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Germany

GALLERY

Fodor's Essential Germany
Whether you want to take a boat down the Rhine, go to Oktoberfest in Munich, or explore...

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From half-timbered medieval towns to cosmopolitan cities, Germany offers a thoroughly engaging mix of tradition and modernity. You can explore Bavaria’s magnificent baroque palaces one day, and immerse yourself in Hamburg’s cool, redeveloped HafenCity the next. In hip Berlin, historic sites such as the Brandenburg Gate and contemporary art galleries create exciting contrasts. Throughout the country, discovering world-class museums and cutting-edge design is as quintessentially German as grabbing a stein of beer at a centuries-old biergarten.

Fodor's Essential Germany
Whether you want to take a boat down the Rhine, go to Oktoberfest in Munich, or explore...

View Details

Fodor's Travel Award

FODOR'S FINEST

The Best Hotels in Europe

Althoff Grandhotel Schloss Bensberg Bergisch Gladbach, Germany

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Fodor's Travel Award

FODOR'S FINEST

The Best Hotels in Europe

Althoff Grandhotel Schloss Bensberg Bergisch Gladbach, Germany

Find a Hotel

Fodor's Travel Award

FODOR'S FINEST

The Best Hotels in Europe

Althoff Grandhotel Schloss Bensberg Bergisch Gladbach, Germany

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Berlin

Hip, energetic Berlin has grabbed the world’s attention with its exuberant urban life and vibrant arts scene. Gone are the days of drab Cold War...

The Rhineland

The banks of the Rhine are crowned by magnificent castle after castle and by breathtaking, vine-terraced hills that provide the livelihood for many of the...

Munich

Known today as the city of laptops and lederhosen, modern Munich is a cosmopolitan playground that nevertheless represents what the rest of the world incorrectly...

Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia

Germany's traditional charm is most evident in the eastern states of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia. Although the area formed the cultural core of the former...

Hamburg

Frequently described as "the gateway to the world" by its proud citizens, the handsome port city of Hamburg has for centuries welcomed merchants, traders, and...

The Romantic Road

Nowhere cries "quintessential German" quite as loudly as the Romantische Strasse, or Romantic Road, a 355-km (220-mile) drive through the south-central countryside. With 28 traditional...

Frankfurt

Although many consider Frankfurt more or less a gateway to their European travels, the city’s rich culture and history, dining, and amusement options might just...

Franconia and the German Danube

All that is left of the huge, ancient kingdom of the Franks is the region known today as Franken (Franconia), stretching from the Bohemian Forest...

The Bavarian Alps

Fir-clad mountains, rocky peaks, lederhosen, and geranium-covered houses: the Bavarian Alps come closest to what many of us envision as "Germany." Quaint towns full of...

The Pfalz and Rhine Terrace

Pfalz and wine go hand in hand. This region of vineyards and picturesque villages is the home of the German Wine Road and the country's...

Schleswig-Holstein and the Baltic Coast

Germany's true north is a quiet and peaceful region that belies, but takes a great deal of pride in, its past status as one of...

The Black Forest

A wood so dense that the sun couldn't penetrate the thick pine trees—that's how the Black Forest—Schwarzwald in German—got its name. Stretching west to the...

Heidelberg and the Neckar Valley

Heidelberg remains one of the best-known and most visited cities in Germany, identifiable by its graceful baroque towers and the majestic ruins of its red-sandstone...

The Bodensee

A natural summer playground, the Bodensee (Lake Constance) is ringed with little towns and busy resorts. Lapping the shores of Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, the...

The Fairy-Tale Road

With a name evocative of magic and adventure, the Fairy-Tale Road (Märchenstrasse) takes its travelers on a path through the land of the Brothers Grimm...

Heidelberg

If any city in Germany encapsulates the spirit of the country, it is Heidelberg. Scores of poets and composers—virtually the entire 19th-century German Romantic movement—have...

Cologne (Köln)

Köln (Cologne in English) is the largest city on the Rhine (the fourth largest in Germany) and one of the most interesting. The city is...

Dresden

Sitting in baroque splendor on a wide sweep of the Elbe River, Dresden has been the capital of Saxony since the 15th century, although most...

Leipzig

Leipzig is one of the coolest cities in Europe—but not so cool as to be pretentious. With its world-renowned links to Bach, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Martin...

Düsseldorf

Düsseldorf, the state capital of North Rhine–Westphalia, may suffer by comparison to Köln's remarkable skyline, but the elegant city has more than enough charm—and money—to...

Würzburg

The baroque city of Würzburg, the pearl of the Romantic Road, shows what happens when great genius teams up with great wealth. Already a Celtic...

Stuttgart

Stuttgart is a city of contradictions. It has been called, among other things, "Germany's biggest small town" and "the city where work is a pleasure."...

Baden-Baden

Perhaps best known as Europe's most fashionable spa town, Baden-Baden is more than its name implies. With a storied history, original 19th-century French-influenced architecture, world-class...

Garmisch-Partenkirchen

More commonly known by American travelers as Garmisch, Garmisch-Partenkirchen is comprised of two separate communities that were fused together in 1936 to accommodate the Winter...

Trier

Thanks to its deep history, the Trier of today holds a wealth of ancient sites. It's also an important university town, and accordingly boasts a...

Mainz

Mainz is the capital of the state of Rheinland-Pfalz. It's a lively university town with friendly locals renowned for their community spirit, whether it be...

Rothenburg-ob-der-Tauber

Rothenburg-ob-der-Tauber (literally, the "red castle on the Tauber") is the kind of medieval town that even Walt Disney might have thought too picturesque to be...

Nurnberg (Nuremberg)

With a recorded history stretching back to 1050, Franconia's main city is among the most historic in all of Germany; the core of the Old...

Passau

Flanking the borders of Austria and the Czech Republic, Passau dates back more than 2,500 years. Originally settled by the Celts, then by the Romans...

Augsburg

Bavaria's third-largest city, Augsburg has long played a central role due to both its location and its religious history. It dates back to the Roman...

Regensburg

Few visitors to Bavaria venture this far off the well-trodden tourist trails, and even Germans are surprised when they discover medieval Regensburg. The town escaped...

Bamberg

Sitting majestically on seven hills above the Regnitz River, the entire Alstadt of this beautiful, historic town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's a...

Bonn

Bonn was the postwar seat of the federal government and parliament until Berlin became its capital again in 1999. Aptly described by the title of...

Wiesbaden

Wiesbaden, the capital of the state of Hesse, is a small city of tree-lined avenues with elegant shops and handsome facades. Its hot mineral springs...

Lindau

By far the best way to get to know this charming old island town is on foot. Lose yourself in the maze of small streets...

Koblenz

The ancient city of Koblenz is at a geographic nexus known as the Deutsches Eck (German Corner) in the heart of the Mittelrhein region. Rivers...

Konstanz

The university town of Konstanz is the largest on the Bodensee; it straddles the Rhine as it flows out of the lake, placing it both...

Weimar

Sitting prettily in the geographical center of Thuringia, Weimar occupies a place in German political and cultural history completely disproportionate to its size (population 63,000)...

Rügen Island

Rügen's diverse and breathtaking landscapes have inspired poets and painters for more than a century. Railways in the mid-19th century brought the first vacationers from...

Berchtesgaden

Berchtesgaden is a gorgeous mountain town right on the border with Austria. From its location in a 2,300-foot-high valley, you can see Germany's second-highest mountain...

Aachen

At the center of Aachen, the characteristic three-window-wide facades give way to buildings dating from the days when Charlemagne made Aix-la-Chapelle (as it was then...

Erfurt

The city of Erfurt emerged from World War II relatively unscathed, with most of its innumerable towers intact. Of all the cities in the region...

Tübingen

With its half-timber houses, winding alleyways, and hilltop setting overlooking the Neckar, Tübingen provides the quintessential German experience. The medieval flavor is quite authentic, as...

Sylt

Sylt (pronounced ts-oo-LT) is a long, narrow island (38 km [24 miles] by as little as 220 yards) of unspoiled beaches and marshland off the...

Tegernsee

The beautiful shores of the Tegernsee are among the most expensive property in all of Germany. The interest in the region shown by King Maximilian...

Worms

In addition to having a great Romanesque cathedral, Worms is a center of the wine trade, as well as one of the most storied cities...

Bernkastel-Kues

Bernkastel and Kues straddle the Mosel, on the east and west banks, respectively. Bernkastel is home to famed Bernkasteler Doctor, a small, especially steep vineyard...

Freiburg

Duke Berthold III founded Freiburg im Breisgau in the 12th century as a free trading city. World War II left extensive damage, but skillful restoration...

Lübeck

The ancient island core of Lübeck, dating from the 12th century, was a chief stronghold of the Hanseatic merchant princes, until its almost complete destruction...

Bayreuth

The small town of Bayreuth, pronounced "bye-roit," owes its fame to the music giant Richard Wagner (1813–83). The 19th-century composer, musical revolutionary, ultranationalist, and Nazi...

Neustadt

Neustadt and its nine wine suburbs are at the midpoint of the Wine Road and the edge of the district known as Deutsche Weinstrasse–Mittelhaardt. With...

Hannover

A little off the Fairy-Tale Road, and better known internationally as a trade-fair center than a tourist destination, the Lower Saxon capital holds an attractive...

Speyer

Speyer is a picturesque and easily walkable town filled with interesting sights and a wonderful Christmas market in the winter. It's also a must-visit for...

Oberammergau

Its location alone, in an Alpine valley beneath a sentinel-like peak, makes this small town a major attraction. Its main streets are lined with painted...

Halle

This city deserves a second look. The first impression produced by an ever-under-construction train station and dismal tram ride into town is pleasantly swept away...

Eltville

The largest town in the Rheingau, Eltville rose to prominence in the Middle Ages as the residence of the archbishops of Mainz. Today it's cherished...

Mittenwald

Many regard Mittenwald as the most beautiful town in the Bavarian Alps. It has somehow avoided the architectural sins found in other Alpine villages by...

Lutherstadt-Wittenberg

Protestantism was born in the little town of Wittenberg (officially called Lutherstadt-Wittenberg). In 1508 the fervently idealistic young Martin Luther, who had become a priest...

Stralsund

This jewel of the Baltic has retained its historic city center and parts of its 13th-century defensive wall. The wall was built following an attack...

Nordlingen

In Nördlingen a medieval watchman's cry still rings out every night across the ancient walls and turrets. As in Rothenburg, its sister city, the medieval...

Bad Reichenhall

Bad Reichenhall is remarkably well located, near the mountains for hiking and skiing, and near Salzburg in Austria for a lively cultural scene. The town...

Meersburg

Meersburg is one of the most romantic old towns on the German shore of the lake. Seen from the water on a summer afternoon with...

Schwerin

Schwerin, the second-largest town in the region after Rostock and the capital of the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, is worth a trip just to visit its...

Friedrichshafen

Named for its founder, King Friedrich I of Württemberg, Friedrichshafen is a relatively young town (dating to 1811). In an area otherwise given over to...

Görlitz

Tucked away in the country's easternmost corner (bordering Poland), Görlitz's quiet, narrow cobblestone alleys and exquisite architecture make it one of Germany's most beautiful cities...

Rostock

The biggest port and shipbuilding center of the former East Germany, Rostock was founded around 1200. Of all the Hanseatic cities, this once-thriving city suffered...

Bad Durkheim

This pretty spa town is nestled into the hills at the edge of the Palatinate Forest and ringed by vineyards. The saline springs discovered here...

Meissen

This romantic city with its imposing castle looming over the Elbe River is known the world over for Europe’s finest porcelain, emblazoned with its trademarked...

Ravensburg

The Free Imperial City of Ravensburg once competed with Augsburg and Nürnberg for economic supremacy in southern Germany. The Thirty Years' War put an end...

Chiemsee

Chiemsee is north of the Deutsche Alpenstrasse, but it demands a detour, if only to visit King Ludwig's huge palace on one of its idyllic...

Coburg

Coburg is a surprisingly little-known treasure that was founded in the 11th century and remained in the possession of the dukes of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha until 1918;...

Fulda

The cathedral city of Fulda is worth a brief detour off the Fairy-Tale Road. There are two distinct parts to its downtown area. One is...

Bingen

Bingen overlooks the Nahe-Rhine conflux near a treacherous stretch of shallows and rapids known as the Binger Loch (Bingen Hole). Early on, Bingen developed into...

Torgau

Torgau is among Germany's most beautiful Renaissance towns, with more than 500 sterling examples of Renaissance and late-Gothic architecture. Landmark Hartenfels Castle, the country's foremost...

Wismar

The old city of Wismar was one of the original three sea-trading towns, along with Lübeck and Rostock, which banded together in 1259 to combat...

Kelheim

Nestled among the Bavarian Mountains on a meandering confluence between the Danube and Altmühl Rivers, Kelheim is widely appreciated for its prolific natural beauty and...

Überlingen

This Bodensee resort has an attractive waterfront and an almost Mediterranean feel. It's midway along the north shore of the Überlingersee, a narrow finger of...

Quedlinburg

This medieval Harz town has more half-timber houses than any other town in Germany: more than 1,600 of them line the narrow cobblestone streets and...

Kassel

The Brothers Grimm lived in Kassel, their mother's hometown, as teenagers, and also worked there as librarians at the court of the king of Westphalia...

Triberg

The cuckoo clock, that symbol of the Black Forest, is at home in the Triberg area. It was invented here, it's made and sold here...

Bremen

Germany's smallest city-state, Bremen, is also Germany's oldest and second-largest port (only Hamburg is larger). Together with Hamburg and Lübeck, Bremen was an early member...

Deidesheim

The immaculately preserved half-timber houses and historical facades lining its narrow streets fit perfectly with Deidesheim's reputation as one of the most renowned wine towns...

Naumburg

Once a powerful trading and ecclesiastical city, 1,000-year-old Naumburg is the cultural center of the Salle-Unstrut. Although the city is most famous for its Romanesque/Gothic...

Bad Tölz

Bad Tölz's new town, dating from the mid-19th century, sprang up with the discovery of iodine-laden springs, which allowed the locals to call their town...

Füssen

A walled town left untouched by World War II bombs, Füssen's red roofs and turrets stand in picturesque contrast to the turquoise waters of the...

Boppard

Boppard is a pleasant little resort that evolved from a Celtic settlement into a Roman fortress, Frankish royal court, and Free Imperial City. Boppard's tourism...

Freudenstadt

At an altitude of 2,400 feet, Freudenstadt claims to be the "better climate" in Germany and it has the sunny days to prove it. Founded...

Ulm

Just off the Romantic Road, Ulm is worth a visit, if only briefly, to see its mighty Münster. The evangelical church is unusually ornate and...

Magdeburg

A city of history and reinvention, Magdeburg rose from the ashes of WWII to become a vibrant, modern city rife with culture and heritage. An...

Kiel

The state capital of Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, is known throughout Europe for the annual Kieler Woche, a regatta that attracts hundreds of boats from around the...

Schleswig

Schleswig-Holstein's oldest city is also one of its best-preserved examples of a typical north German town. Once the seat of the dukes of Schleswig-Holstein, it...

Baiersbronn

The mountain resort of Baiersbronn—actually comprised of nine separate villages, all named after the valleys they inhabit—has become a high-end destination thanks to an incredible...

Usedom Island

Usedom Island has almost 32 km (20 miles) of sandy shoreline and a string of resorts. Much of the island's untouched landscape is a nature...

Breisach

Situated among rolling vineyards between the Rhine River and the Black Forest, the river port town of Breisach shares a wine- and food-loving culture with...

Warnemünde

Warnemünde, officially a suburb of Rostock, is a quaint seaside resort town with the best hotels and restaurants in the area, as well as 20...

Bad Schandau

Enjoying a striking natural setting between the Elbe River and lush wooded hills and cliffs, the lovely spa town of Bad Schandau is the oldest...

Karlsruhe

Karlsruhe, founded at the beginning of the 18th century, is a young upstart, but what it lacks in years it makes up for in industrial...

Remagen

The ancient town of Remagen still bears traces of its Roman and medieval past, but in modern times the town's fame stems from its role...

Kaiserstuhl

The southwesternmost corner of Germany, nestled on the borders of France and Switzerland is the Kaiserstuhl (Emperor’s Chair) region, a volcanic outcrop clothed in vineyards...

Rudesheim

Tourism and wine are the heart and soul of Rüdesheim. With south-facing slopes reaching down to the riverbanks, wine growing has thrived here for 1,000...

Heilbronn

...

Eisenach

When you stand in Eisenach's ancient market square it's difficult to imagine this half-timber town as an important center of the East German automobile industry...

Cochem

Cochem is one of the most attractive towns of the Mosel Valley, with a riverside promenade to rival any along the Rhine. It's especially lively...

Braubach

Nestled among lush vineyards and forests, this gem of a medieval town dates back 1300 years and boasts the most picturesque and dramatically positioned castle...

Göttingen

Distinguished by its famous university, where the Brothers Grimm served as professors and librarians between 1830 and 1837, the fetching town of Göttingen buzzes with...

Bautzen/Budyšin

Bautzen has perched high above a deep granite valley formed by the River Spree for more than 1,000 years. Its almost-intact city walls hide a...

Steinau an der Strasse

The little town of Steinau—full name Steinau an der Strasse (Steinau "on the road," referring to an old trade route between Frankfurt and Leipzig)—had a...

Bremerhaven

This busy port city, where the Weser empties into the North Sea, is technically part of Bremen, which is an hour to the south. You...

Bad Wimpfen

At the confluence of the Neckar and Jagst rivers, Bad Wimpfen is one of the most stunning towns of the Neckar Valley. The Romans built...

Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein

These two famous castles belonging to the Wittelbachs are 1 km (½ mile) across a valley from each other, near the town of Schwangau. Bavaria's...

Dinkelsbühl

Within the walls of Dinkelsbühl, a beautifully preserved medieval town, the rush of traffic seems a lifetime away. Although there is less to see here...

Bad Mergentheim

Between 1525 and 1809, Bad Mergentheim was the home of the Teutonic Knights, one of the most successful medieval orders of chivalry. In 1809, Napoléon...

Freyburg

Stepping off the train in the sleepy town of Freyburg, it is not difficult to see why locals call the area "the Tuscany of the...

Reichenau

Reichenau is an island rich in vegetation, but unlike Mainau, it features vegetables, not flowers. In fact, 15% of its area (the island is 5...

Bacharach

Bacharach, whose name may derive from the Latin Bacchi ara (altar of Bacchus), has long been associated with wine. Like Rüdesheim, Bingen, and Kaub, it...

Marburg

"I think there are more steps in the streets than in the houses." That is how Jacob Grimm described the half-timber hillside town of Marburg...

Hameln

Given their relationship with one of the most famous fairy-tale characters of all time, it’s unsurprising that Hameln’s townsfolk continue to take advantage of the...

Oberwesel

Oberwesel retains its medieval silhouette. Sixteen of the original 21 towers and much of the town wall still stand in the shadow of Schönburg Castle...

Annweiler

...

Oestrich-Winkel

Oestrich's vineyard area is the largest in the Rheingau. Lenchen and Doosberg are the most important vineyards. You can sample the wines at the outdoor...

Pforzheim

Although Pforzheim is not exactly the attractive place the Romans found at the junction of three rivers—the Nagold, the Enz, and the Würm—it is the...

Celle

...

Bad Doberan

Mostly famous for its cathedral, Bad Doberan is a quaint town that also has Germany's oldest sea resort, Heiligendamm. The city is a popular weekend...

Ettal

The village of Ettal is presided over by the massive bulk of Kloster Ettal, a great monastery and centuries-old distillery...

Hori

...

Dhrontal

If the heat of the Mosel's slate slopes becomes oppressive in summer, you can revitalize body and soul with a scenic drive through the cool...

Bodenwerder

The charming Weser town of Bodenwerder is the home of the Lügenbaron (Lying Baron) von Münchhausen (1720–97), who was known as a teller of whoppers...

Bad Karlshafen

Popular with holidaymakers in mobile homes and trailers, who park up on the banks of the Weser directly across from its historic center, Bad Karlshafen’s...

Calw

Calw, one of the Black Forest's prettiest towns, is the birthplace of Nobel Prize–winning novelist Hermann Hesse (1877–1962). The town's market square, with its two...

Höxter

Höxter is not actually in Lower Saxony, but just over the border in North Rhine-Westphalia. The town's appeal lies in its Rathaus, a perfect example...

Königswinter

Home to one of Germany's most popular castles, Drachenfels, Königswinter is also the gateway to the 30 large and small hills that make up the...

St. Goar

St. Goar and St. Goarshausen, its counterpoint on the opposite shore, are named after a Celtic missionary who settled here in the 6th century. He...

St. Martin

This is one of the most charming wine villages in the Pfalz. Narrow cobblestone streets are lined by historic half-timber houses that are now home...

Goslar

The lovely, unofficial capital of the Harz region, Goslar is one of Germany's oldest cities and is known for the medieval glamour expressed in the...

Dessau

The name "Dessau" is known to students of modern architecture as the epicenter of architect Walter Gropius’s highly influential Bauhaus school of design. During the...

Oppenheim

Oppenheim is slightly off the beaten path, making it an ideal destination if you’re looking to avoid the hordes of tourists that often descend on...

Gleiszellen

Gleiszellen's Winzergasse (Vintners' Lane) is a little vine-canopied street lined with a beautiful ensemble of half-timber houses. Try a glass of the town's specialty: spicy...

Mainau

One of the most unusual sights in Germany, Mainau is a tiny island given over to the cultivation of rare plants and splashy displays of...

Gelnhausen

Perched elegantly on the side of a hill above the Kinzig River, Gelnhausen’s picturesque Altstadt (Old Town) offers the first taste of the half-timber houses...

Sababurg

Sababurg’s not really a village as such, but it is the location of an enchanting, 700-year-old Renaissance castle, an impressive animal park, and Germany’s oldest...

Weingarten

Weingarten is famous throughout Germany for its huge and hugely impressive basilica, which you can see up on a hill from miles away, long before...

Aschau

...

Husum

The town of Husum is the epitome of northern German lifestyle and culture. Immortalized in a poem as the "gray city upon the sea" by...

Kulmbach

A quarter of Kulmbachers earn their living directly or indirectly from the beer that's brewed in the town. More than 22 different beers are produced...

Titisee

Beautiful Titisee, carved by a glacier in the last Ice Age, is the most scenic lake in the Black Forest. The heavily wooded landscape is...

Hanau

The Fairy-Tale Road begins in Hanau, the town where the Brothers Grimm were born. Although Grimm fans will want to start their pilgrimage here, Hanau...

Neckargemund

Coming from the hustle and bustle of Heidelberg, you'll find the hamlet of Neckargemünd is a quiet place where you can relax by the Neckar...

Ediger-Eller

Ediger-Eller, once two separate hamlets, is another photogenic wine village with well-preserved houses and remnants of a medieval town wall. It's particularly romantic at night...

St. Goarshausen

The town closest to the famous Loreley rock, pretty St. Goarshausen even calls itself Die Loreleystadt (Loreley City), and it's a popular destination for Rhineland...

Bayrischzell

...

Creglingen

Touring the Romantic Road brings you through bustling tourist towns, but smaller, quieter villages along the way are what will probably be most worth the...

Jena

...

Nierstein

Surrounded by 2,700 acres of vines, Nierstein is a small, quaint town that's home to the largest wine-growing community on the Rhine. It is also...

Kronach

Kronach is a charming little gateway to the natural splendor of the Frankenwald region...

Hirschhorn

Hirsch (stag) and Horn (antlers) make up the name of the knights of Hirschhorn, the medieval ruling family that gave its name to both its...

Alken

One of the Mosel's oldest towns (the Celts were here by 450 BC), today Alken is best known for its 12th-century castle, Burg Thurant. With...

Schloss Villa Ludwigshohe

For a cultural break from all that wine tasting, head to this Pompeian-style palace, the former summer residence of King Ludwig I, which overlooks what...

Rosenheim

...

Traben-Trarbach

The Mosel divides Traben-Trarbach, which has pleasant promenades on both sides of the river. Its wine festivals are held the second and last weekends in...

Alpirsbach

The hamlet of Alpirsbach was founded in 1035 and developed around the Benedictine monastery Kloster Alpirsbach. Although the Reformation forced the abbey to close its...

Winningen

Winningen is a gateway to the Terrassenmosel (Terraced Mosel), the portion of the river characterized by steep, terraced vineyards. Winches help haul miniature monorails, with...

Neckarzimmern

The main attraction here is the Burg Hornberg castle high above the town, but visitors will find the village itself to be a charming respite...

Treis-Karden

...

Bebenhausen

Between Stuttgart and Tübingen lies this small hamlet consisting of a few houses, a monastery, and the Waldhorn, an excellent and well-known restaurant. The monastery...

Schliersee

...

Spitzingsee

...

Bad Liebenzell

...

Gutach

Gutach lies in Gutachtal, a valley famous for the traditional costumes, complete with pom-pom hats, worn by women on feast days and holidays. Married women...

Staufen

Once you've braved Hell Valley to get to Freiburg, visit the nearby town of Staufen, where Dr. Faustus is reputed to have made his pact...

Brühl

In the center of Brühl stands the Rhineland's most important baroque palace, the Augustusburg. Brühl is also home to one of Germany's most popular theme...

Hannoversch-Munden

You'll have to travel a long way through Germany to find a grouping of half-timber houses as harmonious as those in this delightful town, seemingly...

Rust

The town of Rust, on the Rhine almost halfway from Freiburg to Strasbourg, has a castle dating from 1577 and painstakingly restored half-timber houses. But...

Radolfzell

...

Ludwigsburg

Although its residents would never call it a suburb of Stuttgart, its proximity to the modern industrial and commercial center of Baden-Wurttenberg has made it...

Bad Herrenalb

...

Schloss Linderhof

Schloss Linderhof. The only one of King Ludwig's three castles to have reached completion before his death, this gilded hunting lodge lies secluded in the...

Friedenau

Just south of Charlottenburg, Friedenau is a residential neighborhood, with quiet tree-lined streets and a handful of cafés...

Buhl

...

Bergen-Belsen

A visit to the site of the infamous prisoner of war and concentration camp where Anne Frank, along with tens of thousands of others, perished...

Bad Bergzabern

The landmark of this little spa town is the baroque Schloss (palace) of the dukes of Zweibrücken. The Gasthaus Zum Engel (Königstrasse 45) is an...

Gleisweiler

...

Nackenheim

This wine village is the birthplace of the writer Carl Zuckmayer (1896–1977), who immortalized the town in his farce Der fröhliche Weinberg (The Merry Vineyard)...

Schweigen-Rechtenbach

The southernmost wine village of the Pfalz lies on the French border. During the economically depressed 1930s, local vintners established a route through the vineyards...

Berlin

Hip, energetic Berlin has grabbed the world’s attention with its exuberant urban life and vibrant arts scene. Gone are the days of drab Cold War...

The Rhineland

The banks of the Rhine are crowned by magnificent castle after castle and by breathtaking, vine-terraced hills that provide the livelihood for many of the...

Munich

Known today as the city of laptops and lederhosen, modern Munich is a cosmopolitan playground that nevertheless represents what the rest of the world incorrectly...

Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia

Germany's traditional charm is most evident in the eastern states of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia. Although the area formed the cultural core of the former...

Hamburg

Frequently described as "the gateway to the world" by its proud citizens, the handsome port city of Hamburg has for centuries welcomed merchants, traders, and...

The Romantic Road

Nowhere cries "quintessential German" quite as loudly as the Romantische Strasse, or Romantic Road, a 355-km (220-mile) drive through the south-central countryside. With 28 traditional...

Frankfurt

Although many consider Frankfurt more or less a gateway to their European travels, the city’s rich culture and history, dining, and amusement options might just...

Franconia and the German Danube

All that is left of the huge, ancient kingdom of the Franks is the region known today as Franken (Franconia), stretching from the Bohemian Forest...

The Bavarian Alps

Fir-clad mountains, rocky peaks, lederhosen, and geranium-covered houses: the Bavarian Alps come closest to what many of us envision as "Germany." Quaint towns full of...

The Pfalz and Rhine Terrace

Pfalz and wine go hand in hand. This region of vineyards and picturesque villages is the home of the German Wine Road and the country's...

Schleswig-Holstein and the Baltic Coast

Germany's true north is a quiet and peaceful region that belies, but takes a great deal of pride in, its past status as one of...

The Black Forest

A wood so dense that the sun couldn't penetrate the thick pine trees—that's how the Black Forest—Schwarzwald in German—got its name. Stretching west to the...

Heidelberg and the Neckar Valley

Heidelberg remains one of the best-known and most visited cities in Germany, identifiable by its graceful baroque towers and the majestic ruins of its red-sandstone...

The Bodensee

A natural summer playground, the Bodensee (Lake Constance) is ringed with little towns and busy resorts. Lapping the shores of Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, the...

The Fairy-Tale Road

With a name evocative of magic and adventure, the Fairy-Tale Road (Märchenstrasse) takes its travelers on a path through the land of the Brothers Grimm...

Heidelberg

If any city in Germany encapsulates the spirit of the country, it is Heidelberg. Scores of poets and composers—virtually the entire 19th-century German Romantic movement—have...

Cologne (Köln)

Köln (Cologne in English) is the largest city on the Rhine (the fourth largest in Germany) and one of the most interesting. The city is...

Dresden

Sitting in baroque splendor on a wide sweep of the Elbe River, Dresden has been the capital of Saxony since the 15th century, although most...

Leipzig

Leipzig is one of the coolest cities in Europe—but not so cool as to be pretentious. With its world-renowned links to Bach, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Martin...

Düsseldorf

Düsseldorf, the state capital of North Rhine–Westphalia, may suffer by comparison to Köln's remarkable skyline, but the elegant city has more than enough charm—and money—to...

Würzburg

The baroque city of Würzburg, the pearl of the Romantic Road, shows what happens when great genius teams up with great wealth. Already a Celtic...

Stuttgart

Stuttgart is a city of contradictions. It has been called, among other things, "Germany's biggest small town" and "the city where work is a pleasure."...

Baden-Baden

Perhaps best known as Europe's most fashionable spa town, Baden-Baden is more than its name implies. With a storied history, original 19th-century French-influenced architecture, world-class...

Garmisch-Partenkirchen

More commonly known by American travelers as Garmisch, Garmisch-Partenkirchen is comprised of two separate communities that were fused together in 1936 to accommodate the Winter...

Trier

Thanks to its deep history, the Trier of today holds a wealth of ancient sites. It's also an important university town, and accordingly boasts a...

Mainz

Mainz is the capital of the state of Rheinland-Pfalz. It's a lively university town with friendly locals renowned for their community spirit, whether it be...

Rothenburg-ob-der-Tauber

Rothenburg-ob-der-Tauber (literally, the "red castle on the Tauber") is the kind of medieval town that even Walt Disney might have thought too picturesque to be...

Nurnberg (Nuremberg)

With a recorded history stretching back to 1050, Franconia's main city is among the most historic in all of Germany; the core of the Old...

Passau

Flanking the borders of Austria and the Czech Republic, Passau dates back more than 2,500 years. Originally settled by the Celts, then by the Romans...

Augsburg

Bavaria's third-largest city, Augsburg has long played a central role due to both its location and its religious history. It dates back to the Roman...

Regensburg

Few visitors to Bavaria venture this far off the well-trodden tourist trails, and even Germans are surprised when they discover medieval Regensburg. The town escaped...

Bamberg

Sitting majestically on seven hills above the Regnitz River, the entire Alstadt of this beautiful, historic town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's a...

Bonn

Bonn was the postwar seat of the federal government and parliament until Berlin became its capital again in 1999. Aptly described by the title of...

Wiesbaden

Wiesbaden, the capital of the state of Hesse, is a small city of tree-lined avenues with elegant shops and handsome facades. Its hot mineral springs...

Lindau

By far the best way to get to know this charming old island town is on foot. Lose yourself in the maze of small streets...

Koblenz

The ancient city of Koblenz is at a geographic nexus known as the Deutsches Eck (German Corner) in the heart of the Mittelrhein region. Rivers...

Konstanz

The university town of Konstanz is the largest on the Bodensee; it straddles the Rhine as it flows out of the lake, placing it both...

Weimar

Sitting prettily in the geographical center of Thuringia, Weimar occupies a place in German political and cultural history completely disproportionate to its size (population 63,000)...

Rügen Island

Rügen's diverse and breathtaking landscapes have inspired poets and painters for more than a century. Railways in the mid-19th century brought the first vacationers from...

Berchtesgaden

Berchtesgaden is a gorgeous mountain town right on the border with Austria. From its location in a 2,300-foot-high valley, you can see Germany's second-highest mountain...

Aachen

At the center of Aachen, the characteristic three-window-wide facades give way to buildings dating from the days when Charlemagne made Aix-la-Chapelle (as it was then...

Erfurt

The city of Erfurt emerged from World War II relatively unscathed, with most of its innumerable towers intact. Of all the cities in the region...

Tübingen

With its half-timber houses, winding alleyways, and hilltop setting overlooking the Neckar, Tübingen provides the quintessential German experience. The medieval flavor is quite authentic, as...

Sylt

Sylt (pronounced ts-oo-LT) is a long, narrow island (38 km [24 miles] by as little as 220 yards) of unspoiled beaches and marshland off the...

Tegernsee

The beautiful shores of the Tegernsee are among the most expensive property in all of Germany. The interest in the region shown by King Maximilian...

Worms

In addition to having a great Romanesque cathedral, Worms is a center of the wine trade, as well as one of the most storied cities...

Bernkastel-Kues

Bernkastel and Kues straddle the Mosel, on the east and west banks, respectively. Bernkastel is home to famed Bernkasteler Doctor, a small, especially steep vineyard...

Freiburg

Duke Berthold III founded Freiburg im Breisgau in the 12th century as a free trading city. World War II left extensive damage, but skillful restoration...

Lübeck

The ancient island core of Lübeck, dating from the 12th century, was a chief stronghold of the Hanseatic merchant princes, until its almost complete destruction...

Bayreuth

The small town of Bayreuth, pronounced "bye-roit," owes its fame to the music giant Richard Wagner (1813–83). The 19th-century composer, musical revolutionary, ultranationalist, and Nazi...

Neustadt

Neustadt and its nine wine suburbs are at the midpoint of the Wine Road and the edge of the district known as Deutsche Weinstrasse–Mittelhaardt. With...

Hannover

A little off the Fairy-Tale Road, and better known internationally as a trade-fair center than a tourist destination, the Lower Saxon capital holds an attractive...

Speyer

Speyer is a picturesque and easily walkable town filled with interesting sights and a wonderful Christmas market in the winter. It's also a must-visit for...

Oberammergau

Its location alone, in an Alpine valley beneath a sentinel-like peak, makes this small town a major attraction. Its main streets are lined with painted...

Halle

This city deserves a second look. The first impression produced by an ever-under-construction train station and dismal tram ride into town is pleasantly swept away...

Eltville

The largest town in the Rheingau, Eltville rose to prominence in the Middle Ages as the residence of the archbishops of Mainz. Today it's cherished...

Mittenwald

Many regard Mittenwald as the most beautiful town in the Bavarian Alps. It has somehow avoided the architectural sins found in other Alpine villages by...

Lutherstadt-Wittenberg

Protestantism was born in the little town of Wittenberg (officially called Lutherstadt-Wittenberg). In 1508 the fervently idealistic young Martin Luther, who had become a priest...

Stralsund

This jewel of the Baltic has retained its historic city center and parts of its 13th-century defensive wall. The wall was built following an attack...

Nordlingen

In Nördlingen a medieval watchman's cry still rings out every night across the ancient walls and turrets. As in Rothenburg, its sister city, the medieval...

Bad Reichenhall

Bad Reichenhall is remarkably well located, near the mountains for hiking and skiing, and near Salzburg in Austria for a lively cultural scene. The town...

Meersburg

Meersburg is one of the most romantic old towns on the German shore of the lake. Seen from the water on a summer afternoon with...

Schwerin

Schwerin, the second-largest town in the region after Rostock and the capital of the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, is worth a trip just to visit its...

Friedrichshafen

Named for its founder, King Friedrich I of Württemberg, Friedrichshafen is a relatively young town (dating to 1811). In an area otherwise given over to...

Görlitz

Tucked away in the country's easternmost corner (bordering Poland), Görlitz's quiet, narrow cobblestone alleys and exquisite architecture make it one of Germany's most beautiful cities...

Rostock

The biggest port and shipbuilding center of the former East Germany, Rostock was founded around 1200. Of all the Hanseatic cities, this once-thriving city suffered...

Bad Durkheim

This pretty spa town is nestled into the hills at the edge of the Palatinate Forest and ringed by vineyards. The saline springs discovered here...

Meissen

This romantic city with its imposing castle looming over the Elbe River is known the world over for Europe’s finest porcelain, emblazoned with its trademarked...

Ravensburg

The Free Imperial City of Ravensburg once competed with Augsburg and Nürnberg for economic supremacy in southern Germany. The Thirty Years' War put an end...

Chiemsee

Chiemsee is north of the Deutsche Alpenstrasse, but it demands a detour, if only to visit King Ludwig's huge palace on one of its idyllic...

Coburg

Coburg is a surprisingly little-known treasure that was founded in the 11th century and remained in the possession of the dukes of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha until 1918;...

Fulda

The cathedral city of Fulda is worth a brief detour off the Fairy-Tale Road. There are two distinct parts to its downtown area. One is...

Bingen

Bingen overlooks the Nahe-Rhine conflux near a treacherous stretch of shallows and rapids known as the Binger Loch (Bingen Hole). Early on, Bingen developed into...

Torgau

Torgau is among Germany's most beautiful Renaissance towns, with more than 500 sterling examples of Renaissance and late-Gothic architecture. Landmark Hartenfels Castle, the country's foremost...

Wismar

The old city of Wismar was one of the original three sea-trading towns, along with Lübeck and Rostock, which banded together in 1259 to combat...

Kelheim

Nestled among the Bavarian Mountains on a meandering confluence between the Danube and Altmühl Rivers, Kelheim is widely appreciated for its prolific natural beauty and...

Überlingen

This Bodensee resort has an attractive waterfront and an almost Mediterranean feel. It's midway along the north shore of the Überlingersee, a narrow finger of...

Quedlinburg

This medieval Harz town has more half-timber houses than any other town in Germany: more than 1,600 of them line the narrow cobblestone streets and...

Kassel

The Brothers Grimm lived in Kassel, their mother's hometown, as teenagers, and also worked there as librarians at the court of the king of Westphalia...

Triberg

The cuckoo clock, that symbol of the Black Forest, is at home in the Triberg area. It was invented here, it's made and sold here...

Bremen

Germany's smallest city-state, Bremen, is also Germany's oldest and second-largest port (only Hamburg is larger). Together with Hamburg and Lübeck, Bremen was an early member...

Deidesheim

The immaculately preserved half-timber houses and historical facades lining its narrow streets fit perfectly with Deidesheim's reputation as one of the most renowned wine towns...

Naumburg

Once a powerful trading and ecclesiastical city, 1,000-year-old Naumburg is the cultural center of the Salle-Unstrut. Although the city is most famous for its Romanesque/Gothic...

Bad Tölz

Bad Tölz's new town, dating from the mid-19th century, sprang up with the discovery of iodine-laden springs, which allowed the locals to call their town...

Füssen

A walled town left untouched by World War II bombs, Füssen's red roofs and turrets stand in picturesque contrast to the turquoise waters of the...

Boppard

Boppard is a pleasant little resort that evolved from a Celtic settlement into a Roman fortress, Frankish royal court, and Free Imperial City. Boppard's tourism...

Freudenstadt

At an altitude of 2,400 feet, Freudenstadt claims to be the "better climate" in Germany and it has the sunny days to prove it. Founded...

Ulm

Just off the Romantic Road, Ulm is worth a visit, if only briefly, to see its mighty Münster. The evangelical church is unusually ornate and...

Magdeburg

A city of history and reinvention, Magdeburg rose from the ashes of WWII to become a vibrant, modern city rife with culture and heritage. An...

Kiel

The state capital of Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, is known throughout Europe for the annual Kieler Woche, a regatta that attracts hundreds of boats from around the...

Schleswig

Schleswig-Holstein's oldest city is also one of its best-preserved examples of a typical north German town. Once the seat of the dukes of Schleswig-Holstein, it...

Baiersbronn

The mountain resort of Baiersbronn—actually comprised of nine separate villages, all named after the valleys they inhabit—has become a high-end destination thanks to an incredible...

Usedom Island

Usedom Island has almost 32 km (20 miles) of sandy shoreline and a string of resorts. Much of the island's untouched landscape is a nature...

Breisach

Situated among rolling vineyards between the Rhine River and the Black Forest, the river port town of Breisach shares a wine- and food-loving culture with...

Warnemünde

Warnemünde, officially a suburb of Rostock, is a quaint seaside resort town with the best hotels and restaurants in the area, as well as 20...

Bad Schandau

Enjoying a striking natural setting between the Elbe River and lush wooded hills and cliffs, the lovely spa town of Bad Schandau is the oldest...

Karlsruhe

Karlsruhe, founded at the beginning of the 18th century, is a young upstart, but what it lacks in years it makes up for in industrial...

Remagen

The ancient town of Remagen still bears traces of its Roman and medieval past, but in modern times the town's fame stems from its role...

Kaiserstuhl

The southwesternmost corner of Germany, nestled on the borders of France and Switzerland is the Kaiserstuhl (Emperor’s Chair) region, a volcanic outcrop clothed in vineyards...

Rudesheim

Tourism and wine are the heart and soul of Rüdesheim. With south-facing slopes reaching down to the riverbanks, wine growing has thrived here for 1,000...

Heilbronn

...

Eisenach

When you stand in Eisenach's ancient market square it's difficult to imagine this half-timber town as an important center of the East German automobile industry...

Cochem

Cochem is one of the most attractive towns of the Mosel Valley, with a riverside promenade to rival any along the Rhine. It's especially lively...

Braubach

Nestled among lush vineyards and forests, this gem of a medieval town dates back 1300 years and boasts the most picturesque and dramatically positioned castle...

Göttingen

Distinguished by its famous university, where the Brothers Grimm served as professors and librarians between 1830 and 1837, the fetching town of Göttingen buzzes with...

Bautzen/Budyšin

Bautzen has perched high above a deep granite valley formed by the River Spree for more than 1,000 years. Its almost-intact city walls hide a...

Steinau an der Strasse

The little town of Steinau—full name Steinau an der Strasse (Steinau "on the road," referring to an old trade route between Frankfurt and Leipzig)—had a...

Bremerhaven

This busy port city, where the Weser empties into the North Sea, is technically part of Bremen, which is an hour to the south. You...

Bad Wimpfen

At the confluence of the Neckar and Jagst rivers, Bad Wimpfen is one of the most stunning towns of the Neckar Valley. The Romans built...

Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein

These two famous castles belonging to the Wittelbachs are 1 km (½ mile) across a valley from each other, near the town of Schwangau. Bavaria's...

Dinkelsbühl

Within the walls of Dinkelsbühl, a beautifully preserved medieval town, the rush of traffic seems a lifetime away. Although there is less to see here...

Bad Mergentheim

Between 1525 and 1809, Bad Mergentheim was the home of the Teutonic Knights, one of the most successful medieval orders of chivalry. In 1809, Napoléon...

Freyburg

Stepping off the train in the sleepy town of Freyburg, it is not difficult to see why locals call the area "the Tuscany of the...

Reichenau

Reichenau is an island rich in vegetation, but unlike Mainau, it features vegetables, not flowers. In fact, 15% of its area (the island is 5...

Bacharach

Bacharach, whose name may derive from the Latin Bacchi ara (altar of Bacchus), has long been associated with wine. Like Rüdesheim, Bingen, and Kaub, it...

Marburg

"I think there are more steps in the streets than in the houses." That is how Jacob Grimm described the half-timber hillside town of Marburg...

Hameln

Given their relationship with one of the most famous fairy-tale characters of all time, it’s unsurprising that Hameln’s townsfolk continue to take advantage of the...

Oberwesel

Oberwesel retains its medieval silhouette. Sixteen of the original 21 towers and much of the town wall still stand in the shadow of Schönburg Castle...

Annweiler

...

Oestrich-Winkel

Oestrich's vineyard area is the largest in the Rheingau. Lenchen and Doosberg are the most important vineyards. You can sample the wines at the outdoor...

Pforzheim

Although Pforzheim is not exactly the attractive place the Romans found at the junction of three rivers—the Nagold, the Enz, and the Würm—it is the...

Celle

...

Bad Doberan

Mostly famous for its cathedral, Bad Doberan is a quaint town that also has Germany's oldest sea resort, Heiligendamm. The city is a popular weekend...

Ettal

The village of Ettal is presided over by the massive bulk of Kloster Ettal, a great monastery and centuries-old distillery...

Hori

...

Dhrontal

If the heat of the Mosel's slate slopes becomes oppressive in summer, you can revitalize body and soul with a scenic drive through the cool...

Bodenwerder

The charming Weser town of Bodenwerder is the home of the Lügenbaron (Lying Baron) von Münchhausen (1720–97), who was known as a teller of whoppers...

Bad Karlshafen

Popular with holidaymakers in mobile homes and trailers, who park up on the banks of the Weser directly across from its historic center, Bad Karlshafen’s...

Calw

Calw, one of the Black Forest's prettiest towns, is the birthplace of Nobel Prize–winning novelist Hermann Hesse (1877–1962). The town's market square, with its two...

Höxter

Höxter is not actually in Lower Saxony, but just over the border in North Rhine-Westphalia. The town's appeal lies in its Rathaus, a perfect example...

Königswinter

Home to one of Germany's most popular castles, Drachenfels, Königswinter is also the gateway to the 30 large and small hills that make up the...

St. Goar

St. Goar and St. Goarshausen, its counterpoint on the opposite shore, are named after a Celtic missionary who settled here in the 6th century. He...

St. Martin

This is one of the most charming wine villages in the Pfalz. Narrow cobblestone streets are lined by historic half-timber houses that are now home...

Goslar

The lovely, unofficial capital of the Harz region, Goslar is one of Germany's oldest cities and is known for the medieval glamour expressed in the...

Dessau

The name "Dessau" is known to students of modern architecture as the epicenter of architect Walter Gropius’s highly influential Bauhaus school of design. During the...

Oppenheim

Oppenheim is slightly off the beaten path, making it an ideal destination if you’re looking to avoid the hordes of tourists that often descend on...

Gleiszellen

Gleiszellen's Winzergasse (Vintners' Lane) is a little vine-canopied street lined with a beautiful ensemble of half-timber houses. Try a glass of the town's specialty: spicy...

Mainau

One of the most unusual sights in Germany, Mainau is a tiny island given over to the cultivation of rare plants and splashy displays of...

Gelnhausen

Perched elegantly on the side of a hill above the Kinzig River, Gelnhausen’s picturesque Altstadt (Old Town) offers the first taste of the half-timber houses...

Sababurg

Sababurg’s not really a village as such, but it is the location of an enchanting, 700-year-old Renaissance castle, an impressive animal park, and Germany’s oldest...

Weingarten

Weingarten is famous throughout Germany for its huge and hugely impressive basilica, which you can see up on a hill from miles away, long before...

Aschau

...

Husum

The town of Husum is the epitome of northern German lifestyle and culture. Immortalized in a poem as the "gray city upon the sea" by...

Kulmbach

A quarter of Kulmbachers earn their living directly or indirectly from the beer that's brewed in the town. More than 22 different beers are produced...

Titisee

Beautiful Titisee, carved by a glacier in the last Ice Age, is the most scenic lake in the Black Forest. The heavily wooded landscape is...

Hanau

The Fairy-Tale Road begins in Hanau, the town where the Brothers Grimm were born. Although Grimm fans will want to start their pilgrimage here, Hanau...

Neckargemund

Coming from the hustle and bustle of Heidelberg, you'll find the hamlet of Neckargemünd is a quiet place where you can relax by the Neckar...

Ediger-Eller

Ediger-Eller, once two separate hamlets, is another photogenic wine village with well-preserved houses and remnants of a medieval town wall. It's particularly romantic at night...

St. Goarshausen

The town closest to the famous Loreley rock, pretty St. Goarshausen even calls itself Die Loreleystadt (Loreley City), and it's a popular destination for Rhineland...

Bayrischzell

...

Creglingen

Touring the Romantic Road brings you through bustling tourist towns, but smaller, quieter villages along the way are what will probably be most worth the...

Jena

...

Nierstein

Surrounded by 2,700 acres of vines, Nierstein is a small, quaint town that's home to the largest wine-growing community on the Rhine. It is also...

Kronach

Kronach is a charming little gateway to the natural splendor of the Frankenwald region...

Hirschhorn

Hirsch (stag) and Horn (antlers) make up the name of the knights of Hirschhorn, the medieval ruling family that gave its name to both its...

Alken

One of the Mosel's oldest towns (the Celts were here by 450 BC), today Alken is best known for its 12th-century castle, Burg Thurant. With...

Schloss Villa Ludwigshohe

For a cultural break from all that wine tasting, head to this Pompeian-style palace, the former summer residence of King Ludwig I, which overlooks what...

Rosenheim

...

Traben-Trarbach

The Mosel divides Traben-Trarbach, which has pleasant promenades on both sides of the river. Its wine festivals are held the second and last weekends in...

Alpirsbach

The hamlet of Alpirsbach was founded in 1035 and developed around the Benedictine monastery Kloster Alpirsbach. Although the Reformation forced the abbey to close its...

Winningen

Winningen is a gateway to the Terrassenmosel (Terraced Mosel), the portion of the river characterized by steep, terraced vineyards. Winches help haul miniature monorails, with...

Neckarzimmern

The main attraction here is the Burg Hornberg castle high above the town, but visitors will find the village itself to be a charming respite...

Treis-Karden

...

Bebenhausen

Between Stuttgart and Tübingen lies this small hamlet consisting of a few houses, a monastery, and the Waldhorn, an excellent and well-known restaurant. The monastery...

Schliersee

...

Spitzingsee

...

Bad Liebenzell

...

Gutach

Gutach lies in Gutachtal, a valley famous for the traditional costumes, complete with pom-pom hats, worn by women on feast days and holidays. Married women...

Staufen

Once you've braved Hell Valley to get to Freiburg, visit the nearby town of Staufen, where Dr. Faustus is reputed to have made his pact...

Brühl

In the center of Brühl stands the Rhineland's most important baroque palace, the Augustusburg. Brühl is also home to one of Germany's most popular theme...

Hannoversch-Munden

You'll have to travel a long way through Germany to find a grouping of half-timber houses as harmonious as those in this delightful town, seemingly...

Rust

The town of Rust, on the Rhine almost halfway from Freiburg to Strasbourg, has a castle dating from 1577 and painstakingly restored half-timber houses. But...

Radolfzell

...

Ludwigsburg

Although its residents would never call it a suburb of Stuttgart, its proximity to the modern industrial and commercial center of Baden-Wurttenberg has made it...

Bad Herrenalb

...

Schloss Linderhof

Schloss Linderhof. The only one of King Ludwig's three castles to have reached completion before his death, this gilded hunting lodge lies secluded in the...

Friedenau

Just south of Charlottenburg, Friedenau is a residential neighborhood, with quiet tree-lined streets and a handful of cafés...

Buhl

...

Bergen-Belsen

A visit to the site of the infamous prisoner of war and concentration camp where Anne Frank, along with tens of thousands of others, perished...

Bad Bergzabern

The landmark of this little spa town is the baroque Schloss (palace) of the dukes of Zweibrücken. The Gasthaus Zum Engel (Königstrasse 45) is an...

Gleisweiler

...

Nackenheim

This wine village is the birthplace of the writer Carl Zuckmayer (1896–1977), who immortalized the town in his farce Der fröhliche Weinberg (The Merry Vineyard)...

Schweigen-Rechtenbach

The southernmost wine village of the Pfalz lies on the French border. During the economically depressed 1930s, local vintners established a route through the vineyards...

Berlin

Hip, energetic Berlin has grabbed the world’s attention with its exuberant urban life and vibrant arts scene. Gone are the days of drab Cold War...

Munich

Known today as the city of laptops and lederhosen, modern Munich is a cosmopolitan playground that nevertheless represents what the rest of the world incorrectly...

Hamburg

Frequently described as "the gateway to the world" by its proud citizens, the handsome port city of Hamburg has for centuries welcomed merchants, traders, and...

Frankfurt

Although many consider Frankfurt more or less a gateway to their European travels, the city’s rich culture and history, dining, and amusement options might just...

Heidelberg

If any city in Germany encapsulates the spirit of the country, it is Heidelberg. Scores of poets and composers—virtually the entire 19th-century German Romantic movement—have...

Cologne (Köln)

Köln (Cologne in English) is the largest city on the Rhine (the fourth largest in Germany) and one of the most interesting. The city is...

Dresden

Sitting in baroque splendor on a wide sweep of the Elbe River, Dresden has been the capital of Saxony since the 15th century, although most...

Leipzig

Leipzig is one of the coolest cities in Europe—but not so cool as to be pretentious. With its world-renowned links to Bach, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Martin...

Düsseldorf

Düsseldorf, the state capital of North Rhine–Westphalia, may suffer by comparison to Köln's remarkable skyline, but the elegant city has more than enough charm—and money—to...

Würzburg

The baroque city of Würzburg, the pearl of the Romantic Road, shows what happens when great genius teams up with great wealth. Already a Celtic...

Stuttgart

Stuttgart is a city of contradictions. It has been called, among other things, "Germany's biggest small town" and "the city where work is a pleasure."...

Mainz

Mainz is the capital of the state of Rheinland-Pfalz. It's a lively university town with friendly locals renowned for their community spirit, whether it be...

Garmisch-Partenkirchen

More commonly known by American travelers as Garmisch, Garmisch-Partenkirchen is comprised of two separate communities that were fused together in 1936 to accommodate the Winter...

Trier

Thanks to its deep history, the Trier of today holds a wealth of ancient sites. It's also an important university town, and accordingly boasts a...

Baden-Baden

Perhaps best known as Europe's most fashionable spa town, Baden-Baden is more than its name implies. With a storied history, original 19th-century French-influenced architecture, world-class...

Rothenburg-ob-der-Tauber

Rothenburg-ob-der-Tauber (literally, the "red castle on the Tauber") is the kind of medieval town that even Walt Disney might have thought too picturesque to be...

Nurnberg (Nuremberg)

With a recorded history stretching back to 1050, Franconia's main city is among the most historic in all of Germany; the core of the Old...

Passau

Flanking the borders of Austria and the Czech Republic, Passau dates back more than 2,500 years. Originally settled by the Celts, then by the Romans...

Augsburg

Bavaria's third-largest city, Augsburg has long played a central role due to both its location and its religious history. It dates back to the Roman...

Bamberg

Sitting majestically on seven hills above the Regnitz River, the entire Alstadt of this beautiful, historic town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's a...

Regensburg

Few visitors to Bavaria venture this far off the well-trodden tourist trails, and even Germans are surprised when they discover medieval Regensburg. The town escaped...

Bonn

Bonn was the postwar seat of the federal government and parliament until Berlin became its capital again in 1999. Aptly described by the title of...

Wiesbaden

Wiesbaden, the capital of the state of Hesse, is a small city of tree-lined avenues with elegant shops and handsome facades. Its hot mineral springs...

Lindau

By far the best way to get to know this charming old island town is on foot. Lose yourself in the maze of small streets...

Koblenz

The ancient city of Koblenz is at a geographic nexus known as the Deutsches Eck (German Corner) in the heart of the Mittelrhein region. Rivers...

Konstanz

The university town of Konstanz is the largest on the Bodensee; it straddles the Rhine as it flows out of the lake, placing it both...

Weimar

Sitting prettily in the geographical center of Thuringia, Weimar occupies a place in German political and cultural history completely disproportionate to its size (population 63,000)...

Aachen

At the center of Aachen, the characteristic three-window-wide facades give way to buildings dating from the days when Charlemagne made Aix-la-Chapelle (as it was then...

Tübingen

With its half-timber houses, winding alleyways, and hilltop setting overlooking the Neckar, Tübingen provides the quintessential German experience. The medieval flavor is quite authentic, as...

Berchtesgaden

Berchtesgaden is a gorgeous mountain town right on the border with Austria. From its location in a 2,300-foot-high valley, you can see Germany's second-highest mountain...

Erfurt

The city of Erfurt emerged from World War II relatively unscathed, with most of its innumerable towers intact. Of all the cities in the region...

Worms

In addition to having a great Romanesque cathedral, Worms is a center of the wine trade, as well as one of the most storied cities...

Tegernsee

The beautiful shores of the Tegernsee are among the most expensive property in all of Germany. The interest in the region shown by King Maximilian...

Bernkastel-Kues

Bernkastel and Kues straddle the Mosel, on the east and west banks, respectively. Bernkastel is home to famed Bernkasteler Doctor, a small, especially steep vineyard...

Sylt

Sylt (pronounced ts-oo-LT) is a long, narrow island (38 km [24 miles] by as little as 220 yards) of unspoiled beaches and marshland off the...

Neustadt

Neustadt and its nine wine suburbs are at the midpoint of the Wine Road and the edge of the district known as Deutsche Weinstrasse–Mittelhaardt. With...

Freiburg

Duke Berthold III founded Freiburg im Breisgau in the 12th century as a free trading city. World War II left extensive damage, but skillful restoration...

Bayreuth

The small town of Bayreuth, pronounced "bye-roit," owes its fame to the music giant Richard Wagner (1813–83). The 19th-century composer, musical revolutionary, ultranationalist, and Nazi...

Lübeck

The ancient island core of Lübeck, dating from the 12th century, was a chief stronghold of the Hanseatic merchant princes, until its almost complete destruction...

Speyer

Speyer is a picturesque and easily walkable town filled with interesting sights and a wonderful Christmas market in the winter. It's also a must-visit for...

Hannover

A little off the Fairy-Tale Road, and better known internationally as a trade-fair center than a tourist destination, the Lower Saxon capital holds an attractive...

Oberammergau

Its location alone, in an Alpine valley beneath a sentinel-like peak, makes this small town a major attraction. Its main streets are lined with painted...

Eltville

The largest town in the Rheingau, Eltville rose to prominence in the Middle Ages as the residence of the archbishops of Mainz. Today it's cherished...

Halle

This city deserves a second look. The first impression produced by an ever-under-construction train station and dismal tram ride into town is pleasantly swept away...

Meersburg

Meersburg is one of the most romantic old towns on the German shore of the lake. Seen from the water on a summer afternoon with...

Stralsund

This jewel of the Baltic has retained its historic city center and parts of its 13th-century defensive wall. The wall was built following an attack...

Bad Reichenhall

Bad Reichenhall is remarkably well located, near the mountains for hiking and skiing, and near Salzburg in Austria for a lively cultural scene. The town...

Mittenwald

Many regard Mittenwald as the most beautiful town in the Bavarian Alps. It has somehow avoided the architectural sins found in other Alpine villages by...

Nordlingen

In Nördlingen a medieval watchman's cry still rings out every night across the ancient walls and turrets. As in Rothenburg, its sister city, the medieval...

Lutherstadt-Wittenberg

Protestantism was born in the little town of Wittenberg (officially called Lutherstadt-Wittenberg). In 1508 the fervently idealistic young Martin Luther, who had become a priest...

Schwerin

Schwerin, the second-largest town in the region after Rostock and the capital of the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, is worth a trip just to visit its...

Friedrichshafen

Named for its founder, King Friedrich I of Württemberg, Friedrichshafen is a relatively young town (dating to 1811). In an area otherwise given over to...

Rostock

The biggest port and shipbuilding center of the former East Germany, Rostock was founded around 1200. Of all the Hanseatic cities, this once-thriving city suffered...

Görlitz

Tucked away in the country's easternmost corner (bordering Poland), Görlitz's quiet, narrow cobblestone alleys and exquisite architecture make it one of Germany's most beautiful cities...

Bad Durkheim

This pretty spa town is nestled into the hills at the edge of the Palatinate Forest and ringed by vineyards. The saline springs discovered here...

Meissen

This romantic city with its imposing castle looming over the Elbe River is known the world over for Europe’s finest porcelain, emblazoned with its trademarked...

Chiemsee

Chiemsee is north of the Deutsche Alpenstrasse, but it demands a detour, if only to visit King Ludwig's huge palace on one of its idyllic...

Ravensburg

The Free Imperial City of Ravensburg once competed with Augsburg and Nürnberg for economic supremacy in southern Germany. The Thirty Years' War put an end...

Torgau

Torgau is among Germany's most beautiful Renaissance towns, with more than 500 sterling examples of Renaissance and late-Gothic architecture. Landmark Hartenfels Castle, the country's foremost...

Kelheim

Nestled among the Bavarian Mountains on a meandering confluence between the Danube and Altmühl Rivers, Kelheim is widely appreciated for its prolific natural beauty and...

Bingen

Bingen overlooks the Nahe-Rhine conflux near a treacherous stretch of shallows and rapids known as the Binger Loch (Bingen Hole). Early on, Bingen developed into...

Coburg

Coburg is a surprisingly little-known treasure that was founded in the 11th century and remained in the possession of the dukes of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha until 1918;...

Fulda

The cathedral city of Fulda is worth a brief detour off the Fairy-Tale Road. There are two distinct parts to its downtown area. One is...

Überlingen

This Bodensee resort has an attractive waterfront and an almost Mediterranean feel. It's midway along the north shore of the Überlingersee, a narrow finger of...

Wismar

The old city of Wismar was one of the original three sea-trading towns, along with Lübeck and Rostock, which banded together in 1259 to combat...

Naumburg

Once a powerful trading and ecclesiastical city, 1,000-year-old Naumburg is the cultural center of the Salle-Unstrut. Although the city is most famous for its Romanesque/Gothic...

Quedlinburg

This medieval Harz town has more half-timber houses than any other town in Germany: more than 1,600 of them line the narrow cobblestone streets and...

Triberg

The cuckoo clock, that symbol of the Black Forest, is at home in the Triberg area. It was invented here, it's made and sold here...

Kassel

The Brothers Grimm lived in Kassel, their mother's hometown, as teenagers, and also worked there as librarians at the court of the king of Westphalia...

Deidesheim

The immaculately preserved half-timber houses and historical facades lining its narrow streets fit perfectly with Deidesheim's reputation as one of the most renowned wine towns...

Bremen

Germany's smallest city-state, Bremen, is also Germany's oldest and second-largest port (only Hamburg is larger). Together with Hamburg and Lübeck, Bremen was an early member...

Boppard

Boppard is a pleasant little resort that evolved from a Celtic settlement into a Roman fortress, Frankish royal court, and Free Imperial City. Boppard's tourism...

Freudenstadt

At an altitude of 2,400 feet, Freudenstadt claims to be the "better climate" in Germany and it has the sunny days to prove it. Founded...

Ulm

Just off the Romantic Road, Ulm is worth a visit, if only briefly, to see its mighty Münster. The evangelical church is unusually ornate and...

Bad Tölz

Bad Tölz's new town, dating from the mid-19th century, sprang up with the discovery of iodine-laden springs, which allowed the locals to call their town...

Kiel

The state capital of Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, is known throughout Europe for the annual Kieler Woche, a regatta that attracts hundreds of boats from around the...

Magdeburg

A city of history and reinvention, Magdeburg rose from the ashes of WWII to become a vibrant, modern city rife with culture and heritage. An...

Füssen

A walled town left untouched by World War II bombs, Füssen's red roofs and turrets stand in picturesque contrast to the turquoise waters of the...

Warnemünde

Warnemünde, officially a suburb of Rostock, is a quaint seaside resort town with the best hotels and restaurants in the area, as well as 20...

Schleswig

Schleswig-Holstein's oldest city is also one of its best-preserved examples of a typical north German town. Once the seat of the dukes of Schleswig-Holstein, it...

Baiersbronn

The mountain resort of Baiersbronn—actually comprised of nine separate villages, all named after the valleys they inhabit—has become a high-end destination thanks to an incredible...

Bad Schandau

Enjoying a striking natural setting between the Elbe River and lush wooded hills and cliffs, the lovely spa town of Bad Schandau is the oldest...

Breisach

Situated among rolling vineyards between the Rhine River and the Black Forest, the river port town of Breisach shares a wine- and food-loving culture with...

Rudesheim

Tourism and wine are the heart and soul of Rüdesheim. With south-facing slopes reaching down to the riverbanks, wine growing has thrived here for 1,000...

Heilbronn

...

Karlsruhe

Karlsruhe, founded at the beginning of the 18th century, is a young upstart, but what it lacks in years it makes up for in industrial...

Kaiserstuhl

The southwesternmost corner of Germany, nestled on the borders of France and Switzerland is the Kaiserstuhl (Emperor’s Chair) region, a volcanic outcrop clothed in vineyards...

Eisenach

When you stand in Eisenach's ancient market square it's difficult to imagine this half-timber town as an important center of the East German automobile industry...

Remagen

The ancient town of Remagen still bears traces of its Roman and medieval past, but in modern times the town's fame stems from its role...

Göttingen

Distinguished by its famous university, where the Brothers Grimm served as professors and librarians between 1830 and 1837, the fetching town of Göttingen buzzes with...

Braubach

Nestled among lush vineyards and forests, this gem of a medieval town dates back 1300 years and boasts the most picturesque and dramatically positioned castle...

Cochem

Cochem is one of the most attractive towns of the Mosel Valley, with a riverside promenade to rival any along the Rhine. It's especially lively...

Bremerhaven

This busy port city, where the Weser empties into the North Sea, is technically part of Bremen, which is an hour to the south. You...

Bad Mergentheim

Between 1525 and 1809, Bad Mergentheim was the home of the Teutonic Knights, one of the most successful medieval orders of chivalry. In 1809, Napoléon...

Dinkelsbühl

Within the walls of Dinkelsbühl, a beautifully preserved medieval town, the rush of traffic seems a lifetime away. Although there is less to see here...

Bad Wimpfen

At the confluence of the Neckar and Jagst rivers, Bad Wimpfen is one of the most stunning towns of the Neckar Valley. The Romans built...

Reichenau

Reichenau is an island rich in vegetation, but unlike Mainau, it features vegetables, not flowers. In fact, 15% of its area (the island is 5...

Bautzen/Budyšin

Bautzen has perched high above a deep granite valley formed by the River Spree for more than 1,000 years. Its almost-intact city walls hide a...

Freyburg

Stepping off the train in the sleepy town of Freyburg, it is not difficult to see why locals call the area "the Tuscany of the...

Steinau an der Strasse

The little town of Steinau—full name Steinau an der Strasse (Steinau "on the road," referring to an old trade route between Frankfurt and Leipzig)—had a...

Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein

These two famous castles belonging to the Wittelbachs are 1 km (½ mile) across a valley from each other, near the town of Schwangau. Bavaria's...

Oestrich-Winkel

Oestrich's vineyard area is the largest in the Rheingau. Lenchen and Doosberg are the most important vineyards. You can sample the wines at the outdoor...

Bacharach

Bacharach, whose name may derive from the Latin Bacchi ara (altar of Bacchus), has long been associated with wine. Like Rüdesheim, Bingen, and Kaub, it...

Oberwesel

Oberwesel retains its medieval silhouette. Sixteen of the original 21 towers and much of the town wall still stand in the shadow of Schönburg Castle...

Pforzheim

Although Pforzheim is not exactly the attractive place the Romans found at the junction of three rivers—the Nagold, the Enz, and the Würm—it is the...

Marburg

"I think there are more steps in the streets than in the houses." That is how Jacob Grimm described the half-timber hillside town of Marburg...

Annweiler

...

Hameln

Given their relationship with one of the most famous fairy-tale characters of all time, it’s unsurprising that Hameln’s townsfolk continue to take advantage of the...

Bad Doberan

Mostly famous for its cathedral, Bad Doberan is a quaint town that also has Germany's oldest sea resort, Heiligendamm. The city is a popular weekend...

Ettal

The village of Ettal is presided over by the massive bulk of Kloster Ettal, a great monastery and centuries-old distillery...

Bad Karlshafen

Popular with holidaymakers in mobile homes and trailers, who park up on the banks of the Weser directly across from its historic center, Bad Karlshafen’s...

Celle

...

Bodenwerder

The charming Weser town of Bodenwerder is the home of the Lügenbaron (Lying Baron) von Münchhausen (1720–97), who was known as a teller of whoppers...

Dhrontal

If the heat of the Mosel's slate slopes becomes oppressive in summer, you can revitalize body and soul with a scenic drive through the cool...

Hori

...

Gleiszellen

Gleiszellen's Winzergasse (Vintners' Lane) is a little vine-canopied street lined with a beautiful ensemble of half-timber houses. Try a glass of the town's specialty: spicy...

Höxter

Höxter is not actually in Lower Saxony, but just over the border in North Rhine-Westphalia. The town's appeal lies in its Rathaus, a perfect example...

Oppenheim

Oppenheim is slightly off the beaten path, making it an ideal destination if you’re looking to avoid the hordes of tourists that often descend on...

St. Martin

This is one of the most charming wine villages in the Pfalz. Narrow cobblestone streets are lined by historic half-timber houses that are now home...

Goslar

The lovely, unofficial capital of the Harz region, Goslar is one of Germany's oldest cities and is known for the medieval glamour expressed in the...

St. Goar

St. Goar and St. Goarshausen, its counterpoint on the opposite shore, are named after a Celtic missionary who settled here in the 6th century. He...

Dessau

The name "Dessau" is known to students of modern architecture as the epicenter of architect Walter Gropius’s highly influential Bauhaus school of design. During the...

Calw

Calw, one of the Black Forest's prettiest towns, is the birthplace of Nobel Prize–winning novelist Hermann Hesse (1877–1962). The town's market square, with its two...

Königswinter

Home to one of Germany's most popular castles, Drachenfels, Königswinter is also the gateway to the 30 large and small hills that make up the...

Aschau

...

Titisee

Beautiful Titisee, carved by a glacier in the last Ice Age, is the most scenic lake in the Black Forest. The heavily wooded landscape is...

Weingarten

Weingarten is famous throughout Germany for its huge and hugely impressive basilica, which you can see up on a hill from miles away, long before...

Husum

The town of Husum is the epitome of northern German lifestyle and culture. Immortalized in a poem as the "gray city upon the sea" by...

Gelnhausen

Perched elegantly on the side of a hill above the Kinzig River, Gelnhausen’s picturesque Altstadt (Old Town) offers the first taste of the half-timber houses...

Sababurg

Sababurg’s not really a village as such, but it is the location of an enchanting, 700-year-old Renaissance castle, an impressive animal park, and Germany’s oldest...

Hanau

The Fairy-Tale Road begins in Hanau, the town where the Brothers Grimm were born. Although Grimm fans will want to start their pilgrimage here, Hanau...

Bayrischzell

...

Mainau

One of the most unusual sights in Germany, Mainau is a tiny island given over to the cultivation of rare plants and splashy displays of...

Ediger-Eller

Ediger-Eller, once two separate hamlets, is another photogenic wine village with well-preserved houses and remnants of a medieval town wall. It's particularly romantic at night...

Kulmbach

A quarter of Kulmbachers earn their living directly or indirectly from the beer that's brewed in the town. More than 22 different beers are produced...

Neckargemund

Coming from the hustle and bustle of Heidelberg, you'll find the hamlet of Neckargemünd is a quiet place where you can relax by the Neckar...

St. Goarshausen

The town closest to the famous Loreley rock, pretty St. Goarshausen even calls itself Die Loreleystadt (Loreley City), and it's a popular destination for Rhineland...

Alpirsbach

The hamlet of Alpirsbach was founded in 1035 and developed around the Benedictine monastery Kloster Alpirsbach. Although the Reformation forced the abbey to close its...

Rosenheim

...

Jena

...

Neckarzimmern

The main attraction here is the Burg Hornberg castle high above the town, but visitors will find the village itself to be a charming respite...

Nierstein

Surrounded by 2,700 acres of vines, Nierstein is a small, quaint town that's home to the largest wine-growing community on the Rhine. It is also...

Creglingen

Touring the Romantic Road brings you through bustling tourist towns, but smaller, quieter villages along the way are what will probably be most worth the...

Alken

One of the Mosel's oldest towns (the Celts were here by 450 BC), today Alken is best known for its 12th-century castle, Burg Thurant. With...

Traben-Trarbach

The Mosel divides Traben-Trarbach, which has pleasant promenades on both sides of the river. Its wine festivals are held the second and last weekends in...

Hirschhorn

Hirsch (stag) and Horn (antlers) make up the name of the knights of Hirschhorn, the medieval ruling family that gave its name to both its...

Kronach

Kronach is a charming little gateway to the natural splendor of the Frankenwald region...

Winningen

Winningen is a gateway to the Terrassenmosel (Terraced Mosel), the portion of the river characterized by steep, terraced vineyards. Winches help haul miniature monorails, with...

Radolfzell

...

Hannoversch-Munden

You'll have to travel a long way through Germany to find a grouping of half-timber houses as harmonious as those in this delightful town, seemingly...

Brühl

In the center of Brühl stands the Rhineland's most important baroque palace, the Augustusburg. Brühl is also home to one of Germany's most popular theme...

Bad Staffelstein

...

Staufen

Once you've braved Hell Valley to get to Freiburg, visit the nearby town of Staufen, where Dr. Faustus is reputed to have made his pact...

Spitzingsee

...

Gutach

Gutach lies in Gutachtal, a valley famous for the traditional costumes, complete with pom-pom hats, worn by women on feast days and holidays. Married women...

Schliersee

...

Bebenhausen

Between Stuttgart and Tübingen lies this small hamlet consisting of a few houses, a monastery, and the Waldhorn, an excellent and well-known restaurant. The monastery...

Rust

The town of Rust, on the Rhine almost halfway from Freiburg to Strasbourg, has a castle dating from 1577 and painstakingly restored half-timber houses. But...

Treis-Karden

...

Bad Liebenzell

...

Buhl

...

Bergen-Belsen

A visit to the site of the infamous prisoner of war and concentration camp where Anne Frank, along with tens of thousands of others, perished...

Bad Bergzabern

The landmark of this little spa town is the baroque Schloss (palace) of the dukes of Zweibrücken. The Gasthaus Zum Engel (Königstrasse 45) is an...

Ludwigsburg

Although its residents would never call it a suburb of Stuttgart, its proximity to the modern industrial and commercial center of Baden-Wurttenberg has made it...

Gleisweiler

...

Friedenau

Just south of Charlottenburg, Friedenau is a residential neighborhood, with quiet tree-lined streets and a handful of cafés...

Steingaden

...

Nackenheim

This wine village is the birthplace of the writer Carl Zuckmayer (1896–1977), who immortalized the town in his farce Der fröhliche Weinberg (The Merry Vineyard)...

Bad Herrenalb

...

Schweigen-Rechtenbach

The southernmost wine village of the Pfalz lies on the French border. During the economically depressed 1930s, local vintners established a route through the vineyards...

Fritzlar

...

Miltenberg

...

Berlin

Hip, energetic Berlin has grabbed the world’s attention with its exuberant urban life and vibrant arts scene. Gone are the days of drab Cold War...

Munich

Known today as the city of laptops and lederhosen, modern Munich is a cosmopolitan playground that nevertheless represents what the rest of the world incorrectly...

Hamburg

Frequently described as "the gateway to the world" by its proud citizens, the handsome port city of Hamburg has for centuries welcomed merchants, traders, and...

Frankfurt

Although many consider Frankfurt more or less a gateway to their European travels, the city’s rich culture and history, dining, and amusement options might just...

Heidelberg

If any city in Germany encapsulates the spirit of the country, it is Heidelberg. Scores of poets and composers—virtually the entire 19th-century German Romantic movement—have...

Cologne (Köln)

Köln (Cologne in English) is the largest city on the Rhine (the fourth largest in Germany) and one of the most interesting. The city is...

Dresden

Sitting in baroque splendor on a wide sweep of the Elbe River, Dresden has been the capital of Saxony since the 15th century, although most...

Leipzig

Leipzig is one of the coolest cities in Europe—but not so cool as to be pretentious. With its world-renowned links to Bach, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Martin...

Düsseldorf

Düsseldorf, the state capital of North Rhine–Westphalia, may suffer by comparison to Köln's remarkable skyline, but the elegant city has more than enough charm—and money—to...

Würzburg

The baroque city of Würzburg, the pearl of the Romantic Road, shows what happens when great genius teams up with great wealth. Already a Celtic...

Stuttgart

Stuttgart is a city of contradictions. It has been called, among other things, "Germany's biggest small town" and "the city where work is a pleasure."...

Mainz

Mainz is the capital of the state of Rheinland-Pfalz. It's a lively university town with friendly locals renowned for their community spirit, whether it be...

Garmisch-Partenkirchen

More commonly known by American travelers as Garmisch, Garmisch-Partenkirchen is comprised of two separate communities that were fused together in 1936 to accommodate the Winter...

Trier

Thanks to its deep history, the Trier of today holds a wealth of ancient sites. It's also an important university town, and accordingly boasts a...

Baden-Baden

Perhaps best known as Europe's most fashionable spa town, Baden-Baden is more than its name implies. With a storied history, original 19th-century French-influenced architecture, world-class...

Rothenburg-ob-der-Tauber

Rothenburg-ob-der-Tauber (literally, the "red castle on the Tauber") is the kind of medieval town that even Walt Disney might have thought too picturesque to be...

Nurnberg (Nuremberg)

With a recorded history stretching back to 1050, Franconia's main city is among the most historic in all of Germany; the core of the Old...

Passau

Flanking the borders of Austria and the Czech Republic, Passau dates back more than 2,500 years. Originally settled by the Celts, then by the Romans...

Augsburg

Bavaria's third-largest city, Augsburg has long played a central role due to both its location and its religious history. It dates back to the Roman...

Bamberg

Sitting majestically on seven hills above the Regnitz River, the entire Alstadt of this beautiful, historic town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's a...

Regensburg

Few visitors to Bavaria venture this far off the well-trodden tourist trails, and even Germans are surprised when they discover medieval Regensburg. The town escaped...

Bonn

Bonn was the postwar seat of the federal government and parliament until Berlin became its capital again in 1999. Aptly described by the title of...

Wiesbaden

Wiesbaden, the capital of the state of Hesse, is a small city of tree-lined avenues with elegant shops and handsome facades. Its hot mineral springs...

Lindau

By far the best way to get to know this charming old island town is on foot. Lose yourself in the maze of small streets...

Koblenz

The ancient city of Koblenz is at a geographic nexus known as the Deutsches Eck (German Corner) in the heart of the Mittelrhein region. Rivers...

Konstanz

The university town of Konstanz is the largest on the Bodensee; it straddles the Rhine as it flows out of the lake, placing it both...

Weimar

Sitting prettily in the geographical center of Thuringia, Weimar occupies a place in German political and cultural history completely disproportionate to its size (population 63,000)...

Aachen

At the center of Aachen, the characteristic three-window-wide facades give way to buildings dating from the days when Charlemagne made Aix-la-Chapelle (as it was then...

Tübingen

With its half-timber houses, winding alleyways, and hilltop setting overlooking the Neckar, Tübingen provides the quintessential German experience. The medieval flavor is quite authentic, as...

Berchtesgaden

Berchtesgaden is a gorgeous mountain town right on the border with Austria. From its location in a 2,300-foot-high valley, you can see Germany's second-highest mountain...

Erfurt

The city of Erfurt emerged from World War II relatively unscathed, with most of its innumerable towers intact. Of all the cities in the region...

Worms

In addition to having a great Romanesque cathedral, Worms is a center of the wine trade, as well as one of the most storied cities...

Tegernsee

The beautiful shores of the Tegernsee are among the most expensive property in all of Germany. The interest in the region shown by King Maximilian...

Bernkastel-Kues

Bernkastel and Kues straddle the Mosel, on the east and west banks, respectively. Bernkastel is home to famed Bernkasteler Doctor, a small, especially steep vineyard...

Sylt

Sylt (pronounced ts-oo-LT) is a long, narrow island (38 km [24 miles] by as little as 220 yards) of unspoiled beaches and marshland off the...

Neustadt

Neustadt and its nine wine suburbs are at the midpoint of the Wine Road and the edge of the district known as Deutsche Weinstrasse–Mittelhaardt. With...

Freiburg

Duke Berthold III founded Freiburg im Breisgau in the 12th century as a free trading city. World War II left extensive damage, but skillful restoration...

Bayreuth

The small town of Bayreuth, pronounced "bye-roit," owes its fame to the music giant Richard Wagner (1813–83). The 19th-century composer, musical revolutionary, ultranationalist, and Nazi...

Lübeck

The ancient island core of Lübeck, dating from the 12th century, was a chief stronghold of the Hanseatic merchant princes, until its almost complete destruction...

Speyer

Speyer is a picturesque and easily walkable town filled with interesting sights and a wonderful Christmas market in the winter. It's also a must-visit for...

Hannover

A little off the Fairy-Tale Road, and better known internationally as a trade-fair center than a tourist destination, the Lower Saxon capital holds an attractive...

Oberammergau

Its location alone, in an Alpine valley beneath a sentinel-like peak, makes this small town a major attraction. Its main streets are lined with painted...

Eltville

The largest town in the Rheingau, Eltville rose to prominence in the Middle Ages as the residence of the archbishops of Mainz. Today it's cherished...

Halle

This city deserves a second look. The first impression produced by an ever-under-construction train station and dismal tram ride into town is pleasantly swept away...

Meersburg

Meersburg is one of the most romantic old towns on the German shore of the lake. Seen from the water on a summer afternoon with...

Stralsund

This jewel of the Baltic has retained its historic city center and parts of its 13th-century defensive wall. The wall was built following an attack...

Bad Reichenhall

Bad Reichenhall is remarkably well located, near the mountains for hiking and skiing, and near Salzburg in Austria for a lively cultural scene. The town...

Mittenwald

Many regard Mittenwald as the most beautiful town in the Bavarian Alps. It has somehow avoided the architectural sins found in other Alpine villages by...

Nordlingen

In Nördlingen a medieval watchman's cry still rings out every night across the ancient walls and turrets. As in Rothenburg, its sister city, the medieval...

Lutherstadt-Wittenberg

Protestantism was born in the little town of Wittenberg (officially called Lutherstadt-Wittenberg). In 1508 the fervently idealistic young Martin Luther, who had become a priest...

Schwerin

Schwerin, the second-largest town in the region after Rostock and the capital of the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, is worth a trip just to visit its...

Friedrichshafen

Named for its founder, King Friedrich I of Württemberg, Friedrichshafen is a relatively young town (dating to 1811). In an area otherwise given over to...

Rostock

The biggest port and shipbuilding center of the former East Germany, Rostock was founded around 1200. Of all the Hanseatic cities, this once-thriving city suffered...

Görlitz

Tucked away in the country's easternmost corner (bordering Poland), Görlitz's quiet, narrow cobblestone alleys and exquisite architecture make it one of Germany's most beautiful cities...

Bad Durkheim

This pretty spa town is nestled into the hills at the edge of the Palatinate Forest and ringed by vineyards. The saline springs discovered here...

Meissen

This romantic city with its imposing castle looming over the Elbe River is known the world over for Europe’s finest porcelain, emblazoned with its trademarked...

Chiemsee

Chiemsee is north of the Deutsche Alpenstrasse, but it demands a detour, if only to visit King Ludwig's huge palace on one of its idyllic...

Ravensburg

The Free Imperial City of Ravensburg once competed with Augsburg and Nürnberg for economic supremacy in southern Germany. The Thirty Years' War put an end...

Torgau

Torgau is among Germany's most beautiful Renaissance towns, with more than 500 sterling examples of Renaissance and late-Gothic architecture. Landmark Hartenfels Castle, the country's foremost...

Kelheim

Nestled among the Bavarian Mountains on a meandering confluence between the Danube and Altmühl Rivers, Kelheim is widely appreciated for its prolific natural beauty and...

Bingen

Bingen overlooks the Nahe-Rhine conflux near a treacherous stretch of shallows and rapids known as the Binger Loch (Bingen Hole). Early on, Bingen developed into...

Coburg

Coburg is a surprisingly little-known treasure that was founded in the 11th century and remained in the possession of the dukes of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha until 1918;...

Fulda

The cathedral city of Fulda is worth a brief detour off the Fairy-Tale Road. There are two distinct parts to its downtown area. One is...

Überlingen

This Bodensee resort has an attractive waterfront and an almost Mediterranean feel. It's midway along the north shore of the Überlingersee, a narrow finger of...

Wismar

The old city of Wismar was one of the original three sea-trading towns, along with Lübeck and Rostock, which banded together in 1259 to combat...

Naumburg

Once a powerful trading and ecclesiastical city, 1,000-year-old Naumburg is the cultural center of the Salle-Unstrut. Although the city is most famous for its Romanesque/Gothic...

Quedlinburg

This medieval Harz town has more half-timber houses than any other town in Germany: more than 1,600 of them line the narrow cobblestone streets and...

Triberg

The cuckoo clock, that symbol of the Black Forest, is at home in the Triberg area. It was invented here, it's made and sold here...

Kassel

The Brothers Grimm lived in Kassel, their mother's hometown, as teenagers, and also worked there as librarians at the court of the king of Westphalia...

Deidesheim

The immaculately preserved half-timber houses and historical facades lining its narrow streets fit perfectly with Deidesheim's reputation as one of the most renowned wine towns...

Bremen

Germany's smallest city-state, Bremen, is also Germany's oldest and second-largest port (only Hamburg is larger). Together with Hamburg and Lübeck, Bremen was an early member...

Boppard

Boppard is a pleasant little resort that evolved from a Celtic settlement into a Roman fortress, Frankish royal court, and Free Imperial City. Boppard's tourism...

Freudenstadt

At an altitude of 2,400 feet, Freudenstadt claims to be the "better climate" in Germany and it has the sunny days to prove it. Founded...

Ulm

Just off the Romantic Road, Ulm is worth a visit, if only briefly, to see its mighty Münster. The evangelical church is unusually ornate and...

Bad Tölz

Bad Tölz's new town, dating from the mid-19th century, sprang up with the discovery of iodine-laden springs, which allowed the locals to call their town...

Kiel

The state capital of Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, is known throughout Europe for the annual Kieler Woche, a regatta that attracts hundreds of boats from around the...

Magdeburg

A city of history and reinvention, Magdeburg rose from the ashes of WWII to become a vibrant, modern city rife with culture and heritage. An...

Füssen

A walled town left untouched by World War II bombs, Füssen's red roofs and turrets stand in picturesque contrast to the turquoise waters of the...

Warnemünde

Warnemünde, officially a suburb of Rostock, is a quaint seaside resort town with the best hotels and restaurants in the area, as well as 20...

Schleswig

Schleswig-Holstein's oldest city is also one of its best-preserved examples of a typical north German town. Once the seat of the dukes of Schleswig-Holstein, it...

Baiersbronn

The mountain resort of Baiersbronn—actually comprised of nine separate villages, all named after the valleys they inhabit—has become a high-end destination thanks to an incredible...

Bad Schandau

Enjoying a striking natural setting between the Elbe River and lush wooded hills and cliffs, the lovely spa town of Bad Schandau is the oldest...

Breisach

Situated among rolling vineyards between the Rhine River and the Black Forest, the river port town of Breisach shares a wine- and food-loving culture with...

Rudesheim

Tourism and wine are the heart and soul of Rüdesheim. With south-facing slopes reaching down to the riverbanks, wine growing has thrived here for 1,000...

Heilbronn

...

Karlsruhe

Karlsruhe, founded at the beginning of the 18th century, is a young upstart, but what it lacks in years it makes up for in industrial...

Kaiserstuhl

The southwesternmost corner of Germany, nestled on the borders of France and Switzerland is the Kaiserstuhl (Emperor’s Chair) region, a volcanic outcrop clothed in vineyards...

Eisenach

When you stand in Eisenach's ancient market square it's difficult to imagine this half-timber town as an important center of the East German automobile industry...

Remagen

The ancient town of Remagen still bears traces of its Roman and medieval past, but in modern times the town's fame stems from its role...

Göttingen

Distinguished by its famous university, where the Brothers Grimm served as professors and librarians between 1830 and 1837, the fetching town of Göttingen buzzes with...

Braubach

Nestled among lush vineyards and forests, this gem of a medieval town dates back 1300 years and boasts the most picturesque and dramatically positioned castle...

Cochem

Cochem is one of the most attractive towns of the Mosel Valley, with a riverside promenade to rival any along the Rhine. It's especially lively...

Bremerhaven

This busy port city, where the Weser empties into the North Sea, is technically part of Bremen, which is an hour to the south. You...

Bad Mergentheim

Between 1525 and 1809, Bad Mergentheim was the home of the Teutonic Knights, one of the most successful medieval orders of chivalry. In 1809, Napoléon...

Dinkelsbühl

Within the walls of Dinkelsbühl, a beautifully preserved medieval town, the rush of traffic seems a lifetime away. Although there is less to see here...

Bad Wimpfen

At the confluence of the Neckar and Jagst rivers, Bad Wimpfen is one of the most stunning towns of the Neckar Valley. The Romans built...

Reichenau

Reichenau is an island rich in vegetation, but unlike Mainau, it features vegetables, not flowers. In fact, 15% of its area (the island is 5...

Bautzen/Budyšin

Bautzen has perched high above a deep granite valley formed by the River Spree for more than 1,000 years. Its almost-intact city walls hide a...

Freyburg

Stepping off the train in the sleepy town of Freyburg, it is not difficult to see why locals call the area "the Tuscany of the...

Steinau an der Strasse

The little town of Steinau—full name Steinau an der Strasse (Steinau "on the road," referring to an old trade route between Frankfurt and Leipzig)—had a...

Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein

These two famous castles belonging to the Wittelbachs are 1 km (½ mile) across a valley from each other, near the town of Schwangau. Bavaria's...

Oestrich-Winkel

Oestrich's vineyard area is the largest in the Rheingau. Lenchen and Doosberg are the most important vineyards. You can sample the wines at the outdoor...

Bacharach

Bacharach, whose name may derive from the Latin Bacchi ara (altar of Bacchus), has long been associated with wine. Like Rüdesheim, Bingen, and Kaub, it...

Oberwesel

Oberwesel retains its medieval silhouette. Sixteen of the original 21 towers and much of the town wall still stand in the shadow of Schönburg Castle...

Pforzheim

Although Pforzheim is not exactly the attractive place the Romans found at the junction of three rivers—the Nagold, the Enz, and the Würm—it is the...

Marburg

"I think there are more steps in the streets than in the houses." That is how Jacob Grimm described the half-timber hillside town of Marburg...

Annweiler

...

Hameln

Given their relationship with one of the most famous fairy-tale characters of all time, it’s unsurprising that Hameln’s townsfolk continue to take advantage of the...

Bad Doberan

Mostly famous for its cathedral, Bad Doberan is a quaint town that also has Germany's oldest sea resort, Heiligendamm. The city is a popular weekend...

Ettal

The village of Ettal is presided over by the massive bulk of Kloster Ettal, a great monastery and centuries-old distillery...

Bad Karlshafen

Popular with holidaymakers in mobile homes and trailers, who park up on the banks of the Weser directly across from its historic center, Bad Karlshafen’s...

Celle

...

Bodenwerder

The charming Weser town of Bodenwerder is the home of the Lügenbaron (Lying Baron) von Münchhausen (1720–97), who was known as a teller of whoppers...

Dhrontal

If the heat of the Mosel's slate slopes becomes oppressive in summer, you can revitalize body and soul with a scenic drive through the cool...

Hori

...

Gleiszellen

Gleiszellen's Winzergasse (Vintners' Lane) is a little vine-canopied street lined with a beautiful ensemble of half-timber houses. Try a glass of the town's specialty: spicy...

Höxter

Höxter is not actually in Lower Saxony, but just over the border in North Rhine-Westphalia. The town's appeal lies in its Rathaus, a perfect example...

Oppenheim

Oppenheim is slightly off the beaten path, making it an ideal destination if you’re looking to avoid the hordes of tourists that often descend on...

St. Martin

This is one of the most charming wine villages in the Pfalz. Narrow cobblestone streets are lined by historic half-timber houses that are now home...

Goslar

The lovely, unofficial capital of the Harz region, Goslar is one of Germany's oldest cities and is known for the medieval glamour expressed in the...

St. Goar

St. Goar and St. Goarshausen, its counterpoint on the opposite shore, are named after a Celtic missionary who settled here in the 6th century. He...

Dessau

The name "Dessau" is known to students of modern architecture as the epicenter of architect Walter Gropius’s highly influential Bauhaus school of design. During the...

Calw

Calw, one of the Black Forest's prettiest towns, is the birthplace of Nobel Prize–winning novelist Hermann Hesse (1877–1962). The town's market square, with its two...

Königswinter

Home to one of Germany's most popular castles, Drachenfels, Königswinter is also the gateway to the 30 large and small hills that make up the...

Aschau

...

Titisee

Beautiful Titisee, carved by a glacier in the last Ice Age, is the most scenic lake in the Black Forest. The heavily wooded landscape is...

Weingarten

Weingarten is famous throughout Germany for its huge and hugely impressive basilica, which you can see up on a hill from miles away, long before...

Husum

The town of Husum is the epitome of northern German lifestyle and culture. Immortalized in a poem as the "gray city upon the sea" by...

Gelnhausen

Perched elegantly on the side of a hill above the Kinzig River, Gelnhausen’s picturesque Altstadt (Old Town) offers the first taste of the half-timber houses...

Sababurg

Sababurg’s not really a village as such, but it is the location of an enchanting, 700-year-old Renaissance castle, an impressive animal park, and Germany’s oldest...

Hanau

The Fairy-Tale Road begins in Hanau, the town where the Brothers Grimm were born. Although Grimm fans will want to start their pilgrimage here, Hanau...

Bayrischzell

...

Mainau

One of the most unusual sights in Germany, Mainau is a tiny island given over to the cultivation of rare plants and splashy displays of...

Ediger-Eller

Ediger-Eller, once two separate hamlets, is another photogenic wine village with well-preserved houses and remnants of a medieval town wall. It's particularly romantic at night...

Kulmbach

A quarter of Kulmbachers earn their living directly or indirectly from the beer that's brewed in the town. More than 22 different beers are produced...

Neckargemund

Coming from the hustle and bustle of Heidelberg, you'll find the hamlet of Neckargemünd is a quiet place where you can relax by the Neckar...

St. Goarshausen

The town closest to the famous Loreley rock, pretty St. Goarshausen even calls itself Die Loreleystadt (Loreley City), and it's a popular destination for Rhineland...

Alpirsbach

The hamlet of Alpirsbach was founded in 1035 and developed around the Benedictine monastery Kloster Alpirsbach. Although the Reformation forced the abbey to close its...

Rosenheim

...

Jena

...

Neckarzimmern

The main attraction here is the Burg Hornberg castle high above the town, but visitors will find the village itself to be a charming respite...

Nierstein

Surrounded by 2,700 acres of vines, Nierstein is a small, quaint town that's home to the largest wine-growing community on the Rhine. It is also...

Creglingen

Touring the Romantic Road brings you through bustling tourist towns, but smaller, quieter villages along the way are what will probably be most worth the...

Alken

One of the Mosel's oldest towns (the Celts were here by 450 BC), today Alken is best known for its 12th-century castle, Burg Thurant. With...

Traben-Trarbach

The Mosel divides Traben-Trarbach, which has pleasant promenades on both sides of the river. Its wine festivals are held the second and last weekends in...

Hirschhorn

Hirsch (stag) and Horn (antlers) make up the name of the knights of Hirschhorn, the medieval ruling family that gave its name to both its...

Kronach

Kronach is a charming little gateway to the natural splendor of the Frankenwald region...

Winningen

Winningen is a gateway to the Terrassenmosel (Terraced Mosel), the portion of the river characterized by steep, terraced vineyards. Winches help haul miniature monorails, with...

Radolfzell

...

Hannoversch-Munden

You'll have to travel a long way through Germany to find a grouping of half-timber houses as harmonious as those in this delightful town, seemingly...

Brühl

In the center of Brühl stands the Rhineland's most important baroque palace, the Augustusburg. Brühl is also home to one of Germany's most popular theme...

Bad Staffelstein

...

Staufen

Once you've braved Hell Valley to get to Freiburg, visit the nearby town of Staufen, where Dr. Faustus is reputed to have made his pact...

Spitzingsee

...

Gutach

Gutach lies in Gutachtal, a valley famous for the traditional costumes, complete with pom-pom hats, worn by women on feast days and holidays. Married women...

Schliersee

...

Bebenhausen

Between Stuttgart and Tübingen lies this small hamlet consisting of a few houses, a monastery, and the Waldhorn, an excellent and well-known restaurant. The monastery...

Rust

The town of Rust, on the Rhine almost halfway from Freiburg to Strasbourg, has a castle dating from 1577 and painstakingly restored half-timber houses. But...

Treis-Karden

...

Bad Liebenzell

...

Buhl

...

Bergen-Belsen

A visit to the site of the infamous prisoner of war and concentration camp where Anne Frank, along with tens of thousands of others, perished...

Bad Bergzabern

The landmark of this little spa town is the baroque Schloss (palace) of the dukes of Zweibrücken. The Gasthaus Zum Engel (Königstrasse 45) is an...

Ludwigsburg

Although its residents would never call it a suburb of Stuttgart, its proximity to the modern industrial and commercial center of Baden-Wurttenberg has made it...

Gleisweiler

...

Friedenau

Just south of Charlottenburg, Friedenau is a residential neighborhood, with quiet tree-lined streets and a handful of cafés...

Steingaden

...

Nackenheim

This wine village is the birthplace of the writer Carl Zuckmayer (1896–1977), who immortalized the town in his farce Der fröhliche Weinberg (The Merry Vineyard)...

Bad Herrenalb

...

Schweigen-Rechtenbach

The southernmost wine village of the Pfalz lies on the French border. During the economically depressed 1930s, local vintners established a route through the vineyards...

Fritzlar

...

Miltenberg

...

The Rhineland

The banks of the Rhine are crowned by magnificent castle after castle and by breathtaking, vine-terraced hills that provide the livelihood for many of the...

Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia

Germany's traditional charm is most evident in the eastern states of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia. Although the area formed the cultural core of the former...

The Romantic Road

Nowhere cries "quintessential German" quite as loudly as the Romantische Strasse, or Romantic Road, a 355-km (220-mile) drive through the south-central countryside. With 28 traditional...

Franconia and the German Danube

All that is left of the huge, ancient kingdom of the Franks is the region known today as Franken (Franconia), stretching from the Bohemian Forest...

The Bavarian Alps

Fir-clad mountains, rocky peaks, lederhosen, and geranium-covered houses: the Bavarian Alps come closest to what many of us envision as "Germany." Quaint towns full of...

The Pfalz and Rhine Terrace

Pfalz and wine go hand in hand. This region of vineyards and picturesque villages is the home of the German Wine Road and the country's...

Schleswig-Holstein and the Baltic Coast

Germany's true north is a quiet and peaceful region that belies, but takes a great deal of pride in, its past status as one of...

The Black Forest

A wood so dense that the sun couldn't penetrate the thick pine trees—that's how the Black Forest—Schwarzwald in German—got its name. Stretching west to the...

Heidelberg and the Neckar Valley

Heidelberg remains one of the best-known and most visited cities in Germany, identifiable by its graceful baroque towers and the majestic ruins of its red-sandstone...

The Fairy-Tale Road

With a name evocative of magic and adventure, the Fairy-Tale Road (Märchenstrasse) takes its travelers on a path through the land of the Brothers Grimm...

The Bodensee

A natural summer playground, the Bodensee (Lake Constance) is ringed with little towns and busy resorts. Lapping the shores of Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, the...

The Rhineland

The banks of the Rhine are crowned by magnificent castle after castle and by breathtaking, vine-terraced hills that provide the livelihood for many of the...

Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia

Germany's traditional charm is most evident in the eastern states of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia. Although the area formed the cultural core of the former...

The Romantic Road

Nowhere cries "quintessential German" quite as loudly as the Romantische Strasse, or Romantic Road, a 355-km (220-mile) drive through the south-central countryside. With 28 traditional...

Franconia and the German Danube

All that is left of the huge, ancient kingdom of the Franks is the region known today as Franken (Franconia), stretching from the Bohemian Forest...

The Bavarian Alps

Fir-clad mountains, rocky peaks, lederhosen, and geranium-covered houses: the Bavarian Alps come closest to what many of us envision as "Germany." Quaint towns full of...

The Pfalz and Rhine Terrace

Pfalz and wine go hand in hand. This region of vineyards and picturesque villages is the home of the German Wine Road and the country's...

Schleswig-Holstein and the Baltic Coast

Germany's true north is a quiet and peaceful region that belies, but takes a great deal of pride in, its past status as one of...

The Black Forest

A wood so dense that the sun couldn't penetrate the thick pine trees—that's how the Black Forest—Schwarzwald in German—got its name. Stretching west to the...

Heidelberg and the Neckar Valley

Heidelberg remains one of the best-known and most visited cities in Germany, identifiable by its graceful baroque towers and the majestic ruins of its red-sandstone...

The Fairy-Tale Road

With a name evocative of magic and adventure, the Fairy-Tale Road (Märchenstrasse) takes its travelers on a path through the land of the Brothers Grimm...

The Bodensee

A natural summer playground, the Bodensee (Lake Constance) is ringed with little towns and busy resorts. Lapping the shores of Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, the...

Rügen Island

Rügen's diverse and breathtaking landscapes have inspired poets and painters for more than a century. Railways in the mid-19th century brought the first vacationers from...

Usedom Island

Usedom Island has almost 32 km (20 miles) of sandy shoreline and a string of resorts. Much of the island's untouched landscape is a nature...

Rügen Island

Rügen's diverse and breathtaking landscapes have inspired poets and painters for more than a century. Railways in the mid-19th century brought the first vacationers from...

Usedom Island

Usedom Island has almost 32 km (20 miles) of sandy shoreline and a string of resorts. Much of the island's untouched landscape is a nature...

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The Bavarian Alps

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The Bodensee

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The Pfalz and Rhine Terrace

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Berlin

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Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia

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Franconia and the German Danube

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