As the largest EU member with over 82 million inhabitants, there’s more to Germany than the big cities. With enchanting medieval villages and a vast array of castles, palaces, churches and abbeys, plus local festivals, wine villages and regional attractions, there is definitely something for everyone. Amazing architecture, exciting vibrant cities, great shopping and energetic nightlife are just some of the pleasures awaiting you in modern Germany.
Other Cities of Interest:
Consider the Romantic Road when travelling around Germany. This trail passes through a region of southern Germany that is said to represent the quintessential German towns. The beginning of the Romantic Road is Würzburg with its main sight, the Würzburg Residenz including the Hofkirche. This church’s interior is richly decorated with paintings, sculptures, stucco ornaments and the largest fresco in the world adorns the vault of the staircase. Kaisersaal, the emperor’s chamber, is the focus of the palace and signifies the devotion of Würzburg to the Catholic Church. Würzburg's Old Main Bridge was built 1473–1543 and was adorned with well-known statues of saints in about 1730. Across the bridge is the Fortress Marienberg castle on a hill overlooking the city.
Medieval architecture is dominant in Rothenburg, where you can discover remnants of series of walls and towers that defended the city over the ages. Also on the Romantic Road discover Augsburg, and appreciate the Fuggerei – the oldest social housing project in the world, which has continuously housed the needy including Mozart’s great-grandfather for almost 500 years for less than €1. Other highlights include the Renaissance town hall and the two churches, St. Ulrich and St. Afra, 1 Catholic and 1 Lutheran which were built as part of the ‘Peace of Augsburg’ in 1555.
For a small spa town experience, visit Baden-Baden near Karlsruhe in the Black Forest. It’s also famous for the casino where Dostoevsky wrote ‘The Gambler’. Another small town to see is Füssen, the highest town in Bavaria and the destination of the Romantic Road. Nearby explore Hohenschwangau castle, the former official summer residence of the Bavarian royal family and the magnificent Neuschwanstein castle built by King Ludwig II in honour of his favourite composer Richard Wagner.
Also in Bavaria, Regensburg is highlighted by the large medieval city centre. The cathedral at Regensburg is an authentic example of German gothic architecture along with the medieval stone bridge, which was used by 2nd and 3rd crusade to cross the Danube. Nearby Nuremburg is a city of contrasts. It offers stunning medieval architecture, city walls and cathedrals and the largest Christmas market in the world. Along with horrific Nazi rally grounds, zeppelin field and the unfinished Roman Coliseum-style stadium, now a museum to the war.
In the heart of Germany’s wine region is Rüdesheim, where Brömserburg Castle the oldest medieval castle on the Rhine River, is situated. Also on the Rhine, is Düsseldorf, famous for its altstadt (old town) and the Düsseldorfer Karneval. The Karneval is one of the biggest cultural events in Düsseldorf and starts every year on 11 November at 11:11a.m. The highlight is a huge parade through the streets of Düsseldorf on Rosenmontag (Rose Monday).
The best preserved Roman gate north of the Alps is at Trier. Ruins of three Roman baths and a Roman amphitheatre still remain and the current cathedral was built on the site of a Roman temple. Trier is also popular with Chinese tourists visiting the hometown of Karl Marx, with a museum dedicated to him.
In Leipzig, Thomaskirche (St Thomas' Church) is most famous as the place where Johann Sebastian Bach worked as a cantor. The Völkerschlachtdenkmal (Battle of the Nations Monument) is the largest war monument in Europe and was built to commemorate the success over Napoleonic troops. Peaceful reunification marches began at the Nikolaikirche in 1989 and made Leipzig the focus of the revolution. For more recent history, Weimar is the town where the German constitution between the World Wars was written, known as the Weimar republic. It is also famous as the former home of both Goethe & Bach.