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🇩🇪Things to Do in Germany
From fairytale Bavarian castles to Berlin's Cold War history - the essential sights, and how to keep your own record of them.
Travel guide - last updated September 2026
Germany rewards a regional trip more than a national one - Bavaria's castles and beer halls, Berlin's layered 20th-century history, and the Rhine's vineyard-lined castles are close to unrelated countries in feel. The rail network (Deutsche Bahn) makes connecting any of them straightforward. Here are 10 places worth building a trip around.
Top attractions
The sights most first-time visitors build an itinerary around.
Neuschwanstein Castle
King Ludwig II's 19th-century fairytale castle in the Bavarian Alps, the direct inspiration for Disney's Sleeping Beauty Castle. Book a timed tour slot in advance - it's Germany's most-visited castle and walk-up tickets sell out by mid-morning in summer.
📍 Schwangau, Bavaria
🚉 Nearest station: Fussen, about two hours from Munich with one change, then bus 73 or 78 to Hohenschwangau and a 40-minute walk or shuttle up to the gate.
Oktoberfest, Munich
The world's largest beer festival, running from mid-September to the first Sunday in October. The big beer tents require reservations well ahead for weekend visits - weekday afternoons are far easier to get into without one.
📍 Munich
🚉 Nearest station: Theresienwiese on U-Bahn line U4 and U5, which surfaces at the festival ground; Hackerbrucke S-Bahn is the other main approach and is less crowded at closing time.
Brandenburg Gate & Berlin Wall
Berlin's 18th-century landmark and the surviving stretches of the Wall, including the mile-long East Side Gallery of murals. The nearby Checkpoint Charlie museum fills in the Cold War history behind both.
📍 Berlin
🚉 Nearest station: Brandenburger Tor, served by the S1, S2, S25 and the U5 - the East Side Gallery stretch of wall is at Warschauer Strasse or Ostbahnhof.
Cologne Cathedral
A Gothic cathedral that took over 600 years to finish, with twin spires still among the tallest church towers in the world. Climbing the 533 steps to the viewing platform is worth it on a clear day.
📍 Cologne
🚉 Nearest station: Koln Hauptbahnhof - the cathedral steps are directly outside the station exit, which is why the spires are the first thing you see on arrival.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber
A completely intact medieval walled town on the Romantic Road, largely spared bombing in WWII. Walk the town walls for free, and go early or after the day-tour buses leave for the quieter version of it.
📍 Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Bavaria
🚉 Nearest station: Rothenburg ob der Tauber, a short branch line from Steinach, itself a stop on the Wurzburg-Ansbach route; the walled old town is a 10-minute walk from the platform.
Black Forest
The Schwarzwald region of southwestern Germany - dense forest, cuckoo clock workshops, and the origin of Black Forest cake. Triberg and Freiburg are the two easiest bases for day hikes.
📍 Triberg & Freiburg, Black Forest
🚉 Freiburg Hauptbahnhof is the southern gateway and Triberg has its own station on the Black Forest Railway, with buses from both into the valleys - the Konus guest card makes regional transport free for overnight visitors.
Museum Island, Berlin
Five major museums - including the Pergamon and the Neues Museum, home to the bust of Nefertiti - on a single UNESCO-listed island in the Spree. A combined day ticket covers all five.
📍 Berlin
🚉 Nearest station: Hackescher Markt or Friedrichstrasse on the S-Bahn, or Museumsinsel on U5, which opens beside the Pergamon.
Rhine Valley
Castles and terraced vineyards line the river between Koblenz and Bingen - the UNESCO-listed Middle Rhine stretch. A river cruise or the riverside train both cover it without needing a car.
📍 Koblenz to Bingen, Middle Rhine
🚉 Regional trains follow both banks between Koblenz and Bingen, stopping at Bacharach, Oberwesel and St Goar, so you can ride one way and take a KD river boat back.
German Christmas Markets
Running late November through late December, with Nuremberg's Christkindlesmarkt among the oldest and best-known. Mulled wine (Glühwein) served in a keepsake mug is the standard way to warm up between stalls.
📍 Nuremberg and nationwide
🚉 Nuremberg's Christkindlesmarkt fills the main square a few minutes from Nurnberg Hauptbahnhof, and almost every German market is similarly placed within walking distance of the main station.
Zugspitze
Germany's highest peak at 2,962 meters, reached by cable car from Garmisch-Partenkirchen. On a clear day the summit view stretches across four countries.
📍 Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bavaria
🚉 Nearest station: Garmisch-Partenkirchen, then the Zugspitzbahn cog railway from the adjoining terminus to the Zugspitzplatt, or the cable car from Eibsee for the summit.
Mark Germany, get the stamp
In MyPassportStory, every country you mark - visited, lived in, or still on the list - becomes a stamp like these in your own travel passport. Add the cities you stopped in, draw the route between them, and turn the whole trip into a shareable passport-style image.
Open MyPassportStoryPlanning questions
How many days do you need in Germany?
A week covers Berlin plus one other region well - Bavaria or the Rhine Valley. Two weeks lets you combine Berlin, Munich and a castle-and-vineyard stretch along the Rhine without rushing.
What's the best time to visit Germany?
May-September has the warmest weather and the longest days. Oktoberfest runs mid-September to early October; Christmas markets take over from late November through December, and both draw heavy crowds in their respective cities.
Is Germany good for a first-time visit?
Yes - the rail network connects every city on this list directly, English is widely spoken in tourist areas, and the country's size means Berlin, Munich and the Rhine can realistically fit into one trip.
Do I need a visa to visit Germany?
Germany is part of the Schengen Area, so citizens of the US, UK, Canada, Australia and many other countries can visit visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period; other nationalities need a Schengen visa arranged in advance. Check the official visa information for your nationality: auswaertiges-amt.de.
What are some things to do in Germany on a tight budget?
Berlin's East Side Gallery, the Brandenburg Gate and most cathedral interiors are free. City parks like Munich's Englischer Garten and Berlin's Tiergarten cost nothing and are large enough to spend a full afternoon in.
Can I rent a car in Germany, and what licence do I need?
Yes, and the autobahn makes it an easy country to drive, though the trains reach everything on this list. EU and EEA licences are valid as they are; visitors from outside the EU can drive on a home licence for up to six months, but should carry an International Driving Permit with it, and one is required if the licence is not in the Latin alphabet. Rental minimum age is usually 21 with a surcharge under 25. Almost every city centre is a low-emission Umweltzone requiring a green sticker, which rental cars normally already carry - check before you drive in. The federal transport ministry publishes the rules at bmdv.bund.de; cars come from Sixt, Europcar and Hertz.