Germany

Germany's natural landscapes

Germany's natural landscapes offer a wealth of options for an unforgettable holiday: long sandy beaches on the coasts and lake shores, enchanting lowland plains, extensive ranges of hills and the high peaks of the Alps. Whether you choose leisurely exploration, a spa or wellness break, or a sports activity on land, on water or in the air, you'll be amazed at what Germany has to offer.

Something for all the senses. That's what Germany has to offer.

Germany's multifaceted appeal is based on a combination of great distinction: tradition kept alive and well, history spanning thousands of years and a land rich in striking monuments and flourishing folk customs. Wherever you go, classic German hospitality coupled with their passion for the finer things of life guarantees a warm and friendly welcome. Germany's blend of fascinating romanticism, chocolate-box villages and exciting, world-famous cities is second-to-none. And there's a big heart beating behind it all. Unspoilt nature, beautiful countryside and sleepy little towns are the icing on the cake in this mélange of diversity. So it really is no exaggeration when we say that Germany has something for everyone.

Berlin

Political and cultural capital with a turbulent history

The events of the past have left their mark on the cityscape - and the city is still changing today. "Berlin is always in the process of becoming", remarked historian Karl Scheffler, and this is one of the traits that makes it one of Europe's most vibrant, exciting and colourful capitals. Berlin has a vibe all of its own, and wherever you go, you can experience the pulsating life on the boulevards, in the art galleries and at the flea markets, and in the city's 300 clubs and 7,000 bars and restaurants - many of which are open around the clock.

Munich

Bavaria's glittering capital

"Munich nestles between art and beer like a village between hills." Originally written by Heinrich Heine some 150 years ago, these words remain true today. With the oktoberfest and opera, Hofbräuhaus beer hall and Pinakothek art galleries, BMW and Bayern Munich, the city manages to marry old Bavarian tradition with vibrant modern life. It really is a dream city come true.

Frankfurt

City of contrasts

Frankfurt am Main is a metropolis at the heart of Europe characterised by compelling contradictions. The traditional and the modern, business and culture, big-city bustle and tranquil havens all exist happily here side by side. Frankfurt is a cosmopolitan city, an important financial services centre and the venue for major international trade fairs including the International Motor Show (IAA) and the International Book Fair. The city also has a vibrant cultural scene and benefits from excellent transport connections.

Cologne

The art capital on the Rhine

The city's very name bears witness to its Roman past as the town of Colonia. As well as the legacy from Roman times and the Middle Ages, particularly the world-famous cathedral, Cologne has an extremely lively arts and culture scene. And besides being a centre of carnival activity and the "capital of Rhenish joie de vivre", Cologne is also an extremely attractive trade fair centre. Open, friendly and uncomplicated: that's Cologne!

Hamburg

Gateway to the world

Hamburg is Germany's second-largest city. Its grand merchants' houses and magnificent promenades, international musicals, shopping malls and St. Pauli district give Hamburg a cosmopolitan feel. A touch of the exotic clings to the warehouse district and the city's trademark canals. With its many parks and gardens, Hamburg is also Germany's greenest city.

Düsseldorf

Fashion capital and centre of culture on the Rhine

Düsseldorf's elegant side is typified by the upmarket Königsallee shopping street, while the Gehry buildings in Media Harbour represent modern Düsseldorf. There are more than 260 bars and restaurants in the old quarter – plenty of opportunity for sampling Düsseldorf's top-fermented altbier and seeing how the people of the Rheinland have a good time. With outstanding museums, theatres, concert halls and galleries, Düsseldorf also has an international reputation as a centre for art and culture.

Stuttgart

Multifaceted city

A vibrant city with top-class art and culture, appealing leisure activities and fantastic shops, Stuttgart is at the centre of one of Germany's foremost economic regions. What’s more, the people of Stuttgart really do know how to throw a party - the lively Stuttgart Beer Festival, the traditional Wine Festival and the atmospheric Stuttgart Christmas market are just three of its popular events.

Nuremberg

Vibrant medieval town

Visitors to Nuremberg, a lively city with a medieval feel, will find evidence of its 950-year history at every turn. These legacies of the past also reveal much about the past and present of the German people. Here in Nuremberg, monuments to the city's inventiveness and its cultural self-confidence over many centuries stand in the midst of the hustle and bustle of a modern, dynamic urban centre.

Rüdesheim

Entrance to the Upper Middle Rhine Valley

Nature and history have left a rich heritage here in the wine-growing Rheingau region whose origins date back to pre-Roman times. The inescapable romanticism of the Rhine, the historic palaces and ancient castles, excellent riesling and pinot noir wines, together with Rüdesheim's famous hospitality and conviviality give the town a very distinctive atmosphere.

Dresden

City of art and culture on the Elbe

The city's cultural scene blends the traditional and the modern. The Elbe Valley around Dresden, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, boasts lush meadows, magnificent villas and majestic palaces. Few other cities have are undergoing such radical transformation as Dresden. The construction boom of recent years has produced a number of architectural masterpieces that are attracting international acclaim.

Rhine Valley

In search of Rhinegold treasure

Following the 1,320-km course of the Rhine from its source in Switzerland to the river's mouth in the North Sea, the most interesting section is without doubt the Middle Rhine and the Rhine Valley between Mainz and Bonn. This area where the Rhine cuts through the Slate Mountains between Bingen and Koblenz is also part of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley UNESCO world heritage site. With its many castles, it is the epitome of a romantic German landscape. Few other regions around the world are so densely packed with authentic historical attractions.The Song of the Nibelungs, written in 1200, tells how the sinister Hagen, said to be from the Hunsrück region, sank the legendary Nibelungs' treasure in the Rhine. The narrowness of the valley, the untamed river waters and the mysterious echo all play their part in the myth of the Loreley, the blond siren on the rock who once lured sailors to their death, here where the Rhine is at its narrowest, with her beguiling song and mysterious beauty. The legend is as old as time itself. There is still a Loreley today, but she is not in the business of enticing people to their doom.

Nowadays the Loreley open-air theatre hosts rock, pop and folklore events. This region has been shaped by myths, sagas, legends and fairytales, not to mention historical and political events, medieval battles, religious Electoral feuds and spiritual and military conflicts. The knights brandishing their swords and clanking round the castles in their armour are long gone. Horses' hooves are no longer heard in the courtyards; the minnesingers' lutes are silent. However, the castles continue to dream and you secretly wish that their walls could tell a story.The Rhine has more castles along its length than any other river in the world. Built to protect power and possessions, they were not only well-fortified residences and refuges, but also lucrative customs posts and hideouts for infamous robber barons.Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest

Germany's biggest and best-known festival is the Munich Beer Festival, also known as the "Oktoberfest" and the "Wiesn“. More than six million visitors flock to the Theresienwiese every year to drink beer from large litre tankards and eat pork sausages and pretzels. The enormous fairground site also has carousels, rollercoasters and other spectacular fairground attractions. The festival programme includes a grand parade of landlords and breweries, the traditional costume parade and a concert featuring all the brass bands performing at the festival. Many of the locals, young and old alike, wear traditional dress when they visit the Oktoberfest.

For more information on the Munich Beer Festival.

visit www.oktoberfest.de
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Carnival

"Fasching“, "Fasnacht“ or "Karneval“ are all terms used to describe carnival, an ancient tradition which is celebrated all over Germany but particularly in the Rhineland and in the strongly Catholic regions of Germany. Mainz, Cologne, Düsseldorf and Bonn are hotbeds of carnival fun. In southern Germany the traditional Alemannic Fasnet is celebrated. The "fifth season" begins on 11 November and ends on Ash Wednesday. Carnival season reaches its climax in the week from "schmutziger Donnerstag" (literally: "dirty Thursday“) to Ash Wednesday. There are major street processions on the Monday of that week, known as Rosenmontag or Carnival Monday. People dress up in humorous costumes or in traditional dress and masks, and join in processions and street festivals. The tradition stems back to the ancient custom of driving out winter.

Fairs

Between spring and autumn there are lots of fairs and festivals throughout the whole of Germany. Held on traditional festival grounds or in the city centres themselves, some last for a weekend while others last for a whole week. Entertainment includes a range of fairground stalls, carousels, rollercoasters, Ferris wheels and ghost trains. Food stalls offer snacks and sweet treats. There is often live music on open-air stages or in marquees. The Kirchweih or Kirmes (also known as Kerb, Kirb, Kier, Kerwe, Kerwa or Kerms) is a town fair that has its origins in a religious festival to celebrate the consecration of a Christian church. In rural areas the Kirchweih is still an important village institution. There are processions, and young men from the local area erect the maypole-like Kirchweihbaum.

Wine festivals

Wine festivals are held in many of Germany's wine-growing regions between May and November. Particularly along the Rhine and the Moselle, in Baden, Palatinate and along the river Main, wine-growers' cooperatives and representatives of wine-growing estates set up their stalls in public spaces and sell their wines by the glass. Local specialities are also served. The festivals usually also involve live music and, in many places, the crowning of the Wine Queen.

The Federal Republic of Germany

The Federal Republic of Germany is a democracy with a liberal market economy, religious freedom and freedom of the press. It is a member of the European Union (EU) and of NATO.

The Federal Republic of Germany is a federation of individual states. There are 16 "Bundesländer" which are federal states with their own government. They have their own regional constitutions which have to comply with the principles of a republican, democratic and social state governed by the rule of law as laid down in the Basic Law (Germany's federal constitution). This guarantees that all German people have the same rights, obligations and living conditions. Beyond that, the states are largely free to formulate their own constitutions. The principle of federalism is one of the inviolable principles of the cons.

Federal states

Germany is divided into 16 federal states, each of which is responsible for governing itself and many of which have a long tradition of their own. The states are Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hessen, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein and Thuringia.

Country size

Since the reunification of Germany in 1990, the Federal Republic of Germany covers an area of 357,022km² and has the largest population of any European country. From the northernmost tip to the southernmost point it is 876 kilometres as the crow flies, and 640 kilometres from east to west.

Geography

Germany is located at the heart of Europe. It forms the link between maritime western Europe and the continental east, between the warmer south and the cool north. Germany is a triad of lowland plains, upland hills and mountains. From the Alps in the south, Germany stretches via the forested central highlands to the North and Baltic Seas. Its highest point is the Zugspitze (2,962m).

Germany is bordered by Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland and Switzerland.

Population

More than 80 million people live in Germany, but the population is very unevenly distributed. Around one third of the inhabitants (25 million) live in 82 large towns. Around 50.5 million live in towns with populations of between 2,000 and 100,000. Some 6.4 million people live in villages of less than 2,000 inhabitants.

With a population density of 230 people per square kilometre, Germany is one of the mostly densely populated countries in Europe. There are distinct differences between the former West Germany and the former German Democratic Republic. In states that were once part of East Germany, including East Berlin, the population density is 140 people per square kilometre, while in the former West Germany the figure is 267 per square kilometre. More than seven million foreigners live and work in Germany. Turks make up the largest proportion, followed by Serbs, Italians, Greeks, Bosnians, Herzegovinians, Poles and Croats.