Best and worst sights, experiences and destinations:

Best: Third Reich Tour (Radius Tours) in Munich
Why: Great guide and a very informative and interesting tour. 2 1/2 hours at a cost of 10 euros per person with your Rick Steves discount. Highly recommend it.

Susan Cramer in Lynnwood, WA USA 11/04/2009

Best: Beilstein
Why: It is a beautiful town tucked away on a bend in the Mosel river. It was easy to reach even without a car. The food and wine were great. There is a lot you can see in a short distance. Get the Rhineland Phalz ticket for a day to get around.

Worst: Baden Baden
Why: The people were not particularly friendly. There was no cultural diversity at all. The only faces we saw were white. We stayed in the center of the pedestrian mall. By 7:00 pm the whole area shut down. It was the second week in October, but one would think things would stay open later. Even Beilstein with a population of a few hundred had more night life.

Mark Henderson in Napa, Ca USA 10/30/2009

Best: Riding the boats up and down the Mosel,Rhine and Danube rivers
Why: You can see so much on both sides of the river that you couldnt see from a car.The castles and small towns were awesome.Vineyards on every hill and watching the ships and barges on the river was well worth the trip.

Worst: Bacharach ,Fussen and Munich
Why: Bacharach has a real problem with car traffic,should be pedestrian only for most of the day.Cars are ruining the small towns.Neuschwanstein is like going to Disneyland,crowded with people ,cars and tour buses.The castle itself is beautiful but not worth waiting in line for the tour.Munich is just another big town with lots of people,best seen on a double decker bus that gives you a two hour tour of the city.Getting around by taxi is too expensive.Restaurants are pricey also.

Russell Dole in Highlands Ranch, Co USA 10/15/2009

Best: Neue Wache -- Berlin
Why: Extremely touching reminder of war's human cost. Definitely worth a stop accompanied by some quiet reflection.

Rob R. in Alexandria, VA USA 10/08/2009

Best: Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Why: This was our first trip to Germany and Rotheburg lived up to ALL our expectations - quiet, beautiful, and medieval - fabulous!

Al & Sue Franken in Sioux Center, IA USA 09/30/2009

Best: Rhine River Valley
Why: Beautiful area - we stayed in Bacharach and took the K-D Line cruise to St. Goar for one day and had a great time. Climbing to the castles in each town and getting a great view of the river and city below is something we will always remember.

Al and Mary Hermansen in Delano, MN USA 09/28/2009

Worst: Not "worst", but a disappointment was Hotel-Deutscher Kaiser
Why: In accordance with your advice, we took all reservation confirmations with us. When we arrived at Deutscher Kaiser, we announced ourselves and received a blank stare from Herr Peter who stated emphatically we did not have reservations. When we presented him our confirmation, he finally acknowledged he had made a mistake. Fortunately, he was able to accommodate two couples. He provided us keys and we headed to our rooms. Our son and wife used their key to enter a room which was already occupied by another party -- embarassing! Then, not knowing our son had been reassigned another room we knocked on the same door and again were at an incorrect room. Frau Peter exclaimed Herr Peter is an "idiot" and had confounded the reservations. By comparison she is the professional innkeeper.

V. Phil Tullar, Ph.D. in Tucson, AZ USA 09/22/2009

Best: Cochem,Germany
Why: Beautiful pictureque town. Nice people and mostly german tourists.

Carol Galanter in Hamden, Ct USA 09/12/2009

Best: Neuschwanstein Castle
Why: We followed Rick's recommendations starting with the train to Fusson. How to get to the castle,the easiest way up and down without alot of walking! Easy & Enjoyable!

susan knutter in rockford, il USA 09/07/2009

Best: Radius Tours Munich
Why: Had excellent guides for the free city walking tour and the Beer and Food tour.

Amanda in Dallas, TX USA 08/20/2009

Worst: Topography of Terror Berlin
Why: Just a bunch of billboards with pictures.

Scot Dailey in Arlington, Tx USA 08/15/2009

Best: Berlin
Why: So many of your recommendations were good. The Welcome card was a great idea and saved us money. Prenzlauer Berg was out of the way but a great recommendation.It reminds you of Greenwich Village in Manhattan.

Vijay Goradia in Houston, Tx USA 08/03/2009

Best: Original Berlin Walks
Why: We had an extremely knowledgeable guide with a master's degree in history who had grown up in East Berlin but spoke flawless English. She gave us an incredibly complete tour that lasted 4 1/2 hours covering most of the important sites in the city, as well as an in depth perspective of what life was like before the fall of the Berlin wall. She also took us to the site of Hitler's bunker, the former Luftwaffe Headquarters building, "ghost" train stations that were closed during the iron-curtain years, and many other sights that would have been difficult to find. She gave us a discount for having a WelcomeCard and an additional discount for having the Rick Steves Germany book. I strongly recommend that anyone visiting Berlin go on this tour.

Chris Peter in El Cajon, CA USA 07/30/2009

Best: Reichstag Dome
Why: We were there with citizens of Germany seeing their government building. Great view of the city and orientation to sites nearby

S Nuss in Keller, Tx USA 07/27/2009

Best: Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Why: This is a quintessential medieval town in which time has stood still. While it is a definitely a tourist attraction, it is a bit off the main Frankfurt to Munich rail line, so the crowds were not overwhelming.

Bob Pearson in Upper Arlington, OH USA 07/26/2009

Best: Deutsche Historische Museum, Berlin
Why: Friendly, well laid out, beautiful presentations, wonderful building, great restaurant.

Bill Horton in N. Mankato, MN USA 07/24/2009

Best: Linderhof Castle
Why: It was free to see the gardens, and they were lovely.

Worst: Neuschwanstein Castle
Why: The setting is lovely (Alpensee, etc.) but there are not many rooms to see, and the tour is not very informational - there are so many interesting stories that could be told that it is frustrating how little is covered. I recommend visitors who go be sure to have some background about Wagner operas and ask the tour guide lots of questions to get more out of the experience.

Emily S in Berkeley, CA USA 07/21/2009

Best: Burg Eltz and Berlin
Why: I did the hike up to Burg Eltz from Moselkern and it was beautiful, easy, and fun. The directions in the book and posted in town made it super easy to find the way. Even with an all-German tour at the castle, it was interesting and definitely unique from other castles I've seen.

I've been dying to see Berlin for years, and it was even better than my extremely high hopes. I found the whole city to be clean, easy to get around, with friendly locals. The range of sites and experiences is incredibly diverse. Even 20 years after the wall fell, it seems like there is such a feeling of change and optimism in the air, and you can still see differences between the east and west side of the city. It was tourist-friendly but didn't seem overrun with tourists like London or Paris. The Reichstag and the Berlin Walks walking tour were probably my favorite sites/experiences.

Worst: Checkpoint Charlie Museum
Why: It was probably worth a visit, but I found it disorganized, repetitive, and confusing to understand the layout of the museum. I usually see eye-to-eye with Rick on his pyramid ratings, but giving this three was quite a surprise. It's not a bad place to go, but definitely not as interesting as I'd hoped.

Abby in Seattle, WA USA 07/09/2009

Best: Deutsches Museum
Why: It is a great place for a ten year old boy and his forty something Mommy and Daddy. A little bit of everything for everybody.

Robert Candelaria in El Paso, TX USA 07/03/2009

Best: city of Nurnberg
Why: the city is beautiful and there is lots to see and do. Admission to one of the city run museums (Albrecht Durer house, City Museum and Toy Museum) for 5 euros gets you into the other city run museums if you go that same day. I wish I could have stayed one more day.

Chere Weiss in Kelso, WA USA 06/29/2009

Best: The Königsee in Berchtesgaden.
Why: The sights were amazing, and the hiking along the lake was very relaxing. It color of the water in the lake is unbelievable. Along with the mountains reflecting in the water, the sights are beautiful.

Worst: Topography of Terror in Berlin
Why: The site is under construction while a museum is built. Currently it is simply a row of pictures with information along a walkway.

Jack Smith in Batesville, IN USA 06/26/2009

Best: Salzburg Self-Guided Walk
Why: This was my third time to Salzburg but my first time that I had the time to use the full self-guided walk. Found some new things in Salzburg and some great views up on Monchsberg that I had never seen before. BOSNA GRILL....YUMMY!!! Thanks for that gem.

Judge Leverich in SALT LAKE CTY, UT USA 06/01/2009

Best: Closing days of museums/attractions in Munich
Why: We planned our itinerary around them.

Barbara McCauley in Boston, MA USA 05/28/2009

Best: The Rothenburg English Conversation Club
Why: The evening we spent with the ECC was the most memorable of our German excursion. The people were delightful and shared fantastic stories, and with the Middle-Earth ambiance of the Altfrankische Weinstube, it was utterly unforgettable.

Catherine Palazzola in St. Louis , MO USA 05/22/2009

Best: The explanation of the Kunsthistorisches museum was very helpful.
Why: The book gave a good summary of the artists to focus on and the direction to follow through the various rooms. I would have been overwhelmed without the "map."

Alan Garber in Atlanta, GA USA 05/18/2009

Best: The spas in Baden-Baden
Why: Homo Sapiens has been enjoying this marvelous experience for more than 2000 years. Try it and you'll find out why. If you can only choose one then 3 hours at Caracalla Spa is the best deal. You don't have to get naked but you're missing out if you don't venture upstairs to the quieter, less crowded, towels only area.

Gary P in Ramona, CA USA 04/18/2009

Best: Herr Jung's Tour in Bacharach
Why: We ended up having a private tour of Bacharach and the surrounding areas by the amazing Herr Jung. Of the three and a half weeks I spent between the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Italy, and England, this tour was the most moving, and memorable. We enjoyed speeding around in his little car to explore the town. We also got to see a bit of the Roman Road still left in the hills about the town. This tour is something I will never forget, and I tell everyone that has plans to go to Germany that Bacharach and this tour are a must see.

Tori in Sacramento, Ca USA 02/22/2009

Best: Rotenburg.
Why: We lived in Germany for three years and never were able to visit this city. When we went using Ricks's suggestions we liked it so much that we acutally came back at the end of the trip and enjoyed a couple of extra days there.

Cindy MacWhinney in Bakersfield, CA USA 01/23/2009

Best: Deutsches Musem (Munich) and Fat Tire Bike Tour (Berlin)
Why: If you enjoy science or technology the Deutsches Museum in Munich is great - we spent two whole days there! Excellent explanations of how things work. It was 3 euros for students. We would not recommend the cafeteria.

In Berlin, the Fat Tire Bike Tour was the highlight of our stay. Our guide, Charles, was laid back and we saw so much of the city in a relaxing manner. They took us to a great little beer garden on the southwest corner of the Tiergarten. It was very affordable and we rented bikes again from them the next day. They would not let us return our bikes at the Bahnhof Zoo location, however (despite saying it was allowed in their brochure).

Also excellent: Bus 100 + walking tour (Berlin) - 7 day tageskarte is a great deal. The stained glass inside the Humboldt library is worth a peek inside. The Picasso museum (Berlin) is well worth the trip out to Charlottenburg.

Worst: Berlin Story bookstore (Berlin)
Why: The Berlin Story bookstore was a bit of a disappointment. The 1930s model Unter der Linden was pretty shoddy looking.

Dave W. in Seattle, WA USA 01/20/2009

Worst:
Why:

Ken in Dallas, TX USA 01/02/2009

Best: Hallstatt, Austria
Why: This is my HAPPY PLACE. I have been going for years,ever since you recommended it in your book EUROPE THROUGH THE BACK DOOR

Mary Law in Gaithersburg, MD USA 12/20/2008

Worst: Museum at Checkpoint Charlie (Berlin)
Why: Way overpriced for a poorly organized collection of about 98% photographs with a few other odds and ends. The English descriptions of the pictures and items are badly written and obviously have not been updated since the Wall came down. Forget about the group discount Rick mentions -- in Berlin we read that you now need a group of 20 people to get the discount, and there is no practical way to organize such a large group standing on the sidewalk outside the museum. I do not understand why Rick gives this place his highest rating.

Knut in New York, NY USA 12/02/2008

Worst: Opera House, Vienna
Why: Wow, Rick. Don't know why you gave this the coveted Three Triangles. We took the tour. I was expecting something breathtaking, like Paris'. This place is pretty austere. Wasn't really a "worst" but, rather, a major disappointment.

Cindy in Beavercreek, OH USA 11/12/2008

Best: Wittlesbach Palace and Royal Jewels
Why: Fantastic restoration work and the jewels were so over the top.

Worst: GreyLines Bus Tour Neuschwanstein
Why: Rude guide (when we said we were from California he commented that Gov. Schwarzenneger's name was a variant on the rude slang for African Americans and then said the word over and over), rushed tour at Linderhoff. You might want to mention that Neuschwanstein might not be the best use of your day if the weather is poor, too. We were dropped there two hours early and there was no where to go that wasn't a shop or restaurant to escape the rain. Plus with the cloud cover we didn't get any of the views that the castle is famous for, either.

Jessica in sacramento, CA USA 11/10/2008

Best: Night Watchman Tour
Why: If you go to Rothenberg, which you should, you must go on this tour. It's great fun!

Marit in Merced, CA USA 10/31/2008

Best: Bavaria and King Ludwig's castles
Why: The scenery is amazing. The Castles are beautiful and tourist friendly. We were there in October so the crowds were not a problem. We did not reserve in advance and got right in even on a Sunday.

Worst: Burg Eltz and Rhine Valley trains
Why: Burg Eltz is a beautiful castle but not very tourist friendly. It was difficult to even figure out where to buy tickets and getting an English tour was frustrating. No on wanted to give any information unless you were persistant. It was not even clear where to enter for the tour. The train system in Germany is also not tourist friendly. In unstaffed stations, the machines where you buy tickets often did not work and did not have English instructions available so it was trial and error. In staffed stations, the workers were not willing to be of much help and most did not speak English. Even then you still had to use the frustrating machines to buy tickets. We have uses trains in several countries and never had major problems until Germany.

Jeanne in Baltimore, OH USA 10/23/2008

Best: Andecchs Monastery area; Stein Terrasse views; Hellbrunn Castle
Why: We were really pleasantly surprised with the Hellbrunn Castle and water gardens tours. Our water garden tourguide was great fun-and very sneaky, quickly moving from chatting with one subgroup to the fountain controls near another subgroup to surprise them (us) with water. We wished we'd hiked in the Andech area, the scenery is as in a dream.

Worst: Octoberfest crowds in Munich; Residenz Museum
Why: We couldn't even get into the Hofbrauhaus - absolutely crushed with bodies! While the Residenz Treasury had great items, the afternoon Museum tour was endless. A view rooms were great, as highlighted in the book, but beware that many are rebuilt and almost empty or contain old furniture that is often completely unrelated to that particular room. We wish we'd done the Nymphenburg Palace instead.

Jim Koster in Santa Fe, NM USA 10/17/2008

Best: Mad King Ludwig's Castles
Why: Beautiful!

Worst: German Clock Museum on Extended Black Forest Drive (pg 149)
Why: Guidebook says museum traces IN ENGLISH the development of clocks. There were only about 6 displays that had an English description, everything else was in German...so it made looking at a bunch of clocks not very interesting at all! Most clocks weren't very interesting. My husband, 20-year old daughter and myself thought it was not worth the money or the time, made worse because most everything was only in German!

C. J. Goodlander in West Chester, OH USA 10/15/2008

Best: Hotel Pension Charlottenburg
Why: Terrific father son combo who host a really great place; they made room for us on a very busy weekend and were very friendly; rooms are very well-priced, in a good location and extremely clean -- please add them to your list -- thanks...

Worst: Peter's Pension in Berlin
Why: The room we were given was actually a make-shift room; linens had not been washed, location was right next to the kitchen and food was not good at all; in addition, Peter was not willing to make any concessions on price of the room due to the issues above; it was not a great place and I would not recommend it to others.

Erik Duncan in Phoenix, AZ USA 10/12/2008

Best: KD ferry on the Rhine- June 2008
Why: I went from Bacharach to Cologne, an 8 hour trip which even under cloudy, rainy skies was relaxing and beautiful. Even though it was the end of June, not many people continued the entire ferry ride.

Jan Polkinghorne in Boulder, CO USA 10/11/2008

Best: Beilstein
Why: This was definitely what we were looking for in the Rhine and Mosel regions. Much better than the more touristy Rhine - a more relaxed pace and more "authentic" experience it seemed.

Rene Woolery in Denver, CO USA 09/27/2008

Best: Karin Weiss
Why: We stayed at Karin Weiss Pension in Rothenburg. She is absolutely so hospitable and warm. She treats her guests wonderfully. The rooms and meals were wonderful. She also treats her guests to free beer and water. We paid 23 euros per person and it was by far one of the highlights to our trip.

Worst: Romantic Road
Why: Signs were hard to find. We seem to have to turn around alot times, due to detours and no signs.

Karen F in Cary, il USA 09/26/2008

Best: Rhine River Tour
Why: The morning Rhine river boat(KD)from St. Goar to Bacharach was beautiful and peaceful. In both cities, the locals were helpful and glad to see you.

Bill in Buena Park, CA USA 09/10/2008

Best: Riding around Ringstrasse on Trams # 1 or # 2
Why: Great way to experience/see the area

Denise Schlotfeldt in Ann Arbor, Mi USA 09/04/2008

Best: Gorlitz
Why: Neat - very few americans - BIG street festival when we were there Aug 29-31.

Worst: Checkpoint Charlie
Why: Phony tourist attraction complete w/ street baggers - should rate 0 stars.

Jack Ferguson in Plano , Tx USA 09/04/2008

Worst: We didn't find anything that we didn't like
Why: This is our fourth trip to Europe using Rick Steves' books to guide us on our journey. Thanks so much for all the information. You make traveling abroad so safe and easy.

Julie & Ed Wrabetz in Madison, WI USA 08/22/2008

Best: Innsbruck Card
Why: It rescued our time in Innsbruck. We had planned hiking in the mountains to occupy most of our 2 days there but it rained the entire 60 hours we were there. The Innsbruck card can now be purchased for two day at a rate of 30 Euros. Because we had to stay mostly inside, we toured every possible site including the Swarovsky museum, which was something we never would have done. For those who enjoy contemporary art, it really was worth the trip but, of course, there was a mega Swarovsky store at the exit. We probably spent two and a half times the 30 Euro cost of the card at all the sites we visited. We finally broke down and took the gondola clear to the top of the mountain on the second day and emerged into a snow shower--on July 14th!

Mike Roberts in Cincinnati, Oh USA 08/18/2008

Best: Bob's Tours Sound of Music Tour
Why: Great Tour Guide. We loved the small vehicle and the smaller group so we could visit and ask questions very easily. Very cozy!

Heidi Haugen in Kenyon, MN USA 08/14/2008

Best: Archaeological Museum, Trier
Why: A collection of amazing depth, well displayed. There is some renovation going on this summer, but there was still plenty to enjoy. The mosaics are spectacular.

Nancy in San Carlos, CA USA 08/14/2008

Worst: Checkpoint Charlie
Why: The museum was just a bit too cramped, a bit too crowded, and not organized (period) in a way that made it easy to absorb.

Eric Almeida in Ames, IA USA 08/05/2008

Worst: Ruette
Why: Dirty, uninteresting and definitely not worth the effort of getting there. Fussen was much cleaner with interesting sites, restaurants and shops

J Caudle in Kingston, ON Canada 08/02/2008

Best: Wurzburg Residence
Why: It had an unbelieveable interior. It was the best restoration I've seen in Germany. Be sure to take the english tour to better understand what you're seeing.

Dave Beck in Jefferson, WI USA 07/29/2008

Worst: Neuschwanstein Castle
Why: I practically had a coronary getting up the insanely steep, long hike to the castle, waiting in long lines and crowds of tourists in the heat only to have a VERY short, uninteresting tour of a castle that seemed very fake and was never completed. I think there was maybe 5 rooms in the short tour. A total tourist trap!

D in Victoria, BC Canada 07/25/2008

Best: Bacharach and Wurzburg
Why: Both these towns offered lots to do, plenty of great restaurants, easy access by rail.

Holly Quan in Turner Valley, AB Canada 07/15/2008

Best: Mozart Haus in Vienna
Why: OK, so the audio guide was long-winded. I still got a charge out of seeing Wolfie's apartment, walking on his floors and touching his doors and windows.

Worst: The Silver and China collection, Hofburg, Vienna
Why: I enjoyed seeing the collection but I wish Rick had given some idea of how l-o-n-g it would take to get through it. By the time we got to the apartments, we were too tired to really enjoy them. By the way, the Sisi Museum was just creepy. We skipped most of it.

Charlotte in Vermillion, SD USA 07/12/2008

Best: K-D Line Rhine Cruise
Why: Stay in Bacharach, take the 1015 boat to St. Goar (40 minutes), visit Rheinfels castle, eat lunch and sample some Eiswein, and take the 10 minute train back - GREAT DAY!

Worst: Cologne
Why: The Dom (and wonderful tour) is probably Germany's greatest Cathedral, but the rest of the town is uninteresting. Thankfully, it is next to the train station. Hop off - Dom - next town ...

David A. Fiala in Melbourne, FL USA 07/12/2008

Best: Rothenburg and Hallstatt
Why: Rothenburg because of the surreal surroundings of the medievel walled city, and Hallstatt for sheer beauty.

Worst: Hall
Why: The least memorable,it just wasn't a "must see"

Gwen Ashworth in Lake Charles, LA USA 07/09/2008

Best: hikes to castles in Bacharach and St. Goar, Germany
Why: There were very few people on the trails up to the castles, unlike the busy tourist corridor directly along the Rhine. The views were incredible!!

Susan Langin in Cranbrook, BC Canada 07/08/2008

Best: Freulein Maria's Bike Tour (Salzburg) & The Night Watchman (Rothenburg)
Why: Bike Tour: Great guide, great scenery, and a nice getaway from the crowds. It was fun getting some exercise and seeing the outskirts of the city. 3 hrs/ 10 miles. The Night Watchman: Pure entertainment!

Worst: Zell
Why: The book mentioned oompah bands on Saturday nights. We left Beilstein for this, and there was nothing at all going on! We should have stayed in Beilstein.

Mike Greene in Wildomar, CA USA 07/08/2008

Best: Sound of Music Tour
Why: So much information about Salzburg in addition to Sound of Music references. Very knowledgable guide, Bruno made the whole tour fantasic...don't miss this!

Ann Doty in Juneau, AK USA 07/07/2008

Best: Insider's Berlin by Bike tour
Why: A fantastic way to see Berlin! Our guide was a German History PhD student from Ohio State and extremely knowledgable.

Karis in New Berlin, WI USA 07/05/2008

Best: Radius Tour of Neuschwanstein Castle
Why: 1)Small group size (9 in total), 2)very good guide who was knowledgeable about other places in Germany and 3)didn't have to wait in line when we got to the castle

Jennifer Blitz in Chicago, IL USA 07/05/2008

Best: Munich Guide Georg Reichlmayr
Why: Georg was the Very Best Guide we had on our 5 week trip through Germany, Austria, France, and the Czech Republic. He met us each day at our hotel. He was very informative and was a delight. We had 2 full day tours with him. The first day was a Munich City Tour and the second day to Dachau. His recommendations for rest stops were outstanding. White sausage and beer. Can't forget that.

Worst: Berlin - New Berlin Tours
Why: I originally contacted Original Berlin Walks for Private Tours in Berlin. Sadly, after what appeared to be a missed email I opted to contact New Berlin Tours from the 2007 Germany & Austria Guide. Our group of 4 consisted of people from 78 years of age to 58 years. We contracted (required by the tour company for private tours) for 2 tours. First the Berlin City Tour 3.5 hours and the next day a Potsdam tour for 6 - 8 hours. We were met at our hotel by the guide and started our tour of Berlin. We took the train to East Berlin and saw the opera house, site of the book burning, Bebel Platz. We stopped for a WC break at a deli about 1.5 hours into our tour. Upon returning to our guide we were told that his boss had called and he was scheduled for another tour. He handed us a map showing us how we were to get back to our hotel. We had not seen any of the sites promised. Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie, the Berlin Wall etc. We were told his boss had agreed to refund two hours of the tour cost. We had just arrived in Berlin and had no idea how the train system worked. That is why we used private guides in part. I informed him we would not agree to that and we wanted/demanded the balance of our tour. He handed me the phone and let me talk to Nick (the boss). I was very upset and he was very rude. After a half an hour of standing and talking on a street corner Nick agreed to let us continue our tour. Unfortunately, it was rushed and did not include everything we were suppose to see. We were taken back to our hotel by an office worker once we arrived at Brandenburg Gate. I informed Nick that we were very unhappy with our tour and we wanted to cancel the tour we had planned to Potsdam the next day. He informed me that I had signed a contract. So, since I had no recourse we took the tour the next day. I was told in an email that all transportation costs were covered in the tour price. When our guide arrived he informed us we were responsible to train tickets etc. Thankfully I had the email and showed him that Nick had included the cost in the tour price. Our guide paid. It was a nightmare... Our guides were very good but I would NEVER recommend booking a private tour with this company. They seem to prefer the free tours.

Susan Meeker in Sisters, OR USA 07/02/2008

Worst: AMENDED - Renting a car at the Koln train station
Why: See my previous comment. I forgot to include the city!

Nancy in Bellingham, WA USA 06/29/2008

Best: Berlin
Why: What a wonderful city this is! This city is so easy to get around. We took the recommended walking tour and it was great. It gave us a good foundation to explore on our own. This city has so much to offer - not to mention the history it has seen. It is friendly and relatively inexpensive for a large European city.

Nancy in Bellingham, WA USA 06/29/2008

Worst: renting a car at the train station
Why: In a word DON'T do this!!! Even with maps getting outside the city is horrendous and don't even THINK to try to find your way back. It is behind the train station and while that certainly sounds easy enough it isn't. No maps tell you which streets are one way, which streets don't go all the way through, etc. We would opt to take the train to the airport and rent a car from there.

Nancy in Bellingham, WA USA 06/29/2008

Worst: Haus der Musik in Vienna
Why: It might be the best museum ever but I never got in. The guidebokk and the actual museum itself states that they close at 10 pm but have last admissions at 9 pm. So I show up to get in at 8.55 pm, cutting it close I admit but I did comply with their rules. They tell me, "We close at 10 and don't allow anyone in after 9." When I point out that it isn't quite 9 yet they say, "there are only two visitors in the museum now, and it wouldn't be worth it to let you in." They tell me to come back tomorrow but I tell them it is pretty obvious that they want to go home and watch the Euro Cup Football matches on TV and that's why they won't let me in. Needless to say, I didn't go back the next day. Anyway, might be a great museum but I'd recommend not counting on them to follow there own rules and if you really want to see it, go a couple of hours before closing. Of course, maybe they'll toss you out if you are the only one there in the last hour :). Good luck!

Shonn in HdG, MD USA 06/28/2008

Worst: not going to Heidelberg or Rudesheim
Why: They are really cool places and even if they do have a lot of tourists, information about them should still be included for those who want to go there. We were in Heidelberg the end of April and it was just gorgeous up by the castle. Scenery was spectacular and we never felt crowded. Rudesheim also offers a great view riding the chair lift to the top of the mountain.

Jodean in Frankfurt, Germany 06/27/2008

Best: Bob's Special Tours, Sound of Music
Why: Even if you've never seen the movie, this is a great way to see the gorgeous lake district. I felt sorry for all the schmucks on the big buses as we zipped in and out of places, enjoyed amazing streudel, made special requests for stops (or lack thereof), and generally had room to enjoy everything.

Worst: Mozart Gebursthaus, Salzburg
Why: At some point while there, it struck me, "So this is how you open a museum without any artifacts." It TRIED to be significant instead of just letting the significance of the place speak for itself. In the room where Mozart was born, I wanted to wrap my mind around the history of it, not look at hanging birds and listen to new age music (Mozart, anyone?).

Melissa in Rochester, NY USA 06/26/2008

Best: Bob's Special Tours (Salzburg)
Why: We did the "Sound of Music" tour and it was great! While they do play songs from the movie and go to the sights where many scenes were filmed, the tour is MUCH more than that. You get to see a lot of the city and countryside, stop for apple strudel, even ride a luge. It was 4 hours well spent.

Also I want to recommend the Munich walking tours. I have taken a RS tour before and in many places they hire the best local guides to give a tour. We did the regular 11:45 tour and had a lady who's name I've unfortunately forgotten (but she moved to Munich from S. Africa, should be easy to find if the RS staff is interested) who gave a wonderfully detailed and enthusiastic tour, the equal of the best guides we had on the RS tour. If anyone from the RS staff reads these comments and is looking for local guides, I highly recommend they audition her.

Worst: Romantic Road & Hallstatt
Why: The description in the guide book makes it sound like you'll be rolling past small towns thru the countryside, along a well-marked route. And the free map from any TI stop will show you the route. Stop anywhere that delights you.

I wish I had gone on the same trip the writer of the RS guide took, but it sure didn't match my experience. I got the free map and travelled between Peiting and Rothenburg. First off, while I saw the occasional brown "Romantic Road" sign they were few and far between. Maybe I wasn't on the right road very much; it would be hard to tell from the free map because it has a thick blue line obscuring the names of the roads and is pretty much useless for navigation. If you're going to try the Romantic Road by car, buy a better map of the area. In many places it seemed I was driving thru suburbs and outskirts of cities, don't really see the beauty in all that.

And as for finding the centers of the towns listed along the road, good luck with that! It Italy every moderate-sized or smaller town had nice signage that said "centro" with the 3 circles and showed you where to go; in Germany you are pretty much on your own. The "zentrum" sign was almost never present in the towns.

To me rather than a delightful drive it was an exercise in frustration as I drove thru non-descript suburbs and seldom saw signs marking the Romantic Road. Not worth it at all!!!

A close 2nd to waste of time was Hallstatt. If you want to visit a postcard-perfect town to see houses where other people have a wonderful view of the lake, Hallstatt is right for you. If you want to see the water yourself, maybe relax with a beer and look over the lake, expect that during most of the day you can see the water -- keep on going. Aside from a beer at the bar under the big white umbrella, there might as well not be a lake there. From the ends of town you can get good pics of the houses set against the hills and on the water. My advice is either buy postcards of it somewhere else and skip the town, or go thru it on your way somewhere else and stop for the 15 minutes you need to see it all. I honestly can't understand why RS puts it in as a destination. Ironically enough when I did the Sound of Music tour RS recommends they went out to the town of Mondsee which actually looks worth visiting; places to stroll, shops, tables to have a beer or lunch, etc. Its not covered in the RS book and there may be even better lake towns, but my advice would be to get the nice lake view and also have something else to do at one of the places OTHER than Hallstatt.

Mike Thompson in Los Angeles, CA USA 06/26/2008

Best: vienna
Why: this was our second trip there. We found it much more like paris, which we have been too numerous times. People were great and the sights were numerous. we believe their public transportation was the best in europe. we stayed outside the ring road and there was no problem getting anywhere quickly and easily

Worst: vienna's opera house
Why: Although, beautiful from the outside, the actual stage area is not as grand as prague's estate theatre or budapest's opera house. There was damage from WWII bombs and it was not rebuilt to the grandness of the other two mentioned. Also, an opera in Budapest was quite cheap and you can get a seat for not much more than the standing room only seats in vienna. However, legroom is worse than flying economy in the us in the budapest opera house

mike in tempe, az USA 06/22/2008

Worst: Chocolate Museum in Koln
Why: This may not be a correction, but I thought it was implied that there would be many samples of chocolate treats. In fact I was given a very small wafer cookie that was dipped in chocolate and that was all.

Cynthia J. Tiechner in Pebble Beach, CA USA 05/25/2008

Best: Bacharach
Why: Incredibly beautiful city. Easily walkable, very relaxing after trecking around a number of big cities. Boat ride on the Rhine was breathtaking! We loved the look and feel of the place. Also found some great wine!

Barbara in Eikenberry, CA USA 05/23/2008

Best: Burg Eltz, Rheinfels Castle, Koln Cathedral, Night Watchman Tour
Why: It was such a great experience to tour a medievil castle in such good shape. Rheinfels was a lot of fun to explore the nooks and crannies of the ruins (definitley bring a flashlight). Koln cathdreal is absolutley huge (your jaw does drop) and the Night Watchman tour is very informative and very funny!

Kate Buechler in Winnipeg, MB Canada 05/22/2008

Best: pension peters, berlin
Why: rick's description right on, clean and very helpful staff, but to get cheapest room [36E] be prepared to go up two floors without elevator.

richard welsh in westfield ctr, oh USA 05/02/2008

Best: Bus 208 in Baden-Baden
Why: Just fun and cheap. Two euros. If you miss it one spot on Leopoldplatz, you can catch it at two other spots on the platz. It loops around the city slopes three times, so there are 3 spots to catch it. We missed it by a minute and thought we would have to wait an hour, but ended up looking around and finding a stop that we had to wait only 10 minutes for. It goes right past the Hotel am Markt, but you can't even imagine how the driver is able to get through those windy streets.

VanHemert in Denver, CO USA 04/14/2008

Best: Hiking near Hallstatt
Why: We love the outdoors. Hiking to various look-out points and waterfalls was the highlight of our stay in Hallstatt. Not to mention - we were practiclly the only ones on the trail! We felt like Austria was our private playground.

Worst: Duetsches Museum in Munich
Why: The museum seemed outdated and dusty. I felt like we walked around for two hours in an old warehouse filled with gadgets that didn't work and irrelevant information.

Robert Villigram in St. Louis, MO USA 02/28/2008

Worst: Gasthof zum Schluxen
Why: The food was only average or less, the wait staff not very efficient,and the owner was extremely rude to me. We were also asked to not make noise at night but they had an oompa band that played so loudly that my bed was vibrating. I got the impression that RS tours were simply a cash cow to the owner and he put out the least amount of effort to these tours.

James A Brosman in Marysville, CA USA 02/21/2008

Best: Rothenburg and Bavaria/Tirol Area
Why: We loved the city of Rothenburg. The Nightwatchman Tour was great. The Crime Museum was gruesome fun. The Friese Shop was a great place to buy pewter mugs, etc. They had the best price of anywhere we went(we compared all over the country). We had some great fruit sherbet at a little shop on the square.

In Bavaria/Tirol we loved the countryside and scenery. Our favorite castle was Ehrenberg Ruin, near Reutte. We hiked up from our hotel (Pension Waldrast) one evening and had the whole place to ourselves. The wildflowers were blooming and we got great pictures. We hiked back via a bike trail that led us through a cow pasture. The cows (complete with bells) came running to greet us.

We really enjoyed the Zugspitze. We went up on the tram from the Austrian side. It was a beautiful clear day and you could see Alps galore. It was probably the single most expensive activity we did at €105 for 4 of us but it was worth it. They only charged us the child rate for our 18 year old which was nice. Be sure to wear a jacket, its windy up there.

We went to the Alte and Neue Pinakotek in Munich on a Sunday. It was great at €1 per person and we didn't need an audioguide; it was fun to just wander. We had checked our cameras in the lockers outside the lobby and went back to get them, photographs are allowed with no flash. It's fun to have photos of some masterpieces.

Have to mention that Rheinfels Castle Ruin was our favorite on the Rhine. We spent 2-3 hours climbing around the castle and crouching through the tunnels. It was fun even in a pouring rainstorm. And because of the guide we were equipped with our flashlights.

Worst: Salt Mine in Hallein
Why: Not that it was a really bad experience, but it was expensive and we had to wait a considerable time in the ticket line and before the tour. We have toured a working coal mine and were expecting to see more about actual mining and were disappointed because it seemed more like wandering around underground. The wooden slides were a kick though. Made a good "action video".

Carolyn in Birrell, UT USA 02/06/2008

Best: Munich
Why: The whole city is great. The Deutsches Museum is cool and the Alte and Neue Pinakotheken are a must see. Stay at Wombat's, drink Keller Bier. It is the best beer I have ever had.

Worst: Hallstatt
Why: It sucks in the winter, everything is closed, and it can be dangerous to climb up the mountain (when I was there, it rained overnight and the path was a sheet of ice). The views are still gorgeous though.

Shawn in L, NY USA 02/01/2008

Best: Munich and Nurnberg evening Christmas markets
Why: Crowds of people outside in very cold weather -- eating ("tubular" meat everywhere), drinking hot wine, musical performances, crafts for sale, and most of all sense of community. Really felt Christmas spirit and no comparison to the day after Thanksgiving 5am sales in USA.

Gail in Albany, OR USA 01/27/2008

Best: Lipizzaner - Privatism
Why: This is an excellent special show done by only a few horses and a few riders showing how both the riders and the horses are trained together. They come out one at a time, and the narration (both in German and English) is excellent. Very enlightening.

Alan & Shelley Davis in Thornton, CO USA 01/23/2008

Best: Halstatt
Why: In the winter is was wonderful. Not many tourists, may eateries were still open, and very quiet

Paul Wester in Dickinson, TX USA 01/02/2008

Best: Salzburg, Austria
Why: The beauty of the city, the friendliness of the people, the whole experience was just wonderful. We stayed with Fr. Hundhammer in her farmhouse B&B, which was just outside the city of Salzburg. She is most helpful, her English is just great, and her daughter is very sweet, too. It was so nice to have an actual home to come home to at the end of a long day of seeing the sights.

Cynthy Barnes in Glendora, CA USA 12/15/2007

Best: Baden-Baden
Why: By far Baden-Baden was the biggest "find" from the Germany/Austria book. We enjoyed the casino, even though we didn't go into the upstairs because we weren't planning to gamble enough to justify renting suits. The downstairs is casual, though. And they have electronic roulette, where we won 1000 Euros in a matter of an hour. The 2 hot springs in town were an amazing experience. The perfect end to our trip.

Worst: Salzburg
Why: Felt like I was in a big tourist trap.

Dane Kantner in Chicago, IL USA 11/28/2007

Best: Hotel Monoco, Munich
Why: Not only were the rooms clean and spacious, but when my husband had an allergic reaction to the detergent used on the sheets (very sensitive skin) the clerk took me to the wash room so I could copy the ingredient list (I keep track) and then got us blankets that had been washed with the German equivalent of Dreft. So helpful!

Laura in Laugle, Oh USA 11/17/2007

Best: Nightwatchmans Tour, Rothenburg
Why: Rick Steve's is right about this tour. Humorous, informative... just an absolutely good time. Highlight of our Rothenburg stay.

Worst: Rothenburg
Why: While it's a well preserved, beautiful old town, the commercialism was too much for me. Do things (gifts, etc.) really have to cost at least 2x more here than anywhere else?

Paul Alesi in Netcong, NJ USA 11/09/2007

Worst:
Why: We had reserved a room with Pension Lettie several months ago for 10/26 and reconfirmed on 10/2 that we were all set. When we arrived, there was a sign posted that she was closed for renovation. We rang the doorbell, even had the tourist office try to reach her by phone but no luck. We found another place. We thought we might have an email from her once we arrived back home but there was nothing. Very disappointing experience.

Pat Dirschbeger in Phoenix, AZ USA 10/31/2007

Best: all, Rothenberg, Frankfurt, Munich, Salzberg, Venice, Paris, Verona,Interlaken
Why: loved every recommendatio of yours,(except 1) took a special 3 1/2 week family vacation and booked all hotels thru your recomendations, I have and will continue to recommend you- it was so fabulous! And I was amazed at how many times I saw your book- we went to Germany- Salzberg, Paris, Switzerland and Italy

Worst: hotel Goldener Hirsch, Ruette
Why: Hotel was beautiful,wedding went on until 4 am, no one on our floor could sleep, loud music, several folks complained and no results, the only hotel in our experience of your recommendations to be bad, hotel staff was extremely rude to us and to the other guests not associated with the wedding, guests should have been given rooms away from the function and notified, no sleep by any one who stayed at the hotel that night. I would recommend a review of this hotel.

Sue Kerns USA 10/27/2007

Best: Linderhof
Why: All of the glamour of Ludwig's Castles, without the hordes of tourists at Neuschwanstein... Don't miss the grotto-- makes our government waste look frugal by comparison...

Worst: Oberammergau
Why: Not much to see-- although a pretty town, it is just one of many.. the traffic is tough, parking is really hard, and the streets are confusing...

John & Diane Hearing in Maple Valley, WA USA 10/15/2007

Best: Riding a summer luge in Austria
Why: A whole lot of fun! Did it multiple times, going faster each time! Loved it!

Worst: The House at Checkpoint Charlie, Berlin
Why: Overpriced and poorly presented. Also way too overcrowded to truly get a full experience. One of the more expensive museums around. Skip it and go to the Deutsches Historisches Museum instead (also in Berlin). Much better experience.

Troy in Vancouver, BC Canada 10/13/2007

Best: Train trip from Vienna to Venice
Why: It was really gorgeous--went through farmland, mountainous areas including the Dolomites and near some beautiful lake areas in S E Austria. Glad that we didn't fly or take a night train or we would have missed it

John & Susan in St Petersburg, FL USA 10/09/2007

Best: Cruise from Melk to Krems
Why: Both the abbey in Melk and the trip down the Danube to Krems were beautiful. Both towns were charming.

John & Susan in St Petersburg, FL USA 10/08/2007

Best: Halstatt
Why: Awesome views and loved the Bone Yard

Worst: Dissing Hellbrunn
Why: Went on a Sat afternoon and really loved it the water tour was a lot of fun

Jeff Rittmueller in Chicago, Il USA 10/06/2007

Best: Saran Essbar in Salzburg
Why: It was kind of late and we were having trouble finding a place that was open. We checked Rick Steve's book and he suggested Saran Essbar. We were kind of leary, because it was an Indian place in Salzburg that also served traditional favorites. We were pleasantly surprised. My wife and I had traditional food and our friends got Indian. We all loved our meals and it was probably the best meal we had in Salzburg during our 2 day stay there. The cost was also very nice. It was very cheap to eat there and yes the owner/waiter was very nice as well. If I ever go back to Salzburg, I will definitely eat there again.

Keith R in Queens, NY USA 09/28/2007

Best: The Friedrichsbad in Baden-Baden
Why: This was a great experience. It was so calm, peaceful, and relaxing. A great way to end a trip to Europe.

Aimee in Anaheim, CA USA 09/26/2007

Best: Burg Eltz and Rothenburg ob der Tauber in a tie!
Why: So breathtakingly authentic and historic; right out of the pages of all the historical fiction and history book articles of my youth.You expected to see knights riding up the valley at Burg eltz and a strolling minstrel coming down the cobbled streets of Rothenburg...like stepping back in time, to walk the walls. And, as we sat on a bench in Rothenburg, a townsman walked by,and spotting us consulting your book before taking the R.Steeves self-guided tour, spoke to us, saying: "Oh, I see you're traveling through Europe with the Rick Steeves book; he does a good job." After traveling with Rick to Wiesbaden, Bacharach, St.Goar, Burgen,Trier,Wurzburg and all stops on the Romantic Road to Fussen,and at last to Garmisch, we couldn't agree more!

Worst: Wiesbaden and Wurzburg were downplayed in the book as not worth a day, but we very much enjoyed the day in each. There were no "worst" destinations on our trip; it was all enjoyable.
Why: The only moments of being uncomfortable were when the road signs did not conform to our "US expectations" and we made the wrong split second decision and had to backtrac or recalulate the route. Likewise Parking garages there operate differently, as we belatedly found out. ADd that to the Through the Backdoor Book, please. And most Germans speak a "little English" but are embarrassed to speak it (in their minds)poorly so choose to deny speaking English at all. This was explained to us by several Germans who did go out of their way to be helpful, and restored our opinion of thes fine people.At first, though we felt somewhat ignored. Attitude and politeness as a guest is everything.

John S Treadwell in McDonough, GA USA 09/22/2007

Best: The Medival City of Rothenburg
Why: It was like stepping back in time to Bavaria. It was clean, beautiful and amazing that those structures have survived.

Worst: Frankfurt Airport
Why: We were lost in the airport for two hours trying to find our luggage after arriving at 5:30am. There was no assistance either in person or with signs. Upon leaving, the customs station in our departure terminal was closed and we could not get to another open station without going back out sercurity to get our VAT stamps for a refund. I would avoid arrivng into Frankfurt if possible.

Jamie Galis in Southlake, TX USA 09/14/2007

Best: Insider Tours Berlin
Why: I took the Famous Insider Tours with Brian. To me, Brian has set the gold standard for walking tour guides. His passion for the city and its people is clear. Do see a group of strangers in tears during a walking tour is something to behold. I took 3 walking tours of Berlin with this company and all were excellent. And stay for the beer afterwards.

Kevin Mott in Edmonton, Ab Canada 08/27/2007

Best: Mt. Zugspitze; Eagle's Nest
Why: Worth the cost if you have a clear day like we did:)We didn't want to leave. At Eagle's nest paid 6 euro for a guided English tour... well worth it.Also, be sure to visit the bunker down the mt.

Melanie Murnan in Columbus, Oh USA 08/20/2007

Best: Rothenburg
Why: Incomparable, clean.

Worst: Cochem
Why: Crawling with tourists (in August at least)

Craig Walker in Beaverton, OR USA 08/19/2007

Best: Burg Eltz and Walking Tours in Munich
Why: No picture does this place justice. Amazing. Totally worth the three triangles. Worth the drive. Best Castle in Western Europe!

Worst: Deutsches Museum in Munich and Imhoff-Stollwerck Chocolate Museum in Koln
Why: Boring! Three Triangles? Seriously. What a waste and so far from the city center. Not worth the time or money. However, the surrounding neighborhood was nice.

Chocolate Museum was a waste as well.

Alex Griffin in Danville, Ky USA 08/19/2007

Best: Hallstatt, Austria
Why: We loved the pristine beauty of the lake and mountains, and along with the charming shops and lakeside cafes, Halstatt provided an enjoyable day trip from Salzburg. There is something here for everyone, with the attractions of the salt mines and ice caves nearby.

Kathy Weeks in Portland, OR USA 08/15/2007

Worst: Hallstadt
Why: The train ride is WAY too long for the distance. There is no air conditioning on the train. Waste of time

Robin Wissing in Vernon Hills, IL USA 08/06/2007

Best: Frauenkirche in Dresden
Why: This church is just spectacular. The restoration that was done is simply breathtaking. We had a hard time leaving because we just wanted to stay and take it all in. We were among the few Americans to see this church but it should be a top priority for those who decide to travel to Dresden.

Gary Hoffman in Baldwin, WI USA 07/30/2007

Best: Munich, Germany-Hotel Monaco
Why: After 20 trips to Europe & almost that many times in Munich, we found a great small hotel in the heart of town about 1 block from the main train & underground station. The price is more than fair and includes a wonderful breakfeast. The owner is very warm, personable & helpful in finding places. We will go out of our way in future trips to the Munich & Bavarian areas to stay at the Hotel Monaco. What a wonderful find for us. We shared it with a German foreign exchange student & he is telling others about it. Even the Germans are finding this place because of location, price & a supurb breakfease. We watch Rick Steves on TV & use his books when travelling & feel this is a plus.

John Crabb in Modesto, Ca USA 07/21/2007

Best: Rothenburg & Neuschwanstein Castle
Why: Rick's cautions about the commercialization of Rothenburg are accurate, but this wonderful town is still worth a visit. We also completely enjoyed our visit to Fussen and Schloss Neuschwanstein. A fun tour and a lovely Bavarian town to relax in.

Worst: Hofburg Palace, Vienna
Why: Rick is entirely correct that the Hofburg has completely sold out to the myth of "Sissi." A much better Hapsburg palace visit is Schonbrunn, also in Vienna. More impressive real estate, but mostly, a much more thorough history of THE ruling family of Europe for many, many years.

Matt Sears in Lafayette, CA USA 07/20/2007

Best: Sound of Music Tour on bicycles-Salzburg
Why: After so much walking in Europe, it was good for our family to get on bikes to see the sights. Our "fraulein Maria" was actually an Australian named Jake, but he knew his stuff and really seemed to enjoy his job. He also kept the group together, even though there were serious bike riders and children together on the route. Even if you're not a big fan of the movie, it's fun to come home and watch it again after visiting the locales.

B Werker in South Berwick, Me USA 07/20/2007

Best: Vienna's Wine Gardens (Heurigen)
Why: We had so much fun at the Wine Garden's Rick describes in his guidebook. We took the tram and visited 3 or 4 of the wine gardens. We tasted wonderful local wines, had a tasty meal and enjoyed the ambiance and mixing with the locals. A great experience I would highly recommend.

Susie in Golden, CO USA 07/13/2007

Best: Hotel Maximillian, Ruette
Why: Gabi was the best. She directed our site seeing and suggeted great walks. We loved watching the cattle coming and going to the pasture. Gabi's father took us to the church where he is the organist and gave us an incrediable tour and played the 2,000 pipe organ for us. It was a real highlight on our 5 week trip throught Germany, Austria and the Eastern European countries.

Nancy Miles in Winnetka, Ca USA 07/09/2007

Best: Pretty much everything!!
Why: Up until this tour, all of your recommendations are spot-on. However .......

Worst: Christiane Schneeweiss - Salzburg tour guide
Why: It might be time to revisit her inclusion in the book. I led a group of 25 colleagues on a trip through Germany and Austria and had booked Christiane S. for the Salzburg tour since I had very little knowledge of the area. She showed up without any paperwork, so she had no idea what kind of tour we'd requested. After I reminded her of the parameters we'd agreed on (1.5 hours, general overview of the city, high points), she "punted" her way through the tour. She seemed generally unprepared and after we spent a good 20 minutes sitting in a church, she realized we weren't on a 2-hour tour but rather the 1.5 hour version. She was generally unprepared and spent much of the time walking between destinations talking on her cell phone rather than to the rest of the group. Rather disappointing for 150 Euro. Next time I will book a more expensive tour through the official tourism office.

L Havas in Milwaukee, WI USA 07/09/2007

Best: Munich Residenz
Why: Toured it early in the morning. No crowds. Admission was for the full day, so we came back in the afternoon and did the treasury. Very impressive.

Worst: Black forest drive on B-500
Why: Got onto non-B-500 small roads. Signs not well posted. Asked directions several times but still got lost. Scenery was very nice, but if you want to stay on the B-500, will definately need a very detailed map (at least 1:200,000. We had 1:1,000,000 and it didn't cut it.

howard sears in houston, tx USA 07/07/2007

Best: Dresden: Bastei Bridge; Rothenburg: overall
Why: We loved hiking in Saxon Switzerland National Park. We took our most gorgeous photos there and the bridge may be the most memorable sight of our 2 week trip. Rothenburg was also quite charming -- we spent 2 nights there, loved the architecture and recommended activities.

Marianne Sullivan in Newark, DE USA 07/04/2007

Best: Ruette
Why: Indeed a great location for exploring southern Bavaria and the Tyrolean area of Austria, if you are touring by car. While Fuessen is about a half hour away, as is the Austrian approach to the Zugspitze. Linderhof, Ettal and Garmisch are less than an hour, the Wieskirche not much more, Innsbruck less than two. Munich is within two hours. The Plansee is a nice lake area and there is a lift near Reutte bringing you to hiking in the mountains.

Stephen Hoffmann in Upland, IN USA 06/28/2007

Best: Eagle's Nest
Why: It's just awesome...

Ellen Langer in Dayton, OH USA 06/23/2007

Best: Night Watchman's Tour in Rothenburg
Why: Very entertaining, mostly Americans. German speaking tour starts after the English tour. We did this 6 days ago and would have done one thing different - brought mosquito repellent and sprayed right before the tour started. By the end of the tour, my 17-yr old daughter caught 3 little buggers on her in the act!

Sandra Potter in Arlington, TX USA 06/16/2007

Best: Barbel Schalber
Why: This tour guide was recommended in Rick's book and she was great. She talked non-stop, we very much enjoyed her service and would recommend her highly. She met us at our hotel and was prompt. I enjoyed her opinions (why would I not want spicy opinions?? Besides, they weren't even spicy really).

Sandra Potter in Arlington, Te USA 06/14/2007

Best: Linderhof Castle
Why: Most amazing of all the castles we visited. The grotto was unbelieveable. Do not miss!!!!

Linda Bell in Sewell, NJ USA 06/12/2007

Best: Georg Reichlmayer - Munich Tour Guide
Why: We spent 13 days in Germany and France.... the three hours we spent with him, were some of the best. His ability to tour, unreavel Munich history and storytell is phenomenal.

Worst:
Why:

Kaye Peloquin in Lititz, PA USA 06/08/2007

Best: Original Berlin Walks - Discover Berlin
Why: Excellent introduction to Berlin. Guide was very knowledgeable and handled questions well.

Nigel Bradbury in Toronto, ON Canada 06/06/2007

Best: Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Why: Extremely charming, quiet, and enjoyable medieval walled town. Very walkable from one end to the other. I enjoyed the peace and quiet away from the larger cities.

Rachel Tagge in Burke, VA USA 06/06/2007

Best: Berlin Museums
Why: Being one former history teacher and another history major, we especially enjoyed many of the museums in Berlin. The Pergammon is just without parallel. We could of spent all day in there, surrounded by bits of antiquity. The Jewish Museum was both fascinating in its content and beautiful in its outlay/architecture. Again, we had so little time to spend in it. The Monument to the Murdered Jews of Europe was both harrowing and beautiful. Harrowing in its true effect in conveying even a bit of the horror of the era. Beautiful in it's design and outlay. The architecture used for many of the newer German museums and monuments is modern, blunt, and emotionally true to the subjects of the museums.

Worst: The Bus ride up to Neuschwanstein
Why: The bane of much of our trip was the tour groups. These pushy groups would jump ahead of anyone in line for any sight. This was most evident in our ride up to the castle. We waited our turn (in the heat), while multiple groups just jumped ahead to board the bus. We had to eventually run from the bus to make our tour time at the castle. Luckily we formed a sense of humor about it. Any time we saw a large tour (especially in Rothenburg), we would raise a piece of paper or cloth upward in the air (like the flags and umbrellas the guides use to shephard their flocks), and get a little giggle from it.

Joshua Jacobson in Bradford, VT USA 06/05/2007

Best: Vienna Ring Tram Tour
Why: Ring Tram Tour was a great inexpensive orientation

Gary R. Smith in Moorpark, CA USA 06/03/2007

Best: Imperial Treasury - Vienna, Austria
Why: I have been to Vienna 2 other times before and somehow never went here. It blows Englands crown jewels out of the water...excellent exhibit...well worth every euro! and the audio guide was excellent too!! Pay the 3 euro for that!

Worst: Secession- Vienna Austria
Why: Unless you are a MAJOR fan of Klimt...it isn't worth 6 Euro to go in there....and the other exhibits are ridiculous.

Taj in Sarasota, FL USA 05/29/2007

Worst: Innsbruck city center
Why: If it is raining you dont get the views, leaving a congested city center.

Steve in Boise, Id USA 05/29/2007

Best: Vienna museums
Why: nearly empty museums may 2007: combo habsburg Ephesus, musical, and arms/armory museum. Belevedere palace a little more busy but lots of room to see large number of paintings.

Worst: Driving Vienna
Why: If you drive in, get a really good map to negotiate the maze of streets.

Steve in Boise, Id USA 05/29/2007

Worst: Hotel Schweizerhof
Why: Stayed 3 nights on May 22,23,and 24th 2007. The rooms are overpriced and you need to correct your book to state that the rooms WILL be noisy on weekends, which in Vienna include Thursday night. The clubs surrounding the hotel finally closed at 4:00 AM. The weather was very warm and the staff did provide a fan but the windows of the hotel room had to remain open for air circulation ergo the very noisy room.

Debra Dennis in Raymond, WA USA 05/27/2007

Best: Guided Walking Tour- 3rd Reich
Why: I never would of found any of the sites, plus the guide spoke English, which helps to appreciate what you are visiting. The Topagraphy of Terror was in German, so the guide was esssential

Worst: Checkpoint Charlie Museum
Why: Crowded, and overpriced compared to other sights in Berlin. And- I went in early May

Patti Siwajek in Toledo, oh USA 05/20/2007

Best: Bacharach
Why: Very quiet, not too many rowdy people.

P Gordon NJ USA 05/19/2007

Best: Dresden,Vienna
Why: Dresden has so much history,got in line on Sunday morning and got tickets to the Green Vault fantastic experience, Vienna,went to the flea market on Saturday,lots of interesting stuff,Military Museum worth seeing along with the usual sites

Worst: Hall in Tirol
Why: we took the bus from Innsbruck and found little to do

Mike dela Pena in Shingle Springs, Ca USA 05/15/2007

Best: Vienna, Austria
Why: From 1998 to 2001 I was living and working in Germany. In either 2000 or 2001, my daughter and I decided to visit Vienna with, of course, your guidebook in tow. We selected one of the inns you recommended (can't recall the name) and headed that way from the train station. Once there, we discovered it had moved around the corner and now shared an entrance with the Love Birds Sex Shop (Visa, Mastercard, American Express. We hope to meet all our customers' needs.) It was a delightful room with charming proprietors. In fact, he told us you were visiting that day. As much as we wanted to see you, we wanted to see Vienna more, so off we went. Happily, upon our return, you had autographed my guidebook. Thank you for a wonderful family story about a mother-daughter adventure at the Love Birds and for years of happy travels in Europe.

Betsy Robinson in Prosperity, SC USA 05/11/2007

Best: George - the nightwatchman tour
Why: George should be a college professor. You get so much information from him, but with his sense of humour, you don't even realize it.

Peggy in Nashville, TN USA 05/04/2007

Best: Rhine River Cruise between Bachrach and St Goar
Why: Easter Sunday afternoon, 70 degrees and sunny sitting on the top deck and watching the castles glide by to smaltzy music. And then climbing up to Rhienfels castle. Awesome

Pat in Vinkenes, VA USA 04/23/2007

Best: Spa experience in Baden, Baden
Why: Very relaxing, a wonderful value and a great place to take your children (ours is 6). Place is large enough that the children are not annoying and has so many waterfalls, pools, whirlpools, fountains that even the kids don't get bored. Get tickets at your hotel at discount.

Pat in Vinkenes, VA USA 04/23/2007

Best: Rothenburg
Why: Simply a beautiful medieval town. You need to see a picture of it in 1945 (after the Allied air raids) to really appreciate how well it has been rebuilt.

Worst: Interior tour of Neuschwanstein Castle
Why: After a long hike to get to the castle, the interior tour is short and not really that impressive. (But the view of the castle from Mary's Bridge is excellent.)

Russ and Mandy in San Diego, CA USA 04/15/2007

Best: sound of music tour (Bob's tours)
Why: Great personalized tour for 6 of us.

janet Archibald in San Francisco, CA USA 04/08/2007

Best: Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Why: Wow! What an oasis from the bustle of Munich and Frankfurt. My wife and I had the joy of staying overnight (Rick's recommendation) during one of our 8 days in Germany while attending the 2006 World Cup. The highlight of the trip, and you MUST do the Nightwatchman Tour as well as walk the wall.

Eric Eiss in Rockford, IL USA 03/19/2007

Best: Stolzenfels Castle near Koblenz
Why: It was open off-season whereas most everything else was closed. Beautifully preserved structure, furnishings, paintings, chapel. Toured in German with small English pamphlet - still loved it.

Brien Muller in Ballston Spa, NY USA 03/06/2007

Best: Rhine river (and everywhere else in Germany)
Why: Had a wonderful 2 hour cruise down the Rhine river from St. Goar to Bacharach. The castles were spectacular. Stopped in Bacharach for about 2 hours. We saw a castle and climbed the 500 steps to the top. It was Stahleck castle, which is now a youth hostel. We had two large glasses of wine (about €3) and sat down outside with a wonderful view both ways down the Rhine, as well as the wine fields. The climb was definately worth the effort. Thanks Rick for the travel tips. I can't wait to go back.

Ron Easson in Brampton, On Canada 02/14/2007

Best: Christmas in Germany
Why: I was hoping for snow in 2006 but it didn't matter. Each market was different, had loads of decorations (how do they store them?) Every one was bright and friendly. The food was great.

Beth Halle in New York, NY USA 02/04/2007

Best: Baden-Baden for the Spas and Hotel - Hotel Beeg was WONDERFUL.
Why: The Roman Irish bath was a fascinating experience and allowed a period of rest. The Carcella Springs was very nice with the various treatments available. The Hotel Beeg was absolutely wonderful to us. We greatly enjoyed it. Your book described the staff as "Chilly" and they were great to us.

Lorene Boyes in Lindenhurst, IL USA 01/13/2007

Best: Andechs Monestry South of Munich
Why: The best beer in Germany at the best location. We were there in December on a weekday eveing late and no tourists.

Stan Biles in Blue River, or USA 01/03/2007