Germany

We toured Germany in spring of 2019.  Germany is an interesting country to visit with a mixture of modern and old.  Things are really well organized and it is a very easy country to travel in.  We found that we really enjoyed Bavaria and Saxony particularly.

The road system in Germany is very good.  The autobahns are world famous for a good reason as they are very well maintained and free.  As a result we found we were a bit lazy in our travels and took advantage of the autobahns which took us away from the countryside.  The secondary roads are generally very well maintained and slightly wider  than France.  Camping is easy in Germany with many campgrounds available, and an extensive Stellplatz (German equivalent of aires) system in towns and cities.  Wild camping is not as unrestricted as other European countries but possible with common sense. Links to our high lights are in blue below.

FAVORITE

Ron-Lubeck.  Some places just feel right, and Lubeck was it for me.  I think the town motto says why I liked the town, “Harmony within, peace without.  The food was good the beer was amongst my favorite in Germany, and the town had a comfortable feeling to it.  This was a place I had never really heard much about and it was a treat.

Ton-Bamberg.  The town was beautiful and the beer was the best I had in Germany.

DISAPPOINTMENT

Ron-Neuschwanstein.   I am always a little skeptical about places that are on the tourist must see lists, some of them are worth enduring the crowds (Alhambra, Bruges), and some are not.  Neuschwanstein was a nice castle, but Europe is full of nice castles that are not overrun with people.  Even in off season it was a bit much for me, and in the end the place was not worth the crowds and the cost.

Ton-The Worlds biggest cuckoo clock.  We spent a sleepy Sunday in Triburg Germany in pursuit of the Worlds biggest cuckoo clock as it was advertised downtown.  When we got there it was a big tourist trap, and the sign said that while it was the worlds biggest cuckoo clock for two years, there was one in Colorado that was definitely larger now. It was not even that pretty or interesting.

FAVORITE FOOD/DRINK

Ron-Seafood restaurant in Lubeck.  Did I say I liked Lubeck, my favorite restaurant in Germany was there.  After a couple weeks of variations on pork, we found a delicious seafood restaurant with the great German name of Schiffergeselschaft, with good food, an interesting building, and outstanding personal service.  It was my favorite place in Germany.

Ton-White Asparagus.  While we were traveling in Alsace and Germany I kept hearing about this special seasonal White Asparagus.  I finally got to try it in Munich and it was fantastic.  It was so good I did something I rarely do, I ordered it again for dinner the next night.

SURPRISE

Ron-Lake Constance.  We had planned on a day at Lake Constance, it turned into 3 days, and nearly was a week.  The weather was not particularly good, but we really enjoyed Meersburg, we had a great day being tourists at Flower Island in the middle of the lake, and finished our time at the lake visiting Reichenau  a farming community and meeting a nice couple with an Oregon connection.  Visiting places we had only vaguely heard of and having fun like we did is why we do these trips.

Ton-East Germany.  I really liked the people of East Germany.  They have been thru a lot more than their western cousins.  Sometimes they seem like simple folk, but their hearts are warm, and they made me feel welcome.

Westphalia

Cologne was our last stop in Germany.  Every country we visit comes with a rush at the end as we always run out of time.

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Bremen

Bremen is the smallest state in Germany consisting of only two cities.  It is a remnant of the Hanseatic League which were merchant cities of

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Hamburg

We usually avoid big cities but we could not pass on Hamburg.  Even though we only spent one day there we were pleased with how

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Mecklenburg

Another part of the former East Germany this region had one of our favorite cities in Germany.  It was near the coast and we enjoyed

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Saxony

This part of the former East Germany is a bit off of the tourist path and is why we enjoyed touring this part of Germany.

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Franconia

Technically part of Bavaria but the Franks will frequently tell you that they are most definitely not Bavarian.  This part of Germany is defined by

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Bavaria

Bavaria is probably the most well known region in the US.  Everyone knows about Munich and Octoberfest.  It also has several famous castles including Neuschwanstein.

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Baden-Wurtemberg

The southern most part of Germany is a great mix of mountains, forests and lakes.  It was the most “natural” part of Germany we visited

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