Europe is not short of popular travel destinations. We all know about the charms of Paris, wonderful architecture in Barcelona, and the gastronomic delights that await visitors to Italy. Newly popular destinations such as Tallinn in Estonia, and Montenegro’s Kotar are gaining in visitor numbers every year (excepting the obvious lull in 2020, anyway). However, right in the heart of Europe, there is a location that gets less attention but is bursting with attractions for the tourist. If you haven’t visited it before, maybe now is a good time to consider Germany.
It’s not that Germany isn’t a popular spot with vacationers. It has been described as Europe’s top cultural travel destination, with Munich and Berlin perhaps the two most obvious places to visit. Still, reputationally it seems to take a back seat to other established countries such as France and Italy, so as a start to putting that right, let’s look at some reasons why a holiday to Germany is not going to be a wasted trip.
It has stunning architecture wherever you go
Although a reputation for efficiency may leave you expecting unlovely brutalist buildings when you visit Germany, there are countless stunning examples of architecture to find. Cologne and Aachen have some of the most impressive cathedrals anywhere in Europe, while Bremen’s Marketplatz is like something out of a fantasy novel, with the old Town Hall as its centerpiece. If you’re after something more modern, Stuttgart is home to the Le Corbusier-designed Weissenhof Estate, which marries color to practicality in a pleasing way.
It’s a very tourist-friendly place
Perhaps because of the buzz around other nations, which is largely absent from talk of Germany, there is a tendency for residents of the bigger cities to be more welcoming than you might find in Paris or London. German is one of the easier languages to learn for an Anglophone, but even if your Deutsch isn’t sehr gut you’ll find people keen to help out. You might even find yourself inclined to check out online flower delivery to Berlin once you’re back home, as you’ll want to register your thanks for the friendly assistance you’re sure to get everywhere from your hotel to the street food trucks that line the capital.
About those street foods…
Germany is a true delight for people who appreciate hot, filling food that tastes great. In Berlin, you’ll find a Bratwurst stand every time you turn a corner - think hot dogs but with better-quality meat. If you’re more of a meat-free gastronome, then the popular potato pancake known as Kartoffelpuffer is a perfect hot snack (which you may see listed as Reibekuchen on menus). German gastronomy is often less intricate than what you’ll find in France or Italy, but it doesn’t lack for taste or satisfaction. Also, famously, the city of Munich hosts Oktoberfest yearly (in October, as you may have guessed), which is the world’s largest beer festival.
A visit to this country is always worthwhile - the nation’s Christmas markets, also, are some of the best-known worldwide and add a touch of modest beauty to each town - and while it might be other countries that get the name recognition, there’s a lot to love in Germany.
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