Beautiful and bold, today's Germany is an economic powerhouse with progressive culture. Many visitors are also interested in the Germany of old - dark forests, fairytale castles, friendly beer gardens, alpine pastures, and, of course, the two World Wars.
Whatever your reasons for visiting Germany, you are bound to find surprises, the same can be said for many of the best places to stay in Germany.
Notable Spots
Berlin is exciting. It's one of the most fascinating world capitals, now a glamorous financial and cultural powerhouse, but in recent memory a gritty and dangerously divided city. There are iconic sights everywhere you look, both old and new. Even the communist ruins have been attacked with colour by street artists and are now strange galleries to the dramatic changes this city has seen in the last few decades. You can still walk along the Berlin Wall, past Checkpoint Charlie, or see the many monuments to WWII, but look further back and you'll see the grandeur of the Prussians. Or instead choose to live in the artsy, foodie, lively present where Hollywood blockbusters are filmed and the most forward-thinking international artists call home.
Munich, Frankfurt and Hamburg vie with each other to be the second city. Of these three, Munich is probably the city more visitors are interested in - with a beautiful location on a river plain in Upper Bavaria. Carefully restored Bavarian architecture, beer, sausage and a reputation for very high standards of living. The city's charming motto: ‘München mag dich’ (Munich Loves You) probably helps people feel welcome even before they hit the friendly pubs. Munich is definitely the centre of Germany during Octoberfest, but throughout the rest of the year it gives Berlin a run for its Euro with a collection of museums and galleries, but still retains a charming nationalistic provincialism that makes it feel somehow more German.
As Germany's largest port, Hamburg has always been an open, cosmopolitan city and these days it is also the wealthiest, rich on media as well as the shipping trade. It doesn't have the international kudos of Berlin or Munich, but it's a vibrant place to visit, home to a wonderful blend of cultures, trends and traditions. There's plenty of development going on as well as plenty of fun to be had! Meanwhile, there's also Frankfurt, Germany's business capital - with glistening skyscrapers and industrious bustle. It's not the most obvious destination for a city break, but there are some really beautiful buildings around Römer Square and Frankfurt's museum scene is second only to Berlin's. This is also Germany's fashion capital.
If you have time to get away from the cities then you'll love the fairytale beauty of Bavaria and the Black Forest, or you can head off exploring the wonderful traditions of the Rhineland and see something of 'old Germany'. Enjoy a spa break in Baden Baden, visit Cologne's amazing cathedral, or swoon at the beauty of Heidelberg: timbered, Baroque Germany at its best, the inspiration for many a song, poem, story or painting.
What Not To Miss
- Hamburg's Miniatur Wunderland is a spot that the whole family will love. The world's largest model train exhibit, it covers not only Germany's landscape but also those of a number of European countries, as well as having a WWII exhibit. A delightful visit!
- Europa-Park is one of the world's most popular theme parks - drawing in over 5 million visitors a year. There are lots of different areas, offering plenty of rides as well as restaurants, focussing on a variety of cultural themes. You'll be pleased to hear that the waiting times are not nearly as bad as Disneyland.
- Cologne's Cathedral is stunning - and you'd hope so, as it has been under construction for over 500 years! This magnificent Gothic structure features stunning architecture as well as boasting superb views of the city.
- Head around Stuttgart's Mercedes-Benz Museum with an audio guide and marvel at the collection of automobiles on display. This is so much more than just a car museum though, as they intersperse world history with that of their company to great effect.
- The architecture of Rothenburg's charming Old Town is as quintessentially German as it gets. Wander around for a few hours and feel transported back in time to the Middle Ages.
As always, to be sure of booking one of the best places to stay in Germany then plan ahead.