Ah, France. Romance, the Eiffel Tower, beautiful cities, food, culture. Ah, Spain. Gorgeous beaches, sunshine all year round, olives and Sangria. Ah, Italy. Family, homecooked gastronomic perfection, art and culture. Germany. War! War! War! Or so would be your worldview, if you were Basil Fawlty. Jokes aside, cultural stigmata and stereotypes might still be the one thing that separates Brits from a holiday in Germany.
Towel snatching, super serious, hyper-efficient Germans. At least, that’s the perception. In fact, Germany has a massive amount to offer as a tourist destination, whatever you’re looking for. With over 6000 museums countrywide, and a historic depth to rival the most ancient countries, there is plenty to see and do. Below are brief outlines of nine of the best cities to visit, and why you should put Germany high on your list of places to go.
Berlin
The political and cultural capital of Germany, Berlin is home to over 7,000 bars and restaurants and 300 clubs. Parties in Berlin are the stuff of legend, with day turning to night and back to day again before the final drinks are poured. Couple this vibrant facet of the city with the architectural and cultural heritage on display: Brandenburg gate, the Memorial Church, The Reichstag and Hackesche Höfe, a web of eight courtyards encompassing all that Berlin has to offer. Check out Museum Island, the Jewish Museum and the German Historical Museum for an idea of the wide-ranging tastes encompassed by the city. Indeed, Berlin is now a place of total inclusion, with further museums such as the Gay Museum, and the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe both acknowledging recent history while moving Berlin and Germany forward.
Cologne
Germany’s fourth-largest city, Cologne is the home of history and architecture for the country, a living blueprint for everything that has come before, with a still-standing Roman wall mixing with modern buildings, medieval churches, avant-garde museums and modern concert halls. Most impressive of all is the Dom, a Roman Catholic church which is now also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and described by that organisation as ‘an exceptional work of human creative genius’. Cologne Cathedral, as it’s also known, took over six centuries to complete, and is an absolute must-see for anyone within a couple of hours journey.
Dresden
Primarily famous for being the city almost utterly destroyed during the second world war, Dresden has recently undergone an architectural renaissance that is attracting worldwide acclaim. Couple this with the nearby Elbe Valley, a world heritage site encapsulating meadows, villas and beautiful palaces, of which one, The Zwinger Palace, houses the Old Masters Gallery, the centrepiece of which is the ‘Sistine Madonna’.
Düsseldorf
This modern city could be compared to Italy’s Milan, with its focus on fashion, lifestyle and culture. Düsseldorf has a reputation as an international centre of culture, with a fantastic variety of museums, galleries and concert venues. Add to this over 200 bars and restaurants in the old quarter and you have an ideal city to splash the cash and spend a busy weekend in.
Frankfurt
A city of clashes, Frankfurt more than any other place in the country embodies the contrast between the rich history of Germany and its forward-looking attitude. Birthplace of Goethe, Frankfurt offers up these contradictions as its chief appeal, whether it be taking a trip from the financial district to the the old city centre and Römerberg square, or visiting St. Paul’s Church, one of the most important historical buildings in the country, once seen as the primary symbol of freedom and democracy in a conflicted country.
Hamburg
The second-largest city in Germany and the biggest port in the country, Hamburg has always been multicultural and dynamic. The weather might be prone to almost constant precipitation, but Hamburg is known within Germany as a national treasure while internationally Berlin and Munich soak up the acclaim. It’s also the wealthiest city in the country. In a 2005 survey, over 18 millions people visited concerts, exhibitions and theatre performances, making it one of the most cultured cities in the country.
Hannover
This quietly revered destination is home to one of the best tourist guides in the world. It’s not a tourist information centre, or a person, or a bus trip. It’s a 4.2km long red line that runs throughout the entire city. Painted on the road surface, following this line will take you around every notable cultural and historical attraction, of which there are many, including the New and Old Town Halls, the Leineschloss state government building and the opera house. Hannover is also the foremost trade venue in the world, so there is always a great variety of things to see and do.
Leipzig
This city has been around since at least the 11th century A.D., a long time by anyone’s standards. Leipzig is noted for being the birthplace of some musical geniuses including Bach and Wagner, as well as being one of the focal points for the East German Revolution. The city has recently recovered from being one of the most polluted in the civilised world, a place where the buildings were black with soot by the end of the 1980s. Today, things are very different, and Leipzig has emerged as a destination of great beauty. Although short on notable landmarks, the overall experience is recommended.
Munich
Completing the trio of largest cities in Germany (behind Berlin and Hamburg) Munich is home to the almighty Oktoberfest, a 16-day festival of consumption where beer is measured by the litre and more German sausage is chowed down on than the rest of the year combined. With over 6 million visitors and 1,000 tonnes of rubbish produced over the two weeks, it is the biggest annual fair in the world. Munich holds many other attractions and is far from a one-trick pony, but if you can make it to Oktoberfest, it should be top of your list.
