• Home
  • Reviews
    • Flight Reviews
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Lounge Reviews
    • Trip Reports
  • About
    • Press
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Award Expert
Live and Let's Fly
  • Home
  • Reviews
    • Flight Reviews
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Lounge Reviews
    • Trip Reports
  • About
    • Press
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Award Expert
Home » Trip Reports » Summering In Germany – Daily Life
GermanyTrip Reports

Summering In Germany – Daily Life

Matthew Klint Posted onMay 13, 2022November 14, 2023 15 Comments

We did some road trips in Germany during my summer there, but most of my time was spent in the city of Lörrach, a beautiful town at the Swiss-German-French border where I enjoyed long walks, fabulous coffee and ice cream, and a quality of life that I look forward to every trip and miss the moment I leave.

An Ideal Summer Holiday: My Daily Life In Lörrach, Germany

For me, a vacation is no longer trying to fit in as many attractions as I can. There is a time and place for that and I fondly recall my early trips to Germany in which museums and architecture were so central. Not so much anymore. These days, I return to my “home away from home” at my in-laws and my days do not look so much different than my days in California.

First, I get eight hours of sleep per night…something that I neglected for many years but now I view as critical in not only enjoying a productive day, but positioning myself for good health as I age.

In Los Angeles, I always feel like I am behind the eight ball when it comes to blogging, since the East Coast news cycle does not wait for the West Coast to wake up. While that means I am up very early and go right to work writing in California, I’m six hours ahead of New York in Germany, which makes for a far less stressful day.

Mornings ideally start with a run along the Weise river before the kids wake up (which was flooded during the early part of our trip). While I do intermittent fasting in Los Angeles until noon each day, I take a break when traveling and would enjoy a hot, freshly-baked croissant each morning for breakfast from a local bakery along with a glass of freshly-squeezed orange juice, some Greek yogurt with berries, and a strong cup of black coffee. It’s a simple breakfast and even that took some restraint when the table was filed with delectable meats and cheese (a typical German breakfast).

a river with trees and grass

a tree next to a road

Some days we would go into the forest to run.

a dirt road through a forest

My goal each day was to get my essential work (both the blog and Award Expert) done in the morning and have the afternoon and evening to spend with my family. Most days that worked (though I would then work in the late evenings).

We did so much walking during the trip. Lörrach city center was easily reachable by foot and we walked into town or to the park or to Rötteln Castle (which has a nice coffee shop) on most days, even in the rain (and German summers tend to be wet). On one Sunday we even walked all the way to church in Basel, Switzerland (quite a walk, but doable).

a child sitting on a gravel area with a playground and trees

a river with trees and grass

a body of water with trees and blue sky

a lake with trees and a dock

a group of people sitting around a fountain

a group of kids playing in a water fountain

two children running on a stone walkway

a group of people in a plaza with tables and chairs

a juice dispenser in a store

a child at a juice dispenser

a child running on a road

My routine around 2:00pm was to put baby Claire Marie down for a nap and then head into town with Augustine for a coffee followed by Spaghettieis, a German ice cream dish made to resemble a plate of spaghetti. That not only allowed me to enjoy a lovely flat white followed by a delicious bowl of ice cream, but it gave me a great time to bond with my son. Sometimes we had a dürüm döner before the coffee.

a hand holding a tortilla with meat and vegetables

a cup of coffee with a heart in the foam

a child sitting at a table with ice cream cone on it

a child eating an ice cream cone

a bowl of ice cream with a waffle and a strawberry sauce

a child sitting at a table with a bowl of ice cream

a cup of coffee with a leaf design on top of it

a boy sitting at a table with a cup of coffee and a drink

a child drinking from a brown cup

My father-in-law is a master chef and evenings would be spent around the dinner table, enjoying multi-course feasts. Not only did I appreciate the delicious meals, but also the break from cooking (which is a team effort for Heidi and me at home).

One reason I’m on a fairly strict diet now is because I did not really watch what I ate during the summer, but that was an acceptable tradeoff for me: it is so hard to turn down a hot croissant in the morning or delicious homemade Maultaschen or Wachteln mit Schmorgemüse (my personal favorites) at dinner.

Before bed, when the kids were fast asleep, Heidi and I would take one last walk up the Tüllinger Mountain, sometimes walking into the black forrest. I love the very late sunsets in Germany during the summer.

a view of a city from a hill

a landscape with trees and grass

a field of flowers and trees

CONCLUSION

The lovely thing abut my daily life while summering in Germany was that I was able to work and still enjoy so much leisure time with my family. It’s a blessing I do not take for granted and hope will still be possible as my wife and I take on new responsibilities and obligations.

It’s one thing to rush though a place to check all the “top 10” boxes. Frankly, that’s still how I tend to visit new countries these days as I continue my quest to visit every country in the world. But when it comes to Germany, it’s all about settling into a daily routine that always leaves me refreshed.


This is part of my summer in Germany trip report.

Get Daily Updates

Join our mailing list for a daily summary of posts! We never sell your info.

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Previous Article Hilarious: Delta Air Lines Pilot Crawls Through Window Of Boeing 737
Next Article “Pan Am Karen” Tries To Scam First Class Upgrade, Smoke Onboard

About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

Related Posts

  • a man in a suit sitting on a bed

    Not Glamorous, But Kind Of Fun: A Travel Blogger’s Trip To NYC

    May 16, 2025
  • a group of people standing in a crowd

    Introduction: A Return To Morocco On Royal Air Maroc

    April 8, 2025
  • Day In The Life Of A Travel Blogger

    A Day In The Life Of A Travel Blogger

    April 5, 2025

15 Comments

  1. The real beej Reply
    May 13, 2022 at 8:05 am

    Nice write-up, Matthew. We live in NYC but spend 6 weeks in Laguna Beach every summer. There really is something about becoming a local in a place other than your hometown. I hope your future summers work out to allow you to continue this tradition.

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      May 13, 2022 at 12:51 pm

      Thanks! I do too.

  2. Mitch Cumstein Reply
    May 13, 2022 at 8:46 am

    If I ate like you and Augustine I’d weigh 300 lbs. You must have a good metabolism.

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      May 13, 2022 at 12:51 pm

      We do. For now, at least!

  3. AR Reply
    May 13, 2022 at 11:34 am

    “Run Forrest, run!”

    Forest has 1 R. Forrest Gump has 2.

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      May 13, 2022 at 12:50 pm

      Appreciate the gumption.

  4. Christian Reply
    May 13, 2022 at 11:50 am

    That sounds lovely. Have you given any serious thought to relocating?

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      May 13, 2022 at 12:50 pm

      All the time. But sadly, nurses are not valued in Germany like they are in the USA.

  5. Andy Reply
    May 13, 2022 at 12:21 pm

    İyi Türkçe

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      May 13, 2022 at 12:49 pm

      Kafam karıştı.

  6. John F Reply
    May 13, 2022 at 3:34 pm

    Lovely. This kind of stuff is what life is all about!

    Do you find it hard when you have to go back and face the urban sprawl and general shabbiness of Los Angeles?

  7. Michael Reply
    May 13, 2022 at 7:51 pm

    My favorite time to be in Europe is during the summer, and I agree, spending time outside of the big cities and just enjoy the beautiful countryside and long days is so relaxing. I hope you can make it back this summer.

  8. Aaron Reply
    May 14, 2022 at 1:17 am

    Spaghettieis daily? I know calories don’t count when you are on vacation, but dang…

  9. PM1 Reply
    May 19, 2022 at 12:44 am

    Beautifully written and well said Matthew. I am also working on getting to a point in a few years where my family and I can slow travel and I can work part-time remotely.

  10. Jeff Reply
    June 16, 2022 at 6:38 pm

    Thumbs up!
    I agree w you on so much of what you shared.

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

Search

Hot Deals for May

Note: Please see my Advertiser Disclosure

Capital One Venture X Business Card
Earn 150,000 Miles Sign Up Bonus
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Earn 100,000 Points
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Earn 75,000 Miles!
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Earn 75,000 Miles
Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Earn $750 Cash Back
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
Earn 120,000 Membership Reward® Points

Recent Posts

  • a woman walking in an airplane with a luggage
    United Airlines Eliminates Instant Upgrades, Excursionist Perk, MileagePlus Upgrade Award Chart May 22, 2025
  • Flight Coffee Allergy
    Passenger Claims She’s Allergic To Coffee Smell, Demands Airline Ban It May 22, 2025
  • Trump Qatar 747-8
    Gift Or Grift? Trump Bets On Qatari 747-8 For Air Force One May 22, 2025
  • United Airlines Domestic Check-In Cutoff
    United Airlines Adjusts Check-In Window For Domestic Flights May 22, 2025

Categories

Popular Posts

  • a room with a table and benches
    Where To Smoke At Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport (CDG) April 26, 2025
  • United Airlines Polaris Lounge Chicago Review
    Review: United Polaris Lounge Chicago (ORD) May 1, 2025
  • United Airlines Refresh Polaris Lounge Chicago
    First Look: United Airlines Reopens Renovated Polaris Lounge In Chicago (ORD) April 29, 2025
  • a hand holding a blue card
    Chase Sapphire Preferred 100K Bonus Offer Ending Soon May 2, 2025

Archives

May 2025
M T W T F S S
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031  
« Apr    

As seen on:

facebook twitter instagram rss
Privacy Policy © Live and Let's Fly All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Live and Let's Fly with appropriate and specific directions to the original content.