Germany —
biergartens, history and a city Nicola called home
Germany has been part of our travel story since 2005, when Nicola interrailed through Berlin, Leipzig, Cologne and Munich and fell for the country's extraordinary mix of history, culture and craic. A decade later she moved to Cologne for a year, learned German, and found out what it really means to live like a Kölner. Between the interrail trip, the year in Cologne and the day trips it made possible, we've built up a proper collection of German destinations — each with its own page below.
From an Interrail stop to a year living in Köln ✨
Follow our Germany story
From the 2005 Interrail route through Berlin, Leipzig, Cologne and Munich to the year Nicola later spent living in Cologne and the day trips that followed, this map brings the whole Germany story together. Tap a marker to see the stop and open its guide where we have one.
Five destinations, five very different sides of the country. Start wherever your own trip is taking you.
Cologne — the German city Nicola called home
A year living beside the Rhine turned Cologne from somewhere Nicola visited into somewhere that still feels a little like home — the Dom, 4711, the Chocolate Museum and some of the warmest people in Germany.
Explore Cologne →Berlin — history you can feel on every street
Nicola's 2005 interrail stop in Berlin was unlike any other European capital she'd seen — the Wall, Checkpoint Charlie and the Brandenburg Gate make the city's division and reunification impossible to ignore.
Explore Berlin →Munich — biergartens, Bavaria and history
Marienplatz, the Glockenspiel and a proper biergarten under the chestnut trees in the English Garden. This guide also covers Nicola's visit to the Dachau Memorial Site, treated with the care it deserves.
Explore Munich →Heidelberg — fairytale Germany on the Neckar
A ruined castle above the old town, the river Neckar below and a university atmosphere that runs through the whole city. One of the most beautiful places we've been in Germany.
Explore Heidelberg →Frankfurt — one night in Germany's skyline city
Our visit was brief, but Frankfurt is far more than an airport stop — historic Römerberg, the Main, one of Europe's most distinctive skylines and a city you can also explore virtually with Drive From Home.
Explore Frankfurt →Drive Cologne from home
Cologne is the German city Nicola knows best after living there for a year. If you'd like to get a feel for the streets before you go — or simply explore the city from your sofa — Drive From Home lets you take a virtual drive through Cologne.
Germany on video
A glimpse of our Germany adventures — from the Rhine to the biergartens.
The 2005 Interrail trip
Nicola's first encounter with Germany was an interrail trip in 2005, hopping between Berlin, Leipzig, Cologne and Munich by train and discovering just how varied the country is from city to city. It's the trip that set up everything that's followed — the full stories now live on each city's own page above.
Leipzig, Bonn, Düsseldorf & Aachen
Not every stop needs a full page of its own — yet. These four don't (yet) have enough personal material for a standalone guide, but they're all genuinely worth knowing about.
A city still finding its post-reunification identity when Nicola passed through in 2005, full of energy and a music scene that felt genuinely alive. Bach was born here, and the city wears its cultural heritage with quiet pride.
Drive Leipzig from home →Beethoven's birthplace and a charming, manageable city on the Rhine. The old government quarter, the beautiful market square and the lovely riverside make it a perfect half-day trip from Cologne.
Drive Bonn from home →Cologne's great rival — famous for its Altbier (the dark alternative to Cologne's Kölsch) and its Altstadt, the so-called longest bar in the world. A brilliant city with a distinct personality and well worth a day trip from Cologne.
Drive Düsseldorf from home →The seat of Charlemagne and one of the great medieval cities of Europe — the Cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the oldest in northern Europe. Right on the borders of Belgium and the Netherlands, it feels like three countries in one place.
Four Germany trips worth a look
We love travelling Germany independently, but an organised itinerary can be a very handy way to join the dots between cities, rail journeys and the Rhine. These are four TourRadar options we've picked out for readers planning a bigger German trip.
Germany tour pick
A broader Germany itinerary for travellers who want to see more than one city without organising every connection themselves.
View this Germany tour →Rhine tour pick
A Rhine-focused option that gives a very different perspective on western Germany and its riverside towns.
View this Rhine tour →Another way to explore the Rhine
A second Rhine itinerary for comparing routes, dates and travel styles before deciding what suits your Germany plans.
View this Rhine itinerary →Germany by train
A rail-based option that feels particularly at home on this page given Nicola's own first German adventure was an Interrail trip.
View the Germany rail tour →Disclosure: These are TourRadar affiliate links. If you book through them we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. These are selected recommendations, not tours we personally travelled on.
Choose your German base
For this guide, the most useful hotel searches are the five cities with their own Two for the Row'd pages. Use the Klook hotel finder below to compare stays, then jump back into our city guides for the places we know first-hand.
Disclosure: Klook is an affiliate partner. If you book through our links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Book Germany experiences with GetYourGuide
Berlin walking tours, Munich biergarten experiences, Cologne Cathedral tours, Heidelberg castle visits, Dachau memorial tours and much more.
Disclosure: If you book through these links we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Germany FAQ
Germany packing essentials
Germany is a year-round destination but layers are essential — summers can be warm, winters are cold and the weather between cities varies significantly. Comfortable walking shoes are non-negotiable.
Germany's cities reward walking — cobbled streets, long promenades, castle hills. Good shoes are essential.
View on Amazon →German weather is changeable — a good layer keeps you comfortable whether you're in a biergarten on a warm evening or exploring Heidelberg castle in the breeze.
View on Amazon →Stay connected across Germany without roaming charges — essential for navigating between cities and finding the best biergarten.
View on Amazon →Long days exploring German cities drain your battery fast — keep it charged for maps, photos and train times.
View on Amazon →Germany uses Type F plugs — different to Ireland. Don't get caught on day one with a dead phone.
View on Amazon →Perfect for city days, castle visits and long train journeys — keeps everything organised and hands free.
View on Amazon →Disclosure: These are Amazon affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Planning your own Germany trip?
Germany is one of Europe's most rewarding travel destinations — endlessly varied, brilliantly connected by rail, and full of cities that each have their own distinct character. Start with Cologne, add a Heidelberg day trip, and get yourself to a Munich biergarten. You won't regret it.
Affiliate disclosure: if you book through our links we may earn a small commission at no cost to you. We only recommend trips and experiences we'd be happy to stand over.