[hoyasaxa]

Anyone have recommendations for a stopover between Lucerne and Cologne? We'll be doing the drive in one day, but would like to stop for 2-3 hours somewhere to walk around a little and grab some lunch before getting back on the road.

I've done a little research, and some options (each of which creates a slightly different route) might be: Heidelberg, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Trier, Luxembourg City, or Eltz Castle.

Any recommendations, from among those options, or even something else?

Thanks!

[Tim182]

Colmar, Strasbourg or Heidelberg

[HFW003]

Strasbourg for me.

[Bizall]

Blackforest or Heidelberg

[takrdown]

Went to Heidelberg in 2009 and it was beautiful. One of my favorite places while in Germany. Highly recommended! The town is a college town and very cute with a lot of shopping if you're into that. Find parking and then walk to dozens of choices for food and drink. Very relaxing and great people watching!

I stayed at the Heidelberg Marriott if you change your mind and stay there which was great. My only complaint was that it was a mile or two away from the town center so you had to drive into town or take the hotel shuttle which was kind of hit or miss, but that was 8 years ago.

Enjoy it!

[Nicolas_St]

I would recommend Frankfurt, it's a pity Munich is not on your list, I go often there and to Frankfurt for business. Both cities are great with lots of things to see/do. I am also thinking about buying apartment in Munich https://tranio.com/germany/bavaria/munich/apartments/, haven’t yet ask my bank about mortgage. I heard that German banks offer good deals on property mortgages. Anyway, this is another story have a great trip in Europe!

[Dackelone]

hoyasaxa what do you and the Mrs(?) want to do on your stop-over? Sightseeing ? Something car related maybe?

I agree with all the cities mentioned above... Strasbourg, Heidelberg, Black Forest, Frankfurt, etc... all nice places to visit.

Maybe go visit Klassikstadt in Frankfurt and then to downtown and go shopping on the "Zeil" pedestrian area. You can go to the top floor of Galeria Kaufhof(a German dept store) and go to the restaurant there. Outside on the terrace there is an awesome view of the downtown Frankfurt area.

Klassikstadt - Frankfurt am Main
http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=636805



Are you doing an ED ? Or are you just flying into Lucerne and then trying to get to Cologne ?

Can you take a detour for a day or two or must you drive right away to Cologne ?


IF you drive directly from Switzerland... when you travel up the A5 you might want to take a detour to Mulhouse, France and visit the famous Schulmpf Museum...

We show you the Schlumpf Collection - Mullhouse, France...
http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...php?p=21869244



IF you haven't seen my "Places to visit in/near Munich" thread... go check it out(link bellow)... lots of great places and day trips. For me... I love Germany, but Southern Bavaria, Austria(Tyrol) and Northern Italy(Tyrol) are my go to places to recharge my soul. You can't go wrong anywhere in Tyrol if you ask me.


Places to visit near Munich while on ED...
http://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho....php?t=1170588


IF you decide to drive thru the Black Forrest area... you could drive the High Alpine Strasse B500 thru the Black Forrest Alps. I would recommend to stay over at this little hotel half way up the Alps there... Berghotel Mummelsee... a really sweet hotel high up in the alps and absolutely nothing is there but the hotel and this little lake. At night its so quiet but by day all the driving tourists are there. Rooms were very reasonable and the food was great!

Berghotel Mummelsee
https://www.google.de/maps/place/Ber....2012001?hl=en


FYI... the Unimog Museum and Fahrzeugmuseum Marxzell are also close by in this area of German.


IF you want a real Cuckoo Clock... go visit: Triberg This is the area in the Black Forrest that the Cuckoo Clocks are made in. There is also a nice waterfall that the city of Triberg is famous for.


The direct drive from Lucerne to Cologne(thru Basel and up the A5) is kind of boring drive. Once you get to the A5 it's a nice straight and fast Autobahn... but its boring.

I would say for you to go thru Austria, drive the Hahntennjoch(Pass) and then drive to Reutte, Austria - there they have the Highline 179 bridge... if your brave enough to hike up there. There is also a hotel castle near by if you want to stay over night. Also just over the border from Reutte is Neuschwanstein Castle. So that's always a nice detour. Just don't stay there... bc the hotels are double the price bc of the Neuschwanstein Castle. I would stay way outside of that area. On your way up North you could still stop in Heidelberg or Frankfurt.

a driving route like this is what I would say to do...
https://www.google.de/maps/dir/Lucer...7531!3e0?hl=en



A really nice small German city I discovered years ago is Wangen im Allgäu. I really like this small city. I always stay at the Blaue Traube(literally the Blue Grape Hotel) the owners are very sweet and its a family run hotel. The hotel rooms are small, but modern and clean. Ask to stay in one of their Penthouse sweets. The hotel is cheap and the food is excellent! Take a walk around this walled city and sample how quaint this village is. I like staying here because its close to the German/Austrian border and its very convenient for me when I travel to points South.

Hotel Blaue Traube
Zunfthausgasse 10,
88239 Wangen im Allgäu



Another route would be this...


https://www.google.de/maps/dir/Lucer...7531!3e0?hl=en

Würzburg is also a great city with an awesome castle fortress that overlooks the city. Also on the A7 is the Illertal Autobahn rastplatz... its a crazy looking place!


Illertal Autobahn rastplatz. On the A7 traveling North, just before where the A8 Autobahn crosses.



And of course I don't have to remind you that the Nurburgring is quite close to Cologne!


Ok, let me know what you think of my ideas for some side tours. I hope I haven't melted your mind.

Dackel

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by takrdown

Went to Heidelberg in 2009 and it was beautiful. One of my favorite places while in Germany. Highly recommended! The town is a college town and very cute with a lot of shopping if you're into that. Find parking and then walk to dozens of choices for food and drink. Very relaxing and great people watching!

I stayed at the Heidelberg Marriott if you change your mind and stay there which was great. My only complaint was that it was a mile or two away from the town center so you had to drive into town or take the hotel shuttle which was kind of hit or miss, but that was 8 years ago.

Enjoy it!

The few times I have stayed in HD... I always stay outside the city in: Schriesheim It's in the wine growing area and the hotels are cheap and nice and very German.

There is also a ruined castle called: Strahlenburg That is now a upscale restaurant(I believe).
https://www.google.de/maps/place/Str....6692429?hl=en

There is also an old mine in Schriesheim, that is open to the public. Its kind of cool to visit.

Besucherbergwerk Schriesheim
https://www.google.de/maps/place/Bes...8.673588?hl=en


Anyone who visits Heidelberg, must go and visit the Castle, that over looks this awesome city. But be forewarned that there a a TON of cyclists(!!) in this city - bc it IS a college town. And by a lot of bicyclists I mean THOUSANDS or tens of thousands. Really. Just go walk past to bahnhof to see what I mean. And the cyclist drive crazy... so watch out!

When you go up to the HD Castle... you can walk down the 305 numbers steps! Also be sure to go up when the castle is open and see the huge wooden barrels that held wine. I think the small barrel holds 5,000 liters and the large one 10,000 ? That are huge!!
https://www.google.de/maps/place/Hei....7153125?hl=en