GERMANY
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Amazing Tourist
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istory, culture, and natural beauty perhaps best describe the essence of vacationing in Germany. With its historic cities and small towns, along with an abundance of forests and mountains, visitors are spoiled for choice. Those wanting to sightsee or experience the arts should head to the metropolitan areas, while those looking to engage in recreational activities should visit places such as the Bavarian Alps, the Black Forest, or the Mosel Valley. Lovely old cathedrals and grand palaces are everywhere, and in the smaller towns and villages, many centuries-old traditions continue. At the cultural heart of Germany is the capital, Berlin, home to many fine museums and galleries, while nature lovers will find a world of possibilities in Germany’s great outdoors.
Capital: Largest city : Official language : Demonym: Government: President: ______ Formation: Holy Roman Empire: German Confederation: German Empire: Federal Republic: EEC Foundation: Reunification: ______
Berlin 52°31′N 13°23′E German German Federal parliamentary constitutional republic Joachim Gauck ______ Norbert Lammert 2 February 962 8 June 1815 18 January 1871 23 May 1949 1 January 1958 3 October 1990 ______
Area: 357,168 km2 (63rd) 137,847 sq mi ______ ______ Density: 226/km2 (58th) 583/sq mi
DRESDEN D
resden has a long history as the capital and royal residence for the Electors and Kings of Saxony, who for centuries furnished the city with cultural and artistic splendor. The city was known as the Jewel Box, because of its baroque and rococo city center. The controversial British and American bombing of Dresden in World War II towards the end of the war killed approximately 25,000, many of whom were civilians, and destroyed the entire city center. The bombing gutted the city, as it did for other major German cities. After the war restoration work has helped to reconstruct parts of the historic inner city, including the Katholische Hofkirche, the Semper Oper and the Dresdner Frauenkirche as well as the suburbs.
TWO DAYS FOR $106
Green Vault: The first place of Dresden that you have to visit is the museum Green Vault. This wonderful place contains the treasure of the ancient saxon kings (a collection of jewelry and delicate workmanship). It consist of around 3.000 pieces.
Castle & Park: Then you can go to the Pillnitz Castle & Park: A romantic place at the eastern end of the city. where you can see beautiful gardens and landscapes. Pillnitz Castle was the summer residence of many electors and kings of Saxony; it is also known for the Declaration of Pillnitz in 1791. It consists of three buildings: the Riverside Palace; the Upper Palace and the New Palace. The buildings enclose a garden and are by a large public park.
Semperoper And to complete the visit to Dresden you’ll like to go to the Semperoper, the opera house. The building is located near the Elbe River in the historic centre of Dresden. It includes the gallery of the Ancient Masters and the museum of the porcelain.
BERLIN Berlin, the capital of Germany and the country’s largest city, is also a major center of politics, culture, media, and science. Noted for its cultural flair, Berlin is home to the world famous Berlin Opera and Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, while its diverse art scene encompasses hundreds of galleries, events, and museums, including those centered around Museum Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. First mentioned in the 13th century, it wasn’t until 1871 that Berlin became the capital of the German Empire, and despite the devastation of WWII followed by decades of decay to the east of the infamous Berlin Wall, the rebuilt city today stands as a testament to the country’s economic and cultural importance. Berlin offers an eclectic mix of new and classic architecture, dynamic entertainment, shopping, and a wide variety of sports and cultural institutions.
THREE DAYS FOR $166
Museum Island Between the River Spree and the Kupfergraben, a 400-meter-long canal, Museum Island (Museumsinsel) is a wonderful part of old Berlin to explore. Here you’ll find many of the city’s oldest and most important museums, including the Old Museum (Altes Museum), built in 1830 to house the Crown Jewels and other royal treasures.
The Berlin Wall Memorial and Checkpoint Charlie
The Brandenburg Gate Loosely modeled on the Acropolis in Athens and built for King Frederick Wilhelm II in 1791, this 26-meter-high sandstone monument in the Mitte district’s Pariser Platz was Berlin’s first Neoclassical structure, notable for its four-horse chariot, its six large columns on each side forming five passages for use by traffic (the center one reserved for royalty), and the two buildings used by toll-collectors and guards.
The history of the Berlin Wall began in 1961 when East Germany sealed off the eastern part of the city to stem the flood of refugees from east to west. By the time it was torn down in 1989, the four-meter-high wall extended 155 kilometers, dissected 55 streets, and possessed 293 observation towers and 57 bunkers. Today, only small stretches of this graffiti-covered travesty remain, including a 1.4-kilometer stretch preserved as part of the Berlin Wall Memorial, a chilling reminder of the animosity that once divided Europe.
FRANKFURT This old imperial city on the River Main - hence its full name, Frankfurt am Main - is, by virtue of its central situation, the most important commercial and economic center on mainland Europe. The city’s skyline, dominated by the great cluster of high-rise buildings in the banking quarter, has a distinct North American flavor, earning Frankfurt the nicknames “Mainhattan” and “Chicago on the Main.” Considered a global city - it frequently ranks in the top ten best cities in which to live and do business - Frankfurt has also long been an important center for cultural and tourism activities, its huge trade fair complex, Messe Frankfurt, hosting important events such as the Frankfurt Book Fair (the world’s most important publishing event), along with many fine museums, galleries, and gardens.
THREE DAYS FOR $244
The Römerberg - Frankfurt’s Old Town Center In the heart of Frankfurt’s Old Town (Altstadt), the Römerberg is an irregularly shaped square with the Justice Fountain (Gerechtigkeitsbrunnen) at its center. Not only is it Frankfurt’s most picturesque public square, it’s the city’s busiest pedestrian zone, home to numerous tourist attractions from its many Kulturschirn, a form of open-fronted shop once common throughout the old town, to the Römer, a complex of 11 lovely old buildings from the 15th to 18th centuries that include the Old Town Hall (Altes Rathaus) with its Imperial Hall (Kaisersaal), once the scene of splendid banquets. Other notable buildings include the New Town Hall (Neues Rathaus) from 1908, the 14th-century Gothic Church of St. Leonhard, and St. Nicholas Church, notable for its carillon.
Goethe House and Museum Frankfurt has the distinction of being the birthplace of Germany’s greatest writer, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. His family home, Goethe House, is where Goethe was born on August 28, 1749, and where he lived until 1765 and shows how the well-to-do family (and their staff) would have lived. There are many rooms to explore, from the sumptuous décor of the Dining Room on the main floor to Goethe’s writing room on the top floor where he penned many of his early works, and where he played as a child with his puppet theater. Next-door is the Goethe Museum, a 14-room gallery showcasing artworks from the writer’s time, including masterpieces of the Late Baroque and Romantic periods.
Senckenberg Natural History Museum In Frankfurt’s Senckenberg Gardens, the Senckenberg Natural History Museum (Naturmuseum Senckenberg) is one of the most modern museums of natural history in Europe, and the second largest of its kind in Germany. Along with its numerous displays relating to our planet’s biodiversity and the evolution of organisms, the museum houses Europe’s biggest exhibition of large dinosaurs, making it particularly popular with families (a number of life-size replica dinosaurs greet guests in the museum’s forecourt).
Art City: The Frankfurt Museum of Modern Art The Frankfurt Museum of Modern Art (MMK Museum für Moderne Kunst Frankfurt) is widely regarded as one of Europe’s most important galleries of contemporary art. Opened in 1991 in a stunning post-modern building in the heart of the city, the museum’s vast collection includes some 5,000 fine examples from more than 450 leading artists spanning the 1960s to the present, including Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, and Francis Bacon. The museum also operates MMK Zollamt, a satellite exhibition space featuring works by younger (as yet) unknown artists.
MÚNICH Munich, the capital of Bavaria and the third largest city in Germany, lies on the River Isar on the fringes of the Bavarian Alps. The focal point of Munich’s historic inner city is the large open square, the Marienplatz, where you’ll find the Old and New Town Halls. One of Germany’s most popular cities to visit, Munich is also famous for its many fine churches, including Peterskirche, the oldest inner city church built during the Romanesque period; the Cathedral of our Lady (Frauenkirche), the city’s most famous building; and Michaelskirche, the largest Renaissance church north of the Alps.
THREE DAYS FOR $226
Munich’s Magnificent Residenz For centuries the seat of the Dukes, Electors, and Kings of Bavaria, the Munich Residenz is undoubtedly one of Europe’s most spectacular palaces. Laid out around seven large courts, the vast Residenz complex comprises three main sections: the Königsbau, fronting onto Max-Joseph-Platz; the Alte Residenz, facing Residenzstrasse; and the Festsaalbau (Banqueting Hall) overlooking the Hofgarten.
Frauenkirche: The Cathedral Church of Our Lady Munich’s huge Frauenkirche - the Cathedral Church of Our Lady - has been the main metropolitan church of the South Bavarian ecclesiastical provinces since the establishment of the archbishopric of Munich and Freising in 1821. Completed in 1488, this brick-built Late Gothic church owes its impact to its great size - 109 meters long by 40 meters wide - and its high walls, along with its sturdy twin 100-meter-tall towers with their characteristic Renaissance domes. One of the most famous of its interior features is the strange footprint found in the floor in its picturesque porch, said to have been left by the Devil after he came to inspect the church.
Marienplatz Marienplatz has been Munich’s central square since the city’s foundation, and until 1807, was where markets were held, along with the occasional medieval jousting tournament. In addition to the massive New Town Hall (Neues Rathaus), it’s here you’ll find the majestic Old Town Hall (Altes Rathaus) with its reconstructed tower. Other notable landmarks include the Virgin’s Column (Mariensäule), erected in 1638, and the Fish Fountain (Fischbrunnen), a newer addition that includes bronze figures rescued from an earlier 19th-century fountain.
The New Town Hall Completed in 1892, the impressive New Town Hall (Neues Rathaus) dominates Marienplatz, vying with the twin towers of the Frauenkirche - the Cathedral of our Lady - as Munich’s best-known landmark. The main façade overlooking the Marienplatz is decorated with a profusion of figures and ornaments, including Bavarian dukes, electors, and kings, as well as fabulous creatures, saints, and well-known local characters. The world-famous carillon, the Rathaus-Glockenspiel, is the fourth largest in Europe.
HAMBURG Hamburg, the largest city in Germany after Berlin, and the eighth largest in Europe, lies at the head of the long funnel-shaped estuary of the River Elbe. Its location also makes it an important link between the sea and Germany’s network of inland waterways, as well as numerous islands such as Neuwerk and Scharhörn at the mouth of the Elbe estuary. The city is best known for its famous harbor area, the Port of Hamburg, which covers 100 square kilometers between the Norder and the Süderelbe rivers. Often referred to as the Gateway to Germany, this large tidal harbor is a free port, allowing the shipment of goods without duties. In addition to being a major transportation hub, Hamburg has become one of Europe’s most important cultural and commercial centers, as well as a major tourist destination boasting numerous first-class attractions.
THREE DAYS FOR $199
Miniatur Wunderland Although billed as the world’s largest model railway, Hamburg’s Miniatur Wunderland is really much more than simply a toy train layout. This stunning new attraction is the world’s largest model railway, boasting more than 12,000 meters of track and 890 trains. Built on a truly massive scale, it covers 1,150 square meters with more planned (it will be double this size when completed). Highlights include areas dedicated to the USA, Scandinavia, and Germany, as well as an airport with planes that actually take off, all of it illuminated by more than 300,000 lights and containing some 200,000 tiny (and unique) human figures. Avoid a long wait by reserving your ticket online.
The Port of Hamburg: The Gateway to Germany The Port of Hamburg - the Hamburger Hafen - is home to a number of the city’s most important attractions. Encompassing 100 square kilometers, this large tidal harbor, known as the Gateway to Germany, is fun to explore by boat, with numerous tours departing from Landungsbrücken. A highlight of the area is the lovely pedestrian trail that takes in the old 19th-century Warehouse District with its continuous lines of tall brick buildings once used to store tobacco, coffee, dried fruit, and spices. Another landmark is the Köhlbrandbrücke, a 3.9-kilometer bridge that spans the harbor.
Kunsthalle Hamburg In three separate but connected buildings on the Glockengiesserwall, Kunsthalle Hamburg is one of Germany’s top art galleries. Highlights include numerous altarpieces, works by local artists of the 14th century, and Dutch masters of the 16th and 17th centuries. Also of note are its fine collections of 19th-century German and French paintings, plus substantial modern and contemporary art collections. Tours and fun programs for children are available. Another notable art collection is housed at the Deichtorhallen, one of the largest galleries of contemporary art and photography in Europe
Hamburg Rathaus (City Hall) In the center of Hamburg’s Old Town is the Rathaus or City Hall. This large, sumptuous Neo-Renaissance building adjacent to the Stock Exchange (Börse) was completed in 1897 and consists of 647 rooms, many opened to the public for the city’s annual Long Night of Museums event. Guided tours are available, as are opportunities to observe the local government in action. From here, the wide Mönckebergstrasse, Hamburg’s principal shopping and business district, leads past 14th-century St. Peter’s Church with its 133-meter-high tower all the way to the Central Station and the Schauspielhaus theater.
NUREMBERG The ancient city of Nuremberg (Nürnberg) is an important center for arts and culture, as evidenced by the popular National Germanic Museum with its impressive collections of coins, paintings, archives, and decorative arts. The city has also long been associated with advances in science and technology, particularly in printing - it was home to Europe’s first printing press - and astronomy (Nicolaus Copernicus’s most famous work was published here in 1543). Despite having been severely damaged in WW2, many of the city’s old medieval buildings have been painstakingly restored to their former glory. If possible, plan to visit during one of Nuremberg’s popular festivals. Two favorites are the famous ten-day Old Town Festival musical and folk event, and International Organ Week from late June to mid-July.
THREE DAYS FOR $235
National Germanic Museum The National Germanic Museum (Germanisches Nationalmuseum) is home to the country’s largest German art and culture collection. The museum has more than 1.2 million items relating to the region’s artistic and cultural history, including historical documents on parchment, a collection of 17,000 seals, and a superb fine arts archive. Other notable highlights include a collection of 300,000 prints and drawings, paintings representing all the major schools, historical musical instruments, a sculpture collection, and a fascinating display of antique toys and dollhouses. The same bright building houses the Industrial Museum (Gewerbemuseum), while for art lovers, the nearby Neues Museum Nßrnberg has a large collection of modern and contemporary art.
Nuremberg Castle To the north of the old town rises the Castle of Nuremberg, an impressive 351-meter-tall structure that dominates the skyline. One of the most important surviving medieval fortresses in Europe, the castle was the residence of all legitimate German kings and emperors from 1050 to 1571. At the lower end are the old imperial stables built in 1495 (now a youth hostel), and the Pentagonal Tower, dating from 1040. Higher up is the Kaiserburg, built in the 11th century (although much altered in later centuries), along with the Sinwell Tower with its wonderful panoramic views. Castle tours take in a number of fine rooms, including the 12th-century chapel and numerous notable works of art.
The Town Walls Nuremberg has the unique distinction of having preserved most of its circuit of old walls, many dating from the 14th-15th century and later strengthened in the 16th and 17th centuries. Highlights include numerous gates and towers, many of which can be explored. The finest stretch of walls is on the west side of the town, between the massive Spittlertor and the former Maxtor, while the best views of the walls, the old town, and the Burg are from the Fürther Tor.
The Nuremberg Transport Museum ust outside the old town walls is the superb Nuremberg Transport Museum (Verkehrsmuseum Nürnberg) with its many displays relating to the country’s railroads. Highlights include numerous scale models, as well as a variety of interactive displays. One of the oldest such museums in Europe, its collection also includes royal trains and perfectly restored steam and diesel engines, as well as a working replica of Germany’s very first train. The museum also offers a varied program of tourist and charter trips on mainline rails, so be sure to check for such opportunities prior to your visit.
TOTAL PACKAGE PRICE: $ 1.156
Package FOR
15
DAYS, for 1 adult in 1 room:
$ 963.91 USD
$963.91 USD PER PERSON
GERMANY Alejandra Perez Alejandra GarcĂa Gloria Caviedes Valeria Contreras Julian Cartro Andres Romero