Where to go in Germany or Austria for Easter (just 4 days)?

[MsFogi]

DD2 is doing German A level and is desperate to go to Germany so we are going to try to do a short break over Easter. She visited Salzberg, Austria a few years ago and loved it so returning there is one option. But, if you were going to take a 17 year old for a relaxed weekend to Germany/Austria with the aim of letting them soak up a bit of Germany or Austria and get a chance to use some German (rather than have everyone speak English to her when she orders in a restaurant etc) - where would you go?
I have not been to either before and happy to go anywhere but suppose we will be a little restricted to needing to be somewhere with an airport given we would only be able to go for three nights.

Berlin has the best museums. If your DD tries to speak German, she will be responded to in German. Just don’t ask for the English menu!

Munich would be good too or Vienna.

It's really lovely around Bodensee (Lake Constance) in Southern Germany.
www.bodensee.eu/en
bits of it are in Germany, others are in Austria and Switzerland. It's a huge lake, popular with Germans but not so well known by Brits. So she should get lots of opportunities to practise her German!
There are several airports, click through the link above and there is a 'how to get here' section. Munich might be your best bet, or Zurich.

Munich
lots to see and do. Great transport and a really fun water park just outside of Munich called Thermea Erding.

In my experience, German people will always respond in German if you speak to them in German. This was even true for me in Berlin (though you'll hear more English spoken there as the language spoken to all foreigners).

I'd pick Berlin just because it is such an amazing city for sightseeing, but the list of amazing places in Germany is infinitely long.

How about both Munich and Salzburg? Just a couple of hours between them on the train and you can use a Bayern ticket for the journey. They're €26 and only €8 more for each additional adult.

That's great to hear that people will respond in German - that certainly doesn't happen in France!!

Definitely the Bodensee! Zurich is the nearest airport, but Basel works too.
But stay on the German side (e.g. Konstanz) rather than in Switzerland, because Schweiz-Deutsch is a different language!

Munich and Innsbruck via Garmisch

We are doing exactly that in a few weeks.
Definitely recommend Munich/Bavaria. They make quite a fuss at Easter and the weather should be nice then toon

For three days I would go to Berlin. So much to see and do. Book onto a walking tour in german for practice, the museums are great if its cold. If she goes to smaller cafes and non chain places, better chance of speaking german.

The lakes and mountain areas in Germany and Austria are lovely, but April is end of ski season and too early for lake season so many cable cars closed. Its tight to get to with timings via public transport for only 3 days too.

Just to echo the people responding in German when you speak German. Anywhere I have been in Germany or Austria this happens. My impression is that people are pleased you have tried and will therefore take the time to listen to you.
I had several occasions where someone will stand patiently by while I translate in English to my family and then speak back to them in German, all the time knowing that their English is better than my adequate but slightly inaccurate German.

Vienna, Innsbruck, Zurich, Bern or Lucerne

The German spoken in Munich, and Bavaria generally, is quite different from regular German and she will struggle which will be discouraging. We spent a lovely four days in Mainz and would really recommend Bonn for a short break. Bremen and Hamburg also lovely in very different ways. Enjoy - it's a fabulous country!

Munich or Salzburg for a short break. Or Berlin, Hamburg, Bremen, Lubeck, Dresden further north. Look at the budget airlines and see where you can get to for reasonable money. Memmingen is the German airport closest to Lake Constance (Bodensee in German) - Ryanair fly there sometimes. Stay away from Switzerland - it is very expensive and Schweiz-Deutsch is a different language, often unintelligible even to other German speakers.

A tip for anyone trying to soak up a bit of German language pre-exams (or just generally) - listen to German-language radio stations on the internet. Antenne Salzburg, NDR, Hitradio Ö3 and hundreds of others. Most of the music will be familiar and the non-music segments will be the news in German, weather, sport, supermarket ads etc. - everyday stuff that is easy to follow and delivered in bite-sized snippets.

Fly into Frankfurt and get the train to Cologne, talking to everyone on the train. Get off the train at somewhere like Boppard and do a Rhine cruise and visit a castle with the audio guide in German. You can do the English then you can compare notes! Visit the cathedral and museums in Cologne. Don't stay in Frankfurt, it's ugly.

The advantage is that in that region everyone speaks clean Hoch Deutsch so you're likely to understand. I've found that older Germans are normally happy to chat on the train so long as you're not in the quiet coach.

Or just fly directly into cologne. It’s really easy to get from airport to centre. And can do day trip to Düsseldorf, koblenz or Bonn

Munich and Berlin both great but are completely different. Munich is super clean and green with gorgeous beer gardens it's also Catholic and more conservative very much picture postcard Germany while Berlin is more chaotic, liberal and endlessly fascinating city with so much history and so much to see, particularly due it being divided until 1988.
Hamburg and Cologne are also nice smaller cities. I'd avoid Frankfurt personally (unfortunately I have to go quite often) it's a bit soulless.

Agree with posts about speaking German and it being spoken back. Germans are direct but generally polite.

Agree with the poster who said Mainz is also lovely, it's a small but very charming city

"Get off the train at somewhere like Boppard and do a Rhine cruise and visit a castle with the audio guide in German."

Love Boppard

Oooh Mainz, I lived there when I did my degree! Nice little place buy not heaps to see.

Op I woukd go to Koln as yy the German spoken there is good and clear. Vienna is such a strong accent I was amazed. I've never been to Berlin but ds2 had a great break there. A lot if Emglish spoken he said, but then he doesn't speak any German. IME Germans are keen to hear you speak their beloved language. Munchen is great too but again, a strong accent. Loads to see and do tho.

Are you planning to go exactly over Easter, so Good Friday to Easter Monday?

If so, do check carefully opening times. Good Friday for example is a very strict religious holidays and there are secvere restrictions about opening "entertainment" venues and that can include museums for example.

Restaurants will be open over Easter but often only for reservations. Berlin may be different but Munich is. in one of the most Catholic areas in Germany.

Shops will only be open on the Saturday.

This is my experience too.

i also found that people will often try to help you with (flawless) English, but if you continue to respond in German they suss you are practicing and will help you along.

ps I’d recommend Bonn/Cologne. Beautiful cities and surroundings along the Rhine with the plus that the accent is really easy to understand.

And mine! I’ve always found they’re happy to help you practise your German. I dealt with the car hire at a Berlin airport entirely in German - I can’t believe they didn‘t speak English at an international airport, so clearly humoured me! My husband stood and gawped - he didn’t realise my German was that good!
I love the Rhineland and Boppard, Koln and Koblenz!