Skip to content

Destination library

Germany country guide

4 questions, each answered from published authorities with the sources listed.

Central Berlin seen from the Victory Column, with the Reichstag at left, the television tower and cathedral in the middle distance and the Brandenburg Gate below — Photo: Thomas Wolf, www.foto-tw.de, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Author Thomas Wolf (www.foto-tw.de) · CC BY-SA 3.0 File source

When to visit 1

When is the best time to visit Germany for Berlin?April through late August, because the Reichstag dome — Berlin's best free view and a bookable one — is closed for cleaning and maintenance from 23 August to 19…

Food and drink 1

What local dishes should I try in Germany, and where should I look for them?Order by the registered name — German beer is governed by statute over which grains and ingredients may be used, and the country's best-known sausages, hams and…

Places and experiences 1

What should a first-time traveler see in Germany beyond the obvious highlights?The Hanseatic north and the sandstone country on the Elbe — Germany holds 55 properties on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and Lübeck and Saxon Switzerland sit about as…

Trip planning 1

How can I plan a memorable first trip to Germany without rushing?Pick two regions and let the Schengen clock set the length — there is no visa obligation for US citizens, and the short-stay rule allows a maximum of 90 days within any…

Browse every destination