| Mini guide to Germany
As a tourist destination, Germany has a fine
heritage, fairy tale castles in Bavaria, quaint
towns along the great Rhine river, beerfests in
Munich and modern attractions in Berlin.
Berlin has an interesting character, having been
rebuilt and divided for most of the last five
decades. The imposing 18th century Brandenburg Gate
takes centre stage since the much hated wall was
torn down –only the Checkpoint Charlie museum
remains in its place. The rebuilt Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtnis-Kirche,
and St Matthäikirche, Kulturforum, Berliner
Philharmonie are the chief attractions, along with
some world class museums and galleries in this
otherwise modern city.
Frankfurt is very much a working city, and also a
transport hub for Europe. Its main attractions being
the Städel Museum and the Museum of Modern Art.
Munich is lovely, situated in the hilly south.
Marienplatz is full of pavement cafes, while the
spikes and turrets of the 19th-century neo-Gothic
Neues Rathaus, and the Altes Rathaus (c1474), face
the square. The palatial Residenz looms over the
northern aspect of Max-Joseph-Platz. The Deutsches
Museum is cutting edge in some sections,
alternatively the English garden is famous for its
public nude sunbathing.
Weimar is the epicentre of the country's ‘Age of
Enlightenment’ , attracting scholars of the Bauhaus
movement.
By car you can explore Bavaria, Lübeck, Potsdam,
Tübingen, the Rhine Valley and North Frisian
Islands. |