From soul-stirring scenery of beautiful landscapes, fairytale castles and timber towns to a spirit-lifting culture and a sensory journey of feasts, treats, and temptations, Germany has it all. There are great cities like Berlin, Munich, and Hamburg with breathtaking architectural dichotomies where Romanesque, Gothic, and Baroque classics rub rafters with modern masterpieces by Frank Gehry, David Chipperfield, and Daniel Libeskind. Here are the best things to do in Germany.
Brandenburg Gate
The Brandenburg Gate (Brandenburger Tor) is a resplendent 18th-century Neo-classical monument in the western part of Berlin’s city center in the neighborhood of Mitte, and it is one of Germany’s most iconic landmarks. Built on the site of what was once the city gate that marked the beginning of the road from Berlin to Brandenburg an der Havel, the Brandenburg Gate stands as a grand entry to Unter den Linden, the famous boulevard lined with Linden trees that led directly to the royal City Palace of the Prussian Monarchs.
The Brandenburg Gate has been used as a site for major historical events throughout its existence and is considered today as both a symbol of the turbulent history of Europe and Germany, as well as one of peace and unity in Europe.
Address: Brandenburg Gate, Pariser Platz, 10117 Berlin, Germany
Heidelberg Castle
Tucked into the forest-covered Königstuhl hillside above the city of Heidelberg, Heidelberg Castle (Schloss Heidelberger) is a breathtakingly beautiful castle with a history almost as old as the city itself.
Comprised of several buildings surrounding an inner courtyard, with each building highlighting a different period of German architecture, Heidelberg Castle was the residence for most of the Prince Electors until lightning permanently destroyed it in 1764. Among the most important Renaissance structures north of the Alps, Heidelberg Castle stands today as an iconic symbol of the city and boasts spectacular views of the Neckar River, the city of Heidelberg, and the Neckar Valley far into the Rhine plain.
Address: Heidelberg Castle, Schlosshof 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany, Phone: +49-62-21-65-88-80, Heidelberg Castle Video
Insel Mainau
Insel Mainau is an island on the south shore of the Überlinger See (Lake Constance) near the city of Konstanz in Baden-Württemberg. Owned by the Lennart Bernadotte-Stiftung, which was established by Prince Lennart Bernadotte, the Count of Wisborg, the island is maintained as a garden island, and it is a model of excellent environmental practices.
The island is home to exquisitely manicured flowering gardens, a greenhouse with tropical climate and thousands of butterflies, and beautiful park landscapes with glorious lake views. Mainau Bay is also the location of the university sailing club. Insel Mainau is one of Lake Constance’s most popular tourist attractions.
The Island of Rugen
Rugen is a German island located off the Pomeranian coast in the Baltic Sea and a popular holiday spot. Forming part of the Jasmund National Park, which is famous for its white-tailed eagles and primeval beech forests, Rügen is renowned for its beautiful beaches and white chalk cliffs, including the viewing platform known as the King's Chair on the Jasmund peninsula.
In addition to the miles of white sandy beaches, Rügen is also home to several national parks, the popular white cliffs, sleepy fishing villages, and magnificent countryside and coastline that can be explored by hiking, bicycling, or sailing.
Konigssee
The Konigssee is a natural lake within the Berchtesgaden National Park in the southeast Berchtesgadener Land district in Bavaria, and it is also Germany's third deepest lake. Situated within the Berchtesgaden Alps, just south of Berchtesgaden, the Königssee (literally translated as “king’s lake”) was formed by glaciers during the last Ice Age and is nearly five miles long and one mile wide.
Similar to a fjord and surrounded by magnificent 8,900-foot mountains, the Königssee is renowned for its picturesque setting, beautiful surroundings, and clear and clean water, which attracts hundreds of outdoor enthusiasts, adventurers, and tourists. Swimming in the Königssee is permitted except in the lock area at Seelände.
Mannheim Residential Palace
Mannheim Residential Palace is a Baroque palace in Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg. Once the principal residence of the Prince-electors of the Electorate of the Palatinate of the House of Wittelsbach and designed to highlight their importance in the Holy Roman Empire, Mannheim Palace is one of the largest palaces in Europe. Boasting five Baroque-style wings, a beautiful 400-meter façade fronting a vast courtyard, and a total floor area of six hectares surrounded by the Mannheimer Quadrate, or Mannheim squares that echo the layout of Mannheim’s city center, the palace has been described as one of the wonders of European architecture.
Visitors can explore the palace on guided tours of the reconstructed and restored Baroque palace, which features period furnishings, large tapestries, artworks, and silverware.
Address: Mannheim Residential Palace, Bismarckstraße, 68161 Mannheim, Germany, Phone: +49-62-12-92-28-91
Mercedes-Benz Factory Plant Tour
The Mercedes-Benz Museum documents the history of one of the world’s most famous automobiles, displaying over 130 years of auto industry history. Spanning nine levels throughout a floor space of over 16,500 square meters, the museum is home to more than 1,500 exhibits with 160 vehicles, ranging from the SLK to the E-Class Coupé.
The museum offers a behind-the-scenes look at one of Germany's most modern car factories and witnesses the production of the SL, SLK, C-Class, E-Class Coupé and the GLK cars close at hand. A variety of guided tours through the various sections of the factory are also offered, including automobile, architectural, and electronic guided tours.
Address: Mercedes-Benz Factory Plant Tour, Mercedes-Benz Kundenzentrum, Mercedesstrasse 1 28190 Bremen, Phone: +49-71-11-73-00
Moselle Valley
Hailed as one of the most beautiful valleys in Germany, the Moselle Valley (Moseltal) is a tripartite region in south-western Germany, north-eastern France, and eastern Luxembourg with the Moselle River Valley at its center. Bordering three countries, the Moselle Valley is a world-renowned white-wine-producing region, having produced high-quality Moselle wine since the 19th century and forming the heart of the Luxembourg wine industry.
Boasting a reputation as a rural idyll and a world-class Riesling producing region, the Moselle Valley has a healthy tourism industry and attracts thousands of visitors every year who want to experience the natural beauty of the area, which includes a myriad of castles towering over romantic wine villages, and outstanding wines of the region.
Museum Island
Located on an island in the River Spree right in the heart of the city, Berlin’s Museum Island features an extraordinary ensemble of five world-renowned museums, and it is an inspiring work of art in its own right. Established in 1830 with the Altes Museum (after which point other institutions were built on the island), it reflects the evolution of modern museum design over more than a century.
Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Museum Island is home to five museums, including the Pergamon Museum, the Bode Museum, the Neues Museum, the Alte Nationalgalerie, and the Altes Museum. Some of the highlights of the island include the Pergamon Altar and the bust of Nefertiti.
Address: Museum Island, Am Lustgarten 1, 10117 Berlin BE, Phone: +49-3-02-66-42-42-42
Neuschwanstein Castle
Neuschwanstein Castle (Schloss Neuschwanstein) is a 19th-century Romanesque Revival palace near Füssen in southwest Bavaria. Located on a rugged hill overlooking the picturesque village of Hohenschwangau, the castle was built by Ludwig II of Bavaria in honor of Richard Wagner and was opened to the public after his death in 1886.
Erected in the contemporary architectural style known as Castle Romanticism, Neuschwanstein Castle features only fifteen rooms and halls, boasting breathtaking interiors such as the Hall of the Singers and the Throne Hall. The castle has also appeared prominently in several notable movies, including The Great Escape and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. One of Germany’s most visited attractions, Neuschwanstein Castle sees as many as 6,000 visitors a day in the summer.
Address: Neuschwanstein Castle, Neuschwansteinstraße 20, 87645 Schwangau, Germany, Phone: +49-83-62-93-98-80
Goerlitz
Located on the banks of the Lusatian Neisse River in the Bundesland of Saxony, Goerlitz is the easternmost town in Germany and the capital of the district of Görlitz. Situated opposite the Polish town of Zgorzelec, Görlitz is the largest city in the former province of Lower Silesia and the most Silesian city regarding character, combining Lusatian and Silesian tradition as well as German and Sorbian culture.
This melting pot of culture and history also boasts a rich architectural heritage with more than 3,500 architectural monuments and grand old churches spanning 500 years. Görlitz is often used by film directors in movies as historical backgrounds, including The Book Thief, The Grand Budapest Hotel, and Inglourious Basterds.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Rothenburg ob der Tauber is a well-preserved medieval town in the district of Ansbach of Mittelfranken in the Franconia region of Bavaria. Once a Free Imperial City from the late Middle Ages until 1803, the old medieval town is Germany’s best-preserved walled city and forms part of the Romantic Road through southern Germany.
The picturesque village features medieval walls, turrets and clock towers, barns-turned hotels, and a quaint, medieval charm that makes it a popular destination for tourists from around the world. The best way to explore Rothenburg ob der Tauber is on guided walking tours, which visit the top attractions of Medieval Crime and Punishment Museum and St. Jakob’s Church.
Sanssouci Park and Palace
The Sanssouci Park and Palace are the most visited attraction in Potsdam. Built between 1745 and 1747 by Frederick the Great, who steered the course of Prussia in the 18th century, Sanssouci Palace was built between 1745 and 1747 as his summer residence, and it still stands in all its grandeur today.
Located within the Park Sanssouci, the Rococo-style Hohenzollern Palace features rooms that have been beautifully preserved with their elegant and stylish period furnishings, and there are a variety of other buildings nearby, including the New Palace, New Chambers Palace, Charlottenhof Palace, Chinese House, and the orangery, as well as the famous vineyard terrace. The Sanssouci Park and Palace are the most visited attraction in Potsdam.
Address: Sanssouci Park and Palace, Maulbeerallee, 14469 Potsdam, Phone: +49-33-19-69-42-00
The Rhine Valley
Tucked between the Rüdesheim and Koblenz, The Rhine Valley, also known as Oberes Mittelrheintal, is Germany’s breathtaking landscape at its most dramatic.
Cutting deeply through the Rhenish slate mountains and meandering languidly between forested hillsides alternating between craggy cliffs, near-vertical terraced vineyards of wine-producing grapes, and magnificent hillside castles, the Rhine Valley is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Rhine Valley is a favorite summer and early autumn tourist destination with Germans and visitors from all over the world.
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