Official *** vacation trip to Germany

Question

I'll be going to Munich and Dusseldorf in Germany for some meetings this coming November. I would also like to take this opportunity to tour around Germany and at the same time to go to Paris, France.

As this is the first time I will be travelling to European continent, can anyone guide me on how I should plan my trip to minimize the travelling time and get the most out of these 2 countries.

Any good recommendations for sight-seeings, food, positive cultural experience, places of interests and lodgings?

I have about 10 days for this trip.... Please kindly extend your travel experience to these 2 countries and make recommendations..

Answer 1

All the answers you received are good answers, but since you only have 10 days available, here is my suggestion....and by the way, I was born in Duesseldorf.

I would explore the Munich area as much as you can while on business.

In Munich "must see" =

of course, the Hofbräuhaus, the Marienplatz with historical buildings and the famous "Glockenspiel",  the Nymphenburg Palace (about 5 miles from the City Center), Neuschwanstein !!!, Dachau (10 miles),

Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Chiemsee.

On your way up to Düsseldorf take the "Romantic Road" to Frankfurt,

a 180-mile (290km) route between Munich and Frankfurt that links together a string of quaint, well-preserved walled towns dating back a thousand years or more. . Best known of the towns on the Romantic Road is Rothenburg in the Tauber River Valley. Other favourites among the cute towns are Dinkelsbuhl and Nordlingen.

From Frankfurt to Düsseldorf drive along the River Rhine... make time to visit the "Loreley" and the Castle of Stolzenfels.

http://www.roadstoruins.com/stolzenfels....

http://www.schloss-stolzenfels.de/eng/

From there you are on your way to Koblenz.

http://www.koblenz.de/stadtleben_kultur/...

Then to Cologne

http://www.world66.com/europe/germany/no...

and  Düsseldorf

must see, the Altstadt = the old town.

http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Eur...

off to Paris........ well, take a bus tour through Paris first!!! and then take side trips...and when in France, do as the French.....eat some Escargot.... bon appetit und Gute Reise.

Answer 2

There is a LOT to see in Bavaria alone.  I highly recommend Rothenberg ob der Tauber, the altstadt (old town) is stunning, and mostly preserved from the medieval times.  Würzburg is also worth seeing.  Both are pretty close to München (within an hour or two).  Someone else mentioned Dachau, and that's worth seeing, too.  On a cloudy day, it's nothing less than haunting...and I'm sure it'll be cloudy in November, lol.  You may even see some snow!

Also, there are city tours in the München area.  We went on a bus tour to Schloss Neuschwanstein, and it also took us to the Linderhof (King Ludwig's "hunting cabin", it's really a stunning palace!), and Oberammergau, which is a tourist trap.  But still a very cute town, and traditionally Bavarian.  The tour itself only cost about $30 per person, but bring extra euro for Oberammergau, and the bus or carriage ride up to Neuschwanstein.  This is assuming, of course, that Neuschwanstein is open in November...I'm not sure if it is or not.

Trier is amazing also...but quite a drive/ride from München.  

Paris would be about an eight hour train ride.  And you DEFINITELY want to take the train, lol, don't even try to drive in Paris!  Those people are NUTS!  The best way to see Paris is a city tour.  You can see the main tourist attractions, though you would need WEEKS to really experience Paris.  It's such an amazing city.  If you go, you should go to this cute little Italian restaurant on the Rue de Maubeuge, best Italian food EVER.  And Parisians are actually very helpful...or at least they were to us.

My suggestion to you is to take the train to one area, and then concentrate on that one area.  There's just so much to see here in Europe...I've been here for almost four years, and I STILL haven't seen everything I want to see.  So...try not to be too disappointed if you don't see everything you want to see.  Just coming to Europe in and of itself is something that many people won't ever get the chance to do.

Answer 3

Buy your Rail Pass before you leave the US. It is cheaper. The Rail pass includes use of the local buses, subways, and trains, as well as the use of the Ferry's.  You pick the days you want to travel, so you have time in between to be a tourist and spend time exploring the towns you visit.

Be sure to visit Dachau. It is now a museum dedicated to the Holocaust. Buses run from Munchin (Munich to Americans) and Dauchau. Also have a Beir at Hofbrauhaus am Platzl where Hitler created the n**i Party.  Their are many churches a few palaces and museums to see.

Take the train to Trier and spend the night. Trier was the Roman capital in Germania 2,000 yrs. ago. It has the best preserved Roman Ruins in Germany. The Colleseum, Soldiers Barracks, Bath Houses, The Black Gates (Guard Towers to the city) and the City Hall (Still in use today) are a must see. You will see Roman built walls and fences blended with new structures throughout the city.

Next take the Train to Mainz, Get on the Tour Boat using your Train Pass, and travel down the Rhine to Dusseldorf. This stretch of the Rhine has the most notable Schoens and Schloss's (Castles) in Germany. Almost every hill top has one. You will pass Oberwessle, a Mid Evil Era town complete with the Mid Evil Stone wall still surrounding it. Get off the boat at Oberwessle and take a cab to Schoen Castle above the town and spend the night in a real mid evil castle. Great Food, and a view to die for.

Get back on the boat and continue past some of the premier wine country and of course more castles, and Lori Lie, where the vikings were prevented coming further up the Rhine.

Get off the boat in Koblenz and explore the town where the Mosel River meets the Rhine. Visit Liebfrauinkerche, a gothic 13 th century Basilica, and also St. Castors' built in 836.  Travel across the river and take the chair lift up on the hill to Festung Ehrenbreitstein a 19 th Century Fortress.

Back on the boat to Koln (Cologne to Americans) See the Kolner Dom, one of the worlds greatest Gothic Cathedrals built in 1248, complete with fairy like arches and Wicked looking Gryfins and Gargoyles on the spires. Climb the stairs to the top of the spires and you can see the whole city. During the Cruisades, the remains of the 3 magi were brought here and interned.

Also in Koln is Museum Ludwig, housing the worlds greatest collection of Pablo Picasso's works. The favorite of all the women is the Chocolate Factory built on an island in the Rhine and made to look like a ship. Dark Chocolate to die for.

Back on the boat to Dusseldorf. Quench your thirst in Aulttown ( old town)  with a cold draft of local Aultbeir, and eat at Zum Schiffchen where Napoleon ate. Shop in Koneg's Allee (internationally known). Take the train to Neanderthal just outside Dusseldorf where the Neanderthal cave men were first discovered.  

Then off to Paris by train. Not enough space here to describe everything to see. Get a guide book. The closer to the River you get, the more expensive things are. Just remember to take plenty of water with you to the Eiffel Tower and food, drinks & lodging are outrageously expensive the closer you get to the tower. ( $8.00 U.S. for a glass of beer).  Plan on at least 3 days to just glimpse the sights like Notre Dame, The Louvre, Arch of Triumph, The Palaces, Con Corde, Allyss de Champes.

Answer 4

hello i`m from germany (From Stuttgart near Frankfurt)  

i`m glade for you to see Europe. it is so much different from the usa!!

because your visiting Munich and Dusseldorf and there is a god distans you may want to take the Train not only because it is cheaper it is also really interesting and comforterbel too!!

There have a lot of great deals with makes it really easy

Munich has a lot of great food and it is really yummy!! please try the weis wurst and a beer but watch out it german beer!!

i don`t really know about dusseldorf  food because i don`t like it but you shoulde givied a try!!  

PS: for these 10 days i think that`s the best for you! and i would not take any bus it really bad

go to www.deutschebahn.de or googl  Good luck to you an a lot of funnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!!  Sorry spelling mistakes  julia