Is Germany just freaking amazing?

One really good weekend in the Bavarian beer halls is worth the trip.

My first trip to Germany was 48 years ago, and the locals would get you sitting with them dipping snuff. Buy one round for the table, and that was the last beer you'd ever buy.

Nope Munich which is probably listed in the book is not all that great. Beer seems to be a big part of the scene but it is not all that varied or great compared to what they do Belgian and elsewhere; the times are always changing.
In sum, it is not possible that you are going to be awed by everything you read

I have seen Aachen, Munich, Nuremburg, Bamberg, Frankfurt, Wurzburg, Berlin, Bremen, Cologne and Lubeck and Rothenburg ob de Tauber so far and have not been blown away by any. I would go back to Berlin though

I love Germany! We've only been in the west and south west, but we've enjoyed every place we've visited. We enjoy our beer and wine so have had fun sampling the local products and traveling in the wine producing areas. Bavaria is beautiful, the Black Forest has lots of interesting towns and villages, the Pfalz, Rhine, Moselle, and Franconia wine growing areas are dotted with vineyards and hundreds of large and small wineries. Love the beautiful towns with the flowers cascading from window boxes. Transportation is easy - well organized trains, buses, autobahn routes. What can I say.... go!

Count me among those who find Germany (and the German-speaking world) freaking amazing. I have no German heritage. Alcohol gives me a headache and makes flush terribly, so drinking it is not a pleasant experience for me. But I love Germany! The history is simply amazing... from Charlemagne to current day. I love the language (and am working on learning it). I find the people pretty fascinating, too.

Berlin is easily my favorite large city. I will do nights #27-33 since May 2016 there this coming May. There is so much to do! I loved the Berchtesgaden area -- beautiful scenery, great hiking. I enjoyed the natural beauty of the Black Forest, Bodensee, and the Upper Middle Rhine Valley, along with each area's architecture, including great castles in the Rhine Valley. Leipzig is a great city -- grand history and disproportionate role in the story of the collapse of the DDR (former East Germany). I enjoyed Christmas markets in Stuttgart and its surroundings. Bremen is an interesting place to explore. Munich? Meh... okay... I guess they can't all be winners.

I'm looking forward to a 2-week trek through Bavaria in 2020 (including a stop for the Oberammergau passion play) and a 3-week trek through the Harz Mountains, Weimar, Saxon Switzerland, and Görlitz in 2021 (bumped from fall 2019).

If I ranked all 23 the countries I've seen in Europe favorite to least favorite, Germany would not be in the top half...but not dead last. Actually, I've not hated any European country. Germany as a whole just didn't grab me for some reason. I loved a few places, and I found some of the history amazing, but it's not a country I think about returning to.

But everyone is different. Maybe you'll love it.

I've enjoyed all my trips to various parts of Germany and would certainly recommend visiting there, especially as you haven't been before. Each part of the country is somewhat unique and you'll probably find that Munich has a different "vibe" than Berlin. The Hofbrauhaus and other beer halls are nice to see briefly, but for me that's not a big priority. I also want to learn something of the culture and history.

I suppose your experiences in Germany may be determined at least partially by your interests, but probably more importantly by your attitude. If you go there expecting to be "wowed", you probably will be. With only a very short 12 days, you're not going to have time to see much, so prioritizing and limiting your stay to two or three cities will be necessary.

Gute Reise!

I think Germany is amazing but not really the parts and towns that Rick likes. He really needs to move outside his little narrow box of Bavaria is best and that it is the "real" Germany. Seriously visit some other towns and give up on his pre-conceived notions about what is Germany.

Even as a German I love the diversity of cultures and experiences that my country offers. The history part makes it even more interesting - not only what tourist guides are talking but what was really happening in history which are layers of centuries on every region. And for sure it makes sense to know when to be where of include or avoid certain experiences, e.g. Oktoberfest or Karneval (date of travel matters per region).

Just 2 more things I like to contribute:

1) Top 100 attractions in Germany visitors liked most (2017).

2) Germany is very manifold and has a lot of fine and detailed but also some definite cultural differences which makes it very interesting. Food and beer are the best example to see how different the regions are. When traveling Germany as a whole you always travel multiple regions which could also be own countries (actually they were in the past), e.g. still today you can feel the Prussian stamp on some regions, e.g. two of the first league soccer teams stil were the name "Borussia" which is simply new Latin for Prussia.

Visitors will find that cultural diversity also in other European countries such as Italy, example Südtirol where a lot of people still have strong German roots. Switzerland is of course a very obvious example with 4 spoken languages. Also France has remarkable regional cultures - one of that was even brought into a very successful movie with the title "Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis" (really worth seeing).

"awesome" and 'freaking amazing" My answer is yes. Out of ten countries visited in Europe, Germany is one of the two most amazing. That's one reason I keep going back.

My first trip to Europe as a college backpacker in 1971 focused seven of the 12 weeks I had on traveling in Germany, starting from up north, ie, Travemünde and ending up in Munich by the end of the seven weeks. Now after 24 trips in 47 years, I still find it amazing to go to; every trip to Europe includes going back to Germany.

Where...that depends, to the east or the south or way up north, Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, etc , the central area.

Germany is amazing but don't let guide books such as RS dictate where you should go in Germany. If you relying on guide books to plan out a trip to Germany, don't rely on merely one, such as the RS book. I never used it at all. There are numerous, numerous places to see in Germany, don't just go to places sought after by international and American tourists. The key is go to places where they don't visit.

See towns/cities like Marburg, Celle, Tübingen, Weimar, Lüneburg, Husum, Schwerin, Meissen, Leipzig, Halle, Naumburg an der

Saale, Jena, Ingolstadt, Eutin/Hostein, Minden, Hameln, Rhensberg/Brandenburg, Schleswig, Ludwigslust, Potsdam, Magdeburg, etc.

I have been to all but a handful of the countries in Europe. Having lived in Germany, I have a special affinity for the country.

Germany is efficient, clean and functions very well. The trains run on time. Back when travelers checks were in use, I remember taking an hour in a bank in Madrid to cash them for the local currency. The same thing in Germany took 5 minutes.

Also, where else can you go 100 MPH on the autobahns?

Still, my favorite countries in Europe are Italy and Great Britain. Still, Germany is lots of fun to visit.

Germany is still one of my favourite countries. Bavaria is not the only region worth a visit, and indeed not even the best. Because of its size and history all areas have a totally different look and feel. The Hanseatic cities in the north can't be compared to the small half-timbered towns of central Germany, and everywhere you find wonderful palaces (residences) from the times Germany was a collection of dozens of smaller and larger independent states. Avoid the much touted so-called "must sees" and you'll have a wonderful time.
One thing, however, is the same all over Germany: it has excellent public transport, is well-organised and friendly.

"The trains run on time" - good old times :-)
Just to manage expectations: Deutsche Bahn and some local transport providers (some also operated by DB) have serious trouble currently. The on-time ratio (expected arrival time + 6 minutes) of Deutsche Bahn long-haul trains were down to 70% last August, not much better in November. Cancelled train connections were not included in that count.

I find Germany absolutely wonderful.

I enjoy Bavaria and go as often as I can. I often concentrate on the northern half - Nuremberg, Bamberg, Regensburg, and the countryside all the way west to Bad Wimpfen - as well as the southern bit towards the Alps, there is just so much to see just in one federal state or Land.

But I don't limit myself to Bavaria. Just as beautiful, but in different ways, are Baden-Württemberg, Pfalz, Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, and several other states. The problem is that virtually all of the places I go outside Bavaria never make it into Rick's books or videos.

In order to really explore Germany you need to spread your search a little into other guidebooks. There are many many places as beautiful or original or representative than those which make Rick's books - he provides a selective and selected list of what he wants to show, and 80 percent or more of the country never makes it in.

With the short amount of time that you have you will need to pick and choose. If you have sufficient "Ooh, that sounds cool, I wanna do that!" places to fill your time it is probably not good to search for more.

It sounds like you really like travelling the way you have been, using the RS guides. If that is so, it is probably worth sticking with the tried-and-true.

We love Bavaria. Mostly south of Munich. We’ve been 11 times and never tire of the scenery and friendliness. It’s too easy to include the Austrian Alps, so I’d recommend doing so.

If one had only 12 full days and going for the first time, I would recommend 3-4 cites at most in Germany. Spend the entire time in Germany.

First of all, Berlin, (plus an afternoon in Potsdam), Frankfurt (where you probably land), Cologne, and finally, Dresden or Leipzig (plus an afternoon in Weimar). The rest of the east and North Germany will have to wait for a second trip.

Warning: Political statement: What amazed me about the Munich area is how such a lovely area could spawn such an ugly person: Hitler.

He was Austrian

Nigel - exactly what I was going to say!

Germany is meh for me.

fredandkell, Yes Germany is amazing. So is France, Italy, England, etc. Its a big country too. You can always find enough to fill whatever time you have in any country. But it depends on you, not the country. You have to know what interests you enough to look for it. And 12 days is not a lot of time - Thats one country or 2-3 cities to me.

Interesting discussion! I guess, like anything, travel is subjective to everyone. For example, I'm one who thought Italy was not exactly meh, but not as wow as everyone makes it out to be. Thanks for all the opinions and suggestions!

There are many European countries I would put ahead of Germany--the UK, Ireland, Italy, Iceland, Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark just to name a few.

I've lived in Bavaria for 3 years, and I do love Germany. But there's so much to see in Europe that it's hard to say it's the best. Austria, The Czech Republic, Southern France, the East coast of Spain, Northern Italy; there's so much! Even the northern countries are fun if you do them right (not in winter).

Still, if you have two weeks to see Germany you can easily use it all and never go anywhere else. There's parts of the country I still don't know well and I've been back a dozen times. Pick three things you really want to see and build a trip around that. If you drive down the back roads you may have trouble doing all of those because it's easy to stop in a town and lose track of time. Towns RS and the tours never see are great! Idar-Oberstein, Crailsheim, Ulm, Magdeberg, Trier, Aachen; all these old cities with history and not on everyone's list.

What tour goes to Wittenberg to see the church where Martin Luther started the reformation? Or to Fulda (or Hof), to see the Gap where WWIII was supposed to start? To Weimar where the old German Republic was seated? To Lubeck? Or Kiel where the sub pens are? You can go up the Zugspitz and stand where three countries come together, but did you know you can do the same thing on a street corner in Basel?

Go. Spend a couple weeks in Germany. Then, next time, you'll have to face the awful question of do I go someplace I already love, or try something new?

I love, love, love Germany! I love how seriously they take beer. I love the food. My most recent stay was in Fussen and even though it rained the entire time, I went on a great hike (thanks to a recommendation by hotel staff) and then ate an amazing meal of pork, sauerkraut, and dumplings. You could easily spend 12 days there. Germany should be at the top of your list, given the places you've already been!

In 1995 and '97 my traveling in France was much more in depth, ie going to places other than just Paris, such as Toulon, Strasbourg and environs, Nord Pas-de-Calais, the Somme area, Ardeche, etc, etc.

A good friend of mine whom I had known since my sophomore college days asked me if France held such interest for me as to spend the entire summer there, ( assuming if I could), as he already knew that Germany easily held such an interest for me, ie spending all summer there to the extent of the Schengen constraint. I told him...yes, absolutely.

For him spending the whole summer in France was beyond his imagination. True, it's all very subjective.

@ KGC...You probably know this already. The sub pens (U-Boat) are also in Lorient/Brittany.

True what you say of Magdeburg, Lübeck, and also Weimar known as "Deutschlands Dichterstadt und Kulturstadt" (city of poets)

Nobody has mentioned Dresden which has a lot of history and a short ride to Gorlitz and also Meissen where the porcelain is made.
I have been all over Germany and the Dresden area was very interesting.
Mike

Pay special attention to Jo's comments above. Rick steers readers to the tourist beehives of Germany. If you want to get to know Germany, it is more than deserving of 12 days, but not 12 days surrounded by international tourists. Use a more comprehensive guide as your principal source for research.

I am wondering why nobody gets the idea to ask Germans where they spend their vacations in Germany ;-) This way you will discover a lot of places you will find in no English language guide book.

@ MarkK...quite true. If one travels enough or extensively in Germany, you will know and see where Germans go on vacation in Germany, which is certainly not en masse where Americans go. Those are the interesting if not downright amazing places where the Germans go.

I've spent a few months total in Germany and still no further north than Coburg. I keep in touch with two couples in southern Bavaria. For holidays, one of the couples usually visit the Lower Saxony area or one of the Greek islands, the other couple visits the vineyards around Wurzburg (their original home) or Naples, Florida (for shopping and sunshine).