Germany: 10 Must-See Destinations: There are many essential places to see in Germany that deserve to be included on a route through this great country. In addition to these, there are incredible cities to visit in Germany, such as Berlin, Munich, Cologne, Bremen, or Hamburg, to which you can dedicate from a weekend to 4 or 5 days to have first contact with them.
And if you want to enjoy great landscapes and fairytale castles, one of the most recommended options is to rent a car and explore areas such as the Black Forest, the Romantic Road, or Bavaria.
Based on the numerous times that we have visited this country, about which we wrote this guide to Germany, we leave you with a list of what we believe are the 10 places to see in Germany that we consider most essential. Let’s start!
Germany: 10 Must-See Destinations: 1. Neuschwanstein Castle
It is considered one of the most impressive castles in the world and was built by order of King Ludwig II, nicknamed the Mad King. Furthermore, as a matter of curiosity, Neuschwanstein Castle was used by Walt Disney as a reference to the design of Sleeping Beauty Castle.
The best views of the castle are obtained from Mary’s Bridge ( Marienbrücke ), from where you can enjoy the castle with incredible landscapes in the background.
You can include a visit to this charming castle on a car route through Bavaria, or another good option is to visit it from Munich, booking a day trip to Neuschwanstein Castle by bus or this train excursion, one of the best excursions from Munich.
2. Berlin
Berlin is the capital of Germany, as well as a city of character, completely rebuilt after the Second World War. On our trip to Berlin in 4 days, we visited many of its great avenues, museums, and great buildings, but above all, we enjoyed the great atmosphere of this multicultural city.
Germany: 10 Must-See Destinations: There are many places to visit in Berlin, but we recommend some that you cannot miss, such as seeing the Brandenburg Gate day and night, walking along Unter den Linden Avenue, shopping along Kurfürstendamm Avenue, visiting the Pergamon Museum and the New Museum, touring the Berlin Wall, entering the Berlin Cathedral, seeing the atmosphere of Alexanderplatz, or eating the best currywurst with a large mug of beer in one of its restaurants or food stalls.
If you have more days in the city, you can take a trip to one of the closest places, such as an excursion to the beautiful city of Potsdam or a visit to learn more about the history of the overwhelming Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp. Both are considered two of the best tours and excursions from Berlin in Spanish.
3. The Black Forest
An endless forest and very dense vegetation led the Romans to nickname this area of southern Germany, the Black Forest. This region of immense forests, rivers, lakes, waterfalls, wooden houses, and farms is one of the most essential places to see in Germany. The most notable thing about the Black Forest, along with its landscapes, is the fairytale towns that you can find such as Gengenbach, Sasbachwalden, Seebach, Durbach or Triberg, with their famous waterfalls.
You also can’t miss visiting cities like Freiburg or Baden Baden, and of course, try their delicious Black Forest cake and take one of their typical cuckoo clocks as a souvenir.
The best way to visit the Black Forest is by taking a route by car that allows you the freedom to stop at any of its natural viewpoints.
Although we could say that it is best to have many days to get to know it, the time needed to do a good route through the Black Forest would be around a week, although depending on your pace of travel you may have to add or subtract a couple of days.
4. Munich
There are many things to see and do in Munich, the capital of Bavaria and one of the great cities of Germany. The city has a beautiful historic center that highlights the incredible Marienplatz and its New Town Hall, where you cannot miss entering the Frauenkirche church.
Another of the city’s great attractions is its parks, such as the Renaissance Hofgarten Garden or the English Garden, where you can even surf and are also perfect for relaxing. And of course, before leaving Munich,- don’t forget to have a big mug of beer at the historic Hofbräuhaus or watch a Bayern game at the Allianz Arena, if you’re a football fan.
If you visit the city at the end of September, don’t forget that the Oktoberfest is celebrated, the beer festival and real madness. So if your dates coincide, it is best to book in advance, since both the flights and the accommodation fly by.
Having free days in Munich can also allow you to take several day trips to visit essential places in Germany such as the Dachau Concentration Camp or Neuschwanstein Castle.
5. The romantic route
A journey through palaces, medieval castles, historic cities, fairytale towns, and incredible landscapes is what the almost 400 kilometers of the Romantic Route offer. This trip is perfect to do in a rental car, filling the trunk with food and thus enjoying a good picnic in front of its great landscapes.
The Romantic Road road runs from Würzburg to Füssen, a town that is located near Neuschwanstein Castle and that you can take advantage of to visit. One of the obligatory stops on the route is Rothenburg ob der Tauber, one of the most beautiful towns to visit in Europe It stands out for its medieval atmosphere, its colorful half-timbered houses, stone streets, and the wall that surrounds it.
Other worthwhile places in the area are the castles of Dinkelsbühl and Colmberg, the Pfaffenwinkel area famous for its churches, and Augsburg considered the oldest city in Germany.
6. Dresden, one of the essential cities to see in Germany
At the end of the Second World War, there was the great bombing of Dresden by the British and American air forces, which destroyed the historic center and a large part of the city. Capital of Saxony and known as the ” Florence of the Elbe “, for its beauty, it took years to recover its splendor and the works are still ongoing in some buildings in the old town.
Right now it is still one of the most beautiful cities in Europe and you can easily visit it in a weekend. Climb the dome of the Fraunkirche church with good views of the city, visit the Royal Palace, walk along the Brühl terrace, see the Fürstenzug mural, enter the Zwinger, a baroque palace complex, cross the Augustus Bridge to the Neustadt, walking through the Blasewitz neighborhood or relaxing in the Great Garden, are just some of the many essential places to see in Dresden.
7. Oberammergau
On our 4-day trip to Bavaria, one of the places we had marked in red to visit was the town of Oberammergau, a charming town, located in the south of Bavaria surrounded by beautiful landscapes in the valley of the Ammer River.
What attracts the most attention in Oberammergau are the facades of its houses, decorated with colorful and beautiful frescoes, which represent children’s stories. Among the facades that we liked the most were the ones painted with the story of Little Red Riding Hood, that of Hansel and Gretel, and the Pilatushaus house. In addition, the town is also famous for its beautiful wood carvings, which are displayed in many of the town’s shop windows.
8. Bremen
Bremen is one of the most beautiful cities and another of the most essential places to see in Germany. On our getaway to Bremen and Hamburg in 4 days we enjoyed its old town in which the Market Square stands out. The city of Bremen is also famous for the Grim Brothers’ story “The Bremen Musicians”, near the Town Hall you can see a funny statue with a dog, a cat, a donkey, and a rooster. Another of the places that you can see in the city are the Cathedral of Saint Peter, Böttcherstraße Street, the Schnoor neighborhood or its beautiful windmill.
9. Quedlinburg
Quedlinbug, located on the banks of the Bode River in Saxony, is another city to visit in Germany. The city dazzles with its more than 1,200 half-timbered houses built from the 15th century onwards, through which walking is like feeling like time has stopped. In addition to walking through the old town, you cannot miss the Market Square where the town hall (Rathaus) is located, climb the castle and visit one of its churches.-
10. Lake Constance
Lake Constance, with an area of more than 500km², is located between three countries: Switzerland, Austria, and Germany. Walking along the lake shore allows you to enjoy towns with medieval charm and beautiful landscapes between vineyards, gardens, and forests. Another activity that you cannot miss is taking a boat ride on the lake or visiting one of its islands such as Lindau.
It is an ideal place to spend the summer, go hiking or cycling, and enjoy a relaxed vacation by the lake. Among the towns in the area that you cannot miss, Meersburg stands out, with a beautiful historic center of narrow streets and beautiful architecture.