The BEST Place to Visit in Germany Is...? What's OVERRATED?
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What's the best place to visit in Germany? What month is the best? And which places are completely overrated? That's what I talk about in the third video of the #askagerman mini-series. Check out all previous videos here ▸ • #askagerman
Mentioned videos:
13 things you NEED TO KNOW before going to Germany! • 13 things you NEED TO ...
Munich tour vlog! 200k subscriber special - Q&A through Munich • Can I say "squirrel"? ...
Further links:
travel.usnews.com/rankings/be...
theculturetrip.com/europe/ger...
www.planetware.com/germany/be...
Visit concentration camp memorial sites in Germany: www.bundesregierung.de/breg-d... (website in German)
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0:00 Intro
2:18 Cities
9:14 Nature/Scenic Spots
10:40 Historical Places
13:02 Other travel destinations
14:26 Conclusion
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ABOUT ME: Hallo, Servus, and welcome to my channel! My name is Felicia (Feli), I'm 27, and I'm a German living in the USA! I was born and raised in Munich, Germany but have been living in Cincinnati, Ohio off and on since 2016. I first came here for an exchange semester during my undergrad at LMU Munich, then I returned for an internship, and then I got my master's degree in Cincinnati. I was lucky enough to win the Green Card lottery and have been a permanent resident since 2019! In my videos, I talk about cultural differences between America and Germany, things I like and dislike about living here, and other experiences that I have made during my time in the States. Let me know what YOU would like to hear about in the comments below. DANKE :)
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Of course, traveling internationally might not be the first thing on our minds in times like these but we're still allowed to dream, aren't we? 😊 What are your favorite places to visit in Germany? Do you have any insider tips? And which places are overrated? Share it in the comments! 😊
*Correction: Martin Luther translated the bible in the 16th, not the 13th century.
Hamburgers came from Hamburg, Germany, right? Just curious.
@Armando Aranda She already has an old video about it.
@@josueveguilla9069 there are several theories about that. But yes, most of them are related to Hamburg, Germany.
Btw. there are a lot of Hamburger in Hamburg! I am one of them 😄
@@bohh9574 Thank you.
What do Germans regard as the most under rated or best kept secrets of it's states or places to visit? I might guess Niedersachsen or Meck-Pomm.
I've been to Germany over fourteen times, in every season. In my opinion the Spring is the best time to visit. I prefer late April because everything is green and in flower and the temperature is just right for me. As far as a hidden gem, I suggest you visit Erfurt. It's has a beautiful Old Town and I love the Krämerbrücke.
I agree. From late April through June everything is green, the odds are generally in your favor for weather, the tourist spots are all open from their winter shutdowns but there is no mass influx of tourists. Prices are generally lower than the summer peak season and lines are shorter. Life is more normal for the locals than during the annnual summer invasions so it's easier to meet and get along with locals. Everything I say here is pre-Covid hysteria.
Erfurt is indeed a wonderful city. Way too underrated. I come from Erfurt and I’m in love with this place :) I can highly recommend to visit
Ok, I've visited 20-25 times, and my favorite time is in the early Fall.
The technical museums at Sinsheim and Strausberg are amazing for autos, Airplanes, trains and military. Also, close to other areas of interest
Living in Germany for four years, my favorite was the Mosel River valley region. Wine is grown in steep vineyards along this river and it's dotted with small, picturesque towns like Cochem, Traben-Trarbach, and Bernkastel-Kues which each have their own wine festivals in the Fall. Some of them also have the ruins of castles that once fortified the heavily trafficked Mosel. At Koblenz, the Rhine and Mosel Rivers meet and there's a myth about the founding of the German nation happening here although, like I say, it's more myth than fact. Still, it's an incredibly beautiful and peaceful region that felt to me like I was truly in Europe.
We've visited several areas of Germany, and the Mosel was one of our favorites. Cochem, Trier and Burg Eltz, as well as the other towns along the river were great! And, of course, West of the river sits Luxembourg city.
The monument at the meeting of the two rivers is rather impressive.
I have been living in Germany 21 years now. We had a house in Ürzig right between Bernkastel and Traben-Trarbach. High on a hill in the vinyards with a 180° view over the Mosel towards the Hunsruck. Both my Ex and I wish we had not sold it. Love the area
Could anyone tell me about the german part of switzerland
if I could ever visit Germany, I would definitely love to visit that area.. and do a wine tour. :)
As a metalhead I’ve had Wacken Open Air festival on my bucket list for years. The biggest yearly metal festival that always books the biggest bands plus the crowd seems so cool and friendly!
The crowd for sure is amazing. But also the locals are pretty cool. The village itself turns into festival mode and even the old people are very open minded and love to talk to the metal heads. I can highly recommend the experience. Best festival so far.
yess!
the best bands every year.
Wacken!! 😃🤘
I have a friend whose band played there back in '99, then toured the rest of Germany. He loved it! I've always wanted to go to those German metal festivals (Wacken, Keep it True, etc.). Someday, maybe!
Wacken is a small town and only has the festival to offer. The rest of the year there is only a meadow. But for metalheads who were quick enough to get a card the year before, it's worth the trip.
The nature of Berlin is definitely underrated! Berlin has a lot of lakes, canals and rivers where you can go swimming, canoeing or kayaking, for example in New Venice.
I went in 1999, and what struck me was the difference between East and West - the West beautiful historical (mostly restored) and modern buildings, the East - row after row of tower blocks (whitewashed and well kept, I'd have to say, as opposed to the ones in the UK) - and it is truly a vast city, out to the (flat) horizons...I wonder if/how it has changed...
Yes! Everything around Berlin ist beautiful but the city itself ist ugly!
Just like in Hamburg. sailing, canoeing, stand-up paddling on the Outer Alster, and up the Alster to the Wohldorf Forest and at many other water sports hotspots.
@@user-nq5kl7yu4d that s because of the communists who destroyed Berlin
Hamburg. Most beautiful city in Germany. Soooo green, sooooo much water everywhere, a good party scene (not only St. Pauli, also the Schanzenviertel) - perfect for everybody.
Hamburg is the worst city I’ve ever seen aside maybe from Copenhagen. It is terrible, no wonder why everyone there is flooding the south of my country in the summer. You mustn’t have seen much of Europe if you enjoy it.
It just like a German asking "what's the best place to visit in the USA". There are so many variables in that question is that it's hard to answer. A place that you like someone else might not.
That's a tough question, a lot like Feli's presentation. What are you looking for? I drive a semi truck all around the United States and some Canadian provinces. One of the places I would like to go are the upper New England states like Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine because I never have been up in that region of the country. If you like a desert climate then you would like Arizona, New Mexico, West Texas, and Nevada. If you like the Pacific northwest then you would like Washington state, Oregon and Northern California. If you like mountains then there is Montana, Western Wyoming, Colorado and Eastern Utah. Utah also has several national parks. Zion,Bryce, Canyonlands and Arches. I think California has 3 or 4 national parks. The Eastern Appalachian mountains are in Pennsylvania, Western Maryland, West Virginia, Eastern Kentucky and Tennessee and Western Virginia and North Carolina. I live in Minnesota which has lakes, rivers, Voyeur national park and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. Several state parks, Superior and Chippewa National Forest, the Gamehaven hardwood Forest in the Southeastern corner of Minnesota. Winter destinations would be any of the southern states from the Gulf coast to the southern Atlantic coast. I've been to a lot of those places and enjoyed my stay there.
@@kenardturner7173 For me that question is actually easy to answer: I'd like to visit the Grand Canyon one day since I studied geology.
@@HH-hd7nd the Grand Canyon is a thing of it's own, that's true. When you arrive at it, you are in a rather flat area with trees, you know it's there, there are the signs and even parking spaces for the Grand Canyon but where is it... Take a short walk for one or two minutes and you are there... (Depending on the place of course)
It's enourmous! Maybe take a small hiking tour with a guide to see more of it also from different heights in the canyon.
Maybe also visit the Bryce Canyon, a strange and beautiful and colorful sight. People are also hiking there as far as I know.
And a small thing but also worth to see is the Antelope Canyon. It's a small but deep cut into the stones, carved by water and sand during flash floods. There are many places where you can touch both sides while standing in the middle and you don't see much of the sky, the walls are colorful and flat by hard layers of sediments where the water has cut through. But be aware that the Antelope Canyon is dangerous when there is a rainfall nearby, maybe a thunderstorm. It fills quickly with fast moving water, people have died there. And i am not sure if there is an upper and lower part that are not connected. Try to pick the right one. There are short tours with a guide from the dry river bed up through the canyon to a flat area where it starts.
The monument valley looks smaller than you know it from the movies... There are also tours...
But yes, these features must be basaltic columns (my guess), heavily eroded over time. With some of them located over some kilometers up and down the land. They have names like the right glove and the left glove ;-)
And when I think of the recent volcanos, then it's easy to imagine that the land between the former volcanic cones gets eroded very fast (volcanic ash?) whereas the massive basaltic columns stand longer but also erode over time...
@@richard--s The Grand Canyon is something special for a geologist because the original layering is intact - it's not turned upside down by geologic activity or tectonics, and that's very rare.
Speaking of volcanic activity - well let's say Sicily (Mount Etna) and recently Las Palmas are definetly places to visit for that.
@@HH-hd7nd yes, true. And I can imagine that the layers of the Grand Canyon are still intact, sure, it looks all flat and the erosion just did cut through all the layers. And it goes down very deep. Yes, that's something for you, sure.
One of my favourite places is the Bodensee. Especially cities like Konstanz. It is cool if you like to see very old buildings, there are a lot. The allied forces did not dare to attack the city cause it is so close to Suisse, so almost nothing was destroyed in WW2. It is also a good point to start a trip to Suisse. You also have much nature in the region, can do biking around the lake, make a boat trips, swimming, it has a huge variety of things you can do. I would advice to use no car, finding a parking spot is not fun in the center of Konstanz. But the public transportation is super.
Same with Regensburg, and I love both areas. Haven't found a part of Germany I dislike. I recall a cool Kneipe in Konstanz called " Roter Gugelhan," and thinking I was in Northern Italy coming into Konstanz when I was driving to Reichanau.
I agree! I landed in Zurich & took the ferry over Lake Constance to Meersburg where we toured the Alte Schloss. In summer, one can stroll the Promenade & sit in a Cafe drinking local wines and enjoying a spectacular view of the Alps across the lake. (If it's sunny!)
I would definitely agree with this. The Bodensee was my favorite place to visit. I took the train from Stuttgart and the ride was really beautiful too!
Konstanz would be my first choice, mainly because my great great grandfather and his family was from there before they emigrated to the USA.
I can confirm that Constance is a great city. The massive statue of a prostitute was very cool, we walked everywhere when my german class went
As a german, I really like my region, Brandenburg, I think it has amazing landscape and is not as crowded as some of the cities. Also, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and generally the baltic sea are great places to visit.
Let's go Brandenburg!
@@SithLord2066 hahahah i see u did there
Brandenburg is mostly rural, isn't it? Apart from Berlin and Potsdam are there really other interesting Sehenswürdigkeiten?
@@diy_lothar4422 thats correct. it has a great sahre of forests and beautiful clearwater lakes.
Brandenburg and Mac-Pom are one of the nicest places in Germany. Lots of forests, lots of lakes. Fishing, hunting or just bike riding or hiking. The 2 states comined are quite as big as West Verginia but attached to the Baltic Sea.
I spent a month in Hamburg as a young man 20 years ago, and fell in love with the city and FC St. Pauli. I can't wait until I can go back.
I particularly loved Lüneburg. Went to Germany for Wacken. Stopped off in Lüneburg for a day and a night, went to the festival, went "fuck this" and went back to Lüneburg. Cobblestones and beautiful historic everything. I got to pop my head in the door of the schoolroom where Bach learned harmony, oh my word.
I, as an Austrian history, architecture and nature lover, really liked East Germany. In particular the cities of Halle (where the Halloren chocolate factory is), Quedlinburg (with its medieval architecture) and Leipzig (with its conventions).
For the nature I really enjoyed the Brocken, a single mountain popping up in the middle of Germany where you can hike on beautiful paths.
Truly a hidden gem way out of the touristic eye :)
PS: that's completely true with public transport. The only time I was in Germany by car was when I was 4 years old with my parents haha
With my interest in the German language & culture (and esp its history & dialects), I can't narrow it down to a definitive list of "best places" or "overrated places". Every single corner of Germany has its own charm. I'm drawn to areas with distinct dialects (Mundarten), like Bayern, Sachsen, BaWü, and, of course, Berlin (wegen der bekannten Berliner Schnauze). So, for me, Germany is one big interest, with regional charms.
If anything is overrated (by foreigners), it's Berlin. It definitely has it's charme and is an important place in Germany, but it isn't the centre of the universe (especially considering that Germany is less centralised than some other countries).
Regarding Schloss Neuschwanstein she is right. Depending on what you might expect as a visitor, that place could be overrated.
As most germans (at leat "south germans") I was there looong ago with my parents. And what I can remember yesi t was crowded and I can remember it was over pretty fast one or THE reason why it is this case is within that casltes history: You have to know that the King of Bavaria (King Ludwig the 2nd of Bavaria) was obsessed with what we call "Märchenschlösser" (Fairy tail Castles, if that translation word would make any sense).
Against what most germans might think, he did not pay the costs out of the states treasury, instead he had pay it out of his personal "wallet". At one point he was broke, because that project simply cost too much. Therefore some parts of the castles had never been completed. Therefore the tour is shorter than what you might expect. If there are repairs or restaurtion works in progress then the tour might be even shorter.
So I suggest just drvie nearby, enjoy the landcape and take some photos from outside the castle.
Dialects are the modern ways to talk German. Mundart is the older way also called "Platt". To talk Platt or Plattdüdsch. As a German, if they start to talk, I understand only 2% of it. Dan, don't mix this up. The Mundart also differs from village to village, as the Dialect from state to state. This Platt-language is dying unfortunatelly.
Bayerischer Wald is just fantastic yet quite underrated. I quite enjoyed my time there, with great hiking trails.
Four years ago I had a wonderful trip to central Germany - the historic cities of Thuringia (Jena, Erfurt, Weimar, Gotha, Eisenach+Wartburg) plus Leipzig in Saxony. The cultural heritage of those places was absolutely breathtaking. Especially for a lover of Bach music such as myself.
Indeed!
Der Bodensee in the south is also very nice. Meersburg has the oldest Castle in Germany. There is the Zeppelin Museum in Friedrichshafen. Nearby Schaffhausen, Switzerland has the Rhine Falls
which is the largest waterfall by volume in Europe. The island of Mainu has a great botanical garden and butterfly museum. Pfahlbaumuseum Unteruhldingen has an open-air museum with stilt houses. Birnau Basilica is super impressive. There's a regular ferry service around Lake Constance so you don't have to drive all the time. And since this is wine country, lots of vineyards and wine fests. Fly into Zurich, it's about a 45 minute drive to Konstanz.
Thanks for this Feli.
This was informative.
Feli, really enjoy your channel. I was an Army brat and lived in Germany for six years as a kid before I was 14, and then spent two more years in the U.S. Air Force. I'm partial to southern Germany, where I lived (Frankfurt, Stuttgart, and Ramstein), and my favorite places are in the mountains. I love Berchtesgaden, Koenigssee, and the Obersalzburg area. But almost any German town or village in that area is, to me, worth a visit. For instance, when my wife and I were in Germany in 2019 we at random spent two days in Aschaffenburg, and we couldn't have enjoyed it more. It's one of my favorite places now. But places like Landstuhl, where I lived in the '60s, and Hockenheim were wonderful places we spent a couple of days in on that trip. My point being, you don't need to go to a large city or a tourist trap to enjoy Germany.
Went tdy to Ramstein and Sembach from Aviano. Loved Germany
I would recommend visiting some beautiful northern cities with great Hansa architecture, such as Lübeck, Bremen and Stralsund. The good thing is you can enjoy the sea there too, which is really different to the cliche.
What I really like too are the wine areas in Palatium, Baden-Württemberg and northern Bavaria. Great landscape with vineyards and cute little historical cities.
Of course the Alps are a phenomenal destination too. My favorite places there are the Berchtesgaden Alps (where I live) close to Salzburg/Austria and the Karwendel area.
Thank you for making this video. I appreciate the details you provided!
Definitely one of my favorite videos from you, thanks Feli.
I have mostly traveled in the Black forest region, currently staying 2 weeks in the beautiful city of Villingen. If I could live in Germany for a year, I would select Freiburg as my home base, it has a lively altstadt and is so close to Nature. Mittenwald is a hidden gem in my opinion, not likely on most Americans travel list.
One cannot go wrong most anywhere in Germany, the people are so welcoming, great food and drink, half timbered houses, altstadts and so much more ...what's not to love? Ich liebe Deutschland!
The Fasnachts time is the best time to visit the black forest
@@rumo531 I am planning on going back the end of this coming February for my first Fasnachts! It will probably be a bit different due to covid ...but it's still a great change from New York!
Hello, I'm german and actually live near to Villingen, where I went to school. I was really surprised to see your comment about Villingen, because it's a small town and most Germans have never heard of it. I'm happy that you liked it! It's really a beautiful city and I think it's a great example for a typical southern German town
@@adrianweber1328 Servus Adrian! I love the area you live in. With Covid cancelling most Weihnachtsmarkts, I did more visits of local villages so maybe I was in yours for a brief moment 🙂 On mein Geburtstag we walked the Baumwipfelpad ... very snowy day and lots of fun! Had a great dinner at die Sägel im Niedereschach for last night on this Urlaub. Thanks for your reply to my comment. I am hopeful to be back, as I said above, for Fasnachts. The whole Schwarzwald region is Schön and the people so nice! I am always thankful to be able to visit. I only wish my love for Germany hit me when I was much younger ... aber, alles ist gut!
U have to go the Fastnacht in Villingen or in Weigheim ( thats a small village in the area of VS ) they have a big tradition on it !!
Great collection Feli! Also very well explained and great insights.
This video was well presented. You have good information and varied. Thank you for this information, unfortunately I will not be able to visit any time soon.
When mentioning the auto manufacturers you must also mention the Nürburgring. One of the only major race tracks in the world that is also a public toll road, that anyone with a car can drive a lap on. Also for anyone interested in wine the villages along the Rhine and Mosel rivers have some incredible historic wineries to tour and the scenery especially along the Mosel is magnificent. They are all cute little historic villages that also give you that old world Germany feeling. From that area it's also easy to hit the Black Forest and pop over into Alsace (which often feels more German than some parts of Germany.)
The insurance of rented cars doesn''t cover any damage wich hapened on a race track!
Potsdam is lovely. Nürnberg is nice too
Wow! What a great episode! For me, I think you did a great job covering the places to see and cities to visit. Well done! Munich sounds great, but I would choose a quieter, place to visit as well...for this country boy anyway! Thanks for sharing Feli!
I really appreciate how cheery and upbeat you are, even that time you hurt your wrist. Too often the news is depressing and when I see a notification from you I know I'll be able to unwind and smile again. Thanks.
I lived a few years in Aachen. Lots of history, a beautiful cathedral (it's not much from the outside but from the inside it's amazing) and lot's of candy/chocolate/Printen (you have the factory's of Lindt, Katjes, Balsen and Lamberts in one area. I recommending the factory sale/ Werksverkauf). And you can go over the border in less then 15 minutes to visit Belgium or the Netherlands. And if you want to see some nature the national park Eifel is just 30 minutes away. But if you want to party, took the train to cologne 😅 it will took you just 40 minutes of so.
Not to mention Bonn and HARIBO in also 50 min away…
I just wanted to say that I've started following you a few months ago, and I just love your videos ! I'm actually French living in France, but I've always been passionated about both Germany and the US, and especially about cultural differences. I just love seeing your point on view on things. Being European, you're so similar to a French person on many aspects when it comes to cultural shocks in the US, but at the same time very different and making me learn a lot of things about Germany ! Thank you for sharing your experience ! And Germany is indeed a great country to visit, with a special shoutout to Europa Park (I do agree with you, an amazing park, with also Phantasialand) and to the techno scene in Berlin.
Thanks for this amazing info :)
You're so brilliant and entertaining. Thanks.
Everyone’s favorite German girl in America.
Everyone‘s favorite [redacted]
Feli does seem like a cool person, her videos are informative.
I liked Lübeck very much and of course the cost and islands in the North- and Baltic Sea. There are numerous beautiful lakes in northern Germany as well.
Wow! Such beautiful architecture!
Thanks a lot for sharing this!
As a german I would highly recommend to visit Hamburg (or maybe even the little brother Bremen, allthough I think you´re not really missing out on anything special if you don´t go there), mainly because it´s different than what you´d expect based on stereotypes and it´s just such a cool and pretty city (and you can buy really good Fischbrötchen there :D). There´s also an amanzing amusement park not far away from there, the Heide Park Soltau, which is definitely worth a visit too if you like rollercoasters and stuff...
Die Fischbrötchen sind dort echt lecker. Das stimmt.
People with German ancestors might be interested in visiting the Deutsches Auswandererhaus (German Emigration Center) in Bremerhaven to trace their roots. It is a museum, that tells stories of people who emigrated via the port of Bremerhaven across the sea to destinations like America. Their tour also includes many rooms that are built to give you an impression of travelling on various historical ships. Also, the German Maritime Museum is very close.
The port of Bremerhaven is also Germany's second-largest and Europe's seventh-largest seaport (4.77 million TEU container throughput per year, according to Statista).
@@scifino1 Yeah, you're right, Bremerhaven is a cool city and the Auswandererhaus really might be interesting for Americans (I totally forgot about that :'D)
And the Klimahaus (a kind of museum that lets you go on a "journey" throughout different climate zones) is also nearby.
So yes, Bremerhaven is definitely worth a visit :D
@@niadragonwright7614 That's right, the clima house "Klimahaus" in german, is such a great museum, the best I've ever visited in my entire life😅 it's soo cool (and I don't even like museums usually)
@@scifino1 Kurz frage ist Bremerhaven neben Bremen
My partner and I spent a couple weeks in Germany a few years ago and had a blast. We hit a lot of the places you mentioned (we may have been a little over ambitious), but one of my favorite bits was our time in the Rheinland. We visited both Köln and Düsseldorf (which were awesome), but the highlight may have been seeing the small towns of Sankt Goar and Bacharach. Burg Rheinfels in Sankt Goar was very interesting, but the best part was definitely the slow cruise down the Rhein we took between the two towns where we got to see the Lorelei.
Frankfurt am Main was probably the most overrated part, but I will always remember it fondly because it's where I had my first döner kebab. Also, the local specialties of Apfelwein and Schnitzel mit Grüne Soße were both excellent.
Thanks for the video!!
Thank you for another great video Feli!
Another great area to visit in Germany is the Rhineland: You get the big cities in North Rhine-Westphalia like Düsseldorf, Cologne and Bonn, which was the capital of West Germany until the reunification and has the "Haus der Geschichte" for example, which is a huge museum about German history since 1945, but you also get beautiful nature scenery in the Eifel and Moselle region in Rhineland-Palatinate. There are also quite a few beautiful castles in the area like Schloss Drachenburg in Königswinter, Burg Eltz in Wierschem and the Reichsburg Cochem. If you're interested in WW2 history you can visit the Ordensburg Vogelsang in the Eifel National Park and if you're already in the Bonn area you can also go on a day trip to Freudenberg in Westphalia - you may have even seen pictures of the town before since it has a beautiful downtown core consisting entirely of old-fashioned half-timbered houses, which seems to be quite popular amongst photographers. Plus, the Rhineland is quite big on wine production, so you could try some regional German wines while you're there.
That's a good compilation of our German sights, thank you! I would like to add that you can experience nature also in and around Berlin. Berlin has three big lakes and three big forests. Water covers also a third of the surface of Brandenburg (the state around Berlin), so tours on boats or canoes e.g. in the Spreewald are definitely an awesome experience!
Of course, Berlin offers castle and palaces as well! In July 2021, there was just opened the city palace of Berlin, the old castle rebuilt as a museum the so called Humboldt-Forum. And if you go to Potsdam which is 30 to 40 minutes out of Berlin you can experience at least five great castles and their huge parks! Especially the castle of Sanssouci is famous as Frederic 2nd built it as his summer palace.
Thank you for making this videos and I been watching your previous videos about Germany, and how the culture really is from a perspective from a German, And Danke and take care Miss Feli
My last (pre-pandemic) holiday was 4 nights near Neuschwanstein. Such a beautiful area, amazing memories. My first planned post-pandemic holiday is a couple of nights in Hamburg before heading onto the Wacken music festival next year. Great to hear you recommend it. Cross fingers it's safe to travel by then!
13:57 Thank you sooooo much for mention it! Im a huge fan of it! Its not only the largest model railway setup in the world. Its also the most visited atraction in Germany by foreign tourists at all! More than Brandeburger Tor, Neuschwanstein or (sorry Feli ;) the Oktoberfest. The "Deutsche Zentrale für Tourismus" (German National Tourist Board ) does it anualy and this year MiWuLa is No. 1 again. WOOOHOOO... :D
And MiWuLa is growing and growing. Tomorrow they will open the sections "The world from above" and "Rio de Janeiro". In future they will build the rain forrest, the caribbean, Asia and more. Cant wait, im so excited...! ^^
Yes they are soooo creative, and one of the bosses once said that he could manage it economically without expanding but they just can not stop building because it is so much fun to realize all the ideas they have in mind.
A typical example of their mindset is the little gas station with the tiny price display which is always showing the current prices, a computer is programmed to download them every few hours from the website of the company and forwards them to that tiny display. That is pure perfection
No Way, you cannot compare that to Munich in Oktoberfest!!! GO Bavaria GO, warmest people in the World!!!
A lot of travel information is always about the big cities. And yes, it's easy to catch them all in a couple weeks. But if you really want to see Germany: go off the beaten track. For this rent a car and miss the Autobahn. For example a small town in the Harz mountains like Wernigerode can give you a whole week as a base to explore the gorges, caves, old railway and mountains around. In summertime get sporty with a kajak and do lake hopping at the Mecklenburger Seenplatte in the Northeast. Hike on the old volcanoes at Eifel mountains. Or just meet the miner in his traditional cloth at the Christmas market in a small town at the Ore mountains (Erzgebirge). I made such a off the beaten track trip couple years ago with an American girl. It shows you more the typical German culture than the big cities. If you really want to go to Berlin, don't miss the Hostel boat behind the East Side Gallery. - If you still find grammar faults: It's the message what counts, not the language.
You should see my grammar when I try to write in German. *cringe*
Great advice, absolutely agree.
As I am thinking of a trip to Germany in the next few years, this is the best video I’ve seen so far. Thank you so much for sharing.
Aaah the mud flats!! And Sylt!! Bringing back so many memories of my high school foreign exchange trip to Hamburg!! And miniaturwelt is so cool!
May is my favourite time to visit, and I always try and check out when the local German school holidays are before travelling especially if planning to go to a theme park or other family attraction. You may find there's a region specific holiday which might be best to avoid!
Also, never arrive on a Sunday! You will struggle to find anything to do or any shops open!
Spreewald is next on my list of German places to visit.
Great vid Feli - been to your home town of Munich 3 times, and Berlin 3 times - and yes each city has its own culture and flare-- so glad you made this and yes you are correct - while travel is curtailed and even banned in some cases - we can still dream of better times ahead and keep in the mood of travel...now I will have a nice Bitburger beer and cheers to everyone..
Bamberg's a great place to visit in summer, I highly recommend it! Lovely old, hilly town, lots of beergardens and interesting history. Thank you for your videos Feli, I really enjoy them. :)
man, Feli, you are so good with your videos. Aside from being well informed and prepared I think you have a great understanding of your audience resulting in a great presentation.
I think you covered a lot very well in such a short time.....the tide at the North sea was one thing I was going to say. But note that the tide comes back in very fast!!! And it's easy to get stuck!
I love Hamburg so I agree.....and will add that Bremen is also equally nice if you want something much smaller.
The monuments....yes.... so much history to absorb. The Hermannsdenkmal was the first big one I saw and natural monuments like the Externsteine.
I love the old churches and every city and village has some cool ones. When visting Hannover I suggest the Marktkirche because that pentagram on the tower is really something to see and Aegidienkirche which stands as a war damaged memorial now.
There is so much to see and appreciate throughout Germany, it's a shame when I see anyone visit and stay in one main area.
Also regarding little pieces of history....when in the cities watch your step for the Stolpersteine.
And fellow beers drinkers....there is so much wonderful beer......always drink local!!!
Lucky enough that Germany offer's
a lot of different things for every kind of interests.
The surrounding area of Berlin, the state of Brandenburg his highly underrated, the capital Potsdam of course, but also the whole Spree - Havel region is just amazing, starting in the south of Brandenburg with the Spreewald you can travel with a bike or very nice with a canoe or kayak from there until the Baltic sea, the small cities of Templin, Angermünde, Rheinsberg, Brandenburg an der Havel, Lutherstadt Wittenberg directly at the River Elbe located between Hamburg and Berlin, and
Eberswalde have so many things to offer for a good price with a very unique nature, Brandenburg has not so many residents which is very good for the many natural landscapes.
My wife and I have been going to d’Wiesn for many years. We love Bayern, its lovely people (like you), and München in particular. One year we couldn't get a flight directly to Flughafen München so we flew to Flughafen Frankfurt am Main and took the train to München. That was some ride! The scenery was so beautiful in those classic Main valleys that it didn't seem real. We were suffering from jet lag and so we slept a part of the way, but what we did see was so memorable.
Everywhere we've gone in Deutschland over the many years has been special and everyone was so welcoming and helpful. We traveled all over Bayern and parts of Österreich (where my people are from). I was even taken for ein Bayer a few times, a compliment for sure. We never made it to Berlin, however, although a friend of mine wanted to go to bring home a piece of the wall when it joyously came down. We didn't go and I regret it.
All the best, good health, and happy holidays to you and yours.
My family is planning my first trip to Germany and I'm so excited. I also know it won't be my last but I'm getting your videos lined up and ready to watch until Feb when I go
Hi Feli! I went to Germany back in 2015 and visited Bremen and Bremerhaven. My parents came to Canada in 1956 and it was interesting to see the German Emigration Center in Bremerhaven just to get a sense of what it was like for them. I would recommend a visit there.
I hope to go back sometime soon!
All the best, Irene
I think Dresden is so beautiful and great to visit!! Great restaurants, lots to see, history at every corner, the river Elbe is wonderful and the Neustadt has many cool bars and clubs. The contrasts are amazing. And so much nature to see around Dresden as well. The Sächsische Schweiz is stunning!!
I second this!
It’s nice to travel along the Rhine, e.g. from Rüdesheim to Koblenz or even ongoing until Bonn, and also along the Mosel between Trier and Koblenz. There are a huge amount of beautiful small villages (some parts unfortunately lately got destroyed by the floods) and various castles. You can take a tour by ship or travel on the street which in huge parts just is some meters away from the river…and you’ll find cute wineries there…
Yess! Those steep vineyards, mountains, and fortresses along rivers Rhine and Mosel are gorgeous.
Feli, I want to let you that your content on the channel is quite stupendous. Don't let any negativity interfere with your creativity nor intelligence. You are the go-to TH-camr when it comes to learning the German language and culture. Keep up the great work!
Great video. Thank you!
Cool list! A little suprised the Rhine (especially the "Romantischer Rhein" part of it) and the mosel didn't make the cut. I thought they were a pretty popular holiday destination (also among Americans) for going on cruises and stuff.
They also make pretty good wines 😁
When I lived in Germany, I worked in Niestrien. We always hit up the wine festivals along the Rhine every year I was there. The day my wife and daughter arrives to Germany, the wine fest in Niestrien was how they were introduced to Germany.
Totally agree! Can not discuss places worthy of visiting in Germany without mentioning WINE and the Mosel and Rhein river valleys! Absolutely a must!
@@jeaninnechorba-mackson7084 No one seems to talk about Cologne, which I would really recommend. Cologne is called the most Italian city in Germany and has a special vibe about it. It has a cathedral that has been built on for centuries, a great museum for Germanic and Roman history, the Rhine is there, and pubs and restaurants are a class of its own....
The most time of the 13 years I lived in Germany were spent living in Trier. Most western visitors don't go there, or even know about it. I did find that the Far East tour groups went there often. It's the oldest city in Germany with lots of Roman ruins. Highly recommend it. It's on the Mosel River and great white wine
I live in Trier for the last 4 years and after all this time I still feel like I were on vacation even though I normally work etc. Outstanding place to live and visit.
@@andrzejkalitowski5567 exactly. Such a beautiful place! I have 2 daughters and granddaughter there. My ex is from there
Trier works well with a trip to Luxembourg.
@@stevenmay1449 yes it does. We used to get our fuel in Luxembourg. Along with cheaper alcohol and cigarettes. Even though I don't smoke
Michael, I agree with you about Trier. I was stationed in Germany during the 1970's and visited Trier often. It is a fantastic city to visit and as you said, most westerners have never heard of it. Another area close by is in Belgium. A short drive to Liège (Luik) is a beautiful city to explore.
Thanks for doing this! Brightened my day. Definitely want to make it to Munich someday--and I'd like to visit Berlin! :-) Have a good week!
Having been born in Hamburg (left when I was 5) it was really nice to hear your positive comments about the city. Thanks! I’ve been to many of the places you mentioned - Muenchen, Dachau, Neuschwanstein, Freiburg (bought a cuckoo clock), Heidelberg, Koeln, Frankfurt…. I haven’t found any that I think are overrated - love them all!
Germany is a country that i have always been fascinated by growing up for multiple reasons and as a result I have spent a lot of time exploring and travelling around over the last 5 years or so to the point that I am moving to Germany early next year. Terrified but so so excited at the same time!
Here is an (insider tip) I have only been there 1 time when I was in Germany so I don't know what it's like other times of the year, Coburg, really has their downtown or town square looking good during Christmas. It's famous because Price Albert ( in a can LOL) who married Queen Victoria) is from there. Also Coburg is one town that was undamaged during WW2 so people can see what Germany looked like before the war.
I like your presentations. Could you discuss the Wintergarten Keller bar in Nurnberg? It featured a slide entry, and the place was popular in the 20s and 30s. Also, there may have been other locations in other cities. Than you for giving us so much information about your country!
another great job
Another gorgeous place that you omitted is Lake Constance (Bodensee), which connects Germany, Switzerland and Austria; there is plenty to see and do there. Fun fact, it is the only place within Europe where there are no clear borders between the countries.
I think the Bodensee is where many Germans go for holiday... and for good reasons.
best part of Germany!
Great video, to me another great city to visit, if you are interested in german history is Bonn. It was the capital of Germany until 1990 and still has some political institutions. you can also find the "Haus der Geschichte" or "House of History", where you can find the history of Germany since 1945. Another plus is that you do not have to pay anything to get into the museum, because it gets paid by the state of Germany.
Another great place to visit is the Pfälzer Wald, which is near to the french border and is also called the "Toskana of Germany". It`s a great place for those who love good wine and I personally think in this part of Germany we have a great mixture of the french and german culture.
I agree. And whenever you find your way to Bonn, just come over to Cologne and find out why the Kölner Dom is the most visited sight in Germany.
Going to Germany again very soon. Your taken the time to give us ideas on just about everything to see and visit and we want to Thank you for your time Feli,
and giving us your Insite on your home Germany. Again a big Thank You..! All our family and our best friend's from Germany are all going together..!
Wonderful insights! Frohe Weinnachten!
I have spent around 14-15 months in Germany over the last decade for work and you pretty much nailed it. As an American (from Cincinnati nonetheless) I would add the Mosel and Rhine River valleys as great places to visit as well.
the villages around mosel river with their wineyards is definitely worth a visit
Trier is a great town/city to vistit. It's Germanys oldes - and it even has a colosseum😎
I did really like Trier when I was there in 1989. The Roman ruins were very interesting, as is, of course, the big gate at the end of the town square overlooking the Moselle River.
It's right by Luxembourg and a great destination for someone who is interested in wine.
And the birthplace of Karl Marx
Often overlooked
I agree - Trier is a great town
My only trip to Europe included a river cruise on the Main and Danube. The stops in Germany were Nuremberg, Regensburg, and Passau. Passau was my favorite. It was early December 2017, so all the Christmas markets were open.
Quedlinburg is stunning. Excellent for a weekend with your loved one.
As a German I like all of Germany, but the area I live in I like the most -> The Lake of Constance (den Bodensee)!!!!!
My husband and I have been to Germany 3x and each time was exciting and entertaining. We spent additional time in Berlin because my husband's cousin lives there. I think that was the best day. We did so much in one day. His cousin took us places we would have never thought to go. We went to her favorite restaurant, where the food was absolutely delicious. We went to Dresden, Berlin, & Hamburg, plus several other places I can't remember. Germany is a beautiful, historical country. We will definitely be visiting again.
The historic city of Lübeck on the north coast is a great place to visit and sample its marzipan, for which it is famous. It has several historic churches, a fantastic old entrance gate, and interesting things to just walk around and see.
Really love the scenery around the middle Rhein and koblenz.
I love Koblenz.
Some beautiful german cities with complete old towns (didn’t got destroyed in war):
- Trier (oldest German city, many Roman ruins)
- Heidelberg (awesome, but many tourists)
- Lübeck (used to be the most important city in the Hanseatic league)
- Wernigerode (the Harz nature around WG is also really pretty)
- Quedlinburg (is near Wernigerode)
- Lüneburg (probably the best city in northern Germany, characteristic Baltic Sea old town)
- Goslar
- Nördlingen (the anime „attack on titan“ got inspired by this city)
- Wismar
- Bacharach (overall the wine region is very romantic)
Hope that helped.😊❤️
I lived in Northern Italia for years, visited Germany many times. I found the entire country very pleasant and interesting. I enjoy the culture and people. I love going to Volksmarches (spelling?) and the regional cuisine!
Volksmärsche, I guess you mean the ones during Schützenfest
Bavaria is beautiful. We loved the geraniums in the flower boxes and the gorgeous terrain as well as the people.
Hallo Feli
I'm looking forward to move to Germany soon.
I've started learning the language.
Danke, for your contents.
Tschüss
The only thing I would disagree with Feli, is to visit Germany in Summer.
My advice is late spring (late May/June) or early fall (September/early October). It's of course not hot, but typically you will need to explore German cities by foot (or bicycle). So you will be walking a lot! Plus, AC is not a big thing. You might feel permanently hot and sweating in July/August. Rather come a bit earlier/later and bring a thin jacket.
I think most important is to understand the cultural difference between south and north and maybe east. I recommend München and Heidelberg as representation of southern culture and Hamburg or Bremen maybe for the north.
i’ve been to munich in october 2019 and it was one of the best trip of my life. munich is beautiful, historical and full of parks. it was very easy to visit the most parts of the city, and the museums are exceptional and very cheap. it was a chill, cultural and emotional experience, i recommend it.
ps. i’m italian, so i appreciate a lot cultural and artistic experiences, historical places and nature.
Hi Noemi, I love your name.
Thanks for this. One trip that I took was mainly for business in Bayreuth, but I took some time for touristy things as well there and in Nuremberg, where the nearest sizable airport is. Bayreuth is associated with the composers Richard Wagner and Franz Liszt, and has a couple of opera festivals. I watched the movie Triumph of the Will, a documentary about a major Nazi rally, after having visited Nuremberg, and realized that I had walked along Hitler's route from the train station along the city walls to the gates. Speaking of composers, Leipzig is mentioned in the video, and is the city most associated with J.S. Bach. She also mentioned Wartburg Castle as related to Martin Luther. Other places significant for Luther are Wittenberg, Worms, and Augsburg (not far from Munich).
I went on a few days to the Kellerwald region mid-summer for hicking and sightseeing at the Edersee.
It was surprisingly quiet with other tourists and really great forest mountains.
I'm an American who spent 7 years in Stuttgart and recommend it. I had an apartment in the hills with an expansive view of the city and the plains to the north. The city has its usual German attractions, and the hills are great for hiking and bicycling.
Sick! did u learn some swabian?
it’s not a pretty city- never really was and it was largely destroyed in the war and rebuilt ugly. But I agree it’s very livable and has some interesting museums and a good musical culture. And location, location, location: it’s in a valley surrounded by forest and vinyards, so you can go hiking through vineyards right from the downtown.
For those who are interested in experiencing the German Autobahn and long stretches of it without a speed limit, there's one general rule: Avoid the densely populated areas in the south and west, as well as the areas surrounding the big cities. Preferably, stay in the north and the east. That's where you usually have a lot more unrestricted stretches of Autobahns and much less traffic in general. Also avoid the major north-south and west-east routes such as the A1, the A7, the A2, or the A3. While those might also be mostly unrestricted, the traffic is usually too dense to drive fast.
The rule of thumb is: the more an Autobahn is used, the greater the chances that a speed limit exists there. There are many Autobahns with little or even hardly any traffic that almost universally do not have a general speed limit if you stay away from the densely populated areas and the most popular routes. The best time to find an open Autobahn is early on Sunday mornings in the summer, and I'd recommend to use those times when your goal is going fast on the German Autobahn as a point on your bucket list.
But there's one thing you should know: Although there is no general speed limit on German Autobahns, you're still expected to drive responsibly. Even in areas without a speed limit, you have to adapt your driving style to the prevailing traffic conditions. It is not the case that you can aggressively accelerate whenever and however often you want. Rather, you are obliged to show consideration for others and especially for those who do not want to drive as fast - which is most other drivers, to be honest (the average speed on the German Autobahn is "only" 120 km/h after all). You always have the occasional idiot but the vast majority of drivers stick to the rules and drive responsibly. That's why despite the lack of a general speed limit, the German Autobahns are among the safest roads in the world (a lot safer than US Interstates for example).
What you should also know: racing other cars on public roads and reckless fast driving just for the sake of getting from A to B as quickly as possible, are a felony here. Therefore avoid "racing" other cars on the Autobahn and refrain from going pedal to the metal all the time, no matter what.
So, while officially there is not general speed limit in Germany, going over the recommended speed of 130 km/h can still get you in a lot of trouble if you have an accident or if the police thinks you're driving like a maniac 😉
Having visited Bavaria a few times, I definitely would recommend it. A couple options for things to see that are easily accessed from Munich are Prien am Chiemsee (where you can take a ferry to one of Mad Ludwig's palaces) as well as Wurzburg, which has a palace/museum, a castle (Marienburg) and a city wine cellar.
If you like hiking in the mountains, the town where Neuschwanstein is located (Hohenschwangau) and Berchtesgaden (which is where you'll find Kehlsteinhaus and Konigsee) are relatively short train rides away.
There's also numerous castle/palaces to explore all around. One that I visited that wasn't a big name one was in Baden-Württemberg, a couple hours or so by train from Munich. It's called the Minneburg and is across the river from the town that has the train station there called Neckargerach.
And if you like strolling through parks, Munich has the Englischergarten with miles and miles of wooded paths to walk on.
i totally agree with you regarding Schloss Neuschwanstein. it is beautiful from the outside but the part we actually got to see on the inside was almost nonexistent. we did get a lovely picture from afar after a hike a little further up the mountain.
As Feli mentioned, I recommend East Germany. Leipzig, Dresden or Berlin are cool towns. If you like history/pretty old towns: Weimar (Buchenwald Concentration Camp is nearby), Erfurt, Gotha, Wernigerode, Magdeburg, Görlitz (they call it Görlywood because many films that set in the past were made there in the last years) Nature is nice too in the east. Sächsische Schweiz, Thüringer Wald, Rennsteig, Harz, Mecklenburger Seenplatte, the islands of Rügen and Hiddensee, the Baltic Sea (where you can find amber on the beach, but beware, sometimes you find Phosphor which look pretty similar and can lead to burnt bodyparts)
That is my opinion and I could be wrong. Have a nice day! 😁
Opinions can't be wrong. Highly appreciate your input about the eastern part. I'd like to point out some smaller cities in the Harz region - Quedlinburg, Halberstadt.. - truly beautiful medieval-looking cities, highly underrated. Also the many lakes in Brandenburg and of course the Spreewald are worth visiting. And don't forget to mention Potsdam as a former Prussian residence...
Aachen - nice and handy. A lot of young, international people due to its university and close to the Netherlands and Belgium.
To me, Freiburg/Breisgau is underrated!! Makes also a nice base for visiting Strasbourg/Colmar in France. And the Kaiserstuhl area north of Freiburg - a culinary - to me - yet undiscovered area in Germany.
Yes, I do agree about Neuschwanstein - overrated
I thought Aachen had the best Weihnachtsmarkt in Germany.
I made it a point to return to Aachen recently, and brought back a bunch of Aachener Printen for my family.
Freiburg is indeed very nice but for sure not underrated.
@@liversuccess1420 One of the best.
My Aunt lives in Hamburg. I visited East and West Berlin before and after the wall came down. I loved that soldiers in uniform got to ride city transportation for free.
I can't believe that I couldn't find the area of the river Ahr mentioned among 700 comments. It's very sad what happened there, but they are working on it to make it as beautiful as it was before the flood.
Great scenery and best german red wine.
Germany really has almost everything for a European visit, my favourites from on top of my head (in no particular order) would be, Lake Konstanz (Bodensee, Mainau Island, TriCountry Fireworks/Seenachtfest), Hamburg (Reeperbahn is wild, I like St.Pauli FC as well), Sylt, Bremen (Valentin Submarine bunkers/pens blew my mind), Black forest villages (during winter its dreamy), Stuttgart (Spring and October Volksfests), Cologne (night life is great, though the city isn't known for this), Schwetzingen ( Schwetzingen Castle, where in Summer you can spend the night on the grounds for 5 or 10 Euro entrance fee), Nuremberg. And other cities also have something to offer.
My personal favourite city is Heidelberg and least is Frankfurt.
I'm Italian and I have spent holydays in Germany since I was a child with my father, in general my suggestion would be to avoid the bigger cities for the most part (and maybe have a day trip to one of the bigger cities as public transport is usually meant to bring people from the smaller cities and villages to the bigger city e.g. for work or study, not the opposite) but maybe I'm biased by how we did for the most part, most was following sort of itineraries like Romantische Strasse, or valleys/rivers like the Rhein , Lahn or Neckar. always by car except for the visits to the largest cities.
Being very interested in true medieval castles we had always a very limited interest in post-medieval castles and Neuschwanstein in this sense is the worst because in too many people's mind that's their idea of "castle", in this sense is so over-rated and "annoying", to its merit for what is was (a sort of an amusement park in its own merit not too different from the "fairytales" counterparts, but built with more old-style tecniques and materials, there was no fiberglass at the time, and placed in a setting that is worth an outdoor visit), If you don't give a xx about true castles and want to visit the inspiration of the "fairytale" castle it might be over-priced but I guess that's exactly what you'd want to visit, but yeah, pretty overrated in many people mind.
In a way also Koenigsee is a bit over-rated compared to other equally nice but no way near as famous alpine lakes.
Other destinations I liked and I'd suggest are Limburg (over Lahn) and Lindau(Bodensee), and Goslar-Braunschweig-Wernigerode(with 2 being in the old-West and the latter in the old-East you can try spot the differences
Danke für Ihren wunderbaren Beitrag, dem man anmerkt, dass Sie Deutschland nicht nur mögen, sondern sich auch damit auseinanderzudesetzen
Thanks Feli ,going to Munich in April for the first time !
I went to many of the places you mentioned in the south. It was amazing! Had friends from Munchen had a car and driver (old GF's Brother) Hit up Austria staying in a great house in Thiersee. Rick Steves has good info.It was really a life changing trip.