Germany Attractions

Tübingen

This gentle, picturesque university town, just 35km (22mi) south of Stuttgart, is a place to wander winding cobbled alleys past half-timbered houses and old stone walls. From the heights of the Renaissance Hohentübingen Castle there are fine views over the steep, red-tiled rooftops of the altstadt (old town).

Today's students are the proud custodians of a rigorous liberal intellectual tradition, and can be seen in every cafe plotting earnestly to save the world. The market here is a treasure, filled with fruit and vegetables, and this is one town where some of this crisp and fresh produce might actually turn up on your plate.

Leipzig

In Goethe's Faust a character named Frosch calls Leipzig 'a little Paris'. He was wrong - Leipzig is much more fun! Street-side cafes pour out onto the pavement, and underground music clubs thud throughout the night. The town also has some of the finest classical music and opera in the country - it was once home to Bach, Wagner and Mendelssohn.

Frankfurt

Frankfurt is often seen only as a transit hub or a business centre, but it's so much more. It boasts Germany's most spectacular skyline, mirrored in the Main River, and Europe's tallest office building. It's also the country's most international town; more than a quarter of its citizens are foreign.

Frankfurt throws more money at the arts than any other European city, so you'll most likely catch a ground-breaking exhibition at one of its museums. And if you do happen to get stuck at the mega-airport there's a nightclub, art gallery and X-rated cinema to help while away those in-transit hours.

Rhine Valley

Here you'll find dramatic landscapes with fertile vineyards clinging to steep hills, numerous imposing castles and dreamy wine villages. Every village has at least one wine festival per year, with the most famous being the Rhine in Flames series of festivals, when water, lighting and fireworks are combined to spectacular effect.

Munich

Munich, rivalled only by Berlin as Germany's most popular destination, is a sophisticated city that enjoys contradicting itself. Don some ironic lederhosen and head down to the capital of Bavaria, where folk traditions ride alongside BMWs and hearty meals share the table with haute cuisine.

The city is a haven for all sorts of culture, with a staggering array of museums, a vibrant arts scene and the infamous revels of Oktoberfest. Bavaria is souvenir-icon Germany at its postcard best, and the fairy-tale Gothic, Biergarten-filled city of Munich is no exception.

Lübeck

Lübeck is a glorious medieval town that's earned its place on UNESCO's World Heritage list. It's a quiet alternative to the more spectacular attractions further south. The altstadt (old town) was heavily bombed in WWII but has been sensitively rebuilt and the town's stately charm is apparent today.

Cheapish accommodation is plentiful and there is a good variety of moderately-priced restaurants. Lübeck is home to the delightful Marionettentheater (Puppet Theatre), which shouldn't be missed.

Weimar

Best known abroad as the birthplace of the ill-fated Weimar Republic, this small city is a cultural pilgrimage site for Germans. It was the epicentre of the country's Age of Enlightenment and home to such intellectual and creative giants as Goethe, Bach, Schiller, Liszt, Nietzsche, Kandinsky and Klee, to name a few.

North Frisian Islands

The North Frisian Islands reward those who make the trek, with sunshine, sand dunes, sea and pure air. Much of this area is a national park and paths and boardwalks are provided for strolling. One island, Helgoland, was used as a submarine base in WWII and you can tour the strong bunkers and underground tunnels.

Harz Mountains

The Harz Mountains rise picturesquely from the North German plain, a quick train ride from the tourist centres in the south. They don't have the peaks and valleys of the Alps, but they offer a great all-seasons sports getaway without some of the Alpine tackiness and tourism.

Berlin

Berlin had modest beginnings as a trading centre in the 13th century, growing into a European powerhouse that hogged the 20th century stage. Since reunification in 1990, it has evolved into a dynamic, sexy and creative city where a surprising lightheartedness lurks beneath an austere exterior.

Berlin is the heart of modern Germany, with a stoic beat that echoes through grand public buildings, glorious museums and theatres, urbane restaurants, bustling pubs and raucous nightclubs. It's a city that thrives on change and that has made a virtue out of reinventing itself.