What to do with friend visiting?

[MBell 80]

Hey all,

I am new to Germany (been here about 3 months) and my wife's friend will be visiting us from the States for a couple weeks. We're in Leverkusen, so we plan to show her Cologne and Dusseldorf, but are there any other cool places to see around here? We're up for travel, but I truly don't know where to go, being new here and all. Any suggestions for the typical touristy stuff within reason (meaning we're not going to drive to Munich or Berlin), preferably around NRW? Thanks.

[sarasbluegroove 31]

I have been meaning to go on one of the boat tours to the middle rhein area, maybe stop in Koblenz. They have amazing vinyards along the river. other than that, i'm in the same boat as you (no pun intended)

[bohemka 4,338]

Mosel Valley, Luxembourg, Maastricht. All beautiful.

[k0be 1,107]

Luxembourg is worth a visit. Eifel is also on the way there. Holland is also around the corner.

[MBell 80]

I know she wants to see the typical things that Americans think about when they think of Germany (i.e. village-style towns, castles, etc.), but I don't know if there is any of that sort of thing around here. I spend my days/visits in the cities, and have yet to get out to any countryside.

[Guest]

take a look at the Cologne tourist office site.

looks like there are some nice day trips.

[k0be 1,107]

 

I know she wants to see the typical things that Americans think about when they think of Germany (i.e. village-style towns, castles, etc.)

 

so she wants you to take her to 17th century?

[NoBullJim 3,685]

 

I know she wants to see the typical things that Americans think about when they think of Germany (i.e. village-style towns, castles, etc.),

Actually, to me that spells biergarten all over it. :)

[k0be 1,107]

You should find lots of nice breweries (with the biergarten) in the area. Too bad some people will have drive, though :ph34r:

[MBell 80]

@Moon, thanks. @Kobe, Alol. & Jim - jez, I imagine we'll be doing a fair share of that. Plus, my favorite bar/kneipe is in Cologne, so I'm sure we'll spend a good amount of time/money there. The tricky thing is going to be seeing if I can get them both to go to sauna. My wife (a German) is an avid user, but I don't know how she'll feel about going there w/ me and a friend. ;-) lol

[k0be 1,107]

thread title is very misleading then :lol:

[comtrails70 2]

check out kaiserswerth.

[trehere 1]

http://www.cochem.de/tourismus/en/index.php

worth a visit, quite a nice drive along the river

[eeboswell 8]

I hope this helps!! I don't know what to tell you about visiting towns but I'm sure there are some fantastic vineyards around and you could probably find a very cool small town near one-- I ask around, if I find anything Ill post-- but here are some things to do around town

 

What about Schloß Dyke---- http://www.stiftung-schloss-dyck.de/

 

schloss Jagerhof--- http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schloss_J%C3%A4gerhof

 

Scholss Benrath--- http://www.schloss-benrath.de/en/portal_stiftung/bootportal.asp

 

Maybe the Kunst Museum-- http://www.kunsthalle-duesseldorf.de/d/ausstellung/aktuell/index.html

 

or Museum Ludwig--http://www.museenkoeln.de/museum-ludwig/

 

Köln's Chocolate Museum- http://www.chocolatemuseum-cologne.com/

 

Roman German Museum --http://www.museenkoeln.de/english/default.asp?s=252

 

Museum Schnütgen-- http://www.museenkoeln.de/museum-schnuetgen/

 

Maybe to a zoo? http://www.zoo-duisburg.de/ ---- or this zoo http://www.goodzoos.com/Germany/Koln.htm

 

Maybe some Churches???-- St. Ursula or St. Agnes-- http://gemeinden.erzbistum-koeln.de/st_ursula_koeln/ OR maybe Gross St Martin http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_St._Martin_Church

[Kazalphaville 1,813]

http://www.bonn-region.de/english/sightseeing/ahr-valley.html

The Ahr Valley red wine making region. Beautiful area with some great walks.

 

http://www.drachenfels.net/

Great view of the Rhine and surrounding area from the top, which you can either walk to (all uphill) or go to by train.

 

http://www.bad-muenstereifel.de/seiten/index.php

Bad Münstereifel, a beautiful little town, full of those old buildings you want to see. Still has the old town wall around it in part.

 

Another nice town, like the above, and one of my favourite places:

http://www.ahrtaltourismus.de/en/badneuaw.php

In the Ahr Valley. If you use the train, get off at the station Ahrweiler Markt and walk into the old town. It really is breathtaking and what you would term "typical old Germany". Also pay a visit to Bad Neuenahr while you are there. Really calm and beautiful.

 

St. Goar and, across the river opposite it, St. Goarshausen (the home of Loreley and her rock). Again, loads of castles and old buildings along the way. Well worth a visit.

http://www.loreley-info.com/eng/rhein-rhine/city-cities/st-goarshausen.php

[smcleod 0]

Feste Zons - halfway between Cologne and Düsseldorf. It's a nice medieval-looking town that the locals seem to keep a secret: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zons

 

The Neander valley (in German, Neandertal/Neanderthal) is close to Düsseldorf. It is the place where the first Neandertal bones where found. It is a nice valley to walk through, with a good museum too.

[MBell 80]

Wow- Thanks everyone - I see a lot of great places to look, and that's exactly like what I had in mind. Y'all (yes, I did just say "y'all") rock!

[TobyG. 220]

additionally: freilichtmuseum kommern (open air museum about the life in germany some hundred years ago), http://www.kommern.lvr.de/englische_version/index.htm (it is also close to Bad Muenstereifel and a nice castle, burg satzvey: http://www.burgsatzvey.de/html_e/index.html , also nice is the kakushöhle: http://www.nordeifel.de/impressionen/kakushoehle/kakushoehle.html)

a bit more than 100 km from leverkusen by car is Burg Eltz, one of the most beautiful castles in germany: http://www.burg-eltz.de/e_index.html

do a valley along the rhine, it is also great by trains direction koblenz. visit for example loreley http://loreley-rhine.com/ and some of the nice villages along the rhine!

[Ann-Katrin 0]

MBell, I sent you a direct message - sorry for the late response.