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Thanks to the different regional princedoms, earldoms, monarchies and states Germany did not develop unique during the last centuries. Thus Germany has not one but many major cities. And each city has its own unique character, formed by its history and the surrounding region. Each is a whole new world unto itself in which you will experience not only different architectural styles and art treasures but also a very distinctive lifestyle. Local traditions and mentalities are clearly reflected everywhere - in the arts, the nightlife, the shops, the pubs and restaurants and the way people work and live.
To start in the north, spend some days in Hamburg, Bremenor Lubeck, those old "Hanse" cities, whose prosperity arose out of the citizens ship trade market. Berlin, the capital, is of course one of the top travel destinations in Germany - no matter if you are going there for business, cultural or political reasons or just to enjoy yourself: Berlin has everything! Right in the centre Hannover is worth a visit. In the eastern part of Germany, you can find real jewels: Leipzig, Weimar, Schwerinand even Dresden, although it was bombed horribly, saved lots of their prewar architectural heritage. Continue going southwards, maybe with passing Nuremnberg, you will sooner or later meet Munich, the capital city of beer, but also of art, with the famous Pinakothek. It is a good starting point to find the treasures of Bavaria.

Discover the beautiful south west of Germany with cities like Freiburg, Heidelberg and Tubingen. In the western part cities still have some french influence, discover Bonn, Dusseldorf, Cologne - the heart of the Rhineland, Trier, the oldest city of Germany and a former capital of the Roman Empire or Aachen with its impressive cathedral.
Today Germany is also an industrial powerhouse. In the Ruhrgebiet (Essen, Oberhausen, Duisburg and surrounding) there is heavy industry, different car brands like Mercedes (near Stuttgart), BMW and VW make Germany one of the worlds biggest car producers and Frankfurt is the country's bank and finance centre, called also "Mainhattan". All this makes that the standard of living is among the highest in the world.
To make the different cities and sights more accessible to you, we have divide Gremany into regions. Click on the regions to find more info about them and the cities that are in them.
After years of seperation between West Germany and the DDR, the country is now growing together back again, a longer and maybe painfuller process than many expected. At the same time has Germany become a more normal country. If you look at the history of Germany this century, being normal is not a bad thing.
Last edited by Gary (3:45, 23 June 2006)
Boat Tour of The Rhine
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by Marie on 13 March 2006
We took a boat tour of The Rhine and loved it. We caught the boat in Koplenz, Germany and traveled down to St. Goar. This took approximately 3 hours. We had lunch on the boat which was delicious. All in all, a perfect way to truly enjoy the beauty of all the castles situated along The Rhine River.