Visiting German Cities
City Contours

For a long time, Franz Dobler didn’t want to write a book about his life as an adoptee. Fortunately for readers, he changed his mind.

For a long time, Franz Dobler didn’t want to write a book about his life as an adoptee. Fortunately for readers, he changed his mind.

It's dark when you get up and it's dark when you get home. It's dreary and you need two pairs of socks. Just some of the reasons why many people long for the end of winter. But: it's the only time of year with Christmas markets! You shouldn't miss out on these ten things at one of the 2500 markets in Germany!

Style and fashion awareness in Germany? For a long time, this topic was met with little more than a pitying smile. But the picture has now changed – here are four stylish trends seen in major German cities.

Germany, the land of poets and thinkers – and inventors. Many groundbreaking ideas that still shape our everyday lives today come from Germany. Here are five pioneering inventions made in Germany.

Germans like to play games. 53 percent of people over the age of 16 regularly play video games. And with a turnover of almost six billion euros, the gaming industry is now a significant economic factor. But which games come from Germany? And what makes them “typically German”?

Who is crazy enough to try and catch a ball on a broom? Who voluntarily runs after a plastic disc? The answer: quite a few. They enjoy a sport beyond the football league – on the lawn, under water, in the air.

In her third book, nominated for the German Book Prize 2024, Maren Kames eloquently guides her audience into the proverbial “rabbit hole” of her mind and tells her family story along the way.

There’s no need to travel to London or Venice to cross one of Europe’s most impressive bridge constructions. Simply go to Oberhausen instead, where the “Slinky Springs to Fame” is suspended across the Rhine-HerneCanal.
 

What’s the solution when housing is in short supply? Once upon a time in the village of Langenstein in Germany’s Harz region, people decided simply to carve themselves caves in the sandstone rock. Some of these homes can still be visited to this day – and actually look pretty cosy.

There’s nowhere better than Berlin to take a tour by underground train – the U-Bahn – through German history. The capital’s subterranean network of tunnels is a repository of memories of the German Empire, the Second World War and Germany’s division.

In her debut novel, Mia Raben tells the story of a Polish carer in Germany. She travels to Hamburg, initially burnt out, but then experiences an unexpected happy ending.

Rita Aitzinger's very first appearance: detective inspector – in Hanover of all places. She swears, loves motorsport and has to solve a series of murders of young men. Jakob Nolte, theatre and novelist, presents his first crime thriller: funny, sad, full of allusions.

Bauhaus meets East German prefabs and Hundertwasser meets Gothic: Magdeburg is a truly “colourful city”. With two superstars who grew up nearby.
 

Delivery services in the future will simply deliver everything – almost at the speed of light. Even though the desired item does not even exist at the time of ordering. But only the fastest earns money. There is no room for scruples.

In Germany, everything is clearly regulated – really everything. There are even rules about how you are allowed to walk on a bridge. Here are some of the most curious laws that can be found in German law books.

Different countries, different customs. Lena Maurer from South Tyrol talks about her little culture shock moments from everyday life in Germany. This time: Germans and public transport.

Sustainable and communal forest management – in an era of forest dieback and climate change this sounds like just the innovation we need for the future. Yet this was already common practice in Germany’s Siegerland region in the sixteenth century.

In the summer of 1914, four people meet in Berlin who couldn’t be more different but have one thing in common: They cherish liberty and despise colonialism.

A Caribbean panorama in the Alps, how is that possible? It can hardly be thanks to the weather, and is definitely not because of the easy ocean access. And yet it is not without good reason that Lake Walchensee is dubbed the “Bavarian Caribbean”. So why not pop on your flip flops and your shades – and let’s take a look at what our local Caribbean has to offer.
 

Whether in downhill skiing, tennis or Formula 1 racing: These sporting legends have set ground-breaking records. They have also won hearts around the world. We introduce you to some of the personalities to whom German sporting history owes great moments.

The ultimate test of patience: a journey with Deutsche Bahn. Several million minutes of delays or so add up in a year. On the platform, people collectively flinch when the announcement chime sounds. All travelling professionals know that the display board is about to change – but what is the reason this time?

It was long considered unthinkable for women or Muslims to take part in a Christian passion play – but it’s certainly possible in Oberammergau nowadays. This local spectacle attracts visitors from all over the world.

In her latest novel, Nora Bossong writes about the life of the convinced National Socialist Magda Goebbels, but from the perspective of a homosexual follower.

Germany has never enjoyed the best reputation when it comes to cuisine. However today, the country has a lot more to offer than just sauerkraut and pork knuckle. Strongly influenced by migration in recent decades, the German street food scene now boasts an array of delicious dishes.

Germany’s northern coast has been shaped by the wind, the currents and the tides, creating the Wadden Sea. It provides a habitat for some unique wildlife and offers an opportunity to head out in pursuit of the “small five”.
 

No sense of humour, always overly punctual, taciturn and a little reserved – one nationality immediately pops into your head when you hear these descriptions: the Germans. The list could go on and on – here we look at five habits that are seen as “typically German”.

Camping holiday? It's a horror trip for Benni. Only when his parents accept his fears and anger does it become a great holiday adventure for him.

The Wendland region in the German state of Lower Saxony is a great place for fans of the Middle Ages, as many of the villages here are still arranged in just the same way they were in the twelfth century. But what does that mean? Above all, that they are round.

Take off your shoes, bring some wine and (don't) help out. Lena Maurer from South Tyrol loves to spend evenings at friends' homes. That's why she knows how a 'typical German' dinner invitation works.  A personal insight.

Whether in politics, science, art, or resistance – these women have profoundly changed German society with their courage, determination, and talent. Their stories show how individuals can shape the course of history.

The life of a young refugee can be harrowing and brutal. Behzad Karim Khani's latest novel is set in a German prefabricated housing estate in the 1990s. He illuminates this world with haunting precision and poetic language.

Sweet, salty, sour – German bread comes in many forms. Some varieties are so iconic, they even star in their own TV shows!

Though light shows abound, hardly any other is as spectacular as the Schlosslichtspiele light festival at Karlsruhe Palace. If you’re looking for a travel destination with the wow factor this summer, Karlsruhe is the perfect choice!

Germans love trying out new sports. In doing so, they quickly become experts — or "let it slide". Here are some personal observations from our author, Lena Maurer.

Jonas Lüscher's new book tells the story of man's relationship with technology. The Swiss author travels to very different places and times, and even ends up in the future of a megalomaniacal desert city.

Lake Constance isn’t only the perfect place for an idyllic holiday – it also gives you the chance to immerse yourself in a bygone era: the pile dwellings of Unteruhldingen take us back in time to the Neolithic and Bronze Ages.

Experience the history of divided Germany by bike: the “four-state-border route” – part of the Iron Curtain Trail – follows for the most part the former border between West and East Germany. Today, the country’s first joint nature conservation area following reunification can be found along a line that in the past was marked by barbed wire fencing.

The world’s first universities were founded in Italy and England, admittedly. But Germany is shaped by a long academic history too. The five oldest universities were already up and running by the 15th century.

In the Bavarian Forest National Park, hiking enthusiasts will experience a kind of nature that can be found virtually nowhere else in Germany these days: over 350 kilometres of trails take you through forests, peat bogs and up to mountain peaks.

There’s a place at the very heart of Germany that offers a window into space. Rhön Star Park is one of the darkest places in the country – and the perfect place for stargazing.
 

Nowhere else in Germany is as inextricably linked to the Bauhaus as Dessau. Over a century ago, the architect Walter Gropius moved here with his visionary art school. Its influence can still be felt to this day.