kaymoz Posted August 15, 2022 #1 Share Posted August 15, 2022 We're contemplating a stopover en route to our first Viking river cruise in mid-October, with choices of Hamburg, Frankfurt or Munich. Any advice? We enjoy history, geology, art, hiking, and walking tours of historic areas (the older the better). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruiserBruce Posted August 15, 2022 #2 Share Posted August 15, 2022 Haven't been to Hamburg, but my preference would be Munich. Plus, you will be there during Octoberfest!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare carlmm Posted August 15, 2022 #3 Share Posted August 15, 2022 In terms of art and history, Munich is the city with the most options of museums and still existing buildings. Frankfurt also has a long and important history but not much was left after WW II. In the surrounding areas of both Munich and Frankfurt you can find mountains for hiking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare markeb Posted August 16, 2022 #4 Share Posted August 16, 2022 6 hours ago, CruiserBruce said: Haven't been to Hamburg, but my preference would be Munich. Plus, you will be there during Octoberfest!! Oktoberfest ends on Oktober 3. It would normally end on Sunday the 2d, but it’s extended when German Unity Day is on the 3rd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare markeb Posted August 16, 2022 #5 Share Posted August 16, 2022 I’d tend to Munich as well. Tons to do in the city and surrounding area. Lots of history, art, museums, etc., and a very walkable city center. And you’re only an hour or so from the Alps. Frankfurt has a more industrial feel. Never been to Hamburg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Globaliser Posted August 16, 2022 #6 Share Posted August 16, 2022 7 hours ago, markeb said: Frankfurt has a more industrial feel. I agree that Frankfurt itself is a bit of dump, but one advantage is that it's really easy to get out to surrounding places that are really worth visiting, like Wiesbaden and Heidelberg, or the cathedral cities of Worms and Speyer. There are some famous Chagall windows in a church in Mainz. There are also many attractive places down the Rhine between Mainz and Koblenz, and up the Nahe from Bingen - even though this may duplicate some of the river cruise's itinerary (depending on where it's going), you can't see or visit everything/everywhere from a cruise. Hamburg is a very prosperous city with some interesting history, and much of it looks like it used to - but a very large part of it is post-WW2 reconstruction. I would suggest avoiding Munich during Oktoberfest (although it sounds like this won't be a problem) unless Oktoberfest is actually the reason for going. Otherwise, though, given the OP's list of interests my top pick from the list would also be Munich. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare markeb Posted August 16, 2022 #7 Share Posted August 16, 2022 3 hours ago, Globaliser said: I agree that Frankfurt itself is a bit of dump, but one advantage is that it's really easy to get out to surrounding places that are really worth visiting, like Wiesbaden and Heidelberg, or the cathedral cities of Worms and Speyer. There are some famous Chagall windows in a church in Mainz. There are also many attractive places down the Rhine between Mainz and Koblenz, and up the Nahe from Bingen - even though this may duplicate some of the river cruise's itinerary (depending on where it's going), you can't see or visit everything/everywhere from a cruise. Hamburg is a very prosperous city with some interesting history, and much of it looks like it used to - but a very large part of it is post-WW2 reconstruction. I would suggest avoiding Munich during Oktoberfest (although it sounds like this won't be a problem) unless Oktoberfest is actually the reason for going. Otherwise, though, given the OP's list of interests my top pick from the list would also be Munich. To me, that's the challenge. There's a lot to do around Frankfurt, but there's a lot to do in Munich. In fairness, there's probably more to do in Frankfurt, but I know Munich much better... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grayjay Posted August 17, 2022 #8 Share Posted August 17, 2022 Where does your river cruise start from? It might influence choices where to go to. And how much time do you have for your stopover? It also depends which airport you'll land coming from the US - probably Frankfurt? Both Hamburg and Munich are easily reachable by plane or train. All of the cities you mention have lots of sights to see - the weather in mid-October might be better in Munich whereas Hamburg can be very wet and cool at this time - something to take into consideration as well. So ask away and we'll try to answer your questions! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy-Europe Posted August 24, 2022 #9 Share Posted August 24, 2022 If you are interested in geology - in Munich there is the Bavarian State Collection for Palaeontology and Geology https://bspg.snsb.de/?lang=en (not so well known like many other museums) I don´t know how many days you have - but there a several geoparks in Bavaria: https://www.lfu.bayern.de/geologie/geo_parks/index.htm I think Munich is the best option - Munich itself offers many museums and sights, if you havve more time, make a stop at Augsburg (more than 2000 years old, you can visit the Fuggerei https://www.fugger.de/en/fuggerei Augsburg is a world heritage city: https://wassersystem-augsburg.de/en And there are several museum: https://www.augsburg.de/kultur/museen-galerien Maybe you like the Schaezlerpalais | Art collections & muesums Augsburg In 1770, the banqueting hall was ceremonially inaugurated by the Austrian Archduchess Maria Antonia of Habsburg-Lorraine, who also stopped off in Augsburg on her journey to Versailles for the official wedding to the future French King Louis XVI. Or may I suggest a trip to Nördlingen: https://www.noerdlingen.de/ Which is not so well known , but really nice. https://www.noerdlingen.de/fileadmin/noerdlingen/prospekte/pdf/Ortsprospekt_Englisch-Franzoesisch_2019.pdf Nördlingen’s townscape is dominated by the almost circularhistoric old city which is surrounded by a 2.7-kilometer-long citywall with accessible parapet walk. The historic old city is so well preserved because of its centuries-long “hibernation” as a result of the dreadful consequencesof the Thirty Years’ War. With the Battle of Nördlingen, 1634 wasa fateful year for the city.Let yourself be taken back to the time of the wool-cloth weaver,tanner and dyer. Very few cities in Germany have such an intactTanners’ District as found today in Nördlingen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caripoo Posted August 26, 2022 #10 Share Posted August 26, 2022 MUNICH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt_BJ Posted September 4, 2022 #11 Share Posted September 4, 2022 (edited) we spent a few day in Hamburg before boarding QM2 an enjoyed the city A BUNCH for us ... Miniature Wonderland alone was worth the trip .... we'd planned to spend a couple of hours and after FIVE pulled ourselves away. It IS amazing .... https://www.miniatur-wunderland.de/ But I admit we've never been to F' or M' ....... spent a few days in Regensburg . . . Edited September 4, 2022 by Capt_BJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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