Hello. We have 6 days to see Berlin and other areas of the countryside on our way to Munich late March 2025, to catch a riverboat down the Danube. Looking for places to visit and stay. We will be taking the train. Look forward to any recommendations. TIA Jane
I hope I am posting in the correct spot this time
I suggest spending most of your time in Berlin, then stop over in Dresden and Nuremberg prior to your cruise.
You might spend the night in Nuremberg.
Where does your cruise start? We did one last year that left from Regensburg.
Sorry, can't recommend hotels, since last time we were in Berlin was over 30 years ago.
Suggest checking TripAdvisor.com they provide a map that shows where the hotels or BnBs are located.
A Danube river cruise will not start in Munich, as it is not on the Danube. Perhaps Regensburg or Passau. Going all the way to Munich will make you have to backtrack. I'd suggest 4 nights in Berlin, then 2 nights in Nuremberg.
I liked Pension Peters in Berlin, near the Savignyplatz S-Bahn station. Berlin is a big spread out city with lots of neighborhoods and choices.
Jane, I responded to your thread on the Germany Reviews forum, but this is a better place for your question.
Just to reiterate, I'm assuming you are flying into Berlin? I would definitely spend 4 nights there if you can manage it. Keep in mind, as Sam mentioned, that your cruise will probably not be starting in Munich but either Regensburg or Passau. So if that is true, it would make much more sense to spend the last couple of nights in Nuremberg. There is a lot to see and do there, and if you are beginning your cruise in Regensburg, it's a quick and easy train ride to get there from the Nuremberg train station.
In fact, it would probably be even more simple to just take the train from Berlin to Regensburg and get a hotel there for a few nights. You could make day trips from there to Nuremberg if you liked, but then you'd be in a position to easily get the cruise with having to travel the day of.
With regards to Munich, you said you wanted to spend some time there. What will you be doing after the cruise? Is it bringing you back to Regensburg? If so, you could always add a couple of extra days to your trip for Munich and then fly home from there, if possible.
When I in Berlin in 2022, I stayed in Hackescher Markt, at the Adina Apartment Hotel Hackescher Markt. My room was a studio since I was by myself but they also have 1-2 bedroom apartments with fully equipped kitchens, washers and dryers and so on. They do have hotels in other Berlin locations as well, but I preferred this location for its convenience to the sites. The staff was friendly and courteous, and the rooms were very well prepared, large, clean and nice. Breakfast is available although given the kitchen facilities, I just ate in my room in the morning.
Also, the hotel is very convenient to the U-Bahn, S-Bahn, and trams, and is an easy walk to the major museums. The DDR museum is only a few blocks away, along with the TV Tower, and Museum Island is a quick 5 minute walk. You can easily walk to Lindenstraß from there, There are several grocery stores a few blocks away along with a couple of wine shops, many cafes and good restaurants. I would definitely stay in this location again.
Looking for places to visit and stay.
Some more details such as interests or which kind of hote or price level you are looking for would help to help you.
Thank you All! For the cruise we are to meet at the Munich Airport and then they bus us to Passau.
So far as lodging, we obviously like clean. high priority, in an area that is safe, walkable to transportation and to sites. Mid price range, not sure what that is in Germany. Not sure yet what we want to see in Berlin, but am investigating. Prefer more modern history, WWI on. we like to be as much with the people who live there v. ultra touristy, when possible. We are not night into life, but we do enjoy a good meal, wine, theater, walks. Your suggestions are most helpful as I had considered hiring a tour for these 6 days. We are not typically tourers, this river trip will be our first "tour" experience. Planning on soley using public transportation. Thanks again for all your advice. (BTW we are both very active 72 year olds)
PS we are planning to go to Prague after the cruise to meet up with a friend. But perhaps we should go back to Munich and stay there for a few days and then head over to Prague??? Suggestions most welcom. J
Berlin is an amazing city, especially if you like modern history. So my suggestion is to spend 5 days in Berlin and the last day in Munich.
Jane, are they bussing you back to Munich after the cruise? If so, then I would spend the first portion of your trip in Berlin, head down to Munich for the pickup (as Badger suggested), and then spend some time in Munich when they bus you back. If you don't want to spend the entire 5 nights in Berlin, you could always head to someplace like Dresden or Nuremberg for 1-2 nights on your way to Munich. Both are easily reachable by train from Berlin.
You can then make your way to Prague quite easily by train (I've made that trip before, albeit going in the opposite direction, and it's a pleasant train ride).
One thing - you mention you will have 6 days in Berlin. It's usually more accurate to count the number of nights you have. For example, if you count 6 full days, chances are you have 7 nights. By the same token, 6 nights would only give you 5 full days. So that usually makes a difference.
PS we are planning to go to Prague after the cruise
Yes, if you have the time, consider going to Munich for a few days after Prague. Depending when you will be there they may be holding their annual Strong Beer Festival. Think of it as a (very) mini Oktoberfest focused on beers that are brewed with a higher than normal alcohol content.
Is your cruise ending in Vienna or Budapest? If so, both cities are IMO worth an extra day or two post-cruise.
If you can reasonably fit another city other than Berlin into the total travel schedule, that would be ideal. As others have recommended above, my vote is for Berlin. Hopefully you do have 6 full days set aside just for that, with one of those days earmarked for a day trip in Potsdam.
Get to Potsdam by 11 AM and you will have time to do the bus tour as well as the boat cruise on the Havel. I think the last one departs between 4 and 4:30 PM, a super relaxing, serene, and peaceful boat ride seeing some of Potsdam's historical sites from the Havel.
No need to reserve in advance or buy the tickets in the Tourist Office in Potsdam Hbf (top floor). They're available also at the departure point. Senior discount also offered.
