There was a piece by Sofia Markovich that popped up on my computer. It listed Germany's "Hidden Gems." The article can easily be found in a Google search. The five smaller cities and towns listed:
1. Gorlitz
2. Monschau
3. Meersburg
4. Regensburg
5. Bamberg
I knew of Regensburg, though I have never been there--ironically, the target of two of the greatest bombing raids in the war. I have visited Bamberg, and it is indeed beautiful. I bet our friend Fred has visited all five.
Posted by
Steilacoom, WA
2718 posts
I'd never designate Regensburg or Bamberg as hidden. Slightly less touristed; maybe. Meersburg is also pretty touristy, but more as a secondary place of interest around the Bodensee. Monschau is off the beaten path and quite nice.
Posted by
Greeley, co, usa
3140 posts
Nothing hidden about them. Bamberg is mentioned here very frequently. Meersburg is a main town on the Bodensee. Regensburg is popular and is the sister city of Tempe, AZ where I lived for 25 years.
There are so many towns in Germany that are infrequently visited by Americans. Altho there are a handful here on the forum that mention Gengenbach, it is rarely visited by Americans. The only English speakers I have heard in over 10 days there was one English couple.
I enjoyed 4 nights in Lichtenfels - the basket city. Anyone here on the forum ever been thete. From there I visited Bamberg, Coburg, and Kulmbach. Not many mentions of the later two on any forum I visit, yet they have a lot to offer.
Posted by
Oberpfalz, Germany
1684 posts
Check your history for actual bomb damage in Regensburg and civilian casualties. It was part of some of the double strike Schweinfurt–Regensburg raids. The outlying Messerschmitt factories were hit but most of the old city left untouched. Regensburg civilian casualties in these raids were @400 to include forced laborers. Regensburg's churches, narrow streets and towers remain. It's a UNESCO City.
Just off the top of my head in Bayern is Landshut, Murnau am Staffelsee, Spitzingsee, Reit im Winkl and Traunstein. Obertsdorf and the surrounding Allgäu area. The Franken Main River wine region, Niederbayern Bavarian Forest and the Franken Schweitz east of Forchheim.
Posted by
Paradise
8358 posts
Monschau is extremely charming and virtually unknown to travelers from outside of Europe. We spent 2 nights there about 2 decades ago when we traveled with our extended family. We rarely ever use the car in Germany, but partly because we had Monschau in our sights, we went with a van rental for our travel in this corner of Europe. Getting to Monschau and back from places like Aachen or Cologne would be extremely time-consuming and inconvenient, so IMO calling it "off the beaten path" doesn't do justice to Monschau's remoteness. Maybe "buried treasure" applies here.
Posted by
OP
Mandeville, LA
210 posts
Thanks to everyone who responded.
Most American travelers don't know of these cities. I knew of only Bamberg, which I have visited, and Regensburg, which on my last trip I was thinking about visiting.
And mchpp, thanks for the information you provided. However, I did know that Regensburg's historical center largely escaped bomb damage in the war because the targeted factories were located on its outskirts (although daylight bombing was often not terribly accurate). The August 1943 Regensburg-Schweinfurt mission was the subject of episode 3 of the Masters of the Air miniseries, which appeared a few years ago on Apple.
Posted by
176 posts
Koblenz
…visit-koblenz.de/en