Europe · Central Europe
🇩🇪 Germany travel guide
Fairytale castles, beer gardens & Christmas markets.
- Currency
- € EUR
- Time
- UTC +1
- Emergency
- 112
Best places in Germany
- Berlin. Brandenburg Gate, Wall memorials and Museum Island.
- Neuschwanstein. Fairytale castle in Bavaria.
- Rhine Valley. Castles and vineyards by boat.
- Munich. Old town, beer gardens and day trips to the Alps.
Hidden places
- Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Medieval walled town.
- Saxon Switzerland. Bastei bridge and sandstone peaks.
- Quedlinburg. 1,300 timber-framed houses.
- Lake Königssee. Electric boats to St Bartholomew’s church.
When to go
- Best time. May–September; December for Christmas markets.
- Avoid. Oktoberfest prices unless you are going for it.
- Festivals. Oktoberfest (Sept–Oct), Christmas markets (Dec), Carnival (Feb).
What you need
- Documents. Passport, Schengen visa if required.
- Pack. Layers, rain jacket, comfortable shoes.
- Apps. DB Navigator, BVG, Bolt.
- Money. Carry some cash; not everywhere takes cards.
The soul of Germany
- Start somewhere unforgettable. Berlin, Munich and Bavaria, the Rhine Valley, Hamburg and the Black Forest.
- Choose your season. May–September for outdoors; December for Christmas markets.
- Before you leave. The Deutschlandticket can cover regional transport monthly.
Visual money
- Currency · EUR €. Some cafés and bakeries are still cash-only.
- A daily budget. Illustrative, per person: budget €70–110; comfortable €150–280.
- Tipping. Round up or add about 5–10% when paying, telling the server the total.
Arrival playbook
- Documents first. Part of the Schengen Area. Check visa rules for your passport, the EU Entry/Exit System and ETIAS requirements on official EU sites before booking.
- Your first ride. S-Bahn trains link major airports to city centres. Validate paper tickets where required.
- Get connected. An EU SIM or eSIM works across most EU countries under roaming rules. Save an offline map before leaving Wi-Fi.
Street codes
- Red man rule. Wait at red pedestrian lights, even when the road is empty.
- Sundays. Most shops close on Sundays.
- Pfand. Return bottles at machines for the deposit.
Beyond the postcard
- Saxon Switzerland. Sandstone towers and the Bastei bridge near Dresden.
- Bamberg. Medieval old town and smoked beer.
- Moselle Valley. Vineyards and riverside villages.
Food dossier
- A few first plates. Pretzels, schnitzel, currywurst in Berlin, Black Forest cake.
- Beer gardens. In Bavaria you can often bring your own food.
- Dietary needs. Berlin is one of Europe’s best vegan cities.
Scam shield
- Ticket checks. Plain-clothes inspectors fine riders without valid tickets.
- Shell games. Street betting games are always rigged.
- Petitions. Clipboard collectors near sights may be distractions.
Language cheat sheet
- Hello · Hallo / Guten Tag. Thank you · Danke. Please · Bitte.
- How much? · Wie viel kostet das?. Water · Wasser. Help · Hilfe!
- Excuse me · Entschuldigung. Useful on crowded trains.
Survival essentials
- Emergency · 112. Police 110; medical and fire 112.
- Autobahn. Some stretches have no speed limit; keep right except to overtake.
- Power & time. 230V; sockets types C and F. UTC+1 (summer +2).
Your Germany chapter
- A gentle first journey. Berlin → Dresden → Munich → Füssen over 10 days.
- A different pace. Follow the Romantic Road by car or bike.
- Before confirming. This is a starter guide, not live advice. Verify visas, prices, opening times and safety conditions with official sources.