Tourist attractions of Germany: TOP-10 places you can and should see

In this article we will tell you what tourist attractions of Germany you can see, depending on your interests and priorities. You will learn about mysterious castles, ancient cathedrals, historical places that influenced the course of the history of this country. Also in our top 10 list there are picturesque natural German tourist spots and other interesting places for recreation and entertainment.

TOP-10 Germany attractions

Thanks to the many interesting places for tourists, Germany will definitely not be boring. This country is considered to be one of the safest, and the transport intersection does not limit the choice and convenience of movement, both when traveling to the country and within it. Lets see the tourist attractions of Germany.

1. Cologne Cathedral

The official name of this monument of Gothic architecture is the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Mary. It is located on the Cathedral Hill in Cologne. The history of the monument begins in the 1st century AD, when the first temple was built on this site.

The building of the cathedral that residents and guests of Cologne can see today began in the middle of the 13th century. The local archbishop was given the relics of the Magi — the kings who brought gifts to the newborn Jesus. The city authorities decided to build a temple in honor of this, but the construction was delayed for several centuries. The first stone was laid in 1248, and construction was finished only 632 years later.

The facade of the Cologne Cathedral is recognized as the largest in the world — almost 145 m long, 157 m high and 86.5 m wide. It is decorated with towers, columns, pilasters, statues of saints and other interior details decorated with gild and mosaics. The main relics of the cathedral, apart from the shrine with the relics of the Magi, are the oak cross with the crucified Christ and the staff of St. Peter. The cathedral is located in the very center of the city, so you can easily get to it. You can get to the Hauptbanhof stop by trams No. 5, 16, 18 or the elevated metro — the city train. Buses No. 124, 132, 133 and 26 run from the railway station.

2. Brandenburg Gate

The symbol of Germany and the visiting card of Berlin is the Gate of Peace, as the attraction was originally called. The monumental building was built in the late 18th century and throughout its existence it was associated with the most significant historical events.

In 1961 Germany split into two states. On one side of the gate built into the Berlin Wall was the capitalist FRG, and on the other, the socialist GDR. In 1989, the wall was destroyed, and the gates opened again, and since then have become the symbol of the unity of the German people.

The Brandenburg Gate is made in the neoclassical architectural style. This is a majestic colonnade with five passages, at the top of which a six-meter chariot flies, it is driven by four horses, and the winged Victoria, the goddess of Victory, runs it. The inner walls are decorated with bas-reliefs depicting the twelve Labors of Hercules.

You can get to the sights by buses No. M85 and 100 or by high-speed train No. S1, S2, S25 to the Reichstag stop. If you come by car, you will not be able to park near the gate. It is best to leave the car on the Lime Alley.

3. Neuschwanstein Castle

This castle was built during the reign of Ludwig II — a dreamer, lover of fairy tales and legends, who was fond of art and music. One of the German tourist spots is located on the territory of the community of Schwangau in Bavaria.

Inside the castle is decorated with swans — the symbol of the region, as well as motifs from the operas of Wagner — the favorite composer of Ludwig II. Due to the high cost of the project, the ministers accused the monarch of being insane and deprived him of the throne. Some time later, Ludwig II died under strange circumstances. The castle was opened for paid visits by tourists and 7.5 million marks, which were spent on its construction, paid off in just 13 years.

Neuschwanstein Castle is one of the most photographed attractions not only because of its interior decoration. The exterior of this building looks amazingly beautiful and fabulous thanks to the many ivory towers that are crowned with emerald domes.

To share bright and atmospheric photos of the castle or show its splendor live, you need a good internet connection, for example, from the operator Yesim. By downloading the Yesim app, you will get high-speed Internet connection at an affordable price. Thanks to eSIM technology, you can always stay online abroad without paying expensive roaming charges or searching for Wi-Fi hotspots.

The most convenient way to get to the castle is from Munich. To get there by taxi will be more comfortable but more expensive. A more budget option is bus number 78 from the terminal station Schwangau. You can take the train from the Central Station but with a bus transfer.

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4. Berlin Cathedral

And now let's talk about another German attraction. The construction of this Protestant temple was finished in 1905, but during the Second World War, the building was severely damaged — it took 50 years to restore it. The cathedral was opened for visitors in 1993 — what they saw was worth it to wait half a century. In addition to the architectural splendor, tourists are attracted by the crypt with the sarcophagi of more than 70 members of the royal Hohenzollern dynasty. The observation deck offers breathtaking views of Berlin.

The Cathedral is also considered one of the most popular halls for organ and classical music. Every year local and foreign musicians give hundreds of concerts within the walls of the temple.

You can get to the cathedral by metro to Alexanderplatz station, by bus number 100, 200 to the Lustgarten stop and by tram number 4, 5, 6 to the Church of St. Mary on Spandauer Strasse.

5. Reichstag

The Reichstag is the symbol of modern democratic and united Germany. The building was built in 1894 in the very center of the capital. This architectural monument is one of the brightest examples of the German neo-Renaissance with inclusions of the Baroque.

The building was badly damaged in 1945 and was partially restored 28 years later. Until the complete renovation in 1995, it was used as a historical museum. Now the building is complemented by a glass dome and an observation deck with beautiful views of Alexanderplatz, the Brandenburg Gate and the Spree River. About 13 million tourists visit the attraction every year.

You can get to the Reichstag by train to the Brandenburg Gate station, by bus number 100 to the Reichstag/Bundestag stop and by metro U Bundestag.

6. Europa-Park

Europa-Park in Rust is one of the popular places for family entertainment and a famous tourist attraction of Germany. This location is the second most visited place in Europe after Disneyland in Paris. The uniqueness of this park is in numerous areas that reflect the characteristics and coloration of 13 European countries.

For example, in the Spanish area, all attractions are in the flamenco style, in the French area — there is the theme of night Paris, the Italian area — is styled to Baroque and the Venice Festival. There are also three thematic locations in the park: Viking Land, Enchanted Forest, and Kingdom of the Minimoys.

The park is located on an area of 95 hectares and contains more than 100 attractions. The most extreme is the Silver Star roller coaster with a speed of 130 km/h. There are also plenty of quiet activities for little visitors.

The park is equally popular in both summer and winter. To replace the attractions in the cold season, many skating rinks are equipped on the territory, fairs and festivals are held. More than 5.5 million people visit the park every year.

Rust can be reached from any major city by bus, train or by car. In the city there is an official stop of the park — Ringsheim railway station, the distance from the stop to the Park is about 4 km. Bus number 7231 also runs around the city, it stops at the entrance to Europa Park.

7. Striezelmarkt

This is the most famous Christmas market in Europe and a tourist attraction of Germany, where hundreds of thousands of people come for entertainment and gifts a month before the holiday. Striezelmarkt in Dresden is famous for the unique work of German artisans and the festive atmosphere with costumed performances.

In addition to a wide choice of gifts and souvenirs, the fair offers traditional sweets: cottage cheese, donuts, stollen (Christmas cake) and roasted chestnuts. Also on Striezelmarkt there are many points selling barbecue and sausages, dozens of beers, punch and mulled wine.

The main decoration of the fair is a 15-meter Christmas pyramid with figures of a miner, a snowman, a nutcracker and other symbols of Catholic Christmas. An interesting fact is that they use a special currency for shopping — thaler, which you can buy when entering the location.

The fair is located in the center of Dresden on the Altmarkt square. You can get there by trams and buses that run to the Altmarkt stop.

8. Berchtesgaden National Park

This is a huge area of 200 m² in the German Alps with many rocks, forests, turquoise lakes and picturesque meadows. In addition to walking among natural beauties, you can plan visits to unique places.

The alpine lake Königssee, Mount Jenner, the Church of St. Bartholomew, the Berchtesgaden mine, the Museum of the Third Reich and observation platforms are popular among tourists. Many hiking trails pass through the park. If you're lucky, you can see the local inhabitants: roe deer, chamois, mountain goats, hares and marmots. There are also many salamanders on the territory, and among the birds there are golden eagles and capercaillie.

Berchtesgaden National Park is located in the city of the same name. The nearest large settlements are Salzburg and Munich, from which trains and buses run to the Park. You can get to the park by buses No. 841 and M 846 to the stop at the pier on Lake Königssee.

9. Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest is a beer festival in Munich, one of the largest folk festivals, where an average of 6 million people come to visit annually. The period is mid-September-early October.

The festival begins with a costume procession at 10 am. At noon, the mayor of Munich uncorks a keg of beer, giving the go-ahead for bottling of the beer in numerous tents.

The main drink is Oktoberfest beer, prepared according to a special recipe and aged longer than usual. You can try it only during the festival.

Besides the sea of ​​beer and tons of sausages, including vegan ones, there are many other entertainments at the festival. There is a park with rides, slides and a Ferris wheel. There are many places for recreation with little visitors.

You can get to the festival venue by bus No. 53, 58, 62, 134,144, train No. S6, S7, RB 56, metro U1 and tram No. 20.

10. Flower Island Mainau

One of the most romantic and picturesque German tourist spots is located near the town of Konstanz on Lake Constance. This is a botanical garden, which stretches over 44 hectares, with a large collection of different plants. The Duke of Baden Friedrich I was involved in the creation of the Island of Flowers very much, more than others, thanks to him they began to improve the previously barren area.

The territory of the garden resembles a colorful carpet, which changes its appearance depending on the flowering season of certain plant species. Orchids, tulips, hyacinths and other primroses are the first to bloom. They are replaced by peonies, dahlias, camellias and other flowers, in total there are about 350 species of flowers.

Most visitors come to see the Garden in March-May. At this time tulips bloom, there are about 400 varieties of them. The orchid exhibition in the greenhouse and the rose garden in the Italian Garden are also very popular among visitors, where you can relax in pavilions or near the fountains.

You can get to the Island of Flowers by ferry, motorboat, or ship. As for the city of Konstanz, you can get there by bus from Stuttgart, Cologne, Frankfurt and other major cities.

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