Please sign in to post.

Report: Tübingen, Germany

Here's an update on our visit to our college student in Tübingen, Germany: We visited in October 2018 for 7 days (plus an overnight in Frankfurt before we flew back home to Columbus, OH). Tübingen is a lovely university town in the Baden-Württemberg (southwest) area of Germany. The Aldstadt (old town) is charming, with cobblestone streets and small shops and restaurants. Tübingen is situated on the Neckar River, lined with half-timbered houses. If you google it, the first image will be from the overlooking bridge. The tourist center is right on the bridge. They helped us with lots of transit questions. We were too late in the season to rent a punt (flat-bottomed boat), but that seems like a great spring/summer activity.

It was beginning to get chilly - and bars, cafes and restaurants had blankets for their outside tables. We enjoyed both coffee and wine outside when we there! Swabian food is hearty and comfortable, and Americans will be at home with many dishes (spaetzle, schnitzel, meat(chef) salad, great sweets). We stayed at the Hotel Kröne, which was centrally located and offered a full breakfast. One thing to note when booking a room: ask for a renovated room at the back of the hotel. We didn't, and while our room at the front of the hotel had old-world charm, it was very noisy.

While we were there, we took the bus to Bebenhausen, a little village with a monastery from the 12th century and former hunting lodge for the kings of Württemberg. It was an easy and pleasant day trip. Also a good way to work off all that good food! We also took the train to Stuttgart to see the Mercedes-Benz museum. As mentioned by other posters, I'd recommend going even if you're not into cars. It's really a German/world history museum. One thing that we noticed is that there is no sugar-coating of history. I admire the German frankness about the past, while still looking to the future.

Our daughter also took us to a Chinese restaurant (the owner spoke Chinese, German and English-wow!), a fun beer hall on the riverfront, and we got doner boxes to go. She wisely kept the student bar to herself! It was great to see her doing well, and she will be back home in July. It was a nice experience, and we spent just the right amount of time there. I'd recommend it!

Posted by
2376 posts

You must have just missed the time that you can take the punt. I did it in late Sept.

Posted by
552 posts

Thank you for sharing your trip report. I enjoy reading about less visited areas of Germany. Sounds like your daughter is doing well. :)

Posted by
3938 posts

Thanks for your nice, detailed report. Tübingen is definitely on my bucket list!

Posted by
25 posts

We did just miss the punt boat season (and we were too early for the Chocolate market as well), but we got to see our girl for her 21st birthday!

My husband is gathering business cards from the restaurants we went to, and I’ll post when I get them.

One more thing, Halloween is becoming a “thing”, even for adults. Our room at the hotel was next to a loud disco-Halloween party (thus the need for a room in the back!)

Posted by
3809 posts

Thanks for the great trip report. I'm trying to work my way through some of the less visited spots in Germany -- Tübingen is on my list!

Posted by
14482 posts

You will find that to be the case with Chinese restaurants in Germany, ie the owner or his kids speaking Chinese, German and English. Usually the menus are written that way...tri-lingual.

I saw one time in Paris (21st century) at a Chinese restaurant where an American couple marveled at the Chinese wife who was the owner complimenting her on knowing how to speak 3 languages... French, Chinese and English. Obviously, the wife took this woman's and her husband's orders in English.

Actually, the American woman was imprecise as the wife-owner spoke 4 languages...French, English, Mandarin , and Cantonese, when she had to do that on previous occasions I had witnessed.

Posted by
14482 posts

part 2 here...Tübingen is well worth visiting, went there in 1989, stayed 3 nights in a 2 star hotel in the Zentrum. A great university town.

Posted by
3049 posts

Glad to see Tuebingen and other less-touristed parts of Baden-Wurttemberg get some praise! It's a beautiful city with some great history and Maulbronn is just stunning. There's lots of sight-seeing options nearby, like Hohenzollern and Lichtenstein castles, and the charming hillside towns of the Swabian Alb.