Saturday November 28th, 2009
We wake up at dawn and go by car to Germany. First stop: Munich. Parked the car, we soon reach the TheaniterKirche and the Feldherrnhalle. We see one of the many nearby Christmas markets and look a bit the stalls.
Then we go through the courts of the Residenz (although there is a market) and then reach Marienplatz, where we can admire the Altes Rathaus, the Neues Rathaus and the churches Hl. Geist and St. Peter. After lunch we see the Bürgersaal and near the Burgtor. We walk along the pedestrian street and get to St. Michael and the Frauenkirche, we reach the Asamkirche with its rich decor and finish the tour of the city.
We arrive in the evening at Augsburg. After a brief stop at the hotel, we reach the Dom St. Maria and arrive to the City Hall with the traditional Christmas market. Inside the Rathaus we see some girls who are dressed as angels. After visiting the Rathaus we go to St. Moritz to search for a Mass, but we hear, as we approach, Christmas carols coming from our shoulders.
We return at the City Hall and see the girls/angels are at the windows of City Hall and singing. We look at this nice show. Back from St. Moritz and see in the distance the church of St. Ulrich und Afra. To not return the same way, we pass by Zeughuas (in the courtyard there is another market) and St. Anna. Then walk in the streets, have dinner and again at the hotel.
Sunday November 29th, 2009
After breakfast, we go to the dome mass. Unfortunately we do not have much time to visit this city, so before leaving Augsburg, we go again to the Rathaus, St. Maria Stern, and finally the Metzgerei Fuggerei. The next destination is Nurnberg. We park the car near the Spittletor. Nearby there are the churches of St. James and St. Elizabeth and Weisserturm. Down the road we find the church of St. Lorenz.
We walk along the riverfront in the HL. Geist Spital. After a brief stop for lunch, we see the children’s market, the Frauenkirche in the markt with another market and the Schoner Brunnen. Not far the church of St. Sebaldus and the Altes Rathaus. We start to climb towards the top of the city, meet the Durerhaus and enter the Burg. From there we admire the view over the city. We pass by the toy museum and the covered bridge and back to the car.
In the evening we arrive in Rothenburg o.b. Tauber. It’s a little late but we have time to do a city tour before dinner: Schmiedgasse, the Siebersturm, the Plonlein, the Rathaus and Markplatz (market stalls are closing), St. Jakob, the Franziskanerkirche and Burgtor . After dinner back to the hotel.
Monday November 30th, 2009
It’s raining. After exiting hotel, we pass the Plonlein, Kobolzellertor, and after, the Johanniskirche, all the way along the walls until the Burgtor. We pass by the Franziskanerkirche, Klingertor and nearby Wolfgangkirche. We climb the walls and along a stretch next to the tower, go down and visit St. Jakob. Before we leave, we go to the Spital and through the complex.
At Ulm, we stop to visit the cathedral. We take advantage of the break for lunch. In the evening we return home, but in Switzerland it is snowing a lot. We decide to stop for the night in Thusis, but in this country there are no free hotels, then we go to the nearby Bonaduz. We walk (in the snow) and have dinner. Before returning to the hotel, we reach the church and we take some pictures of the snow.
Tuesday December 1st, 2009
After removing the snow from the car, we leave Bonaduz and stop in Bellinzona, today it’s sunny. We see the castle of Montebello, the church of St. Peter and Stephen and the Government Palace. After leaving the city, we are back at home for lunch.
