After having lived in Heidelberg for a year while I studied abroad, I am continuously drawn back over and over again. It’s one of the most beautiful towns in Germany. During the Christmas season, the town comes alive with sections of the Christmas market spread out throughout the entire town. From the minute you step off the bus at Bismarkplatz to Karlsplatz are endless adorable Christmas huts filled to the brink with Glühwein, chocolates and gifts for all!
Not far from the German/Belgian border lies the most western town in Germany and a site of historical importance which is an easy day trip from Frankfurt. During the Middle Ages, Charlemagne had a cathedral built here, modeled after the church of San Vitale in Ravenna, Italy. Aachen would become the seat of his political empire and the court. The town would later gain importance as for the next 500 years, all future kings of Germany would be crowned here before preceding to reign over the Holy Roman Empire.
Do you remember as a little girl flipping through the pages of your Disney fairy tale books, dreaming about being a princess and living in such an adorable town that couldn’t possibly be real? Ya, me too. Well guess what?? Such a down does exist, right here in Bavaria, Germany! Colorful half-timbered houses, crooked lanes and mystical houses bring to life those Disney books worn from too much day dreaming.
Located at the base of the surrounding Berchtesgaden Alps in the Berchtesgaden National Park lies Bavaria’s most exquisite and stunning fjord-like lake. With crystal clear, emerald green waters, Königssee is one of the most popular and well-known lakes in Bavaria. With stunning steeply rising mountains engulfing the lake to a height of 8,900 feet (2,700 m), it is a place that will leave you speechless in awe for hours on end.
It is said that the Leutasch Spirit Gorge is inhabited by a spirit and his goblin minions. For centuries, people believed that a spirit had come down from the mountains and hid in the most inaccessible corners of the gorge. The goblins would dance in the night, especially when the river was overflowing from the spring melt water. To this day, the Spirit nor the goblins have ever been seen.
But that is only part of the magic that lies within.
Tucked away in the hills of the North Eifel lies a historic and picturesque half-timbered town which has remained vastly unchanged over the last 300 years. Considered the most beautiful town in this region, Monschau offers a step back into a time long gone with small winding cobble-stoned streets and narrow allies. Sitting along the border between Germany and Belgium, it was known as Montjoie in French until 1919 and today has over 300 historically protected half-timbered houses making it one of the top contenders for the title of “most picturesque town in Germany”.
If you’re looking for a romantic castle in Germany, you don’t have to look very far. The country is covered in a plethora of charming castles, filled with romantic stories and myths. Some might not look as romantic as others, as they were built inside for defensive purposes, but what’s to stop a girl from daydreaming? Even though Burg Hohenzollern isn’t as luxurious as a palace, it’s still one of the prettiest castles in Germany!
After six years of living in Germany as an expat, I can now provide you with budget-friendly tips for visiting Germany, from booking your flight to getting around the country with public transportation to things to eat in Germany! Hopefully this Germany travel guide will allow you to navigate Germany with ease, reaching some of Germany’s top places to visit and leave you wanting to come back for more!
Let’s be honest: I’m a total fairy tale dreamer and if I could, I would live in pretty castles in far off places. I’d wear pretty yellow dresses and when I sing, the animals would come to me. I’d have a fairy godmother and a magic carpet. Unfortunately, this is just a dream and I’m just an ordinary girl. However, visiting Schloss Neuschwanstein offers me the chance to feel like a princess for a day!
Love beer and big German festivals, but don’t want to deal with the crowds or looking for a more family-friendly beer festival the whole family can enjoy? On the lookout for an authentic Bavarian experience? Why not consider visiting the biannual event of Dult in the historic UNESCO World Heritage town of Regensburg?