Germany welcomes the world
Germany is becoming an increasingly attractive holiday destination for international tourists. Although most tourists visit German cities and, above all, the capital Berlin, interest in the more traditional German holiday destinations grows apace. Below is an overview of some of Germany's more popular destinations.
Bavaria
Bavaria tops the table as far as the popularity of German federal states is concerned. Munich and the Royal Court brewery, the Bavarian alps and lakes, the castles of King Ludwig II, Nuremberg and its Christmas market along with Bayreuth and its Wagner Festival pull in the crowds every year. The local tourist industry nevertheless tries to come up with something innovative every year. “Hiking on the Maximilian way” is among the new attractions. For 360 kilometres the route follows in the footsteps of Bavarian monarch Maximilian II. who is believed to have traversed the path in the summer of 1858. It takes walkers along the edge of the Alps from Lindau to Sonthofen and Fuessen to Berchtesgaden. A little farther to the north hikers can follow the Limes long distance footpath on a route taken by the Romans. The route is flanked by Roman baths which have been excavated along with reconstructed towers and forts.
Berlin
Like a moth to a flame, tourists from around the globe are drawn to Berlin. The capital city of Germany, Berlin is also the nation's largest city and one pulsing with an unbeatable verve. From the New York Times' “44 places to go in the World”, Berlin sits unsurprisingly at number four. The city is at the cutting edge of music, art and lifestyle trends with outstanding museums, orchestras, exhibitions, nightclubs and theatres.
Berlin's architecture, culture and fashion reflect the city's charismatic flair. The spirit of this city is a constant source of inspiration for artists, resulting in innovative and varied designs. Edgy, cool and yet low-key the extensive cultural offerings attract talent from all over the world, and the city has become a mecca of art and creativity.
Part of the dynamic that makes the city so attractive is the contrast between old and new. Nestled amongst centuries old Prussian architecture are the stunning architectural works replacing the remnants of the divided city. Amongst thousands of nightclubs, galleries, cafes and trendy discos are 170 museums that are home to countless international exhibitions and collections that span from Ancient Egypt to the most modern installations.
Visitors to Berlin are guaranteed to find something, if not many things, to suit their tastes. For more information on the plethora of sights and attractions on offer, visit Berlin's website:
www.berlin.de.
Munich
Though stereotypically known for Oktoberfest and beer gardens, Munich is also prized for its parks, palaces, opera house, modern art museums, and, last but not least, its soccer team. "Munich nestles between art and beer like a village between hills," said Henrich Heine of Bavaria’s capital almost 150 years ago. Monocle Magazine recently named Munich “Most Livable City”, topping a list of 25 of the world's best places to live. BMW, a large international airport, and a large helping of modern art all factor into Monocle’s high rating. Munich is also in the running to host the 2018 Winter Olympic Games. Why not make Munich your next holiday destination? Click the following link to find out more about Munich.
City of Munich
The Rhine Valley
The Rhine river has been an important waterway from North to South for thousands of years, as evidenced by the towns, ruined fortifications and castles along its banks. Since 2002 the stretch between Bingen and Koblenz, which is often known as the Rhine Gorge, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For hikers a network of paths known literally as “dream paths” has been created. The most popular visitor sites in these parts are the steep banks at St. Goarshausen, the Loreley rock with its breathtaking views which was immortalised by the poet Heinrich Heine: “I don't know what it may signify ...“ In the summer months the region attracts visitors to its historic markets, castle festivals and jousting re-enactments to take a step back in time to the Middle Ages.
Heidelberg
Romantic, cosmopolitan, idyllic and dynamic, Heidelberg effortlessly unites a wealth of seeming contrasts. Heidelberg Castle and the picturesque old quarter have been inspiring painters, poets, writers and composers for centuries. This town on the River Neckar has also attracted its fair share of scientists: Ruprecht Karls University is the oldest of its kind in modern-day Germany and one of the country's most elite educational establishments. Due to its easily accessible location and its associations with culture and research, the region around Heidelberg is also one of the most popular commercial centres in Germany.
For more information about
Heidelberg
Link to
Heidelberg Marketing GmbH
Dresden and the Elbe Valley
The Church of Our Lady, The Semperoper opera house, the Green Vault – following extensive restoration of its most famous landmarks, Dresden is enjoying more visitors than ever before. But the city also has much more to offer. Film nights along banks of the Elbe, picnics to the sound of classical music, the 10th Dresdner City Festival from August 15 to 17, a rally for children retracing the steps of writer Erich Kaestner - and the chance to sample some marvellous excursions into the surrounding countryside. As a wine producing region Saxony is enjoying a revival. The around 55-kilometre-long Saxony Wine Route between Pirna and Dießbar-Seußlitz takes visitors past celebrated wineries and magnificent castles. In Pirna, where the River Elbe takes its leave of the Sandstone mountains, the sights include the historic marketplace, St. Mary’s Church and the Canaletto House. Close by is the town of Meissen, where the federal state-owned porcelain factory is among the area’s top attractions.
Black Forest and Lake Constance
Mainau, the island of flowers, is visited by a million guests a year, making it one of the most popular holiday destinations in the land. The climate around Lake Constance is so mild that millions of bulbs start to come out in early Spring. In summer visitors relax under palm trees and sequoias while the season of roses and dahlias lasts until late autumn. The landscape was created by Swedish baron Graf Lennart Bernadotte who arrived on the island in 1932. He died in 2004 aged 95 years. Not far away from Germany’s largest freshwater lake lies the Black Forest with its picturesque stretches of water and woodlands. Mountain bikers can conquer an overall altitude difference of 15,000 metres on a new route through the region. For those who prefer to take things a little easier, some of Germany’s best wines grow in the hills of the Kaiserstuhl, literally the emperor’s chair, along the Upper Rhine.
North Sea and Baltic
Three federal states share the North German coastline: Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The last mentioned contains Germany’s largest island of Ruegen which boasts the most rapid growth in recent years. A current trends is towards “holidays up North” and guests from overseas are fascinated by the typical canopied beach chairs which protect holidaymakers from wind, rain and too much sun. The area is also home to Germany’s oldest seaside resort of Heiligendamm which made world headlines in 2007 as the venue for the G8 Summit. Germany’s most famous island is still Sylt on the North Sea which has absorbed a growing number of visitors while retaining its reputation as a haunt of the rich and famous. Cyclists in the region also enjoy the “Viking-Friesian-Way” which guides them over than 180 kilometres from Maasholm on the Baltic to St.Peter-Ording on the North Sea.
Many world-famous composers, such as Bach and Mendelssohn, lived in Leipzig. The 'Music Trail' – Leipziger Notenspur – takes visitors to the workplaces and homes of the music greats.
On the trail of musical genius: Leipzig
60 years young and loved the world over: the Romantic Road, the oldest holiday route in Germany, will be celebrating its anniversary in 2010. Barely 400 kilometres long, the road between Würzburg in Franconia and Füssen in the Allgäu long since established itself as emblematic of Germany as a holiday destination, and the idea has been taken up all over the world. From May to October, Germany’s Romantic Road is celebrating its anniversary with nostalgic trips in veteran cars and on steam trains, with music and wine festivals, markets and special anniversary menus.
Romantic Road anniversary celebrations 2010
