The holiday to Germany was unplanned.
It came as a pleasant surprise when my husband got selected for a course in Germany. He was going for a month; I joined him for 15 days in the latter half—and it was one of the best decisions we made! It was more than a holiday; it was a testimony of how, despite our disagreements and occasional squabbles through more than two decades, we snuggly fit into each other’s space.
While we have always enjoyed our holidays together, this was different since it was just us. To our surprise, our interests in food, places to visit and things to do aligned seamlessly (barring one time when I craved for a stiff cup of adrak chai, while he sipped on black coffee!). Not sure whose habits rubbed off on whom, but on this trip, we were twinning. Who would have guessed it would take us 20 years and a holiday together to realise our bond.
Our first lesson from this vacation? While family vacations should be an annual affair, couples holidays are just as important. And since Germany, we aim to take one such vacation every year.
While it was my husband’s third week in the land of Beer and Sausage, it was my first. He had spent two weeks in Donauwörth before continuing his training in Ingolstadt, where I joined him. Ingolstadt is a pretty little town along the Danube.
The place had a merry vibe, reminding me of the quaint countryside from the Netflix series “Virgin River” (2019). Everyone seemed to know each other. The Christmas fervour made the Bonhomie conspicuous. In the evenings, people in uber-chic winter wear huddled around wooden tables in the Christmas market, chatting and cheering over pretty mugs of gluhwein (mulled wine).
The vibe was palpable and rubbed off on the tourists, too. Christmas, I reckon, is the best time to be in Europe.
Ingolstadt is best explored on foot as everything is close by. For starters, the Audi Museum should be on your list. The automobile brand's story is awe inspiring, and the museum beautifully depicts this impressive journey.
Here, I learnt that the word “Audi” translates to “listen” in Latin. Interestingly, the word was a translation of horch, which is also the surname of the brand's founder, August Horch.
That apart, we also visited The Bavarian Army Museum, The Liebfrauenmunster Church and the Medicine Museum. For the brand-conscious, there’s Ingolstadt Village, a small marketplace for premium brands at discounted prices. The two of us, though, looted the Lindt Store!
However, the most fascinating part of our stay in Ingolstadt was our trip to Nuremberg, located roughly an hour away.
We took a train to Nuremberg. Train rides in Germany are extremely comfortable, with no frills. Take the Regional-Express (RE), and not the InterCity Express (ICE), if you want to save a few bucks. While the comfort is the same, the time taken is slightly more.
Irrespective of how you choose to make the journey, Nuremberg is unmissable! It holds tales of triumph and tragedy. Once a stronghold of the ancient Roman Empire, recent history mentions Nuremberg as the harbinger of Nazi rallies. Later, it was chosen as the symbolic site for the Nuremberg trials. A series of trials conducted by the Allies against key Nazi leaders following World War II.
Today, its glorious Gothic style architectural marvels are a sight to behold. The City's Mini Train is one such cute way to soak it all in. It gives you a feel of the city from aboard a picturesque tourist train. Next, we visited a charming Christmas market—which, till date, was one of the best.
In the second week, we moved to Munich, making it our base to see places nearby. To make our lives easier, we stuck to places that were within two hours of travel from Munich.
But Munich itself was big and impressive! Its grandeur seemed to contradict its name, which translates to "home of the monks." With a name like that, one would expect the renunciation of worldly life. Munich, though, was stuffed with tourist places to see. And so, we started to tick off our long "to-do" list one stop at a time.
We visited the breweries at the much-celebrated MarienPlatz, the city’s town hall. We also tried Bavarian food, like the justifiably popular Pulled Pork Burger. On other days, Pretzel and coffee fuelled us well.
From Munich, we travelled to Salzburg, the city of the Von Trapp family from the timeless classic “The Sound of Music.” The four-hour-long “Sound of Music” bus tour took us around the city, covering all the places of relevance till Mondsee. The drive was unreal, almost like a dream. En route, we saw the Red Bull headquarters—a true masterpiece!
On the remaining days of the week, we visited Neuschwanstein Castle in Fussen, and Lindau, Bodensee.
The New Swan Castle was the inspiration for “Sleeping Beauty,” made even more famous as the emblem of the iconic Disney movies. The castle looks straight out of a fairy tale, despite its 200-year-old history. It’s a must-visit not only for the castle, but also for the quaint little town, Fussen, located in the foothills.
The following day, we visited Lindau. The train journey to Lindau was an adventure in its own way. Unaware that the train carriages separated after a specific junction, we remained seated and unexpectedly arrived at a different station twice!
But when we finally did reach, it was all worth it. As we stepped out of the station, we found ourselves staring at Lake Constance in its pristine form, awestruck by its vastness; the sparkling water glistening under the glow of a lighthouse adorned by a sitting lion statue. We were captivated—a spell broken by hymns from the adjoining church.
Running short on time, we covered as much ground as we could on foot. Reaching Christmas Eve meant that the place was decked with festoons and lights. Sadly, everything was shut, barring a few cafes. While I couldn't try the Mokka Cafe, which is considered a must-visit in Lindau, the city's orange pie is like no other!
The last two days were dedicated to Munich. Despite giving it a good three days, so much was left unexplored. But we aren’t complaining! We took our time and strolled through every nook and corner, immersing ourselves in the essence of the city. Both of us prefer exploring on foot, and that's precisely what we did.
For the longer city tour, we opted for a Hop On, Hop Off bus, only to be disappointed. Apart from enduring the biting cold and winter showers, we also had to wait long for the bus at most stops. Giving up, we ditched the tour and covered The Nymphemburg Palace, Glyptothek and KonigPlatz square.
Each of these tourist places showed an interesting blend of classicism and antiquity. But given a choice, I would go back to the Glyptothek since the Roman-Greek sculptures were enigmatic with compelling stories. That day, we clocked in roughly 19 km on foot—the longest on our trip (our daily average was 13 km on most days)!
Our final spot was a sombre one: a visit to the Dachau Concentration Camp, one of the first and longest running concentration camps by the Nazis. The visit was moving, to say the least. The German government has preserved the barracks, crematoriums, gas chambers and baths. Seeing it reminded me of the tyranny; it was chilling to think that such a magnitude of horror was unleashed right where we stood. To think such heinous acts took place less than 100 years ago—the thought gave us gooseflesh.
The visit was sad, unnerving, and gut-wrenching...as it should be. But despite it, I urge you to visit as a respect to the fallen and to remind ourselves that humanity has an evil side that must never be left unchecked.
Exchange currency when travelling to a new location, more specifically, a new country. Carry physical currency. A Forex card is a must, too, but not all places accept it.
Invest in portable bidets! However, do not carry toiletries unless necessary. Everything is available at the same or cheaper cost.
Carry your medicines.
Drying clothes is easy. So, pack light. Plus, you can shop more, too!
Beer mugs are a must-buy when in Germany.
Stay close to the main station. Trains in Germany are efficient and economical. Avoid cabs as they can get expensive. Walk or cycle as much as possible.
Carry waterproof shoes if visiting in the winter.
