Top 10 Best Places to Visit in Germany
Whether you’re looking for a cultural adventure, a family vacation or an active retreat, Germany delivers. The country’s top attractions include historic cities, fairy-tale castles and pristine nature sanctuaries.
Known for its world-famous Oktoberfest, Munich is also home to charming historic neighborhoods and exquisite churches. Spend time at Marienplatz, a stunning central square that hosts a massive Christmas market each year.
1. Berlin
Cool, sophisticated and packed to the brim with culture, Berlin is one of Europe’s undisputed bucket-list capitals. From classic antiquities plucked from Babylon to the darkest pages of 20th century history uncovered at spots like Checkpoint Charlie and the Jewish Memorial, the city offers plenty for visitors to discover.
The Nikolai Quarter is a great place to start with narrow streets lined with nooks and crannies home to restaurants, cafes and shops while the 14th-century Kirche St. Jacob has an empowering church interior that looks simple from the outside. And don’t miss out on the Reichstag, originally built in 1894 to house the Imperial Diet until it was destroyed by fire in 1933 but rebuilt after German reunification into its modern glass dome. It’s a breathtaking view!.
2. Hamburg
Cool, sophisticated, and cutting-edge, Germany’s industrial port city of Hamburg is a fun and fascinating place to explore. Here, you can admire the red brick architecture of Speicherstadt (“Warehouse City”), a UNESCO World Heritage-listed district that evokes the city’s rich maritime history. You can also hop aboard a harbor tour to cruise past historic sailing vessels and visit the International Maritime Museum.
The swanky HafenCity district is another highlight of the city, where you’ll find an array of museums (including the sublime Elbphilharmonie concert hall) and a collection of boutique hotels. You can also take a stroll around the city’s gorgeous Alster Lake and explore the vast network of canals that cut through the enchanting streets.
If you’re looking for a family-friendly attraction, head to Miniatur Wunderland, the world’s largest model railway, where you’ll see incredible details that will take your breath away. The city’s U-Bootmuseum is also a great stop for a fascinating look at Germany’s Cold War submarine history.
3. Nuremberg
Nuremberg has seen some of Germany's most momentous history. Its Altstadt (Old Town) is encircled by medieval walls, overseen by the Kaiserburg castle.
One of the most striking sights here is St Sebalduskirche, a church with an ornate exterior that's full of religious sculptures and carvings. Inside, its Medieval glass windows are also a sight to behold.
For a sobering contrast, visit the Nazi rally grounds and Congress Hall, now home to a powerful museum about the regime. You can also tour Courtroom 600, where Nazi ringleaders like Hermann Goring were tried after the war. In the nearby half-timbered Weinstadel, see where Renaissance painter Albrecht Durer lived and worked – it's the only such house remaining in northern Europe. It's the best place to learn about his life and work. If you have kids with you, check out the highly regarded children's museum.
4. Leipzig
The largest city in Saxony, Leipzig is Germany’s most lively cultural hotspot. Here you’ll find the Renaissance Old Town Hall, countless hotspots devoted to the likes of Goethe and Schiller, and the Bach Museum in the former home of composer Robert Schumann. The imposing Battle of the Nations Monument (Volkerschlachtdenkmal) is one of Europe’s largest structures, commemorating allied victory over Napoleonic troops in 1813.
For scenic vistas, head to the hilltop city of Rothenburg, a chocolate-box town whose ancient walls and half-timbered buildings have earned it UNESCO World Heritage status. Nearby Berchtesgaden boasts a stunning mountain landscape and the mighty Bavarian Lake Königssee, where visitors can sail, windsurf or swim among the serene shoreline. Other highlights include the ten-room summer palace Sanssouci, which is often compared to France’s Versailles. Also worth seeing is the world’s biggest model railway at Miniatur Wunderland.
5. Saxon Switzerland
With its copper dome and long yellow walls, Saxon Switzerland’s Sanssouci summer palace is often compared to France’s Versailles. Inside, the ten-room palace boasts lavish furnishings and beautiful artworks. Then, visit its stunning gardens with more than 3,000 fruit trees and greenhouses as well as baroque-style flower beds.
On a day trip from Berlin, visitors should visit the half-timbered houses in Hildesheim. A highlight is Kirchengemeinde St. Jakob, which is adorned with stained-glass windows by Tilman Riemenschneider and tells the story of a heroic mayor who saved his city. Make sure to visit the 14th-century Ratsherrntrinkstube (Councillor’s Tavern). The castle’s tower provides gorgeous vistas over town. Then, take a stroll around the quaint streets of Altstadt (Old Town). Away from the main tourist sites, there are many lovely cafes and bars. The city is also famous for its cheese specialties.
6. Rhine Valley
Though Germany may be best known for its World War II legacy, the country has much more to offer than sand castles and bockwurst. The Rhine Valley is a cultural landscape of ancient towns and spectacular old castles that cling to the banks of this river.
Among the highlights are the vineyard-covered hills of the Middle Rhine region, where you can sample some of Germany’s finest Riesling wines. Other top destinations include the Roman town of Boppard; the legendary rocks of Loreley, where mermaids are said to have lured countless sailors to their deaths; and two-millennium-old Koblenz with its fairy-tale turret castles.
A hop-on, hop-off day pass on a cruise ship is the easiest way to take in the sights, or you can drive along the Black Forest High Road for gorgeous vistas. Meanwhile, the Bavarian city of Nuremberg pays tribute to its own historic past with a medieval Old Town lined with cozy cafes and boisterous beer halls.
7. Frankfurt
Frankfurt gets overshadowed by Berlin and Munich, but this hub of commerce and finance is no slouch. It has Germany’s biggest airport, a massive Autobahn interchange and the country’s busiest train station.
Start your visit on the dizzying Main Tower, which gives you a bird’s-eye view of the city’s skyscrapers and sleek new architecture. The Museumsufer—Frankfurt’s collection of art galleries and museums—is another must-visit attraction.
Kids love Germany’s largest natural history museum, Miniatur Wunderland, where you can see fossils of a triceratops and a cast of Australopithecus afarensis—the 3.2-million-year-old skeleton of a close human ancestor. Other kid-friendly attractions include the Palmengarten, a beautiful botanical garden filled with tropical plants.
8. Weimar
Many people know that Goethe lived in Weimar, but it’s also the birthplace of the Bauhaus university. The original campus has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Take a stroll around and admire the architecture.
Other top attractions in Weimar include the Belvedere castle, which overlooks the city. The Herzogin Anna Amalia Library, established in 1691, is one of the most important collections of books from the Age of Enlightenment and Romanticism in Germany.
If you’re into art, check out the Augustinermuseum and the museum of pre- and early history. And music lovers should visit the Liszt house. Depending on when you are visiting, you can catch a live performance or two. And of course, there are several brewery taverns where you can try out the local beer gem, Kölsch. The city is a great place to go for a laid-back weekend break.
9. Dresden
Dresden is one of Germany’s most gorgeous cities, offering an irresistible combination of Romantic landscape, Baroque architecture and a historic city centre. It’s also a place where modern art and culture meet the past.
The city’s crown jewel is the Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady), whose unusual high dome makes it look like a giant stone bell. Climbing the stairs to the viewing platform offers stunning views over the city and Elbe river.
Another must-see is the Royal Palace in the Inner Old Town. Although it was largely destroyed during WWII, it has been reconstructed and houses the Dresden State Art Collections. Also worth a visit are the Green Vaults (Grunes Gewolbe)—two treasure chamber museums. One focuses on life in the palace as it existed in 1733 while the other focuses on individual objects. Both are part of the Royal Palace admission ticket.
10. Munich
One of Germany’s most exciting cities, Munich showcases a pure zest for life with multi-cultural flair and a jam-packed event calendar. It’s also home to research universities, global companies like BMW and state-of-the-art science museums.
It’s also renowned for its beer and fairy tale castles. You’ll find gallons of the former at the famous Oktoberfest held at Theresienwiese and the latter at Neuschwanstein, a show-stopping palace commissioned by King Ludwig II, which looks so magical that Disney's Sleeping Beauty castle was modelled on it!
Check out the amazing curved basketball court at Olympiaeinkaufzentrum UBahn stop, an interactive piece of public art that you can actually play on (but it leads... nowhere). And don’t miss the chance to visit the world-renowned Museum of Modern Design, which boasts a collection of outstanding industrial design including the first Apple pc and Game Boy.
