Western Cities Germany
Not in the story-mood? Scroll down for the Quick Budget Fact Overview: an itemized information summary of Germany! ↓
Of course, we are all familiar with Berlin. The 24-hour raves, the eastern wall hipster scene and the Potsdammer Platz. Many travelers touch-base in the capital and bam, there it is: another country checked of the list. That’s not how that works though, and more than anything: you’re selling yourself short. Germany is the 6th biggest country of Europe (out of 45), and as such, it’s just stuffed to the brim with interesting, vigorous and captivating cities. In the south, you’ll find top destinations such as Munich, Stuttgart and best of all: Freiburg im Breisgau. In the centre there’s modern Frankfurt or the historical gems of Nuremberg and Heidelberg. And what about the magnetic north, with eyecatchers such as Hanover, Bremen and the jewel in the crown: Hamburg?
However, in this article we’re zooming in on the west side of Germany. The well-connected area rubbing shoulders with Belgium and the Netherlands, containing a conglomeration of names that probably ring a bell, but might not trigger any travel memories… yet!
The Hot-Shots: Düsseldorf & Cologne
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Düsseldorf
A destination hard to ignore is the village (dorf) at the mouth of the river Düssel on the bank of the Rhine, which is in reality not a village at all but Germany’s six-largest city. It functions as the country’s business and financial centre, internationally known for its fashion and trade fairs. At the same time, it also has a more traditional side to it. Personally, it was exactly that balance between modern and classical, contemporary and historical, that grabbed my undivided attention. You initially think you get lured into a Frankfurt’esque hub of shiny, futuristic architecture, underlined by sights such as the Medienhafen, the Rheinuferpromenade, the Kö Bogen and the Neuer Zollhof. These avantgarde landmarks came about as a part of the city’s reconstruction, as not much of Düsseldorf was left after the strategic bombing campaign that WWII brought about. Yet, at the same time there’s still the preserved historic heart of the city, with areas such as the fancy Konigsallee, Marktplatz and Oberkassel… welcoming visitors to what seems to be a perfect time capsule of what Germany once was. Then, all of a sudden, there’s also this squatters’ anarchy anchorage in the shape of the Kiefernstrasse Community! A socialist free-culture-zone where you can admire staggering pieces of street art while smoking a green one. Düsseldorf’s confusing multiple-personality disorder seems to work out perfectly for them… and therefore, for us!
FREE Sights / Activities Düsseldorf
- Sights: Altstadt, Königsallee, Rheinuferpromenade, Medienhafen, Carlsplatz Markt, Stadterhebungsmonument, Burgplatz, Marktplatz, Old Town Hall, Kiefernstrasse Community (street art), Kaiserplatz Kaiserwerth, Kö Bogen, St. Lambertus Church, Auseinandersetzung statues, Neuer Zollhof, St. Rochuskirche, Tritonenbrunnen & more.
- Museums: Classic Remise.
- Hikes / Nature: River Rhine, Nord Park, Hofgarten, Südpark, Botanical Garden, Rheinstrand (beach), Angermundersee, Kartäuser Park, Unterbacher See.
PAID Sights / Activities Düsseldorf
- Sights: Rheinturm, Schlossturm.
- Museums: Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Museum Kunstpalast, Boot (ticket includes transport to exhibition), Schifffahrtmuseum, Filmmuseum, Deutsches Keramikmuseum Hetjens (free last Sunday of month), Kunsthalle Düsseldorf, Bonsaimuseum, Goethemuseum & more.
- Nature: EKO-Haus der Japanischen Kultur.
- Other: Tonhalle Concert Hall.
Cologne (Köln)
If you’re hesitating between Cologne and Düsseldorf I’m gonna be of zero help: there’s no choice to make here, they’re equally excellent and you should visit both. Comparing both, in Cologne there’s less of a balance between historic and modern, in favor of the latter. Just like Düsseldorf, WWII bombing destroyed most of the Old Town… yet, in Cologne only the main historic landmarks were actively restored, while a progressive approach to new-style architecture was embraced. The result is a colorful mishmash of old but predominantly new sights, some of the ‘historical architecture’ actually recently built to look that way. This is done in a very cool, edgy manner with sights as the Köln Triangle Skyscraper (incl. viewing platform), the Cologne Central Mosque, the Rheinauhafen District and of course the post-war Hohenzollern Bridge as the prime eyecatchers. That said, the main sight in town, the UNESCO-qualified Cathedral, had its foundation laid as early as 1248. The world’s third-tallest church forms a world class attraction, justifying a visit to Cologne on its own. A sneak-peek into the Treasury inside is recommended, but if you want to visit the tower, stretch up in advance: you’re in for a decent climb with honestly, limited rewards (a gate around the tower blocks the views, as well as the sheer amount of fellow visitors clogging the already cramped space). Nonetheless, it doesn’t matter what time of the year you’ll visit Cologne: the city always has a wide scala of entertainment on offer… Craving for one of those massive sparkling Christmas Markets? Or are you more of a good-weather-traveler in search of those vibrant summer nights, which you can find in the trendy Belgian Quarter? Or are you free in February, when Europe’s biggest carnaval celebration takes place? Cologne has got you covered!
P.S. In case you wondered… Yes, indeed: The perfume (as well as the French word for perfume), Eau de Cologne, comes from this city.
FREE Sights / Activities Cologne
PAID Sights / Activities Cologne
Two cities at a short distance from Cologne include: Bonn and charming little Aachen.
If you’re hesitating between Cologne and Düsseldorf I’m gonna be of zero help: there’s no choice to make here, they’re equally excellent and you should visit both. Comparing both, in Cologne there’s less of a balance between historic and modern, in favor of the latter. Just like Düsseldorf, WWII bombing destroyed most of the Old Town… yet, in Cologne only the main historic landmarks were actively restored, while a progressive approach to new-style architecture was embraced. The result is a colorful mishmash of old but predominantly new sights, some of the ‘historical architecture’ actually recently built to look that way. This is done in a very cool, edgy manner with sights as the Köln Triangle Skyscraper (incl. viewing platform), the Cologne Central Mosque, the Rheinauhafen District and of course the post-war Hohenzollern Bridge as the prime eyecatchers. That said, the main sight in town, the UNESCO-qualified Cathedral, had its foundation laid as early as 1248. The world’s third-tallest church forms a world class attraction, justifying a visit to Cologne on its own. A sneak-peek into the Treasury inside is recommended, but if you want to visit the tower, stretch up in advance: you’re in for a decent climb with honestly, limited rewards (a gate around the tower blocks the views, as well as the sheer amount of fellow visitors clogging the already cramped space). Nonetheless, it doesn’t matter what time of the year you’ll visit Cologne: the city always has a wide scala of entertainment on offer… Craving for one of those massive sparkling Christmas Markets? Or are you more of a good-weather-traveler in search of those vibrant summer nights, which you can find in the trendy Belgian Quarter? Or are you free in February, when Europe’s biggest carnaval celebration takes place? Cologne has got you covered!
P.S. In case you wondered… Yes, indeed: The perfume (as well as the French word for perfume), Eau de Cologne, comes from this city.
FREE Sights / Activities Cologne
- Sights: Cathedral (Treasury paid), Hohenzollern Bridge, Old Town, Cologne Central Station, Heinzelmänchenbrunnen, Alter Markt, Cologne Central Mosque, Gross St. Martin Church, St. Gereon’s Basilica, Rheinauhafen, Frankenwerft, Eau de Cologne Store, Town Hall, Hahnen Gate, Römerturm, Petrusbrunnen, Severinstorburg, Severin Bridge, Mediapark, Malakoffturm, Bayenturm, Alte Feuerwache Market & more.
- Museums: Skulpturenpark, Historische Senfmühle (mustard; visit free, tour paid).
- Hikes / Nature: Botanical Gardens, Stadtwald Park Köln, Schlosspark Stammheim, Rheinpark, Volksgarten, Stadtgarten.
PAID Sights / Activities Cologne
- Sights: Köln Triangle Skyscraper.
- Museums: Treasury (Domschatzkammer), Museum Ludwig, Chocolate Museum, Wallraf-Richartz Museum, Duftmuseum im Farina-Haus (fragrance), Römisch-Germanische Museum, Rautenstrauch Joest Museum, Museum Schnutgen, Motorworld, Museum for Angewandte Kunst, Kolumba Museum, NS Documentation Centre, German Sports and Olympics Museum, Käthe Kollwitz Museum, Odysseum, Museum für Ostasiatische Kunst, KVB, Kölnisches Stadtmuseum, Kunsthaus Rhenania, GlasMoog, Deutz Technikum Engine Museum & more.
- Other: Rheinseilbahn (tram over Rhine), Neptunbad, Agrippabad, Aqualand, Claudius Therme.
Two cities at a short distance from Cologne include: Bonn and charming little Aachen.
Ruhrgebiet Underdogs: Duisburg & Müllheim an der Ruhr
Duisburg
You don’t go to Duisburg for the extraordinary scenery or fairytale cityscapes. You won’t find an enchanting historical Old Town nor any hip bohemian-chic nightlife areas either. This faded star of the Ruhrgebiet’s Industrial Revolution is unpolished and roughly marked by a history of steel- and ironworks, coalmines and the subsequent movement of unskilled immigration. Duisburg is real, in all its imperfections. That doesn’t mean there’s absolutely nothing left to discover. Even though I only stayed in Duisburg for its easy access to the Western German cities of Düsseldorf and Cologne, I was positively surprised by sights such as the Landschaftspark. This abandoned coal- and steel production plant has been turned into an exciting 180-hectare steampunk playground, where you can climb on deposit bunkers, abseil in the old casthouse or scubadive in a vintage flooded gasometer. It is a site catering to open-air cinema viewings, art exhibitions and music festivals, while at night it’s wonderfully lit up with an ongoing lightshow. Regeneration done extremely well! Another highly unusual attraction is the Tiger & Turtle, a walkable rollercoaster… which apparently is a thing. This massive art installation is marked as "one of the world’s most extreme staircases." Talking about world rankings: Duisburg also features the world’s largest inland port, the Duisburg Ruhrorter Häfen, with the Innenhafen (inner harbour) forming one of the most interesting areas in town, especially from an architectural point of view. The downtown section is rather underwhelming, but it contains several interesting museums. I visited the Kultur- und Stadthistorisches Museum, elaborating on the truly dynamic history of this town from the Romans to the ironworks, and the Lehmbruck Museum, featuring paintings, sculptures and prints of this versatile artist, as well as works from surrealists such as Ernst, Magritte and even Dali.
Yes, you can sincerely spend a satisfying day in Duisburg. Go for it.
Duisburg
You don’t go to Duisburg for the extraordinary scenery or fairytale cityscapes. You won’t find an enchanting historical Old Town nor any hip bohemian-chic nightlife areas either. This faded star of the Ruhrgebiet’s Industrial Revolution is unpolished and roughly marked by a history of steel- and ironworks, coalmines and the subsequent movement of unskilled immigration. Duisburg is real, in all its imperfections. That doesn’t mean there’s absolutely nothing left to discover. Even though I only stayed in Duisburg for its easy access to the Western German cities of Düsseldorf and Cologne, I was positively surprised by sights such as the Landschaftspark. This abandoned coal- and steel production plant has been turned into an exciting 180-hectare steampunk playground, where you can climb on deposit bunkers, abseil in the old casthouse or scubadive in a vintage flooded gasometer. It is a site catering to open-air cinema viewings, art exhibitions and music festivals, while at night it’s wonderfully lit up with an ongoing lightshow. Regeneration done extremely well! Another highly unusual attraction is the Tiger & Turtle, a walkable rollercoaster… which apparently is a thing. This massive art installation is marked as "one of the world’s most extreme staircases." Talking about world rankings: Duisburg also features the world’s largest inland port, the Duisburg Ruhrorter Häfen, with the Innenhafen (inner harbour) forming one of the most interesting areas in town, especially from an architectural point of view. The downtown section is rather underwhelming, but it contains several interesting museums. I visited the Kultur- und Stadthistorisches Museum, elaborating on the truly dynamic history of this town from the Romans to the ironworks, and the Lehmbruck Museum, featuring paintings, sculptures and prints of this versatile artist, as well as works from surrealists such as Ernst, Magritte and even Dali.
Yes, you can sincerely spend a satisfying day in Duisburg. Go for it.
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Left: My least favorite sight in Duisburg, the truly terrifying Lifesaver Brunnen. Right: My favorite sight in Duisburg, the Landschaftspark.
FREE Sights / Activities Duisburg
PAID Sights / Activities Duisburg
FREE Sights / Activities Duisburg
- Sights: Landschaftspark, Tiger & Turtle, Innenhafen (harbour), Rathaus (city hall), Mercatorbrunnen (fountain), Salvatorkirche (church), Der Alte Markt, Ditib-Merkez Mosque, Landesarchiv NRW, Königstrasse.
- Hikes / Nature: Sechs Seen Platte, Aussichtsturm Wolfsberg, Töppersee, Sportpark, Blauer See Duisberg-Bissingheim, Immanuel Kantpark, Stadtpark Meiderich, Rheinpark, Alsumer Berg, Kaiserberg, Botanical Garden.
PAID Sights / Activities Duisburg
- Museums: Museum Kuppersmuhle, Lehmbruck Museum, Museum der Deutschen Binnenschifffahrt, Museum DKM, Radiomuseum, Haniel Museum, Explorado (for kids), Kultur- und Stadthistorisches Museum (city museum; every Thursday pay what you want).
- Other: Drive the Industrial Heritage Trail (400km).
Mülheim and der Ruhr
At a stone’s throw away from Duisburg, you can find Mülheim an der Ruhr. The Venice of the Ruhrgebiet. Just joking. As one of the main industrial port cities at the heart of Germany’s former iron- and coal hub it’s hard to imagine any peaceful countryside scenery, yet it were in fact the unique rock formations of the Rhenish Massif that made this episode of heavy industries possible. When the bare mountain slopes started naturally eroding, the coal-bearing layers were uncovered. This triggered the coal extraction which fuelled the Industrial Revolution of Germany. On top of that, the in fact rather idyllic situation on the Ruhr river (a tributary of the Rhine) gave the local economy a further boost due its elaborate transportation options. As such, in a way, its natural treasures caused the very elimination of them. Yet, where you might expect a soulless, grey construction site, the city of Mülheim somehow preserved or regained its rather green nature. With city beaches, natural swimming pools at the river and plenty of communal parks and gardens, the city comes across as kind and approachable. And even though its downtown area was carefully reconstructed after WWII in a rather modern manner, a handful of historical sights remain intact (including the medieval castle of Counts von Broich, which was built at the heydays of the city). If Düsseldorf is a city named a village, Müllheim is a town that feels like a village.
FREE Sights / Activities Mülheim and der Ruhr
PAID Sights / Activities Mülheim and der Ruhr
Other cities in the Ruhrgebiet not covered in this article include Essen (direct metroline U18 with Mülheim), Bochum, Oberhausen and Dortmund.
At a stone’s throw away from Duisburg, you can find Mülheim an der Ruhr. The Venice of the Ruhrgebiet. Just joking. As one of the main industrial port cities at the heart of Germany’s former iron- and coal hub it’s hard to imagine any peaceful countryside scenery, yet it were in fact the unique rock formations of the Rhenish Massif that made this episode of heavy industries possible. When the bare mountain slopes started naturally eroding, the coal-bearing layers were uncovered. This triggered the coal extraction which fuelled the Industrial Revolution of Germany. On top of that, the in fact rather idyllic situation on the Ruhr river (a tributary of the Rhine) gave the local economy a further boost due its elaborate transportation options. As such, in a way, its natural treasures caused the very elimination of them. Yet, where you might expect a soulless, grey construction site, the city of Mülheim somehow preserved or regained its rather green nature. With city beaches, natural swimming pools at the river and plenty of communal parks and gardens, the city comes across as kind and approachable. And even though its downtown area was carefully reconstructed after WWII in a rather modern manner, a handful of historical sights remain intact (including the medieval castle of Counts von Broich, which was built at the heydays of the city). If Düsseldorf is a city named a village, Müllheim is a town that feels like a village.
FREE Sights / Activities Mülheim and der Ruhr
- Sights: Altstadt (old town), Schloss Broich, Schloss Styrum, Hajek Brunnen, Kloster Saarn, Bismarckturm.
- Hikes / Nature: MüGa Park, Ruhrstrand (beach), Schleuseninsel (lock island).
- Other: Freilichtbuhne (open air theatre), Kurpark am Solbad Raffelberg.
PAID Sights / Activities Mülheim and der Ruhr
- Museums: Camera Obscura Museum zur Vorgeschichte des Films, Aquarius Wassermuseum, Ruhr Gallery, Haus Ruhrnatur, Kunstmuseum.
- Other: Wodo Poppenspiel (puppet theatre), Raha Hamam, Naturbad Mülheim an der Ruhr (non-chlorine swimming pool).
Other cities in the Ruhrgebiet not covered in this article include Essen (direct metroline U18 with Mülheim), Bochum, Oberhausen and Dortmund.
The Hidden Gem of the West: Osnabrück
I never heard of Osnabrück, and you probably haven’t either. And that’s okay. The main point is that you are going there at some moment in your life. It randomly happened to me on the way up (and down – as I came back for more) to the Wacken Open Air Festival, upon the kind Couchsurfing invitation of a young man named Nicolas. It turned out to be one of those lucky occurrences that shape the whole essence of traveling joy.
The city, which initially developed in the year 780 as a marketplace next to Charlemagne’s bishopric due to its importance on European trading routes, was first recognized as a city in 1147. Since then, it has developed into a wide variety of directions due to the turbulences of time. Its most recent character was shaped by the influx of over 22,000 university students, giving the town a snug yet vibrant image. Even though, just like all other cities covered in this article, also Osnabrück faced massive destruction during WWII, the reconstruction of the Old Town was done with great loyalty to the original medieval architecture. As a result, sights such as the St. Peters Cathedral, Schloss Osnabrück, the Rathaus and the Steinwerke are a great pleasure to the eye. Another must-visit is the Felix Nussbaum Museum, tied to the surrealist painter who was born and raised in Osnabrück. What makes his work extra impactful is the Jewish background of the painter, who lived (and died) during the times of the German-inflicted holocaust… in a city showing great support to the upcoming Nazi regime. The terrifying situation he and his family had to deal with, as well as the fear and life insecurity that came with it, are strongly reflected in his artworks. The young painter’s life tragically and abruptly ended in Auschwitz. Other Jewish artists of the time, including Höch, Meyer-Vax, Platek and Roeder are also represented in the museum next to Nussbaum’s exhibitions. Despite this dark page of history, current times seem to only hint to the city’s former title: Friedensstadt, City of Peace (adopted after the Peace of Westphalia ending the Thirty Years’ War was negotiated here).
Osnabrück breathes tranquillity, conviviality and a sense of togetherness.
FREE Sights / Activities Osnabrück
PAID Sights / Activities Osnabrück
I never heard of Osnabrück, and you probably haven’t either. And that’s okay. The main point is that you are going there at some moment in your life. It randomly happened to me on the way up (and down – as I came back for more) to the Wacken Open Air Festival, upon the kind Couchsurfing invitation of a young man named Nicolas. It turned out to be one of those lucky occurrences that shape the whole essence of traveling joy.
The city, which initially developed in the year 780 as a marketplace next to Charlemagne’s bishopric due to its importance on European trading routes, was first recognized as a city in 1147. Since then, it has developed into a wide variety of directions due to the turbulences of time. Its most recent character was shaped by the influx of over 22,000 university students, giving the town a snug yet vibrant image. Even though, just like all other cities covered in this article, also Osnabrück faced massive destruction during WWII, the reconstruction of the Old Town was done with great loyalty to the original medieval architecture. As a result, sights such as the St. Peters Cathedral, Schloss Osnabrück, the Rathaus and the Steinwerke are a great pleasure to the eye. Another must-visit is the Felix Nussbaum Museum, tied to the surrealist painter who was born and raised in Osnabrück. What makes his work extra impactful is the Jewish background of the painter, who lived (and died) during the times of the German-inflicted holocaust… in a city showing great support to the upcoming Nazi regime. The terrifying situation he and his family had to deal with, as well as the fear and life insecurity that came with it, are strongly reflected in his artworks. The young painter’s life tragically and abruptly ended in Auschwitz. Other Jewish artists of the time, including Höch, Meyer-Vax, Platek and Roeder are also represented in the museum next to Nussbaum’s exhibitions. Despite this dark page of history, current times seem to only hint to the city’s former title: Friedensstadt, City of Peace (adopted after the Peace of Westphalia ending the Thirty Years’ War was negotiated here).
Osnabrück breathes tranquillity, conviviality and a sense of togetherness.
FREE Sights / Activities Osnabrück
- Sights: Old Town, St. Peters Cathedral, St. Marien Church, Schloss Osnabrück (castle), Rathaus (city hall), Theater Osnabrück, Heger Tor, Pumpenbrunnen, Bucksturm, Steinwerke.
- Museums: Kunsthalle Osnabrück.
- Hikes / Nature: Bürgerpark, Botanischer Garten der Universität Osnabrück.
PAID Sights / Activities Osnabrück
- Museums: Felix Nussbaum Haus Museum, Domschatzkammer und Diözesanmuseum, Kulturgeschictliches Museum, Museum Industriekultur, Museum am Schölerberg.
- Other: Nettebad.
Quick Budget Fact Overview
Germany Facts
Short History Recap
800: Emperor Charlemagne: Frankish ruler France & Germany → 843: break-up. 962: Otto I, Roman emperor. 1250: Independent territories. 1438: Albert I, Habsburg Dynasty. 1517: Luther → split protestants & catholics → Thirty Years War. 1806: Napoleon → ’13: defeat, Battle of Leipzig. ’71: Bismarck unifies Germany → Reichstach (elected parliament), Kaiser (emperor) still power. ’88: William II, colonial expansion. 1914-18: WWI → Germany defeated. ’19: Treaty of Versailles → Germany loses colony & land, pays reparations. ‘23: Hitler, head of National-Socialist (Nazi) Party, leads coup in Munich. France & Belgium occupy Ruhr over failed reparation payments. Hyper-inflation. ’24: Hitler’s Mein Kampf. ’29: Global depression. ’33: Hitler chancellor → ’34: proclaims Third Reich → ’35: re-arm, Nuremberg laws deprive Jews of citizenship. ’36: Berlin Olympics. ’38: annexation Austria & Sudetenland. Kristallnacht: attacks on Jews. ’39: invasion Poland → triggers WWII: Holocaust. ’45: Germany defeated. War crimes trials.’49: Germany divided → west: US/French/UK zone capitalist Federal Republic, east: Soviet zone communist Democratic Republic. ‘50s: Economic growth west. ’55: west Nato, east Warsaw Pact. ‘61: Berlin Wall. ’73: east & west join UN. ’89: Wall down. ’93: joins Maastricht treaty on EU. 2000: Merkel chancellor. ’01: End nuclear energy. Troops to Afghanistan (US). ’02: €. ’15: Migrant crisis.
Budget Bites
Germany Facts
- Capital: Berlin
- Language: German
- Population: ± 83.2 mln
- Sq km: ± 357,588 km²
- Currency: Euro (€ - EUR)
- Electricity Outlet: F / 230 V / 50 Hz. Check here. https://www.power-plugs-sockets.com/germany/
- Country Code Phone: +49 (40)
- Emergency Phone: 112 (general), 110 (police)
- Visa: Germany is a part of the EU and Schengen Area. Find more info about Schengen visas here. Easy applications can be arranged via here.
- Vaccinations: None
- Climate: Marine West Coast Climate (Cfb)
- High season: May - September
Short History Recap
800: Emperor Charlemagne: Frankish ruler France & Germany → 843: break-up. 962: Otto I, Roman emperor. 1250: Independent territories. 1438: Albert I, Habsburg Dynasty. 1517: Luther → split protestants & catholics → Thirty Years War. 1806: Napoleon → ’13: defeat, Battle of Leipzig. ’71: Bismarck unifies Germany → Reichstach (elected parliament), Kaiser (emperor) still power. ’88: William II, colonial expansion. 1914-18: WWI → Germany defeated. ’19: Treaty of Versailles → Germany loses colony & land, pays reparations. ‘23: Hitler, head of National-Socialist (Nazi) Party, leads coup in Munich. France & Belgium occupy Ruhr over failed reparation payments. Hyper-inflation. ’24: Hitler’s Mein Kampf. ’29: Global depression. ’33: Hitler chancellor → ’34: proclaims Third Reich → ’35: re-arm, Nuremberg laws deprive Jews of citizenship. ’36: Berlin Olympics. ’38: annexation Austria & Sudetenland. Kristallnacht: attacks on Jews. ’39: invasion Poland → triggers WWII: Holocaust. ’45: Germany defeated. War crimes trials.’49: Germany divided → west: US/French/UK zone capitalist Federal Republic, east: Soviet zone communist Democratic Republic. ‘50s: Economic growth west. ’55: west Nato, east Warsaw Pact. ‘61: Berlin Wall. ’73: east & west join UN. ’89: Wall down. ’93: joins Maastricht treaty on EU. 2000: Merkel chancellor. ’01: End nuclear energy. Troops to Afghanistan (US). ’02: €. ’15: Migrant crisis.
Budget Bites
- Local Dishes: Bratwurst (sausage), Schnitzel (breaded cutlet), Brezel / Pretzel (salted bread in heartform), Labskaus (beef-potato dish), Kartoffelsalat (potato salad), Bratkartoffeln (fried potatoes), Kartoffelknödel (potato dumplings), Reibekuchen (potato pancake), Saurbraten (pot roast with horse meat or beef), Saumagen (pig stomach), Himmel un Ääd (potato black pudding dish), Maultaschen (meat dumplings), Sauerkraut Soup, Rouladen (beef rolls), Hasenpfeffer (rabbit stew), Spargel (asparagus), Käsespätzle (cheese noodles), Schweinshaxe (pork knuckle), Rollmops (pickled herring rolls), Apfelstrudel (apple dessert) Spaghetti Eis (icecream), Bratapfel (caramelized apple).
- The Veg Situation: Going veg is not so complicated in Germany, as it’s rather trendy to be plant-based in Westerm Europe. Veg restaurants can be found on the Happy Cow app. Local vegetarian dishes: Brezel, Bratkartoffeln, Kartoffelknödel, Reibekuchen, Sauerkraut Soup, Spargel, Käsepätzle (egg noodles) & the mentioned desserts.
- National Drink: Beer (Pilsner), Schnaps.
Sleep Cheap
Mama Said
- Hostels / Hotels: Germany is definitely not a cheap country, accommodation-wise. To keep inside a limited budget, you’ll have to focus on hostels… and even those can be pricy. Without being paid to say so, I love Booking.com: They have the biggest selection, are transparent about the final price and have an efficient search engine tailored to your specific needs (cheapest first!). If you use it often enough, Genius-discounts are applied. Agoda is often not transparent about prices, adding a lot of additional costs in the last booking-step. Opodo is another decent option. Air BnB is not what it used to be, price-wise, and seem to focus on the more upscale boutique stays nowadays. Writer’s pick: In Osnabruck and Duisburg I couchsurfed. From Duisburg, the cities of Dusseldorf and Cologne are easy to reach.
- Couchsurfing: allows you to stay with locals. Nowadays it has a moderate sign-up cost (unless you put a third-world country as homebase), but paying extra for verification is unnecessary: Positive reviews are way more important. Once active, there are no costs for staying at someone’s house. In order to get accepted, make sure to write an elaborate review explaining why you applied to this specific profile and think you and your host are a good match (copy-pastes tend to be ignored). The Couchsurfing community in Germany is rather big and finding a host shouldn’t be too complicated.
- Housesitting: is an amazing exchange allowing you to stay short- or long-term in somebody’s house, while looking after their house and pets. There are many different websites, most of them paid… but once you landed a sit, the subscription fee pays itself back quickly. The main housesitting site is Trusted Housesitters.
- Wild Camping: is not legal in Germany. In order to do so and avoid fines, vigilance must be practiced. Germans are known to love the rules.
Mama Said
- Safety: Germany has a relatively low crime rate, besides pick-pocketing. Be cautious in crowded areas.
- Tap Water: is drinkable.
- The best credit/debit card for traveling is Wise, as they use the live conversion rates with minimal exchange fees. Wise also has the lowest fees for sending money to foreign accounts. Revolut is comparable, but they have higher exchange fees in the weekend and less wallet-options. Also, you can only wire money to Revolut in the currency you opened the account with, whereas Wise has IBAN’s from a wide variety of currencies, so you don’t have to pay a double exchange fee.
- Simcard: Germany is part of the EU, so if you already have a European sim it will work here as well. However, depending on where you’re from, it could be cheaper to buy a temporary prepaid sim in Germany, available at the phone stores, convenience stores, Mediamarkt, gas stations or (more expensive) at the airport. Holiday or tourist packages are generally more expensive. That said, the prepaid packages are not so cheap either, including very little data for pricy package deals and high charges per minute for calling. Phone companies include T-Mobile, Vodafone, O2, Aldi and Freenet. The cheapest rates are offered by Lebara, but I have very bad experiences with this company. Note that simcards need to be registered, which happens in person or by videocall.
Transport
Next?
- Walking: It is convenient to explore the city centres and neighbourhoods of the cities, as Germany pays attention to making the downtown areas pedestrian friendly.
- Cycling: Germany is rather cyclist friendly, occasionally offering bicycle lanes. German traffic users tend to be considerate, and boy, they do follow the rules. No unpleasant surprises there, safety first!
- City Buses / Tram / Metro: Germany has U-Bahns (Untergrundbahn / metro), S-Bahns (Stadtschnellbahn / city rapid rail), Trams (Strassenbahn), bus lines and even ferry lines. They can be only hailed down at the designated stops. Every city has their own ticket system, but generally tickets can be bought from the machines available at the stations and stops or from the bus drivers. You can generally choose between a Kurzstrecke (short trip of few stops), Einzelfahrt (1-way 1-zone ticket for 90 minutes), Tageskarte (day ticket), Wochenkarte (week ticket) or Gruppentageskarte (group day ticket).
- Taxi / Uber: Germany’s main taxi apps include Uber, MyTaxi, Door2Door Taxi.EU and Free Now.
- Intercity Buses: Hamburg is connected by bus, although generally train connections are more efficient. Flixbus also operates all over the country.
- Trains: are the main way of intercity public transport in Germany and operated by the Deutsche Bahn. There is a difference between slower regional trains who stop at all the small stations, or the more expensive intercity train who drives faster and hits only the main destinations. If you buy ahead of time or book for certain non-peak hours, prices are much lower (Supersparpreis). The Trainline app also offers cheap tickets and connections.
- Car Rental: This is not a cheap endeavour in Germany. However, the best deals can generally be found when the car is picked up from the airport.
- Hitchhiking: is relatively safe in Germany yet rather uncommon. That said, it is a good option.
Next?
- International Destinations Close By: Denmark, The Netherlands, Poland, Czechia, Austria, Switzerland, France, Belgium, Luxembourg.
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