Germany, the charm of Europe, is world-famous for its scrumptious bread & sausages, a wide variety of beer, an ironic football team, free university education, spectacular palaces & castles, and striking cathedral & monuments. Holding 51 UNESCO World Heritage Sites and several other striking tourist attractions, it is a dream destination for most travellers.
Famous tourist attractions in Germany are Neuschwanstein Castle, Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag Building, Cologne Cathedral, etc. Its immense popularity among tourists can be attributed to its splendid old fashion and colourful architecture.
I got the chance to explore my dream destination with my family last summer. My husband, son, and I had great fun exploring this alluring country. In this article, I have described everything which can help you on your trip to Germany, including the exact location of Germany, how you can get there, Germany’s weather, the best time to go there, and the most beautiful cities in Germany you should not miss out on.
Best time to visit
With a temperate climate throughout the country, Germany has cold winters and warm summers. However, you can observe significant variation in weather because of plenty of mountainous, hilly areas. The best time to go to Germany is from May to September. In these warm summer months, you will be welcomed by massive tourist crowds, and the rates for accommodation and airfares will be inflated.
We travelled to Germany in August, the hottest month of the year. We stayed there for two weeks to explore the most beautiful cities in Germany. The shortest span you can explore most of this country is 3-7 days.
Most Beautiful Cities in Germany
Germany holds 596 cities, with each being unique in its way. Berlin is famous for plenty of museums it houses and for being the centre of the German and European film industry, Munich for its annual Oktoberfest celebration and beer halls, and Frankfurt for skyscrapers and Europe’s third largest airport.
Out of the enormous number of cities this country holds, we 8 visited the most beautiful ones. Let’s get to know in detail why we found these cities worth visiting and what were the top tourist attractions we visited in these cities.
Berlin
The capital of Germany was the very first of the 8 most beautiful cities we visited in Germany. This city is famous for its endlessly striking tourist attractions, including the Rebuilt Reichstag Building, Brandenburg Gate, Berlin Television Tower, Humboldt Forum, Gendarmenmarkt, etc.
The Rebuilt Reichstag Building was the first place we visited in Berlin because of its immense popularity for being the most-visited tourist attraction in Berlin. We booked in advance online to visit this building. The beautiful views from the building dome left us in awe.
The Berlin Television Tower was another tourist destination that we enjoyed the most. The tower was inaugurated on the 3rd of October, 1969. Later in 1979, this tourist attraction was declared a heritage site. The fantastic panoramic views from the observation platform and dining experience at the revolving Sphere restaurant made our visit worth joyful.
Cologne
The cultural hub of Germany, Cologne, is a 2000 years old city in western Germany. The top visited sites of this city’s historical buildings include Majestic Cologne Cathedral, Cologne City Hall, The Wallraf-Richartz & Ludwig Museums, Cologne Zoological Gardens, etc.
We booked a guided tour to explore the Majestic Cologne Cathedral – The Church of Saints Peter and Mary. This Gothic-styled architectural monument is the largest of its kind in the entire Germany. The Golden tomb is located in the heart of the building and is the main attraction. What we found most attractive were the Golden Tomb and the sculptures.
Germany’s oldest hall, Cologne City Hall, is in the centre of the old town. At the time of the completion of construction, this building was the tallest in the city. However, after World War II, the complex was rebuilt, but the City Hall was partially reconstructed. The most attractive part of this hall is the Hanseatic Hall, which features the Gothic figures of nine good heroes and eight prophets.
Hamburg
Hamburg is one of the oldest German cities in the country’s northern part. It is Germany’s busiest port city. Miniatur Wunderland, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Hamburger Kunsthalle, Townhall, St. Michael’s Church, etc., are some of the worth visiting places in Hamburg.
Miniatur Wunderland was the place my kid was extremely excited about, and so was I! It is a small airport and a model railway attraction in this city. Surprisingly, it is the largest of its kind in the entire world. It took us more than five hours to explore most of this attraction. The nine themed worlds it showcases include Central Germany, Knuffingen, Hamburg, Switzerland, USA, etc.
Nicknamed Elphi, the Elbphilharmonie is a concert hall in Hamburg’s HafenCity quarter. It is one of the world’s most acoustically advanced concert halls. Its spectacular architecture makes it unique; setting upon a giant warehouse, this concert hall is encased in glass. We had a great time dancing and enjoying the concert!
Dresden
A modern city with ancient buildings – There can be no perfect definition for Dresden than this one. It is the capital of Saxony, a German State. Though World War II damaged this city significantly, many buildings were restored. The tourist attractions we found worth the most striking were Frauenkirche Dresden, The Opera House, Zwinger Palace, Semperoper Dresden, Dresden Castle, Moritzburg Castle, etc.
A Lutheran church, Frauenkirche Dresden, was our next destination. We used an audio guide to get to know in detail about this church’s history, architecture, and reconstruction. On entering the hall, we explored the grand hall and then headed to the dome to witness this busy city from several angles. The interior of this church is circularly surrounded by galleries, rising to four stories. Exceptional views from the dome were worth admiring.
Zwinger Palace is the charm of Dresden. As Zwinger was located a few-minute walk from our hotel, this was the place we often visited during our stay at Dresden. Ornamental details of this palace, richly embellished and quirky figures, and the sculptures made by Balthasar Permoser and his assistant Paul Hermann, were some of the details we found worth exploring. Glockenspiel Pavilion, Nymphenbad, and the symmetrical garden are some places adding charm to the palace.
Munich
My love for history and historical monuments brought us to Munich! Bavaria’s capital is home to some mind-blowing tourist attractions, remarkable castles, serene parks, and lots more. In winter, the views were endlessly spectacular. What we found fascinating when exploring the city was the many museums. It seemed like there we as a museum on every street showcasing the natural history and fine art technology.
We went to several famous places; the most outstanding ones among them were The Residence Palace, Frauenkirche, Marienplatz, Nymphenburg Palace, etc. The first place we visited in this beautiful city was Marienplatz which houses Old and New Town Halls. Since 1158, this landmark has been Munich’s main square. After sightseeing the building’s main attractions, we had lunch in one of the restaurants in the pedestrian zone between Karlsplatz and Marienplatz.
My kid enjoyed most the city’s zoological garden, Hellabrunn Zoo, and the Preysinggarten was the restaurant we enjoyed an excellent dining experience at!
Leipzig
Though it is small, the treasures it holds make us fall for it. It is nicknamed new Berlin and is the most populous city in Saxony, a German state. Some places we visited were Monument to the Battle of the Nations, St. Thomas Church, Zoo Leipzig, Belantis, Museum of Fine Arts, etc.
The Monument to the Battle of the Nation is the most popular landmark in Leipzig. We went to this historical building to attend a concert event and were left mesmerized by the acoustic architecture of the building. Moreover, we also witnessed stunning views of this beautiful city and its surrounding from this 91-meter tall monument.
What we visited next was the Zoo Leipzig! Covering an area of 27 hectares and housing around 850 animal species, this zoo first opened on the 9th of June, 1878. Instead of buying three individual tickets, we opted to buy a single Family ticket. Besides the zoo area, there were several other locations, including Concert Garden Palm-Tree Hall, Gondwanaland, Asian Pagoda, Jungle Village, Kiwara Lodge, etc. We also enjoyed a boat trip to Gondwanaland.
Nuremberg
After Munich, Nuremberg is the second largest city in Bavaria – a German state. We had so much to explore here in the short period. However, we planned to visit top tourist attractions, and some of our shortlisted places were the Imperial Castle of Nuremberg, Hauptmarket, St. Sebaldus Church, Germanic National Museum, etc.
One of the mind-boggling medieval fortifications of Europe, Nuremberg Castle, houses several medieval fortified buildings, including the Albrecht Durer’s House, Nurnberger Christkindlesmarkt, Toy Museum, The Beautiful Fountain, etc., which are in turn popular tourist attractions. Moreover, the perfectly round Sinwell tower, Knight Hall, the Deep Well, Double Chapel, and the calm Castle Gardens were other worth visiting sites within this castle.
Our next plan was to wander in the Hauptmarket – Nuremberg’s Central Market. It is where the famous “Christmas Market” is held. Surprisingly, over a million visitors visit this two-week festive market every year. Hauptmarket – the city’s traditional center, also houses the 14th century “Beautiful Fountain”. We also visited the Old Town’s magnificent doorways, torture chamber, and dungeons.
Stuttgart
Baden-Württemberg’s capital and the largest city, Stuttgart, is utterly famous as the “cradle of the automobile”. This automobile manufacturing hub is where the headquarters and museums of Mercedes-Benz and Porsche are located. Moreover, the lush green parks of this city play their part in adding charm to it.
A few of the best places we visited in this city include Public Library Stuttgart, Wilhelma, Plaza del Castillo, Staatsgalerie Stuttgart, etc. Public Library Stuttgart is one of the finest libraries I have ever visited. We spent around one and a half hours in this masterpiece of modern architecture, and it was worth every second. The mind behind the striking interior of this library is Korean architect Eun Young Yi. From entering this cube-shaped building to reaching its “Heart” and then going upstairs to explore different themed collections, we enjoyed this visit the most.
Wilhelma Zoo is Stuttgart’s zoological and botanical garden. Hosting more than 2 million visitors every year, Wilhelma Zoo is one of the top attractions to visit in Baden-Württemberg. We reached this zoo by noon and went through it till afternoon. The diversity of plants and animal species it holds speaks of its worth.
Conclusion
Planning a visit to Germany and want to learn about the most beautiful cities in Germany? I have described everything in this article, referring to my experience exploring this charming travel destination with my husband and son. It was where we spent the most memorable time of our life, going through the worldly famous places, dining in the best of restaurants, and taking part in adventurous activities.
