We are 4 seniors flying into Frankfurt in April next year. We will have 2 weeks to spend and don’t want to drive. We are more interested in small towns and we’re planning to spend a week in each place. We also want to do a day trip on the Rhine. Any advise would be appreciated.
Posted by
Duluth 🛶
8013 posts
It would help to know what your interests are. Germany has trains just about everyplace, but some places are easier than others. Do you intend to stay in Frankfurt or is that a jumping-off place?
If so, I would consider taking the train to Boppard on the Rhine and staying there for your first week. You could take a cruise along the Rhine one day, then spend time visiting the many castles in the area like Burg Eltz or Markbreit. You could also head down the Mosel River to visit Cochem, which is a lovely village on the Mosel, or even head up to Cologne or Trier for the day.
Not sure what to suggest for your second half of the trip. Again, your interests would weigh in here. You could head for the north to Bremen, and visit that area. Or (my personal preference) head to the Black Forest. Gengenbach is a charming village; large enough to have good restaurants and hotels, but small enough to earn its reputation as a "chocolate box" village. Plus it is right on the main train line, so it's easy to get many places from there. You could even take a day trip to Strasbourg, France, which is a lovely city and only about 30-40 minutes by train from Gengenbach.
Posted by
OP
3 posts
Many thanks for your reply. We are 4 sisters celebrating milestone birthdays. My sisters haven’t been to Germany before. We prefer small towns, sightseeing, good food and wine, music and uncomplicated travel.
Posted by
Duluth 🛶
8013 posts
Then my recommendation stands. I would visit the Rhine area, staying in Boppard and then the Black Forest, staying in Gengenbach. You could easily reverse those, too, and head for the BF first, then the Rhine.
I stayed in Gengenbach for 4 nights in 2022 and absolutely loved it. The town is very charming with beautiful half-timbered houses and has a beautiful Altstadt, with quite a few restaurants and cafes to choose from. The town church (Saint Marion) is quite beautiful, and the medieval gates to the city are really interesting. The Benedictine Abbey is also worth a visit, and behind it are some cloistered gardens that were a joy to wander through. This was one of my favorite places. It was peaceful and inviting and I could have stayed for hours. There were little signs of inspiration scattered around, and some children from a nearby kindergarten playing on one side.
Also don't miss a walk through Engelgasse and Höllengasse streets (near the tourist info ctr). Here you will find cobblestones and half-timbered houses, flower pots and cats resting on doormats and quaint dolls in the window. I felt like I had walked back in time when I strolled through these quaint and narrow streets. There is also a nice hike you can take that will get you above the town with some absolutely beautiful views of below. The hike ends up at a church called St. Jakob auf dem Bergle that sits above town. The TIC in town will have maps showing you how to get there. it was a really nice hike and as I said, the views are just lovely!
One advantage to Gengenbach is that you will be entitled to receive the free KONUS card, which gives you free train rides throughout the area. You will also be near the Open Air Museum (https://www.vogtsbauernhof.de/en) which is really wonderful. I highly recommend seeing this and it's an easy train ride from Gengenbach.
And Boppard sits right on the Rhine River, and is a lovely town with a marketplace, shops, good hotels and restaurants. While In Boppard, don't miss Burg Eltz, which is a gorgeous castle that's been owned by the same family for over 700 years. If you want to take a Rhine cruise, the KD cruise line has a port right in the center of town. I stayed at the Bellevue Rheinhotel, and was able to walk out the door and walk right down to the pier for the boat.
I should mention that Boppard also has the same type of free train service if you stay there. You will get a ticket from your lodging that will entitle you to free train rides within a specific area.
Posted by
Paradise
7072 posts
I agree with mardee's recommendations... Boppard and Gengenbach. There are dozens more things to see/do in/around these towns than have been mentioned. You will need to consult resources beyond the Rick Steves materials to explore all the options.
Posted by
OP
3 posts
Many thanks, this helps so much