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Berlin
Berlin
is one of the most interesting cities in Germany.
Not
only is it the political center but it has a lot to
offer in the areas of history, culture and spare time.
The
multi-nationality of its inhabitants expresses itself
in the great number of street festivals and parades
which are conducted each year, such as the "Carnaval
of Cultures" or the "Loveparade".
In
the numerous museums and exhibition projects one can
inform oneself about the unique history of Germany
or explore the contemporary art world.
The
diverse nightlife can easily compete with New York
or London, but also the surroundings of Berlin offer
various possiblities for activities such as canoeing
on the lakes of Mecklenburg or visiting the many castles
of Potsdam.
Munich
Idyllically
situated at the foot of the Alps, the Bavarian capital
Munich, with its 1.2 million inhabitants, is not only
famous for its "Oktoberfest".
In
addition to the modern buildings, countless gothic
and baroque churches characterise the cityscape and
contribute to the unique charm which makes Munich
so popular all over the world whatever the season.
Munich caters to all tastes: sport on the Olympic
site or spectacular football matches, exhibitions
in museums or galleries, theatres, cinemas and international
film festivals, fashion, concerts ranging from classical
music to techno, discos and much more is on offer.
In
the summer, one can sit in a beer garden, swim in
one of the many lakes in or around Munich or go on
a day-trip to Schloß Neuschwanstein, the fairy
tale castle of King Ludwig II. In the winter, when
the city is covered in snow, people drink "Glühwein"
at the Christkindl Market or go skiing in the nearby
Alps.
Frankfurt
Most
people visit Frankfurt because they have to. Even
many inhabitants concede that taking a closer look
might well be a condition for falling in love with
the city. But it has its vistas: Almost 100 high-rise
buildings, mainly banks or office blocks, project
up into the sky epitomizing the city's thriving economy.
The modern architecture and financial clout give the
city a decidedly American feeling, hence nicknames
like 'Bankfurt' or 'Mainhattan'.
Frankfurt's economy rests on two pillars: banking
and international fairs. Among many others Germany's
national bank has its base here. Frankfurt's character
has always been strongly secular, as befitting a cosmopolitan
trading centre, accordingly the city was among the
first to embrace Luther's controversial ideas.
Frankfurt
is a big player in global trade fair business. An
annual average of 80 fairs and exhibitions attract
numerous visitors from all over the world. One of
the highlights is Frankfurt's book fair. The biggest
book fair worldwide dates back to the 15th century.
Its popularity has increased ever since.
But
Frankfurt also sports various cultural highlights:
Goethe's birthplace and the Museumsufer, an embankment
crowded with museums, are just two that come to mind.
And if all the sightseeing and cultural activities
become too much hassle it is always fun to try Frankfurt's
speciality called applewine in a cosy tavern.
Stuttgart
Best
known as the home of Porsche and Mercedes-Benz, Stuttgart
is also one of Germany's major wine-growing regions
and possibly Germany's greenest city with 20% of its
acreage protected by a preservation order.
Stuttgart's
main square called 'Schlossplatz' provides a crash
course in architecture. Stock exchange, renaissance
'Altes Schloss' (old castle) and baroque 'Neues Schloss'
(new castle), classical 'Königsbau', Art Nouveau
'Kunstverein' and some beautiful modern buildings
display Stuttgart's unchanging importance over the
centuries.
The
area around Stuttgart is known for its cuisine. Dishes
like 'Spätzle', 'Maultaschen' or 'Zwiebelkuchen'
are best tried in one of the many cosy restaurants.
For the more adventurous a visit in the local casino
might be an alternative.
But
the city is not only known for past achievements.
Today, Stuttgart is home to a vibrant youth culture:
"Die Fantastischen Vier", "Massive
Töne" or "Freundeskreis" have
made Stuttgart a hiphop stronghold supported by an
enthusiastic local scene.
Another
attraction is Stuttgart's famous casino.
Freiburg
Freiburg
im Breisgau is habitually associated with Black Forest
region, its traditional cherry-and-chocolate cake
and cuckoo clocks.
Although
you can find all this, Freiburg has a lot more to
offer: architectural highlights mirroring the city's
changing fates, excellent wine, numerous cultural
events and the region's natural beauty.
Freiburg
is situated at the southern tip of Black Forest region
in the immediate vincinity of France (3 km distance)
and Switzerland (42 km). As the boarder to France
was a combated one, Freiburg's history is full of
plagues, wars and changing sovereigns. In World War
II the city was accidentally bombed by German planes
and almost completely destroyed… its historic
centre has been reconstructed accurately and in detail.
Major
sights are the impressive cathedral ('Münster
unsrer lieben Frau') with its mixture of late Romanesque
and Gothic architecture, old and new city hall, the
historic merchant house and Gothic 'Haus zum Walfisch'
('house of the whale'), in which Renaissance philosopher
Erasmus von Rotterdam resided for some years.
As
a university town, Freiburg offers quite a selection
of cultural events, restaurants, coffee shops, museums
and art galleries without losing its small town charm.
Its climate is pleasant and allows for extensive vine
growing. Freiburg's traditional cuisine, based on
asparagus, river trout and 'kässpätzle'
(a cheese-covered dish of noodles), is something to
savour.
A
cable car takes you on top of mount 'Schauinsland'
(translates as: Look into the country) and offers
a panoramic view over Freiburg and its surroundings.
Hamburg
The
"Free and Hanseatic City" of Hamburg is
Germany's second-largest metropolis with one of Europe's
biggest ports. Since the Middle Ages Hamburg has been
an important centre of commerce, part of an inter-city-network
called Hanse. Privileges regarding commerce, taxes
and politics guaranteed its wealth and independence.
Even today Hamburg boasts high living standards, a
cosmopolitan lifestyle and magnificent architecture.
One
of the major sights of Hamburg is its harbour. On
a round trip one can see the old parts as well as
a thriving modern port. The medieval 'Speicherstadt'
offers insights into ancient trading routines.
The
history of St. Pauli was shaped by maritime trade.
Once a no man's land between the cities of Hamburg
and Altona, hordes of sailors looking for excitement
changed the face of the district. Famous Reeperbahn
offered all sorts of amusements - women and gambling
mainly. Today, machines have reduced the number of
sailors but not the number of joints offering seedy
amusements. Tourists, inhabitants and students from
the renowned university alike populate the Reeperbahn.
Other
famous attractions are baroque church St. Michaelis
dubbed 'Michel', the city hall, the old botanic garden
and Deichstraße, one of the few streets featuring
traditional half timbered houses.
Since
1968 Hamburg's TV tower bears witness to the progress
in telecommunication history and offers a great view
over all of Hamburg into the bargain.
Obviously,
shopping is always an alternative in this city of
trading. If you are interested in culinary highlights
the lively Fish market is well worth a visit.
Cologne
Cologne's
a scenic city with plazas, shopping and nightlife
and well worth a visit especially during its famous
Carnival celebrations. The city looks back on changing
fates always finding an outlet in going completely
berserk during Carnival season. Nowadays 'Kölner
Karneval' is an institution which attracts numerous
tourists. There are rumours, though, that some of
Colognes inhabitants actually flee the city for a
short holiday.
The
twin-spired structure of Cologne cathedral might just
be the best known architectural sight in Germany and
has shaped the city's appearance for centuries.
The
'Ring' - a giant semi-circle following the contours
of ancient city walls - offers a good starting point
for sightseeing and shopping. Numerous theatres, restaurants
and bars - many of them serving beer from local breweries
- invite to linger.
In
the last decade Cologne has developed from a classical
industrial city into the modern service centre. Today
Cologne is associated primarily with the media, trade
fairs and culture. Today, Cologne is Germany's leading
media metropolis with one third of all German TV productions
being produced there.
Nuremberg
Nuremberg
is Bavaria's second largest city. Its heart lies within
the 14th century defensive wall with a total of 80
towers.
Much
of the center is pedestrian precinct. Timbered houses
of the Middle Ages still stand intact in narrow streets
and on open squares among shops, cafes and eating
places.
The
dominating feature is Kaiserburg - the old imperial
castle. Worldwide known is the “Christkindl Markt“
– the famous Christmas fair in December.
Heidelberg
Heidelberg's
popularity is based on 3 pillars: its location, castle
and university. Situated in the valley of Neckar river,
the beautiful old town with its sights and narrow,
picturesque roads, is easily accessible on foot. Lively
main street is ideal for extended shopping: In the
pedestrian area no cars or public transportation are
allowed to disturb the experience.
The
world famous castle is without doubt Heidelberg's
highlight. A perfect view, numerous cultural activities
and festivals attract the castle's countless visitors.
If you extend your stay into the night you can enjoy
the magical lighting and - if you are lucky - one
of the fireworks.
The
city's atmosphere is moulded by its university. A
favourite among Germany's students it has always guaranteed
a certain free spirit and been a home to great thinkers
and an impressive number of Nobel laureates.
Wiesbaden
Wiesbaden
enjoys the reputation of Germany's "green city".
People take loving care of its fine cityscape. The
popular parks, zoo and botanical garden are favourite
places to elegantly amble along the pathways with
friends and family. Afterwards visit a cozy wine pub
for a glass of Riesling wine and a taste of the superb
regional cuisine. The countryside is full of valleys,
vineyards, nature trails, castles, hunting lodges.
So pack up your lunch bag and go for it. The city
is more than the state capital of Hesse, it is the
gateway to the most beautiful region of vinyard terraces
called the Rheingau. Feel how nicely the Riesling
wine and the German sparkling wine "Sekt"
trickle down your throat
Wiesbaden
is full of puppet-like shops and boutiques ready to
seduce you with trifles and treasures and the designer
shops in Wilhelmstrasse with its latest fashion rage
will definitely catch your attention.
The
entire area has always attracted people who cherish
well-being. This comes as no surprise as Wiesbaden
is famous for its thermal baths. The curative waters,
all in all there are 26 hot springs, have already
been discovered by the Romans 2000 years ago.
Especially
the younger generations have come around to realize
that well-being is an important part of their lives.
They are drawn to this spa place to recuperate, meet
friends and enjoy the great cultural events that Wiesbaden
has in store. The international open air concerts
in the spa gardens stage concerts with superstars
such as Sting and Brian Adams. Topped off with literary
weeks, open-air movie nights, cabarets and the Euro-Festival
of young artists, the Monkey Jump festival, Wiesbaden
is exciting all year round.
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