City Guides: Germany

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City Guides for Germany

Berlin and Potsdam | Cochem | Dresden | Düsseldorf
Frankfurt | Leipzig | Munich | Oberammergau | Stuttgart
Trier | Weimar | Lake Constance (der Bodensee)

Unlike other major European countries, Germany does not have one dominant capital city. Although Berlin is Germany’s largest city and capital, it does not have the same relationship to the nation as Athens to Greece, Rome to Italy, Paris to France, or London to Great Britain. Continued below…

Germany for Tourists > City Guides: Germany

Cities and Other Attractions in Germany

FEATURED: Lake Constance (der Bodensee) – Our three-part guide to Europe’s third largest freshwater lake, shared by Austria, Germany, and Switzerland – called the Bodensee in German. Learn about the lake and its many attractions, including three key islands and scenic cities along its shores.

  • NEW: Bayreuth and Wagner | The Bayreuth Festival and Richard Wagner – The city of Bayreuth was made famous by the composer Richard Wagner when he opened his self-designed Festival Hall in 1876.
  • NEW: Berlin-Adlershof | Aviation History at Berlin’s Aerodynamic Park – The Aerodynamic Park in the Adlershof quarter of Berlin is the site of three unique monuments of aeronautical science, and the location of photo and film shoots, including for a Rammstein CD cover.
  • Berlin & Potsdam – What to see in the German capital and surroundings – history, sights, photos
  • Cochem – What to see and do in this charming town on the Moselle River. There’s more than Cochem Castle!
  • Dresden – What to see in Saxony’s second largest city: The Zwinger, the Frauenkirche, the treasures of the Green Vault, and more!
  • Düsseldorf: My Düsseldorf – A personal guide by an Italian-born expat in Düsseldorf
  • Frankfurt am Main – Germany’s financial capital (“Bankfurt”) also has attractions for travelers – History, sights, photos
  • Hamburg | See Weekend in Hamburg by German Way staff writer Erin. Learn about the Speicherstadt waterfront district, HafenCity, the Reeperbahn, and more!
  • NEW: Leipzig – What to see and do in this historic, vibrant city, the largest one in the Free State of Saxony. Plus “Culinary Leipzig” and “Architectural Leipzig”!
  • Munich – What to see in and around the Bavarian capital – history, sights and Oktoberfest!
  • Oberammergau, Bavaria – Famous for its Passion Play, Oberammergau is worth a visit even at other times. The 2020 Passion Play has been postponed until 2022.
  • Stuttgart – All about the capital of Baden-Württemberg, with history, attractions, and landmarks
  • Trier – Roman ruins and the birthplace of Karl Marx – history, sights, photos
  • Weimar, Thuringia – A look at the home of the Bauhaus, Goethe, Schiller, and Germany’s other World Time Clock
  • Watch for more cities and attractions…

See the city “Quick Looks” below for more about selected German cities.

Also see our City Guides for Austria.

Reichstag - Berlin

The historic Reichstag building is one of Berlin’s top sights. PHOTO: Hyde Flippo

Our Other Guides for Germany
  • Castles and Palaces in Germany – Our guide to Germany’s enchanting Burgen und Schlösser!
  • Germany: Facts and Figures – History, facts and figures
  • NEW! Germany’s Route 66: A Road Trip on Bundesstraße 3 – Get off the autobahn and enjoy a road trip on Germany’s “Route 66”! It’s a 469-mile (755 km) journey that takes you from Germany’s northern region all the way to the country’s southern Dreiländereck (tri-border area). Make time to spend in towns and cities along the way! These include Bad Nauheim, Darmstadt, Freiburg i.B., Basel (Switzerland), and many more.
  • NEW! Lake Constance (der Bodensee) – Our three-part guide to Europe’s third largest freshwater lake, shared by Austria, Germany, and Switzerland – called the Bodensee in German. Learn about the lake and its many attractions, including three key islands and scenic cities along its shores.
  • Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria – part of our Castles and Palaces guide
  • Oktoberfest in Munich – Facts, tips, highlights
  • The euro is used in Germany and Austria


Germany and Its Cities (Continued)
For various historical and geographical reasons, the European Union’s most populous and most financially powerful nation has many cities (eight) with over half a million residents, but under a million. Only four German cities have a population over one million (Berlin, Cologne, Hamburg, and Munich). Most Germans live in cities and urban areas, but only 3.3 million of the country’s 80.4 million people live in Berlin.

Germany offers a wide range of cities, large and small, that feature a vast variety of landscapes, history, and attractions. From Hamburg, Bremen, and Kiel in the north to Munich, Stuttgart, and Freiburg in the south, you’ll find a rich tapestry of architecture, cuisine, history, folklore, and traditions.

Also see our guide to Castles and Palaces in Germany – Burgen und Schlösser in Deutschland.

Photo Galleries: German Cities and Towns

Germany’s Cities: Quick Looks

  • Berlin | Berlin was the German/Prussian capital from 1871 until the end of the Second World War in 1945. When West Germany (the Federal Republic of Germany) was established in 1949, the quiet university town of Bonn was named the new German capital. In the divided city of Berlin, East Berlin became the capital of East Germany (the German Democratic Republic) — in violation of the post-war Four Power Allied agreement. After hours of bitter debate in the Bundestag on June 20, 1991, Berlin was chosen to be the German capital once again — winning over Bonn by a close 337-to-320 vote! More > Berlin City Guide
  • Dresden | Although this classic German city suffered from neglect during the communist era, it is gradually recovering its former glory as the capital of royal Saxony and now the Free State of Saxony in reunited Germany. Highlights include the Zwinger palace complex and and the beautifully restored Frauenkirche (Church of our Lady). Today Germany’s “Florence on the Elbe” (das Elbflorenz) is again living up to that title. Nearby Meissen is world-famous for its porcelain. More > Dresden City Guide
  • Frankfurt am Main | Germany’s financial capital was considered as a potential national capital city in 1949 (along with Kassel and Stuttgart), but lost out to Bonn, the small home town of Konrad Adenauer, West Germany’s first chancellor. Today Frankfurt is a capital of a different kind: banking, finance and skyscrapers. More > Frankfurt City Guide
  • Munich | Oktoberfest always starts in late September. Munich’s big beer fest began as a wedding party for the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese in 1810. The meadow where the celebration took place was later named for the princess. Today the Theresienwiese fairgrounds is the site of the 16-day Oktoberfest. – But Munich is much more than Oktoberfest! More > Munich City Guide
Trier

This ceramic model of the Roman Neumagener Weinschiff shows what it looked like before the ravages of time damaged some of it. The larger original is on display in the Rheinisches Landesmuseum — just one of Trier’s many attractions.
PHOTO © Hyde Flippo

  • Trier | Germany’s oldest city (founded by the Romans in 16 B.C.) lies on the Moselle (Mosel) River, very close to Luxembourg. Trier (Latin, Augusta Treverorum) is a literal treasure trove of Roman architecture and artifacts, including the former city gate known as the Porta Nigra. Trier is also the birthplace of Karl Marx. More > Trier City Guide

Next | Germany Facts & Figures

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