Here, you'll see the lovely old canals that lead to and from the harbor area, crisscrossed by a network of lovely bridges. If you're lucky enough to be able to spend more than a few hours, be sure to take in the city's top family attraction — and the world's largest train set — the incredible International Maritime Museum.
Accommodation: Where to Stay in Hamburg. Dresden's cathedral. Thanks to its location just a few miles away from Germany's border with the Czech Republic, the historic city of Dresden makes a great base from which to explore not just the eastern part the country, but also Eastern Europe, too. Situated in a low-lying area of the upper Elbe valley, the city was first populated for its fertile lands, beautiful setting, moderate climate, and its access to important European trade routes.
After centuries of growth under the old Saxon kings, the vast majority of Dresden's magnificent city center — once known as Germany's "jewel box" for its fine Rococo and Baroque architecture — was destroyed during bombing in WW2, but in the past few decades has been rebuilt and now once again stands as one of the country's leading cultural and entertainment hubs.
Nowhere is this remarkable story of rebirth more evident than in Dresden's famous cathedral, the Frauenkirche. Built in , the spectacular building - at the time considered the most beautiful Baroque church in Europe - was utterly destroyed in However, dedicated city dwellers carefully catalogued and stored every part of the ruined cathedral and finally saw it returned to its former glory in It's a breathtaking marvel of ingenuity and persistence, and in addition to the many other restored attractions found here - including the Neumarkt, the city's main square, along with its many museums and art galleries - makes Dresden a must-visit city in Germany.
Accommodation: Where to Stay in Dresden. The Gohlis Palace, Leipzig. Famous for its traditional fairs and markets including a fantastic Christmas Market , Leipzig is well worth including on your Germany travel itinerary. Located amid picturesque scenery in the Saxon Lowlands at the junction of the Weisse Elster and the Pleisse rivers and an easy hour-long train ride from Berlin, Leipzig has long been an important center for trade and commerce, which in turn led to its rise as one of the country's leading centers of art, culture, and education.
It's a legacy that lives on to this day, with its long tradition as a center of literature and learning visible everywhere, from its international book fairs to its status as the home of the German National Library. These days, Leipzig has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in all of eastern Germany thanks to its rich cultural and musical heritage it's also widely regarded as one of the best cities in Europe in which to live.
In addition to its fine historic architecture, a walking tour will take you past countless great places to shop and dine, as well as many pleasant parks and green spaces, including the city's lovely botanic gardens. Other places to visit that provide an insight into the city's important place in Germany's history include the huge Battle of the Nations Monument , built in to commemorate the defeat of Napoleon years prior, and the Old City Hall , a popular spot to congregate around for its setting in the historic Market area of Leipzig.
Accomodation: Where to stay in Leipzig. Marktplatz, Dusseldorf. Its reputation as a young, vibrant, and trendy place to visit has as much to do with its status as one of Germany's leading university cities as it does its rich cultural history. Long known for playing a role in shaping and influencing the country's arts and fashion tastes, it's a surprisingly fun destination to explore on foot.
Circling the downtown core, these include Nordpark home to a pleasant Japanese garden and the Hofgarten. Both parks are large and can occupy many hours traversing them, but it's time well spent.
End your walking tour along the Rhine Embankment Promenade Rheinuferpromenade. Germany Travel Guide. Written by Bryan Dearsley Updated Jun 23, We may earn a commission from affiliate links Not only is Germany the economic powerhouse of the European Union EU , it just so happens to be one of the best places to visit for those seeking an authentic, exciting vacation on the "continent.
Berlin Brandenburg Gate If you're only ever able to make a single trip to Germany, you'll want to spend at least a few days in Berlin. Munich Munich The capital of the state of Bavaria and one of Germany's largest cities, Munich owes much of its popularity as a tourism destination to its location on the outer edge of the beautiful Bavarian Alps.
Aerial view of Marienplatz in Munich Another reason Munich has attained a place as one of Germany's most popular tourist destinations is its historic city center. Medieval Rothenburg Medieval Rothenburg in the summer If there's a single travel destination in Germany that encapsulates all that's wonderful about this amazing country, it's the old town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Burgtor Castle Gate in Rothenburg For a real treat, try to book a night or two's stay in the medieval old town center.
Cologne Cologne at sunset Cologne is another of those wonderful old German cities that has managed to preserve its past for modern generations to enjoy. Rheinstein Castle in the Rhine Valley Koblenz also serves as a superb jumping-off point for explorations of the beautiful Rhine Valley. Kurhaus in the Kurgarten, Baden-Baden The Kurgarten is also where the majority of the town's top events and festivals are held, from pop and classical concerts to the popular Christmas Market.
After many years, the city has restored much of its former glory. The capital of the federal state of Saxony, Dresden is one of the largest urban districts in Germany, serving as an important center of government and culture. The Old Town also contains a number of historic sites like the stunning Frauenkirche cathedral. Impressive art galleries and museums abound in the city, particularly the Green Vault, which houses thousands of exquisite precious gems, jewelry pieces and fine art works.
An important culture center, Dresden boasts many cultural institutions of which the Semper Opera is most widely esteemed. Amid the bustling city, open green spaces like the Big Garden offer outdoor leisure activities and relaxation while the River Banks presents summer sports, barbecues, concerts and outdoor cinema.
Getting around the city center is easy by walking, cycling and bike taxis. Accommodation: Where to Stay in Dresden. See also: Top Dresden Attractions.
Rothenburg is also famous for the stores that carry Christmas items all year round and for having an outstanding Christmas market each December. Overlooking the banks of the Tauber River, the Franconian town looks very much as if it has just emerged out of a fairytale. Beautiful old buildings can be found within its ancient walls.
Be sure to visit the Town Hall , the seat of city government since medieval times. The US Secretary of War called off bombing raids to protect and preserve its history and heritage. Nowadays, however, its picture-perfect nature means that Rothenburg ob der Tauber can get quite crowded.
It is well worth staying the night, as when evening falls, most tourists depart, and peace and romance returns to its lovely lamplit streets. George House, it is no wonder that Heidelberg is a popular tourist attraction.
Not far from the Old Town is Thingstatte, an outdoor amphitheater, originally constructed by the Nazi regime to promote propaganda events. Today, this intriguing site is the scene of concerts, celebrations and other special events.
Accommodation: Where to Stay in Heidelberg. See also: Heidelberg Attractions. Set in a scenic spot at the foot of the Alps, Fussen is the last stop on the Romantic Road and can be found right in the south of Bavaria, just a kilometer from the Austrian border. While the enchanting town is well worth exploring in itself, most people visit for the three fairytale castles that lie nearby.
Although Hohenschwangau and Hohes Schloss look impressive with their prominent hilltop positions, arresting architecture, and imposing turrets and towers, the real showstopper is Neuschwanstein Castle. Fussen has a quaint, well-preserved old town that is home to pretty, pastel-colored buildings and the 9th century St. The nearby hills and mountains also have countless nature trails for visitors to explore, which boast breathtaking views.
Best known as the origin of the world famous Oktoberfest , Munich is a major international hub for research and technology. However, Munich is not all business. The city center is an attractive blend of classic and modern architecture, teeming in historic churches, medieval walls and royal palaces as well as bustling shopping centers and art galleries.
The Prussian kings created a baroque dream, while their successors added neoclassical monuments. Since , the cultural treasure of Potsdam, including the palaces of Sanssouci, Neuer Garten, Babelsberg, Glienicke and Pfaueninsel island, along with their palaces, have been recognized as Unesco World Heritage sites.
You could begin your tour of central Potsdam at the Old Market, the main square of the city, where the church of St Nikolai, the Lustgarten and the City Hall form an aristocratic complex. The neighbouring Luisenplatz square connects the baroque Brandenburger Strasse to the tree-lined entrance of Sanssouci park and palace.
Friedrich the Great designed his summer palace himself and it is today a perfect example of rococo architecture. And it is here where the bones of the three kings are kept — yes, those bearing the gifts for the newborn Jesus Christ. The old town spreads around the cathedral to the west shores of the river Rhine. Kiel is the capital of the Schleswig-Holstein state, and a key waterway linking Germany with the Baltic. Its strategic position on the Bay of Kiel allowed it to become the centre of shipbuilding and navigation during the 19th century.
Today, the city is known as the Capital of Sailing and it is the proud host of the Kiel Regatta , the greatest sailing event in the world and the largest summer festival in northern Europe. The Laboe Naval Memorial, standing between Kiel and the neighbouring town of Laboe is a magnificent dedication to sailors in the world wars. The view from the top is worthwhile, since the landscape of Kiel is relatively flat. Even though maritime tradition seems to dominate the stage, the city has much more to offer.
Munich is the Bavarian capital built on the shores of Isar, the biggest tributary river of the Danube. The first inhabitants of the city were Benedictine monks, after whom the city is named. The Oktoberfest celebrations and the gigantic brezels may be what immediately springs to mind, but for some this is the least appealing side of the city, as the prices rocket and more than three million tourists swarm the streets looking for beer-tasting experiences.
Munich is one of the best cities to visit in Germany and is generally quiet, with a history that goes back to the 12th century. It has wonderful parks and gardens, great museums and a big selection of cuisines and markets, varying from massive department stores to tiny flea markets. Unfortunately, the historical centre was badly damaged during the war, but it was reconstructed to be remarkably similar to the original. Characteristic examples are the Frauenkirche and the City Hall with the famous Glockenspiel , a clock with statues that come to life each hour.
The capital of the free state of Saxony charms its visitors with a mixture of tradition and scenic landscapes. A walk through the dreamy city centre, which used to be the seat of the rulers and kings of Saxony, reveals the beauty of Dresden, often characterized as the Florence of the Elbe. From every riverside village, trails take you through vineyards and forests, up to panoramic viewpoints and massive stone fortresses, and back to a romantic evening spent sampling the local wines.
The 10 best road trips in Germany. The 19th-century romantics found sublime beauty and spiritual inspiration in Heidelberg , Germany's oldest university town, and so, in his way, did Mark Twain, who was beguiled by the ruins of the hillside castle. Generations of students have attended lectures, sung lustily with beer steins in hand, carved their names into tavern tables and, occasionally, been sent to the student jail.
All of this has left its mark on the modern-day city, where age-old traditions endure alongside world-class research, innovative cultural events and a sometimes raucous nightlife scene. The apocalypse came on a cold February night in — hours of carpet-bombing reduced Dresden , nicknamed Germany's "Florence on the Elbe," to a smouldering pile of bricks.
The dead Dresden's comeback is nothing short of a miracle. Reconstructed architectural jewels pair with stunning art collections that justify the city's place in the pantheon of European cultural capitals.
Add to that a contagiously energetic pub quarter, Daniel Libeskind's dramatically redesigned Military History Museum and a tiara of villas and palaces lining up along the river and you've got one enticing package of discovery.
There was a time when Trier was the capital of Western Europe. Okay, that time was years ago, when Emperor Constantine ruled the fading Roman Empire from here. Nowhere else in Germany has the Roman legacy survived as beautifully and tangibly as in this charming town with its ancient amphitheater, thermal baths and Porta Nigra city gate — Unesco noticed, designating nine World Heritage sites.
Today, Germany's oldest city is as unhurried as the Moselle River it sits on, within a grape toss of the country's finest — and steepest — vineyards. Why Germany is the best place to countdown to Christmas. At unexpected moments you see it: Cologne's cathedral , the city's twin-towered icon, looming over an urban vista and the timeless course of the Rhine. You can feel the echoes of the passage of time as you sit in its soaring stained-glass-lit and artwork-filled interior.
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