Trip to Germany

I live in Berlin and will reply later, but if you want to start learning German in one of the most pleasant ways possible, try "Coffee Break German" - you will find it online as podcasts that you can download or listen to directly, each lesson lasts app 15 minutes.

Are you more into nature or big cities?

Thanks everyone for the advice! I love the old country, medieval type stuff. I'm not big on crowds so I want to try and plan not-so-tourist-like activities. I'm thinking I would love to hike then because that's what I'm losing weight for. I really don't want to go to the big cities like Berlin because of it being so crowded. I love the castles and culture. I really would like to stay in bed and breakfasts that are family owned so I can learn more about the culture.

I want to visit places like Rothenburg and the castles but I also know those are major tourist hotspots and get crowded quickly. I want to feel like a local, go where locals love to go, speak the language, and connect with people.

Berlin isn't particularly crowded.

But if you want to hike - all of Germany has something to offer. Especially the Bayern (Munich) area with the Alps and pre-alps. Also conisder that Germany is a biking paradise and you can ride everywhere - especially in those regions.

Unfortunately you will never be a local, even the "locals" from Hessen, don't speak or fit perfectly in Bayersich areas, but you have the right attitude so just enjoy the difference while fitting in as much as possible.

A great hiking resource is the DAV - the German Hiking Association - I'm a member and have used them for guides, campsite and material...

http://www.alpenverein.de/

Also, if you want to learn more and ask questions about Germany - do not hesitate to join toytowngermany.com - the expat community in Germany site. BUT BEWARE THE SNARK IS HEAVY there. :drinker: :laugh:

I think somebody mentioned Leipzig (which is beautiful and if you're a music buff you can visit the Thomaskirche which is where Bach worked and wrote a huge portion of his music--his remains are also there).

Wittenberg is also really cool and you can visit the Castle Church where Martin Luther nailed his 95 Thesis.

I also loved Berlin. I would definitely recommend Checkpoint Charlie (as someone else metioned as well) and the Holocaust Memorial which is within walking distance from the Brandenburg Gate (also a must-see). You can also see sections of the Berlin wall which are covered in painted scenes now. Most of the wall is now gone but there are bricks in the street that serve as a marker for where the wall once stood.

As an American, the funniest part of my experience (and most interesting) were how the tour guides would describe some of the places we visited. The would say things like "this church is only 600 years old" and I would laugh thinking that's more than twice as old as our country!!!!!

Definitely take sturdy shoes!!!! I was touring with my university choir and wore my black flats everywhere for 2 weeks, and all of the streets are cobblestone!!!!! I had the worst leg and foot pain of my life by the second week and it lasted for a couple weeks after I came back to the states!


Don't skip over the smaller towns. I was lucky enough to visit several all over the country because we performed almost every night in a new place! Everywhere we went was beautiful and there's so much history.

I had taken 3 semesters of German before the trip, but everyone we met was so helpful and more than willing to correct German or talk to me in English. I would recommend getting a guide book with some basic phrases and you'll definitely want to learn some of the food so you can read a menu.

I hope you have so much fun!!! The two weeks I spent there were probably some of the most memorable of my life!!!!

I think somebody mentioned Leipzig (which is beautiful and if you're a music buff you can visit the Thomaskirche which is where Bach worked and wrote a huge portion of his music--his remains are also there).

Leipzig sounds awesome! I do love music and didn't even know that was there! When I research online for travel spots, I mostly get the "tourist" destinations like the castles and big cities and of course Oktoberfest. I'm so glad I asked on here for information! Thanks so much!

It might be helpful to find out where the American Army Kaserns are located.
Over in Germany, the American Army does not have massive bases like we do here in the States.
They are closer to little communities then small towns.
Typically the Soldiers will venture out on the town very similar to what the locals will do.
Maybe you can meet up with a small group and hang out or something?

I love Germany! And it's such a great place to visit. Especially as a "novice" traveller. Everything is signed very well, a lot (most?) Germans speak at least some English, the people are extremely friendly, clean, safe, wonderful! I remember when I first went to Munich and was standing on the corner with my friend with our backpacks on, looking at our map. People literally were leaning out the windows of their car and pointing down the street to direct us to the hostel.

I love Munich, I could easily live there. Augsburg is also very pretty. I agree with everybody's recommendation of Neuschwanstein (sp?). Berlin is great, and completely different from Bavaria. Fascinating, urban, hip and especially great if you have any interest in WWII (if you do, Dachau is also worth the trip, although obviously very sobering).

While I agree that gramtically German is difficult to become good at. I think it's actually rather easy to learn the basics. A lot of the words have similarities to English, and once you learn that you literally pronounce every letter - the big long words that look scary, aren't really. There's a great logic to German that makes it relatively easy to "get by" with. The language (not necessarily grammar, but vocabulary) is very intuitive. Once you know some German, you can often make a very good educated guess at what some of the other words are, because they're often compounds of lots of smaller words that you are familiar with.

Mmmmm, and eat spatzle (sp??).

Lol - I've been living here for more than half of my life now and I've never eaten spätzle.

I envy you, been promising the wife a trip there for 20 years! I spent 44 months there in the 80s (Army). You don't want to miss Heidleburg, great old city with an incredible castle. From there take a driving tour south along the Neckar river, I was told between Heidleburg and Heilbronn to the south there are more castle ruins than any where else in Europe, it is a very gorgeus valley and most of the ruins you just walk right up to and explore! Just before Heilbronn (where I was stationed) is a small, walled medieval town, Bad Wimpfen-very cool like right out of a middle ages painting!

Like others said, it's good to know some basic German but all Germans get English in schools,(since the 50s) very easy to communicate. Also I went to alot of cities, even in Frankfort and Munnich there were no places that made me feel nervous due to any crime issues.

The food and beer are great and the people are mostly very friendly. Enjoy your reward!

If you never been on a plane before Id recommend to not sleep the night before because then you probably sleep better on the plane. maybe get some tablets against travel sickness just to make sure. Most planes have very good entertainment system and great food. just walk around in the plane a few times, when sitting move your toes and so, drink a lot.

Depends on how much time you have:

I guess you will land in Frankfurt

Frankfurt, from there to

Bernkastel-Kues, Mosel wine region
very beautiful, charming. with wine mountains, the mosel river, oldtown, castles, ship tour on the river beside the wine mountains, wine fests and so on.

Trier oldest town of Germany, also with ancient rome stuff

Munich

from Munich to

Castle Neuschwanstein

then

Garmisch-Partenkirchen (all the Nazis stayed there and it was Hitlers vacation destination)
there is also Germans highest mountain, Zugspitze

"Hitlers nest" Kehlsteinhaus on the mountain

then maybe domestic flight from Munich to Hamburg or Berlin

or way up north again

Cologne, the cathedral (building started in 1248!!!), oldtown (was capital of roman province) and one of the most heavily bombed citys during WWII

Northsea

Hamburg