For over a thousand years, Germany has been a commanding force in Europe. It sits at the crossroads of several different (and important) trading routes. To this day, commerce and trade is an incredibly important part of the German export-based economic machine. The country’s cars and high-tech products are sought after around the world.
Visitors to Germany frequently come to Bavaria or the Black Forrest looking a fairy tale experience: medieval villages, half-timber houses, beer and bratwurst. There’s plenty of that to go around. However, there’s more to this country than Grimm fairy tales.
World War I and World War II took a devastating toll on Germany and many war sites are now important monuments. As a country, it doesn’t shy away from these difficult and painful topics. The country has the best preserved, best marketed and most thorough collection of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the world. Germany has thoughtfully evaluated its contributions to world culture and has systematically preserved those sites all of humanity to enjoy.
Having been around the world many times, this is a country we keep visiting again and again. For us, there’s just so much to see and do in Germany! Here are a few of our favorite German experiences.
The beauty of Lubeck, Germany, is complemented by divine food, great shopping, and a proud history still visible across the city today. With so much to offer, this northern German city is not to be missed, even if you’re short on time.
Millions of gleaming lights, hundreds of vendors, and numerous city squares decorated with distinctive themes make the Cologne Christmas market one of the best markets in Europe.
the visit to the Nuremberg Christmas market was a charming and romantic experience–where tourists and locals commune together in the cold and embrace the season. To put it simply, Nuremberg’s Christmas markets are absolutely enchanting.
A towering 1000-year-old cathedral, millions of lights, the scent of mulled wine and gingerbread—these are the things that make the Aachen Christmas market.
Dotted with medieval churches, laced together with half-timbered buildings, and punctuated by a castle from the early days of the Holy Roman Empire, Nuremberg, Germany, is bursting at the seams with history.
Miniature Wonderland is far more than kid’s play. This is Germany’s most popular tourist attraction. It is a perfect re-creation of our world in miniature and it is absolutely fabulous!
On the surface, the idea of visiting an old warehouse district may not sound very interesting. But once we were standing in front of Hamburg’s historic Speicherstadt, it was easy to see why this unique area is so popular.