Germany's Main Cities

About Berlin

Berlin, which is the capital city of Germany, became the capital city after the reunification of Germany by Bismarck in 1871. The city is surrounded by nature reserves on both banks of the Spree River. It is a city-state with a rich and complicated history that invites the tourist to many experiences ranging from visiting historical sites, museums and architecture, through culture and cuisine to shopping, shopping, shopping.

Berlin, which is the capital city of Germany, became the capital city after the reunification of Germany by Bismarck in 1871. The city is surrounded by nature reserves on both banks of the Spree River. It is a city-state with a rich and complicated history that invites the tourist to many experiences ranging from visiting historical sites, museums and architecture, through culture and cuisine to shopping, shopping, shopping.

It seems that Berlin was first mentioned in the 13th century. Although the origin of the name is not quite clear, Berlin seems pretty close to the word for “bärlein: which in German means “little bear”. That is how the bear became the mascot/symbol of the city. In the year 2001 the “lone bear” developed into the Berlin Buddy Bears, a fiberglass sculpture of bears and it seems that they have become unofficial ambassadors of Berlin. At the end of WWII Berlin was divided between two German states, so the government offices were moved from Berlin to Bonn, and that is how it was for the next forty years. The “Berlin Wall” was erected as a divider in 1961 and came down in 1989, where it stood is a magnet for tourists today as they walk along the street Friedrichstrasse. Check Point Charlie was the best-known crossing point between East and West Berlin during the Cold War (1947–1991). Since then, the graffiti that was painted on the walls along with the Brandenburg Gate symbolize a reunified Germany and are witnesses to the past. The monument, 18th-century neoclassical Brandenburg Gate was erected by the Prussian King Frederick William II, copying the gate by the same name at the entrance to the Acropolis in Athens. You can see the tall, 26-meter statue from the wide boulevard called Unter den Linden,  from the City Palace right up to Platz Pariser where the Brandenburg Gate stands. The boulevard is so called because of the Linden trees that line the street.Note: During the time of Napoleon the famous statue that is atop of the gate, the Quadriga, which is a chariot drawn by four horses, was removed but when it was returned a decade later it became a symbol of victory for Germany.  On the northern side of the boulevard is The Museum Island. This is one of the most popular visited sites in Berlin, as well as one of the most significant  museum complexes in all of Europe. Situated on Spree Island it includes five museums: The Altes Museum, the Neues Museum, the Alte Nationalgalerie, the Bode-Museum and the Pergamonmuseum. A sixth building has been added - The James Simon Gallery (James-Simon-Galerie) which is a visitor center and art gallery. Take note that there is an important ‘treasure’ on the island: The Berlin Cathedral, aka The Berliner Dom. It was built by Kaiser Wilhelm II in a Renaissance and Baroque style and besides being a magnificent building, it is probably one of the most important Protestant churches in Berlin. Note: Dom - Many people think this is the German word for “dome” but it means cathedral. We suggest that you join the locals and take a break and some leisure time in the Pleasant Garden (Lustgarten), a neoclassical luscious, green park that is in front of the Altes Museum and near the majestic Berliner Dom at the other end.  Secret: A main attraction in the garden is a huge seventy-ton, granite bowl. Around 50 people were seated in the bowl at a  special breakfast to inaugurate this bowl. The Berliners call it “The Berlin Soup Bowl”. Berlin's famous Tiergarten, Grosser is located in the heart of Berlin and close to the Brandenburg Gate. It is a magnificent park with spacious green areas – just as popular as Central Park in New York and Hyde Park in London. This park spreads out for about 500 acres with tree-lined paths leading to Berlin’s oldest zoo and the zoo-aquarium.Secret: In the summer months on Sunday evenings you just might be on time to hear the bells from the Carillo, which is the bell tower, 40 meters in height, situated next to the House of World Cultures (Haus der Kulturen der Welt - HKW). The HKW has presentations, concerts, films conferences and a variety of cultural activities and exhibitions throughout the year.  Everyone knows that Berlin is one of the best places for shopping!  They have great shopping centers and outlet centers with an endless range of products from latest fashion in clothing to the latest consumer goods. The culinary scene in the city is world-famous and varies from traditional German food such as potato pancakes, pea soup with sausages, potato stew to ethnic food that has been integrated into the local cuisine. There are many diverse eating establishments, food stalls and of course the finest of restaurants and cafes. There are plenty of beer houses and bars that serve beers and drinks of all types. However, the well-known “White Beer” (Weisse Beer) so called because it is  calls for at least 50% wheat to barley malt, which makes for a light colored top-fermenting beer. It is the most popular beer enjoyed by locals and tourists alike for its unique taste.

About Hannover

You are In Hannover and you have to meet someone and you ask: “Where shall we meet?” And the reply is: “You have two main options, we can meet under the Clock or under the tail (this expression predates  the cell phone).

You are In Hannover and you have to meet someone and you ask: “Where shall we meet?” And the reply is: “You have two main options, we can meet under the Clock or under the tail (this expression predates  the cell phone).

The Kröpcke Clock was and is one of the best-known landmarks in Hannover so it is an ideal place to meet, especially because it is downtown. Although today’s clock is a replica it is still impressive. The second meeting spot is where you’ll find the equestrian monument of Ernest-Augustus, King of Hannover riding a horse, in front of the Hanover main train station (Hauptbahnhof) at Ernst-August-Platz. Because of its central location, this place is one of the most popular meeting spots in the city and is particularly suitable for appointments with people coming to the city by train. Note: The horse's tail points in the direction of the entrance to the station and when planning a meeting the response was “Under the tail” (obviously referring to the horse’s tail) The 14th century Marktkirche (Market Church of Saints George and James) is a beautiful example of a brick-gothic architectural style, from the impressive saddleback roof to the bell tower, which is about 75 meters high. Near the Marktkirche is the Hanover Historical Museum (Historisches Museum Hannover).  The exhibitions and collections document the history of the city in the last 750 years.  There are beautiful and unique gardens throughout Hanover. The most famous (possibly throughout Europe as well) are the Herrenhausen Gardens (Herrenhäuser Gärten) which include the Great Garden (Großer Garten), the Welfengarten, the Berggarten, and the Georgengarten. The Herrenhausen Palace (Schloss Herrenhausen) is in the center of the gardens. There is no way to describe the distinguished, unique and elegant gardens, each with its individual personality! Festivals and events are held mostly during the spring and summer months. There is also the lovely Maschpark Gardens which was created at the beginning of the 20th century and was the first public park in Hannover. It was built on what was once the city wall and this is where they erected the new Town Hall (Neues Rathaus).  There are two museums around the lake as well, the South Saxony Museum Niedersachsisches Landsmuseum and the Sprengel Museum Hannover with about 12,000 works of German Expressionism and French Modernism in its permanent collection. Exhibits by the most famous artists from around the world hang on these walls, including: Max Ernst, Pablo Picasso, Fernand Leja, René Magritte and countless more, making it one of the most important and interesting museums in Europe. And a trip to the Hannover Zoo that has over 3000 animals, is a must. It was established in 1865 and in the last decades has evolved to show animals in their own world with almost invisible bars or fences. There is a path of about 5 km that weaves between the different areas which have been laid out as “themes”.   Local dishes and local beer make up the cuisine of this area. A favorite classic, local dish is the Pinkel sausage (Grützwurst) which is usually served with kale (Grünkohl) and potatoes. If we may add, not exactly a health food, but definitely a comfort food the smoked sausage includes pork fat, suet, bacon, onions, oat groats and spices. “Bon Appetit” or as we say in German "Guten Appetit”!

About Duesseldorf

Düsseldorf is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The city is renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Culturally, Düsseldorf is known for its academy of fine arts. As a city by the river Rhine, Düsseldorf is a stronghold for Rhenish Carnival celebrations. Every year in July more than 4.5 million people visit the city's Largest Fair on the Rhine funfair. The Rheinturm. (TV tower) is the city's landmark, the lights on which comprise the world's largest digital clock.

Düsseldorf is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The city is renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Culturally, Düsseldorf is known for its academy of fine arts. As a city by the river Rhine, Düsseldorf is a stronghold for Rhenish Carnival celebrations. Every year in July more than 4.5 million people visit the city's Largest Fair on the Rhine funfair. The Rheinturm. (TV tower) is the city's landmark, the lights on which comprise the world's largest digital clock.

About Freiburg Im Breisgau

Freiburg im Breisgau is a university city in the Black Forest in southwest Germany. The name from the 14th century, comes from the German meaning “Free Town”. The Old City is “air-conditioned” by the Freiburg Bächle (water-filled channels, streamlets) fed by the Dreisam River which  rapidly  flow down the streets, making the Freiburg Bächle one of the city's best known landmarks. 

Freiburg im Breisgau is a university city in the Black Forest in southwest Germany. The name from the 14th century, comes from the German meaning “Free Town”. The Old City is “air-conditioned” by the Freiburg Bächle (water-filled channels, streamlets) fed by the Dreisam River which  rapidly  flow down the streets, making the Freiburg Bächle one of the city's best known landmarks. 

The Cathedral: They began building the Freiburg im Breisgau Cathedral (called the Freiburg Minster) at the beginning of the 13th century (Romanesque style) and completed the Cathedral Gothic style around 1230 with a 116-meter Gothic tower, which is a landmark and is considered by many experts as one of the most memorable and exclusive spires on this planet! As was the custom then, stonemasons were asked to add sculptures and gargoyles on the cathedral’s roof. If it is a chuckle you’re looking for then look up, way up and you will see the “mooning gargoyle” of Freiburg Minster. According to the legend that has been passed on over the decades, a resentful stonemason who wanted revenge for not getting his salary, created this grotesque and placed him so that water would be spilling onto the streets from the opposite end of his body facing the city council building. Note: Gargoyles were created as a means of making sure water did not collect on rooftops and would spill off through the gargoyle’s mouth onto the streets. Ahh – the bells of the Freiburg Minster! There are 16-19 bells on the tower including the “oldest bell” which weighs more than 3 tons. If you are feeling “athletic”, you can get to the top of the church for a magnificent view of the Old Town by going up 330 stairs.  Secret: The ringing of the bells are on specific days and times: Thursday evening; Friday at 11:00 am; Saturday evenings; on November 27- to commemorate the air raid of Freiburg on that day in 1944. The Historical Merchants' Hall (Historisches Kaufhaus) went through a few changes over the centuries, but today’s building is as it was back in the mid 1500’s - eye-catching with its bright reddish-brown  façade on the exterior and the opulent halls in the Merchants building, which are only open for special events. The most popular and famous is the Kaisersaal (Emperors' Hall). On the face of the building there are four statues of kings from the Habsburg house, with spires on each side, also draw your attention to the building. The halls are not open at all times, only when there are special events and the most popular one is the Kaisersaal (Emperors' Hall). Secret: The original statues are stored away for protection from the elements and the ones displayed on the walls are replicas. Once there were five –now there are two! We’re referring to the City Gates: The two medieval gates that survived are called the Martinstor and the Schwabentor. The latter is also a unique museum holding the Zinnfigurenklause (Tin Figure Cabinet) with about ten thousand small figures cast from tin in a setting of about 21 dioramas that tell the history of Baden and the area. When progress “reared its head”, there was need for more advance public transportation and the Martinstor Gate was to be removed in order to make room for an electric tram. The mayor of the time, Lord Mayor Otto Winterer of Freiburg, insisted on keeping it intact and actually built on top of it, thus tripling its height and eventually made a large opening for the tram to pass through.   The Rathausplatz is a lovely and charming square. The administrative center is located here, with the Old Town Hall and the New Town Hall next to it and the governing bodies housed in both buildings. There is a bridge which you can cross to get from one to the other. However, the New Town Hall is actually older than the Old Town Hall. Originally, the New Town Hall was not used as a Town Hall, so when they eventually decided to use this building as such, it became ‘the New Town Hall’!   A large fountain with a statue of Berthold Schwarz stands in front of the Town Halls. Who is Berthold Schwarz?  The Germans claimed he is an alchemist who invented gunpowder. However, according to our research, he probably never even existed and gunpowder was probably invented in China! Nevertheless, the Germans wanted to be known as the inventors of gunpowder, so they came up with this creative idea, perhaps because Schwarzpulver is German for gunpowder. So there it is and nobody seems to care! Muenstermarkt (The Farmers Market) – in the Old City, selling mostly flowers, produce and crafts. True to this day, the market is open daily except for Sunday and only in the mornings. Go, enjoy and buy! Alter Friedhof (Old Cemetery): This old cemetery from the 17th century is one of the oldest German cemeteries, preserved as a whole in a park-like atmosphere. There are fascinating, artistic and interesting tombstones of people from all types of lifestyles. Schlossberg Hill that is a part of the Black Forest just east of the Old Town is a wonderful area for small hikes and walks culminating with marvelous views for that “Kodak moment”.Moreover, you cannot leave Freiburg without eating the skinny, reddish-brownish, 35 cm long red sausage (Lange Rote Sausage) lovingly called by the locals “the Münsterplatzwurst, Queen of the Wurst”. Secret: If you don’t want to give yourself away as a tourist, do not fold the sausage in half. The locals eat their sausage with both ends hanging out of the roll! One more thing - don’t count your calories! Make sure you find time to relax in one of the lovely cafes and enjoy the famous Black Forest Cake (Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte) which is made up of layers of chocolate, cherries (and a little cherry liqueur)  with real, dairy whipped cream, decorated with chocolate shavings and cherries. Wicked!  Recipe available upon request. We cannot leave Freiburg without at least mentioning Europa-Park, which is second only to Disneyland in Paris. It is the biggest theme park in Germany, about 230 acres, and is about 40 km south-west of Freiburg Im Breisgau. You can imagine the wild and innovative rides and attractions you can find here! Besides all the attractions of an amusement park there is a fairly new water park known as Rulantica, a movie theatre and shows - entertainment for adults and children. One can also make arrangements for on-site transportation and accommodations, from five-star hotels to campgrounds.

About Stuttgart

Stuttgart is a city in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany. At the centre of Stuttgart lies its main square. As well as being the largest square in Stuttgart, it stands at the crossover point between the city's shopping area, Schlossgarten park, Stuttgart's two central castles and major museums and residential areas to the south west. Buildings of note in the city include: Collegiate Church, dates back to the 12th century, but was changed to the Late Gothic style in the 15th century. Exterior: Romanesque/Gothic; interior: Romanesque/Gothic/Modern. The Old Castle, mostly dating from the late 15th century. Renaissance style;

Stuttgart is a city in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany. At the centre of Stuttgart lies its main square. As well as being the largest square in Stuttgart, it stands at the crossover point between the city's shopping area, Schlossgarten park, Stuttgart's two central castles and major museums and residential areas to the south west. Buildings of note in the city include: Collegiate Church, dates back to the 12th century, but was changed to the Late Gothic style in the 15th century. Exterior: Romanesque/Gothic; interior: Romanesque/Gothic/Modern. The Old Castle, mostly dating from the late 15th century. Renaissance style;

About Munich

Munich is the capital and largest city of the German state of Bavaria. It is located on the River Isar north of the Bavarian Alps. Munich is home to many national and international authorities, major universities, major museums and theaters. Its numerous architectural attractions, international sports events, exhibitions, conferences and Oktoberfest attract considerable tourism. Since 2006, the city's motto has been "Munich loves you".

Munich is the capital and largest city of the German state of Bavaria. It is located on the River Isar north of the Bavarian Alps. Munich is home to many national and international authorities, major universities, major museums and theaters. Its numerous architectural attractions, international sports events, exhibitions, conferences and Oktoberfest attract considerable tourism. Since 2006, the city's motto has been "Munich loves you".