We Never Expected Northern Germany to be Like this!! | Underground, Under-Rated & Unbelievable.

[@PalmyraSchwarz]

Many northern Germans will be pleased that, unlike many other expats, you presented northern Germany in more detail during your trip. I also learned something as a local.

[@TypeAshton]

Awe that's really kind. We saw SO many great things in the area, it was kind of difficult to put it all together in a single video. But we loved our time there and hope to come back soon.

[@GeschichtenUndGedanken]

Ja, das freut mich auch.

[@Nix_Besonderes]

As a North German, I am pleased that you enjoyed your stay in North Germany. Maybe you can also give other (former) Americans living in Germany a tip that Germany does not only and not exclusively consist of the federal states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg 😅

[@annaluisevogler9175]

Another advantage of northern Germany is that everyone can understand our language. Of course only if you have learned the German language :)

[@junihase1496]

Or Berlin. 😂

[@edithputhy4948]

I mean boring provincial Bavaria and Bawü are not really the place to be for young expats and I say this as someone who grew up there. I think the bulk of them live in Berlin. There's so many of them sometimes it feels like English is the 2nd official language here since all the non-Anglo expats also communicate in English for the most part.

[@theresabu3000]

I would recommend the "Ostfriesischen Inseln" for a trip. There is a different vibe to the Nordsee Küste (north sea coast) - because there is a tide, some time you have water or watt. And in the islands there is a bit sand beach. When you're child is older i would recommend a bicycle tour in the "Alten Land" - north of Hamburg: canals, apple plantages and old farm houses - a little bit of a Dutch vibe. At the "Ostsee Küste" i would also recommend the islands - Hiddensee for small children, without any traffic and long sand beaches (and very shallow water at first). Rügen, Darß and Usedom are also really nice - they have more small, a little bit tourist city's, where there is always something to do. But also nice nature of the beaten paths. Stralsund is a good starting point and has many interesting museums. And if you got the money - you can rent a private sailing tour at almost any harbor.

[@climeaware4814]

Be grateful that you have your cool infrastructure, unlike the united states with its endless malls which is boring for a city.

[@Cobinja]

Next time you travel to northern germany, I can recommend visiting Lübeck with its rich medieval merchant history as capital of the Hanseatic League. Also, its whole city center is a UNESCO world heritage site.

[@grandmak.]

unbedingt !

[@michaelgellhaus2726]

And the Marzipan is sooo gooood…

[@MrCherrystone]

Schiffergesellschaft!

[@LaureninGermany]

I was in Lübeck and „es lasst mich nicht los“…! Such a fantastic city, absolutely unique and breathtakingly beautiful.

[@LaureninGermany]

@@MrCherrystone das Gebäude ist ein Traum!

[@rolandk.5720]

For sure, the northern parts of Germany are massively underrated! Especially the north-eastern parts like Mecklenburg with the Mecklenburger Seenplatte, a vast arrange of lakes, ponds and seas, all connected through rivers or canals. The island of Rügen and the peninsula of Usedom are well known and very touristy in summer. But even the middle part of Germany, the Harz region with some UNECSO World-Heritages like Quedlinburg, Goslar, northern Thuringia with the Erfurt flats and Weimar. The cities of Osnabrück and Münster (Treaty of Westphalia). All in all the northern parts of Germany is so varied from the coastal regions to the midgerman low mountain ranges that you need more than a lifetime to visit only the main attractions. If you like very good wine from the Pfalz region, try to visit the Winery Bäder in the town of Wendelsheim. My plans for vacation this summer: 10 days by car in the Provence and Côte d'Azure.

[@Llortnerof]

Just expect *a lot* of dead spruce trees in the Harz.

[@erbse1178]

Dont forget Wittenberg, where a guy called Martin Luther founded a new branch of the cristian church.

[@kurobaranatsumi]

if you ever come back to the north, I can highly recommend the Museumsdorf Cloppenburg. It's an openair museum that has quite a number of traditional buildings from all over northern germany, and showcases what life in rural northern germany was "back then". So if you are interested in architecture and what life for your ancestors must have been like, that Museumsdorf is the place to go.

[@LaureninGermany]

That sounds wonderful, thank you for sharing this tip.

[@DeCSSData]

And if you come more north to Schleswig-Holstein you can visit Molfsee Freilichtmuseum which is a collection of historical houses which can be visited from inside and outside...

[@LaureninGermany]

@@DeCSSData I was in something similar on Föhr, so thank you, I‘ve also made a note of your tip, I love these places.

[@DeCSSData]

@@LaureninGermany From Föhr this can only be very small amount of houses or even only one house? I don't know that place. Molfsee is the biggest Place I know with lots and lots oft Houses which are all collected in original from various places out of the north and where you can see the inside of most of them.

[@LaureninGermany]

@@DeCSSData there is a kind of Museumgarten with some buildings and the oldest house on Föhr, one of the oldest in North Germany on it. I have made a video, if you would like to see. (There are two, it’s the one with the picture of the cottage on it.

[@annieblue9974]

This is such a pleasant surprise to see American expats exploring the Northern part of Germany, even some rural areas. I was born and raised in East Frisia. And the saying is true: "There's no place like home.".

[@greenknitter]

They're immigrants though, not "expats".

[@annieblue9974]

@@greenknitter In their bio they use the word expats. Even if they're decided to make Germany their home they are still U.S. citizens living abroad for the time being.

[@alexanderzippel8809]

Aye. Ich bin zwischen Oldenburg (Geburtsort) und Hamburg hin und her gerissen. Hamburg ist und bleibt die schönste Stadt der Welt aber wie du es sagtest, there is no place like home

[@karinkoch8443]

For me the most underrated city in Germany is Schwerin, the capital of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Not only that it has the most stunning Landtag, situated in a lovely castle on an Island, its fresh atmosphere and beautiful most newly renovated streets, houses and places make you feel fresh yourself. It is surrounded from lakes, old forests, beautiful little villages and alleys, and the shore of the baltic see ist not more than about 25km away. Was there recently for the first time and so surprised from its beauty.

[@hcwm2]

Back in the late 90's cars were still allowed in the old tunnel and I drove though several times. I remember my Saab 900 barely fitting in between the curbs, so in theory I could let go of the wheel in there. This tunnel was designed with horse carriages in mind.

[@human_isomer]

I think one of the most interesting things about Germany is, that there are so many different styles and traditions within a rather small area. Most of the traditions will probably be best preserved in the rural regions, while the architecture is also found in the old cities. So, if you want to explore all that Germany can offer to this respect, you will never run out of places to visit :)

[@TypeAshton]

1000000% agreed. There really is so much to see.

[@gerdforster883]

For a really secret tip (as in most Germans don't even know it), I recommend Ostwestfalen, especially Lippe. My wife calls it "postcard Germany". The old capital of the pricipality of Lippe is Detmold, a very nice old town. They have a massive open-air museum with old houses from all over Westfalen that were disasembled at their original location and then put back together at the site if the museum. The Hermannsdenkmal is next to Detmold, as are the Externsteine. Lemgo is another nice old town, actually one of the first old city-centres in Germany where they put a heavy emphasis on historic restoration, instead of just pulling down the old buildings. They have a museum dedicated to a local artist who was a tad bit mad (the Junkerhaus). There are several spa towns around. The town of Lage has a museum about brickmaking that puts a heavy focus on the lippish brickmakers, migratory workers who wandered as far as the Netherlands to ply their trade, as late as the early 20th century (Lippe used to be very poor). You can take a day-trip to the city that does not exist (Bielefeld). Or to Hameln (the town of the pied piper) and Bodenwerder (the home of Baron von Münchhausen). And there is a lot of pleasant hiking that can be done, especially on the Teutoburger Wald. The best time to go is in late May/early June, when the rapeseed is in bloom. The scenery might not be particularly spectacular, but it is very pleasant. Rolling hills, small forests, fields. While there is public transport, a car might come in handy.

[@tombrauey]

Absolutely. And if you are there, you might also visit Paderborn with it‘s cathedral and the shortest river in Germany (unfortunately, the park where the source was located, was destroyed in the recent Tornado, so it is not as beautiful as it used to be). Paderborn also has the biggest computer museum in the world which does not only cover modern IT, but all aspects of information processing starting with the first writing systems.

[@TypeAshton]

Great suggestions! Thanks so much for sharing.

[@janh.9841]

As living in Detmold, I suggest to borrow an E-Bike at the railway station and explore Lippe (which is not Ostwestfalen!) by bicycle. Ditch the car; you wouldn't see half of the interesting things you could. Also, there are some bicycle paths around here, so it's okay to cycle.

[@christianbottger493]

​@@TypeAshtonanother quote different town: Celle. Oldest building 14xx and one of the largest ensemble of half timbered house you can find, and there is a small palace as well...

[@carlosdumbratzen6332]

There are actually still alot of reed roofs in northern Germany. You will normally change the whole thatching every other decade. It is becoming more popular again because it uses reusable and regrowable materials

[@fredasteinke3453]

My husband and I spent 7 weeks in Europe this summer, starting with 2 weeks in western Norway. On to a week in Hamburg, seeing all that you visited and more, being with family. On to Duesseldorf and down to the Blackforest. Then to Italy, ending in Oberamagau for the Passion Play.

[@ddog99]

What is your point?

[@berndb3141]

Nice, thanks for taking us along. Always a pleasure. We have cultural differnces in the same area a lot. Back in the day, Germany was a mess of hundreds little kingdoms, dukedoms and free citys. You drive two hours in the US and not much has changed, probably. You drive two hours here and the dialect changes twice and potato bread has a different name now. 😄

[@engy6592]

I would recommend visiting the most northern City in germany. Flensburg. It has nice architecture strongly influenced by Danish culture.

[@edithputhy4948]

cries in Punkte in Flensburg

[@engy6592]

@@edithputhy4948 Haha ich war selber mal beim Kraftfahrtbundesamt als Praktikant xD

[@alexanderzippel8809]

Da werd ich bald für ein paar Jahre wohnen

[@GeschichtenUndGedanken]

How could I miss this?! You passed my hometown...you passed the apple plantations and they look so beautiful in the sunlight. I really enjoyed this video. "Finally" someone from the south of Germany saw how wonderful the northern part can be and enjoyed it. Thank you! 🍎

[@TypeAshton]

Thank you for watching! There was a lot we could have done and we hope to get back again soon to continue exploring. :)

[@michaelmedlinger6399]

Lübeck is a definite must. A lovely town with a lot of restored half-timbered houses is Stade, down the river from Hamburg. A similarly restored city is Einbeck in the Harz Mountains. My summer plans are for a long weekend and two performances in Bayreuth and 10 days in London at the end of August (the Proms). I may possibly take side trips to Salisbury and Oxford. We‘ll see.

[@TypeAshton]

Many others have recommended Lübeck that now I am REALLY looking forward to our next visit. Your vacation sounds like a TON of fun!

[@thorstenguenther]

Both Lübeck and Stade are only roughly 1 hour by train from Hamburg central station by commuter train.

[@dunning_kruger_]

I love that you guys are trying to discover and explore other regions and cultures of Germany. ❤ Germany is so varied. It's pretty annoying that so many people in the US think, that Germany consists only of Bavaria and Oktoberfest and Schnitzel and Bratwurst.

[@TypeAshton]

There is SO much to discover in Germany and we are constantly being surprised by the new landscapes and cultures. Really a treasure to be a visitor in these new (to us) places.

[@eddys.3524]

You definitely have a special style of making travel-video's, focussing on the experience and less on the "look at this or that". I loved the video! Please make more of them in future. You've had a wonderful time there and it shows.

[@TypeAshton]

Thank you, this means a lot to us! We certainly enjoy our 'sit down' fact based videos, but we love traveling. We will continue with a mix of both and try to continue a more 'unique' way to handle the travel videos.

[@Harzer-Roller]

On the way from the Black Forest to the north, there is the Harz Mountains in southern Lower Saxony. Here you will find beautiful towns and villages. Some of them are over 1000 years old. Historic places like Göttingen, Einbeck, from there comes the first Bock beer ( Einpöckisch beer) Goslar with the imperial palace and many other historic sites. For those interested in technology, the Technical University ( Formerly Mining Academy) Clausthal-Zellerfeld and the mining museums in the Harz Mountains. The Harz " Water Regal" for the disposal of mine water, or for the operation of the water art underground.

[@kuerbis-chen3613]

Oh yes, I second that! If you go to the Harz, you must also go to see Quedlinburg, a city with a very large number of timber-framed houses and a rich history starting in the early 10th century. It is part of the UNESCO world cultural heritage.

[@TypeAshton]

Ah thank you so much for the great recommendations! There really is SO MUCH to see, I don't think we will ever run out of places to visit.

[@michaeltolksdorf2100]

In 1980 I was stationed in Bremen for three months for non-commissioned officer training. An instructor showed us the sights of the city. At that time I was also in Bremerhaven and learned a lot about the emigrants. Unfortunately, I haven't been to Bremen since that time. But I will change that. Thank you for your wonderful KZbin channel.

[@marievofrei2055]

I highly recommend a trip to Rügen or to Fischland 😊 Beautiful architecture and nature, lots of family friendly beaches as well as some awesome bike trails!

[@khecke]

I lived from the end of 1933 until end of June 1957 in Germany and had the experience of world war 2 in Germany. From fall of 1946 to middle of 1957 I lived in Hamburg, thereafter I moved to the USA, but I visited Germany frequently to visit my friends and relatives. I was born in Schlesien.

[@henrycadmus4759]

Very nice video. When I was a child, my father took the ELBE TUNNEL with our car. Is was very cool and a little scary for me back then.... I grew up in Blankenese (a part of Hamburg). Hummel, Hummel Thanks for the memories.

[@Michael_Bonn]

That was probably one of the most atypical travel documentaries I've seen. Lots of new "things" from a whole new perspective. Many thanks from someone who was born in Bremen. 👍

[@TypeAshton]

Ah wow that is such a compliment coming from a local. Thank you so, so much.

[@socialismandrevolution8299]

As a resident of Bremen and child of the city, I actually did also think Freiburg looked somewhat similar when I visited the city. Also, the whole "Bremen is small" thing is pretty accurate, my parents always joked that it's basically a village with a tram.

[@julianf.8378]

Especially when I see your Air BnB I have to recommend to you "Museumsdorf Cloppenburg". It's an complete northern german historic village basically showing how it was to live here during the time your ancestors left. All original houses that were transported there, 100% authentic, furnished like back in the day, with all the old "smells" and wonderfully explained. I know Cloppenburg isn't in Ostfriesland directly, but it's quite similar and they also have houses in that village that originally stood in Ostfriesland. Museumsdorf Cloppenburg is mind-blowing, you gotta visit it some day. By the way, great video :)

[@TypeAshton]

Oh that sounds really, really cool! Sounds a lot like the Black Forest Open Air Museum. We plan on visiting it some day when Jack is old enough to participate in some of the kids activities. I think they even let the little ones participate in trades, crafts and cooking, if I'm not mistaken.

[@Beeboop10000]

@@TypeAshton Wenn Ihr wirklich nach Cloppenburg kommt, dann seit Ihr hiermit recht herzlich auf einen Kaffee eingeladen, kurz vorher eine Mail schreiben.

[@Guidoqq]

@@TypeAshton do you mean the Vogtsbauernhof? Very nice an worth to visit, but not on weekends and in high season.

[@HAL-ex8we]

Or Museumsdorf Hösseringen. Not Ostfriesland obviously.

[@TypeAshton]

@@Guidoqq Yes! This one exactly.

[@joebarrera334]

Man, I am having some serious emotions watching this. My wife and I were supposed to go to Hamburg this summer but couldn't since we got pretty sick just a week before our flight. Hoping to finally go next year!

[@justus6632]

That AirBnb was really nice, good choice! The fact that germany unified so late (1871) has a lot to do with how different cities or regions can be so different (or the other way around similar with regions in neighbouring countries) even if they are pretty close by. Of course WW2 also has a lot to do with how cities have developed (sadly). I mean the mix of modern and old can be very nice but when I see old footage before the war I always wonder how amazing it would look today. Im pretty sure that the "rush" to rebuild this country really made a lot of cities look much more similar as it would be otherwise! I enjoyed this video! Thumbs up and greetings!

[@Ventilator-ri8su]

You should definetly consider visiting the Baltic sea. I can highly recommend Warnemünde or one of the beautiful Islands. I would recommend Rügen and Usedom 😊👍🏼

[@heiko73zeronimo7]

I second that, we just returned from a 1week vacation to Zinnowitz/Usedom and it was fantastic!

[@tetsi0815]

If you visit Rostock/Warnemünde and want a less touristy beach take the little ferry over to Hohe Düne. Also try the Mollie Bäderbahn from Bad Doberan to Kühlungsborn.

[@rebauer2000]

I served in the US Army and I was stationed near Bremen for 27 months. I took the train into Bremen many times and so I got to know the area around the Hauptbahnhof. So I have a special interest in this video. Thanks!

[@kyvanrae]

I live in Schleswig-Holstein and have never been able to understand the fascination that Americans and other foreigners have for southern Germany. In addition, I always find it an insult when I'm abroad and people always say: "Oktoberfest is super great.". Sorry, the Oktoberfest is such an annoying event that most Bavarians don't even know what the background is. I prefer to stay in the north, in the land between the seas, where I can develop my thoughts and imagination freely and there are no mountains to stop that.

[@barbarapeck5804]

Thank you! My thoughts exactly. Prefer the North over Bayern every time!

[@maddean3893]

Hhmm, every region has its pros and cons. For myself I love to be suprised and there is nothing to surprise me when I can see almost to the Horizon and that does also happen in certain areas in Bavaria, just flat… Enjoy variety Just my thoughts, from a Mid-Germany low mountain range.

[@FritzKraut]

I am born and grew up in the Vier und Marschlande Hamburg. I love it still. It is my original home. I live since 1984 in South Germany and love it here as well. Differnt but very beautifull. Be more open minded. ;-)

[@cayreet5992]

Thatched roofs normally need to be replaced every 50 years roundabout. This means the house has had its roof replaced a lot over time. Yet, it's still the same technique, so it's just as much an original as the first one put up.

[@grandmak.]

Thank you for my Sunday treat , Ashton and Jonathan, accompanied by my first mug of tea your beautiful and interesting videos are normally the first thing I enjoy on a Sunday. I love how you guys often go off the beaten path to experience awesome things like in this case the Krypta underneath the Michel or the old Elbtunnel. I remember driving through the old tunnel with my parents when I was a child . I participated in a couple concerts in the Michel as member of a choir but I didn't even know about the Krypt - living only 63 km from Hamburg in Lübeck. The Schnoor in Bremen looks quite similar to the Altstadt of Lübeck but that is not surprising because both cities belong to the old 'Hanse', a medieval guild of merchants, so that the towns their sea trade was situated at prospered more or less around the same time in history. Your B&B must have been the home of a rich farmer. Back then they had their living space and stables in the same building to keep each other warm and from the size of that game room the farmer must have owned quite a lot of cattle. Have you wondered why the Alkoven beds are so short ? Well, not only were people shorter back then but they also slept almost sitting upright. You will find the same kind of interior 'design' in houses on the Frisian islands when you come back. I have no plans for the summer other than enjoy the good weather and maybe jump in one of the small lakes in my area because I live where people travel to spend their vacation on the Baltic Sea and the 'Ostseebäder' ( resorts along the Baltic Sea) will be packed soon. That's one of the advantages of being retired, you don't have to travel when everybody else does. My daughter and her family who live in northern Norway will travel to Portugal though after living through 8 months of snow.

[@V2HRT]

Stimmt, ich habe gehört dass die Menschen nicht liegend schlafen wollten, da nur die Toten flach auf dem Bett oder Boden lagen. Um nicht "aus Versehen" im Schlaf zu sterben, schliefen sie lieber sitzend... ( so ungefähr muss das gewesen sein...)

[@grandmak.]

@@V2HRT Ach, dieses Detail wusste ich nicht, die Armen!

[@LaureninGermany]

Lübeck is absolutely wonderful and you are so right about the similarities. Yet, Lübeck is still unique and unmistakable… I fell in love with it at first sight.

[@TypeAshton]

As always, thank you for the nice comment. 😊😊 We had no idea why the beds were so short, we just assumed they were rooms for children to sleep in. Super interesting though, thank you for sharing! Lübeck has been recommended by so many people in the comments of this video, clearly we need to get up there as soon as possible. Enjoy your time at the lakes!

[@grandmak.]

@@TypeAshton thank you, I will ! :)

[@nielstenbrink]

I really love the honest enthusiasm and joy the two of you always display! Greetings from Bremen - happy to see that you enjoyed your time with us here on the river Weser…😊

[@biankakoettlitz6979]

Wow,you showed something very unique! Thank you. I had lived in Hamburg for 10 years.

[@roykliffen9674]

6:25 mmmm ....... a bread roll with Norse shrimps. it's been too long since I enjoyed that delicacy.

[@HansWeberHimself]

German immigrant to the US, living in Philly for 20+ years, spending two weeks of summer vacation in Kent, CT with another family from Manhattan that have roots here. They are originally from Sweden and India, but by now, we all learned that we are from earth, hopefully going to mars and beyond.

[@TZ_98]

Maybe you also want to visit the Ostsee coast of Germany ( Mecklenburg Vorpommern) including the islands of Usedom and Rügen, its where a lot of people spend their summer holidays

[@Victor-cj1pc]

I´m a dutch citizen, worked in southern Baden Wurttemberg for 1.5 years in the Staufen area, moved back to the Netherlands for about 13 years, then moved to the Aachen region for 2.5 years and finally moved to northern Germany, Still have a couple of years to go before I will get my pension i'm sure I'll stay here until I die, love this place, love the simplicity-

[@hkao6350]

Moin, 😎 and North Frisia, the town of Schleswig is worth a visit, and the Vikings museum of Haithabu is a fantastic place.

[@SerbanOprescu]

Your dedication to science - and sacrifice in the name of human knowledge - is truly touching! :) PS. Jack seems to have the profound knowledge of what a select winery should include!

[@robertzander9723]

Good morning ☀️ I think it's so beautiful and I'm so happy that you set out to discover northern Germany, to find parts of your family there and then to spend time there. The northern federal states of Schleswig Holstein, Lower Saxony, Bremen, Hamburg and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania have so much to offer, there are many beautiful places to discover. There is a very beautiful nature and quite a different attitude to life than in the south. On trips like this, you realize how different Germany can actually be. Have wonderful Sunday and nice week ☺️

[@TypeAshton]

Our trip up north has shown us the diversity of Germany. We hope to do more trips like this to continue to learn more and help create content to teach others. Maybe some Americans will see and know there's more than just Munich.

[@Warentester]

@@TypeAshton Die Hoffnung stirbt zuletzt 😂

[@kyvanrae]

Das Ding heißt auch im englischen "Niedersachsen" ;)

[@Warentester]

@@kyvanrae no it doesn't

[@eikejmeyer]

Great to see a video of northern Germany for once (and also not just Hamburg). If you want to visit really far north, Flensburg can be a worthwhile visit as it is really close to the danish border. Or the castle in Schwerin is really cool. Or Lübeck. Or well, enough other places too 🙂

[@cinnamoon1455]

I have another suggestion for you if you're not averse to a tiny bit of border hopping. Schaffhausen has the most gorgeous old town full of old houses with painted facades. There are also other fun things to do in the area like the Rheinfall, the Munot or, something Jonathan would love, the possibility to explore the surrounding area with something called Schienenvelo, which is similar to a draisine but powered by cycling. The track stretches between Singen in Germany and Hemishofen to Etzwil in Switzerland. If you like painted facades there are also other lovely places nearby with a similar style old town, e.g. Stein am Rhein.

[@dr.j3245]

Not to forget Büsingen am Rhein: the German Exclave completely surrounded by the Kanton of Schaffhausen. A real oddity with German and Swiss postal codes, among other things. We have a small apartment there to use as a base for exploring Southern Germany / Northen Switzerland. Also handy to Freiburg!

[@TypeAshton]

Great suggestion! We have not yet visited here but you've made it sound more enticing. We will move it further up our bucket list. :) Thank you!

[@carlosdumbratzen6332]

Thank you for these videos, showcasing some regions of Germany that arent that often shown, because for some reason all the american travel/expat vloggers live in southern Germany. I live in Hamburg for several years now and travel regularly to Bremen and generally in the region. The culture is alot different to Saxony where I come from. Btw it is definitely worth to check out the Rhineland, especially the Mosel region, if you like wines. And then there are the cities in the West like Köln, Düsseldorf, Dortmund, Essen, Bochum, Duisburg and so on. Hessen might also be worth a visit, though I only have been to Franfurt a.M. (which has some great places) and Marburg. Saxony is imo also worth a visit (although living there has sadly become a bit iffy, the cities are fine though). Dresden and Leipzig are both great and the Sächsische Schweiz is beautiful to visit (and climb). Nobody likes Halle or Chemnitz though ;)

[@jeanvaljean7266]

Halle has a quite magnificent city centre

[@feldgeist2637]

can't believe that they left out the lead cellar in Bremen and opted for the wine cellar instead the Bleikeller is imo one of the creepiest crypts in the whole of Germany, due to the mummies on open display down there

[@wjhann4836]

As you got this amazing RBNB - I want to mention some different views: - the living room you showed was often "the fine room" that was only dedicated to special times. During the week (and with dirty working clothes) that room was locked up. At least here in the area. - those old times look very fancy nowadays - BUT in those former times live was not nice. Please keep in mind that migrating to America was a difficult, expensive and threatening decision! There was hunger, inequity, no work, no future to many people. - those beds in the room seem short. I was told, people slept in some kind of more sitting position - since tuberculosis was all around and laying flat was not good for lungs ventilation.

[@MilsteinRulez]

Thanks for the excellent video again! As I wrote previously, I was born in Bremen, and my ancestors were pastors at the very churches around the marketplace. I am glad all of you enjoyed your north-German experience, and I am sure you already were told that the "Lüs" should be next (Lüneburg, Lüneburger Heide, Lübeck). And yes, early Sunday mornings are indeed special, be it in Freiburg or Bremen or any other historic place -- let's all appreciate Jack's unmissable contribution to your trip as well as to your beautiful videos!

[@TypeAshton]

Thank you! Lübeck is certainly near the top of our list now, there have been many recommendations.

[@sakkra83]

These cupboard beds are called "Butzen". One for the parents one for the kids. and below the beds.... there is a space to store potatoes and anything other food that has to be stored at temperatures above freezing point.

[@DJSONICMUSIC]

Im from Bremen, always cool to see that the city gets appreciated by others :)

[@kayholl10]

Since you mentioned the UNESCO World heritage in Bremen and have a special appreciation for all things architecture, you might want to check out one of the largest UNESCO World Heritage sites by area in Quedlinburg in the Harz region for one of your next trips north.

[@TypeAshton]

Just googled this and we will definitely add it to our list! Thanks for the recommendation!

[@biankakoettlitz6979]

Northern Germany was influenced by many cultures. Bremen was Hansestadt, Altona(part of Hamburg) was Danish and Stade was Swedish througwar and trade

[@magnusholzwurmpartei115]

Hey, Bremen was für ne Überraschung. Das Dorf mit Straßenhahn. 😉

[@Happymali10]

Hamburg actually used to have a law that no building could be taller than the churches, which was eventually reduced to requiring special permission. Which is still odd because usually southern Germany, especially Bavaria, is the "churchy" area.

[@Bln-f9u]

I like the architecture of Northwestern Germany, it gives me some Dutch-Danish vibes. I live in Northeastern Germany, however it is nice how cities and buildings differentiates in each region

[@buschbohne001]

Great to see you had a good time in northern Germany. I am from Hamburg and can relate to that very easy. :-) Fun fact about the Elbtunnel: Being built in 1911, the dimensions are the way they are to fit fully loaded horse-drawn carts with an upright whip.

[@alicemilne1444]

That's interesting. I wonder how the horses reacted to going down in a lift.

[@buschbohne001]

@@alicemilne1444 These horses were working horses used to work in a loud and hectic harbour. In 2011 for the 100 anniversary they had a few horse-drawn carriages down there to recreate that experience and everything went smooth, even these horses have never been in a lift. Most horses are way more relaxed than people think. :-)

[@JanDreier-HH]

Just for the record: There are over 100 Lutheran churches in HH. However there are five "Hauptkirchen" that stand out both in building size and historical importance. Alle Hauptkirchen (St. Petri, St. Nikolai, St. Katharinen, St. Jacobi und St. Michaelis („Michel“)) are located inside the old defensive Wall (Wallanlagen, built 1616-25, removed 1820-37) and can be famously seen in a panorama viewed from the northern end of the Alster. Oh, and the reed used for traditional thatched roofs last about 20-30 years.

[@olischlosser1372]

For me, as an german, you already showed me alot of places in germany, that i did not know yet. Even in locations, i visited often. Please proceed with filling my bucket list places to visit in germany. Thanks alot for your great and informal videos. This year, we visited pfälzer Wald during Pfingsten. Will go to Sizilien summer, and Hamburg autum.

[@jpdj2715]

Great comment, but Sicily in summer and Hamburg in fall - the former may be too hot and the latter too cold - why not the other way around? Sicily will still be warm in fall.

[@carlosdumbratzen6332]

Ich würde dir Hamburg nicht im Herbst empfehlen außer du willste ne ordentliche Portion Hamburger Schietwetter haben :D Du verstehst den (offensichtlich überzogenen) Ausspruch Hamburg sei die schönste Stadt der Welt nur im Sommer :D Im Herbst und Winter willst du nicht hier her kommen außer du magst es so richtig durchgepustet zu werden (zumal es ja anscheinend Gasrationierung geben wird o.o)

[@Myriip]

Just saw the thumbnail and was like "hold up, that can't be Bagband's old windhill, right?" then i watched the video and you totally visited Bagband & (Ost-)Großefehn, so it really is THE windmill, how small the world is! Follow citizen from Aurich.

[@TypeAshton]

Hey that's awesome! YES we LOVED visiting this area. Really something special and extremely beautiful.

[@megremisfamily4music]

Have you been up the to Ostseekueste yet? That is a very clean and charming area. Hansestadt Wismar is a small city that was part of the Hanseatic League back in the day and its Wasserturm in the old city center has UNESCO World Heritage status. Rostock is nice too and Schwerin has the very special Schweriner Schloss. I also suggest checking out Stralsund for its historic architecture and Insel Ruegen is gorgeous too. Check out Binz with its lovely promenade and Jasmund National Park for its beautiful forests snd chalk cliffs. Happy Traveling!

[@henningbartels6245]

This summer I'm going on the populare bike route along the Elbe river. For the North Sea islands I recomment Helgoland, not as a day trip but stay there overnight and enjoy the island when all the crowd left with the last boat. The island is not large but there are some things to see and especially also the neighboring island Düne with its beach and seals laying around.

[@rashomon351]

Until quite recently the hamburg harbour was a custom exempt area with restricted access. Everyone could go there, but had to go through customs. That's why there were only few access routes like the tunnel you mentioned. And - of course - you have to cross the river Elbe somehow ;) Some years back, that custom exempt area has been lifted which made the new "Hafenstadt Hamburg" possible. Wait.. you've been to Bremen and did not take pictures of the Bremer Stadtmusikanten ? And you've been to the Schnoor Viertel and have not visited the all-year Christmas shop ? I'm disappointed ;)

[@TypeAshton]

Interesting! We saw the Bremer Stadtmusikanten but didn't include it in the video. We also saw the year long Christmas shop and I (Jonathan) was super excited. But unfortunately it was super early on a Sunday morning... so a no go for us.

[@docma7206]

@@TypeAshton "The Bremer Stadtmusikanten " do surprise by their small size, don't they? Did you know that you can take a grip of the forefeet of the donkey and wish something to be true? That's why they are so well polished. The next time you visit the "Bremer Ratskeller" you should try to get a visit of the" real(!) cellars. They undermine the market square ending on the other side of it. This is where wines were stored in barrels to mature and age in the old days. When ready they were bottled and sold by the same "Ratskeller" - an institution (still) belonging to the Council of the City of Bremen since 1405. If you do this visit, you will also bee shown the "Rose Cellar" with its 12 very old barrels including the OLDEST german wine, a Rüdesheimer from 1653. You will not be allowed to taste it but your nose will inhale the "angels part" of it.

[@doloresmey]

Wieder ein ganz wunderbar präsentiertes Video! 👏🏻 Wir werden unseren Urlaub auf Fehmarn 🏖 in einer Ferienwohnung verbringen und die Fahrräder mitnehmen. 🚲

[@TypeAshton]

Das klingt alles toll und ein Urlaub, den wir auch genießen würden.

[@nighthunter3039]

@The Black Forest Family I for my part will use my free time from studing to go to Wacken Open Air again. Its a realy awesome and big Rock and Metal Festival over 4 days with tons of Bands also very small and new ones from Germany and all over the world, they also have fresh made food there and medival Markets. Even though this music might not be for every one the people are super nice (It became somewhat of a third home for me) .

[@afborchert]

Thanks for the great video! I grew up in Northern Germany, close to Bremen but I am living now since decades in Ulm which, BTW, is absolutely worth a visit due to the famous Ulm Minster and the Fischerviertel at the Danube. I definitely recommend to visit one or more of the East Frisian islands. And I would suggest Spiekeroog. On Spiekeroog you will find the oldest houses in any of the islands (most villages had to move as the islands were shifting) and it is still a charming village. Unless you are very lucky, you will have to book more than a year in advance. Likewise, book your restaurants on the islands in advance as without reservation you will probably have to wait several days until you will get a spot. This summer I will head again to my favorite destination, Ireland, where I will spend most of the time in the north on the Inishowen peninsula in County Donegal with breathtaking scenery at the Atlantic.

[@morgenstern1234]

19:38 we call the beans up there "updrögt Bohnen". My favourite ostfrisian island is "Spiekeroog" it is very romantic

[@stefanhernold345]

*Bremen* , including its immediate surroundings, is the place where the best and most melodious German is spoken; which is the reason why international corporations like British Airways operate call centers for their German-speaking customers in or near the city.

[@M.S.M.111]

We have already been on summer vacation(St. PeterOrding), right at this moment we're driving home, I have a recommendation: the area around Norden-Norddeich(Niedersachsen), especially Greetsiel(with the twin windmills), very nice there

[@TypeAshton]

OH that sounds amazing! Now that we have connected with our family members in that area, I have a feeling that we will be going back more and more often to the North of Germany. We just loved it. Hope you all have a great trip/drive back home!

[@raythevagabond3724]

@@TypeAshton I totally agree, Greetsiel, Norden and/or Norddeich are worth a visit. The seal rescue station can be visited in Norddeich and a whale museum close by too. Be prepared for every possible kind of weather. Having a Friesennerz for each of you in your backpack could add to enjoying a walk around at otherwise less compfy weather.

[@M.S.M.111]

@@TypeAshton thank you, you aswell 😃

[@rainerzufall42]

Actually the "alte Elbtunnel" can still be used for cars, although after the renovation in 2019, there were some restrictions on cars. As there are alternative and better routes for cars, this is not a great burden. I guess riding a bike is much better...

[@johnkitchen4699]

Wonderful. ‘Undiscovered’ parts of Europe make for great vacations. We’ve had similar experiences in virtually every Western European country.

[@JoergKohlmann-zu9bk]

Really enjoyed your videos about Northern Germany. Next time, when we are going back home to visit Germany, I need to take my wife to Hamburg and Bremen. I am from Nuernberg and Bremen is one of my favorite cities in Germany. Have you guys visited Nuernberg yet?

[@marenhuwald1445]

Just some kilometers up north you could have visited Luebeck with it's Holstentor and great churches. Not to forget the Marzipan and rounding the city by boat.

[@TypeAshton]

SO many have mentioned this city that I think we pretty much HAVE to go visit. It sounds so lovely! ❤️

[@stevehaase9023]

OMG… love this! As a fellow East Frisian/German-American… thank you!! I have been visiting East Frisia/Ostfreesland/Ostfriesland for years, have relatives and friends there, have brought my kids there (and to Bremen and Hamburg). Thank you for covering some Northern German areas. Incidentally I speak East Frisian Low German in addition to German. This is great to see someone covering East Frisia. My wife (who sadly passed away a few years ago) also has relatives there whom I know. I plan to move there in a few years when my youngest is in or out of college. For now, I travel to Germany 2 or 3 times a year. I have traveled extensively in Northern Germany and would love to share some of my experiences with you! I am loving your videos!! Congrats on the house!!

[@th60of]

What a nice, uplifting video to watch on a sunny Sunday morning! It made me realize how even to a (southern central) German, going north is like going to a foreign country.

[@TypeAshton]

There were SO many wonderful things to see that we couldn't pack it all into a single video. BUT we loved our time in the North and hope to go back soon. (Also BTW, you're so right - the sun is GORGEOUS today! We are about to head out on a hike).

[@HAL-ex8we]

@@TypeAshton well, add the town of Celle to the list, and Museumsdorf Hösseringen

[@flostar81]

As always, you made my sunday. Great video. Thank you very much.

[@TypeAshton]

Thanks so much!

[@lawrenceforbach2627]

It nice following your channel since you are from Missouri and I am in Kansas close to the Missouri border. I have been trying to learn about Germany 🇩🇪 and you said you were living near Forbach Germany. If you happen to ever get a Newspaper from Forbach Germany I would gladly pay you for it. I enjoyed this video about the tunnel that was cool. Thanks, Lawrence Forbach

[@DonHoshi]

Yes, come to palatina =) "Die Pfalz" is mostly pretty underratet. Here are a lot of beautiful places and huge amount of history^^ and of course we have amazing Wine :D

[@schoppi9300]

Wie schön 🙂! You were in the treasury of Bremen and have also cost what - of course not the priceless juice the Bremer Ratsherren would also never give out...haha. Was again really great class your video.

[@didierbaudot]

Thank you for the nice video 👍🙂 my favorite in northern Germany is Lübeck with the biggest amount of beautiful houses with lovely facades 🙂 my plans for this summer is southern Germany, Regensburg and Passau 🤗

[@chrissoclone]

Just a 30 minute train ride from Hamburg (and still within Hamburg's public transport system) is Lüneburg, a very pitoresque medieval city with a huge history in salt trade to nerd over, for a culinary experience you might want to visit during Stint season (a small fish you eat fried as a whole), the Stint market is also the main tourist and bar/beergarden spot, but don't skip the Salt museum!

[@dorderre]

If you haven't already, I can recommend the island of Rügen with its beautiful landscape like the chalk rocks etc, the pretty villages and the Störtebeker Festival about an early modern german pirate in the baltic sea. Also the beaches and the holiday facility Prora, a several kilometers long building, originally built by THOSE germans, but it's a museum now. Or the nearby island of Hiddensee etc. EDIT: On your way there you could take a stop in cities like Wismar or Rostock or Stralsund. Last time I was in Rostock, you could visit a submarine in the harbor and in Stralsund you can visit the Gorch Fock 1, a three-mast-barque school ship. And no, to my knowledge that's not the one repeatedly making the news with its expensive repairs ;)

[@TypeAshton]

I think our plan next summer is to go German island hopping and see much of the area. There is so much to see and it looks beautiful!

[@jrgilmore935]

@@TypeAshton I can really recommend Amrum. My favourite island. Gorgeous! Huge beaches. Family friendly. Love it!

[@mpunkthb1214]

Bremen Guy here😊✌🏼 I really like your Impressions of my beautiful Home-Town👍 Next time, if you are going to visit Bremen, send me a message and I am going to tell you the best spots to visit for you from a local point of view😊 All the best

[@peterkitchingman6483]

Greetings also from Großefehn.As far als I know I am the only Kiwi living in Landkreis Aurich and have been living here in Ostfriesland for 32 years now. My wife from Aurich and I got married in London but had a second Hochzeit in Aurich. We hired a similar house but much bigger to the Airbnb that you stayed in . We slept in identical beds with the cupboard Doors which are called butzenbetten here in Ostfriesland. The house where we now live we bought as a ruin which hadnt been lived in for about 20 years and consisted of one room ,kitchen and the barn...No running water! I rebuilt it with an old bricklayer over many years ,even tearing down an old Farm house to get enough bricks to rebuild the front of the house. The windows I made my self in the old way with the window opening outwards. Anyway I loved the Video ...north Germany certainly is great and if you want to know what the german word ... gemütlich..means ,just come to Ostfriesland .

[@narve7337]

If you are into wines with a rather intense flavour, you should try georgian wines. Georgia (the country, not the state, obviously) is one of the original wine regions in the world and has an ancient tradition of producing wines. They are generally of a more intense flavour than the wines from germany, france or italy but really really good and more of a rarity in germany. you can still find them tho, especially in import stores from eastern europe. :)

[@TypeAshton]

Oh YUM! Some good friends of ours just got back from a vacation to Georgia and also raved about the wines. I think we are going to have to try some soon!

[@Warentester]

Hit up the Rheingau/Nahe area for great wines (you can add Pfalz and Rheinhessen if you like, but I'm not a fan of Rheinhessen). The areas are very lively and many people come with a RV, make camp close to the vineyards and venture out to sample the local wines without need to have to drive, to be repeated in the next village the next day. The largest wine festival in Germany is in Bad Dürkheim: it's called the Bad Dürkheimer Wurstmarkt (because that's the name of the plaza it takes place on). If you want to go you'll need to plan well ahead. Rooms and RV parking places are usually booked out a year in advance.

[@TypeAshton]

That sounds like a pretty perfect vacation! We talk quite frequently of dong a wine tour via bicycle. Perhaps we could merge the two together!

[@Warentester]

@@TypeAshton Many German Winemakers are direct distributors. While they ship the wines across the country the direct distribution makes it near impossible to sample their wines outside of the area (exception are wine exhibitions). So you need to try them locally and then you can order them to Freiburg.

[@hula691]

My mom was born in Reepsholt, Friedeburg. My Opa and Oma had a bakery. She said their house had a thatched roof and when she was a very little it caught fire.

[@Beeboop10000]

Es ist schön, das euch Norddeutschland gefällt und Ihr wart nur ca. 40km von unserer Heimatstadt weg, unser Reiseziel ist dieses Jahr auch wegen dem neuen E-Auto die Niederlande, ist ja nicht weit weg von uns. Auf jeden Fall seit Ihr immer hier willkommen und wenn Ihr auf die Inseln fahrt, da sind wir schon auf die Videos gespannt.

[@TypeAshton]

Jawohl! Dies ist das letzte Video auf dieser Reise in den Norden - aber wir planen bereits unsere nächste Reise in die Gegend, damit wir uns die Inseln ansehen können. Jetzt, da wir Familie in der Gegend haben, würden wir gerne einmal im Jahr dorthin fahren, wenn möglich.

[@shift-happens]

Little anecdote: Many (free) parties used to take place on the harbour side, further south, where industry meets nature. We took our bikes through the Elbe-Tunnel to get to these locations nearly every weekend. It's amazing! BTW: these elevators are kind of a natural selector and prevent people from buying stupidly big cars - because they don't fit ;)

[@TypeAshton]

That is really, really cool. Hamburg is such a fun city. It sounds almost cliche but it really did feel "alive".

[@maraboo72]

Vor ein paar Monaten habe ich empfohlrn, die Geschichte "Das kalte Herz" von Wilhelm Hauff zu lesen, weil es im Schwarzwald spielt. Er hat aber auch eine kurze Geschichte "Phantasien im Bremer Ratskeller" geschrieben, in der er beschreibt, wie er alleine eine Nacht im Ratskeller verbringt und sich langsam mit den verschiednenen Weinsorten betrinkt. Ich finde es sehr schön, wie er die Leser auf die Reise in den Rausch mitnimmt.

[@Warentester]

Maybe some northern classics: The Rider on the White Horse (Der Schimmelreiter) and The Buddenbrooks

[@jackypo3767]

Ich glaube, euch würden auch die Inseln Usedom und Rügen gefallen - die alten Seebäder aus den frühen 20ern!

[@RustyDust101]

Wonderful video on my city of choice, Hamburg. I've been living here for nearly 20 years, and it has been a blast. Another topic worthy of research for architecture nerds is the construction of the Speicherstadt storage houses in Hamburg. Short version: they were built completely on wooden poles driven deeeep into the mud of the Elbe river. The water pressure on the outside canal ground causes the buildings to imperceptible tilt and lean during high or low tide as the pylons shift with the surrounding ground. The storage was built to such exacting standards that NO artificial cooling or heating is required to keep the interior of the storage buildings within in a temperature range of 11°C at the lowest and 21°C at the highest, no matter the outside temperature. Sure, with heating and loads and loads of people in a building, temperatures may vary more, but the outside temperature does not affect the inside more than those ten degrees. For all Americans, this is from roughly 52° to 70°F, without any artifical cooling or heating, just by having air and water pass through the underground construction. There are loads and loads of such small architectural wonders around the world, with the Speicherstadt being one of them, ready to be researched. The "Alter Elbtunnel" was an absolutely essential tunnel for the Blohm & Voss workers who lived north of the Elbe, but worked south of the Elbe river. It shortened their travel time from roughly 2.5 hours to a 20 minute walk under the river. Blohm & Voss were a HUUUUGE employer with their docks and ship construction yards, and still are to this day. Elbedock 13 is still one of the few swimming docks around the world able to contain the largest cruise liners. As such it is one of the regular stops for the Queen Mary II. Thatching with Reet has to be replaced once every 25-40 years, depending on quality and tilt of the roof. It is an untreated natural product, thus it succumbs to rot, thus looses both its insulating thermal and rainstopping qualities. Thatching with straw only lasts between 25 and 30 years, max. What you had was very, very probably a Reetdach, a Reet thatching with reed. Cutting and placing the bundles of reet thatch is becoming more and more an almost lost art kept alive only in some areas. So I completely support anyone who keeps those beautiful traditions alive. The attic was often the Gesinderäume, the servants' or farmhands' quarters. It was often the most draughty, and leakages hit them first. But at least it was better than sleeping in the barns. So, yeah, the modern usage of the attic as bunk sleeping was probably not far off from its original usage at all.

[@TypeAshton]

So, so cool. I just love learning about this kind of stuff and always look forward to your comments because they are incredibly helpful and insightful. Thank you so, so much again!

[@sarahschmitz971]

Hi Ashton, Jonathan and Jack! First of all I want to tell you how much I’m enjoying your videos and your contend. I highly recommend the islands at the ostfrisian coast for your next trip to northern Germany. Each island has its own unique style und character. My personal favourite is Norderney. I‘m really looking forward to my next visit in about 3 weeks.

[@schobiwan]

Thank you for visiting my lovely Hometown Bremen!

[@TypeAshton]

We LOVED it.

[@BalduinTube]

Our Vacation plans include a trip to the island of Texel for some Dune-Camping in the Netherlands and after that visiting the Wacken-Metal-Festival in Schleswig-Holstein.

[@TypeAshton]

That sounds like an epic trip!

[@LaureninGermany]

Ahhh I was just in Bremen a few weeks ago, and I will be there on the Seebühne in a couple of weeks! What a shame that the timing didn’t match, that would have been so amazing! I also can imagine you were out and about much earlier on a Sunday morning that I ever am lol! I agree about Schnoor, it’s like a dream. And the house you booked is just phenomenal. I love love love that you‘re having this experience…it must feel amazing and your faces are honestly glowing. I am loving seeing you discover the North, as well as your family roots. This part of Germany is so underrated by foreigners and it’s incredibly rewarding to visit.

[@TypeAshton]

Ah shoot! I bet we did pass right by each other. We LOVED our time in the north and are really looking forward to heading back very, very soon.

[@LaureninGermany]

@@TypeAshton yes, I see everyone´s sending you to Lübeck - you´ll love it so much! These videos are just mind-blowingly good. Really. The timing is perfect, too and they have such a feel-good pick me up vibe. I´m loving them.

[@suzeel]

Meine Kindheit ist wieder da, Aurich, Leer, Emden, Ostfriesland, Oldenburg Ammerland, Papenburg Emsland, Bremerhavn, Niedersachsen... Btremen!! ♥♥♥ Best greetings from Hamburg ^^°^^

[@mastex5575]

Places you should visit: - A Storchendorf ist's a Village where storks get their and raise their Young. - A Mine in the Ruhrpott. - make a Tour by boat / kayak through the Spreewald. - visit Dresden the rebuild City. These are some of the visual cues in Germany and wach of the above mentioned sites have a Lot more Background and sights to behold. If you Like historic construction you should visit Campus Galli and or guedelon (guedelon is 2 hours south of Paris) both are construction sites using only the old tech and methods to build a new monastary / Castle.

[@camilailgenfritz7419]

Also as an expat in Germany, my favorite places in northern Germany are Lüneburg and Lübeck. Hope u get the chance to visit those too soon 😊

[@sirkonotor7557]

Awesome video. Great to see you love northern germany as much as I do. But if you are interested in wine in germany,defenetly visit the Mittelrheintal / Nahetal region with its many weinfests and awesome views from the mountaintops

[@kevint615]

originally from ostfriesland (Aurich). Now living in Arizona. Glad you liked your visit that much. When have a chance do a wattwanderung to one of the islands. it's a fun exp for family

[@TypeAshton]

We plan to go up there next summer. So many things left that we would love to see and do.

[@rainerwoykos9421]

A recommendation for you. Drive to the Spreewald. It`s a unique piece of Germany. It is halfway between Berlin and Dresden. Enter Spreewald on KZbin and watch some videos, or find out more from Wikipedia