10 Best cities to visit in Germany

By LH DD/Dittrich – wikimedia

Best cities to visit in Germany

Germany is a large country with a lot of diversity, giving a new experience with each region visited. 

This populous European Union country has one of the largest economies in the world.

It is the 7th most visited country in the world. The most famous sites and festivals in Germany include the Berlin Wall, Cologne Cathedral, Oktoberfest, its magnificent architecture and ancient castles.

With close to 80 cities, the country boasts of its picturesque rural castles, incredible landscapes from the northern plains to the Bavarian Alps. 

This a country that is definitely worth a visit. Here are some best cities to visit in Germany.

1. Berlin

By Cristina Tudor – wikimedia

This has been Germany’s capital city since the 13th century and is home to 3.8 million people. 

Despite its troubled past during the holocaust and the erection of the Berlin Wall in 1961 that divided the city. 

Today,  the 18th-century Brandenburg Gate from the Cold War is one of the most visited landmarks in Berlin. It is considered to be a uniting symbol.

Berlin is also famous for its art scene, cultural flair, galleries, museums and the Berlin  Opera and Philharmonic Orchestra. It also has a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

2. Frankfurt

By Mylius – wikimedia

This city is located in the central part of the country along the river main.

It is a financial center with the headquarter of the European Central Bank located in the city, the German stock exchange is also in Frankfurt.

It was also the home to the famous writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. His home was turned into a museum; the Goethe House Museum. 

The Old Town in Frankfurt was rebuilt after it was destroyed during the World War II, it now hosts the annual Christmas market.

Frankfurt is well known for its futuristic skyline mixed with old artifacts such as the Römer, the Römerberg, Main tower, Palmengarten (Botanical garden), Städel Museum among other attractions.

3. Munich

Lauro Sirgado -wikimedia

Munich is the capital city of Bavaria, a federal state of Germany. It has many museums and buildings that are centuries old. 

This city is famously known for the Oktoberfest, an annual beer festival and funfair celebrated for two weeks.

This is a 19th-century tradition dating back to the marriage of the crown prince of Bavaria.  

The city has beautiful architecture, fine culture, Hofbräuhaus, and a number of beer gardens. It has the best-preserved museums in Germany. 

4. Hamburg

By Dontpanic – wikimedia

Hamburg is a port city in the northern part of the country connected to the North Sea by the Elbe River. It is the second-largest city after Berlin.

The city acts as a link between the sea and Germany’s network of inland waterways. Its famous harbor is the Port of Hamburg. 

The Hafengeburtstag is an annual festival celebrating the anniversary of the port.

This city has more canals than Venice and Amsterdam combined. It is also home to the 18th century St. Michael Church.

Boat rides on the Alster lake, an artificial lake in Hamburg, is an exciting experience during the summer. Hamburg has cafés that serve the best coffee in the region.

Activities to do and places to visit while in Hamburg include: a visit to the Speicherstadt a world heritage site, hafencity,  and Elbphilharmonie.

5. Cologne

By Hu Nhu – wikimedia

Cologne is located along the Rhine River in Western Germany. It is considered to be the region’s cultural hub. 

This city is more than 2000 years old and has landmarks of Gothic architecture, reconstructed towns and the medieval Cologne cathedral that has the best viewing point of the river. 

It has 12 Romanesque churches, the oldest and largest university in Europe, museums exhibiting 20th-century art such as masterpieces by Picasso, and roman antiques at the Romano-Germanic Museum.

Top sites to visit and activities in Cologne include : Cologne Cathedral, Rhine cruises, The Chocolate Factory, a taste of Kölsch beer only in Cologne bars, Cable car rides over beautiful landscapes.

6. Leipzig City

Leipzig is a city in Saxony, a federal state in Germany. It is the most populous with at least 600,000 people. 

The city has lots of history dating back to the 18th and 19th century.

The St. Thomas Church in Leipzig is famous as the place where Johann Sebastian Bach was a music director from 1723 to 1750. 

Leipzig has rich culture too with a new crop of artists and cultural firebrands that have shaped the city into an attractive destination. 

A visit to the Old city hall, market square a tour of St. Thomas and St. Nicholas churches, Museum der Bildenden Künste, Zeitgeschichtliches Forum and the Panorama square will give a fresh and enticing perspective of the city and the culture of the people.

7. Düsseldorf City

This city is the center of fashion and art in Germany. It is the capital of North-Rhine Westphalia.

It is in Western Germany divided by the Rhine River with its old town situated on the east bank while the commercial areas sit to the west.

On the old town is the St. Lambertus Church and the castle tower that date back to the 13th century, there are boutique shops along the Königsallee and Schadowstrasse streets. 

The city’s buzzing nightlife does not miss its indigenous dark beer Altbier, a top-fermented Rhineland brewing tradition. 

 Düsseldorf has a famous shopping street lined with many high-end stores. A visit to the Museum Kunst Palast will uncover the best of Rhineland’s art collections.

8. Stuttgart City

This city is home to the world’s greatest car brands; Mercedes and Porsche. The museums of these top brands are also located in the city.

Stuttgart is also home to VfB Stuttgart football team, Germany’s division 2 Bundesliga. 

It is the second city in Germany to host the biggest beer festival after Munich’s Oktoberfest. The Cannstatter Volksfest and Stuttgarter Frühlingsfest.

The city has a mix of both modern and old architecture from the 19th century. It has a UNESCO World Heritage Site; the two Le Corbusier houses at the Weissenhof Estate.

9. Nuremberg City

Nuremberg is in the second-largest city in Bavaria, same federal state as Munich.

It has slightly more than half a million inhabitants and is the 14th largest city in Germany.

Nuremberg is one of the most famous cities in Germany with its historical landmarks and fortified old town.

It has always been the commercial hub of the country since the Middle Ages and this can still be felt today.

It was once the informal capital of the Roman Empire. The documentation center Nazi party rally grounds exhibit the horrific history of the Nazi regime.

While in Nuremberg, a visit to the Altstadt, St. Lorenz church and the colorful streets is worthwhile. 

10. Heidelberg Town

This one of the smallest towns in Germany. It is in the southwestern region of the country. 

It has one of the oldest universities that was founded in the 14th century, Heidelberg University.  

The town is also dotted with Gothic Heiliggeistkirche church towers and cafés at the Marketplace at the town square in Old Town.

Heidelberg is favorite tourist destination with romantic cityscape, baroque old town, philosophers walk and the red-sandstone ruins of Heidelberg Castle.