Things to do in Germany and German attractions! Germany is a large and exciting country, and there's plenty to see and experience, whether you like nature, culture, history or adventure. Plan new trips or experiences along the way. Here are lots of tips from us!
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Things to do in Germany
We have driven around Germany many times, and we have also sailed along the German Baltic Sea coast. Over the past few years, we've developed a close relationship with the German Tourist Board to better pick out the gems and help with ideas on what not to miss. We will be adding to this list every year as we look for new sights and things to do in Germany. Here we go!
1. Trying German specialities in different regions
Germany is a large country and several federal states have their own specialities when it comes to food. For example, how about ...
- Marzipan from Lübeck
- Sea buckthorn
- Currywurst
- white sausage
- Harz cheese
- Thuringian rostbratwurst
- Asparagus
- Black Forest cake
- Riesling and beer
2. holidaying with children or grandchildren in Germany
Thinking about a holiday with children or grandchildren in Germany? The country offers everything from fairytale castles and interesting museums to theme parks and safari parks that ...
Fabulous destinations: Sleeping Beauty Castle Neuschwanstein with its spires and towers and the Fairy Tale Route with the Grim Brothers and Snow White's home town of Bad Wildungen.
German amusement parks: Europe's largest Europa park, Heide park and the family-friendly Phantasialand theme park.
Theme parks: Playmobil finpark and Germany's own Legoland for the little ones
Waterland: Europe's largest water slides and Germany's largest spa at Galaxy Erding, 18 water slides and saunas at Badeparadies Schwarzwald and Tropical Island which is the size of 8 football pitches.
Animals and safari parks: One of Europe's largest zoos is the Nuremberg Zoo, the Serengeti Park Hodenhagen zoo and amusement park with a 10 km safari and the Stukenbrock Safari Park.
Museums: The German Museum in Munich is one of the oldest science and technology museums in the world, the Technology Museum in Berlin and the Chocolate Museum in Cologne.
3. visit 10 magical castles in Germany
10 magical castles in Germany that feel like they're straight out of a fairy tale. We've seen two of them ourselves, and the other eight are on our bucket list. What do you know about ...
- Borrowing Wartburg
- Heidelberg Castle Ruin
- Charlottenburg Palace
- Borgen Burghausen
- Hohenzollern Castle
- Schwerin Castle
- Lichtenstein Castle
- The castle Reichsburg Cochem
- Eltz Castle
- Neuschwanstein Castle
4. Dancing at carnival in Germany
Experience the colourful party in Germany that comes around every year. Here, people celebrate with carnival for months. The carnival always starts on 11 November at 11:11, taking a break during Christmas, starting again in January and culminating in spring. Some dates to keep in mind:
- Mardi Gras (28 February 2019) - the Dirty Thursday, when the carnival's climax starts
- Rose Monday (04 March 2019) - Rose Monday is the highlight of the carnival season
- Shrove Tuesday (05 March 2019) - fat day, which is also an important day during the carnival.
5. eating asparagus in Germany
We have info on asparagus routes, festivals and recipes! The white gold, "spargel" as it is called in German, is not just a vegetable for Germans. There are special asparagus routes, festivals, competitions to see who can peel asparagus the fastest, asparagus tours and the naming of the 'Queen of Asparagus' in different cities.
In Germany, there is an asparagus festival from mid-April to the end of June, where people compete to produce the best dish.
6. visit the Bauhaus school in Germany
The Bauhaus is not just a department store, but above all a German design school that is now 100 years old and has had a huge impact on design and architecture in the world. The school focused mainly on architecture and design, but also on subjects such as art, textiles, advertising, photography, graphic design and even performing arts.
7. take a ferry from Kiel to Gothenburg!
Cruise between Sweden and Germany by taking the ferry between Gothenburg and Kiel! If you are looking for a nice cruise, we think this is the absolute best ferry. Here you can, for example, book a panoramic cabin and eat well in the restaurant. Perfect if you want to treat yourself to a little luxury!
8. take a tour of northern Germany
A tip for a nice trip by car in northern Germany! You start with the ferry Gothenburg - Kiel and finish by going home via Sassnitz - Trelleborg. Along the way you can experience many interesting stops and places, such as:
- Haithabu Viking Museum
- Gut Basthorst and Mackmyra
- Hanseatic city of Lübeck
- Timmendorfer beach
- The towns of Wismar and Waren
- "The Thousand Lakes"
- The cities of Greifswald and Stralsund
- The islands of Rügen and Usedom
9. drive on beautiful roads in Germany
There are more than 150 beautiful roads in Germany, each with its own theme and packed with attractions and great places to stop along the way. Germany's beautiful roads offer the perfect way to holiday in the country, whether you're travelling by car, motorhome, caravan, motorbike or bicycle. How about, for example, if ...
- The Romantic Road
- Fairytale roads
- Slottsvägen
- The wine route
- Allévägen
10. Drinking at wine parties and wine festivals in Germany
Here's some inspiration for wine and festival lovers. Germany knows how to do it! In September, the wine festivals begin and last until January. 13 regions nominate 13 wine queens and one city has the world's largest wine festival which...
- Cochem Featherweight Festival
- Onion cake days in Lorch am Rhein
- Eltviller Kappeskerb
- German Wine Harvest Festival
- Schwab Munich Wine Festival
- Fellbach autumn
- Churfürstliches Weinberges Radebeul
- Catching the last train in Iphofen
- Weinfest in Merzig
11. Attend an Oktoberfest in Germany
Oktoberfest, or Wiesn as it is also known, is a traditional German beer festival held in late September and early October in Munich, Bavaria. The festival was first organised in 1810, and today it is considered the world's largest folk festival.
- If you want to order one beer - show your thumb, if you want to order two - show your index finger.
- 7.5 million litres of beer were consumed in 2018.
- Only beer from Munich is served at the party in Bavaria.
- Oktoberfest is only 6 days in October, and 10 days in September; it has been brought forward because it is warmer in September.
- Out of 200 times, the Oktoberfest has been cancelled 24 times due to war and epidemics.
- It closes every night between 23.30 and midnight, and then there is an after-party.
- 600-800 people are poisoned by alcohol every year.
- In 2018, 5,800 people needed medical assistance from the Red Cross on the ground.
- There are 14 huge beer tents and the biggest one (Schottenhamel) holds 11,000 people. The October party always starts here when the mayor takes the first beer at 12:00.
- A litre of beer costs about SEK 100 and is 6%.
- Recovered after the party are wheelchairs, false teeth, engagement rings, passports, keys, dogs, prams and crutches. That's about 5000 items every year.
- The official one-litre Oktoberfest mug is available for 140 SEK.
- More than 6 million people take part each year, but only 19 per cent are non-Germans.
- 13,000 people work on the festival and if you want a tent on site, you have to wait 20 years.
- Adidas has released vomit-resistant sneakers in the spirit of Oktoberfest. They made a limited edition that sold out immediately. The shoes cost only £2,000?
The celebration has also become contagious and many smaller versions of "Oktoberfest" are held in many places like...
- Cannstatter Volksfest in Stuttgart
- Schützenfest in Hannover
- Freimarkt in Bremen
- Rostock Octoberfest
12. cosy things to do in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
The German federal state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is located on the German Baltic Sea coast, making it easily accessible by ferry from Sweden. Here are eight tips for things to do in this region:
- Hiking through picturesque villages and national parks
- Cycling along cycle paths
- Experiencing castle autumn
- See cranes
- Go to the spa
- Try local health cures: Kneipp therapy and Thalasso treatments
- Enjoying culinary experiences
- Experience the Baltic lights
13. Search for sites with a Swedish connection in Germany
Sweden was a major power in the 17th and 18th centuries, and today you can find many Swedish traces in Germany. Check out where we had our strongholds in Germany!
- Svenskhålen "Schwedenlöcher Elbsandsteingebirge".
- The dessert 'Schweden Eisbecher' in eastern Germany
- "Schwedenfest" in Wismar
- Svenskvägen "Schwedenstrasse"
- Queen Silvia's home town of Heidelberg
- Swedish beverage stories in Bremen
- Torgau - where Swedes ate bears
- The Swedish Madonna in Überlingen
- Schwedeneck - commemorating a Swedish-Danish naval battle
- Würzburg - once a Swedish city in Bavaria
- The University of Greifswald was once the oldest in Sweden.
- Lützen - the site of a Swedish-German battlefield
14. must-have items to bring back to Sweden from Germany
There are some things you should not forget to buy from different countries. We list what you can buy from Germany and give you information on all products.
- Marzipan from Lübeck
- Wood crafts from the Erzgebirge
- Steiff plush toys
- Porcelain from Meissen
- Healing chalk from Rügen
- Sea buckthorn
- Cuckoo from the Black Forest
- German wines
- Products from outlets
- Beer or German beer stein
- German bread
- Ritter sport chocolate
15. dressing up at festivals in Germany
In Germany there is always something going on! Fantastic carnivals or festivals everywhere.
- Carnival in the Rhineland with costumes and wooden masks
- Venetian carnival in Ludwigsburg
- Husum Crocus Festival
- Arts and crafts workshop in Lübeck
- Egg art market in Benediktbeuern
- Easter market in Rostock
- Easter egg market in Mannheim and Schwetzingen
- "Ostermünde" in Travemünde
16. experience the passion play in Oberammgau - tradition from 1633
This is really something very special and absolutely awesome to read about. A big WOW! The Passion Play in Oberammergau, Germany, is a five-hour long and powerful dramatisation of the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus. The games are held every 10 years and have been done regularly since 1633.
17. Hiking in amazing natural areas in Germany
We write about extra nice nature areas in Germany that you might not know about, with full information on each location. Don't miss out:
- Lüneburg Heath - whole heaths of purple heather
- Jasmund National Park - rock formations on the island of Rügen
- Nagelfluhkette National Park - Alpine peaks and flowers
- Eifel National Park - with wild and beautiful beech forests
- Thuringian Forest - UNESCO biosphere reserve
- Harz National Park - steam locomotive through the park
- Saxonian Switzerland National Park - amazing mountain formations
- Rhineland Nature Park - castles and orchards
- Black Forest National Park - Adventure in the nature area
- Wadden Sea National Park - North Sea Coast
18. walk in the treetop tower
There are 4 tree-top towers in Germany and we have experienced one of them, the one in Rügen. Wonderful! Here you will find a list of all four:
- Black Forest treetop trail - Bad Wildbad
- Natural Heritage Centre Rügen - Baltic Sea resort Linz/Prora.
- Saarschleife tree-top trail - Mettlach-Orscholz
- Bavarian Forest treetop trail - Neuschönau
19. follow nice holiday routes in northern Germany
Germany has 150 named and exciting themed roads, which you can follow for a great experience. In this article, we list 6 that are located in northern Germany, close to Sweden:
- The marsh and bog road in Lower Saxony
- The asparagus road in Niedersachen
- The East Road in Schleswig-Holstein
- The ferry route in Schleswig-Holstein
- Sverigevägen in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
- Vorpommern byway - "the Amazon of the north"
20. exploring mines and caves in Germany
Did you know that there are many exciting mines and caves to visit in Germany? We have visited the bat cave in Bad Segeberg, and can also recommend a salt mine with a long history, a cave with Stone Age artefacts and several caves with large stalagmites and stalagmites. We write about ...
- Bavaria: Salt mine in Berchtesgaden
- Baden-Württemberg: Hohle Fels i Schelklingen
- Sachen-Anhalt: Rübeländer dropstone caves in the Harz Mountains
- Things: Drachenhöhle Syrau i Vogtland
- Thuringia: Saalfeld fairy frog
- North Rhine-Westphalia: Attacking the cave in Attendorn
- Schleswig-Holstein: limestone cave in Bad Segeberg
21. Have fun at amusement parks in northern Germany
Have you visited any amusement parks in northern Germany? There are several classic amusement parks with exciting and daring attractions, but also several parks that stand out from the crowd. We check out ...
- Heide park (Lower Saxony)
- Serengeti Park (Lower Saxony)
- Hansa park (Schleswig-Holstein)
- Summer toboggan run & Apskogen Malchow (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania)
- Bilstad Wolfsburg (Lower Saxony)
- Dinosaur Land Rügen (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania)
22. Tasting different beers in Germany
What is the best way to experience beer in Germany? Germany has a strong beer culture and there are lots of local breweries, cosy pubs and pleasant 'beer gardens'. But if you want a more specialised beer experience, what do you do? Here are 6 tips for beer-themed experiences in Germany. We write about prices, opening hours, location and offer exciting stories about each place.
- Brewing course at the Stebner private brewery in Braunschweig
- Experience the 'beer garden' Forstbaumschule in Kiel
- Check in at the beer hotel Der Waldkater between Hannover and Bielefeld
- Hike the '13 breweries trail' in Bamberg
- Join a brewery tour in Berlin
- Try the beer spa at Kummerower Hof in Neuzelle
23. See the Roman Empire in Germany
The Roman Empire in Germany? Yes, indeed! Ancient Rome was a powerful empire that originated in Rome, but eventually extended to the entire Mediterranean region and much of Europe. Today, several powerful Roman Empire sights can be found as far north as Germany. These sites are not to be missed
- Limes - the Roman Empire's defence and demarcation system
- Roman city of Trier
- The Roman Eifel Aqueduct in Cologne
- Roman Museum Haus Bürgel, north of Cologne
- Roman baths in Bad Breisig
- The Roman wine presses in Erden, Moselle Valley
24. Get inspired by German Christmas traditions
Christmas in Germany offers everything from tasty pastries and delicious Christmas food to atmospheric Advent music. If you want to feel the Christmas spirit in Germany, we have many interesting suggestions. For example, we tell you about ...
- Käthe Wolfhart Christmas Village and Museum
- Christmas cakes at Lebkuchen Schmidt
- A traditional German Christmas dinner
- Adventist atmosphere at Chorin monastery
- Christmas concerts in Berlin
- The German Christmas cake Dresdner Christstollen
25. Enjoy picturesque towns in Germany
If you like picturesque towns, Germany is the place for you. Germany is full of charming small towns with half-timbered houses and canals. Here are 6 picturesque towns located along some of Germany's famous holiday routes. Read about...
- Papenburg on the marsh and bog road
- Magdeburg on the Romantic Road
- Fulda at Allévägen
- Kassel at Sagovägen
- Bamberg at Porslinsvägen
- Hillesheim at Vulkanvägen
26. Experience the world in Germany - 6 surprising locations
Do you like the canals of Venice, the wine country of Tuscany or maybe the skyscrapers of Manhattan? In fact, you only have to go to Germany to find the right vibe. Today we present 6 surprising places in Germany.
- Instead of Switzerland - Saxon Switzerland
- Instead of Manhattan - Frankfurt
- Instead of Tuscany - Saale-Unstrut
- Instead of Venice - Hamburg, Spreewald and Bamberg
- Instead of Versailles - Ludwigsburg castle
- Instead of Athens - Valhalla
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