hello, 7 travelers from boston are traveling to visit with son who is an army soilder in baumholder. we are flying into frankfurt/he is traveling by train to meet us. thinking of rhine area for b and b for all to stay, any ideas ...knowing weather will not be so great is this the best area to go to. we only have 4 days! thanks for any suggestions as we want to make the best of our short time!
patty
Posted by
Salt Lake City
1528 posts
Most of the small Rhine towns are largely closed down starting in November. On the other hand, the Mainz Christmas Market opens on 25 November, Frankfurt's Market opens on 24 November and other area Christmas markets should be opening about that time. You might want to visit some Christmas markets while seeing the sights in area towns. Possibilities: Frankfurt, Mainz, Bad Kreuznach, Worms and etc. How will you be traveling (car/train)?
Posted by
Paradise
7072 posts
If you're trying to set up on the Rhine near Baumholder, Bingen is probably the closest. By public transport, you'd need to catch a bus between Idar-Oberstein and Baumholder (about 35 min.) and then use the train between Bingen and I-O. Figure a couple of hours each way. You might just set up in I-O instead, which is a pleasant town on the Nahe River, one of the wine valleys, which known for its gemstones and a peculiar little chapel built into a cliffside above town.
On the Rhine, it is indeed quiet. But you can still do a few things. Marksburg Castle is open for tours: www.marksburg.de Rüdesheim has an especially nice Christmas market. If you want a smaller town, I'd pick Rüdesheim at that time, very festive over the holidays, and do daytrips to Mainz (great market there too) and Marksburg Castle (in Braubach to the north) or maybe to Koblenz and Cologne.
You could probably find two vacation apartments to accommodate you: www.ruedesheim.de/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15&Itemid=550