Lonely Planet Germany

By Marc Di Duca

Lonely Planet’s Germany is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. Explore the beautiful Black Forest, marvel at Cologne’s cathedral, and cruise along the Rhine; all with your trusted travel companion. Get to the heart of Germany and begin your journey now!

 

Inside Lonely Planet’s Germany Travel Guide: 

Up-to-date information - all businesses were rechecked before publication to ensure they are still open after 2020’s COVID-19 outbreak

NEW top experiences feature - a visually inspiring collection of Germany’s best experiences and where to have them

What's NEW feature taps into cultural trends and helps you find fresh ideas and cool new areas

NEW pull-out, passport-size 'Just Landed' card with wi-fi, ATM and transport info - all you need for a smooth journey from airport to hotel

Improved planning tools for family travellers - where to go, how to save money, plus fun stuff just for kids

Colour maps and images throughout

Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests

Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots

Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, websites, transit tips, prices

Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sightseeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss

Cultural insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - history, people, music, landscapes, wildlife, cuisine, politics

Over 90 maps 

Covers Berlin and around, Hamburg and the North, Central Germany, Saxony, Munich, Bavaria, Stuttgart & the Black Forest, Frankfurt, Southern Rhineland, Cologne, Northern Rhineland, Lower Saxony & Bremen

 

The Perfect Choice: Lonely Planet’s Germany, our most comprehensive guide to Germany, is perfect for both exploring top sights and taking roads less travelled. 

Looking for just the highlights? Check out Pocket Berlin, a handy-sized guide focused on the can't-miss sights for a quick trip.

 

About Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet is a leading travel media company, providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveller since 1973. Over the past four decades, we've printed over 145 million guidebooks and phrasebooks for 120 languages, and grown a dedicated, passionate global community of travellers. You'll also find our content online, and in mobile apps, videos, 14 languages, armchair and lifestyle books, ebooks, and more, enabling you to explore every day. 

 

'Lonely Planet guides are, quite simply, like no other.' – New York Times

 

'Lonely Planet. It's on everyone's bookshelves; it's in every traveller's hands. It's on mobile phones. It's on the Internet. It's everywhere, and it's telling entire generations of people how to travel the world.' – Fairfax Media (Australia)

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lonely Planet
• Release date: Mar 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9781838695439

Book preview

Front CoverLonely Planet Logo

Germany

MapHow To Use This eBookFull Page SamplerbuttonCountry Map

Contents

Plan Your Trip

Welcome to Germany

Germany’s Top Experiences

Need to Know

First Time Germany

What’s New

Month by Month

Itineraries

Germany Outdoors

Eat & Drink Like a Local

Travel with Children

Regions at a Glance

On The Road

BERLIN

Neighbourhoods at a Glance

History

Sights

Tours

Festivals & Events

Sleeping

Eating

Drinking & Nightlife

Entertainment

Shopping

AROUND BERLIN

Potsdam

Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp

Spreewald

Brandenburg an der Havel

Frankfurt (Oder)

Chorin & Niederfinow

HAMBURG & THE NORTH

Hamburg

Around Hamburg

Stade

Lüneburg

Schleswig-Holstein

Lübeck

Travemünde

Kiel

Laboe

Schleswig

Flensburg

Glücksburg

Husum

Sylt

Helgoland

Schwerin & the Mecklenburg Lake Plains

Schwerin

Güstrow

Neubrandenburg

Ludwigslust

Müritz National Park

Neustrelitz

Coastal Mecklenburg – Western Pomerania

Rostock

Warnemünde

Bad Doberan

Baltic Coastal Resorts

Wismar

Stralsund

Rügen Island

Greifswald

Usedom Island

Hiddensee Island

CENTRAL GERMANY

Fairy-Tale Road

Hanau & Steinau

Fulda

Marburg

Nationalpark Kellerwald-Edersee

Kassel

Göttingen

Bad Karlshafen

Hamelin

Bodenwerder

Thuringia

Erfurt

Weimar

Gotha

Kyffhäuser Mountains

Mühlhausen

Thuringian Forest & the Saale Valley

Eisenach

Jena

Harz Mountains

Bad Harzburg

Brocken & Torfhaus

Goslar

Quedlinburg

Thale

Wernigerode

Saale-Unstrut Region

Freyburg

Naumburg

Saxony-Anhalt

Dessau-Rosslau

Gartenreich Dessau-Wörlitz

Halle

Lutherstadt Eisleben

Lutherstadt Wittenberg

Magdeburg

SAXONY

Dresden

Around Dresden

Meissen

Saxon Switzerland

Bastei

Königstein

Bad Schandau

Leipzig & Western Saxony

Leipzig

Chemnitz

Freiberg

Eastern Saxony

Görlitz

Zittau

Bautzen

Herrnhut

MUNICH

History

Sights

Activities

Tours

Festivals & Events

Sleeping

Eating

Drinking & Nightlife

Entertainment

Shopping

Around Munich

Dachau

Schleissheim

Starnberger Fünf-Seen-Land

BAVARIA

Bavarian Alps

Füssen

Oberammergau

Garmisch-Partenkirchen

Mittenwald

Oberstdorf

Bad Tölz

Chiemsee

Berchtesgaden

The Romantic Road

Würzburg

Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Dinkelsbühl

Nördlingen

Donauwörth

Augsburg

Landsberg am Lech

Nuremberg & Franconia

Nuremberg

Bamberg

Bayreuth

Coburg

Altmühltal Nature Park

Eichstätt

Regensburg & the Danube

Regensburg

Ingolstadt

Freising

Landshut

Passau

Bavarian Forest

Straubing

STUTTGART & THE BLACK FOREST

Stuttgart

Ludwigsburg

Swabian Alps Region

Tübingen

Burg Hohenzollern

Schwäbisch Hall

Ulm

The Black Forest

Baden-Baden

Karlsruhe

Freudenstadt

Kinzigtal

Freiburg

Schauinsland

St Peter

Breisach

Feldberg

Titisee-Neustadt

Schluchsee

Triberg

Martinskapelle

Villingen-Schwenningen

Rottweil

Unterkirnach

Lake Constance

Konstanz

Meersburg

Friedrichshafen

Ravensburg

Lindau

FRANKFURT & SOUTHERN RHINELAND

Frankfurt Region

Frankfurt am Main

Wiesbaden

Mainz

Darmstadt

Around Darmstadt

Heidelberg Region

Heidelberg

Speyer

Mannheim

Worms

German Wine Route

Neustadt an der Weinstrasse

Deidesheim

Bad Dürkheim

Romantic Rhine Valley

Rüdesheim Region

Bingen

Burg Rheinstein

Burg Reichenstein

Bacharach

Pfalzgrafstein

Oberwesel

Loreley & St Goar Region

Boppard

Braubach

Koblenz

Moselle Valley

Alken

Burg Eltz

Cochem

Beilstein

Traben-Trarbach

Bernkastel-Kues

Trier

Saarland

Saarbrücken

COLOGNE & NORTHERN RHINELAND

Cologne

Northern Rhineland

Brühl

Bonn

South of Bonn

The Ahr Valley & the Eifel

Aachen

Düsseldorf

Niederrhein (Lower Rhine)

The Ruhrgebiet

Essen

Dortmund

Bochum

Duisburg

Münster & Osnabrück

Münster

Osnabrück

Ostwestfalen

Soest

Paderborn

LOWER SAXONY & BREMEN

Hanover & the East

Hanover

Celle

Bergen-Belsen

Hildesheim

Braunschweig

Wolfenbüttel

Bremen & the East Frisian Coast

Bremen City

Bremerhaven

Worpswede

Oldenburg

Emden

Jever

East Frisian Islands

UNDERSTAND

Understand Germany

History

The German People

Food & Drink

Literature, Theatre & Film

Music

Visual Arts

Architecture

Landscapes & Wildlife

Survival Guide

Directory A–Z

Accessible Travel

Accommodation

Climate

Customs Regulations

Discount Cards

Electricity

Embassies & Consulates

Food

Health

Insurance

Internet Access

Legal Matters

LGBTIQ+ Travellers

Maps

Money

Opening Hours

Photography

Post

Public Holidays

Safe Travel

Telephone

Time

Toilets

Tourist Information

Visas

Volunteering

Work

Transport

Getting There & Away

Entering the Country

Air

Land

Sea

Getting Around

Air

Bicycle

Boat

Bus

Car & Motorcycle

Hitching & Ride-Share

Local Transport

Train

Language

Behind the Scenes

Our Writers

COVID-19

We have re-checked every business in this book before publication to ensure that it is still open after the COVID-19 outbreak. However, the economic and social impacts of COVID-19 will continue to be felt long after the outbreak has been contained, and many businesses, services and events referenced in this guide may experience ongoing restrictions. Some businesses may be temporarily closed, have changed their opening hours and services, or require bookings; some unfortunately could have closed permanently. We suggest you check with venues before visiting for the latest information.

Welcome to Germany

Truth be told, I had to leave my German homeland to learn to love it. From my new perch in Los Angeles, I returned time and again, criss-crossing the country from the wind-whipped North Sea to the jagged Alpine peaks. I’ve cycled through romantic river valleys, sampled fabulous beer and wine, partied to techno till sunrise and stood in awe before sites that have shaped the course of history. Eventually I could no longer resist and decamped to Berlin for good. I haven’t looked back.

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Berliner Dom | PHOTOCREO MICHAL BEDNAREK/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

By Andrea Schulte-Peevers, Writer

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twitterpng @aschultepeevers instagrampng aschultepeevers

For more about, see our writers

Germany’s Top Experiences

1 URBAN IMMERSION

Germany’s cities have more flavours than a jar of jellybeans. They will seduce you with a cultural kaleidoscope that spans the arc from art museums, architectural showpieces and vibrant theatre to tantalising food scenes and high-octane nightlife. Berlin and Munich may hog the spotlight, but you’ll also find ample charm and diversions in smaller cities like Düsseldorf (pictured above), Nuremberg, Leipzig and Bremen.

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VENTURA CARMONA/GETTY IMAGES ©

Berlin

Berlin’s edginess, global food scene and ever-present past never fail to entice and enthral. Visit historical hot spots such as the Reichstag, Brandenburg Gate and Checkpoint Charlie, then feast on a smorgasbord of culture in myriad museums before plunging fearlessly into the sizzling nightlife.

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SEAN PAVONE/GETTY IMAGES ©

Hamburg

On a tour of this cosmopolitan port city, you’ll be swept away by a concert in the striking Elbphilharmonie, sublime canvasses in the Kunsthalle, fresh fish sandwiches on the Elbe and long nights in music clubs that launched the meteoric career of the Beatles.

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Elbphilharmonie | MH-FOTOS/GETTY IMAGES ©

Munich

Munich hands you Alpine clichés in one chic and compact package, but also pulls out plenty of unexpected trump cards under its often bright-blue skies. Discover how folklore, beer halls and age-old traditions happily coexist with sleek BMWs, designer boutiques and high-powered industry.

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Monopteros, Englischer Garten | KUTLAYEV DMITRY/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

2 CRAZY FOR CASTLES

Over centuries Germany has collected castles and palaces the way some people collect stamps. It’s a legacy of the feudal system that saw the territory divided into a jigsaw puzzle of fiefdoms until its 1871 unification. No matter if you pop by mighty fortresses, the ancestral seat of Prussian rulers, ruined robber baron castles along the Rhine or elegant moated palaces in the Münsterland, you’ll feel like you’re being hurled straight into a Brothers Grimm fairy tale.

Schloss Neuschwanstein

Dreamed up by ‘Mad’ King Ludwig II, this frilly, turreted palace rises from the thick Alpine forests like a storybook illustration. Inside, the make-believe continues, with chambers and halls reflecting Ludwig’s obsession with the mythical Teutonic past. The sugary folly even inspired Walt’s castle at Disney World.

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BLUEJAYPHOTO/GETTY IMAGES ©

Schloss & Park Sanssouci

Head to Potsdam for a tour of the petite and giddily rococo royal summer palace (pictured above left) of Prussian King Frederick the Great. Follow up with a spin around the surrounding park dotted with other palaces and buildings, including the playful Chinese House and the massive New Palais.

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MARIO HAGEN/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Munich Residenz

Munich’s prime attraction, this built-to-impress palace complex (pictured above right) reflects the splendour and power of the Wittelsbach clan, the Bavarian rulers who lived here for over 500 years until 1918. Poke around lavishly decorated private quarters, then explore chapels, courtyards, the treasury and a charming rococo theatre.

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PETER TEOH/500PX ©

Top Experiences

3 GATEWAYS TO HEAVEN

More than mere places of worship, Germany’s finest churches and cathedrals are also fabulous architectural monuments and filled with priceless treasures reflecting tastes and acumen through the ages. Their towers and steeples characterise city silhouettes from Cologne to Dresden. In Trier you’ll encounter the country’s oldest Dom, in Ulm the world’s tallest steeple and in Wittenberg the church to whose door Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses.

Kölner Dom

Feel the echoes of the passage of time while craning your neck at this soaring stained-glass-lit, artwork-filled cathedral, then tackle the steep, winding tower steps for spellbinding views of Cologne and the Rhine River.

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MATTHIAS HAKER PHOTOGRAPHY/GETTY IMAGES ©

Frauenkirche

Stand in awe at the ethereal beauty of this domed Dresden landmark that rose from the ashes of WWII bombing with this spitting-image replica of the original in a symbol of resilience and reconciliation.

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LINGLING7788/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Aachener Dom

Pay your respects to Charlemagne, who’s buried in an elaborate golden shrine in this stunning cathedral that also witnessed the coronation of 30 German kings during its 1200-year history.

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ANYAIVANOVA/GETTY IMAGES ©

Top Experiences

4 ROMANCE IN THE AIR

Whether you’re on your honeymoon, celebrating an anniversary or simply wish to escape the daily rut with your loved one, Germany is tailor-made for romance. Meander hand-in-hand along endless Baltic beaches, share a kiss on a mountaintop, drink a toast to love in a lush vineyard, bed down in a medieval castle or surrender to laziness in a chic spa. The only limit is your imagination.

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VALE_T/GETTY IMAGES ©

Rothenburg ob der Tauber

With its neatly restored half-timbered houses enclosed by sturdy ramparts, Rothenburg on der Tauber lays on the medieval cuteness with a trowel and is best experienced on a stroll along moonlit cobbled lanes.

Bamberg

This charmer’s old town (pictured above) is chock-full with Unesco-listed medieval and baroque townhouses and idyllically straddles two waterways. Wrap up an exploration with a mug of Bamberg’s unique Rauchbier (smoked beer).

Christmas Markets

Fall under the spell of Germany’s Yuletide markets, where sugar-roasted almonds, shimmering ornaments and mulled wine are among the irresistible treats awaiting you and your sweetheart. Nuremberg’s Christkindlesmarkt is the most famous.

Top Experiences

5 OUTDOOR ADVENTURE

Spoiled with a virtual pastoral of big-shouldered mountains, gentle river valleys, vertiginous vineyards and other equally lyrical landscapes, Germany is a dream destination for outdoorsy types. So get off that couch and get your blood pumping. Make indelible memories while hiking in a fairy tale forest, surfing the North Sea waves, walking on the ocean floor or swimming in an Alpine lake as blue as Bradley Cooper’s eyes.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen

Whether you’re a downhill daredevil or prefer glissading gently through lovely forest, there’s a trail for you in this fabled Alpine ski resort lorded over by the Zugspitze, Germany’s highest peak.

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Garmisch-Partenkirchen cable car | BERNHARD SCHAFFER/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Black Forest

If it’s back-to-nature moments you’re after, the sylvan Black Forest is the place to linger. Every valley reveals new surprises: half-timbered villages, thunderous waterfalls and even house-sized cuckoo clocks.

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Triberger Wasserfälle | ANDREY_POPOV/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Saxon Switzerland

Ditch the crowds and explore the soul-stirring sandstone pastiche of pinnacles, buttresses, mesas and spires in this national park (pictured above right) near Dresden. Rockhounds are also in their element in these rugged heights.

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STEPHAN LANGHANS/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

6 HIGH ON HISTORY

It’s been quite a wild ride for Germany from the days of marauding tribes to the world’s fifth-largest economy. Follow in the footsteps of countless generations that have shaped the country in ways both good and evil. Stroll through a Roman town gate, visit Charlemagne’s grave or Beethoven’s birthplace, come to grips with Hitler and the Holocaust or find out what it was like to live behind the Iron Curtain.

Trier

Stride in the sandal steps of the ancient Romans who founded this charming city on the Moselle. Many age-of-Caesar vestiges like thermal baths and amphitheatres have survived to this day.

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Trierer Dom | MILOSK50/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Wartburg

This hulking medieval fortress (pictured left)above Eisenach hosted medieval troubadour contests and Protestant reformer Martin Luther, who translated the New Testament into German while in hiding from Catholic Church persecution.

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MATT MUNRO/LONELY PLANET ©

Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer

Find out all you ever wanted to know about the Berlin Wall at this captivating 1.4km long indoor-outdoor exhibit that features vestiges of the original barrier, escape tunnels and border installations.

Top Experiences

7 ODE TO THE AUTO

Ever since Karl Benz invented the first gasoline-powered vehicle back in 1885, Germany has been synonymous with automobiles. In fact, the country has spawned some of the world’s most famous car makers: BMW, Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche, Opel and, of course, Mercedes-Benz. For a peek under the historic hood of these behemoth brands, visit their museums – some in architectural showstoppers – that serve as testaments to their legacy.

Mercedes-Benz Museum

Tour this legendary temple of torque that presents gems from every stage in the company’s history – from the world’s first patented car to the latest hydrogen-powered vehicles – in a futuristic silvery building in Stuttgart.

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BENJAMIN B/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Autostadt

Get an eyeful of Volkswagen’s historic and current product palette, which includes brands like Lamborghini and Porsche, in pavilions sprinkled across the huge ‘Car City’ campus in Wolfsburg.

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EWY MEDIA/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

BMW Museum

Inside a silvery bowl-shaped building in Munich, floating ramps take you past 120 landmark cars and motorcycles, from vintage wheels to concept cars and the latest models.

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ARCHITECT: KARL SCHWANZER; IMAGE: GORAN JAKUS/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

8 MEDIEVAL MAGIC

Characterised by war, pestilence and famine, the Middle Ages were hardly a jolly period in history. Yet today, with their web of narrow cobbled lanes flanked by half-timbered houses festooned with red geraniums, Germany’s medieval villages exude a dreamy, fairy-tale vibe. Some are still encircled by ramparts and so well preserved or restored to have been bestowed with Unesco World Heritage status.

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LEOKS/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Dinkelsbühl

Sweet Dinkelsbühl, which boasts an 8th-century pedigree and is cradled by a fortified wall punctuated by 18 towers, is a must stop on any Romantic Road tour.

Heidelberg

Wander in the footsteps of 19th-century painters and American writer Mark Twain. All were beguiled by Germany’s oldest university town and its romantically ruined hillside castle overlooking the Neckar River (pictured above).

Quedlinburg

Drift around this charming warren of cobbled lanes lined by more than 1400 half-timbered houses, then learn more about their unique construction techniques at the museum in the 13th-century Ständerbau.

Top Experiences

9 HITTING THE RAILS

Slow travel is never more fun than aboard Germany’s historical trains, some of them more than a century old and pulled by steam engines. There’s simply something magical about boarding these iron horses, hearing the train whistle and then watching the world pass by as they belch their way through thick woods and up steep mountainsides, along coasts and rivers, cutting through tunnels and negotiating sharp bends.

Zugspitzbahn

Have your breath quite literally taken away on this pulse-quickening journey – by cogwheel train (pictured top left) and two cable cars – from Garmisch-Partenkirchen up to the top of the Zugspitze, Germany’s tallest mountain.

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MANNINX/GETTY IMAGES ©

Molli Schmalspurbahn

This pint-sized narrow-gauge train (pictured above left) has chugged through gorgeous scenery between Bad Doberan and Heiligendamm on the Baltic coast since 1886.

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AGENCJA FOTOGRAFICZNA CARO/ALAMY ©

Harzer Schmalspurbahnen

The mother lode for narrow-gauge train fans traverses the Harz mountains on three scenic routes, including one climbing to the top of the Brocken (pictured above right), the tallest mountain in northern Germany.

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KUTTIG - TRAVEL - 2/ALAMY ©

Top Experiences

10 A WALK ON THE DARK SIDE

When it comes to sites of calamity, Germany certainly delivers the mother lode. The 20th century alone has brought bloody battles, concentration camps, genocide and an oppressive regime that walled in its own citizens. Rather than sweep its dark history under a carpet of denial, Germany has done an admirable job at accounting for its past and creating memorials that both honour the victims and point the finger at the perpetrators.

Eagle’s Nest

Roosting on a mountaintop high above Berchtesgaden, this sturdy stone mansion (pictured top left) was a birthday gift to Adolf Hitler. Despite its sinister origins, the precipitous road to the top and the Alpine views rarely fail to impress.

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GLIMPSE OF SWEDEN/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Gedenkstätte Bergen-Belsen

Get chills visiting the concentration camp where Anne Frank and her sister Margot perished. First pop into the museum, then reflect on the atrocities on a stroll among memorials and mass graves.

Stasi Prison

Scenes from the Oscar-winning film The Lives of Others were filmed at East Germany’s most notorious prison (pictured left), operated by the Stasi (secret police) until 1989.

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MATYAS REHAK/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Need to Know

For more information, see Survival Guide

Currency

Euro (€)

Language

German

Visas

Generally not required for tourist stays up to 90 days (or at all for EU nationals); some nationalities need a Schengen Visa.

Money

ATMs widely available in cities and towns, rarely in villages. Credit cards are not widely accepted.

Mobile Phones

Mobile phones operate on GSM 900/1800. If you have a European or Australian phone, save money by slipping in a German SIM card.

Time

Central European Time (GMT/UTC plus one hour).

When to Go

03-climate-ger10

High Season (Jul–Aug)

A Busy roads and long lines at key sights.

A Vacancies at a premium and higher prices in seaside and mountain resorts.

A Festivals celebrate everything from music to wine and sailing to samba.

Shoulder Season (Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct)

A Expect smaller crowds and lower prices, except on public holidays.

A Blooming, colourful flowers in spring and radiant foliage in autumn.

A Sunny, temperate weather that’s ideal for outdoor pursuits and exploration.

Low Season (Nov–Mar)

A No queues but shorter hours at key sights, some of which may close for the season.

A Theatre, concert and opera season in full swing.

A Ski resorts busiest in January and February.

Useful Websites

Lonely Planet (www.lonelyplanet.com/germany) Destination information, hotel bookings, traveller forum and more.

German National Tourist Office (www.germany.travel) The low-down on every aspect of travel in Germany, with handy maps and a personal travel planner.

Deutsche Welle (www.dw.com) The latest news in English.

Facts About Germany (www.tatsachen-ueber-deutschland.de/en) Reference tool covering all aspects of German society.

Deutschland Online (www.magazine-deutschland.de) Insightful features on culture, business and politics.

Online German course (www.deutsch-lernen.com) Brush up on your Deutsch with free online lessons – from beginners to advanced.

Important Numbers

Exchange Rates

For current exchange rates see www.xe.com.

Daily Costs

Budget: Less than €120

A Hostel, camping or private room: €15–30

A Low-cost meal or self-catering: up to €8

A Day ticket on public transport: €5–7

Midrange: €120–200

A Private apartment or double room: €60–120

A Three-course dinner at a good restaurant: €30–40

A Couple of beers in a pub or beer garden: €8

Top end: More than €200

A Fancy loft apartment or double in top hotel: from €150

A Sit-down lunch or dinner at top-rated restaurant: €100

A Concert or opera tickets: €50–150

Opening Hours

The following are typical opening hours; these may vary seasonally and between cities and villages. We’ve provided those applicable in high season.

Banks 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday, extended hours usually Tuesday and Thursday, some open Saturday

Bars 6pm to 1am

Cafes 8am to 8pm

Clubs 11pm to early morning

Post offices 9am to 6pm Monday to Friday, 9am–1pm Saturday

Restaurants 11am to 11pm (food service often stops at 9pm in rural areas)

Major stores and super-markets 9.30am to 8pm Monday to Saturday (shorter hours outside city centres)

Arriving in Germany

Frankfurt Airport S-Bahn train lines S8 and S9 link the airport with the city centre several times hourly for €4.90 (11 minutes). Taxis make the trip in 20 to 30 minutes and average €30.

Munich Airport The S1 and S8 trains link the airport with the city centre in 40 minutes (€10.80). The Lufthansa Airport Bus (€10.50) departs every 20 minutes and takes about the same time as the train. A taxi costs about €60.

Getting Around

Germans are whizzes at moving people around, and the public transport network is one of the best in Europe. The best ways of getting around the country are by car and by train.

Train Extensive network of long-distance and regional trains with frequent departures; fairly expensive but numerous deals available.

Car Useful for travelling at your own pace or for visiting regions with no or minimal public transport. Cars can be hired in every town and city. Drive on the right.

Bus Cheaper and slower than trains and with a growing long-haul network. Regional bus services fill the gaps in areas not served by rail.

Air Only useful for longer distances, eg Hamburg to Munich or Berlin to Munich.

For much more see getting around

First Time Germany

For more information, see Survival Guide

Checklist

A Make sure your passport is valid for at least four months

A Make advance bookings for events, travel, accommodation and sights

A Check the airline baggage restrictions

A Alert your credit-/debit-card company

A Organise travel insurance

A Check your mobile/cell phone restrictions

A Find out what you need to hire a car

What to Pack

A Good walking shoes and a daypack for mountain and forest trails

A Travel adapter plug

A Umbrella/raincoat

A Bathing suit

A Sunhat and sunglasses

A Ski gear and multiple layers (in winter)

A Pocket knife

A Curiosity and a sense of humour

Top Tips for Your Trip

A As much fun as it is to tear up the rubber on the autobahn, make sure you get onto some country roads to sample the sublime scenery.

A Go local. A destination’s spirit best reveals itself to those leaving the main sights and walking around a neighbourhood.

A Don’t be shy about chatting to strangers. Most Germans speak at least a few words of English. Ask locals for recommendations.

A Make the most of local money-saving guest cards; look out for the Sparpreis (saver fare) when you book with Deutsche Bahn in advance.

What to Wear

Anything goes, but if you want to blend in, remember that Hamburg, Stuttgart, Frankfurt and Munich are considerably more fashion-conscious than Berlin, Cologne or Dresden. Since the weather is unpredictable, even in summer, bring layers of clothing. A waterproof coat and sturdy shoes are a good idea. Winters can get fiercely cold, so pack gloves, a hat, and a heavy coat and boots. For evening wear, smart casual is the norm, but upmarket places may insist on shoes (not trainers) and trousers or dresses instead of jeans. Jackets and ties are only required in casinos and at the most formal establishments.

Sleeping

Outside of high season, around holidays and during major trade shows it’s generally not necessary to book accommodation in advance.

Hotels Range from mom-and-pop joints to restored castles and international chains.

Hostels Both indie hostels and those belonging to Hostelling International are plentiful.

Ferienwohnungen Furnished flats and holiday homes, particularly prevalent in rural areas. Inexpensive option for families and groups.

Gasthäuser/Gasthöfe Country inns, often in lovely locations, offer cultural immersion and a restaurant.

Pensionen The German version of B&Bs is prevalent in rural areas and offers good value.

Money

Germany is still largely a cash-based society and credit card use is not common. International hotel chains, high-end restaurants, department stores and fancy boutiques usually accept credit cards, but enquire first. Mastercard and Visa are more widely accepted than American Express and Diners Club. ATMs are ubiquitous in towns and cities but not usually in rural areas. ATMs do not recognise PINs with more than four digits.

For more information, see here.

Bargaining

Gentle haggling is common at flea markets; in all other instances you’re expected to pay the stated price. In hotels, you may get a better rate if you’re staying more than one night.

Tipping

Hotels €1 per bag is standard. It’s nice to leave a little cash for the room cleaners (€1 or €2 per day).

Restaurants Bills always include Bedienung (service charge); most people add 5% or 10% unless service was truly abhorrent.

Bars About 5%, rounded to nearest euro. For drinks brought to your table, tip as for restaurants.

Taxis Tip about 10%, rounded to the nearest euro.

Toilet attendants Loose change.

Language

In all but the most off-the-radar places, it is perfectly possible to travel in Germany without speaking a word of German, but life gets easier – and more enjoyable – if you master a few basic phrases. People are more likely to speak English in big cities, the western part of the country and in tourist hot-spots. Things get a little trickier in rural areas, especially in the former East Germany.

Etiquette

Germany is a fairly formal society; the following tips will help you avoid faux pas.

Greetings Shake hands and say ‘Guten Morgen’ (before noon), ‘Guten Tag’ (between noon and 6pm) or ‘Guten Abend’ (after 6pm). Use the formal ‘Sie’ (you) with strangers and only switch to the informal ‘du’ and first names if invited to do so. With friends and children, use first names and ‘du’.

Asking for Help Germans use the same word, ‘Entschuldigung’, to say ‘excuse me’ (to attract attention) and ‘sorry’ (to apologise).

Eating & Drinking At the table, say ‘Guten Appetit’ before digging in. Germans hold the fork in the left hand and the knife in the right hand. To signal that you have finished eating, lay your knife and fork parallel across your plate. If drinking wine, the proper toast is ‘Zum Wohl’, with beer it’s ‘Prost’.

What’s New

Although Germany kept its Covid-19-related mortality rate comparatively low, the virus wreaked serious havoc on its economy and society, exposing strengths and weaknesses that will likely shape the public and political debate for years to come. Will the famous German ingenuity and resilience again lead it to a brighter future?

Berlin Brandenburg Airport Takes off

Berlin’s new central airport, Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) finally took flight on 31 October 2020 after a costly and embarrassing eight-year delay. The former Schönefeld and Tegel airports are now closed, with the latter scheduled to be turned into an urban tech campus.

Humboldt Forum

December 2020 saw the virtual opening of phase 1 of the Humboldt Forum museum and cultural centre that occupies a replica of the Prussian royal city palace constructed in the heart of Berlin. Conceived to create a dynamic dialogue between the arts and sciences, it will eventually house exhibits on the history of the site and on Berlin, the Ethnological and Asian Art museums, an interactive science lab and other spaces.

Medieval Water Management

In the 14th century, when most people dumped their waste straight into the streets, Augsburg began cleaning up its act with a state-of-the-art water management system consisting of canals, towers, pumps, fountains and other technology. Unesco showered the system with World Heritage status in 2019.

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE

WHAT’S HAPPENING

By Andrea Schulte-Peevers, Lonely Planet writer

Germans love to argue, debate and criticise, and the Covid-19 pandemic gave them ample fodder for doing so. While the government’s initial actions – especially the first lockdown – garnered widespread support, missed opportunities like the bungled purchase and distribution of masks and vaccines undermined the public’s trust.

Covid-19 also exposed weaknesses in German society, most notably a significant lag in the field of digitalisation, rooted in Germans’ technophobia and obsession with privacy. In response, the federal government introduced an ambitious new data strategy in January 2021, intended to make Germany a ‘pioneer of digital innovation’.

At the same time, the pandemic revealed the country’s strengths, especially regarding its high-quality, universal healthcare system that helped curb the Covid-19 mortality rate. Science proved to be another winner with researchers at the German company BioNTech being the first to develop an effective Covid-19 vaccine.

The pandemic is poised to be a key issue in the federal election in September 2021. Only one thing is certain: with Angela Merkel retiring after 16 years in office, Germany will have a new chancellor.

Dresden’s Zwinger

Dresden’s number one baroque palace emerged from a major revamp in February 2020, making it possible to once again admire its extraordinary collections of Old Masters and European sculpture through 1800, presented side by side on three floors. Look for works by Vermeer, Cranach, Raphael and other smock-and-beret geniuses.

Beethoven Anniversary

Ludwig van Beethoven, Germany’s most gifted composer, would have turned 250 in 2019, which is why his birthplace of Bonn had planned on throwing him a big, year-long party. With Covid-19 derailing the programme, organisers decided to extend the celebrations until September 2021.

Return of the Night Trains

In cooperation with the Austrian and French railway networks, Deutsche Bahn is planning to bring back travel on night trains on some popular routes, including Amsterdam to Zurich via Cologne (2021) and Berlin to Brussels and Paris (2023).

Making a Splash

Germany got a new watery family attraction in November 2019: Rulantica, in the town of Rust near the French border, has the distinction of being the country’s largest indoor-outdoor water park. It packs no fewer than 25 attractions, including 17 spine-tingling aqua slides, into a complex big enough to hold five football pitches.

Hochmoselbrücke

Straddling the Moselle Valley, this 1.7km road bridge has connected Ürzig and Zeltingen-Rachtig since November 2019, thus providing speedy links to the Frankfurt area and beyond.

Bauhaus Museum Dessau

Since September 2019, exactly 100 years after its founding, fans of the Bauhaus art and design school have been able to learn about its protagonists, concepts and creations in the sparkling new Bauhaus Museum Dessau, described by its Spanish architects as a ‘building within a building’.

LISTEN, WATCH & FOLLOW

For inspiration and up-to-date news, visit www.lonelyplanet.com/germany/articles.

German National Tourist Office (www.germany.travel) The low-down on every aspect of travel in Germany, with handy maps and a personal travel planner.

Deutsche Welle (www.dw.com) The latest German news in English plus fun themed podcasts.

Facts about Germany (www.tatsachen-ueber-deutschland.de/en) Reference tool covering all aspects of German society.

Deutschland Online (www.magazine-deutschland.de) Insightful features on culture, business and politics.

Slow German with Annik Rubens Award-winning podcast with features on culture, society and current events in Germany.

Popcast Monthly podcast by the Goethe Institut featuring new music from Germany.

FAST FACTS

Food trend Plant-based, organic and local food.

Number of breweries Approx. 1500

Eurovision winners 2

Population 83.2 millions

germany-infographic-1

Month by Month

TOP EVENTS

Oktoberfest September

Christmas Markets December

Karneval/Fasching February

Berlin Film Festival February

Kieler Woche June

January

Except in the ski resorts, the Germans have the country pretty much to themselves this month. Short and cold days make this a good time to make in-depth explorations of museums and churches.

2 Mountain Madness

Grab your skis or snowboard and hit the slopes in resorts that range from glam (Garmisch-Partenkirchen) to family-friendly (Bavarian Forest). No matter whether you’re a black diamond daredevil or Sesame Street novice, there’s a piste for you.

February

It’s not as sweltering as Rio, but the German Carnival is still a good excuse for a party. Ski resorts are busiest thanks to school holidays; make reservations.

3 Berlin Film Festival

Stars, directors and critics sashay down the red carpet for two weeks of screenings and glamour parties at the Berlinale, one of Europe’s most prestigious celluloid festivals.

z Karneval (Fasching)

The pre-Lenten season is celebrated with costumed street partying, parades, satirical shows and general revelry. The biggest parties are along the Rhine in Düsseldorf, Cologne and Mainz, but the Black Forest, Munich and samba-crazy Bremen also have their own traditions.

March

Days start getting longer and the first inkling of spring is in the air. Fresh herring hits the menus, especially along the coastal regions, and dishes prepared with Bärlauch (wild garlic) are all the rage.

7 Cebit

Geeks, suits and the merely tech-curious all converge en masse on Hanover’s fairground for the world’s largest digital trade fair.

April

Come April, there’s no escaping the Easter Bunny in Germany. Meanwhile, nothing epitomises the arrival of spring more than the first crop of white asparagus. Germans go nuts for it.

z Maifest

Villagers celebrate the end of winter on 30 April by chopping down a tree for a maypole (Maibaum), painting, carving and decorating it, and staging a merry revelry with traditional costumes, singing and dancing.

z Walpurgisnacht

The pagan Witches’ Sabbath festival on 30 April sees Harz villages roaring to life as young and old dress up as witches and warlocks and parade through the streets singing and dancing.

May

One of the loveliest months, often surprisingly warm and sunny, perfect for ringing in beer garden season. Plenty of public holidays, which Germans turn into extended weekends or miniholidays, meaning busy roads and lodging shortages.

z Labour Day

Some cities host political demonstrations for workers’ rights on May 1, a public holiday in Germany. In Berlin, protests have taken on a violent nature in the past, although now it’s mostly a big street fair.

z Hafengeburtstag

Hamburg lets its hair down in early May at this raucous three-day harbourside festival with a fun fair, music and merriment.

z Vatertag

Father’s Day, now also known as Männertag (Men’s Day), is essentially an excuse for men to get liquored up with the blessing of the missus. It’s always on Ascension Day.

3 International Händel Festival

Göttingen rocks with baroque at its International Händel Festival in mid-May, with a formidable line-up of opera, oratorios and concerts.

z Muttertag

Mothers are honoured on the second Sunday of May, much to the delight of florists, sweet shops and greeting-card companies. Make restaurant reservations far in advance.

z Karnival der Kulturen

Hundreds of thousands of revellers celebrate Berlin’s multicultural tapestry with parties, exotic nosh and a fun parade of flamboyantly dressed dancers, DJs, artists and musicians shimmying through the streets of Kreuzberg.

z Wave-Gotik-Treffen

Thousands of Goths paint the town black as they descend upon Leipzig during the long Whitsuntide/Pentecost weekend, in what is billed as the world’s largest Goth gathering.

2 Stocherkahnrennen

Tübingen’s traditional punting boat race pits rivalling student fraternities against each other in a hilarious and wacky costumed spectacle on the Neckar River.

June

Germany’s festival pace quickens, while gourmets can rejoice in the bounty of fresh, local produce in the markets. Life moves outdoors as the summer solstice means the sun doesn’t set until around 9.30pm.

z Africa-Festival

Europe’s largest festival of African music and culture attracts an estimated 100,000 people to Würzburg with concerts, foods and crafts.

2 Kieler Woche

Around half a million salty types flock to the Baltic Sea each summer when Kiel hosts the world’s biggest boat party, with hundreds of regattas, ship parades, historical vessels and nonstop week-long partying.

3 Bachfest

This nine-day music festival in Leipzig celebrates not only the work of Johann Sebastian Bach but also of other major composers.

z Christopher Street Day

No matter your sexual persuasion, come out and paint the town pink at major gay-pride celebrations in Berlin, Cologne and Hamburg.

July

School’s out for the summer and peak travelling season begins. Pre-book accommodation whether you’re headed to the mountains or the coast. Swimming is now possible in lakes, rivers, and the Baltic and North seas.

3 Samba Festival

This orgy of song and dance in Coburg attracts around 100 bands and 3000 performers from a dozen nations, and up to 200,000 visitors.

3 Schlagermove

Hamburg’s St Pauli quarter reverberates with 1970s disco-pop fun and fashion at this flamboyant street parade reaching from the port area to the Reeperbahn.

3 Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival

Leading international musicians and promising young artists perform during this festival, in castles, churches, warehouses and animal barns throughout Germany’s northernmost state. Held from mid-July until August.

August

August tends to be Germany’s hottest month but days are often cooled by afternoon thunderstorms. It’s the season for Pfifferlinge (chanterelle mushrooms) and fresh berries, which you can pick in the forests.

z Stuttgarter Sommerfest

More than half a million people come out to Stuttgart’s Schlossplatz and Eckensee Lake for this chic four-day festival with open-air concerts, entertainment and culinary treats.

z Kinderzeche

Dinkelsbühl, on the Romantic Road, hosts this 10-day festival featuring children performing in historical re-enactments, along with a pageant and the usual merriment.

3 MS Dockville

This happening music festival hits the south bank of the Elbe in Hamburg in mid-August, with established and up-and-coming musicians in the mix.

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MS Dockville, Hamburg | THOMAS QUACK /SHUTTERSTOCK ©

3 Wagner Festival

German high society descends upon Bayreuth to practise the art of listening at epic productions of Wagner operas staged in a custom-built festival hall. Mere mortals must hope to score tickets via a lottery system.

1 Museumsuferfest

Some 2.5 million culture vultures descend upon Frankfurt’s Museum Embankment in late August to nose around museums, shop for global crafts and enjoy concerts and dance performances along the Main River.

2 Shooting Festivals

More than a million Germans (mostly men) belong to shooting clubs and show off their skills at marksmen’s festivals. The biggest one is in Hanover; the oldest, in Düsseldorf.

6 Wine Festivals

Grapes ripen to a plump sweetness, and the wine festival season starts, with tastings, folkloric parades, fireworks and the election of local and regional wine queens. The Dürkheimer Wurstmarkt is one of the biggest and most famous of these festivals.

September

Often sunny but not too hot. The main travel season is over but September is busy thanks to lots of wine and autumn festivals. Trees may start changing colour towards the end of the month.

1 Erntedankfest

Rural German towns celebrate the annual harvest with decorated church altars, Erntedankzug (processions) and villagers dressed up in folkloric garments.

2 Berlin Marathon

Sweat it out with more than 40,000 runners or just cheer ‘em on during Germany’s biggest street race, which has seen nine world records set since 1977.

6 Oktoberfest

Dust off your Dirndl or squeeze into a strapping pair of Lederhosen for Munich’s legendary beer-swilling, stein-swinging party. There’s no beer fest bigger than this one.

6 Cannstatter Volksfest

Stuttgart’s answer to Oktoberfest, this beer-guzzling bash, held over three consecutive weekends, lifts spirits with oompah bands, carnival rides and fireworks.

3 Reeperbahnfestival

Live music of every imaginable genre cranks up at St Pauli’s venues – from nightclubs to churches – at Hamburg’s biggest bash.

October

Trade-fair season kicks into high gear, affecting lodging prices and availability in cities including Frankfurt, Cologne, Berlin and Hamburg. Tourist offices, museums and attractions start keeping shorter hours. Some close for the winter.

7 Frankfurt Book Fair

Bookworms invade Frankfurt for the world’s largest book fair, held over five days and featuring 7300 exhibitors from more than a hundred countries.

November

This can be a dreary month mainly spent indoors. However, queues at tourist sights are short and theatre, concert, opera and other cultural events are plentiful. Bring warm clothes and rain gear.

z St Martinstag

This festival (10–11 November) honours the 4th-century St Martin, known for his humility and generosity, with a lantern procession and re-enactment of the famous scene where he cut his coat in half to share with a beggar. It’s followed by a stuffed roast-goose feast.

December

Cold, sun-deprived days are brightened by Advent, four weeks of festivities preceding Christmas celebrated with enchanting markets, illuminated streets, Advent calendars, candle-festooned wreaths, home-baked cookies and more. Ski resorts usually get their first snow dusting.

z Nikolaustag

On the eve of 5 December, German children put their boots outside the door hoping that St Nick will fill them with sweets and small toys overnight. Ill-behaved children, though, may find only a prickly rod left behind by St Nick’s helper, Knecht Ruprecht.

7 Christmas Markets

Mulled wine, spicy gingerbread cookies, shimmering ornaments – these and lots more are typical features of German Christmas markets, held from late November until late December. Nuremberg’s Christkindlesmarkt is especially famous.

z Silvester

New Year’s Eve is called ‘Silvester’ in honour of the 4th-century pope under whom the Romans adopted Christianity as their official religion. The new year is greeted with fireworks launched by thousands of amateur pyromaniacs.

Itineraries

Top of the Pops

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2 WEEKS

Bookended by great cities, this road trip is a fine introduction for first-timers that lets you sample the best of German culture, character, architecture and landscapes.

Kick off in Berlin to sample its top-notch museums, old and bold architecture and nice-to-naughty nightlife. Next, drive to showstopping Dresden, sitting proud and pretty in its baroque splendour on the Elbe River. Push south to Nuremberg, with its evocative walled medieval centre, and on to Munich to wrap up a day of palace- and museum-hopping with an evening in a beer garden. Head to Garmisch-Partenkirchen to breathe the fresh Alpine air on an exhilarating train-and-cable-car trip up the Zugspitze, then get up early the next day to beat the crowds swarming ‘Mad’ King Ludwig II’s Schloss Neuschwanstein in Füssen. In the afternoon, point the compass north for the Romantic Road, possibly overnighting in Dinkelsbühl or Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Next, cut west to historical Heidelberg, with its romantically ruined fortress, then north to Worms and Mainz with their majestic Romanesque cathedrals. After a night in enchanting Bacharach, follow the Romantic Rhine through fairy-tale scenery before winding up in cosmopolitan Cologne for church-hopping, great art and rustic beer halls.

Itineraries

Biggest Hits of the South

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2 WEEKS

Follow this driving route linking the most storied stops in Germany’s south, including majestic mountains, legendary rivers, historical towns, half-timbered villages and lordly castles and palaces.

Start in Frankfurt, where you can soak up culture in world-class museums, apple wine in traditional taverns and skyline views from the Main River promenade. Steer northwest to Koblenz, the gateway to the Romantic Rhine, a scene-stealing combo of steeply terraced vineyards, lordly medieval castles and higgledy-piggledy villages. Say hello to the legendary Loreley as you follow the western river bank south, perhaps stopping in postcard-pretty Boppard and fairy-tale-like Bacharach, or fancying yourself knight or damsel for a night in a luxurious castle hotel. The next morning, make a quick stop in Mainz, where Johannes Gutenberg ushered in the information age by inventing moveable printing type.

Next, follow in the footsteps of Mark Twain in bewitching Heidelberg, Germany’s oldest university town, with its imposing hilltop castle. Take a day’s break from culture in Baden-Baden, the legendary spa resort where royals, celebrities, politicians and mere mortals have for centuries frolicked in elegant bathing temples. From here, go cuckoo for the Black Forest, an intoxicating mosaic of forest-cloaked hills, glacial lakes, snug valleys and half-timbered villages such as Gengenbach, Schiltach and Triberg. Build in at least a half-day in student-flavoured Freiburg, with its imposing minster; it’s the place to enjoy crisp local wine al fresco amid tangled cobbled lanes.

From here, cut east to Lake Constance and follow its scenic northern shore, perhaps stopping in pretty Meersburg, at the prehistoric Pfahlbauten (pile dwellings) or in Frie-drichshafen, birthplace of the Zeppelin airship. Overnight in lovely Lindau, a teensy, alley-laced island. You’re now in Bavaria, en route to the fabled Schloss Neuschwanstein in Füssen and on to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, where a train-and-cable-car combo delivers you to the top of the Zugspitze, Germany’s highest Alpine peak. Come back down to earth in a beer hall in Munich before wrapping up your journey with a couple of days of oohing and aahing your way up the Romantic Road. Essential stops include Rothenburg ob der Tauber and Würzburg, from where it’s a quick drive back to Frankfurt.

Itineraries

Tour de Germany

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4 WEEKS

With a month at your disposal, this epic trip offers the mother lode of soul-stirring landscapes and villages but also lets you experience urban edginess in Germany’s top cities. It’s best done by car but a train-and-bus combo is also an option.

Base yourself in Berlin for a few days and add a one-day excursion to park-and-palace-filled Potsdam. Putter around, preferably in a kayak or canoe, the canal-laced Spreewald before embarking on a quick detour to Görlitz on the Polish border, one of Germany’s best-preserved small towns. Set aside two days to get properly acquainted with the cultural riches of Dresden, then continue on to Weimar and Erfurt to walk in the footsteps of Germany’s greatest intellects – from Luther and Goethe to Gropius.

Spend the next three days exploring a trio of evocative medieval gems: compact Bamberg with its romantic old town; the powerhouse of Nuremberg that is also (in)famous for its Third Reich legacy; and Regensburg, a lively university town founded by the Romans and studded with medieval townhouses overlooking the coursing Danube. Wend your way towards Munich via the enchanting Altmühltal Nature Park, best savoured slowly, on foot, by bike or by boat.

Make a study of Munich for a few days, with day trips up the Zugspitze and to King Ludwig II’s Schloss Neuschwanstein. Continue west to Lake Constance, where stops should include enchanting Lindau and picture-perfect Meersburg. Revel in the youthful university spirit of ancient Freiburg for a day, then steer north for scenic drives through the Black Forest, ending in Baden-Baden for the night. Relax in the town’s thermal spas before moving on to Heidelberg, with its ancient student taverns and charismatic ruined castle. Cut across the Rhine to Speyer for a spin around its Romanesque cathedral, then compare it to its upriver cousins in Worms and Mainz.

You’re in the heart of wine country now, so sample the local tipple in idyllic villages such as Bacharach or Boppard as you follow the Romantic Rhine north through dramatic castle-studded scenery. Your grand tour culminates in Cologne; its magnificent cathedral will come into view long before you’ve reached town. Its great museums, Romanesque churches and Rhenish joie de vivre will easily keep you entertained for a day or two.

Itineraries

Hanseatic Highlights

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1 WEEK

This itinerary hops around northern Germany to delightful cities shaped by the sea and a long mercantile tradition rooted in the medieval Hanseatic League. You can drive it, but thanks to fast and direct connections, it’s just as easily done by train.

Kick off in cosmopolitan Hamburg, a maritime city that cradles an elegant historic centre, a converted docklands quarter, the red-brick Speicherstadt (warehouse district) and a gloriously seedy party and red-light district under its self-confident mantle. Venture on to enchanting Lübeck, where the landmark Holsten Gate is a shutterbug’s favourite. Try the delicious local marzipan before heading to pastoral Schwerin, a cultural hub hemmed in by crystalline lakes; sitting pretty on an island in one of them is the much-photographed, golden-domed Schloss Schwerin. Carry on to Bremen, the northern terminus of the ‘Fairy-Tale Road’. After greeting the statue of the Town Musicians, check out expressionist architecture, mummified corpses and the Beck’s brewery before partying until dawn in Das Viertel. Steer north to Bremerhaven, the port of dreams for millions hoping for a better life in the New World. The superb German Emigration Centre tells their story.

Itineraries

Romans, Rivers & Rieslings

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1 WEEK

This scenic journey folds grand architecture, absorbing history, world-class art and fine wine into once enticing package.

Start in Cologne, where you can stand in awe of the twin-spired Kölner Dom, explore museums dedicated to chocolate, contemporary art or sports, and spend an evening guzzling Kölsch beer in a Rhenish tavern. Head to Aachen to walk in the footsteps of Charlemagne and to munch on a crunchy Printen cookie, then travel back in time another few centuries in storied Trier. More than 2000 years old, it’s home to some of the finest Roman monuments north of the Alps. The following day, mosey along the Moselle River, which runs its serene, serpentine course past steep vineyards to meet the Rhine at Koblenz. En route, swoon over crisp Riesling in half-timbered Bernkastel-Kues or fairy-tale Beilstein, then compare it with wines grown in the slate-rich Rhine soil. Follow the Rhine south as it carves past picture-postcard villages including Boppard and Bacharach, craggy cliffs crowned by medieval castles and near-vertical vineyards. Wrap up in Mainz with its grand cathedral and fabulous museum dedicated to moveable type inventor and local boy Johannes Gutenberg.

Plan Your Trip

Germany Outdoors

Rain or shine, Germany’s outdoors is nothing short of extraordinary – whether you’re hiking in dark forests ripe for a Brothers Grimm fairy tale, diving into a gem-coloured Alpine lake, cycling along mighty rivers and lake shores, or schussing down slopes backed by mountains of myth.

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Hiking in the Black Forest | JUERGEN WACKENHUT/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Best of the Outdoors

Best Skiing

Bavarian Alps A holy grail for downhill and cross-country skiers, with titanic peaks, groomed slopes and an impeccable snow record.

Best Hiking

Black Forest Mile after pine-scented mile of trails weaving through forests, mist-enshrouded valleys and half-timbered villages, freshly minted for a fairy tale.

Best Climbing

Saxon Switzerland Sandstone wonderland with an exhilarating 1100 peaks and scenery that moves the soul.

Best Canoeing

Lake Constance Kayak over to Switzerland or Austria and glimpse the Alps on the horizon as you paddle.

Best Cycling

Altmühltal Radweg A ‘Best of Bavaria’ bike ride, taking in river bends and dense forests, ragged limestone cliffs and castle-topped villages.

Hiking & Mountaineering

Wanderlust? Germans coined the word. And their passion for Wandern (walking) is unrivalled. High-altitude treks in the Bavarian Alps, Black Forest hikes over wooded hill and dale, Rhineland vineyard strolls – this country will soon have you itching to grab your boots and stride its 200,000km of well-signposted trails, some traversing national and nature parks or biosphere reserves.

Local tourist offices can help you find a route to match your fitness and time frame, and can supply you with maps and tips. Many offer multiday ‘hiking without luggage’ packages that include accommodation and luggage transfers between hotels.

The Bavarian Alps are Germany’s mountaineering and rock-climbing heartland, whether for challenging ascents, day treks or multiday hut-to-hut hikes. Before heading out, seek local advice and instruction on routes, equipment and weather, as trails can be narrow, steep and have icy patches, even in summer.

The Deutscher Alpenverein (DAV; www.alpenverein.de) climbing association is a goldmine of information and maintains hundreds of Alpine huts, where you can spend the night and get a meal. Local DAV chapters also organise courses and guided treks. Membership can yield a 30% to 50% discount on huts, and other benefits.

Rock Climbing

Clambering around steep rock faces is popular in the crag-riddled heights of central and southern Germany. Rock hounds test their mettle on limestone cliffs in Bavaria’s Altmühltal Nature Park, with climbs from grades 1 to 10. Another klettern (climbing) hotspot, particularly among free climbers, is Saxon Switzerland, with 1100 climbing peaks, routes graded 1 to 12, and exhilarating views over bizarre sandstone rock formations. Most towns have climbing walls where you can limber up. For information see www.dav-felsinfo.de, www.klettern.de or www.climbing.de.

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Rock climbing, Saxon Switzerland | JONATHAN STOKES/LONELY PLANET ©

Best Walks for...

Alpine trekkers

Colossal mountains and jewel-coloured lakes in the Berchtesgaden National Park; a summit ascent to Zugspitze (2962m).

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Skiing, Berchtesgaden National Park | DIETERMEYRL/GETTY IMAGES ©

Family ramblers

Red squirrel-spotting on the trail shadowing Triberger Wasserfälle (163m), Germany’s highest waterfall.

Beachcombers

Bracing sea air atop the wild limestone cliffs of Rügen’s Stubbenkammer; dune walking on Sylt; walking across mudflats to the East Frisian Islands.

Culture cravers

The 410km Lutherweg pilgrimage trail hits major Reformation sites in Thuringia, Hesse, Saxony and Bavaria.

Long-distance hikers

The wild and woody 169km Rennsteig; the 280km Westweg (www.blackforest-tourism.com), the ultimate Black Forest walk.

Wine lovers

Vine-strewn hills in the Rhine Valley; sipping Pinots along the Kaiserstuhl’s 15km Winzerweg.

Birdwatchers

Ospreys, white-tailed eagles and kingfishers in the Müritz National Park.

Escapists

The fir-cloaked hills of the Black Forest and the Bavarian Forest National Park.

Rock fans

The rockscapes of Saxon Switzerland; limestone cliffs in Naturpark Obere Donau.

Cycling

Strap on your helmet! Germany is superb cycling territory, whether you’re off on a leisurely spin along the beach, a downhill ride in the Alps or a multiday freewheeling adventure. In East Frisia, there are ‘Paddle & Pedal’ stations, allowing you to canoe along canals before cycling back. Local tourist offices can give you advice on day trips and you can rent city, mountain and electro-bikes in most towns. Ever the eco-exponent, Germany is making tracks at the moment with a growing network of bike-sharing schemes, including those run by VRNnextbike.

The country is criss-crossed by more than 200 well-signposted long-distance trails covering 70,000km – ideal for Radwandern (bike touring). Routes combine lightly travelled back roads, forestry tracks and paved highways with dedicated bike lanes. Many traverse nature reserves, meander along rivers or venture into steep mountain terrain.

The national cycling organisation Allgemeiner Deutscher Fahrrad Club (www.adfc.de) produces the best maps for on-the-road navigation. These indicate inclines, track conditions, repair shops and UTM grid coordinates for GPS users. The ADFC also offers a useful directory called Bett & Bike (www.bettundbike.de; available online or in bookshops) that lists bicycle-friendly hotels, inns and hostels.

RESPONSIBLE HIKING

A Stick to existing tracks and avoid short cuts that bypass a switchback. If you blaze a new trail straight down a slope, it will turn into a watercourse with the next heavy rainfall.

A Avoid removing the plant life that keeps topsoil in place.

A Make an effort to use toilets in huts and refuges where provided.

A Where there is none, bury your waste. Dig a small hole 15cm deep and at least 100m from any watercourse. Cover the waste with soil and a rock. Use toilet paper sparingly and bury that, too. In snow, dig down beneath the soil.

Top Long-Distance Cycling Routes

Altmühltal Radweg

Rothenburg ob der Tauber to Beilngries; follows the river through the Altmühltal Nature Park; easy to moderate (160km)

Elberadweg

Elbe River from Saxon Switzerland to Hamburg; rolling through wine country, heath and marshland, past Dresden, Dessau and Wittenberg; easy to moderate (860km)

Donauradweg

Neu-Ulm to Passau; a delightful riverside trip; easy to moderate (434km)

Bodensee–Königssee Radweg

Lindau to Berchtesgaden; route running along the foot of the Alps with magnificent views; moderate (418km)

Romantische Strasse

Würzburg to Füssen; though busy during summer, it’s one of the nicest ways to explore this famous holiday route; easy to moderate (359km)

Water Sports & Riverboats

Germany’s lakes, rivers, canals and coasts offer plenty of water-based action, though the swimming season is relatively short (June to September) and water temperatures rarely climb above 21°C.

Slip into a canoe or kayak to absorb the natural rhythm of the waterways threading through the lushly wooded Spreewald and Bavaria’s Altmühltal Nature Park. The lake-dotted wilderness of the Müritz National Park is great for paddle-and-camp trips. Or paddle across Lake Constance to Switzerland and Austria with the Alps on the horizon. The season runs from around April to October and a one-/two-person canoe or kayak costs around €25/30 per day.

Stiff breezes and big waves draw sailors, surfers, windsurfers and kitesurfers to the North Sea and Baltic coasts. Sylt on the North Sea and Rügen on the Baltic have some of the country’s top conditions and schools for water-based activities.

If you’d rather let someone else do the hard work, put your feet up and watch the great outdoors drift past on a riverboat cruise along some of Germany’s greatest rivers (from Easter to October).

High on the list is the Romantic Rhine, where boats drift past vine-covered hills, cliffs crowned with robber-knight castles and picturesque villages. Or combine wine-tasting with a mini-cruise along the Moselle between Koblenz and Trier, each bend in the river revealing vine-draped loveliness.

In Berlin you can mix sightseeing with a meander along the Spree, in Hamburg the Elbe, in Passau the Danube, and in Stuttgart the Neckar. For a taste of history, hop aboard a paddle-wheel steam boat in Dresden or a punt in Tübingen.

Best Water Activities

Canoeing and camping

Take to the glorious forest-rimmed lakes of the Müritz National Park, where you can canoe, camp and enjoy the off-the-radar silence and birdwatching.

Surfing

Surf is up on the wavy North Sea island of Sylt, where you can hire a board or take lessons.

Romantic river cruising

Take in scenic and historical views on a cruise along the Romantic Rhine.

Kayaking and mountain-gazing

Hire a kayak on Lake Constance and paddle over to Switzerland and Austria, with the Alps looming on the horizon.

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Kayaking, Spreewald | ALEXANDER WEICKART/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Windsurfing and kitesurfing

Try your hand at windsurfing and kitesurfing by harnessing the fabulous breezes on the Baltic island of Rügen.

Boat trips and wine tasting

Enjoy wine tasting on board a mini-cruise along the Moselle between Koblenz and