Hi. I've looked at this too many times. Input appreciated.
Eight full days - departing Strasbourg on day 1 and flying out of Frankfurt on the 9th day super early.
Strasbourg to Heidelberg, looks like a 2 hour train ride. Two nights (because we're exploring places ancestors lived on day 2).
Want to do at least a night, maybe 2, in Rothenburg o.d. Tauber. I loved it 40 yrs ago, spouse has never been.
Looking at Cochem and Berg Eltz.
Thinking last two nights near Frankfurt, so we can get to the airport super early.
Trying to move suitcases as little as possible. Also, not wanting to spend 6 hours/day on trains (although I think that's about how long Heidelberg or Strasbourg to Rothenburg is).
Do we bite the bullet and do the six hours Strasbourg to Rothenburg and then work our way back?
Is there a better way of doing this and I'm just not seeing it today?
Thank you.
Posted by
Paradise
6663 posts
Also, not wanting to spend 6 hours/day on trains (although I think that's about how long Heidelberg or Strasbourg to Rothenburg is).
More like 4 hours and 5 hours...
Strasbourg > Rothenburg: 9:50 - 14:51
Heidelberg > Rothenburg 8:54 - 12:51
But the problem with Rothenburg is the journeys afterward as well. 5 hours to Cochem, 4 hours to Heidelberg.
In addition to Heidelberg, I think you ought to look at options closer to your Strasbourg > Frankfurt trajectory. There are many great options. They might or might not be in Rick's Germany book, perhaps because Rick isn't aware of their existence. He has spread himself very thin with all of Europe plus the other writing he does. But there's no reason you can't visit and fall in love with at least some of these places... I've visited them by train and I'm sure the tracks are still there...
Strasbourg > Gengenbach = 1 hour. Stay a couple of nights to see some of the Black Forest...
Schiltach (on Germany's Half-timbered House road)
Triberg
Gutach's Vogtsbauernhof
Neckar River towns not too far from Stuttgart...
Esslingen
Besigheim (medieval wine town on Germany's Half-timbered-house road.)
Nice towns near Heidelberg, possible as day trips by train from a Heidelberg base:
Bad Wimpfen (Neckar River, on the German Castle Road)
Ladenburg, Heppenheim, and the Bergstrasse wine road towns.
Michelstadt
Speyer: so much to see and do in such a small town.
Mainz is a great city to stay in before flying out of FRA - just 20-25 minutes away by direct train.
Posted by
OP
14 posts
Thank you so much! This is really helpful.