Germany is one of the favorite destinations of travellers and so called business travellers who visit the important annual fairs in Frankfurt, Cologne, Stuttgart, Hannover and Leipzig. Even sport lovers will find opportunities in Germany for many different activities, from skiing to cycling, not to mention visits to shrines of motoring and tennis. The country is also a must see for all lovers of art, music and architecture.
Many cities have been completely rebuilt after the Second World War, such as Dresden and Nuremberg, other futuristically renovated as Hanover. Especially in Berlin, however, focuses architectural creativity German: symbol of the reunification of the city into the future. Even small towns are full of charm and very distinctive.
In some cases, have maintained an authentic atmosphere with small squares overlooked by the town hall and timbered houses. Intense cultural life around the many museums of classical art, ancient painting technique. The seasons are for German music lovers an event not to be missed. Last but not least in Germany, the food is excellent and far more varied than one might think. In every city there are plenty of restaurants. The beer is among the best in the world and it is the celebration of Oktoberfest. The nightlife is sparkling especially in Berlin that houses, among other events, the now very famous Love Parade.
Berlin is certainly one of the major tourist destinations in Germany. Not to be missed, in this city, the German Parliament Reichstag, redesigned by the British architect Norman Foster, or the Brandenburg Gate , both symbols of ' German unity and close to where it was the wall of Berlin until 1989. You can take a walk along part of the wall of Berlin, the Brandenburg Gate to the glitzy Potsdamer Platz, modern landmark for the city, and the Sitare Museum of the Berlin Wall (Mauermuseum) at Checkpoint Charlie, where people crossed the border between the two Germanies, and learn about the history of divided Berlin.
Absolutely worth visiting the city of Dresden, the belissima Florence on the Elbe, which will will also give an insight into East Germany, where you can admire the city of Weimar, where they lived many great characters, including Goethe, Luther, Bach, Liszt, Wagner and Schiller: This is an important cultural center of the past, which enjoyed its heyday in the 18th and 19th. Later, enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of Frankfurt am Main (Frankfurt am Main), in particular the historic district Römer, which contrasts strongly with that of the modern city today commonly known as 'Mainhattan' for its skyscrapers and financial power.
In northern Germany you can go from Hamburg, a port city full of dance clubs, strip clubs, bars and other entertainment. In southern Germany, however, not to be missed the city of Monaco and the beautiful area of Bavaria. You can also visit the campuses of Romantic Germany: Freiburg , which is a bit the gateway to the famous Black Forest, and home to a magnificent Gothic cathedral with a tower, and Heidelberg on the river Neckar, the oldest university town in Germany.
Located in Heidelberg are the ruins of the famous Heidelberg Castle , Gothic and Renaissance in style, while the University of Heidelberg, born around 1386, is the third oldest in 'Europe. Admire, finally, the architectural heritage of the city of Bamberg in northern Bavaria, for Goslar, in Lower Saxony, and the gem consists of the port of Lubeck on the north coast of the Baltic Sea.
The natural beauties. Definitely recommend a visit to the beautiful island of Mainau, with its historic buildings and its multicolored roof, located n the northern shore of Lake Constance, on the border between Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, an area rich in char me enchants visitors on vacation at any time of year. Owned by a private foundation, this island is managed as un'i s ola-garden and is famous for its flowers. One of the best places to visit in Germany is the romantic valley of the river Rhine, between Koblenz and Rudesheim.
This is a very scenic area, with stunning views, the most interesting from the point of view of history and landscape of the entire country. You can turn it in the car along the Rhine, or simply taking cruises along the river, with one of the three or four lines exist. The cruises last for two hours throughout the day, or only in the evening, and in this case include dinner, and are not expensive. Through this tour you can see many fairytale castles, picturesque villages and the hills and valleys of the area.
Vale worth visiting the castle Marksburg, the only intact on the Rhine, Castle Liebenstein , the best castle in the Rhine area in which you can even sleep, and Maus Castle, dating back to 1353. Specifically, you can take a cruise on the Rhine from the city of Koblenz , with its substantial fortifications in front of the mouth of the River Moselle, up to Bingen. Or even, by train or car to the east of Freiburg, in the spectacular countryside of the Hochschwarzwald Upper Black Forest, an area famous for winter sports in the winter, and hiking, boating and hiking trails in the summer nature.
The Black Forest is a region known for its landscapes and forests, as well as for its cuckoo clocks, sold here since the 17th century and is said to be inhabited by witches, werewolves, and so on, but it sure is a nice area to visit in the spring or summer.
The other attractions. First of all, heading definitely in the southwest of Bavaria near Fussen, near the Austrian border, to see the incredibly amazing Neuschwanstein Castle. This building has been the pattern for the fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty what found at Disneyland, so to speak. The castle is located in the south-west of Bavaria, in the vicinity of Hohenschwangau. Although not completely finished, it is still intact, and it is truly magnificent. Germany, in fact, lends itself to literally get you into the world of fairy tales.
For Hesse, in fact, you will find the home of Little Red Riding Hood, while in Reinhardswald you will find the wonderful Castle Sababurg, now a castle-hotel that inspired the Brothers Grimm to write Sleeping Beauty. instead Relive the days of the Roman Empire to Saalburg, a reconstructed Roman settlement near Bad Homburg, wooded hills north of Frankfurt am Main.
You can also admire the jewelry, sculptures and many other treasures in the restored Green Vault (Green Vault) in Dresden, East Germany, a museum home of the precious crown jewels collected by the Saxon royal family over the centuries: it is one of the largest collections of its kind in Europe and is now protected by UNESCO. Take a break at this point of reflection at the Baroque Frauenkirche, Cathedral Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Dresden, which was destroyed in the bombing suffered in February 1945 and later rebuilt: it is a poignant symbol of the past. In Germany, Gothic architecture is amazing.
In this regard, it is certainly also the view of Cologne Cathedral , one of the most visited monuments in the country, which is located in the town of the same name, about an hour north of Koblenz. It is interesting to note that, in reality, it was the tallest building in the world in 1880, were built until the Washington Monument and the Eiffel Tower.
Germany is an excellent destination for the whole year, although the climate and weather conditions can be unpredictable. Anyway, the best time to visit this country is in the summer, between the months of June and September. Another good time to take a trip to Germany during the Christmas holidays. Most people prefer visit between May and September (high season), when the sunny days are more likely. A lot of activities are possible in this season, especially outdoor sports (hiking, cycling and swimming) and festivals.
Between a third and half the days of each year are associated with precipitation. The other seasons March to May and from October to early November are less crowded with tourists (low season). Usually, in the month of April and May, the climate can be mild and sunny. On the other hand, between November and early March the days tend to be dark and the thermometer often drops below zero this season, traveling to interesting are those ski areas in the Bavarian Alps.
The easiest and fastest way to reach Germany is the plane, possibly using companies low cost such as the German TUIFly, which have very competitive prices. There are links to the major airports in the country, which are Frankfurt, Monaco, Berlin, Cologne and Hamburg. In the train, there are links with Monaco with Eurocity trains departing or passing through Rome, Florence, Bologna, Milan, Venice and Bolzano.
Once you arrive in Monaco is easy to reach other destinations using the German trains. The journey is long but with trains Euronight many miles you do at night. By car, you can get passing through Switzerland or Austria, remembering to acquire, at a motorway service station near the border with Italy, the vignette to drive on highways passing through these countries. The vignette is not necessary, however, on German motorways, which are free.
Driving in Germany can be a delight: the scenery is beautiful and the roads are well maintained. On the German Autobahn there is no speed limit, even if the maximum recommended speed is 130 km / h, m , there are at many rules and norm and to observe. To drive speed limit base is 50 km / h in urban areas, that is, built, and 100 km / h elsewhere. If you exceed these limits, you may be fined thanks to the cameras of the traffic police German, and fines you will be able to arrive within 2-3 months from the infringement.
All vehicles in Germany are required to have seat belts for all the people in the car, including those in the rear seats. And the law requires that they be worn. Children under 12 are not allowed to sit in the front seat of a car and must use car seats certified by the German government. In Germany, a driver can be forced to undergo a blood test. The alcohol limit is 0.5 milligrams of alcohol per milliliter of blood. Who exceed this limit will be fined. To pass it, just two small beers, a quarter of a liter of wine or hard liquor. German law requires that all cars have a first aid kit with them.
In residential areas, indicated by a sign showing a pedestrian and a child who kicks a ball, the traffic must stop for pedestrians and you have to move no more than 7 km / h. Generally, it is difficult to find a place to park during work hours. Signs round the edges with red and blue inside and an "X" means no parking. Signs similar, with only one diagonal line, indicate parking allowed for three minutes. Motorists can not exceed a bus signals with the arrow that is approaching one of his stops. Once the bus is stopped, you can go slowly. Cartels round blue with white arrows in them indicate the permitted directions of travel. Driving on snow-covered roads is permitted only if the car is equipped with winter tires. The use of normal tires can result in a fine and loss of insurance coverage in case of an accident.
Since Germany is part of the European Union, due to the Schengen rules, there are no border controls and to travel to this country for a maximum stay of 3 months is sufficient to be mu ned a paper identity or a passport valid. Make sure that children traveling with you either have their own identity card or your passport or are registered on your own, so that they can be identified if necessary. Bringing with you the health card, in case of need you will be treated free of charge by the local Health Service, or better, then you will pay but you can be refunded.
Since Germany is part of the Euro, the official currency used is precisely the Euro. Also any withdrawals at branches ATM will provide, of course, cash in that currency. The credit cards are accepted almost everywhere, while the banks are open from Monday to Friday with hours 8,30-16.30 and Saturday are closed. There are no problems using the phone as long as the phone is enabled by your service provider to roaming internationally. To log on to the Internet, you can use Internet cafes, which are quite popular especially in university areas, public libraries and post offices; also many points Wi-Fi. The voltage is 230 V power in Germany, but the plugs have only two holes, so if your plug you will need an adapter requires three to two.