Quaint village near Berlin?

April 22, 2011 3:53 PM

I am currently vacationing in Berlin and I have this notion that it would be wonderful to escape the city for a small, cozy, quintessentially German village somewhere nearby -- like within 1-2 hours of train travel if possible. I know Potsdam and Spandau, but I would prefer somewhere less traveled and -- for lack of a better word -- quainter, where we can taste the locally-brewed beer and eat some rustic German food. Any suggestions?
posted by gentle to Travel & Transportation around Berlin, Germany (7 answers total)

Dresden is a couple hours away by EuroCity. It might be a bit big for what you have in mind, maybe, but it's worth a visit in any case.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 4:05 PM on April 22, 2011

Best answer: You're pretty much describing Weimar. It's about 3 hours by train from Berlin but otherwise totally fits the bill.
posted by null14 at 4:19 PM on April 22, 2011

Best answer: It's probably too far for you by rail, but I grew up in Bamberg. It's a town supposedly known for it's many breweries. It's a beautiful town and I have very fond memories of eating really good food in the lush Beer Gardens. Some of the pubs are old fashioned Gasthaus and have very charming, old fashioned accommodations.
posted by TooFewShoes at 4:20 PM on April 22, 2011

Best answer: Alt-Tegel isn't quite a village, but it's reachable by U-Bahn and it's very charming. Give it a shot--it's got some great non-fancy restaurants.
posted by nasreddin at 5:42 PM on April 22, 2011

Best answer: The Spreewald area is less than an hour away from Berlin by train. The Lubbenau / Lehde area was a favorite of ours when we lived in Berlin. Definitely very quaint. It does attract a lot visitors, but mainly Germans, so they don't spoil the teutonic mood. Great area for cycling and for canoeing on the many canals (rental canoes available). Make sure to go on a sunset punt cruise, where the local punter/guide will keep you with plied with anecdotes, beer and schnapps... all at a reasonable price.
posted by bluefrog at 9:08 PM on April 22, 2011

Response by poster: Excellent answers, thank you all!
posted by gentle at 12:17 PM on April 23, 2011

One of the things I frequently enjoyed doing (when I lived in Bamberg, mentioned above) is just walking or riding a bike from one little village to the next. They tend to be very close together, and are very small. You can do this from practically anywhere in Germany I ever went (although most of my experience is in Bavaria). So, for example, I'd consider starting at the outskirts of one of the small towns you mention and just riding or walking from there.

But if you do get the chance to visit Bamberg, definitely take it!
posted by me & my monkey at 3:22 PM on April 23, 2011 [1 favorite]