Table of Contents
Back in school I read a lot about Germany – its history and its politics. Germany was a country which created a strong impact on me due to its political background and I was always curious to know more about this rich historic destination. It’s an European destination where the most of it was affected by the world wars yet managed to restore to their original form. This influential European nation was always in our bucket list.
Quaint old towns, captivating historic architecture, fascinating fairy-tale kind of castles, enthralling museums, numerous beer halls and beer gardens, half timbered houses, contemporary skyscrapers, the world famous Autobahn and its rich heritage and culture made our German trip enticing.
We flew to Frankfurt (Frankfurt is a financial hub ; apparently the flights to Frankfurt are cheaper than any other city in Germany) by Etihad Airways . The first thing that we observed was the rattling and trembling of the windows and floor of the airport. The airport had glass windows and we realised that the vibrations were due to the speeding cars on the autobahn highway. Autobahn is one of the largest motorway with no speed limits. Wow! Something which took me by surprise. It felt like a fast and furious movie flashing infront of my eyes. And I could see Anil’s face gleeming with happiness. Yes, he loves cars and speeding.
We pre-booked our rental car at the airport. Initially it took us sometime to get accustomed to the drives , understanding the pace, speed limits and also the signages. Very soon my husband got a hold of it and we made it to our hotel.
Frankfurt , A cosmopolitan metropolis :
We stayed at Scandic Frankfurt Museumsufer hotel . It was centrally located and our room offered panaromic views of the skyline.We had amazing day and night views.
The room with city view costed €200 per night/per couple including breakfast. The hotel was located in a strategic location and we loved everything about the hotel including sumptuous breakfast.
Frankfurt boasts of skyscrapers in one part with an immediate neighbourhood of buildings of old world charm.
Sachsenhausen is a bustling yet laid back old district of Frankfurt. It lies along the main river which holds a series of museums of art, history and architecture. The streets are lined up with historic half timbered houses, few of them converted into restaurants and sports bars. This is the most vibrant neighbourhood in Frankfurt. A hive of activity takes places every evening with a lot of buzz around the clubs. We loved Sachsenhausen area and its vibrance. There are lot of options for club hopping and the prices are far reasonable.
A day trip to Bonn from Frankfurt :
We drove to Bonn from Frankfurt for a day trip. Bonn is a small laid back old town with rich heritage and architecture and seemed like a fairy tale town. The cherry blossom avenue in Bonn is supposed to be an extraordinary one. Usually they bloom in April so we missed the beautiful blossoms in the Avenue.
Marktplatz or the market square is one of the oldest parts of the city. You can shop around almost anything or you can check out numerous museums around. Marktplatz has a lot of eateries and you can munch on best food and drinks. Visiting this tiny town is something which you shouldn’t miss during your visit to Germany. We fell in love with this place instantly as it made us feel like we have gone back in time.
An epic drive from Frankfurt to Munich via Hirschhorn :
The drives from Frankfurt to Munich are worth experiencing . In this route I drove for a while on the Autobahn and I was astound by the speed at which the cars were moving. Soon i decided to give back the steering as i felt it was not my cup of tea. There are two routes to Munich from Frankfurt. The most famous route is through Wurzburg and Nuremberg , taking a diversion to Rothenburg ob der Tauber where you can get some postcard pictures. We chose to drive and explore the other route through Hirschhorn. We passed through the little towns on our way and through Beerfelden and Rothenberg. Please remember that it is not Rothenburg ob der Tauber. It was a Sunday and to our amusement we came across many groups of bikers dressed in bomber jackets biking along the way from Rothenberg to Hirschhorn. They seemed quite professional and it was a sight to watch. But the drives were a bit risky here as we came across many hairpin bends which made the drives very difficult and adding to it were the speeding bikers who made it even more challenging. I suggest that you drive really careful in this route and the Autobahn does not apply here.
Rothenberg is a very beautiful town. The iconic timber framed buildings added to the aura of this place. The pathways were made of cobble stones. After spending sometime in this beautiful place we headed towards Hirschhorn. Hirschhorn is also called Neckar as it is located along the Neckar river. This little village looked dreamy and gave us settlement goals . There are many little cafes and restaurants in the village. After lunch and finally headed to Munich.
Munich :
After a long drive we reached Munich (also called as Munchen), largest city in Bavaria state. This popular heritage destination of Bavaria is charming. The world famous Oktoberfest takes place in Munich. If you are planning to travel Germany during Oktoberfest do check the dates of the fest online.
We stayed at Hotel Regent. The room was quite comfortable and the hotel was centrally located. The room costed us 120 euros per night/per couple. We went strolling around this city using a guide map. We preferred not to use our car in Munich. The best way to know a place is to walk around . The architechture of the buildings was mesmerising. We walked across the streets , parks and its museums.
Munich has numerous museums , beer halls and interesting buildings of architecture. The pathways are clearly demarcated for the pedestrians and bikers. There are a lot of tram lines on roads. Initially it was a bit confusing but soon we got used to it.
Hofbräuhaus :
This is a world famous tourist attraction and we wanted to check out what it exactly felt like being there. My first impression was that it felt like a beer market altogether, a very interesting place to visit. I must admit here that I am a teetotaller but had real good fun with the enthusiastic locals and tourists. It was a huge hall with high roofs. The ceiling was painted beautifully and is the first striking thing that you observe once you enter. This bustling beer hall feels like a different world. There are muscicians playing few good bands and also there are vendors selling pretzels inside the hall. The entire place looks pompous with lot of energy.
How much does the drive in Germany cost?
If you were wondering how much the drives cost and also the basic driving guidelines, you have an answer below :
1. The first thing that comes across in our mind regarding the drives is which car do we choose? I suggest a good car which atleast aligns with the guidelines of the Autobahn . The speed/pace at which the cars move is something which is distinct from our homeland. So always choose a good car.
2. Do not stop on Autobahn unless it’s an emergency. You may be levied with huge fines for doing so.
3. Not all the drives in Germany are on Autobahn. In cities and towns there are restrictions on the speed. There are speed limits even in the outskirts of the cities/ towns. Only after a certain distance from population you have a completely free Autobahn motorway.
4. Its risky to drive slowly on Autobahn. Maintain a basic speed limit atleast.
We opted for BMW 3 series. It costed around €250 approximately per day.
Hope you enjoyed reading about our Germany trip. Have you been to Germany? Or are you planning to visit? Share your comments below.
Also read about our Hawaii travels : Hawaiian Paradise : An escape into the Magnificent Isl
Mesmerising Alberobello – Two days in this beautiful UNESCO world heritage site
