Germany travel guide: when to go, where to go and how to plan it together

November 8, 2026 · 9 min read

Germany is a country of regions more than a single place. Berlin is raw, creative and open late; Bavaria is beer gardens, onion-domed churches and mountains; the Rhine is castles above vineyards; Hamburg is a port city of canals and brick warehouses. Each part has its own food, its own accent and its own idea of a good evening.

It is also easy to travel. Trains reach almost every town, the cities are walkable and well organised, and distances between the big ones are short enough to fit several into one trip. This guide covers when to go, where to go, a twelve-day route and what changes when you plan it with a group.

Capital: Berlin
Currency: Euro (€)
Languages: German
Plugs: Type C and F, 230 V
Driving: On the right
Time zone: UTC+1, UTC+2 in summer
Best time to go: May to September, and December for Christmas markets
Daily budget: About US$110–200 a person a day, mid-range, 2026

When to go

Spring (April to June) is mild and green, with beer gardens opening as the weather warms. May and June are among the best months for cities and for walking in the countryside. Easter and the public holidays around Ascension and Whitsun fill trains and hotels, and many shops close on the holiday itself.

Summer (July and August) is warm, often hot in the south and east, with long evenings and plenty of festivals. It is the best season for the Alps, for boat trips on the Rhine and for lakes. Cities are quieter in August, when many locals are away, and the coast and the Bavarian mountains are at their busiest. Thunderstorms are common after hot days.

Autumn (September and October) is wine harvest time on the Rhine and Moselle, with clear light and changing leaves. Oktoberfest in Munich runs from mid-to-late September into early October, and hotels in the city cost the most then. Book months ahead if your dates overlap with it, or avoid Munich in those weeks.

Winter (November to March) is cold and grey in the cities, with snow in the south and the mountains. December is the reason to come: Christmas markets run from late November until just before Christmas Day in almost every town, with mulled wine, roasted almonds and gingerbread. Between Christmas and the new year, many museums and restaurants keep shorter hours. Skiing is good in the Bavarian Alps from the new year.

Where to go

Berlin

The capital is a city of neighbourhoods that grew up apart during the years of division. Walk the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag, visit the memorials along the line of the Wall, spend a day on Museum Island, and then eat and drink in Kreuzberg, Neukölln or Prenzlauer Berg. Nights run late. Give it three or four days. For a day-by-day plan, see the 3-day Berlin itinerary.

Dresden

On the Elbe in the east, a baroque city rebuilt after the Second World War, with the domed Frauenkirche, the Zwinger palace and a long riverfront. It is a good overnight on the way south, and the rock towers and trails of Saxon Switzerland are a short trip away. One or two days.

Munich

Bavaria's capital pairs beer halls and the Marienplatz square with fine museums and the large Englischer Garten, where people surf a river wave and drink in the shade. It is clean, prosperous and a base for the mountains. Three days is comfortable.

The Bavarian Alps

South of Munich, the mountains begin quickly. Garmisch-Partenkirchen sits beneath the Zugspitze, Germany's highest peak, and the Königssee is a deep green lake reached by electric boat. Neuschwanstein, the fairytale castle, is a day trip from Munich by train and bus; it is crowded in summer, so book the visit ahead and arrive early. Two or three days if you want to hike.

The Rhine Valley

Between Bingen and Koblenz, the river runs through a gorge lined with vineyards, castles and half-timbered villages, a stretch listed by UNESCO. Ride a river boat for part of it, then take the train along the bank. Stay a night in a village such as Rüdesheim or Bacharach. One or two days.

Cologne

A city of beer halls, where the local pale beer, Kölsch, comes in small glasses and keeps coming until you put a coaster on top. The cathedral beside the station is enormous and worth climbing. Cologne works as a base for Düsseldorf and the Rhine. Two days.

Hamburg

Germany's biggest port city has the Speicherstadt warehouse district, a harbour with boat trips, the Elbphilharmonie concert hall and a famously lively nightlife around the Reeperbahn. It is cooler and wetter than the south, and it suits a long weekend.

The Black Forest

In the south-west, dark hills of fir trees, waterfalls, spa towns and cuckoo clocks, and the university city of Freiburg at its edge. It is best by car, or by train to Freiburg and Triberg. Eat the cherry and cream cake the region is named for. Two or three days.

A 12-day itinerary

Days 1–3: Berlin. Arrive, spend one day on the central sights and one on the museums, and keep a night free for the neighbourhoods.

Day 4: Dresden. About two hours from Berlin by train. See the old town, then stay the night.

Days 5–8: Munich. Dresden to Munich takes five to six hours by train, so start early. Spend two days in the city and one on Neuschwanstein or a hike in the Bavarian Alps, with a spare day for the weather.

Days 9–10: The Rhine. Munich to Frankfurt or Mainz is about three to four hours by fast train. Continue to Bingen or Rüdesheim, take a boat through the gorge, and stay a night in one of the villages.

Days 11–12: Cologne. About an hour and a half by train from the Rhine villages. Climb the cathedral tower and spend the last evening in the old town. Fly home from Cologne or Frankfurt.

With more time, add Hamburg at the start or end, or the Black Forest between Munich and the Rhine.

Getting around

Trains are the main way to travel between cities. The fast ICE trains link Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne, Frankfurt and Munich, and regional trains go almost everywhere else. Delays are common, so leave a margin of at least 20 or 30 minutes if you have a connection to a flight or an onward train. Cheap long-distance fares are tied to a specific train and sell out, so book the main journeys early; seat reservations are worth having on Fridays and Sundays. For the wider picture, see our guide to train travel in Europe.

Many states sell regional day tickets for local and regional trains that cover several people on one ticket, which can make a group of four or five much cheaper. Check what is on sale when you go.

Cities have excellent subways, trams and buses, and you usually pay with an app, a ticket machine or a ticket you validate yourself. Many stations have no barriers, but inspectors do check.

Driving helps in the Black Forest, the Bavarian Alps and the countryside. Some stretches of autobahn have no speed limit, but most do, and the left lane is for overtaking only. Many city centres are low-emission zones, and rental cars normally carry the right sticker. Read our advice on renting a car abroad before you book. In the big cities, a car is a burden.

Money and costs

Germany has used cash more than most of its neighbours, and still does. Cards are accepted in hotels, larger shops and many restaurants, but small bakeries, market stalls, beer gardens and some country restaurants take only cash or a local debit card. Carry some euros, and use a bank ATM.

Tipping is modest. Round up the bill or leave around 5–10% for good service, and tell the server the total you want when you pay, rather than leaving money on the table.

Bottles and cans carry a deposit, shown at the supermarket, which you get back by returning them to a machine. Shops close on Sundays almost everywhere, so buy food on Saturday.

Berlin and the east are cheaper than Munich and the Rhine. Beer and bakery food cost little, while hotels in Munich, trade-fair cities and the Christmas market season cost the most.

Rough daily costs a person, in 2026:

Budget: about US$65–105, with hostels, bakery breakfasts and cheap lunches.
Mid-range: about US$110–200, with hotels or apartments, restaurant meals and some fast trains.
Comfortable: US$260 and up, with good hotels, long dinners and a rental car.

Planning Germany as a group

Germany suits groups because everything is organised and the distances are short, but a few things are worth deciding early.

Stays. Hotel rooms are often built for two, and triples are rare. For four or more, look at apartments with several bedrooms, or a guesthouse in the countryside. In Munich during Oktoberfest and in cities during trade fairs, rooms sell out and prices jump, so book as soon as the dates are fixed. See where to stay with a group for how to choose.

Beer halls and tables. The big beer halls and gardens have long shared tables, which are fine for a group, but indoor restaurants fill up on Friday and Saturday evenings. Reserve for any group over four, and for Christmas market season, reserve earlier still.

Trains. Buy tickets for the whole group on one booking where you can, and agree who holds the tickets. If a train is cancelled, you want one person who can sort it out.

Costs. Because some places take only cash, one person often pays at the till and the others owe them. Log it when it happens, so you are not reconstructing a weekend of rounds at the end.

Before you go

Entry rules: check the official government site of Germany and your own government's travel advice before you book. Germany is in the Schengen area, so the rules depend on your passport.
Travel insurance that covers medical costs and cancellations.
Connectivity: an eSIM or a local SIM works well, and travellers from the EU can use their home plan. Free wifi is less common than you might expect, outside hotels and some cafés.
A plug adapter for Type C or F if you are coming from outside continental Europe.
Health: no special vaccines are usually needed; ask a travel clinic if you are unsure. Pharmacies close on Sundays, but an emergency pharmacy is always listed on the door.
Customs: be on time, greet shop staff when you enter, and use the crossing signal rather than crossing against a red light. Many places keep quiet on Sundays, so avoid noisy jobs and loud evenings in residential areas. Nazi symbols and salutes are illegal.

What to pack

Germany is a walking country, so comfortable shoes come first. Bring layers whatever the season, as weather changes fast, and a light waterproof for all of the year apart from deep winter. In summer, add sunscreen, a hat and a swimsuit for the lakes.

For winter and Christmas markets, a warm coat, hat, gloves and boots with grip are more important than extra outfits. For the Alps, bring proper hiking boots, even for easy trails, and warm layers, since mountain weather changes by the hour. A reusable bag helps at the supermarket, and a few euros in coins are useful for toilets and lockers.