Germany may not be an obvious pick for traditional laid-back vacation, but the juxtaposition of its medieval spirit against cutting-edge industrialism makes it a destination to be explored according to a grand scheme. Hilly and forested, it brings to life legends of chivalry that have long dwelt in the staggering fortresses. Intellectual and refined, it glorifies the memory of Einstein, Beethoven and Goethe amidst countless museums, historic buildings, and quaint old town quarters. Fun-loving and progressive, it brims with cultural events and excels among the European capitals as far as nightlife goes. All you need to do is give it a chance.
Following some research into the preferences and opinions posted by users of various social media sites, such as Twitter and Facebook, as well as own resources and reviews by the most popular travel sites, Open Travel has compiled a list of top 25 things to see or do on your German Vacations. It will certainly throw some light on the country that has always been one of the prime driving forces in the European history, and hence, definitely worth a while.
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Location: Hohenschwangau, Germany
Photo by cesargp
Rising from the Bavarian woods like a fairytale castle behind seven mountains and seven seas, this blueprint for Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle is unbelievable like the existence of seven dwarfs and enchanting like the delicate beauty of Snow White. A product of Ludwig II's distorted mind...
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Location: Berchtesgaden, Germany
Photo by tttaaaooo
This is beauty in its purest form. Here nature has developed freely, almost without a touch of a human hand, and produced an alpine heaven of lush forests, steep rock faces, crystal clear lakes, sleepy villages, and rolling meadows. It's just you, the chirping of birds, and cows ringing their bra...
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Photo by M5
Early Sunday morning, August 13, 1961 marked a dramatic moment that for long years changed the cityscape of Berlin and the minds of the whole world. The wall that was supposed to stop East Berliners escaping from the Soviet-controlled East German state from then on has always been synonymous with...
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Photo by Dr. Minx
The ambitious undertaking by German authorities to equip the capital with authentic samples of world's most astonishing gardens has been worked upon with full commitment, resulting in a unique combination of cosmopolitan beauty in a concrete jungle and an oasis of tranquility in the middle of a b...
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Location: Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
Photo by Daniel71953
Those knowledgeable in the field call it the most beautiful German castle and the epitome of courtyard romanticism. To be sure, there's no accounting for tastes, but the fact remains that Burg Eltz makes a dazzling impression, being one of the few medieval fortresses that remained completely unsc...
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6
Sylt
Location: Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
Photo by rbrands
Sylt epitomizes all that people actually tend to think Germany lacks - nail-biting surf, serenity, laid-back atmosphere, shifting dunes, picturesque lighthouses, and a lot of sunshine. Dubbed as the 'St Tropez of the North', this elongated piece of land is widely held to be a fine combination of...
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Photo by Rauf Guliyev
The archbishop Johann von Schonborn suffered from a curious, insatiable need to erect splendid constructions, and it was down to his obstinacy that this marvelous Baroque residence was completed. The most distinguished architects from Austria, France and Germany lent their ideas to finally concei...
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Photo by Hühnerauge
Completed in stages between the 8th and 19th, the Aachen Cathedral reflects all the aesthetic tendencies ever adopted throughout ages. Originally inspired by the churches of the Eastern Holy Roman Empire, it was developed in the Middle Ages, and further decorated by successive authorities to end...
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Location: Germany
Photo by King
As one of the most significant transport routes in Europe, the Middle Rhine Valley has always facilitated the transition of culture between the Mediterranean and the north. Yet what deserves special attention is Its 65 km upper stretch, whose magical charm has for two millenniums served as a lim...
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Location: Herreninsel, Germany
Photo by Reiner Zenz
In 1873 King Ludwig II of Bavaria acquired the Herreninsel with the intention of erecting his Royal Palace in the middle of Bavaria's largest lake. And one can hardly find his determination surprising as the location is truly breath-taking. Modeled on Versailles, Herrenchiemsee (New Palace) was...
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Photo by Ger1axg
The curious thing about the Cologne Cathedral is that, although its completion took around 600 years, the outcome not for an inch departs from the original design. On the grounds of being a masterpiece testimony to this admirable endurance in faith, UNESCO has drawn the church on its World Herita...
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Photo by DHausBT
Historic centers, bucolic villages, towering castles, colossal bridges, and magnificent churches dot the 20 kilometer stretch of the river valley whose cultural and natural values combine into a perfect weekend road trip route. Blessed with unpretentious beauty, but also marked with dramatic even...
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Photo by ForsterFoto
The cluster of nineteenth century neoclassic buildings - widely held to be one of world's most significant museum complexes - seems all the more exciting to visit down to its location. Settled on the tip of the island in the Spree, the museums offer splendid collections of art, history and ethnol...
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Location: Regensburg, Germany
Photo by joiseyshowaa
Founded by the Romans in 179 A.D, Regensburg has turned into a thriving trading and cultural center, but its old town bears so many exquisite marks of prosperous history that UNESCO decided to distinguish it with World Heritage honors. And indeed, a walk through old Regensburg is a sensory exper...
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15
Wies Church
Photo by mattana
On approaching the Wies Church, standing humbly in the middle of nowhere, incidental visitors are almost invariably on the verge of passing it by. Anyway, they certainly wonder who in their right mind would have built a church in such a solitary place. Driven by curiosity, they enter the whitewas...
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Photo by maha-online
What may today seem a hotbed for the intellectually-oriented part of the tourist swarm was once a stomping ground of Bach, Goethe, Nietzsche, Schiller, Liszt, and the likes. The air of inspiration whizzes through the extended parkland, and the number of exquisite museums reflects the mightiness o...
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Photo by Wolfgang Staudt
Sanssouci Park was originally a mere terraced garden for Frederick the Great to put his green fingers to some use and fight off his royal anxieties (hence the name 'sans souci' - without worries). Once the King discovered the magical ambiance of the location, he ordered a residence to be built, w...
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Location: Quedlinburg, Germany
Photo by Punxutawneyphil
The beginnings of Quedlinburg date back to the 9th century and remember the times of the Carolingian Dynasty. Surrounded by a wall, the town sprang from a bunch of tiny villages that have much retained their character over ages. Today a maze of quaint cobblestoned streets takes visitors to most e...
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19
Trier
Photo by H.-D.N.
This oldest German town is well worth exploring not only by virtue of its age. In its 2000-year-old history Trier was home to six Roman emperors and has therefore inherited a number of impressive ancient remnants, some of which stun with their level of preservation. The most outstanding example i...
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Photo by Joachim Köhler
One of the best preserved medieval monastic complexes north of the Alps was founded in 1137 by a few Cistercian monks. Legend has it that on their way from Alsace they paused for a while to water their mules, and being head over heels bewitched with the place, they decided to settle down (Maulbro...
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21
Europa-Park
Photo by ThomasPusch
Europa Park combines great fun with unobstructed, pleasurable learning. Nested in the heart of a top-of-the-range resort, the theme park boils down to a pocket-size version of the continent, where the highs of the most beautiful European countries can be experienced hands-on. From a visit to the...
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Photo by Graham Fellows
If beer is what you're coming to Germany for, and your trip doesn't coincide with Oktoberfest, head to Bamberg and compensate for the loss at one of its best breweries. Big deal, you may say. One doesn't need to go all the way to Franconia to get a glass of decent barley pop, but if you dig the i...
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Photo by Der Wolf im Wald
One may argue that it's a gate like thousand other gates in the world, and as far as the superficial aspect goes, it's certainly true. To call the Brandenburg Gate a worthwhile attraction, it takes a gist of the story behind it. Situated at the end of Unter den Linden, the 60m tall construction w...
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Photo by Tobias Grosch
The picture absolutely can't give it justice. If you happen to be currently recalling your old Russian railway play set, the bigger your astonishment will be if you actually decide to visit the Modelleisenbahn Miniatur Wunderland. 11 kilometers of track winding on 1,150 square meters of floor tak...
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25
BMW Museum
Photo by Steve.Jackson
Integrated into the existing structural fabric of the group headquarters in Munich, with its distinctive shape of a futuristic silver bowl, the museum is something on the verge of a cutting-edge architectural undertaking, a phenomenal exhibition and a communicative medium. Once in the snakelike...
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Stumble
Number 363 should be number 1