Center Hotel Drive Inn

After our visit to the sites in Trier, we were off to see what the town of Bamberg had to offer. We were staying in the small town of Hirschaid, at the Center Hotel "Drive Inn". This hotel was very reasonable and was only about a 15 minute drive to the city centre. It is located just off the highway. The town of Hirchaid offers you a good choice of restaurants. We ate dinner twice at Lily's Asia Spezialitaten where we enjoyed some reasonably priced Asian dishes, and once at Bella Vita, a restaurant offering Italian dishes. These were good choices and were close to the hotel. The checkin at Hotel Center Inn went smoothly. The gentleman at the front desk spoke good English and was friendly and accommodating. The room was comfortable and clean. There was a good breakfast included. There was free wifi, and there was always parking available, free and convenient. The hotel is also conveniently, located right beside a small shopping centre, which I believe is also owned by the Hotel proprietor. If you have a car, then this hotel is a very good alternative to staying in the Bamberg area. The town of Bamberg, located in Upper Franconia, dates back to the 9th century. It is said to be one of Germany's most beautiful towns and its medieval streets and its large intact old city wall have earned it a spot on UNESCO's World heritage list. Some of the features that you must look for are Bamberg Cathedral, the Michelsberg Abbey, the Obere Brucke (bridge), and the Rathaus, which is located on a island, halfway across the bridge. A wander though the streets lends itself to picture taking opportunities. One of the most interesting finds we found here are the Stolperstein, literally meaning stumbling stones. These are ten centimetre concrete stones, bearing a brass plate, inscribed with the name and life date of the victims of Nazi exterminations or persecutions. This was a project initiated by German artist, Gunter Demnig in 1992. Its aim is to commemorate individuals at exactly the last place where they existed as free individuals, before they were "disposed" of by Nazi terror. This is a very grim reminder of a terrible time which must never be forgotten or repeated. As of December 2019 over 75,000 Stolpersteine have been laid. So, if history, both old and more recent, interests you, then Bamberg is definitely a place that is worthwhile to visit. And if you are interested in a reasonable, well priced alternative, the Center Hotel 'Drive Inn' is an obvious choice.