Reset search
🇩🇪 Germany 2025 🇩🇪🇩🇪 Germany 2025 🇩🇪
Edit route
A 10-day adventure by Jim Read more
  • Jim Cochran

List of countries

  • England England
  • Czech Republic Czech Republic
  • Germany Germany
Categories
None
  • 1.9kkilometers traveled
Means of transport
  • Flight-kilometers
  • Walking-kilometers
  • Hiking-kilometers
  • Bicycle-kilometers
  • Motorbike-kilometers
  • Tuk Tuk-kilometers
  • Car-kilometers
  • Train-kilometers
  • Bus-kilometers
  • Camper-kilometers
  • Caravan-kilometers
  • 4x4-kilometers
  • Swimming-kilometers
  • Paddling/Rowing-kilometers
  • Motorboat-kilometers
  • Sailing-kilometers
  • Houseboat-kilometers
  • Ferry-kilometers
  • Cruise ship-kilometers
  • Horse-kilometers
  • Skiing-kilometers
  • Hitchhiking-kilometers
  • Cable car-kilometers
  • Helicopter-kilometers
  • Barefoot-kilometers
  • 9footprints
  • 10days
  • 158photos
  • 50likes
FollowCalendarShareBucket list
Newest first
  • Jim CochranTraveler🇩🇪 Germany 2025 🇩🇪

    ✈️🇺🇸🇬🇧🇩🇪 🚘 Safe in Cottbus, Germany

    June 23 in Germany ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    We arrived a bit later than planned to be reunited with Thomas, one of our hosts on our bicycle tour in 2022. Thomas‘ wife Negar prepared a beautiful Iranian dinner for us. We are all tired from the journey.Read more

  • Jim CochranTraveler🇩🇪 Germany 2025 🇩🇪

    Day 2: Cottbus to Dresden

    June 24 in Germany ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Day 2: From Pyramids to Palaces — A Journey Through Time and Borderlands

    Our second day in Germany was packed with history, nature, and a few unexpected scents. After a hearty breakfast with our wonderful hosts, Thomas and Negar, we packed sandwiches and hit the road, beginning our adventure in Branitz Park near Cottbus. Designed in the mid-19th century by the eccentric landscape artist Prince Hermann von Pückler-Muskau, the park is a masterpiece of English landscape design. Its most curious features? Two grass-covered pyramids—one of which serves as Pückler’s final resting place, floating serenely in a lake. The air was thick with the pungent aroma of Japanese chestnut trees, adding a strange sensory twist to the morning stroll.

    Next, we headed to Weißwasser, where we climbed the “Turm am Schweren Berg,” a 32-meter-high lookout tower overlooking the vast Nochten open-pit lignite mine. Once a symbol of East Germany’s energy ambitions, the mine is now a stark reminder of the environmental cost of progress. From the top, we could see both the scars of industry and the slow, hopeful process of reforestation.

    After a quick stop at Netto for picnic supplies, we crossed into Poland and explored Dawna Kopalnia Babina, a former brown coal mine turned geotourism trail in the Łuk Mużakowa Landscape Park. The area, once riddled with underground shafts and open pits, is now a peaceful network of trails and lakes. We hiked to a wooden lookout tower and soaked in the surreal view of Lake “Afryka,” a turquoise basin formed in a former excavation site.

    A Polish grocery store provided the perfect opportunity to stock up on souvenir sweets before we returned to Germany and visited Bad Muskau. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is home to Muskau Park, another of Pückler’s visionary creations. The park straddles the German-Polish border and features sweeping meadows, romantic bridges (see photo of Sebastian with one foot in Poland and one in Germany), and the Neo-Renaissance Neues Schloss, rebuilt after WWII.

    From there, we drove to Bautzen, a city steeped in over a thousand years of history. Once known as Budissin, it was a key member of the medieval Lusatian League and remains a cultural hub for the Sorbian minority. We revisited a charming beer garden Lisa and discovered in 2022 on our bicycle tour, and the three of us wandered through the old town’s cobbled streets, past medieval towers and pastel facades.

    We ended the day in Dresden, dining at a riverside Biergarten along the Elbe. With traditional bratwurst. 🌭 The city center, once devastated by WWII bombings, has been beautifully restored—especially the iconic Frauenkirche and the surrounding Neumarkt square. After dinner, we strolled through the illuminated Altstadt before heading to Nico and Sabine’s for the night. Nico, a fellow traveler we hosted through Warmshowers.org during his global cycling journey, welcomed us warmly into their home.

    From pyramids to palaces, coal mines to castles, today was a vivid tapestry of landscapes and legacies.    Read more

  • Jim CochranTraveler🇩🇪 Germany 2025 🇩🇪

    ⛰️Day 3: Dresden💕

    June 25 in Germany ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    Day 3: Sandstone Wonders and Napoleon’s Shadow

    Our morning began on a sweet note with pastries from a beloved local bakery near Nico and Sabine’s home in Dresden—flaky, buttery, and just the right amount of lemony cream cheese filling. Fueled and ready, we set off on a scenic drive through the rolling hills of Saxony, heading toward one of Germany’s most iconic natural landmarks: the Bastei Bridge in Saxon Switzerland National Park.

    The drive itself was a treat—winding roads, sleepy villages, and lush countryside unfolding around every bend. Once we arrived, we embarked on a 9-mile hike through dense forest and towering sandstone formations. The Bastei, whose name means “bastion,” rises nearly 200 meters above the Elbe River and has captivated visitors for centuries. The original wooden bridge connecting the jagged rock spires was built in 1824, but the current sandstone structure—completed in 1851—still stands as a marvel of 19th-century engineering. The views from the bridge and surrounding cliffs were nothing short of breathtaking. As we lingered above the Elbe, we watched groups tubing down the river and small ferries gliding below, adding a vibrant, summery atmosphere to the dramatic landscape.

    By the time we returned to Dresden around 4:00 p.m., we were ready for a bit of rest. Later, we ventured out for dinner—Asian takeout was the choice of the evening—but not before Nico gave us a mini historical tour of his neighborhood. One of the highlights was a lookout point high above the city, once used by Napoleon himself during the Battle of Dresden in 1813. Though modern trees and structures now soften the vista, knowing that Napoleon once stood there, orchestrating the last of his victories on German soil, gave the spot a stirring sense of presence.

    Back at Nico and Sabine’s, we enjoyed our picnic-style dinner in their garden, surrounded by laughter, conversation, and the warm glow of twilight. One of the joys of the evening was watching Nico and Sebastian get deep into NBA talk (Nico dressed in his beloved Timberwolves jersey)—debating trades, playoff dreams, and especially bonding over the Timberwolves.

    Their children, Lucas and Sophie, were delighted with the gifts we brought—seeing their eyes light up was a moment we’ll all remember. We lingered around the table in the garden, swapping stories and catching up late into the evening.

    It was another memorable day in Dresden, made even more special by reconnecting with old friends. Tomorrow, we cross into the Czech Republic to visit Karlovy Vary—a place Lisa and I pedaled into back in 2022. The adventure continues.    Read more

  • Jim CochranTraveler🇩🇪 Germany 2025 🇩🇪
    1

    🇩🇪Dresden🇩🇪 to 🇨🇿Karlovy Vary🇨🇿

    June 27 in Czech Republic ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Day 4: Castles, Crafts, and Crossing Borders

    We began the day with heartfelt goodbyes to Nico, Sabine, and their kids, Lucas and Sophie. We set off from Dresden toward Karlovy Vary about 9:00 AM.

    Our first unexpected gem of the day was Frauenstein Castle, perched dramatically on a granite outcrop in the Eastern Ore Mountains. Built around 1200 as a border fortification between the March of Meissen and Bohemia, the castle once protected trade routes and the booming silver mining industry. Although now in ruins, its thick curtain walls and the 13th-century tower house known as Dicker Merten still stand proudly. We climbed through the remains, enjoying the panoramic views that once served as a ski jump slope. We also explored the adjacent Gottfried Silbermann Museum, dedicated to the legendary Baroque organ builder. The museum’s working replica of a Silbermann organ and its intricate mechanical models gave us a new appreciation for the craftsmanship behind these majestic instruments. We even learned the meaning of on “pull all the stops.”

    Next, we wound our way to Seiffen, the famed “toy village” nestled in the Ore Mountains. First mentioned in 1324, Seiffen reinvented itself in the 17th century when mining declined, turning to woodcarving and toy-making as a means of survival D. Today, it’s a living postcard of German Christmas charm—nutcrackers, candle arches, and wooden pyramids fill every shop window. We had a picnic lunch at a small roadside park.

    In the afternoon, we climbed the tower of St. Annenkirche in Annaberg-Buchholz. This towering Late Gothic church, built in 1499, is the largest hall church of its kind in Saxony E. The 78-meter-high steeple offered sweeping views of the Ore Mountains, and we couldn’t resist the urge to (almost) ring the bells. The climb was steep but worth every step.

    Crossing into the Czech Republic, we paused at the border for a quick photo with the Czech sign, one of those small but satisfying rituals of road travel. Soon after, we arrived in Karlovy Vary, a spa town steeped in imperial elegance. We celebrated our arrival with drinks on the hotel patio before lacing up for a five-mile hike through the forested hills above the city.

    Our route took us first to Peter the Great’s Lookout, where the Russian tsar famously rode a horse bareback up the rocky slope in 1712. The viewpoint, now marked by a bust and a restored platform, offered a commanding view of the town’s rooftops and wooded valleys. From there, we continued to the Diana Tower, a 40-meter-high brick observation tower built in 1914. The panoramic view from the top stretched across the spa town, the Ore Mountains, and even into Germany.

    Dinner was at Velkopopovická Karlovy Vary, where hearty Czech fare and local brews hit the spot after our hike. We ended the evening with a gentle stroll back to the hotel, the cobbled streets glowing under the lamplight.

    As the sun dipped below the horizon, Lisa and I shared a nightcap beer on the fifth-floor balcony, watching the sky turn gold and lavender. The day had been full of scenic overlooks, but the best view might have been from the quietness of our balcony.    Read more

  • Jim CochranTraveler🇩🇪 Germany 2025 🇩🇪

    🇨🇿Karlovy Vary, CZ to Munich, DE🇩🇪

    June 27 in Germany ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    Day 5: Castles, City Streets, and Catch-Ups

    We started the day with a Czech-German style breakfast at the hotel was hearty, with plenty of meats, cheeses, fruit, yogurts and various breads. Then a
    peaceful walk through Karlovy Vary, where the steam from the mineral springs curled into the morning air. We passed groups of students, probably on a school trip, and couldn’t resist picking up some traditional spa wafers, Lázeňské oplatky.

    Our next stop was Loket, a medieval gem wrapped in a bend of the river. Touring the castle’s torture chambers was equal parts fascinating and creepy—some of those displays were a little too realistic. We wandered the cobbled streets, soaked up the old-town charm, and of course, grabbed ice cream before hitting the road again.

    Arriving in Munich, we made a beeline for the Hofbräuhaus. Lunch was a classic: crusty breads and a pretzel, a sausage sampler, and steins of beer in a buzzing atmosphere full of tourists and locals alike. Afterwards, we explored the city on foot, timing it perfectly to catch the Glockenspiel show at Marienplatz, with crowds gathered beneath the tower as the figures clinked and danced above.

    After checking in and resting our legs, we walked to the Chinese Tower Beer Garden in the English Garden to meet up with our dear friends Meike and Herbert. They’re heading off on an alpine adventure to climb Ortler Mountain in Italy, highest mountain in the eastern Alps. It was great to hear their plans, and catch up with them after their epic tour by bicycle to the southern most tip of Chile. As the sun set, we strolled the gardens together, sharing stories and soaking up joyous energy of friends reconnecting. We are so happy that Sebastian is getting to meet some of our best friends in Germany.

    Back at the hotel, we collapsed into bed—tired, happy, and ready for the day ahead.    Read more

  • Jim CochranTraveler🇩🇪 Germany 2025 🇩🇪

    🇩🇪Munich, DE to Bamberg, DE 🇩🇪

    June 28 in Germany ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    Day Six: Ruins, Relics, and a Rugby team.

    After a well-earned sleep-in, we hit the road around 9 a.m. and made it to the Rumburg Castle ruins just before lunchtime. The weather was spot on for a little hike—sunny skies, fresh air, and plenty to explore among the crumbling stone walls and quiet hilltop views.

    Next up was Nuremberg, where we made a thoughtful visit to the Documentation Center Nazi Party Rally Grounds. It was busy—there was a speedway being set up nearby—but still a powerful stop. we strolled through the city and grabbed lunch at a doner and kebab shop. Simple, tasty, and exactly what we needed. I found a pinball machine and couldn’t resist playing for 10 minutes, Sebastian picked up a few souvenirs. We explored the grounds of the impressive Nuremberg Castle overlooking the city center.

    From there, we continued to Bamberg to give Sebastian a look at one of our favorite hidden gems—Altenburg Castle, perched above the city with stunning views and that quiet, storybook charm.

    Checking into our hotel turned into a bit of a surprise: a rambunctious German rugby team was also checking in. We braced ourselves, but the hotel receptionist reprimanded them early on, and the evening ended up being relaxed and peaceful.

    Dinner was an unexpected hit—a cozy Italian pizza place tucked in a Biergarten inside a leafy park. It totally hit the spot for our pizza craving. A friendly local couple practiced their English with us, helped us get proper seat cushions, and sharing a few travel stories.

    We ended the night back at the hotel, air conditioning on full blast, and all of us ready for some solid rest.    Read more

  • Jim CochranTraveler🇩🇪 Germany 2025 🇩🇪

    🇩🇪 Bamberg, DE to Potsdam, DE 🇩🇪

    June 29 in Germany ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    Day 7: We began the day exploring the charming old town of Bamberg, known for its preserved medieval architecture and network of bridges that earned it the nickname “Franconian Rome.” The town has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993 and played a key role in the Holy Roman Empire. The distinctive half-timbered buildings and Bamberg Cathedral offered a rich visual history lesson, all bathed in morning sunlight.

    By 10:30 a.m., we hit the road for a long drive northward, stopping midday at Mittelbau-Dora, a former Nazi concentration camp near Nordhausen. Originally built in 1943 to support underground production of the V-2 rocket, the site illustrates the dark intersection of forced labor and wartime technology. Over 20,000 prisoners died here under brutal conditions. The memorial today includes portions of the underground tunnels, barracks, and a museum that documents this harrowing chapter of history.

    Later, we took a short break at Münzenberg Castle, a 12th-century hilltop fortress with twin Romanesque towers. It served as a symbol of imperial power during the High Middle Ages and offers panoramic views across the Wetterau region. A scenic and well-preserved spot to stretch our legs.

    The final leg of the day took us through busy weekend autobahn traffic to Potsdam, where we arrived at the home of friends Ulrich and Heidi just before 7 p.m. We were welcomed with a hearty spaghetti dinner and a cozy evening of stories and laughter—a perfect end to a full day. Being back in their home, surrounded by familiar faces and warm hospitality, was a highlight for all of us, especially Sebastian, who continues to get a deeper look into life with German families.    Read more

  • Jim CochranTraveler🇩🇪 Germany 2025 🇩🇪

    🇩🇪🧸BERLIN🧸🇩🇪

    June 30 in Germany ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Day Eight: Exploring Berlin’s Layers of History

    Our final full day in Germany began with a classic German breakfast—fresh bread, sliced meats, cheeses, and strong coffee—shared with Ulrich and Heidi. By 9:30 a.m., we were on the road, heading into the heart of Berlin.

    Our first stop was the East Side Gallery, a 1.3-kilometer stretch of the former Berlin Wall. Once a symbol of division, it now stands as the world’s longest open-air gallery. The Wall itself was part of a 155-kilometer border system that included over 300 watchtowers and multiple layers of fencing A. Between 1961 and 1989, at least 136 people died trying to cross it . We walked the length of the gallery, pausing often to take in the murals and reflect on the stories behind them. One side is covered in commissioned artwork from international artists; the other is a raw canvas for graffiti and public expression.

    Next, we visited Tempelhof Airport, once one of Europe’s largest and most iconic airfields. Originally opened in 1923, it became a lifeline during the Berlin Airlift of 1948–49, when Allied forces flew over 270,000 flights and over 2.3 million tons of supplies to sustain West Berliners during the Soviet blockade. At its peak, planes were landing every 30 seconds. Today, the runways are open to the public. We rented e-bikes and zipped across the massive tarmac, laughing more than we expected. It was a surprising highlight.

    We then stopped at the Berlin Airlift Memorial, which honors the 78 pilots and crew members who lost their lives during the operation. It’s a quiet but powerful reminder of the scale and stakes of Cold War-era Berlin.

    Our final destination was Teufelsberg—“Devil’s Mountain.” Rising 120 meters above sea level, it’s Berlin’s highest point, made from roughly 26 million cubic meters of post-WWII rubble. Beneath it lies the remains of a Nazi military college so structurally sound that it was easier to bury than demolish. During the Cold War, the U.S. built a massive listening station here, part of a global surveillance network. The abandoned radar domes are now covered in street art, and climbing to the top offered sweeping views of the city and a surreal blend of history and creativity.

    Back at Ulrich and Heidi’s, we ended the day with a hearty German dinner—sauerkraut with bacon, mashed potatoes, and grilled sausages, chocolate cake and ice cream —followed by long conversations in the garden under the cool evening sky. It was the perfect close to our journey.

    As we reflected on the day, Ulrich asked us what our favorite stop was and what we had learned. It was hard to choose. But if there was one takeaway, it was this: Berlin doesn’t hide its past. It invites you to walk through it, question it, and carry its lessons forward.

    Tomorrow, we fly to London at 11 a.m.—but Berlin will stay with us.    Read more

  • 2025© FindPenguins
  • Home
  • About us
  • Group Tracking
  • Press
  • Terms
  • Privacy Policy & Cookies
  • Help Center
  • Legal notice