Castles, cities, beer halls and the Rhine
Germany combines big, creative cities with fairytale castles, river valleys and Alpine scenery. Berlin is the place for modern history and nightlife, Munich for beer halls and the Alps, and the Rhine and Moselle for vineyards and castles. Christmas markets turn towns into festive scenes each December. It suits history buffs, families, rail travellers and anyone who likes well organised trips.
Tap a card or a pin. Add a place to a day of your trip, or look for tours.
A romantic 19th century castle built by King Ludwig II on a crag above the Alpine foothills. It inspired many fairytale castles.
Berlin's best known landmark sits beside the Reichstag parliament building with its glass dome. Together they tell the story of division and reunification.
Remaining stretches of the Berlin Wall show how the city was divided. The East Side Gallery is covered in murals, while the Bernauer Strasse memorial explains the history.
Five world class museums on an island in the Spree River, including the Pergamon and Neues Museum. Highlights include the bust of Nefertiti.
A huge Gothic cathedral that took over six centuries to complete. Its twin spires dominate the Rhine skyline.
A gorge of the Rhine lined with castles, vineyards and villages, including the Lorelei rock. River cruises are the classic way to see it.
Bavaria's capital mixes palaces, art museums and beer gardens. Marienplatz and the Viktualienmarkt are the heart of the old town.
A route through medieval Bavarian towns from Würzburg toward the Alps. Rothenburg's walled old town is the highlight.
A university town with a ruined red sandstone castle above the Neckar River. Its old bridge and town are classic Germany.
A mountainous forest region with half timbered villages, cuckoo clocks and hiking trails. Lake Titisee and Triberg waterfalls are popular stops.
Germany's highest peak rises above Garmisch-Partenkirchen, with cable cars to the summit. The area has lakes, gorges and ski slopes.
A baroque city on the Elbe rebuilt after wartime bombing, with the Frauenkirche and the Zwinger palace. It has superb art collections.
A huge port city with red brick warehouses on canals and the Elbphilharmonie concert hall. Harbour tours show its maritime life.
The site of the first Nazi concentration camp, now a memorial and museum. It is a sobering but important visit.
A medieval walled city with an imperial castle and one of the most famous Christmas markets. The Nazi rally grounds and courtroom tell darker history.
Everything above is open to read. A Hodolog account lets you build the trip around it: pick cities, add places to days, see the weather for your dates.
Each city with a guide opens its own page: map, where to stay, what to eat.
History, museums and nightlife.
history, nightlife, gateway · Open the city guideBeer halls, palaces and gateway to the Alps.
culture, food, gateway · Open the city guideCathedral and Rhine city.
history, beer · Open the city guidePort city with canals and music.
culture, nightlife · Open the city guideBaroque art city on the Elbe.
art, history · Open the city guideRomantic university town.
history · Guide comingMedieval walls and Christmas market.
history, markets · Guide comingMain air hub and skyline city.
gateway · Open the city guideGateway to the Black Forest.
hiking, gateway · Guide comingModern history, palaces and baroque cities.
Berlin, Potsdam, Dresden
Beer, castles, Alps and the Romantic Road.
Munich, Neuschwanstein, Rothenburg
Castles, vineyards and river cruises.
Rhine Valley, Cologne, Moselle Valley
Forests, spas and student towns.
Black Forest, Heidelberg, Freiburg
Port cities and coastline.
Hamburg, Lübeck, Baltic coast
Port cities, islands and the Wadden Sea.
Hamburg, Lubeck, Sylt
Choose how long you have, then add the whole route to a trip as places and nights.
Best: May to September, and late November to December for markets. Summer brings warm days for beer gardens and river cruises, and Advent brings Christmas markets.
The Alps in the south get snow for winter sports, while the north and Baltic coast are cooler and windier.
January. Quiet season. Lower prices, fewer crowds.
35°F daily high, 31°F average, 2.1 in
Average of past years from NASA POWER, worked out at each city's position. A place far from these cities can be quite different.
The US State Department rates Germany Level 2 (exercise increased caution) because of terrorism, though everyday crime risk for visitors is low.
An extensive rail network with ICE high speed trains links most places, though delays have become more common.
Prices are fair for Western Europe, especially food and transport passes, while Munich is pricier.
Entry rules depend on your passport. Members see the rules for their own passport here.
Passport and visa rules change often and without notice. Always check the official pages before you book and again before you travel.
| Entry | Check visa and entry rules on the German Federal Foreign Office Visa and Service page (https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/visa-service) and on your own government's travel advice before you go, as rules can change. |
| Plugs | Type C, F; 230 V |
| Tap water | safe |
| Tipping | Rounding up or adding about 5 to 10 percent in restaurants is normal, and you say the total when paying. |
| Payments | Cards are widely accepted now, but some small cafes and bakeries still prefer cash. |
| Emergency | 112, or 110 police |
| Etiquette | Germans value punctuality, order and quiet, especially on Sundays. Wait for the green light before crossing streets. Do not walk in bike lanes, and avoid any Nazi symbols or gestures, which are illegal. |
| Driving | On the right |
| Between cities | Deutsche Bahn ICE and intercity trains link most cities, and the Deutschlandticket covers regional transport within a month. Long distance buses such as FlixBus are cheaper. Autobahns make driving easy, especially for castles and the Black Forest. |
| Main airports | FRA, MUC, BER, HAM, DUS, CGN |
| Ride apps | Uber, Bolt, FreeNow |
German lands were long a patchwork of kingdoms and city states within the Holy Roman Empire. Prussia led unification in 1871, and the 20th century brought two world wars and the Nazi dictatorship. After 1945 the country was divided into West and East Germany, and the Berlin Wall stood from 1961 to 1989. Germany reunified in 1990 and is now the EU's largest economy.
Researched 2026-10-13. Check official sources and recent changes before you go.