Easter is approaching
Ideas for enjoying the holidays - with or without kids
Welcome to Germany Travel Picks! This collection of travel tips, inspiration, news and events will land in your inbox every other Tuesday. The last edition had to be put on hold thanks to me coming down with covid, but I don’t want to let that one go to waste, so it’ll be published next week as a special edition. Keep your eyes peeled in your inbox for some springtime delights!
In this edition…
Hunt for rats in Hamelin • Optics and mechanics in charming Wetzlar • Five-star Flensburg hotel with both adults-only and family-friendly spas • Eco-friendly stay on an alpaca farm • Some of Germany’s best medieval offerings • A gourmet hike through the vineyards • and much more…
Destination Picks: relaxed small city visits
If you’re planning to travel Germany with young children, you might be wondering how to keep them happy whilst the grown ups see some of the sights. These three towns and cities are great destinations regardless of whether or not you’re travelling with kids, but they also offer something special to keep young ones entertained whilst the adults soak up some charming small town atmosphere.
Please check individual sites and destinations for up-to-date COVID-19 regulations.
Hunt for rats in Hamelin
A 40-minute train ride from the city of Hanover, pretty Hamelin is best known for its role in the legend of the Pied Piper. In the story, which dates back to the Middle Ages and may or may not be rooted in one or more various truths, a rat catcher is called to Hamelin to rid the town of an infestation, but is not paid his fee. In revenge, he lures children out of the town by playing his flute, and the children are never seen again.
Hamelin itself is full of beautifully restored timber-framed and Renaissance period buildings, and a wander through the cobbled streets with small children is made considerably more manageable by the excitement of spotting rat-related sights. Golden cobbles etched with the long-tailed rodents lead the way to the town’s main attractions, including the Hochzeitshaus, whose clockwork figures tells the story of the Pied Piper every time the Glockenspiel chimes, and the fountains on Osterstrasse and outside the Town Hall. There are also Pied Pipers to spot on various building façades, and the stained glass window of the Church of St Nicolas.
If growling stomachs become an issue, pop into a bakery and ask for a Brotratte (bread rat); and depending on how challenging the day’s been for the grown-ups, consider rounding off lunch or dinner with a shot of Rattenkiller (rat poison), a 50% alcohol herbal liqueur that’s served either ice cold or on fire.
Further information: hameln.de (.pdf)
Follow the optics trail in Wetzlar
Home to an impressive cathedral and some beautiful baroque buildings, Wetzlar, 70km north of Frankfurt has become a popular stop on the German Timber-Frame Road thanks to its collection of beautifully-preserved and restored half-timber buildings. The small city’s oldest half-timbered house, which dates back to 1356, may not be much cause for excitement for younger visitors, but if you’re keen to explore Wetzlar’s historical old town, which is home to the city’s main sights, get the kids hooked on following the Optics Trail. The city was made internationally famous in the early 20th century by the optics industry, and the marvels of optics and mechanics can be explored along the Optikparcours, an outdoor science trail comprising 24 historical sights and installations such as an optokinetic balance and a night vision device.
Further information: wetzlar.de
Splash about in Freiburg’s Bächle
The pretty cobbled streets of the southwestern city of Freiburg are a gorgeous place for a wander, with sights such as the medieval Schwabentor (Swabian Gate), historic merchants hall and Freiburg Minster to take in along the way. To keep children occupied, introduce them to the Freiburg Bächle, narrow paved water runnels that run through many of the city’s streets, fed by the clear waters of the Dreisam River. The Bächle have provided residents with water for drinking and fighting fires since the 12th century; today, you can buy a little wooden boat from the REHA toy shop on Moltkestrasse and sail it around town, or if it’s hot, let the kids take their shoes off and have a good splash. Just be careful not to stumble in yourself - according to local legend, any single person who stumbles into the running water has to marry one of the locals.
Further information: visit.freiburg.de
Accommodation Picks: gorgeous hotels that (really!) welcome kids
Germany Travel Picks supports sustainable overnight accommodation and independent and family-run businesses. Please check individual websites for up-to-date COVID-19 regulations.
Child-friendly accommodation in Germany ranges from modest bed and breakfasts with optional high chairs and cots to all-inclusive resorts with every imaginable kid-related bell and whistle on offer. For those who are looking for somewhere grown-up and gorgeous that just so happens to be (very!) welcoming to kids, one of these two properties might fit the bill.
Waterfront north German boutique hotel and spa
This five-star boutique hotel is located directly on Flensburg harbour, less than 10km from the Danish border. The stylishly-furnished rooms - some split level or with a balcony - offer marina, garden or fjord views; eating and drinking options comprise no fewer than three on-site restaurants and a bar. The lavish, three-level spa is home to various saunas, steam baths, treatment rooms and a 20m indoor-outdoor rooftop pool with a panoramic view stretching as far as the Ox Islands and the Danish coast beyond. There’s an adult-sonly spa area as well a family spa with kids’ pool, lounge area and kitchen, and an imaginative children’s programme that changes weekly. If you can persuade yourself to leave, the team at Das James will organise everything from sailing and picnic trips to kids’ photography classes and visits to the hotel’s own farm.
Doubles from 170€ per night and family suites from 230€ including breakfast and use of the spa. Minimum 2-night stay. For further information and booking visit dasjames.com or book via booking.com.
Sustainable stay in remote Bavaria
Surrounded by meadows, fields and grazing animals, the AmVieh Theater hotel is a sustainable property in a wonderfully isolated location some 65km northeast of Munich. The whole property is supplied with 100% green electricity, most of which is generated in-house, and the kitchen uses organic produce from their own farm. Rooms are furnished with natural materials: wood comes from the neighbouring forest, and duvets and pillows are filled with the fleece of the hotel’s own alpacas and llamas. Families can choose from a holiday apartment or two rooms connected by a door; there are also double rooms, a tiny house and, next door to the hotel, a pop-up camp site.
Doubles and family room (sleeps up to five) from 65€ per person including vegetarian breakfast. Further information and booking (in German) at amvieh-theater.de or in English at biohotels.info.
A Local’s Picks: must-visits for medieval history
Erin McGann is a writer and editor from Canada who has lived in Heidelberg since 2016. These are some of her favourite places and events in Germany for experiencing life in the Middle Ages:
One of the best-preserved castles in Germany, Eltz Castle has been in the same family for over 800 years. With beautiful interior wall paintings lovingly restored, and original castle rooms from the 12th, 15th and 16th centuries, it truly feels like stepping into history. As you descend from the car park by bus or on foot, prepare yourself for your first glimpse of the castle - it’s genuinely breathtaking. Eltz Castle is closed in the winter months, reopening on 31 March this year.
If you prefer your Middle Ages fix with more swords and live fighting, Germany has a vibrant Middle Ages market and event scene. For instance, there’s the Spectaculum medieval festival in Worms in May with large-scale demonstrations of dancing and sports, the Cake and Fountain Festival in Schwäbisch Hall in June for listening to strolling minstrels against a gorgeous half-timbered town backdrop, and the Medieval Christmas Market in Esslingen for experiencing a holiday market full of flaming torches and musical performances. Each one has its own character, with some featuring more fighting events, and others focusing on market stalls and food. Lots of folks come in period clothing!
Want to join in wearing medieval dress? Medieval clothing shop Ritterladen, in Gründau, Hesse, can provide appropriate clothes for the Viking age all the way up to the 14th century, including headgear, shoes, and even armour. Shop in person at their warehouse (closed Mondays and Tuesdays), or order online.
Since 2013, a dedicated group of people have been building a Carolingian-era monastery complex near Meßkirch in Baden-Württemberg, following architectural plans from the era. You can visit Campus Galli and watch them at work in period clothing, using period tools. You can even get your hands dirty by volunteering to work on the site for a few days. Campus Galli reopens on 1 April.
For more Germany travel tips relating to history, museums and culture, follow Erin on Twitter, Instagram or her blog, Erin at Large.
Events and exhibitions for (big and little) kids
• The family-friendly Oppenheim Gourmet Walk follows a 7km section of the Rheinterrassenweg hiking trail between Oppenheim and Dienheim, with stands offering food and local wine along the way - including on the grounds of Landskron castle ruins. Oppenheim, Rheinland-Palatinate, 10 April
• Join the Easter bunny in the grounds of an 18th century palace for a small Easter market featuring Easter crafts for children, homemade food from the servants’ kitchen, and a discovery tour through the palace gardens. Barockschloss Rammegau, Saxony, 16-17 April
• The VENI VIDI PLAYMOBIL® exhibition displays 50 scenes of Roman life depicted with PLAYMOBIL® figures. Museum Römerhalle, Bad Kreuznach, Rheinland-Palatinate, until 4 September.
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Next week’s special edition will feature some of the most beautiful spots to see Germany blossoming into spring. Don’t miss out!
Germany Travel Picks is a free newsletter that may include affiliate links, which means the author may earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase - at no extra cost to you. Links are provided to English-language websites wherever possible. All details and offers are correct at the time of publishing.
Thanks for this great article!
I just wanted to leave a hint for northern Germany. Here is the famous historical city of Haithabu, which was one of the most important trading cities in the early medieval times. Here you will find a museum and a open-air museum inkluding a viking ship and restored viking houses. Very, very nice!
Near to that, in the worlds famous heavy metal village, Wacken, you will also find the Viking and Medieval Store www.battlemerchant.com including a 400 m2 Shop with thousands of historical products to find.