Well it's not my trip yet, not with $1200 airfare for late November travel....but a trip I am thinking about in the event airfare comes down a bit.
I am thinking about experiencing a Christmas market blitz for 14 nights: Nordlingen, Dinkelsbuhl, Rothenburg, Heidelburg, Bamburg, Nurnberg, Regensburg. Might be open jaw between Frankfurt and Munich, staying in those cities the 1st and last night of my trip. So this means, spending 2 nights in the smaller cities. I know better than to have blitz-like travel when big cities are involved, but this is just to chill out and enjoy small town Germany, Christmas style. I have been to Rothenburg 2 times and still wish to stay 2 nights again. I have been to Nuremburg once but for 1 night only and didn't really get to soak the old town up. My questions are: Do Nordlingen and Dinkelsbuhl warrant a 2 night stay? Not counting Frankfurt and Munich (my fly into and out of cities which I do not care to spend more than a night in them), do Heidelberg, Bamberg and Regensberg warrant more than 2 days on a trip like this?
Posted by
Phila, Pa USA
144 posts
1) IMO, neither Nördlingen nor Dinkelsbuhl need more than one night's stay. They are both quite small and not far from one another - you could easily visit both in one day, in fact. 2) Heidelberg, Bamberg, and Regensburg are each interesting to visit, and i liked the Christmas markets in all three. Two nights is certainly sufficient for each. However, depending where your interests lie, you could fill a third day easily in any of the three, especially if you are traveling by car, and wished to include nearby areas as well.
Posted by
Frankfurt, Germany
9221 posts
I would add Idstein, Buedingen and Bad Homburg to your list of small towns to visit. These 3 have my favorite Christmas markets. The 1st 2 only have it for one weekend in Dec. Probably the 1st weekend. Bad Homburg has theirs every weekend during Advent. I would stay for a couple of days in any of these towns. All are located within an hour of Frankfurt.
Posted by
Greeley, co, usa
2588 posts
Are you driving or taking the train? I would certainly do Dinkelsbuhl as a day trip from Rothenburg, perhaps you could then stay 3 nights in Rothenburg (3 nights is barely enough for me). The Rothenburg market is not really that big and it closes early (7 PM - at least some days - we barely got something to eat one night )