Revised plan: Thursday December 6, arrive Frankfurt airport 9.15 a.m. Friday, day trip to medieval market Buedigen Saturday day trip to (maybe) Esslingen Sunday, day trip to Monday, 2 p.m. train to Strasbourg (arrive 4 p.m.) Tuesday-Wednesday, Strasbourg (day trip to ???) Thursday, 9.45 am train to Munich (arrive 1.30 p.m.) Friday Munich Saturday 9.30 a.m. train to Salzburg (arrive 11.00)
Sunday, December 16 4.30 p.m. arrive Salzburg airport Or perhaps, leave Frankfurt early on Monday to Esslingen (can I leave luggage in Stuttgart train station for the day?) and overnight in Stuttgart, then 9 am train to Strasbourg on Tuesday morning. Sarah - do you know the dates of the Renaissance market in Esslingen?
My suggestion would be to change the trip to Büdingen to either Sat. or Sun. as on Friday, I don't think it opens until about 1800, and the last train is 19:30. For Friday, perhaps the market in Bad Homburg, or do Mainz and Wiesbaden, to include some of the other sights of these cities? The palace in Bad Homburg is interesting, as is the Redeemer church next to the palace estates. The church has a real, wow factor when you walk inside. Was going to suggest Tübingen, which has its' market on that last weekend, but it doesn't fit in with your schedule. Have heard that Stuttgart has a pretty fantastic market too, with various markets set up in different locations through the city. What does Sarah think of it?
You can indeed leave luggage at the Stuttgart main train station, they have lockers of various sizes, big enough to fit a VERY large metal frame backpack as I found out when I hosted a couchsurfer this week. The Stuttgart market is pretty cool and yes, very large. It goes from the Schlossplatz and includes an ice-skating rink, then down the Koeningstrasse, into Schillerplatz, and also in the Marktplatz. The Esslingen markt runs: TUESDAY, 11/27/2012 - FRIDAY, 12/21/2012
DAILY FROM 11.00 - 20.30 CLOCK Although I haven't been there, Colmar seems like a natural day trip from Strasbroug.
Too many lovely places to visit, too little time. How can I fit it all in ????? Jo, I rely on you to help me plan (and share, I hope) my time in and around Frankfurt. Buedingen is a high priority, so I put it first. Sarah, I hope to meet you if and when I'm in Stuttgart.
Absolutely Chani, I will likely be in Stuttgart around that time - unless my husband decides to take me to Israel for my birthday like he mentioned (but realistically probably won't be doing that so soon, need more time to save up) I'd love to pick your brain about traveling in Israel in general. A friend of mine is moving to Haifa in a few days so I don't have any excuse not to visit.