Germany Tours, Sightseeing & Things to do Tarvel Info
Travel tips for your trip to Germany Hotel Maps Famous Places in Germany helps you to make your trip to Germany in the holiday a Splendid One
Bavarian Alps
Forming a long natural divide along the Austrian border, the Bavarian Alps are a strikingly attractive sight. Outdoor enthusiasts will be in their element, with skiing, hiking and canoeing options aplenty, while a selection of top-notch spas cater for those more intent on relaxation.
Black Forest
No part of the German countryside is as storied as the Black Forest: a dense, green mountain range in the southwest. As well as its photogenic beauty and sky-high peaks, the forest is also home to a large number of small character-rich towns.
Christmas markets
The run-up to Christmas sees the towns and cities of the nation come alive with traditional street markets. Toys, gingerbread and handmade items are among the items sold, while warming glühwein (mulled wine) forms an integral part of the experience.
Cycling
Germany has more than 200 long-distance cycle ways to choose from, giving options to cyclists everywhere from riverside paths and pretty towns to major cities and mountain-bike trails. There are few better ways of taking in the diversity of the country.
Documenta Art Exhibition
Widely considered one of the world's most important exhibitions of modern and contemporary art, Documenta (www.documenta.de) takes place every five years in the town of Hassel in northern Germany. The next edition is scheduled to take place over four months in mid-2012.
Dresden
The Second World War left Dresden in a sorrowful state of ruin, but the city has recovered sufficiently to become a spirited and arty (not to mention good-looking) destination. Of most note is the resurrected Frauenkirche church, destroyed by firebombing but rebuilt to wonderful effect.
Essen
The European Capital of Culture for 2010 was once best known as being a mining town, but has since grown into a multicultural example of modern Germany, with a heavy emphasis on both industry and art. A fitting place to try and understand what makes the country tick.
Football
Take in a football match. Germany's top teams include Bayern Munich, Hamburg, Bayer Leverkusen, Hertha Berlin, Schalke 04 and Werder Bremen. Many of the stadia are new, having been built for the highly successful 2006 World Cup tournament staged in the country.
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main is best known as a financial centre (its gleaming office-block skyline has been coined 'Mainhattan') but there's much to draw cultural tourists too. Its historic core dates back to medieval times, and several attractive landmark buildings remain.
Hamburg
This northern port city is another with rich pickings for tourists. It's the second largest metropolis in the country and, as a result, a colourful, cosmopolitan place to visit. Retrace the steps of The Beatles on the Reeperbahn, or dive into the wealth of heritage sites.
Heidelberg
Boasting a glorious woodland setting on the broad Neckar River, Heidelberg draws large numbers of visitors with its mixture of historical attractions and annual events. The town has a history of drawing academics, and is famed for its riverside Philosophers' Walk (Philosophenweg).
Love Parade
An open-air dance music festival born in Berlin in the aftermath of reunification, Love Parade (www.loveparade.de) has gone on to become one of the most eagerly anticipated events of the year. It takes place almost every year, not always in Berlin, and has spawned numerous spin-offs around the world.
Ride a steam train
As well as a high-spec modern rail network, Germany also boasts several stretches of working narrow-gauge lines still used by steam trains. These are mainly found in Saxony, the Black Forest and the Harz mountain region. The country also has some interesting rail museums.
The Rhine
The Rhine (spelt Rhein in German) is one of the longest rivers in Europe, and one of its most impressive to boot. Take a cruise from Koblenz past fairytale castles, pretty villages and the imposing Lorelei Rock, legendary home of a siren who lures boatmen to their demise.
Vineyards
Getting to know the world-famous wineries of the Moselle Valley is a rewarding way to take rural Germany at a slow pace. The culture's traditional, the scenery's grandly romantic, and the wine itself is well worthy of extensive acquaintance.
Walking
The size and scope of the country - with its mountain ranges, tidal shores and mighty forests - makes Germany a hikers' paradise. Many of the trails are divided into convenient stages with inns and guest houses providing accommodation.
Weimar
A must for culture vultures. The southern 1,000-year-old town of Weimar has been home to many great men, including Goethe, Luther, Bach, Liszt, Wagner and Schiller. An important creative centre of the past, the city experienced its golden age in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Shopping in Germany
Germany offers the range and variety one would expect from such a large, developed country - if you want it, you'll find it - but special purchases include precision optical equipment such as binoculars and cameras, porcelain, handmade crystal, silver, steelware, Solingen knives, leatherwear, sports equipment, toys from Nuremberg and Bavarian Loden cloth. Special purchases in eastern Germany include musical instruments, wooden carved toys from the Erzgebirge Mountains and Meissen china (the workshops in Meissen are open to the public). Cuckoo clocks, contrary to popular myth, did not originate in Switzerland, but in the Black Forest region.
Shopping hours:
Most large shops are open Mon-Fri 0900-2000 and Sat 0900-2000. All shops, except a few bakeries, are closed on Sunday.
Forming a long natural divide along the Austrian border, the Bavarian Alps are a strikingly attractive sight. Outdoor enthusiasts will be in their element, with skiing, hiking and canoeing options aplenty, while a selection of top-notch spas cater for those more intent on relaxation.
Black Forest
No part of the German countryside is as storied as the Black Forest: a dense, green mountain range in the southwest. As well as its photogenic beauty and sky-high peaks, the forest is also home to a large number of small character-rich towns.
Christmas markets
The run-up to Christmas sees the towns and cities of the nation come alive with traditional street markets. Toys, gingerbread and handmade items are among the items sold, while warming glühwein (mulled wine) forms an integral part of the experience.
Cycling
Germany has more than 200 long-distance cycle ways to choose from, giving options to cyclists everywhere from riverside paths and pretty towns to major cities and mountain-bike trails. There are few better ways of taking in the diversity of the country.
Documenta Art Exhibition
Widely considered one of the world's most important exhibitions of modern and contemporary art, Documenta (www.documenta.de) takes place every five years in the town of Hassel in northern Germany. The next edition is scheduled to take place over four months in mid-2012.
Dresden
The Second World War left Dresden in a sorrowful state of ruin, but the city has recovered sufficiently to become a spirited and arty (not to mention good-looking) destination. Of most note is the resurrected Frauenkirche church, destroyed by firebombing but rebuilt to wonderful effect.
Essen
The European Capital of Culture for 2010 was once best known as being a mining town, but has since grown into a multicultural example of modern Germany, with a heavy emphasis on both industry and art. A fitting place to try and understand what makes the country tick.
Football
Take in a football match. Germany's top teams include Bayern Munich, Hamburg, Bayer Leverkusen, Hertha Berlin, Schalke 04 and Werder Bremen. Many of the stadia are new, having been built for the highly successful 2006 World Cup tournament staged in the country.
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main is best known as a financial centre (its gleaming office-block skyline has been coined 'Mainhattan') but there's much to draw cultural tourists too. Its historic core dates back to medieval times, and several attractive landmark buildings remain.
Hamburg
This northern port city is another with rich pickings for tourists. It's the second largest metropolis in the country and, as a result, a colourful, cosmopolitan place to visit. Retrace the steps of The Beatles on the Reeperbahn, or dive into the wealth of heritage sites.
Heidelberg
Boasting a glorious woodland setting on the broad Neckar River, Heidelberg draws large numbers of visitors with its mixture of historical attractions and annual events. The town has a history of drawing academics, and is famed for its riverside Philosophers' Walk (Philosophenweg).
Love Parade
An open-air dance music festival born in Berlin in the aftermath of reunification, Love Parade (www.loveparade.de) has gone on to become one of the most eagerly anticipated events of the year. It takes place almost every year, not always in Berlin, and has spawned numerous spin-offs around the world.
Ride a steam train
As well as a high-spec modern rail network, Germany also boasts several stretches of working narrow-gauge lines still used by steam trains. These are mainly found in Saxony, the Black Forest and the Harz mountain region. The country also has some interesting rail museums.
The Rhine
The Rhine (spelt Rhein in German) is one of the longest rivers in Europe, and one of its most impressive to boot. Take a cruise from Koblenz past fairytale castles, pretty villages and the imposing Lorelei Rock, legendary home of a siren who lures boatmen to their demise.
Vineyards
Getting to know the world-famous wineries of the Moselle Valley is a rewarding way to take rural Germany at a slow pace. The culture's traditional, the scenery's grandly romantic, and the wine itself is well worthy of extensive acquaintance.
Walking
The size and scope of the country - with its mountain ranges, tidal shores and mighty forests - makes Germany a hikers' paradise. Many of the trails are divided into convenient stages with inns and guest houses providing accommodation.
Weimar
A must for culture vultures. The southern 1,000-year-old town of Weimar has been home to many great men, including Goethe, Luther, Bach, Liszt, Wagner and Schiller. An important creative centre of the past, the city experienced its golden age in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Shopping in Germany
Germany offers the range and variety one would expect from such a large, developed country - if you want it, you'll find it - but special purchases include precision optical equipment such as binoculars and cameras, porcelain, handmade crystal, silver, steelware, Solingen knives, leatherwear, sports equipment, toys from Nuremberg and Bavarian Loden cloth. Special purchases in eastern Germany include musical instruments, wooden carved toys from the Erzgebirge Mountains and Meissen china (the workshops in Meissen are open to the public). Cuckoo clocks, contrary to popular myth, did not originate in Switzerland, but in the Black Forest region.
Shopping hours:
Most large shops are open Mon-Fri 0900-2000 and Sat 0900-2000. All shops, except a few bakeries, are closed on Sunday.