From the wild North Sea islands and the rugged Baltic coast, to the soaring, snow-tipped Bavarian Alps and the rolling hills, ridges, meandering river ways and steep verdant valleys of North Rhine-Westphalia and Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany is a land of misty forests, shimmering lakes, windswept sand dunes and Dracula-esque chateaux castles, all punctuated by modern metropolises and energetic business centres. It’s easy to see why it was once the cradle of the great Romantic Movement—sprouting the likes of Wagner and Kant, Goethe and Beethoven—and also why it’s now one of the towering economic, cultural and most cutting-edge pillars of the European Union.
By summer, travellers come to tour the wealth of enchanting, fairy-tale hill towns that pepper the rolling regions at Germany’s heart, to wander the Alpine meadows, sip frothy beers in Oktoberfest and tick off all the ‘must sees’ of big cities like Berlin and Hamburg—from the iconic Brandenburg Gate to the elegant Renaissance Rathaus.
By winter, locals and travellers alike cruise down the autobahn to the snowy peaks and ski fields of the south, or lose themselves between the pumping techno bars and hearty Germanic beer halls of the urban centres, plates of steaming bratwurst and schnitzel in hand. Ask any Germany tourist guide, and they will tell you: the possibilities here are endless!