I feel a bit ashamed… It’s been 9 months since we came back from our road trip and I’m only now writing you the part about our itinerary in northern Germany. But as they say, better late than never! And I doubt that you could have made much use of it since we were still (and always) stuck at home. But today, the situation is starting to get better and so are the vacation plans! Before Mister Coco appeared, we didn’t travel often in Europe. Not that we don’t like it but more the need for a total change of scenery and the discovery of new cultures and ways of life.
However, like many of us, this past year has given us the opportunity to explore areas closer to home. In particular, Germany. Oliver being German, “born and raised”, we had always wanted to visit his country from top to bottom. That’s now done! The first article on the southern region is already available for several months, I also want to share with you the itinerary of our road trip to the north.
Our last stop for the southern part was Nuremberg. We will therefore continue our journey from this charming Bavarian city. Also, we mention the drive duration of the trip between each stop and our accommodation. We made a lot of stops to see our relatives on this part, therefore, we put you only the hotels where we actually stayed.
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Nuremberg – Dresden
Drive: 3h10
Accommodation: Family
Next stop: Dresden in Saxony. This is a must-do if you are in the area. Why? Simply because this city is not only very charming but also very gorgeous. After the Second World War, many buildings had to be rebuilt. And we can say that it was not done by halves. Even if you are not an architecture fan, you cannot deny the architectural beauty of the Opera House, the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, the Catholic Hofkirche, or the Frauenkirche. You will find most of these cultural sites in the city center. Therefore, you can discover Dresden on foot or by renting an electric scooter, which is available everywhere in the city.
As far as accommodation is concerned, we, unfortunately, can’t recommend anything personally as this is one of the places where we are staying with Oliver’s family. However, don’t hesitate to look on Tripadvisor or Airbnb, there are plenty of accommodations that look really great!
Dresden – Berlin
Duration: 2h10
Accomodation: Family
Berlin! The capital of Germany, the city where Oliver was born and raised, and one of my favorite cities. In particular, because this place is a highlight if you like food as much as I do. Berlin is full of small cafes and restaurants with cuisines from all over the world.
But that’s not the only reason why Berlin should be on your itinerary in Northern Germany. Berlin is a great place to hang out. Especially in summer when you can enjoy the many parks throughout the city, beer gardens, rooftops, etc. But there is also the sightseeing aspect with a lot of cultural and tourist sites not to be missed. The perfect destination for a mix of cultural experience and leisure!
We stayed for a good week as we had many people to visit but you can do the same depending on how much time you have for your road trip. There is so much to see and do, you will never get bored in Berlin!
Berlin – Rügen Island
Duration: 3h15
Accomodation:
The Jasmund National Park and the small fishing town of Sassnitz on Rügen Island. We loved it! Unfortunately, we didn’t have much flexibility with our road trip since we had to visit friends and family on the way. For this reason, I recommend staying a little longer than one night in this region of northeast Germany.
The Jasmund National Park, located northeast of Rügen, is really nice with its forests and chalk cliffs facing the Baltic Sea. The perfect place to relax and slow down in the middle of nature after spending a few days in the bustle of the German capital.
Before or after your hike, you can enjoy fresh fish and seafood in one of the many restaurants in the fishing port of Sassnitz. There is not much to do in this tiny town, but these restaurants are well worth a stop. Plus, it’s only a 5-minute drive from the park entrance.
Rügen – Hamburg
Duration: 3h15
Accomodation: Hambourg
Hamburg is one of my favorite cities in Germany after Berlin. It’s a modern city where you will enjoy walking around. We didn’t stay long because we already knew the place well. Oliver lived there for several months and I had made several layovers there when I was working for Emirates. Nevertheless, I really wanted to stop by as we were in the area. So we spent one night in Hamburg before continuing our road trip.
Of course, we recommend that you walk around the city center and see the beautiful Altona City Hall. You can also take a walk along the Alster, enjoy the parks along with it, or enjoy the bars and cafes around the Binnenalster in the city center.
For those of you who are looking for restaurant recommendations, we had dinner at The Lesser Panda Ramen. It was delicious and they have many vegetarian and vegan options!
Hamburg – Bremen
Duration: 1h15
Accomodation: Family
We had never been to Bremen before and it was a very pleasant surprise. You can spend a day exploring every corner of this beautiful city. We enjoyed the Schnoor Viertel district and its atypical alleys.
One thing to do if you are in the area and that we can recommend is to combine a visit to Bremen with a walk along the Wadden Sea. This will make you take a detour, but this place is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is home to many national parks. It is one of the last natural intertidal ecosystems in the world. This tidal system is really impressive and you can walk with your feet in the water for miles and miles. We had never seen this before.
Bremen – Düsseldorf
Duration: 3h
Accommodation: Friends
Düsseldorf, the fashion capital of Germany and nicknamed “Little Paris“, is a city where you can enjoy a relaxed atmosphere. There are plenty of bars and restaurants and beer gardens where you can chill and enjoy the vibe of the city.
The old town district, my favorite, is a must-see when you are in Düsseldorf. Its alleys, its architecture, and its small restaurants make all its charm. Düsseldorf is a perfect balance between old and new and this is surely what makes this city so pleasant.
If you like good food, you might not know where to start! Whether you prefer local or international food, Dusseldorf will not disappoint you with its multitude of restaurants to choose from. We have been a few times in this city as we have friends there so we usually stopped on our way to Berlin when we were driving from Paris. This time, one of our friends took us to a delicious Chinese restaurant that we can only recommend: Little Lamb. Of course, don’t get influenced by the name, vegetarians are welcome.
Düsseldorf – Monschau
Duration: 1h20
We only stopped for a few hours in Monschau (Montjoie in French). On the way back, it is the ideal place to have lunch and discover one last time a beautiful part of Germany. We loved this small picturesque village in the middle of the Rour Valley.
If we had to give a definition of the word “charm” it would be Monschau. Small paved streets, half-timbered houses, small bridges crossing the city from one side to another. The architecture of the city is just splendid. Therefore, if you follow this itinerary for your road trip in northern Germany, do not miss Monschau! Moreover, we couldn’t make it due to lack of time but you can choose to stay there for a few days and hike the surrounding paths.
Save this itinerary for later 🎯
As you can see the northern part of Germany has as much to offer as the southern part. From bustling cities to national parks for nature lovers. There are plenty of places you shouldn’t miss in this region as well. Either you are a slow traveler or a city enthusiast, this road trip itinerary felt like a perfect mix between both. We hope this will help you plan your road trip and of course, if you need more information, don’t hesitate to contact us!
Happy road trip! 🍃
