About the author: David Angel is a British photographer, writer and historian with 30+years experience exploring Europe. His work regularly appears in global media including the BBC, Condé Nast Traveler, and The Guardian.
Welcome to my guide to the best places to visit in Germany, drawn from a great many visits to the country going back four decades.
Germany is an astounding country, one I can never let go of and which will never let go of me either. Its cultural wealth never ceases to surprise me.
It has everything from the chocolate box villages of the Black Forest and Rhineland to the cutting edge of Berlin. And then there are its landscapes, from the lush Mosel to the snowy beauty of the Bavarian Alps in the far south.
I’ve been extraordinarily fortunate to have been visiting Germany for 40 years, including many visits to my best friend from my university days who is from Hamburg.
We have also made numerous trips across the border from our base in Prague over the last few years.
So I hope you enjoy my guide to the best places to visit in Germany and that it gives you lots of inspiration.
Best Places To Visit In Germany: Our Top 25 Picks
1. Berlin
Germany’s capital Berlin is one of the great cities of Europe. It’s gritty rather than pretty, a large urban sprawl that once spanned East and West. The former Prussian capital has a few grand buildings and landmarks like the iconic Brandenburg Gate, but above all Berlin was shaped by the 20th century and two of its three main conflicts.
The result is one of the most compelling cities in Europe, indeed the planet. It’s bursting with creativity, with flourishing arts, outstanding museums, and nightlife. You’ll also discover superb architecture, from the Jewish Museum to its World Heritage-listed Modernist housing estates.
Above all, it’s one of the best places in Europe to visit for anyone with an interest in 20th-century history and the Cold War. The Berlin Wall is the obvious place to begin, but several excellent museums also show what life was like for the millions living behind it.
Berlin is also one of the best places in the world to enjoy Turkish food! We often stick to Turkish food there, as it’s some of the best we have eaten outside Turkey.
Don’t miss – Brandenburg Gate, Berlin Wall and East Side Gallery, Museum Island, Holocaust Memorial, the Reichstag, The Topography of Terror, the Jewish Museum, Checkpoint Charlie Museum, DDR Museum, the Stasi Museum, the Berlin Spy Museum
Nice to see – Kulturforum, East Side Gallery, Schloss Charlottenburg, Berliner Dom, Glienicke Bridge (Bridge of Spies), Gendarmenmarkt, The Topography of Terror, Hohenschönhausen Memorial, Olympiastadion
Best neighbourhoods to explore – Prenzlauer Berg, Friedrichshain, Kreuzberg, Tiergarten
How many days – 3-4 days minimum
Best day trip – Potsdam, Havelland, Spreewald and Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp
See also: Berlin Landmarks and Photographing Berlin
2. Neuschwanstein Castle and Füssen
The fairytale Neuschwanstein Castle is one of the most recognisable symbols of Germany. ‘Mad’ (extravagant is a much kinder word) King Ludwig decided to build the Castle in 1869 in the foothills of the Alps. It was an enormous undertaking which, sadly, wasn’t completed when he died in 1886.
Unsurprisingly it’s on many people’s Germany bucket list. It’s one of the most lavish historicist (medieval influenced) castles of the 19th century, and its location surrounded by forests and mountains is nothing short of astounding.
Don’t Miss: The interior, which can only be visited on a guided tour.
Nice to see: Nearby Hohenschwangau Castle and the pretty town of Füssen
Good to know: Unfortunately they don’t let you take photos inside.
How Many Days: One
Day trips: Oberammergau village
3. Potsdam
Potsdam is the most popular day trip from Berlin, an easy one-hour trip on the S7 train from the centre. The small city is the former Prussian royal seat, and its World Heritage-listed Baroque parks, gardens, and palaces are spread out over a large area.
The city centre is also full of stunning buildings, from a mosque-inspired pumping station to one of Karl Friedrich Schinkel’s finest churches. You could comfortably visit Potsdam’s main attraction, spectacular Sanssouci Park, in a day. But you may find yourself wishing you had a little longer.
Don’t Miss: Sans Souci Park and Palace, including Neues Palais and Chinese House; Nikolaikirche; Dutch Quarter; Brandenburg Gate; Schloss Cecilienhof
Nice to see: Museum Barberini, Alexandrowka Russian Colony, Filmmuseum Babelsberg, Lindenstrasse Memorial, and the ‘Mosque’ Pumping Station
How Much Time Do You Need: Most visitors only spare one day, but you could easily spend three days in Potsdam.
Best time to visit Potsdam: You can visit Potsdam throughout the year. We’ve been in May and October, both of which were ideal.
4. Munich
The Bavarian capital Munich is one of Europe’s great cities, and one of the more traditional of the major German cities. It’s a city with many layers of history to uncover. The Wittelsbachs ruled the city and Bavaria for 800 years, leaving a vast legacy from Gothic churches to the Rococo Residenz Palace. Many of the main sights are within a short walk of the Marienplatz.
Munich is also the city of the Oktoberfest beer festival, with traditional lederhosen costumes and all. At the other end of the scale, it’s a technical powerhouse, as the Deutsches Museum and BMW Museum demonstrate.
Munich makes an outstanding base for day trips across Bavaria and into Austria.
Don’t Miss – Marienplatz, the view from St Peter’s Church Tower; The Residenz, Hofbräuhaus; Oktoberfest; English Garden; Frauenkirche; Deutsches Museum; Nymphenburg Palace
Nice to see – BMW Museum, Olympic Stadium, Tower and Park; Lake Starnburg; Bavarian State Opera; White Rose Memorial; Teddy Bear Museum; Glockenspiel; Museum for Unusual Collections.
How many days – a few days and use it as a base to see some of the most beautiful places in Southern Germany.
Best day trips – Dachau Concentration Camp, Landshut, Fussen, Nuremberg, Lake Eibsee, Salzburg, Regensburg, Augsburg
5. Rothenburg ob Der Tauber and the Romantic Road
For many visitors, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, in northern Bavaria, IS Germany. The Plönlein, the junction of two medieval streets with a crooked yellow house, shouts,’’ GERMANY’’ louder than any other image of the country, so it’s top of many people’s lists of places to visit in Germany.
Much of Rothenburg is like this, full of fairytale medieval architecture, with half-timbered houses, fortified town walls, brick-gabled townhouses, essentially the whole works.
Rothenburg is one of the main stops on the Romantic Road, which runs north to south from Nuremberg to the Alps. It passes through many more small historic towns and villages, including Dinkelsbühl, an hour to the south.
Don’t Miss – Plönlein, Town Wall Walk, Town Hall Tower, Marktplatz, Night Watch Man Tour, Jakobskirche
Nice to see – Double Bridge, German Christmas Museum, Middle Ages Criminal Museum
How many days – Two
Best day trips – Nuremberg, Schwäbisch Hall, Würzburg, Dinkelsbühl
6. Dresden
Dresden is one of Germany’s culturally richest and architecturally most beautiful cities. Its skyline of Baroque towers and spires was long considered one of the finest in Europe, and it held some of the outstanding art collections on the continent.
In February 1945 the city was destroyed by an intensive Allied bombing raid and ensuing firestorm. Everything was painstakingly rebuilt, culminating in the completion of the iconic Frauenkirche church in 2005.
Dresden is a little off the beaten path for English-speaking tourists, but one of the most rewarding cities in Germany to visit. There are a whole host of places to visit nearby, in eastern Saxony and around the Czech border, so it’s somewhere you could easily linger for a while.
Don’t Miss – all the main Dresden landmarks, including the Frauenkirche, Zwinger Palace and Old Masters Gallery, Residenzschloss, Albertinum Gallery, Brühlsche Terrasse, Grünes Gewolbe, and a paddle steamer trip from the old town to Pillnitz Palace And climb the tower of the Kreuzkirche, another of the Baroque churches in Dresden, for exceptional views of the city.
Nice to see – The Grosser Garten, Schloss Moritzburg, Military History Museum, German Hygiene Museum, Neustadt, Dresden Zoo, and a show at Semperoper one of Germany’s most famous opera houses. The Stasi Museum Dresden is also one of the best in the former East Germany. And if you have time, take an hour or three to explore the suburb of Loschwitz, once the most expensive in Europe.
How many days – three days is enough to see the city – you’ll need more time to see the attractions nearby.
Best day trips – Pirna (don’t miss the DDR museum), Meissen, Radebeul, Bautzen, Bad Schandau, the Bastei Bridge, Saxon Switzerland, Leipzig, Chemnitz, Freiberg. You can also get to Prague in 2 ½ hours by bus or train.
See Also: One Day In Dresden – the Ultimate Itinerary
7. Cologne (Köln)
Cologne is one of the ‘big four’ cities of Germany (along with Berlin, Munich and Hamburg). It’s on the doorstep of the Ruhr industrial area but has long been a city with a strong reputation in the arts and media.
The city is over 2,000 years old and was an important Roman centre second only to Trier. It’s best known for its astonishing Gothic cathedral, which took over 600 years to build, and has twelve superb Romanesque churches, all of which precede it.
Cologne is also home to one of the best Christmas markets in Germany, and the best Lent Carnival celebrations in the country. The city lets its hair down on Rosenmontag, the Monday before Ash Wednesday, and the beginning of Lent, with a parade through the centre.
Don’t Miss Cologne Cathedral and the Shrine of the Three Kings; Gross St Martin Church; Römisch-Germanisches Museum; St Gereon’s Church; Köln-Triangle Panorama; Kolumba Museum
Nice To See: St Ursula’s Church and the other Romanesque churches in the city; Schnütgen Museum; Käthe-Kollwitz Museum; Museum Ludwig
How Many Days – two to three days ideally
Best Day Trips – Bonn, Düsseldorf, Brühl, Aachen, Monschau
8. Rhine Valley
The Upper Middle Rhine Valley, between Rüdesheim and Koblenz, is one of Europe’s most famous and beautiful landscapes. For 40 miles (65 km) the Rhine winds its way through a steep-sided gorge. Medieval half-timbered villages, forests, hilltop castles and vertiginous vineyards complete the scene.
A few myths and legends along the way helped it become one of the focal points of the early 19th century Romantic Revival, its castles restored, making the Rhine Gorge one of the most popular early European tourist destinations.
Sit back with a glass of local Riesling and take a boat cruise along the river, or perhaps hike to some of the amazing viewpoints in the hills above.
Don’t Miss – Rüdesheim, Bacharach, Boppard, Oberwesel, Braubach, and Marksburg Castle; St Goar, the Loreley Cliff, and Rheinfels Castle; Pfalzgrafenstein Castle; at least one Rhine River cruise and plenty of local wine.
Nice to see – Kaub, Koblenz, Bingen, Lahnstein and the ‘Feuding Brothers’ Castles near Kamp-Bornhofen
How many days – 3 or 4 minimum – a week if you want to take things slowly
Best day trips – Cologne, Limburg an der Lahn
9. Mosel Valley
The Mosel Valley isn’t as renowned as its neighbour the Rhine, but it’s a beautiful part of Germany and every bit as worthy of your time.
It has many similar elements to the Rhine Valley. There are many small half-timbered villages, most surrounded by steep vineyards and overlooked by a ruined medieval castle. Yet the landscape is more open and spacious than the Rhine Gorge, with breathtaking views at every bend of the river.
The Mosel is a wonderful place to slow down, with great walks, easy riverside cycling, and scenic boat trips. If you take time to enjoy the excellent wine, you could easily spend a couple of weeks there.
Don’t Miss – Cochem, Beilstein, Traben-Trarbach, Bernkastel-Kues, Burg Eltz.
Nice to see – Ediger-Eller, Zell, Bremm, Alken
How many days – 3 days
Day Trips: Trier, Luxembourg, Maria Laach Abbey, Rhine Valley
10. Hamburg
Hamburg is Germany’s second-largest city. Along with Berlin it has long been one of the most vibrant and progressive cities in the country.
It’s a great port city, once one of the mainstays of the Hanseatic League, with a worldliness and famously liberal attitudes born out of centuries of being a maritime melting pot.
Its vast warehouse district, the Speicherstadt (‘Spice City’) bears witness to this, and its port on the River Elbe is a must-see. It’s the third largest in Europe, and has recently been joined by the superb Elbphilarmonie Concert Hall. It’s also Germany’s musical and theatre capital.
I’ve always appreciated Hamburg’s progressive side. It has long been strongly supportive of the LGBTQ community, with the St. Georg district full of popular gay bars. An old law from 1999 that made it possible for gay couples to unofficially marry long before the rest of Germany made it legal.
It’s also renowned for its red-light district around the Reeperbahn. It was in the clubs around there that The Beatles learned their skills which made them the biggest band in the world a few years later.
Don’t Miss: The Speicherstadt warehouse district, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the Expressionist Chilehaus building; a tour of or concert in the Elbphilharmonie; St Michaelis Church; Miniatur Wunderland, the largest model railway system in the world; Rathaus (city hall); a harbour boat trip (hafenrundfahrt) from St Pauli-Landungsbrücken; Hamburg’s restored oldest street, Deichstrasse; and follow in the footsteps of the Beatles, who honed their craft in clubs around the infamous Reeperbahn.
Nice to see – Take a walk along the Elbe River; Alster lakes and park; St Nicholas Church Memorial; Kunsthalle; U-Boot Museum; International Maritime Museum; Planten und Blomen Park; Cold War Submarine 434; Övelgonne city beach.
Best neighborhoods to explore – Shabby and chic St. Pauli, Lively Schanzenviertel brimming with bars and vintage shops, Ottesen former working-class neighbourhood now one of Hamburg’s most popular quarters. St Georg – trendy district and LGBQT hub.
How many days do you need? Two days bare minimum. You can see a lot of the sites in a day but we recommend spending two days or more so you can explore the neighbourhoods in Hamburg. For popular sites like the Miniatur Wunderland, you will need to book in advance.
Best day trips: the riverside village of Blankenese; Ratzeburg; Luneburg Heath in July and August; Lübeck.
Top tip – If you don’t want to do a boat cruise a cheaper option and very popular with tourists is the HVV ferry No. 62, from Landungsbrücken to Finkenwerder. The single ticket costs €3.60.
See also: One Day in Hamburg
11. Leipzig
Leipzig has become one of the hippest cities in Germany in recent years. As rents have risen in Berlin, so many young creative people have moved out, many to Leipzig, which has benefited and become more vibrant. The green, hip vibrant city is often called the next Berlin.
Hugely important in the history of music it was home to Wagner and Bach. Saxony’s coolest city is home to young creatives who have moved from the fast-gentrifying Berlin.
Leipzig has a hugely important role in music. Johann Sebastian Bach was choirmaster at the Thomaskirche for many years, and Felix Mendelssohn and Richard Wagner were also from the city.
Leipzig played a massive part in the peaceful revolution which brought down the Berlin Wall and Iron Curtain in 1989.
A monument stands outside the Nikolaikirche, commemorating where it began with Monday evening prayer meetings and, later, candlelit processions.
Within weeks of the 40th anniversary of the German Democratic Republic’s establishment, the state that spied on its own people was critically undermined
Don’t Miss – The Old Guildhall of Leipzig and Leipzig Museum of Local History; St Thomas Church (Thomaskirche); St Nicholas Church (Nikolaikirche); Leipzig Stasi Museum (Museum in der Runden Ecke, which shows how the secret police of the DDR, the Stasi, worked); Auerbachs Keller (a historic restaurant made famous by Goethe who placed some scenes of “Faust” there); Coffe Baum, one of the oldest coffee houses in the world, founded in 1711
Nice to see – Monument to the Battle of the Nations; Maedler Passage, Porsche factory tour (must book in advance); Grassi Museum
Best day trips – Colditz, Naumburg, Torgau, Lutherstadt-Wittenberg, Weimar, Erfurt, Dresden
See Also: One Day In Leipzig – The Perfect Itinerary
12. Görlitz
Görlitz is one of the hidden gems of Saxony and eastern Germany, one of the few cities in the region to escape wartime destruction. It’s on the Polish border, with part of the city – Zgorzelec – on the Polish side.
It has become more widely known in recent years thanks to having been the location for Wes Anderson’s movie The Grand Budapest Hotel. The stunning Art Nouveau Kaufhaus (department store) was the setting for this, and is in the process of being refitted for its original purpose, but still open for tours in the meantime.
This is one of the main draws, but Görlitz has much more. Its architecture – from the 15th to 19th centuries – has survived unscathed, from medieval town towers through to the Kaufhaus.
Its treasures also include the gorgeous Untermarkt, one of the loveliest squares in Germany, with its magnificent Old Town Hall. It has three fine medieval churches and a wealth of discoveries across 500 years of history to be made.
Don’t Miss – Wandering the streets of the historic old town; Obermarkt (Upper Market), Dreifaltigkeitskirche, (Holy Trinity Church); Untermarkt (Lower Market) and Old Town Hall; self-guided tour of all the film locations, including the Kaufhaus Department Store; St. Peter and Paul’s church and Sun Organ; Reichenbach Tower for panoramic views of the city.
Nice to see – Rathaus tower; Barockhaus Museum; cross the old bridge into Poland
Tip – Cross to the river to Zgorzelec, the Polish part of the town, for a feast at the marvellous Miodmaliny restaurant
How many days – Two days will give you plenty of time to see the main sights and wander the charming streets
Best day trips – Bautzen, Zittau, Bad Muskau
See Also: 12 Wonderful Things To Do In Görlitz
13. Lübeck
You’ve heard buildings or places being described as a symphony in stone. Well, without a suitable word to alliterate with, the northern German city of Lübeck is a symphony in brick.
Brick has rarely been so beautiful. Lübeck was one of the leading lights of the mercantile Hanseatic League, growing mightily wealthy on the back of trade with partner cities as far apart as Bruges, Bergen and Tallinn. These riches are reflected in its astonishing architecture, from its iconic city gate to its vast churches.
The city was also home to two giants of German literature, Thomas Mann and Günter Grass. There are museums dedicated to both, well worth seeking out.
Don’t Miss – Holstentor, Salzspeicher salt warehouses, Rathaus (Town Hall), Petrikirche (St Peter’s Church), Marienkirche, Hanse Museum, St Anne Museum Quarter
Nice to see – Buddenbrookhaus, Günter Grass Haus
How many days – two or three
Best day trips – Travemünde and its superb beaches; Schwerin Castle; Hamburg; Wismar
14. Wismar, Stralsund and the Baltic Coast
The Baltic coast of north-east Germany, in the province of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, is relatively unexplored by English-speaking visitors. Which is a pity as it’s one of the most intriguing parts of the country.
The Baltic is where many Germans go to the seaside. You’ll find some of the country’s best beaches in the region, and also some of the finest small cities. The Hanseatic League was the region’s trading powerhouse during the Middle ages, and several cities in the area were members.
These include Wismar, on the western edge, and Stralsund. They both have outstanding brick Gothic architecture, particularly the Rathaus (Town Hall) in Stralsund and Nikolaikirche in Wismar.
Don’t Miss – Rügen Island, Sellin Beach, Wismar, Stralsund (and its striking waterfront Ozeaneum), Usedom
Nice to see – Rostock and Warnemünde beach
How many days – one day for Wismar, two days for Stralsund
Best day trips – Schwerin Castle
15. Trier
Trier is the oldest city in Germany, one of the most important regional capitals of the Roman Empire, ruled over its northern lands.
Trier has some of the outstanding Roman monuments in Europe and was also the first place in the region to embrace Christianity – its Cathedral is also the oldest in Germany.
Its Old Town is stunning, with an array of wonderful half-timbered houses from late medieval times. Trier is now a relatively small provincial city in the far west of the country, but it’s well worth the journey off the beaten path to discover it.
It’s very underrated, and also makes an excellent base for forays along the Mosel River or into nearby Luxembourg.
Don’t Miss – Porta Nigra, Kaiserthermen, Amphitheatre, Constantine’s Basilica, Rheinisches Landesmuseum, Trier Cathedral, Liebfrauenkirche, Marktplatz
Nice to see – Roscheider Hof Open Air Museum, St Matthias Church, Toy Museum, Karl Marx Museum
How many days – 2
Best day trips – It’s an easy short from Luxembourg. Nearby Saarburg is a gorgeous small town with a castle and a waterfall running through the centre.
Top Tip – Trier has a wonderful Christmas market.
See also: 26 Best Things to do in Trier
16. Bavarian Alps: Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Zugspitze
This part of the Bavarian Alps is only a few miles east of Neuschwanstein Castle, but over an hour’s drive away, and longer by bus. It’s one of the most famous parts of Germany and most visited. It also staggeringly beautiful.
The area around Garmisch-Partenkirchen is breathtaking, with clear green alpine lakes, dark forests, roaring waterfalls and stunning peaks including Germany’s highest mountain, Zugspitze, which you can ascend by train and cable car via Eibsee lake.
There are also a few man-made treasures to be found here. The small town of Oberammergau – has many gorgeous houses painted with frescoes, and famously, every 10 years stages a Passion play dramatising the last few days of Jesus’ life.
The nearby town of Mittenwald is another beauty, with more beautifully painted buildings. And if you have time, try to see Linderhof Palace, another of the extravagances of King Ludwig II.
Don’t Miss – Garmisch-Partenkirchen; Zugspitze train and cable car; Mittenwald; Linderhof Palace; Oberammergau; Partnachklamm gorge; Lake Eibsee
Nice to see – Walchensee lake, Kirchdorf Wamberg
How many days – three or four
Best day trips – Neuschwanstein Castle, Hohenschwangau Castle, Innsbruck
17. Berchtesgaden and Lake Königssee
Even in the Bavarian Alps the Berchtesgadener Land stands out. According to one legend some angels accidentally dropped all the wonders of the world there. It’s one of the most beautiful landscapes in Europe, around the small magical alpine town of Berchtesgaden, in southern Bavaria about 20 miles south of Salzburg.
The scenery first: the mountain setting is spectacular, especially Königssee Lake and Watzmann, the second highest peak in Germany. If you’re there on a clear day, it will blow you away.
Secondly, there’s the Hitler connection. The genocidal dictator was very taken with the scenery, and had a complex built for him at Obersalzberg with one of the best views in the region. He spent much of his time there, so there will always be a taint of his toxic legacy.
Must See – Königssee Lake, Eagles Nest (Kehlsteinhaus), Salzbergwerk (Salt Mine), St Sebastian Church in Ramsau; Obersalzberg Documentation Centre; Rossfeld Mountain Road
Nice to see – Hintersee lake
How many days – three or more, depending on how much hiking you plan to do
Best day trips – Salzburg is a quick bus trip
18. Bremen
Bremen is one of the most underrated cities in Europe, one I’ve long admired having spent a lot of time in Hamburg and this part of northern Germany. There’s a lot to see, much of it in a small area around the splendid Marktplatz (main square), including the Statue of Roland from 1404 and the World Heritage-listed Town Hall (Rathaus).
My favourite part of the city is the Schnoorviertel, a former fishermen’s (and red-light) district, its cottages now home to restaurants and boutique shops. Also check out the red-brick Expressionist architectural wonders of Böttcherstrasse, and the Paula Modersohn-Becker Museum, dedicated to an artist who deserves to be far more widely known than she is.
Don’t Miss – Marktplatz, Statue of Roland, Musicians of Bremen statue, Rathaus (Town Hall), Schnoor district, St Peter’s Cathedral, Böttcherstrasse, Kunsthalle
Nice to see – Roselius-Haus Museum, Botanika
How many days – one or two
Best day trips – Bremerhaven Emigration Museum, Hamburg, Cuxhaven beaches, Jever, Worpswede, East Frisian Islands
19. Regensburg
Regensburg is in a relatively quiet part of Germany, between Nuremberg and Passau in south-east Bavaria. This isolation may well have proved its salvation: it avoided the destruction wrought elsewhere, and is the best-preserved, most beautiful Gothic city in Germany.
The superb Cathedral is the obvious place to start, with its splendid west front, twin towers and fine medieval stained glass.
The entire Old Town (Altstadt) is a World Heritage Site, and my advice is to wander as much of it as time allows. It’s wonderfully preserved, and often the best part of visiting somewhere like this is making your own discoveries, spotting a stunning architectural detail to which no guidebook would ever direct you.
Don’t Miss – Dom St Peter (Regensburg Cathedral, Old Stone Bridge, City view from cross the Danube, Old Chapel, Thurn und Taxis Palace, Goliathhaus
Nice to see – Museum of Danube Shipping, Regensburg Museum of History
How many days – Two
Best day trips – Landshut; Walhalla Monument; Nuremberg; Sail down the Danube to Passau a beautiful Baroque city
20. Bamberg
Bamberg is one of the most beautiful small cities in Europe, a wonderfully preserved city in Northern Franconia whose entire Altstadt (Old Town) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
You could easily spend a whole day exploring the Altstadt. Many start at the Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall), a stunning building straddling two bridges over the River Regnitz. The most famous view is of the medieval timber-framed part, but the sides of it are decorated with remarkable Baroque-era frescoes.
The rest of the riverside, including the Little Venice row of houses, is also picturesque, and just up the hill the area around the Cathedral (Dom) is packed with places to see, including the opulent Neue Residenz, once home to the powerful prince-bishops of Bamberg.
Don’t Miss – Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall), Cathedral, Bamberg History Museum, Klein Venedig (Little Venice), Ober Pfarre Church, Neue Residenz, and a glass of the local smoked beer
Nice to see – Diocesan Museum, St Michael’s Monastery, Brewery Museum
How many days – two – you should stay at least one night to really appreciate it
Best day trips – Nuremberg, Bayreuth, Coburg, Pottenstein
21. Nuremberg
The former Imperial city of Nuremberg (Nürnberg) is one of the best cities to visit in Germany. The iconic Kaiserburg Castle dominates the Old Town, with its streets of half-timbered houses and soaring church spires.
Nuremberg is packed with museums, including the house where Albrecht Dürer, a colossus of late medieval art, lived for almost 20 years. It’s full of picturesque streets, three outstanding medieval churches and one of the most beautiful bridges in Europe.
Nuremberg’s history took a dark turn in the 1930s when it was chosen as the site for the Nazi Party’s infamous propaganda rallies. The Nuremberg Nazi sites in the city suburbs offer a fascinating insight into the country’s past.
Add in Nuremberg’s gastronomic gift to the world, the famous bratwurst sausage, and one of the best Christmas markets in Europe, and you have one amazing city to discover.
Don’t Miss – Nuremberg Castle (Kaiserburg), Old Town, Dürer House, Weissgerbergasse, Fembo House Museum, Toy Museum, Nazi Party Rally Grounds, St Sebald’s Church, Frauenkirche, Henkersteg (Hangman’s Bridge), Christmas Market
Nice to see – DB Museum, Nuremberg Trials Memorial, German National Museum, Art Bunker
How many days – 2 or 3
Best things with kids – Toy Museum, Zoo, Playmobil, DB Train Museum
Best day trips – Bamberg, Regensburg, Bayreuth, Würzburg, Ansbach. Charming town of Lauf an der Pegnitz.
See also: One day in Nuremberg, 2 Days in Nuremberg
22. Black Forest
The Black Forest (Schwarzwald), in the Baden-Württemberg region of south-western Germany, has long been a hugely popular draw for visitors.
This is the chocolate-box rural Germany of cuckoo clocks, traditional half-timbered villages, centuries-old farmhouses, flower-laden balconies, lush green valleys, deep dark forests, cows grazing, and enchanting fairy tales. Not to mention a certain chocolate and cherry cake.
Freiburg im Breisgau is the main gateway to the Black Forest, and worth at least a day of your time. The region has some great drives, and it’s also worth incorporating some hikes into your itinerary too.
Don’t Miss – The gorgeous towns of Schiltach, Gengenbach, Haslach, and Calw; the prettiest in the Black Forest; Triberg Falls and the world’s largest cuckoo clock in Triberg; the Schwarzwaldhochstrase spectacular driving route; Gutach Black Forest Open-Air Museum; hiking in the Black Forest National Park; Freiburg im Breisgau
Nice to see – The famous spa town of Baden-Baden, Titisee Lake, Maulbronn Kloster
How many days – you could easily spend a week or more there.
23. Quedlinburg
Quedlinburg is half-timbered heaven, a gorgeous medieval and Renaissance town with around 1,300 half-timbered buildings (Fachwerkhäuser). That’s more than anywhere else in the country.
There are enough things to do in Quedlinburg to keep you there for at least a couple of days. Begin at the Castle, gradually working your way around the Old Town. There are some exceptional Romanesque churches in Quedlinburg, in a region (Saxony-Anhalt) especially rich in them.
Quedlinburg is also an excellent base for making your first forays into the Harz Mountains, including on the superb local narrow-gauge railway.
Don’t Miss – Altstadt (Old Town), Castle, St Servatius Church and Crypt, Steinkeikerturm for the view, Half-Timbered Museum, St Benedikti Church
Nice To See – Klopstock Museum, St Blaise Church, Lyonel Feininger Gallery
How many days – two minimum
Day trips – Wernigerode, Brocken Mountain, Harz Mountains Railway (Selketalbahn branch), St Cyriakus Church in Gernrode, Goslar
24. Naumburg Cathedral
Naumburg Cathedral, in the eastern German region of Saxony- Anhalt, is one of the great German cathedrals. It’s one of six UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the region, and a compelling enough reason to go out of your way and include it in your Germany itinerary.
Much of Naumburg Dom was built on the cusp of the transition between late Romanesque and early Gothic architecture.
Most of the church, including one of the two sets of twin towers, was built in the earlier period. The choir dates from the first phase of Gothic building, and includes the outstanding series of twelve sculptures of the founders of the Dom. One of these is the remarkably vivid figure of Uta von Ballenstedt, one of the most famous statues in Germany.
See Also: Visiting Naumburg Cathedral – One Of The Great German Cathedrals
How many days – one
Best day trips – Leipzig, Halle an der Saale
25. Saxon Switzerland
The Saxon Switzerland National Park is an amazing landscape of soaring sandstone rock columns and forests, a continuation of Bohemian Switzerland and similar ‘rock cities’ further afield across the border in the Czech Republic.
The river Elbe has helped carve this unique landscape of stunning rock formations, with little canyons, flat-top mountains and picturesque villages like Kurort Rathen.
Our advice is to combine it with the Bohemian Switzerland over the border. The gateway village of Hřensko is gorgeous, and it’s close to the most popular landmark in the region, the Pravčická Brana rock arch.
Don’t Miss – Bastei Bridge, Königstein Fortress, Bad Schandau, Kurort Rathen
Nice to see – Lichtenhainer Waterfall; Kuhstall cave arch and viewpoint; Hřensko
How many days – three or four
Best day trips – Dresden, Bautzen, or across the border to the Bohemian Switzerland National Park including Hřensko and Pravčická Brana
26. Aachen & Aachen Cathedral
The Dom (Cathedral) of Aachen is one of the greatest churches in the world. Part of it – the Pfalzkapelle, or Palace Chapel – was completed in 800 for Charlemagne, the Frankish king and first Holy Roman Emperor.
It later became a pilgrimage destination in the 12th century when Charlemagne, who was buried there, was declared a saint. The Cathedral had already acquired other prestigious relics, such as the loincloth worn by Christ when crucified. To see everything, we recommend joining a guided tour.
The streets around the Cathedral are also worth exploring, and the impressive late Gothic Rathaus also definitely warrants a visit.
Don’t Miss – Aachen Cathedral, Domschatzkammer (Cathedral Treasury), Rathaus (Town Hall)
Nice to see – Centre Charlemagne, Suermondt Ludwig Museum, Ludwig Forum
How many days – One day
Best day trips – Monschau, Eifel National Park; Valkenburg and Maastricht in the Netherlands
Top tip – Aachen Christmas market is wonderful
27. Passau
Passau, often referred to as the “City of Three Rivers,” is a stunning Bavarian town situated at the confluence of the Danube, Inn, and Ilz rivers. It is also a hugely popular Danube River Cruise stop.
Passau is in the southeast corner of Germany, close to the Austrian and Czech borders. The city grew rich from trade, much of it in salt from nearby Bohemia, and its wealth is reflected in some of the finest Baroque architecture in this part of Europe. Much of Passau had to be rebuilt after a devastating fire in 1662.
Don’t Miss – St Stephen’s Cathedral (Dom St Stephan), which has the world’s largest organ; the views from Veste Oberhaus, Oberhaussmuseum, Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall), Passauer Glasmuseum
Nice to see – the Danube cycle path, Roman Museum, Heavenly Ladder (321 steps up the hill to Mariahilf Monastery –
How many days – Two ideally, but you’d get around the main sights in a single day.
Best day trips – Linz, Austria is just an hour away by train; Regensburg; and the gorgeous Czech town of Cesky Krumlov is less than a two-hour drive away.
Best Places To Visit In Germany – Final Words
Germany is an exceptional country to visit, and I’m so fortunate to have been doing so for over 40 years. It has some of the most beautiful landscapes in Europe, particularly the Bavarian Alps and Rhine Valley.
Germany also has some of the most compelling cities in Europe. Whether you’re discovering Berlin landmarks or looking up in awe at Cologne Cathedral, there are several lifetimes worth of amazing places to see.
Many of you will be drawn to the half-timbered medieval towns like Rothenburg, Bacharach or Rüdesheim.
And at the other end of the spectrum, there is so much 20th-century history to explore in Germany. The Nuremberg Nazi SItes take you back to one of the darkest times in the century. And places like the Stasi Museum Dresden are a reminder that, for many, the bad times didn’t end there.
And if you’re more curious about the former East Germany, check out my guide to the best places to visit in Eastern Germany.
It’s one of the most fascinating countries in the world to visit. And one of the most rewarding.
David Angel is a British photographer, writer and historian. He is a European travel expert with over 30 years’ experience exploring Europe. He has a degree in History from Manchester University, and his work is regularly featured in global media including the BBC, Condé Nast Traveler, The Guardian, The Times, and The Sunday Times. David is fluent in French and Welsh, and can also converse in Italian, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Czech and Polish.