Things to Do in Germany

Frankfurter Dom is the main church of Frankfurt. From the 14th century onwards, kings of the Holy Roman Empire were elected in this Catholic church. From the mid-16th century to the late 18th century, emperors were crowned here.

The cathedral has been damaged in the past by fire and warfare, most recently during the WWII. It was reconstructed in the 1950s and has undergone periodic renovation since then. It has been widely recognized as an important national symbol for Germany. The museum has an impressive collection of reliquaries and ceremonial objects.

Located in the heart of Berlin’s theater district (near Hackescher Markt),  Friedrichstadt-Palast is Europe’s largest revue theater. The palace is famous for its glitzy, Vegas-style shows from its high-kicking showgirls, acrobats, 60 person-ballet troupe and high-tech special effects.

There are shows catered to the Gay and Lesbian community, as well as a Young Ensemble for kids. For history buffs, the Friedrichstadt-Palast is the last magnificent building of the German Democratic Republic (GDR).

During special events, like film festivals, the theatre turns into a cinema. Some of the most famous performers in the world have also graced the palace’s stages like Josephine Baker and Liza Minnelli.

Hamburg is famous for its Beatles history. It's the city where the band got their start by playing at various clubs near Reperbahn in the St. Pauli neighborhood, Hamburg's red light district. This is where they eventually gained worldwide fame. Of the many clubs they appeared at, Kaiserkeller, located at Grosse Freiheit 36, is one you can still visit today. The Beatles started playing here in late 1960 after the Indra Club closed. It was a good location for the band since it was closer to the heart of the neighborhood.  

The Goethe House & Museum is the site where the great German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was born in 1749. Goethe’s former house is a fantastic and tangible example of the living style of the 18th century Frankfurt's gentry. The house was technically Goethe's parents', and he lived here until moving to Weimar where he died in 1765.

Main features include Goethe's original writing desk and the library on the fourth floor, where Goethe composed his famous epistolary, The Sorrows of Young Werther, and where he began writing Faust. The rooms are decorated with a charming mix of reproduction and original furnishing. The museum is a picture gallery dedicated to the Age of Goethe. The Goethe House & Museum offer an intriguing a peek into 18th century lifestyles and Goethe’s early years.

The exterior of the Gasteig hardly reveals the cultural center's dedication to the arts, but inside, the halls host some of the most outstanding performers that come to Munich. Home to the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, the Richard Strauss Conservatory, the Volkshochschule (education), and the municipal library, the Gasteig is a place to delight the senses and enrich the mind.

Gasteig is also the primary site for the Filmfest Munchen with concert halls that can accommodate over 2,000 people like the Philarmonie, or a more intimate setting with the 120 seats in the Black Box hall. The smaller theaters most often host renowned theater and dance troupes. The wide variety of cultural entertainment and performance at the Gasteig truly make it Munich's "Kulturzentrum".

Located in the Mitte district, the Gendarmenmarkt has gone through a few name changes. After being used from 1736 to 1782 by the military for sentry duty and housing their horses, it was known as the Gendarmenmarkt. After being damaged in the war, the square was renamed “Platz der Akademie” in 1950 in honor of the 250th anniversary of the Academy of Science. In 1991, it got its original name back.

The Gendarmenmarkt is arguably Berlin’s most magnificent square. It is best known for the triple architectural force composed of the German and French cathedrals (Deutscher und Französischer Dom) and Schinkel’s Konzerthaus (concert hall). The ‘domes’ refer to the domed tower structures erected in 1785 by architect Carl von Gontard were mainly intended to add stature and grandeur to the two buildings.

Some of the most high-end restaurants, businesses and hotels are located around the Gendarmenmarkt, especially around the streets of Charlottenstrasse.

Gendarmenmarkt is home to the grandest of the Christmas markets you will find in Berlin around the holiday season. There is also an ice rink available. Admission for the Christmas markets here is 1 Euro.  The market stays open for Christmas Eve and the days after Christmas. You can even spend New Year’s Eve here, and enjoy a festive gala with various bands, fireworks, and a waltz dance after midnight.

The focus of Hamburg’s Altstadt, or Old Town, is the Rathaus on the old market square. Streets leading off the square head to the classical arcades of the stock exchange, and to the old red-brick Speicherstadt warehouses lining the river.

Away from the Elbe, the Alsterarkaden has elegant shopping arcades lined with cafes.

Along the Deichstrasse you’ll see restored 18th-century homes, and the area has some lovely old churches, including St Petri, St Katherine, St Jakobi and St Nikolai.

The Altstadt is a fine area for walking, with bridges across canals, parklands, statues and fine old buildings to discover.

One of the oldest fortresses in Germany, this medieval castle dates back to the 13th century with original owner Rudolf von Greifenstein residing here in 1226. Located in Hesse and declared a national historical landmark in 1995, the dark grey stone castle features numerous courtyards and bastions, as well as torture chambers, towers, catacombs, a baroque church, an underground chapel, herb gardens and a wine cellar. Interestingly, the castle has been destroyed and rebuilt several times, and today you’ll see sections that are in ruins while other parts are in-tact.

A major highlight of a visit to the Greifenstein Castle is its German Bell Museum, where you can view about 50 beautiful bells, some dating back to the ninth century. Bells have descriptions about how they were produced, and visitors have the chance to create their own music by chiming them. Don’t leave without also having a meal in the onsite restaurant, which is reminiscent of old times with scroll menus, knights providing entertainment and traditional meals you eat with your hands. If you have time, you can explore the hiking trails in the nearby forest.