Things to Do in Germany

About Germany

Germany greets you with the smell of fresh brotchen from the bakery that opened at 4 AM on Winterfeldtplatz in Berlin, where locals queue for crusty rolls before the U-Bahn fills with commuters clutching their morning coffee in reusable cups. Munich's Marienplatz smells of roasted chestnuts and beer from Augustiner Keller, while Hamburg's Speicherstadt warehouses along the Elbe still carry the ghost-scent of coffee beans that arrived a century ago. The country moves at two speeds: the precision of Deutsche Bahn trains that connect Berlin to Munich in four hours flat, and the deliberate pace of a Frankfurter wirt who won't serve you an apfelwein until you've toasted properly — "Prost" must meet every eye at the table. In Cologne, the Dom cathedral's 700-year-old stones are blackened by coal smoke and time, while across the Rhine, the Kölner Philharmonie fills with music that makes the glass walls vibrate. You'll pay €3.50 ($3.80) for a beer that's been brewed since 1328 at Kloster Andechs monastery brewery, or €14 ($15) for a plate of schweinshaxe at Zum Franziskaner in Munich that feeds two people properly. The trade-off: shops close at 8 PM sharp, and good luck finding anything open on Sunday except beer gardens and train stations. But this is the country that invented the concept of waldeinsamkeit — the feeling of being alone in the forest — and then built paths through the Black Forest so you can experience it yourself. Worth it for the moment you crest a hill above the Rhine and understand why Germans don't just live here, they belong here.

Travel Tips

Transportation: Buy a BahnCard 25 for €62 ($67) if you'll take more than two long-distance trains — it saves 25% on every Deutsche Bahn ticket for a year. Regional trains (RE, RB) cost half the ICE price but take twice as long. The Bayern-Ticket lets five people travel anywhere in Bavaria for €27 ($29) total on regional trains after 9 AM weekdays. Download the DB Navigator app — it shows real-time delays and platform changes 15 minutes before departure. Warning: 'Zug fällt aus' means your train's cancelled, not delayed. Buy tickets on the app to avoid the €18 ($19) counter surcharge.

Money: Germany still runs on cash — bring euros. Many bakeries, beer gardens, and even some restaurants only accept cash. ATMs (Geldautomat) charge €4-6 ($4.30-6.50) for foreign cards; Sparkasse machines typically charge less. Tipping: round up to the nearest euro for small bills, add 10% for restaurants. Don't leave tips on the table — hand it directly to your server when paying. Most places don't accept cards under €10 ($11). Download the EC-Cash app to find nearby ATMs that accept your card type.

Cultural Respect: Don't cross against red lights — locals will scold you and set a bad example for children. In beer gardens, it's acceptable to bring your own food but buy drinks from the establishment. Always greet shopkeepers with 'Grüß Gott' in Bavaria or 'Guten Tag' elsewhere. Keep your voice down on trains and public transport. Sunday is Ruhetag (quiet day) — no lawn mowing, loud music, or shopping. When toasting, maintain eye contact and clink glasses individually with each person. Skip the Nazi salute joke — it's illegal and carries a three-year prison sentence.

Food Safety: Street food is safe but limited — try currywurst at Curry 36 in Berlin or döner kebab at Mustafa's Gemüse Kebap (€4.50/$4.90). Beer is cheaper than water in most restaurants — €3-4 ($3.30-4.30) for 0.5L. Tap water is perfectly safe but restaurants won't serve it free. Bakeries open at 6 AM for fresh pretzels and belegte brote (filled rolls). The cold cuts at breakfast buffets are safe but skip anything that's been sitting warm. Vegetarian options are limited outside major cities — 'vegetarisch' means no meat, but dishes may contain animal stock.

When to Visit

January brings snow to the Bavarian Alps and minus 2°C (28°F) temperatures perfect for skiing in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, while Berlin's Christmas markets have closed but hotel prices drop 30% — expect to pay €80 ($87) for a mid-range room instead of summer's €120 ($130). February's Berlin Film Festival drives prices up 15% but offers celebrity-spotting at Potsdamer Platz. March means Spargelzeit (white asparagus season) begins and temperatures creep to 8°C (46°F) — still coat weather but Munich's beer gardens start setting up outdoor tables. April showers bring May flowers, literally — the Rhine Valley's castles look best against green hills, and temperatures hit 15°C (59°F). Hotel prices stay reasonable until mid-May when they jump 25% for summer season. June through August delivers the Germany you've imagined: 25°C (77°F) beer garden weather, €8 ($8.70) plates of white asparagus, and every festival from Munich's Christopher Street Day to Berlin's open-air concerts. The catch: trains are packed, hotels charge peak rates, and you'll queue 45 minutes for a beer at Augustiner Keller. September might actually be perfect — harvest season in the wine regions, 20°C (68°F) hiking weather in the Black Forest, and Oktoberfest driving Munich hotel prices to €200 ($217) but creating the ultimate beer hall experience. October brings autumn colors and the end of Spargelzeit, with prices dropping 20% after Oktoberfest ends. November's gray and drizzly but Christmas markets open, Glühwein flows for €4 ($4.30) a mug, and hotel rates hit yearly lows. December's magical — snow in Bavaria, 3°C (37°F) in Berlin, and every town square hosts a market where the smell of roasting chestnuts overcomes the coal smoke. Just book early for Christmas week — Germans travel too, and trains book solid.