Language · 11 published
Country guide
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.
Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.
Photograph · Thomas Wolf, www.foto-tw.de · CC BY-SA 3.0
Photograph · Thomas Wolf, www.foto-tw.de · CC BY-SA 3.0 de
Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.
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The Pergamon Museum is a major art museum on Museum Island in Berlin. Its local name is Pergamonmuseum. The building houses reconstructed monumental buildings from ancient civilisations, including the Pergamon Altar, the Market Gate of Miletus, and the Ishtar Gate.
The Alte Pinakothek is Munich's gallery of Old Master painting, covering the fourteenth to the eighteenth century, and it is one of the oldest purpose-built picture galleries anywhere.
The Englischer Garten is a public park five and a half kilometres long that runs north from the edge of Munich's old city into open countryside, and it is administered by the Bavarian Palace Administration rather than by the city.
The Glyptothek occupies the north side of Königsplatz and is Munich's oldest public museum; its operator describes it as the only museum in the world devoted exclusively to ancient sculpture.
The Museum für Naturkunde, formally the Museum für Naturkunde - Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, is a natural history museum in Berlin.
The Neues Museum is a museum building on Museum Island in Berlin, Germany. It was constructed between 1843 and 1855 according to plans by Friedrich August Stüler.
Nikolaikirche is the oldest church in Berlin, located in the historic Nikolaiviertel district near the Spree River. The twin-towered structure holds significance as a landmark of medieval Berlin's origins.
The BMW Museum is a corporate museum dedicated to the history and heritage of Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, the Munich-based automobile and motorcycle manufacturer.
The Altes Museum is a neoclassical museum building on Museum Island in Berlin. Designed by Karl Friedrich Schinkel and opened in 1830, it was originally constructed to house the Prussian royal collection of classical antiquities.
The Bode-Museum stands on the northern tip of Museum Island in Berlin, its domed structure visible across the Spree river. Opened in 1904 and originally named the Kaiser-Friedrich-Museum, it was renamed in 1956 after its first director, Wilhelm von Bode.
The Alte Nationalgalerie is a prominent art museum on Berlin's Museum Island, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its neoclassical temple design, completed in 1876, houses nineteenth-century paintings and sculptures.
Haus der Kunst is a prominent art museum in Munich, Germany. The building was originally constructed in the 1930s and has served various cultural functions over its history.
The Pinakothek der Moderne is a major museum of modern and contemporary art in Munich, Germany. It forms part of the city's museum quarter, located in the Maxvorstadt district near the other Pinakothek museums.
The Neue Pinakothek is an art museum in Munich, Germany. It forms part of the city's museum quarter alongside the Alte Pinakothek and Pinakothek der Moderne.
The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe is Germany's central Holocaust memorial, and it is two things at one address rather than one.
The Berlin-Hohenschönhausen Memorial is a museum and memorial site located in the Lichtenberg district of Berlin. It occupies the grounds of a former Soviet and later Stasi remand prison that operated during the German Democratic Republic period.
The Martin-Gropius-Bau, known locally as Gropius-Bau, is a prominent exhibition hall in Berlin. The building stands as a significant cultural venue in the German capital, hosting temporary exhibitions of international scope.
The Gemäldegalerie Berlin, locally known as Gemäldegalerie am Kulturforum, is a major art museum in Berlin, Germany.
The Märkisches Museum is a museum in Berlin dedicated to the history and culture of the city and its surrounding Mark Brandenburg region.
Villa Stuck is a historic villa in Munich, Germany, originally built as the residence and studio of the painter Franz von Stuck.
The Jewish Museum Berlin is a major cultural institution dedicated to two millennia of German-Jewish history and culture.
Lenbachhaus is an art museum in Munich, Germany. It occupies the former Italianate villa of the painter Franz von Lenbach, which was expanded with modern additions.
Schönhausen Palace, known locally as Schloss Schönhausen, is a historic palace in Berlin, Germany. The building is recorded on OpenStreetMap under way/24315051 and documented on Wikidata as Q681355.
The Deutsches Technikmuseum is a technology museum in Berlin, Germany. It is the local name for the German Museum of Technology. The institution documents technological development across multiple fields.
The Museum of Photography, known locally as Museum für Fotografie, is a photography museum in Berlin. It occupies a prominent cultural position in the city's museum landscape.
Neue Nationalgalerie is a modern art museum in Berlin, Germany. The building was designed by architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and opened in 1968.
Archenhold Observatory, known locally as Archenhold-Sternwarte, is a public astronomical observatory located in Berlin's Treptower Park. It was established in 1896 and houses what was once the world's longest movable refracting telescope.
Ephraim-Palais is a Rococo-style palace building located in Berlin, Germany. Constructed in the 18th century, it represents an important example of bourgeois architecture from that period.
The Stasimuseum occupies the former headquarters of the East German Ministry for State Security, known as the Stasi.
The Schwules Museum is a museum in Berlin dedicated to LGBTQ+ history and culture. Founded in 1985, it emerged from a groundbreaking exhibition and has since developed into a significant institution for preserving and presenting queer heritage.
The Bavarian National Museum, known locally as Bayerisches Nationalmuseum, stands as one of Munich's principal cultural institutions. Located on the Prinzregentenstraße, this museum occupies a substantial purpose-built structure designed in historicist style.
Haus der Kulturen der Welt is a cultural institution in Berlin, Germany, locally known by the same name. It serves as a venue for international contemporary arts and discourse.
The Allied Museum documents the history of the Western powers in Berlin from 1945 to 1994. Located in the former American sector of Dahlem, it occupies a distinctive site that includes a former U.S.
Berlin Zoological Garden, known locally as Zoo Berlin, is a major zoological garden in Berlin, Germany. It is one of the city's most prominent attractions and features among Berlin's top ten visitor destinations according to official tourism sources.
Museum Brandhorst is a contemporary art museum in Munich's Maxvorstadt district. It opened in 2009 and houses the collection of Udo and Anette Brandhorst, featuring works from the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries.
The DDR Museum is an interactive museum in Berlin dedicated to everyday life in the former German Democratic Republic. Located on the Spree River near Museum Island, it presents the history and culture of East Germany through immersive exhibitions.
The Berlin Musical Instrument Museum, known locally as Musikinstrumenten-Museum, is a cultural institution in Berlin dedicated to the collection, preservation, and display of musical instruments.
The Kunstgewerbemuseum, or Museum of Decorative Arts, is one of Berlin's significant cultural institutions dedicated to applied arts and design. It forms part of the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, the national museum complex.
BMW Welt is a major visitor destination in Munich associated with the Bavarian automaker. The facility serves as a delivery center, exhibition space, and brand experience venue.
The Museum Berlin-Karlshorst occupies the historic building where German military forces signed the unconditional surrender on May 8, 1945, ending World War II in Europe.
The James Simon Gallery serves as the main entrance building for Berlin's Museum Island, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Named after Jewish art patron James Simon, the structure was designed by British architect David Chipperfield.
The Topography of Terror is an outdoor and indoor history museum in Berlin, Germany. It stands on the former site of the Gestapo and SS headquarters, the central instruments of Nazi persecution.
The NS-Dokumentationszentrum is a documentation centre in Munich dedicated to the history of National Socialism.
The Schack Collection, known locally as Sammlung Schack, is an art museum in Munich. It ranks as a notable visitor destination within the city's cultural offerings.
The State Museum of Egyptian Art, known locally as Staatliches Museum Ägyptischer Kunst, is a museum in Munich dedicated to ancient Egyptian art and culture.
The Palaeontological Museum Munich is a natural history museum dedicated to fossils and ancient life forms. It operates as part of the Bavarian State Collection for Palaeontology and Geology.
The Berggruen Museum is an art museum in Berlin, Germany, known formally as Museum Berggruen. It houses a significant collection of modern art, particularly works by Pablo Picasso, Paul Klee, Henri Matisse, and Alberto Giacometti.
The Jewish Museum Munich, known locally as Jüdisches Museum, is a cultural institution in Munich dedicated to Jewish history, art, and culture in the city.
Hofbräuhaus am Platzl is a working beer hall on a small square behind the Munich residence, and it is a tavern rather than a museum: nothing inside is roped off, and everyone in the room is there to eat and…
The Bröhan-Museum is a Berlin museum dedicated to Art Nouveau, Art Deco, and functionalist design. It occupies a historic building in Charlottenburg, near Schloss Charlottenburg.
The Kupferstichkabinett Berlin is the Museum of Prints and Drawings, forming part of the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin. It ranks among the world's most significant collections of graphic art, housing works on paper spanning multiple centuries.
The MVG Museum is a transport museum in Munich dedicated to the history of public transit in the city.
Tierpark Hellabrunn is Munich's principal zoological garden, situated in the southern borough of Thalkirchen. Established in 1911, it operates as a geo-zoo where animals are grouped by continent of origin rather than by species type.
The Bavarian State Archaeological Collection, known locally as Archäologische Staatssammlung, is a museum institution in Munich. It serves as a central archaeological repository for Bavaria, preserving and presenting material culture from prehistoric periods through early historical eras.
The Beer and Oktoberfest Museum occupies a historic townhouse in Munich's old town, housed in one of the city's oldest preserved residential buildings dating from the 14th century.
The Five Continents Museum, known locally as Museum Fünf Kontinente, is an ethnographic museum in Munich. It houses extensive collections representing cultures from Africa, the Americas, Asia, Oceania, and parts of Europe.
The Staatliche Graphische Sammlung München is a major art museum in Munich dedicated to graphic arts. It ranks among Germany's most significant collections of drawings and prints.
Munich City Museum, known locally as Münchner Stadtmuseum, stands as a cultural institution dedicated to preserving and presenting the history of Munich.
The Deutsches Jagd- und Fischereimuseum is a hunting and fishing museum located in Munich. It occupies a former Augustinian church in the city centre, near the pedestrian zone.
The Haidhausen Museum is a local history museum situated in Munich's Haidhausen district. It occupies a building in this former working-class neighbourhood that underwent significant transformation from industrial quarters to a desirable residential area.
The Alpine Museum in Munich is a museum dedicated to the history, culture, and exploration of the Alpine region. It serves as a repository for mountaineering heritage, preserving artifacts and narratives related to the Alps across multiple countries.
Das Kartoffelmuseum, locally known as Pfanni Museum, is a museum in Munich dedicated to the potato and its cultural significance. The institution explores the history, agricultural importance, and culinary versatility of this staple crop.
Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
