I am traveling to Germany (Munich, Nurnberg), Austria (Salzburg, Vienna) and Czech Republic (Prague) in late Nov./early Dec., including to see the Christkindlmarkts. I know that those are major cities and cultural centers with a lot to see and do. I have been to Europe before. I also want to see some of the smaller towns and side trips (e.g., Hallstatt, Austria). My question: A lot of the beauty and charm of these smaller European places are seeing the old buildings, outdoor scenery, tourist attractions being open, etc. If these more quaint places are blanketed with snow in Winter and if tourist attractions are closed, does that lessen the experience? Is it still worth visiting the smaller side cities in Winter? I only have 12 days for my entire trip, so am I best to just stick to the larger cities listed above? Thanks.
Posted by
Adams Basin
553 posts
What an interesting question......
You do understand that these places that you visiting are not arranged and setup for tourists...especially in the smaller communities. The markets, sausage, strudel, Weinachten geschenk and Gluhwien laden are there for the local customers to enjoy as is tradition in these special times of year. Snow and winter adds a seasonal element to the experience.
Have you ever been to Niagara Falls in the dead of winter when the falls are nearly frozen and when the ice bridge has formed? It's not the same as the summer but it's Niagara Falls....in a new light and one that is unencumbered by the scads of tourists that over-run it in the summer.
I enjoy visiting the small towns in Europe just as much in the winter as I do in the summer...but the experience is not the same.
Posted by
Paradise
7021 posts
You don't have to visit places as large as Munich, Nuremberg and Prague to find places that are mostly "open" and lively. The "old buildings" you see today in those bigger German cities are sometimes nicely rebuilt but rarely original, BTW. But yes, some places are too small to be worth your time. It's the same dilemma Goldilocks faced. You need to find the ones that are "just right", the ones with infrastructure and a stable population year-round - and of course the ones that really do have some fine architecture and scenery around them. Have a look at the UNESCO World Heritage towns for starters...
Bamberg (stay there, or day trip from Nuremberg)
Regensburg (stay, or visit from N'berg or Munich)
Other attractive places in Bavaria worth considering and reachable from N'berg or Munich:
Würzburg
Landsberg (page includes photos of Esslingen - also just right if you'll be in that area)
Landshut
Passau
Posted by
the Netherlands
2487 posts
I'm totally with Russ. Places which are not on the well-trodden international tourist itinerary are as a rule much nicer to stay and are full of unexpected pleasant surprises.
I just stayed a few days in Ingolstadt, one hour north of Munich. A totally untouristy, intensely German city. Pleasant historical centre. Good base for some attractions around. Fifteen minutes from tiny Neuburg, with a beauty of a Renaissance palace. Forty-five minutes from Eichstätt, residence of prince-bishops. Only visited by domestic tourists.
Skip Prague and stay one or two nights in Ceske Budejovice. Have a day-trip to Tabor and, in case you can't resist a well-known tourist destination, Cesky Krumlov.
Dozens and dozens of places which give you much more pleasure than the usual tourist magnets.
Posted by
OP
California
4 posts
Thank you, everyone, for your advice and suggestions of alternate lesser traveled places to visit that have history and charm. I know that I will have a fun time.
Posted by
indiana
112 posts
We had a similar concern for our mid-March trip. I really wanted to see Hallstatt but knew the weather could be unpredictable. We went - had rain, sun, snow all in our two night stay. One of our favorite memories from our 11 day trip was walking along the river in the snow near Hallstatt, not seeing another soul for hours, beautiful peaceful. Our visit wasn’t like the description you’d read in Rick’s book, but we made the best of it and definitely don’t regret the time away from the larger cities.
Happy travels!