Mosel River Valley in February

Trier should be worth visiting any time of year. It has some of the most extensive Roman ruins outside of Italy. The Mosel is best during or shortly after harvest. It's a big wine region and that's when it really shines (or maybe it's just me after some new wine).

You have to search to meet a German that doesn't speak excellent English. I guage the quality of my German on whether shop keepers/waiters/clerks respond in English or German when I greet them auf Deutsch.

Most Germans respond better to English than French. Contrary to American media bias, Germans really like Americans and don't really like the French. Their Chancellor, Angela Merkle, was elected in part for her desire to be closer to the US while the former Chancellor, Gerhard Schroeder, wanted to be closer to the French.

Thanks for the help! Is it that evident that I'm American? How observant. I think I will definitely go to Trier. And it is reassuring to know that everyone will be able to speak English. It's my first time traveling in a country whose language I don't speak and I was rather nervous.

Any other suggestions or places to go/base myself around Cologne? I'm visiting a friend there, but will be on my own to travel during the week while she is at work, but then I must return to Cologne the following weekend.

Thanks Again!
Megan

I was in the adjacent middle Rhine area a few years ago. I speak some German and love the opportunity to use it. Unfortunately, the area is very touristy and they hire people for their English speaking ability. Everytime I said something they would detect my American accent and try to speak English to me. I was disgusted; you'll probably be delighted.

There are far more Germans who speak English than there are French who speak English. You should get along fine.

Cologne is a great city and everything is open during winter as well ;-)... But also well worth a visit is Bonn, the former West-German interim capital. Then Koblenz is quite a pretty city. You'll be fine in Germany as long as you're an obvious American, whom we love! We don't hate the French but that doesn't necessarily mean we love them. We've been at war with the French from 945 to 1945, so pretty much 1,000 years. They still don't speak a real language and still eat things we'd get an exterminator for... well, almost ;-) You'll be fine, don't worry. And even though Mosel river wines aren't world class don't tell them French wines were better ;-)

If you base in Bonn, you can use a Rheinland-Pfalz-Ticket (€26 for up to five people, €18 single) on regional trains all up and down the Rhein from Bonn to Oberwesel and the Mosel to the French border.

I agree with Andreas. Koln and Bonn are both worth visiting. They are always included in any trips I make to Germany (admittedly we have relatives there, so would be in trouble if we didn't visit).

If Koln is your base, a day trip in the Rhine Valley between St. Goar and Bacharach will be worth your time. You can catch a train from Koln. Take a short river cruise between the two towns. Explore the Rheinfels castel ruins and take a self-guided walk around the medieval areas. It will be a long day. For an affordable night, there is a hostel in each town. One is perfectly good though average. The other, Berg Stahleck?, is a converted castle (that is usually full, so reserve).

Many people have recommended that I visit Trier when I come to Germany at the end of the month, but hostelworld doesn't have any hostels listed for the town and I have been having difficulty finding a cheap hotel using Google. Does anyone have any suggestions for cheap accommodation for two nights in Trier?

Also, I could use some suggestions for cheap accommodation in Bonn as well! Any insight is appreciated.

Thanks! Megan

The Mosel is wonderful with a car or ferry down the Mosel river. I was there in August 2007 and stayed in tiny but lovely quaint village of Beilstein. Berg Eltz is terrific and not to be missed. Hopefully you can go some other time when Berg Eltz is open.

Megan, we have been here in Germany (Kaiserslautern) since November and it has been wonderful to experience everything--even in the winter. We have not gone to the Mosul area yet but have heard that even though (pretty much ALL of) the castles are closed for the season, the drive is still worth the trip. If it's a castle that you'd like to see, Heidelberg is open year round and there are daily tours in English.

I second Heidelberg and Cologne and good winter options. The Heidelberg castle is open and gives wonderful english tours.