Most tourists who annually spend their holidays in Germany primarily pay attention to Cologne, Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt am Main, Lubeck, Hamburg and other cities … Those who are interested in the answer to the question “what to see in Germany?” Will be offered to visit the Rhine and Moselle valleys, castles of Bavaria, Romanesque cathedrals.
Holiday season in Germany
Interest in Germany does not subside throughout the year, but the largest influx of travelers to this country is observed in May-October and December-March (these months are the ski season in the Bavarian Alps). If someone is interested in the German Baltic, then you can swim there not earlier than the end of July, when the water warms up to + 20-21˚C.
The samba carnival is worth a visit in February, the jazz festival in May, and the opera festival, short film festival and Opernplatzfest in June.
Top 15 places of interest in Germany
Brandenburg Gate
Brandenburg Gate, Berlin
The Brandenburg Gate is a landmark in the Mitte district of Berlin. The gate in the form of a 26-meter triumphal arch is decorated with allegorical, as well as the figure of Victoria (the goddess of victory), who rides in an antique chariot (she is drawn by 4 horses) and holds a cross in her hands (before she was the goddess of the world and in her hands was olive branch). There are transitions between the gate supports (there are 5 of them in total): the purpose of the side ones is for the townspeople, and the middle one is for solemn corteges. It is worth noting that the northern wing of the gate is interesting for the Hall of Silence (here you can think about the fate of those who fell at the Brandenburg Gate). At sunset, thanks to the illumination, the gate appears to the guests of the German capital in a different light.
Neuschwanstein Castle
Neuschwanstein Castle is located near the city of Füssen, and to get to it, it makes sense to purchase a Bayern Ticket for two at the Munich railway station for 28 euros. There is no direct route to the castle, so you will have to change to a bus in the city of Buchloe. Arriving at the place, you need to find an office where they sell tickets for an excursion to the castle. Tours are strictly timed.
Upon entering Neuschwanstein Castle, tourists receive an audio guide in their own language. The royal bedroom, a small grotto, festive and song halls (the interior is created in the likeness of the Legends of Parsifal), as well as walls (in their painting there are excerpts from the Saga of Lohengrin) are subject to inspection.
In winter, the castle is open from 10 am to 4 pm, and in summer - from 9 am to 6 pm; the entrance ticket costs 12 euros.
Lake constance
The German shore of Lake Constance stretches for 173 km and can be reached from Munich and Stuttgart in less than 2 hours by car. Since the lake belongs to three countries with a common visa regime, tourists can easily navigate it by ferry. You can also go around the shores of Lake Constance on a two-wheeled friend thanks to the laid cycle route (bike paths stretch for 200 km).
Constance is interesting for its houses, partly located in Germany, and partly in Switzerland, beaches, boarding houses, spa-hotels, a cathedral, Roman fortifications and magnificent views of the Alps opening from here; the beautiful island of Mainau - with a butterfly pavilion and a park with 400 varieties of tulips growing there; Reichenau Island - a Benedictine monastery and the Church of St. George with paintings from the 10th century.
Dresden castle
Dresden castle
Until 1918, the Saxon princes lived in the Dresden Castle (in architecture, features of both the Romanesque and the eclectic style can be traced). In the 21st century, the castle, destroyed during the Second World War, was restored. Now its guests are interested in the Housmann Tower, where many climb for the impressive views of Dresden. As for thematic exhibitions, their exhibits are works of art by contemporary authors and masters of the past. The ticket price is 10 euros.
Bastei bridge
The picturesque stone bridge Bastei is located in the Saxon Switzerland park (distance from Dresden - 30 km). Its spans are at a height of 195 meters between sandstone cliffs. The local cliffs are of interest to rock climbers and photographers. There is a restaurant for all those who are hungry, and for the curious there is a viewing platform from where they can enjoy amazing views. The modern Bastei bridge, 40 m high, is equipped with 7 arches and stone memorial plaques (they mention the pioneers who described this area in their travel notes, and the photographer Hermann Krone, who took landscape photographs on the Bastei bridge in 1853).
Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall is the 155-kilometer state border of the GDR with West Berlin. It was demolished in October 1990, but it was decided to keep some parts of it (today, a 1, 3-kilometer stretch of Bernauer Strasse is left of it). So, in May 2010, the first part of the memorial complex called the “Window of Memory” was opened (a monument with black and white photographs of the victims who tried to move to the eastern part of Berlin from the western one is subject to inspection). The complete work on the creation of the complex, of which the Chapel of Reconciliation is a part, was completed in 2012.
Bonn cathedral
Bonn cathedral
A walk around Bonn should be started with a visit to the Bonn Cathedral, one of the towers of which reaches 96 meters in height (there are 5 of them in total). It is located at the burial place of Roman soldiers who did not want to renounce the Christian faith (the busts of Florence and Cassius are installed inside the cathedral). Bonn Cathedral is an example of the Gothic style of the 13th century, here you can see a 1400 fresco depicting the three wise men, stained glass windows, the altar of St. John (it is decorated with a relief image of the scene of the Baptism of Christ), an equestrian statue of Martin of Tours, sculptures of the devil and an angel (Romanesque style). Near the cathedral, the Baroque palace, which is now a post office, as well as the sculpture of Beethoven deserve attention.
For visits, Bonn Cathedral is open from 8 am to 7 pm (Sunday from 9 am to 8 pm).
Hohenzollern Castle
Hohenzollern Castle
Hohenzollern Castle is 50 km away from Stuttgart. It is called the “castle in the clouds” because of its location high in the mountains. To get to the Hohenzollern Castle, you need to climb the steps of a steep staircase. There are 140 halls inside: visitors will be able to admire the royal military uniform, tapestries, paintings, royal arms (there is an armory hall). The castle is famous for its summer theater (guests are invited to performances based on Shakespeare's works) and a beer courtyard (those who wish are treated to German beer), as well as interesting events taking place (in August, there is a night of fireworks).
The cost of a ticket with visiting the halls is 12 euros (without - 7 euros).
Nuremberg fortress
Fortress in Nuremberg includes:
- Burggrave Fortress: it includes the Walburgis Chapel, the Earl's Stables (today the hostel is open here), the 5-corner tower and the Luginsland lookout tower.
- The Imperial Fortress: famous for the observation deck (from here you will be able to admire the Old Town), the observation tower (you can climb up the spiral wooden staircase), a deep well (its depth is 47 m), a double chapel (the lower level was occupied by the Kaiser, the upper level was occupied by the knights and retinue, and the middle one - the king and his closest entourage), dungeons (in the Middle Ages they were occupied by wine cellars, and during the Second World War - by a cache bunker), a museum of the fortress, gardens of the fortress walls.
Nuremberg Fortress is open from 9-10 am to 4-6 pm. Admission is free, fees apply to the viewpoints, museum and well.
Azamkirche Church
Azamkirche Church
The Azamkirche Church (Baroque style) in Munich is distinguished by a white and gold facade and a rich interior, decorated with stucco molding, pilasters, and gilding. In the Azamkirche church with 7 confessionals (they are decorated with allegorical images), marble sculptures of saints, carved doors made of dark wood, frescoes based on the deeds of St. John of Nepomuk, altar sculpture of the Holy Trinity are subject to inspection. The church is open from 9 am to 6 pm, and on Fridays from 1 pm to 6 pm. Free admission.
Marienburg castle
The medieval castle of Marienburg stands on the top of the hill of the same name, 20 km from Hanover. There is a museum (exhibitions are regularly held), an observation deck (the main tower of the castle), a souvenir shop, a restaurant (there used to be stables here), a courtyard (used for concerts and other events). Those who wish will be offered to rent some premises of the castle for events (for example, on Saturdays it will not be possible to visit the castle chapel - weddings are held there).
A guided tour of the castle lasts approximately 60 minutes, and those who decide to climb the observation deck will pay 4 euros for it. The entrance to the castle costs 8 euros.
Dammerstock complex in Karlsruhe
The Dammerstock complex is located near the center of Karlsruhe, which can be reached by local train (get off at Dammerstock station) or walk from the Central Station. It is an ensemble of nearly 300 Neuen Bauens-style apartments (some of these avant-garde buildings look like sci-fi movie sets). Although it will not be possible to go inside, since the apartments are residential, they can be viewed from the outside, as well as various pavilions, a laundry room and a church.
Old Pinakothek in Munich
Old Pinakothek in Munich
The Old Pinakothek in Munich attracts interest thanks to the works of artists who lived from the medieval centuries to the 18th century. A large collection of paintings for the Old Pinakothek was collected by the Wittelsbach dynasty. Guests will be shown in 19 rooms and 49 rooms with 700 paintings exhibited there (Bosch, Durer, Raphael, Rubens, Rembrandt). On the ground floor there are paintings by Flemish and German artists of the 16-17th centuries, on the second floor - by artists from the Netherlands and Germany, in halls 5 and 4 - by painters from Italy of the 15-16th centuries, in halls 6-8 - by Flemish masters of the 17th century.
The entrance ticket costs 4 euros on weekdays, and 1 euros on weekends (the Pinakothek is closed on Mondays).
Spandau Citadel
Spandau Citadel is a 12-sided fortress in the northwest of Berlin on the banks of the Havel River. It includes the round Julius tower, gas laboratories (no visitors are allowed there) and triangular bastions (4). Guests will be offered to view the exposition of the citadel, which tells its story and about the city of Spandau itself (here are exhibited German engravings, armor, weapons, a model of the fortress in the form in which it looked in the Middle Ages), as well as visit the art workshops in which they forge and make glass products. On the eve of Christmas and Easter, a festive market opens here.
The entrance ticket costs 4, 50 euros.
Bavarian forest
Bavarian forest
The Bavarian Forest National Park has many kilometers of hiking trails, bicycle paths, artificial reservoirs, the natural Rachelsee lake (located at 1070 meters above sea level, and the water in it is highly acidic) and a 1300-meter suspended road in the form of wooden bridges connected at the tops trees at a height of 25 meters. In the Bavarian forest you can see beech, linden, ash, maple, otter, marten, deer, hawk, owl, woodpecker, hazel grouse, beaver, stork, wasp-eater, elk.
