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.

Social life

No special rules apply in German social situations and much of the formality often associated with German social interaction is in the past. Western practice is generally a reasonable guide. Punctuality, though, is often marked as a key trait.

Most young and middle-aged people – with the probable exception of some in eastern states – will speak some English and younger people will usually have a facility for English conversation.

Bars & clubs

Travellers seeking information about live music venues can always start at the tourist information office, bulletin boards at hostel receptions and cafes.  The internet is a good resource for tips on live action and notes might be posted on tourist office sites. Clubs almost always run their own sites, as do some bars – Dresden’s Groove Station runs a forward calendar of live acts and even carries an audio sample of the act playing on each date.

Overall, music clubs in Germany conform to acknowledged Western practice but the German scene is notably strong in alternative rock and jazz. Hamburg has an especially lively pub rock scene, while Berlin is strong in bars with a range of jazz styles.  At what could be classed as live pubs there is sometimes a head charge for performances, though this can vary even at the same venue. For some performers a venue might levy €10 at the door but admit free for other acts. There are plenty of dance clubs in big cities, but trance clubs seem fewer, although big rave and trance events take place periodically. Clubs will usually close around breakfast time, but bars tend to close by 1.00 or 2.00.

Expect to pay at the door – exclusive nightclubs charge higher – and drinks could be at a premium. A €4 beer could be as much as 100% dearer at a club, but even higher prices are not unusual. Early admission (before 22.00 or 23.00) can be cheaper at some clubs. 

Admission policies, queues and altercations with door staff are also part of nightlife in Germany – in Berlin famously so. Web forums are often helpful in chasing up the scenes travellers are looking for and there is plenty of chat going on in English. The best advice is to check the club’s website for dress codes and any other restrictions. Some clubs will not allow photos to be taken, which has led to confrontations with staff.

The term Kneipe is conventionally applied to pubs, tavern or saloons – places associated with beer – but the term can also be used by music venues or other bars.  British or Irish-style pubs have appeared in numbers in the past 20 years. The German tradition of the Kneipe is especially associated with Berlin, where smoking was normal, though it’s best not to light up unless the word 'Raucher' appears at the door (the term ‘Nichtraucher’ means prohibition). The Bierstube, Wirtshaus, Lokal and Weinstube are similar to the Kneipe, although exclusive definitions seem impossible. What is certainly common is alcohol and conversation.

There is a vibrant gay and lesbian club scene, especially in Berlin, where some of the goings-on are reputedly outrageous. Some clubs will focus on gay events some nights and not others. Otherwise, there is a fondness for 80s nights in some quarters, along with over-30s patronage.

Cafes

Outside busy rail stations and shopping centres, these are for daytime socialising, usually being open before noon (many serve light or full breakfasts) and until late afternoon or early evening. Cake or pastry is common fare (light meals or sandwiches are often also available) but for the full experience of German sweet baking the sign to look for is ‘Konditorei’. For a fully European icecream experience seek out an Eiscafe.

Tips are appreciated, especially after the second cup of coffee.