Destination Germany

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March 2014

CITIES OF CULTURE Hannover Aachen Cologne Essen Murnau Bremerhaven

FUN & THRILLS Theme parks in the South

REGIONS OF DELIGHT Black Forest Lake Constance | Bavaria

www.destination-germany.co.uk

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VISIT THE RUHR!

Metropolis Ruhr – Discover the fascination of Industrial Heritage

www.ruhr-tourismus.de/en Sponsored by:

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© TMB-Fotoarchiv/Werk3

CONTENTS

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 Bremen

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Hamburg

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Hannover Münster

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t Düsseldorf t Bonn

t Magdeburg t Leipzig t Eisenach

Berlin

tDresden 

© Gasometer Oberhausen

Kiel

P.07 Hannover

P.04 Gasometer Oberhausen

t Frankfurt t Nürnberg

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BLACK FOREST & LAKE CONSTANCE

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Stuttgart

t München

tFreiburg 

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INDUSTRY & ARCHITECTURE

UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE IN NRW

04 Lower Saxony and North RhineWestphalia have been deeply marked by industrialisation and technological innovation. And now a series of interactive industrial and architectural exhibitions bring this era to life.

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06 SEASIDE CITY BREMERHAVEN

THEME PARKS IN THE SOUTH

ART & ACTIVITY IN BAVARIA

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11 EUROPA-PARK

15 RUHPOLDING

Maritime worlds

07 THE 9_CITIES Royals from Lower Saxony

This year, from Aachen to the Ruhr region, some of Germany’s most priceless treasures from the Middle Ages to the modern era are celebrating their anniversary.

Providing endless fun and taking visitors into far-off, exotic worlds, Germany’s family attractions have so much to offer. And there’s plenty to learn along the way…

Enjoy 13 European countries in 1 day

I M P RI NT

12 Situated in prime southern Black Forest walking country between the Upper Rhine and Hotzenwald forest, the Murg-Wehra-Rundwanderweg is a circular walking trail that combines three different scenic themed trails.

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Lake Constance is a wonderful and diverse cycling region. A firm favourite here is the Lake Constance Cycle Route, which runs through three countries. Or there are the hills around Meersburg – offering fun and cultural trails.

At the beginning of the 20th century, artistic history was made in the foothills of the Alps, when the Expressionist movement exploded into the Modernist era.

On top of the world!

Destination Germany – charming • fascinating • enticing is published as a supplement to Lonely Planet Traveller April 2014 Publisher: Typeline Werbeagentur GmbH & Co.KG, Hanauer Landstraße 192 DE-60314 Frankfurt, Tel. +49 (0)69 95 14 490, hallo@typeline.de, www.typeline.de Cover picture: Berlin Cathedral on Museum Island, © PantherMedia / Narongsak Nagadhana Translation: LingServe Limited, www.lingserve.com. Text reprints and picture reprints or copies only with prior permission.

All information obtained from sources at the stated organisations and companies. As at February 2014.

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Wolfsburg phæno

INDUSTRY & ARCHITECTURE The legacy of Modernism The regions of Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia have in recent centuries been deeply marked by industrialisation and technological innovation. And now a series of interactive industrial and architectural exhibitions bring this era to life.

Westphalian State Museum of Industrial Heritage Germany’s first and largest museum of industrial heritage comprises eight locations: the Hannover Colliery in Bochum, the Nightingale Mine in Witten, the Henrichenburg Shiplift in Waltrop, the Henrichshütte Ironworks in Hattingen, the Bocholt Textile Museum, the Brickworks Museum in Lage, and the Gernheim Glassworks in Petershagen – all of them offering an insight into life in the industrial age. www.lwl.org/LWL/Kultur/ wim/portal

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After the upheaval of the modern era and the regions’ shift from industry to culture, the architectural legacy from those times demonstrates a fundamental change in perspective. At various interactive exhibitions, visitors can experience this legacy at close quarters and learn how it forms part of our history. Specially themed routes, such as the European Route of Industrial Heritage and the Museums and Architecture axis that runs through Germany, bring together various reference points from architecture and industrial history in an informative and entertaining way. A range of museums provides the opportunity to learn about skilled trades and manufacturing methods that used to be widely practised. Or visitors can get a glimpse of the future by getting hands on and trying things out for themselves.

Maritime coastal culture Few cites in Germany have been as marked by their coastal location as Bremerhaven. Up until the end of the 20th century, Bremerhaven enjoyed a reputation as the city of high seas fishing. But this is now an industry that has all but disappeared.

The Bremerhaven History Museum takes you on an informative but lively journey into what it was like to live and work on the coast in days gone by.

A complete historical shipyard, scenes of loading and unloading, a dockside inn, a fishmonger’s, working models of steam and refrigeration machinery from the fish docks – these are just some of the reconstructions the museum has to offer.

Moored at the Schaufenster Fischereihafen, the FMS Gera fishing vessel forms part of the museum.

The architecture of Bremerhaven History Museum, and the exhibitions it stages, have won many awards, thanks principally to the museum’s exemplary modern design. Its building runs for more than 100 metres along the scenic banks of the Geeste river, just a stone’s throw from the middle of the city. Since 2010, Bremerhaven History Museum has been one of the points on the Route of Industrial Heritage as it passes through north-west Lower Saxony.

From Bauhaus to the mines In Lower Saxony, two milestones of industrial heritage have been afforded UNESCO World Heritage status: in Alfeld, the Fagus Factory by Bauhaus star architect Walter Gropius; and in Goslar the Rammelsberg ore mine and Upper Harz Water Management System. The Fagus Factory is generally recognised as being one of the buildings that launched Modernist architecture.

The architects gave the complex, which was home to an ordinary medium-sized manufacturer, a look that completely defied convention. This timeless factory, now under preservation order, continues to serve its original purpose a hundred years on, and is now regarded as a triumph of 20th century industrial architecture. In Goslar, the old town and the Rammelsberg mine were given UNESCO World Heritage status in 1992. In 2010 the site was extended to include the Upper Harz Water Management System, one of the world’s largest pre-industrial power generation systems. Almost one thousand years of mining history are documented here – as is the resulting prosperity that

© Wolfsburg Marketing GmbH

Highlight

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Osnabrück Felix Nussbaum House

© H. Pentermann, panthermedia.net/J. Opelka

turned Goslar into ‘the Rome of the North’ and can still be seen in the ornate half-timbered houses.

Architecture and the avant garde The Museums and Architecture scheme traces a line through Germany linking the ideas of worldfamous star architects with six extraordinary museums for art, history and contemporary science.

With the exception of the German Historical Museum and the Jewish Museum, which are both in Berlin, they are all located in Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia. In Wolfsburg, best known for its car industry, the phæno Science Centre opens up an extraordinary world of phenomena that can be explored and tested in a fun and interactive way. But it’s the progressive design of the building that really stands out. Designed by the Iraq-born architect Zaha Hadid the phæno was opened in November 2005 after a four-year build that pushed the limits of what was technically feasible. About 180 km to the west, in Herford in East Westphalia, lies one of the most innovative museum buildings in the world: Frank Gehry’s MARTa Herford. This iconic building, which has provoked plenty of critical discussion, is a work of art in itself. Internally, the space designed for temporary exhibitions challenges the traditional separation of art, design and architecture into distinct categories. Despite its unconventional look, the museum building manages to incorporate a heritage-listed factory building into its design and anchor the entire complex firmly in its surroundings. Just half an hour’s drive away is the city of Bielefeld, which this year celebrates its 800th anniversary. The Kunsthalle Bielefeld, designed by New York architect and art historian Philip Johnson, was opened in 1968 as a museum and exhibition space for 20th century art from around the world. Thanks to its cuboid exterior, this architectural monument, which was a gift from the Oetker family, stands like a sculpture in the heart of the old quarter. Another museum, this time designed by Daniel Liebeskind, is dedicated to the artist Felix Nussbaum, who was born in Osnabrück in 1904 and murdered by the Nazis. The design

Goslar UNESCO World Heritage Rammelsberg

creates a spatial context in which everything in it is seen in the light of the tragic connection between Nussbaum’s life and work.

Industry as heritage Osnabrück is also the location of the Industrial Heritage Museum, where the Haseschacht building, built in 1871 and formerly part of the Piesberg coal mine, is the main exhibition space.

With its round arch architecture, it is one of the most beautiful buildings of its kind anywhere in the country. The museum’s mission is to research and put on display the history of industrialisation in the region. Fifty kilometres to the south, the city of Münster is a further example of how the region has made the transition from industry to culture.

Its former docks are now a creative quarter. With offices, galleries, entertainment venues, restaurants and clubs, this is a lively area by day and by night.

Anyone wanting to get a taste of the docks during the day should visit the Kunsthalle Münster art gallery. The exhibition space is located in a converted warehouse that also contains 30 artist studios. Then you can enjoy the view out over the water from one of the many cafés and restaurants.

From here it is a short distance – geographically and metaphorically – to the Ruhr region, perhaps the symbol of the industrialisation of the 20th century and the move towards a culture-based economy. In Europe’s third-largest conurbation, with its 53 towns and cities and population of 5.3 million, an incredible 1,000 monuments bear witness to the heyday of heavy industry. This was the age of industrial barons such as Thyssen and Krupp, who reigned supreme through their coal and steel empires, and made the region an industrial powerhouse in Europe. Today, the collieries and steelworks – the centres of production – serve as sites of cultural preservation. For over ten years, the Route of Industrial Heritage has linked the 54 main industrial monuments in the Ruhr region.

This tourist route runs for more than 400 km and is the only regional project of its kind in the world.

A highlight of the route is the 117-metre-high

Highlight LWL Museum of Art and Culture Münster A new building will open on 20 September 2014 as a modern home for the museum’s permanent collections and temporary exhibitions. Dealing with periods from the Middle Ages to the contemporary avant garde, the museum is constantly throwing up new insights and avenues of enquiry. www.lwl.org/LWL/Kultur/LWLLandesmuseum-Muenster

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More information: www.erih.net www.fagus-werk.com www.industriekulturmuseumos.de www.phaeno.de/architekturroute www.rammelsberg.de www.route-industriekultur.de

Click Tips

Essen Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex

gasometer in Oberhausen, which offers spectacular exhibitions inside and a fabulous 360° view of the region from its roof. At Duisburg-Nord Industrial Landscape Park, meanwhile, the gasometer by the disused ironworks has been converted into a diving centre unlike any other in Europe. On the same site, a former blast furnace serves as an observation tower, and the old ore bunkers have become alpine climbing gardens.

In Essen, in the heart of the Ruhr, the magnificent Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Its winding tower is known as the ‘Eiffel Tower of the Ruhr’, and now houses a visitor centre, as well as exhibition spaces for art and design. The accompanying Ruhr Museum chronicles the history of the Ruhr region in an entertaining format. At the Zollverein coking plant, the café looks out over the Canale Grande water tank at the foot of the coke oven batteries. Fascinating insights into Germany’s industrial age can also be enjoyed at the German Mining Museum in Bochum. As well as an underground visitor mine, this has a 50-metre-high winding tower that offers sensational views

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© LWL-Industriemuseum/W. Fischer, M. Duschner

Dortmund Zollern Colliery

SEASIDE CITY BREMERHAVEN Maritime worlds

Bremerhaven Maritime festivals Harbour Worlds

Erlebnis Bremerhaven GmbH H.-H.-Meier-Straße 6 | DE-27568 Bremerhaven Tel. +49 (0)471 809 36 100 | Fax: +49 (0)471 809 36 190 touristik@erlebnis-bremerhaven.de | www.bremerhaven-tourism.de

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Bremerhaven’s Harbour Worlds complex is the perfect place for summer events. This is where you’ll also find interactive exhibitions and discovery centres such as the Climate House Bremerhaven 8° East, which later this year will be opening the Information Centre for Offshore Wind Energy, where visitors can sensually experience this new eco-friendly technology. With the wind in their sails, tall ships from all over the world will once again be gathering for the Sail Bremerhaven festival from 12 to 16 August 2015. Prior to the event, the Bremerhaven Festival Week will be offering a small taste of what is to come. From 23 to 27 July 2014 there will be open ship viewings, food stalls, music, dancing and of course sail trips. Aside from 3-hour sail trips, arrivals and departures on sail ships are offered to/from Bremerhaven. Sail trips during the SAIL are also already open for booking. On 15 June 2014 the Bremerhaven Harbour Worlds complex will again play host to some 150 classic cars and motorcycles at the OLDTIMERwelten event. Motorcycles of all makes and models will be on the starting line Pentecost Weekend for the Fishery Harbor Street Race on 8 to 9 June 2014, which also features a ‘dealer’s mile’, a paddocks party and free access to the paddocks

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Check out cruises and cruise ships at the Bremerhaven Cruise Terminal. Ship arrivals: www.cruiseport-bremerhaven.de

© Erlebnis Bremerhaven GmbH, Bremerhaven Touristik

With fresh winds and plenty of horsepower through the new year. Oldtimers on land and at sea.

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Braunschweig Burgplatz square

Hannover Royal Gardens of Herrenhausen

THE 9_CITIES Royals from Lower Saxony

© Braunschweig Stadtmarketing/Gerald Grote, HMTG/Isabel Adolph, Hameln Marketing und Tourismus GmbH

From 1714 to 1837, Hannover’s kings were also the rulers of the kingdom of Great Britain. The 300th anniversary of the personal union is being marked by a varied programme of events in Hannover and elsewhere.

Did you know that, for over one hundred years, the British royal family came from Hannover? The nine historic towns and cities (Braunschweig, Celle, Göttingen, Goslar, Hamelin, Hannover, Hildesheim, Lüneburg und Wolfenbüttel) are playing host to a trip back through time into German – and British – history. A major part of the celebrations is ‘The Hanoverians on Britain’s Throne 1714–1837’, a regional exhibition in Lower Saxony taking place at various locations in Hannover and at Celle Palace from 17 May to 5 October 2014. The exhibition also takes place at the House of Hannover’s former summer residence, the Royal Palace and Gardens of Herrenhausen. At the Herrenhausen Palace Museum you can learn why, for more than one hundred years, the kings who lived in London came from Hannover. And in the baroque ‘Großer Garten’, you can experience one of the pinnacles of the art of landscape gardening.

Lower Saxony bears many traces of the House of Guelph. In the Middle Ages, the Guelph duke Henry the Lion chose Braunschweig as his seat and, as a symbol of his reign, had a statue of a lion erected. It still stands today, an emblem of the city of Braunschweig, on the medieval Burgplatz square.

In the former ducal town of Celle, visitors will find not only Germany’s oldest intact Guelph palace, but also the beautiful old quarter, which contains the world’s largest ensemble of timber-framed houses.

The rooms in magnificent Wolfenbüttel Palace illustrate the splendour of life at the ducal court, while the Duke August Library opposite houses medieval manuscripts. Wolfenbüttel is also where the world-famous Jägermeister drink comes from.

In the Pied Piper town of Hamelin, the focus is very much on this fabled figure. Every Sunday in summer, the Pied Piper open-air play reenacts his legend live in the middle of the old quarter. And every Wednesday, you can catch a performance of the musical RATS here. The medieval charm of the Hanseatic town of Lüneburg attracts many visitors. The town’s prosperity was based on salt, and its past wealth is reflected in the magnificent patrician houses. Student life is a large part of the town, just as it is in the ancient university town of Göttingen, which has nearly 25,000 students and has produced over 40 Nobel laureates. Look out for the Goose Girl, ‘the most-kissed girl in the word’, on the market square fountain in front of the medieval town hall.

Another popular destination is the lively UNESCO World Heritage town of Goslar, with its medieval old quarter, Mines of Rammelsberg – the only mines ever to have been in operation for more than a thousand years – and the magnificent imperial palace. In Hildesheim, the cathedral and St Michael’s Church were made a joint UNESCO World Heritage site because of their outstanding Romanesque architecture. And the city’s Roemer-Pelizaeus Museum houses a worldfamous Ancient Egypt collection

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TIP Why not combine your historical adventures with a trip to Volkswagen’s Autostadt exhibition complex and visitor centre in Wolfsburg, which explores the past, present and future of the automobile? www.autostadt.de

the_9 wonderful cities in Niedersachsen Hannover Marketing & Tourismus GmbH Vahrenwalder Strasse 7 DE-30165 Hannover Tel. +49 (0)511 168 497 46 9cities@hannover-tourismus.de www.9cities.de

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SPECIAL NORTH RHINE-WESTPHALIA

Düsseldorf CologneKunstsammInterior of the cathedral

Düsseldorf Aachen Cathedral Kunstsammlung NRW

UNESCO World Heritage in North Rhine-Westphalia

Tourismus NRW e.V. Völklinger Straße 4 DE-40219 Düsseldorf Tel. +49 (0)211 913 20 500 info@nrw-tourismus.de www.tourism-nrw.com

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Are you ready for a trip back in time? And it’s quite a journey. To step over the threshold of Aachen Cathedral is to immerse yourself in over a 1,000 years of history. The cathedral is the episcopal church of the Aachen bishopric and in 1978 became the first cultural monument in Germany to be assigned UNESCO World Heritage status. Both architecturally and artistically significant, it is one the best-preserved buildings of the Carolingian era.

It was no less a figure than Charlemagne himself who at the end of the 8th century had the foundation stone laid for the cathedral’s construction. The cathedral still contains his coronation throne, which demonstrates the power he once yielded – power with which he changed the face of Europe. Charlemagne was buried in the cathedral following his death in 814.

This year Aachen will be marking the 1,200th anniversary of this great emperor’s death with three major exhibitions examining his influence, cultural legacy and day-to-day life at his court.

The Coronation Hall in the town hall is the site of the largest exhibition. Dedicated to life at the Carolingian court, it shows how the Emperor and military commander travelled from palace to palace.

Archaeological and cultural evidence shows the material basis of his reign and the exhibition also gives an idea of the precedents Charlemagne had in mind when he chose Aachen as his seat of power. The exhibition in the newly built Centre Charlemagne focuses on the art of the Carolingian era, particularly on the works attributed to the Court School of Charlemagne. It aims to bring the exquisite manuscripts, ivory carvings and gold

work produced in Charlemagne’s Aachen workshops, but today scattered throughout Europe, back under one roof in Aachen. The cathedral treasury is retrieving sacred artworks for the exhibition that were at one time part of the cathedral’s official hoard. The range of exhibits covers a period stretching into the late Middle Ages but its focus is firmly on the Carolingian era, with pieces that form part of Charlemagne’s ecclesiastical treasure and, in some cases, are even said to have come from his tomb.

No less impressive than Aachen Cathedral is its counterpart in Cologne. The fame of Cologne Cathedral does not just rest on its size. On the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1996, it is one of the most important pilgrimage churches in Europe and one of the world’s Gothic masterpieces.

Its foundations date back to the Middle Ages in 1248. Construction came to a halt in 1530 due to a lack of funds, and the unfinished cathedral was part of the city’s skyline for over 300 years.

Building did not resume until 1842 and took until 1880 to be completed. The remains of the Three Wise Men, preserved in a golden shrine, have been visited by pilgrims and visitors from all over the world since the twelfth century. This year marks the 850th anniversary of the remains being brought back to Cologne. And this lively city on the Rhine is the perfect place to mark the occasion.

Not far from Cologne is the town of Brühl and the Castles of Augustusburg and Falkenlust, which despite having been on the UNESCO World Heritage list for 30 years remain an insider’s tip.

Both castles are among the most significant

© Andreas Herrmann / ats, Köln Tourismus GmbH/Andreas Miltgen

This year, from Aachen to the Ruhr region, some of Germany’s most priceless treasures are celebrating their anniversary. So come and trace the region’s colourful history from the Middle Ages to the modern era.

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© www.bildarchiv-monheim.de, Thomas Willemsen

Nydelser forBrühl enhver Augustusburg smag Castle

baroque and rococo buildings in Germany and for a long time provided the template for countless other German royal courts. The Brühl Schlosspark, or palace gardens, is an internationally recognised monument to the art of landscaping. Designed along French garden principles, it also incorporates a wooded area and other elements more in tune with the English style. Clemens August of the House of Wittelsbach, the Elector and Archbishop of Cologne, began work on his summer residence of Augustusburg Palace in 1725. The Falkenlust hunting lodge was built four years later for falconry purposes and also served as the prince’s private retreat. This small yet delightful structure situated on the edge of the Schlosspark is in its own way just as enchanting as the grand staircase in Augustusburg Palace dating back to 1760. Famous artists and architects of the day worked on the palaces, gardens and parkland until their completion. Since 1949, the German President and the Federal Government have used the palace to host receptions.

Beauty of a quite different kind is on show at the Zollverein Industrial Complex in Essen. With its strikingly modern architecture, what was once the world’s largest colliery has often been described as ‘the world’s most iconic coal mine’. Its role in the industrial development of Europe earned it

Essen Zollverein

UNESCO World Heritage status in 2001. Once containing five shafts, an underground facility, a central coking plant, slagheaps, transport infrastructure and workers’ housing, Zollverein was from 1847 to 1986 the largest and most modern coal mine in the world. Even today, Zollverein is still the only facility in the world which so clearly demonstrates the complexity of the industry built around this ‘black gold’: in particular, its coking plant and the shafts 12 and 1/2/8 are perfect examples of the coal production and processing industry as it existed in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Along with the extraordinary size of Zollverein, the architecture of the entire complex is of great significance and extraordinary value. The complex’s twin-trestle winding tower is the most famous emblem of the Ruhr valley, and a symbol for the industrial culture of an entire region, serving a particularly impressive way to look back at life and work at the coal mine. Since the final working shift in 1986, Zollverein has become a prime site for the artistic, cultural and creative sectors, attracting more than 2 million visitors a year. The converted industrial complex now hosts the Ruhr Museum, housed in the former coal washing plant, and the red dot design museum. This year there is also an exhibition in the coking plant marking the centenary of the start of the First World War

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Events 2014/2015: Aachen: ‘Charlemagne – Karl der Große’ (20 June – 21 Sept. 2014) Cologne: ‘Kaspar, Melchior, Balthasar – 850 Years of the Veneration of the Three Wise Men in Cologne Cathedral’ (23 July 2014 –15 Jan. 2015); ‘The Magi. Legend, Art and Cult.’

(25 Oct. 2014 – 25 Jan. 2015) Brühl: Palace concerts and Haydn festival (May – Sept. 2014) Essen: ‘1914 – Aggression & Avantgarde’ (29 Apr. – 26 Oct. 2014)

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A Düsseldorf hotel like no other This fabulous hotel, set in an idyllic park, offers home comforts and luxury in a fine historical building.

There are 55 beautifully furnished guest rooms and a range of function rooms for all kinds of events.

www.hotel-mutterhaus.de

Das MutterHaus Hotel und Tagungszentrum GmbH Geschwister-Aufricht-Str. 1 (formerly: Alte Landstr. 179) DE-40489 Düsseldorf Phone: +49 211/6 17 27-0 Fax: +49 211/6 17 27-15 04

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Sinsheim Car & Technology Museum

Speyer Sea Life

Fun, entertainment and thrills in the south of Germany Providing endless fun and taking visitors into far-off, exotic worlds, Germany’s family attractions have so much to offer. People are also actively encouraged to get hands on and discover things for themselves. And there’s plenty to learn along the way…

Speyer Technology Museum An original Buran space shuttle is the focal point of Europe’s largest aerospace exhibition, where visitors can explore walk-on planes aeroplanes such as a Boeing 747 or the fully accessible U9 U-boat. speyer.technik-museum.de

Speyer Landau

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Tripsdrill Adventure Park Tripsdrill Adventure Park near Heilbronn is a typically Swabian theme park that has just one theme: Swabia in the year 1880. Attractions at the park include an elevated railway, a white-water rafting ride and a log flume in an old-fashioned bathtub.

For high-speed thrills, there’s the wooden rollercoaster Mammut. Visitors wishing to take things a bit slower can explore the wildlife park next door where they can look forward to 40 animal species, tours with the gamekeeper and flying displays at the falconry centre. And if you wish to spend the night surrounded by nature, there are 20 wellappointed gypsy caravans. Equipped with a seating area, heating, fridge, wash basin and TV, they each accommodate up to five guests.

Car & Technology Museum Sinsheim The Car & Technology Museum in Sinsheim was inspired by engineering enthusiasts who often spend many years working painstakingly on restored gems and making them accessible to the general public. Since 1981, it has housed a number of classic cars from all eras of automotive history, including the largest private collection of historical Maybach, supercharged Mercedes and Bugatti cars in Germany, as well as several 100 motorcycles, aeroplanes, record-breaking vehicles, racecars and sports cars, locomotives and much more besides. Guaranteed to be a big hit with technology-minded visitors of all ages, it is also the only museum in the world to feature side by side the only two supersonic passenger planes ever to be used for scheduled services.

Sea Life Speyer Visitors to Sea Life Speyer follow the Rhine as it flows from its source above Lake Constance down to the North Sea and into the depths of the ocean.

In total, Sea Life Speyer has more than thirty aquariums holding more than 3,000 freshwater and marine fish and other creatures covering around 100 species – from sea horses and clownfish to rays and sharks. At the heart of the centre is a 320,000-litre ocean tank with an eight-metre-long acrylic glass tunnel running through it. Getting almost as close as divers, visitors get to observe the sharks and shoals of fish swimming majestically around the tank.

Fun Forest Kandel Following in Tarzan’s footsteps – this is the slogan of Germany’s biggest adventure park, situated near Landau in Rhineland-Palatinate. In Kandel’s Bienwald Forest, in an area of 7 hectares, more than 200 trees have been linked up using around 17,000 metres of steel cable. Equipped with a safety harness and a protective helmet, visitors are given a thorough safety induction before climbing through 17 different courses. As the difficulty increases, so does the height: while beginners get used to being 2 to 3 metres above ground on the training courses, the highest course soars to the lofty heights of 20 metres above ground. Many of the courses are suitable for children aged seven and above. The facilities are suitable for individual visitors, families, clubs and corporate events – in short, for anyone wishing to have fun outdoors, overcoming their inner fears

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© Wolfgang Thieme, Tourismusverband Erzgebirge e.V., Jens Kugler Verlag

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Fantastic shows in unique atmosphere

Europa-Park Thrilling roller coaster ‘Silver Star’

EUROPA-PARK: Enjoy 13 European countries in one day When it comes to having fun, nowhere is quite like EUROPA-PARK. With more than 100 attractions and eleven thrilling roller-coaster rides, Germany’s largest theme park is also rated as one of the world’s best, with almost 5 million visitors every year!

Within easy reach of three airports, EUROPAPARK lives up to its name with 13 areas themed on European countries. See flamenco dancing in Spain, a space shuttle in Russia and, of course, a red double decker bus in Britain. And, there is great food, too: crêpes straight from the pan in France and freshly-baked pizza from the oven in Italy. Youngsters love the thrills, especially the 125ft-high blue fire Megacoaster powered by GAZPROM, with speeds of more than 60 mph and full 360-degree rolls. Wet and wild rides include the Tirol Log Flume (Austria) and the Fjord Rafting ride (Scandinavia), while Germany offers an Elf Boat ride for little ones. Everywhere is beautifully landscaped, with waterfalls and gardens. Fun and events for every season: For over ten years, EUROPA-PARK has been pursuing and building on the concept of the seasons. While spring is all

about new features, summer promises adventurous refreshment with many water attractions and summery highlights. At Halloween, darker figures find their way into EUROPA-PARK. At the winter opening, thousands of Christmas trees, wintery attractions and a fantastic program of shows guarantee magical fun in a winter wonderland.

NEW IN 2014: In partnership with famous film maker Luc Besson, the most intricate indoor attraction in the history of EUROPA-PARK is set to open. ‘Arthur in the Kingdom of the Invisibles’ allows you to fly above seven fantastic kingdoms

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Adventure mini-break: Two nights in a covered wagon, breakfast included, plus threeday tickets to EUROPA-PARK for four people.

Adults (12+): €169.00, children (4–11): €148.00

Europa-Park GmbH & Co Mack KG Europa-Park-Strasse 2 DE-77977 Rust near Freiburg Tel. +49 (0)7822 77 66 88 info@europapark.de www.europapark.de

©Europa-Park GmbH & Co Mack KG

Win an adventure mini-break Enter our competition and you could win an adventure mini-break at EUROPA-PARK consisting of two nights’ stay in a covered wagon, breakfast included, plus three-day tickets to EUROPA-PARK for four people.

Simply answer this question: How many European themed areas are there at Europa-Park?

COMPETITION

Send us an email with your answer and with the subject ‘Europa-Park Competition’ by 31 May 2014 gewinnfrage@europapark.de

Prizes may not be exchanged for cash and recourse to legal action is not permitted. I agree that my personal data may be used by Europa-Park GmbH & CO Mack KG for advertising and email newsletters addressed to me as well as for market-research purposes.

My consent can be withdrawn at any time by emailing info@europapark.de

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Black Forest Picturesque Murg valley

On foot through the southern Black Forest holiday region

Highlight The Hasenhorn Coaster toboggan run in Todtnau Go whizzing down into the valley on the 2.9 km route in a toboggan on rails – you decide how fast you go – it’s as easy as one, two, three! Thrilling ups and downs, twists and turns, and three fantastic loops ensure that the ride is full of surprises. www.hasenhorn-rodelbahn.de

The trail runs for a total of 90 km through the gorges and valleys of the Murg, Wehra and Upper Rhine rivers. The hills of Hotzenwald forest afford spectacular views of the Alpine peaks and Swiss Jura. Almost 100 info stations are located along the route, together with conservation areas, castle ruins, museums, churches, chapels and a number of other attractions. The first leg of the trail from Todtmoos to Wehr is extremely well signposted.

Walkers can choose between two routes: the quality-certified Schluchtensteig (red waymarks) and the Wehratal-Erlebnispfad (green waymarks).

Highlights along this extremely challenging first leg include Brennet Textile Museum in Wehr, which presents the history of the local textile industry with lovingly arranged displays. The second leg then runs along the Rhine to the ‘trumpeter town’ of Bad Säckingen with its picturesque old quarter.

With a difference in altitude of just nine metres, the third leg to Murg is easy to manage. The fourth section between Murg, Laufenburg and Rickenbach offers plenty of attractions: the magnificent townscape of the two Laufenburgs, the romantic old quarter and trips on the Rhine. Up in the hills of Rickenbach, there are the ruins of Wieladingen Castle, Emil Wachter’s stained glass windows in the parish church and the Energy Museum in Hottingen. On the fifth leg between Rickenbach and Herrischried, Hotzenwald forest has many natural treasures and wonders in store. The Gugelturm observation tower affords glorious panoramic views stretching as far as the Alps.

The last section of the route back to Todtmoos is once again somewhat challenging. The ‘Heimethus’ local history museum documents how the people here used to live in the centuries past

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ith the avings w s f o ts o e L -inclRusAivDrI ScaErd I N +++ WA L K E R S ’ PA R A D I S E I N T H E H E A RT O F T H E S O U T H E R N B L A C K F O R E S T +++ WA L K E R SallPA visito s o o tm Tod ● 100 km network of walking trails ● Black Forest ham tasting an Black Forest gateau ● Snowshoe tours, winter walking, ● pilgrimage

church, local history museum, visistor mine ● fantastic range of dining an spa facilities

cookery courses New Lebküchlerweg gingerbread trail ● Gorges Trail, Wehra Valley and Westweg walking trails

cross-country skiing...

International sled dog racing on the last weekend in January

black forest 12

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Todtmoos Tourist Information 콯 0049-7674-9060-0 info@todtmoos.net .www.todtmoos.de

© Zweckverband Im Tal der Murg

Situated in prime southern Black Forest walking country between the Upper Rhine and Hotzenwald forest, the Murg-Wehra-Rundwanderweg is a circular walking trail that combines three different scenic themed trails.

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Unteruhldingen Pile dwellings

Meersburg Medieval fortress

Cycling at Lake Constance

© Internationale Bodensee Tourismus GmbH, fotolia/Jan Schuler

A firm favourite here is the Lake Constance Cycle Route, which runs through three countries. Or there are the hills around Meersburg – offering physically demanding tours as well as fun and cultural trails.

Boasting a particularly charming setting, built on a steep vineyard slope on the shores of the lake, Meersburg Castle has been attracting visitors for centuries. The Merovingians are thought to have built the first castle here, whose medieval fortress still dominates the townscape, even from a distance. The town owes its baroque skyline with its palatial architecture to the prince bishops of Constance. Laid out around these fine buildings are the narrow lanes, beautiful squares and superb viewing terraces of Meersburg.

Bike trails round Meersburg The ‘Stone Age, baroque and nature’ cycling tour takes visitors on a 25 km journey right through history. It sets off from Meersburg and follows the cycle path along the shore to Uhldingen, home to the reconstructed pile dwellings that were granted UNESCO World Heritage status in 2011. The route then continues to the baroque abbey church of Birnau on the Upper Swabian Baroque Route.

Along the Prelate Trail, there’s a slight slope up

Überlingen The ‘Riviera’ of the Lake Constance

to Affenberg ape park, where you can watch the Barbary monkeys roaming around freely in their open-air enclosure. Salem Abbey with its elite boarding school is the next stop along the tour.

The route then continues through Mimmenhausen, Buggensegel and Grasbeuren, past the baroque chapel in Baitenhausen, and back to Meersburg.

‘Vineyards, forest and wine-growing villages’ is the next tour, which starts above the market square in Meersburg and runs for 35 km, initially to Riedetsweiler and Baitenhausen. From here, it continues towards Immenstaad. As in the whole of the Lake Constance region, there’s a very long tradition of wine-growing in Immenstaad. The ridgeway then runs via Kippenhausen and Frenkenbach to Hagnau. One of the most picturesque viewpoints on Lake Constance is in the heart of the vineyards overlooking Hagnau. The Wilhelmshöhe vantage point offers wonderful views stretching far and wide. Along the way, there is a wealth of idyllic scenery and natural beauty to discover in the areas around the lake

Highlight Museum and Prehistoric Pile Village in Unteruhldingen With 23 reconstructed houses, this archaeological museum is one of Europe’s largest open-air museums. Opened in May 2013, the new ARCHAEORAMA offers visitors the chance to explore this fascinating world on a virtual underwater expedition with 360-degree panoramic views. www.pfahlbauten.eu

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Meersburg half-timbered f--timbered Meersburg – a magical, small medieval medieval town town with half buildings, baroque New Palace. buildings, an imposing castle and the bar oque Ne wP alace. Plus eightt ffascinating museums,, outstanding wines and superb dining dining.. eigh ascinating museums

at at Lak Lakee C Constance o onstance

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Staffelsee Balloon flight over the ‘Blue Land’

Where great artists got their inspiration At the beginning of the 20th century, artistic history was made in the foothills of the Alps, when Franz Marc and Wassily Kandinsky, together with a group of friends, founded the Blue Rider, the Expressionist movement that exploded into the Modernist era.

Museum of Imagination This museum on the shores of Lake Starnberg contains the collection of Expressionist art amassed by Lothar-Günther Buchheim, author of the bestselling novel Das Boot, on which the award-winning film was based. www.buchheimmuseum.de

Vibrant Expressionist art and the landscape of lakes in the Alpine foothills make this a doubly attractive travel destination. Following in the painters’ footsteps and plotting the shifting relationship between landscape and art make for an unforgettable experience.

Franz Marc Museum in Kochel am See Franz Marc, who was originally from Munich, spent much of his time at Kochel am See. The Blue Rider co-founder is known for his multi-coloured depictions of animals. Kochel’s famous Franz Marc Museum opened its doors in 1986 as a showcase for the collection of the Franz Marc Foundation.

Constantly changing displays allow the visitor to appreciate the work of the artist, who died in 1916, in all its variety. Since the opening of an extension a few years ago, Marc’s impressive work can now

be experienced in dialogue with that of other Expressionist artists of the time.

The Blue Rider in the Schlossmuseum Murnau In the summer of 1908 in the town of Murnau am Staffelsee, the painters (and partners) Gabriele Münter and Wassily Kandinsky, together with Marianne von Werefkin and Alexej Jawlensky, started to paint together. Fascinated and inspired by the Murnau scenery, Kandinsky and Münter made this lakeside town their home from 1908 to 1914, forging their revolutionary path towards Expressionism and abstract art. The Schlossmuseum Murnau contains key works from this period and the focus of the collection falls on the 80-plus paintings, drawings and other works by Gabriele Münter from all phases of her career

Experience nature, art and culture

Vassily Kandinsky was one of the first to find inspiration in Murnau and its picturesque landscape at the foothills of the Bavarian Alps.

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EuroArt artists’ colony between Munich and Garmisch-Partenkirchen Swimming, cycling and walking in the mountains and lakes ‘Blue Rider’ Expressionist heritage in the Schlossmuseum and Münter House Murnauer Moos: the largest alpine moor in central Europe King Ludwig’s castles and other famous sights and attractions within easy reach

Tourist-Information Murnau • DE-82418 Murnau • www.murnau.de

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© Tourist Info Murnau/Josef Beck

Highlight

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Seekopf panorama

Ruhpolding Enjoy nature at its purest and most unspoilt

RUHPOLDING On top of the world!

© Andreas Plenk,

High in the Alps where the air is fresh, Ruhpolding is a great holiday destination set in pristine, dramatic countryside. The mountains and valleys are packed so amazingly close together, there is an almost endless choice of walks.

Take some deep breaths and swing your arms and legs in time with your breathing. As some gentle physical exercise gets your circulation going, you start to relax and switch off. Walking is like nothing else for opening up your senses to the natural world. With a population of 6,500 residents, Ruhpolding is a large village in a romantic, secluded setting in Upper Bavaria where the scenery is glorious all year round. Walkers who start the day in Ruhpolding by shouldering their rucksacks and slipping into their walking boots have the best of all possible worlds! An area with three lakes known as ‘Little Canada’ is a popular destination for a leisurely stroll. Lödensee, Mittersee and Weitsee, set close together in a nature conservation area, are not only lakes of exceptional natural beauty, they are also a popular place to go for a swim in the summer months. High in the Alps, you are a step closer to the clear blue skies. Life here is simple – simply wonderful! Walking along sunny Alpine paths, past crystal-clear mountain streams (the water is clean enough to drink!) and though unspoilt wild flower meadows, you finally reach a truly idyllic area of mountain pasture. All your efforts are rewarded. While the animals that spend the summer in the mountains enjoy an afternoon nap in the sun, the fragrance of hearty Alpine fare fills the air. Cheery dairymaids serve Bavarian specialities made on their own farms. Home produce tastes twice as good after an invigorating mountain walk! But walking is not just about admiring the scenery from every angle, here it is simply good for body and mind. In Ruhpolding, everyone sets their own pace and finds a way to take plenty of

exercise without overdoing it. With 240 kilometres of paths, walking trails and mountain routes, there really is something for everyone. For the more athletic, mountain-trekking or mountain-biking tours with magnificent views of the Alps are unforgettable experiences.

Ruhpolding is a dream destination for all nature lovers who want an active holiday amid wonderful scenery combined with Bavarian ‘Gemütlichkeit’ and hospitality. To enjoy a magnificent view of the Bavarian Alps, all you need do is take a cable car from Ruhpolding up Mount Rauschberg or Mount Unternberg. Once at the top, you can head out along a fascinating mountain nature trail, which will reveal to you a colorful world of Alpine butterflies. And whether you are merely out for a leisurely stroll, or are a mountain goat in your own right, you are certain to relish the breathtaking Alpine panoramas. When the summer sun is blazing down, the outdoor pool and nearby lakes are wonderful for a refreshing dip and children will love the magical fantasy world of Ruhpolding leisure park

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TIP The great outdoors is not Ruhpolding’s only attraction… Cut the cost of your holiday with the eXtra card. Free entry to: water park and spa | leisure park | Ruhpolding museums | cable cars | local buses and ski bus | ski lift | ice rink and much more! The card is available from your accommodation provider when you stay one night or more.

Ruhpolding Tourist Information Hauptstraße 60 DE-83324 Ruhpolding Tel. +49 (0)8663 880 60 Fax: +49 (0)8663 880 620 tourismus@ruhpolding.de www.ruhpolding.com

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