We rounded out the end of summer with two visits from two more nephews! What to do with visitors to Germany? Of course, we show them quaint German villages, soaring cathedrals, fairytale castles, and the Alps. With a longer weekend, we also visit neighboring countries to see more beautiful scenery.
Visitor 1 – Nephew Stephen
We took Stephen on a short road trip to the best medieval village in Germany, Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Rothenburg od T is a medieval village with old city walls and buildings dating to the 12th century. First thing, before the rush of tourists arrived for the day, we visited the Medieval Crime Museum for a super interesting look at crimes and justice throughout history.
We had great weather for walking the ancient walls, through the castle garden, and 2 out of 3 of us climbed up hundreds of steps in the town hall tower for views over the village and countryside. What a funny discovery for everyone to find out that once you’ve climbed up the hundreds of circular narrow stairs, you pay at the top to continue on for the views.
Besides being a super pretty medieval village, Rothenburg ob der Tauber is also a Christmas village, with so many Christmas shops, including the Käthe Wohlfahrt store and an amazing German Christmas Shop and Museum.
Returning to Stuttgart, we visited Schwabengarten, one of our favorite biergartens, with a big outdoor space with lots of picnic tables and a nice playground. Their traditional German foods are outstanding . We enjoyed schnitzel, curry wurst, and spaetzle to round out the weekend.
With Rob back at work, Stephen and I hopped on a high speed train to visit Strasbourg, France for the day. Strasbourg is a picturesque town, with a massive cathedral with Gothic spires, and scenic canals that curve around Old Town. Also home to the world’s largest cheese dome!
For our last dinner all together in Germany, we had to take Stephen to our local, The Auld Rogue Irish Pub for a pint, a fish and chippy, and a fond farewell.
Visitor 2 – Nephew Jamie
I headed to Frankfurt airport to say good-bye to Stephen and wish him well on his semester of study abroad, and hello to Jamie, our next visitor!
We welcomed Jamie to Germany, and with our neighbor’s grapevines in the background, we enjoyed a bubbly toast of German Sekt (Germany’s champagne).
Having Friday to Monday off of work for Labor Day weekend, we set out on a road trip with a goal to see 5 countries in 4 days.
We took off in Rocky the Mini on Friday morning, for our first destination, the fairytale Neuschwanstein Castle in southern Germany. To get to the castle, there’s a choice of a steep walk up the mountain to the castle, or a shuttle. We decided that the experience of “hiking in the Alps” would be a better story. 😂
Luckily, the rain held off for us until later in the day, when we had an indoor biergarten experience for dinner. Beim Olivenbauer in Füssen. This spot had excellent customer service, the traditional “ein Maß bier,” and a mix of German and Italian meals. Their outdoor biergarten patio looks great, for when it isn’t raining.
Visitors to Germany Road Trip
The next day we drove through the pretty mountains and countryside of Austria and Liechtenstein, countries 2 and 3.
Our official stop for the night was in Lucerne, Switzerland (country #4!). Home of the oldest covered bridge in Europe, spanning the Reuss River. In sunny weather, we sat outside for dinner with views of the river and Alps. Possibly one of our best meals on the road trip, we all ate the “Fest Special,” a half-chicken and chips. Delicious.
The riverfront is lined with shops and restaurants, and another nice spot in Old Town is around the Lion Monument. We found great souvenirs shops, among cute coffee shops and cafés.
Always on the lookout for an Irish Pub, we had a fun time at The Shamrock, listening to live music from the talented Ty Freeman.
On Day 3, we travelled to France, country #5! We stayed in the cute canal town of Colmar. A very chill village, with cobblestone streets full of shops and café restaurants. Another great area for souvenirs, with shops even open on a Sunday.
There’s nothing like a road trip to really get away from the usual. And we love that we can see a bit of 5 countries over 4 days!
Back home in Germany, with one last dinner all together, of course, we headed for our local, The Auld Rogue.
Visitors to Germany
So many fun outings, full of great conversations and lots of laughs. We had such a good time with each of our late-summer visitors. Thanks for visiting!
Prost!
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