German.Local.Culture

In the north, must-sees include Lüneburg Heath — the largest and oldest nature reserve in Germany. It's famed for its annual heather bloom, which lights up the rolling hills, and is home to wildlife including barn owls, kingfishers, and stags. About 40 kilometres from the national park, the 1000-year-old town of Lüneburg is known for its salt mining and a pretty Old Town with Medieval houses and a cobblestone square.

German.Local.Culture.

A popular spot in the south for holidaymakers is Lake Constance, which borders Switzerland and Austria. The German coastline along the lake is 110 miles long and is dotted with picturesque towns. Travelzoo will introduce you to Germany’s skilled artisans, architectural history, fairytale towns, eco-friendly lifestyle, and local produce around the country.

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Dive deeper and explore the vast array of towns, cities, landscapes, and activities on offer across Germany. Go on a treasure hunt, solve a mystery or plan a birthday party with the interactive videos on the pages of Leipzig, north and south.

Explore Germany

We’ll be taking you on a journey around the country to some of its lesser-known gems, starting with Leipzig in the east. Known as the City of Music, it counts Richard Wagner and Johann Sebastian Bach among its former residents. It’s also a haven for the arts, boasting galleries, pop-up shops, and quirky cultural spaces.

Germany boasts an incredible variety of landscapes and activities, and with 16 national parks, 51 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, over 300 Michelin-starred restaurants, 13 wine-growing regions, about 1300 breweries, and approximately 25,000 castles (the exact number is unknown), there is something for everyone.

In the south, the dramatic scenery of the Bavarian Alps dominates the landscape — think lush green valleys dotted with daisies and framed by craggy snow-capped peaks. Mountain biking and hiking are popular summer activities, and you can ski there in the winter.

To the northeast, you’ll find Germany’s answer to the Lake District, where the city of Schwerin is set among seven sprawling lakes. Its crowning jewel is the straight-out-of-a-fairytale Schwerin Castle, which is perched on an island and reflected by the surrounding water. It boasts 653 rooms and 25 hectares of manicured gardens.

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Travelzoo has teamed up with the German National Tourist Office to introduce you to Germany’s local culture and best-kept secrets. Germany is world-renowned for its buzzing cities, rich history, and age-old traditions. But if you step off the beaten path, you can discover diverse cuisine, breathtaking landscapes, unique crafts, countless castles, and its ever-increasing breweries and winemakers. Embark on your own adventure in northern, eastern, and southern Germany in the interactive video above, and you can visit local eateries, hunt for treasure, and meet the locals with the help of German Comedy Ambassador, Henning Wehn.

Lübeck’s Medieval old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and features five Gothic churches with seven spires, all preserved to this day. The town is famous for its 200-year-old marzipan — there are 50 different flavours to sample.

Lübeck

A pretty town set on Lake Constance — Europe’s third-largest lake. Pick up fresh produce at the weekly farmers’ market, held in the heart of the old town, then stroll along the palm-fringed lakeside promenade and take in the mountain views.

Überlingen

A village high in the Bavarian Alps, offering views of over 400 mountain peaks. Enjoy the festivals and folklore evenings, breathe in the fresh mountain air as you ski the slopes or hike the numerous trails, and gaze at the stars in the clear night sky.

Oberstdorf

Nicknamed Little Venice, thanks to its watery landscape of rivers and canals, and the City of Music, due to beloved composers and musicians who have lived and worked there.

Leipzig

A 1000-year-old Medieval town that is a member of the Hanseatic League, a union of towns and merchant guilds that dominated trade in northern Europe between the 13th and 15th centuries.

Lüneburg

Schwerin is set among seven sprawling lakes. Its crowning jewel is the straight-out-of-a-fairytale Schwerin Castle, perched on an island and reflected by the surrounding water.

Schwerin

Überlingen

OBERSTDORF

Lüneburg

Lübeck

Schwerin

OBERSTDORF

BERLIN

Leipzig

hamburg

Frankfurt

Cologne

bremen

Munich

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read more and find hidden gems in Leipzig

This port city was a leader in the Hanseatic League trading bloc in the Middle Ages. Today, it is loved for its striking architecture, hip bars, boutique stores, and international cuisine.

Hamburg

Berlin has over 100 museums, oodles of historic attractions, and some of the best currywurst in Germany.

BERLIN

The capital of Bavaria is synonymous with high quality German beer, but also boasts world-class museums, a thriving arts quarter, and is the birthplace of BMW.

MUNICH

Set on the river Main, this university city has world-class art exhibitions and theatre productions, and hosts the world’s largest book fair. It’s also known as a finance and business hub, and puts on many important trade fairs throughout the year.

FRANKFURT

Germany’s fourth-largest city, it rivals Berlin for its art scene. It sits on the banks of the Rhine river, and its main sight is the twin-spired cathedral.

Cologne

Germany’s oldest port city, its old market square is a UNESCO World Heritage Site , and there’s a riverside promenade filled with bars and restaurants.

Bremen

Leipzig

South

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Overview

Germany

Stuttgart

DÜsseldorf

Nuremberg

To learn about the history of Germany’s world-renowned car industry, head to Stuttgart, where you’ll find the Porsche and Mercedez-Benz Museums.

Stuttgart

Düsseldorf sits on the Rhine river, and has a pretty Old Town, bustling with shops, restaurants, and breweries. It is Germany’s fashion capital, and hosted the world’s first fashion fair in 1949.

Düsseldorf

Nuremberg is in Bavaria, and retains 5-kilometre-long Medieval walls surrounding its Old Town. Its Christmas market dates back to the 16th-century and features hundreds of wooden stalls, selling handmade decorations and gingerbread treats.

Nuremberg

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Explore Germany

Want to discover Germany’s best-kept secrets and local culture? Join comedian Henning Wehn on an interactive journey off the beaten path.

GERMANY

Click play and start your adventure.