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Germany Tourist Attractions
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Berlin
Of strategic importance since it first straddled the Spree River in the
13th century, Berlin went on to hog centre stage in the turbulent twentieth.
Today the city, restored as the nation's capital, is the focus of a mammoth
project of reunification and the barometer of Germany's moods.
Berlin is a veritable motherlode for lovers of art, architecture and
artefacts. Its great clusters of museums will keep the most dedicated
culture addict happy. The layers of the city's history, from war and violent
division to imperial fancy, exist in fascinating proximity to its dynamic
present.
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Frankfurt
Frankfurt is often seen only as a transit hub or a business centre, but
it's so much more. It boasts Germany's most spectacular skyline, mirrored in
the Main River, and Europe's tallest office building. It's also the
country's most international town; more than a quarter of its citizens are
foreign.
Flâneurs get the best view of Frankfurt. Luckily most of its
obvious attractions are located around the city centre. Invest in a 'Museumsufer'
ticket (available at museums) and spend a couple of days cruising
Frankfurt's galleries and museums at a fraction of their individual prices.
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Lübeck
Lübeck is a glorious medieval town that's earned its place on UNESCO's
World Heritage list. Although it's easily accessible from Hamburg, Lübeck is
off the main tourist trails and can be a quiet alternative to the more
spectacular attractions further south. The Altstadt (old town) was heavily
bombed in WWII but has been sensitively rebuilt and the town's stately charm
is apparent today.
Hotels Luebek |
Munich
Munich,
rivaled only by Berlin as Germany's most popular destination, is
a city that enjoys contradicting itself. Don an ironic Lederhosen and head
down to the capital of Bavaria, where cutesy folk traditions rub shoulders
with BMWs, haute cuisine and high-minded sophistication.
Munich is a compact city, but you could easily spend several weeks
exploring its museums, architectural treasures and idyllic surrounds. The
Altstadt (old town) is a pleasure to stroll around, with its grand avenues
and spacious squares that recall the glory of Bavaria's monarchy.
Hofbrauhaus
Beer has been swilled at this world-famous tavern site in the centre of
Munich since it became a royal brewery in 1605. Equally famous is the
Bavarian jollity and conviviality, known as 'gemuchtlikheid', which has
emanated directly from the Hofbrauhaus in Munich along with the beer which
flows freely there each day, served by robust rosy-cheeked young women clad
in Bavarian dress in litre-sized beer steins. The cheerful atmosphere that
reigns constantly in the establishment’s different halls is helped along by
the foot-tapping strains of traditional Bavarian 'oom-pah' bands and
drinking songs. When the beer becomes too much, soak it up with a delicious
salty pretzel or a German speciality from the menu, such as liver dumplings,
potato soup or a variety of delicious sausages.
Marienplatz
The Marienplatz is the heart of Munich and the site of its most important
historic buildings. The square is dominated by the Neo-Gothic Town Hall
featuring its famous Glockenspiel, both built in the 19th century. The
Glockenspiel delights visitors when it chimes the hours every day at 11am,
12pm, 5pm and 9pm with its 43 bells, accompanied by moving clockwork figures
that display vingnettes from Munich’s history. The Town Hall has a tower
that can be accessed by a lift. The centre of the square – which was once a
vibrant farmer’s market – features a statue of the Virgin Mary after which
Marienplatz was named. Visitors can also explore a toy museum in the Old
Town Hall on the square, and the Frauenkirche, Munich’s cathedral, dating
from the 15th century.
Olympia Park
Munich's massive Olympic park complex was constructed for the 20th
Olympic Games in 1972, but remains a marvel of modern engineering. Its main
stadium is a like a massive tent, which can seat close on 70,000 spectators,
topped by the largest roof in the world, extending for 720,000 square feet
(66,890 sq metres) and made of tinted acrylic glass. The roof collects
rainwater which is used to fill the adjacent Olympic lake. Tent roof tours
(with or without an abseiling option) are on offer. Visitors to the site can
enjoy a spectacular view from the revolving restaurant and observation
terrace which tops the 950ft (290m) high Olympic Tower. Near the tower is
the BMW Museum, which displays the history of Germany's famous automobile
manufacturer. Far from being a remarkable "white elephant", the park is
still in constant use as a lively leisure and recreational centre for the
city; on more than 200 days of the year it is the venue for rock and pop
concerts, sports events, exhibitions and trade fairs.
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Rhine Valley
Here are dramatic landscapes with fertile vineyards clinging to steep
hills, numerous imposing castles and dreamy wine villages. Every village has
at least one wine festival per year, with the most famous being the Rhine in
Flames series of festivals, when water, lighting and fireworks are combined
to spectacular effect
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Weimar
Weimar,
a beautiful 1,000-year-old town on the edge of the Thuringian Forest, is an
important destination for those interested in German history and culture.
Unlike many cities in the former East Germany, Weimar retains much of its
old flavor: Many of its important historical monuments were spared bombing
in World War II. Its atmospheric, narrow, winding streets, lined with houses
with high-pitched gabled roofs, seem left over from the Middle Ages. A
19th-century writer called Weimar "one of the most walkable towns of
Europe," and it still fits into that category.
Weimar's history as a cultural center is centuries old. Lucas Cranach the
Elder worked here in the 16th century. From 1708 to 1717, Bach was court
organist. In 1775, the great Goethe came to reside at the court of Dowager
Duchess Anna Amalia and her son, Charles Augustus II, and he attracted such
notables as Herder and Schiller. Later in the 19th century, Franz Liszt was
musical director of the National Theater; under his auspices, Wagner's
Lohengrin had its first performance. It was also in Weimar that the German
national assembly met in February 1919, in the aftermath of World War I, to
draw up the constitution for what was to be called the Weimar Republic.
Grand Hotel Russischer Hof Weimar     
The hotel was the first property to be classified as five star hotel in
Thuringia. Right in the city centre it's the ideal base to explore the history
of Weimar and walk along Goethe's tracks. There are two types of rooms,
historical and modern style. Both are average in size and in exceptional
condition. Rooms are very well decorated and equipped to the highest standard.
The hotel has a choice of restaurants from Cafe House to fine dining. They cater
for events like Weddings on a regular basis. A beautiful, well looked after
hotel which gets you into the spirit of Goethe to explore Weimar.
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More Hotels Weimar |
Cologne
Founded by the Romans, Cologne is the oldest of the major German cities
and still characterized by its 2000 years of history. Cologne has just over
one million inhabitants and is the fourth-largest city in Germany. The
metropolis on the Rhine with its incomparable identity annually attracts
many millions of visitors. The city and people of Cologne look forward to
welcoming you!
The Gothic cathedral St. Peter & Mary (World Heritage Site since 1998) with
its characteristic spires is Cologne's landmark. It houses the golden Shrine
of the Three Magi, as well as numerous other outstanding art treasures.
Cologne`s “fifth season”, world-famous as a colourful, joyous celebration,
annually attracts around one million visitors into the city. The Three Mad
Days are the end and climax of Cologne Carnival. The time of merrymaking in
the streets is officially declared open at Alter Markt on the Thursday
before the beginning of Lent. Pubs stay open till the early hours of the
morning, and the spirit of Carnival reigns in the streets and public
squares, in offices and at home, and above all in places for dancing and
drinking.
Enjoy the enchantment of a Christmas stroll. Wherever you look, there are
festive, pleasurable and contemplative things to discover. You will find a
plentiful supply of mulled wine, delicacies and Christmas specialities at
Cologne's Christmas Markets.
The Christmas Market on the Altermarkt is picturesquely situated in
Cologne's old town. By way of the shopping streets "Hohe Strasse" and "Schildergasse",
you come to the Christmas Market at Neumarkt and then on to the "Fairytale
Market"at Rudolfplatz. At the foot of Cologne Cathedral, you will find the
fascinating Christmas Market "am Dom".
Stuttgart
First-time visitors to Stuttgart are usually struck by the provincial
character of the capital of Baden-Württemberg. When arriving from the
airport via the Neue Weinstige, which heads down steeply into the Neckar
valley nestling the Swabian town, one discovers in the surrounding area
wooded hills and vine-covered slopes. Stuttgart has no less than 440
hectares (1,087 acres) of vineyards, which makes it one of the largest wine
producing areas in Germany but does not predispose it in any way to
accommodating the headquarters of the 2nd largest car manufacturer in the
world.
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consulting tourist brochures, one nevertheless learns that it was in
Stuttgart that the steam plough, airship, drill, pretzel, bra and,
incidentally, the first automobile, were invented, the latter by Messrs
Gottfried Daimler and Carl Benz. It is also the 6th largest city in Germany,
with 590,000 inhabitants, 2 universities, 6 colleges of higher education, 14
polytechnics and 140,000 companies, which employ nearly 1.4 million people.
The world's biggest automobile museum has just opened its doors in
Stuttgart , following an inauguration in great splendor on 19th May 2006.
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