Germany

Traveling in Germany

The Federal Republic of Germany is the seventh-largest country of Europe. Hidden within its impressive territory lie no less than 25.000 castles, 16 national parks and about 83 million Germans who have a deep love for efficiency & rules – I kid, sort of.

At the frontier between Eastern and Western Europe lies the gargantuan swathe of land called Germany. Divided into 16 partially sovereign federal states.

Though the country is relatively young (October 3e 1990), some of the federal states are not, predating even the oldest of countries in Europe.

This invariable has resulted in strong cultural differences across the different states (ex: The famous Lederhosen and dirndl are commonly found in the southern German state Bavaria not so much in the north) as well as differences in dialect, architecture and even food.

Aside from the many cultural differences, there are plenty of aspects that tie Germany together as a country. A strong love for rules & punctuality as well as a deep-rooted love for nature to name but a few.

Points of interest in Germany

There are many reasons to travel to Germany, these are a few of my personal favorites.

Ample opportunity to shop for your future home (I wish)! It is home to no less than 25.000 castles, the most well-known are the German fairytale castle Neuschwanstein, after which the Disney castle was modeled and the impressive Hohenzollern castle, still frequented by the current owner none other than the  Prince of Prussia.

The 16 National Parks in Germany offer visitors scenic boat rides and train rides, grueling hikes and sweeping landscapes seemingly out of a Casper David Friederich painting.

The food is great! Fuel up after you hike with some famous german food, to be washed down with an ice-cold glass of German beer. Vegetarian food in Germany is omnipresent, though vegans might have a bit more difficulties outside of the cities.

Transportation in Germany

Fly into one of the 36 major airports in Germany: The largest and busiest of which is Frankfurt airport, the hub for the German airline Lufthansa.

Take the train! The German train system is efficient, scenic and will not cost you an arm and a leg. Consider exploring Germany by train! For travel between the large cities take the high-speed ICE (InterCity Express) train, book at least one week in advance to take advantage of discounts. For shorter distances consult a German train map to calculate the best route.

In and around cities you can hop on the S-bahn (Urban – Suburban train system), the U-bahn (the metro), the tram or even the bus. Each has its own separate ticket system.

Travel tips for Germany

If you are planning a trip to Germany, these travel tips will surely come in handy:

• Follow the rules (hefty fines apply for breaking them)
• Do not be late, Germans are very punctual
• Breakfast in Germany is probably the best in Europe
• Carry cash: Even after the pandemic many places still do not accept card
• Shops are closed on Sunday
• English is not widespread, especially not outside of the cities.