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Germany Travel |
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We think that Germany is one of the crown jewels of travel
and our opinion seems to be in favor, as Germany is one of the leading
tourist destinations worldwide. Scenic landscapes, beautiful villages, quaint castles and a
profound sense of history are just a few of the reasons travelers are
attracted to this delightful country. Germany's industrious culture
mixes the old with the new,
the common with the technologically innovative and, in the process, manages
to create a country that is both unique and impressive.
 - We have a
new, detailed, illustrated Guide to the towns on the
Romantic Road to share with you. If
you have not toured the Romantic Road in Bavaria, we highly recommend you
put it on your list of place to see.
Be sure to see our new
road map of Germany, based on Google Maps.
Our map shows the location of our recommendations for the Best Places to Visit
in Germany, Your can also route between locations using the map or
view a satellite image of the country.
In 2010, Oktoberfest in Munich celebrates its 200th birthday. See our
Munich Guide for more details. In
addition, the Obergammergau Passion Play, which began in 1633, will be held
in 2010 and not again until 2020. If you are interested in attending,
the seven-hour play opens on May 15 and is presented over 100 times through
October 3, 2010. Here is a link to the Obergammergau
Passionpiele
2010 website . Although we do not
cover Obergammergau, it is approximately 90KM (one hour) southwest of
Munich.
Read our Blog for travel news and Things Travelers Need To Know. |
Neuschwanstein
Castle near Füssen, Germany |
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Best Places to Visit
in Germany - Page 1 |
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Advice on driving, info on rules of the road,
facts about health care in Germany and other Tourist Tips for
traveling in Germany can be found
in our article
Germany: Travel Information. |
If you are interested in
Germany, its people, history, economy and geography, visit our
section
Germany: Country Facts
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With mountainside castles
that appear as if they must be from fairy tales, Bavaria has a
storybook atmosphere. In many ways, this is the image that many of us
carry in our heads of the German Alps. Bavaria is a part of Germany
that visitors should
see and explore.
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München, although a large and
sophisticated business center, is a city that carries a warmth and charm
unlike many of Germany's major urban areas. It appears that the Prussian formalism
ingrained in much of country missed Munich. The city's inhabitants genuinely like to party
(e.g. Oktoberfest) and it is infectious. You should expect great food and lots of nightlife during
your visit.
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In addition, München offers
galleries, museums, opera and world class symphony
orchestras, as balances to its more earthy side. The city is a delight: compact
and park-like, it offers much to see and do. In combination with the
surrounding area, Munich offers some of the best castles in Germany. You can visit the
Neuschwanstein
Castle on a day trip from Munich (several companies run
tours of
southern Bavaria) or as part of exploring the Romantic Road described below. Click here to view
our
Munich City Guide.
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Crossing idyllic appearing
countryside and winding its way through quintessential "tourist Germany", the
Romantic Road, wanders from Würzburg to Füssen. The towns along the
"Road" provide an atmosphere of times long past and are among the most
visited in Germany. We have prepared a multi-page, illustrated review of the
Romantic Road and its towns for you. Click here for our detailed guide
to the
Romantic Road.
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We cover the best places to visit
along the Romantic Road. Our Guide includes:
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If you are just looking for a
preliminary overview of some of the towns on the Romantic Road, consider
those below. We urge you, however, to take a look at our
Guide to the
Romantic Road, which features detailed coverage of these and
other towns, numerous
illustrations and special features.
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Augsburg
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Offering fine churches, good food,
and a pleasant location, Augsburg is one of the best known towns on the
Romantic Road. As one of Bavaria's larger
cities, it provides a broader range of lodging opportunities than you will
find in most other towns on the Romantic Road.
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Founded in the in 15 B.C., as
an outpost of the Roman Empire and named in honor of the emperor
Augustus, Augsburg is the oldest city in Bavaria. The city was an
important center in the Middle Ages. Today, it offers interesting museums (including the Roman Museum and
the Maximillian Museum) and several attractive historical
buildings.
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Be
sure the visit the Rathaus (City Hall). Although severely damaged in World
War II, this beautiful building has now been restored to its former
glory and its Golden Hall is worth seeing.
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Click here for our
detailed guide to visiting
Augsburg.
Rothenburg
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Considered by many to be the most
desirable and authentic medieval town on the "Romantik Strasse"
(the Romantic Road), Rothenburg is the prototypical walled town with dramatic architecture, good
food, and great trinket shopping.
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Many complain that Rothenburg is too
touristy, but it is universally acclaimed as the best example of a medieval
town in Germany.
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The town is, also, known for its "Christmas Market" but
you will find Christmas decorations for sale here year round.
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Click here to read
our detailed guide to visiting
Rothenburg ob der Tauber.
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Würzburg
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Once an important medieval center
and a historic university town, Würzburg is located in a noted wine growing
region and offers a pleasant, short stop for tourists. See the
Princebishops Palace (the Residence (Residenz)) and the Court Garden. The
Fortress (Festung) Marienberg is worth a stop. Finally, the city
has an amazing collection of historic churches that exhibit
dramatic architectures. Click here for our detailed guide to
exploring
Wurzburg.
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Neuschwanstein Castle
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Ludwig II, King of
Bavaria, was known for his castle building. His interest,
however, was in recreating an earlier time when knights were heroes
and chivalry was in bloom. Ludwig's foremost creation was
Neuschwanstein Castle in the town of Hohenschwangau. The
castle was never fully completed, but what does exist is amazing and
very popular with visitors. We cover
Neuschwanstein Castle in detail in
our Guide to the Romantic Road.
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In addition,
Hohenschwangau hosts
Hohenschwangau Castle, which was Ludwig's
boyhood, summer home. He also stayed at this castle when he
was visiting the construction site for the Neuschwanstein Castle
across the valley.
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If you want to see more of
Ludwig and his whimsies, Linderhof Castle is about 30 miles to the
northeast of fussen.
Linderhof was Ludwig's modest attempt to bring the grandeur
of Versailles to the German countryside. For more information,
visit Linderhof Castle's official
website.
NEXT - Continue to
Second Page
of our Germany Guide
If you are interested in reading
about another country, click for our
Destination Guide Homepage.
If you need information about another travel destination, try Googling our site or the Web
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Munich's Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall) and its musical clock are
outstanding
The Rathausplatz in Augsburg is focused on the town's impressive Rathaus (City Hall)
View of Rothenburg from a tower on the city wall.
The Residenz Palace and gardens in Wurzburg
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Itineraries |
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Germany provides a wide range of destinations some of which are best
seen while cruising Germany's scenic waterways.
If you have the time (and the budget) consider taking a river cruise on
one of the many tour lines that ply the Rhine. The country offers
an incomparable travel experience laced with good food, exciting festivals, and hidden treasures along most
every road.
- Much of Germany is best seen by automobile: set out on a relaxed schedule that lets you
experience the wonders of the countryside.
Read
our sections on Germany
Travel Information and Germany
Facts to prepare
for vacationing in Germany. If you are planning your first trip to
Germany, we suggest you head for Munich
and tour the city and its surroundings.
Next take some time to explore the
Romantic Road
(Bavaria). While you can see some of these towns as long day trips
from Munich, we advise renting a car and creating your own itinerary (be
sure to visit Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Neuschwanstein Castle and Wurzburg.
Follow this with a jaunt over to the
Rhine Valley (perhaps
stopping at Heidelberg along the way ) and be sure to take a Rhine RIver
cruise, even if it just for a day. If you only have a week to see
Germany, focus on Munich and the Romantic Road. If you have ten days,
add in the Rhine Valley for a spectacular tour. Of course, while you
are in Munich, you might want to cross the border and visit
Salzburg, Austria
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Second Trip |
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If you are planning a second trip to Germany, consider visiting
If you have seen these areas before, consider driving the
Castle Road.
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Editor's Choice |
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Our editor's list of favorite places in Germany includes:
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Overview Map |
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Map of the Best Places to Visit in Germany
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Salzburg and Lake District Day Tour from Munich
From Viator Tours
Royal Castles of Neuschwanstein and Linderhof Day Tour from Munich
From Viator Tours
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