Beer tourist venues: Europe

bruce snipped-for-privacy@my-deja.com a écrit :

http.//

At least Fässla has an online form :

Otherwise, try http.//

Cheers !

Laurent

Good site! The place looks like a mini-Munich... I've decided to pay a visit to Bamberg.

What's the best way to get there from UK?

My initial idea was to fly to Munich. But Frankfurt seems closer. Or even Prague -- would that be a realistic option?!

Unfortunately there aren't many budget UK flights to Munich, Frankfurt. Another option is budget flight to Cologne then ICE train down south...

Travel tips, please, from UK people who have visited Bamberg. Car hire is out of the question -- public transport all the way.

Bruce

The closest airport to Bamberg is Nuernberg. You might be able to get a budget flight to there from e.g. Koeln/Bonn airport, using one of the German budget airlines. I can't recall offhand whether the UK ones serve it (I think Air Berlin might fly there from London - check).

Bamberg is on the secondary rail line which connects Nuernberg with Wuerzburg; both these cities also have direct rail connections to Frankfurt airport. It might be worth your while checking online what British Airways and Lufthansa are charging for Frankfurt flights. They are sometimes cheaper than the budget airlines.

Bamberg is a great place. Both the Faessla and Spezial breweries have rooms. If they're full, the Altes Ringlein hotel is a good alternative.

Whatever you do, don't miss out Mahrs! They'll have anything up to four beers, all gravity dispensed.

Enjoy!

Thanks, Mike. Your postings and what I have read on the net have decided me.

I'll check out the Frankfurt flights option. But at the time I wish to travel, there is a *huge* trade fair on.

The current itinerary is to fly cheapo to Cologne, then get train down to Wurzburg and stay for the night. I am then only 1hr by train from Bamberg.

Lodging costs in Bamberg seem pretty cheap.

After a few days in Bamberg, I can then make my way back up to Cologne/ Dusseldorf for a few beers before jetting back!

Question: How many days to spend in Bamberg? I thought maybe 3 days from a 7 day holiday. Bamberg seems a smallish place.

Bruce

It _is_ pretty small. Three days will be enough; you can probably comfortably do all the interesting brewhouses in Bamberg in two days, but there are a number of interesting beers to be tried in the surrounding towns/villages, which would take up another day.

There is always the train to Cologne. Eurostar now claim to be selling through tickets from London, you just need to change platforms at Brussels Midi.

bruce snipped-for-privacy@my-deja.com a écrit :

A pretty regular occurence there... as well as in Cologne and Düsseldorf, by the way !

Seems fine enough, but do look up flights to Munich as well, since the train ride from Munich airport to Bamberg is between three hours and three and a half, about one hour shorter than from Cologne / Bonn airport. (timetables :

They are indeed.

What a terrible prospect ! ;o)))

seconding Mike here, three days is enough to see the city in detail and visit most brewery taps. without being in a hurry.

Cheers !

Laurent

As you've already gotten a couple of good hints, let me just add a couple more: hotel.de is okay, and will point you to well-priced rooms near the city centre. The Ringhotel National, for instance, at 57 euros, is a short walk from the main train station, and also an easy walk to Fässla, Spezial, and the Maisel-owned Bamberger Weissbierhaus. It's also not a far walk to Keesman and Mahr's in Wunderburg. Then you get to cross the river for Schlenkerla, where you *will* learn to like the Rauchbier if you don't already. (I adore it.)

The recommendations for staying at either the Fässla or Spezial are also good; both have accomodation at reasonable prices, and so does that Weissbierhaus just down the street. Hard to go wrong with that, really.

Another interesting alternative is the Altenburgblick, with rooms at

Boy, you're easy. BTW, if you're going in warm-weather season, you're in for a treat. Outdoor beer-drinking is quite popular in Bamberg. The garden in front of Mahr's is a particular pleasure, but if the weather is good, get thee up to the Spezial Keller, with Spezial's beer range and a wonderful view of the city.

If you want real fun, go during the last week of July. Then you can take a day-trip down to Forchheim on the train, and stop in at the Annafest - a beer festival that for sheer enjoyment and quality of beer puts Munich's little late-September bacchanal to shame. This year, Annafest runs 23rd July to 1st August.

How about Stansted-Nürnberg on Air Berlin? The flight schedules aren't the best, but you'll get there relatively inexpensively. Nürnberg's airport is convenient, and has good transport connections; there's an U-Bahn station there that takes you right to the main train station in short order, where you can change for the train up to Bamberg.

You might also find a cheap STN-NUE flight; if the flight gets in late, overnight in Nürnberg, then take the short train ride up to Bamberg. Easy.

It's quite reasonable. So are beer prices and food at the brewery guest-houses.

The rest of your life?

It is, and your guesstimate is about right. But there are a *lot* of destinations nearby, even on the train. Stop in Hirschaid, where the local brewery guest-house is just a few minutes' walk from the train station. Or Buttenheim, with two breweries. Or Erlangen, a good city for a pub crawl.

Just to give you an idea, go to

Thanks for your reply. I'm based in Yorkshire, so flying from Stansted might not be the best. Options are Easyjet flights to Cologne from Nottingham, Liverpool or various airlines from Manchester. Or its an expensive BA/Lufthansha flight Manchester-Frankfurt.

Bruce