The most beautiful cities in Germany

Germany’s most beautiful cities and towns stand among the best places to visit in the European Union. They span almost the full range of European variety.

• There are cities with Roman origins and remains such as Trier, Cologne, Regensburg and Mainz.
• Medieval cities such as Nuremberg, Erfurt, Bamberg and Worms and the half-timbered Harz region towns of Goslar, Quedlinburg and Wernigerode.
• Renaissance showpiece cities such as Lübeck, Augsburg or Bremen.
• Cities with Baroque survivals, including Dresden, Heidelberg or Passau.
• Plenty of German cities have beautiful palaces on their streets or nearby, like Potsdam, Munich, Stuttgart, Würzburg and Weimar.
• The great cathedrals such as Cologne, Regensburg, Bamberg, Mainz, Erfurt, Worms, with countless other churches, sometimes in Romanesque but more commonly in the Gothic style. The münster of Ulm has the tallest spire of them all.
• Museums of culture and art among world’s best, including Deutsches Museum, Deutsches Nationalmuseum, Alte Pinakothek and the Pergamonmuseum.

All these places can be reached by train and bus (Quedlinburg is on a branch line). All offer a range of hotels, hostels, guest houses and other types of accommodation. All are very walkable and, like most German towns and cities, are really best seen on foot. But trams and buses help get people to and from hotels or attractions and for the bigger centres, Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, Stuttgart, Düsseldorf and Nuremberg, there are fast regular options in the form of S-bahn and U-bahn trains and light-rail transport.

Health & medical care

Always carry emergency contact information for your next-of-kin, as well as a list of medications, allergies and any illnesses.

Tap water is considered safe for drinking throughout Germany. Pay toilets are a common feature in public areas including rail stations. It is best to retain a stock of small coins to cover the cost at turnstile or door slot, which is generally in the range of 50-80 euro cents, but can be €1 for the toilets supplied at rail stations or some automated street facilities.

The following section is for information only and the content is researched from publicly available German sources. It is not a specialist medical text. Travellers with any concerns should always consult doctors.

COVID-19 in Germany

Germany is considered strong in its response to the coronavirus crisis. In April 2020, during the COVID-19 surge, London Deep Knowledge Group, a consortium of commercial and non-profit data research and technology organisations ranked Germany the safest and most stable country in Europe and the second safest in the world for its crisis management. Visitors should check travel advice with their home country’s embassy, wash or sanitise hands thoroughly frequently and observe physical distancing.

For current daily situation reports by Robert Koch Institut, Germany’s public health agency, check the website.

Rules & recommendations: In 2023, travellers arriving in Germany did not need to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or recent recovery. The EU has eased mask rules on flights but airlines may impose their own rules.

The general advice to travellers visiting Germany is to get fully vaccinated and boosted and carry recognised proof. A FFP2/N95 face mask can be useful, especially for travel on public transport.

During outbreaks, holders of an EU Digital COVID Certificate, which shows vaccination, recovery or a negative test, are allowed to travel freely within the EU or Schengen zone without the need for extra tests or quarantine. EU countries accept vaccination certificates for 270 days following the the last dose of the primary vaccination.

More than 30 non-EU countries and territories are affiliated with the EU Digital COVID Certificate and their local certificates are accepted as equivalents. These include European EU associates such as Iceland, Norway and Switzerland, the UK, Israel, Malaysia, New Zealand and Singapore.

This certificate (also known as a digital green certificate) is the preferred proof but comparable documents of vaccination in German, English, French, Italian or Spanish are accepted. WHO vaccination yellow booklets are accepted.

To confirm current German entry rules, check the COVID-19 rules page of the foreign ministry website. For background information, visit the non-official ETIAS news page. 

In May 2023, about 77% of German residents had been vaccinated and almost 63% had received a booster vaccination.

Getting symptoms: If travellers develop possible COVID-19 symptoms such as coughing, a runny nose, sore throat or fever, they should restrict their movement and call a doctor or the 116 117 health hotline. Self-isolation is recommended for at least five days.

COVID-19 tests: Rapid antigen COVID-19 tests are available at testing centres, but come at a charge. For travellers, this is commonly €14.90. It may be easier to carry kits for self-testing. PCR tests are free for anyone showing positive in a rapid test, but otherwise can cost €50 or more. Positive results of PCR tests or rapid tests taken under medical supervision should be reported to the German medical assistance hotline, 116 117, or local health authorities.

COVID-19 apps: The official German Corona-Warn-App can be downloaded at the Google Play (Android 6.0 and up) or App Store (most iPhones) and is the only way of getting a full report about official PCR test results. A QR code procedure verifies positive test results, but does not replace the report letter or information from the laboratory, test centre or doctor. Corona-Warn-app users who receive a red warning status notice, showing an increased risk of infection, should contact the 116 117 hotline or local health authorities.

The CovPass app (available at the App Store or Google Play) can store vaccination proof on a smartphone by scanning the QR code.

Insurance

Health insurance – or travel insurance with extensive emergency health coverage – is advisable for all travellers, especially those planning outdoor excursions, climbing or hiking. At hospitals and clinics, free or lower-cost medical care should be available to EU citizens who hold a European Health Insurance Card. Although up-front payment might be demanded of British citizens, costs can be claimed through the NHS.

Other visitors must rely on their own insurance, but in all cases receipts for treatment costs must be produced. It is advisable for non-EU citizens to carry private or national health insurance cards that could be produced as needed, as well as proof of travel insurance.

Other vaccinations

Normal vaccinations for preventable diseases, including hepatitis B, are advisable and should take place at least a month before travel – check with your doctor. The risk of hepatitis A is considered low by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Otherwise there are no particular inoculations required, although up-to-date COVID-19 vaccination is advised. Vaccination for travellers considering grassland or woodland activities is possible against the rare tick-borne disease TBE (see Dangers & poisons below).

So-called German measles, also known as rubella or three-day measles, is not particularly associated with Germany – it was first described by a German physician in the 18th century. According to official figures, only 73 cases of measles were reported in Germany in 2020.

Marburg virus, which has as a symptom a serious haemorrhagic fever, was diagnosed in Marburg and Frankfurt in the 1960s after an industrial accident. Outbreaks since have been in Africa and the former Soviet Union.

Pharmacies

The Apotheke (look for the large red letter ‘A’ symbol, often signposted in big cities) can offer assistance for many minor ailments. Locations of pharmacies in central areas of destinations detailed by Raven Guides can be found in the Quick Guide section for each, along with opening hours (in most cases details of a central pharmacy with long opening hours is provided).

If you need medications, bring them with you. Foreign prescriptions are not accepted by German pharmacies. See also Restricted medications below. Visitors who buy medications prescribed by German doctors will pay the full cost.

A 24-hour service (Apotheken Notdienst) operates in cities and the duty pharmacy roster is displayed in pharmacy windows and online at apotheken.de – select the 'Gesundheitsportal’ and under Apotheken und Notdienste finden', type the placename into the search field 'PLZ/Ort' and select ‘Notdienste’. Names, location map (with pins) and telephone numbers will appear. The aponet.de site also allows a search by location, or call 0800 0022833 (landline) or 22833 (mobile).

At duty locations, ring the doorbell for service, which can take place at a security window. There may be a small extra charge for this. Some hospitals have onsite pharmacies.

Painkillers

What are considered basic analgesics in many countries, such as paracetamol and ibuprofen, cannot be purchased in painkilling concentrations in German pharmacies without a prescription. Codeine also requires a prescription.

Such substances can be imported for personal use (but see Restricted medications below and the Customs rules section). Pharmacists will be able to advise on alternatives, but users of such medications should obtain prescriptions at home (strictly there is no guarantee a pharmacist would supply from a prescription made out abroad), carry a letter from a doctor stating need and consult their usual medical practitioners about medicinal options before travelling. Aspirin does not require prescription but can only be bought at a pharmacy.

Emergency care

German health care is of the first order and waiting times for treatment are usually short.  Large hotels and hostels will have provision for getting rapid medical assistance. For acute cases the emergency number (tel 112) should be used.    

Outpatient or casualty department (Notaufnahme) care is available at large hospitals or university clinics, where English will be widely spoken. For a hospital (Krankenhaus), search 'Krankenhaeuser' online or look under Krankenhäuser in the telephone book. Having health or travel insurance paperwork to hand makes the admission process easier but payment in cash is likely to be expected – credit cards are not generally accepted by doctors or hospitals. Contact details for hospitals with casualty departments are listed for each Raven Guides destination in the Quick Guide section.

The duty doctor (Ärtzlicher Notdienst) – for non-serious conditions – is an out-of-hours service using on-call local doctors (search 'Aertzlicher Notdienst' with location for an individual contact or local phone number). The Ärztlicher Bereitschaftsdienst is an on-call service using a national number (tel 116 117) that will provide ready access to a local duty doctor. When calling the following information must be to hand: name, present address, city and postcode, symptoms and age of patient and whether there are patient allergies or a pacemaker. Relevant insurance details will also be required. Whether a person could accompany the patient to a clinic will also be asked but a doctor's visit is also possible.

To find a local doctor (Arzt) during normal working hours, look under the plural Ärzte in the telephone book or search 'Aerzte' with the location online. Appointments are usually necessary during most local doctors' hours (generally M-Tu & Th-F 8-13, 15-18, W 8-13 – most doctors do not consult on Wednesday afternoons).

To search in English for local or specialist doctors, go to med-kolleg.de.

Ambulance

Calls to the free common emergency number 112 will reach the ambulance (usually described as Notarzt, but sometimes Krankenwagen). This should be the first response for apparently serious medical cases. Nearest emergency phones along motorways are indicated by arrow signs at the roadside.

Dental care

German dental care is high-quality but expensive. Your health or travel insurance coverage should be in good order. A dentist (Zahnarzt) is not hard to find for emergency work – consult a telephone book under 'Zahnärzte' or ask at a pharmacy – but if complicated work is contemplated it’s best to get a written estimate (Kostenplan) to submit to the insurer first. Dentists, like doctors, need to know about existing medical conditions, allergies and current medications.

In emergency cases search 'Zahnaerztlicher Notdienst' and the location.

Dangers & poisons

The only likely danger is the possibility of tick (Zecke) bite around some small towns, grasslands or woodlands in the southern parts of Germany, usually between April and October and more especially during wet summers. Ticks can pass unnoticed from grasses and shrubs to hidden or moist parts of the body to bite and feed. Some insect repellents are effective against the tick. Best prevention is by wearing light-coloured clothing (making ticks easier to spot) and the precaution of tucking trousers into socks and shirt into trousers. Hats are also worthwhile. Rolling in grasses is a risk. After visits to risk areas clothing and body should be examined for ticks.

If found biting, ticks should be removed with tweezers or pulled out directly and the bite area disinfected. Ticks can carry the serious bacterial infection Lyme disease or borreliosis (with a circular reddish blotch or rash around the bite after several days with fever symptoms, headache or a stiff neck) or early summer meningoencephalitis (also known as TBE, bringing flu-like symptoms). It is best to visit a doctor or emergency department for a blood test and possible antibiotic treatment.

The emergency poison national help line is tel 19240 (dial the local area prefix first).

Restricted medications

Travellers carrying medications for personal use should only carry what is needed for their proposed stay. Supplies for up to three months will not usually be a problem. Under the Schengen Agreement for European countries patients need to carry certification for classes of drugs or psychotropic substances, so travellers relying on certain medicines should check with their medical practitioners in advance.

Prohibitions apply to certain sports-enhancing drugs and counterfeit medications. Prohibitions may apply to certain high-dose vitamins, naturopathic plants or medications containing melatonin, sometimes prescribed for treating sleep disorders. See the medicines page of the German Customs website  for more information.

Medications containing morphine, methadone, buprenorphine and codeine are covered by German narcotics legislation and should not be imported without certification of need from a medical practitioner and proof of prescription, along with details of dosages. They will generally be admitted in the quantities necessary for a specified stay in Germany if properly labelled. Restrictions on paracetamol, and on ibuprofen in dosages above 400mg per tablet, mean prescriptions will be necessary (see above).