Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [206]
Hotel am Anger ( 923 20; www.hotel-am-anger.de, in German; Breite Strasse 92; s €50-60, d €90-100; ) Labyrinthine it may be, and there’s an awful lot of pine in the 40 rooms, but this courtyard hotel is pleasant and some rooms have views of the castle.
Hotel und Restaurant zur Post ( 690 40; www.hotelzurpost-wr.de, in German; Marktstrasse 17; s/d €52/89; ) This is a very central and comfortable choice that offers great value, with spacious, bright rooms and elegant furnishings in a half-timbered house.
Parkhotel Fischer ( 691 350; www.parkhotel-fischer.de, in German; Mauergasse 1; s €65, d €105; ) Rooms here are comfortable and modern, but it’s extras like the tranquil indoor swimming pool with fake-Roman pillars and the sauna that make this particularly attractive.
Hotel Gothisches Haus ( 6750; gothisches-haus@travelcharme.com; Am Markt 1; s €89-191, d €118-282, ste €201-426; ) The warm Tuscan colours and thoughtful design of this luxury hotel make it very attractive. There’s a log fire downstairs in the Kaminbar (Fireplace Bar), and two restaurants – one gourmet and seating only 17 people – plus a wine cellar to explore. Two suites have waterbeds.
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Eating & Drinking
Biotopf ( 626 015; Marktstrasse 13; mains €3.80; 10.30am-6.30pm Mon-Fri, 10.30am-1.30pm Sat; ) A relative newcomer on the scene, this organic bistro has inexpensive, changing dishes in bright and simple surroundings.
Markt Wirtschaft ( 557 788; Marktstrasse 35; mains €7-14; 11.30am-4pm & 6pm-midnight Tue-Sat, 11.30am-4pm Sun; ) This bistro and bar has an attractive, spacious interior as well as a courtyard and beer garden – all rounded off by a homely Mediterranean ambience. The range of wines is good and it serves a tasty and filling salad with beef strips for €9.80.
Café am Markt & Lounge ( 261 690; Marktplatz 6-9; mains €7.50-13.50, brunch €9.50; 8am-6.30pm Mon-Sat, Baldini brunch 9am-2pm Sun; ) This interesting all-rounder started life as a cafe, but seems to have bred with an Italian restaurant next door (Baldinis, which has a smaller but similar menu) to beget a separate lounge area for smokers (upstairs).
Brauhaus ( 695 727; www.brauhaus-wernigerode.de; Breite Strasse 24; mains €8-15; 11.30am-late; ) Here you can expect to find an enormous, multilevel pub and bistro with fairly standard German meat and vegetarian dishes, and – on Saturday from 9pm – a dance floor upstairs. It’s easily the best all-round option for a meal and drink, or to get down into Sunday morning.
Altes Amtshaus ( 501 200; Burgberg 15; mains €11-20; 3-11pm Tue-Thu, 11.30am-11pm Fri-Sun; ) Game and traditional dishes like a delicious Tafelspitz (prime boiled beef) with radish sauce are served in this former ducal courthouse with a lovely ambience.
Weisser Hirsch ( 602 020; www.hotel-weisser-hirsch.de; Marktplatz 5; mains €11-23, hare €22.50; ) Crisp white tablecloths, glistening cutlery and wild hare on the menu underscore a traditional but enticing culinary approach at the ‘White Stag’. Along with the Stuben in Gothisches Haus, this is one of the best places in town for a meal. Four- and five-course menus are also available (from €24.50 to €50).
Ars Vivendi ( 626 606; Bahnhofstrasse 33; entry Sat €5; from 8pm Fri & Sat) Beyond the muscle-clad bouncers you’ll find a cocktail bar where the hopeful young, the restless old and the wistful in-betweens tug on straws while hanging onto the bar in decor that might jar.
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Getting There & Away
Direct buses run to most major towns in this region; the timetable (€2) available from the WVB bus office ( 5640; www.wvb-gmbh.de, in German; Hauptbahnhof) includes a train schedule. Bus 253 runs to Blankenburg and Thale, while bus 257 serves Drei Annen Hohne and Schierke.
There are frequent trains to Goslar (€8.40, 45 minutes) and Halle (€19.60, 1¼ hours). Change at Halberstadt for Quedlinburg (€8.40, 45 minutes) and Thale (€10.30, one hour).
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Getting Around
Buses 1 and 2 run from the bus station