From late Sept through Oct, myself and two friends will be doing the 'college backpack' trip around Europe. We start in Greece and have a local to guide and take us places there, so I'm not too concerned about our time in Greece. From there we are traveling from Germany around the area and can go most anywhere we please. I'd love to get input on unique eats, (food and drink!)country side villages, farm stays, hikes, uniaue boat trips, anything related more to the countryside rather than the cities.
Posted by
Gangelt, Germany
101 posts
The Eifel region, specifically about 30 minutes from Wittlich, in Germany, is beautiful to hike. I lived in Bettenfeld for 3 years and loved every minute. It's an old Volcanic region. You could base at a hotel in Mandersheid. Freiburg in the Black Forest is also a good place to hike. And, the Harz 'mountain' region of Germany (former East Germany) is great hiking/mountain biking country. If you're in Berlin, you must stop at Rogacki's deli if you want authentic Berlin eats.
Posted by
chicago, il, usa
171 posts
I love Germany, and especially the hiking opportunities all over the country, but my last visit to the Berchtesgaden area was just beautiful. Easy to get to from Salzburg, and the mountain scenery was fantastic. Lots and lots of very affordable B+Bs, excellent local transportation with a free bus pass, plus direct rail service to Munich. Had a wonderful time! I stayed in a little B+B in Schonau a. Koenigsee, within walking distance of the lake, and felt like part of the family. Loved it!
Posted by
OP
Newport, Washington, United States
2 posts
Thanks a ton....good tips. Leaving in a week!!!
Posted by
Vienna, Austria
517 posts
Well, this is perhaps an odd response, but maybe it can't hurt. If you are really looking for a rural spot, I can recommend the tiny village of Schotten in Hessen (about an hour and a half from Frankfurt by car.) The only reason we know of it is because we visited an old family friend who has moved there. As she put it "Schotten is the type of place that Germans think of when they imagine a storybook German farm village of old." I can confirm this. When we arrived there, they were herding cows down the main street. Plenty of hiking opportunities in the nearby hills. A little brook (with fish!) runs through town. The place even has a swimming hole (probably will be too cold in October). It has a bakery and a small store. And has at least one place that rents out rooms. I'd recommend making a reservation, just in case. That is all I know. Schotten is in the middle of no-where and there is really nothing much to do there. But, it is authentic. I can say that much for it. After that one afternoon I spent there (last October in fact), I've always thought "this is the kind of old fashioned tiny village that I wouldn't mind spending a long weekend in. Just to get away from it all." That is all I know about the place! Not very useful. But it's a secret spot that could only appeal to people with a real yen for the countryside as it used to be and now the secret is out.