Our first overnight in Germany will be in the Bacharach area. After spending a night there we'll be making our way through Mosel countryside, through Trier and finally to spend a few hours in Strasbourg but not spend a night there. We hope to stay in the Colmar area for several nights after seeing Strasbourg. The drive from Bacharach to Colmar is fairly long and we will still be getting over jet lag. Any advice on a B&B or Gasthous, etc in the Trier area or Metz or Luxembourg City? I thought we'd take our time getting down into France rather than rushing like crazy to get from Bacharach to Strasbourg, spend a few hours there, then drive another hour to Colmar. So I'm looking for something interesting between the Mosel Valley and Strasbourg. My guidebook isn't providing much information for this leg. I'm not sure what I see about Trier that makes me want to stay a night there but my mind could be changed!
Posted by
Stuttgart, Germany
3049 posts
Plenty of people here will applaud your decision to stay in Colmar as opposed to Strasbourg, but I would try to give Strasbourg more than "a few hours" if you can. It's really worth a full day, and Colmar is close enough that you can. I would suggest at least 6-8 hours to see the main sites in Strasbourg and have a traditional Alsatian lunch. That will give you time to see the Musée de l'Oeuvre Notre-Dame which has amazing Medieval art and statuary and puts the Cathedral in context. From there, see the Cathedral and climb to the top. And you'll want a couple hours just to wander around the city. Or skip the Musée de l'Oeuvre and check out one of the 3 museums in the beautiful Palais Rohan, which was Napoleon's address when he stayed in Strasbourg.
I can't give you specific advice about a good drive/stopover point between Bacharach and Strasbourg, but other people on this board know that area better than me. I'd recommend getting another guide if you're primarily using the Rick Steves guide, a more comprehensive one. Lonely Planet is a good start. Don't forget about the Park & Ride in Strasbourg! Here's a link: http://www.cts-strasbourg.fr/en/Services/Parkride.aspx Find which P&R is closest to where you'll be driving in from. It will make your trip very easy.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
32867 posts
We really love the Hotel Petrisberg when we are driving in Trier. I wonder if the owner's niece has had her baby?