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.

  1. F. W. Borchardt
    03 1 hour

    F. W. Borchardt

    Restaurant Borchardt

    • High
    • Restaurant or café
    • Berlin
  2. Aumeister
    05 1 hour

    Aumeister

    Wirtshaus Aumeister

    • High
    • Restaurant or café
    • Munich
  3. Gasthaus
    08 1 hour

    Gasthaus

    Gasthof Sollner Hof

    • High
    • Restaurant or café
    • Munich
  4. Gasthaus Spiegl
    09 1 hour

    Gasthaus Spiegl

    Augustiner Spieglwirt

    • High
    • Restaurant or café
    • Munich
  5. Park-Café
    17 1 hour

    Park-Café

    • High
    • Restaurant or café
    • Munich
  6. Zum Nußbaum
    20 1 hour

    Zum Nußbaum

    • Notable
    • Restaurant or café
    • Berlin
  7. Cafe Jasmin
    21 1 hour

    Cafe Jasmin

    • Notable
    • Restaurant or café
    • Munich
  8. Villa Kreuzberg
    25 1 hour

    Villa Kreuzberg

    Tomasa

    • Notable
    • Restaurant or café
    • Berlin
  9. Konditorei Buchwald
    29 1 hour

    Konditorei Buchwald

    Konditorei & Café Buchwald

    • Notable
    • Restaurant or café
    • Berlin
  10. Gasthaus
    31 1 hour

    Gasthaus

    Antica Trattoria

    • Notable
    • Restaurant or café
    • Munich
  11. Gasthaus
    32 1 hour

    Gasthaus

    Vita Bella

    • Notable
    • Restaurant or café
    • Munich
  12. Die Eierschale
    36 1 hour

    Die Eierschale

    Eierschale

    • Notable
    • Restaurant or café
    • Berlin
  13. Amigos
    39 1 hour

    Amigos

    • Notable
    • Restaurant or café
    • Munich
  14. Gasthaus
    40 1 hour

    Gasthaus

    Harlachinger Jagdschlössl

    • Notable
    • Restaurant or café
    • Munich
  15. Alter Wirt
    43 1 hour

    Alter Wirt

    • Notable
    • Restaurant or café
    • Munich
  16. Atzinger
    44 1 hour

    Atzinger

    • Notable
    • Restaurant or café
    • Munich
  17. Hinterhoftheater
    46 1 hour

    Hinterhoftheater

    Wirtshaus am Hart

    • Notable
    • Restaurant or café
    • Munich
  18. Leiberheim
    47 1 hour

    Leiberheim

    • Notable
    • Restaurant or café
    • Munich
  19. Gasthaus
    51 1 hour

    Gasthaus

    Harlachinger Einkehr

    • Notable
    • Restaurant or café
    • Munich
  20. Microsoft Berlin
    54 1 hour

    Microsoft Berlin

    The Digital Eatery

    • Notable
    • Restaurant or café
    • Berlin
  21. Südblock
    56 1 hour

    Südblock

    • Notable
    • Restaurant or café
    • Berlin
  22. Patio
    57 1 hour

    Patio

    Restaurantschiff Patio

    • Notable
    • Restaurant or café
    • Berlin
  23. St. Oberholz
    60 1 hour

    St. Oberholz

    • Notable
    • Restaurant or café
    • Berlin
  24. Zollpackhof
    61 1 hour

    Zollpackhof

    • Notable
    • Restaurant or café
    • Berlin
  25. Alter Krug
    64 1 hour

    Alter Krug

    • Notable
    • Restaurant or café
    • Berlin
  26. Bapu
    66 1 hour

    Bapu

    • Notable
    • Restaurant or café
    • Berlin
  27. DB Lounge
    71 1 hour

    DB Lounge

    • Notable
    • Restaurant or café
    • Berlin
  28. DeBatchi
    73 1 hour

    DeBatchi

    • Notable
    • Restaurant or café
    • Berlin
  29. Patagona
    78 1 hour

    Patagona

    • Notable
    • Restaurant or café
    • Berlin
  30. Spindler & Klatt
    81 1 hour

    Spindler & Klatt

    spindler & klatt

    • Notable
    • Restaurant or café
    • Berlin
  31. Tantris
    82 1 hour

    Tantris

    • Notable
    • Restaurant or café
    • Munich
  32. Tantris
    83 1 hour

    Tantris

    Restaurant Tantris DNA

    • Notable
    • Restaurant or café
    • Munich
  33. Villa Felice
    84 1 hour

    Villa Felice

    • Notable
    • Restaurant or café
    • 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.