The 8 best places to visit in Germany

27.07.2023 - 23:17 / lonelyplanet.com

Germany, western Europe’s largest country, is a boundless feast for travelers. Its endless variety of historic cities, dark, romantic forests and contemporary cultural riches can leave visitors bewildered. But, while you can never hope to see all this fascinating country’s highlights, you can cut to the chase with our guide to eight of the very best places to visit in Germany.

Best city for nightlife

It’s an obvious inclusion, but no list of German highlights would be complete without the country’s capital and dynamic cultural engine room. Germany’s most populous city, Berlin is a bountiful beast of a place, offering some of the country’s definitive museums, dining, art and, perhaps above all, nightlife.

Boisterous Berlin has long had a bohemian streak. While you should definitely make time to for cultural highlights like the van der Rohe designed Neue Nationalgalerie and the treasure trove that is Museumsinsel (Museum Island), those seeking a party will surely find it in iconic venues like Berghain and Pratergarten, where beer and bonhomie have flowed together since 1837.

Planning tip: Get yourself a Berlin Welcome Card online, before you hit town. A six-day, all-inclusive ticket (adults €169; children aged 3-14 €85) gives you unlimited public transport, free entry to more than 30 top attractions, up to 50% discount on over 150 more, plus other benefits.

Best city for history

Cologne (Köln) is known for its liberal climate and its wealth of historic sights. Taking its name from the Romans, who founded it in the first century CE as Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium, it’s been a major center of German history ever since.

The most tangible symbol of Cologne’s importance, and its essential sight, is its magnificent 13th-century cathedral, the Kölner Dom. Germany’s largest church, it was also Europe’s highest building until eclipsed by the Eiffel Tower. Other must-see historical and cultural attractions include the Römisch-Germanisches (Romano-Germanic) Museum and the sublime collection of 13th- to the 19th-century European art at the Wallraf-Richartz-Museum & Fondation Corboud. 

Planning tip: Head to the Cologne Tourist Board office, adjacent to the cathedral, or to any KVB or DB public transport ticket machines, and grab a KölnCard. A 24-hour individual ticket (€9) gets you unlimited public travel and up to 50% off at many cultural attractions, restaurants and shops. 

 Best for castles and vineyards

As the Rhine, Germany’s second-longest river, processes grandly south from Koblenz it cuts a gorge through a gasp-inducing landscape of vineyards and castles. The stretch between Koblenz and Rüdesheim, known as the Oberes Mittelrheintal (Upper Middle Rhine Valley) is so special it won Unesco World Heritage