Germany’s rich and varied history is best experienced in its small towns with well laid out cobbled streets, half-timbered homes, and looming castles. Cities such as Berlin, Cologne, Nuremberg, and Hamburg all have historical masterpieces that share spaces with modern-day wonders. History is everywhere you look in this country of spectacular scenery and architectural masterpieces. From the tall spyres of the Romanesque and Gothic churches in Cologne to the ruins of the Renaissance style Heidelberg Castle, and the Hanseatic City of Lubeck, there is much about urban Germany that will leave a visitor awestruck.
While Bavaria is the most visited state in Germany, the diverse and historic city of Berlin sees the most number of visitors. 46 sites have made it to the UNESCO World Heritage List in this country that has been inhabited since classical antiquity.
Some of the greatest cultural personalities in the world like Beethoven, Bach, Goethe, and Brothers Grimm called Germany home, so it is only natural that the arts and music make up a big part of the German cultural scene. The cultural scene in Germany, however, is not just about formal opera and classical music but also about beer-guzzling, cabaret, and underground clubs. Munich‘s legendary Oktoberfest sees thousands of travelers crossing the globe to be a part of one of the world’s best-known festivals.
For a break from the urban wonders, an escape to the countryside is as intoxicating. The breathtakingly beautiful Alps form the perfect backdrop to sprawling vineyards, while the beautiful shores of the North and Baltic Seas have strategically placed resorts and spas to keep you transfixed. Germany also has 14 national parks with some of the most amazing scenery such as the Jasmund National Park with its stunning chalk cliffs and the mystical Bavarian National Park. The pastoral aura that the countryside exudes is quite unparalleled and also one of the reasons for the many health spas that have been established at natural hot springs in the country.