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 Introduction
Wherever you venture in Germany, there is something interesting to see or do. It is a goldmine for the adventurous tourist in search of something different to the norm.
The country has now firmly shaken off the shadows of its 20th century past, regained a sense of national pride, and breathed a sigh of relief at its new-found ability to express its distinctive national character again.
Modern Germany has come of age, and while it is still suffering the economic consequences of reunification in October 1990, Europe's most populous country is clearly a nation coming to terms with itself. Massive investment in the long-neglected infrastructure of the former East is paying off, as cities like Dresden once more begin to shine like the jewels they were in the past.
The country is the product of a long history of division, first as a loose collection of independent (and often warring) states before original unification during the 19th century, and latterly as West and communist East Germany following WWII.
For this reason alone, it is a country of remarkable diversity, with cultural differences clearly evident as one travels around the various states that make up the modern Federal Republic.
Germany boasts a heady mix of history and nature, fine arts and youthful rebellion. Its capital, Berlin, has a reputation gained from its decades as a divided city, as a hedonistic, 'on the edge' community where almost anything goes. In contrast, the quiet academic surroundings of historic university cities like Heidelberg, convey a peacefulness quite at odds with the atmosphere of the capital.
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Contact Information
Keys Facts
Location
Western/Central Europe.
Time
GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).
Area
357,021 sq km (137,847 sq miles).
Population
82.6 million (UN estimate 2007).
Population Density
231 per sq km.
Capital
Berlin. Population: 3.4 million (2007).
Geography
The Federal Republic of Germany shares frontiers with Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Poland and Switzerland. The northwest of the country has a coastline on the North Sea with islands known for their health resorts, while the Baltic coastline in the northeast stretches from the Danish to the Polish border.
The country is divided into 16 states (Bundeslander), including the formerly divided city of Berlin. The landscape is exceedingly varied, with the Rhine, Bavaria and the Black Forest being the three most famous features of western Germany. In eastern Germany, the country is lake-studded with undulating lowlands which give way to the hills and mountains of the Lausitzer Bergland, the Saxon Hills in the Elbe Valley and the Erzgebirge, while the once divided areas of the Thuringian and Harz ranges in the central part of the country are now whole regions again. River basins extend over a large percentage of the eastern part of Germany, the most important being the Elbe, Saale, Havel, Spree and Oder.
The western area of the country consists of the Rhineland, the industrial sprawl of the Ruhr, North Rhine-Westphalia (Nordrhein-Westfalen), Hessen, the Rhineland-Palatinate (Rheinland-Pfalz) and the Saarland. In the southern area of the country are the two largest states, Baden-Wuerttemberg and Bavaria (Bayern), which contain the Black Forest (Schwarzwald), Lake Constance (Bodensee) and the Bavarian Alps.
EU
Member since 1958.
Government
Federal Republic.
Head of State
President Horst Koehler since 2004.
Head of Government
Chancellor Angela Merkel since 2005.
History
From 1995 onwards, a new leadership under would-be chancellor Gerhard Schroeder emerged to challenge the long-standing Helmut Kohl Christian Democrat (CDU) government. The Social Democratic (SPD) party won the 1998 general election and Kohl stood down. Schroeder held on to power in September 2002, and then sought to continue Helmut Kohl's aim of a more activist German foreign policy. Along with former French president Jacques Chirac, Schroeder opposed much Anglo-American policy in the Middle East.
However, Schroeder's reign came to an end amid confusion following September 2005's inconclusive election. Germany faced weeks of uncertainty resulting in a deal between the CDU and the SPD that October. Angela Merkel was declared Germany's first woman chancellor and sworn in late in November, as the first chancellor to have grown up in the former Communist east. Merkel is more pro-US than her predecessor, and has pledged to overhaul the ailing economy, suffering since reunification in 1990. It is gradually improving.
Language
German. Some English is spoken and French is also spoken, particularly in the Saarland. In the north of Schleswig-Holstein, Danish is spoken by the Danish minority and taught in schools. In eastern Brandenburg and Saxony, Sorbic is spoken by the Slavic minority called the Sorbs and is also taught in about 50 schools. Regional dialects often differ markedly from standard German.
Religion
Approximately 34% Protestant, 34% Roman Catholic, 4% Muslim, with Jewish and other non-Christian minorities.
Electricity
230 volts AC, 50Hz. European-style round two-pin plugs are in use.
Social Conventions
Handshaking is customary, and it is considered rude to address people by their first name unless invited to do so. Normal courtesies should be observed. Before eating, it is normal to say Guten Appetit to the other people at the table to which the correct reply is Gleichfalls. It is customary to present the hostess with unwrapped flowers (according to tradition, one should always give an uneven number and it is worth noting that red roses are exclusively a lover's gift).
Courtesy dictates that visitors should utter a greeting such as Guten Tag (or Gruess Gott in Bavaria) before saying what it is that they want; to leave without saying Auf Wiedersehen or Tschuess can also cause offence. Similarly, when making a telephone call, asking for the person you want to speak to without stating first who you are is impolite. Casual wear is widely acceptable, but more formal dress is required for some restaurants, the opera, theatre, casinos and important social functions. Smoking is prohibited where notified and on public transport and in most public buildings.
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Public Holidays
Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2010-December 2011 period.
Holidays
2010
1 Jan New Year's Day.
6 Jan * Epiphany.
2 Apr Good Friday.
5 Apr Easter Monday.
1 May Labour Day.
13 May Ascension.
24 May Whit Monday.
3 Jun *Corpus Christi.
15 Aug * Assumption.
3 Oct Day of German Unity.
31 Oct * Day of Reformation.
1 Nov * All Saints' Day.
17 Nov * Repentance Day.
2011
1 Jan New Year's Day.
6 Jan * Epiphany.
22 Apr Good Friday.
25 Apr Easter Monday.
1 May Labour Day.
2 Jun Ascension.
13 Jun Whit Monday.
23 Jun * Corpus Christi.
15 Aug * Assumption.
3 Oct Day of German Unity.
31 Oct * Day of Reformation.
1 Nov * All Saints' Day.
16 Nov * Repentance Day.
Note
*Epiphany, Corpus Christi, Assumption, Day of Reformation, All Saints' Day and Repentance Day are not observed in all areas. Consult the German National Tourist Office for details
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Accommodation
Hotels
There is a good selection of hotels in Germany and comprehensive guides can be found at the German National Tourist Office (see Contact Addresses). They can also provide the German Hotel Association Guide, published by the Deutscher Hotel- und Gaststattenverband (DEHOGA) (see Accommodation Information below), to which around half of German accommodation establishments belong. A special accommodation guide for the disabled, Hilfe fuer Behinderte, is available through Bundesverband Selbsthilfe Koerperbehinderter e.V (BSK) (tel: (06294) 42810; website: www.bsk-ev.org). Better German hotels are well equipped with leisure facilities ranging from spas and pools to saunas to gyms.
When touring the country with no fixed itinerary, it is obviously often difficult to make reservations in advance. Watch out for zimmer frei (vacancies) notices by the roadside, or go to the local tourist office (usually called verkehrsamt). Visitors should try to get to the town where they want to stay the night by 1600, particularly in summer.
Grading: DEHOGA (website: www.hotelsterne.de/uk) operates a hotel grading system, which follows the usual grading of 1 to 5 stars.
Gasthof: A 'Gasthof' (inn) must provide the same facilities as a hotel except for the common rooms such as a lounge, etc.
Pension: A 'Pension' must provide accommodation and food only for guests. It does not have to provide a restaurant for non-residents, nor common rooms.
Hotel Garni: Provides accommodation and breakfast only for guests.
Unique Accommodation
Information about holidays in castles, stately mansions and historic hostelries may be obtained by contacting the German National Tourist Office.
Self Catering
All-in self-catering deals are available that include sea travel to a German or other Channel port, and accommodation at the resort. The latter might be in anything from a farmhouse to a castle. Details are available from the German National Tourist Office.
Rural/Farmstay Accommodation
The Urlaub auf dem Bauernhof website (see Accommodation Information below) offers information in English about farm holiday possibilities available throughout Germany. A range of guidebooks and accommodation directories can be ordered via the site.
Youth Hostels
There are over 600 youth hostels throughout both eastern and western Germany. They are open to members of any youth hostel association affiliated to the International Youth Hostel Association. Membership can be obtained from the YHA or Deutsches Jugendherbergswerk (German Youth Hostel Organisation, see Accommodation Information below).
Camping/Caravanning
German campsites are generally open from April to October, but some, mostly in winter sports areas, operate year round. It is not normally possible to make advance reservations on campsites. A free map/folder giving details of selected campsites is available from the German National Tourist Office. The German Camping Club publishes a guide to the best sites in Germany. The AA Guide to Camping and Caravanning on the Continent includes a large German section.
Accommodation Information
Deutscher Hotel- und Gaststattenverband (DEHOGA) (publishes the German Hotel Association Guide)
Am Weidendamm 1A, 10873 Berlin, Germany
Tel: (030) 726 2520.
Website: www.dehoga-bundesverband.de
Urlaub auf dem Bauernhof (general information on farm holidays)
Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft, Eschborner Landstrasse 122, 60489 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
Tel: (069) 247 880.
Website: www.landtourismus.de, German only
Deutsches Jugendherbergswerk (German Youth Hostel Organisation)
Bismarckstrasse 8, 32756 Detmold, Germany
Tel: (05231) 74010.
Website: www.jugendherberge.de/en
Deutscher Camping-Club (DCC)
Mandlstrasse 28, 80802 Munich, Germany
Tel: (089) 380 1420.
Website: www.camping-club.de, German only
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Communication
Telephone
Country code: 49.
Mobile Telephone
Roaming agreements exist with many international mobile phone companies. Coverage is good. It is illegal to use a hand-held mobile telephone while driving.
Internet
Internet is readily available; there are many Internet cafes all over the country. Large Internet access centres exist in most main cities. Most hotels also provide facilities, either included in the room rate or charged separately.
Post
Stamps are available from hotels, slot machines and post offices.
Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1800, Sat 0900-1200. Smaller branches may close for lunch.
Media
Germany's competitive TV market is the largest in Europe. Each of the country's 16 regions regulates its own private and public broadcasting, and operates public TV and radio services. Around 90% of German households have cable or satellite TV. Germany is home to some of the world's largest media conglomerates, such as Bertelsmann.
Press
- The most influential dailies include Die Welt, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and Sueddeutsche Zeitung.
- The most widely read of the weekly publications are Der Spiegel and Die Zeit.
- Some new or revamped newspapers, such as Berliner Kurier, have emerged out of eastern Germany and are competing well with western German papers.
- Most major English-language newspapers and international magazines are also available in large cities.
TV
- Premiere is a pay-TV operator.
- ARD and ZDF operate the public national TV channels.
- RTL operates entertainment channels.
- Deutsche Welle TV is the international TV service, and operates in English and Spanish, as well as German.
- Arte is the primary cultural channel.
Radio
- Deutsche Welle TV broadcasts radio in many languages.
- Deutschlandradio operates national public radio stations, Deutschlandfunk and Deutschlandradio Kultur (broadcasting news/current affairs and cultural programmes).
- ARD is an umbrella organisation of many public radio services, including regional stations.
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Entertainment
Food and Drink
Breakfast usually consists of a boiled egg, bread rolls with jam, honey, cold meat and cheese slices, juices and coffee. Available from snack bars and cafes are grilled, fried or boiled sausages (wurst) with a crusty bread roll. In restaurants, a salad plate will often be produced before a main course, whether or not a starter has been ordered; it is not a side dish, waiting staff will expect this to be eaten before the meal is brought - it can cause confusion for non-Germans. There is an emphasis on meat, potatoes and noodles, but fish dishes are also popular. International speciality restaurants, such as Chinese, Greek, Turkish and others, can be found everywhere in the former West, and increasingly in other parts of the country.
Things to know: Bars can either have table service and/or counter service, although often drinks consumed are simply marked on a beer mat to be paid for on leaving.
National specialities:
- Bratwurst (grilled sausage).
- Eisbein mit sauerkraut (leg of pork) and mashed potatoes.
- Schwabische maultaschen (large savoury ravioli from Stuttgart).
- Eierpfannkuchen (pancakes).
- Schwarzwalder kirschtorte (Black Forest gateau).
National drinks:
- Beer of many varied kinds.
- Ebbelelwoi (apple wine - principally in Hessen).
- Schnapps (available in hundreds of varieties).
- Kirschwasser (cherry spirit, principally from the Black Forest).
- Rhineland wines.
Legal drinking age: 18.
Tipping: It is customary to tip taxi drivers, hairdressers, cloakroom attendants, bar and restaurant staff; a 10% tip is standard.
Nightlife
In all larger towns and cities in western Germany and also in the major eastern cities, visitors will have the choice between theatre, opera (Deutsche Oper Berlin, Hamburgische Staatsoper, Dresden's Semperoper and the National Theatre in Munich are some of the most famous names), bars with live music, and nightclubs catering for all tastes and inclinations.
Berlin, in particular, is famous for its large selection of after-hours venues. Traditional folk music is found mostly in rural areas. There are bierkellers in the south and wine is drunk in small wine cellars in the Rhineland Palatinate, Franconia and Baden region. Hamburg's Reeperbahn is the country's best known centre for 'adult' entertainment.
Shopping
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.
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Getting There
Getting There by Air
The national airline is Lufthansa (LH) (website: www.lufthansa.com).
Approximate Flight Times
From London to Frankfurt/M is 1 hour 30 minutes, and from New York is 8 hours 30 minutes.
Main Airports
Frankfurt/M (FRA) (Rhein/Main) (www.airportcity-frankfurt.com) is Germany's major air transport hub, 13km (8 miles) southwest of the city. To/from the airport: Regular buses connect the airport with the city centre (main railway station). S-Bahn (www.rmv.de) rail lines S8 and S9 go to the city's main rail station (Hauptbahnhof) from directly beneath the Terminal 1 arrival hall (journey time - around 15 minutes). S8 also goes directly to Mainz and Wiesbaden (journey time - 40 minutes). Intercity ICE trains also stop at the airport station. Taxis are available around the clock (journey time to city centre - 20-30 minutes). Facilities: Left luggage, medical facilities, duty-free shops, banks, restaurants, bars, conference rooms, post office, tourist information and car hire. Find new shopping mall "Marktplatz" in Terminal 2.
Berlin-Tegel (TXL) (www.berlin-airport.de) is Berlin's international airport, located 8km (5 miles) northwest of the city centre (journey time - 25 minutes). To/from the airport: Buses go to the city every 5 to 10 minutes from 0500-2400. Facilities: Duty-free shop, banks/bureaux de change, left luggage, 24-hour medical facilities, post office, restaurant, bars, tourist information, conference rooms and car hire.
Munich (MUC) (Franz Joseph Strauss) (www.munich-airport.de) is 28.5km (18 miles) northeast of the city (journey time - 45 minutes). To/from the airport: Direct links with the S-Bahn S8 and S1 run every 10 minutes from Hauptbahnhof (main railway station) from 0330-0030. The Airport City Bus runs every 20 minutes from 0700-1930 to the Hauptbahnhof and every 30 minutes from 0800-2100; further bus services are available. Coach Oberbayern runs every 10 minutes to the city centre. Facilities: Duty-free shop, left luggage, 24-hour medical facilities, snack bar, restaurants, post office, banks, conference centre, car hire and bars. The airport also has a Visitors' Park, an aircraft simulator, cinema and a play area.
Departure Tax
None.
Getting There by Water
Main ports:
Bremen (website: www.keyports.de)
Bremerhaven (website: www.bremen-ports.de)
Hamburg (website: www.hafen-hamburg.de)
Rostock (website: www.rostock-port.de)
Kiel (website: www.port-of-kiel.de).
The following shipping lines serve routes to Germany (via other countries) from the UK:
DFDS Seaways (tel: 0871 522 9955, in the UK; website: www.dfds.co.uk): Newcastle-Amsterdam.
Stena Line (tel: 0870 570 7070, in the UK; website: www.stenaline.com): Harwich-Hook of Holland, Gothenburg-Kiel.
P&O Ferries (tel: 0870 598 0333, in the UK; website: www.poferries.com): Dover-Calais, Hull-Rotterdam, Hull-Zeebrugge.
SeaFrance (tel. 0871 663 2546, in the UK; website: www.seafrance.com): Dover-Calais.
Norfolkline (tel: 0870 870 1020, in the UK; website: www.norfolkline.com): Dover-Dunkerque.
Superfast Ferries (tel: 0870 234 0870, in the UK; website: www.superfast.com): Rosyth-Zeebrugge, Helsinki-Rostock.
Ferry connections also exist from Germany to Denmark, Latvia, Lithuania, The Netherlands, Norway, and the Russian Federation.
Getting There by Rail
Germany's rail network is operated by Deutsche Bahn (tel: 11861; website: www.bahn.de).
Eurostar: If travelling from the UK, Eurostar operates direct high-speed trains from London (St Pancras International) and Ashford International to Paris (Gare du Nord) and to Brussels (Midi/Zuid). It takes 2 hours 15 minutes from London to Paris (via Lille) and 1 hour 51 minutes to Brussels. For further information and reservations, contact Eurostar (tel: 0870 518 6186, in the UK, or +44 1233 617 575, outside the UK; a £5 booking fee applies to telephone bookings; website: www.eurostar.com); from Brussels, there are direct connections to Cologne and Frankfurt, and onward high speed trains to all major German centres. With opening of the TGV Est line in 2007, journey time between Paris and Frankfurt has been cut to less than four hours.
There are excellent connections between Germany and other main European cities. For more information, contact Deutsche Bahn in the UK (tel: 0871 880 8066; website: www.bahn.co.uk).
Rail Passes
InterRail: offers unlimited first- or second-class travel in up to 30 European countries for European residents of over six months with two pass options. The Global Pass allows travel for 22 days, one month, five days in 10 days or 10 days in 22 days across all countries. The One-Country Pass offers travel for three, four, six or eight days in one month in any of the countries except Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro. Travel is not allowed in the passenger's country of residence. Travellers under 26 years receive a reduction. Children's tickets are reduced by about 50%. Supplements are required for some high-speed services, seat reservations and couchettes. Discounts are offered on Eurostar and some ferry routes. Available from Rail Europe (website: www.raileurope.co.uk/inter-rail).
Eurailpass: offers unlimited first-class train travel in 17 European countries. Tickets are valid for 15 days, 21 days, 1 month, 2 months or 3 months. Available from The Eurail Group (website: www.eurail.com).
Getting There by Road
Germany is connected to all surrounding countries by a first-class network of motorways and trunk roads.
The Channel Tunnel: Eurotunnel (tel: 0870 535 3535, in the UK; website: www.eurotunnel.com) runs shuttle trains for all types of vehicles between Folkestone in Kent, and Calais. Vehicles are carried through the tunnel in shuttle trains running between the two terminals. Passenger terminal buildings contain a variety of shops, restaurants, bureaux de change and other amenities. The journey takes about 35 minutes from platform to platform and around 1 hour from motorway to motorway. There are up to four passenger shuttles per hour at peak times, 24 hours per day and services run every day of the year. Passengers pass through customs and immigration before they board, with no further checks on arrival. Tickets may be purchased in advance from the travel agents, or from Eurotunnel Customer Services in France or the UK with a credit card.
Coach: There are numerous and excellent road links with all neighbouring countries. Eurolines (tel: 0870 580 8080, in the UK; website: www.eurolines.com) runs regular coach services from the UK to Germany. Passes: Travellers can book a 15- or 30-day pass.
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Sightseeing
- Don't miss the German Parliament (Reichstag), re-designed by British architect Norman Foster, or the Brandenburg Gate; both potent symbols of German unity, near where the Berlin Wall stood until 1989.
- Stroll along part of the path of the Berlin Wall, clearly marked in the road, from the Brandenburg Gate to glitzy Potsdamer Platz, derelict during Germany's divided years, but now restored as a modern focal point for the city. A few small segments of the Wall still stand here.
- Visit the Berlin Wall Museum (Mauermuseum) (website: www.mauermuseum.de) at Checkpoint Charlie, where people crossed from West to East and vice versa, and learn about the history of divided Berlin.
- Take a cruise on the Rhine from Koblenz (website: www.koblenz.de), with its hilltop fortifications opposite the mouth of the Moselle river to Bingen, past fairytale castles, pretty villages and 120m- (394ft-) high Lorelei Rock, legendary home of a siren who lures boatmen to their demise.
- Head into southwest Bavaria near Fuessen, close to the Austrian border, to see the impossibly fantastical Neuschwanstein castle (website: www.neuschwanstein.com), built in the 19th century by Bavarian King Ludwig II ('Mad King Ludwig').
- Visit the attractive island of Mainau (website: www.mainau.de) on the north shore of Lake Constance, with its historic buildings and multicoloured roofs. Owned by a private foundation, it is maintained as a garden island and is famous for its flowers.
- Marvel at the jewellery, sculpture and many other treasures in Dresden's restored Gruenes Gewoelbe (Green Vault) (website: www.skd-dresden.de), home of 18th century leader August the Strong's huge collections, and now a focus of the city's UNESCO-designated architectural heritage.
- Visit one of Germany's host of romantic university towns. Freiburg (website: www.freiburg.de) is gateway to the Black Forest, and home to a gothic Cathedral (12th to 15th centuries) with magnificent tower. Heidelberg (website: www.cvb-heidelberg.de) on the Neckar River is Germany's oldest university town.
Experience architectural heritage in one of Germany's UNESCO World Heritage Site towns: Bamberg (website: www.bamberg.info), northern Bavaria, Goslar (website: www.goslar.de) in Lower Saxony, and the jewel in the crown, former Hanseatic port Luebeck (website: www.luebeck-tourism.de), on the Baltic coast to the north, are highlights.
In Hessen (website: www.hessen-tourismus.de), follow the German Fairy Tale Road. Schwalmstadt (website: www.schwalmstadt.de) was the home of Little Red Riding Hood. In the Reinhardswald, Sababurg (website: www.sababurg.de), now a castle-hotel, inspired the Brothers Grimm to write Sleeping Beauty.
- Enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of Frankfurt am Main's (website: www.frankfurt.de) historic Roemer district, which contrasts starkly with the modern skyline of the city nowadays commonly known as 'Mainhattan' due to its shiny skyscrapers and financial power.
- Relive the days of the Roman Empire at the Saalburg (website: www.saalburgmuseum.de), a reconstructed Roman settlement near Bad Homburg in the forested Taunus hills to the north of Frankfurt am Main.
- Pause for thought at Dresden's reconstructed Frauenkirche (website: www.frauenkirche-dresden.de), destroyed in the firebombing of the city in February 1945. Now rebuilt and re-consecrated, it is a poignant symbol of the past.
- See the southern 1,000-year-old town of Weimar (website: www.weimar.de), home to many great men, including Goethe, Luther, Bach, Liszt, Wagner and Schiller. An important cultural centre of the past, the city experienced its golden age in the 18th and 19th centuries.
- Take a train ride east from Freiburg into the spectacular countryside of the Hochschwarzwald (Upper Black Forest) (website: www.hochschwarzwald.de), a year-round holiday area, popular for winter sports in winter, and walking, boating and nature trails in summer.
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Things To Do
- Explore the past at Berlin's Pergamon Museum (website: www.smb.spk-berlin.de), with its antiquities, Near East and Islamic Art collections. Situated on the capital's central Museum Island, it is surrounded by numerous other fine museums and galleries.
- See how the other half lived at baroque Charlottenburg Palace (website: www.spsg.de), on the east side of Berlin. The biggest surviving palace in the capital, it was built for Sophie Charlotte, wife of Prussia's King Friedrich I, in the late 1660s.
- Venture into the Harz Mountains, Black Forest (Schwarzwald) and the Bavarian Alps - some of the country's best areas for walking, skiing and other winter sports. The network of marked walking trails amounts to some 132,000km (82,500 miles).
- Enjoy spectacular riverside firework displays on a dinner cruise during the 'Rhein in Flammen' (Rhine in Flames) (website: www.rlp-info.de) festivals that take place throughout the summer at various points along the river.
- Ride on a historic narrow-gauge steam train. Germany has a number of preserved railways, notably in Saxony, the Harz Mountains, and on the coast of Mecklenburg-Lower Pomerania.
- Take the kids to Europa-Park (website: www.europapark.de), Germany's biggest theme park, at Rust, near Freiburg in the southwest. For the brave it features Europe's highest rollercoaster.
- Take in a football (soccer) match. Germany's top teams include Bayern Munich, Hamburg, Bayer Leverkusen, Hertha Berlin, Schalke 04 and Werder Bremen. Many stadia are new, built for the 2006 World Cup tournament staged in Germany.
- Pay homage to Germany's famous car makers at the new Mercedes Benz World (website www.mercedes-benz.com/museum) in Stuttgart, BMW Welt (website: www.bmw.com) in Munich, Volkswagen's Autostadt (website: www.autostadt.de) in Wolfsburg, and its spectacular Glass Factory (website: www.glaesernemanufaktur.de) in Dresden.
- Visit some of the many vineyards on the banks of the Rhine, Neckar and Moselle rivers, following one of the numerous specially designated Wine Roads (Weinstrassen) (website: www.deutsche-weinstrassen.de) in the region.
- If in Germany in the weeks before Christmas, browse the Christmas markets (Weichnachtsmarkt) which are staged in almost every town and city of any size. Warming gluehwein and apple fritters are a must on a cold winter's day (website: www.germany-tourism.co.uk).
- Be pampered. Germany has over 300 spas and health resorts that offer a wide range of traditional and modern treatments. The most famous spa town is Baden-Baden (website: www.baden-baden.de), in the southwest.
- Germany is one of the great brewing nations. Indulge in some of its finest beers during Munich's two-week Oktoberfest (website: www.oktoberfest.de), which takes place from late September and attracts 6 million visitors to the Bavarian capital each year.
- If able to get tickets (waiting lists are long), head for northeastern Bavaria and Bayreuth, to witness the famous Wagner Opera Festival (website: www.bayreuther-festspiele.de), which takes place every year from late July to August.
- Drive down the Romantic Road, which connects the northern area of Bavaria with the south, and is the most famous of all the German scenic roads. The towns along the way give visitors an excellent insight into the region's history, art and culture (website: www.visitbavaria.com).
- In late August each year, celebrate the traditional Baked Fish Festival (Backfischfest) (website: www.backfischfest.de) at Worms, the biggest wine and food festival on the banks of the Rhine. It is dedicated to the Fishermens' Guild, Germany's oldest such organisation.
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Transport
Getting Around by Air
Internal services are operated by Lufthansa (website: www.lufthansa.com), Air Berlin (website: www.airberlin.com), Germanwings (website: www.germanwings.com) and several other regional airlines. Frankfurt/M is Germany's major air travel hub, and all airports in the Federal Republic of Germany can be reached in an hour or less from here. There are numerous airports in the country apart from those listed in the Getting There section which offer internal air services.
Helgoland (HGL), Sylt (GWT) and some other Friesian Islands are served by seasonal services operated by regional airlines or air taxi services. Connections by air operate daily between Berlin, Bremen, Cologne/Bonn, Duesseldorf, Frankfurt/M, Hamburg, Hanover, Munich, Nuremberg, Stuttgart and Westerland/Sylt (summer only). The majority of western airports offer daily flights to Leipzig and several flights a week to Dresden.
Getting Around by Water
Regular scheduled boat services operate on most rivers, lakes and coastal waters, including the Danube, Main, Moselle, Neckar, Rhine and the Weser, and also on Ammer See, Chiemsee, Koenigssee and Lake Constance. Ferry services are operated on Kiel Fjord and from Cuxhaven to Helgoland and to the East and North Friesian Islands as well as to Scandinavian destinations. Besides these scheduled services, special excursions are available on all navigable waters.
The KD German Rhine Line (tel: (0221) 208 8318; website: www.k-d.de) covers the Rhine and Moselle rivers, and has comfortable ships that operate daily from April to late October. In conjunction with the 'White Fleet' Dresden, the KD also organises cabin cruises on the Elbe between Dresden and Hamburg. Further routes include the rivers Saale and Elbe, several lakes and the Mecklenburger Lake District.
Lake Constance is served by regular steamers, pleasure boats and car ferries between the German, Swiss and Austrian shores. The Lake Constance Adventure Passes (Bodensee-Erlebniskarte) (website: www.bodensee-erlebniskarte.info, German only) give free travel on many rides listed in the Bodensee Adventure Planner, throughout the Lake Constance area, as well as discounted admission to attractions. This includes scheduled ferry services offered by the German, Swiss and Austrian railways as well as some bus, local train and mountain railway routes. The pass is valid for seven or 14 days. Children up to six years of age travel free. In addition to the pass, there is a Family Ticket which is available free of charge and allows children between six and 16 years of age free travel; unmarried young persons between 16 and 26 years of age pay half price.
Getting Around by Rail
InterCity and high-speed ICE connections (website: www.bahn.de) run every one or two hours to around 30 destinations (mainly in Germany but trains also run to Austria, Belgium, The Netherlands, France and Switzerland). Within Germany, ICE trains also operate on the following routes: Berlin-Frankfurt/M-Karlsruhe, Berlin-Cologne-Basel, Munich-Frankfurt/M-Berlin and Hamburg-Berlin-Dresden with direct links to Prague. The ICE Sprinter runs non-stop on the following routes: Frankfurt/M-Berlin, Hamburg-Cologne, Frankfurt/M-Hamburg, Cologne-Stuttgart and Frankfurt/M-Munich. Seats on these services have to be booked in advance. Generally, reservations are advised on all services. Children aged 14 and under travel free of charge when accompanied by their parents or grandparents; those aged six to 14 travelling on their own pay half fare. For latest information leaflets, contact Deutsche Bahn in the UK (see below).
German National Railways (Deutsche Bahn) operates tens of thousands of passenger trains each day. Work on the 3,200km (2,000-mile) fast-train network has already started and should be completed by 2010. The network does not radiate around the capital as the federal structure provides an integrated system to serve the many regional centres. More than 50 cities, including Berlin, Erfurt, Dresden and Leipzig, are served hourly by InterCity trains - and increasingly by high-speed ICE InterCity Express trains; regional centres are connected by local trains such as the RegionalExpress, RegionalBahn and S-Bahn. Details of up-to-date prices, and where tickets can be bought, are available from Deutsche Bahn (tel: 0871 880 8066, in the UK; website: www.bahn.co.uk) or the German National Tourist Office.
Rail Passes
A range of Bahncards is available from Deutsche Bahn, offering a number of different discount schemes for travel within Germany, and varying advance purchase discount options are also offered.
InterRail's One-Country Pass: offers travel for three, four, six or eight days in one month within Germany. Travel is not allowed in the passenger's country of residence. Travellers under 26 years receive a reduction. Children's tickets are reduced by about 50%. Supplements are required for some high-speed services, seat reservations and couchettes. Discounts are offered on Eurostar and some ferry routes. Available from Rail Europe (website: www.raileurope.co.uk/inter-rail).
Getting Around by Road
Traffic drives on the right. Germany is covered by a busy modern network of motorways (Autobahnen). Use of the network is free at present, but the introduction of a road toll is being discussed and charges have been levied on some sightseeing roads in Bavaria. Although motorways in eastern Germany are of a reasonable standard, many secondary roads are still being improved to match western Germany's standards.
Bus: Buses serve villages and small towns without railway stations. There are few long-distance services. Europabus (tel: (069) 790 3261; website: www.romantischestrasse.de) runs services on special scenic routes such as the Romantic Road (Wiesbaden/Frankfurt to Munich/Fuessen) and the Castle Road (between Mannheim/Heidelberg to Rothenburg and Nuremberg).
Car hire: Self-drive cars are available at most towns, airports, and at over 40 railway stations - all major international car hire companies are present in Germany.
Regulations: Traffic signs are international. Speed limits in Germany are 50kph (31mph) in built-up areas and 100kph (62mph) on all roads outside built-up areas. Unless otherwise indicated, there is theoretically no maximum speed limit on Autobahns, but 130kph (81mph) is recommended. Some motorways and dual carriageways carry varying speed limits and are signposted. Seat belts must be worn in the front and back, and child seats used for small children. In winter, snow chains must be carried or winter tyres fitted. The minimum driving age is 18.
Emergency breakdown service: The Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil Club (ADAC) (emergency tel: 0180 222 2222, in Germany; website: www.adac.de) is the principal national assistance network. In almost all cases, the number to dial for emergency services is 110.
Documentation: Insurance is mandatory. EU nationals driving their own vehicles are advised to obtain a Green Card. Members of the EU, the USA and Australia do not need an international driving licence to drive in Germany.
Around Towns and Cities
All urban areas have efficient bus services, complemented in a number of larger cities by trams, and underground or suburban trains. In most larger cities, tickets for a local transport journey have to be purchased from ticket machines before boarding the suburban train (S-Bahn), underground (U-Bahn), bus or tram. Ticket inspections are frequent, with on-the-spot fines for miscreants. Taxis are widely available in the main cities, and operate from designated ranks. They can be advance booked by telephone.
Berlin: The city's excellent public transport includes an extensive network of buses, underground and S-Bahn in three travel zones. In the eastern part of the city, tram services and the ferries of the Berliner Verkehrs-Betriebe, BVG (Berlin Public Transport) (tel: (030) 19449; website: www.bvg.de), in conjunction with east Berlin's 'White Fleet', provide further services. Day and longer period passes are available covering all services. Taxis are generally available throughout the city (tel: 0800 263 0000, in Germany; website www.taxi263000.de).
Frankfurt: An extensive tram network, S-Bahn and bus services serve the Rhine-Main region, operated under the auspices of the Rhein-Main Verkehrsverbund (tel: (01805) 768 4636; website: www.rmv.de). As in Berlin, 24-hour passes for all types of public transport (Tageskarten) are available, as is a large fleet of cream-coloured taxis. The central taxi booking number is (069) 230 001.
Munich: The Bavarian capital has some trams, plus comprehensive bus, underground and suburban rail services. Services are operated under the aegis of the Muenchner Verkehrs-und Tarifverbund (tel: (089) 2103 3282; website: www.mvv-muenchen.de). Again, taxis are widely available. Taxis can be booked on (089) 21610 or 19410.
Note: Pedestrians should be aware that it is an offence to cross a road when the pedestrian crossing lights are red, even if there is no traffic on the road. Offenders can risk on-the-spot fines.
Journey Times
The following chart gives approximate journey times (in hours and minutes) from Berlin to other major cities and towns in the Federal Republic of Germany.
| Air | Road | Rail |
| Cologne | 1.05 | 6.00 | 4.25 |
| Frankfurt | 1.05 | 5.30 | 4.10 |
| Hamburg | - | 3.00 | 1.30 |
| Munich | 1.10 | 6.00 | 6.15 |
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Weather
Temperate throughout the country with warm summers and cold winters, but prolonged periods of frost or snow are rare. Rain falls throughout the year. The average January daytime temperature is 3°C (38°F) and in July is 22°C (72°F). Extremes commonly reach -10°C (5°F) in winter and 35°C (95°F) in the summer months.
Required Clothing
European clothes with light- to mediumweight in summer, medium- to heavyweights in winter.
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