Map view
Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Bavaria
- Rothenburg ob der Tauber is a town in the district of Ansbach of Mittelfranken (Middle Franconia), the Franconia region of Bavaria
- It is well known for its well-preserved medieval old town
- The town was first mentioned in the 9th century and became a free imperial city in 1274, thriving under its own governance until 1803
- Today it is one of only four towns in Germany that still have completely intact city walls, the other three being all in Bavaria as well
Reichstag Building, Berlin
Best time to visit: May-Sept
- The Reichstag building is a historic legislative government structure located in Berlin, that serves as the seat of the German Bundestag, which is the lower house of the national legislature
- Built between 1884 and 1894, the Reichstag was designed in an architectural style that combines elements of Renaissance and Classical design
- In 1933, it was severely damaged by a fire, an event that marked a significant turning point in German history
- After World War II, the building fell into disuse until it was restored during the reunification of Germany
- The Reichstag has become a symbol of German unity and democracy, hosting significant events such as the German Reunification Ceremony on October 3, 1990
East Side Gallery, Berlin
Best time to visit: May-Sept
- The East Side Gallery memorial in Berlin-Friedrichshain is a permanent open-air gallery on the longest surviving section of the Berlin Wall
- It consists of a series of murals painted directly on a 1,316 m (4,318 ft) long remnant of the Berlin Wall
- In the spring of 1990, after the opening of the Berlin Wall, this section was painted by 118 artists from 21 countries
- The artists commented on the political changes of 1989/90 in a good hundred paintings on the side of the Wall that was formerly facing East Berlin
- The gallery serves as a powerful symbol of the reunification of Germany and the end of the Cold War
Brandenburg Gate, Berlin
Best time to visit: May-Sept
- The Brandenburg Gate is an 18th-century neoclassical monument in Berlin
- One of the best-known landmarks of Germany, it was erected on the site of a former city gate that marked the start of the road from Berlin to Brandenburg an der Havel, the former capital of the Margraviate of Brandenburg
- After World War II and during the Cold War, until its fall in 1989, the gateway was obstructed by the Berlin Wall, and was for almost three decades a marker of the city's division
- Since German reunification in 1990, it has been considered not only a symbol of the tumultuous histories of Germany and Europe, but also of European unity and peace
Topography of Terror, Berlin
Best time to visit: May-Sept
- The Topography of Terror is a historical site and museum located in Berlin
- It is situated on the grounds where the principal institutions of Nazi persecution and terror were based between 1933 and 1945
- The site includes the former headquarters of the Gestapo (the secret police) and the SS (Schutzstaffel)
- The site serves as a memorial and educational resource, aiming to ensure that the atrocities committed during the Nazi era are remembered and never repeated
Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, Berlin
Best time to visit: May-Sept
- The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, commonly referred to as the Holocaust Memorial, is located in Berlin
- It serves as a tribute to the approximately six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust
- Opened in 2005, the memorial consists of 2,711 concrete slabs of varying heights, arranged in a grid pattern over a sloping site
- Beneath the memorial, there is an underground information center that provides historical context and personal stories related to the victims
Cologne Cathedral
- Cologne Cathedral is a cathedral in Cologne, belonging to the Catholic Church, and the seat of the Archbishop of Cologne and of the administration of the Archdiocese of Cologne
- Construction of Cologne Cathedral began in 1248 but was halted in the years around 1560, and not completed until 1880
- At 157 m (515 ft), the cathedral is the tallest twin-spired church in the world, the second tallest church in Europe after Ulm Minster, and the third tallest church of any kind in the world
- It is a renowned monument of German Catholicism and Gothic architecture, as well as, Germany's most visited landmarkx
Römer, Frankfurt
- The Römer is a medieval building in the Altstadt of Frankfurt am Main, and historically served as the site for the coronation ceremonies of the Holy Roman Emperors
- The Römer has been the city hall (Rathaus) of Frankfurt for over 600 years
- The Römer merchant family sold it together with a second building, the Goldener Schwan (Golden Swan), to the city council in 1405 and it was converted for use as the city hall
Miniatur Wunderland, Hamburg
Best time to visit: May-Sept
- The Miniatur Wunderland is the largest model railway system in the world, and is located at the historic Speicherstadt in Hamburg
- It is one of the most popular and most visited sights in Germany
- The exhibition includes around 1,120 digitally controlled trains with more than 10,000 wagons
- The Wonderland is also designed with around 4,300 houses and bridges, more than 10,000 vehicles – of which around 350 drive independently on the installation – 52 airplanes and around 290,000 figures
- As of 2021, the track is divided into nine sections: Harz mountains, the fictitious town of Knuffingen, the Alps and Austria, Hamburg, the United States, Scandinavia, Switzerland, a replica of Hamburg Airport, Italy and South America
- Planning is in progress for the construction of sections for Central America and the Caribbean, Asia, England, Africa and The Netherlands
Neuschwanstein Castle, Hohenschwangau
- Neuschwanstein Castle is a 19th-century historicist palace on a rugged hill of the foothills of the Alps in the south of Germany
- Despite the main residence of the Bavarian monarchs at the time—the Munich Residenz—being one of the most extensive palace complexes in the world, King Ludwig II of Bavaria felt the need to escape from the constraints he saw himself exposed to in Munich, and commissioned Neuschwanstein Palace in the remote region as a retreat but also in honor of composer Richard Wagner, whom he greatly admired
- Construction began in 1869 but was never completed
- The castle was intended to serve as a private residence for the king but he died in 1886, and it was opened to the public shortly after his death
Marienplatz, Munich
Best time to visit: March-May
- Marienplatz is a central square in the city centre of Munich, where it has been the city's main square since 1158
- During the Middle Ages, markets and tournaments were held in the Marienplatz, which was originally called Markth ("market"), Schranne ("grain market") and later Schrannenplatz ("grain market square")
- Three weeks before Christmas the Christkindlmarkt opens at Marienplatz and other squares in the city, selling Christmas goods and food and drinks
Englischer Garten, Munich
Best time to visit: March-May
- The Englischer Garten (English Garden) is a public park located in the center of Munich, and is one of the largest urban parks in the world
- The park is designed in an informal English style, characterized by rolling hills and open landscapes
- The park is famous for its several beer gardens, where visitors can enjoy traditional Bavarian food and drinks
- It houses various attractions such as a Greek temple (the Monopteros), a Chinese pagoda, and a Japanese tea house
- One of its features is a spot on the Isar River where surfers can ride waves created by a standing wave
Europa-Park, Rust
- Europa-Park is a theme park in Rust, Baden-Württemberg
- The park covers twenty themed areas offering around a hundred attractions, including shows and fourteen roller coasters
- The park also includes six hotels, a camping site, a tepee village, a cinema and a conference center
Heide Park, Soltau
- Heide Park Resort, commonly known as Heide Park, is a theme park in Soltau, Lower Saxony
- It is the largest amusement park in Northern Germany and among the largest in the country
- Notable rides include the wooden roller coaster Colossos, which is one of the tallest and fastest of its kind in the world
- Heide Park hosts various entertainment shows, including pirate-themed performances and acrobatics