Contents at a Glance Introduction...1 Part I: Introducing Germany...7 Chapter 1: Discovering the Best of Germany...9 Chapter 2: Digging Deeper into Germany...15 Chapter 3: Deciding Where and When to Go...24 Chapter 4: Following an Itinerary: Four Great Options...38 Part II: Planning Your Trip to Germany...47 Chapter 5: Managing Your Money...49 Chapter 6: Getting to Germany...60 Chapter 7: Getting Around Germany...67 Chapter 8: Booking Your Accommodations...79 Chapter 9: Catering to Special Needs or Interests...86 Chapter 10: Taking Care of the Remaining Details...94 Part III: Northern and Eastern Germany...103 Chapter 11: Settling Into Berlin...105 Chapter 12: Exploring Berlin...133 Chapter 13: Hamburg, Bremen, and Lübeck: Hanseatic Cities of the North...172 Chapter 14: Dresden, Leipzig, and Weimar: Jewels of the East...206 Part IV: Southern and Western Germany...243 Chapter 15: Munich: Capital of Gemütlichkeit...245 Chapter 16: Going Beyond Munich: The Romantic Road and Day Trips in Bavaria...285 Chapter 17: The Bodensee and the Black Forest: Scenic Southwest Delights...312 Chapter 18: Heidelberg, Stuttgart, and Nuremberg: Castles and Kaisers...338 Chapter 19: Cologne and the Romance of the Rhine...365 Chapter 20: Frankfurt am Main: Apple Wine and Euros...384 Part V: The Part of Tens...409 Chapter 21: Ten German Lessons...411 Chapter 22: Ten of the Best German Hotels...414 Chapter 23: Ten (Or So) Things to Know About German Wine...419 Appendix: Quick Concierge...422 Index...431 COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL
Maps at a Glance The Regions in Brief...25 Berlin Neighborhoods...110 Western Berlin Accommodations and Dining...118 Berlin-Mitte Accommodations and Dining...121 Tiergarten-Area Attractions...137 Charlottenburg Attractions...139 Berlin-Mitte Attractions...141 Potsdam...167 Hamburg...174 Hamburg U-Bahn and S-Bahn...179 Bremen...193 Lübeck...197 Saxony and Thuringia...207 Dresden: Florence on the Elbe...209 The Zwinger...219 Leipzig...223 Leipzig S-Bahn and Trams...225 Weimar...233 Munich Neighborhoods...248 Munich U-Bahn and S-Bahn...251 Central Munich Accommodations and Dining...254 Central Munich Attractions...268 Deutsches Museum...273 The Residenz...277 The Romantic Road...287 Würzburg...289 Rothenburg ob der Tauber...293 Augsburg...297 Füssen...305 Garmisch-Partenkirchen...307 The Bodensee (Lake Constance)...313 Lindau...315 The Schwarzwald (Black Forest)...323 Baden-Baden...325 Freiburg...331 Heidelberg...339 Stuttgart...349 Stuttgart U-Bahn and S-Bahn...353 Nuremberg...357 The Rhineland...367 Cologne...369 Cologne U-Bahn and S-Bahn...371 The Mosel Valley...383 Frankfurt am Main...386 Frankfurt U-Bahn and S-Bahn...391
Table of Contents Introduction...1 About This Book...2 Conventions Used in This Book...2 Foolish Assumptions...3 How This Book Is Organized...4 Part I: Introducing Germany...4 Part II: Planning Your Trip to Germany...4 Part III: Northern and Eastern Germany...4 Part IV: Southern and Western Germany...5 Part V: The Part of Tens...5 Icons Used in This Book...6 Where to Go from Here...6 Part I: Introducing Germany...7 Chapter 1: Discovering the Best of Germany...9 Discovering the Best Big German Cities...10 Roaming the Most Romantic Landscapes...11 Marveling over the Best Castles and Palaces...11 Exploring the Best Small Towns and Cities...12 Enjoying the Best in Music, Opera, and Ballet...13 Chapter 2: Digging Deeper into Germany...15 The Main Events: Tracking Germany s History...15 Building Blocks: Looking at Local Architecture...18 Essen und Trinken: Eating and Drinking in Germany...19 Background Check: Finding Germany in Books and Movies...21 Books...21 Movies...22 Chapter 3: Deciding Where and When to Go...24 Going Where You Want to Be...24 Discovering northern Germany...24 Exploring eastern Germany...26 Savoring southern Germany...26 Wending through western Germany...27 Scheduling Your Time...28 Revealing the Secret of the Seasons...29 Traveling during high and low seasons...29 Watching those unpredictable skies...30
xii Germany For Dummies, 4th Edition Blossoming in spring...31 Shining (and raining) in summer...32 Glowing in autumn...32 Welcoming winter...33 Perusing a Calendar of Events...34 January...34 February...34 May...34 June...35 July...35 August...36 September...36 October...36 November...37 December...37 Chapter 4: Following an Itinerary: Four Great Options...38 Just the Highlights: Germany in One Week...38 East Side, West Side: Germany in Two Weeks...40 Discovering Germany with Kids...44 Prosit! Germany for Wine Lovers...46 Part II: Planning Your Trip to Germany...47 Chapter 5: Managing Your Money...49 Planning Your Budget...49 Transportation costs...49 Lodging expenses...51 Dining expenses...51 Sightseeing expenses...52 Shopping and nightlife costs...53 Handling Money...55 Using ATMs and carrying cash...56 Charging ahead with credit cards...56 Toting traveler s checks...57 Dealing with a lost or stolen wallet...57 Taking Taxes into Account...58 A Tip about Tipping...58 Chapter 6: Getting to Germany...60 Finding Out Which Airlines Fly Where...60 Flying into Frankfurt...60 Flying into other German airports...61 Getting the best deal on your airfare...62
Table of Contents xiii Arriving by Other Means...63 Traveling by train...63 Arriving by boat...64 Joining an Escorted Tour...64 Choosing a Package Tour...65 Chapter 7: Getting Around Germany...67 Weighing the Options: Train or Car?...67 Taking the Train: The Easy Way to Go...68 Heading to the Hauptbahnhof...68 Beginning basic training...68 Buying your ticket...70 Reserving your seat...70 Getting off on the right track...71 Saving time and money with rail passes...71 German Rail passes: For Deutschland only...72 Eurail Global Pass: For travel throughout Europe.73 Touring by Car: Autobahns, Tankstellen, and Benzin...73 Renting a car in Germany...73 Taking the roads less traveled...75 Following the rules of the road...76 Handling a roadside emergency...76 Fill er up, bitte (please)...77 Sailing through Germany: River Cruises...77 Flying Around Germany: A Good Idea?...78 Chapter 8: Booking Your Accommodations...79 Finding the Place That s Right for You...80 Luxury hotels...81 Boutique hotels...81 Chain hotels...81 Smaller independent hotels...82 Guesthouses...82 Pensions...83 Finding the Best Room at the Best Rate...83 Surfing the Web for Hotel Deals...84 Chapter 9: Catering to Special Needs or Interests...86 Traveling with the Brood: Advice for Families...86 Locating family-friendly businesses...87 Hiring a baby sitter in Germany...88 Making Age Work for You: Tips for Seniors...88 Accessing Germany: Advice for People with Disabilities...89 Locating resources...89 Touring in a Rollstuhl (wheelchair)...90
xiv Germany For Dummies, 4th Edition Following the Rainbow: Resources for Gays and Lesbians...91 Celebrating gay pride in Germany...92 Finding gay-friendly travel agents and tour operators...93 Researching German lesbigay life on the Web...93 Chapter 10: Taking Care of the Remaining Details...94 Getting a Passport...94 Applying for a U.S. passport...94 Applying for other passports...95 Playing It Safe with Travel and Medical Insurance...96 Staying Healthy When You Travel...97 Staying Connected by Cellphone or E-mail...98 Using a cellphone outside the U.S....98 Voice-over Internet Protocol (VOIP)...99 Accessing the Internet away from home...100 Keeping Up with Airline Security...101 Part III: Northern and Eastern Germany...103 Chapter 11: Settling Into Berlin...105 Getting There...106 By plane...106 By train...107 Arriving at Berlin s Hauptbahnhof...107 By car...108 Finding Information after You Arrive...109 Orienting Yourself in Berlin...109 Introducing western Berlin...109 Introducing Berlin-Mitte (Berlin Center)...113 Getting Around Berlin...114 Going public: U-Bahn, S-Bahn, bus, and Strassenbahn...114 Taking a taxi...116 Driving a car...116 Staying in Style...117 The top hotels...117 Runner-up hotels...125 Dining Out...126 The top restaurants...127 The best cafes...132
Table of Contents xv Chapter 12: Exploring Berlin...133 Sightseeing in Berlin...133 Saving money with a museum pass...134 Discovering the top attractions from A to Z...135 Finding more cool things to see and do...148 Seeing Berlin by Guided Tour...153 Bus tours...153 Walking tours...154 Boat tours...155 Following an Itinerary...156 If you have one day in Berlin...156 If you have two days in Berlin...156 If you have three days in Berlin...156 Shopping for Local Treasures...156 Shopping in western Berlin...157 Shopping in eastern Berlin...159 Discovering Nightlife in Berlin...160 Finding out what s happening...160 Getting tickets...160 Raising the curtain on performing arts and music...160 Checking out the dance clubs and bars...163 Day-Tripping to Potsdam and the Palace of Sanssouci...166 Getting there...166 Finding tourist information...166 Discovering the top attractions...166 Dining at Sanssouci...168 Fast Facts: Berlin...169 Chapter 13: Hamburg, Bremen, and Lübeck: Hanseatic Cities of the North...172 Hamburg: Germany s Gateway to the World...172 Getting there...173 Finding information...176 Taking a bus tour...176 Orienting yourself...176 Getting around Hamburg...177 Staying in Hamburg...178 Dining in Hamburg...181 Exploring Hamburg...184 Shopping in Hamburg...188 Living it up after dark in Hamburg...189
xvi Germany For Dummies, 4th Edition A Side Trip: Bremen...192 Getting to Bremen...192 Finding information and taking a tour...192 Dining in Bremen...192 Exploring Bremen...194 Lübeck: In a (Hanseatic) League of Its Own...196 Getting there...197 Finding information and taking a walking tour...198 Orienting yourself...199 Getting around Lübeck...199 Staying in Lübeck...199 Dining in Lübeck...200 Walking through Lübeck...201 Chapter 14: Dresden, Leipzig, and Weimar: Jewels of the East...206 Dresden: Florence on the Elbe...206 Getting there...208 Finding information...210 Orienting yourself...210 Getting around Dresden...210 Seeing Dresden by guided tour...211 Staying in Dresden...211 Dining in Dresden...213 Exploring Dresden...216 Shopping in Dresden...220 Discovering nightlife in Dresden...221 Leipzig: City of Heroes...222 Getting there...224 Finding information and taking a tour...224 Getting around Leipzig...226 Staying in Leipzig...226 Dining in Leipzig...227 Exploring Leipzig...228 Shopping in Leipzig...231 Discovering nightlife in Leipzig...232 Weimar: Capital of the Enlightenment...232 Getting there...234 Finding information and taking a tour...234 Staying in Weimar...234 Dining in Weimar...235 Exploring Weimar...237 Exploring the Thüringer Wald (Thuringian Forest)...240 Shopping in Weimar...241 Discovering nightlife in Weimar...241
Table of Contents xvii Part IV: Southern and Western Germany...243 Chapter 15: Munich: Capital of Gemütlichkeit...245 Getting There...246 By plane...246 By train...247 By car...247 Finding Information after You Arrive...247 Orienting Yourself in Munich...247 Getting Around Munich...250 Using public transportation...250 Catching a cab...252 Staying in Style...252 The top hotels...252 Runner-up hotels...258 Dining Out...259 The top restaurants...260 The best beer gardens...266 Sightseeing in Munich...267 Discovering the top attractions from A to Z...267 Finding more cool things to see and do...278 Seeing Munich by Guided Tour...280 Shopping for Local Treasures...281 Discovering Nightlife in Munich...282 Raising the curtain on performing arts and music...282 Checking out bars and clubs...283 Fast Facts: Munich...284 Chapter 16: Going Beyond Munich: The Romantic Road and Day Trips in Bavaria...285 The Romantic Road: Seeing the Best of Bavaria...286 Würzburg: Franconian Fortress...286 Getting there...288 Finding information...288 Staying in Würzburg...288 Dining in Würzburg...288 Exploring Würzburg...289 Driving from Würzburg to Rothenburg...291 Rothenburg ob der Tauber: Medieval Memories...292 Getting there...292 Finding information...292 Staying in Rothenburg...292 Dining in Rothenburg ob der Tauber...292
xviii Germany For Dummies, 4th Edition Exploring Rothenburg ob der Tauber...294 Shopping in Rothenburg...295 Driving from Rothenburg to Augsburg...295 Augsburg: Reminders of the Renaissance...296 Getting there...296 Finding information and taking a tour...296 Staying in Augsburg...296 Dining in Augsburg...297 Exploring Augsburg...298 Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau: Castles in the Air...300 Getting there...300 Finding information and buying tickets...300 Exploring Hohenschwangau...300 Exploring Neuschwanstein...301 Dining near the castles...303 Füssen: End of the (Romantic) Road...303 Getting there...303 Finding information...303 Staying in Füssen...303 Dining in Füssen...304 Exploring Füssen...304 Garmisch-Partenkirchen: Doing the Zugspitze...306 Getting there...306 Finding information...306 Getting around Garmisch-Partenkirchen...306 Staying in Garmisch-Partenkirchen...306 Dining in Garmisch-Partenkirchen...307 Exploring Garmisch-Partenkirchen...308 Ascending the Zugspitze...309 Discovering the local nightlife...309 A side trip to Schloss Linderhof: Ludwig s little Versailles...310 Chapter 17: The Bodensee and the Black Forest: Scenic Southwest Delights...312 The Bodensee (Lake Constance)...312 Lindau: Sunny island charmer...314 Mainau: A day trip from Lindau...319 The Schwarzwald (Black Forest)...321 Baden-Baden: Germany s premier spa town...322 Freiburg: Little brooks and lots of books...329
Table of Contents xix Chapter 18: Heidelberg, Stuttgart, and Nuremberg: Castles and Kaisers...338 Heidelberg: Romance on the River...338 Getting there...340 Finding information...340 Taking a guided tour...340 Orienting yourself...341 Getting around Heidelberg...341 Staying in Heidelberg...341 Dining in Heidelberg...343 Exploring Heidelberg...345 Shopping in Heidelberg...348 Living it up after dark in Heidelberg...348 A Side Trip to Stuttgart...348 Getting to Stuttgart...350 Finding information and taking a tour...350 Dining in Stuttgart...351 Exploring Stuttgart...351 Stuttgart performing arts...354 Shopping in Stuttgart...354 Nuremberg: Renaissance and Rebirth...355 Getting there...355 Finding information and taking a tour...356 Orienting yourself...356 Getting around Nuremberg...356 Staying in Nuremberg...358 Dining in Nuremberg...359 Exploring Nuremberg...360 Shopping in Nuremberg...364 Living it up after dark in Nuremberg...364 Chapter 19: Cologne and the Romance of the Rhine...365 Cologne: Pleasures beside the Rhine...366 Getting there...367 Finding information...368 Getting oriented...368 Getting around...368 Staying in Cologne...370 Dining in Cologne...372 Exploring Cologne...375 Shopping in Cologne...378 Discovering nightlife in Cologne...379 The Mosel Valley: Great Wines, Beautiful Scenery...381 Touring the valley by boat or car...381 Stopping in Cochem...382
xx Germany For Dummies, 4th Edition Chapter 20: Frankfurt am Main: Apple Wine and Euros...384 Getting There...385 By plane...385 By train...388 By car...388 Finding Information after You Arrive...388 Orienting Yourself in Frankfurt...388 Getting Around Frankfurt...389 Using public transportation...389 Taking a taxi...390 Staying in Style...390 Dining Out...394 Sightseeing in Frankfurt...396 Walking through the city...397 Discovering the top attractions from A to Z...397 Seeing Frankfurt by Guided Tour...402 Shopping for Local Treasures...402 Department stores...404 Porcelain...404 Discovering Nightlife in Frankfurt...404 Raising the curtain on the performing arts...404 Having fun at a cabaret...405 Checking out bars and clubs...405 Fast Facts: Frankfurt...406 Part V: The Part of Tens...409 Chapter 21: Ten German Lessons...411 Basic Words and Phrases...411 Accommodations...411 Colors...412 Days of the Week...412 Directions...412 Entertainment and Attractions...412 Numbers...412 Time...413 Transportation...413 Warning Signs...413 Chapter 22: Ten of the Best German Hotels...414 Der Europäische Hof-Hotel Europa, Heidelberg...414 Der Kleine Prinz, Baden-Baden...415 Excelsior Hotel Ernst, Cologne...415 Grand Hyatt Berlin...416
Table of Contents xxi Hotel Adlon Kempinski, Berlin...416 Hotel am Josephsplatz, Nuremberg...417 Hotel Eisenhut, Rothenburg...417 Kempinski Hotel Atlantic Hamburg...417 Mandarin Oriental, Munich...418 Steigenberger Hotel De Saxe, Dresden...418 Chapter 23: Ten (Or So) Things to Know About German Wine...419 Tafelwein...419 Deutscher Tafelwein...419 Deutscher Landwein...419 Qualitätswein...420 Prädikatswein...420 Kabinett...420 Spätlese...420 Auslese...421 Beerenauslese...421 Eiswein...421 Trockenbeerenauslese...421 Appendix: Quick Concierge...422 Fast Facts...422 Toll-Free Numbers and Web Sites...426 Major airlines serving Germany...426 Major car-rental agencies operating in Germany...427 Major hotel chains in Germany...427 Where to Get More Information...428 Contacting regional tourist boards...428 Surfing the Net...429 Index...431