While on our recent trip to the Harz Region in Saxony-Anhalt, we saw Germany’s smallest house in Wernigerode, the oldest house in Quedlinburg and read about the country’s oldest surviving industrial structure in Goslar, and it got me thinking about all the superlatives of Germany we have visited and heard about. So I made a listicle of all (ok not alllll) of Germany’s oldest, biggest, smallest, tallest, longest things!
If there is one thing I love about living in Germany, it’s learning about the many historical traditions that are hundreds of years old that are still celebrated with enthusiasm. If there’s a public holiday in Germany, you can bet your knickers there’s a public celebration somewhere. And if you’re in Bavaria, there are even […]
Since moving to Germany 4 6 years ago, I continuously seem to have one main conversation whenever I meet someone new. It goes something like this:
Friend/Student/Stranger: “Where are you from?”
Me: “I’m from California”
Friend/Student/Stranger: “WHY did you move to Germany?”
If ever there was one place in the world that embodied the spirit of Christmas, it would most definitely be Strasbourg, France. Historically known as the town which held the very first Christmas Market in 1570, making it the oldest market in Europe and is named the “Capital of Christmas!”
Since 1570, Strasbourg’s “Christkindelsmärik” (market of the Infant Jesus) has grown exponentially and today caters to some 2 million visitors every year, with hotels being booked a year in advance and selling out quickly.
Of all the festive Christmas markets that fill every town center in every major city throughout Europe, Nuremberg’s Christkindlmarkt is one of the most famous, along with Frankfurt, Dortmund, Dresden & Stuttgart. If ever there were one market you just HAD to visit, this would be the one!
One of the greatest things about living in Europe is the ease at which one can travel nearly the entire continents without a car. But before you can go and hop on any train, you need to know the ins and outs of using the Deutsche Bahn, Germany’s most powerful train service. You will be hard pressed to find another train in Germany which offers high speed trains throughout the entire country as DB is the ONLY option. So, please allow me to give you some tips for using the Deutsche Bahn in Germany!
If there was one time of year you should come to Germany, winter would be it. Yes, it’s cold and often gloomy but with the approach of the Christmas season, comes the warmth of the holiday spirit and a warm cup of Glühwein surrounded by friends and family.
Another harvest season has come and gone. The hops fields have been cleared, the rows of corn have been harvested, and the fields have begun to be plowed, prepping them for the approach of winter.
When you think about Thanksgiving, you traditionally think of it only as an American holiday celebrated to give thanks for another good harvest year. We carry on this tradition to remember the Pilgrims who gave thanks to the Native Americans for their help through a bitter, harsh winter.
Looking for the best place to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Europe? Consider heading to Prague to ring in the New Year by hitting up the main sights before heading down to the Charles Bridge to catch the firework display show! This was how we ended 2015, but despite it being NYE, this is also a great city guide for Prague for anyone!
Germans are a traditional people and if you want to learn how to celebrate Christmas like a German, there are a few things you need to know! Each country has their own Christmas traditions that make every year special. Learning these new traditions is half the fun of living abroad! Here’s what I have learned!
