20 yr old college student (Ashley) going to visit 21 y.o. sister (Robin) who lives on base with Army husband in Hanau. Robin has not traveled since she arrived in June. They intend to go to Paris for 2 nights, and see quite a list of things in Germany in a 7 day period. They plan to buy the youth pass for 4 or 5 days of travel within France and Germany. The wish list includes: Paris/Versailles (2 nights); Berlin; Neuschwanstein; and a concentration camp - perhaps Dachau? We have never been, are planning this from guide books and internet. Would really appreciate input, suggetions, hints, etc. And reassurance that my girls will be okay!!!
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They%26#39;ll be fine -- violent crime is far less common in Europe than in the US -- so long as they conduct themselves like they would in any big US city, they%26#39;ll be fine.
Run a search on what you%26#39;re considering -- you%26#39;ll get piles of answers from other forum posts about the same thing -- then ask what you%26#39;re still unclear on.
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There is a bullet train link between Frankfurt, which is close to Hanau, and Paris. Journey time is just over three hours and you can get it from �39 one way on www.bahn.de.
From Paris to Berlin check with airberlin.com, germanwings.com and tuifly.com (don%26#39;t do easyjet!). If they want to take the train from Paris to Berlin consider in between stops at Brussels and Cologne. Cologne is a party city and made for them. Plus the world%26#39;s 2nd largest gothic cathedral is there and is quite worthwhile. Cologne to Berlin either take train or tuiyfly.com, airberlin.com...
They need 2 days to get a rough impression on Berlin and should visit Potsdam and the castles on the 3rd day. Potsdam is in the periphery of Berlin.
From Berlin to Munich they could take an overnight train, then spend a day in Munich, do Dachau on the next day and then leave for F��ssen to do Neuschwanstein on the last day. From F��ssen back to Hanau it%26#39;s a half day%26#39;s train ride...
They%26#39;ll be perfectly save. The crime rate in Germany is way, way below that of any US city! And it%26#39;s very common for people their age to travel. They need to apply common sense at any given time but I assume that%26#39;s the way you brought them up anyway...
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so the europe rail pass for 4 days isnt the way to go?
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I can%26#39;t really understand people who travel to a distant place and then want to spend a considerable amount of time traveling to further distant places. The grass isn%26#39;t greener on the other side of the fence! Germany has over 30,000 castles and palaces alone! In and around (whether 100km or 100 miles) Hanau there are great places to visit, certainly more than a week%26#39;s worth, and probably more than several months%26#39; worth.
If I were to travel to Paris, I would want to spend 3-5 days in Paris, and extra if I wanted to see Versailles. Likewise, Berlin. If they feel like they must travel to a more distant place, then spend some time there and visit places going there and/or returning. Otherwise, most of the time will be spent traveling and little actually seeing things. And the high speed trains are a poor way to see things. If the land isn%26#39;t flat, they spend much of their time at the bottom of ditches and in tunnels.
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I agree with your concept.
However, Ashley wants to see everything she can as she doesnt know when or if she will ever get to go back. (2o yr olds cant always see much beyond the NOW).
So what Im trying to help them do is come up with a plan to at least attempt some of it...
suggestions from people who have been there...
For instance, Im not sure they have a good grasp of how long trains take from point A to point B...
they have been trying to research it on line...
Im quite open to hearing an amended suggestion of what they want to see... Paris is not optional, they both really want to do that...
might it be better to do a day in Munich and skip Berlin? If you had 2 kids who had 7 days, and they wanted to see so much
where would you send them?
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The Rhine Gorge area between Bingen and Koblenz or the Mosel River are not that far from Hanau or Frankfurt and are what many Americans picture Germany to look like, castles, vineyards and nice small towns. You can take a boat or train between places. Maybe spend a few days there and the rest in Paris. Then most of the time will be spent seeing things instead of traveling, and they will have enough time to enjoy both places. It%26#39;s nice to be able to sit in a cafe or beer garden, enjoy yourself, and watch people pass by, instead of constantly rushing to see distant places that are no better than where you%26#39;re at.
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Paris - Berlin - Bavaria
This is a kind of triangle with Hanau in the mid. Too much for 7 days. Pick 2 out of the 3 cities/regions.
There is also a concentration camp near Berlin
http://www.stiftung-bg.de/gums/index.php
Like Potsdam (the Prussian Versailles) it%26#39;s in zone Berlin C. Day ticket Berlin AB (= city of Berlin) is EUR 6,10. Day ticket Berlin ABC is EUR 6,30.
http://www.potsdam-tourism.com/
Rail Pass vs. specials
With the special train tickets but also the budget flights are they are bound to the booked connections. I see however no real problem with this on this tight itinerary. And the full flexibility of rail pass exists only in Germany. The ICEs from Frankfurt to Paris require compulsory seat reservation. And the Thalys from Paris to Cologne a) run through Belgium b) are generally not fully covered, i.e. require a surcharge for pass holders.
There are actually a number of sights much closer to Hanau. Their original itinerary is a complete miss if it comes to anything reminding of %26quot;Old Germany%26quot;.
the Middle Rhine Valley (with loads of castles)
http://www.welterbe-mittelrheintal.de/
Heidelberg
heidelberg-marketing.de/content/index_eng.ht��
Speyer
www.speyer.de/de/tourist/sehenswert��
and even closer to Hanau places like B��dingen, Gelnhausen, Miltenberg.
Frankfurt itself is quite good if it comes to museums, shopping, clubs.
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