Germany travel guide

Neuschwanstein Castle

Bavaria

The fairy-tale castle — book timed tickets in advance

Brandenburg Gate

Berlin

Symbol of reunification

Cologne Cathedral

Cologne

UNESCO-listed Gothic masterpiece; climb the south tower

Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Bavaria

Walled medieval town on the Romantic Road

Black Forest

Baden-Württemberg

Forest hikes, cuckoo clocks and spa towns

Rhine Gorge

Rhineland-Palatinate

Castles and vineyards — best seen by river cruise

Zugspitze

Bavaria

Germany’s highest peak, reached by cable car and cog railway

Museum Island

Berlin

Five world-class museums on one island

Berlin

Capital of history and nightlife: Brandenburg Gate, Museum Island, the Berlin Wall memorials

Guides in Berlin →

Munich

Bavarian capital — beer halls, Englischer Garten and gateway to the Alps

Guides in Munich →

Hamburg

Port city of canals, the Speicherstadt warehouses and the Elbphilharmonie

Guides in Hamburg →

Cologne

Gothic cathedral on the Rhine and a famous Carnival

Guides in Cologne →

Dresden

Baroque “Florence on the Elbe”, rebuilt Frauenkirche

Guides in Dresden →

Heidelberg

Romantic university town with a hilltop castle ruin

Guides in Heidelberg →

✈️ Frankfurt — Frankfurt Airport (FRA)

• S-Bahn S8/S9 to the city centre in about 15 minutes
• Long-distance ICE trains from the airport’s own station
• Taxis from the official ranks

✈️ Munich — Munich Airport (MUC)

• S-Bahn S1 and S8 to the city centre (about 40 minutes)
• Lufthansa Express Bus to Munich Hauptbahnhof

✈️ Berlin — Brandenburg (BER)

• FEX Airport Express and regional trains to Berlin Hauptbahnhof
• S-Bahn S9 and S45 into the city
• Buy an ABC zone ticket — the airport is in zone C

🚆 Getting around

• Deutsche Bahn ICE high-speed trains link major cities; book early for cheaper “Sparpreis” fares
• The Deutschlandticket gives monthly unlimited local and regional transport (not ICE/IC) nationwide
• U-Bahn, S-Bahn and trams in cities — validate paper tickets before boarding; inspectors fine fare dodgers
• Autobahn sections have no general speed limit, but many do — follow the signs

🙏 Culture & etiquette

• Don’t jaywalk — Germans wait for the green man, especially near children
• Sundays and public holidays are quiet days — most shops close and noise is frowned on
• Don’t walk in bike lanes (often red-paved)
• Be punctual — lateness is seen as disrespectful
• Make eye contact when clinking glasses (“Prost!”)

📍 Places, scams & seasons

• Be alert for pickpockets in busy stations and Christmas markets
• Large public events have heavy security — follow official advice
• Check the UK Foreign Office or your government’s advisory for current warnings

⚖️ Laws & restrictions

• Nazi symbols, salutes and Holocaust denial are criminal offences — even as a joke
• You must carry your passport or ID card
• Fare dodging on public transport brings on-the-spot fines
• Strict drink-driving limits

💬 Words & topics to avoid

• Never use Nazi-era slogans or the Hitler salute
• Avoid casual WWII and “Nazi” jokes
• Don’t assume all Germans wear lederhosen — that’s Bavarian tradition

Berlin

Mitte (sights), Kreuzberg or Friedrichshain (nightlife), Prenzlauer Berg (quieter cafes)

Stay near a U-Bahn or S-Bahn station

Munich

Altstadt (central), Maxvorstadt (museums) or Schwabing

Book far ahead for Oktoberfest

Hamburg

St. Pauli (nightlife), Altstadt or Sternschanze

Budget idea

Hostels and budget hotels near main stations

Clean, central and good for trains

Viktualienmarkt

Munich

Open-air food market in the old town

Markthalle Neun

Berlin

Food hall with a popular street-food Thursday

Kleinmarkthalle

Frankfurt

Indoor market with regional specialties

Fischmarkt

Hamburg

Early Sunday-morning fish market by the Elbe

Bratwurst

Grilled sausage — every region has its own style

Currywurst

Sausage with curry ketchup, a Berlin classic

Schnitzel

Breaded, fried cutlet of veal or pork

Pretzel (Brezel)

Soft pretzel, best with beer and mustard

Sauerbraten

Slow-marinated pot roast

Black Forest cake

Chocolate, cherries and whipped cream

Carnival (Karneval)

February

Cologne, Düsseldorf, Mainz

Berlinale film festival

February

Berlin

Rhine in Flames

May–September

Rhine valley

Oktoberfest

Late September – early October

Munich

Cannstatter Volksfest

Late September – October

Stuttgart

Christmas markets

Late November – December

Nationwide (Nuremberg, Dresden)

📱 SIM & eSIM

• Main networks: Telekom, Vodafone, O2 (Telefónica)
• EU SIMs roam free; prepaid SIMs need ID registration — eSIMs are easiest for visitors

📶 Coverage & Wi-Fi

• Good 4G/5G in cities, but dead spots on some trains and rural areas
• Free Wi-Fi on ICE trains and in many cafes

🔌 Power plugs

230V, 50Hz — plug types C and F