About the Authors

Ever since packing his bag and leaving North Carolina, Christopher N. Anderson (chapters 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15) has accumulated over thirteen years of traveling and writing experience. From crossing Siberia and sailing the Caribbean, to teaching English in Russia, Brazil, Switzerland, Austria and France, his diverse experiences have provided excellent fodder for his writing, featured in publications such as the Vienna Review, Frommer’s and Yanks Abroad. In addition to his traveling exploits, he has earned a Master’s in International Relations and speaks fluent French and German along with conversational Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, and Russian. More recently, he covered and reported live from the FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

Half-Swiss, half-American, Caroline Sieg’s (chapters 2, 4, 5, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19) relationship with Germany began with childhood trips to Munich to visit her Polish-German aunt. Later, she visited Berlin for the first time in 1989—two weeks after the Berlin Wall fell—and obtained her own piece of the wall. Later, she lived in Berlin and explored the often-overlooked northern part of the country. These days, she hangs her hat in London, but visits Germany as often as possible to indulge in Kaffee und Kuchen (coffee and cake), sniff out the best currywurst and explore the latest gallery opening.

Frommer’s Star Ratings, Icons & Abbreviations

Every hotel, restaurant, and attraction listing in this guide has been ranked for quality, value, service, amenities, and special features using a star-rating system. In country, state, and regional guides, we also rate towns and regions to help you narrow down your choices and budget your time accordingly. Hotels and restaurants are rated on a scale of zero (recommended) to three stars (exceptional). Attractions, shopping, nightlife, towns, and regions are rated according to the following scale: zero stars (recommended), one star (highly recommended), two stars (very highly recommended), and three stars (must-see).

In addition to the star-rating system, we also use seven feature icons that point you to the great deals, in-the-know advice, and unique experiences that separate travelers from tourists. Throughout the book, look for:

special finds—those places only insiders know about

fun facts—details that make travelers more informed and their trips more fun

kids—best bets for kids, and advice for the whole family

special moments—those experiences that memories are made of

overrated—places or experiences not worth your time or money

insider tips—great ways to save time and money

great values—where to get the best deals

The following abbreviations are used for credit cards:

AE American Express

DISC Discover

V Visa

DC Diners Club

MC MasterCard

The Fairy-Tale Road

The area between Frankfurt and Hamburg is Germany’s most neglected tourist destination, yet it holds many discoveries. Some of Germany’s best-preserved medieval towns, as well as some major spas, lie in the flatlands and rolling hills of Lower Saxony and North Hesse. The character of the area ranges widely, from the bustle of the port of Bremen to the isolation of the Lüneburg Heath.

You’ll also find the beautiful Harz Mountains, perhaps the country’s last stronghold of paganism, still a land of legends and fanciful names. It is said that the last bear was killed in the Harz in 1705, the last lynx in 1817, but wildcats, badgers, deer, and foxes remain, as well as many limestone caves. The beech trees that grow in the Harz range have unusual size and great beauty, and walnut trees abound.

The highlight of this area is a drive along the Fairy-Tale Road ★★★, stretching for 595km (370 miles) from the town of Hanau in the south to Bremen in the north.

As you travel this winding route, your childhood memories will live again, as you encounter such characters as Sleeping Beauty, Rumpelstiltskin, and the Pied Piper. The dark forests and countryside inspired the Brothers Grimm and their fairy tales, which are read to children all over the world today.

Train service is available to the larger cities and towns, but it’s best to rent a car and explore the region at random, scurrying down some country road when you spot Little Red Riding Hood along some mysterious lane.

Although the Fairy-Tale Road tour ends in Bremen, some of the most fascinating cities of Lower Saxony and the Harz Mountains are yet to be explored if you have the time. These include the ancient cities of Lüneburg, Celle, Goslar, and Göttingen.

Hanau

Lower Saxony & North Hesse

20km (12 miles) E of Frankfurt, 89km (55 miles) SW of Fulda

The Fairy-Tale Road begins in the gateway town of Hanau, where the Brothers Grimm were born. Now virtually a far eastern suburb of Frankfurt, it is not a pretty town but its association with the Brothers Grimm leads to a never-ending stream of visitors.

Essentials

Getting There By Train and Bus From the main rail station at Frankfurt, take the S8 or S9 train to the Hanau Hauptbahnhof. The trip takes only 30 minutes, and a one-way ticket costs 6€. The fare includes a bus ride from the train station to the Marktplatz.

By Car Motorists from Frankfurt can head east along Autoroute 66 into Hanau.

Visitor Information The Tourist Information Center sits behind the Rathaus (Town Hall) at Am Markt 14 ( 06181/295950;www.hanau.de), open Monday to Thursday 9:30am to 6pm, Friday 8:30am to 1pm, and Saturday 9am to 1pm.

Exploring Hanau

At the Marktplatz (the central square) you encounter Nationaldenkmal Brüder Grimm, a memorial erected in 1898 to the famous brothers. More Grimm memorabilia is found at Schloss Philippsruhe & Schlosspark at Philippsruher Allee 45 ( 06181/20209;www.museen-hanau.de), open Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 4pm, charging 2.50€ for adults and 1.50€ for children. A short ride on bus no. 10 delivers you to the castle. The baroque castle, with its extensive park and orangery, was built on the banks of the Main River at the beginning of the 18th century. Today it houses the Hanau Historical Museum with splendid rooms, including some devoted to relics of the Brothers Grimm. The attraction’s Papiertheatermuseum is a delight for children, presenting paper toy shows for them.

Also opening onto Marktplatz at no. 14 is the Rathaus, dating from the 1700s. Every day at 10am, noon, 4, and 6pm, it honors another celebrated native son, composer Paul Hindemith (1895–1963), by presenting a concert of one of his canons.

The Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall) stands at Alstädter Markt 6 ( 06181/256556;www.museen-hanau.de), open Tuesday to Sunday 10am to noon and 2 to 5pm, charging an admission of 2.50€ for adults or 1.50€ for children. It was the town hall from 1537 to 1900, but today is home to the Deutsches Goldschmiedehaus (German Goldsmiths’ House). This museum celebrates Hanau’s history beginning in the latter 18th century when it became one of the German centers for goldsmiths. The museum has a permanent collection of silver and gold artifacts and also hosts changing exhibitions.

Where to Eat & Stay

Best Western Premier Hotel Villa Stokkum ★ The premier place for food and lodging lies 4km (2 1/2 miles) southwest of the center. Overlooking the River Main Valley, this is a Mediterranean-style hotel, rated four stars by the government. Rooms are furnished comfortably, but not lavishly, with modern pieces, soundproof windows, and marble bathrooms. Each unit comes with a bedside table and desk. The on-site restaurant, Atrium, serves a savory regional cuisine, with meals costing 25€ to 35€.

Steinheimer Vorstadt 70, 63456 Hanau-Steinheim. www.villastokkum.bestwestern.de. 06181/6640. Fax 06181/661580. 135 units. 128€–185€ double. AE, MC, V. Parking 10€. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; room service; Wi-Fi (free; in lobby). In room: TV, CD player, hair dryer, minibar.

Gelnhausen

35km (22 miles) NE of Frankfurt, 20km (12 miles) NE of Hanau

More attractive than Hanau, Gelnhausen makes a better choice for an overnight stop along the Fairy-Tale Road. Lying in the Kinzig Valley in eastern Hesse, it is situated about midway between Frankfurt and Fulda.

Gelnhausen once stood on the old trading route, the Via Regia, between Frankfurt and Leipzig. For that reason, in 1170 the Emperor Friedrich I (Barbarossa) combined three older villages to create this town. The town thrived until the Thirty Years’ War (1618–48), which ruined it. In the latter 19th century, it came back. Germans claim that one of Gelnhausen’s native sons, Philipp Reis (1834–74), was the “co-inventor” of the telephone.

Essentials

Getting There By Train Trains leave Frankfurt’s Hauptbahnhof for Gelnhausen every 30 minutes during the day. Most of these trains are direct, but some require a transfer at Hanau.

By Car From Hanau (see above), follow the autobahn (A66) into Gelnhausen.

Visitor Information The local Tourist Office, at Obermarkt 24 ( 06051/830300; www.gelnhausen.de), is usually open Monday to Friday 8am to noon and 2 to 4:30pm. From May to October the office is also open Saturday and Sunday 2 to 4:30pm.

Exploring Gelnhausen

You might begin your tour at the Untermarkt (lower market square). Even though it’s called that, it is the highest point in town and is dominated by the towers of Marienkirche (St. Mary’s Church). You can enter through the south door (usually) daily from 9am to 5pm. Built in the Rhineland Romanesque style, it is known for its Chorraum ★★ or chancel, one of the masterpieces of 13th-century decorative architecture. The church was built between 1170 and 1250. In its present form, it was finally completed in 1467. Other attractions include the following:

Barbarossaburg (Imperial Palace) RUINS Now in ruins, the castle was built by “Red Beard” Barbarossa at the end of the 12th century, and the German Imperial Diet met here in 1180. Although with only a fraction of its original grandeur, it is the best-preserved imperial palace remaining from the Hohenstaufen period in Germany. The living quarters of the emperor, a fine example of Romanesque architecture, can still be seen. The castle lies on an island in the Kinzig River, and you can walk beneath the ruined ramparts along the water.

Burgstrasse 14. 06051/3805. Admission 3.50€. Mar–Oct Tues–Sun 10am–5pm; Nov–Dec Tues–Sun 10am–4pm.

Hexenturm Tower HISTORIC BUILDING Built around 1420, this is one of the guard towers remaining from the city’s once-fortified walls. Crowned by a pointed spire, it was named “witches’ tower” because women suspected of witchcraft were locked up here before facing burning at the stake or drowning (their hands and feet were bound, and they were thrown into the river). A collection of instruments of torture from the Middle Ages can be viewed inside. Note: The tower is accessible only via the weekly tour.

Am Fretzenstein. 06051/830300. Tour 5€. Tours May–Oct Sun 2:30pm.

Where to Eat & Stay

Romantisches Hotel Burg Mühle ★ The best place for food and lodgings in town takes its name, Mühle, meaning mill, from its former role as both the mill and the sawmill for Red Beard’s castle nearby. Bedrooms show a little wear and tear but they are otherwise well maintained and comfortable, as well as affordable. Most rooms are quite spacious, and some of them open onto private balconies. The hotel is primarily known for its restaurant, where full meals cost from 25€ to 40€. In the restaurant, the old water wheel of the former mill still turns, as diners enjoy well-prepared regional cuisine, along with a wide variety of German beers including the original Budweiser.

Burgstrasse 2, 63571 Gelnhausen. www.burgmuehle.de. 06051/82050. Fax 06051/820554. 40 units. 105€–125€ double. Rates include buffet breakfast. DC, MC, V. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; room service; spa; Wi-Fi (free; in lobby). In room: TV, minibar.

Steinau an der Strasse

30km (19 miles) NE of Gelnhausen, 65km (40 miles) NE of Frankfurt

A major stop along the Fairy-Tale Road, this little town was the childhood home of the Brothers Grimm, sons of a local magistrate. The town grew up in the 1200s, and many of its antique half-timbered houses, which open onto cobblestone streets, are here to greet you today.

A former mayor once informed us—after a few beers—that if we went walking in the surrounding forests, we were sure to come upon not only Little Red Hiding Hood and Snow White, but also Hansel and Gretel. Steinau still follows its medieval layout with its castle dominating the town and its surrounding walls.

Essentials

Getting There By Train From Frankfurt’s Hauptbahnhof, trains arrive in Steinau at the rate of every 75 to 90 minutes during the day after stopping at such small towns as Hanau and Gelnhausen. From Steinau, the same train continues to our next destinations—Fulda and Kassel.

By Car From our last stopover at Gelnhausen, continue northeast along the A66 into Steinau.

Visitor Information The Tourist Information Office is at Brüder-Grimm-Strasse 70 ( 06663/96310;www.steinau.de), open Monday to Friday 8am to 4:30pm and Saturday 9am to 4:30pm.

Exploring Steinau

Brüder Grimm Haus & Museum Steinau HISTORIC HOUSE The Brothers Grimm lived in this house from 1791 to 1796. Today, the half-timbered house, along with its adjoining courtyard, has been attractively restored and is filled with memorabilia of the brothers, including picture books. Many old household objects and examples of agricultural equipment are also displayed.

Adjacent to the house, a museum displays memorabilia of Steinau—it’s like an “attic” of the town, with old inn signs, an antique coach, and other artifacts.

Brüder-Grimm-Strasse 80. 06663/7605.www.museum-steinau.de. Admission 3€ for either the house or the museum, 2€ for children; combination ticket to both 4€ adults, 3€ children. Daily noon–5pm. Closed Dec 24–Jan 1.

Schloss Steinau ★ HISTORIC BUILDING Towering over the town, the castle, with its towers and turrets, does indeed look like something out of a fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm. The original castle was constructed in the Middle Ages, but the present building is Renaissance (1528–55), and was the country residence of the counts of Hanau. The complex is shaped like an irregular pentagon, with four wings, four pavilions, and two gatehouses. The foundation walls can still be seen today, and it’s surrounded by a deep moat.

On-site is the Grimm Museum, with mementos of the Grimm family, including the family Bible and spoons with which they ate their porridge. There’s also an exhibition of marionettes from the Steinauer Marionettentheater installed in the former stables. Performances are held here most weekends at 3pm, tickets costing 6.50€. For more information call 06663/245 or visit www.die-holzkoeppe.de.

The castle doesn’t have an official address but you don’t need it. It’s clearly evident.

06663/6843.www.schloesser-hessen.de. Admission 4€ adults, 3.50€ children. Mar–Oct Tues–Thurs and Sat–Sun 10am–5pm; Nov–Dec 12 Tues–Thurs and Sat–Sun 10am–4pm.

Where to Eat & Stay

Brathähnchen Farm ★ Your best bet lies outside of the center and is reached by climbing up a steep hill. You’re greeted by a friendly staff that welcomes you into the well-maintained and comfortably furnished bedrooms. The rooms may be a little on the small side, but they are nicely equipped and open onto views of the neighboring mountains.

Most guests show up to sample the restaurant’s cuisine, which features specialties that are thrown on the grill and cooked to perfection. The name of the hotel/restaurant, Brathähnchen Farm, means “roast chicken farm,” and that just happens to be the specialty of the chef. Diners come from miles around to feast on it. Of course, you can order many other mains, ranging from spareribs on the grill to pork knuckle. We like to finish off with the baked apple flambé. The restaurant doesn’t serve on Mondays.

Im Ohl 1, 36396 Steinau an der Strasse. www.brathaehnchenfarm.de. 06663/228. Fax 06663/1579. 14 units. 65€ double. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, MC, V (hotel only). Closed mid-Dec to mid-Feb. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; room service. In room: TV.

Fulda ★

100km (62 miles) NE of Frankfurt, 32km (20 miles) NE of Steinau an der Strasse

The economic center of East Hesse, the Episcopal city of Fulda dates from 744. Today it’s chiefly visited because of its baroque core, with a cathedral and a palace.

In the Christian world, it is forever linked to St. Boniface, the “Apostle of Germany.” This English missionary was sent here by Pope Gregory II in the 700s to preach the gospel to the pagan Germans. He was murdered in 754 and his body brought back to Fulda, where a cult formed around his tomb (see Dom, below).

Much of the extensive building activity that began in Fulda in the early 18th century remains to delight visitors today. With some justification, Fulda is called the “City of Baroque.”

Essentials

Getting There By Train Trains from Frankfurt’s Hauptbahnhof arrive daily every 75 to 90 minutes. Trip time is about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

By Car From Steinau an der Strasse, our last stopover, continue northeast along A66 into Fulda.

Visitor Information The Fulda Tourist Information Office is at Bonifatiusplatz 1, Palais Buttlar ( 0661/0021814;www.tourismus-fulda.de), open Monday to Friday 8:30am to 6pm, Saturday and Sunday 9:30am to 4pm.

Exploring Fulda

Dom (Cathedral) ★ CHURCH The object of a pilgrimage from the devout who flock here to see the tomb of St. Boniface, the cathedral was built in the Italian baroque style by Johann Dientzenhofer between 1704 and 1712. It is the best-known baroque building in Fulda, with the tomb of the saint lying in the Bonifatiusgruft, a crypt beneath the high altar. A funerary monument in an alabaster bas-relief from the 1700s represents the saint.

The Dom’s tall twin spires dominate the Altstadt. On-site is the Dommuseum containing liturgical robes, sacred vessels, and a collection of reliquaries from Boniface. You can even see such relics as the sword and the book with which he tried to hold off his murderers. Organ matinees are held in the cathedral every Saturday in May, June, September, and October.

Eduard Schick Platz 1–3. 0661/87207. Admission to cathedral free, museum 2.50€. Cathedral Apr–Oct daily 6am–6pm; Nov–Mar daily 6am–5pm. Museum Apr–Oct Tues–Sat 10am–5:30pm, Sun 12:30–5:30pm; Nov–Dec and mid-Feb to Mar Tues–Sat 10am–12:30pm and 1:30–4pm, Sun 12:30–4pm.

Stadtschloss (City Palace) HISTORIC BUILDING This is the most spectacular baroque building in Fulda, the former resident of the prince-bishops. You can visit the large Banqueting Hall and the famous Hall of Mirrors ★★, even the restored 18th-century princely apartments, as well as several classically designed exhibition rooms from the 19th century. A stunning collection of Fulda and Thuringian porcelain is also on display.

Schlossstrasse 1. 0661/1021813. Admission 3€. Jan–Nov Sat–Thurs 10am–6pm, Fri 2–6pm; Dec daily 10am–2pm. Closed Dec 24–31.

Vonderau Museum MUSEUM Housed in a former Jesuit seminary, the town’s major museum offers a trio of permanent exhibitions, including a history of Fulda from prehistoric times until the present. You’ll see everything from ancient burial sites to the famous Fulda Mobil, a small car built in Fulda and prized by collectors. Paintings and sculptures are exhibited in one gallery, and there is also a natural history department with life-size dioramas depicting local flora and fauna. The planetarium seats only 35 visitors, so reservations are needed for performances Thursday at 7pm, Friday at 5 and 8pm, Saturday at 3 and 8pm, and Sunday at 10:30am and 3pm.

Jesuitenplatz 2. 0661/928350.www.museum-fulda.de. Admission 3.50€ to museum, 4€ to planetarium. Tues–Sun 10am–5pm.

Where to Eat & Stay

Maritim Hotel am Schloss Garten ★ This is one of the most luxurious stopovers along the Fairy-Tale Road, one of the nuggets of the Maritim chain of first-class hotels. Its rooms overlook Fulda Palace Park, where visitors can take a leisurely stroll. The midsize guest rooms, completely modernized and filled with comfortable, tasteful furnishings, are in a contemporary wing opening into a central atrium. Part of the hotel, including a spacious breakfast room, is in a beautiful Orangery dating from the 1700s and completely restored. In the cellar you can enjoy good regional cooking under medieval vaulted arches in the Dianakeller Restaurant, where complete meals range in price from 26€ to 40€.

Pauluspromenade 2, 36037 Fulda. www.maritim.de. 0661/2820. Fax 0661/282499. 112 units. 121€–210€ double; 395€ suite. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 12€. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; indoor heated pool; room service; sauna; Wi-Fi (free; in lobby). In room: TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (free).

Romantik Hotel Goldener Karpfen ★★ For the lover of the baroque who wants a more romantic hotel than the Maritim, this centuries-old inn is a viable option. It’s much smaller than the Maritim, with fewer facilities, but it is more glamorous for those who love antiques. Its baroque facade is from the mid–18th century but was vastly altered at the beginning of the 20th century, though many architectural adornments remain. The bedrooms are modernized, exceedingly comfortable, beautifully furnished, and inviting. This hotel is another good choice for dining. In fact, we prefer the cuisine at its first-class restaurant—with its Persian rugs and elegant furnishings and meals ranging in price from 28€ to 50€—to the other hotel restaurants in the area.

Simpliziusbrunnen 1, 36037 Fulda. www.hotel-goldener-karpfen.de. 0661/868800. Fax 0661/0100. 50 units. 130€–270€ double; 280€–480€ suite. AE, DC, MC, V. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; room service. In room: TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (free).

Marburg ★★

60km (37 miles) NW of Fulda, 93km (58 miles) SW of Kassel

From Fulda you can head directly north into the little city of Kassel, or else you can detour west slightly to one of the most rewarding towns along the Fairy-Tale Road.

Once a great pilgrimage center, Marburg forms the heart of a triangle of Cologne, Frankfurt, and Kassel. Pilgrims came to venerate the relics of St. Elisabeth (1207–31) of Hungary. Known during her short life for her generous deeds to others, Elisabeth was canonized in 1235, and the site of her tomb in the Gothic church built for her made Marburg a major center of pilgrimage for Christians.

Today, the town, lying on a rocky outcrop, consists of half-timbered houses rising along the hill upward from the Lahn River and crowned by a castle.

A free elevator on Pilgrimstein (site of the tourist office) will deliver you from the bottom of town at the river to the peak of the Old Town to avoid a steep climb.

Essentials

Getting There By Train Trains from Frankfurt’s Hauptbahnhof depart at hourly intervals throughout the day, and then travel directly, with stops but without transfers, to Marburg, a trip that takes about an hour. There are also direct trains, several per day, from Kassel to Marburg, a trip that takes about an hour with no transfers needed.

By Car From Fulda (our last stopover) follow the B254 northwest to the village of Alsfeld, 34km (21 miles), where you might want to stop for a bite to eat and a tour of its narrow streets and half-timbered houses. You can follow Rte. B62 west into Marburg.

Visitor Information The Marburg Tourist Office is at Pilgrimstein 26 ( 06421/99120;www.marburg.de), open Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm, Saturday 10am to 2pm.

Exploring Marburg

Stack ’Em Up

As amazing as it sounds, some of Marburg’s houses can be reached only through a skylight, as some of them are stacked one on top of another. That means that in some cases a house will have a back door five floors above the front door.

The most beautiful illustrations in the Grimm fairy tales were done in Marburg—the Brothers Grimm studied here at the university from 1802 to 1805, and Jacob once remarked of the town, “I think there are more steps in the streets than in the houses.” Today there are more than 100 pubs, many quaint and rustic, catering to the student population.

Most of the restaurants, bars, and student cafes center around the Marktplatz or Obermarkt, with some of the best-preserved houses, especially no. 14 and no. 21, dating from the mid–16th century. The oldest preserved house, which is still inhabited, dates from 1323 and stands at no. 18 on the square.

Phillips University of Marburg is not exactly a tourist attraction, although its life dominates the town today. From St. Elisabeth’s church follow Steinweg, Neustadt, Wettergasse, and Reitgasse to reach the university.

The main part of the university was founded in 1527 by Landgrave Philipp of Hesse, becoming the first German Protestant university. Except for a church from the 14th century, most of its buildings are from the latter 19th century, including the largest university library in western Germany. A professor here from 1892 to 1917, Emil von Behring, won the Nobel Prize in 1901 for discovering a vaccine for diphtheria.

On Pilgrimstein you can take an elevator from below to the highest peak in Marburg, where the Marburg Schloss stands in Schlosspark, with panoramic views in all directions. Luther and Zwingli debated in this castle in 1429, and today it is part of the university buildings.

Students gather to catch up on the latest gossip around a fountain dedicated to St. Georg. Also opening onto the Marktplatz is the 16th-century Gothic Rathaus, known for its mechanical cock crowing the hours from its gable. Allow at least 2 hours for a walking tour of the Old Town.

Elisabethkirche ★★ CHURCH Constructed from 1235 to 1283, this remarkable church is the first truly Gothic church to be built in Germany. The landmark structure is graced with two 80m (260-ft.) towers housing 700-year-old bells. The town’s most beloved daughter, St. Elisabeth, is entombed here. A Hungarian princess, she was betrothed at age 4 to marry (at 12) Ludwig IV of Thuringia. He lost his life in the Crusades, and she gave up all her wealth to share with the poor, dying of exhaustion at the age of 24.

In the sacristy is the 13th-century reliquary containing the saint’s bones and other artifacts. Her shrine is a masterpiece in gold completed by craftsmen from the Rhineland in 1250. Religious art, statues, and frescoes fill the cathedral, making it a virtual ecclesiastical museum.

Elisabethstrasse 3. 06421/65497.www.elisabethkirche.de. Admission 2€ for St. Elisabeth’s Shrine. Apr–Sept daily 9am–6pm; Oct daily 9am–5pm; Nov–Mar daily 10am–4pm.

Where to Eat & Stay

At some point during your day, stop in for drinks at the Café Vetter, Reitgasse 4 ( 06421/25888;www.cafe-vetter-marburg.de), which has the most panoramic vistas of Old Marburg from its outdoor terrace. For four generations, members of the same family have been welcoming the world to their famous old cafe, which now features Internet access. On weekends, piano music fills the air.

Vila Vita Hotel Rosenpark ★★ Such an elegant luxury hotel in such a small town comes as a delightful surprise. Close to the center, the hotel stands in the meadows of the Lahn River, with one of the best spas along the Fairy-Tale Road. Its dramatic pavilion, with its glass dome, shelters the finest restaurants and bars in the city. Bedrooms are good size, each beautifully furnished and comfortably appointed, so much so you’ll think you’re at a resort hotel. The creative cuisine served in a trio of restaurants is the finest in the area, especially at the gourmet restaurant, Bel Etage. More affordable food is served at the Rosenkavalier, with traditional regional recipes a feature in the most rustic Zirbelstube.

Rosenstrasse 18, 35037 Marburg. www.vilavitahotels.com. 06421/60050. Fax 06421/6006100. 233€–313€ double; 420€–690€ suite. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 15€. Amenities: 3 restaurants; 3 bars; bikes; room service; indoor heated pool; spa. In room: A/C, TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (free).

Welcome Hotel Marburg ★ This longtime favorite stands near the river where the elevator rises to the Old Town. Its developers weren’t afraid to use color, employing fire-engine red, Halloween orange, sunflower yellow, and a fruity apricot. Bedrooms are midsize and attractively and comfortably furnished. In the Tartaruga Restaurant, with its open-air terrace and beer cellar, regional meals range in price from 16€ to 19€. Am Schlossberg serves the best breakfast buffet in town.

Pilgrimstein 29, 35037 Marburg www.schlossberg-marburg.de. 06421/9180. Fax 06421/918444. 146 units. 102€ double; 142€–160€ suite. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 10€. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; bikes; exercise room; room service. In room: TV, fridge, hair dryer, Wi-Fi (free).

Kassel

100km (62 miles) NE of Marburg

The city of Kassel is the capital of the Fairy-Tale Road, and the Brothers Grimm lived here as teenagers from 1805 to 1830 (it was the hometown of their mother). They worked as librarians at the court of Napoleon’s youngest brother, Jerome Bonaparte, who was the King of Westphalia. The brothers were greatly inspired by the storyteller Dorothea Viehmann (see Autobahnrastätte Knallhütte, below).

Much of Kassel’s 1,000-year-old history went down in ruins in World War II, and rebuilding was haphazard, with little regard for its rich architectural past. But from the rubble rose a city of both cultural and industrial significance, its grace note being its series of parks and gardens that take the curse off many modern buildings. Kassel was designed with many traffic-free promenades and pedestrian tunnels. Some two-thirds of Kassel consists of “green lungs” in the form of parks, tree-lined streets, and woodlands.

The town was first mentioned in A.D. 913 as Chassala or Chassela. In medieval times it was spelled “Castle” and was for a time a stronghold of the Franconian kings.

This former seat of the Landgraves is known for its grottoes, Wilhelmshöhe Park, its waterfalls, and Schloss (Castle), all of which are documented below.

Kassel sits on the banks of the Fulda River in a heavily wooded part of Germany between the Meissner-Kaufungen and the Habischswald natural parks on government-protected land.

Essentials

Getting There

By Train Trains arrive from Frankfurt’s Hauptbahnhof every 75 to 90 minutes during the day (trip time: 1 1/2 hr.). Trains stop at such places as Steinau and Fulda. Once at Kassel, train routes become fragmented, fanning out in many directions across Lower Saxony.

By Car From Marburg (our last stopover), follow Rte. A49 northeast into Kassel. The A44 (to Dortmund) and the A7 (Fulda to Hannover) autobahns cross in Kassel.

Visitor Information

For information, Kassel Tourist Office GmbH is at Obere Königstrasse 15 ( 0561/7077707;www.kassel-tourist.de), open Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm, Saturday 9am to 2pm. Here you can purchase the Kassel Card, sold only to pairs of travelers (not to individuals) and costing 13€ for 24 hours or 16€ for a 72-hour period. The card grants free transport on the city’s trams and buses, discounted admission to its museums and attractions, and even discounts at some shops. It also grants free participation in tourist office walking tours and discounts on bus tours, which normally cost 15€ but are only 7€ with the card.

Special Events Documenta ★★★ is a famous art fair that has taken place every 5 years in Kassel since 1955, with musical and dramatic presentations at the Freericianum at Friedrichsplatz 18, 34117 Kassel ( 0561/707270;www.documenta.de). The festival has been hailed in the press as an erudite heavyweight of global art exhibitions. Originally its goal was to show the world that Nazi-era nationalism was passé in Germany. Art lovers, some 650,000 of them, pour into the city for the festival, with celebrity attendees ranging from David Bowie to Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands.

Exploring Kassel

Brüder Grimm Museum MUSEUM The surrounding Waldeck region and Reinhards Forest, as well as Kassel itself, were responsible for the birth of many legends about witches, sleeping princesses, strange beasts, and magic spells. These tall tales had a profound influence on the Brothers Grimm as teenagers. Their lives and creative output are documented in this museum of their memorabilia, containing letters, portraits, and mementos of the famous brothers, including a collection of their fairy tales from the first copy printed up until today. You’ll also see art, including drawings, by the third brother, Ludwig Emil Grimm. The exhibition rooms are located in the baroque-style Palais Bellevue, which was originally designed as an observatory for Hesse’s Landgrave Karl in 1714.

Brüder Grimm Platz 4A. 0561/103235.www.grimms.de. Admission 2€. Thurs–Tues 10am–5pm; Wed 10am–8pm.

Wilhelmshöhe Park ★★ PARK This is the chief attraction of Kassel, and you will want to spend a minimum of 3 hours taking in all its attractions. (Sometimes visitors, mainly German, spend all day exploring the park.) Europe’s largest hill park, Wilhelmshöhe sprawls across 350 hectares (865 acres) at the western edge of the city, a magnificent garden with 800 species of trees dating from 1701 when it was laid out in the baroque style.

The crowning achievement is the Statue of Hercules at the highest point of the park. This giant is a copy of a statue originally created in 1717, and it’s mounted atop the castle-like octagonal base. You can climb the stairs of the base for one of the greatest panoramas ★★★ in the area. Try to time your visit for a Wednesday or Sunday afternoon at 2:30pm from mid-May to September, when water gushes down a series of cascades from a fountain below the statue. The total height of the monument is 72m (236 ft.).

Also in the park stands Löwenburg (Lion Fortress), a faux castle from 1800, which was constructed at the height of the sentimental Romantic period. The castle contains a collection of medieval armor and weapons along with tapestries and antique furniture.

The Schloss itself, completed in 1803, is in the neoclassical style. Built on a wooded slope where a monastery once stood, it was the summer residence of the landgraves and the electors of Hessen-Kassel. For 7 years, it was the residence of Napoleon’s brother, Jerome, during the Napoleonic era, and it also became the summer palace of Kaiser Wilhelm II. Napoleon III was imprisoned here from 1870 to 1871.

The state apartments are lavishly furnished with antiques, including the Kassel Apollo, a statue from the 2nd century A.D.

The main reason to visit is to see the Old Masters Gallery ★★★, a treasure-trove of art collected by the landgraves. The collection features 11 Rembrandts, including a trio of self-portraits of the artist. Other highlights include Dürer’s Portrait of Elizabeth Tucher and landscapes by Jan Bruegel. The Italian School is represented by works by Titian and Tintoretto, with the Spanish School featuring paintings by Murillo and Ribera. There are also eight paintings by Rubens and seven by Frans Hals.

The city arranges summer concerts in the park.

Schlosspark 3. 0561/312456.www.wilhelmshoehe.de. Admission 6€. Mar–Oct Tues–Sun 10am–5pm; Nov–Feb Tues–Sun 10am–3pm.

Where to Eat

Autobahnrastätte Knallhütte GERMAN Dating from 1752, this brewery-cum-tavern was the home of Dorothea Viehmann, the famous storyteller and the main source of many of the fairy tales later published by the Brothers Grimm, including “Hansel and Gretel,” “Little Red Riding Hood,” and “Rumpelstiltskin.” Today the old road that runs by the inn is now Autobahn A49 between the Baunatal Mitte and Baunatal Nord exits. The local brew is still served here, alongside regional specialties including Biersuppe. Expect old-fashioned German dishes such as tender veal and roast pork with dumplings and cabbage. Schnitzels fill the platters and herring is always a feature, as is rump steak with fried potatoes.

Knallhütterstrasse 1, Baunatal-Rengershausen. 0561/492076.www.knallhuette.de. Reservations not needed. Main courses 12€–18€. MC, V. Daily 11am–midnight.

Shopping

The main street for shopping is the traffic-free Königstrasse, in the center of the city. It’s lined with many specialty shops and department stores, along with cafes with outdoor terraces in summer. Check out the Königsgalerie at Obere Königstrasse 39, a glass-roof atrium filled with boutiques, taverns, cafes, and restaurants.

Nightlife & Entertainment

Friedrich-Ebert-Strasse is the center of dance clubs and bars, but more sophisticated nightlife centers around the Kassel Casino, Maurerstrasse 11 ( 0561/930850;www.spielbank-kassel.de), costing 2.50€ to enter. It is entered through the Kurfürsten Galerie, and it features roulette and card games, plus the latest slot machines. The casino is open Monday to Saturday 9am to 3am, Sunday noon to 3am.

German Legends & the Brothers Grimm

by George McDonald

The brothers Jacob (1785-1863) and Wilhelm (1786-1859) Grimm traveled around Germany in the early 19th century to gather local folklore tales. They published these in their compendium, Kinder-und Hausmärchen, the famous Grimm’s Fairy Tales. Although not purely morality tales, the stories were instructive and had strict rules of reward and punishment. Their enduring appeal lies in their giving a voice to childhood anxieties while affording children a safe vantage point from which to observe and explore the adult world.

From Hanau, on the Main River just east of Frankfurt, where the Brothers Grimm were born, the Fairy-Tale Road (Märchenstrasse) stretches northward along the Weser River for 595km (369 miles), past gnarled forests, and timber-frame cottages, cobblestone streets, medieval villages, and castles, to end in Bremen. Your ideal reading companion for the trip is a copy of Grimm’s Fairy Tales. Little Red Riding Hood, the Big Bad Wolf, the Pied Piper of Hamelin, Hansel and Gretel, Rumpelstiltskin, the Pied Piper, Cinderella, fairies, wizards, dwarfs, goblins, and wicked witches are all associated with the Fairy-Tale Road. Some stops along the way include:

• Hameln (Hamelin) The Weser River town is the setting for the famous tale of the Pied Piper, recalled in a weekly open-air theater performance in summer.

• Höxter Noted for its timber-frame buildings and a crooked old tower, this Weser River town lays claim to having inspired Hansel and Gretel, and presents the drama on the first Saturday of each month from May to September.

• Kassel The Waldeck region and the Reinhardswald forest around Kassel were the birthplace of many legends about witches, sleeping princesses, strange beasts, and magic spells. These tales had a profound influence on the Grimm brothers, who lived in Kassel from 1798 to 1830.

• Neustadt A circular tower here is said to be the one from which Rapunzel let down her golden tresses.

• Sababurg The Dornröschenschloss, a castle near Hann. Münden, is a persuasive setting for the Sleeping Beauty (Dornröschen) legend. Briar roses bloom in the courtyard.

• Schwalm River Germans have dubbed the route along this river Rotkäppchenland, or Little Red Riding Hood country.

Where to Stay

Ramada Hotel Kassel City Centre ★ This leading hotel in the town center rises 14 floors, and while it’s not an architectural masterpiece, it offers the most comfortable and best-furnished rooms. It also has the most amenities of all its competitors. Bedrooms are midsize to spacious, and the hotel is geared to both the business traveler and the visitor intent on discovering Kassel. Its recreation area on the top floor is the best in Kassel, with a fitness center, solarium, and steam bath. Its drinking and dining facilities are also first-class, with a market-fresh cuisine.

Baumbachstrasse 2, 34119 Kassel. www.ramada.com. 0561/78100. Fax 0561/7810100. 169 units. 120€–140€ double; from 169€ suite. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 7€. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; exercise room; Jacuzzi; sauna. In room: A/C, TV, fridge (in some rooms), hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (20€ per day).

Residenz Domus This longtime favorite near the Hauptbahnhof (train station) was erected in 1905 as the first reinforced concrete building in Kassel and was once the headquarters of a local trading house. Its red clinker facade was strong enough to withstand the bombs of World War II. Over the years the four-story hotel has been much altered and improved to stay abreast of the changing times. Today it has a light, airy decor and modern furnishings and amenities. Many rooms and bathrooms are extremely spacious.

Erzbergerstrasse 1–5, 34117 Kassel. 0561/703330. Fax 0561/70333498. 55 units. 99€–130€ double. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 6€. Amenities: Room service. In room: TV, hair dryer, minibar.

Schlosshotel Bad Wilhelmshöhe ★★ This hotel is misnamed. It’s not an old castle at all, but a completely modern building constructed directly across the street from the palace. As early as 1767, an inn here was receiving guests, and German troops were once billeted here after World War I. However, Allied bombings leveled the hotel in World War II, and it was rebuilt in 1955. Today, it has large, individually furnished bedrooms, some with balconies overlooking the sprawling castle park and its buildings. Quality materials such as hardwood floors in the bedrooms and green marble in the bathrooms add a touch of elegance.

Schloss 8, 34131 Kassel. www.schlosshotel-kassel.de. 0561/38880. Fax 0561/3088428. 101 units. 94€–139€ double; 159€–179€ junior suite. AE, DC, MC, V. Free parking. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; room service; Wi-Fi (free; in lobby). In room: TV, hair dryer.

Hann. Münden ★

150km (93 miles) S of Hannover, 24km (15 miles) NE of Kassel

This little gem of a town with the odd name (once known as Hannoversch Münden) is filled with some 700 half-timbered houses. Parts of it look like a movie set. It lies at the confluence of the Werra and Fulda rivers, which join to form the Wester River.

Many of its houses are 6 centuries old. The poet Alexander von Humboldt claimed that the town is one of the seven most beautifully situated in the world.

The little city’s fortified towers and remains of its old wall speak of its importance in the Middle Ages.

Essentials

Getting There

By Train Trains arrive from Kassel throughout the day, taking 16 minutes, and from Göttingen, taking 36 minutes. There are also major rail links with Hannover (trip time: 1 1/2 hr.) and Frankfurt (trip time: 2 1/4 hr.).

By Car From Kassel (see earlier in this chapter) follow Autobahn E45 northeast until you see the turnoff to Hann. Münden.

Visitor Information

The Tourist Information Office is at the Rathaus on Lotzestrasse ( 05541/75313;www.hann.muenden-tourismus.de), open May to October Monday to Friday 8am to 5:30pm, Saturday 10am to 3pm, and Sunday 11am to 3pm; and November to April Monday to Thursday 9am to 4pm and Friday 9am to 1pm.

Special Events In summer the town celebrates its connection with the notorious quack Dr. Johann Andreas Eisenbart (1663–1727). The Doctor Eisenbart Theatre Company, founded in 1957, stages a play about the man who “could make the blind walk and the lame see.”

On one Sunday in May and June and every Sunday in July and August at 11:15am, plays are staged in front of the historic Rathaus, with tickets costing 5€ for adults or 1.50€ for children ages 4 to 12. For information on these plays, contact the tourist office above.

The doctor became the subject of a ribald drinking song that immortalized him. In the song he performs such feats as shooting out an aching tooth with a gun. There’s a statue of Eisenbart in front of his former home at Langestrasse 79.

Exploring Hann. Münden

Allow at least 1 1/2 to 2 hours to walk around the central core of the old town, taking in (or photographing) all those half-timbered buildings.

St. Blaise’s Church CHURCH This is the one church of general interest to visitors, as it dates from the end of the 13th century. The chancel, the southern lateral apse, and the eastern bay were constructed at this time. The rest of the church was finished at various times, including the vaulting of the tower chamber in 1519 and the landmark tower itself in 1584. That tower is adorned with a lantern cupola. In the nave is the tomb of William of Brunswick, who died in 1503.

Kirchplatz. 05541/75313 (tourist office). Free admission. Summer only, daily 11am–4pm.

Where to Eat

Ratsbrauhaus GERMAN The Rathaus of Münden, dating from 1605, is a fine example of the Weser Renaissance style with its gabled peaks. Its cellar is no less an architectural curiosity, with much of its original decor intact. You get good hearty fare here, including such dishes as venison pâté as an appetizer, followed by veal chops with a mustard sauce and, on occasion, breast of goose with red cranberries or a tender rack of lamb. Seafood such as oysters and lobsters is also featured.

Marktplatz 3. 05541/957107.www.ratsbrauhaus.de. Reservations not needed. Main courses 10€–20€. MC, V. Tues–Sat 6–10:30pm; Sat–Sun 11am–2pm.

Where to Stay

Alte Rathausschanke In the historic town center, this is the most atmospheric place to stay. It often hosts cyclists following the routes through the Weser Valley. Its bedrooms are just above the hostel level but are comfortable and individually furnished. Since many young people on a budget patronize the hotel, the staff provides a washing machine and dryer for them. A generous breakfast buffet is included every morning.

Ziegelstrasse 12, 34346 Hann. Münden. www.ratsbrauhaus.de. 05541/75313. Fax 05541/75404. 10 units. 65€ double. No credit cards. In room: TV, Wi-Fi (free).

An Excursion to Sababurg

For your next stopover, head north from Hann. Münden on B80. At the village of Veckerhagen follow the signposts left into Sababurg, which lies about 100km (60 miles) south of Hannover, 60km (37 miles) west of Göttingen, and 38km (24 miles) north of Kassel. After driving through the luxuriant Forest of Reinhard, one of the largest in Germany, you come up to Sababurg Castle, a distance of 24km (15 miles) from Hann. Münden. The castle has been turned into a hotel (see below).

This castle is where Sleeping Beauty, in the fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm, slept for a century. The castle has had a long and turbulent history since it was built in 1334 by the archbishop of Mainz. It eventually fell into ruins, but in 1490 Count Wilhelm I constructed a hunting lodge on the site. Troops plundered the castle during the Thirty Years’ War, and Friedrich II turned the castle back into a hunting lodge in 1765, but that, too, was allowed to deteriorate until its present restoration. In the castle courtyard, where briar roses bloom, you can almost expect to see the handsome prince preparing to awaken Sleeping Beauty with a kiss.

Surrounding the castle is Tierpark Sababurg ★, Sababurgstrasse ( 05671/80012251;www.tierpark-sababurg.de), one of the oldest wildlife refuges in Europe, home to such animals as the bison and reindeer as well as a vast array of waterfowl. The surrounding acres of ancient oaks and beech trees added to the fairy-tale atmosphere of the area. Charging 5€ admission, the park is open daily as follows: April to September 8am to 7pm, October 9am to 6pm, November to February 10am to 4pm, and March 9am to 5pm.

Where to Stay

Dornröschenschloss Sababurg ★ In a section of Sleeping Beauty’s castle, a luxury hotel and restaurant has been constructed. Bedrooms are furnished in a period style, and, in spite of the medieval atmosphere, modern amenities have been installed. Rooms are beautifully furnished in modern or traditional style and carry various themes, including a dedication to a unicorn. For the most panoramic units, ask for one of the tower rooms. Some of the bedrooms are found in a wing dating from 1572. Afternoon tea is served on the courtyard terrace, overlooking ancient trees. A formal restaurant serving an international cuisine opens onto views of the park.

Im Reinshardswald, 34369 Hofgeismar. www.sababurg.de. 05671/8080. Fax 05671/808200. 17 units. 155€–195€ double; 220€ tower room. AE, DC, MC, V. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; babysitting; room service. In room: TV, hair dryer.

Höxter

66km (41 miles) N of Hann. Münden, 70km (43 miles) S of Hannover

On the left bank of the Weser River, the walled town of Höxter merits at least an hour of your time as you explore its historic core.

Essentials

Getting There By Train There are no direct trains from Hann. Münden; rail passengers approach Höxter via Hannover, which is a complicated and time-consuming affair (routing from Hannover to Gottingen to Ottbergen to Höxter). If taking a train is your only option, allow plenty of time, and note that there are only 3 to 4 trips daily.

By Car From Hann. Muenden, follow B80 northwest to the junction with B83, which will take you north to B64 which continues north into Höxter.

Visitor Information The Touristik- und Kulturinformation is in the Historisches Rathaus, Weserstrasse 11 ( 05271/19433;www.hoexter.de), open Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm, Saturday 10am to 4pm.

Exploring Höxter

The Dechanei (Deanery) standing in the Markt (the market square) in the center of town dates from 1561, and the Rathaus, also on the square, from 1613. This municipal building is a classic example of the Weser Renaissance style, a trio of half-timbered structures with a crooked old tower that looks like something from a Brothers Grimm fairy tale.

Höxter, among other towns, lays claim for the inspiration of the tale of “Hansel and Gretel.” On the first Saturday of each month from May to September the town presents the drama. Ask at the tourist office (see above) for more details.

After visiting the market square, you can walk down Westerbachstrasse to discover many more half-timbered houses dating from the Middle Ages. Another church to visit is St. Kilian’s at An der Kiliankirche, dating from the 11th century. Its treasures include a 15th-century aisle and an early-16th-century Crucifixion group of sculpture. Its pulpit was built in 1597 and is an outstanding piece of Renaissance craftsmanship, decorated with motifs in alabaster.

From the center of town, take Corveyer Allée for 3km (2 miles) to Reichsabtei Corvey (Imperial Abbey of Corvey) in the village of Corvey ( 05271/694010;www.schloss-corvey.de). Schloss Corvey (its other name) stands on a hillside overlooking the Weser River and was one of the oldest Benedictine abbeys in Germany. It was planned by Charlemagne himself but constructed by his son, Ludwig the Pious, in 822. In the 9th and 10th centuries, the abbey was one of the major cultural centers of north Germany.

During the Thirty Years’ War, most of Corvey Abbey was destroyed, the only section remaining being the west facade of the church with its two spires. The abbey was rebuilt around 1730 in its present form, together with the church, monastery, and farm buildings. Guided tours take you through the library and imperial halls, and on the second floor is an exhibition of folkloric objects and prehistoric relics. In May and June a music festival is held in the great hall, the Kaisersaal. Admission to the castle is 5€, or 1€ to the abbey church. It’s open April to October daily 9am to 6pm.

You can have lunch at the on-site Schlossrestaurant ( 05271/83230) under centuries-old linden trees, enjoying regional specialties.

Where to Eat & Stay

Ringhotel Niedersachsen ★ One of the better members of the Ring chain, this venerated hotel is the best place to stay in the area. It’s known for its thermal baths and for its spacious garden. The bedrooms are the finest in the area, 15 of them containing a balcony opening onto views. Rooms are equipped with up-to-date amenities and even suggest a touch of luxury. This antique Höxter building has kept abreast of the times. The restaurant, popular with locals and visitors alike, has a garden terrace. The chefs specialize in fresh river fish and other regional dishes, with main courses costing 17€ to 23€.

Grubestrasse 3–7, 37671 Höxter. www.hotelniedersachsen.de. 05271/688444. 80 units. 110€–170€ double; 180€–200€ junior suite. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 6.50€. Amenities: 2 restaurants; bar; bikes; indoor heated pool; room service; spa; Wi-Fi (free; in lobby). In room: TV, minibar.

Bodenwerder

25km (16 miles) S of Hameln, 34km (21 miles) N of Höxter, 70km (43 miles) S of Hannover

This is the hometown of Lügenbaron (the lying baron) von Münchhausen (1720–97). This spinner of tall tales was the biggest liar in the history of Germany—unless you want to get political and include Hitler in that competition.

The Münchhausen name has gone down in literary history. His narrative about his travels and campaigns in Russia increased his renown and was translated into many languages. The actual author was Rudolph Erich Raspe, who became acquainted with Von Münchhausen upon his retirement in 1760 from Russian service against the Turks. The baron was widely known for his exploits, including a claim that he rode a cannonball toward the enemy stronghold. Reconsidering as he neared his target, he jumped onto a cannonball shot by the enemy and rode it safely back to his troops.

From May to October during the first Sunday of every month, the Münchhausenplay is performed in front of the Rathaus. Locals reenact scenes from Münchhausen’s colorful, if distorted, life.

Essentials

Getting There By Train From Hannover’s Hauptbahnhof, trains depart every hour for Hameln, a travel distance of 1 hour and 5 minutes. At Hameln, in front of its railway station, bus no. 520 continues on, at hourly intervals, to Bodenwerder, a travel time of 50 minutes.

By Car From Höxter, continue north along B83 into Bodenwerder.

Visitor Information The Tourist Information office is at Münchhausenplatz 3 ( 05533/40541;www.muenchhausenland.de), open Monday to Friday 9am to noon and 2 to 5pm, and Saturday 10am to 12:30pm.

Exploring Bodenwerder

Münchhausen-Erinnerungszimmer HISTORIC HOUSE This memorial room devoted to the great liar was the family home of the Von Münchhausen family. Today it is the Rathaus, and it’s filled with mementos of this storyteller, including that cannonball he allegedly rode. You can trace some of his “adventures” in the museum—but don’t believe a word of it. The fountain in front evokes a tale he told about his horse. He became suspicious when he noticed that the horse had an insatiable thirst; then he discovered that the horse had been cut in two parts. No sooner did it drink water than the liquid ran out the rear of the half horse into the fountain.

Münchhausenplatz 1. 05533/409147. Admission 3€. Apr–Oct daily 10am–noon and 2–5pm.

Where to Eat & Stay

Goldener Anker This half-timbered old favorite, under the direction of the Schoppe family, dates from 1837 but has been modernized. The Weser River, where boats tie up, virtually runs by its front door. In summer the action overflows onto a Biergarten fronting the river. Most people come here for food and drink in the tavern, and it attracts both visitors and locals. The menu features an array of regional specialties, including the best steaks in town. Meals begin at 20€ per person. Bedrooms listed as standard are cozy and comfortably furnished; those rated deluxe are roomier with better plumbing fixtures.

Brückenstrasse 5, 37619 Bodenwerder. www.bodenwerder-hotel.de. 05533/400730. Fax 05533/400733. 16 units. 50€ double. MC, V. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; bikes; room service. In room: TV, Wi-Fi (free).

Parkhotel Deutsches Haus ★ Next door to the former home of Baron von Münchhausen (now the city hall) stands this half-timbered hotel that is the most inviting and comfortable in town. A country aura is evoked by its oak paneling and old wooden beams. The bedrooms have been modernized and are attractively furnished. The hotel stands on its own landscaped grounds, which appear even larger since they lie next to the city park. Meals cost 28€ and in summer are served on a terrace near the Weser River. In honor of the baron, the house dish is named Kugeln or “cannonballs” (turkey, pork, and fresh vegetables).

Münchhausenplatz 4, 37619 Bodenwerder. www.hotel-deutsches-haus-bodenwerder.de. 05533/400780. Fax 05533/4113. 42 units. 87€–105€ double. AE, MC, V. Amenities: 2 restaurants; bar; room service. In room: TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (free).

Hameln ★

45km (28 miles) SW of Hannover, 48km (30 miles) W of Hildesheim

Hameln has many interesting buildings and a history dating from the 11th century, but its main claim to fame is the Pied Piper folk tale, immortalized by the Brothers Grimm, Goethe, and Robert Browning, among others. According to legend, in 1284 the town was infested by rats. Soon after, a piper appeared and offered, for a fee, to lure the vermin into the Weser River. The rat catcher successfully performed the service, but the stingy denizens of Hameln refused to pay, claiming that he was a sorcerer. So the piper reappeared the next Sunday and played a tune that lured the town’s children, except one lame boy, into a mysterious door in a hill. The children and the Pied Piper were never heard from again.

There is some historical basis for the story. It appears that, several centuries ago, for some unknown reason, the children of Hameln did indeed leave the town. The story of the Pied Piper is retold every summer Sunday at noon in a special performance at the Hochzeitshaus (Wedding House) on Osterstrasse. In the town shops, you can buy rat figures made of almost every conceivable material, including candy.

Essentials

Getting There

By Plane The nearest major airport is Hannover-Langenhagen, 55km (34 miles) away.

By Train The Hameln Bahnhof lies on the Hannover-Hameln-Altenbeken line, with frequent connections. Depending on the train, trip time from Hannover ranges from 45 to 55 minutes. For information, call 01805/996633 (www.bahn.de).

By Bus Local and regional bus service to nearby towns and Hannover is available from Grossraum-Verkehr Hannover ( 01803/19449;www.gvh.de). Buses stop in front of the Hauptbahnhof.

By Car It takes 3 hours to reach Hameln from Frankfurt and 6 to 7 hours from Munich. From Frankfurt, head northeast along the A5 Autobahn, then north on the A7, and finally west on A27. From Munich, take the A9 Autobahn north to Nürnberg, the A3 west to Würzburg, then the A7 north toward Hannover, and finally take the A27 west to Hameln.

Visitor Information

Contact the Hameln Marketing und Tourismus GmbH, Deisterallee 1 ( 05151/957823;www.hameln.de), open May to September Monday to Friday 9am to 6:30pm, Saturday 9:30am to 4pm, and Sunday 9:30am to 1pm; October to March Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm and Saturday 9:30am to 1pm; and April Monday to Friday 9am to 6:30pm and Saturday 9:30am to 4pm.

Exploring Hameln

Hameln’s most historic building is the Gothic Münsterkirch, at the end of Bäckerstrasse, overlooking the Weser River. Other attractions include the Rattenfängerhaus (see below), with frescoes illustrating the Pied Piper legend, and the Hochzeitshaus (Wedding House) on Osterstrasse, with its three attractive gables. The finest houses in the town are built in what is known as Weser-Renaissance style. You can admire these nicely sculpted late-16th-century houses as you stroll along the pedestrians-only streets. One of the best examples of the Weser-Renaissance style, which can be enjoyed by looking at its facade, is Dempterscheshaus, built in 1607. This house, at Pferdemarkt, standing in the middle of town, has protruding bay windows. This patrician building is also characterized by fine chiseled stones and decorations of ornaments and coats of arms.

Where to Eat

Rattenfängerhaus GERMAN The “Rat-Catcher’s House” dates from 1603. A meal here is practically like eating in a museum. The place is a little too touristy and crowded for some tastes, but it’s an enduring favorite nonetheless. You can order traditional German dishes, including various kinds of Schnitzels, roasted goose, or filets of salmon with hollandaise sauce.

Osterstrasse 28. 05151/3888.www.rattenfaengerhaus.de. Reservations recommended. Main courses 8€–22€. AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 11am–3pm and 6–11pm. Bus: 1 or 2.

Shopping

There are lots of opportunities to buy folkloric art objects here. One of the best bets for souvenir and gift hunting, Renner, Am Markt 6 ( 05151/94420), has some genuinely charming objects. You might also want to go window-shopping along the town’s best shopping streets, the Osterstrasse and the Bäckerstrasse.

Nightlife & Entertainment

The town’s Weserbergland Festhalle, Rathausplatz ( 05151/916220;www.theater.hameln.de), hosts an array of concerts, opera and ballet performances, and theatrical productions. Call the theater or the visitor information office (see above) for upcoming events and ticket information. Tickets are 10€ to 26€.

Where to Stay

Hotel zur Börse This balconied hotel within the walls of the Altstadt can be identified by the four peaks of its modern roofline. The interior is refreshingly uncluttered. Rooms are spacious and well maintained with sleek bathrooms.

Osterstrasse 41A, 31785 Hameln. www.hotel-zur-boerse.de. 05151/7080. Fax 05151/25485. 31 units. 93€ double. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 7€. Bus: 1 or 2. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; bikes; room service. In room: TV, fax, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (9.50€ per day).

Komfort-Hotel Garni Christinenhof The gabled windows of this half-timbered, 300-year-old building overlook a cobblestone street in the middle of the Altstadt. Despite the antique facade, much of the hotel’s interior is streamlined and modern, with many conveniences. All units contain neatly kept bathrooms and are small yet well furnished.

Alte Markstrasse 18, 31785 Hameln. www.christinenhof-hameln.de. 05151/95080. Fax 05151/43611. 30 units. 100€–120€ double. Rates include buffet breakfast. MC, V. Free parking. Closed Dec 20–Jan 6. Amenities: Indoor heated pool; sauna. In room: TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (free).

Mercure Hotel Hameln This hotel stands in a park with lots of trees but is within walking distance of the heart of the Altstadt, at the northern edge of the Burgergarten. It rises like a modern collection of building blocks, with oversize glass walls. Rooms are standard and functional, and all contain up-to-date bathrooms.

164er Ring 3, 31785 Hameln. www.mercure.com. 05151/7920. Fax 05151/792191. 105 units. 95€–270€ double. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 10€. Bus: 1 or 2. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; babysitting; exercise room; indoor heated pool; room service; sauna. In room: TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (18€ per day).

Hannover

122km (76 miles) SE of Bremen, 151km (94 miles) S of Hamburg, 288km (179 miles) W of Berlin

This modest little city south of Hamburg still basks in the glow of Expo 2000, when more foreigners visited than ever before. It remains one of Germany’s hubs of industry, transportation, and commerce, and its annual industrial trade fair is still the largest such fair in the world, attracting producers and buyers from around the globe.

Even with a big-money investment in its inner city, Hannover is hardly a city of grace and beauty. Although it has certain idyllic sections, including one of the finest baroque gardens in the world; a 2.5km (1 1/2-mile) man-made lake, the Maschsee; and the encircling Eilenriede Forest, Hannover is a mere shadow of its former self. The royal court checked out in the early 19th century, heading for greener fields and greater power in London.

Essentials

Getting There

By Plane Hannover is served by Hannover-Langenhagen International Airport, 10km (6 miles) north of the city center. Many international airlines fly here. Flying time between Hannover and Munich is 1 hour, 10 minutes; between Frankfurt and Hannover, 50 minutes. For flight information, call 0511/9770 or visit www.hannover-airport.de. Catch the S-Bahn to the Hauptbahnhof. The cost is 3€ each way. Service is 5am to midnight, every 30 minutes.

By Train Hannover lies at the junction of an important network of rail lines linking Scandinavia to Italy and Paris to Moscow. Some 500 trains per day pass through, with frequent connections to major German and European cities. Nineteen trains arrive daily from Berlin (trip time: 1 hr., 35 min.), 40 trains from Frankfurt (trip time: 2 hr., 21 min., or 3 hr., depending on the train), and 40 trains from Hamburg (trip time: 1 hr., 11 min. to 1 1/2 hr.). For information call 01805/996633 (www.bahn.de).

By Bus Long-distance bus service to and from major German cities is offered by Deutsche Touring GmbH, Hamburger Allee 19, opposite the Hauptbahnhof ( 0511/329419;www.touring.de).

By Car Access is via the A1 Autobahn north or south and from the A2 east and west.

Visitor Information

Contact Hannover Tourist Information, located at Ernst-August-Platz 2 ( 0511/12345111;www.hannover.de). Here you can reserve hotel rooms (ask about special weekend packages), book sightseeing tours, obtain general information about the city, and purchase tickets for local events as well as for trains, trams, and buses. The office is open Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm and Saturday 9am to 2pm.

Getting Around

The local public-transport system includes commuter trains, an extensive underground network, trams, and buses operated by several companies. Service is frequent and extensive. For information and schedules, contact Grossraum-Verkehr Hannover ( 0511/16683000;www.gvh.de).

Exploring Hannover

Marktkirche (Market Church), the Gothic brick basilica on Marktplatz, is one of Hannover’s oldest structures, built in the mid–14th century. Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall), facing the square, dates from 1425. It was badly damaged in the war but has been restored and now houses the civic archives.

Herrenhäuser Garten (Royal Gardens of Herrenhäusen) ★★ GARDEN No matter where you go in Hannover, you won’t be far from a park or garden. But make sure you don’t miss this one, the only surviving example of Dutch/Low German early baroque-style gardening. Designers from France, the Netherlands, England, and Italy, as well as Germany, worked together to create this masterpiece of living art. Grosse Garten, from 1666, is the largest garden, consisting of a rectangle surrounded by a moat. Within the maze of walks and trees are examples of French baroque, rococo, and Low German rose and flower gardens. The Grosse Garten also contains one of the highest fountains in Europe, shooting jets of water 72m (236 ft.) into the air, and the world’s only existing baroque hedge-theater (1692), where plays by Shakespeare, Molière, and Brecht are still performed, along with ballets and jazz concerts. The smaller 17th-century Berggarten, across Herrenhäuser Strasse from the Grosse Garten, is a botanical garden with houses containing rare orchids and other tropical flowers.

Herrenhäuser Strasse 4. 0511/16844543. Admission 4€ adults, free for children 13 and under. Daily 9am–8pm. Waterworks display May–Sept Mon–Fri 11am–noon and 3–5pm, Sat–Sun and holidays 11am–noon and 2–5pm. U-Bahn: Herrenhäuser Gärten.

Niedersächsisches Landesmuseum Hannover (Lower Saxony State Museum) ★ MUSEUM The Landesmuseum is one of the most important regional museums in Germany. There are exhibits on northern European biology and geology, ethnomedicine and ethnobotany, and the history of Lower Saxony from the Paleolithic Age up to the Middle Ages. The aquarium shows a world of exotic fish, amphibians, and reptiles. In the Kindermuseum, children can learn about prehistoric times with activities such as grinding corn or working with stone tools.

The museum’s art gallery contains treasures spanning 7 centuries. A highlight is Meister Bertram von Minden’s Passion Altar (1390–1400). You’ll also see paintings by Rembrandt, Van Dyck, and Rubens (his Madonna), as well as the Four Times of Day series by Caspar David Friedrich.

Willy-Brandt-Allee. 0511/9807686.www.nlmh.de. Admission 4€ adults, 3€ students and children. Tues–Wed and Fri–Sun 10am–5pm; Thurs 10am–7pm. Tram: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 11, 16, or 18. Bus: 131, 132, or 267. Near the Maschpark.

A Twist in the Tale

by George McDonald

You might not recognize some plot elements of early versions of these famous fairy tales.

• Cinderella (Aschenputtel) In the Grimm version, there is no fairy godmother. It is the beautiful tree she planted on her mother’s grave that comes to her aid in attending the ball. Cinderella is a passive heroine, rescued from a life of drudgery by the handsome prince.

• Hansel and Gretel (Hänsel und Gretel) Early versions of the story were sanitized to make it more child-friendly, with the evil mother being changed to a stepmother, thus creating the evil-stepmother trope.

• Little Red Riding Hood (Rotkäppchen) In the French oral version, the hunter doesn’t save Little Red Riding Hood from the Big Bad Wolf—she distracts the predatory beast herself by performing a striptease, and then escapes. The Grimms sanitized the tale into a warning to children not to stray from the approved path.

• Rapunzel In early versions of this tale, Rapunzel asks why her dress is getting so tight, thus naively revealing to her wicked stepmother that she is pregnant following a dalliance with the prince.

Rathaus GOVERNMENT BUILDING The “new” Rathaus is a large structure, built between 1901 and 1913. An inclined elevator—the only one in Europe other than the elevator at the Eiffel Tower—takes visitors up to the 10m (33-ft.) dome. The building is attractive because of its location in the Maschpark, by a small lake. It’s just a short distance from the extensive artificial Maschsee, frequented by Hannoverians for its beach, boats, and restaurants.

Trammplatz 2. 0511/1680. Elevator ride to dome 3€ adults, 2€ students and children. Apr–Oct Mon–Fri 9:30am–6:30pm; Sat–Sun 10am–6:30pm. U-Bahn: Markthalle. Tram: 3, 7, or 9. Bus: 120.

Sprengel Museum ★★ MUSEUM Although this museum of modern art, one of the best in Germany, has been around since 1979, it is gaining increasing renown for its two dozen annual exhibitions, now among the most cutting edge in Europe. These temporary shows stand side by side with the museum’s permanent collection, which includes some of the greatest names in modern art—Picasso, of course, but also Paul Klee, Max Ernst, Max Beckman, and the like. The museum is named for Dr. Bernhard Sprengel, who started the original collection with its array of French modern and expressionism.

Over the years the museum has expanded to include some of the most significant artists of the 20th century, and it also created one of the best departments of photography in Germany. In 1993, it acquired the Kurt Schwitters archives. He was a native son of Hannover and one of the leading Dadaists; in fact, the square on which the museum sits was named after him.

Kurt-Schwitters-Platz 2. 0511/16843875.www.sprengel-museum.de. Admission 7€ adults, 4€ students, free for children 11 and under. Tues 10am–8pm; Wed–Sun 10am–6pm.

Where to Eat

Expensive

Basil ★★ INTERNATIONAL The hippest restaurant in Hannover draws a chic clientele to a dining room known for its modern cuisine, fresh ingredients, and alert waitstaff. The setting is a riding hall built in 1867 for the Royal Prussian military. Guests dine in an antique atmosphere under a vaulted ceiling. We prefer a table in the delightful garden where we’ve spotted Hannover’s most famous son, former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, dining. Like Clichy (see below), where the food is only slightly better, Basil changes each menu at least every 3 weeks, and it’s always based on what’s fresh and flavorful at the market. Recipes range from the coasts of the Mediterranean to Asia. We recently arrived in spring to enjoy a Spargel (asparagus menu). Had it been autumn, game dishes would have been featured. The accent of the menu is always on fish, as exemplified by the likes of sea bream in a zesty lime sauce with spring onions, or perhaps moist and tender trout stuffed with fresh spinach.

Dragonerstrasse 30A. 0511/622636.www.basil.de. Reservations required. Main courses 18€–25€. AE, MC, V. Mon–Sat 6:30pm–2am. U-Bahn: U1 or U2 to Dragonerstrasse.

Clichy Restaurant ★★ CONTINENTAL/MEDITERRANEAN This haven of refined cuisine is the most consistently reliable dining choice in the city. For more than 2 decades, its guiding light, Ekkehard Reimann, has coddled his guests with fine cuisine backed up by a well-stocked cellar. A Hannover food critic recently wrote, “For the inexperienced gourmet, a visit here is unforgettable.” We’d include experienced gourmets in that appraisal as well. Specials rely on the day’s shopping, as Chef Reimann believes in using the best seasonal ingredients available. Year after year, his cooking lives up to a superb standard, and his dishes are marked by intense flavors and precise techniques.

Weissekreuzstrasse 31. 0511/312447.www.clichy.de. Reservations required. Main courses 24€–30€; fixed-price menus 54€–66€. AE, MC. Mon–Fri noon–2:30pm; daily 6–11pm. Tram: 3 or 7.

Wichmann ★ GERMAN/FRENCH This family owned, white-walled, shuttered inn, with its slate walks and carefully tended flower beds, is worth the trip. The garden serves as a pleasant setting for dining in the summer months. The place is an oasis of comfort. Cooking is German gutbürgerlich—wholesome and hearty. Try specialties such as fish terrine, rack of lamb, homemade noodles, and wine and cheese from all over Germany. The place lies 4km (2 1/2 miles) south of central Hannover in the satellite town of Hannover-Döhren.

Hildesheimer Strasse 230, Hannover-Döhren. 0511/831671.www.gastwirtschaft-wichmann.de. Reservations required. Main courses 22€–35€. AE, MC, V. Daily noon–3pm and 6–11pm. Tram: 1 or 8.

Moderate

Altdeutsche Bierstube GERMAN With a decor that has changed little since its original construction around 1860, this old-fashioned Bierstube remains stable and solid, despite the monumental changes that have transformed the society around it. The unpretentious food is hearty, wholesome, and filling, with the regular fare augmented by seasonal specialties. Favorites include medallions of beef in a peppercorn sauce; and marinated pork cutlets with roasted onions, served with buttered beans and fried potatoes. Most dishes are priced at the lower end of the scale.

Köbelingerstrasse 1. 0511/344921.www.altdeutsche-bierstube.net. Reservations required. Main courses 8€–34€. AE, DC, MC, V. Mon–Fri 11:30am–3pm; Mon–Sat 6pm–1am. Closed holidays. U-Bahn: Lister Platz.

Steuerndieb ★ INTERNATIONAL In 1329, a stone-sided tower was erected about 1.5km (1 mile) east of central Hannover to guard the lumber produced in Eilenriede Forest. The tower’s name, Steuerndieb, translates from the archaic German as “Stop, thieves!” Around 1850 a rustic restaurant was built on the site, and it has been known ever since for hearty and flavorful food. Many of the specialties are cooked over an open fire, and the restaurant offers a locally inspired menu that, unlike those of many other restaurants, features game year-round. Two popular dishes are venison with red cabbage, dumplings, and black-cherry sauce; and rabbit with black-pepper sauce and red cabbage.

The establishment also has a modern wing containing seven simple, white-walled rooms, each with a private bathroom, TV, telephone, and view overlooking the forest. Doubles cost 80€, including a buffet breakfast.

Steuerndieb 1. 0511/909960.www.steuerndieb.de. Reservations not required. Main courses 16€–24€. AE, DC, MC, V. Mon–Sat 11am–3pm and 6–11pm; Sun 11am–3pm. Tram: 3 or 7.

Inexpensive

Brauhaus Ernst August HANNOVERIAN This is a beer-lover’s Valhalla, established both as a brewery and a restaurant 2 decades ago. It specializes in only one kind of brew, a Pils, with no preservatives added, priced at 3.20€ for a half-liter. At the on-site gift shop you can buy all sorts of items related to beer, including mugs and the evocative beer bottles with porcelain stoppers, which invading GIs in 1945 named “snap daddies.” Old-fashioned Hannoverian specialties are featured, and everything is tasty and filling, including a goulash that’s a meal in itself and a rich cream-of-potato soup. Wursts are the most popular items, although steaks, Schnitzels, spareribs, and chicken cutlets are also available. In spring, asparagus dishes dominate the menu. It’s customary to precede your beer drinking or eating with a bolting shot of Brauerschluck (Brewer’s Gulp), a lethal schnapps brewed on-site.

Schmiedstrasse 13. 0511/365950.www.brauhaus.net. Reservations not required. Main courses 10€–20€. V. Beer Sun–Thurs 8am–3am, Fri–Sat 8am–5am; warm food daily 11:30am–11pm.

Shopping

The oldest and largest flea market in Germany, the Flohmarkt, sprawls across Am Hohen Ufer (U-Bahn: Markthalle) every Saturday from 7am to 4pm. Stalls are set up along the banks of the Leine River. The city is hardly confined to flea markets, however. Hannover is one of the most fashion-conscious cities of the country, sometimes called “the Milan of Germany.” It is the home of stylish clothing, and Hannoverians are among the most fashionably dressed Germans.

Your first destination may be the glassed-over Galerie Luise, a multilevel shopping mall at the corner of Luisenstrasse and Rathenaustrasse (bus: 120), with upscale shops for clothing and home furnishings. Terner, Luisenstrasse 9 ( 0511/363931; tram: 5), has designer-inspired clothing for men, women, and children.

Nightlife & Entertainment

Hannover Vorschau, a monthly newspaper devoted exclusively to the city’s nightlife and cultural venues, is available at news kiosks and in the city’s hotels.

The Performing Arts The Nieder Sächsische Stadtstheater Hannover GmbH, Opernplatz 1 ( 0511/99991111;www.staatstheater-hannover.de; U-Bahn: Kröpcke), built between 1845 and 1852, is the region’s leading venue for ballet, concerts, and opera. Depending on the performance, tickets cost from 15€ to 65€ each. Less formal, with popular as well as classical offerings, is the N. D. R. Symphoniker, Rudolf Benigsen Ufer 22 ( 0511/9880; bus: 2 or 6), an ugly postwar building whose charm derives from what goes on inside. You can hear poetry readings, jazz and rock-’n’-roll concerts, and chamber orchestras. Tickets cost 15€ to 35€.

Bars Many of Hannover’s most appealing bars are Irish pubs. The biggest and best of the lot is MacGowan’s Irish Pub, Bruderstrasse 4 ( 0511/14589;www.irishpub-hannover.de; U-Bahn: Steintor or Hauptbahnhof). It’s open daily 5pm to 2am, and serves Guinness and Murphy’s on tap, along with sandwiches, fish and chips, and Irish stew. When Irish music bands are booked, a cover ranging from 8€ to 10€ is imposed.

Dance Clubs The best place for mainstream dance is Osho Disco, Raschplatz 7L ( 0511/6422785;www.osho-disco.de; U-Bahn: Hauptbahnhof), a longtime survivor of the club scene. It plays funk, house, and other dance music. It’s open Wednesday to Sunday 10pm to “whenever.” Cover is 4€ to 10€. One of its leading competitors is Palo Palo, Raschplatz 8A ( 0511/331073;www.palopalo-club.com; U-Bahn: Hauptbahnhof), where house, funk, blues, reggae, and Motown play every night 9:30pm until dawn, for a cover of 5€ to 8€.

Live Music An alternative venue, Café Glocksee, Glockseestrasse 35 ( 0511/1614712;www.cafe-glocksee.de; tram: 10), stages hard-core, punk, and techno shows. Thursday concerts start at 9pm. On Friday and Saturday, it’s disco mania 11pm to 7am and again on Wednesday 6pm to 2am. The cover charge ranges from 3€ to 15€.

Gay Clubs Schwul Sau, Schaufeldstrasse 30A ( 0511/7000525;www.schwulesauhannover.de; tram: 6), hosts dance parties, theater performances, and private parties, attended by a crowd of gay and straight arts-conscious patrons. It’s open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday 8pm to 3am; Saturday 9pm to at least 7am; and Sunday 3pm to 2am. Cover is 8€ to 15€ for parties or theater events, and 5€ for dancing. There’s no cover Tuesday, Wednesday, or Sunday.

A Casino The Spielbank, Osterstrasse 40 ( 0511/980660;www.spielbanken-niedersachsen.de; U-Bahn: Kröpcke), has an impressive roster of blackjack, roulette, and slot machines. It’s set within a modern building, with none of the Belle Epoque trappings or decorations you might have hoped for, and contains both a bar and a restaurant. Men are required to wear jackets and ties, and women are requested to dress appropriately. The casino is open daily 3pm to 3am. Admission costs 2.50€, and you must show your passport to enter (you must be 18 or older to enter and gamble).

Where to Stay

Crowne Plaza ★ This is one of the most imaginatively designed hotels in Hannover, with a lot more charm and atmosphere than other leading contenders. It sits on a quiet street in the central business district. Inside you’ll find illuminated Plexiglas columns and sweeping expanses of russet-colored marble. The hotel serves an affluent clientele, often including visiting celebrities. Rooms are spacious and elegantly furnished, all with immaculately kept bathrooms.

Hinuberstrasse 6, 30175 Hannover. www.ichotelsgroup.com. 0511/34950. Fax 0511/3495123. 201 units. 118€–201€ double; from 250€ suite. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 19€. Tram: 16. Amenities: 2 restaurants; bar; babysitting; bikes; concierge; exercise room; room service; spa. In room: A/C, TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (22€ per day).

Hotel Königshof am Funkturm ★ Both the skylights and the modernized crenellations on this hotel’s mansard roof make it look like an updated feudal fortress. The hotel was built in 1984 above a glass-and-steel shopping arcade in the town center. Each plushly carpeted room has a couch that converts to a bed. Only breakfast is served at the hotel, but there’s an Italian restaurant across the street.

Friesenstrasse 65, 30161 Hannover. www.koenigshof-hannover.de. 0511/33980. Fax 0511/3398111. 91 units. 79€–281€ double; 102€–338€ suite. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 7.50€. Bus: 20 or 39. Amenities: Restaurant; bar. In room: TV, minibar, Wi-Fi (9€ per day).

Kastens Hotel Luisenhof ★★ This is the leading hotel in town. Its stately glass-and-stone facade is just minutes from the Hauptbahnhof in the city center. A series of modernizations have enhanced comfort while maintaining conservative good taste. Rooms are spacious, stylishly furnished, and impeccably kept, all with neat bathrooms.

Luisenstrasse 1–3, 30159 Hannover. www.kastens-luisenhof.de. 0511/30440. Fax 0511/3044807. 145 units. 177€–427€ double; 590€–990€ suite. Children 11 and under stay free in parent’s room. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 12€. Tram: 16. Near the Hauptbahnhof. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; bikes; exercise room; Internet (free; in lobby); room service; sauna. In room: A/C (in some), TV, DVD (in suites), CD player (in some), hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (free).

Loccumer Hof Situated near the train station, this is one of Hannover’s best deals, a good, clean, and decent choice. The utilitarian rooms and bathrooms are small, with tub/shower combinations. Service and frills are minimal, but the beds are comfortable and the hotel is well maintained. There are six deluxe doubles and two suites dating from 2004 that are more spacious and better equipped than the standard doubles.

Kurt-Schumacher-Strasse 14–16, 30159 Hannover. www.loccumerhof.com. 0511/12640. Fax 0511/131192. 95 units. 139€–520€ double; 159€–590€ deluxe double; 169€–640€ suite. Higher rates during trade fairs. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 7.50€. Tram: 16. Near the Hauptbahnhof. Amenities: Restaurant; bar. In room: TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (free).

Bremen ★★

119km (74 miles) SW of Hamburg, 122km (76 miles) NW of Hannover

Bremen

Bremen, Germany’s oldest coastal city, is second only to Hamburg among German ports. As soon as you arrive at “this ancient town by the gray river,” you see how closely Bremen is tied to the sea. The sights and smells of coffee, cacao, tropical fruit, lumber, and tobacco give the city an international flavor.

Bremen grew from a little fishing settlement on a sandy slope of a river. It was already a significant port when it was made an Episcopal see in 787. In the 11th century, under the progressive influence of Archbishop Adalbert, Bremen became known as the “Rome of the North.” During the Middle Ages, it was one of the strongest members of the Hanseatic League, and in 1646 it became a free imperial city. It remains one of Europe’s most important ports.

Essentials

Getting There

By Plane The Bremen Flughafen ( 0421/55950;www.airport-bremen.de) lies only 3km (2 miles) southeast of the city center (take S-Bahn 5). It is used mainly as a commuter airport for flights within Germany.

By Train Bremen has excellent rail connections with leading German cities. Its Hauptbahnhof lies on major rail lines, including Hamburg-Bremen-Osnabrück-Münster and Hannover-Bremen-Bremerhaven. Thirty trains arrive daily from Hamburg (trip time: 1 hr.), 35 trains from Hannover (trip time: 1 hr.), 13 trains from Berlin (trip time: 5 hr.), and 50 trains from Frankfurt (trip time: 4 hr., 15 min.). For information call 01805/996633 (www.bahn.de).

By Bus Rail travel to Bremen is far more efficient, but the city does have some bus links to other towns. Call 0421/5596333 for information. The bus station is in front of the railway station.

By Car Access by car is via the A7 Autobahn east and west and the A27 north and south.

Visitor Information

Contact the Bremer Touristik Zentrale GmbH, Findorffstrasse 105 ( 0421/3080010;www.bremen-tourism.de). Hours are Monday to Friday 8:30am to 6pm and Saturday 9:30am to 1pm. There’s also a second branch at Liebfrauenkircher Hof, near Marktplatz, open Monday to Friday 10am to 6:30pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am to 4pm. There is yet another branch at the Main Railway Station, open Monday to Friday 9am to 7pm and Saturday and Sunday 9:30am to 6pm.

Getting Around

For information about public transportation within Bremen, call 01805/826826. The cost is .10€ per minute. A single ticket, good for one trip on the city’s network of buses and trams, costs 2.30€ to most destinations. For 7.60€, two adults and up to five children may ride all day on the network. The meter on local taxis begins at 2.50€.

Organized Tours

Bremen has both bus and walking tours of its historic sites. Bus tours, conducted in both German and English, depart from the Hauptbahnhof Tuesday to Sunday at 10:30am. They cost 18€ for adults and 12€ for children 11 and under. Walking tours depart every day at 2pm, last 2 hours, and cost 6.50€ or free for ages 11 and under. From April 14 to October 6, there is an additional walking tour conducted on Saturday at 11am. The combination of a morning bus tour with an afternoon walking tour offers a broadly comprehensive overview of Bremen. Tickets should be reserved in advance, then picked up at the tourist office (see “Visitor Information,” above).

The city also sponsors boat trips around the harbor. They depart from the jetty in front of the Martinikirche every day March to October. Tours depart at 11:45am, 1:30, and 3:15pm. From May to September there’s an additional tour at 10:30am. You can reach the jetty from Marktplatz by walking southwest along Böttcherstrasse for about 3 minutes. The cost is 14€ for adults and 9€ for children 13 and under. For more information, call the tourist office (see above) or Hal Över ( 0421/338989;www.hal-oever.de).

Exploring Bremen

The Top Attractions

The main sights center on Marktplatz ★★, the “parlor” of Bremen life for more than 1,000 years. The 9m (30-ft.) statue (ca. 1404) of the city’s protector, Roland, bears the “sword of justice” and a shield decorated with an imperial eagle. Local legend has it that as long as the statue stands in Marktplatz, Bremen will survive as a free city. During World War II, when this area was hard hit by Allied bombs, extensive measures were taken to protect the statue.

Across the square from the Rathaus stands an example of a happy merger of Gothic and Renaissance architecture, the Schötting, a 16th-century guildhall used by the chamber of commerce. Somewhat in contrast to these ancient masterpieces is the Haus der Bürgerschaft, home of Bremen’s Parliament. The 1966 structure was scaled down to fit in with its surroundings. Even though it’s a maze of glass, concrete, and steel, it doesn’t look entirely out of place.

Dom St. Petri (St. Peter’s Cathedral) ★★ CHURCH St. Peter’s, set back from the square, towers majestically over all other buildings in the Altstadt. Originally designed in 1043 as the archbishop’s church, it was rebuilt in the 13th, 16th, and 19th centuries. There’s a 12th-century bronze baptismal font in one of the Romanesque crypts. In the Bleikeller (Lead Cellar), there’s a bizarre collection of mummified corpses of workers who fell from the roof during the construction, along with several others who met with violent ends.

You can also visit the Dom Museum ( 0421/3650475), which displays artifacts found during the large-scale restoration of the Dom, including medieval tombs and 15th-century wall paintings. Other exhibits include the remains of an early Romanesque building and a collection of historic altar implements.

Sandstrasse 10–12. 0421/365040.www.stpetridom.de. Cathedral free; museum and tower 3€ adults, 1.70€ students, seniors, and children; lead cellar 1.40€ adults, 1€ children. Cathedral year-round Mon–Fri 10am–5pm; Sat 10am–2pm; Sun 2–5pm. Museum May–Oct Mon–Fri 10am–5pm, Sat 10am–1:30pm, Sun 2–5pm; Nov–Apr Mon–Fri 11am–4pm, Sat 10am–noon, Sun 2–5pm. Lead cellar and tower May–Oct Mon–Fri 10am–5pm; Sat 10am–noon (cellar also Sun 10am–noon). Museum, cellar, and tower closed May 1, Oct 3, Dec 24–25 and 31, and Good Friday. Bus: 24, 25, N3, or 56. Tram: 2, 3, 4, 5, 68, or N1.

Focke-Museum ★ MUSEUM This is one of the best regional museums in this area of Germany, and we particularly applaud the user-friendly way in which the various exhibitions are displayed. The glory days of Bremen as a maritime power in the Middle Ages and through the Renaissance era are evoked in the main gallery. For safekeeping, and because they were deteriorating in the weather, the original statues carved for the facade of the Rathaus are on display here, along with ecclesiastical art, secular art, and various objets d’art, much of it retrieved from town houses of the long-departed Bremen aristocracy. Lots of portraits of fat merchants also attest to the former prosperity of Bremen. In addition, you can wander back into history to the days of the conquering Romans. Although the Roman collection is the richest, there are artifacts from prehistoric times along with Saxon antiquities. Americans may be particularly interested in documents showing the massive transport of German emigrants to the U.S. on the steamers operated by the Norddeutscher Lloyd Shipline. In the park on the museum grounds is a typical thatched farmhouse once common to Lower Saxony.

Schwachhauser Heerstrasse 240. 0421/6996000.www.focke-museum.de. Admission 8€ adults, 6€ children 6–18, free for children 5 and under. Tues 10am–9pm; Wed–Sun 10am–5pm. S-Bahn: Focke Museum. Tram: 4 or 5.

Rathaus ★ GOVERNMENT BUILDING The 560-year-old Rathaus has seen several periods of transformation. Outside, at the west end, is one of the more recent additions: a sculpture of Bremen’s visitors from the land of Grimm—the Bremen town musicians. The donkey, dog, cat, and cock are stacked, pyramid style, in a constant pose for ever-present cameras. The original Gothic foundations of the Rathaus remain basically unchanged, but the upper section reflects the 17th-century Weser-Renaissance style in the facade; the tall windows alternate with relief statues of Charlemagne and the electors of the Holy Roman Empire. The upper hall, part of the original structure, contains a beautifully carved early-17th-century oak staircase. A mural of The Judgment of Solomon (1537) reminds us that the hall was originally a council chamber and courtroom. Below the lower hall lies the historic Ratskeller (see below).

Marktplatz. 0421/3610.www.rathaus-bremen.de. Admission 5€ adults, free for children 11 and under. For tours, inquire at the tourist office (see “Visitor Information,” earlier in this section). Tours generally begin Mon–Sat at 11am, noon, 3, and 4pm, and Sun 11am and noon. Tram: 1, 2, 3, or 5. Bus: 30, 31, or 34.

More Sights

One of Bremen’s biggest attractions, Böttcherstrasse ★ ( 0421/338820;www.boettcherstrasse.de; tram: 4), running from Marktplatz to the Weser River, is a brick-paved reproduction of a medieval alley, complete with shops, restaurants, a museum, and galleries. The street was designed to present a picture of Bremen life, past and present. It was the brainchild of a wealthy Bremen merchant, Ludwig Roselius, and was dedicated in 1926 and rebuilt after World War II. Try to visit around noon, 3, or 6pm, when the Meissen bells strung between two gables set up a chorus of chimes for a full 15 minutes. Besides fine handicraft and pottery shops, the street also contains buildings of historical significance.

Kunstsammlungen Böttcherstrasse ★, Böttcherstrasse 6–10 ( 0421/3365077; tram: 4), consists of two adjoining buildings. The Roselius Haus is a 16th-century merchant’s home with a collection of medieval objets d’art and furniture. Next door, the Paula-Becker-Modersohn Haus ( 0421/3365066;www.pmbm.de) is dedicated to Bremen’s outstanding painter (1876–1907) and contains many of her best works, including paintings, drawings, and prints. The two upper floors house works of the sculptor, painter, and architect Bernhard Hoetger (1874–1949). The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday 11am to 6pm. Admission is 5€ for adults and 3€ for children ages 7 to 16.

Schnoor (tram: 4, 5, or 6), the old quarter of Bremen, has undergone restoration. The cottages of this east-end district, once homes of simple fishermen, have been rented to artists and artisans in an effort to revive many old arts and crafts. Sightseers visit not only for the atmosphere but also for the unusual restaurants, shops, and art galleries.

Rampart Promenade

This walk, which the Germans call Wallanlagen ★ (tram: 4, 5, or 6), is a peaceful green park where the ramparts protecting this Hanseatic city used to stand. Its gardens divide the Altstadt from the newer extensions of the city. The park is just a few short blocks from Marktplatz, along the canal (once Bremen’s crown-shaped moat). Its major attraction is a still-functioning ancient windmill.

Where to Eat

As a seaport, Bremen has developed its own style of cooking, concentrating much of its effort, naturally, on seafood from Scandinavia and the North Sea.

Very Expensive

L’Orchidée im Bremer Ratskeller ★★★ FRENCH/MODERN GERMAN Year after year, this restaurant continues its run as Bremen’s best and most lauded. It’s operated by Hotel zur Post (see below), but enjoys a location at a different address in the old Bremer Rathaus. Veteran chefs watch over a well-trained kitchen crew, and the service is sophisticated and skillful. The dishes are simply delicious. Try the terrine of smoked eel and shrimp followed either by filet of turbot with lobster or breast of pigeon in a red-wine sauce. The desserts are made fresh daily, and the wine list is extensive.

Am Markt. 0421/3347927.www.lorchidee.de. Reservations required. Main courses 34€–38€. AE, MC, V. Tues–Sat 6:30–10pm. Closed 2 weeks at Easter, closed July–Aug. Tram: 1, 5, 6, or 10.

Expensive

Grashoff’s Bistro ★★ INTERNATIONAL This restaurant is well managed, charming, and concerned with quality and ambience. Its only real flaw is that the bistro caters to mobs of office workers and shoppers at lunchtime. Dinner is a quieter affair. You’ll get a distinct sense of the arts here and a few memories of Paris, thanks to dozens of framed pictures hung edge to edge across the cream-colored, bistro-inspired walls. Menu items include a succulent version of spaghetti with lobster; flank steak in a pepper sauce; an oft-changing roster of fresh fish; and desserts such as crème brûlée, fresh pastries, and tarts.

Contrescarpe 80. 0421/14749.www.grashoff. Reservations recommended. Main courses 22€–32€. AE, DC, MC, V. Mon–Fri noon–7:30pm; Sat noon–4pm. Tram: 4, 6, or 8.

Meierei im Burgerpark ★ CONTINENTAL This lovely restaurant, in the center of a city park, is managed by the Park Hotel (see below). Locals often combine a meal here with a promenade in the park. The restaurant occupies what was originally a local aristocrat’s summerhouse, sheathed in lacy gingerbread and ringed with ornate verandas. It contains an assortment of dining rooms furnished in Hanseatic style. Typical, and very good, dishes include fresh fish, consommé with scallops and saffron, fried breast of duck filled with herbs, sautéed squab with forest mushroom risotto, and medallions of monkfish with orange butter–and-basil sauce.

Im Burgerpark. 0421/3408619.www.meierei-bremen.de. Reservations required. Main courses 17€–23€. AE, DC, MC, V. Tues–Sun noon–2:30pm and 6:30–10pm. Tram: 8.

Moderate

Ratskeller ★ GERMAN/INTERNATIONAL This Ratskeller is one of Germany’s most celebrated—and certainly one of the best. It’s traditional for friends to gather in the evening over a good bottle of Mosel or Rhine wine (no beer is served). Appetizers include an assortment of smoked fish as well as creamy fish soup flavored with saffron; main courses often include fried pikeperch in a basil sauce and chicken ragout Bremen style (in a crayfish sauce with calves’ sweetbreads and tongues, mushrooms, sausages, and a vegetable risotto). The outstanding wine list is one of the longest lists of German vintages in the world. Some of the decorative kegs have contained wine for nearly 200 years. There’s also a less formal bistro, with a limited list of less expensive traditional dishes that include corned-beef hash and simple platters of fresh fish.

Am Markt. 0421/321676.www.ratskeller-bremen.de. Reservations recommended. Restaurant main courses 14€–30€; bistro main courses 12€–20€. AE, DC, MC, V. Restaurant daily noon–2:30pm and 7–10:30pm; bistro daily 11am–midnight. Tram: 1, 3, 5, 24, or 25. In the Rathaus.

Inexpensive

Alte Gilde GERMAN Alte Gilde is located in one of the most ornately decorated houses in Bremen. In spite of the new building surrounding it, the 17th-century structure, with its gilt gargoyles and sea serpents, clings tenaciously to the past. The restaurant is in the vaulted cellar. The chef prepares many fresh fish dishes, along with such specialties as braised calves’ livers, breast of chicken with a curry-flavored cream sauce, and pan-fried filet of pork with mushrooms. An especially good dish is rump steak Provençale with paprika, onions, tomatoes, and fresh mushrooms.

Ansgaritorstrasse 24. 0421/171712. Reservations recommended. Main courses 12€–23€. AE, DC, MC, V. Mon–Sat 11:30am–11pm. Tram: 2 or 3. Bus: 25, 26, or 27. Entrance on Obernstrasse.

Shopping

Bremen has thrived on business and commerce since it was founded. Today, you’ll find lots of shopping options along two streets, Obernstrasse and Sögestrasse, as well as dozens of boutique-inspired gift shops in the Schnoor. The city’s cutest stuffed teddy bears, available in all sizes and degrees of fuzziness, are sold at Bärenhaus, Stavendamm 9 ( 0421/3378419; tram: 4, 5, or 6), for prices that begin at 14€ for your garden-variety bear and can go much, much higher.

The best shop for women’s fashions is Roland Kleidung, Sögestrasse 18–20 ( 0421/4788570; tram: 4, 5, or 6), although the town’s largest department store, Karstadt, Obernstrasse 1 ( 0421/30710;www.karstadt.de; tram: 4, 5, or 6), also stocks an impressive selection of less expensive garments. Antiques, including some brass fixtures salvaged from old ships, are sold at Antikitäten B&M, Fedelhörn 19 ( 0421/328282; tram: 10).

Leder-Koopman, Postbrookstrasse 58 ( 0471/302829; tram: 4, 5, or 6), has been making quality wallets, belts, bags, and other leather products for 100 years. Visit their shop to admire a level of craftsmanship that has become a rare commodity, and chances are you won’t leave empty-handed. Bargain hunters swarm over the city’s riverfront flea markets. The Weserflohmarkt is held at the Schlactel and Weser promenade every Saturday 10am to 4pm.

Nightlife & Entertainment

Bremen nightlife offers a full range of activities. Many pubs and clubs, including those geared toward the gay community, are located in the Ostertorsteinweg district (tram: 10).

The Performing Arts Classical concerts, opera, and dance performances by visiting companies are held in the Theater am Goetheplatz complex, Am Goetheplatz 1–3 ( 0421/36530;www.theater-bremen.de; tram: 2 or 3). Call for a list of scheduled performers, ticket prices, and available seating. One of its stages, Schauspielhaus ( 0421/36530), houses a theatrical company that occasionally performs in English. Tickets are 15€ to 30€ during the September-to-June season. Opera and other musical performances are scheduled in the Musiktheater, Am Goetheplatz ( 0421/36530; tram: 2 or 3), where tickets are 12€ to 35€. Experimental theater and modern dance can be found in the Concordia, Schwachhauser Heerstrasse 3 ( 0421/9868966;www.concordia-bremen.de; tram: 1 or 4; bus: 25), where a seat costs 14€ to 25€. To attend productions of the Bremen Shakespeare Company, head for the Theater am Leibnitzplatz, Friedrich-Ebert-Strasse at Leibnitzplatz ( 0421/500333;www.shakespeare-company.com; tram: 6), where tickets are 11€ to 20€.

Bars An early evening bar, Achim’s Beck Haus, Carl-Ronning-Strasse 1 ( 0421/15555;www.beckshaus.de; tram: 4, 5, or 6), is a gathering place for drinks and simple pub fare. It’s open Monday to Thursday 10am to 11pm, Friday and Saturday 10am to 12:30am.

Casino Bremen’s centrally located casino, Casino Bremen, Boettcher Strasse 3 ( 0421/329000;www.westspiel.de; tram: 4, 6, or 8), contains roulette and blackjack tables. Admission is 2.50€, and a passport is required (you must be 18 years old to enter and gamble), as are jackets and ties for men. The casino is open daily 3pm to 3am.

Dance Clubs One of Bremen’s clubs-of-the-minute is Stubu Club, Rembertiring 21 ( 0421/326398;www.stubu.de). Open only Thursday to Saturday from 9:30pm to 3am, it offers high-energy dance music on its street level and a somewhat calmer, more contemplative ambience upstairs. Expect doses of house, punk rock, and garage music, and clients ranging in age from 23 to 50. The cover charge runs from 5€ to 10€. In winter, Modernes, Neustadtswall 28 ( 0421/505553;www.modernes.de; tram: 1, 4, 5, 6, or 8), is a movie house during the week, with dancing and live music on the weekend. The rest of the year, bands usually play from 7 to 11pm; afterward, it’s a dance club. The cover charge is 10€ when there’s just dancing; when there’s live music, it’s 15€ to 26€. Twice monthly, there’s a free show.

Gay Clubs Much of the gay nightlife in and around Bremen is diverted into the clubs of nearby Hamburg, but there are still a few good spots. A gay and lesbian bar of note (though it mostly caters to men) is Rat und Tat, Theodor-Körner-Strasse 1 ( 0421/700007;www.ratundtat-bremen.de; tram: 10).

Live Music For music in a bar setting, check out the band lineup at Aladdin’s, Hannoverschestrasse 11 ( 0421/435150;www.aladin-bremen.de; bus: 40), which also houses a two-room dance club and a bar with rock-’n’-roll memorabilia. It’s open Wednesday to Saturday 10pm to 7am; cover is 9€ to 15€. Moments, Vordem Stein Tor 64 ( 0421/7926633;www.club-moments.de; tram: 2, 3, or 10), hosts live rhythm and blues as well as jazz for a crowd of loyal regulars. Cover is 5€ to 8.50€. The place functions as a dance club on some nights; cover is then 7.50€. Moments is open Tuesday to Sunday from 8pm until dawn.

Variety Popular with children and adults, the ambitious puppet theater Theatrium, Wüste Stätte 11 ( 0421/326813;www.theatrium-puppentheater.de; tram: 2 or 3), produces entertaining interpretations of books, plays, and movies, ranging from classical works to Woody Allen. Tickets cost 7.50€ for adults, 5€ for children. In the same building, Theater im Schnoor ( 0421/326054;www.packhaustheater.de) presents cabaret and underground theater productions. Tickets are 16€ to 22€.

The German Emigration Center in Bremerhaven

In 2005, the first emigration museum opened in Europe, appropriately sited at Bremerhaven, where seven million people departed to the New World between 1830 and 1974. These various periods of mass exodus were not just to the United States but to Canada as well as South America and Australia. The Deutsches Auswandererhaus (German Emigration Center) lies at Columbusstrasse 65 ( 0471/902200;www.dah-bremerhaven.de). Since its opening, many emigrants, or their descendants, have visited the research facility in search of their roots. One of the most moving exhibits is of mannequins depicting emigrants as they gathered to board the ship that will carry them into “the unknown.” Motives for emigration included poverty, adventure, ambition, family quarrels, and, later, escape from the Nazis. Old photos reveal how the people lived in a self-contained village awaiting passage across the seas. Perhaps the most evocative of the exhibits are the old and battered suitcases in which the emigrants stuffed the few items they were taking from the old world to the new. Admission is 13€ for adults, 8.50€ for children 4 to 14. Bremerhaven is a 50-minute drive north of Bremen. Hours are March to October daily 10am to 6pm, November to February daily 10am to 5pm.

Where to Stay

Very Expensive

Park Hotel Bremen ★★★ This hotel is the most outstanding and charming in Bremen. It occupies an enviable site, in a park whose meandering lakes, exotic trees, and zoo are the pride of the city. It’s also just a short ride from the center of town. The hotel’s terra-cotta dome and evenly proportioned side wings were rebuilt in 1955 to emulate a turn-of-the-20th-century pleasure pavilion. Rooms are generally spacious and well appointed, with large windows overlooking the park.

Im Burgerpark, 28209 Bremen. www.park-hotel-bremen.de. 0421/34080. Fax 0421/3408602. 177 units. 195€–340€ double; from 345€ junior suite; from 585€ suite. AE, DC, MC, V. Free parking in front of the hotel; 20€ in the garage. Tram: 5 or 6. Bus: 26. Amenities: 2 restaurants; bar; babysitting; bikes; concierge; exercise room; outdoor heated pool; room service; spa. In room: A/C (in some), TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (22€ per day).

Expensive

Hilton Bremen ★★ At long last the city of Bremen has a Hilton. Even so, it’s not as glamorous or as luxurious as the Park Hotel (see above), but the local Hilton is a modernized, tasteful bastion of comfort, ideal for both the commercial traveler and the vacationer. The Hilton stands on the historic Böttcherstrasse, near the Weser River, a block from the shopping district and within an easy walk of many of the major sights.

Bedrooms are spacious and decorated in cool, soothing pastels. Furnishings are in a stylish modern setting with tiled bathrooms, and accommodations range from standard to deluxe, with the junior suites being among the best units in town, complete with a separate working and seating area.

Böttcherstrasse 2, 28195 Bremen. www.hilton.com. 0421/36960. Fax 0421/3696960. 235 units. 145€–191€ double; 215€–270€ junior suite. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 20€. Tram: 1, 2, or 3. Amenities: 2 restaurants; bar; babysitting; bikes; concierge; exercise room; indoor heated pool; room service; sauna. In room: A/C, TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (22€ per day).

Star Inn Columbus This hotel offers attractive and tasteful rooms, all with private, well-maintained bathrooms. An elegant recent renovation has set a higher standard for this hotel, putting it on the same footing as Munte am Stadtwald or Hotel zur Post (see both below).

Bahnhofsplatz 5–7, 28195 Bremen. www.starinnhotels.com/de/bremen-columbus. 0421/30120. Fax 0421/3012123. 148 units. 79€ double; from 109€ suite. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 11€. Tram: 1, 5, 6, or 10. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; babysitting; exercise room; room service; sauna. In room: TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (22€ per day).

Moderate

Best Western Wellness Hotel zur Post ★ Hotel zur Post offers top-notch facilities and comfort, as well as Bremen’s leading restaurant. Rooms are first-rate and slightly larger than average. All units contain tidily kept bathrooms with tub/shower combinations. Its proximity to the Hauptbahnhof makes it an ideal choice for train passengers.

Bahnhofsplatz 11, 28195 Bremen. www.bestwestern.com. 800/780-7234 in the U.S. and Canada, or 0421/30590. Fax 0421/3059591. 177 units. 148€–178€ double; from 245€ suite. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 12€. Tram: 1, 5, 6, or 10. Amenities: 3 restaurants; 2 bars; babysitting; exercise room; indoor heated pool; room service; spa. In room: TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (free).

Hotel Munte am Stadtwald ★ You’ll think you’re in the country at this brick hotel because it fronts directly on one of Bremen’s biggest parks. The handsome rooms range from medium to spacious; all contain neatly kept bathrooms. The public rooms are inviting and comfortable, often filled with greenery to make them more homelike. The hotel is bright and friendly, with a helpful staff. For such a reasonably priced hotel, the swimming pool, sauna, steam bath, and solarium come as added luxuries.

Parkallee 299, 28213 Bremen. www.hotel-munte.de. 0421/22020. Fax 0421/2202609. 134 units. 127€–170€ double; 181€–246€ suite. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Free outdoor parking; 8€ in garage. Bus: 22 or 23. In the Burgerpark, about 2.5km (1 1/2 miles) from the center. Amenities: 2 restaurants; bar; bikes; indoor heated pool; room service; sauna. In room: TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (5€ per hour).

Residence Residence advertises itself as an Art Deco hotel. The elegant public areas have high ceilings with polished crisscrossed timbers and chandeliers. Rooms are comfortably furnished but small, all equipped with bathrooms containing tub/shower combinations.

Hohenlohestrasse 42, 28209 Bremen. www.hotelresidence.de. 0421/348710. Fax 0421/342322. 37 units. 94€–145€ double. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Free outdoor parking; 9€ in garage. Tram: 4, 5, 6, or 10. Amenities: Bar; room service; sauna. In room: TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (4€ per hour).

Inexpensive

Best Western Hotel Schaper-Siedenburg Near the train station, this hotel is short on style but big on comfort and maintenance—all at an affordable price. It’s in a commercial section of town with a lot of noise and traffic, but rooms on the inner side of the atrium are fairly peaceful. Rooms are in a minimalist style with modern furniture and small tiled bathrooms with showers or tubs. The marketplace and the historic sections of the Altstadt (Old Town) are an easy walk away.

Bahnhofstrasse 8, 28195 Bremen. www.schaper-siedenburg.de. 800/780-7234 in the U.S. and Canada, or 0421/30870. Fax 0421/308788. 88 units. 106€–120€ double; 120€–158€ apt. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 10€. Amenities: Restaurant; bikes; room service. In room: TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (free).

Hotel Buthman This is an old but restored Bürger house on a tranquil side street within an easy walk of both the rail station and the Altstadt. For nearly half a century, the helpful Buthman family has operated this inn. Many frugally minded locals from the countryside, in Bremen on business or vacation, guard this as a cherished address kind to their pocketbooks. The rooms are cozy and midsize, each with traditional furnishings and a small bathroom with shower. We prefer no. 5 on the upper floor, with its high ceiling and its snugness away from the bustle of the city.

Löningstrasse 29, 28195 Bremen. www.hotel-buthmann.de. 0421/326397. Fax 0421/3398816. 10 units. 75€–100€ double. MC, V. Parking 6€. Bus: Any to Town Center. In room: TV, Wi-Fi (free).

Lüneburg ★★

124km (77 miles) NE of Hannover, 132km (82 miles) E of Bremen, 55km (34 miles) SE of Hamburg

Motorists driving south from Scandinavia through the Baltic port of Lübeck often find themselves on the Old Salt Road leading to the Hanseatic city of Lüneburg. This was the route over which the “white gold” of Lüneburg’s salt mines was transported to the Scandinavian countries during the Middle Ages. Because of its heavy salt deposits, Lüneburg became a spa, which it still is today. In the Kurpark is a bathing house where visitors can take brine mud baths. In the spa gardens, there are indoor swimming pools, sauna baths, and tennis courts.

Lüneburg is also the ideal starting point for excursions into the Lüneburg Heath, especially beautiful in late summer when the heather is in bloom.

Essentials

Getting There

By Train The Lüneburg Bahnhof ( 01805/996633;www.bahn.de) lies on two major rail lines, the Hamburg-Hannover line and the Lüneburg-Lübeck-Kiel-Flensburg line, with frequent connections.

By Bus Long-distance bus service into Lüneburg is provided by KVG GmbH ( 04131/405303;www.kvg-reisen.com). The bus station is in front of the railway station.

By Car Access is via B4 from Hamburg.

Visitor Information

Lüneburg Tourist Information is in the Rathaus, Am Markt 1 ( 04131/2076620;www.lueneburg.de). It’s open Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm, Saturday and Sunday 9am to 4pm (closed Sat–Sun Dec–Feb).

Exploring Lüneburg

Although the buildings in this 1,000-year-old city are largely from its most prosperous period, the 15th and 16th centuries, a total of 7 centuries of architecture are represented. The Rathaus ★★, Am Markt 1, reached along Auf der Meere, is a perfect example of several trends in architecture and design. You enter through a Gothic doorway into a Renaissance hall. The Great Council Room is the building’s most outstanding feature, with sculptures and bas-reliefs by Albert von Soest (1566–84). Daily guided tours are conducted all year at 10 and 11:30am, and 1, 2:30, and 3:30pm. The cost is 5€ for adults and 4€ for students and children. For information, call 04131/309230.

To understand Lüneburg’s role as “the Salt City,” visit the Deutsches Salzmuseum, Sülfmeisterstrasse 1 ( 04131/45065;www.salzmuseum.de). Inside, a series of exhibits explore life in the Middle Ages and the role of salt in the region’s economy and culture. Admission is 6€ for adults, 5€ for students and children, and 19€ for a family ticket. The museum is open May to September Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am to 5pm; daily hours off season are 10am to 5pm. Tours are Monday to Friday at 11am, 12:30, and 3pm, and Saturday and Sunday 11:30am and 3pm.

The Lüneburg heath ★

The Lüneburger Heide (Lüneburg Heath) is one of the major attractions of northern Germany. The heath covers nearly 775 sq. km (300 sq. miles) and includes many beautiful spots. The sandy soil is mainly covered with brush and heather, although there are a few oak and beech forests in the northern valleys. Toward late summer, the flowering heath turns from green to purple; August and September are the most beautiful months. The best way to approach the heath is via the old town of Lüneburg, the area’s transportation hub.

You’ll find dramatic, wind-swept, and bleakly evocative scenery in the Naturschützpark Lüneburger Heide ★★, a 260-sq.-km (100-sq.-mile) sanctuary for plants and wildlife. Its highest point is the Wilsederberg, a low-lying peak only 168m (550 ft.) above sea level, accessible via a network of footpaths from the hamlet of Wilsede. This reserve, in the center of the heath, is a peaceful, pastoral scene of shepherds, sheep, and undulating hills. Strict laws enforce the maintenance of the thatch-roofed houses and rural atmosphere. One of the park’s most charming hamlets is Undeloh, which has a good hotel, the Heiderose, Gästehaus Heideschmiede, Wilseder Strasse 29 (www.hotel-heiderose.de; 04189/311), renting doubles for 94€ to 100€, including breakfast. Also, a number of villages—listed on only the most detailed of maps—post zimmer frei (ROOM FOR RENT) signs. These accommodations may be on a heath farm or even a horse farm.

For information, contact Fremdenverkehrsverbund Lüneburger Heide e.V., Barkhausenstrasse 35, Lüneburg ( 04131/73730), the park’s administrative headquarters, which can furnish maps and information on horseback riding and cycling; it’s open Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm. To reach the park from Lüneburg, drive 35km (22 miles) west, following the signs to Salzhausen. After you cross the bridge over the A7 Autobahn, follow the brown-and-white signs to the park. The tourist office (see above) compiles a list every summer of places where you can rent a bike.

Where to Eat

Ratskeller GERMAN/CONTINENTAL The Ratskeller serves satisfying but unspectacular meals in a town not known for its restaurants. The varied menu includes game and regional specialties, according to the season. You can always count on good home-style cooking in a pleasant setting, backed up by a fine wine list. Parts of the decor date from 1328.

Am Markt 1. 04131/31757.www.zum-ratskeller.de. Reservations recommended. Main courses 12€–24€. AE, MC, V. Thurs–Tues 11am–10pm. Closed Jan 6–20. Bus: 3. On the Market Sq.

Zum Heidkrug ★★★ CONTINENTAL Set within a stone-sided antique building (ca. 1470) in Lüneburg’s historic core, this is the best-recommended and most sought-after dining option in town. Within a contemporary dining room with vaguely medieval touches, you’ll order from the most creative menu in town. Items are sumptuous and change frequently, according to the inspiration of Chef/owner Michael Röhm. Expect dishes that include, for example, a medley of cheeses from small farms along the north coast of Germany; strips of roasted suckling pig with wild mushrooms; grilled monkfish with tahini and grilled zucchini with curried soup; or roasted saddle of lamb with tomatoes, white garlic crust, onion jam, and gnocchi. The restaurant maintains seven comfortably appointed bedrooms upstairs, each priced at 88€ to 110€ for two occupants, with breakfast included.

Am Berge 5. 04131/24160.www.zumheidkrug.de. Reservations required. Main courses 26€–28€. AE, MC, V. Wed–Sat noon–2pm and 6–9:30pm.

Shopping

The heath area is known for its craftspeople. Some of the best local arts and crafts are on sale at the tourist office (see above). The town’s largest department store is Karstadt, Grosse Bäckerstrasse 31 ( 04131/3040;www.karstadt.de). The main shopping streets are Bäckerstrasse and Grapengiesserstrasse, both lying in pedestrian zones.

Nightlife & Entertainment

Students make this a rowdier place with a later nightlife than most other small towns. Bars are located along the river on Am Stintmarkt. The most popular place for drinking and dancing is Garage, Auf der Hude 72 ( 04131/35879;www.discothek-garage.de). DJs play varied styles of popular music on Friday and Saturday from 10pm to around 4am. It has a cover charge ranging from 6€ to 10€.

Another important nightlife area is the Schroederstrasse, which is lined chockablock with bars and Nacht-cafés (night cafes), some of which provide live music. Locals like to duck in and out of as many bars as possible along this street during the course of an evening.

Where to Stay

Bremer Hof The logo of this hotel is an illustration of the animal musicians of Bremen, who, with their noise, frightened away robbers. The facade looks like something out of the 16th century. Rooms are modern and sunny, but a bit small. A 400-year-old wine cellar is open on weekends.

Lünestrasse 12–13, 21335 Lüneburg. www.bremer-hof.de. 04131/2240. Fax 04131/224224. 53 units. 93€–135€ double. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 5€. Bus: 3. A 2-min. walk from Marktplatz. Amenities: Restaurant; room service. In room: TV, hair dryer, Wi-Fi (free).

Hotel Bargenturm This three-story hotel at the edge of Lüneburg’s historic center is one of the most modern in town. Its concrete walls and large expanses of glass make no concessions to the antique architecture of other parts of the city. Rooms are decorated with a no-nonsense, comfortable modernity. The staff is multilingual and efficient.

St. Lambertiplatz, 21335 Lüneburg. www.hotel-bargenturm.de. 04131/7290. Fax 04131/729499. 40 units. 119€–129€ double; 149€–159€ junior suite. DC, MC, V. Parking 7.50€. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; room service; sauna. In room: TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (free).

Hotel Berggström ★★★ One of the best hotels in northern Germany, this charming pocket of posh lies on the river. Instead of checking in, you may want to move in. Our favorite spot here is the terrace opening onto a view of the Märchentürm (fairy-tale tower), enjoying light Mediterranean dishes from the on-site Marina Café. Later you can retreat to the Piano Bar for entertainment and drinks. The hotel is convenient to all the attractions of town and lies only a 5-minute walk from the rail station.

Each of the spacious and well-furnished bedrooms comes with a state-of-the-art bathroom. Furnishings are in a tasteful modern style with a range of antique reproductions.

Bei der lüner Mühle, 21335 Lüneburg. www.bergstroem.de. 04131/3080. Fax 04131/308499. 125 units. 144€–186€ double; 213€ junior suite; 243€ suite. Children 15 and under stay free in parent’s room. AE, V. Parking 9€. Amenities: Restaurant; 2 bars; babysitting; exercise room; indoor heated pool; room service; sauna. In room: A/C, TV, minibar, Wi-Fi (in some; free).

Celle ★★

45km (28 miles) NE of Hannover, 111km (69 miles) SE of Bremen, 117km (73 miles) S of Hamburg

The well-preserved town of Celle stands at the edge of a silent expanse of moorland, looking like something out of a picture book. Its ancient half-timbered houses were untouched by the war. Look for the wooden beams on the facades of the houses, which are often engraved with biblical quotations. Most of the houses date from the 16th and 17th centuries—the oldest was built in 1526—but they’re in such good condition that they could have been constructed in the 1900s.

Essentials

Getting There By Train Celle Hauptbahnhof is on the Hamburg-Hannover rail line, with frequent connections to major German cities. Forty trains arrive daily from Hannover (trip time: 20–30 min.), and the same number pull in from Hamburg (trip time: 1 hr., 10 min. to 1 1/2 hr.). For information call 01805/996633 (www.bahn.de).

By Car Access by car is via the A7 Autobahn north and south, or Rte. 214.

Visitor Information Contact the Verkehrsverein, Markt 14–16 ( 05141/1212;www.region-celle.de), open October to April Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, Saturday 10am to 1pm; May to September hours are Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm, Saturday 10am to 4pm, and Sunday 11am to 2pm.

Exploring Celle

Bomann Museum MUSEUM For a picture of 16th- to 20th-century everyday life in Celle and the surrounding countryside, visit this fine regional museum. Included is a complete 16th-century farmhouse, as well as rooms from old cottages, period costumes, and Hannoverian uniforms from 1803 to 1866. In the portrait gallery of the Brunswick-Lüneburg dukes, you can see pictures of the electors, later kings of England and Hannover.

Schlossplatz 7. 05141/12372.www.bomann-museum.de. Admission 5€ adults, 3€ children, 8€ family ticket. Tues–Sun 10am–5pm. Bus: 2, 3, or 4.

Herzogschloss HISTORIC BUILDING One of the landmarks of the town, the Herzogschloss is a square Renaissance castle, with a tower at each corner, surrounded by a moat. It once was the palace of the dukes of Brunswick and Lüneburg. The palace’s bizarre 16th-century chapel was designed by Martin de Vos, with galleries and elaborate ornamentation. The pride of the castle, and of the town, is its baroque theater, the oldest still in regular use today—it dates from 1674. Call the tourist office (see “Visitor Information,” above) to arrange for a tour given by an English-speaking guide.

West of the Altstadt. 05141/12373.www.schloss-celle.de. Admission 5€ adults, 3€ children. Tours Apr–Oct Tues–Sun on the hour noon–4pm; Nov–Mar Tues–Sun 11am and 3pm. Bus: 2, 3, or 4.

Where to Eat

Historischer Ratskeller ★ GERMAN Historischer Ratskeller is plusher than the typical beer hall and has better food. It occupies a historic site within the 14th-century walls of the town hall. Attentive waiters are constantly passing by, carrying silver platters heaped with spicy, flavorful German dishes, such as a carpaccio of salmon and sole flavored with fresh lemon and black pepper, or an especially good filet of pork tenderloin with fresh asparagus and other vegetables. Another specialty is a tender Argentine roast beef with fresh mushrooms and grilled tomatoes.

Markt 14. 05141/29099.www.ratskeller-celle.de. Reservations recommended. Main courses 14€–24€. AE, MC, V. Mon–Sat 11:30am–2:30pm and 5:30pm–midnight; Sun 11:30am–2:30pm. Bus: 3, 5, or 10.

Restaurant Endtenfang ★★★ FRENCH/GERMAN Celle’s most prestigious and stylish restaurant occupies an appealingly old-fashioned dining room on the street level of the Fürstenhof Celle (see below). Service is efficient, helpful, and friendly. The menu focuses on game dishes, including two succulent versions of duck. (The word Endtenfang, from an old regional dialect, means “the hunting reserve for duck shooting.”) Traditional accompaniments include a pepper-cream sauce, cabbage roulade, a potato-and-pear gratin, and fresh mushrooms, along with slices of red apples. Main dishes are quite creative, including saddle of lamb from the Pyrenees in a lemon crust flavored with anise licorice jus, or else sea bass seasoned with Amalfi lemons and capers. Atlantic cod appears with a basil and olive oil emulsion served with an onion ravioli.

In the Fürstenhof Celle, Hannoverschestrasse 55. 05141/2010. Reservations recommended. Main courses 29€–44€; fixed-price menus 4-course 75€, 5-course 89€, 7-course 105€. AE, DC, MC, V. Tues–Sat noon–2pm and 6:30–10pm.

Ringhotel Celler Tor GERMAN/INTERNATIONAL The Celler Tor is a cliché of German charm, with its gabled red-tile roof and banks of geraniums. When local residents want to celebrate a special occasion, they head here, knowing they can get a great selection of gutbürgerlich fare—that is, food fondly remembered from childhood. In season, that means wild game, such as ragout of stag with mushrooms. But the chefs also excel in preparing more modern dishes, including medallions of anglerfish in an herby crust with a paprika mousse and wild rice. Another tasty dish is the filet of roast salmon with an orange-butter sauce.

The Celler Tor also rents 73 good rooms. A double costs 125€ to 245€, including buffet breakfast; eight suites are also available, at 170€ to 265€ each. Facilities include two indoor heated pools, a workout room, a sauna, a solarium, and massage facilities.

Scheuener Strasse 2. 05141/5900. Fax 05141/590490. www.celler-tor.de. Reservations recommended. Main courses 17€–25€. AE, DC, MC, V. Daily noon–3pm and 6–10pm. Bus: 8. About 3km (2 miles) outside town.

Where to Stay

Fürstenhof Celle ★★ This hotel, quite sophisticated for such a provincial town, is by far the best in Celle. It’s a small-scale 17th-century manor house flanked by timbered wings. A towering chestnut tree shades the brick courtyard in front of the salmon-colored mansion. We prefer the comfort and style of the older rooms in the main house to the more modern rooms in an annex beyond the rear courtyard. Rooms range from medium to spacious, and all have bathrooms.

Hannoverschestrasse 55, 29221 Celle. www.fuerstenhof.de. 05141/2010. Fax 05141/201120. 73 units. 185€–255€ double; 250€–340€ suite. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 14€. Bus: 3, 5, or 10. At the edge of town. Amenities: 3 restaurants; bar; babysitting; bikes; exercise room; indoor heated pool; room service; sauna. In room: TV, CD player (in some), hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (in some; free).

Hotel Celler Hof ★ Celler Hof stands on the street where jousting tournaments were once held. The old-world 1890 architecture of the hotel and its neighboring half-timbered houses renders the interior furnishings incongruously modern, though they are quite pleasing. Rooms, ranging from medium to spacious, have neatly kept bathrooms. Many have a view of the castle. No dinner is served.

Stechbahn 11, 29221 Celle. www.cellerhof.de. 05141/911960. Fax 05141/9119644. 47 units. 103€ double. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 13€. Bus: 3, 5, or 10. Amenities: Breakfast room; bar; babysitting; exercise room; sauna. In room: TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (free).

Hotel Schifferkrug This is an old-time favorite. The brick-and-timber walls of this comfortable hotel have witnessed more than 3 centuries of innkeeping. The small- to medium-size rooms have lace curtains and eiderdowns. All units have neatly kept bathrooms.

Speicherstrasse 9, 29221 Celle. www.schifferkrug-celle.de. 05141/374776. Fax 05141/3747788. 12 units. 110€ double. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, MC, V. Free parking. Bus: 3, 5, or 10. Amenities: Restaurant; bar. In room: TV, Wi-Fi (in some; free).

Goslar ★★

90km (56 miles) SE of Hannover, 43km (27 miles) S of Braunschweig, 60km (37 miles) SE of Hildesheim

In spite of Goslar’s growth, the old portion of the town looks just as it did hundreds of years ago. This ancient Hanseatic and imperial town at the foot of the Harz Mountains owed its early prosperity to the Harz silver mines, which were worked as early as 968. The 600-year-old streets are still in use today, as are the carved, half-timbered houses.

For hikers and other outdoor enthusiasts, Goslar is a good starting point for day trips and excursions into the Harz Mountains ★★, where some of the area’s best ski resorts and several spas are found. Bus tours into the Harz Mountains can be booked at the tourist office (see below).

The legends and folklore associated with the Harz Mountains are perhaps more intriguing than the mountains themselves. Walpurgis Eve (the famous Witches’ Sabbath) is still celebrated each year on the night of April 30. The mountain on which the witches supposedly danced in olden times was the Brocken, whose granite top has been flattened by erosion. The area around the Brocken is now a national park.

Essentials

Getting There

By Plane The nearest major airport is in Hannover.

By Train The Goslar Bahnhof is on the Hannover-Hildesheim-Goslar-Bad Harzburg rail line, with frequent connections. It takes about 1 1/2 hours to get to Goslar from Hannover. For information, call 01805/996633 (www.bahn.de).

By Bus Long-distance bus service to Goslar is available through Reisebüro Bokelmann, Marktkirchhof 1 ( 05321/381990). Regional bus service to all parts of the city and nearby towns is offered by Regionalbus Braunschweig GmbH, Hildesheimer Strasse 53 ( 05321/34310;www.rbb-bus.de).

By Car Access is via the A7 Autobahn north and south; exit at either Seesen or Rüden.

Visitor Information

Contact the Kur- und Fremdenverkehrs-Gesellschaft, Markt 7 ( 05321/78060;www.goslar.de), open November to April Monday to Friday 9:15am to 5pm and Saturday 9:30am to 2pm; and May to October Monday to Friday 9:15am to 6pm, Saturday 9:30am to 4pm, and Sunday 9:30am to 2pm.

Exploring Goslar

To explore this 1,000-year-old town, park your car, put on a pair of comfortable shoes, and set out on foot through the Altstadt ★★★, which has more than 1,000 half-timbered buildings from the 15th to the 18th century. The impressive Rathaus ★ was built in 1450. The portico, with Gothic cross-vaulting, opening on to the Marktplatz, was used by merchants for centuries. Above this is the citizens’ meeting hall and the councilmen’s meeting chamber, lavishly decorated in the early 1300s with a cycle of 55 paintings depicting biblical and heathen iconography and believed to incorporate the zinc miners returning home from the Rammelsberg mines.

Marktplatz ★, in front of the Rathaus, was for a long time the town’s hub of activity. In the center of the large square is a 13th-century fountain with two bronze basins and the German imperial eagle at the top. Many visitors think seeing the Glockenspiel perform is the highlight of their visit. Every day at noon, 3, and 6pm (there’s a smaller version of the spectacle at 9am), a procession of mechanized miners, representing the silver trade of long ago, traipses out of the innards of the clock tower.

The churches of Goslar provide a look into the architectural history of the area. Many of the oldest—five had already been built by 1200—have been expanded and altered from their original Romanesque style to their current Gothic appearance. The Romanesque Marktkirche, just behind the Rathaus, has 700-year-old stained-glass windows and a 16th-century bronze baptismal font. From Marktplatz, take Rosentorstrasse north to reach the 11th-century Jakobikirche, later transformed into a Gothic masterpiece, complete with baroque altars. The church contains a Pietà by Hans Witten (1520). Farther down the street, the Neuwerkkirche, in a garden, has retained its purely Romanesque basilica, and its well-preserved sanctuary contains a richly decorated choir and stucco reliefs. It was originally constructed as a Cistercian convent in the late 1100s.

The 12th-century Frankenberg Kirche, on Bergstrasse, was completely remodeled in the 1700s. Over the elaborate baroque pulpit and altars hangs the intricately carved Nun’s Choir Gallery, bedecked with gilded saints and symbols.

One of the reminders that Goslar was once a free imperial and Hanseatic city is the Breites Tor (Broad Gate), a three-towered town gate with walls up to 4m (13 ft.) thick. From here, you can follow the old town fortifications to the Kaiserpfalz, Kaiserbleek 6 ( 05321/3119693), a Romanesque palace that was the ruling seat of the emperors in the 11th and 12th centuries. You can view the 19th-century murals that cover its walls and visit the Ulrichskapelle, where the heart of Heinrich III was placed inside a large sarcophagus. The site is open April to October daily 10am to 5pm, and November to March daily 10am to 4pm. Admission is 4.50€ for adults and 2.50€ for children.

For a quick overview of Goslar’s history, visit the Goslarer Museum, at the corner of Abzuchstrasse and Königstrasse 1 ( 05321/43394), which has displays of the architecture of the early town and several relics of the past. The museum also contains a large geological collection from the Harz Mountains. It’s open April to October Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 5pm, and November to March Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 4pm. Admission is 4€ for adults and 2€ for children.

Into the Depths of an Ancient Mine

Just outside Goslar, about 1.5km (1 mile) south of the town center (follow the signs), you can explore an ancient mine. As early as the 3rd century A.D., lead, zinc, copper, silver, tin, and a little gold were being mined here. The Weltkulturerbe Rammelsberg, Bergtal 19 ( 05321/7500;www.rammelsberg.de), conducts guided tours at hourly intervals, on foot or on a small underground train. The museum is open daily 9am to 6pm (closed Dec 24 and 31). Walking tours cost 12€ for adults and 7€ for children. Prices include a ride on the underground train. For more information, call either the museum or the tourist office in Goslar ( 05321/78060).

Where to Eat

Die Worth ★ NORTH GERMAN This is the most rustic and most attractive dining room in Goslar. The restaurant is in a Gothic stone crypt with vaulted ceiling and arches, stained-glass windows, wrought-iron lanterns, and trestle tables. The food is good and the portions are hearty, although all the recipes are very familiar. In season, roast game is featured with wild mushrooms, mashed apples, and berries. Rump steak is always an excellent choice, as is the more unusual Harzer Blaubeer Schmandschnitzel, a local recipe that combines pork Schnitzel with blueberry-flavored cream sauce.

In the Kaiserworth, Markt 3. 05321/7090.www.kaiserworth.de. Main courses 11€–32€. AE, DC, MC, V. Daily breakfast 6–11am, lunch 11:30am–2pm, coffee and cake 2:30–5pm, dinner 5:30–11pm. Bus: A or B.

Where to Stay

Goldene Krone This 300-year-old village inn has enjoyed a long history of providing a good and decent shelter for some of the most illustrious visitors to Goslar. If you enjoy local color, this is a real find. Rooms are small and simple but homelike and clean, with bathrooms containing tub/shower combos; they’re a great value for the price.

Breitestrasse 46, 38640 Goslar. www.goldene-krone-goslar.de. 05321/34490. Fax 05321/344950. 17 units. 85€–120€ double. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Free parking. Bus: A or B. Near the Breites Tor. Amenities: Bar. In room: TV, hair dryer.

Hotel Der Achtermann ★ This hotel is a bustling but somewhat dowdy government-rated three-star hotel whose extras rival those of four-star hotels nearby. Just after World War II, one of the round-sided 500-year-old watchtowers in the city’s wraparound fortifications was enlarged with a white-sided extension, thereby creating an intriguing but rather cumbersome-looking amalgam of old and new architecture. Rooms are well furnished and comfortable, except for a few that are a bit too small (most, however, are spacious).

Rosentorstrasse 20, 38640 Goslar. www.der-achtermann.de. 05321/70000. Fax 05321/7000999. 152 units. 104€–154€ double; 200€–280€ suite. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 9€. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; bikes; exercise room; indoor heated pool; room service; spa. In room: TV, DVD (in some), hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (8€ per hour).

Kaiserworth ★★ The Kaiserworth is a big, old-fashioned hotel, right in the heart of town. The building dates from 1494 and is itself a sightseeing attraction. The exterior is Gothic, with an arched arcade across the front, topped by a turreted oriel window facing Marktplatz. The large rooms are designed for comfort; the corner rooms are big enough to be suites. All rooms contain tub/shower combos. Room nos. 102, 106, 110, 202, and 206 have the best views of the nearby Glockenspiel.

Markt 3, 38640 Goslar. www.kaiserworth.de. 05321/7090. Fax 05321/709345. 66 units. 122€–185€ double; 210€ suite. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 8€. Bus: A or B. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; room service. In room: TV, hair dryer, Wi-Fi (free).

Göttingen

132km (82 miles) S of Hannover, 47km (29 miles) NE of Kassel, 109km (68 miles) SW of Braunschweig

Heinrich Heine described the Gothic town of Göttingen as “famed for its sausages and university.” The latter is one of the oldest and most respected in Germany and, in time, Göttingen became the most popular university town in Europe. The university was established in 1737 by George II, king of England and elector of Hannover.

Medieval romanticism and lively student life make Göttingen worth a day’s visit. By making a slight detour, you can explore the town before dipping into the fairy-tale country of the upper Weser Valley. Göttingen is halfway between Bonn and Berlin.

Essentials

Getting There

By Train Göttingen has frequent daily rail connections from Munich (trip time: 6 hr.), Frankfurt (2 1/2 hr.), and Hannover (1 hr.). It lies on the major Kassel-Bebra-Göttingen-Hannover line, with frequent connections in all directions. For information, call 01805/996633 (www.bahn.de).

By Bus Regional bus service with other parts of Lower Saxony is offered by Regionalbus Braunschweig GmbH ( 0551/19449;www.rbb-bus.de).

By Car Access is via the A7 Autobahn, which runs north to Hannover and Hamburg.

Visitor Information

Contact Tourist-Information, Altes Rathaus, Markt 9 ( 0551/499800;www.goettingen-tourismus.de), open Monday to Friday 9:30am to 6pm, Saturday 10am to 6pm (Apr–Oct also open Sun 10am–4pm).

Getting Around

A network of buses runs throughout the city daily from 6am to around 10:30pm. Their main junction point is at the corner of the Judenstrasse and Friedrichstrasse, at the edge of the Altstadt. Fare is 1.90€, with a four-ticket package priced at 6.20€. The tourist office (see above) sells a Go Card allowing free transfer on all municipal buses and reduced admission to a few tourist sites, costing 5€ for 1 day or 12€ for 3 days.

Exploring Göttingen

In the center of Göttingen, you can wander down narrow streets, looking at wide-eaved, half-timbered houses. Many of the facades are carved and painted, and some bear marble plaques noting the famous people who lived inside, such as the more than 40 Nobel Prize winners who temporarily made their home here.

Altes Rathaus (bus: 4, 8, 10, 11, or 14) was originally built for trade purposes around 1270, but it wasn’t completed until 1443. Its highlights are the open arcade, the Gothic heating system, and the Great Hall, in which the people of Göttingen once received princes and dignitaries, held courts of law, and gave feasts. Marktplatz, in front of the Town Hall, is the most interesting section of Göttingen. Here, since 1910, stands the “most-kissed girl in the world,” the smiling statue of the Ganseliesel on the market fountain. By tradition, every student who attains a degree must plant a kiss on the lips of the little goose-girl.

The Stadtisches Museum, Ritterplan 7–8 ( 0551/4002845; bus: 3, 8, or 9), chronicles the history and culture of southern Lower Saxony. The most intriguing exhibits are in the Göttingen history wing on the second floor. Surprisingly, the museum takes an uncompromising look at the town’s Nazi past—most German towns tend to downplay it. Everything is here, from Hitlerjugend memorabilia to pages ripped from the local Nazi-run newspaper. The museum is open Tuesday to Friday 10am to 5pm and Saturday and Sunday 11am to 5pm. Admission is 2€ for adults and 1€ for children.

Where to Dine

Ratskeller ★ NORTH GERMAN This 600-year-old restaurant lies in the historic cellar of the Altes Rathaus. This is the best place to eat in town (faint praise, as Göttingen is not known for its restaurants) and the menu is varied and extensive. The chef is known for his Tafelspitz (boiled beef). Other specialties include Alte Platte des Deutsch Landwirt (Old German Farmer’s Plate, consisting of chicken breast and pork steak with fried potatoes and roast onions) or fresh trout au bleu with parsley potatoes.

Markt 9. 0551/56433.www.rathskeller-goettingen.de. Reservations recommended. Main courses 14€–22€. AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 11:30am–midnight. Closed Christmas Eve. Bus: 4, 8, 10, 11, or 14.

Zum Schwarzen Bären NORTH GERMAN This fine restaurant is housed in a black-and-white half-timbered building (ca. 1500) that still has the original stained-glass leaded windows. Inside, the ambience is tavern style, with a ceramic stove in the corner and dining rooms with intimate booths. The innkeeper recommends (and we agree) the brook trout from the Harz Mountains or Bärenpfanne (various filets with Spätzle).

Kurzestrasse 12. 0551/58284. Reservations required. Main courses 15€–28€; set lunches 12€–15€, dinners 15€–25€. AE, MC, V. Tues–Sun noon–2pm; daily 6–10pm. Bus: 4, 8, 10, 11, or 14.

Shopping

The commercial heart of town is Wenderstrasse and Grönestrasse, both of which are pedestrian malls during most of the shopping day. Here, you’ll find an appealing roster of cafes and delicatessens selling sausages and cakes, as well as purveyors of the German-style good life. If you want souvenirs, the local tourist office (see above) sells T-shirts, cigarette lighters, beer mugs, and posters. Antiques are found at Bohm, Barfusserstrasse 12 ( 0551/4886988;www.sbohm.de). For the works of local and international painters and sculptors, try Galerie Apex, Burgstrasse 46 ( 0551/46886;www.apex-goe.de).

Nightlife & Entertainment

The Performing Arts The local symphony orchestra and boys choir are very active, and an annual Handel music festival is held in late May or early June. You can get information on schedules, venues, and tickets by calling 0551/56700 or by contacting the tourist office (above). Tickets are 12€ to 133€.

For 100 years, the Deutsches Theater, Theaterplatz 11 ( 0551/49690;www.dt-goettingen.de), has been staging classical and contemporary drama. Its counterpart, the Junges Theater, Hospitalstrasse 6 ( 0551/495015;www.junges-theater.de), has produced experimental works for 40 years. Performances of both are held Tuesday to Sunday, with tickets costing 10€ to 15€ for adults and 7.50€ to 11€ for students. The box office is open Monday to Saturday 11am to 1pm and 6 to 8:30pm.

Bars Ratskeller (see above) has already been recommended as the place to dine in this university center. Its beer cellar is also the most evocative spot to have a beer, or many beers if you like to drink as the locals do in this 600-year-old establishment. More half-liters are consumed here than at any other place in town. As you lift a mug, imagine that you’re standing in the footsteps of previous patrons such as Otto von Bismarck, the Brothers Grimm (they were former faculty members at the university), or, more ominously, Werner Heisenberg, head of the German A-bomb project. One of the more offbeat social centers is KAZ (Kommunikations Aktions-Zentrum), Hospitalstrasse 6 ( 0551/53062;www.kaz-goettingen.de), where everyone from seniors to anarchists meet for drinks in one of the two on-premises pubs. One also serves traditional German cuisine; the other offers sandwiches. Within the complex, political forums, local discussion groups, and cultural associations meet regularly. Opening hours change with the seasons and the scheduling of volunteers and group discussion leaders, but in most cases, the center is open Monday to Thursday noon to 2am, Friday noon to 4am, and Saturday 11am to 1am.

Live Music Live jazz is featured 1 night a week (exact night varies—call for details) at the excellent Blue Note, Wilhelmsplatz 3 ( 0551/46907;www.bluenote-goettingen.de); on other nights, musicians explore blues, salsa, African, reggae, and other Caribbean styles. It’s open Sunday to Thursday 10pm to 2am, Friday and Saturday to 3am. Cover for most bands is 10€ to 18€; cover when there is no live music is usually 5€. Popular with locals and students, Irish Pub, Mühlenstrasse 4 ( 0551/45664), hosts live music every night of the week, from local rockers to visiting Irish folk bands. The pub serves Guinness, Kilkenny, and hard cider. There’s never a cover, and it’s open nightly 5pm to 2am.

Student Taverns A visit to Göttingen is traditionally capped by a trip to one of the student taverns, such as the cramped but convivial ADe, Prinzenstrasse 16 ( 0551/56545), open daily 6pm to 1am, or Irish Pub (see above).

Where to Stay

Central Hotel ★ Although this quiet hotel on a pedestrian walkway is centrally located, its best feature is the imaginative care the designers have used to decorate the rooms. For example, one is flamboyantly wallpapered and curtained in vivid yellow-and-white tones, and another appears to be covered in pink silk. Each unit comes with a small, tiled bathroom with shower.

Judenstrasse 12, 37073 Göttingen. www.hotel-central.com. 0551/57157. Fax 0551/57105. 32 units. 80€–150€ double; from 150€ suite. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 8€. Bus: 4, 8, 10, 11, or 14. Near the university. Amenities: Jacuzzi; indoor heated pool. In room: TV (in some rooms).

Eden-Hotel ★ The centrally located Eden-Hotel is the best choice in town after Gebhards (see below). The comfortable rooms have more amenities than most in this price range. Both business travelers and vacationers appreciate the health club and the pool. Even if you’re not a guest, you may want to check out the on-site Italian restaurant La Locanda, with main courses costing 8€ to 25€. In addition, top-rate German and international dishes are served at Pampel-Muse, where main courses range from 10€ to 25€.

Reinhauser Landstrasse 22A, 37083 Göttingen. www.eden-hotel.de. 0551/507200. Fax 0551/5072111. 100 units. 94€–228€ double; 107€–268€ triple. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Free parking. Bus: 4, 8, or 10. Near the new Rathaus. Amenities: 2 restaurants; babysitting; bikes; exercise room; indoor heated pool; room service; sauna. In room: TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (3.50€ per hour).

Romantik Hotel Gebhards ★★ Gebhards is the best hotel in town. It’s housed in a grand building that evokes a Tuscan villa, with a modern balconied annex built onto the back. The interior offers high-ceilinged public areas and a pleasant bar. Rooms are well designed and furnished. The cheapest double has a toilet and shower; the most expensive is an apartment with a complete private bathroom.

Goethe-Allee 22–23, 37073 Göttingen. www.gebhardshotel.de. 0551/49680. Fax 0551/4968110. 61 units. 145€–200€ double; 220€–260€ suite. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Free parking. Bus: 4, 8, 10, 11, or 14. In front of the Bahnhof. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; Jacuzzi; room service; sauna. In room: TV, hair dryer, minibar.

The Best of Germany

In this chapter, you’ll find our carefully compiled lists of the best that Germany has to offer, from castles and cathedrals to spas, restaurants, and sightseeing—and nearly everything else you’ll want to see and do.

The best Experiences

• Exploring the New Berlin: Anyone who lived through the fear of the Cold War can’t help but shudder at the memory of the Berlin Wall. Since reunification, civic planners, with almost manic enthusiasm, have demolished large sections of what once stood as a scar across the face of a defeated nation. The architectural changes and urban developments that constantly update the cityscape around Berlin’s Friedrichstrasse and Potsdamer Platz can be confusing. But regardless of which renewal program is churning up rubble at the time of your visit, a pilgrimage through what used to be the most bitterly contested urban turf in Europe can’t help but provoke powerful emotions.

• Spending a Midsummer’s Night in a Biergarten: When the temperature rises, head for the unpretentious cheer of the nearest Biergarten (everybody in Germany seems to have a favorite, so we’re not even going to try to name the “best”). These watering holes, which often feature trellises, climbing vines, Chinese lanterns, and arbors, offer low-cost fun on soft summer nights. You can order platters of hearty food with your beer or bring your own picnic.

• Cruising the Elbe, the Danube, and the Rhine: This trio of rivers, along with their tributaries, dominated German commerce for hundreds of years. Today, an armada of tugboats, barges, and cruise ships still plies the muddy waters beside riverbanks lined with the historic majesty (and sometimes the industrial might) of central Europe. Cruises begin and end at large cities of historic interest and last anywhere from 6 hours to 7 days.

• Boating on the Königssee: A “King’s Lake” must surely be the best, and the natural beauty surrounding this body of cold, dark water doesn’t disappoint. The quiet boat ride using electric motors will allow you to hear the echoes off the forest-covered mountainsides, as you discover baroque chapels and isolated hamlets along the shore. It might just make a Romantic poet out of you.

• Hiking in the Bavarian Alps: If you’re heeding the call to climb every mountain, then the Bavarian Alps are the place to be in summer. Germany’s excellent network of trails, guides, and huts will allow you to discover the wealth of wildlife and stunning scenery. Two of the countless highlights include the 1,240m (4,070-ft.) Eckbauer south of Partenkirchen, and the southeastern “ear lobe” of Berchtesgaden National Park.

• Ascending the Zugspitze: If the gentle inclines of the Harz Mountains or the Thuringian forests aren’t dramatic enough for you, ride the cable car from Garmisch-Partenkirchen to the top of Germany’s tallest mountain, 2,960m (9,700 ft.) above sea level. The view from the top is suitably panoramic, and you’ll find an appealing aura of German-ness that comes from the many climbers and trekkers who fan out across the hiking trails.

• Experiencing a German Spa: In Germany, the question isn’t whether to visit a spa, but rather which spa to visit. Each resort has its virtues and historical associations, and can supply a list of the health benefits associated with its awful-tasting waters. Regardless of your choice, you’ll emerge from your treatment with a more relaxed attitude and a greater appreciation of German efficiency and sensuality. The most famous spas are in Baden-Baden.

• Motoring along the Neckar: The Neckar River meanders through about 80km (50 miles) of some of Germany’s most famous vineyards. But the real appeal of the winding road along the water is the medieval castles scattered along the way. Highlights en route include Heidelberg, Neckarsteinach, Hirschhorn, Eberbach, Zwingenberg, and Burg Hornberg. Don’t forget to stop en route for samplings of the local wines.

• Spending Harvest Time in the German Vineyards: Springtime in Germany brings the promise of bounty to the legendary vineyards of the Rhine and Mosel valleys, but the autumn harvest is truly the time to visit. Between late August and mid-October, the banks of the rivers turn gold and russet, and armies of workers gather buckets of grapes from rows of carefully pruned vines. Most of the medieval villages and historic castles scattered between Koblenz and Trier are associated with estates where you can sample the wines.

• Touring the Fairy-Tale Road (Märchenstrasse): This is one of the newer marketing ideas of the German tourist authorities, but considering its appeal, you’ll wonder why they didn’t think of it earlier. From the town of Hanau (a 30-min. drive northeast of Frankfurt), the route zigzags northward along the Weser River for about 600km (370 miles), through some of Germany’s most evocative folkloric architecture, ending in Bremen. Scores of well-marked detours pepper the way. Required reading for the trip is a collection of the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm and the Nibelungen legends. Don’t overlook the psychological implications of Goldilocks, the Big Bad Wolf, and the Pied Piper of Hameln. See for more information.

• Lounging on the Island of Sylt: Don’t expect a lush or verdant island—the climate is temperamental, the setting is savage, the winds blow cold from the north even in summer, and the grasses that manage to survive in the sandy dunes are as weathered and sturdy as the soldiers in a Prussian regiment. Why is it wonderful? Here, the no-nonsense residents of north Germany can preen, flutter, and show off to each other, far from the strictures of their workplaces and the hardworking grind of their everyday lives.

The best Museums

Financial prosperity, artistic flair, and academic curiosity have helped the Germans develop some of the finest museums anywhere.

• Neues Museum, Berlin: Left in ruins for decades after World War II, this museum today houses one of the greatest Egyptian museums in the world, filled with plunder from ancient Egypt. It is home to the celebrated bust of Queen Nefertiti, and its Papyrus Collection is also one of the finest in the world.

• Bode-Museum, Berlin: One of the greatest museums of Germany, the Bode reopened in 2008 to great acclaim. It houses a vast array of museums including a collection of late ancient and Byzantine art. The Picture Gallery is one of the grandest in Germany, and it is particularly strong in masterpieces from the Dutch and German schools of the 15th and 16th centuries.

• Gemäldegalerie, Berlin: This is one of Europe’s leading art museums, with a celebrated collection of works from the 13th to the 18th century. The cavalcade of major European masters ranges from Botticelli and Bruegel to Vermeer and Velázquez. Divided during the Cold War, the collection has been reunited in one home since 1998. The lighting and displays are better than ever.

• Pergamonmuseum, Berlin: Built in 1930 on an island in the Spree, this museum contains entirely reconstructed temples from ancient Assyria, Greece, Rome, and Sumer. Don’t miss the sprawling exhibitions devoted to the ancient art of the Islamic world and the Far East.

• Zwinger, Dresden: A vast rectangular esplanade flanked with pavilions, heroic statues, formal gardens, and galleries, this museum was designed for August the Strong (elector of Saxony and king of Poland), by his favorite architect, Pöppelmann (1662–1736). The destruction of the Zwinger (in the final days of World War II), one of Dresden’s most beautiful buildings, was a great loss, though its postwar reconstruction was a triumph for the East German government. Among the treasures amassed inside are paintings, 18th-century Dresden porcelain, and an ornamental collection of antique weapons.

• Deutsches Museum, Munich: Since 1925, this Louvre of science and technology has led the way in documenting humanity’s innovation. Thoroughly fascinating and amusingly hands-on, its historical exhibits will surely keep you entertained for hours.

• Alte Pinakothek, Munich: This outstanding collection of paintings spanning the 15th to 18th centuries rivals its counterparts in Cologne and Berlin. Its Rubens are gems, and Dürer fans may have to be subdued by the guards. The 19th-century hall provides just the right dosage of art for a few hours.

• Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site, Dachau, near Munich: Heinrich Himmler first organized Dachau as a concentration camp for enemies of the Reich in 1933. An escaped inmate, Joseph Rovan, described it as “implacable, perverted, an organization that was totally murderous, a marvelous machine for the debasement and dehumanizing of man.” Today, it’s one of the most poignant museums in the world.

• Lenbachhaus, Munich: Housed in the former villa of portrait painter Franz von Lenbach, this museum has a stunning and internationally renowned collection of modern art. In addition to works from the Blaue Reiter (Blue Rider) group, including Kandinsky, a rich collection of Gothic artwork is an added treat.

• Gutenberg Museum, Mainz: This museum is one of the most comprehensive tributes to printing and publishing anywhere in the world. The bulky presses, on which Johannes Gutenberg used movable type (42 lines per page), and two of the earliest Bibles ever printed are the primary displays here. There’s also a historical rundown on the science and technologies that have dominated the printing industry ever since.

• Museum Ludwig, Cologne: This is the home of one of the world’s largest collections of the works of Pablo Picasso, equaled only by the Picasso museums of Barcelona and Paris. The museum’s collection was beefed up when Irene Ludwig, widow of the late German art patron Peter Ludwig, donated 774 works of Picasso to the museum.

• Wallraf-Richartz Museum/Foundation Corboud, Cologne: The oldest museum in Cologne presents one of Germany’s grandest collections of art, covering the 14th to the 19th century. The collection of Gothic works alone is one of the finest in Europe, and the galleries are a virtual encyclopedia of art, from Flemish old masters to the French Impressionists.

• Kunsthalle, Hamburg: The leading art museum in northern Germany, the Kunsthalle is one of the most important in Europe, with some 3,000 paintings in its treasure-trove, along with some 400 sculptures. Some of its rare treasures date from the 14th century, including works by Bertram, the leading German master of the time. One section of the gallery also displays modern works, including pieces by such artists as Andy Warhol, Joseph Beuys, and Picasso.

The best Castles & Palaces

During the Middle Ages, Germany was divided into many intensely competitive feudal states and principalities. This unstable atmosphere encouraged the construction of fortified castles. As hostilities died down, architects began to design for comfort, style, and prestige, adding large windows, gilded stucco and plaster, frescoes, and formal gardens. As a result, Germany is full of all kinds and styles of Burg and Schloss (various names for castles and palaces).

• Sanssouci Palace, Potsdam: Friedrich the Great’s retreat, where he came to read, listen to music, and generally renew his allegiance to the principles of the Enlightenment, is Germany’s most successful blend of landscape and architecture. The more than 120 hectares (300 acres) of intricately landscaped gardens have enough pavilions, fountains, orangeries, and heroic statues to keep a visitor intrigued for days. The palace itself is an architectural highlight, approached by a terraced staircase of sublime beauty.

• Schloss Wartburg, Eisenach: Built between the 11th and 16th centuries, this was the headquarters of the Landgraves of Thuringia, a center of patronage for the Minnesinger (troubadours) of Germany, and a place of refuge for Martin Luther, who completed his translation of the Bible within its massive walls. Wagner used it as inspiration for the setting of Tannhäuser, and Johann Sebastian Bach and Goethe both visited. Today, from its position on a rocky hilltop, it’s a regional museum.

• Residenz, Würzburg: Built between 1720 and 1744 as the official residence of the powerful bishops of Würzburg, this is one of the most massive baroque palaces in Germany. It combines a Hofkirche (chapel) with gardens, a gallery of paintings, frescoes by Tiepolo, and enough decoration to satisfy the most demanding taste for ornamentation. Also within its showrooms are a worthy collection of ancient Greek and Roman artifacts and valuable paintings from the 14th to the 19th century.

• Neuschwanstein, near Füssen: Love it or hate it, this fairy-tale castle is actually a phenomenon worth seeing. Enter the romantic world of “Mad” King Ludwig II and his theater set designer, a world that further inspired the folks at Disneyland, or marvel at the tourist circus surrounding the 19th-century fantasy. Either way, the outstanding mountain scenery alone is worth the trip.

• Hohenschwangau Castle, near Füssen: Watching its bombastic younger brother from the opposite hill, this lesser-known residence built on 12th-century ruins merits just as much a visit. Finished in 1836, the eventual king Maximilian II lived here with his family, which included the young Ludwig II.

• Schloss Nymphenburg, Munich: This summer palace constructed between 1664 and 1674 features fine interiors on a modest scale that will leave you with enough energy to enjoy the splendid gardens and pavilions. An ideal place to experience the former glory of the long-lost Bavarian kingdom.

• Schloss Linderhof, near Oberammergau: This palace was built in the 1870s as a teenage indulgence by Ludwig II. Its architects created a whimsically eclectic fantasy, inspired by Italian baroque architecture. In the surrounding park, Moorish pavilions and Mediterranean cascades appear against Alpine vistas in combinations that are as startling as they are charming.

• Altes Schloss, Meersburg: Legend has it that this palace’s cornerstone was laid in 628 by Dagobert, king of the Franks. The palace remained a Catholic stronghold even during the Protestant Reformation, housing bishops who appreciated its 3m-thick (10-ft.) walls as a bulwark against the rising tempest around them. In the early 1800s, when its owners threatened to tear the palace down, a German Romantic, Baron Joseph von Lassberg, bought it and transformed it into a refuge for writers, poets, and painters. Although it remains mostly a private residence, you can visit many parts of the palace.

• Heidelberg Castle, Heidelberg: This castle originated as a Gothic-Renaissance masterpiece in the 1500s and was massively expanded as rival rulers competed for control of the Rhineland. After the French sacked and burned the town and the castle in 1689, it never regained its original glory. Today, the ruins brood in dignified severity from a position on a rocky hilltop high above the student revelry and taverns of the folkloric city below.

• Burg Eltz, Moselkern, near Cochem: Its multiple turrets and towers, which rise amid a thick forest near the Mosel River, evoke the chivalry and poetry of the Middle Ages. This is one of the best-preserved medieval castles in Germany.

The best Cathedrals

• Kaiserdom (Imperial Cathedral), Speyer: Partly because of their age, Romanesque churches are the most impressive symbols of early medieval Germany. This massive church, from 1030, has four bell towers; a cornerstone laid by one of Germany’s earliest kings, Konrad II; and an undeniable sense of the (anonymous) architect’s aesthetic links with the traditions of ancient Rome.

• Dom St. Peter, Worms: This church is a grand example of High Romanesque style, its oldest section dating from 1132. The Diet of Worms, held here in 1521, condemned the beliefs of the young Martin Luther and banished him to the far boundaries of the Holy Roman Empire.

• Kölner Dom, Cologne: Based on French Gothic models in Paris and Amiens, this cathedral was envisioned as one of the largest religious buildings in Christendom. It required 600 years to finish—work stopped for about 300 years (1560–1842), until the neo-Gothic fervor of the Romantic age fueled its completion. In 1880, it was inaugurated with appropriate pomp and circumstance in the presence of the German kaiser. Today, its vast russet-colored bulk towers are instantly recognizable from miles away.

• Dom (Cathedral), Aachen: Its size and the stonework dating from 1414 are deeply impressive, but even more so is the cathedral’s association with the earliest of German emperors, Charlemagne. He was crowned in an older building on this site in A.D. 800. The cathedral’s treasury contains gem-encrusted Christian artifacts from the 10th century, with heft and barbaric glitter that evoke pre-Christian Germania.

The most charming Small Villages

• Quedlinburg: Spared in part from the ravages of World War II, this town in the Harz mountains still evokes the Middle Ages with its 1,600 half-timbered buildings, more than any other town in the country. Named a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Quedlinburg is a gem of yesterday and was an imperial residence for 2 centuries. Wander the cobblestone streets of the Altstadt (Old Town) for a journey back in time.

• Meissen: Some 25km (16 miles) north of Dresden, this is a romantic little town built along the banks of the River Elbe. It’s celebrated for its porcelain, which carries a trademark of two crossed blue swords and is valued by collectors the world over. Even without its porcelain factory, the town merits a visit for its quiet charm, its old buildings, and its 15th-century castle.

• Rothenburg: If you have time for only one stop along the Romantic Road, make it Rothenburg ob der Tauber, which may be your only chance in life to see a still-intact medieval walled city. Rothenburg exists in a time capsule, though 40% of the town was destroyed during World War II. Luckily, locals quickly rebuilt their Altstadt in its former style to reclaim their glorious architectural past.

• Dinkelsbühl: If you have time for a second stop along the Romantic Road, try Dinkelsbühl. Though not as grand as the more celebrated Rothenburg, it has far fewer tourists and therefore retains more old-time charm.

• Mittenwald: This town has long been celebrated as the most beautiful in the Bavarian Alps, with magnificently decorated houses, painted facades and ornately carved gables. In the mid–17th century, it was known as “the Village of a Thousand Violins” because of the stringed instruments made here.

• Lindau: Dating from the 9th century, this former free imperial town of the Holy Roman Empire is like a fantasy of what a charming Bavarian lakeside village should look like, if only in the movies. But this garden “city,” under landmark protection, is for real. Lindau is enveloped by aquamarine waters, and one part of it is known as the Gartenstadt because of its luxuriant flowers and shrubs.

• Rüdesheim: The Rhine Valley’s most popular wine town is set along the edge of the mighty river. Rüdesheim is known for its half-timbered buildings and its Drosselgasse (Thrush Lane), a narrow cobblestone lane stretching for 180m (600 ft.) and lined with wine taverns and cozy restaurants.

• Cochem: If you’re seeking an idyllic medieval riverside town during your “grape tour” of the Mosel River valley, make it Cochem, famous for its towering castle, dating from 1027. On the left bank of the Mosel, Cochem lies in a picture-postcard setting of vineyards. Little inns serving a regional cuisine along with plenty of Mosel wine make Cochem a highly desirable overnight stop and a nice alternative to the more commercial centers found along the nearby Rhine.

The best Driving Tours

The appeal of the open road is a prominent part of German culture. Some of the best drives include the following:

• The Romantic Road: This well-traveled 350km (220 mile) route, which stretches between Würzburg and Füssen at the foot of the Bavarian Alps, is dotted with lovely medieval towns.

• The Fairy-Tale Road: The colorful characters of the Brothers Grimm live again along this 595km (370-mile) stretch, beginning in the little town of Hanau and stretching all the way north to Bremen. This is one of the great motor trips of Germany for those who thrilled to those nursery-room favorites. For the complete route.

• Alpine Road: Scenic majesty and architectural charm combine for an unforgettable experience on this 480km (300-mile) road through the foothills of the Bavarian Alps. See “Exploring the Region by Car.”

• Upper Black Forest: Fairy tales always seem more believable when you’re in the Black Forest, and the twisting secondary roads that connect Freiburg with Lake Titisee pass through lots of charming scenery and architecture. See the box “An Excursion to the Upper Black Forest.”

• Mosel Valley: The road along this Rhine tributary passes by some of the country’s most famous vineyards. At least a half-dozen of the cities en route are worth visiting as well.

The best Walks

• The Royal Castle Walk: For one of the grandest panoramas in all of the Alps (in any country), hike up to the Marienbrücke, the bridge that spans the Pöllat Gorge behind Neuschwanstein Castle. From there, if you’re up to it, you can continue uphill for about an hour for an amazing view of “Mad” King Ludwig’s fantasy castle.

• Partnachklamm: One of the most dramatic walks in all of the Bavarian Alps starts from the great winter sports resort of Garmisch-Partenkirchen. A signposted trail leads to the dramatic Partnachklamm Gorge. Carved from solid rock, the route passes two panoramic bottlenecks amid the thunder of falling water and clouds of spray.

• Mainau Island: A walk across the footbridge to Mainau, in Lake Constance, is like a visit to a tropical country. Mainau is filled with exotic plants collected by the Baden princes and members of the Royal House of Sweden. Tropical brushwood and other botanical wonders still thrive in this mild climate. You’ll hardly believe you’re in Germany.

• Cochem: Reichsburg Cochem (Cochem Castle), which towers over the little town of the same name, can be reached on foot in about 15 minutes from the town’s Marktplatz. Although hardly an Alpine climb, this walk is one of the most rewarding you’ll find in Germany, with panoramas in all directions.

The best Biking

• Munich by Bike: You see so many locals riding bikes that you might think Munich is the biking capital of Germany. If you’d like to join the fun, pick up a copy of the pamphlet Rad-Touren für unsere Gäste (Bike-Riding for Our Guests) at the tourist office. It outlines itineraries for touring Munich by bike.

• Lake Constance: Rent a bike at the train station in the former imperial town of Lindau, and set out in any direction to enjoy the views of this beautiful lake. The Lindau tourist office will provide a map and suggestions for the best routes to follow.

• The Neckar Valley Cycle Path: This signposted path allows you to follow the source of the Neckar, beginning in Villingen-Schwenningen and going all the way to the confluence of the Rhine at Mannheim. Instead of going the entire way, many visitors prefer to pick up a bicycle in Heidelberg and cycle along the riverbanks until they find a good spot for a picnic. See “Exploring on Two Wheels.”

• Lüneburg Heath: This wild heath in northern Germany is one of the country’s major natural attractions. (Some of Germany’s greatest poets have waxed rhapsodic about this shrub-covered land.) Rent a bike, pick up a map at the Lüneburg tourist office, and set out on your adventure. See “The Lüneburg Heath.”

The best Spas

• Bad Reichenhall: Many spa lovers head for this remote corner of Bavaria to “take the waters.” Europe’s largest saline source was first tapped in pre-Christian times and the place has a definite 19th-century aura. And though some of the hotels in the town are better than others, all have equal access to the spa and lie about a 5-minute walk away.

• Baden-Baden: There’s no better spa in all of Germany, and certainly none more fashionable or famous—it’s also site of the country’s most celebrated casino. Baden-Baden’s spa’s been going strong since the leisure class of the 19th century discovered its healing waters, although the Roman legions of Emperor Caracalla had discovered the springs long before that. As at Bad Reichenhall, all hotels, no matter the price range, have equal access to the spa.

• Wiesbaden: One of Germany’s oldest cities, Wiesbaden attracted Roman legions to its hot springs, and lures today’s fashionable traveler as well. It’s not as chic as Baden-Baden, but Wiesbaden has one of Germany’s most elegant casinos and concert halls, along with two gourmet restaurants. In summer, the beer garden at the Kurhaus is one of the liveliest along the Rhine.

• Bad Homburg: Bad Homburg lies at the foot of the Taunus Hills in a setting of medieval castles and luxuriant forests. There are more than 31 fountains in the town’s Kurpark. The Bad Homburg Palace was once the summer residence of Prussian kings.

The best Luxury Hotels

German efficiency and cleanliness are legendary, so it’s not surprising that you can choose from a great number of well-managed hotels.

• Grand Hotel Esplanade, Berlin (www.esplanade.de; 866/597-8341 in the U.S., or 030/254788255): This strikingly contemporary hotel near several foreign embassies is one of the most prestigious in the German capital. With its collection of modern art, its spacious, cheerfully decorated rooms, and its first-class service, it is a prime address for the luxury minded.

• The Regent, Berlin (www.theregentberlin.com; 888/201-1806 in the U.S., or 030/20338): One of Germany’s great luxury hotels, the Regent is all about opulence, superb service, and comfort. It’s discreet, tasteful, reliable, and a brilliant addition to the roster of luxury leaders in Germany’s capital.

• Hotel Elephant, Weimar (www.starwoodhotels.com; 03643/8020): This is one of Germany’s most interesting hotels because of its age (over 300 years), its name, its 50-year survival in Germany’s eastern zone, and its associations with such luminaries as Schiller, Liszt, and Goethe. Today, it’s a cost-conscious treasure chest of German history.

• Eisenhut, Rothenburg ob der Tauber (www.eisenhut.com; 09861/7050): This hotel’s 16th-century walls and valuable collection of antiques enhance the appeal of the most authentic Renaissance town in Germany.

• Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski München, Munich (www.kempinski.com; 800/426-3135 in the U.S., or 089/21250): Munich’s most prestigious choice offers elegance and luxury. The wealthy and titled have checked in here for more than a century, enjoying the ambience, the antiques, the style, and the grace.

• Bayerischer Hof & Palais Montgelas, Munich (www.bayerischerhof.de; 089/21200): This deluxe hotel and 17th-century Bavarian palace together form Munich’s answer to New York’s Waldorf-Astoria. This is the only hotel in Munich to provide serious competition for the Kempinski Hotel.

• Der Kleine Prinz, Baden-Baden (www.derkleineprinz.de; 07221/346600): This hotel’s director once helped manage the New York Hilton and the Waldorf-Astoria. Today, he and his wife run a century-old pair of neobaroque houses in the heart of Germany’s most elegant resort, Baden-Baden. Inspired by Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince this stands as one of the most romantic of Germany’s many romantic hotels.

• Krone Assmannshausen, Rüdesheim-Assmannshausen (www.hotel-krone.com; 06722/4030): Sprawling along the banks of the Rhine in an oversize, grangelike, gingerbread-laden fantasy, this hotel has witnessed the arrival of many important Germans (including Goethe) in its 400 years. It also contains one of the best traditional restaurants in town.

• Fürstenhof Celle, Celle (www1.fuerstenhof.de; 05141/2010): This 17th-century manor, enlarged with half-timbered wings, stands out even in a town legendary for its medieval and Renaissance buildings. There’s a cozy bar in the medieval cellar and one of the best dining rooms in Lower Saxony.

• Fairmont Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten, Hamburg (www.fairmont.com/hamburg; 888/425-8227 in the U.S. and Canada, or 040/34940): Its dignified interior is as opulent as its 19th-century facade. This hotel’s appeal is correctly aristocratic, but it has a touch of the saltwater zestiness that makes Hamburg a great city.

The best Small Inns & Hotels

• Art’otel, Berlin (www.artotels.com; 030/884470): This hotel in the heart of Berlin is chic, discreet, and unique. The swirling action of the Ku’Damm lies right outside the door, but inside, the decor is soothing and serene, the work of some of the Continent’s top designers.

• Altstadt-Hotel, Passau (www.altstadt-hotel.de; 0851/3370): This inexpensive hotel stands at the convergence of three rivers—the Danube, the Ilz, and the Inn. But the hotel offers more than river views—it’s comfortably and traditionally furnished, and its regional cuisine and convivial pub attract the locals.

• Gästehaus Englischer Garten, Munich (www.hotelenglischergarten.de; 089/3839410): This is an oasis of charm and tranquillity, close to the Englischer Garten, where buffed Munich lies out nude in the sun. The furnishings are in an old-fashioned Bavarian style, but the comfort level is first-rate.

• Parkhotel Atlantic Schlosshotel, Heidelberg (www.parkhotel-atlantic.de; 06221/60420): This 24-room inn is on the wooded outskirts of Heidelberg, near the famous castle. Every room is comfortable and convenient, and in the afternoon you can go for long walks along the woodland trails surrounding the property.

• Antik-Hotel Bristol, Cologne (www.antik-hotel-bristol.de; 0221/120195): In the heart of this cathedral city along the Rhine, this unique hotel is filled with antiques, both country rustic and town-house elegant, making the atmosphere both authentic and inviting.

The best Restaurants

• Die Quadriga, Berlin ( 030/214050;www.brandenburger-hof.com): Critics hail this gastronomic wonder in the Hotel Brandenburger Hof as Berlin’s finest dining choice. Celebrated for its modern Continental cuisine, it’s where the president of Germany takes his favorite guests when he wants to “show off.” While seated in a 1904 chair designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, you can enjoy food that is, in a word, sublime.

• Essigbrätlein, Nürnberg ( 0911/225131): Food critics single this out as the best dining spot in Nürnberg, and we heartily agree. Its upscale Franconian and Continental cuisine is reason enough to visit the city.

• Weinhaus Zum Stachel, Würzburg ( 0931/52770;www.weinhaus-stachel.de): This is the oldest (ca. 1413) wine house in a town loaded with them. Food is good, portions are copious, the wine flows, and everyone has a wonderful time. This is old-time Deutschland at its most appealing.

• Tantris, Munich ( 089/3619590;www.tantris.de): Savvy German food critics have honored Tantris’s Hans Haas as the country’s top chef. He definitely serves some of the finest and most innovative food in Bavaria.

• Hanse Stube, Cologne ( 0221/2701;www.excelsiorhotelernst.com): Located in a landmark hotel, this restaurant lies on the same square as the fabled Rhineland cathedral. French cuisine in Cologne doesn’t get any better than this—the chefs have a prodigious talent for preparing food using only the finest and freshest ingredients.

• Victorian Restaurant, Düsseldorf ( 0211/865500;www.restaurant-victorian.de): Regulars know what a treasure they have in this restaurant: Market-fresh ingredients and a steady hand in the kitchen produce award-winning traditional and modern food.

• Waldhotel Sonnora, outside Bernkastel-Kues ( 06578/406;www.hotel-sonnora.de): In the Mosel Valley, the Waldhotel Sonnora is one of the most justifiably acclaimed restaurants in the country. Be sure to make a reservation as far in advance as possible and prepare yourself for a gastronomic adventure in Continental cuisine. Herr Thieltges, the chef, told us, “We don’t just serve dishes—rather, culinary masterpieces.” We agree.

• Fischereihafen Restaurant, Altona, near Hamburg ( 040/381816;www.fischereihafenrestaurant.de): Patrons from Tina Turner to Helmut Kohl have pronounced the food here delightful. From a window seat, you can overlook the boats that might have hauled in your sole, eel, turbot, herring, or flounder from the seas that day.

The best Beer Halls & Taverns

• Auerbachs Keller, Leipzig ( 0341/216100;auerbachs-keller-leipzig.de): The most famous tavern in eastern Germany, this is where Goethe staged the debate between Faust and Mephistopheles. The tavern dates from 1530 and has a series of murals evoking the Faust legend.

• Augustiner Bräustuben, Munich ( 089/5022569;www.braeustuben.de): Although many raid the famous Hofbräuhaus (see below), this authentic tavern at the backdoor of the Augustiner brewery combines the Bavarian camaraderie and flavorful fare without the tourist circus. It occupies the former horse stalls, but don’t fret—the odor has long since dissipated. Best of all, they fill the massive Mass glasses for one of the lowest prices in town.

* Hofbräuhaus, Munich ( 089/221676;www.hofbraeuhaus.de): Needing no introduction, the Hofbräuhaus can stake the claim as the world’s most famous beer hall, packing in up to 4,500 beer drinkers on any given night. Music from live bands and huge mugs of beer served at wooden tables combine to produce the best of Bavarian nighttime fun.

• Zum Roten Ochsen, Heidelberg ( 06221/20977;www.roterochsen.de): Over the years, “The Red Ox” has drawn beer drinkers from Mark Twain to Bismarck. Students have been getting plastered here since 1703, and the tradition continues to this day.

• Ratskeller, Bremen ( 0421/321676;ratskeller-bremen.de): This is one of the most celebrated Ratskellers in Germany. A tradition for decades, it serves top-notch German and international food and some of the best suds along the Rhineland, as well as one of the longest lists of vintage wines from the country’s vineyards.

The best Shopping

The best way to approach shopping here is to make it a part of your overall experience and not an end unto itself. Though Berlin and Munich are the major shopping centers in Germany, the rest of the country is okay—neither a shopper’s mecca nor the bargain basement of Europe. Still, you can find some good buys here.

• Porcelain: For centuries, Germany has been known for the quality of its porcelain. Names such as KPM, Rosenthal, and Meissen are household words. KPM, for example, has been a Berlin tradition for more than 2 centuries.

• Handicrafts: In the Bavarian Alps, woodcarvers still carry on their time-honored tradition. The best place to purchase woodcarvings is in the Alpine village of Oberammergau.

• Timepieces: Corny though they may be, carved Black Forest cuckoo clocks remain an enduring favorite.

• Cutlery: WMF (Württembergische-Metalwaren-Fabrik) and J. A. Henckels are two of the country’s premier producers of fine cutlery. Their knives are expensive, but longtime users say they last forever. Both WMF and Henckels stores are found all over Germany.

Germany in Depth

A unified, wealthy, industrial yet beautiful Germany awaits you and promises some of the most intriguing travel experiences in Europe.

Many of its treasures were lost in World War II, but much remains and has been restored. Natural scenery, particularly in the Black Forest, the Mosel Valley, the Harz Mountains, and the Bavarian Alps, is a potent lure.

For those who want to see history in the making, we’d recommend visiting Potsdam, Leipzig, Dresden, Meissen, and Weimar, all centers of East Germany before German unification in October 1990. Keep in mind, however, that although political developments have been fast paced, the infrastructure of the five new states cannot change overnight, and living standards there are still different from those in (the former) West Germany.

Germany is one of the most modern and, at the same time, the most traditional of countries. Its advanced technology and industry are the envy of the rest of the world. Here you’ll likely meet people of learning and sophistication, boasting a long cultural heritage and devotion to music and the arts.

This guide is meant to help you decide where to go in Germany and how best to enjoy its charms, but ultimately the most gratifying rewards will be your own serendipitous discoveries—drinking beer in a yard shaded by chestnut trees, picnicking in a Bavarian meadow, or spending time chatting with a winemaker in the Mosel Valley. You will surely remember experiences like these for years to come.

Germany Today

In late September 2009, Chancellor Angela Merkel swept to reelection, making her one of the longest-serving leaders among Europe’s major powers. Her Christian Democrats formed a new center-right government, triumphing over Social Democrats, who fared badly in the election.

In a union with the probusiness Free Democrats, Merkel strengthened her hand in Germany, and in the next year or so may begin to enact the kind of liberalizing economic plans she proposed when she first ran for chancellor.

Her victory was muted by Germany’s rising budget deficits as a result of the global economic crisis.

As an example of the changing times, Ms. Merkel, Germany’s first female chancellor, is joined by the first openly gay vice-chancellor and foreign minister, Guido Westerwelle, who shepherded his Free Democrats to their strongest showing ever. All this occurring in a country that a few decades ago sent homosexuals to the concentration camps and the gas chambers, along with Jews and Gypsies.

It is still ranked low on the threat of terrorism in spite of memories of the 1972 Munich Massacre at the Olympic Games, in which 11 Jewish athletes were killed.

Germany has about 84 million citizens, making it the most densely populated of the nations in the E.U. The capital, Berlin, has the largest population, with some 3.5 million residents, trailed by Hamburg and Munich.

Germany today remains split between Protestantism and Catholicism, and it is not homogeneous, as each year it greets an influx of non-German immigrants.

Turks form the largest group of immigrants (2.3 million), followed by Sorbs (about 60,000) and even some 50,000 Dane, who live in Schleswig-Holstein near the Danish border.

In spite of a gloomy economy, Germany still remains the third-largest economy in the world, with exports counting for 40% of its GDP.

Although East and West Germany long ago united as the Berlin Wall came tumbling down, conflicts remain. Westerners often express resentment at having to spend so many of their euros on propping up the less affluent Easterners, who lived for so long under Communist rule.

The Ossis, as Easterners are known in Germany, often claim that they feel like poor cousins come to live with a far more affluent family, the Wessis (those from the former West Germany).

The friends you’re likely to meet in Germany (and you’re likely to meet many) will probably be well educated and will possess linguistic skills (almost certainly including English) that, by the standards of the rest of the world, particularly the United States, are astonishing. Many younger Germans are likely to be guided by a sense of idealism, even zeal, for ecological and other causes.

Germans, like Americans, are worried about job security. The greatest fear sweeping across Germany today is of “job hemorrhage.” German companies are finding that more and more of their manufacturing plants and jobs can be farmed out to other locations, including, ironically enough, Alabama and South Carolina, where wages and benefits for workers at a BMW plant are about 30% less than in Germany. In the Czech Republic, just across the border, wages are equivalent to 10% of those paid in Germany, for workers nearly as well qualified.

But in spite of its problems, a modern Germany, centered around Berlin, continues to remain at the epicenter of European culture and a continuing powerhouse in the E.U.

Looking Back: German History

Note About Maps

This guide contains dozens of maps of varying sizes and complexity. If you find it hard to read a map on your device, use the zoom function to enlarge. You can also download and/or printout PDFs of all of the maps in this guide. Go to www.frommers.com/go/ebookmaps and click on the title of your guide.

Germany’s Historic Borders

Early Days

“A large build, very strong in the attack, but not suitable to the same extent for heavy work” was how Tacitus, the Roman historian, described the Teutons in A.D. 60. The Romans had been trying to push the borders of their empire up to the Rhineland, with mixed success, since 9 B.C., but the Teutonic tribes fought back ferociously. The first recognized German national hero was Arminius, who led his tribe (the Cherusci) in defeating three Roman legions near modern-day Bielefeld in A.D. 9.

After the deterioration of the Roman Empire, the Franks ruled much of what we now know as Germany. In 800, a Frankish king, Charlemagne, extended the Carolingian Empire from the Pyrenees to Saxony and Bavaria. His rule marks the high point of cultural and political development of that period. He divided the empire into counties, each with an administrator directly responsible to him, and promoted education, scholarship, and the revival of Greek and Roman culture.

The Holy Roman Empire

After Charlemagne’s death, the Carolingian Empire fell apart. In 843, the Treaty of Verdun granted the empire’s eastern territory to Louis the German, marking the beginning of German history.

In 962, the pope recognized Otto I as emperor of what was later called the Holy Roman Empire. This new political entity was formed both to impose unity on the European political world and to create a bulwark against the invasion of non-Christian tribes. It claimed direct links to the grandeur of ancient Rome and to the more contemporary might of the church.

Unity, however, did not prevail. The empire splintered into a bickering alliance of dukedoms, bishoprics, and principalities. The emperor’s authority was often dependent on German nobles and the pope. A capital city that could have served as a center of power was never established—the monarch simply moved from one city to another, mustering an army and collecting revenue wherever he could—so the possibilities for dynastic intrigues were endless. In subsequent jockeying, the church itself was a voracious competitor for power. This power struggle broke out into open conflict in 1076, when Pope Gregory VII excommunicated the emperor, Henry IV, who was forced to stand barefoot in the snow outside Canossa, humiliated, awaiting a repeal.

To strengthen their position as the Holy Roman Empire declined, the emperors turned to alliances with the wealthy, independent trading ports to the north and east, under the federation of the Hanseatic League. Such German cities as Hamburg, Lübeck, and Bremen grew in both economic and political power. Eventually the league controlled trade as far as Novgorod in Russia.

The Reformation & the Religious Wars

When an Augustinian monk, Martin Luther, nailed his theological and political complaints to a church door in Wittenberg in 1517, he set off a political and religious wildfire that spread across the landscape of Europe. The fragmented political situation in Germany played into Luther’s hands: For every prince who condemned him, he found one to protect him. Luther’s Reformation fanned the flames of Germany’s political factions. A new conflict between Catholics and Protestants set the stage for the devastation of the Thirty Years’ War (1618–48), which entrenched the divided sensibilities of the splintered nation.

The only powerful German state to emerge from these conflicts was Prussia, a tiny northeast kingdom on the Baltic Sea. The rise of Prussian power continued through the 18th century until, led by a soldier and patron of the Enlightenment, Friedrich (Frederick) the Great, Prussia became a major kingdom, with Berlin as its capital.

Napoleon Arrives

After the French Revolution, Napoleon and his new political ideas swept across Europe. The left bank of the Rhine came under French control. Under these pressures, the Holy Roman Empire officially came to an end in 1806. Around the same time, Napoleon’s armies invaded Prussia, making it, for a brief time, a part of the French Empire. But Napoleon was defeated at Leipzig in 1813; 2 years later, Britain and Prussia crushed him at the Battle of Waterloo.

Bismarck & Prussia

The Congress of Vienna (1814–15) redrew the map of Germany after Napoleon’s defeat, giving more territory to Prussia but making Austria the leader in a German Confederation. During this time, there was a rising spirit of nationalism, exploited to good effect by Prince Otto von Bismarck when he became Prussia’s prime minister in 1862. Prussia triumphed in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, and after the subsequent Franco-Prussian War (1870–71), when Prussia laid siege to Paris, Bismarck succeeded in his goal of unification. Wilhelm I was made emperor of all Germany in 1871, and a strong, unified Germany at last took shape. Under Bismarck’s leadership, Germany adopted an advanced social welfare system and brought its military and industrial production, as well as technical and scientific achievements, to new heights.

The Prussians

Take, for instance, the Prussians: they are saints when compared with the French. They have every sort of excellence; they are honest, sober, hardworking, well instructed, brave, good sons, husbands, and fathers and yet . . . all with whom I have been thrown were proud as Scotchmen, cold as New Englanders, and touchy as only Prussians can be.

—Henry Labouchere, 1871

World War I

By 1907, Europe was divided into two camps: the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy) and the Triple Entente (France, Great Britain, and Russia). The match that ignited the powder keg was struck at Sarajevo in 1914, with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The subsequent German invasion of France launched the bloodiest war the world had ever seen. A new and particularly demoralizing form of battle, “trench warfare,” produced staggering casualties. On August 8, 1918, the Allies penetrated German lines, and the German high command realized the situation was hopeless.

To get more favorable treatment from the Allies, the Germans voluntarily declared a parliamentary democracy, ending the reign of the kaiser. Despite that concession, in 1918 Germany was forced to sign the humiliating Treaty of Versailles, which demanded the surrender of strategic territories, including Alsace-Lorraine, just west of the Rhine. The Allies—especially the French—also demanded huge monetary reparations.

Weimar Republic

In 1919, the National Assembly met in Weimar to draw up a new constitution, hailed at the time as the most progressive in the world. But in defeated and humiliated postwar Germany, extremists from both the left and the right launched savage attacks against the inexperienced and idealistic government. Enormous payments demanded by the Allies crippled the German economy. When Germany couldn’t make reparations, France retaliated by occupying the Ruhr, one of Germany’s most valuable industrial resources. Inflation destroyed what was left of the German economy.

Life is a Cabaret

by George McDonald

Cabaret existed in Germany long before World War I, and even in its early days it strained against the boundaries of censorship and the prevailing moral climate. But the form really came into its own during the years that followed defeat in the war. During the 1920s and 30s, the chaos of the Weimar Republic, hyperinflation and economic meltdown, street battles between militias of right and left, and the steady rise of the anti-Semitic Nazi Party formed the backdrop to a collapse of traditional values. Live it up while you can and spend money while you have it was the new morality. Cabaret provided entertainment with a satirical and political bent that suited the mood and circumstances of the times, influenced by cutting-edge artistic and social movements such as Dadaism, social expressionism, and Neue Sachlichkeit (new objectivity).

Berlin between the wars generally gets the historical kudos when it comes to cabaret, but in fact the capital was a long way behind pre-war Munich in taking to the genre. German Kabarett emerged as different from original French form in that it was nearly always a vehicle for political satire. In clubs like Die Elf Scharfrichter (The Eleven Executioners), founded in 1901 in the Schwabing district, Munich’s bohemians, socialists, progressives, and avant-gardistes of all stripes got together to gripe and poke fun at the smug, stultifyingly bourgeois society in which they lived.

Life in between-the-wars Berlin inspired writers like, among others, Christopher Isherwood, who lived in the city from 1929 to 1933. He wrote The Berlin Stories (1946), comprising two novellas—Good-Bye to Berlin and Mr. Norris Changes Trains—based in part on his experiences. The first of the two stories became the source of the stage and film versions of Cabaret.

“Old chums” and many more fans are still rolling up to the louche cabaret depicted in the modern Broadway show Cabaret, first performed in 1966 and revived at regular intervals ever since, and in the Hollywood movie based on the show, Cabaret (1972), directed by Bob Fosse and starring Liza Minnelli and Joel Grey.

Famous Period Cabarets

Die Katakombe Comedian Werner Finck (1902–78) found “The Catacombs” on Bellevuestrasse, just off Potsdamer Platz, in Berlin in 1929. His subtle jibes at Brownshirts, the Gestapo, and other “pillars” of the Nazi establishment made him popular—and brought secret policemen into the audience to “take notes.” Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels ordered the cabaret closed in 1935, and Finck spent 6 weeks in a concentration camp before enlisting in the German army.

Kabarett der Komiker Better known as Kadeko, the Cabaret of Comics took a less risky approach than Die Katakombe in its choice of material. A well-known Kadeko Conferencier (Master of Ceremonies), Fritz Grunbaum, frequently employed his acid wit on his own audiences, ribbing them for, among other things, their disgusting eating habits.

Wien-München From 1915 to 1916, the “Vienna-Munich” cabaret in Munich had as its director the comic actor Karl Valentin, who has been dubbed “the German Chaplin.” In the 1930s, Valentin made two failed attempts to get his Panoptikum für Gruseliges und Nonsens (Panopticon for Horror and Nonsense) exhibit in Munich off the ground.

Living the Revival

Popular among visitors to Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, Dresden, and other German towns is the kind of nightspot depicted in the musical Cabaret, with floor-show patter and acts that satirize the political and social scene, though the satire is less biting than it was during the time of the Weimar Republic. Some of today’s cabaret shows may remind you of Broadway blockbusters, without much of the intimacy of the smoky, trenchant cellar revues of the 1920s and early 1930s.

Playlist

• Berlin; Marlene Dietrich.

• Berlin Cabaret Songs; Ute Lemper, Mischa Spoliansky.

• Kurt Weill’s The Seven Deadly Sins & Berlin Theatre Songs; Lotte Lenya.

• Songs of the Berlin Cabaret 1920–29; Friedrich Hollaender, Jody Karin Appelbaum, Marc-André Hamelin.

The Rise of Nazism

This was just the right climate for the rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. The Nazis believed in the superiority of the Aryan race and blamed non-Aryans, particularly Jews, for Germany’s woes. At first Hitler’s anti-Semitic, nationalist ideas failed to gain popular support, even with right-wingers. Nazi membership in the Reichstag (parliament) dropped from 25 in 1925 to only a dozen following the elections of 1928.

In 1932, Hitler lost the electoral race for president against the compromise candidate of the democratic parties, war hero Paul von Hindenburg. Nevertheless, Hitler’s power increased, and on January 30, 1933, Hindenburg submitted to right-wing pressure and appointed Hitler chancellor. Upon Hindenburg’s death in 1934, Hitler declared himself Führer (leader) of the Third Reich, a new German empire. Protected by hastily drafted laws and regulations, he made his power absolute.

On June 30, 1934, Hitler disposed of any opposing elements in his own party in the “Night of Long Knives,” when hundreds were massacred, including Ernst Röhm, chief of his notorious Brownshirts. Heinrich Himmler’s black-shirted Schutzstaffel (SS) became a powerful political force. Surrounded by adoring fans (or, at best, passive witnesses), Hitler now viewed his empire as a worthy successor to those of Charlemagne and Bismarck.

In 1936, Hitler remilitarized the Rhineland and signed agreements with Japan and fascist Italy, forming the Axis alliance. In 1938, he enforced the Anschluss (annexation) of Austria and marched triumphantly into the country of his birth, and he occupied the German-speaking Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia, an act that other western powers could not summon the will to oppose.

The horrors of unchecked Nazi rule lasted until 1945. The Gestapo, or secret police, launched one of the most notorious reigns of terror in history. Anyone whom the Nazis considered enemies or simply undesirables—which included Communists, Social Democrats, homosexuals, political dissidents, Gypsies, and many others—was persecuted. Jews were disenfranchised, terrorized, and forced into ghettos and concentration camps.

World War II

In late August 1939, Hitler signed a nonaggression pact with the Soviet Union that gave him free rein to launch an invasion of Poland, which he did on September 1. France and Britain, honoring their agreements with Poland, declared war on Germany. Germany scored early victories, and in one of the most stunning campaigns of the 20th century, invaded and occupied France in June 1940. In 1941, Hitler turned on the Soviet Union.

Meeting in the Berlin suburb of Wannsee in 1942, the Nazi leadership formulated the implementation of the “final solution” to the “Jewish question,” the systematic extermination of millions of Jews. The mass murders of homosexuals, Gypsies, Communists, Slavs, and other “undesirables” were less systematic but also numbered in the millions.

Following Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor, Germany declared war on the United States on December 11, 1941. But after defeats in north Africa in 1942 and at Stalingrad in 1943, the recurrent theme became one of Nazi retreat. The D-day landings along the coast of Normandy on June 6, 1944, began the steady advance of the Allied armies from the west, while Soviet armies relentlessly marched toward Berlin from the east. Hitler committed suicide in Berlin in April 1945. His country, along with much of Europe, lay in ruins.

Division of Germany

The Berlin Wall

At war’s end, Germany and its capital were divided. The nation shrank in size, losing long-held territories (among them East Prussia and Upper Silesia). The United States, Great Britain, France, and the Soviet Union divided the country into four zones of occupation. Berlin, in the heart of the Soviet district, was also divided among the four powers. In the late 1940s, the Soviet Union tried to cut off Allied access to Berlin, but a massive U.S.-sponsored airlift into the city thwarted the effort. In 1949, the Soviets established the German Democratic Republic (GDR). In response, the Federal Republic of Germany was established in the American, British, and French zones. In 1961, the GDR sealed off its borders and erected the Berlin Wall, a stark symbol of the Cold War.

Throughout the 1960s, the financial world buzzed with the talk of an economic miracle in Germany. Led by Ludwig Erhard, the economist, this miracle was called Wirtschaftswunder, and it saw West Germany rise to become the fourth-largest economy in the world.

This era of prosperity also saw the rise of a young German leader, Willy Brandt. Along with his Social-Liberal Coalition, Brandt, as chancellor, brought about long-overdue reform, an overhaul of education, and much improvement in industrial relations. His controversial Ostpolitik (Eastern Policy) improved relations with Soviet-dominated East Germany and other Communist countries to the east of Germany. His efforts in normalizing relations with the GDR brought Brandt the Nobel Prize of 1971.

The 1972 Summer Olympic Games were meant to show the entire world the bold new face of a radically rebuilt Munich. However, the terrorist attack on and murder of 11 Israeli athletes revived memories of the recent past.

Helmut Schmidt became chancellor in 1974, as West Germany continued to amaze the world with its economic muscle. Problems such as mounting unemployment remained, however, and in 1982, Helmut Kohl became the new German leader, pursuing welfare cuts, a tight-fisted money policy, and military cooperation with the U.S. The Kohl era saw the Green Party rise as a political force, with its goals of disarmament and protecting a fragile environment.

Fall of the Wall & Unification

The year 1989 was one of change and turmoil. In the wake of the collapse of Communist power across eastern Europe, the Berlin Wall also fell. The following year was perhaps the most significant in postwar German history. The two German nations announced economic unification in July, followed by total unification—with its thousands of inherent problems and headaches—on October 3, 1990. In 1991, Parliament voted to quit Bonn, seat of the West German government, and reestablish the once-mighty capital of Berlin.

After the first heady period of reunification, disillusionment set in, especially in eastern Germany, which was riddled with unemployment and unrealized expectations. Resentment against immigrant workers led to some violent neo-Nazi marches, bombings, and physical assaults. However, most Germans rose up to condemn the ultrarightists and the sporadic violence.

Psychological and emotional differences between the two zones were almost overwhelming, as were the vast disparities in industrial development. As the influential newspaper Frankfurter Rundschau editorialized, “The terms of east and west are not so much geographical expressions as they are descriptions of states of mind.”

Modern Germany

As the 21st century began, Germany, despite the enormous costs of reunification, remained an economic powerhouse in Europe. As a member of the European Union (E.U.), NATO, and the G8 group of the world’s industrial powers, Germany’s influence extends throughout Europe and across the globe.

Moving deeper into the 21st century, Berlin has become the center of the Continent. Of the three major European powers, including France and Great Britain, Germany appears to be the most dynamic. In fact, of all E.U. members, Germany most actively pursued the abandonment of national currencies, such as its own historic deutsche mark, and the adoption of the euro as the standard unit of currency for all E.U. countries. Other countries, such as Great Britain, though a member of the E.U., still hold back. German economists continue to hope that the adoption of a single currency for Europe will lead to prosperity for all in a future “United States of Europe.”

Homosexuals, once persecuted by the Nazis and sent to death camps along with Jews and Gypsies, moved significantly forward in postmillennium Germany. In 2001, in spite of fierce opposition from some conservatives, same-sex partners won legal status in Germany. The law, announced in Germany’s unofficial gay capital of Berlin, allows gay couples to register their unions at government offices and requires a court decision for divorce. Same-sex couples also receive the inheritance and health-insurance rights given married spouses.

In the aftermath of World War II, Germany had become an economic giant but remained a military midget. Because of its aggression in Hitler’s war, Germany appeared reluctant to make a strong show of military force anywhere in the world. But in 2001, Chancellor Gerhard Schröder announced a major change in military policy in which Germany would pursue a “more muscular policy.” He pronounced as “irrevocably passed” the day when Germany would be economically powerful but militarily passive. Schröder stated that now that Germany was reunited, it had to take on more responsibilities in the international community. As proof of his stated goal, Germany sent troops to aid the United States in its military strikes against terrorist bases in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan following the terrorist attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001.

But support for U.S. policies abruptly ended in 2003, when Chancellor Schröder took a stance against America’s war with Iraq. While this course proved politically rewarding in Germany, where most voters opposed U.S. involvement, it created a sharp rift with Washington, D.C., and irritated President George W. Bush. Schröder’s opposition to the war led to the lowest point in German-American relations since World War II. Since then, relations have been more cordial. In 2004 Schröder and Bush issued a joint statement on “The German-American Alliance for the 21st Century.” Schröder also attended the funeral of President Reagan as well as the 60th anniversary of the commemoration of the Allied D-day invasion of Normandy.

In a surprise development in 2005, conservative Angela Merkel became the first woman to govern modern Germany and the country’s first leader to grow up under communism in the Soviet-occupied East. Her conservatives finished just 1 percentage point ahead of Chancellor Gerhard Schröder’s center-left Social Democrats, with neither party getting a majority.

Merkel campaigned on pledges to shake up Germany’s highly regulated labor market and get the stagnant economy going again. She also promised to reinvigorate relations with the U.S. Merkel faced massive problems, including unemployment. Like the United States, the German economy remained strong but there were horrendous problems, including an economic slowdown. The financial burden of reunification has exerted a terrible price on Germany.

The new “First Man” of Germany, Merkel’s husband is mild-mannered chemistry professor Joachim Sauer, who likes to cook for friends and watch old Dustin Hoffman movies.

Although Germany in 2006 and early 2007 didn’t do anything earthshaking enough to discuss here, a significant historical event occurred in Luxembourg. An agreement was reached to open up millions of Nazi secret archives locked away since World War II. The vast archive has been hidden for decades in the German town of Bad Arolsen, but will in time become available to researchers.

An 11-nation International Commission has overseen the archives since the war. The files are available to Holocaust survivors and families of victims whose fate may not be clear. The files contain most of what the Nazis recorded on their death camps, including the prisoners held there, not only Jews but Gypsies and gay people, including “patients” subjected to cruel medical experiments.

In the fall of 2009, Chancellor Angela Merkel swept to victory with her conservative Christian Democrats in an alliance with the probusiness Free Democrats. Since then, her popularity has declined as Germany’s economy suffered under the global economic crisis. The nation as a whole is on the gloomy side, since the country’s money formed a significant part of the bailout for Greece in 2010.

Art & Architecture

Germany’s art ranges from medieval carved wood statues to Dürer prints to expressionist paintings, its architecture from Gothic cathedrals and riotous baroque chapels to neoclassical temples and Bauhaus buildings. This overview should help you make sense of it all.

German Art

Romanesque (11th–12th c.)

Artistic expression in early medieval Germany was largely church related. Because Mass was said in Latin, the illiterate masses had to learn Bible lessons via bas reliefs (sculptures that project slightly from a flat surface) and wall paintings, which told key tales to inspire faith in God and fear of sin.

The best examples of this period include scraps of surviving Romanesque sculpture on the 11th-century, carved wood doors at Cologne’s St. Maria im Kapitol, Augsburg’s Dom St. Maria, and the intricate The Shrine of the Magi reliquary (1182–1220) in Kölner Dom (Cologne Cathedral; ).

Gothic (13th–15th c.)

Late medieval German art continued to be largely ecclesiastical, including stained glass, church facades, and massive wooden altarpieces festooned with statues and carvings. In Gothic painting and sculpture, figures tended to be more natural looking than in the Romanesque, but remained highly stylized.

The best examples and artists include stained glass in Ulm Münster, Rothenburg’s St. Jakobskirche, and Cologne’s St. Gereon’s Sacristy. Stephan Lochner (active 1400–51) was the premier artist of the School of Cologne, where he painted the Cologne Cathedral’s Altar of the City Patrons (ca. 1440; ) and the Wallraf-Richartz Museum’s Madonna in the Rose Garden (1450; ). Bamberger Reiter is an anonymous equestrian statue in Bamberg’s Kaiserdom, a masterpiece of 13th-century sculpture. Tilman Riemenschneider (1460–1531) was Germany’s genius Gothic woodcarver of languid figures draped in flowing, folded robes. Some of his best works remain in Würzburg, including statues in the Mainfränkisches Museum.

Renaissance (Late 15th to 16th c.)

The German Renaissance masters, striving for greater naturalism, included the greatest of them all, Albrecht Dürer (1471–1528). A genius painter, superb illustrator, and one of the greatest draftsmen ever, Dürer was the most important Renaissance artist outside Italy. His art matched the scientific and geometric precepts of the Florentine Renaissance with a command of color learned in Venice, a Flemish eye for meticulous detail, and the emotional sensibility of the German Gothic. He was the first to paint stand-alone self-portraits (including one in Munich’s Alte Pinakothek; ), as well as watercolors and gouaches for their own sake rather than merely as sketches. His paintings grace Berlin’s Gemäldegalerie and the Germanisches Nationalmuseum in his native Nürnberg. Also see the box.

Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472–1553) melded Renaissance sensibilities with a still somewhat primitive, medieval look. As a young artist in Vienna, he helped popularize landscape painting as a member of the Danube School (Rest on the Flight into Egypt [1504] in Berlin’s Gemäldegalerie; ) and invented the full-length portrait (Duke of Saxony [1514] and The Duchess [1514] in Dresden’s Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, in the Zwinger complex; ). Hans Holbein the Younger (1497–1543) was second only to Dürer in the German Renaissance, and one of the greatest portraitists ever. Germany preserves precious little of his work, but you can see the Portrait of Georg Gisze (1532) in Berlin’s Gemäldegalerie and a Nativity in the Freiburg Cathedral.

Baroque & Rococo (16th–18th c.)

The baroque is more theatrical and decorative than the Renaissance, mixing a kind of superrealism based on the use of peasant models and the exaggerated chiaroscuro (“light and dark”) of Italy’s Caravaggio with compositional complexity and explosions of dynamic fury, movement, color, and figures. Rococo is this later baroque art gone awry, frothy and chaotic. Artists from this period include Andreas Schlüter (1660–1714), whose sculptures can now be found at Berlin’s Schloss Charlottenburg. Balthazar Permoser (1651–1732) was court sculptor at Dresden. His stone pulpit stands in Katholische Hofkirche, his sculptures in the Zwinger.

Romantic (19th c.)

The paintings of the Romantics were heroic, historic, dramatic, and beautiful in contrast to the classically minded Renaissance artists or the overly exuberant baroque artists. Adam Elsheimer (1578–1610) created tiny paintings that bridged the gap from late Renaissance Mannerism (a style characterized by twisting figures in exaggerated positions), through baroque, to proto-Romantic. His Flight into Egypt (1609) resides in Munich’s Alte Pinakothek. Caspar David Friedrich (1774–1840) was the greatest of the German Romantics. Dresden’s Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister in the Zwinger complex houses his famous Cross in the Mountains (1808).

Early 20th Century

Until Hitler, Germany was one of Europe’s hotbeds of artistic activity. But the Nazis outlawed and confiscated what they called “degenerate” modern art. Almost all the artists listed below are represented at Cologne’s Museum Ludwig, save Höch and Grosz, whom you can find at Berlin’s Neue Nationalgalerie. At least one artist from every movement is at Stuttgart’s Staatsgalerie, and there are also good modern collections at Düsseldorf’s Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen and Dresden’s Albertinum. Munich’s Pinakothek der Moderne is strong on expressionist artists.

The major artists and movements of the early 20th century include expressionism, which abandoned realism and embraced, to varying degrees, exaggeration, visible artistry (thick paint, obvious brush strokes, and strong colors) and, most important, abstraction—all to try to “express” the emotions or philosophy of the artist himself. Pure expressionism fell into two main groups, especially Die Brücke, founded in 1905 Dresden, which sought inspiration in folk art, medieval examples, and “unspoiled” landscapes. Its greatest members were Ernst Kirchner (1880–1938) and Karl Schmidt-Rottluff (1884–1976), though Impressionist Emil Nolde (1867–1956) also later joined for a while. They have their own Brücke Museum in Berlin. The second movement was Der Blaue Reiter group, set up in Munich in 1911 by Russian-born Wassily Kandinsky (1866–1944), Franz Marc (1880–1916), and August Macke (1887–1914) to oppose the cultural insularity and antimodern stance of Die Brücke. The “Blue Riders” embraced international elements, modern abstraction techniques, and bright, vibrant color schemes to seek an emotional, visceral intensity in their work. Determined critics of the horrors of World War I, Dadaists were by turns abstract, nihilistic (inviting gallery visitors to help destroy the art), and just generally anti-art (many made random collages of found materials). Its proponents included Hannah Höch (1889–1978), who collaged photographs and magazine cutouts to make social statements; George Grosz (1893–1959), who was more strictly a painter, and later moved on to the Neue Sachlichkeit movement (below); and Kurt Schwitters (1887–1948), who eventually started his own splinter group called “Merz,” which experimented with abstract and Russian constructivist elements.

Both Max Ernst (1891–1976) and Alsatian Jean “Hans” Arp (1887–1966) started as Blaue Reiter expressionists and, after their Dada collage period, ended up in Paris as surrealists (Ernst as a painter, Arp as a sculptor and painter of amorphous shapes).

Neue Sachlichkeit (New Objectivity) was a 1920s Berlin movement opposed to the abstraction of the expressionists. Their caricature-filled art was painted in harsh colors and focused on even harsher subjects such as sex and violence. Proponents included Otto Dix (1891–1969), who started as an expressionist but quickly became one of the most scathing and disturbing New Objectivity painters; George Grosz (see above); and Max Beckmann (1884–1950), who also was originally an expressionist.

Post–World War II Art

Germany hasn’t had any one style or school to define its art since World War II, though terms such as neoexpressionism (an antiabstract, antiminimalist, anticonceptual trend that grounds itself more in tradition and figurative art) are often bandied about. There have been, however, several important artists. All three listed below are represented in Stuttgart’s Staatsgalerie and Bonn’s Kunstmuseum. Notable post–World War II artists include Josef Beuys (1921–86), an iconoclast and nonconformist who made constructivist sculpture from trash; Anselm Kiefer (b. 1945), who made a return to huge, mixed-media figurative art, often with a strong historical bent; and Georg Baselitz (b. 1938), a figurative painter—and a sculptor, since the 1980s—a neoexpressionist with a penchant for portraying people upside down.

Architecture

Romanesque (10th–13th c.)

Romanesque architects concentrated on building large churches with wide aisles to accommodate the masses. Identifiable features include rounded arches, thick walls, small windows, huge piers, tall towers, dual chancels, and blind arcades.

The best examples include Mainz’s Dom, which looks more like a castle fortress than a church; Worms’s Dom St. Peter, with a dual-chancel arrangement and two imposing facades; and Speyer’s Kaiserdom, the largest cathedral in Germany, a four-towered Romanesque basilica with dwarf galleries and blind arcades.

Church floor plan

Dom, Mainz

Gothic (13th–16th c.)

Ceilings began to soar with Gothic architects, walls became thinner, and windows—often stained glass—proliferated. On the exterior, graceful buttresses and soaring spires rose over a town. Pointed arches, it was discovered, carried more weight than rounded ones. Other features included cross vaulting, a facade flanked by two towers, flying buttresses, spires, gargoyles, and delicate tracery.

Cross vault

Cross section of a Gothic church

The best examples of Gothic include Cologne Cathedral, Germany’s finest, at once massive and graceful; Freiburg Cathedral, built almost entirely during the Middle Ages; and Ulm Münster, second in size only to Cologne’s cathedral. Ulm’s Münster sports the world’s tallest spire—though it did take 500 years to complete. The best-preserved town centers with Gothic-style houses and buildings include Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Goslar, Regensburg, and Tübingen.

Cologne Cathedral

Renaissance (Late 15th Through Mid–17th c.)

Germany was so busy with the Reformation that the country had little time for the Renaissance, which really had an effect only in southern Germany (transalpine influences from Italy) and a few isolated examples in the far north (influences from Flemish and Dutch neighbors). Other than a close eye to the Renaissance ideals of proportion, symmetry, and the classical orders (distinguished by the use of three column capitals: Corinthian, Ionic, and Doric), little specifically identifies Italianate Renaissance buildings.

Classical orders

Weser Renaissance was a late-16th- and early-17th-century style prevalent in Lower Saxony, distinguishable on houses by pinnacled gables (the triangular upper portion of a wall at the end of a pitched roof), heavy scrollwork, elaborate dormers (an upright window projecting from a sloping roof), rounded pediments (a low-pitched feature above a window, door, or pavilion), and decorative stone bands.

Celle is the best preserved town center in the Weser Renaissance style, including its moated Herzogschloss. The Pied Piper town of Hameln has several fine Weser Renaissance houses, including the Rattenfängerhaus, Hochzeitshaus, and Dempterscheshaus. The only solidly Renaissance church in Germany is Michaelskirche in Munich, built 1583 to 1597 by Jesuits to resemble their church in Rome.

Baroque & Rococo (17th–18th c.)

With a seamless meshing of architecture and art, the German baroque flourished in the south and in Lower Saxony. Germany’s brand of over-the-top, baroque chaos worked better perhaps than in any other country. Whereas rococo is usually used as a derogatory term for the baroque gone awry into the grotesque, in Germany the rococo actually succeeds (sometimes). Baroque lines follow a complex geometry and interplay of concave and convex surfaces. The overall effect is to lighten the appearance of structures and add movement of line and vibrancy to the static look of the Renaissance.

The best example of a baroque palace is the Residenz in Würzburg (1720–44; ), designed by Balthasar Neumann, including a monumental staircase under the world’s largest ceiling fresco by the Italian master Tiepolo. Friedrich the Great’s Sanssouci Palace at Potsdam (1744–1860) is one of Europe’s best examples of the rococo.

Jean François de Cuvilliés (1698–1767), a French dwarf, was originally the elector of Bavaria’s court jester until his talent for architecture was recognized. After schooling in France, he returned to Munich to craft its greatest rococo monuments, including the jewel box of the Residenz’s Altes Residenztheater, which now bears his name, and the facade of the baroque Theatinerkirche. His masterpiece is Schloss Nymphenburg’s Amalienburg hunting lodge, which became a model for palaces across Europe.

Amalienburg, Schloss Nymphenburg

Neoclassicism & Romantic (Mid–18th Through 19th c.)

As a backlash against the excesses of the baroque and rococo, by the middle of the 18th century architects began turning to the austere simplicity and grandeur of the classical age and inaugurated the neoclassical style. Their work was inspired by the rediscovery of Pompeii and other ancient sites. However, many of their interiors continued to be rococo, though more muted than before. The sterility of German neoclassicism didn’t last long, however, and the 19th century left the increasing nationalist German society looking into its own past for inspiration, kicking off the neo-Gothic Romantic Movement.

The Prussians remade Berlin in a neoclassical image, starting with the Brandenburger Tor and moving on to the buildings of Karl Friedrich Schinkel (1781–1841), among which Altes Museum, Schloss Charlottenhof, and Nikolaikirche are his best. There’s a museum devoted to him called the Friedrichswerdersche Kirche–Schinkelmuseum. In Munich, Ludwig I had Leo von Klenze lay out neoclassical structures across his “new Athens,” including those surrounding Königsplatz and the nearby Alte and Neue pinakotheks. Caught up in Wagner’s dramatic operas set in the heroic Middle Ages, “Mad” King Ludwig II was the ultimate Romantic, building for himself a series of faux medieval fairy-tale castles, including Herrenchiemsee’s Neues Schloss and the incomparable fantasy of Neuschwanstein Castle, a festival of banner-fluttering towers and battlements right out of a Brothers Grimm folk tale, its entire setting chosen solely for its picture-postcard perfection.

Neuschwanstein

20th-Century Architecture

Germany’s take on the early-20th-century Art Nouveau movement was called Jugendstil. The Bauhaus was a 1920s avant-garde school of architecture led by Walter Gropius (1883–1969) that combined industrial-age architecture with art and craft to create functional buildings and furnishings. Among its chief designers and institute teachers were Marcel Breuer, Wassily Kandinsky, Oskar Schlemmer, and Paul Klee. The Nazis closed the school in 1933, though it was reborn in Chicago. Jugendstil houses and hotels exist across Germany, but the movement took its name from Jugend magazine published in the Schwabing district of Munich, where many buildings in the style survive. Munich is also home to the Jugendstil Museum in the Stuck-Villa, a hybrid neoclassical/Jugendstil structure. Bauhaus structures, too, pepper Germany in unobtrusive ways, often in city outskirts. One fine example is Berlin’s Die Siemensstadt, the first modern housing complex, built with long “slab” blocks by Walter Gropius. Berlin also has the Bauhaus-Archiv Museum für Gestaltung, devoted to Bauhaus drawings, photographs, and some design examples.

Siemensstadt

Germany in Pop Culture

Books

Biography

Taylor, A. J. P. Bismarck: The Man and the Statesman (1967). This is the story of the “Iron Chancellor,” who was instrumental in unifying the German states into the German Empire.

Trevor-Roper, Hugh. The Last Days of Hitler (1986). This is an insightful reconstruction of the twilight of the Third Reich.

Fiction

Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von. The Sorrows of Young Werther (1990). This is required reading for every German schoolchild. Goethe explored the theme of suicide in this early epistolary novella.

Grass, Günter. Dog Years (1989), The Tin Drum (1990), and The Flounder (1989). Grass’s works deal with the German psyche coming to terms with the dreadful legacy of Nazism and World War II.

Isherwood, Christopher. The Berlin Stories (1954). Isherwood lived in Berlin from 1929 to 1933. His most famous story was “Good-Bye to Berlin,” which became the source of the stage and film versions of Cabaret.

Mann, Thomas. The Magic Mountain (1969). This is Mann’s most celebrated masterpiece.

Remarque, Erich Maria. All Quiet on the Western Front (1987). This is a classic novel of World War I.

Folklore & Legends

Grimm, Jacob, and Wilhelm Grimm. Complete Grimm Tales. This is the world’s most famous collection of folk tales, with a cast of characters that includes everybody from Little Red Riding Hood to Tom Thumb.

The Nibelungenlied. Every school kid in Germany reads this great epic poem, which details the exploits of Siegfried and Kriemhild and the fall of the Burgundians. The Nibelungenlied is characterized by the violence of its emotions and its uncompromising emphasis on vengeance.

History

Beevor, Antony. The Fall of Berlin 1945 (2002). This is one of the most vivid accounts ever written of the Red Army’s assault on Berlin.

Large, David Clay. Berlin (2000). In this controversial and caustic survey of Berlin since 1871, the author claims that “no other place has so dramatically encapsulated the highs and lows of our modern human experience” as Berlin.

Schneider, Peter. The German Comedy: Scenes of Life after the Wall, translated by Leigh Hafrey and Philip Boehm (1992). Comic absurdities surrounding the collapse of the Wall fill this book, but Schneider (author of The Wall Jumper) also explores resurgent anti-Semitism and how West Germans are coping with the flood of refugees from the former East Germany.

Shirer, William L. The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany (1959–60). This story has never been told better—the complete saga of Hitler’s empire from beginning to end.

Taylor, Frederick. Dresden: Tuesday, February 13, 1945 (2004). This book takes a new look at the destruction of Dresden by Allied bombings, which was more famously brought home in Kurt Vonnegut’s 1969 novel Slaughterhouse Five. A British historian, Taylor debunks the theory that Dresden contributed little toward the Nazi war effort, but was “one of the foremost industrial locations of the Reich.”

Travel

Twain, Mark. A Tramp Abroad (1989). The American humorist’s travels through Germany are comically detailed here. Read also his comments on “The Awful German Language.”

German literature: From Gutenberg to Grass

Even before Gutenberg invented the first printing press in the Western world in the 15th century, German literature—both oral and written—was being produced. The first written literary work known is The Lay of Hildebrand, a narrative poem handed down by ancient storytellers and copied by monks at the Benedictine Abbey at Fulda. Such tales of valor, love, sorrow, and death were strong in oral tradition, with the Rhine valley giving rise to many legends and songs through the centuries, Lohengrin, Roland, the Lorelei, and the Nibelungen being among the subjects.

The age of chivalry gave birth to lyric poetry in Germany. Like the troubadours in France, Minnesingers of the Holy Roman Empire roamed the land singing songs of love and derring-do inspired by the Crusades. One of these, Walter von der Vogelweide, a knight of the late 12th and early 13th centuries, is seen as the father of lyric poetry in Germany. Another early-13th-century poet of note was Wolfram von Eschenbach, whose epic, Parsifal, glorifies chivalry and religious devotion. By the 16th century, another “hero” had joined German folklore and literature—Til Eulenspiegel, a clownish fellow whose life around 1300 became the subject of story and song.

From the time of the Reformation (16th c.), Martin Luther’s influence can be traced in many fields of the German life of the mind and spirit. His translation of the Bible into modern German was hailed as the first great literary work in the language. A Luther contemporary, Hans Sachs, a Meistersinger (a “master singer” who carried on the traditions of the earlier Minnesingers), was a prolific author of stories, poems, plays, and songs.

Publications of a picaresque novel, Simplicissimus, by Grimmelshausen (17th c.), marked the start of production of long prose narratives in the country. The Age of Enlightenment in German literature dawned in the late 17th century, inaugurated by Klopstock in his epic, Der Messias, and his Odes, and it continued into the 18th century. Rationalization was the watchword in this Enlightenment period, or Aufklärung. Much writing was in the form of philosophical treatises (for example, the works of Leibniz and Kant). Also in this era, the principles of German drama were laid out by Lessing.

As a reaction to rationalization, a literary movement known as Sturm und Drang was born in the 18th century, marked especially by poetry and drama extolling both sentiment and grand passions and rejecting previous social, political, moral, and literary authority.

In this time, when ideas of storm and stress dominated the literati, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe arrived on the scene, a giant of letters. Dramatist, novelist, philosopher, and Germany’s greatest poet, Goethe followed the pattern of the times in youth and early manhood (the Urfaust or Early Faust, Egmont, and The Sorrows of Young Werther). However, he soon became disenchanted with Sturm und Drang, turning in midlife after a stay in Italy to a classical mode (Nausikaa). During this period, he reworked Faust so that the final product begins with storm and stress and then levels off into tranquil classicism. It was after his sojourn in Italy that he also produced Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre, a novel that served for decades as the prototype of the best German fiction.

Another literary immortal, Johann Friedrich Schiller, playwright and poet, a contemporary and friend of Goethe, also turned away from Sturm und Drang after presentation of Don Carlos, a powerful historical drama honoring liberty. Similar dramas were Wallenstein and Wilhelm Tell. Schiller’s outlook placed his interests in the fields of history and philosophy.

Besides these two masters of the literary world, which soon moved on from classicism to romanticism to historical romanticism, such names of world note as the brothers Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm, famous for their collection of fairy tales, folk tales, and myths, and Heinrich Heine appeared. Many of the works of Heine, second only to Goethe as Germany’s greatest poet, have become folk songs.

A poet who became known for his work in the first quarter of the 20th century was Rainer Maria Rilke. Another German, the novelist Erich Maria Remarque (All Quiet on the Western Front), moved to the United States to escape the political conditions of his homeland. Franz Kafka became known for his novels of the absurd. Bertolt Brecht (The Threepenny Opera and Mother Courage) chose to live in East Germany after World War II.

In 1959 Gunther Grass burst onto the scene with his extraordinary first novel, Blechtrommel (The Tin Drum). He became a spokesman for the German generation that grew up in the Nazi era and received the Nobel Prize in literature in 1999 as a poet, novelist, and playwright.

Other Germans who won the Nobel Prize for literature:

• Theodor Mommsen, 1902, philosopher

• Paul J. L. Heyse, 1910, novelist, dramatist, and poet

• Gerhart J. R. Hauptmann, 1912, dramatist

• Thomas Mann, 1929, novelist

• Hermann Hesse, 1946, novelist

• Heinrich Böll, 1972, novelist

The influence of German thought on the Western mind has been powerful, from as far back as the 13th century when Albertus Magnus became known as a scholastic philosopher, naturalist, and theologian. Through the centuries, other notable philosophers have been Kant, Moses Mendelssohn, Schopenhauer, Hegel, Marx, Engels, and Nietzsche (Thus Spake Zarathustra).

Music

Music is an important and pervasive facet of German life. German disunity over the centuries actually helped foster German music. The many small principalities and bishoprics that split up the German-speaking world meant that there were many courts to offer opportunities to musicians, both composers and instrumentalists. As a result, the German-speaking nations produced more composers of indisputable greatness than any other.

Today, the musical scene in Germany is as vibrant as ever. Every major city has an opera house and an orchestra, many of them world renowned. New composers are encouraged, and productions are often at the cutting edge.

Men (and Women) of Note: Germany’s Rich Musical History

by Donald Olson

Some of the greatest works of Western music have been written by German composers. The roster includes Bach, Handel, Beethoven, Brahms, Mendelssohn, Schumann, and Wagner, as well as 20th-century greats Alban Berg and Kurt Weill. The country’s rich musical history dates back to 12th-century Minnesängers (troubadours) and religious chants. Over the centuries, Germany’s musical traditions were fostered in convents, monasteries and churches where composers were hired to write sacred songs, cantatas and oratorios. Eventually, as opera houses and concert halls became a fixture in German cities, a wider public clamored for musical performances. Classical music remains an important part of German culture today and can be enjoyed in concert halls and opera houses throughout the country.

Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) Known as Saint Hildegard, this Benedictine abbess was revered in her day as an author, visionary, herbalist, poet, and composer. Over 70 of her compositions have survived, one of the largest repertoires among medieval composers. Hildegard’s music is monophonic, consisting of only one melodic line, but her soaring melodies go well beyond the range of medieval chant.

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) After stints as a violinist, an organist, and Kapellmeister, Bach arrived in Leipzig in 1723 and stayed for the rest of his life, writing more than 200 cantatas, the Passion According to St. Matthew, and the Mass in B Minor. He was prolific in other ways as well, fathering 17 children. Every June, Leipzig celebrates Bach’s musical legacy with the famous Bachfest (www.bach-leipzig.de), during which Bach’s works are performed in the Thomaskirche, where he is buried.

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) Beethoven brought emotional depth and new tone colors to music in the transitional period between the Classical (Bach) and Romantic (Brahms) eras. He began his career by composing and performing piano concertos, and he continued to compose (9 symphonies, the opera Fidelio) even when his hearing began to deteriorate in the late 1790s. By the time his monumental Ninth Symphony was premiered in 1824, Beethoven was so deaf that he had to be turned around to see the tumultuous applause of the audience. Music lovers can visit his birthplace, the Beethoven House Museum, in Bonn.

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) Like Beethoven, Brahms was a composer and virtuoso pianist who performed many of his own works. He composed for piano, chamber ensembles, symphony orchestra, and for voice and chorus. The structure of Brahms’s music is rooted in the traditions of Baroque and Classical composition, but he developed musical themes in a way pioneered by Beethoven, creating bold new harmonies and melodies. Brahms’s glory years as a composer were between 1868, when he premiered A German Requiem, his largest choral work, and 1885, by which time he had composed his four symphonies and the Piano Concerto No. 2. In 1889, Brahms made an experimental recording of his first Hungarian dance on the piano, the earliest recording made by a major composer.

Richard Wagner (1813-1883) Known primarily for his operas, Wagner pioneered advances in musical language that greatly influenced the development of European classical music. His life was tumultuous, requiring periodic flights to escape creditors. It was while in exile from Germany that Wagner completed his four-act Ring cyle, the opera Tristan and Isolde, and developed his revolutionary vision of operas as Gesamtkunstwerk, or “total artwork”, a fusion of music, song, dance, poetry, visual arts, and stagecraft. His fortunes brightened when Ludwig II, king of Bavaria, became Wagner’s patron., Wagner built the Festspielhaus in Bayreuth, a theater where his operas—and only his—would be performed. He is buried in the garden at Villa Wahnfriend in Bayreuth.

Kurt Weill (1900-1950) Although he was classically trained and had some success with his works for the concert hall, it was Weill’s musical-theatre songs that became popular in Germany in the late 1920s and early 1930s. His best-known work, The Threepenny Opera, was written in 1928 in collaboration with the German playwright Bertolt Brecht contained his most famous song, “Mack the Knife.” As a prominent Jewish composer, Weill became a target of the Nazis and was forced to flee Germany in 1933.

A History of German Music

Baroque Music The greatest composer of the baroque era was Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750), who was a supreme master of all musical forms of his time. Bach produced many church cantatas, especially for St. Thomas Church in Leipzig, where he served as cantor. His compositions were technically outstanding, vigorous, and profound. Little of his music was published during his lifetime, but after his death, his influence steadily grew, especially that of his organ works. The musical tradition in his large family was maintained by two of his talented sons, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714–88) and Johann Christian Bach (1735–82). The Brandenburg Concertos are highly recommended.

Bach’s contemporary George Frideric Handel (1685–1759) was another great composer. He first rose to prominence as musician of the court of Hannover, a post that he left to become composer at the court of St. James of England. He was a leading composer of operas and instrumental music for the court. Listen to his oratorio, Messiah.

The Classical Period Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–91), although an Austrian, cannot be omitted from any discussion of German music. His operas, with their contemporary themes and lively musical characterizations, paved the way for later composers. Franz Joseph Haydn (1732–1809), another Austrian, also exerted great influence on German music, especially instrumental music. Listen to Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro and Don Giovanni and Haydn’s “Drum Roll” Symphony no. 103.

The 19th Century & Romanticism The 19th century was rich in musical genius. Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827) ushered in romanticism. His works included symphonies, piano concertos, piano sonatas, quartets, and many others. He greatly expanded and developed the orchestra. Tragically, he completely lost his hearing in 1819. However, the chamber music he wrote after this event shows an even greater depth and complexity than his previous compositions. Listen to symphonies no. 5 and no. 9.

Other great composers of the era include Franz Schubert (1797–1828), Felix Mendelssohn (1809–47), Robert Schumann (1810–56), and Johannes Brahms (1833–97). Listen to Schubert’s Lieder, Mendelssohn’s “Overture” to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Schumann’s Symphony no. 3, and Brahms’s German Requiem.

The giant of the 19th-century opera world was Richard Wagner (1813–83). His theories of musical drama exerted a tremendous influence on everyone who followed him, even his detractors. His influence can best be heard in the music of the later Romantic composer Richard Strauss (1864–1949), whose operas carry Wagner’s ideas of character development to greater psychological depth. Listen to Wagner’s The Ring of the Nibelungs and Strauss’s Salome.

The 20th Century Musical experimentation flourished in early-20th-century Germany. Austrian-born Arnold Schönberg (1874–1951) developed the 12-tone system of musical structure. Kurt Weill (1900–50) and Paul Hindemith (1895–1963) tried to reach a more popular audience. During the Nazi era, many composers fled Germany. Others, like Hans Pfitzner (1869–1949) and Strauss, remained in an uneasy relationship with the Nazis. Listen to Schönberg’s Five Pieces for Orchestra, Weill’s Threepenny Opera, and Hindemith’s Mathis der Maler. The music of Pfitzner is still heard in such operas as Palestrina from 1917 and Das Herz from 1931. The compositions of Strauss are among the most frequently played around the globe, especially his operas such as Salome (1905) and Elektra (1909).

More recently, major composers such as Karlheinz Stockhausen (1928–2007) and Hans Werner Henze (b. 1926) have brought the traditions of Germany’s musical past into the present. Listen to Stockhausen’s Gesang der Jünglinge (Song of the Youths). Henze has won cultural awards around the world for such compositions as The English Cat in 1980 and La Cubana in 1973.

Beyond Baroque: The Modern German music Scene

Modern German music tastes are heavily influenced by the American or British pop worlds, but many German musicians have created their own Teutonic sounds, notably the amusingly named “Krautrock.” Kraut, of course, was originally an ethnic slur used by American GIs to refer to Nazi soldiers. One critic defined Krautrock “as a mix of Anglo-American post-psychedelic jamming and moody progressive rock.” Its stars were the band Can, often compared to the Velvet Underground, and the band Faust, which became one of the first acts to sign with Richard Branson’s Virgin Records.

Crossing international boundaries is the German industrial metal band Rammstein, which nonetheless performs almost exclusively in German. The group is known for its rock hit “Du Hast.” Rammstein is also controversial—a liquid-ejecting dildo earned them a night in a Massachusetts jail. Rammstein band members much admire the music of Nina Hagen, who often leads protests concerning issues such as the war in Iraq. She headlined the Drop Dead Festival in New York City in 2005.

Neue Deutsche Welle (New German wave) was a form of punk rock and new wave music that rose in the mid-’70s. Out of this movement came a German band from Berlin, Wir Sind Helden (We Are Heroes), which has achieved great success, including sold-out concerts in London, with non-English lyrics.

Punk music became popular in the 1970s in the wake of the success of British bands like the Sex Pistols, who developed a devoted following in West Germany. After reunification, many punk bands such as Slime rose to rant against politicians who ignore the dangers of neo-Nazis in Germany. The late ’70s also saw the rise of Goth rock, with strong ties to the English punk rock scene. Since the turn of the millennium, Goth rock has declined in popularity but still flourishes in pockets.

German hip-hop entered the mainstream only in the early ’90s, bringing with it graffiti and break dancing. The controversial and mysterious Berlin rapper Sido released Maske, a debut album in 2004, which was hailed as the first real German hip-hop music. His most recent releases are the 2008 album Ich und meine Maske (Me and My Mask) and the 2009 album Aggro Berlin.

Film

German cinema came into its own in the aftermath of World War I, although it actually began in 1895, when the brothers Skladanowsky presented their Bioscop in the Wintergarten at Berlin. Early German film not only has earned a place in cinema history, but also has been enormously influential in both Europe and the United States. Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari (The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari), directed by Dr. Robert Wiene and released in Berlin in 1920, was hailed as “the first work of art on the screen.” After viewing the film, the French coined the term Caligarisme to describe the “all upside-down” postwar world.

The 1920s saw the production of many notable German films, such as Fritz Lang’s Dr. Mabuse, der Spieler (Dr. Mabuse, the Gambler), a 1922 screen version of a novel by Norbert Jacques. In 1924, Lang achieved great popular success with his two Nibelungen films, which became classics. The influence of Lang’s science fiction film Metropolis (1927) can still be seen today, and his Spione (The Spy) became the forerunner of the Hitchcock thrillers. Carl Mayer achieved renown for his scripts, which were called “screen poems.” These include the expressionist 1920 film Genuine and 1924s Der Letzte Mann (The Last Laugh). Mayer is said to have “unchained” the camera.

In the late 1920s, Hollywood began drawing away Germany’s brightest stars, including directors Ernst Lubitsch and F. W. Murnau (Faust, 1926) and stars such as Conrad Veidt and Emil Jannings. As the worldwide recession hit Germany, film production suffered further. The most notable film to come out of this troubled period was Der Blaue Engel (The Blue Angel), released in 1930. It starred Emil Jannings and brought world acclaim to its female lead, Marlene Dietrich, who later found even greater glory in Hollywood.

When the Nazis came to power, German films became propaganda tools. Nazi films reached the zenith of their power in Leni Riefenstahl’s 1934 Triumph des Willens (Triumph of the Will), acclaimed for its cinematic techniques in spite of its glorification of Nazism. She went on to make Olympia, her classic account of the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Her innovative camera angles and close-ups of the athletes in action were brilliant, and the films won her both praise and condemnation.

In the first decades after World War II, the German film industry was not very creative. By the 1970s, however, a group of talented directors was emerging, including Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Werner Herzog, Wim Wenders, and Volker Schlöndorff.

Currently, there are few screen giants in Germany. The Berlin Film Festival often honors golden oldies, such as Pandora’s Box, by G. W. Pabst, starring American Louise Brooks. Many Pabst films have been restored and reconstructed. Pabst’s critical treatment of social issues earned him the sobriquet “The Red Pabst” during the Weimar Republic. Franz Seitz is often honored for producing some 80 films during his career, including 1979’s The Tin Drum.

The 1981 story of a doomed Nazi submarine, Das Boot (The Boat) still holds the record for the most Academy Award nominations for a German film, a total of six. The 1990 film Das schreckliche Mädchen (The Nasty Girl) tells the often shocking story of what a Bavarian high-school student uncovers when she sets out to investigate the Nazi past of her hometown. Michael Verhoeven’s picture was nominated for an Oscar as best foreign film. The movie is said to have been based on true-life experiences of a young woman. The German hometown in the film is actually Passau, covered later in this guide. Hitler once resided in Passau.

In 2006, Das Leben der Anderen (The Lives of Others) won an Academy Award as best foreign-language film. The film documented how Stasi (the East German secret police) spied on the lives of its citizens. In 2007, Die Fälscher (The Counterfeiters) also won an Oscar as best foreign-language film. Shot in Berlin, this Austro-German production told the story of how forgers were assigned the job of producing massive amounts of fake U.S. dollars and British pounds in an effort by the Nazi regime to weaken the Allied economy.

Modern films continue to offer us a glimpse of contemporary German life and culture as well. Most of these are available in the U.S. either dubbed or translated into English. Tom Tykwer’s Lola Rennt (1998) remains one of our favorites. It was called Run Lola Run in its English release. Starring Franka Potenta as Lola, the film has been called iconic of a reunified Germany. The plot involves a young woman who has 20 minutes to find and bring 100,000 German marks to her boyfriend before he robs a supermarket. The action is riveting, the soundtrack dynamic.

In Der Krieger und die Kaiserin (The Princess and the Warrior), director Tykwer is reunited with Potenta. First released in 2000, the film follows the travails of Sissi, who works in a psychiatric hospital. She becomes involved with a tormented ex-soldier who stages a bank robbery. A near-death experience throws Sissi’s life into chaos.

One of the freshest post-reunification films is Wolfgang Becker’s 2003 comedy Goodbye, Lenin!, set in East Germany in 1989. A young man, to protect his fragile mother from a fatal shock after a long coma, tries to prevent her from learning that her beloved East Germany has disappeared.

Eating & Drinking

Though traditional dishes like dumplings, Wurst (sausages), pastries, and beer may make Germany seem the worst possible place to eat healthfully, in reality, restaurants are offering foreign foods and neue Küche (modern cuisine). Chefs trained in Switzerland, France, or Italy return to Germany to open Continental restaurants, and Italians and Turks, many of whom originally came to Germany as “guest workers,” own restaurants featuring their own culinary traditions.

Regional Specialties

• Bavaria & Franconia: In southern Germany, you can feast on such hearty fare as Leberkäs (a chilled mold of minced pork, beef, and liver), Knödel (dumplings or soaked bread), Haxen (pork or veal trotters, most often consumed with Sauerkraut), Rostbratwürste (small finger sausages), and Leberknödel (large liver dumplings in a clear broth). Schweinwurst mit Kraut (pork sausages with Sauerkraut) is another unforgettable local dish.

• Lower Saxony & Schleswig-Holstein: Here in northwest Germany, with its maritime tradition, a typical local dish is Aalsuppe—sweet-and-sour eel soup flavored with bacon, vegetables, and sometimes even pears and prunes (or perhaps other fruits). The sailor’s favorite is Labskaus, a ground-together medley of pork, salt herring, and beef, along with potatoes and beets. The traditional topping is a fried egg and a side dish of cucumbers. Bruntes Huhn is salt beef on a bed of diced vegetables, a robust winter favorite. Rollmops, pickled herring rolled in sour cream, is another local specialty, as is Finkenwerder Scholle (plaice) and oysters, raw or baked with cheese.

• Berlin: During those cold nights in old Prussia, Berliners took comfort in their soups, notably Kohlsuppe (cabbage soup) and Erbsensuppe (pea soup), along with dark bread, especially Westphalia pumpernickel. Hase im Topf is a delicious rabbit pâté. Other favorites are Bratwurst, a pork sausage, and Regensburger Wurst, a spicy pork sausage. For dessert, Berliners like Kugelhupf, a marvelous coffeecake, and Käsekuchen, or cheesecake. But probably the most typical Berlin delicacy is Eisbein (pigs’ knuckles).

• Hassen & Westphalia: Famed for its hams, this region eats food guaranteed to put hair on your chest. Sample their Sulperknochen, made from the pigs’ trotters (feet), ears, and tail, and served traditionally with pea pudding and pickled cabbage. Try Tüttchen, a ragout of herb-flavored calves’ heads and calves’ brains, or settle for Pickert, sweet-potato cakes flavored with raisins.

• Baden-Württemberg: In the southern region around Stuttgart, begin with such dishes as Schneckensuppe (snail soup), Spätzle (egg-based pasta), or perhaps Maultaschen (ravioli stuffed with ground meat, spinach, and calves’ brains). A dish beloved in the area and widely consumed is Geschnetzeltes (slices of veal in a cream sauce). The favorite local dish in Stuttgart itself is Gaisburger Marsch, a beef stew. Another commonly served dish is Rostbraten, braised beef, invariably accompanied by Sauerkraut or Linsen mit Saiten, lentil stew cooked with sausages.

• Saxony & Thuringia: In eastern Germany, you can feast on everything from Linsensuppe mit Thüringer Rotwurst (lentil soup with Thuringian sausages) to Rinderzunge in Rosinen-Sauce (calves’ tongues in grape sauce). Kartoffelsuppe (potato soup) remains a favorite of the district, as does a baked appetizer, Quarkkeulchen, made from curd, boiled potatoes, flour, sugar, and raisins, topped with cinnamon and served with applesauce. Each city in the district also has its own popular local dishes. Leipzig, for example, has its Leipziger Allerlei, a blend of carrots, peas, asparagus, cauliflower, mushrooms, crayfish, oxtails, bits of veal, and dumplings.

• Rhineland: The Rhineland features dishes that have made Germans the subject of good-natured ridicule, especially in neighboring France. For example, there’s Saumagen, stuffed pork belly with pickled cabbage. Also beloved is Schweinepfeffer, a highly seasoned and spicy pork ragout that’s thickened with pig blood. After that feast, it’s on to Hämchen, pork trotters with pickled cabbage and potatoes, or else Sauerbraten, beef marinated in wine vinegar and spices. Postwar Chancellor Konrad Adenauer was a Rhinelander, and one of his favorite foods was Reibekuchen, small potato pancakes with a blueberry sauce or applesauce. Taverns along the Rhine fill up when Federweisser, partially fermented new wine, comes in. They drink it while devouring onion tarts.

The Best of the wurst

The German love affair with Wurst (sausage) dates from the dawn of history. Every region of Germany has its own specialty, but the overall favorite seems to be Bratwurst from Nürnberg, made of seasoned and spiced pork. Germans often take their Wurst with a bun and a dab of mustard. Weisswurst (white sausage) is a medley of veal, calves’ brains, and spleen. Bauernwurst (farmer’s sausage) and Knockwurst are variations of the Frankfurter, which originated (naturally) in Frankfurt. (Oddly enough, small Frankfurters, which are called wieners or Vienna sausages in the United States and Wienerwurst in Germany, are known as Frankfurters in Austria.) Leberwurst (made from liver) is a specialty of Hesse. Rinderwurst and Blutwurst (beef sausage and blood sausage) are Westphalian specialties and are often eaten with Steinhäger (corn brandy).

Beer & Wine

Beer For variety and quality, German beer is unequaled. The world’s oldest brewery is in Bavaria, but other regions in Germany have proud beer-making traditions. Export beers and the rather more bitter Pils, the most popular type of beer, are also produced in Berlin, Hamburg, the Ruhr, Hesse, and Stuttgart. Altbier, a very early product of the brewer’s art, can be found today all over Germany.

In Germany, if you go into a beer hall and ask the bartender for ein Bier, you’ll probably get the standard stock beer, Vollbier, which is 4% alcohol. More potent is Export at 5% or Bockbier at 6%. Connoisseurs specify the type of beer they want and often the brewery. The following is a bit of beer vocabulary. When the malt has been darkly roasted and fermented for much longer, it becomes dunkles Bier, or dark beer. Doppelbock is an extra-dark beer with a 6% alcoholic content. Helles Bier is light and brewed from malt dried and baked by the local brewery, or Brauerei. Many Germans, especially the citizens of Bamberg, like their beer “smoked.” If that appeals to you, request Rauchbier. In nearby Bayreuth, Richard Wagner’s old hometown, locals prefer a “steam beer” known as Dampfbier. The denizens of Düsseldorf and Frankfurt can often be heard requesting Alt, a brown, barley-malt brew. Kölsch is a light beer drunk mainly in Cologne in tall fluted glasses. Hefeweizen is a yeasty wheat beer consumed often with a squeeze of lemon. Berliner Weisse is made from wheat, like a Bavarian white beer, but with a dash of raspberry or woodruff syrup. Dark and sweet, malt beer has hardly any alcohol, whereas Starkbier is a powerful beer served when the barrels are opened after the post-Lenten celebrations in March. It has the highest alcohol content of them all. Finally, Pils, or pilsner, beers are light and contain more hops. Dortmund has earned a reputation in this field.

o’ zapfstisl (“The Barrel Is Tapped”)

The oldest brewery in the world is at Weihenstephan, a former Benedictine monastery 30km (19 miles) northeast of Munich in Old Bavaria. It dates from the year 1040, although there is evidence that a hop garden already existed near the grounds of the monastery in A.D. 768. The monks here brought beer to the masses in Europe. Even today, the oldest brewery within Munich itself, Augustiner, reflects brewing’s monastic heritage.

Over the centuries, monks brewed a strong beer for consumption during the fasting period of Lent, during which they were technically supposed to drink only water. The story goes that the pope heard about this custom and ordered that the beer be transported to Rome for him to sample. When the pope finally tasted the beer after its long journey (it didn’t have preservatives back then), he decided it tasted foul and decreed that the beer was strong enough punishment for the Bavarian monks to drink it during Lent. Today, all Munich breweries brew this strong beer during Lent; Salvator and Triumphator are the best-known brands. Ator in German means a strong beer. By long-standing tradition, the names of German Doppelbock Bier (a type of strong beer) end with an “-ator” suffix.

Wine Germany has produced delightful wines for centuries, but sometime in the 1970s, German wine became the butt of jokes. The postwar German economic miracle had led to a boom in wine production. Many new vineyards sprang up suddenly, and quality was not always their first priority. Cheap, cloyingly sweet table wines flooded the market. One label in particular, Liebfraumilch, began to sully the reputation of the entire industry; the mere mention of its name to anyone in the know met with a knowing titter or contemptuous sneer. Today, however, German viticulture has many smaller producers producing excellent wines.

Good German wine is renowned for its natural lightness and its delicate balance of sweetness and acidity. Most vineyards flourish on steep hillsides, protected from harsh winds by wooded neighboring hills, especially on the banks of the Rhine and Mosel rivers and their tributaries. The vineyards profit from the warmth reflected off the sunlit water. The slow maturing of the grapes gives German wines their typical fresh, fruity acidity.

Germany does produce red wine, but as a rule it’s better to stick to white or perhaps a rosé. Trocken (dry) or halbtrocken (semidry) are often given on the labels; look for them if you want to escape anything sweet. This avoidance, however, should not extend to the dessert wines, which resemble nectar.

The overload of information on a German wine label is often puzzling to foreigners, but it’s not really that hard to decipher. First of all, the grape variety should be indicated. Legally, German wines are only required to contain 85% of the declared variety. The classic is Riesling, which can range widely in taste from fruity to spicy. Other grapes include Weissburgunder, used to make dry wines, often with an aroma of melon or pear, and Scheurebe, which produces delicious, high-quality wine with the aroma of red currant. No grape reference on the label often means a poorly blended, inferior-quality wine.

“Vintage” refers to when the grapes were grown (not harvested). The question of origin is also something to keep an eye on. It’s best if the label gives a single vineyard, but these can be distinguished from the less specific vineyard zones only if you are in the know or can consult a pocket guide, such as Johnson’s.

Next, check for the level of ripeness. German law distinguishes between Tafelwein (table wine) and Qualitätswein (quality wine). QbA (Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete) on a bottle means the wine is made from the approved grape varieties, which will give it the particular and traditional taste of its region. QmP refers to Qualitätswein mit Prädikat (wine with distinction) and carries one of six special attributes. These, in order of ascending price, are Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese (BA), Eiswein, and the exclusive Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA).

As a classification, Kabinett was first used by Eberbach Abbey in 1712 to denote quality. This wine is especially good as an aperitif with light snacks or veal. The mildly sweet and fruity Auslese from the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer region and the rich Spätlese are well suited to richer dishes such as duck, smoked fowl, and oysters. Those trocken and halbtrocken Rieslings from the Rheingau and Mosel-Saar-Ruwer are perfect with pork, sausages, and Sauerkraut, as well as with mild cheeses. A fuller-bodied Riesling Spätlese and Auslese Trocken from Rheingau or Pfalz goes excellently with wild boar and lobster. The rarest vintages, those sweet wines carrying the BA and TBA designations, are best left for anything oily or pungent in flavor, such as goose-liver pâté or rich cheeses. They are also wonderful with desserts.

Many foreign visitors tour one of the winegrowing districts. Since reunification, a number of wine districts have emerged in eastern Germany; however, the traditional German wine country, stretching from the middle Rhine at Bonn down to Lake Constance on the Swiss border, is still the most charming, with its classic scenery of imposing castle ruins, elegant spas, and Brothers Grimm villages replete with spires and black-and-white gabled houses.

When to Go

The most popular tourist months are May to October, although winter travel to Germany is becoming increasingly popular, especially to the ski areas in the Bavarian Alps. Germany’s climate varies widely. In the north, winters tend to be cold and rainy; summers are most agreeable. In the south and in the Alps, it can be very cold in the winter, especially in January, and very warm in summer, but with cool, rainy days even in July and August. Spring and fall are often stretched out—in fact, we’ve enjoyed many a Bavarian-style “Indian summer” until late in October.

Holidays

Public holidays are January 1 (New Year’s Day), Easter (Good Friday and Easter Monday), May 1 (Labor Day), Ascension Day (10 days before Pentecost/Whitsunday, the seventh Sun after Easter), Whitmonday (day after Pentecost/Whitsunday), October 3 (Day of German Unity), November 17 (Day of Prayer and Repentance), and December 25 and 26 (Christmas). In addition, the following holidays are observed in some German states: January 6 (Epiphany), Corpus Christi (10 days after Pentecost), August 15 (Assumption), and November 1 (All Saints’ Day).

Calendar of Events

All dates and events are subject to change. Contact the German National Tourist Board (www.germany-tourism.de) for more information. The board publishes a free calendar of forthcoming events three times a year, in April, October, and January; the first two are biannual calendars and the last is a yearly preview. They give the dates of trade fairs and exhibitions, theatrical and musical performances, local folk festivals, sporting events, conferences, and congresses throughout Germany.

For an exhaustive list of events beyond those listed here, check http://events.frommers.com, where you’ll find a searchable, up-to-the-minute roster of what’s happening in cities all over the world.

January

New Year’s Day International Ski Jumping, Garmisch-Partenkirchen. This is one of Europe’s major winter sporting events. For more information, contact the tourist bureau on Richard-Strauss-Platz ( 08821/180700;www.gapa.de). January 1.

February

International Film Festival, Berlin (at various theaters; announced in local newspapers). Stars, would-be stars, directors, and almost anyone with a film to peddle show up at this well-attended festival. It lasts for 10 days and is a showcase for the work of international film directors as well as the latest German films. Tickets can be purchased at any box office. Contact the Berlin International Film Festival ( 030/259200;www.berlinale.de) for more information. Early February.

Ambiente. This is one of the principal consumer goods trade fairs of Europe. Its origins go back centuries. For information, call 069/75750 (http://ambiente.messefrankfurt.com). Mid-February.

Fasching. Carnival festivals take place throughout Germany, reaching their peak on the Tuesday (Mardi Gras) before Ash Wednesday. Particularly famous carnivals take place in Bonn, Cologne, Düsseldorf, and especially Munich.

March

Spring Fairs. Highlights throughout Germany, especially in Augsburg, Münster, Nürnberg, Hamburg, and Stuttgart. Dates vary from year to year.

April

Walpurgis Festivals. Celebrated in the Harz Mountains. Festivities occur on the night of April 30.

May

Hamburg Summer. An entire series of cultural events, including concerts, plays, festivals, and special exhibitions throughout May, June, and July. For information, contact the Hamburg Tourist Bureau, in Hauptbahnhof ( 040/30051300;www.hamburg-tourism.de).

International May Theatre Festival, Wiesbaden. This city near Frankfurt hosts a premier cultural event—a series of artistic celebrations lasting 1 month. For information, contact the Wiesbaden Tourist Office, Marktstrasse 6 ( 0611/1729780;www.wiesbaden.de).

June

Floodlighting of the Castle, Heidelberg. Fireworks enliven the display in this storied university city. For more information, contact the Heidelberg Tourist Bureau, Willy-Brandt-Platz 1 ( 06221/14220;www.heidelberg-marketing.de). June, July, and September.

Mozart Festival, Würzburg. Mozart fans flock to this major cultural event in the baroque city of Würzburg. For more information, contact Tourismus Zentrale, Falkenhaus am Markt Centrum ( 0931/372336;www.wuerzburg.de or www.mozartfest-wuerzburg.de). Early June to early July.

July

See Floodlighting of the Castle, Heidelberg, under June, above.

Freiburg Wine Tasting. Local residents and visitors enjoy the first vintages from grapes grown in the Black Forest district. For more information, contact the Freiburg Tourist Board, Rathausplatz 2–4 ( 0761/3881880;www.freiburg.de). Early July.

Richard Wagner Festival, Bayreuth. One of Europe’s two or three major opera events, this festival takes place in the composer’s Festspielhaus in the capital of upper Franconia. Note that opera tickets often must be booked years in advance. For information, contact Festival Administration, Bayreuther Festspiele, Kartenbüro, Postfach 100262 ( 0921/78780;www.bayreuther-festspiele.de). Late July to late August.

August

Red Wine Festival, Rüdesheim/Assmannshausen. This is held in Assmannshausen, the Rhine village most famous for red wines. For exact dates, contact the Rüdesheim Tourist Bureau, Geisenheimer Strasse 22 ( 06722/906150;www.ruedesheim.de). Late August.

Musikfest Berlin ( 030/254890;www.berlinerfestspiele.de) takes place for a little more than 2 weeks. During the festival, Berlin plays host to orchestras, ensembles, conductors, and soloists from around the world. The festival is organized in conjunction with the Stiftung Berliner Philharmoniker. Late August to mid-September.

September

See Floodlighting of the Castle, Heidelberg, under June, above.

Oktoberfest, Munich. Much of Germany’s most famous festival takes place in September, not October. Millions show up, and hotels are packed. Most activities are at Theresienwiese, where local breweries sponsor gigantic tents that can hold up to 6,000 beer drinkers. Contact the Munich Tourist Bureau ( 089/23396500;www.muenchen.de) for particulars or just show up. Reserve hotel rooms well in advance. Mid-September to mid-October.

October

Frankfurt Book Fair. A major international event for publishers, book dealers, agents, and authors. For more information call 069/21020 (www.frankfurt-book-fair.com) or contact the Frankfurt Tourist Office ( 069/21238800;www.frankfurt-tourismus.de). Mid-October.

Spielzeit’europa. Schaperstrasse 24, Berlin ( 030/254890;www.berlinerfestspiele.de), is a 4-month season of theater and dance performances at Festspiele. October to January.

November

Jazz-Fest Berlin. This annual festival, staged at the Philharmonie, attracts some of the world’s finest jazz artists, ranging from traditional to experimental. Contact the Berlin Festspiele Ticket Office ( 030/254890;www.berlinerfestspiele.de) for more information. Early November.

Winter Dom, Hamburg. An annual amusement fair (sometimes called Hamburg Dom) at the Heiligengeistfeld. For more information, contact the Hamburg Tourist Bureau, in Hauptbahnhof ( 040/30051300;www.hamburg-tourism.de). Early November to early December.

December

Christmas Fair, Mainz. Mainz stages its Christmas fair on the Rhine for the 4 weeks preceding Christmas. For more information, contact the Mainz Tourist Bureau, Brueckenturm am Rathaus ( 06131/286210;www.mainz.de). December. (Other German towns hold Christmas fairs in Nov.)

Responsible Travel

Germans, with some justification, consider themselves in the avant-garde of green travel. Although they suffered one of history’s most devastating attacks on their environment (World War II), in the postwar years they became a front-runner in preserving their environment and protecting nature.

“Germans are known for recycling and reusing their natural resources,” said Berlin activist Hans Welder.

In Germany, more and more systems are going into place to generate energy from wind and solar power.

Germans didn’t exactly invent walking or hiking across their countryside, but you would think so when you notice the numbers of citizens who prefer this form of exploration. It’s a way to stay in good health, enjoy nature, and avoid harming the environment, all at the same time.

Trails in Germany are often signposted, cutting through all areas of the country, from tidal shores to low mountain regions, with tours offered to some of the more difficult-to-reach points along mountaintops.

The outdoor enthusiast might want to concentrate on Germany’s national parks, 14 in all, with the heaviest concentration in Bavaria and in old East Germany. Our favorite of these biosphere reserves is the Bavarian Forest National Park in the south and the Harz National Park in Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt.

We applaud the German effort to reintroduce wildlife that was once native to these parks. The last lynx in the Harz Mountains was shot in 1818. But the animal was reintroduced in 1999, and wild lynxes began to give birth in 2002. However, other attempts have failed, including an attempt to return the capercaillie to its former native habitat.

For general data about the parks of Germany, consult Nationalpark Service, Informationshaus, 17192 Federow, Germany ( 039/91668849;www.nationalpark-service.de). The national parks are free, but camping at designated areas ranges from 5€ to 10€ per night. Some parks have huts that are basic but better than a tent, and this form of accommodations costs from 10€ to 20€ per person. Park rangers crack down on those who harm the environment.

If you’re interested in camping, check the Great Outdoor Recreation Page (www.gorp.com) before you go. It has some fine data not only on camping but also on ways to enjoy the landscapes of Germany.

Many organizations are devoted to eco-tourism today, including Biosphefere Expedition, P.O. Box 917750, Longwood, FL 32791 ( 800/407-5761;www.biosphere-expeditions.org). This group sets up ecofriendly tours to the Bavarian Alps, for example. Earthwatch, 3 Clocktower Place, Ste. 1000, P.O. Box 75, Maynard, MA 01754 ( 800/776-0188;www.earthwatch.org), often includes Germany in its 1- to 3-week jaunts to promote conservation of natural resources.

An unusual offering for the true green visitor is provided by Willing Workers on Organic Farms, Postfach 210259, 01263 Dresden (www.wwoof.de). Charging a membership of 20€, the organization’s name says it all—participants get free room and board at a variety of organic farms throughout the country, but they must be willing to work for their supper.

One of the best ways for the green traveler in Germany is to take a tour from one bio hotel to another. These jaunts take you to the most scenic parts of the country, ranging from Lüneburg in the north to the Bavarian Forest in the south. For information and a list of these places to stay, check www.biohotels.info.

Increasingly popular is spending a vacation on a German farm, a welcome alternative for families with children. Sometimes guests can help with the activities, such as feeding the cows or helping with the harvest. Some lodgings are no longer working farms but have been turned into tranquil guesthouses with typical regional charm. Find out more about this type of holiday by searching www.landtourismus.de.

In addition to the resources for Germany listed above, see frommers.com/planning for more tips on responsible travel.

Tours

Germany is one of the great outdoor destinations of Europe. From its mountains to its beaches, from its rivers to its castles, there is much to see and explore. It has summer attractions galore, plus skiing on its Alpine slopes in winter. Here is but a sampling of the offerings that await you.

Biking

In Germany you can bike through green valleys and past rivers while enjoying rural landscapes and villages. Allgemeiner Deutscher Fahrrad-Club, P.O. Box 107747, 28077 Bremen ( 0421/346290;www.adfc.de), offers complete information on biking in Germany.

For over 20 years, Classic Adventures, P.O. Box 143, Hamlin, NY 14464 ( 800/777-8090; fax 585/964-7297; www.classicadventures.com), has offered bike tours of such areas as the Romantic Road. Euro-Bike and Walking Tours has teamed with Austin-Lehman Adventures to offer some of the best biking and walking tours in Germany. The company’s trips in Bavaria are particularly notable. For more information, check out www.austinlehman.com. You can also call 800/575-1540 in the United States and Canada, or else write to P.O. Box 81025, Billings, MT 59108.

Dozens of companies in Britain offer guided cycling tours. One of the best is the Cyclists Touring Club, Parklands, Railton Road, Guildford, Surrey GUZ 9JX ( 0870/873-0060;www.ctc.org.uk). It charges £36 a year for membership.

Cruises

The most popular cruises in Germany are along the Rhine.

Jody Lexow Yacht Charters rents hotel barges (including crew, food, and beverages) and smaller self-drive craft for touring the canals and rivers of Germany. For additional information, contact the agency at 26 Coddington Wharf, Newport, RI 02840 ( 800/662-2628;www.jodylexowyachtcharters.com).

Canal barge cruises are the way to see a rarely viewed part of Germany. The best such packages are available through European Barging, 25132 Oakhurst Dr., No. 130, Spring, TX 77386 ( 888/869-7907;www.europeanbarging.com). German itineraries focus on Berlin and the Mecklenburg lakes, and the “Mosel Cruise,” from Trier to Koblenz.

Escorted General-Interest Tours

Escorted tours are structured group tours with a group leader. The price usually includes everything from airfare to hotels, meals, admission costs, and local transportation.

Many people derive a sense of ease and security from escorted trips. Escorted tours—whether by bus, motorcoach, train, or boat—let travelers sit back and enjoy the trip without having to spend lots of time behind the wheel or worrying about details. You know your costs upfront, and there are few surprises. Escorted tours can take you to the maximum number of sights in the minimum amount of time with the least amount of hassle—you don’t have to sweat over the plotting and planning of a vacation schedule. Escorted tours are particularly convenient for people with limited mobility. They can also be a great way to meet people.

On the downside, an escorted tour often requires a big deposit upfront, and lodging and dining choices are predetermined. You’ll have few opportunities for serendipitous interactions with locals. The tours can be jampacked with activities, leaving little room for individual sightseeing, whim, or adventure—plus they often focus only on the heavily touristed sites, so you miss out on lesser known gems.

Brendan Vacations ( 800/421-8446;www.brendanvacations.com) has a selection of 8- to 15-day tours. Accommodations are at the better hotels, and rates include everything except airfare. Collette Vacations ( 800/340-5158;www.collettevacations.com) has an “Alpine Countries” tour that covers southern Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Globus & Cosmos Tours ( 800/338-7092;www.globusandcosmos.com) offers 9- to 16-day escorted tours of various parts of Germany. It also has a budget branch that offers tours at lower rates. Maupintour ( 800/255-4266;www.maupintour.com) has a selection of upscale tours, such as a Rhine River tour of Berlin, Dresden, Meissen, Nürnberg, and Heidelberg. Its most popular tour is a 14-day trip that takes in such cities as Dresden, Berlin, Rothenburg, Munich, Meissen, Baden-Baden, and Potsdam, including a Rhine River cruise past the Lorelei Rock.

Abercrombie & Kent ( 800/554-7016;www.abercrombiekent.com) provides customized group tours to various areas of Germany.

Golf

Most German golf courses welcome visiting players who are members of courses at home. Weekday greens fees are usually around 50€, rising to as much as 90€ on Saturday and Sunday. For information about the various golf courses, write to the Deutscher Golf/Verband, Viktoriastrasse 16, 65189 Wiesbaden ( 0611/990200;www.golf.de/dgv).

The Swabian region of Allgäu has several good courses. Golf Club Oberstaufen und Steibis ( 08386/8529;www.golf-oberstaufen.de), at Oberstaufen, is an 18-hole course close to a forest and nature park. Ofterschwang, a small, peaceful resort on the scenically beautiful Tiefenberger Moor, has Golf Club Sonnenalp ( 08321/272181;www.golfresort-sonnenalp.de). A good 18-hole course is found at Golf Bodensee ( 08389/89190;www.gcbw.de) on Lake Constance in southern Germany. Farther north, the city of Augsburg has an 18-hole course at Golf Augsburg ( 08234/5621;www.golfclub-augsburg.de).

Hiking & Mountain Climbing

These sports are popular in the German uplands. It’s estimated that Germany has more than 80,000 marked hiking and mountain-walking tracks. The Deutschen Wanderverband, Wilhelmshöher Alle 157–159, 34121 Kassel ( 0561/938730;www.wanderverband.de), services the trails and offers details about trails, shelters, huts, and addresses of hiking associations in various regions. The Deutscher Alpenverein (DAV), Von-Kahr-Strasse 2–4, 80997 Munich ( 089/140030;www.alpenverein.de), owns and operates 50 huts in and around the Alps that are open to all mountaineers. This association also maintains a 15,000km (9,300-mile) network of Alpine trails.

The best Alpine hiking is in the Bavarian Alps, especially the 1,240m (4,070-ft.) Eckbauer, on the southern fringe of Partenkirchen. The tourist office will supply hiking maps and details. Another great place for hiking is Berchtesgaden National Park, Franziskanerplatz 7, Berchtesgaden ( 08652/64343;www.nationalpark-berchtesgaden.bayern.de), bordering the Austrian province of Salzburg. This park offers the best-organized hikes and will hook you up with various groups offering hikes.

Planning Your Trip to Germany

Getting There

By Plane

Lufthansa ( 800/645-3880 in the U.S., 800/563-5954 in Canada, or 01805/805805 in Germany; www.lufthansa.com) operates the most frequent service and flies to the greatest number of Germany’s airports. From North America, Lufthansa serves 23 gateway cities. In any season, there are more than 100 weekly flights from these cities to Germany. The largest of the gateways is the New York City area, where flights depart from both JFK and Newark airports. Lufthansa has an alliance with United Airlines and Air Canada to provide seamless air service to Germany and other parts of the globe from North America. Dubbed “Star Alliance,” the union allows cross-airline benefits, including travel on one or all of these airlines on one ticket and frequent-flier credit to the participating airline of your choice.

American Airlines ( 800/443-7300;www.aa.com) flies nonstop from Chicago and Dallas to Frankfurt daily, and American’s flights connect easily with ongoing flights to many other German cities on Lufthansa or British Airways. Continental Airlines ( 800/525-0280;www.continental.com) offers daily nonstop service from Newark to Frankfurt. Delta Airlines ( 800/241-4141;www.delta.com) offers daily connecting service to Hamburg (via Paris) and nonstop to Frankfurt from Atlanta, Cincinnati, and New York’s JFK; nonstop to Munich from Atlanta; and nonstop to Berlin from JFK. United Airlines ( 800/538-2929;www.united.com) offers daily nonstops from Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago to Frankfurt and Munich, and because of the Star Alliance, discussed above, all German flights by Lufthansa or Air Canada will also be honored as a part of a United ticket. US Airways ( 800/428-4322;www.usairways.com) also flies to Frankfurt and Munich daily (with nonstops from Charlotte and Philadelphia).

From London, British Airways ( 0870/8509850;www.britishairways.com) and Lufthansa ( 01805/805805;www.lufthansa.com) are the most convenient carriers to the major German cities, including Düsseldorf, Cologne, Frankfurt, Munich, and Berlin. British Midland ( 0870/6070555;www.flybmi.com) has daily flights to Cologne, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, and Munich.

Flying for Less: Tips for Getting the Best Airfare

• Passengers who can book their ticket either long in advance or at the last minute, or who fly midweek or at less trafficked hours, may pay a fraction of the full fare. If your schedule is flexible, say so, and ask if you can secure a cheaper fare by changing your flight plans.

• Search the Internet for cheap fares. The most popular online travel agencies are Travelocity (www.travelocity.com), Expedia (www.expedia.com), and Orbitz (www.orbitz.com). In the U.K., go to Travelsupermarket ( 0845/345-5708;www.travelsupermarket.com), a flight search engine that offers flight comparisons for the budget airlines whose seats often end up in bucket shop sales. Other websites for booking airline tickets online include Cheapflights.com, SmarterTravel.com, Priceline (www.priceline.com), and Opodo (www.opodo.com). Meta-search sites (which find and then direct you to airline and hotel websites for booking) include Sidestep.com and Kayak.com—the latter includes fares for budget carriers such as JetBlue and Spirit as well as the major airlines. Lastminute.com is a great source for last-minute flights and getaways. In addition, most airlines offer online-only fares that even their phone agents know nothing about.

• Keep an eye on local newspapers for promotional specials or fare wars, when airlines lower prices on their most popular routes.

• Consolidators, also known as bucket shops, are wholesale brokers in the airline-ticket game. Consolidators buy deeply discounted tickets (“distressed” inventories of unsold seats) from airlines and sell them to online ticket agencies, travel agents, tour operators, corporations, and, to a lesser degree, the general public. Consolidators advertise in Sunday newspaper travel sections (often in small ads with tiny type), in both the U.S. and the U.K. They can be great sources for cheap international tickets. On the downside, bucket shop tickets are often rigged with restrictions, such as stiff cancellation penalties (as high as 50%–75% of the ticket price). And keep in mind that most of what you see advertised is of limited availability. Several reliable consolidators are worldwide and available online. STA Travel (www.statravel.com) has been the world’s leading consolidator for students since purchasing Council Travel, but their fares are competitive for travelers of all ages. Flights.com ( 201/541-3826) has excellent fares worldwide, particularly to Europe. They also have “local” websites in 12 countries. FlyCheap ( 800/359-2432;www.flycheap.com) has especially good fares to sunny destinations. AirTicketsDirect ( 888/858-8884;www.airticketsdirect.com), based in Montreal, is another good source.

• Join frequent-flier clubs. Frequent-flier membership doesn’t cost a cent, but it does entitle you to free tickets or upgrades when you amass the airline’s required number of frequent-flier points. You don’t even have to fly to earn points; frequent-flier credit cards can earn you thousands of miles for doing your everyday shopping. But keep in mind that award seats are limited, seats on popular routes are hard to snag, and more and more major airlines are cutting their expiration periods for mileage points—so check your airline’s frequent-flier program so you don’t lose your miles before you use them. Inside tip: Award seats are offered almost a year in advance, but seats also open up at the last minute, so if your travel plans are flexible, you may strike gold. To play the frequent-flier game to your best advantage, consult the community bulletin boards on FlyerTalk (www.flyertalk.com) or go to Randy Petersen’s Inside Flyer (www.insideflyer.com). Petersen and friends review all the programs in detail and post regular updates on changes in policies and trends.

Getting Through the airport

• Arrive at the airport at least 2 hours before an international flight to Germany. You can check the average wait times at your airport by going to the TSA Security Checkpoint Wait Times site (http://waittime.tsa.dhs.gov).

• Know what you can carry on and what you can’t. For the latest updates on items you are prohibited to bring in carry-on luggage, go to www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel.

• Beat the ticket-counter lines by using the self-service electronic ticket kiosks at the airport or even printing out your boarding pass at home from the airline website. Using curbside check-in is also a smart way to avoid lines.

• Help speed up security before you’re screened. Remove jackets, shoes, belt buckles, heavy jewelry, and watches and place them either in your carry-on luggage or the security bins provided. Place keys, coins, cellphones, and pagers in a security bin. If you have metallic body parts, carry a note from your doctor. When possible, keep liquids in checked baggage.

• Use a TSA-approved lock for your checked luggage. Look for Travel Sentry certified locks at luggage or travel shops and Brookstone stores (or online at www.brookstone.com).

Don’t Stow It—Ship It

Though pricey, it’s sometimes worthwhile to travel luggage-free, particularly if you’re toting sports equipment, meetings materials, or baby equipment. Specialists in door-to-door luggage delivery include Skycap International and Sports Express. Both services use the same website (www.sportsexpress.com).

By Train

Many passengers, especially holders of the Eurailpass, travel to Germany by train from other European cities. (See “Getting Around,” below, for information on purchasing rail passes.)

British Rail runs four trains a day to Germany from Victoria Station in London, going by way of the Ramsgate-Ostend ferry or jetfoil. Two trains depart from London’s Liverpool Street Station, via Harwich-Hook of Holland. Most trains change at Cologne for destinations elsewhere in Germany. You can purchase tickets through British Rail travel centers in London ( 866/274-8724 in the U.S. and Canada; www.britrail.com). See “Via the Chunnel,” below, for information about the Eurostar service running between London and Brussels via the Channel Tunnel.

Unless you pay a premium for rail travel on the Eurostar, which connects London’s St. Pancras station via the Chunnel (see below) with either Paris or Brussels, train travel from the U.K. to points within Germany can be lengthy and tedious, with multiple transfers en route and with long, bouncing segments aboard either hovercrafts or conventional ferryboats between the English port of Ramsgate and the Belgian port of Oostende. If you opt to save money and embark upon one of these non-Chunnel methods of transport, expect transit times between London and Cologne of up to 12 hours, and from London to either Berlin or Munich of between 18 and 22 hours, depending on the train and the ferryboat or hovercraft crossing.

Frankly, it’s far better to pay the extra premium aboard Eurostar, the name given to each of the trains running under the English Channel, between London and Brussels, and from there, taking a high-speed train onward to your destination within Germany. Even so, transit time from London to Cologne, requiring a change in Brussels, would take 4 hours and 45 minutes; from London to Berlin, requiring a single change in Brussels and Cologne, would take 9 hours; and from London to Munich, requiring a single change in Brussels, would require between 9 and 10 hours, depending on the day of the week.

By Car & Ferry

To bring a car over from England, you face a choice of ports from which you’ll continue driving to Germany. P & O Ferries ( 08716/645645 in the U.K.; www.poferries.com) has 30 to 35 ferryboat crossings a day, depending on the season, between Dover and Calais. The crossing can take as little as 1 hour and 15 minutes. Once you’re in Calais, the drive to Cologne takes about 3 hours. Other options involve passage from Harwich to the Hook of Holland, a sea crossing of about 8 hours. You can also take your car via the Chunnel (see below).

Via the Channel Tunnel

The $15-billion Channel Tunnel, one of the greatest engineering feats of all time, is the first link between Britain and the Continent since the Ice Age. The tunnel was built beneath the seabed through a layer of impermeable chalk marl and sealed with a reinforced concrete lining. The 50km (30-mile) journey between Britain and France takes 35 minutes, although actual time in the Chunnel is only 19 minutes. Once on the Continent, you can connect to Germany fairly easily.

Rail Europe (www.raileurope.com) sells tickets on the Eurostar direct train service between London and Paris or Brussels ( 800/622-8600 in the U.S., or 800/361-7245 in Canada; www.eurostar.com). In the U.K., make reservations for Eurostar at 0870/5186186. The train operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, running every 15 minutes during peak travel times and at least once an hour at night.

The tunnel also accommodates passenger cars, charter buses, taxis, and motorcycles from Folkestone to Calais. Tickets may be purchased at the tollbooth.

Getting Around

By Plane

From Frankfurt, most Lufthansa ( 800/645-3880 in the U.S., or 800/563-5954 in Canada; www.lufthansa.com) destinations in Germany can be reached in an average of 50 minutes, with at least four flights daily.

All German cities with commercial airports have an airport shuttle service, offering reduced fares and fast connections between the city center and the airport. Departure points are usually the airlines’ town offices and the city’s main rail terminal. Luggage can be checked at the DB (Deutsche Bahn/German Rail) baggage counter at the airport for delivery to the railroad station at your ultimate destination.

By Train

Whether you travel first- or second-class, you’ll find that the trains of German Rail (DB Rail; 0800/1507090;www.bahn.de) deserve their good reputation for comfort, cleanliness, and punctuality. All are modern and fast, and all cars are nonsmoking. A snack bar or a dining car, serving German and international cuisine as well as good wine and beer, can usually be found on all trains except locals.

For city sightseeing, you can leave your baggage in a locker or check it at the station’s baggage counter. In many cities, German Rail provides door-to-door baggage service, allowing passengers to have luggage picked up at or delivered to their hotels. Accompanying baggage can be checked for a nominal fee. Suitcases, baby carriages, skis, bicycles, and steamer trunks are permitted as baggage. Insurance policies of various kinds, including a travel medical plan, are also available.

About 20,000 InterCity (IC;www.bahn.de) passenger trains offer express service every hour between most large and medium-size German cities. IC trains have adjustable cushioned seats and individual reading lights, and often offer telephone and secretarial services. Bars, lounges, and dining rooms are available, too. A network of EuroCity (EC) trains connecting Germany with 13 other countries offers the same high standards of service as those of IC.

Germany’s high-speed rail network, known as InterCity Express (ICE), is among the fastest in Europe—their trains reach speeds of 280kmph (174 mph). One of these trains runs from Hamburg, via Würzburg and Nürnberg, to Munich; another from Frankfurt, via Stuttgart, to Munich; and yet another from Berlin, via Frankfurt, to Munich. Each train makes stops along the way. ICE significantly reduces travel time, making transits north to south across the country easily possible in the course of a single day. Some 200 east-west connections have been added to the German Rail timetable to link the Deutsche Bundesbahn (west) and the Deutsche Reichsbahn (east). Additional connections make Leipzig and Dresden more accessible.

InterCity Night (ICN)—one of the most comfortable night trains in Europe—operates between Berlin and Bonn, and Berlin and Munich. Even though the train doesn’t depart until 10 or 11pm, you may board as early as 8 or 8:30pm. Arrival the next morning is between 6:55 and 7:55am, and you have the option of remaining aboard until 9 or 9:30am.

The ICN offers first and tourist class. Sleeping accommodations in first class include single or double compartments with shower and toilet, and they are equipped with key cards, phones for wake-up service, luggage storage, and other amenities. Tourist class offers open seating with sleeperettes (reclining seats). The ICN is equipped with a restaurant and bistro car, and a breakfast buffet is included in the first-class fare. For an extra cost, a limited menu for dinner is offered. Advance reservations are mandatory for all sleeping accommodations.

German Rail issues tickets for the ICN and also makes reservations. Eurail and German Rail pass holders are accepted on this train but have to pay for the seat or sleeper reservation and also for meals. Youth-pass holders are accepted only in tourist class. Children 3 and under travel free, provided they do not require a separate seat; those between 4 and 12 are charged half fare.

Before leaving for Germany, you can get complete details about German Rail and the many plans it offers, as well as information about Eurailpasses, at Rail Europe ( 877/272-7245;www.raileurope.com).

German Rail Tourist Passes The German Rail Passes offer several options beginning with 3 days and going up to 10 days in 1 month. For example 3 days of travel in 1 month costs 230€ first class or 175€ second class.

If you’re age 12 to 25, ask about a Youth Pass, or inquire about a Twin Pass, which is shared by two adults traveling together at all times.

The passes also entitle the bearer to additional benefits, such as free or discounted travel on selected bus routes operated by Deutsche Touring/Europabus, including destinations not serviced by trains, or excursions along particularly scenic highways such as the Romantic Road and the Castle Road. The pass also includes free travel on KD German Line steamers (day trips only) along the Rhine, Main, and Mosel rivers.

These passes are available from www.bahn.com or buy them from travel agent Rail Europe ( 877/272-7245). Rail Europe can also arrange cost-effective “Rail and Drive” packages that combine a certain number of days on the train with a certain number of days in a rental car. Here’s an example of how it might work: Ride the train from Frankfurt to Munich, spend 3 days exploring the city, and then rent a car for a 2-day excursion to Berchtesgaden and the Bavarian Alps. The German Rail Flexipass is also sold by Premier Gateway ( 800/777-8369 in the U.S. and Canada; www.premiergateway.com).

Where to Buy Rail Passes Travel agents in all towns and railway agents in major North American cities sell all these tickets, but the biggest supplier is Rail Europe ( 877/272-7245;www.raileurope.com), which can also give you informational brochures.

Many different rail passes are available in the U.K. for travel in Britain and continental Europe. Stop in at the International Rail Centre, Victoria Station, London SW1V 1JY ( 0870/5848848 in the U.K.). Some of the most popular passes, including Inter-Rail and Euro Youth, are offered only to travelers 25 years of age or under; these allow unlimited second-class travel through most European countries.

By Car

British travelers who want to bring their own cars over should see “By Car & Ferry” under “Getting There,” earlier in this chapter.

Competition in the European car-rental industry is fierce, so make sure you comparison shop. You can make reservations by calling these toll-free numbers: Avis ( 800/331-1212;www.avis.com), Budget ( 800/472-3325;www.budget.com), Hertz ( 800/654-3001;www.hertz.com), Kemwel Drive Group ( 877/820-0668;www.kemwel.com), and Auto Europe ( 800/223-5555;www.autoeurope.com). You can often rent a car in one German city and return it to another for no additional charge.

There are some advantages to prepaying rentals in your native currency before leaving home. You get an easy-to-understand net price, the rental process is more streamlined, and you can avoid unpleasant surprises caused by sudden unfavorable changes in currency exchange rates. Remember, however, that if you opt to prepay and your plans change, you’ll have to go through some rather complicated paperwork for changing or canceling a prepaid contract.

Driving Rules In Germany, you drive on the right side of the road. Both front- and back-seat passengers must wear safety belts. Children 5 and younger cannot ride in the front seat.

Easy-to-understand international road signs are posted, but U.S. travelers should remember that road signs are in kilometers, not miles. In congested areas, the speed limit is about 50kmph (about 30 mph). On all other roads except the autobahns, the speed limit is 100kmph (about 60 mph).

In theory, there is no speed limit on the autobahns (in the left, fast lane), but many drivers going too fast report that they have been stopped by the police and fined, and the government recommends a speed limit of 130kmph (81 mph). Reasonable caution is recommended, for safety if nothing else. A German driver on the autobahn can be a ferocious creature, and you may prefer the slow lane.

Note: Drinking while driving is a very serious offense in Germany. Be sure to keep any alcoholic beverages in the trunk or other storage area.

Breakdowns/Assistance The major automobile club in Germany is Automobilclub von Deutschland (AvD), Lyoner Strasse 16, 60528 Frankfurt ( 069/660600;www.avd.de). If you have a breakdown on the autobahn, you can call from one of many emergency phones, spaced about a mile apart. On secondary roads, go to the nearest phone. If you don’t belong to an auto club, call 01802/222222. In English, ask for “road service assistance.” Emergency assistance is free, but you pay for parts and materials.

Driver’s Licenses American drivers, and those from E.U. countries, need only a domestic license to drive. However, in Germany and throughout the rest of Europe, you must also have an international insurance certificate, known as a carte verte (green card). Any car-rental agency will automatically provide one of these as a standard part of the rental contract, but it’s a good idea to double-check all documents at the time of rental, just to be sure that you can identify the card if asked by border patrol or the police.

By Bus

An excellent, efficient bus network services Germany. Many buses are operated by Bahnbus, which is owned by the railway. These are integrated to complement the rail service. Bus service in Germany is particularly convenient during slow periods of rail service, normally around midday and on Saturday and Sunday. German post offices often operate local bus services (contact local post offices for schedules and prices).

The most popular bus ride is along the Romantic Road, where special green-and-white buses carry tourists regularly from town to town. For more information, ask a travel agent or call Deutsche Touring GmbH, Am Römerhof 17, Frankfurt ( 069/7903501;www.touring.de).

By Boat

Perhaps Germany’s most beautiful features are its lakes and rivers. The mighty Rhine is the country’s most traveled waterway. German cruise ships also run on the Main River between Mainz and Frankfurt; on the Danube from Nürnberg to Linz (Austria), going on to Vienna and Budapest; and on the Mosel between Cochem and Trier.

To cruise the mythically rich rivers of Germany, especially the legendary Rhine, you can book cruises on the principal carrier, Viking River Cruises ( 800/304-9616 in the U.S., or 0800/319-6660 in the UK; www.vikingrivers.com).

Tips on Accommodations

In general, Germany has one of the highest standards of innkeeping in the world. Hotels range from five-star palaces of luxury and comfort to plain country inns and simple Gasthäuser (guesthouses), with a huge variation in rates. The cheapest accommodations are in Fremdenheime (pensions) or rooms in private homes (look for a sign saying ZIMMER FREI, meaning there are rooms for rent). Hotels listed as garni provide no meals other than breakfast.

Also, tourist offices will often book you into a room for a small charge. Obviously, the earlier you arrive in these offices, the more likely you are to get a good room at the price you want.

Surfing for Hotels

In addition to the online travel booking sites Travelocity, Expedia, Orbitz, Priceline, and Hotwire, you can book hotels through Hotels.com, Quikbook (www.quikbook.com), and Travelaxe (www.travelaxe.com).

HotelChatter.com is a daily webzine offering smart coverage and critiques of hotels worldwide. Go to TripAdvisor.com or HotelShark.com for helpful independent consumer reviews of hotels and resort properties.

It’s a good idea to get a confirmation number and make a printout of any online booking transaction.

Throughout Germany, as in many tourist centers worldwide, hotels routinely overbook, so booking by credit card doesn’t automatically hold your room if you arrive later than expected or after 6pm. The hotel clerk always asks when you expect to arrive, and the hotel usually holds the room until that time. Always pad your expected arrival by a few hours to be safe. However, all bets are off after 7pm, and the hotel is likely to give your room away unless you call and specifically ask them to hold it. If you’ve made a reservation very far in advance, confirm within 24 hours of your expected arrival. If you’re experiencing a major delay, alert the hotel as soon as you can.

Beware of billing. Readers report that sometimes in Germany they booked a room online (say, $100 a night) but were charged $125 when they checked out. Keep your online confirmation in case of a dispute.

Saving on Your Hotel Room

The rack rate is the maximum rate that a hotel charges for a room. Hardly anybody pays this price, however, except in high season or on holidays. To lower the cost of your room:

• Ask about special rates or other discounts. You may qualify for corporate, student, military, senior, frequent-flier, trade union, or other discounts.

• Dial direct. When booking a room in a chain hotel, you’ll often get a better deal by calling the individual hotel’s reservation desk rather than the chain’s main number.

• Book online. Many hotels offer Internet-only discounts, or supply rooms to Priceline, Hotwire, or Expedia at rates much lower than the ones you can get through the hotel itself.

• Remember the law of supply and demand. You can save big on hotel rooms by traveling in a destination’s off season or shoulder seasons, when rates typically drop, even at luxury properties.

• Look into group or long-stay discounts. If you come as part of a large group, you should be able to negotiate a bargain rate. Likewise, if you’re planning a long stay (at least 5 days), you might qualify for a discount. As a general rule, expect 1 night free after a 7-night stay.

• Sidestep excess surcharges and hidden costs. Many hotels have adopted the unpleasant practice of nickel-and-diming their guests with opaque surcharges. When you book a room, ask what is included in the room rate, and what is extra. Avoid dialing direct from hotel phones, which can have exorbitant rates. And don’t be tempted by the room’s minibar offerings: Most hotels charge through the nose for water, soda, and snacks. Finally, ask about local taxes and service charges, which can increase the cost of a room by 15% or more.

• Carefully consider your hotel’s meal plan. If you enjoy eating out and sampling the local cuisine, it makes sense to choose a Continental Plan (CP), which includes breakfast only, or a European Plan (EP), which doesn’t include any meals and allows you maximum flexibility. If you’re more interested in saving money, opt for a Modified American Plan (MAP), which includes breakfast and one meal, or the American Plan (AP), which includes three meals. If you must choose a MAP, see if you can get a free lunch at your hotel if you decide to do dinner out.

• Book an efficiency. A room with a kitchenette allows you to shop for groceries and cook your own meals. This is a big money saver, especially for families on long stays.

• Consider enrolling in hotel chains’ “frequent-stay” programs, which are upping the ante lately to win the loyalty of repeat customers. Frequent guests can now accumulate points or credits to earn free hotel nights, airline miles, in-room amenities, merchandise, tickets to concerts and events, discounts on sporting facilities—and even credit toward stock in the participating hotel, in the case of the Jameson Inn hotel group. Perks are awarded not only by many chain hotels and motels (Hilton HHonors, Marriott Rewards, and Wyndham ByRequest, to name a few), but by individual inns and B&Bs. Many chain hotels partner with other hotel chains, car-rental firms, airlines, and credit card companies to give consumers additional incentive to do repeat business.

For more tips on surfing for hotel deals online, visit Frommers.com.

Landing the Best Room

Somebody has to get the best room in the house. It might as well be you. You can start by joining the hotel’s frequent-guest program, which may make you eligible for upgrades. A hotel-branded credit card usually gives its owner “silver” or “gold” status in frequent-guest programs for free. Always ask about a corner room. They’re often larger and quieter, with more windows and light, and they often cost the same as standard rooms. When you make your reservation, ask if the hotel is renovating; if it is, request a room away from the construction. Ask about nonsmoking rooms and rooms with views. Be sure to request your choice of twin, queen-, or king-size beds. If you’re a light sleeper, ask for a quiet room away from vending or ice machines, elevators, restaurants, bars, and dance clubs. Ask for a room that has been recently renovated or refurbished.

If you aren’t happy with your room when you arrive, ask for another one. Most lodgings will be willing to accommodate you.

In resort areas, ask the following questions before you book a room:

• What’s the view like? Cost-conscious travelers may be willing to pay less for a back room facing the parking lot, especially if they don’t plan to spend much time in their room.

• Does the room have air-conditioning or ceiling fans? Do the windows open? If they do, and the nighttime entertainment takes place alfresco, you may want to find out when showtime is over.

• What’s included in the price? Your room may be moderately priced, but if you’re charged for beach chairs, towels, sports equipment, and other amenities, you could end up spending more than you bargained for.

B&B Stays

Many travelers prefer to go the B&B route when touring Germany. This can be an inexpensive alternative to all those pricey hotels. However, some B&Bs, just as in America, are more luxurious than even a first-class hotel. Naturally, these come with a higher price tag. Breakfast, as promised in the name, is served, and often the staff at a B&B will pack you a picnic lunch if you’re staying over in the area and want to go hiking. In some cases, and only if arranged in advance, a home-cooked German dinner might be served.

For reservations, contact Bed & Breakfast Inns Online ( 800/215-7365 or 310/280-4363; www.bbonline.com) or BnB Finder.com ( 888/547-8226 or 212/432-7693; www.bnbfinder.com).

Bungalow, Villa & Apartment Rentals

Dozens of agencies handle such rentals, the best of which include At Home Abroad, Inc. ( 212/421-9165;www.athomeabroadinc.com). Drawbridge to Europe ( 888/268-1148;www.drawbridgetoeurope.com) offers vacation rentals in Mittel Europa, including not only Germany but also Switzerland and Austria. The staff will even rent you a private castle. Interhome ( 800/882-6864 or 954/791-8282; www.interhomeusa.com) offers properties in 21 countries, including Germany.

Castle Hotels

There are more Schlosshotels (castle hotels) in Germany than anywhere else in Europe. After unification, many castles in the old East Germany were restored and opened to the public. Some are rather basic, having more character than comfort, but others are luxurious, with antiques such as four-poster beds and a baronial atmosphere, often harking back 3 centuries or more. Most of them have installed modern plumbing. Some visitors with a sense of the romantic book castle hotel packages throughout Germany. The best source for such vacations is Euro-Connections ( 800/645-3876 in the U.S.; www.traveldata.cc).

Farm Vacations

Growing in its appeal to tourists, a vacation down on the farm—Urlaub auf dem Bauernhof in German—cuts costs and is an adventure as well. Nearly every local tourist office has a list of farmhouses in its area that take in paying guests. Sometimes only bed-and-breakfast is offered; at other places a farm-style home-cooked dinner can be included if you wish. For more information, you can contact DLG (German Agricultural Association) at 069/247880 (www.landtourismus.de).

House Swapping

House swapping is becoming a more popular and viable means of travel; you stay in their place, they stay in yours, and you both get a more authentic and personal view of a destination, the opposite of the escapist retreat many hotels offer. Try HomeLink International (www.homelink.org), the largest and oldest home-swapping organization, founded in 1952, with more than 11,000 listings worldwide ($115 yearly membership). HomeExchange.com ($9.95 a month for 6,000 listings) and InterVac.com ($100 for more than 10,000 listings) are also reliable.

Romantik Hotels

Throughout Germany you’ll encounter hotels with a “Romantik” in their names. This is not a chain, but a voluntary association of small inns and guesthouses that have only one theme in common: They are usually old and charming, and romantic in architecture. If you like a traditional ambience as opposed to bandbox modern, then a Romantik hotel might be for you. The requirement is that the hotel be in a historic building (or at least one of vintage date) and personally managed by the owner. Usually you get a regional cuisine and good, personal service, along with an old-fashioned setting and cozy charm. Sometimes the plumbing could be better, and standards of comfort vary widely, but all of them have been inspected.

For more information, contact Romantik Hotels and Restaurants ( 800/650-8018 in the U.S., or 069/6612340 in Germany; www.romantikhotels.com).

Spa Hotels

More than any other country in Europe, Germany has developed the spa process to a high art. The heyday of German spa construction coincided with the rise of the bourgeoisie in the 19th century, when a lavish series of resorts was built around the dozens of mineral springs bubbling from the soil. Many of these springs had been known since the Middle Ages, or even Roman times, and to each was attributed specific cures for arthritis, gout, infertility, hypertension, and gynecological problems. (The German word Kur—Kurort means “spa”—is derived from the Latin cura, meaning “care.”) Going to a spa became an intensely ritualized social experience.

Regardless of the various medical claims made at the spas of Germany, the real reason to go to any spa, in our view, is to momentarily escape the stress of everyday life.

For more information, contact Deutschen Heilbaderverbandes, Reinhardtstrasse 46, 10117 Berlin ( 030/2463629-0;www.deutscher-heilbaederverband.de).

Youth Hostels

Germany has some of the best and most modern youth hostels (Jugendherbergen) in the world—some 550 of them are scattered throughout the country. Reservations are imperative in all cases, but especially in July and August. Venues range from rather bleak modern buildings to old castles in bucolic settings.

For more information and requirements, contact DJH Service GmbH, Bismarckstrasse 8, 32756 Detmold ( 05231/74010;www.jugendherberge.de). Most hostels in Germany are affiliated with Hostelling International USA ( 301/495-1240;www.hiusa.org).

Fast Facts

Business Hours Most banks are open Monday to Friday 8:30am to 1pm and 2:30 to 4pm (Thurs to 5:30pm). Money exchanges at airports and border-crossing points are generally open daily from 6am to 10pm. Exchanges at border railroad stations are kept open for arrivals of all international trains. Most businesses are open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm and on Saturday from 9am to 1pm. Store hours can vary from town to town, but shops are generally open Monday to Friday 9 or 10am to 6 or 6:30pm (Thurs to 8:30pm). Saturday hours are generally from 9am to 1 or 2pm, except on the first Saturday of the month, when stores may remain open until 4pm.

Car Rental See “By Car” under “Getting Around,” earlier in this chapter.

Cellphones See “Mobile Phones,” later.

Crime See “Safety,” later.

Customs You can take into Germany most personal effects and the following items duty-free: one video camera or two still cameras with 10 rolls of film each; a portable radio, a tape recorder, and a laptop PC, provided they show signs of use; 400 cigarettes, 50 cigars, or 250 grams of tobacco; 2 liters of wine or 1 liter of liquor per person 18 and over; fishing gear; one bicycle; skis; tennis or squash racquets; and golf clubs.

Returning U.S. citizens who have been away for at least 48 hours can bring back, once every 30 days, US$800 worth of merchandise duty-free. You’ll be charged a flat rate of 4% duty on the next US$1,000 worth of purchases. Be sure to have your receipts handy. On mailed gifts, the duty-free limit is US$200. With some exceptions, you cannot bring fresh fruits and vegetables into the United States. For specifics on what you can bring back, download the invaluable free pamphlet Know Before You Go online at www.cbp.gov. Or contact the U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP), 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20229 ( 877/287-8667), and request the pamphlet.

For a clear summary of Canadian rules, you can download the booklet I Declare at www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications. It is issued by Canada Border Services Agency ( 800/461-9999 in Canada, or 204/983-3500; www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca). Canada allows a C$750 exemption, which can be used only once a year and only after an absence of 7 days. You’re allowed to bring back duty-free one carton of cigarettes, one can of tobacco, 40 imperial ounces of liquor, and 50 cigars. In addition, you’re allowed to mail gifts to Canada valued at less than C$60 a day, provided they’re unsolicited and don’t contain alcohol or tobacco (write on the package “Unsolicited gift, under C$60 value”). You should declare all valuables on the Y-38 form before departing Canada, including serial numbers of valuables you already own, such as expensive foreign cameras.

Citizens of the U.K. who are returning from an E.U. country will go through a separate Customs exit (called the “Blue Exit”). In essence, there is no limit on what you can bring back from an E.U. country, as long as the items are for personal use (including gifts) and you have already paid the necessary duty and tax. However, Customs law sets out guidance levels. If you bring in more than these levels, you may be asked to prove that the goods are for your use. Guidance levels on goods bought in the E.U. for your own use are 3,200 cigarettes, 200 cigars, 400 cigarillos, 3 kilograms of smoking tobacco, 10 liters of spirits, 90 liters of wine, 20 liters of fortified wine (such as port or sherry), and 110 liters of beer. For information, contact HM Revenue Customs at 0845/0109000 ( 02920/501261 from outside the U.K.), or consult their website at www.hmrc.gov.uk.

The duty-free allowance in Australia is A$900 or, for those 17 and under, A$450. Citizens can bring in 250 cigarettes or 250 grams of loose tobacco, and 2.25 liters of alcohol. If you’re returning with valuables you already own, such as foreign-made cameras, you should file form B263. A helpful brochure available from Australian consulates or Customs offices is Know Before You Go. For more information, call the Australian Customs Service at 1300/363263, or log on to www.customs.gov.au

The duty-free allowance for New Zealand is NZ$700. Citizens 18 and over can bring in 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars, or 250 grams of tobacco (or a mixture of all three if their combined weight doesn’t exceed 250g); plus 4.5 liters of wine and beer, or 1.125 milliliters of liquor. New Zealand currency does not carry import or export restrictions. Fill out a certificate of export, listing the valuables you are taking out of the country, so you can bring them back without paying duty. Most questions are answered in a free pamphlet available at New Zealand consulates and Customs offices: New Zealand Customs Guide for Travellers, Notice no. 4. For more information, contact New Zealand Customs Service, The Customhouse, 17–21 Whitmore St., Box 2218, Wellington ( 0800/428786 or 04/4736099 in New Zealand, or 04/4736099; www.customs.govt.nz).

Disabled Travelers Germany is one of the better countries for travelers with disabilities. All the large cities have excellent facilities. The local tourist offices can issue permits for drivers to allow them access to parking areas for people with disabilities. Newer hotels are more sensitive to the needs of those with disabilities, and the more expensive restaurants, in general, are wheelchair accessible.

Older, smaller towns may pose more of a problem, however, especially where the streets are cobblestone. Also, because of Germany’s many hills and endless flights of stairs, visitors with disabilities may have difficulty getting around outside of major cities, but conditions are slowly improving. If the areas you wish to visit seem inaccessible or you are not certain, you may want to consider taking an organized tour specifically designed to accommodate travelers with disabilities.

Organizations that offer assistance to travelers with disabilities include MossRehab ( 800/225-5667;www.mossresourcenet.org), which provides a library of accessible-travel resources online; Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality (SATH; 212/447-7284;www.sath.org), which offers a wealth of travel resources for all types of disabilities and informed recommendations on destinations, access guides, travel agents, tour operators, vehicle rentals, and companion services; and the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB; 800/232-5463 or 212/502-7600; www.afb.org), a referral resource for those who are blind or visually impaired that provides information on traveling with Seeing Eye dogs.

Air Ambulance Card ( 877/4247633;www.airambulancecard.com) is now partnered with SATH and allows you to preselect top-notch hospitals in case of an emergency.

Access-Able Travel Source ( 303/232-2979;www.access-able.com) offers a comprehensive database on travel agents from around the world with experience in accessible travel; destination-specific access information; and links to such resources as service animals, equipment rentals, and access guides.

Many travel agencies offer customized tours and itineraries for travelers with disabilities. Among them are Flying Wheels Travel ( 507/451-5005;www.flyingwheelstravel.com) and Accessible Journeys ( 800/846-4537 or 610/521-0339; www.disabilitytravel.com).

Flying with Disability (www.flying-with-disability.org) is a comprehensive information source on airplane travel.

Also check out the quarterly magazine Emerging Horizons (www.emerginghorizons.com), available by subscription ($17 per year in the U.S.; $22 outside the U.S.).

The “Accessible Travel” link at Mobility-Advisor.com (www.mobility-advisor.com) offers a variety of travel resources to persons with disabilities.

British travelers should contact Holiday Care ( 0845/124-9971 in the U.K. only; www.holidaycare.org.uk) to access a wide range of travel information and resources for seniors and people with disabilities.

For more on organizations that offer resources to travelers with disabilities, go to Frommers.com.

Doctors Contact the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers (IAMAT; 716/754-4883 or 416/652-0137; www.iamat.org) for tips on travel and health concerns in Germany and lists of local, English-speaking doctors. You can find listings of reliable medical clinics in Germany at the International Society of Travel Medicine (www.istm.org).

Drinking Laws As in many European countries, drinking laws are flexible, enforced only if a problem develops. Officially, you must be 18 to consume any kind of alcoholic beverage. Bars and cafes rarely request proof of age. Drinking while driving, however, is treated as a very serious offense.

Driving Rules See “Getting Around,” earlier in this chapter.

Electricity In most places, the electricity is 220 volts AC (50 cycles). You will need a transformer and a plug that fits the German socket for your U.S. appliances. Many leading hotels will supply these.

Embassies & Consulates The following embassies and consulates are in Berlin. The embassy of the United States is at Pariser Platz 2 ( 030/83050;http://germany.usembassy.gov; U-Bahn: Brandenburger Tor), open Monday to Friday 8:30am to 3pm. The U.K. Embassy is at Wilhelmstrasse 70 ( 030/204570;http://ukingermany.fco.gov.uk/de; U-Bahn: Anhalter Bahnhof), open Monday to Friday 8am to 4:30pm. The Australian Embassy is at Wallstrasse 76–79 ( 030/8800880;www.germany.embassy.gov.au/beln/home.html; U-Bahn: Spittel-markt), open Monday to Thursday 8:30am to 5pm and Friday 8:30am to 4:15pm. The Canadian Embassy is at Leipziger Platz 17 ( 030/203120;www.canadainternational.gc.ca; U-Bahn: Potsdamer Platz), open Monday to Friday 9am to noon. The Irish Embassy is at Friedrichstrasse 200 ( 030/220720;www.embassyofireland.de; U-Bahn: Uhlandstrasse), open Monday to Friday 9:30am to noon and 2:30 to 3:45pm. The New Zealand Embassy is at Friedrichstrasse 60 ( 030/206210;www.nzembassy.com; U-Bahn: Friedrichstrasse), open Monday to Friday 9am to 1pm and 2 to 5:30pm.

Emergencies Throughout Germany the emergency number for police is 110; for fire or to call an ambulance, dial 112.

Family Travel To locate accommodations, restaurants, and attractions that are particularly kid-friendly, look for the “Kids” icon throughout this guide.

Health Germany should not pose any major health hazards. The heavy cuisine may give some travelers mild diarrhea, so take along some antidiarrhea medicine and moderate your eating habits. The water is safe to drink throughout Germany; however, don’t drink from mountain streams, no matter how clear and pure the water looks.

German medical facilities are among the best in the world. If a medical emergency arises, your hotel staff can usually put you in touch with a reliable doctor. If not, contact the American embassy or a consulate; each one maintains a list of English-speaking doctors. Medical and hospital services aren’t free, so be sure that you have appropriate insurance coverage before you travel.

If you suffer from a chronic illness, consult your doctor before your departure. Pack prescription medications in your carry-on luggage and carry them in their original containers, with pharmacy labels—otherwise they won’t make it through airport security. Carry the generic name of prescription medicines, in case a local pharmacist is unfamiliar with the brand name.

For conditions such as epilepsy, diabetes, or heart problems, wear a MedicAlert Identification Tag ( 888/633-4298;www.medicalert.org), which will immediately alert doctors to your condition and give them access to your records through MedicAlert’s 24-hour hot line.

Insurance For travel overseas, most U.S. health plans (including Medicare and Medicaid) do not provide coverage, and the ones that do often require you to pay for services upfront and reimburse you only after you return home.

As a safety net, you may want to buy travel medical insurance. If you require additional medical insurance, try MEDEX Assistance ( 800/732-5309 or 410/453-6300;www.medexassist.com) or Travel Assistance International ( 800/821-2828;www.travelassistance.com; for general information on services, call Worldwide Assistance Services, Inc. at 800/777-8710;www.worldwideassistance.com).

Canadians should check with their provincial health-plan offices or call Health Canada ( 866/225-0709;www.hc-sc.gc.ca) to find out the extent of their coverage and what documentation and receipts they must take home if they are treated overseas.

Travelers from the U.K. should carry their European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), which replaced the E111 form as proof of entitlement to free/reduced-cost medical treatment abroad ( 0845/605-0707;www.ehic.org.uk). Note, however, that the EHIC covers only “necessary medical treatment”; for repatriation costs, lost money, baggage, or cancellation, travel insurance from a reputable company should always be sought. Call 0870/033-9985 or visit www.travelinsuranceweb.com for quotes from several companies.

Travel Insurance The cost of travel insurance varies widely, depending on the destination, the cost and length of your trip, your age and health, and the type of trip you’re taking, but expect to pay between 5% and 8% of the vacation itself. You can get estimates from various providers through InsureMyTrip.com ( 800/487-4722). Enter your trip cost and dates, your age, and other information, for prices from more than a dozen companies.

U.K. citizens and their families who make more than one trip abroad per year may find that an annual travel insurance policy works out cheaper. Check www.moneysupermarket.com ( 0845/345-5708), which compares prices across a wide range of providers for single- and multitrip policies.

Most big travel agents offer their own insurance and will probably try to sell you their package when you book a holiday. Think before you sign. Britain’s Consumers’ Association recommends that you insist on seeing the policy and reading the fine print before buying travel insurance. The Association of British Insurers ( 020/7600-3333;www.abi.org.uk) gives advice by phone and publishes “Holiday Insurance,” a free guide to policy provisions and prices. You might also shop around for better deals: Try Columbus Direct ( 0870/033-9988;www.columbusdirect.net).

Trip-Cancellation Insurance Trip-cancellation insurance will help retrieve your money if you have to back out of a trip or depart early, or if your travel supplier goes bankrupt. Trip cancellation traditionally covers such events as sickness, natural disasters, and State Department advisories. The latest news in trip-cancellation insurance is the availability of expanded hurricane coverage and the “any-reason” cancellation coverage—which costs more but covers cancellations made for any reason. You won’t get back 100% of your prepaid trip cost, but you’ll be refunded a substantial portion. TravelSafe ( 888/885-7233;www.travelsafe.com) offers both types of coverage. Expedia also offers any-reason cancellation coverage for its air-hotel packages. For details, contact one of the following recommended insurers: Access America ( 800/284-8300; www.accessamerica.com), Travel Guard International ( 800/826-4919; www.travelguard.com), Travel Insured International ( 800/243-3174; www.travelinsured.com), and Travelex Insurance Services ( 800/228-9792; www.travelex-insurance.com).

Internet & Wi-Fi Many hotels, cafes, and retailers are signing on as Wi-Fi “hot spots.” Boingo (www.boingo.com) and Wayport (wayport.com) have set up networks in airports and high-class hotel lobbies. IPass providers (see below) also give you access to a few hundred wireless hotel lobby setups. To locate other hot spots that provide free wireless networks in cities in Germany, go to www.jiwire.com.

A few thousand hotels in Germany now offer free high-speed Internet access. In addition, major Internet service providers (ISPs) have local access numbers around the world, allowing you to go online by placing a local call. The iPass network also has dial-up numbers around the world. You’ll have to sign up with an iPass provider, who will then tell you how to set up your computer for your destination(s). For a list of iPass providers, go to www3.ipass.com and click on “Individuals Buy Now.” One solid provider is i2roam ( 866/811-6209 or 920/233-5863; www.i2roam.com).

To find cybercafes, check www.cybercaptive.com and www.cybercafe.com. Cybercafes can be found on almost every business street in large cities.

Aside from formal cybercafes, most youth hostels and public libraries have Internet access.

Language German, of course, is the official language, but English is widely understood. Germans start learning English in grade school.

LGBT Travelers Although Germany is one of the “gayest” countries of Europe, there is also prejudice and hostility here. Violence against gays and foreigners (especially nonwhite) is not unknown. On the other hand, homosexuality is widely accepted by a vast number of the country’s millions, especially young people. All major cities have a wide and varied gay and lesbian nightlife. Keep in mind that western Germany is far more gay-friendly than the more isolated outposts of the former East Germany. The legal minimum age for consensual homosexual sex is 18.

The International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA; 954/630-1637;www.iglta.org) is the trade association for the gay and lesbian travel industry and offers an online directory of gay- and lesbian-friendly travel businesses; go to its website and click on “Members.”

Many agencies offer tours and travel itineraries designed specifically for gay and lesbian travelers. Now, Voyager ( 800/255-6951;www.nowvoyager.com) is a well-known San Francisco–based gay-owned and -operated travel service. Olivia Cruises & Resorts ( 800/631-6277;www.olivia.com) charters entire resorts and ships for exclusive lesbian vacations and offers smaller group experiences for both gay and lesbian travelers. Gay.com ( 415/834-6500;http://daily.gay.com/travel) provides regularly updated information about gay-owned, gay-oriented, and gay-friendly lodging, dining, sightseeing, nightlife, and shopping establishments in every important destination worldwide.

The Canadian website GayTraveler (www.gaytraveler.ca) offers ideas and advice for gay travel all over the world.

The following travel guides are available at many bookstores, or you can order them from any online bookseller: Spartacus International Gay Guide, 38th edition (Bruno Gmünder Verlag; www.spartacusworld.com/gayguide); and the Damron guides (www.damron.com), with separate annual books for gay men and lesbians.

For more gay and lesbian travel resources, visit Frommers.com.

Mail Street mailboxes are painted yellow. It costs 1.70€ for the first 5 grams (about 1⁄5 oz.) to send an airmail letter to the United States or Canada, and 1€ for postcards. All letters to the U.K. cost .70€.

Medical Requirements Unless you’re arriving from an area known to be suffering from an epidemic (particularly cholera or yellow fever), inoculations or vaccinations are not required for entry into Germany.

Mobile Phones The three letters that define much of the world’s wireless capabilities are GSM, which stands for Global System for Mobiles, a big, seamless network that makes for easy cross-border cellphone use. In general, reception is good. But you’ll need a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card. This is a small chip that gives you a local phone number and plugs you into a regional network. In the U.S., T-Mobile and AT&T Wireless use this quasi-universal system; in Canada, Microcell and some Rogers customers are GSM, and all Europeans and most Australians use GSM. Unfortunately, per-minute charges can be high.

For many, renting a phone is a good idea. While you can rent a phone from any number of overseas sites, including kiosks at airports and at car-rental agencies, we suggest renting the phone before you leave home. North Americans can rent one before leaving home from InTouch USA ( 800/872-7626 or 703/222-7161; www.intouchglobal.com) or RoadPost ( 888/290-1616 or 905/272-5665; www.roadpost.com). InTouch will also, for free, advise you on whether your existing phone will work overseas.

Buying a phone can be economically attractive, as many nations have cheap prepaid phone systems. Once you arrive at your destination, stop by a local cellphone shop and get the cheapest package; you’ll probably pay less than $100 for a phone and a starter calling card. Local calls may be as low as 10¢ per minute, and in Germany incoming calls are free.

Money & Costs The euro (€) is the single European currency of Germany and other participating countries. Exchange rates of participating countries are locked into a common currency fluctuating against the dollar.

The major cities of Germany are some of the world’s most expensive. So, if you want to see the country without breaking the bank, you may want to cut short your time in Frankfurt, Munich, or Berlin and concentrate on regional capitals such as Freiburg in the Black Forest, where you can cut your travel cost by anywhere from 20% to 40%. You may also want to consider a rail pass.

Although prices in Germany are high, you generally get good value for your money. The inflation rate has remained low. Hotels are usually clean and comfortable, and restaurants generally offer good cuisine and ample portions made with quality ingredients. Trains are fast and on time, and most service personnel treat you with respect.

Many people come to Germany just for winter sports. The most expensive resorts are places like Garmisch-Partenkirchen. However, if you avoid the chic places, you can enjoy winter fun at a moderate cost. Some of the winter spots in the Bavarian Alps that haven’t been overrun by the beautiful people give you great value for your money. And prices in a village next to a resort are often 30% lower than at the resort itself.

In Germany, many prices for children (generally defined as ages 6–17) are considerably lower than for adults. And fees for children 5 and younger are often waived entirely.

Frommer’s lists exact prices in the local currency. The currency conversions quoted above were correct at press time. However, rates fluctuate, so before departing consult a currency exchange website such as www.oanda.com/currency/converter to check up-to-the-minute rates.

ATMs The easiest way to get cash away from home is from an ATM (automated teller machine), sometimes referred to as a Geldautomat. Note: Remember that many banks impose a fee every time you use a card at another bank’s ATM, and that fee can be higher for international transactions. In addition, the bank from which you withdraw cash may charge its own fee. For international withdrawal fees, ask your bank.

Note: Banks that are members of the Global ATM Alliance charge no transaction fees for cash withdrawals at other Alliance member ATMs; these include Bank of America, Scotiabank (Canada, Caribbean, and Mexico), Barclays (U.K. and parts of Africa), Deutsche Bank (Germany, Poland, Spain, and Italy), and BNP Paribas (France).

Credit Cards Credit cards are another safe way to carry money. They also provide a convenient record of all your expenses, and they generally offer relatively good exchange rates. You can withdraw cash advances from your credit cards at banks or ATMs, but high fees make credit card cash advances a pricey way to get cash. Remember that you’ll pay interest from the moment of your withdrawal, even if you pay your monthly bills on time. Also, note that many banks now assess a 1% to 3% “transaction fee” on all charges you incur abroad (whether you’re using the local currency or your native currency).

In Germany, American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard, and Visa are commonly accepted, with the latter two cards predominating.

Beware of hidden credit-card fees while traveling. Check with your credit or debit card issuer to see what fees, if any, will be charged for overseas transactions. Recent reform legislation in the U.S., for example, has curbed some exploitative lending practices. But many banks have responded by increasing fees in other areas, including fees for customers who use credit and debit cards while out of the country—even if those charges were made in U.S. dollars. Fees can amount to 3% or more of the purchase price. Check with your bank before departing to avoid any surprise charges on your statement.

For help with currency conversions, tip calculations, and more, download Frommer’s convenient Travel Tools app for your mobile device. Go to www.frommers.com/go/mobile and click on the “Travel Tools” icon.

Passports Visas are not needed by citizens of the U.S., Canada, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, or the U.K. for visits of less than 3 months. You do need a valid passport, unless you’re a citizen of the E.U., EEA or Switzerland (in which case you need only an identity card, though we recommend you always carry a passport anyway).

Passport Offices

Australia Australian Passport Information Service ( 131-232, or visit www.passports.gov.au).

Canada Passport Office, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Ottawa, ON K1A 0G3 ( 800/567-6868; www.ppt.gc.ca).

Ireland Passport Office, Setanta Centre, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2 ( 01/671-1633; www.foreignaffairs.gov.ie).

New Zealand Passports Office, Department of Internal Affairs, 47 Boulcott Street, Wellington, 6011 ( 0800/225-050 in New Zealand or 04/474-8100; www.passports.govt.nz).

United Kingdom Visit your nearest passport office, major post office, or travel agency or contact the Identity and Passport Service (IPS), 89 Eccleston Square, London, SW1V 1PN ( 0300/222-0000; www.ips.gov.uk).

United States To find your regional passport office, check the U.S. State Department website (travel.state.gov/passport) or call the National Passport Information Center ( 877/487-2778) for automated information.

Police Throughout the country, dial 110 for emergencies.

Safety Overall, the security risk to travelers in Germany is low. However, Germany experiences a number of demonstrations every year on a variety of political and economic themes. These demonstrations have a tendency to spread and turn violent, and anyone in the general area can become the victim of a random attack. Prior police approval is required for public demonstrations in Germany, and police oversight is routinely provided to ensure adequate security for participants and passersby. Nonetheless, situations may develop that could pose a threat to public safety. All foreign visitors are cautioned to avoid the area around protests and demonstrations and to check local media for updates on the situation.

In addition, hooligans, most often young and intoxicated “skinheads,” have been known to harass or even attack people whom they believe to be foreigners or members of rival youth groups. While U.S. citizens have not been specific targets, several Americans have reported that they were assaulted for racial reasons or because they appeared “foreign.”

Violent crime is rare in Germany, but it can occur, especially in larger cities or high-risk areas such as train stations. Most incidents of street crime consist of theft of unattended items and pickpocketing. You should take the same precautions against becoming a crime victim as you would in any city.

Report the loss or theft abroad of your passport immediately to the local police and the nearest embassy or consulate. If you are the victim of a crime while in Germany, in addition to reporting to local police, contact the nearest embassy or consulate for assistance. The embassy/consulate staff, for example, can assist you in finding appropriate medical care, contacting family members or friends, and explaining how funds could be transferred. Although the investigation and prosecution of the crime is solely the responsibility of local authorities, consular officers can help you understand the local criminal-justice process and find an attorney if needed.

Senior Travel Mention that you’re a senior when you make your travel reservations. Although all major U.S. airlines have canceled their senior-discount and coupon-book programs, many hotels still offer discounts for seniors. In most cities, people 60 and over qualify for reduced admission to theaters, museums, and other attractions, as well as discounted fares on public transportation.

Members of AARP, 601 E St. NW, Washington, DC 20049 ( 888/687-2277;www.aarp.org), get discounts on hotels, airfares, and car rentals. AARP offers members a wide range of benefits, including AARP The Magazine and a monthly newsletter. Anyone 50 and over can join.

Many reliable agencies and organizations target the 50-plus market. Exploritas’s ( 800/454-5768;www.exploritas.org) programs include a wide spectrum in Germany. The most popular is a 10-night program in both Berlin and Munich, where participants join local experts to learn about the history and culture of Germany. For the more athletic, there is a 13-night program spent biking along the Danube. Those interested in opera and classical music can join a 12-night cultural and fine arts program that takes place in the vibrant cultural cities of Berlin, Dresden, and Leipzig.

Recommended publications offering travel resources and discounts for seniors include the quarterly magazine Travel 50 & Beyond (www.travel50andbeyond.com) and the best-selling paperback Unbelievably Good Deals and Great Adventures That You Absolutely Can’t Get Unless You’re Over 50 (McGraw-Hill), by Joann Rattner Heilman.

Frommers.com offers more information and resources on travel for seniors

Smoking Check before lighting up. In general, you cannot smoke in most restaurants and many bars in Germany, but it is in a continuous state of flux and rules vary by federal state—in some cases smoking is banned by law and enforced. In other cases the official law is not enforced in bars of a certain size, or after the kitchen closes at restaurants that are open late and morph into a barlike setting as the night goes on. Throughout the country, smoking is banned in all public buildings and transport.

Taxes As a member of the European Union, Germany imposes a tax on most goods and services known as a value-added tax (VAT) or, in German, Mehrwertsteuer. Nearly everything is taxed at 16%, including vital necessities such as gas and luxury items such as jewelry. Food and books are taxed at 7%. VAT is included in the prices of restaurants and hotels. Goods for sale, such as cameras, also have the 16% tax already factored into the price. Stores that display a tax-free sticker will issue you a Tax-Free Shopping Check at the time of purchase. When leaving the country, have your check stamped by the German Customs Service as your proof of legal export. You can then get a cash refund at one of the Tax-Free Shopping Service offices in the major airports and many train stations, even at some of the bigger ferry terminals. Otherwise, you must send the checks to Tax-Free Shopping Service, Mengstrasse 19, 23552 Lübeck, Germany. If you want the payment to be credited to your bank card or your bank account, mention this. There is no airport departure tax.

Telephones The country code for Germany is 49. To call Germany from the United States, dial the international access code 011, then 49, then the city code, then the regular phone number. Note: The phone numbers listed in this book are to be used within Germany; when calling from abroad, omit the initial 0 in the city code.

For directory assistance: Dial 11837 if you’re looking for a number inside Germany, and dial 11834 for numbers to all other countries.

For operator assistance: If you need operator assistance in making a call, dial 0180/200-1033.

Local and long-distance calls may be placed from all post offices and from most public telephone booths, about half of which operate with phone cards, the others with coins. Phone cards are sold at post offices and newsstands in denominations of 6€ to 25€. Rates are measured in units rather than minutes. The farther the distance, the more units are consumed. Telephone calls made through hotel switchboards can double, triple, or even quadruple the base charges at the post office, so be alert to this before you dial. In some instances, post offices can send faxes for you, and many hotels offer Internet access—for free or for a small charge—to their guests.

German phone numbers are not standard. In some places, numbers have as few as three digits. In cities, one number may have five digits, whereas the phone next door might have nine. Germans also often hyphenate their numbers differently. But since all the area codes are the same, these various configurations should have little effect on your phone usage once you get used to the fact that numbers vary from place to place.

Be careful dialing toll-free numbers. Many companies maintain a service line beginning with 0180. However, these lines might appear to be toll-free but really aren’t, costing .12€ per minute. Other numbers that begin with 0190 carry a surcharge of 1.85€ per minute—or even more. Don’t be misled by calling a 1-800 number in the United States from Germany. This is not a toll-free call but costs about the same as an overseas call.

To call the U.S. or Canada from Germany, dial 01, followed by the country code (1), then the area code, and then the number. Alternatively, you can dial the various telecommunication companies in the States for cheaper rates. From Germany, the access number for AT&T is 0800/8880010, and for MCI, 0800/8888000. USA Direct can be used with all telephone cards and for collect calls. The number from Germany is 013/00010. Canada Direct can be used with Bell Telephone Cards and for collect calls. This number from Germany is 013/00014.

If you’re calling from a public pay phone in Germany, you must deposit the basic local rate.

Tipping If a restaurant bill says Bedienung, that means a service charge has already been added, so just round up to the nearest euro. If not, add 10% to 15%. Bellhops get 1€ per bag, as does the doorperson at your hotel, restaurant, or nightclub. Room-cleaning staffs get small tips in Germany, as do concierges who perform some special favors.

Toilets Use the word Toilette (pronounced twah-leh-tah). Women’s toilets are usually marked with an F for Frauen, and men’s toilets with an H for Herren. Germany, frankly, doesn’t have enough public toilets, except in transportation centers. The locals have to rely on bars, cafes, or restaurants—and using them isn’t always appreciated if you’re not a paying customer.

VAT See “Taxes,” above.

Visas See “Passports,” above.

Visitor Information All cities and nearly all larger towns in Germany have tourist offices. The German National Tourist Board headquarters is at Beethovenstrasse 69, 60325 Frankfurt am Main ( 069/751903;www.germany-tourism.de or www.cometogermany.com).

In the U.S., they can be reached at 122 E. 42nd St., Ste. 2000, New York, NY 10017 ( 212/661-7200).

In Canada, tourist offices are at 480 University Ave., Ste. 1500, Toronto, ON M5G 1V2 ( 877/315-6237 or 416/968-1685). In the U.K., you can write P.O. Box 2695, London W1A ETN ( 020/7317-0808).

Water See “Health,” earlier.

Wi-Fi See “Internet & Wi-Fi,” earlier.

Useful Terms & Phrases

Getting There & Getting Around

I am looking for… Ich suche…

…a porter. …einen Träger für mein Gepäck.

…the check-in counter. …den Abfertigungsschalter.

…the ticket counter. …den Kartenschalter.

…arrivals. …den Ankunftsbereich.

…departures. …den Abreisebereich.

…the waiting area. …den Wartebereich.

…the men’s restroom. …die Herrentoilette.

…the women’s restroom. …die Damentoilette.

…the police station. …die Polizeidienststelle.

…a security guard. …einen Sicherheitsbeamten.

…the smoking area. …den Raucherbereich.

…the information booth. …den Informationsstand.

…a public telephone. …ein öffentliches Telefon.

…an ATM. …einen Geldautomaten.

…baggage claim. …die Gepäckausgabe.

…a luggage cart. …einen Gepäckwagen.

…a currency exchange. …eine Geldwechselstube.

…a café. …ein Café.

…a restaurant. …ein Restaurant.

…a bar. …eine Bar.

…a bookstore or newsstand. eine Buchhandlung oder einen Zeitungsstand.

…a duty-free shop. …einen Duty-Free-Shop.

Is there Internet access here? Gibt es hier einen Internetzugang?

I’d like to page someone. Ich möchte jemanden ausrufen lassen.

Do you accept credit cards? Akzeptieren Sie Kreditkarten?

Common Airport Signs

Ankunft Arrivals

Abreise Departures

Terminal Terminal

Gate Gate

Tickets Ticketing

Zoll Customs

Gepäckausgabe Baggage Claim

Drücken Push

Ziehen Pull

Rauchen verboten No Smoking

Eingang Entrance

Ausgang Exit

Herren Men’s

Damen Women’s

Pendelbusse Shuttle Buses

Taxis Taxis

Security Lingo

Bitte ziehen Sie Ihre Schuhe aus. Please remove your shoes.

Ziehen Sie Ihre Jacke aus. Remove your jacket / sweater.

Legen Sie Ihren Schmuck ab. Remove your jewelry.

Legen Sie Ihre Taschen auf das Band. Place your bags on the conveyor belt.

Treten Sie zur Seite. Step to the side.

Wir müssen Sie abtasten. We have to do a hand search.

Road Signs

Geschwindigkeitsbegrenzung Speed Limit

Stopp Stop

Vorfahrt gewähren Yield

Gefahr Danger

Sackgasse No Exit

Einbahnstrasse One Way

Einfahrt verboten Do Not Enter

Strasse gesperrt Road Closed

Maut Toll

Nur Bargeld Cash Only

Parken verboten No Parking

Parkgebühr Parking Fee

Parkhaus Parking Garage

General Terms

Basic Greetings & Expressions

Hello. Hallo.

How are you? Wie geht es Ihnen?

I’m fine, thanks. Mir geht es gut, danke.

And you? Und Ihnen?

My name is ____. Ich heiße ____.

And yours? Wie heißen Sie?

It’s a pleasure to meet you. Freut mich, Sie kennen zu lernen.

Please. Bitte.

Thank you. Danke.

Yes. Ja.

No. Nein.

Okay. OK.

No problem. Kein Problem.

I’m sorry, I don’t understand. Entschuldigung, ich verstehe Sie nicht.

Would you speak slower please? Könnten Sie bitte etwas langsamer sprechen?

Would you speak louder please? Könnten Sie bitte etwas lauter sprechen?

Do you speak English? Sprechen Sie Englisch?

Do you speak any other languages? Sprechen Sie irgendeine andere Sprache?

I speak ____ better than German. Ich spreche besser ____ als Deutsch.

Would you spell that? Könnten Sie das bitte buchstabieren?

Would you please repeat that? Könnten Sie das bitte wiederholen?

Would you point that out in this dictionary? Könnten Sie mir das bitte in diesem Wörterbuch zeigen?

Common Words

Allee Avenue

Altes Rathaus Old town hall (a historical monument; no longer used as the headquarters of the city’s officials)

Altstadt Old part of a city or town

Anlage Park area

Apotheke Pharmacy

Auf Wiedersehen Goodbye

Ausgang Exit

Bad Spa (also bath)

Bahn Railroad, train, course

Bahnhof Railroad station

Berg Mountain

Bitte Please

Brücke Bridge

Burg Fortified castle

Danke Thank you

Dom Cathedral

Domplatz Cathedral square

Drogerie Shop selling cosmetics, sundries

Eingang/Einfahrt Entrance

Eintritt Admission

Fahrrad Bicycle

Flughafen Airport

Gasse Lane

Gasthaus Inn, tavern, restaurant

Gasthof Inn

Gutbürgerliche Küche German home cooking

Hallo Hello

Hauptbahnhof Main railroad station

Hotelgarni Hotel that serves no meals or serves breakfast only

Insel Island

Kammer Room (in public building)

Kapelle Chapel

Kaufhaus Department store

Kino Cinema

Kirche Church

Kloster Monastery

Kneipe Bar for drinking; may serve snacks

Konditorei Cafe for coffee and pastries

Kunst Art

Land State

Marktplatz Market square

Neue Küche Cuisine moderne

Neues Rathaus New town hall (the seat of current city business)

Neustadt New part of city or town

Palatinate A region of Germany bordering France

Platz Square

Polizei Police

Postamt Post office

Rathaus Town or city hall

Ratskeller Restaurant in a Rathaus cellar serving traditional German food

Reisebüro Travel agency

Residenz Palace

Schauspielhaus Theater for plays

See Lake (der See) or sea (die See)

Seilbahn Cable car

Speisekarte Menu

Spielbank Casino

Stadt Town, city

Stadtbahn (S-Bahn) Commuter railroad

Steg Footbridge

Strasse Street

Strassenbahn Streetcar, tram

Tagesmenu Menu of the day

Tankstelle Filling station

Teller Platter

Tor Gateway

Turm Tower

Ufer Shore, riverbank

Untergrundbahn (U-Bahn) Subway, underground transportation system

Verkehrsamt Tourist office

Weg Road

Weinstube Wine bar or tavern serving meals

Zimmer Room

Menu Terms

Meats & Poultry (Wurst, Fleisch & Geflügel)

Aufschnitt Cold cuts

Beefsteak Hamburger steak

Brathuhn Roasted chicken

Bratwurst Grilled sausage

Eisbein Pigs’ knuckles

Ente Duck

Frankfurter Hot dog

Gans Goose

Hammel Mutton

Kalb Veal

Kassler Rippchen Pork chops

Lamm Lamb

Leber Liver

Ragout Stew

Rinderbraten Roast beef

Rindfleisch Beef

Sauerbraten Marinated beef

Schinken Ham

Schnitzel Cutlet

Schweinebraten Roast pork

Tafelspitz Boiled beef usually served with applesauce and horseradish—a famous staple of Austria

Truthahn Turkey

Wiener schnitzel Breaded veal cutlet

Wurst Sausage

Fish (Fisch)

Aal Eel

Forelle Trout

Hecht Pike

Karpfen Carp

Lachs Salmon

Makrele Mackerel

Muschel Mussel

Rheinsalm Rhine salmon

Schellfisch Haddock

Seezunge Sole

Eggs (Eier)

Eier in der Schale Boiled eggs

Mit Speck With bacon

Rühreier Scrambled eggs

Spiegeleier Fried eggs

Verlorene Eier Poached eggs

Vegetables (Gemüse)

Artischocken Artichokes

Blumenkohl Cauliflower

Bohnen Beans

Bratkartoffeln Fried potatoes

Champignon Mushroom

Erbsen Peas

Grüne Bohnen Green or string beans

Gurken Cucumbers

Karotten Carrots

Kartoffel Potato

Kartoffelbrei Mashed potatoes

Kartoffelsalat Potato salad

Knödel Dumplings

Kohl Cabbage

Reis Rice

Rettich Radish

Rote Rüben Beets

Rotkraut Red cabbage

Salat Lettuce

Salzkartoffeln Boiled potatoes

Sellerie Celery

Spargel Asparagus

Spinat Spinach

Steinpilze Boletus mushrooms

Tomaten Tomatoes

Weisse Rüben Turnips

Desserts (Nachtisch)

Auflauf Soufflé

Bienenstich Honey almond cake

Blatterteiggebäck Puff pastry

Bratapfel Baked apple

Dolce di Castagne Chestnut roll

Eis Ice cream

Kaffeecreme Coffee mousse

Käse Cheese

Kirschtorte Black Forest cake

Kompott Stewed fruit

Obstkuchen Fruit tart

Obstsalat Fruit salad

Pfannkuchen Sugared pancakes

Pflaumenkompott Stewed plums

Schlagsahne Whipped cream

Schokolademus Chocolate mousse

Tarte Tatin A tart filled with, most often, apples

Topfenpalatschinken Cottage cheese pancakes

Zwetschkenknodel Plum dumplings

Fruits (Obst)

Ananas Pineapple

Apfel Apple

Apfelsine Orange

Banane Banana

Birne Pear

Erdbeeren Strawberries

Himberren Raspberries

Kirschen Cherries

Pfirsich Peach

Weintrauben Grapes

Zitrone Lemon

Beverages (Getränke)

Bier Beer

Ein dunkles A dark beer

Ein helles A light beer

Eine Tasse Kaffee A cup of coffee

Eine Tasse Tee A cup of tea

Eistee Ice tea

Geist Brandy

Hiesse Schokolade Hot chocolate

Kaffee Coffee

Kaffee mit Rahm/Milch/Zucker Coffee with cream/milk/sugar

Kaffee mit Suss-stoff Coffee with artificial sweetener

Kaffee Schwarz Black coffee

Koffeinfrei Decaffeinated coffee

Kräutertee Herb tea

Leicht Light (wine)

Likör Liqueur

Limonade Lemonade

Milch Milk

Mineralwasser Mineral water

Mit Eis With ice

Mit Wasser With water

Ohne Eis Without ice

Ohne Wasser Without water

Pur Straight

Rotwein Red wine

Saft Juice

Schaumwein Sparkling wine

Schnaps Schnapps

Schokolade Chocolate

Soda Club soda

Soda mit gas Soda with gas (to make sure your club soda is carbonated)

Süss Sweet (wine)

Tee mit Milch Tea with cream

Tee mit Zitrone Tea with lemon

Trocken Dry (wine)

Wasser Water

Weisswein White wine

Condiments & Table Items (Würze & Tafelgeschirr)

Brot Bread

Brötchen Rolls

Butter Butter

Eis Ice

Essig Vinegar

Flasche Bottle

Gabel Fork

Glas Glass

Kalte pikante sosse Ketchup

Löffel Spoon

Messer Knife

Öl Oil

Pfeffer Pepper

Platte Plate

Sahne Cream

Salat Zubereitung Salad dressing

Salz Salt

Senf Mustard

Tasse Cup

Teller Platter

Tischzeug Napkin

Zucker Sugar

Cooking Terms

Gebacken Baked

Gebraten Fried

Gedämpft Steamed

Gefüllt Stuffed

Gekocht Boiled

Geröstet Roasted

Gut durchgebraten Well done

Heiss Hot

Kaltes Cold

Mittep Medium

Nicht durchgebraten Rare

Paniert Breaded

Pochiert Poached

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The Fairy-Tale Road, Germany: Frommer’s® Shortcuts

Table of Contents

The Fairy-Tale Road

Hanau

Essentials

Exploring Hanau

Where to Eat & Stay

Gelnhausen

Essentials

Exploring Gelnhausen

Where to Eat & Stay

Steinau an der Strasse

Essentials

Exploring Steinau

Where to Eat & Stay

Fulda

Essentials

Exploring Fulda

Where to Eat & Stay

Marburg

Essentials

Exploring Marburg

Where to Eat & Stay

Kassel

Essentials

Exploring Kassel

Where to Eat

Shopping

Nightlife & Entertainment

Where to Stay

Hann. Münden

Essentials

Exploring Hann. Münden

Where to Eat

Where to Stay

An Excursion to Sababurg

Höxter

Essentials

Exploring Höxter

Where to Eat & Stay

Bodenwerder

Essentials

Exploring Bodenwerder

Where to Eat & Stay

Hameln

Essentials

Exploring Hameln

Where to Eat

Shopping

Nightlife & Entertainment

Where to Stay

Hannover

Essentials

Exploring Hannover

Where to Eat

Shopping

Nightlife & Entertainment

Where to Stay

Bremen

Essentials

Exploring Bremen

Where to Eat

Shopping

Nightlife & Entertainment

Where to Stay

Lüneburg

Essentials

Exploring Lüneburg

Where to Eat

Shopping

Nightlife & Entertainment

Where to Stay

Celle

Essentials

Exploring Celle

Where to Eat

Where to Stay

Goslar

Essentials

Exploring Goslar

Where to Eat

Where to Stay

Göttingen

Essentials

Exploring Göttingen

Where to Dine

Shopping

Nightlife & Entertainment

Where to Stay

The Best of Germany

The Best Experiences

The Best Museums

The Best Castles & Palaces

The Best Cathedrals

The Most Charming Small Villages

The Best Driving Tours

The Best Walks

The Best Biking

The Best Spas

The Best Luxury Hotels

The Best Small Inns & Hotels

The Best Restaurants

The Best Beer Halls & Taverns

The Best Shopping

Germany in Depth

Germany Today

Looking Back: German History

Early Days

The Holy Roman Empire

The Reformation & the Religious Wars

Napoleon Arrives

Bismarck & Prussia

World War I

Weimar Republic

The Rise of Nazism

World War II

Division of Germany

Fall of the Wall & Unification

Modern Germany

Art & Architecture

German Art

Architecture

Germany in Pop Culture

Books

Music

Film

Eating & Drinking

Regional Specialties

Beer & Wine

When to Go

Holidays

Responsible Travel

Tours

Biking

Cruises

Escorted General-Interest Tours

Golf

Hiking & Mountain Climbing

Planning Your Trip to Germany

Getting There

By Plane

By Train

By Car & Ferry

Via the Channel Tunnel

Getting Around

By Plane

By Train

By Car

By Bus

By Boat

Tips on Accommodations

Surfing for Hotels

Saving on Your Hotel Room

Landing the Best Room

B&B Stays

Bungalow, Villa & Apartment Rentals

Castle Hotels

Farm Vacations

House Swapping

Romantik Hotels

Spa Hotels

Youth Hostels

Fast Facts

Useful Terms & Phrases

Getting There & Getting Around

Common Airport Signs

Security Lingo

Road Signs

General Terms

Basic Greetings & Expressions

Common Words

Menu Terms

Meats & Poultry (Wurst, Fleisch & Geflügel)

Fish (Fisch)

Eggs (Eier)

Vegetables (Gemüse)

Desserts (Nachtisch)

Fruits (Obst)

Beverages (Getränke)

Condiments & Table Items (Würze & Tafelgeschirr)

Cooking Terms