Welcome to German Tips

Sightseeing in Weimar

The city of Weimar is located in the county of Thuringia on the river Ilm in central Germany. The city was Germany's cultural center during the 18th and early 19th century. Famous German authors and poets, such as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Johann Gottfried von Herder, Friedrich von Schiller, and Christoph Martin Wieland, lived and worked here. The town looks medieval with its many narrow streets (Gassen), old, gabled houses (Fachwerkhaeuser), and numerous architectural landmarks. Visit the 15th century parish church, which contains an altarpiece executed by the German painter and etcher Lucas Cranach the Elder. Go to the Palace of the Grand Duke, which was built in the 18th century. Take a tour of Goethe´s home, which is now a museum. You might also be interested in the Goethe-Schiller archives, or in the archives of the German philosopher and poet Friedrich Nietzsche.

Hesse

When in Hesse, don´t miss:
- Frankfurt, Germany´s New York on the Main, with its historical town center, city hall & opera house
- Limburg castle and the church with 7 towers on the river Lahn
- the ceramic museum at Hoehr-Grenzhausen (souvenirs)
- the Karlsaue (castle) & orangery at Kassel, and the Documenta exhibition (annual event)
- the old university at Marburg, dating back to the late 19th century (new gothic)

Munich Oktoberfest 2001 Sweepstakes

Win a trip to the Munich Oktoberfest 2001. Go to:

http://delivere.preferences.com/DSS/dse.php?swpstk=Oktoberfest_Sep00&BIT=alcwc21801:festbeerdx:bountynetwork:runofsite:alcbounty:Oktoberfest

Hurry! Promotion ends December 14, 2000.

Brandenburg

If in or around Berlin, don´t miss:
- the Spreewald (woods and rivers) in the Niederlausitz area. If possible, take a boat trip.
- Brandenburg´s Sanssouci (" without worries") castle and its gardens, built in rococco style by Frederic the Great. Truly Prussian.
- Neuruppins temple garden
- the ruins of the gothic brick monastery of Chorin, which was built by the Zisterzien´s order in the 13th century. Summer conserts are held there, too.

DDCity Dresden

Find out what is going on in Dreseden by reading their free internet magazine:

www.ddcity.de

Schleswig-Holstein

If you are in Schleswig-Holstein or Hamburg, visit Helgoland. This island and holiday resort makes for a nice day-trip with bird watching opportunities, plenty of original Northern German restaurants and tax-free shopping.
You might also want to go to the Hanse city of Luebeck to see buildings dating back to the 13th century, or to the sea castle of Gluecksburg, which was the residence of the dukes of Holstein-Sonderburg-Gluecksburg during the 17th & 18th century.

North Rhine-Westphalia

Try to see the following:
- the Rhine river. Boattrip highly recommended.
- Duesseldorf, the city of fairs (good shopping opportunities)
- Cologne´s Museum Ludwig/Wallraf-Richartz Museum, home of one of the most valuable German painting collections
- Bonn´s Art & Exhibition Hall with a sculpture park
- Aachen´s imperial palace erected by Charlemagne, and Aachen Minster
- Muenster´s Prinzipalmarket with patrician houses and a gothic city hall
- Historic Nordkirchen Manor House in Muensterland
- Warendorf, a center of German horse riding
- Carnival on the Rhine (February)

The Schwarzwald Net

The Schwarzwald Net
http://www.schwarzwald.net/

The Schwarzwald Net compiles information and stories about the region with particular emphasis on hiking, sightseeing tours, historic trains, ski slopes, accommodation, addresses and recipes. Very comprehensive. Pages are in German. Give it a try!

Hamburg

Go to Hamburg´s landmark, the Michaelskirche, which was burnt down twice, but always rebuilt. Sample Hamburg´s specialities at the fishmarket (also great for souvenirs). Don´t miss Hamburg´s harbour. Take a walk on the river Binnenalster, which will lead you to Hamburg´s better shopping centers.

Online Photo Gallery

Interested in photos about industrial and cultural landscapes in Germany? Go to Foto-Galerie Industrie- und Kulturlandschaften:

http://www.christian-bruenig.de/

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

The island of Ruegen with its chalk-cliffs is a must. Try to visit Ahlbeck, the biggest seaside resort of the county. It is located on the island of Usedom. Original 19th century flair. - Also worth seeing: Schwerin castle, which used to be the residence of the princes of Mecklenburg.

Germany´s Archive on Witchcraft

The Archive on Witchcraft - the country´s only one - is located in the Museum of Ethnology in Hamburg. General information on the subject is provided, books can be obtained, and you can even attend a discussion group conducted by a lecturer. For more information contact:
phone: + 49 (0) 40 48 25 53
fax: + 49 (0) 40 48 22 42

Sightseeing in Munich

Muenchen (Munich) on the Isar River is the capital of Bavaria and a major city in south central Germany. It attracts many tourists with its festivals (Oktoberfest), cultural landmarks, baroque and rococo buildings, elegant shopping opportunities, vivid nightlife, old breweries, great food and last, but not least, its castles and churches. Visit the baroque Nymphenburg Castle (1664), the Marienplatz with the city hall (Neues Rathaus), and the 15th-century Frauenkirche, a gothic brick cathedral. Go to the Maximilianeum (1874-1877), the home of the Bavarian parliament. Take a trip to the Hellabrunn Zoo, which is one of the largest zoological gardens in Germany. Relax in the English Garden, a large park with lake, a Chinese pagoda and an art gallery (Haus der Kunst). For sources of more detailed information, check out my booktips (travel guides).

Ice Skating in Dresden

Dresden's Ice Skating Club (Dresdner Eislauf-Club e.V) has a new website:

http://www.dresdner-eislauf-club.de/

Bavaria

Bavaria (Bayern in German) is a state in the southeast of Germany. Bavaria is the largest state of Germany. Its state capital is Munich, which is also the largest Bavarian city. Other important cities are Nuremberg (Nuernberg), Augsburg, and Regensburg. Bavaria's population is largely Roman Catholic. Bavaria is famous for its many monasteries, baroque churches, picturesque castles, and universities. If you are traveling through the area, make sure to visit Neuschwanstein, Ludwig II's fairytale castle.

Rothenburg

Rothenburg ob der Tauber is reputed to be the best-preserved medieval town in Europe. The town has walls more than a mile long that incorporate numerous towers and turrets. It is the heart of the Romantische Strasse (Romantic Road). The town and its surrounding area is full of old castles, cathedrals, picturesque villages and fairytale houses, even gingerbread houses.

The Medieval Crime Museum

The Medieval Crime Museum is the only museum of law in the European area. It features unique exhibits on four floors (such as instruments of torture, rare books, graphic arts, coats of arms, seals, crafts, trades, patents ...) and gives you an insight into thousand years of history of law in Europe. All displays are explained in English. Opened daily.

Mittelalterliches Kriminalmuseum
Burggasse 3 - 5
D - 91541 Rothenburg ob der Tauber

phone: + 49 (0) 9861 - 5359
fax: + 49 (0) 9861 - 82 58

Lower Saxony

Places to see:
- Hannover´s baroque garden, Herrenhausen, with plenty of sculptures & fountains
- Braunschweig´s Dankwarderode castle and its roman-gothic cathedral
- Stade´s picturesque half-timbered houses
- Eastern Friesland and its lush countryside (they also sell great tea)
- the old town of Lueneburg and its heath & sheep ("Heidschnucken", special wool, good souvenirs)
- Goslar´s market, town hall and Emperor´s Palace (gothic)
- the Harz mountains, its health resorts, skiing opportunities and speciality cheese ("Harzer Kaese")