I know this question is not direct, but you guys need to help me. We just decided to spend a week in Germany next June I don´t know anything about this country.
I´ll do my research, of course, but now I have just some questions if anyone could help me:
1 - some small towns, great for just walk around, it doesn´t need to have a big atraction
2 - nice street fair / food fair in Berlin
thanks a lot
One place we always like to repeatedly visit is the old college town of Tuebingen which has one of Europe's earliest universities. There are hilly cobblestone streets, some enjoyable sights, and interesting (nontourist) shopping. They also do punting on the Neckar River there as they do at Oxford and Cambridge.
Although Stuttgart is a fairly large city, it is also pleasant to walk around, especially on the steep hillsides. The tourist office has a nice pamphlet on three excellent suggested panoramic walks, the hundreds of Staeffele (stairways originally used to give access to the vineyards but now used to connect streets on the steep hillsides) some of which have very pleasant small parks associated with them, a walk along the "Green U" through continuous parks for 10km from the Schlossplatz in the heart of Stuttgart to a large park on a ridgeline without crossing any streets at ground level, and also walks through the vineyards of which the tourist office has another pamphlet.
traveller, your post connotes you'll be in Berlin for some of your time, so I would suggest to look for a place nearby instead of spreading yourself too much over the country.
Good options in my opinion would be the Baltic coast or somewhere in Thuringia, take a look at these two threads from a short while ago, maybe you'll like what you read (if I'm not mistaken, the OP from the 2nd-thread was a Brazilian, too). Or search this board for places in the Harz mountains, e.g. Quedlinburg , which are just as easy to reach from Berlin. As you're travelling before summer-break, places will be less crowded.
In my opinion, food-markets in Germany aren't that special (try the food-hall inside the KaDeWe-department store instead...), the one I personally like best is the pleasant 'Turkish' market on the Maybachufer (-street), Tuesday & Friday afternoons. The tourist office will have a list with more markets, be it flea-markets or else.
1 - as the second reply suggested, you may want to stick close(er) to Berlin. Some smaller cities which aren't too far off are Weimar, Leipiz, and Dresden. For an even smaller town, try Eisenach. There's a medieval (13th century, I believe) castle "Die Wartburg" where Gutenberg translated the bible into German and Bach was born there as well. I've not tried the train connection, but I think it's bout two hours' drive from Berlin. If you want to go far away, there are towns in Bavaria which are gorgeous (Bamberg, Rothenburg, Regensburg, Augusburg, Passau, or anything on the 'Romantic Road') or Baden-Württemberg (Tübingen, Stuttgart, Freiburg i.Br., Baden-Baden, Heidelberg--BW or RLP?), or Reinland-Pfalz (Mainz, Trier, Koblenz, any of the Rhein towns, Boppard, St. Goar, etc.). Or you could go north from Berlin to the coast, to Rostock, Rügen (Island), Heiligenhafen, Lübeck, Greifswald, anywhere up there...
2 - That will depend on the time of year, which day, and which part of Berlin you're in.
Prenzlauer Berg: ,,Markt am Kollwitzplatz" (Food)
Sat / Sun 9 to 4, Thus 12 to 7 is organic
U Senefelderplatz
Trödelmarkt am Tiergarten (Art & Antiques)
Straße des 17. Juni, Tiergarten
Sat / Sun 10 - 5
U Tiergarten
Schöneberg: Winterfeldmarkt
Winterfeldtplatz,Schöneberg
Weds / Sat 8-13
U Nollendorfplatz
Turkish market
Türkischer Markt am Maybachufer. Authentischer Straßenmarkt.
Maybachufer, Neukölln
Thurs - Fri, 12-16.30
U Schönleinstraße
Are you just flying in and out from Berlin or are you traveling to Berlin from another place by car or train?
As there are quite a number of nice towns to consider, I would recommend one which is more or less on the direct routes anyway (less travel time = more time for sightseeing or to relax).
thanks guys
I´ll arrive from Brazil in Frankfurt nd already have tickets for KISS concert in Berlin. That´s my route so far. But we really love small towns and don´t want to spend our time only in Berlin.
I´ll look at those tips.
So I would vote for Thuringia (e.g. Erfurt and surroundings), as it's located halfway between Berlin and Frankfurt + Marburg (1h north of Frankfurt), a lively university town with enough history & charm to keep you busy ( a thread on Marburg ).
Thuringia is a very good suggestion. I don't think anyone has suggested Eisenach yet. :)
However, make sure you do have a bit of time in Berlin - it's a very nice city.
For something very small, very quanit and very picturesque, I'd suggest Fritzlar near Kassel. The medieval wall which surrounds all of the old town is spectacular. But be warned - it really is a tiny town.
Schoenstatt is the most beautiful, calm and friendly place I have ever been to in Germany.
It is the center of a catholic movement, but have met many many people who have stayed there without knowing anything about it or even being catholic and enjoyed it inmenselly.
I have been there on 2005, 2006 and 2007. You will find people who speak Portugues and it will be a rather cheap place to stay with great acomodations and great food.
This is near the city of Koblenz and about 2 hours north from Frankfurt and 2 hours south from Köln.
Visit the webpage: www.schoenstatt.de
you will find several links in your language and information about the place.