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Where to stop between Bodensee and Berlin?

Posted by on

Hi! I've learned SO much in this forum! Thank you! Finally coming out of "lurk" mode...

We're heading out on a road trip in Germany, Poland, and Czech Republic in a couple weeks, and it's pretty well planned out at least in terms of where we'll stay. Three nights in a Prague AirBnB, for example, but the details of those three days are open. Most of our stays are in various FeWos I've contacted (I speak decent German), and Prague is the only big city we're really visiting.

Towards the end of our trip, we'll be driving from Bodensee (Uberlingen, specifically) back to Berlin. We have two full days to do the drive (need to reach Berlin around 6pm), which is more than we need, so I want to spend the night somewhere cool along the way where we can spend some time either in the evening when we arrive or the next morning before we head out.

Should we spend the night in Nuremburg? Leipzig? Go all the way to Potsdam? Somewhere slightly off the path that's totally worth it?

Wherever we stop, I'm currently planning to Priceline a place to stay, which limits to mostly big cities... I've inquired about a few FeWos along the path, but not really any luck. Open to suggestions! Thank you!

Posted by
10229 posts

I don't have a suggestion for you, but I do have a question. Where are you renting the car? You may run into a couple of issues. If you rent in Germany, you may not be allowed to drive the car in the CR or Poland. Also, if you rent in one country and return in another, there is usually a large surcharge. I wanted to make you aware of those possibilities. My brother rented a car in Germany and returned it just across the border in France. Huge mistake. We rented a car in Vienna last year and were told we could not take it in the CR or other eastern countries. I would hate to have you find this out at the last minute.

Have a great trip!

Posted by
14527 posts

"...off the path that's totally worth it?" Potsdam in that case certainly fits the bill, as do Weimar, Meißen, Tübingen, depending on your overriding interest. Between Leipzig and Nürnberg I would take Leipzig any time.

Posted by
10 posts

Andrea - We're picking up and returning at the same place in Berlin. We're renting from Thrifty, and at least per their online terms, we can drive into Poland and CZ for an extra 50 Euro as long as we're not driving a luxury vehicle. Which... hahahahahaha! Not a problem there. :-) I've been reading about making sure to get tolls in Poland and a vignette in CZ.

Fred - Thanks! Tubingen I think would be tooooo off the path, but Meissen and Weimar could be cool options and both are on Priceline! Vielen Dank.

Posted by
868 posts

Halfway between Bodensee and Berlin, and more or less on the direct route, are Bamberg, Weimar and Erfurt. Bamberg and Weimar are World Heritage Sites, Erfurt offers one of Germanys biggest preserved city centres.

Posted by
27156 posts

The Buchenwald concentration camp is right outside Weimar (which itself isn't far from Erfurt). The site was used to confine enemies of the state (DDR) after the war ended, so there are two layers of history there.

Posted by
7324 posts

Leipzig and Weimar both have a lot of history and culture. Leipzig is important both for Bach and for the modern fall of the DDR. I agree about Erfurt. Also consider Quedlinburg. There is a regional garden show in Apolda, if you like that sort of thing. (Int'l garden show in Berlin.) If you like museums, Dresden is incredible. Boat rides on Elbe available. Look up Saxon Switzerland since you have a car.

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