Deutschland (Germany)
Population: ~ 84 Million
Geography: Western Europe
Capital: Berlin
Explore the ancient history and vibrant culture of Germany, a Western European country bordering Poland, Belgium, Netherlands, and Czechia. From the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin to Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany is a rich country. Its landscape is equally diverse, with vast forests, tranquil rivers, stunning mountain ranges, and beautiful North Sea beaches. We invite you to journey through 2,000 years of history and dive into the nightlife, art, and landmarks of Deutschland.
Munich: Beer Making
The bustling city of Munich, located in the southeast of Germany, is the beating heart of Bavaria. Known for its magnificent architecture, exquisite culture, book printing, and famous Oktoberfest, Munich is often what comes to mind when people think of Germany. Ironically, the culture of southern Bavaria is more in tune with its neighbours
Berlin: Glamour and Art
As Germany’s capital in the North, Berlin is the largest and most populated city in Deutschland, with nearly 3.7M people. It is a stark contrast to Munich, rich with a thriving art scene and nightlife, as well as over 180 museums. Berlin is one of the only cities in the world to house three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and it is home to both the longest open-air gallery and the largest department store in Europe.
Frankfurt: A Finance Hub
Frankfurt is nested in the center of Germany, situated on the banks of the river Main. It has a rich history and is renowned as a major financial center and home of the European Central Bank. It is also famous for being the birthplace of renowned author Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, whose former house is now a museum. Frankfurt’s Altstadt (Old Town) contains the Römerberg, a central square that is the site of the famous annual Christmas market.
Hamburg: Port & Commercial Center
Hamburg, a bustling port city in northern Germany, connects to the North Sea via the Elbe River. Hundreds of canals course through the city, making it a key port and commerce center for the country. In the city center, the Inner Alster lake is a popular spot for boating, with plenty of cafes lining its edges. And the Jungfernstieg boulevard connects the new town, Neustadt, with the old town, Altstadt, where visitors can admire 18th-century St. Michael’s Church.
The Autobahn
The Autobahn is a network of controlled-access highways covering over 8,000 miles in Germany. It is best known for its lack of speed limits on stretches of its roadway, earning it a reputation for being a destination for speed enthusiasts. It is one of the oldest and most iconic roadway systems in Europe, and its popularity has made it a symbol of Germany’s modern engineering and fast-paced lifestyle.
Top 10 reasons
1. Berlin & Munich, the 2 opposite faces of Germany
2. Excellent infrastructure e.g. with a perfect train system
3. High-speed driving on the German Autobahn
4. Political stable, lowest number of strikes in Europe
5. Fantastic price/value-ratio, lowest prices for hotels in Europe´s main cities
6. Neuschwanstein Castle, the “Disneyland Castle”
7. The Black Forest
8. Octoberfest
9. Frankfurt, Hamburg, Duesseldorf, Cologne, Rothenburg, Dresden and many more
10. Event preparations as perfect as possible – events “made in Germany”
Get an Insider Look at Germany with a Trusted DMC
Compass Tours Incoming’s team consists of industry professionals who have deep knowledge of Germany. They are locals themselves! With offices in Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, and Hamburg, we have country-wide insider access to hotels, venues, and local favorites to provide world-class destination management services for our international clients.
Facts About Germany
German Culture & History Facts
DID YOU KNOW?
- An essential part of the German New Year’s Eve celebration is watching the slapstick 1963 British comedy sketch “Dinner for One” starring Freddie Frinton and May Warden.
- If you ask a German the time and they say, “Halb drei,” they literally mean, “Half three.” The time is in fact half past two (half two in English).
- Germans count the minutes to the next hour rather than after.
- Contradictory to the name, the Munich Oktoberfest actually starts in late September. Don’t worry too much if you miss it. There are 60 beer gardens in and around the city that are open all summer.
- The Plattdeutsch dialect spoken in parts of northern Germany stems from Old Saxon and contains many words with the same roots as English: “maken” (make), “dat Kniv” (knife), “dat Sailschipp” (sailing ship), “af un an” (sometimes).
DID YOU KNOW?
- Although he had a fine figure in his youth, “Mad” King Ludwig II of Bavaria started losing his teeth in his twenties – one of the reasons why he became increasingly reclusive in his fairytale castles.
- Trabant, the name given to East Germany’s cheap automobile alternative to Audi and Mercedes Benz, literally means “satellite.” It was intended as a tribute to the first-ever satellite– the Soviet Sputnik— which went into space in 1957.
- In 1888, Germany had three emperors: Wilhelm I, Frederick III, and Wilhelm II. Frederick III died from cancer of the larynx at age 56, having ruled for just 99 days. A liberal by days. A liberal by disposition,
Learn Much More from Our Local German Destination Managers