Going to Germany: What should we see?

[mrsocks]

Hey All,

My wife and I are heading to Berlin in a few months and are looking for some suggestions of things to see. We are going to hit some of the major attractions, but I really enjoy seeing things like factories, local well known eateries, etc.. Things that dont make it into travel books. For example: when we went to London a few years ago, we saw the way they tow cars there. They pull up next to the car with a flatbed truck and then a boom swings out and they tie up the car and hoist it vertically out of the spot and onto the truck... that was great!

So what are some things we should see/do while over there.
We wont be there for oktoberfest.


Thanks.

[NogDog]

I suppose if I were going to Berlin I'd want to try to catch a performance of the Berlin Philharmonic, but of course that's not everybody's cup of tea.

I'm sure there must be a good brewery tour to be had somewhere there, too. :)

[piersk]

In a few months? If you're going in October, make sure you get to Munich for Oktoberfest, basically a whole festival dedicated to beer! (proper beer. Budweiser isn't beer).

Otherwise, Hamburg is very nice. Definately go to Berlin to see checkpoint charlie etc etc. If you have time, check out a little town about 30 minutes outside Hamburg called Stade. One of my exes spent a year working there and its very pretty.

[bpat1434]

Pick up a Frommer's Guide (http://www.frommers.com/destinations/germany/) ;)

I don't know what to see in Berlin specifically (other than the checkpoint and the remnants of the wall) but I'd want to go up to Hamburg and Munich, as well as down to the Schwarz Wald (Black Forest) just to go.

[mrsocks]

We are going in Oct, but going to miss the fest, oh well.. Not a big fan of large crowds anyway.

Driving the autobahn and going to the blackforest are on the list as well.

The remaining parts of the wall will be great to see too. Thanks.

[Roger Ramjet]

The new Reichstag, holocaust museum, cafe society in the old East Berlin neighbourhoods - the young people moved in because they were cheap neighbourhoods.

Give the Octoberfest a complete miss - most Munchen do. The city fills up with drunks from all over the world and is a complete farce. On the other hand Munich is one of my favourite german cities at other times - drinking beer neath the pagoda in the English Garden, spot on; sitting in the pavement cafes along the Leopoldstrasse in the early evening is not to be missed when the weather is warm.

They do have wine and beer festivals in every town and city throughout the summer, so try and get to some of the smaller ones. Johanesfest in the small town where my half-sisters live is amasing, everyone gets out into the streets and parties, the whole town. Google and see if any are on when you are there.

If you are driving from Berlin to Munich then Liepzig and Dresden are on the way. Stuttgart is a quaint city - in the old part anyway. It all depends how far you want to travel cos Czech Republic and Alps are not to far, indded Prague is nearer to Berlin than half of Germany.

Have fun and I hope we have a good autumn to make up for the shocking summer here in Europe.

[NogDog]

It all depends how far you want to travel cos Czech Republic and Alps are not to far, indded Prague is nearer to Berlin than half of Germany.

My brother visited Prague a few years ago and loved it: the architecture, the people, the night-life, and the beer. (Actually, that sequence should probably be reversed. ;) )

[bpat1434]

SO how much does your brother actually remember? Or is it that the beer made Prague have a nightlife, and neat architecture? ;) :)

[rowanparker]

I went to a concentration camp (Sachsenhausen) which is very near berlin.
Quite moving, defo worth going.
I also went to a Stasi prison, also worth going to.
You gotta see the wall too of course.
And Alexanderplatz (very modern, built on what was the death strip) is a very nice little place.