Smart Self-Managed Tours

Country guide

Germany

A photograph of Germany
Photograph · Llez · CC BY-SA 3.0

Germany runs from the Baltic and North Sea coasts in the north down to the Alps in the south, and its 16 states have kept enough separateness that the country reads as a set of destinations rather than one. Over 83 million people live in them, more than any other European Union member. Berlin is the capital and the largest single city, Frankfurt is the financial centre, and the largest urban area is neither - it is the Ruhr, a belt of western towns that have grown into each other. Choosing between the Bavarian south, the Rhine, the Hanseatic north and the eastern cities is the actual planning decision; the distances are short and the places are not variations on one another.

Cities

Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.

Practical information
Language spoken
German
National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
Dialling code
+49
International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
Currency
Euro (EUR)
Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
Emergency number
112 medical/fire · 110 police
Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
Plug type
Type C and F · 230 V
Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
Tap water
Safe from the mains
Public drinking water is regulated under national drinking-water rules

Planning a visit

  1. January: seasonal closure recorded
  2. February: seasonal closure recorded
  3. March: seasonal closure recorded
  4. April: seasonal closure recorded
  5. May: seasonal closure recorded
  6. June: seasonal closure recorded
  7. July: seasonal closure recorded
  8. August: seasonal closure recorded — this month
  9. September: seasonal closure recorded
  10. October: seasonal closure recorded
  11. November: seasonal closure recorded
  12. December: seasonal closure recorded

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

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Category

Historic monuments 10723 Museums 349 Places of worship 1887 Nature sites 1765 Viewpoints 192 Food and drink 84 Markets and shopping 421 Entertainment 174 Nightlife 2675 Family attractions 59 Art and culture 3054 Activities 0

Typical visit duration

1 to 2 hours 174

Interests

History 0 Art 0 Museums 0 Nature 0 Sea and beach 0 Viewpoints 0
  1. Kino Babylon
    01 2 hours

    Kino Babylon

    • High
    • Entertainment venue
    • Berlin
  2. Kino International Kino International
    02 2 hours

    Kino International

    Kino International is a historic cinema located in Berlin, Germany. It stands as a notable example of East German architectural heritage from the GDR period.

    • High
    • Entertainment venue
    • Berlin
  3. Zoo Palast Zoo Palast
    03 2 hours

    Zoo Palast

    Zoo Palast is a historic cinema located in Berlin, Germany. Situated in the Charlottenburg district near the Berlin Zoological Garden, it has long served as a prominent venue for film screenings and premieres.

    • High
    • Entertainment venue
    • Berlin
  4. Britzer Garten Britzer Garten
    04 2 hours

    Britzer Garten

    Britzer Garten is a large public park located in the Britz district of Berlin, Germany. The garden was established for the Federal Garden Show in 1985 and has remained a significant green space in the city since.

    • High
    • Entertainment venue
    • Berlin
  5. Gardens of the World Gardens of the World
    05 2 hours

    Gardens of the World

    Gärten der Welt, known in English as Gardens of the World, is a landscaped park in Berlin. The attraction presents multiple themed garden areas representing different international horticultural traditions.

    • High
    • Entertainment venue
    • Berlin
  7. Mathäser
    07 2 hours

    Mathäser

    • High
    • Entertainment venue
    • Munich
  8. Delphi Filmpalast Delphi Filmpalast
    08 2 hours

    Delphi Filmpalast

    The Delphi Filmpalast is a cinema located in Berlin, Germany. It operates as a venue for film screenings within the city's cultural landscape. The establishment contributes to Berlin's reputation as a destination with diverse entertainment offerings.

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Berlin
  11. ACUD
    11 2 hours

    ACUD

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Berlin
  13. Brotfabrik
    13 2 hours

    Brotfabrik

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Berlin
  17. Arsenal
    17 2 hours

    Arsenal

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Berlin
  20. Cinema Paris
    20 2 hours

    Cinema Paris

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Berlin
  21. Cineplex Alhambra Cineplex Alhambra
    21 2 hours

    Cineplex Alhambra

    Cineplex Alhambra is a cinema located in Berlin. The venue operates under the Cineplex brand, which operates multiple cinema locations across Germany. As a commercial cinema, it screens mainstream film releases for public audiences.

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Berlin
  23. Kant Kino
    23 2 hours

    Kant Kino

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Berlin
  24. Moviemento
    24 2 hours

    Moviemento

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Berlin
  25. Naturtheater Friedrichshagen Naturtheater Friedrichshagen
    25 2 hours

    Naturtheater Friedrichshagen

    Naturtheater Friedrichshagen, known locally as Freiluftkino Friedrichshagen, is an open-air cinema and theater venue in Berlin's Friedrichshagen district.

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Berlin
  26. Neues Maxim
    26 2 hours

    Neues Maxim

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Munich
  30. Werkstattkino
    30 2 hours

    Werkstattkino

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Munich
  31. Xenon
    31 2 hours

    Xenon

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Berlin
  32. Zeughauskino
    32 2 hours

    Zeughauskino

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Berlin
  33. Cincinnati
    33 2 hours

    Cincinnati

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Munich
  35. ABC Kino
    35 2 hours

    ABC Kino

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Munich
  36. Cineplex
    36 2 hours

    Cineplex

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Munich
  37. Haarer Kinos
    37 2 hours

    Haarer Kinos

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Munich
  40. Gloria Palast
    40 2 hours

    Gloria Palast

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Munich
  44. Astra
    44 2 hours

    Astra

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Berlin
  45. Atelier Kino
    45 2 hours

    Atelier Kino

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Munich
  46. Blauer Stern
    46 2 hours

    Blauer Stern

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Berlin
  47. Breitwand
    47 2 hours

    Breitwand

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Munich
  50. Casablanca
    50 2 hours

    Casablanca

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Berlin
  56. City Kino
    56 2 hours

    City Kino

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Munich
  58. Filmeck
    58 2 hours

    Filmeck

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Munich
  59. Filmkunst 66
    59 2 hours

    Filmkunst 66

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Berlin
  60. Filmstudio
    60 2 hours

    Filmstudio

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Munich
  65. Il Kino
    65 2 hours

    Il Kino

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Berlin
  68. Klick
    68 2 hours

    Klick

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Berlin
  69. Krokodil
    69 2 hours

    Krokodil

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Berlin
  70. Kulturbrauerei Kulturbrauerei
    70 2 hours

    Kulturbrauerei

    Kulturbrauerei is a cultural complex in Berlin's Prenzlauer Berg district, occupying a former brewery site. The area has been repurposed into a venue hosting multiple cultural institutions, performance spaces, and the cinema known locally as Kino in der Kulturbrauerei.

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Berlin
  72. Movieland
    72 2 hours

    Movieland

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Berlin
  75. Neues Off
    75 2 hours

    Neues Off

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Berlin
  76. Neues Rex
    76 2 hours

    Neues Rex

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Munich
  78. Openair-Kino
    78 2 hours

    Openair-Kino

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Berlin
  80. Passage-Kino
    80 2 hours

    Passage-Kino

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Berlin
  84. Sputnik Kino
    84 2 hours

    Sputnik Kino

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Berlin
  87. Wolf
    87 2 hours

    Wolf

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Berlin
  88. Yorck
    88 2 hours

    Yorck

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Berlin
  89. Z-inema
    89 2 hours

    Z-inema

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Berlin
  91. Bali
    91 2 hours

    Bali

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Berlin
  94. Delphi Lux
    94 2 hours

    Delphi Lux

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Berlin
  98. Kino Intimes
    98 2 hours

    Kino Intimes

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Berlin
  99. Kino Solln
    99 2 hours

    Kino Solln

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Munich
  100. Odeon
    100 2 hours

    Odeon

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Berlin

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·

Common questions

How long should a first trip to Germany be?

Seven to ten days works for Berlin plus one connected region, or for a focused Rhine, Bavaria or northern-city route. Germany’s rail network makes multi-city travel practical, but changing bases every night still reduces useful time.

What entry documents are needed for Germany?

Germany’s Federal Foreign Office is the official visa reference. Review its nationality-specific entry rules and the Schengen application guidance for the passport and route being used.

What is the best way to travel around Germany?

Intercity and high-speed trains connect Germany’s major cities, with regional services completing shorter journeys. Deutsche Bahn publishes the integrated timetable; airport choice should follow the route rather than defaulting to one national gateway.

When is a practical time to visit Germany?

May through September favours outdoor city and countryside travel, while December has a distinct seasonal-market pattern. Alpine, North Sea and urban conditions differ enough that the intended region should determine clothing and reservations.

What money and payment basics apply in Germany?

Germany uses the euro (EUR). Cash and card practices are not stated as a single national rule in the cited source, so travellers should carry a backup and check the payment method before ordering or boarding.

What practical safety details should I save for Germany?

For Germany, 112 reaches medical and fire services and 110 reaches police. Type C and F plugs use 230 V, and mains tap water is recorded as safe.