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Feedback Berlin-Frankfurt drive; Stops & day trips possibilities

Posted by (Texan currently in London, UK) on

Hi all. I am going to be in Berlin for work in May & at the end of the trip have some time off and thinking of doing a road trip to Frankfurt (since my return flight back to the US is from there) stopping along the way with a 3+1 night overnight stay. I will be traveling with my partner. I have a total of 5 days & have to be in Frankfurt mid morning of the 5th day. My thoughts are very rough and I am hoping for some feedback and/or some alternate/ more sensible suggestions.

  • Day 1: Leave Berlin & make Erfurt as a base for 3 days & do day trips from there (trying to minimise too many bases)
  • Stop overs on way from Berlin to Erfurt- Potsdam & possibly Leipzig(?)
  • Day 2,3,4: Day trips from Erfurt: Bamberg, Wurzburg, Quedlinburg(?)
  • Day 5: 4th night stay either in Frankfurt or a smaller town outside of FRA?- any suggestions welcome
  • Any idea how is the food scene in these places? We do love to mix up local & international cuisines on our trips.
  • absolutely radical suggestions to spend 5 days better/ alternatively are also welcome provided they don't include big cities & minimal bases

We enjoy visiting smaller historic towns & cities on a relaxed pace bonus if the drives to the places are gorgeous. On our past visits we have enjoyed visiting Luneburg & Lubeck as day trips from Hamburg (we took trains then). I would be grateful for some feedback & suggestions!

Thank you

Posted by
4631 posts

For rental car you will need IDP with Texan driving license (regulation). Hope you know German traffic signs and rules.

We enjoy visiting smaller historic towns & cities on a relaxed pace

I would rather spend a few days in Harz mountains or in Saxon Switzerland / Ore mountains with such interest. After Harz you can drive a little detour via Fairy Tale road to Frankfurt area, Be aware that we have two Frankfurts, you need Frankfurt (Main).

Compared to monotone Autobahn you can also drive German Alleys' Route.

Your ideas of day trips are relatively far away - so a lot of backtracking. If you want to stick on Erfurt you do not need a car. Better use trains for this.

In whole Germany you will find a mix of local / German and international kitchen.

Be aware of Sundays and holidays when shops are closed.

Posted by
165 posts

Quedlinburg and some close by towns, like Wernigerode and Goslar, are quite picturesque with medieval architecture, some being world heritage, an imperial palace from about 1000AD in Goslar and, as has been recommended, the Harz mountains.

Erfurt, and more generally Thuringia, is also said to be nice, but I lack experience with it. Leipzig is a larger buzzing city, and said to be beautiful, and nearby Halle might also be worth visiting - larger as well, but very different in vibes.

Both options are half way enough that I think it should suffice to have this as your only in-between base for the suggested 3 nights.

If you are looking at larger towns or cities like Erfurt or Leipzig - those should have a fairly well developed international food scenes. Smaller towns will have some (Chinese, Italian, Middle Eastern, Greek or Indian), but probably less sophisticated and varied.

Posted by
9756 posts

When in May?
These are some events happening in Frankfurt and near-by towns.

Frankfurt Green Sauce Festival 2-9.05
Saalburg Roman Soldiers Encampment 2-3.05
Büdingen Frog Parade (shopping Sunday) 3.05
Teddy Bear Steam Train, Frankfurt Eisener Steg Bridge 10.05
Apfelwein Fest, Hessen Park Open Air Museum 10.05
Worms Medieval Spectaculum Fest 15-17.05
Frankfurt Fressgasse Fest 21-30.05
Frankfurt Wäldches Tag (City Forest) 22-26.05
Pealing of the Bells, Frankfurt 23.05 16:30
Saalburg Roman Soldiers Encampment 24-25.05
Rose Days, Frankfurt Palmengarten 29.05-9.06

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