My wife and I returned from our Europe trip this past June, we were in Munich, RODT, Austria, Switzerland.
We loved Munich and are planning to return next spring. Having done the Bavaria area we plan on starting in Munich and heading west, and visiting places and staying along the Rhine. What places would be worth visiting staying at on this side of the country?
Broad question I know but I am thinking of Heidelberg and from there not certain.
Thank you
Posted by
Paradise
6941 posts
Heidelberg's not on the Rhine. Most Rhine visits focus on the Middle Rhine Valley to the north. Between Bingen and Koblenz there are some lovely old-world towns and numerous castles. Some castles are hotels in private hands, some open their doors as hotels (Auf Schönburg, Burg Reichenstein, Burg Liebenstein, Burg Gutenfels, Burg Stahleck youth hostel) and others can be toured (Rheinfels, Marksburg.)
Map of towns with links: http://www.loreley-info.com/eng/rhein-rhine/city-cities.php
Map of castles: http://www.loreley-info.com/eng/rhein-rhine/castles.php
Day cruising is popular here.
http://www.bingen-ruedesheimer.de/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/LZ1B0487-als-Smart-Objekt-1.jpg
http://www.bensbauernhof.com/kdboat2010a.jpg
Anyone interested in the Rhine, Heidelberg, and other destinations in the western side of the country (Black Forest, German Wine Road towns, Trier, Stuttgart, Cologne, Mainz, Freiburg) should consider flying into/out of Frankfurt International rather than Munich. Frankfurt Airport is only about 1 hour from Heidelberg or Bingen in the Rhine Valley (from Munich it's 3-4 times that.)
If you are definitely flying into MUC, consider seeing more of Bavaria - it sounds like you haven 't seen much if you only have seen Rothenburg and Munich. Here are just a few of the interesting places to the north of Munich, for example:
Regensburg
Nuremberg
Würzburg
Bamberg
Coburg
Bad Windsheim
Iphofen
Posted by
OP
66 posts
Gold, absolute gold.
Greatly appreciate it. No we hadnt seen a lot in our last travel, hence the reason to go back and spend 2 weeks in Germany.
Thank you so much
Posted by
Oberpfalz, Germany
1362 posts
Heidelberg is really nice and worth two nights and a full day. If you want to extend the visit you have the Neckar Valley to explore. Many of my colleagues tell me that Wiesbaden and surrounding areas and wine region are really nice and worth a visit. If you want more Bavaria then consider the Franken wine region in Spring (Iphofen, Pichsenstadt, Volkach etc).
Posted by
OP
66 posts
thank you for the suggestions. Looking at that area now, Heidelberg is on my list, even though it's not on the Rhine...I believe somebody mentioned that, but in the same general area. Planning a 2 week trip so trying to plan it according to that area
Posted by
Vancouver, BC
17 posts
I was in the area on a business trip recently, and the three places that my colleagues consistently recommended were Heidelberg, Mainz, and Speyer.
I only had time to do Heidelberg, so I can't vouch for the other places.
Posted by
Sioux Falls, SD, USA
3100 posts
We were in Heidelberg this spring. I enjoyed it. It's funny - RS has NOTHING good to say about Heidelberg, yet it is charming and pretty. The castle is amazing.
Posted by
IJzendijke, The Netherlands
2065 posts
In case you have interest in cars a few weeks ago I enjoyed my visit to the Porsche Museum and the Mercedes-Benz Museum near Stuttgart very much. Two amazing collections.
Posted by
North Georgia, USA
1099 posts
On the Rhine, we stayed in St. Goar at Rhinehotel, recommended in the Rick Steves book. We splurged for the balcony room, which I recommend! This is not a luxury hotel by any stretch of the imagination, but it's very well located and having the balcony is a treat, especially if you get to see a beautiful double rainbow over the river like we did. It's a short walk to the train station and the boat dock is just across the street. (The splurge isn't much of one, the room was only a little more than $100 per night, IIRC.)