We are spending two weeks in Germany the beginning of May. Spending at least a week staying with relatives who live in small villages north of Frankfurt and east of the Rhine. One cousin wants to spend a day visiting Burg Eltz with us, and we have driven and taken a train along the Rhine before, so those are not high priorities. We would like to get to Amsterdam and are worried that finding accommodations during the tulip season might be chancy. We also have relatives north of Bremen who have invited us to stay and would like to take in Bergen Belsen on our way returning to the Frankfurt area. Are we biting off too much? Can we do this without pre-arranged accommodations?
While seeing the relatives is a priority, we will want to give them a break from our constant presence, as well as broaden our horizons a bit.
Posted by
San Francisco
14980 posts
If you want to see the camp memorial, first take the ICE Frankfurt Hbf to Hannover Hbf direct, then transfer to Celle.
Posted by
Paradise
7072 posts
I'm not clear about your questions, exactly. You will have 14 days, "at least a week staying with relatives" near the Rhine... so 8+ with relatives... that leaves 6- days. Are you asking whether A'dam, Bremen and another stay with relatives (how long?), Bergen-Belsen, and then "returning to the Frankfurt area" (just to fly out, or for time there?) are feasible? On the surface it sure sounds like a lot, and a lot of driving around, but it completely depends on how you plan to spend your time in these places, and how much time you spend with relatives further south.
"Can we do this without pre-arranged accommodations?" You said you're worried about A'dam availability - why wouldn't you pre-book? Or is it that you are reluctant to travel that far?
Burg Eltz... are you saying it's not high priority for you because you have seen the Rhine previously - or asking us for input? Eltz of course isn't on the Rhine, but very near the Mosel Valley; if you have not visited it previously, the Mosel would surely be a logical target. If you haven't toured an intact medieval castle before, Eltz is worthwhile too.
Bergen-Belsen... If you're interested in WW II sites, it is possible to see some of those much closer to your Rhine-area relatives than B-B.
That Documentation Center is in Cologne - have you visited Cologne previously?
Nearby Aachen is a delightful city. Not far from Aachen is the old weavers town of Monschau.
So if it's a tighter driving radius you're interested in - and that would make sense to me - I think there'd be many good options.
Posted by
San Francisco
14980 posts
If you time it accurately, there is also a direct ICE train to Amsterdam from Frankfurt Hbf
Posted by
Wyckoff, NJ, USA
7893 posts
Amsterdam is one of the world's major cities. So not having to take your ninth choice of accommodations can always be chancy. I think the backpacker system of going to the TI for a list of Pensions upon arrival is obsolete. AirBnB has tried to change that, but I don't approve of AirBnB and won't use it. But a key question is how much you care about cost and character of your room.
I agree that the Mosel valley is attractive, and worth its own trip. You might omit Amsterdam if you go that way. As our host, Rick writes, "Assume you'll return." It would be easier to answer your question if you proposed a specific number of nights in Amsterdam - then we would know if you are short-changing it. Some of us don't consider train-ing along the Rhine to be the same as a boat ride along the most scenic section, from Bingen to St. Goar or Boppard. The word "Keukenhof" doesn't appear in your OP.
Posted by
OP
8 posts
Thanks for all the input. We don't have a set schedule as we will be working that out with the relatives when we arrive, first at Frankfurt airport where they will meet us, then at the home of one where we will all confer! The other relatives north of Bremen will probably be a two night, one day stay. We will not have our own car, have one relative who DOES want to visit Burg Eltz and may be willing to drive us there. Otherwise, we will be using train.
Thanks for alternative suggestions to Bergen-Belsen. I am not sure which we may choose. Will look into them. Relatives may have ideas.
Amsterdam would also be a short visit. great to know there is an ICE there from Frankfurt. Also a fairly direct route from one of the towns one cousin lives in. They are all a few kms from Idstein or Limberg an der Lahn, where we can make train connections.
My main concern and we can check when we get there, is to find out if "Tulip time" in the Netherlands results in accommodations being too scarce to find something on such short notice.
We'll see what we can do when we get there. I prefer to use pensions than Air BnB, but can and will use it if we must. However, if hotels, etc are swamped, I imagine they would be equally impacted.
Appreciate all the suggestions!