Historically known as the land of the great poets, artists and thinkers, Germany is rich with diversified culture, philosophy and lifestyle. It hosts music, stage plays and several museums for fine arts. Since its reunification in 1989, Germany has once again been installed into the virtual list of the must-visit European countries.
If you're planning a trip to Germany, you will need a valid passport if you are not a citizen of any of the European Union (EU) countries. Citizens of the EU only need to present their national identification card to be granted entry into Germany. If you are a citizen of the United States, you are not required to have a visa to enter unless you are planning on staying longer than 90 days. If you're not sure if you need a visa to gain entry into Germany you can research online or visit your nearest German embassy. If you're planning on traveling to other countries around Europe, it would be advisable to apply for a Schengen visa, which allows entry into15 European member countries.
Essentials such as travel guides, money, toiletries and comfortable shoes are always on the list. What you pack to wear on your trip to Germany depends on the time of year that you visit. If your trip is during the warmer months bring T-shirts, shorts or skirts and a light sweater or jacket. If you go during the colder weather pack a thick sweater and a coat or jacket and pants. You can also bring gloves and a scarf to keep warm.
Although knowing how to speak German is an advantage, English is widely spoken in Germany, particularly in tourist destinations. It is noteworthy that German dialects are spoken with a rich accent and varied pronunciations. A German-English dictionary may come in handy for those areas not usually frequented by tourists.
Germany is a country with a wide array of restaurants and pubs. Eating in Germany is similar to eating in an American restaurant, where you can order meatloaf, mashed potatoes, potato salad, potato pancakes, beef stew, rabbit stew, chicken and dumplings, pot roast and chocolate cake, the most popular being Black Forest cake. Of course, Germany is also known for its numerous sausages, such as Leberwurst (liver) and Weisswurst (veal and herb) and ,of course, German beer. If you visit Munich between September and October, try to attend Oktoberfest, which is the largest beer festival in the world. During a period of 16 days, locals and tourists gather to drink and eat amid food vendors and carnival rides.
Germany is a country with many historical buildings, castles, parks, gardens and museums. The Neuschwanstein castle in Bavaria is one of the country's most popular tourist destinations and was the inspiration for Sleeping Beauty's castle at Disneyland.
In Berlin, stop into the Anne Frank museum, as well as Alter Jüdischer Friedhof, which was Berlin's first Jewish cemetery; it was destroyed by the Nazis. Other places of note in Berlin are the Bauhaus Archiv/Museum, Berlin Zoo and Aquarium and the Brandenburg Gate, a symbol of German reunification.
In Munich, visit the Bier & Oktoberfestmuseum, the BMW Museum and the Alter Botanischer Garten, which is a park created under King Maximilian in 1814. Other notable cities worth visiting are Frankfurt, Cologne, Düsseldorf and Hamburg.
