The great adventure of 2024 was a trip with our friends to Europe. This post will not follow my regular pattern for travel posts, and we used a travel agent to arrange our trains and hotels Rail Bookers, but it should be helpful if you are planning a trip to these countries. Our travel agent was Pam from Unwindwithbliss.com.
Preparation
German Language Learning
- Duo Lingo - I primarily used this app because it was convenient to do during my walks with the dog. That said, if I’d been really serious about learning the language, I would use another option to supplement Duo. I spent about 7 months prepping with Duo Lingo, and while I am able to pick up on bits and pieces, I don’t feel that comfortable speaking it in general - only words and a couple short phrases.
- Rocket Languages - I accessed this through our public library and downloaded an app. I didn’t use it much and regret not doing so as they use native speakers and not the weird AI generated voices of Duo Lingo.
- Free now - taxis in Germany
- DB (DeutschBahn) - this is a MUST if you are using public transportation. It is amazingly easy to use and updates instantly. The information provided is very specific and helpful!
- WhatsApp - my friend uses this all the time, so I downloaded it, too. Thankful I did download it because our driver for Kraków contacted us through WhatsApp to confirm our tour details for the next day.
- Make sure to buy electric outlet converters. I bought a pack of 2 on Amazon that had 2 electric outlets, a lighting charge port, and 2 USB ports. Here’s a link: https://a.co/d/6yXk2Je
- In general, hotels and apartments do not provide bath washcloths, so we brought our own soap pockets. The only hotel that did provide them was the JW Marriott Berlin.
- Visa is widely accepted, while American Express is not. If you don’t already have no-fee cards that can be used internationally, I strongly recommend getting 1 or 2, preferably a Visa.
- We loaded up on Euro ordered through our bank before coming to Europe - have done this every time - although most people recommend just getting cash out of an ATM once you are here. I don’t feel comfortable doing that, but this is possible if you are.
- Many restaurants only accept cash, so be prepared to ALWAYS have cash at the ready.
- Book your train tickets WELL ahead of time! I checked the train options on a morning we were traveling, and a ticket from Frankfurt to Berlin would have been €1185!
- When swiping your credit card (hopefully you planned ahead and got one with no international transaction fees), be sure to select the local current, not US dollars if given the option.
- Allow extra time ahead of your train departure to figure out where your platform and track are. Some stations are well-marked, while others are confusing. We struggled with the Kraków and Prague stations and were happy to have the extra time.
- Uber worked well and is very cheap in Poland and the Czech Republic due to the currency conversion. Just be aware that if you are traveling with 4 people and a lot of luggage, Uber XL is non-existent in Poland, at least in our experiences there. It’s cheap enough just to take 2 cars.
- I’m happy with all of the places we got to visit within two weeks, but living out of our suitcases was exhausting. We also spent 29 hours over the course of two weeks on trains. This is just something to keep in mind if you are trying to hit as many places as possible while you are in Europe.
Hotels
- Scandic Frankfurt Museumsufer - This hotel is a 6-min walk without luggage and about 10 minutes with luggage from the central train station in Frankfurt (Frankfurt HBF) so very convenient. It is away from the red light district by the station, but there aren’t a lot of restaurant options within the immediate vicinity. We had trouble with our room keys constantly de-activating, but other than that, it was a very nice hotel. We had our breakfast included, and oh what a breakfast it is! They literally have everything from freshly baked breads, meats & cheeses, eggs & crisp bacon, yogurts & cereals, waffles, specialty coffees, juices, and a juicer. The hotel also has a bar and restaurant, which are apparently closed on Sunday evenings
- JW Marriott Berlin - Beautiful hotel, and another awesome breakfast, which is only complementary if you have a breakfast package or Elite status with Marriott Bonvoy. It’s a bit further away from most sites, so having an unlimited train ticket is a good idea.
- Through Marriott Bonvoy, we booked A Loft Affair 2-bed, 2-bath apartment with a washing machine so that we could do our laundry at about the halfway point of the trip. There isn’t much space, but the location was great, the apartment updated, and the building manager responsive (we experienced an AC outage).
- Ascot Premium - Nice accommodations with a fair breakfast that came with our booking. It’s very close to Old Town so definitely a good location to use as home base.
- Century Old Town MGallery (Prague) - Beautiful hotel that is not too far of a drive from the train station (Praha hl.n.). The bar is open until 1am, and it’s a good place to wait for your traveling companions and have a cocktail or glass of wine.
- NH Collection Nürnberg City - This hotel is close enough to the train station that it’s not worth hiring a car to get there if arrive by train. It’s a bit outside of Old Town but definitely walkable. It was clean with a nice breakfast.
Frankfurt, Germany
- We took a train out of the city to Bacharach. There is an option on the DB app to buy an unlimited ticket for up to 5 people to use on regional transportation options. At the time it was €51,50 for the 4 of us. This worked out well because it was cheaper than buying individual tickets, and we ended up needing to take a long train ride back to Frankfurt from Rüdesheim due to mis-understanding the KD Ferry process to get the boat from Rüdesheim to Mainz.
- The next lesson learned the hard way is how to navigate the KD line. We missed a crucial step in exchanging our paddle boat ticket once we got to Rüdesheim for the ticket to get the other boat to Mainz. And since it was a Sunday, the timetable wasn’t great. We ended up on a very hot long train ride to get back home. It worked out fine, but I just wish I’d planned this one better. Speaking of the KD, the timetable and pricing can be difficult to interpret so ask questions at the stand if you are confused.
- There is a group 24-hour ticket option for use of all public transportation around Berlin, which is very affordable. Use this website for more information: https://www.berlin.de/en/public-transportation/1772016-2913840-tickets-fares-and-route-maps.en.html
- We booked an underground tour through Berliner Unterwelten, tour 3 exploring the Cold War bunkers. Very cool to see but I would not recommend if you are claustrophobic.
- We had dinner at a lovely Italian restaurant walkable from the hotel - Tra Di Noi.
- We tried to utilize Uber, and even choosing the XL for four people, it would only give us the option for a Prius. Because we were headed to Berlin HBF from the hotel, we needed space for our luggage. Thankfully, the Concierge assisted us by calling for a Taxi SUV.
- Our traveling companion’s brother met us at the train station, but it is easy to navigate and close to many sites and hotels.
- We visited the Warsaw Uprising museum, saw the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, walked much of the city, and spent some time exploring old town, where we stayed
- Poland is very cheap with all places we visited accepting credit cards. Although establishments may accept Euro, it’s better to get PLN from an ATM as the would kill you on the conversion rate for change.
- We pre booked a Viator tour to Auschwitz-Birkenau and the Salt Mine. It was a very long day with a hotel pick-up at 7:15am and a drop-off around 6:00pm. Very good value for the money, and the tours were reallly incredible.
- We had a couple of very good meals in the Old Town area, so definitely just go out walking and check out menus.
- We scheduled a tour through Viator (Prague Old Town, Medieval Underground & Dungeon Tour). It was interesting to see the sub-levels below what is now modern-day Prague.
- This is a great city to get lost in - just walk around to see what shops and restaurants/bars fit the bill for your needs.
Nuremberg, Germany
- This is a cute little town with beautiful churches and fun places to eat to drink. I don’t feel the need to go back unless we would use it as home base for day trips to other towns.
- The hubs and I walked up to the Imperial Castle, which provides many public areas to walk around and site-see. There is a museum and tour for a fee, but we were happy just to take pictures overlooking the city and to enjoy drinks at the coffee inside the courtyard of the castle. It’s a steep walk up, but easy if you are just planning to meander your way from the bottom of the hill, up to the castle, and stroll back down.
- This blog post was incredibly helpful: https://www.bigboytravel.com/germany/nuremberg/free-walking-tour/
- Our friends visited the museum and courthouse where the famous Nuremberg trials of the Nazi officers took place. It is a bit too far to walk, and our friends said it was difficult getting a car there and back. They really did enjoy the experience.
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