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Germany in December!

Posted by (Columbus, USA) on

I am so excited my father, husband and I are heading back to Germany this December to do some Christmas Markets and do some Genealogy research. The flights and hotels are booked :) (YAY!) I just need some help filling in the "to do" list. I know some of the places are a little bit obscure, but that is where my family is from :) I tried to keep the one nights at a minimum and I know there is a bit of back tracking, but records offices are not open on the weekend. But I think I have it working. If not, it is too late now :) We are renting a car (I know, I know, please no criticism from the peanut gallery on this topic) and I have mapped out the times.

Here is the itenary

Munich Nov 28-Dec 1 (2 nights)

Berchtesgaden/Salzburg Dec 1 - Dec 3 (3 nights)

Nordlingen/Dinkelsbuhl Dec 3-4 (1 night)

Stuttgart Dec 4-7 (3 nights)

Ramstein Dec 7-9 (2 nights)

Buchen (Oldenwald) Dec 9-11 (2 nights)

Frankfurt flying home Dec 12 (1 night)

Here is a list of must sees so far, am I missing any thing really cool and interesting? Dad and hubby are really into cars, beer, science, history. I like the history part and love artisan shops. I am also a huge shutterbug, so anything unique to photograph.We are not too much into winter sports such as skiing (I would break something) but hiking could be in. We are also really content just to walk through the towns to explore.

Munich
- Marian Platz
- Vikualienmarkt
- Alter Peter
- Frauen Kirchen
- BMW
- Christmas Markets
- Hoffbrau Haus (The hubby is a Steinmaster at the one in here in Columbus, so I know it is on his list)

(We have been to Dachau already so we are skipping it this time)

Berchtesgaden/Salzburg
- KoenigSee (If the boat is running)
- Shopping in Salzburg
- Mozart's Birthplace
- Sound of Music stuff

Nordlingen/Dinkelsbuhl
I know I am pushing it here with only one day, but the idea is if we like it to go back on our next trip. We love the idea that Nordlingen is built in a crater.

Stuttgart
- Side Trip to Schondorf/Esslingen

- Side Trip to Tuebingen (Did someone say Chocolate Festival????!!!!)
- Side Trip to Bondorf (Geneaolgy)
- Porsche
- Mercedes
- Shopping

Ramstein
Genealogy here, but what else is interesting around to do?
- Side trip to St Avold France my Great Uncle is burried here

Buchen
More genealogy, but what else is interesting around to do?

Frankfurt
In case we finish what we can find in Buchen, I want to have someting planned in Frankfurt.

Thanks in advance!

Posted by
943 posts

We did a Christmas Market River Cruise a couple of years ago & Salzburg was one of our stops. Mozart's birthplace is in the heart of the city - so it's easy. Salzburg also had a great OLD TOWN area to explore with a few very good Christmas Markets, food markets, & craft markets. One of the most beautiful, old cemeteries & catacombs is right there with it all too.

Posted by
12040 posts

I'm sure some ex-military people on this website can tell you about things to do around Ramstein/Kaiserslautern. My impression, though, is that this isn't the most exciting corner of Germany unless you're a nature lover. It's within the Pfalzerwald, which would be great for hiking in the summer and early fall, but probably much less so in December.

I've never been to Buchen, but it sits on the eastern edge of the Odenwald, one of my favorite regions of the country (I used to live just off the western side near Darmstadt). Once again, though, this region is not at it's best in December. The towns of Miltenberg, Michaelstadt and Eberbach are worth seeing at anytime of the year, however. Particularly if your trip coincides with the towns' Christmas markets.

Posted by
980 posts

"Dad and hubby are really into ... science, history."

I would recommend a day at the Deutsches Museum in Munich as well. Its a science and technology heavy museum with world class displays. Where else can you see an V1 rocket, V2 rocket, a Messerschmitt Bf 109, and a Messerschmitt Me 262 in the same room? But you would likely need two full days in Munich to this plus the other things in your list.

"We love the idea that Nordlingen is built in a crater. "

Don't count on being able to really tell you are in a crater from ground level. At the best you can tell the terrain is flatter in the center but the crater is so large and eroded that edges are not well defined and distinguished from the hills surrounding it. The town itself is worth a visit as a nice example of a preserved city wall.

DJ

Posted by
8957 posts

Frankfurt has a ton of history to see and learn about as it was the designated election city for the Holy Roman Emperor from the 1300's on and coronation city from the middle 1500s on, plus it was the site of the 1st freely elected German Parliament, and HQ in Germany for the Americans after the war, including having the airport where the Berlin Airlift was based. It was also the center for Jewish culture in Germany for centuries. You can visit medieval churches, outdoor farmers markets, a ton of museums, and one of the oldest Christmas markets in Germany. (1393)

Posted by
34 posts

along with the Porsche Museum, there is also a Porsche Factory tour. this needs to be reserved ahead of time. i just happened to speak with a nice lady at the museum this morning (i should be in Stuttgart on Dec 3rd).

the factory tour (group meets at the museum) is 2 hours and she said is easier to do before going thru the museum as it is about 1.5 km of walking.

tours start at 9:30am (i think the last is at 4pm) and if you send an email to [email protected] with the date you want to do the tour and ask which tour times are in english, they will reply with that info. then email back to confirm which tour time you want.

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