Plan Your Trip to Europe: The Best Cities to Visit in Germany
Germany is a country rich with culture, history, and gorgeous landscapes and architecture. From fairytale-like villages to lively little towns, Germany is full of magical places to go! The country has many gorgeous cathedrals, palaces, and historically-rich museums to visit to truly immerse yourself in German culture. If you’re looking to plan a trip to Europe, here’s a list of the best cities in Germany that you should consider visiting!
Source: Wikimedia Commons, Photo by A.Savin/ CC BY 3.0
berlin
Berlin is the capital of Germany and houses many historical sites, such as the Holocaust Memorial and remains of the Berlin Wall. The city has stunning architectural buildings such as the Berlin Cathedral and the Charlottenburg Palace. The palace was built in the 17th century and once housed royalty. It is the largest palace in Berlin and one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city.
Other attractions include the Berlin Zoological Gardens, which is the largest zoo in the country and has the widest selection of animals of any zoo in the world. The zoo has pandas, giraffes, penguins, donkeys, and more. For those who enjoy scenic experiences, Berlin has many parks. Some include the Teirgarten state park, the Tempelhofer Field, and Mauer Park.
Those who are interested in history should visit Museum Island, which is located on Spree Island and has a large museum complex. It consists of five museums full of art and archeology.
Source: Wikimedia Commons, Photo by Thomas Wolf/ CC BY 3.0
hamburg
Hamburg is a city in the northern part of Germany that houses many parks. There’s the Planten un Blomen state park, which has gorgeous flower beds and ponds. There are also many museums in the city. The Miniatur Wunderland is a museum that shows a model railway and has about 1,120 trains and over 10,000 wagons. The track is extensive, consisting of over 50,000 feet of model railway track.
In addition to this, there’s the CHOCOVERSUM Museum, which is a chocolate museum. The museum offers a 90-minute session that shows how chocolate is made, from cocoa fruit to the chocolate bar. The museum also has chocolate tastings and gives guests the opportunity to make their own chocolate bars.
Other popular tourist attractions include the St. Nikolai Memorial, which is a chapel dedicated to Saint Nicholas and features gorgeous, gothic-style architecture. There’s also the St. Pauli Piers, which is located in the Port of Hamburg and offers stunning water views. Hamburg also houses the Hagenbeck Zoo, which has 210 different species of animals from all over the world.
Nymphenburg Palace in Munich, Germany. Source: Wikimedia Commons, Photo by Richard Bartz/ CC BY 2.5
munich
Munich is the capital of Bavaria, a German state. The city houses stunning, intricate architecture. For instance, there’s the Asamkirche church, which was built during the 18th century and reflects late Baroque architecture. There’s also the Frauenkirche Catholic cathedral, which is the city’s most famous landmark. It is a gothic cathedral built during the sixteenth century.
In addition to gorgeous churches, there are castles with beautiful architecture in Munich. The Nymphenburg Palace is a Baroque castle with a stunning interior that consists of detailed paintings on the ceilings and walls, intricate gold details, and glass chandeliers throughout. There’s also the Munich Residenz which used to be a royal residence and now houses royal collections. The highlight of this castle is the very detailed arched ceiling on the inside. The castle also features a large courtyard in the back.
Other tourist attractions worth visiting include St. Peter’s Catholic Church—a church that has a white interior with deep gold accents—the Neushwanstein Castle which is a 19th century palace in the southern parts of Germany, the Bavarian National Museum which is a large art museum, and the gorgeous Hofgarten park located on the edge of Munich Old Town.
Source: Wikimedia Commons, Photo by Aikan na/ CC BY 3.0
cologne
Cologne is a city in western Germany and is considered the country’s most cultural region. This city is rich with museums and gorgeous churches. There’s the Cologne Cathedral, a gothic Basilica completed in the late 19th century. The church features high altars, large statues on pillars near the choir, and many stained-glass windows. There’s also the Great St. Martin Church, which is a Catholic church formed on the remnants of a Roman chapel. The interior is mostly white with gold accents and arched ceilings.
Amongst the many museums in the city that are worth visiting are Museum Ludwig, the Lindt Chocolate Musuem, and the Duftmuseum im Farina Haus. Museum Ludwig consists of collections of 20th century and contemporary art. The Lindt Chocolate Museum offers visitors a demonstration of how Lindt chocolate is made and a detailed history of chocolate. Duftmuseum im Farina Haus is a museum that shows the history of fragrance and is located opposite the oldest fragrance factory—Julichs Place.
Other noteworthy tourist attractions include the Flora und Botanischer Garten Koln—a botanical garden that is open to all tourists, free of charge—the Cologne Zoological Garden which houses over 850 species of animals, and the Old Market historical market square which is a popular location for tourists due to the many shops and restaurants there, as well as its famous Christmas market.
Source: Wikimedia Commons, Photo by Uberlemur/ CC BY 2.5
frankfurt
Frankfurt is a city in the central region of Germany. The city offers many unique things to do. Visitors can see an opera at the Alte Oper opera house, go shopping at the MyZeil shopping mall, or visit the beautiful Romerberg historical market square that has been around since the Middle Ages.
There are many museums in Frankfurt for those who love history. The German Film Museum has a collection of artifacts from films and interactive displays. The Senckenberg Nature Musuem is the city’s museum of natural history, where visitors can look at dinosaur fossils and other cool artifacts. There’s also the Stadel Museum, which is an art museum showcasing various paintings, sculptures, photographs, and drawings.
Other popular attractions include the gorgeous Frankfurt Cathedral, the Kleinmarkthalle—a market that sells groceries, wine, prepared foods, and flowers—and the Frankfurt Zoo, which has over 4,000 animals and over 500 species.
Source: Wikimedia Commons, Photo by Julian Herzog/ CC BY 4.0
stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the German state Baden-Wurttemberg. The city houses two popular car museums: the Mercedes-Benz Museum and the Porsche Museum. Both museums feature displays of awesome cars from the respective brands. In addition to this, there’s the uniquely shaped City Library at the Mailander Platz. This modern library is cube-shaped with a stark white and bright interior that houses multiple floors full of books.
Other cool attractions include the STROTMANNS Magic Lounge where visitors can witness magic shows, the Markthalle Stuttgart—a market that features international cuisine, cheeses, and meats—and the Galeria Estadel de Stuttgart art museum.
The city also has gorgeous castles such as Castle Solitude and Ludwigsburg Residential Palace. Castle Solitude was a castle built in the 17th century. It is a hunting retreat surrounded by forest with a large garden in the back. Ludwigsburg Residential Palace consists of 18 buildings and features Baroque architecture, most prominently seen in the two palace churches: the Hospital Church and Sanctuary Church. Both palaces are stunning and worth a visit!
conclusion
These German cities are full of family-friendly things to do. From unique museums, stunning Gothic churches, and peaceful parks to lively markets, shopping malls, and historical squares rich with culture and history—visiting one of these cities will give you memories you’ll never forget! So, what are you waiting for? Plan your next trip to Germany!
