A photograph of Germany

Country guide

Places to visit in Germany — page 5

Germany runs from the Baltic and North Sea coasts in the north down to the Alps in the south, and its 16 states have kept enough separateness that the country r...

Photograph · Llez · CC BY-SA 3.0

21,822 Places
2Cities

Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

Germany runs from the Baltic and North Sea coasts in the north down to the Alps in the south, and its 16 states have kept enough separateness that the country reads as a set of destinations rather than one. Over 83 million people live in them, more than any other European Union member. Berlin is the capital and the largest single city, Frankfurt is the financial centre, and the largest urban area is neither - it is the Ruhr, a belt of western towns that have grown into each other. Choosing between the Bavarian south, the Rhine, the Hanseatic north and the eastern cities is the actual planning decision; the distances are short and the places are not variations on one another.

Checked 2026-08-25

Cities

Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.

Practical information

Language spoken
German
National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
Dialling code
+49
International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
Currency
Euro (EUR)
Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
Emergency number
112 medical/fire · 110 police
Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
Plug type
Type C and F · 230 V
Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
Tap water
Safe from the mains
Public drinking water is regulated under national drinking-water rules

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

  1. DDR Museum DDR Museum
    82 1 hr 30 min

    DDR Museum

    DDR-Museum

    The DDR Museum is an interactive Berlin museum about everyday life in the former German Democratic Republic. Rather than presenting East German history only through cases of documents, it invites visitors into reconstructed domestic spaces and hands-on displays.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Berlin
  2. Alter Botanischer Garten Alter Botanischer Garten
    83 1 hour

    Alter Botanischer Garten

    Alter Botanischer Garten is a historic public park in central Munich near Karlsplatz-Stachus. The site housed Munich’s original botanical garden from 1812 until the gardens moved to Nymphenburg in 1914.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Munich
  3. Abbey Church of St. Anna Abbey Church of St. Anna
    84 45 min

    Abbey Church of St. Anna

    Sankt-Anna-Klosterkirche

    Abbey Church of St. Anna, locally known as Sankt-Anna-Klosterkirche, is a religious building in Munich and serves as the church of a Benedictine abbey. The church has an active religious purpose as well as architectural and cultural interest for visitors.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Munich
  4. Berlin Musical Instrument Museum Berlin Musical Instrument Museum
    85 1 hr 30 min

    Berlin Musical Instrument Museum

    Musikinstrumenten-Museum

    Berlin Musical Instrument Museum, known locally as Musikinstrumenten-Museum, is a specialist Berlin museum devoted to musical instruments.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Berlin
  5. Museum of Decorative Arts Museum of Decorative Arts
    86 1 hr 30 min

    Museum of Decorative Arts

    Kunstgewerbemuseum

    Berlin’s Museum of Decorative Arts, the Kunstgewerbemuseum, explores the history of applied art and design through objects made for use, display and ceremony. It forms part of the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin and brings together craftsmanship across several centuries.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Berlin
  6. New Synagogue Berlin New Synagogue Berlin
    87 30 min

    New Synagogue Berlin

    Neue Synagoge

    The Neue Synagoge, or New Synagogue Berlin, stands on Oranienburger Straße as one of the city's most significant Jewish heritage landmarks.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
    • Berlin
  7. BMW Welt BMW Welt
    88 1 hr 30 min

    BMW Welt

    BMW Welt is a major visitor destination in Munich associated with the Bavarian automaker. The facility serves as a delivery center, exhibition space, and brand experience venue.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Munich
  8. Theater des Westens Theater des Westens
    89 1 hour

    Theater des Westens

    Stage Theater des Westens

    Theater des Westens is a major Berlin theatre venue in Charlottenburg, operating under the Stage Theater des Westens name. It belongs in a Berlin evening plan for travellers who want a full theatrical production in an established performance setting.

    • Must see
    • Art and culture venue
    • Berlin
  9. Museum Berlin-Karlshorst Museum Berlin-Karlshorst
    90 1 hr 30 min

    Museum Berlin-Karlshorst

    Museum Berlin-Karlshorst is a memorial and historical museum in Berlin’s eastern Karlshorst district. It occupies the building where German armed forces signed the unconditional surrender on 8 May 1945, bringing the Second World War in Europe to its end.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Berlin
  10. James Simon Gallery James Simon Gallery
    91 1 hr 30 min

    James Simon Gallery

    James-Simon-Galerie

    The James Simon Gallery serves as the main entrance building for Berlin's Museum Island, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Named after Jewish art patron James Simon, the structure was designed by British architect David Chipperfield.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Berlin
  11. Topography of Terror Topography of Terror
    92 1 hr 30 min

    Topography of Terror

    Topographie des Terrors

    The Topography of Terror is an outdoor and indoor history museum in Berlin, Germany. It stands on the former site of the Gestapo and SS headquarters, the central instruments of Nazi persecution.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Berlin
  12. Memorial to the Sinti and Roma victims of National Socialism Memorial to the Sinti and Roma victims of National Socialism
    93 45 min

    Memorial to the Sinti and Roma victims of National Socialism

    Denkmal für die im Nationalsozialismus ermordeten Sinti und Roma Europas

    The Memorial to the Sinti and Roma victims of National Socialism is a Berlin monument dedicated to European Sinti and Roma murdered under Nazi rule.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Berlin
  13. Bierpinsel Bierpinsel
    94 1 hour

    Bierpinsel

    Bierpinsel is a distinctive tower structure in Berlin, Germany. The building features an unusual architectural design that has made it a recognizable landmark in the city's urban landscape.

    • High
    • Art and culture venue
    • Berlin
  14. Schack Collection Schack Collection
    95 1 hr 30 min

    Schack Collection

    Sammlung Schack

    The Schack Collection, known locally as Sammlung Schack, is an art museum in Munich. It ranks as a notable visitor destination within the city's cultural offerings.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Munich
  15. Chinese Tower Chinese Tower
    96 45 min

    Chinese Tower

    Chinesischer Turm

    The Chinese Tower is a wooden pagoda-style structure located in Munich's Englischer Garten, one of the world's largest urban parks. Built in 1790, the tower stands approximately 25 metres tall and was designed by architect Johann Baptist Lechner.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Munich
  16. Prinzregententheater Prinzregententheater
    97 1 hour

    Prinzregententheater

    Prinzregententheater is a major theatre building in Munich, Germany. Constructed in the early twentieth century, it represents an important period of Bavarian cultural patronage under Prince Regent Luitpold.

    • High
    • Art and culture venue
    • Munich
  17. State Museum of Egyptian Art State Museum of Egyptian Art
    98 1 hr 30 min

    State Museum of Egyptian Art

    Staatliches Museum Ägyptischer Kunst

    The State Museum of Egyptian Art, locally Staatliches Museum Ägyptischer Kunst, is Munich’s specialist museum for ancient Egyptian art and archaeology. Its identity comes from a concentrated collection of sculptures, reliefs, funerary objects, and related artefacts connected with Egyptian culture.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Munich
  18. Berlin Mosque Berlin Mosque
    99 30 min

    Berlin Mosque

    Wilmersdorfer Moschee

    Berlin Mosque, also known as Wilmersdorfer Moschee, is an active Islamic place of worship in Berlin’s Wilmersdorf district. It serves a local Muslim community and forms part of the city’s diverse religious landscape.

    • High
    • Place of worship
    • Berlin
  19. Palaeontological Museum Palaeontological Museum
    100 1 hr 30 min

    Palaeontological Museum

    Paläontologisches Museum

    The Palaeontological Museum in Munich is a specialized natural-history museum devoted to fossils, ancient life and the geological story of evolution. It forms part of the Bavarian State Collection for Palaeontology and Geology, connecting public display with scientific research.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Munich
  20. Berggruen Museum Berggruen Museum
    101 1 hr 30 min

    Berggruen Museum

    Museum Berggruen

    Berggruen Museum, also known as Museum Berggruen, is a focused modern-art museum in Berlin’s Charlottenburg district. Its galleries present works associated with Pablo Picasso, Paul Klee, Henri Matisse, and Alberto Giacometti.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Berlin
  21. St. Peter's Church St. Peter's Church
    102 30 min

    St. Peter's Church

    St. Peter

    St. Peter’s Church, known locally as St. Peter, is a historic church in Munich’s city centre. The building is one of the city’s notable religious landmarks and forms part of the architectural character of Munich’s historic core.

    • High
    • Place of worship
    • Munich
  22. Blutenburg Castle Blutenburg Castle
    103 45 min

    Blutenburg Castle

    Schloss Blutenburg

    Blutenburg Castle, or Schloss Blutenburg, is a historic castle complex in western Munich beside the Würm River. The site began as a medieval ducal hunting residence and preserves the character of a compact Bavarian noble ensemble.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Munich
  23. Jewish Museum Munich Jewish Museum Munich
    104 1 hr 30 min

    Jewish Museum Munich

    Jüdisches Museum

    The Jewish Museum Munich, known locally as Jüdisches Museum, is a cultural institution in Munich dedicated to Jewish history, art, and culture in the city.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Munich
  24. Mauerpark Mauerpark
    105 1 hour

    Mauerpark

    Mauerpark is a public park in Berlin's Prenzlauer Berg district, occupying a former section of the death strip associated with the Berlin Wall. The name translates directly to Wall Park, referencing this divided history.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Berlin
  25. Stachus Stachus
    106 45 min

    Stachus

    Karlsplatz (Stachus)

    Karlsplatz, colloquially known as Stachus, is a major square in central Munich. The name Stachus derives from a former inn, the Beim Stachusgarten, which once stood nearby.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Munich

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·

Common questions

How long should a first trip to Germany be?

Seven to ten days works for Berlin plus one connected region, or for a focused Rhine, Bavaria or northern-city route. Germany’s rail network makes multi-city travel practical, but changing bases every night still reduces useful time.

What entry documents are needed for Germany?

Germany’s Federal Foreign Office is the official visa reference. Review its nationality-specific entry rules and the Schengen application guidance for the passport and route being used.

What is the best way to travel around Germany?

Intercity and high-speed trains connect Germany’s major cities, with regional services completing shorter journeys. Deutsche Bahn publishes the integrated timetable; airport choice should follow the route rather than defaulting to one national gateway.

When is a practical time to visit Germany?

May through September favours outdoor city and countryside travel, while December has a distinct seasonal-market pattern. Alpine, North Sea and urban conditions differ enough that the intended region should determine clothing and reservations.

What money and payment basics apply in Germany?

Germany uses the euro (EUR). Cash and card practices are not stated as a single national rule in the cited source, so travellers should carry a backup and check the payment method before ordering or boarding.

What practical safety details should I save for Germany?

For Germany, 112 reaches medical and fire services and 110 reaches police. Type C and F plugs use 230 V, and mains tap water is recorded as safe.