Travel in Germany and find out the beauty of Germany and the hospitality of its people make it a magnet for visitors from all over the world. This volume sets out to show you how to be a good and sensitive guest. The German people have a strong sense of social responsibility, and the guidelines given in these pages will prepare you to fit in with the social rules and regulations they live by in order to ensure a secure and harmonious lifestyle.
Key facts
Official name: Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Capital city: Berlin; Population:81 million (July 2014); Language: German official; Time zone: CET (Central European Time). UCT/GMT + 1 hour
Places to visit in Germany
Travel in Germany will show you an interesting and rich history narrated by the old-fashion and colorful architecture, castles, palaces, cathedrals and monuments themselves, its landscapes, mountains and forests, delicious food and beer, Germany remains one of the top destinations in the world for travelers.
Berlin Wall
The official purpose of this Berlin Wall was to keep so-called Western “fascists” from entering East Germany and undermining the socialist state, but it primarily served the objective of stemming mass defections from East to West.
Oktoberfest
The world’s biggest excuse for a beer.
Schloss Neuschwanstein
Commissioned by Bavaria’s most celebrated (and loopiest) 19th-century monarch, King Ludwig II,
Neuschwanstein Palace rises from the mysterious Alpine forests like a bedtime storybook illustration.
Inside the make-believe continues, with chambers and halls reflecting Ludwig’s obsession with the mythical Teutonic past and his admiration for composer Wagner, in a composition that puts even the flashiest oligarch’s palazzo in the shade. This sugary folly is said to have inspired Walt’s castle at Disneyland.
The Romantic Rhine
As the mighty Rhine flows from Rüdesheim to Koblenz, the landscape’s unique face-off between
rock and water creates a magical mix of the wild (churning whirlpools, dramatic cliffs), the agricultural
(near-vertical vineyards), the medieval (hilltop castles, half-timbered hamlets), the legendary (Loreley) and the modern (in the 19th-century sense – we’re talking barges, ferries, passenger steamers and trains). From every riverside village, trails take you through vineyards and forests, up to panoramic viewpoints and massive stone fortresses.
Dresden
Dresden, nicknamed the Florence on the Elbe, is a vibrant riverfront city filled with Baroque and Rococo architecture.
The Black Forest
Germany’s Black Forest is known for its dark pine forests, picturesque villages with half-timbered houses, spa towns, and rushing waterfalls. It is home to the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tales, the world’s largest cuckoo clock, and the highest non-alpine mountains.
Heidelberg
Heidelberg is considered one of the most beautiful cities in Germany. The picturesque ensemble of the castle, the Old Town, and the river Neckar surrounded by hills, which inspired the poets and artists of romanticism, still fascinates millions of visitors from all over the world today.
Hamburg
Hamburg is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and radiates an incomparable charm. Travel in Germany, Hamburg and explore the most beautiful sights, attend unique events or feast in the most delicious restaurants & cafés.
Nuremberg
Capital of Franconia and an independent region until 1806, Nuremberg may be synonymous with
Nazi rallies and grisly war trials, but there’s so much more to this energetic city. Dürer hailed from the
Altstadt, his house now a museum; Germany’s first railway trundled from here to neighbouring Fürth, leaving a trail of choo-choo heritage; and Germany’s toy capital has heaps of treasures for kids to enjoy.
Mercedes museum, Stuttgart
The exhibition concept of the Mercedes-Benz Museum is as unrivalled as the tradition of the company: on nine levels covering 16,500 square metres, 160 vehicles, more than 1500 exhibits in all, presented on two connected tour routes, can be viewed.
Wurst
Germany’s most iconic sausage, from pale, lemony Weisswurst to Currywurst with ketchup and curry powder.
Rügen
Rügen is very popular as a tourist destination because of its resort architecture, the diverse landscape and its long, sandy beaches.
German wine
German winemakers do produce red wine, and yes, it’s quite good. The quality is actually rising with each vintage. Red grapes now account for over a third of vineyard plantings in Germany, which might surprise those who automatically associate the country with its signature Riesling grape.
Skiing, Garmisch- Partenkirchen
Garmisch-Partenkirchen boasts over 60 kilometers (37 miles) of ski slopes of varying difficulty, impeccably-groomed slopes, 17 cutting-edge ski lifts, and welcoming ski huts for breaks.
Germany’s climate
Germany’s climate is temperate and marine. The northern lowlands are slightly warmer than the mountainous south, which gets most of the rain and snow. The average rainfall is 23–27 inches (600–700 mm) a year. Temperatures range from 21°F (–6°C) in the mountains, and 35°F (1.5°C) in the lowlands, in winter, to 64°F (18°C), and even 68°F (20°C) in the valleys, in summer.
Christmas Markets
if you travel in Germany at the and of the year, Christmas markets are a popular tourist attraction, and attract millions of visitors each year. There are over 2,500 Christmas markets in Germany alone. The largest Christmas market in the world is located in Dresden, with over 250 stalls. The Dresden market is also one of the oldest, dating back to 1434.
New Year’s Eve
December 31 is New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day on January 1 is a public holiday. It’s a noisy affair with champagne and fireworks everywhere. Bells are rung in the churches to usher in the New Year, and
in some places hot lead is dropped into water and the resulting strange shapes used to tell fortunes. Good luck charms may be exchanged, containing marzipan or chocolate images of horseshoes, ladybirds, four- leafed clovers, or even chimney sweeps and little pigs.
Work and Social life in Germany
Most Germans have a small, closely knit circle of friends, and a wider network of acquaintances. Their friendships are generally formed at school and university, and are often quite local. American and British people tend to have more friends, but the relationship is often looser. For the Germans friendships are made much more slowly, but once made are closer and last for life. So it is important for visitors to Germany to recognize that friendships are not made quickly or casually, and are not formed in the office. It is also important to remember that the Germans keep private and public life separate.
So where do you meet Germans, and how do you make friends? The Germans work hard during working hours, but also play hard outside them. Many are also quite fit—so sports clubs and leisure activities play
a large part in many Germans’ lifestyles.
Beer and Food
The excellence of its famous beer derives from the sixteenth-century Reinheitsgebot, the world’s oldest food purity law. Germany’s food culture is traditionally characterized by wholesome but hearty dishes, yet the impact of immigration, travel and culinary ambition has been powerful, and modern German cuisine is lighter and more international in flavour. Though the dangers of overindulgence are ever present, so too is the antidote. The tradition of the Kur or spa visit has endured to a far greater extent in Germany than elsewhere, and there are innumerable spa towns up and down the country.
Much of the country receives its maximum rainfall in midsummer, so although the weather in June, July and August can be very warm, it can also be unpredictable. For more settled weather with sunshine and comfortable temperatures, late spring and early autumn – May, September and early October – are well worth considering: the Germans don’t call the harvest season “goldener Oktober” for nothing. The ski season in the Alps runs between Christmas and the end of March.
Germany’s climate straddles the maritime climates of the western European seaboard and the more extreme conditions found further east. The prevailing wind is from the west, so that the mild climate of the Rhineland and North Sea coast quite closely resembles that of the UK or Ireland. Winters are more severe further east, while heading south the effects of steadily increasing altitude ensure Munich’s summers are no warmer than those of Berlin. The balmiest climate in Germany is found in the wine-growing southwest, where it’s not unusual to see lavender, Mediterranean pine, almond and even lemon trees.
Where to stay?
Breathe a sigh of relief. Wherever you go in Germany, no matter how simple the accommodation, the hotels will be clean and efficient, with hot water showers that work. The Germans expect quality and efficiency, and by and large they get it.
German hotels are characterized by five grades or stars, each grade offering a specific number and type of facilities. Gasthäuser (hotels) are quite expensive, but Hotels garnis (bed and breakfast) or Gasthöfe (bars with rooms) are more reasonable. Pensionen, which give a minimal breakfast, are cheaper still.
You can also look at other posts