Hello,
We are thinking of booking the GAS tour for May which starts in Trier. We'd like to fly into Frankfurt a few days early and looking for ideas of a town to stay 2 nights in before moving on to Trier. We can rent a car or take the train. Any recommendations would be most helpful.
Thank you in advance!
Any one of many towns along the Rhine or Mosel. Mainz, Bacharach, Oberwesel, St. goar, Boppard, Cochem. Take the train
Then there's the fairytale town of Beilstein, which is a wonderful spot for two nights. It's not on the train line, you have to take a taxi or bus (6.5 miles) from Cochem but, especially if you have not visited Germany before, it's a dream. Stay at Hotel Haus Lipmann, dine on their patio, and watch the swans on the river. (I do agree that you should take the train rather than renting a car.)
When we did GAS, we took the train from the airport train station to Bacharach (one change) where we stayed two nights. Easy. No need to rent a car. St Goar would also be a choice. If you have your guidebook, you can get all the details there.
Consider staying in Frankfurt, since it isn't on the tour, but offers many historic sites, great Farmers markets, several medieval churches including one of the oldest in Germany, lots of museums, and because it was the center of Jewish culture in Germany for many centuries there are a lot of Jewish heritage sites here.
If you prefer a Rhine town, then Eltville would be lovely. Promenade along the river with no trains running by, lots of half timbered houses, the near by Eberbach Monastery, lots of wineries, a small schloss tower and a dry moat filled with roses.
These are some of the events happening in Frankfurt and the near-by towns and cities in May.
* 4 May Riesling Day, Frankfurt Palmengarten
* 4-5 May Roman Market, Saalburg
* 4-5 May Plant Market, Hessenpark
* 5 May Frog Parade & Garden Market, Büdingen, 11:00
* 9-12 May Wine Days on the Rhine, Mainz Riverbank
* 11-18 May Green Sauce Festival, Frankfurt Hauptwache
* 11 May Night of the Museums, Frankfurt & Offenbach
* 25 May SaTOURday, Frankfurt Free Museum Day (not all of them)
* 22-31 May Fressgasse Fest, Frankfurt Fressgasse
Thank you Stephen, Janet Stan and Ms. Jo for your ideas!
Koblenz and next door, Bad Ems
Between those two towns, we stayed in Cochem at B&B Haus Theis before going the Burg Eltz and continuing back to Weisbaden. We had a rental car.
I know we're all supposed to have Rick Steves tattooed on our chests, but it would have saved my searching if you had told us what the tour that starts in Trier does! While trying to find that out, I ran across this post, which suggests you might find many more in the Search box:
I'm going to suggest the Middle Rhine or Traben-Trarbach. I like big cities, and have more air choices, so I might fly to Cologne. I agree that Frankfurt has a lot to do, but it's not my favorite big German city.
I'd take the train to St Goar or Bacharach. It's part way to Trier, but close enough to FRA so that jet lag won't make it a trial for the first day, it's on the Rhein, and on the intervening day you can go to Bingen and take the boat back to St Goar, then go on to Trier on the third day.
Sorry, Frankfurt is OK, but compared to other places recommended is not my choice. I spend some time there with the US military.
One small city near Trier is Vianden, Luxembourg, right on the German border.
I think you have a few possibilities, as already suggested. A few thoughts, after taking the GAS tour last summer:
You will go to Beilstein with the group, to have lunch and wander the town (during your day trip to Burg Eltz), so don't feel like you HAVE to go there before the tour, especially since it's a bit out of the way.
Consider Trier itself. I really enjoyed an extra day there. The old town center is very inviting (with a nice wine kiosk in the middle, open in the late afternoons and evenings and really reasonably priced), and the Roman amphitheater is amazing, if you like that sort of thing. For me, it was a highlight of the entire trip. You could also take a nice walk along the Mosel. Those last two things are NOT on the tour at all, so if you don't do them on your own, you'll never see them.
You're spoiled for choice! Enjoy!
Thank you everyone for your input and great ideas!!
Bernkastel is an attractive town. If you get to Trier early, a short boat ride to Saarburg is worth it (unless it's included in your tour?)
I'd go to Idar-Oberstein. Look at it with Google maps. Old fort, great cathedral built into the side of a cliff, fascinating old town that used to be the center of the gem trade. Sits in a nice valley, and is easy to walk around. Even better, I don't think there's a single tour group that's ever heard of it.
That was my same plan when I took GAS last may.
Flew into Frankfurt and took train to Bingen. NH hotel was right on the Rhine and within walking distance of train station. Had dinner/walk that evening and that was enough after long travel day.
Second day we took KD Rhine trip to St. Goar and climbed to ruins of Rheinfels castle. It was a nice, relaxing, not-to-taxing day after travel and I think that the sun on the boat deck and hike to Rheinfels were good for getting over jet lag.
(NOTE: Was thinking we'd also stop at Baccarach because it is frequently mentioned in guidebook/forum, but hotel receptionist said "Take it easy. One Rhine town is similar to the next" so we made it a simple Bingen-St. Goar round trip. Don't regret not trying to do more).
The next day, we walked back to the train station to join trip in Trier. Was very happy with this choice.
(A few others on the tour went from Frankfurt to Rudesheim, spent one night there, then boat to Koblenz and spent night there, and then train to Trier -- they said that they enjoyed it but I liked two night in one hotel)
