German cities

The city's landmark is the world-famous Gothic cathedral, the third tallest church building in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where the bones of the three wise men are kept. Cologne also offers a considerable number of museums and galleries, and is one of Germany’s hotspots for street art. Every two years, the urban art festival CityLeaks invites artists to come and paint – and they come from all over the world. The vibrant metropolis is a cosmopolitan city with a special charm and a little bit of quirkiness. Cologne is located in the Rhineland, a region on the river Rhine. The people there are known for their open-minded mentality and their love of partying. You can experience this especially during the carnival season, for which Cologne is so famous, and of course in the typical brewery restaurant culture where you can enjoy a refreshing Kölsch beer in a uniquely sociable and rustic atmosphere.

Frankfurt is one of the most important financial centers in Europe, with over 300 credit institutions from all over the world. The towering avant-garde skyscrapers of the financial sector shape the skyline of the city and led to it’s nickname „Mainhattan“. But alongside modernity, there is a traditional cultural heritage worth discovering, as the Goethe House, birthplace of Germany´s most famous author and poet, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe or the Museumsufer, one of the most important international museum locations. It’s festival, which takes place every last weekend in August, is one of the largest and most spectaclur art and culture festivals in Europe. Frankfurt is also an ideal starting point for exploring the Rheingau, one of Germany's most important wine-growing regions, famous for its Riesling wine. There are countless wineries, old castles and charming villages to discover.

Dresden, nicknamed the Florence on the Elbe, mainly because of its baroque buildings, which were largely built under Florentine influence, offers an incredible wealth of sights. The heart of Dresden is the rebuilt Protestant Frauenkirche in the center of the old town. The Dresden Residential Palace, a Renaissance building, was once the center of power of the Saxon electors and kings. Completely destroyed in the Second World War, it was reconstructed after reunification and now houses extraordinary art collections. Another highlight is the Zwinger, probably the most important building of the late Baroque period, a total work of art consisting of architecture, sculpture and painting. Another must-see is Pfund’s dairy store, founded in 1880 which boasts a spectacular interior with imaginatively designed majolica tiles with motifs from the dairy industry, mythical creatures and floral elements in the neo-Renaissance style. And of course there is the Semperoper, one of the most beautiful opera houses in the world, with a world-class orchestra and ensemble. The Cathedral of Sanctissimae Trinitatis, the youngest baroque building in Dresden, is also worth a visit. Its precious furnishings include an organ by Gottfried Silbermann, the most important organ builder in central Germany during the Baroque period.

The Hanseatic city of Lübeck, a true beauty that has retained the flair of a port city, can be reached in about one hour by car from Hamburg. The entire medieval city center, which is completely surrounded by water, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Five Gothic churches with seven towers characterize Lübeck's famous old town silhoutte. The impressive brick architecture of the churches and town houses, the medieval alleyways, the romantic residential corridors and the Lübeck Stiftshöfe, which can be found behind the facades of many proud merchants' houses, exude a unique flair. Equally impressive, is the tranquil Harbour Museum. Lovingly restored, traditional sailing ships are lined up here like a row of pearls. With their proud masts, burnished brass and wooden ship planks, they are genuine witnesses to another era of shipping. Those with a sweet tooth should try the famous Lübeck marzipan and visit the marzipan museum to learn all about the historical journey of the almond paste from the Orient to the city of Lübeck.

German cultural history and heritage are concentrated in this charming residential city, which has been awarded the UNESCO World Heritage title several times. Weimar's palaces and museums, historic buildings and monuments from different eras bear witness to its special significance. The poets Goethe and Schiller lived here and their homes can still be visited today. The musicians Johann Sebastian Bach and Franz Liszt and the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche are also closely associated with Weimar. Bach was court organist here for almost 10 years and wrote a large part of his organ works in Weimar. Nietzsche spent the last years of his life in Weimar. The house where he died is now home to the Nietzsche Archive. 1919, the architect Walter Gropius founded the Bauhaus in Weimar, which is now regarded worldwide as the home of the avant-garde of classical modernism in all areas of fine and applied arts and architecture.

Situated on the shores of lovely Lake Constance, the town impresses with its southern flair, picturesque location, quaint wine taverns and its tangible history and culture. Constance is famous for its painted house facades. From the 13th century onwards, Gothic frescoes in particular spread to neighboring regions and countries. In the well-preserved old town center, the profane and sacred motifs on the houses from the Middle Ages as well as on stately patrician houses tell history in a lively way. The flower island of Mainau enchants visitors with its seasonal splendor of flowers and the Aboretum with around 500 deciduous and coniferous trees, some of which are rare. Visit the monastery island of Reichenau, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, whose Benedictine monastery was once an important religious and cultural center in the Middle Ages and had a famous school of painting (Reichenau School), where monks decorated numerous manuscripts with illuminations that are among the most famous representatives of Ottonian book illumination. If you want to delve even further back in time, you should visit the pile dwelling museum. There you can find out how people lived in the Stone Age. With 23 reconstructed houses, the pile dwellings are one of the largest open-air archaeological museums in Europe.

Regensburg is the best-preserved medieval town in Germany and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With an exceptional testimony to cultural traditions in the Holy Roman Empire as well as a flourishing European trading center in the High Middle Ages, Regensburg´s old town is considered an exceptional example of an intact medieval trading town, reflecting the economic, political, and religious developments of the High Middle Ages like no other city in Central Europe. Another highlight is the former imperial monastery of St. Emmeram and since 1812 the magnificent Thurn and Taxis Castle with its museums, treasury and stables. And there is a curiosity that is well worth a visit: the Whiskymusuem Regensburg. Over 13,000 whiskies of the highest quality, thousands of exhibits such as stills, barrels and peat tamers, rare unique full and empty bottlings, the first single malts and finishes, historically relevant bottles and the most famous bottlings in the history of spirits can be admired. The most important whiskies of the highest quality worldwide are brought together here. From the Pope's letter and Charles and Diana's wedding whisky to the rocking Elvis bottle and the war booty whisky, everything is represented. Entertainment at its finest!