay nothing to park, We moved on, but i am a tightfisted old git.
I did pay for the mud walk at Sodernheim which was really good.
Augsberg was a good stop but we stayed out at Kissing lake, a free swimming lake with facilities that are well used.
Geierlay suspension bridge was a corker afternoon out somewhere near the moselle. Silbersee was the volcanic lake and you can park there overnight in the middle of nowhere. NB there were some hippies there and they do high wire walking and a naturist area. All harmless.
We went on a couple of summer luges at different places and they are always fun.
There is a town near Bacarach called Lorelei which is worthy of an afternoon stroll. NB if walking up form the Rhine it is steep, very steep, steep even by Racamadour standards ! It is possible to drive up there (we found out later)
Speyer was a good stopover but we didnt use the aire and stopped round the corner against the rhine for free and we did not go to the huge museum of some description which is supposed to be really well worth going to (not our cup of tea)
Schiltach was a cracker. Free aire next to the river and the town, if it was in France, would be a most beautiful village.

Downsides, they have emission zones in the middle of nowhere so you really ought to get one but only 5 or 6 euros. Aires are generally 5 or 6 euros a night (i m not used to paying)
The wine seems more expensive or it might just have been the moselle area
It would seem to me to the areas we have done (with the exception of the Baltic coast) there appears to be less views than France. What i mean by that is pretty much each area in France has something to offer but it seems difficult to find a lot above Munich and below Berlin (noting i have only done google searching).

Hope that is of some help from my individual aspect.

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[Coolbeanz]

We stayed at Füssen which is cycling distance to 2 fairytale castles. Stunning area and close to a huge lake that’s worth cycling round. We also cycled in to Reutte in Austria from there to view the amazing Highline 179 suspension bridge that you can pay to walk across. If you have bikes or other transport it’s a fantastic base. I have attached a link to my blog post for July 2018 which shows all the pictures and info.

July 2018

Hohenschwangau Castle and Lake Alpsee Driving through the Pyrenees 4th July. We have enjoyed the last 3 days explori...

2midlifecyclistsinamotorhome.blogspot.com

 

[The Coops]

Where are you crossing from? If Harwich to Hook of Holland then a Stena daytime special is available up to the end of this month with 25% off. You can overnight either on the sea front at Harwich or in Morrisons car park next to the port but avoid Sat nights a local idiots use it as a skid pan/race track! Off the ferry and overnight in Gouda at the central Camp Amerika aire (electric and water available 8 euros a night ) Day two Arnhem either overnight or on too the Mona Dam in Germany, brilliant Aire again about 10 euros a night with showers and water etc can explore the Sorpe etc when you leave take the Romantic Road route and head south ! Take as long as you want as each town or village seems to have motorhome stopovers vineyards and history with stunning scenery , when you get to the end in Bavaria its King Ludwig's castle the inspiration for Disney's castles, then go along Lake Constance and perhaps dip into Swiss hospitality, turn north and go through the old East Germany there are many concentration camp sites on the way north plus plenty reminders of life in the East, very friendly people, the youngsters on the whole speak great English so no problems with day to day living aim for Dresden. Look in ASCI as there a a couple of campsites a short bus ride away, well worth looking at very interesting and full of history, from here head north to the German lake district en route for Porra ( Hitlers Strength through joy holiday site) a great aire here also and what a fascinating place , the sand squeals as you walk on it! It was a former East German army barracks slowly being converted to luxury flats.(prices from E250,000!) From here its only a short drive to Penemunde for a bit of rocket research. you can either make your way back to the Hook over Mardenberg Heath and Hamburg or head for Klon and the Rhur full of history again then back to the Hook and home. Just an idea, you could go a bit further east and do Auschwitz its not that far out . Hope it may help!

 

[bigalw35]

Where are you crossing from? If Harwich to Hook of Holland then a Stena daytime special is available up to the end of this month with 25% off. You can overnight either on the sea front at Harwich or in Morrisons car park next to the port but avoid Sat nights a local idiots use it as a skid pan/race track! Off the ferry and overnight in Gouda at the central Camp Amerika aire (electric and water available 8 euros a night ) Day two Arnhem either overnight or on too the Mona Dam in Germany, brilliant Aire again about 10 euros a night with showers and water etc can explore the Sorpe etc when you leave take the Romantic Road route and head south ! Take as long as you want as each town or village seems to have motorhome stopovers vineyards and history with stunning scenery , when you get to the end in Bavaria its King Ludwig's castle the inspiration for Disney's castles, then go along Lake Constance and perhaps dip into Swiss hospitality, turn north and go through the old East Germany there are many concentration camp sites on the way north plus plenty reminders of life in the East, very friendly people, the youngsters on the whole speak great English so no problems with day to day living aim for Dresden. Look in ASCI as there a a couple of campsites a short bus ride away, well worth looking at very interesting and full of history, from here head north to the German lake district en route for Porra ( Hitlers Strength through joy holiday site) a great aire here also and what a fascinating place , the sand squeals as you walk on it! It was a former East German army barracks slowly being converted to luxury flats.(prices from E250,000!) From here its only a short drive to Penemunde for a bit of rocket research. you can either make your way back to the Hook over Mardenberg Heath and Hamburg or head for Klon and the Rhur full of history again then back to the Hook and home. Just an idea, you could go a bit further east and do Auschwitz its not that far out . Hope it may help!

If you are any where near the lower western corner of Poland, Auschwitz and Schindlers original factory are a must, Krakow and Zakopane are also a must see

 

[Brains]

I'll second a visit to to the top right corner of Germany
The old East Germany right by the Polish border
Rugen is great, we went for a couple of days and stayed a week
The V2 base at Peenamunde is a must if WW2 is your sort of thing

Did you know the V2 rocket ran on potato vodka ? No nor did I.
It took 40 tonns of potatos to make the fuel for one rocket. At the end of the war they ran out of potatoes before they ran out of rockets!

 

[Mr B]

If Harwich to Hook of Holland then a Stena daytime special is available up to the end of this month with 25% off.

Just booked that ferry on your post AC/DC via the CAMC for the 2nd week in September.
We usually go from Hull, but at £130 return, it was too good to miss?

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[EuroTrotters]

We had our honeymoon in Germany 33 years ago.

We have been back 50 plus times since.

I will look back at our trips and let you know.

 

[bigalw35]

We visit Germany every year, I've visited Germany for the last 50 years. The country is very large with so many beautiful places to visit, really too numerous to mention all, but heres a few, Lubeck, Plon, Hamburg, Luneburg, Bad Hartzburg, Goslar, Schwangau, Munich, Hameln, Heidleburg, Celle, (we were in Celle for Christmas/New Year 2019/2020), check these out on the internet for more. As said previously Neuschwanstein Castle is a must, I visited here back in the early 70's, then you could see a lot more than you can now, we returned a couple of years ago, now quite expensive and guided tours only.

If you visit the Lubeck area, just north of Lubeck there is an island, Femarn, on that island is a WW II submarine & museum that you can visit, we stayed at a campsite there called "Niobe", RIGHT on the Baltic.

This year we are planning Peenamunde for the rocket bases, then probably onto Kiel for the naval base where the Nazi's built the sub's, then, time allowing Denmark.

A novel drink in Germany I like very much is RATTENKILLER, enjoy

I am sorry if I've bored anyone with all the info, not everybody's cup of tea, DO NOT click on what you are not likely to like.

WW II stuff (that I've been to) Concentration camps, there are still a lot that are more or less as they were left after the war.

Neuengamme Camp (brick works - (by Hamburg)

Neuengamme Concentration Camp (Germany)

www.jewishgen.org

Bergen Belsen Camp (by Bergen - Celle) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bergen-Belsen_concentration_camp

Ravensbruke Camp (just North of Berlin) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ravensbrück_concentration_camp

Sachsenhausen Camp (by Berlin) https://www.jewishgen.org/Forgotten...MIyrD4s46r5wIVVuDtCh0xAgK4EAAYASAAEgIda_D_BwE

Dachau Camp - (By Munich) Broken Link Removed

MittleBau-Dora Camp (by Norhausen) Broken Link Removed

Buchenwald Camp (by Nordhausen) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buchenwald_concentration_camp

Matthausen Camp (by Linz - Austria) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauthausen-Gusen_concentration_camp

Auschwitz Camp 1 (Krackow - Poland) https://www.getyourguide.co.uk/-l10...IVWODtCh1IwAZEEAAYASAAEgL1HfD_BwE&utm_force=0

Auschwitch II Birkenau Camp - (about a mile from Auschwitch I) http://auschwitz.org/en/history/

Gross Rosen - Poland Broken Link Removed

Natzweiler-Struthof (just lower than Strassburg, the ONLY camp JUST inside France) https://www.jewishgen.org/databases...MIyd7_nI2r5wIVRLTtCh2Ryw_hEAAYASAAEgKSevD_BwE

Sobibor & Treblinka are now just Town markers and fields/woods/forest

 

[bigalw35]

We visit Germany every year, I've visited Germany for the last 50 years. The country is very large with so many beautiful places to visit, really too numerous to mention all, but heres a few, Lubeck, Plon, Hamburg, Luneburg, Bad Hartzburg, Goslar, Schwangau, Munich, Hameln, Heidleburg, Celle, (we were in Celle for Christmas/New Year 2019/2020), check these out on the internet for more. As said previously Neuschwanstein Castle is a must, I visited here back in the early 70's, then you could see a lot more than you can now, we returned a couple of years ago, now quite expensive and guided tours only.

If you visit the Lubeck area, just north of Lubeck there is an island, Femarn, on that island is a WW II submarine & museum that you can visit, we stayed at a campsite there called "Niobe", RIGHT on the Baltic.

This year we are planning Peenamunde for the rocket bases, then probably onto Kiel for the naval base where the Nazi's built the sub's, then, time allowing Denmark.

A novel drink in Germany I like very much is RATTENKILLER, enjoy
View attachment 359951

I am sorry if I've bored anyone with all the info, not everybody's cup of tea, DO NOT click on what you are not likely to like.

WW II stuff (that I've been to) Concentration camps, there are still a lot that are more or less as they were left after the war.

Neuengamme Camp (brick works - (by Hamburg)

Neuengamme Concentration Camp (Germany)

www.jewishgen.org

Bergen Belsen Camp (by Bergen - Celle) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bergen-Belsen_concentration_camp

Ravensbruke Camp (just North of Berlin) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ravensbrück_concentration_camp

Sachsenhausen Camp (by Berlin) https://www.jewishgen.org/Forgotten...MIyrD4s46r5wIVVuDtCh0xAgK4EAAYASAAEgIda_D_BwE

Dachau Camp - (By Munich, this the FIRST camp initiated by Hitler) Broken Link Removed

MittleBau-Dora Camp (by Norhausen) Broken Link Removed

Buchenwald Camp (by Nordhausen) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buchenwald_concentration_camp

Matthausen Camp (by Linz - Austria) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauthausen-Gusen_concentration_camp

Auschwitz Camp 1 (Krackow - Poland) https://www.getyourguide.co.uk/-l10...IVWODtCh1IwAZEEAAYASAAEgL1HfD_BwE&utm_force=0

Auschwitch II Birkenau Camp - (about a mile from Auschwitch I) http://auschwitz.org/en/history/

Gross Rosen - Poland Broken Link Removed

Natzweiler-Struthof (just lower than Strassburg, the ONLY camp JUST inside France) https://www.jewishgen.org/databases...MIyd7_nI2r5wIVRLTtCh2Ryw_hEAAYASAAEgKSevD_BwE

Sobibor & Treblinka are now just Town markers and fields/woods/forest