How to Plan a Trip to Germany

With beautiful countryside, imposing mountains, numerous historical sites and bustling modern cities, Germany offers something for tourists of every age and background. In fact, the country features enough attractions to fill numerous vacations.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Decide when to go. The busiest tourist season in Germany is from May to October, although the winter months are becoming increasingly popular travel times. Germany's climate varies regionally, so you can visit the country at virtually any time of year and find agreeable weather.

2. Get a passport. United States citizens who plan to stay in Germany for less than three months must have a valid passport to enter the country. Those staying for more than three months must also have a visa. Normal passport processing can take several weeks, so it's best to submit the application at least three months before your anticipated travel date.

3. Make travel arrangements. Lufthansa offers flights to several of Germany's airports from 19 U.S. cities, with over 100 flights operating weekly. Most major carriers, including American Airlines, Continental Airlines and United Airlines, offer daily flights from American gateway cities to Germany. However, most fly to only one or two airports. Whether you fly into Frankfurt, Hamburg or Berlin depends on your travel itinerary and flight availability.

4. Reserve lodging. Germany is known for having some of the most beautiful hotels in the world. Despite this reputation, some hotels in formerly Communist east Germany do not live up to western standards of luxury, service and cleanliness. Accommodations in Germany range from inexpensive rental rooms in private homes to deluxe 5-star hotels.

5. Purchase train passes before departing. Like most countries in Europe, Germany has an excellent train system that offers services for every kind of traveler. Visitors can choose from GermanRail trains, InterCity trains, InterCity Express trains InterCity Night trains. Many German rails also accept Eurail passes from those traveling throughout Europe.

6. Exchange currency. The euro is the currency in Germany, so you must exchange money if you plan to use cash. It's possible to receive euros from ATMs located in German airports, but lines are generally long so many tourists exchange money before leaving home. Most German businesses accept Visa, MasterCard and American Express so it's only necessary to carry enough euros to cover incidental expenses.

7. Plan your itinerary. Some of Germany's most popular tourist destinations, historical sites and attractions include the Neuschwanstein Castle, remnants of the Berlin Wall, the Romantic Road, former German concentration camps, the Black Forest and Oktoberfest.

Tips & Warnings

• Children under 17 often eat and travel at significantly reduced rates in Germany, while kids under 6 often receive free goods and services.
• At least 75 percent of Germans speak English, so you should experience few communication problems. As a matter of courtesy, you may want to learn a few commonly used German phrases before leaving home.

Resources

• Official website of Lufthansa.
• Purchase German rail passes through Rail Europe.