I am doing travel planning and would love some advice. Husband and I have been to Ireland, Britain and Italy in the past, and are now ready to tackle some new experiences/countries. We like history, architecture, art, museums, theater, music, good food, beer wine, local culture, etc. Not hikers/bikers. Husband is a WWII and Cold War buff. All we can agree on right now for this year's 12-14 day trip to Europe is that we'd both like to see Berlin. Assuming we'd book open jaw tickets, any advice on how to spend our time? Should we dive off to Eastern Europe after Berlin? Need to figure out where to fly home from, so that I can start looking for FF tickets.
Posted by
Frankfurt, Germany
9023 posts
Why not spend some more time in Northern Germany? Visit Hamburg, Lübeck, Quedlinburg and the North Sea. With a week in Berlin and another week visiting those places, your 12-14 days are used up nicely.
Posted by
Danville, VT
12040 posts
What time of the year are you visiting? If in the warmer months, definitely check out Lübeck and some of the Baltic coastal areas. Don't bother in the colder months. Hamburg is easily my favorite city in country. Even though it got the hell pounded out if in the war, I think it did the best job of rebuilding after the war of any large German city. As the cultural and economic capital of northern Europe, it has all the things you listed above for interests and much more. BTW- "We like history, architecture, art, museums, theater, music, good food, beer wine, local culture, etc." Does anybody NOT like these things?
Posted by
OP
Austin, TX
66 posts
I am thinking late March/early April. If I can't get flights then, the trip will be in late October.
Posted by
Florida, USA
12172 posts
It won't be warm then. I think Berlin, Potsdam, Dresden make an excellent part of a North/South swing that includes Prague, Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest. Use Berlin and Budapest as your open jaw airports. Add in some smaller towns (maybe Lubeck as the far north end of your itinerary and/or Rick's recommended Cesky Krumlow in the Czech Republic). I usually work with the weather when I can. In Spring I start south and work north. In fall I do the opposite.
Posted by
Frankfurt, Germany
9023 posts
Actually, the weather in Germany last March and April was quite warm, with no rain at all. Ya just never know. Days are longer in the spring than in the fall though. That is a plus.
Posted by
OP
Austin, TX
66 posts
Thanks for the advice so far. I think I'm going to go pick up Rick's Eastern Europe DVD tonight for some inspiration. I think I already have the one that featues Germany/Austria. Itinerary pacing is always the hardest part for me. For a first time trip, how many nights for Berlin? 4? (assuming that I'll be back again some day, as I always do).