> 22 hours of time should see in Bamberg 3) or, is it worth
>pursuing Nuremberg instead of Bamberg?

I've haven't been to Nuernberg (yet) but I have been to Bamberg about 3 times. Highly recommended. One of the few larger cities that was larger untouched by bombings in WWII - so it is the real deal. Cute, historically important, and unique beer. The tourist office has a CD that you rent that leads you on a walking tour through the old town and gives the highlights. Make the hike to St. Michaels church on top of one of the seven hills surrounding the old-town. Unique interior and a cure for back pains if you walk behind the altar!

Try the beer of Bamberg! http://www.xs4all.nl/~patto1ro/bambpubs.htm

And take in a marionette show: http://tinyurl.com/yuyjy

Trier Hostel: http://www.hilles-hostel-trier.de/

Backbacker Network in Germany http://www.backpacker-network.de/

Bernkastel-Kues is nice, if a bit touristy. GO on their website and find a room with a local wine-producing family.

E-mail Burg Eltz (might be closed for the winter) and see if they have a shuttle or something from Bernkastel-Kues?

>I also hope to get to Burg Eltz, but without a car I hear
>that is a bit tricky. Hopefully as I travel by train to
>Cologne from Trier I will get to see the Rhine. I plan to
>take a train that goes from Trier to Koblenz as I go to
>Cologne, so I hope from Koblenz the train follows the Rhine
>to Cologne.

You will be along the Rhine from Koblenz, however, Koblenz - as you probably have seen - is a bit north of the middle Rhein area where the majority of castles are. But the only castle along the Rhein that was never destroyed through the centuries is very near Koblenz. What is the name again... Markburg? Margburg? Something close to that....

Viel Spass! Brian