Quedlinburg - UNESCO town in Northern Germany

Thanks for the article - one more reason to go back to Germany! I just visited a friend in Germany and we took a couple of day trips from his mom's home in Braunschweig. Quedlinburg was one of the towns we discussed seeing, but we ended up going to Hildesheim, Alfeld, Wolfenbuettel, and Wolfsburg. We also thought about going to Halberstadt to hear the John Cage piece, but it didn't work out with our schedule. Since it will be played for the next 639 years, there's time to hear it. :)

how do you find out about other "best kept secrets in Germany" - will be in Germany for the month of November and looking for those kind of places - I am reading RS Back Door book.

Sandra,

On where to find out where the best "kept secrets" in Germany are, one thing is for sure: you won't find them out by reading RS books.

What are you interested in seeing in Germany? Other than Bavaria where the vast majority of Americans to go, which other regions do you find attractive? Yes, I have visited Bavaria and will go back there too on future trips but certainly am not crazy about concentrating my travel efforts mainly there.

Braunschweig, Quedlinburg, Hildesheim, Alfeld, Wolfenbuettel and Goslar are all described in the Michelin Germany Green Guide. These places are not often visited by Americans but they are not really secrets, only overlooked on most English language tourist boards.

This area is also well covered with pictures in the DK Eyewitness Travel Guide for Germany.

My trips to Germany always had the dual purpose of visiting friends and seeing museums and medieval architecture. I'm not sure how people find out about "off the beaten path" towns, but if anyone has any questions I can ask my friends over there and see what they say. I'd like to go to Fulda because of the medieval monastery there; my friend told me about the cathedral in Regensburg with anti-Semitic sculptures, which I'm curious about in a sick way; he also said that Goslar is a nice town and we considered going there but I wanted to go to Hildesheim to see St. Michael's; and there's a fabulous medieval gate (the Torhalle) at the town of Lorsch, which I'd like to see.

Some of these things you discover when you're there. The train ride between Frankfurt and Koblenz/Cochem is BEAUTIFUL (river, mountains, vineyards, tiny towns, castles on mountaintops) and I had never read anything about it in any guidebook. I want to spend a few days in that area just going from town to town.

We visited both Quedlinburg and Wernigerode last September. Had an amazing time wandering the old streets. Here are a few of our photos:

http://travel.webshots.com/album/575000387NPlKyZ?start=168

To add another secret: When you're in Fulda take a half day trip to Mt. Milseburg. Think ruins of a medieval castle, very tall mountain, nice but steep hike, a hut that serves local snacks and beverages in the peak area and then the peak overlooking everything in the region.Another great mountain nearby is Mt. Wasserkuppe. On top of it is the world's first and oldest sail plane school and a cold war US eavesdropping station to find out what's going on in the East (the border to Thuringia which used to be the border to East Germany is very near). Since that peak appears rather flat (although it is quite high up) you can drive almost all the way to the top. Some pics at http://www.rhoenline.de

Betty - enjoyed your pictures! Looks like you had great weather in September.

I really enjoyed Hameln and Celle while in that neck of the woods. Check them out.

Donna, we've been very lucky with the weather traveling to Germany and Austria in September (2007 and 2009).

~Andreas - thanks for the tips! One more thing to add to my list of things to see on return trips to Germany.