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Experience Germany differently. Enjoy one-of-a-kind experiences and uncover local secrets when our friends across the country open their doors to you. Here’s just a sample of the rich experiences you can expect.

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"I love showing guests the depth of German culture and cuisine; it lets them experience how truly multifaceted Germany really is!"

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Explore Neuschwanstein castle

Used as inspiration for Disney’s Cinderella film, the castle of Neuschwanstein stands with impossible grandeur in the hills of Bavaria’s Hohenschwangau district. Originally built for King Ludwig II who only spent 11 nights in the castle before his death, it now enchants visitors aplenty. Our trip to Germany would not be complete without it.

See the remnants of the Berlin Wall

Once dividing the German capital both physically and politically, what remains of the 155 kilometre long Berlin Wall has been largely dressed in thought-provoking graffiti. Feel the emotion of our visit, celebrating its symbolic demolition in 1989 and commemorating this dark patch in German history.

Embrace the Bavarian rich beer brewing heritage

Governed by a set of 16th century rules that determine purity, beer brewing in Germany is a cultural art form. Peel back the layers of beer culture to gain a deeper understanding of its significance, as we visit some of the 1300 breweries found here.

Go up the iconic Berlin TV Tower for 360° views

The Berliner Fernsehturm, or Berlin TV Tower, once stood as a proud statement of communist power. With democracy in place, we will take a trip to the top of the capital’s TV Tower to soak up the sentiment of a united city, admiring 360-degree views from the observation deck found at a height of 203 meters.

Admire the beautiful Baroque building façades in Dresden

The rebirth of Dresden since the bombings of 1945 is a testament to the German spirit of resilience. Connect with the intricacies of Baroque architecture whilst stepping into a pace of life found in many of the country’s boutique cities.

Our top 5 things to do in Germany

When you explore Germany with Trafalgar,  we'll connect you with Bavarian beer heritage, nostalgic castles, Baroque architecture and political complexities.

Stasi Museum

The blurred political history of Germany is uncovered within the stark walls of the Stasi Museum. Once the headquarters of East Germany’s Ministry for State Security, it now stands as a memorial and research centre. Germany tours are scarcely complete without a trip to Stasi.

Residenz Museum

Peel back the layers of German opulence with a step into the former home of Bavarian royalty. A well-timed visit to the Residenz Museum complex will see you watching a performance by the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. On any other day, be awe-struck by the grandeur of the palace’s ten courtyards and 130 display rooms.

Oranienburg

Memorial & Museum Sachsenhausen

Visit a Nazi concentration camp and you will begin to understand the deeply moving stories of Germany's troubled historical past.Not for the faint of heart, Memorial & Museum Sachsenhausen in Oranienburg will walk you through a mortuary, execution trenches and prison cells. The enormity of suffering remains thick in the air.

Best museums in Germany

Packed with breathtaking moments and cultural significance, museum hopping is an important part of any trip to Germany. With Trafalgar, you'll step from the tumultuous past to the progressive present to understand the complete German story.

Best food in Germany

An indulgent sausage tour is hard to resist in Germany, particularly when washing wursts down with local beer. Trafalgar will guide you through the goodness of this meaty cuisine, always laden with condiments, always satisfying.

A simple pork sausage first steamed and then fried, it’s the lashings of curry ketchup that make currywurst unique. This fast food local favorite is enjoyed with hot potato chips and a local beer, while standing and engaging in a chat with some locals.Add an additional layer of curry powder for extra kick.

Slightly less indulgent than the currywurst, a weisswurst sausage is typically made of veal and pork and warmed in water without complete cooking or frying. Eat the near-raw weisswurst as a mid-morning snack served alongside warm pretzels.

Schweininshaxe

Roasted pork knuckle is an adored culinary dish found across Germany. Often left to marinate for around a week before being slowly roasted at low temperatures, Schweininshaxe is a labour of love. Appreciate yours over a leisurely meal lasting many hours.

What to pack for Germany

Otto Wolff’s guide to German food

Gelbwurst, rindswurst. Kartoffelpuffer, kartoffelkloesse. German food can be a mouthful before the dish has been served. The Wurst! By Otto Wolff will guide you through the very best of German cuisine.

An eye for fairytale architecture

Most sources claim that over 20,000 castles can be found across the hills of Germany. Allow this trip to inspire childhood nostalgia with its fairytale architecture.

Digital maps

It's always good to have a backup of digital maps on standby when you're out exploring in your own time. Download them prior to your trip so you can reach them even when your phone is offline.

Travel adaptor

Though many hotels will have adaptors available for use, being prepared with your own will ensure you're always charged and ready to go.

Traditional costume

Oktoberfest is not the only time that traditional dress could be called upon in Germany. Travelers looking to connect closer to the culture may like to pack the 19th century German attire of a Dirndl or lederhosen.

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THE 10 BEST Germany City Tours

City tours in germany.

• Historical & Heritage Tours
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• Up to 1 hour
• 1 to 4 hours
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• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
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• The ranking of tours, activities, and experiences available on Tripadvisor is determined by several factors including the revenue generated by Tripadvisor from these bookings, the frequency of user clicks, and the volume and quality of customer reviews. Occasionally, newly listed offerings may be prioritized and appear higher in the list. The specific placement of these new listings may vary.

1. Third Reich Walking Tour Munich

2. Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp Memorial Tour from Berlin.

3. Berlin Third Reich and Cold War 2-Hour Walking Tour

4. Third Reich Berlin WalkingTour Hitler and WWII

5. Explore Berlin's Top Attractions 3-hour English Walking Tour

6. Salzburg Sightseeing Day Trip from Munich by Rail

7. Frankfurt Highlights Guided Walking Tour

8. Guided Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site Tour with Train from Munich

9. Big Bus Berlin Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Tour

10. Berlin Highlights 3-Hour Bike Tour

11. Munich Old Town Walking Tour

12. Cologne City Tour Experience cathedral city on the Rhine

13. Berlin: Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp Memorial Tour

14. Full-Day Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site Tour from Munich

15. Berlin Street Art Walking Tour - Off The Grid

16. Berlin Pub Crawl and Nightlife Clubbing tour

17. Cold War Walking Tour of Berlin

18. Berlin Self-Drive Trabi Tour with Guide

19. Hop-on hop-off tour in Düsseldorf in a double-decker bus

20. Munich World War II Sites Including Dachau Concentration Camp

21. Nuremberg Guided Day Trip from Munich by Train

22. Munich City Hop-on Hop-off Tour

23. Berlin Evening Sightseeing Tour by Bus with Guide

24. City and Palaces Tour Potsdam - Stadt- und Schloesserrundfahrt Potsdam

25. Munich Private Custom Walking Tour with a Local

26. City Tour Cologne in a double-decker bus

27. Berlin Bike Tour

28. On tour with a friend and his luxury van

29. Düsseldorf Segway Tour: Classical City Experience

30. Stuttgart Hop-On Hop-Off City Tour in a double-decker bus

What travellers are saying.

THE 10 BEST Germany City Tours

City tours in germany.

• Historical & Heritage Tours
• Sightseeing Tours
• Scenic Railroads
• Up to 1 hour
• 1 to 4 hours
• 4 hours to 1 day
• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
• 4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 3.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 2.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• Likely to Sell Out
• Special Offers

• The ranking of tours, activities, and experiences available on Tripadvisor is determined by several factors including the revenue generated by Tripadvisor from these bookings, the frequency of user clicks, and the volume and quality of customer reviews. Occasionally, newly listed offerings may be prioritized and appear higher in the list. The specific placement of these new listings may vary.

1. Salzburg Sightseeing Day Trip from Munich by Rail

2. Third Reich Walking Tour Munich

3. Guided Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site Tour with Train from Munich

4. Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp Memorial Tour from Berlin.

5. Berlin Third Reich and Cold War 2-Hour Walking Tour

6. Munich Private Custom Walking Tour with a Local

7. Big Bus Berlin Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Tour

8. Berlin Highlights 3-Hour Bike Tour

9. Munich Old Town Walking Tour

10. Hop-On Hop-Off Tour CitySightseeing Munich

11. Explore Berlin's Top Attractions 3-hour English Walking Tour

12. Frankfurt Highlights Guided Walking Tour

13. Cologne City Tour Experience cathedral city on the Rhine

14. Private Day Trip from Munich to Salzburg and Hallstatt

15. Third Reich Berlin WalkingTour Hitler and WWII

16. Munich World War II Sites Including Dachau Concentration Camp

17. On tour with a friend and his luxury van

18. Baden-Baden, Black Forest and Strasbourg Day Trip from Frankfurt

19. Nuremberg Guided Day Trip from Munich by Train

20. Full-Day Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site Tour from Munich

21. Amazing walking Frankfurt with a local guide

22. Berlin Private Tours with Locals: 100% Personalized, See the City Unscripted

23. Berlin: Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp Memorial Tour

24. Paul's Private Tour in Munich old City

25. Wittenberg Private Walking Tour With A Professional Guide

26. Cold War Walking Tour of Berlin

27. Berlin East Side Tour 2.5 hour cruise with commentary

28. Berlin Self-Drive Trabi Tour with Guide

29. FC Bayern Munich Allianz Arena Tour and Panoramic Munich Tour

30. Potsdam Walking Tour from Berlin

What travellers are saying.

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The most popular city tours in Germany

Hamburg Old Town Highlights Private Walking Tour

Frankfurt Old Town Highlights Private Walking Tour

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Berlin Wine Tasting and Winery Tour with a Wine Expert

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Best of Munich in 1-Day Private Tourby Car with Tickets

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The most popular attractions in city germany.

Germany is a vast land where each part has to offer its wonderful monuments and attractions. Explore Bavaria and its amazing beer, Berlin and its subversive history, Northern Germany with its most beautiful landscapes or discover historical castles!

1. Reichstag Building

The old Reich Parliament building in Berlin, and now the seat of the Bundestag. After almost completely burning down in the '30s, it was renovated with a modern twist. Thanks to this, we can admire the impressive glass dome and the beautiful facade.

2. Marienplatz

This prominent public square, the largest in Munich, still stands as the center of social activity in the city, much as it has throughout history. Locals say that this is the heart of city. From here you will see one of the symbols of Munich - New Town Hall.

3. Cologne Cathedral

This cathedral became one of the most important places of pilgrimage in Europe. See impressive interior, monumental columns and amazing sculptures! Climb up Cathedral Tower and see St. Peter’s Bell. Finally enjoy the precious view from the observation terrace!

4. Brandenburg Gate

See the most iconic landmark of Berlin! It is over 26 meters high in the very center of the city. It used to be impossible to pass through it. With the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Brandenburg Gate was officially opened. And it is a symbol of the unification of the country.

5. Holocaust Memorial

A unique place for a moment of reflection and reflection on what harm one person can do to another. The monument commemorates the extermination of Jews during World War II, and covers over 19,000 km2.

6. Medienhafen

One of the most interesting revitalization of port districts in Europe, in which many world-class architects participated. Medienhafen has interesting buildings, embedded art and good pubs with a nice atmosphere.

7. Residenz

Meet Residenz - the largest city palace in Germany. The inside of the Palace hides not only the extraordinary interior, but also the unique treasury. Step inside, explore and see wealth on your own eyes!

8. Speicherstadt Hamburg

The most magical place in Hamburg. Right here, in Speicherstadt (Merchants District), find the best spots for photography! It is the largest complex of interconnected warehouses in the world, built in red brick Gothic style. Here you will find the Columbus Haus.

9. Oktoberfest

Celebration of hop, literally "October holidays", and one of the favorite pastimes of the Germans! It is the biggest beer celebration in the world. Find out fascinating facts about this festival or discover history inside Bier und Oktoberfest museum.

The heart of the Old Town. There are traditional, though reconstructed buildings. It is neat, but very atmospheric and noisy. From the earliest times, the square has been and continues to be the scene of events of a minor or greater importance - from imperial coronations to famous Christmas markets.

• Europe Tours
• Germany Tours
• Sightseeing, attractions, culture and history Tours
• City sightseeing Tours

Germany City Sightseeing Tours 2024/2025

A country bursting with a myriad of incredible sites and landmarks, city sightseeing tours in Germany is a must for any visitor. Admire the Brandenburg Gate or climb the panoramic TV Tower in Berlin, before visiting the city’s very own Museum Island. Explore the maritime of Hamburg by visiting its famous port, or get lost in Miniatur Wunderland. In Cologne, take a tour of the historic Old Town, full of traditional houses and churches and admire the city from a boat on the River Rhine. Bavaria hides the beautiful Black Forest, where dense greenery gives way to expansive lakes and picturesque villages with cobblestone streets. Further into the mountains, the Bavarian Alps offer year-round activities, from winter wonderland adventures to walking tours . Our Germany city sightseeing tours promise an unforgettable journey of discovery and wonder. Scroll down to see our Germany city sightseeing tours.

• Germany Travel Guide
• Best Time to Visit Germany

31 City sightseeing tours with 58 Reviews

• Starts Berlin, Germany
• Ends Munich, Germany

Best of Germany

• Best price guaranteed
• No booking fees
• Tour Type Group Tour
• Activities City sightseeing & Cultural, religious and historic sites City sightseeing , Cultural, religious and historic sites , Art and architecture , Culture shows and excursions , Natural landmarks sightseeing & Farm and plantation visits 'data-more-tripid='21113'>+4 more
• Accommodation Hotel
• Transport Coach
• Age Range 5-99 yrs
• Operated in English
• Brochure Price: US$ 4,595
• Special Deal (10%): - US$ 460
• Total Price from: US$ 4,135
• May 03 10+ seats left
• May 10 Only 10 seats left
• View More Jan 1, 2019 Jan 2, 2019 Jan 3, 2019

• Starts Frankfurt, Germany
• Ends Frankfurt, Germany
• Activities City sightseeing & Cultural, religious and historic sites City sightseeing , Cultural, religious and historic sites , Art and architecture , Natural landmarks sightseeing , Cruise , Sport tours, venues or tickets & Adventure 'data-more-tripid='21018'>+5 more
• Brochure Price: US$ 3,595
• Special Deal (13%): - US$ 450
• Total Price from: US$ 3,145
• Apr 27 10+ seats left
• May 04 10+ seats left

• Starts Munich, Germany

Eastern Highlights

• Activities City sightseeing & Cultural, religious and historic sites
• Transport Coach & Bus
• Age Range 10-99 yrs
• Brochure Price: US$ 2,200
• Special Deal (23%): - US$ 500
• Total Price from: US$ 1,700
• Apr 30 10+ seats left
• May 21 10+ seats left

Croatian & Eastern Delights

• Activities Cultural, religious and historic sites & Local culture Cultural, religious and historic sites , Local culture & City sightseeing 'data-more-tripid='37650'>+1 more
• Accommodation Hotel & Resort
• Transport Coach & Private Vehicle
• Brochure Price: US$ 2,870
• Special Deal (23%): - US$ 665
• Total Price from: US$ 2,205
• May 09 10+ seats left
• May 30 10+ seats left

Highlights of Bohemia

• Activities City sightseeing & Cultural, religious and historic sites City sightseeing , Cultural, religious and historic sites , Art and architecture , Mountains & Concerts and shows 'data-more-tripid='21255'>+3 more
• Transport Coach & Boat
• Brochure Price: US$ 1,995
• Special Deal (1%): - US$ 20
• Total Price from: US$ 1,975
• May 18 10+ seats left

• Ends Budapest, Hungary

The Best of Eastern Europe

• Tour Type Small Group Tour
• Activities Cultural, religious and historic sites & City sightseeing Cultural, religious and historic sites , City sightseeing , Museum and gallery visits , Food tours , Beer and drinks tasting & Local culture 'data-more-tripid='4894'>+4 more
• Transport Train, Bus, Private Vehicle & Boat
• Age Range 12-95 yrs
• Brochure Price: US$ 3,099
• Special Deal (20%): - US$ 620
• Total Price from: US$ 2,479
• Jun 23 Only 5 seats left
• Jul 14 Only 5 seats left

Explore Central Europe

• Activities Cultural, religious and historic sites & City sightseeing Cultural, religious and historic sites , City sightseeing , Beer and drinks tasting , Food tours & Art and architecture 'data-more-tripid='4911'>+3 more
• Transport Train, Bus & Private Vehicle
• Apr 20 Only 6 seats left
• May 04 Only 8 seats left

Imperial Europe

• Activities City sightseeing & Cultural, religious and historic sites City sightseeing , Cultural, religious and historic sites , Art and architecture , Spiritual or religious tours , Natural landmarks sightseeing , Culture shows and excursions & Spas 'data-more-tripid='23443'>+5 more
• Brochure Price: US$ 2,895
• Special Deal (16%): - US$ 460
• Total Price from: US$ 2,435
• Apr 26 Only 10 seats left
• May 03 Only 8 seats left

• Starts Vienna, Austria

Highlights of Vienna Budapest Prague and Frankfurt

• Trip customizable
• Transport Boat & Coach
• Age Range 8-95 yrs
• Apr 26 10+ seats left

• Ends Athens, Greece

Total Europe: Austria, the Mediterranean & Ancient Athens

• Activities Art and architecture & City sightseeing
• Accommodation Hostel, Resort, Villa & Hotel
• Transport Boat, Ferry, Private Vehicle, Train, Bus & Taxi
• Age Range 18-35 yrs
• Brochure Price: US$ 4,449
• Special Deal (20%): - US$ 890
• Total Price from: US$ 3,559
• May 14 Only 3 seats left
• May 28 Only 3 seats left

Bohemian Highlights

• Activities City sightseeing & Cultural, religious and historic sites City sightseeing , Cultural, religious and historic sites , Art and architecture , Natural landmarks sightseeing , Food tours & Local culture 'data-more-tripid='21014'>+4 more
• Brochure Price: US$ 3,795
• Special Deal (16%): - US$ 620
• Total Price from: US$ 3,175
• Apr 21 Only 6 seats left
• May 05 10+ seats left

• Ends Helsinki, Finland

Treasures of Germany and Scandinavia with Helsinki

• Transport Coach, Ferry, Boat, Bus & Private Vehicle
• Apr 25 10+ seats left
• May 02 10+ seats left

• Ends Copenhagen, Denmark

Treasures of Germany and Scandinavia

• Activities Cultural, religious and historic sites & City sightseeing
• Transport Ferry, Boat, Bus, Private Vehicle & Coach

• Ends Split, Croatia

Eastern Europe, Croatia & the Balkans

• Activities Cultural, religious and historic sites & City sightseeing Cultural, religious and historic sites , City sightseeing , Art and architecture , Museum and gallery visits , Local boat rides , Kayaking and canoeing & Beach 'data-more-tripid='4912'>+5 more
• Accommodation Hotel & Villa
• Transport Boat, Ferry, Train, Bus & Private Vehicle
• Brochure Price: US$ 5,899
• Special Deal (20%): - US$ 1,180
• Total Price from: US$ 4,719
• Jul 14 Only 2 seats left
• Jul 21 Only 6 seats left

Germany City sightseeing Reviews

Germany city sightseeing tours.

Highlights of Germany Sightseeing Tour

• Delve into the fascinating history of Berlin with visits to iconic landmarks like the Brandenburg Gate and Checkpoint Charlie.
• Explore the charming streets, hidden gems and art-filled neighborhoods of Germany in your city sightseeing tours.
• Venture through Bavaria’s wild countryside, a picturesque wonderland of lakes and forests, or head out on a Munich city sightseeing trip for history and culture.
• Indulge your taste buds in Germany’s diverse food scene, from savoring traditional German dishes to sipping beer at Oktoberfest. 

Travel Tips for Germany Sightseeing Tour

• Be mindful of the culture and norms during your travel. In Germany, it is impolite to be late. Make sure to arrive on time. 
• Make the best out of your Germany city sightseeing tour by visiting a traditional beer garden.
• Align your trip accordingly to take part in Germany’s famous festivals like Oktoberfest. 
• Mind your volume while eating out in cafes or restaurants. 

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Explore the Rich History, Beer Halls and Castles of Germany on this 12-Day Guided Tour

Tour the iconic sights of Berlin, see Dresden’s spectacular cathedral and Baroque Zwinger Palace showcase the cultural treasures that survived the heavy bombing of World War Two. See the Hofbräuhaus, St. Peter's Church and the famous Marienplatz in Munich where the Glockenspiel shenanigans occur daily at the town hall. In Neuschwanstein, join a Local Expert on an exploration of the famed fairytale castle, reputed to have inspired Walt Disney, and famous for having featured in the film—Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

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Start Berlin, Germany. End Munich, Germany.

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Germany City Tour 2023

About the Destinations:  The Germany City Tour gives travellers the opportunity to discover three major cities in the country – Frankfurt, Stuttgart and Munich. Each tour around individual cities will expose travellers to the various places of interest. In Frankfurt, one will visit the European Banking Center. On the other hand, in Stuttgart, one will get the opportunity to visit the Chinese Garden, Mercedes-Benz-World, Wilhelma and Fernsehtur among other popular tourist destinations. Coming to Munich, the travellers will get to visit the Palace of Nymphenburg, the Olympic grounds, Sea Life and the BMW museum.

Duration of the Tour:  7D/6N

Meal Types:  Continental (excluding Day 01) 

Activities:  Sightseeing, Leisure Activities

Day 1 - Arrival in Frankfurt

Local Sightseeing, Leisure Day

Day Details Today marks the first day of your Germany City Tour, upon arrival in Frankfurt, you will be transferred and checked-in into the designated. The rest of the day can be used to explore the local places in the city followed by an overnight stay.

Day 2 - Frankfurt City Tour

City Tour; European Banking Centre

After breakfast in the hotel, join the Frankfurt city tour that showcases interesting and popular sites, including the modern European Banking Centre. Spend the day visiting and exploring some of the local landmarks and tourist attraction centres; overnight stay in Frankfurt.

Day 3 - Train Journey from Frankfurt to Stuttgart

Train Journey

Following your breakfast in the hotel, you will be transferred to Frankfurt Railway Station. Board a train to Stuttgart, and on your arrival at the destinations, check-in into the hotel and spend the rest of the evening indulging in some personal leisure activities; overnight stay will be at the hotel.

Day 4 - Stuttgart Hop-on Hop-off Tour

Chinese Garden, Mercedes-Benz-World, Wilhelma, Fernsehturm

Waking up today morning, prepare to embark on the Hop-on Hop-off tour of Stuttgart. This tour will offer you the opportunity to visit some of the important landmarks including the Chinese Garden, Mercedes-Benz-World, Wilhelma, Fernsehturm and other destinations as well; overnight stay in Stuttgart.

Day 5 - Train Journey from Stuttgart to Munich

After breakfast in the Stuttgart hotel, make it to the railway station and board a train to Munich. Upon arrival in the city, check-in into a hotel and spend overnight.

Day 6 - Munich City Tour

Nymphenburg, the Olympic grounds

Today, after having breakfast in the hotel, proceed for another exciting tour of the city. On the list of places that you will be visiting today includes the Nymphenburg, the Olympic grounds which pave the way for tourists to visit Sea Life as well as the BMW museum; overnight stay in Munich.

Day 7 - Transfer from Munich airport

Tour Ends Here

After enjoying the last breakfast at the hotel, proceed to check out. After which, you will be transferred to Munich airport which will mark the end of  your Germany city tour. Hereafter, you can continue with your onward journey!

Other Inclusions

• 2 nights accommodation in Frankfurt, Stuttgart and Munich
• All breakfast during the tour (except on Day 1)
• All city tours mentioned in the itinerary
• German Rail Pass - 3 days in 2 months Twin
• Arrival Airport transfer in Frankfurt and Departure Airport Transfer in Munich

Things To Carry

• Do not carry valuables like jewellery or similar possessions
• Follow the local tourism instructions and guidelines
• Be cooperative with the tour guides
• Do pay heed to the tour facilitators

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Sightseeing tours in Berlin

The best way to explore Berlin

Berlin Sightseeing Touren

Berlin is a happening city, diverse and colourful – and never dull! Explore the urban jungle on a city tour through Berlin, past classic sights, historical locations and bustling neighbourhoods !

With the wide range of fascinating city tours, hop on/hop off bus tours, guided bike tours and adventure and activities tours on offer, it’s easy to discover Berlin’s fascinating diversity in your way.

Please note that there may be changes to departure times and routes on individual public holidays.

To get you started, we have put together a selection of popular sightseeing tours in Berlin here! 

Boat tours & Spree cruises

Boat tours and rental

Bus tours & city tours

Discover Berlin by bus

Walking tours

Guided tours

Berlin by bike

Tips and bike tours for cyclists

Individual city sightseeing tours Berlin

Hop On & Hop Off! Popular bus tours

First time in Berlin? Then take one of the hop on / hop off bus tours through the city. On a classic sightseeing tour on one of the much-loved double-decker buses, you pass the city’s must-see sights, including the Brandenburg Gate, Alexanderplatz, the Reichstag Parliament building, Potsdamer Platz, the Victory Column and much, much more.

You can buy your tickets for one day or more from us, so you can hop on and off the tour buses as you like – giving you time to explore and discover Berlin.

We have selected various hop-on / hop-off bus tours for you – from the classic bus tour to themed tours though the old West Berlin or tracing the path of the Berlin Wall.

For old Berlin hands, we recommend going local on tours through the bustling neighbourhoods in Prenzlauer Berg and Friedrichshain. The hop-on / hop-off bus tours are offered in a variety of languages and with live commentary.

Our tip: With the Berlin Welcome Card you can save 25% on city sightseeing tours by bus!

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Explore the most beautiful sights of Berlin

Best of Berlin Tour by bus: Discover famous sights

from €35.00 24h ticket

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Discover the major attractions of Berlin

Hop On - Hop Off sightseeing tour by Bus

from €37.00 Hop-on Hop-off

Sightseeing tour Berlin by bus

Hop on Hop off Classic Bus Tour Berlin

from €25.00 24h-Ticket

Boat trips & Spree Cruises

• Spree cruises along the most famous sights
• Bridge tours incl. the Museum Island
• Explore the most famous sights by boat

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Berlin's official tourist ticket

• Free public transport in Berlin
• Choose from many attractions - savings up to 50%
• Free City Guidebook – including map

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Guided walking tours & Guides

Where was Hitler’s bunker in Berlin? Does the city really have ‘ghost stations’? And what is a ‘Datsche’ – and where do you find it?  

On a guided tour of Berlin , you can hear about the quirky side of life here, discover hidden places, and benefit from a personal insight into the city. And you can book your tour directly with us – from open guided tours to a private group with friends and family or a bespoke individual tour with your very own guide.

We will also be happy to put you in touch with our trained and certified tour guides for individual tours through Berlin. 

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The perfect tour along the most famous sights of Berlin

Discover Berlin: Guided Walking Tour

from €20.00 4 hours

AHOI Yachting Günther Winkler

Discover the city with certified tour guides

Tickets for walking tours & guided tours in Berlin

Small Group Berlin Sightseeing

Guided Memorial Centre Tour

Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp: Guided Walking Tour

6 hours €29.00 from Berlin

Discover hidden places in Berlin's trendy centre

Guided Tour: Hidden Backyards in Berlin-Mitte

from €20.00 2 hours

Original Berlin Walks English Guided Tour

Walking Tour: Berlin during the Third Reich

from €20.00 Guide: English

Discover one of Berlin's most famous lost places

Tour & Shuttle Service to Teufelsberg

2 hours €49.00 incl. shuttle

Walking tour & Reichstag

• Alter Fritz walking tour  about Berlins history
• Visit of the Reichstag & glas dome included
• Sparkling wine with view of Berlin

Berlin Wall Tours

At a few places in Berlin, you can still find traces of the Wall that divided the city for nearly 30 years.

On a guided tour along the former course of the Wall, you can discover the main details and facts as well as personal stories about the Berlin Wall. Most tours include a visit to the Berlin Wall Memorial as well as a stroll down the East Side Gallery.

If you prefer, you can also take a bike tour to cycle the Berlin Wall Trail following the original course of the Wall.   

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17 Best Cities to Visit in Germany

With so many amazing things to see and do in Germany , visitors to this fabulous country have their work cut out trying to fit everything in. While it is home to beautiful landscapes and scenery, most visitors head towards Germany’s iconic and impressive cities, which are so full of life. Steeped in history, their ancient streets are home to world-class museums, fine dining options, biergartens (beer gardens), spas and more.

Whether it is beautiful medieval city centers, fairytale castles , impressive cathedrals you are after, or renowned nightlife and trendy hip alternative bars, the best cities in Germany have it all!

17. Wiesbaden

Rebuilt after the Second World War, Wiesbaden is now full of lovely neoclassical architecture and leafy parks. One of the oldest spa towns in the whole of the country, its fantastic spas and peaceful wellness centers are the main attraction. Wiesbaden is the perfect place if you are looking to unwind. Lying on the banks of the Rhine, from here you can easily visit the nearby wine regions that produce such fine wines. Wiesbaden is the main base for the US Army in Europe.

16. Regensburg

Dating all the way back to Roman times, Regensburg’s long history means that it has several fine old buildings to visit that are among the best in Bavaria. Its medieval old town is mesmerizingly beautiful, with a towering cathedral and ancient stone bridge. The plethora of outdoor cafes give it a slightly Italian flair. With three universities located in the city, it is a lively yet laidback place, which is definitely fun to experience.

With over a thousand historical buildings dotted around the city, this former member of the powerful Hanseatic League is enchanting. Dating to the 12th Century, its gothic churches and mansions surround the highlight of Lubeck – the lovely Holstentor Gate. Lying on the Trave River, its picturesque setting only adds to its charm. A hidden gem, Lubeck and its old town are well worth an extended visit.

Built on coal and steel, Essen has now moved to commerce and culture to attract visitors and locals to the city. While its former heavy industries still dominate Essen’s features, you can now visit many great museums which highlight its rich history.

In addition to the cultural attractions, a lovely green belt cuts through the city, and the old medieval part of town is a real adventure to explore.

13. Hannover

Often overlooked in favor of nearby Hamburg and Bremen, Hannover has a laid-back way of life and will slowly grow on you – even if it is a slightly drab place due to the hasty reconstruction after WWII. With lots of great museums, a lively arts and culture scene and a massive exhibition center, there are more than enough reasons to spend some time here.

Green spaces dot the city, with the fantastic Herrenhauser Garten being particularly lovely. The largest urban forest in the whole of Europe lies on its outskirts. In summer, its huge computer and technology fairs attract throngs of people to the city.

12. Leipzig

The largest city in Germany’s federal state of Saxony, Leipzig is known for its vibrant arts and culture scene shaped by famous music composers like Bach, Richard Wagner and Felix Mendelssohn. Tourists today can enjoy performances of Bach’s music at the St. Thomas Church where Bach once served as choir leader and is now buried.

In addition to historic sites like the Old Town Hall, the city boasts several impressive structures such as the Napoleonic Monument to the Battle of the Nations and Reichsgericht, the former high court of the Reich. One of Europe’s largest town squares, the Augustusplatz, is situated at the central campus Germany’s second-oldest university.

11. Stuttgart

Home to Germany’s thriving automobile industry, Stuttgarters are often half-jokingly called ‘stuck up’ by other Germans. While there is certainly a posh and affluent feel to the city, it is actually a welcoming and friendly place.

Despite its large size, Stuttgart has a laidback atmosphere, and residents happily spend their time in its fantastic biergartens or hiking in the nearby hills surrounding the city. With an eclectic mix of architectural styles on show, marvelous museums, and lots of fine dining options, Stuttgart will not disappoint.

10. Heidelberg

Lying on the banks of the River Neckar, Heidelberg is set amidst a stunning landscape and is home to the oldest university in the country. With beautiful forest surrounding it, the city is particularly known for its incredible red brick castle, which looks out over the houses and river below.

The picturesque Altstadt is magical, thanks in large part to the uniform architectural style that survived WWII. A laidback place, the sizeable university population adds a multicultural and youthful feel to its streets.

9. Dusseldorf

One of the wealthiest cities in Germany, there is a posh feel to this modern city, as demonstrated by the banking and fashion industries that call it home. While there is definitely a modern side to Dusseldorf – where innovative and creative architectural styles can be found – the Altstadt highlights more tradition styles in its lovely buildings, which were painstakingly restored after being destroyed in WWII.

Its renovated harbor area is fantastic to witness at night, as lights glimmer alluringly off the Rhine, shimmering off avant-garde and daring buildings. With a pulsating nightlife and a lively arts and culture scene, Dusseldorf is an exciting city.

A welcoming and friendly place, Bremen is a great city to visit or live in. Combining modern industries and technology with enchanting old streets and a bewitching Expressionist quarter, Bremen is an intriguing city with a laidback vibe which belies its large size. As well as its beautiful old center and fantastic museums, trendy neighborhoods hide great restaurants, teeming bars and upbeat nightlife options.

7. Nuremberg

Famous for the Nuremberg Trials which took place here after the Second World War, history drips from every surface. Although it was heavily bombed during WWII, much of the city’s architectural wonders have been restored. Having once acted unofficially as the capital of the Holy Roman Empire, untold riches were drawn to the city, with German kings only adding to its grandeur later on.

This is evidenced by the delightful castle and churches which can be found in the old town. While Nuremberg is worth visiting at any time of year due to its sumptuous beers and bustling nightlife, Christmas is particularly magical, thanks to its sprawling, twinkling Christmas market.

It is almost impossible to imagine that Dresden was almost completely destroyed during the Second World War; the city’s beautiful churches, palaces and museums are so striking to behold. Located on the banks of the Elbe, Dresden has a bewitching catalogue of art and architectural styles for you to explore through its fantastic museums and rebuilt streets.

In contrast to its old treasures, the Neustadt has lots of trendy restaurants and bars for visitors to let their hair down in, with many people heading here to enjoy an energetic nightlife scene.

The second largest city in Germany, Hamburg has a bustling port that has welcomed people to its shores to trade and make merry since the Middle Ages. This maritime identity is everywhere you look in the city, as the port and the Elbe River still play a prominent role in its citizens’ lives.

Old and new architectural styles mix together wherever you look; the amazingly modern Elbphilarmonie concert hall is comfortably located next to old brick warehouses. Indeed, music plays an important role in the city’s history, and it is here that the Beatles got their big break.

The nightlife on offer is out of this world and the famous Reeperbahn is where you want to head. Here, you’ll find a seedy red-light district, as well as music clubs, trendy cocktail bars, pulsating discos and more.

4. Frankfurt

With glittering glass winking at you from its towering skyscrapers, Frankfurt is the business and finance center of Germany and much of Europe. With over 5.5-million people living in the city and its outlying edges, it is a dynamic and lively place with much to offer.

While the modern hub of the city is full of skyscrapers and businessmen, the medieval old town is a charming contrast, as quaint cafes and traditional taverns serve up delicious food and refreshing beers.

Located on the Main River, there are some lovely walks to be had along its banks, while airy parks and peaceful neighborhoods only add to the city’s charm. With a fantastic range of museums to visit and pumping nightlife to enjoy, Frankfurt is a great city to discover.

With the impressive cathedral’s twin spires towering above the city, reaching towards the heavens, Cologne is one of the most popular cities to visit in the whole of Germany. History abounds in its ancient streets.

As you stroll around, you’ll find medieval churches interspersed amongst trendy neighborhoods and the picturesque old town. With lots of good museums on offer, as well as fantastic local chocolates, beers and perfumes, Cologne has something for everyone to enjoy.

If you’re feeling particularly amorous, you can always leave a locket declaring your undying love at the Hohenzollernbrucke bridge.

The heart of Bavaria, Munich is a fantastically wealthy city that perfectly highlights its rich cultural heritage while remaining contemporary at the same time. While visitors descend upon Munich at any time of year, the zenith is obviously during Oktoberfest, when the streets are flowing with beer, and lederhosen-clad people make merry.

Renowned for its art scene, the city has world-class museums as well as numerous royal palaces to gaze upon – not to mention a thriving gastronomic scene to dig into. With a laidback way of life, the Bavarians are welcoming and perfectly happy to show off their local traditions and customs.

See also: Where to Stay in Munich

Germany’s sprawling capital really does have everything you could want from a city. Large green spaces are spread throughout its graffiti-strewn, concrete buildings, while trendy and unique bars, restaurants, cafes and nightclubs are hidden among the grime of this thriving city that is renowned for its nightlife.

See also: Where to Stay in Berlin

With a vibrant cultural and arts scene, museum island is particularly captivating to visit – although that is probably too mainstream for many visitors to the city. Famed for its alternative scene and acceptance that anything goes, simply being in Berlin and experiencing the atmosphere is intoxicating in itself.

Steeped in history, walking along the Berlin Wall and visiting the haunting Holocaust memorial are just two must-do activities in this multicultural and modern city.

Map of cities in Germany

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The Only Germany Travel Guide You’ll Ever Need

Last Updated: January 5, 2024

*FYI - this post may contain affiliate links, which means we earn a commission at no extra cost to you if you purchase from them. Also, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Check out our Privacy Policy and Disclosure. for more info.

While most commonly associated with beers, bratwursts and tight leather pants, Germany is a country full of delightful finds that extend far beyond the stereotypes.

From dreamy castles and fairytale towns to awe-inspiring nature and sprawling cities, Deutschland has a little something for every kind of traveler… although I’ll admit the leather pants are also great.

I first visited Germany on a 6 week backpacking trip across Europe, and as I sipped my comically large beer under the toasty Berlin sun, I felt a strange sense of calm and belonging.

Spurred by this hunch, I moved to Munich. One study abroad, and 5 years later, I’m still here, with so much giddy enthusiasm for this country that I’ve become a thoroughly insufferable dinner guest.

But my social life’s loss is your gain, my friend… because today, I’ve decided to channel all my Deutschland fangirl tendencies into this concise Germany travel guide filled with all my top tips, itineraries, and recommendations.

Save this Germany travel guide for later!

I promise it’ll come in handy!

I hope you find it helpful, and of course, feel free to ask any more questions in the comments section or on Instagram here.

Traveling to Germany Basics

Currency: Euro

Language: German, although accents and dialects vary wildly! In larger cities and tourist hotspots, most Germans also speak excellent English.

Getting Around: Trains, buses and flights are plentiful and affordable in Germany – my best tip is to use Omio to compare options easily. Having a car is ideal for visiting smaller towns, more remote locations and numerous destinations in a short amount of time, but is otherwise not needed for big cities.

Germany Highlights (By the Season)

• Winter: Christmas markets, skiing & alpine sports, Karneval and Fasching season (Carnival), Starkbier (Strong beer) season
• Spring: Cherry blossoms in Bonn , Frühlingsfest (Springfest) in Munich
• Summer: Hiking, Beer Garden season, summer festivals/celebrations
• Fall: Oktoberfest and other Volksfests, the world’s biggest pumpkin festival in Ludwigsburg, the Wurstmarkt (world’s largest wine festival)

My Favourite Places in Germany

Let’s get my mega-biased opinion out of the way first – Munich is the city I now call home, and I couldn’t recommend it more… especially if you’re obsessed with beer like I am. This is the birthplace of Oktoberfest after all!

There are lots of fun things to do in Munich , like hopping around the city’s sprawling museum district (many only cost 1 euro on Sundays!), eating up the best Bavarian food that Munich has to offer or soaking in the wealth of historical sites scatered around the city.

It’s also an ideal base for many epic day trips. Going from Munich to Neuschwanstein Castle (AKA the real life Sleeping Beauty castle) takes only 2.5 hours. Or, if you want to visit glorious Salzburg from Munich (AKA the birthplace of Mozart and setting of Sound of Music), that’s only 1 hour by train.

Why visit Munich when you travel Germany:

• Amazing beer & beer festivals
• The English Garden – one of the largest city parks in the world
• Beautiful palaces and museums
• Easy base for amazing day trips to the Alps

Berchtesgaden National Park

If it’s natural beauty you’re after, Germany’s Berchtesgaden National Park (near the border to Austria) is a must-visit.

Everything here is breathtaking – from the shimmering turquoise lakes and snow-flecked mountains to the adorable Berchtesgaden town center.

And, if you’re up for it, this is the ideal place to enjoy a typically Bavarian wellness weekend.

Why visit Berchtesgaden National Park when you travel Germany:

• Stunning hikes and scenery
• The glorious boat ride on Königssee to see the equally stunning Obersee
• Historic sights like Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest

Hands down one of my favourite places to visit time and time again is Berlin.

This endlessly fascinating city is home to incredible museums, delicious food, and a unique culture that makes it distinct from the rest of the country, despite its status as capital!

Whether you’re a history nerd, an avid partyer, or a famished foodie, Berlin has plenty to offer.

Why visit Berlin when you travel Germany:

• Fascinating history
• World-class museums and attractions
• A thriving nightlife and food scene

Franconia is a glorious region in northern Bavaria that is divided into Lower, Middle, and Upper Franconia.

To me, it’s one of the most underrated regions in Germany for international visitors, with an abundance of fairytale half-timbered houses, amazing beer, and unique natural landscapes.

Here are some places in Franconia that are absolutely worth visiting:

• Franconian Switzerland
• Würzburg (still haven’t been yet!)

Perhaps the most idyllic entry of this list is Monschau, a sleepy but gorgeous village found near the border to Belgium.

I was lucky enough to come here for Christmas markets a few years ago, and I loved it so much, I skipped the train I’d pre-booked just so I could spend a few more hours there. 

Picturesque half-timbered houses clustered around a roaring central river… oh, and a castle on a hill. Because of course they have one.

Why visit Monschau when you travel Germany:

• Super friendly locals
• Picture-perfect scenes at every turn
• Christina might cry if you don’t

Hamburg is an amazing city I’ve had the chance to visit a few times now. It’s a lifestyle city that reminds me a lot of my hometown, Vancouver.

Home to a mix of classic and modern architecture (including the coolest opera house in the world!), as well as Germany’s #1 attraction – the adorable Miniatur Wonderland, Hamburg has a lot to offer tourists, but perhaps the best way to enjoy it is with a nice beer and sunset along the Elbe.

Why visit Hamburg when you travel Germany :

• Amazing architecture like the Elbphilharmonie
• Fresh and tasty seafood (and a booming foodie scene!)
• A fun, vibrant vibe

Dresden is one of the most beautiful cities in Germany, and its beauty is all the more astounding when we consider that much of the city was destroyed completely in WWII.

After decades of reconstruction however, Dresden once again shines with its former glory, establishing itself as one of the most important cultural hotspots in Germany.

… and all only a stone’s throw from Saxon Switzerland, one of the most beautiful natural wonders in the country!

Why visit Dresden when you travel Germany :

• Stunning architecture and sights
• World-class museums and culture scene
• Its jawdropping Christmas market (the oldest one in the country!)

Stuttgart (and its Surrounding Area)

Stuttgart is the biggest city (and capital) of the German state Baden-Württemburg. 

It’s perhaps best known as the ‘cradle of the automobile industry’, which explains why it’s home to not just one, but two car-centric museums: one belonging to Mercedes-Benz, and one to Porsche.

Besides cars though, the area around Stuttgart offers up some of the cutest small towns you can find in Germany, all easily reachable by public transport, meaning you get the best of all worlds during a visit here.

Why visit Stuttgart and the surrounding area when you travel Germany:

• Fairytale towns like Esslingen, Ludwigsburg, and Tübingen
• Stuttgart’s Stadtbibliothek, one of the most unique and beautiful libraries in the world
• Lots of fun events like Stuttgart’s Christmas Market and the Cannstatter Volksfest 

Thuringia is a state often overlooked by international tourists, but if you’re looking for a truly charming German escape, its capital Erfurt makes an excellent choice.

This beautiful city is famed for its unique Krämerbrücke, which is a gorgeous medieval bridge lined with residential buildings.

But that’s not all – there’s also an impressive cathedral, an imposing fortress, and surprises waiting on every corner… quite literally, because Erfurt is the HQ of the German children’s channel KiKA, and there’s plenty of fun statues of famous characters scattered around town.

Why visit Erfurt when you travel Germany:

• Krämerbrücke, the longest inhabited bridge in Europe
• Quirky and fun children’s channel sculptures all over the city

Cologne, to me, is a city synonymous with fun and celebration. While at first glance, it might not rank among the “prettiest” places to visit in Germany (much of it was destroyed in the war), it still boasts several impressive landmarks and sights, like the epic Cologne Cathedral.

Where Cologne really shines though is during special events – the Christmas markets here are some of the best I’ve been to in my entire life, and the Karneval celebrations… well, those are truly epic!

Why visit Cologne when you travel Germany:

• Bucket list events like the Cologne Christmas Market and Kölner Karneval
• The iconic Kölner Dom (Cologne Cathedral), one of the most famous churches in the world 
• Fun-loving locals who are among the friendliest I’ve ever encountered in Germany

Last but not least, we have Hannover, a city which (in my opinion) is one of the most underrated cities in Germany where tourism is concerned.

Locally, people often joke that Hannover is one of the most boring cities in Germany, but I don’t think that’s true at all. One quick look and you’ll find a stunning palace within the city, an architecturally impressive Town Hall (with a unique elevator offering epic views), and a cool laidback vibe that many compare to what Berlin was like decades ago.

Here are some awesome things to do in Hannover.

Why visit Hannover when you travel Germany:

• Its gorgeous New Town Hall
• The stunning Herrenhausen Palace and its gardens
• A fun, laidback city vibe

Bucket List Experiences in Germany

Germany is full of incredible bucket list experiences. Here are a few of my favourites:

Christmas Markets

German Christmas markets are the stuff of bucket list dreams.

If you adore Christmas, a German Xmas market trip needs to make it on your bucket list, because nobody captures Christmas coziness and joy quite like the Germans do.

The best part (besides the droolworthy assortment of German Christmas Market foods ) is that you’ll find Christmas markets in just about every city, town, and even the smallest of villages, each with their own unique take on traditions.

Trust me, you could never get bored of visiting these.

Here are some full guides to the Christmas markets I’ve visited in Germany:

• Munich’s Christmas Markets
• Berlin’s Christmas Markets
• Cologne’s Christmas Markets
• Esslingen Christmas Market
• Ludwigsburg Christmas Market
• Karlsruhe Christmas Market
• Düsseldorf Christmas Market
• Nuremberg Christmas Market
• Essen Christmas Market

Oktoberfest

Trust me – Oktoberfest , AKA the world’s largest beer festival, is reason enough to make a trip to Germany.

Typically celebrated annually in Munich, this is one of the most incredible events in the world, with millions of people attending, millions of beer served, and a guaranteed recipe for making memories to last a lifetime.

… If you can remember anything after 5L of beer that is.

Read my full Oktoberfest guide for more details.

Visiting Fairytale Castles

If you love castles, I recommend avoiding Germany……. because you might just combust from sheer fangirl joy.

Seriously, Germany is every castle lover’s kryptonite, with elegant palaces and fairytale castles in the thousands. If you’re a Disney gal like me who grew up dreaming of happily ever afters, pack a ballgown and head to Germany ASAP.

I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Here are some castles that you must visit in Germany:

• Neuschwanstein Castle
• Nuremberg Castle

The Cherry Blossoms in Bonn

The cherry blossoms in Bonn (also the birthplace of Beethoven and gummy bear legend, Haribo) are absolutely spectacular, and 100% worth visiting in Spring time. In fact, I’d even say they’re one of the best things to see in Europe at Spring time.

Yes, you, too, can come frolic in these tunnels of pink! Here is my guide on where to find cherry blossoms in Bonn.

Karneval, Fasching, Etc.

Carnival Season is one of the best times to visit Germany if you’re looking for a party.

The grandest celebrations take place just before Lent, and are celebrated throughout the country, although the festivites in North-Rhine Westphalia are probably the best known.

My top recommendation? Go celebrate in Cologne, where the Kölner Karneval draws millions of visitors every year.

My Recommended Germany Itineraries

Germany is a huge country with a massive diversity in sights… so how can you organize your time efficiently and make the most of your trip? Here are some German trip itinerary ideas…

Germany itinerary ideas for a taste of everything:

• Southern Germany Classic: Munich, the Allgäu (for Castles!), Garmisch Partenkirchen, Berchtesgaden National Park, Stuttgart & Area, Black Forest
• Eastern Germany Classic: Berlin, Dresden, Saxon Switzerland
• Western Germany Classic: Aachen, Monschau, Eifel National Park
• Northern Germany Classic: Hamburg, Bremen , Lübeck, Kiel, Sylt
• The Rhine River Classic: Mainz, Koblenz, Burg Eltz, Cochem, Bonn, Cologne, Düsseldorf
• The Harz Mountains Experience: Harz Mountains, Goslar, Wernigerode, Quedlinburg

Germany itinerary ideas for city breakers and culture hunters:

• The Big City Tour: Berlin and Munich (a 4 hour express train connects them)
• The BaWu Special: Stuttgart, Ludwigsburg, Tübingen, Esslingen, Heidelberg
• The Bavaria Special: Munich, Nuremberg, Bamberg, Würzburg, Bayreuth
• The Saxony Special: Leipzig, Görlitz, Dresden
• The Rhine City Hop: Bonn, Cologne, Düsseldorf
• The Romantic Villages Hop: Würzburg, Dinkelsbühl, Nördlingen, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Füssen

Germany itinerary ideas for nature lovers:

• Southern Germany Nature Itinerary: Berchtesgaden National Park, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, the Black Forest and Lake Constance (Bodensee)
• Bavaria’s Best Nature Itinerary: Berchtesgaden National Park, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Munich’s Lake Region, Franconian Switzerland, Danube Gorge
• Eastern Germany Nature Itinerary: Dresden and Saxon Switzerland National Park

My Top Germany Travel Tips

• If you’re overwhelmed by transport options, Omio is a great resource for comparing trains, buses and flights in Germany at the same time.
• If travelling by train, look into group discount tickets like the Bayern Ticket which give you unlimited train travel for one day on regional trains. It can save you a TON of money.
• If you are traveling to multiple countries nearby (i.e. Switzerland), a Eurail pass might save you money.

Accommodation:

• Booking.com is a great place to search up hotels, and filtering by Free Cancellation allows you to book without paying upfront
• Airbnb can be a very affordable alternative for longer stays/bigger groups

Attractions and Tickets:

• GetYourGuide is a great site for finding tours and attraction tickets
• City passes like the Munich City Pass , Berlin Pass , and the Cologne Card can save you a LOT of money if you plan to visit many tourist attractions in a short time
• If you’re trying to find specific info about a place, try using Google Translate to search in German because German versions of sites always have more info

If you’re past the planning stage and heading to Germany soon, make sure you read this before you go:

• Hilarious must-knows before you visit Germany

More Germany Travel Reads

Feeling inspired to visit Germany after reading all that?

As you can (probably) tell, I’ve written extensively about Germany.

So, here are some more articles that might pique your interest:

• Unique Things to do in Germany (That You Can’t Do Anywhere Else)
• The Best Christmas Markets in Germany
• Hilarious Must-Knows Before You Visit Germany

My Go-To Travel Favourites:

🧳 Eagle Creek: My favourite packing cubes

💳 Wise: For FREE travel friendly credit cards

🍯 Airalo: My go-to eSIM

🏨 Booking.com: For searching hotels

📷 Sony A7IV: My (amazing) camera

✈️ Google Flights : For finding flight deals

🌎 WorldNomads: For travel insurance

🎉 GetYourGuide: For booking activities

4 thoughts on “The Only Germany Travel Guide You’ll Ever Need”

i found myself reading almost every post in your website for days and days and i ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT and adore and thank you for spending so much time and effort to make it so helpful, informative and fun to read. you have helped me plan my trip to munich in december and i cant wait to visit just because of your enthusiasm 🙂

We would like to Thank you for sharing such a beautiful blog! Very informative.

This Germany Travel Guide truly captures the multifaceted beauty of Deutschland, a country that has something to offer to everyone, from culture enthusiasts to nature lovers. Your personal anecdotes from living in Munich make it come alive, making me yearn for a taste of that amazing beer you’ve mentioned, and a wander around the English Garden! The varied seasonal highlights emphasize how Germany is a year-round destination, offering uniquely charming experiences, from the festive winter Christmas markets to the lively summer festivals. It’s heartening to know that navigating around the country is convenient, making it possible to explore its picturesque small towns and vibrant cities. This guide is a treasure trove for anyone planning to travel to Germany – it gives a well-rounded view of the country, infused with personal insights, which makes it even more valuable. I’m particularly intrigued to visit Munich, the city you so passionately call home.

As a Berliner, I can’t agree more with this guide. Germany truly is a delightful mix of tradition and innovation, natural beauty and urban charm, hearty cuisine and diverse cultures. Moving around in Germany is indeed quite convenient thanks to the well-organized public transportation system, including trains, buses, and trams. And yes, English is widely spoken in major cities, so communication shouldn’t be a problem for travelers. As for the varied dialects across regions, it just adds to the unique charm of exploring this beautiful country. Safe travels, fellow adventurers!

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How to Plan a Trip to Germany (Your Step by Step Germany Trip Planner for Traveling to Germany for the First Time!)

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my  disclaimer policy.

You’ve decided to visit Germany. Hooray! Whether you’re looking for bustling cities, sandy beaches, alpine hiking, intriguing history, fairytale castles, delicious food, fun festivals or friendly people, Germany is the perfect European vacation destination.

Not only is there a tremendous amount to do, see, eat, and experience in Germany, you can easily combine a visit to Germany with other European destinations. Germany is easy to get around in by train, bus, car or bike, and many people speak English.

You’re probably wondering…where do I even begin with planning my dream-come-true vacation to beautiful Deutschland? 

Where should I go? Is it better to take the train or rent a car? What are the must-see cities and attractions? Which ones should I skip? Where’s the best place to stay? What should I eat and drink?

Join our FREE Germany Trip Planning Facebook Group!

Don’t worry! We’re here to help you narrow down your travel options, plan your itinerary , and book your trip with ease. It’s actually quite easy to plan a trip to Germany by yourself with the information in this article, on this site and with some help of some online booking engines.

To reduce overwhelm and help you plan your ideal vacation, we cover everything you need to know to get started planning your trip to Germany . And if you have any questions, you’re welcome to ask us in our free Germany travel Facebook community or send us  an email . 

Ok, let’s begin!

• 1 Meet Your Germany Travel Guides
• 2 Overview of Regions
• 3 Where to Go in Germany: Itineraries and Planning
• 4 Want more itinerary ideas? Are you a big city person? Check out… 
• 5 Prefer smaller historic, picturesque cities? Check out…
• 6 What about cute little villages with “Fachwerk” (half-timber) architecture? There are so many! Here are a few ideas…
• 7 Looking forward to visiting fairytale castles?
• 8 Like islands and water? Take a look at…
• 9 What about nature, hiking, and national parks? Consider…
• 10 Passports & Visas
• 11 What’s the Best Time to Go to Germany?
• 12 Germany Booking Timeline
• 13 What’s the Weather in Germany Like?
• 14 What Time is it in Germany Right Now?
• 15 What’s the Best Way to Get to Germany?
• 16 Where to Stay in Germany
• 17 Getting Around Germany
• 18 What to Wear in Germany
• 19 My Absolute Favorite Travel Clothing Items
• 20 What to Eat in Germany

Meet Your Germany Travel Guides

Hi, we’re Cate and Aaron, and we love helping people plan amazing trips to Germany. While Aaron has visited Germany several times (and is our chief rental car driver!), I lived there for 4+ years, have spent nearly 30 years of my life going back and forth between the US and Germany, and have traveled to all corners of the country.

I also taught German for several years and have a PhD in German Applied Linguistics, which means I’ve gotten to know Germany from several different angles. We’re so excited to help you plan your dream trip to Deutschland! 

Overview of Regions

Northern Germany  – Hamburg is the largest city in this region but there are other must-visit smaller cities like Lübeck , Stade, Bremen, and Lüneburg. Northern Germany also has the beautiful beaches of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, the Wadden Sea national park, and the islands of Sylt, Flör, and Heligoland. Northern Germany is flat and great for biking. It looks so different from Bavaria! Combine a trip to Denmark with a visit to northern Germany.

Eastern Germany  –  Berlin is of course the feature city in this region, but Dresden, Leipzig, Magdeburg, Quedlinburg, Bautzen, Erfurt, and Weimar are smaller must-see cities. There’s also the Harz mountains, Swiss Saxony national park , Saalfeld Fairy Grottoes in Thuringia, Wernigerode castle, the Schwerin Palace, and Sansouci in Potsdam. Combine a trip to eastern Germany with a visit to Poland or the Czech Republic.

Central Germany  – This region offers bustling cities like Cologne , Düsseldorf, and Frankfurt , smaller cities like Aachen, Wiesbaden, Koblenz, and plenty of cute villages. There’s also the Rhine and Mosel river areas, vineyards, the Eifel national park, castles , and beautiful rolling hills. Combine a visit to central Germany with a trip to the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, or France.

Black Forest/Baden-Württemberg  –  Stuttgart is the largest city in this region, and smaller cities like Baden-Baden, Heidelberg, Freiburg , Tübingen, and Ulm also warrant a visit. Vineyards and wineries, spa towns, castles (such as Hohenzollern or Lichtenstein ), waterfalls, Lake Constance, cute villages, and hiking are also features of the Black Forest /Baden-Württemberg region. Combine a trip to France or Switzerland with a visit to southwestern Germany.

Bavaria/Alps  – Munich is the feature city of Bavaria ( Oktoberfest! ), along with smaller cities like Regensburg, Nuremberg, Würtzburg, Bamberg, and Passau. There’s also the famous Zugspitze, Eagle’s Nest, Neuschwanstein castle , and Chiemsee lake, as well as lovely alpine towns like Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Berchtesgaden . Combine a trip to Bavaria with a visit to Austria, Czech Republic or Switzerland.

Click here for what to do in Munich!

Where to Go in Germany: Itineraries and Planning

There’s so much to see and do in Germany! Here’s some info to get you started on your itinerary (you can also check out this article with 10-14 day itinerary ideas ). 

If you have just a few days,  I recommend focusing on one city and a day trip (e.g., Hamburg with a day trip to Lübeck or Munich with a day trip to Neuschwanstein ).

If you have a week,  you could visit 2 cities (plus 2 day trips) in different parts of Germany and allot one day for travel between cities (e.g., a few days in Munich with a day trip to Chiemsee, travel day to Berlin, then a few days in Berlin with a day trip to Potsdam). Or you could spend a week touring one region of Germany (e.g. the Black Forest or the Rhine and Mosel areas).

If you have two weeks,  you can see a lot of Germany! You could, for example, start in Berlin, then visit Hamburg, take a day trip to Lübeck , then visit the Rhein river area, stop in the Black Forest , and end your trip in Munich. You could easily do this trip via train or car. Take a look at a couple 10-14 day itineraries we’ve outlined to give you a sense of how much you can do in that amount of time.

Grab our FREE Germany Trip Planning Checklist Now!

How long does it take to travel around Germany by train? 

It’s quick and easy to travel around Germany by train. Here are some sample travel times to give you an idea: 

• Berlin to Hamburg – 1 hour 45 minutes 
• Berlin to Munich – 4 – 4 1/2 hours
• Hamburg to Lübeck – 1 hour 
• Hamburg to Cologne – 4 hours 
• Hamburg to Munich – 5 hours 40 minutes 
• Frankfurt to Nuremberg – 2 hours 
• Stuttgart to Munich – 2 1/4 hours 
• Munich to Berchtesgaden – 2 hours 

I use and recommend the official German rail system website to check travel times and book train tickets (point-to-point, saver tickets, and discounted regional tickets). I book all of our train tickets here!

Want more itinerary ideas? Are you a big city person? Check out… 

• Cologne / Düsseldorf

Prefer smaller historic, picturesque cities? Check out…

• Lübeck
• Würtzburg
• Tübingen

What about cute little villages with “Fachwerk” (half-timber) architecture? There are so many! Here are a few ideas…

• Wernigerode
• Quedlinburg
• Dinkelsbühl
• Rothenburg Ob der Tauber
• Berchtesgaden

Looking forward to visiting fairytale castles?

• Neuschwanstein & Hohenschwangau (the “Disney castle”)
• Castles near Frankfurt
• Castles near Cologne
• 16 castles to visit in Germany

Like islands and water? Take a look at…

• Husum (North Sea)
• Timmendorferstrand (Baltic Sea)
• Lake Constance (Bodensee)
• Titisee 

What about nature, hiking, and national parks? Consider…

• Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park
• Hamburg Wadden Sea National Park 
• Lower Saxon Wadden Sea National Park
• Jasmund National Park
• Western Pomerania Lagoon Area National Park
• Müritz National Park
• Lower Oder Valley National Park
• Harz National Park
• Kellerwald-Edersee National Park
• Hainich National Park
• Eifel National Park
• Hunsrück-Hochwald National Park
• Saxon Switzerland National Park
• Bavarian Forest National Park
• Berchtesgaden National Park
• Black Forest National Park

How about a road trip? Why not drive the…

• German Timber-frame Road (northern to southern Germany)
• Romantic Road (Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, north/south)
• Castle Road (Bavaria to Baden-Württemberg, east/west)
• Wine Road (Palatinate wine region, north/south)
• Fairytale Route (from Hanau to Bremen, south/north)
• Black Forest High Road (Baden-Württemberg, north/south)
• Alpine Route (Baden-Württemberg to Bavaria, east/west)
• Volcanic Route (Rhein River and Eifel mountains, north/south)

Passports & Visas

If you’re from the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and many other countries, you do not need a visa to enter Germany (at the time of publishing this article). You do, however, need a valid passport with at least 3 months validity AFTER your planned departure date.

Play it safe and have MORE than 6 months validity on entrance to Germany! You also need at least 2 blank passport pages at the time of your arrival. Check your passport NOW so you have plenty of time to renew it if needed. Do not wait until the last minute to do this (been there, done that – it’s expensive and stressful)!

Germany is part of the Schengen zone, which means you can stay in Germany for up to 90 days without a visa. If you visit other countries in the Schengen zone before or after Germany, that counts towards your 90 days and reduces the amount of time you can spend in Germany. While on the automatic 90-day tourist visa you may not work but you can engage in business.

What’s the Best Time to Go to Germany?

The best time to visit Germany is whenever you can get there! No, seriously! There’s no best time of year for your  Deutschland   tour because there’s no bad time of year to visit. I’ve traveled all over Germany in spring, summer, fall, and winter and enjoyed every single season (Cate here, writing this article, by the way).

When should  you  travel to Germany? Well, it just depends on what you’re looking for…

Summer  is when you’re most likely to have warm (even hot) sunny weather. But it’s not guaranteed. I’ve had hot steamy summers in Germany (like last summer when we traveled during a heat wave), cold rainy summers, and everything in-between.

Fortunately, even if you encounter rain in the summer it likely won’t last more than a few hours or at most a couple days before you’ll see the sun again. The benefit of summer travel is that you’ll have nice long days for sight-seeing because the sun doesn’t fully set until about 10pm. If you’re interested in beaches or mountains, summer is a great time of year to visit.

Note, however, that not all hotels, cars, and restaurants use A/C. If you really hate hot weather, play it safe and avoid Germany in the middle of the summer. (Although, to be honest, in all of the summers I’ve spent in Germany, there have only been a few days in the summer that I’ve found truly unbearable without A/C.) If you  must  have A/C, be sure to confirm that your room or rental car has it.

Summer can also be a more crowded time to travel, since so many families make use of summer break. Book accommodation early for the most options and best prices!

Winter  travel in Germany can be cold but beautiful. One of my favorite times of year to travel in Germany is during the four weeks of advent at Christmas.

Yes, it gets dark early (by 5pm or a bit earlier) but the lights, decorations, and Christmas markets more than make up for it. Plus, you can go skiing and enjoy other winter activities.

I was just in Germany for a couple weeks in December and the weather was perfectly fine 90% of the time. There was only one day where the weather was truly miserable and even on that day there were enough breaks in the weather to enjoy my day trip exploring a new town and a new Christmas market. 

Germans don’t let winter keep them from enjoying outdoor activities, hiking to strolling through a Christmas market or enjoying a coffee at an outdoor cafe. Don’t let it stop you, either! Just bundle up, grab a mug of Glühwein, and you’ll be fine!

Fall and spring  are also great times to visit Germany. In the fall you’ll enjoy crisp mornings and cool evenings and seeing the leaves change color.

In the spring you’ll experience the joy everyone feels when they can once again sit outside at cafes and restaurants. The weather can vary quite a bit day to day but if you travel late in the fall or early in the spring you can score great deals and will find smaller crowds.

Germany Booking Timeline

I’ve booked flights, accommodations , and tours and tickets a few weeks before my arrival, and I’ve booked them several months in advance. Book early if you:

• Are traveling during peak summer, Christmas market or ski season
• Have very specific travel dates or lodging, transportation, sight-seeing needs
• Are visiting big cities
• Are on a tight budget
• Are visiting during a special event, such as Oktoberfest 

I usually start looking at my options as early as possible so I can figure out what a good deal looks like for my travel dates. I then set up flight alerts and start earmarking AirBnB’s and hotels. I begin booking whenever I find something that meets my needs and fits my budget. 

Here’s a general booking timeline to get you started:

6-12 months in advance:

• Research and book your international flights
• Research travel insurance
• Plan your travel itinerary and dates
• Research and book flights within Germany or Europe
• Research travel options within Germany (rental car, train bus, etc)
• Research accommodation options (book if you find great deals or if availability is limited)
• Make sure your passport is up-to-date (you need at least 6 months left on it when you enter Germany) and apply for a new one if it isn’t

3 – 6 months in advance:

• Book accommodation
• Book trains or busses (usually 90 before your travel dates is the earliest you can book but always check if you can book earlier – the best deals go fast)
• Book rental car
• Book tours, events, and tickets
• Book travel insurance 
• Review your travel wardrobe and gear and purchase the items you need  

1 month in advance:

• Book any remaining attractions and tours
• Book airport transfers or plan how you will get to your lodging
• Purchase a sim card for phone or check how you can use your current phone service in Germany (e.g., I can use my Verizon phone service for a $10/ a day fee)

1 week in advance: 

• Print out or ensure that you can easily access all bookings, tickets, and travel info on your phone (make sure you can access everything without data or wifi!)

1 day in advance:

What’s the Weather in Germany Like?

What will the weather be like when you visit Germany? Well, it depends on the time of year and where you are. Weather in Germany can be somewhat unpredictable no matter the time of year.

I recommend being prepared by wearing layers, packing an umbrella or rain jacket, and remembering that the weather will likely change soon. And, as I said earlier, don’t let any kind of weather stop you from enjoying Germany! 

Summer.  Germany comes alive in the summer with everyone and their dog (literally, there are dogs everywhere) outside enjoying the nice weather. Average high in the summer is 80F.  

Be warned…it can rain in the summer but it doesn’t usually last that long. It can also be super hot in the summer…but again, scorching temperatures doesn’t usually last that long.

Fall.  Such a beautiful time of year in Germany with the leaves changing colors and cool, crips mornings and evenings and warm days. One of my favorite times of year in Germany! In September, the average high is 67F and by November it’s around 47F.

Winter.  Bring your scarf, hat, and mittens because German winters can get cold! Average temps hover around freezing with warmer days in the 40s/50sF. While it can snow anywhere in Germany, you’ll find the most snow in southern Germany. Winter weather doesn’t mean everyone hides inside, though. On the contrary! Do what the Germans do – bundle up and enjoy the outdoors.

Spring.  I love being in Germany on the first spring day because  everyone  heads outside to enjoy the sun and everyone is in such a good mood! Early spring will see a high around 47F but by late spring it’s more like 67F.

What Time is it in Germany Right Now?

Germany is in the Central European Time zone (CET) or UTC+2. It’s 6 hours ahead of the US EST, 7 hours ahead of CST, 8 hours ahead of MST, and 9 hours ahead of PST.

Daylight savings in Germany in 2020: time “falls back” on October 25 and “springs forward” on March 29. Write these dates in your calendar so you don’t accidentally miss any flights or trains (been there, done that)!

What’s the Best Way to Get to Germany?

It depends on where you’re coming from and where you’re going.  When flying from outside Europe, many people fly into Frankfurt (FRA), the largest airport in Germany and one of the largest and busiest airports in Europe.

The benefit of flying into Frankfurt is that it has a ton of direct flights, and once you reach Germany you can easily take a commuter flight, train, bus or rental car to your final destination.

The downside? The airport is huge, busy, and I’ve noticed prices into Frankfurt have been higher than regional airports in Germany.

I used to  always  fly into Frankfurt , and then take a train, bus or rental car to my final destination. But recently? I’ve found that it’s easier (and sometimes cheaper) to bypass FRA and fly into other German cities, such as Munich , Hamburg , Berlin , Düsseldorf ( Cologne ) or Stuttgart .

You might even be able to find a direct flight from the US (I’ve flown direct Atlanta – Stuttgart and Washington DC – Munich, for example). Otherwise, you’ll change planes somewhere in Europe and take an easy 1-3 hour flight to Germany. We’ve changed planes in London, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Paris, and Vienna, for example. You could also fly into another European city and then take a train, bus or rental car into Germany.  

A Few Notes About Flying Into FRA (Frankfurt Airport) and Traveling Onwards

If you take a commuter flight from Frankfurt  (FRA) to your final destination in Germany, you’ll go through passport control in FRA and then to your connecting gate. Super easy. Most flights from FRA to elsewhere in Germany are an hour or less in duration.

If you’re traveling onward by train from Frankfurt,  you can transfer to the train right at the airport below Terminal 1. If your train leaves from the main station in Frankfurt, you can either take the S-bahn or a regional train from the airport to the Hauptbahnhof (main station) in about 10-15 minutes.  

Important:  you’ll find cheap “savings fare” train ticket prices if you book your ticket online well ahead of your arrival. Be sure to book your ticket for  at least  a few hours after your flight’s arrival time into FRA.

Be warned: getting through passport control, customs, picking up your checked luggage, and making your way to the train station can take longer than you think. And if your plane from the US (or elsewhere) is delayed…well, it’s easy to miss your train and have to buy a new, much more expensive ticket on the spot. Personally, I would book a saver fare train ticket for a train that leaves 3-5 hours after my international flight’s arrival time – at the minimum. And that’s still cutting it close if there’s any kind of delay!

Tip: If you want maximum flexibility and peace of mind, buy a “flex ticket.” You’ll pay more but these tickets aren’t tied to a specific train. So if your flight is five hours late, you can take a train later in the day without changing your ticket or losing money.

These tickets also you to stop somewhere en route to your final destination for a couple hours, and then get back on a different train (e.g., stop in Stuttgart for a couple hours on your way to Munich). So if you arrive on time, you can work in a short excursion on the way to your final destination (store your luggage at a locker in the train station). If your flight is late, just go directly to your destination. These tickets are also refundable before the first day of travel.

For ultimate flexibility and peace of mind, spend the night in or around Frankfurt and book a saver fare train for early the next morning. 

You can also easily pick up a rental car at FRA  and drive to your final destination. Aaron and I have done this a few times and never had any problems.

The one problem we do have? Staying awake long enough to drive to our destination! We usually keep the driving distance to an hour or two on the day of our arrival and drink a lot of coffee. Sometimes we pull over at rest area and take a nap. 

If you want to rent a car at the airport and are concerned about driving while jet lagged, consider picking up the car and then spending the night in nearby town, such as Wiesbaden (I spent an enjoyable few days there before catching my flight home a few years ago). 

If you’re catching a bus  from the city center to travel onwards, S-bahn 8 or 9 will zip you into town quickly and cheaply in about 10-15 minutes. Buy tickets at any of the ticket machines before you board the S-bahn.  

You can also catch busses  into Frankfurt and elsewhere in front of Terminal 1 (arrivals level) and Terminal 2 (level 2).

You’ll find taxis  in the same general area. It takes about 20 minutes to get into downtown Frankfurt by taxi.

Flying to Germany from Elsewhere in Europe

These days it’s super easy and generally inexpensive to fly to Germany from all over Europe. Here are a couple tips:

When booking your international flight, you might be able to include a stop-over in the city where you’ll transfer to your Germany flight. I used to do stopovers in London, and a couple years ago I did an awesome stopover in Iceland. TAP also offers free stopovers in Lisbon or Porto.   

I highly recommend looking into both flying and taking a train (or bus) into Germany, especially if you’re arriving from a neighboring country and not on a stopover. Of course, if you’re flying from cities like London, Barcelona, Rome or Oslo, flying is the best option. But if you’re traveling from Paris, Vienna, Copenhagen or Prague, for example, a train might be the better way to go.

Even if the actual flight is only an hour, you have to factor in the time it takes to travel to the airport, go through security, potential flight delays, and then traveling to your lodging once you land. A 5- or 6-hour train ride might actually take less time than a 1-hour flight when you total it all up!

Traveling to Germany By Train, Bus or Car

Traveling to Germany from other European countries by train, bus or car is easy. Train travel is generally simple, comfortable, and quick. Most train stations in Germany are located in the city center, so it’s easy to get to your lodging via taxi or public transportation. 

If renting a car in another country, just double check that you’re authorized to take the car out of the rental country. If you are, you’ll have no problems crossing the boarder and driving around Germany. 

Busses tend to cost less than trains, and you can find some amazing deals, but to be honest, I still prefer taking trains over busses. Trains are more comfortable, you can get up and walk around, and they’re almost always faster than busses. Plus, they don’t get stuck in traffic.

Tips for Booking the Best Flights with Cash or Miles: 

• Start looking for flights early,  especially if you’re traveling during peak season. I booked our mid-June flights in late January. While we found low mileage flights for very specific weekend travel dates, we could have found better flight times had we booked even earlier. 
• Track flights  through google or look at options in Hopper so you’ll know a good deal when you see one.  
• Look for last-minute deals.  When I decided to go to Germany in December I didn’t start looking for flights until early November (the trip was a last-minute decision). Because I was flexible on travel dates and went early in the month, I found excellent tickets using miles. This doesn’t always happen, but it never hurts to look for deals, even if your travel dates are right around the corner. 
• Fly in or out of smaller regional airports  (e.g., Berlin , Hamburg , Stuttgart , Munich , Düsseldorf). When I booked our flights for mid-June I couldn’t find anything into Frankfurt using miles. But I did find flights into Berlin and out of Stuttgart, and that actually worked even better for that trip ! For my recent December trip , I found that flying in and out of Stuttgart used the lowest amount of miles and had the best schedule. I’ve also flown into Hamburg and Munich airports.

Where to Stay in Germany

Germany has so many options for lodging:

• Vacation rentals (e.g., VBRO, AirBnB)
• Hip boutique hotels
• Quirky hostels
• More traditional HI hostels
• Large hotel chains
• American-styles hotels (Hilton, Marriott, etc)
• Family-run Pensionen (bed and breakfast)
• Camping (RV and tent)

When we’re in Germany we typically opt for AirBnB (I like having a kitchen to make breakfast) or a smaller family-run Pension or boutique hotel. We used to stay in hostels when we was younger (they’re pretty nice in Germany) but even then I found Pensionen to be very affordable – sometimes  more  affordable than hostels – especially when traveling with one or two other people. If we’re spending the night near an airport or train station and want convenience and ease we’ll stay at a larger chain hotel .

Whether you’re looking for luxury or budget accommodations, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for in Germany! To help you get started, check out our Germany hotel guides.

Breakfast  is often included with lodging in Germany (but not always). Sometimes breakfast will feature fresh bread or Brötchen (delicious German rolls), cold cuts and cheese, butter and jam, and tea and coffee. Other times there will be an extensive breakfast buffet that includes things like yogurt, museli, a variety of breads, meats, cheeses, and even hard-boiled eggs. You’re unlikely to find things like omelets, bacon, pancakes, waffles, and hot oatmeal.

If you’re looking to save money on lodging,  book rooms with a shared bathroom. (This is typically only an option in smaller or older hotels and not an option I come across as often anymore.) Sometimes that will mean sharing a full bathroom with other guests on your floor, and other times you’ll have a sink and/or shower in your room and will share a toilet located in the hallway. Shared bathrooms are more common in smaller Pensionen than in hotels.

These days I prefer the convenience of having a full bathroom in my room but I’m not averse to sharing a hall bathroom when needed (takes me back to my younger backpacking days – ha!). I’ve never had to wait to use a shared bathroom or had any trouble with them. Sometimes there are two or more bathrooms per floor. If you do opt for a shared bathroom, bring flip-flops!

Hostels can be a great option for families,  as many offer family rooms. Hostels typically offer a simple breakfast and sometimes dinner. While accommodations are simple, some hostels can be in spectacular locations. The hostel in Bacharach, for example, is in an old castle on a hill and offers a gorgeous view of the town below and the Rhine river!  

Getting Around Germany

One of the benefits of traveling in Germany is that it’s super easy to get around the entire country. You have so many transportation options.

You can rent a car and drive from place to place. Or you can stick to trains and busses. Or ride a bike – there are tons of bike paths throughout Germany.   

If I’m primarily visiting big cities I prefer taking the train or a bus to get from one city to another. When I spend more time in smaller cities or want to take day trips to harder to reach places, I prefer having a car.

For our recent summer trip to Germany, we rented a car at the Berlin airport and returned it to the Stuttgart airport. We didn’t take trains or busses at all. We got a car so we could go to places that aren’t as easily (or quickly) accessible by train. We didn’t use the car every day, though. We walked and used public transportation when exploring cities.    

Speaking of public transportation, Germany’s is one of the best! It’s super easy to get everywhere you want to go via the S-bahn (above ground metro), U-bahn (underground metro), Strassenbahn (street car), and city bus. Taxis (and Uber/Lyft, where available) are also convenient options, though more expensive than public transport.

There are also car-share programs that you can look into. I haven’t used any of them and don’t know how convenient they are for travelers but it doesn’t hurt to check them out.

German cities are very walkable, so it’s easy to get around by foot. And, if you’d like to bike around like a local, there are lots of places to rent bikes (or scooters!) around town or maybe even at your hotel or AirBnB. If you’re more interested in just one afternoon of biking, try a city bike tour!

A few transportation tips:

• For the best train ticket prices book your ticket via the official German rail system website in well in advance. I book all of our tickets there. Note: if you pre-purchase your ticket at the lowest price you have to take the specific train you booked. If you miss that train, you have to buy another ticket. 
• If you don’t mind taking slower regional trains you can get some really cheap tickets and regional day tickets. You may not want to use these tickets to go from Munich to Hamburg, but they’re great for day trips, whether traveling solo or with others.
• Busses are often less expensive than the train (though not quite as comfortable and often slower).
• There are Eurail options for Germany, and they’re a great choice if you value flexibility and ease or if you want to make stops while traveling (eg., stop in Cologne for a couple hours while traveling from Hamburg to Munich).
• If you plan to rely on public transportation in the cities you visit, buy a day pass (or perhaps a multi-day or week pass) rather than individual tickets. Also check to see if there are group day tickets or if young kids can ride free. Note: there’s often a small additional fee to bring a bike or a large amount of luggage on public transportation. There are often less expensive day passes for travel starting after 9am. 

What to Wear in Germany

Check out my packing list for Germany!

Layer, layer, layer!  The weather in Germany is often unpredictable so your best bet is to bring layers so you can customize your wardrobe on the fly. Since rain is a possibility any time of year, you may want to bring a light rain jacket or an umbrella.

Bring comfortable shoes.  You’ll no doubt walk all day long (often on cobblestone), so bring your most comfortable, supportive shoes. Be sure to break in your shoes  before  you travel. There’s nothing worse than realizing a day into your trip that your shoes pinch your toes or give you huge blisters. (Bring along moleskin, just in case. I always have  this kind  in my day bag!) I typically bring a good pair of walking shoes appropriate for the season (e.g., boots in the winter) and a nicer pair of flats (sandals in the summer).

You can wear jeans.  Some people say  never travel with jeans  but I’m not one of those people. I love traveling with jeans! They’re comfortable, I can wear them a few times without having to wash them, and I feel less like a tourist wearing them because everyone wears them. If you like jeans, wear jeans.

Scarf, hat, gloves.  If you’re traveling in the winter or even late fall or early spring, definitely bring a warm scarf, hat, and gloves or mittens. Or buy them in Germany and take them home as a souvenir! Almost all of my winter accessories are from Germany. Even if you’re not traveling in colder weather, I recommend a  travel scarf with a hidden pocket  for ease and security.

You can wear shorts in the summer.  Shorts are more popular in Germany than they used to be, so if you like them and are comfortable in them, wear them. That said, do also bring summer dresses or skirts and or lightweight pants to wear when shorts are too informal.

Bring a comfortable day bag or purse.  When you’re out and about all day you want a comfortable bag or purse to hold your travel essentials – wallet, phone, camera, ipad/kindle/book, umbrella, journal, etc. For peace of mind, you may even want one with special security features.  Click here to read my guide for buying the best travel purse.

My Absolute Favorite Travel Clothing Items

Merino wool camisole/tank  – These camisoles are the BEST for travel! They’re soft, comfortable, easy to hand wash, and they never stink. This might be TMI but a few years ago, when I was traveling solo around Europe, I wore the same merino wool tank each day for 14 days in warm spring weather. It never smelled bad! Since that experiment I don’t typically go that long without washing my tanks, but I like knowing that I could!  Click here to read more reviews and buy a merino wool camisole/tank.

Foldable flats  – I splurged on a pair of foldable leather flats a few years ago, and after I broke them in I started really liking them. I wouldn’t recommend them for a full day of walking (especially on cobblestones) but I like to bring my foldable flats along for a change of pace or when I want the option of wearing a cute pair of shoes but don’t want them to take up much space in my suitcase.

Merino wool shoes  – I bought a pair of dark grey merino wool walking/tennis shoes a couple years ago and I LOVE them! I can wear them barefoot in the summer, and not only do my feet stay relatively cool, my shoes don’t stink when I take them off at the end of the day. I can throw them in the wash if they get dirty (though mine still look great 2 years later), they pack flat and don’t take up much space in my suitcase or travel backpack, and the heel is thick and cushioned. You can also buy replacement merino wool insoles without having to buy a new pair of shoes.

What I don’t like: the pair I have doesn’t have enough arch support for me and there’s not enough padding under the ball of my foot. The first few times I wore them they were uncomfortable after walking all day and I was super disappointed! But after adding an arch support and a gel insert under the ball of my foot (I like  this one ) I loved them and now wear them all the time while traveling and at home. Many people love them from the start!  Click here to to read reviews and check out merino wool shoes.   

What to Eat in Germany

You’ll never go hungry while traveling in Germany! While you can always find traditional items like Schnitzel, Spätzle, Rouladen, and Bratwurst, there are plenty of healthier options, including those that are vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free.

Many restaurants now cater to special diets and accommodate allergies, as do some specialty grocery stores. Aaron has a meat allergy and frequently eats gluten-free and has never had a problem finding delicious food in Germany.

These days Germany has a wide variety of restaurants to ft all budgets featuring cuisine from all over the world (except Mexican…I’ve yet to find good tacos in Germany). So you won’t be stuck eating Schnitzel every day – unless you want to!

We usually eat breakfast at our AirBnB or hotel, enjoy a nice lunch at a restaurant we’ve stumbled upon, and then grab a Döner, salad or pizza for dinner. We also often picnic using ingredients from the bakery and grocery store or farmer’s market.

Traditional German dishes to try:   Schnitzel, Spätzle, Rouladen, Bratwurst, Sauerbraten, Schweinehaxen, Maultaschen, Currywurst, Leberkäse, Flammkuchen, Sauerkruat, Kartoffelsalat (potato salad), Quark, all kinds of German breads.

Quick lunches and snacks on the go:  Döner, Falafel, Bratkartoffeln (fried potatoes), Kartoffelpuffer (potato pancakes), Bratwurst, Currywurst, salads, Brötchen filled with meat and/or cheese, fresh pretzels, pastries, cakes. Click here to see the best German street food!

Desserts & sweet treats:  Schwarzwälderkirchtorte (Black Forest Cake), Bienenstich (Bee Sting Cake), cheesecake, Stollen, Frankfurter Kranz, cake, Donauwellen cake, Berliner, Lebkuchen, Pflaumenkuchen (plum cake), all kinds of pastries and chocolate – just to name a few! Click here to see the 10 must-try German desserts and sweets.

Beer:  every kind you could ever imagine! I usually just ask for the local beer unless there’s a specific one I know I want to try.

Christmas: This is the best time of year to be in Germany, partly because of the many delicious holiday treats like Lebkuchen, Stollen, Glühwein, and so much more. Click here to read more about what to eat in Germany during the Christmas season.

Want to try German food now? Click here to see where to buy delicious German food online!

Got a question about traveling in Germany? Join our free Germany trip planning community or  send us an email!

Cate has been traveling to Germany for 30+ years. She has lived in Germany, taught college German, and has a PhD in German Applied Linguistics. She loves helping travelers plan their dream trips to Germany!

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Here’s how we can help you plan your perfect trip in 2024.

GERMANY TRAVEL PLANNER:  Just getting started? Have questions about Germany’s confusing train tickets or how to find the best guided tours? Not sure which parts of Germany should be in your itinerary (and what to leave out)? Our  Germany Travel Planner  answers those questions and more via how-to videos, our interactive Germany Planning Map, City Cheatsheets, and MUCH more. Click here to unlock the best of Germany the easy way!

GERMANY TRAVEL CONSULT:  Feeling overwhelmed? Itinerary just not coming together? Wonder if a few tweaks would take your trip to the next level? Book a Mini or Full consult with Cate! She’ll help you create or tweak your itinerary, recommend train tickets/passes, hotels, things to do, guided tours, show you how to buy train tickets, orient you to specific cities, help you plan out day trips, and answer your Germany travel questions.

ACCOMMODATIONS:  We recommend using  Booking.com  since they have widest range of accommodations available from hostels, boutique hotels, luxury chains, aparthotels, at the best prices. Check out our  accommodation guides  for specific recommended hotels.

WHAT TO PACK: If you’re bringing your phone, be sure to bring this plug adapter , this power bank , and this wrist strap . They’ve been lifesavers for us! You can see our other packing essentials here and here .

TICKETS & TOURS:  For guided tours, day trips, private tours, and skip-the-line tickets,  Get Your Guide  is our go-to!

TRAINS & BUSES:  To research train schedules and buy tickets or a Germany Rail Pass, we recommend the official  Deutsche Bahn (German Rail System)  website (and download their DB Navigator app). For buses, look at  FlixBus  , which offers tickets for routes within Germany and to other European countries. FlixBus is often cheaper than trains but can take longer.

69 Comments

I enjoyed reading this information. My husband and I would like to stay in Germany for 2 to 3 months in 2022. I am interested in staying in the area of Bamberg with the plan of visiting other regions in Germany via a rental car. Either at the end or beginning of our stay we would like to visit France (especially Paris). I have so many questions. But our hope is to have basically our last trip on our own and experience more of the everyday lifestyle. Up to this point we have only traveled via being guest of Viking River Cruise and tours.

Hi Donna! 2-3 months in Germany sounds awesome! Since you’ll be there so long, you might want to consider spending 1 month in 3 different regions or 1.5 months in 2 regions. Otherwise you’ll be doing a lot of overnight or multi-night trips if you want to see other regions. Are you thinking about renting an AirBnB? If you want to experience the everyday lifestyle, I highly recommend it. Feel free to email me if you have questions as you start planning. 🙂

Hi! Thank you for this awesome post. It’s very useful. I wanted to ask you a question. I’m planning to travel to Germany as soon as the pandemic starts to be less dangerous. I want to go to Germany for 2 months, how many cities do you think is possible to visit? And also how much money do you think is possible to use everyday for food if my budget is small? Thank you very much!

Hello! Two months is a good amount of time to visit Germany, and you should be able to see and do quite a lot! Just how many cities depends on how quickly you like to travel and what you want to do in each place (e.g., just see the highlights or live like a local). If you want to stick to big cities you could spend 1-3 weeks in each and take lots of day trips to see the surrounding area.

If that’s the case, you could rent an Airbnb (or similar), which would not only save you money on lodging (they’ll often give discounts for stays of 1 week or longer) but also make it easier to make some inexpensive meals at the Airbnb (and it’s easy to make German dishes “at home”!) and maybe even do laundry for free.

If you want to be on the go the whole time, moving from city to city (big, medium, and small), it will be more expensive unless you stay at hostels (or super cheap hotels). And remember to factor in the constant packing and unpacking, time getting to/from the train station (or airport)…that gets tiring when traveling for a couple months!

I recommend coming up with a budget, then looking at what kind of lodging fits that budget (hotels, hostels, longer Airbnb stays, Couchsurfing, etc). Then think about what you most want to do in Germany (live like a local, just spontaneously explore, see specific sights, have specific experiences, etc) and what you want your daily experience to be like (e.g., do you want to feel relaxed each day and get to know fewer places or be on the go, packing and unpacking, moving from place to place). Neither is better than the other, it’s just important to get clear on what kind of experience you want!

A few ways to reduce your budget: – Eat in fewer sit-down restaurants. Eat breakfast at “home”, buy snacks and drinks at the grocery store and bring them with you each day, cook some meals each week at “home”, pick up lunch from a grocery store or bakery and eat in a park, etc. Make eating dinner in a sit-down restaurant a special occasion. Doing these things will save you money and you’ll eat healthier!

– Take busses or slower trains to travel around Germany. There are regional train passes you can purchase that allow travel in a specific area very inexpensively. Travel will be slower and there are some restrictions on when you travel (often not during rush hour) but you’ll save money and often you’ll see some out of the way sights. You can also get good deals on flights but once you factor in travel to the airport (time and cost), time to check in, waiting to board, potential delays, and then getting from the airport to your final destination, it’s often just easier to take the train.

– Buy standard train tickets in advance. You can get nice discounts on faster train tickets if you book far enough in advance.

This might be more info than you wanted but I hope that helps you start planning your trip! Let me know if you have any other questions. 🙂

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Great post full of detailed information on all aspects of travel in Germany. When travel reopens in Europe we’re planning on a 2 week trip in Germany with our adult son. He’s an avid soccer fan so we’ll need to plan the trip around the soccer schedule so he can see as many games as possible. We are considering Eastern Germany with a short trip into Poland or Northern Germany with a few days in Denmark. We’d really appreciate your expertise and suggestions. Although we’ve traveled extensively in many western and eastern European countries, we have not spent a great deal of time in Germany. Thanks. J.

Hello! I’m back working on this site now and am happy to help. I’ve got more articles and resources coming but let me know if you have any specific questions!

Hi Both The Ueckermann family 9-10 adults and 2 little once to experience Germany in Oct 2023. Central G and Netherlands will be awesome. We need to do all planning and funds estimates please assist. We live in South Africa and hopefully COVID 19 not a factor any more. Plan 2-3 weeks depending on the funds regards Engela

Hi Engela! Let me know if you have any specific questions about planning your trip to Germany. Happy to help!

HI, I was having trouble with your email 🙂 so sorry I am just replying here. I was hoping you could help us and I wasn’t sure if you offer buying tickets and guidance of our specific places we would like to visit. Anxiously wanting to hear back from you, Anne

Hi Anne! I just sent you an email. 🙂

Hello Cate! Such a well written article with great info! My husband and myself would like to travel to Germany in Oct. of 2022, possibly with my then 16 year old son as well. We want to go in October so we can also experience Octoberfest. I cant have beer because I have celiac’s. IS THERE OTHER ALCOHOL DURING OCTOBERFEST OTHER THAN BEER? WHAT IS THE WEATHER IN OCTOBER AND DOES OCTOBERFEST RUN THE FULL MONTH? IS THERE A CERTAIN AREA WE SHOULD STAY TO REALLY EXPERIENCE OCTOBERFEST AND ANY POTENTIAL ISSUES TO AVOID DURING OCTOBERFEST? We are overwhelmed with planning our trip because we don’t even travel within the US and I feel like there’s so much we want to experience in such a short period. We would like to go for 2 weeks. We want to go because both our families are from Germany. My family comes from Nuremburg (sp) and my husbands family Bavaria but we are unsure which part. This trip is important for us to try to learn about our family roots. DO YOU KNOW WHERE WE COULD GO IN GERMANY TO LEARN ABOUT OUR GENEOLOGY? We would like a more of a laid back approach to experiencing Germany. I dont want to necessarily feel rushed every single day but I do understand that some events and places we would want to visit would need to be scheduled and we are ok with that. I would like to do the Air bnb but know nothing about them. I would like less stress worrying about transportation such as missing busses. We are interested in castles, picturesque views, experiencing floating on the Rhine River perhaps. ANY SUGGESTIONS ON AIR BNB’S THAT PROVIDE BREAKFAST AND ANY IDEAS ON AREA’S TO VISIT BASED ON EVERYTHING I’VE PROVIDED? P.S……our last name literally translates to “the German”. We have had so many Europeans tell us that when they hear our name…LOL

CORRECTION: This is Lisa Nemec. My hubands family is Bohemian. We believe his family crossed over from Czech.

Hi Lisa! There are plenty of other drinks at Oktoberfest, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding something. The weather at that time of year can vary but in late September to early October it’ll likely be warm during the day and cooler in the evening. Oktoberfest is mostly held in late September but I believe it goes until Oct 2 in 2022. There are a lot of hotels and AirBnB’s within walking distance of Oktoberfest (also walking distance to downtown) but book early because they fill up quickly! You’ll also pay a premium at that time of year. Some people prefer not to stay near the main train station but other people don’t mind it.

As to where you could go in Germany to find out about your genealogy, I’d start by searching the genealogy sites online and get as much specific info as you can. You can then try a site like http://www.genealogienetz.de/index_en.html (I haven’t used it, just found it).

If you have 2 weeks, you could fly in and out of Munich and focus on Bavaria. While in Munich you could take a couple day trips to Salzburg, Berchtesgaden, Neuschwanstein, the Alps, etc. You could see a lot at a laid-back pace in 2 weeks!

AirBnB’s are great if you’re going to be somewhere for at least a few days, want a little extra space, a kitchen, etc. Even just being able to make breakfast, coffee/tea, and keep drinks cold for when you come home in the evening is so nice. But you don’t typically get hotel-like services like a prepared breakfast, new towels each day or linen changes. If you want to be walking distance to lots of things in Munich, a hotel near downtown could be a great option. If you’re ok with being in a neighborhood, an AirBnB could be a good choice. There are so many great neighborhoods in Munich so you really just need to look at price, amenities, and distance to the things you want to see. I’ve stayed at hotels near Marienplatz and in an AirBnB further away (maybe a 10-15 minute walk + U-bahn ride to Marienplazt) and I enjoyed both.

I hope that helps!

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HELP……I have been put in charge of coming up with an itinerary for my hubby and 4 of our friends for travel in July 2022. I truly have no idea what I am doing. What we are looking for are castles, beautiful scenery and history (although I have been told that they do not want to go to concentration camps). The following is the tentative itinerary I have come up with. We are looking also, for moderate priced Inns/quaint hotels and castle stays centrally located. Any changes/suggestions/comments would be GREATLY appreciated. We will be renting 2 cars. 1 night Munich drive to Nuremburg 3 nights Nuremburg – drive to Fussen 1 night Fussen – drive to Ettal 3 nights Ettal – drive to Unterwossen 1 night Unterwossen – drive to Salzburg Austria 3 nights Salzburg Austria drive to Munich 1 night Munich – fly home

Hi Linda! Your itinerary looks good for a 2-week trip. Here are few suggestions:

-If you’re flying into Munich, you could drive right to Nuremburg on the first day, since it’s only a couple hours drive from Munich airport. If you pick up your car, drive into Munich, settle into a hotel, and then drive to Nuremburg the next day, you’re using a lot of time for driving/checking in/unpacking/packing and you won’t get to see much of Munich. If you go right to Nuremburg on arrival day and stay for 3 nights, you could add a night to the end of your trip so you have 2 nights in Munich or add a day to Salzburg and keep Munich at 1 night.

-Fussen and Ettal are pretty close to each other so you could stay 3-4 nights in one and then take a day trip to the other. I like to reduce the number of one night stays as much as I can during 1 and 2 week trips for the reasons I mentioned above. You could also stay in Ettal and make day trips to both Fussen and Unterwossen and cut out 2 1-night stays.

-If you don’t want to see Munich, I’d keep that at 1 night and stay near the airport at the end of your trip. If you do want to see Munich, I’d give that 2 nights minimum.

I hope that helps! I think you’ll really enjoy your itinerary!

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Thankyou for all the wonderful suggestions! I’m visiting Germany closer to Christmas for two weeks.

That’s my favorite time to be in Germany! Everything is so beautiful and festive. You might be interested in my Stuttgart Christmas Market article – even if you won’t be near Stuttgart, it will give you an idea of what you can do, see, and eat at any Christmas market. I also talk about 6 other nearby Christmas markets that are super fun to visit. 🙂 Enjoy your trip!!

I had all but given up on our delayed 25 yr Wedding Anniversary(07/28/2020 delayed to Sept 2021, due to covid) trip to Germany. Then I found your website! It reinvigorated our desire to NOT CANCEL our plans! We have a son in Kaiserslautern(rhein main air force base) , and want to split a 2 week trip between seeing 7-8 days traveling in Germany( Berlin, Munich, Cologne, and Stuttgart) and Paris. And then 6 to 7 day visiting our son. We had all but given up, until I read your article. Thanks! I wish that there were some way to have everything planned for us in advance! But, your post at least has assured us that we can make this happen on our own. Thank you very much!!

Definitely don’t cancel your plans, even if you have to postpone! (We had to postpone our anniversary trip, too – such a bummer!) You can definitely make your trip to Germany happen. Here are a few ideas for you…

You could fly into Paris, then travel to Kaiserslautern to see your son and do a day trip to Stuttgart (visit the Christmas market if you’re there in December or nearby Esslingen any time of year) and then either visit Munich and the area around there (fly out of Munich) or travel up to Cologne and over to Berlin (fly out of Berlin).

It’ll be a lot to try to see Paris, spend several days in Kaiserslautern, and also see Cologne, Stuttgart, Munich, and Berlin but if you can combine things – like if your son can go with you to visit Stuttgart and Munich or Cologne and Berlin, you could see a lot of the places you’re interested in. Flying into one city and out of another will help a lot, too.

You could also fly into Munich, then go to Kaiserslautern via Stuttgart, take a short trip to Paris, then go to Berlin via Cologne and fly out of Berlin. Or do the same but start in Berlin and fly out of Munich.

You’ll have a great time no matter your itinerary! 🙂

Your website is a such a great resource! I have a ton of questions about planning a trip, I’m just going to send you an email.

Thank you Komal

Got it and replied 🙂

What is a good budget for 2 adults in Germany for two weeks?

It’s nearly impossible to give a guideline because it depends on so many things – your travel style, what kind of transportation you want to use, your accommodation & restaurant preferences, etc. I know that’s not very helpful in the short-term but it would be less helpful for me to give you a specific budget not knowing any specifics about you or your trip plans. Plus, most travelers like to splurge in one area and cut back in another but that’s so different for each traveler.

What I recommend is this: start looking at flights, transportation, and accommodations well before you want to book them in order to get an idea of what each costs for your travel dates. Add everything up for 2 weeks and then decide if you’re ok with that amount so far, keeping in mind you’ll still need to add on food, souvenirs, tickets/tours, insurance, and anything you need to get before you leave (clothes, luggage, passport, etc). I like to do this research before I book flights/transport/accommodations. That way I get an idea of what will be my splurge and where I will need to reduce costs to keep within the budget that’s right for me. Everyone’s ideal budget is so different!

hi i am planning to travail to Germany in December 2021 with my family , any idea

My big tip for Germany in December: visit the Christmas markets (if they’re open this year)! You’ll find one in nearly every German city, town and even small villages. They’re outdoors so dress warmly and enjoy the food, drink, and stalls. They’re a great place to pick up souvenirs and gifts, too.

Days are short in December, and some touristy sites do shut down in winter, so keep that in mind. But you’ll still find plenty to do after dark, especially if you’re in bigger cities. As long as you take these two things into consideration, you’ll have a great visit no matter where you go!

Hi, my partner and I are wanting to visit Germany in January 2022. I have previously stayed in Wurzburg for 3 weeks and dream of taking my partner there.Seeing as I went with school a few years ago we didn’t really have a chance to look around other parts of local Germany. Where would you recommend us to go whilst in that area? We like architecture (but not too much…) we’re in our 20’s so we also want to have fun 🙂 we’ll either be driving (we live in France) or we’ll be going by train. Will the Christmas markets still be on? I doubt it but you never know… Thanks

Also, we are wanting to go with our dog. Would that be possible or too complicated?

You could easily go to Munich and spend a few days there – lots to see and lots of places to have fun. (I had a great time there in my 20s!) There are also a lot of day trip options – Berchtesgaden, Salzburg, Neuschwanstein, Passau, Regensburg, etc. You could also stop in Nuremberg on your way to Munich. All of that is easy by car or by train – and if you go by train, you could probably do those day trips using a regional train pass. Or you could do guided day trips and not have to plan anything! I’ve got some listed in my Munich guide – https://www.mygermanyvacation.com/munich-travel-guide/

It looks like the Christmas markets are on for 2021 but they could always get canceled in the coming weeks. Most have their last day on Dec. 24 so unfortunately, you won’t get to see them if you visit in January. That just means planning another trip to Germany for December 2022! 🙂

Germany is pretty dog-friendly so it’s probably do-able. But there are likely museums and other sites that might not allow dogs inside. If you mostly want to spend time outdoors, and your dog is ok with possibly very cold/wet/windy weather, or if you can leave the dog at your lodging for part of the day, it might work ok.

Hope that helps!

Hi Cate, you have put together a terrific planning guide. Thanks. Our 4 children just gave us a trip back to Germany in celebration of our 50th wedding anniversary. We lived in Erlangen from Aug 1972 – 1973. We are excited to go back but we are debating between a Rhine river cruise or going on our own. We’ll probably go sometime in May/June or Sept/Oct 2022.

How exciting!! It’s so fun to go back and revisit where you used to live in Germany. Aaron and I did that in 2019 and had such a good time seeing what had/had not changed. I’m excited for you!

I’ve heard people say great things about Rhine river cruises. If you don’t have time to or don’t want to do much trip planning, that’s a great option. The downside is that you’re more limited to what you can do and see. If you have time and interest in planning your own trip, you can definitely do it. And since travel is coming back, I’ll be focusing on this site a lot more in the coming months and helping people plan their trips, so I’ll be here to help you, too. 🙂

Hi Cate, We have wanted to visit Germany (from the US) for a few years now and have finally decided to make it happen, but had no idea where or how to start. Your article is full of valuable information. Thank you. At least we now have a starting point. Our trip isn’t for another year, but it will go quickly. So excited and thank you for all the information.

You’re welcome! I’m so excited for you already. 🙂 The next year will fly by and you’ll be on a plane bound for Germany before you know it. Now that travel is coming back, I’ll be focusing on this site a lot more so be sure to come back when you’re ready to plan your trip. I’m working on lots of guides and helpful resources! 🙂

Hello. My grandfather expressed interest in going to Germany in 2022. More specifically, he wants to go to ‘The Battle of the Bulge’ where his older brother passed away in World War II. We would also like to go to the Holocaust Memorial. I have been trying to research/plan this trip but would be open to suggestions. We are from the US and could spend about a week out there. I am grateful that I stumbled across your blog as it is very informative and interesting! 🙂

Hello! That sounds like it will be a wonderful trip for your grandfather! If you’re talking about visiting the Holocaust Memorial in Berlin (highly recommended), you could fly right into Berlin (their new airport!) and spend half of your time seeing the city, then head to Brussels and take a Battle of the Bulge day tour! I found one here that you can look at (aff link): https://www.getyourguide.com/bastogne-war-museum-l35043/bastogne-battle-of-the-bulge-tour-from-brussels-t169657/?partner_id_Y5UOFLS It looks like it also goes into Luxembourg so you could get 3 countries in one trip. 🙂 If you have enough time, you could take a day trip to Brugges or Ghent – both are 30-60 minutes from Brussels. You could then fly out of Brussels back to the US. To get from Berlin to Brussels you’d probably want to fly but it’s a short flight and you could probably get an early morning or a late afternoon flight so it wouldn’t take up your whole day. Hope that helps with your planning!

Hi, your site is wonderful and has some great information! I am traveling (solo) to Germany in late April and will be there for one month. I have been to Munich/Bavaria/Salzburg before so I’d planned on focusing my trip on the rest of Germany. I’m flying into Berlin and was planning on staying there 4-5 nights, then I’m not sure where to go. I was thinking of spending a week in an area and going on day trips; for example, the Black Forest, the middle Rhine area, maybe Harz Mountain. But I also want to see some cities like Cologne, Frankfurt, Heidelberg, Trier, and Hamburg. So maybe a bit of both cities and countryside? Do you have any thoughts? Thanks!

I definitely recommend choosing 3-4 locations where you can stay for a week or so and then take day trips. You could do longer stays in Berlin and Hamburg – there’s tons to do and see in each city, as well as lots of day trip options. You could also do Cologne or try a smaller town on the Rhein or Mosel and explore that area in more depth. For the Black Forest you could stay in the university town of Freiburg and day trip to towns/hiking in the Black Forest, as well as Basel and Colmar/Strassbourg). You could also choose 3 locations for longer stays (e.g., Berlin, Hamburg and Freiburg) and then do a couple of 2 or 3-night stays as you travel between cities, e.g., a short stay in Wernigerode or Quedlinburg (Harz mountains), Trier, Heidelberg, Stuttgart, or Tübingen on your way to Freiburg. Tip: if you want to do a lot of day trips, make sure you stay where it’s fairly quick and easy to get to the train/bus station! Since you’ll be there for a month you have lots of flexibility and plenty of time to do and see a lot of the areas you mentioned!

@Cate, Thank you so much! I’m really enjoying going through your site, too!

Looking for a good travel guide book for Germany any recommendations?

Rick Steve’s is always a good one! I’ve used his guidebooks a ton. You can get his Germany guidebook on Kindle or as a hard copy (aff link): https://amzn.to/33z7d59

@Cate, Thanks

So excited to find your site! My husband and I will travel from Texas to Bavaria for 7-10 days in September. I am in charge of all the planning. I’m thinking Munich & surrounding area and Salzburg. Do you have any suggestions? I’m also pondering some organized day tours..

Munich is a wonderful home base for seeing lots of great sites in Bavaria! You could easily spend 1-3 days in Munich (especially if you’re there during Oktoberfest) and then take day trips to places like Neuschwanstein, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Salzburg, Linderhof, Chiemsee, Berchtesgaden, Nuremberg…just to name a few! You can easily do all of that by train and mix it up with some organized day tours here and there. I’ve been working on a Munich guide that will have ideas for day trips and tours so keep an eye out for that!

Hello Cate, Your blog is very helpful. Like to seek your help and guidance. I am from Singapore and not familiar with Germany. Both me and my wife intend to fly to Amsterdam where my daughter is attending university and spend 18 days vacation with her in Europe during her break. Am planning 7 days touring Germany. Tentatively looking tourist site at hamburg, Berlin, Stuttgart and then off to another country eg. france, switzerland or Italy for another 7 days. then travel back to Amsterdam to fly home. Any advise how we can optimize the traveling as we are not familiar with these region? Appreciate your kind assistance. regards, Perry

It will be so much fun to travel with your daughter! It might be difficult to fit Hamburg, Berlin and Stuttgart into 7 days. On the train it takes about 6 hours from Amsterdam to Hamburg, 3 hours from Hamburg to Berlin, and over 8 hours from Berlin to Stuttgart. While all three of those cities are amazing, I recommend choosing either northern or southwestern Germany, rather than trying to hit all three (or make the Germany part of your trip 10 days).

You could, for example, travel from Amsterdam to Hamburg, then to Berlin, and fly from Berlin to France or Italy. That would give you plenty of time for travel, city exploring and day trips.

Or take the train from Amsterdam to Stuttgart and explore that area. Stuttgart is close to France, so you could spend several days seeing both southwestern Germany (Stuttgart, villages in the Black Forest, Freiburg, Baden-Baden, etc) and French cities like Strassbourg, Colmar and Mullouse. You could also very easily go to Basel in Switzerland! It’s a long train ride from Amsterdam to Stuttgart so I’d look into flights. Stuttgart is a great airport to fly into!

Hi, my family and I would like to visit Germany this summer. My husband and I have two teenagers (15 and 13), and one of them is reads a lot and it is very interested in history. We would like to visit german cities but also, some concentration camps. Our plans is to spend two weeks there. Any suggestions?

You’re going to have so much fun in Germany! Everywhere you go there’s so much history, so it just depends on what kind of history you’re looking for. For a 2-week stay you could easily visit 2 (maybe 3) different parts of Germany without feeling like you’re spending your whole vacation on the train or in the car. You could, for example, fly into Munich, visit the city and Dachau concentration camp, take a few day trips to Salzburg, the Alps, Neuschwanstein, Nuremburg, etc – there are so many options!…then visit the Black Forest area, the Rhein/Mosel area, the Hamburg area or the Berlin area and fly out of that second city (Stuttgart, Cologne/Düsseldorf, Hamburg or Berlin). If you want to focus on 2 main areas, say Munich and Berlin, you could do a 1-2 night stopover in a city in-between. Hope that helps you get started on your planning! 🙂

@Cate, We are from USA planning on attending next years NfL game if possible. We are a large group 10-15people who would also like to see the culture and history. Open to staying in Berlin, munich, or anywhere else as long as accessible to get to game. We want to fly out wed night from BOS be there Th F S Su (game in Frankfurt) leave M. Anything you would recommend?

Hi! I just now saw your question. If you’re flying into FRA and have Th, F, and S to do some sight-seeing, I’d stick to the Frankfurt area and do day trips. If you go to Berlin or Munich you’ll spend most of your time in transit and checking in/out of hotels. We’ve got a Frankfurt guide on our website and also a castles guide – so you could spend a day exploring FRA, then a day visiting a castle, and then 1 day visiting a nearby city like Heidelberg, Nürnberg or Rothernburg ob der Tauber. Hope that helps! Let me know if you have any other questions. We’ve also got a Germany Trip Planner and one-on-one travel consults, too. And lots of info on this website. We’re happy to help!

I just found your great website! We have just drafted a 3 week trip plan to Germany and Austria and I would love your thoughts about it!. Is late May better than June? (I really can’t do heat without AC!)

– [ ] 2. Land in Vienna- 2 nights… – [ ] 3. Take tour or just Spend a day in the sprawling Schönbrunn Palace, – [x] 4. Rental car to Take KM 29 for about an hour to Burg Liechtenstein drive an hour to Melk Abbey Then Steyr From Melk, Steyr 1 night stay – [x] 5. Spend a little time, touring the Steyr Mannlicher! – [x] 6. Wake up early and bike 15 minutes to spend the morning exploring more of Halstatt before the day-trippers.. Sky Walk salt mine – [x] 7. After lunch, enjoy more the beauty of Salzkammergut area! on to Salzburg in time to return the rental car. we will stay in the old town (Salzburg 3 nights) – [ ] 8. See Salzburg – [ ] 9. Take guided tour to Eagles nest – [ ] 10: To Munich by 2 hour train.. taxi to hotel, Sleep Munich 2 nights … – [ ] 11. Guided tour all day— Dachau and Munich sites – [x] 12 Slow morning to rest, checkout, cab, 1.5 hour train to Oberarmagau for lunch and stroll. Rent car in Garmish and Drive another hour to Sleep in Hohenschwangau 2 nights Maybe take 30 minute Schloss Hornschwangau Castle tour before closing if time – [x] 13 Visit Neuschwanstein! (Hohenschwangau castle first if not last evening) then rent a bike and go a mile -7 minutes to Tegelberg luge ride – [x] 14 drive 2.5-4 hours but first stop for lunch and see Ulm Cathedral. Going Opposite the crowds arrive in afternoon to stay in nearby Rothenburg 3 nights. See stunning Rothenburg – [x] 15 After coffee and quiet streets, walk the medieval wall. If crowds arrive, leave and drive a short way and tour the Bad Weinsheim Frankonian Open Air Museum – [x] 16 Drive 30 min to Ansbach, park and Take 30 min train and10 min cab into Neuremburgfor day. – [x] 17. leave in early morning and drive 3-5 hours through To St Goar take B9 along the Rhine from Bingen arrive in time to tour Burg Eltz and then maybe return car in Emmelshausen this day or next. Take cab back down to nearby St Goar for 3 nights. – [ ] 18 See Burg Eltz castle if not seen yesterday and then see Marksburg castle – [ ] 19 REST maybe just board a boat for a relaxing Rhine River cruise from Sant Goar. We will disembark to visit small Bacharach and back again by train. – [ ] 20 Depart by 70minute train to Frankfurt airport Or would it be better to do the trip in reverse, starting with Germany first? Thank you!!

It’s not usually super hot in May but it can be hot in mid-late June. The last time we were there in June (2019) it was incredibly hot and there isn’t as much a/c there…but you never know, I’ve had cold and rainy June visits, too. If you want to be more sure of not-super-hot weather, I’d go in mid-late May or early to mid-June — as long as you’re ok with the possibility of some not-so-warm days. If you go in mid-late June and don’t love hot weather, book hotels with a/c, rent a car with a/c, and plan to buy a lot of cold drinks. No matter the weather, it’s always fun to travel around Germany! 🙂

You could easily do your itinerary either way so I’d just look at whether flights are better into Vienna/out of FRA or vice-versa. Check the hotels you want to stay in to make sure they have availability — I’ve actually reversed my itinerary before due to hotel availability!

You’re planning to cover a lot of ground in 3 weeks and be on the go go go, which some people find more tiring than expected…but if you know your travel style, then go for it! 🙂 3 nights in one place gives you 2 full days, which is a good amount of time for most places. 2 nights means 1 full day, which can be enough in some locations but if you do many in a row, it can feel like you’re constantly checking in/unpacking/packing/checking out, and can get super tiring if you’re doing a lot of day trips.

Be sure to plan in time for getting ready, eating breakfast, packing, checking out of the hotel, getting to the train station/car rental – it often takes up more time than you’d expect. Trains aren’t as punctual as they used to be, so keep that in mind for what you plan on arrival after a train trip.

An idea — instead of taking a train to Oberammergau, then to Garmisch to rent a car, then driving to Hohenschwangau, I’d rent a car in Munich and drive to each place. It will probably be less expensive to rent in Munich and easier than doing the train and car pick-up (especially with luggage!).

For the longer drives, plan on them taking longer than what’s estimated in google maps because there’s often traffic! If you miss the traffic and arrive early, it’ll be a nice bonus!

Your idea to add in some guided day tours is a good one – it’s a nice change from having to figure everything out yourself and can feel like a mini vacation from your vacation.

Overall, you’ve got a really fun trip planned!

Hi Cate! I love your clear way of describing and explaining. My husband and I are invited to a wedding outside of Berlin the last weekend in April. From there we would love to head to the spas in Baden-Baden .. what else would you suggest to see in the Baden-Baden area and without driving the best transportation option? We can stay up to about 10 days. Thank you!

Thank you for your nice comment! 🙂 I’d take the train from Berlin to Baden-Baden. It’s about 6 hours and you can relax and see the sights along the way. You could fly from Berlin to Stuttgart but by the time you travel to the airport in Berlin (the new one is further out than Tegel was), check in, wait to board, fly, and then take the train from Stuttgart to Baden-Baden, it’s at least as long as – if not longer – then taking the train.

When in Baden-Baden you could visit Gengenbach, the Black Forest, Triberg (cuckoo clocks & waterfalls), Tübingen, Stuttgart/Esslingen, Lichtenstein Castle, Hohenzollern Castle, Freiburg, Basel (Switzerland), Strassbourg (France), Colmar (France) — just to name a few! You should be able to reach all of these places via train/bus. The Black Forest Open Air Museum is also a lot of fun! I’m working on guides to several of these locations – and some are already on the site – so check back soon for new ones. 🙂

You should be able to get a free KONUS train pass, which enables you to travel throughout the Black Forest region for free. I don’t think it works for every place I listed but it will get you to several of them. Here’s more info about the KONUS card: https://www.schwarzwald-tourismus.info/planen-buchen/konus-gaestekarte (you can switch to English if it’s in German).

You could fly out of Stuttgart airport or travel up to Frankfurt and fly out of there. Strassbourg or Basel might work, too.

@Cate, that really does! Thanks again,

You’re very welcome!

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I am planning a trip with my husband, 18 year old daughter, mother in law and myself. We will have 8 nights total flying Munich to Amsterdam or vice versa. Interested in the Christmas markets, of course, castles (would love if we could stay the night in a castle if that’s possible), and just getting an authentic German experience. My mother in law found family ancestry in Stuttgart, so she would like to stop there. The other areas that we have an interest in are Frankfurt, Cologne (wonder if there is such thing as a day cruise on the Rhine River), and maybe Hamburg (for the canals, but I’m not sure December is the best time of year for that). Although, I’m not sure we’ll be able to see all those cities in just 8 nights, as we would also like 1-2 nights in Amsterdam.

We plan to rent a car and I will be doing the driving. We live in Colorado so I’m familiar with winter driving, but wonder if I can use Google maps while traveling through Germany.

Would love your thoughts or suggestions on this.

Thank you, Lea Ann

Hi Lea Ann, you’ve got the makings of a magical winter trip! All of the places you mentioned will be beautiful in December because of the Christmas markets. Stuttgart, for example, has a huge, old Christmas market (plus there are 2 other really beautiful ones nearby) and there are 2 nearby castles you can visit. Hamburg and Cologne and also wonderful cities (Frankfurt too but I’d skip it on a short trip unless you have a specific reason to go there).Amsterdam is also a lot of fun and a great place to fly in or out of.

It’s a lot to fit into 8 nights so you’ll definitely need to hone in on just a few places, otherwise you’ll spend your entire trip packing/unpacking/driving. 🙂

You can use google maps in Germany and that’ll make getting from place to place easy. But unless you want to stop at specific sights between cities, you could easily take the train, since you’re going to big cities (you don’t need a car in any of the cities you want to visit). If you don’t mind parking the car at each hotel in the city, a car can give you more flexibility.

You can also stay in a castle in Germany! We’ve got a guide for that right here so you can see which one you like best.

It’s hard to get more specific about an itinerary here in the comments without taking to you and getting a better sense of your interests and needs but we’ve got lots of resources to help you — Christmas market guides (definitely take a look at the Stuttgart one!), city and hotel guides , and we’ve also got a Germany Travel Bundle with an interactive Germany Travel Map, City Cheatsheets, and other resources, and I do one-on-one trip planning consults .

And be sure to join our travel planning Facebook group !

@Cate, thank you for your quick response and feedback! I’ll check out the links you shared and I’ve joined your Facebook group.

You’re welcome! Glad you joined the group! 🙂

Hi Cate , I have visited Germany but only Düsseldorf for my sugery. I will like to take my wife and kids with me this time I have an appointment in December might use the opportunity to take them for Christmas holiday . I have 12’night in total . 5 night in Düsseldorf can you please advise which city we can visit for the rest days and we are not leaving Germany until 26th. So I want them To enjoy the Christmas but I don’t know which city to choose .I will you to please give me where the kids can enjoy the trip age 8 ,6 and 3 . Do we fly back from Düsseldorf or from Another city ? Thanks for your help.

If you’d like to fly out of the Düsseldorf airport, you could spend the second part of your trip in Cologne so you could visit the markets there, in Bonn, and surrounding area (e.g. a day trip to Aachen).

If you’re ok with flying out of a different airport, you could go to Stuttgart (good Christmas markets in the area and a couple castles), Munich (good markets and day trips) or Berlin (good markets and day trips) and fly out of any of those airports.

Most everything will be closed on Dec 25 and the latter half of Dec 24 so keep that in mind when doing your daily planning.

Hope that helps with your planning!

Hi, Thank you for the detail page. I and my family will be visiting to watch a NFL game in Frankfurt and had some travel ideas outside of the city that I have not found solutions for. First, are US citizens allowed to rent cars without a permit? We want to travel to Stuttgart and Munich for some museums and possibly Berlin, but I’ve yet to figure how time and distances for the trip as these do seem to be quite a distance from each other. Then, we would end the trip back in Frankfurt to travel back to the US, unless we find an airline in Berlin. Do you have suggestions? This would be a 7-14 day trip, depending on cost. Thank you

Hi Marco! Yes, you can rent a car with just your US driver’s license. While not required, an int’l driver’s license can be helpful if you get pulled over or in an accident (you can get on at AAA). You can check distance between those cities via google maps (it’ll show you both driving and trains). I always add 25% to the times they suggest because there’s a good chance you’ll encounter traffic somewhere. We use google maps for all of our road trips in Germany. You could definitely do Frankfurt – Stuttgart – Munich – Berlin – Frankfurt (stay near airport on the last night) in 14 days. If you don’t want to drive from Munich – Berlin – Frankfurt, you could return the car in Munich and then take the train to Berlin and back to Frankfurt. Hope that helps you get started on your trip planning!

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