Top Tourist Sites » Germany

The Black Forest, Vöhrenbach

Tommy — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 06:48:01 +0000

Don’t let the ominous name fool you, the Black Forest is a wonderful place to visit on your vacation and is quite sunny during the summer. The thick covering of dark fir and pine trees earned this stretch of hills and valleys its namesake. Those with a love for quiet hikes or cross-country skiing will make the Black Forest a priority. More over, travelers looking for reasonably priced accommodations will delight in the affordable country inns.

The Black Forest near Ottenhöffen.

Albrecht-Huette, Dobel, Southwestern Germany. It's in the Black Forest region

The town of Triberg in the Black Forest

The Black Forest waterfall

Farm buildings in the Black Forest region

Germany Black Forest

Black Forest in winter

Lake Constance, Hard, Thurgau

Tommy — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 04:14:38 +0000

Lake Constance is perhaps the largest aquatic tourist attraction in Germany. Shared with both Austria and Switzerland, more than four million people rely on the lake, also known as Bodensee, for drinking water.

The shallow, warm waters are a key element in the quarter million birds that inhabit the area either year-round or during winter migration. Bird watchers might spot some rare species such as cormorant.

The top 10 Europe's longest rivers, Lake Constance

Lake constance at night

Lake constance, Germany

German town on Lake Constance

Along Lake Constance

Lake Constance moon light

Dachau, Germany

Tommy — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 03:53:59 +0000

While much of your Germany vacation will be filled with light and joy, the concentration camp Dachau provides an essential balance in perspective. Built in 1933, it’s unique among the concentration camps as it served as a training ground for those that would staff the other camps, such as Auschwitz in Poland. A guided tour is available and recommended for visitors to fully grasp the horrors that took place there.

The inscription in a statue, “Never Again,” reminds the German people that while some of their history might be dark, they have resolved to prevent such things from reappearing.

Dachau concentration camp in Dachau, Germany

The 10 yard distance between death and survival, Dachau

At Dachau - made to remember those who tried to escape

The Romantic Road, Germany

Tommy — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 03:35:37 +0000

With over 210 miles of beautiful sights to see, the Romantic Road in Germany is one of the country’s best tourist routes.Romantic Road is located in between Wurzburg and Fussen regions of South Germany. This region was discovered by the tourists in the year 1950 during the expansion of the Bavarian and Baden-Wurttemberg highway. Many international tourists feel that this region has German culture and scenery especially in the towns of Nordlingen, Rothenburg ob der Tauber and Dinkelsbuhl. In addition, the famous Neuschwanstein Castle is found in this area.

The Romantic Road itself was built in 1951 by the mayor of Augsburg. He consulted the mayors of the other nearby towns and formed a coalition to inspire increased tourism in war-ravaged Germany. The road runs from Würzburg in the north all the way down to Fussen and the Alps in the south. In-between are countless historic sights and over a dozen cozy German towns making this the perfect romantic road trip.

While the road you’ll travel on is modern, the trade route it’s based on is quite ancient. The road follows the course of the Roman highway–Via Augustus–and was also a medieval trade route that connected several of the tows that lie along the Romantic Road.

The Würzburg Residence is one of the first stops along the way in the North. Originally commissioned as a palace for the Archbishop of Schönborn, this immense residence took nearly a quarter century to complete the exterior and another forty years to complete the interior. An incredible amount of money was paid to create this opulent manor–which boasts two masterpieces of art. Also of note in your stop in this romantic road trip is the Marienberg Fortress, which towers over the town and provides superb views of the surrounding area.

Throughout the north, you’ll also see the statues of the artist from the Middle Ages–Tilman Riemenschneider, a master sculptor. A romantic road trip can only be enhanced by Riemenschneider”s works.

You”ll find countless areas that feature the country”s historic and natural beauty throughout the Romantic Road in Germany; from the Würzburg Residence in the north all the way down to Neuschwanstein Castle in Fussen. Castles and palaces dot the landscape in and around the medieval towns and walled villages along the Romantic Road. There are plenty of churches as well and lovers of architecture–from Baroque to Rocco to Gothic–will enjoy the many styles in the different edifices.

Hotels on the Romantic Road in Germany are readily available. The prices vary, but as a rule they drop during the slower winter season. Single rooms are generally more expensive than the per person rate on a double room. While some hotels on the Romantic Road in Germany include breakfast as part of their rate, others charge separately. Watch out for the fees on telephone calls, parking, and laundry as they tend to be unusually high. Those on a budget will want to be on the look out for hostels and bed & breakfasts instead of hotels on the Romantic Road in Germany.

Romantic Road between Wurzburg & Fussen

Town on the Romantic Road in Bavaria, Germany

Germany: Driving the Romantic Road and Rhine Valley

GERMANY - THE ROMANTIC ROAD,DREZDEN

Romantic Road - Rothenburg

Romantic Road, Bavaria & Salzburg

Berlin, Germany

Tommy — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 02:38:31 +0000

Berlin, a draw in of itself, contains a myriad of individual sights to see. Remnants of the infamous Berlin Wall can be found in parts of the city, and the last remaining gate, the Brandenburg Gate, can be found along the western end of Unter den Linden Boulevard.

Berlin is Germany's largest city

Those with a fondness for Prussian history will want to visit the Charlottenburg Palace; it’s the oldest surviving Prussian palace. The Soviet War Memorial and its statues bearing tribute to the Russian soldiers who died fighting Hitler is another must-see.

Beyond the immense amount of history available, Germany’s capital city also offers a remarkably diverse zoo which features over 13,000 different species.

Twilight and moonlight in Berlin: Victory Column at avenue Straße

Berlin at night

Berliner Dom (Berlin Cathedral)

This is the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. In the foreground is the Berlin

Neuschwanstein Castle

Tommy — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 02:20:42 +0000

The most famous of Germany’s castles, and one of the three commissioned by King Ludwig II, overlooks the gorgeous Hohenschwangau valley. If the architecture looks familiar, it’s because Walt Disney used the castle as inspiration when designing the Sleeping Beauty Castle for Disneyland. Hundreds of artisans from around the globe took sixteen years to build but a third of the planned castle, and it was never finished.

However, its sweeping turrets and alabaster walls still make Neuschwanstein a beautiful sight and a prime tourist attraction in Germany.

The Neuschwanstein Castle tops of the bill of three palaces constructed for Bavaria’s Louis II also known before as the Mad King Ludwig. The castle is located in the Bavarian Alps in Germany. The construction Neuschwanstein started in 1869 but it was still unfinished when Louis II died in 1886.

The Neuschwanstein is a symbol of the romanticism of the 19th century. It is a picturesque structure with spires and towers overlooking the Pullat River.

The castle made use of a very modern design during its time. The techniques can be considered very revolutionary back then. The palace had running water on all of its floors and the toilets had an automatic flushing system. It also has a heating system for the air coming through the castle. If you are familiar with the castle in Disney’s Sleeping Beauty, that was modeled after the Neuschwanstein.

Neuschwanstein Castle is everybody's favorite fantasy castle

Neuschwanstein Castle in winter

Neuschwanstein Castle Bavaria Germany

Neuschwanstein Castle (Germany)