3 week Germany Itinerary (Berlin > Munich)

Any deviations from this planned itinerary as to additional or replacement sites?

This list show a good deal of disciplined planning with historical places having the priority.

From the looks of it, I am going assume you are well versed in German (bravo !) due to the particular sites you want to see.

Good always to have a back-up , a contingency plan, when encountering a no-go situation. I don't mind changing hotels either during a stay provided the price is acceptable and within the proximity but apts or AirBnBs....not an option.

Day 16, Drop off rental car in Mittenwald.
Doubt you can do that in Mittenwald, but there are Sixt and Avis locations in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
Sixt also has a location at Wurzburg Hbf, so that might be a good choice.

In case you are not aware, there are two Green Vaults in Dresden, the "Historic Green Vault" and the "Green Vault". It hardly seems possible, but the articles in the Historic Green Vault are even more opulent than the ones in the Green Vault. The Historic Green Vault requires a separate, timed ticket. I was able to walk in and get an HGV ticket for 15 minutes later when I went to Dresden in 2015, but I think I was lucky.

You didn't mention a special interest in 20th-century history, but I see you have identified a lot of related historical sites in Berlin. I've been to most of the ones you've selected, and I think you've generally chosen well. There's really nothing to Checkpoint Charlie itself (recreated in recent years), but you probably won't have time that day to substitute something else. If you do, I liked the Checkpoint Charlie Museum, which focuses on the means by which people stuck in the DDR attempted to escape to the West. The DDR Museum is also interesting for a view of what life was like under that regime. Those are both privately-run museums. That will be evident, but I found them worthwhile nonetheless.

@Fred
Completely open to deviations! Always! I book fully refundable everything so can change anything (nearly) at any time without penalty (lodging, airfare, etc). Used to think it might be a waste of money but it sure saved me in 2020! Historical places definitely have my heart though I am not well versed in German ... just well versed in diligent research :) Hoping to learn enough German to be a respectful visitor in 7 months time.

@ Sam
You're right! Looks like I can pick up in Würzburg but will need to drop off in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. I had considered dropping off the rental car in Munich (instead of taking the train from Mittenwald > Munich on Day 17). Or, I guess I could drive from Mittenwald to Garmisch-Partenkirchen in the morning on Day 17, drop off the car, and then take the train into Munich from Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Hmmm ....

@acraven
I was aware of both but thank you so much for calling it out so I am sure to update my itinerary! I would hate to miss either! I'll do some research on the timed ticket. Timed tickets ran my life in Italy (didn't love it) but totally doable. I love all history so thank you for confirming I've selected some good options in Berlin. Figured I would basically walk past Checkpoint Charlie but do have the museum on my "items to research" list. Now will take it more seriously since you mentioned it being worthwhile. I'll look into the DDR museum as well. Thanks for the suggestions!

@ FLStateUGrl.....Since you had written all those sites in perfect correct German (capitalization, spelling, case, etc), I could only assume you were quite comfortable in using correct written German.

Re: you're open to deviations from your set itinerary. These suggestions have to do with WW2 history should you want to see them.

1. I would suggest taking the S-3 Direction : Eckner to Berlin-Karlshorst (ca. 55 mins from Berlin Hbf) to see the German-Russian Museum. The walk from the S-Bahn station is ca. 30 mins or the bus gets you there going along Treskower Strasse (very appropriately named history-wise). This Museum's focus is on the Eastern Front, the Nazi-Soviet War, that war of extermination. My opinion in terms of critical historical analysis on its presentation of the Eastern Front is that it's a bit slanted. If you're into that at all, still worth seeing.

2. the Invalidenfriedhof, ca. 40 mins walk from Berlin Hbf, to the oldest Prussian-German military cemetery in Berlin. There is a section on WW2 too but a good deal of it focuses on the WW1 and the War of Liberation (Befreiungskriege) against the French (Napoleon), when Prussia and the Russians declared war on him.

3. Seelow....Not sure if the Museum at the battlefield memorial is open currently, still the grounds are worth seeing as this was the site of the absolutely horrific battle of Seelow Heights (Seelower Hoehen) before Berlin, where the Soviets threw wave after wave on the first day in frontal attacks. They were thrown back. Take the train from Berlin Hbf to Frankfurt an der Oder, then you back track on the S-Bahn to Seelow. Seeing Frankfurt an der Oder where the river is located would be well worth you time too.

If you want more cultural sites in the Greater Berlin area as well as in Potsdam, those worthy places I can suggest too, along with these above war related sites.

Rather than an audio guide, may I suggest one of the good walking tours in Berlin? It will cover many of the sites on your list and you can ask questions. My go to company is "Insider Tours". You will get much more out of your time here if you do this your first day.

Hi,

part 2 here.

Based on your schedule, I would suggest this site for day 5 in the afternoon relative to logistics, ie doable.

Schloß Charlottenburg is on the same side of the city as the Resistance Museum (Gedenkstätte deutscher Widerstand ). on Stauffenbergstrasse, also appropriately named. The focus of this museum is that the resistance to the Nazi regime was not merely a military one. Be prepared to spend two hours here , more or less, perusing all the exhibits plus their literature.

The site of the Museum is in and of itself historical, used to be called the Bendler Strasse, the building itself was that of the General Staff . In 1944 it served as Stauffenberg's HQ . On the premises you'll see the memorial to Stauffenberg , the spot where he and the other three were shot on the night of 20 July 1944.

Chapeau! You did extensive research and have a very detailed schedule. Good work. However, you may run into some obstacles here and there which will turn your schedule upside down. In general it seems to me that you plan to do/see too much and allow too little time for the sights. And you need some flexibility. Let me pick Dresden as example because I live there and know the city very well.

You will most likely arrive at 11.06 am at the main railway station. Getting to the hotel, check in, unpack and regroup a little will take at least an hour. So you won't start with sightseeing before noon (if youre lucky - train delays on the route Berlin - Dresden - Prague are basically standard.) There is a service in the Frauenkirche at noon, sightseeing starts at 1 pm. So you probably walk around Neumarkt square a bit, grab a bite to eat, then see the church interior. Including the underchurch with small exhibit this will take at least a half hour, if you want to go up to the dome calculate more than one hour. And please check their website because sometimes the church is closed in the afternoon for concert rehearsals. Then you walk along Fürstenzug to the Semperoper and check if you can join a tour - takes at least one and a half hour if you do the tour. Which means you can only start with the Zwinger with Picture Gallery Old Masters, Porcelain collection and Mathematical-Physical Salon at 3 pm, if not 3.30 pm. Two and a half hours are not really much for these museums - and they close at 6 pm. If you are unlucky there are only slots for opera tours at 3 or 4 pm left which would mean you have to split your time in the Zwinger in before and after that tour - very inconvenient.

For Day 7: The Royal Palace with its many exhibits could keep you easily busy for a whole day. But there is the question how much a visitor can take in!

Verkehrsmuseum is not really a must IMO. There are other, more unique museums in Dresden like Military History Museum and Hygiene Museum, but that is up to you. Most people would do an excursion (by paddle steamer?) to the suburbs anyway to see the very beautiful Pillnitz Palace and Gardens.

Markthalle is not very exciting, takes only five minutes to see, unless you plan to have coffee and pastry at the (excellent) Kaffee & Kakao Manufaktur. When in the area you should have a quick look into Dreikönigskirche, the "Death Dance" is a nice work of art. Also, the small museum on the early Romantic era has its home in one of the historic houses at Hauptstrasse, highly recommended. Beautiful interior (painted wooden ceilings e.g.) and you can feel the ambience of an artist's home from the first half of the 19th century.

If you finish the sightseeing in late afternoon/early evening there you might check out the "Äußere Neustadt" district beyond Albertplatz which is the nightlife/clubbing/ethnic dining area of the city. Vibrant, with street art, sort of like Height Ashbury I was told. Kunsthofpassage e.g. is well worth seeing. Favourite restaurants of mine in this area are Villandry, La Casina Rosa, Raskolnikoff for example.

Sorry for my delay in getting back to this post! Thank you everyone for your wonderful replies and suggestions! :)

@Fred
Thank you for sharing the additional historical site suggestions (pt 1 & 2) and providing such exemplary details on why selected. I am going to try to work these into our days in Berlin. Much appreciated!

@MsJo
While I am not usually a tour person, I have done them previously and, with the right guide, they can be wonderful! The reason I am skeptical to book anything for the first day is because I arrive at 7AM that morning and am leaving it rather open to serve as a buffer should anything happen with travel. I will see if, perhaps, we can utilize your tour suggestion another day. Thank you!

@ibrenn
Yes, I always build out an agenda with far too much to do and see :) The method to my madness is if something doesn't go to plan, I have backup plans and can quickly pivot to something else on the list. Appreciate the notice re: train delays, especially into Dresden. I have 2hrs budgeted for Frauenkirche, thank you for letting me know about the service at noon. I had budgeted 2hrs for Zwinger - I will change this now thanks to your comments! Perhaps I move it to Day 7? As for Verkehrsmuseum, this is really for my husband as he is a pilot. That said, he has been in some of the worlds best aviation museums so this was a "maybe" item. Sounds like there are better uses of our short time in Dresden. Appreciate the tip for Kaffee & Kakao Manufaktur in Markthalle, will look forward to that! And many thanks for the suggestions in Äußere Neustadt. I'm so appreciative for your local perspective! Danke!

Sorry for the slow response. Just got back from 25 days in Germany.

Two museums I didn't see on your list and that I strongy suggest are the Barberini in Postdam and the German National Museum in Nurnberg.

Day 8: train to Nuremberg (5hr) Ludwigsplatz, Kettensteg, Weißgerbergasse, Tiergartnerplatz

There is nothing to see or do on Ludwigsplatz. Instead, you could walk a few meters to the west and see the Weiße Turm, a relic of the old city fortifications from 1250, and behind it the Jakobsplatz with the Jakobskirche, one of the oldest churches in Nuremberg, and the Elisabethkirche opposite, which once belonged to the Teutonic Order and was therefore a Catholic enclave in the city (which had been Protestant since 1525), the only place, where Catholic travelers were allowed to stay overnight. If you then go further west, you will find the Spittlertor, similar to the Frauentor mentioned by you, one of the four large gate towers of the last city fortifications. But while the Frauentor is a kitschy collection of stalls for tourists, in the Spittlertor you can study the elaborate structure of the city gate, one of the best of the Middle Ages in Germany, in peace and quiet and completely undisturbed.

In the Weißgerbergasse, please note No. 10, which has stood in its place since 1389 and was recently renovated and saved from demolition by the Verein der Altstadtfreunde. Inside is the office of that association, which is the most important political force behind the preservation of the old town. You can get some information there if you are interested.

On the Tiergärtnertorplatz, just opposite the famous Dürerhaus, you will find a much more important historical craftsmen building, the Pilatushaus, which is currently being restored by the aforementioned association. If you want to take a break in its shadow: In the small pub "Wanderer" leaned against the city wall, you will find a good selection of Franconian beers. Just grab one of the chairs standing around and sit down anywhere in the square and enjoy the atmosphere. The best view of Tiergärtnertorplatz, however, is from the city wall. Walk downhill along the wall to the Neutor, ascend through the gate marked "Bürgermeistergarten" and uphill again in the garden on the city wall (yes, there is a garden, since there are two walls 30 meters apart) until you can go no further. You are then standing right next to the Tiergärtnertor and can look out over the square and the castle.

Day 9: Dokumentationszentrum Reichsparteitagsgelände (under remodel but partly open)

Please note that, contrary to what travel guides like to claim, Hitler never spoke at the Nazi Party Rally Grounds. The only building that was ever completed was the Tribune of the Reichswehr (1936), with which Hitler did not have a good relationship. If you want to see the place where where he delivered his infamous Reichsparteitag speeches (as you know it possibly from the Riefenstahl film), you have to go north from the Doku-Center across the broad street to reach the so-called Luitpolthain. There are no more buildings there because the US Army fortunately blew them up - today the site is a large meadow that is now used for concerts.

(to be continued)

(continued)

Day 10: Kaiserburg Nürnberg, St. Sebalds Kirche, Schoner Brunnen, Hauptmarkt Nuremberg, Frauenkirche Day 11: Lorenzkirche, Frauentorturm, Handwerkerhof Nuremberg

If possible, I would visit the Sebald and Lorenz churches one after the other. Sebald is the slightly older one and still shows the transition from Romanesque to Gothic and is clearly inspired by the Bamberg Cathedral. Lorenz, about 50 years younger, is much more "modern", built in the Mendicant Gothic style, where the building itself is simple, but all the splendor is placed in the west façade and the sacral objects (sacrament house, Angelic Salutation, the stained glass windows and many first-class paintings, e.g. by Michael Wohlgemuth, Dürer's teacher). Don't miss the Renaissance [down hall][6] next to st. Sebald.

There is missing from your list of buildings an example of a patrician house. The easiest to visit is the Fembohaus, in the Burgstraße, which also houses the city museum. More magnificent is the Tucherschlösslein, but this is about 15 minutes out to the northwest. Both provide a good example of the imperial city's building regulations. The patricians had to build splendid buildings, the craftsmen were only allowed to build large ones (see the Pilatus House mentioned above)

PS. If you want to try some "local" food, i.e. Franconian bratwurst, avoid the well-known touristy restaurants around the town hall. Instead, either go to the Gulden Stern in Zirkelschmiedsgasse (active since 1419) or, if there's no room there, to the nearby Weinhaus Steichele (Knorrstrasse 2).

Have a great time in Nuremberg.