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Introducing Germany

Discover Germany, both old and new.
To say that Germany has a historical legacy is an understatement—this is a European nation with more than 2,000 years of upheaval under its belt, from the Saxon Dynasty through the global wars of the 20th century. In the past few decades, Germany has reemerged as a progressive, industrious nation and cultural powerhouse, with one of the best-loved capital cities in the world. 

When is the best time to visit?
Like most nations in Europe, Germany’s high season is in the summer. Beat the crowds in spring when the weather is pleasant and the cherry blossoms are at their prettiest (the blooms are best seen in the city of Bonn). Throughout Germany, spring is also the time to enjoy music, dance, and beer festivals—in Hamburg, there's even a celebration of the aforementioned cherry blossoms each May.

Late September and early October coincide with Germany’s world-famous Oktoberfest beer fest in Munich and throughout Bavaria. And if you visit during the snowy holiday months, you'll enjoy the quintessential Christmas markets of Hamburg, Dresden, Cologne, and Berlin.  

Where should you go?
Start your trip in Berlin, and stay for a while—it's a city filled with culture and history. This is where you'll find great restaurants, incredible nightlife in the Kreuzberg district, sites of interest like the Reichstag building and Brandenburg Gate, and important memorials and museums related to the Holocaust. For museums and medieval history, visit the historic Old Town districts of Cologne, Munich, and Hamburg. Outside the capital, travelers can encounter WWII-era history in Nuremberg, the Eagle’s Nest (Hitler’s bunker complex in the Bavarian Alps), and at the concentration camp at the town of Dachau. 

How many days do you need?
You can see the major sites of Berlin in a day or two, though you can spend much more time getting to know its many distinct neighborhoods and attractions. If you have at least a week, you can pair the capital with another major city: eat and drink your way through Munich, see the tony Elbe River port town of Hamburg, or visit the cathedrals and bridges of charming Cologne. Spend two weeks and add some time in the Rhine Valley, or road trip through the forests of Bavaria.

Germany Travel Insights

Munich's Christmas market in the courtyard of the Rathaus is one of many
Germany in December: Travel Tips, Weather & More

December in Germany is that special time of year when charming outdoor markets, or Christkindelsmarkt, pop up across the country. You won't have to travel far to find gingerbread and Glühwein from Hamburg down to the Austrian border in the shadow of the mighty Zugspitze (Germany's tallest peak). While you're in the Bavarian Alps, head to the lively ski resorts, which open this month just in time for the holidays.

The Berlin Cathedral in late autumn
Germany in November: Travel Tips, Weather & More

November is a quieter, colder time in Germany, but that doesn't deter intrepid visitors who put on an extra layer to explore uncrowded cities and historic sights on foot. By the end of the month, things start picking up again when Christmas markets open all over the country (especially Berlin) for warm mugs of Glühwein.

Visit the Eltz Castle in October for prime autumn colors
Germany in October: Travel Tips, Weather & More

Fall in Germany quiets down after Oktoberfest—a great time for scenic road trips that prioritize leaf-peeping and outdoor activities that may combine hiking and wine tasting. The cities, for their part, have plenty going on, from Berlin's festival of lights to an international book fair in Frankfurt. Read on for more on what to expect in Germany in October.

Harvest time in the vineyards around Stuttgart, Germany
Germany in September: Travel Tips, Weather & More

There's more to early autumn in Germany than liters of beer and oompah bands. September is a lovely time to explore the country's quieter natural environs once the summer crowds have dissipated, with meandering drives in the Black Forest and 13 wine regions and activities in the Alps before the snow arrives.

Munich's Marienplatz Square at sunset
Germany in January: Travel Tips, Weather & More

January is a quiet month to visit Germany's famous cities and cultural sites, with appealing prices and few crowds. It's also a great time to trade in the Glühwein for calorie-burning activities in the Bavarian Alps. Or, kick back at one of the thermal baths sprinkled around the country, from the medieval city of Cologne to a spa town near the border of France.

Head to Leipzig this month for classical music at the Bach Festival
Germany in June: Travel Tips, Weather & More

June is a spectacular time to visit Germany, with great weather and the longest days of the year—which means more time for exploring city attractions and scenery in the form of mountains, rivers, forests, and lakes. Summer tourists begin to trickle in this month, but you're still ahead of the peak crowds, especially in the first half of the month.

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Trip Reviews for Germany

The latest reviews by travelers who booked their trip on kimkim

Berlin, Munich and Neuschwanstein the last week of Dec 2022
Germany | Dec 26 - Jan 1, 2023

Liza
Liza L.
Shaw, DC | Reviewed on Jan 02, 2023

Zala and Tomaz planned an excellent, detailed itinerary with transportation, tours and lodging. Hotel Mio in Munich was the best. Located in the old city on a pedestrian shopping zone, rooms were quiet and one had a view of an old church clock tower. The rooms had espresso machines. Berlin's Hotel 38 rooms were very small and the bathrooms were tiny- similar to a train, but the breakfast was superior with plentiful offerings and fantastic staff. It would have been nice to have had... read more

Zala and Tomaz planned an excellent, detailed itinerary with transportation, tours and lodging. Hotel Mio in Munich was the best. Located in the old city on a pedestrian shopping zone, rooms were quiet and one had a view of an old church clock tower. The rooms had espresso machines. Berlin's Hotel 38 rooms were very small and the bathrooms were tiny- similar to a train, but the breakfast was superior with plentiful offerings and fantastic staff. It would have been nice to have had lotion in the hotel rooms in both Munich and Berlin but they did have water bottles. The one night we were at Ruby Louise Hotel in Frankfurt was good- there was lotion in the rooms, but no water bottles. Breakfast didn't start until 7am which was a little tight since our airport ride was scheduled for 7:30am. The restaurant that was booked for us on New Year's Eve, Zu den 12 Aposteln, was perfect and tasty, like eating in a cozy wine cellar. We would not have found this on our own.
High-speed trains were efficient, stress-free and a great way to travel- much more comfortable and better than renting a car.
Mr. Harald Zawuski was an exceptional guide! He was very knowledgeable, engaging, compassionate and thorough as he walked us for 6 hours around Berlin. Time really flew by and we gained a rich appreciation for the history and culture and were lucky enough to even see famous people- Angela Merkel and Christoph Waltz!
In Munich, Mr Thomas was great and took us to places we would not have known to go to on our own, such as inside the Preysing Palais.
The Neuschwanstein bus tour was excellent- we saw Linderhof, Oberammergau and Neuschwanstein. Our guide Barbara and driver were attentive and informative with a reasonable number of about 30 people with bananas, apples, cookies, peanuts, and snack pretzels on the bus as well as a bathroom. They also offered us a local bottle of beer on the way back to Munich. We walked the strenuous trail from the start of the visitor center to Marienbrucke and further up to the overlook at Neuschwanstein. Not for the faint of heart, it was an invigorating work-out but with amazing panoramic views.
This was a nicely organized adventure and I was happy to have their planning expertise. This was a rewarding time-saver for a memorable holiday family trip with our college son and teenage daughter.

Local specialist: Tomaz Martinek
Tomaz
Tomaz Martinek
Local specialist in Slovenia | Reviewed on Jan 04, 2023

Hi Liza, thank you for your kind review. We look forward to seeing you travel with us in the future.

Tomaz

This was our first trip to Germany .
Germany | Sep 26 - Oct 1, 2022

naveen
naveen R.
Seattle, WA | Reviewed on Oct 02, 2022

This was our first trip to Germany . We used Tomaz help to plan a trip in Bavaria . We had three days planned and each day the plan was really well scheduled .
First day we met Karl . We loved Karl . This man is full of patience , is so good with kids and gave us so much information . We did not want to leave his side so as not to miss any information . He is so kind and helpful. A very honest person who did not push any of his ideas and gave frank reviews of hotels and restaurants . We... read more

This was our first trip to Germany . We used Tomaz help to plan a trip in Bavaria . We had three days planned and each day the plan was really well scheduled .
First day we met Karl . We loved Karl . This man is full of patience , is so good with kids and gave us so much information . We did not want to leave his side so as not to miss any information . He is so kind and helpful. A very honest person who did not push any of his ideas and gave frank reviews of hotels and restaurants . We went to chiemsee lake the first days . On our way back he showed us a lot of Munich and even was kind enough to take us centre of city and show us the Marienplatz on our way to hotel . He got us umbrellas and asked us to keep them for the trip . Thanks to him we call a sweatshirt we bought “ monster t shirt “
Next day we went to rothenberg with Thomas . Another very kind and patient person . Very detail oriented . A very caring fatherly figure and he never gave us attitude for any detours esp when my wife started having headache he was kind enough to drive to a pharamcy . We talked a lot about history politics movies Oktoberfest food and he gave us some really good options of good Bavarian cuisine which was very affordable .
Karl took is to castles in Bavaria which was an awesome experience and he thendropped to Garmisch and again gave us a detailed plan on what all we could do. He could have just taken us to the castle and dropped us back and be done with it but he took his time and took us to these beautiful detours showing places you could not see if you did not have a private tour .

Thomas dropped us back to Munich airport and despite delay due to accident he kept his calm and was very reassuring all the way back .

We had a minor issue with the Train from Berlin to Munich as our seats were not reserved so we had to sit on the floor for 2 hours before we could find a spot .
Zala was very helpful all the way . Her emails are very well detailed with all the information and the trip went very smooth . The hotels booked very nice and very comfortable accommodations .
In all a very well planned trip . Looking forward for many more trips together

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Mercure Munich City Centre
Munich
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Zugspitze
Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Tomaz Martinek
Tomaz
Tomaz Martinek
Local specialist in Slovenia | Reviewed on Oct 12, 2022

Hi Naveen, thank you. I look forward to seeing you on another trip with us. Kind regards, Tomaz

Excellent Service from Kim Kim
Germany | Sep 8 - Sep 17, 2022

R
Robert B.
Manhattan, NY | Reviewed on Sep 24, 2022

We were very pleased with the service we received from Tomasz and others. You arranged for hotels and guides that fit our requests, and we had a wonderful trip. One minor matter was that on our rental car return to Sixt in Munich, we were given the address of the office for Sizt and it should have been their rental return in a nearby (but hard to get to) location. The local manager made the problem go away for us. read more

We were very pleased with the service we received from Tomasz and others. You arranged for hotels and guides that fit our requests, and we had a wonderful trip. One minor matter was that on our rental car return to Sixt in Munich, we were given the address of the office for Sizt and it should have been their rental return in a nearby (but hard to get to) location. The local manager made the problem go away for us.

Hotel Review
Hotel Mercure Munich City Centre
Munich

Great location and outstanding breakfast. We received very helpful information from the front desk staff, especially Loretta. Small but cozy room.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Very helpful front desk staff.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Guided tour of Bremen
Bremen

Our guide was super and very knowledgeable. We had a fine tour. She was a native English speaker, which helps.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Old town tour
Heidelberg

Our guide, a young man who was a student was knowledgeable and friendly. He gave us a great "inside information" restaurant recommendation and set us up for a wonderful visit to Heidelberg.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
We had fun with our youngish guide
Tour to Wissembourg, Alsace, France
Heidelberg

We had a wonderful and memorable day in Alsace. The guide tailored the tour to our interests and adapted well when we encountered a charity run that caused plans to be changed.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Guide with excellent communication skills.
Private Nuremberg nazi party rally grounds and old town tour
Nuremberg

Natsha is a marvel. She is knowledgeable, charming and fun to be with. She cared for us well along the way and was great at both providing information and answering questions. It felt like having a good friend guide you around their city.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Natasha
Local specialist: Tomaz Martinek
Tomaz
Tomaz Martinek
Local specialist in Slovenia | Reviewed on Oct 12, 2022

Hi Robert, thank you. I look forward to seeing you on another trip with us. Kind regards, Tomaz