Finding a location for a long term stay

Hi,

In which part of Germany? Any particular preference? Eastern or western, north or south? You have tons of choices that would fit your description.

Neuss, Bonn, Kaiserswerth, Bad Godesberg near Düsseldorf. Celle, Minden near Hannover, Potsdam, Neuruppin, Rheinsberg, Neustrelitz, Lutherstadt Wittenberg, Halle near Berlin,

My wife and I have talked about this, though more like 3-4 weeks. Fred is right that foreknowledge is important in making your selection.

I have lived in Germany 6 years and my wife 9 years.

Our favorite area is Franken (Franconia). We discussed small picturesque towns but always came back to what we would do in the evening. We thought that Würzburg was about is as small we would like to go. We like a choice of restaurants and cafes as well as fairly extensive pedestrian zone areas for evening walks and window shopping. Würzburg does have excellent public transportation options. Day trips to small picturesque towns is more to our taste than staying in one. Larger towns of Frankfurt and Nürnberg are reasonably close by train.

I am sure there are dozens of similar situations many areas of Germany. It is a wonderful daydream. Hope you get lots of suggestions. I would be interested to read them.

With 2-3 months available I would recommend to consider two, or maybe three bases. Germany is a very diverse country, and you have enough time to explore these differences. Maybe something like this:
American comfort zone (Bavaria) - Non-Bavaria
West - East
Catholic South - Protestant North
Mountains - Sea
South (stone houses) - Central (half-timbered houses) - North (Brick Gothic)
Fairytale Kingdoms - Operetta Duchies

I’m going out on a limb here as I haven’t even been to this town YET. I have lived in Germany for several months at a time and I would pick Tübingen for my next long term stay. I have family members who vist Tübingen every time they are in Germany and from what they’ve said and shown me and it’s location I am most interested in this city. I think it checks most of your boxes.

Just as heads up: religion majorities in Germany are not so simply sorted in north and south (map).

I would pick Tübingen for my next long term stay

NY Times' Frugal Traveler, Seth Kugel, reports from Tübingen.
Tübingen might be inconvenient for making short trips, probably have to go to Stuttgart to catch another train.

Tübingen is a good choice, an old famous university town, which in and of itself is worth visiting in Germany.

Within a given area Münster/Westfalen is Catholic but not Osnabrück but Paderborn is Catholic.