Germany

There's quite a bit of everything in Germany. Fairy tale castles coexist with brutalist architecture and painfully haunting, concentration camps. Unforgettable landscapes, caressed by the Rhine for most part, will entice you away from the eclectic art, music and street scene. Beer drinkers may find their Mecca, but wine lovers will go home starry eyed as well. Like they say “Wilkommen auf Deutschland”, anything’s possible here!

Not to be missed

Walking Trails
Bad Schandau
Nestled by the River Elbe in the Saxony region of Germany, Bad Schandau, with its inviting terrains and picturesque trails will offering you treats at almost every turn.
Nestled by the River Elbe in the Saxony region of Germany, Bad Schandau, with its inviting terrains and picturesque trails will offer you treats at almost every turn. Extensive cross-country trails or simple pathways, Bad Schandau has something for every one. Each trail has its own tracker symbol. A map with the markings will keep you good company through your hikes.
Sketch your way through The Painter’s trail - a 14 km stretch across the countryside. Stop by at vantage points, where Caspar David Friedrich sketched, painted and noted down the scenic overload for posterity. Follow the sun as it manipulates the sundials strewn all over Krippen in the Sundial trail.
Pawprints paved on stones will delight the naturalist in you as you try to get up close with the shy cat, the Lynx. The trail leads you through the town centre, into the National Park and finally to the Lynx enclosure.
Bad Schandau proudly flaunts the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, bordering Saxony and the Czech Republic. The sandstone façade carved by erosion, allows the Elbe to brave its way through it. If you are game for serious hiking and climbing, the mountains are all yours to explore. Feast your eyes on bizarre rock formations and stunning views.
As a last word, do not forget to give those sore muscles a thorough pampering at Bad Schandau’s famed salt spas!
Oktoberfest
Munich
Beer is the word. Not by the mug, but by the litre. Get your lederhosen and Dirndl, and head to Munich for the ultimate intoxication!
6 million visitors and counting. 16 days. 7 million litres of beer. Beer tents, the size of football fields. Industrial kitchens that can cook close to 800 chickens at a time. And waitresses who master the art of ‘handle hugging’ to carry almost 12 mugs of beer at once. Now that’s what you call a party. Hic!
The Oktoberfest is officially open when the mayor declares “O’ Zapft is”! - “It’s tapped”. The taps on the beer barrels simply don’t close for the next 16 days. Light or dark, sweet or bitter, strong or mild, there’s something for everyone at the fest, ranging from the mild Pils to the strong Lowenbrau, with Paulaner, Augustiner and Hofbrau in between.
Dress up in the traditional Lederhosen and Dirndl. Pick a tent that suits you best. And drown yourself in Bavarian beer, pulsating music, adrenalin pumping rides and a mad hatter spirit. With great beer comes greater food. Dig into Weisswurst, Bratwurst, several kinds of fish and the unanimous favourite - the Schweinshaxe mit Sauerkraut.
Oktoberfest is a sea of humanity at its sober best and drunken worst. It is the place to lose yourself and simply become a drop in the ocean, profoundly put!

Must Dos

Rejuvenate body, mind and soul at some of the most sophisticated spas on the planet; Germany specializes in them.
Live like a Berliner and hit one of the city’s iconic beer gardens.
Be part of Berlin’s frenetic clubbing scene. Their locations (mostly in old buildings or factories) make for powerfully evocative memories.
Take a street art tour by electric bike in Berlin.
Walk along the East Side Gallery, the longest standing stretch of the Berlin Wall, now a showcase of art.
Bring back an Ostalgie souvenir (Ostalgie – yearning for the old East Germany).
Don’t miss the afternoon kaffee und kuchen (coffee and cake). Better still enjoy it at Europe’s second oldest cafe - Coffe Baum in Leipzig.
Sip on piping hot wine and browse through the Christmas markets or ‘Weihnachtsmarkts’.
Watch the giant cuckoo peek out and call the hour at Triberg, Schwarzwald.
Savour the amazing Rieslings and Chardonnays of South Germany.
Come face to face with Lorelei, the narrowest point on the Rhine, shrouded with legends of the mermaid whose songs caused many a sailor to crash his ship.
Take in historic Cologne, (home of “Eau de Cologne”) and round it off with a trip to the Chocolate Museum.

For 225 mi, from the river Main to the German Alps, there exists an almost fairy tale land of half timbered fachwerk houses, arched gateways, cobblestoned villages and the walled towns of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Dinkelsbühl and Nördlingen. Welcome to the Romantic Route, Bavaria’s number 1 attraction. En route are some of Germany’s most famous castles and baroque palaces. Starting at historic Würzburg, the route goes all the way to the foot of the Alps at Neuschwanstein. The landscape is just as varied, changing from placid fields and river valleys to dramatic mountain vistas.

The seat of the prince-bishops of Würzburg, the palace is known for its brilliant zigzagging Treppenhaus (Staircase) topped by the world’s biggest ceiling fresco, painted by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Held at The Church of St. Thomas, this festival pays tribute to the greatest of Baroque composers. The green vistas of Leipzig and surroundings only add to the magic. The list extends to techno, rock, heavy metal et al, at festivals like the Fusion festival (June), Melt, Rock am Ring (June, July) and the Wacken Open Air festival (August).

Set up to house political opponents of Hitler, the Dachau camp witnessed the interring of over 2,00,000 prisoners, of which nearly 42,000 were killed. It was also a school for the SS men to be trained in violence. See the living quarters, read the stories and follow the ‘Path of the Prisoners’, the route by which the victims came to the concentration camp.

Another testament to the brutality of the Third Reich, this camp outside Berlin was designed to be the prototype for other camps. Apart from the heart wrenching stories of torture, death, starvation and illness, Sachsenhausen was also the site of the Nazi’s infamous currency counterfeiting operation. Jewish artisans and printers were forced to print fake British and American notes.

The biggest women’s camp set up by Himmler, the Ravensbrück story was largely forgotten in the aftermath of the war. Recent decades have seen noble efforts to resurrect stories of these brave women, many of whom were non-Jews. Of the 1,30,000 that passed through these gates, only 15,000 survived till the end. Ironically, the camp is situated on the shores of a lake, in seemingly placid environs.

One of the largest Nazi camps in the Third Reich, it housed religious and political prisoners, Roma and Sinti, Freemasons, Jehovah's Witnesses and prisoners of war as well. It is infamous for its notorious commandant Karl Otto Koch and his gruesome wife Ilse. Buchenwald was also the place where inmates were literally worked to death.

One of the most unique landscapes in Europe, the Saxon Switzerland National Park borders Saxony (Germany) and the Czech Republic. Here the sandstone façade carved by erosion, allows the Elbe to brave its way through it. Feast your eyes on bizarre rock formations, table mountains, sandstone cliffs, deep valleys and gorges. Catch glimpses of wildlife such as the Eagle Owl, Fat Dormouse and the Lynx. Walking, hiking and climbing are all possible, with well marked trails.

The tightly packed canopy of trees gives this mythical forest its world famous name. The inspiration for fairy tales, the Black Forest National Park serves up pristine coniferous forests, moors, valleys, clear lakes and quiet meadows dotted with the odd cottage or two. Locals claim that hiking was invented here, so get moving. The area has many picturesque small towns including the University town of Frieburg, the base for most Schwarzwald attractions and tours. A quick hop to the spa town of Baden-Baden (Switzerland), should round things off nicely. And yes, eat the local pastry.

The Rhine River is an intrinsic part of the German soul. The 67 km valley is a UNESCO World Heritage site, with more than 40 ancient castles and ruins; built by patrons who ranged from petty nobles to robber barons! Take a cruise - inarguably the best way to appreciate this mesmerising landscape. The popular KD line runs boats in both directions. Float past charming towns and castles, the best being the run between Bacharach to St. Goar. The climax is the narrowest point – the Lorelei rock, where the enticing mermaid Lorelei, supposedly lured sailors to their doom. Hop off when you like for exploring, lunch or ein bier. And get back on the next passing boat. Take your time; it’s not called the ‘Romantic Rhine’ for nothing.

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