It took me 11 years to repatriate back to the US. 11 gloriously wonderful years I had the pleasure of living abroad, making one of my dreams come true but which were also terribly lonely years. I struggled to make friends with Germans, suffered from severe homesickness but was always quickly forgotten with each trip booked. 11 tortuous years constantly debating, “Should we stay or should we go?” as my heart was torn between two countries. Well, December 2023 we finally made the move back to the US, and now I can say, for many reasons, it was the right decision. 

My time living abroad in Germany is slowly coming to an end. 11 1/2 years is a long, long time to fall in love with my expat homeland and became fully integrated into the culture. There are many things I have both struggled to adapt to during my time here and have fallen head over heels in love with. Leaving behind both is a bit bittersweet and as the time comes to an end, it’s making me a bit more emotional. Here is my list of favorite things I will miss about Germany!

Meissen has historically been synonymous with porcelain. Since 1710, Meissen has been home to the largest production of china porcelain, outside of China and has been drawing in trickles of tourists. Come discover Meissen for your self and see why this still relatively unheard of, charming little town should be on your next German travel itinerary!

The Rhein River is one of Europe’s most important rivers and one that is world famous for its stunning landscapes. One of the most popular stretches of the Rhein River is that of the Middle Rhein, meandering from Bingen to Koblenz is home to some of the best wines in Germany. The region is lined with steep rolling hills of vineyards, castles in ruins and quaint little wine towns that time forgot and is nicknamed the “Romantic Rhine”.

Few wineries in the world are as important in the wine world as Schloss Johannisberg has been nor is there another name so synonymous with ‘Riesling’ as Schloss Johannisberg. Perfectly situated atop a hill overlooking the beautiful Rhein River in the Rheingau, this historic winery has been the world’s first Riesling winery since 1720 when it was decided it would exclusively produce this decadent wine. Pull up a chair, grab a glass of wine and come discover Schloss Johannisberg!

Nearly in the heart of Germany is one of Germany’s best kept secrets practically unheard of outside of the country. Often referred to as a “mini Black Forest”, the Harz Mountains, stretches 100 km long and 30 km wide over a distance of three German states, Saxony-Anhalt, Lower Saxony and Thuringia. Boasting of Medieval towns littered with timber-frame houses, historic steam trains, UNESCO World Heritage status, fairy tale castles and a lot of natural beauty in between, it’s a great place to explore lesser known parts of Germany.

If you’re an avid Caliglobetrotter reader, you’ve likely noticed by now that many of the places we visit are low-key destinations. Small towns and cities or hidden natural gems not always found between the pages of a travel guide. You might ask, well then how did you discover these hidden gems in Germany? I certainly like to think I have a special talent in sniffing out the diamond in the rough, the whimsical town that is better than any major city.

Spring. The time of year where Germans prune back their bushes, plant some flowers and decorate their bare bushes with colorful Easter eggs to brighten up the warming days. They come in every shape and size and can be found on at least one bush or tree in the yard until Easter. But, it’s not just the trees they decorate with Easter eggs. There’s a tradition of even decorating water fountains in the center of small villages. Where and why can you find these ‘Osterbrunnen’? Let me enlighten you!

If you’re planning a trip to Germany soon but wondering what you should do when you get here, look no further! There are a million things to do in Germany where one can stuff their face with the most delicious food in Germany to visiting the best festivals, celebrating the best holidays, visiting Germany’s most popular tourist attractions and lesser-known gems!

You might think that Bavaria, Germany is all about Lederhosen, Weißwurst, Bier and Biergartens, but you would be sadly mistaken. Würzburg, the wine capital of Franconia in the northwestern tip of Bavaria, will show you that there’s more to life than beer and sausage. The dialect is different, the choice of sausage is Bratwurst and here you’ll find endless rows of vineyards and Weingartens for wine aficionados to enjoy a glass of wine, reminding you that you are no longer in beer country. So, how do you spend a day exploring the wine capital of Bavaria? Come and find out!