Traveling to GERMANY-ITALY-BELGIUM-AUSTRIA this spring. Looking for Suggestions.

[Bixby]

Hello:

Our oldest daughter is currently living in Berlin for a year and my wife and I are planning to visit. We are taking 5 weeks to explore parts of Europe. We have had wonderful luck in the past when we have asked people for recommendations for things to see & do. Here are a few guidelines and questions. The trip is from mid-April to mid-May.
1. Neither of us are really into museums. We love architecture and outdoor scenic beauty. We enjoy hiking, rustic settings, good beer, good wine, and unique travel experiences.
Is there anything you recommend we put on our list to see and do while in the above countries?

2. Is the Tank museum in Munster worth visiting? (I like WWII tank sites and information).

3. Is it worth going to Bamberg to visit the Schlenkerla Rauchbier brewery. We love smoked beer.

4. Is the Eagle's Nest in Austria worth a visit?

5. Anything in Berlin that is simply a must see/do experience?

6. Is this worth doing? http://www.duerrnberg.at/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=84&Itemid=83

7. Any Belgian monasteries that you recommend for a tour and the beer?

8. Anything else you can think of?

Linkback: https://www.carcassonnecentral.com/community/index.php?topic=186.0

[Tacita]

7. Any Belgian monasteries that you recommend for a tour and the beer?

Westvleteren is the best beer ever made, but visiting that monestary is a bit tricky. You should hit the local pub though and sample the beer. Pretty much any monestary you go to (that brews beer) will not dissapoint you, but Orval is a bit different. Rochefort beer is very sweet, so if that is not to you liking maybe you should opt for one of the others.

[kettlefish]

If you go to the museum at munster from Berlin , than you can drink a coffee or a beer in my town...

In the region of Munster and Soltau are some interesting things to look. But here in the north of Germany we have not much mountains...
I don't know how it is the museum at Munster. I had all the years in my childhood the playing game war in the field behind the house each year in spring and autumn.

Many towns here in Germany have their own beer. In my town we have 2 breweries.

[Purity]

2. Is the Tank museum in Munster worth visiting? (I like WWII tank sites and information).

i visited this museum some years ago and i think its always worth a visit but also the Wehrtechnische Studiensammlung (WTS) der Bundeswehr in Koblenz is a nice trip.

if you prefer some adventure then i suggest you to visit the maginot line on the french or luxembourgish side. there are some officially closed (but inofficially opened) bunkers of great condition. we visited some last year with more than 300m tunnel constructions and we made some stunning pictures. for payed tours i suggest "simserhof" (1.600m tunnels / 30m deep)

[Fritz_Spinne]

In the museum there are tanks from WWI, WWII and from today, also other military material. I think, if you like those things, you will enjoy a visit there.

[Bixby]

THANK YOU for the suggestions and information.

[kettlefish]

5. Anything in Berlin that is simply a must see/do experience?

Perhaps the new airport where no airplaine is starting or landing....   

Berlin -  the wall... and the Alexanderplatz, I think your daughter knows the typical other things in Berlin...

Do you like to see some dinosaurs or castles?

[Purity]

5. Anything in Berlin that is simply a must see/do experience?

Perhaps the new airport where no airplaine is starting or landing....   

Berlin -  the wall... and the Alexanderplatz, I think your daughter knows the typical other things in Berlin...

Do you like to see some dinosaurs or castles?

you could also do one of the several guided bunker or wwII tours in berlin as well. there is one with an open subway through ghost-stations or you can visit several flak towers and even an underground beer-brewery...

[kettlefish]

30.04.2013 - Walpurgisnacht

That is the night of the witches here in Germany...
Ha... and so many people are thinking there are no witches anymore...

[Bixby]

Well, we have narrowed down our itinerary a bit more. Here is a pretty good aproximation of where we will be:

Apr 17 - Apr 21: Berlin
Apr 22 - Apr 24: Salzburg
Apr 25 - May 2: Italy (Coastal & Tuscany)
May 3 - May 12: England (London & York)
May 13 - May 15: Brussels
May 16 - May 21: Berlin

During one of our two stays in Berlin, we will spend a day and an evening in Munster. Yay. We are going to the Tank Museum.

[Tacita]

No trip to Sweden?! 

[Bixby]

No trip to Sweden?! 

Not this time.

[Joaquim00]

http://www.cantillon.be/
is easy to get to in Brussels, but you have to like/willing to try lambic beer.  (Some people love it; I find it OK; some people loathe it. Try the various types of lambic beer at some local pub first.)

The brewers guild website has lists of details of breweries by province:
http://www.beerparadise.be/emc.asp?pageId=05.en

[Bixby]

http://www.cantillon.be/
is easy to get to in Brussels, but you have to like/willing to try lambic beer.  (Some people love it; I find it OK; some people loathe it. Try the various types of lambic beer at some local pub first.)

The brewers guild website has lists of details of breweries by province:
http://www.beerparadise.be/emc.asp?pageId=05.en

Thanks. I am not a big fan of Lambics, although I am always up for sampling different beers in a style to see how the style varies. I appreciate the information!!

[Bixby]

you could also do one of the several guided bunker or wwII tours in berlin as well. there is one with an open subway through ghost-stations or you can visit several flak towers and even an underground beer-brewery...

Our daughter has lined up some WWII sites in Berlin for us to see. I am curious what an underground beer tour is though. Sounds interesting.