Where do we go

My son is in the Air Force and will be stationed at Spangdahlem Air Force Base beginning the fall of 05. We are hoping to visit sometime in the spring of 06. I need information on what airport to arrive at, places to stay and visit. I understand the base is located close to Trier and Bitburg close to the border of Luxembourg. Any information would be most helpful

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I would fly into Frankfurt then take the train from the airport itself to Salmtal which is the nearest stop, about 3 hours change at Koblenz and some trains also change at Wittlich. There are 2 stations in the airport and all these trains seem to go from Fernbahnhof Gleis (=platform) number 7. Times are on www.bahn.de which has an English button. This means all the European travel is done in 1 country, although most people in airports and main stations will understand what you are trying to do if you have your travel itinerary with you.

Other possible airports are Brussels, Luxemburg, Amsterdam

but these are smaller and/or further and involve a different local language. You may wish to consider these if its hard to get a connecting flight from Nevada to Frankfurt. A quick look suggests there may be flights from Las Vegas changing at Boston for example.

Salmtal is about 10 miles from the base, I remember driving past it on our way home from vacation one year. If you prefer just one train without the complication of changing, Koblenz is about 50 miles from the base and the train journey would be about 80 minutes.

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Part 2 where to go/stay

The obvious tourist attractions are Trier and the Mosel Valley. Almost any place on the Mosel is a nice place, you can get a boat along the river or take the train along some parts. Bernkastel-Kues, Traben-Trabach, Cochem are all places I have visited and liked.

As to hotels, Wittlich is near and would be handy for the train - Trip advisor lists nothing. For Bitburg TA lists a Dorint, this is one of a German chain of hotels. Both towns will have smaller hotels and guest houses, we stayed in one about 100 miles further north and were blown away by the proprietor%26#39;s cleanliness and kindness. She did not speak English but her son did. If you stay in a 3 star I think you will be fairly certain of good communication. I suggest you wait for your son to get installed and have him make enquiries about where other visitors stay.

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Last year I was planning a trip to Trier but airfares into Frankfurt were pricey - then I found a terrific airfare to London, so I squeezed in a visit there as well and flew Ryanair (quite cheap) between London Stansted and Frankfurt Hahn aiport, a tiny airport very close to the Mosel towns, including Trier. We took a bus from there into Trier for a few Euros. Sometimes the fares to London are much better and worth the maneuvering, sometimes not. Ryanair may fly to Hahn from other cities you might want to visit as well.

In addition to the Mosel towns, I%26#39;d suggest a visit to Burg Eltz Castle (actually close to the Mosel) and to Monschau, north of Spangdahlem, a well-preserved old village with lots of character.

The Rhine villages between Koblenz and Bingen are worth visiting as well - Boppard, Bacharach, Oberwesel, St. Goar, and Braubach (Marksburg Castle.) Linz, north of Koblenz, is very special too.

Remagen, south of Bonn, has a very good WW II museum tucked into the supports of the old Luddendorf bridge (%26quot;The Bridge at Remagen%26quot;) where American forces seized the Rhineland.

You can visit an old Nazi bunker on Sunday afternoons in Irrel, just north of Trier (Panzerwerk Katzenkopf)

You%26#39;d probably like to drive into Luxembourg and Belgium as well - the WW II sites in the Belgian Ardennes are worthwhile, as is the American cemetery in Luxembourg (Patton%26#39;s Grave)

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My son recommends using the Luxembourg airport if the rates are comparible. It is smaller, easier to access by car and about 45 minutes from the either base. It%26#39;s possible your son may be able get you in transit housing on base - and on other bases if he travels with you. Have him check since it could save you money [he would pay in US$$ compared to Euros and the exchange rate that entails]. I would also suggest you visit after the spring time change as to have more daylight hours for sightseeing. I have been there when it was pitch black at 4:30pm.

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I lived in Trier all my life and I am also married to a soldier, who was stationed in Spangdahlem. We lived on base for a while. Your son might wanna check into the hotel on base, it is actually a nice one. And maybe you wanna stay for a night or so in Trier. I use to work at the Hotel EURENER HOF, it is a first class superior hotel, really nice!! Luxemburg would be the better Airport to fly into. It is easy to access from Base and the speak english at the airport, almost everybody speaks at least a little english in Germany, especially around base.If you would like some more info on what to do, just let me know, I%26#39;d be more then happy to assist you.

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I was stationed at Spangdahlem many years ago BUT have been in the area twice a year since 1999. The most recent was in December 2004 and will be there in September.

The closest decent hotel is actually on the Bitburg Air Base

which is an annex to Spangdahlem. It is called the Eifeler Hof

and is actually part of the Bitburg Officers Club building (not a USAF Club any more). www.eiflerhof.de should get the website

It isn%26#39;t in English but you get the idea. I doubt you will reaally need advanced reservations but is there he can check it out for you. The Trier Tourist Bureau in the pedestrian zone next to the Porta Nigra can also book you rooms the same day..They will find rooms.

You or he will need a rental car and it will be easier to Fly into Frankfurt (and cheaper). If he has a car, He can pick you up and you can rent a car in Bitburg or Trier. All American Companies are there. BUT make your deal on line before leaving the USA (cheaper inless he can get you a discount)

Spangdahlem is about a 2 hour ride from the Frankfurt Airport

and you can do it all on autobahns. It looks like a round about way on maps but isn%26#39;t and is faster than driving the smaller roads thru the mountains. As you approach Whittlich on the autobahn 48 you will see a sign Liege(Belgium) on autobahn 60. Take this and the second exit is Schwarzenborn(Spangdahlem) as you come up the exit you will see the base on your left about a mile away. I believe the base website has directions also.

Spangdahlem is two S M A L L towns Spang and Dahlem.

There are a couple small restaurants in the town.

Trier is about a 30 minute drive and it is better roads to go from Spangdahlem to Bitburg and then to Trier on Route 51(not an autobahn). A prior poster recommended a good hotel but you may be able to do better pricewise at the NH Hotel trier

booking on www.hrs.de and click on the english symbol.

It is away from the center but a 5 minute drive or the bus stops next door. Sometimes you can get a rate arounf 48 to 55 euros including a big breakfast buffet(hot foods). The hotel in Bitburg has a contimental breakfast that also has cold sliced meats and cereals. All the food is good.

Virtually all those around the Spang/Bitburg area speak English.

Driving on the autobahn isn%26#39;t as bad as you may have heard. Just remember stay right except to pass and use directionals AND if you are in the passing lane and someone flashes their light they want you to move over. If they look like they are way back remember thay may be doing well over 80mph

You may want to take a trip into Luxembourg City an hour or less from Spang.(30 min from Trier) You may be impressed if you stop outside the city in a place called Hamm where there is a US Military Cementary..burial place of General Patten..His grave is in front of the other graves right at the bottom of the steps by the monuments. This is where Patten turned north to help Bastogne and these are the troops killed in the battle 5200.

The base at Spangdahlem is being extensively enlarged to accommodate large transports that are being moved there from Rhein Main AB in Frankfurt as that is being returned to Germany

since it is on the opposite side of the Frankfurt International Airport which is being expanded when the base is returned.

While Luxembourg is closer there are not many flights to there rxcept LUXAIR a partner of Lufthansa.

Fares usually are on sale for dates from 1Nov to about 15 to 31 March and then tend to rise. They I wouldn%26#39;t rush to get them. I would sign up for e-mails from Lufthansa at Lufthansa-usa.com, and the Northwest and United and US Airways websites. US Airways, United and Lufthansa are all partners. and can be booked easy on orbitz.com.

I know you will enjoy Germany. I was at 9 bases in 10 year (3years at Spangdahlem) and that was some of the best time of my life. It definitely was the best base. It is also aligned with Ramstein AB so make sure your son actually gets assigned to Spang,,Ramstein is 2 hours southest of Spangdahlem but closer to Frankfurt. Any questions feel free to ask..Have a great trip and good luck to your son.

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Thank you all so much for your helpful advice. We are going to hold off before making reservations. We%26#39;d like to give our son time to settle in and explore the area himself so we%26#39;ll have a good tour guide. Much better then wandering blind not knowing where to go or what to do. I was most interested at this point of knowing which airport to fly into so I could at least get an idea what air travel is going to cost. Have to start saving soon for a trip like this. My son is very excited to be going to Germany and anyone I have ever spoken to whom was in the military there absolutely loved it. He%26#39;s been in Korea the last two years. I personally will be most anxious to have him stateside again. Our visits are much too short and too long inbetween. Again thanks everyone and I%26#39;m sure when it gets closer to us making our reservations I will be calling on you for all kinds of advise.

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Our son just finished 3 years at Spang and we loved going to visit him (six times). Our favorite time to visit is in December because of the many Christmas markets throughout Germany. Also the airfares are much lower in the fall %26amp; winter. There are two German Airlines that you might want to check out. Condor flies out of Las Vegas with direct flights to Frankfurt. LTU has direct flights from Los Angeles to Dusseldorf. Dusseldorf is just as close as Frankfurt and is an easy train trip(www.bahn.de -click on international guests). Brussels airport is also about two hours away. The flights into Luxembourg usually required more money and more stops so at least from Florida it was not practical. If you are smokers Condor does allow smoking on trans atlantic flights (we are not smokers and were somewhat apprehensive but we did not have a problem with it).

Spang is a 45 minute drive to Luxembourg. as previously suggested the military cemetary there is not to be missed. Luxembourg is about a 3 1/2 hour train ride to Paris if you want to go there. Day trips from Spang should include the towns and castles along the Mosel especially Bernkastel Kues. Of course you should get to Trier. Heidelburg is also a nice day trip. For longer trips (Italy, Ireland, England) check out the Ryan Air website at www.ryanair.com. They have some unbelievable fares from Hahn or Charloroi to many destinations throughout Europe.

Our favorite place to stay near the base is the Landhaus Biehl (landhaus-biehl.de) in Phillipsheim - about 55 Euro including breakfast. The owners, Dirk and Nicole, are great and speak perfect English. The food is also very good. Be advised that some of the base housing is in Bitburg, about 12 miles to the west. If your son winds up there it would of course be better to stay in Bittburg.

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I know this was posted a while ago, but in case someone tries to go to the Eifeler Hof web page, the link is:

http://www.eifelerhof.de

Cheers!

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Good news for all Spangdahlem airmen and there families! Since the 17th. of May 2007 we re-opened the Hotel zum alten Brauhaus at Dudeldorf. Just 2 miles from Spangdahlem air base.

For more information please look at: http://www.brauhaus-dudeldorf.de

Kind Regards,

anita and marc van oest