Rick Steves

GERMANY

How to use this ebook:

•  Every chapter begins with a table of contents to help guide you through the content.

•  Tap on blue headings or text to link to correlated content.

•  Within content, tap on blue headings to go back to nearest table of contents.

•  Double-tap on maps or images to zoom in.

•  All entries in the Index and Map Index are linked to specific content for quick navigation.

CONTENTS

Germany

Download Rick’s Audio Tours

Munich

Bavarian Alps

Salzburg & Berchtesgaden

Baden-Baden & the Black Forest

Rothenburg & the Romantic Road

Würzburg

Frankfurt

Rhine Valley

Mosel Valley

Trier

Cologne & the Unromantic Rhine

Nürnberg

The Luther Trail

Leipzig

Dresden

Berlin

Near Berlin

Hamburg

Germany: Past & Present

Practicalities

Appendix

Index

Map Index

Credits

Copyright

Welcome to Rick Steves’ Europe

Travel is intensified living—maximum thrills per minute and one of the last great sources of legal adventure. Travel is freedom. It’s recess, and we need it.

I discovered a passion for European travel as a teen and have been sharing it ever since—through my bus tours, public television and radio shows, and travel guidebooks. Over the years, I’ve taught millions of travelers how to best enjoy Europe’s blockbuster sights—and experience “Back Door” discoveries that most tourists miss.

This book offers a balanced mix of Germany’s cities and villages. I’ve also included a taste of neighboring Austria, with side trips into Tirol and Salzburg. It’s selective: Rather than listing dozens of castles along the Rhine, I focus on the best, such as Rheinfels and Marksburg. And it’s in-depth: My self-guided museum tours and city walks provide insight into the country’s vibrant history and today’s living, breathing culture.

I advocate traveling simply and smartly. Take advantage of my money- and time-saving tips on sightseeing, transportation, and more. Try local, characteristic alternatives to expensive hotels and restaurants. In many ways, spending more money only builds a thicker wall between you and what you traveled so far to see.

We visit Germany to experience it—to become temporary locals. Thoughtful travel engages us with the world, as we learn to appreciate other cultures and new ways to measure quality of life.

Judging by readers’ positive feedback, I believe this book will help you enjoy a fun, affordable, and rewarding vacation—whether it’s your first trip or your tenth.

Gute Reise! Happy travels!

GERMANY

Germany’s Top Destinations

Map: Germany’s Top Destinations

MUST-SEE DESTINATIONS

WORTH-IT DESTINATIONS

Planning Your Trip

DESIGNING AN ITINERARY

Map: Germany’s Best Three-Week Trip by Car and Train

BEFORE YOU GO

Travel Smart

Germany is blessed with some of Europe’s most high-powered sights. It has spectacular scenery— the jagged Alps, flower-filled meadows, rolling hills of forests and farms, and rivers such as the raging Rhine and moseying Mosel. And it has hundreds of castles, some ruined and mysterious; others stout, crenellated, and imposing; and still others right out of a Disney fairy tale.

And of course there are the cultural clichés, kept alive more by tradition-loving Germans than by tourist demand. The country is dotted with idyllic half-timbered villages where you can enjoy strudel at the bakery or sip a stein of beer while men in lederhosen play oompah music. Peruse a wonderland of chocolates and stock up on cuckoo clocks.

These traditions stand at sharp contrast with the “real” Germany of today. The muscleman of Europe, Germany is the European Union’s most populous country and has the biggest economy. This land that’s roughly the size of Montana creates a gross domestic product that’s one-fifth the size of the United States’. Germany has risen from the ashes of World War II to become the world’s fourth-largest industrial power. At the forefront of human progress, Germany is a world of high-tech transportation, gleaming cities, social efficiency, and world-class museums celebrating many of history’s greatest cultural achievements.

German inventions range from Gutenberg’s printing press to Zeppelin’s zeppelins to Röntgen’s X-rays to Daimler’s and Benz’s cars to Geiger’s counter. Musically, Germany dominated the scene for more than two centuries—Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Handel, Pachelbel, Wagner, and Mendelssohn, to name a few. Germans have a reputation as profound analytical thinkers, sprouting philosophers such as Kant, Hegel, Nietzsche, Marx, and Engels.

Medieval Nürnberg hosted Holy Roman Emperors and Adolf Hitler, while Martin Luther shook up the Church and reshaped Christianity.

Germany’s roots run deep; the southern half was ruled by ancient Rome. After Rome fell, German lands fragmented into hundreds of small feudal kingdoms, each with its own coinage, king, and castle—many of which still dot the countryside today. These lands became an important European hub for trade and transportation.

It was from Germany that a humble monk named Martin Luther rocked Europe with religious reform. Germany became a Europe-wide battleground for Protestants and Catholics in a series of religious wars.

Traditionally—and in some ways even today—German culture divides at a sort of north-south Mason-Dixon Line. Northern Germany was barbarian, is predominantly Protestant, and tackles life aggressively, while southern Germany was Roman, is largely Catholic, and enjoys a more relaxed tempo.

As a nation, Germany is less than 160 years old (“born” in 1871). Though quite young compared with most of its European neighbors, it quickly became a cultural powerhouse. Its prosperity ended in the humiliating defeat of World War I, followed by Hitler’s cruel rule and Germany’s near destruction in World War II.

Beer Halls and Beer Gardens

For traditional Bavarian fun, nothing beats an old-fashioned beer hall (Brauhaus) or beer garden (Biergarten). Though the best are in Munich, you’ll find them all over Germany—with rivers of beer, cheap food, noisy fun, and oompah music.

Beer is inexpensive and truly a drink of the people. Unlike with wine, spending more money on beer doesn’t get you a better drink. The big question among connoisseurs is, “Which brew today?”

Beer gardens go back to the days when monks brewed and sold beer. They stored their beer in cellars under courtyards kept cool by the shade of bushy chestnut trees. Eventually, tables were set up, and these convivial eateries evolved. The tradition (complete with chestnut trees) survives, and any real beer garden will keep a few tables (those without tablecloths) available for customers who buy only beer and bring their own food.

Huge liter beers (called eine Mass in German, or “ein pitcher” in English) cost about €8. (Men’s rooms come with vomitoriums.) If you order a half-liter (eine Halbe), the server is likely to say, “Why don’t you go home and come back when you are thirsty?” You can order your beer Helles (light in color but not “lite” in calories), Dunkles (dark), or ask for a Weissbier or Weizen (“white” or wheat-based beer—cloudy and sweet) or a Radler (half lemon soda, half beer).

Oompah music, hearty sausages, and fresh beer are the perfect ingredients for beer hall fun.

Most beer gardens have a deposit (Pfand) system for their big glass steins: You pay €1 extra, and when you’re finished, you can take the mug and your deposit token (Pfandmarke) to the return man (Pfandrückgabe) for your refund, or leave it on the table and lose your money. If you buy a bottled beer, pour it into the glass before you check out; otherwise you’ll pay two deposits (one for the glass, the other for the bottle).

Many beer halls have a cafeteria system. The food is usually Selbst-bedienung—self-service. If two prices are listed, Selbstbedienung is for self-service (Bitte bedienen Sie sich selbst means “please serve yourself”), while Bedienung is for table service.

At a large Biergarten, assemble your dream feast by visiting various counters, marked by type of food (Bier or Bierschänke for beer, Bratwürste for sausages, Brotzeiten for lighter fare served cold, and so on). After the meal, reclaim your deposit and bus your dirty dishes (Geschirr)—look for Geschirrrückgabe or Geschirrabgabe signs.

You’ll notice many tables marked Stammtisch (reserved for regulars and small groups). Beer halls have a long tradition of being launch pads for grassroots action. In the days before radio and television, aspiring leaders connected with the public here.

Buy a big beer, skip the Stammtisch section (for regular customers only), and settle into Germany’s inviting beer gardens.

A beer hall is a classic gemütliche scene. Gemütlich is a word for Germany’s special coziness and the knack of savoring the moment. Experience it by spending time in a frothy beer hall, clinking mugs with new friends, immersed in a boisterous and belching Bavarian atmosphere.

Many visitors can’t help but associate Germany with its dark Nazi past. While a small neo-Nazi skinhead element still survives in the back alleys of German culture, for the most part the nation is surprisingly progressive. A genuine sense of responsibility for World War II and the Holocaust pervades much of German society. If you visit a concentration camp memorial, you’ll likely see several field-trip groups of German teens visiting there to learn the lessons of their country’s past.

At war’s end, Germany was divided East-West between the victorious Allies, and the Cold War set in (1945-1991). More than 30 years after reunification, despite billions of dollars of economic aid, the East lags behind the West, with a lower income and a higher unemployment rate.

The historic divisions in Germany, between the north/south and the east/west, are growing less pronounced as Germany becomes a more mobile society. Germans love to travel, throughout their own country and beyond. They’re cosmopolitan and outward-looking. Two-thirds speak at least one other language (mostly English). Watch out—they may know American politics and history better than you do.

Germany was a founding member of the European Union and continues to lead the way in creating a healthy Europe for the future—with peace, unity, tolerance (e.g., legalized gay marriage), and human rights as its central motivations. It has taken a tough stance on bailing out EU nations that haven’t shown fiscal responsibility, but it remains a generous country—it’s one of the world’s biggest foreign-aid donors.

Ponder Berlin’s memorials to Sinti and Roma victims (left) and to politicians who opposed Hitler (right).

The many faces of modern Germany

Looking ahead, Germany is faced with a number of challenges—none bigger than immigration. Today, more than 13 million immigrants live within its borders—more than any country except the US and Russia. Nearly 3 million are Turkish; many were Gastarbeiter (guest workers) invited by Germany to help boost its labor force. In 2015 alone, Germany welcomed more than a million refugees, mostly from Syria and Iraq. Many newcomers are Muslims—not always the easiest fit within a traditionally Christian nation.

Today, three decades after the end of the Cold War, Germany is reunited, with Berlin as its capital. Deutschland is energetic, efficient, and organized. It’s a nation of cutting-edge industry, medieval castles, speedy autobahns, old-time beer halls, soaring skyscrapers, and the best wurst. This young country with a long past continues to make history.

Germany’s Top Destinations

Herzlich Willkommen! There’s so much to see in Germany and so little time. This overview categorizes the country’s top destinations into must-see places (to help first-time travelers plan their trip) and worth-it places (for those with extra time or special interests). I’ve also suggested a minimum number of days to allow per destination.

MUST-SEE DESTINATIONS

These four destinations give you an excellent and diverse sampler of Germany (and dip into nearby Austria).

▲▲▲Munich (allow 2 days)

The thriving city of Munich has a glorious main square and a traffic-free center, with a fun open-air market/beer garden, the Viktualienmarkt. Well stocked with sights, Munich serves up Baroque palaces, stately churches, and excellent museums on art, science, and history. This in-love-with-life city enjoys its lush parks (such as the vast English Garden) and rowdy beer halls (rowdier at Oktoberfest). Sights near Munich include a beer-loving monastery, more palaces, and most important, the sobering concentration camp memorial at Dachau. With limited time, the Bavarian Alps region and Salzburg can be done as day trips (though each merits a longer stay).

▲▲▲Bavarian Alps (2 days)

This Alps-straddling region, with Germany on one side and Austria on the other, boasts the fairy-tale castles of “Mad” King Ludwig II: Neuschwanstein, Hohenschwangau, and Linderhof. Choose among inviting home bases: handy Füssen (with a nearby spa), the Austrian retreat of Reutte (with ruined castles of its own), and adorable Oberammergau (known for wood-carving and its Passion Play). For alpine fun, try hikes, luge rides, and a lift to the top of the towering Zugspitze, Germany’s highest point.

▲▲▲Salzburg, Austria (1-2 days)

Just south of the German border, the Austrian city of Salzburg is a musical mecca for fans of Mozart and The Sound of Music, offering S.O.M. tours and concerts in Baroque churches, along with riverside promenades, grand gardens, and beer gardens. The picturesque old town—with winding lanes, shops, and Mozart’s birthplace—is surrounded by hills laced with trails and topped by a sky-high fortress. Across the border in Germany is Berchtesgaden, with serene alpine scenery and Hitler’s mountain-top retreat.

Marvel at Munich’s Residenz; enjoy fanciful Neuschwanstein Castle; make friends at Ehrenberg (Austria); ride a luge in Bavaria.

▲▲▲Berlin (2-3 days)

Germany’s vibrant, sprawling capital features world-class art and history museums, the Brandenburg Gate, trendy nightlife, leafy boulevards, striking modern architecture, and remnants of the Berlin Wall, which once divided the city and country. Thought-provoking memorials and museums throughout the city commemorate the many victims of World War II. Near Berlin are Potsdam’s palaces and the Sachsenhausen concentration camp memorial.

Explore Berlin’s courtyards; stroll Salzburg’s elegant streets; pay homage to Berlin’s symbol of reunification—the Brandenburg Gate.

WORTH-IT DESTINATIONS

You can weave any of these destinations—rated ▲ or ▲▲— into your itinerary. It’s easy to add some destinations based on convenience (if you’re heading from Frankfurt to Munich, Rothenburg is on the way), though some farther-flung places (like Hamburg) can merit the journey, depending on your time and interests. Germany’s extensive train system brings everything within reach; most destinations in this book are within a two- to four-hour ride from Frankfurt’s airport, a popular arrival point with its own train station.

▲Baden-Baden and the Black Forest (1-2 days)

Baden-Baden is a tourist-friendly resort, offering two kinds of bath experiences (sedate and lively), a riverside stroll, and a grand casino in a small-town package. With a second day, delve into Black Forest sights: the university town of Freiburg, the cozy village of Staufen, and forested hills rife with hikes, folk museums, cute hamlets, and cuckoo clocks.

▲▲Rothenburg and the Romantic Road (1-2 days)

Rothenburg is a well-preserved medieval town full of half-timbered buildings, small museums, fun tours, and cobbled lanes surrounded by walkable medieval walls. With extra time, explore the Romantic Road’s scenic route through the lovely countryside and time-passed towns of Dinkelsbühl and Nördlingen.

▲Würzburg (half-day to 1 day)

This university town is home to the impressive, fun-to-tour Residenz palace (with manicured gardens and a dazzling Baroque chapel), a hilltop fortress, atmospheric wine bars, and a bridge that’s perfect for strolling at sunset.

Germany has enchanting villages like Bacharach, medieval festivals in Rothenburg, fine wood carving—a German specialty—in Nürnberg, and skyscrapers in Frankfurt.

▲Frankfurt (half-day to 1 day)

The country’s bustling banking center, with a skyscraping skyline, gives you a good look at modern Germany. Rebuilt after World War II, Frankfurt has a charming old town (Römerberg), riverside parks, and a string of museums across the river. It’s also an important transportation hub, with an international airport and major train stations.

▲▲Rhine Valley (1-2 days)

Steeped in legend, the mighty Rhine River is lined with storybook villages capped by imposing castles. Good home bases are cute Bacharach and St. Goar (with one of the best castles, Rheinfels). A thoroughfare since ancient times, the Rhine Valley is easy to explore by boat, car, bike, and train.

▲▲Mosel Valley (1 day)

This sleepy meandering river, near the Rhine Valley, harbors wine-loving cobbled towns, such as handy Cochem and tiny, quaint Beilstein. Nestled within a forest is my favorite European castle, Burg Eltz, which feels lived in, because it is. Farther west is Trier, easy to add for Mosel visitors.

▲Trier (half-day to 1 day)

On the banks of the Mosel, Germany’s oldest city has a fun market square, a huge cathedral, a fine archaeological museum, and massive Roman monuments such as the Porta Nigra gate and the basilica.

▲Cologne (half-day to 1 day)

Busy Cologne, on the Rhine River, has a spectacular Gothic cathedral looming over its train station, making it a rewarding, quick stop that’s especially convenient for train travelers.

The city’s engaging museums—from Romano-Germanic to art (old masters and modern art) to chocolate—may entice visitors to stay longer.

▲▲Nürnberg (1-2 days)

This city has an engaging old town (rebuilt after World War II), a famous Christmas market, a variety of great museums, and haunting reminders of its Nazi past (the Nazi Documentation Center and Rally Grounds).

▲Luther Trail (1-2 days)

Martin Luther made an impact on each of these places: the charming university town of Erfurt, where he spent his youth; Wartburg Castle, where he hid out from the pope’s goons; and Wittenberg (with the most Luther sights), where he taught, preached, and revolutionized Christianity.

▲Leipzig (half-day to 1 day)

This rejuvenated city, which was once the derelict “second city” of East Germany, has wonderful Bach and Cold War museums. The city is architecturally drab, but has a classic café scene and the trendy Karli restaurant-and-nightlife zone.

▲▲Dresden (1-2 days)

The art-filled city, midway between Nürnberg and Berlin, offers exquisite museums (with the Green Vault’s Saxon treasures), Baroque palaces, a pleasant riverside promenade, and the landmark Frauenkirche church, symbolizing Dresden’s rebirth after the notorious WWII firebombing.

▲Hamburg (half-day to 1 day)

The big port city is awash with history and museums—from emigration to World War II to the Beatles. Its harbor tour is fun, its harbor boardwalk is inviting, its architecture is avant-garde (Elbphilharmonie Concert Hall), and its nightlife is Las Vegas-style. Hamburg makes an easy stop between Germany and Denmark.

Pause for a coffee break in Dresden’s museum complex, and relax on a harbor tour in Hamburg.

Planning Your Trip

To plan your trip, you’ll need to design your itinerary—choosing where and when to go, how you’ll travel, and how many days to spend at each destination. For general advice on sightseeing, accommodations, restaurants, and more, see the Practicalities chapter.

DESIGNING AN ITINERARY

As you read this book and learn your options...

Choose your top destinations.

My recommended itinerary (see the sidebar on the next page) gives you an idea of how much you can reasonably see in 21 days, but you can adapt it to fit your own interests and time frame.

My itinerary is heavy on half-timbered towns. But if a little cuteness goes a long way for you, spend less time in smaller towns and more time in the bigger cities, which offer more sights and nightlife.

If you love to go a-wandering, you could easily spend a week in the Bavarian Alps area, touring castles, hiking, luge-riding, and spa-soaking. The region is easier by car, but doable without.

If rivers lined with castles, vineyards, and charming villages appeal to you, the Rhine and Mosel would fill a good week, including a day trip to Cologne for its stunning cathedral.

For beer hall fun, raise your glass in Munich. Wine connoisseurs enjoy Würzburg, the Rhine, and Mosel. For spa relaxation, Baden-Baden is your best bet.

Germany’s Best Three-Week Trip by Car and Train

Day | Plan | Sleep
1 | Fly into Frankfurt, pick up car, drive to Rhine Valley | Bacharach
2 | Rhine Valley | Bacharach
3 | To Burg Eltz and Mosel, then drive to Baden-Baden | Baden-Baden
4 | Relax and soak in Baden-Baden | Baden-Baden
5 | Explore the Black Forest | Freiburg or Staufen
6 | To the Bavarian Alps | Füssen or Reutte
7 | Neuschwanstein, other castles, Bavaria, Tirol | Füssen or Reutte
8 | More Bavaria/Tirol, then drive to Salzburg | Salzburg
9 | Salzburg | Salzburg
10 | To Munich | Munich
11 | Munich | Munich
12 | To Dachau, then follow Romantic Road to Rothenburg | Rothenburg
13 | Rothenburg | Rothenburg
14 | Rothenburg (or Würzburg), drive to Nürnberg, drop off car | Nürnberg
15 | Nürnberg | Nürnberg
16 | Train to Dresden | Dresden
17 | Dresden | Dresden
18 | Train to Berlin | Berlin
19 | Berlin | Berlin
20 | Berlin | Berlin
21 | Fly home |

With Less Time: Go directly from Baden-Baden to Füssen/Reutte instead of overnighting in Freiburg/Staufen. Skip your choice of Salzburg, Nürnberg, Dresden, or Berlin.

With More Time: You could stay a day in Frankfurt (upon arrival), add another day for the Rhine to day-trip to Cologne from Bacharach, or add a stay in the quieter Mosel Valley. The Martin Luther towns (Erfurt and Wittenberg) and Leipzig fit well as midpoint stops if you’re connecting Frankfurt or Nürnberg with Berlin or Dresden. Berlin merits several days more. Hamburg isn’t on the way to anything in Germany, but it’s a worthwhile detour to see a thriving, historic German port city.

By Train Only: Skip the southern Black Forest and take the train from Baden-Baden to Füssen, then Salzburg, then Munich. Take the train or bus to Rothenburg; from there, Nürnberg and Dresden are on the way to Berlin.

Historians can study their particular passion on-site: ancient Roman monuments (Trier), medieval towns and castles (Rothenburg, Rhine), Reformation (Luther Trail), World War II sights (Berlin, Nürnberg, Munich), and much more.

Salzburg, Austria, strikes a chord for classical-music lovers, offering concerts nearly nightly. Art lovers are drawn to Munich, Berlin, and Dresden for their outstanding museums. Photographers want to go everywhere.

Decide when to go.

Peak season (roughly May-Sept) offers the best weather, long days (light until after 21:00), and the busiest schedule of tourist fun. Late spring and fall generally have decent weather and lighter crowds. Winter can be cold and dreary, but Germany’s famous Christmas markets brighten main squares from late November until Christmas.

Statues in Leipzig poking fun at communism; sipping wine along the Main River in Würzburg.

Connect the dots.

Link your destinations into a logical route. Determine which cities you’ll fly into and out of. Begin your search for transatlantic flights at Google Flights.

Decide if you’ll travel by car or public transportation, or a combination. A car is useless in big cities (park it), but it’s helpful for exploring countryside regions, where bus and train connections are relatively infrequent and time-consuming.

Trains in Germany are either fast and pricey (book ahead for discounts, or use a rail pass), or slow and cheap (even cheaper with one of several day passes). Long-distance buses are inexpensive, though it’s wise to book several days in advance.

For the best of both worlds, use trains to connect major cities, and rent a car strategically to explore the countryside, such as the Bavarian Alps region, which has many scattered sights. Other candidates are the sleepy Mosel Valley, quaint Black Forest, and Romantic Road towns and sights (but if just Rothenburg’s your aim, it’s easily reached by train).

For approximate travel times between destinations, study the driving map in the Practicalities chapter or check Google Maps; visit Bahn.com for train schedules. Budget flights can be an alternative to long train rides; check Skyscanner.com for intra-European flights (but keep in mind air travel’s larger carbon footprint).

Trip Costs Per Person

Run a reality check on your dream trip. You’ll have major transportation costs in addition to daily expenses.

Flight: A round-trip flight from the US to Frankfurt costs about $900-1,500, depending on where you fly from and when.

Public Transportation: For a three-week trip, allow $400 for second-class trains and buses ($500 for first-class trains). A rail pass is generally a good value because it covers the pricey, fast trains. In some cases, a short flight can be cheaper than taking the train.

Car Rental: Allow $350-500 per week (booked well in advance), not including tolls, gas, parking, and insurance.

Budget Tips

City transit passes (for multiple rides or all-day usage) decrease your cost per ride. If using trains, opt for the cheaper slow trains, and use day passes for further savings (most cost-effective for groups of 2-5).

Avid sightseers buy combo-tickets or passes that cover multiple museums. If a town doesn’t offer deals, visit only the sights you most want to see, and seek out free sights and experiences (people-watching counts).

Reserve your rooms directly with the hotel. Some hotels offer a discount if you pay in cash and/or stay three or more nights (check online or ask). Anyone can sleep cheaply in hostels (most have private rooms). Or check Airbnb-type sites.

It’s easy to eat inexpensively in Germany. Restaurants offer some of the most reasonable prices in Europe. You can get tasty, affordable meals at bakeries (many sell sandwiches), department-store cafeterias, and fast-food stands. Cultivate the art of picnicking in atmospheric settings.

When you splurge, choose an experience you’ll always remember, such as a concert, spa, or alpine lift. Minimize souvenir shopping; focus instead on collecting wonderful memories.

Write out a day-by-day itinerary.

Figure out how many destinations you can comfortably fit in your time frame. Don’t overdo it—few travelers wish they’d hurried more. Allow enough days per stop (see estimates in “Germany’s Top Destinations,” earlier). Minimize one-night stands. It can be worth taking a late-afternoon drive or train ride to settle into a town for two consecutive nights—and gain a full uninterrupted day for sightseeing. Include sufficient time for transportation; whether you travel by train, bus, or car, it’ll take you a half-day to get between most destinations.

Staying in a home base (like Munich) and making day trips can be more time-efficient than changing locations and hotels.

Take sight closures into account. Avoid visiting a town on the one day a week its must-see sights are closed. Check if any holidays or festivals fall during your trip—these attract crowds and can close sights (for the latest, visit Germany’s tourist website, www.germany.travel). Note major sights where advance tickets are required (or recommended) or a free Rick Steves audio tour is available.

Give yourself some slack. Every trip, and every traveler, needs downtime for doing laundry, picnic shopping, people-watching, and so on. Pace yourself. Assume you will return.

BEFORE YOU GO

You’ll have a smoother trip if you tackle a few things ahead of time. For more details on these topics, see the Practicalities chapter and RickSteves.com, which has helpful travel-tip articles and videos.

Have your travel documents in order. If your passport expires within six months of your return date, you must renew it (allow eight weeks). Get passport and travel info at Travel.State.gov. Check entry requirements: You may need to register with the European Travel Info and Authorization System (ETIAS, https://travel-europe.europa.eu/etias) and, if transiting the UK, the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA, www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-an-electronic-travel-authorisation-eta).

Arrange your transportation. Book your international flights. Overall, Google Flights is the best place to start your search. Figure out your transportation options: It’s worth thinking about buying train tickets online in advance, getting a rail pass, renting a car, or booking cheap European flights. (You can wing it once you’re there, but it may cost more.)

Book rooms well in advance, especially if your trip falls during peak season or any major holidays or festivals (such as Munich’s Oktoberfest).

Reserve ahead for key sights and experiences. Make reservations or buy tickets in advance for major sights, such as Neuschwanstein Castle. For a Munich BMW factory tour, sign up well in advance. To visit the Reichstag dome in Berlin, reserve a free entry slot online a couple of weeks in advance. To secure your preferred time-slot for Dresden’s Historic Green Vault, book tickets online well ahead, or play it loose and line up early for same-day tickets.

Tickets for the music-packed Salzburg Festival (mid-July through August) go fast; buy tickets far in advance (on sale online in January). It’s also smart to book ahead for experiences such as a food tour or hiring a local guide.

Consider travel insurance. Compare the cost of insurance to the cost of your potential loss. Understand what protections your credit card might offer and whether your existing insurance (health, homeowners, or renters) covers you and your possessions overseas.

Manage your money. “Tap-to-pay” or “contactless” cards are widely accepted and simple to use. You may need your credit card’s PIN for some purchases—request it if you don’t have one. Alert your bank that you’ll be using your debit and credit cards in Europe. Don’t bring euros from home; you can withdraw euros from ATMs in Europe.

Use your smartphone smartly. Sign up for an international service plan, or rely on Wi-Fi. Download any apps you’ll want on the road, such as maps, translators, and Rick Steves Audio Europe (see sidebar).

Pack light. You’ll walk with your luggage more than you think. I travel for weeks with a single carry-on bag and a day pack. Use the packing checklist in the appendix as a guide.

Rick’s Free Audio Tours and Video Clips

Rick Steves Audio Europe, a free app, makes it easy to download my audio tours and radio interviews and listen to them offline as you travel. For this book, the app includes audio tours of sights and neighborhoods in Berlin, Munich, Rothenburg, and the Rhine Valley, and Salzburg in Austria (look for the ), and many interviews relating to Germany. Scan the QR code to find it in your app store or visit RickSteves.com/AudioEurope.

Rick Steves Classroom Europe, a powerful tool for teachers, is also useful for travelers. This video library contains about 600 short clips excerpted from my public television series. Enjoy these videos as you sort through options for your trip and to better understand what you’ll see in Europe. Check it out at Classroom.RickSteves.com.

Travel Smart

If you have a positive attitude, equip yourself with good information (this book), and expect to travel smart, you will.

Read—and reread—this book. To have an “A” trip, be an “A” student. Note opening hours of sights, closed days, crowd-beating tips, and whether reservations are required or advisable. Check the latest at RickSteves.com/update.

Be your own tour guide. As you travel, get up-to-date info on sights, reserve tickets and tours, reconfirm hotels, and check transit connections. Upon arrival in a new town, lay the groundwork for a smooth departure; confirm the train, bus, or road you’ll take when you leave.

Outsmart thieves. Pickpockets abound in crowded places—especially where tourists congregate. Treat commotions as smokescreens for theft. Take common-sense precautions with your valuables, especially credit cards and cash (store them securely). Don’t set phones or other important items down on counters or café tabletops, where they can be quickly stolen or easily forgotten (and don’t hang day packs on the backs of chairs).

Minimize potential loss. Keep expensive gear to a minimum. Bring copies or take photos of important documents to aid in replacement if they’re lost or stolen. Back up devices to the cloud as you travel.

Guard your time and energy. Taking a taxi can be a good value if it saves you a long wait for a cheap bus or an exhausting walk across town. To avoid long lines, follow my crowd-beating tips, such as buying tickets in advance or sightseeing early or late.

Be flexible. Even if you have a well-planned itinerary, expect changes, closures, sore feet, bad weather, and so on. Your Plan B could turn out to be even better.

Attempt the language. Most Germans speak English—especially young people and those in the tourist trade. And apps such as Google Translate work for on-the-go translation help. But if you memorize and use some German, even just a few pleasantries, you’ll get more smiles and make more friends. The survival phrases near the end of this book are a good starting point.

Connect with the culture. Interacting with locals carbonates your experience. Enjoy the friendliness of the German people. Ask questions; most locals are happy to point you in their idea of the right direction. Set up your own quest for the best beer-and-bratwurst, castle, or cathedral. When an opportunity pops up, make it a habit to say “yes.”

Germany...here you come!

MUNICH

München

Munich at a Glance

PLANNING YOUR TIME

Orientation to Munich

MUNICH: A VERBAL MAP

Map: Munich’s Neighborhoods

TOURIST INFORMATION

ARRIVAL IN MUNICH

HELPFUL HINTS

Map: Munich

GETTING AROUND MUNICH

Map: Munich Transportation

Tours in Munich

Munich City Walk

Map: Munich City Walk

Sights in Munich

Map: Museum Quarter

Map: Greater Munich

Map: Nymphenburg

Shopping in Munich

Nightlife in Munich

Sleeping in Munich

SOUTH OF THE TRAIN STATION

Map: Munich Hotels

NORTH OF THE TRAIN STATION

NEAR THE OKTOBERFEST GROUNDS

IN THE OLD CENTER

AWAY FROM THE CENTER

Eating in Munich

BEER HALLS, BEER GARDENS, AND BAVARIAN FOOD

Map: Munich Restaurants

BEYOND BEER HALLS

PICNICS

Munich Connections

BY TRAIN

BY BUS

BY PLANE

Day Trips from Munich

Map: Near Munich

▲▲▲DACHAU CONCENTRATION CAMP MEMORIAL (KZ-Gedenkstätte Dachau)

Map: Dachau

▲ANDECHS MONASTERY

▲▲▲THE KING’S CASTLES

MORE DAY TRIPS FROM MUNICH

Munich (“München” in German), often called Germany’s most livable city, is also one of its most historic, artistic, and entertaining. While another nickname is “Germany’s biggest village,” it’s big and growing, with a population of 1.5 million. Until 1871, it was the capital of an independent Bavaria. Its royal palaces, jewels, and grand boulevards remind visitors that Munich has long been a political and cultural powerhouse. Meanwhile, the concentration camp memorial in nearby Dachau reminds us that a century ago, Munich provided a springboard for Nazism.

Orient yourself in Munich’s old center, with its colorful pedestrian zones. Immerse yourself in the city’s art and history—crown jewels, Baroque theater, Wittelsbach palaces, great paintings, and beautiful parks. Spend your Munich evenings in a frothy beer hall or outdoor Biergarten, prying big pretzels from no-nonsense beer maids amid an oompah, bunny-hopping, and belching Bavarian atmosphere. Or rub elbows with what’s left of the city’s aristocracy at a classy café or a classical concert—Munich has a posh side, too.

If you’re impressed by how a big city like Munich can feel so inviting and friendly, thank a city government whose passion is nurturing and protecting a people-friendly culture. The big Viktualienmarkt is only possible because the city subsidizes rent for mom-and-pop stalls. Oktoberfest, the world’s biggest beer party, is not corporate run but city run—leaving it free, easygoing, and hell-bent on having fun rather than making money. Public transit is designed to encourage big corporate offices to locate away from the center, as is a zoning law that allows buildings taller than the cathedral domes only in the outskirts. Bikes have priority over cars. Even Munich’s venerable circus tent—which has housed backpackers for 40 years—is held up with city support. Munich is a rich and capitalistic city, but its populace knows the free market needs a referee: a smart and caring local government.

PLANNING YOUR TIME

Munich is worth two days, including a half-day spent at the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial (45 minutes from the center by public transportation). If all you have is one day, follow my “Munich City Walk” (visiting museums along the way), tour one of the royal palaces (the Residenz or Nymphenburg), and drink in the beer-hall culture for your evening’s entertainment. With a second day, choose from the following: Tour the Dachau memorial, rent a bike to enjoy the English Garden, or—if you’re into art—visit the Alte Pinakothek. The city could easily fill three days, with its numerous worthwhile sights and activities. And many visitors spend an entire day side-tripping south to “Mad” King Ludwig’s castles (see “Day Trips from Munich” at the end of this chapter). Salzburg, Austria (less than 2 hours away by direct train), is also within day-trip distance.

Orientation to Munich

Despite its large population, Munich feels small—without skyscrapers and with streets that are friendly to pedestrians and bikers.

MUNICH: A VERBAL MAP

The tourist’s Munich is circled by a ring road (the former path of the Old Town wall), with the bull’s-eye being the city center—Marienplatz. Most of the sights and hotels I recommend are within a 20-minute walk of Marienplatz and each other. The excellent public transportation system makes even sights outside the inner ring accessible. Think of Munich as a series of neighborhoods, cradling major landmarks.

Old Town—Inside the Ring: Marienplatz, in the middle of the ring, is a lively pedestrian zone of sights, shopping, and restaurants. Slicing west-to-east through the ring is a mostly pedestrianized street that changes names as it runs from the train station through Marienplatz to the Isartor gate (a 20-minute walk). The main S-Bahn line runs underground along this same east-west corridor. Around the ring, three gates survive from the city walls: Karlstor (west), Isartor (east), and Sendlinger Tor (south). North of Marienplatz, your landmark is the Residenz palace. South of Marienplatz are the Viktualienmarkt open-air market and some recommended hotels.

Train Station: A five-minute walk west of the ring is the main train station (Hauptbahnhof), home to many services (lockers, bike rental). Many recommended hotels and restaurants are nearby.

Museum Quarter: Several art museums (and other sights) cluster together in this neighborhood of broad leafy boulevards (north of the train station, near the Königsplatz U-Bahn stop).

English Garden: To the northeast of the ring stretches this vast expanse of parkland and trails dotted with beer gardens and naked sunbathers.

Away from the Center: Within a short ride on public transit are many major sights, such as the BMW complex and Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial (north) and Nymphenburg Palace (northwest). The Oktoberfest grounds are a 15-minute walk southwest of the train station.

TOURIST INFORMATION

Munich’s helpful city-run TI is on the main square, Marienplatz, below the glockenspiel (Mon-Fri 10:00-18:00, Sat 9:00-17:00, Sun 10:00-14:00, +49 89 2339 6500, www.muenchen.de). A second TI is located outside the main train station at Luisenstrasse 1 (Mon-Sat 9:00-17:00, Sun 10:00-14:00).

If you want a paper map, you can get an inexpensive one at the TI that’s more helpful than the free maps hotels give out, especially for public transit; there’s also a €1 booklet describing the city sights. The free monthly magazine, In München, lists movies and entertainment (in German, organized by date; www.in-muenchen.de).

ARRIVAL IN MUNICH

By Train: Travelers usually arrive at the main train station, München Hauptbahnhof. A vast, L-shaped underground shopping concourse hugs the station on the north and east sides and funnels travelers into the city’s subway system. The station building is in the midst of a massive, multiyear renovation: Services mentioned here may be suspended or relocate as construction progresses.

Look for the Reisezentrum (travel center, with ticket counters) near track 11. Clean, high-tech, pay WCs and showers are downstairs near tracks 11 and 26. For sandwiches and salads to bring on board, I shop at Yorma’s (several branches: the biggest are by track 26 and in the underground concourse). You’ll find lockers opposite track 26. Bike rental is by track 32.

Changing to Local Transit: Suburban trains, subway lines, trams, and buses connect the station to the rest of the city (though many of my recommended hotels are within walking distance). For the S-Bahn or U-Bahn, take the escalators by track 26 down into the underground concourse, turn right, and follow the signs. Buses depart from the streets on both the north and south sides of the station. The station has tram stops on three sides (Hauptbahnhof Nord, Hauptbahnhof Süd, and at the east end, just plain Hauptbahnhof). The useful #16, #17, and #18 trams all use the plain Hauptbahnhof stop, which you can reach via escalators up from the underground concourse.

Watch out for gateways with blue ticket-stamping machines in the middle of the concourse—these lead to the U-Bahn (subway), where you could be fined if you don’t have a validated ticket. For information on buying tickets, see “Getting Around Munich,” later.

The Lufthansa airport bus leaves from the north side of the train station (exit by track 26, across the street and to the left).

Other Train Stations in Munich: Many long-distance trains also stop at two smaller stations, München Ost (a.k.a. the Ostbahnhof) and München-Pasing. Sometimes it makes sense to transfer to the S-Bahn or local transport at these stations rather than the main Hauptbahnhof.

By Bus or Plane: See “Munich Connections” on here.

HELPFUL HINTS

Museum Tips: Most museums close on Mondays (except on holidays); remaining open are the Residenz, Nymphenburg Palace, and the Deutsches Museum (including the Transport Museum and the Aviation Museum in Schleissheim). My self-guided Munich Walk works on Mondays. The art museums are generally open late one night a week.

Ticket Discounts: Your ticket to the Jewish History Museum, Lenbachhaus, or Villa Stuck (all city-run) gets you half-price admission to the others either on the same day or the next. On Sundays, admission is knocked down to €1 at the Alte Pinakothek, Pinakothek der Moderne, Egyptian Museum, Museum Brandhorst, Glyptothek, and Bavarian National Museum.

City Sightseeing Passes: If you want to pack as many sights as possible into a limited time, consider either the Munich Card or the Munich City Pass. Both give discounts to many museums and palaces; with the City Pass, admission is often free. You can select one- or multiday versions, with or without public transportation. They’re not cheap, but could be a good value depending on your plans (www.munich.travel/en/topics/guestcards).

Palace Sightseeing Passes: The Bavarian Palace Administration offers a 14-day ticket (the Mehrtagesticket) that covers admission to Munich’s Residenz and Nymphenburg Palace complexes, as well as other castles and palaces in Bavaria (for details, see here; purchase at participating sights, www.schloesser.bayern.de). For avid castle-goers planning to visit castles beyond Munich, this can be a good deal.

Festivals: It’s hard to visit Munich without running into at least one festival. For a complete list, look under “Events” on the TI website (www.muenchen.de), or ask at the TI. Oktoberfest lasts about two weeks, starting the Saturday after September 15 and usually ending on the first Sunday in October (Sept 20-Oct 5 in 2025, Sept 19-Oct 4 in 2026, www.oktoberfest.de). The same fairgrounds host a Spring Festival (Frühlingsfest, two weeks in late April-early May, www.fruehlingsfest-muenchen.de). Tollwood, an artsy, multicultural event, happens twice a year—in summer (late June-July) and winter (alternative Christmas market, late Nov-Dec, www.tollwood.de).

Concerts: Check the München Ticket website to see what’s on (www.muenchenticket.de).

WCs: Munich had outdoor urinals until the 1972 Olympics and then decided to beautify the city by doing away with them. What about the people’s needs? By law, any place serving beer must admit the public (even if they’re not customers) to use the WCs. Be bold and find relief.

Laundry: A half-block from the train station, City Dry Clean is a big, staffed self-service launderette (long hours daily, drop-off service available from about 7:00, Bayerstrasse 6, +49 160 825 4178).

Bikes and Pedestrians: The strip of pathway closest to the street is usually reserved for bikes. Pedestrians wandering into the bike path may hear the cheery ding-ding of a cyclist’s bell just before being knocked unconscious. Look for blue-and-white street signs showing which lanes are for pedestrians and cyclists (or, sometimes, shared between them). The city’s vision for the old center is one with no cars—just service vehicles, scooters, bikes, and pedestrians.

Taxi: Call +49 89 21610.

Private Driver: Reliable Johann Fayoumi speaks English and can take up to eight passengers (€80/hour, +49 174 183 8473, www.firstclasslimousines.de, johannfayoumi@gmail.com).

Great Views in the Town Center: Downtown Munich’s best city viewpoints are from the towers of St. Peter’s Church (stairs only), New Town Hall (elevator, fast and easy), and the Frauenkirche towers (mostly by elevator). Each comes with a fee.

What’s with Monaco? People walking around with guidebooks to Monaco aren’t lost. “Monaco di Baviera” is Italiano for “Munich.” Both Munich and Monaco were founded by monks—monaci in Italian.

GETTING AROUND MUNICH

Much of Munich is walkable, but for trips beyond the historic core, it’s worth learning the public transit system and probably getting a day pass. Taxis are honest and professional, and Uber works just like at home, but both are generally unnecessary.

By Public Transit

Munich’s transit system includes buses, trams, and two types of trains: The U-Bahn is a subway (think U for “underground”); the S-Bahn is a network of suburban trains that accept local transit tickets (but are technically part of the national rail system). To find either train, look for its logo: The U-Bahn uses a white U on a blue background; the S-Bahn has a green circle with a white S.

Transit lines are numbered (for example, S-3 or U-5). There are seven concentric fare zones (Zone M and Zones 1-6). You’ll spend most of your time in Zone M (central Munich). You might also travel to Zone 1 (Dachau) and Zone 5 (the airport).

Information: Pick up a transit map at the TI or station, use the English-language journey planner at www.mvv-muenchen.de, or download the MVV app. Underground at the train station, and at Marienplatz, real people are waiting to help at Munich Transit Corporation customer service centers (look for the MVG sign; Mon-Fri 8:00-20:00, Sat 9:00-16:00, closed Sun, www.mvg.de).

Ticket Options

Transit tickets are sold at any ticket machine that has an MVG (blue machines) or DB (red machines) logo. Though operated by different companies, the machines work much the same way, use English, and accept coins, bills, and credit cards. At DB machines, select the “MVV” option to switch to local-transit mode.

A regular ticket (Einzelfahrkarte) for Zone M costs €3.90 and is good for three hours in one direction, including changes and stops. For short rides, buy the €1.90 short-stretch ticket (Kurzstrecke), good for one ride (four stops max, only two of which can be on the subway). The €9.20 day ticket (Single-Tageskarte) for Zone M pays for itself if you take three regular trips, and can be a great deal for a busy traveler. If you’re going to Dachau, buy the M-1 version of the Single-Tageskarte (€10.50, covers Zones M and 1). For the airport (Flughafen), you need an M-5 ticket for zones M through 5 (€13.60/single ride; €15.50/all-day pass).

All-day small-group passes (Gruppen-Tageskarte) are even more generous. They cover all public transportation for up to five adults (or up to two adults and six kids). A Gruppen-Tageskarte for Zone M costs €17.80. An M-1 group ticket (covering Zones M and 1, which includes Dachau) costs €19.20, and an M-5 group ticket valid out to the airport (Flughafen) costs €29.10. These group tickets—while seemingly impossibly cheap—are for real. Read it again and do the math. Even two people traveling together save money, and for groups, it’s a real steal. The only catch is that you’ve got to stay together.

A variety of passes add free or discounted sightseeing on top of public transit, but they are harder to make pay off (for details, see https://ticketshop.mvv-muenchen.de).

Using the System

Tickets must be validated—stamped with the date and time—before using them. (For an all-day or multiday pass, stamp it only the first time you use it.) Some machines issue prevalidated tickets, or ask you to choose whether to validate at the time of purchase—if you say “yes” to validation, you’re all set.

If you have an unvalidated ticket, on the S-Bahn and U-Bahn, punch it in the blue machine before going down to the platform. For buses and trams, stamp your ticket once on board. Plainclothes ticket checkers enforce this honor system, rewarding freeloaders—even jet-lagged travelers—with stiff €60 fines.

To find the right platform, first look for Richtung (direction) signs that helpfully orient you toward major city-center stops. A Richtung: Marienplatz sign means that every train from that platform will pass through Marienplatz on the way to its end station. Sometimes, you’ll want to check the map and note the name of the last station in the direction you want to travel, then look for that name on the monitors. For example, S-8 trains are called either S-8 Herrsching (westbound) or S-8 Flughafen (eastbound).

Admire the smart design: At busy underground stations there’s a smooth flow as doors open on both sides, so the crowds flow in from one side and out the other.

Useful Transit Lines

All S-Bahn lines (S-1 through S-8) run east-west along the same main axis between the Hauptbahnhof, Marienplatz, and the Ostbahnhof, peeling off to various destinations at either end. If you’re traveling within this central zone, it doesn’t matter which S-Bahn line number you take. One track (Gleis) will be headed east to the Ostbahnhof, the other west to the Hauptbahnhof. Hop on any train going your direction.

The U-3 goes to Olympic Park and the BMW sights, and the S-2 goes to Dachau. Bus #100 runs from the train station past most of the art museums, as well as the English Garden. Tram #17 goes to Nymphenburg Palace (from the train station and Sendlinger Tor). Tram #16 whisks you from the train station around the south edge of the old center and up to the English Garden.

By Bike

Level, compact, and with plenty of bike paths, Munich feels made for those on two wheels. When biking in Munich, follow these simple rules: Walk your bike through pedestrian zones; feel free to take your bike on the U- and S-Bahn, but not during rush hour (Mon-Fri 6:00-9:00 & 16:00-18:00) and only if you buy a €3.40 bike day pass (Fahrrad-Tageskarte); and follow the rules of the road, just like those driving cars.

You can rent bikes quickly and easily from the places listed below. Each has an extensive selection; provides helmets, maps, and route advice; and offers bike tours. For locations, see the “Munich” map on here.

Radius Tours (Rad means “bike” in German) rents bikes in the train station, in front of track 32 (RS%, open daily though generally closed Nov-March, +49 89 543 487 7730, www.radiustours.com).

Mike’s Bike Tours is conveniently located in the old center (RS%, open daily but shorter hours off-season, closed in winter; Bräuhausstrasse 10—enter around corner on Hochbrückenstrasse; +49 89 2314 0263, www.mikesbiketours.com).

Suggested Ride: For a great city ride, consider this day on a bike: Rent from Radius at the train station, and take the bike path along Arnulfstrasse, pedaling out to Nymphenburg Palace. Then head to Olympic Park and the BMW sights, and finish at the English Garden (for the late-afternoon or early evening scene) before returning to the center. Or go for the Isar River bike ride described on here.

Tours in Munich

To sightsee on your own, download my free Munich City Walk audio tour (see sidebar on here for details).

“Free” Tours: On Marienplatz you may see tour guides jockeying to gather groups for “free” walking or biking tours. These tours aren’t really free: Tips are expected, and the guides actually have to pay the company for each person who takes the tour—so unless you tip more than the guide owes the company, they don’t make a penny. The tours tend to be light on history, and the guides work hard to promote the company’s other tours (which are not free). As is so often the case, you get what you pay for.

Tours Beyond Munich: For day trips to Dachau, Neuschwanstein Castle, and other destinations around Bavaria, see “Day Trips from Munich” at the end of this chapter.

Walking Tours

Munich’s largest conventional tour company, Radius Tours, runs two city walking tours with reliably good guides: a daily city tour (€20, at 10:15, 2.5 hours) and a “Third Reich Tour” (€32, April-Oct daily at 15:00, off-season daily at 11:30, 2.5 hours). They also offer an educational “Munich Bavarian Beer Tour” (€62; April-Oct Mon-Sat 18:00, off-season Tue, Thu, and Sat at 18:00; 3.5 hours). During Oktoberfest, they run an Oktoberfest tour instead—reserve well in advance (RS%—use the “student rate” when booking online; run by Gaby Holder and son Daniel, office open daily 8:30-18:00, Nov-March until 14:00, Dachauer Strasse 4, +49 89 543 487 7740, www.radiustours.com). Advance booking is recommended and easiest online. For office location, see the “Munich” map, earlier.

Munich at a Glance

In the Center

▲▲▲Munich City Walk Munich’s central sights linked in handy orientation walk.

▲▲Marienplatz Munich’s main square, at the heart of a lively pedestrian zone, watched over by New Town Hall and its glockenspiel. Hours: Glockenspiel jousts daily at 11:00 and 12:00, plus 17:00 March-Oct; New Town Hall tower elevator runs daily 10:00-20:00.

▲▲Viktualienmarkt Open-air market, great for a quick snack or meal. Hours: Market closed Sun; beer garden open daily 10:00-22:00 (weather permitting).

▲▲Hofbräuhaus World-renowned beer hall, worth a visit even if you’re not chugging. Hours: Daily 11:00-late.

▲▲The Residenz Elegant family palace of the Wittelsbachs, awash in Bavarian opulence. Complex includes the Residenz Museum (lavish apartments), Residenz Treasury (Wittelsbach family crowns and royal knickknacks), and the impressive, heavily restored Cuvilliés Theater. Hours: Museum and treasury—daily 9:00-18:00, mid-Oct-mid-March 10:00-17:00; theater—generally Mon-Sat 14:00-18:00, Sun from 9:00, longer hours Aug-mid-Sept.

▲▲Alte Pinakothek Bavaria’s best painting gallery, with a wonderful collection of European masters from the 14th through the 18th century. Hours: Tue 10:00-20:30, Wed-Sun until 18:00, closed Mon.

▲▲Nazi Documentation Center Thoughtful look at Munich’s role in the rise of Nazism. Hours: Tue-Sun 10:00-19:00, closed Mon.

▲Asam Church Private church of the Asam brothers, dripping with Baroque. Hours: Sat-Thu 9:00-18:00, Fri from 13:00.

▲Pinakothek der Moderne Munich’s modern art museum with works by Picasso, Dalí, Miró, Magritte, and Ernst. Hours: Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, Thu until 20:00, closed Mon.

▲Egyptian Museum Easy-to-enjoy collection of ancient treasures. Hours: Tue 10:00-20:00, Wed-Sun until 18:00, closed Mon.

▲Lenbachhaus Three stages of German art: 19th-century, Blue Rider, and post-WWI—most important for its Blue Rider collection. Hours: Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, Thu until 20:00, closed Mon.

▲English Garden Largest city park on the Continent, packed with locals, tourists, surfers, and nude sunbathers. (On a bike, I’d rate this ▲▲.)

▲Bavarian National Museum Vast and varied collection focusing on fine design and decorative arts through the ages. Hours: Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00, Thu until 20:00, closed Mon.

▲Villa Stuck Mansion designed by fin-de-siècle artist Franz von Stuck, filled with Art Nouveau eye candy. Hours: Tue-Sun 11:00-18:00, closed Mon.

▲Deutsches Museum Germany’s version of our Smithsonian Institution, with 10 miles of science and technology exhibits at its main branch. Hours: Daily 9:00-17:00.

Outside the City Center

▲▲▲Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Notorious Nazi camp on the outskirts of Munich, now a powerful museum and memorial. Hours: Daily 9:00-17:00.

▲▲Nymphenburg Palace The Wittelsbachs’ impressive summer palace, featuring a hunting lodge, coach museum, fine royal porcelain collection, and vast park. Hours: Park—daily 6:00-dusk; palace buildings—daily 9:00-18:00, mid-Oct-March 10:00-16:00.

▲Museum of Transportation Deutsches Museum’s cross-town annex devoted to travel. Hours: Daily 9:00-17:00.

▲BMW-Welt and Museum The carmaker’s futuristic museum and floating-cloud showroom, highlighting BMW past, present, and future in unforgettable architecture. Hours: BMW-Welt showroom exhibits—daily 9:00-20:00; museum—Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon.

▲Schleissheim Palace Another Wittelsbach palace, highlighted by Baroque architecture, a fine garden, and fewer tourists than the others. Hours: Tue-Sun 9:00-18:00, Oct-March 10:00-16:00, closed Mon year-round.

▲Andechs Monastery Baroque church, hearty food, and Bavaria’s best brew. Hours: Beer garden Mon-Fri 11:00-20:00, Sat-Sun from 10:00, church open until 18:00.

Munich Walk, run by Ralph Lünstroth, offers group and private city, food, and beer tours, plus other options; see website for details (+49 89 2423 1767, www.munichwalktours.de).

Local Guides

A guide can be a great value—especially if you assemble a small group. Six people splitting the cost can make the luxury of a private guide affordable. Each of these guides can meet you at your hotel and tailor a visit to your interests. They are so good, they could wander aimlessly around town and enthrall you with historic and cultural insights.

Michael and Birgitt Borio are a brother-and-sister guide team with a thoughtful and smart approach to the city and its history, and they take great joy in sharing it (€195/3 hours, email to make a plan or explore a longer tour; Michael: +49 173 700 4633, michbo@web.de; Birgitt: +49 173 319 1565, bborio@yahoo.de).

Georg Reichlmayr is a leader among Munich’s guides and has helped me generously with this chapter (€230/3 hours, +49 8131 86800, mobile +49 170 341 6384, www.muenchen-stadtfuehrung.de, info@muenchen-stadtfuehrung.de).

Birgit Stempfle is a smart and delightful local guide (€230/3 hours, +49 171 718 1465, www.sightseeing-munich.de, info@sightseeing-munich.de).

Paul Riedel is another good guide, with particular interests in art, history, and beer (€300/half-day, €500/full day, has a car for up to 6, +49 089 747 47493, www.paul-riedel.de, info@paul-riedel.de).

Bike Tours

Munich lends itself to bike touring. Both of these outfits offer discounts to my readers. Prices include bike rental (you’ll pick up your bike after meeting your guide). Tours often fill, so reservations are smart. For locations, see the “Munich” map, earlier.

Radius Tours offers a three-hour bike tour around the city for €40 (RS%—select the “student rate” when booking online; April-Oct daily at 10:00 and 14:00, no tours off-season, www.radiustours.com).

Mike’s Bike Tours packs four hours of “edutainment” on wheels into its €43 “Classic” bike tour (RS%, 1-hour break in Chinese Tower beer garden, daily at 11:30, more tour options in summer, +49 89 2554 3987, www.mikesbiketours.com).

Hop-On, Hop-Off Bus Tour

Gray Line hop-on, hop-off tours leave from Karlsplatz 21. Choose between a basic, one-hour “Express” route that heads past the Pinakotheks and Marienplatz (€21.50, departs daily 10:00-16:00) and the “Grand” route that lasts 2.5 hours (€26, departs daily 10:00-16:30). This longer route adds Nymphenburg and the BMW complex, and it’s a very efficient way to see both—just plan your visits around the tour schedule. The live narration is delivered as stiffly as a recording, but the tour is worthwhile: Sitting upstairs on the topless double-decker bus, you’ll see lots of things missed by the typical visitor wandering around the center. Booking online gets you the best price (+49 89 5490 7560, www.stadtrundfahrten-muenchen.de).

Munich City Walk

1 Marienplatz

Map: Munich City Walk

2 St. Peter’s Church

3 Viktualienmarkt

4 Ohel Jakob Synagogue

5 Asam Church (Asamkirche)

6 Kaufingerstrasse

7 St. Michael’s Church (Michaelskirche)

8 Frauenkirche

9 Marienhof

10 Dallmayr Delicatessen

11 Alter Hof

12 Platzl Square

13 Hofbräuhaus

14 Maximilianstrasse

15 Max-Joseph-Platz

16 Viscardigasse

17 Odeonsplatz

19 Hofgarten

Munich is big and modern, with a million and a half citizens, but, with its pedestrian-friendly historic core, it feels a lot like an easygoing Bavarian town. On this self-guided walk, rated ▲▲▲, we’ll start in the central square, see its famous glockenspiel, stroll through a thriving open-air market, and visit historic churches with lavish Baroque decor. We’ll sample edibles at a venerable gourmet deli and take a spin through the world’s most famous beer hall. Allow two to three hours for this walk through a thousand years of Munich’s history. Allow extra time if you tour museums along the way (details on visiting the sights are given later, under “Sights in Munich”).

Download my free Munich City Walk audio tour and use the “Munich City Walk” map to find your way.

• Begin your walk at the heart of the old city, with a stroll through...

1 Marienplatz

GOOGLE MAP

Riding the escalator out of the subway into sunlit Marienplatz (mah-REE-en-platz, “Mary’s Square,” rated ▲▲) gives you a fine first look at the glory of Munich: great buildings, outdoor cafés, and people bustling and lingering like the birds and breeze with which they share this square.

The square is both old and new: For a thousand years, it’s been the center of Munich. It was the town’s marketplace and public forum, standing at a crossroads along the Salt Road, which ran between Salzburg and Augsburg.

Lining one entire side of the square is the impressive facade of the New Town Hall (Neues Rathaus), with its soaring 280-foot spire. The structure looks medieval, but it was actually built in the late 1800s (1867-1908). The style is Neo-Gothic—pointed arches over the doorways and a roofline bristling with prickly spires. The 40 statues look like medieval saints, but they’re from around 1900, depicting more recent Bavarian kings and nobles. This medieval-looking style was all the rage in the 19th century as Germans were rediscovering their historical roots and uniting as a modern nation.

The New Town Hall is famous for its glockenspiel. A carillon in the tower chimes a tune while colorful figurines come out on the balcony to spin and dance. It happens daily at 11:00 and 12:00 all year (also at 17:00 March-Oct) and lasts about 10 minutes. The Spiel of the glockenspiel tells the story of a noble wedding that took place on the market square in 1568. You see the wedding procession and the friendly joust of knights on horseback. The duke and his bride watch the action as the groom’s Bavarian family (in Bavarian white and blue) joyfully jousts with the bride’s French family (in red and white). Below, the barrelmakers—famous for being the first to dance in the streets after a deadly plague lifted—do their popular jig. Finally, the solitary cock crows.

At the very top of the New Town Hall is a statue of a child with outstretched arms, dressed in monk’s garb and holding a book in its left hand. This is the Münchner Kindl, the symbol of Munich. The town got its name from the people who first settled here: the monks (München). You’ll spot this mini monk all over town, on everything from the city’s coat of arms to souvenir shot glasses to ad campaigns (often holding not a book but maybe a beer or a smartphone). The city symbol was originally depicted as a grown man, wearing a gold-lined black cloak and red shoes. By the 19th century, artists were representing him as a young boy, then a gender-neutral child, and, more recently, a young girl.

These days, a teenage girl dressed as the Kindl kicks off the annual Oktoberfest by leading the opening parade on horseback, and then serves as the mascot throughout the festivities.

New Town Hall Tower Views: Enter the New Town Hall through the tower gateway and take an elevator to the fourth floor, then ride another elevator to the top of the New Town Hall tower—where, from a small perch, you can enjoy a commanding 360-degree city view (€6.50, buy ticket at the TI in the same building; daily 10:00-20:00).

The golden statue at the top of the column in the center of Marienplatz honors the square’s namesake, the Virgin Mary. Sculpted in 1590, it was a rallying point in the religious wars of the Reformation. Back then, Munich was a bastion of southern-German Catholicism against the “heresies” of Martin Luther to the north. Notice how, at the four corners of the statue, cherubs fight the four great biblical enemies of civilization: the dragon of war, the lion of hunger, the rooster-headed monster of plague and disease, and the serpent. The serpent represents heresy—namely, Protestants. Bavaria is still Catholic country, and Protestants weren’t allowed to worship openly here until about 1800.

To the right of the New Town Hall, the gray pointy building with the green spires is the Old Town Hall (Altes Rathaus). On its adjoining bell tower, find the city seal. It has the Münchner Kindl (symbolizing the first monks), a castle (representing the first fortifications), and a lion (representing the first ruler—Henry the Lion, who built them). It was in this building, on November 9, 1938, that Hitler called for Germans to rise up and ransack everything Jewish. On what came to be called Kristallnacht, synagogues were burned and shops were trashed. (Inside the tunnel under the building is a memorial plaque recalling this horrible event, which foreshadowed the Holocaust.)

As you look around, keep in mind that the Allies bombed Marienplatz and much of Munich during World War II. Most of the buildings had to be rebuilt; the question was whether to do so in a way that matched their original design or in a modern style. The Old Town Hall looks newer now because it was destroyed by bombs and was rebuilt after the war. The New Town Hall survived the bombs, and served as the US military headquarters after the Americans occupied Munich in 1945.

Orientation Spin: Before moving on, face the New Town Hall one more time and get oriented. Straight ahead is north. To the left is the pedestrian shopping street called Kaufingerstrasse, which leads to the old gate called Karlstor and the train station. To the right, the street leads to the Isartor gate and the Deutsches Museum. This east-west axis cuts through the historic core of Munich.

• Turn around and notice the small street to the left leading a short block to St. Peter’s Church, with its steeple poking up above a row of buildings.

2 St. Peter’s Church

The oldest church in town, St. Peter’s stands on the rise where Munich’s original monks probably settled—perhaps as far back as the ninth century (though the city marks its official birthday as 1158). Today’s church (from 1368) replaced the original monastery church; the formerly Gothic interior went Baroque in the 18th century. St. Peter’s (“Old Peter” to locals) is part of the soul of the city. There’s even a popular song about it that goes, “Munich is not Munich without St. Peter’s.”

Cost and Hours: Church-free, tower climb-€5, daily 9:00-18:00.

Visiting the Church: Step inside. (If there’s a Mass in progress, visitors are welcome, but stay in the back. If there’s no Mass, feel free to explore.) Typical of so many Bavarian churches, it’s whitewashed and light-filled, with highlights in pastel pinks and blues framed by gold curlicues. The ceiling painting opens up to the heavens, where Peter is crucified upside down.

Photos (on a pillar near the entrance) show how St. Peter’s was badly damaged in World War II: The roof caved in, and the tower was demolished during an air raid. But the beloved church was rebuilt and restored, thanks to donations—half from the Augustiner brewery, the rest from private donors. (The accuracy of the restoration was possible thanks to Nazi catalog photos—see “The History of Munich” sidebar later in this chapter.) For decades after World War II, the bells played a popular tune that stopped just before the last note, reminding locals that the church still needed money to rebuild.

Explore further. The nave is lined with bronze statues of the apostles, and the altar shows a statue of St. Peter being adored by four Church fathers. The finely crafted, gray iron fences that line the nave were donated after World War II by the local blacksmiths of the national railway.

Facing the main altar, find the second chapel from the back on the left side. Now there’s something you don’t see every day: a skeleton in a box. As the red Latin inscription says, this is St. Munditia. In the fourth century, she was beheaded by the Romans for her Christian faith. Munich is said to have more relics of saints than any city outside Rome. That’s because it was the pope’s Catholic bastion against the rising tide of Protestantism in northern Europe during the Reformation. In 1675, St. Munditia’s remains were given to Munich by the pope as thanks for the city’s devoted service. It was also a vivid reminder to the faithful that those who die for the cause of the Roman Church go directly to heaven without waiting for Judgment Day.

• Leave St. Peter’s out the door opposite the one you entered. Then, head to the right to the tower entrance.

Visiting the Tower: It’s a long climb to the top (306 steps, no elevator, can be hot and sweaty in summer), much of it with two-way traffic on a one-lane staircase—but the view is rewarding. Try to be two flights from the top when the bells ring at the top of the hour. Then, when your friends back home ask you about your trip, you’ll say, “What?”

• After your tower climb, head downhill to join the busy commotion of the...

3 Viktualienmarkt

GOOGLE MAP

The market (rated ▲▲, closed Sun) is a lively world of produce stands and budget eateries. Browse your way through the stalls and pavilions, as you make your way to the market’s main landmark, the white-and-blue-striped maypole. Early in the morning, you can still feel small-town Munich here. Remember, Munich has been a market town since its earliest days as a stop on the salt-trade crossroads. By the 1400s, the market bustled, most likely beneath a traditional maypole, just like you see today.

Besides salt, Munich gained a reputation for beer. By the 15th century, more than 30 breweries pumped out the golden liquid, brewed by monks, who were licensed to sell it. They stored their beer in cellars under courtyards kept cool by the shade of bushy chestnut trees—a tradition Munich’s breweries still stick to.

Today, the market’s centerpiece seems to be its beer garden (daily 10:00-22:00, weather permitting). Its picnic tables are filled with hungry and thirsty locals, all in the shade of the traditional chestnut trees.

As this beer garden is city owned and needs to be equitable, the beverage selection rotates week to week to feature beer from Munich’s six leading brewers. Step up to the beer kiosk, where you’ll see a sign explaining which beer is on tap.

Shoppers often pause here for a late-morning snack of Weisswurst—white sausage—served with mustard, a pretzel, and a beer. Here, you can order just a half-liter—unlike beer gardens that only sell by the full liter. This is handy for shoppers who want just a quick sip. As is the tradition at all the city’s beer gardens, some tables—those without tablecloths—are set aside for patrons who bring their own food; they’re welcome here as long as they buy a drink. The Viktualienmarkt is ideal for a light meal (see “Eating in Munich,” later in this chapter).

Now make your way to the towering maypole. Throughout Bavaria, colorfully ornamented maypoles decorate town squares. Many are painted, like this one, in Bavaria’s colors, white and blue. The decorations are festively replaced every year on the first of May. Traditionally, rival communities try to steal each other’s maypole. Locals guard their new pole day and night as May Day approaches. Stolen poles are ransomed only with lots of beer for the clever thieves. When they recover the pole, traditionally the unmarried men work together to get it back up...as the women stand around swooning. (I love how the courting rituals of medieval Europe survive today in the most popular tourist clichés.)

As was standard in any village, the decorations that line each side of the pole explain which merchants are doing business in the market. Munich’s maypole gives prominence (on the bottom level) to a horse-drawn wagon bringing in beer barrels. And you can’t have a kegger without coopers—find the merry barrelmakers, the four cute guys dancing. Today, traditional barrelmaking is enjoying a comeback, as top breweries like to have real wooden kegs.

The bottom of the pole celebrates the world’s oldest food law. The German Beer Purity Law (Reinheitsgebot) of 1487 actually originated here in Munich, was later adopted in Bavaria, and eventually spread throughout the rest of Germany. It stipulated that beer could consist only of three ingredients: barley, hops, and water, with no additives. (Later they realized that a fourth ingredient, yeast, is always present in fermentation.) Why was beer so treasured? Back in the Middle Ages, it was considered liquid food.

From the maypole, take in the bustling scene around you. The market was modernized in the 1800s as the city grew. Old buildings were torn down and replaced with stalls and modern market halls. Now, in the 21st century, it’s a wonder such a traditional place survives—especially because it sits on the most expensive real estate in town. But locals love their market, so the city protects these old-time shops, charging them only a small percentage of their gross income, enabling them to carry on. The city also bans most fast-food chains. This keeps the market classy and authentic. Münchners consider the produce here to be top quality, if on the expensive side.

• For a quick and memorable bite, see the several market food stalls recommended under “Eating in Munich.” At the far end of the Viktualienmarkt, across the street and to the right of Der Pschorr at Prälat-Zistl-Strasse 8, spot Café Frischhut, Munich’s favorite place for fresh Schmalznudel—traditional fried-dough treats best enjoyed warm with a sprinkling of sugar.

Continue straight to a modern glass-and-iron building.

Schrannenhalle: This impressive structure has seen some unusual ups and downs. When it was built as a grain exchange in the 1850s, it was the first cast-iron construction in the city. In the early 20th century, that function was obsolete, so the structure was dismantled—the site eventually became a parking lot. But in the 1970s a local architect discovered that a whole intact portion of the original grain exchange had simply been moved to the outskirts of the city. So the market hall was rebuilt, and is now the home of Eataly, a high-end food emporium. Stroll past enticing bottles of olive oil, delectable pasta, and bakers tending to the day’s bread. At the far end, wine connoisseurs can detour downstairs for a vast wine collection (and a good WC). Eataly’s presence here is a reminder of Munich’s affinity for Italy, which is just a couple of hours’ drive to the south. In fact, locals joke that theirs is the northernmost Italian town.

• Exit the Schrannenhalle midway down on the right-hand side. You’ll spill out into Sebastiansplatz, a small square lined with eateries. Continue through Sebastiansplatz, coming to the Munich City Museum (closed for renovation until 2031). Veer left, where you’ll see a cube-shaped building, the...

4 Ohel Jakob Synagogue

This modern synagogue anchors a revitalized Jewish quarter. In the 1930s, about 10,000 Jews lived in Munich, and the main synagogue stood near here (on Karlsplatz). Then, in 1938, Hitler demanded that the synagogue be torn down. By the end of World War II, Munich’s Jewish community was gone. But thanks to Germany’s later acceptance of religious refugees from former Soviet states, the Jewish population (while mostly secular) has now reached its prewar size. The new synagogue was built in 2006. There’s also a kindergarten and day school, playground, fine kosher restaurant (at #18), and bookstore. Notice the low-key but efficient security.

While the synagogue is shut tight to nonworshippers, its architecture is striking from the outside. Lower stones of travertine evoke the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem, while an upper section represents the tent that held important religious wares during the 40 years of wandering through the desert. The synagogue’s door features the first 10 letters of the Hebrew alphabet, symbolizing the Ten Commandments.

The cube-shaped Jewish History Museum (behind the cube-shaped synagogue) is stark, windowless, and as inviting as a bomb shelter. While the museum’s small permanent collection is disappointing, good temporary exhibits might justify the entry fee (€6; ticket gets you half-price admission on the same day or the next at Lenbachhaus and Villa Stuck—or use ticket from either of those to get half-price admission here; Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon, St.-Jakobs-Platz 16, +49 89 2339 6096, www.juedisches-museum-muenchen.de).

• Continue through the synagogue’s square, past the fountain, across the street, and one block farther to the pedestrianized Sendlinger Strasse. Take a left and walk 200 yards until you see a fancy facade on your right (at #32), which marks the...

5 Asam Church (Asamkirche)

GOOGLE MAP

This tiny church (rated ▲) is a slice of heaven on earth—a gooey, drippy Baroque-concentrate masterpiece by Bavaria’s top two Rococonuts—the Asam brothers. Just 30 feet wide, it was built in 1740 to fit within this row of homes. Originally, it was a private chapel where these two brother-architects could show off their work (on their own land, next to their home and business headquarters—to the left), but it’s now a public place of worship.

Cost and Hours: Free, Sat-Thu 9:00-18:00, Fri from 13:00, +49 89 2368 7989. Visitors are asked not to enter this tiny church during Mass.

Visiting the Church: This place of worship served as a promotional brochure to woo clients and is packed with every architectural trick in the book. Imagine approaching the church not as a worshipper but as a shopper representing your church’s building committee. First stand outside: Hmmm, the look of those foundation stones really packs a punch. And the legs hanging over the portico...nice effect. Those starbursts on the door would be a hit back home, too.

Then step inside: I’ll take a set of those over-the-top golden capitals, please. We’d also like to order the gilded garlands draping the church in jubilation, and the twin cupids capping the confessional. And how about some fancy stucco work, too? (Molded-and-painted plaster was clearly an Asam brothers specialty.) Check out the illusion of a dome painted on the flat ceiling—that’ll save us lots of money. The yellow glass above the altar has the effect of the thin-sliced alabaster at St. Peter’s in Rome, but it’s within our budget! And, tapping the “marble” pilasters to determine that they are just painted fakes, we decide to take that, too. Crammed between two buildings, this narrow church has limited light inside, so there’s a big, clear window in the back for maximum illumination—we’ll order one to cut back on our candle bill.

Visiting the Asam Church, you can see why the prolific Asam brothers were so successful. (Black-and-white portraits of the two Asams in oval frames flank the altar.) On the way out, say goodbye to the gilded grim reaper in the narthex (above, on the left side, as you’re leaving) as he cuts the thread of life—reminding all who visit of our mortality...and, by the way, that shrouds have no pockets.

• Leaving the church, look to your right, noticing the Sendlinger Tor at the end of the street—part of the fortified town wall that circled Munich in the 14th century. Then turn left and walk straight up Sendlinger Strasse. Walk toward the Münchner Kindl, still capping the spire of the New Town Hall in the distance, and then up (pedestrian-only) Rosenstrasse, until you hit Marienplatz and the big, busy...

6 Kaufingerstrasse

This car-free street leads you through a great shopping district, past cheap department stores, carnivals of street entertainers, and good old-fashioned slicers and dicers. As far back as the 12th century, this was the town’s main commercial street. Traders from Salzburg and Augsburg would enter the town through the fortified Karlstor. This street led past the Augustiner beer hall (opposite St. Michael’s Church to this day), right to the main square and cathedral.

Up until the 1970s, the street was jammed with car traffic. Then, for the 1972 Olympics, it was turned into one of Europe’s first pedestrian zones. At first, shopkeepers were afraid that would ruin business. Now it’s Munich’s living room. Nearly 9,000 shoppers pass through it each hour. Merchants nearby are begging for their streets to become traffic-free, too. Imagine this street in Hometown, USA.

The 1972 Olympics transformed this part of Munich—the whole area around Marienplatz was pedestrianized and the transit system expanded. Since then, Munich has become one of the globe’s greenest cities. Skyscrapers have been banished to the suburbs, and the nearby Frauenkirche is still the tallest building in the center.

The History of Munich

Born from Salt and Beer (1100-1500): Munich began in the 12th century, when Henry the Lion (Heinrich der Löwe) established a lucrative salt trade near a monastery of “monks”—München. After Henry’s death, an ambitious merchant family, the Wittelsbachs, took over. By the 1400s, Munich’s maypole-studded market bustled with trade in salt and beer, the twin-domed Frauenkirche drew pilgrims, and the Wittelsbachs made their home in the Residenz. When the various regions of Bavaria united in 1506, Munich (pop. 14,000) was the natural capital.

Religious Wars, Plagues, Decline (1500-1800): While Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation raged in northern Germany, Munich was an ultra-Catholic heart of the Counter-Reformation, decorated in the ornate Baroque and Rococo style of its Italian Catholic allies. The religious wars and periodic plagues left the city weakened. Now the Wittelsbachs took their cultural cues from more-powerful France (Nymphenburg Palace is a miniature Versailles), England (the English Garden), and Italy (the Pitti Palace-inspired Residenz).

The Golden Age of Kings (1806-1886): When Napoleon invaded, the Wittelsbach dukes surrendered hospitably and were promptly rewarded with an even grander title: King of Bavaria. Munich boomed. Maximilian I (r. 1806-1825), a.k.a. Max Joseph, rebuilt in Neoclassical style—grand columned buildings connected by broad boulevards. Ludwig I (r. 1825-1848) turned Munich into a modern railroad hub, budding industrial city, and fitting capital (pop. 90,000). But the skirt-chasing Ludwig was brought down in a sex scandal with the notorious Irish dancer Lola Montez. His son Maximilian II (r. 1848-1864) continued Ludwig’s modernization program, while studiously avoiding dancers. In 1864, 18-year-old Ludwig II (r. 1864-1886) became king. Ludwig didn’t much like Munich, preferring to build castles in the Bavarian countryside. (For more on Ludwig, see the Bavarian Alps chapter.)

End of the Wittelsbachs (1886-1918): By the time Bavaria became part of the newly united Germany, Berlin was the Reich’s chief center of political power. Turn-of-the-century Munich was still a cultural powerhouse, giving birth to the abstract art of the Blue Rider group. But World War I devastated Munich. After the war, mobs of poor, hungry, disillusioned, and angry Münchners roamed the streets. In 1918, they drove the last Bavarian king out, ending 700 years of Wittelsbach rule.

Nazis, World War II, and Munich Bombed (1918-1945): In the power vacuum, a fringe group emerged—the Nazi Party, headed by charismatic WWI veteran Adolf Hitler. Hitler rallied the Nazis in a Munich beer hall, leading a failed coup d’état known as the Beer Hall Putsch (1923). When the Nazis eventually took power in Berlin, they remembered their roots, dubbing Munich “Capital of the Movement.” In World War II, nearly half the city was leveled by Allied air raids. The once-grand city lay in waste.

Munich Rebuilds (1945-Present): After the war, with generous American aid, Münchners rebuilt. Nazi authorities had taken care during the early war years to create a photographic archive of historic sights, which now came in handy. The city faced a choice—rebuild in the old style or go with modern skyscrapers. Munich chose to preserve the low-rise, medieval feel, but with a modern infrastructure. For the 1972 Olympic Games, they built a futuristic stadium, a sleek new subway system, and one of Europe’s first pedestrian-only zones—Kaufingerstrasse. In 1990, when Germany reunited, Berlin once again became the country’s focal point, relegating Munich to the role of Second City.

These days, Munich seems to be comfortable just being itself rather than trying to keep up with Berlin. Though rich and modern—home to BMW and Siemens, and a producer of software, books, movies, and the latest fashions—it remains safe, clean, and cultured. It’s a university town, built on a human scale, and close to the beauties of nature.

• Stroll a few blocks away from Marienplatz toward the Karlstor, until you arrive at the imposing church on the right.

7 St. Michael’s Church (Michaelskirche)

This is one of the first great Renaissance buildings north of the Alps. The ornate facade, with its sloped roofline, was inspired by the Gesù Church in Rome—home of the Jesuit order. Jesuits saw themselves as the intellectual defenders of Catholicism. St. Michael’s was built in the late 1500s—at the height of the Protestant Reformation—to serve as the northern outpost of the Jesuits. Appropriately, the facade features a statue of Michael fighting a Protestant demon.

Cost and Hours: Church—free, generally daily 8:00-19:00, until later on Sun and summer evenings; crypt—€3, Mon-Fri 10:00-17:30, Sat until 16:30, closed Sun; frequent concerts—check schedule posted outside; +49 89 231 7060.

Visiting the Church: Inside, admire the ornate Baroque interior, topped with a barrel vault, the largest of its day. Stroll up the nave to the ornate pulpit, where Jesuit priests would hammer away at Reformation heresy. The church’s acoustics are spectacular, and the choir—famous in Munich—sounds heavenly singing from the organ loft high in the rear. Notice the monochrome Baroque of the all-white interior (with only shadows to “color” the surfaces) and the lavish chapels lining each side (some of which were built by and for local leading families and came with a promise from the priests that their privileged loved ones would get special prayers daily).

The crypt (Fürstengruft, down the stairs to the right by the altar) contains 40 stark, somewhat forlorn tombs of Bavaria’s ruling family, the Wittelsbachs. The most ornate tomb (center of back wall, facing altar) holds the illustrious Ludwig II, known for his fairy-tale castle at Neuschwanstein. Ludwig didn’t care much for Munich. He escaped to the Bavarian countryside, where he spent his days building castles, listening to music, and dreaming about knights of old. His excesses earned him the nickname “Mad” King Ludwig. But of all the Wittelsbachs, it’s his tomb that’s decorated with flowers—placed here by romantics still mad about their “mad” king.

Also on the back wall are the tombs of Wilhelm V (right), who built this church, and Maximilian I (left), who saved Munich from Swedish invaders during the Thirty Years’ War. Finally (center of right wall as you enter) there’s Otto, who went insane and was deposed in 1916, virtually bringing the Wittelsbachs’ seven-century reign to an end.

• Our next stop, the Frauenkirche, is a few hundred yards away. Backtrack a couple of blocks up Kaufingerstrasse to the wild boar statue, which marks the German Hunting and Fishing Museum (with kid-friendly exhibits and the infamous Wolpertinger—a German “jackalope” created by creative local taxidermists). At the boar statue, turn left on Augustinerstrasse, which leads to Munich’s towering, twin-domed cathedral.

8 Frauenkirche

These twin onion domes are the symbol of the city. They’re unusual in that most Gothic churches have either pointed steeples or square towers. Some say Crusaders, inspired by the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, brought home the idea (first to St. Mark’s in Venice and then north of the Alps). Or it may be that, due to money problems, the towers weren’t completed until Renaissance times, when domes were in vogue. Whatever the reason, the Frauenkirche’s domes may be the inspiration for the characteristic domed church spires that mark villages all over Bavaria.

Cost and Hours: Church—free, generally open daily 8:00-20:00, +49 89 290 0820. You can ride an elevator and take about 60 steps to the top of a tower for a commanding city view (€7.50, Mon-Sat 10:00-17:00, Sun from 11:30).

Visiting the Church: The church was built in just 22 years, from 1466 to 1488. Note that it’s made of brick, not quarried stone—easy to make locally, and cheaper and faster to build with than stone. Construction was partly funded with the sale of indulgences (which let sinners bypass purgatory on the way to heaven). It’s dedicated to the Virgin—Our Lady (Frau)—and has been the city’s cathedral since 1821.

Step inside and remember that much of this church was destroyed during World War II. The towers survived, and the rest was rebuilt essentially from scratch.

To the right near the entrance is a big, black, ornate, tomb-like monument honoring Ludwig IV the Bavarian (1282-1347), who was elected Holy Roman Emperor—a big deal. The Frauenkirche was built a century later with the express purpose of honoring his memory. His monument was originally situated in front at the high altar, right near Christ. Those Wittelsbachs—always trying to be associated with God. This alliance was instilled in people through the prayers they were forced to recite: “Virgin Mary, mother of our duke, please protect us.”

Nearby, a relief (over the back pew on the left) honors one of Munich’s more recent citizens. Joseph Ratzinger (1927-2022) was born in Bavaria, became archbishop of the Frauenkirche (1977-1982), then moved to the Vatican, where he later served as Pope Benedict XVI (2005-2013).

Now walk slowly up the main aisle, enjoying stained glass right and left. This glass is obviously modern, having replaced the original glass that was shattered in World War II. Ahead is the high altar, under a huge hanging crucifix. Find the throne—the ceremonial seat of the local bishop. From here, look up to the tops of the columns, and notice the tiny painted portraits. They’re the craftsmen from five centuries ago who helped build the church.

Now walk behind the altar to the apse, where the three tall windows still have their original 15th-century glass. To survive the bombs of 1944, each pane was lovingly removed and stored safely away.

Leaving the church, walk up its right side. Notice the 16th- and 17th-century tombstones on the wall. Originally, people were buried in the holy ground around the church. But in the Napoleonic age, the cemeteries were dug up and relocated outside the city walls for hygienic and space reasons. They kept a few tombstones here as a reminder of this heritage.

Also take a closer look at the towering church’s patchwork of old and new bricks. After World War II, legions of “rubble women” cleaned up the devastation in bombed-out Munich. Here, they’d sort through the bricks. Broken bricks were set aside and used to build the city’s Schuttberge, or “debris hills,” which are now grassy parks at the edge of town. Intact bricks were cleaned and reused in rebuilding. Notice the church’s original bricks and think for a moment of the rubble women and the cost of war. Then imagine the rooftop, a forest of old fir beams, which burned and crashed to the floor in the bombings. Musicians salvaged this wood—500 years old and beautifully aged—and made an orchestra of precious stringed instruments. Nicknamed “the cathedral violins,” they play angelic music to this day.

• At the rear of the church, go down Filserbräugasse and cross Weinstrasse. Look left, and you’ll see a construction zone, which is normally a green park called the Marienhof.

9 Marienhof

This square, tucked behind the New Town Hall, was left as a green island after the 1945 bombings. For now, the square’s all dug up while Munich builds an additional subway tunnel. With virtually the entire underground system converging on nearby Marienplatz, this new tunnel will provide a huge relief to the city’s congested subterranean infrastructure. Billboards on the site show what’s going on underground; in a few years the massive new subway station will open and this will once again be a park.

• On the far side of Marienhof, the stately yellow building is...

10 Dallmayr Delicatessen

When the king wanted takeout, he called Alois Dallmayr. This place became famous for its exotic and luxurious food items: tropical fruits, seafood, chocolates, fine wines, and coffee (there are meat and cheese counters, too). As you enter, read the black plaque with the royal seal by the door: Königlich Bayerischer Hof-Lieferant (“Deliverer for the King of Bavaria and His Court”). Catering to royal and aristocratic tastes (and budgets) since 1700, it’s still the choice of Munich’s old rich. Today, it’s most famous for its sweets, chocolates, and coffee—dispensed from fine hand-painted Nymphenburg porcelain jugs (Mon-Sat 9:30-19:00, closed Sun; Dienerstrasse 13, www.dallmayr.com). Imagine picking up a royal picnic to munch in one of Munich’s parks.

• Leaving Dallmayr, turn right and then immediately right again through a rounded archway. Walk straight ahead through one leafy courtyard, then into the next courtyard. You’re now in the...

11 Alter Hof

This “old court” is one of the most historic spots in Munich. A castle built here in the 12th century was expanded over the next several hundred years to become the primary residence of the Wittelsbach dynasty. Most famously, the Holy Roman Emperor Ludwig the Bavarian (whose tomb we saw in the Frauenkirche) made it his home base. The beautiful Gothic bay window adorning the southern wall is nicknamed the “monkey tower”—there’s a silly legend that a monkey from the ducal menagerie grabbed the infant Ludwig and climbed out this window with him. The Wittelsbachs later built a new palace for themselves (the Residenz, which we’ll see shortly), but thanks to its glory days as the digs of the H.R.E., the Alter Hof is still known as the “imperial castle.” Extensively rebuilt, it now houses offices and apartments.

• Go left through the archway, give a wave to the equestrian statue of Ludwig, then make a right and continue on gently downhill to Platzl—“small square.” (If you get turned around, just ask any local to point you toward the Hofbräuhaus.)

12 Platzl Square

As you stand here—admiring classic facades in the heart of medieval Munich—recall that everything around you was flattened in World War II. Here (and throughout the city), reconstruction happened in stages: From 1945 to 1950, they removed 12 million tons of bricks and replaced roofs to make buildings weather-tight. From 1950 to 1972, they redid the exteriors. From 1972 to 2000, they refurbished the interiors. Today, the rebuilt Platzl sports new—but old-looking—facades.

Officials estimate that hundreds of unexploded bombs still lie buried under Munich. As recently as 2012, a 550-pound bomb was found in Schwabing, a neighborhood just north of the old city center. They had to evacuate the neighborhood and detonate the bomb, which created a huge fireball—a stark reminder of Munich’s scary past.

Today’s Platzl hosts a lively mix of places to eat and drink—chains like Starbucks and Hard Rock Café alongside local spots like Schuhbecks Eissalon, a favorite for ice cream (Pfisterstrasse 11). Pop into Platzlgassen (the little alley next to Starbucks) for a charming taste of rebuilt medieval Munich.

• At the bottom of the square (#9), you can experience the venerable...

13 Hofbräuhaus

GOOGLE MAP

The world’s most famous beer hall (rated ▲▲) is a trip. Whether or not you slide your lederhosen on its polished benches, it’s a great experience just to walk through the place in all its rowdy glory (with its own gift shop).

Cost and Hours: Free to enter, daily 11:00-late, live oompah music at lunch and dinner; a five-minute walk northeast of Marienplatz at Platzl 9, +49 89 2901 36100, www.hofbraeuhaus.de. For details on eating here, see the “Beer Halls, Beer Gardens, and Bavarian Food” section, later.

Visiting the Hofbräuhaus: Before going in, check out the huge arches at the entrance and the crown logo. The original brewery was built here in 1589. As the crown suggests, it was the Wittelsbachs’ personal brewery, to make the “court brew” (Hof Bräu). In 1880, the brewery moved out, and this 5,000-seat food-and-beer palace was built in its place. After being bombed in World War II, the Hofbräuhaus was one of the first places to be rebuilt (Bavarian priorities).

Now take a deep breath and go on in. Dive headlong into the sudsy Hofbräu mosh pit. Don’t be shy. Everyone’s drunk anyway. The atmosphere is thick with the sounds of oompah music, played here every night of the year.

You’re likely to see locals stuffed into lederhosen and dirndls, along with kiosks selling goofy postcards and giant gingerbread cookies sporting romantic messages. Notice the quirky 1950s-style painted ceiling, with Bavarian colors, grapes, chestnuts, and fun “eat, drink, and be merry” themes. You’ll see signs on some tables reading Stammtisch, meaning they’re reserved for regulars, and their racks of old beer steins made of pottery and pewter. Beer halls like the Hofbräuhaus sell beer only by the liter mug, called a Mass (mahs). You can get it light (helles) or dark (dunkles). A slogan on the ceiling above the band reads, Durst ist schlimmer als Heimweh—“Thirst is worse than homesickness.”

You can explore upstairs, too. Next to the entrance, a grand staircase leads up to the big folk-show hall on the top floor. If you don’t mind eating with 20 big-bus tours, this can be a cheap and fun way to see a slap dancing and yodeling show.

• Leaving the Hofbräuhaus, turn right and walk two blocks, then turn left when you reach the busy street called...

14 Maximilianstrasse

This broad east-west boulevard, lined with grand buildings and exclusive shops, introduces us to Munich’s golden age of the 1800s. In that period, Bavaria was ruled by three important kings: Max Joseph, Ludwig I, and Ludwig II. They transformed Munich from a cluster of medieval lanes to a modern city of spacious squares, Neoclassical monuments, and wide boulevards. At the east end of this boulevard is the palatial home of the Bavarian parliament.

The street was purposely designed for people and for shopping, not military parades. And to this day, Maximilianstrasse is busy with shoppers browsing Munich’s most exclusive shops. Many are wealthy visitors from the Middle East, places like Dubai and the United Arab Emirates. These families often come here for medical treatment. And they make a vacation out of it, bringing the whole family and often even their own car and driver. The shopping is great, there’s no stress (like they might feel in a more frenetic city, like London), security is excellent, the weather is cool, and they’re free of the societal constraints that keep them on the straight and narrow back home. Germans just politely provide the services, happy to make back some of the money that pours eastward every time they pull up to a gas station.

• Left up Maximilianstrasse leads to a big square—Max-Joseph-Platz.

15 Max-Joseph-Platz

The square is fronted by two big buildings: the National Theater (with its columns) and the Residenz (with its intimidating stone facade).

The Residenz, the former “residence” of the royal Wittelsbach family, started as a crude castle (c. 1385). Over the centuries, it evolved into one of Europe’s most opulent palaces. The facade takes its cue from the Pitti Palace in Florence. Today, you can visit the Residenz for its lavish Rococo interior, crown jewels, and exquisite Cuvilliés Theater (all described under “Sights in Munich,” later in this chapter).

The square’s centerpiece is a grand statue of Maximilian I—a.k.a. Max Joseph. In 1806, Max was the city’s duke, serving in the long tradition of his Wittelsbach family...until Napoleon invaded and deposed him. But then Napoleon—eager to marry his family into the aristocracy—agreed to reinstate Max, with one condition: that his daughter marry Napoleon’s stepson. Max Joseph agreed, and was quickly crowned not duke but king of Bavaria.

Oktoberfest

The 1810 marriage reception of King Ludwig I was such a success that it turned into an annual bash. These days, Oktoberfest lasts just over two weeks, starting on a Saturday in September and usually ending on the first Sunday in October (www.oktoberfest.de).

Oktoberfest is held at the Theresienwiese fairground south of the main train station, in a meadow known as the “Wies’n” (VEE-zen). Huge tents are set up that together can seat nearly 120,000 beer drinkers. The festivities kick off with an opening parade of about 9,500 participants. Then, for the next two weeks, it’s a frenzy of drinking, dancing, music, and food. There’s a huge Ferris wheel, and the triple-loop roller coaster must be the wildest on earth (best before the beer-drinking). Total strangers stroll arm-in-arm down rows of picnic tables amid a carnival of beer, pretzels, and wurst, drawing visitors from all over the globe. A million gallons of beer later, they roast the last ox.

If you’ll be here during the festivities, it’s best to reserve a room early, but if you arrive in the morning (except Fri or Sat) and haven’t called ahead, the TI may be able to help. During the fair, the city functions even better than normal, but is admittedly more expensive and crowded. It’s a good time to sightsee, even if beer-hall rowdiness isn’t your cup of tea.

Though the beer tents are enormous, they’re often full, especially on weekends—if possible, avoid going on a Friday or Saturday night. If you find yourself inside a tent with nowhere to sit, be bold—find an underused table and ask some potential new friends to scoot (or at least keep your elbows sharp). For some cultural background with your Wies’n visit, consider hiring a local guide or going with a group (Radius Tours, for example, offers a €190 tour that includes two beers, half a chicken, and guaranteed seating, Sun-Fri at 10:00, none on Sat, reserve ahead, www.radiustours.com; The Local Experience runs Oktoberfest tours for €190-230 that include breakfast, lunch, four beers, and reserved seating, www.the-local-experience.com).

If you’re not visiting while the party’s on, don’t worry: You can still dance to oompah bands, munch huge pretzels, and show off your stein-hoisting skills any time of year at Munich’s classic beer halls, including the venerable Hofbräuhaus. See the “Beer Halls, Beer Gardens, and Bavarian Food” section, later, for descriptions of my favorites.

In the city center, the small but playful Beer and Oktoberfest Museum (Bier- und Oktoberfestmuseum) offers its take on the history and culture of beer. Exhibits and artifacts outline the centuries-old quest for the perfect brew (apparently achieved in Munich) and the origins of the city’s Oktoberfest celebration. It’s reasonably well done, but of interest primarily to die-hard suds fans (€4, Tue-Sat 13:00-17:00, closed Sun-Mon, between the Isartor and Viktualienmarkt at Sterneckerstrasse 2, +49 89 2424 3941, www.bier-und-oktoberfestmuseum.de).

Max Joseph and his heirs ruled as constitutional monarchs. Now a king, Max Joseph was popular; he emancipated Protestants and Jews, revamped the Viktualienmarkt, and graced Munich with grand buildings like the National Theater. This Neoclassical building, opened in 1818, celebrated Bavaria’s strong culture, deep roots, and legitimacy as a nation; four of Richard Wagner’s operas were first performed here. It’s now where the Bavarian State Opera and the Bavarian State Orchestra perform. (The Roman numeral MCMLXIII in the frieze marks the year the theater reopened after WWII bombing restoration—1963.)

• Leave Max-Joseph-Platz opposite where you entered, walking alongside the Residenz palace on Residenzstrasse for about 100 yards to the next grand square. But before you get to Odeonsplatz, pause at the first corner on the left and look down Viscardigasse at the gold-cobbled swoosh in the pavement.

16 Viscardigasse

The cobbles in Viscardigasse recall one of Munich’s most dramatic moments: It was 1923, and Munich was in chaos. World War I had left Germany in shambles. Angry mobs roamed the streets. Out of the fury rose a new and frightening movement—Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. On November 8, Hitler launched a coup, later known as the Beer Hall Putsch, to try to topple the German government. It started with a fiery speech by Hitler in a beer hall a few blocks from here (the beer hall no longer exists). The next day, Hitler and his mob of Nazis marched up Residenzstrasse. A block ahead, where Residenzstrasse spills into Odeonsplatz, stood a hundred government police. Shots were fired. Hitler was injured, and 16 Nazis were killed, along with four policemen. The coup was put down, and Hitler was sent to a prison outside Munich. During his nine months there, he wrote down his twisted ideas in his book Mein Kampf.

Ten years later, when Hitler finally came to power, he made a memorial at Odeonsplatz to honor the “first martyrs of the Third Reich.” Germans were required to raise their arms in a Sieg Heil salute as they entered the square. The only way to avoid the indignity of saluting Nazism was to turn left down Viscardigasse instead. That stream of shiny cobbles marks the detour taken by those brave dissenters.

• But now that Hitler’s odious memorial is long gone, you can continue to...

17 Odeonsplatz

This square links Munich’s illustrious past with the Munich of today. It was laid out by the Wittelsbach kings in the 1800s. They incorporated the much older (yellow) church that was already on the square, the Theatinerkirche. This church contains about half of the Wittelsbach tombs. The church’s twin towers and 230-foot-high dome are classic Italian Baroque, reflecting Munich’s strong Catholic bent in the 1600s.

Overlooking the square from the south is an arcaded loggia filled with statues. In the 1800s the Wittelsbachs commissioned this Hall of Heroes to honor Bavarian generals. It was modeled after the famous Renaissance loggia in Florence. Odeonsplatz was part of the Wittelsbachs’ grand vision of modern urban planning, designed to connect the historic core with the expanding metropolis.

At the far end of the square, several wide boulevards lead away from here. Look west (left) down 18 Brienner Strasse (watch out for bikes). In the distance, and just out of sight, a black obelisk commemorates the 30,000 Bavarians who marched with Napoleon to Moscow and never returned. Beyond the obelisk is the grand Königsplatz, or “King’s Square,” with its Neoclassical buildings. Back in the 1930s, Königsplatz was the center of the Nazi Party. Remember, Munich was the cradle of Nazism. (For more on the Nazi sights in Königsplatz, see here). Today, the Nazi shadow has largely lifted from that square (only two buildings from that era remain) and Königsplatz is home to Munich’s cluster of great art museums. A few miles beyond Königsplatz is the Wittelsbachs’ impressive summer home, Nymphenburg Palace.

Now turn your attention 90 degrees to the right. The boulevard heading north from Odeonsplatz is Ludwigstrasse. It stretches a full mile, flanked by an impressive line of uniform 60-foot-tall buildings in the Neo-Renaissance style. In the far distance is the city’s Triumphal Arch, the Siegestor, capped with a figure of Bavaria, a goddess riding a lion-drawn chariot. She’s looking out, away from the city, to welcome home returning soldiers. The street is named for the great Wittelsbach builder-king Ludwig I, the grandfather of “Mad” King Ludwig. It was Ludwig I who truly made Munich into a grand capital. (“I won’t rest,” he famously swore, “until Munich looks like Athens.”) The street that bears his name, Ludwigstrasse, was used for big parades and processions, as it leads to that Roman-style arch.

Beyond the arch—and beyond what you can see—lie the suburbs of modern Munich, including the city’s modern skyscrapers, Olympic Park, and the famous BMW headquarters.

As you enjoy the busy scene on Odeonsplatz, let’s bring Munich’s 850-year history up to the present. Munich today, with a population of 1.5 million, is Germany’s third-largest city, after Berlin and Hamburg. It’s the capital of the independent-minded German state of Bavaria, and proudly waves two flags: the white-and-blue diamonds of Bavaria and the black-and-gold of the city of Munich. Munich is home to more banks and financial firms than any German city besides Frankfurt. It’s a center for book publishing and TV production. Information technology is big, as well: Munich is home to electronics giant Siemens and the German branch of Microsoft. And, of course, Munich is home to the manufacturer of some of the world’s finest cars—BMW (Bayerische Motoren Werke, “Bavarian Motor Works”). Yes, Munich is a major metropolis, but you’d hardly know it by walking through the pleasant streets and parks of “Millionendorf.”

• We’ll finish our walk in the pleasant Hofgarten. Its formal gate is to your right as you’re facing up Ludwigstrasse. Step through the gate and enter the...

19 Hofgarten

The elegant “garden of the royal court” is a delight. Built by the Wittels-bachs as their own private backyard to the Residenz palace, it’s now open to everyone. Just inside the gate is an arcade decorated with murals commissioned by Ludwig I in the early 1800s. While faded, they still tell the glorious story of Bavaria from 1155 until 1688. The garden’s 400-year-old centerpiece is a Renaissance-style temple with great acoustics. (There’s often a musician performing here for tips.) It’s decorated with the same shell decor as was popular inside the Residenz.

• You’ve seen the essential Munich and are within easy reach of the city’s top sights. From here, a path leads to the government offices of Bavaria (Bayerische Staatskanzlei), housed in an impressive Neoclassical building flanked by modern glass halls. Look for the war memorial in front, which honors the “fallen heroes” of World War I, but only the “fallen” of World War II.

To reach the English Garden (described later), angle downhill to the northeast, walk under a bridge, and then make your way to Von-der-Tann-Strasse, the main street that runs just north of the Hofgarten.

Sights in Munich

CITY CENTER

▲▲The Residenz

Residenz Treasury (Schatzkammer)

Residenz Museum (Residenzmuseum)

Cuvilliés Theater

MUNICH’S MUSEUM QUARTER (KUNSTAREAL)

Map: Museum Quarter

▲▲Alte Pinakothek

▲Neue Pinakothek

▲Pinakothek der Moderne

▲Egyptian Museum (Staatliches Museum Ägyptischer Kunst)

▲Lenbachhaus

More Art Museums

▲▲Nazi Documentation Center (NS-Dokumentationszentrum München)

NEAR THE RIVER

▲English Garden (Englischer Garten)

Haus der Kunst

▲Bavarian National Museum (Bayerisches Nationalmuseum)

▲Villa Stuck

▲Deutsches Museum (Main Branch)

NEAR THE OKTOBERFEST GROUNDS

▲Museum of Transportation (Verkehrszentrum)

SIGHTS OUTSIDE THE CITY CENTER

▲▲Nymphenburg Palace Complex

Map: Greater Munich

Nymphenburg Palace

Map: Nymphenburg

Palace Grounds

Royal Stables Museum (Marstallmuseum)

Amalienburg

More Sights Outside the Center

▲BMW-Welt and Museum

Olympic Park (Olympiapark München)

▲Schleissheim Palace

Aviation Museum (Flugwerft Schleissheim)

▲Isar River Bike Ride

CITY CENTER

The other top sights in the city center are covered earlier, on my self-guided walk.

▲▲The Residenz

GOOGLE MAP

For 500 years, this was the palatial “residence” and seat of power of the ruling Wittelsbach family. It began (1385) as a crude castle with a moat around it. The main building was built from 1550 to 1650 and decorated in Rococo style during the 18th century. The final touch (under Ludwig I) was the grand south facade modeled after Florence’s Pitti Palace. In March 1944, Allied air raids left the Residenz in shambles, so much of what we see today—like much of historic Munich—is a reconstruction.

The vast Residenz complex is divided into three sections: The Residenz Museum is a long hike through 90 lavishly decorated rooms. The Residenz Treasury shows off the Wittelsbach crown jewels. The Cuvilliés Theater is an ornate Rococo opera house. While each has its own admission, the combo-ticket saves money if you’re doing all three.

If you’re unsure about which of Munich’s top two palaces to visit, the Residenz is much more central, but Nymphenburg (described on here), which didn’t need to be rebuilt after World War II, has the finest staterooms, a wonderful coach museum, and a vast and delight-filled park. The highlight for me here at the Residenz complex is the treasury.

Planning Your Time: Pick up a map as you enter, and start your visit with the Residenz Treasury—small, manageable, and dazzling. Then hike through the sprawling palace called the Residenz Museum. The Cuvilliés Theater is a quick dollop of architectural whipped cream at the end. The entrances on Max-Joseph-Platz and Residenzstrasse both lead to the ticket office, gift shop, and start of the treasury and Residenz Museum tours.

Cost and Hours: Residenz Museum—€10, Residenz Treasury—€10 (includes essential audioguide), Cuvilliés Theater—€5; the combo-ticket gives you all three for €20; museum and treasury open daily 9:00-18:00, mid-Oct-March 10:00-17:00; theater generally open Mon-Sat 14:00-18:00, Sun from 9:00, longer hours Aug-mid-Sept; last entry one hour before closing for all three sights, mandatory bag check, +49 89 290 671, www.residenz-muenchen.de.

Residenz Treasury (Schatzkammer)

The treasury shows off a thousand years of Wittelsbach crowns and knickknacks. You’ll see the regalia used in Bavaria’s coronation ceremonies, the revered sacred objects that gave the Wittelsbachs divine legitimacy, and miscellaneous wonders that dazzled their European relatives. It’s the best treasury in Bavaria, with fine 13th- and 14th-century crowns and delicately carved ivory and glass.

Visiting the Treasury: Take full advantage of the included audioguide (just punch in the number for whichever treasures catch your eye for the commentary) to make this one of the historic and artistic highlights of the city. Or scan the QR code at ticket control for a list of objects—otherwise, there are no descriptions.

Room 1: The oldest jewels are 200 years older than Munich itself. Treasures of particular interest line the left wall. The gem-studded Crown of Kunigunde is associated with the saintly Bavarian queen who was crowned Holy Roman Empress in 1014 by the pope in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. The pearl-studded prayer book of Charles the Bald (Charlemagne’s grandson) allowed the book’s owner to claim royal roots dating all the way back to that first Holy Roman Emperor crowned in 800. The spiky Crown of an English Queen (a.k.a. the Palatine Crown, c. 1370) is actually England’s oldest crown, brought to Munich by an English princess who married a Wittelsbach duke. In the last case, the angel-and-gilt-embellished Crown of Henry II (c. 1270-1280) dates from Munich’s roots, when the town was emerging as a regional capital.

Along the right side of the room are religious objects such as reliquaries and portable altars. The tiny mobile altar allowed a Carolingian king (from Charlemagne’s family of kings) to pack light in 890—and still have a little Mass while on the road. Many of the precious and very old objects in this room came from various prince-bishops’ collections when they were secularized (and their realms came under Bavarian rule in the Napoleonic era, c. 1800).

Room 3: Study the reliquary with St. George killing the dragon—sparkling with more than 2,000 precious stones. Get up close (it’s OK to walk around the rope posts)...you can almost hear the dragon hissing. A gold-armored St. George, seated atop a ruby-studded ivory horse, tramples an emerald-green dragon. The golden box below contained the supposed relics of St. George, who was the patron saint of the Wittelsbachs. If you could lift the minuscule visor, you’d see that the carved ivory face of St. George is actually the Wittelsbach Duke Wilhelm V—the great champion of the Catholic Counter-Reformation—slaying the dragon of Protestantism.

Room 4: The incredibly realistic carved ivory crucifixes from 1630 were done by local artist Georg Petel, who was inspired by his friend Peter Paul Rubens’ painting (now in the Alte Pinakothek). Look at the flesh of Jesus’ wrist pulling around the nails. In the center of the room is the intricate portable altarpiece (1573-1574) of Duke Albrecht V, the Wittelsbach ruler who (as we’ll see in the Residenz Museum) made a big mark on the Residenz.

Room 5: The freestanding glass case (#245) holds the impressive royal regalia of the 19th-century Wittelsbach kings—the crown, scepter, orb, and sword that were given to the king during the coronation ceremony. (The smaller pearl crown was for the queen.) They date from the early 1800s when Bavaria had been conquered by Napoleon. The Wittelsbachs struck a deal that allowed them to stay in power, under the elevated title of “king” (not just “duke” or “prince-elector” or “prince-archbishop”). These objects were made in France by the same craftsmen who created Napoleon’s crown. For the next century-plus, Wittelsbach kings (including Ludwig II) received these tokens of power. However, during the coronation ceremony, the crown you see was not actually placed on the king’s head. It was brought in on a cushion (as it’s displayed) and laid at the new monarch’s feet.

Rooms 6-10: The rest of the treasury has objects that are more beautiful than historic. Admire the dinnerware made of rock crystal (Room 6), stone (Room 7), and gold and enamel (Room 8). Room 9 has a silver-gilt-and-marble replica of Trajan’s Column. Finally, explore the “Exotica” of Room 10, including an ancient green Olmec figure encased in a Baroque niche and a Chinese rhino-horn bowl with a teeny-tiny Neptune inside.

• After the micro-detail of the treasury, it’s time to visit the expansive Residenz Museum. Stop by the audioguide desk to have your wand reprogrammed for the museum, cross the hall, and enter the...

Residenz Museum (Residenzmuseum)

Though it’s called a “museum,” what’s really on display here are the 90-plus rooms of the Residenz itself: the palace’s banquet and reception halls, a couple of chapels, lots of paintings and porcelain, and the Wittelsbachs’ lavish private apartments. While they did a valiant job of redecorating the rooms with period (but generally not original) furniture—chandeliers, canopied beds, Louis XIV-style chairs, old clocks, tapestries, and dinnerware of porcelain and silver—it feels like a place that was destroyed in a war and then rebuilt and gilded. But even without the patina of age, it’s still a good place to glimpse the opulent lifestyle of Bavaria’s late, great royal family.

(The Wittelsbachs are still around, but they’re no longer royalty, so most of them have real jobs now. You may well have just passed one on the street—or shopping at Dallmayr.)

Visiting the Residenz: The place is big. Your visit is basically a long, one-way, follow-the-arrows hike through a massive old palace on two floors. Each room has a very brief description in English posted. The audioguide describes individual items and works of art throughout.

As you follow the arrows, at one point you’ll likely be given the “long route” and “short route” options. The long route gives you a dozen or so additional apartments (not much different from what you’ll have already seen). The routes are sometimes reorganized, but I’ll describe the highlights in the likely order of your visit.

Shell Grotto: This artificial grotto is made of volcanic tuff and covered completely in Bavarian freshwater shells. In its day, it was an exercise in man controlling nature—a celebration of the Renaissance humanism that flourished in the 1550s. Mercury—the pre-Christian god of trade and business—oversees the action. Check out the statue in the courtyard. In the Wittelsbachs’ heyday, red wine would have flowed from the mermaid’s breasts and dripped from Medusa’s severed head.

The grotto courtyard is just one of 10 such courtyards in the complex. Like the rest of the palace, this courtyard and its grotto were destroyed by Allied bombs. After World War II, Germans had no money to contribute to the reconstruction, but they could gather shells; all the shells you see here were donated by small-town Bavarians. The grotto was rebuilt using Nazi photos as a guide.

Antiquarium: This long, low, arched hall stretches 220 feet end to end. It’s the oldest room in the Residenz, built around 1550. The room was, and still is, a festival banquet hall. The ruler presided from the dais at the near end (warmed by the fireplace). Two hundred dignitaries can dine here, surrounded by allegories of the goodness of just rule on the ceiling.

The hall is lined with busts of Roman emperors. In the mid-16th century, Europe’s royal families (such as the Wittelsbachs) collected and displayed such busts, implying a connection between themselves and the enlightened ancient Roman rulers. There was such huge demand for these classical statues in the courts of Europe that many of the “ancient busts” were fakes cranked out by crooked Romans. Still, a third of the statuary you see here is original.

The small paintings around the room (which survived WWII bombs because they were painted in arches) show 120 Bavarian villages as they looked in 1550. Even today, when Bavarian historians want a record of how their village once looked, they come here.

Upper-Floor Apartments: Royal marriages were generally “arranged,” and as these bluebloods typically led their own private lives (with no need to be monogamous), the men and women had a royal tradition of separate living quarters. Consequently, you’ll walk through several different strings of “royal apartments.”

You’ll see lots of elegance...and lots of the Residenz Museum’s forte: chandeliered rooms decorated with ceiling paintings, stucco work, tapestries, parquet floors, and period furniture. Because the bombs destroyed the roofs, and firefighters and rain ruined what survived, most ceilings—once ornately painted—are now just white.

Glance down into the All Saints’ Chapel. This early 19th-century chapel, commissioned by Ludwig I, sustained severe damage in World War II, finally reopened in 2003, and now hosts popular concerts in the evening.

The Court Chapel was dedicated to Mary. This late-Renaissance/early Baroque gem was the site of “Mad” King Ludwig’s funeral after his mysterious murder—or suicide—in 1886. Though Ludwig II was not popular in political circles, he was beloved by his people, and his funeral drew huge crowds. About 75 years earlier, in 1810, his grandfather and namesake (Ludwig I) was married here. After the wedding ceremony, carriages rolled his guests to a rollicking reception, which turned out to be such a hit that it became an annual tradition—Oktoberfest.

Don’t miss the Private Chapel of Maximilian I (Room 98). Duke Maximilian I, the dominant Bavarian figure in the Thirty Years’ War, built one of the most precious rooms in the palace. The miniature pipe organ (from about 1600) still works. The room is sumptuous, from the gold leaf ceiling and the fine altar with silver reliefs to the miniature dome and the walls made of scagliola (fake marble), a special mix of stucco, applied and polished. Designers liked it because it was less expensive than real marble and the color could be controlled.

Ornate Rooms (Rooms 55-62): As the name implies, these are some of the richest rooms in the palace. The Wittelsbachs were always trying to keep up with the Habsburgs, and this long string of ceremonial rooms—used for official business—was designed to impress. The decor and furniture are over-the-top Rococo. The family’s art collection—which once decorated these walls—now makes up the core of the Alte Pinakothek (you may see minor originals or copies of the famous masterpieces here).

The rooms were designed in the 1730s by François de Cuvilliés. The Belgian-born Cuvilliés first attracted notice as the clever court dwarf for the Bavarian ruler. He was sent to Paris to study art and returned to become the court architect. Besides the Residenz, he went on to also design the Cuvilliés Theater and Amalienburg at Nymphenburg Palace. Cuvilliés’ style, featuring incredibly intricate stucco tracery twisted into unusual shapes, defined Bavarian Rococo. The stucco work frames paintings and mirrors. His assistant in the stucco department was Johann Baptist Zimmermann, who also did the Wieskirche (in southern Bavaria, near Füssen). As you glide through this section of the palace, be sure to appreciate the gilded stucco ceilings above you.

The Green Gallery (Room 58)—named for its green silk damask wallpaper—was the ballroom. Imagine the parties they had here—aristocrats in powdered wigs, a string quartet playing Baroque tunes, a card game going on, while everyone admired the paintings on the walls or themselves reflected in the mirrors.

The State Bedroom (Room 60), though furnished with a canopy bed, wasn’t an actual bedroom—it was just for show. Rulers invited their subjects to come at morning and evening to stand at the railing and watch their boss ceremonially rise from his slumber to symbolically start and end the working day.

Perhaps the most ornate of these Ornate Rooms is the Cabinet of Mirrors (Room 61) and the adjoining Cabinet of Miniatures (Room 62) from 1740. In the Cabinet of Mirrors, notice the fun visual effects of the mirrors around you—the corner mirrors make things go on forever. Then peek inside the coral red room and imagine visiting the duke and having him take you here to ogle miniature copies of the most famous paintings of the day, composed with one-haired brushes.

King’s Tract (Rooms 115-127): Here you step into the Neoclassical style. Built for King Ludwig I in the 1820s and ’30s, the decor is directly inspired by antiquity. Several of the rooms feature barrel-vaulted ceilings, wall paintings like those in Pompeii, or (as in the King’s Throne Room, Room 127) bas reliefs depicting classical heroes such as Jason or Achilles. Other touches, though, are all 19th-century pomp: Feast your eyes on the gilded walls in the Queen’s Throne Room (Room 118). Adjoining rooms display sumptuous gold and silver table settings from the same period. (I wonder if dinner tastes better when you eat it off a golden plate.)

You can’t get out of the palace without seeing lots of porcelain china. In the 18th century the Wittelsbachs, like many royal families, bolstered their status with an in-house porcelain works: Nymphenburg porcelain. (The family, while no longer in politics, owns the factory to this day.) See how the mirrors enhance the porcelain vases, creating the effect of infinite pedestals.

Ancestral Gallery (Ahnengalerie, Room 4): This was built in the 1740s to display portraits of the Wittelsbachs. All official guests had to pass through here to meet the duke (and his 100 Wittelsbach relatives). The room’s symbolism reinforced the Wittelsbachs’ claims to being as powerful as the Habsburgs of Vienna. Standing here, you’re essentially surrounded by a scrapbook covering centuries of royal family history.

Midway down the hall, find the family tree labeled (in Latin) “genealogy of an imperial family.” The tree is shown being planted by Hercules, to boost the family’s royal street cred. Opposite the tree are two notable portraits: Charlemagne, the first Holy Roman Emperor, and to his right, Louis IV (wearing the same crown), the first Wittelsbach H.R.E., crowned in 1328. For the next 500 years, this lineage was used to substantiate the family’s claim to power as they competed with the Habsburgs.

The central ceiling painting has been restored, but since there were no photos documenting the other two ceiling paintings, those spots remain empty. Looking carefully at the walls, you can see how each painting was hastily cut out of its frame. That’s because, though most of Munich’s museums were closed during World War II, the Residenz remained open to instill confidence in local people. It wasn’t until 1944, when bombs were imminent, that the last-minute order was given to hide the paintings away.

Halls of the Nibelungen (Nibelungensäle, Rooms 74-79): At the end of the long route, on the ground floor, these rooms feature mythological scenes from old German sagas. Those same sagas served as the basis of Richard Wagner’s opera cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen—in fact, Wagner and “Mad” King Ludwig were friends and spent time hanging out here (c. 1864). The images in this hall not only depict the stories that inspired Wagner; they were also part of the inspiration for Ludwig to build his “fairy-tale castle,” Neuschwanstein.

• Your Residenz Museum tour is over. The doorway at the end of the hall leads back to the museum entrance. If you missed either the Ancestral Gallery (Ahnengalerie) or the Halls of the Nibelungen—part of separate routes—ask an attendant for a peek: They’re both just steps away from the finish.

If you’re visiting the Cuvilliés Theater, exit the museum, return to Residenzstrasse, and take two rights. You’ll enter the Chapel Courtyard by passing between the green lions standing guard. At the end of the lane (past the arch, before the fountain, on the left) you’ll see the nondescript Cuvilliés sign.

Cuvilliés Theater

In 1751, this was Germany’s ultimate Rococo theater. Mozart conducted here several times. Designed by the same brilliant architect who did the Amalienburg (see here), this theater is dazzling enough to send you back to the days of divine monarchs.

Your visit consists of just one small-but-plush theater hall. It’s an intimate, horseshoe-shaped performance venue, seating fewer than 400. The four tiers of box seats were for the four classes of society: city burghers on bottom, royalty next up (in the most elaborate seats), and lesser courtiers in the two highest tiers. The ruler occupied the large Royal Box directly opposite the stage (i.e., over the entrance doorway). “Mad” King Ludwig II occasionally bought out the entire theater to watch performances here by himself.

François Cuvilliés’ interior is exquisite. Red, white, and gold hues dominate. Most of the decoration is painted wood, even parts that look like marble. Even the proscenium above the stage—seemingly draped with a red-velvet “curtain”—is actually made of carved wood. Also above the stage is an elaborate Wittelsbach coat of arms. The balconies seem to be supported by statues of the four seasons and are adorned with gold garlands. Cuvilliés achieved the Rococo ideal of giving theatergoers a multimedia experience—uniting the beauty of his creation with the beautiful performance on stage. It’s still a working theater.

WWII bombs completely obliterated the old Cuvilliés Theater, which originally stood at a different location a short distance from here. Fortunately, much of the carved wooden interior had been removed from the walls and stored away for safekeeping. After the war, this entirely new building was constructed near the ruins of the old theater and paneled with the original decor. It’s so heavily restored, you can almost smell the paint.

MUNICH’S MUSEUM QUARTER (KUNSTAREAL)

This quarter, northwest of the city center, has an impressive cluster of fine museums displaying art spanning from 3000 BC up to the present: the Egyptian Museum, Glyptothek, Alte Pinakothek, Neue Pinakothek (currently closed for renovation), Lenbachhaus, Pinakothek der Moderne, and Museum Brandhorst. Most people don’t come to Munich for the art, but this group of museums makes a case for the city’s world-class status. The Alte Pinakothek is the best of the bunch, but modern art is also surprisingly well represented. Also in this area is the excellent Nazi Documentation Center.

Getting There: The neighborhood might seem distant from the city-center action, but it’s just a brisk 10-minute walk from the old center and from the train station. The Glyptothek and Lenbachhaus are near the Königsplatz stop on the U-2 subway line. The three Pinakothek museums, the Egyptian Museum, and the Brandhorst are a few blocks to the northeast. From Karlsplatz (between the train station and Marienplatz), handy tram #27 whisks you right to the Pinakothek and Karolinenplatz stops. You can also take bus #100 from the train station to any of the museums.

Day Pass and €1 Sundays: A €12 day pass covers the Pinakotheks, plus the Brandhorst and Schack Collection (more 19th-century German Romanticism), on a single day. On Sundays, these museums, as well as the Egyptian Museum and Glyptothek, let you in for just a token €1.

▲▲Alte Pinakothek

GOOGLE MAP

The Alte Pinakothek (“Old Art Gallery”) is truly one of Europe’s great collections of paintings. It shows off European masterpieces from the 14th to 19th century, starring the two tumultuous centuries (1450-1650) when Europe went from medieval to modern. See paintings from the Italian Renaissance (Raphael, Leonardo, Botticelli, Titian) and the German Renaissance it inspired (Albrecht Dürer). Through the art displayed here, you can follow along as the Reformation of Martin Luther split Europe into two subcultures—Protestant and Catholic—with two distinct art styles (exemplified by Rembrandt and Rubens, respectively).

While the Neue Pinakothek across the street is closed, the greatest hits of its collection (1800-1920, including Impressionists and Van Gogh) are in a special ground floor exhibit at the Alte Pinakothek (included in your ticket).

Cost and Hours: €9; Tue 10:00-20:30, Wed-Sun until 18:00, closed Mon; excellent app-based audioguide (non-app audioguide might also be available), mandatory lockers for big bags, pleasant Café Klenze; U-2: Theresienstrasse, tram #27, or bus #100; Barer Strasse 27, +49 89 2380 5216, www.pinakothek.de/alte-pinakothek.

Visiting the Museum: Pick up a map and get your bearings. The paintings we’ll see are all on the upper floor, which is laid out like a barbell. Start at one fat end and work your way through the “handle” to the other end. From the ticket counter, head up the stairway to the left to reach the first rooms. I’ve listed the highlights, but as you walk, the audioguide can explain any painting that catches your interest.

We begin with the German Renaissance. In Room I, Albrecht Dürer’s Self-Portrait in Fur Coat (Selbstbildnis im Pelzrock) looks like Jesus Christ but is actually 28-year-old Dürer himself (per his inscription: “XXVIII”), gazing out, with his right hand solemnly giving a blessing. This is the ultimate image of humanism: the artist as an instrument of God’s continued creation. Get close and enjoy the intricately braided hair, the skin texture, and the fur collar. To the left of the head is Dürer’s famous monogram—“A.D.” in the form of a pyramid.

In the same room, Albrecht Altdorfer’s The Battle of Issus (Schlacht bei Issus) shows a world at war. Masses of soldiers are swept along in the currents and tides of a battle completely beyond their control, their confused motion reflected in the swirling sky. We see the battle from a great height, giving us a godlike perspective. Though the painting depicts Alexander the Great’s history-changing victory over the Persians (find the Persian king Darius turning and fleeing), it could as easily have been Germany in the 1520s. Christians were fighting Muslims, peasants battled masters, and Catholics and Protestants were squaring off for a century of conflict. The armies melt into a huge landscape, leaving the impression that the battle goes on forever.

In Room II, Dürer’s larger-than-life Four Apostles (Johannes und Petrus and Paulus und Marcus) are saints of a radical new religion: Martin Luther’s Protestantism. Just as Luther challenged Church authority, Dürer—a friend of Luther’s—strips these saints of any rich clothes, halos, or trappings of power and gives them down-to-earth human features: receding hairlines, wrinkles, and suspicious eyes. The inscription warns German rulers to follow the Bible rather than Catholic Church leaders. The figure of Mark—a Bible in one hand and a sword in the other—is a fitting symbol of the dangerous times.

Also in this room, find Botticelli’s Lamentation over Christ (Die Beweinung Christi). Notice how the weight of the dead Christ seems to drag the whole painting down, with the tomb looming darkly behind.

Botticelli moves us into the Italian Renaissance. With this “rebirth” of interest in the art and learning of ancient Greece and Rome, artists sought to capture the realism, three-dimensionality, and symmetry found in classical statues. In Room IV, Leonardo da Vinci’s Madonna of the Carnation (Madonna mit der Nelke) needs no halos—the virgin and child radiate purity. Mary is a solid pyramid of maternal love, flanked by Renaissance-arch windows that look out on the hazy distance. Baby Jesus reaches out to play innocently with a carnation, the blood-colored symbol of his eventual death. Leonardo was just 21 years old when he painted this.

In the same room, Raphael’s Holy Family at the Canigiani House (Die hl. Familie aus dem Hause Canigiani) takes Leonardo’s pyramid form and runs with it. Father Joseph forms the peak, with his staff as the strong central axis. Mary and Jesus (on the right) form a pyramid-within-the-pyramid, as do Elizabeth and baby John the Baptist on the left. They all exchange meaningful eye contact, safe within the bounds of the stable family structure.

Rubens and Baroque (Room VII): Europe’s religious wars split the Continent in two—Protestants in the northern countries, Catholics in the south. (Germany itself was divided, with Bavaria remaining Catholic.) The Baroque style, popular in Catholic countries, featured large canvases, bright colors, lots of flesh, rippling motion, wild emotions, grand themes...and pudgy winged babies, the sure sign of Baroque. This room holds several canvases by the great Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens.

In Rubens’ 300-square-foot Great Last Judgment (Das Grosse Jüngste Gericht), Christ raises the righteous up to heaven (left side) and damns the sinners to hell (on the right). This swirling cycle of nudes was considered risqué and kept under wraps by the very monks who’d commissioned it.

Rubens and Isabella Brant in the Honeysuckle Bower shows the artist with his first wife, both of them the very picture of health, wealth, and success. They lean together unconsciously, as people in love will do, with their hands clasped in mutual affection. When his first wife died, 53-year-old Rubens found a replacement—16-year-old Hélène Fourment, shown in an adjacent painting (just to the left) in her wedding dress. You may recognize Hélène’s face in other Rubens paintings.

The Rape of the Daughters of Leucippus (Der Raub der Töchter des Leukippos) has many of Rubens’ most typical elements—fleshy, emotional, rippling motion; bright colors; and a classical subject. The legendary twins Castor and Pollux crash a wedding and steal the brides as their own. The chaos of flailing limbs and rearing horses is all held together in a subtle X-shaped composition. Like the weaving counterpoint in a Baroque fugue, Rubens balances opposites.

Notice that Rubens’ canvases were—to a great extent—cranked out by his students and assistants from small “cartoons” the master himself made (displayed in the side room).

Room IX showcases work by Rembrandt and the Dutch School. Rembrandt van Rijn’s Passion Cycle (six paintings from the life of Christ) are a down-to-earth look at supernatural events. The Holy Family (Die Heilige Familie) is set in a carpenter’s workshop (with tools on the wall). The canvases are dark brown, lit by strong light. The Holy Family’s light source is the Baby Jesus himself—literally the “light of the world.” In the Raising of the Cross (Kreuzaufrichtung), a man dressed in blue is looking on—a self-portrait of Rembrandt.

In the Deposition (Kreuzabnahme), the light bounces off Christ’s pale body onto his mother Mary, who has fainted in the shadows, showing how his death also hurts her. The drama is underplayed, with subdued emotions.

In Room X, you’ll find a final highlight: Titian’s Christ Crowned with Thorns (Die Dornenkrönung). A powerfully built Christ sits silently enduring torture by prison guards. The painting is by Venice’s greatest Renaissance painter, but there’s no symmetry, no pyramid form, and the brushwork is intentionally messy and Impressionistic. Note that the painting is on canvas rather than a wood panel; at the time, artists were experimenting with vegetable oil-based paints on canvas.

▲Neue Pinakothek

The Alte Pinakothek’s younger sister across the street—an easy-to-like collection of paintings from 1800 to 1920—is closed for renovation until 2029. During construction, the museum’s highlights (world-class Impressionist paintings and one of Van Gogh’s Sunflowers) are on display at the Alte Pinakothek, listed above (+49 89 2380 5195, www.pinakothek.de/neue-pinakothek).

▲Pinakothek der Moderne

GOOGLE MAP

This museum picks up where the other two Pinakotheks leave off, covering the 20th and 21st centuries. The museum’s impressive permanent collection is shown according to various themes that come and go a couple of times a year, rather than in periods or by artist. These rotating displays are supplemented by often-worthwhile temporary exhibits. The design wing, in the basement, is also worth a quick look. From chairs to bikes to blenders to cars and computers, these are everyday objects that work efficiently but also have a sleek artistic flair. It’s free to step into the atrium of the striking, white, high-ceilinged building.

Cost and Hours: €10; Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, Thu until 20:00, closed Mon; mandatory bag check for big bags, café in atrium with outdoor patio; U-2: Theresienstrasse, tram #27, or bus #100; Barer Strasse 40, +49 89 2380 5360, www.pinakothek.de/pinakothek-der-moderne.

▲Egyptian Museum (Staatliches Museum Ägyptischer Kunst)

GOOGLE MAP

To enjoy this museum, you don’t need a strong interest in ancient Egypt (but you may have one by the time you leave). This modern space was custom-made to evoke the feeling of being deep in an ancient tomb, from the wide, easy-to-miss staircase outside that descends to the narrow entry, to the twisty interior rooms that grow narrower and more catacomb-like as you pro-gress. The art here is beautifully lit, explained well in English, and accompanied by touch-screen terminals that give the curious more background. The museum’s clever design creates a low-stress visit (just follow the one-way route marked by brass arrows in the floor).

Cost and Hours: €7; Tue 10:00-20:00, Wed-Sun until 18:00, closed Mon; free audioguide (€1 on Sun); U-2 or U-8: Königsplatz, tram #27 to Karolinenplatz, or bus #100; Gabelsbergerstrasse 35—enter at corner of Arcisstrasse and look for the stairs leading down, +49 89 2892 7630, www.smaek.de.

▲Lenbachhaus

GOOGLE MAP

A saying goes that “Berlin had generals, Munich had artists.” That was particularly true in the decades before World War I. Munich blew the art world’s mind when a bunch of art-school cronies got fed up with being told how and what to paint, and together as the revolutionary “Blue Rider” (Blauer Reiter) group galloped toward a brand-new horizon—abstract art. In the series of pleasant galleries at the Lenbachhaus, you can witness the birth of Modernist nonrepresentational art, with paintings by Kandinsky, Klee, and Marc, then stroll the rest of the building’s offerings (including the apartments of painter Franz von Lenbach, whose original villa and studio are now largely enclosed by the modern museum building).

Cost and Hours: €12, well-done app-based audioguide; ticket gets you same-day (or next day) half-price admission at the Jewish History Museum and Villa Stuck—or use ticket from either of those to get half-price admission here; Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, Thu until 20:00, closed Mon; Luisentrasse 33, +49 89 2339 6933, www.lenbachhaus.de.

Cuisine Art: The museum has a good, upscale Italian restaurant, Café Ella (same open days and hours as museum, kitchen closes at 17:00, museum entry not required, +49 89 7008 8177).

Visiting the Museum: The permanent collection includes art from three distinct periods: the 19th century (conservative, colorful, optimistic), the Blue Rider movement (emotional, inspired, modern), and post-1945 (abstract).

Start out by taking the elevator to the second floor, where you’ll see how the Blue Rider revolution began with seemingly innocuous paintings of the cute Bavarian town of Murnau. It was here in 1908 that two Munich couples—Wassily Kandinsky and Gabriele Münter, and Alexej Jawlensky and Marianne von Werefkin—came for vacation. The four painted together—it’s hard to tell their work apart—employing intense colors, thick paint, and bold black outlines. Over the next few years (c. 1911-1914), they gathered into a group of Munich-based artists calling themselves the Blue Rider, which included Paul Klee and Franz Marc. They were all devoted to expressing the spiritual truths they felt within by using intense colors and geometric shapes.

The Blue Rider School was blown apart by World War I. The artists who survived the Great War went on to pioneer abstract art. Over time, they paid less attention to re-creating the physical world realistically on canvas and more attention to the colors and lines alone. Russian expat Kandinsky’s “Improvisations”—like a jazz musician improvising a new pattern of notes from a set scale—eventually became the art world’s first purely abstract canvases. Soon Kandinsky was teaching at the famous Bauhaus school in Weimar, and his style spread everywhere. Jawlensky and Klee also went on to develop a simpler and more abstract style. Such artists infuriated Hitler, who termed their work “degenerate.”

Below, the first floor has temporary exhibitions, as well as two permanent sections. One displays several oddball installations by 20th-century German artist Joseph Beuys. (Is that art, or did the janitor just leave a broom here?) The other, in the far wing, is a stash of 19th-century paintings that provides a nice contrast to all the abstract stuff.

Finally, back on the ground floor, next to the ticket desk, walk into the mustard-colored villa of Franz von Lenbach himself (encapsulated within the museum building). Of modest means and from a small town, Lenbach turned his childhood passion for painting into a successful career, executing portraits of 19th-century notables and doing well enough to build this lavish home (sold to the city by his widow in the 1920s). Head up the stairs, where four ornate rooms, with views over the garden, have been preserved; Lenbach’s own paintings cover the walls.

More Art Museums

The museum quarter has several more highly regarded museums, but for the typical tourist on a quick visit they don’t merit a stop.

The Museum Brandhorst (closed Mon) covers the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st, with a particular emphasis on Andy Warhol and Cy Twombly. The building is striking, with thousands of colored cylinders lining the outside. The Glyptothek is an impressive collection of Greek and Roman sculpture started by Ludwig I (closed Mon).

▲▲Nazi Documentation Center (NS-Dokumentationszentrum München)

This center—housed in a stark, airy, cube-shaped building—documents the rise and fall of Nazism with a focus on Munich’s role and the reasons behind it, as this city, like the rest of Germany, is determined to keep learning from its 20th-century nightmare. While there are no actual artifacts here, the experience is moving and a worthwhile companion to visiting the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial.

Cost and Hours: Free, includes well-done and techie audioguide; Tue-Sun 10:00-19:00, closed Mon; U-2: Königsplatz, tram #27, or bus #100; along Brienner Strasse near the corner of Arcisstrasse at Max-Mannheimer-Platz 1, +49 89 2336 7000, www.nsdoku.de.

Background: Munich was the birthplace of the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (NSDAP—or Nazi Party), and even after the Nazis took power and moved to Berlin, it remained the official Nazi Party headquarters. It was in Munich that Hitler and other disillusioned World War I veterans first gathered to lick their wounds. The Nazi Party was founded here in 1919, and this is where Hitler staged his attempted coup (the Beer Hall Putsch). He was imprisoned in nearby Landsberg, where he wrote his Mein Kampf manifesto.

Once in power, Hitler officially proclaimed Munich as the “Capital of the Movement.” In 1933, the Nazi government opened its first concentration camp outside Munich, in Dachau.

Königsplatz was ground zero for Nazi activities. (Remember that Hitler fancied himself an artist, and with its world-class museums, art academies, and artists’ villas, this square was at the heart of the German art world—making it a perfect stage for Hitler’s ego; the monumental Neoclassical buildings that surround the square were also right up his alley.) Mass rallies were held here, and forbidden books were burned. Some 68 buildings in the neighborhood housed dozens of Nazi departments and 6,000 employees.

Most of the Nazi-built architecture is gone now. The Documentation Center occupies the site of the official Nazi Party headquarters (called the Brown House), which was destroyed by Allied bombing in 1943. One Nazi building that does survive is next door: Arcisstrasse 12, once the Führerbau (“Führer building”). It’s now used as a music and theater academy. You can still see the window of Hitler’s personal office above the entrance porch. The infamous Munich Agreement of 1938 was signed in this building, as the British and French prime ministers tried to avoid war by appeasing Hitler and letting him annex parts of Czechoslovakia.

Visiting the Center: The exhibits are arranged chronologically and begin on the top floor. (Take the elevator to avoid confusion.) The top floor (1918-1933) covers the end of World War I and the beginning of Hitler’s movement in Munich. It includes gripping biographies of the early opponents of the Nazi Party.

The third floor (1933-1939) documents the establishment of the “racially pure” Volksgemeinschaft (“people’s community”) and the effect of Nazi domination on everyday life, including a timeline that illustrates the progressively tighter restrictions on Jews.

The second floor (1939-1945) covers the horrors of war, the Holocaust, and the “denazification” period after the end of Nazi rule. Find the video showing Munich in ruins immediately following the war and compare the footage to what you see today.

The first floor (after 1945) examines the faith people put in the Nazi regime and their difficulty in coming to terms with the past.

In the basement, the Learning Center encourages reflection, with a library where you can delve into topics of interest, and a collection of books banned during Nazi rule. Touch-screen computer terminals let you sit and page through the center’s exhibits in full. As walking around the center’s main displays can feel a bit like reading a book while standing up, it’s nice to have this option to learn while taking a load off your feet. It’s also a good opportunity to think about what this history means—not just for Germans, but for us all.

NEAR THE RIVER

▲English Garden (Englischer Garten)

GOOGLE MAP

Munich’s “Central Park,” the largest urban park on the Continent, was laid out in 1789 by an American. Thousands of locals commune with nature here on sunny summer days (including lots of students from the nearby university). The park stretches three miles from the center, past the university and the trendy Schwabing quarter. For the best quick visit, take bus #100 or tram #16 to the Nationalmuseum/Haus der Kunst stop. Under the bridge, you’ll see surfers. (The surf’s always up here—even through the night; surfers bring their own lights.) Follow the path, to the right of the surfing spot, downstream until you reach the big lawn. The Chinese Tower beer garden (described along with the more romantic lakeside Seehaus in the “Beer Halls, Beer Gardens, and Bavarian Food” section, later) is just beyond the tree-covered hill to the right. Follow the oompah music and walk to the hilltop pagoda, with a postcard view of the city on your way. Afterward, instead of retracing your steps, you can walk (or take bus #54 a couple of stops) to the Giselastrasse U-Bahn station and return to town on the U-3 or U-6.

Green Munich

Although the capital of a very conservative part of Germany, Munich has long been a liberal stronghold. For nearly two decades, the city council has been controlled by a Social Democrat/Green Party coalition. The city policies are pedestrian-friendly: You’ll find much of the town center closed to normal traffic, with plenty of bike lanes and green spaces. As you talk softly and hear birds rather than motors, it’s easy to forget you’re in the center of a big city. On summer Mondays, the peace and quiet make way for “blade Monday”—when streets in the center are closed to cars and as many as 30,000 inline skaters swarm around town in a giant rolling party.

A rewarding respite from the city, the park is especially fun—and worth ▲▲—on a bike under the summer sun and on warm evenings (unfortunately, there are no bike-rental outfits in or near the park; to rent some wheels, see here). Caution: While local law requires sun worshippers to wear clothes on the tram, the park is sprinkled with buck-naked sunbathers—quite a shock to prudish Americans (they’re the ones riding their bikes into the river and trees).

Haus der Kunst

Built by Hitler as a temple of Nazi art, this bold and fascist building—a rare surviving example of a purpose-built Nazi structure—is now an impressive shell for various temporary art exhibits, usually well explained in English. Ironically, the art now displayed in Hitler’s “house of art” is the kind that annoyed the führer most—modern. Its cellar, which served as a nightclub for GIs in 1945, is now the extremely exclusive P-1 nightclub.

Cost and Hours: €15; Wed-Mon 10:00-20:00, Thu until 22:00, closed Tue; at south end of English Garden, tram #16 to Nationalmuseum/Haus der Kunst or bus #100 to Königinstrasse, Prinzregentenstrasse 1, +49 89 2112 7113, www.hausderkunst.de.

Cuisine Art: The Goldene Bar, where a 1930s atmosphere survives—on the back side of the building, overlooking the English Garden—is one of Germany’s most architecturally interesting cafés (Wed-Sat 12:00-22:00, Sun from 13:00, museum entry not required).

Nearby: Just beyond the Haus der Kunst, where Prinzregentenstrasse crosses the Eisbach canal, you can get another view of surfers in the rapids created as the small river tumbles underground.

▲Bavarian National Museum (Bayerisches Nationalmuseum)

GOOGLE MAP

You could spend weeks in this vast museum, which is filled with treasures ranging across artistic periods from Romanesque to Art Nouveau. It focuses on decorative arts but really has a bit of everything—musical instruments and games, arms and armor, fashion and furniture, an entire wing of nativity scenes, a huge dining table with silver service, and traditional German woodcarving—not to mention a big collection of fine art spanning centuries. There are even complete period rooms with intricately carved ceilings and elaborate portals. Don’t miss the 16th-century wooden models of Bavarian towns, including Munich—see if you can pick out the Frauenkirche and Marienplatz.

The impressive building, from the 1890s, was designed in a historicist style to look much older. With its 160 rooms on three levels, and the tremendous breadth of its valuable collections, you’ll want to get the map and focus on what you like best.

Cost and Hours: €7, €1 on Sun, audioguide free except €2 on Sun; Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00, Thu until 20:00, closed Mon; tram #16 or bus #100 from station to Nationalmuseum/Haus der Kunst, Prinzregentenstrasse 3, +49 89 211 2401, www.bayerisches-nationalmuseum.de.

▲Villa Stuck

GOOGLE MAP

This museum has been undergoing renovation, but may be open by the time you visit—check its website for updates. Franz von Stuck, Munich’s top Art Nouveau artist and fin-de-siècle tastemaker, designed this mansion for himself, then lived and worked (and partied) here from 1898 until his death in 1928. Within Munich’s cutting-edge art scene, you were nobody until you were invited to an evening here. Fortuitously, a good part of the house’s interior has been preserved. The rooms’ original dark-wood/gold-leaf decor dazzles Jugendstil fans; upstairs in Von Stuck’s former studio is his “Sin Altar” with a version of his most famous (and perhaps most erotically charged) painting, The Sin (Die Sünde).

Cost and Hours: €9; ticket gets you half-price admission on the same day (or the next) at the Jewish History Museum and Lenbachhaus—or use ticket from either of those to get half-price admission here; Tue-Sun 11:00-18:00, closed Mon; tram #17 or bus #100 to Friedensengel/Villa Stuck—just a short ride across the river from the city center, Prinzregentenstrasse 60, +49 89 455 5510, www.villastuck.de.

▲Deutsches Museum (Main Branch)

GOOGLE MAP

Germany’s answer to our Smithsonian Institution, the Deutsches Museum traces the evolution of science and technology. The main museum is centrally located on an island in the Isar River. Two smaller branches—the Museum of Transportation and the Aviation Museum—are outside the city center and have separate tickets (both described later).

The Isar River location is undergoing a years-long renovation, and some areas may be closed when you visit. But don’t worry: This place is so huge, there’s still plenty to see. Themes include robotics, aviation, agriculture, health, film and imaging, motors, nuclear physics, hydraulic engineering, musical instruments, and more—the museum’s collections are tremendously broad. Even those on roller skates will need to be selective. Study the floor plan and choose which sections interest you. Several exhibits are geared toward children, and there is a separate “Kids’ Kingdom” for children ages 3-8. The museum is bilingual, with everything described in both English and German.

Cost and Hours: €15, €31 family ticket, daily 9:00-17:00, ask for the English map, several small cafés in and around the museum, nice gift shop, +49 89 217 9333, www.deutsches-museum.de.

Getting There: Take the U-1, U-2, or tram #18 to Fraunhoferstrasse, then walk down to the river and turn left down a long block to the corner of Corneliusstrasse. Enter from the bridge (Corneliusbrücke). You can also take bus #52 or #62 to the Baaderstrasse stop, which is just across the intersection from the museum gate.

NEAR THE OKTOBERFEST GROUNDS

▲Museum of Transportation (Verkehrszentrum)

While it veers a little toward the wonky, this fun museum has enough to interest the casual visitor—and is heaven for any driving enthusiast. You’ll see all aspects of transport, from old big-wheeled bikes to Benz’s first car (a three-wheeler from the 1880s) to sleek ICE super-trains (serious train buffs going to Nürnberg will be more excited by the German Railway Museum there). The museum asks what our lives would be like without transportation, and the engaging exhibits (well explained in English) show how modes of transportation developed from Neolithic “bone” skates (predecessors to today’s in-line skates) to 19th-century Lapland skis, to today’s snowboards and fast cars. It’s housed in three giant hangar-like exhibition halls just beyond the Oktoberfest grounds, a.k.a. Theresienwiese. The museum is part of the Deutsches Museum but has a separate ticket.

Cost and Hours: €8, €17 family ticket, daily 9:00-17:00, Am Bavariapark 5, +49 89 217 9333, www.deutsches-museum.de/verkehrszentrum.

Getting There: Take the U-4 or U-5 to Schwanthalerhöhe (two stops from the main train station). From the platform, follow signs for Deutsches Museum. The museum is just a few steps from the station exit.

Visiting the Museum: Hall I focuses on urban transport, with special attention to Munich. Climb into a 1927 Berlin S-Bahn car, marvel at a cross-section of the intricate and multilayered subway system, learn about the history of the bicycle, and admire the vintage cars—including a deluxe 1930s Mercedes-Benz 370—arrayed into mock traffic jams. Twice a day (10:00 and 15:30—confirm times as you enter) they fire up an S-Bahn simulator and let visitors pretend to drive the train.

Hall II gives you a look at the development of long-distance overland travel. The focus here is on trains and bus travel. Don’t miss the Maffei S3/6, a.k.a. “The Pride of Bavaria” (in its heyday the fastest steam engine, at nearly 80 miles per hour); climb aboard the clever old postal train car (complete with a mail slot on the side); and check out the 1950s panorama bus that shuttled eager tourists to fashionable destinations such as Italy. If your timing is right, be sure to take a ride in the old carriage (offered at 10:30 and 15:00). The metal track simulates what it would have felt like to travel in the 18th century over different terrain (grass and cobblestones—pretty uncomfortable).

Hall III is all about fun: motorcycles, bicycles, skis, and race cars. Famous prewar models include the Mercedes-Benz SS and the Auto Union Type C “Grand Prix” race car. Other tiny racers—which resemble metal pickles—include the 1950s Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR and the famous Messerschmitt 200. You’ll also find early 18th-century bicycles based on Leonardo da Vinci’s drawings. Before the invention of the pedal crank, bikes were just silly-looking scooters for adults.

SIGHTS OUTSIDE THE CITY CENTER

The following sights are 30 minutes or less from the city center.

▲▲Nymphenburg Palace Complex

GOOGLE MAP

For 200 years, this royal retreat of palaces and gardens was the Wittelsbach rulers’ summer vacation home, a getaway from the sniping politics of court life in the city. Their kids could play, picnic, ride horses, and frolic in the ponds and gardens, while the adults played cards, listened to music, and sipped coffee on the veranda. It was at Nymphenburg that a seven-year-old Mozart gave a widely heralded concert, that 60-year-old Ludwig I courted the femme fatale Lola Montez, and that “Mad” King Ludwig II (Ludwig I’s grandson) was born and baptized.

Today, Nymphenburg Palace and the surrounding one-square-mile park are a great place for a royal stroll or discreet picnic. Indoors, you can tour the Bavarian royal family’s summer quarters and visit the Royal Stables Museum (carriages, sleighs, and porcelain). If you have time, check out playful extras such as a hunting lodge (Amalienburg), bathhouse (Badenburg), pagoda (Pagodenburg), and fake ruins (Magdalenenklause). The complex also houses a humble natural history museum and a Baroque chapel. Allow at least three hours (including travel time) to see the palace complex at a leisurely pace.

Cost and Hours: €8 for the palace; €6 for the Royal Stables Museum; €15 combo-ticket (€12 off-season) covers the palace, Royal Stables Museum, and outlying sights. All are open daily 9:00-18:00, mid-Oct-March 10:00-16:00—except for Amalienburg and the other small palaces in the park, which close in winter; park open daily 6:00-dusk and free to enter; palace audioguide-€3.50, mandatory bag check for big bags, +49 89 179 080, www.schloss-nymphenburg.de.

Getting There: The palace is three miles northwest of central Munich. Take tram #17 (direction: Amalienburgstrasse) from the train station or Karlsplatz. In 15 minutes you reach the Schloss Nymphenburg stop. From the bridge by the tram stop, you’ll see the palace—a 10-minute walk away. The palace is a pleasant 30-minute bike ride from the main train station (find Nymphenburger Strasse 3 blocks north of the train station and follow it all the way to the palace grounds, turning left at the canal that stretches to the palace). Be aware that biking is not permitted within the palace grounds.

Eating: A café serves lunch and snacks in a winter garden or on a nice terrace, a five-minute walk behind and to the right of the palace (open year-round). More eating options are near the Schloss Nymphenburg tram stop (including the Backspielhaus, a good sandwich shop).

Nymphenburg Palace

In 1662, after 10 years of trying, the Bavarian ruler Ferdinand Maria and his wife, Henriette Adelaide of Savoy, finally had a son, Max Emanuel. In gratitude for a male heir, Ferdinand gave this land to his Italian wife, who proceeded to build an Italian-style Baroque palace as their summer residence. Their son expanded the palace to its current size. (Today’s Wittelsbachs, who still refer to themselves as “princes” or “dukes,” live in one wing of the palace.)

The palace interior, while less extensive than Munich’s Residenz, was never bombed and feels more real. You’ll trace the art and architecture through three centuries: built Baroque, later decorated Rococo, and—with the arrival of Napoleon—further decorated in the Neoclassical or “Empire” style. The place is stingy on free information; you’ll need the audioguide if you’d like more info than what I’ve provided below.

Self-Guided Tour: Start your visit in the Schlossgeschichte (palace history) room at the entry for a good intro. Then make your way to the Great Hall (a.k.a. Stone Hall). As the central room of the palace, this light and airy space was the dining hall, site of big Wittelsbach family festivals. One of the grandest and best-preserved Rococo rooms in Bavaria (from about 1760), it sports elaborate stucco work and a ceiling fresco by Johann Baptist Zimmermann (of Wieskirche fame). Imagine the feasts and celebrations held in this room; you can practically hear the musicians playing from the balcony. With three big windows on either side, both morning and afternoon sunlight gloriously fill the room.

Zimmermann’s fresco opens a sunroof to the heavens, where mythological gods cavort. In the sunny center, Apollo drives his chariot to bring the dawn, while bearded Zeus (astride an eagle) and peacock-carrying Hera look on. The rainbow symbolizes the peace brought by the enlightened Wittelsbachs. Around the borders of the painting, notice the fun optical illusions: For example, a painted dog holds a stucco bird in its mouth. The painting’s natural setting and joie de vivre reflect the pastoral pleasures enjoyed here at the Wittelsbachs’ summer home. Find the woman with the crescent moon above her head: That’s Princess-Electress Maria Amelia, depicted as the Greek goddess Diana (you can visit the hunting lodge her husband, Prince-Elector Karl Albrecht, built for her nearby). And at one end of the fresco (away from the windows) lounges a lovely maiden with flowers in her hair: It’s Flora, the eponymous nymph who inspired this “nymph’s castle”—Nymphenburg.

From here, two wings stretch to the left and right. They’re mirror images of one another: antechamber, audience chamber, bedchamber, and private living quarters. Guests would arrive here in the Great Hall for an awe-inspiring first impression, then make their way through a series of (also impressive) waiting rooms for their date with the Wittelsbach nobility.

• The tour continues in the...

North Wing (Rooms 2-9): Breeze quickly through this less interesting wing, filled with tapestries and Wittelsbach portraits (including curly-haired Max Emanuel, who built this wing). Pause in the long corridor (the North Gallery) lined with paintings of various Wittelsbach palaces. The names of each are labeled on gilded plaques. The ones of Nymphenburg show the place around 1720, back when there was nothing but countryside between it and downtown (and gondolas plied the canals). Imagine the logistics when the royal family—with their entourage of 200—decided to move out to the summer palace. Find the painting of Fürstenried Palace (in another Munich suburb) and look for the twin onion domes of the Frauenkirche in the distance. Of the countless paintings you’ll see, many depict palaces the family owned throughout their realm...just showing off.

Take a short detour into the North Apartment Antechamber (Room 3), where audiences would patiently wait to meet with the Bavarian ruler. Notice the portraits of his children that adorn the wall and the exquisite black marble table, inlaid with expensive gemstones, given to Max Emanuel’s oldest son (Prince-Elector Karl Albrecht, later Holy Roman Emperor Charles VII, seated in the center portrait) upon a visit to the Medicis in Florence. Next, the former bedroom has a group portrait of the Wettin family of Saxony and the Wittelsbachs of Bavaria gathered at a grand garden party. Find the nobleman in a wheelchair—likely the first such portrayal of a royal in history. You’ll also see portraits of ladies of the court and mistresses.

• Return to the Great Hall and enter the other wing.

South Wing (Rooms 10-20): Pass through the gold-and-white Room 10 and turn right into the red-walled South Apartment Antechamber. The room calls up the exuberant time of Nymphenburg’s founding couple, Ferdinand and Henriette. A portrait on the wall shows them posing together in their rich courtly dress. The large painting on the left depicts the family in a Greek myth: Henriette (as the moon goddess) leads her youngest son Joseph Clemens by the hand, while her first son Max Emanuel (as Hercules) receives the gift of a sword. On the right side of the room, Ferdinand is represented as Endymion, a mortal loved by the moon goddess. The ceiling painting (of the earth goddess Cybele) also dates from the time of Nymphenburg’s first family.

After admiring the Queen’s Bedroom and Chinese lacquer cabinet, head back down the long hall, at the end of which awaits King Ludwig I’s Gallery of Beauties. The room is decorated top to bottom with portraits of 36 beautiful women (all of them painted by Joseph Stieler between 1826 and 1850).

Ludwig I was a consummate girl-watcher, and he prided himself on his ability to appreciate beauty regardless of social rank. He enjoyed picking out the prettiest women from the general public and, with one of the most effective pickup lines of all time, inviting them to the palace for a portrait. Who could refuse? The portraits were on public display in the Residenz and catapulted their subjects to stardom. The women range from commoners to princesses, but notice that they share one physical trait: Ludwig obviously preferred brunettes. The portraits are done in the modest and slightly sentimental Biedermeier style popular in central Europe, as opposed to the more flamboyant Romanticism (so beloved of Ludwig’s “mad” grandson) also in vogue at that time.

Most of these portraits have rich stories behind them (each of the following is at eye level): With the door you entered as your “6 o’clock,” work your way counterclockwise, starting from “7 o’clock.” There you’ll find Helene Sedlmayr, a humble cobbler’s daughter who caught Ludwig’s eye; she poses in a blue-and-gray dress way beyond her budget. Though poor, she was considered Munich’s comeliest Fräulein, and she eventually married the king’s valet and had 10 children. Continuing counterclockwise, look for Lady Jane Ellenborough—an elegant English baroness who went through four marriages and numerous affairs, including one with Ludwig (and, much later, with his son Otto, after Otto had become king of Greece). She was fluent in nine languages, including Arabic, after marrying a Syrian sheik 20 years her junior.

Continuing to your left near another door is Lola Montez, the king’s most notorious mistress, who led him to his downfall. The portrait shows her the year she met Ludwig (she was 29, he was 60), wearing the black-lace mantilla and red flowers of a Spanish dancer. This Irish beauty (born Maria Gilbert) lived in India for a time, became Franz Liszt’s lover in Paris, and eventually made her way to Munich. Ludwig was so bedazzled that he gave her a title—Countess of Landsfeld—along with a hefty annual income. Near Lola, the woman half-cloaked in a red-and-ermine robe is Princess Marie of Prussia—Ludwig’s daughter-in-law—who once lived in the last rooms we’ll visit. (And where in the Gallery of Beauties is the portrait of Ludwig’s wife, Queen Therese? She’s not here...you’ll have to duck into the elegant, green Queen’s Study to see her portrait.)

Pass through the blue Audience Room (with elaborate curtain rods and mahogany furniture in the French-inspired Empire style—what we’d call Neoclassical) and into the Queen’s Bedroom (her other one). The room has much the same furniture it had on August 25, 1845, when Princess Marie gave birth to the future King Ludwig II. Little Ludwig (see his bust, next to brother Otto’s) was greatly inspired by Nymphenburg—riding horses in summer, taking sleigh rides in winter, reading poetry at Amalienburg. The love of nature and solitude he absorbed at Nymphenburg eventually led Ludwig to abandon Munich for his castles in the remote Bavarian countryside. By the way, note the mirror in this bedroom. Royal births were carefully witnessed, and the mirror allowed for a better view. While Ludwig’s birth was well documented, his death was shrouded in mystery (see here).

Palace Grounds

The wooded grounds extend far back beyond the formal gardens and are popular with joggers and walkers. Find a bench for a low-profile picnic. The park is laced with canals and small lakes, where court guests once rode in Venetian-style gondolas.

Royal Stables Museum (Marstallmuseum)

These former stables (to the left of the main palace as you approach the complex) are full of gilded coaches worthy of a Cinderella dream. Upstairs, a porcelain exhibit shows off some of the famous Nymphenburg china.

Visiting the Museum: Wandering through the coach collection (both wings), you can trace the evolution of 300 years of coaches—getting lighter and adding better suspension as they were harnessed to faster horses.

In the big entrance hall is a golden carriage drawn by eight white horses. In 1742, it carried Karl Albrecht Wittelsbach to Frankfurt to be crowned Holy Roman Emperor. As emperor, he got eight horses—kings got only six. The event—with all the king’s horses and all the king’s men—is depicted in a frieze stretching the length of the museum wall; Karl’s carriage is #159. Look closely at the carriage’s ornamentation. It’s pure Rococo (a term that comes from the word “shell”). Along with shells, C-shaped decorations hint that it’s Rococo.

Next are more royal carriages, including the carriage of the first king of Bavaria (crowned by Napoleon in 1806). Then come Wittelsbach sleighs from the 1600s.

Around the corner, it’s all Ludwig II. Though his 20-year reign (until 1886) occurred long after the end of the Rococo period, Ludwig was a Rococo nut and commissioned work to be done in Neo-Rococo, proving that even Rococo can be outdone. Lining the wall are the king’s “beauties”—his favorite horses, each with a pet name. The king poses at the end of the hall (as if gazing longingly at his bevy of steeds).

The last rooms, starting with the 1866 portrait of Ludwig in the saddle, are a celebration of Ludwig’s love of riding. Paintings show the king’s horses being served almost like humans. The carriage collection continues in the other wing (just across the lane from where you entered the museum).

After seeing the coaches, head upstairs to a collection of Nymphenburg porcelain. In the 1700s, tea, coffee, and hot chocolate were new and sparked a mania among society’s elites. But what to serve it in? Something more elegant than a mug was needed, and “china” was ideal. Rather than importing teacups from China, royal families such as the Wittelsbachs commissioned their own porcelain factories to make fit-for-a-king plates, vases, and so on. With the advent of Europe’s royal porcelain works, “a proper cup of tea” was finally possible. (The Nymphenburg Palace porcelain works is still in operation but not open to the public.) You’ll see plates and cups painted in various styles, from ancient Greek to Old Masters, Romantic, and Art Nouveau. Don’t miss the porcelain copies of 17th-century Old Masters’ paintings from the Wittelsbach art collection (now at the Alte Pinakothek). Ludwig I had these paintings copied onto porcelain for safekeeping into the distant future. This was a very tricky process to get right, as the color of the paint would change when baked in. Take a close look—these are exquisite.

Amalienburg

Three hundred yards from Nymphenburg Palace, hiding in the park (head into the sculpted garden and veer to the left, following signs), you’ll find a fine little Rococo hunting lodge, which takes just a few minutes to tour. In 1734, Prince-Elector Karl Albrecht had it built for his wife, Maria Amalia.

Amalienburg was designed by François de Cuvilliés (of Residenz fame) and decorated by Johann Baptist Zimmermann. It’s the most worthwhile of the four small “extra” palaces buried in the park that are included on the combo-ticket. The others are the Pagodenburg, a Chinese-inspired pavilion; Badenburg, an opulent bathing house and banquet hall; and the Magdalenenklause, a mini palace that looks like a ruin from the outside but has an elaborate altar and woody apartments inside.

Visiting Amalienburg: As you approach, circle around and notice the facade. Above the pink-and-white grand entryway, Diana, goddess of the chase, is surrounded by themes of the hunt and flanked by busts of satyrs. The queen would shoot from the perch atop the roof. Behind a wall in the garden, dogs would scare nonflying pheasants. When they jumped up in the air above the wall, the sporting queen—as if shooting skeet—would pick the birds off.

Tourists now enter this tiny getaway through the back door. Doghouses under gun cupboards fill the first room. In the fine yellow-and-silver bedroom, the bed is flanked by portraits of Karl Albrecht and Maria Amalia—decked out in hunting attire. She liked her dogs. The door under her portrait leads to stairs to the rooftop pheasant-shooting perch. The relief on the door’s lower panel shows Vulcan forging arrows for amorous cupids.

The mini Hall of Mirrors is a blue-and-silver commotion of Rococo nymphs designed by Cuvilliés. In the next room, paintings depict court festivities, formal hunting parties, and no-contest kills (where the animal is put at an impossible disadvantage—like shooting fish in a barrel). Finally, the sparse kitchen is decorated with Chinese-style drawings on Dutch tile.

More Sights Outside the Center

▲BMW-Welt and Museum

GOOGLE MAP

At the headquarters of BMW (“bay-em-VAY,” to Germans), Beamer dreamers can visit two space-age buildings to learn more about this brand’s storied heritage (worth ▲▲ to enthusiasts). This vast complex—built on the site of Munich’s first airstrip and home to the BMW factory since 1920—has four components: the headquarters (in the building nicknamed “the Four Cylinders”—not open to the public), the factory (tourable with a reservation), the showroom (called BMW-Welt—“BMW World”), and the BMW Museum. Everything comes with fine English translations.

Cost and Hours: Museum—€10, online ticket purchase encouraged, €3 discount with Olympic Park or Gray Line ticket—also applies to tours, open Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon; BMW-Welt showroom—free, building open daily until 24:00, exhibits staffed 9:00-20:00; +49 89 125 016 001, www.bmw-welt.com.

Tours: English tours are offered of the museum (€13, 1 hour), BMW-Welt showroom (€13, 1 hour), and factory (€18, 1.5 hours, ages 6 and up, best to book well in advance). Reservations must be made via the website.

Getting There: From the city center, ride the U-3 to Olympia-Zentrum. From the platform, follow signs for BMW-Welt/BMW Museum. As you exit, get oriented: Ahead is the BMW-Welt (showroom) entry, the massive multicornered building across the street to your left is the BMW factory, the quadruple “piston” towers are the corporate offices, and the BMW Museum is in the half-visible gray “soup bowl.” Around the BMW-Welt to your right is a footbridge to the Olympic Park and stadium.

Visiting the BMW Complex: Start your visit in the BMW-Welt showroom. The building itself—a cloud-shaped, glass-and-steel architectural masterpiece—is reason enough to visit. At heart it’s a sales showroom, so it’s free to enter, and filled with exhibits designed to enthuse car lovers so they’ll find a way to afford a Beamer (also on display are Mini Coopers and Rolls-Royces—and BMW motorbikes). You’ll see the newest models and get a breathtaking look at the future. With touch-screen stations, high-powered videos, an inviting cafeteria, and lots of horsepower, it’s like no showroom I’ve ever seen. There’s even a two-room learning “campus” for kids and adults, and a BMW merchandise shop. The upper level is where customers come to pick up their new Beamers (make sure to climb the stairs and stand on the sky bridge viewpoint to watch in envy).

At the far end of BMW-Welt, exit and cross the swoopy bridge to the futuristic, bowl-shaped museum. It encloses a world of floating walkways linking exhibits on BMW design and technology through the years. Dozens of real cars and motorcycles of every era and type are on display. The museum traces the Bavarian Motor Works’ history since 1917, when the company began making airplane engines. Motorcycles came next, followed by the first BMW sedan in 1929. You’ll see how design was celebrated here from the start. Stand on an E for English to hear the chief designer talk about his favorite cars in the “treasury.” The 1956 BMW 507 is enough to rev almost anyone’s engine.

At basement level, a worthwhile Remembrance exhibit focuses on the Nazi period, when BMW produced weapons and used forced labor, and the company’s ongoing efforts to make amends.

Olympic Park (Olympiapark München)

After the construction of Munich’s Allianz Arena for the 2006 World Cup, the city’s great 1972 Olympic stadium and sports complex were left in the past, and they have since melded into the neighborhood as simply a huge park and swimming pool. You can get a good look at the center’s striking “cobweb” style of architecture while enjoying the park’s picnic potential. In addition, there are plenty of activities at the park, including minigolf, paddleboats, and an excellent swimming pool, the Olympia-Schwimmhalle. The hill here (a “rubble hill”—Schuttberg—built from the debris of bombed-out buildings) comes with an inviting beer garden (Olympia Alm, aptly named for an alpine meadow) and a commanding city view.

The TV tower viewing deck and restaurant are closed until 2026, but architecture buffs might find some of the park’s guided tours interesting—see the website for what’s on.

Cost and Hours: Tour prices vary, +49 89 30670, www.olympiapark.de; pool—€6.60, daily 7:00-23:00, +49 89 2361 5050, www.swm.de.

Getting There: The U-3 runs from Marienplatz directly to the Olympia-Zentrum stop. Emerging from the station, you’ll face the BMW-Welt (described earlier). Turn right and follow the path closest to BMW-Welt to a bridge over the highway and into Olympic Park. From this bridge, from left to right, you can see the ice rink and sports center, the TV tower, the swimming facility, the Olympiahalle arena and concert venue, and Olympic Stadium. In the distance you’ll see the grassy rubble hill, likely with people on top enjoying the view.

▲Schleissheim Palace

GOOGLE MAP

Tucked just outside central Munich, Schleissheim Palace (completed in 1726) is a hidden gem of High Baroque architecture and Wittelsbach wealth. Showing off his political power, Bavarian ruler Max Emanuel commissioned French and Italian artists to create a mini-Versailles here (the New Palace) to house his impressive art collection and show off his beautifully manicured Baroque garden. Porcelain collectors shouldn’t miss the Meissen porcelain exhibit in the Lustheim Palace at the far end of the gardens—about a 30-minute walk. Rarely visited, this expansive palace is worth a stop, especially for those with a car.

Cost and Hours: New Palace-€6, gardens-free; €10 combo-ticket covers New Palace, Old Palace (skippable), and porcelain collection; covered by Bavarian Palace ticket; Tue-Sun 9:00-18:00, Oct-March 10:00-16:00, closed Mon year-round; nice beer garden, +49 89 315 8720, www.schloesser-schleissheim.de.

Getting There: It’s easiest by car, or you can ride the S-1 about 20 minutes from Marienplatz (direction: Freising or Flughafen) and get off at Oberschleissheim (buy an M-1 day pass). Walk over the bridge, then follow Museen signs for 15 minutes until the street turns into Effnerstrasse.

Aviation Museum (Flugwerft Schleissheim)

Fans of all things winged will enjoy this museum with more than 50 planes, helicopters, gliders, and an original Europa rocket housed in a historical aerodrome on a former military airfield. Inside the museum, try a helicopter simulator (for an extra charge, usually available on weekends) and watch antique planes being restored in the glass-walled workshop. The museum is well conceived and has some English explanations, but probably only those interested in the history of flight will find the trek to this out-of-the-way museum worthwhile.

Cost and Hours: €8, €17 family ticket, daily 9:00-17:00, tiny café, Effnerstrasse 18 in Oberschleissheim, +49 89 217 9333, www.deutsches-museum.de/flugwerft-schleissheim.

Getting There: The Aviation Museum is a two-minute walk from Schleissheim Palace (see previous listing).

▲Isar River Bike Ride

Munich’s river, lined by a gorgeous park, leads bikers into the pristine countryside in just a few minutes. From downtown (easy access from the English Garden or Deutsches Museum), follow the riverside bike path south (upstream) along the east (left) bank. You can’t get lost. Just stay on the lovely bike path. It crosses the river after a while, passing tempting little beer gardens and lots of Bavarians having their brand of fun—including gangs enjoying Munich’s famous river-party rafts. Go as far as you like, then retrace your route to get home. The closest bike rental is Mike’s Bike Tours (see “Tours in Munich,” near the beginning of this chapter).

Shopping in Munich

While the whole city is great for shopping, the most glamorous area is around Marienplatz. It’s fun to window shop, even if you have no plans to buy. Here are a few stores and streets to consider.

Bavarian Souvenirs

Servus Heimat is a good source of unusual gifts that remind Bavarians of their childhood. It’s kitsch, but with taste and humor. Ask for the inside scoop behind T-shirt logos, books, and quirky kitchen utensils (Mon-Sat 10:00-19:00, closed Sun; Sendlingerstrasse 1, +49 89 2370 2091, www.servusheimat.com).

Books

The three-story Hugendubel bookstore on Karlsplatz has some English offerings (Mon-Sat 10:00-20:00, closed Sun, Karlsplatz 12, +49 89 3075 7575, www.hugendubel.de).

Dirndls and Lederhosen

For fine-quality (and very expensive) traditional clothing (Trachten in German), head to Loden-Frey Verkaufshaus. The third floor of this fine department store is dedicated to classic Bavarian wear (Mon-Sat 10:00-19:00, closed Sun, a block west of Marienplatz at Maffeistrasse 7, +49 89 210 390, www.lodenfrey.com). For less expensive (but still good quality) traditional gear, visit Angermaier Trachten, near the Viktualienmarkt (Mon-Fri 11:00-19:00, Sat 10:00-17:00, closed Sun, Rosental 10, +49 89 2300 0199, www.trachten-angermaier.de). Gottseidank, across from St. Peter’s Church, sells dressy, up-to-date Bavarian sweaters and jackets, ideal for people who don’t want to look like they escaped from a slap-dancing troupe (Mon-Fri 10:30-18:30, Sat until 19:00, closed Sun, Petersplatz 8, www.gottseidank.com).

Toys

Obletter, a big toy store right on Karlsplatz, has some wooden toys (Holzspielzeuge) in its underground level and a fun section full of puppets (Mon-Sat 10:00-20:00, closed Sun, Karlsplatz 11, +49 89 5508 9510).

Window Shopping and Malls

Shoppers will want to stroll from Marienplatz down the pedestrianized Weinstrasse (to the left as you face the New Town Hall). Look for Fünf Höfe on your left, a delightful indoor/outdoor mall filled with Germany’s top shops (Mon-Fri 10:00-20:00, Sat until 18:00, closed Sun, www.fuenfhoefe.de). Named for its five courtyards, this is where tradition meets modern. Note how its Swiss architects play with light and color. Even if you’re not a shopper, wander through to appreciate the architecture, the elegant window displays, and the sight of Bavarians living very well.

Built by Maximilian II in the 1850s, the nearby Maximilianstrasse was designed for shoppers. Today it’s home to Munich’s most exclusive shops, and a ritzy dream come true for wealthy families from oil-rich Arab nations on shopping sprees.

Department Stores

Ludwig Beck, an upscale department store at Marienplatz, has been a local institution since 1861. With six floors of expensive designer clothing (plus some music, stationery, and cosmetics), this is the place to go for a €200 pair of jeans. Beck has long been to fabrics what Dallmayr is to fine food—too expensive a place to buy, but fun to browse (Mon-Sat 10:00-20:00, closed Sun). For more reasonable prices near Marienplatz, try Galeria Kaufhof (midrange; sells everything), or C&A down the street at Kaufingerstrasse 13 (cheap yet respectable; sells only clothing). Oberpollinger at Neuhauser Strasse 18 (just inside Karlstor) has clothing, cosmetics, and housewares, plus a top-floor cafeteria.

Lowbrow Tips

For that beer stein you promised to take home to your uncle, try the shops in the pedestrian zone by St. Michael’s Church and the gift shops that surround the Hofbräuhaus. If you’re looking for a used mobile phone or exotic groceries, the area south of the train station fits the bill.

Nightlife in Munich

Here are a few nightlife alternatives to the beer-and-oompah scene.

Music and Dance

Munich is heaven for fans of classical music. The Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra is one of the world’s best; performances usually take place at the Herkulessaal concert hall in the Residenz (+49 89 5900 10880, www.brso.de). The Bayerische Staatsoper is likewise in the top echelon for ballet and opera; performances are at the National Theater next to the Residenz. Shows are very popular, so it’s smart to book well in advance (Max-Joseph-Platz 2, +49 89 2185 1920, www.staatsoper.de).

Unterfahrt is the go-to jazz club in town, with concerts every night (Einsteinstrasse 42, +49 89 448 2794, www.unterfahrt.de). Café am Beethovenplatz is another option for live classical, jazz, and swing music (see listing later, under “Eating in Munich”). You’ll find a very local scene at Gans Woanders, a fun, funky community cultural center with concerts ranging from folk to rock to world music, plus a bar and restaurant—there’s always something interesting going on (Pilgersheimerstrasse 13, easily reachable via U-Bahn stop Kolumbusplatz; +49 89 2459 7785, www.ganswoanders.de). For familiar Broadway-style musicals (usually in German), try the Deutsches Theater, conveniently located near my train-station hotels (Schwanthalerstrasse 13, +49 89 5523 4444, www.deutsches-theater.de).

Movies

The Film Museum at the Munich City Museum remains open even though the museum is closed for renovation. It shows classics (including silent movies with live music) in their original language every evening except Monday (€4, St.-Jakobs-Platz 1, +49 89 2332 2348, www.muenchner-stadtmuseum.de).

Bars

Giesinger Bräu is the new kid on the brewing block, vying to turn the top six Munich breweries into the top seven. It has a little stand-up-only outpost (called Stehausschank), with hipster beer and a hipster crowd, facing the Viktualienmarkt (Tue-Thu 14:00-22:00, Fri-Sat from 11:00, across from Der Pschorr at Prälat-Zistl-Strasse 4, www.giesinger-braeu.de).

Jodlerwirt (“Yodeling Innkeeper”) is a cellar pub billing itself as “the place where the world meets Bavaria” (Tue-Sat 17:00-late, closed Sun-Mon except during festivals, live music Thu-Sat, near the Old Town Hall, just off Marienplatz, at Tal 1, +49 89 221 249, www.jodler-wirt.com).

Kennedy’s Irish Pub is a high-energy music and sports bar at Sendlinger Tor with a big, noisy main room and a quieter, more intimate lounge. It’s popular for quality hamburgers, ribs, sandwiches, and nightly music from 22:00 (Sendlinger-Tor-Platz 11, +49 89 5998 8460, www.kennedysmunich.de).

Patolli is favored by local cocktail connoisseurs. It’s a coffee bar by day, but moves over to mixology in the evening (Mon-Sat open late, Sunday to 18:00, Sendlingerstrasse 62, +49 89 8905 8312, www.patolli.net).

Gärtnerplatz is a lively, untouristed area known for its nightlife—both gay and straight. The rooftop bar at the Hotel Deutsche Eiche (see listing under “Sleeping in Munich”) is one good choice (a 30-minute walk due south of Marienplatz; bus #52 from Marienplatz, or U-1 or U-2 to Fraunhoferstrasse).

Sleeping in Munich

Unless you hit Munich during a fair, convention, or big holiday, you can sleep reasonably here: It’s possible to find a fine double with breakfast in a good basic hotel for €120. Student hotels around the main train station house anyone who’s young at heart for as low as €30. In hot weather, air-conditioning is a big plus, allowing you to close the windows at night and shut out street noise. Unless otherwise noted, all of my listed hotels have air-conditioning, and nearly all come with an elevator.

I’ve listed accommodations in two main areas: not far from the station, and in the old center, between Marienplatz and Sendlinger Tor. Most hotels here have complicated, slippery pricing schemes. During major conventions and events, prices increase from 20 percent to as much as 300 percent (worst at Oktoberfest; reserve well in advance). Sunday is very slow and usually comes with a huge discount if you ask.

To save money, or if the central area is booked solid, search online for a reliable chain hotel near an outlying U-Bahn, S-Bahn, or tram stop.

SOUTH OF THE TRAIN STATION

This multicultural area has Munich’s highest concentration of hotels, and prices are lower than in the old city center. Historically Munich’s red-light district, the blocks south of the station have gentrified a lot over the years. Small pockets of vice remain—gambling, sex shows, and pawnshops. These are juxtaposed with lots of straight-and-narrow businesses, colorful international eateries, and hotels that range from mediocre to excellent. Though some might find the area seedy after dark, it’s truly sketchy only for those in search of trouble. The places I’ve listed below are solid and within a five-minute walk of the station. Still, hotels in the old center (listed later) will feel more comfortable to some.

€€€€ Hotel Schiller5 is in sight of the train station and has good rooms with dark wood elegance that make the higher price feel worthwhile. Inside, you don’t notice the “Cash for Gold” shop and gambling hall to either side. Most of the 62 rooms come with a kitchenette (family rooms, coin-op laundry, pay parking—reserve, Schillerstrasse 5, +49 89 515 040, www.schiller5.com, info@schiller5.com).

€€€€ Hotel Marc München—polished, modern, and with 80 rooms—is a good option if you want four-star comforts like a refined lobby and classy breakfast spread. It’s just a half-block from the station (RS%, pay parking, Senefelderstrasse 12, +49 89 559 820, www.hotel-marc.de, info@hotel-marc.de).

€€ Hotel Metropol is a sedate, family-run find in this bustling neighborhood. The 74 rooms have a woodsy feel, with green accents, and some come with balconies. It’s a welcoming place on a relatively quiet street (pay parking, Mittererstrasse 7, +49 89 2444 4990, www.hotelmetropol.de, stay@hotelmetropol.de).

€€ Hotel Cocoon Hauptbahnhof, on the same quieter street as the Metropol, has a rustic countryside/alpine theme. Ride the elevator like a personal gondola up to one of their 103 rooms (breakfast extra, bike rental, pay parking, Mittererstrasse 9, +49 89 5999 3905, www.cocoon-hotels.de, hauptbahnhof@cocoon-hotels.de). Don’t confuse this with the Hotel Cocoon Stachus, run by the same company at a different location.

€€ Hotel Europäischer Hof, across the street from the station, is a huge, impersonal hotel with 140 decent rooms. During cool weather, when you can keep the windows shut, the street-facing rooms are an acceptable option. The quieter, courtyard-facing rooms are more expensive and a lesser value (RS%, includes breakfast when you book directly, no air-con but fans, pay parking, Bayerstrasse 31, +49 89 551 510, www.heh.de, info@heh.de).

Budget Options near the Station

There’s a rash of hostels in the area, which vary widely in quality and comfort. These are two of the best.

€ The CVJM (YMCA) is friendly and open to all ages, with 87 beds in clean, slick, and simple rooms, each with its own bathroom. Doubles are head-to-head; triples are like doubles with a bunk over one of the beds. If you’re looking for a quiet hostel or a cheap private room, this is your best bet in the neighborhood (family rooms available, reserve at least 6 months ahead for Oktoberfest weekdays, a year ahead for Oktoberfest weekends; Landwehrstrasse 13, +49 89 552 1410, www.cvjmhotel.de, info@cvjmhotel.de).

¢ Euro Youth Hotel fills a rare pre-WWII building with a mix of private and dorm rooms. This is a more social, spirited place than the CVJM—there’s live music at the bar—but it’s still well run (Senefelderstrasse 5, +49 89 5990 8811, www.euro-youth-hotel.de [URL inactive], info@euro-youth-hotel.de, run by Alfio and Andy).

NORTH OF THE TRAIN STATION

These two hotels are a five-minute walk north of the train station, by the Karlstrasse tram stop. The neighborhood here is slightly more gentrified than the south side of the station, but still has its share of vice.

€€ King’s Hotel First, with 86 rooms, is a solid midrange choice. It aims for some “royal flair” in keeping with its name—witness the wooden canopies over the beds. Its sister property nearby, King’s Hotel Center, with slightly smaller rooms, is also recommended (pay parking, Dachauerstrasse 13, +49 89 551 870, www.kingshotels.de, first@kingshotels.de).

€€ Augusten Hotel rents 62 modern rooms in a handsome corner building (some rooms with air-con, Augustenstrasse 2, +49 89 516 8900, www.augustenhotel.com, info@augustenhotel.com).

NEAR THE OKTOBERFEST GROUNDS

As you cross Paul-Heyse-Strasse walking west from the train station, you leave the red-light action behind and enter a safe-feeling, manicured residential neighborhood. This hotel is near the Theresienwiese U-Bahn stop, within a block or two of the Oktoberfest grounds, about a 15-minute walk (or two-stop bus ride) from the train station.

€€€ Hotel Uhland is a stately mansion that rents 29 rooms with old-style character and modern bathrooms (family rooms, limited pay parking, Uhlandstrasse 1, +49 89 543 350, www.hotel-uhland.de, info@hotel-uhland.de). From the station, take bus #68 (direction: Silberhornstrasse) to Georg-Hirth-Platz, or walk 15 minutes: Out the station’s south exit, turn right along Bayerstrasse, go left on Paul-Heyse-Strasse three blocks to Georg-Hirth-Platz, then take a soft right on Uhlandstrasse.

€€€ Boutique Hotel Krone, in a villa from the early 20th century, is a little faded, but stylish. Each of the 30 rooms has a different theme—choose among Morocco, rock and roll, Africa, and flamingo, depending on your mood. You can also strut your stuff up the striking staircase (air-con in some rooms, Theresienhöhe 8, +49 89 5880 8890, www.hotel-krone-muenchen.de, info@hotel-krone-muenchen.de). From the station, take U-4 (direction: Westendstrasse) or U-5 (direction: Laimer Platz) one stop to Theresienwiese, then walk about seven minutes west, skirting the Oktoberfest grounds.

IN THE OLD CENTER

The area south of Marienplatz, between Sendlinger Tor and Isartor, feels more genteel than the streets around the train station and is convenient for sightseeing. The listings below are all just a few stops from the station by direct tram or S-Bahn.

€€€€ Living Hotel Das Viktualienmarkt is a snobby splurge, with 83 rooms in two connected buildings. One building is elegant and tech-savvy, with great views over the Viktualienmarkt. The other has stylish rooms with kitchenettes but no views, and is geared toward longer-stay business guests, although short-term visitors are welcomed. Both buildings share the same homey breakfast room (breakfast extra, laundry facilities, Frauenstrasse 4, +49 89 885 6560, www.living-hotels.com [URL inactive], dasviktualienmarkt@living-hotels.de).

€€€€ Hotel Blauer Bock, formerly a dormitory for Benedictine monks, has been on the same corner near the Munich City Museum since 1841. Its 69 contemporary Bavarian rooms are classy, the breakfast is top-notch, and the location is great, with some views of the nearby Viktualienmarkt. They have some cheaper rooms with shared bath (no air-con—fans available at reception, pay parking—reserve, Sebastiansplatz 9, +49 89 231 780, www.hotelblauerbock.de, info@hotelblauerbock.de).

€€€€ Hotel Admiral, classy yet homey with 32 rooms, serves breakfast in its back garden in good weather. Back-facing rooms are smaller and quieter, with balconies (S-Bahn: Isartor, Kohlstrasse 9, +49 89 216 350, www.hotel-admiral.de, info@hotel-admiral.de).

€€€ Hotel Schlicker, steps from Marienplatz, claims to be the second oldest hotel in Munich, and it cultivates an old-fashioned feel, with its gold-tinted lobby and little traditional touches in the breakfast room. Of the 70 rooms, those facing the courtyard are quieter and pricier (pay parking, Tal 8, +49 89 242 8870, www.hotel-schlicker.de, info@hotel-schlicker.de).

€€€ Hotel Deutsche Eiche has a boutique feel and stylish design: Exhibit A is the cool lighting in each of the 36 rooms. The rooftop terrace is a lovely spot for a drink whether you’re staying here or not (Reichenbachstrasse 13, +49 89 231 1660, www.deutsche-eiche.de, info@deutsche-eiche.de).

€€€ Mercure München Altstadt Hotel is reliable, with all the modern comforts in its 80 pricey business-class rooms, and is well located on a quiet street very close to the Marienplatz action—just a block south of the pedestrian zone. It’s a chain, and a bit bland, but a reasonable value (Hotterstrasse 4, +49 89 232 590, https://all.accor.com, h3709@accor.com).

€€€ Hotel am Viktualienmarkt rents 26 rooms on a small side street a couple of blocks from the Viktualienmarkt. Everything is small but well designed—including the elevator and three good-value, tiny single rooms (family rooms, apartment, no air-con but fans, tram #16 or #17 from station to Reichenbachplatz, Utzschneiderstrasse 14, +49 89 231 1090, www.hotel-am-viktualienmarkt.de, reservierung@hotel-am-viktualienmarkt.de).

€€€ Hotel am Markt, right next to the Viktualienmarkt, has 30 simple, tastefully renovated rooms. Light sleepers might need earplugs—the neighboring church’s bells ring hourly (save money by skipping expensive breakfast, no air-con, Heiliggeiststrasse 6, +49 89 225 014, www.hotel-am-markt.eu, service@hotel-am-markt.eu).

€€€ Hotel Isartor has 68 comfortable rooms on six floors of a blocky building, barely a hundred yards from Isartor gate and its S-Bahn stop. Some rooms have a balcony (Baaderstrasse 2, +49 89 216 3340, www.hotel-isartor.de, info@hotel-isartor.de).

€€ Motel One Sendlinger Tor, around the corner from the Sendlinger Tor tram and U-Bahn stop, is a huge, inexpensive, efficient, 241-room chain hotel with rushed-but-pleasant staff in a fine location. The stylish, modern rooms are fairly tight and simple (no phones or minibars), and tend to sell out a few weeks in advance. Streetside rooms on upper floors have great views—I’d request one of these. When booking on their website, make sure to choose the Sendlinger Tor location—they have several other hotels in Munich (breakfast extra, pay parking, Herzog-Wilhelm-Strasse 28, +49 89 5177 7250, www.motel-one.com, muenchen-sendlingertor@motel-one.com).

AWAY FROM THE CENTER

¢ The Tent—a venerable Munich institution officially known as the International Youth Camp Kapuzinerhölzl—offers 400 spots in three huge circus tents near Nymphenburg Palace. It never fills up, though you are encouraged to reserve online. Choose from a mattress on a wooden floor, a bunk bed, or a private hut, or pitch your own tent. Blankets, hot showers, lockers (bring or buy a lock), and a kitchen are all included; breakfast is extra. A fun but noisy experience (a cross between a slumber party and Woodstock), it feels wholesome, but I wouldn’t bring kids. It’s really intended for young adults, with a cool table-tennis-and-Frisbee atmosphere throughout the day, nightly campfires, and no curfew, though silence is requested after 1:00 (open early June-early Oct only, prices a little higher during Oktoberfest, cash only, bikes-€12/day, catch tram #17 from train station for 18 minutes to Botanischer Garten, direction: Amalienburgstrasse, then go right down Franz-Schrank-Strasse—it’s behind the trees at the end of the street, +49 89 141 4300, www.the-tent.com, cu@the-tent.com).

Eating in Munich

Munich’s cuisine is traditionally seasoned with beer. In beer halls, beer gardens, or at the Viktualienmarkt, try the most typical meal in town: Weisswurst (white-colored veal sausage—peel off the skin before eating, often available only until noon) with süsser Senf (sweet mustard), a salty Brezel (pretzel), and Weissbier (“white” wheat beer). Another traditional beer garden favorite is Obatzda, a soft cheese spread with paprika and often garlic or onions that’s eaten on bread. Brotzeit, literally “bread time,” gets you a wooden platter of cold cuts, cheese, and pickles and is a good option for a light dinner. A Steckerlfisch is a whole fish that’s seasoned and grilled on a stick. Also look for these Bavarian specialties: Fleischpflanzerl, a.k.a. Fleischklösse or Frikadellen (meatballs); Hendl or Brathähnchen (roasted chicken); Radi (radish that’s thinly spiral-cut and salted); Schweinerollbraten (pork belly); Schweinshax’n, or just Hax’n (pork knuckle); and spareribs. (For more on food in Germany, see the Practicalities chapter.)

I’m here for the beer-hall and beer-garden fun (my first several listings). But when the Wurst und Kraut get to be too much for you, Munich has plenty of good alternatives; I’ve listed my favorites later in this section.

Bavarian restaurants are smoke-free. The only ashtrays you’ll see throughout Bavaria are outside.

BEER HALLS, BEER GARDENS, AND BAVARIAN FOOD

Nothing beats the Hofbräuhaus (the only beer hall in town where you’ll find oompah music) for those in search of the boisterous, clichéd image of the beer hall. Locals prefer the innumerable beer gardens. On a warm day, when you’re looking for the authentic outdoor beer-garden experience, your best options are the Augustiner (near the train station), the small beer garden at the Viktualienmarkt (near Marienplatz), or the sea of tables in the English Garden. Eating outside is made more pleasant by the Föhn (warm winds that come over the Alps from Italy), which gives this part of Germany 30 more days of sunshine than the North—and sometimes even an Italian ambience. (Many natives attribute the city’s huge increase in outdoor dining to global warming.)

For tips on eating in beer halls and beer gardens, see the sidebar in this book’s introductory chapter. It’s perfectly fine (and a longstanding tradition) to bring your own food to beer gardens, as long as you sit at a table without a tablecloth and buy a drink.

Near Marienplatz

€€€ The Hofbräuhaus (HOAF-broy-house) is the world’s most famous beer hall. While it’s grotesquely touristy and filled with sloppy backpackers and tour groups, it’s still a lot of fun—and a Munich must. Even if you don’t eat here, check it out to see hundreds of tourists drinking beer in a Bavarian beer hall...across from a Hard Rock Café. Germans go for the entertainment—to sing “Country Roads,” see how Texas gals party, and watch tourists try to chug beer.

You can drop by anytime for a large or light meal or just for a drink. Even though tourists outnumber locals, the food here is decent. The Hofbräuhaus sells mostly beer by the Mass (one-liter mug)—they claim to sell 10,000 every day. Choose from four zones: the rowdy main hall on the ground floor, a quieter courtyard under the stars, a dainty restaurant with mellow music (zither, oboe, harp) where the locals gather on the first floor up, or the giant festival hall (Festsaal, sometimes reserved for events) under a big barrel vault on the top floor.

The Hofbräuhaus main hall/restaurant offers regular live oompah music. This music-every-night atmosphere is irresistible, and the fat, shiny-leather bands get even church mice to stand up and conduct three-quarter time with breadsticks. The festival hall, notorious as the place where Hitler gave his first public speech in 1920, today is a vacuous venue where tour groups come for a nightly folk show. While kitschy, it’s a fun and tasty way to enjoy traditional live folk music and dance (main hall/restaurant open daily 11:00-late, music during lunch and dinner only—12:00-16:00 & 18:00-late; festival hall open nightly 19:00-22:00, free show with food or drink, same prices as the ground floor beer hall, reservations generally unnecessary; 5-minute walk from Marienplatz at Platzl 9, +49 89 290 136 100). For more on this Munich institution, see my “Munich City Walk,” earlier in this chapter.

€€€ Altes Hackerhaus is popular with locals and tourists for its traditional Bavarian fare served with a slightly fancier feel in one of the oldest buildings in town. It offers a small courtyard and a fun forest of characteristic nooks festooned with a veritable museum of family pictures and nostalgic treasures. Naturally, Hacker-Pschorr beer is popular, especially the Weisse (family-friendly, daily, Sendlinger Strasse 14, +49 89 260 5026).

€€€ Der Pschorr, a youthful, upscale beer hall occupying a former slaughterhouse, has a terrace overlooking the Viktualienmarkt and serves a popular local brew in chilled glasses. This place mixes modern concepts—no candles, industrial-strength conviviality—with traditional, classic dishes prepared with an organic “slow food” ethic. While serious about high-quality meat, they also offer vegetarian options. Classic wooden kegs are tapped with gusto every few minutes, letting patrons know their beer is good and fresh (seasonal specials, daily, Viktualienmarkt 15, at end of Schrannenhalle, +49 89 442 383 940).

€ Viktualien Beer Garden, at the center of the Viktualienmarkt, taps you into some of the best budget eating in town. It’s just steps from Marienplatz. There’s table service wherever you see a tablecloth, but choose a table without one and you can bring in food from the many surrounding stalls selling wurst, sandwiches, produce, and so on. Just be sure to buy a drink at the beer-garden counter. The B.Y.O.F. tradition recalls a time when monastery beer gardens served beer but not food. This is a good spot to grab a typical Munich Weisswurst—and a beer (daily in good weather).

€€€€ Spatenhaus is the operagoers’ classy beer hall, serving elegant food in a rustic, traditional setting since 1896—maybe it’s not even right to call it a “beer hall.” You can also eat outside, on the square facing the opera and palace. It’s pricey, but you won’t find better-quality Bavarian cuisine. The upstairs restaurant serves international dishes to locals in a more formal dining room—reservations recommended (long hours daily, on Max-Joseph-Platz opposite opera, Residenzstrasse 12, +49 89 290 7060, www.spatenhaus.de).

Brewery Restaurants at the Frauenkirche

There are several places literally in the shadow of the cathedral that serve the same traditional fare and great beer at friendly prices. These are two of the best; while neither has the rollicking atmosphere of a sprawling beer hall, both have characteristic interiors and fine tables on the pedestrian lane that circles the church.

€€€ Andechser am Dom sits at the rear of the twin-domed Frauenkirche. Charming Sepp runs this local favorite, serving Andechs beer brewed by monks and great food to appreciative regulars. Some customers are more famous than others—how many do you recognize from the photos blanketing the walls? Münchners favor the dark lager beer (ask for dunkles), but I love the light (helles). The Gourmetteller is a great sampler of their specialties, but you can’t go wrong with Rostbratwurst with kraut (long hours daily, Frauenplatz 7, reserve during peak times, +49 89 2429 2920, www.andechser-am-dom.de).

€€ Nürnberger Bratwurst Glöckl am Dom is popular with tourists and offers a more traditional, fiercely Bavarian evening—including a waitstaff clad in lederhosen. Dine outside under the trees or in the dark, medieval, cozy interior. I eat here for the tasty little Nürnberger sausages—the size of your finger—so nice with kraut and a good beer (long hours daily, Frauenplatz 9, +49 89 291 9450).

Near the Train Station

€€ Augustiner Beer Garden is a true under-the-leaves beer garden packed with Münchners. This sprawling haven is a delight on a nice summer evening. In fact, most Münchners consider Augustiner the best beer garden in town—which may be why it has 5,000 seats. There’s no music, it’s away from the tourists, and it has great beer, good traditional food, huge portions, reasonable prices, and perfect conviviality. Outdoors, there’s both €€ table service (closer to the entrance) and a € self-service section (farther in), with counters for schnitzel, potato salad, and so on. It’s easy to make new friends at the communal picnic tables. Parents with kids can sit at tables adjoining a sizable playground. There’s also a real €€€ restaurant with more formal, more expensive dining (daily until late—outdoor sections in good weather; almost across from the central bus station, a 10-minute walk from train station going away from the center—or take tram #16 or #17 to Hopfenstrasse, Arnulfstrasse 52; +49 89 594 393, www.augustinerkeller.de).

€€ Park Café Beer Garden is a nice hideaway (open summer afternoons and evenings only in good weather), tucked inside the Alter Botanischer Garden in the Park Café’s garden backyard. Order Bavarian food from self-service counters (don’t forget to reclaim your deposit at the counter for your plate and mug). The indoor €€€ Park Café restaurant, occupying what was the Nazi officers’ club in the 1930s, is modern, with a good-time bar menu and popular cocktails (long hours daily, just north of the train station at Sophienstrasse 7, +49 89 5161 7980).

In the English Garden

€€ The famed Chinese Tower beer garden (Biergarten am Chinesischen Turm), deep in the English Garden, is a great place for a balmy, relaxed evening. Grab a table; you’re welcome to B.Y.O. food, or buy from the cafeteria-style food counters with clear English descriptions. Don’t bother to phone ahead—they have 6,000 seats. This is a fine opportunity to try a Steckerlfisch, sold at a separate kiosk. When you’re done, bus your dishes and take your token and beer mug around back to redeem your deposit (daily in good weather, usually live music, playground, Englischer Garten 3, +49 89 383 8730). To get here, take tram #16 from main train station or Sendlinger Tor to Tivolistrasse, or U-3 or U-6 to Giselastrasse and then bus #54 or #154 two stops to Chinesischen Turm.

€€€€ Seehaus Restaurant, deeper into the English Garden (and worth the effort to find), is a 10-minute walk past the Chinese Tower or a fun pedicab ride. It’s beloved among Münchners for its idyllic lakeside setting and excellent Mediterranean and Bavarian cooking, served in two separate restaurants. It’s dressy and a bit snobbish, and understandably filled with locals who fit the same description. Choose from classy indoor or lakeside seating (daily, reservations wise; take U-3 or U-6 to Münchner Freiheit and either walk 10 minutes or take bus #59 two stops to Osterwaldstrasse; Kleinhesselohe 3, +49 89 381 6130, www.kuffler.de/en/seehaus).

€€ Seehaus Beer Garden, adjacent to the fancy Seehaus restaurant, offers the same waterfront atmosphere in a less expensive, casual setting with a more rollicking scene. Grab a tray—there’s all the normal wurst, kraut, pretzels, and fine beer at typical prices (daily in good weather).

BEYOND BEER HALLS

Sometimes it seems that Munich lives on beer and wurst. But there are plenty of good alternatives.

On and near Marienplatz

€€€ Café Glockenspiel is good for a coffee or a meal with a bird’s-eye view down on the Marienplatz action—I’d come for the view more than the food. Locals like the open terrace without a view (drinks and meals from its international menu served anytime). Regardless of the weather, I grab a seat overlooking Marienplatz—but after 18:00, you must order dinner for view seating (long hours daily, Sun until 19:00; ride elevator from Rosenstrasse entrance, opposite glockenspiel at Marienplatz 28, +49 89 264 256, www.cafe-glockenspiel.de).

€€ Blatt Salate is a self-serve salad bar on a side street between the Frauenkirche and the New Town Hall; it’s a great little hideaway for a healthy, quick lunch—a yummy salad with fresh bread and a drink. Order cafeteria-style, then grab a table inside or out (vegetarian and meat salads and soups, Mon-Sat until 19:00, closed Sun, Schäfflerstrasse 7, +49 89 2102 0281).

€€ Pfälzer Residenz Weinstube, a very traditional German dining hall actually in the Residenz complex, is dedicated to food and wine from the Rhineland (Palatine)—which, while not part of Bavaria, was ruled by the Wittelsbach family. Serving lots of small wine-friendly dishes and a big variety of German wines by the tiny glass, it’s ideal for wine lovers needing a break from beer (long hours daily, Residenzstrasse 1, +49 89 225 628).

In or near the Viktualienmarkt

€ Die Münchner Suppenküche (“Munich Soup Kitchen”), a soup stand at the Viktualienmarkt, is a fine place for a small, cozy sit-down lunch at picnic tables under a closed-in awning. It’s self-service at the counter. The posted menu lists the soups of the day—I go for the goulash or the Bavarian potato soup (lunch only, closed Sun, near corner of Reichenbachstrasse and Blumenstrasse, +49 89 260 9599).

€ Teltschik’s Wurststandl is the place in the market for a quick cheap meal featuring local sausages. Manuela doesn’t put up an English menu because she loves to explain your options in person (lunch only, closed Sun-Mon and Thu, stand #17—near corner of Reichenbachstrasse and Blumenstrasse, +49 89 265 262).

€ Caspar Plautz is all about baked potatoes (Kartoffeln), offering an enticing selection of both potatoes and fillings to take away or munch at tiny stand-up tables (lunch only, closed Sun-Mon, stand #38—across from Teltschik’s Wurststandl, +49 179 663 2748).

€€€ Poseidon am Viktualienmarkt, just outside the market, is a shiny little stainless-steel eatery with a fun and accessible menu and a passion for fresh seafood. They take no reservations: Choose between small stool tables inside or more comfortable seating under an awning outside. It’s table service, except you’re welcome to survey the enticing appetizer selection and put together a mixed plate (by weight) to kick things off (lunch only, closed Sun, facing the market at Westenriederstrasse 13, +49 89 299 296).

€€ Stadt Café is a lively café serving a selection of sandwiches, daily plates, and vegetarian dishes complemented by a nice wine list and cakes. This informal, no-frills restaurant draws newspaper readers, stroller moms, and locals meeting for a drink after work. Dine in the quiet cobbled courtyard, inside, or outside facing the new synagogue (closed Sun lunch and all day Mon, in same building as currently closed Munich City Museum, St.-Jakobs-Platz 1, +49 89 266 949).

€€€ Eataly, inside Schrannenhalle, the former grain exchange just off Viktualienmarkt, is a sparkling, pricey food court full of Italian taste treats. A variety of restaurants serve pizza, pasta, and main courses with Italian gusto. You can sit at your choice of bars to watch the cooking, and get pizza by the slice to go. While not cheap, it’s a festival of Italian food fun (closed Sun, Blumenstrasse 4, +49 89 248 817 711).

Eateries on Sebastiansplatz: Looking for a no-schnitzel-or-dumplings alternative? Sebastiansplatz is a long, pedestrianized square across from Eataly, between the Viktualienmarkt and the synagogue, lined with €€ bistros handy for a healthy and quick lunch. Options range from French to Italian to Asian to salads. You can eat out on the busy cobbled square or inside—just survey the scene and choose.

Vegetarian and Vegan Dining

€€€ Prinz Myshkin Vegetarian Restaurant is an upscale vegetarian eatery in the old center—a rare find in this wurst-loving corner of Europe. The decor is mod, the arched ceilings are cool but provide poor acoustics, and the outside seating is on a quiet street. Don’t miss the enticing appetizer selection on display as you enter. They also have vegetarian sushi, pastas, Indian dishes, and their own baker, so they’re proud of their sweets (lunch specials, vegan plates, and a seasonal menu; closed Sun, Hackenstrasse 2, +49 89 265 596, www.prinzmyshkin.com/en).

€€€ Max Pett Vegan Restaurant is a youthful, top-end local favorite without a hint of hippie or tie-dye. With good seating inside and out, just a short walk from Sendlinger Tor, it’s great for a vegan meal (closed Tue-Thu for lunch and all day Sun, Pettenkoferstrasse 8, +49 89 5586 9119).

€€ Bellevue di Monaco, not far from the Viktualienmarkt and several recommended hotels, is a well-loved little café/restaurant serving Mediterranean (mostly Middle Eastern) vegetarian cuisine. It’s part of a community center that brings long-term Munich residents together with people from refugee backgrounds—so when you enjoy dinner or one of the tempting lunch specials, you’re earning good karma, too (closed Sun-Mon, Müllerstrasse 6, +49 89 5505 7755, https://bellevuedimonaco.de/cafe).

Other Memorable Options

€€€€ Pfistermühle serves “old recipes, newly interpreted”—this is high-quality, contemporary regional cooking. Located in one of Munich’s oldest mill buildings, the dining room, in subdued earth tones, captures the traditional-yet-modern spirit. The menu includes Bavarian specialties and also ranges into international flavors. Dinner makes a worthy splurge; the lunch menu €€€ is a good value (closed Sun-Mon, Pfisterstrasse 4, +49 89 2370 3865, www.pfistermuehle.de).

€€€ Brenner Grill is just right for an upscale break from heavy Bavarian fare. Situated under timeless pillars and arches, yet mod and stylish as a New York City cocktail lounge, it’s also a fusion of northern Italian and southern German food culture (it’s named for Brenner Pass, what drivers know as the pass that connects Munich with Italy). It’s a sprawling, high-energy place with two big open grills, hundreds of local diners, and almost no tourists. Diners enjoy steak, fish, international dishes, and a popular pasta bar. Save room for what’s in the dessert case (long hours, closed Sun, behind the National Theater at Maximilianstrasse 15, +49 89 452 2880, www.brennergrill.de).

€€ Café Luitpold is where Munich’s high society comes to sip its coffee and nibble on exquisite cakes. The café is proudly home to the original Luitpoldtorte (sponge cake with layers of marzipan and buttercream, covered in dark chocolate). Some say this is Munich’s answer to Vienna’s Sacher torte—though I prefer their strawberry-cream cake (daily, Brienner Strasse 11, +49 89 242 8750).

Near the Train Station

€€€ Münchner Stubn, just across the street from the train station, is a rare traditional German find in a neighborhood full of international eateries and gut-bombs. The air-conditioned bright, woody-yet-modern interior with folkloric touches is worth a few extra euros. It’s a nice escape while waiting for a train. They offer traditional dishes with a modern twist, as well as pizza, salads, vegetarian dishes, and reasonably priced lunch specials (daily, Bayerstrasse 35, +49 89 551 113 330).

€€€ Café am Beethovenplatz feels like an old Vienna café with its inviting Art Nouveau interior and big grand piano. There’s also seating in its charming garden. While just a 10-minute walk from the station, it’s in a leafy and quiet residential neighborhood. Rudi serves a mix of Italian, Bavarian, and vegetarian fare; offers cheap lunch specials and homemade cakes; and hosts live jazz and classical music almost nightly (from 20:00). Popular with university students and the local business crowd, it feels both trendy and classy (daily, at Mariandl Hotel, Goethestrasse 51, +49 89 552 9100).

€€€ La Vecchia Masseria, between Sendlinger Tor and the train station hotels, serves Italian food in a cozy Tuscan farmhouse-style interior, or outside in a beautiful flowery courtyard. Pasta, pizzas, and seasonal, more expensive main courses are served by bustling waiters who likely speak more Italian than German...and no English (daily, reservations smart, Mathildenstrasse 3, +49 89 550 9090, www.lavecchiamasseria.de).

€€ Pivasta is a little refuge—from the bustling neighborhood and from pork and kraut. It serves Afghan cuisine (and, oddly, pizza). Be sure to try aash (a soup with noodles and beans), mantu (filled dumplings), or the lentil or rice dishes (closed Sun, Schillerstrasse 21, +49 89 7432 9395).

€€ Altin Dilim, a cafeteria-style Turkish restaurant, is a standout among the many hole-in-the-wall Middle Eastern places in the international area near the station. It feels like a trip to Istanbul—complete with a large selection, a handy pictorial menu that helps you order, interesting decor, and a local Turkish clientele. Pay at the counter (cheap döner kebabs, nice selection of baklava, good ayran yogurt drinks, daily, Goethestrasse 17, +49 89 9734 0869).

PICNICS

For a truly elegant picnic (costing as much as a restaurant meal), Dallmayr is the place to shop. The crown in their emblem reflects that even the royal family assembled its picnics at this historic delicatessen. Pretend you’re a Bavarian aristocrat—King Ludwig himself, even—and put together a royal spread to munch in the nearby Hofgarten (Mon-Sat 9:30-19:00, closed Sun, behind New Town Hall, Dienerstrasse 14, +49 89 213 5110). For more about this famous spot, see here.

Budget Picnic: To save money, browse at Dallmayr but buy at a supermarket (generally open Mon-Sat until 20:00, closed Sun). The discount Lidl and midrange Tegut have good-sized stores in the underground concourse at the train station (from the street, use the stairs down from Prielmayerstrasse 1, at the corner of Luisenstrasse). Another Lidl is at Schwanthalerstrasse 31, south of the station near my recommended hotels. In the old center, try the midrange Edeka at Sendlinger Strasse 10, a five-minute walk south of Marienplatz (go in the passage and look for the escalator that takes you up—it starts from inside a storefront). After 20:00 or on Sundays, your only option is an Edeka in the underground mall at the train station (daily until 23:00). Bakeries all around town sell tasty sandwiches made with good fresh bread.

Munich Connections

Munich is a super transportation hub (one reason it was the target of so many WWII bombs), with easy train and bus connections to most Bavarian destinations, as well as international trains.

BY TRAIN

For quick help at the main train station (Hauptbahnhof), look for DB info booths that answer brief questions. For help with ticket purchases, stop by the Reisezentrum (travel center) near track 11. Train info: www.bahn.com.

From Munich to: Füssen (hourly, 2 hours, most with easy transfer in Buchloe); Reutte, Austria (easiest with change in Garmisch, hourly, 2.5 hours); Oberammergau (hourly, 2 hours, transfer in Murnau); Salzburg, Austria (2/hour, 1.5-2 hours); Berchtesgaden (hourly, 2.5 hours, transfer in Freilassing); Nürnberg (2 fast trains/hour, 1 hour; also slower, potentially cheaper trains); Würzburg (2/hour, 2 hours); Rothenburg (easiest with 2 changes in Treuchtlingen and Steinach, hourly, 3.5 hours); Frankfurt (hourly, 3.5 hours); Frankfurt Airport (hourly, 3.5 hours); Cologne (6/day direct, 6 hours, more with transfer); Leipzig (every 2 hours direct, 3.5 hours, more with transfer); Erfurt (hourly, 3 hours); Dresden (every 2 hours, 5 hours, transfer in Leipzig); Hamburg (hourly, 5.5 hours); Berlin (hourly, 4.5-5 hours); Vienna (at least hourly, 4-5 hours, most with transfer in Salzburg); Venice (2/day direct, 7 hours, more with transfer in Verona); Paris (every 2 hours with transfer in Stuttgart, 8 hours, reservation required in France); Prague (every 2 hours direct, 5.5 hours; or 5 hours by bus—see below); Zürich (4/day direct, 3.5 hours, or take the bus). Night trains run to Hamburg, Amsterdam, Milan, and Rome, and from a different station (München Ostbahnhof) to Venice. To Salzburg and Vienna, private Westbahn trains are an alternative to regular service—sometimes cheaper (https://westbahn.at).

Rail Pass Reminders: To use a rail pass for any train to Italy, your pass must include all countries on the train route (i.e., Austria or Switzerland), or you’ll have to buy the segment that’s not included. Trains to Italy via Innsbruck also require pass holders to make a reservation (not indicated in online schedules, and not required if you’re buying a point-to-point ticket instead of using a pass).

BY BUS

Munich’s central bus station (ZOB) is by the Hackerbrücke S-Bahn station, not far from the main train station (one S-Bahn stop, two tram stops on #16 or #17, or a 10-minute walk from the main train station; www.muenchen-zob.de). Ticket offices, eateries, shops, and the exit are on the level above the platforms.

Buses have become a viable travel option from major cities in Germany—they’re usually cheaper than the train and often no slower. FlixBus is the main operator (www.flixbus.com), and has a ticket office in the bus station, but it’s best to reserve online. Destinations include Nürnberg, Freiburg, Berlin, Vienna, Prague, Zürich, Milan, and cities in southeastern Europe.

BY PLANE

Munich Airport (Flughafen München) is 17 miles northeast of town (code: MUC, www.munich-airport.de). It has two large terminals: Lufthansa and its partners (including United) use Terminal 2, while the older Terminal 1 serves most other airlines. A shuttle bus lets connecting passengers transfer between terminals without exiting security. Outside security, it’s a 10-minute walk.

In between the two terminals is a shopping and services complex with a supermarket, eateries, ATMs, car rental, and, underneath, the airport’s handy S-Bahn station. (The roofed-over outdoor square in front of Terminal 2 hosts a Christmas market, with 50 market stalls and an ice-skating rink, in November and December.)

Getting Between the Airport and Downtown

Munich’s airport is an easy 50-minute ride from Marienplatz or the main train station on the S-1 or S-8 suburban train (both lines run every 20 minutes, from 4:00 to after midnight). From either terminal, ride the escalator down to the train platforms, buy a ticket from the machines (choose the “with validation” option to save having to stamp it), and look at the monitors to see which train will get you into the city most quickly.

Returning from the city to the airport, the S-8 is a bit easier, as the S-1 line has two branches and trains split at Neufahrn. If you ride the S-1 to the airport, be certain you’re in the part of the train that’s going to the Flughafen (airport)—signs and announcements help.

The airport is in public transport zone 5; an M-5 ticket costs €13.60 for one person and includes any transfers en route. But the M-5 all-day pass (€15.50) is worth getting if you’ll be making even one more public transport trip that day. Groups of two or more can buy the €29.10 all-day group ticket (Gruppen-Tageskarte), which covers up to five adults for the day (see “Getting Around Munich,” earlier in this chapter, for details on tickets and passes). The trip is also free with a validated and dated rail pass.

Another alternative is the Lufthansa airport bus, which links the airport with the main train station (€12, €19.30 round-trip, 3/hour, 45 minutes, buses depart airport 6:30-22:30, depart train station 5:15-19:55, buy tickets on bus or online in advance; from inside the station, exit near track 26, cross Arnulfstrasse, and look left for the yellow Airport Bus sign near the Sure Hotel; www.airportbus-muenchen.de). If you’re traveling alone, going round-trip, and not using other public transport the same day, the bus saves a few euros. Avoid taking a taxi from the airport—it’s a long, expensive drive. Take public transit to the city and then switch to a taxi if needed.

Day Trips from Munich

The Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial and Andechs Monastery are at opposite ends of the day-trip spectrum. Dachau, less than an hour by public transportation, makes for a serious, thought-provoking visit, while Andechs, doable by public transportation but easier by car, serves up some of my favorite beer in Germany in a serene rural setting. Other day-trip possibilities—including the King’s Castles, Nürnberg, and Salzburg—are summarized at the end of this section.

▲▲▲DACHAU CONCENTRATION CAMP MEMORIAL (KZ-Gedenkstätte Dachau)

GOOGLE MAP

Dachau was the first Nazi concentration camp, founded in 1933. Today, this easily accessible memorial is both a barbed-wired box of memories and an eternal flame for the future. The sound of visitors’ hushed voices and sad feet on the pebbled walk seem to promise remembrance while the breeze whispers “never again” through trees on the parade ground where prisoners once stood. A sculpture, as big as the train cars that brought in the inmates, marks the middle of the camp. It’s a black steel tangle of bodies—like the real ones of those who lost their lives here. At its base, in French, English, German, Russian, and Hebrew, is the wish of the survivors: Forgive, but never forget.

Cost and Hours: Free, daily 9:00-17:00. Some areas of the camp may begin to close before 17:00—plan your visit to wrap up by 16:40 to allow time to walk back to the entrance. The museum discourages parents from bringing children under age 14 (+49 8131 669 970, www.kz-gedenkstaette-dachau.de).

Planning Your Time: Allow yourself about five hours—giving you about three hours at the camp, plus time for round-trip travel from central Munich. With limited time you could do the whole trip in as little as 3.5 hours by focusing on the museum and skipping the powerful but long walk to the memorials and crematorium.

Getting There on Your Own: The camp is a 45-minute trip from downtown Munich. To get there on public transit, take the S-2 (end station: Petershausen or Altomünster) from any of the central S-Bahn stops in Munich to Dachau Bahnhof (3/hour, 20-minute trip from Hauptbahnhof). Then, at Dachau station, go down the stairs and follow the crowds out to the bus platforms (note the bakery across the street if you need to buy lunch). Find the sign for KZ-Gedenkstätte/Concentration Camp Memorial Site and catch bus #726 (6/hour, 3/hour on Sun). Ride it seven minutes to the KZ-Gedenkstätte stop. An M-1 public transit day ticket (Single-Tageskarte) covers the entire trip, both ways (€10.50 for one person, €17 group ticket for up to 5 adults). For more on transit ticket options, see “Getting Around Munich” at the beginning of this chapter.

Drivers can put “Alte Römerstrasse 75” in Dachau into their navigation system to find the memorial. Parking costs €3 (cash only).

Getting There by Guided Tour: The camp is easy to see on your own. But if you’d prefer a guided visit, Radius Tours offers a great value, considering how good and passionate their guides are—and that transportation is included. Allow roughly five hours total. It’s smart to reserve the day before, especially for morning tours (€45, RS%—select “student rate” when booking online; tours run daily year-round at 9:00, additional departures in summer, leaves from Dachauer Strasse 4 near Munich train station, +49 89 543 487 7740, www.radiustours.com).

The Town: The town of Dachau—quiet, tree-lined, and residential—is more pleasant than its unfortunate association with the camp on its outskirts, and it tries hard to encourage you to visit its old town and castle (www.dachau.de).

Visitors Center: Coming from the bus stop or parking lot, you’ll first see the visitors center, outside the camp wall. It doesn’t have any exhibits but does have a small cafeteria (sandwiches and simple hot meals), sheltered benches where you can eat a packed lunch, a bookstore with English-language books on Holocaust themes, and a WC (more WCs inside the camp). At the information desk, pick up the English pamphlet, rent an audioguide, or sign up for a tour.

Tours: The €4.50 audioguide covers the grounds and museum; its basic itinerary includes 1.5 hours of information (cash only, leave ID). It gives you a few extras (mainly short reminiscences by several camp survivors and members of the Allied forces who liberated the camp) but isn’t essential, as the camp is fully labeled in English (rental desk closes at 17:00 sharp). Two different guided walks in English are offered daily, starting from the visitors center (€4, at 11:00 and 13:00, 2.5 hours, call or visit website to confirm times; limited to 30 people, these tours can fill fast—especially in summer, it’s smart to arrive an hour early to secure a spot, since you can’t reserve in advance).

Self-Guided Tour

From the visitors center, you approach the main compound. You enter, like the inmates did, through the infamous iron gate that held the taunting slogan Arbeit macht frei (“Work makes you free”). The original sign was stolen in 2014 and replaced with a replica. Inside are the four key experiences: the museum, the bunker behind the museum, the restored barracks, and a pensive walk across the huge but now-empty camp to the memorials and crematorium at the far end.

Enter the museum, housed in a former camp maintenance building. Just inside is a small bookshop that funds a nonprofit organization (founded by former prisoners) that researches and preserves the camp’s history. Immediately to the right of the door you entered, check showtimes for the museum’s powerful 38-minute documentary film (described later). The museum is organized chronologically, everything is thoughtfully described in English, and touch screens let you watch early newsreels.

The Camp Is Founded (Rooms 1-2)

On January 30, 1933, Adolf Hitler took power. Two months later, Dachau opened. It was a “concentration” camp, to collect and isolate enemies of the state so they could not infect the rest of society. The camp was built well outside Dachau’s residential zone, surrounded by a mile-wide restricted area.

A map of the Nazi camp system shows that Dachau was just one of many such camps. Some were concentration camps (marked with a square, like Dachau). Others (marked with a triangle with a V) were extermination camps—Auschwitz, Sobibor—built with the express purpose of executing people on a mass scale. Nearby, photos and posters chronicle the rise of Hitler in the 1920s: the resentment bred by Germany’s defeat in World War I, the weak Weimar Republic, Hitler’s solution to Germany’s problems (blame the Jews), his failed Beer Hall Putsch, his participation in mainstream politics. No sooner did he take power than he suspended democracy and began squelching all opposition.

Life at the Camp (Rooms 3-7)

In 1933, the first prisoners passed through the Arbeit macht frei gates. They were classified and labeled with a badge (see the chart in Room 4) according to their “crime” against the state. Besides political activists (communists and leftist intellectuals), prisoners included homosexuals, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Roma and Sinti (“Gypsies”), so-called career criminals, “asocials,” and Germans who had tried to flee the country. A special badge—the yellow Star of David—was reserved for a group the Nazis particularly loathed: Jews.

The camp was run by the SS, the organization (headed by mastermind Heinrich Himmler) charged with Germany’s internal security. Dachau was a training center for future camp managers. Rudolf Höss, who worked at Dachau from 1934 to 1938, went on to become the first commandant of Auschwitz.

Life at Dachau was horrific. It was a work camp, where inmates were expected to pay for their “crimes” with slave labor. The camp was strictly regimented: a wake-up call at 4:00, an 11-hour workday, roll call at 5:15 and 19:00, lights out at 21:00. The work was hard, whether quarrying or hauling loads or constructing the very buildings you see today. The rations were meager. Rule-breakers were punished severely—all manner of torture took place here. The most common punishment was being forced to stand at attention until you collapsed.

On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland, World War II began, and Dachau’s role changed.

Cinema

The 38-minute film is an informative, sobering, and sometimes grisly account of the 12-year “reign of terror” that took place here. With compelling images, it explains how the camp arose, instituted a culture of mass violence, and later became a site of remembrance...and, hopefully, a lesson for all of humanity (usually shown in English at 10:15, 11:45, and 14:00; not recommended for children under 14).

The War Years (Rooms 8-15)

Once the war began, conditions at Dachau deteriorated. The original camp had been designed to hold just under 3,000 inmates. In 1937 and 1938, the camp was expanded and the building that now houses the museum was built, as well as barracks intended to hold 6,000 prisoners. With the war, the prisoner population swelled, and the Nazis found other purposes for the camp. It was less a concentration camp for German dissidents and more a dumping ground for foreigners, POWs, and even 2,000 Catholic priests. From Dachau, Jewish prisoners were sent east to the gas chambers. Inmates were used as slave labor for the German war machine—many were shipped to nearby satellite camps to make armaments. Prisoners were used as human guinea pigs for war-related medical experiments of human tolerance for air pressure, hypothermia, and biological agents like malaria; the photos of these victims are especially painful to view.

As the Allies closed in on both fronts, Dachau was bursting with more than 30,000 prisoners jammed into its 34 barracks. In the winter of 1944-1945, disease broke out (including typhus and dysentery), and food ran short. Deaths in the camp increased dramatically—from 403 (October 1944) to 3,991 (February 1945). With coal for the crematorium running low, those who died were buried in mass graves outside the camp site. The Allies arrived on April 29. After 12 years of existence, Dachau was finally liberated, but more than 1,000 prisoners were so weak or sick that they died soon after.

Postscript

All told, about 40,000 people died at Dachau and its satellite camps between 1933 and 1945. (By comparison, more than a million were killed at Auschwitz in Poland.) But Dachau remains notorious because it was the Nazis’ first camp. Oddly, Dachau actually housed people longer after the war than during the war. First, it housed Nazi officials arrested by the Allies, as they awaited trial at Nürnberg for war crimes. From 1948 to 1964, the camp became cheap housing for ethnic Germans expelled from Eastern Europe, complete with a cinema, shops, and so on. The last of the barracks was torn down in 1964, and the museum opened the following year.

• Consider using the WC before leaving the museum building (there aren’t any bathrooms elsewhere within the camp walls). At the end of the exhibition, find the side door labeled Exit Bunker, which leads out to the long, low bunker behind the museum building.

Bunker

This was a cellblock for prominent “special prisoners,” such as failed Hitler assassins, German religious leaders, and politicians who challenged Nazism. Most of the 136 cells are empty, but exhibits in a few of them (near the entrance) profile the inmates and the SS guards who worked at Dachau, and allow you to listen to some inmates’ testimonies. Cell #2 was the interrogation room. Cell #9 was a “standing cell”—inmates were tortured here by being forced to stay on their feet for days at a time.

• Exit the bunker, and walk around past the Arbeit macht frei gate to the big square between the museum and the reconstructed barracks, which was used for roll call. In front of the museum, notice the powerful memorial to the victims, created in 1968 by Nandor Glid, a Jewish Holocaust survivor and artist, which includes humanity’s vow: Never Again. Cross the square to the farther of the two reconstructed...

Barracks

Take a quick look inside to get an idea of what sleeping and living conditions were like in the camp. There were 34 barracks, each measuring about 10 yards by 100 yards. When the camp was at its fullest, there was only about one square yard of living space per inmate. The original barracks were torn down in 1962.

• Now walk between the two reconstructed barracks and down the tree-lined path past the gravel beds that mark the footprints of the other barracks. At the end of the camp, in space that once housed the camp vegetable garden, rabbit farm, and brothel, there are now three places of meditation and worship (Jewish to your right, Catholic straight ahead, and Protestant to your left). Beyond them, just outside the camp, is a Carmelite convent. Turn left toward the corner of the camp and find the small bridge leading (past a Russian Orthodox chapel) to the...

Camp Crematorium

A memorial garden surrounds the camp’s two crematorium buildings, which were used to burn the bodies of prisoners who had died or been killed. The newer, larger concrete crematorium was built to replace the smaller wooden one. One of its rooms is a gas chamber, which was originally disguised as a shower room (the fittings are gone now). It was never put to use at Dachau for mass murder, but survivors have testified that small groups were killed in it “experimentally.”

• Our tour is over. To return to Munich by public transit, retrace your steps to the bus stop, where bus #726 takes you back to the Dachau train station. Then catch the S-2 to downtown Munich (direction: Erding or Markt Schwaben). The ride back to Munich gives you ample time to process all you’ve seen and experienced on your visit.

▲ANDECHS MONASTERY

GOOGLE MAP

This Benedictine monastery crouches quietly with a big smile between two lakes just south of Munich. German abbeys and monasteries traditionally offer hospitality—food, drink, and manicured grounds. Andechs serves hearty cafeteria-quality food—and perhaps the best beer in Germany—in a rural Bavarian setting below a fine Baroque church. The cafeteria terrace offers first-class views and second-class prices. They’re known for their Haxe (pork knuckles). Don’t miss the stroll up to the church, where you can sit peacefully and ponder the striking contrasts a trip through Germany offers.

Hours: Beer garden open Mon-Fri 11:00-20:00, Sat-Sun from 10:00, church open until 18:00, +49 8152 376 252, www.andechs.de.

Getting There: Reaching Andechs from Munich without a car is doable with a little planning. The simplest route is the S-8 suburban train to the end of its run at Herrsching, then bus #951 or #958 to the monastery (10 minutes). Check schedules at www.bahn.com or www.mvv-muenchen.de to find a convenient connection (use Kloster Andechs as your destination; the trip takes 75 minutes from Munich station). Andechs is in public transit zone 4 (buy a M-4 day pass—€14 single or €26.20 group; see “Getting Around Munich” near the beginning of this chapter for ticket details). From Herrsching, you can also hike, bike, or catch a taxi for the three miles to the monastery.

▲▲▲THE KING’S CASTLES

Many travelers visit the spectacular Neuschwanstein and its companion castle Hohenschwangau, known as “The King’s Castles,” as a day trip from Munich (though overnighting nearby, usually in Füssen, is more enjoyable if you have the time). Below I outline options for planning a day trip to the castles from Munich; for specifics on the castle visit itself, see “The King’s Castles” in the next chapter.

On Your Own by Train and Bus: You can do this day trip on your own by train and bus from Munich for €29 per person or €39 for two people, plus the cost of castle admissions. It’s a 2-hour train ride, followed by a 10-minute bus ride to the base of the castles.

First, reserve your castle tickets. If you’re visiting both castles, visit Hohenschwangau first, choosing an afternoon slot (generally after 13:00) that gives you ample time to arrive from Munich (see ticket details on here; www.hohenschwangau.de). Book your Neuschwanstein time 2 hours after your Hohenschwangau tour starts.

Once you’ve reserved your castle entries, rather than buy point-to-point train tickets, get a Bayern-Ticket regional transit day pass. Not only is it cheaper, but it also covers the bus between Füssen and the castles.

The Bayern-Ticket is good for one day of unlimited travel for up to five people anywhere in Bavaria (plus Salzburg) for a very low price (€29 for the first person plus €10 for each additional person, €2 more if bought at a ticket counter). It’s also valid on other public transport—both in Munich and in rural areas. You can buy the ticket online (www.bahn.com, look under “Regional Offers”), from ticket machines in stations or at public transit stops, or at train station ticket counters. Write your name(s) on the ticket in the space provided.

The catch is that on weekdays, the Bayern-Ticket is not valid before 9:00, and is valid only on slower “regional” trains—labeled on schedules as “BRB,” “RB,” “RE,” or “IRE.” For example, on weekdays the earliest train you can take to the castles with this ticket typically leaves Munich at 9:36, arriving direct in Füssen at 11:41. The connecting bus from Füssen station to the castles leaves at 12:05, arriving at 12:13 (check schedules in advance). So, if you take the 9:36 train, you can make the 13:30 castle tour. On weekends you can take trains and public transport before 9:00 (and catch an earlier castle tour).

You could pay full price to take an earlier weekday train to the castles, but it’ll cost nearly as much as an organized bus tour (see next), without the bus tour benefits. Rail-pass holders can use a pass day for the train to Füssen: Take whichever train you want, then pay €5 round-trip for the bus from Füssen to the castles, which doesn’t accept rail passes.

Be sure to check departure times for the last convenient bus-and-train connection from the castles back to Munich (it might be around 18:50, reaching Munich at 21:20).

On Your Own by Bus: FlixBus runs one round-trip daily from Munich to the castles, departing from the central bus station at 8:20 and arriving at the castles by 10:10. The return bus departs at 17:40, getting in to Munich at 19:25. The advantage is you travel directly to the castles from Munich (no connections, and faster than the train-bus combination listed above), though you’ll still need to book your own castle entry. Go to Flixbus.de and type in “Schwangau” as your destination to see fares.

With a Bus Tour: For a little more money, an organized bus tour is a very convenient way to get from Munich to the King’s Castles. You’re guaranteed a seat (in summer, public transit to Neuschwanstein is routinely standing room only), you’ll see more, your castle ticket is taken care of, and it’s nice to have company and help.

Gray Line Tours offers an 11-hour bus tour to Neuschwanstein that also includes Ludwig’s Linderhof Castle and 30 minutes in Oberammergau (€69, plus €30 for castle admission, reserve online, departs Karlsplatz daily at 8:30, +49 89 5490 7560, www.munichdaytrips.com). This tour can sell out, especially in summer, so it’s wise to buy in advance.

Mike’s Bike Tours offers a private bus tour for active travelers with a focus on the outdoors—a bike ride, hike, and short swim near Neuschwanstein are included (€85, RS%, does not include castle admission; advance booking recommended, check website for current times; meet at Mike’s Bike Tours office near the Hofbräuhaus, Bräuhausstrasse 10—enter around corner on Hochbrückenstrasse, +49 89 2554 3987, www.mikesbiketours.com).

With a Group Tour by Public Transit: I’m less excited about group tours that escort you to Neuschwanstein via public transportation (one is run by Radius Tours). These cost about the same as bus tours but lack the bus’ guaranteed seating and comfort.

MORE DAY TRIPS FROM MUNICH

With the Bayern-Ticket (described on here) or a rail-pass day, Bavaria’s efficient train network opens up many other possible day trips. (The Bayern-Ticket is just one of Germany’s many regional transit day passes; for more details, see the “Transportation” section of the Practicalities chapter.) Gray Line (www.munichdaytrips.com) and Radius Tours (www.radiustours.com) also run excursions to many day-trip options.

Nürnberg: Frequent ICE express trains zip to Nürnberg in a little over an hour (good for rail-pass holders), making this very historic city a viable day trip from Munich. Regional trains can take up to three hours, but one daily RE train leaves Munich just after 9:00 and speeds to Nürnberg in 1.75 hours, a good option with a Bayern-Ticket. If you’d like company, consider the Radius Tours all-day excursion that uses this train, or a Gray Line bus tour. For sightseeing details, see the Nürnberg chapter.

Salzburg: This Austrian city is an easy day trip and offers some exciting sightseeing. Fast trains from Munich get you there in around 1.5 hours. Regional trains take only a little longer and accept the Bayern-Ticket for travel all the way (Salzburg is the first stop over the border). You can also go for the day with a Radius Tours or Gray Line package. While near Salzburg, Berchtesgaden is too far away for a satisfying day trip from Munich. See the Salzburg and Berchtesgaden chapter.

Rothenburg and the Romantic Road: Save Rothenburg for an overnight stay—the train ride from Munich to this charming walled town is too long for a worthwhile day trip, and bus tours are rushed. Of the Romantic Road towns, Nördlingen is the only one that makes a good day trip from Munich (2 hours by regional trains, change in Donauwörth, Bayern-Ticket valid). See the Rothenburg and the Romantic Road chapter.

BAVARIAN ALPS

Bavarian Alps at a Glance

Map: Füssen & Reutte Area

Füssen

Orientation to Füssen

Füssen Walk

Map: Füssen

Activities near Füssen

Sleeping in Füssen

Eating in Füssen

Füssen Connections

The Best of the Bavarian Alps

The King’s Castles: Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau

Orientation to the King’s Castles

Map: King’s Castles Area

Sights at the King’s Castles

Sleeping and Eating near the King’s Castles

The Wieskirche

Oberammergau

Orientation to Oberammergau

Sights in Oberammergau

Map: Oberammergau

Sleeping in Oberammergau

Eating in Oberammergau

Oberammergau Connections

Linderhof Castle

Ettal Monastery

Zugspitze

Reutte, Austria

Orientation to Reutte

Sights in and near Reutte

Map: Greater Reutte

Sleeping in and near Reutte

Map: Reutte Hotels & Restaurants

Eating in Reutte

Reutte Connections

In this picturesque corner of the Alps, you’ll find a timeless land of fairy-tale castles, painted buildings shared by cows and farmers, and locals who still dress in dirndls and lederhosen and yodel when they’re happy.

This area (2 hours south of Munich) straddles the border between Bavaria (part of Germany) and Tirol (part of Austria). On the German side, you can tour “Mad” King Ludwig II’s ornate Neuschwanstein Castle, Europe’s most spectacular. Stop by the Wieskircwhe, a lavishly decorated Baroque church, and browse through Oberammergau, Germany’s woodcarving capital and home of the famous Passion Play (next performed in 2030). A smaller yet still-impressive Ludwig castle (Linderhof), an important monastery (Ettal), and the highest point in Germany (Zugspitze) round out southern Bavaria’s top attractions.

Just over the border in Austria, explore the ruined Ehrenberg Castle and scream down a mountain at one of the area’s many luge runs. In this chapter, I’ll first cover the German side (with the most sights), then the Austrian side around Reutte.

CHOOSING A HOME BASE

My hotel recommendations in this chapter cluster in three areas: Füssen and Oberammergau (in Germany), and Reutte (in Austria). When selecting a home base, consider these factors:

Füssen offers the easiest access to the region’s biggest attraction—the “King’s Castles” (Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau)—and is the handiest base for train travelers. The town itself is a mix of real-world and cutesy-cobbled, and has some of the glitziest hotels in the area (as well as more affordable options).

Oberammergau is the best-known, most touristy, and cutest town of the bunch. World-famous for its once-per-decade Passion Play, it’s much sleepier the other nine years. It’s a long bus ride or a 45-minute drive from Oberammergau to the King’s Castles. Three lesser yet worthwhile sights are close by: Ettal Monastery, Linderhof Castle, and the German lift to the Zugspitze.

Reutte is the least appealing town and is less practical for train travelers, but the villages around it are home to the area’s coziest, most pleasant rural accommodations—making it a good option for drivers. Reutte butts up against the ruined Ehrenberg Castle. The King’s Castles, Linderhof, and the Austrian approach to the Zugspitze are all within a 30-minute drive.

PLANNING YOUR TIME AND GETTING AROUND THE BAVARIAN ALPS

While Germans and Austrians vacation here for a week at a time, the typical speedy American traveler will find two days’ worth of sightseeing. The basic visit ranges anywhere from a long day trip from Munich to a three-night, two-day stay. If the weather’s good, be sure to ride a lift to an alpine peak.

By Car

This region is best by car, and all the sights are within an easy 60-mile loop from Füssen or Reutte. Even if you’re doing the rest of your trip by train, consider renting a car for your time here (for local rental offices, see here). Here’s an action-packed plan for a one-day circular drive from Reutte (from Füssen, you can start about 15 minutes later). For a more relaxed day, drop one castle:

8:15 | Depart hotel after breakfast
8:45 | Arrive at the King’s Castles (Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau)
9:30 | Tour Hohenschwangau
11:30 | Tour Neuschwanstein and grab a sandwich on the way back to the car
13:30 | Drive to Oberammergau (with a 15-minute stop at the Wieskirche), and spend an hour there browsing the carving shops and getting ice cream
15:30 | Drive to Ettal Monastery for a half-hour stop
16:30 | Tour Linderhof Castle
18:30 | Drive along the scenic Plansee lake
19:15 | Back at hotel
19:30 | Dinner

Off-season (mid-Oct-March), start your day an hour later, since Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau tours usually don’t depart until 10:00; and skip Linderhof, which closes at 16:30.

The next morning, you could stroll through Reutte, hike to the Ehrenberg ruins and the pedestrian bridge, and ride a mountain luge on your way to your next destination.

If you’re based in Oberammergau, get an early start and hit Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau first. If the weather’s good, hike around the Ehrenberg ruins in Reutte. Drive along the Plansee and tour Linderhof and Ettal Monastery on your way back home.

By Public Transportation

Where you stay determines which sights you can see most easily. From Füssen carless travelers can bus or bike the three miles to the King’s Castles and the Tegelberg luge or cable car. Staying in Oberammergau gives you easy access to Linderhof and Ettal Monastery, and you can day-trip to the top of the Zugspitze via Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Reutte is the least convenient, but you can easily bike or hike to the Ehrenberg ruins and can reach Neuschwanstein by bus (via Füssen) or bike (1.5 hours); if you stay at the recommended Gutshof zum Schluxen (between Reutte and Füssen, in Pinswang, Austria) it’s an easy 1.5-hour hike through the woods to Neuschwanstein.

Reaching farther-flung sights by local bus requires planning. The Deutsche Bahn (German Railway) website (www.bahn.com)—generally helpful for transit planning on both sides of the border—doesn’t include bus schedules for Austria. For these, try the Austrian rail website Oebb.at. Those staying in Füssen can day-trip by bus to Reutte, to the Wieskirche, or, with some planning, to Oberammergau, but will probably need a taxi for the Ehrenberg ruins or Linderhof Castle. From Oberammergau, you can reach Neuschwanstein and Füssen by bus if you plan ahead. From Reutte, you can take the train to Ehrwald to reach the Zugspitze from the Austrian side, but side trips to Oberammergau and Linderhof are impractical.

By Bike

This is great biking country. Some hotels loan bikes to guests, and shops in Reutte and Füssen rent bikes for €15-25 per day. The quick 20-minute ride from Füssen to Neuschwanstein and the Tegelberg luge is a breeze, and the hour-long, 10-mile ride from Reutte is not hard. Simply joyriding in the meadows that stretch out from Neuschwanstein is unforgettable. For a bit more adventure, consider a ride around the Forggensee (about 3 hours; see “Activities near Füssen,” later) or the Hopfensee (1-2 hours). The Füssen TI has a map with a multitude of biking tours.

Bavarian Alps at a Glance

Most of this region’s top attractions cluster around the towns of Füssen and Reutte (across the border, in Austria). A few other sights are farther afield but worth the drive.

Near Füssen

▲▲▲Neuschwanstein Castle The ultimate fairy-tale castle, dreamed up by “Mad” King Ludwig. Hours: Timed-entry tours start daily at 9:00 (10:00 off-season); last tour departs at 18:00 (15:30 off-season).

▲▲▲Hohenschwangau Castle King Ludwig’s boyhood home, less famous but more historic than nearby Neuschwanstein. Hours: Same first and last tour times as Neuschwanstein.

▲▲Mary’s Bridge Pedestrian bridge overlooking Neuschwanstein, offering the best view of the castle.

▲Royal Crystal Baths Pool/sauna complex outside Füssen, made for relaxing. Hours: Sun-Thu 9:00-21:00, Fri-Sat until 22:00; nude swimming everywhere Tue after 19:00.

▲Tegelberg Cable Car Scenic ride to the mountain’s 5,500-foot summit, popular with view seekers and paragliders. Hours: First ascent daily at 9:00; last descent April-Oct at 17:00, mid-Dec-March at 16:00; closed Nov-mid-Dec and irregularly in March-April.

▲Tegelberg Luge A fun summer luge course, next to the cable car’s valley station. Hours: Typically April-Sept daily 10:00-17:00 depending on weather.

Near Reutte

▲▲Ehrenberg Castle World Four evocative hilltop fortifications, starring the ruins of medieval Ehrenberg Castle, with a nearby museum, suspension bridge, and zip line. Hours: Ruins always open; other sights’ hours vary.

▲▲Tirolean Folk Evenings Jovial summer performances—from yodeling to dancing to concerts—held around the Reutte area.

▲▲Biberwier Luge Course Tirol’s longest, most exciting, and dangerous summer luge. Hours: Daily mid-May-early Oct 9:00-17:00, July-Aug until 18:00, closed off-season.

▲Scenic Flights Single-prop plane rides for unforgettable aerial views of the region—including the magnificent castles that dot the landscape.

Beyond Füssen and Reutte

▲▲Wieskirche Germany’s great Rococo-style church with a divinely decorated interior. Hours: Daily 8:00-20:00, March-April and Sept-Oct until 19:00, Nov-Feb until 17:00; interior closed to sightseers during services.

▲▲Linderhof Castle Exquisite mini Versailles, another creation of “Mad” King Ludwig. Hours: Daily 9:00-18:00, mid-Oct-March 10:00-16:30.

▲▲Zugspitze Germany’s tallest mountain at 9,700 feet, accessible by cable car or cogwheel train, with summit restaurants, shops, telescopes, and on a clear day, far-reaching views. Hours: Cable car departs at least every 30 minutes; July-Aug daily 8:00-17:45, Sept-June 8:30-16:45.

▲Oberammergau Adorable town known for woodcarving, frescoed buildings, and its once-a-decade Passion Play.

As a Day Trip

Staying overnight in this region is rewarding, but travelers in a hurry can see the King’s Castles as a day trip from Munich. This can be done on your own with a train-and-bus combo, or with an organized tour (some tours include other Bavarian highlights). For planning advice, see “Day Trips from Munich: The King’s Castles” on here, near the end of the previous chapter).

HELPFUL HINTS

Palace Sightseeing Pass: The Bavarian Palace Administration offers a 14-day combo-ticket (the Mehrtagesticket) that covers admission to Neuschwanstein (but not Hohenschwangau) and Linderhof Castle; the Residenz, Nymphenburg Palace, and Amalienburg Palace in Munich; the Imperial Palace in Nürnberg; the Residenz and Marienberg Fortress in Würzburg; and many other Bavarian castles and palaces not mentioned in this book. If you’re planning to visit at least three of these sights within a two-week period, the pass will likely pay for itself (one person-€35, family/partner version for up to two adults plus children-€66, sold online and at all covered castles, www.bsv-shop.bayern.de). Don’t confuse this with the Palace Administration’s Königsschlösser combination ticket, which is designed for locals.

Visiting Churches: To immerse yourself in traditional southern German culture, consider attending a church service. Road signs for Heilige Messe (holy Mass) often indicate the day and time for Mass; otherwise look for a schedule posted at the church. Services are usually on Saturday (Sa.) evening or Sunday (So.) morning.

Füssen

Dramatically situated under a renovated castle on the lively Lech River, Füssen (FEW-sehn) has been a strategic stop since ancient times. Its cobbled main street was once part of the Via Claudia Augusta, the Roman road across the Alps. Going north, early travelers could follow the Lech River downstream to the Danube and then cross over to the Main and Rhine valleys—a route known to modern travelers as the “Romantic Road.” Today, while Füssen is overrun by tourists in the summer, few venture to the back streets...which is where you’ll find the real charm. Apart from my self-guided walk and the Füssen Heritage Museum, there’s little to do in town, but it’s a fine base for visiting the King’s Castles and other surrounding attractions.

Orientation to Füssen

Füssen’s roughly circular old town huddles around its castle and monastery, along the Lech River. The train station, TI, and many shops are at the north end of the old town, and my recommended hotels and eateries are within easy walking distance. There are nice woodsy walks in the park just south of town along the river; the Forggensee, a large reservoir, is a 15-minute walk to the north.

TOURIST INFORMATION

The TI is in a big yellow building in the center of town (Mon-Fri 9:00-17:00, Sat until 13:00, closed Sun; 3 blocks from station at Kaiser-Maximilian-Platz 1, +49 8362 93850, www.fuessen.de).

ARRIVAL IN FÜSSEN

By Train: The train station is three blocks from the center of town and the TI. Check out the mural of King Ludwig in the main hall, which changes as you move past it. Buses to Neuschwanstein, Reutte, and elsewhere leave from a parking lot next to the station.

By Car: Füssen is known for its traffic jams, and you can’t drive into the old town. The most convenient lots (follow signs) are the underground P5 (also called Tiefgarage City Sparkassenhaus, near the TI, €17/day) and the aboveground P3 (also called Parkplatz Morisse, along Kemptener Strasse, €15/day).

HELPFUL HINTS

Hotel Card: Ask your hotel for a Füssen Card, which gives you free use of public transit in the immediate region (including the bus to Neuschwanstein and Wieskirche), as well as minor discounts at Neuschwanstein, Hohenschwangau, the Museum of the Bavarian Kings, and several other attractions. After the hotel activates the card, it can take an hour or two before it works at sights and on buses.

Ticket Agency: The International Ticket and Travel Center, at the end of the tracks in the train station, helps with train and bus reservations. They also sell tickets to Neuschwanstein Castle on their website (see “Other Ticket Options” on here, +49 8362 819 7870, www.i-ttc.com).

Laundry: There’s a self-service launderette just across the bridge from the old town (cash only, daily 8:00-20:30, Schwangauer Strasse 11).

Bike Rental: Ski Sport Luggi outfits sightseers with good bikes and tips on two-wheeled fun in the area (closed Sun-Mon, call ahead to reserve, ID required, Luitpoldstrasse 11, +49 8362 505 9155, www.ski-sport-luggi.de). For a strenuous but enjoyable 20-mile loop trip, see “Activities near Füssen,” later.

Taxi: Call +49 8362 6222 for taxi service to Neuschwanstein Castle (€14), Tegelberg cable car (€17), and other places.

Car Rental: Hertz Rental Car is an easy taxi ride from the Füssen town center or a 30-minute walk across the river, in Schwangau (Mon-Fri 8:00-12:00 & 14:00-18:00, Sat 8:00-12:00, closed Sun and holidays, Füssener Strasse 112, +49 8362 986 580, www.hertz.com).

Local Guide: Silvia Skelac, an American born to German parents, has lived in the region for over 25 years and enjoys showing its authentic side. She is available as a guide for private tours, hard-to-reach sights like Linderhof Castle, mountain hikes, and alpine herb walks (€140/half-day, €280/full day, up to 4 people, includes transportation in Silvia’s SUV, Austrian mobile +43 664 978 7488, info@crossroads-services.com).

Füssen Walk

For most, Füssen is just a home base for visiting Ludwig’s famous castles. But the town has a rich history and hides some evocative corners, as you’ll see when you follow this self-guided orientation walk. This 45-minute stroll is designed to get you out of the cutesy cobbled core where most tourists spend their time. Throughout the town, “City Tour” information plaques explain points of interest in English (in more detail than I’ve provided).

• Begin at the square in front of the TI, three blocks from the train station.

Kaiser-Maximilian-Platz: The entertaining “Seven Stones” fountain on this square, by sculptor Christian Tobin, was built in 1995 to celebrate Füssen’s 700th birthday. The stones symbolize community, groups of people gathering, conviviality...each is different, with “heads” nodding and talking. It’s granite on granite. The moving heads are not connected and nod only with waterpower. The fountain is frozen in winter but is a popular and splashy play zone for kids on hot summer days.

• With your back to the TI, walk to the left, over to Hotel Hirsch.

Hotel Hirsch and Medieval Towers: Renovations have restored some of the original Art Nouveau flavor to Hotel Hirsch, which opened in 1904. In those days, aristocratic tourists came here to appreciate the castles and natural wonders of the Alps. Across the busy street stands one of two surviving towers from Füssen’s medieval town wall (c. 1502), and next to it is a passageway into the old town.

• Walk past the hotel along the busy street and cross at the second light to another tower. Head to the information plaque and archway where a small street called Klosterstrasse emerges through a surviving piece of the old town wall. Step through the smaller pedestrian archway, walk along Klosterstrasse for a few yards, and turn left through the gate into the...

Historic Cemetery of St. Sebastian (Alter Friedhof): This peaceful oasis of Füssen history, established in the 16th century, fills a corner between the town wall and the Franciscan monastery. It’s technically full, and only members of great and venerable Füssen families (who already own plots here) can join those who are buried (free, daily 7:30-19:00, off-season 8:00-17:00).

Immediately inside the gate and on the right is the tomb of Dominic Quaglio, who, in 1835, painted the Romantic scenes decorating the walls of Hohenschwangau Castle. Across the cemetery, on the old city wall (beyond the church), is the World War I memorial, listing all the names of men from this small town killed in that devastating conflict (along with each one’s rank and place of death). A bit to the right, also along the old wall, is a statue of the hand of God holding a fetus—a place to remember infants who died before being born. And in the corner, farther to the right, is a gated area with the simple wooden crosses of Franciscans who lived just over the wall in the monastery. Strolling the rest of the grounds, note the fine tomb art from many ages collected here, and the loving care this community gives its cemetery.

• Exit on the far side, just past the dead Franciscans. Turn left just outside the gate and walk along the picket fence across the street to the Franciscan monastery, which still has big responsibilities but only a handful of monks in residence.

Town View from the Monastery (Franziskanerkloster): Enjoy a fine view over the medieval town with an alpine backdrop. In the distance, you’ll see the dome and clock tower of the Church of St. Magnus and the aptly named High Castle (the former summer residence of the Bishops of Augsburg), where this walk ends. The tall, skinny smokestack (c. 1886) is a reminder that the textile industry (linen and flax) was very big here when Ludwig built Neuschwanstein.

• Follow the wall of the Franciscan monastery and go around the corner and down the stairway. At the bottom, turn left through the medieval “Bleachers’ Gate” (marked 5½, under the mural of St. George slaying the dragon) to the...

Lech Riverbank: This low end of town, the flood zone, was the home of those whose work depended on the river—rafters, fishermen, and bleachers (who were responsible for bleaching the newly spun textiles). In its heyday, the Lech River was an expressway to Augsburg (about 70 miles to the north). Around the year 1500, the rafters established the first professional guild in Füssen. Cargo from Italy passed here en route to big German cities farther north. Rafters would assemble rafts and pile them high with wine, olive oil, and other goods—or with people needing a lift. If the water was high, they could float all the way to Augsburg in as little as one day. There they’d disassemble their raft and sell off the lumber along with the goods they’d carried, then make their way home to raft again. Today you’ll see no modern-day rafters here, as there’s a hydroelectric plant just downstream.

• Walk upstream a bit, toward the bridge, appreciating the river’s milky color (from mountain rocks, pulverized to a sediment over the long journey from the Alps). Pass under the bridge and immediately turn right to head inland.

Church of the Holy Spirit, Bread Market, and Lutemakers: Climbing uphill, you pass the colorful Church of the Holy Spirit (Heilig-Geist-Spitalkirche) on the right. As this was the church of the rafters, their patron, St. Christopher (with the Baby Jesus on his shoulder), is prominent on the facade. Today it’s the church of Füssen’s old folks’ home (it’s adjacent—notice the easy-access skyway). Step inside to take in the details packed into this tiny space, from the carved sides of the pews to the trompe l’oeil dome ceiling. Notice also the painting of a raft disaster on the Lech River—once a common fate of those in the dangerous rafting trade.

Farther up the hill on the right is Bread Market Square (Brotmarkt), with a fountain honoring a famous 16th-century lutemaking family, the Tieffenbruckers. In its day, Füssen, surrounded by forests, was a huge center of violin- and lutemaking, with about 200 workshops. Today only three survive.

• Backtrack and go through the archway into the courtyard of the former...

St. Magnus Monastery (Kloster St. Mang): From 1717 until secularization in 1802, this Benedictine monastery was the power center of town. Today the courtyard is popular for concerts, and the building houses the City Hall and the Füssen Heritage Museum.

Füssen Heritage Museum (Museum der Stadt Füssen): This is Füssen’s one must-see sight, spanning a thousand years of the town’s history, with industrial artifacts, medieval cloisters, and Baroque halls (€6, €9 combo-ticket includes High Castle painting gallery and tower; Tue-Sun 11:00-16:00, closed Mon; shorter hours and closed Mon-Thu Nov-March; +49 8362 903 143, www.fuessen.de/kultur/museum-der-stadt-fuessen.html).

Pick up the loaner English translations and follow the signs to the St. Anna Chapel, with its famous Dance of Death. This was painted shortly after a plague devastated the community in 1590. It shows 20 social classes, each dancing with the Grim Reaper—starting with the pope and the emperor. The words above say, essentially, “You can say yes or you can say no, but you must ultimately dance with death.” Leaving the chapel, you walk over the metal lid of the crypt. Upstairs, exhibits illustrate Füssen’s important trades: ropemaking, rafting, and violin- and lutemaking (with a complete workshop)—but the building itself outshines these creaky displays. Among the exquisitely decorated Baroque rooms are an ornate imperial ballroom and a two-tiered oval library displaying cupid statues and frescoes dating from 1719, with an opening to the refectory below.

• Leaving the courtyard, hook left around the old monastery and go slightly uphill to the square tower. This marks...

St. Magnus Basilica (Basilika St. Mang): St. Mang (or Magnus) is Füssen’s favorite saint. In the eighth century, he worked miracles all over the area with his holy rod. For centuries, pilgrims came to this medieval basilica from far and wide to enjoy art depicting the great works of St. Magnus. Then, in the 18th century, the basilica got a Baroque facelift. Above the altar dangles a glass cross containing the saint’s relics (including that holy stick). At the rear of the church is a chapel bright with primary colors that honors a much more modern saint—Franz Seelos (1819-1867), a local boy who went to America (Pittsburgh and New Orleans) and lived such a righteous life that in 2000 he was beatified by Pope John Paul II.

• From the church, take the path uphill through the grassy knolls toward the castle entrance.

High Castle (Hohes Schloss): This castle, long the summer residence of the Bishop of Augsburg, houses a painting gallery (the upper floor is labeled in English) and a tower with a view over the town and lake (€6, €9 combo-ticket includes Füssen Heritage Museum, same hours as museum, www.stadt-fuessen.de/Kultur/Museen-und-Kunst/Galerien-im-Hohen-Schloss). The courtyard (with handy WCs through the small door under the sundial, by the stairway to the gallery and tower) is worth even a few minutes to admire the striking perspective tricks painted onto its flat walls.

• Exit the castle wall and follow the call of the Lech River through the archway to the right. It’s a 15-minute walk from here to the Lechfall weir.

Baumgarten and Lechfall Weir: As you walk through the castle garden (Baumgarten), notice the impressive walls that kept the High Castle safe from pesky invaders. Wander toward the Lech River and follow the signs (away from town and into a quaint neighborhood) that point you toward the Lechfall weir; it’s just beyond the tall, skinny smokestack you saw earlier. This impressive man-made cascade, built in the 1780s, controlled the river’s flow and provided local industry with water power.

Walk out onto the bridge to enjoy Lechfall up close, and—from the opposite railing—a view of the river rushing through a short, deep gorge. Some say that the name “Füssen” is derived from the Latin word for gorge. Royals and tourists alike have enjoyed this spot for centuries. Imagine King Ludwig coming here with his family to enjoy a special tea. High above looms a bust of his father (Maximilian II); down below, the interesting rock formations bulge and twist above the roaring water. On the far side of the bridge is a handy WC and the road from Füssen to the Austrian border (a pullout with a few parking spaces lets drivers stop to enjoy the views).

• The Treetop Walkway (described later) is just a 10-minute walk ahead on Tiroler Strasse. Otherwise, from here you can walk downstream to return to town, enjoying a backside view of St. Magnus Monastery where it borders the Lech River. Take a left at the bridge (Lechbrücke) and head back uphill to find the city’s main drag (once the Roman Via Claudia and now Reichenstrasse), which leads from a grand statue of St. Magnus past lots of shops, cafés, and strolling people to Kaiser-Maximilian-Platz and the TI...where you began.

Activities near Füssen

The following sights lie within a few miles of Füssen. All can be reached by car, bike, or foot. See the “King’s Castles Area” map, later in this chapter, for locations.

▲Royal Crystal Baths (Königliche Kristall-Therme)

This pool/sauna complex just outside Füssen is the perfect place to relax on a rainy day or to cool off on a hot one. The main part of the complex (on the ground floor) has four indoor and four outdoor pools, all heated, as well as a café, lounge chairs, and a garden. The upstairs, with several saunas and some smaller pools, is well worth the few extra euros, if you’re OK with nudity. (Swimsuits are required in the downstairs pools but verboten in the upstairs pools and saunas.) Pool and sauna rules are posted in German, but don’t worry—just follow the locals’ lead. A few of the pools contain dissolved salt or baking soda, which some say is therapeutic. The saltiest pool is like the Dead Sea—you can’t sink.

To enter the baths, first choose the length of your visit and your focus (either the ground-floor pools only or the whole enchilada, including the saunas). A flier explains all the prices in English. You’ll get a wristband containing a chip that’s used to enter the baths, open and close your locker, and purchase food and drink (you don’t need cash). Enter through the changing stalls, where you’ll change into your bathing suit and choose a storage locker. When it’s time to leave, use your wristband to exit. (You can always stay longer than you planned, or decide to try the sauna after all.) If you’ve gone over your original time limit or made purchases, you’ll settle up with the front desk or use a payment machine.

Cost and Hours: Baths only-€18/2 hours, €26/4 hours, €33.50/all day; saunas-about €10 extra, towel rental-€5.50, bathing suits sold but not rented; Sun-Thu 9:00-21:00, Fri-Sat until 22:00; nude swimming everywhere Tue after 19:00; +49 8362 926 940, www.kristalltherme-schwangau.de.

Getting There: From Füssen, drive (5 minutes), take the bus (#73 or #78, ask driver for best stop), bike (10 minutes), or walk (30 minutes). Drivers will cross the river, turn left toward Schwangau, and then, about a mile later, turn left at signs for Kristall-Therme. It’s at Am Ehberg 16 in Schwangau. If biking from Füssen, it’s easy to see the castle, enjoy the spa, and then roll back into town (about an hour of pedaling altogether).

Bike or Boat Around the Forggensee

On a beautiful day, nothing beats a bike ride around the bright-turquoise Forggensee, a nearby lake. This 20-mile loop is exclusively on bike paths (give it a half-day; it’s tight to squeeze it into the afternoon after a morning of castle visits, but possible with an early start). Locals swear that going clockwise is less work, but either way has a couple of strenuous uphill parts (total elevation gain of about 600 feet). Still, the amazing views of the surrounding Alps will distract you from your burning legs—so this is still a great way to spend the afternoon. Rent a bike (ideally a 21-speed), pack a picnic lunch, and figure about a three-hour round-trip. From Füssen, follow Festspielhaus signs; once you reach the theater, follow Forggensee Rundweg signs.

You can also take a boat ride on the Forggensee, leaving either from the Füssen “harbor” (Bootshafen) or the theater (Festspielhaus), a 25-minute walk north of town (€13/50-minute cruise, 5/day; €18/2-hour cruise, 3/day; runs daily June-mid-Oct, no boats off-season, +49 8362 300 2950, www.forggensee-schifffahrt.de). Unless it’s very crowded in the summer, you can bring your bike onto the boat for a small fee and get off across the lake, shortening the total loop.

Treetop Walkway (Baumkronenweg Ziegelwies)

This elevated wooden “treetop path” lets you stroll for a third of a mile, high in the trees on a graceful yet sturdy suspension-bridge-like structure 60 feet in the air. The walkway crosses the Austria-Germany border and offers views of the surrounding mountains and the “wild” alpine Lech River, which can be a smooth glacier-blue mirror one day and a muddy torrent the next. Located east of Füssen, just past the Lechfall weir on the road to Reutte, the walkway can be accessed at either end. The Austrian end (closer to Reutte) has a large parking lot and a tiny ticket booth. At the German end (closer to Füssen) there is a nature center and café, and parking is scarce. Stairs (kids can take the slide) lead down to a riverside trail that loops about a mile through a kid-friendly park, with a log raft to cross a little creek, a wonky little bridge, and a sandy stream great for wading. Those with more energy to burn can try the slightly longer mountain loop, accessed by a tunnel under the road.

Cost and Hours: €5, free for kids 15 and under, daily 9:00-dusk, March-April and mid-Oct-late Nov 10:00-16:00, closed late Nov-Feb and in bad weather, Tiroler Strasse 10, +49 8362 9002 2150, www.baumkronenweg.eu.

Sleeping in Füssen

Convenient Füssen is just three miles from King Ludwig’s castles, and accommodations here can fill fast. I’ve recommended places within a few handy blocks of the train station and the town center. Competition is fierce, so shop around. Parking here is manageable, and some hotels have their own lot or garage, but those with a car can get more for their money by staying in a more rural setting in Reutte (described later in this chapter). Also consider the places I’ve listed across the river in Schwangau, closer to the castles and an easy taxi ride from Füssen’s train station (see “Sleeping and Eating near the King’s Castles” on here). Remember to ask your hotelier for a Füssen Card (see here).

FANCY HOTELS IN THE CENTER OF TOWN

€€€€ Hotel Hirsch, across from Füssen’s old town, is a well-maintained, family-run, 71-room hotel that takes pride in tradition. Built in 1904, the hotel’s older section is filled with antiques and Old World craftsmanship, and offers rooms featuring historical and landscape themes; rooms in the newest wing have a contemporary look and come with air-conditioning and refrigerators (family rooms, spacious breakfast room, restaurant with seating indoors and out, nice rooftop terrace, limited free parking, Kaiser-Maximilian-Platz 7, +49 8362 93980, www.hotelhirsch.de, info@hotelhirsch.de, Schwecke family).

€€€ Hotel Schlosskrone is formal, with 62 rooms in two wings and all the amenities you need to pamper yourself after a long castle visit. It also runs two restaurants and a fine pastry shop (some rooms with balconies, family rooms, air-con, free sauna and fitness center, spa, playroom, pay parking, Prinzregentenplatz 2, +49 8362 930 180, www.schlosskrone.de, rezeption@schlosskrone.de, Norbert Schöll and family).

€€€ Hotel Sonne takes immense pride in its King Ludwig theme, with imaginative decor celebrating the king and his friends. The sprawling hotel has 80 rooms, some with balconies, and is a convenient home base. The free wellness spa with saunas and fluffy lounge chairs is a good place to unwind. Their Art Deco RIWA (think Richard Wagner) café—crowned with a royal display of cheesecakes—is open all day (newer rooms have open bathrooms—door only on the toilet closet, family rooms, air-con in some rooms, free laundry machine, fitness room, pay parking—reserve ahead, kitty-corner from TI at Prinzregentenplatz 1, +49 8362 9080, www.hotel-sonne.de, info@hotel-sonne.de).

€€€ Villa Fantasia has 16 nicely decorated rooms in a handsome 19th-century villa, close to the train station but in a quiet location (family rooms, no breakfast, no elevator, pay parking, peaceful garden, Ottostrasse 1, +49 8362 300 670, www.hotel-fantasia.de, info@hotel-fantasia.de).

MIDPRICED HOTELS AND PENSIONS

€€ Altstadthotel zum Hechten offers 35 rooms (some with balconies) in a friendly, family-run hotel with bright, comfortable rooms. Right under Füssen Castle in the old town pedestrian zone, it’s a good value and has a recommended restaurant. The mural in the breakfast room, painted by a local artist in the late 1950s, is worth a look (two buildings, family rooms, no elevator in one building, pay parking, borrowable hiking gear, Ritterstrasse 6—but enter Hintere Gasse 2 into your GPS or map app to reach the parking lot, +49 8362 91600, www.hotel-hechten.com, info@hotel-hechten.com, Pfeiffer family).

€€ Mein Lieber Schwan, a block from the train station and run by Frau Ringrose, offers four superbly outfitted apartments, each with a double bed, sofa bed, kitchen, and antique furnishings (usually a three-night minimum, PayPal or bank transfer only, no breakfast, no elevator, free parking, laundry facilities, garden, Augustenstrasse 3, +49 176 5519 8627, www.meinlieberschwan.de, fewo@meinlieberschwan.de). Frau Ringrose also has three larger apartments at Klosterstrasse 10 that can sleep up to six.

€ Gästehaus Schöberl, run by Pia and her husband Georg (who co-manages Altstadthotel zum Hechten), makes you feel like you’re staying with friends. Its six bright and spacious rooms are a great value and set on a quiet street just off the main drag. One room is in the owners’ house, and the rest are in the building next door (family room, three-night minimum, cash only, no elevator, charming breakfast room, pay parking, closed in Nov, Luitpoldstrasse 14—check-in at #16 around back, +49 8362 922 411, www.schoeberl-fuessen.de, info@schoeberl-fuessen.de).

€ Maurushaus Guesthouse, on a quiet back street between the train station and pedestrian drag, is run by an adorable retired couple, Alexander and Mariana, who enjoy hosting guests. The building is 700 years old; the six spacious and pleasantly creaky rooms all have private bathrooms, a microwave, and a fridge (family rooms, no breakfast except for coffee, no elevator, parking, Hintere Gasse 17, +49 8362 505 091, www.maurushaus.de, book long in advance through Booking.com or Expedia.com—direct links are on the guesthouse’s website—and not by email or phone).

BUDGET BEDS

¢ Bavaria City Hostel, right on the main pedestrian street, has space for 48 budget travelers in two- to nine-bed rooms, all with shared bathrooms. The bunk beds, made by owner Dominik, have reading lights and a sleek capsule design that affords a little privacy (reception open 7:30-12:30 & 16:00-21:00, kitchen, laundry facilities, no elevator, Reichenstrasse 15, +49 8362 9266980, www.hostelfuessen.com, info@hostelfuessen.com).

¢ Old Kings Design Hostel shoehorns two 8-bed dorm rooms and three doubles into an old townhouse that doesn’t resemble a typical hostel. While the quarters are tight (all rooms share bathrooms), the central location, creative decor, and reasonable prices are enticing (check-in 15:00-21:00, no elevator, buried deep in the pedestrian zone at Franziskanergasse 2, +49 8362 989 9365, www.oldkings-hostel.com, info@oldkings-hostel.com).

Eating in Füssen

€€ Restaurant Ritterstub’n offers delicious, reasonably priced German grub plus salads, veggie plates, and a fun kids’ menu. They have three eating zones: modern decor in front, traditional Bavarian in back, and a courtyard. Demure Gabi serves while her husband Claus cooks (closed Sun-Mon, Ritterstrasse 4, +49 8362 7759).

€€ Zum Hechten (inside the recommended hotel of the same name) dishes up hearty, traditional Bavarian dishes—from venison goulash to pork knuckle—in a classic interior. True to their name (Hecht means “pike”), they offer several types of fish (Fri-Mon for lunch and dinner, Tue-Thu dinner only, Ritterstrasse 6, +49 8362 91600).

€€€ Ristorante La Perla is a typical Italian restaurant with a lively ambience. Sit either in the sleek and modern interior, at streetside tables on a quiet old town lane, or in the hidden courtyard out back (closed Mon and Jan, Drehergasse 44, +49 8362 7155).

€€€ The Himmelsstube is the restaurant inside Hotel Schlosskrone, right on Füssen’s main traffic circle. It serves typical Bavarian fare, from schnitzel to duck and pork knuckle. Nonguests can come here for breakfast (Mon-Sat 9:00-10:30, Sunday 10:00-13:00). Choose between the traditional dining room or the pastel winter garden (daily, Prinzregentenplatz 2, +49 8362 930 180, www.schlosskrone.de).

€€ Restaurant Aquila serves modern German and Croatian dishes, including serious salads, in a simple indoor setting—but I prefer the outdoor tables on delightful Brotmarkt square (closed Wed-Thu, reservations smart, Brotmarkt 9, +49 8362 6253, www.aquila-fuessen.de).

€€€ Madame Plüsch, old school and elegant, bills itself as a “nostalgia restaurant” and serves a small menu of tasty, well-presented Bavarian dishes prepared with organic and free-range ingredients. Dine in a cozy interior or at tables on the square (dinner only, closed Tue-Wed, reservations recommended, Drehergasse 48, +49 8362 930 0949, www.madame-pluesch.de).

€€ Bio Café Baumgarten is a tiny vegetarian oasis near the St. Magnus Basilica tower, with two tables inside and more out on the square. Its organic fare includes set breakfasts, sweet and savory crêpes (some with vegan fillings), and homemade cakes (daily until 18:00, breakfast served, Magnusplatz 6, +49 8362 989 9750).

Brewpub near the Castles: If you have a car, consider heading to Schlossbrauhaus, in the village of Schwangau, for local brew and an unbeatable view (described on here; for location see the “King’s Castles Area” map).

Gelato: Eiscafé Hohes Schloss is a popular ice-cream parlor on the main drag with a huge menu of decadent sundaes and an inviting people-watching perch (daily, Reichenstrasse 14).

Cheap Eats: € Thuy Golden Stäbchen serves Vietnamese, Thai, and Chinese dishes on a deserted back street with outdoor tables and a castle view (daily, Hintere Gasse 29, +49 8362 939 7714).

Picnic Supplies: Bakeries and butcher shops (Metzger) abound and frequently have ready-made sandwiches. For groceries, try the discount Netto supermarket, at the roundabout across from Hotel Schlosskrone, or the midrange REWE in the Theresienhof shopping complex (both supermarkets open Mon-Sat 7:00-20:00, closed Sun).

Nightlife: Bayrish Pub is popular for soccer viewing, conviviality, and occasional live music (Tue-Sat 17:00-late, closed Sun-Mon, Ottostrasse 7, +49 8362 930 7444).

Füssen Connections

BY BUS AND TRAIN

The German railway website (www.bahn.com) is a good resource for planning your route (but for buses in Austria, use www.oebb.at). Local buses can be confusing, so confirm your destination with the driver. Posted bus schedules have different sections for weekdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

From Füssen to: Neuschwanstein (bus #73 or #78, departs from train station, most continue to Tegelberg cable car station after castles, at least hourly, 10 minutes, €2.70 one-way, buses #9606 and #9651 also make the trip); Wieskirche (bus #73, #9606, or #9651; 3-5/day, 45-60 minutes); Oberammergau (bus #73, #9606, or #9651, 3-5/day, 1.5 hours, some transfer or change number en route—confirm with driver that bus is bound for Oberammergau); Reutte (bus #100, 6-7/day, last bus at 19:00, 30 minutes, €5.80 one-way); Zugspitze (possible as day trip via bus #100 to Reutte, then train to Ehrwald for Austrian ascent or Garmisch-Partenkirchen for German ascent, allow up to 3.5 hours total to reach the top); Munich (hourly trains, 2 hours, most with easy transfer in Buchloe; also one FlixBus daily—see www.flixbus.de); Innsbruck (about 4 hours; fastest via bus #100 to Reutte, then train from Reutte to Innsbruck via Garmisch-Partenkirchen; also possible via Munich); Salzburg, Austria (hourly trains, typically 4.5 hours with transfer in Munich and Buchloe, faster and pricier with an express train on the Munich-Salzburg leg); Rothenburg ob der Tauber (hourly trains, 4.5 hours, look for connections with only 3 transfers—often in Augsburg, Treuchtlingen, and Steinach); Frankfurt (hourly trains, 5-6 hours, 1-2 changes).

The Best of the Bavarian Alps

Within a short drive of Füssen and Reutte, you’ll find some of the most enjoyable—and most tourist-packed—sights in Germany. The otherworldly “King’s Castles” of Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau capture romantics’ imaginations, the ornately decorated Wieskirche puts the faithful in a heavenly mood, and the little town of Oberammergau overwhelms visitors with cuteness. Yet another impressive castle (Linderhof), another fancy church (Ettal), and a sky-high viewpoint (the Zugspitze) round out this region’s top attractions.

The King’s Castles: Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau

With fairy-tale turrets built by a fairy-tale king in a fairy-tale alpine setting, the two “King’s Castles” (Königsschlösser), near Füssen, are understandably the most popular tourist destinations in southern Bavaria. The older Hohenschwangau, King Ludwig’s boyhood home, is less famous but more historic. The more dramatic Neuschwanstein, which inspired Walt Disney, is the one everyone visits. I recommend visiting both and hiking above Neuschwanstein to Mary’s Bridge. The only way to see the castle interiors is by timed entry with a guided tour. Reservations are a magic wand that smooths out your visit.

GETTING THERE

If arriving by car, note that road signs in the region refer to the castles as the Königsschlösser. There’s plenty of parking (all lots—€12/6 hours, €16/day). The first lots require a little more walking (P1, P2, and P3). The most convenient lot, by the lake (P4, Parkplatz am Alpsee), is up the small road past the souvenir shops and ticket center.

From Füssen, those without cars can catch bus #73 or #78 (at least hourly, generally departs Füssen’s train station at :05 past the hour, extra buses often run when crowded, €2.70 each way, free with Füssen Card, 10 minutes; a few departures of #9606 and #9651 also make this trip). You can also take a taxi (€14 one-way), ride a rental bike (3 level miles, lock up at stands near TI and parking lot P4), or—in a pinch—walk (less than an hour). The bus drops you at the tourist office (note return times so you aren’t stuck waiting); it’s a one-minute walk from there to the ticket office. When returning, note that buses #73 and #78 pointing left (with your back to the TI and castles) are headed to Füssen, while the same numbers pointing right are going elsewhere.

From Reutte, take the bus to the Füssen train station (#100, daily 6-7/day, €5.80 one-way). Once in Füssen, hop on bus #73 or #78 to the castles (see earlier).

For tips on getting here on a day trip from Munich, see “Day Trips from Munich: The King’s Castles” on here, near the end of the previous chapter.

PLANNING YOUR TIME

Arrive well before your reserved castle entry/tour time, as it takes a while to get up to the castles (see the sidebar). If you miss your appointed tour time, you won’t get in—no exceptions.

Try to visit Hohenschwangau first to get a better introduction to King Ludwig’s short life, then Neuschwanstein. Allow at least two hours between your castle tour bookings. If you’re taking the bus from Füssen, you can easily make the first tour of the day, but those coming by public transit from farther afield (even just from Reutte) should reserve tours at noon or later to allow ample time.

If you’re planning to hike up to Mary’s Bridge (for stunning views of Neuschwanstein), consider that the lighting is best later in the day. If you’ll hike there prior to your Neuschwanstein tour, allow plenty of time: There’s often a line to get onto the bridge for that famous view.

After your castle sightseeing, if the sun is shining, consider renting a pedal boat or rowboat for a scenic float around the Alpsee, the lake below Hohenschwangau (see the map for boat-rental location).” Yet another option is to walk all the way around the Alpsee (about 1.5 hours, clockwise is less strenuous, some steps).

Orientation to the King’s Castles

Cost: Purchase timed-entry tickets online well in advance; Neuschwanstein—€20.50, €2.50 for kids under 18; Hohenschwangau—€23.50, €13.50 for kids 7-17, €2.50 for kids 6 and under. These prices include the €2.50 online booking fee. A Königsticket combo-ticket for both castles is usually available for €43.

The Bavarian Palace Administration’s 14-day ticket (described on here) covers Neuschwanstein but not Hohenschwangau; you’ll still pay the €2.50 online booking fee.

Hours: Neuschwanstein—daily 9:00-18:00 (10:00-16:00 off-season); Hohenschwangau—9:00-16:30 (10:00-16:00 off-season).

Information: The castles share a website—www.hohenschwangau.de.

Advance Tickets Essential: Reserve your timed-entry tickets for both castles online in advance as soon as your trip dates are set. In high season (June-Oct, and especially July-Aug), tickets to Neuschwanstein can sell out weeks in advance. Tickets to Hohenschwangau are easier to come by but can also sell out at peak times. To book a Neuschwanstein tour online with the 14-day ticket, select “Free BSV Card Holder” as your ticket type.

With a digital ticket, you can bypass the ticket office and head straight to the castle entrance.

Tours: Included in your ticket is a required castle tour, either with a live guide (English or German) or an audioguide (same content as live guided tour); select your preference when you book. The entry time you select corresponds to your tour time. Neuschwanstein tours last about 30 minutes; Hohenschwangau tours are a little longer (up to 45 minutes).

For both castles, the first tour of the day typically departs at 9:00 (or 10:00 off-season). The last Neuschwanstein tour departs around 18:00 and the last Hohenschwangau tour around 16:00 (15:15 off-season for both).

With a combo-ticket, you’ll choose two entry/tour times: one for Hohenschwangau and one for Neuschwanstein.

Other Ticket Options: If tickets are sold out on the official castle website, consider joining an independent organized tour (through a private outfit) that includes entry to Neuschwanstein. These are more expensive but work in a pinch. In Füssen, the International Ticket and Travel Center at the train station (see “Helpful Hints” on here) books one late morning and one afternoon Neuschwanstein tour per day; reserve seats through their website up to the day before, and pick up your ticket at their office after 9:00 the day of your visit (+49 8362 819 7870, www.i-ttc.com). For options from Munich, see here.

The castle ticket center (see next) sells a limited number of same-day tickets, starting when the office opens at 8:00. For this option, get in line promptly. These tickets sell out fast, though off-season you might still find them on sale in the late morning.

Castle Ticket Center: If you’ve reserved your ticket online, you don’t need to stop here and can go straight to the castles. The ticket center is a couple hundred yards from the bus stop, TI, and parking lots (daily 8:00-16:00, phones open Mon-Fri 9:00-12:00 & 13:30-15:00, +49 8362 930 830, www.hohenschwangau.de).

Getting Up to the Castles

You’ll need plenty of time to get up to the castles from Hohenschwangau village.

On Foot: From the parking lots, TI, and bus stop, allow at least 20 minutes to walk to Hohenschwangau Castle and 35 minutes to walk to Neuschwanstein—give yourself a buffer on top of those estimates. You’ll first stroll up Alpseestrasse for a minute, passing Hotel Alpenstuben, the castle ticket center, and Hotel Müller (all on your right). From here, for Hohenschwangau (the yellow castle), head straight ahead towards the lake, passing the bus spaces in lot P4 and then curving around to the right up a paved path (for a quicker ascent, zigzag up using the ramp/stairs behind Hotel Müller).

Neuschwanstein is a moderately steep hike in the other direction. The simplest, least strenuous approach begins across the street from Hotel Müller and goes up a paved, mostly traffic-free road. Just below Neuschwanstein, you’ll pass a pavilion with a nice viewpoint, WCs, and lockers where you can stow large bags (and even baby strollers).

With a Shuttle Bus or Carriage: To shorten the hike to Neuschwanstein, you can take a shuttle bus or a horse-drawn carriage. Neither option gets you to the castle doorstep. The shuttle bus departs about every 20 minutes from a stop next to parking lot P4, just below Hohenschwangau. It drops you off near Mary’s Bridge (Marienbrücke), leaving you to walk 10 minutes steeply downhill to the castle—so be sure to see the view from Mary’s Bridge before hiking down (€3 uphill, €2 downhill, €3.50 round-trip). Horse-drawn carriages depart across the street from Hotel Müller, are slower than walking, and stop below Neuschwanstein, leaving you a five-minute uphill hike (€8 up, €4 down). Carriages also run to Hohenschwangau (€5.50 up, €3 down).

Be warned that both buses and carriages can have long lines at peak times—especially if it’s raining. You might wait up to 45 minutes, making it slower than walking. If you’re cutting it close to your appointed time, you may need to hoof it. Note that buses don’t run in snowy or icy conditions, which can happen even in spring.

Budget Plan: With time, here’s the most economical and least strenuous plan: Walk to and from Hohenschwangau. Then ride the bus up to Mary’s Bridge for the view, hike down to Neuschwanstein, and finally catch the horse carriage from below the castle down to the parking lot (total round-trip cost: €7). If you’re on a tight schedule, consider taking the bus back down, as carriages can be unpredictable.

Without a Ticket: You don’t need to see the castle interiors to enjoy a visit here. It’s a beautiful spot, and just walking around and enjoying the scenery, with the castles around you, is a joy. You can walk up into the Hohenschwangau grounds, view Neuschwanstein from Mary’s Bridge, or find a nice picnic spot at no cost and without jumping through any ticket-buying hoops. The whole area is designed for recreation, and a relaxed day here is a pleasure—all the more so if you don’t have to stress about being on time for a tour.

Services in Hohenschwangau Village: Hohenschwangau Castle shares its name with the settlement just below. The village bus stop and most of the parking lots cluster around the main intersection, where the road from Füssen comes in. The TI (run by knowledgeable Thomas), along with a pay WC and lockers, is next to the bus stop (TI open daily April-mid-Oct 10:00-17:30, mid-Oct-March Sat-Sun until 16:30, closed Mon-Fri, +49 8362 81980, Alpseestrasse 2, www.schwangau.de). You’ll pay to use the WCs here, except for the bathrooms in the castles themselves.

Best Views: The best accessible Neuschwanstein view is from Mary’s Bridge, a 10-minute hike above the castle. (Many of the postcards and posters you’ll see are based on photos taken high in the hills, best left to avid hikers.) For the best light, visit later in the day.

Eating at the Castles: I prefer to bring a packed lunch. The park by the Alpsee (the nearby lake) is ideal for a picnic, although you’re not allowed to sit on the grass—only on the benches (or eat out on the lake in one of the old-fashioned rowboats—see “Planning Your Time,” earlier). The sit-down restaurants in the “village” are mediocre and overpriced. Hot dogs, potato salad, and other Biergarten fare are sold at snack stands across from the TI and next to Hotel Alpenstuben (between the TI and ticket center). Up near Neuschwanstein itself (near the horse carriage drop-off) is another pricey eatery. Inside Neuschwanstein (and accessible only at the end of your castle tour) is a café with remarkable views that serves simple lunches and desserts at acceptable prices.

For a better selection, ride the bus 10 minutes to Füssen and eat there. If you have a car or a bike, see “Sleeping and Eating near the King’s Castles,” later, for more options.

Sights at the King’s Castles

The two castles complement each other perfectly. But if you must choose one, Neuschwanstein’s wow factor—inside and out—is undeniable.

Castle Entry Procedure: At each castle, tourists jumble in the courtyard, waiting for their assigned tour to light up on the screen. When it does, power through the mob and go to the turnstile. Warning: You must use your ticket while your number is still on the screen (only five minutes). If you space out, you’ll miss your entry window.

▲▲▲Hohenschwangau Castle

GOOGLE MAP

Standing quietly below Neuschwanstein, the big, yellow Hohenschwangau Castle is where Ludwig spent his summers as a young boy. Originally built in the 12th century, it was ruined by Napoleon. Ludwig’s father, King Maximilian II, rebuilt it in 1830. Hohenschwangau (hoh-en-SHVAHN-gow, loosely translated as “High Swanland”) was used by the royal family as a summer hunting lodge until 1912. The Wittelsbach family (which ruled Bavaria for nearly seven centuries) still owns the place (and lived in the annex—today’s shop—until the 1970s).

The interior decor (mostly Neo-Gothic, like the castle itself) is harmonious, cohesive, and original—all done in 1835, with paintings inspired by Romantic themes. As you tour the castle, imagine how the paintings must have inspired young Ludwig. For 17 years, he lived here at his dad’s place and followed the construction of his dream castle across the way—you’ll see the telescope still set up and directed at Neuschwanstein.

The 45-minute guided tour gives a better glimpse of Ludwig’s life than the more visited and famous Neuschwanstein Castle. Tours here are smaller (up to 35 people) and more relaxed. You’ll explore rooms on two floors—the queen’s rooms, and then, upstairs, the king’s. (Conveniently, their bedrooms were connected by a secret passage.) You’ll see photos and busts of Ludwig and his little brother, Otto; some Turkish-style flourishes (to please the king, who had been impressed after a visit to “the Orient”); countless swans—try to find them (honoring the Knights of Schwangau, whose legacy the Wittelsbachs inherited); over-the-top gifts the Wittelsbachs received from their adoring subjects; and paintings of VIGs (very important Germans, including Martin Luther—who may or may not have visited here—and an infant Charlemagne).

One of the most impressive rooms is the Banquet Hall (also known as the Hall of Heroes); one vivid wall mural depicts a savage, yet bloodless, fifth-century barbarian battle. Just as the castle itself had running water and electricity despite its historic appearance (both were installed in the 1900s under King Luitpold, Ludwig’s uncle), its Romantic decor presents a sanitized version of the medieval past, glossing over inconvenient details. You’ll also see Ludwig’s bedroom, which he inherited from his father. He kept most of the decor (including the nude nymphs frolicking over his bed) but painted the ceiling black and installed transparent stars that could be lit from the floor above to create the illusion of a night sky.

After the tour is over, wind through the castle gardens and imagine Ludwig here, with his sights set on the hill far in the distance.

▲▲▲Neuschwanstein Castle

GOOGLE MAP

Imagine King Ludwig as a boy, climbing the hills above his dad’s castle, Hohenschwangau, dreaming up the ultimate fairy-tale castle. Inheriting the throne at the young age of 18, he had the power to make his dream concrete and stucco. Neuschwanstein (noy-SHVAHN-shtine, roughly “New Swanstone”) was designed first by a theater-set designer...then by an architect. While it was built upon the ruins of an old castle and looks medieval, Neuschwanstein is modern iron-and-brick construction with a sandstone veneer—only about as old as the Eiffel Tower. It feels like something you’d see at a home show for 19th-century royalty. Built from 1869 to 1886, it’s the epitome of the Romanticism popular in 19th-century Europe. Construction stopped with Ludwig’s death (only a third of the interior was finished), and within six weeks, tourists were paying to go through it.

During World War II, the castle took on a sinister role. The Nazis used Neuschwanstein as one of their primary secret storehouses for stolen art. After the war, Allied authorities spent a year sorting through and redistributing the art, which filled 49 rail cars from this one location alone. It was the only time the unfinished rooms were put to use.

Today, guides herd groups of up to 60 people through the castle. The actual tour lasts just over 20 minutes. (While you’re waiting for your timed tour to pop up on the screen, climb the stairs to the upper courtyard to see more of the exterior, which isn’t covered on your tour.) Once inside, you’ll go up and down more than 300 steps (keep an eye out for a spiral staircase column that becomes a palm tree), visiting 15 lavish rooms with their original furnishings and fanciful wall paintings—mostly based on Wagnerian opera themes.

“Mad” King Ludwig (1845-1886)

A tragic figure, Ludwig II ruled Bavaria for 22 years until his death in 1886 at the age of 40. Bavaria was weak. Politically, Ludwig’s reality was to “rule” as either a pawn of Prussia or a pawn of Austria. Rather than deal with politics in Bavaria’s capital, Munich, Ludwig frittered away most of his time at his family’s hunting palace, Hohenschwangau. He spent much of his adult life constructing his fanciful Neu-schwanstein Castle—like a kid builds a tree house—on a neighboring hill upon the scant ruins of a medieval castle. Here and in his other projects (such as Linderhof Castle and the never-built Falkenstein Castle), even as he strove to evoke medieval grandeur, he embraced the state-of-the-art technology of the Industrial Age in which he lived. Neuschwanstein had electricity, running water, and a telephone (but no Wi-Fi).

Ludwig was a true romantic living in a Romantic age. His best friends were artists, poets, and composers such as Richard Wagner. His palaces are wallpapered with misty medieval themes—especially those from Wagnerian operas.

Although Ludwig spent 17 years building Neuschwanstein, he lived in it only 172 days. Soon after he moved in (and before his vision for the castle was completed), Ludwig was declared mentally unfit to rule Bavaria and taken away. Two days after this eviction, Ludwig was found dead in a lake. To this day, people debate whether the king was murdered or committed suicide.

Ludwig’s extravagant throne room, modeled in a Neo-Byzantine style, celebrates six valiant Christian kings (whose mantle Ludwig clearly believed he had donned) under a huge gilded-bronze, crown-like chandelier. The exquisite two-million-stone mosaic floor is a visual encyclopedia of animals and plants. While you’re standing on a replica, original segments ring the perimeter. The most memorable stop may be the king’s gilded-lily bedroom, with his elaborately carved canopy bed (with a forest of Gothic church spires on top), washstand (filled with water piped in from the Alps), and personal chapel. After passing through Ludwig’s living room and a faux grotto, you’ll climb to the fourth floor for the grand finale: the Singers’ Hall, an ornately decorated space filled with murals depicting the story of Parzival, the legendary medieval knight with whom Ludwig identified.

After the tour, weave through the crowded gift shop and past the WCs and café to a few additional exhibits. A 13-minute video (runs continuously) tells the story of how the castle was built and illustrates all the unfinished parts of Ludwig’s vision (more prickly towers, a central chapel, a fancy view terrace, an ornate bathhouse, and more). Another exhibit covers the castle’s upkeep and renovation. You’ll also see a digital model of Falkenstein—a whimsical, over-the-top, never-built castle that makes Neuschwanstein look stubby. Falkenstein occupied Ludwig’s fantasies the year he died. Finally, the exit from the castle takes you through the kitchen (state of the art for this high-tech king in its day) and past a scale model of the building.

▲▲Mary’s Bridge (Marienbrücke)

GOOGLE MAP

Before or after your Neuschwanstein tour, climb up to Mary’s Bridge (named for Ludwig’s mom) to marvel at the castle, just as Ludwig did. Jockey with a United Nations of tourists for the best angle—there’s usually a line just to get onto the structure. This bridge was quite an engineering accomplishment 100 years ago. (Access to the bridge is closed in bad weather.)

The paved path connecting Neuschwanstein to Mary’s Bridge is also scenic, with views back on Neuschwanstein’s facade in one direction, and classic views of Hohenschwangau—perched on its little hill between lakes, with cut-glass peaks on the horizon—in the other.

▲Pöllat Gorge (Pöllatschlucht)

If it’s open, the river gorge that slices into the rock just behind Neuschwanstein’s lofty perch is an interesting and scenic alternative to shuffling down the crowded main road from the castle. While it takes an extra 15 minutes or so, it’s well worth it. You’ll find the trailhead just above the Neuschwanstein exit, on the path toward Mary’s Bridge (look for Pöllatschlucht signs). In past years, though, rockslides have closed the trail intermittently, and it’s never open (or safe) in winter.

If you’re allowed in, you’ll begin by walking down a steep, well-maintained set of concrete stairs, with Germany’s finest castle looming through the trees. Then you’ll pop out along the river, passing a little beach (with neatly stacked stones) offering a view up at the grand waterfall that gushes beneath Mary’s Bridge. From here, follow the river as it goes over several smaller waterfalls and stroll for a while along steel walkways and railings that make this slippery area safer. After passing an old wooden channel used to harness the power of all that water, you’ll hit level ground; turn left and walk through a pleasantly untouristy residential settlement back toward the TI.

Museum of the Bavarian Kings (Museum der Bayerischen Könige)

About a five-minute walk from the castles’ ticket center, in a former grand hotel on the shore of the Alpsee, this modern, well-presented exhibit documents the history of the Wittelsbachs, Bavaria’s former royal family. On display are plenty of family portraits and busts, as well as treasures including Ludwig II’s outlandish royal robe and elaborately decorated fairy-tale sword, and the impressive dining set given as a golden-anniversary present to his cousin Ludwig III and his wife, the last reigning Wittelsbachs. Their rule came to an end after World War I, when a socialist revolution forced them from the throne. A free audioguide lends some context to the family’s history, albeit in more detail than you’ll probably want. The museum is worthwhile only if you’re captivated by this clan and have time to kill. (But trying to squeeze it between your two castle visits is rushing it—especially if you like to linger.)

Cost and Hours: €14, includes audioguide and map; daily 9:00-17:00; no reservations required, mandatory lockers, Alpseestrasse 27, +49 8362 887 252, www.hohenschwangau.de. There’s no need to buy tickets online (and pay a €2.50 booking fee); they’re readily available at the museum.

SIGHTS NEAR THE CASTLES

These sights are a 30-minute walk from the castles.

▲Tegelberg Cable Car (Tegelbergbahn)

GOOGLE MAP

Just north of Neuschwanstein is a fun play zone around the mighty Tegelberg cable car, a scenic ride to the mountain’s 5,500-foot summit. At the top on a clear day, you get great views of the Alps and Bavaria and the vicarious thrill of watching hang gliders and paragliders leap into airborne ecstasy. Weather permitting, scores of adventurous Germans line up and leap from the launch ramp at the top of the lift. With someone leaving every two or three minutes, it’s great for spectators. Thrill seekers with exceptional social skills may talk themselves into a tandem ride with a paraglider.

There are two restaurants at the top of the cable car. Around the cable car’s valley station, you’ll find a playground, a cheery eatery, the stubby remains of an ancient Roman villa, and a summer luge ride (described next).

Cost and Hours: €30 round-trip, €19.50 one-way; first ascent daily at 9:00; last descent April-Oct at 17:00, mid-Dec-March at 16:00, closed Nov-mid-Dec and irregularly in March-April; 4/hour, 5-minute ride to the top, in bad weather call first to confirm; pay parking, +49 8362 98360, Tegelbergstrasse 33, www.tegelbergbahn.de.

Getting There: From the castles, most #73 and #78 buses from Füssen continue to the Tegelbergbahn valley station (5-minute ride). It’s a 30-minute walk or 10-minute bike ride from the castles.

▲Tegelberg Luge

Next to the cable car’s valley station is a summer luge course (Sommerrodelbahn). A summer luge is like a bobsled on wheels (for more details, see the “Luge Lesson” sidebar on here). This course’s stainless-steel track is heated, so it’s often dry and open even when drizzly weather shuts down the concrete luges. A funky cable system pulls riders in their sleds to the top. It’s not as long, fast, or scenic as Austria’s Biberwier luge (described on here), but it’s handy, harder to get hurt on, and half the price.

Cost and Hours: €5/ride, shareable 6-ride card-€21; typically open April-Sept daily 10:00-17:00 depending on weather, call first to confirm, waits can be long in good weather, no children under age 3, ages 3-7 may ride for free with an adult, pay parking, +49 8362 98360, Tegelbergstrasse 33, www.tegelbergbahn.de.

Nearby Hikes

Weather permitting, the Königsrunde (King’s Circuit) at the top of the cable car is an easy summertime hike (under an hour). But don’t hike back down to the valley without careful planning, as those routes are long (at least 2.5 hours) and some are challenging. Note that the treacherous paths directly below the cable car are only for climbers with proper equipment, and the Marienbrückenweg trail down to the King’s Castles is not for the casual hiker; it’s very steep, with handholds and dizzying drops. An easier trail runs to the castles via Bleckenau. For more information, visit the Schwangau TI’s website (www.schwangau.de).

Sleeping and Eating near the King’s Castles

SLEEPING

Though best for drivers, both of these places are a quick taxi ride from the Füssen train station and also close to bus stops. In return for paying the Schwangau hotel tax, you get a card with the same benefits as the Füssen Card (see here).

€€ Alpenhotel Allgäu is a small, family-run hotel with 18 decent rooms in a bucolic setting perched just below Ludwig’s dream castle. It’s a 15-minute walk from the castle ticket office and a nice place to frolic when the crowds depart (most rooms with balconies or porches—some with castle views; family rooms, elevator, free parking, just before tennis courts at Schwangauer Strasse 37 in the town of Schwangau—don’t let your GPS take you to Schwangauer Strasse 37 in Füssen, +49 8362 81152, www.alpenhotel-allgaeu.de, info@alpenhotel-allgaeu.de, Frau Reiss).

€ Beim Landhannes, a 200-year-old working organic dairy farm run by Conny Schön and her husband, Benjamin, is a great value and a unique experience. They rent five sunny, renovated apartments with period furniture and kitchenettes, and keep flowers on the balconies, big bells and antlers in the halls, and a herd of cows in the yard. Buses between Füssen and the castles stop at the end of the driveway. Two of the apartments sleep up to four people (cash only, free parking, no breakfast, no elevator, nearby bike rental, from Füssen station ride the bus two stops to Horn—see the “King’s Castles Area” map, Am Lechrain 22 in Schwangau, +49 8362 8349, www.landhannes.de, info@landhannes.de).

EATING

For quick, functional eateries in the immediate castle area, see “Orientation to the King’s Castles,” earlier.

In Schwangau: If you have a car and want to eat at a good-value, less touristy place with stunning castle views, consider €€ Schlossbrauhaus Schwangau, a sprawling microbrewery restaurant in the village of Schwangau, about 1.5 miles from the castles. They brew five types of beer (dark, light, wheat, and two seasonal brews) and serve classic German fare with hearty vegetarian options. Choose between the woody-industrial interior—with big copper vats and a miniature bowling alley (€8/hour)—and the outdoor Biergarten, with minigolf (€5.50, €4/child) and views of Neuschwanstein. There’s also a bakery and ice-cream shop (full menu served daily until 20:00; Gipsmühlweg 5 in Schwangau—coming from Füssen, drive up the main street, Füssener Strasse, and look for signs—see the “King’s Castles Area” map; +49 8362 926 4680, www.schlossbrauhaus.de).

A couple of doors away, the affiliated Schlossbackstube bakery is a good bet for huge, fresh sandwiches and tempting pastries (Mon-Sat 6:30-18:00, Sun 13:00-17:00, Füssener Strasse 15, +49 8362 8220). Farther down the road is a sizable REWE supermarket, handy for picnic items, hot deli foods, and build-your-own salads (Mon-Sat 7:00-20:00, generally closed Sun but some items available at the adjacent gas station, König-Ludwig Strasse 2, +49 8362 98270).

The Wieskirche

One of Germany’s great Rococo-style churches, this “Church in the Meadow”—worth ▲▲—looks as brilliant now as the day it floated down from heaven. Overripe with decoration but bright and bursting with beauty, this church is a divine droplet, a curly curlicue, the final flowering of the Baroque movement.

GETTING THERE

By car, the Wieskirche is a 30-minute drive north of Neuschwanstein or Füssen (set your GPS to Wies 12, 86989 Steingaden). You’ll head north, turn right at Steingaden, and follow the brown signs to pay parking (€2 for 2 hours, coins only). With careful attention to schedules, you could day-trip here from Füssen by bus (#73, #9606, or #9651; 2-6/day, 45-60 minutes), but it’s a long round-trip for a church that most see in 10-15 minutes.

ORIENTATION TO THE WIESKIRCHE

Cost and Hours: Donation requested; daily 8:00-20:00, March-April and Sept-Oct until 19:00, Nov-Feb until 17:00. The interior is closed to sightseers during services: Sun 8:00-13:00; Tue, Wed, and Sat 10:00-12:00; and Fri 17:00-20:00.

Information: +49 8862 932 930, www.wieskirche.de.

Services: Trinket shops, snack and sausage stands, a restaurant, and a WC clog the parking area below the church. A shop next to the church sells freshly made doughnuts—look for the Wieskücherl sign.

VISITING THE CHURCH

This pilgrimage church is built around the much-venerated statue of a scourged (or whipped) Christ, which supposedly wept in 1738. The carving—too graphic to be accepted by that generation’s Church—was the focus of worship in a peasant’s barn. Miraculously, it shed tears—empathizing with all those who suffer. Pilgrims came from all around. A tiny and humble chapel was built to house the statue in 1739. (You can see it where the lane to the church leaves the parking lot.) Bigger and bigger crowds came. Two of Bavaria’s top Rococo architects, the Zimmermann brothers (Johann Baptist and Dominikus), were commissioned to build the church (completed in 1754) that stands here today.

Follow the theological sweep from the altar to the ceiling: Jesus whipped, chained, and then killed (notice the pelican above the altar—recalling a pre-Christian story of a bird that opened its breast to feed its young with its own blood); the painting of Baby Jesus posed as if on the cross; the golden sacrificial lamb; and finally, high on the ceiling, the resurrected Christ before the Last Judgment. This is the most positive depiction of the Last Judgment around. Jesus, rather than sitting on the throne to judge, rides high on a rainbow—a symbol of forgiveness—giving any sinner the feeling that there is still time to repent, with plenty of mercy on hand. In the back, above the pipe organ, notice the closed door to paradise, and at the opposite end (above the main altar), the empty throne—waiting for Judgment Day.

Above the doors flanking the altar are murky glass cases with 18th-century handkerchiefs. People wept, came here, were healed, and no longer needed their hankies. Walk through either of these doors and up an aisle flanking the high altar to see votives—requests and thanks to God (for happy, healthy babies, and healing for sick loved ones). Notice how the kneelers are positioned so that worshippers can meditate on scenes of biblical miracles painted high on the ceiling and visible through the ornate scalloped frames. A priest here once told me that faith, architecture, light, and music all combine to create the harmony of the Wieskirche.

Two paintings flank the door at the rear of the church. The one on the right shows the ceremonial parade in 1749 when the white-clad monks of Steingaden carried the carved statue of Christ from the tiny chapel to its big new church. The second painting (on the left), from 1757, is a votive offering from one of the Zimmermann brothers, the artists and architects who built this church. He is giving thanks for the successful construction of the new church.

If you can’t visit the Wieskirche, visit one of the other churches that came out of the same heavenly spray can: Oberammergau’s church of Sts. Peter and Paul, Munich’s Asamkirche, Würzburg’s Hofkirche Chapel (at the Residenz), the splendid Ettal Monastery (near Oberammergau), and, on a lesser scale, Füssen’s basilica.

ROUTE TIPS FOR DRIVERS

Driving from the Wieskirche to Oberammergau: Ten minutes from the Wieskirche, you’ll cross the Echelsbacher Bridge, which arches 230 feet over the Ammer River gorge. Thoughtful drivers let their passengers walk across to enjoy the views, then meet them at the other side. Notice the painting of the traditional village woodcarver (who used to walk from town to town with his art on his back) on the first big house on the Oberammergau side. It holds the Almdorf Ammertal shop, with a huge selection of overpriced carvings and commission-hungry tour guides.

Oberammergau

GOOGLE MAP

The Shirley Temple of Bavarian villages, and exploited to the hilt by the tourist trade, Oberammergau wears too much makeup. During its famous once-per-decade Passion Play (next in 2030), the crush is unbearable—and the prices at hotels and restaurants can be as well. The town has about 1,200 beds for the 5,000 playgoers coming daily. But the rest of the time, Oberammergau—while hardly “undiscovered”—is a pleasant, and at times even sleepy, small town.

If you’re passing through, Oberammergau is itself a ▲ sight—worth a wander among the frescoed Lüftlmalerei houses (see here). Drivers should consider overnighting here. It’s a convenient home base for visiting Linderhof Castle, Ettal Monastery, and the Zugspitze (via Garmisch-Partenkirchen). A day trip to Neuschwanstein from Oberammergau is manageable if you have a car (it’s a 45-minute drive), but train travelers heading for Neuschwanstein do better to stay in Füssen.

GETTING TO OBERAMMERGAU

Trains run from Munich to Oberammergau (hourly, 2 hours, change in Murnau). From Füssen, you can take the bus (#73, #9606, or #9651, 3-5/day, 1.5 hours, some transfer or change numbers en route—confirm with driver that bus is going to Oberammergau). Drivers can get here from Reutte in less than 30 minutes via the road along pretty Plansee lake (sometimes closed in winter), or from Munich in about an hour.

Orientation to Oberammergau

This town of about 5,000 feels like a village, thanks to its traditional houses and remote location. The downtown core, stretching from the Passion Play Theater to the onion-domed church, is compact and invites strolling; my recommended sights, hotels, and restaurants are all within about a 10-minute walk of each other. While the town’s name sounds like a mouthful, it’s based on the name of the local river (the Ammer) and means, roughly, “Upper Ammerland.” On the outskirts of Oberammergau is a large NATO School, which runs training courses for the alliance’s military forces and brings an international flavor to the town.

Tourist Information: The helpful, well-organized TI provides English information on area hikes (Mon-Fri 9:00-17:00, Sat until 13:00; closed Sat off-season and Sun year-round; Eugen-Papst-Strasse 9A, +49 8822 922 740, www.ammergauer-alpen.de/oberammergau).

Arrival in Oberammergau: The town’s train station is a 10-minute walk from the center: Walk out to the main road, turn left, cross the bridge, and keep going straight. Buses stop at the train station and at two more central stops (Eugen-Papst-Strasse and Tiroler Gasse).

If you’re driving, use either of the two exits from the main road into Oberammergau—at the north and south ends. Park in the big lot along Eugen-Papst-Strasse, between the TI and the river, or in a smaller lot on Passionswiese, close to the theater (both €5/day). While there’s ample street parking in town, most is time-limited and/or requires payment; read signs carefully.

Sightseeing Card: Many accommodations in the Oberammergau area provide guests with a discount card (Königscard); ask your hotelier for one. The card’s benefits include free travel on local buses (including to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Linderhof, Füssen, and Ettal Monastery), a free trip on the Laber Bergbahn lift, and free admission to the Oberammergau Museum and the exhibit in the Passion Play Theater.

Sights in Oberammergau

▲Local Arts and Crafts

The town’s best sight is its woodcarving shops (Holzschnitzerei). Browse through these small art galleries filled with very expensive whittled works. In the middle of town, one storefront has been made into an open workshop (Lebende Werkstatt) where you can watch woodcarvers and painters at work (free, late April-mid-Oct Tue-Sun 13:00-17:00, closed Mon and off-season, open weekends in Dec, Dorfstrasse 20, +49 8822 949 511).

▲Oberammergau Museum

This museum showcases local woodcarving, with good English explanations. The extensive collection occupies the museum’s upper floor and includes a room of old woodcarving tools. There’s also a small exhibit on Roman archaeological finds in the region. The ground floor exhibits nativity scenes (Krippe—mostly made of wood, but some of paper or wax). In the back, find the small screening room, where you can watch several interesting films, including the same 20-minute film about the Passion Play that’s screened in the Passion Play Theater lobby.

Cost and Hours: €5; €9 combo-ticket also includes exhibit at Passion Play Theater, €12 combo-ticket adds guided tour of theater; Easter-Oct and Dec-Jan Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00, closed Mon and off-season; Dorfstrasse 8, +49 8822 32440, www.oberammergaumuseum.de.

Woodcarving in Oberammergau

The Ammergau region was once relatively poor, with no appreciable industry and little agriculture, save for some dairy farming. What they did have was wood. Carving religious and secular themes became a way for the locals to make money, especially when confined to the house during the long, cold winter. And with a major pilgrimage site—Ettal Monastery—just down the road, there was a built-in consumer base eager to buy hand-carved crucifixes and other souvenirs. Carvers from Oberammergau peddled their wares across Europe, carrying them on their backs (on distinctive wooden backpack-racks called Kraxe) as far away as Rome.

Today, the Oberammergau Carving School (founded in 1887) is a famous institution that takes only 20 students per year out of 450 applicants. Their graduates do important restoration work throughout Europe. For example, much of the work on Dresden’s Frauenkirche was done by these artists.

▲Passion Play Theater (Passionstheater)

Back in 1633, in the midst of the bloody Thirty Years’ War and with horrifying plagues devastating entire cities, the people of Oberammergau promised God that if they were spared from extinction, they’d “perform a play depicting the suffering, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ” every decade thereafter. The town survived, and as it heads into its 42nd decade, the people of Oberammergau are still making good on the deal. For 100 days every 10 years, about half of the town’s population (a cast of 2,000) are involved in the production of this extravagant five-hour Passion Play, telling the story of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, the Crucifixion, and the Resurrection.

If you’re not visiting during the Passion Play performances, you’ll have to settle for reading the book, seeing Nicodemus tool around town in his VW, or taking a quick look at the theater (a block from the center of town) and its lobby exhibit about the plays.

Cost and Hours: €5 for lobby exhibit, €9 combo-ticket with Oberammergau Museum, €12 combo-ticket adds 45-minute guided tour, €9 for guided tour and lobby exhibit (no museum); lobby exhibit open Easter-Oct and Dec Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00, closed Mon and off-season; tours in English run Easter-Oct Tue-Sun at 11:00 (additional tour times in German), Nov-Easter Wed and Sun at 14:00; Theaterstrasse 16, +49 8822 32400, www.oberammergaumuseum.de).

Visiting the Theater: The theater lobby hosts a modest exhibit on the performances. A long wall forms a timeline with photos and text about past performances and the many generations of Oberammergauers who have participated in this tradition. Climb the stairs and peek into the theater itself, which has an unusual indoor/outdoor design and a real-life alpine backdrop. A small screening room shows a selection of good short films about the Passion Play.

To learn more about this four-century-long experiment in community theater, time your visit for the 45-minute guided tour. Led by a past—and probably future—local performer, you’ll walk through the theater, look backstage, visit the prop rooms, and see the ramp where the donkeys enter. Oberammergauers aren’t any more devout than the average German, and not all performers are even Christian—but all take pride in bringing the story to life on stage.

Oberammergau Church

The town church is a typical example of Bavarian Baroque. Being in a woodcarving center, it’s only logical that all the statues are made of wood and then stuccoed and gilded to look like marble or gold. Saints Peter and Paul flank the altar, where the central painting can be raised to reveal a small stage decorated to celebrate special times during the church calendar. In the central dome, a touching painting shows Peter and Paul bidding each other farewell (with the city of Rome as a backdrop) on the day of their execution—the same day, in the year AD 67. On the left, Peter is crucified upside-down. On the right, Paul is beheaded with a sword.

Wander through the lovingly maintained graveyard, noticing the wide variety in headstones. A towering stone WWI memorial at the gate has an imposing look and sternly worded celebrations of the “heroes” of that war. But around the other side, below it on the outer fence, find the newer glass panel that modifies the sentiment: “We honor and remember the victims of the violence that our land gave the world.”

Lüftlmalerei (Painted Houses)

The elaborate scenes you’ll see painted on the sides of some houses in Oberammergau are called Lüftlmalerei. While you’ll see plenty of these houses, among the best examples are the Pilatus House in the center of town and the “Little Red Riding Hood” and “Hansel and Gretel” houses on Ettaler Strasse, just beyond the town church (see the “Oberammergau” map). If you want to hunt for more around town, ask the TI for a map.

The term Lüftlmalerei comes from the name of a house (“Zum Lüftl”) in Oberammergau whose owner in the 18th century, a painter, loved to show off his skill. But the custom goes much further back and is found all over Bavaria. Some paintings involve Christian symbols, saints, and stories from the life of Jesus. Others depict an important historical event or a scene from a fairy tale. Others are simply decorative. The paintings are frescoes, applied as the wet plaster on the house walls dries. (Most Bavarian houses are made of sturdy masonry blocks covered with a thick layer of plaster.)

Laber Bergbahn

This gondola lifts you up almost 3,000 feet to fine views and a mountain restaurant. It’s at the east end of town, about a 30-minute walk from the center. At the top, you can do a circular hike or walk down—either route takes about 2.5 hours (confirm trail conditions and get tips and maps before heading up, Ludwig-Lang-Strasse 59, +49 8822 4770, www.laber-bergbahn.de).

Kolbensattel

At the west end of town, a chairlift runs up to another set of mountain hikes above a speedy 1.5-mile-long Alpine Coaster (similar to a luge). At the top of the chairlift, you can eat, hike 90 minutes along the ridge to another mountain hut, or hike down in about 45 minutes. Confirm conditions and get information from the TI before doing these hikes. Children over age 3 can ride the coaster with an adult, but you may be asked for proof of age (bring kids’ passports).

Cost and Hours: €11 for chairlift up or down, €16 round-trip chairlift, €12 for coaster, €16.50 coaster combo-ticket with lift, parking-€5; coaster runs daily May-Sept 11:00-18:00 in good weather, April and Oct until 17:00, closed off-season; at the end of Kolbengasse, +49 8822 4760, www.kolbensattel.de.

Sleeping in Oberammergau

Accommodations in Oberammergau tend to be more affordable than in Füssen or Reutte. All offer free parking.

€€ Hotel Fux—quiet, romantic, and well run—rents 10 large rooms and six apartments decorated in traditional Bavarian style (free sauna, indoor playground, laundry service, no elevator, Mannagasse 2a, +49 8822 93093, www.hotel-in-oberammergau.de, info@firmafux.de, Michael and Melanie Fux).

€€ Mammhofer Suite & Breakfast, run by friendly Josef, offers nine contemporary-Bavarian rooms (mostly suites and most with views) in a quiet, residential neighborhood just across the street from the town center (Daisenbergerstrasse 10, +49 8822 923 753, www.mammhofer.com, stay@mammhofer.com).

€€ Gasthof zur Rose is big and centrally located, with 19 mostly small but comfortable rooms run by the friendly Frank family. At the reception desk, look at the several decades’ worth of photos showing the family performing in the Passion Play (family rooms, Dedlerstrasse 9, +49 8822 4706, www.rose-oberammergau.de, info@rose-oberammergau.de).

€ Gästehaus Magold, homey and family-friendly, has two bright and spacious rooms and three apartments—twice as nice as the cheap hotel rooms in town, and for much less (cash only, immediately behind Gasthof zur Rose at Kleppergasse 1, +49 151 7086 1830, www.gaestehaus-magold.de, info@gaestehaus-magold.de, hardworking Christine).

¢ Oberammergau Youth Hostel, on the river, is just a short walk from the center (family rooms, reception open 8:00-10:00 & 17:00-19:00, closed mid-Nov-Dec, Malensteinweg 10, +49 8822 4114, www.oberammergau.jugendherberge.de, oberammergau@jugendherberge.de).

Eating in Oberammergau

€€€ Ammergauer Maxbräu, inside Hotel Maximilian on the edge of downtown, serves high-quality, thoughtfully presented Bavarian fare with a modern, international twist. The rustic-yet-mod interior—with big copper vats where they brew their own beer—is cozy on a rainy day. And in nice weather, locals fill the beer garden out front (Wed-Sun 11:00-late, Mon from 17:00, closed Tue, reserve ahead at busy times, right behind the church, Ettaler Strasse 5, +49 8822 948 740, www.maximilian-oberammergau.de).

€€ El Puente may vex Mexican-food purists, but it’s the most hopping place in town, with margaritas and cocktails attracting young locals and tourists alike. Come not for the burritos and enchiladas but for the bustling energy (pricier steaks, Mon-Sat 17:30-late, closed Sun, Daisenbergerstrasse 3, +49 8822 945 777, www.elpuente-oberammergau.de).

€ Café Hochenleitner, a five-minute walk from the center, is quiet, with nice outdoor seating and run by a family whose son wins awards for his creative confections (Wed-Sun until 17:30, closed Mon-Tue, Faistenmantlgasse 7, +49 8822 1312).

Dessert: Eis Café Paradiso serves up good gelato along the main street. In nice weather, Germans sunbathe with their big sundaes on the generous patio out front (closed Tue, Dorfstrasse 4, +49 8822 6279).

Oberammergau Connections

From Oberammergau to: Linderhof Castle (bus #9622, every 1-2 hours, 30 minutes; many of these also stop at Ettal Monastery), Hohenschwangau (for Neuschwanstein) and Füssen (bus #9606, 3-5/day, 1.5 hours, some with a transfer to #73 at Echelsbacher Brücke), Garmisch-Partenkirchen (bus #9606, nearly hourly, 40 minutes; also possible by train with transfer in Murnau, 1.5 hours; from Garmisch, you can ascend the Zugspitze), Munich (hourly trains, 2 hours, change in Murnau). Train info: www.bahn.com.

Linderhof Castle

GOOGLE MAP

This homiest of “Mad” King Ludwig’s castles is a small, comfortably exquisite mini Versailles—good enough for a minor god, and worth ▲▲. Set in the woods a 15-minute drive from Oberammergau and surrounded by fountains and sculpted, Italian-style gardens, it’s the only palace I’ve toured that actually had me feeling envious. Entry into the castle is by guided tour only, but it’s free to walk around the grounds on your own. Tours run every 5-10 minutes in peak season and are generally offered in both German and English. Together the castle and grounds can be seen in about two hours.

GETTING THERE

Without a car, getting to (and back from) Linderhof is a royal headache, unless you’re staying in Oberammergau. Buses from Oberammergau take 30 minutes (#9622, every 1-2 hours). If you’re driving, pay to park in the lot near the ticket office (€3). If driving from Reutte, take the scenic Plansee route (sometimes closed in winter).

ORIENTATION TO LINDERHOF CASTLE

Cost: Castle—€10 timed-entry ticket, €9 in winter; castle gardens—free. The separate castle history exhibit in the King’s Cottage costs €2.

Hours: Castle and gardens—daily 9:00-18:00, mid-Oct-March 10:00-16:30; ticket office opens 30 minutes before castle. King’s Cottage—daily 11:00-18:00; mid-Oct-March Sun 12:00-16:30, closed Mon-Sat. Outlying buildings are closed mid-Oct-mid-April.

Information: +49 8822 92030, www.schlosslinderhof.de.

Advance Tickets Recommended: Though not required, booking tickets online in advance is an especially good idea July-September, when crowds can mean an hour’s wait to get in. You’ll choose your date and tour time when you book. With your digital ticket, you can head straight to the castle entrance.

Crowd-Beating Tips: The castle is most crowded in the late morning. During the busy summer season, if you don’t have a reservation, it’s wise to arrive after 16:00. Any other time of year, your wait to tour the palace should be brief (unless the next tour is not in English). If you do wind up with time to kill, walk through the extensive gardens, and visit some of the smaller buildings that can be seen quickly.

Sightseeing Tips: The complex sits isolated in natural splendor. To fully enjoy the park, plan for a two-hour stop with lots of walking (bring rain gear in iffy weather). The castle is a 10-minute walk from the ticket office or parking lot. At the castle entrance, wait in line at the turnstile listed on your ticket (A through D). After your tour, explore the rest of the park and the other royal buildings dotting the king’s playground.

Eating: A € café across from the ticket office serves simple lunches.

Renovations: Though renovations should be completed by the time you visit, there may be some lingering construction at the grotto behind the palace.

VISITING THE CASTLE

The main attraction here is the palace itself. While Neuschwanstein is Neo-Gothic—romanticizing the medieval glory days of Bavaria—Linderhof is Baroque and Rococo, the frilly, overly ornamented styles more associated with Louis XIV, the “Sun King” of France. And, while Neuschwanstein is full of swans, here you’ll see fleur-de-lis (the symbol of French royalty) and multiple portraits of Louis XIV, Louis XV, Madame Pompadour, and other pre-Revolutionary French elites. Though they lived a century apart, Ludwig and Louis were spiritual contemporaries: Both clung to the notion of absolute monarchy, despite the realities of the changing world around them. Capping the palace roofline is one of Ludwig’s favorite symbols: Atlas, with the weight of the world literally on his shoulders. Oh, those poor, overburdened, misunderstood absolute monarchs!

Ludwig was king for 22 of his 40 years. He lived much of his last eight years here—the only one of his castles that was finished in his lifetime. Frustrated by the limits of being a “constitutional monarch,” he retreated to Linderhof, inhabiting a private fantasy world where extravagant castles glorified his otherwise weakened kingship. You’ll notice that the castle is small—designed for a single occupant. Ludwig, who never married or had children, lived here as a royal hermit.

The castle tour includes 10 rooms on the upper floor. (The downstairs, where the servants lived and worked, now houses the gift shop.) You’ll see room after room exquisitely carved with Rococo curlicues, wrapped in gold leaf. Up above, the ceiling paintings have 3-D legs sticking out of the frame. Clearly inspired by Versailles, Linderhof even has its own (much smaller) hall of mirrors—decorated with over a hundred Nymphenburg porcelain vases and a priceless ivory chandelier. The bedroom features an oversized crystal chandelier, delicate Meissen porcelain flowers framing the mirrors, and a literally king-size bed—a two-story canopy affair draped in blue velvet. Perhaps the most poignant sight, a sad commentary on Ludwig’s tragically solitary lifestyle, is his dinner table—preset with dishes and food—which could rise from the kitchen below into his dining room so he could eat alone. (Examine the incredibly delicate flowers in the Meissen porcelain centerpiece.)

The palace is flanked on both sides with grand, terraced fountains (peopled by gleaming golden gods) that erupt at the top and bottom of each hour. If you’re waiting for your palace tour to begin, hike up to the top of the terrace for a fine view.

Ludwig’s grotto (dubbed the “Venus Grotto”), behind the palace, recently underwent restoration work but should reopen by the time you visit. Inspired by Wagner’s Tannhäuser opera, this artificial cave (300 feet long and 70 feet tall) is actually a performance space. Its rocky walls are made of cement poured over an iron frame. (While Ludwig exalted the distant past, he took full advantage of then-cutting-edge technology to bring his fantasies to life.) The grotto provided a private theater for the reclusive king to enjoy his beloved Wagnerian operas—he was usually the sole member of the audience. The grotto features a waterfall, fake stalactites, and a swan boat floating on an artificial lake (which could be heated for swimming). Brick ovens hidden in the walls could be used to heat the huge space. The first electricity in Bavaria was generated here, to change the colors of the stage lights and to power Ludwig’s fountain and wave machine.

The King’s Cottage (Königshäuschen), along the path between the ticket booth and the palace, was the original farmhouse on the estate. Today it houses an exhibit on the history of the property, which is worth the modest entry price if you have time; ask to borrow the folder with English translations.

Other Sights at Linderhof: Several other smaller buildings are scattered around the grounds; look for posted maps and directional signs to track them down. You’ll need a castle ticket to enter any of these. Most interesting are the Moroccan House and Moorish Kiosk. With over-the-top decor seemingly designed by a sultan’s decorator on acid, these allowed Ludwig to “travel” to exotic lands without leaving the comfort of Bavaria. (The Moorish Kiosk is more interesting; look for its gilded dome in the woods beyond the grotto.) At the far edge of the property is Hunding’s Hut, inspired by Wagner’s The Valkyrie—a rustic-cottage stage-set with a fake ash tree inside it.

Ettal Monastery

In 1330, the king of Bavaria was returning home from Italy after being crowned Holy Roman Emperor, carrying what was considered a miraculous statue of Mary and Jesus. He was in political and financial trouble, so to please God, he founded a monastery with the statue as its centerpiece. The monastery, at a strategic point on the approach to the passes over the Alps, became important as a place of pilgrimage. Stopping here (free and easy for drivers) offers a convenient peek at a splendid Baroque church, worth ▲. Restaurants across the road serve lunch.

GETTING THERE

Ettal Monastery dominates the village of Ettal—you can’t miss it. Ettal is a few minutes’ drive (or a delightful bike ride) from Oberammergau. The P3 parking lot is convenient to the monastery (€2/4 hours). Some Oberammergau-to-Linderhof buses stop here (see “Oberammergau Connections,” earlier).

ORIENTATION TO ETTAL MONASTERY

Cost and Hours: The church is free and usually open daily 8:30-19:30 in summer, until 18:00 off-season. It’s best not to visit during Mass (usually Sun at 7:30 and 10:30). If you’re moved to make a donation, you can drop a coin in one of the old-fashioned collection boxes.

Information: +49 8822 740, www.kloster-ettal.de.

VISITING THE MONASTERY

As you enter the more than 1,000-square-foot courtyard, imagine the 14th-century Benedictine abbey, an independent religious community. It produced everything it needed right here. In the late Middle Ages, abbeys like this had jurisdiction over the legal system, administration, and taxation of their district. Since then, the monastery has had its ups and downs. Secularized during the French Revolution and Napoleonic age, the Benedictines’ property was confiscated by the state and sold. Religious life returned a century later.

Today, the abbey survives, and more than 50 monks live here. It remains a self-contained community, with living quarters for the monks, workshops, and guests’ quarters. Along with their religious responsibilities, the brothers make their famous liqueur, brew beer, and sell their wares at two shops (look for the Klosterladen by the courtyard or the Kloster-Markt across the street).

The monks here also run a hotel and private high school. (The school was the subject of scandal in the 2010s, when news broke that some monks at Ettal had physically and sexually abused students for years, from the 1960s through the late 1980s. The church paid out hundreds of thousands of euros in restitution to the victims, and at least one monk was sentenced to jail time.)

After entering the outer door, notice the tympanum over the inner door dating from 1350. It shows the founding couple, Emperor Louis the Bavarian and his wife Margaret, directing our attention to the crucified Lord and inviting us to enter the church contemplatively.

20 + C + M + B + 25

All over Germany (and much of Catholic Europe), you’ll likely see written on doorways a mysterious message: “20 + C + M + B + 25.” This is marked in chalk (or with a sticker that looks like chalk) on Epiphany (January 6), the Christian holiday celebrating the arrival of the Magi to adore the newborn Baby Jesus. In addition to being the initials of the three wise men (Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar), the letters also stand for the Latin phrase Christus mansionem benedicat—“May Christ bless the house.” The numbers represent the year (20 + 25), and the little crosses remind all who enter that the house has been blessed in this year. Epiphany is a bigger deal in Catholic Europe than in the US. The holiday includes gift-giving, feasting, and caroling door to door—often collecting for a charity organization. Those who donate get their doors chalked up in thanks, and these marks are left above the door through the year.

Stepping inside, the light draws our eyes to the dome (it’s a double-shell design, 230 feet high) rather than to the high altar. Illusions—with the dome opening right to the sky—merge heaven and earth. The dome fresco shows hundreds of Benedictines worshipping the Holy Trinity...the glory of the Benedictine Order. This is classic south-German Baroque.

Statues of the saints on the altars are either engaged in a holy conversation with each other or singing the praises of God. Gilded curlicues seem to create constant movement, with cherubs adding to the energy. Side altars and confessionals seem to grow out of the architectural structure; its decorations and furnishings become part of an organic whole. Imagine how 18th-century farmers and woodcutters, who never traveled, would step in here on Sunday and be inspired to praise their God.

The monastery’s origin story is shown over the choir arch directly above the altar: An angel wearing the robe of a Benedictine monk presents the emperor with a marble Madonna and commissions him to found this monastery. (In reality, the statue was made in Pisa, circa 1300, and given to the emperor in Italy.)

Dwarfed by all the magnificence and framed by a monumental tabernacle is that tiny, most precious statue of the abbey—the miraculous statue of Mary and the Baby Jesus.

Zugspitze

GOOGLE MAP

The highest point in Germany, worth ▲▲ in clear weather, is also a border crossing. Cable cars from both Austria and Germany meet at the 9,700-foot summit of the Zugspitze (TSOOG-shpit-seh). You can straddle the border between two great nations while enjoying an incredible view. Restaurants, shops, a small museum, and telescopes await you at the summit.

You can ascend the summit of Zugspitze from either the German or Austrian side. While those without a car will find the German ascent from Garmisch-Partenkirchen easier, the Austrian ascent is also doable.

For an overview, see the “Füssen and Reutte Area” map, earlier in this chapter.

SUMMITING FROM GERMANY

From the German side, you can either take a cable car or cogwheel train to the summit. Both leave from the Garmisch area and cost the same (€72 round-trip, less in winter, +49 8821 7970, www.zugspitze.de). Both may close for maintenance a few days in May.

You can choose between the cable car and cogwheel train on the spur of the moment, and go up on one and down on the other. Although the train ride takes longer, many travelers enjoy the more involved cog railway experience—at least one-way. The disadvantage of the train is that more than half of the trip is through dark tunnels deep in the mountains; aside from a few fleeting glimpses of the Eibsee lake sparkling below, it’s not very scenic.

In general, allow plenty of time for afternoon descents: If bad weather hits in the late afternoon, cable cars can be delayed at the summit. The last descent of the day is generally at the listed closing time; confirm when you arrive.

Ascent Options

Zugspitzbahn Cogwheel Train: The cogwheel train runs from Garmisch-Partenkirchen to Eibsee to Zugspitzplatt—the plateau just below the mountain’s summit (hourly, daily 8:15-16:30, 75 minutes from Garmisch, 45 minutes from Eibsee, last ascent from Garmisch-Partenkirchen at 14:15, last ascent from Eibsee at 14:45). At Zugspitzplatt, you’ll transfer from the train to the short Gletscherbahn cable car, which takes three minutes to ascend the last short stretch to the summit.

Seilbahn Cable Car: This panoramic cable car runs from Eibsee to the summit of the Zugspitze (at least 2/hour, July-Aug daily 8:00-17:45, Sept-June 8:30-16:45, 10 minutes to the top, last ascent 30 minutes before closing).

At the Summit: Arriving at the sleek, modern station at the top, head up to level 3 (or take elevators, given the high altitude)—follow signs for Gipfel (summit). Then read “Visiting the Summit,” on the next page.

Getting to the Cogwheel Train or Cable Car

If relying on public transit, first head to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, then hop on the Zugspitzbahn cogwheel train. After 30 minutes, you’ll reach Eibsee, where you can either transfer to the cable car or continue upwards on the train. (For details on getting to Garmisch, see “Füssen Connections” and “Oberammergau Connections,” earlier.)

For drivers, it makes the most sense to park at Eibsee (€8/4 hours) and get on the train or cable car there (though the ticket price is the same as from Garmisch). Eibsee is about a 10-minute drive beyond Garmisch (head through town following signs for Fernpass/Reutte and watch for the Zugspitze turnoff on the left). With extra time, consider the easy six-mile, two-hour walk around the lovely lake at Eibsee (start 5 minutes downhill from cable car station).

SUMMITING FROM AUSTRIA

The cable car ascent from the Austrian side (Tiroler Zugspitzbahn) is less crowded and cheaper than the Bavarian options.

Tiroler Zugspitzbahn Cable Car

This lift zips you from the top of Ehrwald town to the summit of Zugspitze in 10 minutes (€60.50 round-trip, departures in each direction every 20 minutes, daily 8:40-16:40 except closed for maintenance for about a month in spring and a month in fall, can close during bad weather May-June and Oct-Nov, last ascent at 16:00, last descent at closing time, +43 5673 2309, www.zugspitze.at).

Getting to the Cable Car Station

Make your way to the village of Ehrwald. Drivers follow signs for Tiroler Zugspitzbahn (parking €5/day).

By public transit, it’s a 30-minute train or bus ride from Reutte to the Ehrwald train station, which is confusingly called Ehrwald Zugspitzbahn Bahnhof on schedules (departures at least hourly, €7.20 one-way). Then take local bus #1 or #7 to the lift station, called Ehrwald Zugspitzbahn Talstation (departures nearly hourly), or pay about €15 for the five-minute taxi ride from the train station. Use the Austrian transport website Oebb.at to check schedules and plan.

VISITING THE SUMMIT

The two summit terraces—Bavarian and Tirolean—are connected by a narrow walkway, which was the border station before Germany and Austria opened their borders. The Austrian (Tirolean) side was higher until the Germans blew its top off in World War II to make a flak tower, so let’s start there.

Tirolean Terrace: Before you stretches the Zugspitzplatt glacier. A reflector once stood here to slow it from shrinking during summer months. Many ski lifts fan out here, as if reaching for a ridge that defines the border between Germany and Austria. The circular metal building far below is the top of the cog railway line that the Germans cut through the mountains in 1931. Just above that, find a small square building—the Hochzeitskapelle (wedding chapel) consecrated in 1981 by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (a.k.a. the retired Pope Benedict XVI).

Both Germany and Austria use this rocky pinnacle for communication purposes. The square box on the Tirolean Terrace provides the Innsbruck airport with air traffic control, and a tower nearby is for the German Katastrophenfunk (civil defense network).

This highest point in Germany (there are many higher points in Austria) was first climbed in 1820. The Austrians built a cable car that nearly reached the summit in 1926. (You can see it just over the ridge on the Austrian side—look for the ghostly, abandoned concrete station.) In 1964, the final leg, a new lift, was built connecting that 1926 station to the actual summit, where you stand now. Before then, people had to hike the final 650 feet to the top. Today’s lift carries half a million people up to the Zugspitze every year. The Austrian station has a fine little museum—free with Austrian ticket, €5 if you came up from Germany—that shows three interesting videos (6-minute 3-D mountain show, 30-minute making-of-the-lift documentary, and 45-minute look at the nature, sport, and culture of the region).

Looking up the valley from the Tirolean Terrace, you can see the towns of Ehrwald and Lermoos in the distance, and the valley that leads to Reutte. Looking farther clockwise, you’ll see the Eibsee below. Hell’s Valley, stretching to the right of the Eibsee, seems to merit its name.

Bavarian Terrace: The narrow passage connecting the two terraces used to be a big deal—you’d show your passport here at the little blue hut (now a gift shop) and shift from Austrian schillings to German marks. Notice the regional pride here: no German or Austrian national banners, but regional ones instead—Freistaat Bayern (Bavaria) and Land Tirol.

The German side features a golden cross marking the summit...the highest point in Germany. A priest and his friends hauled it up in 1851. The historic original was shot up by American soldiers using it for target practice in the late 1940s, so what you see today is a modern replacement. In the summer, it’s easy to “summit” the Zugspitze, as there are steps and handholds all the way to the top. Or you can just stay behind and feed the birds. The yellow-beaked ravens get chummy with those who share a little pretzel or bread.

The oldest building up here is the Münchner Haus, the first mountaineers’ hut, built in 1897 and entwined with mighty cables that cinch it down. In 1985, observers clocked 200-mph winds up here—those cables were necessary.

On level 1, near the WCs, an exhibit of historical photos and artifacts is worth a look if you have time to kill before heading back down. If you’re going down on the German side, remember you must choose between the cable car (look for the Eibsee signs) or cog railway (look for Talfahrt/Descent, with a picture of a train; you’ll board a smaller cable car for the quick trip to the train station at Zugspitzplatt).

Reutte, Austria

Reutte (ROY-teh), a relaxed Austrian town of 6,000, is a 20-minute drive across the border from Füssen and the King’s Castles. Reutte’s setting—surrounded by alpine peaks—is striking. The town itself is relatively unexceptional, but that’s the point: I enjoy Reutte for the opportunity it offers to simply be in a real community. It’s practical, authentic, and convenient to the area’s major sights. With a car, it’s my preferred home base in the area because of its good-value accommodations.

Some travelers tell me this town is over-Reutte-d. Yes, Füssen’s tidy pedestrian core and glitzy hotels are appealing. But in my view, Reutte has two big advantages: its fine countryside accommodations (the farther from the town center, the more rustic, authentic, and relaxing) and its proximity to one of my favorite ruined castles, Ehrenberg.

Reutte has one claim to fame among Americans. As Nazi Germany was falling in 1945, Hitler’s top rocket scientist, Wern-her von Braun, joined the Americans (rather than the Russians) in Reutte. You could say that the American space program began here.

Orientation to Reutte

Reutte feels spread out, because it’s really a web of several villages that fill a basin hemmed in by mountains and cut through by the Lech River. Drivers find its tangle of crisscrossing roads bewildering at first; know where you’re going and follow signs to stay on track (see the “Greater Reutte” map).

Reutte proper, near the train station, has a one-street downtown where you’ll find the TI, museum, and a couple of hotels and eateries. The area’s real charm lies in the abutting hamlets, and that’s where my favorite hotels and restaurants are located: Brei-tenwang, flowing directly from Reutte to the east, marked by its pointy steeple; Ehenbichl, a farming village cuddled up against the mountains to the south; Höfen, squeezed between an airstrip and a cable-car station, just across the river from Ehenbichl; and remote Pinswang, stranded in a forgotten valley halfway to Germany, just over the mountain from Neuschwanstein. Watching over it all to the south are the Ehrenberg Castle ruins—viewable from just about everywhere and evocatively floodlit at night—two miles out of town on the main Innsbruck road.

TOURIST INFORMATION

Reutte’s excellent TI is a block from the train station (Mon-Fri 9:00-17:00, mid-May-Aug also Sat 9:00-12:00, closed Sun, Untermarkt 34, +43 5672 62336, www.reutte.com). Go over your sightseeing plans, ask about a Tirolean folk evening performance (summer only), and pick up city and biking/hiking maps, bus schedules, a free town info booklet (with a good self-guided walk), and a brochure explaining the Aktiv-Card (available at hotels; see “Helpful Hints”).

ARRIVAL IN REUTTE

By Car: From the expressway, take the south (Süd) exit into town (even if you pass the Nord exit first). For parking in town, blue lines denote pay-and-display spots. There are a few spaces just outside the TI that are free for up to 30 minutes—handy for stopping by with a few questions en route to your out-of-town hotel. For longer stays, there’s a free lot (P1) about a 10-minute walk from the town center and train station, at the corner of Mühler Strasse and Runzfeld.

Austria requires a toll sticker (vignette) for driving on its expressways (€11.50/10 days, buy at the border, gas stations, car-rental agencies, or Tabak shops—or go online for digital versions at https://shop.asfinag.at/en [URL inactive]). A one-day vignette is available in digital form only for €8.60. Those just dipping into Tirol from Bavaria don’t need one—even on the expressway-like bypass around Reutte.

By Train or Bus: When traveling by train, make sure to get off at Reutte Bahnhof, not Reutte Schulzentrum. From the tidy little train/bus station (no baggage storage, usually unstaffed), exit straight ahead and walk three minutes straight up Bahnhofstrasse. After the park on your left, you’ll see the TI.

HELPFUL HINTS

Hotel Card: Guests staying in the Reutte area (and, therefore, paying the local hotel tax) are entitled to an Aktiv-Card—be sure to ask your hotel for one (cards not issued Nov-late Dec or April). The TI has a brochure explaining the card’s many benefits, including free travel on buses to Füssen and other local routes, discounted taxi service, free admission to the recommended museum below Ehrenberg Castle, 50 percent off the Alpentherme bath complex, and discounts on many outdoor activities. Download the brochure from the TI website (www.reutte.com; click on “Vacation Planning,” then “Guests Active Card”).

Laundry: The nearest launderette is in Füssen. If you can’t get there, a couple of recommended hotels in Reutte let nonguests use their laundry services: Hotel Maximilian (wash, dry, and fold) and Alpenhotel Ernberg (self-service).

Bike Rental: Try Sport 2000 Paulweber (Mon-Fri 8:30-12:00 & 14:00-18:00, Sat 8:30-12:00, closed Sun, Allgäuer Strasse 15—for location, see the map on here, +43 5672 62232).

Taxi: Inexpensive taxi service is available to hotel guests with an Aktiv-Card (described earlier). Those without a card can call Reutte Taxi (+43 699 1050 4949).

Sights in and near Reutte

▲▲EHRENBERG CASTLE WORLD

Ehrenberg Museum

Map: Greater Reutte

▲▲Ehrenberg Castle Ruins

▲Schlosskopf

Highline 179 Suspension Footbridge

Dragon Fly Zip Line

IN REUTTE TOWN

Reutte Museum (Museum im Grünen Haus)

▲▲Tirolean Folk Evenings

Alpentherme Ehrenberg

ACROSS THE RIVER, IN HÖFEN

▲Scenic Flights

Hahnenkammbahn

NEAR REUTTE

Sights Along the Lech River

▲▲Biberwier Luge Course

▲▲EHRENBERG CASTLE WORLD

If Neuschwanstein was the medieval castle dream, Ehrenberg is the medieval castle reality. Once the largest fortification in Tirol, its brooding ruins lie about two miles outside Reutte. What’s here is actually an ensemble of four fortifications, built to defend against the Bavarians and to bottle up the strategic Via Claudia trade route, which cut through the Alps as it connected Italy and Germany. Half-forgotten and overgrown for much of the last century, the ruins have been transformed into a fine attraction with hiking paths, a museum, a guesthouse, two incline elevators, a zip line, and a 1,200-foot pedestrian suspension bridge with 360-degree views. The European Union helped fund the project because it promotes the heritage of a multinational region—Tirol—rather than a country.

In Roman times, the Via Claudia—the road below Ehrenberg—was the main route between northern Italy (Verona) and southern Germany (Augsburg) and was broad enough for wheeled traffic. Historians estimate that in medieval times, about 10,000 tons of precious salt passed through this valley each year, so it’s no wonder the locals built this complex of fortresses and castles to control traffic and levy tolls on all who passed.

The complex has four parts: the old toll buildings on the valley floor, where you park (the Klause); the oldest castle, on the hilltop directly above (Ehrenberg); a mightier fort on a higher peak of the same hill (Schlosskopf); and a smaller fortification across the valley (Fort Claudia). All four were once a single complex connected by walls. Signs posted throughout the site help orient visitors and explain some background on the region’s history, geology, flora, and fauna, and colorful, fun boards relate local folktales.

Cost and Hours: The castle ruins themselves are free (and always open). The museum, suspension bridge, elevators, and zip line have fees (see individual listings), and you’ll pay to park a car. If you walk up, skip any pricey activities, and bring a picnic, spending the day here costs very little.

Information and Services: +43 5672 62007, www.ehrenberg.at. Down in the valley, the helpful information desk sells tickets and has trail maps (open daily 9:00-18:00, Nov-April 10:00-16:00). Take advantage of the WCs before you begin your ascent (there are also small WCs at the lift stations).

Getting There: The castles are on the road to Lermoos and Innsbruck, just five minutes by car from Reutte (parking-€5/day). It’s a pleasant but steep 30-minute walk or a short bike ride from town; bikers can use the Radwanderweg along the Lech River (the TI has a good map). For an overview, see the “Greater Reutte” map on here.

Local bus #120 runs sporadically from Reutte’s main train station to Ehrenberg (8/day Mon-Fri, fewer Sat-Sun, 10 minutes, €2.90; see www.oebb.at or www.vvt.at for schedules—the stop name is “Ehrenberger Klause”). However, no buses run directly back to Reutte from the castle; you’ll need to walk or take a taxi (see “Helpful Hints,” earlier).

Taking the Lifts: You can cut down the steep climb to the ruins by taking two incline elevators. The lower elevator, called the Ehrenberg Liner, runs from the visitor center up to Hornwerk (the level of Ehrenberg Castle and most attractions). The upper elevator, called the Top Liner, continues from Hornwerk all the way up to the Schlosskopf fort. While people of average fitness can manage the climb up from the visitor center to Hornwerk on foot, for most visitors the upper elevator is the best way to get to the Schlosskopf (€9 round-trip for either elevator or €17 for both, family discounts available, €5.50 to descend one-way from Schlosskopf to Hornwerk, buy tickets at info desk or vending machines, runs daily 8:30-22:00, mid-Nov-Easter 9:00-18:00).

Eating: The €€ Salzstadl (“salt barn”), next to the museum, once held valuable salt being transported along the Via Claudia. Now it’s a rustic restaurant with lots of outdoor seating and typical Tirolean meals, including €13.50 fixed-price lunches (Wed-Sun until 20:00, closed Mon-Tue; +43 5672 62213, www.ehrenberg.de). There’s also the € Café Klause, serving snacks, cakes, and ice cream (Fri-Tue until 17:00, closed Wed-Thu).

Ehrenberg Museum

While there are no real artifacts here, this kid-friendly museum is hands-on and well described in English. The focus is on castles, knights, and medieval warcraft. Video exhibits trace a fictional (and rather glum) story of a horse groomer in the 1300s who leaves behind the love of his life to seek his fortune so they can wed. Following his quest, you can try on a set of armor (and then weigh yourself), learn about everyday medieval life, empathize with victims of the plague, and join a Crusade. In the armory section, you can heft replica weapons from the period. Videos and soundtracks spring to life if you press a button (select E for English).

Cost and Hours: €8, daily 9:00-18:00, mid-Nov-April 10:00-16:00, closed in early Nov, last entry one hour before closing.

▲▲Ehrenberg Castle Ruins

Ehrenberg, a romantic 13th-century ruin, offers great views and a super opportunity to let your imagination off its leash. Hike up 30 minutes from the parking lot in the valley or pay to take the Ehrenberg Liner elevator most of the way (see “Taking the Lifts,” earlier). The trail up (basically a one-lane gravel road) is easy to follow, but quite steep. Once you reach the castle itself, you’ll want good shoes to scramble over the uneven stairs. The castle is free and always open.

Self-Guided Tour: If you’re hiking up, from the parking lot, follow the yellow signs up into the woods, tracking Ruine Ehrenberg or Bergruine Ehrenberg. At the top of the switchback, notice the option to turn left and hike 45 minutes up to Schlosskopf, the higher fortification (described next; this is an easier ascent than the very steep route you can take from closer to Ehrenberg). But we’ll head right and continue for 20 minutes up the path to Hornwerk, the station where the two elevators meet.

• Pause here to get your bearings.

Hornwerk: At the same level as the Hornwerk station are the entrance to the suspension bridge and the beginning of the zip line ride (see later). Ahead of you, a short climb away, are the ruins of Ehrenberg Castle. To the left, the upper elevator ascends to the Schlosskopf, high above you and out of sight.

A “hornwork” is an entrance bastion shaped like the horns of a steer (hence the name) for more effective defense. Today, Ehrenberg’s Hornwerk houses free exhibits (including videos) about the fortifications, one of them pitched at children; there’s also a playground.

• For now, pass through these exhibits (you can see them as you return) and twist for another 5-10 minutes up the path to the castle itself.

Castle Gate and Courtyard: Ehrenberg is the oldest castle here, built around 1290 and designed to stand boastfully tall. As you approach its outer gate, look for the small door to the left. It’s the night entrance (tight and awkward, and therefore safer against a surprise attack). But we’ll head through the main gate—actually, two of them. Castles were designed with layered defenses—outer bastion down below, outer gate here, inner gate deeper within—which allowed step-by-step retreat, giving defenders time to regroup and fight back against invading forces.

After you pass through the outer gate, but before climbing to the top of the castle, follow the path around to the right to a big, grassy courtyard with commanding views and a fat, restored turret. This stored gunpowder and held a big cannon that enjoyed a clear view of the valley below. In medieval times, all the trees approaching the castle were cleared to keep an unobstructed view. There was no water supply here—just kegs of wine, beer, and a cistern to collect rain.

• Look out over the valley.

Valley View: The pointy church spire marks the village of Brei-tenwang, which was the site of a Roman camp in AD 46. In 1489, after a bridge was built across the Lech River at Reutte (marked by the onion-domed church with the yellow tower), Reutte was made a market town and eclipsed Breitenwang in importance. Any gliders circling? They launch from just over the river in Höfen.

For centuries, this castle was the seat of government—ruling an area called the “judgment of Ehrenberg” (roughly the same as today’s “district of Reutte”). When the emperor came by, he stayed here. In 1604, the ruler moved downtown into more comfortable quarters, and the castle no longer served as a palace.

• Now explore the castle.

Castle Ruins: In the last decade, centuries of rubble have been cleared out, exposing the chapel, kitchen, and a long stairway tunneled through the rock. You may see masons at work strengthening the walls. Appreciate how strategic this lofty position is, and its command over the highway down in the valley below the suspension bridge. But also notice that you’re sandwiched between two higher hilltops: Schlosskopf in one direction and Falkenberg (across the narrow valley) in the other. In the days before gunpowder, those higher positions offered no real threat. But in the age of cannonballs, Ehrenberg was suddenly very vulnerable...and very obsolete.

Still, Ehrenberg repelled 16,000 Swedish soldiers in the defense of Catholicism in 1632. But once Schlosskopf was fortified a few decades later, Ehrenberg’s days were numbered, and its end was not glorious. In the 1780s, a local businessman bought the castle in order to sell off its parts. Later, in the late 19th century, when vagabonds moved in, the roof was removed to make squatting miserable. With the roof gone, deterioration quickened, leaving only this evocative shell and a whiff of history.

• Scramble around the ruined walls a bit—nocking imaginary arrows—then head back down through the Hornwerk bastion. Either return to the valley the way you came, or if you have more energy and castle curiosity, conquer the fortification higher up: Schlosskopf.

▲Schlosskopf

When Bavarian troops captured Ehrenberg in 1703, the Tiroleans climbed up to the bluff above it to rain cannonballs down on their former castle. In 1740, a mighty new fortress—designed to defend against modern artillery—was built on this sky-high strategic location: Schlosskopf (“Castle Head”). But it too fell into ruin, and by the end of the 20th century, the walls were completely overgrown with trees—from a distance, you couldn’t tell there was a fort here. Today the trees have been shaved away, and the fortress has been excavated, but is still a work in progress. From the spectacular view platforms, you can look down on Ehrenberg Castle, illustrating the strategic problems presented by the advent of the cannon. Information boards tell the fort’s history, and one of the surviving buildings has been made into a scented relaxation space.

Getting There: Most take the elevator (see “Taking the Lifts,” earlier). There are two hiking routes to Schlosskopf, both steep and time-consuming. The steeper of the two (about 30 minutes straight up) starts just above the Hornwerk bastion, below Ehrenberg Castle. The second, which curls around the back of the hill, is less steep but takes longer (45-60 minutes); this one begins from the switchback along the gravel road between Hornwerk and the valley floor—just watch for Schlosskopf signs.

Highline 179 Suspension Footbridge

At more than 1,200 feet long, this suspended pedestrian bridge hangs more than 300 feet above the valley floor, stretching from Hornwerk (just below Ehrenberg Castle) to the previously difficult-to-reach Fort Claudia across the valley. The bridge was the vision of architect and local trailblazer Armin Walch, who has been the prime mover behind the restoration of the whole Ehrenberg area. Designed by Swiss engineers and paid for by private investors, the bridge was erected in just six months. With your ticket, the turnstile lets you in, then you walk to the far side, where you’re welcome to leave the bridge and enjoy the viewpoint. With the same ticket, you can walk back across the bridge to your starting point at Hornwerk.

I’m not much into adventure sports, but for me, this wobbly ramble is a thrill. If you look down, directly beneath you is the Via Claudia, which in Roman times was the main route between Italy and Germany.

Cost and Hours: €10 round-trip; daily 8:00-22:00, open rain or shine unless too windy, +43 5672 62007, www.highline179.tirol. (Note that the bridge is too narrow for strollers and baby carriages.)

Buying Tickets: There are cash-only ticket machines at the bridge entrance, but it’s better to purchase bridge tickets at the information desk down in the valley, which accepts credit cards and gives children a discount that’s not available from the machines.

Dragon Fly Zip Line

This zip line lets you harness up and glide from Hornwerk down a 600-yard cable into the valley, landing at an outlying parking lot a 5-to-10-minute walk from the museum (€20/ride, check website for child restrictions; mid-May-Oct daily 11:00-16:00, April weekends only, closed off-season; +43 670 655 3931, www.dragon-fly.at).

IN REUTTE TOWN

Reutte Museum (Museum im Grünen Haus)

Reutte’s cute city museum offers a quick look at the local folk culture and the story of the castles. There are exhibits on Ehrenberg and the Via Claudia, local painters, and more—ask to borrow the English translations.

Cost and Hours: €5; Tue-Sat 13:00-17:00, closed Sun-Mon; in the green building with trompe l’oeil columns and window trim at Untermarkt 25, around corner from Hotel Goldener Hirsch, +43 5672 72304, www.museum-reutte.at.

▲▲Tirolean Folk Evenings

Ask the TI or your hotel if there’s a Tirolean folk evening scheduled; these are generally free, fun, and worth your time. During the summer (July-Sept), nearby towns (such as Höfen) occasionally put on an evening of yodeling, slap dancing, and Tirolean frolic. Off-season, you’ll have to do your own yodeling. Free open-air concerts (Platzkonzerte) are held in Reutte and the surrounding communities in the summer. The TI website has a page of upcoming events (www.reutte.com/event-calendar).

Alpentherme Ehrenberg

This extensive swimming pool and sauna complex, a 15-minute walk from downtown Reutte, is a tempting retreat. The Badewelt section features two indoor pools and a big outdoor saltwater pool, and two indoor waterslides. The all-nude Saunaparadies section (no kids under age 16) consists of three indoor saunas, three freestanding outdoor saunas, and a big outdoor swimming pool. You’ll be given a wristband that lets you access your locker and buy snacks (you’ll settle up when you leave). Those staying in the Reutte area get a 50 percent discount with an Aktiv-Card (see “Helpful Hints,” earlier); it’s a nice way to relax after hiking around castles all day.

Cost and Hours: Pools only—€14.50/2 hours, €16.50/4 hours; sauna and pools—€31.50/3 hours, €39.50/day; towels and robes for rent, swimsuits sold but not rented; daily 10:00-20:00, sauna until 21:00, open one hour later Oct-April, closes for one week every April or May; Thermenstrasse 10, +43 5672 72222, www.alpentherme-ehrenberg.at.

ACROSS THE RIVER, IN HÖFEN

Just over the Lech River are two very different ways to reach high-altitude views. To get here from Reutte, head up Lindenstrasse (where the cobbled Obermarkt ends), cross the bridge, and turn left down Lechtaler Strasse; as you enter the village of Höfen, you’ll see the cable car to your right and the airstrip to your left.

▲Scenic Flights

For a major thrill on a sunny day, drop by the tiny airport in Höfen, where gliders and small single-prop planes take passengers on scenic flights (April-Oct). Although I’ve listed contact information below, your best bet is to show up at the airstrip on a good-weather afternoon and ask around. Glider flights cost less and are easier to arrange (€70-90 for a 30-minute flight, +43 699 1022 2274, www.segelflugvereinausserfern.at, reinhold.zach@tnr.at). Prop planes can buzz the Zugspitze and Ludwig’s castles and give you a bird’s-eye peek at the Ehrenberg ruins. Pilots are based out of two different restaurants that face the airstrip. From the main road, watch for the big building marked Flugplatz down below.

Hahnenkammbahn

This mountain lift swoops you high above the tree line in eight-seat gondolas to an attractive panoramic restaurant and starting point for several hikes that lead to sweeping vistas. In the alpine flower park, special paths take you past countless varieties of local flora. There’s also a barefoot hiking trail (Barfusswanderweg), designed to be walked without shoes.

Cost and Hours: €21 one-way, €28 round-trip, runs daily late May-early Nov 8:30-16:30, flowers best in late July, +43 5672 62420, www.reuttener-seilbahnen.at.

NEAR REUTTE

Sights Along the Lech River

About a mile north of Reutte, just before the village of Pflach, is an impressive wooden birdwatching tower (Vogelbeobachtungsturm). Five flights of stairs lead up 60 feet to a platform from which you can observe the vibrant bird life in the wetlands along the Lech River (110 species of birds nest here). Drivers should leave Reutte on Allgäuer Strasse and look for Vogelerlebnispfad signs.

The Lech River begins high in the Alps and meanders 75 miles (including right past Reutte) on its way to the German border at Füssen. Lechweg.com describes hiking paths that lead along the pristine and undammed river all the way up to its source.

▲▲Biberwier Luge Course

Less than a half-hour’s drive from Reutte towards Innsbruck is the Biberwier Sommerrodelbahn. At 4,250 feet, it’s the longest summer luge in Tirol. This is the most exciting (and dangerous) of the region’s luge rides. The drawbacks are its brief season, short hours, and a proclivity for shutting down sporadically—even at the slightest bit of rain. Keep your knees and elbows in tight, keep both hands on the stick, and watch your speed on corners. Every day some hotshot leaves a big chunk of skin on the course—a painful souvenir that lasts a very long time.

If you don’t have a car, this is not worth the trouble; consider the luge near Neuschwanstein instead (see “Tegelberg Luge” on here). The ugly cube-shaped building marring the countryside near the luge course is a hotel for outdoor adventure enthusiasts. You can ride your mountain bike right into your room, or skip the elevator by using its indoor climbing wall.

Cost and Hours: €10/ride, cheaper with multiride tickets; daily mid-May-early Oct 9:00-17:00, July-Aug until 18:00, closed off-season; +43 5673 2323, www.bergbahnen-langes.at.

Luge Lesson

Taking a wild ride on a summer luge (pronounced “loozh”) is a quintessential alpine experience. In German, it’s called a Sommerrodelbahn (“summer toboggan run”). To try one of Europe’s great accessible thrills, take the lift up to the top of a mountain, grab a wheeled sled-like go-cart, and scream back down the mountainside on a banked course. Then take the lift back up and start all over again.

Luge courses are highly weather dependent and can close at the slightest hint of rain. If the weather’s questionable, call ahead to confirm that your preferred luge is open. Stainless steel courses are more likely than concrete ones to stay open in drizzly weather.

Operating the sled is simple: Push the stick forward to go faster, pull back to apply brakes. Even a novice can go very, very fast. Most are cautious on their first run, speed demons on their second...and bruised and bloody on their third. A woman once showed me her travel journal illustrated with her husband’s dried five-inch-long luge scab. He had disobeyed the only essential rule of luging: Keep both hands on your stick. To avoid a bumper-to-bumper traffic jam, let the person in front of you get as far ahead as possible before you start. You’ll emerge from the course with a windblown hairdo and a smile-creased face.

Key Luge Terms

Lenkstange | lever
drücken / schneller fahren | push / go faster
ziehen / bremsen | pull / brake
Schürfwunde | scrape
Schorf | scab

Getting There: Take the main road from Reutte toward Innsbruck, then get off at Biberwier, the first exit after the long Lermoose tunnel. Set your GPS to Marienbergweg 16, 6633 Biberwier.

Sleeping in and near Reutte

While it’s not impossible by public transport, staying here makes most sense for those with a car. Reutte is popular with Austrians and Germans, who visit year after year for one- or two-week vacations. Remember to ask for the Aktiv-Card (see “Helpful Hints,” earlier). My recommendations all have free parking and most serve a great breakfast. All are in the “villages” around Reutte (such as Breitenwang, Ehenbichl, and Höfen), which basically feel like the suburbs. For even more options, go to the Reutte TI website and click on “Accommodations” (www.reutte.com).

IN BREITENWANG

The older and quieter village of Breitenwang has two good hotels and a fine bakery. It’s a 20-minute walk from the Reutte train station: From the post office, follow Planseestrasse past the onion-dome church to the pointy straight-dome church near the two hotels. Reutte’s Alpentherme indoor pool complex, 50 percent cheaper with your Aktiv-Card, is just around the block.

If staying in Breitenwang and traveling by train, take advantage of the tiny Reutte-Schulzentrum station, just a five-minute walk from these hotels. All trains on the Garmisch-Reutte line stop here, but only on demand—which means you have to let the conductor know in advance that you want to get off. To board at Reutte-Schulzentrum, stand on the platform and flag the train down; you’ll be able to buy a ticket from the conductor with no penalty.

€€€ Alpenhotel Ernberg’s 26 comfortable, up-to-date rooms, with wooden accents and colorful terraces, are run with great care by gracious and hardworking Hermann, who combines alpine elegance with modern touches. Nestle in for some serious coziness among the carved-wood eating nooks, tiled stoves, and family-friendly backyard with a view to the Ehrenberg castle complex (RS%, family rooms, no elevator, pay self-service laundry, popular restaurant, bar, Planseestrasse 50, +43 5672 71912, www.ernberg.at, info@ernberg.at).

€€€ Moserhof Hotel has 42 traditional rooms with alpine accents and balconies plus an elegant breakfast room and sitting areas (sauna and whirlpool, Planseestrasse 44, +43 5672 62020, www.hotel-moserhof.at, info@hotel-moserhof.at, Hosp family).

IN EHENBICHL, NEAR THE EHRENBERG RUINS

These listings are a bit farther from central Reutte, a couple of miles upriver in the village of Ehenbichl. From central Reutte, go south on Obermarkt and turn right on Kög, which becomes Reuttener Strasse, following signs to Ehenbichl. These places are inconvenient by public transit (you’ll need to brave infrequent local buses; see www.oebb.at or www.vvt.at for schedules). For taxi service, ask your hotelier. For locations, see the “Greater Reutte” map, earlier.

€€ Hotel Maximilian offers 32 rooms and provides dinner for guests on request (except on Wed). Friendly Gabi, Monika, and the rest of the Koch family proudly leave no detail unattended and keep guests entertained with table tennis, a pool table, play areas for children (indoors and out), bike rental, a piano, a massage room, and a sauna (family rooms, some view rooms, laundry service, hotel closed late Oct-mid-Dec and mid-March-April, Reuttener Strasse 1 in Ehenbichl—don’t let your GPS take you to Reuttener Strasse in Pflach, +43 5672 62585, www.hotelmaximilian.at, info@hotelmaximilian.at).

€€ Gasthof-Pension Waldrast is run by the Huter family and their friendly dog Pablo. Built in 1928, this well-kept place is comfy and cozy, with decor that hints at the 1970s. It doesn’t have a restaurant, but it’s inexpensive and offers eight pleasant, spacious rooms and two apartments, all with generous sitting areas, castle-view balconies, and traditional Austrian furnishings. It’s also within easy walking distance of the Ehrenberg Castle ruins. Friendly Gerd restored a nearly 500-year-old flour mill and will happily show it to interested guests (Krankenhausstrasse 16, +43 676 421 7403 or +43 676 922 6214, www.waldrast-tirol.com, info@waldrast-tirol.com).

€ Gintherhof is part of a working dairy farm and serves farm-fresh breakfasts to guests. Kind, hardworking Annelies Paulweber offers a warm welcome, geranium-covered balconies, cake and coffee in the afternoon, four cozy rooms, and one apartment (with kitchenette), plus free hiking gear (cash only, no elevator, Unterried 7, just up the road behind Hotel Maximilian, +43 5672 67697, www.gintherhof.com, info@gintherhof.com).

AT THE EHRENBERG RUINS

€€ Hotel Gasthof Klause, just below the Ehrenberg ruins and next to the castle museum, rents about 30 surprisingly sleek and modern rooms with balconies, as well as 10 apartments with kitchenettes. You’ll need a car to get anywhere besides Ehrenberg. Reception is in the Salzstadl restaurant just across the street (family rooms, no elevator, +43 5672 62213, www.ehrenberg.at, gasthof-klause@ehrenberg.at, see the “Greater Reutte” map, earlier).

ACROSS THE RIVER, IN HÖFEN

€€ Gästehaus am Graben is tidy and traditional, right down to the bright flowers in the window boxes. With 13 rooms and a common room for playing games or socializing, it’s family-friendly and a good value less than two miles from Reutte (fine castle views, family rooms sleep 4-6, no elevator, closed April, Nov, and last three weeks in Jan; from downtown Reutte, cross bridge and follow main road left along river, or take bus #110 to the Graben stop; Graben 1—see the “Greater Reutte” map, earlier, +43 5672 626 440, www.hoefen.at, info@hoefen.at, Reyman family).

IN PINSWANG

The village of Pinswang is closer to Füssen (and the King’s Castles), but still in Austria. While this hotel works best for drivers, about half of the departures of regional bus #100, which runs between the Reutte and Füssen train stations, stop here (3-4/day, get off at Pinswang Gemeindeamt stop, verify details with hotel or use the trip-planning feature at Oebb.at—plug in “Pinswang Gemeindeamt” as your destination). For Pinswang location, see the “Füssen and Reutte Area” map on here.

€ Gutshof zum Schluxen is a family-friendly farm offering rustic elegance, woody decor, and a bucolic setting. Owner Markus offers 20 fresh, bright rooms in a range of sizes and configurations. The family room sleeps six and includes two separate bedrooms with TVs for the kids. All the accommodations are self-catering and have small hotplate kitchens, so bring food and plan to cook your own meals. Their appealing spa with tubs and saunas is a good place to relax after a hike to nearby Neuschwanstein castle (3-night minimum in July-Aug, family room, some rooms with balconies, no breakfast, no elevator, self-service laundry, loaner bikes, game room, children’s play area, closed Nov, Unterpinswang 24; +43 5677 53217, www.schluxen.at, info@schluxen.at).

To reach Neuschwanstein from here by foot or bike, follow the dirt road up the hill behind the hotel. When the road forks at the top of the hill, go right (downhill), cross the Austria-Germany border (marked by a sign and deserted hut), and follow the narrow, paved path to the castles. It’s a 1- to 1.5-hour hike or a great circular bike trip (allow 30 minutes; cyclists can return to Schluxen from the castles on a different 30-minute bike route via Füssen).

Eating in Reutte

€€ Alpenhotel Ernberg, one of my recommended hotels in Brei-tenwang, has a fine restaurant with classic Tirolean cuisine that’s popular for its weekday lunch specials—three courses for €17 or the main dish of the day for €12 (daily until 20:00, reservations smart, Planseestrasse 50, +43 5672 71912, www.ernberg.at).

€ Storfwirt is ideal for a quick and cheap weekday lunch. This rustic cafeteria in downtown Reutte serves hundreds of happy eaters every day (salad bar, cheap daily soup-and-main-course specials, always something for vegetarians). Their adjacent deli is a great place to shop for a Tirolean picnic; choose from the local meats, cheeses, and prepared salads in the glass case, pick up a schnitzel with potato salad, or ask them to make you a sandwich to order. You can take your food away or eat at informal tables (Storfwirt open Mon-Fri 9:00-14:30, hot food served from 11:00, closed Sat-Sun; deli open Mon-Fri 7:00-18:00, Sat until 12:00, closed Sun; next door to the big Müller pharmacy, Schrettergasse 15, +43 5672 62640).

€ Café Valier, perfect for coffee and cake, is a downtown mainstay that has been run by the same family for five generations (Mon-Sat 8:00-17:30, closed Sun, Untermarkt 5, +43 5672 62462).

Picnic Supplies: Along Untermarkt, next to Café Valier, is the Ausserfern Bauernladen (farmers’ shop), which sells local farmers’ own products. You can buy picnic fixings (cheeses, spreads, and yummy Heuwürstchen sausages cooked in hay), or ask them to make you a rustic sandwich to eat at one of the tables (Tue-Fri 9:00-18:00, Sat until 12:00, closed Sun-Mon, Untermarkt 9, +43 567 265 134). A large Eurospar grocery store near the train station has a handy deli section with salads, sandwiches, and hot meals (Mon-Fri 6:50-19:00, Sat until 18:00, closed Sun; Mühler Strasse 20).

Nightlife: € Novellis is the most happening joint in town, with live music on Fridays and Saturdays. It also serves food all day, including inexpensive lunches, and its salads, burgers, and wraps offer a nice alternative to typical Bavarian food (Mon-Sat until late, closed Sun; Mühler Strasse 12, +43 5672 64612).

Cheap Eats: Head to Lindenstrasse, where there are a couple of pizzerias and a döner kebab shop.

Reutte Connections

BY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

The following connections are by train, unless specified otherwise.

From Reutte to: Füssen (bus #100, 6-7/day, last bus at 18:05, 30 minutes, €5.80 one-way, pay driver, buses depart from train station), Ehrwald Zugspitzbahn Bahnhof (bus #150, 1-2/hour, 30 minutes, €7.20 one-way; or train, hourly, 30 minutes), Garmisch-Partenkirchen (same train as to Ehrwald, hourly, 1 hour), Innsbruck (every 2 hours, 2.5 hours, transfer in Garmisch), Munich (hourly, 2.5 hours, easiest with change in Garmisch), Salzburg (every 2 hours, 5 hours, transfer in Garmisch and Munich). Austrian train info: Oebb.at; German train info: Bahn.com.

SALZBURG & BERCHTESGADEN

Salzburg at a Glance

Salzburg, Austria

Orientation to Salzburg

Map: Salzburg

Tours in Salzburg

Salzburg Town Walk

Map: Salzburg Town Walk

Sights in Salzburg

Map: Hohensalzburg Fortress

Map: Greater Salzburg

Music in Salzburg

Sleeping in Salzburg

Map: Salzburg Hotels

Eating in Salzburg

Map: Salzburg Restaurants

Salzburg Connections

Berchtesgaden

Map: Berchtesgaden & Greater Salzburg

Orientation to Berchtesgaden

Tours near Berchtesgaden

Sights near Berchtesgaden

Map: Berchtesgaden Area

Salzburg, just over the Austrian border from Munich, makes a fun day trip (1.5 hours by direct train). Thanks to its charmingly preserved Old Town, splendid gardens, Baroque churches, and one of Europe’s largest intact medieval fortresses, Salzburg feels made for tourism. As a musical mecca, the city puts on a huge annual festival, as well as constant concerts. Salzburgers are forever smiling to the tunes of Mozart (and baffled by The Sound of Music). It’s a city with class. Vagabonds visiting here wish they had nicer clothes.

In the mountains just outside Salzburg is Berchtesgaden, a German alpine town that was once a favorite of Adolf Hitler but today thrills a better class of nature lover.

PLANNING YOUR TIME

While Salzburg doesn’t have blockbuster museums, the town itself is a Baroque showpiece of cobbled streets and elegant buildings—a touristy stroller’s delight. If you’re a fan of the movie, allow half a day for the Sound of Music tour, which kills a nest of sightseeing birds with one ticket (city overview, S.O.M. sights, and a fine drive into the countryside by idyllic lakes).

You’d probably enjoy at least two nights in Salzburg—spend one evening in an atmospheric beer garden and another at a concert in a Baroque hall or chapel. Seriously consider one of Salzburg’s many musical events, even if you’re not normally a concertgoer (some are free).

When the weather’s good, take advantage of the city’s proximity to alpine splendor. Bike down the river or hike across the Mönchsberg, Salzburg’s mini mountain. Or consider visiting scenic Berchtesgaden, just 15 miles away, in Germany (also the site of Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest; see the end of this chapter).

A day trip from Salzburg to Hallstatt (the small-town highlight of the Salzkammergut Lake District) is doable by car (1.5 hours each way) but makes for a very long day by public transit (five hours round-trip). An overnight in Hallstatt is better (or take a bus tour; see here).

Salzburg, Austria

Today, eight million tourists crawl Salzburg’s cobbles each year. That’s a lot of Mozart balls—and all that popularity has led to a glut of businesses hoping to catch the tourist dollar. Still, Salzburg is both a must and a joy.

Even without Mozart and the Von Trapps, Salzburg is steeped in history. In about AD 700, a Bavarian duke summoned Bishop Rupert (later St. Rupert) to help Christianize the area, and it was Rupert who founded Salzburg and its first church/monastery. For centuries, Salzburg remained an independent city-state, ruled by prince-archbishops—a cross between a king and a pope, but less powerful than either one. Salzburg’s mighty fortress—looming protectively over the city—helped deter invaders.

At its peak, Salzburg controlled a sizable autonomous state. Its power was funded by salt—the “white gold” of the day. It’s said one barrel of salt was worth the cost of one house.

Salzburgers enjoy throwing around the names of their obscure prince-archbishops (who built various fanciful palaces and elegant squares), but only one is worth remembering: Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau (1559-1617). It was his vision of making Salzburg a mini Rome north of the Alps that gave the city an Italian flair and created much of what tourists enjoy today.

Napoleon finally put an end to Salzburg’s independence in 1803 (they handed him the keys to the fortress without putting up a fight). Then, after the fall of Napoleon, Salzburg became part of Austria and was ruled by Vienna.

Thanks in part to its formidable fortress, Salzburg managed to avoid the ravages of war for 1,200 years...until World War II. Allied bombing destroyed much of the city (especially around the train station), but the historic Old Town survived.

Music lovers adore Salzburg, where you can shell out for classy performances...or just keep your ears perked for musicians practicing near an open window. The city also has a beautiful setting, wrapped in alpine wonder; a stout castle with great panoramas over a meadow ringed with dramatic mountain slopes; a tidy—almost sterile—Old Town of interlocking squares and Baroque domes, giving it a nearly Italian feel; some engaging museums; and, overall, the most accessible taste of Austria you’ll find anywhere.

Orientation to Salzburg

Salzburg, a city of 150,000 (Austria’s fourth largest), is divided in half by the Salzach River. The Old Town (Altstadt), between the river and the Mönchsberg, holds nearly all the charm and most of the tourists. The New Town (Neustadt) has the train station, a few sights and museums, and some good accommodations.

TOURIST INFORMATION

Salzburg has two helpful TI branches (both generally open daily 9:00-18:00, +43 662 8898 7320, www.salzburg.info): at the train station and on Mozartplatz in the old center.

At either TI, you can pick up a free city map (ask for the one with broader coverage if biking out of town), a free bus map (Liniennetz), and an events guide. Inside the Mozartplatz TI is the privately run Salzburg Ticket Service counter, where you can book concert tickets.

Salzburg Card: Hotels and TIs sell the Salzburg Card, which covers all public transportation (including the Mönchsberg elevator and funicular to the fortress) and admission to all the city sights (including Hellbrunn Palace and a river cruise). As Salzburg’s sights are pricey, the card can be a money saver, and it’s also a convenience. Do the math on the places you want to visit; the card makes financial sense if you’ll be seeing two major sights on a single day, or three sights over two days. You can also buy the card online before your trip (€31/24 hours, €40/48 hours, €46/72 hours, cheaper off-season, half-price for kids ages 6-15, www.salzburg.info).

ARRIVAL IN SALZBURG

By Train

The Salzburg station has luggage lockers and a pay WC (both by platform 5) and a handy Spar supermarket. Ticket counters and ticket machines for both the Austrian and German railways are off the main hall. To find the station’s TI, follow the green-and-white information signs (the blue-and-white ones lead to a railway “InfoPoint”). Next to the train station is Forum 1, a sizable shopping mall.

Getting downtown from the station is a snap. Simply step outside, find bus platform C (labeled Zentrum-Altstadt), and buy a ticket from the machine (€2.40 Stundenkarte; €3 from driver). Buses #1, #3, #5, and #6 all do the same route into the city center before diverging. Bus #25 (from platform B) follows the same path to the center and continues to Hellbrunn Palace. For most sights and Old Town hotels, get off just after the bridge (either Rathaus or Hanuschplatz, depending on the bus). For my recommended New Town hotels, get off at Makartplatz, just before the bridge.

A taxi from the station to most hotels is about €10.

To walk downtown (15 minutes), turn left as you leave the station, and walk straight down Rainerstrasse, which leads under the tracks past Mirabellplatz, turning into Dreifaltigkeitsgasse. From here, you can turn left onto Linzer Gasse for many of my recommended New Town hotels, or cross the river to the Old Town. For a slightly longer but more dramatic approach, leave the station the same way but follow the tracks to the river, turn left, and walk the riverside path toward the hilltop fortress.

By Car

Mozart never drove in Salzburg’s Old Town, and neither should you. Carefully heed the Rising Bollards signs at the entrances to pedestrian zones—they mean business. (The hydraulic bollards are designed to destroy the car of anyone who tries to sneak through the gates behind a car with permission.)

Park-and-Ride with a Vignette: With an Austrian toll sticker (vignette), the best place to park is the park-and-ride lot at the Alpensiedlung bus stop, near the Salzburg Süd autobahn exit. Get off the A-10 expressway at Salzburg-Süd and follow road 150 in the direction of Anif. Stay straight for about 2.5 miles, following P+R signs, to arrive at the park-and-ride (see map on here). From the adjacent bus stop, catch bus #3 or #8 into town (buy bus tickets from machines at the stop; for ticket info, see “Getting Around Salzburg,” later). Groups of three or more on a quick visit save by buying a €15 combo-ticket from the parking lot attendant, which covers 24 hours of parking plus a 24-hour group transit pass (anyone who splits off from the group will need to pay for transport separately).

Park-and-Ride without a Vignette: Consider the big park-and-ride lot at the Messe (convention center), along the stretch of expressway on the north side of the city where the vignette isn’t required. This lot also works well during the Salzburg Festival. For information, see Salzburg.info and search for “P+R Messe.”

Central Parking: The easiest, most central parking lot is the 1,300-car Altstadtgarage, in the tunnel under the Mönchsberg (note your slot number and which of the twin lots you’re in). Your hotel may provide discounted parking passes. If staying in Salzburg’s New Town, the Mirabell-Congress garage makes more sense.

By Plane

Salzburg’s airport sits close to the city center, on the other side of the Mönchsberg (code: SZG, www.salzburg-airport.com). An info center there provides basic tourist information and sells the Salzburg Card.

A taxi into town runs about €15. To take a bus, cross the parking lot to the row of bus stops: Bus #10 goes to the Old Town (20 minutes); bus #2 goes to the train station, then terminates at Mirabellplatz (near several of my New Town accommodations; about 30 minutes). For either bus, buy a €2.40 Stundenkarte ticket at the machine, or pay the driver €3 (each bus runs every 10 minutes, less frequent on Sun).

HELPFUL HINTS

Driving in Austria: Austria requires a vignette toll sticker for using its expressways; for details, see “Route Tips for Drivers” on here.

Festivals: The Salzburg Festival runs each year from mid-July to the end of August (for more details on this and other big annual musical events, see here). In mid-September, the St. Rupert’s Fair (Ruperti-Kirtag), celebrating Salzburg’s favorite saint, fills the sky with fireworks and Salzburg’s Old Town with music and food stands (www.rupertikirtag.at). And from mid-November throughout Advent, Salzburg boasts a handful of Christmas markets—the biggest sprawling across Domplatz and Residenzplatz (www.christkindlmarkt.co.at), with smaller ones up at the fortress (mostly just Fri-Sun), on Mirabellplatz (daily), and elsewhere around town (www.weihnachtsmarkt-salzburg.at).

Laundry: Norge Exquisit is a dry cleaner with a few self-serve laundry machines (Paris-Lodron-Strasse 16, near my recommended Linzer Gasse hotels—take bus #2, #4, or #21 to the Wolf-Dietrich-Strasse stop; self-service or same-day full-service, Mon-Fri 7:30-18:00, closed Sat-Sun, +43 662 876 381). If they’re closed, take a taxi to My Laundry, which is a bit farther out (daily 6:00-22:00, Ignaz-Harrer-Strasse 32, +43 664 437 2492). See the map on here for locations.

Market Days: Pop-up farmers markets are a fun local tradition and ideal for picking up picnic supplies or artisan trinkets. The Grünmarkt at Universitätsplatz in the Old Town runs Monday-Friday (7:00-19:00) and is bigger on Saturday, expanding onto Wiener-Philharmoniker Gasse (6:00-13:00). Around the Andräkirche and Mirabellplatz in the New Town on Thursday (5:00-13:00) is the big Schrannenmarkt, Salzburg’s longest-running market, dating from 1906 and selling gifty regional products and produce. The Salzach Galerien, with arts-and-crafts booths and food, stretches along the south side of the river between the Makartsteg and Müllnersteg bridges on most summer weekends (10:00-20:00).

Walk of Modern Art: About 20 years ago, intending to “bring art to the public,” Salzburg invited 13 artists from around the world to create pieces for Salzburg’s public spaces. The result: 13 fun and stimulating modern art displays that form a circuit through the Old and New towns. The TI has more details and a map.

Morning Joggers: Salzburg is a great place for jogging. Within minutes you can be huffing and puffing “The hills are alive...” in green meadows outside of town. You could head to the riverside paths, which go for miles, or stay in town and do some laps through the Mirabell Gardens. The Mönchsberg, high above town, is a wooded delight laced with lanes and trails for joggers.

Public Swimming Pool: The city-run, open-air Freibad Leopold-skron complex, a 10-minute ride from Hanuschplatz on bus #23, sits across the lake from Leopoldskron Palace (of Sound of Music fame). It’s a first-class place for a swim while surrounded by nature, and it’s on the hop-on, hop-off bus route because of the palace’s connection to the movie (€5, May-mid-Sept daily 9:00-19:00, can close Sun in bad weather, Leopoldskronstrasse 50, +43 662 829 265, www.salzburg.info). The Paracelsusbad is an indoor pool and sauna in the New Town, near Mirabellplatz (open daily, Auerspergstrasse 2, www.paracelsusbad.at).

GETTING AROUND SALZBURG

By Bus: Most Salzburg sights I list are within the Kernzone (core zone) of the city’s extensive bus system. Buy bus tickets before boarding at a Tabak/Trafik shop or ticket machine (at major stops such as Hanuschplatz and the train station). Your main options are a one-hour ticket good for unlimited transfers (Stundenkarte, €2.40), a 24-hour pass that pays for itself with the third ride (Tageskarte, €4.70), and a weekly pass good for seven calendar days (Wochenkarte, €21). Remember to validate your ticket by inserting it in the machine on board. You can buy tickets onboard, but it costs more.

Get oriented using the widely available, free bus map (Liniennetz). Many lines converge at Hanuschplatz, on the Old Town side of the river, between the Makartsteg and Staatsbrücke bridges. Busy stops like Hanuschplatz and Mirabellplatz have several bus shelters; look for your bus number.

For more information, visit Salzburg-Verkehr.at or visit the transit info office downstairs from bus platform C in front of the train station (Mon-Fri 7:00-17:00, closed Sat-Sun).

By Bike: Salzburg is great fun for cyclists. A’Velo Radladen rents bikes on the Old Town side of the Staatsbrücke, the main bridge (ask about RS%; daily, closed Nov-March and in bad weather; passport number for security deposit, +43 676 435 5950, www.avelo.at, run by George). Some of my recommended hotels and pensions also rent or loan bikes to guests.

By Funicular and Elevator: The Old Town is connected to the top of the Mönchsberg (and great views) via funicular and elevator. The funicular (Festungsbahn) whisks you up into the imposing Hohensalzburg Fortress (included in castle admission, goes every few minutes). The elevator (Mönchsbergaufzug) on the west side of the Old Town lifts you to the recommended Stadtalm Café, the Museum of Modern Art and its chic café, wooded paths, and more great views (for details on both options, see here).

By Buggy: The horse buggies (Fiaker) that congregate at Residenzplatz charge €60 for a 25-minute trot around the Old Town (www.salzburg.info, search for “Carriage Rides”).

Tours in Salzburg

IN SALZBURG

Walking Tours

Any day of the week, you can take a one-hour, informative guided walk of the Old Town without a reservation—just show up at the TI on Mozartplatz at the tour time and pay the guide (€12.50, daily at 12:15 and sometimes at 14:00—confirm with TI). Alternatively, the Salzburg guides’ association offers a two-hour walking tour daily at 10:00, starting at the main entrance to Mirabell Palace on Mirabellplatz (€15, +43 664 496 0811).

To save money (and probably learn more), use this chapter’s self-guided walk or download my free Salzburg Town Walk audio tour.

Local Guides

Salzburg has many good guides (for a list, see www.salzburgguides.at). I have worked with and enjoyed these four:

Gertraud Sophia Kamml (€200/3 hours, €240/4 hours, +43 664 352 6329, www.kunstschreibwerkstatt.com).

Sabine Rath (€210/2-hour “Classic Salzburg” tour, €350/4 hours, €500/8 hours, +43 664 201 6492, www.tourguide-salzburg.com [URL inactive]).

Anna Stellnberger (€180/2 hours, €250/4 hours, €350/8 hours, +43 664 787 5177, anna.stellnberger@aon.at).

Michaela Muhr does walks and private three-hour food tours that include tastings that vary by season (€300 for 2-10 people plus €50/person for five tastings, +43 699 1882 0001, info@salzburg-experience.at).

Cooking Class

Edelweiss Cooking School offers daily strudel-making classes in their cozy cave-like kitchen at the base of the Mönchsberg (lunch included). They also do beer and food pairings, as well as more extensive cooking classes and food tours—check website for specifics. Reservations are wise, especially in summer and December (classes €58-78/person, Ursulinenplatz 9, +43 650 461 6142, www.edelweiss-cooking.com, office@edelweiss-cooking.com).

Boat Tours

City Cruise Line (a.k.a. Stadt Schiff-Fahrt) runs a basic 40-minute round-trip river cruise with recorded commentary (€17, 3-4/day April-Oct, no boats Nov-March). For a longer cruise (40 minutes one-way), ride to Hellbrunn (€20 one-way, €42 includes palace admission and a ride back to the Old Town on a double-decker bus; 3-4/week April-Oct at 14:00—check website for schedule). Boats leave from the Old Town side of the river just downstream of the Makartsteg bridge (+43 662 825 858, www.salzburghighlights.at).

Hop-On, Hop-Off Bus

While most of Salzburg’s top sights are concentrated in its walkable Old Town, several are scattered around the city—making a hop-on, hop-off bus tour practical here. This one stretches into the outskirts, hitting Hellbrunn Palace and several Sound of Music sights (€28/1 day, €31/2 days; includes all-day transit pass for city buses, 1-2 buses/hour, buy tickets and start tour at Mirabellplatz 2, +43 662 881 616, www.salzburgsightseeing.at). There’s also a route that runs to Berchtesgaden and the Königssee (for more, see the “Getting There” section under “Berchtesgaden,” on here).

Segway Tours

This can be an efficient, fun way to cover a lot of ground. Choose a 1.5-hour version that combines a city tour with a trip up the Mönchsberg (€59), or the two-hour version that also heads into the nearby countryside (€75). Reserve ahead (April-Oct Wed-Sun 3/day, Nov-March on request; office near recommended New Town hotels at Wolf-Dietrich-Strasse 3, +43 676 674 4425, www.segway-salzburg.at).

Salzburg at a Glance

▲▲▲Salzburg Town Walk Old Town’s best sights in handy orientation walk.

▲▲Salzburg Cathedral Glorious, harmonious Baroque main church of Salzburg. Hours: Mon-Sat 9:00-18:00, Sun from 13:00.

▲▲The Sound of Music Tours Bus or bike through S.O.M. sights of Salzburg and surrounding countryside.

▲▲Getreidegasse Picturesque old shopping lane with characteristic wrought-iron signs.

▲▲Salzburg Museum Best place for city history (may be closed for renovation). Hours: Tue-Sun 9:00-17:00, closed Mon.

▲▲Hohensalzburg Fortress Imposing mountaintop castle, with small museums, commanding views, and concerts most evenings. Hours: Museums open daily 8:30-19:00, Oct-April 9:30-17:00.

▲▲Hellbrunn Palace Lavish palace featuring gardens with trick fountains. Hours: Daily 9:30-18:30, July-Aug until 19:00, April and Oct until 17:30, closed Nov-March.

▲DomQuartier Museums Prince-Archbishop Wolf Dietrich’s Residenz palace, cathedral viewpoint, and religious art. Hours: Wed-Mon 10:00-17:00, closed Tue.

▲Mozart’s Birthplace House where Mozart was born in 1756, featuring his instruments and other exhibits. Hours: Daily July-Aug 8:30-19:30, Sept-June 9:00-17:30.

▲Mönchsberg Walk “The hills are alive” stroll right in downtown Salzburg.

▲Mirabell Gardens and Palace Beautiful palace grounds and concert venue with fine views and Sound of Music memories. Hours: Gardens open till dusk; palace open Mon-Sat 8:00-18:00 and during concerts, otherwise closed Sun; summer concerts in the park on Sun and Wed.

▲Panorama Museum Wrap-around painting vividly depicting the city in 1829. Hours: Daily 9:00-17:00.

▲Mozart’s Residence The composer’s restored home. Hours: Daily July-Aug 8:30-19:00, Sept-June 9:00-17:30.

▲Steingasse Historic cobbled lane with trendy pubs in a nearly tourist-free part of old Salzburg.

▲▲The Sound of Music Tours

Salzburg is the joyful setting of The Sound of Music. The Broadway musical and 1965 movie tell the story of a stern captain who hires a governess for his unruly children and ends up marrying her. Though the movie took plenty of Hollywood liberties (see “The Sound of Music: Fact and Fiction” sidebar on the next page), it’s based on the actual Von Trapp family from Austria. They really did come from Salzburg. Maria really was a governess who became the captain’s wife. They did sing in the Festival Hall, they did escape from the Nazis, and they ended up after the war in Vermont, where Maria passed away in 1987. The movie screens nightly at the recommended International Youth Hostel (nonguests welcome; details on here).

Salzburg has a number of Sound of Music sights—mostly locations where the movie was shot, but also some places associated with the real Von Trapps:

• Mirabell Gardens, with its arbor and Pegasus statue, where the kids sing “Do-Re-Mi.”

• Festival Hall, where the real-life Von Trapps performed, and where (in the movie) they sing “Edelweiss” after nervously waiting in the Toscaninihof courtyard.

• St. Peter’s Cemetery, the inspiration for the scene where the family hides from Nazi guards (it was actually filmed on a Hollywood set).

• Nonnberg Abbey, where the nuns sing “How do you solve a problem like Maria?”

• Leopoldskron Palace, which serves as the Von Trapps’ idyllic lakeside home in the movie (though it wasn’t their actual home).

• The iconic arcaded stage of the Felsenreitschule concert hall, the setting for the Von Trapp family’s final public performance in the movie.

• Hellbrunn Palace gardens, now home to the famous gazebo where Liesl, the Von Trapp’s oldest daughter, sings the words, “I am sixteen going on seventeen.”

There are many more sights—the horse pond, the wedding church in Mondsee, the fountain in Residenzplatz. Since they’re scattered throughout greater Salzburg, taking a tour is the best way to see them efficiently.

I took a S.O.M. tour skeptically (as part of my research)—and enjoyed it. The bus tour version includes a quick general city tour, hits the S.O.M. spots, and shows you a lovely stretch of the Salzkammergut Lake District. Warning: Many think rolling through the Austrian countryside with 30 Americans singing “Doe, a deer...” is pretty schmaltzy. Locals don’t understand all the commotion (many have never seen the movie). Guides are professional but can be (understandably) jaded.

The Sound of Music: Fact and Fiction

Rather than visit the real-life sights from the life of Maria von Trapp and family, most tourists want to see the places where Hollywood chose to film this fanciful story. Local guides are happy not to burst any S.O.M. pilgrim’s bubble, but keep these points in mind:

“Edelweiss”: The song is not a cherished Austrian folk tune or national anthem. Like all the “Austrian” music in S.O.M., it was composed for Broadway by Rodgers and Hammerstein.

Religious Calling: S.O.M. implies that Maria was devoutly religious throughout her life, but Maria’s foster parents raised her as a socialist and atheist. Maria discovered her religious calling while studying to be a teacher. After completing school, she entered the convent as a novitiate.

Job Description: Maria’s position was not as governess to all the children, but specifically as governess and teacher for Captain von Trapp’s second-oldest daughter, also called Maria, who was bedridden with rheumatic fever.

Whistling: The captain didn’t run a tight domestic ship—but he did use a whistle to call his children—each kid was trained to respond to a certain pitch.

Name Changes: Though the Von Trapp family did have seven children, the film changed all their names and even their genders. As an adult, Rupert, the eldest child, responded to the often-asked question, “Which one are you?” with “I’m Liesl!” Maria and the captain later had three more children together.

Escape: The family didn’t escape by hiking to Switzerland (which is a five-hour drive away). Rather, they pretended to go on one of their frequent mountain hikes. With only the possessions in their backpacks, they “hiked” all the way to the station at the edge of their estate and took a train to Italy. The movie scene showing them climbing into Switzerland was filmed near Berchtesgaden, Germany...home to Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest, and certainly not a smart place to flee to.

Family Home: The actual Von Trapp house exists...but it’s not the one in the film. The mansion in the movie is actually two different buildings—one used for the front, the other for the back. The interiors were filmed on Hollywood sets. And the much-vaunted “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” gazebo you’ll see at Hellbrunn Palace was built just for the movie, then moved twice to reach its current location.

Set Shots: For the film, Boris Levin designed a reproduction of the Nonnberg Abbey courtyard so faithful to the original (down to its cobblestones and stained-glass windows) that many still believe the cloister scenes were really shot at the abbey. And no matter what you hear in Salzburg, the graveyard scene (in which the Von Trapps hide from the Nazis) was also filmed on the Fox lot.

Swindled! In 1956, a German film producer offered Maria $9,000 cash for the rights to her book. Because it was more money than the family had seen in all their years of singing, she accepted the deal. The agent claimed that German law forbids film companies from paying royalties to foreigners (Maria had by then become a US citizen). She agreed to the contract and unknowingly signed away all film rights to her story. Later, she discovered the agent had swindled the family—no such law existed.

Restitution: Rodgers, Hammerstein, and other producers gave the Von Trapps a percentage of the royalties, even though they weren’t required to—but it was a fraction of what they otherwise would have earned. But Maria wasn’t bitter. She said, “The great good the film and the play are doing to individual lives is far beyond money.”

Taking a Tour: Two companies do S.O.M. tours by bus (Bob’s and Panorama), while a third company does a bike version. It’s best to reserve ahead. Note: Your hotel will be eager to call to reserve for you—to get their commission—but you won’t get the discount I’ve negotiated.

By Minibus: Most of Bob’s Special Tours use an eight-seat minibus (and occasionally a 16-seat bus) and therefore promote a more laid-back camaraderie with your fellow S.O.M. pilgrims, and waste less time loading and unloading. Online bookings close three days prior to the tour date—after that, email, call, or stop by the office to reserve (€70 for adults; RS%—student price with this book if you pay cash and book directly, can book via the website but pay later; €65 for ages 7-21 and students with ID, €50 for kids 6 and under—includes required car seat but must reserve in advance; daily at 8:30 and 13:45 year-round, tours leave from Bob’s office along the river just east of Mozartplatz at Rudolfskai 38, +43 662 849 511, www.bobstours.com, office@bobstours.com).

By Big Bus: Panorama Tours uses larger buses that depart from their smart kiosk at Mirabellplatz daily at 9:15 and 14:00 year-round (€60, RS%—10 percent discount for S.O.M. tours if you pay in cash and book by phone or in person, book by calling +43 662 874 029 or +43 662 883 2110, www.panoramatours.com). While they lack the personal touch of Bob’s, Panorama’s big buses have a higher vantage point, and the guides have a more polished (some might say too polished) spiel.

By Bike: Fräulein Maria’s Bicycle Tour offers some exercise—and much better access to the in-town sights, which are skipped or viewed from afar on the bus tours. Meet your guide (more likely a Herr than a Fräulein) at the Mirabell Gardens (at Mirabellplatz 4, 50 yards to the left of palace entry). The main attractions of the eight-mile pedal include the Mirabell Gardens, the horse pond, St. Peter’s Cemetery, Nonnberg Abbey, Leopoldskron Palace, and, of course, the gazebo. The tour is very family-friendly, and there are lots of stops for goofy photo ops (€45 includes bike, €25 for ages 13-18, €20 for kids under 13, RS%—€2 discount with this book; daily April-Oct at 9:30, June-Aug also at 16:30, allow 3.5 hours, reservations required, +43 650 342 6297, www.mariasbicycletours.com).

BEYOND SALZBURG

Both Bob’s and Panorama Tours offer day trips from Salzburg (such as Berchtesgaden/Eagle’s Nest, salt mine, Hallstatt, and Salzkammergut lakes and mountains). One efficient tour worth considering is Bob’s full-day Sound of Music/Hallstatt Tour, which first covers everything in the standard four-hour S.O.M. tour, then continues for a four-hour look at the scenic, lake-speckled Salzkammergut, with free time to explore charming Hallstatt (€140, RS%—student price with this book if you pay cash and book directly; doesn’t include entrance fees to optional Hallstatt activities such as boat ride; departs daily at 9:00; Rudolfskai 38, +43 662 849 511, www.bobstours.com, office@bobstours.com).

Salzburg Town Walk

1 Mozartsteg

2 Mozartplatz

Map: Salzburg Town Walk

3 Residenzplatz

4 Residenz

5 Neue Residenz (New Residence)

6 Salzburg Cathedral (Salzburger Dom)

7 Kapitelplatz

8 Waterwheel (Wasserrad) and the Alm River Canal (Almkanal)

9 St. Peter’s Cemetery (Petersfriedhof)

10 St. Peter’s Abbey and Church

11 Toscaninihof

12 Festival Concert Halls

13 Universitätsplatz

14 Mönchsberg Cliff Face

15 Getreidegasse

16 Alter Markt

I’ve linked the best sights in the Old Town into this handy self-guided orientation walk (rated ▲▲▲). Allow about two hours.

Download my free Salzburg Town Walk audio tour if you’d like me to join you on this fascinating stroll.

• Begin at the Mozartsteg, the wrought-iron, Art Nouveau pedestrian bridge built in 1903 over the Salzach River.

1 Mozartsteg

Get your bearings: The milky green Salzach River thunders under your feet. On the north bank is the New Town. The south side is the Old Town, dominated by the Mönchsberg and its castle.

Take in the charming, well-preserved, historic core of Salzburg’s Old Town. The skyline bristles with Baroque steeples and green copper domes. Salzburg has 38 Catholic churches, plus two Protestant churches and a synagogue. The biggest green dome is the cathedral, which we’ll visit shortly. Overlooking it all is the castle called Hohensalzburg Fortress—beefed up with the threats that came with the Thirty Years’ War in the 17th century. Far to the right of the fortress, find the Museum of Modern Art—a blocky modern building. The castle-like structure behind it is a water reservoir.

The Salzach is called “salt river” not because it’s salty, but because of the precious cargo it once carried. The salt mine of Hallein is 12 miles upstream. For 2,000 years, barges carried salt from here to the wider world—to the Danube, the Black Sea, and on to the Mediterranean. As barges passed through, they had to pay a toll on their salt. The city was made great from the trading of salt (Salz) defended by a castle (Burg)—“Salz-burg.”

The embankments and roads were built when the river was regulated in the 1850s. Before that, the Salzach was much wider and slower moving. Houses opposite the Old Town fronted the river with docks and boathouses.

Looking upstream, notice the peak with the TV tower. This stands atop the 4,220-foot-high Gaisberg mountain. The summit is a favorite destination for local nature lovers, strong bikers, and parasailers.

By the way, the bridge’s tollhouse is now We Love Coffee, the smallest coffee shop in town, enthusiastically run by Jana (pronounced YAH-nah).

• Now let’s plunge into Salzburg’s Old Town. From the bridge, walk one block toward the Old Town.

Leaving the bridge, notice the remains of the 17th-century town wall—called Michaelstor (with gun holes). It was built in 1620 when Salzburg cleverly barricaded itself with a wall and neutrality to avoid the tumult of the Thirty Years’ War (Catholics vs. Protestants, 1618-1648, which left an estimated one-third of Germany dead).

• Pass the traffic barriers (that keep this quiet town free of too much traffic) and turn right into a big square, called...

2 Mozartplatz

This square is named for the man honored by the central statue—Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The great composer was born a few blocks from here and spent most of his first 25 years (1756-1781) in Salzburg. He and his father both served Salzburg’s rulers before Wolfgang went on to seek his fortune in Vienna. The statue (considered a poor likeness) was erected in 1842, just after the 50th anniversary of Mozart’s death. This date could be considered the start of the cult of Mozart, as a group of enthusiasts (including his widow, Constanze) founded the Salzburg Mozarteum Foundation at about that time, with a mission to popularize and perform his music. A music festival in 1856, on the 100th anniversary of Mozart’s birth, planted the seed for what would become the world-renowned Salzburg Festival. Soon, Salzburg would be a stop on the romantic Grand Tour of Europe.

Mozart stands atop the spot where the first Salzburgers settled. Two thousand years ago, the Romans had a salt-trading town here called Juvavum. In the year 800, Salzburg—by then Christian and home to an important abbey—joined Charlemagne’s Holy Roman Empire as an independent city. The first market was on this square and the city developed from here. The Church of St. Michael (whose pastel tower overlooks the square) dates from that time. It’s Salzburg’s oldest, if not biggest, parish church.

Facing the square is the Salzburg Christmas Museum, which traces Christmas traditions from 1840 to 1940 (described on here).

As you dodge the traditional horse-drawn carriages, it’s fun to remember that they were the standard mode of transportation in Mozart’s day—in fact, until the advent of cars.

• Before moving on, note the TI (which also sells concert tickets). Now walk toward the cathedral and into the big square with the huge fountain.

3 Residenzplatz

As Salzburg’s governing center, this square has long been ringed with important buildings. The cathedral dominates. The Residenz—the former palace of Salzburg’s rulers—is to the right (as you face the cathedral). To the left is the Neue Residenz, with its bell tower.

In the 1600s, this square got a makeover in the then-fashionable Italian Baroque style. The rebuilding started under energetic Prince-Archbishop Wolf Dietrich, who ruled from 1587 to 1612. Dietrich had been raised in Rome. He counted the Medicis as his cousins and had grandiose Italian ambitions for Salzburg. Conveniently for him, the existing cathedral burned down in 1598. Dietrich set about rebuilding it as part of his grand vision to make Salzburg the “Rome of the North.”

The fountain is as Italian as can be, an over-the-top version of Bernini’s famous Triton Fountain in Rome. Triton, on top, blows his conch-shell horn as water cascades down the basins and sprays playfully in the wind.

Notice that Salzburg’s buildings are made from three distinctly different types of stone. Most common is the chunky gray conglomerate rock (like the cathedral’s side walls) quarried from the nearby cliffs. There’s also white marble (like the cathedral’s towers and windows) and red marble (best seen in monuments inside buildings), both from the Alps near Berchtesgaden.

• Turn your attention to the building on the right, the...

4 Residenz

This was the palace of Salzburg’s powerful ruler, the prince-archbishop—a ruler with both the political powers of a prince and the religious authority of an archbishop. The ornate Baroque entrance (with the prince-archbishop’s proud coat of arms) attests to the connections these rulers had with Rome. You can step inside the Residenz courtyard to get a glimpse of the impressive digs (to see the fancy interior with state rooms and an impressive collection of paintings, you must buy a DomQuartier ticket—see here).

Notice the white-stone skyway connecting the Residenz with the cathedral, providing a physical reminder of how the prince-archbishop had both religious and secular power. This passageway gave the prince-archbishops an easy commute to church and a chance to worship while avoiding the public.

• At the opposite end of Residenzplatz from the Residenz is the...

5 Neue Residenz (New Residence)

In the days of the prince-archbishops, this building hosted parties in its lavish rooms. Today, the Neue Residenz houses the Salzburg Museum (described later under “Sights in Salzburg,” but may be closed during your visit). It’s also home to the Heimatwerk, a fine shop showing off top-quality traditional dirndls, sweaters, and more.

The Neue Residenz bell tower has a hard-working glockenspiel. This 18th-century carillon has 35 bells (cast in Antwerp) and chimes daily at 7:00, 11:00, and 18:00. It also plays little tunes appropriate to the season. The mechanism is a big barrel with adjustable tabs that turns like a giant music box, pulling the right bells in the right rhythm. Tours let you get up close to watch the glockenspiel action, but they only run a few times a week and mostly in German (€4.50, Fri at 16:30 in English; otherwise Thu at 17:30 and Fri at 10:30 in German—ask for English handout; no tours in winter; register by phone or email, +43 662 620 808 722, kunstvermittlung@salzbergmuseum.at).

Notice the tower’s ornamental top: an upside-down heart in flames surrounds the solar system, representing how God loves all of creation.

Residenzplatz sets the tone for the whole town. From here, a series of interconnecting squares make a grand procession through the Old Town. Everywhere you go, you’ll see similar Italianate architecture.

As you walk from square to square, notice how easily you slip from noisy and commercial to peaceful and reflective. But it wasn’t always so charming and peaceful. On Residenzplatz in 1938, a huge crowd—responding to the promise of jobs and the scapegoating of immigrants and minorities—welcomed Hitler’s Nazi takeover and celebrated the Anschluss (the “unification” of Germany and Austria).

• Exit the square by walking under the prince-archbishop’s skyway. You’ll step into Domplatz (Cathedral Square). For a good place to view the cathedral facade, walk to the far end of the square.

6 Salzburg Cathedral (Salzburger Dom)

GOOGLE MAP

Salzburg’s cathedral (rated ▲▲) was one of the first Italian Baroque buildings north of the Alps, built thanks to a 10 percent tax on all salt traded here. The dome stands 230 feet high, and two domed towers flank the very Italianesque entrance.

The church was consecrated in 1628. As it dates from the years of Catholic-Protestant warfare, it may have been meant to emphasize Salz-burg’s commitment to the Roman Catholic cause. Or it may have represented a peaceful alternative to the religious strife. Regardless, Salzburg’s archbishop was one of the most prominent papal officials north of the Alps, and the city was a bastion of the Catholic Counter-Reformation. With its rich salt production, Salzburg had enough money to stay out of the conflict and earn the nickname “The Fortified Island of Peace.”

The cathedral was the center of power for the prince-archbishop in his religious role, and the government buildings surrounding it served his needs as a secular prince.

Cost and Hours: €5, Mon-Sat 9:00-18:00, Sun from 13:00, audioguide-€3, www.salzburger-dom.at. If the Jedermann theater production is underway (July and Aug), you’ll find a 1,500-seat temporary theater filling the cathedral square, changing or closing the entry to the church for some hours.

Tours and Concerts: Cathedral tours are offered in English daily at 14:00 and 30-minute organ concerts are held daily at noon (each €9). Tickets include admission to the church—so if you’re going to visit the church anyway, they’re nearly free.

Visiting the Cathedral: Before entering the cathedral, step back to admire the facade. Notice the play on perspective that occurs when you line up the statue of Mary (in the center of the square) with the two angels (on the center of the facade): They can be seen as crowning her as the queen of heaven. In fact, for a fun photo op, find the exact spot where the gilded crown sits atop your head too.

Now that you’re properly crowned, read the facade like a Bible of stone: Jesus is on top, Moses and Elijah—representing the Old Testament—are next (with the coats of arms of two prince-archbishops in between). Below that are the Four Evangelists (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) and at the bottom are the fathers of the Salzburg church mixing it up with the fathers of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome (left to right): St. Rupert (with a salt cask; see the pedestal), Peter (with his keys), Paul (with his sword), and St. Virgil (with a model of Salzburg’s first cathedral from 774; on the pedestal).

As you approach the church, pause at the iron gates. The dates on the doors are milestones in the church’s history. In the year 774, the first church, built in Romanesque style, was consecrated by St. Virgil, an Irish monk who became Salzburg’s bishop. It was destroyed by fire in 1167, rebuilt, and then burned again in 1598. It was replaced in 1628 by the one you see today. The year 1959 marks the completion of repairs after a WWII bomb severely damaged the dome.

Because it was built in just 14 years (from 1614 to 1628), the church boasts an unusually harmonious Baroque architecture. And it’s big—330 feet long, 230 feet tall—built with sturdy pillars and broad arches. When Pope John Paul II visited in 1998, some 5,000 people packed the place.

As you enter, imagine being part of a sacred procession. You’d pass from the relatively dim entrance to the bright altar with its painting of Christ’s resurrection, bathed in light from the dome overhead. The church never had stained glass, just clear windows to let maximum light power the message.

Under the soaring dome, look up and admire the exceptional stucco work, by an artist from Milan. It’s molded into elaborate garlands, angels, and picture frames, some of it brightly painted. You’re surrounded by the tombs (and portraits) of 10 archbishops.

You’re also surrounded by four organs. (Actually, five—counting the biggest organ, over the entrance.) Mozart served as organist here for two years, and he composed several Masses that are still played today. Salzburg’s prince-archbishops were great patrons of music, with a personal orchestra that played religious music in the cathedral and dinner music in the Residenz. The tradition of music continues today. Sunday Mass here can be a musical spectacle—with all five organs playing and balconies filled with singers and musicians, creating glorious surround-sound. Think of the altar in Baroque terms, as the center of a stage, with sunrays serving as spotlights in this dramatic and sacred theater.

Directly under the dome, Roman-numeral plaques commemorate the visits here by Pope John Paul II in 1988 and 1998 (notice the extra X). At the high altar, a reliquary box of black wood, encrusted with silver trim, contains relics of St. Virgil and St. Rupert (who founded the first abbey in town).

In the left transept, descend the stairs into the crypt (and the eighth-century street level). Here, among the remains of the Romanesque cathedral that preceded today’s church, is the resting place of centuries of archbishops and prince-archbishops.

Work your way back to the entrance via the left aisle. In the chapel in the far corner find a dark bronze baptismal font. It dates from 1320—a rare survivor from the medieval-era cathedral (the lid is from 1959). The lions that hold the basin are older yet, from the 12th century—back when this part of Europe didn’t really know what lions looked like. In 1756, little Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was baptized here. For the next 25 years, this would be his home church. Amadeus, by the way, means “beloved by God.”

Finally, at the collection box by the back pew, black-and-white photos show the bomb damage of October 16, 1944, which left a gaping hole where the dome once was.

Other Cathedral Sights: To learn more about the church, you can visit the Cathedral Museum as part of the DomQuartier Museums tour (see here). In summer, the Cathedral Excavations Museum (Domgrabungsmuseum, outside the church on Residenzplatz and down the stairs) shows off the church’s medieval foundations and a few Roman mosaics—worthwhile only for Romaniacs (may be closed during your visit; ask locally or see www.salzburgmuseum.at).

• As you leave the cathedral, check out the concert and Mass schedules posted near the entrance. Exiting the cathedral, turn left, heading in the direction of the distant fortress. You’ll soon reach a spacious square with a golden orb.

7 Kapitelplatz

Kapitelplatz is a pleasant square—notice the giant chessboard that often draws a crowd. The playful modern sculpture of a man atop a golden orb is part of Salzburg’s Walk of Modern Art, a project with a mission to bring art to the people—which it certainly does (see here).

Follow the orb-man’s gaze up to Hohensalzburg Fortress. Construction of the fortress began in 1077. Salzburg made it powerful in hopes of not getting caught up in struggles between the German Holy Roman Emperor and the pope. Over the centuries, the small castle grew into a mighty, whitewashed fortress—so impressive that no army even tried attacking for over 800 years. Inside, it housed a virtual village. It was built before the advent of cannons—when defense was stronger than offense—and so needed to be prepared to survive a siege. Its main weakness was that it had no water other than what rain the cistern could collect. (But it did have a huge wine cellar.) These days, you can tour the castle grounds, visit some interior rooms and museums, and enjoy incredible views (for details, see here). The castle’s earliest funicular dates back to the 1500s, when animals pulled cargo up its tracks; today’s funicular is electric, from 1910.

Now walk across the square to the pond surrounded by a balustrade and adorned with a Trevi Fountain-like statue of Neptune. The god of the sea, under another fine coat of arms, rides his seahorse, flanked by tritons. The pond was built as an 18th-century horse-and-buggy wash—like an old-time car wash. Notice the gold lettering above Neptune. It reads, “Leopold the Prince Built Me.” But the artist added a clever twist. The inscription capitalizes the letters “LLDVI.” Those are also Roman numerals—add ’em up: L is 50, D is 500, and so on. It all adds up to 1732—the year the pond was built.

This square hosts many free events and concerts (including videos of great Salzburg Festival performances on a jumbo screen).

• With your back to the cathedral, leave the square, exiting through the wrought-iron gate in the far-right corner.

8 Waterwheel (Wasserrad) and the Alm River Canal (Almkanal)

The waterwheel is part of a clever, still-functioning canal system built in the 12th century to bring water to Salzburg from the foothills of the Alps, 10 miles away in Bavaria. Where the stream reached Salzburg, a channel was cut through the mountain and divided into five smaller canals for the citizens’ use. The rushing water was harnessed to waterwheels, which powered mills. Salzburg had a hundred waterwheel-powered enterprises as late as the 19th century. Residents also used the water to fight fires and, once a week, to flush the streets clean. Hygienic Salzburg never suffered from a plague...it’s probably the only major town in Austria with no plague monument. For more on the canal system, you can visit the nearby Alm River Canal exhibit.

This particular waterwheel (actually, it’s a modern replacement) once ground grain into flour to make bread for the monks of St. Peter’s Abbey. Nowadays, you can pop into the adjacent bakery—fragrant and traditional—and buy a fresh-baked roll for about a euro (most days 9:00-17:30).

• You’ve entered the borders of the former St. Peter’s Abbey, a monastic complex of churches, courtyards, businesses (like the bakery), and a cemetery. Find the Katakomben sign and step through the wrought-iron gates into a lovely cemetery (free, open daily 6:30-19:00, Oct-March until 18:00, silence requested).

9 St. Peter’s Cemetery (Petersfriedhof)

This collection of lovingly tended graves abuts the sheer rock face of the Mönchsberg. Tended by descendants of the deceased, today St. Peter’s Cemetery is calm and filled with love as families visit and little memory gardens blossom with seasonal flowers.

In Austria (and many European countries), gravesites are rented, not owned. Rent bills are sent out every 10 years. If no one cares enough to make the payment, your tombstone is removed. At Christmas, candles are lit and families gather to sing carols and be close to lost loved ones.

Walk about 50 yards to the middle of the cemetery. Note the well, used to fill the watering cans for the family members who keep these flowery graves so pretty. Turn right at the junction of lanes. (Stop at the round stone ball on the right—perfect for stretching that stiff back.) You’re surrounded by three churches, each founded in the early Middle Ages atop a pagan Celtic holy site. The biggest church, St. Peter’s, sticking its big Romanesque apse into the cemetery, is our next stop. Notice the fancy tombstones lining the church’s wall.

The cemetery played a role in The Sound of Music. The Captain and his large family were well known in Salzburg for their musical talents. But when Nazi Germany annexed Austria in 1938, the Von Trapps decided to flee so that the father would not be pressed into service again. In the movie, they hid here as they made their daring escape. The scene was actually filmed on a Hollywood set inspired by St. Peter’s Cemetery.

Look up the cliff, which has a few buildings attached—called (not quite accurately) “catacombs.” Legendary hermit-monks are said to have lived in the hillside here 1500 years ago. For a small fee, you can enter the Katakomben and climb lots of steps to see a few old caves, a chapel, and some fine city views (entrance at the base of the cliff, under the arcade—look for #LIV over the arch; €2, visit takes 10 minutes; daily 10:00-12:30 & 13:00-18:00, Oct-April until 17:00).

Explore the arcade at the base of the cliff with its various burial chapels. Alcove #XXI has the tomb of the cathedral architect Santino Solari—forever facing his creation. At the catacombs entry (#LIV) are two interesting tombs marked by plaques on the floor. “Marianne” is Mozart’s sister, nicknamed “Nannerl.” As children, Mozart and his sister performed together on grand tours of Europe’s palaces. Michael Haydn was the brother of Joseph Haydn. He succeeded Mozart as church cathedral organist.

• Exit the cemetery through the green door at the opposite end. Just outside, you enter a large courtyard anchored by...

10 St. Peter’s Abbey and Church

You’re standing at the birthplace of Christianity in Salzburg. St. Peter’s Abbey—the monastery that surrounds this courtyard—was founded in 696, barely two centuries after the fall of Rome. About 20 monks and their abbot still pray and work (ora et labora) here as Benedictines have for over a millennium.

The St. Peter Stiftskulinarium restaurant (to the right if you’re facing the church) is known these days for its Mozart Dinner Concert. But it brags that Charlemagne ate here in the year 803, making it (perhaps) the oldest restaurant in Europe. Across the square from the restaurant is the monastery shop with monk-made gifts from around Austria (Klosterladen St. Peter, closed Sun).

Cost and Hours: Church free and open daily 8:00-20:00, www.stift-stpeter.at.

Visiting the Church: St. Peter’s Church dates from 1147. As you enter, pause in the atrium to admire the Romanesque tympanum (from 1250) over the inner doorway. Jesus sits on a rainbow, flanked by Peter and Paul. Beneath them is a stylized Tree of Life, and overhead, a Latin inscription reading, “I am the door to life, and only through me can you find eternal life.”

Entering the nave, you can understand why this is a popular wedding church in Salzburg. The once purely Romanesque interior (you may find a few surviving bits of faded 13th-century frescoes) now lies hidden under a sugary Rococo finish. It’s Salzburg’s only Rococo interior—all whitewashed, with highlights of pastel green, gold, and red. In the 18th century, the roof was raised and clear windows were added for light.

If it feels Bavarian, it’s because it was done by Bavarian artists. The ceiling paintings feature St. Peter receiving the keys from Christ (center painting), walking on water, and joining the angels in heaven.

The monastery was founded by St. Rupert (c. 650-718). Find his statue at the main altar—he’s the second gold statue from the left. Rupert arrived as a Christian missionary in what was then a largely pagan land. He preached the gospel, reopened the Roman salt mines, and established the city. It was he who named it “Salzburg.”

Rupert’s tomb is midway up the right aisle. It’s adorned with a painting of him praying for his city. Beneath him is a depiction of Salzburg circa 1750 (when this was painted): one bridge, salt ships sailing the river, and angels hoisting barrels of salt to heaven.

• Leave the abbey square opposite where you entered. You’ll walk through a square that houses a dormitory for theology students and has architectural features from the 1920s. Passing through that square you reach...

11 Toscaninihof

This small, gray, rather stark square is named for Arturo Toscanini, who was a musical director of the Salzburg Festival in the 1930s. He fled to New York in 1937, the year before the Von Trapp family escaped (Toscanini had an easier time).

From here you see the back end of the large Salzburg Festival concert hall complex (see next). The concert hall’s theaters can seat 5,000 people (see photo on the wall). The stone stairway leads a few flights up to a panoramic view, and from there you can follow a path up the Mönchsberg.

The tunnel (to the left as you face the concert halls) is one entrance to the city’s huge, 1,500-space, inside-the-mountain parking lot. It originated in 1944 as the Mönchsberg air-raid shelter—an underground system that offered 18,000 locals refuge from WWII bombs. Down the tunnel is also a back entrance to the concert halls. The building is generally closed (for information about guided tours see here), but if you’re lucky you might be able to peek in through nearby doorways and see carpenters building stage sets or hear performers practicing for an upcoming show.

Above the tunnel, find the “Woman in the Rock” (looking like a Gothic Madonna in her red dress). She’s the partner of the little man on the golden orb a few squares back.

• Go right, into the spacious Max-Reinhardt-Platz. To your left are the...

12 Festival Concert Halls

The Salzburg Festival was started in the austere 1920s, after World War I. As Salzburg couldn’t afford a new concert hall, they remodeled what were once the prince-archbishop’s stables and riding school into music venues.

There are actually three different venues in this giant building. The Haus für Mozart—the most modern-looking part of the facade—is a performance space for plays, concerts, and operas. The Grosses Festspielhaus (Great Festival Hall) was built from the stables, and now, instead of horses, the world’s top opera stars prance across the stage. The Felsenreitschule, or the “Rock Riding School,” is hewn out of the side of the Mönchsberg. Today it hosts operas and concerts, and incorporates the arched arcades from the original 17th-century building. The Von Trapp family performed at the festival in 1936. In the movie, the Felsenreitschule is where the family sings their final songs (“Edelweiss” and “So Long, Farewell”) before slipping away to begin their escape from the Nazis.

When the Salzburg Festival is in full swing in August, the plaza becomes paradise for classical music fans.

• Across from the concert halls is a big church. Walk along the right side of this church, passing the recommended Restaurant Triangel, popular sausage stands, and a public WC, then enter...

13 Universitätsplatz

This square, home to the huge Baroque Kollegienkirche (University Church), also hosts Salzburg’s liveliest open-air produce market (and a lot of touristy food stands). It generally runs mornings, Monday through Saturday. It’s at its best early Saturday morning, when the farmers are in town. The fancy yellow facade overlooking the square marks the back end of Mozart’s Birthplace, which we’ll see (from the other side) shortly.

Find the water fountain at the far end of the square (it’s about 50 yards past the church). As with public marketplaces elsewhere, it’s for washing fruit and vegetables. This fountain—though modern in design—is still part of a medieval-era water system. The water plummets down a hole and on to the river. The sundial over the water hole shows both the time and the date.

• Continue toward the end of the long, tapering square. Along the way, you’ll pass several nicely arcaded medieval passageways (on the right), which lead to Salzburg’s old main street, Getreidegasse—where we’ll end this tour shortly. When you reach the traffic-control bollards, you’re looking at the...

14 Mönchsberg Cliff Face

Rising high above you is the Mönchsberg, Salzburg’s mini mountain (it reaches over 1,500 feet at its highest). Today you see the remains of an aborted attempt in the 1600s to cut through it. It proved too big a job, and the project was abandoned. The stones cut did serve as a quarry for the city’s 17th-century growth spurt—the bulk of the cathedral, for example, is built of this economical and local conglomerate rock.

Early one morning in 1669, a huge landslide killed more than 200 townspeople who lived close to where the elevator is now (to the right). Since then, the cliffs have been carefully checked each spring and fall. Even today, you might see crews on the cliff, monitoring its stability.

Walk to the base of the cliff, where you’ll see what was the giant horse trough for the stables of the prince-archbishops. Paintings show the various breeds and temperaments of horses in the stable. Like Vienna, Salzburg had a passion for the equestrian arts.

• Turn right and walk a block toward the river. Opposite the church, turn right onto the long pedestrian street called...

15 Getreidegasse

GOOGLE MAP

Old Salzburg’s colorful main drag, Getreidegasse (rated ▲▲) has been a center of trade since Roman times. Check out all the old wrought-iron signs that advertise what’s sold inside. This was the Salzburg of prosperous medieval burghers (businessmen). These days it bustles with the tourist trade. Dating mainly from the 15th century, the buildings are tall and narrow because this was prime real estate, and there was nowhere to build but up. Space was always tight, as the town was squeezed between the river and the Mönchsberg, and lots of land was set aside for the church. The architecture lining this street still looks much as it did in Mozart’s day—though many of the buildings themselves are now inhabited by chain outlets.

Enjoy the traditional signs and try to guess what they sold. There are signs advertising spirits, a bookmaker, and a horn indicating a place for the postal coach. A brewery has a star for the name of the beer, “Sternbräu.” There’s a windowmaker, a keymaker, a pastry shop, a tailor, a pretzelmaker, a pharmacy, and a hatmaker.

On the right at #39, Sporer pours homemade spirits (about €4/shot, closed Sun). This has been a family-run show for a century—fun-loving, proud, and English-speaking. Nuss is nut, Marille is apricot (typical of Austria), the Kletzen cocktail is like a super-thick Baileys with pear, and Edle Brande is the stronger schnapps. The many homemade firewaters are in jugs at the end of the bar.

After noticing building #39’s old doorbells—one per floor—continue down Getreidegasse. On the left at #40, Eisgrotte serves good ice cream. Across from Eisgrotte, a tunnel leads to the recommended Balkan Grill (sign reads Bosna Grill), the local choice for the very best wurst in town. Continue down Getreidegasse to the tunnel at #28, where Herr Wieber, an ironworker and locksmith, welcomes the curious (this has been a blacksmith shop since the 1400s).

Just past Café Mozart, a grate in the pavement gives a peek at the Bavarian water rushing through to the river as it’s done for 800 years—keeping the city fresh and clean and with healthy water.

At Getreidegasse #9, the knot of excited tourists marks the childhood home of Salzburg’s most famous resident. Mozart was born here in 1756. It was here that he composed many of his boy-genius works. Inside you see paintings of his family, letters, and personal items (a lock of his hair, a clavichord he may have played), all trying to bring life to the Mozart story (see the description on here).

• A bit farther along, at Getreidegasse #3, turn right, into the passageway. You’ll walk under a whale bone (likely symbolizing the wares of an exotic import shop) and reach the Old World time-capsule café called Schatz Konditorei (worth a stop for coffee and a pastry). At Schatz Konditorei, turn left through the tunnel-like passage. When you reach Sigmund-Haffner-Gasse, glance to the left (for a nice view of the city hall tower), then turn right. Walk along Sigmund-Haffner-Gasse and take your first left to reach a square called...

16 Alter Markt

This is Salzburg’s old marketplace. Here you’ll find a sausage stand, a fine old chocolate shop, and the venerable Café Tomaselli.

• Our walk is over. If you’re up for more sightseeing, most everything’s a short walk from here. The Old Town has several museums, or you can head up to the Hohensalzburg Fortress. To visit sights across the river in the New Town, cross the pedestrian bridge nearby.

Sights in Salzburg

IN THE OLD TOWN

▲DomQuartier Museums (including the Residenz)

▲▲Salzburg Museum

Christmas Museum (Weihnachtsmuseum)

▲Mozart’s Birthplace (Geburtshaus)

Salzburg Festival Concert Halls

Museum of Natural History and Technology (Haus der Natur)

ATOP THE MÖNCHSBERG

▲▲Hohensalzburg Fortress (Festung)

Map: Hohensalzburg Fortress

▲Mönchsberg Walk

Musuem of Modern Art (Museum der Moderne Salzburg)

IN THE NEW TOWN, NORTH OF THE RIVER

Salzach River View

▲Mirabell Gardens and Palace (Mirabellgarten und Schloss)

▲Panorama Museum

▲Mozart’s Residence (Wohnhaus)

▲Steingasse Stroll

Steinterrasse Rooftop Terrace

Linzer Gasse

▲St. Sebastian Cemetery

Kapuzinerberg City View

SIGHTS OUTSIDE THE CITY CENTER

▲▲Hellbrunn Palace and Gardens

Map: Greater Salzburg

▲▲Riverside or Meadow Bike Ride

▲Hallein Salt Mine (Salzwelten)

Hangar-7

IN THE OLD TOWN

▲DomQuartier Museums (including the Residenz)

GOOGLE MAP

The interconnected museums of the DomQuartier, ringing the Domplatz, focus on religious art and the history of Salzburg’s prince-archbishops. Your DomQuartier ticket admits you to a circular, indoor route through the Residenz (the ornate former palace), the cathedral (which you view from the organ loft), and a couple of adjoining buildings. You’ll see lavish apartments, view a fine collection of paintings, and enjoy the chance to walk across the gallery to the organ loft and peer into the cavernous cathedral. There’s nothing here that will knock your socks off, but it’s a diverting hour or two.

Cost and Hours: €13, helpful audioguide included (few posted descriptions); Wed-Mon 10:00-17:00, closed Tue, last entry one hour before closing, Residenzplatz 1, +43 662 8042 2109, www.domquartier.at.

Visiting the DomQuartier Museums: Entering at the Residenz, signs will guide you along the following circuit:

The Residenz State Rooms—once Salzburg’s center of power—were the home of the prince-archbishop. Walking through these 15 chandeliered, stuccoed, tapestried, and frescoed “stately rooms” (Prunkräume), you’ll see elements of Renaissance, Baroque, and Classicist styles—200 years of let-them-eat-cake splendor.

The Residenz Gallery, Salzburg’s top collection of paintings (one floor up), is small, with no famous works, but it’s top quality, well displayed, and well described by the audioguide. The strength of the collection is Baroque paintings (Flemish, Italian, and Austrian)—not surprising in this bastion of Catholicism. Look for these highlights: Rubens’ Allegory on Charles V shows the pope’s great champion with a sword in one hand and a scepter in the other. Rembrandt’s teeny-tiny Old Woman Praying glows, despite her wrinkled face and broken teeth (the model was probably his mother). Find Federico Barocci’s intense Self-Portrait, Bernardo Strozzi’s Sleeping Child, and Boucher’s rosy-cheeked Dreaming Shepherdess. Austria is represented by F. G. Waldmüller’s cheery, sun-drenched Children at the Window, Salzburg’s own Hans Makart’s honest portrait of his first wife Amalie, and a few Romantic alpine landscapes.

Next you cross over to the cathedral atop the prince-archbishop’s covered passageway. Though you don’t actually tour the cathedral interior, you do glance down on the nave from high above. Stop and enjoy the view. Just after the cathedral loft is the Cathedral Museum, with the permanent collection of rich religious objects from the cathedral’s long history.

The Cabinet of Curiosities comes next. Like bluebloods all over Europe, this was a show-off collection of wonders, natural oddities, and freak-show exoticism, designed to wow guests.

The Museum of St. Peter’s Abbey, your final stop, introduces you to work and life at the abbey (which claims to be the oldest monastery north of the Alps), with treasures ranging from Gothic to Baroque.

▲▲Salzburg Museum

GOOGLE MAP

This is your best look at the art and cultural history of Salzburg. As the building was once the prince-archbishop’s Neue Residenz, many exhibits are in the lavish rooms where Salzburg’s rulers entertained. Note that the museum may be closed for renovation during your visit (check locally to see if it’s reopened and expect changes to my description below).

Cost and Hours: €9, €10 combo-ticket with Panorama Museum, includes multimedia guide, Tue-Sun 9:00-17:00, closed Mon, café, on Residenzplatz, +43 662 620 8080, www.salzburgmuseum.at.

Visiting the Museum: The centerpiece of the museum is the permanent Salzburg Myth exhibit. You’ll learn how the town’s physical beauty—nestled among the Alps, near a river—attracted 19th-century Romantics who made it one of Europe’s first tourist destinations, an “Alpine Arcadia.” Visitors are challenged to consider how people then—as today—filtered out certain harsh realities (like poor living conditions) in favor of romanticized images of the places they visited. You may see lots of gauzy, remarkably recognizable landscapes of Salzburg from this era (and earlier).

A celebration of Salzburg’s music scene fills a room with wonderful interactive exhibits, musical instruments, and plentiful audio samples. You’ll learn how the arrival of the music festival in the 1920s spurred Salzburg’s status still more, drawing high-class visitors from across the globe. The exhibit includes strings, woodwinds, and keyboards dating back as far as the 1600s. Highlights include the enormous bassoon-like Grossbass Pommer, the single-stringed tromba marina (nicknamed “the nun’s violin,” its buzz resembles a trumpet), and the tiny pochette (pocket-sized violin).

Several rooms address the notion of tourism in the context of city development, and the conflict of modernization versus conservation. The exhibit then focuses mostly on the glory days of the prince-archbishops (1500-1800), with displays housed in impressive ceremonial rooms.

As you wander, be sure to enjoy the ornate Renaissance ceilings, a vivid reminder that this was a palace 500 years ago. Portraits of the prince-archbishops show them to be cultured men, with sensitive eyes and soft hands, who carry books. But they were also powerful secular rulers of an independent state that extended far beyond today’s Salzburg.

You may see Daniel Miller’s paintings from 1635 of the city as seen from Kapuzinerberg and from the Mönchsberg. Almost everything in them is still identifiable. Notice how they cleverly give you two grand views of the city; small info boards identify nearly every building.

The heart of the exhibit is the big, colorful hall where the Salzburg Diet (the legislature) met. The elaborate painted relief ceiling depicts heroic Romans who sacrificed for their country. There’s a grab-bag of interesting displays, including old guns, rock crystals, and coins.

A portrait shows the prince-archbishop who sums up Salzburg’s golden age—Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau (1559-1617). Here he is at age 28, having just assumed power. Educated, well traveled, a military strategist, and fluent in several languages, Wolf Dietrich epitomized the kind of Renaissance man who could lead both church and state. He largely created the city we see today—the rebuilt cathedral, Residenz, Residenzplatz, and Mirabell Palace—done in the Italian Baroque style. Interactive screens describe the strict ordinances issued by this notable archbishop, including the Mandate of Religion (1588), which ordered all non-Catholics to leave the city. Today, about 95 percent of Salzburg is (nominally) Catholic, and there’s only one Lutheran church.

Keep an eye out for the oldest known painted view of Salzburg (1599) and a portrait of the Italian architect Vincenzo Scamozzi, who contributed to the city’s Baroque appearance during Wolf Dietrich’s tenure.

Finally, exhibits flesh out Wolf Dietrich the man and his associates. You may also see a portrait of Salome Alt, Wolf Dietrich’s mistress, a merchant’s daughter with whom he shared 15 children and a retreat outside the city walls (which was later rebuilt as Mirabell Palace). This liaison prevented Wolf Dietrich’s promotion to cardinal, but the couple’s love never faltered. After her man’s death, Alt dressed as a widow for the rest of her life.

Christmas Museum (Weihnachtsmuseum)

Here you can trace the way Austrians celebrated Christmas from 1840 to 1940. This delightful little museum gives insight into Advent, Christmas markets, St. Nicholas and Krampus, and cozy family holiday traditions. While descriptions are in German only, each room has an English intro.

Cost and Hours: €9, Wed-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon-Tue and Feb-mid-March, opposite the cathedral at Mozartplatz 2, +43 662 843 523, www.salzburger-weihnachtsmuseum.at.

▲Mozart’s Birthplace (Geburtshaus)

GOOGLE MAP

In 1747, Leopold Mozart—a musician in the prince-archbishop’s band—moved into this small rental unit with his new bride. Soon they had a baby girl (Nannerl), and in 1756, a little boy was born—Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. It was here that Mozart learned to play piano and violin, and composed his first boy-genius works. Even after the family gained fame, touring Europe’s palaces and becoming the toast of Salzburg, they continued living in this rather cramped, typical 18th-century apartment until 1773, when they finally moved to bigger digs across the river (see here).

Today this is the most popular Mozart sight in town—for fans, it’s almost a pilgrimage. Shuffling through with the crowds, you’ll peruse three floors of rooms displaying paintings, letters, personal items, and lots of context, all bringing life to the Mozart story.

Cost and Hours: €13.50, €20 combo-ticket with Mozart’s Residence, free worthwhile audioguide app; daily July-Aug 8:30-19:30, Sept-June 9:00-17:30, Getreidegasse 9, +43 662 844 313, www.mozarteum.at. Avoid shoulder-to-shoulder crowds by visiting early or late.

Visiting Mozart’s Birthplace: You’ll begin on the top floor in the actual apartment—five small rooms, including the kitchen and the bedroom where Mozart was born. The rooms are bare of any furnishings. Instead, you’ll see detailed biographies and portraits of the famous family, and some memorabilia: Mozart’s childhood viola, some (possible) locks of his hair, buttons from his jacket, and a letter to his wife, whom he calls his “little rascal, pussy-pussy.” Snippets of correspondence between Mozart’s family members (beneath the portraits) are filled with warmth and humor, revealing their individual personalities. A tiny oval portrait is considered the most accurate likeness of Wolfgang ever painted.

The museum portion begins with an exhibition on Mozart’s life after he left Salzburg for Vienna: He jams with Haydn and wows the Viennese with electrifying concerts and new compositions. Despite his fame, Mozart fell on hard times, and died young and in debt. But, as the museum shows, his legacy lived on.

Downstairs, the Mozart und Oper room examines the operas he wrote (Don Giovanni, The Magic Flute, The Marriage of Figaro), with historic stage sets. The prize piece is an old clavichord on which Mozart supposedly composed his final work—the Requiem, which was played for his own funeral. (A predecessor of the more complicated piano, the clavichord’s keys hit the strings with a simple teeter-totter motion that allows you to play very softly—ideal for composers living in tight apartment quarters.)

Mozart’s Salzburg

Salzburg was Mozart’s home for the first 25 years of his brief, 35-year life. He was born on Getreidegasse and baptized in the cathedral. He played his first big concert, at age six, at the Residenz. He was the organist for the cathedral, conducted the prince-archbishop’s orchestra, and dined at (what’s now called) Café Tomaselli. It was from Salzburg that he gained Europe-wide fame, touring the continent with his talented performing family. At age 17, Mozart and his family moved into lavish digs at (today’s) Mozart’s Residence.

As his fame and ambitions grew, Mozart eventually left Salzburg to pursue his dreams in Vienna. His departure from Salzburg’s royal court in 1781 is the stuff of legend. Mozart, full of himself, announced that he was quitting. The prince-archbishop essentially said, “You can’t quit; you’re fired!” and as Mozart walked out, he was literally kicked in the ass.

Mozart Sights in Salzburg: Both Mozart sights in Salzburg—the Birthplace and the Residence—are expensive and worthwhile. If I had to choose, I’d go with the Birthplace as the best overall introduction (though it’s more crowded) and consider the Residence extra credit. If you’re truly interested in Mozart and his times, buy the combo-ticket and see both.

The lower-floor Wunderkind Mozart exhibit takes you on the road with the child prodigy, and gives a slice-of-life portrait of what it was like to live and travel in the 1700s. Mozart spent a third of his life journeying throughout Europe (like me)—during a time when it took 29 hours to travel just from Salzburg to Munich (not like me—two hours). Look at the map that shows the cities he performed in and imagine: 17 trips from 1762 to 1791, endless hours in a carriage, 3,700 days on the road starting at age six. The listening room explores the musical textures of a Mozart work in surround-sound detail.

Salzburg Festival Concert Halls

The Salzburg Festival is one of the most prestigious arts festivals anywhere. If you’re not here during performance time but want to see where some of the world’s greatest singers, actors, and instrumentalists strut their stuff, consider a guided tour of the venues. The tour covers the concert halls’ architecture, artwork, and theatrical and technical capabilities, and is interesting even if you’re not an arts wonk. Fans will recognize the iconic arcaded stage of the Felsenreitschule as the setting for the Von Trapp family’s final public performance in The Sound of Music.

Cost and Hours: Visit possible only with €7 guided tour, tours run daily at 14:00, mid-July-Aug also at 9:30 and 15:30, closed during performances or rehearsals, buy ticket at concert hall entrance marked Felsenreitschule at least 15 minutes in advance (Hofstallgasse 1, www.salzburgerfestspiele.at/guided-tours).

Museum of Natural History and Technology (Haus der Natur)

A good rainy-day destination for kids, a highlight here is the Science Center, three floors of hands-on gadgets and experiments. The rest of the museum—spread over several creatively linked buildings—focuses on natural history, with an aquarium; exhibits on topics such as climate, dinosaurs, and the Salzach River; and dated displays of butterflies and stuffed fauna. Most exhibits are in English.

Cost and Hours: €12, family deals, daily 9:00-17:00, café, Museumplatz 5, +43 662 842 653, www.hausdernatur.at.

ATOP THE MÖNCHSBERG

Atop the cliffs above the Old Town is a tangle of paved walking paths with great views, a couple of cafés (one cheap, one expensive, both with million-dollar views), a modern art museum, a neighborhood of very fancy homes, and one major sight: Hohensalzburg Fortress (perched on the Festungsberg, the Mönchsberg’s southern arm).

Getting There: There are three ways to get atop the cliffs: hike, take an elevator, or ride the funicular. A round-trip ticket bought at the elevator allows you to descend via the funicular, and vice versa. Generally, though, you can’t take the funicular unless you’re also visiting the fortress.

The hike up or down is steep but quick and saves a few euros. Paths or stairs lead up from the Augustiner Bräustübl beer hall/garden, Toscaninihof (near the Salzburg Festival concert halls), and Festungsgasse (at the base of the fortress).

The Mönchsberg elevator (Aufzug) starts where Gstättengasse and Griesgasse meet, on the west side of the Old Town—look for the Museum of Modern Art entry (€3 one-way, €4.40 round-trip, normally Tue-Sun 8:00-21:00, Mon until 19:00, July-Aug daily until 23:00).

The funicular starts from Festungsgasse (just off Kapitelplatz, by the cathedral) and comes up inside the fortress complex.

Planning Your Time: If you plan to do it all, the fortress, modern art museum, elevator, and funicular are covered by the Salzburg Card (described under “Tourist Information,” earlier). I’d visit in this order: Take the funicular to the fortress in the morning (to potentially avoid the worst crowds), take the Mönchsberg Walk path over to the museum, and then take the elevator down to the Old Town.

Eating Up Top: You can eat at the view cafés in the fortress; at the chic, expensive Mönchsberg 32 café/bar/restaurant at the top of the elevator, in the same building as the modern art museum; or five minutes from the elevator at the rustic, more highly recommended Stadtalm Café, with wooden picnic tables and a one-with-nature allure. Or bring a packed lunch.

▲▲Hohensalzburg Fortress (Festung)

GOOGLE MAP

Hohensalzburg Fortress is one of Europe’s mightiest castles, dominating Salzburg’s skyline and offering impressive views in all directions, plus cafés and a handful of mediocre museums. It’s a pleasant place to grab an ice-cream cone, wander the whitewashed maze of buildings, and soak up some medieval ambience.

Archbishop Gebhard of Salzburg started work on the fortress in the 11th century as a show of the Catholic Church’s power (see sidebar on here). Built on a rock high above the Salzach River, the fortress was never really used. That was the idea. It was a good investment—so imposing, nobody attacked the town for over 800 years. The city was never taken by force, but when Napoleon stopped by, Salzburg wisely surrendered. After a stint as a military barracks, the fortress was opened to the public in the 1860s by Habsburg Emperor Franz Josef.

Cost: Don’t get bogged down in the many ticket variations; the basic choices are whether to walk or ride the funicular up, and whether you want to add on the finest rooms. The walk up, though short, is steep, and most visitors opt for the one-minute trip on the funicular (Festungsbahn). The museums are less interesting than the fortress itself, so for most, it’s wise to pay for the minimum necessary (if you decide you want to see more museums after all, you can pay a surcharge up top). The fortress grounds, including the church and the keep, are open to all ticket holders. If you’re up at the fortress at 9:30 or 19:00, you can take a 30-minute guided tour for no extra charge, starting at the fortress InfoPoint.

The basic ticket (€14.50 by funicular, €11.20 by foot) lets you into most of the museums: the Panorama exhibit about the fortress, including a tower-top view (shown as A on the map); and the main Fortress Museum, including the military-oriented Rainer Regiment exhibit and the Marionette exhibit (B).

The all-inclusive ticket (€18 by funicular, €13 by foot) covers everything in the basic ticket plus entry to the well-presented State Rooms (C, sometimes called the Regency Rooms or Princely Chambers) and the Magical Theater. Even with a basic ticket, you can pay €3.50 at the door to enter the worthwhile State Rooms.

The budget-minded panorama ticket (€12 by funicular, €9.20 by foot) admits you only to the Panorama exhibit and tower view (A). This option is enough to satisfy many tourists, but it’s only available May-Sept 8:30-10:00 and 18:00-20:00.

Hours: The museums are open daily 8:30-19:00, Oct-April 9:30-17:00.

Information: +43 662 8424 3011, www.salzburg-burgen.at.

Avoiding Crowds: Visit early in the morning or late in the day. Avoid waits for the funicular ascent with the Salzburg Card (which lets you skip to the head of the line) or by walking up. Or buy your ticket online before you visit.

Concerts: The fortress serves as a venue for evening concerts (the Festungskonzerte), which are held in the old banquet rooms on the upper floor of the palace museum. Concerts take place 300 nights a year and are a good way to see the fortress without crowds. For concert details, see here.

Eating: The €€ café and restaurant complex to either side of the upper funicular station is a great place to linger while taking in the jaw-dropping view (daily 10:00-22:00, food served about 11:30-20:30, closed Jan-Feb).

Self-Guided Tour: The fortress is an eight-acre complex of some 50 buildings, with multiple courtyards and multiple rings of protective walls.

• At the top of the funicular, turn right, head downstairs, then up to the panoramic terrace, and bask in the view toward the Alps. Continue up through the fortress gates. Emerging into the light, go left (uphill) to find the entrance to the...

Popes vs. Emperors

Salzburg was on the frontline of a medieval power struggle between the Roman Catholic Church and the Holy Roman Emperors. The town’s mighty Hohensalzburg Fortress—a symbol of the Church’s determination to assert its power here—was built around 1077, just as the conflict was heating up.

The argument was a classic tug-of-war between papal and imperial power. The prize: the right to appoint (or “invest”) church officials. Such appointments traditionally came from the Church, but in the early Middle Ages, rulers began picking bishops and abbots themselves (which Rome more or less rubber-stamped). These appointed bishops and abbots were then under considerable obligation to support their king, both spiritually and materially.

For a while, Rome put up with this turned-around system, but things came to a head under Pope Gregory VII. To remind the uppity kings of their place below God and pope, he prohibited investiture by secular (“lay”) rulers in 1074. But Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV bucked the system, continuing to appoint his own church leaders and boldly renouncing Gregory VII as pope. In retaliation, Gregory excommunicated both Henry and the bishops he’d appointed.

Salzburg’s Archbishop Gebhard took the pope’s side against Henry. As a visible sign of ecclesiastical strength, he started construction of the massive Hohensalzburg Fortress. Henry hit back by expelling Gebhard from Salzburg in 1085. Undeterred, Gebhard spent a decade in exile mustering support for the pope and raising forces against Henry.

Gebhard eventually returned to Salzburg and resumed his position as archbishop. But the investiture back-and-forth continued until 1122, when the next pope and emperor finally reached a power-sharing accord.

InfoPoint and Panorama Exhibition (A): Enter here for a light introduction to the history of Salzburg and a tower climb. Follow the one-way route to the base of the Reckturm tower, which once held prison cells. One of the most esteemed prisoners held in the fortress was Prince-Archbishop Wolf Dietrich, who lost favor with the pope, was captured by a Bavarian duke, and spent his last seven years in Hohensalzburg. It’s a complicated story—basically, the pope counted on Salzburg to hold the line against the Protestants for several generations following the Reformation. Wolf Dietrich was a good Catholic, as were most Salzburgers. But the town’s important businessmen and the region’s salt miners were Protestant, and for Salzburg’s financial good, Wolf Dietrich dealt with them in a tolerant and pragmatic way. Eventually the pope—who allowed zero tolerance for Protestants in those heady Counter-Reformation days—had Wolf Dietrich locked up and replaced.

Next, climb a spiral staircase to the top of the Reckturm and a commanding view. Jockey your way to the railing at the upper platform and survey the scene. (If it’s too crowded up here, you can enjoy nearly-as-good views from bigger terraces lower down.) To the north is the city. To the south are Salzburg’s suburbs in a flat valley, from which rises the majestic 6,000-foot Untersberg massif of the Berchtesgaden Alps. To the east, you can look down into the castle complex to see the palace where the prince-archbishops lived.

Descend from the tower and go through the long battlement walkway. At the end, pause at the “Salzburger Bull”—a mechanical barrel organ used to wake the citizens every morning.

• Exit down the stairs into the...

Fortress Courtyard: The courtyard was the main square for the medieval fortress’s 1,000-some residents, who could be self-sufficient when necessary. The square was ringed by the shops of craftsmen, blacksmiths, bakers, and so on. The well dipped into a rain-fed cistern. Find the door to the church—it’s dedicated to St. George, the protector of horses (logical for an army church). Look inside—fine red marble reliefs (1512) decorate the walls. Behind the church is the top of the old lift (still in use) that helped supply the fortress. Under the archway next to it are the steps that lead back into the city, or to the paths across the Mönchsberg.

• Left of the lift rails, go through the archway that leads to a balcony with a view of Salzburg.

Kuenburg Bastion: Survey Salzburg from here and think about fortifying an important city by using nature. The fortress sits atop a ridgeline with sheer cliffs on three sides, giving it a huge defensive advantage. Meanwhile, the town of Salzburg sits between the natural defenses of the Salzach River and the ridge. (The ridgeline consists of the Mönchsberg, the cliffs to the left, and Festungsberg, the little mountain you’re on.) The fortress itself has three concentric rings of defense: the original keep in the center (where the museums we’re about to visit are located), the vast whitewashed walls (near you), and still more beefed-up fortifications (on the hillside below you, added against an expected Ottoman invasion). With all these defenses, the city only required a few more touches: The New Town across the river needed a bit of a wall arcing from the river to its hill. Back then, only one bridge crossed the Salzach into town, and it had a fortified gate. Cradled amid the security of its defenses—both natural and man-made—independent Salzburg thrived for nearly a thousand years.

• Back in the main courtyard, with the church on your right, head uphill through the stone gate into the Hoher Stock (castle keep). To your right, detour up a short stairway to look at the remains of the fortress’s first, oldest chapel. Then, if you’ve paid for the main museum, go straight ahead up the stairs. At the very top of the long staircase is the entrance to the...

Fortress Museum (Festungsmuseum, B): The first part of this extensive museum covers the history of the fortress, including an animation of the castle’s evolution over the centuries, and military artifacts. Follow the one-way route, exploring the exhibits on this floor, then head one floor up.

• At this level, you have the chance to enter the State Rooms (if you have the all-inclusive ticket or want to pay extra).

State Rooms (Fürstenzimmer, C): These restored rooms are the most beautiful in the palace, with richly painted and gilded woodwork. You’ll begin by viewing the “Magical Theater,” a fun seven-minute video presentation/puppet show setting the historical context for when the prince-archbishop built these rooms around the year 1500—the High Middle Ages. Then you’ll see the Golden Hall, where evening concerts are held, and the Royal Apartment, consisting of two rooms—one with a colorfully painted tile stove in the corner, and the other featuring a toilet with a several-hundred-foot drop.

• Leaving the State Rooms, you’ll loop right back to the point where you left the Fortress Museum.

The Fortress Museum continues with an exhibit on the Rainer Regiment, a division of the imperial Austrian army that fought mountain-to-mountain on the Italian front during World War I. Heading downstairs, you’ll find a 16th-century kitchen and modest, minimalist exhibits on Paracelsus (an early physician), music, weaponry, and life and play in the Middle Ages.

• Pass through the gift shop and exit the museum. Head back down the long staircase, then hook a U-turn at the bottom to find the...

Marionette Exhibit: Marionette shows are a Salzburg tradition (think of the “Lonely Goatherd” scene in The Sound of Music). Two fun rooms show off various puppets and scenery backdrops. Videos show glimpses of the Marionette Theater performances of Mozart classics (see here).

• Our tour is over. To walk—either down to Salzburg or across the Mönchsberg (see “Mönchsberg Walk,” next)—you can take any trail downhill. Eventually you’ll pass through the ticket checkpoint and come to a T-intersection. Head right (downhill) to return to the Old Town (following Altstadt signs), or turn left (uphill) and go under the funicular tracks to make your way across the Mönchsberg (following Museum der Moderne signs).

To reach the funicular, backtrack to the station between the two cafés. At the bottom of the lift, spend a minute or two at the fine little Alm River Canal exhibit, which focuses on how the river powered the city before steam took over.

▲Mönchsberg Walk

GOOGLE MAP

The paved, wooded walking path along the narrow ridgeline between the Mönchsberg elevator and the fortress is less than a mile long and makes for a great, quiet and shady 30-minute hike. There’s some up and down, but the total elevation gain is about equal in either direction.

Frequent signposts direct you between all the key points, so it’s hard to get lost. (Festung Hohensalzburg and Museum der Moderne Salzburg refer to the fortress and elevator ends of the mountain, respectively; the spots where you can go down the stairs into town are signed Altstadt.) Along the way, you’ll see stunning views of Salzburg, rustic homes, a few unique little castle-like homes to ogle, a modern art museum (and occasional modern art sculptures in yards), a couple of places to eat or enjoy a scenic drink, the sheer cliff face with its layers of sediment, and parts of the medieval wall. You can also pause to read information plaques about Salzburg’s first settlers and the quarrying of the cliffs. At one point, the route forks to either a paved road or a footpath. Either works, as they converge later on.

The recommended Augustiner Bräustübl beer hall/garden is 10 minutes downhill past the Museum of Modern Art (follow signs for Mülln; see description on here).

Museum of Modern Art (Museum der Moderne Salzburg)

This museum has two locations. The main branch, a stark concrete-and-glass exhibition space, is located right at the top of the Mönchsberg elevator. (The second location is in the Old Town, near the Salzburg Festival concert halls.) Next to this branch is the Sky Space, a cylindrical stone tower intended to let you contemplate the sky. Both of the museum’s branches showcase works from the 19th and 20th centuries to the present day, with a particular emphasis on photography and graphic arts.

Cost and Hours: €14, elevator not included, Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, Thu until 20:00, closed Mon except during festival, +43 662 842 220, www.museumdermoderne.at.

IN THE NEW TOWN, NORTH OF THE RIVER

The following sights are across the river from the Old Town. I’ve connected them with walking instructions (for locations, see map on here).

• Begin at the padlock-encrusted pedestrian bridge. Formerly named Makartsteg, this bridge was renamed Marko-Feingold-Steg for a local Jewish leader and Holocaust survivor who died in 2019 at the age of 107. Here you can enjoy the...

Salzach River View

Scan the cityscape and notice all the churches. Salzburg has 40 of them, justifying its nickname as the “Rome of the North.” The grand buildings just across the bridge (with their elegant promenades and cafés) were built on reclaimed land in the late 19th century. Find the five streams gushing out of the embankment and into the river. These date from the 13th century, when the river was split into five canals running through the town to power its mills. Facing upstream, the Hotel Stein (just left of next bridge) has a popular roof-terrace restaurant (see “Steinterrasse Rooftop Terrace,” later). Also upstream on the left, between here and the next bridge, is the recommended Café Bazar (a fine place for a drink with a view). Downstream, high overhead on the left, atop the Mönchsberg, notice the Museum of Modern Art (with a view restaurant) and a faux castle (actually a water reservoir). The Romanesque bell tower with the green copper dome in the distance is the Augustine church, site of the best beer hall in town (the recommended Augustiner Bräustübl).

• Cross the bridge, walk two blocks inland, and take a left past the heroic statues into...

▲Mirabell Gardens and Palace (Mirabellgarten und Schloss)

GOOGLE MAP

These bubbly gardens, laid out in 1730 for the prince-archbishop, have been open to the public since 1850 (thanks to Emperor Franz Josef, who was rattled by the popular revolutions of 1848). The statues and the arbor (far left) were featured in The Sound of Music. The palace is worth a peek inside to see the Marble Hall (the prince-archbishop’s former ballroom, now a popular wedding venue). To see it, follow Marmorsaal signs and head up the ornate Angel’s Staircase—even if the Marble Hall doesn’t look like it’s open, it probably is.

Cost and Hours: The gardens and palace are free to enter. Gardens—open until dusk; palace—open Mon-Sat 8:00-18:00 and during concerts, otherwise closed Sun.

Visiting the Gardens: Walk through the gardens toward the palace and find the statue of the horse (on the river side of the palace). Look back, enjoy the garden/cathedral/castle view, and imagine how the prince-archbishop must have reveled in a vista that reminded him of all his secular and religious power.

The rearing Pegasus statue is the site of a famous Sound of Music scene where the kids all danced before lining up on the stairs with Maria (30 yards farther along). The steps lead to a small mound in the park (made of rubble from a former theater). Notice that Pegasus is missing what locals call “his best part.” (They claim it made the prince feel less impressive, so he had it removed.)

Nearest the horse, stairs lead between two lions to a pair of tough gnomes welcoming you to Salzburg’s Dwarf Garden. Cross the elevated walk (noticing the city’s fortified walls) to meet whimsical marble statues modeled after a dozen dwarfs who served in the court of the prince-archbishop in the 17th century.

There’s plenty of music here, both in the gardens and in the palace. A brass band plays free park concerts (May-Aug Sun at 10:30 and Wed at 20:00). On summer Friday evenings, traditionally clad folk-music groups stage free performances in the open-air “hedge theater” (Heckentheater, mid-June-Aug at 18:30, to your right when facing the fortress from the central fountain). To properly enjoy the lavish Mirabell Palace—once the prince-archbishop’s summer palace and now the seat of the mayor—get a ticket to a Schlosskonzerte (my favorite venue for a classical concert—see here).

• In the south wing of the gardens’ Orangerie (from the garden’s central fountain, it’s the pinkish building on your left as you face the fortress in the distance) is the...

▲Panorama Museum

The Panorama Museum displays a wrap-around painting of the city, giving a 360-degree look at Salzburg in the year 1829. Note that it may be closed during your visit; check locally.

Cost and Hours: €4.50 includes Panorama and temporary exhibits, €10 combo-ticket with Salzburg Museum, daily 9:00-17:00, Mirabell Gardens Orangerie, +43 662 620 808 730, www.salzburgmuseum.at.

Visiting the Museum: In the early 19th century, before the advent of photography, 360-degree panorama paintings of great cities or events were popular. When this one was created, the 1815 Treaty of Vienna had just divvied up post-Napoleonic Europe, and Salzburg had become part of the Habsburg realm. This photo-realistic painting served as a town portrait done at the emperor’s request.

Painted by Johann Michael Sattler, the view shows the city as seen from the top of its castle. It took Sattler four years to complete (1825-1829), after which the painting spent 10 years touring the great cities of Europe, showing off Salzburg’s breathtaking setting. Donated to the city by Sattler’s son in 1870, it was displayed in a custom-built pavilion in the park on the far (north) side of Mirabell Palace until 1937. The painting recently moved here from its previous location in the Neue Residenz. Today, the exquisitely restored panorama offers a fascinating look at the city as it was in the early 19th century. The river was slower and had beaches, but the Old Town looks essentially as it does today.

• Head back to the gardens and make your way to the park-like square called Makartplatz (with the big-domed church at the top of the square). Across the square—opposite the big and bright Hotel Bristol—you’ll find...

▲Mozart’s Residence (Wohnhaus)

In the fall of 1773, when Wolfgang was 17—and his family was flush with money from years of touring—the Mozarts moved here from their cramped apartment on Getreidegasse. The exhibits feature original Mozart family instruments and a good introductory video, and an informative audioguide is included. The building itself, bombed in World War II, is a reconstruction. While Mozart’s birthplace (see earlier) is slightly more interesting, both are worthwhile for anyone with an interest in Wolfgang’s life.

Cost and Hours: €13.50, €20 combo-ticket with Mozart’s Birthplace, daily July-Aug 8:30-19:00, Sept-June 9:00-17:30, Makartplatz 8, +43 662 8742 2740, www.mozarteum.at.

Visiting Mozart’s Residence: The exhibit—seven rooms on one floor—starts in the main hall, which was used by the Mozarts to entertain Salzburg’s high society. Here you can see Mozart’s pianoforte from 1782. The family portrait on the wall (from around 1780) shows Mozart with his sister Nannerl at the piano, their father on violin, and their mother—who’d died two years earlier in Paris. You’ll also see three circular targets high on the wall, and—in the glass case nearby—the air rifle that Mozart and his family used to shoot at them.

Room 2 trumpets the successes the Mozart family enjoyed while living here: portraits of Salzburg bigwigs they hung out with, and letters from Mozart bragging about his musical successes.

Room 3 is dedicated to father Leopold—Kapellmeister of the prince, a member of the archbishop’s orchestra, a musician, and a composer in his own right. Was Leopold a loving nurturer of young Wolfgang or an exploiting Svengali? You’ll also meet “Nannerl” (Maria Anna), Mozart’s sister, who was five years older. Though both were child prodigies, playing four-hand showpieces for Europe’s crowned heads, because Nannerl was a woman she wasn’t given the same opportunity to pursue a musical career as her brother. She went on to lead a stable life as a wife and mother.

The remaining rooms feature letters and music books from the nearby Mozarteum library, Wolfgang’s violin, information about his stage works, a wall of factoids about his life, and a listening lounge.

• Leaving the museum, hook left around the corner and walk a few short blocks back to the main bridge (Staatsbrücke), where you’ll find the Platzl, a square once used as a hay market. Pause to enjoy the kid-pleasing little fountain. Look up handsome Linzer Gasse, with its attractive small shops (we’ll go there later). Just past the fountain (with your back to the river), Steingasse leads darkly to the right.

▲Steingasse Stroll

Heading up dim, narrow Steingasse, you get a rare glimpse of medieval Salzburg. It’s not the Church’s Salzburg of grand squares and Baroque facades, but the people’s Salzburg, of cramped quarters and humble cobbled lanes. In fact, this road dates to Roman times. If you dug down, you’d find grooves in the pavement stones the standard width of an ancient carriage. For centuries buffer stones have protected the buildings from passing traffic. Today, inviting cocktail bars along here come alive at night.

Stop at #9 (which sticks out into the lane) and look across the river into the Old Town; the city’s original bridge once connected Salzburg’s two halves right here. According to town lore, this building is where Joseph Mohr, who wrote the words to “Silent Night,” was born—poor and illegitimate—in 1792. The popular Christmas carol was composed and first sung just outside Salzburg, in the village of Oberndorf, in 1818. Stairs lead from near here up to a 17th-century Capuchin monastery.

On the next corner, the wall is gouged out. This scar was left even after the building was restored, to serve as a reminder of the American GI who tried to get a tank down this road during a visit to the town brothel—two blocks farther up Steingasse. Within steps of here is the art cinema (showing movies in their original language, schedule in window) and three recommended bars (see “Steingasse Pub Crawl” on here).

Go deeper. At #19 (on the left), find the carvings on the old door. Some say these are notices from beggars to the begging community (more numerous after post-Reformation religious wars, which forced many people out of their homes and towns)—a kind of “hobo code” indicating whether the residents would give or not. Trace the wires of the old-fashioned doorbells to the highest floors.

Farther on, step through the old fortified gate (at #20) and find a commanding Salzburg view across the river. Under the fortress and to the left, notice the red dome marking Nonnberg Abbey, with the oldest nunnery in the German-speaking world (established in 712). The real Maria, who inspired The Sound of Music, taught in this nunnery’s school. In 1927, she and Captain von Trapp were married in the abbey’s church. He was 47. She was 22.

From here, look back above the arch you just passed through and up at part of the town’s medieval fortification. The coat of arms on the arch is that of the prince-archbishop who paid Bavaria a huge ransom to stay out of the Thirty Years’ War (smart move). He then built the castle and its fortifications (in 1634) in anticipation of rampaging armies from both sides.

Today, this street is for making love, not war. The Maison de Plaisir (a few doors down on the right, at #24) was for centuries a Salzburg brothel. But the climax of this walk is more touristic.

• My Salzburg Town Walk starts on the cute pedestrian bridge a few minutes beyond this point. Or, for a grand view, retrace your steps from here back to the Platzl and the Staatsbücke bridge, enter the Hotel Stein (left corner, overlooking the river), and ride the elevator to the...

Steinterrasse Rooftop Terrace

This €€€€ restaurant-lounge offers one of the best views in town. Hidden from the tourist crush, it’s a trendy, professional, local scene. You can discreetly peek at the view, enjoy a drink or meal, or come back later to gaze into the eyes of your travel partner as you sip a nightcap (reservations smart for outdoor seating, food served daily until 22:00, +43 662 877 277, www.steinterrasse.com).

• Back at the Platzl and the bridge, you can head straight up...

Linzer Gasse

The old road leading out of Salzburg toward Linz (and, beyond that, Vienna) is refreshingly traffic-free. It’s lined with good hotels, shops, and eateries, and is a delight to stroll. In recent years it has become more lively, and today it feels almost like an unglitzy, workaday Getreidegasse. Just above Steingasse, at #14, is the gateway leading up to Kapuzinerberg (described later).

• Higher up on Linzer Gasse you’ll reach...

▲St. Sebastian Cemetery

This wonderfully evocative cemetery dates from around 1600, when, after picking up modern ideas while studying in Rome, Prince-Archbishop Wolf Dietrich emptied the cathedral square of its tombs and established this more modern (and Italian-feeling) place of burial. People didn’t like the move, though, and to help popularize it, Wolf Dietrich had his own mausoleum built as the cemetery’s centerpiece.

Cost and Hours: Free, daily 9:00-18:00, Nov-March until 16:00, entry at Linzer Gasse 43 in summer; in off-season go through the arch at #37 and around the building to the doorway under the blue seal.

Visiting the Cemetery: Wander through this quiet oasis. While regular citizens are buried in the middle, the arcade is lined with the fine tombs of fine families. Stroll the entire square, enjoying the art of the dead. Mozart is buried in Vienna, his mom’s in Paris, and his sister is in Salzburg’s Old Town (St. Peter’s)—but Wolfgang’s wife, Constanze (“Constantia”), and his father, Leopold, are buried here (from the black iron gate entrance on Linzer Gasse, walk 19 paces and look left). Continue straight past the Mozart tomb to the circular building that is Wolf Dietrich’s mausoleum. Peek inside to enjoy the late-Renaissance space.

• If you’re ready for a bite, the cemetery is within a few steps of several good eateries (see here). For a grand finale to your New Town explorations, head back down Linzer Gasse to #14 and the trailhead up to...

Kapuzinerberg City View

Kapuzinerberg, a small mountain, rises from the river opposite Salzburg’s castle. From Linzer Gasse 14, a lane and steps lead past 12 Stations of the Cross to a Capuchin monastery (the mountain’s namesake) and a commanding city viewpoint. Once an alp used by the town’s farmers for grazing animals, today Kapuzinerberg is a peaceful, park-like escape. To get to the scenic viewpoint over the river and across from the castle, follow the shorter loop, circling right (find the viewpoint on the left, just before the trail descends to Steingasse and the river).

SIGHTS OUTSIDE THE CITY CENTER

The following sights and activities take you outside the city center for easy side trips.

▲▲Hellbrunn Palace and Gardens

Elected in 1612, Prince-Archbishop Markus Sittikus decided he needed a lavish palace with a vast and ornate garden purely for pleasure. So he took his hunting lodge and, within three years, had it expanded into his summer palace. Sittikus just loved inviting his VIP guests from throughout Europe to have some fun with his trick fountains: Water shoots out unexpectedly from hidden jets and theaters with mechanical figures entertain. Today, a visit to Hellbrunn features a delightful tour of this water wonderland; Sittikus’ palace, filled with engaging exhibits about the man who built it all; and a sprawling park with gardens, ponds, and the gazebo made famous by The Sound of Music. It’s an especially appealing destination on a nice day, but if it’s raining, you may want to skip it.

Cost and Hours: €15 for palace, fountains, and audioguides for both; daily 9:30-18:30, July-Aug until 19:00, April and Oct until 17:30, last entry one hour before closing, closed Nov-March; pay parking, café, +43 662 820 3720, www.hellbrunn.at. The expansive grounds (not including the fountains) are free and open daily 6:30-21:00.

Getting There: Hellbrunn is nearly four miles south of the city center. Take bus #25 from the train station or from the Rathaus stop by the Staatsbrücke bridge, and get off at the Schloss Hellbrunn stop (3-4/hour, 25-minute ride from station). It’s also a stop on the hop-on, hop-off bus route (see here). In good weather, the trip out to Hellbrunn is a delightful 30-minute bike excursion (see “Riverside or Meadow Bike Ride,” later, and ask for a map when you rent your bike).

Visiting the Palace: Upon arrival, buy your ticket, which will list an entry time for the fountains (they generally let in a group of people on the half-hour). If there’s a wait until your fountain visit starts, you can see the palace first (budget about 30 minutes for the palace).

Fountains: Your tour of the fountains includes a 45-minute audioguide that leads you through a series of amazing 17th-century garden settings with lots of splashy fun. The fountains and palace are Mannerist (between Renaissance and Baroque), a period in which intentional irregularities were in vogue after the strict logic, balance, and Greek-inspired symmetry of the Renaissance. The trick fountains—enigmatic, grotesque, and surprising—represented this style. By the 18th century, trick fountains fell out of fashion, and many were removed from palaces; these surviving fountains offer a rare glimpse into this period.

You’ll see ponds, grottoes, statues depicting various mythological characters, and lots of little mechanical figures—all of them (quite remarkably) powered by 17th-century hydraulic engineering. At the Roman Theater, Emperor Augustus overlooks a royal table, where water running through a trough in the middle kept wine cool, and water squirting upward from stools kept guests on the edge of their seats. In the Rain Grotto, the “Germaul” mask (tucked under a statue of Neptune) rolls its eyes and sticks out its tongue at visitors—a gesture intended for Sittikus’ enemies. At the Ruins Grotto, the walls and ceiling look like they’re about to crack, crumble, and collapse. And in the Birdsong Grotto, a waterwheel-powered organ produces bird sounds while various figures swim in a circle around a fountain.

Along a canal, a series of small mechanical theaters depict various scenes, from the dramatic (Perseus saving Andromeda from a sea monster) to the mundane (a potter at his wheel). Palace staff lurk in the garden, ready to turn on the fountains and give visitors a surprise spritz. At the big mechanical theater, more than 1,600 figures depicting life in a Baroque town are ready to spring to life (just wait for a staff member to start the next “show”).

Palace: Upon entering the palace, pick up an audioguide and explore the various rooms (unlike the fountain tour, there’s no specific order). The palace was built in a style inspired by the Venetian architect Palladio, who was particularly popular around 1600. Though the rooms don’t show off their period furnishings, you do see some of the original frescoes and wallpaper.

Today the rooms are filled with modern, creative exhibits that provide background and insight into Sittikus and help put the palace into historical context: the emerging Age of Reason, when man was determined to conquer nature (such as harnessing hydropower to soak visiting VIPs). This was the era when the aristocratic ritual was to go hunting in the morning (hence the wildlife-themed decor) and enjoy an opera in the evening. Sittikus is credited with bringing to Salzburg the first opera performed north of the Alps (in 1614), imported from Italy.

The eclectic exhibit includes palace models and architectural drawings, a statue of Sittikus at age three (when the dream of soaking visitors was just a twinkle in his demented little eye), a stuffed unicorn, a frescoed ballroom (where you can sit on a giant turntable for a very lazy tour), a domed room optimized for acoustics (showing Sittikus’ passion for music), and a good exhibit on how all those fountains work—including an original pipe made out of a hollowed-out larchwood log. You’ll also see a wrap-around animated film reenacting the wild Carnival celebrations of Salzburg circa 1618.

Grounds: At any point, you’re free to wander the delightful garden and see the gazebo made famous by the song “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” from The Sound of Music (from the palace, head up the long, yellow-walled gravel road, then look right for Sound-of-Music Pavilion signs). Local families picnic in the park.

▲▲Riverside or Meadow Bike Ride

The Salzach River has smooth, flat, and scenic bike lanes along each side (thanks to medieval tow paths—cargo boats would float downstream and be dragged back up by horses). On a sunny day, I can think of no more yodel-worthy escape from the city. Rent a bike for an hour, pedal all the way up one side of the river to the outskirts, cross over, and pedal back. Even a quickie ride across town is a great Salzburg experience. In the evening, the riverbanks are a world of floodlit spires. For bike-rental information, see here.

For a longer trip, consider the pristine, meadow-filled farm-country path along Hellbrunner Allee. It’s an easy four-mile ride with a worthy destination—Hellbrunn Palace: From the middle of town, head along the river on Rudolfskai, with the river on your left and the fortress on your right. After passing the last bridge at the edge of the Old Town (Nonntaler Brücke), cut inland along Petersbrunnstrasse until you reach the university and Akademie-strasse. Beyond it find the start of Freisaalweg, which becomes the delightful Hellbrunner Allee bike path...which leads directly to the palace (paralleling Morzgerstrasse; see the “Greater Salzburg” map). To make the trip a loop, you can come back along the river: Head out on Fürstenweg (past the S.O.M. gazebo), and follow it—carefully crossing road 150—until you hit the river just south of the Hellbrunner Bridge. From here, you can turn left and follow the riverside path three miles back into town.

For a nine-mile ride, continue from Hellbrunn on to Hallein (where you can tour a salt mine—see next listing). If heading to Hallein directly from Salzburg, head out from the north bank of the river—the New Town side—which is more scenic.

▲Hallein Salt Mine (Salzwelten)

Of the many different salt-mine excursions from Salzburg, this one (in Bad Dürrnberg, just below the town of Hallein, 12 miles from Salzburg) is a good choice. Wearing white overalls and sliding down sleek wooden chutes, you’ll cross underground from Austria into Germany while learning about the old-time salt-mining process. The tour entails lots of time on your feet as you walk from cavern to cavern, learning the history of the mine by watching a series of video skits with an actor channeling Prince-Archbishop Wolf Dietrich. The visit also includes a “Celtic Village” open-air museum.

Cost and Hours: €32, daily 9:00-17:00, Nov-mid-March until 15:00, these are last-tour times, closed Jan, allow 2 hours for the visit, English-speaking guides—but let your linguistic needs be known loud and clear, +43 613 2200 2400, www.salzwelten.at.

Getting There: Ride the S-3 suburban train from Salzburg to Hallein (2/hour, 25 minutes), where you catch Postbus #41 to the Bad Dürrnberg Salzbergwerk (runs hourly, 10 minutes). Check the website www.oebb.at to find exact departure times.

Hangar-7

This hangar at the Salzburg airport (across the runways from the terminal) houses the car and aircraft collection of Dietrich Mateschitz (1944-2022), the flamboyant founder of the Red Bull energy-drink empire. Under the hangar’s modern steel-and-glass dome are 20 or so glittering planes, helicopters, and racecars, plus three eateries designed to brandish the Red Bull “culture.” For gearheads, this rates ▲▲▲; for anyone else, it’s a worthwhile curiosity if you have a little extra time on your way into or out of town. Mateschitz was one of Salzburg’s big personalities: He had a mansion at the edge of town, sponsored the local Red Bull soccer and hockey teams, owned several chic Salzburg eateries and cocktail bars, and employed hundreds of mostly good-looking Salzburgers.

Cost and Hours: Free, Mon-Sat 9:00-22:00, Sun until 20:00, bus #10 from Hanuschplatz to the Pressezentrum/Kuglhof stop—don’t get off at the airport terminal, Wilhelm-Spazier-Strasse 7a, +43 662 2197, www.hangar-7.com.

Eating: Two floors up, the €€€ Mayday Bar has light meals and an experimental menu; in good weather, they close the bar and open an outdoor grill restaurant with similar prices. On the first floor, you’ll probably want to skip the €€€€ Ikarus Restaurant (with a €265 fixed-price meal). By the entrance is the €€ Carpe Diem café, serving €38 breakfasts and €20 lunch plates (daily 9:00-17:00).

Music in Salzburg

Music lovers come to Salzburg in late July and August for the Salz-burg Festival, but there are also smaller, less expensive festivals at other times. And all year long, you can enjoy pleasant, if touristy, concerts held in historic venues around town—or a musical Mass on Sunday morning. Pick up the free events calendar brochure at the TI or check Salzburg.info (under “Events,” click on “Classical Music”). I’ve never planned in advance, and I’ve enjoyed great concerts with every visit.

DAILY MUSICAL EVENTS

The following concerts are mostly geared to tourists and can have a crank-’em-out feel, but they still provide good value, especially outside festival times. Or consider Salzburg’s much-loved marionette theater, with near-daily performances.

Concerts at Hohensalzburg Fortress (Festungskonzerte)

Nearly nightly concerts—Mozart’s greatest hits for beginners—are held in the “prince’s chamber” of the fortress atop the hill, featuring small chamber groups (assigned seat in first six rows-€46, open seating farther back-€40, funicular ride included if you come within an hour of the concert; at 20:00 or 20:30; doors open 30 minutes early, can combine with three-course dinner beforehand, reserve at +43 662 825 858 or via www.salzburghighlights.at, pick up tickets at the door). The medieval-feeling chamber has windows overlooking the city, and the concert gives you a chance to enjoy the grand city view and a stroll through the castle courtyard. Purists may object to hearing Baroque music in an incongruously Gothic space.

Concerts at the Mirabell Palace (Schlosskonzerte)

Chamber music concerts are performed almost nightly in the lavishly Baroque Marble Hall at Mirabell Palace. They come with more sophisticated programs and better musicians than the fortress concerts...and Baroque music flying around a Baroque hall is a happy bird in the right cage (assigned seat in first five rows-€45, open seating farther back-€39; RS%—10 percent discount, use code “RICK10”; usually at 20:00 but check website for times, doors open one hour ahead, +43 662 904 700, www.salzburg-palace-concerts.com).

Mozart Dinner Concert

The elegant St. Peter Stiftskulinarium restaurant (see here) offers a traditional candlelit meal with Mozart’s greatest hits performed by a string quintet and singers in historic costumes gavotting among the tables. In this sophisticated Baroque setting, tourists clap between movements and get three courses of food (from Mozart-era recipes) mixed with three 20-minute courses of crowd-pleasing music—structured much as such evenings were in Baroque-era times. The dinner and concert costs €80-110, depending on where you sit. It’s a small room and everyone gets the same food and show. Paying more gets you a smaller table up close. Cheaper tickets may have you sharing in the back at an eight-seat table (nightly at 19:30 except fewer nights in Feb, arrive 30 minutes before start time, dress is “smart casual,” to reserve check website or call +43 662 902 900, www.mozart-dinner-concert-salzburg.com).

Residenzkonzerte

On most afternoons at 17:00, you can catch a 45-minute concert of Mozart violin sonatas at the Residenz (€28, discount with Salz-burg Card or DomQuartier ticket, tickets available online or at venue 30 minutes before performance, +43 664 423 5645, www.agenturorpheus.at).

Marionette Theater

Spellbinding marionettes star in these operas performed to recorded music. A troupe of 10 puppeteers—actors themselves—brings to life the artfully created puppets at the end of their five-foot strings. The 180 performances a year alternate between The Sound of Music and various German-language operas (with handy subtitles in English). While the 300-plus-seat venue is forgettable, the art of the marionettes enchants adults and children alike. For a sneak preview, check out the videos on their website.

Cost and Hours: €33-43, kids-€15, June-Aug and Oct nearly nightly at 19:30 plus matinees on some days, fewer shows off-season, near Mozart’s Residence at Schwarzstrasse 24, +43 662 872 406, www.marionetten.at.

WEEKLY MUSICAL EVENTS

Mozart Piano Sonatas (Klaviersonaten)

These short (45-minute) and fairly inexpensive weekend concerts in a period room at an Old Town hotel are ideal for families (€28, €14 for kids, €70 for a family of four, Sat at 19:00 year-round, in the Renaissance Room of the Radisson hotel at Judengasse 15, +43 664 423 5645, www.agenturorpheus.at).

Free Concerts in the Mirabell Gardens

Sponsored by the city of Salzburg, traditional brass bands play one-hour concerts in the Mirabell Gardens on Sundays and Wednesdays (May-Aug Sun at 10:30 and Wed at 20:00, may be canceled in bad weather). Folk-music groups play in the gardens’ outdoor “hedge theater” Fridays at 18:30 (mid-June-Aug).

Music at Sunday Mass

Each Sunday morning, three great churches offer a Mass, generally with glorious music. Each has clear listings posted online and at their door. The Salzburg Cathedral is likely your best bet for fine music to worship by. The 10:00 service generally features a Mass written by a well-known composer performed by a choir, an organist, or other musicians. The worship service is often followed at 11:30 by a free organ concert (music program at www.kirchen.net/dommusik). Nearby (just outside Domplatz, with the pointy green spire), the Franciscan Church is the locals’ choice and holds musical Masses (at 9:00). St. Peter’s Church sometimes has music (often at 10:15 but check website for times, www.stift-stpeter.at—under “Kultur,” select “Stiftsmusik & Kirchenmusik,” then “Programm”).

ANNUAL MUSIC FESTIVALS

Salzburg Festival (Salzburger Festspiele)

Each summer from mid-July to the end of August Salzburg hosts its famous Salzburg Festival, founded in the 1920s to employ Vienna’s musicians in the summer. Lately, it’s had more contemporary offerings that temper its stuffy and formal image. This fun and festive time is crowded—as many as 200,000 tickets are sold to festival events annually—but there are usually plenty of beds available (except for a few August weekends). Main events take place primarily in three big halls: the Great Festival Hall (Grosses Festspielhaus), the Haus für Mozart, and the Felsenreitschule (opera and orchestra venues); subtitled German-language plays are performed in the Landestheater. The schedule is announced in November, tickets go online in January, and most seats are sold out by March. (Prices range from €25 to €450.) Many “go to the Salzburg Festival” by seeing smaller, nonfestival events that spill out all over town, many with a more youthful and accessible focus. For these unofficial events, same-day tickets are normally available—ask at the TI for details. For specifics on the festival schedule and tickets, visit SalzburgerFestspiele.at.

Music lovers in town during the festival who don’t have tickets (or money) can still enjoy Festival Nights, a free series of videos of previous years’ festival performances, projected on a big screen on Kapitelplatz (behind the cathedral). It’s a fun scene, with plenty of folding chairs and a food circus of temporary eateries. For info and schedules, go to Salzburg.info and search for “Festival Nights.”

Other Annual Musical Festivals

The Salzburg Festival stages a week of Baroque concerts over the Whitsunday holiday weekend in early June (a school holiday in Austria and Bavaria). Offerings and prices are similar to those in July and August (www.salzburgerfestspiele.at).

Mozart Week (Mozartwoche) is a high-quality, more affordable option held each year in late January. It features up to three daily performances of works by both the great composer and his contemporaries (www.mozarteum.at, click on “Mozart Week” for details). Then comes the Easter Music Festival (Osterfestspiele), with reasonably priced concerts and operas (www.osterfestspiele.at). The series of concerts and plays held during October’s Culture Days (Kulturtage) are also designed to give locals a chance to take in some high culture at a low price (www.kulturvereinigung.com). Also in October, Jazz & the City offers free concerts scattered throughout dozens of venues in the city (www.salzburgjazz.com).

Sleeping in Salzburg

Peak season is May through October, and rates rise significantly during the summer music festival, during the four Advent weeks leading up to Christmas (when street markets are at full blast), and around Easter. Breakfast is optional at many of my Salzburg listings—if you don’t need a big breakfast, skipping it saves about €15 per person. Several recommended hotels have air-conditioning (I’ve noted those that don’t) and, unless otherwise noted, all have an elevator (or it’s not necessary).

HOTELS IN THE NEW TOWN, NORTH OF THE RIVER

Near Linzer Gasse

These listings cluster around Linzer Gasse, a lively pedestrian shopping street a 15-minute walk or quick bus ride from the train station (for directions, see “Arrival in Salzburg”) and a 10-minute walk to the Old Town. If you’re coming from the Old Town, cross the main bridge (Staatsbrücke): Linzer Gasse is straight ahead. If driving, parking is easy at the nearby Mirabell-Congress garage (your hotel may be able to get you a discount).

€€€€ Altstadthotel Wolf-Dietrich, around the corner from Linzer Gasse on pedestrian-only Wolf-Dietrich-Strasse, has 38 well-located, tastefully plush rooms. Eight overlook St. Sebastian Cemetery; some are in an annex across the street (RS%, family rooms, nice pool and sauna, fitness room, Wolf-Dietrich-Strasse 7, +43 662 871 275, www.salzburg-hotel.at, office@wolf-dietrich.at).

€€€ Cityhotel Trumer Stube, well located three blocks from the river just off Linzer Gasse, is a gem. The 20 comfortable, attractive rooms make for a cozy home base, and the homemade goodies at breakfast are a good start to your day (RS%, no air-con but fans, look for the flower boxes at Bergstrasse 6, +43 662 874 776, www.trumer-stube.at, info@trumer-stube.at, Stefanie and Christopher).

€€€ Gästehaus im Priesterseminar Salzburg occupies part of the Salzburg Seminary, where three floors have been turned into a comfortable, superbly located hotel with 40 high-ceilinged rooms and a few apartments. Each room has a Bible and a cross (and no TV), but guests are not required to be in a contemplative frame of mind. There’s also a little guests’ chapel, which looks down into the big church where Mozart used to play the organ. This is a rare place that charges only a little extra during the Salzburg Festival—but for those dates you have to book by email (family room, no air-con but fans, common kitchen and TV room, laundry facilities, reception closes at 16:00—arrange ahead if arriving later; Dreifaltigkeitsgasse 14, +43 662 8774 9510, www.gaestehaus-priesterseminar-salzburg.at, phs.rezeption@eds.at).

€€ Hotel Krone 1512, about five blocks from the river, offers 24 decent, simply furnished rooms in a building that dates to medieval times. Back-facing rooms are quieter than the streetside ones (earplugs smart as nearby church bells ring from 7:00-22:00). Cheapskates can save by requesting the nearly windowless “student” double. Stay a while in their pleasant cliffside garden (RS%, reserve by email for discount, family rooms, no air-con, Linzer Gasse 48, +43 662 872 300, www.krone1512.at, hotel@krone1512.at, run by Ukrainian-Austrian-Canadian Niko).

On Rupertgasse

This area is about five blocks farther from the river on Rupertgasse—a breeze for drivers, but with more street noise than the places on Linzer Gasse. It’s a 15-to-20-minute walk or quick bus ride from the Old Town. From the station, take bus #2 to the Bayerhamerstrasse stop; from Hanuschplatz, take #4 to Grillparzerstrasse.

€€ Bergland Hotel is charming, classy, and a great value, renting 18 comfortable rooms with an oddly stylish leather-wicker-beach theme. Solar panels make the hotel energy-efficient, and the vegetarian owners serve meat-free breakfasts (no air-con, pleasant terrace, honesty bar, pay parking, Rupertgasse 15, +43 662 872 318, www.berglandhotel.at, office@berglandhotel.at, Kuhn family).

On the River

€€€ Motel One Salzburg-Mirabell is a big chain hotel right along the Salzach. Its 121 cookie-cutter rooms are small, but the staff is helpful, the decor is fun, and the lounge is inviting. It’s a 15-minute riverside walk or short bus ride from the Old Town (pay parking, Elisabethkai 58, from train station ride bus #1 or #2 from platform D to St.-Julien-Strasse—use underpass to cross road safely, +43 662 885 200, www.motel-one.com, salzburg-mirabell@motel-one.com).

HOTELS IN THE OLD TOWN

These pricier hotels are nicely located in the heart of the Old Town. Cars are restricted in this area, so ask your hotel for instructions on how to drive in to unload and where to park—they typically have discount agreements with the Altstadtgarage.

€€€€ Boutique Hotel am Dom, on the narrow Goldgasse pedestrian street, offers 15 chic, upscale, boldly decorated (read: borderline gaudy) rooms, some with original wood-beam ceilings (family rooms, Goldgasse 17, +43 662 842 765, www.hotelamdom.at, office@hotelamdom.at).

€€€ Arthotel Blaue Gans, at the start of Getreidegasse, comes with class and polish. Its 35 spacious and bright rooms mix minimalist modernity with old beams and bare wood. While pricey, it’s worth considering if you can score a deal (family rooms, Getreidegasse 41, +43 662 842 4910, www.blauegans.at, office@blauegans.at).

€€€ Hotel Elefant is a traditional, family-run hotel smack dab in the historic center. The main building is historic, with an old flagstone floor and stately stone portals scattered throughout. The 55 rooms, though, are modern and pleasant (Sigmund-Haffner-Gasse 4, +43 662 843 397, www.elefant.at [URL inactive], reception@elefant.at, Mayr family).

€€€ Hotel Weisse Taube has 31 rooms—some straightforward and comfortable, some modern and chic—all in a quiet, 14th-century building with a cozy breakfast room. It’s well located about a block off Mozartplatz (RS%, family rooms, no air-con but fans, +43 662 842 404, Kaigasse 9, www.weissetaube.at, hotel@weissetaube.at).

€€€ Haus St. Benedikt, run by the Benedictine order, rents 30 immaculate, modern rooms right in St. Peter’s Abbey. Each room has a Bible and cross, but no TV, though there is Wi-Fi. The reception is open daily 8:00-11:00 and 16:00-18:00—you can’t check in after that (no air-con, Toscaninihof 1, +43 662 841 619 400, www.haus-st-benedikt.at, office@haus-st-benedikt.at).

BUDGET SLEEPS: DORMS AND HOSTELS

€€ Institute St. Sebastian is in a somewhat sterile but clean historic building next to St. Sebastian Cemetery. From October through June, it houses students but also rents 60 beds for travelers. From July through September, the students are gone, and they rent all 118 beds (including 20 twin rooms) to travelers. The building has spacious public areas, a roof garden, and a piano. The immaculate doubles come with modern baths and head-to-toe twin beds (family rooms, cheaper rooms with shared bath, no air-con, self-service laundry, pay parking—request when you reserve; reception closes at 16:00; Linzer Gasse 41—enter through arch at #37A, +43 662 871 386, www.st-sebastian-salzburg.at, office@st-sebastian-salzburg.at). Students like the ¢ dorms.

€ Hotel Schwarzes Rössl is a university dorm that becomes a student-run hotel from July through September. The location couldn’t be handier, though the 56 rooms are spartan. If you’re happy with somewhere central but basic, give it a try (family rooms, cheaper singles with shared bath, reserve by email, no air-con, no breakfast, just off Linzer Gasse at Priesterhausgasse 6, July-Sept +43 662 8744 2665, www.academiahotels.at, reservation@academiahotels.at).

¢ International Youth Hostel, a.k.a. the “Yo-Ho,” is a youthful, easygoing 180-bed backpacker haven with cheap meals, lockers, a lively bar, and showings of The Sound of Music every evening at 20:00 (nonguests are welcome). They welcome adult guests of any age—if you don’t mind the noisy atmosphere. It’s a 10-minute walk from the train station (use the back exit by track 9) and 15 minutes from the Old Town (private rooms available, family rooms, no air-con, laundry facilities, Paracelsusstrasse 9, +43 662 879 649, www.yoho.at, office@yoho.at).

HOTELS IN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS

These two modern hotels are worth considering for drivers in need of no-stress comfort. They come with a bit more space and free parking, but are a longish walk or short bus ride from the Old Town. Get detailed driving instructions from your hosts.

€€€€ Haus Arenberg rents nine big, breezy rooms and five apartments—most with generous balconies—in a modern, ranch-style mansion with a quiet garden and mountain views. Though in a tony neighborhood with Porsches lining the narrow hillside lanes, it’s relaxed and unpretentious. Figure a 15-minute downhill walk to the center of town (along atmospheric Steingasse) and 20 minutes back up, or take bus #6, #7, or #10 to the Volksgarten stop and hike five minutes uphill (3-night minimum, family room, no air-con but fans, no elevator, library, free parking, Blumensteinstrasse 8, +43 662 640 097, www.arenberg-salzburg.at, info@arenberg-salzburg.at, Leobacher family).

€€€ Hotel Rosenvilla, simpler and farther out than Haus Arenberg, offers 14 colorful rooms surrounded by a leafy garden, around the corner from a stop for the bus into town (RS%, family rooms, no air-con but fans, no elevator, free parking if you book direct, Höfelgasse 4—take bus #7 from Hanuschplatz to the Finanzamt stop, +43 662 621 765, www.rosenvilla.com, hotel@rosenvilla.com, Stefanie and Christopher).

PENSIONS ON MOOSSTRASSE

Tucked behind Salzburg’s mountain, Moosstrasse was laid out a century ago through marshland that was reclaimed for farms, some of which are still there. Today the street is also dotted with great-value pensions that offer a roomy, comfortable alternative to pricey in-town hotels. Each one comes with free parking, farm-fresh scents, and mountains in the distance, and most offer a good breakfast. Only Pension Ballwein offers air-conditioning. With easy and frequent buses zipping into town in 15 minutes, the location shouldn’t keep you away, and it works well for drivers. Some places charge about 10 percent extra for one-night stays. For locations, see the map on here.

Handy bus #21 connects Moosstrasse to the center frequently (Mon-Fri 4/hour until 18:30, Sat 3/hour until 20:00, evenings and Sun 2/hour, last bus leaves downtown around 23:00). To get to these pensions from the train station, take any bus heading toward the center to Makartplatz, where you’ll change to #21. If you’re coming from the Old Town, catch bus #21 from Hanuschplatz, just downstream of the Staatsbrücke bridge, by the Fisch Krieg Restaurant. When traveling to your pension, the bus stops only when requested—so press the button as soon as your stop is announced.

If you’re driving from the center, go through the tunnel, continue straight on Neutorstrasse, and take the fourth left onto Moosstrasse. From Germany, approach Moosstrasse from the Salzburg-West exit to avoid the Austrian expressway toll.

€€ Hotel Pension Bloberger Hof, the most hotelesque of these options, is comfortable and friendly, with a peaceful location and 20 farmer-plush, good-value rooms—including some bigger and pricier rooms (RS%, some rooms with balcony, family rooms, family apartment with kitchen, dinner for guests available Mon-Sat 18:00-21:00, free loaner bikes, free airport pickup if staying 3 nights, Hammerauer Strasse 4, bus stop: Hammerauer Strasse then head left, +43 662 830 227, www.blobergerhof.at, office@blobergerhof.at, Inge and daughter Sylvia).

€€ Pension Ballwein offers nine polished, modern rooms (with air-con) and six apartments (some with air-con). It’s fresh and roomy, and each room has a balcony (family rooms, pay laundry, Moosstrasse 69a, bus stop: Gsengerweg then cross street, +43 664 222 5396, www.pension-ballwein.at, pension-ballwein@a1.net, Simon and Daniela).

€ Kal’s Apartments has four rooms with kitchenettes—those on the ground-floor have a small yard and the upper-floor units have nice views (no breakfast, Moosstrasse 63b, bus stop: Volksschule Moos then cross street, +43 650 552 1116, www.kalssalzburg.at, office@kalssalzburg.at, Brigitte).

€ Haus am Moos has nine good rooms filled with antiques and artwork, all in a relaxed country atmosphere. It comes with a garden, swimming pool, breakfast buffet with mountain views, and a tiny private chapel (kitchenette, Moosstrasse 186a, bus stop: Lehrbauhof then head right, +43 662 824 921, www.ammoos.at, ammoos186a@yahoo.de, Strasser family).

€ Haus Steiner’s four rooms—some with great views—are straightforward and quiet, with older modern furnishings and kitchenettes; there’s a minimum two-night stay (family rooms, Moosstrasse 156c, bus stop: Hammerauer Strasse then head right, +43 662 830 031, www.haussteiner.com, info@haussteiner.com, Rosemarie Steiner).

Eating on Moosstrasse: €€ Reiterhof, by the Hammerauer Strasse bus stop, is a popular restaurant near these listings. They have a cozy, woody dining room that looks down into a horse-training area (Thu-Sun 17:00-21:30, also serves lunch on Sun, closed Mon-Wed, Moosstrasse 151, +43 662 825 024).

Eating in Salzburg

Many restaurants and cafés are open longer hours and extra days during the Salzburg Festival. On the flip side, when business is slow, eateries may close early—no matter what hours they post.

On menus, look for a local dessert specialty called Salzburger Nockerl. This soufflé is made to resemble mountain peaks—including a snowy dusting of powdered sugar on top. Sometimes served with raspberry sauce, this rich dessert is designed to share.

IN THE OLD TOWN

Traditional Eateries

€€ Gasthaus Wilder Mann is a good bet in bad weather for traditional dishes. For a quick lunch, get the Bauernschmaus, a mountain of dumplings, kraut, and peasant’s meats. Notice the century-old flood photos on the wall. While they have a few outdoor tables, the atmosphere is all indoors, and the menu is more geared to cold weather (closed Sun, 2 minutes from Mozart’s Birthplace, in passageway from Getreidegasse 20 to Griesgasse 17, +43 662 841 787, www.wildermann.co.at; Robert and Reinhold).

€€ St. Paul Stubm Beer Garden is tucked away under the fortress with a lederhosen-clad waitstaff and a decidedly untouristy atmosphere. The food is better than at beer halls, and a young, bohemian-chic clientele fills its two troll-like rooms and idyllic tree-shaded garden. Kasnock’n is a tasty dish of spaetzle with cheese served in an iron pan—hearty enough for two. Reservations are smart (dinner only, closed Sun-Mon, Herrengasse 16, +43 662 843 220, www.paul-stube.at, Bernard).

€€ Café Tomaselli has long been Salzburg’s top place for lingering and people-watching. Tomaselli serves a couple of light meals and lots of drinks and cakes (peruse the glass cases before ordering). The café keeps long hours and has fine seating on the square (diagonally across the way), a view terrace upstairs, and indoor tables. Despite its fancy wood paneling, 19th-century portraits, and chandeliers, it’s surprisingly low-key (daily 7:00-19:00, Alter Markt 9, +43 662 844 488, www.tomaselli.at).

Fine Dining

€€€€ Blaue Gans (The Blue Goose) offers great food and the most romantic ambience I’ve found in the old center. With three dining areas (cozy under a medieval vault, modern minimalist cocktail bar, and a terrace outside facing the concert halls), it has a long history and claims to be the oldest inn in town (from the 1300s). The menu is traditional Austrian sprinkled with a splash of the Adriatic—Italy meets the Alps. The house wine is aptly named Goosebumps (closed Sun, Getreidegasse 41, +43 662 8424 910, www.blauegans.at, Andreas).

€€€ Restaurant Triangel, facing the main Salzburg Festival concert halls, is popular with performers and concertgoers for its cozy, candlelit atmosphere, mellow acoustics, attentive service, and great traditional menu. Its woody dining area, while old-style, comes with modern art and celeb photos (daily, closed Sun-Mon in off-season, Wiener-Philharmonker-Gasse 7, +43 664 250 9573, Franziska and family).

€€€€ St. Peter Stiftskulinarium, reputedly in business for more than 1,000 years, was mentioned in the biography of Charlemagne. This fixture in the Salzburg restaurant scene has managed to acquire a hard-to-say name, sprinkle in some mod decor, and offer a confusing mix of menus. While they have a small gourmet zone (one small room, over €100 for multicourse tasting menu), I’d stick with the casual menu (Austrian/Mediterranean, €20-30 plates). It’s high-end touristy, serving traditional Austrian cuisine. While indoor seating is nice, the “outdoor” section—carved into the mountain—is my favorite (daily, next to St. Peter’s Church at foot of Mönchsberg, +43 662 841 268, https://www.stpeter.at). They host the recommended Mozart Dinner Concert; see here.

Kaiviertel Quarter: Modern, Eclectic, Hip, and Funky

A commotion of contemporary, international restaurants and shops mixed in with a few old standards is tucked just behind the Salzburg Museum in the Kaiviertel Quarter (around the intersection of Kaigasse and Chiemseegasse). Among the offerings—all just a block or so off Mozartplatz, yet seemingly a world away from the tourism—are Spanish, Irish, and Mexican cuisine. € Wokman is a good little Vietnamese noodle soup and curry joint (Kapitelgasse 11). Icezeit serves ice cream in exotic flavors and has vegan options (Chiemseegasse 1). And there are twin pub-like options run by the same people, both serving traditional Austrian standards (schnitzel, goulash, spaetzle with kraut) and both starting with Z:

€€ Zum Zirkelwirt serves in an updated Gasthaus dining room and plant-screened terrace (also has vegetarian plates and big salads, daily, Pfeifergasse 14, +43 662 842 796).

€€ Zwettler’s Wirtshaus feels like a thriving old English pub gone Austrian. Along with the traditional dishes they offer “innovative beer culture” with a good dose of youth (good seating inside and out, daily, Kaigasse 3, +43 662 274 018).

Nightlife in the Kaiviertel Quarter: A good option for live music, Stage Bar always has something going on—from karaoke to open-mic jams and local bands (Tue-Sat 19:00-late, closed Sun-Mon, Chiemseegasse 2, +43 650 453 0547).

On the Cliffs Above the Old Town

Riding the Mönchsberg elevator from the west end of the Old Town up to the clifftop deposits you near two very different eateries, but each has commanding city views.

€€€€ Mönchsberg 32 is a sleek, modern café/bar/restaurant overlooking Salzburg from the top of the Mönchsberg elevator. Even if you’re not hiking anywhere, this makes for a great place to enjoy a €5 coffee and the view. Or settle in for a pricey but high-quality meal (weekday lunch specials, popular €24 breakfasts served until 11:30, closed Mon, buy a one-way elevator ticket—they give customers a free pass to descend, +43 662 841 000, www.m32.at).

€€ Stadtalm Café sits high above the Old Town on the edge of the cliff, with good traditional food and great views. It’s next to the remnants of the old city wall. If hiking across the Mönchsberg, make this a stop (cliff-side garden seating or cozy-mountain-hut indoor seating, generally daily until 18:00, closes later on weekends and in summer, earlier off-season and in bad weather, 5 minutes from top of Mönchsberg elevator, also reachable by stairs from Toscaninihof, Mönchsberg 19c, +43 662 841 729, www.stadtalm.at, Peter).

Eating Cheaply in the Old Town

Sausage stands (Würstelstände) serve the town’s favorite fast food. The best stands (like those on Universitätsplatz) use the same boiling water all day, which gives the weenies more flavor. For a list of helpful terms, see here.

€ Fisch Krieg Restaurant, on the river where the fishermen used to sell their catch, is a great value, serving fast, fresh, and inexpensive fish. Get your fishwich to go, or order from the cafeteria counter (fish soup, daily specials) to enjoy the casual dining room—where a big tree grows through the ceiling—or great riverside seating (Tue-Fri 9:00-18:00, Sat until 14:00, closed Sun-Mon, Hanuschplatz 4, +43 662 843 732).

€ Café Toskana is the university self-service lunch canteen, very basic but fast and cheap, with indoor seating and a peaceful campus courtyard for good weather. Choose from daily soups, main-course specials, and vegetarian options (generally Mon-Fri lunch only, closed Sat-Sun, behind the Residenz in the courtyard opposite Sigmund-Haffner-Gasse 16, +43 657 405 501).

€ Balkan Grill has been a Salzburg institution since 1950, selling just one type of spicy sausage—Bosna—with your choice of toppings (choose one of the numbered options; takeout only, steady and sturdy local crowd, daily 11:00-18:30, hiding down the tunnel at Getreidegasse 33 across from Eisgrotte).

Picnics: Picnickers will appreciate the well-stocked Billa supermarket at Griesgasse 19a, across from the Hanuschplatz bus stop (Mon-Fri 7:40-20:00, Sat until 18:00, Sun 11:00-15:00). The bustling morning Grünmarkt produce market (closed Sun) on Universitätsplatz, behind Mozart’s Birthplace, is fun but very expensive.

AWAY FROM THE CENTER

€€ Augustiner Bräustübl, a huge 1,000-seat beer garden within a monk-run brewery in the Kloster Mülln, is rustic and rollicking. On balmy evenings, it’s like a Renoir painting outdoors under chestnut trees—but with beer breath and cigarette smoke. Local students mix with tourists eating hearty slabs of grilled meat with their fingers, while children frolic on the playground kegs. When it’s cool outside, eat indoors in one of the historic, beer-sloshed and smoke-stained halls. On busy nights, it’s like a Munich beer hall with no music but the volume turned up.

For your beer: Decide what you want and pay the cashier (Schank means self-serve price, Bedienung is the price with waiter service); pick up a half-liter or full-liter mug; give Mr. Keg your receipt and empty mug, and you will be made happy. When you’re done, just leave your mug on the table (there’s no deposit). Waiters only bring beer; for food, go up the stairs, grab a tray, and assemble your meal from the deli counters (or, as long as you buy a drink, you can bring in a picnic—many do). Classic pretzels from the bakery and spiraled, salty radishes make great beer even better. Locals agree that the hot food here is not as good as the beer. Stick with the freshly cooked meat dishes: I made the mistake of choosing schnitzel, which was reheated in the microwave. For dessert—after a visit to the strudel kiosk—enjoy the incomparable floodlit view of old Salzburg from the nearby Müllnersteg pedestrian bridge and a riverside stroll home (cash only, daily, Augustinergasse 4, +43 662 431 246).

Getting There: It’s about a 15-minute walk along the river (with the river on your right) from the Old Town side of the Staats-brücke bridge. After passing the Müllnersteg pedestrian bridge, just after Café am Kai, follow the stairs up to a busy street, and cross it. From here, either continue up more stairs into the trees and around the small church (for a scenic approach to the monastery), or stick to the sidewalk as it curves around to Augustinergasse. Either way, your goal is the huge yellow building. Don’t be fooled by second-rate gardens serving the same beer nearby. You can also take a bus from Hanuschplatz (#4, #7, #9, #21, #24, #27, or #28) two stops to the Landeskrankenhaus stop, almost in front of the beer garden. Or you can walk down from Mönchsberg (follow signs for Mülln; see “Mönchsberg Walk” on here).

NORTH OF THE RIVER

Restaurants near Linzer Gasse Hotels

€€ Biergarten die Weisse, on Rupertgasse and away from the tourists, is a longtime hit with locals. If a beer hall can be happening, this one—modern yet with antlers—is it. Their famously good beer is made right there; favorites include fizzy wheat beer (Die Weisse Original) as well as seasonal beers (ask what’s on offer). Enjoy the beer with their traditional food in the great garden setting or in the wide variety of indoor rooms—sports bar, young and noisy, or older and more elegant (closed Sun, Rupertgasse 10, bus #2 to Bayerhamerstrasse or #4 to Grillparzerstrasse, +43 662 872 246).

€€ Café Bazar overlooks the river between the Mirabell Gardens and the Staatsbrücke bridge. Its dressy interior comes with 1880s Art Nouveau nostalgia and is as close as you’ll get to a Viennese coffeehouse in Salzburg. With formal service, their outdoor terrace is a venerable spot for a classy drink with an Old Town and castle view. While it’s a local favorite for breakfast, after that the menu gets very basic—soup, salad, toast, and a daily special (daily, Schwarzstrasse 3, +43 662 874 278).

€€ Superstanza describes itself as a “pasta bar,” though the short menu also includes some classic Italian meat, fish, and veggie dishes. The interior is inspired by a 1960s Milan-design aesthetic—and it’s often buzzing, popular even just for a nice aperitivo (closed Sun, Lederergasse 10, +43 676 703 3651).

€€ Zum Fidelen Affen (“The Funky Monkey”) is a reliable neighborhood eatery serving mostly traditional Austrian dishes and a few international items (pastas, big salads). The wood interior is cozy, but the big draw is the outdoor seating, which sprawls through an inviting people zone (dinner only, closed Sun-Mon, Priesterhausgasse 8, +43 662 877 361).

€€ Ludwig (Das Burger Restaurant) is a good example of how burgers and bowls have gone global in a modern high-cuisine way. This family-friendly, fresh, mod eatery serves organic local meat (and vegetarian facsimiles) with a fun energy and attentive service. The interior is inviting, and so is the cobbled courtyard on a hot day (closed Mon, down the lane from Linzer Gasse 37, +43 662 872 500).

Groceries: The Spar supermarket has multiple locations around the New Town (Mon-Sat generally 7:30-18:00, closed Sun).

Steingasse Pub Crawl

For a fun post-concert activity, drop in on a couple of atmospheric bars at the Linzer Gasse end of Steingasse (the historic lane described on here). These dark bars, each inviting yet with a different vibe, are all within about 100 yards of each other (all open until the wee hours). They don’t serve food, but € Reyna, a convenient four-table pizzeria and döner kebab shop (at #3), stays open late.

Pepe Cocktail Bar, with Mexican decor, a long list of cocktails, and the youngest crowd, can be a mosh pit of drunken joy (closed Sun-Tue, live DJs on Sat, Steingasse 3, +43 662 873 662).

Saiten Sprung wins the “Best Atmosphere” award for its hellish interior—lots of stone and red decor, with mountains of melted wax beneath age-old candlesticks and an ambience of classic ’70s and ’80s music. For more than three decades, Stelios, who speaks English with Greek charm, has served cocktails and good wine (closed Sun-Tue, Steingasse 11, +43 662 881 377).

Fridrich is an intimate little place under an 11th-century vault with lots of mirrors and a warm gin-and-tonic welcome. Eduardo, nearly 80, is the oldest bartender in Salzburg (closed Sun-Wed except during festivals and Dec, Steingasse 15, +43 676 375 6421).

Salzburg Connections

BY TRAIN

By train, Salzburg is the first stop over the German-Austrian border. This means that if Salzburg is your only stop in Austria, and you’re using a rail pass that covers Germany (including the Bayern-Ticket day pass for Bavaria) but not Austria, you don’t have to pay extra or add Austria to your pass to get here. The Deutsche Bahn app or ticket machines at the Salzburg train station make it easy to buy tickets to German destinations.

From Salzburg by Train to: Munich (2/hour, 1.5 hours on fast trains, 2 hours on slower trains covered with Bayern-Ticket day pass), Munich Airport (2.5 hours, take Munich-bound train and change to S-8 suburban train at München Ost), Nürnberg (2/hour, 3 hours, change in Munich), Füssen (hourly, 4.5 hours, change in Munich and Buchloe or Kaufbeuren), Reutte (roughly hourly, 5 hours, change in Munich and Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bayern-Ticket day pass valid on the Austrian stretch), Hallstatt (at least hourly, 2.5 hours with a change in Attnang-Puchheim, last connection leaves Salzburg in midafternoon; also works by bus—see later), Innsbruck (1-2/hour, 2 hours), Vienna (3/hour, 2.5 hours, choose either public ÖBB or private Westbahn trains), Melk (2/hour, 2.5 hours, transfer in Amstetten or St. Pölten). Austrian train info: OEBB.at; German train info: Bahn.com.

BY BUS

To reach Berchtesgaden, the bus is easier than the train (for details, see the “Getting There” section under “Berchtesgaden,” later).

To Hallstatt, taking the bus via Bad Ischl is faster, more scenic (with views of the Wolfgangsee), and at about €20, usually cheaper than the train—but the bus trip isn’t covered by rail passes. Buses occasionally fill up, so it’s safest to board at the Salzburg train station, where the bus originates: Find platform F outside the station, and take bus #150 to Bad Ischl (hourly, 75 minutes, also stops at Mirabellplatz and Hofwirt). At Bad Ischl station, change to the train for the 20-minute ride to Hallstatt, then ride the boat across the lake. Plan your journey and buy tickets at OEBB.at.

ROUTE TIPS FOR DRIVERS

To drive on expressways in Austria, you need a toll sticker called a vignette (€11.50/10 days, buy at the border, gas stations, car-rental agencies, and Tabak shops). Digital versions are also available online, including a one-day vignette for €8.60 (https://shop.asfinag.at/en [URL inactive], but ask your rental-car company first if it’s included). You can skip the sticker if you stay off the expressway system. The A-1 expressway between the German border and the Salzburg-Nord exit is also exempt from the sticker requirement, giving those coming from Germany toll-free access to the city. But the sticker is required on the A-10 expressway that runs around the south side of Salzburg.

Here are some tips for driving from Germany to Salzburg and Hallstatt without having to pay tolls.

From Germany to Salzburg: As you come into Austria on Germany’s A-8 autobahn, follow signs for the Austrian A-1 expressway to avoid the toll; exit the A-1 at Salzburg-West, Salzburg-Messe, or Salzburg-Nord.

From Salzburg to Hallstatt: To avoid tolls, stick to the B-158 via St. Gilgen, which is the quickest and most direct route in any case. Even if you have a toll sticker and can take the A-1 Salzburg-Vienna expressway, it doesn’t speed up the trip. Between Salzburg and Hallstatt, the B-158 passes a luge ride and the towns of St. Gilgen (pleasant but touristy) and Bad Ischl (the center of the Salz-kammergut, with a spa and a Habsburg summer palace).

Berchtesgaden

This alpine ski region, in a finger of German territory that pokes south into Austria, is famous for its fjord-like lake and its mountaintop Nazi retreat. Long before its association with Hitler, Berchtesgaden (BERKH-tess-gah-den) was one of the classic Romantic corners of Germany. In fact, Hitler’s propagandists capitalized on the führer’s love of this region to establish the notion that the native Austrian was “truly” German at heart.

Today as ever, the Berchtesgaden area exerts a powerful pull on visitors. World War II buffs come here to see the top-notch Obersalzberg Documentation Center, the remains of the Nazis’ elaborate last-ditch bunkers, and Hitler’s mountaintop teahouse, the Eagle’s Nest. Nature lovers enjoy the pristine alpine setting, cruising up the romantic Königssee or going for a hike along a secluded gorge to a high waterfall. And if you have yet to do a salt-mine tour, Berchtesgaden has a good one.

Berchtesgaden can be inundated with Germans during peak season, when you may find yourself in a traffic jam of tourists. Plan your time carefully to avoid getting stuck in lines and crowds (more tips later).

GETTING THERE

By Bus: Berchtesgaden is 15 miles south of Salzburg, and easily connected by bus #840 (hourly, 50 minutes, check schedule at https://albus.at). Buy a Tageskarte day ticket from the driver (€13.20, zone 5); this costs about the same as a round-trip ticket to Berchtesgaden, but also covers local buses there (except the special bus up to Eagle’s Nest).

Bus #840 originates at Salzburg’s main train station (platform J; emerging from the train station at Südtiroler Platz, the bus hub, exit out the far-right corner of the square and cross the street; the stop is in front of the Forum 1 building). You can also catch the bus at Mirabellplatz (near many recommended New Town hotels) or in Salzburg’s Old Town (at Rathaus or Mozartsteg). Check the schedule for when the last bus #840 leaves Berchtesgaden (usually around 19:00).

Salzburg Sightseeing offers a hop-on, hop-off bus (blue line) that goes from Salzburg’s Mirabellplatz to Eagle’s Nest and the documentation center, Berchtesgaden center, Königssee, and the Berchtesgaden salt mine. But limited frequency (3/day) means you have to carefully plan your time (€37, +43 662 881 616, www.salzburgsightseeing.at).

Though trains run between Salzburg and Berchtesgaden (via Freilassing), it takes twice as long and isn’t as scenic as the bus.

By Car: Berchtesgaden is an easy 35-minute drive south of Salzburg. There’s parking (mostly paid) at all of the sights listed here.

PLANNING YOUR TIME

Berchtesgaden’s sights are excellent, but especially packed during the summer months from June through August (sunny weekends attract huge crowds).

If your main interest is World War II and Hitler, head straight to the documentation center and Eagle’s Nest and figure on spending a half-day (note that the Eagle’s Nest bus can sell out; for details, see “Tips for Eagle’s Nest Bus Tickets,” later).

If you want to focus on nature, leave Salzburg as early as you can. Head directly for your choice of sights—salt mine, Königssee boat trip, mountain gondola, hiking, or the Almbach Gorge (hiking); the early start avoids the worst of the crowds. After lunch, you can visit another one of these destinations, or one of the Nazi sites.

To fit it all in (Nazi sites plus some nature), a car is best, as it’s faster to connect everything, though it’s also doable by bus (for details, see the “Getting There” sections under the individual sight listings).

Orientation to Berchtesgaden

The area’s major sights are all a few minutes’ drive outside Berch-tesgaden (pop. 7,500). The town itself is spread out—the hub of activity is the train station and bus terminal, which face a huge roundabout that spans the confluence of two rivers. From here, buses fan out to the various outlying sights. To the north (along the road to Salzburg) are the salt mine and the Almbach Gorge. In the hills to the east is Obersalzberg, with the documentation center and the remains of some Hitler-era bunkers; high on an adjacent mountaintop (called Kehlstein in German) is Eagle’s Nest. To the south is the long, skinny Königssee, which cuts deep into alpine peaks. The old center of Berchtesgaden, bypassed by most tourists, is up the hill behind the station (use the underground passage below the train tracks and cross the parking lot to reach a footpath to the old center). There are several eateries and supermarkets around the station.

Arrival in Berchtesgaden: Berchtesgaden’s central bus terminal (ZOB) is just in front of the train station. Buses to outlying sights leave from here. You’ll find WCs (near the Burger King), art (check out the mural in the station’s main hall encouraging tourists to visit the salt mine), and history (study the 1937 Nazi-era architecture). The oversized station was built to accommodate (and intimidate) the hordes of Hitler fans who flocked here in hopes of seeing the führer. The building next to the station, just beyond the round tower, was Hitler’s own V.I.P. reception area.

Getting Around Berchtesgaden: Buses to sights depart from this central station area. All of the local buses (except the special bus up to Eagle’s Nest) are covered by the Tageskarte day ticket from Salzburg. For bus details, see “Getting There” in the sight listings later; check timetables at www.dbregiobus-bayern.de.

Taxis are standing by at the train station (figure around €10 to the salt mine, €15 to the Königssee or Obersalzberg).

Tours near Berchtesgaden

Discover Eagle’s Nest

For a guided visit to Eagle’s Nest, consider joining this outfit’s daily tour, which includes (and guarantees you) a spot on the pricey bus ride up to Eagle’s Nest. They give you an orientation to and history of Hitler’s time in the Obersalzberg area, accompany you on the bus ride up, guide you through Eagle’s Nest, then set you loose for free time at the top, providing you with a return ticket to descend the mountain on your own (€60, May-Oct daily at 10:00, 3 hours, private tours also available, +49 1512 119 0598, www.discover-eagles-nest.com, Tom and Amy Lewis).

Self-Guided Eagle’s Nest Tour

David and Christine Harper—who rightly consider a visit to Hitler-related sites near Berchtesgaden more an educational opportunity than simple sightseeing—occasionally do a private tour by request (+49 8652 62172, www.eagles-nest-tours.com, info@eagles-nest-tours.com). Or you can pick up a copy of David’s Your Complete Guide to Berchtesgaden (2019), which includes a self-guided tour of Eagle’s Nest and Obersalzberg and its bunkers, along with other information about the area (available online or in several shops in Berchtesgaden).

Bus Tours from Salzburg

While Salzburg-based tour companies (including Bob’s Special Tours, www.bobstours.com, and Panorama tours, www.panoramatours.com) offer half- and full-day tours to Berchtesgaden, they’re generally not a good deal. They take you to (but not into) the sights described here—meaning that you pay the tour price for the same transport that you can do on your own from Salzburg.

Sights near Berchtesgaden

NAZI SITES

Early in his career as a wannabe tyrant, Adolf Hitler had a radical friend who liked to vacation in Berchtesgaden, and through him Hitler came to know and love this dramatic corner of Bavaria. Berchtesgaden’s part-Bavarian, part-Austrian character held a special appeal to the Austrian-German Hitler. In the 1920s, just out of prison, he checked into an alpine hotel in Obersalzberg, three miles uphill from Berchtesgaden, to finish work on his memoir and Nazi primer, Mein Kampf. Because it was here that he claimed to be inspired and laid out his vision, some call Obersalzberg the “cradle of the Third Reich.”

In the 1930s, after becoming the German chancellor, Hitler chose Obersalzberg as the place to build his mountain retreat, a supersized alpine farmhouse called the Berghof—the Nazis’ answer to Camp David. His handlers crafted Hitler’s image here—surrounded by nature, gently receiving alpine flowers from adoring little children, lounging around with farmers in lederhosen...no modern arms industry, no big-time industrialists, no ugly extermination camps. In reality, Obersalzberg was home to much more than Hitler’s alpine chalet. It was a huge compound of 80 buildings—fenced off from the public after 1936, and connected by an extensive bunker system—where the major decisions leading up to World War II were hatched. Other top leaders also built homes here, including Hermann Göring (head of the Luftwaffe), Martin Bormann (Hitler’s secretary), and Albert Speer (Hitler’s architect). Hitler himself spent about a third of his time at the Berghof, hosted world leaders in the compound, and later had it prepared for his last stand.

Some mistakenly call the entire area “Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest.” That name actually belongs only to the Kehlsteinhaus, a small mountaintop chalet that served as a teahouse, perched upon a 6,000-foot peak that juts up two miles south of Obersalzberg. (A visiting diplomat humorously dubbed it “Eagle’s Nest,” and the name stuck.) In April 1945, Britain’s Royal Air Force bombed the Obersalzberg compound nearly flat but missed the difficult-to-hit Eagle’s Nest entirely. Before the Allies turned the site over to the German government in 1952, they blew up most of what had survived the bombing, wanting to leave nothing to attract future neo-Nazi pilgrims. But Eagle’s Nest still stands, as do the remains of the bunker system. In the 1990s, a museum—the Obersalzberg Documentation Center—was built on top of one of the bunkers; decades later it underwent a massive renovation and reopened in 2023.

Getting to the Nazi Sites: If riding public transit from Salzburg, take the bus to the Berchtesgaden train/bus station (see “Getting There,” earlier). Then, take bus #838 from the train station to the Obersalzberg stop (hourly, 15 minutes). From the stop, facing downhill, the documentation center is to the left of the restaurant and down, while the tickets/departure point for Eagle’s Nest is to the right, through the parking lot and down some stairs. A hop-on, hop-off bus also runs here from Salzburg but isn’t frequent (see “Getting There,” earlier). By car, follow signs for Obersalzberg and Kehlstein, then park in one of the big pay lots (lot P1 is near the Eagle’s Nest ticket office; lot P2 is closer to the museum and bunker).

Planning Your Visit: Allow a half-day for both sites, including 1.5-2 hours each for the Obersalzberg Documentation Center and bunkers (accessed from inside the center), and Eagle’s Nest. As Eagle’s Nest is only accessible by a special shuttle bus, which can sell out, your timing should revolve around your reserved bus time (see “Tips for Eagle’s Nest Bus Tickets,” later).

▲▲▲Eagle’s Nest (Kehlsteinhaus)

The Kehlsteinhaus chalet was built in 1938 as the capstone of Hitler’s mountain complex and served as a teahouse for entertaining. With more than 3,000 workers laboring 24 hours a day in shifts through winter and summer, both the chalet and the road up to it were completed in just 13 months. While a fortune (and several workers’ lives) was spent building this perch, Hitler (who was afraid of heights) visited only about a dozen times. Hitler’s mistress, Eva Braun, though, liked to hike up to Eagle’s Nest to sunbathe.

Today, the chalet that Hitler ignored is basically a three-room, reasonably priced restaurant with a scenic terrace, 100 yards below the summit of a 6,000-foot mountain. You could say it’s like any alpine hiking hut, just more massively built. And it’s one of few Nazi-built structures that still stands after the Allies blew everything up in 1952. On a nice day, the views are magnificent (but it’s often fogged in). Bring a jacket and go early or late in the day to avoid crowds in summer.

Cost and Hours: It’s free to enter Eagle’s Nest, but unless you’re hiking up, you must buy a ticket to ride the shuttle bus (€32 round-trip, first bus up at 8:30, last bus up at 16:00, last bus down at 16:50, runs every 25 minutes, fewer buses toward end of season, 15-minute ride). Eagle’s Nest is open about mid-May-late Oct, though snowfall can sometimes force a later opening or earlier closing—check website; +49 8652 2969, www.kehlsteinhaus.de.

Tips for Eagle’s Nest Bus Tickets: As space on the Eagle’s Nest bus is limited, it’s smart to plan ahead. In summer, buy your ticket in advance at https://kehlsteinhaus.axess.shop/de/Products/Tickets. If you don’t, buy them as soon as you arrive on-site (try to get there by 9:00). Lines can get long and time slots can sell out for the day (if a time is unavailable online, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s sold out; some tickets are held for on-site purchase). If you prefer to save Eagle’s Nest for the afternoon, you should still buy your bus ticket first, as you can use the ticket to gain free entry to the documentation center. Note the return time on your bus ticket (two hours after your ascent time)—you’re required to take this shuttle down; if you want more or less time at the top, you must change the descent time (visit machine at the summit—see “Descending Eagle’s Nest,” later). Another option is to book the Discover Eagle’s Nest guided group tour, which handles the bus logistics for you (described earlier, under “Tours in Berchtesgaden”).

Visiting Eagle’s Nest: When it’s time for your bus, board any of the shuttles waiting at the departure point (next to the ticket office). The bus climbs steeply up the one-way private road—Germany’s highest. Along the way, a recorded narration (first in German, then in English) provides some background about the history of Eagle’s Nest and the road that takes you there.

From the upper bus stop, enter the finely crafted tunnel under the Erbaut 1938 (“Built 1938”) engraving. The tunnel, constructed of local marble, is 406 feet long and leads to the original polished-brass elevator, which takes you a matching 406 feet up to Eagle’s Nest. While today’s elevator ride takes 45 seconds, in 1938 it took 10 minutes and had benches so people could sit for the long ride up.

The Kehlsteinhaus has three main rooms. Wander through them (but be considerate of the people dining). The fancy dining room in back is the largest and the best preserved from Hitler’s time, with the original stone walls, beamed ceilings, light fixtures, and once-sleek marble fireplace chipped up by souvenir-seeking troops in 1945. In the third room (down some stairs), note the symmetry of the wood-paneled walls, with the knots exactly mirroring each other.

Exit onto the sun terrace, which has information panels about the building and use of the Kehlsteinhaus. While the arches are original, the glass paneling between them has been added for safety. This terrace leads to a more modern terrace, which hosts a restaurant that’s a delightful place for food or drink on a sunny day. From the restaurant, a path leads up to the top of the mountain, marked by a cross.

Descending Eagle’s Nest: You are required to take the bus at the time indicated on your ticket. If you want to change it, you can do so at the machine across from the elevator inside the chalet.

To return to the bus stop, you can either walk 20 minutes down from the chalet along a pleasant path or take the elevator. From there the bus will take you back down the mountain. If you’re heading to the documentation center, from the bus drop-off point, go up the stairs, cross the parking lot, pass the restaurant, and head right down to the center.

▲▲▲Obersalzberg Documentation Center and Bunkers

With a fine museum and the chance to walk through a network of bunkers (all that survives from Hitler’s original Berghof complex), this center provides an informative and sobering look at Nazi history. Originally opened in 1999, the documentation center was overhauled and reopened in 2023. Today’s modern center gives an excellent and intimate look at Hitler, his cult of personality, the ascension of the Obersalzberg region into Hitler’s second seat of government, and the millions of lives destroyed by the decisions made here. The center also provides access to a stretch of bunkers, part of an extensive four-mile network that was built to serve as a fully functioning headquarters for the Nazis.

Cost and Hours: €3, free if you have an Eagle’s Nest bus ticket, includes audioguide; daily 9:00-17:00, Nov-March Tue-Sun 10:00-15:00, closed Mon, last entry one hour before closing; no café—only vending machines, +49 8652 947 960, www.obersalzberg.de.

Visiting the Museum and Bunkers: Upon entering, either buy a ticket or show your Eagle’s Nest bus ticket to retrieve your free audioguide. Select either the 40-minute or 80-minute tour; the shorter version provides a good, curated tour through the exhibit highlights (all on the main floor), then downstairs and through the bunkers. The exhibit’s English descriptions fill in additional details.

Museum: The exhibit begins by documenting how this mountain village was transformed into Hitler’s locked-away refuge and second base of power. A large interactive model of Obersalzberg gives you an idea of the scope of the complex; select the name of a structure to find out more about it.

Hitler’s retreat, the Berghof, served not only as his place of work, but also as a social hub. Members of his inner circle hung out here, including Eva Braun, Martin Bormann, Albert Speer, Heinrich Himmler, and Joseph Goebbels. Personal photos and videos show them laughing, going on walks, playing with their dogs, entertaining guests, and gathering to celebrate Hitler’s birthday.

The ostensible Alpine idyll of Obersalzberg was one part of the nonstop propaganda that constructed the image of the “führer.” With the help of his personal photographer, Heinrich Hoffmann, Hitler portrayed himself as a peaceful and nature-loving man, far removed from his actual violent nature. People hung pictures of Hitler in their homes, kids collected and traded Hitler picture cards (sold in cigarette packs) to add to their collector albums—look for the album that once belonged to a German schoolboy, and many would make a pilgrimage to Obersalzberg to try to catch a glimpse of Hitler, who would make appearances from his property. Obersalzberg was advertised as a tourist destination. But behind the scenes of this peaceful setting, fateful decisions were being made and policies established that would lead to world war and the murder of millions of people.

The latter part of the exhibit focuses on the devastating and widespread consequences of the actions taken here, including displacing the locals to build out Hitler’s complex of power. Personal stories of lives destroyed are interspersed with displays about the mass destruction and loss in various campaigns across Europe—from the murder of Hungarian Jews, Sinti and Roma, and others at Auschwitz, to the starvation of hundreds of thousands of people during the siege of Leningrad (see the pages from an 11-year-old’s notebook, tallying the deaths of her family members until she is the only one who remains).

Near the end, find a pair of fascinating photos: One shows pilgrims during Hitler’s reign marching toward the Berghof in adoration, while the other shows pilgrims—curious to see the destruction—marching away from the bombed-out Berghof.

Bunkers: From the exhibits, go downstairs to enter the vast and complex Guesthouse and Platterhof bunker system (before entering, look at the photos of what some of the furnished bunker rooms once looked like). Construction began in 1943, after the Battle of Stalingrad ended the Nazi aura of invincibility. Progress was stopped in 1945 following an air raid, but it’s astonishing to see how much they accomplished in this short amount of time.

This was a professionally engineered underground town, which contained meeting rooms, offices, communication systems, archives for the government, and lavish living quarters for Hitler underneath his Berghof. Each of the compound’s main buildings had access to the bunkers, complete with fully tiled kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms, wood flooring and paneling, artwork, and air-raid shelters. And all of it was connected by tunnels cut through solid rock by forced labor (near the end of the bunker you can learn about some of the people—many Czech and Italian—forced to work at Obersalzberg).

You can’t visit all of it, and what you can see was stripped and looted bare after the war. (Look for graffiti from French soldiers, Italian forced laborers, and American GIs.) But enough is left that you can wander among the concrete and marvel at megalomania gone mad.

OTHER SIGHTS NEAR BERCHTESGADEN

▲Salt Mine (Salzbergwerk Berchtesgaden)

At the Berchtesgaden salt mine, you put on traditional miners’ outfits, get on funny little trains, and zip deep into the mountain. On the 1.5-hour tour (which includes time to get into and back out of your miner’s gear), you’ll cruise subterranean lakes; slide speedily down two long, slick, wooden banisters; and learn how locals mined salt so long ago. Tours are in German, but English speakers get audioguides.

Cost and Hours: €24.50—book online to avoid waiting in line, daily 9:00-17:00, Nov-April 11:00-15:00—these are last-entry times, +49 8652 600 20, www.salzbergwerk.de.

Getting There: From the Berchtesgaden bus/train station, it’s a quick bus ride (1-2/hour—#837, #840, or #848 all work; get off at Salzbergwerk stop, 5-to-10-minute ride). If coming from Salzburg on #840, you can get off here rather than riding all the way to the Berchtesgaden station. Drivers look for the Salzbergwerk and P signs at the northern edge of town (on the Salzburg road). Park in the pay lot, then walk five minutes to the mine (follow signs through the pedestrian underpass and over the river).

▲Königssee

Three miles south of Berchtesgaden, this idyllic lake stretches like a fjord through pristine mountain scenery to the dramatically situated Church of St. Bartholomä and beyond. This is a stunner on a nice day (less so when it’s socked in). If you plan to sail the Königssee, allow at least two hours round-trip to St. Bartholomä and three hours round-trip to Salet (including time to explore each place). Another option here is to ride the Jennerbahn, a mountain lift that ascends from the Königssee parking lot.

Getting There: Bus #840 and #841 go from the Berchtesgaden bus/train station to the Königssee stop (1-2/hour, 10 minutes) and then on to the Jennerbahn lift (one stop farther, though you can also get off at Königssee and walk a couple of minutes). Drivers can use the pay parking lot.

Orientation: At the huge parking lot you’ll find a TI at one end and the Jennerbahn lift at the other. WCs and ATMs are also available. You can ask the TI for advice and boat times, but you can’t buy tickets here. To the right of the TI (as you face its main door) is a stone road that leads down to the boat dock (five-minute walk). The road is lined with a bunch of touristy souvenir shops, food stands, and restaurants.

Boat Trips: The big draw at Königssee is the scenic trip in small, enclosed wooden boats. Most visitors simply go as far as St. Bartholomä, poke around the church there, eat some smoked fish, then take the boat back (€22.50 round-trip, 35 minutes each way). You can stay on the boat 20 minutes longer to Salet, which is less crowded and offers a fine 15-minute hike to the smaller lake called Obersee (€28.50 round-trip). Boats, going at a sedate Bavarian speed, are filled with Germans chuckling at the captain’s commentary. For the best view, sit on the right going out, and on the left heading back. At a rock cliff midway through the journey, your captain stops, and the first mate pulls out a trumpet to demonstrate the fine echo, then goes around collecting tips (generally 2/hour, first boat between 8:00 and 9:00, last boat back from St. Bartholomä between 17:30 and 18:00 depending on season, runs late April-mid-Oct, no boats off-season, +49 8652 96360, www.seenschifffahrt.de). Boats fill up in nice weather (especially July-Aug between 10:00 and 11:00). Later in the day, return boats (especially from St. Bartholomä) can be packed; if you’re rushing to get back to town, keep an eye on queues for the return boats.

St. Bartholomä: The remote, red-onion-domed Church of St. Bartholomä sits on a little peninsula (once also the home of a monastery, then a hunting lodge of the Bavarian royal family). It’s surrounded by a fine beer garden (an outpost of the Hofbräuhaus), a rustic fishermen’s pub (look for the Fischerei sign), and inviting lakeside trails. The family next to St. Bartholomä’s lives in the middle of this national park and has a license to fish—so very fresh, caught-and-smoked-today fish (usually trout) is the lunchtime favorite. At the Fischerei you can get a filet on a baguette to go (cash only). Behind the Hofbräuhaus is a cluster of houses with a national park center (small German-only exhibit). Here you can get advice for hikes, which are well signposted. The Eiskapelle “glacier” is about 1.25 hours one-way; for an easier hike, go only partway to the river called Eisgraben. Or follow the easy 30-minute St. Bartholomä-Rundweg loop along the lakeshore.

Jennerbahn Mountain Lift: The Jennerbahn’s gondolas whisk passengers up in 20 minutes to the 6,148-foot Jenner peak, where a restaurant and panoramic views await. Hiking trails fan out from the lift’s middle station, and the 360-degree path circles the station offering good views (€43 round-trip, daily 9:00-17:00—last descent time, closed in winter, +49 8652 95810, www.jennerbahn.de).

Almbach Gorge (Almbachklamm)

This short, popular hike is a good option for nature lovers who come to see Berchtesgaden’s Nazi sites, then want to fill up the rest of the day hiking along a stream-filled gorge. Though not a world-class attraction, it is an enjoyable way to spend a few hours. Most visitors do it as a roughly four-mile round-trip, though you can go farther if you wish. It’s not suitable for small children.

Getting There: Almbach Gorge is on the way between Salzburg and Berchtesgaden along the bus #840 route (hourly, 15 minutes from Berchtesgaden, 35 minutes from Salzburg). Get off at the Kugelmühle stop, which is closer than the one actually named “Almbachklamm.” Walk five minutes along Kugelmühlweg (following the Almbachklamm signs) to the trailhead. Confirm bus schedules—two hours between buses is enough for a quick visit, three hours for a leisurely one. By car, simply turn off the Salzburg road at Almbachklamm signs and turn left along Kugelmühlweg to reach the free parking lot. In your GPS, use the address Kugelmühlweg 18 in Marktschellenberg.

Cost and Hours: €8, cash only, open daily from 8:00, closed off-season, +49 8650 988 830; www.berchtesgaden.de, then search for “Almbachklamm.”

Visiting the Gorge: From the parking lot, cross the bridge to the €€ Gasthaus zur Kugelmühle, which serves meals and drinks in a pleasant setting (cash only, Sat-Thu 11:30-16:30, closed Fri, +49 8650 461, www.gasthaus-kugelmuehle.de). In front of the restaurant is an old wooden apparatus for shaping marble blocks into round toy spheres (hence the name—Kugel means ball, Mühle means mill).

Facing the restaurant, head left to find the ticket desk where you pay to enter the gorge; pick up a map and get hiking advice here. A rushing stream cascades through the gorge, which the trail crosses and recrosses on numbered steel bridges. The trail is well maintained and exciting, and accessible to anyone who is reasonably fit, sure-footed, and wearing sturdy shoes. It’s not recommended for young children because the path has some steep, unguarded drop-offs. Expect some narrow and slippery parts. The high Sulzer waterfall by bridge #19 is a traditional turnaround point. The walk there and back can be done in two hours at a good clip, but allowing three hours makes for a more pleasant visit. To gain some altitude, on the way back, at bridge #17, hike up to the Mesnerwirt Chapel.

BADEN-BADEN & THE BLACK FOREST

Baden-Baden • The Black Forest • Freiburg • Staufen • The Black Forest Highlands

Map: The Black Forest

Baden-Baden

Orientation to Baden-Baden

Map: Baden-Baden

Baden-Baden Walk

Map: Central Baden-Baden

Sights in Baden-Baden

Sleeping in Baden-Baden

Eating in Baden-Baden

Nightlife in Baden-Baden

Baden-Baden Connections

The Black Forest

The Heart of the Black Forest

Sights in the Heart of the Black Forest

Freiburg

Orientation to Freiburg

Map: Freiburg

Freiburg Walk

Map: Freiburg Walk

Sights in Freiburg

Sleeping in Freiburg

Eating in Freiburg

Freiburg Connections

Staufen

Orientation to Staufen

Staufen Walk

Map: Staufen

Sights in Staufen

Sleeping in Staufen

Eating in Staufen

Staufen Connections

The Black Forest Highlands

Locals and out-of-towners alike go cuckoo for this most romantic of German regions—famous for its mineral spas, clean air, hiking trails, cheery villages, chocolate-cherry cream cakes, and cuckoo clocks. The Black Forest (“Schwarzwald” in German) is a range of hills stretching along the French border 100 miles from Switzerland north to Karlsruhe (the highest peak is the 4,900-foot Feldberg). Ancient Romans found the thick forest here inaccessible and mysterious, so they called it “black.”

Germans use the term “Schwarzwald” to refer to the entire southwestern corner of Germany (forested or not). The region’s two major (and very different) towns are Baden-Baden in the north and Freiburg in the south. Neither feels particularly woodsy—instead, their proximity to France lends both cities a sunny elegance. Baden-Baden is Germany’s grandest 19th-century spa resort—old, elegant, and sedate. Stroll through its stylish streets and casino, then soak in its famous baths. Youthful and lively Freiburg is the Black Forest’s de facto capital and main university town. For a small-town experience, hang your hat in cozy Staufen.

Most of the “classic” Black Forest locations are in the wooded countryside between Baden-Baden and Freiburg. A pair of worthwhile museums show off two different sides of the local culture—the Vogtsbauernhof Black Forest Open-Air Museum near Gutach, and the German Clock Museum in Furtwangen. You’ll also find plenty of opportunity for lazy drives and hikes. The area’s two biggest tourist traps are the tiny Titisee (a lake not quite as big as its parking lot—skip it) and Triberg, a small town bisected by a waterfall and filled with cuckoo-clock shops.

PLANNING YOUR TIME

By train, Freiburg and Baden-Baden are easy. Exploring the more rural delights of the region by public transit is tougher, but not impossible. Baden-Baden has enough sightseeing to merit two nights and a day. Tour Freiburg for at least an afternoon, and consider sleeping in overlooked Staufen.

With more time and a car, do the whole thing: two nights and a relaxing day in Baden-Baden, a busy day doing the small-town forest medley south (with stops at the Vogtsbauernhof Black Forest Open-Air Museum and—if it’s open—Furtwangen’s German Clock Museum), and a quick visit to Freiburg (sleeping either there or in Staufen).

Baden-Baden

Of all the high-class resort towns I’ve seen, Baden-Baden is the easiest to enjoy in jeans with a picnic. The town makes a great first—or last—stop in Germany (an easy 1.5 hours from Frankfurt’s airport by train).

Baden-Baden was the playground of Europe’s high-rolling elite around 150 years ago. Royalty and aristocracy came from all corners of the continent to take the Kur—a soak in the curative mineral waters—and enjoy the world’s top casino. Wrought-iron balconies on handsome 19th-century apartment buildings give Baden-Baden an elegant, almost Parisian feel. The town acquired its hyphenated double name—short for “Baden in Baden” (that is, Baden in the state of Baden, like New York, New York)—in 1931, to distinguish it from other places named Baden (German for “baths”).

With its appealing combination of Edenism and hedonism, the town remains popular today. How popular? In your typical convention town, hoteliers expect that 85 percent of their guests will need single rooms and 15 percent will need doubles; here they flip-flop those figures, as spouses insist on coming to conventions held in Baden-Baden.

And, of course, Baden-Baden attracts a middle-class crowd of European tourists in search of a slower pulse—including Germans enjoying the fruits of their health care system. The town also has strong historical ties with Russia, and until the Ukraine invasion in 2022, it was a popular destination for middle- and upper-class Russians. (For more on this connection, see the “Russians in Baden-Baden” sidebar, later.)

Orientation to Baden-Baden

Baden-Baden, with 55,000 residents, is made for strolling...with a poodle. Feel yourself relax and settle in to the slow pace. Except for the train station and a few accommodations, everything that matters is clustered within a 10-minute walk between the baths and the casino.

Although you’ll barely notice if you just stick around the center, Baden-Baden is actually a long, skinny town, strung over several miles along the narrow valley of the Oosbach River (conveniently connected by bus #201—see “Getting Around Baden-Baden,” later). The train station is at the lower (northern) end of the valley, in a suburb called Baden-Oos, three miles from downtown; the Lichtentaler Abbey marks the upper end of the valley. The casino and town center are about halfway between, at the point where a small side valley joins the Oosbach Valley. The main church, castle, baths, and oldest sections of town are a few blocks uphill on the north slope of this side valley.

TOURIST INFORMATION

Baden-Baden’s TI is in a long building called the Kurhaus Colonnade, across from the Kurhaus at #22 (daily 10:00-18:00, Kaiserallee 1, +49 7221 275 200, www.baden-baden.com). Pick up their free monthly events program, Baden-Baden Aktuell (German only), and a map. Hikers like the TI’s Panoramaweg map (small fee, German only). If you’re driving into the countryside, pick up the Outline Map, which helps you get your bearings for the region.

A ticket agency for theater, opera, orchestra, and musicals is next door to the TI at #23 (Wed-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon-Tue, +49 7221 932 700, www.tickets-baden-baden.de).

Another TI is at the B-500 autobahn exit (Mon-Fri 9:00-17:00, closed Sat-Sun, Schwarzwaldstrasse 52).

ARRIVAL IN BADEN-BADEN

By Train: The train station has lockers (platform 1) and a handy Reisezentrum that sells tickets. To get downtown in 15 minutes, catch frequent bus #201, with several stops in the center (see “Getting Around Baden-Baden,” later). A taxi to the center costs about €20.

By Car: Because most traffic goes underneath Baden-Baden (through long tunnels), finding your way to your hotel can be counterintuitive. Most hotels I recommend are in the town center; to reach them, first follow the blue Therme signs to the baths neighborhood, then look for green signs with the hotel’s name. Ask your hotelier for parking tips (you’ll likely wind up at one of the big garages that ring the town center).

By Plane: While Baden-Baden has a small airport (served by Ryanair from London), you’ll more likely fly into Frankfurt. It’s 1.5 hours away by car (on the autobahn) or train (hourly).

HELPFUL HINTS

Horse Races: Book well in advance if you’ll be visiting Baden-Baden during its three annual horse races (usually in May, Aug, and Oct; races are held in nearby Iffezheim, check dates at www.badengalopp.de).

Baden-Baden in Bloom: Gardening events draw people throughout the year, particularly in June when the roses are in full bloom.

“German Only”: Thanks to its predominantly German (and, until recently, Russian) clientele, the city often overlooks English speakers—including in some of the TI publications.

Laundry: A dry-cleaning shop in the town center, Klara Ross Wäscherei, also does laundry (full service, next-morning turnaround). Klara speaks Russian, but no English (Mon-Sat 8:00-12:00, also 14:00-18:00 Mon-Tue and Thu-Fri, closed Sun; Lichtentaler Strasse 38—walkable from city center hotels, or take bus #201 to Augustaplatz stop, +49 7221 22676). Just up the street, SB-Wasch is a self-service launderette with long hours (daily 6:00-23:00, Lichtentaler Strasse 43).

Shopping and Groceries: The big Wagener Galerie department store at Lange Strasse 44 has just about everything, including a huge über-trendy supermarket and a café on the top floor (Mon-Sat 9:00-19:00, closed Sun) and a post office on the ground floor.

Bike Rental: You can rent bikes a few bus stops away from the town center at Rent-A-Sportsman (call ahead to reserve, daily 8:30-21:00; Eisenbahnstrasse 1a, +49 172 721 4280, www.rent-a-sportsman.de). Take bus #201 (or walk 15 minutes) toward the train station, get off at Verfassungsplatz, and cross the busy street. Active Klaus-Peter also offers lessons in the sport of Nordic walking.

GETTING AROUND BADEN-BADEN

Within town, only one bus really matters: Bus #201 runs straight through Baden-Baden, connecting the train station in Oos, the town center (Leopoldsplatz), and Lichtentaler Abbey at the southeast end of town (every 10 minutes or so; single ticket €3.10, day card €6.20, add up to 5 people on a shared day card for better price; bus info at www.kvv.de). Buy tickets (valid for 1.5 hours in one direction) from the driver or machines, then validate them in the machine on board. With convenient bus #201, drivers staying at my recommended places outside the center don’t need to mess with downtown parking.

Bus #208 can serve as a fun sightseeing bus, though it only runs five times a day on weekdays, two or three times on Saturday, and not at all on Sunday. Hop on at Augustaplatz or Leopoldsplatz and enjoy the full, hour-long, figure-eight loop through the countryside around town. Buses #204 and #205 end at the Merkur funicular (about 2/hour).

Baden-Baden Walk

This self-guided walk starts at the casino, loops through the Old Town to both of the famous baths, and ends back at the river, where you can stroll up to the abbey. It covers everything in less than an hour. Consider interrupting this route with a visit to the casino and taking the waters at your choice of baths.

• Start on the steps of the...

Kurhaus/Casino

The impressive building called the Kurhaus is wrapped around a grand casino. Designed to resemble Versailles, it still looks like it did when it was built in the 1850s. You can tour it in the morning, and gamble away the afternoon and evening.

To get a visual overview of the town from the casino, stand between the second and third big white columns of the entrance portico and survey the surroundings from left to right: Find the ruined castle near the top of the hill, then the rock-climbing cliffs, the new castle (top of town) next to the copper-topped brick spire of the Catholic church (the famous baths are just behind that), the Merkur peak (marked by a modern observatory tower, 2,000 feet above sea level, easy to reach by bus and then funicular), and the bandstand in the Kurhaus garden. The Baden-Baden Philharmonic plays occasional free concerts here during the summer (get details at TI).

While you’re here, consider popping inside for a tour (in English at 13:00, in German with an English info sheet at other times), or to gamble or watch the action in the afternoon or evening—if you’re properly dressed (described later, under “Sights in Baden-Baden”).

• Leaving the casino, walk about 100 yards to the left, past the six 19th-century gas lampposts (still lit by hand each night). At the far end of the park, you’ll see the side of a long building called the...

Trinkhalle

The front of the Trinkhalle (around to the right) boasts a long entrance hall decorated with nymphs and romantic legends. Step up into this grand corridor, designed for 19th-century needs: drinking the spa water while promenading out of the sun and rain. Wander around its fancy portico, studying the romantic circa-1850 paintings that spa-goers a century ago could easily relate to.

For a sample of the warm spring water, go inside (free, daily 10:00-18:00) and look for the tap at the central column. Despite the label, a sip of this water is indeed safe (but quite hot, about 110 degrees)—even supposedly curative. (EU laws require these Kein Trinkwasser warnings on any water that isn’t safe to drink day in and day out, and this water’s high mineral concentration makes it unwise to drink much more than a cup or two at a time.)

From the Trinkhalle, walk down the steps and tip your hat to Kaiser Wilhelm. Locals appreciate this Prussian king because in 1848, he used military force to silence revolutionaries demanding liberal reforms, ensuring that Germany’s elites could continue to enjoy this fine town undisturbed. Look up at the charming spa-promotion provided by the relief in the pediment of the Trinkhalle: People come to the goddess of the spa sick and tired. They leave young, beautiful, ready to dance, and suddenly quite fertile. Spa is an acronym for the Latin “Sanus per Aquam,” which means “health through water.”

• Carry on over the bridge, crossing the “mighty”...

Oos River

Centuries ago, this stream flowed outside the town walls, which would have been ahead of you at this point. As the city had little strategic importance and no reason to be fortified, its walls were torn down in the 1830s. Baden-Baden was not damaged in either world war. (The French made sure it was unscathed in World War II—they knew they’d be setting up occupation here, and why not have a nice place to call headquarters?) No matter who ruled it, Baden-Baden has been seen as a fine place to relax.

• Continue straight one block inland, then go left on the pedestrian Lange Strasse past fine shops. Three feet below you is the ancient Roman road. And a block in front of you on the left is the Läderach chocolate shop—air-conditioned and fragrant with a tempting array of fine Swiss chocolates. At the Hotel zum Hirsch (look for the golden Hirsch, or deer), take a hard right, and climb up Hirschstrasse a few short but steep blocks (passing the tempting Kaffeesack hipster coffee shop, on your right) until you hit a big church.

Catholic Church and Marktplatz

Baden-Baden’s Catholic church looks over the marketplace that has marked the center of town since Roman times. Step inside and head up to the front of the church. The fine crucifix, carved out of a single stone in the 15th century, stood in a nearby cemetery until it was moved here in the 1960s. The choir area (front part of the church, surrounding the crucifix) is lined with tombs and memorials to local big shots (counts and margraves) from the 16th to the 18th century. The fanciest memorial, filling most of the right wall, is Baroque and honors a local military figure who helped defend Europe against the Turks in the 17th century. The stained-glass windows lining the nave are from the 1950s.

Back outside, look far to the right and up to see the edge of the “new castle” towering above the square. On-again, off-again plans to renovate this building into a top-end hotel seem indefinitely stalled.

• Now we’ll explore the area around Baden-Baden’s namesake and claim to fame.

Baths Area

For a look at the area that puts the Baden (baths) in Baden-Baden, walk along the left side of the church, under a modern art installation (of jugs on stilts—reminders of the Roman spa that once stood here). Head down the cobbled lane behind the Roman-Irish Bath complex. Because the soil is spa-warmed, a garden of lush Mediterranean vegetation stretches left from here up toward the castle (an area nicknamed “Florentine Hill”). At the end (top of stairs), enjoy the viewpoint; Baden-Baden’s high-rent district—nicknamed “Paradise”—climbs the hills opposite.

Take the steps down to the water spigot that taps the underground spring called the Fettquelle (“rich water source”). At 105 degrees—as hot as a spa open to the public can legally be—it’s a reminder that Baden-Baden’s baths are naturally heated. This has always been a practical source of hot water for Baden-Baden residents (even if, due to EU regulations, it must now be labeled Kein Trinkwasser). Older locals remember being sent here to fetch hot water for their father’s shave.

Walk to the sensuous (if armless) statue 50 yards ahead. To your left is the modern Baths of Caracalla. To your right is the venerable and more traditional Roman-Irish Bath (both described later).

• Return halfway to the Fettquelle spigot and take the stairs down into the parking level (signposted Römische Badruinen) into the small tunnel to find the...

Ancient Spa Museum

This ancient bath, now in ruins, was built for Roman soldiers. It’s just one room—most of which you can see through the big windows—and worth the entry fee only if you want to use the included audioguide to learn its story, including how it was engineered (€5, open only two hours a day—11:00-12:00 & 15:00-16:00, closed in winter). As it was only for soldiers, this spa is just a simple terra-cotta structure with hollow walls and elevated floors to let the heat circulate.

• Walking past the museum, you hit daylight, jog left, hook right at the outdoor café, then head down the pedestrian shopping lane called...

Gernsbacher Strasse

Walking down Gernsbacher Strasse, consider the 2,000-year heritage of guests who have been housed, fed, and watered here at the spa. Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Mark Twain, Johannes Brahms, and Russian princes all called this neighborhood home in its 19th-century heyday. Germany’s oldest tennis and golf clubs were created here (for the English community) in the 19th century.

In the late 20th century, Germany’s health care system was very, very good for Baden-Baden. The government provided lavishly for spa treatments for its tired citizens. Times have changed, and now doctors must make the case to insurance companies that their patients are more than tired...they must actually be sick to have their visit subsidized by taxpayers. And the insurance company then dictates where they’ll go. The government will still pay for up to two weeks of recreation at a spa like this, but patients must go to the spa that’s recommended and sleep in its clinic. If they sleep in a hotel, the jig is up—and they lose their government funding (that’s austerity, German style).

• After two blocks, you hit Sonnenplatz. Hang a left, then a right, and continue down the traffic-and-tree-lined...

Sophienstrasse

This street enjoys the reliable shade of a long row of tall chestnut trees. In the 1870s, when it was lined exclusively by hotels, this was the town’s aristocratic promenade. Back then, there were 15,000 bedrooms for rent in Baden-Baden (triple what the city has today). Behind you and across the street, the Fabergé Museum offers a glimpse at both the opulence and the Russian connection of Baden-Baden during its heyday (described later, under “Sights in Baden-Baden”).

• After a short block, at the fine little heron fountain in the median, turn right down Rittergasse, which leads to the recommended ivy-and-flower-bedecked Löwenbräu beer garden (a festival of Bavarian clichés, even though we’re not in Bavaria). Heading left, you’re back on...

Gernsbacher Strasse (Again)

After passing the lederhosen and dirndls, and then the small fill-your-bottle fountain, look over your right shoulder and up some stairs to the stern, gigantic, stone statue of Otto von Bismarck. Nicknamed the “Iron Chancellor,” he spearheaded German unification under Prussia in 1871 (and gave Germany its national health care system shortly after unification). Bismarck, who prized good relations with Russia (to the contrary of most German leaders), is particularly well thought of by Baden-Baden’s many Russian residents.

• Follow the curve to the left on Gernsbacher Strasse, leading to Baden-Baden’s main square...

Leopoldsplatz

Until 1985, this square was a busy traffic hub, with 30,000 cars muscling through it each day. Now a 1.5-mile-long tunnel takes the east-west traffic under the city, and the peace and quiet you’d expect in a spa town has returned. Baden-Baden had to get rid of the noise and pollution caused by the traffic to maintain its top rating as a spa resort—lose that, and Baden-Baden would lose half its business. The main city bus stop is just off the square, on Lui-senstrasse.

• From Leopoldsplatz, head left on Lichtentaler Strasse. You’ll pass jewelry stores, fashion boutiques, plenty of high-end shops, and the venerable and recommended Café König (on the right). Head for the big fountain in the distance, which marks...

Augustaplatz & Lichtentaler Allee

The broad, parklike square called Augustaplatz is another city hub, with bus stops, a stay-a-while fountain, public WCs, and a couple of recommended eateries.

At the fountain, go right, through the park, and over the petite bridge, where you’ll come to a sweet riverside path called Lichtentaler Allee. If the weather’s fine, this is a great opportunity to go for a stroll along this people-friendly, prettily landscaped promenade. Turning left, a short walk takes you to the good City Museum, a rose garden, and—eventually—all the way out to Lichtentaler Abbey (all described later, under “Sights in Baden-Baden”).

Or, if you’d prefer to return to the town center, simply take a right through the park and walk along the Oos to the TI and casino area.

Sights in Baden-Baden

THE BATHS

Baden-Baden’s top sights—two much-loved but very different baths—stand side by side in a park at the top of the Old Town. The Roman-Irish Bath is traditional, stately, indoors, contemplative, and extremely relaxing...just you, the past, and your body. The perky, fun, and modern Baths of Caracalla are less expensive, both indoor and outdoor, and more social. Another key difference is the dress code: The Roman-Irish Bath is all-naked on most days, while Caracalla is always mostly clothed (other than the sauna zone upstairs). Some hotels sell discounted tickets (10-15 percent off) to one or both of the baths—ask.

At either bath, you’ll get an electronic wristband, which you’ll need when you’re ready to leave. You can relax while your valuables are stowed in very secure lockers. The baths share the huge underground Bäder-Garage (reduced price for bathers if you validate your parking ticket before leaving either bath, entrance on Rotenbachtalstrasse).

▲▲▲Roman-Irish Bath (Friedrichsbad)

The highlight of most visits to Baden-Baden is a sober 17-step ritual called the Roman-Irish Bath. This bathhouse pampered the rich and famous in its elegant surroundings when it opened in 1877. Today, this steamy world of marble, brass columns, tropical tiles, herons, lily pads, and graceful nudity welcomes gawky tourists as well as Germans who are “taking the waters.”

Cost and Hours: €35/3 hours; daily 9:00-22:00, last entry at 19:00, later on Fri; no kids under age 14, Römerplatz 1, +49 7221 275 920, www.friedrichsbad.eu. It’s possible to speed through the bath in an hour, but the whole idea is...to...slow...down.

(Un-)Dress Code: On designated days (likely Wed and Sat—confirm on their website), bathers wear swimsuits. On all other days, everyone in these baths is always nude (even prudish American tourists). At all times—even the nude days—all areas are mixed-gender. If you’re concerned, you needn’t be; there’s no ogling going on. It’s a classy and respectful ritual, and a shame to miss just because you’re intimidated by nudity.

Brush Massage: The soap-and-brush massage, for €19 extra, is offered only a few times each week (always on nude days—likely Mon, Thu, and Sun, for just a couple of hours each day; see website or call for schedule). These slots can be booked only in person and sell out quickly; if you’d enjoy this, time your visit accordingly.

Private Baths: You can splurge to bathe as the aristocrats did—in your very own tiled room, called the Emperor’s Bath (€78/1.5 hours for up to 2 people, more for additional time and massage options, book in advance by calling +49 7221 275 970).

Procedure: You’ll pay, get a watch-like wristband, and activate it as you enter. Choose a locker (where you’ll find your bedsheet-like towel), disrobe (or change into your swimsuit, depending on the day), and stow your stuff. Lock your locker by pressing on the button with your wristband. Remember your locker number; for security, it’s not indicated on your wristband.

Inside the baths, the complex routine is written (in English) on the walls with recommended times—simply follow the room numbers from 1 to 17. Instructions are repeated everywhere. And English-speaking attendants are there when necessary. For the first couple of stops only, you use plastic slippers and a towel for hygienic reasons, and because the slats are too hot to sit on directly.

You’ll start by taking a shower. Grab a towel and put on plastic slippers before hitting the warm-air bath for 15 minutes and the hot-air bath for five. Shower again. If you paid extra, take the rough and slippery soap-brush massage—which may finish with a good Teutonic spank for the gents and a gentler tap-tap for the ladies. Play Gumby in the shower, lounge under sunbeams in one of several thermal steam baths, and glide like a swan under a divine dome in the royal central pool. (A smaller pool nearby has bubbles.) Near the end, don’t skip the invigorating cold plunge, but do go in all at once—the relaxation you’ll experience after emerging is worth it. Dry off with warmed towels. Then you’ll be swaddled like a baby to lie on a bed for 30 minutes, thinking prenatal thoughts, in the mellow, yellow silent room. At the end, there’s a reading room with tea, chaise lounges, and magazines. You don’t appreciate how clean you are after this experience until you put your dirty socks back on (bring clean ones).

You don’t need to bring any special gear. Hair dryers are available, and clocks are prominently displayed throughout. If you wear glasses, you’ll find trays throughout for you to park your specs.

Afterward, stroll down the broad royal stairway, feeling, as they say, five years younger—or at least, after all that sweating, a pound or two lighter.

▲▲Baths of Caracalla (Caracalla Therme)

For a more modern experience, spend a few hours at the Baths of Caracalla, a huge, family-friendly palace of water, steam, and relaxed people. More like a mini water park, and with bathers clothed, this is a fun and accessible experience; it’s recommended for those who’d prefer less nudity (sauna-goers upstairs, however, are nude).

Cost and Hours: €19/2 hours, €23/3 hours, €31 buys the whole day, €5 more for the sauna, discounts with hotel guest card (Kurkarte); massages and other spa treatments available; daily 8:00-22:00, last entry 1.5 hours before closing, no kids under age 7, kids 7-14 must be with parents (it’s not really a splashing and sliding kind of pool); +49 7221 275 940, www.caracalla.de.

Procedure: At this bath, you need to bring a towel (or rent one for €6, plus a €15 deposit) and a swimsuit (shorts are OK for men, no swimsuit rental available but you can buy one in the shop).

Upon entering, you’ll be issued a wristband. First, go into the changing cabin to put on your swimsuit (lower the narrow counter-like “lock” to block the doors for privacy). Exit out the other side of the changing cabin, choose a locker for your street clothes, and use your wristband to lock it (remember the number—you’ll need to find this same locker later). Your wristband gets you into another poolside locker if you want to lock up your glasses. You won’t need your wallet inside, but if you get something to eat or drink, you’ll pay on exit (it’s recorded on your wristband). Bring your towel to the pool. Before getting in, take a shower (for sanitary reasons).

Then dive in! The baths are an indoor/outdoor wonderland of steamy pools, waterfalls, neck showers, hot tubs, hot springs, cold pools, lounge chairs, saunas, a wellness lounge/massage area, a cafeteria, and a bar. After taking a few laps around the fake river, you can join some kinky Germans for water spankings. Then join the gang in the central cauldron. The steamy “inhalation” room seems like purgatory’s waiting room, with a misty minimum of visibility, filled with strange, silently aging bodies.

Nudity is limited to the sauna zone upstairs. The spiral staircase leads to a naked world of saunas, tanning lights, cold plunges, and sunbathing outside on lounge chairs. At the top of the stairs everyone—men and women—stows their swimsuit in a cubbyhole and wanders around with their towel (some are modest and wrapped; others just run around buck naked). There are three eucalyptus-scented saunas of varying temperatures (80, 90, and 95 degrees) and two saunas in outdoor log cabins (with mesmerizing robotic steam-makers). Follow the instructions on the wall. Towels are required, not for modesty but to separate your body from the wood benches. The highlight is the arctic bucket in the shower room. Pull the chain. Rarely will you ever feel so good.

When you’re finished, change back and present your wristband at the cashier; if you purchased anything inside, you’ll pay before leaving...very refreshed.

MORE SIGHTS IN BADEN-BADEN

▲▲Casino and Kurhaus

Baden-Baden’s grand casino occupies a classy building called the Kurhaus. Inspired by the Palace of Versailles, it’s filled with rooms honoring French royalty who never actually set foot in the place. But many other French people did. (Gambling was illegal in 19th-century France...just over the border.) The casino is state-owned, and the revenue it generates (about $25 million a year) funds all sorts of social services and city projects. The more than 100 staffers are paid mostly by tips from happy gamblers.

You can visit the casino on a guided tour in the morning and early afternoon, when it’s closed to gamblers. But it’s most interesting to see the place in action later in the day. (While gambling starts at 15:00, there’s a much better scene later in the evening.) You can gamble if you want, but a third of the visitors come only to people-watch under the chandeliers. The vibe is more subdued than at an American casino; anyone showing emotion is more likely a tourist than a serious gambler. Lean against a gilded statue and listen to the graceful reshuffling of personal fortunes. Do some imaginary gambling, or buy a few chips at the window near the entrance (an ATM is downstairs). The Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoyevsky came here, lost his fortune in these very rooms, and wrote a book about it: The Gambler.

The casino has a pricey restaurant (with a lovely garden), and the Equipage cocktail bar has DJs and hanky-panky most nights (from 21:00 until late, closed Sun-Tue).

Cost and Hours: €5 entry (blackjack), free with voucher from guided tour (described later), €2 minimum bet (roulette); open daily 15:00 until very late, livelier after dinner and liveliest after 22:00; no athletic shoes, no sandals or short sleeves for men, coat required for men and ties are encouraged—coat can be rented for €10, nice jeans OK; passport required—driver’s license isn’t enough, under 21 not admitted, no photos; +49 7221 30240, www.casino-baden-baden.de.

Lower rollers and budget travelers can try their luck downstairs at the casino’s slot machines (called Automatenspiel), or give video poker or video roulette a go (opens at 11:00, no dress code, passport required, under 21 not admitted).

Tours: The casino gives 40-minute tours several times each day—in English at 13:00, and in German at 10:00, 11:00, and 12:00 (you can borrow an English information sheet if joining a German tour; all tours €10, +49 7221 30240). Even peasants wearing T-shirts, shorts, and sandals, with cameras and kids in tow, are welcome on tours. After the guided visit, tour-goers (21 and up) receive a voucher for free entry during regular gambling hours.

▲Fabergé Museum

Perhaps the best place to get a taste of Baden-Baden’s connection to Russia, this good (if very expensive-for-its-size) museum showcases a vast array of priceless items, including four (supposed) Fabergé eggs. The private collection of wealthy Muscovite Alexander Ivanov, it’s all displayed in a classic, dimly lit, parquet-floored mansion. While English information is limited (try scanning the sparse QR codes), a visit here is worthwhile for those who love to scrutinize tiny, detailed masterpieces.

Cost and Hours: €21 for main exhibit, €6 for “Gold of the World” collection, €24 for everything, daily 11:00-18:00, Sophienstrasse 30, +49 7221 970 890, www.faberge-museum.de.

Visiting the Museum: On the main floor, near the ticket desk, a small music salon sets the stage of the cultural connection between this spa town and Russia. Also on this level is the “Gold of the World” collection—one room with over a hundred glittering items from around the globe, from pre-Columbian Latin America to ancient Greece to 18th-century China.

Upstairs is the main collection, some one thousand minuscule items, many produced by the famed Russian court jeweler Peter Carl Fabergé (1846-1920) of St. Petersburg. (Others are imitations, sometimes derisively called “Fauxbergé.”) You’ll see miniatures, jade elephants, timepieces, bejeweled boxes, samovars and drinking cups, a life-size bird-shaped decanter, tiaras, brooches, porcelain and enamel vases, an entire barber’s kit, countless cigarette boxes, and much more. The highlights are those four priceless Fabergé eggs—impossibly lavish, handcrafted “surprise”-loaded gifts from the czars to their relatives and friends, which represent the pinnacle of Romanov excess. One of these includes tiny portraits of the final czars of the Romanov dynasty.

Russians in Baden-Baden

In 1793, the future Czar Alexander I of Russia took Louise, princess of Baden, as his wife, kicking off a long connection between Russia and this German spa town. After Napoleon, tens of thousands of Russian troops were stationed in this area, further strengthening ties. And when gambling was outlawed in their motherland, many Russians, including Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy, flocked here for its casino. Some lost their fortunes, borrowed a pistol, and did themselves in on the “Alley of Sighs” (Seufzerallee, near the Caracalla baths). Ivan Turgenev’s 1867 novel Smoke, set in Baden-Baden, further cemented this town in the Russian cultural consciousness.

Beginning with the perestroika days of the 1990s, the Russian connection here deepened. Russians of German ethnic origin were allowed to emigrate to Germany, and many settled in Baden-Baden. In 1997, Russian President Boris Yeltsin met with German Chancellor Helmut Kohl here. The opera house became a favorite venue for visiting Russian musicians—making this, for many, the first place they took a stage in the West. Russians also favored Baden-Baden for medical treatments, as it was an ideal place to recuperate, and also strategically situated between high-quality hospitals in the university towns of Heidelberg and Freiburg.

As time went on, ultra-wealthy Russians seeking safe property investments poured their rubles into Baden-Baden, and a new wave of Russian visitors and business owners came in their wake. Starting in 2016, a cheap, direct flight connected Moscow to Baden-Baden four times a week, making the city accessible for Russian middle-class families. Through the 2000s and 2010s, you were almost as likely to see or hear Russian on the streets of Baden-Baden as German. The city had over a thousand Russian residents, along with another thousand who held dual citizenship.

Things changed dramatically when Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine in 2022. Europe’s borders tightened against Russian citizens, who found it much more difficult to visit (or, for Russian émigrés in Baden-Baden, to return home to see family and friends). Empty storefronts—many once filled by Russian-owned businesses—stand testament to the reverberations of a distant war. And yet, the strong association persists, as many longstanding Russian-born residents—and successive generations of their families—continue to call Baden-Baden home.

To learn more, dip into the Russian Orthodox church (south of the center, near Lichtentaler Allee), or visit the Fabergé Museum, which is a proud bastion of Russian culture and onetime imperial opulence.

Perhaps most notable is the Clock Constellation Globe. This was supposedly the final egg that Fabergé ever created, as a gift from Czar Nicholas II to Czarina Alexandra. It is unfinished because, in 1917, the February Revolution disrupted the Romanovs’ imperial largesse. While this egg is presented as if it’s the original, another that most experts agree to be the real McCoy is in a Moscow museum. Get up close and decide for yourself.

▲▲Strolling Lichtentaler Allee

Imagine yourself dressed as a 19th-century aristocrat as you promenade down elegant Lichtentaler Allee, a pleasant, picnic-perfect 1.5-mile-long lane. Stroll through a park along the babbling, brick-lined Oosbach River, past old mansions and under hardy oaks and exotic trees (street-lit all night), with people on horseback and horse-drawn carriages parading by. The lane is nicknamed “The Green Mile” for the huge variety of trees planted here back in the 19th century, when nature was all the rage (and appreciating it was part of the ritual of the Kur).

It’s also called “The Culture Mile” for the many museums that line it. The most interesting one is the endearing City Museum (Stadtmuseum), in a mansion at the far end of the first, wide section of the park—less than a 10-minute walk from the casino. This well-presented exhibit (with a hardworking audioguide that brings meaning to the collection) tells the story of Baden-Baden. The ground floor sets the stage for Baden-Baden’s belle époque, including a horse-racing roulette game from the casino and a painting of the town’s famous horse races. Upstairs is a tidy, chronological exhibit, beginning with artifacts from the ancient Roman spa town of Acquae. You’ll see a room devoted to the Lichtentaler Abbey; delicate ivory carvings; portraits of local VIPs from the “Baden Revolution”; an 1817 proto-bicycle called a “velocipede,” which took an early test ride to Baden-Baden; vintage tourism posters from the early 20th century; and a gorgeous panoramic painting on majolica tiles of the entire city, circa 1900, executed with remarkable detail (€5, free and essential audioguide app, Tue-Sun 11:00-18:00, closed Mon, Lichtentaler Allee 10).

A few minutes farther south, by the tennis courts (gear rentable), cross the footbridge into the free Art Nouveau Rose Garden (Gönneranlage, hundreds of labeled kinds of roses bloom May-June, great tables and benches). Next to the courts is a popular Italian restaurant (Rosso Bianco).

Farther south and just off Lichtentaler Allee, you can step into the Russian Orthodox church. Dating from around 1900, this church serves the city’s large Russian population (see sidebar on here). Why no pews? In Orthodox churches the congregation stands throughout the service—sometimes for hours (donation requested, generally daily 10:00-17:00 or according to whim, services Sat evening and Sun morning, Lichtentaler Strasse 76, near rose garden across river from Lichtentaler Allee, or take bus #201 to Bertholdplatz stop).

The promenade leads all the way to Lichtentaler Abbey (described next). You can either walk round-trip, or walk one way and take city bus #201 back (runs every 10 minutes along the main street, parallel to the promenade, on the other side of the river). Many bridges cross the river, making it easy to shortcut to the bus anytime. Biking is another option (see “Helpful Hints,” earlier), but you’ll have to stay on the road in the bike lane, since the footpath is only for pedestrians.

Lichtentaler Abbey

An active Cistercian convent founded in 1245, Lichtentaler Abbey welcomes the public into its tranquil, gated world. And since 1245, here in what they call “a school for the service of the Lord,” the Cistercians have embraced the teaching of St. Benedict: to live with moderation, show compassion for all, be unselfish, and follow the Golden Rule. The abbey has survived nearly eight centuries of threats, including the dissolutions of the abbeys in Napoleonic times and the destruction of both world wars. When you walk through its gate into the courtyard, ringed by trees and so peaceful, you sense that the place is blessed.

You can visit its 13th-century chapel, check out the shop (with herbs, liquors, etc.), and have lunch or a drink at Café Lumen (heavenly homemade cakes, Wed-Sun 11:00-18:00, closed Mon-Tue). They host occasional concerts through the summer (check website for schedule), and also run the Kloster Lichtenthal Guesthouse (see “Sleeping in Baden-Baden,” later).

Cost and Hours: Free to enter, gate closes at 20:00, €5 guided tours in German run Wed and Sat-Sun at 15:00, Hauptstrasse 40, +49 7221 504 910, www.abtei-lichtenthal.de.

Funicular to the Summit of Merkur

This delightful (if unspectacular) trip to a hilltop overlooking Baden-Baden is easy, quick, and a good reason to explore beyond the main drag. Catch bus #204 or #205 from the city center (departing 2/hour from Leopoldsplatz, on Sophienstrasse in front of Volksbank) and ride 11 minutes through the ritzy “Paradise” neighborhood to the end of the line at the base of the Merkur Bergbahn. Then take the ear-popping funicular to the 2,000-foot summit.

At the top, you can enjoy a meal or drink at the €€€ restaurant. The mountaintop has a parklike ambience, with well-marked hiking trails that fan out in every direction. The easiest choice is to walk five minutes up the hill to the red-sandstone lookout tower (attached to a modern TV tower). Press the button to enter the door, then ride the elevator and huff up 48 stairs for sweeping views. Look for Baden-Baden’s town center, tucked tidily in its little wooded valley; from up here, you can see how this is truly where the Black Forest begins. While the views from the café tables at the lift station are “good enough,” for the full scope, it’s worth climbing this tower. And, if the weather’s good (with winds from the south or west), you can watch the paragliders leap into ecstasy.

Take the funicular back down, or risk getting lost and walk down the lane to the base of the funicular (2.5 miles, signposted Merkurbahn Talstation). From the bottom of the funicular, buses depart back to Baden-Baden twice hourly.

Cost and Hours: €7 round-trip, six-minute trip, departs continuously, daily 10:00-22:00, +49 7221 31640.

Mini Black Forest Walks

Baden-Baden is at the northern end of the Black Forest. If you’re not going south, but want a taste of Germany’s favorite woods, consider one of several hikes from town. The TI has details and can suggest routes. If you’re serious about hiking, invest in the TI’s good (but German-only) Panoramaweg map, which outlines a 25-mile trail leading all the way around Baden-Baden’s perimeter and nearby Geroldsau Valley (it’s easy to do just part of the trail, since you’re never far from the town center or a bus stop).

Sleeping in Baden-Baden

While Baden-Baden has some grand hotels, my recommended places are mostly small, family-run, and more budget-friendly (though all accommodations are pricey in this posh town). Hotel am Markt is a particularly great value and worth reserving in advance. Note that most hotels here don’t have 24-hour reception desks; most close for the night at 21:00 or earlier, though they can wait up for you if they know you’re arriving later. Call ahead with your specific arrival details if you’ll be coming after 17:00.

While weekends and summer are generally more expensive, demand—and prices—change from day to day based on conventions, theater performances, and other events.

All hotels and pensions are required to charge an additional €3.80 per person, per night “spa tax.” This comes with a “guest card” (Kurkarte), offering small discounts on tourist admissions around town (including the casino and the Caracalla Spa).

IN THE CENTER, NEAR THE BATHS

These well-located options stick you right in the heart of Baden-Baden, in a pleasant, stepped pedestrian zone a short saunter from the baths. Some may have air-conditioning and elevators; ask before booking. For locations, see the “Central Baden-Baden” map, earlier.

€€€€ Aqua Aurelia Suitenhotel is a splurge perfectly situated right next to the baths, with easy access by car and its own parking garage. While it lacks some of the personality and character of my other listings, the suites are modern and well equipped (Vincentstrasse 1, +49 7221 18330, www.aquaaurelia.de, info@aquaaurelia.de).

€€€ Hotel Rathausglöckel is a 16th-century guesthouse that has undergone a tasteful 21st-century renovation. Jasmine and her team make this classic little place one of the town’s most inviting hotels. Steep stairs lead to 15 antique-furnished rooms (plus a few grand suites) and an inviting rooftop deck (RS%, family rooms, restaurant, church bells every 15 minutes 8:15-22:00, pay parking at nearby garage, Steinstrasse 7, +49 7221 90610, www.rathausgloeckel.de, info@rathausgloeckel.de).

€€€ Heliopark Bad Hotel zum Hirsch—hardly a “bad hotel”—is an “antique-boutique” resort hotel. Its 71 rooms, many of them quite spacious, come with stylish furniture (some traditional, some modern) and all the fixin’s. It’s wonderfully located in the middle of the pedestrian zone; a short, uphill walk gets you to the baths (excellent breakfast, air-con in some rooms, elevator, Hirschstrasse 1, +49 7221 9390, www.heliopark-hirsch.de, info@heliopark-hirsch.de).

€€ Hotel am Markt is Baden-Baden’s best little hotel. Family-run since 1951, this 20-room place offers all the modern comforts a commoner could want in a peaceful, central, nearly traffic-free location, two cobbled blocks from the baths. The church bells ring every 15 minutes from 8:15 until 22:00. Otherwise, quiet rules. The ambience makes it a joy to have breakfast—or just kill time on the small terrace facing the church (pay parking, also offers two apartments; Marktplatz 18, +49 7221 27040, www.hotel-am-markt-baden.de, info@hotel-am-markt-baden.de; run by Frau Jung, Lisa, and Laura).

€€ Hotel Römerhof is traditional and affordable, with 24 dated but well-kept rooms along the boulevard-like Sophienstrasse, just downhill from the baths. It’s a fine backup if other recommended options are full (family rooms, a few rooms with air-con, Sophienstrasse 25, +49 7221 300 8990, www.roemerhof-baden-baden.de, info@roemerhof-baden-baden.de).

IN THE MODERN TOWN

€€€ Hotel Schweizer Hof’s 39 rooms mix classic style and modern comfort. It’s about a seven-minute walk north of the pedestrian district, on a little square next to the opera house (pay parking, nearby 4-person apartment; Lange Strasse 73—for location see the “Baden-Baden” map, earlier; bus #201 stop: Festspielhaus/Alter Bahnhof—then walk 50 yards past the opera house, drivers follow Festspielhaus/Casino signs, +49 7221 30460, www.schweizerhof.de, mail@schweizerhof.de).

€€ Hotel Etol is in the quiet courtyard of a renovated industrial complex, which celebrates its history as a tile and bathtub factory from around the year 1900. You’ll climb the stairs to reach any of the 16 rooms, each named for a town in the Black Forest. Natural light, tasteful design, friendly staff, and a central location make this a winning choice (RS%, family rooms, pay laundry, limited pay parking—book ahead; Merkurstrasse 7, 2-minute walk from Augustaplatz stop of bus #201—for location, see the “Central Baden-Baden” map, earlier; +49 7221 973 470, www.hotel-etol.de, info@hotel-etol.de).

OUTSIDE THE CENTER

These listings are a few stops from the center on bus #201. For locations, see the “Baden-Baden” map, earlier.

€ Kloster Lichtenthal Guesthouse lets you be a part of the peaceful cloistered world of a working Cistercian abbey. Its 44 rooms are monastic-chic, with meditative simplicity under historic beams, and your money supports the work of the sisters here. Their rooms with only a sink (modern bathrooms down the hall) cost about a third less than the en suite rooms. There is no TV, and the Wi-Fi works only in some areas. When the abbey gate closes at 20:00, you feel quite special (reception open Mon-Fri 8:00-17:00, Sat-Sun until 15:00, closed during lunchtime; free parking, Hauptstrasse 40, +49 7221 408 3320, www.abtei-lichtenthal.de, gaestehaus@abtei-lichtenthal.de).

¢ Werner Dietz Hostel, between the station and the center, is big, modern, and has the cheapest beds in town (private rooms available, outdoor swimming pool next door, Hardbergstrasse 34, +49 7221 52223, www.jugendherberge.de/jugendherbergen/baden-baden). To reach the hostel from the train station or downtown, take bus #201 to Grosse Dollenstrasse (also announced as Jugendherberge); it’s a steep, well-marked 10-minute climb from there. Drivers: Call the hostel for directions.

Eating in Baden-Baden

For locations, see the “Central Baden-Baden” map, earlier.

DINING WITH ELEGANCE AND ATMOSPHERE

€€€ Weinstube im Baldreit, with both a cozy cellar and a big, leafy courtyard, is ideal on a hot evening. Dining here, I feel like a pampered salamander in a Monet terrarium. While her French husband Philippe cooks near-gourmet regional dishes, Nicole is happy to translate the daily specials chalked in German on the board. Reservations are smart (Tue-Fri dinner only, Sat lunch only, closed Sun-Mon; from Lange Strasse 10, walk up the higgledy-piggledy street called Küferstrasse, follow Weinstube signs, Küferstrasse 3, +49 7221 23136).

€€€€ Schneider’s Weinstube, in an elegant building a block from Augustaplatz, offers a warm and convivial setting indoors as well as on their lovely outdoor terrace. Herr und Frau Schneider serve what many locals consider the town’s best cuisine and offer a fine selection of wines. Reservations are smart. While game and meat are the specialty, there is always a good vegetarian dish (dinner only, closed Sun-Mon, Maria-Viktoria-Strasse 2, +49 7221 976 6926, www.schneiders-weinstube.de).

€€€€ Rizzi Wine Bistro & Restaurant has been a stylish choice since long before “rizz” was cool. They offer formal service, good Mediterranean cuisine, and just a dash of pretense. It’s chic and designed so you feel like you’re eating in a park. Reserve in advance (daily, in the park at Augustaplatz 1, +49 7221 25838, www.rizzi-baden-baden.de).

BAVARIAN AND ALSATIAN FARE ON JESUITENPLATZ

€€ Gasthaus Löwenbräu, a sloppy, Bavarian-style Biergarten, slings good beer and a choice of light or heavy fare under a vine-covered trellis. This place is so Bavarian they serve lederhosen wedgies in season (daily, Gernsbacher Strasse 9, +49 7221 22311).

€€ Restaurant La Casserole, with a delightful interior and good seating on the peaceful square, is ideal if you feel like an Alsatian-style pizza. Flammkuchen comes with all the topping options popular at any pizza place and makes a nice budget meal (Tue-Fri dinner only, Sat lunch and dinner, closed Sun-Mon, Gernsbacher Strasse 18, +49 7221 22221).

QUICK AND SIMPLE LUNCHES IN THE CENTER

Both of these places work for lunch or an early dinner (they close around 18:00).

€ Peters Gute Backstube is a fast, healthy salad-and-sandwich place with nice seating inside and outside facing Augustaplatz (daily, Lichtentaler Strasse 17).

€ Peter’s am Leo Café is a self-service joint offering big breakfasts, sandwiches, salads, pastries, and a few outdoor tables with views over Baden-Baden’s central square, with buses rumbling to and fro (daily, on Leopoldsplatz at Sophienstrasse 10, +49 7221 392 817).

PRIME PEOPLE-WATCHING CAFÉS

Baden-Baden’s many cafés are variations on a genteel theme. They serve chocolates, coffee, cakes (including the famous Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte—Black Forest cake), and light meals. Figure around €7-8 to savor a slice of cake and cup of coffee, or €12 or so for light food (such as sandwiches and salads). Most cafés close for dinner. I like these choices:

€€ Café König, a little slice of Vienna, is the place to bring your poodle and spend too much for an elegant cup of coffee and a slice of Black Forest cake. Grab a seat and enjoy a tasty light meal, then go to the counter to choose your dessert and your server will bring it to your table (daily, fine shady patio, between Leopoldsplatz and Augustaplatz at Lichtentaler Strasse 12, +49 7221 23573).

€ Böckeler Café, a good but less fancy option, has an extensive dessert counter, a modern interior, and outdoor tables along a lively pedestrian street (daily, Lange Strasse 40, +49 7221 949 594).

Nightlife in Baden-Baden

You can dress to the nines (the eights are fine, too) and head to the casino, where most of the action takes place at night (see “More Sights in Baden-Baden,” earlier). If you’d rather keep it casual, several other places in town stay open late. For a hint of swank and lots of riverside ambience, the recommended Rizzi Wine Bistro & Restaurant serves food until 22:00 and drinks until even later. For a Bavarian Oktoberfest kind of atmosphere, the recommended Gasthaus Löwenbräu on the Jesuitenplatz is lively until late, with beer guzzlers young and old. See details on both earlier, under “Eating in Baden-Baden.”

Baden-Baden Connections

From Baden-Baden by Train to: Freiburg (direct fast trains every hour or so, 45 minutes; cheaper regional trains take 1.5 hours with change in Offenburg); Triberg (hourly, 1.5 hours); Munich (hourly, 4 hours, change in Mannheim or Karlsruhe); Frankfurt (hourly, 2 hours, direct or with a change in Karlsruhe); Frankfurt Airport (roughly hourly, 1.5 hours, mostly with a change); Bacharach (hourly, 3 hours, 1-3 changes); Strasbourg, France (every 1-2 hours, usually 1.5 hours with a change in Offenburg or Karlsruhe); Bern or Zürich, Switzerland (every 1-2 hours, 3 hours, some change in Basel). Train info: www.bahn.com.

The Black Forest

Baden-Baden perches at the edge of the rugged, thickly forested Schwarzwald—Germany’s fabled Black Forest. If you’d like to explore this land of cuckoo clocks and healthy hikes, choose between two fine home bases about 70 miles south of Baden-Baden: Freiburg, a livable, mid-sized university city; or teensy and charming Staufen (both described later). The richest charms of the Black Forest are rural and best experienced by delving into the countryside. And most of the highlights—scenic towns, a quirky collection of timepieces, and Germany’s best open-air folk museum—lie between Baden-Baden and Freiburg, an area I think of as the “Heart of the Black Forest.”

Until the last century, the Schwarzwald was cut off from the German mainstream. The poor farmland drove medieval locals to become foresters, glassblowers, and clockmakers. Today, the Black Forest is where Germans come to recuperate from their hectic workaday lives, as well as from medical ailments—often compliments of Germany’s generous public health system. Key words you’ll see everywhere are Bad (or Baden), meaning “bath”; and Kur, loosely, “cure.” Either term is synonymous with “spa” and directs you to a place to relax, soak, and recover. The region is also known for its favorite dessert, Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte—Black Forest cake, a mouthwatering concoction with alternating layers of schnapps-soaked chocolate cake, cherries, and whipped cream.

Fair warning: The Black Forest is what I’d call “gently scenic.” Do it before you delve into the bigger, better Alps in Switzerland or Bavaria; otherwise, you might be underwhelmed.

PLANNING YOUR TIME

On Your Own: If relying on public transportation, it’s easy to reach Freiburg and Staufen, but the rural sights can be trickier—worth the effort only if you’re determined. (For a light taste of Black Forest scenery, you could day-trip from Freiburg to the small town of St. Märgen and then walk about two hours to St. Peter—described in the “Black Forest Highlands” section at the end of this chapter.)

Drivers have this entire region by the tail. In fact, give yourself the better part of a day for the drive between Baden-Baden and Freiburg to take some scenic byways as you weave together rewarding rural and small-town sights. The “Heart of the Black Forest” section is designed to provide you with some options.

With a Driver/Guide: Freiburg-based Simone Brixel offers hiking and sightseeing tours of the Black Forest in her comfortable car or minibus. She enjoys tailoring a trip to your interests (from €100/hour for guide and driver; from €4 for app-based self-guided tours by train or car; multiday hiking tours and vacation packages available; +49 170 444 7872, www.the-black-forest.com, simone@the-black-forest.com).

The Heart of the Black Forest

The core of the Black Forest—a richly folkloric region of wooded hillsides, serene valleys, charming settlements, and an endless supply of chocolate-and-cherry cream cakes—lies between the cities of Baden-Baden and Freiburg. Travelers zipping between those cities on the freeway (in just over an hour) or on the train (in 45 minutes) blaze right past this lovely chunk of Germany. But those who have time to spare enjoy lingering here.

Towns and various attractions are well signposted and distances are short. Take your pick: Wolfach is the nicest town in the region (no actual sights, but well worth an hour’s wander). The Black Forest Open-Air Museum is by far the most worthwhile stop in the area (with traditional life and amazing old farm buildings on display in a sprawling park). Triberg is a touristy town with a famous waterfall and a smaller folk museum. And the clock museum in Furtwangen (likely closed through 2026) makes timepieces more interesting than you might imagine.

Joyriding through the area, you’ll pass fields of corn (mostly for biofuel and pigs rather than people), lots of trucks (mostly from Eastern Europe, which are taking the small roads to avoid autobahn tolls), and lots of Swiss vacationers. Locals are down on the Swiss for crossing the border in droves to flaunt their relative wealth. For the Swiss, Germany is a bargain basement. To many locals, the Swiss are just driving up real estate prices while acting like big shots.

This is a land of classic rural beauty, where huge traditional farms house the family downstairs and the animals upstairs. With solar panels on ancient roofs and little chapels out back, they are a delightful mix of modern and traditional. Most of these farms make ends meet by renting rooms (Ferienwohnungen).

Here’s a rough day plan for drivers who want to squeeze in everything on the trip between Baden-Baden and Freiburg:

9:30 | Depart Baden-Baden on the Black Forest High Road
11:30 | Arrive in Wolfach, explore the town
12:30 | Drive a few minutes to the Black Forest Open-Air Museum; have a rustic lunch and tour the old farmhouses
14:30 | Drive to Triberg to explore town and to see its waterfall
15:30 | Drive to Furtwangen and tour the German Clock Museum (if open)
17:00 | Carry on the rest of the way to Freiburg (45 minutes) or Staufen (1 hour)

If you’d like to shave off some time, you can take the highway to the open-air folk museum (skipping the twisty High Road and Wolfach), and simply drive through Triberg without lingering.

Sights in the Heart of the Black Forest

These are listed from north to south—from Baden-Baden to Freiburg.

▲Black Forest High Road Drive

The Black Forest was named by the Romans for its mysterious impermeability. And it wasn’t until the 20th century that the High Road (Schwarzwaldhochstrasse) was built along a ridge through the densest stretch of this fabled pine forest. This road takes you 30 miles (about one hour) on route B-500. Once on the High Road, there’s no way to get lost—just follow signs for Freudenstadt if heading south (or Baden-Baden if heading north). While scenic, the road is very twisty and slow; if you want to make good time reaching points south, you can save an hour or more by taking the far more direct highway instead.

Here are the highlights if driving south out of Baden-Baden:

Geroldsauer Mühle: Just over a half-mile out of Baden-Baden is Geroldsauer Mühle, the palatial wooden market hall that stands as if welcoming you to the Black Forest. Its prizewinning building is filled with local produce, a bakery, and enticing shops, including the Mühlenmarkt, a festival of Black Forest produce (Mon-Sat 8:30-19:00, Sun 11:00-18:00, www.geroldsauermuehle.de).

Top of the High Road: You’ll share the road with bikers, motorbikers, joyriders, and Germans enjoying their hot cars. While this forest was just a black hole for the ancient Romans, in the 17th century the trees of this region were a much-needed resource for Amsterdam. Much of the Black Forest was deforested, made into huge log rafts, and floated down the Rhine to Amsterdam, where the rafts were disassembled and used to build mighty ships and provide pilings upon which that city was constructed. (They say if you turned Amsterdam over, you’d find the Black Forest.)

Road B-500 was built in the 1930s, and many of the grand hotels you’ll pass were also built during the Third Reich. Today, clinics buried deep in the forest provide places for German celebrities with various struggles to convalesce. Along with lots of Kliniks, you’ll pass trailheads with parking lots and (in August) locals picking blueberries.

This northern stretch of the forest, nicknamed “the Jungle,” is a high ridge with small views. Occasionally you’ll hit an opening on the east with views stretching across Alsace all the way to the Vosges Mountains. (Alsace, a region of France bounded by the Rhine River and the Vosges Mountains, has long been disputed: Germans have always thought the mountains are the rightful border and the French think the river is. Accordingly, Alsace changed hands several times over the centuries.)

Mummelsee: This tiny mountain lake at about 3,300 feet of altitude is a classic German nature stop. It’s fun to park and check out the Mummelsee scene: a lakeside restaurant, an easy stroll around the lake, and lots of souvenirs and liqueurs for sale. This area was made a national park in 2014.

Lothar Trail (Black Forest National Park): In 1999, Hurricane Lothar blew down about 50,000 acres of the Black Forest. Germany decided to give visitors a front seat to the slow-motion spectacle of nature healing itself; they built Lothar Path (Lotharpfad), a family-friendly, half-mile-long boardwalk through the changing forest. It’s a delightful 20-minute circular walk (free, easy parking).

Three miles farther south, B-500 meets B-28. From here, you can return to Baden-Baden, or continue on to one or more of the sights described next—it’s about 40 minutes to Wolfach and 45 minutes to the open-air folk museum.

▲Wolfach

This delightful town nestles in the forest on the Kinzig River. It’s an old logging town—essentially one main street lined with fountains, fine facades, and inviting shops and cafés. The TI has a town walk brochure. The Town Hall, rebuilt after a 19th-century fire, has a facade worth studying. Things are livelier on market days (Sat and Wed), but otherwise the town generally feels like it’s on Valium. At its south end is a castle with a chapel (note its 14th-century pietà) and a museum that explores the history of log rafting—a big part of this town’s economy in centuries past.

Sleeping in Wolfach: If you’re tempted to spend the night, two good hotels are on the main street: €€ Hotel Krone (19 rooms, breakfast extra, Hauptstrasse 33, +49 7834 83780, www.krone-wolfach.de) and €€ Gasthaus Hecht (17 rooms, Hauptstrasse 51, +49 7834 83510, www.hecht-wolfach.de).

▲▲▲Black Forest Open-Air Museum (Schwarzwälder Freilichtmuseum Vogtsbauernhof)

This museum, just a few minutes’ drive outside Wolfach, offers the best look at this region’s traditional folk architecture and gives you a good sense of traditional rural life in the Black Forest. Built around one grand old farmhouse, the museum is a collection of several relocated old farm buildings, many of which have period-furnished rooms and exhibits on various aspects of Black Forest traditions. Compared to some sprawling open-air folk museums, this one is refreshingly compact and easy to appreciate.

Cost and Hours: €12; April-Oct daily 9:00-18:00, Aug until 19:00, last entry one hour before closing, closed Nov-March; free audioguide app download, discounted parking €4—validate parking ticket at ticket office, along B-33/E-531 between the towns of Gutach and Hausach, +49 7831 4679 3500, www.vogtsbauernhof.de. Note: Pay WCs are at the parking lot, but those inside the museum are free.

Demonstrations: The park is often busy with costumed docents and live presentations from about May through September (especially July-Aug); when you buy your ticket, check the screen by the desk. Free, one-hour English tours are offered daily in July and August (usually at 13:00). Off-season, the museum can be pretty sleepy.

Visiting the Museum: From the parking lot, it’s a five-minute walk past eateries, over a river, and under railroad tracks to the ticket windows and entrance building. Pick up the helpful map of the complex. As you explore, each building is identified out front (find English on the spinning info board). Most exhibits have English explanations, with a few older ones only in German; either way, the audioguide offers good, detailed information, as well as videos of demonstrations.

For a quick visit, you can make a short loop to the two main buildings, Hippenseppenhof (with a small, good museum) and Vogtsbauernhof (the biggest and most impressive house), plus the smaller “industrial” buildings that line the stream near Vogtsbauernhof. With more time, you can explore additional buildings; these are all variations on the same theme, but each one has slightly different furnishings and exhibits.

Most of the houses you’ll see have the same distinctive Black Forest features. The characteristic “semi-hipped” roof is wider than the frame of the house, which creates ample dry storage space under the eaves as well as shelter during storms. Entering on the ground floor, you’ll typically find a sitting room (with tables or benches, and the biggest windows in the house), a kitchen, and perhaps some sleeping rooms. Next to these living quarters is a barn. Ladder-like stairs climb to the middle level, with more bedrooms. And up top in the attic, where carriages and tools were stored, things open up under soaring rafters. Each house is built into the side of a hill, allowing easy ramp access to any of its levels—including the vast attic. From here, hay could be easily unloaded (generally into the middle level), then dropped down as needed to where the livestock lived below. Notice how, even after climbing two flights of stairs, you can exit directly out back from the attic. Also note that the buildings are dark and have low ceilings and, sometimes, easy-to-miss thresholds between rooms...mind your step and your head.

Begin by heading straight ahead from the entrance building to the house called Hippenseppenhof, which dates from 1599. The oldest home in the park, it’s a Catholic house with all the clichés on display. Upstairs you’ll find an introductory museum, offering a crash course in traditional Black Forest culture: crafts, woodworking, cuckoo clocks, basket weaving, and (more recently) tourism—look for the vintage travel posters. In the display on traditional dress, you’ll learn how, from her First Communion until her wedding day, a young woman would wear a hat with big pompoms on top (called a Bollenhut). This has become a proud symbol of the Black Forest; throughout the region, you may even see statues of Bollenhut-capped damsels waiting on benches by bus stops. In the barn (on the lower level), you’ll see feeding troughs and a display of cowbells.

Head a few minutes across the field to the Vogtsbauernhof, the district governor’s farm—the biggest building and the prize of the museum. It’s the only original structure on the premises, around which the rest of the complex grew as other buildings were relocated here from around the region. Built in 1612 and occupied until 1965, this giant farmhouse has distinctive Black Forest features that you’ll also see on a smaller scale in the surrounding buildings.

Farmers and their animals lived under one roof. Explore the people’s quarters on the ground floor. The kitchen occupied the center of the building, where its stove radiated heat to the other living areas. Notice the lack of a chimney and the blackened walls in the kitchen. The stove was open to the roof to allow smoke to flow through the house, dry out the air (which was otherwise made uncomfortably humid by the animals), and seep out through the thatch. The two-story kitchen allowed farmers to smoke meat above while they cooked meals below. The soot also helped to coat and preserve the wood frame. Windows were a sure sign of wealth and status. Up on the middle level, you’ll find sleeping areas, workshops, and a huge hayloft—actually filled with hay. Up in the attic are carriages and trailers.

Just past the Vogtsbauernhof, a small stream marks an “industrial zone” of small sheds, each used for a traditional industry. Some of these (particularly the sawmill and the grist mill) periodically spring to life in live demonstrations, which are a hoot to watch. From top to bottom, peek into the baking and distillery hut, which has a communal oven where families from the community baked their bread all at once; the “knocking” saw, which saws planks from huge trunks; the farm grist mill, where water power sets the giant gears in motion; the cartwright (carriagemaker) shop; the hemp roll mill; and the blacksmith’s forge. Imagine: so many different kinds of work, carried out with the help of primitive hydropower...the trickle of one small stream.

The Rest of the Museum: With more time, you can explore even more buildings—most of which are similar to what you’ve seen. In the area beyond the Vogtsbauernhof, you’ll find the Hermann Schilli House, a modern home showing 1980s life in a traditional shell (with tube TVs and electric ranges), plus an exhibit on how houses were dismantled, transported here, and reassembled like giant Lego sets; the Lorenzenhof (1608), with a slick, modern forestry exhibit; and the Ortenauhaus (1775), a half-timbered (rather than raw-wood) house with an exhibit on winemaking.

Back in the opposite direction—beyond the Hippenseppenhof, where you began your visit—are a few more: The laborer’s cottage (1819), which once housed a family with 14 kids, shows life in the early 20th century, when farm families had both electricity and outhouses. The Schauinslandhaus (1730) has a wood shop, the large Falkenhof (1737) has actual cows, and the thatched-roofed Hotzenwaldhaus (1756) features a loft of children’s memorabilia.

Eating: The shops and restaurants scattered between the parking lot and museum entrance, while touristy, are a fair source for local specialties. At the outdoor stands you can try Frikadelle (a spiced pork-and-beef patty) or Schupfnudeln (potato-based noodles, fried up with sauerkraut). Don’t be shy to try a little of everything; indulge in a creamy slice of Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte.

Nearby: Just a few minutes down the road toward Triberg is the Sommerrodelbahn Gutach luge course (daily April-Oct 10:00-18:00, +49 7831 965 580, www.sommerrodelbahn-gutach.de).

Triberg

Deep in the Black Forest along B-500, Triberg is a midsize town that exploits its cuckoo-clock heritage to the hilt. Despite the kitsch, it’s a pleasant place to stretch your legs under giant cuckoo-clock facades. Triberg’s two main attractions—the Black Forest Museum and Triberg Waterfall—are near each other. The TI is located in the Black Forest Museum (Mon-Fri 9:00-17:00, Sat-Sun from 11:00, closed off-season weekends, +49 7722 866 490, www.triberg.de).

▲Black Forest Museum (Schwarzwaldmuseum)

Not to be confused with the Black Forest Open-Air Museum described earlier, this collection gives a fine look at the regional culture. Ask for the small guide with English descriptions as you enter.

Cost and Hours: €5, €8 combo-ticket with Triberg Waterfall; Mon-Thu 10:30-17:00, Fri-Sun until 18:00, Nov-Easter daily 11:00-17:00; Wallfahrtstrasse 4, +49 7722 866 490.

Visiting the Museum: Exploring the museum’s three floors, you’ll find insightful exhibits on various facets of Black Forest heritage, with a special emphasis on engineering (clock making, musical instruments, railways, mineral mining, locally built SABA radios) and crafts (wood carving, glassmaking).

Black Forest Clockmakers

The Black Forest is synonymous with its clocks. And for good reason: Local clockmakers achieved a breakthrough when they simplified the timekeeping mechanism so that it could be built almost entirely of wood, allowing clocks to be produced and sold cheaply (and leading to a worldwide boom in clock sales).

Locals also figured out how to make musical clocks with wooden flutes and bellows. The cuckoo clock as we know it was created for a contest in 1850 by Friedrich Eisenlohr, a railway architect who modeled his Bahnhäusleuhr clock after a railroad house. While the clocks strike us as quaint and kitschy now, Eisenlohr’s idea of shaping a clock like a little house was revolutionary at the time. Cuckoo clocks became very popular—especially among tourists during the late-19th-century heyday of the Grand Tour era—and were eventually copied by clockmakers in Switzerland. (If you even hint that cuckoo clocks are Swiss, proud Black Forest natives will quickly set you straight.)

While cuckoo clocks were their big gimmick, in fact Black Forest clockmakers specialized in everyday timepieces. These affordable clocks became popular around the world. Between 1800 and 1850 alone, 15 million Black Forest clocks were sold worldwide. This demand persuaded many Black Forest natives to leave home and sell clocks in foreign lands.

From the 1770s through the early 1900s, roving Black Forest clockmakers (called Uhrenhändler) traveled far and wide. They’d load their wares onto a wood-frame rucksack and cry, Ins Uhrenland!—“To clock country!”...that is, wherever people were buying clocks. Once they found a good market, they’d settle in, set up shop, and create a lucrative little business. Many clockmakers were away from home for months, or even years—and quite a few married into their adopted local communities. (Emigrants from this part of Germany likely started out as clock-sellers.)

Most of these Uhrenhändler sold simple “shield clocks” (Schilduhr), with a face that hid the mechanical workings. The face of the clock could be painted to match the local tastes of the buyer. But no matter how far from home the clockmakers wandered, and no matter how different the clocks appeared, they were still Black Forest at heart.

Accurate timekeeping became more important as the world got smaller. By the late 19th century, train travel made it necessary to standardize time across locales. The innovation of the telegraph sealed it: The world’s clocks needed to be in sync. This led to creation of the prime meridian in 1884 and the development of world time zones; Germany adopted a standard time zone in 1893.

Ponder this: If Germany is known for its engineering prowess, you can thank clocks. As technology evolved, German know-how came to be applied to more and more complicated machines. In a way, precision BMWs are the direct descendant of the rough wooden cuckoo clocks that have been made in the Black Forest for centuries.

The main hall contains dozens of dolls wearing traditional dress from the region, including the distinctive maidens’ hats, piled with gigantic cranberries (married women’s hats have black puffballs). Player pianos, barrel organs, orchestrions (“orchestras-in-a-box”), and other musicmaking machines—which were built here alongside cuckoo clocks—were extremely popular in the days before recorded music. You’ll also see lots of clocks, a replica of a farmer’s traditional quarters, a winter sports exhibit, and creepy masks used to celebrate the Germanic Mardi Gras, called Fasnacht.

Triberg Waterfall (Triberger Wasserfall)

Triberg’s other claim to fame is Germany’s highest waterfall, where the Gutach River tumbles 500 feet in several bounces. Although paying €8 to see a waterfall feels like a rip-off, this one really is impressive—especially if you have time to walk through its steep, misty gorge. (And your ticket includes entry to the Black Forest Museum.) You’ll hike five minutes to the falls and 20 minutes to the top of the falls. For added entertainment, buy a bag of peanuts to feed the squirrels (or yourself). The gorge has three entrances at different altitudes along the twisty main road toward Furtwangen, each open daily. The main—and lowest—entrance (Haupteingang), in the town center across from the Black Forest Museum, is most convenient.

▲German Clock Museum (Deutsches Uhrenmuseum)

More than a chorus of cuckoo clocks, this modern museum is practically evangelical in tracing the development of clocks from the Dark Ages to the Space Age. The museum is closed for an extensive renovation, likely through mid-2026. When open, this exhibit brings the history of timekeeping to fascinating life.

Cost and Hours: Likely €7; Tue-Sun 9:00-18:00, Nov-March 10:00-17:00, closed Mon year-round; Robert-Gerwig-Platz 1, +49 7723 920 2800, www.deutsches-uhrenmuseum.de [URL inactive].

Getting There: It’s hiding out in the town center of Furtwangen; as you approach the town, closely track the low-profile signs to Deutsches Uhrenmuseum or simply Uhrenmuseum. There are a few street-parking spaces near the museum, and plenty more a block or two away.

Visiting the Museum: The collection is displayed chronologically (of course). Starting with Stonehenge (which is thought to be a celestial calendar) and early sundials, the exhibit takes in the full breadth of timepiece history. The vast collection of cuckoo clocks (Kuckucksuhren in German) traces the evolution—from rough-hewn wood to delicately painted white lacquer faces—of the Black Forest’s most iconic product.

Keep an eye out for some highlights. Look for a highly detailed astronomical-geographical clock from 1787, which used just 24 gears to tell not only the time but also the position of the stars in the night sky, which saint’s day it was, and the phase of the moon. Also watch for the gigantic, cabinet-sized “Astronomical World Clock,” built in the 1880s. The smaller dials show different time zones—a new concept in the slow-travel era when this was created. When the clock springs into action, Jesus blesses the 12 apostles as they shuffle past. (Ask the front desk to turn it on for you.)

Moving into the 20th century, look for pocket watches with precious details. Wristwatches became popular first among women, who didn’t have pockets, but were later adopted by men in World War I for easy access while using a rifle. But even as technology advanced, Black Forest clockmakers still specialized in straightforward, affordable, everyday timepieces. Quartz technology allowed for far greater accuracy at a much lower price, which effectively crippled the cuckoo clock industry. Furtwangen no longer makes clocks, but it’s still a respected industrial town. You’ll also see contemporary clocks—from punch clocks for workers to atomic clocks.

The museum’s highlight is an upbeat combo of mechanical musical instruments, from player pianos to giant wind-up carnival organs. Hearing the amazing variety of sounds, it’s fun to imagine how the simple “cuck-oo” of a clock with a little wooden bird evolved into a self-playing musical band in a box. If these aren’t running, be sure to ask an attendant to crank one up for you.

Freiburg

Freiburg (FRY-boorg) is the capital of the Schwarzwald. This “sunniest town in Germany,” with 30,000 students, is a lively and youthful complement to more sedate Baden-Baden. While its old center was almost entirely rebuilt after a November 1944 bombing (and feels that way), this university town is a hive of small shops, cozy cafés, and people living well. Less touristy than Baden-Baden, mostly traffic-free, and generously served by sleek trams, it exudes an “I could live here” appeal. Freiburg’s striking red-sandstone cathedral and its leading Augustiner Museum are world-class. And with lush, forested hills reaching above its venerable town gates, it’s a handy springboard for Black Forest adventures. A center of higher education for centuries, Freiburg’s image is a town of highly educated, progressive-minded people with a smart opinion about everything.

Orientation to Freiburg

With about 230,000 people, Freiburg is a happening midsize city. Most points of interest to visitors are concentrated in the compact Old Town (Altstadt), bounded to the west by the train station and to the east by Freiburg’s mountain, Schlossberg, and circled by a ring road. You can walk from one end of this zone to the other in about 20 minutes. The town’s centerpiece, always in view, is the spiny spire of its cathedral.

TOURIST INFORMATION

Freiburg’s helpful TI, on Rathausplatz, is a good info source for the entire Black Forest region (Mon-Fri 8:00-18:00, Sat 9:30-17:00, Sun 10:00-15:00, shorter hours off-season; +49 761 388 1880, www.visit.freiburg.de). On summer Saturdays, the TI offers an English walking tour (€15, 12:30, prebook at TI).

ARRIVAL IN FREIBURG

By Train: The bustling train station has lockers (near track 1), a pay WC (downstairs), and a Reisezentrum that dispenses rail info and sells tickets. The bus station is next door (under the bridge; head outside and turn right). To get to the city center, you can take a taxi, tram, or walk. To access trams, take the stairs (or an elevator, if they’re working) up to the bridge above the tracks. Cross to the other side and take tram #1, #2, #3, or #4 to get downtown. For the TI, cathedral, and my self-guided walk, get off at the second stop, Bertoldsbrunnen.

To reach the city center by foot (about 15 minutes), walk straight through the train station, cross the busy street, and continue ahead up the tree-lined Eisenbahnstrasse (passing the post office; you’ll begin to see the cathedral tower in the distance, straight ahead). Within three blocks, you’ll cross the ring road, then continue straight (on the pedestrian-only Rathausgasse) to Rathausplatz, at the TI and starting point for my self-guided walk. Most recommended hotels are within a 10-minute walk of here.

By Plane: EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg is connected to cities across Europe by both major carriers and discount airlines (www.euroairport.com [URL inactive]). FlixBus serves downtown Freiburg (hourly, 1 hour, handy app, www.flixbus.com).

HELPFUL HINTS

Sightseeing Pass: The €8 entry to the Augustiner Museum gets you into all the city museums (on the same day). For longer stays, the TI can tell you about the WelcomeKarte, which covers all transit and most sightseeing (€27/3 days).

Farmers Market: A wonderful market surrounds the cathedral each morning starting around 7:00 (except Sun), with the most action on Wednesday and Saturday.

Festivals: The summer is jam-packed with festivals. Freiburg’s favorite block party, Oberlindenhock, takes place the last weekend of June on Oberlinden and Herrenstrasse near the Swabian Gate (Schwabentor), featuring street food, beer, wine, live music, and conviviality (www.oberlindenhock.de). The town’s low-key Weinfest goes on for six evenings around the first weekend in July, when Münsterplatz fills up with happy Freiburgers enjoying local wines and live music (www.freiburger-weinfest.de). And December sees one of Germany’s better Christmas markets (on Rathausplatz, www.weihnachtsmarkt.freiburg.de).

Laundry: A self-service launderette, Wash&Art, is at Wilhelmstrasse 1D, about five blocks from the train station (Mon-Sat 6:00-23:00, closed Sun, +49 176 6337 2724).

Bike Rental/Tours: Freiburg Bikes, across the tracks from the train station, rents bikes and has free route maps (closed Sun except in July-Aug; from station, cross tram bridge over train tracks, walk away from center to round building on left and go downstairs, looking for Radstation and Fahrradverleih signs; Wentzingerstrasse 15, +49 176 5432 9898, www.freiburgbikes.de). The city also has a borrow-a-bike scheme called Frelo (download an app and set it up, then pay a modest fee to use a bike for a short time; details at www.frelo-freiburg.de).

Local Guide: Iris Bürklin leads good tours around Freiburg and its surroundings (city tour €99, Black Forest tour €180/half day, €300/full day, +49 162 595 6876, www.iris-freiburg.de, contact@iris-freiburg.de).

GETTING AROUND FREIBURG AND SURROUNDINGS

The city center (which includes most of my recommended hotels) is completely walkable. Trams are useful to reach outlying sights, such as the Schauinsland lift (€2.70/ride, €6.30/all-day Tageskarte, €9.50/Tageskarte for 2 people, buy tickets from machine at train station or inside cars). For local transport info in English, see www.vag-freiburg.de.

To visit Staufen, St. Peter, or St. Märgen by regional train and bus, get an all-day, 2-zone Tageskarte (€9.50, sold at ticket machines and TI). If you’re staying in one of those towns (but not Freiburg), your hotel tax includes a KONUS card, giving you free access to all public transit in the region (see “Sleeping in Staufen,” later).

Freiburg Walk

This self-guided orientation walk, starting at Rathausplatz (and the TI), leads you through the top sights in the old center of Freiburg in less than an hour.

• Begin on the square in front of the dual Town Hall buildings.

1 Rathausplatz

The relaxing square with the fountain used to be an enclosed courtyard—the cloister of the neighboring Franciscan Church of St. Martin. The gothic arcade (on the far side) is part of a still-active monastery. Today, the square’s fronted by twin city administration buildings (both with big clocks): the red Old Town Hall (on the right, with the TI inside) and the two-tone New Town Hall (on the left). The double eagle adorning the Old Town Hall recalls four centuries of Habsburg rule (until Napoleon in 1806).

Embedded in the cobbles in front of both of the Town Hall buildings are mosaic coats of arms representing each of Freiburg’s sister cities. Many of them—including Padua (Italy), Madison (Wisconsin), Isfahan (Iran), and Lviv (Ukraine)—are university towns, like Freiburg. The New Town Hall was originally the headquarters of Freiburg’s first university. The town has been a university center since the mid-15th century, and the prestigious university is still the town’s biggest employer.

The statue topping the fountain honors Berthold the Black, a medieval monk credited (wrongly) with inventing gunpowder. Look into his face and then, speaking of explosives, think of the medieval city of Freiburg—almost entirely destroyed in the last months of World War II. Nearly all of what surrounds you (and that you’ll see on this walk) has been rebuilt since.

Listen...all you hear is the chatter of pedestrians, because there’s no car traffic. You can even hear the trickle of the little stream in the pavement.

• Curl around the far side of St. Martin’s Church and head up Franziskanerstrasse. As you walk, notice the small canal lining the street. Such canals are called...

2 Bächle

These “stream-lets,” as their name translates, have been running down nearly every Freiburg street since the 13th century. Originally they were designed to keep fires from spreading (they could be quickly dammed to flood the street). And they did the job—Freiburg had no major fires after it introduced its Bächle.

The canals also provided a constantly replenishing source of water for people and cattle. These days, Freiburg’s trademark canals are just fun: A sunny day turns any kid-at-heart into a puddle-jumper. Toddlers like to sail little boats and splash in the water to cool off when it’s hot. And some streetside restaurants even use them as wine coolers. Freiburg still employs two Bächleputzer to scrub the canals clean with steel brooms. Local lore promises that if you fall into a Bächle, you are destined to marry a Freiburger.

At the end of the church, look at the facade of the red building on the left, the House of the Whale, featuring one of many whimsical little statues that decorate Freiburg. Look closely at the right-hand gargoyle on the facade. The veiny growth hanging from her neck is a goiter (a result of iodine deficiency). These were so common here in the Middle Ages that the local folk costume includes a tightly fitting band around the neck to disguise a goiter.

A plaque on the building reminds us that Dutch philosopher Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam, who traveled widely to expand his knowledge and worldview, once lived here. The humanist and scholar is the namesake for a program that allows hundreds of thousands of European students to study abroad within the EU (European Region Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students, ERASMUS). Many of the students who enliven the streets of Freiburg are ERASMUS students from other EU countries.

• Continue ahead one block, until you reach the wide cross-street called...

3 Kaiser-Joseph-Strasse

Since the Middle Ages, this street has been the center of commerce in Freiburg, and it is now lined with its biggest department stores and malls.

Look before crossing the street: Virtually silent trams glide along here constantly. Laced with tram and bus lines, Freiburg is proud of its reputation as a “green” city where most trips are made by public transit, bike, or on foot. The city was home to a large solar-panel factory, and it started the annual Intersolar trade fair.

Looking down the street to the right, you can see one of the two surviving towers of Freiburg’s former town wall, St. Martin’s Tower (or as some call it, the McDonald’s Tower). If you were to head in that direction, then turn right just before you reached the tower, you’d wind up in the colorful student quarter called the “Bermuda Triangle.” The tower is dedicated to the beloved saint who is celebrated with children’s parades all over Germany every November 11. (For a commanding terrace view, ride the elevator from under the shopping gallery just up the street to the recommended rooftop Skajo Restaurant.)

• Jog a half-block to the right, then left, and continue straight to the towering church spire at...

4 Münsterplatz and Market

The square surrounding the cathedral hosts a bustling outdoor produce and crafts market six mornings a week (Mon-Fri generally 7:00-13:30, Sat until 14:00, biggest Wed and Sat, no market on Sun). On the north side of the cathedral (to the left) vendors sell local produce; in front of the cathedral’s door, flowers and herbs; and to the south (right), coffee, meats, breads, and imported goods (Alsatian, Italian, crafts). Around the left side, you’ll also find stands selling Freiburg’s distinctive type of bratwurst—long, red, and skinny, called a lange Rote. If you order one, they’ll ask you “Mit oder ohne?”—“with or without” onions.

Carved into the church’s stones is evidence that the town market goes way back. On the giant buttress to the left of the cathedral’s main door look for the engravings with different years (e.g., ADMCCLXX—that’s AD 1270) next to oval and circular shapes. These were the officially decreed sizes for a loaf of bread; customers could bring their purchases here to be sure they weren’t being cheated. Deceitful merchants faced immediate punishment. Notice that the size of the standard loaf shrank between 1270 and 1317...medieval shrinkflation.

In the alcove in front of the cathedral entrance are more official measures. For example, to the left, you’ll see the standard measures for a basket (the circle plus the line), an “elbow” (the line), and a barrel (the square with a diagonal line). On the right are measures dictating standard sizes for home-construction supplies (bricks, roof tiles, floor tiles, and beams). Nearby, the inscription boasts that since the 16th century, Freiburg has enjoyed the right to hold a large-scale market twice a year (a rare privilege in the Holy Roman Empire).

• Now’s a good time to visit the cathedral if it’s open (described later, under “Sights in Freiburg”). When you’re done, exit the cathedral out the side door (around the right side of the building) to continue this walk.

5 Münsterplatz, Side View

For many, the most memorable part of the cathedral is its gargoyles. Find the “mooning” gargoyle (facing the entrance, walk around the right side—or if leaving the church from the side exit, walk to your right—and count from the corner to the fourth buttress)...and wait for rain.

Do an about-face and salute the Habsburgs, who are represented by the statues and the coat of arms on the Historical Merchant House (Historisches Kaufhaus, from 1532). This was the trading and customs center in the 16th century.

To the left as you face the Merchant House is the gray building that houses the City History Museum (described later, under “Sights in Freiburg”). Then, farther to the left, just next to the church, is the Alte Wache wine bar. A former police station, this is a fine place to sample local wines, either indoors or on the square (Mon-Sat 10:00-21:00, closed Sun; self-service, an Achtel is an eighth of a liter, a Viertel is a quarter-liter). Most of the wine made here uses grape varieties from Burgundy. This corner of Germany enjoys some of the country’s balmiest weather, thanks to the so-called “Burgundy Gate”—a gap between the Vosges and Jura mountains, which channels in warm Mediterranean air from the south of France.

• Leave Münsterplatz via Buttergasse, the narrow lane between the City History Museum and the Merchant House. On the way, notice two Stolpersteine (“stumbling stones”) in the pavement. You’ll find these small bronze plaques, marking the former homes of Jews murdered in the Holocaust, around the streets of Freiburg and throughout Germany. At the end of the street, turn left and head up...

6 Schusterstrasse

This pleasant street is typical of old Freiburg, lined with a Bächle, with historic labels on many of the houses, and mosaic seals (made of rounded Rhine River stones) in front of most doors. While the house labels date from the Middle Ages, the mosaics are typically more modern, paid for by today’s merchants to match the purpose of the building.

• Cross Herrenstrasse and continue up the narrow lane called Münzgasse. Turn right onto...

7 Konviktstrasse

Named not for a convict but for a convent, this is another typical Freiburg street. Not long ago a seedy zone with sex workers, today it’s known for its high rents. Chain stores and chain restaurants are forbidden along this storybook lane, and in the springtime it is draped with fragrant purple wisteria. Walk slowly to take it all in.

At the men’s clothing shop next to #29 (on the left), look for the mosaic seal of a pair of scissors on the street outside the store entrance. The scissors represent a tailor. Mosaics like these are portable, so if the vendor moves shop, the mosaic can also be moved (if the owner can afford it, that is).

• Konviktstrasse brings you to a major street right in front of the...

8 Swabian Gate (Schwabentor)

This second of Freiburg’s surviving gates is named for the Swabians, the historical rivals of the Freiburgers (the gate leads to where you’d head to meet them).

The painting on the arch features a dandy salt merchant with a wagonload of salt kegs—a reminder that mining was big in the Black Forest back in the 13th century. You’re standing on Salzstrasse (“salt street”), and just inside this gate were Freiburg’s original pubs and hotels (like Hotel Bären, with the golden bear). Also along this street, you’ll notice lots more of those pavement mosaics in front of shops.

Just below the big painting, at the apex of the arch, look for the little figure pulling a thorn out of his foot. This is the last thing Freiburgers would see before leaving town, to remind them to stay on the right path and avoid the “thorns” of sinful living. Inside the gate is a quirky collection of tiny pewter figurines.

• Freiburg’s little mountain, Schlossberg, is nearby. It’s best at sunset, but if you want to head up now, simply climb the stairs at the Schwabentor, use the pedestrian overpass to cross the busy road, and take the free elevator on up (see here).

Or, for some back-street experiences, stick with me for a few more minutes. Cross the busy Oberlinden, passing the Schwabentor, and then make a hard right onto the downhill road, toward a canal.

9 Freiburg’s Canalside Industrial Quarter

While Freiburg turns its back on its river, water from that river is channeled throughout the town. Walking downhill to reach the canal, you can see how the street level of town was actually raised to create a steeper incline to power the Bächle system of tiny streams that trickle throughout the town. A delightful district of shops and cafés today, this used to be Freiburg’s industrial quarter—the smelly tanners’ and millers’ quarter, with waterwheels powering everything.

Follow the canal for a while and soon you’ll reach two recommended eateries: On the left is the picturesque Hotel/Restaurant Sichelschmiede; a few more steps up (also on the left—beware of the crocodile) is the modern Hausbrauerei Feierling microbrewery. Its inviting beer garden is across the street in the shade of chestnut trees, near a playground handy for parents needing a place to park their kids when it’s beer o’clock. Just beyond that is Augustinerplatz, a popular hangout for students.

• Your town walk is finished, and you have options: Overlooking Augustinerplatz is Freiburg’s leading museum, the Augustiner Museum—well worth a visit and described later, under “Sights in Freiburg.”

Or you can continue along the little street called Grünwälderstrasse (directly across from the Augustiner Museum entrance) to reach a thriving neighborhood of cafés and eateries (including the Markthalle food circus, described later, under “Eating in Freiburg”). Or...maybe it’s time for that beer.

Sights in Freiburg

▲▲Freiburg Cathedral (Freiburger Münster)

The lacy spire rocketing up from Freiburg’s skyline marks its impressive main church. While Germany may have bigger and better cathedrals, Freiburg’s has a special appeal, with its deep-red color, playful gargoyles, and mysterious-feeling Gothic interior.

Cost and Hours: Cathedral interior—free, usually Mon-Sat 9:00-17:00, Sun 13:00-19:00; choir—€2, includes helpful English pamphlet, open most days 10:00-11:30 & 12:30-16:00; tower—€5, Mon-Sat 11:00-16:00, Sun 13:00-17:00.

Organ Concerts: The powerful cathedral pipe organ gets lots of use, with concerts generally on Saturdays (€5, at 11:30). And on summer Tuesday evenings at 20:15, guest organists from around the world perform (€12, www.freiburgermuenster.info).

Self-Guided Tour: Begin out front. The scaffolding is an almost permanent feature, as the cathedral walls are made from a soft local sandstone that’s easy to work—but also extremely fragile. Decorations made from this distinctive pink stone need to be replaced every 30 to 60 years, so keeping the church from falling apart is a never-ending task. Elderly locals who’ve lived here their entire lives report having never seen the church without at least some scaffolding.

The frilly tower (Münsterturm) is as tall as the church is long (380 feet)...it’s a 329-step ascent, but the payoff is a grand view. (To find the entrance, loop around the right side of the tower’s base and find the low-profile door. You’ll buy your ticket two-thirds of the way up.) Up in the tower are 16 bells, each one with a different name and purpose. Traditionally, Catholics could not eat meat on Fridays, so instead they’d eat Spätzle (German egg noodles)—giving the oldest bell, rung just before lunchtime on Fridays, its nickname: the “Spätzle Bell.”

Before going inside, enjoy the ornately decorated entryway. The 418 colorfully painted statues (protected with netting from destructive pigeons) ooze with medieval church symbolism. Each has an identifying symbol. As you look back out to the square, the first figure on the left is St. Catherine, holding a “breaking wheel.” This kind of wheel was a torture device used during the Middle Ages; a victim’s limbs were stretched along a cart wheel and crushed (after this saint was sentenced to be executed with one, it also became known as a “Catherine wheel”).

Two particularly memorable characters have become mascots of Freiburg. In the tympanum (over the door), find Jesus on the cross. Just below him and a bit to the right is the “Praying Devil.” This pot-bellied devil greedily rubs his hands together as he watches the Archangel Michael weigh the goodness of a person’s soul (while two other devils try to fix the results). Then, along the left wall, notice the strange little character under the third statue from the right (with the realistic green robe)—playing his nose like a trumpet.

Now go inside. Head right and look along the back of the side wall, where you’ll find a photo of Freiburg after it was devastated by WWII bombs. The city made it through most of the war virtually unscathed—until November 27, 1944, when, in just 20 minutes, about 80 percent of Freiburg’s buildings were destroyed by an Allied bombing run. The cathedral was one of the few structures that survived. Some credit divine intervention, while others claim the bombers intentionally avoided it; either way, the steeple’s latticework top and underground lead anchors probably saved it, since shockwaves from explosions all around it would have leveled a solid, less-supported tower.

Ringing the nave are the church’s original stained-glass windows from the 13th and 14th centuries, which were hidden away and protected during World War II. Each one is marked with the seal of a local merchant who sponsored it (go on a scavenger hunt to find the pretzel, from the baker; the barrel, from the cooper; the scissors, from the tailor; and the hammer, tongs, and snake—representing fire—from the blacksmith).

Looking around, you might notice that the cathedral’s architecture doesn’t entirely conform to the pointed-arch Gothic style. That’s because most of what we see today was built on the site of an earlier church. After its thriving market and Black Forest silver mine made Freiburg rich, work began on a new church in about 1200, and most of the structure was finished relatively quickly (it has the only Gothic steeple in Germany that was actually completed during Gothic times, in 1330). For a time it was the tallest spire in Europe.

Many churches from this era have 12 pillars lining the nave, each one with the statue of an apostle. But after the primary construction on this cathedral was finished, a large choir was added beyond the altar, so two more pillars were needed—bringing the total to 14. The new pillars were granted to Paul and Jesus himself. Look at the statues on the two pillars flanking the altar: On the right is Jesus, and on the left is Thomas—pointing two fingers because of his insistence on touching Jesus before he’d believe in the Resurrection. Thomas’ privileged position in this church is based on the philosophy that nonbelievers should be closest to Christ.

At the front of the nave, over the choir, hangs a 12th-century silver triumphal crucifix. The finest chapels with exquisite paintings, carvings, and glass are in the choir (well worth the small fee that supports the ongoing renovation work; follow their English flier).

When you’re finished, head outside using the side door (right transept). You’ll emerge on Münsterplatz near the tower entrance. Take a moment to get a sense of the statuary high up in the exterior niches. While these are mostly replicas, you can admire the original stone prophets nearby in the Augustiner Museum.

▲▲Augustiner Museum

Freiburg’s top museum does an inventive job of displaying local fine art and medieval artifacts—especially stained-glass windows and some original, gigantic red-sandstone sculptures from the cathedral—all in the reconstructed shell of an Augustinian church.

Cost and Hours: €8, includes entry to City History Museum (and all other city museums); Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00, closed Mon; enter on Augustinerplatz, +49 761 201 2531, www.freiburg.de/museen.

Visiting the Museum: Start by taking the elevator up to the top floor (3), then work your way down. The upper floors show off a changing assortment of beautiful, regional 19th-century paintings. Descending the stairs to floor 2, you’ll reach some unique eye-level views of gargoyles.

Floor 2 also features painting and sculpture from 1300-1600, and a gorgeous exhibition of stained glass from the 1510s and 1520s—offering a rare opportunity to get up close and admire the details on windows that were, for centuries, seen only from far below. Circling the rest of this floor, you’ll find depictions of Mary (the cathedral’s namesake) and Jesus on one side, and the saints on the other. At the far end of this hall, you can peer down on a Baroque pipe organ. The (brief) floor 1 shows off more stained glass.

Reaching the main level (floor 0), you’ll walk among some of the cathedral’s original 13th-century medieval statuary. Imagine the 10 gigantic prophet statues that once adorned the cathedral (with proportions elongated so they’d appear normal from far below) slowly floating down from the sky to where they stand now—which is indeed how they got in here: lowered by crane through the open ceiling, the only way they’d fit.

At the far end of this floor, you’ll get another view (from ground level) of that towering pipe organ. Then examine the artwork in the side aisles. The highlights are along the right side; you’ll find them in this order as you approach from the entrance: a 14th-century painted-wood Christ on a Donkey (Christus auf Palmesel); an original painting by Lucas Cranach the Elder, featuring Jesus wearing the crown of thorns (The Man of Sorrows Between Mary and St. John, 1524); nearby, a feisty Cupid with the Flaming Arrow (Hans Baldung Grien, c. 1530); and finally, at the end of this hall, The Fall of Man, an exquisite, early 16th-century boxwood sculpture by an artist known mysteriously as Master H. L.

City History Museum

Telling the story of Freiburg (in German only), this museum is worthwhile if only to see the town models in the cellar and the cathedral model upstairs.

Cost and Hours: €3, covered by Augustiner Museum ticket, Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00, closed Mon, Münsterplatz 30, +49 761 201 2515, www.freiburg.de/museen.

Visiting the Museum: Downstairs, a large model shows medieval Freiburg circa 1590, with the city wall and all five city gates intact. Notice the little wall around the cathedral (today’s Münsterplatz). This was the town cemetery, and the little house huddled next to the grand church was the charnel house, where exhumed bones were stored. On a nearby wall, find a plan from the early 1700s showing how the French King Louis XIV turned the whole city into one gigantic fortress—and built out from the medieval hilltop castle to create what became one of Europe’s largest fortifications at the time (see later listing). Upstairs, you’ll find other exhibits and artifacts documenting town history, with limited English descriptions. Linger at the wooden model of the cathedral mid-construction and the delightful miniatures depicting daily medieval life on the Münsterplatz.

Old Synagogue Square and Memorial (Platz der Alten Synagogue)

On a broad plaza between the train station and the historic center, Freiburg has erected a poignant monument to the Old Synagogue (Alte Synagogue) that was built in 1869-1870 to serve the Jewish community, then destroyed by the rising Nazis in a single night: November 9, 1938—a date notorious as Kristallnacht. (A plaque explains that the fire brigade was called in—not to put the fire out, but to prevent it from spreading to nearby buildings.) You’ll see a giant reflecting pond, shaped as the footprint of the destroyed house of worship; a border with the word “Remember” in multiple languages; and a model of the building before it was burned. The square is ringed by other major buildings, including the City Theater (Stadttheater) and the glassy, black, angular University Library. You may see other construction ongoing, as many other facilities for Freiburg University are being built or refurbished in this area.

Schlossberg (Castle Hill)

Schlossberg towers over the east end of Freiburg’s Old Town. A monstrous 18th-century fort once stood here on “Castle Hill,” built by King Louis XIV to control the citizens of Freiburg during a period of French occupation. The giant fortress garrisoned as many as 150,000 soldiers at once. (The long-running debate about where the border between France and Germany should be was only put to rest after World War II.) The French destroyed the fortress when they retreated, leaving behind only a few stony walls. Today Schlossberg is Freiburg’s playground, popular for its views over the city. A modern lookout tower rises up 100 feet from where the French Fort d’Aigle (Eagle Fort) once stood.

To get to the top of Schlossberg, you can hike all the way, or take a free elevator to shave off a few steps. From the Schwabentor, the half-timbered tower at the east end of the Old Town, head up the stairs and look for the pedestrian walkway over the busy ring road. Once across, if you want to walk, bear left and hike up the steep switchbacks for 10 minutes. Or, to find the elevator (Aufzug, also marked Greiffenegg Schlössle), continue straight through the cave-like tunnel. You’ll pop out at a restaurant, with a few steep switchbacks leading up to the Biergarten (described lster).

For even better views, keep hiking to higher perches. About a seven-minute hike above the restaurant is a broad, flat plateau with benches overlooking the town’s rooftops. From there, you can hike about five more minutes up to a stubby stone bastion. Or, make the 20-minute trek all the way up to the modern lookout tower.

Eating: For an inexpensive meal atop Castle Hill, consider the self-service, open-air € Biergarten Kastaniengarten. As the name implies, it fills a generous plateau under chestnut trees (Kastanien), with beer on tap and well-priced, stick-to-your-ribs traditional Biergarten food—sausages, salads, Flammkuchen, und so weiter (April-Oct daily, open in good weather only).

Schauinsland

Freiburg’s own mountain, little more than an oversized hill, is nine miles southeast of the center. The viewpoint at its 4,000-foot summit offers the handiest panorama view of the Schwarzwald for those without wheels. The gondola system that takes you up—one of Germany’s oldest—was designed for Freiburgers relying on public transportation. At the top, you’ll find a view restaurant, pleasant circular walks, and the Schniederlihof, a 1592 farmhouse museum. A tower on a nearby peak offers an even more commanding Black Forest view.

Cost and Hours: €14 round-trip for gondola, family tickets available, daily 9:00-17:00, late June-early Sept until 18:00, may not run in bad weather, also may be closed twice yearly for maintenance—make sure it’s running before you make the trip; catch tram #2—direction: Günterstal—from town center until the final stop, then take bus #21 to the Talstation stop; city center to gondola takes 25-30 minutes, gondola ride lasts 20 minutes; +49 761 451 1777, www.schauinslandbahn.de.

Hikes

If you want to hike, consider the St. Peter-St. Märgen trail described on here.

Sleeping in Freiburg

For sleeping in this region, choose between quieter and less-expensive little Staufen (see “Sleeping in Staufen,” later), or livelier and easier-for-non-drivers Freiburg. This area tends to experience occasional heat waves in summer, and like most non-chain hotels in Germany, my listings lack air-conditioning (though most offer fans on request). Some have elevators. If you have a car, hotels can usually get deals in city parking garages—ask for advice. The busiest months, with the highest rates, are May, June, September, and October. Most hotels don’t have 24-hour reception desks; if you’ll be arriving after 20:00, call ahead.

€€€ Hotel Oberkirch is pricey but ideally situated. Nine of its 26 rooms sit right on the main square with in-your-face views of the cathedral (and above a restaurant); the rest (and reception) are in a nearby building on Schusterstrasse. Some rooms may feel a bit dated, but all are clean and comfortable (family rooms, reception at Schusterstrasse 11, main-square rooms at Münsterplatz 22, +49 761 202 6868, www.hotel-oberkirch.de, info@hotel-oberkirch.de). Reception can arrange bike rentals.

€€ Schwarzwälder Hof, just a block behind the cathedral, has 25 bright, modern rooms and 15 more around the corner on pedestrian, wisteria-covered Konviktstrasse. Guests get a free regional transport card, making their prices a particularly good deal for those planning to explore by train, tram, or bus (Herrenstrasse 43, from station take tram #1 in direction: Littenweiler three stops to Oberlinden, +49 761 38030, www.shof.de, info@schwarzwaelder-hof.com, Engler family).

€€ Hotel Alleehaus occupies a big, creaky-floored house that retains a bit of its 19th-century elegance. Its 19 rooms, each different and some in an annex, are nothing fancy and somewhat overpriced, but they’re comfortable and spacious. While close to the action, it’s on a quiet, leafy street a short walk south of the Old Town, and is warmly run by Sabine and her team (family rooms, limited pay parking, Marienstrasse 7, +49 761 387 600, www.hotel-alleehaus.de, wohlfuehlen@hotel-alleehaus.de). From the station, take tram #2 or #3 three stops to Holzmarkt.

€€ Motel One is a stylish yet straightforward hotel chain that promises affordable prices coupled with contemporary design. The Freiburg Motel One’s 252 rooms fill a modern building a short walk from both the train station and the Old Town (Friedrichring 1, +49 761 1206 9900, www.motel-one.com, freiburg@motel-one.com).

€€ Hotel zur Sichelschmiede, at the lower end of this price range, rents five small, comfy rooms with traditional decor. To reach them, you’ll climb a dark-wood staircase above a recommended restaurant in a cute part of town, overlooking a canal (family room, Insel 1, +49 761 35037, www.sichelschmiede.de, info@sichelschmiede.de, Gerdi Stark and family).

HOSTELS

¢ Black Forest Hostel has the cheapest beds in Freiburg. Run by friendly Tania with a bohemian attitude, it’s bare-bones simple (private rooms available, no curfew, free parking nearby, Kartäuser Strasse 33—look for anchor sign and go down driveway; 20-minute walk from station or take tram #1—direction: Littenweiler—to Oberlinden stop, then walk 7 more minutes; +49 761 881 7870, www.blackforest-hostel.de, backpacker@blackforest-hostel.de). If full, try the much larger, more distant ¢ Freiburg Youth Hostel at Kartäuser Strasse 151 (limited free parking, +49 761 67656, www.jugendherberge.de/jugendherbergen/freiburg, JH-Freiburg@jugendherberge.de).

Eating in Freiburg

As a university town, Freiburg is heavy on inexpensive eateries serving traditional German cuisine. Yet, Freiburg is also a foodie town—with an impressive total of four Michelin-starred restaurants within the Old Town. There’s truly an option for every price point. Many of Freiburg’s best choices are conveniently concentrated within a block or two of Augustinerplatz, along Grünwälderstrasse, and just beyond the cathedral on Konviktstrasse. (See the “Freiburg” map, earlier, for locations.)

€€€€ Wolfshöhle makes “casual fine dining” an art form with a price to match. Michelin-starred chef Martin Fauster focuses on fresh modern cuisine—French with Austrian influences—delivered with a sleek, stylish ambience. If you want to splurge, and trust the chef, his fixed-price menu is the main offering (always with a serious vegetarian option). Plan on at least €150 for five courses, or €60 for a three-course lunch (Tue-Thu dinner only, Fri-Sat lunch and dinner, closed Sun-Mon, reservations smart, Konviktstrasse 8, +49 761 30303, www.wolfshoehle-freiburg.de).

€€ Hausbrauerei Feierling is a rollicking microbrewery that also serves good meals. The cozy upstairs seating looks down over the big copper vats. Order the local brew—Inselhopf. On pleasant summer evenings, their beer garden across the street offers cool, leafy shade and a bustling atmosphere. A cheap menu of classic German bar food is offered at both places (daily; indoor section closed on warm, sunny summer afternoons and when the beer garden is open during the day; Gerberau 46, +49 761 243 480).

€€ Sichelschmiede is a good option rain or shine. Its timbered alcoves and cluttered interior give it a cozy living-room feel, and its creekside seating is nice when it’s hot. Come here for easygoing seasonal regional cuisine, good value, and a family-friendly ambience (daily, Insel 1, +49 761 35037).

€€€ Restaurant Skajo is a trendy rooftop place popular with locals for contemporary European dishes, cocktails, and a fine city view. The service, food, and view are worth the splurge (closed Sun, fifth floor of building at Kaiser-Joseph-Strasse 192—ring buzzer to get inside, +49 761 2025 1240, www.skajo.de).

€€ Manna Die Spezerei, a modern place with fine seating inside and out, overlooks the Augustinerplatz scene. It’s popular for its gourmet sandwiches made to order, soup, and fancy juices. Portions aren’t huge, but you’ll get healthy, top-notch food. Take a seat and order from the waitstaff, or get your food to go from the counter (Mon-Sat until 19:00, Sun until 18:00, on Augustinerplatz directly across from Augustiner Museum, +49 761 290 9664).

€ Markthalle is a bustling food court where you can pick up fresh produce and choose cuisines from around the world—German, French, Italian, Indian, Brazilian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, and more (eat at shared tables, Mon-Thu until 20:00, Fri-Sat until late, closed Sun, live music or DJ on weekends after 20:00—no cover, Grünwälderstrasse 4, www.markthalle-freiburg.de).

Biergarten with a View: If you’d just like a big mug of beer and a plate of classic German fare on a balmy evening, with perhaps the best view in Freiburg, head up to the € Biergarten Kastaniengarten on the Schlossberg hill (described earlier, under “Sights in Freiburg”).

Supermarket: Pick up picnic supplies at REWE (Mon-Fri 9:30-20:00, closed Sun, in basement of Karstadt department store on Kaiser-Joseph-Strasse, just north of the cathedral). Their rooftop cafeteria offers a fine budget buffet at lunch.

IN THE “BERMUDA TRIANGLE” NEIGHBORHOOD

Night owls flock around St. Martin’s Tower (Martinstor), in the area affectionately called Freiburg’s “Bermuda Triangle.” Take the street to your right just before going through the gate, and get sucked into the party in this zone buzzing with students.

€ UC/Uni-Café, which spills onto the square in good weather, is the place to join the cerebral grad-student crowd for cheap, all-day breakfast options, crêpes, salads, and light meals, including Flammkuchen—Alsatian-style flatbread. Or just hang out with the cocktail of the week (daily, Niemensstrasse 7, at Universitätsstrasse, +49 761 383 355).

€ Euphrat, just up the street, is a local favorite for döner kebab and other Turkish foods, with quality ingredients, a bright interior, and some outdoor tables (closed Sun, Niemensstrasse 13, +49 761 2909 8900).

Ice Cream: Another magnet in this area is Incontro, with delicious Italian-style gelato (daily, Niemensstrasse 3).

Freiburg Connections

The full name of the town—and the station—is Freiburg im Breisgau, often abbreviated as “Freiburg (Brsg)” on schedules.

By Train to: Staufen (hourly until about 24:00, 30 minutes, requires transfer at Bad Krozingen); Baden-Baden (direct fast trains hourly, 45 minutes; cheaper regional trains take 1.5 hours with change in Offenburg); Munich (hourly, 4.5 hours, most with 1 change); Interlaken, Switzerland (hourly, 3 hours); Colmar, France (hourly, 2 hours; change in Basel); Basel, Switzerland (about 2/hour, 45 minutes; 1 hour on cheaper regional train); Bern, Switzerland (about 2/hour, 2 hours, some transfer in Basel); Frankfurt (hourly, 2 hours, most direct); Frankfurt Airport (hourly, 2 hours, most with 1 change). Train info: www.bahn.com.

Staufen

Hemmed in by vineyards and watched over by the ruins of a protective castle, Staufen (SHTOW-fehn; full name: Staufen im Breis-gau) is small and peaceful. Staufen’s quiet pedestrian zone of colorful old buildings—many of them cozy hotels—makes it a delightful home base for your exploration of the southern trunk of the Black Forest (particularly for drivers who prefer not to deal with city traffic). You can also make Staufen a half-day outing from Freiburg. Just a short drive or train ride from Freiburg, Staufen feels like an affluent and charming bedroom community, with more than its share of shops, good (if expensive) restaurants, and charm...a great place to simply hang out.

Orientation to Staufen

Staufen (pop. 8,000) is simple. The main square is an easy 10-minute walk from the train station, and everything I list is along the way (or just off it). Though Staufen feels small, its high school, courthouse, and shopping district serve all the villages in the Münstertal valley.

Tourist Information: Staufen’s helpful TI is on the main square in the Town Hall (Mon-Thu 9:00-12:30 & 14:00-17:30, Fri 9:00-12:00 & 13:00-16:00, Sat 10:00-13:00, closed Sun, shorter hours Nov-March; +49 7633 80536, www.muenstertal-staufen.de). The City Museum is upstairs (free, similar hours).

Arrival in Staufen: The train station is often unstaffed and has no lockers. To get to town, exit the station with your back to the lake and angle right up Bahnhofstrasse. Turn right onto Hauptstrasse, which leads through the town center to the Town Hall and TI.

If you’re arriving by car, be sure you’re going to Staufen im Breisgau, and follow signs for Stadtmitte to find the town center. If your hotel is in the pedestrian zone, it’s OK to drive there to park. If you’re day-tripping, you’ll find a handy parking lot right at the entrance to the center (and at the start of my self-guided walk).

Market Days: On Wednesday and Saturday, there’s a market on the main square (8:00-13:00).

Local Guide: Marianne Pfadt enjoys taking visitors on a casual but insightful tour around her hometown’s back streets (€55/1.5-hour walk, +49 7633 982 529, siegfried.pfadt@t-online.de).

Staufen Walk

Staufen is an enjoyable town to explore—it feels real and is welcoming to visitors without being a tourist trap. This self-guided stroll begins at the start of the cobbled pedestrian zone, near the parking lot; if you’re coming from the train station, this is the first part of the old center you’ll reach.

• Begin on the square with the big tree, fountain, and giant wine press.

“Wine Fountain”

While the fountain doesn’t literally spout wine, the big old oak wine press behind it is a reminder that wine has indeed flowed from Staufen for years—produced from the vineyards just uphill from here. The winery facing the square, Weingut Peter Landmann, has long housed the local vintners’ shared bottling cooperative (now run by a privately owned winery). Its wine garden, sprawling between the shop and the fountain, is a fine spot to sample a glass, along with light food. Wine (along with taxes levied on silver, which was mined deeper in the Black Forest) once brought Staufen wealth...and, clearly, it still helps out.

At the benches between the fountain and the gigantic wine press, look for the photo of a red-sandstone courthouse that once stood here. That building, like much of Staufen, was devastated by an Allied bombing late in World War II (February 8, 1945)—you’ll see other photos of the damage around town.

• Now walk up Staufen’s main street, called...

Hauptstrasse

Like its big sister Freiburg, Staufen has little canals called Bächle running through its old center. While back in the 12th century this was state-of-the-art city planning for hygiene and fire protection, today these little canals are simply part of the atmosphere.

Notice the remarkable variety of commerce along this short drag, from workaday shops to high-end boutiques to diverse eateries. Staufen is clearly a place where people from around the region come on a nice day to stroll and browse, imbuing it with a certain affluence.

The charm of this colorful town center is governed by strict building codes: Only certain colors can be used, and the shutters are uniform. But locals grumble that sometimes the rules go too far. Notice the rain gutters that empty out onto the cobbles. These used to run underground, but were relocated to be more authentically historic—and now the streets turn into an ice rink when it freezes.

Find the painting between the upstairs windows at the Gast-haus Die Krone (#30, on the right). It recalls an event in 1848 when the owner of the inn (and his sad wife)—supporters of democracy—stood up to government troops who put down a revolution. Just beyond, the fountain is dedicated to Mary, as the town was thankful to have survived a plague.

Continue one more block along this fine drag. Just before you reach the main square, on the left (at #47), look for the red Gasthaus zum Löwen. In the early 16th century, a popular and successful doctor/scientist/fortune-teller/alchemist named Johann Georg Faust was brought to Staufen to find a way to literally create gold for the town. He lived and worked in this house, experimenting with chemical processes until an accidental explosion killed him around the year 1540. The townspeople assumed that the devil must have had a hand in his death, and legends began to swirl. Over time, these stories grabbed the attention of various writers, including Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (the “German Shakespeare”). In Goethe’s seminal work Faust, the title character sells his soul to a demon in exchange for unlimited earthly powers. (You might see a costumed demon leading tours through the streets of Staufen.) The building is now run as a guesthouse—you can sleep in Faust’s actual room.

Across the street, at #56 (marked Stubenhaus and Restaurant Höfli), duck into one of Staufen’s oldest courtyards, where historically the townsfolk gathered for social and cultural events. Concerts are still held here (and there are free public WCs, daily 10:00-19:00).

• Continue out to Staufen’s main square.

Marktplatz (Market Square)

Looking around the square, notice the intentionally clever design: The four converging streets are offset, making the square feel especially cozy (and stopping the cold winter wind from howling through the town).

The soldier atop the fountain holds the shield of Staufen, with its symbol: three golden goblets on a red field. The medieval word Stuff meant “goblet”; Staufen was named for its castle hill, which resembles an upside-down goblet.

This has long been the town’s marketplace (the tradition continues on Saturday and Wednesday mornings). The Kornhaus (granary) is where farmers would bring a tenth of their produce (tithe) as their tax payment. Dominating the square is the Town Hall (Rathaus). The left part (Gothic) is older than the right part (Renaissance). The coats of arms represent the various powers that have controlled Staufen over the centuries. The golden seashell at the top on the right indicates that this was a stop along the Camino de Santiago, the medieval pilgrimage route that leads all the way to the northwest corner of Spain. And the iron neck collar was the pillory—for public shaming of anyone so deserving. Inside the Town Hall are the TI and a very humble town museum (Stadtmuseum, upstairs, a few town artifacts, not a word of English, free).

Look for cracks in the Town Hall’s walls. In 2007, Staufen proudly embarked on an innovative plan to drill 460 feet down and tap into a geothermal power source. For a few weeks, things worked great. Then cracks like these began to show on buildings around town. Catastrophically, the drills had pierced a layer of a mineral called anhydrite and broken into an underground reservoir. From its contact with water, the anhydrite became gypsum and expanded, which caused parts of the town to sink and others to rise by up to four inches a year. The entire town’s underground infrastructure needed to be dug up and replaced. Since then, hundreds of buildings have become structurally unsound. Insurance companies and the government are at an impasse regarding who should pay, so no one can sell anything. It’s a terrible mess, and locals are furious. (Look around for giant stickers over some of the cracks reading Staufen darf nicht zerbrechen—“Staufen should not break apart.”) For a better look at the damage, walk into the Town Hall and check out the old spiral staircase leading to the City Museum in the back.

Before moving on, face away from the Town Hall and look down the continuation of Hauptstrasse. This is well worth wandering at some point during your visit, as it’s lined with real local shops: books, butcher, clothing, greengrocer, and so on. At the far end of this street, the yellow building on the right with the big CAFE sign is the recommended Café Decker, a great place for cakes and chocolates. A five-minute walk beyond that is Staufen’s fascinating little cemetery (explained later).

• But first, to see a side of Staufen most visitors miss, walk through Staufen’s...

Back Streets (Hinterstädtle)

Leave Marktplatz on the little lane (called Freihofgasse) between the Kornhaus restaurant and the Volksbank. Stick with this lane as it curls around to the left, passing a butcher shop on the right (with fine Schwarzwälder—Black Forest—ham in gift packs). The street leads through a residential neighborhood. Then continue moseying straight along Spitalstrasse, the oldest quarter of town. Until the 1980s, this was a poor neighborhood. But now it’s become gentrified. As you stroll, listen to the constant sound of running water from little fountains. Look for the former town wall (on the right). Where the street does a little jog and hits a bigger road, the big building on the left was a hospice (Spital), which wealthy townspeople financed to house people who were ill and too poor to care for themselves. Even after being renovated in 2017, it continues to be a home for the elderly and needy.

Turn left and walk toward the church. This area has some fun boutiquey shops: Around the corner on the right, across from the church, is a local coffee roaster (Alexandra’s Coffee & More Kaffeerösterei), good for a delightful break.

Head to the front of the church. As you face it, look left to find the big doorway at #9, marked Jägergasse. Go through the passage and then along the small lane. Peek into the classic old winery at #10. Our walk ends at the next corner.

• From here you can follow Meiergasse to the left to return to the main drag and Marktplatz. If you still have time and energy, consider poking around Staufen’s evocative cemetery, just across the river, or hiking up to its hilltop castle (both described next).

Sights in Staufen

▲Cemetery (Friedhof)

In this atmospherically shady, even comforting cemetery, ornate headstones stand among flowering shrubs and a number of old trees—some of which grow right up from the graves. It’s an eclectic mix, with each grave marker carrying as much personality and individuality as the person who lies there at their eternal rest. Some wood-carved ones almost resemble elaborate cuckoo clocks. As in much of Europe, plots in this cemetery are not purchased, only leased. Notice that some headstones have several added-on plaques identifying the remains of many generations of tenants. Locals lovingly tend to the graves, tidying the ivy and planting flowers.

Getting There: To reach the cemetery, leave Marktplatz on the stretch of Hauptstrasse leading toward Café Decker. Cross the bridge and head to the right along the river until you reach the small footbridge on your right. Turn left here, cross the street, and head down Wettelbrunner Strasse, where the onion-domed St. Sebastianus Chapel marks Staufen’s cemetery.

Nearby: On your way back to Marktplatz, you’ll see Staufen’s pottery museum, in the building labeled Keramik-Museum. The top and bottom floors show a historical permanent collection highlighting the ceramics tradition in this area, while the main floor features a different contemporary potter each year (€2.50, Wed-Sat 14:00-17:00, Sun 12:00-17:00, closed Mon-Tue).

For another detour, go down the street called Am Schiessrain, where you’ll find the Schladerer distillery and its outlet shop—look for the Verkauf sign.

Castle

Staufen’s own little vineyard-covered mountain is topped by the remains of a castle (once the residence of the lords of Staufen) that was destroyed by Swedish troops in 1632. The most direct route to visit these ruins is to charge right on up, but you can also take one of the less-steep roundabout trails.

Sleeping in Staufen

Your hotel will add a local tax of €1.60 per person per night, which provides you with a KONUS Gästekarte. This guest card covers all transit for the entire Black Forest region, including unlimited use of buses, regional trains, and local transit (such as buses or trams in Freiburg), but doesn’t cover express ICE or IC trains. All the following listings have free parking.

€€ Gasthaus Krone, the town’s top value, sits in the middle of Staufen’s main pedestrian drag like it owns it. Charming, friendly, and with nine comfortable rooms, it’s a winner. Try here first (some rooms with balconies, Hauptstrasse 30, +49 7633 5840, www.die-krone-staufen.de, info@die-krone.de, Lahn family).

€€ Gasthaus zum Hirschen, also family-run and with a storybook location on the main pedestrian street, has 19 modern rooms, two well-equipped apartments, a roof deck, and a traditional restaurant on the ground floor—all wrapped in a charmingly old-fashioned shell (family rooms, most rooms with balconies, elevator, Hauptstrasse 19, +49 7633 5297, www.hirschen-staufen.de, hotel@hirschen-staufen.de, well run by Dieter and Isabelle).

€€ Gästehaus Kaltenbach, at the lower end of this price range, offers affordable countryside tranquility in a rural-feeling location. It’s easy for drivers, but a 15-minute, steeply uphill walk from the train station or town center; they can pick you up on arrival. English teacher Gabriele Kaltenbach and her policeman-turned-farmer husband Günter rent six rooms in a huge farmhouse and four rooms in a converted barn (plus seven apartments), with alpacas out back (bistro serving light meals, laundry facilities, yard with swing set; Bötzenstrasse 37, +49 7633 95310, www.gaestehaus-kaltenbach.de, info@gaestehaus-kaltenbach.de). From the station, walk toward town and after a block look for the Bacchus statue at the corner of Bahnhofstrasse and Hauptstrasse. Head up Sixtgasse behind the statue, then turn left at the T-intersection onto Bötzenstrasse.

Eating in Staufen

In general, eateries tend to be quite expensive here—but the quality matches the prices. For fine dining, head for €€€€ Gasthaus Krone, which proudly uses regional products (closed Sat, Hauptstrasse 30, +49 7633 5840). For a midrange option, try €€€ Gast-haus zum Löwen (tables on main square next to Town Hall, or in comfy interior, closed Wed, Rathausgasse 8, +49 7633 908 9390). Across the square, the casual €€ Kornhaus is a family-friendly option (seasonal menu, large kids’ menu, closed Thu-Fri, Hauptstrasse 57, +49 7633 5401). €€ Gasthaus zum Hirschen, the recommended hotel at the other end of the pedestrian zone, is another fine choice for traditional meals (Wed-Fri dinner only, Sat-Sun lunch and dinner, closed Mon-Tue, Hauptstrasse 19, +49 7633 5297).

Dessert: Every sweet tooth in Staufen adores Café Decker for its 50 types of chocolates and wide array of cakes. The dining room is genteel, and the rooftop terrace has nice views (full breakfasts, light lunch specials, and good sandwiches to go; Tue-Sat until 18:00, Sun from 13:30, closed Mon; Hauptstrasse 70, +49 7633 5316).

Staufen Connections

Staufen is on a tiny branch line (called the Münstertalbahn) that connects to the main line at Bad Krozingen. Keep in mind that the Staufen train station is rarely staffed (but ticket machines are on hand and schedules are posted).

From Staufen by Train to: Freiburg (hourly until late, 30 minutes, requires easy transfer in Bad Krozingen; covered by a single €4.40 two-zone local transport ticket, available from ticket machines, covered by KONUS Card).

The Black Forest Highlands

The name Black Forest conjures up images of a dark, thick forest. But the southern end of the region—called the Black Forest Highlands—is more gentle, with onion-domed churches, idyllic lakes, and hikes through peaceful meadows. This is the kind of country you’d expect a doctor to send you to when you need some tranquility. This area—stretching east of Freiburg and Staufen—works best as a side trip from those towns, and features both the Black Forest’s biggest tourist trap (Titisee) and a commune-with-nature walk (from St. Märgen to St. Peter).

▲St. Märgen to St. Peter Hike

This five-mile, two-hour hike offers a delightful path through the bucolic Black Forest countryside, punctuated by scenic picnic benches for a memorable lunch. Connecting the charming towns of St. Märgen and St. Peter, this fresh-air walk is the quintessential Black Forest experience.

Planning Your Time: If you have a car, you can drive to St. Peter, park there, catch the bus to St. Märgen (1-2/hour, 10 minutes), then hike back to your car. Without a car, the hike is accessible by public transportation from Freiburg. Before starting out, buy a two-zone Tageskarte day pass, which covers all of your transport (€9.50, available from ticket machines). From the Freiburg train station, ride tram #1, #10, or #11 to Kirchzarten (3/hour, 15 minutes), then catch bus #7216 to St. Märgen (1-2/hour, 35 minutes). Once you’ve walked to St. Peter, dip into the abbey church, then catch the bus back to Kirchzarten (1-2/hour, 25 minutes) and the tram back to Freiburg. Confirm transit times at www.rvf.de or at the Freiburg train station.

St. Märgen: This sleepy town (pop. 1,900) is dominated by its Augustinian abbey (generally open daily). St. Märgen is cute, but offers little reason to stop (other than to pick up a picnic for your hike). The bus drops you in the village center, near the Town Hall (Rathaus), abbey, supermarket, and bakery. The St. Märgen TI, in the back of the Rathaus, offers advice and maps for the hike to St. Peter (open Mon-Fri mornings only, +49 7652 1206 8390, www.hochschwarzwald.de).

The Hike: The first 40 minutes of this hike are gently uphill (a 500-foot gain)—from the St. Märgen bus stop, follow the signposts marked St. Peter (Höhenweg, 8km) through the village. At Hotel Der Hirschen, make a left turn up a small paved road that leads directly to a tiny paved farm service road. Follow the road as it curves right to pass the mill (Rankmühle), then at the first fork head left. Be careful to follow signs to St. Peter Höhenweg, not St. Peter. Eventually you’ll reach a small chapel, the Kapfenkapelle.

The trail is level for the next half-hour, with views down into the valley. At a clearing in the woods, you’ll find the Vogesenkapelle, built in 1938 by a local man who had fought during World War I in France’s Vosges mountains. On a clear winter evening at sunset in the Vosges, the man was able to see all the way to the Black Forest—and could even make out his own farm. He vowed to build a chapel near his home if the Black Forest was spared the horrors of the war. And he did.

From the Vogesenkapelle, the path leads down about 45 minutes through farms into St. Peter, depositing you just below the abbey at the St. Peter bus stop (where Zähringerstrasse meets Roter Weg).

St. Peter: This inviting town (pop. 2,500) is one of those healthy, go-take-a-walk-in-the-clean-air places that doctors actually prescribe for people from all over Germany. The well-organized little TI, under the archway across from the Benedictine abbey, has details on the region and walks (closed midday and Sat-Sun, Klosterhof 11, +49 7652 1206 8371, www.hochschwarzwald.de). To find a public WC and reasonably priced eating options, go through the archway to the square.

The town of St. Peter is dominated by its giant, namesake Benedictine abbey. Step into the courtyard (Klosterhof) and imagine a monastery founded within these walls 700 years ago (then secularized under Napoleon in 1806). The red-sandstone church dominates. Its Baroque interior, finished in 1727, is a dazzling white. While you’ll see bigger and better in Bavaria, this is the best abbey in the Black Forest (free and open daily, enter at Geistliches Zentrum next door to church, +49 7660 910 112).

Returning to Freiburg: Just below St. Peter’s abbey is the town bus stop, called Zähringer Eck, where you can catch bus #7216 back to Kirchzarten; from there, catch the tram to Freiburg.

Short-and-Scenic Black Forest Highlands Drive

This pleasant loop starts in Freiburg and takes you through the most representative chunk of the area, including the towns of St. Märgen and St. Peter. This basically passes through much the same scenery as the hike described above, but by car.

Freiburg-St. Märgen-St. Peter Loop: Leave Freiburg on B-31 (signs to Donaueschingen), which leads up the dark Höllental (“Hell’s Valley”). Here the cliffs on either side begin to close in.

As you enter the narrowest part of the valley, watch for the Hirschsprung sign (where you can pull off). On the top of the cliff on the right, spot the bronze statue of a deer (Hirsch) preparing to leap (sprung) over the chasm to escape a hunter, a feat memorialized in a local legend.

After the moody, narrow stretch of the valley, you’ll hit a straightaway, and then the road begins a series of switchbacks up and out of the canyon. En route, you’re sure to see signs for overrated, overcrowded Titisee.

Titisee, a famous lake with a giggle-inducing name, is improbably popular among Germans. This town of 2,000 is built for tourism. One glance and you’ll be wondering why they even bothered to develop this dull spot into a tourist attraction—and yet it’s a huge hit. Don’t let morbid curiosity take you to Titisee...or you’ll squander valuable Black Forest time. Remember: You can’t spell “tourist trap” without “T.T.”

Instead, at Hinterzarten (just before Titisee), turn onto B-500 toward Furtwangen and St. Märgen. Soon you’ll come to a fork in the road, where you can choose between heading straight to Furtwangen (and its German Clock Museum) or turning off for St. Märgen, then St. Peter (both described earlier; St. Peter is better if you have to choose).

From St. Peter, continue about 15 minutes through idyllic Black Forest scenery to the pass over Mount Kandel (head for Glottertal; after curving around St. Peter’s Abbey on Zähringerstrasse, take Glottertalstrasse to the right, then turn left to stay on Glottertalstrasse and start winding up the mountain—look for brown signs to Kandel). At the summit is the Bergwelt Kandel hotel and event space, with parking and fine views on either side of the ridge. A short hike takes you to the 4,000-foot peak (Kandelgipfel), where on a nice day you can watch paragliders psych themselves up and take off.

On the other side of the pass, the road winds steeply down through a dense forest to Waldkirch, where a fast road takes you down to the Freiburg Nord autobahn (A-5) entrance. From here you can return south to Freiburg or drive north to Baden-Baden.

ROTHENBURG & THE ROMANTIC ROAD

Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Orientation to Rothenburg

Map: Rothenburg

Tours in Rothenburg

Walks in Rothenburg

Map: Walks in Rothenburg

Sights in Rothenburg

Shopping in Rothenburg

Sleeping in Rothenburg

Eating in Rothenburg

Rothenburg Connections

The Romantic Road

Map: The Romantic Road

Sights Along the Romantic Road

The Romantic Road takes you through Bavaria’s medieval heartland, a route strewn with picturesque villages, farmhouses, onion-domed churches, Baroque palaces, and walled cities. The route, which runs from Würzburg to Füssen, is the most scenic way to connect Frankfurt with Munich. No trains run along the full length of the Romantic Road, but Rothenburg (ROH-tehn-burg), the most interesting town along the way, is easy to reach by rail. Drivers can either zero in on Rothenburg or take some extra time to meander from town to town on the way.

Countless travelers have searched for the elusive “untouristy Rothenburg.” There are many contenders (such as Michelstadt, Miltenberg, Bamberg, Bad Windsheim, and Dinkelsbühl), but none holds a candle to the king of medieval German cuteness. Even with crowds, overpriced souvenirs, Japanese-speaking night watchmen, and, yes, even Schneeballen, Rothenburg is best. Save time and mileage and be satisfied with the winner.

Rothenburg ob der Tauber

In the Middle Ages, when Berlin and Munich were just wide spots on the road, Rothenburg ob der Tauber was a “free imperial city” beholden only to the Holy Roman Emperor. During Rothenburg’s heyday, from 1150 to 1400, it was a strategic stop on the trade routes between the east and west (Prague and Rhineland) and north and south (Hamburg and Augsburg). Because of its privileged position, along with the abundant resources of its surrounding countryside (textile-producing sheep and fertile farmlands), Rothenburg thrived. With a whopping population of 6,000, it was one of Germany’s largest towns. But as with many of Europe’s best time-warp towns, Rothenburg’s fortunes tumbled suddenly. (In this case, it was an occupation/ransacking during the Thirty Years’ War, and a plague that followed soon after, that did the town in.) With no money to fix up its antiquated, severely leaning buildings, the town was left to languish in this state. Today, it’s the country’s best-preserved medieval walled town, enjoying tremendous tourist popularity without losing its charm.

Rothenburg’s great trade these days is tourism: Roughly half of the 2,500 people who live within its walls are employed to serve you. While roughly 2 million people visit each year, most come only on day trips. Rothenburg is yours after dark, when the groups vacate and the town’s floodlit cobbles wring some romance out of any travel partner.

Too often, Rothenburg brings out the shopper in visitors before they’ve had a chance to see the historic town. True, this is a fine place to do your German shopping. But appreciate Rothenburg’s great history and sights, too.

Germany has several towns named Rothenburg, so make sure you’re going to Rothenburg ob der Tauber (not “ob der” any other river); people really do sometimes drive or ride the train to nondescript Rothenburgs by accident.

PLANNING YOUR TIME

Rothenburg in one day is easy. If time is short, you can make just a two- to three-hour midday stop in Rothenburg, but the town is really best appreciated after the day-trippers have gone home. Ideally, spend at least one night in Rothenburg (hotels are cheap and good).

With two nights and a full day, you’ll be able to see more than the essentials and actually relax a little. I’d suggest starting your day with my self-guided town walk, including a visit to St. Jakob’s Church (for the carved altarpiece) and the Rothenburg Museum (historic artifacts). Then spend the afternoon visiting the Medieval Crime and Punishment Museum and taking my “Schmiedgasse-Spitalgasse Shopping Stroll,” followed by a walk on the wall (from Spitaltor to Klingentor). Cap your day with the entertaining Night Watchman’s Tour (at 20:00). Locals love “Die blaue Stunde” (the blue hour)—the time just before dark when city lamps and the sky hold hands. Be sure to be out enjoying the magic of the city at this time.

For nature lovers, there are plenty of relaxing walks and bike rides in the forested environs around the town.

Rothenburg is very busy through the summer and in the Christmas Market month of December. Spring and fall are a joy, but it’s pretty bleak in November and from January through March—when most locals are hibernating or on vacation. Legally, shops are only allowed to remain open 40 Sundays a year; this means that many close on Sundays during the slow off-season months.

Orientation to Rothenburg

To orient yourself in Rothenburg, think of the town map as a human head. Its nose—the castle garden—sticks out to the left, and the skinny lower part forms a neck, with the youth hostel and a recommended hotel being the Adam’s apple. The town is a delight on foot. No sights or hotels are more than a 15-minute walk from the train station or each other.

Most of the buildings you’ll see were in place by 1400. The city was born around its long-gone castle fortress—built in 1142, destroyed in 1356—which was located where the castle garden is now. You can see the shadow of the first town wall, which defines the oldest part of Rothenburg, in its contemporary street plan. Two gates from this wall still survive: the Markus Tower and the White Tower. The richest and biggest houses were in this central part. The commoners built higgledy-piggledy (read: picturesque) houses farther from the center but still inside the present walls.

Although Rothenburg is technically in Bavaria, the region around the town is called—and strongly identifies itself as—“Franken,” one of Germany’s many medieval dukedoms (“Franconia” in English).

TOURIST INFORMATION

The TI is on Market Square (May-Oct and Dec Mon-Fri 9:00-17:00, Sat-Sun from 10:00, shorter hours off-season, Marktplatz 2, +49 9861 404 800, www.rothenburg.de/tourismus, run by Jörg Christöphler). If there’s a long line, just raid the rack where they keep all the free pamphlets. The free city map comes with a walking guide to the town. The Events booklet covers the basics in English. They offer a variety of themed tours; ask when you arrive or check their website in advance. Also look for current concert-listing posters here (and at your hotel).

A fun pictorial town map, which also helpfully indicates some walking paths in the countryside beyond the town walls, is available for free when you show this book at the Friese shop, two doors west from the TI (toward St. Jakob’s Church; see “Shopping in Rothenburg,” later).

ARRIVAL IN ROTHENBURG

By Train: It’s a 10-minute walk from the station to Rothenburg’s Market Square (following the Altstadt signs, exit left from station, walk a block down Bahnhofstrasse, turn right on Ansbacher Strasse, and head straight into the Middle Ages). Taxis wait at the station (€10 to any hotel). Day-trippers can leave luggage in lockers at the station or at the TI or Friese shop on the Marktplatz (during their open hours). Free WCs are behind the fast-food stand on track 1.

By Car: Driving and parking rules in Rothenburg change constantly—ask your hotelier for advice. In general, you’re allowed to drive into the old town to get to your hotel. Otherwise, driving within the old walled center is discouraged and certain streets are pedestrian-only except for residents. Some hotels offer private parking (either free or paid). To keep things simple, park in one of the lots—numbered P1 through P5—that line the outside of the town walls (all lots cost €6/day, credit card or coins only, buy ticket from Parkscheinautomat machines and display, 5-to-10-minute walk to Market Square).

For tips on getting here from Frankfurt, see “Route Tips for Drivers” on here.

HELPFUL HINTS

Christmas Market: Rothenburg is dead for much of the winter except in December (which becomes its busiest month), when the entire town cranks up the medieval cuteness with concerts and costumes, shops with schnapps, stalls filling squares, hot spiced wine, giddy nutcrackers, and mobs of ear-muffed Germans. Christmas markets are big all over Germany, and Rothenburg’s is considered one of the best. The market takes place each year during Advent. Try to avoid Saturdays and Sundays, when big-city day-trippers really clog the grog.

Festivals: For one weekend each spring (during Pentecost), beer gardens spill out into the street and Rothenburgers dress up in medieval costumes to celebrate Mayor Nusch’s Meistertrunk victory (typically May or June, www.meistertrunk.de). The Reichsstadt festival every September celebrates Rothenburg’s history, and the town’s Weindorf festival celebrates its wine (mid-Aug). Check the TI website for specifics.

Mailing Your Goodies Home: You can get handy yellow €2.50 boxes at the old town post office (Mon-Fri 9:00-13:00 & 14:00-17:00 except closed Wed afternoon, Sat 9:00-12:00, closed Sun, inside photo shop at Rödergasse 11). Another location with longer hours is inside the shopping center across from the train station (Mon-Sat 8:30-19:30, closed Sun).

Bike Rental: A ride through the nearby countryside is enjoyable on nice days (follow route described on here). Rent A Bike Rothenburg, run by family-friendly Lukas and Roza, rents e-bikes from a convenient location just inside the Rödentor gate (open daily, Rosengasse 2, +49 511 070 0238, www.rentabike-rothenburg.de).

Taxi: Call +49 9861 2000 or +49 9861 7227.

English Conversation Club: For 30 years, this club has been an excuse for a handful of Rothenburgers to enjoy a convivial meet-up with foreign tourists to talk (in English) and drink beer (in German). Mario saves a Stammtisch (regulars’ table) for the gathering at his Altfränkische Weinstube am Klosterhof restaurant each Wednesday from 19:00. Just drop in—it’s a delightful way to connect with locals (and other travelers) over a simple meal or a nice glass of something local.

Rothenburg Tower Trail Booklet: A few years ago, I helped write and spiff up a smart little fun-to-read souvenir guidebook for walking the wall, rambling the ramparts, and tickling the turrets. If you’re one who scours towers or just dreams of circumventing the city in medieval style, this book is a delight. And so is the price: free. It’s Rothenburg’s gift to you as a thanks to me for my decades of celebrating the town in my writing (and helping out with this project). So, while the supply lasts, my friends at the TI are gifting the €5 booklet to Rick Steves readers. Seriously, if you’d like to better understand and experience this town’s remarkable fortified wall, pick this up at the TI—just say the code words “Rick Steves,” and it’s free.

Swimming: Rothenburg has a fine swimming complex, with a heated outdoor pool (Freibad) from mid-May to mid-Sept (when the weather’s good), and an indoor pool and sauna the rest of the year. It’s about a 15-minute walk south of Spitaltor along the main road toward Dinkelsbühl (€4.50, kids-€2.50; outdoor pool Fri-Wed 9:00-20:00, from 10:00 on Thu; indoor pool Tue-Thu 9:00-21:00, Fri-Sun until 18:00, Mon 14:00-21:00; Nördlinger Strasse 20, +49 9861 4565).

Tours in Rothenburg

▲▲Night Watchman’s Tour

This tour is the most entertaining hour of medieval wonder anywhere in Germany and the best evening activity in town. The Night Watchman (a.k.a. Hans-Georg Baumgartner) jokes like a medieval John Cleese as he lights up his lamp and takes tourists on his rounds, telling slice-of-gritty-life tales of medieval Rothenburg (€9, teens-€4.50, free for kids 12 and under, April-Dec nightly except Thu and Sun at 20:00, in English, meet at Market Square, www.nightwatchman.de). Just show up (he collects at the end). What’s almost as entertaining as the tour is watching the parade of tourists following this pied piper through town each night. (He does the same tour again in German at 21:30.) On Thursday and Sunday, the Night Watchman’s colleagues give a similar tour (same time and cost).

▲Old Town Historic Walk and the Free Rick Steves Audio Tour

The TI offers engaging 1.5-hour guided walking tours in English (€9, Easter-Oct and Dec daily at 11:00, departs from Market Square). Just show up and pay the guide directly—there’s always room. Take this tour for the serious side of Rothenburg’s history, and to make sense of the town’s architecture; you won’t get as much of that on the more theatrical and comedic Night Watchman’s Tour. Taking both tours is a smart way to round out your overall Rothenburg experience. I offer essentially the same tour via my Rick Steves Audio Europe app (it’s free, takes an hour, and provides a fine foundation for enjoying the city any time of day. Just stick me in your ear).

Local Guides

A local historian can really bring the ramparts alive. I’ve had good experiences with Daniel Weber and Harry Ernst (€115/1.5 hours, €150/2 hours, to get these rates ask for Rick Steves discount, +49 795 8311, www.toot-tours.com, mail@toot-tours.com), and with Lothar Schmidt (lothar.schmidt.rot@outlook.de, +49 160 9592 9644). You can also reserve a guide by emailing the TI (info@rothenburg.de; more info at www.rothenburg.de—look under “Discovery,” then “Guided Tours”).

Walks in Rothenburg

ROTHENBURG TOWN WALK

Market Square Spin-Tour

Map: Walks in Rothenburg

▲Historical Town Hall Vaults (Historiengewölbe)

Map of Rothenburg City Territory

Green Market (Grüner Markt)

▲▲St. Jakob’s Church (St. Jakobskirche)

Klingentor

▲▲Rothenburg Museum

Convent Garden

Town Wall

Castle Garden Viewpoint

Castle Garden (Burggarten) and the Burgtor Gate

Herrngasse

▲▲SCHMIEDGASSE-SPITALGASSE SHOPPING STROLL

Market Square to Burggasse

Burggasse to Plönlein

Plönlein to Spitalhof

Spitalhof and Spitaltor

My self-guided circular Rothenburg Town Walk weaves the town’s top sights together, takes about an hour without stops, and starts and ends on Market Square. (Note that this is roughly the same route followed by TI guides on their daily Old Town Historic Walk, described earlier.) It flows into my Schmiedgasse-Spitalgasse Shopping Stroll, which traces a straight shot from Market Square to Spitaltor, passing traditional shops and eateries on the way. Both walks are shown on the “Walks in Rothenburg” map. (For a couple of alternative town walks, see “Along the Wall” in “Sights in Rothenburg,” later.)

Download my free Rothenburg Town Walk audio tour.

ROTHENBURG TOWN WALK

This loop walk, worth ▲▲▲, links Market Square to St. Jakob’s Church, the Rothenburg Museum, the castle garden, and Herrngasse.

• Start the walk on Market Square.

Market Square Spin-Tour

Stand in front of the fountain at the bottom of Market Square (watch for occasional cars) and spin 360 degrees clockwise, starting with the Town Hall tower. Now do it again, this time more slowly to take in some details:

Town Hall and Tower: Rothenburg’s tallest spire is the Town Hall tower. (You’ll see two white towers. This one’s not at the top of the square but on the left). At 200 feet, it stands atop the old Town Hall, a white, Gothic, 13th-century building. Notice the tourists enjoying the best view in town from the black top of the tower (see “Sights in Rothenburg” for details on climbing the tower). After a fire in 1501 burned down part of the original building, a new Town Hall was built alongside what survived of the old one (fronting the square). This half of the rebuilt complex is in the Renaissance style from 1570. The eagles you see decorating many buildings here are a repeated reminder that this was a “free imperial city,” which meant that it was self-ruling and subordinate only to the (Habsburg) Holy Roman Emperor.

Meistertrunk Show: At the top of Market Square stands the proud Councilors’ Tavern (clock tower from 1466). In its day, the city council—the rich guys who ran the town government—drank here. Today, it’s the TI and the focus of most tourists’ attention when the little doors on either side of the clock flip open and the wooden figures (from 1910) do their thing. Be on Market Square at the top of any hour (between 10:00 and 22:00) for the ritual gathering of the tourists to see the less-than-breathtaking reenactment of the Meistertrunk (“Master Draught”) story:

In 1631, in the middle of the Thirty Years’ War, the Catholic army took this Protestant town and was about to do its rape, pillage, and plunder thing. As was the etiquette, the mayor had to give the conquering general a welcoming drink. The general enjoyed a huge tankard of local wine. Feeling really good, he told the mayor, “Hey, if you can drink this entire three-liter tankard of wine in one gulp, I’ll spare your town.” The mayor amazed everyone by drinking the entire thing, and Rothenburg was saved. (While this is a nice story, it was dreamed up in the late 1800s for a theatrical play designed—effectively—to promote a romantic image of the town. In actuality, if Rothenburg was spared, it had likely bribed its way out of the jam.) The city was occupied and ransacked several times in the Thirty Years’ War, and it never recovered—which is why it’s such a well-preserved time capsule today.

For the best show, don’t watch the clock; watch the open-mouthed tourists gasp as the old windows flip open.

Bottom of Market Square: As this was the most prestigious address in town, it’s ringed by big homes with big carriage gates. One of the finest is just downhill from the bottom end of the square—the Baumeister (“master builder”) Haus, where the man who designed and built the Town Hall lived. It features a famous Renaissance facade with statues of the seven virtues and the seven vices. The statues are copies; the originals are in the Rothenburg Museum (a stop later in this walk). While “Gluttony” is easy to find, see if you can figure out what his companions represent. (You can check your guesses at the museum.)

Behind you, take in the big 17th-century St. George’s fountain. Its long metal gutters could slide to deposit the water into villagers’ buckets. It’s part of Rothenburg’s ingenious water system: Built on a rock, the town had one real source above, which was plumbed to serve a series of fountains; water flowed from high to low through Rothenburg. Its many fountains had practical functions beyond providing drinking water—some were stocked with fish on market days and during times of siege, and their water was useful for fighting fire. Because of its plentiful water supply—and its policy of requiring relatively wide lanes as fire breaks—Rothenburg never burned entirely, as so many neighboring villages did. (That’s why neighboring towns are generally Baroque—rebuilt in the 17th century after fires—and not Gothic.)

Two fine half-timbered buildings behind the fountain show the old-time lofts with warehouse doors and pulleys on top for hoisting. All over town, lofts like these were filled with grain. A year’s supply was required by the city so it could survive any siege. The building behind the fountain was originally the house of the council of craftsmen, organized to represent them to the big landowners on the town council. Today it’s an art gallery showing off work by members of the local artists’ association. To the right is Marien Apotheke, an old-time pharmacy mixing old and new in typical Rothenburg style.

The broad street running under the Town Hall tower is Herrn-gasse. The town originated with its castle fortress (built in 1142 but now long gone; a lovely garden now fills that space). Herrngasse connected the castle to Market Square. The last leg of this circular walking tour will take you from the castle garden up Herrngasse and back here.

For now, walk a few steps down Herrngasse and stop by the arch under the Town Hall tower (between the new and old town halls). On the wall to the left of the gate are the town’s measuring rods—a reminder that medieval Germany was made of 300 independent little countries, many with their own weights and measures. Merchants and shoppers knew that these were the local standards: the rod (4.3 yards), the Schuh (“shoe,” roughly a foot), and the Ell (from elbow to fingertip—four inches longer than mine...climb up and try it). The protruding cornerstone you’re standing on is one of many all over town—intended to protect buildings from careening horse carts. In German, going recklessly fast is called “scratching the cornerstone.”

• Careen around that stone and under the arch to find the...

▲Historical Town Hall Vaults (Historiengewölbe)

The vaults house an eclectic and entertaining museum that fills a series of themed rooms with artifacts—giving a waxy but interesting look at Rothenburg during the Catholics-vs.-Protestants Thirty Years’ War. Popping in here can help prep your imagination to filter out the tourists and picture ye olde Rothenburg along the rest of this walk. With helpful English descriptions, it offers a look at “the fateful year 1631,” a replica of the mythical Meistertrunk tankard, an alchemist’s workshop, and a dungeon—fortified in 1943 to be used as a bomb shelter during World War II—complete with three dank cells and some torture lore.

Cost and Hours: €4, daily 10:00-17:00, shorter hours Nov-April, closed Jan, weekends only Feb, +49 9861 86751, www.meistertrunk.de.

• Leaving the museum, go to the wall opposite to find a copy of a centuries-old map showing the territory of Rothenburg.

Map of Rothenburg City Territory

In 1537 Rothenburg actually ruled a little country—one of about 300 petty dukedoms like this that made up what is today’s Germany. The territory spanned a 12-by-12-mile area (about 400 square kilometers), encompassing 180 villages—a good example of the fragmentation of feudal Germany. While not to scale (Rothenburg is actually less than a mile wide), the map is fun to study. In the 1380s, Mayor Toppler purchased much of this territory. In 1562 the city sold off some of its land to neighboring dukes, which gave it the money for all the fine Renaissance buildings that embellish the town to this day.

• Head left through the courtyard between the vaults and Town Hall (past a venerable and much-sketched-and-photographed door) and past a series of small plain doors once used by merchants from “abroad” so they could legally sell their goods here, within the walls, and pay taxes. There was a lot of grain, sheep wool, wine, and so on—and sales were carefully controlled. At the far end you pop into a square called...

Green Market (Grüner Markt)

Once a produce market, this parking lot fills with Christmas stands during December. Notice the clay-tile roofs. These “beaver tail” tiles became standard after thatched roofs were outlawed to prevent fires. Today, all the town’s roofs are made of these. The little fences stop heaps of snow from falling off the roof and onto people below. A free public WC is on your left, and the recommended Friese gift shop (see listing under “Shopping in Rothenburg,” later) is on your right.

• Continue straight ahead to St. Jakob’s Church. Study the exterior first, then pay to go inside.

▲▲St. Jakob’s Church (St. Jakobskirche)

Rothenburg’s main church is home to Tilman Riemenschneider’s breathtaking, wood-carved Altar of the Holy Blood.

Cost and Hours: €3.50, daily April-Oct 9:00-17:00, Dec 10:00-16:45, off-season 10:00-12:00 & 14:00-16:00, and Sun after services end at 10:45.

Tours and Information: A free, helpful English info sheet is available. Free concerts (30 minutes, Fri evenings) are posted near the door. Consider the worthwhile audioguide (€2, 45 minutes) for both historical and theological insights on the church and its highlights.

Visiting the Church: Start by viewing the exterior. Next, enter the church, where you’ll see the main nave first, then climb above the pipe organ (in the back) to finish with the famous carved altar.

Exterior: Outside the church, under the little roof at the base of the tower, you’ll see 14th-century statues (mostly original) showing Jesus praying at Gethsemane, a common feature of Gothic churches. The sculptor is anonymous—in the Gothic age (pre-Albrecht Dürer), artists were just nameless craftspeople working only for the glory of God. Five yards to the left (on the wall), notice the nub of a sandstone statue—a rare original, looking pretty bad after 500 years of weather and, more recently, pollution. Most original statues are now in the city museum. The better-preserved statues you see on the church are copies. Also outside the church is a bronze model of the city. Look closely to appreciate the detail, including descriptions in braille.

Before entering, notice how the church was extended downhill to the west and actually built over the street. The newer chapel was built to accommodate pilgrims and to contain the sumptuous Riemenschneider carved altarpiece.

If it’s your wedding day, take the first entrance—marked by a very fertile Eve and, around the corner, Adam showing off an impressive six-pack. Otherwise, head toward the church’s second (downhill) door. Before going inside, notice the modern statue at the base of the steps. This is St. James (a.k.a. Sankt Jakob in German, Santiago in Spanish, and Saint-Jacques in French). You can tell this important saint by his big, floppy hat, his walking stick, the gourd on his hip (used by pilgrims to carry water), and—most importantly—the scallop shell in his hand. St. James’ remains are entombed in the grand cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, in the northwestern corner of Spain. Part of the medieval pilgrimage route called the Camino de Santiago passed through Rothenburg on its way to that distant corner of Europe. Pilgrims would wear the scallop shell as a symbol of their destination (where that type of marine life is abundant). To this day, the word for “scallop” in many languages carries the name of this saint: Jakobsmuschel in German, coquille Saint-Jacques in French, and so on.

Inside the Church: Built in the 14th century, this church has been Lutheran since 1544. The interior was “purified” by Romantics in the 19th century—cleaned of everything Baroque or not original and refitted in the Neo-Gothic style. (For example, the baptismal font—in the middle of the choir—and the pulpit above the second pew look Gothic but are actually Neo-Gothic.) The stained-glass windows behind the altar, which are most colorful in the morning light, are originals from the 1330s. Admiring this church, consider what it says about the priorities of a town of just a few thousand people, who decided to use their collective wealth to build such a place. The size of a church is a good indication of the town’s wealth when it was built. Medallions and portraits of Rothenburg’s leading families and church leaders line the walls above the choir in the front of the church.

The main altar, from 1466, is by Friedrich Herlin. Below Christ are statues of six saints—including St. James (a.k.a. Jakob), with the telltale shell on his floppy hat. Study the painted panels—ever see Peter with spectacles (below the carved saints)? Go around the back of the altarpiece to look at the doors. In the upper left, you’ll see a painting of Rothenburg’s Market Square in the 15th century, looking much like it does today, with the exception of the full-Gothic Town Hall (as it was before the big fire of 1501). Notice Christ’s face on the white “veil of Veronica” (center of back side, bottom edge). It follows you as you walk from side to side—this must have given the faithful the religious heebie-jeebies four centuries ago.

The Tabernacle of the Holy Eucharist (just left of the main altar—on your right as you walk back around) is a century older. It stored the wine and bread used for Holy Communion. Before the Reformation this was a Roman Catholic church, which meant that the bread and wine were considered to be the actual body and blood of Jesus (and therefore needed a worthy repository). Notice the unusual Trinity: The Father and Son are bridged by a dove, which represents the Holy Spirit. Stepping back, you can see that Jesus is standing on a skull—clearly “overcoming death.”

Now, as pilgrims did centuries ago, climb the stairs at the back of the church that lead up behind the pipe organ to a loft-like chapel. Here you’ll find the artistic highlight of Rothenburg and perhaps the most wonderful wood carving in all of Germany: the glorious 500-year-old, 35-foot-high Altar of the Holy Blood. Tilman Riemenschneider, the Michelangelo of German woodcarvers, carved this from 1499 to 1504 (at the same time Michelangelo was working on his own masterpieces). The altarpiece was designed to hold a rock-crystal capsule—set in the cross you see high above—that contains a precious scrap of tablecloth stained in the shape of a cross by a drop of communion wine considered to be the actual blood of Christ.

For 500 years, Riemenschneider’s altarpiece has greeted pilgrims as they stepped from the stairs into the room. It depicts a realistic commotion—with an almost pub-like vibe—showing that Riemenschneider, a High Gothic artist, was ahead of his time. Below, in the scene of the Last Supper, Jesus gives Judas a piece of bread, marking him as the traitor, while John lays his head on Christ’s lap. Judas, with his big bag of cash, could be removed from the scene (illustrated by photos on the wall nearby), as was the tradition for the four days leading up to Easter.

Everything is portrayed exactly as described in the Bible. In the relief panel on the left, Jesus enters the walled city of Jerusalem. Notice the exacting attention to detail—down to the nails on the horseshoe. In the relief panel on the right, Jesus prays in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Before continuing, take a moment to simply linger over the lovingly executed details: the curly locks of the apostles’ hair and beards, and the folds of their garments; the delicate vines intertwining above their heads; Jesus’ expression, at once tender and accusing.

• After leaving the church, walk around the corner to the right and under the chapel (built over the road). Go two blocks down Klingengasse and stop at the corner of the street called Klosterhof. Looking farther ahead of you down Klingengasse, you see the...

Klingentor

This tower was a critical part of Rothenburg’s water system. From 1595 until 1910, clean spring water was pumped up by river power to a tank in this tower and then, with the help of gravity, it flowed through the town. To the right of the Klingentor is a good stretch of wall rampart to walk. To the left, the wall is low and simple, lacking a rampart because it guards only a cliff.

Now, on your immediate left, find the shell decorating a building on the street corner next to you. That’s once again the symbol of St. James, perhaps indicating that this building is associated with the church.

• Turn left down Klosterhof, passing the shell and, on your right, the colorful, recommended Altfränkische Weinstube am Klosterhof pub (home of the English Conversation Club, mentioned earlier in “Helpful Hints”). As you approach the next stop, notice the lazy Susan embedded in the wall (to the right of the museum door), which allowed cloistered nuns to give food to the poor without being seen.

▲▲Rothenburg Museum

You’ll get a vivid and artifact-filled sweep through Rothenburg’s history at this excellent museum, housed in a former Dominican convent. The highlight for many is the painted glass mug said to have prompted the myth of the Meistertrunk.

Cost and Hours: €6; daily April-Oct and Dec 10:00-18:00, Nov-March 14:00-17:00; English floor plan available at entrance, Klosterhof 5, +49 9861 939 043, www.rothenburgmuseum.de.

Visiting the Museum: Use room numbers on the doorways as a guide as you look for the following highlights:

Immediately inside the entry, you’ll start your Rundgang (tour) by turning left, down the hall. But first, step straight ahead into the courtyard and imagine this as a working Dominican convent from the mid-1200s, a hive of religious activity inhabited by mostly noble women and a source of wealth and power for 13th-century Rothenburg. The museum fills the two floors of rooms that surround you.

At the end of the hall, find a modern city model and trace the city’s growth, its walls expanding like rings on a big tree. Before going upstairs, you’ll see medieval and Renaissance sculptures, including original sandstone statues from St. Jakob’s Church and the original 14 statues that once decorated the Baumeister Haus near Market Square (and the identities of the virtues and vices they represent).

Upstairs in the nuns’ dormitory are craftsmen’s signs that once hung outside shops (see if you can guess the craft before reading the museum’s label), ornate locks, tools for various professions, and a valuable collection of armor and weapons. Look for a glass case with the fabled Meistertrunk tankard.

You’ll then go through a series of rooms showcasing old furniture and ceramics. Downstairs is a room of weapons and the Baroque statues that decorated the organ loft in St. Jakob’s Church from 1669 until the 19th century, when they were cleared out to achieve “Gothic purity.”

The painting gallery is lined with Romantic paintings of Rothenburg, which served as the first tourist promotion and give visitors today a chance to envision the city as it appeared in centuries past. Look for the large, dreamy Victorian/Pre-Raphaelite work by Englishman Arthur Wasse (labeled “Es spukt”)—does that door look familiar?

Back downstairs near where you entered, circle left around the cloister to see a 14th-century convent kitchen (Klosterküche) with a working model of a lazy Susan (the kind that nuns would have used to share food with the poor outside the convent—go ahead, give it a swing) and a massive chimney (step inside and look up).

Continue around to an exhibit of Jewish culture in Rothenburg through the ages (Judaika). The richness of this collection is a reminder that an estimated 10 percent of Rothenburg’s medieval population was Jewish. Running a crossroads city of landlords and farmers, the town leaders understood how Jews brought needed business savvy, connections, and tax revenues, and welcomed them in the 13th century. (There’s a lane nearby still named Judengasse.)

Finally (in the Konventsaal), you’ll see the Rothenburger Passion. This 12-panel series of paintings showing scenes leading up to Christ’s Crucifixion dates from 1492.

• Leaving the museum, go around to the right and into the Convent Garden. (When locked at night, continue straight to the T-intersection and turn right.)

Convent Garden

Until the early 1800s the church stood here. Then, with the dissolution of the monasteries (by a government tired of reckoning with the power of the church and intent on modernizing), it was torn down. Nowadays, this spot is a peaceful place to work on your tan...or mix a poisoned potion.

Check out the show garden. Monks and nuns—who were responsible for concocting herbal cures in the olden days, finding disinfectants, and coming up with ways to disguise the taste of rotten food—often tended herb gardens like this. Smell (but don’t pick) the Pfefferminze (peppermint), Heidewacholder (juniper/gin), Rosmarin (rosemary), Lavandel (lavender), and the tallest plant, Hopfen (hops...monks were the great medieval brewers). Don’t smell the plants that are poisonous (potency is indicated by the number of crosses, like stars indicating spiciness on a Thai food menu). Appreciate the setting, taking in the fine architecture and expansive garden—all within the city walls, where land was at such a premium. It’s a reminder of the power of the pre-Reformation Church.

• Exit opposite from where you entered, angling through the nuns’ garden, leaving via an arch along the far wall. Then turn right and go downhill to the...

Town Wall

This part of the wall takes advantage of the natural fortification provided by the cliff (view through bars, look to far right) and is therefore much shorter than the ramparts.

• Angle left along the wall. Cross the big street (Herrngasse, with the Burgtor tower on your right—which we’ll enter from outside soon) and continue downhill on Burggasse until you hit another section of the town wall. Turn right, go through a small tower gate, and park yourself at the town’s finest viewpoint.

Castle Garden Viewpoint

From here enjoy a fine view of fortified Rothenburg. You’re looking at the Spitaltor end of town (with the most interesting gate and the former hospital). The droopy-eyed building at the far end of town (today’s youth hostel) was the horse mill—which provided grinding power when the water mill in the valley below was not working (during drought or siege). Stretching below you is the fine park-like land around the Tauber River, nicknamed the “Tauber Riviera.” After this walk, you can continue with my “Schmiedgasse-Spitalgasse Shopping Stroll,” which leads from Market Square down to this end of town, known as Plönlein, and then enter the city walls and walk the ramparts 180 degrees to the Klingentor tower (which we saw earlier on our walk, in the distance just after St. Jakob’s Church).

• Now explore deeper into the park. Walk 40 yards downhill to the info post about the castle.

Castle Garden (Burggarten) and the Burgtor Gate

In this park (study the drawing of the castle before there was a town here, c. 1140) stood a castle fortress until the 14th century, when the Holy Roman Emperor decided he didn’t need it and had it destroyed, telling the townsfolk they could use its stones for building projects. The chapel ahead on the left is the only surviving bit of the original castle—by far the oldest building in town today. In front of the chapel is a memorial to local Jews killed in a 1298 slaughter.

Inside the church are a few faint surviving frescoes (c. 1400) and the names of locals who died in World War I and World War II. The sign (dealing with the awkwardness of memorializing your losses when your team was the evil one) reads, “Here we remember the victims of WWII. May our sacrifice be the seed for world peace.”

A few steps beyond the church is a flowery trellis that provides a fine picnic spot. If you walk all the way out to the garden’s far end, you’ll find another great viewpoint (well past the tourists, and considered by local teenagers the best place to make out).

When you’re ready to leave the park, approach the Burgtor, the ornate fortified gate flanked by twin stubby towers, and imagine being locked out in the year 1400. (There’s a WC on the left.) The tall tower behind the gate was accessed by a wooden drawbridge—see the chain slits above the inner gate, and between them the fanciful “pitch” mask with holes designed to allow defenders to pour boiling Nutella on attackers. High above is the town coat of arms: a red (roten) castle (Burg).

As you go through the gate, study the big wooden door with the tiny “eye of the needle” door cut into it. If you were trying to enter town after curfew, you could have bribed the guard to let you through this door, which was small enough to keep out any fully armed attackers. Note also the square hole on the right and imagine the massive timber that once barricaded the gate.

• Now climb up the big street, Herrngasse, as you return to your starting point.

Herrngasse

Many towns have a Herrngasse, where the richest patricians and merchants (the Herren) lived. Predictably, it’s your best chance to see the town’s finest old mansions and pop into a beautiful church.

Strolling back to Market Square, you’ll pass, on the right, the Franciscan Church (from 1285—the oldest in town). Inside are the tombstones and coats of arms of the city’s nobles and Herren. The 12 Stations of the Cross, painted on wood across the rood screen that divided public and monks’ zones of worship, are worth a look. And the altar in the choir (far east end) is an early Riemenschneider from 1490 featuring Saint Francis receiving the stigmata.

Across the street, the mint-green house at #18 is the biggest patrician house on this main drag. The front door was big enough to allow a carriage to drive through it; a human-sized door cut into it was used by those on foot. The family, which has lived here for three centuries, has disconnected the four tempting old-time doorbells. The bar at #11 (Hornburghaus, on the right) offers a chance to poke into one of these big landowners’ homes and appreciate their structure: living quarters in front above carriage-sized doors, courtyard out back functioning as a garage, stables, warehouse, servants’ quarters, and a private well.

The public fountain is part of that gravity-powered system of running water that flowed here all the way from the tank atop Klingentor. It reads “new fountain, 1625.”

Farther up, also on the right, is Hotel Eisenhut, Rothenburg’s fanciest hotel and worth a peek inside. Finally, passing the Käthe Wohlfahrt Christmas headquarters/shop (described under “Shopping in Rothenburg,” later), you’ll be back at Market Square, where you started this walk.

• From here, you can continue walking by following my “Schmiedgasse-Spitalgasse Shopping Stroll,” next. This downhill stroll ends at the city gate called Spitaltor, a good access point for a walk on the town walls.

▲▲SCHMIEDGASSE-SPITALGASSE SHOPPING STROLL

After doing the basic town walk and visiting the town’s three essential interior sights (Rothenburg Museum, Medieval Crime and Punishment Museum, and St. Jakob’s Church), your next priority might be Rothenburg’s shops and its town wall. I’d propose this fun walk, which goes from Market Square in a straight line south (past the best selection of characteristic family-run shops) to the city’s most impressive fortification (Spitaltor).

Standing on Market Square, with your back to the TI, you’ll see a street sloping downward toward the south end of town. That’s where you’re headed. This street changes names as you walk, from Obere Schmiedgasse (Upper Blacksmith Street) to Spitalgasse (Hospital Street), and runs directly to the Spitaltor tower and gate. From Spitaltor you can access the town wall and walk the ramparts 180 degrees counterclockwise around the city to the Klingentor tower.

As you stroll down this delightful lane, feel welcome to pop in and explore any shop along this cultural and historical scavenger hunt. I’ve provided the street number and “left” or “right” to indicate the side of the street (see the “Walks in Rothenburg” map, earlier).

Market Square to Burggasse

The facade of the fine Renaissance Baumeister Haus at #3 (left) celebrates a secular (rather than religious) morality, with statues representing the seven virtues and the seven vices. Which ones do you recognize? (All are identified with the original statues in the Rothenburg Museum.)

At #5 (left), Gasthof Goldener Greifen was once the home of the illustrious Mayor Toppler (d. 1408). By the looks of its door (right of the main entrance), the mayor must have had an impressive wine cellar. Note the fine hanging sign (much nicer than “hanging out your shingle”) of a gilded griffin. Business signs in a mostly illiterate medieval world needed to be easy for all to read. The entire street is ornamented with fun signs like this one. Nearby, a pretzel marks the bakery, and the crossed swords advertise the weaponmaker.

Shops on both sides of the street at #7 display examples of Schneeballen gone wild. These “snowballs,” once a humble way to bake extra flour into a simple treat, are now iced and dolled up a million ways—none of which would be recognizable to the kids who originally enjoyed them.

Waffenkammer, at #9 (left), is “the weapons chamber,” where Johannes Wittmann works hard to make a wonderland in which young-at-heart tourists can shop for (and try out) medieval weapons, armor, and clothing. Fun photo ops abound, especially downstairs—where you can try on a set of chain mail and pose with a knight in shining armor (they give a 10 percent Rick Steves discount).

At #18 (right), Metzgerei Trumpp (which, locals stress, is no relation), is a top-end butcher and a carnivores’ heaven. Check out the endless wurst offerings in the window—a reminder that in the unrefrigerated Middle Ages meat needed to be smoked or salted. Locals who love bacon opt for fat slices of pork with crackling skins. (They offer cheap, fit-for-a-knight meals to go.)

Burggasse to Plönlein

At the next corner, with Burggasse, find the Catholic St. John’s Church. The Medieval Crime and Punishment Museum (just down the lane to the right) marks the site of Rothenburg’s first town wall. Below the church (on the right) is an old fountain.

The Jutta Korn shop, on the right at #4, showcases the work of a local artisan who designs her own jewelry. She’s been a jewelry master here for more than 30 years. At #6 (right), Leyk sells “lighthouses” made in town, many modeled after local buildings. At #7 (left), Rothenburg Photography, you can gawk at some artful pics of this town at its most magical (Thomas Endlein is the accomplished photographer).

Opposite #13, find a narrow lane (Ander Eich) that leads to a little viewpoint in the town wall. Overlooking the “Tauber Riviera,” it’s a popular romantic perch in the evening.

Kern Brennerei (on the corner at #14) is a fourth-generation spirits shop. They distill their schnapps from various fruits on their farm just out of town and sell it in cute little bottles. For an on-the-spot education, let them guide you through a couple of tastings (€2/2 cl shots are easily shareable). Let them know if you like it sweet or strong. Sniff and savor. Repeat.

The Sumiko Ishii souvenir shop, on the corner on the left, is a reminder that tourism from Asia is big business, and German shops have learned to cater to that crowd.

The Käthe Wohlfahrt shop at #19 (left) is one of the six Wohlfahrt stores around town, all owned by a local family and selling German clichés with gusto. Also on the left, at #21, the AnRa shop is where Annett Utz designs and sells her flowery clothes. You can pop in to see the actual work in the back. (There’s more of AnRa across the street at #26.) Annett was behind a recent initiative, called “Handmade in Rothenburg,” that formed a coalition among eight local business owners who make everything from chocolate to jewelry to ceramics.

At #29 (left), Glocke Weinladen am Plönlein is an inviting shop of wine glasses and related accessories and offers a nice selection of wines by the glass. Susi is evangelical about local wines.

The Gasthof Glocke, next door, with its wine-barrel-sized cellar door just waiting for some action, is a respected restaurant and home to the town’s last vintner—a wonderful place to try local wines, as they serve a flight of five tiny glasses (several different flights: half-dry white, dry white, red, and sweet dessert wines) for those ready to appreciate this production (see listing on here).

Plönlein to Spitalhof

The corner immediately to your right is dubbed Plönlein and is famously picturesque. Plönlein is named for the carpenter’s plumb line—a string that dangles exactly straight down when anchored by a plumb (a lead weight; the Latin word for lead is plumbum). The line helps carpenters build things straight, but of course, here, nothing is made “to plumb.” If this scene brings you back to your childhood, that’s because Rothenburg was the inspiration for the village in the 1940 Disney animated film Pinocchio.

At this point, stop and take a moment to notice the centuries-old “vernacular architecture” (developed to meet local needs), with the cute gables and higgledy-piggledy rooflines, tiny doors closing narrow slits between homes, and the fountain that’s hooked into pipes plumbed in the 1590s. In the Middle Ages, nothing was standard. Everything was built to order.

Walk a few more yards and look far up the lane (Neugasse) to the left. You’ll see some cute pastel buildings with uniform windows and rooflines—clues that the buildings were rebuilt after WWII bombings hit that part of town.

By the way, short-term rentals are gutting charming towns like this of their vitality all over Europe. (Tourist demand sends rents sky-high, driving locals out of town to make way for wealthier tourists, which changes the character of local businesses, and causes residents to feel like their town is no longer their town.) Rothenburg has put strict limits on Airbnb-type businesses and, thankfully, the community of Rothenburg survives.

Straight ahead, the Siebertstor Tower marks the next layer of expansion to the town wall. Continue through the tower. The former tannery is now a pub featuring Landwehr Bräu, the local brew.

Farther along, at #14 (right), Antiq & Trödel, which smells like an antique shop should, is fun to browse through. Across the street at #19 is Ballon Fahrten (insert your own joke here).

Still farther down, on the left at #25, Hotel-Café Gerberhaus is a stop for a coffee and cake, with a delicate dining room and a peaceful courtyard hiding out back under the town wall.

Spitalhof and Spitaltor

This last stretch is a little less commercial. This is Spitalhof—the former Hospital Quarter—with some nice architecture and the town’s retirement home. Stick with me and continue a few blocks to Spitaltor, the gate with the tall tower marking the end of town (and a good place to begin a ramparts ramble, if you’re up for it).

In any walled city, the gate—made of wood—was the weak point. A bastion is an architectural shield, built beyond the wall proper to protect its wooden doors from cannon fire. Spitaltor is a double bastion, built around 1600 with the advent of stronger artillery. Walk through the gate (taking note of the stairs to the right—that’s where you can climb up into the bastion). Notice how the entry is curved: Any cannon that got past the first door and tried to blow the second door down would be vulnerable to cannon fire from the ramparts and arrows from the slits above.

Outside the fortified gate is the ditch that kept artillery at a distance (most medieval moats were dry like this one; water and alligators were mostly added by Hollywood). Standing outside the wall, ponder this sight as if approaching the city 400 years ago. The wealth of a city was shown by its walls and towers. (Stone was costly—in fact, the German saying for “filthy rich” is “stone rich.”)

Circle around to the right. Look up at the formidable tower. The guardhouse atop it, one of several in the wall, was manned 24/7. Above the entry gate, notice the emblem: Angels bless the double eagle of the Holy Roman Emperor, which blesses the town (symbolized by the two red towers). Cross the wooden bridge ahead and take a right. Hook right again and climb a few steps into the cannon gallery upstairs in the double bastion—with stone ramps rather than stairs so that horse-drawn caissons bearing ammunition could make deliveries easily (free, always open, worth exploring but very dark).

From here you can start your ramparts walk around the east side of town (see “Walk the Wall” on here). Or you can hike back up the street you just walked down to return to the town center.

Sights in Rothenburg

ON AND NEAR MARKET SQUARE

▲Town Hall Tower

▲▲Medieval Crime and Punishment Museum (Mittelalterliches Kriminalmuseum)

▲German Christmas Museum (Deutsches Weihnachtsmuseum)

▲Craftsman’s House (Alt-Rothenburger Handwerkerhaus)

ALONG THE WALL

▲▲Walk the Wall

▲The Allergic-to-Tourists Wall and Moat Walk

St. Wolfgang’s Church

NEAR ROTHENBURG

▲A Walk in the Countryside

Franconian Bike Ride

Franconian Open-Air Museum (Fränkisches Freilandmuseum)

ON AND NEAR MARKET SQUARE

▲Town Hall Tower

From Market Square you can see tourists on the crow’s nest capping the Town Hall’s tower. For a commanding view from the town’s tallest perch, climb the steps of the tower. It’s a rigorous but interesting 214-step climb that gets narrow and steep near the top—watch your head. Be here during the first or last hour of the day to avoid day-tripping crowds.

Cost and Hours: €2.50, pay at top, daily in season 9:30-12:30 & 13:00-17:00, enter from the grand steps overlooking Market Square.

▲▲Medieval Crime and Punishment Museum (Mittelalterliches Kriminalmuseum)

Specializing in everything connected to medieval criminal justice, this museum (well described in English) is a cut above all the tacky and popular torture museums around Europe. Nearly everything on display here is an actual medieval artifact. In addition to ogling spiked chairs, thumbscrews, and shame masks, you’ll learn about medieval police and criminal law. The museum is more eclectic than its name and includes exhibits on general history, superstition, biblical art, and so on.

Cost and Hours: €10, includes art exhibit; daily 10:00-18:00, Nov-March 13:00-16:00; last entry 45 minutes before closing, fun cards and posters, Burggasse 3, +49 9861 5359, www.kriminalmuseum.eu.

Visiting the Museum: It’s a one-way route. Just follow the orange arrows and you’ll see it all. Keep an eye out for several well-done interactive media stations that provide extra background on the museum’s highlights.

From the entrance, head downstairs to the cellar to see some enhanced-interrogation devices. Torture was common in the Middle Ages—not to punish, but to extract a confession (medieval “justice” required a confession). Just the sight of these tools was often enough to make an innocent man confess. You’ll see the rack, “stretching ladder,” thumb screws, spiked leg screws, and other items that would make Dick Cheney proud. Medieval torturers also employed a waterboarding-like technique—but here, the special ingredient was holy water.

Upstairs, on the first and second floors, the walls are lined with various legal documents of the age, while the glass cases show off law-enforcement tools—many of them quite creative. Shame was a big tool back then. The town could publicly humiliate those who ran afoul of the law by tying them to a pillory in the main square and covering their faces with an iron mask of shame. Fanciful mask decorations indicated the crime: Chicken feathers meant promiscuity, horns indicated that a man’s wife slept around (i.e., cuckold), and a snout suggested that the person had acted piggishly. A gossip might wear a mask with giant ears (heard everything), eyeglasses (saw everything), and a giant, wagging tongue (couldn’t keep her mouth shut). The infamous “iron maiden” started out as more of a “shame barrel”; the internal spikes were added to play up popular lore when it went on display for 19th-century tourists. For more serious offenses, criminals were branded—so that even if they left town, they’d take that shame with them for the rest of their lives. When all else failed, those in charge could always turn to the executioner’s sword.

Witchcraft was big here in the 16th and 17th centuries. To safely capture potential witches, lawmen used a device resembling a metal collar—with spikes pointing in—that was easy to get into but nearly impossible to get out of. A neck violin—like a portable version of a stock—kept the accused under control. (The double neck violin could be used to lock together a quarrelsome couple to force them to work things out.) The chastity belts were used to ensure a wife’s loyalty (giving her traveling husband peace of mind) and/or to protect women from rape, then a commonplace crime.

The exit routes you through a courtyard garden to a last building with temporary exhibits and a café. If you must buy a Schneeball, consider doing it here. A recent blind taste test among the town’s tour guides deemed these the best. They’re inexpensive; they come in regular, medium, and bite-sized; and you’ll support the museum.

▲German Christmas Museum (Deutsches Weihnachtsmuseum)

This excellent museum, in a Disney-esque space upstairs in the giant Käthe Wohlfahrt Christmas Village shop, tells the history of Christmas decorations. There’s a unique and thoughtfully described collection of tree stands, mini trees sent in boxes to WWI soldiers at the front, early Advent calendars, old-time Christmas cards, Christmas pyramids, and a look at the evolution of Father Christmas as well as tree decorations through the ages—including the Nazi era and when you were a kid. The museum is not just a ploy to get shoppers to spend more money but also a serious collection managed by professional curator Felicitas Höptner.

Cost and Hours: €5 most of the year, RS%—€4 low-season rate year-round with this book; daily 10:00-17:00, shorter and irregular hours Jan-March; Herrngasse 1, +49 9861 409 365, www.christmasmuseum.com.

▲Craftsman’s House (Alt-Rothenburger Handwerkerhaus)

If all the higgledy-piggledy buildings make you curious about how people lived way back when, stop into this restored 700-year-old home to see the everyday life of a Rothenburger in the town’s heyday. You’ll crouch under low ceilings as you explore a house that doesn’t seem to have a single right angle—kitchen (with soot-blackened ceilings); tight, shared bedrooms; and attic workshop. Ponder the rugged reality of medieval life. While the house itself is fascinating, information (in any language) is scarce; pick up the free, paltry English handout, or shell out some cash for a little more background.

Cost and Hours: €3, Tue-Sun 11:00-15:00, closed Mon and Nov-Easter except in early Dec, two blocks east of Market Square, near Markus Tower at Alter Stadtgraben 26.

ALONG THE WALL

▲▲Walk the Wall

Just longer than a mile and a half around, providing great views and a good orientation, this walk can be done by those under six feet tall in less than an hour. The hike requires no special sense of balance. Much of the walk is covered and is a great option in the rain. Photographers will stay very busy, especially before breakfast or during the “blue hour” (immediately after sunset), when the lighting is best and the crowds are gone. You can enter or exit the ramparts at nearly every tower. Try going up the Rödertor (€2 to climb, usually open June-Aug daily 11:00-14:00, April-May and Sept-Oct weekends only, closed Nov-March).

While the ramparts circle the city, some stretches aren’t walkable: Along much of the western side of town, you can’t walk atop the wall, but you can walk right alongside it and peek over or through it for great views outward from street level. Refer to the “Rothenburg” map at the start of this chapter to see which portions of the wall are walkable.

If you want to make a full town circuit, Spitaltor—at the south end of town, with the best fortifications—is a good starting place. From here it’s a counterclockwise walk along the eastern and northern ramparts. After exiting at Klingentor you can still follow the wall for a bit, but you’ll have to cut inland, away from the wall, when you hit the Rothenburg Museum and again near the Medieval Crime and Punishment Museum. At the Kohlturm tower, back at the southern end of town, you can climb the stairs and walk atop the remaining short stretch of wall to the Spitalhof quarter, where you’ll need to exit again. Spitaltor, where you started, is just a Schneeball’s toss away.

The TI has installed a helpful series of English-language plaques at 22 stops along the route. The names you see along the way belong to people who donated money to rebuild the wall after World War II, and those who’ve more recently donated for the maintenance of Rothenburg’s heritage.

▲The Allergic-to-Tourists Wall and Moat Walk

For a quiet and scenic break from the tourist crowds and a chance to appreciate the marvelous fortifications of Rothenburg, consider this clockwise hike: From the Castle Garden, walk outside the wall (heading north) to the Klingentor. At the Klingentor, climb up to the ramparts and walk on the wall past the Galgentor to the Rödertor. Then descend, leave the old town, and hike through the park (alongside the moat) down to the playground at Ruckesser. Hug the interior wall along Sterngasse until it leads you to the main drag, Spitalgasse. Walk down to Spitaltor to explore the fortifications, then return to Spitalgasse and walk past a few houses up the street. Find the pointed arch to the left of the church and head through to the open area of Spitalhof.

This was the hospital quarter with a few buildings (the nursing home, church, fire water supply, and—until the 1950s—the actual hospital) still in use after 700 years. The administrator’s house boasted an external spiral staircase. This park-like area is undeveloped for the tourist. Find the amphitheater (from the 21st century AD) and keep it on your left as you walk past it and through an opening in the wall. Find the Kalkturm gate and exit to a path that leads along the upper scenic reaches of the river valley and above the vineyards back to the Castle Garden (marked as Panoramaweg on local maps).

St. Wolfgang’s Church

This fortified Gothic church (which feels like a pale imitation of St. Jakob’s) is built into the medieval wall at the Klingentor. While it sounds intriguing—and looks striking from the outside—its dungeon-like passages and shepherd’s-dance exhibit are pretty underwhelming.

Cost and Hours: €3; Aug-Sept daily 10:00-13:00 & 13:30-16:30; April-July and Oct Fri-Sat 9:30-17:00, Sun until 13:00, closed Mon-Thu; closed Nov-March.

NEAR ROTHENBURG

▲A Walk in the Countryside

This pleasant stroll—easy and downhill at the start, with an uphill return at the end—takes you through the tranquil countryside below Rothenburg, including stops at a characteristic little “castle-ette,” a Biergarten, and a historic church.

From the Burggarten (castle garden), head into the Tauber Valley. As you come through the Burgtor into the castle garden, veer left to find the path that leads out of the garden (via the archway below and to the left of the chapel). At the fork just beyond the arch, keep right and head down and around, keeping the castle garden on your right. A few minutes later, at the next big fork, continue downhill (the level path on the right leads around and back into the castle garden). From here the trail becomes quite steep, taking you down to the wooden covered bridge on the valley floor. Across the bridge, the road goes left to Toppler Castle (5 minutes away) and right (downstream, with a pleasant parallel footpath) to Detwang (20 minutes).

Tiny Toppler Castle (Topplerschlösschen) is cute, skinny, sky-blue, and 600 years old. It was the castle/summer home of the medieval Mayor Toppler. The tower’s top looks like a house—a sort of tree fort for grownups. It’s in a farmer’s garden, and while generally closed to visitors these days, it’s still worth a look from the outside (open to groups of at least 5 people—call ahead, €3 each, one mile from town center at Taubertalweg 100, +49 9861 7358).

People say the mayor had this valley-floor escape built to get people to relax about leaving the fortified town...or to hide a mistress. After leaving the “castle,” you can continue straight along the same road to reach the big bridge in the valley just below town; from here, various roads and paths lead steeply back up into town.

Or, to extend your stroll, walk back to the small footbridge and follow the river downstream (passing the recommended Unter den Linden beer garden) to the peaceful village of Detwang. One of the oldest villages in Franconia, Detwang dates from 968. Like Rothenburg, it has a Riemenschneider altarpiece in its Church of Sts. Peter and Paul. Founded more than a millennium ago, this church has a dimly lit Romanesque interior with some Gothic frills. Riemenschneider’s Altar of the Holy Cross depicts the moment when Christ, up on the cross, takes his last breath. While the central figures carry the same level of detail and emotion as any of Riemenschneider’s work, the side panels (praying in Gethsemane on the left, the Resurrection on the right) exhibit a bit less mastery than the altarpiece in St. Jakob’s. Originally carved for a church in Rothenburg, the altar was later trimmed to fit this smaller space. Notice the soldier on the right looking at an angle into thin air. Before being scooted in, his gaze fell on the dying Christ. Angels and other figures were cut out entirely.

From Detwang, it’s a reasonably steep 15-minute hike back up into Rothenburg (arriving at the northern edge of town), or backtrack to the wooden footbridge—or all the way to Toppler Castle—and head up from there.

Franconian Bike Ride

To get a fun, breezy look at the countryside around Rothenburg, rent a bike (see “Helpful Hints,” earlier). For a pleasant 10.5-mile, half-day pedal, do the first portion of the 60-mile “Delightful Tauber Valley” bike route. Escape the old town through the Rödertor, bike along Topplerweg to Spitaltor, and follow the curvy road down into the river valley. Turn right at the yellow Leutzenbronn sign to cross the double-arcaded bridge. From here a peaceful road follows the river downstream to Detwang, passing the cute Toppler Castle (described earlier). From Detwang, follow the main road to the old mill, and turn left to follow the Liebliches Taubertal bike path signs as far up the Tauber River (direction: Bettwar) as you like. About 5.2 miles from Rothenburg (and 2.5 miles after Detwang), you’ll arrive in the sleepy farming town of Bettwar, where you can claim a spot among the chickens and the apple trees for a picnic or have a drink at one of the two restaurants in town. Ride back the way you came to return to Rothenburg.

Franconian Open-Air Museum (Fränkisches Freilandmuseum)

A 20-minute drive from Rothenburg—in the undiscovered “Rothenburgy” town of Bad Windsheim—is an open-air folk museum that, compared with others in Europe, is a bit humble. But it tries very hard and gives you a good look at traditional rural Franconia.

Cost and Hours: €7, daily 9:00-18:00, shorter hours Nov-Feb, check website for schedule, last entry one hour before closing, +49 9841 66800, www.freilandmuseum.de.

Shopping in Rothenburg

Take note...Rothenburg is one of Germany’s best shopping towns. Do it here and be done with it. Lovely prints, carvings, wine glasses, Christmas tree ornaments, and beer steins are popular. Rödergasse is the old town’s everyday shopping street. There’s also a modern shopping center across the street from the train station.

To find local artisans, pick up the Handmade in Rothenburg pamphlet at the TI or visit the group’s website (www.rothenburg-handmade.com).

For an appealing string of family-run shops, follow my “Schmiedgasse-Spitalgasse Shopping Stroll” (described earlier, under “Walks in Rothenburg”). Below are two shops not on that walk:

Käthe Wohlfahrt Christmas Headquarters

Rothenburg is the headquarters of the Käthe Wohlfahrt Christmas trinkets empire, which has spread across the half-timbered reaches of Europe. Rothenburg has six Wohlfahrts. Tourists flock to the two biggest, just below Market Square (Herrngasse 1 and 2). Start with the Christmas Village (Weihnachtsdorf) at Herrngasse 1. This Christmas wonderland is filled with enough twinkling lights (196,000—mostly LEDs) to require a special electrical hookup. You’re greeted by instant Christmas mood music (best appreciated on a hot day in July) and tourists hungrily filling little woven shopping baskets with goodies to hang on their trees (items handmade in Germany are the most expensive). With this book, you’ll get 10 percent off official wooden KW products (look for the Käthes Original tag; must show book to receive discount).

Let the spinning, flocked tree whisk you in, and pause at the wall of Steiff stuffed animals, jerking uncontrollably and mesmerizing little kids. Then head downstairs following a strict one-way route to find the vast and sprawling “made in Germany” section, surrounding a slowly spinning 15-foot tree decorated with a thousand glass balls. The fascinating Christmas Museum upstairs is described earlier, under “Sights in Rothenburg”; there’s a smaller shop across the street at Herrngasse 2. Käthe opened her first storefront here in Rothenburg in 1977. The company is now run by her son Harald, who lives in town (Christmas Village open Mon-Sat 10:00-18:00, Sun from 10:00 beginning in early May; shorter hours at other locations).

Friese Shop

Cuckoo with friendliness, trinkets, and reasonably priced souvenirs, the Friese shop has been open for more than 90 years—and they’ve been welcoming my readers for more than 30 of those years. They give shoppers with this book a 10 percent discount off all items and a free pictorial map. Run for many years by Anneliese Friese, it’s now lovingly run by her son, Bernie. Tired travelers may leave their bags in the back room for free (Mon-Sat 11:00-16:00, closed Sun, 20 steps off Market Square at Grüner Markt 8—around the corner from TI and across from free public WC, +49 9861 7166).

Sleeping in Rothenburg

Rothenburg is crowded with visitors, but most are day-trippers. Except for the rare Saturday night and during festivals (see here), finding a room is easy. Competition keeps quality high. If you want to splurge, you’ll snare the best value by paying extra for the biggest and best rooms at the hotels I recommend. In the off-season (Nov and Jan-March), hoteliers may be willing to discount.

Train travelers save steps by staying in the Rödertor area (east end of town). Hotels and guesthouses will sometimes pick up tired heavy-packers at the station. If you’re driving, call ahead to get directions and parking tips. Save some energy to climb the stairs: Only one of my recommended hotels has an elevator.

Keep your key when out late. As Rothenburg’s hotels are small and mostly family-run, they often lock up early (at about 22:00) and take one day a week off, so you’ll need to let yourself in at those times.

For locations, see the “Rothenburg” map near the beginning of this chapter.

IN THE OLD TOWN

€€€€ Hotel Herrnschlösschen prides itself on being the smallest (eight rooms) and most exclusive hotel in Rothenburg. If you’re looking for a splurge, this is your best bet. This 1,000-year-old building has a beautiful Baroque garden and every amenity you’d ever want (including a sauna), but you’ll pay for them (Herrngasse 20, +49 9861 873 890, www.hotel-rothenburg.de, info@herrnschloesschen.de).

€€€ Gästehaus Edelzimmer Rothenburg, offering four apartments with kitchenettes, provides splurge-worthy comfort. Three apartments in a 16th-century building are outfitted in contemporary German style and a separate two-bedroom guesthouse has charming Bavarian decor (look for painted Gästehaus Viktoria sign, free parking and self-service laundry, Klingengasse 8, +49 163 7710 959, www.edelzimmer.de, contact@edelzimmer.de, Jennifer and Martin Menzel).

€€ Gasthof Goldener Greifen, once Mayor Toppler’s home, is a big, traditional, 650-year-old place with 14 spacious rooms and all the comforts. It’s run by a helpful family staff and creaks with rustic splendor (family rooms, easy pay parking, half a block downhill from Market Square at Obere Schmiedgasse 5, +49 9861 2281, www.gasthof-greifen-rothenburg.de, info@gasthof-greifen-rothenburg.de, Ursula and Klingler family). The family also runs a good restaurant, serving meals in the back garden or dining room.

€€ Hotel Kloster-Stüble, deep in the old town near the castle garden, is one of my classiest listings. Twenty-one rooms, plus two apartments, each with its own special touches, fill two medieval buildings connected by a modern atrium (family rooms, just off Herrngasse at Heringsbronnengasse 5, +49 9861 938 890, www.klosterstueble.de, hotel@klosterstueble.de, energetic Erika).

€€ Hotel Gerberhaus mixes modern comforts into 20 bright and airy rooms—some with four-poster Himmel beds—that maintain a sense of half-timbered elegance. Enjoy the pleasant garden in back and the delightful breakfast buffet. It’s just inside the town wall, a five-minute walk to the main square (family rooms, apartment, pay parking, pay laundry, Spitalgasse 25, +49 9861 94900, www.hotelgerberhaus.com, info@hotelgerberhaus.com, Inge).

€€ Hotel Altfränkische Weinstube am Klosterhof is the place for well-heeled bohemians. Mario and Hanne rent eight cozy rooms above their dark and evocative pub in a 650-year-old building. It’s an upscale Lord of the Rings atmosphere, with modern plumbing, open-beam ceilings, and some canopied four-poster beds (off Klingengasse at Klosterhof 7, +49 9861 6404, www.altfraenkische.de, altfraenkische-weinstube@web.de). Their pub is a candlelit classic—and a favorite with locals, serving hot food to Hobbits (see listing later, under “Eating in Rothenburg”).

€€ Gasthof zum Breiterle offers 23 comfortable rooms with wooden accents above their spacious breakfast room near the Rödertor. Because the inn sits on a busy street, light sleepers may want to request a room not facing Wenggasse (apartment, reception in breakfast room, pay parking, Rödergasse 30, +49 9861 6730, www.breiterle.de, anfrage@breiterle.de, Mike and Nicole).

€ Pension Elke, run by Klaus Endress, rents 12 comfy rooms above the family grocery store (RS%, cheaper rooms with shared bath; reception in grocery store until 19:00, otherwise go around back and ring bell at top of stairs; near Markus Tower at Rödergasse 6, +49 9861 2331, www.pension-elke-rothenburg.de, info@pension-elke-rothenburg.de).

€ Gästehaus Raidel rents eight rooms in a 500-year-old house filled with beds and furniture all handmade by friendly, soft-spoken Norry Raidel. The ramshackle ambience makes me want to sing the Addams Family theme song, but the place has a rare, time-passed family charm. Norry, who plays in a Dixieland band, has invented a fascinating hybrid saxophone/trombone called the Norryphone...and loves to jam (family rooms, cash only, pleasant terrace with small garden, Wenggasse 3, +49 9861 3115, Norry asks you to use the reservations form at www.gaestehaus-raidel.de).

€ Hotel Schwarzer Adler feels old-fashioned in a good way—like a little family-run hotel from the 1940s. Its 15 rooms are basic but comfortable, and the whole place is clearly a labor of love for your hosts, young couple Marko and Clementia (Klingengasse 12, +49 9861 976 5900, www.hotel-schwarzeradler.de, info@hotel-schwarzeradler.de).

€ Gästehaus Gerlinger, a fine value, has five comfortable rooms in a pretty 16th-century house with a small terrace for guests (family apartment, cash only, easy parking, Schlegeleinsweth 10, +49 9861 87979, +49 171 690 0752, www.pension-gerlinger.de, info@pension-gerlinger.de, Hermann).

€ Kreuzerhof Hotel offers 11 decent rooms (and an apartment) surrounding a courtyard on a quiet side street near the Rödertor (family rooms, pay parking in courtyard, Millergasse 2, +49 9861 3424, www.kreuzerhof.eu, info@kreuzerhof.eu, Heike and Walter Maltz).

€ Gästehaus Liebler, run by Frau Liebler, rents two large, modern, ground-floor rooms with kitchenettes. They’re great for those looking for real privacy close to the action. On the top floor is an attractive two-bedroom apartment (RS% for stays of three nights or more, no breakfast but café nearby, cash only, behind Christmas shop at Pfäffleinsgässchen 10, +49 9861 709 215, www.gaestehaus-liebler.de, info@gaestehaus-liebler.de). Frau Liebler has three more apartments a couple of blocks away.

¢ Rossmühle Youth Hostel rents 178 beds in two institutional yet charming buildings. Reception is in the huge building with droopy dormer windows—formerly a horse-powered mill, it was used when the old town was under siege and the river-powered mill was inaccessible (private rooms sometimes available, membership required, full board available, close to P1 parking lot, Mühl-acker 1—entrance on Rossmühlgasse, +49 9861 94160, www.jugendherberge.de/jugendherbergen/rothenburg-ob-der-tauber).

OUTSIDE THE WALL

€€ Wildbad provides a tranquil escape on the edge of the Tauber River. Built into the hillside and offering 58 stylish rooms, this historic building occupies the site of a former 10th-century spa. The owners promote mixing and mingling of guests (including pilgrims walking the Camino de Santiago)—TVs are found in common areas only. The vast park surrounding the hotel, replete with walking trails, offers free summer concerts and Sunday Kaffee und Kuchen on the terrace. There’s even a covered Kegeln lane where you can rent 19th-century wooden pins and try your hand at ninepin bowling. An elevator covers the first seven floors, but you’ll have to walk to the eighth, where there’s a tiny chapel and library (family rooms, free parking, Taubertalweg 42, +49 9861 9770, www.wildbad.de, info@wildbad.de). While it’s walkable to town, those arriving by train can take a taxi for around €8.

€ Pension Fuchsmühle is charmingly located in a renovated old mill on the river below the castle end of Rothenburg, across from Toppler Castle. It feels rural but is a pleasant (though steep) 15-minute hike from Market Square or a €12 taxi ride from the train station. Alex and Heidi Molitor offer eight bright, modern, light-wood rooms. The building’s electric power comes from the millwheel by the entrance, with excess sold to the municipal grid (family rooms, healthy farm-fresh breakfast, free parking, Taubertalweg 101, +49 9861 92633, www.fuchsmuehle.de, info@fuchsmuehle.de).

Eating in Rothenburg

My recommendations are all within a five-minute walk of Market Square. While all survive on tourism, many still feel like local hangouts. You’ll see regional Franconian (fränkische) specialties advertised, such as the German ravioli called Maultaschen and Franconian bratwurst (similar to other brats, but a bit more coarsely ground, with less fat, and liberally seasoned with marjoram). Many restaurants take a midafternoon break and stop serving lunch at 14:00; dinner may end as early as 20:00. Small-town Germans often skip the starter and dessert, since main dishes can be huge. Splitting is no problem.

For locations, see the “Rothenburg” map near the beginning of this chapter.

TRADITIONAL GERMAN RESTAURANTS

€€€ Reichsküchenmeister’s interior is a classic scene with professional service. But on a balmy evening, its pleasant tree-shaded terrace overlooking St. Jakob’s Church is the place to be. Their reliably good dishes are hard to beat—traditional standards, plus the Flammkuchen—a southern-German-style pizza (dinner only, daily, reservations smart, Kirchplatz 8, +49 9861 970 506, www.hotel-reichskuechenmeister-rothenburg.de).

€€€ Hotel Restaurant Kloster-Stüble, on a small street off Herrngasse near the castle garden, offers traditional and youthful international cuisine with seasonal specials. Chef Christian prepares some good homemade Maultaschen. Choose from their sleek-and-stony modern dining room, woody traditional dining room, or shady modern terrace (dinner only, closed Mon-Tue, Heringsbronnengasse 5, +49 9861 938 890).

€€ Gasthof Goldener Greifen, in a historic building with a peaceful garden out back, is just off the main square. The Klingler family serves quality Franconian food at a good price...and with a smile. The wood is ancient and polished from generations of happy use, and the ambience is practical rather than posh (affordable kids’ meals, closed Tue, Obere Schmiedgasse 5, +49 9861 2281, Ursula).

€€ Altfränkische Weinstube am Klosterhof seems designed for gnomes to celebrate their anniversaries. At this very dark stube, classically candlelit in a 650-year-old building, Mario whips up gourmet pub grub (dinner only, closed Mon-Tue, off Klingengasse at Klosterhof 7, +49 9861 6404). If you’d like to dine with a few locals, a table is held Wednesdays at 19:00 for the English Conversation Club (all invited, see “Helpful Hints,” earlier).

€€ Zum Pulverer (“The Powderer”) is a very traditional Weinstube (wine bar) just inside the Burgtor gate that serves a menu of good salads and regional fare, with some modern flourishes. Franzi’s Rothenburger Gruschberle (roasted pork, onions, and potatoes with a fried egg) is a hit and plenty big to share. The interior is a cozy wood-hewn place that oozes history, with chairs artfully carved in the shape of past senators of Rothenburg (Wed-Sun 17:00-late, closed Mon-Tue, Herrngasse 31, +49 9861 976 182).

€€ Alter Keller is a modest, tourist-friendly restaurant with a faux-characteristic interior and outdoor tables on a peaceful square just a couple of blocks off Market Square. The menu has German classics at reasonable prices—spaetzle, schnitzel, pork shoulders, and goulash—as well as steak (dinner only, closed Mon-Tue, Alter Keller 8, +49 9861 2268, Markus and Miriam).

A NON-FRANCONIAN SPLURGE

€€€€ HerR Restaurant is a good option for a romantic, gourmet splurge. They offer a small menu of international and seasonal dishes (not Franconian) with a theme. There’s always a serious vegetarian option and a fixed-price degustation meal with matching wine (5 courses, €130). The dining room is whisper-elegant and the Baroque garden dining out back is aristocratic. Reservations are a must (dinner only, closed Tue-Wed, Herrngasse 20, +49 1523 160 1819, www.hotel-rothenburg.de).

BREAKS FROM PORK AND POTATOES

€€ Pizzeria Roma is the locals’ favorite for pizza and pastas, with good Italian wine. The Magrini family moved here from Tuscany in 1968 (many Italians immigrated to Germany in those years), and they’ve been cooking pasta for Rothenburg ever since. Diana serves while Riccardo cooks (family-friendly, nice sidewalk tables, reservations smart—call, closed Wed and mid-Aug-mid-Sept, Galgengasse 23, +49 9861 4540,). If full, Restaurant Michelangelo (at the gate called Rödertor) with delightful seating just outside the wall, has a bigger, pricier menu, and generally has more seats open.

€ TobinGo, just off Market Square, serves cheap and tasty Turkish food to eat in or take away. Their döner kebab is perhaps the best €9 hot meal in Rothenburg (daily, Hafengasse 2).

SANDWICHES AND SNACKS

€€ Café Lebenslust is a charmingly shabby-chic local favorite for lunch, with a healthy menu of breakfast, salad bowls, vegetarian and vegan plates, and yummy cakes (Wed-Sun 9:00-17:30, closed Mon-Tue, across from St. Jakob’s church at Kirchgasse 5, +49 986 1917 9478, Nadine).

€ Brot & Zeit (a pun on Brotzeit, “bread time,” the German term for snacking), a block off Market Square, is like a German bakery dressed up as a Starbucks. They sell takeaway coffee, sandwiches, and a few hot dishes, making it a good one-stop shop for grabbing a meal to go or to eat inside or outside at its few small tables (daily 7:00-18:30, next to Markus Tower gate at Hafengasse 24, +49 9861 936 8701).

Bakery and Butcher Sandwiches: While any bakery in town can sell you a sandwich for a few euros, I like to pop into € Metzgerei Trumpp, a high-quality butcher shop serving up cheap and tasty sausages on a bun with kraut to go. Be adventurous and sample the nice variety of meats (Mon-Fri 9:00-17:00, Sat until 13:00, closed Sun, a block off Market Square at Schmiedgasse 18).

Grocery Stores: Endress Feinkost, a small, almost comically labyrinthine grocery store, is your best bet for vittles in the center of town at Rödergasse 6 (daily 8:00-19:00). Larger supermarkets are outside the wall: The big Kaufland is across from the train station, and Edeka is about a five-minute walk from Spitaltor (grocery stores generally open Mon-Sat until 20:00, closed Sun).

BEER GARDENS

Rothenburg’s beer gardens can be great fun, but they’re open only when the weather is balmy. My first listing is just outside the gate; the second is a hike away in the valley.

€€ Gasthof Rödertor, just outside the wall through the Rödertor, runs a backyard Biergarten that’s popular with locals. It’s great for a rowdy crowd looking for classic beer garden grub and good beer. Their passion is potatoes—the menu is dedicated to spud cuisine. Try a plate of Kartoffelnocken—carb-tastic potato dumplings—or their potato crust pizzas (May-Sept Tue-Fri from 17:30, Sat-Sun until 21:00, closed Mon and in bad weather, table service only, Ansbacher Strasse 7, look for wooden gate, +49 9861 2022). If the Biergarten is closed, their indoor restaurant, with a more extensive menu, is a good value (Wed-Sun 17:30-20:30, closed Mon-Tue).

€ Unter den Linden is a family-friendly (with sandbox and swing), slightly bohemian Biergarten in the valley along the river. It’s worth the 20-minute hike on a pleasant evening (in season with decent weather open Wed-Sun from 14:00, closed Mon-Tue, good food and good beer, order at the kiosk and they’ll yell your name when it’s ready, Kurze Steige 7, +49 9861 5909). As it’s in the valley on the river, it’s cooler than Rothenburg; bring a sweater. Take a right outside the Burgtor, then a left on the footpath toward Detwang; it’s at the bottom of the hill on the left.

BREAKFAST CAFES AND BAKERIES

€ Friedel Bäckerei Café is a cute little place right on the main square with a good breakfast menu, enticing baked goods, a sweet café upstairs, and tables outside (daily from 8:00, across from the TI at Markt 8).

€ Café Einzig Artig mixes its cute tables with a secondhand store to create a fun and frilly zone for breakfast, coffee and cakes, soups, and sandwiches (Tue-Sun 9:00-17:00, closed Mon, Galgengasse 33).

You could also breakfast at Café Lebenslust (listed earlier), € Striffler Bakery (open from 8:30, across from St. John’s Church at Schmiedgasse 1), and Brot & Zeit (more practical than charming, self-service, quiet tables in back, listed earlier).

ICE CREAM AND SWEETS

Eis Café D’Isep, with a pleasant “Venetian minimalist” interior, has been making gelato in Rothenburg since 1960, using family recipes that span four generations. They proudly serve up cakes, drinks, fresh-fruit ice cream, and fancy sundaes. Their sidewalk tables are great for lazy people-watching (daily 10:00-21:00, closes early Oct-mid-Feb, one block off Market Square at Hafengasse 17, run by Paola D’Isep and son Enrico).

The Allegra Schokolade chocolate shop is run by delightful Alex, a pastry chef-turned-chocolatier who trained in Switzerland. He makes artisan chocolates with local ingredients like mint, hazelnuts, and even beer—free samples on request (Tue-Fri 10:00-13:00 & 13:30-18:00, Sat 10:00-17:00, sometimes open Sun from 11:00, closed Mon; DIY chocolate workshops described on website; Georgengasse 9, www.allegra-schokolade.de).

Pastries: Rothenburg’s bakeries (Bäckereien) offer succulent pastries, pies, and cakes...but skip the bad-tasting Rothenburger Schneeballen. Unworthy of the heavy promotion they receive, Schneeballen are bland pie crusts crumpled into a ball and dusted with powdered sugar or frosted with sticky-sweet glop. If the curiosity is too much to bear, avoid the slick places on the busier tourist avenues—instead, try a fresh (frisch), handmade (handgemacht) one from a smaller bakery or a sweet mini-Schnee at the Medieval Crime and Punishment Museum’s café. There’s little reason to waste your appetite on a Schneeball when you can enjoy a curvy Mandelhörnchen (almond crescent cookie), a triangular Nussecke (“nut corner”), a round Florentiner cookie, a couple of fresh Krapfen (like jelly doughnuts), or a soft, warm German pretzel.

WINE-DRINKING IN THE OLD CENTER

Trinkstube zur Hölle (“Hell”) is dark and foreboding, offering a thick wine-drinking atmosphere, pub food, and a few main courses. It’s small and can get painfully touristy in summer (Mon-Sat from 17:00, food until 22:00, closed Sun, a block past Medieval Crime and Punishment Museum on Burggasse, look for the devil hanging out front, +49 9861 4229).

Altfränkische Weinstube am Klosterhof (listed earlier, under “Traditional German Restaurants”) is the liveliest place and a clear favorite with locals for an atmospheric drink or late meal. When every other place is asleep, you’re likely to find good food, drink, and energy here.

Restaurant Glocke, a Weinstube (wine bar) with a full menu, is run by Rothenburg’s oldest and only surviving winemakers, the Thürauf family. The very extensive wine list is in German only because the friendly staff wants to explain your options in person. Their special: four different flights that let you sample five Franconian wines—whites, reds, or sweet varieties—each for around €10. All flights come with a printed list of grapes and vintages, which you can explore on WinesofGermany.com while you sip (closed Thu and Sun, Plönlein 1, +49 9861 958 990).

Reichsstadt Vinothek Weingut Glocke is a modern wine bar (a branch of Restaurant Glocke), and perfect if you want to be in the touristy heart of things, sipping a nice white wine on the market square (Marktplatz 3).

Rothenburg Connections

BY TRAIN

If you take the train to or from Rothenburg, you’ll transfer at Steinach (a small, unstaffed station). A tiny branch train line shuttles back and forth hourly between Steinach and Rothenburg (15 minutes, generally departs Steinach at :36 and Rothenburg at :05). Train connections in Steinach are usually quick and efficient (trains to and from Rothenburg generally use track 5).

Note that the last train from Steinach to Rothenburg departs at about 22:30. But all is not lost if you arrive in Steinach after the last train: A subsidized taxi service runs to Rothenburg (cheaper for the government than running an almost-empty train). To use this handy service, called AST (Anrufsammeltaxi), make an appointment with a participating taxi service (call +49 9811 9410) at least 90 minutes in advance, and they’ll drive you from Steinach to Rothenburg for the cost of train fare, plus a minimal surcharge (about €8/person total) rather than the regular €30 taxi fare.

The Rothenburg station has no staff for fare and schedule information. For ticket sales, use ticket machines or visit Bahn.com.

From Rothenburg (via Steinach) by Train to: Würzburg (hourly, 70 minutes), Cochem (every 1-2 hours, 6 hours, 4 transfers), Nürnberg (hourly, 1.5 hours, change in Ansbach to train or S-Bahn), Munich (hourly, 3.5 hours, easiest with 2 changes in Steinach and Treuchtlingen), Füssen (hourly, 4.5 hours, with changes in Treuchtlingen or Augsburg), Frankfurt (hourly, 2.5-3 hours, change in Würzburg), Frankfurt Airport (hourly, 3 hours, change in Würzburg), Berlin (hourly, 5.5 hours, 3 changes).

ROUTE TIPS FOR DRIVERS

The three-hour autobahn drive from Frankfurt Airport (and other points north) to Rothenburg is something even a jet-lagged zombie can handle. It’s a 75-mile straight shot to Würzburg on the A-3 autobahn; just follow the blue autobahn signs toward Würzburg. Then turn south on A-7 and take the Rothenburg o.d.T. exit (#108). For a back-roads alternative, consider driving along the Romantic Road—see “From Würzburg (or Frankfurt) to Rothenburg,” later.

The Romantic Road

The countryside between Frankfurt and Munich is Germany’s medieval heartland. Walls and towers ring half-timbered towns, and flowers spill over the windowsills of well-kept houses. Glockenspiels dance from town halls by day, while night watchmen still call the hours after dark. Many travelers bypass these small towns by fast train or autobahn. But consider an extra day or two to take in the slow pace of small-town German life. With a car, you can wander through quaint hills and rolling villages and stop wherever the cows look friendly or a town fountain beckons.

In the 1950s, towns in this region joined together to work out a scenic driving route for visitors that they called the Romantic Road (Romantische Strasse, www.romantischestrasse.de). Because local train service was poor, they also organized a bus along the route for tourists.

The Romantic Road is the oldest and most famous of Germany’s two dozen signposted scenic routes. Others celebrate toys, porcelain, architecture (Swabian Baroque or brick Gothic), clocks, and baths—and there are even two Spargelstrassen (asparagus roads). The “Castle Road” that runs between Rothenburg and Mannheim sounds intriguing, but it’s nowhere near as interesting.

Now that the A-7 autobahn parallels the old two-lane route, the Romantic Road itself has become less important, but its destinations are still worthwhile. For drivers, the Romantic Road is basically a set of scenic stepping stones to Rothenburg, which is the most exciting town along the way. You can make a day out of the drive between Würzburg (or Frankfurt) and Rothenburg, stopping in the small towns along the Tauber River valley. If linking Rothenburg and Munich, stop in Dinkelsbühl and/or Nördlingen. The drive from Rothenburg to Füssen on two-lane roads makes for a full day, but it’s possible to squeeze in a quick visit to Dinkelsbühl, Nördlingen, the Wieskirche, or Landsberg am Lech, hopping on the autobahn to speed up parts of the trip. If you’re driving with limited time, just zero in on Rothenburg by autobahn.

A confusing web of roads crisscrosses the Romantic Road region, and drivers will find that the official, signposted route is rarely the fastest option. Using GPS or a mapping app to find your way is confusing, as you’ll usually be routed to the nearest highway or autobahn. This is smart if your time is tight and you want to focus on a few carefully selected stopovers. But if your goal is to meander and explore, skip the GPS, get a good map, and follow the brown Romantische Strasse signs.

For those without a car, a tour bus runs along a portion of the Romantic Road route in summer, connecting Rothenburg with Frankfurt and Würzburg, and offers more scenery than you’d get on the train (www.romanticroadcoach.com).

Sights Along the Romantic Road

FROM WÜRZBURG (OR FRANKFURT) TO ROTHENBURG

Bad Mergentheim

▲Weikersheim

Creglingen

FROM ROTHENBURG TO AUGSBURG

▲Dinkelsbühl

▲Nördlingen

Harburg

Augsburg

FROM AUGSBURG TO FÜSSEN

Landsberg am Lech

▲▲The Wieskirche

I’ve divided the Romantic Road into three sections. The stretch from Würzburg (or Frankfurt) to Rothenburg runs up the Tauber River valley, offering pleasant views. Rothenburg to Augsburg is fairly flat and dull. From Augsburg south to Füssen, the route follows the Lech River up to where the Alps begin, and the scenery gets more exciting at every turn. To help you find your way, I’ve included some driving directions. While you can reach some of these destinations by public transit, most aren’t worth the hassle without a car.

FROM WÜRZBURG (OR FRANKFURT) TO ROTHENBURG

To follow this scenic back-road approach from Frankfurt, take A-3, then turn south on A-81, get off at the Tauberbischofsheim exit, and track signs for Bad Mergentheim. Or stay on A-3 to the Heidingsfeld-Würzburg exit and follow Stuttgart/Ulm/19 signs south to Bad Mergentheim. From Würzburg, follow Ulm/19 signs to Bad Mergentheim.

Bad Mergentheim

This town, one of the less romantic stops along this route, holds a unique footnote in Germanic history: In 1525, the Teutonic Knights (called the Deutschorden, or “German Order”) lost their lands in East Prussia (today’s Poland) and the Baltic states. The order’s leadership retreated to their castle at Bad Mergentheim, which became their headquarters for the next three centuries. Today the building houses the German Order Museum—practically a pilgrimage for German historians but underwhelming for casual visitors, who will find it dry and with limited English (www.schloss-mergentheim.de).

Leaving Bad Mergentheim, continue east. Turn into Weikersheim off the main road, following Stadtmitte and Schloss signs, then bear right to park in the large free lot. From there it’s a couple minutes’ walk to the town square.

▲Weikersheim

This picturesquely set town, nestled between hills, has a charming little main square offering easy access to a fine park and an impressive palace.

Weikersheim’s palace (Schloss Weikersheim), across a moat-turned-park from the main square, was built in the late 16th century as the Renaissance country estate of a local count. With its bucolic location and glowing sandstone texture, it gives off a Downton Abbey vibe. The palace interior boasts an unusual triangular floor plan but is only viewable by a guided tour in German (+49 7934 992 950, www.schloss-weikersheim.de).

I’d skip the tour and instead focus on exploring the palace’s fine Baroque gardens. From the ticket office, cut through the courtyard and pop out at the finely manicured gardens, originally laid out in the early 18th century and populated by an army of whimsical stony statues (most of them mythological figures). Along the balustrade separating the palace from the gardens are the most photographed statues, the so-called “Dwarves’ Gallery.” At the far end of the complex is an orangery, offering fine views back over the gardens to the palace.

The rose garden, to the right as you face the palace, is free (but likely not at its best, as it’s been recovering from an infestation). A gate off the rose garden leads to a spooky “alchemy garden” with plants used by medieval witches.

If you have time after your garden visit, Weikersheim’s pleasant town square and cobbled old town are worth exploring. The city park (Stadtpark, enter off town square) is a fine picnic spot, and from it you can peer over the hedge into the palace gardens.

Creglingen

While Creglingen itself isn’t worth much fuss (TI +49 7933 631, www.creglingen.de), two quick and rewarding sights sit across the road from each other a mile south of town.

The 14th-century Herrgottskirche Church, worth ▲, is graced with Tilman Riemenschneider’s greatest carved altarpiece, completed sometime between 1505 and 1510. The church was built on the site where a local farmer found a seemingly miraculous communion host in a field. Centuries later, Riemenschneider graced the space with an impressive altar nearly 30 feet high—tall enough that its tip pokes up between the rafters. While Riemenschneider’s altars in Rothenburg and Detwang (see here, here, and here) are focused on Jesus, the star here is Mary, captured in the moment she ascends to heaven. Angels—with their angular wings jutting out in all directions—whisk Mary off into the sky as the 12 apostles watch in wonder. Just above Mary, appreciate the remarkably intricate tangle of vines. Higher up is the heavenly coronation of Mary, who is surrounded by God and Jesus (distinguished by the bushiness of their beards) and the Holy Spirit. The side panels show important scenes from Mary’s life. The church’s other, colorful (non-Riemenschneider) altars are also worth a peek (+49 7933 338, www.herrgottskirche.de).

The Fingerhut Museum, showing off thimbles (literally, “finger hats”), is far more interesting than it sounds. You’ll step from case to case to squint at the collection, which numbers about 4,000 (but still fits in a single room) and comes from all over the world; some pieces are centuries old. Owner Thorvald Greif got a head start from his father, who owned a thimble factory (call ahead for a visit, +49 7933 370, www.fingerhutmuseum.de).

FROM ROTHENBURG TO AUGSBURG

Dinkelsbühl and Nördlingen (via B-25) are the main attractions between Rothenburg and Augsburg. From Donauwörth, taking the B-2 highway (which parallels the Romantic Road here) can speed up your trip.

▲Dinkelsbühl

Rothenburg’s little sister is cute enough to merit a short stop. A moat, towers, gates, and a beautifully preserved medieval wall all surround this town. Dinkelsbühl is pretty, and a bit less touristy than Rothenburg, but also less exciting. Still, it’s a delight to simply stroll for an hour or two. Park at one of the free lots outside the town walls, which are well signed from the main road (parking inside the town is limited to one hour).

To orient yourself, head for the tower of St. Georg’s Cathedral, at the center of town. This 15th-century church has a surprisingly light, airy interior and fine carved altarpieces. On good-weather summer weekends, you can climb to the top of the tower.

Back outside the church, follow the signs around the corner (first into Ledermarkt, then Altrathausplatz) to the TI, which offers a free “Tour of the Town” brochure (+49 9851 902 440, www.dinkelsbuehl.de). In the TI, take a minute to watch the TV monitor showing the stork nest on top of the old Town Hall (also visible at www.storch.bn-ansbach.de). Dinkelsbühl offers an evening Night Watchman Tour similar to Rothenburg’s, but it’s in German only (details at TI).

The TI doubles as the ticket office for the fine City History Museum (Haus der Geschichte) in the same building. This shiny, up-to-date museum fills three floors. Learn about Dinkelsbühl’s location along important north-south travel routes in early times, its role in the Thirty Years’ War, and how the tug-of-war between Catholics and Protestants ended in a power-sharing agreement and the loss of the town’s medieval prosperity. The self-service movie theater shows short film clips about Dinkelsbühl. On the top floor is the large, recently restored town model (Stadtschaue) with only the walls and a few key buildings set up on a medieval street plan. There’s also a kids’ play area.

Sleeping in Dinkelsbühl: Dinkelsbühl has a good selection of hotels, many of them lining the main drag in front of the church (though more choices and lower prices are available in Rothenburg and Nördlingen). Options include: €€€ Hezelhof Hotel (modern rooms in an old shell at Segringer Strasse 7, +49 9851 555 420, www.hezelhof.com), €€€ Weisses Ross (“White Horse,” attached to a historic restaurant at Steingasse 12, +49 9851 579 890, www.hotel-weisses-ross.de), and Dinkelsbühl’s unique ¢ youth hostel (in a medieval granary at Koppengasse 10—steps from the Schweinemarkt; +49 9851 555 6417, www.jugendherberge.de/jugendherbergen/dinkelsbuehl).

▲Nördlingen

Though less cute than Dinkelsbühl, Nördlingen is a real workaday town that also has one of the best city walls in Germany, not to mention a surprising geological history. For centuries, Nördlingen’s residents puzzled over the local terrain, a flattish plain called the Ries, which rises to a low circular ridge that surrounds the town in the distance. In the 1960s, geologists figured out that Nördlingen lies in the middle of an impact crater blasted out 15 million years ago by a meteor, which hit earth with the force of 250,000 Hiroshima bombs.

Maypoles

Along the Romantic Road and throughout Bavaria, you’ll see colorfully ornamented maypoles (Maibaum) decorating town squares. Many are painted in Bavaria’s colors, white and blue. The decorations that line each side of the pole symbolize the craftspeople and businesses of that community (similar to the chamber of commerce billboards that greet visitors to small American towns today). Originally these allowed passing traders to quickly determine whether their services were needed in that town. The decorations are festively replaced each May Day (May 1). Traditionally, rival communities try to steal each other’s maypole. Locals guard their new pole night and day as May Day approaches. Stolen poles are ransomed only with lots of beer for the clever thieves.

Park in one of the big, free lots at the Deininger Tor and the Baldinger Tor, or in the free parking garage at the Berger Tor (parking inside the old town is time-limited).

After parking, head through one of the gates in the wall and into the center of town by zeroing in on the tower of St. Georg’s Church. The inside is stripped-down austere—a far cry from the frilly Wieskirche two hours to the south. It’s clear that Nördlingen and Wies straddle the Protestant-Catholic boundary.

Climb Nördlingen’s church tower (which locals call “the Daniel”) for sweeping views over the almost perfectly circular old town. The rickety 350-step climb up the tower rewards you with the very best view of the city walls and crater. You’ll twist up a tight stone staircase, then tackle several flights of wooden ones—passing a giant wheel once used to winch materials up into the tower. Higher up is a modern winch used today. From the top, take a slow 360-degree spin; it’s easy to visualize how the trees on the horizon sit on the rim of the meteorite crater.

The small square next to the church’s main entrance is called Marktplatz, and just behind the step-gabled Rathaus (Town Hall) is the TI (+49 9081 84116, www.noerdlingen.de).

Now walk out the bottom of Marktplatz and down Baldinger Strasse (past the Rathaus). At the traffic light, turn right and then left, past the skippable Stadtmuseum (town history, obscure local artists, and very little English), to the Ries Crater Museum (Rieskrater-Museum). Ask them to play the two 10-minute English films, which explain meteors. The exhibits are well presented but only described in German (+49 9081 84710, www.rieskrater-museum.de).

With more time, walk all the way around on the top of the town wall, which is even better preserved than Rothenburg’s or Dinkelsbühl’s. Circle back to Baldinger Strasse and continue to the Baldinger Tor tower. This is one of five towers where you can climb the stairs to the walkway along the wall. From here, stroll atop the wall back to the lot where your car is parked. The city started building the wall in 1327 and financed it with a tax on wine and beer; it’s more than a mile and a half long, has 16 towers and five gates, and offers great views of backyards and garden furniture. You could continue farther along the wall to the City Wall Museum, with a 108-step climb to the top—but the view from the church is better.

Sleeping in Nördlingen: Several small hotels surrounding St. Georg’s Church offer mediocre but reasonably priced rooms. Try €€ Hotel Altreuter (over an inviting bakery/café at Marktplatz 11, +49 9081 4319, www.hotel-altreuter.de).

Harburg

You can’t miss this town, thanks to the impressively intact, 900-year-old castle that looms high on a bluff over the river. Unusually well preserved from the Middle Ages (not a Romantic Age rebuild), it’s still owned by the noble Wallerstein family. Locals enjoy repeating the story of how, years ago, pop star Michael Jackson tried to buy this place—which he termed “the castle of my dreams.”

Augsburg

Founded more than 2,000 years ago by Emperor Augustus, Augsburg enjoyed its heyday in the 15th and 16th centuries. Today, it’s Bavaria’s third-largest city (population 278,000). It lacks must-see sights, but the old town is pleasant, especially the small streets below the main square, where streams diverted from the River Lech run alongside pedestrians (www.augsburg.de).

FROM AUGSBURG TO FÜSSEN

From Augsburg, you can either continue south to Füssen on two-lane B-17, or you can hop on A-8, which brings you quickly into Munich (in about an hour).

Landsberg am Lech

Like many towns in this area, Landsberg (on the River Lech) has its roots in the salt trade. Every four years, the town hosts the Ruethenfest pageant, which brings Landsberg’s medieval history to life. The town was shaped by the architect Dominikus Zimmermann (of Wieskirche fame). Adolf Hitler wrote Mein Kampf while serving his prison sentence here after the Beer Hall Putsch of 1923 (when Hitler and his followers unsuccessfully attempted to take over the government of Bavaria).

About 30 miles south of Landsberg, the nondescript village of Rottenbuch, near the Wieskirche, has an impressive church in a lovely setting.

▲▲The Wieskirche

Germany’s most glorious Baroque-Rococo church is beautifully restored and set in a sweet meadow. For details on the Wieskirche, including opening hours and a full description, see the Bavarian Alps chapter.

WÜRZBURG

PLANNING YOUR TIME

Orientation to Würzburg

TOURIST INFORMATION

ARRIVAL IN WÜRZBURG

Map: Würzburg

HELPFUL HINTS

GETTING AROUND WÜRZBURG

Würzburg Walk

Map: Würzburg Walk

Sights in Würzburg

Sleeping in Würzburg

Eating in Würzburg

IN THE CENTER

ON THE RIVERFRONT

PLACES FOR A MEMORABLE SNACK OR DRINK

Würzburg Connections

Würzburg (VEWRTS-boorg), a historic midsize city, is worth a stop to see its stately prince-bishop’s Residenz and the palace’s sculpted gardens. Surrounded by vineyards and filled with atmospheric Weinstuben (wine bars), this tourist-friendly town is easy to navigate by foot or streetcar. Today, 25,000 of its 130,000 residents are students—making Würzburg feel young and very alive. It’s also popular both with bike tourists (who enjoy the four-day pedal between Bamberg and here) and with river cruises.

While the town isn’t all that charming (thanks to its unmistakable post-WWII-rebuild vibe), its quiet and appealing old center is scenically surrounded by vineyard-laced hills, with a stout fortress looming overhead. At one end of town is Würzburg’s palace, among the most enjoyable to tour in Germany. On the other end is its atmospheric old bridge, lined by stone statues that make it reminiscent of Prague’s famous Charles Bridge.

PLANNING YOUR TIME

Würzburg has a few hours’ worth of sightseeing. Begin by touring the Residenz (prince-bishop’s palace), then take my self-guided walk through town to the Old Main Bridge. With more time, cross the bridge and hike up to the hilltop Marienberg Fortress. If you’re overnighting here, be sure to stroll the bridge at sunset, when you can join the friendly local crowd that gathers there in good weather for a glass of wine and mellow mingling.

Würzburg’s Beginnings

The city was born centuries before Christ at an easy-to-ford part of the Main River under an easy-to-defend hill. A Celtic fort stood where the fortress stands today. Later, three Irish missionary monks came here to Christianize the locals. In AD 686 the monks were beheaded, and their relics put Würzburg on the pilgrimage map. About 500 years later, when the town was the seat of a bishop, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa came here to get the bishop’s OK to annul his first marriage to Adelaide, Duchess of Swabia. The bishop said “No problem,” and the emperor thanked him by giving him secular rule of the entire region of Franconia. From then on, the bishop was also a prince, and the prince-bishop of Würzburg answered only to the Holy Roman Emperor.

Orientation to Würzburg

Würzburg’s old town core huddles along the bank of the Main (pronounced “mine”) River. The tourists’ Würzburg is bookended by the opulent Residenz (at the east end of downtown) and the hill-capping Marienberg Fortress (at the west end, across the river). You can walk from the Residenz to the river (below the fortress) in about 15 minutes; the train station is a 15-minute walk to the north.

TOURIST INFORMATION

Würzburg’s helpful TI is in the yellow Rococo-style Falken Haus on Market Square (Mon-Fri 10:00-18:00, Sat-Sun until 14:00, +49 931 372 398, www.wuerzburg.de). For those continuing on the Romantic Road (see previous chapter), the TI has information on routes and accommodations along the Romantische Strasse, including a very helpful route plan. The TI also has tips about biking along the Main River.

Sightseeing Passes: The Würzburg Welcome Card offers minimal discounts on a few sights and restaurants—you’ll have to visit at least four sights to make it pay off (€5, valid 3 days, sold at TI). Würzburg’s Residenz and Marienberg Fortress are covered by Bavaria’s 14-day Mehr-tagesticket (sold at participating sights; details on here).

ARRIVAL IN WÜRZBURG

By Train: Würzburg’s train station is user-friendly and filled with services, including pay lockers and a handy Reisezentrum office that sells tickets (long hours daily). Walk out of the train station to the small square in front. By the tram tracks (ahead and on the right) is a good city map showing the easiest walking route between the station and the Residenz (and to other sights in town).

From the tram cul-de-sac in front of the station, tram #1, #2, #3, #4, or #5 will take you one stop to the Juliuspromenade stop, near most recommended hotels (easily walkable). Trams #1, #3, #4, and #5 continue into town: The next stop (Dom) is close to Market Square, the TI, and the recommended Hotel zum Winzermännle. After that is the Rathaus stop, near the river and the recommended Hotel Alter Kranen.

To walk toward town (and some recommended hotels), cross over the busy Röntgenring and head up the shop-lined Kaiserstrasse. To reach the Residenz, it’s simplest to walk (15 minutes), but you can get part of the way by tram to the Dom stop.

By Car: Drivers entering Würzburg can keep it simple by following signs to the Residenz and parking in the vast cobbled square that faces the palace. Cheaper parking is available in garages on the east bank of the river, just north of the old bridge.

HELPFUL HINTS

Festivals: Würzburg—always clever when it comes to trade—tightly schedules its biggest festivals in late spring and summer: Mozart (late May-June, with concerts in the Residenz, www.mozartfest.de), wine (late May-early June, www.weindorf-wuerzburg.de), African music and dance (also late May-early June, www.africafestival.org), and the Kiliani Volksfest (first three weeks in July, www.wuerzburg.de/kiliani).

Supermarket: Centrally located Edeka is at Domstrasse 10, just a few doors from City Hall (Mon-Sat 7:00-20:00, closed Sun). Another branch is on Kaiserstrasse, between the train station and Barbarossaplatz.

Bike Rental: Find Ludwig Körner right in the old town, a short walk north of Market Square (€14/24 hours, closed Sun, Bronnbachergasse 3, +49 931 52340).

Taxi: Call +49 931 19410.

Local Guide: Martin Kamphans can guide you in and around the city as well as to destinations on the Romantic Road (+49 1577 0220 513, kamphans@posteo.de).

GETTING AROUND WÜRZBURG

You can easily walk to everything except the hilltop Marienberg Fortress (doable, but a steep hike).

For public transit, the same tickets work on all city bus and tram lines (including the bus up to the fortress). Your options include a €1.60 short-trip ticket (Kurzstrecke Eins +4, good for up to four stops; this is all you need to get to my recommended hotels), a €3.10 single ticket (Einzelfahrschein, good for 1.5 hours in one direction with transfers), or a day pass (€5.20 for Tageskarte Solo, €7.40 Tageskarte Plus covers 2 adults and kids under 15, both also valid Sun if purchased on Sat). You can buy tickets at streetside machines near tram stops (marked Fahrausweise).

Most tickets come prestamped; if not, use the little box inside the tram or bus to validate it. Once on board, listen for the cute “next stop” transit announcements recorded by local children. Transit info: +49 931 362 320, www.vvm-info.de.

Würzburg Walk

This one-hour self-guided walk takes you from the Residenz (which you may want to tour first) to the Old Main Bridge (Alte Mainbrücke) via the key old-town sights. (If you’re not touring the Residenz before taking this walk, you can start at St. Kilian’s Cathedral.) Along the way you may notice several of the city’s Stolpersteine commemorating those persecuted and murdered under Nazi rule. Würzburg has laid an unusual number of them for a city of this size—more than 700 as of this printing.

• Begin at the fountain in front of the Residenz palace.

Fountain of Franconia

In 1814, the prince-bishop got the boot, and the region of Franconia was secularized and given to the Bavarian Wittelsbach dynasty. Technically, Franconia is a part of Bavaria, but calling a Franconian a Bavarian is something like calling a Scot an Englishman. This statue—a gift from the townspeople to their then-new royal family—turns its back to the palace and faces the town. Its central figure celebrates the spirit of Franconia, and below her, the region’s artistic and intellectual genius is represented by statues of three great hometown boys (the medieval bard Walther von der Vogelweide, the woodcarver Tilman Riemenschneider, and the Renaissance painter Matthias Grünewald).

• If Franconia hopped down and ran 300 yards ahead on Hofstrasse, she’d hit the twin-spired cathedral. Meet her there. As you walk, think about how the city was essentially destroyed in 1945 and later rebuilt. At the cathedral, circle around its right side, and enter the church through its heavy bronze side door (before the underground passage and across from the modern cathedral museum; you may need to push a button for entry).

St. Kilian’s Cathedral (Dom)

This building is Romanesque (1040-1188) at its core, with Gothic spires and Baroque additions to the transepts. It was built as a Catholic church and stayed that way after the Reformation.

Cost and Hours: Free, Easter-Oct Mon-Sat generally 10:00-18:00, Sun 13:00-17:30, closes midday for brief services, +49 931 3866 2900, www.dom-wuerzburg.de.

Visiting the Church: The cathedral was destroyed in World War II and rebuilt in the 1960s with a passion for mixing historic and modern styles. Before 1945, the entire church was slathered in Baroque stucco decor, as the apse is today. The nave has a cohesive design, progressing from the menorah (representing the Old Testament) in the back, past tombstones of centuries of prince-bishops and a crucified Jesus (above the high altar), to the apse, where a resurrected Christ, riding a golden disc, welcomes you into a hopeful future. The skulls of Würzburg’s three favorite saints—those Irish monks martyred in the seventh century—lie in a box within the altar (see “Würzburg’s Beginnings” sidebar, earlier).

Halfway along the nave (on the left side, as you face the altar) is a fine memorial to the 15th-century Prince-Bishop Rudolf von Scherenberg, whose name means “scissors mountain” (see his coat of arms). Scherenberg ruled until he was 94 years old. Carved by Tilman Riemenschneider, this tombstone is an example of late-Gothic realism. Back then, it was outrageous to portray an old bishop as...an old bishop (looking at the tombstone, you can tell he needs dentures). The next prince-bishop, whose tomb is to the right of Scherenberg’s, saw how realistic his predecessor’s was and insisted on having an idealized portrait (also by Riemenschneider) done to his satisfaction before he died. (He’s looking implausibly dashing.)

• Leave the church the way you entered. Outside, look up at the three martyrs (before they were beheaded), high on the building opposite. Walk a few steps downhill (to the left) and notice, embedded in the cathedral wall, the tomb of the great local artist Riemenschneider, placed here after the church’s cemetery was moved. If you’re interested in a fresh take on religious art, go into the modern Cathedral Museum across the way. Otherwise, skip ahead and continue downhill through the tunnel on your way to the basilica.

Cathedral Museum (Museum am Dom)

This museum features a refreshing, poignant juxtaposition of old and new religious art, managing to be provocative in a constructive way. It pairs 11th- to 18th-century works with modern interpretations, sprinkles it all with a Christian theme, and wraps it in a shiny modern building. With an emphasis on more cutting-edge contemporary works, it does an impressive job of respecting “religious art” for both its artistic and spiritual qualities.

Cost and Hours: €5, Tue-Sun 12:00-17:00, closed Mon, +49 931 3866 5600, www.museum-am-dom.de.

• Upon leaving the museum, hook right through a tunnel, which emerges on a delightful urban scene. Straight ahead, Domstrasse leads down to the spire of the City Hall and the Old Main Bridge (where this walk ends). But we’re looping right. Go a block up Kürschnerhof, where a staircase leads into the...

Neumünster Basilica

Like the cathedral, this church has a Romanesque body with a Baroque face. Climb the stairs to take a look inside, appreciating the church’s rounded Romanesque nave decorated (like the outside) with bubbly Baroque stucco.

Return to Kürschnerhof and continue up the street, noticing the vineyards in the distance. Appreciate the relative quiet here in the heart of town. Locals wouldn’t have it any other way—electric trolleys, bikes, and pedestrians share a thriving and car-free commercial zone.

• Enter the square on the left (with the lacy, white-and-orange church).

Upper Market Square (Oberer Markt)

Imagine this square during the wine fest in June—with 75 vintners showing off their best wines—or during the Christmas market, when the square is full of quaint stalls selling holiday goodies. The fancy yellow-and-white, Rococo-designed Falkenhaus (Falcon House) dates from 1751, when the landlady gave a wandering band of stucco artists a chance to show their stuff (inside are the TI and library).

• Continue past the Falkenhaus, toward the...

Marienkapelle

The two-tone late-Gothic church was the merchants’ answer to the prince-bishop’s cathedral. Since Rome didn’t bankroll the place, it’s ringed with “swallow shops” (like swallows’ nests cuddled up against a house)—enabling the church to run little businesses. (One of them—Brandstetter’s Stehcafé, anchored like a Hansel-and-Gretel barnacle to the foot of the church—is a venerable choice for a standing coffee-and-cake break.) The sandstone statues (in the small alcoves partway up the columns; they’re replicas of Riemenschneider originals) depict the 12 apostles and Jesus. The famous Adam and Eve statues (flanking the side entrance to the church) show off Riemenschneider’s mastery of the human body.

Head around the church to the west portal, where the carved Last Judgment (above the main doors) shows kings, ladies, and bishops—some going to heaven, others making up the chain gang bound for hell, via the monster’s mouth. (This was commissioned by those feisty town merchants tired of snooty bluebloods.) Continue around to the next entry (which faces a recommended wine garden under chestnut trees) to see the Annunciation, with a cute angel Gabriel telling Mary (the lilies symbolize her virginity) the good news. Notice how God whispers through a speaking tube as Baby Jesus slips down and into her ear.

• Go back around the church (toward its Adam-and-Eve side) to take in...

Market Square (Marktplatz)

Würzburg’s Marktplatz is a great scene. The obelisk at its center, built in 1805, has a relief showing romantic maidens selling fruits, a hare, and other wares. To this day, the square is host to a bustling produce and flower market four days a week (Tue-Wed and Fri-Sat). Under the glass-roofed pavilion, find a fountain with the modern statue nicknamed “Market Barbara” (Markt Bärbel), which recalls a traditional merchant woman. From there, a line often leads to the Bratwurststand am Markt (under the yellow-and-white awning, near the covered walkway), where cheap sausage sandwiches are made and sold to eager locals. Watch the wiener-folding action through the side window, or grab a wurst yourself. Let them know whether you want yours “mit” (with mustard) or “ohne” (without).

• Leave the square in the direction of the yellow-and-white building with the Grohganz sign. Follow Schustergasse, a pedestrian lane lined with shops that leads to Domstrasse (with tram tracks). St. Kilian’s Cathedral is to your left, while to the right are the Old Main Bridge and the oldest part of the City Hall—which is relatively humble, because of the power of the prince-bishop. Head right on Domstrasse to the...

Memorial to March 16, 1945 at City Hall

As you face City Hall, go around its left side and head to the Rathaus sign at the back to find the Gedenkraum 16 März 1945 memorial room (free, long hours daily). This commemorates the 20-minute Allied bombing raid and resulting firestorm that destroyed—and demoralized—Würzburg six weeks before the end of World War II. The damage was almost as bad as in Dresden: Nearly every downtown building was reduced to a shell, with roofs, floors, and windows gone. Most residents survived in bomb shelters, but 5,000 died—largely women and children. Check out the model of the devastated town, and read the interesting panels about the rise of Nazism and the brutality of war, and the hope brought by a spirit of reconciliation.

• As you leave the memorial, notice the horizontal lines cut into the inside of the archway on your right. These mark the floodwaters (Hochstand des Maines) of the years 1342 (the highest line), 1784, 1682, and 1845 (the lowest). Back on Domstrasse, turn right to find the bridge.

Old Main Bridge (Alte Mainbrücke)

This isn’t the town’s “main” (as in primary) bridge; rather, it spans the Main (pronounced “mine”) River, which flows through Frankfurt and into the Rhine.

The bridge, from 1133, is the second-oldest in Germany. The 12 statues lining the bridge are Würzburg saints and prince-bishops. Walk to the St. Kilian statue (with the golden sword)—one of the three monks who are shown being beheaded in the Residenz Palace’s chapel. Squint up at Kilian, still with his head on, pointing to God. This is a great spot to linger with the locals as you drink in the view and perhaps a glass of the local wine.

Beyond Kilian you may see river cruise ships moored by the next bridge. The popularity of river cruising (from Amsterdam to Budapest) brings lots of crowds and business to towns like Würzburg.

High above the city, capping the hill beyond the bridge, is the Marienberg Fortress (described in the next section). And downstream are three stacks marking a power plant. Between here and there find the old crane, built in 1770 to further the city’s desirability as a river trading port. The bridge and embankment host several popular eating and drinking spots, a fun fish-and-chips boat—and lots of people picnicking (described later, under “Eating in Würzburg”).

The hillside beyond the crane is blanketed with grapevines destined to become the fine Stein Franconian wine. Goethe, the great German writer, ordered 900 liters of this vintage annually. A friend once asked Goethe what he thought were the three most important things in life. He said, “Wine, women, and song.” The friend then asked, “If you had to give one up, which would it be?” Without hesitating, Goethe answered “Song.” Then, when asked what he would choose if he had to give up a second item, Goethe paused and said, “It depends on the vintage.”

• Consider stopping here and having lunch at the recommended Alte Mainmühle restaurant, with a terrace overlooking the bridge (at the near end). On warm summer evenings, the restaurant serves local wine and sausages from its to-go window at the start of the bridge—worth returning to at sunset to buy a glass of wine to sip while you do laps around the bridge. From here you can backtrack to the Residenz (if you haven’t seen it already) or continue on to the Marienberg Fortress on the hill above you. Both are described next.

Sights in Würzburg

Würzburg Residenz (Würzburger Residenz)

In the early 18th century, Würzburg’s powerful prince-bishop decided to relocate from his hilltop residence at Marienberg, across the river, into new digs down in the city. His opulent, custom-built, 360-room palace and its associated sights—the chapel (Hofkirche) and garden—are the main tourist attractions of today’s Würzburg. This Franconian Versailles features grand rooms, 3-D art, and a massive fresco by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo. The Residenz is impressive, yet quickly taken in; it’s less overwhelming to visit than many other European royal palaces. Don’t confuse the Residenz with Würzburg’s Marienberg Fortress (on the hilltop across the river). The Residenz is the far more important sight to visit.

Cost and Hours: Palace—€9, includes guided tour, daily April-Oct 9:00-18:00, Nov-March 10:00-16:30, last entry 45 minutes before closing; chapel—free, same hours as palace; gardens—free, daily until dusk (20:00 at the latest); +49 931 355 170, www.residenz-wuerzburg.de.

Sightseeing Strategies and Tours: A guided tour is included with your ticket and covers the main rooms (vestibule, Tiepolo fresco, White Hall, Imperial Hall—tours last 45-60 minutes; English tours usually at 11:00 and 15:00, but check website for schedule). The English tour, while good, isn’t worth planning your day around; you can see everything worthwhile in the Residenz on your own, relying on my self-guided tour and posted English explanations in the rooms.

Getting There: The Residenz is a 15-minute walk southeast of the train station. Easy parking is available in front of the Residenz (open daily 24 hours, get ticket as you enter, €2/hour for first 3 hours, €1.50/each additional hour, pay at machine marked Kasse before leaving, cards accepted). Enter the palace through the main door at the middle of the sprawling complex (directly behind the big fountain).

Services: You’ll find free WCs and coin-deposit lockers (bags must be checked) on the right as you exit the ticket office. In the garden, WCs are to the right as you come in the main entrance, next to the orangery.

▲▲Residenz Palace

The palace has three sections: the central main rooms, the North Wing, and the South Wing (with the dazzling Mirror Cabinet). After your palace visit, you’re free to continue to the rapturous Court Chapel and inviting Baroque gardens.

Self-Guided Tour: This commentary gives you the basics to appreciate the palace (whether visiting on your own or with a tour).

• Begin at the entrance.

Vestibule and Garden Hall: This indoor area functioned as a grand circular driveway, exclusively for special occasions—just right for six-horse carriages to drop off their guests at the base of the stairs. This area is relatively dark and serves as a good springboard for the dazzling palace that awaits.

Before climbing the formal staircase, pop into the adjacent Garden Hall. This lovely, airy space is where the garden and the palace meet. The ceiling was painted by Johann Zick in 1750. Notice how he portrays his subjects without Greek-style idealism; they’re shown realistically and in high contrast—quite edgy for the time.

• Now picture yourself dressed up in your fanciest finery...and prepare to ascend the stairs.

Grand Staircase: The elegant stairway comes with low steps, enabling high-class ladies to glide up gracefully, heads tilted back to enjoy Europe’s largest and grandest fresco opening up above them. Hold your partner’s hand high and get into the ascending rhythm. Enjoy the climb.

• As you reach the top of the stairs, look up at the...

Tiepolo Fresco: In 1752, the Venetian master Giovanni Battista Tiepolo was instructed to make a grand fresco illustrating the greatness of Europe, Würzburg, and the prince-bishop. And he did—completing the world’s largest fresco (more than 7,000 square feet) in only 13 months. (The prince-bishop was in a rush to finish furnishing his new home in time for a visit from Habsburg Empress Maria Theresa.) Tiepolo was a master of three-dimensional illusion—and here, he employs one of his favorite tricks, with actual 3-D feet and other features breaking the frame of his faux 3-D frescoes.

The ceiling celebrates the esteemed prince-bishop, who smirks in the medallion with a red, ermine-trimmed cape. This guy had a healthy ego. The ceiling features Apollo (in the sunburst) and a host of Greek gods, all paying homage to the P-B. Ringing the room are the four continents, each symbolized by a woman on an animal and pointing to the prince-bishop. Walk the perimeter of the room to study and enjoy the symbolism of each continent one by one:

America—seen by Europeans as desperately uncivilized—sits half-naked with feathers in her hair on an alligator among severed heads. (Notice the cannibal BBQ going on just to the right. Eeew.) She’s being served hot chocolate, a favorite import and nearly a drug for Europeans back then. The black cloud hovering ominously above her head symbolizes (with great subtlety) how untamed the unenlightened Europeans of the time considered this continent to be.

Africa sits on a camel in a land of trade (notice the blue vase, the ivory tusks, and the kneeling servant with wafting frankincense) and fantasy animals (based on secondhand reports, and therefore inaccurate—the ostrich has human-horse-like legs). Father Nile, with his blue cloak, represents the river by pouring water from a jug.

Opposite Africa, Asia rides her elephant (with the backward ear) in the birthplace of Christianity (notice the crosses on the hill) and the alphabet (carved into the block beneath the obelisk).

Europe, who rides a bull, is shown as the center of high culture. And here, Lady Culture points her brush not at Rome, but at Würzburg. A few portraits are hiding out in this area. The big dog is sniffing the purple-clad architect of the Residenz building. And Tiepolo includes a self-portrait as well: Find the burgundy-clad fellow in the corner just to the left, between the heads of the two white statues.

• Next, you’ll visit the ...

White Hall: This hall—with four big paintings portraying various prince-bishops—is painted gray (to provide better contrast with the stucco) and was kept chromatically plain to punctuate the colorful rooms on either side. Also completed at a breakneck pace to meet the Maria Theresa deadline, it’s a Rococo-stucco fantasy. (The word “Rococo” comes from the Portuguese word for the frilly rocaille shell.) The stucco decorations (particularly in the corners) have an armor-and-weapons theme, as this marked the entrance to the prince-bishop’s private apartments—which had to be carefully guarded. Even the cloth-like yellow decorations above those weapons, draped high in the corners, are made of painted stucco. As you observe the stucco, dripping with symbolism that celebrates the prince-bishop, notice how the Rococo style is free from the strict symmetry of the earlier Baroque style. Also notice the stove, which heated the room. There’s one in each room, all stoked from service hallways behind the walls. Its four gold cupids represent the seasons.

• Straight ahead is the palace gift shop, which leads to a few other interesting rooms. But for now continue to your left from the White Hall into the...

Imperial Hall: Enjoy the artistic ensemble of this fine room in its entirety, and feel its liveliness. This glorious hall is the ultimate example of Baroque: harmony, symmetry, illusion, and the bizarre; lots of light and mirrors facing windows; and all with a foundation of absolutism (absolute power vested in one ruler, inspired by France’s Louis XIV). Take a moment to marvel at all the 3-D tricks in the ceiling, most noticeably the dog in the fresco (at the top of the pillar toward your left when you’re entering the room). Walk toward it, and notice that by the time you get to the window, the pup has gotten older and fatter—all in the time it took you to walk across the hall.

The room features three scenes: On the ceiling, find Father Main (the local river—I call him “Dirty Old Man River”) amusing himself with a nymph, whose blue shroud breaks the frame as it flows and flutters down the wall (subtly shifting from the illusion of depth created with paint to the real depth of the painted stucco). The two walls recount more history. On one (to the right of the entrance), Wurzburg’s bishop presides over the marriage (in 1156, but with more modern dress) of a happy Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa (whose bride, Beatrice, Countess of Burgundy, was actually 12 years old—unlike the woman in the painting, who looks considerably older). The power of the bishop (giving the benediction) is demonstrated through his oversized fingers and the details of his miter (tall hat), which—unlike his face—is not shown in profile, to allow you to see his coat of arms. Opposite that (on the left wall from the entrance) is the payoff: Barbarossa gives the bishop Franconia and the secular title of prince. Notice the bishop touching Barbarossa’s scepter with two fingers, performing an oath of fealty. From this point onward, the prince-bishop rules. (The dog, who we saw age before our eyes earlier, is yet another symbol of loyalty.)

• Follow the Rundgang 2 signs pointing to the doors under the dog into the...

North Wing (Northern Imperial Apartments): This wing is a string of lavish rooms—evolving from fancy Baroque to fancier Rococo—used for the prince-bishop’s VIP guests. It’s a straight shot, with short descriptions in each room, to the Green Lacquered Room in the far corner. This room is named for its silver-leaf walls, painted green. The Escher-esque inlaid floor was painstakingly restored after WWII bombings. Have fun multiplying in the mirrors before leaving.

Keep going through a few more rooms that serve as a gallery for paintings. As you step out into the hallway (leaving the second room after the oval gallery), look for the little four-foot-tall doors that were used by servants who kept the stoves burning, unseen from inside the walls.

• Continue through several opulent rooms, more Neo-Classical in style and “silvered,” in contrast to the gold-plated Baroque and Rococo we saw earlier. Loop back into the Imperial Hall, then follow Rundgang 1 signs pointing to the right to enter the...

South Wing: The dark and woody South Wing feels more masculine than the North Wing. In this wing’s string of rooms, you’ll first come to the waiting room (antechamber), then the audience chamber/throne room (with circa-1700 Belgian tapestries showing scenes from the life of Alexander the Great), and then the Venetian Room (which was a bedroom; note the three tapestries, made around 1740 in Würzburg). The rooms become progressively more ornate until you reach the South Wing’s climax: the Mirror Cabinet.

The 18th-century Mirror Cabinet was where the prince-bishop showed off his amazing wealth. It features six lavish pounds of gold leaf, lots of Asian influence, an allegory of one of the four continents in each corner, and painted figures on the reverse side of glass. Because it couldn’t be removed, it was destroyed by WWII bombing raids in 1945. The doors in this room are original, but everything else was restored in the 1980s based on photos taken by the Nazis, who believed that regardless of how the war turned out, Germany would rebuild.

The Art Gallery room is next, with portraits of different prince-bishops who ruled until the early 1800s, when Napoleon said, “Enough of this nonsense” and secularized politics in places like Franconia.

Next, a few rooms show photos of the building’s destruction and restoration. While about three-quarters of the Residenz was destroyed during the 1945 firebombing of Würzburg, some of the most precious parts—the first rooms on this tour, including the Tiepolo frescoes—were unscathed, partly because they were located in a stout stone structure rather than in a more fragile wooden one. A temporary roof saved the palace from total ruin, but it was not until the late 1970s that it was returned to its original condition, more or less.

Your visit ends with the history exhibit, including Napoleonic-age furniture and a carousel where children competed to lop off papier-mâché heads and noses (perhaps violence in child’s play didn’t start with videogames after all). This route eventually leads to the gift shop.

• To finish your tour of the Residenz at the Court Chapel, head back down the stairs, past the ticket office and through the locker room and exit turnstiles. From the courtyard outside, head right under an arch leading into another courtyard, from which a humble door leads toward the ornate chapel (follow Eingang Hofkirche signs).

▲▲Court Chapel (Hofkirche)

This sumptuous chapel was for the exclusive use of the prince-bishop (private altar upstairs with direct entrance to his residence) and his court (ground floor). The decor and design are textbook Baroque. Architect Johann Balthasar Neumann was stuck with the existing walls. His challenge was to bring in light and create symmetry—essential to any Baroque work. He did it with mirrors and hidden windows. All the gold is real—if paper-thin—gold leaf. The columns are “manufactured marble,” which isn’t marble at all but marbled plaster. This method was popular because it was uniform, and the color could be controlled. Pigment was mixed into plaster, which was then rolled onto the stone or timber core of the column. This half-inch veneer was then polished. You can tell if a “marble” column is real or fake by resting your hand on it. If it warms up, it’s not marble.

The faded painting in the dome high above the altar shows three guys in gold robes losing their heads (for more on these martyred Irish monks, see the “Würzburg’s Beginnings” sidebar, earlier). The two side paintings are by the great fresco artist Tiepolo. Since the fresco plaster wouldn’t dry in the winter, Tiepolo spent his downtime painting with oil.

• To reach the garden, head outside and to the left, then through the gate.

Residenz Garden

One of Germany’s finest Baroque gardens is a delightful park cradling the palace. It has three sections: the East Garden, the South Garden, and the nursery grounds. The South Garden, just inside the gate, features statues of Greek gods (with lots of kidnapping action); carefully trimmed, remarkably conical, 18th-century yew trees; and an orangery (at the far back). The nursery grounds (to the right) is like a rough park. The East Garden, directly behind the palace around to the left, is grand—à la Versailles—but uses terraces to create the illusion of spaciousness (since it was originally hemmed in by the town wall). Behind the orangery is the replanted palace kitchen garden.

Marienberg Fortress (Festung Marienberg)

This 13th-century fortified retreat was the original home of Würzburg’s prince-bishops (before the opulent Residenz across the river was built). After being stormed by the Swedish army during the 17th-century Thirty Years’ War, the fortress was expanded in Baroque style.

Cost and Hours: Fortress grounds—free, Tue-Sun 9:00-18:00, Nov-March 10:00-16:30, closed Mon, +49 931 355 1750, www.schloesser.bayern.de; Franconian Museum—€5, Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00, Nov-March until 16:00, closed Mon year-round, +49 931 205 940, www.museum-franken.de.

Getting There: To walk there, cross the Old Main Bridge and follow small Festung Marienberg signs to the right uphill for a heart-thumping 20 minutes. Or take infrequent bus #9 (direction: Festung) from the middle of town—not the bridge—to the last stop (Schönborntor) and walk through the tunnel to enter the fortress (runs every 30 minutes daily 9:30-18:00, times listed at stops, departs from Residenzplatz and Juliuspromenade). Consider taking the bus up and walking down (follow Fussweg zur Altstadt signs). Taxis wait near the Old Main Bridge (around €10 to fortress).

Visitor Information: The inexpensive Marienberg Castle booklet, sold throughout the fortress, is well written and has basic information if you want to learn more about the history.

Visiting the Fortress: The fortress grounds provide fine city views and a good place for a picnic. You can wander freely through the fortress courtyards and peek into the bottom of the original keep (tower stronghold at the center of the complex) and the round church, where carved relief monuments to former bishops decorate the stone floor. For the best views of the town, go through the archway off the inner courtyard (next to church entrance) into the Prince’s Garden—look for the Fürstengarten sign.

You’ll find the Franconian Museum (Museum für Franken) in the red-and-white building at the back of the fortress, near the bus stop. Its hodge-podge of exhibits, in mildly historic rooms, is unlikely to thrill you. Out of all the porcelain, furniture, weapons, and paintings, the standout is the sculptural work of Tilman Riemenschneider, Germany’s top woodcarver and onetime mayor of Würzburg (in 1525). There’s a smattering of English descriptions throughout. Riemenschneider fans will also find his work in Würzburg’s many churches (such as the cathedral).

Sleeping in Würzburg

Würzburg’s hotels and hostels are a stress-free option for a first or last night when flying into or out of Frankfurt. Trains run at least hourly between Würzburg and Frankfurt’s airport; the journey takes 1.5 hours.

As Würzburg is a convention town, it has ample chain hotels that can be a great value in slow times—consider searching online for the dates you’re in town. My listings are smaller places with more personality and rates that are less likely to fluctuate. In these hotels, quieter rooms are in back, front rooms have street noise, and all rooms are entertained by church bells. Unless otherwise noted, all have elevators.

Most of these listings are less than a 10-minute walk from the train station and perfectly situated for sightseeing. To reach nearly all of them, head up Kaiserstrasse from the station to Barbarossaplatz (with the circular awning) or take the tram one stop to Juliuspromenade. Hotel zum Winzermännle and Hotel Alter Kranen are closer to the river; consider riding a tram to the Dom or the Rathaus stops, respectively. Street parking is scarce; if you’re driving, you’ll likely park in a garage near your hotel (about €20/day).

€€€ Hotel Würzburger Hof has an elegant little lobby and 35 Baroque rooms right at the Juliuspromenade tram stop. They have two types of rooms: smaller but perfectly fine “standard” rooms and larger “superior” rooms (no air-con but fans, good windows dampen street noise, Barbarossaplatz 2, +49 931 53814, www.hotel-wuerzburgerhof.de, info@hotel-wuerzburgerhof.de).

€€€ Hotel Alter Kranen has 17 standard rooms with a tidy, business-class vibe right along the river (not all rooms have views—try requesting one when you reserve). It’s farther from the train station than the others listed here but a bit handier to the Market Square/Old Main Bridge action (air-con, Kärrnergasse 11, +49 931 35180, www.hotel-alter-kranen.de, mail@hotel-alter-kranen.de).

€€ Hotel Barbarossa, tucked away on top of a tall medical-office building above the busy Barbarossaplatz intersection, feels more like a B&B than the others listed here. Its 18 rooms are quirky and homey (RS%, air-con, rooftop terrace, Theaterstrasse 2, fourth floor, +49 931 3291 9091, www.hotelbarbarossa-wuerzburg.de, info@hotelbarbarossa-wuerzburg.de, run by hardworking Christine).

€€ Hotel zum Winzermännle has 23 bright rooms along a busy pedestrian street in the city center, but its double-paned windows keep things quiet. The atmosphere is simple: a bit anonymous, though comfortable (no air-con, reception up one floor from street, Domstrasse 32, +49 931 322 850, http://winzermaennle.de, kontakt@winzermaennle.de).

€€ City Hotel Würzburg is friendly and efficient, with 40 tight but comfortable rooms, most smartly renovated, on a street with a pleasant neighborhood feel (no air-con but fans, no elevator; from Barbarossaplatz follow Theaterstrasse and take your first left onto Semmelstrasse and head to #28, +49 931 780 0990, www.cityhotel-wuerzburg.de, info@cityhotel-wuerzburg.de, Ulrich Kölbel).

€€ Hotel Petite, a comfy and cozy place on a back street, lives up to its name. Some of its 13 bright rooms come with little balconies (from train station, turn right onto Juliuspromenade, then jog left a block onto Innerer Graben to find the hotel at #22—look for Hotel Dortmunder Hof signage from before its name change, +49 176 3636 4502, www.city-hotel-petite.de, info@city-hotel-petite.de).

¢ Babelfish Hostel, across the street from the station, welcomes travelers of all ages to its 18 colorful rooms. This laid-back place is eco-friendly, modern, and comfortable. While it’s a little grubby, it also feels friendly and safe (private rooms available—some with kitchenettes, breakfast extra, roof deck, wheelchair-accessible, reception on second floor, no air-con, Haugering 2, +49 931 304 0430, www.babelfish-hostel.de, info@babelfish-hostel.de).

¢ Würzburg’s official youth hostel (Jugendherberge) is across the river in a former women’s prison (private and family rooms; requires membership; 20-minute walk from station: cross Old Main Bridge and turn left on Saalgasse to Fred-Joseph-Platz 2; or take tram #3 or #5 to Löwenbrücke stop, then follow Jugendherberge signs; +49 931/4677-860, www.jugendherberge.de, wuerzburg@jugendherberge.de).

Eating in Würzburg

IN THE CENTER

The Bürgerspital is a grand Baroque complex that once housed one of the city’s medieval charity hospices. Back then, rich Würzburgers created charitable foundations to support the city’s elderly and poor. They began making and selling wine to fund their charity work, and this tradition continues today. Still occupying grand Baroque complexes, the foundations have restaurants, wine shops, and extensive wine cellars. These are no longer basic soup kitchens but well-respected, quite elegant eateries that also happen to support a good cause. The Bürgerspital—the oldest and best-known of these foundations—now cares for about a hundred local seniors and also provides two eating options:

€€€€ Weinstuben Bürgerspital is a candlelit but not-too-formal restaurant that serves beautifully presented Franconian specialties. Depending on the weather, you can dine outside in a fine old courtyard or indoors in traditional or modern rooms (daily until late, Theaterstrasse 19, +49 931 352 880).

€€ Weinhaus Bürgerspital, an unintimidating wine shop/tasting room on a busy corner, serves up small dishes in a contemporary setting that includes a pleasant patio. The staff is happy to educate you on the basics of Franconian wine (flights available, Mon 9:00-18:00, Tue-Sat until 22:00, Sun 11:00-18:00, on the corner of Theaterstrasse and Semmelstrasse, +49 931 350 3403).

The Bürgerspital’s fun, drinks-only place, Hockerle, is described later, under “Places for a Memorable Snack or Drink.”

Other Central Options

€€ Wirtshaus Lämmle is just right for a wine garden serving traditional Franconian dishes under chestnut trees with a view of the backside of the Marienkapelle (closed Sun, Marienplatz 5, +49 931 54748).

€€€ Backöfele is a fun hole-in-the-wall (literally, though it’s quite big once you enter). Named “The Oven” for its entryway, this place is a hit with Germans, offering a rustic menu full of traditional meat and fish dishes. You can sit inside or in the delightful, glassed-in, cobbled courtyard (Mon-Fri dinner only, Sat-Sun lunch and dinner, reservations smart; a couple of blocks beyond City Hall, Ursulinergasse 2; +49 931 59059, www.backoefele.de).

€€€ Weinhaus zum Stachel originated as the town’s tithe barn, where people deposited 10 percent of their produce as tax. In 1413, it began preparing that produce and selling wine, making it Würzburg’s oldest Weinhaus. Today, its stone-and-ivy courtyard is one of the city’s most elegant settings for enjoying fresh fish and gourmet Franconian meals. In bad weather, you’ll eat in the woody medieval dining room, where the ceiling depicts a Stachel (mace) in deadly action (closed Sun-Mon, reservations smart, Gressengasse 1, +49 931 52770, www.weinhaus-stachel.de).

€€ Sternbäck is an inviting Kneipe (pub) with rickety tables spilling onto a busy square, and extra inside seating upstairs. This is where locals from all walks of life gather for a drink and cheap eats. The hip, friendly staff can recommend something that will satisfy you, including Franconian classics and curries (daily until late, Sternplatz 4, +49 931 54056).

€ Weinstube Maulaffenbäck, with a few outdoor tables hidden in an alley near Market Square, is a characteristic place for cheap Franconian meals and good wine among a local crowd (daily, Maulhardgasse 9, +49 931 4677 8700).

€ Pasta e Olio, a couple of blocks east of Market Square, may look like an anonymous fast-food stand, but its pasta is made fresh daily by the same family that’s been running the place for three generations. The limited menu, with dishes ordered cafeteria-style, usually includes a pasta dish, lasagna, a vegetarian option, and mixed antipasti (lunch and dinner Mon-Sat, dinner only Sun, Eichhornstrasse 6, +49 931 3583 2965).

€ Dean & David, part of a national chain, is deservedly a favorite for a fast, inexpensive, and healthy meal. They have a pleasant modern interior and tables on the square (super-fresh salads, veggie dishes, curries, soups, wok plates, sandwiches, smoothies, daily for lunch and dinner, Eichhornstrasse 2b, +49 931 4522 8303). A second location is at Maulhardgasse 11 (+49 931 4525 8626).

ON THE RIVERFRONT

€€€ Alte Mainmühle, at the Old Main Bridge in a converted mill, is a great place to end your walking tour or enjoy a sunset. On a warm day, nothing beats a cold beer on their deck, which overlooks the river and the fortress—choose from the sunny top-floor terrace or the shade below. If dining inside, I’d sit upstairs rather than on the lower level. Look for fresh fish specials and traditional fare with a Franconian twist. Their homemade sourdough bread (Natursauerteigbrot) is a delicious nod to their milling history (daily until late, reservations smart, Mainkai 1, +49 931 16777, www.alte-mainmuehle.de). They also have a to-go window selling wine and sausage (described later, under “Places for a Memorable Snack or Drink”).

€€ Alter Kranen Brauerei-Gasthof is a youthful eatery with a big beer hall interior, outdoor tables around the old crane overlooking the river, and indifferent service (try the local brew—Würzburger Hofbraü, table service only, daily until late, a couple of blocks down from the Old Main Bridge at Kranenkai 1, +49 931 9913 1545).

€ Main Kutter, a fun-loving little fish-and-chips boat, is tied up a bit downstream from the Old Main Bridge. With a commotion of funky tables and lots of riverside park benches nearby, it caters to a youthful crowd and is the cheapest meal on the water. They serve local fish—trout, pike-perch, and carp—with English-style malt vinegar and sea salt. Place your order at the counter onboard. You’ll have to fetch your own beer and stay aboard to drink if you’re ordering beer or wine (Tue-Fri 16:00-20:00 or later in summer, Sat-Sun from 12:00; closed Mon, in bad weather, and Oct-April; +49 150 393 9388).

Riverfront Picnic: A parklike stretch of riverbank from the Old Main Bridge to the crane is made-to-order for picnicking. There are plenty of benches and a long, inviting concrete embankment to spread out your meal. The scene comes with beer-drinking students, the down-and-out collecting their bottles, and great views of the river, bridge, and castle.

PLACES FOR A MEMORABLE SNACK OR DRINK

€ The Alte Mainmühle’s bridge-side takeout window makes the Old Main Bridge the place to be on summer evenings. Würzburgers of all stripes come here to mingle with friends and neighbors while enjoying local wines by the glass (€5 deposit for glass). It’s also a classy place to pick up a snack of mini bratwursts (daily, at the near end of the Old Main Bridge).

€ Goldene Gans Biergarten is a sloppy riverside beer garden on the west side of the river, with wooden benches, shaded views of the Old Main Bridge, forgettable food, and good beer (daily until late—weather permitting, closed off-season, cash only, to the left about a block after you cross the Old Main Bridge).

Hockerle, a funky little time warp, is a pub tucked away right next to Weinhaus Bürgerspital (listed earlier). It serves wine on tap to locals and outgoing tourists who bring in their own food. The regulars start drinking early (no food, wines listed on blackboard, Mon-Fri 9:00-18:00, Sat until 15:00, closed Sun).

Würzburg Connections

From Würzburg by Train to: Rothenburg (hourly, 70 minutes, transfer in Steinach; 45 minutes to Steinach, then 15 minutes to Rothenburg; tiny Steinach-Rothenburg train leaves usually from track 5 shortly after the Würzburg train arrives), Frankfurt Airport (1-2/hour, 1.5 hours), Frankfurt (1-2/hour, 70 minutes, or 2 hours on cheaper RE trains), Nürnberg (2-3/hour, 1 hour), Munich (1-2/hour, 2.5 hours), Cologne (hourly, 2.5 hours by ICE; also 3/day by IC, 4 hours), Leipzig (hourly, 3 hours, some transfer in Fulda or Bamburg), Berlin (hourly, 4 hours, change points vary). Train info: www.bahn.com.

FRANKFURT

PLANNING YOUR TIME

Orientation to Frankfurt

TOURIST INFORMATION

ARRIVAL IN FRANKFURT

Map: Frankfurt

HELPFUL HINTS

GETTING AROUND FRANKFURT

Tours in Frankfurt

Frankfurt Walk

Sights in Frankfurt

Sleeping in Frankfurt

NEAR THE TRAIN STATION

Map: Frankfurt Hotels & Restaurants

ELSEWHERE IN FRANKFURT

Eating in Frankfurt

APPLE-WINE PUBS IN SACHSENHAUSEN

DINING DOWNTOWN

NEAR THE TRAIN STATION, ON AND NEAR KAISERSTRASSE

SUPERMARKETS

Frankfurt Connections

BY TRAIN

BY PLANE

Frankfurt, while low on Old World charm, offers a good look at today’s no-nonsense, modern Germany. There’s so much more to this country than castles and old cobbled squares. Ever since the early Middle Ages—when, as the city’s name hints, this was a good place to cross the river (“Ford of the Franks”)—people have gathered here to trade. Frankfurt is a pragmatic city, and its decisions are famously based on what’s good for business. Destroyed in World War II? Make that an opportunity to rebuild for trade better than ever. And that’s what they did.

With trade came people from around the world. Cosmopolitan Frankfurt, sometimes referred to by locals as “Bankfurt,” is a key business hub of united Europe and home to the European Central Bank. Especially in the area around the train station, you’ll notice the fascinating multiethnic flavor of the city. A third of its 775,000 residents carry foreign passports, representing 180 different nationalities. Though Frankfurt is often avoided by tourists who consider it a sterile business and transportation hub, the city’s modern energy, fueled in part by the entrepreneurial spirit of its immigrant communities, makes it a unique and entertaining city. And if you visit on a Sunday, when Frankfurt takes the day off from its usual hustle and bustle, you’ll find a city cloaked in a village-like charm.

PLANNING YOUR TIME

You might fly into or out of Frankfurt am Main, or at least pass through, as this glossy city links the best wine-and-castles stretch of the Rhine to the north with the fairy-tale Romantic Road to the south. Even two or three hours in Frankfurt leaves you with some powerful impressions: The city’s main sights can be enjoyed in a half-day by using its train station (a 12-minute ride from the airport) as a springboard. At a minimum, ride up to the top of the Main Tower for commanding city views and wander through the pedestrian zone to the Old Town area (Römerberg). My self-guided walk provides a framework for your explorations. With more time or an overnight, Frankfurt has plenty of museums and other attractions to choose from.

Layover Visit: If you have a long layover at Frankfurt Airport, it’s easy enough to zip into the center for a little sightseeing on the S-Bahn (less than 30 minutes each way, including finding the right track and buying the ticket; at the ticket machine, buy the all-day transit pass, which covers your round-trip). If you have ample time (about 7 hours), get off at the Hauptbahnhof stop—at the main train station—to do my entire city walk. For a shorter and more targeted visit (at least 5 hours), stay on the train one more stop to Hauptwache; this puts you right in the center of Frankfurt’s inviting people zone (see here). From here, you could do the last section of my city walk, which ends at the Eisener Steg bridge. For a quick return to the airport from the bridge, catch the S-Bahn at Hauptwache (a 10-minute walk away from the river). Once underground, find the S-Bahn platforms rather than the U-Bahn ones; take any S-8 or S-9 train in the direction of Wiesbaden.

To calculate the time for a layover visit: Expect about 1 hour to deplane and go through immigration and customs (this will depend on your arrival gate—Frankfurt Airport is large—as well as the length of queues at immigration, and whether you need to collect and store/recheck luggage); less than 30 minutes to transit by train, including ticket purchase; 2 hours to explore; up to 30 minutes to return to the airport; and 1 hour to go back through security and get to your gate (longer if you need to check in luggage or pick up a boarding pass for your connecting flight).

A quick and easy way to see the city on a layover is to take Frankfurt on Foot’s “Frankfurt Layover Tour” (includes pickup and drop-off at the airport; see “Tours in Frankfurt,” later).

Orientation to Frankfurt

Frankfurt, with its forest of skyscrapers perched on the banks of the Main (pronounced “mine”) River, has been dubbed Germany’s “Mainhattan.” The city is Germany’s trade and banking capital, leading the country in high-rises (mostly bank headquarters)...and yet, a third of Frankfurt is green space.

The convention center (Messe) and the red light district are near the train station. Just to the east are the skyscraper banking district and the shopping and pedestrian area around the distinctive Hauptwache building. Beyond that is what remains of Frankfurt’s Old Town, around Römerberg, the city’s central market square. A short walk across the river takes you to a different part of town: Frankfurt’s top museums line the south bank of the Main, and nearby is Sachsenhausen, a charming residential neighborhood and schmaltzy restaurant zone.

TOURIST INFORMATION

The TI is on Römerberg Square, in the old part of town (daily 9:00-18:00, +49 69 247 455 400, www.visitfrankfurt.travel). They offer city bus tours and walking tours (see “Tours in Frankfurt,” later) and can help with performance tickets or room reservations.

Sightseeing Passes: If you’re using public transit, the Frankfurt Card easily pays for itself. It gives you a transit pass (including connections to and from the airport), up to 50 percent off major museums, and 20 percent off the TI’s walking tours (€12/1 day, €19/2 days; group rate for 2-5 people—€24/1 day, €36/2 days). You can buy it at the TI, at the Travelex shop in the Frankfurt airport (Terminal 1B), or on the TI website (but note that you must print the card out). The Museumsufer Ticket covers 39 museums (€21, €32 family ticket; valid 2 consecutive days or Sun and Tue since many are closed Mon). It’s available at the TI, any museum, or online at www.museumsufer.de. The RheinMainCard, also available from the TI, is worthwhile only for travelers with time and interest for farther-flung destinations (www.frankfurt-rhein-main.de/services/RheinMainCard).

ARRIVAL IN FRANKFURT

By Train: Frankfurt’s main train station (Hauptbahnhof) bustles with travelers. Lockers are along track 24. Pay WCs and showers are down the stairway by tracks 9 and 10. Inquire about train tickets in the Reisezentrum, off the main hall (long hours daily).

Getting out of the station can be a bit tricky. Use the underground passageway (Bahnhofspassage) and follow the signs, or better yet, exit straight out the main door located in the middle of the terminal to reach a crosswalk. The station is a 20-minute walk from the convention center (Messe), a 3-minute subway ride or 20-minute walk from Römerberg, and a 12-minute train ride from the airport. A taxi stand is just outside the main entrance of the train station to your left.

By Car: Follow signs for Frankfurt, then Messe, and finally Hauptbahnhof (train station). The Hauptbahnhof garage (€35/day) is under the station, near most recommended hotels. For information on parking elsewhere in Frankfurt, visit Parkhausfrankfurt.de. The parking garages at Dom Römer, Hauptwache, and Konstabler are most central.

By Plane: See “Frankfurt Connections,” at the end of this chapter.

HELPFUL HINTS

Museum Hours: Most museums are closed Monday. A few stay open late on Thursday.

Festivals and Events: Frankfurt keeps a busy and fun-loving calendar of events. Check the TI website for a list of what’s happening.

Laundry: Located near the train station, Miele Wash World is small and often crowded. Because of this area’s recent challenges (see sidebar, later), you may want to visit during daylight hours (daily 6:00-23:00, Moselstrasse 17, by the corner of Münchener Strasse, signs in English). In Sachsenhausen, by the recommended Fichtekränzi restaurant, is a Wasch Treff (Mon-Sat 6:00-23:00, closed Sun, Wallstrasse 8). For locations, see the “Frankfurt Hotels and Restaurants” map, later.

Theater: The most active English-language theater on the Continent, English Theatre Frankfurt hosts companies from the UK and the US. The quality is good and the delightful theater is small, so it books up well in advance (Gallusanlage 7, closed July-Aug, +49 69 242 31620, www.english-theatre.de).

Helpful Website: Get the scoop on the best Frankfurt events and sights from veteran tour guides Jodean and David Ator at www.frankfurt-on-foot-cityguide.blogspot.com.

GETTING AROUND FRANKFURT

By Public Transportation: Frankfurt’s subway (U-Bahn) and suburban train (S-Bahn) network is easy to use, but trams are more convenient and give you a better look at the city. For transit information in English, including maps and route planners, see rmv.de (and consider downloading their useful app).

For all forms of public transit, buy your tickets (Fahrkarten) from an RMV machine (carry cash, some machines don’t accept US credit cards). Tickets are issued with a validating stamp already on them and are valid only immediately after they’re bought. If you don’t see your destination listed, type “Frankfurt” first, along with the name of your stop. Choose a regular single ticket (€3.65), short-ride ticket (€2.25—valid destinations listed on machines), all-day pass (€7.10 without the airport, €12.30 with), or all-day group ticket (up to 5 adults, €13.60 without the airport, €20.60 with). If you’ll be going to or from the airport, note that the one-day Frankfurt Card (described earlier, under “Tourist Information”) costs slightly less than the all-day transit pass and includes sightseeing discounts. An individual one-way ticket to the airport costs €6.30 (no group rate).

By Taxi or Uber: A typical ride, such as from the train station to Römerberg Square, costs about €13 (up to €16 in slow traffic). A ride between the airport and my recommended hotels is about €40. Uber works here like it does at home, the price is a bit cheaper than a taxi, and you usually get a car within a few minutes.

Tours in Frankfurt

Hop-On, Hop-Off Bus Tours

Gray Line double-decker hop-on, hop-off buses give you an easy orientation to Frankfurt—just keep your expectations low for the recorded commentary, which can be difficult to follow (one-hour “Express” tour with about 13 stops-€21, two-hour “Skyline Tour” with 16 stops-€26, departures hourly 10:00-17:00 from near St. Paul’s Church and TI, buy tickets at TI or for a discount online at www.frankfurt-sightseeing.com).

Walking Tours

Frankfurt on Foot’s 3.5-hour walks, led by longtime Frankfurt residents (and Ohio natives) Jodean Ator and her husband, David, hit the major sights and make Frankfurt’s history meaningful (€20, basic walk leaves daily at 10:00 from Römer/Paulskirche tram stop, Braubach Strasse 41—booking online preferred but you can just show up, private walking tours-€80/hour, +49 1520 846 4200, www.frankfurtonfoot.com, info@frankfurtonfoot.com). Their flexible “Frankfurt Layover Tour” is ideal for those with long Frankfurt Airport layovers and includes pickup and drop-off at the airport.

The TI offers one-hour walking tours of the historic center and the reconstructed DomRömer Quarter. Visit the TI or check their website for the schedule and consider reserving ahead (20 percent discount with Frankfurt Card, +49 69 247 455 400, www.visitfrankfurt.travel, info@infofrankfurt.de).

Local Guide

Elisabeth Lücke loves her city and shares it very well (€85/hour, cash only, reserve in advance, +49 173 913 3157, www.elisabeth-luecke.de, elisabeth.luecke@t-online.de). She enjoys tailoring tours (for example, to the IG Farben building, a.k.a. the “Pentagon of Europe”) for military personnel once based around here.

Caroline Marburger is a talented, sharp-minded historian with extensive experience studying and living abroad. For years, she has been a valued guide on my Germany tours, and was a local guide in Berlin for even longer (+49 176 7677 9920, caroline.marburger@posteo.de).

River Boat Tours

These tours are relaxing but pretty boring (with no medieval castles in sight). You can go an hour in either direction or take a grand two-hour ride (departures from near the Eiserner Steg pedestrian bridge). You’ll see the impressive skyline, but a river ride in the Romantic Rhine gorge is far more interesting.

Frankfurt Walk

This self-guided sightseeing walk, worth ▲▲, shows you the new Frankfurt and the old. Starting at the main train station (Hauptbahnhof), it takes you down Kaiserstrasse, up the Main Tower, through the modern shopping and eating districts, and into the lively square at the center of the Old Town (where you could continue on to the Jewish Holocaust Memorial), before finishing on a bridge overlooking the city and its river. Allow three leisurely hours to complete the full walk. Ideally, do the walk in the morning when the streets are relatively quiet, and you’ll finish near lots of great lunch options. To trace the route, see the “Frankfurt” map earlier in this chapter.

1 Train Station

Frankfurt has Germany’s busiest train station: 450,000 travelers make their way to 24 platforms to catch 1,800 trains every day. Hop on a train and you can be in either Paris or Berlin in around four hours. While it was big news when it opened in the 1890s, it’s a dead-end terminus station, which, with today’s high-speed trains, makes it outdated. Complaining that it takes an extra 20 minutes to stop here, railway officials threatened to have the speedy ICE trains bypass Frankfurt altogether unless it dug a tunnel to allow for a faster pass-through stop. But this proved too expensive, and—while some trains stop only at the pass-through airport station—most fast trains grudgingly serve downtown Frankfurt.

Leaving through the station’s front door, walk to the traffic island facing the pedestrian Kaiserstrasse, and turn to look back at the building’s Neo-Renaissance facade—a style popular with Industrial Revolution-era architects. This classic late-19th-century glass-and-iron construction survived World War II. High above, a statue of Atlas carries the world—but only with some heavy-duty help: Green copper figures representing steam power and electricity pitch in. The 1890s were a confident age, when people believed that technology would solve the world’s problems.

• With your back to the station, look down...

2 Kaiserstrasse

This grand 19th-century boulevard features appropriately elegant facades that were designed to dress up the approach to the fine new station when it was built. Towering above and beyond the 100-plus-year-old buildings are the skyscrapers of Frankfurt’s banking district. While city officials have been trying to spiff up Kaiserstrasse into a people-friendly eating zone, and it offers an array of food from around the world, it still comes with the rough edges you find near any big-city European train station.

Speaking of which: At this point, in past editions of this book, we guided our travelers through the Bahnhofsviertel neighborhood and red light district to the north of Kaiserstrasse. But since the Covid-19 pandemic, this neighborhood has experienced a spike in crime related to an increase in people struggling with addiction and homelessness, and it’s no longer considered safe (for more on this story, see the sidebar on the next page).

• Walk four blocks down Kaiserstrasse, away from the station, until you reach the park at Gallusanlage. Cross the street and turn left into the green area. Continue one block through the park, cross Taunustor at the stoplight, and head for the statue of a man holding a book. Notice the banking skyscrapers all around you: It’s easy to see why this city (on the Main River) is nicknamed “Mainhattan.”

3 Schiller Statue and Banking District

Friedrich Schiller was a Romantic poet (and friend of Goethe). The park around him is part of a greenbelt that encircles the old center and marks the former site of Frankfurt’s medieval moat and fortifications. These walls (along with many castles on the Rhine) were destroyed by the French in 1806. Napoleon had just beaten the Austrians and Russians at Austerlitz. And, while he had the upper hand, he figured it was wise to preemptively obliterate any German fortifications that might haunt him if the Germans turned against France in the future.

Post-Pandemic Challenges in the Bahnhofsviertel

In the 1980s, Frankfurt was plagued by one of the largest open drug markets in Europe, with parks and police overwhelmed by needle addicts. As in many cities, the problem was concentrated near the main train station, in the neighborhood known as the “Bahnhofsviertel.”

In response, in 1992 the city started offering “pump rooms”—safe spaces for addicts to maintain their habit with clean needles, medical help, and a place to stay. This pragmatic harm-reduction approach had strict rules prohibiting first-time users, drug dealing, or sharing of drugs—and counseling was available. Most locals considered the program a success and grew accustomed to dazed drug users congregating in neighborhoods like this one. Overdose deaths decreased by 75 percent (with no deaths in the “pump rooms”).

The area just east of the train station is also Frankfurt’s red light district, where sex work is legal but heavily regulated. Sex work and trade fairs have gone hand-in-hand in Frankfurt ever since the Middle Ages. In the modern era, Frankfurt’s leaders realized it was ineffective to outlaw sex work, but it could be taxed and made less dangerous. In a “tolerance area” two blocks from the station, about 20 five-story brothels occupy late-19th-century apartment buildings. Here women (primarily from Eastern Europe, Latin America, and Thailand) run their own businesses, charging around €20 for services and renting their rooms for about €130 a day. (It’s said that they cover their rent by the end of the local businessmen’s lunch break—the banking district is nearby.) Across Germany today, sex workers receive health care and pay taxes on €14 billion of declared income.

But since the pandemic, the twin blights of recession and gentrification have pushed many more vulnerable people onto Frankfurt’s streets, rendering the previously successful “pump rooms” and other harm-reduction measures ineffective. Violence has increased. Some sex workers went home during the pandemic and have not returned, leaving vacant rooms and opening doors to illegal activities. Despite an increased police presence, crime near the train station has been hard to shake.

The challenge of opioid addiction is not unique to Germany, of course. While the US suffers over 100,000 overdose deaths a year, Germany has closer to 1,500—that’s about 30 fewer overdose deaths per 100,000 people. And Frankfurt is continuing to seek solutions, responding with new safety measures, neighborhood improvements, and additional drug assistance—but these will take time to have an effect. Sustained funding will be crucial for securing a better future—a hope shared by the local residents, employees, and business owners who call the Bahnhofsviertel home.

The park is also the center of Frankfurt’s ▲ banking district. The post-WWII Marshall Plan was administered from here—requiring fancy money handling. And the mighty deutsche mark was born in a 1930s-era building facing the park (in the third building on the left as you face Schiller—the low, boxy, Art Deco mansion, now a Deutsche Bundesbank headquarters). After World War II, Germany’s economy was in chaos. In 1948, the US gave it a complete currency transfer—like a blood transfusion—literally printing up the new deutsche marks and shipping them across the Atlantic to inject them from here directly into the German economy. As if catching water from a fountain, banks naturally grew up around this square.

But Frankfurt was “Bankfurt” long before World War II. This was the Rothschilds’ hometown. Born in Frankfurt’s Jewish ghetto in 1744, Mayer Rothschild went from being a pauper to the richest banker in the world. His five sons set up businesses in Rome, London, Paris, and Vienna, and in two generations the Rothschild banking dynasty was established. (Their former palace now houses Frankfurt’s Jewish Museum, described later, under “Sights in Frankfurt”). Today, locals call Frankfurt’s legion of bankers “penguins,” as they all dress the same. Tour guides here talk of banks as part of the cultural soil (the way French Riviera guides talk of the big yachts).

Beyond the statue of Schiller stand the twin towers of the Deutsche Bank (not to be confused with DB—Deutsche Bahn—which we passed earlier). The assets of the country’s #1 bank are greater than the annual budget of the German government. If money makes the world go round, the decisions that spin Germany are made in Frankfurt.

Make a 360-degree spin and survey all the bank towers. Notice the striking architecture. By law, no German worker can be kept out of natural light for more than four hours, so work environments are filled with windows. And, as you can see, Germans like their skyscrapers with windows that open.

• Looking right from Schiller, find the skyscraper with the red-and-white candy cane on top. That’s your destination—the Main Tower. To reach it, continue straight along Taunustor a block, then turn left on Neue Mainzer Strasse and look for the tower symbol on the doors on the right.

4 Main Tower

Finished in 2000, this ▲▲ tower houses the Helaba Bank and offers the best (and only public) open-air viewpoint from the top of a Frankfurt skyscraper. A 55-second, ear-popping elevator ride to the 54th floor (watch the meter on the wall as you ascend) and then 50 stairs take you to the rooftop, 650 feet above the city.

Cost and Hours: €9, 20 percent discount with Frankfurt Card; Sun-Thu 10:00-21:00, Fri-Sat until 23:00; closes earlier off-season and during bad weather; enter at Neue Mainzer Strasse 52, between Taunustor and Junghofstrasse, +49 69 3650 4878, www.maintower.de.

Self-Guided Spin-Tour: Here, from Frankfurt’s ultimate viewpoint, survey the city by circling clockwise, starting with the biggest skyscraper (with the yellow emblem).

Designed by Norman Foster (of Berlin Reichstag and London City Hall fame), the Commerzbank building was finished in 1997. It’s 985 feet high, with nine winter gardens spiraling up its core and windows that open. It’s considered the first ecological skyscraper...radically “green” in its day. Just to the left is Römerberg—the Old Town center (the half-timbered houses huddled around the red-and-white church with a green spire; we’ll visit there soon).

The Museum Embankment (see “Sights in Frankfurt,” later) lines Schaumainkai on the far side of the Main River, just beyond the Taunus Tower.

The Rhine-Main airport, off in the distance (like a city in the forest), is the largest employment complex in Germany, with 80,000 workers. Frankfurt’s massive train station dominates the foreground. From the station, the grand Kaiserstrasse cuts through the city to Römerberg.

The Frankfurt fair (Messe), marked by the brown skyscraper with the pointy top, is a huge convention center—the size of 40 soccer fields. It sprawls behind the skyscraper that looks like a classical column sporting a visor-like capital. (The protruding lip of the capital is heated so that icicles don’t form, break off, and impale people on the street below.) Frankfurt’s fair originated in 1240, when the emperor promised all participating merchants safe passage. The glassy black twin towers of the Deutsche Bank in the foreground (nicknamed “Debit and Credit”) are typical of mid-1980s mirrored architecture.

The West End, with vast green spaces and the telecommunications tower, is Frankfurt’s priciest residential quarter. The city’s most enjoyable zone cuts from the West End to the right. Stretching from the classic-looking Opera House below are broad and people-filled boulevards made-to-order for eating and shopping. Find the “Beach Club” filling the rooftop of a parking garage with white tents, two pools, and colorful lounge chairs. This is a popular family zone by day and a chic club after dark.

From here, you can see how the city walls, demolished in 1806, left a string of green zones arcing out from the river. This defined the city limits in the 19th century.

Take a moment from this vantage point to trace the rest of this walk: from the Opera House, along the tree-lined eating and shopping boulevards to St. Paul’s Church and Römerberg. After side-tripping from Römerberg out to the cathedral, we’ll finish on Eiserner Steg, the iron pedestrian bridge over the Main River.

Now look east, farther out along the river, to the glistening twin towers (standing all alone). At 600 feet tall, these are the striking headquarters of the European Central Bank.

As you leave the Main Tower, step into the Helaba Bank lobby (next door over from base of elevator). A black-and-white mosaic filling the wall shows cultural superstars of 20th-century Frankfurt, from composer Paul Hindemith to industrialist and humanitarian Oskar Schindler to Anne Frank (see the key on the post nearby for a who’s who).

• Exit right from the Main Tower and continue walking along Neue Mainzer Strasse. Follow the road as it bends to the right, crossing Junghofstrasse. In a couple of blocks, a large square opens up on your left. Across the square is the Opera House.

Frankfurt’s Good-Living People Zone

5 Opera House (Alte Oper): Finished in 1880, Frankfurt’s opera house celebrated German high culture and the newly created nation. Mozart and Goethe flank the entrance, reminders that this is a house of both music and theater. On a hot day, people of all ages cool their heels in the refreshing fountain in the plaza out front. The original opera house was gutted in World War II. Over the objections of a mayor nicknamed “Dynamite Rudi,” the city rebuilt it in the original style, and it opened in 1981. Underneath is a U-Bahn station (Alte Oper).

• Facing the Opera, turn right down Frankfurt’s famous...

6 Fressgass’: The official names for this pedestrian street are Grosse Bockenheimer Strasse and Kalbächer Gasse...but everyone in Frankfurt calls it the Fressgass’, roughly “Feeding Street.” Herds of bank employees come here on their lunch breaks to fill their bellies before returning for another few hours of cud-chewing at their computers. It’s packed gable-to-gable with eateries and shoulder-to-shoulder with workers wolfing cheap sandwiches, plates of Asian food, and more—and offers great people-watching. You may even see roving wurst vendors, strapped to portable weenie grills. Join in if you’re hungry—or wait for more eating options in a couple of blocks.

• Stow your guidebook and just wander along here for a few minutes, until you reach the next U-Bahn stop. It’s in the long, perpendicular square called Rathenauplatz (which locals call Goethe Platz for its central statue). Cross the square and continue straight—the pedestrian street is now called Biebergasse—another block to the...

7 Hauptwache: The small, red-and-white building—which has given its name to the square (and the subway station below it)—was built in 1730 to house the Frankfurt city militia. Now it’s a café, with the skippable MOMEM (Museum of Modern Electronic Music) below. The square, entirely closed to traffic, is one of the city’s hubs.

• To the right, at the south side of the square, is the Protestant Katharinenkirche, which was destroyed in the bombing raids of March 1944 and rebuilt after the war. Straight ahead of you is a boulevard called the...

8 Zeil: This tree-lined pedestrian drag is Frankfurt’s main shopping street. Crowds swirl through the Galeria Kaufhof department store, the Zeil Galerie, and the MyZeil shopping center (the one with the glassy hole in its wall) along the left side of the street. MyZeil has a huge glass atrium shaped like two massive funnels—a mesmerizing sight on a rainy day. An escalator claiming to be the “longest in Germany” (behind the much-shorter twin set by the door) leads straight to the fourth-floor food court.

Lunch and Views at Department Stores: The Galeria Kaufhof has a recommended rooftop cafeteria, Galeria Restaurant (good for lunch or just the views). There’s a supermarket with a snack stand and seating in the basement of the MyZeil shopping center (Mon-Sat long hours, closed Sun).

• Continue down Zeil a block to the fountain at the next intersection. Turn right on Hasengasse. In the distance is the lacy red-brick spire of the cathedral. Halfway there, after about two blocks, find the low-key green entrance to Kleinmarkthalle on the right. Enter the market (pay WC downstairs at entry).

9 Kleinmarkthalle: This delightful, old-school market was saved from developers by local outcry, and to this day it’s a neighborhood favorite. Explore and sample your way through the ground floor. It’s an adventure in fine eating (with a line of simple eateries upstairs, too; see “Eating in Frankfurt,” later) and a delight for photographers. The far wall is filled with a fun piece of art offering a bird’s-eye view of Frankfurt over a charming montage of the many ways locals love their hometown.

• Head all the way through the Kleinmarkthalle and exit opposite where you entered. Angle right, and climb five steps into a square (Liebfrauenberg) with a red-brick fountain and the 14th-century Church of Our Lady (rebuilt after World War II). Turn left and head downhill on Neue Kräme, then cross Berliner Strasse to Paulsplatz.

10 St. Paul’s Church (Paulskirche)

To your right, the ▲ former church dominating the square is known as the “cradle of German democracy.” It was here, during the political upheaval of 1848, that the first freely elected National Assembly met and the first German Constitution was drafted, paving the way for a united Germany in 1871. Following its destruction by Allied bombs in 1944, the church became the first historic building in the city to be rebuilt. This was a symbolic statement from the German people that they wanted to be free (as they had demonstrated here in 1848), democratic...and no longer fascist. Around the outside of the building, you’ll see reliefs honoring people who contributed to the German nation, including Theodor Heuss, the first president, and John F. Kennedy, who spoke here on June 25, 1963.

Step inside; the entrance is around to the left (free, daily 10:00-17:00). Displays described in English tell the story of 1848. Check out the circular mural—wrapped around the building’s core—from the 1980s. Called The March of Members of Parliament, it was commissioned to honor the political heroes of 1848 but became controversial when unveiled. The portraits are cartoonish figures, with faces hinting of contemporary politicians. Political leaders seem to sneer at the working class, and two naked men who look like they’re having sex represent the forces of democracy and monarchy fighting within Germany. Upstairs is a 900-seat assembly hall with no decor except the flags of the 16 states of the Federal Republic of Germany.

• Exiting the church, cross diagonally to the right through the square. If you need a break, a variety of eateries offer inviting seating that’s perfect for some fun people-watching. Then, cross the next street and tram tracks and you’ll enter what’s left of Frankfurt’s Old Town.

11 Römerberg

Frankfurt’s ▲ market square was the birthplace of the city. This is the site of the first trade fairs (12th century), bank (1405), and stock exchange (1585). Now, crowds of tourists convene here. Römerberg’s central statue is the goddess of justice without her customary blindfold. She oversees the Town Hall, which itself oversees trade. The Town Hall (Römer) houses the Kaisersaal, or Imperial Hall, where Holy Roman Emperors celebrated their coronations. Today, the Römer houses the city council and mayor’s office. Marriages must be performed in a civil ceremony here to be legal, so you’ll see lots of brides and grooms celebrating outside. The cute row of half-timbered homes (rebuilt in 1983) opposite the Römer is typical of Frankfurt’s quaint old center before the square was completely destroyed in World War II.

The Gothic red-and-white Old Nikolai Church (Alte Nikolaikirche, with fine stained glass from the 1920s by a local artist) dates from the 13th century and was restored after the war. Behind it, closer to the river, is the Frankfurt Historical Museum (see listing under “Sights in Frankfurt,” later).

Hosting everything from Christmas markets to violent demonstrations, this square is the beating heart of Frankfurt. In its center, the metal plaque resembling a large manhole cover reminds us that a Nazi book-burning took place here on May 10, 1933. Around the edge of the plaque is a quote from the German poet Heinrich Heine, who presciently pointed out that it’s a short step from burning books to burning people.

• From the Town Hall, the river and the bridge where this walk ends are just two blocks away. But first, we’ll take a short detour. Facing Old Nikolai Church, head left down the lane at the top of the square. You’ll see the cathedral tower ahead, and soon the Schirn Art Center on your right. Walk to the small square with a fountain topped by a bearded bust (on your left). This is the...

12 Altstadt (“New Old Town”)

This “new” development (officially called the DomRömer Quarter)—70 years in the making—is a partial reconstruction of the half-timbered Old Town destroyed during World War II. Following the war, some locals wanted to rebuild the original buildings, while others wanted to modernize. The compromise was an ugly concrete building in typical 1970s style that remained until 2010, when reconstruction of this more modern version of the Old Town began.

The little square is a former poultry market, and atop the fountain is the bust of Friedrich Stoltze, a writer and poet who was born in the former Old Town. Notice the buildings’ eclectic mix of colors and styles, some with slate roofs, others with red sandstone facades, and still others with doors made from 300-year-old oak. This mix of new and old architecture is a microcosm of today’s Frankfurt.

Before the war, this was a lively center of pubs, small businesses, and workshops. While the rebuilt Altstadt initially felt a bit saccharin, many Frankfurt residents now agree that the new crop of lively cafés, shops, and clubs have restored something of the square’s former character. Feel free to take a quick stroll farther into these reconstructed backstreets before coming back to the fountain/statue.

Now continue past Stoltze, then past the Stoltze Museum, then past a colorful, half-timbered building with a Kaffeehaus (coffeehouse) on your right. Next to the colorful building is a modern structure with a Kaiserpfalz sign. Head into its open archways for a look at “Franconofurd”—Roman ruins that were revealed by the Old Town’s destruction.

• Back on our route, directly ahead is the big red...

13 St. Bartholomew’s Cathedral (Kaiserdom)

Holy Roman Emperors were elected at this church starting in 1152 and crowned here between 1562 and 1792. The cathedral was gutted by fire in 1867 and had to be rebuilt. It was seriously damaged in World War II but repaired and reopened in 1953. Though the cathedral is free, you must pay to access two sights within the church: a museum (not particularly interesting) and a 328-step tower climb with city views at the top.

Cost and Hours: Cathedral—free, daily 9:00-20:00, www.dom-frankfurt.de; museum—€3, tower—€3, both open Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00, Sat-Sun from 11:00, closed Mon, tower closes in bad weather, shorter hours Nov-March; +49 69 7808 9255, www.dommuseum-frankfurt.de.

Visiting the Cathedral: Enter through the glass-and-metal doors of the vestibule. Note the painted white lines that imitate mortar between stones. This illusionist architecture was a popular technique for churches. Frescoes from the 15th century survive (flanking the high altar and ringing the choir). They show 27 scenes from the life of St. Bartholomew. The Electors Chapel (to the right of the altar) is where the electors convened to choose the Holy Roman Emperor in the Middle Ages. Everything of value that could be moved was taken out of the church before the WWII bombs came. The delightful sculpture in the Chapel of Sleeping Mary (to the left of the high altar), carved and painted in the 15th century, was too big to move—so it was fortified with sandbags. The altarpiece and stained glass next to it survived the bombing. As you wander, appreciate the colorful and extravagant tombstones embedded in the walls when the church’s cemetery was emptied.

• Exit the cathedral where you entered and turn left so that you’re walking past the tower and toward some trees. Continue a few blocks to reach the river. At the river, turn right and walk along the pleasant park to the next bridge. Head out to the center of the bridge.

14 Eiserner Steg Bridge

This iron bridge, the city’s second oldest, dates to 1869. (The oldest is just upstream: the Alte Brücke, site of the first “Frank ford”—a fifth-century crossing.) From the middle of the bridge, survey the skyline and enjoy the lively scene along the riverbanks of Frankfurt. These grassy areas are some of the most pleasant parts of the city.

• Our walk is over. From here, you have several options. For a quick return to your starting point at the main train station (Hauptbahnhof), walk back to Römerberg and take the U-Bahn. Or, to continue on to the Jewish Holocaust Memorial and/or the Frankfurt City Model (both free and described later, under “Sights in Frankfurt”), head back along the river toward the Alte Brücke bridge, where you’ll make a left on Kurt Schumacher Strasse. Both sights are a few blocks up.

Sights in Frankfurt

NEAR RÖMERBERG

▲Frankfurt Historical Museum (Historisches Museum Frankfurt)

▲Goethe House (Goethehaus)

Schirn Art Center (Schirn Kunsthalle)

NEAR THE RIVER, ON THE NORTH BANK

▲Jewish Museum (Jüdisches Museum)

Riverside Promenade

IN THE FORMER JEWISH GHETTO

▲Jewish Holocaust Memorial, Jewish Cemetery, and Museum Judengasse

▲Frankfurt City Model

ACROSS THE RIVER, ON THE SOUTH BANK

▲Schaumainkai and Frankfurt’s Museum Embankment (Museumsufer)

▲Städel Museum

NEAR RÖMERBERG

▲Frankfurt Historical Museum (Historisches Museum Frankfurt)

This museum is more interesting than you might expect. It surveys 800 years of the city’s history across five galleries, with plenty of interactive exhibits. Though most of the exhibits are in a modern building, you can walk through the museum’s few historical structures, such as a small Gothic chapel and a medieval toll tower.

Cost and Hours: €8, includes downloadable audioguide; Tue-Sun 11:00-18:00, closed Mon; Saalhof 1, +49 69 2123 5154, www.historisches-museum-frankfurt.de.

Visiting the Museum: The first floor is the most intriguing: It features historical maps of Frankfurt throughout the centuries, illustrating how the city evolved (digital versions of the maps let you zoom in on landmarks). The large model of the old town (circa 1927) is a wistful reminder of what was obliterated in the war, while a nearby exhibit charts the debate on how to rebuild. Another clever exhibit tells Frankfurt’s story through 100 artifacts: everything from a Roman roof tile to a medieval key chain to a Nazi Christmas ornament. Look for the medieval “bridge rooster,” which made it into one of the Grimms’ tales.

The second floor’s theme is Weltstadt und Geldstadt (“world city and money city”). It explores Frankfurt’s political and financial importance in electing Holy Roman Emperors, sparking Germany’s 1848 revolution, and dominating banking in the European Union. Head up to the third floor for a quick look at the giant, cheeky model of the contemporary city: Housing estates are made of dominoes, and skyscrapers are teetering towers of gambling chips or rolled-up currency notes (no extra credit points for figuring out that symbolism).

The third-floor exhibit is called “Frankfurt Now!” It features a Frankfurt model made from everyday objects, an ongoing creative archiving project called the Library of Generations (Bibliothek der Generationen) by German artist Sigrid Sigurdsson, and rotating CityLab displays that invite visitors to explore aspects of Frankfurt life.

▲Goethe House (Goethehaus)

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (GUR-teh; 1749-1832), a scientist, minister, poet, lawyer, politician, and playwright, was a towering figure in the early Romantic Age; his two-part tragedy, Faust, is a masterpiece of world literature. His birthplace, now a fine museum, is furnished as it was in the mid-18th century, when the boy destined to become the “German Shakespeare” grew up here.

Borrow a laminated card at the bottom of the stairs for a refreshingly brief commentary on each of the 16 rooms. Since nothing’s roped off and there are no posted signs, it’s easy to picture real people living here. Goethe’s father dedicated his life and wealth to cultural pursuits, and his mother told young Johann Wolfgang fairy tales every night, stopping just before the ending so that the boy could exercise his own creativity. Goethe’s family gave him all the money he needed to travel and learn. His collection of 2,000 books was sold off in 1795. In recent decades, more than half of these have been located and repurchased by the museum (you’ll see them in the library). This building honors the man who inspired the Goethe-Institut, which is dedicated to keeping the German language strong.

Cost and Hours: €10; daily 10:00-18:00, Thu until 21:00; English booklet has same info as free laminated cards—worthwhile only as a souvenir; 15-minute walk from Hauptbahnhof up Kaiserstrasse, turn right on Am Salzhaus to Grosser Hirschgraben 23; +49 69 138 800, www.frankfurter-goethe-haus.de.

Schirn Art Center (Schirn Kunsthalle)

This facility is one of Europe’s most respected homes of modern and contemporary art. Rotating exhibits pay homage to everything and everyone from Kandinsky and Kahlo to contemporary artists, movements, and topics.

Cost and Hours: €8-16 depending on exhibits; Tue-Sun 10:00-19:00, Wed-Thu until 22:00, closed Mon; Römerberg, +49 69 299 882 112, www.schirn.de.

NEAR THE RIVER, ON THE NORTH BANK

▲Jewish Museum (Jüdisches Museum)

Located along the river between Römerberg and the train station, and housed in the former Rothschild family mansion, this museum uses arts and crafts, historical documents, and everyday objects to explore Jewish life in Frankfurt from around 1800 to the present day. It’s an engaging, sometimes heartbreaking, and sometimes uplifting opportunity to learn about what was for centuries one of Germany’s most important Jewish communities.

Cost and Hours: €12, includes audioguide, €14 combo-ticket with Museum Judengasse valid three days; Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, Thu until 20:00, closed Mon; Bertha Pappenheim Platz 1, +49 69 2123 5000, www.juedischesmuseum.de.

Visiting the Museum: From the gleaming white foyer, take the elevator to the third floor for the main exhibition. You’ll start a chronological path that begins—in the present—with the question, “How can one live as a Jewish person in Germany after what happened in the 1930s and 1940s?” Members of Frankfurt’s contemporary Jewish community (numbering around 7,000) provide answers through video testimonies. Next, you’ll trace the harrowing 20th century, covering the postwar decades and the wider society’s reckoning with the crimes of the Holocaust. In the “Destroyed Lives” section, possessions of people who were sent to concentration camps tell powerful stories. Objects include photo albums, a prisoner’s uniform from Dachau, a Tommy Dorsey record, and medals earned by a Jewish man who fought for Germany in World War I.

The second floor covers the topics of tradition and ritual, including practices related to food and the Torah and Talmud. A highlight is the interactive video installation “Ask the Rabbi,” where you can ask several local rabbis a range of questions, including “When is the Messiah coming?” and “What’s your favorite place in Frankfurt?” The first floor focuses on family and everyday life. You’ll learn about three prominent Jewish families: the Rothschilds, who rose from poverty to wealth and power; the Singers, who miraculously managed to survive the Nazi period; and the Franks, who lived in Frankfurt before moving to Amsterdam, where Anne wrote her famous diary. The museum does a wonderful job connecting these meaningful, individual stories with the broader context of the local community’s history.

Riverside Promenade

Just across the road from the Jewish Museum is a lovely riverside promenade—a perfect place to rest your feet and watch people and planes go by.

IN THE FORMER JEWISH GHETTO

This area is a short walk (or one tram stop) east of Römerberg and St. Bartholomew’s Cathedral. Though the Jewish Museum is the most informative sight for Frankfurt’s Jewish history, the Holocaust Memorial and the Museum Judengasse offer a more physical connection to where Frankfurt’s Jews historically lived and died.

▲Jewish Holocaust Memorial, Jewish Cemetery, and Museum Judengasse

This memorial marks the site of the old Jewish ghetto and where the city’s main Börneplatz Synagogue once stood. Commemorating 12,000 murdered Jews, it’s a powerful and evocative collection of images.

Cost and Hours: Wall of Names and cemetery—always free and viewable (key to enter cemetery available when museum is open, except Sat); museum—€6, includes audioguide covering cemetery as well, €14 combo-ticket with Jewish Museum valid three days; Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon; Battonnstrasse 47, +49 69 212 70790, www.museumjudengasse.de.

Visiting the Memorial: Museum Judengasse’s permanent exhibit focuses on Jewish life in Frankfurt, covering everything from work and school to the arts to relations between the community and Frankfurt’s government. The exhibit is built around and within a section of excavated ruins of Europe’s oldest Jewish ghetto, where more than 3,000 people once lived on a quarter-mile stretch of street. You’ll see artifacts found in the ruins. Interactive exhibits let you listen to evocative music and Jewish hymns.

Back outside, around the old Jewish cemetery is the Wall of Names, with a tiny tombstone for each Frankfurt Jew deported and murdered by the Nazis (with location and date of death, if known). Pebbles atop each tomb represent Jewish prayers. The memorial gives each victim the dignity of a tombstone and of being named, while a databank inside the adjacent Museum Judengasse keeps their memory alive with a record of everything known about each person. The markers are alphabetical by last name: Look for Anne Frank (Annelies Frank) about halfway between the cemetery entrance and the end of the wall. After the Franks moved from Frankfurt to Amsterdam—and the Nazis discovered them in hiding—Anne and her sister were sent to Bergen-Belsen, where both died of typhus.

By peeking through the locked black-metal gate into the cemetery, you can see a few original tombstones that survived the Nazi rampage. In the tree-filled square is a stone tower, built with foundation stones from homes excavated from the Jewish ghetto. The gravel is designed to evoke train tracks and the deportation of so many people to concentration camps.

The paved section marks the footprint of the Börneplatz Synagogue, destroyed on November 9, 1938—a night traditionally known as Kristallnacht. (Because people’s lives were also destroyed on that night along with lots of windows and glass, the preferred name is “Pogrom Night.”) A plaque on the wall opposite recalls this terrible event. In the wake of World War II, American troops made Frankfurters memorialize each synagogue they destroyed with a plaque like this.

▲Frankfurt City Model

This ever-evolving model, unrelated to the Jewish story, is next to the Jewish Holocaust Memorial in the City Planning Office (Stadtplanungsamt), located in the same building as the Museum Judengasse. Enter through the frosted sliding doors and step left past the receptionist into an atrium to view a 30-by-20-foot layout on a 1:500 scale. Frankfurt’s inner-city skyscrapers are marked Planungsdezernat. Since 1960 this model has helped planners envision and track the development of the city and its many massive building projects—even seeing where shadows of new buildings will fall. Red buildings are those under construction.

Cost and Hours: Free, Mon-Fri 8:30-18:00, closed Sat-Sun, Kurt-Schumacher-Strasse 10, www.skylineatlas.com/frankfurt-city-model.

ACROSS THE RIVER, ON THE SOUTH BANK

▲Schaumainkai and Frankfurt’s Museum Embankment (Museumsufer)

The Schaumainkai riverside promenade (across the river from Römerberg over the Eiserner Steg pedestrian bridge, and then to the right) is great for an evening stroll or people-watching on any sunny day. Keep your eyes peeled for nude sunbathers. Every other Saturday, the museum-strip street is closed off for a sprawling flea market, and in late August a weekend cultural festival brings food, art, and music to “museum row.”

Eight museums in striking buildings line the Main River along Schaumainkai. In the 1980s, Frankfurt decided that it wanted to buck its “Bankfurt” and “Krankfurt” (krank means “sick”) image. It went on a culture kick and devoted 11 percent of the city budget to arts and culture. The result: Frankfurt has become a city of art. These eight museums (covering topics such as communication, film, world cultures, and great European masters—the Städel Collection) and a dozen others are all well described in the TI’s Museumsufer brochure. Of these, a visit to the Städel (listed next) is most worthwhile.

Cost and Hours: All museums here are covered by the Museumsufer Ticket (for details, see “Tourist Information,” earlier in this chapter); most museums open Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00, later Wed or Thu, closed Mon, free last Sat of month; www.museumsufer.de.

Getting There: It’s easiest just to walk: From the Hauptbahnhof, it’s 15 minutes via the Holbeinsteg Bridge, or from the center, it’s a few minutes over the Eiserner Steg pedestrian bridge. Alternatively, from the Hauptbahnhof tram #15 goes to the Otto-Hahn-Platz stop, or take U-Bahn line #4 or #5 to Willy-Brandt-Platz stop, then transfer to U-Bahn line #1, #2, #3, or #8 to the Schweizer Platz stop.

▲Städel Museum

With an enormous yet approachable collection spanning Old Masters to the modern day, this museum offers up a one-stop European art retrospective.

Cost and Hours: €16, includes audioguide for your phone; Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, Thu until 21:00, closed Mon; on-site restaurant, Schaumainkai 63, +49 69 605 098 200, www.staedelmuseum.de.

Visiting the Museum: Start on the top floor with the Old Masters collection. In the first room, you’ll learn about the founder and namesake of the museum, Johann Friedrich Städel, and his vision for a citizens’ museum. In Room 6, you’ll find a huge Rembrandt canvas—The Blinding of Samson—depicting Delilah gleefully making off with a handful of locks, scissors in hand, while one man handcuffs the now-powerless Samson and another gouges out one of his eyes.

The floor below has works by Renoir, Giacometti, Klee, and Chagall, as well as a female head sculpture by Picasso and his 1909 Cubist portrait of Fernande Olivier. Don’t miss the canvases by Max Beckmann, who lived in Frankfurt for nearly 20 years before the Nazis banned his work, classifying his art as “degenerate.” You may see Frankfurt Main Station—looking not at all seedy—which was done from memory while Beckmann lived in exile in Amsterdam. Look also for Dog Lying in the Snow by Franz Marc (who founded the Blue Rider group with Kandinsky—see here); it’s one of the museum’s most popular paintings.

On the museum’s lower level, you’ll find contemporary work, including some avant-garde installations.

Sleeping in Frankfurt

Sleeping in Frankfurt is a gamble: The city’s numerous trade fairs (Messe) send hotel prices skyrocketing—a €70 double can suddenly shoot up to €300. For an exact schedule, visit www.messefrankfurt.com (scroll down to “Messe Frankfurt Calendar”). During trade fairs, it’s best to skip Frankfurt altogether and stay in Würzburg, Bacharach, or St. Goar.

When trade fairs aren’t in town, room prices in most Frankfurt hotels fluctuate €10-50 with the day of the week. If you’ll be staying overnight in Frankfurt during a nonconvention summer weekend, you can land a great place relatively cheaply. Frankfurt hotels are business oriented, so many are empty and desperate for guests from Friday night to Monday morning. Although the price categories listed are typical, varying demand may skew them higher or lower.

Keep overnights in Frankfurt to a minimum: Pleasant Rhine and Romantic Road towns are just a quick drive or train ride away, offering a mom-and-pop welcome that you won’t find here in the big city.

NEAR THE TRAIN STATION

The following places are within a few blocks of the train station and its fast and handy train to the airport (to sleep even closer to the airport, see “Sleeping at or near Frankfurt Airport,” later in this chapter). The hotels on the north side of the station are in a relatively sedate area. The hotels south of the station are close to the Main River and within walking distance of the Museum Embankment (Museumsufer). The hotels east of the station, while well run, safe, and respectable, are in or near a problematic area of the city (see “Post-Pandemic Challenges in the Bahnhofsviertel” sidebar, earlier). I have enjoyed staying in this colorful and convenient neighborhood. But the red light district is close by, with gritty clubs and hard-drug users. Don’t wander into seedy-feeling streets, and use care and common sense, especially after dark.

Unless otherwise noted, accommodations have air-conditioning and elevators.

North of the Station

€€ Hotel Hamburger Hof, right next to the train station, has a classy, shiny lobby and 62 modern rooms (some smallish). The side facing the station is cheerfully sunny, while rooms on the other side are quieter (Poststrasse 10, +49 69 2713 9690, www.hamburgerhof.com, info@hamburgerhof.com). Exit the station by track 24, cross the street, turn left, and walk to the end of the block.

€€ Manhattan Hotel, with 55 rooms and an energetic vibe, is a few doors from the station on a busy street. It’s a bit more stylish than your average budget choice (Düsseldorfer Strasse 10, +49 69 269 5970, www.manhattan-hotel.com, info@manhattan-hotel.com). Exit the station by track 24, cross the street, and go right until you see the hotel; to cross Düsseldorfer Strasse safely, walk up to the tram stop.

€€ The Pure, part of the worldwide Design Hotels chain, has 50 stylish but warm rooms with parquet floors and fun design details. The hotel has no restaurant, but there’s a breakfast room, a chic cocktail bar, a nice outdoor seating area, and a fitness room and sauna (Niddastrasse 86, +49 69 710 4570, www.the-pure.de, info@the-pure.de).

€ Bristol Hotel is a simple 145-room place just two blocks from the station but in quiet and respectable surroundings (huge breakfast buffet, Ludwigstrasse 15, +49 69 242 390, www.bristol-hotel.de, info@bristol-hotel.de). Exit the station by track 24, cross the street and turn left, then turn right on Ottostrasse and left on Niddastrasse to Ludwigstrasse.

South of the Station

€€ Scandic Frankfurt Museumsufer is an eco-friendly modern hotel with 293 rooms (some exceptionally large) in an excellent location close to city sights and only one block from the Main riverbank—ideal for jogging (breakfast extra, pay parking, Wilhelm-Leuschner-Strasse 44, +49 69 907 4590, www.scandichotels.de).

€ Ibis Hotel Frankfurt Centrum is a good value, with 233 rooms on a quiet riverside street away from the station (breakfast extra, pay parking, Speicherstrasse 4, +49 69 273 030, www.ibis.com, h1445@accor.com). Exit the station by track 1 and follow busy Baseler Strasse three blocks, then turn right before the river; it’s across the street from the green office tower and park.

East of the Station

€€€ Victoria Hotel, two blocks from the station along Kaiserstrasse, has 73 rooms and feels a world apart from the red light district a block away (Kaiserstrasse 59, entrance on Elbestrasse, +49 69 273 060, www.victoriahotel.de, info@victoriahotel.de). From the station, go down the escalators to the underground passageway below the station and follow the Kaiserstrasse signs.

€ Ibis Styles Frankfurt City is a small step up from the Ibis Hotel listed earlier and is centrally located just a few blocks from the station. Its 94 funky, colorful rooms help you forget that this is a popular chain hotel (air-con in some rooms, Moselstrasse 12, +49 69 6925 6110, www.ibis.com, H7561@accor.com). From the front of the station, use the crosswalk by the tram stop and follow the tracks down Münchener Strasse one block to Moselstrasse and turn right.

Hostel: A block from the train station, ¢ Five Elements is clean and modern and feels very safe inside. But because it’s smack in the middle of the red light district, families and solo travelers might feel more comfortable elsewhere. Here, too, prices skyrocket during conventions (breakfast extra, private rooms available, air-con in some rooms, Moselstrasse 40, +49 69 2400 5885, www.5elementshostel.de, welcome@5elementshostel.de). From the station, exit the underground passage onto Taunusstrasse and go one block to the corner of Moselstrasse; the hostel is across the intersection to your left.

ELSEWHERE IN FRANKFURT

If you’re in Frankfurt for one night, stay near the station—but if you’re in town for a few days and want to feel like you belong, choose one of the following listings. Lindner Hotel, Maingau Hotel, and the hostel are in the Sachsenhausen district, with lots of local shops, cafés, and apple-wine pubs serving local fare (see “Eating in Frankfurt,” later). The others are close to the Hauptwache and Römerberg. For locations, see the “Frankfurt Hotels and Restaurants” map.

€€€ Lindner Hotel Frankfurt Main Plaza, on the river just a 15-minute walk from the cathedral and Old Town, offers 118 rooms (some with stunning views) in an Art Deco tower. Sachsenhausen’s lively entertainment venues are just a couple of blocks away, and Harry’s New York Bar on the main floor is popular with locals (fitness facilities include sauna and indoor pool, Walther-von-Cronberg-Platz 1, +49 69 664 010, www.lindnerhotels.com, info.frankfurt.mainplaza@lindnerhotels.com).

€€ Ruby Louise Hotel has a modern, “global hipster” aesthetic; even its reception is a combination lounge/bar with views over Frankfurt’s rooftops. The 215 rooms are lean, white, and quiet despite the super-central location (pay parking in nearby garage, Neue Rothofstrasse 3, +49 69 945 158 770, www.ruby-hotels.com, louise@ruby-hotels.com).

€€ Motel One Römer, with over 400 rooms, is part of a reliable chain with an urban design touch and nice amenities. It’s close to Römerberg in the old part of Frankfurt (limited pay parking, Berliner Strasse 55, +49 69 8700 4030, www.motel-one.com).

€€ Paulaner am Dom Hotel is a charming, family-run accommodation with 29 well-renovated rooms and a Bavarian-style atmosphere. It’s perfectly located within a few blocks of city-center sights. The restaurant and adjacent beer garden (open until midnight in summer), in the shadow of St. Bartholomew’s Cathedral, serve traditional German fare (no air-con, public pay parking nearby, quieter rooms on the courtyard, Domplatz 6, +49 69 138 1030, www.paulaner-am-dom-hotel.com, hotel@paulaner-am-dom.de).

€ Maingau Hotel, with 78 simple and bright rooms, is on a quiet residential street facing a neighborhood park in the Sachsenhausen district. If you’re looking for tranquility in an authentic residential setting, stay here (pay parking in nearby garage, Schifferstrasse 38, +49 69 609 140, www.maingau.de, info@maingau.de). From the station, take the S-Bahn to the Lokalbahnhof stop; the hotel is a five-minute walk away.

Hostel: The ¢ Haus der Jugend, on a busy street right along the river, is the only place I list where prices don’t go up during conferences (membership required, private rooms available, lunch and dinner available, 2:00 curfew, Deutschherrnufer 12, +49 69 610 0150, www.jugendherberge-frankfurt.de, info@hellofrankfurt.de). From the station, take the S-Bahn to the Lokalbahnhof stop; the hostel is a 10-minute walk away.

Eating in Frankfurt

Instead of beer-garden ambience, Frankfurt entices visitors and locals to its Sachsenhausen district, across the river, where you’ll find lots of characteristic apple-wine pubs (and plenty of other options). This cobbled and cozy neighborhood is the city’s traditional eating-and-drinking zone—a great place to spend a warm summer evening.

Apfelwein, drunk around here since Charlemagne’s time 1,200 years ago, became more popular in the 16th century, when local grapes were diseased. It enjoyed another boost two centuries later, when a climate change made grape-growing harder. Apple wine is about the strength of beer (5.5 percent alcohol), but like wine, it can be served spiced and warm in winter. This hard cider can be an acquired taste—good luck enjoying it. You’ll see locals, who’ve spent a lifetime learning to like it, grasping their apple wine in Gerippten—characteristic hatched glasses (which go back to its early days, when this tax-free drink was slurped by greasy-fingered sausage munchers on the streets).

Sachsenhausen is also a good place to sample local cuisine. The culinary pride of Frankfurt is Grüne Sosse, a green sauce made of sour cream blended with seven herbs (parsley, chives, watercress, sorrel, borage, chervil, and burnet); it’s frequently served with beef, schnitzel, or halved hard-boiled eggs. Another widely available local specialty (for the adventurous) is Handkäse mit Musik (“hand cheese with music”—the “music” comes tomorrow), an aged, cylindrical ricotta-like cheese served with onions and vinegar. You can also satisfy your craving for Leiterchen here (“miniladders,” or spareribs—surprisingly meaty and salty).

APPLE-WINE PUBS IN SACHSENHAUSEN

The three apple-wine pubs I’ve listed below all have indoor and outdoor seating in a woodsy, rustic setting. Not just for tourists, these characteristic places are truly popular with Frankfurters, too. To reach them, take the S-Bahn to the Lokalbahnhof stop. Or to walk from downtown (20 minutes), cross the river on the pedestrian-only Eiserner Steg bridge or Alte Brücke bridge. For locations, see the “Frankfurt Hotels and Restaurants” map, earlier.

€€ Dauth-Schneider has lots of tables outside on the shady, tree-covered square, a large indoor section, and a big and accessible menu. It’s my first choice for eating outside on a balmy evening (daily until late, Neuer Wall 5, +49 69 613 533). Families appreciate the big-city playground across the square from the outdoor tables.

€€ Atschel, across the street and a few doors down, is my Sachsenhausen choice for eating inside. They serve “Frankfurter Schnitzel” with green sauce and other local standards in a handsome dining room and cozy back garden (daily until late, Mon dinner only, kitchen closes at 22:30, cash only, Wallstrasse 7, +49 69 619 201).

€€ Fichtekränzi, across the alley from Atschel, is open evenings only. It offers the typical specialties and some lighter fare, both in its cozy, bench-filled beer hall and outside under the trees. The atmosphere is young and relaxed—expect to share a table and make some new friends (daily 17:00-23:00, cash only, Wallstrasse 5, +49 69 612 778).

€€ Mystery of Pizza, run by a super-friendly couple, is a delightful blend of Iranian and Italian culinary creativity. Imagine traditional Persian dishes as toppings—like ghormeh sabzi (herb stew) or fessenjoon (pomegranate-walnut stew)—or even Korean-inspired creations (vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options available, Wed-Sun 18:00-22:00, closed Mon-Tue, Brückenstrasse 36, +49 155 6607 6660).

Pub Crawl: Irish pubs and salsa bars clutter the pedestrian zone around Grosse Rittergasse and Frankensteiner Strasse.

DINING DOWNTOWN

€ Alten Limpurg, next to the Town Hall, is a simple option (and the cheapest) on Frankfurt’s charming, traffic-free, and historic market square. Settle into the comfy pub inside or order from the sausage window and enjoy sitting on the square (long hours daily, Römerberg 17, +49 69 9288 3130).

€€€€ Restaurant Opéra is a great place for a dressy splurge, with white tablecloths and formal service under gilded arches and circa-1900 decor, or out on a terrace over the opera’s grand entry (daily, Sat dinner only, reservations smart, Opernplatz 1, +49 69 5880 4330, www.kuffler.de/en/restaurant-opera). Enter through Café Rosso at street level, then take the elevator or stairs up to the third floor.

€ Galeria Restaurant is a huge, sleek, modern cafeteria serving good buffet-style food (at restaurant prices), with nice city views from its top-floor perch. It’s super efficient, with lots of healthy options, air-conditioning, and sofas on the rooftop terrace for those just having a drink (Mon-Sat 9:30-20:00, closed Sun).

€ Café Karin, a local institution, serves one of the best breakfasts in town until 18:00 (including the yummy homemade Bircher muesli). Located right next to Goethe House, it’s also a convenient place for a coffee break (Mon-Sat 9:00-22:00, Sun 10:00-19:00, cash only, Grosser Hirschgraben 28, +49 69 295 217).

€ The Kleinmarkthalle is one of the most charming and inviting indoor market halls in Germany, and a great place for a simple lunch. Strolling its ground floor, you can graze through a world of free samples (call that the first course). Once you’ve made your selection (fish, Italian, oyster bar), find a place to sit down at the far end opposite the entrance, or go upstairs—or assemble a picnic to eat on the adjacent square, Liebfrauenberg, near the fountain (Mon-Fri 8:00-18:00, Sat until 16:00, closed Sun).

€€ Kleinmarkthalle Markt-Stubb is the only real restaurant in the market hall (breakfast and lunch only). It’s upstairs at the east end and is a hit with local seniors for its traditional home cooking with fresh-from-market ingredients (Tue-Sat 9:00-16:00, closed Sun-Mon).

Kleinmarkthalle Rollanderhof Galerie is a lively wine garden upstairs at the market hall. Get something tasty to eat from one of the stands, and enjoy it with a quality wine from the family-owned Rollanderhof vineyard (in the nearby Rheinhessen wine region). It stays open for two hours after the market is closed (Mon-Fri 10:00-20:00, Sat until 18:00, Sun 12:00-19:00).

NEAR THE TRAIN STATION, ON AND NEAR KAISERSTRASSE

A once-grand boulevard connecting the train station with the old center, Kaiserstrasse is a linden-tree-lined, four-block stretch of imposing buildings (circa 1880). It and the parallel Münchener Strasse offer simple restaurants popular with locals and a selection of international eateries. And the train station itself is a veritable mall of shops and restaurants with long hours. Here are a few places to consider (starting nearest the station).

€€ Der Fette Bulle Hamburger Restaurant (the “Fat Bull”) is the place to go for a fancy burger, with a modern and fun interior and good seating on the street (daily until late, Kaiserstrasse 73, +49 69 9075 7004).

€€ eatDOORI is a modern Indian restaurant serving original street food in an inviting urban atmosphere. Locals recommend their mango lassi (daily, Fri-Sat until late, Kaiserstrasse 55, +49 69 236 951).

€ Der Thai is good, quick, and inexpensive. Dine inside or streetside (daily, Kaiserstrasse 38, +49 69 2695 7957).

€€ Merkez Kebab Haus is an old standby for Turkish food. A cut above the many kebab shops in the neighborhood, it has a wood-fired grill, an inviting ambience, and good service at a great price (try the wonderful sütlaç—rice pudding, long hours daily, Münchener Strasse 33, +49 69 233 995).

€€ Babam’s Persian cuisine is so popular that tables spill into the street. Crowds come here for the saffron-scented and yogurt-accompanied grilled meats, salads, and rice dishes—though you can also get a takeaway sandwich wrapped in flatbread hot out of a traditional oven (daily, Münchener Strasse 11, +49 69 2400 4455).

SUPERMARKETS

A small but well-stocked REWE is near the station (Mon-Sat 7:00-22:00, closed Sun, Karlstrasse 4, use Kaiserstrasse exit from underground passageway). For a quick snack, a REWE To Go minimarket offers a salad bar and sandwich counter (Mon-Fri 6:00-23:00, Sat-Sun 8:00-23:00, Kaiserstrasse 48). A larger REWE is in the basement of the MyZeil shopping center near the Hauptwache, in the center of town (Mon-Sat 7:00-23:30, closed Sun). On Sundays (when many stores are closed), you’ll find a grocery store (daily 6:00-24:00) and pharmacy (Mon-Fri 7:00-20:00, Sat-Sun 10:00-19:00) in the underground section of the train station.

Frankfurt Connections

BY TRAIN

German Destinations: Rothenburg (hourly, 3 hours, transfer in Würzburg and Steinach; the tiny Steinach-Rothenburg train often leaves from track 3, shortly after the Würzburg train arrives), Würzburg (2/hour, 70 minutes, or 1.75 hours on cheaper RE trains), Nürnberg (1-2/hour, 2 hours), Munich (1-3/hour, 3.5 hours), Baden-Baden (hourly, 80 minutes direct or 1.75 hours with transfer in Karlsruhe), Bacharach (hourly, 1.5 hours, transfer in Mainz), Freiburg (hourly, 2.25 hours), Cochem (hourly, 2.75 hours, transfer in Mainz and Koblenz), Cologne (direct ICE trains hourly, 1-1.5 hours; cheaper, less frequent IC trains take 2.5 hours and show you more of the Rhine), Erfurt (1-2/hour, 2.25 hours), Leipzig (hourly, 3 hours), Berlin (at least hourly, 4 hours), Hamburg (hourly, 4 hours). Train info: www.bahn.com.

International Destinations: Amsterdam (6/day direct, 4 hours; more with transfers, 5-7 hours), Bern (hourly, 4 hours, most with transfer in Basel), Zürich (hourly, 4 hours, most transfer in Basel), Brussels (6/day by direct ICE, 3 hours, reservation not required; more with transfers, 5 hours), Copenhagen (4/day, 8.5 hours, transfer in Hamburg, reservation required in summer), Paris (about hourly, 4-5 hours, many with 1 change, reservation required in France), Vienna (4/day direct, 6.5 hours), Prague (hourly, 8 hours, transfer in Dresden-Neustadt).

BY PLANE

Frankfurt Airport

Frankfurt’s airport (Flughafen), just a few stops by S-Bahn from the city center, has its own long-distance train station, which makes it a snap to connect from a flight here to other German cities (code: FRA, www.frankfurt-airport.com).

Check your ticket or the airport website for your terminal. Terminal 1, a multilevel maze of check-in counters and shops, is linked to the train station. Terminal 2 is small and quiet, with few services. A SkyLine train connects the two terminals in less than five minutes. For assistance, look for a staffed info desk or use a kiosk to make a free video call to an airport info person.

The airport has three pay baggage-storage desks (Gepäckaufbewahrung; the branch in Terminal 1B, level 1 is open 24 hours). Among the other services are a post office (in the Book+Press shop on level 0), pharmacies (in Terminal 1B level 2 and Terminal 1Z level 3, and also in Terminal 2D level 3), a 24-hour medical clinic (located outside the 1Z arrivals area), public showers (one in Terminal 2 and four in Terminal 1), and free Wi-Fi. A good-sized, fairly priced Tegut supermarket is handy for last-minute shopping (Terminal 1C, level 0; tricky to find: Go down the escalators from the underpass on level 1 between terminals 1B and 1C, or up the escalators from train platforms 1-3). There are customs desks in both terminals for VAT refunds (daily 7:00-21:00; after-hours, ask the information desk to page a customs officer for you). You’ll even find several McDonald’s restaurants, one of which is allegedly among Europe’s largest. McWelcome to Germany.

If you have layover time to kill, the Fraport Visitors Center in Terminal 1 offers interactive multimedia exhibits and a two-hour tour with up-close views of takeoffs and landings (exhibits only-€12, with tour-€19, daily 10:00-13:30 & 14:30-18:00, book online at www.frankfurt-airport.com).

Frankfurt Airport Train Station

The airport’s train station has two parts, both reachable from Terminal 1. Regional S-Bahn trains to downtown Frankfurt and nearby towns and suburbs depart from platforms 1-3. Long-distance trains leave from the slightly more distant Fernbahnhof, platforms 4-7.

Getting to Downtown Frankfurt: The airport is a 12-minute train ride on the S-Bahn from Frankfurt’s main train station, or Hauptbahnhof (4/hour, €6.30, ride included in €12 Frankfurt Card and €12.30 individual/€20.60 group version of all-day Tageskarte Frankfurt transit pass, but not in cheaper version of Tageskarte Frankfurt). Figure about €40 for a taxi from the airport to any of my recommended hotels.

Getting to Other Destinations by Train: Train travelers can validate rail passes or buy tickets at the Reisezentrum on the level above the long-distance train platforms. Handy ticket machines are easy to use and allow you to print a schedule even if you aren’t buying a ticket—great for those traveling with a rail pass. Destinations include Rothenburg (hourly, 3.5 hours, change in Würzburg and Steinach), Würzburg (1-2/hour, 1.5 hours), Nürnberg (1-2/hour, 2.5 hours), Munich (1-2/hour, 3.5 hours), Baden-Baden (roughly hourly, 1.5 hours, change in Karlsruhe and/or Mannheim), Cologne (1-2/hour, 1 hour; trains along Rhine go less often and take 2.5 hours), Bacharach (hourly, 1 hour, change in Mainz, some depart from regional platforms), Berlin (1-2/hour, 4.5-5 hours, most with 1 change). There are also many international connections from here (such as Paris, London, Brussels, Amsterdam, Zürich, Bern, and Prague).

Sleeping at or near Frankfurt Airport

Because train connections to Frankfurt Airport are so good, if your flight doesn’t leave too early, you can sleep in another city and make it to the airport for your flight. From Cologne, Baden-Baden, Würzburg, or Bacharach, you can catch a late-morning or midday flight; you can often make it from Nürnberg, Rothenburg, Freiburg, the Mosel, and even Munich for an early afternoon flight. Plan ahead and leave room for delays; don’t take the last possible connection.

Thanks to these easy connections—and because downtown Frankfurt is less than 30 minutes away by frequent train—you’ll rarely have a flight so early as to require an overnight by the airport. Drivers who do want to stay near the airport the night before returning a rental car can stay cheaply in Kelsterbach, just across the expressway from the airport, at the € Ibis Frankfurt Airport Hotel (breakfast extra, Langer Kornweg 9a, +49 6107 9870, www.ibis.com). For extra relaxation before or after your journey, the elegant €€€ Vital Hotel Frankfurt is 15 minutes by car from the airport and includes thermal baths, fitness facilities, and a spa (good breakfast, Niederhofheimer Strasse 67, Hofheim am Taunus, +49 6192 9777 9800, www.vital-hotel-frankfurt.de; thermal baths also possible on a layover, www.rhein-main-therme.de). For an overnight right at the airport, there’s a Sheraton and a Marriott in Terminal 1, and two Hiltons at the airport train station. Another clutch of hotels is around the Gateway Gardens S-Bahn station, one stop from the airport. Shop around for a good rate.

“Frankfurt” Hahn Airport

This smaller airport, misleadingly classified as a “Frankfurt” airport for marketing purposes, is about a 1.5-hour drive away in the Mosel region. Hahn Airport is popular with low-cost carriers (such as Ryanair). To avoid confusion, double-check the three-letter airport code on your ticket (FRA for Frankfurt Airport, HHN for Frankfurt Hahn). Regular Flibco buses connect Frankfurt Airport (P36 bus terminal) or Frankfurt Central train station (at Stuttgarter Strasse, next to the main train station) directly with Hahn Airport in about two hours (20/day, €25, www.flibco.com, more info at www.hahn-airport.de).

RHINE VALLEY

Best of the Rhine • Bacharach • Oberwesel • St. Goar • Koblenz

Best of the Rhine

Map: Rhine Overview

Best of the Rhine Tour by Train or Boat

Map: The Best of the Rhine

Sights Along the Rhine

Bacharach

Orientation to Bacharach

Bacharach Town Walk

Map: Bacharach

Activities in Bacharach

Sleeping in Bacharach

Eating in Bacharach

Nightlife in Bacharach

Bacharach Connections

Oberwesel

Oberwesel Walk

Map: Oberwesel

St. Goar

Orientation to St. Goar

Map: St. Goar

Sights in St. Goar

Map: St. Goar’s Rheinfels Castle

Sleeping in St. Goar

Eating in St. Goar

Koblenz

Sights in Koblenz

The Rhine Valley is storybook Germany, a fairy-tale world of legends and “robber-baron” castles. Cruise the most turret-studded stretch of the romantic Rhine as you listen for the song of the treacherous Loreley. For hands-on thrills, climb through the Rhineland’s greatest castle, Rheinfels, above the town of St. Goar. Connoisseurs will also enjoy the fine interior of Marksburg Castle near Koblenz. Spend your nights in a castle-crowned village, either Bacharach or St. Goar.

PLANNING YOUR TIME

The Rhineland is magical, but it doesn’t take much time to see. Both Bacharach and St. Goar are an easy one-hour train ride or drive from Frankfurt Airport, and make a good first or last stop for travelers flying in or out.

The blitziest tour of the area is an hour looking at the castles from your train window—use the narration in this chapter to give it meaning. The nonstop express runs every hour, connecting Koblenz and Mainz in 50 scenic minutes. (Super-express ICE trains between Cologne and Frankfurt bypass the Rhine entirely.) For a better look, take a lazy riverboat cruise, tour a castle or two, sleep in a medieval town, and ride the train out.

Ideally, if you have two nights to spend here, sleep in Bacharach, cruise the best hour of the river (from Bacharach to St. Goar), and tour Rheinfels Castle. If rushed, focus on Rheinfels Castle and cruise less. With more time, add a visit to Marksburg Castle or Rheinstein Castle, a hike around Oberwesel’s medieval walls, a bike ride on the riverside path, or a stop in Koblenz. With another day, mosey through the neighboring Mosel Valley (especially Burg Eltz) or day-trip to Cologne (both covered in different chapters). To review your many fine castle options in this part of the country, see the sidebar.

If possible, visit the Rhine between April and October. The low season (winter and spring) is lower here than in some other parts of Germany. Many hotels and restaurants close from November to February or March. Riverboats run infrequently, sights close or have short hours, and neither Bacharach nor St. Goar have much in the way of Christmas markets.

CHOOSING A HOME BASE

Bacharach and St. Goar, the best towns for an overnight stop, are 10 miles apart, connected by milk-run trains, riverboats, a riverside bike path, or a 15-minute drive. Bacharach is a much more interesting town, but St. Goar has the famous Rheinfels Castle. In general, the Rhine is an easy place for cheap sleeps. B&Bs and Gasthäuser with inexpensive beds abound (and normally discount their prices for longer stays). Rhine-area hostels offer cheap beds to travelers of any age. Finding a room is generally easy in high season (except for Sept-Oct wine-fest weekends). Note: Rhine Valley towns often have guesthouses and hotels with similar names—when reserving, double-check that you’re contacting the one in your planned destination.

Best of the Rhine

While the full length of the Rhine flows more than 700 miles from its source in eastern Switzerland to where it meets the North Sea in the Netherlands, this chapter focuses on the stretch of river called the Mittelrhein—more specifically, the Upper Middle Rhine Valley, a 40-mile gorge between Koblenz and Rüdesheim/Bingen. This scenic stretch hoards virtually all the Rhine’s touristic charm. Studded with the crenellated cream of Germany’s castles (see the sidebar), it bustles with boats, trains, and highway traffic.

Ever since Roman times, when this region was on the empire’s northern boundary, the Rhine has been one of the world’s busiest shipping rivers. Although the name “Rhine” derives from a Celtic word for “raging,” the river you see today has been tamed and put to work. You’ll see a steady flow of barges with 1,000- to 2,000-ton loads. Cars, buses, and trains zip along highways and tracks lining both banks.

Additionally, the steep slate slopes of the river valley have long produced some of Europe’s nicest wines (mostly white). Hillside vineyards (Weinbergen in German) have been part of the landscape here for centuries and once blanketed four times as much land as they do today. But modern economics have driven most growers out of business, and recently many vintners have been letting their vineyards go untended, as they are just too expensive to keep up. The vineyards that do survive require government subsidies. The hope is that a younger generation will bring new energy to the Rhineland’s vineyards. (For more on the wines of this area, see the Mosel chapter.)

Rhine and Mosel Castles

This corner of Germany—both the Rhine and the nearby Mosel river valleys—boasts countless castles. First, a little vocabulary: A Burg is a defensive fortress, while a Schloss is usually a showy palace.

Many of the castles overlooking the Rhine were put there by petty rulers to levy tolls on passing river traffic (there were 300 independent little countries in medieval Germany, a region about the size of Montana). A robber baron would put his castle on, or even in, the river. Then, often with the help of chains and a tower on the opposite bank, he’d stop each ship and get his toll. There were 10 customs stops in the 60-mile stretch between Mainz and Koblenz alone, and for a time no fewer than 16 greedy dukes and lords just between Koblenz and Bingen (no wonder merchants were early proponents of the creation of larger nation-states).

Some castles were built to control and protect settlements, and others were the residences of kings and other royals and aristocrats. As times changed, so did the lifestyles of the rich and feudal. Many castles were abandoned for more comfortable mansions in the towns.

Most Rhine and Mosel castles date from the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries. When the pope successfully asserted his power over the German emperor in 1076, local princes ran wild over the rule of their emperor. The castles saw military action in the 1300s and 1400s as emperors began reasserting their control over Germany’s many silly kingdoms.

The castles were also involved in the Reformation wars, in which Europe’s Catholic and Protestant dynasties fought it out using a fragmented Germany as their battleground. The Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648) devastated Germany. The outcome: Each ruler got the freedom to decide if his people would be Catholic or Protestant, and one-third of Germans died. (Production of Gummi Bears ceased entirely.)

The French—who feared a strong Germany and felt the Rhine was the logical border between them and Germany—destroyed most of the castles as a preventive measure (Louis XIV in the 1680s, the Revolutionary army in the 1790s, and Napoleon in 1806). Many were rebuilt in the Neo-Gothic style in the Romantic Age—the late 1800s—and today are enjoyed as restaurants, hotels, hostels, and museums.

As a sightseer, you’ll want to be selective. Here are my top picks. Of these, Rheinfels and Reichsburg Cochem are the easiest to reach without a car (each one is a reasonable hike or a quick bus trip from the nearest town center); Burg Eltz and Marksburg are more remote, requiring a longer bus ride from the nearest train station, but merit the additional effort. Any castle is a breeze by car (though you’ll typically still have to hike from the parking lot to the castle itself, usually about five uphill minutes—but more like 15 minutes for Burg Eltz).

▲▲▲Burg Eltz My favorite European castle (on the Mosel—see next chapter) has a dramatic exterior, an impressively preserved medieval interior, and an evocative setting in a romantic forest. While easiest for drivers, it can also be reached by bus or a long hike from nearby riverfront towns. See here.

▲▲Reichsburg Cochem This Romantic rebuild, dramatically situated on a pointy hill over the town of Cochem (on the Mosel—see next chapter), is fanciful and fun both inside and out. See here.

▲▲Marksburg Castle With a commanding perch over the Rhine, the Rhine’s best-preserved castle comes with lots of evocative stories—best appreciated on the twice-daily English tour. See here.

▲▲Rheinfels Castle This sprawling, mostly ruined fortress perches evocatively above St. Goar; it’s most worthwhile with a guided tour of the tunnels under the castle. See here.

▲Rheinstein Castle This 19th-century duke’s hunting palace overlooking the Rhine is compact and cozy, and an easy side trip for drivers based in nearby Bacharach. See here.

Ehrenbreitstein High above and across the river from Koblenz, this oversized fortress is gigantic and dull but comes with grand views over the confluence of the Rhine and Mosel—plus a fun cable-car ride from the Deutsches Eck. See here.

In 2029, the Mittelrhein region will host Germany’s biennial horticultural show called the Bundesgartenschau (BUGA)—enlivening these normally sleepy Rhineland towns. More than €100 million is being invested in the area for infrastructure upgrades. Bacharach, one of the main recipients of funds, is modernizing its entire riverfront promenade park, and Rheinfels Castle is also carrying out extensive renovation work.

GETTING AROUND THE RHINE

This scenic stretch of the Rhine is both fun and easy to explore—using a mix of big riverboats, tiny ferries (Fähre), and trains. It’s also a joy to explore by car or bike.

By Boat: While some travelers do the whole Mainz-Koblenz trip by boat (5.5 hours downstream, 8.5 hours up, requires changing boats midway), I’d focus on the most scenic hour—between Bacharach and St. Goar. Sit on the boat’s top deck with your handy Rhine map-guide, sold in local shops (or use the tour in this chapter), and enjoy the parade of castles, towns, boats, and vineyards.

Two boat companies take travelers along this stretch of the Rhine. Boats run daily in both directions from early April through October, though schedules are reduced on Mondays; off-season, there’s typically only one boat each day.

Most travelers opt for the bigger, more expensive, and romantic Köln-Düsseldorfer (K-D) Line (recommended Bacharach-St. Goar trip: €20 one-way, €23 round-trip, bikes-€3.50/day; 20 percent discount if you’re over 65 or if you have a connecting train ticket or rail pass—does not require use of a flexipass day; +49 6741 1634 in St. Goar, +49 6743 1322 in Bacharach, www.k-d.com). I’ve included an abridged K-D cruise schedule in this chapter. Complete, up-to-date schedules are posted at any Rhineland boat dock, hotel, and TI, and on the K-D website (look for the “Middle Rhine” section). Purchase tickets online or at the dock before departure; if the ticket desk is closed, you can buy them on board. The boat is never full. Romantics might enjoy the old-time paddle-wheeler Goethe, which runs in each direction once a day except Mondays (noted on schedule, confirm time locally); it’s bigger than the modern boats, with a chug-chug-chug soundtrack and a piercing antique whistle.

The smaller Bingen-Rüdesheimer Line is slightly cheaper than the K-D, doesn’t offer any rail pass deals, and makes two trips in each direction daily from April through October (Bacharach-St. Goar: €18 one-way, €21 round-trip, bikes-€2.50/day, buy tickets at ticket booth or on boat, ticket booth opens just before boat departs, 30 percent discount if over 60; departs Bacharach at 12:00 and 14:45; departs St. Goar at 13:10 and 15:45; +49 6721 308 0810, www.bingen-ruedesheimer.de).

By Train: Hourly milk-run trains hit every town along the Rhine (Bacharach-St. Goar, 10 minutes; Mainz-Bacharach, 40 minutes; Mainz-Koblenz, 1 hour). Additional express trains speed past most or all the small towns, taking only 50 minutes nonstop between Mainz and Koblenz. Most stations on this stretch are unstaffed—buy tickets at machines or with the DB Navigator app.

The Rheinland-Pfalz-Ticket day pass covers travel on milk-run trains to anywhere in this chapter—plus anywhere in the Mosel Valley and Trier chapters (and also Remagen, but not Frankfurt, Cologne, or Bonn). It can save heaps of money, particularly for groups going on longer day trips (1 person-€28, up to 4 additional people-€7/each, buy at station ticket machines—may need to select “Rhineland-Palatinate,” good after 9:00 Mon-Fri and all day Sat-Sun, valid on trains labeled RB, RE, and MRB, as well as public buses). For a day trip between Bacharach and Burg Eltz (normally €42 round-trip), even one person saves with a Rheinland-Pfalz-Ticket, and a group of five adults saves well over €100—look for travel partners at breakfast.

By Car: The road along the west bank of the Rhine affords views just as good as the ones from the train and allows you to pause as you like for photos and sightseeing. A few stops (including Marksburg and Rheinstein castles) are much easier by car, and parking costs are generally reasonable—but stock up on coins, as many meters are coin-op only. When exploring by car, don’t hesitate to pop onto one of the many little ferries that shuttle across the bridgeless-around-here river (see next). Even if you’re doing the rest of your trip by car, consider parking it for the day to enjoy the boat trip—cruise one way, then zip back to your home-base town by train.

By Ferry: As there are no bridges between Koblenz and Mainz, you’ll see car-and-passenger ferries about every three miles. Bingen-Rüdesheim, Lorch-Niederheimbach, Engelsburg-Kaub, and St. Goar-St. Goarshausen are some of the most useful routes (figure about €3/passenger and €6/car, pay on boat, no reservations and rarely a wait; specific schedules vary—for example, St. Goar-St. Goarshausen ferry departs each side every 20 minutes daily until 21:00; www.faehre-loreley.de). For a fun little jaunt, take a quick round-trip to explore the other side, allowing time to visit Marksburg Castle and/or the top of the Loreley cliffs.

By Bike: Biking is a popular way to explore the valley. You can bike either side of the Rhine, but for the easiest designated bike path, stay on the west side, where a 35-mile path runs between Koblenz and Bingen. The 10-mile stretch between St. Goar and Bacharach is smooth and scenic, but mostly along the highway. The bit from Bacharach to Bingen hugs the riverside and is car-free. There’s also a bike path in the works for the east bank of the Rhine; get details locally.

Consider biking one-way and taking the bike back on the riverboat, or design a circular trip using the fun and frequent shuttle ferries. A good target is Kaub (where a tiny boat shuttles sightseers to the better-from-a-distance castle on the island) or Rheinstein Castle (upstream from Bacharach).

The Rhein Bike app may enable you to rent a bike and return it in a different town. As this is a new system (with locations so far mainly in Koblenz and Boppard), be clear on exactly where to pick up and drop off your bike (reasonable rates, www.rhein-bike.de).

Best of the Rhine Tour by Train or Boat

One of Europe’s great train thrills is zipping along the Rhine enjoying this self-guided blitz tour, worth ▲▲▲. Or, even better, do it while relaxing on the deck of a Rhine riverboat, surrounded by the wonders of this romantic and historic gorge. This quick and easy tour (you can cut in anywhere) skips most of the syrupy myths filling normal Rhine guides. You can follow along on a train, boat, bike, or car. By train or boat, sit on the left (river) side going south (upriver) from Koblenz. While nearly all the castles listed are viewed from this side, I’ll also point out a few places where the best views are inland. Be prepared for crowded trains, especially in summer.

You’ll notice large black-and-white kilometer markers along the riverbank. I erected these years ago to make this tour easier to follow. They tell the distance from the Rhine Falls in the town of Schaffhausen, where the Rhine leaves Switzerland and becomes navigable. (Today, river-barge pilots also use these markers to navigate.)

We’re tackling just 36 miles (58 km) of the 765-mile-long (1,230-km) Rhine. Your Best of the Rhine Tour starts at Koblenz and heads upstream to Bingen. If you’re going the other direction, it still works. Just hold the book upside-down.

Download my free Best of the Rhine audio tour.

KOBLENZ TO BINGEN

Of the major sights and towns mentioned here, Marksburg and Rheinstein castles and the Loreley clifftop are described in more detail under “Sights Along the Rhine” (see next section); the others—Koblenz, St. Goar, Rheinfels Castle, Oberwesel, and Bacharach—are covered later in this chapter. Note that if you’re riding the boat from Koblenz all the way to Bacharach, you’ll need to change boats in St. Goar.

Km 590—Koblenz: This Rhine blitz starts with Romantic Rhine thrills at Koblenz. Koblenz isn’t terribly attractive (it was hit hard in World War II), but its place at the historic Deutsches Eck (“German Corner”)—the tip of land where the Mosel River joins the Rhine—gives it a certain patriotic charm. A cable car links the Deutsches Eck with the giant, cliff-capping Ehrenbreitstein Fortress across the river.

Km 586—Lahneck Castle: Above the modern autobahn bridge over the Lahn River, this castle was built in 1240 to defend local silver mines. The castle was ruined by the French in 1688 and rebuilt in the 1850s in Neo-Gothic style. Burg Lahneck faces another Romantic rebuild, the yellow Schloss Stolzenfels (€5, out of view above the train, Thu-Sun 10:00-17:00, closed Mon-Wed, off-season Sat-Sun only, closed Dec-Jan, a 10-minute climb from tiny parking lot, www.schloss-stolzenfels.de).

Km 580—Marksburg Castle: This castle stands bold and white—restored to look like most Rhine castles once did, with their slate stonework covered with stucco to appear as if made from a richer stone. You’ll spot Marksburg over the town of Braubach, with the three modern smokestacks behind it (these vent one of Europe’s biggest car-battery recycling plants just up the valley). This is the best-looking of all the Rhine castles and the only undestroyed medieval castle on the river. Because of its commanding position, it was never attacked in the Middle Ages (though it was captured by the US Army in March 1945). It’s now a museum with a medieval interior second only to the Mosel Valley’s Burg Eltz.

Now’s a good time to read the “Rhine River Trade and Barge-Watching” sidebar in this chapter.

Km 570—Boppard: Once a Roman town, Boppard has some impressive remains of fourth-century walls. Look for the Roman towers and the substantial chunk of Roman wall near the train station, just above the main square. You’ll notice that a church is a big part of each townscape. Many small towns have two towering churches. Four centuries ago, after enduring a horrific war, each prince or king decided which faith his subjects would follow (more often Protestant to the north and east, Catholic to the south and west). While church attendance in Germany is way down, the towns here, like Germany as a whole, are still divided between Catholic and Protestant.

K-D Line Rhine Cruise Schedule

Boats run from late April through early October (usually 4/day between Bacharach and St. Goar—but only 2/day on Mon). Off-season, schedules are severely reduced; on most days, one boat runs for groups, but individuals can tag along if they know you’re coming—call the boat directly (+49 172 1360 335) or the main office in Cologne (+49 221 2088 318). The times listed below are based on the 2024 schedule. Check K-D.com for the latest. Remember, there are additional boats (typically 2/day between Bacharach and St. Goar) on the competing Bingen-Rüdesheimer Line (www.bingen-ruedesheimer.de).

If you visit Boppard, head to the fascinating Church of St. Severus below the main square. Find the carved Romanesque crazies at the doorway. Inside, to the right of the entrance, you’ll see Christian symbols from Roman times, as well as painted arches and vaults (originally, most Romanesque churches were painted this way). Down by the river, the arches show the high-water (Hochwasser) marks from various flood years. You’ll find these flood marks throughout the Rhine and Mosel valleys.

Rhine River Trade and Barge-Watching

Since ancient times, the Rhine has been a highway for trade. Rotterdam, the Dutch city waiting at the mouth of the river, is now Europe’s biggest port.

Logically, imports go upstream (Japanese cars, coal, and oil) and exports go downstream (German cars, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals). A clever boat captain manages to ship goods in each direction. Recently, high-capacity Dutch container ships have been driving many of the traditional barges out of business, presenting the German economy with another challenge.

But this stretch of the Rhine remains great for barge-watching. There’s a constant parade of action, and each boat is different. Barge workers are almost a subculture. Deckhands generally live in the bow, while the captain lives in the stern, often with his family—you’ll likely see a family car or two parked on a boat’s stern. Many captains own their own ships.

In the Rhine town of Kaub, there was once a boarding school for the children of the Rhine merchant marines—but today it’s closed, since most captains are Dutch, Belgian, or Swiss. The flag of the boat’s home country flies in the stern (Dutch—horizontal red, white, and blue; Belgian—vertical black, yellow, and red; Swiss—white cross on a red field; German—horizontal black, red, and yellow; French—vertical red, white, and blue).

Going downstream, tugs can push a floating train of up to five barges at once, but upstream, as the slope gets steeper (and the stream gradient gets higher), they can push only one at a time. Before modern shipping, horses dragged boats upstream (the faint remains of towpaths survive at points along the river). From 1873 to 1900, workers laid a chain from Bonn to Bingen, and boats with cogwheels and steam engines hoisted themselves upstream. Today, 265 million tons travel each year along the 530 miles from Basel on the German-Swiss border to the Dutch city of Rotterdam on the Atlantic.

Riverside navigational aids are of vital interest to captains who don’t wish to meet the Loreley (see km 554 on the “Best of the Rhine” tour). Boats pass on the right unless they clearly signal otherwise with a large blue sign. Since ships heading downstream can’t stop or maneuver as freely, boats heading upstream are expected to do the tricky do-si-do work. Cameras monitor traffic all along and relay warnings of oncoming ships using large triangular signals before narrow and troublesome bends in the river. There may be two or three triangles per signpost, depending upon how many “sectors,” or segments, of the river are covered. The lowest triangle indicates the nearest stretch of river. Each triangle tells whether there’s a ship in that sector. When the bottom side of a triangle is lit, that sector is empty. When the left side is lit, an oncoming ship is in that sector.

Km 567—Sterrenberg Castle and Liebenstein Castle: These neighboring castles, across from the town of Bad Salzig, are known as the “Hostile Brothers.” Notice how they’re isolated from each other by a low-slung wall. The wall was built to improve defenses from both castles…but this is the romantic Rhine, so there has to be a legend: Take one wall between castles, add two greedy and jealous brothers and a fair maiden, and create your own legend. €€€ Burg Liebenstein is now a fun, friendly, and reasonably affordable family-run hotel (9 rooms, giant king-and-the-family room, +49 6773 251, www.castle-liebenstein.com, info@burg-liebenstein.de, Nickenig family).

Km 560: While you can see nothing of it from here, a 19th-century lead mine functioned on both sides of the river, with a shaft actually tunneling completely under the Rhine.

Km 559—Maus Castle: The Maus (mouse) got its name because the next castle was owned by the Katzenelnbogen family. (Katz means “cat.”) In the 1300s, it was considered a state-of-the-art fortification...until 1806, when Napoleon Bonaparte had it blown apart with state-of-the-art explosives. It was rebuilt true to its original plans in about 1900. Today, Burg Maus is open for concerts, weddings, and guided tours in German.

Km 557—St. Goar and Rheinfels Castle: Cross to the other side of the train. The pleasant town of St. Goar was named for a sixth-century hometown monk. It originated in Celtic times (i.e., really old) as a place where boatsmen would stop, catch their breath, send home a postcard, and give thanks after surviving the seductive and treacherous Loreley crossing. St. Goar is worth a stop to explore its mighty Rheinfels Castle.

Km 556—Katz Castle: Burg Katz (Katzenelnbogen) faces St. Goar from across the river. Together, Burg Katz (built in 1371) and Rheinfels Castle had a clear view up and down the river, effectively controlling traffic (there was absolutely no duty-free shopping on the medieval Rhine). Katz got Napoleoned in 1806 and rebuilt in about 1900.

In 1995, a wealthy and eccentric Japanese man bought it for about $4 million. His vision: to make the castle—so close to the Loreley that Japanese tourists are wild about—an exotic escape for his countrymen. But the town wouldn’t allow his planned renovation of the historic (and therefore protected) building. Stymied, the frustrated investor abandoned his plans. Today, Burg Katz sits empty...the Japanese ghost castle.

Below the castle, notice the derelict grape terraces—worked since the eighth century, but abandoned in the last generation. Yet Rhine wine remains in demand. The local slate absorbs the heat of the sun and stays warm all night, resulting in sweeter grapes. Wine from the steep side of the Rhine gorge—where grapes are harder to grow and harvest—is tastier and more expensive.

About Km 555: A statue of the Loreley, the beautiful-but-deadly nymph, combs her hair at the end of a long spit—built to give barges protection from vicious ice floes that until recent years raged down the river in the winter. The actual Loreley, a landmark cliff, is just ahead.

Km 554—The Loreley: Steep a big slate rock in centuries of legend and it becomes a tourist attraction—the ultimate Rhinestone. The Loreley (a.k.a. Lorelei; name painted near shoreline), rising 450 feet over the narrowest and deepest point of the Rhine, has long been important. It was a holy site in pre-Roman days. The fine echoes here—thought to be ghostly voices—fertilized legend-tellers’ imaginations.

Because of the reefs just upstream (at km 552), many ships never made it to St. Goar. Boatsmen (after days on the river) blamed their misfortune on a wunderbare Fräulein, whose long, blond hair almost covered her body. Heinrich Heine’s The Lorelei (featured on local postcards and on K-D boats) tells the story of a count sending his men to kill or capture this siren after she distracted his horny son, who forgot to watch where he was going and drowned. When the soldiers cornered the nymph in her cave, she called her father (Father Rhine) for help. Huge waves, the likes of which you’ll never see today, rose from the river and carried Loreley to safety. And she has never been seen since.

But alas, when the moon shines brightly and the tour buses are parked, a soft, playful Rhine whine can still be heard from the Loreley. As you pass, listen carefully.

Km 552—The Seven Maidens: Killer reefs, marked by red-and-green buoys, are called the “Seven Maidens.” OK, one more goofy legend: The prince of Schönburg Castle (über Oberwesel—described next) had seven spoiled daughters who always dumped men because of their shortcomings. Fed up, he invited seven of his knights to the castle and demanded that his daughters each choose one to marry. But they complained that each man had too big a nose, was too fat, was too stupid, and so on. The rude and teasing girls escaped into a riverboat. Just downstream, God turned them into the seven rocks that form this reef. While this story probably isn’t entirely true, there was a lesson in it for medieval children: Don’t be hard-hearted.

Km 550—Oberwesel: Cross to the other side of the train. The town of Oberwesel, topped by the commanding Schönburg Castle (now a hotel), boasts some of the best medieval wall and tower remains on the Rhine. You could hop off here for a self-guided walk through the town and along its delightful walls (see here).

Notice how many of the train tunnels along here have entrances designed like medieval turrets—they were actually built in the Romantic 19th century. OK, back to the riverside.

▲Km 547—Gutenfels Castle and Pfalz Castle, the Classic Rhine View: Burg Gutenfels (now a privately owned hotel) and the shipshape Pfalz Castle (built in the river in the 1300s) worked very effectively to tax medieval river traffic. The town of Kaub grew rich as Pfalz raised its chains when boats came and lowered them only when the merchants had paid their duty. Those who didn’t pay spent time touring its prison, on a raft at the bottom of its well. In 1504, a pope called for the destruction of Pfalz, but the locals withstood a six-week siege, and the castle still stands. Notice the overhanging outhouse (tiny white room between two wooden ones). Pfalz (also known as Pfalzgrafenstein) is tourable but bare and dull (€7 for ferry from Kaub and castle entry; ferry runs 2/hour, castle open Thu-Sun 10:00-12:45 & 14:00-15:45, closed Mon-Wed, last entry 45 minutes before closing, shorter hours Nov-mid-March; +49 677 4745, https://tor-zum-welterbe.de/pfalzgrafenstein).

In Kaub, on the riverfront directly below the castles, a green statue (near the waving flags) honors the German general Gebhard von Blücher. He was Napoleon’s nemesis. In 1813, as Napoleon fought his way back to Paris after his disastrous Russian campaign, he stopped at Mainz—hoping to fend off the Germans and Russians pursuing him by controlling that strategic bridge. Blücher tricked Napoleon. By building the first major pontoon bridge of its kind here at the Pfalz Castle, he crossed the Rhine and outflanked the French. Two years later, Blücher and Wellington teamed up to defeat Napoleon once and for all at Waterloo.

Immediately opposite Kaub (where the ferry lands) is a gaping hole in the mountainside. This marks the last slate mine on the Rhine still in operation.

Km 544—“The Raft Busters”: Just before Bacharach, at the top of the island, buoys mark a gang of rocks notorious for busting up rafts. The Black Forest, upstream from here, was once poor, and wood was its best export. Black Foresters would ride log booms down the Rhine to the Ruhr (where their timber fortified coal-mine shafts) or to Holland (where logs were sold to shipbuilders). If they could navigate the sweeping bend just before Bacharach and then survive these “raft busters,” they’d come home reckless and horny—the German folkloric equivalent of American cowboys after payday.

Km 543—Bacharach and Stahleck Castle: Cross to the other side of the train. The town of Bacharach is a great stop. Some of the Rhine’s best wine is from this town, whose name likely derives from “altar to Bacchus” (the Roman god of wine). Local vintners brag that the medieval Pope Pius II ordered Bacharach wine by the cartload. Perched above the town, the 13th-century Burg Stahleck is now a hostel. Return to the riverside.

Km 541—Lorch: This pathetic stub of a castle is barely visible from the road. Notice the small car ferry, one of several along the bridgeless stretch between Mainz and Koblenz.

Km 538—Sooneck Castle: Cross back to the other side of the train. Built in the 11th century, this castle was twice destroyed by people sick and tired of robber barons.

Km 534—Reichenstein Castle and Km 533—Rheinstein Castle: Stay on this side of the train to see two of the first castles to be rebuilt in the Romantic era. Both are privately owned, tourable, and connected by a pleasant trail. Go back to the river side.

Km 530—Ehrenfels Castle: Opposite Bingerbrück and the Bingen station, you’ll see the ghostly Ehrenfels Castle (clobbered by the Swedes in 1636 and by the French in 1689). Since it had no view of the river traffic to the north, the owner built the cute little Mäuseturm (mouse tower) on an island (the yellow tower you’ll see near the train station today). Rebuilt in the 1800s in Neo-Gothic style, it’s now used as a Rhine navigation signal station.

Km 528—Niederwald Monument: Across from the Bingen station on a hilltop is the 120-foot-high Niederwald monument, a memorial built with 32 tons of bronze in 1877 to commemorate “the reestablishment of the German Empire.” A lift takes tourists to this statue from the famous and extremely touristy wine town of Rüdesheim.

From here, the Romantic Rhine becomes the industrial Rhine, and our tour is over.

Sights Along the Rhine

The best sights are the towns of Bacharach, Oberwesel, and St. Goar (with Rheinfels Castle)—each described later in this chapter, and easily accessible by boat or train. These additional sights—listed from north to south—are all easier for drivers.

▲▲Marksburg Castle (Marksburg)

Medieval invaders decided to give Marksburg a miss thanks to its formidable defenses. In fact, guides love to brag that out of the 44 castles along the Rhine—about one every mile and a half—this is the only one that was never destroyed. Marksburg’s remarkable state of preservation makes it nearly as rewarding to visit as Burg Eltz on the Mosel. It can be toured only with a guide on a 50-minute tour. In summer, tours in English normally run daily at 13:00 and 16:00; it’s worth trying to time your visit to take advantage of these. Otherwise, you can join a German tour with an English handout, supplemented by this book’s self-guided commentary.

Cost and Hours: €11, daily 10:00-18:00, Nov-mid-March 11:00-16:00, German tours run when enough people have gathered, last tour departs one hour before closing, +49 2627 206, www.marksburg.de.

Getting There: Marksburg caps a hill above the village of Braubach, on the east bank of the Rhine. Drivers have it relatively easy; there’s a pay parking lot up near the top of the hill (follow brown Marksburg signs up through Braubach, €4, cash only), leaving only a rather steep, five-minute hike up to the castle.

By train, it’s a 15-minute trip from Koblenz to Braubach (1-2/hour); from Bacharach or St. Goar, it can take up to two hours total, depending on the length of your layover in Koblenz. The train is still quicker than the boat (downstream from Bacharach to Braubach-2 hours, upstream return-3.5 hours). Consider taking the downstream boat to Braubach and the train back (via Koblenz). If traveling with luggage, store it in the convenient lockers in the underground passage at the Koblenz train station (Braubach has no enclosed station—just platforms—and no lockers).

Once you reach Braubach, walk into the old town (follow Altstadt signs—coming out of tunnel from train platforms, it’s to your right); then follow the Zur Burg signs to the path up to the castle. Allow about 30 minutes for the climb up. Scarce taxis charge at least €12 from the train platforms to the castle (if you can’t find one, try calling +49 170 242 1789 or +49 2621 4448). You’ll still have to climb those last five (steep) minutes up to the castle from its parking lot.

Self-Guided Tour: From the ticket office (with a good € café with a view terrace), head to the tour starting point. Your guide will use a giant skeleton key to open the castle’s first gate.

Inside the Gate: While the dramatic castles lining the Rhine are generally Romantic rebuilds, Marksburg is the real McCoy—nearly all original construction. It’s littered with bits of its medieval past, like the big stone ball that was swung on a rope to be used as a battering ram. Looking ahead, notice how the inner gate—originally tall enough for knights on horseback to gallop through—was made smaller to deter enemies on horseback.

• Head up the hill and pass under the murder hole—handy for throwing rocks, shooting arrows, or pouring boiling pitch on invaders. (Germans still say someone with bad luck “has pitch on his head.”)

Knights’ Stairway: Stepping through the gate, peer up at the steep, irregular steps carved out of the slate. Looking back, you’ll see six colorful coats of arms that line the wall just inside the gate. These are from the noble families who have owned the castle since 1283. In that year, financial troubles drove the first family to sell to the powerful and wealthy Katzenelnbogen family (who made the castle into what you see today). When Napoleon took this region in 1803, an Austrian family who sided with the French got the keys. When Prussia took the region in 1866, control passed to a friend of the Prussians who had a passion for medieval things—typical of this Romantic period. Then it was sold to the German Castles Association in 1900. Its offices are in the main palace at the top of the stairs, and a couple of staffers actually still live inside the castle.

• Head up those irregular steps, then curl up and to the right, so that you’re standing next to the original...

Romanesque Palace: White outlines on the facade mark where the larger original windows were located, before they were replaced by easier-to-defend smaller ones. On the far right, a bit of the original plaster survives. Slate, which is vulnerable to the elements, needs to be covered—in this case, by plaster. Because this is a protected historic building, restorers can use only the traditional plaster methods...but no one knows how to make plaster that works as well as the 800-year-old surviving bits. Embedded in the ground in front of the palace is the footprint of a Romanesque chapel that once stood here.

Cannon Battery Yard: Cannons surround the original Romanesque palace under covered galleries, aimed across the river—illustrating how strategic this location was for controlling traffic and spotting attackers. The oldest cannon here—from 1500—was back-loaded. This was advantageous because many cartridges could be preloaded. But since the seal was leaky, it wasn’t very powerful. The bigger, more modern cannons—from 1640—were one piece and therefore airtight, but had to be front-loaded. They could easily hit targets across the river from here. Stone balls were rough, letting the explosive force leak out. The best cannonballs were stones covered in smooth lead—airtight and therefore more powerful and more accurate.

• Step through a nearby door to enter the...

Gothic Garden: Walking along an outer wall, you’ll see 160 plants from the Middle Ages—used for cooking, medicine, and witchcraft. Schierling (hemlock, in the first corner) is the same poison that killed Socrates. From here, you’ll also enjoy spectacular views up and down the river.

Inland Rampart: This most vulnerable part of the castle had a triangular construction to better deflect attacks. Notice the factory in the valley. In the 14th century, this was a lead, copper, and silver mine. Today’s factory—one of Europe’s largest car-battery recycling plants—uses the old mine shafts as vents (see the three modern smokestacks).

• Next, you’ll head into the inner castle. Your first stop is the...

Wine Cellar: Since Roman times, wine has been the traditional Rhineland drink. Because castle water was impure, wine—less alcoholic than today’s beer—was the way knights (and everyone else, including children) got their fluids. Each day, each of the 20 to 25 people who lived at the castle drank two and a half or three liters—the pitchers on the wall were their daily allotment. The bellows were part of the barrel’s filtering system. This cellar is strategically located immediately below the kitchen—handy for the constant delivery of more and more wine.

• Now climb the stairs up to the...

Kitchen: Not only was this where all the castle’s food was cooked, it’s also where 10 or 12 servants slept overnight (on hay, surrounding the fire), along with some livestock. Take a close look at that giant fireplace; the arms holding the pots have notches to control the heat. To this day, when Germans want someone to hurry up, they say, “give it one tooth more.” Medieval people were locavores, subsisting mainly on what they could grow, raise, fish, or forage.

• Next head upstairs. Before stepping into the bedroom, notice the wall that’s peeled away to show the wattle-and-daub construction (sticks, straw, clay, mud, then plaster) of a castle’s inner walls.

Bedroom: This was the only heated room in the castle. The small bed held two adults; people were shorter then, and they slept sitting up partway, propped up by pillows (due to a superstition about lying flat, like a dead body). The canopy kept in heat and kept out critters. In medieval times, it was impolite for a lady to argue with her lord in public. She would wait for him in bed to give him what Germans still call “a curtain lecture.” The deep window seats caught maximum light for needlework and reading. Women would sit here and chat (or “spin a yarn”) while working the spinning wheel. Medieval windows were made of thin sheets of translucent alabaster or animal skins. (Natural light was preferred to light from a flame; more German castles were destroyed because of careless fires than because of enemy attacks or sieges.)

Rhein in Flammen

During the annual “Rhine in Flames” festival, spectacular displays of fireworks take place along the most scenic stretches of the Rhine, while beautifully illuminated ships ply the river, offering up-close views of the fireworks above. Held on five days between May and September, the festival rotates between several Rhine towns. Traditional wine festivals and other local celebrations are often timed to coincide with the Rhein in Flammen (in Bonn in May, Rüdesheim in July, Koblenz in August, and Oberwesel and St. Goar in September; confirm dates at www.rhein-in-flammen.com).

Great Hall: This was the dining hall. The long table is an unattached plank. After each course, servants could replace it with another preset plank. Even today, when a meal is over and Germans are ready for the action to begin, they say, “Let’s lift up the table.” The action back then consisted of traveling minstrels who sang and told of news gleaned from their travels.

Directly across from the fireplace is the door to the outhouse—made of wood—hanging over thin air. Having one of these was a status symbol, so it’s strategically located where the owners would host guests. When not in use, its door was locked from the outside (the castle side) to prevent any invaders from entering this weak point in the castle’s defenses.

Chapel: This chapel is painted in Gothic style (replicas) with the castle’s namesake, St. Mark, and his lion. Even the chapel was designed with defense in mind. The small doorway kept out heavily armed attackers. The staircase spirals clockwise, favoring the sword-wielding defender (assuming he was right-handed).

You’ll head down the stairs and enter the newest part of the castle (from the 18th century). You’ll peek into the...

Linen Room: About the year 1800, the castle—with diminished military value—housed soldiers with disabilities. They’d earn a little extra money working raw flax into linen.

• Next up is a fine exhibit showing off...

2,500 Years of Armor: First you’ll walk through a collection of weapons. On a medieval battlefield, more than 90 percent of the foot soldiers were untrained farmers and peasants; they mostly carried long, pointy staffs (halberds, like the ones that line this room) that they used to fend off better-trained, better-equipped knights.

Then you’ll step into a fun room with mannequins dressed in vivid, sometimes outlandish outfits that illustrate the evolution of armor over 2,500 years with a swivel of the head—starting with ancient Greeks and Celts, through heavy-metal medieval gear, all the way to the musketeers of the 17th century. Because helmets covered the entire head, soldiers identified themselves as friendly by tipping their visor up with their right hand. This evolved into the military salute that is still used around the world today.

• Back out in the central courtyard of the castle, circle around...

The Keep: This served as an observation tower, a dungeon (with a 22-square-foot cell in the bottom), and a place of last refuge. When all was nearly lost, the defenders would bundle into the keep and burn the wooden bridge, hoping to outwait their enemies.

• On your way out, step into the...

Horse Stable: The stable shows off bits of medieval crime and punishment. Cheaters were attached to stones or pillories. Shame masks punished gossipmongers. A mask with a heavy ball had its victim crawling around with his nose in the mud. The handcuffs with a neck hole were for the transport of prisoners. The pictures on the wall show various medieval capital punishments. Many times, the accused was simply taken into a torture dungeon to see all these tools, and, guilty or not, confessions spilled out of him. All of this is displayed under the original beams from the Romanesque castle (dated to the 1230s), which has been holding up this structure for nearly 800 years.

• Head back down the way you came in. Just before leaving, step into the...

Blacksmiths’ Forge: Each castle came equipped with a rough smithy like this one for making and repairing everyday items (such as horseshoes, hinges, and halberds). This allowed castles to be self-contained and independent. If you wanted a finer item—such as swords, suits of armor, and jewelry—you’d have to travel to a town or city to get one from a specialist.

• Your castle tour is over. Enjoy a drink at the café overlooking the river, appreciating Marksburg’s grand setting one last time.

Loreley Clifftop

The Loreley is really just a big cliff at a sharp bend in the Rhine, but the story seizes the imaginations of Germans and tourists alike; you may even notice that St. Goar’s road signs identify it as “St. Goar an der Loreley.” Getting a quick glimpse of this rock from below—as you go by on a boat, train, or car—is plenty good. (For the Loreley legend, see the km 554 marker of the “Best of the Rhine Tour,” earlier.) But if you’d like to see more, the top of the Loreley features a borderline-tacky recreation area, visitors center, café, luge ride, and viewpoint that overlooks the Rhine Valley and the plateaus high above the river.

The visitors center (Besucherzentrum) has a lightweight exhibit that reflects a little on Loreley but focuses mainly on the landscape, culture, and people of the Rhine Valley (free, daily 10:00-17:00, shorter hours off-season, +49 6771 599 093, www.loreley-touristik.de).

Directly across from the visitors center, a wide path leads (in about five level minutes) to the viewpoint itself, with a statue of the Mädchen. Above the visitors center is a summer luge (Sommerrodelbahn) (+49 6771 959 4833, www.loreleybob.de). For tips on riding one, see the sidebar on here.

Getting There: Drivers find it’s an easy spiral up from St. Goarshausen (across from St. Goar); you can get from the ferry dock to the parking lot in less than 10 minutes. Parking is €4.

If you’re without a car, it’s probably not worth the trouble. But if you’re determined (or just want an excuse for a hike), you can ride the ferry from St. Goar to St. Goarshausen, then hike about an hour: Follow green Burg Katz (Katz Castle) signs up Burgstrasse under the train tracks to find steps on the right (Loreley über Burg Katz) leading to Katz Castle (privately owned) and beyond. Traverse the hillside, always bearing right toward the river. You’ll pass through a residential area, hike down a 50-yard path through trees, then cross a wheat field until you reach the rock-capping viewpoint. Alternatively, you can catch bus #535 from just left of the St. Goarshausen ferry ramp (10 minutes, 1-2/hour).

▲Rheinstein Castle (Schloss Burg Rheinstein)

This castle seems to rule its chunk of the Rhine from a commanding position. While its 14th-century shell is medieval as can be, it fell into such disrepair over the centuries that the French didn’t bother destroying it when they went on their castle-killing spree in the 17th century. In 1823, Prince Frederick of Prussia renovated and transformed it into a romantic confection—a classic “knight’s castle.” That’s the version visitors see today, along with grand views over the Rhine from a variety of terraces and turrets. More recently, the castle was purchased in 1975 by a German opera-singer celebrity and is still owned by his heirs, the Hecher clan. It’s best by car, it requires lots of (manageable) climbing up stairs and trails, and tour options are limited (you’ll see it on your own, with an English handout). But its close proximity to Bacharach—just a 10-minute drive south—makes it an easy stop for drivers focusing on this stretch of the Rhine.

Cost and Hours: €9.50; mid-March-Oct daily 10:00-18:00; Nov-mid-Dec Sat-Sun only, often 12:00-16:00; closed mid-Dec-mid-March, last entry one hour before closing, +49 6721 6348, www.burg-rheinstein.de.

Getting There: Rheinstein Castle (at km 533 marker, 2 km upstream from Trechtingshausen on the main B-9 highway) is easy to reach by car (small, free parking lot on B-9, then steep 5-minute hike), or bike (35 minutes upstream from Bacharach, stick to the great riverside path, after km 534 marker look for small Burg Rheinstein sign and Rösler-Linie dock). It’s less convenient by boat (no K-D stop nearby) or train (nearest stop in Trechtingshausen, a 30-minute walk away).

Visiting the Castle: From the river, huff about five minutes up the switchbacked path, cross the drawbridge, buy your ticket, pick up the English handout, and begin exploring. You’ll follow numbered plaques on a loop through the outer and inner areas of the castle. First, you’ll walk along the outer bailey, passing watchdog cages as you curl around the base of the towering fortress. Reaching the restaurant and WCs, hook left into the Burgundy Garden (named for the nearly two-century-old vines) and the Neo-Gothic chapel.

Then head up the steep staircase to the main part of the castle. Before entering, you can detour out to the Cannon Terrace for grand Rhine views...but there are plenty of other viewpoints coming up.

Entering the castle interior, you’ll step into an entryway with suits of armor and walls encrusted with antlers; a short hallway leads to the castle kitchen. Then take the staircase up to the Fountain Terrace.

From here, those who aren’t afraid of heights may enjoy climbing several spindly, narrow stairs to the top of the crenellated Rhine Tower for commanding views. Or you can step inside the main part of the castle and work your way up through three levels: On the main floor, the Knight Hall is the biggest, finest room in the castle; the next floor up was the domain of the 19th-century princess (you can peek into a few elegant rooms, including her bedroom—she slept sitting up, to avoid disheveling her hairdo); and the floor above that was for the prince. Each one had their own study, with a stunning view, in the turreted tower.

You’ll head back out the way you came in. On your way down, at the bottom of the main staircase leading up to the central castle, signs point to WCs and the good €€ restaurant, with views over the Rhine and parts of the castle complex.

Bacharach

Once prosperous from the wine and wood trade, charming Bacharach (BAHKH-ah-rahkh) is now just a pleasant half-timbered village of nearly 2,000 people working hard to keep its tourists happy. Businesses that have been in the family for eons are dealing with succession challenges, as the allure of big-city jobs and a more cosmopolitan life entice the town’s younger generation. But even through all the changes, Bacharach retains its time-capsule quaintness.

Orientation to Bacharach

Bacharach cuddles, long and narrow, along the Rhine. The village is easily strollable—you can walk from one end of town to the other along its main drag, Oberstrasse, in about 10 minutes. Bacharach widens at its stream, where more houses trickle up its small valley (along Blücherstrasse) away from the Rhine. The hillsides above town are occupied by vineyards, scant remains of the former town walls, and a castle-turned-hostel.

TOURIST INFORMATION

The bright and well-stocked TI, on the main street a block-and-a-half from the train station, will store bags and bikes for day-trippers and has maps showing the route of the town-wall walk (Mon-Fri 9:00-17:00, Sat-Sun 10:00-14:00; Nov-March Mon-Fri 9:00-13:00, closed Sat-Sun; from the train station, exit right and walk down the main street with the castle high on your left—the TI will be on your right at Oberstrasse 10; +49 6743 919 303, www.bacharach.de or www.rhein-nahe-touristik.de, Herr Kuhn and his team).

HELPFUL HINTS

Carry Cash: Although more places accept credit cards every year, come prepared to pay cash for many things in the Rhine Valley (some restaurants, parking meters, and so on).

Picnics: You can pick up picnic supplies at Tomi’s, a basic grocery store in a half-timbered old house a couple of short blocks off the main square (closed Sun, Koblenzer Strasse 2). For a gourmet picnic, call the recommended Rhein Hotel to reserve a “picnic bag” (a cooler bag in backpack form, complete with wine, cheese, classy picnicware, and a hiking map; €49/2 people, arrange a day in advance, +49 6743 1243).

Bike Rental: Some hotels loan bikes to guests. For bike rental in town, head to Rent-a-Bike Weber (daily, closes in bad weather, Koblenzer Strasse 35, +49 6743 1898, mobile +49 175 168 0735, heidi100450@aol.com).

Taxi: Call Jasmin Baumgarten at Rheintal Reisen (+49 6743 1653, www.rheintal-reisen.de).

Parking: It’s simple to park along the highway next to the train tracks or, better, in the big public lot by the boat dock (pay with coins at Parkscheinautomat).

Local Guides: Thomas Gundlach happily gives 1.5-hour town walks to individuals or small groups for €40. History buffs will enjoy his “war tour,” which focuses on the town’s survival from 1864 through World War II. He also offers 4-to-10-hour hiking or biking tours for the more ambitious (+49 179 353 6004, thomas_gundlach@gmx.de). Also good is Birgit Wessels (€65/1.5-hour walk, +49 6743 937 514, wessels.birgit@t-online.de). Or take my self-guided town walk or walk the walls—both are described next.

Bacharach Town Walk

• Start this self-guided walk at the Köln-Düsseldorfer ferry dock, next to a fine picnic park.

Riverfront: View the town from the parking lot (built on top of a modern landfill). The Rhine used to lap against Bacharach’s town wall, just over the present-day highway. Every few years, the river floods, covering the highway with several feet of water. Flat land like this is rare in the Rhine Valley, where towns are often shaped like the letter “T,” stretching thin along the riverfront and up a crease in the hills beyond.

Reefs farther upstream forced boats to unload upriver and reload here. Consequently, in the Middle Ages, Bacharach was the biggest wine-trading town on the Rhine. A riverfront crane hoisted huge kegs of prestigious “Bacharach” wine (which, in practice, was from anywhere in the region). Today, the economy is based on tourism.

Look above town. The castle on the hill is now a hostel. Two of the town’s 16 towers are easily visible from here (up to five, if you look really hard). The bluff on the right is the Heinrich Heine Viewpoint (the end point of a popular hike). A few old-timers remember when a swastika sculpture 30 feet wide and tall stood there. Realizing that it could be an enticing target for Allied planes in the last months of World War II, locals tore it down even before Hitler fell.

• Facing the river, turn right (upstream) and go for a stroll along the water through the...

Riverside Park: The park was originally laid out in 1910 in the English style: Notice how the trees were planted to frame fine town views, highlighting the most picturesque bits of architecture. If the park area is torn up when you visit, it’s because Bacharach is sprucing up for the 2029 Bundesgartenschau (BUGA) horticultural show.

Soon you’ll spot a Picasso-esque sculpture on your right (from 2016). Bacharach artist Liesel Metten depicts three figures sharing a bottle of wine (a Riesling, perhaps?). This piece celebrates three men who brought fame to the area through poetry and prose: Victor Hugo, Clemens Brentano, and Heinrich Heine. Other new elements of the park are designed to bring people to the riverside and combat flooding.

Now angle through the park, back toward the town and train tracks. Soon you’ll reach a reddish, sad-looking war memorial—its “eternal” flame long snuffed out. The German psyche is permanently scarred by war memories. Today, many Germans would rather avoid monuments like this, which recall the dark periods before Germany became a nation of pacifists. The Prussian Iron Cross—flanked by classic German helmets—has a W at its center, for Kaiser Wilhelm. On the opposite side, each panel honors sons of Bacharach who died for the kaiser: in 1864 against Denmark, in 1866 against Austria, in 1870-1871 against France, in 1914-1918 during World War I. Review the family names below: You may later recognize them on today’s restaurants and hotels.

• Now head back to the river and keep walking upstream. Straight ahead—beyond the playground, in the distance—you may be able to see the...

Trailer Park and Campground: In Germany, trailer vacationers and campers are two distinct subcultures. Folks who travel in motorhomes, like many retirees in the US, are a nomadic bunch, cruising around the countryside and paying a few euros a night to park. Campers, on the other hand, tend to set up camp in one place—complete with comfortable lounge chairs and TVs—and stay put for weeks, even months. They often come back to the same spot year after year, treating it like their own private estate. These camping devotees have made a science out of relaxing. Tourists are welcome to pop in for a drink or meal at the campground café (see “Activities in Bacharach,” later).

• Continue to where the park meets the playground, turn inland, and cross the highway to the fortified riverside wall of the Catholic church. On the corner of the church nearest the crosswalk, look for a series of small plaques. These are...

High-Water Marks: These Hochwasser plaques recall the years of various floods. Before the 1910 reclamation project, the river extended out to here, and boats would tie up at mooring rings that used to be in this wall.

• From the church, go under the 1858 train tracks (and past more high-water marks, on your right). Emerging on the other side, hook right up the stairs at the yellow floodwater yardstick to reach the town wall. Turn left and walk along the top of the...

Town Wall: The former town wall is now mostly a platform for busy train tracks. After about 50 yards, look left and down to see a well. Rebuilt as it appeared in the 17th century, this is one of seven such wells that brought water to the townsfolk until 1900. Each neighborhood’s well also provided a social gathering place and the communal laundry.

Carry on about another 50 yards along the wall until you reach a medieval tower with a small alcove offering a view of the war memorial in the park. You’re under the crane tower (Kranenturm). After barrels of wine were moved overland from Bingen, avoiding dangerous stretches of river, the precious cargo could be lowered by cranes from here into ships to continue more safely down the river.

The Rhine has long been a major shipping route through Germany. But in modern times, its narrow banks have made it a bottleneck in Germany’s train system. And increasing rail traffic has made nearly constant train noise quite an issue for Rhinelanders. It’s estimated that, on average, a train barrels down each side of the Rhine every three minutes—that’s 500 trains a day. Landowners complain that the noise has made it nearly impossible to sell a piece of property along this stretch. The train company at least gives hotels and residents along the tracks money for soundproof windows.

• Continue walking along the town wall for about 100 more yards. You’ll pass a tiny terrace with a model railroad, and soon you’ll reach the recommended Rhein Hotel (and its fine Stübers Restaurant).

Just beyond rises the...

Markt Tower: This stands at one of the town’s 16 original 14th-century gates; it’s named for the big wine market located at its base back then.

• Descend the stairs closest to the Rhein Hotel, pass another well, and follow Marktstrasse away from the river toward the town center, the two-tone church, and the town’s...

Main Square: Really just a wide spot along Bacharach’s main street (Oberstrasse) fronted by a big church and some fine old homes, this is the town’s hub and main intersection. The post office on your right acts as a sort of “general store,” selling train tickets and offering other services. From here, the main drag goes right to the half-timbered red-and-white Altes Haus (which we’ll visit later) and left 400 yards to the train station. Spin around to enjoy the higgledy-piggledy building styles. The town has a case of the doldrums: The younger generation is moving to the big cities, and many long-established family businesses have no one to take over for their aging owners. You may notice several “for rent” (zu vermieten) and “for sale” (zu verkaufen) signs in vacant storefronts. The population has shrunk from nearly 2,400 in 1990 to just over 1,800 today—a 25 percent drop in just 30 years. In the winter the town is particularly dead.

Imagine: 200 ago, Bacharach’s main drag was the only road along the Rhine. Napoleon widened it to fit his cannon wagons.

• Turn left and walk along that main drag, past the church. The steps just beyond the church lead to the ruins of the 15th-century Werner Chapel and (eventually) the castle.

Just beyond that, a golden horn hangs over the old...

Posthof: Throughout Europe, the postal horn is the symbol of the postal service. In olden days, when the postman blew this, traffic stopped and the mail sped through. This post station dates from 1724, when stagecoaches ran from Cologne to Frankfurt and would change horses here, Pony Express-style. Notice the cornerstones at the Posthof entrance, protecting the venerable building from reckless carriage wheels. If it’s open, head inside the old oak doors to see (on the left) the actual door to the post office that served Bacharach for 200 years. Find the mark on the wall labeled Rheinhöhe 30/1-4/2 1850. This recalls a historic flood caused by an ice jam at the Loreley just downstream. Notice also the fascist eagle above that original post office door (from 1936; a swastika once filled its center). The courtyard was once a carriage house and inn that accommodated Bacharach’s first VIP visitors; today, it hosts a recommended restaurant.

• If you were to carry on along the main drag past the Posthof, you’d reach Bacharach’s helpful TI (in a couple of short blocks) and, eventually, the train station. Instead, we’re heading back the opposite way. But first, across the street from the Posthof, consider checking out the recommended Italian ice-cream parlor Eis Café Italia, where Vincenzo serves his family’s invention: Riesling wine-flavored gelato.

Back on the main square, you’ll see stairs along the right side of the church leading up to its main door. If the door’s open, head inside for a peek.

Protestant Church: Inside the church (daily 10:00-18:00, closed Nov-March, English booklet for sale), you’ll find grotesque capitals, brightly painted in medieval style, and a mix of round Romanesque and pointed Gothic arches. The church was fancier before the Reformation wars, when it (and the region) was Catholic. Bacharach lies on the religious border of Germany and, like the country as a whole, is split between Catholics and Protestants. To the left of the altar, some medieval (pre-Reformation) frescoes survive where an older Romanesque arch was cut by a pointed Gothic one.

If you’re considering bombing the town, take note: A blue-and-white glass plaque just outside the church’s door warns that, according to the Hague Convention, this historic building shouldn’t be targeted in times of war.

• Continue down Oberstrasse to the...

Altes Haus: Dating from 1368, this is not just any “old house”—it’s the oldest in town. Notice the 14th-century building style: The first floor is made of stone, while upper floors are half-timbered (in the ornate style common in the Rhine Valley). Some of its windows still look medieval, with small, flattened circles as panes (small because that’s all that the glass-blowing technology of the time would allow), pieced together with molten lead (like medieval stained glass in churches). If it’s open, peek inside to enjoy the fascinating ground floor of the recommended Altes Haus restaurant, with its evocative old photos and etchings.

• Keep going down Oberstrasse to the...

Old Mint (Münze): The old mint is marked by a crude coin in its sign. As a practicality, any great trading town needed coinage, and since 1356, Bacharach minted theirs here. Now it’s a bar, Kurpfälzische Münze, with occasional live music. Across from the mint, the recommended Bastian family’s wine garden is another lively place in the evening (see “Wine Tasting,” later).

• At the next street, look down the lane to the right and see the mint tower, painted in the medieval style. Then turn left and wander 30 yards up Rosenstrasse to the well. Study the fine slate roof over the well: The town’s roof tiles were quarried and split right here in the Rhineland. Now look over your right shoulder to find the sundial and the wall painting of 1632 Bacharach with its walls intact.

Continue another 80 yards up Rosenstrasse to find the tiny-stepped lane on the right, leading up into the vineyard and to the...

Posten Tower: Follow the slate steps, then carry on along the small path through the vineyard. Soon this giant tower pops into view on your left. The town’s towers jutted out from the wall and had only three sides, with the “open” side facing the town. Towers were covered with stucco to make them look more impressive, as if they were made of a finer white stone.

• Next we’ll enjoy a classic postcard view of Bacharach. At a minimum, hike up to sit on the bench at the base of the tower. If you have a little more oomph, scale the stairs on the left side of the tower. Go as high as you like; if the tower’s door is open, you can head inside and climb nearly all the way to the top—the higher, the better (the top floor may be closed to give nesting falcons some privacy).

Romantic Rhine View: Looking south, a grand medieval town spreads before you. For 300 years (1300-1600), Bacharach was big (population 4,000—about double today’s size), rich, and politically powerful.

From this perch, you can see the ruins of a 15th-century chapel and six surviving city towers. Visually trace the wall to the Stahleck Castle. The castle was actually the capital of Germany for a couple of years in the 1200s. When Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa went away to fight the Crusades, he left his brother (who lived here) in charge of his vast realm. Bacharach was home to one of the seven electors who voted for the Holy Roman Emperor in 1275. To protect their own power, these prince-electors did their best to choose the weakest guy on the ballot. The elector from Bacharach helped select a two-bit prince named Rudolf von Habsburg (from a no-name castle in Switzerland). However, the underestimated Rudolf brutally silenced the robber barons along the Rhine and established the mightiest dynasty in European history. His family line, the Habsburgs, ruled much of central and eastern Europe from Vienna until 1918.

Plagues, fires, and the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648) finally did in Bacharach. The town has slumbered for several centuries. Today, the castle houses commoners—40,000 overnights annually by hostelers.

In the mid-19th century, painters such as J. M. W. Turner and writers such as Victor Hugo were charmed by the Rhineland’s romantic mix of past glory, present poverty, and rich legend. They put this part of the Rhine on the old Grand Tour map as the “Romantic Rhine.” Hugo pondered the chapel ruins that you see under the castle: In his 1842 travel book, Excursions Along the Banks of the Rhine, he wrote, “No doors, no roof or windows, a magnificent skeleton puts its silhouette against the sky. Above it, the ivy-covered castle ruins provide a fitting crown. This is Bacharach, land of fairy tales, covered with legends and sagas.” If you’re enjoying the Romantic Rhine, thank Victor Hugo and company.

• You could end the walk here and retrace your steps to get back into town. But to return an even prettier way, face inland and follow the slightly downhill gravel path that beckons through the vineyards toward yet another bold tower, the...

Wood Market Tower: Timber was gathered here in Bacharach and lashed together into vast log booms—as big as a soccer field and known as “Holland rafts”—that were floated downstream. Two weeks later, the lumber would reach Amsterdam, where it was in high demand as foundation posts for buildings and for the great Dutch shipbuilders. Notice the four stones above the arch on the side of the tower facing away from town—these guided the gate as it was hoisted up and down.

Uphill from this point is the neighborhood called Steeg. Here and all around town, keep an eye out for signs depicting donkeys (a nickname for local residents). Bacharach’s affection for these surefooted beasts of burden dates to a time when donkeys eased the work of cultivating and harvesting the very steep vineyards.

• Sure, you could just duck under this tower and follow the main street into town. But then you’d miss the delightful...

Painters’ Corner (Malerwinkel): To reach this sleepy, charming corner of town, cross the street in front of the Wood Market Tower and make your way downhill into the parking lot of the recommended Pension im Malerwinkel—an incredibly charming half-timbered building. Take the little lane immediately to the left of the pension, being careful not to damage the old arch with your head. Follow the creek past a delightful little series of half-timbered homes and cheery gardens known as the Painters’ Corner (Malerwinkel). On the right, by the benches, you’ll pass a pointed sign informing you Hier ist kein Hundeklo (“This is not a dog toilet”); then resist looking into some weirdo’s peep show as you continue downhill back to the town center.

Activities in Bacharach

Walk Along the Old Town Walls

A steep and rocky but clearly marked walking path follows the remains of Bacharach’s old town walls and makes for a good hour’s workout. Along the way, benches prompt you to pause and take in views of the Rhine and Bacharach’s slate roofs. The path starts near the train station, climbs up to the hostel in what was Stahleck Castle (drinks and snacks available), descends into the side valley, and then continues up the other side to the tower in the vineyards before returning to town. To start the walk at the train station, find the house at Oberstrasse 2 and climb up the stairway to its left. Then follow the Stadtmauer-Rundweg signs. Good bilingual signposts tell the history of each of the towers along the wall—some are intact, one is a private residence, and others are now only stubs.

Swimming, Eating, and Drinking at Camping Sonnenstrand

This campground, a 10-minute walk upstream from Bacharach, has a sandy beach with water as still as a lake, and it welcomes visitors (especially if you buy a drink at the café). On hot summer days you can enjoy a dip in the Rhine at the beach at your own risk (free, no lifeguard—beware of strong current). This is a chance to see Euro-style camping, which comes with a sense of community. Campers are mostly Dutch, English, Belgian, and German, with lots of kids (and a playground). The € terrace café overlooking the campsites and the river is the social center and works well for a drink or meal (inside or outside with river view, daily from 17:00, closed Nov-March, +49 6743 1752, www.camping-rhein.de).

Sleeping in Bacharach

The only listings with their own parking are Rhein Hotel, Pension im Malerwinkel, Pension Winzerhaus, and the hostel. For the others, you can drive in to unload your bags and then park in the public lot (see “Helpful Hints,” earlier). If you’ll arrive after 20:00, let your hotel know in advance (many hotels with restaurants stay open late, but none have 24-hour reception desks).

€€ Rhein Hotel, overlooking the river with 14 comfortable rooms, has been in the Stüber family for six generations and is decorated with works of art by the current owner’s siblings. The large family room downstairs is über stylish, while the bright “hiker room” on the top floor features terrific views of both the town and river—and an in-room sauna. You can sip local wines in the renovated room where owner Andreas was born (air-con, river- and train-side rooms come with quadruple-paned windows, check their website for package deals including dinner, free loaner bikes, directly inland from the K-D boat dock at Langstrasse 50, +49 6743 1243, www.rhein-hotel-bacharach.de, info@rhein-hotel-bacharach.de). Their recommended Stübers Restaurant is the best in town.

€€ Altkölnischer Hof, in a pretty, half-timbered building that dominates the main square next to the town church, has 19 nicely woody rooms and 10 apartments in nearby buildings. It’s a good choice for a large-ish, central, well-run hotel (family rooms, air-con, elevator, Blücherstrasse 2, +49 6743 947 780, www.altkoelnischer-hof.de, info@altkoelnischer-hof.de).

€€ Hotel am Markt, also on the main square, has 15 sleek, modern, updated rooms—some with hot tubs—in an old shell (family rooms, air-con, Oberstrasse 64, +49 6743 1715, www.hotel-dettmar.de, info@hotel-dettmar.de, Dettmar family).

€ Pension im Malerwinkel sits like a grand gingerbread house that straddles the town wall in a quiet little area so charming it’s called the “Painters’ Corner” (Malerwinkel). The Vollmer family’s super-quiet 20-room place is a short stroll from the town center. Here guests can sit in a picturesque garden on a brook and enjoy views of the vineyards (cash only, family rooms, elevator, no train noise, bike rentals for guests, free and easy parking; from Oberstrasse, turn onto Blücherstrasse at the church, walkers can follow the path to the left just before the town gate but drivers must pass through the gate to find the hotel parking lot, Blücherstrasse 41; +49 6743 1239, www.im-malerwinkel.de, pension@im-malerwinkel.de, Armin and Daniela).

€ Hotel zur Post is conveniently located right in the town center with no train noise. Its 15 rooms are a good value, offering more solid comfort than old-fashioned character, though the lovely wood-paneled breakfast room has a rustic feel (lots of stairs, family room, Oberstrasse 38, +49 6743 1277, www.hotel-zur-post-bacharach.de, h.zurpost@t-online.de).

€ Pension Winzerhaus, an eight-room place run by friendly Sybille and Stefan, is just outside the town walls, directly under the vineyards. The rooms are simple, clean, and modern; most have balconies, and parking is a breeze (cash only, some cheap singles have private bathrooms down the hall, Blücherstrasse 60, +49 6743 1294, www.winzerhaus-bacharach.de, winzerhaus@gmx.de).

¢ Irmgard Orth B&B rents one room with an en suite bath and, to families or others traveling together, two rooms that share a small bathroom on the hall. Charming Frau Orth speaks almost no English but is exuberantly cheery (cash only, Spurgasse 2, +49 6743 1553—speak slowly; she prefers email: orth.irmgard@gmail.com).

¢ Jugendherberge Stahleck hostel is a 12th-century castle on the hilltop—350 steps above Bacharach—with a Hogwarts ambience and a royal Rhine view. Open to travelers of any age, this gem has 36 rooms, eight with private showers and WCs. The hostel offers hearty all-you-can-eat buffet dinners (18:00-19:30 nightly); in summer, its bistro serves drinks and snacks until 21:00. If you arrive at the train station with luggage, it’s a minimum €13 taxi ride to the hostel—call +49 6743 1653 (reception open 8:00-19:00—call if arriving later, +49 6743 1266, www.diejugendherbergen.de, bacharach@diejugendherbergen.de). If driving, don’t go in the driveway; park on the street and walk 200 yards.

Eating in Bacharach

Bacharach has several reasonably priced, atmospheric restaurants offering fine indoor and outdoor dining, as well as some casual options. Don’t go looking for fine dining; other than Stübers, menus are largely interchangeable. Choose based on the ambience or setting you like best. Some don’t take credit cards, and many are closed off-season and even on slow nights in spring and fall; call ahead to check.

€€€ Stübers Restaurant, in the recommended Rhein Hotel facing the train tracks, is Bacharach’s only top-end choice. Andreas Stüber creates regional plates prepared with a slow-food ethic and paired with fine local wines (including many by Dr. Kauer, who is experimenting with adapting grapes to this area’s changing climate). The menu changes with the season and is served at river- and track-side seating or indoors with a spacious white-tablecloth elegance. Consider the William Turner pâté starter plate, a charcuterie board named after the British painter who liked Bacharach (discount for hotel guests, always good vegetarian and vegan options, Tue-Sat dinner only, Sun lunch and dinner, closed Mon, closed mid-Dec-Feb, reservations smart, Langstrasse 50, +49 6743 1243, info@rhein-hotel-bacharach.de).

€€ Posthof’s menu of sausages and wiener schnitzels is conventional, but its atmospheric al fresco setting—tables filling the historic post office courtyard—is romantic (daily, Oberstrasse 45, +49 6743 947 8275, www.posthof-bacharach.de).

€€€ Altkölnischer Hof is a family-run, recommended hotel restaurant with outdoor seating right on the main square, serving Rhine specialties that burst with flavor. This restored 18th-century banquet hall feels formal and sophisticated inside, with high ceilings and oil paintings depicting the building’s history. Reserve an outdoor table for a more relaxed meal, especially on weekends, when locals pack the place (dinner only, closed Mon and Thu, also closed Nov-Easter, Blücherstrasse 2, +49 6743 947 780, www.altkoelnischer-hof.de).

€€ Altes Haus, the oldest building in town (see the “Bacharach Town Walk,” earlier), serves classic German dishes within Bacharach’s most romantic atmosphere. Find the cozy little dining room with photos of the opera singer who sang about Bacharach, adding to its fame (unpredictable hours—usually open weekends for dinner and sometimes also lunch, may open some weekdays for dinner only, closed off-season, dead center on the main square, +49 6743 1209).

€€ Kleines Brauhaus Rheinterrasse is a funky microbrewery serving hearty meals (grill dishes, schnitzel, pizza), fresh-baked bread, and homemade beer under a 1958 circus carousel and on an adjacent terrace that overlook the town and river. Sweet Annette and Melodie cook while Armin brews, and the kids run free in this family-friendly place. For a sweet finish, try the “beer-liquor,” which tastes like Christmas. Don’t leave without dropping a coin in the merry-go-round-in-a-box in front of the Rhine Theater next door (may be closed Mon in bad weather, Koblenzer Strasse 14, +49 6743 919 179).

€€€ Restaurant Zeus, with tasty if expensive Greek fare and vine-draped outdoor seating, adds a spark to this end of town (daily for dinner only, cash only, Koblenzer Strasse 11, +49 6743 909 7171).

€ Café Bistro Noý (the Armenian name for “Noah”) is an unpretentious spot with a cozy interior and a few fine sidewalk tables along Bacharach’s main street. The Sargsyan family serves up a short menu of good-quality, meat-focused items, including some specialties from their native Armenia: wild boar goulash and shashlik, skewered pork served with spicy sauce (daily, Oberstrasse 40, +49 6743 209 9785, www.cafe-bistro-noy.de).

€€ Luz de Mar is another international choice, serving a variety of Spanish tapas in a nondescript traditional interior, or at outdoor tables along the train tracks (dinner only, closed Tue, Langstrasse 18—enter along the train-track pathway, +49 6743 909 0718, www.luzdemaramrhein.com [URL inactive]).

Cheap and Quick: € Bacharacher Pizza and Kebap Haus, on the main drag, is the town favorite for döner kebabs, cheap pizzas, and salads. Imam charges the same to eat in or take out (daily, Oberstrasse 43, +49 6743 3127).

Basic Campground Café: Camping Sonnenstrand, a 10-minute walk from town, has a café (dinner only) with great river views inside and out (see “Activities in Bacharach,” earlier).

Gelato: Right on the main street, Eis Café Italia is run by friendly Vincenzo Calabrese, whose father Mimo brought gelato to town in 1976. They’re known for their refreshing, not-too-sweet Riesling-flavored gelato. They occasionally have seasonal flavors, such as one made with rose petals from a nearby farm (early summer only). Eat in or take it on your evening stroll (no tastes offered, daily until around 19:00, closed off-season, Oberstrasse 48).

WINE TASTING

Bacharach is proud of its wine, and these two wine bars offer visitors an inexpensive tasting memory. Both also offer meals, if you’d like to turn your tasting into lunch or dinner.

€€ Bastian’s Weingut zum Grüner Baum offers a wide variety of local wines, both in their wine bar and across the street in their shop (Vinothek). Consider investing €32 in a carousel of 11 different wines, designed to be shared (make new friends who enjoy variety and don’t mind sipping from the same cup). Sit in their medieval interior or choose one of their three nice terraces: front for shade and people-watching, back for sun, or a courtyard (closed Tue, shorter hours or closed entirely off-season, just past Altes Haus, +49 6743 1208).

€€ Weingut Karl Heidrich is a fun family-run wine shop and Stube in the town center, where Markus proudly shares his family’s centuries-old wine tradition with travelers in an inviting space, with beautiful outside seating on the main street. Check out a variety of carousels with six wines (most around €19, more for sweet dessert wines), each one described in English—ideal for the more sophisticated wine taster (closed Sun-Mon, last food orders at 19:00, closed off-season, Oberstrasse 16, +49 6743 93060).

Nightlife in Bacharach

Bacharach goes to bed early, so your options are limited for a little after-dinner action. But the places listed below and the two wine places listed above are welcoming and can be fun in the evening hours.

Kurpfälzische Münze (Old Mint) is a cozy hole-in-the-wall that features atmosphere, good drinks, and light meals (unpredictable hours, usually opens around 18:00, closed Sun-Mon).

For something a bit off the beaten path, try Jugendherberge Stahleck—Bacharach’s hostel, filling an evocative old castle on the hill—where the bistro serves munchies and drinks with priceless views from its generous terrace until 21:00 in summer (listed earlier, under “Sleeping in Bacharach”).

Bacharach Connections

BY TRAIN

Milk-run trains stop at Rhine towns each hour starting as early as 5:00, connecting at Mainz and Koblenz to trains farther afield. Trains between St. Goar and Bacharach depart hourly in each direction (buy tickets from the machine in the unstaffed stations or on the DB Navigator app).

The durations listed below are calculated from Bacharach; for St. Goar, the difference is only 10 minutes. To go anywhere distant from Bacharach (or St. Goar), you’ll need to change trains in Koblenz for points north, or in Mainz for points south. Milk-run connections to these towns depart hourly, at about :50 past the hour for northbound trains and at about :05 past the hour for southbound trains (with a few more around the half-hour). Train info: Bahn.com.

From Bacharach by Train to: St. Goar (hourly, 10 minutes), Moselkern near Burg Eltz (hourly, 1.5 hours, change in Koblenz), Cochem (hourly, 2 hours, change in Koblenz), Trier (hourly, 2-2.5 hours, change in Koblenz), Cologne (hourly, 2 hours with change in Koblenz, 2.5 hours direct), Frankfurt Airport (hourly, 1 hour, change in Mainz or Bingen), Frankfurt (hourly, 1.5 hours, change in Mainz or Bingen), Rothenburg ob der Tauber (every 2 hours, 4.5 hours, 3-4 changes), Munich (hourly, 5 hours, 2 changes), Berlin (every 2 hours with a transfer in Frankfurt, 5.5 hours; more with 2-3 changes), Amsterdam (hourly, 5-7 hours, change in Cologne, sometimes 1-2 more changes).

ROUTE TIPS FOR DRIVERS

This area is a logical first (or last) stop in Germany. If you’re using Frankfurt Airport, here are some tips.

Frankfurt Airport to the Rhine: Driving from Frankfurt to the Rhine or Mosel takes about an hour (follow blue autobahn signs from airport—major cities are signposted).

The Rhine to Frankfurt: From St. Goar or Bacharach, follow the river to Bingen, then autobahn signs to Mainz, then Frankfurt. From there, head for the airport (Flughafen) or downtown (signs to Messe, then Hauptbahnhof, to find the parking under Frankfurt’s main train station—see “Arrival in Frankfurt—By Car” on here).

The Rhine to the Mosel: To connect these two areas, you have two basic options. The slow-and-scenic choice is to trace the Rhine north to Koblenz, then follow the Mosel back down toward Cochem and Beilstein (figure 1.5 hours total); this allows you to stop en route at any river towns that appeal, and/or to pay a quick visit to Koblenz and its Deutsches Eck, where the two rivers meet. Alternatively, the most direct option is overland (about an hour): There is a variety of routes, but all involve twisting up out of the Rhine gorge; cruising through nondescript farm fields, forests, and villages; and eventually dropping back down to the Mosel—plug your destination into your GPS and follow it carefully.

Oberwesel

Oberwesel (OH-behr-vay-zehl) is just four miles from Bacharach, on the way to St. Goar—an easy-as-can-be stop by boat, train, bike, or car. Oberwesel was a Celtic town in 400 BC, then a Roman military station. It’s worth a quick visit to see its museum with historic Rhine artifacts, and for a rigorous, scenic hike around the well-preserved town walls.

From the river, you’ll notice its ship’s masts rising from terra firma—a memorial to the generations of riverboat captains and boatsmen for whom this town is famous. Like most towns on the Rhine, Oberwesel is capped by a castle (Schönburg). The other town landmark is its 130-foot-tall crenellated Ochsenturm (Oxen Tower), standing high and solitary overlooking the river.

Exploring Oberwesel is a breeze when you follow my self-guided walk. The helpful TI on Marktplatz stocks free maps outside its door (Mon-Fri 9:00-13:00 & 14:00-17:00, Sat 10:00-14:00, Sun 10:00-13:00; off-season shorter hours and closed weekends; Rathausstrasse 3, +49 6744 710 624, www.oberwesel.de).

Arrival in Oberwesel: Drivers will find free, time-limited parking by the river (as in many small towns, you must display a cardboard clock); just walk through a tunnel under the train tracks and find your way to Marktplatz. If arriving by train, it’s about a 10-minute walk to Martkplatz: Leave the station by heading right onto Liebfrauenstrasse, which leads directly there.

Oberwesel Walk

I’ve laced together Oberwesel’s sights with this self-guided walk. Allow at least an hour without stops; the second half requires some uphill climbing, but it’s worth it (in good weather, at least). Here’s an overview: Starting at Marktplatz, visit the museum and walk the lower wall to the Ochsenturm at the far end of town, then huff up to the top of town and walk the upper wall, passing through the Stadtmauergarten and Klostergarten (former monastery) before returning to Marktplatz, where you can get a bite to eat at one of several cafés.

1 Marktplatz: For centuries, this has been Oberwesel’s social and commercial center, and today still hosts tourist-friendly cafés and wine bars. If you’re here in the summer, you can’t miss the oversized wine glass declaring that Oberwesel is a winegrowers’ town. Around harvest time, the city hosts a huge wine festival and elects a “Wine Witch.” This is a new tradition—not a long-steeped medieval one—designed to make the town’s ceremonial wine-production mascot stand out from a crowd of other towns’ wine “queens.”

• Facing the TI, turn right and walk along the main drag, passing several cafés. After about 50 yards, on the left, watch for the entrance (marked Eingang) for the museum.

2 Kulturhaus and Stadtmuseum Oberwesel: This hardworking place, oozing with local pride, is the region’s best museum on local history and traditions—worth ▲. Using your phone to interact with the exhibits makes them more meaningful (for example, several virtual portraits of local VIPs talk to you in English; you can even “text” them questions). You’ll begin on the ground floor (EG) and first floor (OG) with an exhibit that traces the town history from the Romans to the 19th-century Romantics. Upstairs in the attic (DG), exhibits explain how salmon were once fished here, dramatic photos show the river when it was jammed with ice, and you can take the helm of a virtual ship to navigate the challenging waters of the Rhine. Finally, down in the basement (KG), you’ll find a detailed model railway running through a miniaturized Oberwesel, photos of “Wine Witches” (local beauty queens) from 1946 through 2012, and an “underwater” section describing creatures that live in the depths of the Rhine (€5, cash only; Tue-Fri 10:00-17:00, Sat-Sun from 14:00, closed Mon; Nov-March Tue-Fri until 14:00, closed Sat-Mon; borrow the English descriptions, Rathausstrasse 23, +49 6744 7147 26, www.kulturhaus-oberwesel.de).

• Return to Marktplatz, turn toward the river, and walk to the...

3 Town Wall: The wall in front of you is part of some of the best-preserved walls in the Middle Rhine Valley, thanks to the work of local volunteers. To ascend to the top of the wall, turn right on Rheinstrasse (before the tunnel), climb the narrow steps on the left to the top of the wall, and start walking downstream (left), toward the leaning tower.

• Enjoy your stroll, with the town’s rooftops on your left and the train tracks and river on your right. Stow your guidebook as you watch your step on the uneven stonework; I’ll meet you at that first tower.

4 Hospitalgassenturm: This tower was constructed to rest on the wall...but it was too heavy. In an attempt to “fix” it, builders straightened out the top.

• Continue along until you come to the...

5 Wernerkapelle: In the 13th century, this chapel was built right into the town wall to serve Oberwesel’s medieval hospital. The sick lay in bed here with their eyes on the cross, confident that a better life awaited them in heaven. Today, this chapel serves the town’s adjacent modern hospital. If the chapel’s open, pop in for a quick look.

• Continue hiking along the wall to reach the next tower. If you’d like, climb up the...

6 Steingassenturm: If you climb to the top, consider how many Romantic painters and poets in centuries past enjoyed this same view.

Ponder the description Victor Hugo penned after a visit here: “This is the warlike Oberwesel, whose old walls are riddled with the havoc of shot and shells. Upon them you easily recognize the trace of the huge cannon balls of the bishops of Treves, the Biscayans of Louis XIV, and the revolutionary grape shot of France. At the present day Oberwesel resembles an old veteran soldier turned winemaker, and what excellent wine he produces.”

• Carry on toward the two towers beyond the wall. Just before the break in the wall, stop to take in the view.

7 Two Towers View: The nearer Katzenturm (named for a count, not a cat) and Ochsenturm (Oxen Tower) behind it were among 32 towers that once protected Oberwesel (16 survive). The Ochsenturm was built in the 14th century as a lookout and signal tower, but with its fancy design it also served as a status symbol for the archbishop, declaring his power to all who passed here along the Rhine.

Between this spot and the river are a bike lane (once a towpath for mighty horses pulling boats upstream), a train line (one of the first in Germany), and today’s riverside road (built in the 1950s). Until modern times, there was just one small road through Oberwesel—the one connecting the station to the center of town.

• A set of stairs leads down to the street. To continue to the upper town walls, walk straight ahead along Niederbachstrasse (with the river behind you) until you’ve passed under the arch. Then make an immediate left to walk through the Kölner Torturm (Cologne-Gate Tower). Follow Kölnische Turmgasse two blocks to find a staircase on the right, and climb it to reach the big church with the bell tower.

8 St. Martin’s Church: This 14th-century church, known locally as the “white church,” is one of two major churches in town. The picturesque little red-and-white house to the left was long the home of the church caretaker. Head up the stairs to the lawn that surrounds the church; if the door’s open, peek inside.

• Continue around the back of the building and proceed through the gate to the gardens overlooking the Rhine.

9 Gardens: The church garden—notice the green cross of hedges—was planted in the 17th century. From here, take a look at the tower attached to the back of the church. Built long before the church as part of the town walls’ defensive system, the tower was incorporated into the church’s design.

• Exit the churchyard through the cemetery gate near the road. (If it’s locked, walk back around the church and leave through the gate across from the church’s side entrance, then head up the road to the right.) Across the road, go uphill a few steps into the paved area to find a dirt path on the left, and follow it along, beside the upper town wall, until you reach the first tower.

10 Michelfeldturm I: Take a good look at the top of this tower—it’s actually someone’s residence. The city leases these towers for €1 for 100 years. The hitch? Residents have to agree to restore them.

• Continue past the next tower until you come to the...

11 Kuhhirtenturm (Cowherder’s Tower): Once you’re close enough to it, notice that this tower-top private home has a fanciful drawbridge. If the bridge is down, someone’s home. According to local folklore, a teenage son of the tower’s owners once had a rowdy graduation party here. With all the noise, neighbors complained. But when the police came, the teenagers just hoisted up the drawbridge and partied on.

• The nice view along this last stretch of the wall includes the rooftops of the town center and the Town Hall (look for its clock on top) marking Marktplatz, where this walk began (and ends). Pass the Pulverturm (Powder Tower) and start downhill, stopping just beyond the miniature house. Straight ahead, capping the hill, enjoy the...

12 View of Schönburg Castle: There’s been a castle in Oberwesel since the 10th century. After the original was destroyed by the French in 1689, it sat in ruins for 200 years before being rebuilt. Today, it houses a hotel/restaurant, youth hostel, and small museum. While there’s not much to see at the castle itself, the hike to reach it is a scenic one.

• Continue downhill on the path and take the first set of stairs on the left (marked for Innenstadt), bordering a vineyard. At the bottom of the stairs, follow the path to the left, past the backyard gardens. Zigzag down another small set of stairs, and then, before heading all the way down to street level, go straight ahead to immediately walk up some more stairs. When you reach the ivy-lined wall, enter the gardens through the gate on the left.

13 Stadtmauergarten (Town-Wall Gardens): These gardens were made possible by a local who’d left town as a lad to pursue his fortune but returned to Oberwesel as a retiree. He established a private foundation and spent his last years back in his childhood home.

• Exit the gardens, turn left on Oberstrasse, and walk downhill. At the end of the lane, turn right and walk until you see the cross (on the left) at the next intersection. Take a left here. Partway down this lane, watch on the left for the gateway in the stone wall. Head up these stairs, and on the left (before the sacristy) you’ll find the entrance to the...

14 Klostergarten (Monastery Garden): For 600 years, Franciscan monks lived, worked, and prayed in the monastic complex in this area. During Napoleon’s reign, it was vacated and later fell victim to fire. The poor took refuge in what was left and built their homes inside the former cloister, sacristy, and other remnants. At its peak, after World War II, about 70 people were living here. Only a dozen remain today in this unique (and cramped) living space.

• Feel free to enter and explore a bit, but be respectful and remember that this is a private residence. When you reach the information board (in English) beside the church entrance, you’ve hit the end of this walk.

Retrace your steps back to the entrance. Once back out on the lane, turn right, then take the next left, and you’ll pop out at Marktplatz—right where we began.

St. Goar

St. Goar (sahnkt gwahr) is a classic Rhine tourist town. Its hulk of a castle overlooks a half-timbered shopping street and leafy riverside park, busy with sightseeing ships and contented strollers. Rheinfels Castle, once the mightiest on the river, is the single best Rhineland ruin to explore. While the town of St. Goar itself is less interesting than Bacharach, be sure to explore beyond the shops: Thoughtful, if faded, little placards scattered around town explain factoids about each street, lane, and square. St. Goar also makes a good base for hiking or biking the region; a tiny car ferry shuttles you back and forth across the busy Rhine. (If you run out of things to see, a great pastime in St. Goar is simply chatting with friendly Heike at the K-D boat kiosk.) For train connections, see “Bacharach Connections,” earlier.

Orientation to St. Goar

St. Goar is dominated by its mighty castle, Rheinfels. The village—basically a wide spot in the road at the foot of Rheinfels’ hill—isn’t much more than a few hotels and restaurants. From the riverboat docks, the main drag—Heerstrasse, a dull pedestrian mall without history—cuts through town before ending at the road up to the castle.

TOURIST INFORMATION

The helpful St. Goar TI, which stores bags for free, is inside the post office on the main pedestrian street, just steps off the Markt (Mon-Tue and Thu-Fri 10:00-16:30, Wed and Sat until 13:00, closed Sun; shorter hours and closed Sat-Sun off-season; from train station, go downhill around church and turn left after Hotel Am Markt, Heerstrasse 81; +49 6741 383, www.stadt-st-goar.de).

HELPFUL HINTS

Picnics: St. Goar’s waterfront park has benches perfect for a picnic. You can buy picnic fixings on the pedestrian street at the tiny St. Goarer Stadtladen grocery store (Mon-Tue and Thu-Fri 8:00-18:00, Wed and Sat until 13:00, closed Sun, Heerstrasse 106) or at the recommended Café St. Goar.

Shopping: The Montag family runs an intense souvenir shop specializing in beer steins and cuckoo clocks—as one might well guess, as it boasts “the largest free-hanging cuckoo clock in the world” hanging outside (RS%—10 percent discount, €10 minimum purchase; open daily at least 11:00-16:30 and often longer, shorter hours Nov-April, at the castle end of the main drag at Heerstrasse 131). They’ll ship your souvenirs home—or give you a VAT form to claim your tax refund at the airport if you’re carrying your items with you. One or two other souvenir shops are across from the K-D boat dock.

Laundry: Helmut Dubrulle can pick up and drop off your laundry, or you can drop it off (do so by noon, and it’ll be ready by 18:00). There’s no self-service (Mon-Fri 9:00-12:30, closed Sat-Sun, right next to Herpellstrasse 5, one street above the main drag, +49 6741 512).

Bike Rental: Look for a Rhein Bike rack just outside of the TI (access with app; see details on here). Otherwise, ask at TI for advice.

Parking: A free lot is at the castle end of town, by the harbor. For on-street parking by the K-D boat dock and recommended hotels, get a ticket from the Parkscheinautomat machine, which accepts only coins.

Sights in St. Goar

Rheinfels Castle is St. Goar’s only real sight. For day trips from here, see “Sights Along the Rhine,” earlier.

▲▲Rheinfels Castle (Burg Rheinfels)

Rheinfels Castle sits like a dead pit bull atop the hill above St. Goar. The ruins of this once mightiest of Rhine River castles still exude a hint of menace. Built in the 13th century, Rheinfels guarded the river for more than 500 years. The castle you see today, though impressive and an evocative sight to visit, is but a shadow of its former sprawling self. This hollow but interesting shell offers your single best hands-on ruined-castle experience on the river. It’s most worthwhile if you can time your visit to join a guided tour of the tunnels. But even if you miss the tour, there’s plenty to see (described by my self-guided tour)—including the grand views. Note that the castle may be undergoing renovations, so some areas may be closed or scaffolded.

Cost and Hours: €6, daily 9:00-18:00; Nov-mid-March Fri-Sun 10:00-15:00, closed Mon-Thu; last entry one hour before closing—weather permitting.

Information: +49 6741 7753, www.st-goar.de.

Tunnel Tours: For a complete look at the castle complex, it’s worth timing your trip up here to coincide with a guided one-hour tour (typically in a mix of German and English) that includes a quick visit to the museum, followed by a tour deep into the mines and other tunnels that lie beneath the surface (which are otherwise not accessible to visitors). It’s dark enough down there that you’ll want to use a flashlight (such as the one on your phone) to find your way around—even with the guide leading you. This tour costs only €1 extra, but the schedule can be unpredictable. On weekends, three tours run each day (usually at 11:00, 13:00, and 15:00); on weekdays, the schedule changes from day to day. Call ahead to ask about planned tours and to time your visit accordingly. Tours don’t run from October through mid-March to avoid disturbing the bats that roost in the tunnels (not joking).

WCs: A handy WC is immediately across from the ticket booth (men, take note of the guillotine urinals—stand back when you pull to flush). The hotel across from the entrance also has WCs.

Eating: The hotel across from the castle entrance has two eateries—one affordable, the other a splurge, both with spectacular views—that are described later, under “Eating in St. Goar.”

Getting to the Castle: Drivers have it easy; there’s cheap parking just outside the castle gate (coins only).

Without wheels, you have a few options. It takes about 15 minutes to walk steeply up to the castle on any of the following routes: 1) Simply follow the main road up through the railroad underpass at the top end of the pedestrian street—head left before the souvenir shop with the giant cuckoo clock. 2) It’s more fun to hike the nature trail. From the train station, take the underpass under the tracks at the north end of the station, climb the steep stairs uphill, turn right (following Burg Rheinfels signs), and keep straight along the path just above the old city wall. Small red-and-white signs show the way. 3) Or, from the town center, walk up through the castle’s vineyard—from the cuckoo-clock souvenir shop, follow Schlossberg up and through the underpass, but turn right, off the main road, along Bismarckweg. This leads along the train tracks to the big, modern youth hostel (Jugendherberge). The metal stairs at the far end of this building lead to a steep trail that switchbacks you up on the vineyard path.

You can also take bus #681 from near the ferry dock up to the castle (€2.50 one-way, hourly 8:13-20:13, more frequent on weekends in high season). When you’re done at the castle, bus #682 takes you back to town (hourly, more frequent on weekends in high season, last departure 21:37).

Background: Burg Rheinfels was once huge—for five centuries, it was the biggest castle on the Rhine. Built in 1245 to guard a toll station, it soon earned the nickname “the unconquerable fortress.” In the 1400s, the castle was thickened to withstand cannon fire. Rheinfels became a thriving cultural center and, in the 1520s, was visited by the artist Albrecht Dürer and the religious Reformer Ulrich Zwingli. It saw lots of action in the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648) and later became the strongest and most modern fortress in the Holy Roman Empire. It withstood a siege of 28,000 French troops in 1692. But eventually the castle surrendered to the French without a fight, and in 1797, the French Revolutionary army destroyed it. For years, the ruined castle was used as a source of building stone, and today—while still mighty—it’s only a small fraction of its original size.

Self-Guided Tour: We’ll start at the museum, then circulate through the courtyards, up to the highest lookout point, finishing in a big cellar. To access the dark tunnels below the castle, you’ll need to take a guided tour (see earlier). If it’s damp—inside or out—be careful of slippery stones.

• At the 1 entry, buy your ticket and walk through the castle’s clock tower, Uhrturm. Continue straight, passing a giant cellar (which we’ll visit later) and walking along the inside of the castle wall. Reaching the crest in the hill, step inside the...

2 Museum and Castle Model: The pleasant museum is located in the only finished room of the castle. It features a concise yet sweeping history exhibit with good English descriptions and Romantic Age etchings that give a sense of the place as it was in the 19th century.

The massive fortification was the only Rhineland castle to withstand Louis XIV’s assault during the 17th century. The model reconstruction of the castle in the middle of the room, just inside the door, shows how much bigger it was before French Revolutionary troops destroyed it in the 18th century. Give it a good look and find where you are. (Hint: Look for the tall tower.) This room was the living quarters of the original castle, which was only the smallest ring of buildings around the tiny central courtyard (13th century). The ramparts were added in the 14th century. By 1650, the fortress was largely complete. Since its destruction nearly 150 years later, it’s had no military value. While no WWII bombs were wasted on this ruin, it served St. Goar as a stone quarry for generations.

The seven-foot-tall carved stone immediately to the right of the model, labeled in English as “Palatinate Column,” is a tombstone from a nearby Celtic grave...from 400 years before Christ. Given the site’s strategic advantages, perhaps it’s not surprising that there were people here long before there was a castle, and even well before the Romans.

To learn more, follow the castle’s history counterclockwise around the room from where you entered.

The basement of the museum shows the impressive castle pharmacy counter (Apothek) and an exhibit of Rhine-region odds and ends, including tools, an 1830 loom, and photos of icebreaking on the Rhine. While once routine, icebreaking hasn’t been necessary here since 1963. There’s also a “Castle Cinema” film, playing on a loop, offering a complete virtual tour of the grounds—including the tunnels that you can access only with a guide (handy to see here if you’re skipping that tour).

• Exit the museum and walk 20 yards directly out, slightly uphill and halfway into the castle courtyard. At the first opening on the right, step up for a peek out at the...

3 Corner of Castle: Look right. That’s the original castle tower. A three-story, half-timbered building originally rose beyond the tower’s stone fortification. The two stones jutting out near the top supported the toilet. Lean and look left.

Thoop…You’re Dead: Notice the smartly placed crossbow slits. While you’re lying there, notice the stonework. The little round holes were for the scaffolds they used as they built up, which indicate that this stonework is original.

• Pick yourself up and walk back into the inner courtyard.

4 Medieval Castle Courtyard: Five hundred years ago, the entire castle encircled this courtyard (Innenhof). The place was self-sufficient and ready for a siege, with a bakery, a pharmacy, an herb garden, a brewery, a well (top of yard), and livestock. During peacetime, 300 to 600 people lived here; during a siege, there would be as many as 4,000. The walls were plastered and painted white. Bits of the original 13th-century plaster survive.

• Continue through the courtyard and through the gate at the top end. Emerging on the other side, turn left and walk straight toward the two old wooden upright posts. Find the pyramid of stone catapult balls on your left just before you reach the posts.

5 Catapult Balls and Well: Catapult balls like these were too expensive not to recycle—they’d be retrieved after any battle. Across from the balls is a well (Brunnen)—essential for any castle during the age of sieges. The old posts are for the ceremonial baptizing of new members of the local trading league—one that has survived the centuries (now as a social club).

• Climb uphill to the castle’s highest point by walking along the cobbled path past the 6 high battery (Hohe Batterie) to the castle’s best viewpoint—up where the German flag waves (signed Uhrturm).

7 Clock Tower Lookout: Enjoy a great view of the river, the castle, and the forest from this high point. Remember, the fortress once covered five times the land it does today. Notice how the other castles (across the river) don’t poke above the top of the Rhine canyon. That would make them easy for invading armies to see.

From this perch, survey the Rhine Valley, cut out of slate over millions of years by the river. The slate absorbs the heat of the sun, making the grapes grown here well suited for wine. Today, the slate is mined to provide roofing. Imagine St. Goar himself settling here 1,500 years ago, establishing a place where boatsmen—thankful to have survived the treacherous Loreley—would stop and pray. Imagine the frozen river of winters past, when the ice would break up and boats would huddle in man-made harbors like the one below for protection. Consider the history of trade on this busy river—from the days when castles levied tolls on ships, to the days when boats would be hauled upstream with the help of riverside towpaths, to the 21st century when 300 ships a day move their cargo past St. Goar. And imagine this castle before the French destroyed it...when it was the mightiest structure on the river, filled with people and inspiring awe among all who passed.

• Return to the catapult balls, walk downhill and through the tunnel, and pause to look back up and see the original 13th-century core of the castle. Now go right toward the entrance. Watch on your right for the steep steps down to see the...

8 Big Cellar: This grosser Keller was a big pantry. When the castle was smaller, this was the original moat—you can see the rough lower parts of the wall. The original floor was 13 feet deeper. The drawbridge rested upon the stone nubs on the left. When the castle expanded, the moat became this cellar. Halfway up the walls, square holes mark spots where timbers made a storage loft, perhaps filled with grain. In the back, an arch leads to the wine cellar (now blocked off) where finer wine was kept. Part of a soldier’s pay was wine...table wine. This wine was kept in a single 180,000-liter stone barrel (that’s 47,550 gallons), which generally lasted about 18 months.

The count owned the surrounding farmland. Farmers got to keep 20 percent of their production. Later, in more liberal feudal times, the nobility let them keep 40 percent. Today, the German government leaves the workers with 60 percent...and provides a few more services.

• You’re free. Climb out, turn right, and leave. For coffee on a terrace with a great view, visit Schlosshotel Rheinfels, opposite the entrance.

Sleeping in St. Goar

St. Goar is a reasonable alternative to Bacharach for home-basing in the region, with a good variety of accommodations, easy access to Rheinfels Castle, and an arguably more central location for reaching the sights.

€€ Rhein Hotel, facing the square in front of the church directly across from the K-D boat dock, is run with enthusiasm by energetic Gil Velich. The 10 bright and stylish rooms fill a spacious building (some rooms with river view and balconies, family rooms, pay laundry, closed mid-Nov-March, Heerstrasse 71, +49 6741 981 240, www.rheinhotel-st-goar.de, info@rheinhotel-st-goar.de).

€€ Hotel zur Loreley, right along the main shopping street, rents 12 tidy modern rooms (family rooms, Heerstrasse 87, +49 1590 196 3416, www.hotel-zur-loreley.com, info@hotel-zur-loreley.com, Tornau-Schmid family).

€ Hotel zur Post is tucked a half-block up from the water on a narrow lane. In this traditional shell are 12 simple, fresh rooms with modern touches (family rooms, Bahnhofstrasse 3, +49 6741 339, www.zurposthotel.de, info@zurposthotel.de).

€ Hotel an der Fähre is a simple place that rents 12 cheap and colorful rooms on the busy road immediately across from the ferry dock (cash only, some view rooms, cheapest rooms with shared bath and no view, street noise but double-glazed windows, closed Nov-Feb, Heerstrasse 47, +49 6741 980 577, www.hotel-stgoar.de, info@hotel-stgoar.de, friendly Alessya).

¢ St. Goar Loreley Youth Hostel is a big, modern, official hostel perched on the hill just below Rheinfels Castle. With a restaurant, view terrace overlooking the Rhine, and all the expected activities and backpacker bonding, it’s a great budget choice (private rooms available, Bismarckweg 17, +49 6741 388, www.jugendherberge.de, st-goar@diejugendherbergen.de).

Eating in St. Goar

IN THE TOWN CENTER

€€ Gasthaus Zur Krone is the local choice for traditional German food in a restaurant off the main drag (tucked a block uphill, near the church). There’s no river view, but it’s cozy and offers some outdoor seating. As it’s popular, and the schedule can be unpredictable, it’s always smart to call ahead (“flexible” closed day—often some combination of Tue, Wed, and Thu; cash only, next to the train station and church at Oberstrasse 38, +49 6741 1515).

€ Ristorante Alla Fontana, tucked away on a dull back lane and busy with locals, serves solid Italian food in a lovely dining room or on a leafy patio (closed Tue, dinner reservations smart, Pumpengasse 5, +49 6741 96117). They may be moving to a new location soon.

€€ Aries am Rhein is hidden on the far end of town on the banks of the Rhine. They serve light meals and plenty of beer and wine. A nice playground and minigolf course on either side keep the kids busy (closed Wed and off-season, Am Hafen 1, +49 6741 980 0337).

€ Café St. Goar is the perfect spot for a quick lunch or Kaffee und Kuchen. They sell sandwiches, strudel, tiny cookies, and a variety of cakes to satisfy any appetite. Grab something for a picnic or enjoy seating on the pedestrian-only street out front (daily until 18:00, closed Nov-March, Heerstrasse 95, +49 6741 1635).

UP NEAR THE CASTLE

The Schlosshotel Rheinfels, immediately in front of the castle entrance, has two very different eateries—one expensive, the other cheap, and both with stunning views overlooking this gorgeous stretch of the Rhine. Their flagship restaurant, upstairs, is the fancy €€€€ Auf Scharffeneck, with an elegant, dressy setting surrounding a piano and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the view. If you’d like to splurge here, call ahead to book a window table (dinner nightly, also lunch Sat-Sun, +49 6741 8020, www.schloss-rheinfels.de). On the ground floor is the easy-to-miss budget alternative, called € Burgschänke Der Landgraf. Step through the cozy interior to find the expansive terrace overlooking St. Goar—a prince’s view at pauper’s prices. This family-friendly place features soups, salads, sausages, Flammkuchen, and other regional dishes (daily for lunch and dinner, +49 6741 802 806).

Koblenz

The main town on this stretch of the Romantic Rhine is Koblenz (pop. 115,000)—situated where the Mosel River flows into the Rhine. The word “Koblenz” comes from the Roman word for confluence—a reminder that 2,000 years ago, this was the northern border of the Roman Empire. The city has long been a strategic base. A transportation hub with a key bridge and a mighty fortress, it was heavily bombed in World War II. The city feels rebuilt today and has little of the charm that most are looking for when they visit the Rhineland. The main reason to come here is to check out the Deutsches Eck (“German Corner”) for a little Deutschland patriotism, ride the cable car over the Rhine (from the Deutsches Eck to the castle), and visit the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress, if only for the views. With a little more time, you can poke around the Old Town (Altstadt) and the center (Zentralplatz).

The TI is inside the Forum Confluentes cultural center on Zentralplatz (daily 10:00-18:00, +49 261 129 1610, www.visit-koblenz.de).

Arrival in Koblenz: If arriving by car, go directly to the Deutsches Eck and park; you’ll find a handy pay-and-display lot a short walk away (on Peter-Altmeier-Ufer). There’s also a big parking garage in the city center, under Josef-Görres-Platz. If arriving by train, the Koblenz Hauptbahnhof is a dull 30-minute walk (or ride on bus #1 or #11) across town from the Deutsches Eck; check if your train also stops at the Koblenz Stadtmitte station, which is a shorter and more interesting 15-minute walk away. K-D Rhine sightseeing boats stop right at the Deutsches Eck (2/day, 3.5 hours upstream to St. Goar, 2.5 hours downstream from St. Goar, www.k-d.com).

Sights in Koblenz

Deutsches Eck

The main reason to visit Koblenz is to see a patriotic triangle of land called the “German Corner,” a stop worth ▲ for German history buffs. The tip of land where the two rivers meet is the legendary Deutsches Eck. For many Germans, this spot stirs their nationalistic spirit. While “Deutschland über alles” (“Germany above all”—a line from the German national anthem) is often associated with Hitler and German expansionism in the 20th century, the phrase actually refers to the fragmentation of German-speaking states before unity in 1871. The Song of Germany celebrated the notion of the little German states uniting as one German nation. When Germany finally was united, it was the Johnny-come-lately of European superpowers and scrambled to establish its legitimacy. The allure of this strategic spot made it a natural staging ground to symbolize unity. Why here? While historically there was a lack of clarity about the French/German border (and under Napoleon, it was actually right here), today, the German Corner is seen not as a border, but as the very heart of a great nation.

The point of land between the Rhine and the Mosel is a broad, dramatic plaza. Notice how the flags of the many German states all converge on the flag of a united Germany at the tip of the peninsula. Looming over the Deutsches Eck is a gigantic, reconstructed memorial to Kaiser Wilhelm—the first ruler of a unified Germany.

Many Germans—still mindful of the horrific crimes of their grandparents (and great-grandparents) during the 20th century—have complicated feelings about being “patriotic.” The Detusches Eck gives them a place to feel good about their country and at least some aspects of their history, while enjoying the organ grinders and buskers playing accordions in this park-like atmosphere. The surrounding area has a lively, almost carnival atmosphere, with a sprawling beer garden, gurgling fountains, walking paths through manicured lawns, public art, kids at play, boat docks for both local Rhine joyrides and long-distance river cruises...and, a short walk away along the Rhine, the bottom station of a cable car (see next).

▲Koblenz Cable Car (Seilbahn Koblenz)

For thrilling views over the Deustches Eck, the Rhine, Mosel, and all of Koblenz, hop on the seven-minute cable car that runs from near the Deutsches Eck a half-mile over the Rhine River to the (less-than-thrilling) Ehrenbreitstein Fortress high above. While the fortress is mostly a letdown (see next), the ride itself is worth it for the postcard views.

Cost and Hours: €11 one-way, €15 round-trip, €19 round-trip combo-ticket with fortress entry; daily 10:00-19:00 or later—check website, off-season shorter hours or weekends only, +49 261 2016 5850, www.seilbahn-koblenz.de.

Ehrenbreitstein Fortress

While a castle has stood on this strategic point much longer, what you see today is not your classic Rhine castle standing tall, but a squat and sprawling, bombshell-hardened 19th-century fortress. It feels designed for military parades and is an underwhelming afterthought to the cable-car ride up here. Still, it can be worth paying a few extra euros (when buying your cable-car ticket) to dip inside and enjoy the fortress’ grand view terrace (exhibits are skippable). Turn right to head straight for the terrace, with a view over the river and cityscape, with a handy outdoor café for nursing a drink.

Cost and Hours: Included in €19 combo-ticket with round-trip cable-car ride, not worth the €8 on its own, daily 10:00-18:00, Nov-March until 16:00, +49 261 6675 4000, www.diefestungehrenbreitstein.de.

Koblenz City Center: Altstadt, Zentralplatz, and Forum Confluentes

If you have time to kill after seeing the Deutsches Eck and riding the cable car, you can explore Koblenz’s once bombed-out center. The area closest to the Mosel is the Altstadt (Old Town), a small, charming maze of old buildings that’s now a pedestrianized shopping zone. Wandering about 15 minutes through this area (to the south), you’ll reach the Neustadt (city center), with sleek architecture. On the main square, Zentralplatz, you’ll find the striking Forum Confluentes, a bright, modern cultural center that houses the TI, city library, and Mittelrhein Museum, with art from medieval to modern (www.mittelrhein-museum.de).

MOSEL VALLEY

Cochem • Burg Eltz • Beilstein

Map: Mosel Valley

Cochem

Orientation to Cochem

Cochem Walk

Map: Cochem

Sights and Activities in Cochem

Sleeping in Cochem

Eating in Cochem

Cochem Connections

Burg Eltz

Map: Burg Eltz Area

Beilstein

Beilstein Walk

Activities in Beilstein

Sleeping in Beilstein

Eating in Beilstein

The Mosel (MOH-zehl) is what some visitors hope the Rhine will be: peaceful, sleepy, romantic villages slipped between impossibly steep vineyards and the river; fine wine; a sprinkling of castles; and lots of friendly small pensions. Boat, train, and car traffic here is a trickle compared with the roaring Rhine.

While the misty Mosel moseys 300 miles from France’s Vosges mountain range (where it’s known as the “Moselle”) to Koblenz (where it dumps into the Rhine), the most scenic piece of the valley lies between the towns of Bernkastel-Kues and Cochem. I’d savor only that section, focusing on two towns (just six miles apart): bigger Cochem, with its charming old core, dramatic castle, and wine shops; and sleepy, idyllic little Beilstein. While you’re in the area, don’t miss Europe’s most appealing castle, Burg Eltz. From this area, it’s also an easy day trip to Trier—or vice versa (see next chapter).

PLANNING YOUR TIME

While this dreamy region rewards lingering, those in a hurry can see Mosel’s highlights in one busy day. Ideally, spend two nights here (either in Beilstein or Cochem); or, if coming from Bacharach or St. Goar on the Rhine (a one-hour drive away), get an early start to pack everything in before a one-nighter.

Here’s a good one-day plan: Arrive at Burg Eltz early before it gets busy, then head to Cochem for lunch and sightseeing (wander the town, relax on the square, sample local wine, head up to the castle, and/or take the chairlift up to the viewpoint). By midafternoon, make your way to Beilstein to wander and have a memorable dinner. With more time, take a scenic Mosel cruise, linger over a more in-depth wine tasting, and tour the Cold War Bundesbank Bunker.

This plan is also doable by public transportation—though Beilstein is harder to reach (check boat and bus connections carefully when planning your day) and potentially skippable.

Choosing a Home Base: Without a car, Cochem is the handiest choice and has the most tourist services. But if you really want to get away from it all, Beilstein can be worth the extra effort, even for train travelers. Drivers find it’s easy to hop between these two towns—just 10 minutes apart.

GETTING AROUND THE MOSEL VALLEY

By Train and Bus: Fast trains zip you between Koblenz, Cochem, Bullay, and Trier in a snap. Other destinations require changing to a slow train or bus. Beilstein is a 20-minute bus ride or a one-hour boat ride from Cochem (see “Getting to Beilstein,” later). Burg Eltz is a one-hour train-then-bus ride from Cochem. For bus times, check the DB Navigator app or www.vrminfo.de [URL inactive], or ask at Cochem’s TI.

By Boat: Thanks to the river’s many locks, cruises on the Mosel feel more like canal-boat rides than the trips on the mighty Rhine. Relaxing riverboats connect Cochem with Beilstein (see here).

Outside of high season (July-early Oct), riverboat departures operated by Kolb can be cancelled for lack of demand—sometimes without any indication on their website; confirm departures at the boat-ticket kiosk, or call the ferry operator (+49 2673 1515, www.moselrundfahrten.de).

Each year in late May or June, the Mosel locks close for 10 days of maintenance (scheduled for June 8-17, 2026; May 31-June 9, 2027). If you notice odd gaps in the early summer boat schedules, this is why.

By Car: Two-lane roads run along both riverbanks. While these riverside roads are a delight, the river valley twists and turns. Overland shortcuts can save you serious time—especially between Burg Eltz and Beilstein (see here) and if you’re driving between the Mosel and the Rhine (note the Brodenbach-Boppard shortcut).

If you’re arriving by car from the west, you may find yourself on the mile-long, 500-foot-high High Mosel Bridge (Hochmoselbrücke), Germany’s second-highest road bridge (near the town of Ürzig, just southwest/upstream of Cochem and Beilstein).

By Bike: You can rent bikes in most Mosel towns (I’ve listed options in both Cochem and Beilstein). A fine bike path follows the river from Koblenz all the way to Zell (some bits share the road with cars). Allow one hour for the scenic trip between Cochem and Beilstein. Many pedal one-way, then relax on a return boat or train ride.

By Ferry: About a dozen small car-and-passenger ferries (Fähre) cross the Mosel between Koblenz and Trier.

By Plane: The confusingly named Frankfurt Hahn Airport, a popular hub for low-fare airlines, is actually located near the Mosel (code: HHN, www.hahn-airport.de). You can ride bus #750 from the airport to Bullay (runs every 2 hours, 50 minutes), where you can take a train to Cochem (10 minutes).

HELPFUL HINTS

Wine Festivals: Throughout the Mosel region on summer weekends and during the fall harvest, wine festivals with oompah bands, dancing, and colorful costumes are powered by traditional food and local wine. You’ll find a wine festival in some nearby village any weekend, June through September (see calendar at www.visitmosel.de).

Carry Cash: Although more places are accepting credit cards, come prepared to pay cash for many services in the Mosel Valley—including food, transportation, and sometimes even accommodations—especially in smaller villages along the river. Cochem has ATMs, but Beilstein does not.

Cochem

With a majestic castle and picturesque medieval streets, Cochem (KOHKH-ehm) is the hub of the middle Mosel. Home to 5,000 people, it’s a larger town than Beilstein, Bacharach, or St. Goar. Bustling and quite touristy (with mainly German vacationers), it’s an enjoyable place to stroll—with a charming old town featuring steep, twisty, cobbled lanes and a postcard-perfect market square. Duck into a dank wine cellar to sample the local white wine (Weinprobe means “wine tasting”; Winzer means “vintner”). Promenade the pleasant paths along the idyllic riverbank, hike through vineyards or ride a chairlift for panoramic views, or just grab a bench and watch Germany at play. You can also visit the atmospheric Reichsburg Castle or tour a top-secret Cold War bunker. River-cruise passengers and day-trippers clog the old town during the day, but evenings are peaceful.

Orientation to Cochem

Long and skinny Cochem stretches along both banks of the Mosel. The main part of town, on the west bank, sits below vineyards and the town’s showpiece castle. From the river, the town bunny-hops up various small valleys.

TOURIST INFORMATION

The information-packed TI is on Endertplatz, near the central Skagerrak bridge. Ask about special events, wine tastings, and area hikes; they also have app-operated luggage lockers just outside the door. Consider the six-foot-long Mosellauf poster/brochure (Mon-Fri 9:00-17:00, Sat until 15:00, Sun 10:00-15:00; off-season shorter hours and closed Sat-Sun; Endertplatz 1, +49 2671 60040, www.ferienland-cochem.de). Ask about the town walking tours (2/week) and Saturday-night “night watchman” tours, though these are typically in German only.

ARRIVAL IN COCHEM

By Train: Cochem’s train station is often unstaffed and has no lockers. You can pay to leave your bags at the Gleis 9 café off the station hall (Thu-Tue 10:00-18:00, closed Wed). The TI, in the town center (see above), also has app-operated lockers.

To reach town, make a hard right out of the station and walk about 10 minutes along cobbled Ravenéstrasse, keeping to the right at the intersection where the arterial makes a right angle. You’ll soon see a safe crosswalk; take it to find the TI and bus station (both on your left, before the bridge). This is the starting point for my self-guided town walk. To continue directly to the colorful medieval old town, continue under the bridge (with pay WC on your left), then stay straight to follow Bernstrasse.

By Car: The most central (if expensive) parking options—handy for a quick visit—are the pay-and-display lots under the main Skagerrak bridge, and the ones across the street, in front of the embankment restaurants. There’s also a multistory garage just up Endertstrasse from the bridge, a few minutes’ walk from the center. For the most affordable rates, park in the lot behind the train station; reach it by circling around on Ravenéstrasse and Pinnerstrasse).

HELPFUL HINTS

Festival: Cochem’s biggest wine festival is held the last weekend in August. High season for wine aficionados lasts from August through October.

Laundry: Frau Huntscha at Wäscherei Huntscha will wash, dry, and fold your clothes, and the location is handy, but she speaks no English (Mon-Tue and Thu-Fri 10:00-15:00, closed Wed and Sat-Sun, entrance just down the alley around Ravenéstrasse 31 opposite the bike-rental shop described next, +49 2671 3493).

Bike Rental: Consider taking a bike (or an e-bike) on the boat or train and pedaling back. Radverleih Schaltwerk is a serious bike shop between the station and TI (Mon-Sat 9:00-12:30 & 15:00-18:00—except Wed and Sat open mornings only, Sun 10:00-12:00—except closed Sun Nov-mid-April; Ravenéstrasse 33—up a little side street and behind a clothing store—see Cochem map, +49 2671 603 500). The ticket office at the K-D boat dock also rents bikes (daily May-Sept 9:00-18:00, +49 2671 980 023).

Taxi: Taxis usually wait at a stand in front of the church on Moselpromenade; if not, call +49 2671 8080.

Tourist Train: The green-and-yellow “Mosel-Wein-Express” leaves from under the bridge near the TI and does a 25-minute sightseeing loop through town (does not go up to the castle; €7.50, 1-2/hour in summer). Most visitors prefer to simply stroll the pedestrian-friendly town.

Glockenspiel: The old town’s Markt square gets extra charming—and chiming—every day at 12:00 and 18:00.

Cochem Walk

This 30-minute self-guided walk does a little loop through Cochem—starting and ending near the TI.

Welcome to Cochem: Begin on Endertplatz, the big plaza in front of the helpful TI. To your left as you face the TI, you’ll see a tidy row of bus stops, where a steady flow of buses fans out to attractions near and far. If you’d like an easy ride up to the castle, bus #701 leaves from here every 15 minutes; a different shuttle bus takes you to the Cold War-era Bundesbank Bunker (both described later, under “Sights and Activities in Cochem”). Directly across from the TI and high overhead is a pointy hill capped with a cross, the Pinnerkreuz. For a great view over town, you can reach this easily on a chairlift.

Stand with your back to the river (looking up toward the Pinnerkreuz) and turn left under the big bridge. You’ll likely pass the green-and-yellow tourist train, and the entrance to a pay WC. Popping out at the other side, turn right and look for the tower with the giant mosaic facing the town center.

History Mural: Called the Kachelwand, this mural illustrates the city’s history from Roman times to the present. It’s a patchwork of dates, names, figures, and events...much like history itself. The centerpiece is the Cochem coat of arms, which you’ll see all over town: a tall, skinny red cross on a white field (on the left); and a left hand holding crossed keys (on the right, representing the Archbishops of Trier who controlled this town). Historians could spend a lot of time here, picking out interesting details—such as the map of the Mosel, at the bottom, just right of center, with key towns marked.

Having digested all that history, turn left (with the river at your back) and walk along a row of restaurants until you reach the stony Enderttor—the stoutest of three surviving gates from the medieval wall. From here, consider joining me on a brief detour to a mustard mill and the base of the chairlift. Or, if you’re in a hurry, you can skip down to the next section.

Mustard Detour: Go through the Enderttor and walk along a lively street of restaurants. After going under the railway bridge and rejoining the busy road, you’ll see a giant, yellow, multistory parking garage on your right. Tucked on the ground floor is (of all things) a historic mustard mill. Step into the shop to learn how they’ve been grinding mustard seeds since 1810...and to try some samples (described later, under “Sights and Activities in Cochem”). If you continue just a couple more minutes up this same street, on the right (under the giant red-and-yellow flags) you’ll reach the base station for a chairlift offering a breezy trip up to the mountaintop—a short hike from the Pinnerkreuz viewpoint that we saw at the start of this walk. When you’re done in this area, backtrack to, and through, the Enderttor.

Wine and Sweets: With the Enderttor at your back, walk straight down the shop- and restaurant-lined Liniusstrasse. At the end of the block, you’ll run right into the Göbel-Schleyer wine shop—one of many in this wine-crazy town. (For more on the distinct wine culture of the Mosel, see the sidebar.) Immediately to the right of that shop, tucked into a little niche, notice the Weinautomat—a vending machine offering 24/7 access to a range of locally produced bottles. However, your enjoyment will be vicarious only: Its age-verification device can’t read American IDs.

Turn right and walk down Bernstrasse. Soon, on the right, you’ll pass the recommended Gelateria Fratelli Bortolot ice-cream window. In addition to tasty scoops and cones, you’ll see many holiday-makers digging into Spaghetti-Eis: ice cream pressed through a mold to resemble noodles, topped with strawberry “tomato sauce” (or other toppings). Carry on along this street, noticing local wine and fancy pastries in grand cafés (including the marzipan creations in the window of the aptly named Café Flair, and farther along, the giant, chocolate-dipped treats called Schokoküsse).

Medieval Monuments: Continue on to—and under—the absolutely gigantic, onion-domed tower that looms over the entire old town. Step through to the other side, where you’ll find more pay WCs, and stairs leading steeply up to a former cloister that has been transformed into a sprawling cultural center (Kulturzentrum Kapuzinerkloster; there are some nice views up there, but the ones from the castle or the chairlift are better—I’d skip this climb unless you have energy to burn).

Look left to see the church that the tower is attached to: St. Martin. While far and away the oldest church in town (it was named in documents dating back to 866), it was largely destroyed by WWII bombs, then rebuilt. Step inside (the door is on the lane leading to the river) to see the remarkably stark, serene, and modern interior, with virtually no decor other than some brightly colored, contemporary stained-glass windows from 2009.

Market Square: Next, carry on straight past the tower along Bernstrasse, noticing how the half-timbered cuteness is crescendoing. Soon you’ll pop out into Cochem’s delightful Markt (market square). Take a moment to simply look around and savor this gorgeous space, with its half-timbered houses and slightly angled cobbles. Its centerpiece is a gurgling fountain topped with a bronze statue of St. Martin. At first, this appears gruesome—as if he’s slaying an unarmed, downtrodden man with his sword. But look closer: This illustrates a legend in which the saint shared his cloak with a beggar. Immediately behind that, at the top of the brown-and-white building, look up to see the bells of a glockenspiel that plays little ditties at the top of each hour (with a more elaborate show at 12:00 and 18:00). The pink building (near the lane you just came down) is the Rathaus, or Town Hall—there’s that town seal again. But mainly the square is dominated by café tables that invite you to slow down and relax. Near the bottom of the square is a good hipster-style coffee shop that roasts their own beans (Cochemer Kaffeerösterei). And at the far end, the recommended Equit’s Metzger Imbiss is a butcher-owned eatery serving cheap and simple but delicious meaty meals with million-dollar views (order inside).

When you’re done basking in the square, you have a couple of options. If you go straight through the square and head up Herrenstrasse (marked with the “pedestrians only” sign), you can walk all the way up to the castle, Reichsburg Cochem, on one of two different routes (outlined later, under “Sights and Activities in Cochem”). But if you’d rather take the bus most of the way up—or simply join me in a stroll along the river—stick with me for one more stop.

Riverwalk: Turn left at the end of the square to head down Unterbachstrasse. Follow this narrow lane just one block, burrowing under the old stone building, then carry on directly across the street and find a handy place to survey the Mosel River. Notice the vineyards across the way—hinting at how, since Roman times, people have cultivated grapes on the steep slopes over this river. To see lots more vineyards from the water, you can take your pick of two different boat-trip companies: Kolb (dock just to your right) or K-D (dock to your left; both described in “Sights and Activities in Cochem,” later). Look far to the right, and up, for the best view we’ve had so far of the castle, Reichsburg Cochem, its tallest tower glittering with a vision of St. Christopher.

Turn left and stroll along the river. Even though the Mosel has been largely tamed with a series of locks, it’s still an unruly river. A few times each year, if you were standing here, you’d be underwater. Notice that the city extends across the river as well; strolling across the giant Skagerrak-Brücke (the bridge that looms right in front of you) offers wonderful panoramic views back on this riverfront embankment and the castle, and it also takes you to some recommended eateries—including the delightful, recommended Weinhaus Hieronimi wine garden, ideal for sampling some Mosel vintages.

Reaching the end of the park—just before the bridge—head back up and cross the street. The mosaic-slathered tower is just ahead of you, and under the bridge to your right is Endertplatz, where we began this walk—with the TI and buses up to the castle and beyond. You’ll also find a couple of staircases that let you climb up easily onto the bridge, in case you’d like to extend your stroll across the river. Cochem is yours to explore.

Sights and Activities in Cochem

▲▲Reichsburg Cochem (Imperial Castle of Cochem)

This pretty, pointy castle on a hill above town is the work of overly imaginative 19th-century restorers. You can get inside only on a 40-minute tour of seven beautiful rooms, complete with antlers on the wall and hidden doors leading to secret passages.

Cost and Hours: €8.50, daily; generally English tours at :30 past each hour from 11:30-16:30, German tours run more frequently 9:00-17:00 (guides offer a helpful English info sheet), tours run less regularly Nov-March—see schedule on website, +49 2671 255, www.reichsburg-cochem.de.

Eating: €€ Restaurant Burgschänke serves scenic Mosel Valley views with your meal (closed Nov-March, +49 2671 255).

Getting There: There’s no parking at (or near) the castle—drivers and pedestrians alike make their way up from Cochem’s town center. For the easiest trip up, a handy shuttle bus (#701) departs every 15 minutes from the bus station at Endertplatz, next to the TI, and drops you a short but steep five-minute walk below the castle entrance (€2.50, 8-minute trip).

Or consider hiking up—Zur Burg signs point the way up. From the old town’s Markt square, with your back to the tower, the quickest way is to walk a block straight ahead on Herrenstrasse and then turn right up Schlossstrasse (10-to-15-minute huff and puff with views of the castle above vineyards). For a more scenic 25-minute route, skip the right turn onto Schlossstrasse and continue along Herrenstrasse, which changes its name to Burgfrieden and then turns into a path winding up to the castle (after going under the old tower, watch for the well-marked trail on the right). Even if you ride up to the castle by bus, I’d recommend following this pretty trail back into town (about 15 minutes): On your way down from the castle, watch for the trail on the left.

Background: Like many castles along the Rhine and Mosel, Cochem’s—dating from the year 1000—was blown up by French troops in 1689. (For more castle history, see the “Rhine and Mosel Castles” sidebar on here.) For almost 200 years, the Reichsburg stood in ruins, much like Beilstein’s, until it caught the attention of Louis Ravené, a rich Berliner who’d made a fortune in the steel industry. He bought the castle dirt-cheap in 1868 and spared no expense in turning it into a luxurious private residence furnished with tasteful antiques. However, in 1942, Ravené’s descendants were forced to sell the castle to the Nazi government (which then used it as a training center for lawyers). Since 1978, the castle has been owned by the town of Cochem.

Visiting the Castle: On your way up, enjoy the twisting trail up around the base of the conical, vineyard-draped hill toward the fanciful castle. Along the way, you’ll see a gleaming golden mosaic of St. Christopher, the patron saint of travelers, on the main tower’s northwest side.

Buy your ticket and meet your guide, who will lead you into the gasp-worthy courtyard—gaping up at the fairy-tale castle—for a history lesson. Then you’ll pass through a series of rooms: The Neo-Renaissance dining hall, with precise symmetry and fanciful decoration covering every square inch; the Neo-Gothic adjoining room (with furniture that’s several centuries older than the castle); the Neo-Romanesque room, with secret passages that (they claim) offered medieval residents an escape tunnel all the way to the market square; the Neo-Medieval art gallery, with a good-luck mermaid chandelier carved out of antlers; the hunting room, with yet more antlers, plus a boar’s head, a stag’s head, a collection of giant pewter steins, and a clever “funnel” in the door to help your key find the lock in the dark; and finally, the spectacular Knight’s Hall, with a stuccoed ceiling over sturdy beams. You’ll step out onto a balcony for a grand Mosel view, peer down into the 165-foot-deep well, then make your way back out the main gate.

Mustard Mill (Historische Senfmühle)

On the road to the chairlift, strangely tucked below a giant parking garage, you can see—and smell—one of the oldest mustard mills (c. 1810) of its kind still operating in Europe. The mustard sold here uses only natural spices, following centuries-old recipes, and is some of Germany’s best. You may also want to try their homemade spirits or, for a unique treat, look for the Roter-Weinbergpfirsich Likör—a local cordial made from the small, tart “red peaches” that are unique to the Mosel Valley.

Cost and Hours: Free mustard tasting plus jams and chutney, €2.50 for 30-minute guided tours in German only—4/day; daily 10:00-18:00, Endertstrasse 18, +49 2671 607 665, www.senfmuehle.net.

▲Chairlift (Sesselbahn) to the Pinnerkreuz

For great views, ride the chairlift that ascends the hill on the opposite side of town from the castle (€6 one-way, €8 round-trip, daily 10:00-18:00, July-Aug 9:30-19:00, shorter hours on rainy days, closed Dec-late March, +49 2671 989 065, www.cochemer-sesselbahn.de). From the top, you can turn right and hike about five minutes on a rocky path—much of it downhill—to reach the Pinnerkreuz, a cross overlooking the rooftops of town. You’ll see all the way to the castle and the Mosel in both directions. Immediately above the chairlift, an affordable € café has more grand views, meals, drinks, and sweets.

Hike Alternative: If you prefer a steep uphill hike to the Pinnerkreuz, you can scramble up the narrow path under the lift for 20 minutes of heart-pounding, aerobic excitement. Or take the long, winding trail up to the same point from behind the train station (find the trailhead just beyond the station parking lot).

Wine

Cochem is full of opportunities for wine appreciation—look for Weinprobe signs indicating where you can drop in for a tasting. Here are two different-as-night-and-day options for memorably sampling local wine. At Weinhaus Hieronimi, you can order by the glass, pay €10 for tastes of four wines, or prearrange a guided tasting of eight wines (€12/person, book ahead). They also have a menu of picnic-like snacks (wine cellars for prearranged tastings open daily 10:00-18:00, wine bar and garden open 14:00 until late, Stadionstrasse 1, +49 2671 221, www.hieronimi-wein.de). Alte Gutsschänke, better known as “Arthur’s place,” is where locals go for a glass of wine in a cozy candlelit cellar. Seating is at long, wooden, get-to-know-your-neighbor tables (extensive wine list and very basic pub food, Easter-Oct opens generally in the midafternoon when enough people are about, closed in winter except Sat and the occasional Sun, just uphill from the old town’s Markt square at Schlossstrasse 6, +49 2671 8950).

Wines of the Rhine and Mosel Valleys

Wine may not be as iconic as beer in Germany, but it’s worth savoring when you’re in wine country. Germany’s vineyards are farther north than most others on earth (about the same latitude as Calgary or Prague). But the climate is relatively moderate, allowing for a longer growing season, and the soils and terrain make a fruitful home for certain grapes.

Of Germany’s 13 wine-growing regions, the Mosel Valley is the best known and believed to be the oldest. The first grapes (thought to be Elb-ling, which is more or less exclusive to the Mosel) were planted here by the ancient Romans—there’s even an ode to the Mosel by a fourth-century poet, who hails the “gifts of Bacchus” from vines “on rocks and sunny ridges way up high” along the Mosel River’s banks.

The Mosel has the steepest vineyards in Europe, if not the world—some planted on nearly 70-degree slopes, each vine tied to its own eight-foot stake, its grapes picked by hand. The steep terrain provides exposure to the sun, while the mineral-heavy slate soil absorbs heat, drains well, and gives the grapes their distinctive flavor. White varieties make up 90 percent of what’s grown in the Mosel (and most of that is Riesling), but pinot noir is slowly gaining ground. (A Nazi-era ban on red-wine production in the Mosel wasn’t repealed until the mid-1980s.)

The best-known German wine is Riesling. Native to the Rhine River, this white grape dominates the country’s vineyards, making Germany the world’s top Riesling producer. Typically lower in alcohol than other wines, Rieslings are fruity and generally sweet. But some can be dry, depending on where and how the wine is made. Germany’s reputation for overly sweet wine stems from Blue Nun, which was cheap, popular, and all over TV commercials in the 1970s and 1980s. (The contemporary German wine industry is still trying to move beyond those stereotypes.)

Each region promotes its Weinstrasse (wine roads), bike routes, hiking trails, festivals, and scenic Weinberg (hillside vineyard) views. If you’re hoping to do a Weinprobe (wine tasting), it’s best to call ahead and ask if you need a reservation. And if the tasting is free—as many are—plan to buy a bottle as a courtesy.

In the Mosel and Rhine Valleys, you may be served wine in a traditional Römer goblet—you’ll know it from its trunk-like, coiled green stem, topped by a rounded bowl. Prost!

For more on German wine, see the Practicalities chapter.

Riverboat Rides

Two competing companies run a variety of “panorama” joyride Mosel cruises. These cruises generally run from about April through October, but in shoulder season, they may have a reduced schedule or run on weekends only (Kolb: €13/1 hour, 5-6/day; €16/1.5-hour, 3/day, www.moselrundfahrten.de; K-D: €14/1 hour, 6/day but no cruises on Mon, www.k-d.com). The sales kiosks from each company are 50 yards apart on the embankment; the K-D kiosk sells tickets for both companies, so you can check there to figure out all of your options.

On weekends, both offer evening (Abend) versions of their daytime ride. These cruises are longer and play schmaltzy music (€25/2 hours, typically summer Sat only, details on their websites or at the sales kiosks).

To explore more of the river, hop a boat going farther upstream. In summer, Kolb boats run south to Beilstein several times daily (see “Getting to Beilstein,” later), and as far up the river as Traben-Trarbach, 15 stops and three locks away (3/week, 2 hours to Zell, 4.5 hours to Traben-Trarbach).

Bundesbank Bunker

This offbeat sight—which, for decades, was a secret even to local residents—is a heavily fortified bunker where West German authorities stored 15 billion deutsche marks (roughly the equivalent of $8.3 billion) through the Cold War, starting in the 1960s. Neatly stacked floor-to-ceiling in cardboard boxes, filling one dozen heavily secured underground cages, the currency was held in reserve both to protect the deutsche mark from being devalued through nefarious means...and in the event of a nuclear attack.

This sight may be fascinating (and worth ▲) to those interested in Cold War history. Unfortunately, it’s harder to appreciate than it should be: First, it’s located in a residential neighborhood a long walk from the center, with no parking available nearby (but can be reached with a shuttle bus—see below). And second, the mandatory 45-minute tours are only in German, and the promised English audioguide on your smartphone is buggy, so you’ll likely rely on a paltry sheet of English explanations. Still, for some it’s worth a visit for the chance to walk through the decontamination tunnels, storage facilities, and living quarters for the hundred or so people who lived here to monitor the facility. You’ll learn how the Bundesbank even created alternate designs for their banknotes—and printed billions—in the event that the deutsche mark needed to be replaced wholesale in a hurry.

Cost and Hours: €13, daily tours begin hourly 10:00-15:00, fewer off-season, no tours Nov-late March, bring a sweater for the chilly interior, Am Wald 35, +49 2671 915 3540, www.bundesbank-bunker.de.

Getting There: See website for walking directions (30 minutes from center) or catch the shuttle bus at Endertplatz, next to the TI (€3 each way, departs at :40 after each hour to coordinate with tour times).

Moselbad Swimming Pool

Cochem’s Moselbad leisure center offers an outdoor pool as well as an indoor wave pool with a fun kids’ area (30 minutes on foot from the center of town, or take bus #704 from bus station on Endertplatz to Freizeitzentrum stop, about 5/day).

Cost and Hours: Indoor pool (Hallen-Wellenbad)-€7/3 hours, generally Tue-Sun 10:00-19:00 but call before heading over, closed Mon; hours and prices vary for other activities; 10 minutes beyond youth hostel at Moritzburger Strasse 1, +49 2671 97990, www.moselbad.de.

Sleeping in Cochem

Cochem is a good base for train travelers. Most of my recommendations are within a 10-to-15-minute walk or an affordable taxi ride from the station. August is very tight on rooms, with generally inflated prices.

€€ Hotel Lohspeicher, an upscale-rustic hotel just off the Markt square on a street with tiny steps, is for those willing to pay a bit extra for quality lodgings in the thick of things. Its nine high-ceilinged rooms have modern comforts, and owner Ingo is a gourmet chef who offers hiking and biking excursions—book in advance (classy breakfast served in a fine stone-and-timber room, elevator, pay parking, Obergasse 1, +49 2671 3976, www.lohspeicher.de, service@lohspeicher.de).

€€ Villa Cuchema’s 12 fresh and pleasantly decorated rooms and its fine, modern apartment fill a handsome 1904 row house just two blocks from the station, along the street leading into town. Its first-floor terrace, with views of the river and castle, is a joy (local wines/beers available, fans, free parking—entrance on Moselstrasse, Ravenéstrasse 34, +49 2671 910 224, www.villa-cuchema.de, info@villa-cuchema.de; energetic Peter, Ann-Kathrin, and Isabell).

€€ Hotel am Hafen, across the bridge from the old town, offers 26 sleek rooms, most with balconies and river/castle views (half-pension options in their riverside restaurant, air-con in some rooms, closed mid-Dec-March, Uferstrasse 3, +49 2671 97720, www.hotelamhafen.com, rezeption@hotelamhafen.com).

€€ Hotel & Restaurant Weinhaus Gräfen, run by the friendly and helpful Vatlav family, has a mix of 14 stylish rooms, a nicely decorated terrace, and a recommended restaurant downstairs (cash only, elevator, along the road to the chairlift at Endertstrasse 27, +49 2671 4453, www.weinhaus-graefen.de, info@weinhaus-graefen.de).

€ Haus Andreas has 10 clean rooms, some with balconies, at fair prices in the old town (cash only, pay parking, Schlossstrasse 9, reception is often across the street in shop at #16, +49 2671 1370 or +49 2671 5155, www.pension-haus-andreas.de, info@hausandreas.de, kind Frau Pellny speaks a little English). From the Markt square, take Herrenstrasse; after a block, angle right up the steep hill on Schlossstrasse.

€ Gasthaus zum Fröhlichen Weinberg, near a quiet, colorful courtyard a short walk above the Markt square, is a relaxed jumble of seven clean, inexpensive rooms, some with low ceilings and tiny bathrooms and most with sunny balconies, all topped by a fun roof garden with a view over town. Cheerful Krista, who makes jam from peaches fresh from the garden, speaks no English but offers a warm welcome (cash only, family room, fan available, lots of stairs, shared kitchen and cheap self-service breakfast available, pay parking, Schlaufstrasse 11, +49 2671 4193, www.zum-froehlichen-weinberg.de, weinberg-cochem@t-online.de). From the Markt square, go up Oberbachstrasse (in the far-right corner if coming from the station) and then left up tiny Schlaufstrasse.

¢ Moseltal Jugendherberge is a huge, family-friendly hostel complex just across the river from the train station, with picnic tables, a grill pit, a playground, and a sundeck over the Mosel (private rooms available, box lunches available, game room, bar, restaurant, fills up—reserve in advance, Klottener Strasse 9, +49 2671 8633, www.diejugendherbergen.de/cochem, cochem@diejugendherbergen.de). To reach it from the train station, take an immediate left up the hill and walk parallel to the train tracks until you reach the “new bridge” (a.k.a. the Nordbrücke) on your right; the hostel is to the right immediately after the bridge.

Eating in Cochem

In addition to the following listings, cafés at both Reichsburg castle and the chairlift serve lunch (see “Sights and Activities in Cochem,” earlier), and there are plentiful pizza, Turkish, and Asian options in the old town.

€€ Zom Stüffje, hiding a steep block above the Markt square, feels like a step back in time: dark wood paneling, detailed historic drawings of the town; antique stained-glass windows, and drooping ceilings held up (just barely) by bending beams. The food is also—surprise, surprise—traditional German (dinner only, closed Mon-Tue, Oberbachstrasse 14, +49 2671 7260, www.zomstueffje.com).

€€ Restaurant Akropolis sits hidden away upstairs in a cozy room with a modern take on an old Greek cave house. Their extensive menu ranges from simple gyros and souvlaki to pricier steak, lamb, and seafood dishes. Try to score a seat under the twinkling ceiling that imitates the night sky (lunch deals, closed Wed, reservations smart, Liniustrasse 7, +49 2671 915 3780, www.akropolis-cochem.de).

€€ Hotel & Restaurant Weinhaus Gräfen is where you can meet the locals while enjoying freshly prepared traditional food (closed Thu, inside the recommended hotel at Endertstrasse 27, +49 2671 4453).

Along the Promenade: Several interchangeable, overpriced restaurants line the tempting riverside promenade. Locals don’t much respect the quality-to-price ratio along here. But one has a slight edge: €€ Gaststätte Hans Noss, which supplies meat from its own butcher shop (closed Wed-Thu, Moselpromenade 4, +49 2671 7067).

€ Equit’s Metzger Imbiss is a great and inexpensive alternative for lunch or an early dinner. Local butcher Thomas Equit offers tasty sausages, schnitzel, and other regional dishes—as well as burgers—for a reasonable price. The interior is modern, clean, and inviting. In summer, with the big front windows opened up, you’ll feel like you’re sitting right on the medieval Markt square (Wed-Mon until 18:30, closed Tue, Markt 10, +49 2671 917 9231).

Gelato: Gelateria Fratelli Bortolot brings a taste of Italy to the Mosel, offering good-quality scoops. They run a sprawling ice-cream parlor on the corner facing the central bridge (daily), but I prefer getting a scoop or two at their to-go counter just inside the old town (closed Wed, Bernstrasse 25).

ACROSS THE RIVER

These two places are just over the bridge from the center—a short, scenic walk. Also see the Weinhaus Hieronimi wine bar and garden, described earlier.

€€€ Hotel am Hafen’s restaurant is a comfortable, well-respected riverfront eatery with a nice range of options. From their terrace you can enjoy gorgeous views of the river and castle (indoor and outdoor seating, closed Wed, Uferstrasse 3, +49 2671 97720).

€ Da Vinci Ristorante Pizzeria serves reasonably priced Italian fare. Grab a seat on the covered terrace for city, river, and castle views (dinner only, closed Mon-Tue, reservations smart, Bergstrasse 1, +49 2671 916 195, https://et-da-vinci.eatbu.com).

Cochem Connections

From Cochem by Train to: Hatzenport (for bus to Burg Eltz; hourly, 20 minutes), Moselkern (for hike to Burg Eltz; hourly, 16 minutes), Trier (2/hour, 45-60 minutes), Frankfurt Airport (hourly, 2.5 hours, change in Koblenz and sometimes Mainz), Cologne (hourly, 2.5 hours, most change in Koblenz), Bacharach (hourly, 2 hours, change in Koblenz), Rothenburg (every 1-2 hours, 6 hours, multiple changes), Berlin (roughly hourly, 7 hours, 1-2 changes), Paris (roughly every 2 hours, 4-5 hours, transfer in Saarbrücken or in Trier and Luxembourg). Train info: www.bahn.com. Bus info: +49 2671 8976, www.vrminfo.de [URL inactive].

Burg Eltz

My favorite castle in all of Europe—worth ▲▲▲—lurks in a mysterious forest. It’s been left intact for 700 years and is decorated and furnished throughout much as it was 500 years ago. Thanks to smart diplomacy, clever marriages, and lots of luck, Burg Eltz (pronounced “boorg elts”) was never destroyed (it survived one five-year siege). It’s been in the Eltz family since 1157. The castle merits a visit if you’re staying anywhere along the Mosel, and is a worthwhile day trip if you’re staying on the Rhine. And, if you enjoy hiking and want to round out a half-day option, you can choose to hike 1.5 hours up through the forest from a riverfront village.

GETTING THERE

It’s an easy drive or a fun and scenic walk to the castle, or you can take a train with a bus, walk, or taxi. Note that there is no luggage storage at or near the train stations in either Hatzenport (for the bus) or Moselkern (for the hike). The nearest luggage-storage options for train travelers are either in Cochem (at the café in the train station, or the lockers by the TI) or at Koblenz Hauptbahnhof. If you’re really in a pinch, the castle administration will let you store your bag there while you’re touring the place—but you’ll have to haul it all the way there and back.

By Car

From the riverside road, signs direct you up to Burg Eltz via various routes (some leaving you far from the castle itself). To get to the official parking lot—with the closest access—drive to the town of Münstermaifeld, then the smaller village of Wierschem; from there, it’s just over a mile to the Burg Eltz parking lot (€4, cash only). If you’re coming from Koblenz, you’ll leave the river at Hatzenport; if you’re coming from Cochem, turn up at Moselkern. (Note that the Eltz signs at Moselkern lead to Hotel Ringelsteiner Mühle and the trailhead for the hike to the castle—see next. To drive directly to the castle, ignore the Eltz signs. Instead, follow the Münstermaifeld signs until you reach Münstermaifeld.)

Drive/Hike Combo: If you’re driving but would enjoy walking part of the path from Moselkern up to the castle, drive to Moselkern, follow the Burg Eltz signs up the Elz Valley, park at the Hotel Ringelsteiner Mühle (buy ticket from machine), and hike about 45 minutes up the trail to the castle (full hike described later).

Shortcut to Beilstein: If driving from Burg Eltz to Beilstein, you’ll save some time with this shortcut: Cross the river at Treis-Karden, go through town, and follow signs overland to Bruttig (rather than following the curvy river).

By Train and Bus via Hatzenport

It’s a one-hour journey from Cochem to Burg Eltz via train and bus. The hourly train from Cochem to Hatzenport is timed to meet bus #365—find the well-marked bus stop as you exit the platform (bus runs about 2/hour, 25 minutes to Burg Eltz parking lot, April-Oct only). Trains also run hourly from Koblenz to Hatzenport (1.25 hours total).

Another option—especially if you’re here off-season when the bus isn’t running—is to take the train to Moselkern and ride a taxi up from there (see “By Taxi,” later).

Hiking from Moselkern

The hike between the Moselkern train station and Burg Eltz runs through a magical pine forest, where sparrows carry crossbows, and maidens, disguised as falling leaves, whisper “watch out.” You can do the hike in 75 minutes at a steady clip, but allow an extra 20 minutes or so to enjoy the scenery. The trail is mostly gentle, except for a few uneven parts that are slippery when wet and the steep flight of stairs leading up to the castle at the end. The overall elevation gain from the river to the castle is less than 400 feet.

Getting to Moselkern: To start the hike, take the hourly milk-run train from Cochem to Moselkern (16 minutes); you can also reach Moselkern by train from towns on the Rhine (including Cologne and Bacharach) with a change at Koblenz.

The Hike: The path up to the castle begins at the other end of Moselkern village from the station. Turn right from the station along Oberstrasse, cross the intersection with Weinbergsstrasse, and continue straight along narrow Oberstrasse. In about five minutes, you’ll pass the village church. Keep going straight a few houses past the church; then, as the street ends, turn right through the underpass. On your left is the Elzbach stream that you’ll follow all the way up to the castle. Follow the road straight along the stream through a mostly residential neighborhood. Just before the road crosses the stream on a stone bridge, take either the footpath (stay right) or the bridge—they join up again later.

About 30 minutes into your walk, the road ends at the parking lot of the Hotel Ringelsteiner Mühle. Stay to the right of the hotel and continue upstream along the easy-to-follow trail, which starts out paved but soon changes to dirt. From here, it’s another 45 minutes through the forest to the castle.

By Taxi

You can taxi to the castle from Cochem (€52, 40 minutes, Cochem taxi +49 2671 8080) or Moselkern (€24, 20 minutes, taxi +49 2672 1407, call ahead and ask the taxi to meet your train at Moselkern station).

From the Parking Lot to the Castle

Whether coming by car, bus, or taxi, you’ll get only as far as the castle parking lot. From there, a well-signed, gently downhill trail takes you to the castle gate in about 15 minutes. Or, take a quick ride on the shuttle bus (€2, pay cash onboard, departs about every 10 minutes from far end of the parking lot).

ORIENTATION TO BURG ELTZ

Cost and Hours: €14 (includes mandatory guided tour and treasury), April-Oct daily from 9:30, last tour departs at 17:30, closed Nov-March.

Information: +49 2672 950 500, www.burg-eltz.de.

Tours: The only way to see the castle is with a 40-minute tour. After buying your ticket, head up to the innermost courtyard for the next English tour; you’ll rarely wait more than 30 minutes (dip into the treasury on your own if you have a wait).

Eating: The modest castle € café, up from the ticket booth, serves soups and bratwurst-and-fries cuisine and can suffer from long lines; consider bringing a picnic, or at least snacks to tide you over until you make it back to civilization.

BACKGROUND

Elz is the name of the stream that runs past the castle through a deep valley before emptying into the Mosel. The first record of a Burg (castle) on the Elz is from 1157. By about 1490, the castle looked like it does today. It’s not one residence, but three separate (tall, skinny) homes belonging to three branches of the same extended family—all gathered around a tiny courtyard within one formidable fortification. The tour enters two of those homes, while the third is still the residence of the castellan (the attendant who maintains the castle), and where members of the Eltz family stay when they’re not at one of their other feudal holdings. Johann Jakob von und zu Eltz has run the show here since 2018, when his parents handed him the keys, thereby placing the castle in the care of the 34th generation of Eltzes (on the tour, you’ll see the family photo). You may also notice fresh flowers, which were a favorite of the last countess of Eltz, J.J.’s grandmother. Each week for 40 years, she made the grand arrangements that adorned the public castle rooms. Nowadays a local florist continues the tradition.

VISITING THE CASTLE

Pick up a free English description at the entry. Your guide will meet you in the central courtyard. Burg Eltz was a comfortable castle for its day: 80 rooms made cozy by 40 fireplaces and wall-hanging tapestries. Many of its 20 toilets were automatically flushed by a rain drain.

You’ll start in the Rübenach House. Dating from 1472, this is the most historic section. The entry hall is done up like an armory, displaying medieval weaponry. You’ll pass through the lower hall—with a giant table, fireplace, tapestries, mermaid-carved antler chandelier for good luck, and a priceless painting by Lucas Cranach the Elder—then head upstairs to perhaps the most interesting room in the entire castle: the bedroom. Every square inch—including the beams and the spaces between them—are slathered in cheerfully colorful paintings. Notice some suggestive details: the jousting relief carved into the canopy, and the fertile and phallic figures hiding in the lusty green decorations. In one corner is a toilet, surrounded by a wooden cabinet—to provide privacy, and to contain odor (in case a dry spell meant that the “rain drain” was on the fritz). The small-by-modern-standards double bed is up a few steps (because heat rises) and surrounded by a wood-and-cloth canopy. One of the bay windows of this room contains a delightful chapel. Even though “no one should live above God,” this chapel’s placement was acceptable because its window juts out—ensuring that there was nothing above the altar.

Then you’ll cross into the adjacent Rodendorf House, which feels newer (some parts were rebuilt after a fire). The Prince-Electors’ Room displays family portraits; you’ll notice that the Eltz clan, like many aristocratic lineages, had a certain prominent feature in common. (I’d tell you which one, but that might be too on the nose.) Then you’ll step into the Great Hall, which was the room shared by all three families—the place where they met to hash out any differences, like a modern condo board. A carved jester and a rose look down on the big table, reminding those who gathered that they were free to discuss anything (“fool’s freedom”—jesters could say anything to the king), but nothing discussed could leave the room (the “rose of silence”). You’ll head through a few more rooms—including one with portraits of children with the heads of adults; what’s likely a former chapel, with delicate vaulting and a colorfully tiled stove; and the kitchen, where food was stored suspended from the ceiling to protect it from rodents—before finishing your tour in the courtyard.

Treasury: Before or after your tour, spend a few minutes exploring the modest treasury (the entrance is in the corridor between the central courtyard and the outer café terrace; ask for the English flier as you enter). The collection fills the four higgledy-piggledy floors of a cellar with the precious, eccentric, and historic mementos of this family that once helped elect the Holy Roman Emperor and, later, owned a sizable chunk of Croatia (Habsburg favors). You’ll see swords, crossbows, rifles, ecclesiastical gear, candelabras, elaborate jewelry, and delicate miniatures in silver and gold.

Beilstein

Just upstream from Cochem is the quaintest of all Mosel towns. Cozy Beilstein (BILE-shtine) is Cinderella-land touristy but tranquil. Beilstein has no food shops, ATMs (bring cash), or public restrooms (you’ll have to use a café’s or restaurant’s). It does have one bus stop, one mailbox, and 180 residents who run about 30 guesthouses and eateries. It’s nicknamed the “Sleeping Beauty of the Mosel” because until about 1900, it was inaccessible except by boat. Beilstein also has no TI, but there is an information board by the bus stop, and cafés and guesthouses can give you town info.

PLANNING YOUR TIME

Car travelers use Beilstein as a base, day-tripping from here to Cochem (just 10 minutes away), Trier, Burg Eltz, and even the Rhine. Overnighting in Beilstein without a car is doable, as long as you check the bus and boat schedules in advance and plan carefully. If you’re staying in Cochem and using public transportation, you can easily day-trip to Beilstein: Take the bus to Beilstein, follow my self-guided walk up to the castle, have lunch, and then return by boat (if you’re here outside of high season, confirm boat times in advance). While the town is peaceful and a delight in the evening, midday crowds in peak season can trample all its charm and turn it into a human traffic jam. In the winter (mid-Nov until Easter), Beilstein is dead as a doornail.

GETTING TO BEILSTEIN

Beilstein has no train station, but it’s easy to reach from Cochem—either by bus, boat, bike, or car.

Bus: Bus #712, which connects the towns in just 20 minutes, is especially convenient on weekdays, when it runs roughly hourly (less frequent Sat-Sun and Nov-April; last bus to Beilstein leaves Cochem’s bus station at 18:25). On summer weekends, when bus #712 runs less frequently and the Ellenz ferry is running (see “Beilstein’s Riverfront,” below), you can reach Beilstein from Cochem a different way: Take bus #711, which runs along the other side of the river (hourly, 13 minutes), to the Ellenz Fähre stop, then ride the ferry across the river to Beilstein, keeping the ferry’s operating hours in mind.

When looking up schedules on the DB Navigator app or Bahn.com, note that Beilstein’s bus stop appears as “Moselstrasse/Fähre, Beilstein (Mosel)”—you may have to scroll a bit to find it on the drop-down menu.

Taxi: Expect to pay about €30 one-way (in Cochem, find taxis in front of the church on the Moselpromenade; from Beilstein, you’ll probably need to call +49 2671 8080).

Boat: It’s a one-hour ride from Cochem (5/day, 4/day from Beilstein, May-Oct, no boats off-season or during the lock closure—about 10 days in May/June, first departure from Cochem at 8:30 or 10:30, last departure from Beilstein at 17:30).

Bike: It’s a level one-hour ride along the river; cross the river either by bridge in Cochem or with the Ellenz ferry at Beilstein.

Car: There’s a free parking lot along the river just upstream from town, under the castle hill. Parking spaces closer-in are pay-and-display during the day (4-hour maximum, use coins to buy ticket from Parkscheinautomat machine by town info board).

Beilstein Walk

Explore the narrow lanes, ancient wine cellar, resident swans, and ruined castle by following this short self-guided walk.

• Stand along the riverfront, by the town info board.

Beilstein’s Riverfront

In 1963, the big road and the Mosel locks were built, making the river peaceful today. Before then, access to Beilstein was limited to a tiny one-way lane and the small ferry. Originally, the ferry was motorless and the cables that tethered it allowed the craft to cross the river powered only by the current and an angled rudder. However, since the river was tamed by locks, the current is so weak that the ferry needs its motor. Today, the funky little Ellenz ferry shuttles people, bikes, and cars constantly (€2/person, €2.50/bike, €5/car, Easter-Oct daily 9:00-18:00, no ferries off-season or if the river gets too high, wave to summon ferry if captain has paused on opposite bank).

The campground across the river is typical of German campgrounds—nearly all its residents set up their trailers and tents at Easter and use them as summer homes until October, when they’re chased away for the winter by the regular floods. If you stood where you are now through the winter, you’d have cold water up to your crotch five times.

Look inland. The town was given market rights in 1310 and was essentially an independent city-state for centuries (back when there were 300 such petty kingdoms and dukedoms in what we now call Germany). The Earl of Beilstein ruled from his castle above town. He built the Altes Zollhaus in 1634 to levy tolls from river traffic. Today, the castle is a ruin, the last monk at the once-mighty monastery (see the big church high on the left) retired in 2009, and the town’s economy is based only on wine and tourists.

Beilstein is so well preserved because it was essentially inaccessible by road until about 1900. And its tranquility is a result of Germany’s WWI loss, which cost the country the regions of Alsace and Lorraine. (Now part of France, these provinces have flip-flopped between the two nations since the Thirty Years’ War.) Before World War I, the Koblenz-Trier train line—which connects Lorraine to Germany—was the busiest in the country, tunneling through the grape-laden hill across the river in what was the longest train tunnel in Germany. The construction of a supplemental line designed to follow the riverbank (like the lines that crank up the volume on the Rhine) was stopped in 1914. After Alsace and Lorraine went to France in 1918, the new line no longer made any sense, and the plans were scuttled.

• Follow the main “street” up into town. On the left, you’ll notice blue plaques marking the high-water (Hochwasser) points of historic floods. At the first corner, right after the Wirtshaus Alte Stadtmauer, go left and find house #13 in the corner.

Former Synagogue

In the 1300s, several Jewish families were invited to Beilstein after being persecuted and expelled from towns on the Rhine. By 1840, a quarter of the town’s 300 inhabitants were Jewish. The synagogue, which dates from 1310, and the adjacent rabbi’s home were at #13. The medallion above the door shows the Star of David embedded in the double-headed eagle of the Holy Roman Emperor, indicating that the Jews would be protected by the emperor. Of the town’s many Jews, most moved away to explore new opportunities—to larger German towns or abroad—after 1871, when a new constitution extended political and civil rights to German Jews. Others assimilated, marrying Gentiles (among these was the Lipmann family, whose descendants run the riverfront hotels). By 1933, only one Jewish family, the Koppels, was left in Beilstein; they were deported and killed at the Treblinka concentration camp. The cemetery above the castle is another interesting Jewish sight (see “Beilstein’s Castle,” later).

Continue right (uphill) from the synagogue, and then with the church high above, go right again. You’ll reach a long flight of stairs (marked Klostertreppe) that leads to the monastery. You can skip this steep climb for now. But sometime during your visit, it’s worth huffing up these stairs to reach a €€ café facing grand views over the Mosel. The hilltop is dominated by a handsome but oversized-for-this-little-town Catholic church. Although the last Carmelite monk retired more than a decade ago, Rome maintains this fine church. Its interior is a serene Baroque confection, with wooden altars and corkscrew columns.

• Continue back to the main street, called...

Bachstrasse (“Creek Street”)

The town’s main drag continues through the tunnel you see to the left. It covers up the brook that once flowed through town and used to provide a handy 24/7 disposal service. If you head up Bachstrasse a little way, you’ll see that it’s lined with wine cellars. The only way for small local vintners to make any decent money these days is to sell their wine directly to customers in inviting little places like these.

• If you did walk up Bachstrasse a tad, backtrack down and under the tunnel, and follow the left fork to the...

Market Square (Marktplatz)

For centuries, neighboring farmers sold their goods on Marktplatz. The raw-stone Zehnthaus (tithe house) was the village IRS, where locals would pay one-tenth (Zehnte) of their produce to their landlord (either the Church or the earl). Pop into the Zehnthauskeller. Stuffed with peasants’ offerings 400 years ago, it’s now packed with vaulted medieval ambience. It’s fun at night for candlelit wine-tasting, soup and cold cuts, and schmaltzy music (often live Fri and Sat). The adjacent Bürgerhaus (above the fountain) had nothing to do with medieval fast food. First the village church, then the residence of the Bürger (like a mayor), and later the communal oven and the village grade school, today it’s where locals hold big parties and weddings (upstairs) and a venue for local craftspeople to show their goodies (below). Haus Lipmann (on the riverside, now a recommended hotel and restaurant) dates from 1727. It was built by the earl’s family as a residence after the French destroyed his castle. Haus Lipmann’s main dining hall was once the knights’ hall.

• If you’re not up for a climb to the castle (or if it’s past the castle’s 17:30 last-entry time), this is the end of your walk. Otherwise, leave the square going uphill, either via Bachstrasse or by heading up the short set of stairs from the Marktplatz to Schlossstrasse. From the point where Bachstrasse and Schlossstrasse converge, bear right up the stairs (follow signs for Burgruine Metternich) to the ticket desk for...

Beilstein’s Castle

Beilstein once rivaled Cochem as the most powerful town on this part of the Mosel. Like so much around here, it was destroyed by the French in 1689. Its castle (officially named Burg Metternich) is a sorry ruin today, but those who make the steep 10-minute climb up 115 steps (from street level) are rewarded with a postcard Mosel view and a chance to hike even higher to the top of its lone surviving tower for a 360-degree view (€3, cash only, daily 10:00-18:00, last entry 17:30, closed Nov-Easter, +49 2673 93639, www.burgmetternich.de). Within the castle grounds is a € café with cheap meals, drinks, desserts, and great views.

For more exercise and an even better viewpoint, exit through the turnstile at the rear of the castle. Take the uphill (left-hand) road, and after 100 yards, fork right. Here you’ll find a great “castle/river bend/carpets of vineyards” photo op that’s second only to the one from atop the castle tower. The derelict vineyard in front of you is a sign of recent times—the younger generation is abandoning the family plots, opting out of all that hard winemaking work.

From this viewpoint, continue another 100 yards farther up the road to the small but poignant Jewish cemetery (Jüdischer Friedhof).

To reach the viewpoint and the cemetery without going through the castle, continue up the road past the castle entrance, then follow the signs for Jüdischer Friedhof. You’ll see the fenced cemetery, somewhat overgrown, with evocative headstones—most of them in Hebrew, a few in German.

• From the cemetery, you can return to the castle gate, ring (klingeln) the bell, and show your ticket to get back in and retrace your steps; or continue on the road, which curves and leads downhill (at the next bend, two gravel paths head off to the left; the one on the right leads back into town).

Activities in Beilstein

Biking and Boating

Boats connect Beilstein not just with Cochem (see “Getting to Beilstein,” earlier) but also points upstream (but far less frequently). While scenic, these rides can take longer than you’d like because of the locks. I prefer a riverside bike ride, perhaps combined with a boat trip. Biking is very popular along the Mosel, and roads are accompanied by smooth and perfectly flat bike lanes. The lanes are separate from the car traffic, letting you really relax as you pedal through gorgeous riverside scenery. To rent a quality bike in Beilstein, visit Herr Nahlen, along the upper part of the main street (daily 9:30-12:00, return bikes between 16:00 and 18:00, no rentals Nov-March, reservations smart for groups, Bachstrasse 47, +49 2673 1840, www.fahrradverleih-in-beilstein.de).

Five-Hour Trip to Zell and Back: You could rent a bike in Beilstein, catch the 9:20 boat to Zell (2.5-hour ride), enjoy that pretty town, and cycle 15 miles back to Beilstein along the sleepy and windy riverside bike path (boats run upstream 3/week through the summer—except during 10-day lock closure in May/June, no boats off-season, 4 hours to Traben-Trarbach, return trips from Zell and Traben-Trarbach about 30 minutes faster).

Hour-and-a-Half Loop: For a shorter bike trip, ride the little ferry across the river from Beilstein, explore the campground, continue left past Poltersdorf, cycle under vineyards to Senhals, cross the bridge to Senheim, and return to Beilstein on the other side of the river. At the edge of Mesenich, leave the road and take the peaceful bike lane along the river, explore another campground, and head for Beilstein, with its castle in the distance encouraging you home.

Sleeping in Beilstein

Beilstein’s hotels shut down through the winter (generally about mid-Nov-Easter). These listings are just steps from the bus stop and boat dock, except for Hotel Lipmann am Klosterberg.

€€€ Hotel Lipmann Am Klosterberg, run by Julia (one of two Lipmann sisters carrying on an eight-generation-long tradition) and husband Bastian, is a big, modern place with 16 comfortable rooms at the quiet top of town (elevator, air-con in some rooms, rooftop terrace, spa, easy free parking, Auf dem Teich 8, up the main street 200 yards then a sharp left before the stairs to the castle, +49 2673 1850, www.hotel-lipmann.de, lipmann@t-online.de).

€€€ Hotel Haus Lipmann is your chance to live in a riverfront medieval mansion with hot showers and TVs. A prizewinner for atmosphere, it’s been in the Lipmann family since 1795. The creaky wooden staircase and the elegant dining hall, with long wooden tables surrounded by antlers, chandeliers, and feudal weapons, will get you in the mood for your castle sightseeing, but the riverside terrace may mace your momentum. There are six guest rooms in the main building, six larger rooms in an equally old building next door, and, across the square, four €€€€ spacious, sleek studios with luxe bathrooms and an elevator. David, his wife Anja, and their sharp team work hard for their guests (some rooms with Mosel views, family rooms, Marktplatz 3, +49 2673 1573, www.hotel-haus-lipmann.com, info@hotel-haus-lipmann.com).

€€ Hotel Lipmann Altes Zollhaus, also run by Julia, rents eight fresh, cheery, bright rooms right on the riverfront and also has a restaurant (family rooms, free parking at Hotel Lipmann Am Klosterberg, same contact info as Am Klosterberg, listed earlier).

€€ Hotel Gute Quelle, straddling the main street and the square, offers half-timbers, a good restaurant, and 13 inviting rooms up a narrow stairway, plus seven more in an annex across the street (Marktplatz 34, +49 2673 1437, www.hotel-gute-quelle.de, info@hotel-gute-quelle.de, helpful Susan speaks Irish). The hotel also has five bigger, very quiet family rooms and an apartment that sleeps up to four in an adjacent building.

€ Gasthaus Winzerschenke an der Klostertreppe is welcoming and a great value, with four comfortable rooms right at the bottom of the stairs to the church cloister (cash only, family rooms, take a few steps up the main street and take second left—after the second building—onto Fürst-Metternich-Strasse, reception in restaurant, +49 2673 1354, www.winzerschenke-beilstein.de, winzerschenke-beilstein@t-online.de, Stefanie and Christian Sausen).

Eating in Beilstein

You’ll have no problem finding a characteristic dining room or a relaxing river-view terrace in Beilstein. Like Beilstein’s accommodations, these places close down in the winter (generally Nov-Easter).

€€ Restaurant Haus Lipmann serves good, fresh food with daily specials on a glorious, leafy riverside terrace. For a wonderful trip memory, enjoy a slow meal here while watching the lazy riverside action and the changing light on the distant vineyards (daily, last meal order at 20:00, +49 2673 1573).

The sisters Lippman run two €€€ restaurants and a €€ wine bar all within steps of each other. Hotel Lipmann Altes Zollhaus, run by Julia, serves specialties cooked on a lava-stone grill (dinner only, closed Wed, +49 2673 1850). You could toss a dinner roll across to Alte Stadtmauer, run by Kristina, with a relaxed terrace overlooking the river (closed Tue, +49 2673 962 054). And Zehnthauskeller on the Marktplatz is the place for wine tasting in an atmospheric setting. Hang with old locals on holiday, sitting under a dark medieval vault or out in the Marktplatz (try the Flammkuchen—German flatbread, closed Thu, +49 2673 900 907, run by Sabine).

The recommended €€ Hotel Gute Quelle runs a popular restaurant with classic, well-presented German dishes. They have seating both on the picturesque Marktplatz and out overlooking the front of town (closed Wed, Marktplatz 34, +49 2673 1437).

TRIER

Orientation to Trier

TOURIST INFORMATION

ARRIVAL IN TRIER

HELPFUL HINTS

Tours in Trier

Trier Walk

Map: Trier

More Sights in Trier

NEAR VIEHMARKTPLATZ

Sleeping in Trier

NEAR THE PORTA NIGRA

WEST OF THE CENTER

NEAR MARKET SQUARE

Eating in Trier

Trier Connections

Germany’s oldest city lies at the head of the scenic Mosel Valley, near the border with Luxembourg. An ancient Roman capital, Trier brags that it was inhabited by Celts for 1,300 years before Rome even existed. Today, Trier (rhymes with clear) is thriving and feels very young. A short stop here offers you a look at Germany’s oldest Christian church, one of its most enjoyable market squares, and its best Roman ruins.

Founded by Augustus in 16 BC, Trier was a Roman town called Augusta Treverorum for 400 years. When Emperor Diocletian (who ruled AD 284-305) divided his overextended Roman Empire into four sectors, he made Trier the capital of the west: roughly corresponding with the borders of modern-day Germany, France, Spain, and England. For most of the fourth century, this city of 80,000—with a four-mile wall, four great gates, and several dozen round towers—was a favored residence of Roman emperors. Emperor Constantine lived here, spending lavishly on urban projects. As a military town in a godforsaken corner of the empire, Trier received lots of perks from Rome to make it livable for those assigned here. But when the last emperor checked out in AD 395, the money dried up, and that was the end of Trier’s ancient glory days. In the late 400s, when Rome fell to the barbarians, so did Trier.

Roman Trier was much bigger than medieval Trier. The pedestrian center of town—containing nearly all your sightseeing and browsing—is defined by the medieval wall (which encloses only half the area the Roman wall did). Trier’s Roman sights include the huge city gate (Porta Nigra), basilica, baths, and amphitheater.

Trier’s main draw is the chance to experience Germany’s Roman and early Christian history, which deserve at least a full day to appreciate. Poli-sci junkies should try to visit Karl Marx’s House. If you’re more interested in wine tasting and scenery, stay elsewhere on the Mosel River (see previous chapter).

Orientation to Trier

The midsize city of Trier, with more than 110,000 people, has a broad, rectangular footprint hemmed in by the Mosel River and gentle hills. Many visitors never even see the river and stick to the city’s central core: From the landmark Porta Nigra, the main drag (Simeonstrasse) runs south to the Market Square (Hauptmarkt) and beyond. Most sights—including the cathedral and its museum, the Basilica/Imperial Throne Room, and the Archaeological Museum—are within a five-minute walk of this artery. The train station is about a 10-minute walk east of the Porta Nigra.

TOURIST INFORMATION

Trier’s cramped and busy TI is just through the Porta Nigra (Mon-Sat 9:30-18:00, Sun 10:00-17:00, shorter hours off-season, +49 651 978 080, www.trier-info.de). For a few euros, the TI sells a useful little city guide called Trier: History and Monuments, and the booklet Trier in One Day, which has little information on sights but a great map and suggested walking routes (Roman, medieval, Jewish, rainy day). The TI also offers tours—see “Tours in Trier,” later.

ARRIVAL IN TRIER

By Train: The Reisezentrum at the train station can answer your train-schedule questions and book tickets (long hours daily). The station also has lockers, a pay WC (coins only), and bike rental (see “Helpful Hints,” below). To reach the town center from the train station, walk 10 boring minutes and four blocks up Theodor-Heuss-Allee to the big black Roman gate (Porta Nigra), and turn left under the gate to find the TI. From here, the main pedestrian mall (Simeonstrasse) leads right to the sights: Market Square and the cathedral (a five-minute walk), and the basilica (five more minutes).

By Car: There are several city-run garages near the Porta Nigra and TI, and around the main Roman sights (generally €18/24 hours, less on Sun, www.trier-info.de).

HELPFUL HINTS

Sightseeing Passes: The Antique Card, available at the TI and participating sights, can save you a few euros. The €12 version covers the Archaeological Museum and any two of Trier’s four paid Roman sights (Porta Nigra, Imperial Baths, Forum Baths, and amphitheater); for €18 you get all four Roman sights. The Trier Card, which includes free use of city buses and sightseeing discounts, is not worth it if you’re staying in the center of this small, walkable city.

Laundry: A well-maintained self-service launderette is just beyond Karl Marx’s House (daily 8:00-21:00, last load at 19:30, instructions in English, Brückenstrasse 21).

Bike Rental: The Fahrradstation rents bikes at the train station, just off track 11 (daily, closed Sun in off-season; +49 651 8250 503, www.fahrradstation-trier.de).

Tours in Trier

Walking Tours

The TI offers an informative 1.5-hour walking tour in English on Saturdays at 13:00—check to see if it’s running on other days of the week (€12.50, April-Oct only). They can also put you in touch with local guides who do private tours (€140/2 hours, +49 651 978 080).

Hop-On, Hop-Off Bus Tour

The hop-on, hop-off Citytour bus leaves the Porta Nigra every 30 minutes. The 50-minute route has seven stops—including the amphitheater, Basilica/Imperial Throne Room, and Karl Marx’s House—and takes you as far as Petrisberg, a recreational area with great views over the city and the Mosel Valley. Tickets are valid for 24 hours; buy them onboard, at any stop, or at the TI (€13, April-Oct daily 2/hour 10:00-17:00, recorded commentary in 8 languages, www.citytour-trier.de).

Tourist Train

I’d skip the expensive, hokey red-and-yellow tourist train, which does a pointless 45-minute loop of Trier’s major old-town sights (€10, recorded narration in English, departs from TI, www.roemer-express.de).

Trier Walk

Map: Trier

▲Porta Nigra

City Museum (Stadtmuseum Simeonstift)

Simeonstrasse

House of the Three Magi (Dreikönigenhaus)

▲▲Market Square (Hauptmarkt)

▲▲Cathedral (Dom)

Windstrasse

▲Cathedral Museum (Museum am Dom)

▲▲Basilica/Imperial Throne Room (Konstantin Basilika)

▲▲Archaeological Museum (Rheinisches Landesmuseum)

Imperial Baths (Kaiserthermen)

Amphitheater

I’ve laced together the historic city’s top sights on this self-guided walk, offering a taste of Trier old, new, and in between.

• Start by facing Trier’s Roman gate, the...

▲Porta Nigra

Roman Trier was built as a capital. Its architecture mirrored the grandeur of the empire. Of the four-mile town wall’s four huge gates, only this northern gate survives. This is the most impressive Roman fortification in Germany, and it was built without mortar—only iron pegs hold the sandstone blocks together. While the other three gates were destroyed by medieval metal-and-stone scavengers, this “black gate” (originally lighter sandstone but darkened by time) survived because it became a church. St. Simeon—a pious Greek recluse—lived inside the gate for seven years. After his death in 1035, the St. Simeon monastery was established, and the Roman gate was made into a two-story church—lay church on the bottom, monastery church on top. The 12th-century Romanesque apse—the round part at the east end—survives. You can climb around inside the gate, but there’s little to see other than a fine town view. If you go in, look for pictures of how the gate looked during various eras, including its church phase.

Cost and Hours: €4; daily 9:00-18:00, shorter hours off-season; multimedia guide available via free download to smartphone from within building, www.zentrum-der-antike.de under “Monuments.”

• The remaining arcaded courtyard and buildings of the monastery of St. Simeon, next to the Porta Nigra, are now home to the...

City Museum (Stadtmuseum Simeonstift)

This museum’s mildly interesting collection seems to be largely made up of anything old that turned up in townspeople’s attics. The third level, however, holds a fascinating model—painstakingly constructed over 19 years—of Trier as it looked in 1800. Families will appreciate the entertaining audioguide designed especially for children—there’s one for adults, too (€6, audioguide included, Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00, closed Mon, Simeonstrasse 60, +49 651 718 1459, www.museum-trier.de).

• Beyond the Porta Nigra is Trier’s main pedestrian drag...

Simeonstrasse

Named for St. Simeon, this street follows what was a dry moat outside the Roman wall and leads from the gate into the town center. In the 19th century, Trier’s wealthy built their mansions along this belle époque promenade. Today, it’s a people’s park lined with fine old buildings, interrupted by newer construction where WWII bombs hit.

Before starting down Simeonstrasse, look left to the small pink house (at #8, by the bus stop) where Karl Marx lived from age one until he left for college at 17—nearly his entire childhood. (Don’t confuse it with his birthplace on Brückenstrasse—now a museum for Marx enthusiasts, described later.) Then, detour (or just look) right, immediately after the TI, to see a large and highly controversial statue of Marx gifted to Trier by China in 2018 to commemorate Marx’s 200th birthday (an event that drew local protests).

• Now follow this main pedestrian drag toward Market Square, along the main north-south axis of the grid-planned Roman town. On your left, at #20, is the...

House of the Three Magi (Dreikönigenhaus)

Now home to a coffee shop and café, this colorful Venetian-style building was constructed in the 13th century as a keep. Before the age of safe banking, rich men hoarded their gold and silver inside their homes...and everyone knew it. Understandably paranoid, they needed fortified houses like this one. Look for the floating door a story above the present-day entrance. A wooden staircase to this door—once the only way in or out—could be pulled up when necessary.

• Continue down the pedestrian street. As you walk, look away from street-level storefronts—instead, gaze up to appreciate the variety and richness of the city’s architecture. Eventually you’ll reach the...

▲▲Market Square (Hauptmarkt)

Trier’s Hauptmarkt is a people-filled swirl of fruit stands, flowers, painted facades, and fountains (plus stairs down to a handy public WC). This is one of Germany’s most in-love-with-life market squares.

For an orientation to the sights, go to the square’s centerpiece, a market cross, and stand on the side of the cross closest to the big gray-stone cathedral a block away. This cathedral (which we’ll visit in a bit) was the seat of the archbishop. In medieval times, the cathedral was its own walled city, and the archbishop of Trier was one of the seven German electors who chose the Holy Roman Emperor. This gave the archbishop tremendous political, as well as spiritual, power.

The pink-and-white building (now a DM drugstore) on the corner of the lane leading to the cathedral was a palace for the archbishop. Notice the seal above the door: a crown flanked by a crosier (representing the bishop’s ecclesiastical power) and a sword (demonstrating his political might). This did not sit well with the townspeople of Trier. The square you’re standing in was the symbolic battlefield of a centuries-long conflict between Trier’s citizens and its archbishop.

The stone market cross (a replica of the AD 958 original, now in the City Museum) was the archbishop’s way of bragging about the trading rights granted to him by King Otto the Great. This was a slap in the face to Trier’s townspeople. They’d wanted Trier to be designated a “free imperial city,” with full trading rights and beholden only to the Holy Roman Emperor, not a local prince or archbishop.

Look across the square. Facing the cathedral is the 15th-century Town Hall (Steipe). The people of Trier wanted a town hall, but the archbishop wouldn’t allow it—so they built this “assembly hall” instead, with a knight on each second-story corner. The knight on the left, facing Market Square, has his mask up, watching over his people. The other knight, facing the cathedral and the archbishop, has his mask down and his hand on his sword, ready for battle.

Just below the knights are four brightly painted 16th-century statues of Christian figures nestled between the arches (right to left): St. Paul, with his sword, was the patron saint of Trier’s university in the 15th century. St. Peter, with his bushy beard and key, is the patron saint of Trier. St. Helena, Emperor Constantine’s mom and a devout Christian, lived in Trier and brought many super relics here from the Holy Land, giving the town lasting importance. And St. James, with his staff and scallop shell, is the patron saint of pilgrims—a reminder that Trier was the staging point for northern European pilgrims heading south on the spiritual trek to Santiago de Compostela (in northwest Spain).

Elsewhere on the square are more indications of tension between the archbishop and the townsfolk. Look to the left, at the tall white steeple with yellow trim. This is the Gothic tower of the Church of St. Gangolf, the medieval townspeople’s church and fire-watchman’s post. (From medieval times until the present day, a bell has rung nightly at 22:00, reminding drunks to go home. When the automatic bell-ringer broke a few years back, concerned locals flooded the mayor with calls.) In 1507, Trier’s mayor built this new Gothic tower to make the people’s church higher than the cathedral. A Bible verse in Latin adorns the top in gold letters: “Stay awake and pray.” In retaliation, the archbishop raised one tower of his cathedral (all he could afford). He topped it with a threatening message of his own, continuing the Town Hall’s verse: “For you never know the hour when the Lord will come.”

Look farther to the left, to the Renaissance St. Peter’s Fountain (1595). This fountain symbolizes thoughtful city government, with allegorical statues of Justice (sword and scale), Fortitude (broken column), Temperance (wine and water), and Prudence (a snake and, formerly, a mirror—but since the mirror was stolen long ago, she’s now empty-handed). The ladies represent idealized cardinal virtues—but notice the rude monkeys hiding on the column behind them, showing the naughty way things are really done. The recommended Weinstube Zum Domstein restaurant is next to the fountain.

The rest of the square is a textbook of architectural styles. Look for the Neo-Renaissance hotel that now houses a McDonald’s (required to keep its presence low-key). The half-timbered houses at the north end of the square (toward the Porta Nigra) mark Trier’s 14th-century Jewish ghetto. Judengasse (“Jews’ Alley”) led under these facades into a gated ghetto where 60 families earned enough from moneylending to buy protection from the archbishop. But the protection only went so far—in 1418, Trier’s Jews were expelled. (They tried to collect interest owed them by the prince, but rather than pay up, he sent them packing.) The buildings lining Judengasse today, while quaint, date only from the 18th century.

• From the square, turn down Sternstrasse toward the...

▲▲Cathedral (Dom)

This is the oldest Christian church in Germany. After Emperor Constantine legalized Christianity in the Roman Empire in AD 312, his mother, Helena (now a saint), allowed part of her palace in Trier to be used as the first church on this spot. In AD 326, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his reign, Constantine began the construction of two great churches: St. Peter’s in Rome and this huge cathedral in Trier—also called St. Peter’s.

Cost and Hours: Cathedral—free, daily 6:30-18:00, Nov-March until 17:30, no visits during Mass. Treasury—€3, Mon-Sat 11:00-17:00, Sun from 12:30, shorter hours off-season.

Information: The Dom Information Office (on the square facing the church) runs a gift shop and has a pay WC (Mon-Sat 10:30-17:15, Sun 12:00-15:00, shorter hours and closed Sun off-season; Liebfrauenstrasse 12, +49 651 979 0790, www.dominformation.de). Fill your bottle from the free water fountain at the street corner.

Visiting the Cathedral: Begin your visit in the cathedral’s large front courtyard. As you face the cathedral, look in the corner behind you and to your left (in front of the pink palace); you’ll see a large patch of light-colored bricks in an L shape in the ground. The original Roman cathedral was more than four times its present size; these light-colored bricks mark one corner of this massive “double cathedral.” (The opposite corner was at the back of the smaller Church of Our Lady, waaay across the courtyard.) The plaque by the corner shows the floor plan of the original Roman cathedral (from AD 380).

The cathedral’s mighty facade is 12th-century Romanesque. To the right is the more delicate 13th-century Gothic facade of the Church of Our Lady, which we’ll visit later.

As you walk toward the cathedral entrance, you’ll pass an evocative bit of Roman scrap stone (just outside the door on the left). This was part of a 60-ton ancient granite column quarried near Frankfurt—one of four columns used in the fourth-century Roman church.

Enter the cathedral (English info brochure in racks on right). The many altars lining the nave are dedicated not to saints, but to bishops. These ornate funeral altars were a fashionable way for the powerful archbishop-electors to memorialize themselves. Even the elaborate black-and-white altar at the back of the church (above where you entered) is not a religious shrine, but a memorial for a single rich archbishop. (His black 1354 tomb dominates the center of that chapel.)

The “pilgrim’s walk” (the stairway to the right of the altar) leads to the chapel at the far east end of the church that holds the cathedral’s most important relic: the supposed Holy Robe of Christ, thought to have been found by St. Helena on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem (rarely on view, but you can see its reliquary; look for photos of the robe itself as you approach, after the first flight of stairs).

Midway along the “pilgrim’s walk,” you’ll find the entrance to the treasury (Schatzkammer), displaying huge bishops’ rings, medieval Bibles, St. Andrew’s sandal (in a box topped with a golden foot), and a holy nail supposedly from the Crucifixion. At the base of the steps below the treasury, pause and look back up at the statues of St. Helena and Emperor Constantine.

Back down the stairs, the door on your immediate left marked Kreuzgang leads to the peaceful 12th-century Domkreuzgang cloister between the Dom and the Church of Our Lady.

When you’re ready to leave the cathedral, head back toward the main door, where you’ll see two controversially modern (1972) paintings at the back of the church, representing the Alpha (Paradise/Creation, to the left) and the Omega (the Last Judgment, to the right). The archbishop pushed this artwork through, arguing that a living church needs contemporary art, and overriding objections from the congregation’s conservative old guard.

Once outside the cathedral, go left to find the entrance to the adjoining Church of Our Lady (Liebfrauenkirche), which dates from 1235 and claims to be the oldest Gothic church in Germany. This church was built when Gothic was in vogue, so French architects were brought in—and paid with money borrowed from the bishop of Cologne when funds ran dry. Pop in to see the fine interior, filled with colorful, modern stained glass.

• Exit the Church of Our Lady and go right, passing the cathedral entrance, and then turn down the first street on your right...

Windstrasse

As you walk with the cathedral on your right, you’ll be able to see the different eras of its construction. The big red cube that makes up the back half of the present-day cathedral is all that remains of the enormous, original fourth-century Roman construction (at one time twice as tall as what you see here). Arched bricks in the facade show the original position of Roman windows and doors. Around this Roman nucleus, chunks were grafted on over a millennium and a half of architectural styles: the front half of the cathedral facing the big courtyard, added in the 11th century; the choir on the back, from the 12th century; and the transept and round Baroque shrine on the far back, from the 18th century.

If you look at the original Roman construction squarely, you’ll see that it’s not perfectly vertical. Locks were built along the Mosel River in the 1960s, depleting groundwater—which was the only thing preserving the church’s original wooden foundation. When dry, the foundation disintegrated, and the walls began to settle. Architects competed to find a way to prevent the cathedral from collapsing. The winning solution: a huge steel bracket above the main nave, holding the walls up with cables.

• Just past the cathedral on Windstrasse (to the left) find the...

▲Cathedral Museum (Museum am Dom)

This museum focuses on the history of the cathedral. Its highlight is the pieced-together remains of exquisite ceiling frescoes from St. Helena’s palace. The vivid reds, greens, and blues of the restored works depict frolicking cupids, bejeweled women, and a philosopher clutching his scroll. The 15 panels are displayed in such a way that you feel mysteriously transported back to when they were made, in the first half of the fourth century. The frescoes were discovered in 30,000 pieces while cleaning up from the destruction caused by WWII bombs. Incredibly, with the help of computers (and using patterns from the wattle-and-daub work on the back sides of the pieces), the jigsaw puzzle was put back together. There are no English descriptions, but you can—and should—borrow (or buy) the book in English that explains the frescoes and their restoration. Elsewhere in this small, modern museum, you’ll see an interesting model of the original Roman church, stone capitals, gold chalices, vestments, and icons.

Cost and Hours: €5, €5.50 combo-ticket with Treasury; Tue-Sat 9:00-17:00, Sun from 13:00, closed Mon; audioguide-€1, Bischof-Stein-Platz 1, +49 651 710 5255, www.museum-am-dom-trier.de.

• Return to the front of the cathedral and head two blocks south (passing the Church of Our Lady, under an arch capped by a Crucifixion scene—indicating that you’re leaving the archbishop’s walled ecclesiastical city). Bear left on An der Meerkatz, to the 200-foot-by-100-foot...

▲▲Basilica/Imperial Throne Room (Konstantin Basilika)

This building is the largest intact Roman structure outside Rome. It’s best known as a basilica, but it started out as a throne room. The last emperor moved out in AD 395, and petty kings set up camp in the building throughout the Middle Ages. By the 12th century, the archbishops had taken it over, using the nave as a courtyard and converting the apse into a five-story palace. The building became a Lutheran church in 1856. It was badly damaged by WWII bombs (as illustrated by photographs at the cashier’s desk) and later restored. It remains the leading Protestant church in Trier.

Cost and Hours: Free; Mon-Sat 10:00-18:00, Sun from 14:00; Nov-March shorter hours and closed Mon; Constantine Basilica booklet brings the near-empty shell to life; +49 651 9949 1200, www.evangelisch-trier.de.

Visiting the Basilica: Standing inside the vast structure, you see the genius of Roman engineering. Notice the 65-foot-wide round arch over the apse. The small rectangular holes between the windows were chimneys, which vented the hot air that circulated below the floor, heating the place. It’s a huge expanse to span without columns. Each of the squares in the ceiling above you measures 10 feet by 10 feet—as big as your hotel room. While today’s roof cheats, using concrete girders, the Roman original was all wood, relying on triangular trusses above the flat ceiling. Today’s windows match the Roman originals—small frosted panes held in place by a wooden frame. The place is enormous—so big that the Porta Nigra could fit comfortably inside.

Picture this throne room in ancient times, decorated with golden mosaics, rich marble, colorful stucco, and busts of Constantine and his family filling the seven niches. The emperor sat in majesty under a canopy on his altar-like throne. The windows in the apse around him were smaller than the ones along the side walls, making his throne seem even bigger.

When you turn around, face the wall where you entered and check out the huge new organ with 6,006 pipes. It’s located in the same spot as the basilica’s original organ, which was destroyed in World War II. Building the organ was the final step in the decades-long reconstruction of the basilica, finished in 2014. (See website for listings of organ recitals.)

Nearby: A pink Rococo wing, the Electoral Palace, was added to the basilica in the 18th century to house the archbishop-elector; today, it holds local government offices (closed to the public).

• Cut across a fragrant, picnic-rific garden facing the Rococo wing, and head toward Weimarer Allee (the main street in the distance). Veer right to pass through the medieval city wall to the entrance of the...

▲▲Archaeological Museum (Rheinisches Landesmuseum)

Trier’s top museum has arguably the best collection of Roman art in Germany. The museum tells the town’s story from prehistoric times to today. The best pieces are all from the Roman period, including funeral art, mosaics, coins, and a fine model of Roman Trier.

Cost and Hours: €8, Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00, closed Mon, +49 651 97740, www.landesmuseum-trier.de. Get a map as you enter and a free English audioguide.

Visiting the Museum: Rundgang signs guide you through the museum’s 19 exhibition rooms in a logical order. I’ll focus just on the museum’s most important collections. Brief English overviews are posted in each room.

Start by walking down the round staircase to the basement level. Head through three rooms of displays on prehistoric Trier, then back up and through two rooms on the Romanization of the area’s Celtic population.

Find the rich collection of funerary art (in Room 6, a big room at the back of the courtyard). Originally these were all painted in vibrant colors. For pagan Roman big shots, the closest thing to eternal life was to be remembered after they died. Consequently, those who could afford it erected big memorials to their own lives and accomplishments along the road leading into Trier. When Roman Trier went Christian in the early fourth century, these pagan ideals were no longer respected. The memorials were scavenged for their stones, which were then used as a foundation for a nearby fortress and forgotten. In 1890, a resident of the modern village sitting on the ruins of that Roman fortress dug up one of these stones, the museum paid a handsome price for it, and everyone in the village went wild digging up old Roman stones to cash in.

Browse around, finding glimpses of everyday Roman life: the tax collector at work, the boys with their Latin teacher, a woman visiting a beauty salon, and a ship laden with barrels of Mosel wine. Behind the wine ship, a wall painting shows how the mausoleum-lined road into Roman Trier might have looked. Archaeologists have learned a lot about life in this corner of the Roman Empire by studying these artifacts.

Another highlight is the Roman mosaics (in Room 8, just beyond the wine ship). On the right wall is a mosaic of four horses surrounding the superstar charioteer Polydus, discovered intact at the Imperial Baths. Mosaic floors were the Sports Illustrated covers of the Roman world.

Leave the room on your left, cross the next two rooms, and find the stairs on the far right. Room 11 displays a map showing Trier’s position in the Roman Empire. You can see how Gaul (Gallia, roughly modern France) was divided into three parts, with Trier (Treveri) in the northern (“Belgian”) section. Roads led from Trier south toward Rome via modern-day Lyon (Lugdunum) and Marseille (Massilia).

Upstairs, in Room 12, don’t miss the huge model of Roman Trier—a thriving city of 80,000. Notice the grid street plan and pick out the sights you’re visiting today: the Porta Nigra, cathedral, basilica, baths, and amphitheater.

Back down a flight, at the window to the courtyard, in the small, darkened Room 13 on your left, is an exhibit of coins dating from the many centuries of Roman rule. In 1993, some Trier construction workers dug up a bag holding 2,600 golden Roman coins; the coins are in the central display case. Experts used the emperor’s face on each coin to date the finds. Look closely and you can follow the steady progression of emperors and their coins from Nero (AD 54) to Septimius Severus (AD 211). It’s impressive that over 150 years of coinage was in circulation when this bag was lost.

Finally, Rooms 15-16 show how medieval Trier was built on the ruins of the Roman town. A model (in Room 15) lets you see how the Porta Nigra looked as a church.

• Exit the Archaeological Museum, walk right (parallel to the main Weimarer Allee through the trees), then follow the Tourist Route signs through the archway in the wall to the modern, red-brick entry arcade of the...

Imperial Baths (Kaiserthermen)

Built by Constantine, these were destined to be the biggest of Trier’s three Roman baths and the most intricate baths of the Roman world. Trier’s cold northern climate, the size of the complex, and the enormity of Constantine’s ego meant that these Imperial Baths required a two-story subterranean complex of pipes, furnaces, and slave galleys to keep the water at a perfect 47 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit). But the grandiose vision was never finished. When Constantine left Trier in AD 316, the huge and already costly project was scuttled. Later the site was used as a military barracks. The giant courtyard—originally for exercising and lounging—became a parade ground for the Praetorian Guard.

Stepping into the unfinished building section, you can imagine the intended pools (cold, tepid, and hot) and the heated floor. Thirty years of construction left nearly a mile of underground tunnels and foundation work, which are fun to explore. Imagine the engineering, slave labor, and wood that would have been necessary to make all this work, if it had ever been completed. A literal river of water was planned to flow into the baths via an aqueduct. And the surrounding land would ultimately have been deforested as it supplied enough wood to keep the ovens going to heat the water.

Cost and Hours: €4, daily 9:00-18:00, shorter hours off-season, good English booklet, +49 651 436 2550, www.zentrum-der-antike.de under “Monuments.”

• That’s the end of our walk. If you’d like, you can finish your tour of Trier’s Roman sights by hiking from the baths about 10 minutes east to the amphitheater. Or you can skip it and just look at amphitheater photos in shop postcard racks. In that case, simply head back to Market Square, and enjoy the town.

If you do want to visit the amphitheater, backtrack through the arch in the wall, follow the signs through the pedestrian underpass, then follow Hermesstrasse as it curves up the hill, and turn left on Olewiger Strasse.

Amphitheater

Roman Trier’s amphitheater, built around AD 200, seated at least 16,000. The city was largely inhabited by Celts who learned Latin and wanted to adopt the Roman lifestyle. And any self-respecting Roman town needed an amphitheater. While Trier’s amphitheater had some gore, it didn’t usually feature Roman degenerates egging on gladiators—it was more often used for less bloody spectacles, assemblies, and religious festivals.

Cost and Hours: €4; daily 9:00-18:00, shorter hours off-season; Olewiger Strasse 25, +49 651 73010, www.zentrum-der-antike.de under “Monuments.” It’s OK to picnic discreetly in the amphitheater grounds (free WC inside entrance).

Visiting the Amphitheater: You’ll enter where grand processions once did. Pick up the free map when you buy your ticket, and go left up the stairs to see a handy illustrated diagram of ancient Trier that helps put the amphitheater into context within the city. After enjoying this high vantage point, continue along the left side of the amphitheater for 20 yards, then turn left on the downhill path. Enter the amphitheater through one of its grand entries (called vomitoria, these were named for the way crowds could spew out quickly after events). Then descend a staircase in the center of the amphitheater into the cellar, where gear for the spectacles was kept (it’s below the water table, so it’s always wet). After Rome fell, the amphitheater was used as a refuge from barbarian attacks, a quarry, and a vineyard.

More Sights in Trier

NEAR VIEHMARKTPLATZ

▲Karl Marx’s House

Communists can lick their wounds at Karl Marx’s birthplace, an 18th-century house with three floors of exhibits spanning the influential economist/philosopher’s life and the impact his ideas still have today. The museum was completely overhauled to celebrate Marx’s 200th birthday in 2018 and is now a vibrant and thoughtful exploration of Marx and his historical legacy.

Cost and Hours: €5, includes audioguide and brochure, daily 10:00-18:00 except no entry 13:00-13:30, from Market Square follow signs for 10 minutes to Brückenstrasse 10, +49 651 970 680, www.fes.de/museum-karl-marx-haus/ [URL inactive].

Visiting the Museum: You’ll see a mix of historical artifacts, colorful illustrations, contemporary art, and interactive displays, with good English explanations. Start with the video just past the ticket office, which traces the building’s history as it changed hands from Marx’s family to the German Social Democratic Party (SPD) to the Nazi party and back to the SPD, eventually becoming a museum. It’s interesting that the museum is owned and run by a foundation connected to the mainstream, center-left SPD (the party of German chancellor Olaf Scholz), and not by radical revolutionaries.

The museum details Marx’s life chronologically but focuses largely on the lingering effects of his ideas long after his death, from revolutions against communism to skepticism of capitalism, demonstrating how societies around the world have interpreted his beliefs differently to fit their own agenda. On the third floor, a color-coded world map shows the range of socialist and communist governments in the 1980s and the “spheres of influence” attributed to Marxist beliefs.

The house spans two sections divided by a courtyard. Inside the courtyard you’ll find a large Marx head sculpted by his grandson. Also explore the garden in back, with some interesting Marx-related art.

Forum Baths (Thermen am Viehmarkt)

A beautiful modern glass building covers the ruins of a Roman bath, mixed with stone monastery foundations and medieval waste-wells. It’s certainly historic but almost meaningless unless you have a good guide and a freakish interest in Roman stones. You can see nearly everything without paying just by looking in from the entry and through the many windows. The best thing about going here is walking down Fahrstrasse to the museum—a block away, you’ll pass a cool fountain showing Trier craftsmen at work.

Cost and Hours: €4; Tue-Sun 11:00-17:00, closed Mon, shorter hours off-season; Viehmarktplatz 2, +49 651 977 4214, www.zentrum-der-antike.de under “Monuments.”

Sleeping in Trier

Most hotels in Trier have elevators but no air conditioning.

NEAR THE PORTA NIGRA

€€ Ante Porta-Das Stadthotel is located about two blocks north of the Porta Nigra. The hotel has 37 rooms over four floors, offering stylishly furnished single, double, and family rooms. Rooms facing the street may experience some noise, especially in summer when windows are open. The hotel provides a large breakfast buffet, paid parking, and a bike shed, making it popular with cyclists traveling along the Mosel (family rooms, fans, pay parking in courtyard, Paulinstrasse 66, +49 651 436 850, www.hotel-anteporta.de, info@hotel-anteporta.de).

€€ Paulin Hotel Trier, 200 yards north of the Porta Nigra, offers 22 rooms in two wings. In warm weather, ask for a quiet room in the newer wing, next to the courtyard; in cooler seasons, when you can keep the windows closed, the cheaper “guesthouse” rooms along the busy street are fine. In a few rooms, the Wi-Fi is weak—mention while booking if that’s important to you (fans, pay parking in courtyard, Paulinstrasse 13, +49 651 147 400, www.hotel-paulin-trier.de, hotelpaulin@aol.com).

€€ Hotel Römischer Kaiser, which rents 43 rooms above a polished lobby just three doors from the Porta Nigra, is convenient but corporate and overall a lesser value (fans, family rooms, free parking, Am Porta-Nigra-Platz 6, +49 651 977 0100, www.roemischer-kaiser.de, rezeption@friedrich-hotels.de).

WEST OF THE CENTER

These three places—two small and privately owned and one large four-star hotel—are slightly west of the pedestrian zone, in a quiet area just beyond the tourist crowds. It’s walkable from the train station, but if you’re hauling much luggage, spring for the €12-15 taxi ride.

€€€€ Park Plaza Trier, a centrally located four-star hotel, features friendly staff and comfortable, air-conditioned rooms, along with a spa and fitness room. They offer a large breakfast buffet, and guests can relax with a drink at the bar or dine in the restaurant/terrace (air-con, pay parking, Nikolaus-Koch-Platz 1, +49 651 99 930, www.radissonhotels.com).

€€ Hotel Deutschherrenhof, a classic small German hotel, offers 13 straightforward rooms and a solid breakfast (family rooms, fans, no elevator, pay parking, Deutschherrenstrasse 32, tel. +49 651 605 5001, www.hotel-deutschherrenhof-trier.de, hdhhotel@online.de, energetic Stephanie Schmitz).

€ Schroeder’s City Style Hotel is ideally located in the center of Trier, just a block from the pedestrian street. While breakfast isn’t offered, there are several cafés within a five-minute walk. The hotel features 40 modern rooms equipped with all the essentials (fans, pay parking—reserve ahead, Johannisstrasse 16, +49 651 994 996 10, www.schroedershotels.com/city-style-hotel, reception@city-style-hotel.de).

NEAR MARKET SQUARE

€€€€ Romantik Hotel zur Glocke, with 18 rooms just steps off the main pedestrian street, offers luxury, charm, and character to those willing to pay a bit extra (family rooms, air-con in most rooms, elevator to some rooms, Glockenstrasse 12, +49 651 999 8800, www.romantikhotel-zur-glocke.de, info@romantikhotel-zur-glocke.de, Brommenschenkel family).

¢-€ Kolping Hostel, run by a Catholic foundation and its dedicated staff, is a clean, simple hostel and budget hotel two blocks from Market Square. It has 14 rooms with 4-6 beds each, as well as 21 singles and a couple of doubles; showers are always down the hall. This is your best value for cheap sleeps in town (breakfast extra, no elevator, laundry service, limited courtyard pay parking—reserve ahead, Dietrichstrasse 42, +49 651 975 250, www.kolping-hostel.de, info@kolping-hostel.de).

Eating in Trier

€€ Weinstube Zum Domstein, right on Market Square, serves standard German fare at decent prices and also has a special, pricier menu of dishes based on ancient Roman recipes (complete with a Latin translation). The Roman menu was inspired during renovations, when the owner discovered a Roman column in her cellar. (In Trier, you can’t put a rec room in your basement without tripping over Roman ruins.) Ask to see the finished cellar dining room, which incorporates the column, plus a mini museum of Roman crockery (daily, last orders at 20:30, Am Hauptmarkt 5, +49 651 74490).

€€ Weinstube Kesselstatt, a wine tavern in a historic building across from the cathedral entrance, has pleasant garden seating and a menu with both light fare and a few hot dishes (including fish). You’ll order at the counter; first check the chalkboard for specials (daily until late, Liebfrauenstrasse 10, +49 651 41178, Dieter Hilgers).

€€€ Brasserie Zur SIM, right at the Porta Nigra, has a big, meaty menu including affordable schnitzel and Flammkuchen (as well as more expensive dishes). The outdoor patio, with a huge sunshade sail, has a great view of the Porta Nigra and the street scene (daily until late, Simeonstrasse 59, +49 651 436 9343).

€€ Café Zeitsprung is at the rear of the Archaeological Museum building and is very popular with locals. It offers good-value lunches and salads in a pretty setting overlooking the Electoral Palace and fountain—they do breakfast too (Tue-Sun 9:00-18:00, closed Mon, outdoor seating available, Weimarer Allee 1, +49 651 994 5820).

€€ Pizzeria da Franco is steps off Market Square, with a wood-fired oven, fair prices, outdoor seating, and a comfy and nicely decorated dining room (takeout possible, Sun dinner only, closed Mon, Palaststrasse 7, +49 651 41324).

€€ Ju Zwölf Wein and Gin Bar, located across from the pizza joint, is run by Kaboura and Marco and offers a welcoming atmosphere with a cool vibe. The bar is known for its exceptional drinks, making it a must-visit spot if you are a gin aficionado. The menu features delicious Flammkuchen (local flatbreads), along with antipasti and charcuterie boards (Tue-Fri dinner only, Sat lunch and dinner, closed Sun-Mon, Palaststrasse 12, +49 651 4369 5991).

Groceries: The REWE by the Porta Nigra, at Simeonstrasse 15, is big enough for most needs. There’s a full-size Kaufland in the Alleen Center mall next to the train station (both open long hours Mon-Sat, closed Sun).

Trier Connections

From Trier by Train to: Cochem (2/hour, 45-60 minutes), Cologne (at least hourly, 2.5 hours, most change in Koblenz), St. Goar/Bacharach (hourly, 2-2.5 hours, change in Koblenz), Frankfurt Airport (hourly, 3-4 hours, 1-2 changes including Koblenz or Saarbrücken), Paris (quickest routings change in Saarbrücken, 3/day, 3.5 hours, reservation required for France section). Train info: www.bahn.com.

COLOGNE & THE UNROMANTIC RHINE

Cologne

Orientation to Cologne

Map: Cologne

Tours in Cologne

Cologne Walk

Sights in Cologne

Map: Cologne Cathedral

Sleeping in Cologne

Eating in Cologne

Cologne Connections

The Unromantic Rhine

Map: The Unromantic Rhine

Romance isn’t everything. Cologne (Köln—pronounced “kurln”—in German) is an urban Jacuzzi that keeps the Rhine churning. It’s home to Germany’s greatest Gothic cathedral, one of the country’s best collections of Roman artifacts, a world-class art museum, and a healthy dose of German urban playfulness.

Peaceful Bonn, which offers good people-watching and fun pedestrian streets, used to be the capital of West Germany. The small town of Remagen had a bridge that helped defeat Hitler in World War II, and unassuming Aachen, near the Belgian border, was once the capital of Europe.

Cologne

Germany’s fourth-largest city, Cologne has a compact, lively center. The Rhine was the northern boundary of the Roman Empire, and 1,700 years ago, Constantine—the first Christian emperor—made what was then called “Colonia” the seat of a bishopric. (Five hundred years later, under Charlemagne, Cologne became the seat of an archbishopric.) With 40,000 people within its walls, Cologne was the largest German city and an important cultural and religious center throughout the Middle Ages. Cologne is also famous for eau de cologne, produced in the city since 1709.

During World War II, bombs destroyed 95 percent of Cologne—driving its population from 800,000 down to an estimated 30,000 at its lowest ebb. But with the end of the war, the city immediately began putting itself back together (the population rebounded to about 400,000 by Christmas 1945).

Today, Cologne is a vibrant commercial and cultural hub, with a rich history and unique culture and dialect. Besides the cathedral (Dom), which towers above the city and is visible from nearly everywhere, Cologne is famous for its Kölsch beer. The brewpub scene in Cologne has a cult status all on its own.

Cologne is also known for its vibrant festivals. The Cologne Carnival draws millions to the city each year. The city’s gay pride event, ColognePride, is a two-week celebration that reflects the city’s relaxed, liberal character. ColognePride has fostered a thriving LGBTQ+ community, with numerous bars and clubs in the city center.

PLANNING YOUR TIME

Cologne makes an ideal on-the-way stop; it’s a major rail junction, and its top sights are clustered near the train station. With a couple of hours, you can toss your bag in a locker, take my self-guided town walk, zip through the cathedral, and make it back to the station for your train. If you’re planning a stop that short, make sure you’ll be here when the whole church is open (in between its services—see the sight listing for times). More time (or an overnight) allows you to delve into a few of the city’s fine museums, stroll along the Rhine, and take in an old-time beer pub.

Orientation to Cologne

Cologne’s core was bombed out, then rebuilt in a mostly modern style with a sprinkling of quainter styles that give a nod to tradition. The city has four areas that are of most interest to visitors: The main area is right around the train station and cathedral (especially helpful for those making an on-the-way stop). Here you’ll find most sights and most of my recommended hotels, plus the TI and plenty of eateries and services. Hohe Strasse, a pedestrian shopping street, begins near the cathedral. The second important area—called the “old town”—is between the river, the Alter Markt, and Heumarkt a few blocks to the south. After the war, this section was rebuilt in the old style, and today pubs and music clubs pack the restored buildings. Some of my recommended museums are in the third part of Cologne’s city center around Neumarkt, which also hosts the temporary exhibition of the Romano-Germanic Museum in the Belgian House and a couple of other museums. It’s a 15-minute walk from Cologne Cathedral via Hohe Strasse and Schildergasse (which are also great for shopping), or take tram #14/16/18 two stops from Cathedral/Central Station to Neumarkt. The final area is the Rheinauhafen District, located on an island just south of the city’s historic old town, which can easily be reached in about 15 minutes by strolling along the Rhine River.

TOURIST INFORMATION

Cologne’s energetic TI is opposite the cathedral entrance (Mon-Fri 9:00-18:00, Sat 10:00-17:30, closed Sun, Kardinal-Höffner-Platz 1, +49 221 346 430, www.cologne-tourism.com). For information on Cologne’s museums, visit www.museenkoeln.de.

ARRIVAL IN COLOGNE

Cologne couldn’t be easier to visit—its three important sights cluster within two blocks of the TI and train station. This super pedestrian zone is a constant carnival of people.

By Train: Cologne’s busy train station has everything you need: drugstore, bookstore, food court, juice bar, grocery store, pricey 24-hour “McClean” pay WC with showers, travel center (Reisezentrum, long hours daily), and high-tech lockers (next to Reisezentrum; insert coins or bills and wait for door to open; your luggage—up to four pieces—is transferred to storage via an underground conveyor belt and retrieved when you reinsert your ticket). Exiting the front of the station (the end near track 1), you’ll find yourself smack-dab in the shadow of the cathedral. Up the steps and to the right is the cathedral’s main entrance (TI across street).

By Car: Drivers should set their GPS to Kurt-Hackenberg-Platz 2 for the huge Parkhaus am Dom garage under the cathedral (€2.40/hour, €24/day). Your hotel may be able to get you a discounted rate of around €15/day—ask.

By Boat: If you’re arriving on a K-D Line boat, exit the boat to the right, then walk along the waterside park until just before the train bridge when the cathedral comes into view on the left.

HELPFUL HINTS

Closed Day: Note that most museums are closed on Monday (though the cathedral remains open), while the Kolumba Diocesan Museum and the Romano-Germanic Museum’s temporary site are closed Tuesday. The cathedral is off-limits to sightseers during services.

Sightseeing Cards: The MuseumsCard is valid for two consecutive days (or a Sun and Tue, as museums close Mon). It covers all local public transit on the first day and includes the Romano-Germanic Museum, Museum Ludwig, and Wallraf-Richartz Museum, plus several lesser city-run museums (but not the cathedral sights). If you’re visiting all three museums, this card will save you money (€20/person, €32 family pass includes 2 adults and 2 kids under 18, sold at participating museums, www.museenkoeln.de). Skip the KölnCard; its small discounts aren’t worth it.

Festivals: Though Carnival is celebrated all over Germany, Cologne’s celebration is famously exuberant. Join the locals as they dress up, feast, and exchange Bützje—innocent pursed-lip kisses. While the carnival season officially starts on November 11 at 11:11 am, the main festivities that visitors can participate in start on the Thursday before Ash Wednesday and culminate with a huge parade on the following Monday (“Rose Monday,” or Rosenmontag). The parade draws musicians from all over Germany, and families line the parade route to grab pieces of candy tossed off the floats (www.koelnerkarneval.de). The joyful ColognePride events include live music, political action, and the colorful Christopher Street Day parade. Cologne’s annual Kölner Lichter festival lights up the sky on a mid-July weekend, with fireworks, music, and lots of boats on the river (www.nrw-tourism.com/cologne-lights). It’s part of the Rhein in Flammen regional festival (see here).

Bike Rentals and Tours: Convenient bike rental is available at two branches of the friendly Radstation (+49 221 139 7190, www.radstationkoeln.de). One branch is tucked under the train-track arcade (long hours daily, cash only, ID and €50 deposit required; from the station, exit out the back by track 11 to Breslauer Platz, turn right, cross the street, and look toward the train tracks). The other is along the river a 10-minute walk from the station, on Markmannsgasse (daily April-Oct, leave photo ID as security deposit, 100 yards upstream from the K-D Line dock). Consider biking the path along the Rhine River up past the convention center (Messe) to the Rheinpark for a picnic.

Radstation also offers German/English guided city tours by bike (€26, 3 hours, April-Oct daily at 13:30, must reserve ahead, about 10 people per guide).

Tours in Cologne

On Foot

The TI offers a Highlights of Cologne walking tour in English (€14, 1.5-hours, Fri and Sat 12:30). They also offer brewery tours (€26.50, includes 3 Kölsch or sodas, 2 hours, Sat at 15:00.

Beer Tour: English tours of breweries and brew pubs with The Kölsch Crew allow you to sample Kölsch beers while learning about their history and Cologne culture (€19-2 hours, €24-2.5-hours, Kölsch beer not included, tours leave from Heumarkt 39, book at www.koelschcrew.com).

Hop-on, Hop-off Bus Tours

CityTour leaves from the TI and makes about 14 stops around town (€20, 1.5 hours, departs every half-hour 10:00-17:00, recorded commentary in German and English, buy tickets from TI, driver, or www.citytour.de).

Train Tours

The mini Schoko-Express train circles through Cologne between DOM/Burgmauer and the Chocolate Museum (€7 one-way, €12 round-trip, about 20 minutes, departs from Dom/Burgmauer 2/hour 9:45-17:45, departs Chocolate Museum 2/hour 10:10-18:10, recorded commentary in German and English, buy tickets online at www.bimmelbahnen.de).

Cologne Walk

Cologne, with its old town, towering cathedral, and sights clustered near the train station, lends itself to a fine orientation walk, worth ▲▲. This self-guided walk takes less than an hour and provides a good introduction. Most sights along this walk are described in more detail later, under “Sights in Cologne.”

Bahnhofsvorplatz: Stepping out of the train station, you’re confronted with a modern hodgepodge of post-WWII architecture and the towering icon of Cologne, its cathedral. The city feels rebuilt—because it was. The Allies bombed Cologne hard in retaliation for Germany’s bombing of London. Your gaze is grabbed by the cathedral. While it was built according to the original 13th-century plans, and the left (east) part was completed in the 13th century, the right half wasn’t built until after German unification, in the 1880s.

• Climb the steps and circle right, to the people-filled square in front of the cathedral entrance. Have a seat on the benches under the trees next to the stone arch.

In centuries past, a clutter of half-timbered huts crowded around the cathedral. They were cleared out in the late 1800s so the great building would have a suitable approach; in the late 1960s the plaza was pedestrianized.

This has been a busy commercial zone since ancient times. The Roman arch was discovered nearby and set up here as a reminder of the town’s Roman roots. This north gate of the Roman city, from AD 50, marks the start of Cologne’s nearly 2,000-year-old main shopping street, Hohe Strasse.

Look for the life-size replica tip of a spire. The real thing is 515 feet above you. The cathedral facade, while not finished until the 1880s, is exactly what was envisioned by the original church planners in 1280.

• Continue around the right side of the church, passing modern buildings and public spaces. Step up to the window of the Romano-Germanic Museum (temporarily closed) for a free peek at a...

Roman Mosaic: Take a look at the museum’s prize piece—a fine mosaic floor. (The museum is closed for renovation until about 2026, but some of its Roman relics are on view at another location—see here.) Once the dining-room floor of a rich Roman merchant’s home, the mosaic has never been moved (the museum was built around it). It shows scenes from the life of Dionysus...wine, women, and song, Roman-style. The mosaic is quite sexy, with several scenes showing a satyr seducing and ultimately disrobing a half-goddess, half-human maenad. First he offers her grapes; then he turns on the music. After further wining and dining—all with an agenda—the horny satyr finally scores. The cupid on a lion’s back symbolizes the triumph of physical love.

The mosaic is at the original Roman street level. The tall monument above and left of the mosaic is the mausoleum of a first-century Roman army officer. Directly across from you (at eye level, beyond the mosaic) are beautifully carved stone reliefs—an indication of what a fine city Roman Cologne must have been.

• Continue on, walking to the right around the Romano-Germanic Museum, and follow the detour signs until you reach the red-brick Museum Ludwig building. Walk through the alley between these two museums, and at the end turn right onto the...

Hohenzollern Bridge (Hohenzollernbrücke): This busy railway bridge carries 30 trains an hour all day long. A classic Industrial Age design from around 1900, the bridge was destroyed in World War II and later rebuilt in its original style. These days, the bridge is one of the many adorned with “love locks”—couples come here, mark a little padlock with their names and the date, chain it to the bridge railing, and throw away the key as proof of their everlasting love.

• Walk back in the direction of Museum Ludwig, then head down the stairs toward the people-friendly riverside park.

Riverfront: The statue (above and to your left) honors Kaiser Wilhelm II, who paid for the Hohenzollernbrücke (named after his family). This is urban planning from the 1970s—real and forward-looking. The riverside, once a noisy highway, is now the peaceful Rheingarten park. All that traffic still courses through the city but flows unnoticed below you in a tunnel. A bike-and-pedestrian path follows the riverside, and families let their children frolic in the fountain.

• Walk away from the bridge for a few blocks along the Frankenwerft, Cologne’s riverside restaurant district, until you are even with the tower of the Romanesque church, Great St. Martin. (Cologne’s chocolate museum is a five-minute walk from here.)

Notice a strip of sockets for a metal flood wall (on the inland side of the grassy stretch; an eight-foot-high structure can be erected here when needed). Locals see definite proof of climate change: They say that “floods of the century” now happen every decade, thunderstorms happen much more frequently than they used to, and for the first time, this part of Europe has begun to witness small tornadoes.

• At the foot of the church, stand in the tiny Fischmarkt square.

Fischmarkt and “Old Town”: Right below Great St. Martin Church, this little square—once the fish market—faces the river. It’s ringed by medieval-looking buildings. In the early 20th century, Cologne’s entire old town was a scruffy, half-timbered slum where prostitutes and their clients mingled. To the disgusted Nazis, prostitutes were human dirt. Their vision for old towns all over Germany: Clear out the clutter, boot the riffraff, and rebuild in the clean, tidy, stone-and-stucco style you see here. The Old Town and Fischmarkt, including St. Martin Church, were almost completely destroyed during World War II. Thanks to dedicated city officials and conservators in the postwar years, many narrow, steep-gabled houses were rebuilt in the historical style.

• Walk inland, circling up a stairway around the right side of the church. From the church’s front door, a passageway leads away from the river directly to the...

Alter Markt (Old Market Square) and City Hall: You’ll emerge into the square facing the ornate City Hall tower, which symbolized civic spirit standing strong against the power of the bishops in the 15th century. Cross the square and walk up the stairs on the right side of the tower, then go around to the left to see the City Hall’s fine Renaissance porch—the only historic facade left standing after the 1945 bombings. Its carvings stress civic independence. The busts of emperors evoke Cologne’s strong Roman past; the lions symbolize the evil aspect of church authority. If it’s viewable, look above the door to see the mayor killing the lion (thus establishing independence from church government for his city). This scene is flanked by biblical parallels: the angel saving Daniel from the lions (on right), and Samson fighting lions (on left).

In front of you, an archaeological site has uncovered both Roman ruins and the remains of Cologne’s old Jewish quarter.

• Head back down the steps and turn right to walk around the modern side of the building, looking out for flying rice—the City Hall is often busy with civil wedding parties. Turn right again onto Marsplatz, passing the Wallraf-Richartz Museum on your left and Farina Fragrance Museum on your right until you reach...

Hohe Strasse: Look left and right to see the hustle and bustle of the town’s oldest pedestrian shopping street. Hohe Strasse thrived during the Middle Ages, when Cologne was a major player in the heavyweight Hanseatic League of northern European merchant towns. The street was rebuilt after its complete destruction in World War II. Today it’s a rather soulless, narrow string of chain stores—most interesting for its hordes of shoppers. (There’s better shopping action on the nearby Schildergasse and Breite Strasse, which merges into Ehrenstrasse.)

Continue straight ahead on Brückenstrasse to the modern white building set atop the ruins of a bombed-out Gothic church. This is the Kolumba Diocesan Museum. Inside, from the corner, you can grab a free peek at what was the church interior.

• Continue on Brückenstrasse until you reach the busy Tunisstrasse to see…

Opera House amd Dufthaus 4711: Cologne’s circa-1960s opera house was a big deal in Germany when it was built, but for now you’ll have to enjoy it from the outside only, as it’s temporarily closed for renovations (Rheinparkweg 1, www.oper.koeln/en). Across the street, at Glockengasse 4, is Dufthaus 4711. This historic building (formerly at number 4711) is where Wilhelm Mülhens produced a copy of the Farina brothers’ famed eau de cologne (see Farina Fragrance Museum listing, later). Mülhens’ “4711 Echt Kölnisch Wasser” became another famous “cologne.” There’s a perfume shop on the ground floor with Cologne water running in a fountain by the stairway—sample this year’s new fragrances for free at the counter. A small, free exhibit is upstairs (closed Sun, +49 221 2709 9911, www.4711.com).

Sights in Cologne

▲▲▲COLOGNE CATHEDRAL (DOM)

Map: Cologne Cathedral

More Cathedral Sights

Church Spire Climb (Dom-Turm)

Treasury (Domschatzkammer)

Domforum

Kolumba Diocesan Museum

NEAR THE CATHEDRAL

▲▲Romano-Germanic Museum (Römisch-Germanisches Museum)

▲▲Museum Ludwig

▲▲Nazi Documentation Center (NS-Dokumentationszentrum Köln, NS-DOK)

NEAR ALTER MARKT

▲▲Wallraf-Richartz Museum

Farina Fragrance Museum (Farina Duftmuseum)

NEAR NEUMARKT

▲▲Romano-Germanic Museum in the Belgian House (Römisch-Germanisches Museum im Belgischen Haus)

Rautenstrauch-Joest Museum

Käthe Kollwitz Museum

RHEINAUHAFEN DISTRICT

▲Lindt Chocolate Museum (Schokoladenmuseum)

▲▲▲COLOGNE CATHEDRAL (DOM)

The Gothic Dom—Germany’s most exciting church—looms immediately up from the train station in one of the country’s starkest juxtapositions of the modern and the medieval. The church is so big and so important that it has its own information office, the Domforum, in a separate building across the street (described later).

Cost and Hours: Free, generally open to visitors Mon-Sat 10:00-17:00, Sun 13:00-16:00, via main portal on the west side; open for worshippers 6:00-20:00 via entrance on the north side toward the train station; confirm Mass times at Domforum office or at www.koelner-dom.de.

Tours: The 45-minute English-only tours are reliably excellent (€10, daily at 14:00 but confirm times in advance, meet at Domforum across from cathedral, +49 221 9258 4730).

Self-Guided Tour: If you don’t take the guided tour, follow this tour during the church’s regular opening hours (note that on Saturdays, stops 3-7 are closed off during confession from 14:00).

1 Cathedral Exterior: The cathedral—the most ambitious Gothic building project north of France in the 13th century—was stalled in the Middle Ages and not finished until 1880. Even though most of it was built in the 19th century, it’s still technically a Gothic church (not “Neo-Gothic”) because it was finished according to its original plans.

• Step inside the church. Grab a pew in the center of the nave.

2 Nave: If you feel small, that’s because you’re supposed to. The 140-foot-tall ceiling reminds us of our place in the vast scheme of things. Lots of stained glass—enough to cover three football fields—fills the church with light, which represents God.

The church was begun in 1248. The choir—the lofty area from the center altar to the far end ahead of you—was inaugurated in 1322. Later, during the tumultuous wars of religious reformation, Catholic pilgrims stopped coming. This dried up funds, and eventually construction stopped. For 300 years, the finished end of the church was walled off and functioned as a church, while the unfinished nave (where you now sit) waited. For centuries, the symbol of Cologne’s skyline was a huge crane that sat atop the unfinished west spire.

With the rise of German patriotism in the early 1800s, Cologne became a symbol of German unity. And the Prussians—the movers and shakers behind German unity—mistakenly considered Gothic (which originated in France) a German style. They paid for the speedy completion of this gloriously Gothic German church. With nearly 700 workers going at full speed, the church was finished in just 38 years (1842-1880). The great train station was built in the shadow of the cathedral’s towering spire.

The glass windows at the east end of the church (in the chapels and high above) are medieval. The glass surrounding you in the nave is not as old, but it’s precious nevertheless. The glass on the left is early Renaissance. Notice the many coats of arms, which depict the lineage of the donors. One of these windows would have cost as much as two large townhouses. The glass on the right—a gift from Ludwig I, grandfather of the “Mad” King Ludwig who built the fairy-tale castles—is 19th-century Bavarian. Compare both the colors and the realism of the faces between the windows to see how techniques advanced and tastes changed over the centuries.

While 95 percent of Cologne was destroyed by WWII bombs, the cathedral held up fairly well. (It was hit by 14 bombs but remained standing.) In anticipation of the bombing, the glass and art treasures were taken to shelters and saved.

The “swallow’s nest” organ above you was installed to celebrate the cathedral’s 750th birthday in 1998. Attaching it to the wall would have compromised the cathedral’s architectural integrity, so instead the organ is suspended from precarious-looking steel wires.

The guys in the red robes are cathedral cops, called Schweizer (after the Swiss guard at the Vatican); if a service is getting ready to start, they hustle tourists out (if you’d like, you can stay for the service if you’re already inside).

• Leave the nave to the left and step through the gate at the far end (beside the transept), into the oldest part of the church.

As you enter, look down at the 19th-century mosaic showing a saint holding the Carolingian Cathedral, which stood on this spot for several centuries before this one was built. Ahead of you on the left is the...

3 Gero-Crucifix: The Chapel of the Cross features the oldest surviving monumental crucifix north of the Alps. Carved in the 970s with a sensitivity 300 years ahead of its time, it shows Jesus not suffering and not triumphant—but with eyes closed...dead. He paid the price for our sins. It’s quite a twofer: great art and powerful theology in one. The cathedral has three big pilgrim stops: this crucifix, the Shrine of the Magi, and the Madonna of Milan.

• Continue to the front end of the church, stopping to look at the big golden reliquary in the glass case behind the high altar.

4 Shrine of the Magi: Relics were a big deal in the Middle Ages. Cologne’s acquisition of what was said to be the bones of the Three Kings in the 12th century put it on the pilgrimage map and brought in enough money to justify the construction of this magnificent place. By some stretch of medieval Christian logic, these relics also justified the secular power of the German king. This reliquary, made in about 1200 of gilded silver, jewels, and enamel, is the biggest and most splendid I’ve seen. On the long sides, Old Testament prophets line the bottom, and 12 New Testament apostles—with a wingless angel in the center—line the top. The front looks like three stacked coffins, showing scenes of Christ’s flagellation, Crucifixion, and Resurrection.

Inside are three skulls with golden crowns—supposedly the bones of the Magi. So what’s the big deal about these three kings (of Christmas-carol fame)? They were the first to recognize Jesus as the Savior and the first to come as pilgrims to worship him—inspiring medieval pilgrims and countless pilgrims since. For a thousand years, a theme of this cathedral has been that life is a pilgrimage...a search for God.

• Opposite the shrine, at the far-east end of the church, is the...

5 Chapel of the Three Magi: The center chapel, at the church’s far end, is the oldest. It also features the church’s oldest window (center, from 1265). The design is typical: a strip of Old Testament scenes on the left with a parallel strip of New Testament scenes on the right that matches theologically and visually (such as, on bottom panels: to the left, the birth of Eve; to the right, the birth of Mary with her mother Anne on the bed).

Later glass windows (which you saw lining the nave) were made from panes of clear glass that were painted and glazed. This medieval window, however, is actually colored glass, which is assembled like a mosaic. It was very expensive. The size was limited to what pilgrim donations could support. Notice the plain, budget design higher up.

• Peek into the center zone between the high altar and the carved wooden central stalls. (You can’t usually get inside, unless you take the tour.)

6 Choir: The choir is surrounded by 13th- and 14th-century art with carved oak stalls, frescoed walls, statues painted as they would have been, and original stained glass high above. Study the fanciful oak carvings. The woman cutting the man’s hair is a Samson-and-Delilah warning to the sexist men of the early Church.

• The nearby chapel holds one of the most precious paintings of the important Gothic School of Cologne.

7 Chapel of the Virgin: The Patron Saints of Cologne was painted around 1440, probably by Stefan Lochner. Notice the photographic realism and believable depth. There are literally dozens of identifiable herbs in the grassy foreground. During the 19th century, the city fought to move the painting to a museum. The Church went to court to keep it. The judge ruled that it could stay in the cathedral—as long as a Mass was said before it every day. For more than a hundred years, that happened at 18:30. Now, 21st-century comfort has trumped 19th-century law: In winter, services take place in the warmer Sacrament Chapel instead. (If you like this painting, you’ll enjoy the many other fine works from the School of Cologne at the Wallraf-Richartz Museum.)

Overlooking the same chapel (between the windows), the delicate Madonna of Milan sculpture (1290), associated with miracles, was a focus of pilgrims for centuries. Its colors, scepter, and crown were likely added during a restoration in 1900. The reclining medieval knight in the cage at the back of the chapel (just before the gate) is a wealthy but childless patron who donated his entire county to the cathedral.

Pass through the gate and look back above the tomb with the cage to find the statue of St. Christopher (with Jesus on his shoulder and the pilgrim’s staff). He’s facing the original south transept entry to the church. Since 1470, pilgrims and travelers have looked up at him and taken solace in the hope that their patron saint is looking out for them.

As you head for the exit, look into the transept on your left. The stained-glass windows above you are a random and abstract pattern of 80 colors, “sampled” from the church’s more-historic windows. The local artist Gerhard Richter designed these windows to create a “harmony of colors” in 2007.

• Go in peace.

More Cathedral Sights

Church Spire Climb (Dom-Turm)

An exterior entry (down the stairs to the right of the church as you face the west facade) takes you into a modern excavation site, where you can see an arch and the foundations from the cathedral’s predecessor (free), and pay to climb the cathedral’s dizzying south tower. For a workout of 509 steps, you can enjoy a fine city view. From the belfry (Glockenstube; only 400 steps up), you can see the Dom’s nine huge bells, including Dicke Peter (24-ton Fat Peter), claimed to be the largest free-swinging church bell in the world.

Cost and Hours: €8, €12 combo-ticket with treasury, daily 9:00-18:00, closes earlier off-season.

Treasury (Domschatzkammer)

The treasury sits outside the cathedral’s left transept (when you exit through the front door, turn right and continue right around the building to the boxy black structure marked Domschatzkammer). The six dim, hushed rooms are housed in the cathedral’s 13th-century stone cellar vaults. Spotlights shine on black cases filled with gilded chalices and crosses, medieval reliquaries (bits of chain, bone, cross, and cloth in gold-crusted glass capsules), and plenty of fancy bishop garb: intricately embroidered miters and vestments, rings with fat gemstones, and six-foot gold crosiers. Displays come with brief English descriptions; the little Cologne Cathedral book sold inside the adjacent cathedral shop (Domladen) provides extra information.

Cost and Hours: €8, €12 combo-ticket with spire climb, daily 10:00-18:00, +49 221 1794 0530.

Domforum

This helpful visitors center, across from the cathedral’s entrance, is a good place to take a break from the crowds. The staff offers plenty of cathedral info, and the welcoming lounge has inexpensive coffee and water. Downstairs, the English “multivision” video about the church starts slow but gets a little better.

Cost and Hours: Visitors center-free; 20-minute video-€3 (11:30, 13:30, and 16:00); Mon-Sat 9:30-17:00, Sun from 13:00, may close for special events, +49 221 9258 4720, www.domforum.de.

Kolumba Diocesan Museum

This museum contains some of the cathedral’s finest art. Built around the Madonna in the Ruins church, the museum is conceived as a place of reflection. There are no tours or information or noise. It’s just you and the art in a modern building erected upon the rubble of World War II. The daring modernist rebuild is a statement: We lost the war. Just accept it.

Cost and Hours: €8, Wed-Mon 12:00-17:00, closed Tue; at #4 on Kolumbastrasse, which runs between Minoritenstrasse and Brückenstrasse, a few blocks southwest of the cathedral; +49 221 933 1930, www.kolumba.de.

NEAR THE CATHEDRAL

▲▲Romano-Germanic Museum (Römisch-Germanisches Museum)

One of Germany’s top Roman museums, with an elegant and fascinating display of Roman artifacts, has been undergoing an extensive renovation (check their website for the latest). Two highlights of the museum are the original, reassembled arched gate to the Roman city with the Roman initials for the town, CCAA, still legible, and an original Roman-mosaic floor (described on here of my self-guided walk). Even while closed, you can still see the floor through the museum’s large window facing west onto Roncalliplatz.

The Roman Praetorium on Kleine Budengasse, an outpost of the museum, is also closed for renovation.

Temporary Exhibit: During the museum’s renovation, a basic exhibition on Roman Cologne, with some of the museum’s most important movable artifacts, is at Belgian House—about 15 minutes from the center near Neumarkt (see here).

▲▲Museum Ludwig

Next door to the Romano-Germanic Museum, this enjoyable museum—in a slick and modern building—offers a stimulating trip through the art of the last century, including American Pop and post-WWII art.

Cost and Hours: €12, Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, first Thu of month until 22:00, closed Mon; audioguide-€3 or download free app, €€€ restaurant, Heinrich-Böll-Platz, +49 221 2212 6165, www.museum-ludwig.de.

Visiting the Museum: The lower level is mostly contemporary and abstract paintings. Upstairs is the highlight—the Haubrich collection. Josef Haubrich managed to keep his impressive collection of German Expressionist art out of Nazi hands (they considered it “decadent art”) and eventually gave it to the city. The collection includes works by the great German Expressionists Max Beckmann, Otto Dix, and Ernst Ludwig Kirchner. Their paintings capture the loss of idealism and innocence following World War I and helped take art into the no-holds-barred modern world. Also upstairs is a Picasso collection spanning the artist’s entire career.

▲▲Nazi Documentation Center (NS-Dokumentationszentrum Köln, NS-DOK)

The Nazi Documentation Center (NS-DOK) illuminates an important—and intense—piece of history and is well worth a visit. Located in what served as the headquarters of the Cologne Gestapo from 1935 to 1945, the preserved Gestapo prison, with 1,800 prisoner inscriptions, has served as a memorial since 1981. The permanent exhibition, “Cologne during National Socialism,” explores the city’s political, social, and societal life under Nazi rule.

Cost and Hours: €4.50, Tue-Fri 10:00-18:00, Sat-Sun from 11:00, closed Mon, audioguide-€2, Appellhofplatz 23, +49 221 2212 4340, www.nsdok.de.

NEAR ALTER MARKT

▲▲Wallraf-Richartz Museum

Housed in a cinderblock of a building near the City Hall, this minimalist museum—Cologne’s oldest—features a world-class collection of Old Masters, from medieval to northern Baroque and Impressionist. You’ll see the best collection anywhere of Gothic School of Cologne paintings (1300-1550), offering an intimate peek into those times. Also included are German, Dutch, Flemish, and French works by masters such as Albrecht Dürer, Peter Paul Rubens, Rembrandt, Frans Hals, Jan Steen, Vincent van Gogh, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Claude Monet, Edvard Munch, and Paul Cézanne.

Cost and Hours: €10, sometimes more depending on special exhibits; Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, first and third Thu until 22:00, closed Mon; on Obenmarspforten, +49 221 2212 1119, www.wallraf.museum.

Farina Fragrance Museum (Farina Duftmuseum)

This museum, in a former perfume factory, offers engaging 45-minute guided tours that chronicle the history of eau de cologne. In 1709, Italian Giovanni Battista Farina founded his company in this city. Five years later he began selling his brother’s invention: “Aqua Mirabilis,” a perfume that later took the name “Eau de Cologne” (Kölnisch Wasser) in honor of the brothers’ adopted city. The fresh, bright fragrance stood out from the other fragrances of the day, and some of the era’s most important figures—including Mozart and Napoleon—were admirers.

Cost and Hours: Guided tour-€8, historical tour with costumes-€12; timed-entry tickets required—buy online in advance (English tours sell out); Mon-Sat 10:00–19:00, Sun 11:00-17:00, last entry one hour before closing, no bathrooms, Obenmarspforten 21, +49 221 3998 994, www.farina.org.

NEAR NEUMARKT

▲▲Romano-Germanic Museum in the Belgian House (Römisch-Germanisches Museum im Belgischen Haus)

While the Romano-Germanic Museum building near the cathedral is under renovation, the Belgian House displays artifacts that date from long before the city’s celebrated cathedral was ever even imagined. A highlight of the exhibit is the fine glassware that Roman Cologne was famous for producing.

Cost and Hours: €6, Sun-Wed 10:00-18:00, first Thu of month until 22:00, closed Tue; Cäcilienstrasse 46 in the Belgian House (Maison Belge/Belgisch Huis), from the Dom station, it’s two stops on U-Bahn line #16 or #18 to Neumarkt, or a 15-minute walk; +49 221 2212 8094, www.roemisch-germanisches-museum.de.

Rautenstrauch-Joest Museum

This museum’s collection sheds light on diverse cultures from around the globe through its displays on housing, clothing, religion, and more. Using objects, historical photos, and reference books from what was once the private collection of Wilhelm Joest (a world traveler and the son of a Cologne sugar manufacturer), the museum illustrates the fascinatingly different—and similar—ways people across the world live.

Cost and Hours: €7, Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, Thu until 20:00, closed Mon; across from the Belgian House at Cäcilienstrasse 29, www.museenkoeln.de/rautenstrauch-joest-museum.

Käthe Kollwitz Museum

This museum contains the largest collection of the artist’s powerful Expressionist art, welling from her experiences living in Berlin during the tumultuous first half of the 20th century.

Cost and Hours: €6, Tue-Sun 11:00-18:00, closed Mon; Neumarkt 18, +49 221 227 2899, www.kollwitz.de. From Hohe Strasse, walk west on Schildergasse for about 10 minutes to Neumarkt; go past the Neumarkt Galerie shopping center to Neumarkt Passage, enter Neumarkt Passage, and walk to the glass-domed center courtyard, then take the glass elevator to the fifth floor.

RHEINAUHAFEN DISTRICT

This island neighborhood brings together historic and modern Cologne. Impressive modern buildings now stand in what was once an industrial zone. Here you can stroll along the promenade, taking in the view and stopping at spots that appeal along the way: the Hafenterrasse beer garden (described on here), the German Sport & Olympia Museum (€9.50, Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon), or the Bayenturm (a medieval tower).

▲Lindt Chocolate Museum (Schokoladenmuseum)

Chocoholics love this place. Three levels of displays follow the cocoa bean from its origin to the finished product. Local historians, noting the “dumbing-down” of this generation of tourists, complain that this museum gets more visitors than all of Cologne’s other museums combined. You’ll see displays on the history, culture, and business of chocolate from the Aztecs onward, step into a hot and muggy greenhouse to watch the beans grow, and follow sweet little treats as they trundle down the conveyor belt in the functioning chocolate factory, the museum’s highlight. The top-floor exhibit on chocolate advertising is fun. Some find that the museum takes chocolate too seriously, and wish the free samples weren’t so meager—you’ll have to do your indulging in the fragrant gift shop.

Cost and Hours: €15.50, €17 on weekends; buy timed-entry ticket online in advance in peak season to avoid long lines; daily 10:00-18:00, closed Mon Jan-March and Nov, last entry one hour before closing; Am Schokoladenmuseum 1a, +49 221 931 8880, www.schokoladenmuseum.de. It’s a pleasant 15-minute walk south from the cathedral along the riverfront, between the Deutzer and Severins bridges.

Sleeping in Cologne

Cologne is the convention town in Germany. Consequently, hotels are either jam-packed (rates double or even triple), or they’re empty and hungry for guests. An updated list of convention dates at the city’s main center is posted at www.koelnmesse.de (choose English, then “Dates”). Unlisted smaller conventions, and big conventions in nearby Düsseldorf, can also fill rooms and raise rates in Cologne. Prices are soft outside of convention times, so ask the hotel for its best offer. Note that hotels here charge a 5 percent city tax, which usually isn’t advertised.

All the options listed here are an easy roll with your luggage from the train station. Unless otherwise mentioned, all have elevators.

NEAR THE STATION

€€€ Classic Hotel Harmonie’s 106 business-class rooms include some very small, nicely priced singles as well as luxurious “superior” rooms, which have hardwoods and swanky bathrooms. It’s plenty pricey during conventions but becomes affordable on weekends and is a downright steal when business is slow (more expensive rooms have air-con, limited pay parking, Ursulaplatz 13, +49 221 16570, www.classic-hotel-harmonie.de, info@classic-hotel-harmonie.com). It’s a five-minute walk northwest of the station: Exit by track 1 and walk straight to the roundabout; then go right on Marzellenstrasse and bear left on Ursulaplatz, toward the church.

€€ Hotel Ibis Köln am Dom, a 71-room chain hotel, offers predictability and tidiness, and though it lacks personality, you can’t beat the location—inside the station building (breakfast extra, air-con, Bahnhofsvorplatz, entry across from station’s Reisezentrum, +49 221 912 8580, www.ibis.com, h0739@accor.com).

€€ Hotel Domspitzen is the 30-room sister hotel to the Domstern (listed next). Its convenient location, whimsical wallpapered rooms, and sun terrace with a peek-a-boo view of the cathedral make it a good value (pay parking; from the train station, take the Breslauer Platz exit by track 11 and walk a half-block up Domstrasse to #23; +49 221 998 930, www.hotel-domspitzen.de, info@hotel-domspitzen.de).

€€ Hotel Domstern is a 16-room boutique hotel with fresh, pleasant rooms above a colorful lobby with funky furniture, located in a fine townhouse just steps from the station. The reception and breakfast are six doors away at Hotel Domspitzen, run by the same folks (pay parking; from the train station, take the Breslauer Platz exit by track 11 and walk two blocks up Domstrasse to #26; +49 221 168 0080, www.hotel-domstern.de, info@hotel-domstern.de).

¢ Station Hostel is a five-minute walk from the train station and has a clean and welcoming vibe. Rooms sleep a maximum of six, and there are no bunk beds (private rooms available, restaurant with courtyard seating, no curfew, +49 221 912 5301; exit station on cathedral side, walk along right side of the church one block, turn right on Marzellenstrasse to #44; www.hostel-cologne.de, station@hostel-cologne.de).

NEAR ALTER MARKT

While these hotels are within walking distance of the train station, those wheeling luggage can consider taking U-Bahn line #5 one stop to the Rathaus station (direction: Heumarkt) to cut out most of the cobblestones.

€€€€ Legend Hotel has 20 impressive rooms with luxurious fittings and a fashionable dark color scheme; some rooms have views over the nearby cityscape (family rooms, air-con, Bürgerstrasse 2, +49 221 2228 8777, www.legendhotel.de, info@legendhotel.de).

€€€ Stern am Rathaus has nine stylish rooms on three floors in a quiet location just around the corner from Alter Markt and the City Hall. The staff and breakfast room are equally cheery (family rooms, air-con, no elevator, pay parking; Bürgerstrasse 6, +49 221 2225 1750, www.stern-am-rathaus.com, hotelstern@mailbox.org).

€€€ Hotel Engelbertz is a fine 40-room enterprise. Though the design feels dated, it’s clean, simple, and in a good location a seven-minute walk from the train station (RS%, some rooms with street noise, public pay parking; just off Hohe Strasse at Obenmarspforten 1, +49 221 257 8994, www.hotel-engelbertz.de, engelbertz@novum-hotels.com).

Eating in Cologne

Cologne is the place to satisfy your cravings for blood sausage (Blutwurst) and kidneys (Nierchen)...or, for something a little more mainstream, look for the tasty Rheinischer Sauerbraten with Klössen (dumplings) and applesauce. Pub after pub advertises yard-high beer glasses and yard-long bratwursts. One notable dish is Himmel und Äd (Heaven and Earth), a delightful combination of black pudding, fried onions, mashed potatoes (representing earth), and apple sauce (symbolizing heaven). Another Cologne specialty is Kölsche Kaviar, the city’s version of caviar: blood sausage served with raw onions on rye bread. Halver Hahn is a tasty open-faced sandwich with a thick slice of Dutch cheese served on rye bread with pickles. It’s perfect for a quick bite while exploring the city.

€€ Funkhaus Café-Bar-Restaurant, a stylish and versatile gastronomic hub, offers breakfast and light lunches with a charming 1950s ambiance. Located in the historic former WDR radio building, its terrace has views of the cathedral towers (daily until late, Wallrafplatz 5, +49 221 955 645 424, www.funkhaus-koeln.de).

€€€ Ludwig im Museum, in the lower level of Museum Ludwig, has great views, with a terrace and windows that open onto the Hohenzollern Bridge and the Rhine. It also offers good breakfasts, small meals, and entrees, with vegetarian and vegan options (Tue-Sat until late, Sun until 20:00, closed Mon, Heinrich-Böll-Platz, +49 221 1687 5139, www.ludwig-im-museum.de).

€€€€ Restaurant maiBeck is an excellent choice, known for its approachable gourmet cuisine. Even with its Michelin star, the restaurant maintains fair pricing, blending a dedication to locally sourced ingredients with refined dishes that remain down-to-earth. There’s also an impressive wine menu, and the restaurant sometimes features traditional local dishes. (Tue dinner only, Wed-Sat lunch and dinner, closed Sun-Mon, reservations recommended, Am Frankenturm 5, +49 221 9626 7300, www.maibeck-fuerdich.de).

€ Café Eigel, just off Hohe Strasse near the recommended Hotel Engelbertz, is a good option for Kaffee und Kuchen (afternoon cake and coffee) or for a light lunch (including salads and omelets). In the same location for many years, it’s been remodeled in a fresh, sleek, modern style. Enjoy delicious pastries in the airy atrium, and be sure to pick up some homemade chocolates. Order your Kuchen at the counter first; then find a table, and a server will take the rest of your order (Mon-Sat 9:30-18:30, closed Sun, Brückenstrasse 1, +49 221 257 5858).

Groceries: There’s a smallish REWE at the end of the pedestrian drag (long hours daily except closed Sun, Hohe Strasse 30, enter around the corner on Cäcilienstrasse). Another supermarket is a few doors away in the basement of the Galeria Kaufhof department store (Hohe Strasse 41).

BEER HALLS AND BEER GARDENS

The city’s distinct type of beer, called Kölsch, is pale, hoppy, and fermented in a way more typical of wheat-based beers, lending it a slight sweetness. Beer halls tend to have similar menus but distinguish themselves by which brand of beer they serve (usually Gaffel, Päffgen, Peters, Sion, or Früh). Beers come in delicate glasses (by Bavarian standards) and are shuttled around in small wreath-like trays (Bierkränze). Cologne’s waiters, called Köbes, have a reputation for grumpiness, and some beer halls have a sloppy, sticky-tabled feeling, but others have helpful and attentive service and attractive interiors.

€€€ Gaffel am Dom, near the train station, offers regional dishes, a brewhouse, and a garden terrace. Lively sing-alongs every Friday at 22:30 feature local musician Björn Heuser, who performs in the local dialect (daily until late, Bahnhofsvorplatz 1, +49 221 913 9260).

€€ Früh am Dom, popular with both locals and tourists, offers three floors of traditional German drinking and dining options near the cathedral. Check out a painting of what the city looked like back in 1531 in the adjoining delicatessen (daily until late, Am Hof 12, +49 221 261 3211).

€€ Brauhaus Sion, established in 1318, is the oldest brewery in Cologne and a favorite among locals. Nestled discreetly a couple of blocks from the cathedral in the small alley Unter Taschenmacher, Sion offers traditional German cuisine served in generous portions within a traditional yet contemporary atmosphere (daily until late, Unter Taschenmacher 5, +49 221 257 8540).

€€€ Peters Brauhaus, at the top of Alter Markt, is a reliable eating choice with an unusually nice interior and outdoor seating across the street (Mon-Sat until late, Sun closes earlier, Mühlengasse 1, +49 221 257 3950). You can wander from Alter Markt through Heumarkt (an adjacent square) and down Salzgasse to Frankenwerft (along the river) to catch the flavor of this neighborhood’s beer halls. These are open daily until late: €€€ Bierhaus en d’r Salzgass, convivial, a bit cavernous, and decorated with historical photos of the city, is a classic beer hall where locals have been coming since the 19th century. Today it belongs to Päffgen brewery and serves authentic German dishes (Salzgasse 5, +49 221 800 1900). Päffgen’s nearby €€€ Bierhaus am Rhein has the same menu and is one of many places with great outdoor seating along the Rhine riverfront (Frankenwerft 27, +49 221 800 1902).

€ Hafenterrasse, at the Chocolate Museum, is a cozy beer garden serving beer, soft drinks, coffee, and cake—as well as bratwurst, fries, and Flammkuchen (the German version of white pizza) from the adjacent Matrosengrill. It’s the perfect spot for a sightseeing break (long hours daily, Am Schokoladenmuseum 1a—just before the swing bridge, +49 221 9318 8817).

€€ Schreckenskammer is a down-home joint and might be the least touristy beer hall in central Cologne. It’s located just behind the St. Ursula church, near the recommended Harmonie hotel. The sand on the floor, swept out and replaced each morning, buffs the hardwood and keeps it clean. The kammer is small and cozy, so be prepared to share a table and make new friends over a Kölsch or two. Most meals (choose from the Tageskarte, or daily specials) start with a complimentary cup of Brühe (broth). Don’t mistake this as an act of hospitality—it only makes you thirstier. This eatery is popular, so arrive early or make a reservation (Tue-Thu dinner only, Fri-Sat lunch and dinner, closed Sun-Mon, Ursulagartenstrasse 11, +49 221 132 581, www.schreckenskammer.com).

Music-Focused Beer Halls: €€ Papa Joe’s Klimperkasten is a dark pub packed with music memorabilia—the walls are crammed with photos, there’s a player piano and other vintage gadgets, plus a full menu (Gaffel on tap, occasional live jazz piano, Alter Markt 50, +49 221 258 2132). A couple minutes’ walk away is its rowdier sibling, Papa Joe’s Jazzlokal (live music Tue-Sat from 20:30, no cover, cash only, no food, Buttermarkt 37, +49 221 257 7931, www.papajoes.de for jazz schedule—American jazz and Dixieland have a big following in Germany).

Cologne Connections

On some routes, trains mostly use Cologne’s Köln-Messe-Deutz station—a two-minute trip across the river by S-Bahn from the main station.

From Cologne by Train to: Bonn (3/hour, 30 minutes, or 20 minutes on more expensive trains), Remagen (1/hour direct, 50 minutes or one transfer, 54 minutes), Aachen (2/hour, 52 minutes, or 34 minutes on more expensive trains), Frankfurt (direct ICE trains at least hourly, some from Köln-Messe-Deutz, 1.25 hours; slower, cheaper routes along the Rhine let you enjoy the scenery, 2.5-3.5 hours), Frankfurt Airport (3-5/hour, 55-70 minutes, some leave from Köln-Messe-Deutz, can also take slower trains along Rhine), Bacharach/St. Goar (hourly direct, 2 hours; more with change in Koblenz), Cochem (at least hourly, 2 hours; most change in Koblenz), Trier (at least hourly, 3 hours, most change in Koblenz), Würzburg (hourly direct, 3.5 hours, faster from Köln-Messe-Deutz), Hamburg (hourly direct, 4 hours), Munich (every 2 hours direct, 4.5 hours, more with changes), Berlin (hourly, 4.5 hours), Paris (3-4/day direct, 3.5 hours, Thalys train—requires seat reservation), Amsterdam (8/day direct, 3.5 hours). Train info: www.bahn.com.

The Unromantic Rhine

▲Bonn

Bonn was chosen for its sleepy, cultured, and peaceful nature as a good place to plant West Germany’s first post-Hitler government. When the two Germanys became one again in 1989, Berlin took back its position as the capital.

Today, Bonn is sleek, modern, and by big-city standards, remarkably pleasant and easygoing. The pedestrian-only old town stretching out from the station will make you wonder why the US can’t restrict urban-center traffic for more people-friendly cities. The market square and Münsterplatz—filled with street musicians—are a joy. People-watching doesn’t get much better, though the actual sights are disappointing.

The TI is a five-minute walk from the station (Mon-Fri 10:00-18:00, shorter hours Sat-Sun, Windeckstrasse 1, +49 228 775 000, www.bonn.de).

If you’re a classical-music fan, you can stop by Beethoven’s birthplace, the Beethoven-Haus (www.beethoven.de).

▲Remagen

Midway between Koblenz and Cologne are the scant remains of the Bridge at Remagen, of WWII (and movie) fame. But the memorial and the stubby bridge towers are enough to stir the emotions of Americans who recall when, in March 1945, it was the only bridge still standing on the Rhine, allowing the Allies to pour across the river and race toward Berlin. Officially named the Ludendorff Bridge, it was built during World War I to help supply German forces on the Western Front. (Ironically, one war later, General Eisenhower said the bridge was worth its weight in gold for its service against Germany.) An American Army unit captured the bridge on March 7, 1945, just after two failed German attempts to demolish it (Hitler executed four generals for this failure). Ten days after US forces arrived, the bridge did collapse, killing 28 American soldiers. Today you can pay your respects here and visit the Peace Museum, which tells the bridge’s fascinating story (www.bruecke-remagen.de). Remagen TI: Josefstrasse 1, +49 2642 20187.

▲Aachen (Charlemagne’s Capital)

This city was the capital of Europe in AD 800, when Charlemagne called it Aix-la-Chapelle. The remains of his rule include an impressive Byzantine- and Ravenna-inspired church, with his sarcophagus and throne. Enjoy the town’s charming historic pedestrian center and festive Christmas market. See the headliner newspaper museum and great fountains, including a clever arrange-’em-yourself version.

NÜRNBERG

PLANNING YOUR TIME

Orientation to Nürnberg

TOURIST INFORMATION

ARRIVAL IN NÜRNBERG

GETTING AROUND NÜRNBERG

HELPFUL HINTS

Tours in Nürnberg

Map: Nürnberg

Nürnberg Old Town Walk

More Sights in Nürnberg

IN AND NEAR THE OLD TOWN

NAZI SITES

Map: Nazi Documentation Center & Rally Grounds

Sleeping in Nürnberg

NEAR THE KÖNIGSTOR

Map: Central Nürnberg Hotels

CLOSER TO THE CASTLE

JUST BEYOND THE CITY WALLS

HOSTELS

Eating in Nürnberg

SOUTH OF THE RIVER, NEAR THE STATION

Map: Central Nürnberg Restaurants

ALONG AND NEAR THE RIVER

NORTH OF THE RIVER, NEAR THE CASTLE

Nürnberg Connections

Nürnberg (“Nuremberg” in English), Bavaria’s second city, is known for its glorious medieval architecture, important Germanic history museum, haunting Nazi past, famous Christmas market (Germany’s biggest), and little bratwurst (Germany’s tiniest and perhaps most beloved).

Nürnberg (NEWRN-behrg) was one of Europe’s leading cities around 1500. Designated a “free imperial city,” it was answerable in those days only to the Holy Roman Emperor, and its large Imperial Castle marked it as one of his strongholds. Today, though Nürnberg has a half-million residents, the charming Old Town—with its red-sandstone Gothic buildings—makes visitors feel like they are in a far smaller city. Thanks to enlightened city-planning, the town was rebuilt in a people-friendly style after World War II, and lots of residents choose to live in the center, keeping Nürnberg’s downtown lively and inviting day and night.

PLANNING YOUR TIME

Nürnberg is an easy add-on to any itinerary that includes Munich, Würzburg, or Rothenburg (each about an hour away by frequent trains), and a handy stop on the way to Frankfurt, Berlin, or Dresden. Keep in mind that nearly all its museums (except those relating to World War II) are closed on Monday.

For the sightseer, Nürnberg is a city of the First Reich (Holy Roman Empire sites in the Old Town) and the Third Reich (Nazi-period sites outside the town center).

If you’re staying just one night (or day-tripping), follow my self-guided walk from the train station through the Old Town up to the castle, then visit the farther-flung Nazi sites. If you have two days (most worthwhile if you have a serious interest in German history, especially the Nazi years), spend one day at the Nazi Documentation Center and the nearby Rally Grounds, and the other in the Old Town, with time for the outstanding Germanic National Museum and/or the enjoyable DB Railway Museum.

Orientation to Nürnberg

Nürnberg’s Old Town is surrounded by a three-mile-long wall and moat, with a ring road beyond that. At the southeast corner of the ring is the train station; across the street, just inside the ring, is the medieval Königstor gate. Sights cluster along Königstrasse downhill from the Königstor to the small Pegnitz River, then back uphill through the main market square (Hauptmarkt) to the Imperial Castle (Kaiserburg). The former Nazi Rally Grounds are southeast of the center (easily reached by tram or bus).

TOURIST INFORMATION

Nürnberg’s handy and helpful main TI is on the Hauptmarkt (daily 9:30-17:00, Hauptmarkt 18, +49 911 23360, www.tourismus.nuernberg.de). A second TI is nestled inside the Craftsmen’s Courtyard, just inside the city walls near the train station (daily 10:00-15:30). At either location, pick up the free See and Enjoy city-guide booklet (with updated sights, hours, and prices) and get information about bus and walking tours. The TI also sells transit passes and the Nürnberg Card.

Sightseeing Passes: When you buy a ticket at any of Nürnberg’s city-run museums—including the Nazi Documentation Center, Nürnberg Trials Courtroom, Albrecht Dürer House, Toy Museum, and the City Museum—you can pay an additional €3 for a day ticket that lets you visit all the others free of charge on the same day (https://museums.nuernberg.de).

If you’re staying two days, the Nürnberg Card is a good value and gets you into a wider range of sights (€33/48 hours, sold at TI and most hotels, covers local public transit and admission to the Germanic National Museum, Imperial Castle, DB Railway Museum, Nazi Documentation Center, Albrecht Dürer House, and others, plus a discount for the Historic Art Bunker tours; www.tourismus.nuernberg.de).

ARRIVAL IN NÜRNBERG

By Train: Nürnberg’s stately old Hauptbahnhof—with a contemporary interior—is conveniently located just outside the old city walls and ring road. The busy station has WCs, lockers, ATMs, and lots of shops. You can get train information and buy tickets at the travel desk (Reisezentrum) in the main hall (long hours daily) or at handy Fahrkarten machines throughout the station.

To reach the Königstor (King’s Gate; the medieval city’s southern gate)—near many recommended hotels and the starting point for exploring the Old Town—follow signs for Ausgang/City down the escalator, then signs to Altstadt in the underpass. When you emerge, the Königstorturm (King’s Gate Tower) is on your left.

To go directly from the station by tram to the Nazi Documentation Center and the former Nazi Rally Grounds, follow pink Tram signs in the underpass and head up the stairs or escalators to find the tram stop between the train station and the Grand-Hotel Meridien. Get your ticket from the red vending machine (marked Fahrausweise, near the stairwell for the U-Bahn) and catch tram #8 (see “Getting to the Nazi Documentation Center and Rally Grounds” on here and “Getting Around Nürnberg,” next).

By Long-Distance Bus: Long-distance buses arrive at the central bus terminal (ZOB) at Bahnhofstrasse 11, just east of the train station and a five-minute walk from the Königstor.

By Car: A handful of public garages are located within the city walls (most around €20/day and well signed); cheaper on-street parking is available in the neighborhoods that lie a 5-to-10-minute walk from the city walls.

By Plane: Nürnberg’s small airport is just 3 miles north of the city center (code: NUE, www.airport-nuernberg.de). The U-Bahn subway line #2 makes the 12-minute trip to the central train station every 10 minutes (€3.70). A taxi between the airport and the center costs around €25.

GETTING AROUND NÜRNBERG

Most of Nürnberg’s sights are in the strollable Old Town, but you’ll need to use public transit to reach the Nazi Rally Grounds and the Nürnberg Trials Courtroom. Nürnberg has the typical German lineup of trams, buses, U-Bahns (subways), and S-Bahns (faster suburban trains). All use the same tickets, which you can buy at vending machines (marked Fahrausweise) or from bus drivers. Everything in this chapter is within Zone (Preisstufe) A.

A single ticket (Einzelfahrkarte, €3.70) is good for 1.5 hours of travel in one direction, including transfers. The four-trip ticket (4er-Ticket; €13) has the same restrictions and is shareable; stamp one strip per person per trip. The short-stretch ticket (Kurzstreckefahrkarte, €2, or €6.70 for a 4-pack) is a cheaper option for a trip no more than three stops away. The day ticket (TagesTicket Solo, €9.70) is good for one calendar day (or both Sat and Sun; a €14.30 TagesTicket Plus covers two adults and up to four children; day tickets also sold at TI). Vending machines time-stamp single and day tickets, so you don’t need to validate them separately. For more information, see www.vgn.de.

HELPFUL HINTS

Festivals: Two city fairs happen every spring and fall (www.volksfest-nuernberg.de); in summer, music festivals cover the spectrum from classical to rock. The annual Christmas market (Christkindlesmarkt), with more than two million annual visitors, engulfs the Hauptmarkt (starts the Fri before the first Sun in Advent, www.christkindlesmarkt.de). For more Nürnberg festivals, see RickSteves.com/festivals.

Laundry: A Schnell & Sauber self-service launderette is about a mile south of the train station at Allersberger Strasse 89 (long hours daily, near Schweiggerstrasse stop for tram #8, two stops from train station in same direction as Nazi Documentation Center; from tram stop, head 200 yards away from downtown along Allersberger Strasse to find launderette on left).

Tours in Nürnberg

Walking Tours

English-language tours of Nürnberg’s Old Town leave Fri-Mon at 14:00 in peak season from the TI (€15, kids under 9 free, 1.5 hours, buy ticket from TI or online, www.nuernberg-tours.de). Several similar tours, advertised as free but with a hefty tip expected, run daily; for schedules try HalloNuremberg.com [URL inactive] or NurembergFreeTour.com.

Underground Tours

Several walking tours explore intriguing underground Nürnberg. Tickets for these tours can be purchased online (www.unterwelten-nuernberg.de), at a pay machine at Obere Schmiedgasse 52 (where tours begin, just off Tiergärtnertorplatz), at the shop in the Albrecht Dürer House, or at the TI. It’s worth reserving in advance during high season.

Art Bunker: The “Historic Art Bunker” tour takes you deep into the (now largely empty) sandstone cellars under Castle Hill to learn how the city protected its art treasures—plus some plundered from elsewhere in Europe—from WWII bombings. You’ll get some background on the pieces that were kept here and hear a lot about the air raids and the citywide rebuilding process that followed (€11, daily in English at 13:15 and 17:15, one hour).

Castle Defenses: The cellars themselves are the focus of the “Tunnels and Secret Passages” tour, which takes you through more than a half-acre of passageways burrowed right under the city streets. Originally dug in the Middle Ages to store beer, these cellars sheltered people, not art, during the WWII air raids (€11, daily in English at 11:15 and 15:15; one hour).

Bus Tours

Nürnberg has a standard hop-on, hop-off bus tour with canned commentary in English. The main departure point is by the glassy “cultural information center” across from the train station by the Königstor. Stops include the town center and the Nazi Documentation Center and Rally Grounds (€17.50, buy ticket on bus or book online, generally runs hourly May-Oct and Dec, fewer departures off-season, none in Jan, 2 hours, +49 9107 997 979, www.nuernberg-stadtrundfahrt.de).

Tourist Train

A goofy little tourist train makes the rounds in the Old Town (€10, 40 minutes, audio narration; leaves from Hauptmarkt near the Beautiful Fountain about hourly 10:15-16:15 in May-Oct, shorter hours off-season; also runs daily during the Christmas market from the Old Granary; www.city-tour.info).

Local Guides

For a good and charming local guide who covers Nürnberg and Bamberg, call Doris Ritter (€250/2.5 hours, +49 176 2421 5863, www.nuernberg-city-tours.de, info@nuernberg-city-tours.de). The Geschichte für Alle (“History for All”) association can set you up with a private guide who is enthusiastic about the town’s history (reserve via email, +49 911 307 360, www.geschichte-fuer-alle.de, info@geschichte-fuer-alle.de). Guides can also be booked through the TI (+49 911 233 6123, fuehrung@ctz-nuernberg.de).

Nürnberg Old Town Walk

1 Königstor (King’s Gate) and the Königstorturm (King’s Gate Tower)

2 Craftsmen’s Courtyard (Handwerkerhof)

3 Königstrasse

4 Monument to German WWII Refugees

5 Old Granary (Mauthalle)

6 St. Lawrence Church (Lorenzkirche)

7 Tower House and Fountain

8 Holy Ghost Hospital (Heilig-Geist-Spital)

9 Hauptmarkt (Main Market Square)

10 City Museum (Stadtmuseum Fembohaus)

11 Imperial Castle (Kaiserburg)

12 Tiergärtnertorplatz

13 Historic Art Bunker

14 Albrecht Dürer House

15 Weissgerbergasse

16 Kettensteg (Chain Bridge)

Many of Nürnberg’s top sights are conveniently clustered along a straight-line thoroughfare connecting the train station (Hauptbahnhof) with the main market square (Hauptmarkt) and the Imperial Castle (Kaiserburg). For a good orientation, take the following self-guided stroll, worth ▲▲. Plan on an hour, not including stops. Use the “Nürnberg” map, earlier, to trace this route.

• Begin at the Königstor (where you emerge from the Hauptbahnhof underpass).

1 Königstor (King’s Gate) and the Königstorturm (King’s Gate Tower)

A tower (turm) guards one of the four main medieval entrances (tor means door, gate, or portal) to Nürnberg’s Old Town. Of the three miles of wall that once surrounded the city, 90 percent survives. The sandstone was quarried locally, and you can still see the little dimples made by the construction tongs as they hoisted the stones into place. Many Central European cities tore down their walls to make way for expansion in the 1800s, and Nürnberg nearly did the same. Now the city is glad it didn’t—it’s better for tourism.

• Between the walls just next to the gate, you’ll see the entrance to the...

2 Craftsmen’s Courtyard (Handwerkerhof)

This hokey collection of half-timbered houses was built in 1971 to celebrate craftsmanship and to honor the 500th birthday of Nürnberg’s favorite son, Albrecht Dürer. Nürnberg didn’t have abundant natural resources or a navigable waterway, so its citizens made their living through trade and crafts such as making scientific instruments, weapons, and armor. Dürer, arguably Germany’s most renowned painter, was considered the ultimate craftsman.

While a bit kitschy, this courtyard—originally a holding zone for carriages waiting to enter the city—is good for picking up a medieval vibe as you enter the Old Town. It’s packed with replicas of medieval shops, where present-day artisans make and sell leather, pottery, and brass goods. In the Middle Ages, this area between the walls was not a medieval mall but a Passkontrolle—a customs and security checkpoint zone where all visitors had to register before they could enter the town.

At the back of the courtyard, step through the old gate and out onto a bridge over what was once the moat. This was one of four major entries into the medieval town. From the bridge, admire the double eagle over the entry—a reminder to all who approached that this was a free city, subject only to the authority of the Holy Roman Emperor. Look over at the mighty, round Königstorturm. It was originally square, but as the firepower of cannon balls increased, the tower was reinforced with a round casing. Imagine cannons lined up under the eaves of the tower, set to defend the city.

• Back inside the courtyard, find the mini TI and pick up a free city map. When you’re finished poking around, head into town (with the train station at your back) along...

3 Königstrasse

Though it had always been one of the four primary entrances to Nürnberg, this street became the city’s principal thoroughfare only after the train station was built in the early 20th century. It’s lined with key sights, several recommended hotels and restaurants, and some wonderful Gothic and Neo-Gothic architecture.

Nürnberg hit its peak in the 14th century. In 1356 Emperor Charles IV issued a decree from Nürnberg called the Golden Bull, which regularized many aspects of imperial government. From then on, throughout the Middle Ages, German emperors were supposed to be elected in Frankfurt, crowned in Aachen, and hold their first Imperial Diet (a gathering of German nobles and VIPs) right here in Nürnberg, though not all bothered to follow through on those stipulations.

Nürnberg’s low point came during World War II. By the end of the war, 90 percent of the Old Town was destroyed. Damaged buildings were repaired in the original Gothic style, but some structures were beyond repair. Instead of replicating these exactly as they had been, or replacing them with modern-style buildings, postwar Nürnberg architects compromised. Look 50 yards down the street to the building on the right with the City-Büros sign (at #71). This is a good example of the hybrid “traditional modern” style adopted after the war, when the city was rebuilt in a modern aesthetic but with deference to its medieval footprint and traditional materials, such as native sandstone. The blemishes on the older sandstone buildings all around are patched bullet scars from 1945.

Ahead, on the left, is the small Clara Church (Klarakirche). Step inside—first into a candlelit spiritual decompression chamber, and then into the modern and peaceful nave. The rear door leads to the old cloister area—a tranquil oasis and another good example of how the city rebuilt with respect for its history. In the Middle Ages, Nürnberg had nine monasteries like this one. When the Reformation hit, Nürnberg turned Lutheran, and most of its monasteries were converted into practical municipal buildings such as hospitals and homes for the poor. As the monasteries fell, so did Nürnberg’s importance: The city was now Lutheran, but the emperors were still Catholic. They moved the increasingly frequent Imperial Diet meetings—once Nürnberg’s claim to fame—to more Catholic-friendly Regensburg. (Today, this church is an “ecumenical free church”—meaning it’s neither Lutheran nor Catholic and welcomes worshippers of all stripes.)

Just after the church, above the recommended Bosporus Restaurant, look for Mary on the second-story corner. Statues like this grace houses all over Nürnberg.

• Continue down Königstrasse to Hallplatz, where the pedestrian stretch begins, and stop at the modern metal arch on the left. This is the...

4 Monument to German WWII Refugees

This minimalist metal doorway, erected in 1999, remembers the German refugees of World War II and the hospitality of the Bavarians who took them in. Walk through the doorway and find a metal plaque in the pavement 30 steps beyond. It lists regions to the east once populated by Germans. In the years after the war, nearly a third of Bavaria’s population was made up of German citizens who had fled west—or who’d been expelled from lands lost in the east. As each new generation of Germans comes into its own, memorials like this reflect a delicate challenge: to remember those who suffered in the war without forgetting that Germany was the aggressor.

• With the monument at your back, it’s a 200-yard detour from here to the excellent Germanic National Museum (for visit details, see “More Sights in Nürnberg,” later). Otherwise, return to Königstrasse and look left to check out the...

5 Old Granary (Mauthalle)

Eleven huge granaries like this one ensured that medieval Nürnberg’s residents would have enough food in case of famine or siege. The grain was stored up above in the attic (behind all those little dormer windows, which provided ventilation). Imagine the wealth and resources this imperial town must have had to erect such a massive structure. Today, the granary’s cellar is home to the lively Mautkeller beer hall. There are better places to eat in town, but pop in for a look or a drink.

Continue down pedestrian-only Königstrasse. Check out the Brezen Kolb stand, which sells pretzels local-style: sandwiches with butter and cold cuts (but never mustard). The town center has been traffic-free since the 1970s, when the U-Bahn first opened here. Feel the energy of this healthy urban area and enjoy its quiet, people-friendly ambience.

• After another two blocks, on the right, you’ll see...

6 St. Lawrence Church (Lorenzkirche)

This once-Catholic, now-Protestant church is a massive house of worship, worth ▲▲. It was never a cathedral because Nürnberg never had a bishop (a fact locals were very proud of—a bishop would have threatened their prized independence). The name Königstrasse (King Street)—where you’ve been walking—is a misnomer. When royals came to town, they actually preferred to enter through the west gate, so they could approach this church’s magnificent Gothic facade head-on.

Cost and Hours: €2 donation requested, Mon-Sat 9:00-17:30, Sun 12:00-15:30, www.lorenzkirche.de.

Self-Guided Tour: Stand in front of St. Lawrence’s west portal, its main door. Flip around and imagine the Holy Roman Emperor parading—right past Starbucks up the street—toward this tremendous Oz-like church.

Study the 260-foot-tall facade (completed c. 1360). Adam and Eve flank the doors (looking for a sweater). Above the left door are two scenes: an intimate take on Jesus’ birth above, and below that, the visit from the Magi (with the Star of Bethlehem shining from above). Over the right door are the slaughter of the innocents (with a baby gruesomely skewered by a Roman sword), the presentation of Jesus in the temple, and the flight into Egypt. Above those scenes is the Passion story (from left to right: trial, scourging, carrying the cross, Crucifixion, deposition, entombment, Resurrection, and, above that row, people rising from their graves). In the next row up, the saved (Peter, with his huge key, and company) stand on the left, while on the right, the sorry chain gang of the damned (including some kings and bishops) is shuttled off into the jaws of hell. Above all stands the triumphant resurrected Christ, with the sun and moon at his feet, flanked by angels tooting horns to announce Judgment Day.

• Step inside (enter around right side).

The interior wasn’t completely furnished until more than a century after the church was built—just in time for the Reformation (so the Catholic decor adorned a now-Lutheran church). Most of the decorations inside were donated by wealthy Nürnbergers trying to cut down on their time in purgatory. Through the centuries, this art survived three separate threats: the iconoclasm of the Reformation, the whitewashing of the Baroque age, and the bombing of World War II. While Nürnberg was the first free imperial city to break with the Catholic Church and become Lutheran, locals didn’t go wild (like Swiss Protestants did) in tearing down the rich, Mary-oriented decor of their fine churches. Luther (who, despite some flaws, was still very cool for his time) told the iconoclasts, “Tear the idols out of your heart, and you’ll understand that these statues are only pieces of wood.”

Suspended above the altar, the sculptural Annunciation is by Veit Stoss, a Nürnberg citizen and one of Central Europe’s best woodcarvers. Carved from linden wood in 1517, the piece shows the angel Gabriel telling Mary that she’ll be giving birth to the son of God. Startled, she drops her prayer book. This is quite Catholic (notice the rosary frame with beads, and a circle of roses—one for each Hail Mary, and with a medallion depicting the “Joys of Mary”). A dove sits on Mary’s head, and God the Father—looking as powerful as a Holy Roman Emperor—looks down. The piece made it through the Reformation covered in a sack, revealed only on special occasions. Around back, enjoy more details—Mary’s cascading hair and the sun and the moon. Nearby, behind the altar, a painting shows Mary and Baby Jesus sitting with the city of Nürnberg in 1483 in the background (before the city’s square towers were made round).

From behind the Annunciation, find the frilly tabernacle tower on the right. This “house of sacraments” stored consecrated Communion wafers. After Mass, leftovers needed a worthy—even heavenly—home, and this was it. The cupboard behind the gold grate was the appropriate receptacle for what Catholics considered literally the body of Christ.

The tabernacle is surrounded and surmounted by fantastical carved stone that rises to the ceiling. Its theme is the Passion, whose scenes ascend in chronological order: Last Supper, Judas’ kiss, arrest, Crucifixion, and so on. Everything is stone—except for the risen Christ (way up high). He was living, so he was carved from wood.

Back on the ground, the man holding the tabernacle on his shoulders is the artist who created it, Adam Kraft (with his curly black beard, chisel in hand). In the Middle Ages, artists were faceless artisans, no more important than a blacksmith or a stonemason. But in the 1490s, when this was made, the Renaissance was in the air, and artists like Kraft began putting themselves into their works. Kraft’s contemporary, the painter Albrecht Dürer, actually signed his works—an incredible act in Germany at that time (for more on Dürer, see the “Albrecht Dürer House,” later on this walk). In anticipation of WWII Allied bombs, this precious work was encased in protective concrete, except for the top 22 feet—which was the only part destroyed when the church was hit.

Look slightly above and to the left of Kraft’s likeness to find the church’s namesake—St. Lawrence—cradling the grill on which he was barbequed alive (as punishment for distributing treasures to the poor instead of handing them over to a greedy Roman official). Legend says the martyr’s last brave words to the Romans were, “I’m done on this side. Turn me over!”

Following Adam Kraft’s gaze, turn around and look up to a plaque honoring American philanthropists Samuel and Rush Kress, brothers who donated nearly a million deutsch marks in 1950 to help rebuild the church. The bottom half of the plaque is in English, but it’s hard to read, as it’s written in an old-style black-letter font. Though the church was devastated by WWII bombs, everything movable, including the stained glass you see today, was hidden away in bunkers beneath Nürnberg (which can be visited; see “Tours in Nürnberg,” earlier).

• Wander slowly to the rear of the church.

As you walk, notice the various side chapels tucked under the windows, each a private chapel for a leading Nürnberg family. Also note the wooden booths with finely carved symbols representing various trades and craft guilds. After Mass, these were manned by a leading master of that trade who shamed parishioners into donating to needy widows and others in his organization. In a society without government-organized welfare, this was a way to cope.

At the rear of the church are photos of WWII destruction and postwar reconstruction.

• Head back outside.

7 Tower House and Fountain

As you exit the church, look for the castle-like building on the corner across from the main church facade. This is the only remaining tower house in Nürnberg. When it was built, in 1200, the city wall wasn’t yet all that substantial, and locals had to defend their own homes. It’s basically a one-family castle. The ornate Gothic bay window (an oriel) protruding halfway up the wall is a reminder that while rich families could afford their own chapel, not even the very wealthy could live above God. Their personal chapels had to be “outside” the house. The house also sports two sundials. They show only daylight hours, but they’re still accurate (as long as you adjust for Daylight Saving Time).

Before continuing along Königstrasse toward the river, find the bronze Fountain of the Seven Virtues (Tugendbrunnen) near the corner of St. Lawrence Church. Circle the sprightly 16th-century fountain and identify the classic virtues by their symbolism: Justice (on top, with blindfolded eyes), Faith (cross), Love (two children), Hope (anchor), Courage (lion), Moderation (pitcher), Patience (lamb). Are any birds sipping? Notice that, aside from faith’s cross, there’s no religious symbolism here. This fountain was made during the Renaissance, when artists celebrated humanism and secular values.

• Continue down the street toward the river. On your left, you’ll pass Kaiserstrasse—the most expensive shopping street in town (with a little shop filled with insanely pricey Steiff teddy bears). When you get to the bridge, look to the right to see the...

8 Holy Ghost Hospital (Heilig-Geist-Spital)

This river-spanning hospital was donated to Nürnberg in the 14th century by the city’s richest resident, Konrad Gross, eager to do his part to help the poor—and hopefully skip purgatory altogether. (A modern statue of the donor hangs from the second-story corner of the Spital Apotheke, the first building after the bridge.) Gross funded this very scenic hospital to care for ill, disabled, and elderly Nürnbergers. The wing over the river dates from the 16th century. The dove beneath the middle window under the turret represents the Holy Ghost, the hospital’s namesake.

Cross to the other side of the bridge, and look at the next bridge over (to your left; the Fleischbrücke—“Meat Bridge”). This is the narrowest point of the river. When it was built in 1596, this was considered the most high-tech bridge in Central Europe, spanning the river in a single arch, with no central pillar. This engineering feat was inspired by Venice’s single-span Rialto Bridge (though with a much flatter profile to accommodate carriage traffic, which Venice, of course, didn’t have).

There’s a handy lunch spot in the arcade between the two bridges (including the recommended Minchbar; see “Eating in Nürnberg,” later). The arrival of a big Starbucks, just beyond the Meat Bridge, is credited with cleaning up what had been a dodgy part of the riverbank. (In this land of cake and coffee, the Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks chains—wildly popular among younger Germans—are shaking up tradition.)

Continue across the bridge and study the monument depicting characters from the 15th-century satire The Ship of Fools (Das Narrenschiff). It’s been adapted to the follies that plague modern society: violence, technology, and apathy. Walk all the way around to see it from every angle and imagine this in a town square back home.

• Continue ahead another 50 yards and enter the...

9 Hauptmarkt (Main Market Square)

When Nürnberg began booming in the 13th century, it consisted of two distinct walled towns separated by the river. As the towns grew, they merged and the middle wall came down. This square, built by Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV and worth ▲▲, became the center of the newly united city. Though Charles is more often associated with Prague (he’s the namesake for that city’s Charles Bridge and Charles University), he also loved Nürnberg—and visited 60 times during his reign.

The Gothic-style Frauenkirche on the square is located on the site of a former synagogue. When Nürnberg’s towns were separate, Jewish residents were required to live in this swampy area close to the river and outside the walls. When the towns merged, the land occupied by the synagogue and Jewish quarter became desirable as a site for the Frauenkirche. Charles IV allowed his subjects to force out the Jews in an ugly pogrom that resulted in hundreds of deaths. (Inside the church, there’s a Star of David on the floor, behind the main altar. Behind it, just below the medieval altarpiece, is a golden tabernacle that’s reminiscent of a Torah scroll.)

Charles IV himself oversees the square from a perch high on the church facade. He’s waiting for noon, when the electors dance around him.

Year-round, the Hauptmarkt is lively every day but Sunday with fruit, flower, and souvenir stands. For a few weeks before Christmas, it hosts Germany’s largest Christmas market. You’ll also find the TI here.

While there are plenty of grilled sausage vendors on the square during market times, connoisseurs will want to take a short detour: Head a block down Tuchgasse (the street leading off the square opposite the church, to the left of the building signed Korn & Berg) to find the recommended Brot Schwarz delicatessen. This is paradise for lovers of sausage and dark bread (that is, Nürnbergers). Step in and inhale. This old-school place, open since 1923 and still family-run, selects the best wursts and breads from producers in the surrounding countryside and brings the bounty into the city to make the German sandwich of your dreams. When Franconians travel, what they miss most is their homeland’s dark bread and high-quality sausages.

Back on the square, walk up close to the pointy gold Beautiful Fountain (Schöner Brunnen). Medieval tanneries, slaughterhouses, and the hospital you just saw dumped their by-products into the river. So this fountain brought clean drinking water from a deep aquifer into the square. The three-tiered fountain, shaped like a Gothic spire, is packed with allegorical meaning. Step up to the iron railing. The outermost figures ringing the bottom represent the earthly arts (such as philosophy, music, and astronomy). On the pillars sitting behind each of these characters are the four church fathers and the Four Evangelists, showing that religion is higher than the arts. On the column itself, the lowest figures are the seven electors of the Holy Roman Emperor and nine heroes: three Christian (including King Arthur and Charlemagne), three Jewish (such as King David), and three heathen (such as Julius Caesar). At the very top are eight prophets, hovering above—but granting legitimacy to—worldly power. On the side of the fountain facing the Norma+Rodi grocery, you’ll probably see tourists fussing over a gold ring. If you believe in such silly tour-guide tales, spinning this ring three times brings good luck...OK, go ahead and spin it.

Note that bus #36, which goes directly to the Nazi Documentation Center, departs from a stop in front of the recommended Sorat Hotel Saxx. And look up to the turret across the street to find what has to be the world’s happiest sundial.

• Now climb uphill, heading for the Imperial Castle. After a block, you’ll pass the Bratwursthäusle (on the left), a recommended sausage restaurant. Step inside to grab three sausages in a bun.

Hiking farther uphill, you’ll pass St. Sebald (Sebaldkirche), Nürnberg’s second great Gothic church. The imposing Renaissance building on your right is Nürnberg’s Town Hall (Rathaus), which was partially designed and decorated by Albrecht Dürer. About 100 yards farther up the hill, on the left, you’ll see the...

10 City Museum (Stadtmuseum Fembohaus)

This museum—with a mix of engaging exhibits and easily skipped displays—fills a former Dutch merchant’s house dating from the late-Renaissance era.

Cost and Hours: €7.50, Tue-Fri 10:00-17:00, Sat-Sun until 18:00, closed Mon, free QR audioguide, Burgstrasse 15, +49 911 231 2595, https://museums.nuernberg.de/city-museum-fembo-house.

Visiting the Museum: Start with the exhibition hall on the ground floor (through the courtyard), where a display centers on replicas of the imperial crown jewels while giving a dense synopsis of Nürnberg’s eventful history. Then ride the elevator up to the top floor for an overview of another kind—a town model made in the Nazi era (note the little stainless-steel synagogue, added recently to indicate the building destroyed by the Nazis while the model was underway). Augmented-reality stations show the real-life scene outside the window overlaid with vignettes from 1810, 1909, and 1936. Other displays highlight milestones in the city’s early history.

On the next floor down, you can see two more town models (one dating back to the 1500s) and well-done exhibits lending insight into medieval Nürnberg’s privileged status as an imperial city and important center for trade, craftsmanship, and art.

At the far end of the second floor, which focuses on events of the 1600s, is the thought-provoking painting The Peace Banquet of 1649, which documents the pan-European negotiations that took place in Nürnberg the year after the Thirty Years’ War finally ended. Listen to an emotional nine-minute account of the peace conference—the fictional narrator is the man wearing a blue cape in the painting on the opposite wall. Many of the people of his era had only known hunger, sickness, misery, and war. This historic meeting of political and diplomatic minds in Nürnberg was a sign of hope.

Throughout all but the top floor of the museum you’ll see some historical woodwork and decor, much of it installed here from other fancy Renaissance-era homes. The impressively detailed Baroque ceiling you’ll see upon arriving on the second floor, however, is original to this house.

On the first floor, check out the maps drawn here when cartographer Johann Baptist Homann turned this merchant home into a publishing house. His heirs continued the family business for 150 years, publishing more than 3 million maps. In what had been the home’s music room, you can use a virtual-reality headset to explore the Hauptmarkt as it was in 1910, as well as a digital reconstruction of the city’s main synagogue. A neighboring room has photographs of pre- and postwar Nürnberg that are worth a quick peek.

• Now hike the rest of the way up to the Imperial Castle. The cobbled path forks at the castle’s base. The right fork leads to the youth hostel. The left fork leads to the courtyard (with its big, round tower) of the...

11 Imperial Castle (Kaiserburg)

In the Middle Ages, Holy Roman Emperors stayed here when they were in town, and their imperial regalia, including the imperial cross, imperial sword, and crown, were stored here from 1424 until 1796. While this huge complex (worth ▲) has 45 buildings, only a few are open to the public. The part on the right, which housed the stables and stockpiles of grain, is now a youth hostel.

Cost and Hours: €7 for castle only (Ticket 2), €4 for Deep Well and Sinwell Tower (Ticket 3), €9 combo-ticket (Ticket 1); daily 9:00-18:00, Oct-March 10:00-16:00, last entry one hour before closing; €2 audioguide is useful (some rooms have no English text), café near ticket desk, +49 911 244 6590, www.kaiserburg-nuernberg.de.

Visiting the Castle: From the ticket office, cross the interior courtyard to the museum entrance. For a no-way-to-get-lost, one-way route, just follow the Rundgang signs. If you don’t see a sign, give the closest door a nudge; it’ll likely lead to the next room.

The Lower Hall is empty of furniture because, in the 12th century, the imperial court was mobile. Royal roadies would arrive and set things up before the emperor got there. If you happen to be here at :20 or :40 past the hour, you can watch a cutesy toy parade of the emperor and his entourage complete with an elephant, several feet above eye level. Through the door at the end of the hall, find the Romanesque church—one of the few buildings not destroyed during World War II. It has a triple-decker design: lower nobility on the lower floor, upper nobility above that, and the emperor worshipping from the topmost balcony.

The Upper Hall (also called the Imperial Hall) is most interesting, with interactive screens and artifacts that show what the heck the Holy Roman Empire actually was. Then comes a series of creaky-floored former living quarters, with painted ceilings (many dismantled and stored in bunkers during the war—they’re that precious), and a copy of the imperial crown (the original is in Vienna). The final exhibit is on old weapons.

After leaving the main exhibit area you can visit a few more parts of the castle; the most interesting are the castle well and gardens (separate or combo-ticket required for Deep Well and Sinwell Tower).

The Deep Well is indeed deep—165 feet (that’s more than half a football field). Visits are simple, fun, and only possible with a guide (tours at least hourly in German; ask about English). You’ll see water poured way, waaay down—into an incredible hole dug in the 14th century. Then the guide lowers down small candles until they almost disappear into the water table. Video monitors track its progress. A climb up the Sinwell Tower offers only a higher city view and lots of exercise—113 steps.

When you’re finished, walk out around the round tower to enjoy a commanding city view from the rampart just behind it. Then exit the complex the way you came in; at the small Burgwächter restaurant, go right down two short sets of stairs to the street signed Am Ölberg. Follow it slightly uphill, then keep right at the fork, which leads to the fine castle garden (Burggarten). Wrapped around the back of the castle, the garden offers great views of the town’s 16th-century fortifications and former moat.

• Head back out the way you came. Take the stairs immediately to your right, just outside the garden, and follow the switchback downhill. On the right and directly below you, about a block away, is a lively cobbled square called...

12 Tiergärtnertorplatz

Near the top of the square, inspect the giant rabbit. While it looks like roadkill with mice gnawing at it, it’s actually a modern interpretation of The Hare, one of the best-known paintings by medieval Nürnberg artist Albrecht Dürer. This square is Nürnberg’s de facto living room throughout the day and kicks into high gear on good-weather evenings. When the nearby restaurant and café tables are full, people find plenty of space to sit and mingle on the ground. At the bottom of the square, Der Senfladen (The Mustard Store) sells really good mustard, which they’ll happily slather onto one of their freshly grilled Nürnberger sausage sandwiches.

• About 20 yards beyond the well on the square, a few doors down from the recommended Restaurant zum Albrecht Dürer Haus, at Obere Schmiedgasse 52, is the...

13 Historic Art Bunker

Behind these doors, a series of cellars worth ▲▲ is buried deep inside the rock of Castle Hill. This is where precious artworks were carefully safeguarded from the WWII air raids that devastated the city. The only way to visit the bunker is with a tour (see “Tours in Nürnberg,” earlier).

Nürnberg was bombed relatively late in the war, which allowed its citizens time (and experience gained from already-bombed cities to the north) to prepare for the aerial attack they knew was coming. While many other cities sent their most important works away from urban centers (obvious targets), Nürnberg was able to safely shelter everything right here. The art wasn’t just stashed in the bunker, but carefully battened up inside wooden crates and padded with sandbags, safeguarded in a climate-controlled environment behind layer upon layer of thick fireproof doors.

Rich in art, Nürnberg had long been known as the treasure chest of the German Empire. The pieces stored here included regalia of the Holy Roman Empire and the city’s own treasures, evacuated from nearby buildings (such as the tabernacle in St. Lawrence Church, as well as all of that church’s stained glass). Other pieces stored here had been plundered by the Nazis from conquered lands, such as a revered Gothic altarpiece from Kraków, Poland (later recovered by the Monuments Men—a group of American and British men and women whose postwar efforts restored many cultural treasures to their rightful owners).

• Turning back to the rabbit sculpture on the square, notice that it faces a half-timbered building (at the square’s bottom). That’s the...

14 Albrecht Dürer House

Nürnberg’s most famous resident lived in this house, worth ▲, for the last 20 years of his life. Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528), a contemporary of Michelangelo, studied in Venice and brought the Renaissance to stodgy medieval Germany. He did things that were unthinkable to other northern European artists of his time—such as signing his works and painting things like rabbits simply for study (not on commission). As a painter of exquisite detail, Dürer counted among his patrons the Emperors Maximilian I and Charles V as well as King Christian II of Denmark, but he gained his steady income and international fame from his more easily replicated prints.

The house itself survived WWII bombs, but nothing in the museum is original—all the paintings are replicas. (The only Dürer originals in Nürnberg are in the Germanic National Museum, described later.) But the museum does a fine job of capturing the way Dürer actually lived, and it includes a replica of the workshop, with a working printing press, where he painted and printed his woodcuts and metal engravings. Another room is a gallery with copies of Dürer’s most famous paintings and woodcuts.

Cost and Hours: €7.50, includes detailed audioguide; Tue-Fri 10:00-17:00, Sat-Sun until 18:00, closed Mon; “Agnes” (Mrs. Dürer) leads one-hour tours in English on Sat at 14:00 for €4; ask about daily art demonstrations, Albrecht-Dürer-Strasse 39, +49 911 231 2568, https://museums.nuremberg.de/albrecht-duerer-house [URL inactive].

• With Albrecht’s Haus on your right, head down Albrecht-Dürer-Strasse. When the street bends to the left, continue straight down the stairs, cross the street, and veer right onto cobblestoned...

15 Weissgerbergasse

“Tanners’ Lane” is lined with Nürnberg’s finest collection of half-timbered houses to survive the war. Such well-crafted homes, several stories tall and many with their own wells and gardens, attest to medieval Nürnberg’s considerable prosperity. What’s that dark-red color so common in the painted beams of houses like these? Ox blood, which helped prevent rot and termite damage. Stop at #35 and turn around for one of the city’s best photo ops. At this end of the lane, note the many small bars that turn this quiet street into a busy nightlife zone after dark.

• Cross the wider, busy Am Hallertor to the...

16 Kettensteg (Chain Bridge)

This iron footbridge—the oldest on the Continent—comes with a great river view. Notice the mix of medieval fortification and industrial-age brickwork around here. This wasn’t always considered such a picturesque quarter—it was the industrialized, downstream end of town, where you’d find watermills, stinky industries (like the tanneries we just passed on Weissgerbergasse), and graphite factories. (In Germany, Nürnberg is famous for its pencils.)

• Our tour is over. To return to the heart of town, continue across the bridge, then head left toward the green twin towers in the distance, which mark St. Lawrence Church. Once you hit Königstrasse, it’s a short walk (left) to the Hauptmarkt, with its convenient bus #36 to the Nazi sites (stops around the corner from the Beautiful Fountain).

Or, for more sightseeing in the city center, consider a visit to one or more of the museums listed in the next section.

More Sights in Nürnberg

IN AND NEAR THE OLD TOWN

▲▲▲Germanic National Museum (Germanisches Nationalmuseum)

This sprawling, sweeping museum is dedicated to the cultural history of the German-speaking world. It’s gorgeously presented, nicely lit, and well described in English (and by its audioguide). You could spend most of a day here, if you’ve got the interest and stamina. For German history buffs, this museum alone makes a visit to Nürnberg worthwhile. It occupies an interconnected maze of buildings, old and new, in the southern part of the Old Town, near the station and recommended hotels. Some galleries may be closed for renovation when you visit, but you’ll still find plenty to see. Approaching the museum along Kartäusergasse, you’ll walk along the “Way of Human Rights.” Designed by an Israeli artist, its pillars trumpet the provisions of the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights, each in a different language.

Cost and Hours: €10; Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, Wed until 20:30, closed Mon; worthwhile online audioguide, check website for occasional English tours, two blocks west of Königstrasse at Kartäusergasse 1, enter through the modern glass lobby in middle of street, +49 911 13310, www.gnm.de.

Eating: The lower-level cafeteria, while pricey, is top quality, with elegant and artfully presented dishes. Another café is beautifully set in the small cloister just outside the door to the Middle Ages exhibit space (open only in good weather).

Visiting the Museum: To avoid being overwhelmed by this vast museum, pick up the English floor plan/brochure and use it to choose things you’re particularly interested in. I’d go more or less chronologically, starting on the ground floor with the Holy Roman Empire and Middle Ages artifacts, then to the first floor’s Renaissance/Baroque collection of German art and gadgets.

The entry hall is dominated by a wall displaying street signs from East Germany—complete with a little politically motivated spray paint—dating from the time when the Soviets had renamed the main drag in many towns Strasse der Befreiung (“Street of the Liberation”—from the Nazis and capitalism).

Facing the signs wall, enter the museum wing to your left for a glimpse at some evocative medieval artifacts, including a gilded reliquary shrine and a series of stunning tapestries depicting courtly love.

As you head up to the first floor, turn around to take in Germania—a 19th-century painting of the motherland incarnate—who’s proudly greeting you as if she can’t wait for you to see what’s next.

The museum’s star attraction is its German art collection in the Renaissance/Baroque exhibit. Starting in Room 114, you’ll find Albrecht Dürer’s meticulously detailed paintings (the only originals in town) of Charlemagne, Emperor Sigismund, and Dürer’s mother. Look for the delicate wooden Nürnberg Madonna (1515). This intimate, anonymous carving was largely overlooked until being popularized as a symbol of the city during the 19th-century Romantic Age. Farther on, you’ll find Lucas Cranach the Younger’s heart-shaped altarpiece from 1584 (Room 110)—the shape alludes to the love of Christ—as well as his father’s saucy depiction of an Ill-Matched Pair (Room 111). Works on display by woodcarver Tilman Riemenschneider hint at the skills he used to make masterpieces such as the Altar of the Holy Blood at Rothenburg’s St. Jacob’s Church.

Another highlight is the oldest surviving globe in the world, crafted by Nürnberg’s own Martin Behaim (since it dates from 1492, the Americas are conspicuously missing; Room 103a). For those interested in the Reformation, there’s a wonderful Martin Luther section (Room 117). One non-German painting of note is of—and by—the young Rembrandt. Only recently did experts determine that this is a true self-portrait by the Dutch artist and not a copy, as originally believed (Room 123).

Return downstairs to see the historic core of the museum building, an old monastery filled with original statues salvaged from Nürnberg churches and fountains bombed during World War II. The rest of this huge museum covers a vast spectrum of German culture.

▲▲DB Railway Museum

Just outside the city walls is the Deutsche Bahn’s German Railway (DB) Museum. Visitors walk through nearly 200 years of railway history, admiring old locomotives and original railcars, including those of Ludwig II of Bavaria and Otto von Bismarck. There’s a section devoted to model railways, a kids’ exhibit, and an outdoor display where you can explore an old station platform and more authentic vehicles.

Cost and Hours: €9; Tue-Fri 9:00-17:00, Sat-Sun 10:00-18:00, open-air section may close earlier, closed Mon; reasonably priced café, near the Germanic National Museum at Lessingstrasse 6; +49 800 326 87386, www.dbmuseum.de.

Visiting the Museum: Pick up the free English booklet as you enter and ask about the model train demo (runs hourly). The online audioguide is essential for the ground floor, where no English descriptions are posted.

Start on the ground floor, where you’ll discover the modest origins of Germany’s now impressive rail system and learn about the railways’ influence on German history. Don’t miss the original trains, including the replica of the Adler—the first steam-powered locomotive in Germany (the original debuted in Nürnberg in 1835 and had a cruising speed of 35 kilometers per hour). It’s displayed side-by-side with an Inter-City Express train (which tops out at 300 kilometers per hour). It’s fun to ponder how far train technology has come in less than 200 years. You’ll also see “Mad” King Ludwig’s crown-topped Salonwagen—practically a palace on wheels. Like his equally grandiose Neuschwanstein Castle, this train was barely used by Ludwig, who preferred to travel incognito.

For more exhibits, go through a set of glass doors, cross the street, go through a tunnel, and you’ll come to a display hall just to your right. Here you’ll find handcarts and other railway contraptions, with additional historic locomotives and wagons in an open-air area.

Back in the main building, look for the 1933-1945 section of the historical exhibition, which explains the role of the rail system during the Nazi regime. Keep an eye out for models and design drawings of the lavish two-story interiors planned for the Breitspurbahn, the absurd wide-gauge railway Hitler intended to build after the war. Head up one floor for an exhibit on the evolution of German rail travel, the role of the railways in divided postwar Germany, and the massive and fascinating-to-watch model railway demonstration.

The top floor hosts the Kibala Kids’ Railwayland, where young visitors can play dress-up, try out simulators, and ride a five-gauge minitrain. Another wing covers the story of human communication, with lots of activities that are both kid- and adult-friendly: Write a letter with a quill, see the evolution of telephony, play postman with pneumatic tubes, and watch some German TV.

Neues Museum

Nürnberg’s “new museum” of contemporary art fills a striking glass building right by the town wall (near the train station), with two quiet, bright, and air-conditioned floors that showcase fine art and sleek design pieces from the 1950s until the present.

Cost and Hours: €7, €1 on Sun; Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, Thu until 20:00, closed Mon; behind recommended Hotel Victoria on Klarissenplatz, +49 911 240 2069, www.nmn.de.

Toy Museum (Spielzeugmuseum)

This museum’s thematic display makes for a breezy and nostalgic history lesson, from the wooden toys that exemplify German woodworking traditions, to the corporate-branded toys of the postwar era. For many, the highlight is the miniature replica of the Omaha (Nebraska) train station (third floor up); for younger visitors, it’s the top floor’s play zone.

Cost and Hours: €7.50, €2.50 for kids; Tue-Fri 10:00-17:00, Sat-Sun until 18:00, closed Mon; the €1 audioguide is worth it, pleasant courtyard café, near Hauptmarkt at Karlstrasse 13, +49 911 231 3164, https://museums.nuernberg.de/toy-museum.

NAZI SITES

Though Nürnberg has worked hard to reconceive itself as the “City of Human Rights,” its reputation as Hitler’s favorite place for a really big party is hard to shake. To understand the city’s role in the Nazi era, head south of the center to visit Hitler’s vast Nazi Party Rally Grounds (Reichsparteitagsgelände) and the excellent museum—the Nazi Documentation Center—set amid the mute remains of the Third Reich. The courtroom where the Nürnberg Trials were held is across town from the Documentation Center and Rally Grounds and has much less to offer visitors.

Planning Your Time: Visiting the Documentation Center and walking the grounds (including the courtyard of the Congress Hall and the Zeppelin Field) can take three hours or more. History buffs can easily spend an entire day here. The map in this book is enough to guide you around the site, but there’s also a good, free online guide for your walk (look for a QR code posted on maps near the museum entrance). For lunch, try the excellent Gutmann’s beer garden at the lake (midway between the museum and Zeppelin Field).

If you opt to also visit the courtroom and its exhibit, allow another two hours, including travel time from the train station.

Getting to the Nazi Documentation Center and Rally Grounds: The sprawling complex is wrapped around a lake called Dutzendteich, southeast of the Old Town. Tram #8, which leaves from a stop on the traffic island between the Grand-Hotel Meridien and the train station (Hauptbahnhof), takes you right to the Documentation Center (direction: Doku-Zentrum, 10 minutes). Alternatively, you can hop on bus #36 from the Hauptmarkt (near the fountain, on Waaggasse) or Rathaus (Town Hall) to the Luitpoldhain stop, a 10-minute walk from the Documentation Center. Both options go about every 10 minutes. For ticket options, see “Getting Around Nürnberg,” earlier.

Nazi Documentation Center (Dokumentationszentrum)

Visitors to Europe’s Nazi and Holocaust sites inevitably ask the same question: How could this happen? This superb museum—worth ▲▲▲—does its best to provide an answer. This is not a WWII or Holocaust museum: Instead, the Documentation Center traces the evolution of the National Socialist movement (focusing on how it both energized and terrified the German people); looks at Nürnberg’s role in the Nazi movement, including the construction and use of the Rally Grounds, where Hitler’s largest demonstrations took place; and frankly analyzes the Nazi phenomenon to understand how it happened—and to prevent it from happening again.

Cost and Hours: €7.50, daily 10:00-18:00, Bayernstrasse 110, +49 911 231 7538, https://museums.nuernberg.de/documentation-center.

The Building: The museum is housed in a part of Hitler’s cavernous, unfinished Congress Hall—the largest surviving example of Nazi architecture. The building was planned to host the mammoth annual Nazi Party gatherings. Today, it has been symbolically cut open by its modern entryway—exposing the guts and brains of the Nazi movement.

The museum’s purpose-built structure is sometimes called “a spear through Speer”—it’s a jolt of glassy, modern construction that slices through the original Albert Speer-designed building. (Just as post-WWII doctors didn’t want to take advantage of medical knowledge gained through Nazi torture, modern architects who designed the museum didn’t want to utilize anything the Nazis had built.)

In addition to housing a museum, the Documentation Center has an important function in a society determined to underscore and learn from the horrible deeds of its dark past. For example, students at police and military academies are required to attend special programs taught in classrooms on this site.

Exhibits: By the time you visit, a new permanent exhibit, part of a complete remodel of the museum, should be open.

▲Rally Grounds (Reichsparteitagsgelände)

The Rally Grounds occupy four square miles, and you can view them without going to the museum. Albert Speer designed this immense complex of buildings for the Nazi rallies. Not many of Hitler’s ambitious plans were completed, but you can visit the courtyard of the Congress Hall, Zeppelin Field (where Hitler addressed his followers), and a few other remains. The easiest way to see them is to follow the circular route around the lake that’s shown on the “Nazi Documentation Center and Rally Grounds” map above and on the museum’s free area plan (Geländeplan). The numbers on the plan correspond to the information pillars that you’ll find on-site.

Figure a 1.5-hour round-trip from the Documentation Center for the full circuit. If you have less time, just look into the courtyard of the Congress Hall from the perch at the end of your museum visit and consider walking the short way around the lake directly to Zeppelin Field and back.

Self-Guided Walk: I’ve listed the main sites here in the order you reach them while circling the lake.

Congress Hall (Kongresshalle): This huge building—big enough for an audience of 50,000—was originally intended to be topped with a roof and skylight. Today the Nazi Documentation Center occupies part of the hall. To see the vast, Colosseum-like courtyard (recently in use as a concert venue), turn right as you leave the Documentation Center, and walk along the side of the building. Dip through the archway into the courtyard to appreciate its dimensions. Notice the stacked stones still awaiting further construction, untouched since the 1930s. Another part of the hall is now used by the Nürnberg symphony orchestra.

Nazis in Nürnberg

It makes sense that Nürnberg appealed to Hitler. Nürnberg is centrally located in Germany, making it a handy meeting point for Nazi supporters. Hitler had a friend here, Julius Streicher (a.k.a. the “Franconian Führer”), who fanned the flames of Nazism and anti-Semitism with his inflammatory newspaper Der Stürmer (The Storm Trooper).

More importantly, Nürnberg was steeped in German history. Long before Nazism, the city—once home to Albrecht Dürer and the Holy Roman Emperor, and packed with buildings in the German Gothic style—was nicknamed the “most German of German cities.” As one of the most important cities of medieval Europe, Nürnberg gave Hitler a way to legitimize his Third Reich by invoking Germany’s glorious past. Hitler loved the idea of staging rallies within sight of the Imperial Castle, a symbol of the First Reich (the Holy Roman Empire).

When Hitler took power in 1933, he made Nürnberg the site of his Reichsparteitage—Nazi Party rallies. Increasingly elaborate celebrations of Nazi culture, ideology, and power took place here annually for the next six years. The chilling images from Leni Riefenstahl’s documentary Triumph of the Will were filmed at the 1934 rallies and then shown in every theater and schoolroom in the country. At the 1935 rallies, the Nazis devised the first laws—which came to be known as the Nürnberg Laws—that legally defined Jews as second-class citizens.

Hitler and his favorite architect, Albert Speer, designed massive buildings (such as a stadium seating 400,000 spectators) to host the proceedings. Only a few were completed before World War II broke out. Today, it’s possible to walk around the still-unfinished remains of the megalomaniacal super-structures. The Rally Grounds were the ultimate example of Hitler’s preferred architecture style: stark, huge, and Neoclassical. (Historians are hesitant to use the term “Nazi architecture,” as much of it was stolen from other styles and simply enlarged. For example, Hitler adored the Roman Colosseum, so he had his Congress Hall built at double the scale.)

Near war’s end, the world puzzled over what to do with the Nazis who had overseen some of the most gruesome atrocities in the history of humankind. Ultimately they were tried as war criminals by an international tribunal, spearheaded by the US and based on the Anglo-American code of law. The Nürnberg Trials—the first international war-crimes tribunal—brought about a new concept of international law, which continues today in The Hague, Netherlands. The trials took place in the Nürnberg Trials Courtroom.

• Turn around and return to the lakeside path and continue walking with the Congress Hall on your right. Just after you round the first corner, look across the lake. The lights you see in the distance hover above Franken Stadium (a 1928 soccer field before Hitler used it for Nazi rallies and, more recently, a World Cup venue).

Continue past the end of the building, and then turn left along the lakeside path onto the...

Great Road (Grosse Strasse): At 200 feet wide, the Great Road was big enough to be used as a runway by the Allies after the war. Now it’s a parking lot for trucks serving the nearby conference center. The road points toward Nürnberg’s Imperial Castle—Hitler’s symbolic connection to the Holy Roman Empire (the First Reich).

Ahead and to the right was to be the site of the German Stadium (Deutsches Stadion)—the biggest in the world (with 400,000 seats). They got as far as digging a foundation before funding was redirected to the war effort. Today, the site is a park surrounding a lake, Silbersee—which filled the hole for the never-built stadium’s foundation. Even farther ahead, where you can see the rooflines of a nearby suburb, the Nazis had a campground filled with 400 huge tents holding up to 100,000 rally participants. The campers bonded through a regimented communal experience that emphasized military discipline.

• From here, follow the (main) Dutzendteich lakeshore to the left for about 15 minutes until you hit a parking lot. Past the parking lot on your right is the huge...

Zeppelin Field (Zeppelinwiese): This was the site of the Nazis’ biggest rallies, including those (in)famously filmed by Leni Riefenstahl. You can climb up on the decaying grandstand and stand on the platform in front of the Zeppelin Tribune, where Hitler stood to survey the masses (up to 150,000 people at a time). The tribune is based on the design of the ancient Greek Pergamon Altar (now in Berlin’s Pergamon Museum); it was originally topped by a towering swastika—which the Allies destroyed at the end of the war—and flanked on either side by massive colonnades. For nighttime rallies Speer created a dramatic “Cathedral of Light”—with 130 searchlights surrounding the field and pointed skyward. Warning: Clowning around on the speaking platform with any Nazi gestures is illegal and taken seriously by the police.

• From Zeppelin Field, continue the rest of the way around the lake, past Gutmann’s beer garden (a good lunch option), and back to the Documentation Center.

Nürnberg Trials Courtroom and Museum (Memorium Nürnberger Prozesse)

Across town from the Documentation Center and Rally Grounds is the courtroom where the Nürnberg Trials were held.

In 1945, in Room 600 of Nürnberg’s Palace of Justice, 21 Nazi war criminals stood trial before an international tribunal appointed by the four victorious countries. It was during these trials that the world learned the full scale of the Holocaust and heard firsthand accounts from victims and perpetrators alike. The trials were also legally novel, setting a precedent for international law that has since been followed in a number of post-atrocity tribunals (think South Africa, Rwanda, Bosnia). Before the Nürnberg Trials, there was no such legal concept as a “crime against humanity.”

After a year of trials and deliberations, 12 Nazis were sentenced to death by hanging, 3 were acquitted, and the rest were sent to prison. One of the death sentences was for Hitler’s right-hand man, Hermann Göring. He asked to be shot by firing squad—a proper military execution—but his request was denied. Instead, two hours before his scheduled hanging, Göring committed suicide with poison he had smuggled into his cell, infuriating many who thought that this death was too easy for him.

Cost and Hours: €7.50, includes audioguide; Wed-Mon 9:00-18:00 except Sat-Sun from 10:00, closed Tue; +49 911 2312 8614, Bärenschanzstrasse 72, https://museums.nuernberg.de/memorium-nuremberg-trials. It’s worth timing your visit to catch the included “Courtroom 600: Time Travel” projection (described below).

Getting There: The building is a five-stop subway ride from the Hauptbahnhof: Take the U-1 subway line (direction: Fürth Hardhöhe) to Bärenschanze, exit the station following signs for Memorium Nürnberger Prozesse, and continue 200 yards along the main street (Fürther Strasse) to the huge court building, turning right at the corner with the tall signs showing the four national flags.

Visiting the Courtroom and Museum: There are two parts to the experience here: the courtroom (upstairs from the entrance) and the museum (farther up on the top floor). You can usually enter the courtroom itself, but it does close for special events (check museum website before heading out). Every 90 minutes, the courtroom doors lock and the clever “Courtroom 600: Time Travel” audiovisual display, using transparent screens, lets you see the courtroom as it was in 1945 in the real space before you, while giving an overview of the courtroom’s history in English and German (at 10:30, 12:00, 13:30, 15:00, and 14:30—confirm times locally; no late entry).

Unfortunately, the museum displays are almost all in German, and there’s little here in the way of artifacts. The long-winded audioguide gives exact translations of the printed information.

Sleeping in Nürnberg

Prices spike during major conventions in the spring and fall, and in December—when the Christmas market brings visitors from around the world. July and August are generally low season and come with the lowest prices. None of the hotels listed offer free parking—if driving, assume you’ll pay about €20/day to park in the nearest public garage (ask your hotelier for the best option).

NEAR THE KÖNIGSTOR

These hotels, clustered along Königstrasse just inside the city walls, are convenient to both the train station and city sightseeing. From the station, you can roll your luggage here in five minutes without a single stair. Unless noted, all have air conditioning and elevators.

€€€ Hotel Drei Raben is an artsy and fun splurge, with a stylish lobby, 21 comfortable rooms, a huge breakfast buffet (cappuccino by request), and lots of elegant and whimsical touches. Friendly Ralf and his staff offer free wine tastings and music nightly. In this “theme hotel,” you might get the Dürer room, the soccer room (equipped with a foosball table), the toys room, or even the graffiti room (family rooms, nearby apartment, Königstrasse 63, +49 911 274 380, www.hoteldreiraben.de, info@hoteldreiraben.de).

€€€ Hotel Victoria, just inside the Königstor, is polished and efficient, with 65 fresh rooms behind its historic 1896 facade. The standard rooms are a better value than the slightly bigger business rooms (indulgent breakfast, Königstrasse 80, +49 911 24050, www.hotelvictoria.de, book@hotelvictoria.de).

€€ Gideon Hotel, overlooking the main pedestrian drag, has somewhat less personality but plenty of style. Its 27 rooms, many quite spacious, are decked out in a chic black, white, and red decor and can often be had at a good value. In nice weather, breakfast is served on the lovely rooftop terrace (Grasersgasse 25 but enter around the corner on Theatergasse, +49 911 660 0911, www.gideonhotels.de, info@gideonhotels.de, friendly Nadine and Roland).

€ PrivatHotel Probst has been run for more than 70 years by the hardworking Probst family on three floors of an 18th-century apartment building. They rent 30 decent rooms, some more recently renovated than others, with artistic touches here and there. To avoid street noise, ask for a room on the back side (especially for Fri-Sat nights; breakfast extra, no air-con but fans on request, cheaper rooms with shared bath, Luitpoldstrasse 9, +49 911 203 433, www.probst.bayern, privathotel@probst.bayern).

CLOSER TO THE CASTLE

These places are at the far side of the Old Town, nearer to the castle. Getting here is a €10 taxi ride or a long hike from the station. You can get partway by taking the U-Bahn (line #1) to Lorenzkirche and exiting toward Kaiserstrasse or bus #36 to Rathaus.

€€ Hotel Five, above a trendy burger bar on the ground floor, also skews cool, with a natural wood and earth-tone aesthetic. Its 16 rooms are somewhat overpriced but relatively spacious, and some come with a balcony and fold-out couch bed (Obstmarkt 5, +49 911 223 395, www.hotelfive.de, info@hotelfive.de).

€€ Sorat Hotel Saxx is professionally run, from its sleek lobby to its 103 rooms. Most aren’t terribly big, but they’re fresh, often reasonably priced, and in the middle of town, right on the Hauptmarkt (breakfast extra, family room, elevator, at Hauptmarkt 17 but enter at Waaggasse 7, +49 911 242 700, www.sorat-hotels.com, info@saxx-nuernberg.de).

€€ Hotel Hauser offers 21 stylish yet comfortable rooms bedecked in green and purple velvet. Located on a charming square on the west side of town, it’s a quiet oasis with boutique elegance at a good price (no breakfast, air-con, Unschittplatz 7, +49 911 214 6690, www.hotel-hauser.com, info@hotel-hauser.com).

€€ Sorat Hotel Agneshof is tastefully casual with 74 no-frills, clean rooms. I’d spring for the slightly more expensive fourth-floor castle-view rooms (breakfast extra, elevator and some stairs, family rooms, Agnesgasse 10, +49 911 214 440, www.sorat-hotels.com, agneshof-nuernberg@sorat-hotels.com).

€ Hotel Elch, the oldest hotel in town (with 500-year-old exposed beams adding to its classic elk-friendly woodiness), is buried deep in the Old Town near the castle. It rents charming and well-equipped modern rooms: 12 in the original 1342 half-timbered “History” building; 16 bigger, swankier rooms in the “Boutique” wing next door; and two apartments nearby (near St. Sebald Church at Irrerstrasse 9, +49 911 249 2980, www.hotel-elch.com, info@hotel-elch.com).

JUST BEYOND THE CITY WALLS

Both of these have elevators and air conditioning.

€€ Cloud One Nürnberg Hauptbahnhof, part of the German Motel One chain, offers a fun sense of style and reasonably priced comfort. Despite its location, with train tracks on one side and a busy street on the other, only a few travelers will need earplugs. It’s modern, an easy walk to the city center, and generally less crowded on weekends (breakfast extra, Bahnhofsplatz 1, +49 911 477 1340, www.the-cloud-one.com, nuernberg@the-cloud-one.com).

€ B&B Hotel Nürnberg-City isn’t a B&B by any stretch, but its 135 pleasant rooms can be a solid value. Though it feels more like an Ikea catalogue than most hotels, its accommodations are better than most hostels’ private rooms (on a busy street, breakfast extra, family rooms, across from city walls at Frauentorgraben 37, from station take U-2 one stop to Opernhaus, +49 911 378 510, www.hotel-bb.de, nuernberg-city@hotelbb.com). Their second location, B&B Hotel Nürnberg-Hbf, with the same rates, is about 500 yards from the station at Marienstrasse 10 (+49 911 367 760, nuernberg-hbf@hotelbb.com).

HOSTELS

Budget travelers beyond traditional backpacker age should consider private rooms offered by the Five Reasons Hostel, where those of any age will feel comfortable. The first two listings have elevators and air conditioning.

¢ Five Reasons Hotel & Hostel is the best kind of budget accommodation: clean, bright, centrally located, and run with care. None of the rooms has its own bath, but the shared bathrooms are some of the swankiest hostel bathrooms I’ve seen (breakfast extra, private rooms available, family apartments, pleasant terrace, facing the town walls around the corner from the Germanic National Museum at Frauentormauer 42, +49 911 9928 6625, www.five-reasons.de, booking@five-reasons.de).

¢ Nürnberg Youth Hostel—once the imperial stables and granary—is romantically situated at the top of the Old Town inside the castle complex (at the far right as you face it). It’s scenic but expensive for a hostel and can be crowded with school groups in summer. For the best views, request an eighth- or ninth-floor tower room (private/family rooms available,lunch/dinner available, Burg 2, +49 911 230 9360, www.nuernberg.jugendherberge.de, nuernberg@jugendherberge.de). To reach the hostel from the train station, take the U-3 subway three stops to Maxfeld, then walk (level, 12 minutes) or take the #36, #46, or #47 bus two stops back to Maxtor.

¢ A&O Hostel Nürnberg Hauptbahnhof, just outside the medieval city center on busy Bahnhofstrasse, is vast and institutional. The hostel caters to a wide range of travelers, from backpackers to families. To avoid street noise, ask for a room facing the courtyard (breakfast extra, private rooms available, fans for rent but no air-con, bar and lounge in lobby, Bahnhofstrasse 13, +49 911 309 168 4400, www.aohostels.com, booking@aohostels.com).

Eating in Nürnberg

Some Nürnberg restaurants are closed on Sunday and/or Monday.

SOUTH OF THE RIVER, NEAR THE STATION

Königstrasse, the main pedestrian boulevard leading from the train station into the old center, is lined with enticing places to eat. All along this street you’ll find efficient department store cafeterias, popular restaurant chains, and memorable one-offs. The following places are my favorites on or just off Königstrasse, working from the station to the center.

€€ Bosporus Restaurant, across from the recommended Hotel Drei Raben, is a local standby for Turkish food, in part for its late-night hours and great outdoor seating for people-watching. It does competent versions of all the classics, including döner kebabs and fresh ayran yogurt drinks (daily until late, Königstrasse 60, +49 911 4101 9665).

€€€ Böhm’s Herrenkeller is cozy, with a hunting-room ambience. It’s proudly traditional but not kitschy, serving classic Franconian standards at good prices. Try the Schweineschäufele (oven-roasted pork shoulder with dumplings and sauerkraut) or the fixed-price meals, which are a fine value (closed Sun-Mon, a block off Königstrasse across from the Old Granary at Theatergasse 9, +49 911 224 465).

€€ Padelle d’Italia serves up reasonably priced and tasty pizza and pasta in a cozy and lively setting. Their sizable classic Italian dishes and daily seasonal specials are splittable, but seafood here is pricey. Reserve ahead for dinner (closed Sun, near Böhm’s Herrenkeller at Theatergasse 17, +49 911 274 2130, www.padelleditalia.de).

€€ Literaturhaus Nürnberg is a casual Parisian-style café run by the local book club and popular for readings. It serves theme breakfasts (daily until 15:00) and creative international dishes. Locals like to order several varied plates, tapas-style, or just enjoy its bookish café ambience for drinks and desserts (Mon-Sat until 23:00, Sun until 18:00, 2 blocks from Königstor just off Königstrasse at Luitpoldstrasse 6, +49 911 234 2658).

ALONG AND NEAR THE RIVER

€€€ Zum Flössla is packed with locals who like heavy German meals with an international flair. It’s got a “been around” ambience with rustic, red-and-white-checked decor. With tables shoehorned into a tight space and elbow room at a premium, it can get warm (Tue-Sat for dinner, closed Sun-Mon, Unterer Bergauerplatz 12, +49 911 227 495).

€€€ Trödelstuben is chock-full of kitschy and intriguing knick-knacks (trödel means “stuff” or “junk”) and serves up basic, hearty Franconian dishes that go well with their selection of local beers and wines (daily, Trödelmarkt 30, +49 911 3677 2767).

€€ Cucina Italiana is a low-key Italian restaurant with splittable pizzas (plenty for two), fresh pastas, and sidewalk seating on the corner of the Hauptmarkt (closed Mon, Obstmarkt, +49 911 201 9750).

Quick Lunches near the River: A covered arcade between Museum Bridge and Meat Bridge has several little places in a row near a Starbucks, with good seating inside, out back, or overlooking the river. One solid option is € Mischbar, where “everything’s mixed” (salads, curries, soups, smoothies, fresh-squeezed juices; long hours daily). Also nearby, the € Brot Schwarz deli serves traditional dark breads, sausages, and salads in a family-run setting (open from 8:30, closed Sun; Winklerstrasse 10, entrance on Tuchgasse).

Picnicking in the Center: There’s an upscale supermarket in the subbasement of the Karstadt department store at the Lorenzkirche U-Bahn entrance (enter store at Karolinenstrasse 6 and take the escalators down two flights, closed Sun). The farmers market on the Hauptmarkt is another smart option (roughly Mon-Sat 7:00-18:00, no market Sun). There’s a more limited Norma+Rodi grocery at Hauptmarkt 11.

NORTH OF THE RIVER, NEAR THE CASTLE

€€€ Einzimmer Küche Bar is my choice for a romantic splurge in a cozy interior where House & Garden meets Architectural Digest. Chef-owner Tim makes modern German dishes with locally sourced ingredients in a trendy open kitchen. Order à la carte or opt wisely for the four- or five-course fixed-price meal; there’s also a smaller lunch menu (Tue-Sat for dinner, Thu-Sat for lunch, closed Sun-Mon, evening reservations required, Schustergasse 10, +49 911 6646 3875, www.einzimmerkuechebar.de).

The Nürnberger Bratwurst

Nürnberg is famous for its pinkie-sized bratwurst (called, like a city resident, a “Nürnberger”). Local butchers churn out 1.3 billion of the little buggers every year. Nürnbergers—the people—insist that size doesn’t matter; they maintain that in der Kürze liegt die Würze (“in the shortness lies the tastiness”). All over town, signs read 3 im Weckle (or im Weggle), meaning “three Nürnberger bratwurst in a blankie” (a good snack for about €3.50). Restaurant menus often offer them in 6-, 8-, or 10-weenie servings accompanied by Beilagen (side dishes, generally potato salad and/or kraut). Six Nürnberger with sauerkraut and bread will run you about €7. Old-timers go for mustard, while children like ketchup. (I’m a mustard guy.)

At €€ Restaurant zum Albrecht Dürer Haus, you can dine with a view of half-timbered buildings and town-wall towers at a reasonable price. The dark wood interior has three floors, and there are also outside tables. The menu is updated Franconian, with oven-fresh pretzels to go with your beer (Tue-Sun, Mon dinner only, Obere Schmiedgasse 58, +49 911 2114 4940).

€€ Bratwursthäusle is a high-energy, woody place with a leafy terrace and enjoyable people-watching. Its cozy interior—small, crowded, and touristy—is like a big farmhouse with tables gathered around an open grill. The limited menu has little more than bratwurst, sides (pretzels, tasty potato salad, kraut), and some nasty pickled animal parts. Come here for the best bratwurst in town—all made in-house by the Häusle’s own butcher, cooked on a beechwood grill, and dished up efficiently (daily from 11:00, midway between the Hauptmarkt and the City Museum at Rathausplatz 1, +49 911 227 695). For a bratwurst sandwich to go, head inside, pay €4 at the half-door on your right, take your receipt to the grill...and in seconds, you’ll be on your way with three Nürnberger in a fresh roll. Their nearby sister restaurant, €€ Goldenes Posthorn, has the same to-go deal, a more varied sit-down menu, vegetarian options, and fewer tourists (daily, Glöckleinsgasse 2 at Sebalderplatz, +49 911 225 153).

€ Da Gallo Antipasteria is a treat for pasta lovers, who enjoy generous portions amid a welcoming atmosphere stoked by enthusiastic owner Giovanni (who serves everyone himself). Fun photos and a perpetual showing of classic Italian comedies make it feel like a tiny slice of Italy tucked between the river and Castle Hill (Tue-Sat for dinner, closed Sun-Mon, reservations smart for this small space, Radbrunnengasse 2, +49 911 238 8538, www.dagallo-antipasteria.de).

€ Five Diner, at the recommended Hotel Five, might be too trendy for its own good, but it’s got a fun vibe and tasty eats. The menu includes gourmet burgers, veggie alternatives, and organic options. American-style breakfast is served until 15:00 (daily, Obstmarkt 5, +49 911 223 375).

Drinks and Pub Grub: Likely the town’s most atmospheric drinking hole, € Finyas Taverne has a medieval feel—from the animal-pelt seats to the music, food, drink (mead), even the waitstaff’s attire—yet doesn’t quite cross the kitsch line. The upstairs communal tables are popular nightly with tabletop board-game players and collectible card traders (geeks of the world, unite!). You could eat a full meal here (build-your-own Flammkuchen and cheap stews), but I wouldn’t (closed Sun-Mon, Weissgerbergasse 18, +49 911 2373 5122).

Two more places better for drinks than food are along the river, with wonderfully inviting outdoor seating when the weather cooperates. € O’Shea’s is your standard Irish pub (daily from 14:00 or 16:00, Wespennest 6, +49 911 232 895). €€ Finca & Bar Celona does tapas plus pub grub (daily from 9:00, Vordere Insel Schütt 4, +49 911 2373 9144).

Sweets: The Neef Confiserie Café is Nürnbergers’ go-to spot for an afternoon coffee-and-cake break. You can even get a marzipan version of the town’s famous three sausages in a bun (closed Sun-Mon, Winklerstrasse 29, +49 911 225 179).

Of the many Eiscafés in town, Gelateria 4D is the most likely to have locals lined up at the counter for a scoop (long hours daily, just off the Hauptmarkt on the corner of Königstrasse and Spitalgasse).

Nürnberg Connections

From Nürnberg by Train to: Rothenburg (hourly, 1.5 hours, transfer in Ansbach and Steinach), Würzburg (2-3/hour, 1 hour), Munich (2/hour, 1 hour on fast train), Frankfurt (1-2/hour, 2 hours), Frankfurt Airport (1-2/hour, 2.5 hours), Dresden (hourly, 3.5 hours, 1-2 transfers), Erfurt (hourly, 1.5 hours), Leipzig (hourly, 2 hours, half with transfer in Erfurt), Berlin (hourly, 3.5 hours), Salzburg (hourly with change in Munich, 3 hours), Prague (3 slow trains/day, 5 hours with connections; better to take express bus, nearly hourly, 4 hours, covered by rail passes, leaves from front door of train station). Train info: www.bahn.com.

THE LUTHER TRAIL

Erfurt • Wartburg Castle • Wittenberg

Map: The Luther Trail

Background on Martin Luther

Erfurt

Orientation to Erfurt

Map: Erfurt

Erfurt Walk

Sights in Erfurt

Sleeping in Erfurt

Eating in Erfurt

Erfurt Connections

Wartburg Castle

Wittenberg

Orientation to Wittenberg

Map: Wittenberg

Sights in Wittenberg

Sleeping in Wittenberg

Eating in Wittenberg

Wittenberg Connections

Martin Luther—pious monk, fiery orator, and religious whistle-blower—came from a humble, pastoral corner of Germany’s heartland. In the charming university town of Erfurt, Luther was a student before casting his former life aside to become a monk. At Wartburg Castle, he hid out to translate the New Testament. And he eventually made his home in Wittenberg, where he worked as a university professor, nailed his 95 Theses to the church door, and enjoyed married life with Katharina von Bora.

Located in the present-day states of Saxony and Thuringia, this chapter’s three destinations—Erfurt, Wartburg Castle, and Wittenberg—form the cradle of the Protestant Reformation. Luther’s groundbreaking work here set into motion a chain of events that would split Western Christian faith, plunge Europe into a century of warfare, cause empires to rise and fall, and inspire new schools of art and thought.

OK, I’ll admit it—I’m a Lutheran. So I have a special reason for enjoying this area. But anyone with an appreciation for history will likely be interested as well. Even without their Luther connections, Erfurt is pleasant for a stroll, and Wartburg is a fine castle. And anyone—including atheists—will appreciate Wittenberg’s excellent Luther sights, demonstrating the dramatic impact this courageous monk had on European history—which went far beyond his original intent to reform the church—and the enduring example he set for those who dare to speak truth to power. (For more on Martin Luther’s significance, read the background information about him starting on here; or watch my TV special Rick Steves’ Luther and the Reformation at RickSteves.com/luther.)

If you’re connecting the Luther towns, you’ll almost certainly pass through the city of Leipzig, which also has a few Luther ties and is worth a visit in its own right (see next chapter).

Throughout the region that I call the “Luther Trail,” keep an eye out for the Luther rose, a symbol of the man who became known as the Great Reformer: a black cross in a red heart (symbolizing the Crucifixion) inside a white rose (the peace and joy of faith), all within a golden ring that symbolizes the infinite nature of heaven.

PLANNING YOUR TIME

This area is easy to visit on the way between the Frankfurt/Würzburg area to the west and the Berlin/Dresden area to the east. Luther pilgrims may want several days to linger at the historic sights. You can see Wittenberg on its own as a day trip from Berlin, or follow this two-day plan en route to Berlin:

Day 1: Ride the train to Eisenach, throw your bag in a locker, and visit Wartburg Castle. In the evening, continue by train 30-45 minutes to Erfurt, where you’ll enjoy a charming evening.

Day 2: Spend the morning sightseeing in Erfurt; at midday, head to Wittenberg, see the sights there, and then take an evening train to Berlin. (If you’d also like to visit Leipzig, do it today and stay the night; then see Wittenberg on the morning of Day 3 on the way to Berlin.)

Background on Martin Luther

Luther lived a turbulent life. In early adulthood, the newly ordained Catholic priest suffered a crisis of faith before finally emerging as “born again.” In 1517, he openly protested against Church corruption and was later excommunicated. Defying both the pope and the emperor, he was declared a heretic and hid out in a friendly prince’s castle, watching as his ideas sparked peasant riots. In his castle refuge he translated the New Testament from Greek to German. He later composed hymns such as “A Mighty Fortress is Our God,” sparred with fellow Reformers, and tried to harness and guide the religious, social, and political firestorm he helped ignite.

Early Life

Luther was born on November 10, 1483, in Eisleben, south of Berlin. His dad owned a copper smelter, affording Luther a middle-class upbringing—a rarity in the medieval hierarchy of nobles, clergy, and peasants.

Luther enrolled at the University of Erfurt in 1501. There he earned a liberal-arts degree, entered law school, and earned himself two nicknames—“the philosopher” for his wide-ranging mind, and “the king of hops” for his lifelong love affair with beer.

Then came July 2, 1505. While riding through the countryside, Luther was caught up in an intense thunderstorm, and a bolt of lightning knocked him to the ground. Luther cried out, “St. Anne, save me, and I will become a monk!” Surviving the storm, Luther was determined to make good on his promise. He returned to Erfurt, sold his possessions, and told his friends, “After this day, you will see me no more.” The next morning, he knocked on the door of Erfurt’s Augustinian Monastery and dedicated his life to Christianity.

But Luther soon realized that pious monastic life did not suit his inquisitive nature. He returned to academia, was ordained a priest in 1507 in Erfurt’s cathedral, and by 1508 was teaching theology part-time at the university in nearby Wittenberg.

In 1509, Luther set out for Rome on foot, a pilgrimage that would change him forever. Upon arriving in the Eternal City, he was dismayed to find rich, corrupt priests and bishops selling “indulgences,” which supposedly guaranteed entry to heaven to those able to pay the price. This was the Rome of Pope Julius II, who was in the midst of an expensive, over-the-top remodel of Vatican City—and the lucrative sale of indulgences helped refill the papal treasury. At the time of Luther’s visit, Michelangelo was lying aloft on his back in the Sistine Chapel, executing detailed frescoes on the ceiling, while Raphael was slathering nearby hallways with his own Renaissance masterpieces.

This traffic in indulgences and luxury clashed violently with Luther’s deeply held belief that people’s faith, not their pocketbook, would determine the final destination of their souls. Indulgences were an insult to his worldview—and, to Luther, a betrayal of the Christian faith.

Professor and Preacher

After returning to Germany in 1512, Luther received his doctorate and got a job teaching theology at the university in Wittenberg. The prince-elector of Saxony, Frederick the Wise, had decided to make this backwater town his royal seat, so he invited the region’s best and brightest to populate his dynamic new burg. Here, Luther mingled with other great thinkers (including fellow professor Philipp Melanchthon) and artists (most notably Lucas Cranach the Elder).

During these early years, Luther was consumed with the notion that he was a sinner. He devoured the Bible, looking for an answer and finding it in Paul’s letter to the Romans. Luther concluded that God makes sinners righteous through their faith in Jesus Christ, not by earning it through good deeds. As this concept of “unearned grace” took hold, Luther said, “I felt myself to have been born again.”

Energized, he began a series of Bible lectures at Wittenberg’s Town Church of St. Mary. The pews were packed as Luther quoted passages directly from the Bible. Speaker and audience alike began to see discrepancies between what the Bible said and what the Church was doing. Coincidentally, a friar happened to arrive in Wittenberg around this time, selling letters of indulgence that promised “forgiveness for all thy sins, transgressions, and excesses, howsoever enormous they may be”...a bargain at twice the price.

Outraged at the idea that God’s grace could be bought, Luther thought the subject should be debated openly. On October 31, 1517, he nailed his now-famous 95 Theses (topics for discussion) to the door of Wittenberg’s Castle Church. The theses questioned indulgences and other Church practices and beliefs. Thesis #82 boldly asked: “If the pope redeems a number of souls for the sake of miserable money with which to buy a church, why doesn’t he empty purgatory for the sake of holy love?” With the newfangled printing presses belonging to Lucas Cranach, Luther’s propositions were turned into pamphlets that became the talk of Germany.

Excommunication

Luther didn’t set out to start a new church; he wanted to reform the existing one. He preached throughout the region, spreading his provocative ideas and publicly debating his positions in such venues as Leipzig’s town hall. In 1520, a furious Pope Leo X sent the rebellious monk a papal bull threatening excommunication. Luther burned the edict on the spot, and soon after, Leo X formally excommunicated him.

Luther was branded a heretic and ordered to Rome to face charges, but he refused to go. Finally, the most powerful man in Europe, Emperor Charles V, stepped in to arbitrate, calling an Imperial Diet (congress) at Worms in 1521. Luther made a triumphal entry into Worms, greeted by cheering crowds. The Diet convened, and Luther took his place in the center of the large hall, standing next to a stack of his writings. Inquisitors grilled him while the ultra-conservative Charles looked on. Luther refused to disavow his beliefs.

The infuriated emperor declared Luther an outlaw and a heretic. Being “outside the law” meant that he could be killed at will. After leaving Worms, Luther disappeared. He was kidnapped—by supporters—and given refuge in Frederick the Wise’s Wartburg Castle. There Luther wore a beard to disguise himself as Junker Jörg (“Squire George”). He spent 10 months fighting depression and translating the Bible’s New Testament from the original Greek into German. This “September Testament” was revolutionary, bringing the Bible to the masses and shaping the modern German language.

Meanwhile, Luther’s ideas caught on back home in Wittenberg, where his followers had continued to pursue reform. By the time Luther returned to the city in 1522, popular uprisings led by more radically minded reformers were undermining law and order.

Later Life

In 1525, Luther’s friend and follower Thomas Müntzer used Luther’s writings to justify an uprising known as the Peasants’ Revolt. Poor farmers attacked their feudal masters with hoes and pitchforks, fighting for more food, political say-so, and respect. Thousands of peasants died, and Müntzer was executed. Luther decried the uprising, preaching that Church corruption did not justify outright societal rebellion. In fact, he supported the violent suppression of the Peasants’ Revolt.

In 1525, the 41-year-old ex-priest married a 26-year-old ex-nun, Katharina von Bora, “to please my father and annoy the pope.” (Their wedding set the precedent of allowing Protestant clergy to marry.) They moved into the former Wittenberg monastery where Luther had once lived (today’s Luther House, the best museum anywhere on the Reformation and Luther), where they rented rooms to students. Luther turned his checkbook over to “my lord Katie,” who ran the family farm and raised their six children and 11 adopted orphans.

Luther traveled, spreading the Protestant message. In 1529, at Marburg Castle (just north of Frankfurt), he attended a summit of leading Protestants to try and forge an alliance against Catholicism. They agreed on everything except a single theological point: whether Christ was present in the wine and bread of Communion in a physical sense (according to Luther) or symbolic sense (per the Swiss Reformer Ulrich Zwingli). The disagreement doomed the Protestant movement to splinter into dozens of sects.

In 1534, Luther finished translating the Bible. Lucas Cranach illustrated it with woodcuts and published it on his printing presses. The Martin Luther Bible was to German-speaking Christians what the King James Bible would be to English-speaking Christians—essentially codifying an entire language. Luther also wrote a German Mass, catechisms, and several hymns, including the still-beloved “A Mighty Fortress is Our God.”

In his fifties, Luther’s health declined, and he grew bitter, a fact made clear in such writings as “Against the Papacy at Rome Founded by the Devil” and “Of the Jews and Their Lies.” A general tone of anti-Judaism pollutes his later work. Luther was less concerned with the ethnicity of Jews—as the Nazis later were—than he was by their refusal to accept Christianity. Luther’s words were later invoked to justify anti-Semitic speech and actions during the early days of Nazism.

Martin Luther died on February 18, 1546, and was buried in Wittenberg. To read more about the Protestant Reformation, see the “Luther’s Legacy” sidebar, later. And watch my one-hour public television special, Rick Steves’ Luther and the Reformation (RickSteves.com/luther).

Erfurt

A half-timbered, many-steepled medieval townscape with a shallow river gurgling through its middle, Erfurt (AIR-foort) is an inviting destination. The capital of the state of Thuringia, this is where Martin Luther spent his early years. While its Luther sights aren’t as exciting as those at Wartburg Castle or Wittenberg, the town itself more than makes up for it. You can see the monastery where Luther became a monk and the cathedral where he became a priest, stroll across an atmospheric medieval bridge lined with characteristic shops, ogle an unearthed treasure-trove in one of Europe’s oldest surviving synagogues, hike up to the citadel for views over town, or just bask in Erfurt’s quaintness.

Sitting on an important medieval trade route, Erfurt boomed in the Middle Ages thanks largely to its production of woad, a plant-based blue dye. In the 16th century, trade with India flooded the market with less expensive dyes made from true indigo, and Erfurt’s fortunes tumbled, leaving it a well-preserved backwater for centuries. It enjoyed another boom after the creation of a united Germany in 1871. Unlike the nearby cities of Berlin, Dresden, and Leipzig, Erfurt emerged from World War II relatively unscathed. This imbues Erfurt with a delightful time-capsule quality—rare for an eastern German city of its size.

These days, Erfurt is very popular among German tourists and Martin Luther pilgrims, but largely undiscovered by American visitors (meaning English information can be hard to come by). Erfurt provides a handy launch pad for visiting Wartburg Castle, where Luther hid out while translating the New Testament (in Eisenach, 30-45 minutes west by train).

PLANNING YOUR TIME

Erfurt deserves a day’s visit, and possibly an overnight. You can get the gist of the town in a few hours: Take my self-guided walking tour, then drop into your choice of other sights—the twin churches are enjoyable, the citadel is disappointing, Luther fans appreciate the Augustinian Monastery, the Stasi Museum is fascinating, Egapark gardens are wonderful if visiting in the summer, and the truly old Old Synagogue interests historians.

Orientation to Erfurt

Although it has about 200,000 people, Erfurt feels smaller—particularly its downtown core, where you’ll spend most of your time. Erfurt’s Old Town, huddled picturesquely at a bend in the Gera River, is loosely bound by a ring road. The train station sits just beyond the southeastern edge of the ring, and the cathedral and citadel perch at the western edge. The Old Town core is a short walk (or speedy tram ride) from the train station; once there, virtually all points of interest are within a 10-minute walk of one another.

TOURIST INFORMATION

Erfurt’s TI is in the town center, between the Merchants’ Bridge and Town Hall. They have a good map with tram lines (free), sell a self-guided tour booklet, and rent an audioguide and bikes (Mon-Sat 10:00-18:00, Sun until 15:00; Benediktsplatz 1, +49 361 66400, www.erfurt-tourismus.de). Their big touch-screen monitor shows the latest events and news.

Tours: You’ll see tour groups all over town, but there are no regularly scheduled English tours; instead, use the TI’s audioguide, or follow my self-guided walk, later in this chapter.

Musical Events: Erfurt has a long tradition of classical music—especially pipe-organ music. There are regular organ concerts at various churches, plus open-air opera performances on the steps of the cathedral in the summer, a summer organ festival, and a Bach festival each spring. Visit the TI or its website for a listing of musical events.

ARRIVAL IN ERFURT

The Erfurt Hauptbahnhof (main train station) has a few shops and eateries and luggage lockers (below track 2). There’s no city TI at the station, but a regional (Thuringia) TI is directly across the square from the main door.

From the station, you can walk into the heart of town in about 10-15 minutes (a few minutes farther to Domplatz or the Augustinian Monastery), or you can hop a tram for part of the way.

To walk, exit through the main door and bear left until you reach Bahnhofstrasse, with the tram tracks. Follow the tracks away from the station (under arcades) and head five short blocks until you pop out at the shopping square called Anger (marked by a glassy modern building). This is the starting point for my self-guided walk; most of the hotels I list are within a 10-minute walk of Anger.

Or to take a tram, exit out the side of the station, toward Ausgang Bahnhofstrasse; you’ll run right into the tram stops. Anger square is one stop on any tram heading to the right. Trams #2, #3, and #6 go to Domplatz. Trams #1, #4, and #5 go to Augustinerkloster (the Augustinian Monastery).

GETTING AROUND ERFURT

For most visitors, the only reason to use Erfurt’s trams is to haul luggage to or from the station (particularly to lodgings near the Augustinian Monastery) or to reach the Egapark gardens. One ride is €2.50; a day pass is €6.20. Ticket machines (instructions in English, pay with coins, bills, or cards) are at stops and on the trams.

Erfurt Walk

The best “sight” in Erfurt is the town itself, with its charming, half-timbered core. This self-guided walk (which takes about an hour, not including sightseeing breaks) begins at the main shopping zone and ends at the big square with the cathedral (Domplatz); along the way, it passes nearly every sightseeing option in town.

• Begin in the main shopping square, called Anger. To get here from the train station, see “Arrival in Erfurt,” earlier.

Anger

The word Anger means “commons,” evoking the grazing land that once sprawled just outside the city walls. During Erfurt’s medieval heyday, this space was used as a marketplace. Much later, after Germany’s unification in 1871, the new wealth that flowed into town was poured into construction around this square. Study the fine late-19th-century and early 20th-century facades. More recently, many of these buildings have been turned into shopping spaces. During the communist years this area was pedestrianized and became a transit hub.

In the middle of the square, notice the statues of the Maus and the Elefant—two beloved characters from Germany’s public-television children’s channel, KiKA (short for “Kinder Kanal”), which is based in Erfurt. When German families come here, their kids can’t wait to pose with figures like these—you’ll see them (17 in all) scattered around town. Have some selfie fun.

The palatial yellow building, across the tram tracks from the glassy, modern building, hosts the Anger Museum (described later, under “Sights in Erfurt”). This building was restored to showcase the city’s marginally interesting collections of paintings, applied arts, and medieval artifacts.

• Facing the mouse and elephant, follow the tram tracks 100 yards to the right and look for a church with a statue in front. It’s none other than...

Martin Luther

Luther came to Erfurt in 1501 to enroll at the university. After graduating, the smart young student pursued a doctorate at the prestigious law faculty, but after a close call with a lightning storm, Luther had a change of heart and became a monk at Erfurt’s Augustinian Monastery for several years. This walk passes a few blocks from the monastery. The church in front of you is where Johann Sebastian Bach’s parents were married in 1668.

• To the right of the statue is a...

Rostbratwurst Stand

Locals are extremely proud of what they stress is “originale” Thüringer bratwurst—a long, skinny, relatively low-fat pork sausage amply seasoned with pepper, marjoram, and other spices. When you buy one (€3.50), grab a tiny roll and hold it open; they’ll serve the wurst straight from the grill. While there’s ketchup standing by, purists put only the locally made Born-brand mustard (Senf) on their weenie. Sybille, who runs the stand, is evangelical about her wurst and says ketchup is an affair, but mustard is a good marriage. (Engage her in some fun talk.)

• As you munch, go left (around the church), then turn left up Meienbergstrasse, and walk to the end of the street—passing several international eateries along the way. (Erfurt’s population seems to have a huge appetite for affordable food from all over the world.) Soon you reach...

Wenigemarkt

This “Little Market Square” is one of Erfurt’s most charming, encircled with al fresco cafés and watched over by the fortified tower of the Methodist church of St. Aegidius (which you can climb for a town view). Pause for a moment and listen to the soundtrack of a car-free city center.

• Head toward that church tower, and take the right fork through the large gateway just beneath. Jog left and you’ll pop out at...

The “Er-Ford”

Notice the ramp that goes right down into the Gera River, out the other side, then continues through the far branch of the river. Like any German town with “-furt” in its name, Erfurt is named for a shallow point where ancient travelers could ford a river. (The “Er” part comes from an old German word for “dirty”—the water was muddied when people would cross.) In centuries past, this sleepy brook powered 50 water mills and therefore did much to power the economy of Erfurt.

Spanning the river on your left is the Merchants’ Bridge. Notice that—unlike the famous shop-lined Ponte Vecchio in Florence—people actually make their homes along this bridge (see the flower boxes on the lived-in balconies). As in ages past, the residents live upstairs and run shops downstairs.

• Climb the narrow staircase on your left to get onto the bridge.

Merchants’ Bridge (Krämerbrücke)

The bridge dates from 1325, but the shops that line it (Krämer means “shopkeeper”) first sprouted around the late 15th and early 16th centuries, about Martin Luther’s time. Today, the shops on the bridge are quaint, albeit a bit touristy, and a pleasure to browse. Window-shop your way across the bridge, which showcases local arts and craftspeople.

Next to the staircase, consider grabbing an ice cream at the popular Goldhelm Eiskrämer with its ingenious, one-way traffic flow (the caramel is wunderbar). Across from the steps, at #19, is a shop dealing in Thuringian specialties, including wine, mustard, cheese, and sausage. Across from that (marked by the golden helmet) is the Goldhelm Schokolade shop, selling irresistible chocolates. At #31 is the office of the foundation that cares for the bridge, with a tiny, free exhibit. You’re welcome to pop in to check out the creaky floors and heavy beams of this 15th-century house, from top to stony cellar. An English flier describes their work (daily 10:00-18:00, small donation requested).

Near the end, between two buildings that are both oddly numbered “2,” don’t miss the window marked Theatrum Mundi. This is the brilliant work of local puppetmaker Martin Gobsch—go in, say hi, and observe him at work. It’s well worth popping in a €1 coin to see the evil queen open her green eyes and pull back her arm to reveal an intricately detailed, fully articulated rendering of the Snow White story—it plays just long enough for you to take in all the delightful details. Happily, the prince takes Snow White away.

• At the end of Merchants’ Bridge, you emerge at...

Benediktsplatz

Originally Merchants’ Bridge was guarded at either end by fortified churches; the one on this end—St. Benedict’s—was torn down by Napoleonic troops, but its name survives. The TI faces this square.

• Let’s take a detour right, up...

Michaelisstrasse

Historically the core of the university district, today this drag hosts some of the town’s most popular and youthful restaurants and bars. After a block (at Waagegasse), side-trip down the first lane on the left, then look left to find the entrance to the Old Synagogue—one of Europe’s earliest surviving synagogues, displaying a rediscovered treasure in its cellar (see “Sights in Erfurt,” later). A few steps past the entrance is a vacant lot where you get a good view of the synagogue’s facade. (If not open, slats in the large gate allow curious visitors to sneak a peek.)

• Back on Michaelisstrasse, continue left.

At Zum Güldenen Krönbacken (#10), go through the large, carriage-size arch to a beer garden. Find several big aluminum planters (on the left) that are filled with leafy woad plants. Growing to four feet, and with yellow flowers, woad (Waid in German) was converted into a highly valuable, brilliant blue dye, which buoyed Erfurt’s economy in the Middle Ages. This half-timbered courtyard (circa 1500) is one place where the woad was processed and warehoused. After being mashed up, the plant was fermented with urine for two months. (How they worked out this procedure, I don’t care to know.) The mixture was dried, then ground into a fine powder that was literally worth its weight in gold. Leading woad merchants were local tycoons.

Return to Michaelisstrasse and find, on the immediate left, a fine Renaissance facade dating from 1561 that leads (if open) into a remarkably well-preserved trader’s compound: a business tycoon’s place of business, with a warehouse in the cellar and living quarters upstairs. His business? Woad.

Continuing up Michaelisstrasse, you’ll come to an intersection shared by a church and an old pink building—both related to the University of Erfurt. Founded in 1379, the university was the third in present-day Germany and counts Martin Luther and Johannes Gutenberg as alumni. The pink building, called the Collegium Maius, was the town’s first university building (though it’s mostly a reconstruction—the original was one of Erfurt’s few WWII casualties in the last months of the war). Medieval students had a rough life: They got up at 4:00 in the morning to attend Mass, ate two meals a day (breakfast at 10:00 and dinner at 16:00), and bathed once a month. On the upside, students were rationed one liter of beer per meal (it was safer to drink than the water). Notice the tiny modern stained-glass windows above the door depicting the four traditional areas of study: theology (cross and fish), law (scales), medicine (snake on staff), and philosophy (eye).

• Retrace your steps, returning back to Benediktsplatz and the TI. Then, turn right (in the direction you were originally going) toward...

Fischmarkt

On the left just before you reach the square, in front of the Town Hall, look for another KiKA character—a morose, SpongeBob-looking slice of bread named Bernd das Brot. In what surely ranks among the most dramatic art heists in European history, this statue was stolen in 2009 by squatters protesting an eviction notice. They even put a tongue-in-cheek ransom video on YouTube. Several days later, Bernd was discovered by kids in an abandoned building and returned to his rightful home.

Just past Bernd, enter the square, dominated by the Town Hall building. Although there’s no trace of fish remaining today, the legacy of the commerce that thrived on this square is evident. So many people were once attracted to this spot to do business that it seemed the best location on which to build the first town hall, which they did in 1275. The statue in the center of the square holds a flag and shield, both with the city symbol—a wheel in a shield. Erfurt, which was never a free city, spent much of its history as part of the Archbishop of Mainz’s holdings, so this wheel is based on that city’s symbol.

On the square, survey the building facades and enjoy the variety of architectural styles taking you from the 13th to the 20th century. Notice in particular two fine Renaissance facades owned by affluent woad merchants hell-bent on showing off their wealth: Zum Breiten Herd (1584, celebrates the five senses: from left to right, look, listen, smell, taste, and touch), and the Red Ox (across the square at #7, from 1562, with a round arch and “gossip stones” where women would sit flanking the doorway and gossip while keeping an eye on the city).

The stately Town Hall was built in 1875 in the Neo-Gothic style. It may still welcome visitors with some fine romantic paintings illustrating the city’s history (nicely described in English), and free WCs.

Finally, notice the modern addition to the Town Hall, built around 1935 in the “New Objectivity” style. Often associated with the more famous Bauhaus movement, this style is an example of functionalism—the “form follows function” aesthetic that influenced much of 20th-century architecture. The statues under the eave, which also date from the 1930s, show bad human characteristics (greed, narcissism, laziness, stupidity, and so on). The Nazi-era relief celebrates solid, traditional family roles.

• Stand with the Town Hall at your back. Now follow the tram lines ahead and to your right up...

Marktstrasse

Across from the tall, white steeple you can pop into Werner’s Head Shop for a peek at a monetization of the counter-culture. You might ask about the latest on marijuana—Germany recently legalized it, and although Germans can’t enjoy public lounges like the Dutch or buy pot in retail shops like most Americans, locals can grow up to three plants or join “cannabis clubs” (like the Spanish) to share in the harvest.

After Werner’s, turn left on Grosse Arche and walk down the street to Haus zum Sonneborn (a big yellow house with brown timbers and trim, shown on previous page). At this popular venue for civil weddings, where you can do the paperwork and have the ceremony in one stop, notice the intertwined golden rings on the grate over the window to the right of the door (and to the left, the not-so-subtle cage). Look for some rice or giddy confetti in the cobbles—evidence of a joyful recent ceremony.

• From here, head right, down Mettengasse, to a charming square with a fountain celebrating fairy tales and a puppet theater that features them. This is Brothers Grimm country and, since the 1850s, every local kid has grown up with the Grimms’ fairy tales. Enjoy imagining the old days when the higgledy-piggledy backsides of these half-timbered buildings were teeming with activity. And speaking of cannabis, look at the pot on this square! Passing the biggest potted plant you’ll ever see, you might wonder which came first: the pot or the tree (it’s actually an advertisement for the plant paradise of Egapark, recommended on here). Continue under the pointed arch until you reach the...

Domplatz (Cathedral Square)

This vast square is often full of market stalls, or set up for a big concert or public event. And it’s dominated by twin churches: the Cathedral of St. Mary (on the left) and the Church of St. Severus (right). While Erfurt’s history is tied to religion, the atheistic East German government successfully smothered the faith: These days, just 7 percent of Erfurters profess to be Catholic, 14 percent are Protestant, and the rest are unchurched. On the hill to the right, you can see the base of Petersberg Citadel, a gigantic fortress that’s free to explore and offers sweeping views over Erfurt. (The churches and citadel are described next, under “Sights in Erfurt.”)

The street leading away from Domplatz to the right, Andreasstrasse, was called “the longest street in Erfurt” during communist times. Just past the end of the square, on the left, the bright red-brick building behind the wall was once a prison run by the Stasi, East Germany’s secret police. It’s now a powerful memorial and museum—described later in “Sights in Erfurt.” This prison was reserved for those who were caught trying to escape to the West. Why was Andreasstrasse called the longest street? “It takes five minutes to go in, and five years to get out.”

• Our tour is finished. Visit the churches and citadel, then enjoy exploring the town. Or if you’re ready to head back to the train station, you can hop on tram #2, #3, or #6. (To confirm, ask anyone, “Hauptbahnhof?”)

Sights in Erfurt

MARTIN LUTHER SIGHTS

▲Augustinian Monastery and Church (Augustinerkloster und Augustinerkirche)

▲Preachers’ Church (Predigerkirche)

OTHER SIGHTS IN THE TOWN CENTER

▲Old Synagogue (Alte Synagogue)

Anger Museum

DOMPLATZ AND NEARBY

▲▲Cathedral of St. Mary (Hohe Domkirche St. Marien)

Church of St. Severus (Severikirche)

▲Petersberg Citadel (Zitadelle Petersberg)

▲▲Stasi Museum

ON OR NEAR THE RING ROAD

Thuringian Folk Museum (Museum für Thüringer Volkskunde)

City Museum (Stadtmuseum)

ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF TOWN

Egapark

NEAR ERFURT

Luther’s Birth House in Eisleben

Panorama Museum/Peasants’ War Panorama (Bauernkriegspanorama)

MARTIN LUTHER SIGHTS

▲Augustinian Monastery and Church (Augustinerkloster und Augustinerkirche)

On July 17, 1505, a young student knocked on the door of this monastery and declared that he wished to become a monk. Martin Luther lived here for several years—even after becoming a priest and a part-time professor—until he settled in Wittenberg in 1512. Inside the still-active complex, you can see the church, a small museum of Luther artifacts, and the cell where Monk Martin lived. While the museum and cell are more accustomed to German-speaking groups, they welcome individuals, and their exhibits are explained in English.

Cost and Hours: The monastery (understaffed for tourism) caters mostly to visiting groups and German-speakers. While the church is free and easy to visit (daily 10:00-18:00), the monastery and its museum are much more complicated (€7.50, 10:00-15:00). Even though they may appear to be closed, you’ll get either an escort or a key to wander around with the help of the included audioguide, which has 20 stops on a one-hour tour that follows your included printed map (Augustinerstrasse 10, +49 361 576 600, www.augustinerkloster.de).

Tours: €7.50, one-hour guided tours in German depart several times a day; ask about tours in English. Tours include the church, the peaceful cloister, an exhibition, and Luther’s cell.

Getting There: The monastery is an easy 10-minute walk along Johannesstrasse from Anger square. To get there by tram from either the Hauptbahnhof or Anger, take the #1 or #5 to the Augustinerkloster stop.

Visiting the Monastery: As the Augustinians were a “begging order,” they didn’t have a lot of money. That’s why this monastery, while important, had no great spire and just a humble cloister. Entering through the door, you emerge into a tranquil, park-like courtyard. The modern building (housing offices and a conference center) marks the site of an earlier library, where 267 people suffocated while hiding in the cellar to escape WWII bombs. The new building is connected by an elevated walkway to the main part of the complex, with two major sights: the church and the Martin Luther museum (with his cell).

The church, dating from the late 13th century, is where Martin Luther worshipped as a monk. The stained-glass windows (c. 1330) include (in the lower left corner) a motif of lions (symbolizing Jesus) flanking a rose (Mary). This window, which monks used as a focal point for meditation, must have made a deep impression on Luther: He later adopted a similar rose icon for his personal coat of arms. In front of the main altar, the tomb of Johannes Zacharias, a prominent priest, was a place where monks (including Luther) would meditate overnight—lying on their backs, with their arms outstretched. The deeply introspective Luther struggled with all this piety, and eventually he returned to academic life.

Oddly enough, it was Zacharias who had the Czech reformer Jan Hus burned in 1415 for his proto-Reformation ideas. Just before his execution, Hus had defiantly cried, “You can burn me—I’m just a little goose—but in one century a white swan will come and defeat your thinking.” A century later, Luther, meditating on that tomb, kindled the ideas of the Reformation. As a priest, Luther performed the Mass here and would sit on the bench under the arch on the right.

Today, this monastery and church form a center of ecumenism (different flavors of Christianity getting along), and it was in that spirit that Roman Catholic Pope Benedict XVI came here in 2011.

To see the museum and cell (with ticket, audioguide, and map in hand), head through the cloister and upstairs to find exhibits about the history of the Bible and a working model of a 15th-century printing press. It was the combination of humanism, Gutenberg, and Luther that resulted in affordable Bibles in the vernacular rather than in Latin. Another room dedicated to Martin Luther contains a few original artifacts, as well as replicas of his straw bed, gown, book, lute, and so on. The room is lined with small cells where monks would meditate. (The monks all slept together on the main floor.) The cell at the far corner (called the Lutherzelle) was Martin Luther’s. A small window across the room opens into the cloister library.

The cloister is simple, in keeping with Augustinian values. In the adjoining 14th-century chapter hall, monks would convene for meetings and to confess before each other.

▲Preachers’ Church (Predigerkirche)

This church, founded in the 14th century by the Catholic Dominicans whose mission was teaching and preaching, is now Erfurt’s main Protestant church. Its architecture remains stunning, although it has undergone multiple periods of rebuilding. Colorful keystones honor guilds that paid to build the original church in Gothic times (find symbols for the baker, hatter, goldsmiths, and schneider—that’s a tailor...indicated by scissors). You’ll see a rare surviving wall, which separated people from the clergy before the Reformation. The finely carved choir stalls date from 1320. And the windows behind the altar are an abstract kaleidoscope of colors—pieced together from the original medieval glass windows that were shattered in World War II. The church also has a glorious circa-1650 Baroque pipe organ that you can hear in action (see “Tourist Information,” earlier).

Catholic and Protestant Differences

The differences between Protestant and Catholic doctrines have split Christians for centuries, ever since the Luther-sparked “protest” against Catholic corruption and rigidity. Both faiths see Jesus Christ as the central figure in bringing salvation, but they take different approaches.

Protestants emphasize the direct relationship between the individual and God, established through Bible study and personal prayer. With this one-on-one connection at the core of their worship, church rituals and doctrines aren’t all that essential, and Protestant clergy (who can marry) are laypeople or pastors hired to facilitate worship.

To Catholics, church rituals and an ordained clergy are key conduits for creating and maintaining an individual’s connection to God. Catholics receive forgiveness for their sins through the act of confession, which must be conducted with a priest. Unlike Protestants, they venerate saints and the Virgin Mary and consider official pronouncements by the pope to be the word of God. Catholic priests must be celibate, and the Church recognizes organizations of monks and nuns.

Cost and Hours: Free, Tue-Sat 11:00-16:00, Sun from 12:00, closed Mon and Nov-April, Predigerstrasse 4.

OTHER SIGHTS IN THE TOWN CENTER

▲Old Synagogue (Alte Synagogue)

One of the oldest surviving synagogues in Europe, the original identity of this building was forgotten for several centuries before being rediscovered in the 1980s. Today it has been restored to highlight its medieval heyday, while preserving its other layers of history. The exhibit inside explains the history of the building, examines the relationship between Jews and Christians in medieval Erfurt, and shows off a cache of coins and jewelry that was discovered nearby.

Cost and Hours: €8, includes audioguide, Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon, mandatory bag check, Waagegasse 8, +49 361 655 1666, www.juedisches-leben.erfurt.de.

Background: With sections dating back to around 1100, this building was the religious center of Erfurt’s bustling medieval Jewish community. Erfurt’s Jews mixed freely with their Christian neighbors. In fact, the synagogue’s location was one of the most desirable in town, situated near the main trading routes.

All of that changed during the Black Death pandemic of 1348-1349, which killed a third of Europe’s population. In the hysteria that ensued, Jewish communities, including Erfurt’s, were accused of spreading the disease and faced appalling persecution. Hundreds of Erfurt Jews were killed and the rest were expelled in a single horrible day of violence.

The Jews returned to Erfurt in the 1350s, but from that point on they were relegated to a ghetto. By about 1450 the Jews had again moved out of Erfurt. The abandoned synagogue building was taken over by the town and sold. Over the next several centuries, it was used first as a warehouse, then later as a restaurant, bowling alley, and dance hall. Finally, in 1988, when historians realized that it had once been a synagogue, it was restored.

Visiting the Synagogue: On the ground floor, models illustrate how the original synagogue building grew over time. The rail high on the wall once held lamps. The octagon in the center of the room marks the location of the bema, a raised platform for reading the Torah. A projection on the wall shows the niche where the Torah was kept.

Now go upstairs. Nothing here is original—it looks more like the colorfully decorated dance hall that was here from 1876 through the 1930s. The balcony ringing the room was the so-called dragon’s watch, where mothers could keep an eye on their daughters dancing with would-be suitors. Imagine young Nazis waltzing here, oblivious to the fact that they were partying in a former synagogue. Among the replicas of parchment scrolls and important books is a copy of the biggest handwritten Hebrew Bible in the world (notice that the illustrations are made up of tiny Hebrew characters). The originals are in a Berlin museum.

Finally, head into the cellar. In 1998, a remarkable collection of gold, silver, and jewels—some 60 pounds—was discovered in the cellar of a nearby building. Called the “Erfurt Treasure,” this almost certainly belonged to a wealthy local Jew who was killed in the 1349 pogrom. Display cases show off brooches, tableware, and golden decorations for a belt and other garments. The wheel-shaped necklace was used for perfume. (They’ve reformulated this original medieval perfume—you can ask to sniff it at the ticket desk upstairs.) The museum’s prize piece is a finely detailed golden wedding ring from the early 14th century. Peer into the mirror beneath the ring to see the clasped hand that allows the ring to be adjusted. The stacks of coins come from all over Europe, especially from France. The chunks of silver, called “ingots,” are marked with the seal of an Erfurt goldsmith.

When leaving, circle left into a parking lot for a good look at the synagogue’s 800-year-old facade.

Anger Museum

This modern, well-presented museum displays paintings, applied arts, and artifacts from the Middle Ages. The ground-floor medieval collection includes wood-carved statues, altarpieces, and a huge collection of shields.

The Heckelarium is a small room slathered with the Lebensstufen frescoes by painter Erich Heckel (1883-1970). The collection, dating to 1922, features the stages of life (the info monitor explains it well). Part of the early 1900s art movement called “Die Brücke” (“The Bridge”), Heckel strove to create a bridge between two emotional, artistic styles: dramatic Romanticism and edgy Expressionism. (As this art style was not appreciated by the Nazis, it was hidden during Hitler’s rule.)

The first floor features the applied arts collection (Kunsthandwerke, featuring historical room interiors with period furnishings, a treasury of precious items, and a collection of glass and porcelain) and a painting gallery (mostly Romantic canvases by artists you’ve never heard of). Temporary exhibits fill the top floor.

Cost and Hours: €6, Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon, Anger 18, +49 361 655 1651, www.angermuseum.de.

DOMPLATZ AND NEARBY

Erfurt’s grandest square is watched over by three giant structures: a pair of churches on the small hill called Domberg (the cathedral on the left, the Church of St. Severus on the right) and the Petersberg Citadel.

Climb up the 70 steps to enter the two churches, whose entrances face each other. Both churches are Catholic and Gothic, dating from the 14th century and later expanded after a fire in the 15th century.

▲▲Cathedral of St. Mary (Hohe Domkirche St. Marien)

The seat of a bishopric founded in the eighth century by St. Boniface, Erfurt’s cathedral is the church where Martin Luther was ordained a priest. It sticks out from the hill on a massive substructure to level out the foundation. Inside you’ll find a gorgeously carved choir and a few interesting pieces of ecclesiastical art.

Cost and Hours: Free; Mon-Sat 9:30-18:00, Sun from 13:00, Nov-April daily until 17:00; Domstufen 1, +49 361 646 1265, www.dom-erfurt.de. (Check for organ concerts at the church.)

Visiting the Cathedral: Upon entering, turn left to reach the choir, with its intricately carved oak seats. Designs on the benches, built about 50 years after the Black Death, demonstrate that anti-Semitic feelings were still running high. To the left, near the entrance to the choir (about waist-high), find—with the help of your flashlight—the carving from 1320 depicting a duel between two knights, one on a horse and the other on a swine. The Schweinereiter (swine knight) caricature, wearing a Jewish helmet, was intended to both insult Jews (particularly because the Jewish faith considers pigs unclean) and to emphasize the triumph of Christianity over Judaism. Opposite, on the right, is a series of intimate and playful carved scenes from the world of winemaking. Look up to take in the stained-glass windows (c. 1370-1410), depicting Old and New Testament stories and missionaries in the region of Thuringia. The 400-year-old Baroque altar dates from the Counter-Reformation, 150 years after Luther.

Spin around and appreciate how gothic lines lift your gaze and how the organ complements those lines.

Directly across from the main entrance, find the remarkably old (c. 1160) bronze candelabra featuring a man holding up a pair of candles, fighting off evil with light. Just to the right, the oil lamp hanging from the ceiling was stolen from the Jewish synagogue during the 1349 pogrom. Behind the candelabra (on the left) in a simple niche is another exquisite example of 12th-century art—Mary and Jesus on the throne of wisdom.

Filling the wall to the right, a giant fresco shows St. Christopher using Erfurt’s namesake ford to walk Christ to safety (notice this cathedral’s steeples over his shoulder). Pictorial depictions such as this helped make the saints’ stories real to medieval congregations.

Below St. Christopher is a tomb relief panel showing the Duke of Gleichen flanked by two women. This gravestone gave rise to a popular (but almost certainly fabricated) local tale: To make a long story short, he was married twice and apparently maintained good relations with both women.

Church of St. Severus (Severikirche)

This early Gothic “hall church” (free, same hours as cathedral) has five parallel naves (notice the two narrow ones flanking the main nave) and no perpendicular transept. To the left of the fine Baroque organ is a 14th-century sarcophagus containing the remains of the church’s namesake. (Some of the relics of St. Severus, bishop of Ravenna, were brought to Erfurt in the ninth century.) On the sides of the tomb, see the scenes of Severus’ life (a poor craftsman being designated as the chosen one by a white dove over his head—representing the Holy Spirit—and then being “crowned” the bishop of Ravenna) and the Three Magi bringing gifts to the Baby Jesus.

Look to the back of the church for an ornate baptismal font and lots of tombstones. The lacy late-Gothic spire, marking the font, was carved out of sandstone in the 15th century. The floor around it is literally paved with the tombstones of wealthy parishioners. People—believing the more trampled one’s tombstone was, the more likely they were to be remembered—were fine with that. Logically, the more money you gave and the higher your social standing, the better your spot was. Study the stones lining the back wall. Those with a chalice mark the graves of priests, those with a book indicate a theologian’s grave, and stones with nothing on them mark the graves of the filthy rich.

▲Petersberg Citadel (Zitadelle Petersberg)

This sprawling fortress complex, occupying the hill just above Domplatz, is an enjoyable place to go for a stroll and enjoy views over the rooftops of Erfurt (grounds are free and always open). Built from the 17th to the 19th century, it’s a star-shaped fort with a rampart that’s about a mile long and is one of the best-preserved citadels of its kind in Europe.

For a quick visit, from Domplatz walk up the stairs and take the glassed-in elevator. The low, glassy building labeled Besucherzentrum is the visitors center (daily 10:00-18:00). They hand out a helpful free map. You can also visit the small exhibition on the history of the citadel (kid-friendly, no actual artifacts) or book a tour of the underground tunnels (€8). But unless you’re a military history buff, I’d just stroll around using the free online audioguide (www.petersberg-app.de). The main attraction: marveling at the fortifications and the sweeping vista over Erfurt and beyond—especially popular at sunset.

▲▲Stasi Museum

Officially called the Memorial and Education Center Andreasstrasse, it’s both a museum with a teaching mission and a memorial commemorating the victims of the communist dictatorship and the courageous men and women of Erfurt who helped win back freedom. The exhibition has three floors, one dedicated to imprisonment (with a chilling line of cells), one to the socialist dictatorship, and one to the peaceful revolution.

Cost and Hours: €2, the audioguide is worth the €3, Wed and Fri-Sun, 10:00-18:00, Tue and Thu 12:00-20:00, closed Mon, Andreasstrasse 37a, +49 361 219 2120.

ON OR NEAR THE RING ROAD

Thuringian Folk Museum (Museum für Thüringer Volkskunde)

This former hospital contains folk artifacts and old photos illustrating “The Fascination of Everyday Life” in the region of Thuringia. You’ll climb up rickety stairs to see representations of various walks of life, including church, school, bars, farming, shops, kitchen, and home life. The top floor features clothing dyed with woad and dress-up dolls from the 19th through the early 20th century. While charming, the museum has not a word of English.

Cost and Hours: €6, Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon, Juri-Gagarin-Ring 140A, +49 361 655 5607, www.volkskundemuseum-erfurt.de.

City Museum (Stadtmuseum)

Filling the historic Haus zum Stockfisch, a house built for yet another woad merchant, this old-fashioned collection shows off items relating to the history of Erfurt and has a small exhibit on Martin Luther. The highlight for many is Luther’s actual writing box, dating from 1525, which was locked up for storage in the 1950s and forgotten about until the 500th anniversary of the Reformation in 2017. You’ll also see a large-scale model of the town, which lights up specific buildings at the touch of a button, cases of artifacts, military uniforms, an exhibit of how the railroad came to Erfurt, and not a word of English in between.

Cost and Hours: €6, Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon, Johannesstrasse 169, +49 361 655 5644, www.stadtmuseum-erfurt.de.

ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF TOWN

Egapark

When the flowers are blooming (April through October), garden lovers travel from all over Germany to this sprawling green space at the western edge of town. Like a world’s fair for flowers and plant life, it has various gardens (perennials, roses, dahlias, irises, sculptures, Japanese rock and water) to stroll through; you can also visit pavilions (for butterflies, see-through ant colonies, tropical plants, and desert survivors), climb the observation tower, and tour the German Horticultural Museum housed inside former fortifications of the Cyriaksburg citadel. Maps in English can be requested from the gift shop if the ticket sellers have none. There’s a good on-site cafeteria plus food stands. I’d skip the tourist train.

Cost and Hours: €17, €5 after 17:00, cheaper outside of the April-Sept high season; open Tue-Sun 9:00-18:00, closed Mon except July-Aug, shorter hours off-season; ride tram #2 from the train station, Anger square, or Domplatz—a pedestrian underpass leads to ticket booths; at Gothaer Strasse 38, +49 361 564 3737, www.egapark-erfurt.de [URL inactive].

NEAR ERFURT

Two other interesting sights are close to Erfurt—the town of Eisleben, where Luther was born, and the Peasants’ War Panorama (in Bad Frankenhausen), a monumental painting that depicts the final battle of the 1525 uprising. Both Eisleben and Bad Frankenhausen can be reached by public transportation, but these sights are most easily visited by those with cars. For driving directions, check with the TI in Erfurt.

Luther’s Birth House in Eisleben

Luther pilgrims will enjoy a short stop in the town where he was born and died—Eisleben. Luther’s father was a copper miner, and Eisleben is still in a mining district. A small and rough town of 25,000, it has a fine market square under a Gothic church with a Martin Luther statue marking the center. The house where Luther was born in 1483 burned down, and the “birth house” (a 1689 reconstruction) contains a good museum (they claim it’s the oldest in Germany) with lots of artifacts.

Cost and Hours: €5; daily 10:00-18:00; Nov-March Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00, closed Mon; April-Oct daily until 18:00; located next to the TI at Lutherstrasse 15, +49 347 5714 7814.

Panorama Museum/Peasants’ War Panorama (Bauernkriegspanorama)

Located in the town of Bad Frankenhausen, about 30 minutes north of Erfurt, this museum holds a massive, 400-foot-long painting in the round showing vividly (and with an old, East German communist slant) the bloody Peasants’ War of 1525. It’s housed in a 007-looking building at the top of the hill where 6,000 peasants, armed with farming tools, were slaughtered while battling the well-armed troops of the Holy Roman Emperor, marking the end of the Peasants’ War.

Cost and Hours: €9.50, includes essential audioguide, Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00, closed Mon, good cafeteria, +49 34 671 6190, www.panorama-museum.de.

Visiting the Museum: This monumental artwork (officially titled Frühbürgerliche Revolution in Deutschland, a.k.a. Early Bourgeois Revolution in Germany) portrays more than just a horrible battle. It shows the bloody transition between the medieval and modern worlds. At the panorama’s base, 20 great humanists—change agents from the end of the Middle Ages (Luther, Erasmus, other Protestant reformers, Copernicus, Dürer, and more)—gather around a well. Above them a colossal battle takes place under a rainbow, with the Emperor’s troops on the left and the doomed rabble on the right. Farther to the right is an elegant couple (with their backs to us), who dance before a gallows. The message: The elites continue to win.

This painting was done in the 1980s, during the last years of communist rule, by Werner Tübke. The government of East Germany wanted to celebrate the struggle of peasants 500 years ago as a reminder of the same struggle that was being valiantly fought by the modern working class.

Sleeping in Erfurt

Like many other former East German cities, Erfurt is short on characteristic little family-run inns. The accommodations here are mostly sterile business-class hotels offering predictable comfort in the Old Town core. Note that Erfurt charges a 5 percent “cultural tax” on all overnight stays in town. Unless otherwise mentioned, all have air-con and elevators.

€€€ Hotel Alma am Anger, buried in the shopping district, has 54 spacious rooms (either classically fitted or modern—you choose your style) and ample public spaces, including a beer garden as well as a wine bar (air-con in some rooms, family apartments, pay parking, Anger 50 but enter on the side street at Weitergasse 26, +49 361 56800, http://hotel-alma-erfurt.com, rezeption@hotel-alma-erfurt.com).

€€€ Mercure Hotel Erfurt Altstadt, part of the Europe-wide business-class chain, has 141 rooms on a nondescript corner between the Anger shopping district and the main sightseeing zone (breakfast extra, no air-con, pay parking, Meienbergstrasse 26, +49 361 59490, www.mercure.com, h5375@accor.com).

€€ Hotel am Kaisersaal offers 90 rooms in an inviting, quiet location, just a few steps off the charming Wenigemarkt restaurant square. It has a smidge more personality and friendlier reception than my other business-class listings (air-con in most rooms, pay parking, Futterstrasse 8, +49 361 658 560, www.hotel-am-kaisersaal.de, info@hotel-am-kaisersaal.de).

€€ Gästehaus Nikolai has 17 basic, old-fashioned rooms along the river, just up the street from the monastery, which is where you’ll head for check-in and breakfast (family room, no air-con or elevator, limited free parking, Augustinerstrasse 30, +49 361 598 170, www.augustinerkloster.de, gaestehaus-nikolai@augustinerkloster.de). This place is far enough from the station that you might want to take your luggage there by tram (three stops on the #1, #4, or #5 to Augustinerkloster).

€€ St. Augustine’s Evangelical Monastery, now a conference center where Luther once prayed, studied, and taught, is calm, peaceful, and feels very Lutheran. They rent simple, modern rooms—26 singles and 25 twin-bedded doubles—all with private bathrooms (no air-con or elevator, Augustinerstrasse 10, +49 361 576 600, www.augustinerkloster.de, info@augustinerkloster.de).

€ Ibis Hotel Erfurt Altstadt offers 105 centrally located rooms with cookie-cutter comfort. Considering the dearth of characteristic hotels in town, if you’re going to sleep in an Ibis, it might as well be here (breakfast extra, pay garage parking, Barfüsserstrasse 9, +49 361 66410, www.ibis.com, h1648@accor.com).

Eating in Erfurt

A Thuringian staple is the distinctive potato dumpling called a Kloss (plural: Klösse). About the size of a tennis ball, these are soft and light, though generally drenched in gravy, and served with meat dishes and sometimes in soups. Many Erfurt menus include an array of dumpling dishes. Thuringians are also proud of their own special type of peppery sausage.

Most of Erfurt’s restaurants are quite plain-Jane—don’t expect culinary variety here. Since little distinguishes one place from the next, the stakes are low—just look for an ambience that appeals.

€€ Zum Güldenen Rade (“At the Golden Wheel”) has an appealing beer garden out back—under trees and surrounded by half-timbers (with both table service and self-service sections). If self-service is open, order at the counter—cheap beer, bratwurst, pork chops, and potato salad. There’s also indoor seating. Understandably touristy, it offers classic German and Thuringian cuisine, especially the local dumplings, or Klösse (closed Sun, Marktstrasse 50, +49 361 561 3506).

€€€ Kromer’s Restaurant serves “Thuringian slow food”—traditional dishes, great salads, and vegetarian meals with local ingredients in a classy and untouristy setting. They have a small courtyard, a charming dining room, and a romantic barrel-vaulted cellar (dinner only, closed Sun-Mon, near Preachers’ Church at Kleine Arche 4, +49 361 6447 7211).

€€ Übersee (“Over the Water”) is a lively restaurant and bar serving fish-and-chips, burgers, salads, breakfast, cocktails, and nachos with tables on a terrace over the river, just upstream from the Merchants’ Bridge. It has an international menu and seating that sprawls through two adjacent buildings—one new, one old—and out onto the best riverfront terraces in town (long hours daily, Sun until 16:00, Kürschnergasse 8, +49 361 644 7607).

€€€ Feuerkugel serves up good, traditional Thuringian cooking, supposedly from the recipe book of “Oma Käthe” (Granny Katie). Its cozy, warm, woody interior is particularly inviting. For balmy evenings, they have a small terrace out back and pleasant tables on the cobbled lane in front (salads, vegetarian dishes; dinner only, closed Tue-Wed; Michaelisstrasse 3, +49 361 789 1256).

€€€ Bâ Badiyel’s refined Turkish cuisine is a step up from your average kebab joint. The classic mezze dishes, like baba ghanoush and muhammara, along with the grilled meats, will satisfy herbivores and carnivores alike (dinner only, closed Sun-Mon, Futterstrasse 18, +49 361 2300 2005).

€ Schnitzler, true to its name, cranks out schnitzel in many varieties—huge and splitable—along with other options. Haute cuisine it ain’t, but you’re here for the view of the cathedral and St. Severus as much as for the slabs of meat (daily until late, Domplatz 32, +49 361 644 7557).

€€ Cognito, part of a popular chain, offers a fresh, healthy alternative with plenty of vegetarian options right next to the Merchants’ Bridge. This student-vibe place dishes up soups, curries, salads, and coffee drinks. Get it to go or enjoy the comfortable, hip lounge interior on two floors (daily 9:00-20:30, Hefengasse 1, +49 361 660 4666).

Wenigemarkt Eateries: The characteristic “little market square” is ringed with inviting cafés, bars, and restaurants. For a good Italian meal consider €€ Ristorante La Piazzetta, with fine seating inside and on the delightful square for pasta, pizza, salads, and more (daily until late, Wenigemarkt 12, +49 262 2739). Traditional dishes presented with a modern flair in large portions can be had at €€ Restaurant Platzhirsch, which has plenty of terrace seating for people-watching while dining (daily, Wenigemarkt 10, +49 361 653 46721).

Fast Food: To grab a quick Thüringer bratwurst, stop by € Faust Food, which grills up sausages and other meats at low prices. A hit with students, it’s on a forgotten lane in the middle of town—so near all the tourists, yet so far away (closed Sun-Mon, Waagegasse 1, +49 361 6443 6300). Or on Anger square, drop by Sybille’s Rostbratwurst Stand (the one included in my Erfurt Walk) for an “originale” Thüringer bratwurst to go.

Ice Cream: Two popular places are Eiscafé Riva (on the east end of Rathaus Bridge, with a river terrace) and Eiscafé San Remo (at Marktstrasse 21, a block off Domplatz). On the Merchants’ Bridge, Goldhelm Eiskrämer serves inventive seasonal flavors such as port wine with chocolate or buttermilk passionfruit.

Late-Night Drinks: Modern Masters is the favorite in this student town for cocktails, with a sophisticated yet unsnooty atmosphere. Its historic interior is cool and inviting, and its outdoor tables are great for people-watching (no food—only drinks, closed Sun-Mon, right at the start of Michaelisstrasse at #48, +49 361 550 7255).

Erfurt Connections

From Erfurt by Train to: Eisenach and Wartburg Castle (2/hour, 30 minutes on ICE train, 45 minutes on regional train), Leipzig (2/hour, 45 minutes on ICE train), Wittenberg (hourly, 1.5 hours), Dresden (hourly, 2 hours, some with transfer in Leipzig), Berlin (1-2/hour, 2.5 hours), Hamburg (hourly, 4-5 hours, many with a transfer), Frankfurt (hourly direct, 2.5 hours), Würzburg (2/hour, 2 hours, many with a transfer), Nürnberg (2/hour, 1.5 hours), Munich (hourly, 2.5 hours). Train info: www.bahn.com.

Wartburg Castle

Just west of Erfurt is another important Martin Luther sight: Wartburg Castle (VART-boorg), perched over the town of Eisenach (EYE-zehn-nahkh). When Luther spoke out against Church corruption, he made enemies of the pope and emperor, and put his life in jeopardy. Luther was given refuge by a sympathetic prince in this easily defended castle, and—hidden away in a small room—he diligently translated the New Testament from original Greek sources. Although Luther’s translation was not the first version of the Bible printed in German, it was the first translated from Greek rather than Latin (and therefore more accurate). It was so widely circulated that it helped shape the development of standard written German—making Wartburg, in a sense, the birthplace of the modern German language.

PLANNING YOUR TIME

Wartburg Castle works well either as a side trip from Erfurt or on the way between Erfurt and points west (such as Frankfurt or Würzburg). You can check in advance to see if an English tour of the castle is offered the day you visit, but it isn’t essential as the audioguide provides plenty of information.

GETTING THERE

First head for the town of Eisenach, 30-45 minutes west of Erfurt on the main train line. (The Eisenach train station has lockers, both by track #2 and in the main hall, with storage up to 24 hours.) From the station, you can take the bus, catch a taxi, or hike up to Wartburg.

A bus runs up to the castle from the bus station (around the corner to the right as you exit the train station; daily 9:00-17:00, €2.10, 20 minutes, usually bus #3, but the bus number can change from year to year). A taxi costs about €10-15. Drivers can park in the lot by the castle bus stop (€5). With any of these options, you’ll still have a steep 15-minute climb up the stairs to Wartburg itself—or you can hop on the shuttle bus for €3.

It’s at least a 45-minute walk all the way from the train station to Wartburg, with an elevation gain of about 650 feet. Exiting the station, turn right and walk about 10 minutes into the Eisenach town center; then hike up into the hills (following signs for Wartburg; get detailed directions at TI).

Returning to Eisenach: Bus #3 departs Wartburg at :10 past each hour for the train station (Easter-Oct 9:10-17:10). Walking downhill to Eisenach is quick (30 minutes) and pleasant if you have strong knees. The broad dirt path starts at the bend in the road below the castle bus stop and takes you through the woods back into town: Follow signs for Markt to reach the main square, then wind your way through town to the station.

ORIENTATION TO WARTBURG CASTLE

Cost and Hours: Castle courtyard-free, museum-€13, includes downloadable audioguide app, grounds open daily 8:00-20:00, museum 9:00-17:00, shorter hours Nov-March.

Information: +49 3691 2500, www.wartburg.de.

Tours: Tours cost €13. A 45-minute English tour is offered daily at 13:30. Tours in German run every 20 minutes. The castle offers a tiny-print English handout to English-speaking visitors on a German tour. All are unnecessary if you download the audioguide app.

Eating: The café in the castle courtyard serves Flammkuchen (German flatbread) and cakes. Halfway up the stairs from the parking lot, the self-serve € Wartburg-Terrasse has dumpling-based dishes. The wurst stands by the parking lot and bus stop close around 16:00.

OVERVIEW

Dramatically capping a forested ridgeline high above Eisenach, Wartburg Castle is famous among Luther lovers as a place that gave shelter and solace to the recently excommunicated young scholar who was determined to translate the New Testament into his own living language. Pilgrims come here to see the room where Martin Luther carried out that important work. But Luther aside, Wartburg is a fine fortress in its own right, with a few opulent rooms that were lavishly rebuilt and redecorated during a surge of German pride in the late 1880s. In the castle courtyard, you can climb the tower (Südturm) for €1.

BACKGROUND

Wartburg has an impressive history. In 1130, the castle became the seat of Thuringia’s landgraves (counts who ruled the region on behalf of the Holy Roman Empire). Most of the castle’s days were peaceful (read: dull), but it was an important center of power—and notable as the site of a contest of minstrels in 1207, a story later famously dramatized by Richard Wagner in his opera Tannhäuser.

In May of 1521, Luther came to the castle, disguised as a bearded man named Junker Jörg (Squire George). He spent the next year secretly translating the New Testament from Greek into German. His short visit helped put Wartburg on the map.

In October of 1817, shortly after German-speaking armies helped defeat Napoleon, recently formed fraternal organizations from around the region came together at this castle to celebrate German unity. It was one of the first occasions when German speakers began to band together and forge a common pride. In fact, the flag of one of those fraternities (from Jena) was later adopted as the flag of a united Germany, which still flies all over the country.

VISITING THE CASTLE

In the museum, placards tell a bit of the story of the castle, and paintings show how it looked before reconstruction. You get the chance to peek into one small “ducal bedroom” that shows the sumptuous 19th-century restoration work, and another room displays a few paintings of Luther and his family (mostly mass-produced ones from Lucas Cranach’s workshop). Find the images of Luther’s parents—note the family resemblance. Compare the portraits of Luther at various stages in his life—in the garb of an Augustinian monk, wearing the cap of a distinguished professor, in the bearded disguise of Junker Jörg—as well as the portraits of some of his notable contemporaries.

The most impressive parts of the castle are the rooms restored (some might say “Disneyfied”) in the 19th century. Highlights include spectacular, glittering Neo-Byzantine mosaics from the early 1900s; the Elisabeth Gallery (decorated with beautiful frescoes about the life of St. Elisabeth); the Hall of Minstrels (with walls decorated with the text of a poem about Wartburg’s famous contest of minstrels—this room was the setting for part of Wagner’s Tannhäuser); and the vast Banquet Hall (decorated in an exuberant Historicist style rivaling the creations of “Mad” King Ludwig, who had a replica of this room created at his Neuschwanstein Castle).

The highlight for Luther pilgrims is walking along the gallery with low timber arches to find the humble Luther Room (Lutherstube). This was the site of one of the greatest intellectual revolutions in human history: For 10 months, Luther hunkered down at a desk here and used original Greek sources to translate the New Testament into everyday German. For centuries Christian worship had been passed through the obscure Latin-speaking filter of the Roman Catholic Church. Luther’s widely distributed translation gave Germans, even peasants, direct access to the Word of God. Luther’s work also helped to codify the evolving German language—setting the foundation for the tongue still being spoken by the people around you. The furnishings you see aren’t original and were placed in the room long after Luther’s time.

TOWN OF EISENACH

Squatting in the valley below Wartburg, this town is worth a quick stroll for those with extra time. The TI is on the main square, called the Markt (Tue-Sat 10:00-17:00, Markt 24, +49 3691 79230, www.eisenach.info). A building where Martin Luther lived for three years while attending high school here has been turned into a museum (Lutherhaus), as has the house once thought to be the birthplace of Johann Sebastian Bach (Bachhaus).

Eisenach Connections: Trains run to Erfurt (2/hour, 30 minutes on IC or ICE, 45 minutes on regional train), Leipzig (hourly, 75 minutes on ICE, more with transfer in Erfurt), Wittenberg (8/day direct, 2 hours; more with transfer in Erfurt or Leipzig, 2.5 hours), Berlin (every 2 hours direct, 2.5 hours; more with transfer in Erfurt), Frankfurt (hourly, 3 hours), Würzburg (hourly, 1.5 hours, transfer in Fulda), Munich (3/hour, 3-4 hours with change in Erfurt or Fulda, 4 hours) Train info: www.bahn.com.

Wittenberg

You need only look at its official name—Lutherstadt Wittenberg—to know this small city’s claim to fame. The adopted hometown of Martin Luther, and the birthplace of the Protestant Reformation he kicked off, little Wittenberg has a gigantic history that belies its straightforward townscape. With a pair of historic churches—the Town Church of St. Mary, where Luther preached, and the Church of All Saints (Castle Church), where he hammered his 95 Theses to the door—and an excellent museum about Luther’s life (Luther House), Wittenberg can be a worthwhile stop even for those unfamiliar with the Great Reformer. And for Lutherans, it’s a pilgrimage. The notable painter Lucas Cranach the Elder, a contemporary and friend of Luther who also lived and worked in Wittenberg, left behind a slew of masterful paintings and woodcuts, and you can see where he lived as well.

Centuries of Germans have celebrated Wittenberg for its ties to Luther. In 1983, which marked Martin Luther’s 500th birthday, Wittenberg was part of communist East Germany, whose atheistic regime was tearing down proud old churches elsewhere. But ignoring the Luther anniversary would have made the East German government, already unpopular, seem woefully out of touch. (The government also sensed an opportunity to attract Luther tourists and much-needed hard Western currency.) So the communists swallowed hard and rehabilitated the memory of Luther, tidying up the sights devoted to him. This may be why Wittenberg emerged from communism in better shape than many other East German towns.

The city received another round of upgrades in 2017, when it celebrated the 500th anniversary of Luther’s famous 95 Theses—now it’s spiffed up and sparkling. Most tourists here are Germans or American Lutherans. But the city increasingly hosts Lutheran church groups from the Global South, where people now worship in greater numbers than in the rich world. Pastors sign up long in advance for the thrill of preaching here, and choirs come to town eager to sing. The town is also a stop for riverboat cruise groups heading from Hamburg to Dresden and Prague. And yet, Wittenberg is pleasantly untouristy. Its pedestrianized main street feels quiet—giving visitors the chance to appreciate the tranquility of a traffic-free town—and its sights are satisfying and quickly seen. Wittenberg works perfectly as a side trip from Berlin (offering a refreshing small-town break from the intense city), or as a stop on the way between Berlin and Leipzig, Erfurt, or even Dresden (handy lockers at Wittenberg train station).

GETTING TO WITTENBERG

It’s a speedy 40 minutes from Berlin on ICE trains, or 1.5 hours on cheaper regional (RE) trains. All trains depart from the Berlin Hauptbahnhof; some regional trains also stop at Potsdamer Platz. If you’re a small group day-tripping from Berlin, and are willing to take slower regional trains, you can save a bundle with Deutsche Bahn’s Brandenburg-Berlin-Ticket (unlimited regional train travel for one day and up to five people for €33, not valid on ICE).

PLANNING YOUR TIME

Wittenberg’s sights can be seen in just a few hours. For an efficient visit, from the train station ride the public bus to Marktplatz, start at the TI and Castle Church, then work your way downhill through town—sightseeing and possibly having lunch as you go. From the last couple of sights—Luther House and Asisi’s Wittenberg 360 Panorama—it’s about a 15-minute, downhill walk back to the train station.

Orientation to Wittenberg

Literally “White Hill,” Wittenberg (Germans say VIT-tehn-behrk, pop. 50,000) sits atop a gentle rise above the Elbe River. The tourist’s Wittenberg is essentially a one-street town: Its main drag runs about three-quarters of a mile from the Luther House (where the street is called Collegienstrasse) to the Castle Church (where it’s called Schlossstrasse). The rest of the Old Town consists only of a few side streets. The modern part of town sprawls mostly to the north and east.

Don’t confuse Wittenberg with Wittenberge, a town north of Berlin. (The correct Wittenberg sometimes shows up as “Kleinwittenberg” on GPS maps or “Lutherstadt Wittenberg” on some websites.)

TOURIST INFORMATION

Wittenberg’s TI is at the far end of town from the train station, across the street from Castle Church (daily 9:00-17:00, Nov-March 10:00-16:00; Schlossplatz 2, +49 3491 498 610, www.lutherstadt-wittenberg.de). The TI rents a town audioguide (€8, 2 hours of commentary—must return before closing time), and there’s a pay WC next door. A second, less comprehensive branch of the TI is at the northern edge of the Old Town, in the Stadthaus (shorter hours than main TI).

ARRIVAL IN WITTENBERG

Wittenberg’s main train station (listed on schedules as Lutherstadt Wittenberg) is a dull 15-minute walk from the Luther House and a 25-minute walk from the TI and Castle Church. (The smaller Lutherstadt Wittenberg Altstadt station, while closer to the Old Town, only serves trains on a small branch line.) The station building has handy coin-op lockers, a café, and a ticket office.

Nearby (on the other side of the big, white tent) are bus stops for the ride into town. Look for bus #300 (toward Coswig) or bus #301 (toward Straach); these leave from bus stop #1 (every 30 minutes, 10-minute ride, €1.70/ride, €3.30/day pass, buy tickets from driver). You want the Marktplatz stop, right at the Old Town’s main square (5 stops away, ask the driver to confirm). A taxi from the station to Schlossplatz (near the TI) should cost about €11 (if no taxis are waiting, call +49 3491 666 666). To walk, head left from the station, walk beneath the overpass, and look for signs directing you to the city center.

Drivers will find plenty of free on-street parking just outside the mostly pedestrianized town center.

HELPFUL HINTS

Festivals: Reformation Day (October 31, when Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the church door) is a big deal for Lutherans every year—especially in Wittenberg. And a three-day festival over the second weekend in June celebrates the wedding of Martin and Katharina a half-millennium ago.

Wittenberg in the Early 1500s

As you explore Wittenberg, mentally time-travel to the days of Luther—the first few decades of the 16th century. The Renaissance was percolating to the south in Italy (where Michelangelo and Raphael were hard at work redecorating the Vatican), and a spirit of new ideas was also beginning to take hold in Germany.

The influential prince-elector Frederick III “the Wise” (1463-1525), who had inherited half of Saxony from his father, chose sleepy Wittenberg as his royal seat. He built a stout castle here in 1492 (not open to visitors, but viewable from the park just beyond the town gate), and began remaking this humble fishing village into a proper Renaissance town. (That explains Wittenberg’s grid of streets, compared with the twisty medieval muddle of many other German towns.) Frederick the Wise hired Lucas Cranach the Elder to be his official court painter. Cranach—along with his wife, Barbara, and son Lucas Cranach the Younger—lived in a big mansion on Market Square (today a museum; his statue—pictured above—is in the courtyard). Frederick also founded a university here (in 1502) and stocked it with some of the brightest minds of his time, including the promising young theologian Martin Luther and the brilliant classical-languages specialist Philipp Melanchthon. Cranach, Luther, Melanchthon, and others were good friends who regularly socialized and swapped ideas.

Although he remained a devout Catholic until the end of his life, Frederick the Wise supported Luther and the Reformers in their darkest hour, likely saving them from obscurity or worse. Wittenberg would not be famous if not for Luther—but, most likely, if not for Frederick the Wise, Luther would not be famous, either.

Tours: Most walking-tour options (you’ll likely see costumed Martin Luthers and Katharina von Boras leading groups through town) are in German only. For an English tour, hire your own local guide—gracious Katja Köhler does a great job telling Wittenberg’s story (€100/2.5-hour tour, +49 177 688 8218, katjakoehler@gmx.net).

English Worship Services: Local Lutherans offer English-language services in historic Wittenberg churches during the day in summer (May-Oct Wed and Fri at 12:00 in the small Corpus Christi chapel next to the Town Church of St. Mary; Fri at 12:00 in the Castle Church; Sat at 17:00 in either Castle Church or Town Church of St. Mary; confirm times at www.wittenbergenglishministry.com).

Classical Concerts: It seems like there’s always a concert in one of the town’s churches (such as free organ concerts Fri at 18:00 at St. Mary’s Church). If you’re spending the night, check at the TI to find out when and where you can enjoy some classical music. (Luther—who said “to sing is to pray double”—loved music.)

Sights in Wittenberg

MARTIN LUTHER SIGHTS

I’ve organized these sights roughly in order from the TI end of town (with the Castle Church) to the Luther House end of town.

▲▲Castle Church (Schlosskirche)

This Church of All Saints was the site of one of the most important moments in European history: Martin Luther nailing his 95 Theses to the church door. That door—and most of the church as it existed in Luther’s time—are long gone (destroyed in 1760, during the Seven Years’ War). But in the late 19th century, as Germany was uniting as a nation for the first time, the church and the door were rebuilt in the Neo-Gothic style as a temple to Luther and his fellow Reformers. You’ll find Luther’s humble tombstone inside.

Cost and Hours: €3; Mon-Sat 10:00-17:00, Sun from 11:30; shorter hours and closed Mon Nov-March; Schlossplatz, +49 3491 506 9160, www.schlosskirche-wittenberg.de [URL inactive].

Visiting the Church: Before entering, take a close look at that famous side door (in the middle of the church, facing the street). According to most accounts, on October 31, 1517, a frustrated Martin Luther nailed a handwritten copy of 95 Theses—topics for discussion—to the wooden door that was here then. (What you see is a 19th-century bronze door engraved with the Latin theses.) The act wasn’t quite as defiant as it sounds—the door served as a sort of university bulletin board. But the strong arguments Luther made about ending the practice of indulgences and other forms of Church corruption were revolutionary...as was his timing. Normally, Wittenbergers worshipped at the Town Church of St. Mary, but the day after Luther’s act—All Saints’ Day—was the one day each year that the Castle Church’s interior was open to the public, who were invited to come inside, view Frederick the Wise’s vast collection of relics, and purchase indulgences. Historians quibble over the exact day Luther made his theses public and whether he actually nailed them to the door, but there’s no doubt that his work spurred a nascent sentiment of reform and cemented his role as that movement’s leader.

Above the door is a glittering image of the crucified Christ flanked by Luther (on the left) and his fellow Reformer Philipp Melanchthon (on the right, holding the Augsburg Confession—a kind of constitution of Protestantism), with the skyline of Wittenberg behind them.

Now, go left into the courtyard that’s tucked behind the church, then turn right. At the far end go up the stairs that lead to the visitors center. Buy your ticket here and descend the stairs to enter the church.

Walk down the nave and look up. On the upper stained-glass windows, notice the colorful coats of arms, which represent German city-states that became Protestant when they joined Luther’s Reformation. (Remember that 16th-century “Germany” was actually hundreds of independent little feudal German-speaking states that wouldn’t be united into a country—about the size of Montana—until 1870.) The carved coats of arms on the railing honor larger principalities that also adopted Protestantism, and the coats of arms of Scandinavia’s Lutheran royal families decorate the apse. The lower stained-glass windows, with images of Reformers (in DDR Tupperware colors), were grudgingly added for Luther’s 500th birthday, in 1983, by the aggressively atheistic East German government...and it shows.

In the middle of the church, to the right (in front of the pulpit, with a raised plaque), you’ll see the flower-bedecked tomb of Martin Luther. On the wall behind it is a replica of the large bronze tomb marker that originally covered Luther’s remains. While this wasn’t his home church (that would be the Town Church of St. Mary, just up the street and described later), this university church was traditionally where professors like Luther were entombed. On the left side of the nave is a similar raised plaque marking the grave of Luther’s right-hand man and fellow professor, Philipp Melanchthon.

Proceed to the front of the church. In front of the high altar are two large tomb markers for the prince-electors who called Wittenberg home and provided safe harbor for Luther’s provocative ideas. On the left is Frederick the Wise, and on his right is his younger brother, John the Steadfast. While Frederick remained devoutly Catholic throughout his life, his support for Luther, Melanchthon, and the early Protestant Reformers never wavered. Frederick’s successor, John, converted to Protestantism and, in a fit of iconoclasm, destroyed his brother’s impressive collection of relics. (Frederick may be stuck in purgatory to this day.) Flanking these markers are larger plaques and statues (from the original church) that depict these important brothers.

▲Market Square (Marktplatz)

This wide square is much the same today as it was in Luther’s time. An all-purpose space back then, it was used for everything from tournaments to executions. The square is dominated by the Renaissance-style Town Hall (Rathaus). Notice the seven small, filled-in doors at the right side of the building, which led to a shopping gallery back when the building’s cellar hosted a little marketplace (today the Town Hall houses exhibits). In one corner of the square you’ll find a metal model of Wittenberg’s Old Town (with Braille in German). In the middle of the square are 19th-century statues of Martin Luther (pictured here) and Philipp Melanchthon (pictured on next page). Visiting church groups often bless this square with their singing.

At the frilly little pavilion is a fountain that, since 1556, has provided the people safe spring water—quite a luxury in that day. (A few of the original oak pipes—safely underground—are still in use.)

The main street through town is lined by delightful gurgling canals, as in a few other German cities, like Freiburg and Augsburg. When Luther first moved to Wittenberg, he was disgusted by these little waterways, which carried drinking water (on the way into town) and smelly sewage (on the way out). Years later, they were covered over by the modern street. But they’ve since been reopened to the air to evoke the ambience of Luther’s time.

Philipp Melanchthon (1497-1560)

While everyone who comes to Wittenberg has heard of Martin Luther, many are surprised to find another important figure celebrated here with almost equal reverence: Philipp Melanchthon. The Garfunkel to Luther’s Simon, Melanchthon was a brainy university professor who also played a critical role in the Protestant Reformation.

Born Philipp Schwartzerdt in southern Germany, he later changed his name to its Greek translation, Melanchthon (“black soil”). Although he was short, young, sickly, and notoriously unattractive, Melanchthon impressed everybody in Wittenberg with his keen intellect. In fact, when Melanchthon became disillusioned with Wittenberg and threatened to move away, Frederick the Wise persuaded him to stay by arranging a marriage for him (to the mayor’s daughter, no less). While Luther was no intellectual slouch, Melanchthon was even more brilliant—he taught several topics (specializing in ancient languages, pedagogy, and theology) and encouraged women to pursue university study. Particularly gifted with languages, he provided Luther with invaluable assistance when translating the Bible into German from the original Greek and Hebrew texts.

Cranach Courtyard (Cranachhof)

Find the big beige Renaissance building at Schlossstrasse 1, in one corner of the square, with a pharmacy (the Lucas-Cranach-Apotheke) on the ground floor. This building, circling a surprisingly large courtyard, was the residence of the artist Lucas Cranach the Elder. Enter the courtyard and imagine it in action, with carriages parked on the half-timbered side and a fine private water fountain—indicating this was home to a wealthy family.

Find the statue of Cranach sketching at the far end. As the official court painter for Frederick the Wise, Cranach was one of the richest and most esteemed men in town, but he was also an entrepreneur who dabbled in endeavors like printing and running a pharmacy. Cranach and Luther were fast friends. The artist was the only painter who had permission to do portraits of Luther and his family (Cranach and his school produced and reproduced some 2,000 Luther portraits), and he was one of the first printers of Luther’s writings. Cranach’s house is also where Luther’s future bride, Katharina von Bora, lived when she first came to Wittenberg (fresh out of the convent).

For decades, this space sat in ruins (see the pre-1989 photo in the entry arch). But it’s now been converted into a kind of cultural center, hosting artists’ studios, a small bar, a gift shop, comfortable hotel rooms, and—at the far end of the courtyard—an old-fashioned print shop (Druckerstube). Step through the arch and peek in. The shop uses traditional methods to create postcards and replicas of works by Luther and Cranach (closed Sun). There’s a small Cranach museum a few doors away (at #4 on Market Square, €7, daily 10:00-17:00).

▲▲Town Church of St. Mary (Stadtkirche St. Marien)

Towering over a row of buildings at the end of Market Square, this Gothic church is the oldest building in town and an impressively historic place to be surrounded by Luther lore.

Before stepping inside, notice that the tops of the twin towers don’t quite match the rest of the building. Formerly pointy Gothic steeples, these were knocked down during a 1546 battle. They were later rebuilt in the round Renaissance style you see today.

Cost and Hours: €3; Mon-Sat 11:00-17:00, Sun from 12:30, off-season until 16:00; free 30-minute organ concerts Easter-Oct Fri at 18:00, +49 3491 62830, www.stadtkirche-wittenberg.de.

Visiting the Church: The interior is striking for its pure, uncluttered feel. Once ornately painted and slathered with chapels, statues, and ornamentation, it was cleaned out when it became Lutheran. Sit in a pew and enjoy the Doublemint freshness of the space.

For most of his life, this was Luther’s home church—where he was married, where his children were baptized, and where he preached over 2,000 times. This is where what many consider to be the first-ever Protestant service took place, on Christmas Day in 1521 (although Martin Luther wasn’t in attendance—he was hiding out at Wartburg Castle). The readings were in German (not Latin), Communion was taken by everyone (not just priests), and hymns were sung by the congregation—actually quite radical at the time.

At the front of the church, the baptismal font is where Luther’s own children were baptized. Notice the tube extending from the basin directly down toward the ground. This allowed water, after having washed away sin, to be drained directly into what was a sandy floor, so it could be transmitted, unimpeded, to hell. Around the lower legs of the font, notice the many demons attempting to reach the baby being baptized up top—but their progress is blocked by the righteous saints.

The focal point of the church is the colorful, engaging, almost whimsical altar painting by Lucas Cranach the Elder, the Younger, and their school (completed in 1547, the year after Luther died). The gang’s all here: All the big-name early Protestants and their buddies have showed up to reenact classic ecclesiastical scenes. In the spirit of the Reformation, these aren’t saints or royals—they’re just people.

The bottom panel shows Martin Luther preaching from a pulpit, one hand on the Bible and the other pointing to Christ, as he engages an enthralled group of worshippers. The fluttering loincloth of Jesus helps to convey the message from preacher to parishioner. But notice that, true to life, some of those people aren’t paying attention—they’re chatting and fiddling with their phones. The woman watching Luther most intently is his wife, Katharina. She’s surrounded by their many children. Cranach (with the big white beard) is in the back.

On the right panel, Johannes Bugenhagen (among Reformers, he ranks third after Luther and Melanchthon) is hearing confession from two very different people. Over the head of the obviously distraught and repentant man on the left, Bugenhagen holds the key of heaven—the sinner has done right by confessing and will reap eternal rewards. The man on the right, however, is trying to buy his way into heaven—but his hands are tied and the key of heaven is behind him, indicating he can’t purchase paradise.

The central panel features the Last Supper, with the Reformers standing in for the apostles. Notice the round table, which symbolizes how, in Protestantism, all are equal. People from all walks of life are actively engaging each other. It’s easy to pick out Judas in the foreground (he wears yellow, as evildoers often do in Cranach paintings). On the opposite side of the table, Martin Luther (clad in black, wearing the bearded disguise of Junker Jörg) is being handed a chalice by the painter, Lucas Cranach the Younger. In contrast to Catholic worship at the time, Protestant services invited everybody to participate in Communion.

Circle behind the painting and look at the lower panel, which appears as though it’s been defaced by some no-good teenagers. It was...centuries ago. Around Luther’s time, students of theology came here at the end of their studies and scratched their names or initials into the painting: on the left, in the river of knowledge, if they’d done well—or on the right, in hell, if they’d flunked. Looking carefully among the damned (higher up, on the central skull), you can find the name “Johannes Luther”—Martin’s son. (Thankfully, he had more success after he switched to law.)

The zone behind the altar has several interesting paintings. Most important is a painting labeled Epitaph for Paul Eber and his Family (better known as The Vineyard of the Lord), by Lucas Cranach the Younger. This work’s propaganda-for-the-Reformation motives are obvious: On the right, the Reformers tend to the garden of the Lord (that’s Martin Luther raking and Philipp Melanchthon pulling water from the well—just as the Reformers went back to the original source to translate their Bible). On the left, the pope and his cronies (in their excessively opulent robes) trash all their hard work. In the lower-left corner, everyone lines up to receive their reward from Jesus. The pope (wearing yellow, again symbolizing evil) has already received his but keeps his hand outstretched, expecting more than his share. In the lower right, the Reformers (in their simple black robes) pray reverently.

As you head back up the nave to exit, look up: The grand organ dates from the communist period (1983), and booms out short organ concerts (free, Fridays at 18:00). Luther’s greatest musical hit, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God,” was first sung here.

Exiting the way you came in, turn left and go to the back corner of the church. Look up at the bottom of the roofline to find the relief of a pig, called the Judensau (“Jewish sow”). This bit of medieval anti-Semitic propaganda was designed to intimidate Wittenberg’s Jews, who lived in the area just behind the church. Look carefully at the pig, which is considered unclean in the Jewish faith: Jewish children are suckling from it, and a rabbi seems to be peering inquisitively into its rear end. When restoring the church, church authorities asked the Jewish community in Berlin what they should do with this painful remnant of a less enlightened time. Rather than cover it, they suggested leaving it here as a part of the town’s heritage, and adding a modern monument: Look for the plaque in the cobbles directly below the pig, where four paving stones look as if they’re being pried apart by something bubbling up from beneath. The message: You can’t hide uncomfortable facts; they will find a way to see the light of day. The adjacent cedar tree was donated by students in Tel Aviv. (More details are explained on the nearby history panel.)

Behind you, go through the gap between the buildings near the pig (by Trattoria Toscana) to see another of Wittenberg’s 16th-century fountains. Part of Frederick the Wise’s improvements, this network of fountains (with wooden pipes) still works—but nobody knows quite how.

▲▲Luther House (Lutherhaus)

Luther’s former home has been converted into an excellent museum displaying original paintings, manuscripts, and other Luther-era items—including the pulpit from which Luther preached, famous portraits of Luther and the other Reformers by Lucas Cranach, and Luther’s original New Testament and Bible translations into High German.

The museum has been closed for a thorough, multiyear renovation and is projected to reopen sometime in 2026. If you visit before then, the most important artifacts are beautifully displayed in an engaging temporary exhibit called “Literally Luther” in the adjacent Augusteum (€6, daily 9:00-18:00, Collegienstrasse 54, +49 3491 420 3171, www.martinluther.de).

Even if the museum is still closed, you should be able to step through the passage (at #59) into the inner courtyard to see the giant, turreted building. Not really a “house,” this was originally a monastery. Luther lived here first as a monk and again later, after he had married Katharina von Bora (the building was a wedding gift from a prince-elector who took Luther under his wing). Katharina rented out rooms to students and kept the family fed and watered by cultivating a garden, brewing beer, and even breeding cattle. In the middle of the courtyard is a statue of Katharina. Erected on her 500th birthday in 1999, the sculpture symbolizes her leaving her former life at a nunnery and beginning a new one with Martin Luther. Katharina’s Portal, a carved doorway with two seats, was a gift from Katharina to her husband on his 57th birthday in 1540. Here Katie and Martin could sit together “for romantic talk.” Across the courtyard is a modern rusty monument erected in 2017 to honor a secret democracy group active here in the 1980s. In it you’ll find represented all the tools you need to pound a sword into a plowshare.

Visiting the Museum: Whether you are visiting the temporary exhibits in the Augusteum or the Luther House itself, you’ll see numerous historic items, such as an indulgence chest and an original letter of indulgence (Ablassurkunde), from 1492. Those who bought indulgences would supposedly be rescued from their sins...while generating substantial income for the Catholic Church. Money raised was applied directly to an ambitious building project at the Vatican—nearby you may see an engraving of St. Peter’s Basilica, with its spectacular dome still under construction, as well as depictions of two men involved in the indulgence trade. Albrecht of Brandenburg (as the archbishop of Mainz, he was Luther’s direct superior) and Pope Leo X, stunningly influential and wealthy, were part of a finely tuned business of selling forgiveness to mostly illiterate Christians frightened they’d spend eons in purgatory...or worse. Luther addressed this business in his troublemaking 95 Theses—look for a display with the first printed version of these.

You’ll also see the Cranach-printed first edition (1522) of Luther’s German translation of the New Testament, illustrated with Cranach woodcuts. Also look for Luther’s translation of the complete Bible from 1534, printed and illustrated by Cranach with 266 woodcuts, as well as a tiny hymnal from 1533. Luther, who believed that music should be an important part of worship, composed hymns that are still sung today.

You may also see an old printing press and cases filled with booklets that Luther authored and Cranach illustrated. Cranach’s political cartoon etchings were designed so even the illiterate could get the gist of Luther’s message. Perhaps the first PR genius to “go viral,” Luther sold more than a quarter million books and was the best-selling German author of the 16th century.

In contrast to the opulence in Roman Catholic churches, Martin Luther’s original lindenwood pulpit from the Town Church of St. Mary is humble. Imagine him climbing to the top and bringing the Reformation message to a packed church. Also look for the “community chest,” the first systematized charity for poor people—Protestants began steering donations to the needy rather than into Church coffers. (Compare this to the Church’s indulgence chest mentioned earlier.)

A number of artworks bring Luther’s story to life. Cranach’s wonderful painting The Ten Commandments (1516) was originally designed for the Town Hall so that anybody could see it; and today, as then, it’s handy for a review of Sunday school lessons. See if you can identify each of the 10 commandments being broken (and followed)—and note that the same nobleman (in yellow and black) is responsible for half the sins. In each panel, an eerie-eyed demon prods the sinners.

Nearby: About a block toward Market Square from the Luther House at #60 (with the rounded gables) is the Melanchthon House (Melanchthonhaus)—given to Philipp Melanchthon to persuade him to stay in Wittenberg when he threatened to move elsewhere. It’s a museum about his life, with a medicinal garden out back. Nothing survives from Melanchthon’s household, but the museum tries hard to bring him to life, and everything is described in English. Along with a 1526 portrait by Dürer, you’ll get a peek into 16th-century university life with old manuscripts and books, paintings, and a library upstairs (€5; daily 10:00-18:00; +49 3491 420 3110).

At #62a, duck through the doorway into the university courtyard. These are some of the original buildings where Luther, Melanchthon, and their colleagues worked. Wall plaques ringing the courtyard celebrate famous professors and alumni.

Luther’s Legacy

It’d be difficult to overstate the impact Luther and the Protestant Reformation he led had on European history.

Even during Luther’s lifetime, the Reformation raged across northern Europe. In Holland, Protestant extremists marched into Catholic churches, lopped off the heads of holy statues, stripped gold-leaf angels from the walls, and shattered stained-glass windows in a fit of anti-Catholic iconoclasm. Switzerland—with its deep roots in democracy and self-rule—was a haven for free thinkers, led by Ulrich Zwingli (1484-1531) and the exiled Frenchman John Calvin (1509-1564), who established a theocratic government and inspired French followers called Huguenots. When England’s charismatic King Henry VIII (r. 1509-1547) was excommunicated for divorcing Catherine of Aragon so he could marry Anne Boleyn, Henry “divorced” England from the Catholic Church, established the Church of England (or “Anglican Church”), and “dissolved” (destroyed) England’s many countryside abbeys.

The Vatican responded to these Protestant revolutions with the Counter-Reformation, which was an attempt to put the universal Catholic Church back together using a carrot-and-stick approach. On the one hand, the Church worked diligently to eliminate corruption from within, reach out to alienated members, do missionary work, and inspire the faithful with exalted Church art. This “Counter-Reformation” art, Baroque and bubbly, gave worshippers a glimpse of the heaven that awaited those who remained faithful. On the other hand, when need be, the Church resorted to propaganda, intimidation, and outright force—as doled out by the dreaded Inquisition.

The Reformation spawned a century of Catholic-versus-Protestant wars, with each side convinced that God favored them. When these wars finally ended, Western civilization realized what it should have known from the start: Catholics and Protestants would have to live together. The Peace of Westphalia (1648) decreed that the leader of each country would decide the religion of his nation. Ultimately this divided Europe in half: the generally Protestant north (Scandinavia, the Low Countries, northern Germany, and England), and the predominantly Catholic south (Spain, Portugal, Italy, and southern Germany)—a line that survives to this day.

The story of Luther and the Reformation is the story of progress: from medieval darkness to Renaissance humanism, and how it’s with great struggle that societies earn freedom as they evolve. More than ever, Protestants and Catholics are coming together, and see themselves merely as different expressions of the same faith.

It’s clear that Luther’s legacy lives on. If you are a Lutheran, Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, Episcopalian, or any one of a number of other Protestant faiths, you’re the spiritual descendant of this German monk.

▲Wittenberg 360 Panorama: Luther 1517

Berlin artist Yadegar Asisi has created several of these immersive, 360-degree panorama paintings around Germany. A giant bunker-like structure in a park near the Luther House is home to this nearly 12,000-square-foot work that wraps entirely around the viewer. Using a combination of photographed models (including many actual Wittenbergers) and digitally reconstructed historic buildings, Asisi re-creates almost photorealistically a day in the life of the grubby, crowded, and colorful town on the cusp of the Reformation—from a spot right in front of the Castle Church. Light and sound effects highlight different parts of the giant illustration, inviting you to tune in to various details (take full advantage of the audioguide, with 45 minutes of descriptions that give it all meaning). You can climb up the metal tower in the middle of the room for a higher vantage point. Panorama paintings like this one were all the rage in the 19th century, and Asisi does a good job of updating the magic for the modern era. While certainly overpriced, this could be worth the splurge to round out your Luther experience.

Cost and Hours: €14, includes audioguide, daily 9:00-17:00, Lutherstrasse 42, www.wittenberg360.de. Buses #300 and #301 stop here on their way between the town center and train station.

Luther Garden

This orchard of ecumenism, a short walk just south of Market Square, is a leafy statement that Christian communities—Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox—can cooperate. Five hundred trees from many Christian communities from all over the world have been planted, and each has a sister tree planted in its community of origin.

OTHER WITTENBERG SIGHTS

▲House of History (Haus der Geschichte)

Those intrigued by the communist chapter of Wittenberg’s history will enjoy this museum’s three floors of everyday items from East German times (1949-1989). For Cold War buffs, it’s easily worth ▲▲. The Wende (German reunification) in 1989 erased an entire culture, and in the space of a few years East German toys, food brands, cars, schoolbooks, and much more were replaced by Western ones—awakening nostalgia even in those who otherwise welcomed the end of communism. Over the ensuing decades, a dedicated staff has collected thousands of items that memorialize the world of their youth. The museum also includes a few rooms showing furnishings and fashions from the 1920s and 1930s. On the ground floor, you’ll find a fully stocked communist-era grocery store, a cozy DDR pub, and an exhibit (German only) on the life of Soviet troops posted to East Germany. The museum is directed at nostalgic German visitors, but the audioguide makes it more meaningful to tourists.

Cost and Hours: €8, includes audioguide and permission to take photos; Wed-Sun 11:00-17:00, closed Mon-Tue; Schlossstrasse 6, +49 3491 409 004, www.pflug-ev.de.

Historical Town Information Center (Historisches Stadtinformation)

This slick facility—in two buildings facing Arsenalplatz, a couple of blocks north of Marktplatz—illustrates the history of Wittenberg beyond the life of its most famous resident. The Zeughaus (former armory) displays a large model of Wittenberg in 1873, offering a good look at its earthen ramparts and moat. Across the square—displayed in the enclosed ruins of the Klosterkirche (former Franciscan monastery)—are exhibits on the Ascanian dukes of Saxony, who ruled this area before Luther. (This building is next to the Stadthaus, with a branch TI and a concert hall.) While presented with modern flair, there’s only so much to say—making this mostly a “so what?” experience.

Cost and Hours: €4 for Klosterkirche, €7 combo-ticket with Zeughaus; daily 9:00-15:00, Zeughaus at Juristenstrasse 16a, Klosterkirche at Mauerstrasse 18.

Sleeping in Wittenberg

Wittenberg has a wide range of charming hotels at fine prices. My listings are right in the heart of the Old Town. Air-conditioning is rare.

€€€ Hotel Best Western Soibelmanns Lutherstadt Wittenberg is a professional-feeling place with 80 rooms offering predictable business-class comfort right on the main drag, near the Luther House (ask for room with air-con, pay parking, Collegienstrasse 56, +49 3491 4250, www.soibelmanns-lw.bestwestern.de, info@soibelmanns-lw.bestwestern.de).

€€ Ringhotel Schwarzer Baer (“Black Bear”) has 32 modern, comfortable rooms—each a bit different, but all of them stylish—in a period building with hardwood floors right off Market Square (inexpensive parking, Schlossstrasse 2, +49 3491 420 4344, http://schwarzer-baer-wittenberg.de, wittenberg@travdo-hotels.de).

€ Acron Hotel is a simple, solid, modern 62-room hotel midway between the train station and the town center (10-minute walk either way). While it has no real character and is popular with visiting groups, the public spaces are nice, parking is easy and cheap, and it’s efficient, pleasant, and economical (Am Hauptbahnhof 3, +49 3491 43320, www.wittenberg-acron.de, info@wittenberg-acron.de).

¢ Lutherstadt Wittenberg Youth Hostel, an official HI hostel, has 160 beds in 2-to-6-bed dorms, each with its own bath. This modern hostel is perfectly located, filling a sleek building tucked behind the Castle Church (private rooms available, lots of school groups, doors close at 22:00, lunch or dinner available, Schlossstrasse 14, +49 3491 505 205, www.wittenberg.jugendherberge.de, wittenberg@jugendherberge.de).

Eating in Wittenberg

You’ll find a fun variety of good, affordable restaurants within a couple blocks of Market Square. The first four listings are on or near the square, the next two are at the Luther House end of town, and the ice cream joint is across from the Castle Church. If you’re in a hurry, there’s a handy bakery-café at the train station.

€€ Brauhaus Wittenberg serves up traditional meals and great local beer in a fun-loving beer garden that feels closer to Bavaria than to Saxony. From Market Square, you’ll enter the classic old courtyard filled with jovial tables; at the end, go inside to find comfortable seating on two levels, surrounding big copper vats where they brew their own “Wittenberger Original” pilsner. The menu includes big portions of German standards and salads (daily, Markt 6, +49 3491 433 130).

€€ Das Wittenberger Kartoffelhaus serves up hearty, heavy skillets piled high with potatoes, potatoes, potatoes, prepared in fun and creative ways. The interior is cozy and brimming with kitschy decor, and the outdoor seating is on the relaxing pedestrian drag, just beyond the Cranach Courtyard (Schlossstrasse 2, daily, +49 3491 411 200).

€€ Trattoria Toscana is a popular choice for Italian meals. Tucked in a “Little Italy” corner of town behind the Town Church of St. Mary, it has a fancy interior, romantic piazza seating, and down-to-earth prices (kid-friendly, daily, Mittelstrasse 1, +49 3491 433 188).

€ Fleischerei Freigang is good for a quick lunch on the go—there’s a bakery on one side of the shop (sandwiches made to order) and a butcher’s counter on the other (grilled sausages and prepared side dishes sold from the counter’s back end, take out or eat at simple tables inside or under the trees across the street, Mon-Fri 7:00-17:00, Sat until 12:00, closed Sun, Markt 6).

€ Independent Café, facing the university, is a local favorite for soup, salad, sandwiches, waffles, and breakfast all day, with good seating inside and out (open long hours, closed Mon, Collegienstrasse 44, +49 170 319 5377).

€ Culinela Café, off the main drag, has a kind of time-warp interior and a few tables in the shade of trees outside. Hardworking Michaela serves soups, sandwiches, and cakes (Mon-Fri 11:00-18:00, closed Sat-Sun, Mittelstrasse 16, +49 3491 459 1142).

Schlosspavillon Ice Cream is where you’d hang out if cruising Wittenberg back in the 1960s—but there’s nothing nostalgic about the ice cream flavors, which range from cucumber to hemp to Aperol. The vintage-DDR building comes with a leafy courtyard (daily 13:00-18:00, across from Castle Church at Schlossplatz 6).

Wittenberg Connections

From Wittenberg by Train to: Berlin (hourly on ICE, 40 minutes; also every 2 hours on slower regional train, 1.5 hours), Leipzig (6/day on ICE, 40 minutes; also hourly on regional trains, 1 hour, some with transfer in Bitterfeld), Erfurt (every 2 hours, 1.5 hours direct, more with transfer in Leipzig), Eisenach and Wartburg Castle (at least hourly, 2.5 hours, transfer in Erfurt or Leipzig), Dresden (1-2/hour, 2-3 hours, transfer in Leipzig and sometimes also Bitterfeld), Frankfurt (every 2 hours, 4 hours, transfer in Naumburg), Hamburg (nearly hourly direct on ICE, 3 hours; also possible about hourly with transfer in Berlin, 3.5 hours), Nürnberg (every 2 hours direct on ICE, 4.5 hours). Train info: www.bahn.com.

LEIPZIG

PLANNING YOUR TIME

Orientation to Leipzig

TOURIST INFORMATION

ARRIVAL IN LEIPZIG

Map: Leipzig

GETTING AROUND LEIPZIG

HELPFUL HINTS

Sights in Leipzig

Map: Karli District

Nightlife in Leipzig

Sleeping in Leipzig

WITHIN OR NEAR THE RING

KARLI DISTRICT

Eating in Leipzig

BETWEEN MARKT AND AUGUSTUSPLATZ

DOWNTOWN “RESTAURANT ROWS”

IN THE KARLI

CHARACTERISTIC LEIPZIG BRAUHAUS

Leipzig Connections

Music, education, and business are Leipzig’s claims to fame. Johann Sebastian Bach spent his adult years at the St. Thomas Church here, and today the city is home to the Gewandhaus Orchestra and a famous boys’ choir. Luminaries such as Goethe gave the city’s university (established in the 1400s) a reputation as one of Germany’s best. Before World War II, Leipzig was known for its textile, pianomaking, and printing industries—and after the war, for its entrepreneurial spirit.

Although the city is one of the most architecturally drab destinations in this book and attracts more business travelers than tourists, there’s plenty to do in Leipzig (LYPE-tsikh). It’s one of the best places to learn about the communist era in East Germany (known as the “DDR”—Deutsche Demokratische Republik): The excellent Stasi Museum documents the atrocities of the DDR’s secret police, and the exhibits at the Contemporary History Forum juxtapose life in the East and West. Music lovers make a pilgrimage to Bach’s tomb at the St. Thomas Church and the excellent Bach Museum across the street. Art lovers enjoy exploring the Museum of Fine Arts, beer lovers seek out the Bayerischer Bahnhof’s unique Gose brew, history buffs trek to the Napoleonic battle site and monument at the edge of town, and those looking for hipster hangouts flock to the Karli district just south of downtown.

PLANNING YOUR TIME

Conveniently located between east (Berlin, Dresden) and west (Frankfurt, Nürnberg), Leipzig easily fills a day or more. But even a visit of just a few hours can be satisfying. If your train comes through Leipzig, throw your bag in a locker at the station and enjoy a short tour. With limited time, focus on the city center—the best options are the Bach sights (St. Thomas Church and Bach Museum) and the Cold War sights (Augustusplatz, Stasi Museum, Contemporary History Forum, St. Nicholas Church).

Orientation to Leipzig

The city’s most important sights lie within or very near the ring road—called simply the Ring—which follows what once was the city wall. Even though the ramparts were taken down in the 1700s, if you look at any city map you’ll see the circular ring road or promenade and a series of green spaces marking where the ramparts once stood. This promenade ring defines the small-by-European-standards “old town,” which is essentially traffic free and very walkable. You can walk across this compact downtown core (known as Mitte—the “Middle”) in about 15 minutes. At the center is Market Square (Markt); at the east end is Augustusplatz, with the main university buildings and venues for the opera and orchestra. The gigantic main train station (Hauptbahnhof) rises at the northeastern edge of the Ring.

The central core has little cobbled charm—it’s mostly shopping malls and massive old buildings. For more local color, head to the “Karli,” a stretch of Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse that’s a 20-minute walk or five-minute tram ride due south from downtown. Several other worthwhile attractions are a tram ride from downtown: the Monument to the Battle of the Nations, the Bayerischer Bahnhof brewpub, and the Spinnerei artists’ complex.

TOURIST INFORMATION

Leipzig’s TI, next to the Museum of Fine Arts, gives out fliers for self-guided walks (such as the “Music Trail” sights connected to Bach, Wagner, Mendelssohn, Schumann, Grieg, and other composers) and a map that shows gallery passages, which burrow through the middle of many buildings to access hidden shops (Mon-Fri 10:00-18:00, Sat-Sun until 15:00; Katharinenstrasse 8, +49 341 710 4260, www.leipzig.travel).

ARRIVAL IN LEIPZIG

By Train: One of Europe’s biggest train stations, Leipzig Hauptbahnhof is breathtaking and a bit intimidating. As you arrive, count the six giant arches along the concourse at the end of the tracks. More than 20 tracks dead-end at a vast hall nearly 1,000 feet wide. (That’s about three football fields.) It sits atop a massive underground mall—two levels of shops and eateries (mall open Mon-Sat until 22:00, a few places are open Sun afternoon).

The arrival hall has two mirror-image sides: Westhalle and Osthalle. Lockers are close to track 1; a WC is opposite track 22. To exit the station, take any elevator or escalator down one floor, to the upper shopping level, and follow signs for Tram or City.

Out through the front doors you’ll find waiting taxis, the multilane ring road, and several tram tracks. You can take the tram to just about anywhere in town from here (see “Getting Around Leipzig,” below). There’s also an S-Bahn but you won’t need to use it.

To walk into the town center (about 15 minutes), cross the busy street (past the tram stop and public-transit kiosk), and keep going straight on Nikolaistrasse. After one block, turn right onto Brühl (you’ll see a colorful mural honoring the 1989 Peaceful Revolution up ahead), then turn left on Katharinenstrasse, which leads past the giant glass box holding the Museum of Fine Arts—the TI is on the museum’s far side. Keep going to emerge on Markt (the main Market Square). Pedestrians share space with everyone else, so keep an eye (and ear) open for bikes, buses, and trams at all times while walking.

By Bus: Long-distance buses come and go from the bus depot (ZOB) on the east side of the train station.

By Car: Parking is fairly easy in Leipzig, which has a number of garages (€10-15/day) and affordable but limited on-street parking. For day-trippers, parking at the train station (Parking West or Ost) will run you €7 between 7:00 and 23:00.

GETTING AROUND LEIPZIG

Leipzig’s tram system is easy to use and essential for all but the shortest visit. Useful stops include the train station, Market Square, the Karli, and near Völkerschlachtdenkmal, the Monument to the Battle of the Nations. Each ride costs €3.50 (or €2 for a Kurzstrecke—“short stretch”—of four stops or less, including start point). A day ticket costs €10 and is good for 24 hours from initial validation. Tickets are available from machines at platforms and on most trams. You must stamp your ticket in the machines on board.

The train station (Hauptbahnhof) is the tram network’s main hub. A secondary hub is one stop south, at Augustusplatz (most trams connect these two central stops). Transit info: +49 341 19449, www.l.de [URL inactive].

HELPFUL HINTS

Sightseeing Card: The Leipzig Card, available at the TI, covers local transit, provides entry to a few sights, and yields minor discounts at most others. As the town council has made city-run museums free and all-day transit passes are cheap, the pass makes little sense for most.

Events: Market Square hosts a lively farmers market each Tuesday and Friday (9:00-17:00). Check the TI website for other events: www.leipzig.travel.

Baggage Storage: The train station has lockers for rent near track 1.

Laundry: Schnell & Sauber Laundry Center is close to the city center, with abundant self-service washers and dryers plus an iron if you need to look fancy. Located two tram stops east of Augustusplatz (take #4 or #7, nearest stop: Gerichtsweg), it’s also an easy 15-minute walk (Mon-Sat 6:00-22:00, closed Sun, Dresdner Strasse 19, +49 170 32 21 991, www.waschcenter-leipzig.de).

In the Karli district, Tipptopp Schnellreinigung is an affordable coin launderette (generally daily 8:00-18:00, no English but staff can assist, Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse 76, +49 341 421 8215, www.tipptopp-schnellreinigung.de).

Tours: The TI has information on local tours, and their “Explore Leipzig” city tour app offers three different DIY audio tours (free).

Tip-based “Free Tours” leave daily at 11:00 from the Mende Fountain on Augustusplatz (www.freetourleipzig.com).

Gisa Schönfeld, who’s been a big help in writing this chapter, is a delightful local guide (€50/hour, gisa.schoenfeld@gmail.com).

Sights in Leipzig

WITHIN THE TOWN CENTER

Market Square (Markt)

▲▲Old Town Hall (Altes Rathaus) and City History Museum (Stadtgeschichtliches Museum)

▲Galleries and Passages

▲Museum of Fine Arts (Museum der Bildenden Künste)

▲Augustusplatz

COLD WAR SIGHTS

▲St. Nicholas Church (Nikolaikirche)

▲Contemporary History Forum (Zeitgeschichtliches Forum)

▲▲Stasi Museum in the “Runde Ecke”

BACH SIGHTS

▲St. Thomas Church (Thomaskirche)

Sights near St. Thomas Church

▲▲Bach Museum

OUTSIDE THE RING

▲▲The Karli

Map: Karli District

▲Monument to the Battle of the Nations (Völkerschlachtdenkmal)

Spinnerei

WITHIN THE TOWN CENTER

These sights are in the heart of town (Mitte), within the Ring.

Market Square (Markt)

Markt, as the main square is called, is fittingly grand for a city built on trade. The Leipzig coat of arms (in the pavement) marks the place of beheadings. Standing where the axe last fell (in 1824), survey the facades of many ages—wealthy merchant mansions, trade associations, and the dominant Old Town Hall. The first trade fairs were held right here. (Merchants paid their duties in the building that now houses a Burger King.) Each Tuesday and Friday a market still fills the square.

▲▲Old Town Hall (Altes Rathaus) and City History Museum (Stadtgeschichtliches Museum)

The Renaissance-style Old Town Hall, overlooking the bustling Market Square, houses the good City History Museum upstairs. Although there are English descriptions throughout, the free audioguide is necessary for non-German speakers to fully appreciate this museum.

Cost and Hours: Free, Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon, Markt 1, +49 341 965 1340, www.stadtgeschichtliches-museum-leipzig.de.

Visiting the Museum: You’ll begin in a grand hall lined with ornate benches and giant portraits of judges who once presided here. The extremely detailed town model shows Leipzig in 1823. Smaller exhibit rooms branching off from the central hall cover the city’s history chronologically, from prehistoric times through the Middle Ages.

Start to the left of the entry, where you’ll find good sections on the Reformation (with portraits of Reformers by Cranach, and the wedding ring Martin Luther gave his wife) and the early trade fairs that enriched the city. At the opposite end of this floor is an exhibit on Bach, with the only known original portrait of the composer in existence.

Head upstairs and follow the one-way route, starting on the far left. The exhibit, which leads you from 1815 in the Industrial Age up to the present, is more engaging, with excellent English descriptions and interactive displays. Don’t miss the film clip that lets you take a vicarious tram ride through 1930s Leipzig—imagine the society that Hitler upended. The exhibit finishes with displays about fascism and life under communism.

Then, a small “bomb” sign marks the door where a staircase leads up to the attic. Follow this to see loud, grainy film clips showing the December 1943 bombing of the city, which destroyed this very attic (the lower floors survived) along with about a third of the city.

Nearby: Behind the Town Hall is the ornately decorated Baroque Old Exchange (Alte Börse) building, now used as a meeting hall. Statues in the top corners symbolize important facets of Leipzig life: on the left, Apollo, representing art; and on the right, Mercury, for trade and commerce. The statue standing in front depicts Goethe, who studied law here (1765-1768) before dropping out to become a writer.

▲Galleries and Passages

Leipzig once had the higgledy-piggledy cobbles-and-red-rooftops charm of many other German cities. But as trade in Europe evolved from direct sales in markets to fairs where merchants showed samples and took orders, Leipzig embraced the new way of doing business. It became a trading center, hosting huge trade fairs. And its merchants and trade associations needed big buildings. Eventually Leipzig’s quaint medieval footprint was replaced with large buildings or “fair houses” (Messe-Häuser), each the size of a city block and each dedicated to a particular product (leather, jewelry, ceramics, books, and so on). Passageways—essentially shortcuts through the big buildings lined with smaller shops—were an essential part of the design.

After WWII bomb damage and decades of communist neglect, the city center was pretty run-down, but in just a generation, Leipzigers have dramatically reinvigorated their city. Along the way, they preserved—and expanded—those historical passageways, and maintained the tradition of alley-accessed shopping galleries. As you wander the city center, don’t miss doorways that lead into these areas (usually lined with shops); some are nondescript, but many are more beautiful than what’s on the outside. The TI has a map to help you locate these galleries.

A block behind the Old Exchange, the Speck’s Hof/Hansa Haus passage (the oldest in the city) cuts through a building once dedicated to the leather trade. Notice how the copper ceiling is embossed to look like leather. Its old-time bright tiles are glazed to maximize light for showing off goods. And its central courtyard has a 1995 mural celebrating the many facets of trade (the naked lady is not selling mirrors). Roughly across the street from the Old Town Hall, Mädler Passage charms with a café where you can sip coffee under the tall arches.

▲Museum of Fine Arts (Museum der Bildenden Künste)

Located in a fancy glass house in the center of town, this museum displays a fine collection of paintings. It’s free, air-conditioned, never crowded, has a nice café, and is short and sweet. The thoughtful (and English) descriptions (each room comes with an intro) are up to date in giving women—both artists and subjects—the attention they deserve, and in reckoning with the colonial exploitation that came with Europe’s power and affluence through the ages. The art is beautiful, the experience is stimulating, and the price is right—it’s a great museum.

Leipzig History

Although it’s the biggest city in Saxony, Leipzig has long been overshadowed by its glamour-girl sister, Dresden. While Dresden was the prettified capital of the rulers of Saxony, Leipzig was its down-and-dirty economic engine.

Leipzig first boomed in the 15th century. Its trade fairs attracted medieval vendors and businesspeople from throughout the region, and rich deposits of silver in the nearby Erzgebirge hills boosted the mining industry. While Dresden’s glories were funded by princes who collected, then squandered, their subjects’ wealth, Leipzig was imbued with a strong civic sensibility—its citizens took pride in voluntarily funding musicians and artists. Among the beneficiaries was an organist, choirmaster, and composer named Johann Sebastian Bach, who went largely unappreciated in his lifetime but whose works were later rediscovered and popularized by another Leipzig composer, Felix Mendelssohn.

Leipzig’s university attracted great minds. Martin Luther came here to work with local printers and publishers to distribute his writings and to debate one of the Catholic Church’s chief theologians (an event called the Leipzig Disputation) in what is today’s New Town Hall. And Goethe, the “German Shakespeare”—who studied law at Leipzig U. before following his muse into literature—set a famous scene from his verse drama Faust at a cellar restaurant here. Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel is also a Leipzig U. alumna.

Leipzig’s cityscape is a victim of its own success. In the late 19th century, the city boomed once again when it innovated the idea of a “sample fair.” Instead of toting along their full inventory, vendors brought samples of their wares, allowing them to take orders and sell in much larger volumes. Never architecturally oriented, the newly flush people of Leipzig tore down most of their characteristic medieval Old Town. The city center—defined by a busy ring road that marks the former course of the city wall—features large, hulking buildings that are visually dull but shot through with fun-to-explore passages.

After World War II, Leipzig became the second city, after East Berlin, of communist East Germany (DDR). The infamous Berlin Wall was built under DDR premier Walter Ulbricht, a Leipzig native. But the city’s size and historical importance didn’t protect it from communist neglect. Damaged by WWII bombs, postwar Leipzig fell into abhorrent disrepair. Making matters worse, an open-pit coal mine at the edge of town and belching Trabant cars covered everything in soot. People who lived here in the 1980s say they never wore white clothes outside, because they’d turn gray in minutes.

The people of Leipzig were at the forefront of the so-called “Peaceful Revolution” that toppled the communist regime. The famous scenes of Berliners joyfully partying atop the Wall were made possible by protests that first began in Leipzig in 1982 and eventually came to a head in the series of civil-disobedience actions that caught the regime completely off guard in 1989. Expecting an armed insurrection, DDR leaders were so flummoxed by the peaceful tone of the protests that they simply allowed them to continue. A month later, the Wall was history. (For more, see “The Peaceful Revolution” sidebar, later.)

As Germany moved toward reunification, DDR television broadcast a provocative documentary asking: Can ragtag Leipzig be salvaged? (Their conclusion: No.) But salvaged it was—and then some. Pictures from just 20 years ago show a different city. The area within the ring road has been rejuvenated with shiny new shopping malls and university buildings. In other zones—such as the colorful stretch south of downtown called the Karli—trendy young entrepreneurs have turned decrepit buildings into a world of funky, appealing bars and restaurants—earning the town its latest nickname “Hypezig” and comparisons to hip Berlin. Leipzig may lack half-timbered and lederhosen charm, but its welcome urban contrast and fascinating history certainly live up to the hype.

Cost and Hours: Free; Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00 except Wed 12:00-20:00, closed Mon; audioguide-€2, a short block north of Market Square at Katharinenstrasse 10, +49 341 216 990, www.mdbk.de.

Visiting the Museum: The museum’s highlight sits just inside the door: Leipzig artist Max Klinger’s (1857-1920) sculpture of Beethoven (1902, restored 2004). The marble and bronze piece—depicting the great composer pensively hunched over on a throne, nude, legs crossed, with Prometheus’ eagle in clouds at his feet—took Klinger some 15 years to complete. Installed as the centerpiece of a 1902 Vienna Secession exhibit devoted to Beethoven, the sculpture was surrounded by Gustav Klimt’s famous Beethoven Frieze (still displayed in Vienna).

Once inside, start with the second floor (paintings from the 15th through the 18th century) and then proceed to the first floor (19th and 20th centuries).

Look for exquisitely detailed Dutch and Flemish paintings, minor works by major artists (such as Frans Hals’ The Mulatto and Rembrandt’s Head of an Old Man) and Paul Delaroche’s evocative Napoleon at Fontainebleau (showing the pudgy, diminutive Frenchman dejected after learning that he’s lost Paris). There are more works by local sculptor Max Klinger and Expressionist works by another Leipzig artist, Max Beckmann (including Portrait of a Carpet Dealer from 1946). And my favorites: idealized slices of local life painted by 19th-century German Romantics.

▲Augustusplatz

This bustling square is home to Leipzig’s university and its two most respected musical institutions. Renamed Karl-Marx-Platz during the DDR period, the square became a showcase for the communist aesthetic. In September of 1989, protesters against the communist regime gathered here—and were dispersed by the police. Today it’s a busy people zone and a hub for trams trundling around the city. (From here trams go to the Karli and the Monument to the Battle of the Nations. And the train station is just one stop behind the Opera House.)

For a 360-degree spin tour, stand between the fountain with the obelisk and the tram stops, and face the tallest skyscraper. This is the MDR building (named after the local radio and TV station), which was erected in the 1970s as part of the university. Though it was designed to resemble an open book, locals affectionately refer to the skyscraper as Weisheitszahn (wisdom tooth). You can ride to the 29th floor and pay €5 at the turnstile to go out on the rooftop terrace for the best view in town (generally daily 11:00-22:00, +49 341 710 0590, www.panorama-leipzig.de). Hiding behind this building (not quite visible from here) is the Moritzbastei. This bastion is all that survives from Leipzig’s former city wall, which was torn down in the early 19th century to build the ring road. Today it hosts a happening student pub.

Stretching to the right is a complex of glassy buildings housing Leipzig University—the second oldest in present-day Germany. The pointed facade of the school’s Paulinium building echoes the lines of the long-gone Gothic church that once stood here.

At either end of this square, two of Leipzig’s main cultural institutions are housed in communist-era buildings. At the south end (to the left) is the Gewandhaus, home to the city’s world-renowned orchestra. Behind you, at the north (right) end is the Opera House. Facing the Opera House, the tall building on the left with the two bell-ringers is Leipzig’s earliest “skyscraper,” built in 1927.

If you’re intrigued by quirky public art, head a few steps up the pedestrianized shopping street, Grimmaische Strasse (to the left as you face the Opera House), and find a statue demonstrating the feisty cynicism of the last decade under communist rule (1980s). Untimely Contemporaries features insulting, exaggerated caricatures of hypocritical DDR figures: the teacher clutching a mallet used to pound communist ideology into her students; the urban designer, with the oversized laurel wreath covering his eyes, detonating St. Paul’s Church; the rationalizer with a saw, who has the power to make cuts but is clueless; the guy who sold out for money (symbolized by a golden nose); and the diagnostician listening to his own heart.

COLD WAR SIGHTS

These attractions are scattered around the city center, but are all within about a 10-minute walk of each other.

▲St. Nicholas Church (Nikolaikirche)

Leipzig’s oldest church (1165) played a pivotal role in recent German history. In the 1980s, prayer meetings held here every Monday gradually became a forum for those deeply dissatisfied with the communist status quo. As anticommunist sentiment grew, the church became a major staging ground for the Peaceful Revolution that would ultimately topple the regime. During these protests, people would bravely go inside the church to meet—not knowing what would happen to them when they came back out.

The church sits in what was once a market square—appropriate, since its namesake, St. Nicholas, is the patron saint of traders. The ornate interior echoes the church’s importance in recent history. In the 1780s, the Gothic church was redecorated in a very clean, bright Neoclassical style, with a pastel pink-and-green color scheme and fluted columns that sprout green fronds at the top, covering up the out-of-vogue medieval ribs. Above the door is the largest organ in Saxony, which booms out 45-minute concerts each Saturday at 17:00 (€2). Look for the free English flier that explains the church’s role in the peace prayers and historic events of 1989 (see “The Peaceful Revolution” sidebar).

Leipzig, Coffee, and Classic Cafés

Over the centuries, coffee has played a vital role in Leipziger culture. In 1670, coffee beans made their debut at the Leipzig Trade Fair. As far back as 1695, coffeehouses have been an essential part of the Leipzig cityscape, and the people of Leipzig have long since been known as Kaffeesachsen—the coffee drinkers of Saxony. The city’s movers and shakers often gathered in a Kaffeehaus to discuss literature, philosophy, politics, and art. To see composer Richard Wagner, writer Goethe, artist Max Klinger, or revolutionary Karl Liebknecht hanging out here was commonplace. Coffee even stimulated the mind of Johann Sebastian Bach, who was so inspired that he wrote his “Coffee Cantata” about the energizing elixir. And in 1990, it was coffee that brought West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl and East German Prime Minister Lothar de Mazière together at Coffe Baum to discuss German reunification.

Anywhere you go, you’ll find many coffee styles, including Viennese, French, American, and Italian. Traditionally, Leipzigers prefer their coffee sweet and strong. A Catholic cardinal once said:

The coffee must be

As black as the devil

As hot as hell

As pure as an angel

As sweet as love

But Leipzigers have put up with weak or Plempe coffee over the years, especially when times were tough and coffee beans were hard to come by. To this day, there’s even a special name—Blümchenkaffee—for coffee so light you can see the flower design at the bottom of the porcelain cup. And when Napoleon’s troops came to town, they brought with them a coffee mixed heavily with malt or chicory. While the French called it moka faut (fake coffee), the people of Leipzig butchered the phrase and dubbed it Muggefukk.

(And when a Leipziger needs a little something sweet to go with their coffee, it’s often the “Leipziger Lerche,” a crumbly shelled marzipan pastry that’s perfect with coffee and sold at bakeries and coffee shops thoughout town.)

With all this history, visiting a coffeehouse in Leipzig is a delight. Zum Arabischen Coffe Baum (the second-oldest café in Europe after Paris’s Le Procope) still serves coffee and cakes as it has since the early 1700s, and also houses a free museum dedicated to all things coffee (just off Market Square at Kleine Fleischergasse 4). Pictured above, another classic café with an old-timey interior is Kaffeehaus Riquet (decorated with elephants, daily 9:00-19:00, Schuhmachergässchen 1). For more on both, see the “Eating in Leipzig” section.

Outside and behind the church, find the single column with green leaves at the top. This column, mimicking the decoration inside the church, is dedicated to the people of Leipzig and memorializes the anticommunist protests that began here and spread.

Cost and Hours: Free; Mon-Fri 11:00-18:00, shorter hours on weekends and in winter, closes during Sunday services; Nikolaikirchhof 3, +49 341 124 5380, www.nikolaikirche.de.

▲Contemporary History Forum (Zeitgeschichtliches Forum)

This center examines life in a divided Germany (1945-1990), focusing mainly on the East but dipping into the West to provide contrast. The statue out front represents Germany’s two 20th-century dictatorships: the flat-palmed Sieg Heil! Nazi salute and the proletariat’s raised communist fist. The way I see it, the poor fellow—whose form resembles an abstracted swastika—has his head scrunched down, hoping to somehow get through it all.

Cost and Hours: Free; Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon; Grimmaische Strasse 6, +49 341 222 0400, www.hdg.de/leipzig.

Visiting the Museum: The permanent exhibit is modern and well presented on one fascinating floor, but get the free, helpful audioguide to make it more meaningful.

Ride the elevator to the second floor, where the circular permanent exhibit spins off from a central timeline. Displays include photographs, propaganda posters, a mock-up of a DDR-era apartment, film footage of DDR authorities destroying churches and Soviet tanks putting down a 1953 protest at Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate, a van used by the secret police to transport prisoners, an original “You are leaving the American sector” sign from an East/West border crossing, heads from several Stalin statues, protest signs from the fall of 1989, and the long table where the East German politburo met to hash out their plans for the country. In the Stasi section a small theater plays “Time will Tell,” a 15-minute video interviewing locals sharing a nuanced look at freedom—thoughts on the reality of life in a capitalist world as opposed to a socialist one.

Temporary exhibits, which can give a stimulating peek at contemporary German life, fill the third floor.

▲▲Stasi Museum in the “Runde Ecke”

In the notorious so-called “Round Corner” building, the communist secret police (Stasi) detained and interrogated those suspected of being traitors to the state. That same building—once the Stasi headquarters—now houses a humble but worthwhile exhibit about the Stasi’s activities. A citizens’ committee created the museum in 1990—just months after their protests helped spark the fall of the Wall—as a temporary exhibit to document Stasi atrocities, with the goal of preventing such things from happening again. Decades later, the museum and its committee are still going strong. The museum is not fancy—basically one long hallway and a few rooms, with dusty hand-lettered exhibits—but it’s a fascinating record of this dark chapter of German history. And it’s chilling to see all of this while walking through the actual perpetrators’ offices.

Cost and Hours: €5, daily 10:00-18:00, audioguide included (over 70 minutes of audio but essential to the experience), Dittrichring 24, +49 341 961 2443, www.runde-ecke-leipzig.de.

Background: Initially formed to investigate and prosecute Nazi crimes, the DDR government’s Ministerium für Staatssicherheit (MfS, “Ministry for State Security”)—nicknamed the “Stasi” (SHTAH-zee)—quickly became a means of suppressing dissent as civil liberties dwindled in communist Germany. The Stasi considered themselves “the sword and shield of the party.”

Modeled after the Soviet Union’s secret police, the Stasi recruited informants from every walk of life, often intimidating them into cooperating by threatening their jobs, their children’s education, or worse. They eventually gathered an army of hundreds of thousands of “unofficial employees” (inoffizielle Mitarbeiter), nearly 200,000 of whom were still active when communism fell in 1989. At its peak, an estimated one in seven East Germans was cooperating with the Stasi. These “employees” were coerced into reporting on the activities of their coworkers, friends, neighbors, and even immediate family members.

Preoccupied with keeping track of “nonconformist” behavior, the Stasi collected whatever bits of evidence they could—including saliva, handwriting, odors, and voice recordings—and wound up with vast amounts of files.

The Peaceful Revolution

While the fall of the Berlin Wall got all the press, the end of communism in East Germany arguably began seven years earlier and a hundred miles to the south, in Leipzig.

In 1982, parishioners at Leipzig’s St. Nicholas Church began gathering on Monday evenings to pray for peace and a better world. This continued until 1989, when a series of events sparked citizens to action. That spring, the Tiananmen Square protests in China inspired East Germans who felt similarly oppressed. And that summer, Hungary opened its border to the West, offering an enticing glimmer of hope to East Germans.

By September of 1989, the St. Nicholas prayer meetings started taking on an increasingly political bent, and more people joined, regardless of religious belief. DDR government officials watched with concern; after the October 2 gathering, they warned that deadly force would be authorized to stop any uprisings.

On October 7, Mikhail Gorbachev came to Berlin to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the founding of the DDR. He made a cryptic remark implying that the people of Eastern Europe had a right to bring about change. A huge demonstration ensued in Leipzig on October 9. An estimated 100,000 protesters carried banners bellowing Wir sind das Volk! (“We are the people!”).

The Stasi (secret police) embedded undercover agents in the crowds to stoke the protesters to violence—but it didn’t work. One official said, “We were ready for anything...except candles and prayer.” With no excuse for clamping down on the demonstration, DDR officials for the first time allowed a major protest to continue—a turning point in the struggle to topple the Berlin Wall.

On October 16, an estimated 320,000 people participated in demonstrations. Two days later, DDR premier Erich Honecker and several other top officials resigned. The government was in disarray, and within two and a half weeks, people were dancing on top of the Berlin Wall.

While cameras rolled in Berlin, the heroics in Leipzig were hardly documented. But today Leipzig remains fiercely proud of the crucial role it played in ousting the communists through nonviolent means. Around town, look for “89” plaques that explain sites relating to the Peaceful Revolution.

What was the Stasi’s goal? Quite simply, to be in control. Sometimes they’d pursue criminal prosecution and imprisonment. The worst offenders might be deported. Most often, the Stasi simply harassed. They wanted suspects to know they were being watched—to destabilize and marginalize them. Often no formal accusation ever came of these investigations, but lives were ruined nonetheless.

Soon after the Wall fell, DDR authorities scrambled to destroy the illicit information their agents and informants had collected. But the new government mandated that these records be preserved as evidence of DDR crimes. These days, German citizens can read the files once kept on them. It’s a hard choice: Request their record—and likely find out that friends and loved ones had reported on them—or never know the truth. For a film that brilliantly captures the paranoid Stasi culture, see the 2006 Oscar winner The Lives of Others.

Visiting the Museum: The exhibit’s title, “Power and Banality,” invokes scholar Hannah Arendt’s notion of the “banality of evil”—the idea that if horrific acts are systematized and repeated, they become routine and therefore more acceptable to the perpetrator. The first section of the exhibit documents the pivotal protest of October 9, 1989 (see “The Peaceful Revolution” sidebar, earlier), with shields and batons, and photos of the candles that stymied riot police who were expecting Molotov cocktails. It’s an important reminder that the West can’t take sole credit for the freedoms won that year—Leipzigers rightly take pride in what they helped accomplish as ordinary citizens, often at great risk to themselves.

Inside, surveillance cameras mounted overhead and a wall of monitors suggest just how closely the secret police observed the East German people. In the hallway, look for the copy of a 14-year-old student’s essay questioning aspects of communist life and its extensively documented consequences. It’s chilling to see how this free-thinking assignment was on track to bar this schoolboy from university and ruin his life; fortunately, he wrote it in 1989, just before the Wall fell.

The former offices contain several items and tools used by the Stasi, such as a camera that could easily be concealed in a briefcase, microphones that could be hidden just about anywhere, disguises (including a fake beer belly with a hidden camera), and forged documents. One display case holds several jars with pale yellow cloths impregnated with “odor samples.” Stasi agents would sit suspects on cloths to interrogate them, then save the sweat-drenched swatch for trained dogs to identify the scent. (For example, the dog would sniff an anti-DDR propaganda leaflet, then smell several odor samples and bark at the one that matched.) The police also used under-car mirrors to check for potential escapees at border crossings.

The replica prison cell, with original fixtures, illustrates what life was like in a detention center. All mail and packages coming into the country were searched for contraband—inspectors would steam them open, read them, then reseal them. Stasi mail inspectors stole millions in West German marks (sent to East German relatives) and confiscated piles of cassette tapes containing Western pop music—which officials then reused to record interrogation sessions.

Snooping on citizens was a huge industry. Eventually the Stasi outgrew this building. As you exit, walk to the right to see the Stasi headquarters expansion—a dreadfully ugly, gray and brown, prefabricated annex that’s typical of the DDR.

In the same building is one of several satellite offices scattered throughout Germany that keep an archive of Stasi surveillance records (not open to the public; the central office is in Berlin).

BACH SIGHTS

These sights cluster along the west side of the Ring.

▲St. Thomas Church (Thomaskirche)

At this historic church, Martin Luther introduced Leipzig to Protestantism and Johann Sebastian Bach conducted the boys’ choir. The most famous boys’ choir in Germany—the Thomanercor—still performs here.

Cost and Hours: Free, daily 10:00-18:00, Thomaskirchhof 18, +49 341 222 240, www.thomaskirche.org. Look for the English flier about the church’s history, artwork, organ, and choir.

Concerts and Events: The St. Thomas boys’ choir performs Fridays at 18:00 and Saturdays at 15:00, unless they are traveling (€3). The Bach Festival is held each summer (concerts here and at other venues, usually June, www.bachfestleipzig.de).

Visiting the Church: Before entering the church, look (just outside the church door) for the statue of Bach standing in front of his favorite instrument, a pipe organ. Bach was the leader of the boys’ choir here from 1723 until 1750. While here, Bach was remarkably prolific—for a time, he even composed a new cantata every week.

Examine the details of Bach’s sculpted portrait: He’s holding a rolled-up sheet of music, which he used as a baton. Notice the button open on his vest—he could stick the “baton” into his shirt, if necessary, to free up his hands. His jacket pocket is turned out—Bach was famously always scrounging for more money to feed his huge family and the boys in the choir. His dedication to the arts led him to advocate tirelessly for the funding of local musicians.

Inside the church, the clean, white, stripped-down Neo-Gothic interior evokes the Protestant aesthetic of uncluttering the congregation’s communion with God. On Pentecost in 1539, Martin Luther came here to perform Leipzig’s first Protestant service.

From the center of the nave look up to the right at the seven 19th-century stained-glass windows (left to right): WWI memorial, Sweden’s King Gustavus Adolphus (champion of Protestantism during the Thirty Years’ War who died in a great battle just outside of Leipzig), Johann Sebastian Bach, Martin Luther (flanked by his supporter, prince-elector Frederick the Wise, on the left and fellow Reformer Philipp Melanchthon on the right), Felix Mendelssohn, Kaiser Wilhelm I (unified Germany’s first emperor), and the abstract “Window of Peace” (dedicated to the popular 1989 uprising and depicting peace as a thrilling process that starts in the church and floods into the streets).

In front of the altar is the tomb of Bach—or is it? Largely unappreciated in his own time and forgotten shortly after his death, Bach was buried in a humble graveyard. But after his music regained popularity in the 19th century, aficionados tracked down what they thought were his remains. Three skulls that could have been Bach were compared to portraits of the composer to determine which one was most likely to be the real Johann Sebastian.

To the right of the altar, in the sacristy, you’ll find a small exhibit on the church’s musical tradition.

The church has two fine organs: The big one in back dates from 1889. And the new one (midway up the nave, added in 2000) was built to sound like the organ Bach played here.

Sights near St. Thomas Church

On the Ring side of the church (to the right as you leave, around the corner, and across the street), look for the statue of Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847). Mendelssohn came to Leipzig at age 26 to conduct the Gewandhaus Orchestra, which he led to great success, putting Leipzig on the world musical map. Mendelssohn is remembered today primarily as a composer, but perhaps his greatest contribution was to popularize the works of Bach, which had become unfashionable after his death. If not for Mendelssohn, the name “Bach” would probably mean nothing to you today. Because he was raised Jewish (though he later converted to Christianity), Mendelssohn’s statue was torn down and used for scrap metal by the Nazis; this replica was erected in 2008.

The busy ring road just beyond the Mendelssohn statue was the fortified city wall that once marked the end of town. When the wall was torn down in the 19th century, the west portal of St. Thomas Church suddenly stood in full view of the townsfolk, who were inspired to add the fancy Neo-Gothic facade you see today.

Turn around and, with your back to Mendelssohn, go a bit farther along the park (with the Ring on your right) to find another, much older monument to Bach. Mendelssohn was so dedicated to honoring the genius of the Baroque composer that he personally funded the construction of this monument. In the reliefs around the pillar, see Bach depicted as an organist, a good Christian, and a teacher (of the boys’ choir).

Across the Ring from here, and a block up Gottschedstrasse, you’ll find an evocative Holocaust memorial, with 140 chairs on the site of the city’s former main synagogue. The empty seats encourage people to “stand up” for what’s right.

▲▲Bach Museum

Across the little square from the Church of St. Thomas is this small but very well-presented museum about Leipzig’s favorite composer. Its good interactive exhibits are mostly displayed in 12 rooms on two manageable floors. With the help of the excellent, included audioguide, this museum is an absolute delight for music lovers.

Cost and Hours: €10, includes audioguide, Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon, Thomaskirchhof 15, +49 341 913 7202, www.bachmuseumleipzig.de.

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Johann Sebastian Bach was a man of many musical trades—composer, musical director, organist, organ builder, and violinist. Born in 1685, he lived immersed in music from the very beginning. His father was the director of the town musicians (because the family was so musically talented, people from Erfurt—where Bach senior was from—used the word Bache to describe any musician). After his parents’ early deaths, Bach lived with his older brother, Johann Christoph, who helped him develop his musical skill.

In 1723, Bach was selected as the cantor of St. Thomas Church in Leipzig. He spent the last 27 years of his life in the city, working as the director of music for the city’s four main churches and directing the St. Thomas boys’ choir, the Thomanerchor. Responsible for providing Sunday music at the churches, in just five years Bach composed some 150 cantatas, two great Passions, and numerous other sacred pieces for his choir to perform.

In addition to shepherding the 50 boys in the choir, Bach, who married twice, had a score of his own children—seven with his first wife and another 13 with the second. Of the 20 children, only nine survived into adulthood. And of those, six (brothers only) had musical careers of their own.

While living in Leipzig, Bach began directing a group of university-student musicians who were more interested in convivial entertainment than somber church music. Their crowd-pleasing performances of his secular compositions drew attention to the composer’s work, elevating his status in Leipzig.

Later in life, Bach became more withdrawn and reflective, composing complex, abstract Baroque pieces. He enjoyed entertaining guests with private concerts in his personal music room. But his eyesight began failing near the end of his life, and he died in 1750 after suffering a stroke. He was buried in an unmarked grave and soon forgotten.

In 1829, the musician and composer Felix Mendelssohn received from his grandmother a copy of Bach’s manuscript for St. Matthew Passion. When Mendelssohn conducted and performed Bach’s profoundly expressive music in Berlin, it was an instant hit. Mendelssohn’s concert sparked a newfound appreciation for Bach’s music that began in Germany, took over Europe, and soon spread around the world.

In the mid-1800s, several Bach fans and Leipzig scholars succeeded in rediscovering what they thought to be Bach’s remains and moved them to Leipzig’s Johanneskirche. After that church was destroyed by WWII bombs, the composer’s remains were laid to rest, for a third time, at St. Thomas Church—where appreciative pilgrims and Bach admirers still bring flowers to honor the man whom The New York Times named “the most influential composer of all time.”

Visiting the Museum: At the entry is a replica of a famous portrait-bust of the great composer. Inside and up the stairs, the family tree makes it clear that Bach came from a very musical family. In the organ room, hold the organ pipes to hear music, or settle in at a station to listen on headsets to one of Bach’s many compositions. You’ll see an actual organ console where Bach played his favorite instrument, an iron chest that came from his household, and original manuscripts. The orchestra exhibit explains Baroque music by letting you press buttons to isolate the different instruments and sounds. The Leipzig room shows sights in town associated with the composer—including a model of the residence (in the boarding school for his 50 choirboys) where he lived with his huge family.

Back on the ground floor, the Research Laboratory provides informative and interactive displays about the physical elements of making music, as well as a listening station where you can “play” with Bach’s scores. The highlight of the softly lit Treasury is the original manuscripts written by Bach. Because of their fragility, different documents are regularly rotated into and out of the display.

OUTSIDE THE RING

▲▲The Karli

Just south of the Ring, Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse—“Karli” for short—hosts a funky zone of boutiques, cafés, restaurants, and nightclubs (a.k.a. the Südmeile—“South Mile”).

Renamed “Adolf-Hitler-Strasse” during the führer’s reign, today’s Karli would make Hitler spin in his grave. Parts of the street feel like a squatter’s haven (but it isn’t seedy), filled with grungy buildings housing lively eateries and nonconformist hangout spots, all slathered with artistic graffiti. You’ll also see many fine period buildings.

After the generally stern architecture of downtown Leipzig, a stroll here is good for the soul and flat-out fun. You can walk here from downtown (across the Ring, south of the New Town Hall), but it doesn’t get interesting until the Hohe Strasse tram stop. The core of the zone is the four-block stretch between the Südplatz and Karl-Liebknecht-/Kurt-Eisner-Strasse stops. For my favorite places to eat or drink here, see “Eating in Leipzig,” later.

Getting There: Ride tram #10 (direction: Lössnig) or #11 (direction: Markkleeberg-Ost) about five minutes south from downtown (to the Hohe Strasse, Südplatz, or Karl-Liebknecht-/Kurt-Eisner-Strasse stops). Consider visiting before dinner: Getting off at Hohe Strasse, enjoy walking four or five blocks to the Kurt-Eisner-Strasse tram stop to survey the scene and my recommended eateries, and then return to your favorite for dinner.

▲Monument to the Battle of the Nations (Völkerschlachtdenkmal)

This gigantic, heavy-handed monument—Europe’s biggest—commemorates a pivotal battle in 1813 that involved forces from all over Europe. It was the first time Napoleon was decisively defeated in a major battle. While it’s on the outskirts of town and a bit anticlimactic (it looks like a giant pedestal missing a statue on top), the monument is worth an ogle for its sheer size and chillingly patriotic design, especially if you’re a history buff. Erected for the battle’s centennial in 1913, the monument—nicknamed “Volki”—is now most appreciated as a venue for concerts and outdoor events. It also includes the Forum 1813 museum.

Cost and Hours: €10 ticket covers both the monument and its museum; daily 10:00-18:00, Nov-March until 16:00; theatrical audioguide-€1, useful only if you visit the museum; Strasse des 18 Oktober 100, +49 341 241 6870, www.stadtmuseum-leipzig.de—find it on the “Our Museums” page.

Getting There: Ride tram #15 from the Hauptbahnhof or Augustusplatz (direction: Meusdorf) to the Völkerschlachtdenkmal stop. “You can’t miss it” is an understatement. Walk toward the parking lot (instead of up the ramp) for the full effect of the reflecting pool.

Background: In October 1813, the Battle of the Nations (Völkerschlacht, also called the Battle of Leipzig) pitted Napoleon’s army against a united force of Prussian, Austrian, Russian, and Swedish fighters. With more than a half-million men involved and casualties approaching 100,000, it was the largest battle in European history until World War I. The Battle of the Nations marked the turning point in the fight against Napoleon, who was routed and forced to retreat to France. It was the ultimate victory of predominantly German forces against French invaders.

A century later—during a surge of nationalism following the unification of the modern nation of Germany—Leipzig city leaders built this 300-foot-tall memorial on the site of the bloodiest battle. Funded by a lottery and donations, and looming over a huge reflecting pool, the concrete monument has a dark-red granite facade and is decorated inside and out with gigantic, heroic (almost mythical) statues of faceless soldiers and other archetypes celebrating German might. Not surprisingly, it later became a favorite backdrop for Hitler’s speeches. The Soviet puppet government of East Germany wasn’t thrilled with its German nationalistic overtones, but decided to let it stand as a monument to German-Russian cooperation.

Visiting the Monument: A visit here has several parts: viewing the massive monument, entering the atmospheric crypt, riding the elevator up to the viewing platform, and visiting the Forum 1813 museum.

On the exterior, the Archangel Michael in heavy armor straddles the main door with the same tiresome message that accompanies most military monuments: “God with us.” Circling the rounded top of the monument, a dozen stoic 40-foot-tall soldiers lean menacingly on their swords—which they will use, if necessary, to protect their nation.

Buy your ticket at the building to the left, then head through the main door and ride the elevator or walk up to floor 1. A wordless and noisy video guides you through the history of the Battle of the Nations and its namesake monument, from Napoleonic entanglements in 1812 to the restoration and reopening of the monument in 2013. From there, go to floor 3. Guards direct you to exterior stairs leading to an upper gallery (Hall of Fame), where four gigantic 30-foot-tall statues represent the virtues of the German people during wartime: bravery (flexing muscles), faith (embracing a child), strength (a mother nursing two young children—more fodder for the battlefield), and sacrifice (a father holding his dead son). Rocketing up 225 feet from the crypt below is a dome decorated with hundreds of life-sized cavalry triumphantly returning from battle.

Head back down a level to the crypt. The atmospheric atrium is ringed by 16 soldiers with their heads respectfully bowed to honor the sacrifice of those lost in battle. Overachievers can climb all 364 steps to the very top (with stops along the way). Others can continue up the elevator to the Singers’ Gallery for more spectacular views of the interior. Use the elevator again to reach the central outside galleries for a commanding open-air view. From there, stairs are the only option: You’ll climb about 100 steps to the founders’ cupola plus 50 more to summit the monument and stand on the tip-top platform, enjoying more sweeping (if distant) views over Leipzig.

Back on the ground, the Forum 1813 museum, in the smaller building to the right of the monument, tells the story of the battle with paintings, models, uniforms, weapons, lots of artifacts from 1813, and a large diorama (all in German, but explained by the English audioguide).

Spinnerei

Formerly Europe’s largest cotton mill—in the 19th century, it was a self-contained community of both factories and homes—this industrial complex has transitioned from a 1990s squatter haven into a sprawling artistic venue with more than 10 galleries and dozens of artists’ studios. Many showcase the “New Leipzig” art movement (contemporary eastern German art from after reunification). Gallery hoppers, or anyone interested in the gentrification of old industrial wastelands, may find this place (with the slogan “from cotton to culture”) worth a visit. There are even fun industrial apartments for rent if you’d like to soak in the creative vibes overnight.

Cost and Hours: Most galleries are free to enter, generally Tue-Sat 11:00-18:00, closed Mon, email mail@spinnerei.de in advance to request a guided tour in English, Spinnereistrasse 7, +49 341 498 0222, www.spinnerei.de, apartment information: www.meisterzimmer.de.

Getting There: It’s about three miles southwest of the town center. From the Hauptbahnhof, take tram #14 to the Plagwitz stop. Cross under the tracks, and turn left at Spinnereistrasse. Spinnerei will be on your left.

Nightlife in Leipzig

Music lovers can look into performances at the Opera House or Gewandhaus, home of the city’s orchestra (both on Augustusplatz). Nearby, the Moritzbastei is a popular-with-students place for cultural events (described later, under “Eating in Leipzig”; check events schedule at www.moritzbastei.de).

Leipzig’s most happening nightlife zone is the Karli, loaded with trendy restaurants, cafés, and bars (see “Eating in Leipzig,” later). A well-established venue here is die naTo, a cultural center presenting theater, film, poetry slams, and music as well as a bar with drinks and food (events nightly from 18:30, cover charge, Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse 46, +49 341 301 4397, www.nato-leipzig.de).

Sleeping in Leipzig

Thanks to the one-two punch of being both a convention town and a post-communist one, Leipzig is short on the characteristic, family-run little pensions I favor in other parts of Germany. With a few exceptions, I’ve listed functional, business-oriented hotels. Rates are typically higher on weeknights than weekends, and soft both in midsummer (July-Aug) and winter (Nov-March). Prices skyrocket during conventions and fairs—concentrated during the months of April-June and Sept-Oct. Breakfast is generally not included.

WITHIN OR NEAR THE RING

€€ Hotel Fregehaus has a unique character. Just across from the TI, through a flowery courtyard, this historic merchant’s house-turned-boutique hotel dresses its 17 rooms, two apartments, and one suite in an antique-chic-meets-low-key-mod look. Though some rooms are dark and it comes with a few rough edges, you get an extra dose of memories and a good price (Katharinenstrasse 11, +49 341 2639 3157, www.hotel-fregehaus.de, kontakt@hotel-fregehaus.de).

€€ Seaside Park Hotel has an anonymous, business-class vibe but an extremely convenient location (albeit nowhere near any seashore), just across the busy Ring from the train station and an easy walk to anywhere in the town center. With 288 rooms and a lot of marble, mirrors, and brass in the lobby, it feels elegant for the price. Many rooms come with open-plan bathrooms, with the shower or tub visible from the whole room (air-con, pay parking, bistro, train-themed restaurant, Richard-Wagner-Strasse 7, +49 341 98520, www.parkhotelleipzig.de [URL inactive], info@parkhotelleipzig.de).

€ Art Hotel City Leipzig has 72 comfortable, minimalist rooms decorated with bright paintings of action heroes by a local artist. It’s in a dull urban neighborhood one tram stop (or a 10-minute walk) north of the train station, but the prices are reasonable for what you get (air-con, pay parking; from station ride tram #10, #11, or #16 one stop north to Wilhelm-Liebknecht-Platz, hotel is across street, on other side of triangular park; Eutritzscher Strasse 15, +49 341 303 840, www.arthotelcityleipzig.com, hello@arthotelcity.com).

€ Motel One Nikolaikirche, part of a German chain with locations throughout Europe and in New York, is the best deal for well-located comfort. Its 194 rooms are cookie-cutter, modern, and sleek, and the staff is professional but friendly (walkable from train station at Nikolaistrasse 23, +49 341 337 4370, www.motel-one.com, leipzig-nikolaikirche@motel-one.com). A second Motel One Augustusplatz, on the other side of St. Nicholas Church, has family rooms (Ritterstrasse 4, +49 341 252 7980, www.motel-one.com, leipzig-augustusplatz@motel-one.com).

¢ A&O Leipzig Hauptbahnhof Hostel fills the former post office with 163 rooms, ranging from dorms to private rooms in an institutional setting that serves an array of budget travelers. Ask for a room away from the street (private rooms available, bar and lounge in lobby, Brandenburger Strasse 2, +49 341 2507 94900, www.aohostels.com, booking@aohostels.com). From the train station, take the Wintergartenstrasse exit (by track 23); you’ll see the hostel to the left, across the street from the bus parking lot.

KARLI DISTRICT

This area, along Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse, has Leipzig’s best bar and nightclub scene, and some of its most appealing restaurants. Staying here puts you close enough to the sightseeing while helping you escape the relatively characterless downtown for a funkier, more colorful people zone. These listings are just off the main drag, so night noise is minimal, though you may hear rowdy people and rumbling trams in the distance—ask for a quieter back room. To get here from the train station (or Augustusplatz), ride south on tram #10 (direction: Lössnig) or #11 (direction: Markkleeberg-Ost). For locations of the following hotels, see the “Karli District” map on here.

€€ Michaelis Hotel is a class act, with 95 big rooms spread across two neighboring buildings, sophisticated decor, a lovely central terrace, and good service. It’s a particularly good value in July and August (apartments available, pay parking, tram stop: Hohe Strasse—walk 100 yards ahead, turn left at intersection, and it’s on the left, Paul-Gruner-Strasse 44, +49 341 26780, www.michaelis-leipzig.de, info@michaelis-leipzig.de).

€ Hotel Markgraf is simple but professionally run, offering 57 straightforward, sometimes musty rooms with sterile comfort at fair rates just a half block from the Südplatz tram stop—close but not too close to the Karli action (free street parking in front of hotel, tram stop: Südplatz, Körnerstrasse 36, +49 341 303 030, www.markgraf-hotel-leipzig.com, hotel@markgraf-leipzig.de).

Eating in Leipzig

BETWEEN MARKT AND AUGUSTUSPLATZ

A smattering of good and memorable eating options are in the town center. The first three are classic beer halls on or nearly on Market Square (elegant Saxon, down and dirty Bavarian, and on a quiet courtyard). Or choose a historic café, a modern salad place, a glitzy meal at the top of a skyscraper, or hanging out with the students in an old rampart.

€€€ Restaurant Weinstock is a dressy place serving traditional cuisine with attentive service, white tablecloths, and candles inside or outside on the city’s main square. They have lunch deals (Mon-Fri), set menus, and an inviting a la carte (daily, Markt 7, +49 341 1406 0606).

€€ Augustiner am Markt is a less-expensive, rustic beer hall catering to tourists with a menu of Bavarian classics and great seating on Market Square (nightly until 21:00, Markt 5, +49 341 2477 0177).

€€€ Gasthaus Barthels Hof is a quiet alternative just off Market Square, and caters more to locals. Located in a peaceful courtyard, serving traditional and seasonal Saxon dishes—“family meals like in Luther’s time”—it offers good seating and a solid vibe (daily, Hainstrasse 1, +49 341 141 310).

€€ Kaffeehaus Riquet is a historic café with old-time elegance and a feeling that the upper crust has been enjoying light lunches, cakes, and coffee here for a century (all-day breakfast, salads, good seating indoors and out, daily 8:00-19:00, Schuhmachergässchen 1, +49 341 961 0000).

€€ Dean & David Nikolaikirche, just across from St. Nicholas Church with fine tables outside and in, is a chain that’s great for a quick healthy lunch, especially salads and smoothies (open daily, Nikolaistrasse 9).

€€€€ Panorama Tower restaurant, atop the MDR skyscraper, serves modern, international cuisine in a classy setting with a dramatic view. While dinner is overpriced, they serve a very affordable three-course “business lunch” for €17, and free rooftop access is included (available Mon-Fri 11:30-14:30; restaurant open Mon-Sat until late, shorter hours Sun; take elevator to 29th floor, +49 341 710 0590, www.panorama-leipzig.de).

€ Moritzbastei, behind the MDR skyscraper, is a maze of vaulted cellars that were once part of the city fortifications. After World War II, these passages were covered with dirt until a group of students—including, reportedly, Angela Merkel—organized to excavate them. Today the complex is filled mostly with students enjoying its indoor and outdoor seating, bars, basic bar food, sandwiches, design-your-own salads, weekday lunch specials, and live entertainment (closed Sun-Mon, Universitätsstrasse 9, +49 341 702 590).

DOWNTOWN “RESTAURANT ROWS”

Two downtown streets to either side of the busy Dittrichring are lined with restaurants that cater to the lunch-break crowd and are also open for dinner. Barfussgässchen (“Barefoot Lane”), just inside the Ring, is closer to Market Square and has a higher concentration of bars and eateries. It’s touristy, but even locals enjoy the drinks and people-watching here. I recommend walking another five minutes across the Ring and checking out Gottschedstrasse, which has somewhat better variety and value. Choose the cuisine and ambience you like best: Thai, tapas, Italian, Vietnamese, trendy lounge, and so on. Just about the only thing you won’t find is a German beer hall.

€€ Luise, a lively, red-and-yellow bar with happening outdoor seating, serves international dishes, burgers, pasta, and big salads (long hours daily, breakfast served until 13:00, at Gottschedstrasse and Bosestrasse at Bosestrasse 4, +49 341 961 1488).

€€ Pilot, attached to the Central Theater, is hip yet accessible, offering eclectic German and international food with seasonal ingredients in a relaxed setting accented by mismatched used furniture (daily until late, at intersection with Gottschedstrasse at Bosestrasse 1, +49 341 9628 9550).

€ Feinkost Röseling, a charming and inviting German bakery/deli with a coffee-shop vibe, offers lunch specials, quiche, and a fun mix-and-match salad option. Order at the counter, then sit outside or in (daily, Gottschedstrasse 9, +49 341 9615 888). Another location is in the Karli at Karl Leibknecht Strasse 58 (+49 341 4626 9670).

€ Zum Arabischen Coffe Baum, which claims to be the oldest coffeehouse in Germany, is now a quality restaurant—and coffee museum—serving traditional Saxon and other German food as well as lots of coffees and cakes (daily until late, Fleischergasse 4; see the “Leipzig, Coffee, and Classic Cafés” sidebar, earlier).

€ HuWa is a mod pub with all-day breakfast, healthy Asian bowls, wok dishes, and lots of cocktails (long hours daily, Barfussgässchen 15, +49 341 215 7927).

IN THE KARLI

Leipzig’s avant-garde epicenter, the Karli, is a several-block stretch of Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse. It’s filled with artfully dilapidated, graffitied buildings hosting eccentric and upscale boutiques, bars, restaurants, and venues for concerts and other creative happenings (see the “Karli District” map on here.

While you can walk here from downtown (across the Ring, south of the New Town Hall), I’d hop on tram #10 (direction: Lössnig) or #11 (direction: Markkleeberg-Ost) at the train station or Augustusplatz, ride to the Karl-Liebknecht-/Kurt-Eisner-Strasse stop, and walk back along the tram tracks until you find something you like. Or walk the entire strip just for the spectacle, then go back to your favorite.

Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse is lined with a huge variety of crazy and creative eateries, most open for lunch and dinner daily and with tables spilling out onto the street. Many are more focused on cocktails while others are more serious restaurants. Prices are generally great. I’ve listed my favorite stops in geographical order from the Kurt-Eisner-Strasse stop to the Hohe Strasse stop. (Nearly all are on Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse, and I’ve listed the street numbers.)

€ Eisbrennerei (#97), with inventive flavors of its organic and homemade ice cream, is a local favorite—and a nice way to kick off or finish your Karli stroll (daily, +49 16 0710 9547).

€€ Gaststätte Kollektiv (#72) serves simple, inexpensive food in what feels like grandma’s dining room right out of the 1960s. It’s an “Ostalgic” hoot with its classic DDR dishes. Try the “Strammer Max”—black bread with ham under fried eggs. Even if you dine on their terrace, be sure to take a time-travel stroll through dining rooms filled with kitschy, authentic memorabilia and decor (daily, +49 341 306 7004).

€€ Maître (#62) is an Art Deco brasserie serving a hodgepodge of German interpretations of French dishes, including shareable salads, crêpes and galettes, quiche, and meat dishes. Locals enjoy their varied breakfast menu and pastry selection—Maître also runs a French patisserie next door (Mon-Sat until late, closes earlier on Sun, +49 341 3032 8924). Nearby is an outpost of the Feinkost Röseling deli (recommended earlier, at #58).

€€ Pata Negra (#75) serves up tasty Spanish main dishes, but I’d go for a mix of tapas and call it dinner (choose between inside seating, cozy courtyard, or streetside tables, reservations smart, daily 17:00-late, +49 341 306 7103, www.patanegra.de).

€€ L’Angolo d’Italia, a good choice for Italian here, does the basics like pasta and pizza as well as more creative main courses with fish or meat. Outside tables are less intimate and flanked by two busy streets (daily until late, Koschstrasse 1, +49 341 3068 6211).

€€ Hafenbar (“Harbor Bar”), just behind L’Angelo, is a delightful beer garden hiding behind a hedge. Along with lots of beer, they serve Mediterranean tapas, salads, and pasta (daily 17:00-late, +49 341 2473 5161).

€€€ LuLu Lottenstein (#63) is the most sophisticated option here and the only spluge Karli restaurant I list. Their focus is on regional specialties, with a menu that changes seasonally, in a comfy rustic-chic setting with a cozy fireplace (Wed-Sun 16:30-late, closed Mon-Tue, +49 341 308 2613).

€ Killiwilly Irish Pub (#44), which feels like a trip to Dublin, slings beers and plates of typical pub grub, along with seasonal German classics, burgers, and big salads. The menu’s long and there’s lots of fun inside and out (daily until late, 49 341 211 4322).

€ Olive Tree (#38) is a good stop for döner kebabs, splittable pizzas, and filling vegetarian options (daily until late, +49 176 3412 5996).

€ Löffelfamilie (#36)—literally “the spoon family”—is actually just a 1973 vintage neon sign (a Leipzig forte) that is illuminated on demand. Check out the tiny beer garden in the vacant lot below. This lot is part of Feinkost—a former canning factory, now a collection of funky alternative shops, vintage clothing, toys, crafts, and edgy culture.

CHARACTERISTIC LEIPZIG BRAUHAUS

€€ Bayerischer Bahnhof is the city’s main draw for beer pilgrims eager to sample the local brew, Gose (GOH-zeh). Originating in the town of Goslar, this extremely acidic-tasting light brew (to which coriander is added in the final stage) became a Leipzig favorite. Its fizziness makes Gose especially refreshing on a hot day and also helps it mix well with various shots and flavors (you’ll see a list on the menu; for example, the Frauenfreundliche—“women friendly”—has a shot of cherry syrup). Adding a shot isn’t a bad idea, as first-timers sometimes find Gose sour and a bit salty.

It’s a big complex filling the old Bayerischer Bahnhof (“Bavarian train station,” where trains from Bavaria first reached all the way north to Saxony). Built in 1842, this station has been renovated to become part of the city’s S-Bahn system, allowing it to retain its title as the “world’s oldest functioning train station.”

There are two sections: the finer restaurant and beer garden (with the finer menu), and the simpler beer hall or brewpub. You’ll be eating traditional Saxon-style food among the giant copper brewing vats (Tue-Sat until late, closed Sun and Mon, Bayerischer Platz 1, ride tram #16 from Hauptbahnhof or Augustusplatz to Bayerischer Platz, +49 341 124 5760).

Leipzig Connections

Leipzig is a major rail hub for eastern Germany; if you’re traveling between towns in the western part of the country (Frankfurt, Würzburg, Nürnberg) and towns in the east (Berlin, Dresden), you’ll likely pass through here. If traveling to the Luther towns or Dresden, you can save some money (but not time) with the Sachsen-Ticket, which is valid on slower RE trains.

From Leipzig by Train to: Berlin (hourly, 2 hours), Dresden (hourly, 1-2 hours), Erfurt (2/hour, 45 minutes on ICE), Eisenach and Wartburg Castle (hourly, 75 minutes on ICE, more with transfer in Erfurt), Wittenberg (hourly, 30 minutes on ICE; also hourly on regional trains, 1.5 hours), Frankfurt (hourly, 3 hours), Würzburg (hourly, 2.5 hours, transfer in Bamberg), Hamburg (2/hour, 4 hours, some transfer in Berlin), Nürnberg (hourly, 2 hours, some transfer at Erfurt), Munich (8/day direct, 3.25 hours; more with transfer in Nürnberg, Erfurt, or Halle/Saale), Prague (6/day, 4 hours with transfer in Dresden). Train info: www.bahn.com.

DRESDEN

Dresden at a Glance

PLANNING YOUR TIME

Orientation to Dresden

TOURIST INFORMATION

ARRIVAL IN DRESDEN

HELPFUL HINTS

Map: Dresden

GETTING AROUND DRESDEN

Tours in Dresden

Old and New Dresden Walk

Map: Old & New Dresden Walk

Sights in Dresden

Nightlife in Dresden

OUTER NEW TOWN (ÄUSSERE NEUSTADT)

Sleeping in Dresden

IN AND NEAR THE OLD TOWN

NEAR THE TRAIN STATION

Map: Old Town Hotels & Restaurants

IN THE NEW TOWN

BUDGET BEDS IN THE OUTER NEW TOWN

Eating in Dresden

IN THE OLD TOWN

IN THE NEW TOWN

OUTER NEW TOWN

Dresden Connections

Dresden surprises visitors with fanciful Baroque architecture in a delightful-to-stroll cityscape, a dynamic history that mingles tragedy with inspiration, and some of the best museum-going in Germany—rivaling the sights in Berlin and Munich. Today’s Dresden is an intriguing and fun city filled with proud locals, cheery visitors, and students. Although it’s crawling with German tourists, Dresden winds up on far fewer American itineraries than it deserves to.

At the peak of its power in the 18th century, this capital of Saxony ruled most of present-day Poland and eastern Germany from the banks of the Elbe River. Dresden’s answer to France’s legendary King Louis XIV was Augustus the Strong. As both prince-elector of Saxony and king of Poland, Augustus imported artists from all over Europe, peppering his city with fine Baroque buildings and filling his treasury with lavish jewels and artwork. Dresden’s grand architecture and dedication to the arts earned it the nickname “Florence on the Elbe.”

Outside Germany, Dresden is better known for its nearly complete destruction by Allied firebombing in World War II. In the postwar years under communist rule, Dresden patched up some of its damaged buildings, left many others in ruins, and replaced even more with modern, ugly sprawl. Later, after Germany was reunited, Dresden undertook a more systematic rebuilding, especially of the city’s landmark structures, most notably the Royal Palace and the Frauenkirche.

The transformation over the last generation has been astonishing. Even so, Dresden still suffers somewhat from its wartime flattening. The historic core, while gorgeous, lacks personality—with plenty of hotels and touristy restaurants, but little real local life. The modern, rebuilt areas that fan out from the Old Town are tainted by a severe Soviet aesthetic.

However, the bombs missed most of the New Town across the river. This well-worn area retains its prewar character and has emerged as the city’s most engaging, lively neighborhood—especially the Outer New Town, north of Bautzner Strasse. Most tourists never cross the bridge away from the famous Old Town museums, but a visit to Dresden isn’t complete without a wander through the New Town.

PLANNING YOUR TIME

Dresden merits spending at least one night (though two is better) and makes a good overnight stop between Nürnberg and Berlin. With one day, follow my self-guided walk, and visit your pick of museums. Consider reserving ahead to visit one of Dresden’s top sights, the Historic Green Vault.

More time lets you dig even deeper into the city’s fine museums, explore the thriving Outer New Town after-hours scene, or consider side trips to the “Blue Wonder” bridge or Saxon Switzerland National Park.

Orientation to Dresden

With a half-million residents, Dresden is big. The Old Town (Altstadt) hugs a curve on the Elbe River, so most of its sights are within easy strolling distance along the south bank of the river. South of the Old Town (a 5-minute tram ride or 20-minute walk) is the main train station (Hauptbahnhof). North of the Old Town, across the river, you’ll find the more residential New Town (Neustadt). While the New Town boasts no great sights, it’s energetic, colorful, and fun to explore—especially after dark, when the funky, cutting-edge Outer New Town (Äussere Neustadt) sets the tempo for Dresden’s nightlife scene.

TOURIST INFORMATION

Dresden has a good TI right in the heart of the Old Town (Mon-Fri 10:00-19:00, Sat until 18:00, Sun until 15:00; Neumarkt 2—enter under Passage sign across from door D of Frauenkirche and go down escalators). A smaller TI kiosk is in the main train station (same hours, under tracks 1-2). The TIs share a phone number and website (+49 351 501 501, www.dresden.de). Both TIs hand out a good transit map, which includes an adequate street map. For the latest on music and cultural events, go to www.kulturkalender-dresden.de.

Discount Deals: Dresden offers a variety of combo-tickets that cover most of the city’s top museums, but these are worthwhile only for the kamikaze sightseer. The TI’s Dresden Welcome Card is also no big deal.

ARRIVAL IN DRESDEN

Dresden has two major train stations: Dresden Hauptbahnhof and Dresden-Neustadt. Most trains stop at both stations (coming from Berlin, first at Neustadt, then at Hauptbahnhof). If you’re visiting for the day, use the Hauptbahnhof for the easiest access to Dresden’s sights. S-Bahn trains, as well as trams #3 and #11, connect the two stations (see “Getting Around Dresden,” later).

By Train at the Hauptbahnhof: Dresden’s main train station has a chic roof designed by Norman Foster (of Berlin’s Reichstag Dome fame). In the bright arrivals hall, you’ll find a Reisezentrum (travel desk). Under tracks 1-2 are pay WCs, lockers, and the TI. The station is a kind of shopping mall with piles of eateries and a supermarket.

Trams from the train station to the city center glide by every few minutes. To reach the beginning of my self-guided walk by tram, exit the station following Ausgang 1 signs, cross the tram tracks, and take tram #8, left to Theaterplatz in the Old Town (heading away from the station; four stops). For those who’d rather walk all the way, the 20-minute stroll to the Old Town gives you a look at communist-era architecture as you head down Prager Strasse (described under “More Sights in Dresden,” later): From the station, exit toward Ausgang 2/City/Prager Strasse, and continue straight along Prager Strasse, then follow your map to the river.

By Train at Neustadt: The Neustadt train station serves the New Town north of the river and is near some recommended hotels. It has lockers and WCs, and a Reisezentrum (travel desk). To reach the Old Town from Neustadt Station, take tram #11 (direction: Zschertnitz) four stops to Postplatz.

By Plane: From Dresden’s airport (code: DRS, www.mdf-ag.com), S-Bahn line #2 runs to both train stations for the price of a regular public-transit ticket (€2.70, 2/hour, 20 minutes). A taxi between the airport and the center should cost around €30.

By Bus: Long-distance buses come and go from a cluster of stops just behind the Hauptbahnhof.

By Car: The city center has several well-marked and pricey parking garages.

HELPFUL HINTS

Sightseeing Strategies: Note that many of Dresden’s top museums are closed either Monday or Tuesday. The Historic Green Vault (closed Tue) requires a reservation with timed entry (since a limited number of people are admitted every half-hour). While it’s easy to book this in advance online, you can also just drop by in the morning and snare an entry time that day (maybe even right then). And if you don’t want to bother with the cost and headache of seeing the Historic Green Vault, the New Green Vault (which is included in the general Royal Palace ticket and requires no timed entry) is just as dazzling for many.

Dresden at a Glance

Zwinger Museums

▲▲Old Masters Gallery Grand collection of paintings in the Zwinger Palace featuring top pieces from prominent late-Gothic and Renaissance masters. Hours: Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon.

▲Mathematics-Physics Salon Fun collection of old-time scientific gadgets in the Zwinger Palace. Hours: Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon.

▲Porcelain Collection World’s largest array of decorative ceramics, with enough variety and sheer artistry to interest most. Hours: Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon.

At the Royal Palace

▲▲Historic Green Vault Fairy-tale Baroque halls filled with sparkling gems and curiosities collected by the rulers of Saxony. Hours: Wed-Mon 10:00-18:00, closed Tue.

▲▲New Green Vault More Saxon treasures, but displayed in sleek modern spaces. Hours: Wed-Mon 10:00-18:00, closed Tue.

▲▲Royal Armory Some of Europe’s finest medieval and Renaissance armor, much of it posed as if in action, plus historic coins. Hours: Wed-Mon 10:00-18:00, closed Tue.

▲Turkish Chamber and State Apartments Swanky rooms and an impressive collection of Turkish swag, housed in the Royal Palace. Hours: Wed-Mon 10:00-18:00, closed Tue.

Other Highlights

▲▲Albertinum Paintings and sculpture from the Romantic era through present day. Hours: Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon.

▲▲Frauenkirche Landmark Baroque church whose exquisite restoration has come to symbolize Dresden’s rebirth. Hours: Generally Mon-Sat 10:00-12:00 & 13:00-18:00, Sun hours vary.

▲▲Military History Museum Germany’s largest museum, covering more than 800 years of Germanic war-making with a focus on understanding the costs of violence. Hours: Thu-Sun and Tue 10:00-18:00, Mon until 21:00, closed Wed.

▲Katholische Hofkirche Grand Catholic church at the foot of the Augustus Bridge, home to a stirring memorial to the 1945 firebombing. Hours: Mon-Thu and Sat 10:00-17:00, Fri from 13:00, Sun 12:00-16:00.

▲New Town and Outer New Town Stately, never-bombed neighborhoods of restaurants and shops just across the river from the Old Town, with an edgy, proudly countercultural district stretching north from Albertplatz.

Entertainment, Organ Concerts, and Masses: The city has lots going on. Ask about events across the river at the big amphitheater (concerts, movies, sports broadcasts; almost nightly June-Aug). Both big churches—the Catholic Hofkirche and the Lutheran Frauenkirche—have a worship service or Mass with pipe-organ music every day (check schedule and buy tickets at TI and/or church); the Hofkirche also hosts free pipe-organ concerts (usually Wed and Sat evenings; check schedule at door).

Christmas Market: Dresden’s huge “Striezelmarkt” Christmas market takes over Altmarkt square throughout Advent (www.striezelmarkt.dresden.de).

Laundry: Two coin-operated launderettes are in the New Town: Eco-Express Waschsalon is just off Albertplatz (long hours, closed Sun, credit and electronic payments also accepted, Königsbrücker Strasse 2) and Waschmeister is on the east end of the Outer New Town (long hours daily, Louisenstrasse 70).

Supermarkets: I recommend several apartment-style accommodations; if you end up in one, these supermarkets could be handy (generally Mon-Sat 8:00-21:00, closed Sun). In the Old Town, two are centrally located: Aldi (inside the Altmarkt-Galerie) and REWE (near Postplatz at Wallstrasse 2). In the New Town, three sit along the main road in front of the Neustadt train station: Lidl (inside the station, also open Sun 8:00-21:00), and Aldi and Simmel (both in same building, Antonstrasse 2).

Bike Rental: For a small fee, Roll on Dresden will deliver and pick up bikes at your hotel; otherwise drop by in person (office open in summer Mon-Fri 9:00-15:00, Sat 10:00-14:00 & 18:00-18:30, Sun by arrangement; returns available 24 hours; in New Town, near Albertplatz tram stop at Königsbrücker Strasse 4a; +49 152 2267 3460, www.rollondresden.de).

GETTING AROUND DRESDEN

Pick up a free city map (at your hotel or the TI) and use it to help master the trams. As soon as you do that, you’ll understand why so many Dresdeners never learn how to drive. Trams are cheap, easy, and go every several minutes. If you plan to make more than two trips in a single day, purchase a day pass and travel stress-free. Tram lines and numbers are clearly marked on city maps, and handy electronic boards at each stop say which trams are on the way and when they’ll arrive. Buy tickets from yellow machines at platforms.

A day ticket is valid for one calendar day (Tageskarte, €8.60), but if you are two adults traveling together (plus up to four children under 15), a one-day family pass is a more affordable option (Familientageskarte, €13.10). With either pass you have the freedom of hopping on and off whenever you like. A single-trip Einzelfahrkarte ticket goes for €3.20. Validate all tickets by date-stamping them in the little boxes aboard trams (with the day pass, stamp it only the first time you ride). For transit information, see www.dvb.de.

Taxis are reasonable, plentiful, and honest (roughly €8-10 ride in town—get an estimate before you hop in; +49 351 211 211, www.taxi-dresden.de). Riding the trams is so easy, you may not need a taxi.

Tours in Dresden

Walking Tours

See My Dresden Walks, a group of licensed guides, offers public and private historical tours of the city. Their Dresden City Walk (2 hours, €20 per person on a shared tour, €150 for a private group) covers the basics of the historic center. Their “Dresden’s Long Wait for Freedom” tour explores Dresden’s Nazi, WWII, and communist past from 1933 to 1989, with a visit to the Stasi Memorial (private group only, 5 hours, €300). Seema and her fellow guides also tailor walks to your interests (€70 per hour; all tours bookable online, +49 171 704 0351, www.seemydresden.com).

The TI offers two English-language city walks a week (1.5 hours, €13). And other little companies with similar tours come and go.

Free Walking Tours depart daily at 11:00 from the Luther statue (at the Frauenkirche). Of course, they aren’t actually free—you’re encouraged to pay what you think the experience was worth. While these guides can be good, you’ll often be entertained by an expat who memorized a script and has a very shallow understanding of the city, its history, and culture. Advance booking of these two-hour-long tours is required (www.freewalkingtour.com/Dresden).

Hop-On, Hop-Off Bus Tours

Double-decker buses labeled Stadtrundfahrt connect nearly two dozen of the city’s main sights (including the Blue Wonder bridge) in a two-hour loop (daily 10:00-17:00, €20; in summer up to 4/hour, Nov-March 2/hour; www.stadtrundfahrt.com/dresden).

Local Guides

Anke Winkler is a good local guide who enjoys sharing the story of her hometown and region (€80/2-hour tour, info@dresden-citytour.de). Michael Brey gives smart tours with modern insights (€185/3-hour tour, info@ostmodern.com).

Old and New Dresden Walk

1 Theaterplatz

Map: Old & New Dresden Walk

Zwinger

2 Nymphs’ Bath

Zwinger Courtyard

8 Palace of Culture (Kulturpalast)

9 Parade of Princes (Fürstenzug)

10 Neumarkt

11 Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady)

12 Brühlsche Terrasse

13 Augustus Bridge

14 Canaletto View

15 The Golden Rider and Hauptstrasse

Dresden’s major Old Town sights are conveniently clustered along a delightfully strollable promenade next to the Elbe River. From there, the city’s oldest bridge leads into the energetic New Town. Lace these sights together by taking this self-guided walk, worth ▲▲▲. You’ll get to know the four eras that have most shaped the city: Dresden’s Golden Age in the mid-18th century under Augustus the Strong, the city’s destruction by firebombs in World War II, the communist regime (1945-1989), and the current “reconstruction after reunification” era.

This walk takes about 1.5 hours, not counting museum stops. It passes by three major sights: the Zwinger, the Royal Palace and its Green Vault treasuries, and the Frauenkirche. These three and several other sights on this walk are described in more detail later, under “Sights in Dresden.” If you visit the sights as you go, this walk will fill your day. Your stroll ends in the New Town, a great area for evening exploring or dining.

• Begin at Theaterplatz (you can ride tram #8 directly from the main train station to Theaterplatz).

1 Theaterplatz

In the middle of the square, face the equestrian statue of King John, an intellectual mid-19th-century ruler who recognized and preserved Saxon culture—and paid for the opera house behind the statue. The Saxon State Opera House is nicknamed the Semperoper after its architect, Gottfried Semper (visits only with a 45-minute tour-€14, in English generally daily at 13:00, book ahead, www.semperoper-erleben.de). Three opera houses have stood in this spot: The first was destroyed by a fire in 1869, the second by firebombs in 1945. The rebuilt Semperoper continues to be a world-class venue. Notice how the two greatest figures in German literary culture—Goethe and Schiller—flank the entry, welcoming all who enter to German high culture. Tickets for performances go on sale a year in advance and are hard to come by (+49 351 491 1705, www.semperoper.de, or drop by the box office in the Schinkelwache—described next).

As you face the Opera House, the big building to your left is the vast Zwinger complex (your next stop). The smaller Neoclassical building farther to your left is a former guardhouse called the Schinkelwache. If it looks out of place, that’s because it was designed in a Prussian Classicist style by the architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel, who was also responsible for some of Berlin’s most impressive Neoclassical buildings. Today the Schinkelwache functions as a popular café and the opera’s box office.

Behind you, across the square from the Opera House, are the Hofkirche (the Catholic cathedral with its distinctive green-copper, onion-domed steeple) and the sprawling Royal Palace (with the clock tower), both worth visiting and described later. All the buildings you see here—Dresden’s Baroque treasures—are thorough reconstructions. The originals were destroyed in a single night by American and British bombs, with only walls and sometimes just foundations left standing (see “The Firebombing of Dresden” sidebar, later). Dresden has been rebuilding ever since.

A number of the Old Town’s historical buildings, both original and rebuilt, are made from local sandstone—most of it looking really sooty. It’s not from pollution or firebombing (as many visitors presume), but natural oxidation that turns the stone black in about 50 years. Many facades and statues, once restored, are now given a silicon treatment that lets the stone breathe but keeps it from going black. (The Chiclet-white statues of Goethe and Schiller at the Opera House entry are good examples.)

• Head to the gap between the Semperoper and the Zwinger. Standing in front of the recommended Alte Meister Café is a statue of Carl Maria von Weber, the composer whose Der Freischütz was the last opera performed in the Semperoper before its destruction in 1945—and the first opera performed when the building reopened in 1985.

To the right of Weber, go up the stairs and hang a left up the ramp. As you climb up what was the rampart, notice the faint echo of the moat to the right. Head past the adorable fountain at the top of the path to the balcony with a breathtaking view of the grand...

Zwinger

This Baroque masterpiece, once the pride and joy of the Wettin dynasty, is today filled with fine museums. The Wettins ruled Saxony for more than 800 years, right up until the end of World War I (just like the Romanovs in Russia and the Habsburgs in Austria). Saxony wasn’t ruled by a king, but by a prince-elector—one of a handful of nobles who elected the Holy Roman Emperor. The prince-elector of Saxony was one of Germany’s most powerful people. In the 18th century, the larger-than-life Augustus the Strong—who was both prince-elector of Saxony and king of Poland—kicked off Saxony’s Golden Age.

The word “Zwinger” refers to the no-man’s-land between the outer and inner city walls. As the city expanded, the pavilions and galleries you see today were built. Although the Zwinger buildings might look like a palace to us commoners, no one ever lived here—it was solely for pleasurable pursuits. By Augustus’ time, the Zwinger was a venue for Saxon court celebrations (note how the decor—cherubs, wine grapes, comely maidens—is all about royal partying, rather than royal power). Imagine an over-the-top royal wedding in this setting. The courtyard served as a spot for open-air festivities, complete with gardens and orange trees in huge Chinese porcelain pots. Even today, the courtyard hosts the occasional gala or classical concert.

As you stand on the balcony, imagine yourself as an 18th-century Dresden burgher, watching one of Augustus’ wild parties in the courtyard below. If you visit the Old Masters Gallery (described later), you’ll see the 1752 version of this balustrade view in Bernardo “Canaletto” Bellotto’s painting, Zwinger Courtyard in Dresden.

• Cross the balcony to the left to enjoy a view of the enclosed Nymphs’ Bath from above, then take the small stairs at the top down to its pool.

2 Nymphs’ Bath

Here, at what is perhaps the city’s favorite fountain, 18th-century aristocrats relaxed among cascading waterfalls and an open-air grotto, ringed by sexy sandstone nymphs. It’s textbook Baroque, with its pilasters and poolsides evoking falling water and an invisible wind machine conveniently blowing open the robes of eager-to-frolic maidens.

• From the pool, cross through the glassy orangery (housing the Französische Pavillon and a skippable multimedia exhibit) all the way into the middle of the huge...

Zwinger Courtyard

Stand in place here to survey the four wings, starting with the 3 Rampart Pavilion (Wallpavillon on the right)—the one you just came from, marked up top by Hercules hoisting the earth. The first wing of the complex to be built, it includes an orangery capped with a sun pavilion built for Augustus’ fruit trees and parties. Hercules—the ultimate strongman (who happens to have Augustus’ features)—is a fitting symbol for Augustus the Strong. The other side of this wing (on the left) houses the fun Mathematics-Physics Salon.

Turn farther to the left, facing the 4 Crown Gate (Kronentor). The gate’s golden crown is topped by four golden eagles supporting a smaller crown—symbolizing Polish royalty (since Augustus was also king of Poland).

Turn again to the left to see the 5 Glockenspielpavillon. The glockenspiel near the top of the gate has 40 bells made of Meissen porcelain (bells chime every 15 minutes and play a sweet 3-minute melody at 10:15, 14:15, and 18:15, plus 20:15 in summer). If you’re here when they play, listen to the delightful chimes of the porcelain—far sweeter than a typical metal bell. Tunes range from Vivaldi to Mozart and Weber. This wing of the Zwinger also houses Augustus the Strong’s Porcelain Collection.

Turn once more to the left (with the Crown Gate behind you) to see the stern facade of the 6 Semper Gallery. This Zwinger wing was added to the original courtyard 100 years later by Gottfried Semper (of Opera House fame). It houses Dresden’s best painting collection, the Old Masters Gallery.

Augustus the Strong (1670-1733)

Friedrich Augustus I of the Wettin family exemplified royal excess and made Dresden one of Europe’s most important cities of culture. Legends paint Augustus as a macho, womanizing, powerful, ambitious, properly Baroque man—a real Saxon superstar. A hundred years after his death, historians dubbed Augustus “the Strong.” Today, tour guides love to impart silly legends about Augustus, who supposedly fathered 365 children and could break a horseshoe in half with his bare hands.

As prince-elector of Saxony, Augustus wheeled and dealed—and pragmatically converted from his Saxon Protestantism to a more Polish-friendly Catholicism—to become King Augustus II of Poland. (You’ll notice the city center features both the fancy Protestant Frauenkirche and the huge, prominent Catholic Hofkirche, as Augustus was finessing it both ways to be acceptable to both realms.) Like most Wettins, Augustus the Strong was unlucky at war, but a clever diplomat and a lover of the arts.

The Polish people blame Augustus and his successors—who were far more concerned with wealth and opulence than with sensible governance—for Poland’s precipitous decline after its own medieval Golden Age. According to Poles, the Saxon kings did nothing but “eat, drink, and loosen their belts” (it rhymes in Polish).

Whether you consider them the heroes of history or the villains, Augustus and the rest of the Wettins—and the nobles who paid them taxes—are to thank for Dresden’s rich architectural and artistic heritage.

You are surrounded by three of Dresden’s top museums. Anticipating WWII bombs, Dresdeners preserved their town’s art treasures by storing them in underground mines and cellars in the countryside. This saved these great works from Allied bombs...but not from the Russians. Nearly all the city’s artwork ended up in Moscow until after Stalin’s death in 1953, when it was returned by the communist regime to win over their East German subjects.

• Now’s a good time to visit your choice of the Zwinger museums. When you’re ready to move on, exit the courtyard through the Glockenspielpavillon.

As you exit the corridor, cross the street and the tram tracks and turn left, then curve right, walking down the street called Taschenberg, with the yellow Taschenberg Palace on your right. Built for Augustus’ mistress, it eventually housed the crown prince. This building was ruined until 1990, but today it’s a five-star hotel. The yellow-windowed sky bridge ahead connects the Taschenberg with the prince-electors’ Royal Palace. The gate on your left is one of several entrances to the palace, with its 7 Green Vault treasuries and other sights. Pause here for a moment and consider the tranquility that comes with a car-free city center and the joy of a good tram system.

Continue along Taschenberg and under the sky bridge. Ahead of you and to the right, the blocky modern building has a DDR-era mural worth a short side trip.

8 Palace of Culture (Kulturpalast)

Built by the communist government in 1969, this hall is still used for concerts. The building’s exterior mural depicts communist themes: workers, strong women, well-cared-for elders, teachers and students, and—of course—the red star and the seal of the former East Germany. Little of this propagandist art, which once inundated the lives of locals, survives in post-communist Germany (what does survive, like this, is protected). The refurbished concert hall inside is home to the Dresden Philharmonic.

• Backtrack a few steps, leaving the Palace of Culture behind you. Walk along Schlossstrasse, with the Royal Palace on your left, noticing the postwar construction on your right—a mix of new and old. (And also noticing Camondas, beloved for its hot chocolate, ice cream, and coffee...with a café and an enticing takeaway window.) After passing through a tunnel (likely with musicians taking advantage of the fine acoustics), you’ll walk to the center of the Palace Square. To the left is the Katholische Hofkirche and another elevated passage, designed to allow royalty to go to church without the hassle of dealing with the public. (For a description of the interior, see “Sights in Dresden,” later.)

Now turn around and face the gate you just came through. You’re looking at the palace complex entry, with the Watchman’s Tower above on the right. To the left, next to one of the palace’s entrances, walk toward the long, yellow mural called the...

9 Parade of Princes (Fürstenzug)

This mural is painted on 24,000 tiles of Meissen porcelain. Longer than a football field, it illustrates seven centuries of Saxon royalty. It was created to commemorate Saxon history and heritage after Saxony became a part of Germany in 1871.

The very last figure in the procession (the first one you see, coming from this direction) is the artist himself, Wilhelm Walther. In front of him are commoners (miners, farmers, carpenters, teachers, students, artists), and then the royals, with 35 names and dates marking more than 700 years of Wettin rule. Walk the length of the mural to appreciate the detail. The artist carefully studied armor and clothing through the ages, accurately tracing the evolution of weaponry and fashions for seven centuries.

Before you get too far along, stop at 1694. That’s Augustus the Strong (August II), the most important of the Saxon rulers. His horse stomps on the rose (symbol of Martin Luther, the Protestant movement, and the Lutheran church today) to gain the Polish crown. The first ruler of the Wettin dynasty, still farther along, is Konrad der Grosse (“the Great”). And waaaaay up at the very front of the parade, an announcer, a band, and 12th-century cheerleaders excitedly herald the arrival of this wondrous procession. The porcelain tiles are originals (from 1907)—they survived the Dresden bombing. They were fired three times at 2,400 degrees Fahrenheit when created...and then fired again during the 1945 firestorm, at only 1,800 degrees.

• Just past the mural, take a detour sharply right into a long, narrow courtyard. Many of those featured in the mural may have put on their ceremonial armor and jousted right here in this tournament yard. Imagine the audience cheering from wooden stands filling the white colonnade, and the hot horses cooling down in the pool on the left before being stabled behind that.

Then continue into the big square, where a statue of Martin Luther stands tall under a towering church.

10 Neumarkt

This “New Market Square” was once a central square ringed by the homes of rich merchants. After many years of reconstruction, it is once again alive with people and cafés, and even a few frilly facades that help you picture what the square looked like in its heyday. The statue of Martin Luther shows him holding not just any Bible, but the Word of God in German, which he personally translated from Hebrew and ancient Greek so that regular people could wrestle with it directly (this is, in a sense, what the Protestant Reformation was all about). When translating, Luther used colloquial, everyday German, forming the basis for what’s now considered “High German.” So besides being the Great Reformer, Luther is considered the father of the modern German language. Toppled in 1945, Luther was cleaned up and is now back on his feet again. For more on Luther—who came from this part of Germany and spent most of his life in nearby Erfurt and Wittenberg—see the Luther Trail chapter. (And for even more, watch my Luther and the Reformation one-hour TV special—free in the TV section at www.ricksteves.com.)

• The big church looming over the square is the...

11 Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady)

This church is the symbol and soul of the city. When completed in 1743, this was Germany’s tallest Protestant church (310 feet high). Its unique central-stone-cupola design gave it the nickname “the stone bell.” While it’s a great church, this building garners the world’s attention primarily because of its tragic history and phoenix-like resurrection: On the night of February 13, 1945, the firebombs came. When the smoke cleared the next morning, the Frauenkirche was smoldering but still standing. It burned for two days before finally collapsing. After World War II, the Frauenkirche was left a pile of rubble and turned into a peace monument. Only after reunification was the decision made to rebuild it completely. It reopened to the public in 2005. (The interior—which is free and great to see—is described later in this chapter.)

Circle around the left side of the church to find a big hunk of the bombed rubble (near door E, river side of church). Notice the small metal relief of the dome that shows where this piece came from.

A few steps away (across from the church’s G entry) the Grand Café Coselpalais—also totally rebuilt from the ashes of WWII—is a longtime favorite of “old ladies who do coffee.” Inside is a cancan dance of fine cakes...including the classic Dresden cheesecake, the Eierschecke. Wander around the frilly Rococo interior and see three big Canaletto paintings (copies) showing Dresden in 1750.

• Leaving the café, head right and look for the nearby dome nicknamed “the lemon juicer.” This caps the exhibition hall of the Academy of Fine Arts. Walk past that and hook left into the small, grassy Georg-Treu-Platz, which is surrounded by imposing architecture. The grand Neo-Renaissance building to the right is the Albertinum. Long the home of the Saxon armory, it was rebuilt in the 1880s in Neo-Renaissance style. Today it’s an art gallery with the city’s best collection of 19th- and 20th-century art.

Walk through the square and climb the steps to the ramparts, now a park. Head through the park toward the banister for an Elbe River view. Each summer, the city sets up a popular amphitheater on the bank directly across the Elbe (offering nearly nightly events—such as concerts and movies). Now continue along the walkway back towards the tower of the Katholische Hofkirche and the Royal Palace to stroll the length of the...

12 Brühlsche Terrasse

This delightful promenade overlooking the river was once a defensive rampart—look along the side of the terrace facing the Elbe River to see openings for cannons. Later, it was given as a reward to a Saxon minister named Brühl, who had distinguished himself as a tax collector, raising revenue for Frederick Augustus II’s state treasury. In the early 1800s, it was turned into a public park, with a leafy canopy of linden trees, and was given the nickname “The Balcony of Europe.”

Look out over the Elbe River. Dresden claims to have the world’s largest and oldest fleet of historic paddleboat steamers: nine riverboats from the 19th century. The hills in the distance (to the left) are home to vineyards, producing some of Germany’s northernmost wine. Because only a small amount of land is suitable for grape growing, the area’s respected, expensive wine (mostly white) is consumed almost entirely by locals.

• At the far end of the terrace, stop at the grove of linden trees with a fountain at the center, and look out at the...

13 Augustus Bridge

The Augustusbrücke has connected Dresden’s old and new towns since 1319, when it was the first stone bridge over the river. During massive floods in August 2002, the water reached nearly to the top of the arches.

At the far end of the Augustus Bridge is a recommended beer garden (to the right just above the beach) and a golden equestrian statue, a symbol of Dresden. It’s Augustus the Strong, nicknamed the “Golden Rider” (Goldene Reiter). Beyond that is the spire of the Three Kings Church.

The Firebombing of Dresden

On the night of February 13, 1945, during the final months of World War II, American and British bomber crews firebombed Dresden to near-ruin. More than 3,500 tons of explosives decimated the city over three waves of attacks. Hot hurricane-force wind tunnels tore through the streets.

With few air-raid shelters in the city, civilians had little place to take cover: More than 25,000 people were killed in just one night, and 75 percent of the historical center was destroyed. American Kurt Vonnegut, who was a POW in Dresden during the firebombing, later memorialized the event in his novel Slaughterhouse-Five. The ruthlessness of the civilian firebombing made it one of the war’s most controversial attacks.

Why Dresden was targeted is debated. The city had no obvious strategic military importance. The Allies claimed the bombing was an effort to disrupt Nazi communication and to facilitate a Soviet invasion. More likely, the bombing was an act of vengeance and an attempt to demoralize the German population.

As you walk through Dresden, look for circa-1946 photos showing the devastation. An inscription on Altmarkt square calls Dresden “a place of remembrance” and asks passersby to recall that “thousands of victims’ bodies were burnt here” in the raids. It concludes: “Thus the horrors of war, unleashed by Germany upon the whole world, came back to be visited upon our city.”

Reconstruction under the communists was lackluster. But after the Berlin Wall fell and Germany was reunited, new funding became available for Dresden to restore its historic center. The city rebuilt the Royal Palace and Frauenkirche. Bombed-out blocks and derelict parking lots became huge department stores and apartment complexes with deep underground garages. The transition into a thriving cultural center is well underway, but the city remains a poignant reminder of the destruction caused by war.

• We’re back near where we started, which makes this a good stopping point if you want to end this walk here. But for a balanced Dresden visit, you need to cross the river. Don’t worry about having to walk all the way back; we’ll wrap up at a tram stop from where you can effortlessly whisk back to the Old Town or the main train station.

To continue, walk across the bridge (on its right side), enjoying the Elbe scene. Before leaving the bridge, stop at the last pedestrian turnout.

14 Canaletto View

Enjoy the grand city view from the bridge: the glass “lemon juicer” dome of the Academy of Fine Arts, capped by a trumpeting gold angel; and the other venerable facades, domes, and spires of regal Dresden. This perspective (including the bridge you’re standing on) is known as the “Canaletto view.” It’s named for the Italian painter Bernardo Bellotto, who spent 12 years here immortalizing city vistas while on the Wettin payroll as a court painter. Bellotto sometimes went by the nickname “Canaletto”: His uncle and teacher was Antonio Canal (a.k.a. the more famous Canaletto), who painted similar landscapes of Venice.

To get the view from where Bellotto actually set up his easel, cross to the left side of the bridge (watch for trams!) and find the staircase leading down to a paved footpath. Continue about 50 yards (to behind the Bilderberg Hotel) and look for a large red metal picture frame. Peer through it, and you’ll see the setting depicted in one of Bellotto’s most beloved Dresden cityscapes; take a photo, and then compare the present-day view to his version, which is hanging in the Old Masters Gallery.

The broad riverbank below, called the Elbe Meadow, provides flood protection. Downstream, the interesting mosque-shaped building in the distance is called Yenidze. Originally a tobacco factory designed to advertise Turkish cigarettes, today it’s an office building with restaurants.

• Backtrack along the footpath and take the first left, passing by the standalone Blockhaus building. Cross Grosse Meissner Strasse and head toward the golden statue.

15 The Golden Rider and Hauptstrasse

Since its construction in 1736, the gleaming statue of Augustus the Strong—the Golden Rider—has faced east, toward Augustus’ kingdom of Poland and trade routes to Warsaw and Kiev.

The broad, inviting, tree-lined Hauptstrasse stretches from here into the New Town (Neustadt). On the left is Watzke, a popular (and recommended) peoples’ brewery/restaurant. On the right is Eiscafé Venezia, an ice-cream parlor since 1979 and a reminder of the communist heritage here. A monument in the wall (just past the ice-cream palace) marks the 30th anniversary of the creation of the communist “German Democratic Republic” (or DDR) in 1949. On that important anniversary, in 1979, Hauptstrasse was opened as a showpiece of DDR urban design—a landscaped utopian workers’ district with the best shops, affordable apartments, and delicious ice cream—everything a communist worker could want.

Stroll down Hauptstrasse a few blocks until you see the towering Three Kings Church (Dreikönigskirche) on the left. Immediately across Hauptstrasse from the church stands the Neustädter Markthalle, a 19th-century iron-and-steel neighborhood market.

While three-quarters of Dresden’s Old Town was decimated by Allied firebombs, much of the New Town survived. Some of Dresden’s 18th-century apartment buildings still stand, such as those facing the charming square that lies under the church’s tower, a few steps down An der Dreikönigskirche from where you’re standing (several recommended restaurants face this square).

This walk ends where Hauptstrasse ends: at the grand Albertplatz (flanked by twin circular fountains).

• Just beyond Albertplatz lies the Outer New Town, a bohemian district of swap shops, pubs, cafés, and galleries (described under “Nightlife in Dresden,” later).

From Albertplatz you can stop for a meal or hop on a handy tram (for a quick return to the Frauenkirche, the Albertinum, or main train station, take tram #3 or #7; tram #8 goes near the Zwinger before heading to the main station).

Sights in Dresden

MUSEUMS IN THE OLD TOWN

Zwinger Museums

▲▲Old Masters Gallery (Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister)

▲Mathematics-Physics Salon (Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon)

▲Porcelain Collection (Porzellansammlung)

Royal Palace (Residenzschloss)

▲▲Historic Green Vault (Historisches Grünes Gewölbe)

▲▲New Green Vault (Neues Grünes Gewölbe)

▲Turkish Chamber (Türkische Cammer)

▲▲Royal Armory (Rüstkammer)

Coin Cabinet (Münzkabinett)

▲State Apartments (Paraderäume)

Watchman’s Tower (Hausmannsturm)

▲▲Albertinum

CHURCHES IN THE OLD TOWN

▲▲Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady)

▲Katholische Hofkirche (Catholic Church of the Royal Court)

MORE SIGHTS IN DRESDEN

Prager Strasse

German Hygiene Museum (Deutsches Hygiene-Museum)

Volkswagen’s Transparent Factory (Gläserne Manufaktur)

▲New Town (Neustadt) and Outer New Town (Äussere Neustadt)

▲▲Military History Museum (Militärhistorisches Museum der Bundeswehr)

DAY TRIPS NEAR DRESDEN

MUSEUMS IN THE OLD TOWN

Dresden’s most established museums are in the center of the Old Town: the Zwinger, the Royal Palace, and the Albertinum.

Zwinger Museums

Three museums are located off the Zwinger courtyard: the Old Masters Gallery (with the stern facade), Mathematics-Physics Salon (under Hercules holding the earth), and Porcelain Collection (under the clock). All exhibits are well described in English, but their audioguides will enrich your visit. At each museum you’ll need to show your ticket and check bags.

Cost: €14 combo-ticket covers all three museums; €6 to visit either the Mathematics-Physics Salon or the Porcelain Collection; Old Masters Gallery requires the €14 combo-ticket (whether you visit the others or not).

Hours: Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon.

Information: +49 351 4914 2000, www.skd.museum.

▲▲Old Masters Gallery (Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister)

GOOGLE MAP

Dresden’s best collection of paintings, housed in the Zwinger’s Semper Gallery, features works by Raphael, Titian, Rembrandt, Rubens, Vermeer, and more. It is particularly enjoyable for its “quality, not quantity” approach to showing off great art. The Old Masters Gallery—which was purpose-built so show off great art—was Dresden’s first big public building to be reopened after World War II, in 1956.

Visiting the Museum: Before you enter, ask about the audioguide app and a map to help you navigate. The ground floor houses classical antiquity; the next two levels have artworks up to 1800. The gallery wall colors let you know the country of origin of the paintings—the museum map is conveniently color coded as well.

Ground Floor: Start with ancient statues gorgeously lit by natural light, located on the same level as the ticket booth. At the end of the hall, don’t miss three statues of women, discovered in 1711...a chance archaeological find that led to further digs and the discovery of Herculaneum, just outside Pompeii. Their beauty started it all, and they’ve greeted visitors here since 1736. This section also includes 18th-century plaster casts made for local art students—copies of the greatest hits of ancient Western sculpture.

First Floor: Here you’ll find works from early and high Italian Renaissance (red), Flemish and Dutch Renaissance and Baroque masters (green), and a hall of delightful small bronzes—including some by Giambologna (late 16th century).

In Room 105, Raphael’s masterful Sistine Madonna (1513) features the Madonna and Child, two early Christian martyrs, and wispy angel faces watching from the clouds. Mary is in motion, offering the Savior to a needy world. But for most visitors, the focus is on the pair of whimsical angels in the lower foreground—Raphael added them after finishing the painting just to fill the empty space. These lovable tykes—of T-shirt and poster fame—are bored...just hanging out, oblivious to the exciting arrival of the Christ Child just behind them. They connect the heavenly world of the painting with you and me.

In Room 104, marvel at the work of Venetian master Giorgione, who died in 1510 while in the middle of painting his sumptuous Sleeping Venus (Titian stepped in to finish it). Giorgione’s idealized Venus sleeps soundly, at peace with plush nature.

Then you’ll enter the Baroque world of Peter Paul Rubens—everything is richly textured, vividly colored, and lushly emotional. Nearby are fine works by Anthony van Dyck, Rubens’ talented apprentice who brought a focus and refinement to his master’s sloppy brushstrokes.

The mood shifts with the humbler, quieter art of the Dutch masters, including Rembrandt (Room 129). Among the fine examples of his work here is a jaunty self-portrait—with wife Saskia on his lap and a glass of ale held aloft.

And another highlight in this section is Johannes Vermeer’s pristine and rare Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window (Room 125).

Top floor: This floor is all about 16th- to 18th-century German and 18th-century Italian. You’ll see Venetian landscapes by the “original” Canaletto (Antonio Canal), small-scale Northern European works, gauzy aristocratic portraits, and Johann Alexander Thiele’s two Caroussel Comique paintings, depicting fanciful celebrations in Dresden’s Zwinger.

In the green German rooms don’t miss works by Albrecht Dürer and the two Lucas Cranachs, father and son, including Cranach the Younger’s matching Adam and Eve portraits.

Finally, room 207 features a locally beloved Italian artist named Bernardo Bellotto, nicknamed “Canaletto” like his more well-known uncle. Bellotto’s paintings of mid-18th-century Dresden offer a great study of the city, showing the Hofkirche (still under construction) and the newly completed Frauenkirche. Compare them with how the city appears today—it’s especially amazing how familiar it looks when you consider how heavily the city was bombed. (With the aid of a camera obscura, Bellotto painted so accurately that these canvases provided a reference for rebuilding after World War II).

▲Mathematics-Physics Salon (Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon)

GOOGLE MAP

This fun collection (at the end of the courtyard with the Hercules-topped pavilion; ascend the staircase in the left corner) features scientific gadgets from the 16th to 19th century, including measuring, timekeeping, and surveying instruments, as well as globes and telescopes—all displayed like dazzling works of art. Anyone with even a modest scientific bent will find something of interest. An audioguide app is available to download using the museum’s Wi-Fi.

Visiting the Museum: As you enter, most of the exhibits are in long halls to the left (measurement) and right (timekeeping). Start in the right hall—amid a wide variety of clocks, look for the mechanical adding machine devised by French mathematician Blaise Pascal, which could do sums like a modern calculator back in 1650. A clever touchscreen replica lets you try it out and shows how the machine “carried the tens.” Continue through the side room (Neuer Saal) housing a large collection of old globes, both heavenly and more down to earth.

Saxony’s White Gold

In the early 18th century, porcelain was considered “white gold”—an incredibly valuable and difficult-to-produce material. Only the Chinese had perfected the secret of its manufacture—which they jealously guarded. To acquire his initial collection, Augustus the Strong famously traded 600 soldiers (and their horses) for 151 Chinese vases belonging to Friedrich Wilhelm I of Prussia. Hungry for more, Augustus commissioned an alchemist named Johann Friedrich Böttger to solve the mystery of making the finicky stuff. Böttger was reluctant—he’d already failed at creating actual gold—but Augustus persuaded him by locking him up until he complied. Eventually Böttger came up with a recipe for “true” porcelain, and the Saxon prince-electors became pioneers in European porcelain production.

Back in the atrium, enter the left hall, with its collection of automatons, including an elaborate music box and a mechanical bear who plays the drums—pretty exciting stuff in 1625 (a video shows the wind-up action). This wing also has compasses, rulers, protractors, primitive encoding devices, scales, an astrolabe, and Augustus the Strong’s elaborate astronomical clock.

The small upper floor, reached only by the glass elevator in the atrium, displays “Instruments of the Enlightenment”: telescopes (the salon was originally part of the Saxon state observatory), an early 18th-century vacuum pump, and “burning mirrors” that were valued for their ability to focus the sun’s rays and, like a magnifying glass, create high-temperature light beams for use in scientific experiments. (I imagine a few 18th-century bugs were burnt along the way.)

▲Porcelain Collection (Porzellansammlung)

Every self-respecting European king had a porcelain works, and the Wettins had the most famous one, at Meissen (a charming town 10 miles north of here on the Elbe River). They inspired other royal courts to get into the art form. They also collected porcelain from around the world—from France to Japan and China.

Augustus the Strong was obsessed with the stuff...he liked to say he had “porcelain sickness” (for more on his porcelain fixation, see “Saxony’s White Gold” sidebar). Here you can enjoy some of his symptoms, under chandeliers in elegant galleries flooded with natural light from the huge windows over the Zwinger courtyard. Today it’s the largest collection of historic Asian ceramics outside Asia.

Visiting the Museum: The royal porcelain collection fills the end of the Zwinger marked by the clock tower. Before entering, look closely at the clock with 40 white porcelain bells, which ring out classical music several times a day. Just above the clock is Augustus’ coat of arms, with the two crossed swords in the center that eventually became the famous trademark (one of the world’s oldest) of the royal Meissen porcelain factory. The collection is in two wings (some to the left, but with the lion’s share to the right; it’s a confusing floor plan—ask staff if you need assistance). Upstairs, behind the clock, is a pricey café with fine courtyard-view tables.

Peruse the long halls of vases, tracing porcelain’s development through the outstanding collection of locally produced Meissen wares. There are glorious centerpieces and large, one-of-a-kind creations (like a stunning bouquet of porcelain flowers, and a bright white crucifixion scene). A special attraction is the hall of Meissen porcelain animals: life-size (or near life-size) peacocks, eagles, emoting lions, monkeys, rhinos, and lapdogs.

Royal Palace (Residenzschloss)

This palace, the residence of the Saxon prince-electors and kings, was one of the finest Renaissance buildings in Germany before its destruction in World War II. The palace is highlighted by the Saxon treasuries: the Historic Green Vault (Augustus’ goodies displayed in reconstructed Baroque halls) and the New Green Vault (more equally dazzling royal treasures in contemporary display cases). Other attractions include the Royal Armory, showing off sumptuous armor for horse and rider; the State Apartments, where Augustus did his pompous preening; and the Turkish Chamber, one of the oldest collections of Ottoman art outside Turkey.

Cost: All sights in the palace—except the Historic Green Vault—are covered by a €14 ticket (or the two-day €27 Dresden Museums combo-ticket for all state museums—a better value, but it also excludes the Historic Green Vault). A €24.50 combo-ticket covers the Historic Green Vault and all palace sights (timed entry for Historic Green Vault; buy online in advance).

Without the combo-ticket, the Historic Green Vault requires a separate €14 timed-entry ticket.

Hours: The entire complex is open Wed-Mon 10:00-18:00, closed Tue.

Information: +49 351 4914 2000, www.skd.museum.

Historic Green Vault Reservations: To protect these priceless items, the number of visitors each day is carefully controlled. To ensure your first choice of entry times, or during a busy period (weekend, holiday, or any time in December), you can book in advance on the museum website. You’ll be given a 15-minute entry window (strictly enforced; once inside, you can stay as long as you like). Book online (www.skd.museum) or reserve by email (besucherservice@skd.museum).

If you haven’t booked ahead, your chances of getting a same-day slot are usually good, especially if you show up in the morning (40 tickets are available every quarter-hour). Screens over each ticket desk indicate the number of spots still available (Karten) and for what entry times (Einlasszeit).

Tours: The sights are all well explained by good, included audioguides—one covering the Historic Green Vault, and a different one for the rest of the complex. Be sure to ask for these (leave ID in exchange). Ask about a palace map to navigate the sprawling complex.

Orientation: The palace complex has three entrances, each leading to a glass-domed inner courtyard, where you’ll find the ticket windows, bag check (required), and restrooms. Inside, the ground floor is home to the Baroque halls of the Historic Green Vault; the first floor up has the New Green Vault, and the top floor houses everything else: the Turkish Chamber, the Giant’s Hall (with the bulk of the Royal Armory), and the State Apartments.

▲▲Historic Green Vault (Historisches Grünes Gewölbe)

GOOGLE MAP

This famed, glittering Baroque treasury collection was begun by Augustus the Strong in the early 1700s. Over the years it evolved into the royal family’s extravagant trove of ivory, silver, and gold knickknacks, displayed in rooms as opulent as the collection itself. Damaged in the firebombing, the Green Vault has been painstakingly restored—including re-engineering the mirrors using the original methods, with tin and mercury. And despite a high-profile heist in 2019, the vast majority of its treasures are still on display and eminently worth a visit.

Visiting the Historic Green Vault: Your visit is designed to wow you in typically Baroque style—starting easy and crescendoing to a climax, taking a quick break, and finishing with a second climax. Following the included audioguide (single-digit numbers are introductions to each room, two-digit numbers describe individual treasures), you’ll spend about an hour progressing through the exhibition’s rooms. Most of the treasures are not behind glass. Inside, it feels like an almost sacred space, with people speaking in no more than whispers.

Your audioguide also describes treasures in the foyer (where you pick up and drop off the audioguide). In this room, don’t miss the photos of the vault before the war.

Before entering the vault, cross to the end of the foyer and duck into the octagonal Room 1a. Here you’ll glimpse finely detailed wood reliefs, including Peter Dell the Elder’s 16th-century Resurrection of Christ (perhaps the first depiction of Jesus Christ Superstar). Reformation treasures include Martin Luther’s signet ring.

The rest of your visit is a one-way route through the vault’s lavish rooms.

The Amber Cabinet serves as a reminder of just how many different things you can do with fossilized tree sap (in a surprising range of colors), and the Ivory Room does the same for elephant tusks, with some strikingly delicate hand-carved sculptures. The White Silver Room, painted its original vermillion color, holds a goblet carved from a rhino horn. During the firebombing of Dresden, much of this room survived thanks to the iron grates encasing the windows. The Silver-Gilt Room displays tableware and gold-ruby glass.

The wide variety of items in the largest room—the aptly named Hall of Precious Objects—includes mother-of-pearl sculptures, ostrich-egg and conch-shell goblets, and old portraits of Saxon rulers.

The oak cupboards that line the Coats-of-Arms Room are emblazoned with copper-and-gold coats-of-arms boasting of the various territories in Augustus the Strong’s domain.

The vault’s highlight is the grandly decorated Jewel Room—essentially, Saxony’s crown jewels. The incredible pieces in here, collectively, are considered a Gesamtkunstwerk—an artwork whose perfection comes from the coordinated sum of its parts. The two statues titled Moor with Emerald Tier—a “Moor” clad in jewels and gold (and a Native American headdress)—were designed to carry a chunk of rock embedded with large gems. Nearby, an ornately decorated obelisk trumpets the greatness of Augustus the Strong.

The exhibit concludes in the relatively subdued Room of Bronzes, with its equestrian statue of Augustus the Strong (designed to compete with similar depictions of his rival, the French Sun King Louis XIV), as well as a statue of Apollo surrounded by six women. The last room is filled with Renaissance bronze statues, including Giambologna’s Mercury.

• The rest of the Royal Palace museums are upstairs. Before heading up, pick up the second essential and included audioguide.

Directly upstairs, on level 1, is the...

▲▲New Green Vault (Neues Grünes Gewölbe)

If you consider only the objects on display—not the setting—this is even more impressive than the Historic Green Vault. The collection is arranged in a modern museum space, chronologically from the Renaissance to the 19th century, in nine rooms in a clockwise route.

Visiting the New Green Vault: In the Hall of Works of Art (the first room you enter), look for the gilded rolling ball clock, an engineering delight from about 1600. Nearby, the Drinking Vessel in the Shape of Daphne has a magnificent coral crown. Farther into the room, an ivory column from 1589 (which looks like Berlin’s TV Tower) is another elaborate clock: The golden Cupid on top points with a wand to the hour, as well as the carpe diem good living going on inside the ivory sphere. It also incorporates a music box featuring a dining scene in the bottom. In the Micro-Cabinet in the corner, a magnifying glass helps you marvel at an earring from 1589 featuring a cherry pit carved with 185 minuscule faces.

The precious centerpiece of the Crystal Cabinet is a serving bowl in the shape of a galley ship, with intricate scenes carved on the side—it’s hard to imagine anyone filling it with gravy (and they probably never did; items like this were made just for showing off).

The First Elector’s Room features Renaissance treasures, such as an ivory frigate with delicately carved, nearly transparent sails and golden rigging, all of it supported by a heroic Neptune riding his sea horses.

Past the Second Elector’s Room, the Room of Royal Precious Objects holds a collection of irregular pearls fashioned into amusing figures, such as a fat fiddler and an ice skater. The nobles of this era were fascinated with gems and precious stones, which they prized much more than the craftsmanship exhibited in the Renaissance items we saw earlier.

The Dinglinger Hall features the masterpieces of court jeweler Johann Melchior Dinglinger. His 145-piece golden coffee set is pure gold (circa 1700), iced with enamel to imitate porcelain and crusted with thousands of precious stones. At the other end of the room is his ornate, captivating ensemble from 1708 depicting the Grand Mogul Aurengzeb, who sits enthroned on his birthday awaiting his presents (including a white elephant). Like a royal dollhouse, the 132 figurines and 32 gift items—all of pure gold glazed with enamel—are movable for the king’s pleasure.

The Traveling Treasures Room contains the custom leather cases the king used to pack his favorite playthings to Poland. A few rooms farther, in the Watzdorf-Kabinett, the Dresden Green diamond sparkles all on its own—one huge green stone decorated with more than 400 twinkling white diamonds.

• The next stops are on floor 2. If you head upstairs directly from the New Green Vault, you’ll find them in this order.

▲Turkish Chamber (Türkische Cammer)

From the 16th through 19th century—as Ottomans pecked away at the southeastern corner of Europe—Western European elites were crazy about all things Turkish, and Augustus the Strong was no exception. Augustus collected Ottoman art with a passion, even dressing up as a sultan in his own court. This exceptional collection of Ottoman art—so historic and so well preserved—grew over several centuries through diplomatic gifts, trades, and shopping trips to Constantinople.

Among the armor, swords, guns, saddles, and tapestries, one highlight is a 60-foot-long, three-poled ornamented silk tent from the 17th century—it’s claimed to be the most complete three-masted Ottoman tent on display in Europe. In the adjoining room, look for the Relief of Vienna 1683 painting, showing the epic battle when Ottoman forces were turned back from Christian lands—with the help of the Saxons, of course.

• Continue directly into the Giant’s Hall (Reisensaal), which holds the...

▲▲Royal Armory (Rüstkammer)

Dazzling, original, centuries-old “tournament armor” fills the biggest space in the palace—once the scene of medieval war games. Today, its exhibits recall those breathtaking pageants of the 16th century with jousting models (something rich boys did when there was no war to fight). This is the largest collection of armor by 16th-century Europe’s leading designer, Anton Peffenhauser, and it’s an unusual chance to see armor displayed in dynamic fighting stances (instead of stiffly standing). The parade armor of King Erick XIV of Sweden (on horseback, with red-and-yellow plume), from 1565, slathered in Herculean symbolism and coordinated perfectly with his horse, is considered the “Sistine Madonna” of the collection. Stand before it and imagine this coming at you. The black, no-nonsense, Darth Vader suits at the end of the hall were actually used in the Thirty Years’ War (around 1620). Near the back of the room, check out the wee training suits of armor for little electoral princes.

• A doorway in the corner at the far end of the room leads to the...

Coin Cabinet (Münzkabinett)

This beautifully presented six-room collection of historical coins is one of the best and largest in Europe, smartly organized to tell the story of how money as we know it came to be. If you have any interest in seeing a huge collection of coins, this is the one to visit—but these rooms are easily skippable for all but the most numismatically inclined.

Just next to the coin cabinet, the Langer Gang (“Long Corridor”), displays a gallery of firearms in one of the finest Renaissance interiors in Saxony.

• Next find (with the help of any gallery guard) the door leading on to the...

▲State Apartments (Paraderäume)

One of the most important jobs of a Baroque ruler, believe it or not, was simply showing off, so Augustus wanted this part of the palace to be a stage set for his wealth and prestige. You’ll traipse through a series of lavishly outfitted rooms, all originally constructed for the 1719 celebration in which Augustus married his son to a Habsburg archduchess. These rooms were rebuilt after World War II based on historic engravings and prewar photos. Besides the fancy furnishings, the displays include some truly fancy duds, such as the outfit Augustus wore for his coronation as king of Poland.

If you visited in Baroque times, you could tell how much Augustus liked you by which rooms he let you into. Entry-level aristocrats might be limited to the Corner State Room, where banquets were held. Farther on are the First and Second Antechambers, with thread-by-thread replicas of the original tapestries. Because such fabrics were so expensive to produce, covering your walls with them told everyone the size of your fortune. The royal dresses and coats date from the 18th century. The mirrors, red-and-gold palette, and low light here are all in keeping with 18th-century customs. The rooms culminate in the Audience Chamber, filled with silver furniture, silk on the walls, and your chance to grovel before Augustus’ throne. Only the innermost circle ever got to see the bedroom next door, including the official “state bed”—which was just for display, not for sleeping in.

• All the way down on the ground floor, in the corner you’ll find the entrance for the...

Watchman’s Tower (Hausmannsturm)

This palace tower (included in your Royal Palace ticket, open only April-Oct) is completely rebuilt and feels entirely modern. You can see the refurbished 19th-century clock mechanism from behind, peruse an extensive series of WWII photos, and earn a good city view after a long climb. In bad weather, the view terrace is closed, and you’ll peer through small windows—a big disappointment. If you’ll be climbing the Frauenkirche dome (which affords the best view in town), skip this.

▲▲Albertinum

GOOGLE MAP

This museum’s excellent collections feature artwork from the Romantic period (late 18th and early 19th centuries) to the present. The downloadable audioguide does a beautiful job of explaining the art. The museum’s ticket desk is in the building’s old courtyard, which has been roofed over into a cavernous, minimalist, white atrium.

Cost and Hours: €12, Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon, +49 351 4914 2000, www.skd.museum.

Visiting the Museum: Two entrances (on the Brühlsche Terrasse and on Georg-Treu-Platz) lead to the ticket counter in the center of the building. Most visitors come to see the New Masters Gallery on the museum’s top floor (elevator and stairs are behind the ticket desk). Moving down from there, contemporary and turn-of-the-20th-century art is on the first floor, and sculpture is on the ground floor.

New Masters Gallery (Galerie Neue Meister): On the top level (floor 2), take a counterclockwise walk around this chronologically organized collection, showcasing mostly German (and some French) paintings from the Romantic era, 20th-century Modernism, and contemporary art.

In Caspar David Friedrich’s 19th-century landscapes, notice that people are small and are overwhelmed by the background: German Romanticism is all about man’s place as a small part of nature—not its dominating force. Friedrich’s Norwegian counterpart and friend, Johan Christian Dahl—who moved to Dresden later in life—captures his adopted hometown in his lovely View of Dresden at Full Moon, which seems not so different from today’s reconstructed city. (The buildings across the river aren’t on fire; the glow is from the hearths inside these rooms.)

Take a breather with Ludwig Richter’s bucolic scenes of the Italian countryside, then move into the top-notch Modernist wing, which proceeds with late-19th- and early 20th-century works by artists including Edgar Degas (Little Dancer Aged Fourteen—one of 29 bronzes cast from the wax original), Gustav Klimt (atmospheric Buchenwald, a tranquil beech forest that shimmers with color), Paul Gauguin (Polynesian women), Vincent van Gogh (Still Life with Quinces), Max Liebermann (insightful portraits and landscapes), Claude Monet, and Edouard Manet. You’ll also spot pieces by modern masters Pablo Picasso, Paul Klee, Marc Chagall, and Oskar Kokoschka (vibrantly colored, almost garish portraits). Some of the lesser-known works are also worth a good look, such as Max Slevogt’s dreamy paintings of North Africa.

Give yourself a moment to really take in Otto Dix’s haunting, frank images—particularly his stirring triptych The War, rooted in his firsthand experience fighting in the trenches of France and Flanders during World War I. This vision, modeled after a medieval altarpiece, has a composition that’s kept moving by the grotesque pointing skeleton hovering above. In this fetid wasteland, corpses are decomposing, and helmets and gas masks make even the intact bodies seem inhuman. Dix painted this in the 1930s, when Adolf Hitler was building a case for war (ostensibly to reclaim territory Germany lost after World War I). The führer didn’t care for Dix’s pacifist message, dismissing the artist from his teaching job at Dresden’s art academy and adding Dix’s works to his collection of “degenerate art.”

On the wall across from Dix’s triptych is a complementary one by communist Hans Grundig. The Thousand-Year Reich dates from the mid-1930s and shows—just as Dix had dared—what the coming war would do. Almost predicting the firebombing in 1945, destruction looms amid searchlights and bombers as the dead pile up in a corner. Grundig’s wife lies fast asleep in the bottom panel, safeguarded from the chaos above. Grundig would spend four years in a concentration camp for questioning the führer’s appetite for war.

The collection wraps up with a quick fast-forward through mid-century modernism and contemporary works, along with rotating special exhibits.

Mosaiksaal and Klingersaal: Head down the stairs, to floor 1, where the Mosaiksaal features sculpture from the Classicist era on up to Ernst Rietschel’s mid-19th-century depictions of historically important Germans.

The Klingersaal shows sensual fin-de-siècle paintings and sculptures. Look for Franz von Stuck’s dramatic Lost Paradise, depicting the expulsion of Adam and Eve. During this period women began a long quest for equality, and Oskar Zwintscher’s Lady with Cigarette dares you to disagree. Continue through to rows of display cases full of early 20th-century sculpture, mainly busts and animals in curious poses.

Sculpture Collection (Skulpturensammlung): Gathered in one huge Skulpturhalle on the ground floor, this easy-on-the-eyes collection covers 5,000 years of Western sculpture, with a special focus on the last 200 years. There are several plaster casts by Auguste Rodin, including a Thinker. Towards the center, find local sculptor Helmut Heinze’s Giacometti-esque bronze Nude Boy Standing (1976). At the contemporary end of the spectrum is Tony Cragg’s Ever After (2010), a 10-foot-tall wooden sculpture that appears to be melting; look closely (particularly interesting seen from the bottom up) to see profiles of human faces emerge on the left side. On your way out, don’t miss the Transparent Storeroom, where a plaster cast of Michelangelo’s David stands over Atlas and a large mix of odds and ends from the museum’s collection.

CHURCHES IN THE OLD TOWN

▲▲Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady)

GOOGLE MAP

When this landmark Lutheran church was first built in the 18th century, it was financed largely by local donations expressive of Protestant pride. Destroyed by Allied firebombing in World War II, it sat in ruins for decades. Rebuilding of the church finally began in 1992, following carefully considered guidelines: Stay true to the original design, use as much original material as possible, avoid using any concrete or rebar, maximize modern technology, and make it a lively venue for 21st-century-style worship. The remnants of the destroyed church were fitted together like a giant jigsaw puzzle, with about a third of the original stones (the darker ones) placed lovingly in their original spots. The reconstruction cost more than €100 million, 90 percent of which came from donors around the world.

Cost and Hours: Free but donation requested, hours vary but generally Mon-Sat 10:00-12:00 & 13:00-18:00, Sun hours depend on services and concerts, +49 351 6560 6701, www.frauenkirche-dresden.de.

Climbing the Dome: Get a great view over the city by hiking to the top of the dome. After an elevator takes you halfway, you still have a long ramp to climb (€10—consider it a donation to the church, Mon-Sat 10:00-18:00, Sun from 13:00, Nov-Feb until 16:00 daily, enter through door G, follow signs to Kuppelaufstieg).

Film: A 25-minute movie (€5) called Fascination Frauenkirche tells the story of the church and its reconstruction. It plays in German at :15 after the hour (10:15-16:15); they’ll play the English-language version after the German showing if you ask at least 10 minutes ahead at the audioguide desk.

Visiting the Church: The Frauenkirche is as worthwhile for its glorious interior as for its tragic, then uplifting, recent history. Stepping inside, you’re struck by the shape—not so wide (150 feet) but very tall (inner dome 120 feet, under a 225-foot main dome). It’s big, yet intimate. The color scheme is pastel, in an effort to underline the joy of faith and enhance the festive ambience of the services and ceremonies held here. The curves help create a feeling of community. The seven entrances are perfectly equal (as people are, in the eyes of God). When the congregation leaves, the seven exits point to all quarters—a reminder to “go ye,” the Great Commission to spread the Word everywhere. The glassed-in “box seats” are just that. Like the rich get their own sections in a stadium, generous patrons of the church got their own VIP worship areas.

The Baroque sandstone altar shows Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before his Crucifixion. Soldiers, led by Judas, are on their way, but Christ is firmly in the presence of God and his angels. Eighty percent of today’s altar is from original material—in the form of 2,000 individual fragments that were salvaged and pieced back together by restorers. (The Judas scene is darker because it survived the bombs.) If this feels more ornate than your typical Lutheran church, it’s because of the ostentatious taste of the king.

The Cross of Nails at the high altar is from Coventry, England—Dresden’s sister city. Two fire-blackened nails found in the smoldering rubble of Coventry’s bombed church are used as a symbol of peace and reconciliation. Coventry was flattened as thoroughly as Dresden (so thoroughly, it gave the giddy Luftwaffe a new word for “bomb to smithereens”—to “coventrate”). From the destroyed town of Coventry was born the Community of the Cross of Nails, a worldwide network promoting peace and reconciliation through international understanding.

Near the exit (on right) stands the church’s twisted old cross, which fell 300 feet and burned in the rubble. Lost until restorers uncovered it from the pile of stones in 1993, it stands exactly on the place it was found, still relatively intact. Visitors are invited to light a candle before this cross and enter a wish for peace in the guest book. Today a replica—a gift from the British people in 2000 on the 55th anniversary of the bombing—crowns the new church. It was crafted by an English coppersmith whose father had dropped bombs on the church on that fateful night.

Before you leave the church, go downstairs to the cellar, which is a maze of rooms and exhibits. In a separate room (on the left as you climb into the crypt) is a modest exhibit about the history of the building. In the center is a modern-feeling, very stark chapel under vaulted ceilings dedicated to prayer and silent meditation. In each stairwell, plaques list the names of donors who helped resurrect this church from the rubble.

▲Katholische Hofkirche (Catholic Church of the Royal Court)

Why does Dresden, a stronghold of local boy Martin Luther’s Protestant Reformation, boast such a beautiful Catholic church? When Augustus the Strong died, his son wanted to continue as king of Poland, like his father. The pope would allow it only if Augustus Junior built a Catholic church in Dresden. Now, thanks to Junior’s historical kissing-up, the mere 5 percent of locals who are Catholic get to enjoy this fine church.

Cost and Hours: Free; Mon-Thu & Sat 10:00-17:00, Fri from 13:00, Sun 12:00-16:00; Mass daily at 18:00 and several times on Sun—check at church for complete schedule and for pipe-organ concert times, enter through small side door facing palace, +49 351 315 630, www.kathedrale-dresden.de.

Visiting the Church: Inside the cathedral, on the right side of the main nave, is the fine Baroque pulpit, carved from linden wood and hidden in the countryside during World War II. The church was designed with a grand ambulatory that kept ritual Roman Catholic processions within the church, to avoid provoking the Lutheran populace.

The glorious 3,000-pipe organ filling the back of the nave is played for the public for free on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 11:30 (and occasionally at other times as well, posted at door).

Two chapels at the rear of the church are worth a look. The Benno Chapel (on the right as you face the organ) recalls the only Saxon saint (that’s his 11th-century bishop’s hat on the altar). It’s the only part of the church that still survives from the architect’s original vision and the style of the day—helpful in imagining the intended, initial look of the entire place.

The Memorial Chapel (on the left as you face the organ) is dedicated to those who died in the WWII firebombing and to all victims of violence. Its evocative, abstract pietà altarpiece (reminiscent of Picasso’s Guernica) was constructed in 1976 of white Meissen porcelain. Mary offers the faithful the crown of thorns made from Dresden’s rubble, as if to remind us that Jesus—on her lap, head hanging lifeless on the left—died to save humankind. Jesus’ open heart shows us his love, offers us atonement for our sins, and proves that reconciliation is more powerful than hatred. The sculpture sits on an altar with the dates 30-1-33 and 13-2-45, marking the dark period between Hitler’s rise to power and the night Dresden was destroyed. Another altar (freestanding, in front) shows multiple abstract, flaming heads. It seems to symbolize how Dresdeners suffered...in the presence of their suffering savior.

MORE SIGHTS IN DRESDEN

Prager Strasse

This broad street connects the main train station and the historic center. Offering a modern contrast to all the crusty old-style buildings in the center, it’s great for shopping, a meal surrounded by locals, and people-watching.

Prager Strasse is a fusion of 20th-century communist town planning with 21st-century consumer capitalism. Historically the main thoroughfare leading to Prague, it was in ruins until the 1960s, when the communist regime redeveloped it as a pedestrian mall. The design is typical of Eastern bloc architecture—there are similar streets in Moscow—and reflects communist ideals: Buildings are big, uniform, and functional, without extraneous ornamentation. As you stroll down Prager Strasse, imagine these buildings without much color or advertising (which were unnecessary back in the no-choices days of communism). Today, the street is filled with corporate logos, shoppers with lots of options, and a fun summertime food circus. The street has developed into exactly what the communists envisioned for it but never quite achieved: a people-friendly shopping area where Dresdeners can stroll and relax, with residential and office space above. The huge department stores, like the vast Altmarkt-Galerie, charge the German norm, which means things here are expensive for locals, who still earn only about 80 percent of what Germans farther to the west make. However, the gender pay gap here is much smaller, thanks to a socialist past that had most women working outside the home far earlier than in the west.

German Hygiene Museum (Deutsches Hygiene-Museum)

This curious museum is devoted to the wonders of the human body (don’t take the word “hygiene,” its historical title, too literally). It brings a frank, Germanic approach to anatomy...warts and all. Visitors with strong stomachs get a kick out of this highly interactive museum, but those easily grossed out should stay away—or at least plan mealtimes accordingly. File this under “Europe’s offbeat sights.”

Cost and Hours: €12, Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon; photography discouraged to respect donors; Lingnerplatz 1, take tram #1, #2, or #4 (from the Old Town) to the Deutsches Hygiene-Museum stop or tram #10 (from the Hauptbahnhof) to the Georg-Arnhold-Bad stop; on-site cafeteria; +49 351 484 6400, www.dhmd.de.

Visiting the Museum: The massive building was completed in 1930; a few years later, it briefly became a center for Nazi eugenics and “racial studies.” The permanent exhibit on the upper floor is loaded with exhibits on various aspects of life, health, and death—from sexuality to cognition to eating and drinking. Displays include cutaway models of organs, faces showing skin ailments, a housefly magnified 500 times, little wooden anatomical figures with removable parts (complete with strategically placed hands), X-ray machines from the 1930s, wax models of venereal diseases, and the “transparent woman” (Gläserne Frau)—a life-size plastic model with bones, veins, and interior organs visible. General overviews are in English (including the fascinating history of the building itself), but most individual exhibits speak (or shriek) for themselves. While this all sounds extremely graphic by American standards, the museum is designed for German families. Seeing local parents earnestly introducing their young kids to this stuff offers a chance to reflect on why we Americans are so squeamish about our own bodies.

Your ticket also gets you into good temporary exhibits on the main floor, and Dresden’s children’s museum, in the basement, which stays with the general theme by focusing on the five senses.

Volkswagen’s Transparent Factory (Gläserne Manufaktur)

Two floors of this transparent building are open to visitors interested in the assembly of VW’s latest line of electric vehicles. During weekday working hours, it’s free to gaze at the slowly moving assembly line from the building’s atrium, or you can pay to take a tour, which lets you see the process at close range, get a first look at futuristic “concept cars,” and use touchscreens to learn more.

Cost and Hours: Atrium—free, Mon–Sat 9:00–18:30, closed Sun; guided 65-minute tour—€9, confirm English tours in advance—not always offered daily; expensive on-site café, +49 351 420 4411, info@glaesernemanufaktur.de, www.glaesernemanufaktur.de.

Getting There: Take tram #1, #2, or #4 (from the Old Town) or tram #10 (from the Hauptbahnhof) to the Strassburger Platz stop. Look for the plant on one corner of the intersection; enter off Lennestrasse.

▲New Town (Neustadt) and Outer New Town (Äussere Neustadt)

Many tourists never cross the river into Dresden’s New Town and Outer New Town. Don’t be one of them: While there are no famous sights here, it’s the only part of Dresden that looks as it did before World War II. Today, it’s thriving with cafés, shops, clubs, and—most important—actual Dresdeners. On a warm summer evening, experiencing the vibe here is a must. A fine destination is the Kunsthofpassage, a lovely, fun, inviting series of courtyards with shops and eateries. For more on this neighborhood, see “Nightlife in Dresden,” later.

▲▲Military History Museum (Militärhistorisches Museum der Bundeswehr)

GOOGLE MAP

This huge museum covers more than 800 years of German military history and focuses on the causes and consequences of war and violence. At over 180,000 square feet, it’s the largest museum in Germany. It’s housed in Dresden’s Neoclassical former arsenal building, forcefully severed by a Daniel Libeskind-designed wedge of steel (signaling the break from Germany’s militaristic past and its hope for a transparent government and peaceful future). For a complete visit, you could spend the better part of a day; allow a couple of hours for a “quick” visit.

Cost and Hours: €5; Thu-Sun and Tue 10:00-18:00, Mon until 21:00, closed Wed; on-site café; take tram #7 (from the Old Town) or #8 (from the New Town) to Stauffenbergallee stop, then from the intersection follow the diagonal, tree-lined path through the park to Olbrichtplatz 2; +49 351 823 2850, www.mhmbw.de.

Visiting the Museum: The museum is long on design and uses creative juxtapositions to get visitors thinking in critical ways about war. Rather than glorifying soldiers and their bravery, the museum dissects our ideas about war, asks where those ideas come from, encourages us to question them, and ultimately sends a pacifist message.

The exhibits demand a thorough visit; they’re well described in English, but you can scan QR codes at many displays for additional audio context. Most of the exhibits are loosely organized into two categories: a chronological look at Germany’s military history since the Middle Ages, and themed exhibits that try to provoke deep thought about various aspects of war and peace. In an interesting piece of museum design, the thematic exhibits are located in the angular, V-shaped wedge on every floor, while chronological displays are in more conventional rectangular rooms.

Begin examining the themed exhibits by taking the elevator to the fourth floor (and to the tip of the wedge). A distant view of Dresden’s Old Town and two visually arresting, thought-provoking pieces commemorating similarly war-damaged cities provide an appropriate beginning.

Next, walk down the stairs to the third floor to “War and Memory,” which considers how people remember and commemorate war (whether to glorify it, or to push it into the background). The second floor has further themed exhibits on politics, music (Marlene Dietrich’s military uniform for entertaining Allied troops), fashion, language (find out what “08/15” means to Germans—and why), and toys and games (see the East German and Soviet dolls who famously “got married” on an international space mission in 1978).

On the first floor are the topics of suffering and animals (with a menagerie of taxidermied beasts who have been recruited into military service since Hannibal crossed the Alps on his elephants). The ground floor looks at technology (including a test tube of Pervitin, the meth-like performance-enhancing drug dispensed by the Nazi military) and the “Protection and Destruction” exhibit—a sobering reminder that the stated aims of military intervention are often sidetracked. You’ll also see the first German submarine (the people-powered Brandtaucher, from 1850), a Nazi-era V-2 rocket (the first capable of entering space), and the Russian Soyuz manned space capsule that carried the first German into space (Sigmund Jähn).

But wait—there’s more. If you prefer a more linear approach, you can follow extensive chronological exhibits telling the story of German military activity from 1300 to 1914 (ground floor, skippable for most visitors), from 1914 to 1945 (first floor up), and after 1945, including NATO presence after the founding of the Bundeswehr (German armed forces, also on the first floor). With tons of uniforms, portraits, vintage weapons, tanks, and much more, it’s a lot to get through. Plus there’s an outdoor collection of military vehicles on both sides of the building.

DAY TRIPS NEAR DRESDEN

The sights listed in this chapter can keep you busy for (at least) two full days. With more time, consider getting out of the city. The TI can provide information on either of these trips.

One popular excursion is to bike downriver to the Blue Wonder bridge (a.k.a. Loschwitzbrücke)—a classic old Industrial Age bridge, untouched by WWII bombs, with a beloved local biergarten (Schiller Garten, unfiltered Zwickel beer, self-service buffet and full-service restaurant with seating for 250 hungry people, www.schillergarten.de). The 3.5-mile path gives you a great slice-of-life glimpse of Germans at play as you hug the riverbank. The bridge is also connected to the Old Town by steam-powered paddleboats, by tram #6 and #10 (Schillerplatz stop), and hop-on, hop-off buses.

For a longer excursion that really gets you out into nature, ride a train into Saxon Switzerland National Park (Sächsische Schweiz Nationalpark). Twenty miles southeast of Dresden, the Elbe River cuts a scenic swath through beech forests and steep cliffs. Take S-Bahn line 1 from the main train station to the Kurort Rathen stop (runs at least hourly, 35 minutes), where you’ll walk downhill through the town, hop on a ferry for the two-minute crossing over the Elbe, and hike 30 minutes uphill to the Bastei Bridge and stunning views of gray sandstone sentries rising several hundred feet above forest ridges. (This sandstone was used to build Dresden’s finest buildings, as well as Berlin’s famous Brandenburg Gate.) Higher up are the scant remains of the 13th-century Felsenburg Neurathen fort, and a hotel with a panoramic restaurant. Another lunch option is the €€ Sonniges Eck Restaurant at the far end of town from the ferry dock, near the base of the trail up to the bridge (check ahead for seasonal hours, +49 350 247 0355, https://sonnigeseck.de).

Nightlife in Dresden

OUTER NEW TOWN (ÄUSSERE NEUSTADT)

To really connect with Dresden, you need to go to the Outer New Town—a popular neighborhood for young people and progressive families, reminiscent of Berlin’s Prenzlauer Berg in its pre-gentrified days. This is a fun place to eat dinner, then join the action, which picks up after 22:00. Eateries range from the merely creative to the truly unconventional. You’ll find lots of cheap international food, mini beer gardens (but not your grandfather’s oompah bands), and young adults hanging out on the sidewalk, nursing beer bottles and comparing nose rings. The neighborhood generally feels more exuberant than rough. See “Visiting the Outer New Town,” later, for a few highlights.

Getting There: From the Old Town, take tram #7 or #8 to Louisenstrasse. If staying in the New Town, stroll to Albertplatz and walk north on Königsbrücker Strasse to reach Louisenstrasse. Night trams bring you back to the center even in the wee hours.

Background: This area was built, with elegant facades, in the 19th century to accommodate workers of the Industrial Age. Despite the devastation wrought upon the area south of the river, this neighborhood wasn’t bombed in World War II—but during communist times it became so dilapidated that officials made plans to just tear it all down. Today locals recall a time when no one ventured out on balconies fearing they’d fall off. A popular slogan for people disillusioned with the DDR was, “We create ruins without any weapons.”

After the end of the DDR in 1989, the area sprouted its first entrepreneurial cafés and bistros. Now it’s a bohemian-chic mix of cheap apartments, galleries, cafés, bars, and swap shops, filled with a clientele that’s young, hip, pierced, and tattooed. While gentrification has set in, you’ll find no chain stores or corporate-run businesses. Everything is independently run.

Visiting the Outer New Town: Get to the epicenter—at the corner of Görlitzer Strasse and Louisenstrasse—and enjoy wandering. If you arrive a little before nightfall, begin at the Kunsthofpassage while you still have light for photos. Then explore the nearby streets to feel the real vibe of Dresden’s alternative neighborhood.

The Kunsthofpassage is a series of five fanciful, imaginatively decorated courtyards surrounded by boutiques, eateries, and art galleries. This is a delightful fantasy world, tucked improbably between lively urban streets (enter at Görlitzer Strasse 21, 23, or 25, or at Alaunstrasse 70; www.kunsthof-dresden.de). The Elements Courtyard (enter at Görlitzer Strasse 25) features artwork representing earth, wind, fire, and water.

As the neighborhood is rapidly gentrifying, it’s hard to keep up with what’s going on. Local guides offer walks with a focus on social issues and street art. And I’ve listed several cool restaurants and cafés in the “Eating in Dresden” section for a memorable meal.

Sleeping in Dresden

Hotels in Dresden tend to be big chains. Characteristic, family-run places are rare. Peak season for hotels is May, June, September, and October. Prices soften at midsummer and drop in winter. Rates shoot up in December when the Christmas market (Striezelmarkt) is on. All except my budget listings have elevators, and some offer air-conditioning. For a stay with more charm and neighborhood feel, consider my recommendations in the New Town. With its own train station (see “Arrival in Dresden,” earlier), you can stay in between the action of the Outer New Town and sights of the Old Town.

IN AND NEAR THE OLD TOWN

€€€ Heinrich Schütz Residenz enjoys a prime location on the Neumarkt square facing the Frauenkirche. They rent a dozen well-equipped apartments—each with a kitchen and separate bedroom—that feel luxurious but are reasonably priced (pay parking nearby, Frauenstrasse 14, +49 351 263 5960, www.heinrich-schuetz-residenz.de, info@heinrich-schuetz-residenz.de).

€€€ Star G Hotel fills a stately old building on the Altmarkt with 123 modern rooms featuring American-style comforts (breakfast extra, pay parking nearby, Altmarkt 4, +49 351 307 110, www.starghotels.com, dresden.altmarkt@starghotels.com).

€€ Aparthotels an der Frauenkirche rents 120 units in five restored houses (many with views) in the heart of the Old Town. Designed for longer stays but also welcoming one- or two-nighters, these comfortable if somewhat dated apartments come in various sizes with kitchens and lots of amenities. Two buildings (“Neumarkt” and “Altes Dresden”) overlook the pleasant Neumarkt square in front of the Frauenkirche, another is on the touristy Münzgasse restaurant street, a fourth is on Schössergasse, and the fifth is on less interesting Altmarkt square (breakfast extra, pay parking at nearby garage, reception is different for each building, confirm when booking; +49 351 438 1111, www.aparthotels-frauenkirche.de, info@aparthotels-frauenkirche.de).

€ Motel One Dresden am Zwinger looms over a corner of Postplatz, within cherub-fountain-spitting distance of the Zwinger. Decorated in aqua and brown tones, some of its 288 posh-feeling but small rooms peek right into the palace’s courtyard. Outside you’ll find mini fountains and swing-chairs (breakfast extra, pay parking; +49 351 438 380, www.motel-one.com, dresden-am-zwinger@motel-one.com).

€ Ibis Budget Dresden City, with 203 small, simple rooms, is conveniently situated right by the Postplatz tram stop, steps from the major sights. The oddly designed, hospital-like rooms provide only minimal bathroom privacy (breakfast extra, pay parking, rental bikes, Wilsdruffer Strasse 25; +49 351 8339 3820, www.all.accor.com, h7514@accor.com).

NEAR THE TRAIN STATION

For location, see the “Dresden” map, earlier.

€€ Hotel Kipping was one of very few buildings in this area to survive the 1945 firebombing—in fact, people took shelter here during the attack. Now it offers 20 dated but quiet and tidy rooms, a homey and convenient choice 100 yards behind the Hauptbahnhof (free parking; exit station following signs for Bayerische Strasse near track 1 to Winckelmannstrasse 6; +49 351 478 500, www.hotel-kipping.de [URL inactive], information@hotel-kipping.de).

IN THE NEW TOWN

These hotels are in the tidy residential neighborhood with a more local vibe between the Neustadt train station and the Augustus Bridge (figure a 15-minute walk or quick tram ride to the historical center). For locations, see the “Dresden” map, earlier.

€€€ Hotel Bayerischer Hof Dresden, a five-minute walk from the Neustadt train station, offers 56 spacious rooms with antique-y decor. Its inviting public spaces and quaint courtyard fill a grand old building on a busy street—be sure to ask for a room facing the courtyard (pay parking, apartments available, Antonstrasse 33, yellow building to the right and across from station, +49 351 829 370, www.bayerischer-hof-dresden.de, info@bayerischer-hof-dresden.de).

€€ Hotel Martha Dresden feels a bit like you’re staying at your German aunt’s house. It’s well run, with 40 proper rooms in a quiet location a 10-minute walk from Neustadt train station. The two buildings that make up the hotel have been smartly renovated and connected in back with a glassed-in winter garden and a pleasant breakfast terrace (family apartments; Nieritzstrasse 11; +49 351 81760, www.hotel-martha.de, rezeption@hotel-martha.de).

€€ Motel One Dresden-Palaisplatz stands on a busy but convenient street a short walk from the prettiest part of the New Town and right on a tram line to the Old Town. This hotel’s 228 rooms share the same stylish design sense as its sister hotel on Postplatz (breakfast extra, pay parking; Palaisplatz 1—a 10-minute walk from Neustadt station; +49 351 655 7380, www.motel-one.com, dresden-palaisplatz@motel-one.com).

BUDGET BEDS IN THE OUTER NEW TOWN

For locations, see the “Dresden” map, earlier.

€ Pension Raskolnikoff is your chance to sleep in relative comfort amid the Neustadt alternative scene. Eight basic rooms—all different and creatively designed—are on the top floors and in the back building of this café and art-gallery complex on a quiet side street. Slated for demolition at the end of the DDR years, the building was taken over by an artists’ cooperative, two of whose members are the current owners (lots of stairs, no breakfast but good options served a few doors down at Lloyd’s, Böhmische Strasse 34; +49 351 804 5706, www.raskolnikoff.de, pension@raskolnikoff.de).

¢ Hostel Louise 20 is in the middle of the Outer New Town action. Though located in this wild-and-edgy nightlife district, it feels safe, solid, clean, and comfy. The bright, Ikea-furnished rooms, guest kitchen, cozy common room, friendly staff, and 78 cheap beds make it a good budget choice, even for those older than the backpacker crowd (private rooms available, restaurant below, in courtyard at Louisenstrasse 20, +49 351 889 4894, www.louise20.de, info@louise20.de).

¢ Hostel Mondpalast Dresden is young and laid-back, above a trendy bar in a historic building (it’s the city’s oldest hostel) in the heart of the Outer New Town. Its super-groovy vibe—each room is named for a constellation—is good for backpackers with little money and an appetite for late-night fun (private rooms available, communal kitchen, rental bikes, Louisenstrasse 77, +49 351 563 4050, www.mondpalast.de, info@mondpalast.de).

Eating in Dresden

Dresden’s Old Town restaurants tend to be nice but touristy, and quite expensive. For cheaper prices and authentic local character, leave the famous center, cross the river, and wander through the New Town.

Many Dresden restaurants serve a Russian-style soup called Soljanka, which usually includes finely chopped meat and pickled vegetables in a light tomato-based broth. A special local dessert sold all over town is Dresdner Eierschecke, an eggy cheesecake with vanilla pudding, raisins, and almond shavings.

IN THE OLD TOWN

For locations, see the “Old Town Hotels and Restaurants” map, earlier.

€€€ Gänsedieb (“Goose-Thief”) nestles on a leafy, restaurant-lined square behind the Kreuzkirche. Serving up generous portions of Saxon specialties like wild boar stew and namesake roast goose, it’s an authentic and reliable gastro-pub alternative to the touristy “traditional” eateries in the Old Town (daily, Weisse Gasse 1, +49 351 485 0905).

€€ Wilma Wunder Dresden, with a candy-colored, vaguely Stalinist interior and inviting tables on a square, has a happy and youthful energy with good breakfasts, salads, and light meals (long hours daily, Altmarkt 21, +49 351 2163 0336).

€€€€ Kastenmeiers is a stylish splurge, just right if you’re fond of fish and in the mood for a dressy, near-Michelin-star dining experience in the Old Town center. Chef Kastenmeier, who shook up Dresden with gourmet fish 30 years ago, keeps the menu accessible and seasonal. With an open kitchen, lots of modern art, and a smart clientele, it fills a stylish space in the deluxe Taschenberg Palace hotel (dinner only, reservations smart, Taschenberg 3, +49 351 4848 4801, http://kastenmeiers.de).

€€€€ Alte Meister Café and Restaurant, with delightful garden seating and creative, modern €30 dishes, is pricey but convenient for your Zwinger sightseeing—this favorite of the opera crowd is built right into the wall of the royal courtyard (closed Mon, facing the Opera House at Theaterplatz 1, +49 351 481 0426).

IN THE NEW TOWN

Venture to these eateries—across the Augustus Bridge from the Old Town—for lower prices and a more local scene. For locations, see the “Dresden” map, earlier.

€€ Augustus Garten is a lazy, crude, yet inviting beer garden, open only in good weather, dishing up super-cheap self-service food (pork knuckle, wurst, kraut, and lots of mustard). You’ll eat among big bellies—and few tourists. Located just across the Augustus Bridge, it features a good view back over the river to the Old Town (outdoor tables only, daily until late, closed in bad weather, +49 351 404 5531).

€€ Watzke am Goldenen Reiter, just over the Augustus Bridge and facing the Golden Rider statue, is run by a local brewery, with seating that pours out into the square. A hit with Dresdeners (and a world away from the touristy kitsch of the Old Town), it serves Bohemian and Saxon beer-hall fare, including pork knuckle (Haxe), lots of kraut, and its own unfiltered beer (daily until late, Hauptstrasse 1, +49 351 810 6820). Go here not for fine cuisine but for the beer and the scene.

€ Eiscafé Venezia is a favorite hangout for ice cream, light meals, drinks, and great people-watching. It’s perched on the square that surrounds the Golden Rider, and feels like Dresden’s answer to an Italian piazza (long hours daily, Hauptstrasse 2).

€€ Wenzel Bierstuben serves country Bohemian cuisine in a woodsy bar that spills out into a mod, airy, glassed-in gallery. Stepping inside, you’ll be immediately won over by the interior. There’s also peaceful streetside seating. The menu is fun and Bohemian, with several Czech beers on tap (delightful variety of Czech beer flights, daily, Königstrasse 1, +49 351 804 2010).

€€€ Winzerstube Zum Rebstock is a popular pub serving Saxon cuisine with seasonal specials in a small romantic interior or a leafy and quiet “Baroque garden” courtyard (Tue-Sun 15:00-late, closed Mon, enter through passageway at Hauptstrasse 17, +49 1525 430 078).

OUTER NEW TOWN

The grungy Outer New Town is thriving with creative and youthful places to eat and drink. It’s fun to explore this ever-changing scene any time of day, but it’s most hopping in the evening (see “Nightlife in Dresden”). Here are three places that are high on charm and low on grunge. For locations, see the “Dresden” map, earlier.

€ Katy’s Garage is a funky Biergarten speckled with eclectic art. The food is little more than sausages and Flammkuchen (it’s more about the drinks), but the bohemian-chic, vacant-lot vibe is what put this now-gentrified district on the map (long hours daily, live music often Fri or Sat, corner of Alaunstrasse and Louisenstrasse at Alaunstrasse 48, +49 351 656 7701).

€€ Raskolnikoff Restaurant, a charmingly funky pub/bistro with a sweet garden courtyard out back, is a neighborhood favorite. Its small, hip, and inviting menu with daily specials is all about local and seasonal ingredients, with some Russian specialties...and lots of drinks (dinner only, closed Sun, a half-block off Lutherplatz at Böhmische Strasse 34, +49 351 804 5706).

€ Café Glocke is a classy gathering space on the pleasant square called Martin-Luther-Platz. They serve salads, pastas, and light meals, with plenty of organic and vegetarian options, along with fresh-baked pastries. With an inviting woody interior and tables on a leafy cobbled sidewalk, it’s popular with the new-parent crowd during the week (breakfast until 14:00, open daily 9:00-19:00, Fri-Sat until 22:00, Pulsnitzer Strasse 1, +49 341 8996 2500).

In the Kunsthofpassage: €€€ Lila Sosse serves junge Deutsche Küche (“young German cooking”), a trendy, updated take on German classics, in a mellow setting. It’s located in the Kunsthofpassage, where there’s fun art all around; you’ll find great seating inside and rustic wooden tables on the peaceful lane (Mon-Fri 16:00-late, Sat-Sun from 12:00, in the “Courtyard of Legendary Creatures”—Fabelwesen—enter at Alaunstrasse 70 and go 50 yards directly into the art zone, +49 351 803 6723).

Dresden Connections

From Dresden by Train to: Leipzig (1-2/hour, 1.5 hours), Berlin (direct every 2 hours, 2 hours), Erfurt (hourly, 2 hours; some with transfer in Leipzig), Wittenberg (hourly, 3 hours, easiest with transfer in Leipzig), Hamburg (5/day direct, 4.5 hours; otherwise hourly with transfer in Berlin, 5 hours), Frankfurt (hourly, 4.5 hours, half with change in Leipzig), Nürnberg (hourly, 4 hours, transfers vary), Munich (every 2 hours, 5 hours, transfers vary), Prague (every 2 hours, 2.5 hours), Vienna (6/day, 7.5 hours with change in Prague; or catch night train in Prague), Budapest (5/day, 9 hours, 1 direct, 1 via Vienna, and 3 via Prague; or catch night train in Prague). Train info: www.bahn.com.

BERLIN

Berlin at a Glance

PLANNING YOUR TIME

Orientation to Berlin

BERLIN: A VERBAL MAP

Map: Berlin Neighborhoods

Map: Berlin Overview

TOURIST INFORMATION

ARRIVAL IN BERLIN

HELPFUL HINTS

GETTING AROUND BERLIN

Tours in Berlin

BY BUS

BY BOAT

ON FOOT

ON WHEELS

Berlin City Walk

Map: Berlin City Walk

Sights in Central Berlin (Historic Core)

Map: Historic Core

Map: Museum Island

Sights in Northern Berlin

Map: Northern Berlin

Map: Berlin Wall Memorial

Sights in Southern Berlin

Map: Southern Berlin

Sights in Eastern Berlin

Map: Eastern Berlin

Sights in Western Berlin

Map: Western Berlin

Map: Charlottenburg Palace Area

Entertainment in Berlin

Shopping in Berlin

Sleeping in Berlin

PRENZLAUER BERG

Map: Prenzlauer Berg Hotels & Restaurants

OLD JEWISH QUARTER

Map: Old Jewish Quarter Hotels & Restaurants

CITY WEST

Map: City West Hotels & Restaurants

OTHER SLEEPING OPTIONS

Eating in Berlin

EATING TIPS

HISTORIC CORE

Map: Historic Core Hotels & Restaurants

PRENZLAUER BERG

OLD JEWISH QUARTER

KREUZBERG

Map: Kreuzberg Restaurants

CITY WEST

Berlin Connections

BY PLANE

BY TRAIN

BY BUS

Hip and affordable, Berlin is a city of leafy boulevards, grand Neoclassical buildings, world-class art, and glitzy shopping arcades. Just strolling through its funky neighborhoods gives you a fun glimpse into today’s good times.

Berlin played a leading role in Europe’s tumultuous 20th century, both in World War I, which led to Hitler’s rise to power, and World War II, which ultimately left Berlin (and much of Europe) in ruins. In the postwar years, Berlin was on the front line of the Cold War between the US and Soviet Union. Since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the city has been a constant construction zone of reunification and rebirth.

Today Berlin is a world capital once again—the nuclear fuel rod of a great nation.

Here you can stroll the tree-lined Unter den Linden boulevard, pedal through Tiergarten Park, and take a lazy cruise on the scenic Spree River. In top-notch museums, you can cradle a chunk of the concrete-and-rebar Berlin Wall, and peruse canvases by Dürer and Rembrandt. Wander through Berlin’s thought-provoking memorials to the victims of Germany’s difficult past. Learn about daily life in communist East Berlin, and marvel at Easterners’ ingenious escapes to the West. Atop the Reichstag parliament building, tour the modern glass dome that promises much-needed transparency in government.

Beyond its tangible sights, Berlin is simply a pleasurable place to hang out. Explore vibrant neighborhoods like eclectic Kreuzberg, with Turkish flavor and destination restaurants; lively Prenzlauer Berg, bustling with boutiques, bars, and cafés; and the old Jewish quarter, with delightful courtyard shops and eateries. Wash down hearty sausage with beer in a rollicking beer hall or relaxing beer garden. Grab a drink from a sidewalk vendor, find a bench along the river, watch the sun set over a skyline of domes and cranes...and simply bask in Berlin.

PLANNING YOUR TIME

On all but the shortest trips through Germany, I’d give Berlin three nights and at least two full days, and spend them this way:

Day 1: Begin your day getting oriented to this huge city. Jump on one of the many hop-on, hop-off buses that make two-hour narrated orientation loops through the city. Then take Part 1 of my self-guided Berlin City Walk, starting at the Reichstag (reserve in advance to climb its dome), going through the Brandenburg Gate, and continuing down the boulevard Unter den Linden. After lunch, dedicate your afternoon to sights of the Third Reich and Cold War: Tour the Museum of the Wall at Checkpoint Charlie or the Topography of Terror exhibit, then head to the Berlin Wall Memorial. Finish your day in the lively Prenzlauer Berg district.

Day 2: Start your morning at Bebelplatz with Part 2 of my Berlin City Walk, ending at Alexanderplatz in former East Berlin. Along the way, visit any of the great museums on Museum Island and nearby (Humboldt Forum, Neues Museum, Old National Gallery, DDR Museum, or German History Museum—permanent collection likely closed through 2026). Cap your sightseeing day with a one-hour boat tour (or pedal a rented bike) along the parklike banks of the Spree River.

Berlin merits additional time if you have it. And nearby are some very worthwhile day trips (covered in the next chapter): At Potsdam, glide like a swan through the opulent halls of an imperial palace or, at Oranienburg, ponder the darkest chapter of this nation’s past at the Sachsenhausen Memorial and Museum.

Orientation to Berlin

BERLIN: A VERBAL MAP

Though it’s a major metropolis, Berlin doesn’t have a single, dense core of skyscrapers. The downtown stretches five miles, following the Spree River, and the city’s impressive public transit system makes it easy to sightsee by neighborhood. This chapter’s coverage is organized by compass direction, radiating out from the center.

Everything is easily and quickly connected when you embrace Berlin’s underground system (U-Bahn and S-Bahn).

Central Berlin (Historic Core): Berlin’s 1.5-mile sightseeing axis runs along the elegant Unter den Linden boulevard. On the western end are the historic Reichstag (Germany’s domed parliament), the iconic Brandenburg Gate, and poignant memorials. To the east is Museum Island, home to a cluster of the city’s top museums: the ancient wonders of the Neues museum (Nefertiti bust) and German paintings in the Old National Gallery. Also on Museum Island is the Baroque-fronted Humboldt Forum, a recently constructed cultural center.

Within this core are several grand squares (including Berlin’s finest, Gendarmenmarkt), the towering Berlin Cathedral, and museums on German history and the DDR (artifacts from the former Deutsche Demokratische Republik).

Northern Berlin: North of Unter den Linden near the Hackescher Markt transit hub, the trendy old Jewish quarter is important for its Jewish sights and interesting for its fun-to-explore courtyards. The hip Prenzlauer Berg neighborhood has recommended hotels, restaurants, and shopping, and an exhibit on life under communism. The northern zone also contains the compelling Berlin Wall Memorial (the best place to learn more about the Wall), and the massive Hauptbahnhof (Berlin’s huge main train station and shopping mall).

Southern Berlin: South of Unter den Linden are fascism and Cold War sights, anchored by the Museum of the Wall at Checkpoint Charlie (the former border crossing), the Topography of Terror (which documents Nazi atrocities), and the Documentation Center for Displacement, Expulsion, Reconciliation. Kreuzberg is a fascinating-to-wander neighborhood, with a flourishing Turkish community and colorful market.

Eastern Berlin: East of Museum Island is Alexanderplatz—formerly the hub of communist East Berlin, marked by its stark architecture and impossible-to-miss TV Tower. Farther east sits the gentrifying Friedrichshain neighborhood, with its emerging nightlife scene, sobering Stasi Museum (former communist headquarters), and East Side Gallery—a graffiti-slathered surviving stretch of the Berlin Wall, popular for an evening stroll along the Spree River.

Western Berlin: This zone hosts glitzy Potsdamer Platz, with malls and skyscrapers; the nearby Kulturforum, with the art-filled Gemäldegalerie; and the vast park, Tiergarten. To the west is City West, once the heart of communist-era West Berlin and now a classy suburb, home to the upscale Kurfürstendamm boulevard (Ku’damm for short), Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, and several recommended hotels. To the north is the mediocre Charlottenburg Palace, with good art museums nearby.

TOURIST INFORMATION

Berlin’s TIs are for-profit agencies that are only marginally helpful (+49 30 250 025, www.visitberlin.de). You’ll find them at the Hauptbahnhof (daily 8:00-21:00, by main entrance on Europaplatz), the Brandenburg Gate (daily 10:00-19:00, off-season until 18:00), the Humboldt Forum (daily 10:00-18:00), and Berlin Brandenburg Airport (daily 9:00-21:00, Terminal 1, level E0). A separately run TI—focusing on Prenzlauer Berg, and generally more useful—is at the Kulturbrauerei (Tue-Sun 11:00-17:00, closed Mon).

Skip the TI’s €1 map, and instead browse the walking tour company brochures—many include nearly-as-good maps for free. Most hotels provide free city maps. Those interested in cultural happenings can pick up a copy of the current month’s Exberliner (in English, €15, free at some hotels, www.the-berliner.com).

ARRIVAL IN BERLIN

For a detailed rundown of the city’s airport and train stations, and for information on parking a car, see the “Berlin Connections” section at the end of this chapter.

HELPFUL HINTS

Closures: Many museums are closed on Mondays, including the Berlin Wall Memorial Visitors Center and Documentation Center, Museum Island sights, the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe information center, the Gemäldegalerie, the Palace of Tears, the Everyday Life in the DDR exhibit, the Museum of Decorative Arts, the Musical Instruments Museum, and Charlottenburg Palace.

On Tuesdays, the Altes (Old) Museum, the Bode Museum, the Humboldt Forum, the Berlinische Galerie, the Scharf-Gerstenberg Collection, Museum Berggruen, and the Museum of Decorative Arts are closed. Some museums stay open late on Thursdays.

Sightseeing Tips: To visit the Reichstag dome, you must have reservations, but can generally get these on the same day. Otherwise, booking in advance is not necessary for sights in Berlin, where you’ll encounter few ticket-buying lines or timed-entry requirements.

The €32 Museum Pass Berlin is best for serious museumgoers—it covers more than 30 museums for three consecutive days, including the five Museum Island museums (Old National Gallery, Neues, Altes, Bode, and Pergamon Museum das Panorama—a substitute while the Pergamon is closed), the German History Museum (may cover temporary exhibit while the permanent collection is closed), and the Gemäldegalerie (and other Kulturforum museums), along with more minor sights. Buy it online, at any participating museum, or at a TI (details at www.visitberlin.de). The pass generally lets you skip the line and go directly into the museum.

The simpler, one-day Museum Island Pass covers, as the name suggests, only the Museum Island museums (including the Pergamon Museum das Panorama while the Pergamon is closed). It’s a fine value if you’re touring at least two of the collections, though for a bit more, the three-day Museum Pass Berlin described earlier gives you triple the days and many more entries (€24, buy online at www.visitberlin.de or at participating museums, not sold at TIs).

Cold War Terminology: What Americans called “East Germany” was technically the German Democratic Republic—the Deutsche Demokratische Republik, or DDR. You’ll still see those initials around what was once East Germany. The name for what was “West Germany”—the Federal Republic of Germany (Bundesrepublik Deutschland, or BRD)—is now the name shared by all of Germany. Former East or West? Here’s a tip: The former communist sector has more tram tracks in the pavement.

Laundry: You’ll find several self-service launderettes near my recommended hotels (long hours daily). In Prenzlauer Berg, try Eco-Express Waschsalon (Danziger Strasse 7) or Schleudertraum Waschsalon (Oderberger Strasse 1); for locations, see the map on here. In the old Jewish quarter, Waschsalon 115 is around the corner from Rosenthaler Platz (Wi-Fi, Torstrasse 115).

GETTING AROUND BERLIN

Berlin’s sights spread far and wide. Learn to use the city’s fine public transit system. This vast city is committed to bikes, and you’ll notice smart and efficient bike lanes. This can be very dangerous for pedestrians, so be alert.

By Public Transit

Berlin’s transit system uses the same ticket for its many modes of transportation: buses, trams (Strassenbahn), and trains. There are two types of trains: The U-Bahn—like a subway, making lots of short hops around town—is run by the local transit authority (BVG); the S-Bahn, a light rail that goes faster and stops only at major stations, is operated by German Railways (Deutsche Bahn).

Sections of the U-Bahn or S-Bahn sometimes close temporarily for repairs, with a bus route replacing the train (Ersatzverkehr, or “replacement transportation”; zwischen means “between”).

For all types of transit, there are three lettered zones: A, B, and C. Most of your sightseeing will be in zones A and B (the city proper); you may enter zone C if you’re going to Potsdam, Sachsenhausen, Berlin Brandenburg airport, or other outlying areas. The prices listed in the next section are for zones A and B; figure a few euros more to add zone C to any option.

The History of Berlin

Berlin was a humble, marshy burg until prince-electors from the Hohenzollern dynasty made it their capital in the mid-15th century. Gradually their territory spread and strengthened, becoming the powerful Kingdom of Prussia in 1701. As the leading city of Prussia, Berlin dominated the northern Germanic world—both militarily and culturally—long before there was a united “Germany.”

Thanks largely to Frederick the Great (1712-1786), the enlightened despot who was both a ruthless military tactician and a cultured lover of the arts, Prussia was well positioned to lead the German unification movement in the 19th century. And when Germany became a unified modern nation in 1871, Berlin was its natural capital. The city boomed with Germany’s industrialization, quadrupling its population over the next 40 years. After Germany’s humiliating defeat in World War I, Berlin thrived as an anything-goes cultural capital of the Roaring Twenties. During World War II, the city was Hitler’s headquarters—and the place where the führer drew his final breath.

When the Soviet Army reached Berlin in 1945, the protracted fighting left the city in ruins. Berlin was divided by the victorious Allied powers—the American, British, and French sectors became West Berlin, and the Soviet sector became East Berlin. The city became the main battlefield of the nascent Cold War. In 1948, the Soviets tried to starve the 2.2 million residents of the western half in an almost medieval-style siege, which was broken by the Allies’ Berlin Airlift. Later, with the overnight construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961, an Iron (or, at least, concrete) Curtain completely encircled West Berlin—cutting Berlin in half. While East Berliners lived through difficult times, West Berlin became a magnet for artists, punks, squatters, and free spirits.

Finally, on November 9, 1989, the Wall came down. After wild celebrations, Berlin faced a fitful transition to reunification. Two cities—and countries—became one at a staggering pace. Some “Ossies” (impolite slang for Easterners) missed their security. Some “Wessies” missed military deferrals, subsidized rent, and tax breaks for living in an isolated city surrounded by the communist world.

Today, more than 30 years later, the old East-West divisions are a distant memory. Berlin’s local government has been eager to charge forward, with little nostalgia. Big corporations and the national government have moved in, and the dreary swath of land that was the Wall has been transformed. Berlin is a new city—ready to welcome visitors.

Within Berlin, Eurail passes are good on connections from the train station when you arrive and to the station when you depart on counted rail pass days (both S-Bahn and U-Bahn).

Information: Timetables, prices, and trip planning are available at BVG (www.bvg.de) and VBB (www.vbb.de) and in each company’s app. Investing a little time to get comfortable using the apps—especially on-the-go trip-planning features—will result in more efficient journeys and fewer headaches during your stay in Berlin. For an overview of the transit system, see the color map at the back of this book.

Ticket Options

Berlin’s transit system offers myriad individual or pass-based ticket options (often for very specific scenarios you don’t need to worry about). I’ve included details on the most useful tickets the average traveler will need on a typical two-to-three-day visit, covering zones A and B (which includes all my recommended sights). You’ll find the full listing of options—including longer stays, group tickets, and tickets including zone C—online and at ticket machines.

The best option is usually either the flexible four-trip ticket (€10.80, 4-Fahrten-Karte, valid for 4 rides over any span of time) or the day pass (€9.90, 24-Stunden-Karte, valid for unlimited rides for 24 hours beginning with your first stamp). Buying individual basic single tickets (€3.50, Einzelfahrschein) only makes sense if you plan to take fewer than four rides total or fewer than three rides in one day.

Other options to know about include the handy “extension ticket” option (€2.10/two hours, €4.90/24 hours, Anschlussfahrausweis), which adds zone C (Potsdam, Sachsenhausen, and the Brandenburg airport) to an existing ticket or pass; and the two-to-six-day WelcomeCard (€26/48 hours, €36/72 hours), a glorified transit pass that includes discounts to (mostly minor) sights and attractions for a few euros more than the cost of individual day passes (WelcomeCards available at TIs—including at the airport—and U-Bahn/S-Bahn ticket machines; www.visitberlin.de/welcomecard). Do the math before you arrive to pick the best ticket or pass for your stay.

Buying Tickets

You can buy U-Bahn/S-Bahn tickets through the app or from machines at stations (coins, bills, and cards accepted; select English and then follow the prompts). Tickets are also sold at BVG pavilions at train stations and at the TI, from machines onboard trams (coins only), and on buses from drivers.

Boarding Transit

Before you board the bus or tram or enter the subway, validate your ticket in a clock machine on the platform (or risk a large fine; with a pass or WelcomeCard, stamp it only the first time you ride; tickets purchased through the app do not need to be validated, but be prepared to show them if asked). Tickets (physical and digital) are checked periodically, often by plainclothes inspectors. You may be asked to show your ticket when boarding the bus. Note that not all tram stops (marked by a sign with a green H for Haltestelle—stop—in a gold circle) have designated platforms on raised sidewalks, and not all trams pull right up to the curb. When the tram arrives, be ready to step into the road to hop aboard. When getting off, if you don’t push the button on the door, you may miss your stop.

Useful Transit Lines

Learning a few key transit lines will help shrink this vast city.

U-Bahn: Line U2 cuts diagonally across the city from Prenzlauer Berg (hotels) to Potsdamer Platz, stopping near Checkpoint Charlie at Stadtmitte and Zoologischer Garten. Other handy U-Bahn lines include U6 (runs north-south through downtown, offering a quick connection to Kreuzberg) and U1 (cuts east-west through southern Berlin, connecting City West, Kreuzberg, and Friedrichshain). Line U5 is particularly handy, connecting the Hauptbahnhof, the Reichstag, and strategic stops along the city’s main sightseeing spine: Brandenburger Tor, Unter den Linden (near Bebelplatz), Museumsinsel (Museum Island), Rotes Rathaus (City Hall, near the Nikolai Quarter), and Alexanderplatz.

S-Bahn: Several S-Bahn lines come together and flow like a high-speed river through the heart of Berlin. Lines S3, S5, S7, and S9 zip quickly east-west between key stops: Savignyplatz (hotels in western Berlin), Zoologischer Garten (zoo, City West, Ku’damm), Hauptbahnhof, Friedrichstrasse (near the heart of Unter den Linden), Hackescher Markt (Museum Island, old Jewish quarter, connection to Prenzlauer Berg), and Alexanderplatz (east end of the historic core).

Lines S1 and S2 travel north-south between Nordbahnhof (Berlin Wall Memorial), Friedrichstrasse, Brandenburger Tor, and Potsdamer Platz (Kulturforum).

Trams: Trams connect several of my recommended neighborhoods in East Berlin. Make a point to get to know (and use!) your neighborhood tram or trams. Trams are smartly integrated with U-Bahn and S-Bahn lines. Connections for every stop are clearly shown on monitors as you roll. #M1 is helpful for getting to and around Prenzlauer Berg—connecting the Hackescher Markt S-Bahn station with key stops along the main drag Kastanienallee; #12 overlaps with parts of #M1, including Kastanienallee; and #M10 is handy for connecting Cold War sights—it starts at the Hauptbahnhof, goes to Nordbahnhof (Berlin Wall Memorial), connects stops along the Berlin Wall Memorial (Mauerpark, and Frankfurter Tor), and finishes at Warschauer Strasse (for the East Side Gallery).

Buses: Bus #100 is the handiest for most tourists, traveling east-west along Unter den Linden and connecting Alexanderplatz with Zoologischer Garten. Bus #300 connects Warschauer Strasse with Philharmonie Süd (Kulturforum) via the East Side Gallery, Alexanderplatz, Rotes Rathaus (City Hall), Lustgarten (Museum Island), and Potsdamer Platz. There are stops every few blocks, with buses every 10 minutes or so.

By Taxi, Uber, and Private Driver

Cabs are easy to flag down, and taxi stands are common. A typical ride within town costs around €15.

Tariff 1 is for a Kurzstrecke ticket (short-stretch ride). This ticket can save you several euros for any ride of less than two kilometers (about a mile). To get this rate, you must flag down the cab on the street—not at a taxi stand—and ask for the Kurzstrecke rate as soon as you hop in. Confidently say “Kurzstrecke, bitte” (KOORTS-shtreh-keh, BIT-teh); your driver will grumble and flip the meter to a fixed €6 rate (for a ride that would otherwise cost €8). If your ride exceeds two kilometers, the meter kicks on and the regular rate takes over.

All other rides are tariff 2 (€4.30 drop plus around €2-3/km). If a taxi looks empty but doesn’t stop, it’s likely on its way to a pickup requested through one of many ride-sharing apps.

Uber works in Berlin like it does in the US, but essentially hails a taxi, for which you’ll pay taxi rates.

Private Car and Driver: English-speaking Michael Rogowski is a private chauffeur with a very comfortable six-passenger minivan. He knows Berlin and environs well, has a knack for finding parking for spontaneous sightseeing, and is a delight to be with (€80/hour, cheaper for longer gigs, m-rogowski@t-online.de).

Markus Wiehler is a life-long Berliner who speaks good English, is full of historical facts, and has endless personal stories to share (ask about his escape from East Berlin while in the circus). He offers chauffeur services for up to seven passengers and two-to-four-hour tours (tours from €160, transfers from €100; http://eastsideseeing.com, berlin@eastsideseeing.de).

By Bike

Flat Berlin is a very bike-friendly city, but be careful—motorists don’t brake for bicyclists (and bicyclists don’t brake for pedestrians). Many roads and sidewalks have special red-painted bike lanes. Don’t ride on the regular sidewalk—it’s verboten (though locals do it all the time).

Fat Tire Bikes rents good bikes at the base of the TV Tower near Alexanderplatz (e-bikes available, free luggage storage, daily, +49 30 2404 7991, www.fattiretours.com/berlin; for location, see the map on here).

Take a Bike—near the Friedrichstrasse S-Bahn station—is owned by a knowledgeable Dutch-German with a huge inventory (closed Tue-Thu off-season, Neustädtische Kirchstrasse 8—see the map on here, +49 30 2065 4730, www.takeabike.de). To find it, leave the S-Bahn station via the Friedrichstrasse exit, turn right, go through a triangle-shaped square, and hang a left on Neustädtische Kirchstrasse.

Urban Bike is a good option in Prenzlauer Berg (kids’ bikes and child seats available, daily, Kastanienallee 55—see the map on here, +49 30 7153 3020, www.bike-rental-berlin.de).

Berlin on Bike rents bikes and runs tours out of the Kulturbrauerei (e-bikes available, helmets included, lockers to store your gear, daily, see details on here).

Another option is to download an app such as Next Bike, which lets you locate bikes near you and scan the bike’s bar code to release it. Bike hubs are abundant, so you can pick up and drop off almost anywhere (€1 for 15 minutes, capped at €15/day, www.nextbike.de).

Tours in Berlin

BY BUS

Berlin lends itself to a bus-tour orientation (worth ▲▲). Several companies offer essentially the same circuit of the city with unlimited, all-day hop-on, hop-off privileges for around €35 (often cheaper rates if you buy online, two days for a few euros more, check for WelcomeCard discounts if buying in person). The buses make about a dozen stops at the city’s major tourist spots (Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, Potsdamer Platz, Brandenburg Gate, Museum Island, and so on). For specifics, look for brochures in your hotel lobby, or check the websites for the dominant outfits: CitySightseeing Berlin (www.berlin-city-tour.de), City Circle Sightseeing (https://city-circle.de), and Big Bus (www.bigbustours.com/en/berlin).

Buses come with a dry recorded commentary (and sometimes a live guide that is generally little better). Buses run daily (generally 10:00-18:00, 4/hour, last departure from all stops around 16:00, 2-hour loop; Nov-March 2/hour, last departure around 15:00). Due to heavy traffic, pickup times are unreliable; you may find yourself waiting on the curb for a good part of your day.

BY BOAT

▲▲Spree River Cruises

Several interchangeable boat companies offer trips up and down the river for around €22. In one relaxing hour, you’ll listen to an excellent English audioguide, see architecture spanning from prewar to postreunification, and enjoy the lively park action fronting the river. Boats leave from docks clustered near the bridge behind the Berlin Cathedral (just off Unter den Linden, near the DDR Museum). For better views, go for a two-story boat with open-deck seating. (As the trip goes up and back on the same stretch of river, I like to relax and focus on either the left or the right side, knowing I’ll get it all with the round-trip.) While you have many options, I enjoyed the Historical Sightseeing Cruise from Stern und Kreisschiffahrt (departures on the half-hour, mid-March-Nov daily 11:00-17:30, leaves from Nikolaiviertel Dock—cross the bridge from Berlin Cathedral toward Alexanderplatz and look right, includes audioguide, +49 30 536 3600, www.sternundkreis.de).

Berlin at a Glance

▲▲▲ Berlin City Walk History and orientation in a two-part walk from the Reichstag and Brandenburg Gate down Unter den Linden to Alexanderplatz.

▲▲▲Reichstag Germany’s historic parliament building, topped with a striking modern dome you can climb (reservations required). Hours: Daily 8:00-24:00.

▲▲▲Brandenburg Gate One of Berlin’s most famous landmarks, a massive columned gateway at the former border of East and West.

▲▲▲German History Museum The ultimate swing through Germany’s tumultuous story (permanent collection likely closed through 2026). Hours: Temporary exhibit open daily 10:00-18:00.

▲▲▲Berlin Wall Memorial Museums with videos and displays, several outdoor exhibits, and lone surviving stretch of an intact Wall section. Hours: Museums open Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon; outdoor areas accessible daily 24 hours.

▲▲Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe Holocaust memorial with over 2,700 symbolic pillars, plus an exhibition about Hitler’s Jewish victims. Hours: Memorial always open; info center Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon.

▲▲Unter den Linden Leafy boulevard in the heart of former East Berlin, lined with some of the city’s top sights.

▲▲Memorials near the Reichstag Tributes to Nazi victims, including Jews, Roma, gay people, opposing politicians, and people with disabilities.

▲▲Pergamon Museum World-class museum of classical antiquities on Museum Island (likely closed through 2027).

▲▲Neues Museum Egyptian antiquities collection and proud home of the exquisite 3,000-year-old bust of Queen Nefertiti. Hours: Tue-Wed and Sun 10:00-18:00, Thu-Sat until 20:00, closed Mon.

▲▲Old National Gallery German paintings, mostly from the Romantic Age. Hours: Same as Neues Museum.

▲▲Humboldt Forum A collection of art and culture museums housed in the rebuilt shell of the former royal palace. Hours: Wed-Mon 10:30-18:30, closed Tue.

▲▲DDR Museum Quirky collection of communist-era artifacts. Hours: Daily 9:00-21:00.

▲▲Courtyards (Höfe) Interconnected courtyards with shops, eateries, and museums, best explored in the old Jewish quarter.

▲▲Prenzlauer Berg Lively, colorful neighborhood with hip cafés, restaurants, boutiques, and street life.

▲▲Topography of Terror Chilling exhibit documenting the Nazi perpetrators, built on the site of the former Gestapo/SS headquarters. Hours: Daily 10:00-20:00.

▲▲Kreuzberg Eclectic, trendy neighborhood with diverse roots, popular eateries, and the Turkish street market.

▲▲Gemäldegalerie Germany’s top collection of 13th- through 18th-century European paintings, featuring Holbein, Dürer, Cranach, Van der Weyden, Rubens, Hals, Rembrandt, Vermeer, Raphael, and more. Hours: Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon.

▲Museum of the Wall at Checkpoint Charlie Stories of brave Cold War escapes, near the site of the famous former East-West border checkpoint; the surrounding street scene is almost as interesting. Hours: Daily 10:00-19:00.

▲Documentation Center for Displacement, Expulsion, Reconciliation The world’s first museum of forced migration, with state-of-the-art historical exhibits and contemporary relevance. Hours: Tue-Sun 10:00-19:00, closed Mon.

▲Jewish Museum Berlin Museum dedicated to the history of Jews in Germany. Hours: Daily 10:00-18:00.

ON FOOT

Berlin’s fascinating and complex history can be challenging to appreciate on your own, but a good Berlin tour guide and walking tour makes the city’s dynamic story come to life (and can be worth ▲▲▲).

Unlike many European countries, Germany has no regulations controlling who can give city tours. As a result, guide quality is hit-or-miss, ranging from brilliant history buffs who’ve lived in Berlin for years to new arrivals who’ve memorized a script. To improve your odds of landing a great guide, try one of my recommendations.

Most outfits offer group walks that are variations on the same themes: general introductory walk, Third Reich walk (Hitler and Nazi sites), Cold War/Berlin Wall, and day trips to Potsdam and the Sachsenhausen Memorial and Museum. Most tours cost about €15-20 and last three to four hours (longer for trips outside the city); public transit tickets and entrances to sights are extra.

Insider Tour

This well-regarded and well-run company runs the full gamut of itineraries. Tours meet outside the Friedrichstrasse train station, on the square beside the Palace of Tears (Tränenpalast; +49 30 692 3149, www.insidertour.com).

Original Berlin Walks

Original Berlin’s “Discover Berlin” walk offers a solid overview with a smart itinerary in three hours (€20; RS%—€2 off, use discount code “RS2OFF” when booking online; several times daily, check website for schedule). Tours depart from opposite the Hackescher Markt S-Bahn station, outside Starbucks (+49 30 301 9194, www.berlinwalks.de).

Food Tours

Most Berlin culinary tours focus on either traditional German fare or the trendier foodie scene, some do a combination of both, and virtually all include a Currywurst. For details, see the “Food Tours” sidebar in the Eating in Berlin section.

“Free” Tours

You’ll see ads for “free” introductory tours all over town. Popular with students (who’ve yet to learn you get what you pay for), it’s a business model (born in Berlin) that has spread across Europe: English-speaking students (often Aussies and Americans) deliver a memorized script before a huge crowd lured in by the promise of a free tour. The catch: Guides expect to be “tipped in paper” (€5/person minimum is encouraged).

Local Guides

Berlin guides are generally independent contractors who can be hired privately but may also work with tour companies (such as those listed here). Most licensed local guides charge €80/hour or around €300/day (confirm when booking). Guides can get booked up—especially in summer—so reserve ahead. Rather than one long day, many guides recommend two four-hour mornings.

Most of these guides belong to an association called Bündnis Berliner Stadtführer, which is a great source for connecting with even more guides (www.berlinguidesassociation.com).

I’ve personally worked with and can strongly recommend each of the following guides:

Nick Jackson (an archaeologist, +49 171 537 8768, www.jacksonsberlintours.com);

Lee Evans (an American expat who makes 20th-century Germany a thriller, +49 176 6335 5565, leetheberlinguide@gmail.com);

Holger Zimmer (a cultural connoisseur and public radio journalist, +49 163 345 4427, explore@berlin.de);

Jessica Cartwright (a Swedish-Berliner for 20 years, +49 160 813 2795, info@exploreberlintours.com);

Matt Robinson (founder of Berlin Experiences, +49 176 2991 3011, info@berlinexperiences.com);

Jim McDonough (a Minnesotan-Berliner, +49 179 486 1604, berlin2potsdam@gmail.com);

Bernhard Schlegelmilch (who grew up behind the Wall, +49 176 6422 9119, upwards@t-online.de);

Haşim Anik (specializes in Kreuzberg, where he grew up, +49 163 916 2148, hasimanik@hotmail.com);

Jeremy Minsberg (an American expat here for 20 years, +49 176 7032 2854, www.theberlinexpert.com).

ON WHEELS

Fat Tire Bike Tours offers guided bike tours (from around €30, 3 hours, 5-10 miles, check website for schedule). Topics include a City Tour, a Berlin Wall Tour, an all-day Potsdam Gardens and Palaces Tour, and private tours for families and small groups. Meet at the TV Tower at Alexanderplatz (reservations required, +49 30 2404 7991, www.fattiretours.com/berlin).

Berlin on Bike offers a 3.5-hour daily introductory tour and several themed tours, including Alternative Berlin and Street Art Berlin (most around €30, 8-12 miles, private tours available, all tours leave from the Kulturbrauerei brewery in Prenzlauer Berg, see website for schedule, +49 30 4373 9999, https://berlinonbike.de).

Berlin City Walk

PART 1: THE REICHSTAG TO UNTER DEN LINDEN

1 Reichstag

Map: Berlin City Walk

2 Memorial to Politicians Who Opposed Hitler

3 Berlin Wall Victims Memorial

4 Brandenburg Gate

5 Tiergarten

6 Pariser Platz

7 Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

8 Site of Hitler’s Bunker

9 Wilhelmstrasse

10 Unter den Linden

11 Brandenburger Tor S-Bahn Station

12 Russian Embassy

13 Friedrichstrasse

PART 2: BEBELPLATZ TO ALEXANDERPLATZ

14 Bebelplatz: Square of the Books

15 Neue Wache

16 Museum Island and the Humboldt Forum

17 Museum Island Sights

18 Spree River

19 Statues of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels

20 Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse and Plattenbau

21 Martin Luther Statue and St. Mary’s Church

22 TV Tower (Fernsehturm)

23 Alexanderplatz

Trace Germany’s turbulent 20th-century history on this two-mile self-guided walk, worth ▲▲▲. We’ll start in front of the Reichstag, pass through the Brandenburg Gate, walk down Unter den Linden, and finish on Alexanderplatz, near the TV Tower. You’ll want to visit some major sights along the route later or by taking a break from the walk. Follow the route on the “Berlin City Walk” map.

Length of This Tour: If you have just one day in Berlin, or want a good orientation to the city, simply follow this walk (allow 2-3 hours at a brisk pace, not counting museum visits). By the end, you’ll have seen the core of Berlin and its most important sights.

If you have more time and want to use this walk as a spine for your sightseeing, entering sights and museums as you go, consider doing Part 1 and Part 2 on different days.

Part 1 goes from the Reichstag and takes you partway down Unter den Linden, with stops at the Brandenburg Gate, Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, and Friedrichstrasse, the glitzy shopping street.

Part 2 continues down Unter den Linden, from Bebelplatz to Alexanderplatz, visiting Museum Island and the Spree River, the Berlin Cathedral, and the iconic TV Tower.

Tours: Download my free Berlin City Walk audio tour.

PART 1: THE REICHSTAG TO UNTER DEN LINDEN

• Start in Platz der Republik and take in your surroundings. Dominating this park is a giant domed building.

1 Reichstag

The Reichstag is the heart of Germany’s government. It’s where the Bundestag—the lower house of parliament—meets to govern the nation (similar to the US House of Representatives).

When the building was inaugurated in 1895, Germany was still a kingdom. Back then, the real center of power was a mile east of here, at the royal palace. But after the emperor was deposed in World War I, the German Republic was proclaimed. Meanwhile, the storm of National Socialism was growing—the Nazis. Soon the Reichstag had dozens of duly elected National Socialists, and Adolf Hitler seized power. In 1933, the Reichstag building nearly burned down. Many believe that Hitler planned the fire as an excuse to frame the communists and grab power for himself. While no one knows for sure who started the fire, there’s no doubt who benefited from it.

With Hitler as Führer and real democracy a thing of the past, the Reichstag was hardly used. But it remained a powerful symbol and was a prime target for Allied bombers during World War II. As the war wound down, and Soviet troops advanced on the city, it was here at the Reichstag that 1,500 German troops made their last stand. After the war, Berlin was divided and the Berlin Wall ran right behind the Reichstag. The building fell into disuse, and the West German capital was moved from Berlin to the remote city of Bonn.

After the Berlin Wall fell, the Reichstag again became the focus of the new nation. It was renovated by British architect Norman Foster, who added the glass dome. In 1999, the new Reichstag reopened, and the parliament reconvened. To many Germans, the proud resurrection of their Reichstag symbolizes the end of a terrible chapter in their country’s history.

Look now at the Reichstag’s modern dome. The cupola rises 155 feet above the ground. Inside the dome, a cone of 360 mirrors reflects natural light into the legislative chamber below, and an opening at the top allows air to circulate. Lit from inside after dark, it gives Berlin a memorable lantern of democracy. If you make a reservation to visit the interior, you can climb the spiral ramp all the way to the top of the dome for a grand city view (for details on visiting, see the Reichstag listing under “Sights in Berlin,” later).

Facing the Reichstag, do a 360-degree spin to find some other big landmarks. To the left of the Reichstag, at the Bundestag U-Bahn stop, the long, partly transparent building houses parliamentary offices. Beyond that, in the distance, is the tower of the huge main train station, the Hauptbahnhof (marked DB for Deutsche Bahn, the German rail company). Farther left is the mammoth, white, concrete-and-glass Chancellery (nicknamed “the Washing Machine”). This is the office of Germany’s most powerful person, the chancellor. To remind the chancellor who he or she works for, Germany’s Reichstag (housing the parliament) is about six feet taller than the Chancellery.

• Approach the Reichstag, turn right, walk nearly to the street, and find a small memorial next to the shipping-container-like entrance buildings. It’s a row of slate stones sticking out of the ground—it looks like a bike rack. This is the...

2 Memorial to Politicians Who Opposed Hitler

These 96 slabs honor the 96 Reichstag members who spoke out against Adolf Hitler and the rising tide of fascism. When Hitler became chancellor, these critics were arrested, persecuted, and ultimately murdered. On each slab, you’ll see a name and political party—most are KPD (Communists) and SPD (Social Democrats)—and the date and location of death. KZ denotes those who died in concentration camps.

• Walk east, along the right side of the Reichstag, on busy Scheidemannstrasse, toward the rear of the building. When you reach the intersection at the back of the Reichstag, turn right and cross the street. Once across, on the corner you’ll see a humble row of white crosses that predate the fall of the wall.

3 Berlin Wall Victims Memorial

The Berlin Wall once stood right here, running north-south down what is now busy Ebertstrasse, dividing the city in two. This side (near the crosses) was democratic West Berlin. On the other side was the Soviet-controlled East. The row of white crosses commemorates a few of the many brave East Berliners who died trying to cross the Wall to freedom. (For more, see the sidebar.)

Read some of the crosses. The last person killed was 20-year-old Chris Gueffroy. He died nine months before the Wall fell, shot through the heart. Fresh roses are often laid here.

Several other memorials dedicated to groups targeted by the Nazis (from Sinti/Roma to gay people) are in the vicinity. For details and where to find them, see here.

• Continue south down Ebertstrasse toward the Brandenburg Gate, tracing the former course of the Berlin Wall. A thin strip of memorial bricks embedded in the street pavement indicates where it once stood.

Ebertstrasse spills into a busy intersection dominated by the imposing Brandenburg Gate. To take in this scene, cross the Berlin Wall bricks to the piazza in front of the...

4 Brandenburg Gate

This massive classical-looking monument is the grandest—and last survivor—of the 14 original gates in Berlin’s old city wall. (This one led to the neighboring city of Brandenburg.) The majestic four-horse chariot on top is driven by the Goddess of Peace. When Napoleon conquered Prussia in 1806, he took this statue to the Louvre in Paris. Then, after the Prussians defeated Napoleon, they got it back (in 1813)...and the Goddess of Peace was renamed the “Goddess of Victory.”

The gate straddles the major east-west axis of the city. The western segment—behind you—stretches four miles, running through Tiergarten Park to the Olympic Stadium. To the east—on the other side of the gate—the street is called Unter den Linden. That’s where we’re headed. In the distance (if you jockey for position), you can see the red-and-white spire of the TV Tower that marks the end of Berlin’s main axis.

Historically, the Brandenburg Gate was just another of this city’s many stately Prussian landmarks. But in our lifetime, it became the symbol of Berlin—of its Cold War division and its reunification. That’s because, from 1961 to 1989, the gate was stranded in the no-man’s-land between East and West. For an entire generation, scores of German families were divided—some on this side of the Wall, some on the other. This landmark stood tantalizingly close to both East and West...but was off-limits to all.

The Berlin Wall: The Basics

West Berlin was a 185-square-mile island of capitalism surrounded by East Germany. Between establishment of the DDR (East Germany) in 1949 and construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961, an estimated three million East Germans emigrated (fled) to freedom. To stanch their population loss, the DDR erected the 96-mile-long “Anti-Fascist Protective Rampart” almost overnight, beginning on August 13, 1961.

The Berlin Wall (Berliner Mauer) was actually two walls. The outer was a 12-foot-high concrete barrier topped with barbed wire and a rounded, pipe-like surface to discourage grappling hooks. The inner wall was lower-profile. Sandwiched between was a no-man’s-land (“death strip”) between 30 and 160 feet wide.

There were eight points where you could legally cross between West and East Berlin, the most famous of which were Checkpoint Charlie and the Friedrichstrasse train station, with its so-called “Palace of Tears.” In general, Westerners could temporarily enter the East, but not vice-versa.

Even after the Wall went up, people continued to try to escape. During the Wall’s 28 years, there were about 5,000 documented successful escapes—and 565 of those were East German guards. An estimated 136 people were killed at the Wall while trying to escape. Meanwhile, living in West Berlin—surrounded by concrete, barbed wire, and enemy soldiers armed to the teeth—was no picnic.

The Berlin Wall came to symbolize the larger Cold War between East and West. President John F. Kennedy gave a speech of solidarity in West Berlin, declaring, “Ich bin ein Berliner”—I am a Berliner. A generation later, President Ronald Reagan stood in front of the Brandenburg Gate and demanded of his Soviet counterpart, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.” Finally, one November night in 1989, the Berlin Wall came down, as suddenly as it went up.

By the 1980s, it was becoming clear that the once-mighty Soviet empire was slowly crumbling from within. Finally, on November 9, 1989, the world rejoiced at the sight of happy Berliners standing atop the Wall. They chipped away at it with hammers, passed beers to their long-lost cousins on the other side, and adorned the Brandenburg Gate with flowers like a parade float. Six weeks later, on December 22, West German chancellor Helmut Kohl led a triumphant procession through the Brandenburg Gate to shake hands with his (soon-to-be-defunct) East German counterpart—the literal opening of a big gateway that marked the symbolic closing of a terrible era.

• Turn 180 degrees and take in the vast, green expanse of the park called...

5 Tiergarten

Look down the long boulevard (Strasse des 17. Juni) that bisects the 500-acre park called Tiergarten (“Animal Garden”). The boulevard’s name comes from the 17th of June, 1953, when brave East Germans rose up against their communist leaders. The rebellion was crushed, and East Berliners had to wait another 36 years for the freedom to walk through the Brandenburg Gate.

In the distance is the 220-foot Victory Column, topped with a golden statue that commemorates the three big military victories that established Prussia as a world power in the late 1800s—over France, Denmark, and Austria—and kicked off Berlin’s golden age. (For more on Tiergarten and the Victory Column, see here).

• Walk through the Brandenburg Gate, entering what for years was forbidden territory. Just past the gate, there’s a small TI on the right, and on the left is the Room of Silence, dedicated to meditation. As you cross through this historic gate, you enter a grand square known as...

6 Pariser Platz

Pariser Platz marks the start of Unter den Linden, the broad boulevard that stretches before you. “Parisian Square” was so named after the Prussians defeated France and Napoleon in 1813. The square was once filled with important government buildings, but all were bombed to smithereens in World War II. For decades, it was an unrecognizable, deserted no-man’s-land, cut off from both East and West by the Wall. But now it’s rebuilt, and the banks and hotels that were here before the bombing have reclaimed their original places, with a few modern additions. And the winners of World War II—the US, France, Great Britain, and Russia—continue to enjoy this prime real estate: Their embassies are all on or near this square.

That includes the European Union Embassy to Germany. (Each of the 27 countries in the EU has one.) Its ground floor is filled with the welcoming European Union Information Center, with an exhibit showing the whats and whys of the EU (free, daily 10:00-18:00, look for the blue and gold colors across from the Adlon Hotel and next to the Starbucks).

The US Embassy (on the right as you come through the gate) reopened here in its original location on July 4, 2008. To the left of the US Embassy is the DZ Bank Building, built as a conference center in 2001 by Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry (its low-profile exterior was designed so as not to draw attention away from the Brandenburg Gate). To get your fix of wild and colorful Gehry, step into the building’s lobby. The undulating interior is like a big, slithery fish.

Two doors past the bank is the ritzy Hotel Adlon. Over the years, this place has hosted celebrities and VIPs from Charlie Chaplin to Albert Einstein. And, yes, this was where pop star Michael Jackson shocked millions by dangling his infant son over the railing (from the second balcony up).

• The most direct route to our next stop is by cutting through the Academy of Arts (Akademie der Künste) building—it’s between Hotel Adlon and the DZ Bank, at Pariser Platz 4. (If the Academy of Arts is closed, loop to the left, circling around the Hotel Adlon to Behrenstrasse.)

Enter the glassy Academy of Arts (WC in basement) and head toward the back. Just past the ground-floor café (an oasis of calm) is the former office of Albert Speer, Hitler’s chosen architect. Continue on, passing Speer’s favorite statue, Prometheus (from around 1900). This is the kind of art that turned on Hitler: a strong, soldierly, vital man, defending the homeland.

As you exit out the back of the building, veer right on Behrenstrasse and cross the street. You’ll wind up at our next stop, a sprawling field of stubby concrete pillars.

7 Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

This memorial consists of 2,711 coffin-shaped pillars covering an entire city block. More than 160,000 Jewish people lived in Berlin when Hitler took power. Tens of thousands fled, and many more were arrested, sent to nearby Sachsenhausen concentration camp and eventually murdered. The memorial remembers them and the other six million Jews who were killed by the Nazis during World War II. Completed in 2005 by the Jewish-American architect Peter Eisenman, this was the first formal, German-government-sponsored Holocaust memorial. Using the word “murdered” in the title was intentional, and a big deal. Germany, as a nation, was admitting to a crime.

Inside the information center (in the southeast corner), exhibits trace the rise of Nazism and tell the victims’ stories (for details on visiting the information center, see here).

• Head beyond the information center to emerge onto the street corner. Our next stop is about a block farther. Carefully jaywalk across Hannah-Arendt-Strasse and continue straight (south) down Gertrud-Kolmar-Strasse. On the left side of the street, you’ll reach a rough parking lot. At the far end of the lot is an information plaque labeled Führerbunker. This marks the...

8 Site of Hitler’s Bunker

You’re standing atop the buried remains of the Führerbunker. In early 1945, as Allied armies advanced on Berlin and Nazi Germany lay in ruins, Hitler and his staff retreated to this bunker complex behind the former Reich Chancellery. He stayed here for two months.

It was here, on April 30, 1945—as the Soviet army tightened its noose on the Nazi capital—that Hitler and Eva Braun, his wife of less than 48 hours, committed suicide. A week later, the war in Europe was over. The information board here explains the rest of the story. Though the site of Hitler’s bunker is part of history, there really isn’t much to see here. And that’s on purpose. No one wants to turn Hitler’s final stronghold into a tourist attraction.

• Backtrack up Gertrud-Kolmar-Strasse, and turn right on Hannah-Arendt-Strasse. Take your first left (at the traffic light) on...

9 Wilhelmstrasse

This street was the traditional center of German power, beginning back when Germany first became a nation in the 19th century. It was lined with stately palaces housing foreign embassies and government offices. This was the home of the Reich Chancellery, where the nation’s chief executive presided. When the Nazis took control, this street was where Hitler waved to his adoring fans, and where Joseph Goebbels had his Ministry of Propaganda.

During World War II, Wilhelmstrasse was the nerve center of the German war command. From here, Hitler directed the war and ordered the Blitz (the air raids that destroyed much of London). As the war turned to the Allies’ side, Wilhelmstrasse and the neighborhood around it were heavily bombed. Most of the stately palaces were destroyed, and virtually nothing historic survives today. (Blue info boards, posted along the way, tell the story.)

• The pedestrianized part of the street is home to the British Embassy. The fun purple color of its wall represents the colors of the Union Jack mixed together. Wilhelmstrasse spills out onto Berlin’s main artery, the tree-lined Unter den Linden, next to the Hotel Adlon.

10 Unter den Linden

This boulevard, worth ▲▲, is the heart of imperial Germany. During Berlin’s golden age in the late 1800s, this was one of Europe’s grand boulevards—the Champs-Elysées of Berlin, a city of nearly two million people. It was lined with linden trees, so as you promenaded down, you’d be walking “unter den Linden.” The street got its start in the 15th century as a way to connect the royal palace (a half-mile down the road, at the end of this walk) with the king’s hunting grounds (today’s big Tiergarten Field, out past the Brandenburg Gate). Over the centuries, aristocrats moved into this area so their palaces could be close to their king’s.

Many of the grandest landmarks we’ll pass along here are thanks to Frederick the Great, who ruled from 1740 to 1786, and put his kingdom (Prussia) and his capital (Berlin) on the map. We’ll also see a few signs of modern times; after World War II, this part of Berlin fell under Soviet influence, and Unter den Linden was the main street of communist East Berlin.

• Turn your attention to the subway stop in front of the Hotel Adlon (labeled Brandenburger Tor). We’ll enter the station and reemerge a block or so farther down the boulevard.

11 Brandenburger Tor S-Bahn Station

For a time-travel experience back to DDR days, head down the stairs into this station (no ticket necessary). Keep to the right as you descend (toward the S-Bahn, not the U-Bahn) to the subway tracks. As you walk along the platform about 200 yards, survey the historic, black-and-white photos on the walls and feel the 1950s vibe of the station.

For decades, the Brandenburger Tor S-Bahn station was unused—one of Berlin’s “ghost stations.” While you’re down under, notice how mid-20th-century the station still looks. There’s the original 1930s green tilework on the walls, and harsh fluorescent lighting. The old sign (on the central kiosk) still has Unter den Linden (the original name of this stop) written in old Gothic lettering. During the Cold War, most subway tunnels were simply bricked up at the border. But a few Western lines looped through the East, and—to make a little hard Western cash—the East German government rented the use of these tracks to the West...but kept the stations strictly off-limits. For 28 years, stations like this sat unused and unchanged: As Western trains passed through, passengers saw only East German guards...and lots of cobwebs. In 1989, within days of the fall of the Wall, these stations were reopened.

• At the far end of the platform, ascend the escalator, bear right, and head up the stairs to exit. While Russia’s at war, lookie-loos are kept away from our next stop. But in peaceful times you’ll emerge on the right (south) side of Unter den Linden. Belly up to the bars and look in at the...

12 Russian Embassy

Built from the ashes of World War II, this imposing building—Europe’s largest embassy—made it clear to East Berliners who was now in charge: the Soviet Union. It was the first big postwar building project in East Berlin, built in the powerful, simplified Neoclassical style that Stalin liked. Standing here, imagine Unter den Linden as a depressing Cold War-era cul-de-sac, dead-ending at the walled-off Brandenburg Gate. After the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, this building became the Russian Embassy, flying the white, blue, and red flag (but look closely and you’ll see a hammer-and-sickle motif still decorating the window frames).

• Keep walking down the boulevard for two blocks. You’ll pass blocks of dull banks, tacky trinket shops, and a few high-end boutiques, eventually reaching cultural buildings—the university, the opera, and so on. That’s intentional: The Prussian kings wanted to have culture closer to their palace. Pause when you reach the intersection with...

13 Friedrichstrasse

You’re standing at perhaps the most central crossroads in Berlin—named for, you guessed it, Frederick I. Before World War II, Friedrichstrasse was the heart of cultural Berlin. In the Roaring Twenties, it was home to anything-goes nightlife and cabarets where entertainers like Marlene Dietrich, Bertolt Brecht, and Josephine Baker performed. And since the fall of the Wall, it’s become home to supersized department stores and big-time hotels.

• We’ve reached the end of Part 1 of this walk. This is a good place to take a break, if you’d like, and tackle Part 2 another time. (Note: If you were to continue down Friedrichstrasse, you’d wind up at Checkpoint Charlie in about 10 minutes.)

But if you’re up for ambling on, head down Unter den Linden a few more blocks, past the large equestrian statue of Frederick the Great, who ruled as king of Prussia in the mid-1700s. He turned his capital, Berlin, into a world-class city. Frederick is pointing east, toward the epicenter of Prussian imperial power, where his royal palace once stood. We’re now entering the stretch of Unter den Linden that best represents Frederick’s legacy.

Turn right into Bebelplatz.

PART 2: BEBELPLATZ TO ALEXANDERPLATZ

14 Bebelplatz: Square of the Books

Frederick the Great built this square to show off Prussian ideals: education, the arts, improvement of the individual, and a tolerance for different groups—provided they’re committed to the betterment of society. This square was the cultural center of Frederick’s capital. In many ways, it still is. Spin counterclockwise to take in the cultural sights, some of which date back to Frederick’s time.

Start by looking across Unter den Linden. That’s Humboldt University, one of Europe’s greatest. Continue panning left. Fronting Bebelplatz is the former state library—which was funded by Frederick the Great. After the library was damaged in World War II, communist authorities decided to rebuild it in the original style...but only because Lenin studied here during much of his exile from Russia. Now part of Humboldt University, you’re welcome to step inside. On the ground floor there’s a cool little student bagel café, WC, and picnic benches in the courtyard.

The square’s far end is marked by one of Berlin’s swankiest lodgings—Hotel de Rome, housed in a historic bank building. Their trendy rooftop bar is a treat in good weather.

Next, the green-domed structure is St. Hedwig’s Church (nicknamed the “Upside-Down Teacup”). It stands as a symbol of Frederick the Great’s religious and cultural tolerance. The pragmatic king wanted to encourage the integration of Catholic Silesians into Protestant Prussia.

Up next is the Berlin State Opera (Staatsoper)—originally established in Frederick the Great’s time. Frederick believed that the arts were essential to having a well-rounded populace. He moved the opera house from inside the castle to this showcase square.

Look down through the glass window in the pavement at what appears to be a room of empty bookshelves (while illuminated by night, it’s hard to see anything under the sun). This book-burning memorial commemorates a notorious event that took place here during the Nazi years. It was on this square in 1933 that staff and students from the university built a bonfire. Into the flames they threw 20,000 newly forbidden books—books authored by the likes of Einstein, Hemingway, Freud, and T.S. Eliot. Overseeing it all was the Nazi propaganda minister, Joseph Goebbels. Hitler purposely chose this square—built by Frederick the Great to embody culture and enlightenment—to symbolically demonstrate that the era of tolerance and openness was over.

• Leave Bebelplatz toward Unter den Linden, cross to the university side, and continue heading east down Unter den Linden. You’ll pass in front of Humboldt University’s main gate. Immediately in front of the gate, embedded in the cobbles, notice the row of square, bronze plaques—each one bearing the name of a university student who was executed by the Nazis. You’ll see similar Stolpersteine (“stumbling stones”) all over Berlin. Just beyond the university on the left, head for a building that looks like a Greek temple set in a small park filled with chestnut trees.

15 Neue Wache

The “New Guardhouse” was built in 1816 as just that—a fancy barracks for the bodyguards assigned to the Hohenzollern palace just ahead (it’s the Neoclassical building across the street, with four tall columns marking the doorway). Over the years, the Neue Wache has been transformed into a memorial for fallen warriors. Check out the pediment over the doorway: The goddess of Victory stands in the center amid the chaos of war, as soldiers fall.

The Neue Wache represents the strong, united, rising Prussian state Frederick created. It was just one of the grand new buildings built to line this stretch of Unter den Linden. The style was Neoclassical—structures that looked like Greek temples, with columns and triangular pediments.

Step inside. In 1993, the austere interior was fitted with the statue we see today—a replica of Mother with Her Dead Son, by Käthe Kollwitz, a Berlin artist who lived through both world wars. It marks the tombs of Germany’s unknown soldier and an unknown concentration camp victim. The inscription reads, “To the victims of war and tyranny.” (It’s complicated to honor your war dead when you started and lost a great war...or two. But you can honor the victims of your tyrant—both foreign and domestic.) The memorial, open to the sky, incorporates the elements—sunshine, rain, snow—falling on this modern-day pietà.

• Continue down Unter den Linden, passing by the pink yet formidable Zeughaus (early 1700s), the oldest building on the boulevard. Today it houses the excellent German History Museum (permanent collection closed until 2026; see here).

When you reach the bridge, Unter den Linden changes names to Schlossplatz. Cross the Spree canal and step onto Museum Island.

16 Museum Island and the Humboldt Forum

This island, sitting in the middle of the Spree River, is Berlin’s historic birthplace. Take in the scene: the lazy river, the statues along the bridge, and the impressive buildings all around you.

Berlin was born on this marshy island around the year 1200. As the city grew, this island remained the site of the ruler’s residence—beginning as a fortified castle for Brandenburg dukes and Hohenzollern prince-electors, morphing through the ages to become the imposing home of the kings of Prussia and the kaisers of the German Empire. At its peak under Prussian rulers (1701-1918), it was considered the most important secular Baroque building north of the Alps: a splendid and sprawling Baroque palace called the Stadtschloss, topped at one end with a dome (as you see on the right side of the street).

The building you see now is a reconstruction called the Humboldt Forum. After World War I, the last Prussian ruler was deposed, and the original palace was gutted in a 1945 air raid in the last days of World War II. What was left was demolished in 1950, and in 1973, the East Germans erected in its place a massive, blocky parliament building called the Palace of the Republic. That communist building too was later demolished, and for years this entire city block was a vacant lot—just a big grassy park.

In 2021, at great expense, Germany opened a rebuilt “palace” on the site: the Humboldt Forum. The main facade fits with the historic architecture you passed earlier along Unter den Linden. The side facing the Spree River, with its blocky minimalism, is jarringly modern. This mammoth cultural center is intended to be a new landmark for Berlin, with various museums and attractions in what has long been the heart of the city.

The Humboldt Forum is free to enter; in the main courtyard you can watch a 15-minute video panorama of Berlin’s history, see a few sculptures from the original palace, and get a bite at the recommended Bistro Lebenswelten. Downstairs is the archaeological site (also free), with the scant remains of the original palace; upstairs are the recommended Berlin Global exhibit of contemporary culture and a rooftop plaza (both require tickets). For a full description of what’s inside, see here.

• Now turn your attention to the left side of Schlossplatz. There’s a spacious garden, bordered on two sides by impressive buildings.

17 Museum Island Sights

For 300 years, the Lustgarten has flip-flopped between being a military parade ground and a people-friendly park, depending on the political tenor of the time. In the Nazi era, Hitler enjoyed giving speeches here—from the top of the museum steps overlooking this square. At the far end of the Lustgarten is a cache of grandiose museum buildings that represent the can-do German spirit of the 1800s, when city leaders envisioned the island as an oasis of culture and learning. Today, these impressive buildings host five grand museums. The Altes Museum houses classical antiquities. Just beyond are the Neues Museum (Egyptian, prehistoric, and classical antiquities), the Pergamon Museum (classical antiquities—closed for several years), the Old National Gallery (German Romantic painting), and the Bode Museum (Byzantine art and mosaics).

Opposite the Bode, just off the island, is the Pergamon Museum das Panorama (housing a 360-degree painting of the Pergamon Altar and a smattering of related artifacts while the Pergamon is closed). These museums are each described in more detail under “Sights in Central Berlin,” later.

Dominating the island is the towering, green-domed Berlin Cathedral (Berliner Dom). This is only a century old, built during the reign of Kaiser Wilhelm II—that jingoistic emperor in the spiked helmet who led Europe into World War I. The Wilhelmian style is over-the-top: a garish mix of Neoclassical, Neo-Baroque, and Neo-Renaissance, with rippling stucco and gold-tiled mosaics.

The church is at its most impressive from the outside. To see the extravagant interior and climb the dome (270 steps, sweeping views), you can pay the pricey admission (see here).

• Continue down Schlossplatz past the cathedral, and pause on the bridge over the Spree. Look left, past the cathedral.

18 Spree River

The Spree River is people-friendly and welcoming. A parklike promenade leads all the way from here to the Hauptbahnhof. Along it, you’ll find “beachside” beer gardens with imported sand, BBQs in pocket parks, and locals walking their dogs, taking a lazy bike ride, or jogging. Spree River cruises depart from near here (for details, see here).

• From here you could return to Museum Island to see the sights there or backtrack to the German History Museum. But we’ll continue toward the TV Tower and Alexanderplatz (where this walk ends). Cross the bridge and find the statues of Marx and Engels, at the river end of the big park. Note that as the boulevard crosses the river, Unter den Linden becomes Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse.

19 Statues of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels

These statues of the founders of communism mark the Marx-Engels-Forum, a park dedicated in 1986 by the East German government. During the heady days before the Berlin Wall and the Iron Curtain fell, a half-million Berliners gathered here to call for freedom and an end to the economic and social experiment preached by these two philosophers.

Marx and Engels were economists who studied at Berlin’s Humboldt University in the early 1800s. They co-authored the landmark Communist Manifesto (1848), which ends with the famous line, “Workers of the world, unite!” Preoccupied with the “class struggle” through history—between the haves (bourgeoisie) and the have-nots (proletariat)—Marx and Engels believed that everyday working people should take control of the means of production. Over the next decades, Marx and Engels’ ideas proved enormously influential. They caught on with a Russian named Vladimir Lenin. In 1917, Lenin led the Bolshevik Revolution that toppled the Russian czar and established the communist Soviet Union (USSR). Three decades later, Lenin’s successor Josef Stalin sent the Red Army into Germany to defeat Hitler and the Nazis. After the war, the USSR occupied the eastern half of Germany and established a communist state: the DDR.

• From here, with your back to the river, angle through the park veering left, in the direction of the TV Tower. As you emerge from the park and hit Spandauer Strasse, look right to see the red-brick city hall, where Berlin’s mayor has an office. At the intersection, a cute DDR-era Ampelmännchen (“little traffic-light man”) street light will tell you to stop or walk.

Cross Spandauer Strasse. To your left is...

20 Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse and Plattenbau

This street is named for a founder of Germany’s communist party: Karl Liebknecht, a martyr to the Marxist cause and reminder of the communist regime. As you continue walking toward the TV Tower, notice the uniformity of the high-rise concrete buildings lining the boulevard to your left. These are Plattenbau (“panel buildings”). While the DDR government maintained a few token historic landmarks (like the Rotes Rathaus), their real architectural forte was prefabricated, high-capacity, low-frills housing.

While the buildings’ exteriors and public spaces can be stern and uninviting, residents prided themselves on creating cozy and welcoming little nests inside. Being invited to dinner at one of these apartments in DDR times showed you the stark contrast between cold, paranoid public life and colorful, gregarious private life. In their own homes, people could pursue hobbies and spend time with family.

• Head for the old church up on the right.

21 Martin Luther Statue and St. Mary’s Church

Approaching the church, you see a bold statue of Martin Luther. St. Mary’s Church, like the rest of Europe, was Roman Catholic until about 500 years ago when this solitary German monk rocked European history by kicking off the Protestant Reformation.

St. Mary’s Church (Marienkirche), with its prominent steeple, dates from 1270 and is a rare still-standing medieval church in Berlin. Just inside the church is the interesting but very faded old “Dance of Death” mural that wraps around the narthex (dating from about 1470, the generation before Luther). The church’s whitewashed interior is austere, with heavy oak pews. While originally Roman Catholic (like all churches in Europe before the Reformation), St. Mary’s Church has been Lutheran for about 500 years. In true Protestant style, the interior is dominated by the pulpit (for Protestants, it’s all about the word of God) and the pipe organ (Luther said, “To sing is to pray double.”).

• Across the street and a half-block down is another Berlin memorial that’s worth a detour—the Women’s Protest Memorial. It commemorates a courageous—and unusually successful—protest by the Gentile wives of Jewish men who were arrested by the Nazis. Remarkably, these brave women actually won the freedom of their husbands.

Otherwise, gaze up at the 1,200-foot-tall...

22 TV Tower (Fernsehturm)

The communist regime is long gone, but it left this enduring legacy. The TV Tower—built in 1969 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of communist East Germany—was meant to show the power of the atheistic state at a time when DDR leaders were removing crosses from the country’s church domes and spires. But when the sun hit the tower, the reflected light created a huge, bright cross on the mirrored ball. Cynics called it “The Pope’s Revenge.” East Berliners joked that if the TV Tower fell over, they’d have an elevator to freedom in the West. (For a steep price you can ride that elevator to the top for a grand view.)

• Return to the church side of the boulevard and continue walking east down Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse, passing the TV Tower on your right. You’ll cross under a railway overpass, then make a right on Dircksenstrasse, and (at the entry to the train station) turn left onto...

23 Alexanderplatz

Alexanderplatz was built in 1805, during the Prussian golden age. Because this was a gateway for trade to Eastern Europe, it was named for a Russian czar, Alexander. In the Industrial Age (with trains and the subway) it became a transportation hub. In the roaring 1920s, it was a center of cabaret nightlife to rival Friedrichstrasse. And under the DDR, it was transformed into a commercial center. This was the pride and joy of East Berlin shoppers.

Then, on November 4, 1989, more than a half-million East Berliners gathered on Alexanderplatz to demand their freedom. Protesters chanted, “Wir wollen raus! We want out!” The winds of change were in the air; a week later, the Berlin Wall was history.

Today’s square is a mix of old and new. Stand just beyond the first U-Bahn station entrance for the best view. Take a 360-degree, clockwise spin-tour—starting with Galeria Kaufhof, to the right of the TV Tower. In communist times, the Kaufhof department store was the ultimate shopping mecca...which wasn’t saying much. In front is an abstract-sculpture fountain ringed with a colorful base that attracts sitters. Next, the tall, glassy skyscraper is a DDR-era hotel, now called the Park Inn. Primark, next door, is a major European discount clothing chain, appealing to younger shoppers.

Continuing clockwise past the Saturn electronics store, notice the once-futuristic World Time Clock, a nostalgic favorite installed in 1969 that remains a popular meeting point.

• We’ve seen Berlin go from a royal empire to a fascist state, from a country divided by communism to a center of democracy and capitalism, all in the space of one walk. From here, you can hike back a bit to catch the Spree riverboat tour, visit Museum Island or the German History Museum, venture into the colorful Prenzlauer Berg neighborhood, or extend your foray into eastern Berlin by way of Karl-Marx-Allee. These options are covered in detail in the next section.

Alexanderplatz is a convenient transportation hub to the rest of Berlin. Or you can take bus #100 or #300 back along Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse and on to Unter den Linden.

Sights in Central Berlin (Historic Core)

REICHSTAG AND BRANDENBURG GATE AREA

▲▲▲Reichstag

Map: Historic Core

▲▲Memorials near the Reichstag

▲▲▲Brandenburg Gate

▲▲Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe (Denkmal für die Ermordeten Juden Europas)

UNTER DEN LINDEN

▲▲Strolling Unter den Linden

Gendarmenmarkt

MUSEUM ISLAND AREA

Museum Island (Museumsinsel)

▲▲Pergamon Museum (Pergamonmuseum)

Map: Museum Island

▲▲Neues (New) Museum

▲▲Old National Gallery (Alte Nationalgalerie)

Bode Museum

Altes (Old) Museum

Berlin Cathedral (Berliner Dom)

▲▲Humboldt Forum

Near Museum Island

Pergamon Museum Das Panorama

▲▲▲German History Museum (Deutsches Historisches Museum)

▲▲DDR Museum

Nikolai Quarter (Nikolaiviertel)

Much of Berlin’s sightseeing is concentrated in this central strip, stretching over a mile-long corridor from the Tiergarten Park to Museum Island.

REICHSTAG AND BRANDENBURG GATE AREA

This area is covered in more detail in my “Berlin City Walk” (earlier; also available as a free audio tour).

▲▲▲Reichstag

GOOGLE MAP

Germany’s historic parliament building—completed in 1894, burned in 1933, sad and lonely in a no-man’s land throughout the Cold War, and finally rebuilt and topped with a glittering glass cupola in 1999—is a symbol of a proudly reunited nation. Visit here to spiral up the remarkable dome and gaze across Berlin’s rooftops, and to watch today’s parliament in action. Because of security concerns, you’ll need a reservation and official, physical photo ID to enter (passport is best).

Cost and Hours: Free, reservations required—see below, daily 8:00-24:00, last entry at 22:00, metal detectors, no big luggage allowed, Platz der Republik 1; S- or U-Bahn: Friedrichstrasse, Brandenburger Tor, or Bundestag.

Information: +49 30 2273 2152, www.bundestag.de. Note that the tiny visitors center/ticket booth is on the Tiergarten side of Scheidemannstrasse, across from Platz der Republik (Mon-Fri 8:00-20:00, Sat Sun from 10:00, Nov-March until 18:00).

Reservations Required: You must make a free reservation either online (which is an annoying back-and-forth process) or in person at the site’s visitors center, where monitors display available entry times for the next 72 hours (same-day reservations are generally possible, but you’ll likely need to return later in the day). To book in person, you’ll need physical ID for each member in your party (although only one person needs to be present to book for the entire group).

To book online, go to Bundestag.de, and, from the “Visit” menu, select “Dome, roof terrace and roof garden restaurant,” then “Online registration.” You have two choices: “Visit to the dome” includes a good audioguide and is plenty for most; the 60-minute guided tour (which can only be booked online) provides more in-depth information. After choosing your preferred date and time, you’ll receive an email link to a website where you’ll enter details for each person in your party. A final email will contain your reservation (with a letter you must print out or download to your mobile device).

Getting In: Report 15 minutes before your appointed time to the temporary-looking entrance facility in front of the Reichstag, and be ready to show your ID and confirmation letter. After passing through a security check, you’ll wait with other visitors for a guard to take you to the Reichstag entrance.

When to Go: To minimize crowds and maximize the drama, consider an evening appointment to climb the dome, and follow that with my Berlin City Walk audio tour—which starts at the Reichstag and is peaceful and particularly enjoyable without the hubbub of daytime.

Visiting the Reichstag: The open, airy lobby towers 100 feet high, with 65-foot-tall colors of the German flag. See-through glass doors show the central legislative chamber. The message: There will be no secrets in this government. Look inside. Spreading his wings behind the podium is a stylized German eagle, the Bundestagsadler (affectionately nicknamed the “Fat Hen”), representing the Bundestag (each branch of government has its own symbolic eagle). Notice the doors marked Ja (Yes), Nein (No), and Enthalten (Abstain)...an homage to the Bundestag’s traditional “sheep jump” way of counting votes by exiting the chamber through the corresponding door. (For critical votes, however, they vote with electronic cards.)

Germany’s Bundestag (comparable to the US House of Representatives) meets here. Its 631 members are elected to four-year terms. They in turn elect the chancellor. Unlike America’s two-party system, Germany has a handful of significant parties, so they must form coalitions to govern effectively. Bundestag members have offices in the building to the left of the Reichstag.

Ride the elevator to the base of the glass dome (where you’ll pick up the Berlin Panorama flier and your audioguide). The dome is 80 feet high and 130 feet across, and it weighs a quarter of a million pounds. It uses about 33,000 square feet of glass, nearly enough to cover a football field.

Study the photos and read the circle of captions (around the base of the central funnel) telling the Reichstag story. Then study the surrounding architecture: a broken collage of new on old, torn between antiquity and modernity, like Germany’s history. Notice the dome’s giant and unobtrusive sunscreen that moves as necessary with the sun. Peer down through the skylight to look over the shoulders of the elected representatives at work. For Germans, the best view from here is down—keeping a close eye on their government.

Walking up the ramp, you’ll spiral past 360-degree views of the city, including the Tiergarten, the “green lungs of Berlin”; the Teufelsberg (“Devil’s Hill”; famous during the Cold War as a powerful ear of the West—notice the telecommunications tower on top); Potsdamer Platz; the Brandenburg Gate; Frank Gehry’s fish-like roof of the DZ Bank building; the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe; the former East Berlin, with a forest of 300-foot-tall skyscrapers in the works; Berlin’s huge main train station; and the blocky, postmodern Chancellery, the federal government’s headquarters (the audioguide explains what you’re seeing as you walk).

▲▲Memorials near the Reichstag

The area immediately surrounding the Reichstag is rich with memorials. Within a few steps, you’ll find monuments to politicians who opposed Hitler and victims of the Berlin Wall (both described earlier, on the “Berlin City Walk”).

In the park just behind the Berlin Wall Victims Memorial is the Monument to the Murdered Sinti and Roma of Europe, an opaque glass wall, with a timeline in English and German, commemorating the roughly 500,000 Holocaust victims who identified as “Sinti” and “Roma” (the main tribes and culturally sensitive terms for the group often called “Gypsies”); these groups lost the same percentage of their population as the Jews did.

Also in the park (in the opposite direction, toward the victory column) is the Soviet War Memorial. It honors the Soviet army soldiers who died in the bitter battle for Berlin, which brought World War II to a decisive conclusion.

Across the street from the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe (described earlier, on the “Berlin City Walk”), tucked into a corner of the park, is the Memorial to the Homosexuals Persecuted Under the National Socialist Regime. Access it from the Jewish memorial’s southwest corner, across Ebertstrasse from Hannah-Arendt-Strasse. Through a small window, you can watch a film loop of same-sex couples kissing—a reminder that life and love are precious.

And finally, quite a bit farther south (in front of the philharmonic, facing the Tiergarten), is the Memorial to the Victims of Nazi “Euthanasia.” Hitler sought to rid German society of people with physical and mental disabilities. Over time, the Nazis “euthanized” 300,000 German citizens.

▲▲▲Brandenburg Gate

GOOGLE MAP

The icon of Berlin, this majestic gateway has seen more than its share of history. Armies from Napoleon to Hitler have marched under its gilded statues, and for more than 25 years, it sat forlorn in the Berlin Wall’s death strip. Today, it’s a symbol of Berlin’s rejuvenated capital.

Just inside (east of) the Brandenburg Gate is the tidy “Parisian Square”—Pariser Platz. This prime real estate is ringed by governmental buildings, banks, historic plush hotels, the Academy of Arts, and the heavily fortified US Embassy.

▲▲Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe (Denkmal für die Ermordeten Juden Europas)

This labyrinth of 2,711 irregularly shaped pillars memorializes the six million Jewish people who were executed by the Nazis. Loaded with symbolism, it’s designed to encourage a pensive moment in the heart of a big city.

Within the information center (far-left corner), exhibits trace the rise of Nazism and how it led to World War II. Six portraits, representing the six million Jewish victims, put a human face on the numbers, as do diaries, letters, and final farewells penned by Holocaust victims. You’ll learn about 15 Jewish families from very different backgrounds, who all met the same fate. A continually running soundtrack recites victims’ names. To read them all aloud would take more than six and a half years.

Cost and Hours: Memorial—free and always open; information center—free, open Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon, last entry 45 minutes before closing, security screening at entry, audioguide-€3; S-Bahn: Brandenburger Tor or Potsdamer Platz, +49 30 263 9430, www.stiftung-denkmal.de.

UNTER DEN LINDEN

▲▲Strolling Unter den Linden

Berlin’s main boulevard—“Under the Linden Trees”—has been the city’s artery since the 15th century. Today, it’s a well-tended place to stroll. This main drag and its sights are covered in my “Berlin City Walk,” earlier (also available as a free audio tour).

Gendarmenmarkt

Berlin’s finest square sits two blocks south of Unter den Linden (and one block south of Bebelplatz). The square (generally stately, but potentially messy with construction when you visit), like its name (“Square of the Gens d’Armes,” Frederick the Great’s French guard), is a hybrid of Prussia and France. The square is bookended by two matching churches: the German Cathedral (with a free exhibit on the German parliamentary system) and the French Cathedral (dedicated to the French Huguenots who found refuge in Prussia). Gendarmenmarkt’s centerpiece is the Concert Hall (Konzerthaus), commissioned by Frederick the Great and built by his favorite architect, Karl Friedrich Schinkel. In summer, Gendarmenmarkt hosts outdoor cafés, beer gardens, and occasional outdoor concerts.

MUSEUM ISLAND AREA

Filling a spit of land in the middle of the Spree River, Museum Island has Berlin’s highest concentration of serious sightseeing. The island’s centerpiece is the grassy square called Lustgarten, ringed by five museums, the hulking Berlin Cathedral, and the Baroque Humboldt Forum. Framing the island is a trio of museums (featuring German history, the former DDR, and a 360-degree panorama) and the medieval Nikolai Quarter.

This neighborhood is covered in more detail in my free Berlin City Walk audio tour. For cruises on the Spree River from near Museum Island, see “Tours in Berlin,” earlier.

Museum Island (Museumsinsel)

Five of Berlin’s top museums—featuring art and artifacts from around the world—are just a few steps apart on Museum Island.

Cost and Hours: Each museum has a separate admission (€12-14, includes audioguide). If you’re visiting at least two museums here, get the Museum Island Pass (which covers the four currently open museums, plus the Pergamon Museum das Panorama), or consider the Museum Pass Berlin (see here). The Neues Museum and Old National Gallery are open Tue-Wed and Sun 9:00-18:00, Thu-Sat until 20:00, longer hours in summer, shorter hours off-season, closed Mon year-round. The Altes (Old) and Bode Museums are open Wed-Fri 10:00-17:00, Sat-Sun until 18:00, closed Mon-Tue; +49 30 266 424 242, www.smb.museum.

▲▲Pergamon Museum (Pergamonmuseum)

This world-class museum, which is closed through at least 2027, contains Berlin’s Collection of Classical Antiquities (Antikensammlung)—in other words, full-sized buildings from some of the most illustrious civilizations of the ancient world. Its namesake and highlight is the gigantic Pergamon Altar (Greek, from the 2nd century BC). If the museum has reopened by the time you visit, there’s plenty to see: the massive Babylonian Processional Way and Ishtar Gate (slathered with glazed blue tiles, from the sixth century BC), artifacts from the Assyrians (7th-10th century BC), the full-sized market gate from the ancient Roman settlement of Miletus (first century BC), and, upstairs, an extensive collection of treasures from the Islamic world.

While the Pergamon is closed, a good substitute is the Pergamon Museum das Panorama, just beyond Museum Island (see listing later in this section).

▲▲Neues (New) Museum

This beautiful museum, featuring objects from the prehistoric (i.e., pre-Pergamon) world, contains three collections. Most visitors focus on the Egyptian Collection, with the stunning bust of Queen Nefertiti. But it’s also worth a walk through the Museum of Prehistory and Early History and the Collection of Classical Antiquities (artifacts from ancient Troy). Everything is well described in English (fine audioguide included with admission).

Visiting the Museum: Pick up the floor plan. The main reason to visit is to enjoy one of the great thrills in art appreciation—gazing into the still young and beautiful face of Queen Nefertiti. If you’re in a pinch for time, make a beeline to her (floor 2, far corner of Egyptian Collection in Room 210).

To tour the whole collection, start at the top (floor 3), the prehistory section. The entire floor is filled with Stone Age, Ice Age, and Bronze Age items. You’ll see early human remains, tools, spearheads, and pottery.

The most interesting item on this floor (in the corner of Room 305) is the tall, conehead-like Golden Hat—made of paper-thin gold leaf—that was likely worn by the priest of a sun cult popular among the Celtic people of central Europe around 1000 BC. Admire the incredible workmanship of these prehistoric people. The hat, 30 inches tall, was hammered from a pound of gold into a single sheet of gold leaf less than a millimeter thick.

On floor 2, in a room all her own (Room 210), is the 3,000-year-old bust of Queen Nefertiti, wife of Akhenaton—the most famous piece of Egyptian art in Europe. Nefertiti has all the right beauty marks: long slender neck, perfect lips, almond eyes, symmetrical eyebrows, pronounced cheekbones, and a perfect spray-on tan. And yet, despite her seemingly perfect beauty, Nefertiti has a touch of humanity. Notice the fine wrinkles around the eyes—these only enhance her beauty. She has a slight Mona Lisa smile, pursed at the corners.

The bust left its studio but served as a master model for all other portraits of the queen. (That’s probably why the artist didn’t bother putting the quartz inlay in the left eye.) Stare at her long enough, and you may get the sensation that she’s winking at you.

Downstairs on level 1, make your way to Rooms 103-104. Text panels help explain the craze for antiquities that brought us the Neues Museum. Much of it can be traced to the man featured in these rooms: Heinrich Schliemann (1822-1890). Having read Homer’s accounts of the Trojan War, Schliemann set out on a quest to find the long-lost ruins of the city of Troy. He (probably) found the capital of the Trojans (in Turkey), as well as the capital of the Greeks (Mycenae, in the Greek Peloponnese). Displays tell the fascinating story of how Schliemann smuggled the treasures out in fruit baskets, then their long journey until they were donated to the German government.

▲▲Old National Gallery (Alte Nationalgalerie)

GOOGLE MAP

Of Berlin’s many top-notch art collections, this is the best for German art. It contains mostly paintings from the 19th century, the time when Germany’s many disparate little states were joining together, and when celebrating “German culture” functioned as a bugle call for unification on the battlefield. For a concise visit, focus on the Romantic German paintings (top floor), where Caspar David Friedrich’s hauntingly beautiful canvases offer an insightful glimpse into German landscapes...and the German psyche. With more time, peruse the French and German Impressionists and German Realists on the first and second floors.

Visiting the Museum: Start on the third floor and work your way down.

Casa Bartholdy Murals (Room 3.02): These frescoes tell the biblical story of Joseph. They were done by idealistic artists of the artistic brotherhood called the Nazarenes. It was the early 1800s, and the German people were searching for their unique national identity. In art, the Nazarenes were seeking a purer form of expression that was uniquely German. This almost religious fervor would inspire the next generation of German artists—the Romantics.

Karl Friedrich Schinkel (Room 3.05): Schinkel is best known as the Neoclassical architect who remade Berlin in the 1820s. But in his paintings, Gothic cathedrals and castles dominate his scenes. Foliage grows over the buildings, and animals wander through. Nature rules. Where puny humans do appear, they are dwarfed by the landscape and buildings. Scenes are lit by a dramatic, eerie light, as though the world is charged from within by the power of God. Welcome to Romanticism.

Caspar David Friedrich (Room 3.06): The greatest German artist of the Romantic era was Caspar David Friedrich (1774-1840). A quick glance around this room gives you a sense of Friedrich’s subjects: craggy mountains, twisted trees, ominous clouds, burning sunsets, and lone figures in the gloom. Rather than painting placid, pretty scenes as other landscape artists might, Friedrich celebrated Nature’s awesome power. The few people he painted are tiny and solitary, standing with their backs to us. As they ponder the vastness of their surroundings, we’re invited to see the world through their eyes, and to contemplate humankind’s minuscule place in the grand scheme of things.

Biedermeier Style (Rooms 3.08-3.13): These rooms feature paintings in the so-called Biedermeier style (c. 1815-1848), the conservative flip side to Romanticism’s individualism, turbulence, and political radicalism. Biedermeier landscapes are pretty, not dramatic. The style is soft-focus, hypersensitive, super-sweet, and sentimental. The poor are happy, the middle class are happy, and the world they inhabit is perfectly lit.

French Impressionists (Room 2.03): This one big room is lined with minor works by big-name French artists. Unlike the carefully composed, turbulent, and highly symbolic paintings of the German Romantics, these scenes appear like simple unposed “snapshots” of everyday life. Pan the room to see Renoir’s pink-cheeked girls, Degas’ working girls, Cézanne’s fruit bowls, and Gauguin’s Tahitian girls.

Rest of the Museum: In Room 2.14 are two well-known portraits by Franz von Lenbach of world-changing Germans: Otto von Bismarck (Germany’s first prime minister) and the composer Richard Wagner.

Bode Museum

This fine building—at the northern tip of the island—contains a hodgepodge of collections: Byzantine art, historic coins, ecclesiastical art, sculptures, and medals commemorating the fall of the Berlin Wall and German reunification. While this museum may be dull for casual sightseers, avid museumgoers find plenty to excite here—including the stunning Ravenna Mosaic, transplanted here from the Byzantine world of sixth-century Italy. For a free, quick look at the museum’s lavish interior, climb the grand staircase under a sweeping dome to the charming café on the first floor.

Altes (Old) Museum

Of the five Museum Island collections, this is the least exciting—unless you’re an enthusiast of obscure Etruscan, Roman, and Greek art and artifacts.

Berlin Cathedral (Berliner Dom)

This bulky stone structure, with its rusted-copper dome, looms over Museum Island like the home church of a Prussian kaiser...because it was. It’s a textbook example of Kaiser Wilhelm II’s bigger-is-better aesthetic. While pricey to enter, the lavish interior has some fine details. The great reformers (Luther, Calvin, and company) stand around the brilliant dome like stern saints guarding their theology. King Frederick I rests in an ornate tomb. Those who climb the 270 steps of the dome are rewarded with pleasant, breezy views of the city.

Cost and Hours: €10, includes dome gallery access, not covered by Museum Island Pass; Mon-Fri 9:00-19:00, Sat until 17:00, Sun 12:00-17:00; last entry one hour before closing, audioguide-€4, +49 30 2026 9136, www.berlinerdom.de.

▲▲Humboldt Forum

From the outside, the Humboldt Forum is a new-construction, Baroque-style palace on the site of what was once the Prussian royal family’s residence; on the inside, it’s a collection of modern museums and galleries. The old palace was severely damaged in World War II, then blown up by the communist regime in 1950. In its place, East Germany built a blocky and gargantuan proletarian “palace for arts and government.” Once the Wall fell, that palace was torn down, and after much debate, the government of reunified Germany decided to re-create the shell of the old Prussian palace, but make it a house of art and culture.

Sights within include the impressive Ethnological Museum, the Museum for Asian Art, the “Humboldt Lab” science exhibit, and Berlin Global, an interactive exhibition exploring Berlin’s identity post-1989. The roof terrace offers one of the better free viewpoints in town, and the palace cellar hosts a small exhibit on the history of the site, scattered amidst the remains of the original Baroque foundations.

Cost and Hours: While the cultural mall is generally free, “Berlin Global” (€7), the rooftop terrace (€5), and some special exhibits come with a fee; Wed-Mon 10:30-18:30, closed Tue; Schlossplatz, +49 30 992 118 989, www.humboldtforum.org. Pick up a map from the info desk in the foyer.

Getting There: The Humboldt Forum is in the center of Museum Island, across the street from the Berlin Cathedral. Buses #100 and #300 stop at the Lustgarten, across the street. The nearest U-Bahn stop is Museumsinsel, directly in front of the building.

Visiting the Forum: Enter through the grand front door directly across from the Lustgarten (gate #4) and walk into the center of the middle courtyard. On your right is the foyer (with the info and ticket booth, the cellar, and stairs leading to the Ethnological Museum and “Berlin Global” exhibit. On your left is the Schlüterhof courtyard with the bistro, TI, video panorama, and sculpture hall.

I’d see the forum this way: Start with the Schlüterhof courtyard, watch the video panorama (a 15-minute loop of 800 years of history), see the exhibit of sculpture from the original palace, take a peek at the archaeological exhibit, and finish with the “Berlin Global” experience (which requires a ticket). Leave on the far-left side (facing the TV tower) in order to check out the brutal modernist east facade. If you’re hungry, drop by the Bistro Lebenswelten, and for a grand view, pay to enjoy the roof terrace.

Near Museum Island

The Pergamon Museum das Panorama is just across the Spree canal from Museum Island, facing the Pergamon Museum. The German History Museum is on Unter den Linden, also immediately west of Museum Island. The DDR Museum is (fittingly) just east of Museum Island, on the riverbank facing the back of the Berlin Cathedral. The Nikolai Quarter is a five-minute walk to the south, down the river (facing Museum Island).

Pergamon Museum Das Panorama

While the Pergamon Museum undergoes a decade-plus-long renovation, this is a worthwhile substitute. The most significant sculptures and fragments of frieze from the original Pergamon Altar are on display in this temporary exhibit. The highlight is a 360-degree painting of the ancient metropolis by contemporary artist Yadegar Asisi. Stepping into the panorama room, you’re transported back to AD 129, as lights and sounds mimic day and night, immersing you in the middle of a bustling ancient town (€14, includes audioguide, Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon, south of the Monbijou bridge at Am Kupfergraben 2, www.smb.museum).

▲▲▲German History Museum (Deutsches Historisches Museum)

GOOGLE MAP

When it’s open, this impressive museum offers the best look at German history under one roof, anywhere. Unfortunately, the main building and permanent collection are closed for renovation through 2026. However, the temporary exhibits are worth visiting; they’re on display in the modern annex designed by American architect I. M. Pei, famous for the Louvre glass pyramid entry. Check the website for details of what’s on.

Cost and Hours: €8 for temporary exhibits; daily 10:00-18:00, Unter den Linden 2, +49 30 2030 4750, www.dhm.de.

Getting There: It’s immediately west of Museum Island (just across the canal) at Unter den Linden 2. The U5 Museum Island (Museumsinsel) U-Bahn stop is a short walk to the east. Buses #100, #245, and #300 stop right in front (Staatsoper stop). By tram, the Am Kupfergraben stop (for trams #M1 and #12) is a block behind the museum. The nearest S-Bahn stops are Friedrichstrasse and Hackescher Markt, each about a 10-minute walk away.

Temporary Exhibit and Pei-Bau Annex: During the renovation, the modern annex behind the main building remains open and is hosting a changing line-up of temporary exhibits covering key moments in German history and culture. “Roads Not Taken,” the annex’s main exhibit, will be on view through much of the closure. It examines turning points in German history in reverse order, from 1989’s peaceful revolution to the failed attempt to bring democracy to Germany in 1848. Displays about these and a dozen other significant events in Germany’s past provide a good introduction to German history.

For architecture buffs, the I. M. Pei-designed annex itself is the main attraction. Its striking glassed-in spiral staircase unites four floors with surprising views and lots of light.

▲▲DDR Museum

GOOGLE MAP

While overpriced, crammed with school groups, and frustrating to local historians, the DDR Museum has a knack for helping outsiders (rather than “Ostalgic” Germans) understand life in communist East Germany (the Deutsche Demokratische Republik, or DDR). The museum is well stocked with kitschy everyday items from the DDR period, plus photos, video clips, and concise English explanations.

Cost and Hours: €13.50, daily 9:00-21:00, just across the river from Museum Island at Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse 1, +49 30 847 123 730, www.ddr-museum.de. Note that the “Everyday Life in the DDR” museum in Prenzlauer Berg is free and better; if you do visit, consider touring in the evening to avoid the school crowds.

Visiting the Museum: Inside, you can crawl through a Trabant car (known as a “Trabi”; take it for a virtual test drive) and pick up some DDR-era black humor (“East Germany had 39 newspapers, four radio stations, two TV channels...and one opinion”). You’ll learn how many East Germans—with limited opportunities to travel abroad—vacationed on Hungary’s Lake Balaton or on the Baltic Coast, where nudism was all the rage (as a very revealing display explains). Lounge in DDR cinema chairs as you view a subtitled propaganda film or clips from beloved-in-the-East TV shows, including the popular kids’ show Sandmännchen—“Little Sandman.” The highlight is a tourable reconstructed communist-era home, where you can open drawers and cupboards to find both information panels and the trappings of a typical DDR home. You can even climb into a rickety old “elevator” and get jostled around.

Nikolai Quarter (Nikolaiviertel)

The Nikolai Quarter marks the original medieval settlement of Cölln, which would eventually become Berlin. Huddled around the twin spires of the Nikolaikirche, the area was destroyed during the war, then rebuilt for Berlin’s 750th birthday in 1987. It has a cute and cobbled old-town feel...Middle Ages meets Socialist Realism. Today, most of the buildings are occupied by touristy shops and restaurants. Perhaps the best reason to come here is to visit the old-fashioned beer hall—the recommended Brauhaus Georgbräu, with seating along the river.

Sights in Northern Berlin

OLD JEWISH QUARTER

▲▲Courtyards (Höfe)

Map: Northern Berlin

New Synagogue (Neue Synagogue)

▲Palace of Tears (Tränenpalast) at Friedrichstrasse Station

PRENZLAUER BERG AND NEARBY

Kulturbrauerei

▲Everyday Life in the DDR (Alltag in der DDR)

▲▲▲Berlin Wall Memorial (Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer)

Map: Berlin Wall Memorial

OLD JEWISH QUARTER

Immediately northeast of the Spree River is the old Jewish quarter, which, in addition to being packed with intriguing shops and fun eateries, is one of the most important areas for Berlin’s historic Jewish community—offering insights into a culture that thrived here until the 1940s.

▲▲Courtyards (Höfe)

The old Jewish quarter is a particularly handy place to explore Berlin’s unique Höfe—interconnected courtyards that burrow through city blocks, today often filled with trendy shops and eateries. Two starkly different examples are nearly next door, and just steps from the Hackescher Markt transit hub: the upscale Jugendstil Hackesche Höfe (Rosenthaler Strasse 40), with eye-pleasing architectural flourishes and upscale shops; and the funky, graffiti-drenched Haus Schwarzenberg (Rosenthaler Strasse 39), with a museum honoring Otto Weidt—a Berliner who defied the Nazis and saved many lives by employing blind and deaf Jews in his workshop.

New Synagogue (Neue Synagogue)

Marked by its beautiful golden dome, this large, mid-19th-century synagogue is now a museum memorializing the Berlin Jewish community that was decimated by the Nazis. Berlin was long the center of German Jewry, and this small but moving exhibit (with good English descriptions) re-creates the story of this community through the centuries.

You’ll enter through a low-profile door in the modern building to the right of the synagogue facade and go through very tight security. A cutaway model shows the entire synagogue. This model, and the view across the vacant lot out back to the iron columns marking where the apse stood, helps you envision this space that once housed 3,200 worshippers. After the war, the synagogue’s old administration building was the first “port of call” for returning Jews. Upstairs you’ll find temporary exhibits and, in what would have originally been the women’s gallery, a wall of names commemorating Jews who were deported from Berlin, and those who chose suicide as an alternative.

Cost and Hours: €7; Mon-Fri 10:00-18:00, Sun until 19:00, closed Sat, shorter hours in winter; audioguide-€3, Oranienburger Strasse 28, S-Bahn: Oranienburger Strasse, +49 30 8802 8300, https://centrumjudaicum.de.

▲Palace of Tears (Tränenpalast) at Friedrichstrasse Station

Just south of the old Jewish quarter (cross the river on Friedrichstrasse at Weidendammer Brücke and bear right) stands this impactful Cold War site. The Friedrichstrasse train station—situated within East Berlin, but accessible by train from West Berlin—was one of the few places where Westerners were allowed to cross into the East. And when crossing back into the free world, this was where they’d take leave of their East German loved ones. The scene of many sad farewells, it earned the nickname “Tränenpalast” (palace of tears). The 1962 building—an unassuming, boxy, bureaucratic structure that was once attached by a corridor to the station—has now been converted into a museum about everyday life in a divided Germany, with a fascinating peek into the paranoid border-control world of the DDR.

Cost and Hours: Free, includes digital audioguide for your phone; Tue-Fri 9:00-18:00, Sat-Sun from 10:00, closed Mon; on the river side of the Friedrichstrasse station—look for the building with large glass windows and blue trim, Reichstagufer 17, +49 467 777 7911, www.hdg.de/traenenpalast.

PRENZLAUER BERG AND NEARBY

The thriving Prenzlauer Berg district, worth ▲▲, offers an ideal opportunity to see a corner of today’s “real Berlin,” just beyond the core tourist zone but still easily accessible. Prenzlauer Berg (PRENTS-low-er behrk) was largely untouched by WWII bombs, fell into disrepair during DDR days, and has since been completely rejuvenated. Prenzlauer Berg is also a great place to sleep, eat, shop, and enjoy nightlife.

Kulturbrauerei

Prenzlauer Berg was once a wooded hill with dozens of breweries—including this one, originally called the Schultheiss-Brauerei. By the 1920s, this was one of the largest breweries in the world. World War II put an end to that: The Nazis confiscated the brewery, turned it into a factory for the Wehrmacht (armed forces), and, in the closing days of war, barricaded themselves within the brewery grounds. It went back to operating as a brewery through DDR times and was saved from the wrecking ball by a public outcry in the 1980s. Today the entire site has been renovated, maintaining its historic buildings while providing a venue for the cultural transformation of Prenzlauer Berg.

The “Culture Brewery” is a brewery-turned-cultural-center that fills an evocative old industrial space with a handful of interesting shops, breezy restaurants, a movie theater, a grocery store, and a TI, plus a Sunday food market (12:00-18:00), a winter Christmas market, and other outdoor events (Schönhauser Allee 36, +49 30 4435 2170, www.kulturbrauerei.de [URL inactive]). Of most interest is the exhibit described next.

▲Everyday Life in the DDR (Alltag in der DDR)

This museum, tucked in a passage at the northern end of the Kulturbrauerei, recounts the reality of communist East Germany. The thoughtful, well-curated collection—organized by theme with exhibits tightly gathered on one floor—displays original artifacts, videos, photos, art, and mock storefronts that rise above the kitsch factor to give a real sense of the disparity between the socialist ideal and the grinding reality. It’s designed not for casual tourists, but for aging Germans eager to teach their kids and grandkids about how they once lived. (The DDR Museum near Museum Island—described earlier—is less substantial but also more tourist-friendly and therefore more crowded.) This museum is free and well worth a visit, particularly if you’re well versed in DDR history.

Cost and Hours: Free, Tue-Fri 9:00-18:00, Sat-Sun from 10:00, closed Mon, audioguide available, enter at Knaackstrasse 97, +49 30 4677 7790, www.hdg.de.

▲▲▲Berlin Wall Memorial (Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer)

GOOGLE MAP

This is Berlin’s most substantial and educational sight relating to its gone-but-not-forgotten Wall. As you visit the park, you’ll learn about how the Wall went up, the brutal methods used to keep Easterners in, and the stories of brave people who risked everything to be free.

Exhibits line up along several blocks of Bernauer Strasse, stretching more than a mile northeast from the Nordbahnhof S-Bahn station (one of the DDR’s “ghost stations”) to Schwedter Strasse and the Mauerpark. For a targeted visit, focus on the engaging sights clustered near the Nordbahnhof: two museums (the Visitors Center and the Documentation Center) with films, photos, and harrowing personal stories; various open-air exhibits and memorials; original Wall fragments; and observation tower views into the only preserved, complete stretch of the Wall system (with a Cold War-era “death strip”).

Cost and Hours: Free; outdoor areas accessible daily 24 hours; museums (Visitors Center and Documentation Center) both open Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon, Chapel of Reconciliation generally closes at 16:00 or 17:00; on Bernauer Strasse at #119 (Visitors Center) and #111 (Documentation Center), +49 30 213 085 123, www.berliner-mauer-gedenkstaette.de.

When to Go: The outdoor part of this tour can be done in the evening, but it would be a shame to miss the two indoor exhibits, which close at 18:00.

Getting There: Take the S-Bahn (line S1, S2, or S25) to Nordbahnhof. Exit by following signs for Bernauer Strasse—you’ll pop out across the street from the memorial. You can also get there on tram #12 or #M10 (from near Prenzlauer Berg hotels).

Overview: Begin inside the Nordbahnhof, and pick up an informational pamphlet from the Visitors Center (note that there are different brochures for the four sections—A, B, C, D—and be sure to pick up all you’ll need). Head up Bernauer Strasse, visit the exhibits and memorials that interest you, then ride home from the Bernauer Strasse U-Bahn station. For a longer visit, walk several more blocks all the way to the Mauerpark. The entire stretch is lined with informational posts (some with video or audio clips) and larger-than-life images from the Wall, painted on the sides of buildings.

Self-Guided Walk: Start your visit at the Visitors Center, the rust-colored, blocky building located kitty-corner from the Nordbahnhof (at the far west end of the long Memorial park, at Bernauer Strasse 119).

1 Visitors Center (Bezucherzentrum): Check the next showtimes for the two 15-minute introductory films in English (typically starting on the half-hour). If you don’t have time to wait for the English versions, the German versions have English subtitles. The film titled The Berlin Wall covers the four-decade history of the Wall. The other film, Walled In!, features a 3-D re-creation of the former death strip, helping you visualize what it is you’re about to walk through.

• Exit the Visitors Center, cross Bernauer Strasse, and enter the Memorial park. You’re leaving former West Berlin and entering the no-man’s-land that stood between East and West Berlin. Once in the park, stand facing the rusty rectangular monument with a 3-D map.

2 3-D Map of the Former Neighborhood: The map shows what this neighborhood looked like back in the Wall’s heyday. The shiny metal dot on the left marks where you’re standing. (For orientation purposes, our walk follows the Wall all the way to the upper right-hand corner.) Fifty years ago, you’d be right at the division between East and West Berlin—specifically, in the narrow strip between two sets of walls. One of those walls is still standing—there it is, stretching along Bernauer Strasse. As you gaze down the long park, West Berlin would be to your left (on the north side of Bernauer Strasse), and East Berlin to your right.

Now find the Nordbahnhof, both on the model and in real life—the entrance is across the street on your left. While the Wall stood, the Nordbahnhof station straddled both East and West—one of the “ghost stations” of Cold War Berlin (inside the station, photos compare 1989 with 2009).

• Let’s stroll along the path through this first section of the park (“Section A”). Along the way are small sights, remembrances, and exhibits. You’re walking through the...

3 “Death Strip” (Section A): Today’s grassy park, with a pleasant path through it, was once the notorious “death strip” (Todesstreifen). If someone was trying to escape from the East, they’d have to scale one wall (a smaller one, to your right), cross this narrow strip of land, and climb the main Wall (to your left, along Bernauer Strasse). The death strip was an obstacle course of barbed wire, tire-spike strips to stop cars, and other diabolical devices. It was continually patrolled by East German soldiers leading German shepherds. Armed guards looked down from watchtowers, with orders to shoot to kill.

• About midway through this section of the park, find the freestanding rusted-iron wall filled with photos.

4 Window of Remembrance: Find Otfried Reck, just 17 years old (eighth from the left, top row). On November 27, 1962, he and a friend pried open a ventilation shaft at the boarded-up Nordbahnhof, and descended to the tracks, where they hoped to flag down a passing westbound train. The police discovered them, and Reck was shot in the back. There’s a memorial to him now directly across from the Visitors Center. Ernst Mundt (just left of Otfried), age 40, died directly behind you, at the cemetery wall. On September 4, 1962, he climbed the death strip’s inner wall and ran across the top, headed in the direction of the Nordbahnhof and freedom. He was shot in the head, and his hat (the one in the picture) flew off.

Continue walking through Section A. You’re now walking along the original, preserved asphalt patrol path.

• Now, walk across the grass and find a place to get a good close-up look at...

5 The Wall: The Wall here is typical of the whole system: about 12 feet tall, made of concrete and rebar, and capped by a rounded pipe that made it tough for escapees to get a grip. This was part of a 96-mile-long Wall that encircled West Berlin, making it an island of democracy in communist East Germany. The West Berlin side of the Wall was typically covered with colorful graffiti by free-spirited West Berliners. (No original graffiti survives today: Euphoric “Wall peckers” chipped it all away for souvenirs.)

• Now, exit the park through the hole in the Wall, turn right along Bernauer Strasse, and make your way a short distance to the crosswalk. Across Bernauer Strasse is a modern gray building with a view terrace, located at #119 (labeled Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer). This is the...

6 Documentation Center (Dokumentationszentrum Berliner Mauer): This excellent museum is geared to a new generation of Berliners who can hardly imagine their hometown split so brutally in two. The two floors of exhibits have photos and displays to explain the logistics of the city’s division and its effects. Listen to the riveting personal accounts of escapees—and of the border guards armed with machine guns and tasked with stopping them. Don’t miss a surviving patch of “Stalin’s Lawn,” a brutal carpet of spikes placed in train tunnels to discourage freedom seekers.

On the second floor, at the back of the room, be sure to watch the poignant seven-minute film, Peaceful Revolution. The video highlights the power of the people and traces the events that led to the Wall’s collapse: the 1989 protests in Hungary, Leipzig, Prague, Berlin, and Dresden; the press conference where a bumbling bureaucrat accidentally announced the opening of the Wall “immediately”; the massing of desperate East Berliners at the Bornholmer Strasse; the guards finally shrugging at each other and simply opening the checkpoint; crowds rushing through the Wall, embracing loved ones, climbing up top, and chipping off a chunk; and an awe-filled East Berliner wandering along the Ku’damm, saying, “Me! In West Berlin!”

From this floor, stairs lead to the rooftop Tower (Turm) where you’re rewarded with a view. You can look across Bernauer Strasse and down at Berlin’s last preserved stretch of the death strip with an original guard tower. More than 100 sentry towers like this one kept a close eye on the Wall. In the far distance, the communist-built TV Tower overlooks the scene.

• Exit and recross Bernauer Strasse, going just a short way down Ackerstrasse. Peek around the back side of the big rust-colored wall under the guard tower for the daunting view of what any wannabe escapee would see from the east side. Then, cross Ackerstrasse and enter the next section of the Memorial park.

7 Escapes from Border Strip Buildings (Section B): Ahead, you’ll see a group of information panels. The panels tell the story of what happened here: On August 13, 1961, the East German government officially closed the border. People began fleeing to the parts of Berlin controlled by other European powers—like the French, who held the neighborhood on the north side of Bernauer Strasse.

Over the next few weeks and months, bit by bit, the border hardened. Ackerstrasse was closed to traffic as East German soldiers laid down rows of barbed wire. People were suddenly separated from their West Berlin neighbors just across the street. During this brief window of time (summer of ’61 to early ’62), there were many escape attempts, and the residents of West Berlin did all they could to help.

• Keep going up the path through Section B, to the round building up ahead.

8 Chapel of Reconciliation (Kapelle der Versöhnung): This modern chapel stands on the site of the old Church of Reconciliation. Built in 1894, the old Gothic-style church served the neighborhood parish. When the Wall went up, the church found itself stranded in the death strip. Border guards used the steeple as a watchtower. The church became famous in the West as a symbol of how the godless commies had driven out religion and turned a once-great culture into a bleak wasteland. The church itself was finally blown up by the East Germans in 1985.

After the Wall came down, this chapel was built to remember the troubled past and to try to heal the memory. Inside the church, the carved wooden altarpiece was saved from the original structure. The chapel hosts occasional prayer services for the victims of the Wall.

• Continue past the chapel (past a tiny wheat field harvested by the local Lutheran church to make communion bread) into the second portion of Section B.

Tunnels and More: Walk uphill then bear left to a large open-air display under a canopy (amid the ruins of a destroyed Bernauer Strasse home). Photos, info boards, and press-the-button audio clips explain what it was like to live here, so close to the front line of the Cold War. Head back up to the main path, turn left, and continue. You’ll pass two parallel rows of metal slabs, labeled Fluchttunnel 1964. This marks the route of the most famous tunnel of all: 9 Tunnel 57 (named after the 57 people who escaped through it). Its location is marked by rows of metal plates embedded in the ground.

• The main part of our walk is done. From here you have several choices:

To experience more of the Memorial, you could continue through more open-air exhibits. Section C focuses on the building of the Wall. Section D—nearly as long as the first three sections combined—covers everyday life in the shadow of the Berlin Wall.

Or, if you’re ready to leave, the Bernauer Strasse U-Bahn station is just a block farther up Bernauer Strasse. For a great budget lunch, Café Hermann Eicke is a few steps from the station (daily until 17:00, Brunnenstrasse 45). Tram #M10 follows Bernauer Strasse uphill all the way to Eberswalder Strasse, in the heart of Prenzlauer Berg.

Sights in Southern Berlin

FASCISM AND COLD WAR SITES NEAR CHECKPOINT CHARLIE

▲Checkpoint Charlie

Map: Southern Berlin

▲Museum of the Wall at Checkpoint Charlie (Mauermuseum Haus am Checkpoint Charlie)

▲▲Topography of Terror (Topographie des Terrors)

▲Documentation Center for Displacement, Expulsion, Reconciliation (Dokumentationszentrum Flucht, Vertreibung, Versöhnung)

MUSEUMS SOUTH OF UNTER DEN LINDEN

▲Jewish Museum Berlin (Jüdisches Museum Berlin)

▲Berlinische Galerie

KREUZBERG

The following sights are listed roughly north to south (as you’d reach them from Unter den Linden).

FASCISM AND COLD WAR SITES NEAR CHECKPOINT CHARLIE

A variety of fascinating sites relating to Germany’s tumultuous 20th century cluster south of Unter den Linden.

▲Checkpoint Charlie

Famous as the place where many visiting Westerners crossed into East Berlin during the Cold War, the original Checkpoint Charlie is long gone. But today a reconstructed guard station attracts curious tourists for a photo op (free to view and always open). After the Wall fell, the area around Checkpoint Charlie became a kind of Cold War freak show and kitschy tourist trap (actors posing for photos as GIs, hustlers charging fees for a Cold War-era stamp in your passport, con artists selling bogus bits of wall, and so on). Much of that has been cleaned up, though traces of the scene still exist, such as sidewalk vendors selling Cold War-era memorabilia—made in China.

Background: For nearly three decades (1961-1989), this was a border crossing between East and West Berlin. It became known worldwide and stood as a symbol of the Cold War itself. The name “Charlie” came about because it was the third checkpoint in a series. Checkpoint A (Alpha) was at the East-West German border, a hundred miles west of here. Checkpoint B (Bravo) was where people left East Germany and entered the Allied sector of Berlin. This was Checkpoint C (Charlie). This spot on Friedrichstrasse was one of the few places where people could legally pass between East and West—provided they had the proper documents. That generally meant foreigners and officials from the Allies—not Germans.

The East Germans fortified their side of the checkpoint heavily. There was the Wall, a watchtower, concrete barriers to prevent cars from speeding through, barbed-wire fences, and even a garage where vehicles could be checked for smuggled goods or people. (None of these structures stand today.)

On the US side, there was...Checkpoint Charlie. This was a humble shack for the document-checking GIs. It sat on a traffic island in the middle of Friedrichstrasse, fortified with a few piles of sandbags. While the actual checkpoint has long since been dismantled, you can see a mock-up, with a guard station, sandbags, and a US flag. Larger-than-life posters show an American soldier facing east and a young Soviet soldier facing west—look at these portraits and consider the decades of armed stand-offs here.

▲Museum of the Wall at Checkpoint Charlie (Mauermuseum Haus am Checkpoint Charlie)

GOOGLE MAP

This ragtag but riveting celebration of the many ways desperate East Germans managed to slip through the Wall to freedom has stood here since 1963...taunting DDR authorities. Today, East Germany and its Wall are long gone, but the museum is still going strong. Some of the displays have yellowed, the place is cramped and confusing, and the ticket price is way too high, but the museum retains a special sense of history. You’ll learn about the creation of the Wall and the many escape attempts (including several of the actual items used by clever escapees). Compared to the soberly academic official Berlin Wall Memorial near the Nordbahnhof, this museum has more personality, buoyed by a still-defiant spirit.

Cost and Hours: €18.50, daily 10:00-19:00, last entry one hour before closing, audioguide-€5, U6 to Kochstrasse or U2 to Stadtmitte, Friedrichstrasse 43, +49 30 253 7250, www.mauermuseum.de.

▲▲Topography of Terror (Topographie des Terrors)

GOOGLE MAP

A rare undeveloped patch of land in central Berlin, right next to a surviving stretch of Wall, was once the nerve center for the Gestapo and the SS—the most despicable elements of the Nazi government. Today, this site hosts a modern documentation center, along with an outdoor exhibit in the Gestapo headquarters’ excavated foundations. While there isn’t much in the way of original artifacts, the exhibit does a good job of telling this powerful story, in the place where it happened. The information is a bit dense, but WWII historians (even armchair ones) find it fascinating.

Cost and Hours: Free, daily 10:00-20:00, outdoor exhibit closes at dusk, Niederkirchnerstrasse 8, U-Bahn: Potsdamer Platz or Kochstrasse, S-Bahn: Anhalter Bahnhof or Potsdamer Platz, +49 30 254 5090, www.topographie.de.

Visiting the Museum: Start in the lobby and study a model of the neighborhood showing the home of the German government at the outbreak of World War II. (We’re standing at #20.) Back in the 1930s and ’40s, this was just one of many governmental office buildings along Wilhelmstrasse. Seeing this sprawling bureaucratic quarter gives you a sense of how much mundane paperwork was involved in administering Hitler’s reign of terror in an efficient, rational way. In the small theater nearby, the six-minute film provides context for the exhibit (and can be shown in English upon request).

The ground floor houses the permanent collection, featuring a chronological journey (with a timeline of events, old photographs, documents, and newspaper clippings) through the evolution of Nazism, the reign of terror, the start of World War II, and the Holocaust. Following the numbers, you’ll trace: 1) the Nazi takeover of power; 2) the institutions of terror; 3) the use of concentration camps, racism, and murder in Reich territory; 4) the SS and Reich Main Security Office in the occupied countries; and 5) the end of the war and postwar period.

The displays illustrate how Hitler, Himmler, and their team expertly manipulated the German people to build a broadly supported “dictatorship of consent.” You’ll learn about the web of intersecting organizations whose duties were run from here. And you’ll learn about the Gestapo and SS (Schutzstaffel), and their brutal methods—including their chillingly systematic implementation of the Holocaust.

The exhibits end with the conclusion of the war in 1945. A photo shows this former building in ruins. The finale is a wall of colored cards used in collecting data for the postwar trials of the people who worked here. While the Nazi leadership was captured and prosecuted at the Nürnberg trials, most midlevel bureaucrats who routinely facilitated genocide with the flick of a pen never faced justice.

With more time, use the audioguide and posted signs to explore the grounds surrounding the blocky building. Around the corner (to the right facing the building entrance) are the scant remains of the House Prison outlined in cement. The building was equipped with rooms in the upper floors, where the Gestapo detained, interrogated, and tortured thousands of people. The general public knew what went on here, and its very existence sent a message.

Nearby: Immediately next door is an unusually long surviving stretch of the Berlin Wall. A block beyond that is the looming, very fascist-style Former Air Ministry—built by Hitler to house his Luftwaffe (Nazi air force), later the DDR’s “Hall of Ministries,” and today the German Finance Ministry, still adorned with a cheery 1950s communist mural. A short walk away is a surviving DDR watchtower.

▲Documentation Center for Displacement, Expulsion, Reconciliation (Dokumentationszentrum Flucht, Vertreibung, Versöhnung)

Just a short walk from the Topography of Terror, this sight is equally intense, with more contemporary relevance: It’s the world’s first museum about forced migration. With state-of-the-art exhibits, it considers this phenomenon both in a global context and from the German experience. Besides covering high-profile cases of displacement, such as the Yugoslav wars of the 1990s, Syria in 2015, and Ukraine more recently, it also brings to light the less-told story of the millions of Germans expelled from nearby countries after World War II. Everything is well described in English.

Cost and Hours: Free, includes helpful audioguide, Tue-Sun 10:00-19:00, closed Mon, Stresemannstrasse 90; U-Bahn: Potsdamer Platz, S-Bahn: Anhalter Bahnhof or Potsdamer Platz; check website for schedule of English-language tours; +49 30 2062 9980, www.flucht-vertreibung-versoehnung.de.

MUSEUMS SOUTH OF UNTER DEN LINDEN

▲Jewish Museum Berlin (Jüdisches Museum Berlin)

GOOGLE MAP

Combining a remarkable building with a thoughtful permanent exhibit, this is the most educational Jewish-themed sight in Berlin. Designed by American architect Daniel Libeskind (the master planner for the redeveloped World Trade Center in New York), the zinc-walled building has a zigzag shape pierced by voids symbolic of the irreplaceable cultural loss caused by the Holocaust.

Cost and Hours: Free, €10 special exhibitions, ask for discount if also going to Berlinische Galerie; daily 10:00-18:00, closed on Jewish holidays; tight security includes bag check and metal detectors, digital audioguide for your phone, +49 30 2599 3300, www.jmberlin.de.

Getting There: Take the U1/U6 to Hallesches Tor, find the exit marked Jüdisches Museum, exit straight ahead, then turn right onto Franz-Klühs-Strasse at the first corner. The museum is a five-minute walk ahead on your left, at Lindenstrasse 9.

Eating: The museum’s € cafeteria offers good meals, occasionally inspired by traditional Jewish recipes (albeit not kosher).

Visiting the Museum: Enter the museum via the yellow 18th-century Baroque building next door. For the permanent exhibition, you first descend stairs to an underground space with a few small displays organized along “axes” of exile, Holocaust, and continuity.

Then take the stairs (or an elevator) to the second floor, where the permanent exhibition traces the history of Jews in Germany from medieval times until the present day. Chapters of that story include a short “golden age” in the Middle Ages, a period in the 19th century when “Jews became Germans”—that is, assimilated into the majority culture—and the terror of the 1930s and ’40s. One whole room is filled with lists of anti-Semitic laws and ordinances in Hitler’s Germany, a chilling example of legalized discrimination. Interspersed are insights on wider aspects of Jewish culture, such as the Torah, Kabbalah, and the sounds of worship: a cantor singing, or a shofar horn blown on religious holidays.

The Hall of Fame features portraits of people with Jewish heritage who made major contributions to Western civilization, from the Marx Brothers to Jesus to historian and philosopher Hannah Arendt. The exhibition concludes with video stories of Jews living in Germany today.

Nearby: Across the street is the Jewish Museum Berlin’s “children’s world” (ANOHA), which takes the story of Noah from the Torah as its starting point for a journey into the future (free, book timed-entry ticket in advance, closed Mon, https://anoha.de).

▲Berlinische Galerie

This gorgeous, well-presented museum (with an oversized word-search puzzle out front) showcases modern and contemporary art created in this eclectic city. The permanent exhibit offers an intriguing, chronological, and easily digestible look at art generated in Berlin from 1880 to 1980. The collection begins with Conservative (i.e., realistic) art, then gives way to the shimmering Berlin Secession (starting in 1892) and evolves from there. You’ll meet Margarete Kubicka (1891-1984), with her colorful, curvy, Cubist-inspired style; and Klimt-like, avant-garde Expressionism, including works by Otto Dix (the biggest name here). You’ll get a lesson in the Weimar-era “New Objectivity” (where artists focused on everyday scenes). And you’ll see how historical events shaped the art: works created under the Nazis (capturing confusion and alienation), scenes of postwar destruction, Cold War-era abstraction, and perspectives on the Wall.

Cost and Hours: €10, ask for discount if also visiting the Jewish Museum Berlin; open Wed-Mon 10:00-18:00, closed Tue; Alte Jakobstrasse 124, +49 30 7890 2600, www.berlinischegalerie.de.

KREUZBERG

Visitors who find downtown Berlin too tame head to Prenzlauer Berg, and those who find Prenzlauer Berg too tame fall in love with Kreuzberg (worth ▲▲). This sprawling and often grungy neighborhood (pop. 150,000) sits just south of central Berlin.

Kreuzberg’s identity was forged during the Cold War, when its Industrial Age apartment blocks were surrounded on three sides by the Berlin Wall. Real estate was super cheap, and the people who were most willing to live in Kreuzberg then were poor: Turkish guest workers (trying to make a new life in a new land) and counterculture punks and squatters.

Today, Kreuzberg is in transition: Some areas have long since gentrified, while others are just starting to tidy up. Many areas still have a strong Turkish flavor, but each Kiez (smaller sub-neighborhood) has a personality of its own—some are extremely hip and becoming famous for their restaurants.

For a representative look at this multicultural neighborhood, ride the U-Bahn (U1, U3, or U8) to Kottbusser Tor—the intersection at the heart of Kreuzberg—and explore. To the north is down-to-earth Oranienstrasse, lined with hole-in-the-wall shops and cheap eateries. Or wander south, crossing the Landwehr Canal to the increasingly trendy Graefekiez neighborhood. And if it’s Tuesday or Friday, don’t miss the vivid Turkish Market, with bustling street stalls that enliven the Maybachufer embankment near Kottbusser Brücke. All of these are within about a 10-minute walk of Kottbusser Tor. For recommended restaurants in this foodie-heaven neighborhood, see here.

Sights in Eastern Berlin

Map: Eastern Berlin

Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse

▲Alexanderplatz

TV Tower (Fernsehturm)

Karl-Marx-Allee

▲East Side Gallery

▲Stasi Museum

The first few sights listed here—Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse, Alexanderplatz, and the TV Tower—are also covered earlier, in my “Berlin City Walk” (available as a free audio tour). To delve further into eastern Berlin, consider a walk along Karl-Marx-Allee, which stretches east from Alexanderplatz, or visit the neighborhood of Friedrichshain (just east of the historic core area). This quickly transforming neighborhood is where you’ll find the East Side Gallery and Stasi Museum.

Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse

This wide boulevard—connecting Alexanderplatz to Museum Island, and named for an early German communist pioneer—is lined with DDR-era landmarks, including the TV Tower, St. Mary’s Church (historic church kept open—barely—during communism), Rotes Rathaus (“Red City Hall” of former East Berlin), and the Marx-Engels-Forum, a park with statues of communism founders Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, who studied in Berlin.

▲Alexanderplatz

Marking the eastern end of the Unter den Linden/Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse thoroughfare, this kitschy-futuristic space was the main square of DDR-era East Berlin. Named (fittingly) for a Russian czar, under communist rule the square was turned into a model of Soviet aesthetics—with stern, blocky facades; a showpiece department store; a transit hub for trams and trains; and a trippy “World Time Clock.” Nearby is the start of the severely socialist-style Karl-Marx-Allee; originally named Stalinallee, it would have been more at home in Moscow than in Berlin.

TV Tower (Fernsehturm)

One of Berlin’s landmarks, this 1,200-foot-tall massive spike is topped by a giant glittering disco ball. You’ll see it from just about anywhere in the city, and riding the elevator to the observation deck comes with sweeping (but almost too-high) views. Various walking and bike tours leave from here (€27, cheaper online, open daily 9:00-23:00, Nov-Feb from 10:00, Panoramastrasse 1A, www.tv-turm.de).

Karl-Marx-Allee

This socialist-style boulevard was built after the original buildings here were leveled by the Red Army in 1945. The DDR government decided to rebuild the street better than ever (the USSR provided generous subsidies). They named it Stalinallee and lined it with apartment blocks (“workers’ palaces”) designed in the bold “Stalin Gothic” style so common in Moscow in the 1950s.

Now renamed after Karl Marx, the street and its restored buildings provide a vivid look at architecture from Berlin’s communist days. The two-mile-long boulevard runs from Alexanderplatz to Frankfurter Tor. You can get a sense of it by visiting a small section (for most travelers, it’s enough to poke around Alexanderplatz for a quick impression). I like riding the U-Bahn to Weberwiese and walking two long blocks (about half a mile) away from the TV Tower to Frankfurter Tor. Strolling the boulevard, look for information posts along the way, and notice the Social Realism reliefs on the buildings and the lampposts, which incorporate the wings of a phoenix (rising from the ashes) in their design. From Frankfurter Tor you can ride the tram (#M10, direction: Warschauer Strasse) conveniently to the East Side Gallery (next).

▲East Side Gallery

The biggest remaining stretch of the Wall is now the “world’s longest outdoor art gallery.” This segment of the Wall makes a memorable walk for those interested in street art and/or Berlin Wall history. The gallery stretches for nearly a mile and is covered with murals painted by artists from around the world. The murals (classified as protected monuments) got a facelift in 2009, when the city invited the original artists back to re-create their work for the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Wall. For the history of the East Side Gallery, see www.stiftung-berliner-mauer.de/de/east-side-gallery.

From the Oberbaum Bridge, head along the most interesting stretch of the East Side Gallery. Just walking a hundred yards gives you the essence of the gallery and the tourist scene that enlivens it. Walk along as far as you’d like and return, or trek the entire length, nearly a mile, to the Ostbanhof S-Bahn station.

▲Stasi Museum

This extensive, thoughtfully presented exhibit tells the story of how the communist-era Ministry for State Security (a.k.a. Stasi)—headquartered in these very buildings—infiltrated all aspects of East German life. While the museum is quite dry and out of the way, it’s the best place in Berlin to learn about the Stasi. Exhibits fill three floors of the building where Stasi Minister Erich Mielke had his office. Everything is described in English, with lots of reading and some interesting artifacts. At the entrance, check out the sprawling model of this neighborhood complex (and adjacent info post). The Stasi operation filled entire city blocks—essentially creating a city-within-the-city (54 acres, 50 buildings, 7,000 employees) for the sole purpose of surveilling its citizens. On official maps of East Berlin, this area showed up as blank space. For more on the Stasi, see the “Background” section on here.

Cost and Hours: €10, Mon-Fri 10:00-18:00, Sat-Sun from 11:00, audioguide-€2, +49 30 553 6854, www.stasimuseum.de.

Getting There: While it’s far from the center, at Ruschestrasse 103, it takes only a few minutes on the U-Bahn. Take the U5 to Magdalenenstrasse and exit toward Ruschestrasse (exit A). Up on the street, make a U-turn to the right up Ruschestrasse and look for the yellow sign—the museum is tucked far back in a courtyard.

Sights in Western Berlin

TIERGARTEN PARK

Map: Western Berlin

SOUTH OF TIERGARTEN PARK

Potsdamer Platz Area

▲Potsdamer Platz

Panoramapunkt

Kulturforum

▲▲Gemäldegalerie

▲Museum of Decorative Arts (Kunstgewerbemuseum)

▲Musical Instruments Museum (Musikinstrumenten Museum)

New National Gallery (Neue Nationalgalerie)

German Resistance Memorial (Gedenkstätte Deutscher Widerstand)

CITY WEST

▲Kurfürstendamm

▲Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church (Gedächtniskirche)

Berlin Zoological Garden (Zoologischer Garten) and Aquarium

Kaufhaus des Westens (KaDeWe)

CHARLOTTENBURG PALACE AREA

Map: Charlottenburg Palace Area

▲Charlottenburg Palace (Schloss Charlottenburg)

▲Käthe Kollwitz Museum

▲Scharf-Gerstenberg Collection

▲Museum Berggruen

▲Bröhan Museum

TIERGARTEN PARK

Berlin’s “Central Park” stretches two miles from the Reichstag and Brandenburg Gate to the Berlin Zoological Garden. This vast, 500-acre park, once a royal hunting ground, is now packed with cycling paths, joggers, and—on hot days—nude sunbathers.

The Tiergarten’s centerpiece—faintly visible in the distance from the Brandenburg Gate—is the striking Victory Column, built to commemorate the Prussian defeat of Denmark in 1864...then reinterpreted after the defeat of France in 1870. The pointy-helmeted Germans rubbed it in, decorating the tower with French cannons and paying for it all with francs received as war reparations. The three lower rings commemorate Otto von Bismarck’s victories (Germany’s first chancellor). I imagine the statues of German military greats—which lurk among the trees nearby—goose-stepping around the floodlit angel at night.

Climbing the Victory Column’s 270 steps earns you a breathtaking Berlin-wide view and a close-up of the gilded bronze statue of the goddess Victoria (€4, daily 9:30-18:30, shorter hours off-season, closes for rain, no elevator).

SOUTH OF TIERGARTEN PARK

This area, a 15-minute walk from the Brandenburg Gate, is divided into the skyscraper zone of Potsdamer Platz and the arts-and-culture complex called the Kulturforum. For history buffs, the German Resistance Museum and the Silent Heroes Memorial sit just beyond the Kulturforum.

Potsdamer Platz Area

This immense square is home to sleek skyscrapers, shopping malls, a transportation hub, several major corporate headquarters, upscale restaurants, and a few museums.

▲Potsdamer Platz

The architectural face of Potsdamer Platz has changed drastically over time: Berlin’s busiest intersection before World War II, it was bombed flat and remained a devastated wasteland until the 1990s, then quickly sprouted a forest of glassy skyscrapers, as if to trumpet the victory of capitalism. Today, you’ll see a skyscraper panorama, a replica of Europe’s first traffic light, a boldly modern train station, panels of the Berlin Wall, and the Sony Center (a.k.a. “The Center”) shopping/entertainment complex. A good place to view it all is from the intersection of Potsdamer Strasse and Ebertstrasse. (From the S-Bahn or U-Bahn, exit following Leipziger Platz signs.) The next sight is also nearby.

Panoramapunkt

Just down Potsdamer Strasse, you can ride what’s billed as the “fastest elevator in Europe” to skyscraping rooftop views. You’ll travel at nearly 30 feet per second to the top of the 300-foot-tall Kollhoff Tower in the Potsdamer Platz 1 building. Its sheltered-but-open-air view deck provides a fun survey of Berlin’s changing skyline.

Cost and Hours: €9, daily 10:00-19:00, until 18:00 in winter, in red-brick building at Potsdamer Platz 1, +49 30 2593 7080, www.panoramapunkt.de.

Kulturforum

Berlin’s other ensemble of museums (after Museum Island) fills a purpose-built facility just beyond Potsdamer Platz. Here you’ll find a variety of cultural exhibits, including exquisite European Masters at the Gemäldegalerie, 20th-century art at the New National Gallery, musical instruments, and decorative arts.

Getting There: Ride the S-Bahn or U-Bahn to Potsdamer Platz, then walk along Potsdamer Platz.

Getting Oriented: Locate the Kulturforum’s various buildings by first finding the green steeple of the St. Matthäus Church. Just to the left and beyond the church is the glass-walled New National Gallery. To the right of the church is the low-lying, sprawling Gemäldegalerie—this area’s highlight. Farther right is the cubical Museum of Decorative Arts. Then comes the golden, angular Philharmonic concert hall and behind it, the Musical Instruments Museum (not really visible).

▲▲Gemäldegalerie

GOOGLE MAP

This “Painting Gallery” is one of Germany’s top collections of great works by European masters. The Gemäldegalerie shows off fine works from the 13th through 18th century. While there’s no one famous piece of art, you’ll get a taste of just about all the big names. In the North Wing are painters from Germany (Albrecht Dürer, Hans Holbein, Lucas Cranach), the Low Countries (Jan van Eyck, Pieter Brueghel, Peter Paul Rubens, Anthony van Dyck, Frans Hals, Johannes Vermeer), Britain (Thomas Gainsborough), France (Antoine Watteau), and an impressive hall of Rembrandts. The South Wing is the terrain of Italian greats, including Giotto, Botticelli, Titian, Raphael, and Caravaggio.

Cost and Hours: €10, includes audioguide; Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon; clever little loaner stools, café upstairs, Matthäikirchplatz 4, +49 30 266 424 242, www.smb.museum.

Visiting the Museum: When you buy your ticket, pick up the current museum map for help locating specific paintings (artwork locations may change from descriptions below). Northern Art is on one side (where we’ll begin) and Italian art is on the other (where we’ll end). Note that inner rooms have Roman numerals (I, II, III), while adjacent outer rooms use Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3). We’ll work counterclockwise (and roughly chronologically) through the collection.

Hans Holbein the Younger, 1497-1543 (Room 1): Holbein’s portrait Merchant Georg Gisze (Der Kaufmann Georg Gisze, 1532) depicts a wealthy 34-year-old German businessman. His black beret and immaculate clothes mark him as a successful dealer in cloth. Around him are the tools of his trade—logbooks, business letters with wax seals, signet rings, scales, and coins.

Typical of detail-rich Northern European art, the canvas is bursting with highly symbolic tidbits. The clock (on the table, inside the small gold canister) reminds the viewer that time passes and worldly success fades. The unbalanced scales suggest that wealth is fleeting. Those negative symbols are counterbalanced by the carnations and herbs in the vase, representing Gisze’s upcoming marriage.

Albrecht Dürer, 1471-1528 (Room 2): In 1494, the young Dürer traveled from Germany to Italy, where he soaked up the technique and spirit of the burgeoning Renaissance movement. In his portrait Hieronymus Holzschuher (1526), Dürer captured the personality of a white-bearded friend from Nürnberg, right down to the sly twinkle in his sidelong glance. Dürer does not gloss over the 57-year-old’s unflattering features like the wrinkles or receding hairline (with a comb-over that’s not fooling anyone).

Lucas Cranach the Elder, 1472-1553 (Room III): Cranach’s Fountain of Youth (Der Jungbrunnen, 1546) depicts the perennial human pursuit of eternal youth. Ladies flock to bathe in the fountain, arriving (on the left) as old women—by wagon, on horseback, carried by men, even in a wheelbarrow. They strip and enter with sagging breasts, frolic awhile in the pool, rinse and repeat, then emerge (on the right) young again. Newly nubile, the women go into a tent to dress up, snog with noblemen in the bushes (right foreground), dance merrily beneath the trees, and dine grandly beneath a landscape of mountains and towers.

Rogier van der Weyden, 1400-1464 (Room IV): Netherlandish painters were early adopters of oil paint, and Van der Weyden was a virtuoso of the new medium. In Portrait of a Young Woman (Bildnis einer jungen Frau, 1440-1445), the subject wears a typical winged bonnet, addressing the viewer directly with her fetching blue eyes. In the same room is a remarkable, rare trio of three-panel altarpieces by Van der Weyden showing the life of the Virgin Mary, the life of John the Baptist, and the story of the Nativity. Savor the fine details in each panel.

Peter Paul Rubens, 1577-1640 (Room VIII): We’ve fast-forwarded a hundred years, and it’s apparent how much the Protestant Reformation changed the tenor of Northern European art. Rubens’ paintings represent the Catholic response, the Counter-Reformation. You’ll see huge, brightly-colored canvases of Mary, alongside angels, bishops, and venerated saints (like the arrow-pierced martyr, St. Sebastian). This exuberant Baroque style trumpeted the greatness of the Catholic Church.

You’ll also catch glimpses of Rubens’ second wife, Helene Fourment, in mythological scenes such as Andromeda (1638). Helene, the amply-figured nymph with a sweetly smiling face, came to define the phrase “Ruben-esque.”

Frans Hals, c. 1582-1666 (Room 13): Hals’ Portrait of Catharina Hooft with Her Nurse (Bildnis der Catharina Hooft mit ihrer Amme, 1619-1620) presents a startlingly self-possessed baby (the newest member of a wealthy merchant family), dressed in the lacy, jeweled finery of a queen and clutching a golden rattle. At the other end of the social spectrum is Hals’ Malle Babbe (1633-1635). The subject, a notorious barfly nicknamed “Crazy” Babbe, was well known in Hals’ hometown. Hals captures her in a snapshot from the local pub, hefting her pewter beer stein and turning to laugh at a joke. The messy brushstrokes that define her collar and cap are as wild and lively as her over-the-top personality.

Rembrandt van Rijn, 1606-1669 (Room X): The ultimate Dutch Master, Rembrandt was propelled to fame in his lifetime by his powers of perception and invention.

Browse Room X and the adjoining galleries to get a taste of the range of Rembrandt’s work. There are storytelling scenes, taut with pulse-racing emotion (The Rape of Persephone, 1631, Room 16).

There are Bible scenes (Samson and Delilah, 1628-1629, Room 16; Samson Threatens His Father-in-Law, 1635, Room X).

And there are expressive portraits. In Room X, a Self-Portrait (1634) shows Rembrandt wearing a beret. The 28-year-old genius was already famous. He soon married the beautiful Saskia (Portrait of Saskia, 1643, Room 16), and seemed to have it all. But then Saskia died, Rembrandt declared bankruptcy, and his painting style went out of fashion...all of which contributed to his brooding, dark canvases.

Johannes Vermeer, 1632-1675 (Room 18): Vermeer was a master at conveying a complicated story through a deceptively simple scene with a few significant details.

Young Woman with a Pearl Necklace (1664) is classic Vermeer. He gives us a glimpse of an intimate, unguarded moment in the life of an everyday woman. She wears a beautiful yellow coat with an ermine fur lining, ribbons in her hair, and pearl earrings. Vermeer tells us a bit about the woman with objects on the table: her comb, makeup brush, and water bowl.

Caravaggio, 1573–1610 (Room XIV): In the year 1600, living in Rome, Caravaggio burst onto the scene with a new and shocking art style. Even religious and allegorical subjects got his uncompromising, gritty, ultrarealistic treatment. In Caravaggio’s Amor Vincit Omnia (1601-1602), “Love Conquers All.” Cupid stands victorious over all the vain accomplishments of ambitious men: military triumphs (symbolized by the fallen armor), art (the discarded musical instruments), literature (paper and pen), science (a globe), grand architecture (compass and square), and power (the crown). Cupid—a young, naked boy—mocks those grown-up ambitions.

Now turn your attention to a painting in Room XIV by a different artist—Giovanni Baglione’s Divine Love Conquering Earthly Love (1602-1603). Baglione was hired by a conservative cardinal to paint a moralizing response to Caravaggio. Here, the main figure is a more upright incarnation of divine love embodied by a radiant angel. He corners his rascally counterpart, the cowering and earthly profane little Cupid (lower right).

▲Museum of Decorative Arts (Kunstgewerbemuseum)

Berlin’s answer to London’s Victoria and Albert Museum shows off a thousand years of applied arts—from shimmering reliquaries (the Guelph Treasure) and delicate porcelain to Art Deco and Jugendstil furnishings, and much more. The highlights are the Dome Reliquary (an elaborately decorated, church-shaped container for saints’ bones) and an appealing collection of women’s fashions over the centuries.

Cost and Hours: €10; Wed-Fri 10:00-17:00, Sat-Sun 11:00-18:00, closed Mon-Tue; Matthäikirchplatz 5, www.smb.museum.

▲Musical Instruments Museum (Musikinstrumenten Museum)

Music lovers appreciate this beautifully displayed collection of 600 different items, going back to the 1500s. The included audioguide brings the collection to life and lets you actually hear a few of the instruments in action.

Cost and Hours: €10; Tue 9:00-13:00, Wed-Fri until 17:00, Sat-Sun from 10:00, closed Mon, may be open some Thu until 20:00; Tiergartenstrasse 1—easy-to-miss entrance is down Ben-Gurion-Strasse, facing the back of the Sony Center; www.simpk.de.

Nearby: Berlin’s yellow Philharmonic Concert Hall sits just beyond the Musical Instruments Museum (ticket office open Mon-Fri 15:00-18:00, Sat-Sun 11:00-14:00, closed July-Aug, +49 30 2548 8999, www.berliner-philharmoniker.de).

New National Gallery (Neue Nationalgalerie)

One of Berlin’s six “National Galleries,” this museum is as celebrated for its architecture as for its art—which miraculously survived World War II. With an open floor plan, no interior columns, and walls of glass, the building is a classic work (and the last) by the 20th-century Modernist Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. Inside you’ll find a focused collection of European and North American art from the 20th century displayed in rotating temporary exhibits.

Cost and Hours: €16; Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, Thu until 20:00, closed Mon; Potsdamer Strasse 50, +49 30 2664 24242, www.smb.museum.

German Resistance Memorial (Gedenkstätte Deutscher Widerstand)

This memorial and museum tells the story of several organized German resistance movements and the more than 42 separate assassination attempts against Hitler. While the exhibit has no real artifacts, the firsthand stories, quotes, and photos make it come to life. The building also houses the Silent Heroes Memorial Center (Gedenkstätte Stille Helden), which celebrates the quietly courageous individuals who resisted the persecution of the Jews from 1933 to 1945. Take some time to learn a few of their stories.

Cost and Hours: Free, includes good English audioguide; Mon-Fri 9:00-18:00, Sat-Sun from 10:00; near Kulturforum at Stauffenbergstrasse 13, enter through courtyard, door on left, main exhibit on second floor up; bus #M29, +49 30 2699 5000, www.gdw-berlin.de.

CITY WEST

The area now called City West has seen a lot of history. When Berlin’s zoo was built here in the 1840s, this area was farm fields. It developed at a fast clip, and by the advent of the Cold War, Kurfürstendamm boulevard (nicknamed “Ku’damm”) became West Berlin’s main drag. The West German government poured funds into building Europa Center—glittering skyscrapers to house the headquarters of international businesses, a bold outpost of capitalism. The Schöneberg City Hall became the seat of West Berlin government, and the site of JFK’s famous visit. But with the fall of the Wall, West Berlin became passé as investors turned their attention to previously inaccessible swaths of the East.

The following sights are in the heart of the former “West Berlin” that can easily be seen in an afternoon. To get here, ride the S-Bahn to Zoologischer Garten.

▲Kurfürstendamm

Nicknamed “Ku’damm,” this boulevard starts at Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church and does a commercial cancan for two miles. In the 1850s, when Berlin became a wealthy and important capital, her “new rich” chose Kurfürstendamm as their street. In the 1870s, Bismarck made it Berlin’s Champs-Elysées. In the 1920s, it was a stylish and fashionable drag of cafés and boutiques. During the Third Reich, it was home to an international community of diplomats and journalists, and throughout the Cold War, economic subsidies from the West ensured that capitalism thrived here. Today, Berlin’s focus has shifted east, and Ku’damm feels more “international-touristy” than “authentic Berlin”—with a Hard Rock Café and all the high-end brands. But it remains a fine place to enjoy elegant shops (around Fasanenstrasse), department stores, and people-watching.

▲Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church (Gedächtniskirche)

This church was originally dedicated to the first emperor of Germany, Wilhelm I. Reliefs and mosaics show great events in the life of Germany’s favorite kaiser, from his coronation in 1871 to his death in 1888. The church is actually an ensemble of buildings: a new church, the matching bell tower, a meeting hall, and the ruins of the old church, with its Memorial Hall. The bombed-out ruins of the old church were left standing as a memorial to Berlin’s destruction in World War II, with a new church constructed next door. The people-friendly square out front contains a memorial to the 2016 terrorist attack here.

Cost and Hours: Church—free, daily 10:00-18:00 or earlier if there’s a concert; Memorial Hall—free, Mon-Fri 10:00-18:00, Sat until 20:00, Sun 12:00-17:30. Located on Breitscheidplatz, U2/U9 and S-Bahn: Zoologischer Garten or U1/U9: Kurfürstendamm, www.gedaechtniskirche-berlin.de [URL inactive].

Visiting the Church: Start with the ruined church. Bullet holes dot its exterior. After the war, some Berliners wanted to tear down the church, but instead the ruins were kept as this Memorial Hall. Inside, under a Neo-Romanesque mosaic ceiling, you’ll find a small photo exhibit tracing the history of the church.

The short, modern church (1961) across from the Memorial Hall offers a meditative world of 11,000 little blue windows. The blue glass was given to the church by the French as a reconciliation gift. As you enter, turn immediately right to find a simple charcoal sketch of the Virgin Mary wrapped in a shawl. During the Battle of Stalingrad, German combat surgeon Kurt Reuber rendered the Virgin on the back of a stolen Soviet map to comfort the men in his care. Though Reuber died a year later, his sketch was flown out of Stalingrad on the last medical evacuation flight, and postwar Germany embraced it as a symbol of the wish for peace.

The lively square (Breitscheidplatz) in front of the ruined church attracts street musicians and performers—especially in the summer—and hosts a Christmas market in winter. Berliners call the funky fountain here the “Wet Meatball.” Overlooking the scene is the Bikini Berlin shopping mall, with a mix of local and international shops, pop-up stores, and an upstairs terrace that looks down into the zoo.

A golden crack in the pavement of the square stretches from the church toward Budapester Strasse (to find it, face the Bikini Berlin mall, and walk left toward the Zoologischer Garten S-Bahn station). It commemorates the December 2016 Christmas Market terrorist attack; names of the victims are on the church steps.

Berlin Zoological Garden (Zoologischer Garten) and Aquarium

More than 1,500 kinds of animals, including a pair of pandas, call Berlin’s famous zoo home...or so the zookeepers like to think. The zoo and the world-class adjacent aquarium draw gaggles of school kids and their frazzled chaperones. For a free look into the monkey enclosure, head inside the nearby Bikini Berlin shopping center, where the ground-floor windows offer an eye-level glimpse at the playful primates (or for a delightful bird’s-eye view, head to the mall’s rooftop terrace).

Cost and Hours: Zoo and aquarium-€25 each, €37 for both, cheaper online, kids half-price; daily 9:00-18:30, until 16:30 in winter, aquarium closes at 18:00 year-round; feeding times—Fütterungszeiten—posted just inside entrance and listed on the zoo map (best feeding show is the sea lions—generally at 14:00); enter zoo near Europa Center in front of Hotel Palace or opposite Zoologischer Garten station on Hardenbergplatz, Budapester Strasse 34, +49 30 254 010, www.zoo-berlin.de, www.aquarium-berlin.de.

Kaufhaus des Westens (KaDeWe)

The “Department Store of the West” has been a Berlin tradition for more than a century. With a staff of 2,100 to help you sort through its vast selection of 450,000 items, KaDeWe claims to be the biggest department store on the Continent. You can get everything and more, including Global Blue VAT refunds and souvenirs (both on fifth floor). The sixth floor is a world of gourmet taste treats. The biggest selection of deli and exotic food in Germany offers plenty of classy opportunities to sit down and eat. Ride the glass elevator to the seventh floor’s glass-domed Winter Garden, a self-service cafeteria—fun but pricey.

Hours: Generally Mon-Thu 10:00-20:00, Fri-Sat until 21:00, closed Sun, S-Bahn: Zoologischer Garten or U-Bahn: Wittenbergplatz, +49 30 21210, www.kadewe.de.

Nearby: The Wittenbergplatz U-Bahn station (in front of KaDeWe) is a unique opportunity to see an old-time station. The first subway station in Berlin (1902), its interior still has classic advertisements decorating its venerable walls. On the KaDeWe side of the station, a sign lists sites of Nazi concentration camps—one of many examples of present-day Germans ensuring that the crimes of their ancestors are never forgotten.

The Wittenbergplatz station also marks the boundary of the adjacent Schöneberg district, immediately southeast of the Ku’damm corridor. Here, you’ll find the Schöneberg City Hall, which became the de facto seat of the West Berlin city government. It was on the City Hall’s front steps, on June 26, 1963, that John F. Kennedy stood in solidarity with the people of West Berlin: “Ich bin ein Berliner.”

CHARLOTTENBURG PALACE AREA

Tucked in an upscale residential neighborhood at the northwestern edge of the city sits Charlottenburg Palace—once a suburban residence of Prussian royalty (including Frederick the Great). If you’ve seen the great palaces of Europe, this Baroque palace comes in at about number 10. I’d rate it behind Potsdam, too. But Charlottenburg offers an easy and accessible look at a royal interior, and art lovers appreciate its cluster of nearby museums, which combine to present a remarkable array of early 20th-century art: Surrealism (Scharf-Gerstenberg Collection); Picasso, Matisse, and Klee (Museum Berggruen); furniture and decorative arts in the Jugendstil and Art Deco styles (Bröhan Museum); and the powerful Expressionism of Käthe Kollwitz (Kollwitz Museum).

Getting There: Ride U7 to Richard-Wagner-Platz or U2 to Sophie-Charlotte-Platz and walk about 10 minutes (from either stop, follow signs to Schloss), or—much faster—catch bus #M45 (direction: Spandau) direct from Zoologischer Garten or bus #109 from along Ku’damm (direction: Tegel). You can also take the S-Bahn to Charlottenburg, then ride bus #M45. From any bus, you want the Schloss Charlottenburg stop.

Eating: For lunch on Luisenplatz just east of the palace, try the traditional German grub at the Lemke brewpub (open daily) or sample Russian specialties at Samowar (closed Mon). There’s also a café at the Scharf-Gerstenberg Collection (closed Mon-Tue).

▲Charlottenburg Palace (Schloss Charlottenburg)

Charlottenburg Palace is the largest former residence of the royal Hohenzollern family in Berlin and contains the biggest collection of 17th-century French fresco painting outside France. The palace has several parts: The central “Old Palace” (Altes Schloss) is a mostly reconstructed look at Frederick’s wife, Sophie Charlotte, that falls a bit flat on historic interest; the New Wing (Neue Flügel), with background on Frederick the Great, is the better palace experience. You’ll also find a variety of other royal pavilions (mostly skippable) and sprawling gardens that can be enjoyable on a nice day.

Cost and Hours: New Wing and Old Palace-€12 each, combo-ticket €19, digital audioguide on your device; open Tue-Sun 10:00-17:30, Nov-March until 16:30, closed Mon year-round; +49 331 969 4200, www.spsg.de.

Visiting the Palace: The New Wing (Neue Flügel, a.k.a. the Knobelsdorff Wing) features Rococo rooms and fine paintings. You start on the ground floor in the old royal apartments, greeted by the famous Napoleon Crossing the Alps (one of five originals of this scene painted by Jacques-Louis David). Upstairs you’ll see Frederick’s chambers, including his study, his library, and a concert hall where he played the flute. His sumptuous, gold-encrusted state rooms are the grand finale, including the 105-foot-long Golden Gallery, a real-life Cinderella ballroom with rich green walls, faux marble, gold flourishes, and glittering chandeliers.

The Old Palace (Altes Schloss) showcases Sophie Charlotte’s state apartments—her portrait adorns most of the rooms and is the main theme of the audioguide—plus a lavish palace chapel that defied strict Protestant starkness in favor of Baroque supremacy befitting the Prussian Empire (an enormous royal crown sits opposite the altar, watching over the congregation). Upstairs you’ll find an exhibition on Prussia and the Hohenzollern dynasty, with the (relatively modest) crown jewels.

Out back are sprawling gardens that are fun and free to wander in good weather, with a few skippable royal pavilions.

▲Käthe Kollwitz Museum

This local artist (1867-1945), who experienced much of Berlin’s stormiest century, conveyed powerful, deeply felt emotions about motherhood, war, and suffering through the stark faces of her art. This small yet fine collection consists of charcoal drawings dotted with a handful of sculptures.

Cost and Hours: €7, daily 11:00-18:00, in the Theaterbau wing of the palace, +49 30 882 5210, www.kaethe-kollwitz.de.

Visiting the Museum: The museum has plans to expand, so its layout may have changed somewhat from this description by the time you visit.

Room 1 focuses on Kollwitz’s early work, when she drew from interactions with the poor to create some of her most moving works. You’ll see how she gained confidence and found her artistic voice in her depictions of the Peasants’ Revolt (1520s) and the Weavers’ Revolt (1844). Room 2 continues the story, with a shifting style that came from the turning point in her life: 1914, when Kollwitz’s first-born son died in battle on Flanders Fields. You’ll see her transition to depictions of war colored by her personal loss.

Room 4 illustrates the anguish of poverty, especially the distress of mothers and their children. Move thoughtfully through Rooms 5 (focusing on her work from the 1920s) and 6 (dealing with death and mourning) before turning into the center room, dedicated to World War I and the aftermath of losing her son, Peter. Her self-portraits are imbued with a world-weariness that will only intensify with the death of her grandson, fighting in Russia in World War II. (These losses inspired Kollwitz to create her most famous work, the powerful pietà inside Germany’s war memorial at the Neue Wache—described on here.)

▲Scharf-Gerstenberg Collection

This pleasant museum houses more than 250 works of Surrealist and pre-Surrealist art, with works by big names including Joan Miró, Salvador Dalí, Paul Klee, Jean Dubuffet, and Francisco de Goya, juxtaposed with lesser-known German artists, such as Otto Dix, Max Ernst, and George Grosz. The works show just how freaky the world looks to artists—a jumbled existence of subjects and emotions. The display changes every few years but is always thoughtfully organized and easy to explore without getting overwhelmed. Note that these are “deep cuts” rather than “greatest hits,” making this worth ▲▲ for someone with an affinity for this art, but not worth the trip for those with a casual interest.

Cost and Hours: €10, €12 combo-ticket includes audioguide and Museum Berggruen (when open); Wed-Sun 11:00-18:00, closed Mon-Tue; Schlossstrasse 70, +49 30 266 424 242, www.smb.museum.

▲Museum Berggruen

This tidy museum—which may be closed for renovation during your visit—is a welcome surprise with lesser-known works by some big-name modern artists (especially Picasso). The first floor features some of his earlier works: Blue Period, newspaper collages, and early Cubism (including a study for the seminal Les Demoiselles d’Avignon). The second (top) floor shows off how the prolific artist dabbled in virtually every medium: ceramic, mixed media, doodles, pencil sketches, and, of course, painting. The ground floor has a fine rotating collection intermixed with more Picasso sculptures. In the annex are notable works by Henri Matisse and Paul Cézanne and a huge collection of pieces by Paul Klee. Everything is thoughtfully described in English.

Cost and Hours: €12 combo-ticket includes audioguide and Scharf-Gerstenberg Collection; Wed-Sun 11:00-18:00, closed Mon-Tue; Schlossstrasse 1, +49 30 266 424 242, www.smb.museum.

▲Bröhan Museum

This beautifully understated museum displays decorative arts from the early 20th century on three floors (permanent exhibits on ground floor, temporary exhibits upstairs). This collection makes you wish you were furnishing a Berlin apartment in the year 1900. Wander through a dozen Jugendstil and Art Deco living rooms, a curvy and eye-pleasing organic world of lamps, glass, silver, and posters. English descriptions are posted in some rooms, and the included audioguide does a fair job describing temporary exhibits, featuring various subjects associated with the design history of the Art Deco and Art Nouveau movements.

Cost and Hours: €8; Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon; Schlossstrasse 1A, +49 30 3269 0600, www.broehan-museum.de.

Entertainment in Berlin

Berlin has three opera companies, multiple symphonies and chamber orchestras, and organ concerts in churches nearly every day of the week. But you’ll also find wild dance clubs, hipster ballrooms, dilapidated techno beach bars, and smoky jazz cellars.

Entertainment Info: The TI can provide basic information about what’s on; Visit Berlin’s website also covers events (www.visitberlin.de). For classical music, look for the free, monthly Concerti magazine (or read the online version; www.concerti.de). For good live music listings, see The Berliner website (www.the-berliner.com); Tip Berlin is the top guide to alternative culture (www.tip-berlin.de).

Smoking: Berlin bars that don’t sell food may allow smoking (unlike in much of Europe).

Late-Hours Sightseeing: Berlin’s museums typically close at 18:00, but many stay open later at least one day a week in the summer. Two of the biggies are open late every day: the Reichstag (until midnight, last entry at 22:00) and the Topography of Terror (until 20:00). Some Museum Island museums may also be open until 20:00 on Thursdays. Outdoor monuments such as the Berlin Wall Memorial and the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe are accessible, safe, and well lit late into the night, though their visitor centers close earlier.

Classical Music

Berlin Philharmonic

Housed in a striking, modern building at the Kulturforum cultural complex, the Berlin Philharmonic is among the world’s top 10 orchestras. You can buy tickets at the box office, by phone, or online (ticket office open Mon-Fri 15:00-18:00, Sat-Sun 11:00-14:00 except closed July-Aug, +49 30 2548 8999, www.berliner-philharmoniker.de). Less expensive tickets are sometimes available at the box office two days before a concert. The philharmonic also presents a popular series of free lunch concerts (Wed at 13:00 Sept-June, try to arrive by 12:00 as space is limited).

Other Classical Music Venues

In the historic core, music venues include the gorgeous, Schinkel-designed Konzerthaus Berlin on Gendarmenmarkt (home of the Konzerthausorchester symphony orchestra, popular 45-minute “espresso concert” series Wed at 14:00, +49 30 203 092 101, www.konzerthaus.de) and the cutting-edge, Frank Gehry-designed Pierre Boulez Saal (theater-in-the-round chamber music, not far from Bebelplatz at Französische Strasse 33D, +49 30 4799 7411, www.boulezsaal.de). To enjoy an affordable (sometimes free) recital by talented students, consider the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler, with two venues in the center (facing Gendarmenmarkt at Charlottenstrasse 55, and on Museum Island at Schlossplatz 7, +49 30 203 092 101, www.hfm-berlin.de).

Opera

The most historic opera venue is the stately Staatsoper, on Bebelplatz overlooking Unter den Linden (box office at Unter den Linden 7, +49 30 2035 4555, www.staatsoper-berlin.de). Quite different is Berlin’s famous Komische Oper, with a long tradition of avant-garde, adventurous performances (near Unter den Linden and Friedrichstrasse at Behrenstrasse 55, +49 30 4799 7400, www.komische-oper-berlin.de). The modern Deutsche Oper building (in Charlottenburg, near City West) houses both its own opera company and the Berlin State Ballet (Bismarckstrasse 35, U2: Deutsche Oper, +49 30 3438 4343, www.deutscheoperberlin.de).

Concerts in Churches

Several Berlin churches and other venues offer frequent daytime and early evening concerts. Even “free” concerts request a donation.

St. Mary’s Church: Along Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse near the TV Tower, free organ concerts (Mon at 14:30, www.marienkirche-berlin.de), as well as a variety of other concerts.

Nikolaikirche: In the Nikolai Quarter, 30-minute organ concerts on Fridays at 17:00 (€5, www.stadtmuseum.de/nikolaikirche).

French Cathedral: On Gendarmenmarkt, 30-minute organ concerts on Mondays at 16:00 (€3, www.franzoesische-friedrichstadtkirche.de), plus a variety of other organ and choral worship services.

Berlin Cathedral: On Museum Island, evening weekend concerts ranging from organ to choral (tickets at door—prices vary, starts between 18:00 and 20:00, www.berlinerdom.de.

Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church: In City West, quality concerts (some free, sporadic schedule, often choral, www.gedaechtniskirche-berlin.de [URL inactive]).

Modern Music and Theater

Jazz

Berlin has a lively jazz scene (for schedules, see www.jazzclubsinberlin.com). The following are close to my recommended accommodations; each has live music nightly from around 20:30-21:00.

In City West (near Savignyplatz), consider A Trane Jazz Club (great stage and intimate seating, Bleibtreustrasse 1—see map on here, +49 30 313 2550, www.a-trane.de).

Near the TV Tower, B-Flat Acoustic Music and Jazz Club has live shows and jam sessions (near Alexanderplatz at Dircksenstrasse 40—see map on here, +49 30 283 3123, www.b-flat-berlin.de).

Kunstfabrik Schlot, northwest of the old Jewish quarter, is another respected venue (tucked in a courtyard cellar at Invalidenstrasse 117—see map on here, U6: Naturkundemuseum, +49 30 448 2160, www.kunstfabrik-schlot.de).

Theater and Variety Shows

Since the cabaret days, Berlin has had a flair for the dramatic. Most of these offerings are in German only. For the big spectacles, the language matters less.

Bar Jeder Vernunft, in City West, offers modern-day cabaret a short walk from my recommended Savignyplatz hotels (performances generally Mon-Sat at 20:00, Sun at 19:00, seating can be cramped, south of Ku’damm at Schaperstrasse 24—see map on here, U3 or U9: Spichernstrasse, +49 30 883 1582, www.bar-jeder-vernunft.de).

Berliner Ensemble—a venerable company made famous under the direction of Bertolt Brecht—stages a dozen or so different productions each month ranging from classic to contemporary. The performances are housed in the majestic Theater am Schiffbauerdamm, across from the Friedrichstrasse Bahnhof, just off the river (performances generally daily at 19:30 or 20:00, box office open Mon-Sat 10:00-18:30, Bertolt-Brecht-Platz 1, +49 30 2840 8155, www.berliner-ensemble.de).

The Friedrichstadtpalast, just north of the Spree River, stages glitzy spectacles (Friedrichstrasse 107, www.palast.berlin). Nearby, a bit closer to Unter den Linden, the historic Admiralspalast Theater features lower-key concerts, plays, and musicals (including the Distel Cabaret Theater company—an East Berlin cabaret troupe, Friedrichstrasse 101, www.admiralspalast.theater). For locations, see map on here.

Other venues to consider: Theater RambaZamba, in Prenzlauer Berg’s Kulturbrauerei, highlights performers who are disabled and creatively transforms those “disabilities” into assets (www.rambazamba-theater.de). Chamäleon, inside Hackesche Höfe, channels the creative spirit of 1920s Berlin and bills itself as a contemporary circus, mixing acrobatics, theater, music, and dance (www.chamaeleonberlin.com). Kookaburra, between the old Jewish quarter and Prenzlauer Berg, is a comedy club that regularly presents acts in English (Schönhauser Allee 184, https://comedyclubberlin.com). And the Berliner Festspiele, in City West, often hosts Off-Broadway-type fringe theater (www.berlinerfestspiele.de).

Live Music

Berlin has a staggering array of smaller music venues. Here are some standbys: Frannz Club, in Prenzlauer Berg’s Kulturbrauerei, was a DDR-era hotspot; today it attracts talented rock and alternative bands (www.frannz.com). Just west of Prenzlauer Berg, the campy Ballhaus Berlin is a good option for swing dance and other live music and events (www.ballhaus-berlin.de). And SO36, on Oranienstrasse in Kreuzberg, is Berlin’s most venerable punk venue (www.so36.de).

Big concerts are often held at Olympic Stadium, Uber Arena in Friedrichshain, the Spandau Citadel, and the outdoor Waldbühne (“Forest Stage”).

Radialsystem, a red-brick industrial building right by the Spree River and near the East Side Gallery, hosts everything from classical music to electronica (and good €5 meals to boot, Holzmarktstrasse 33, S-Bahn: Ostbahnhof, www.radialsystem.de.

Nightlife

Al Fresco Summer Fun

Great places to stroll while people-watching include the Spree riverbank (especially around Monbijoupark and Museum Island); Prenzlauer Berg’s Kastanienallee, Oderberger Strasse, and Helmholtzplatz; and Kreuzberg’s Paul-Lincke-Ufer, a leafy embankment on the Landwehr Canal with upscale homes and a lively boules court. The old Jewish quarter’s Oranienburger Strasse (near the New Synagogue) and City West’s Europa Center/Kurfürstendamm boulevard are packed but are more tourist-oriented.

To nurse a drink, stop by a Biergarten. Big, beloved, and lively choices include Prater Biergarten, in Prenzlauer Berg; Schleusenkrug in City West, tucked back in the park near the Zoologischer Garten train station; and Golgatha Biergarten in Kreuzberg’s Viktoriapark.

You can also start or end your evening in a rooftop bar. Favorites include the posh Hotel de Rome (overlooking Gendarmenmarkt), the Monkey Bar at 25hours Hotel Bikini Berlin (with views into the zoo residents’ enclosure), and Hugos Restaurant (inside the Intercontinental on the edge of Tiergarten).

An even more summery variation is Berlin’s beach bar scene—where people grab a drink along the riverfront (check out the Monbijoupark area) and watch the excursion boats go by.

Dancing

The new owners of the historic Clärchens Ballhaus, a Berlin institution since 1913, have promised to maintain the tradition of regular dance nights, so check the website for what’s on (Auguststrasse 24—see map on here, S-Bahn: Oranienburger Strasse, +49 30 282 9295, https://claerchensball.haus).

Berlin boasts the largest tango scene outside Buenos Aires. In summer, it’s easy to get a taste of tango on almost any balmy night in the riverside Monbijoupark, across from the Bode Museum between Museum Island and Hackescher Markt. A whiteboard lists the weekly schedule, which typically includes a mix of salsa, swing, ballroom, and tango—along with lessons; stop by to see what’s on.

Shopping in Berlin

Shops all over town stock the typical array of souvenirs (T-shirts, posters, bottle openers, etc.) emblazoned with icons of Berlin: Brandenburg Gate, TV Tower, Berlin Wall, bears (the namesake and official mascot of “Bear-lin”), and so on.

One big draw is communist kitsch. Gift shops at museums (such as the DDR Museum or the Museum of the Wall at Checkpoint Charlie) sell a variety of East Berlin-era paraphernalia: circa-1968 city maps that mysteriously leave out West Berlin, postcards and posters of DDR propaganda or famous Wall escapes, miniature Trabis, old DDR military armbands and medals, and defunct communist currency. For authentic communist artifacts, head to the flea market by the Ostbahnhof (Sun mornings, described later).

Maybe the top communist-kitsch souvenir is something—anything—with the image of the Ampelmännchen (traffic-light man), the DDR-era crossing-guard symbol that’s become Berlin’s unofficial mascot. The best selection is at the chain of Ampelmann shops found all over the city. The flagship store—with a hunk of Berlin Wall autographed by David Hasselhoff (no joke)—is at Unter den Linden 35 (at the corner with Friedrichstrasse).

One communist-era souvenir to avoid is an “authentic” chunk of the Berlin Wall—enough of which have been sold since 1989 to encircle all of Germany. Don’t trust any vendor who swears they chipped it off the Wall themselves. (And, because the few remaining stretches of Wall are now protected monuments, it’s bad form to chisel off your own souvenir.)

Berlin’s true forte is design. In this city of stylish young urbanites, the streets are lined with gift shops that sell ironic T-shirts, clever kitchen or desk gadgets, snarky books and postcards, and so on. Other shopping options to consider include Berlin’s many appealing bookstores; consider Do You Read Me? in the old Jewish quarter (Auguststrasse 28—see map on here) or Ocelot, near Rosenthaler Platz (Brunnenstrasse 181).

Flea Markets and Farmers Markets

In such an outdoorsy city, some of the most enjoyable “shopping” experiences aren’t in shopping malls or hole-in-the-wall boutiques, but at sprawling outdoor markets.

Flea Markets (Flohmarkt)

Prenzlauer Berg: The Sunday rummage market in the Mauerpark isn’t just about buying and selling—it’s an excuse for a big, weekly, community-wide party. If it’s nice out, people come here simply to chill, drink, and socialize. You’ll find lots of inventive snack stalls and, in the afternoon, karaoke in the park’s amphitheater (Sun 10:00-17:00, U2: Eberswalder Strasse, www.flohmarktimmauerpark.de). On Sundays there’s also a lively “junk market” (Trödelmarkt) several blocks south on Arkonaplatz (10:00-17:00 in summer, U8: Bernauer Strasse or a 10-minute walk from Mauerpark). For locations, see map on here.

Old Jewish Quarter: Just across the Spree from Monbijoupark, the riverbank facing the Bode Museum hosts a weekend antique-and-book market. You can nose around dozens of tables for a rare find from your favorite author or a quirky doodad to take home (Sat-Sun 10:00-17:00, tram #M1 or #12 to Am Kupfergraben or a 10-minute walk from Hackescher Markt or Friedrichstrasse S-Bahn stations, www.antik-buchmarkt.de). Nearby, Hackescher Markt hosts a twice-weekly market with an odd variety of produce, clothes, trinkets, jewelry, hats, and food stalls; while smaller, more touristy, and less funky than the best Berlin markets, it’s conveniently located (Thu and Sat 9:00-18:00).

Kreuzberg: Along the south bank of Landwehr Canal, the twice-weekly Turkish street market is a very local place to shop for everything from clothes and fabrics to basic housewares to produce and meat. The clientele is a mix of Turkish and Middle Eastern immigrants, Kreuzberg punks, and a smattering of tourists. I’d come here more for the people-watching than souvenirs (Tue and Fri 11:00-18:30, U8: Schönleinstrasse).

Friedrichshain: The swiftly gentrifying square Boxhagener Platz (affectionately called “Boxi” by locals), with plenty of snack options close by, hosts a lively flea market on Sundays (10:00-18:00, U5: Samariterstrasse or U- and S-Bahn hub Warschauer Strasse; also a Sat farmers market). On Sunday mornings, the Antikmarkt Ostbahnhof (9:00-16:00, on the north side of the Ostbahnhof S-Bahn station) is the place to pick through the Cold War knickknacks that keep turning up in the basements of former East Berliners.

Near Tiergarten Park: One of Berlin’s largest flea markets is right next to Tiergarten Park on Strasse des 17 Juni, with great antiques, more than 200 stalls, collector-savvy merchants, and fun German fast-food stands (Sat-Sun 10:00-16:00, S-Bahn: Tiergarten, www.berlinertroedelmarkt.com).

Food and Farmers Markets

The city’s best food market is Kreuzberg’s Markthalle Neun, with a variety of vendors and even more activity during the thrice-weekly farmers market, with larger markets on Fridays and Saturdays. Another local favorite is on Boxhagener Platz in Friedrichshain (farmers market Sat 9:00-15:30, see also Sunday flea market). Prenzlauer Berg also has options: Kollwitzplatz (Thu 12:00-19:00 and Sat 9:00-16:00) and in the courtyard of the Kulturbrauerei (Sun 12:00-18:00).

Browsing Areas

Prenzlauer Berg: My favorite hotel and dining neighborhood is also an enjoyable place to window-shop. It’s a delight to simply wander colorful Kastanienallee between Eberswalder Strasse (with a U-Bahn station) and Weinbergspark.

The Kulturbrauerei brewery-turned-cultural center (described on here) has a smattering of little shops. The Kollwitzkiez (a few blocks east) is mostly residential, but you’ll also find some pleasant shops there. For locally produced goods, stop by Brandenburgerie, with a variety of mostly edible products (meat, cheese, chocolate, juices, schnapps) made in the Brandenburg region that surrounds Berlin (closed Sun-Mon, Sredzkistrasse 36).

Rosenthaler Strasse: The otherwise nondescript street that connects the Hackescher Markt and Rosenthaler Platz areas (along the handy tram #M1 route) attracts those interested in Berlin’s fashion and design scene. Most shops along here are pop-up spaces, giving you a glimpse at what local designers are up to. A couple of permanent fixtures are worth checking out: Kauf Dich Glücklich, a ramshackle Berlin café famous for its waffles (see here), but which has since moved into fashion (at #17, www.kaufdichgluecklich-shop.de); and Schee, with appealing handmade items, including prints and textiles (at #15, www.schee.net). For locations, see map on here.

Hackesche Höfe: This delightfully restored series of eight interlocking, old shopping courtyards sits in the heart of the old Jewish quarter. It’s a convenient and tempting place to window-shop for everything from artisanal local foods to fashion (shops closed Sun, Rosenthaler Strasse 40, www.hackesche-hoefe.com).

Chocolate Shops on Gendarmenmarkt

The delightful square called Gendarmenmarkt—a short detour south of Unter den Linden—has two very different chocolate shops that are fun to browse: one bourgeois, and the other proletarian. For locations, see the “Historic Core Hotels and Restaurants” map.

Rausch claims to be Europe’s biggest chocolate store. With 150 years of chocolatemaking under its belt, this family-owned business proudly displays its sweet delights—250 different kinds—on a 55-foot-long buffet. Truffles are picked at your direction by white-gloved maidens (it’s fun to compose the fancy little eight-piece box of your dreams). Upstairs is an elegant café with fine views (Mon-Sat 10:00-20:00, Sun from 12:00, corner of Mohrenstrasse at Charlottenstrasse 60—look for green awnings directly behind German Cathedral, +49 30 757 882 440).

If you’re a choco-populist, head to the opposite end of Gendarmenmarkt, near the French Cathedral, for the Volkswagen of candy. Ritter Sport Bunte Schokowelt is home to the flagship store of Ritter Sport, the famous chocolate company—“quadratisch, praktisch, gut” (“square, practical, good”). This is basically Germany’s answer to the M&M (Mon-Sat 10:00-18:30, closed Sun, Französische Strasse 24, www.ritter-sport.com/de/berlin).

Big, Glitzy Department Stores

Central Berlin: The massive, state-of-the-art Mall of Berlin, with some 300 shops, surrounds a cavernous glass-covered passageway (closed Sun, Vossstrasse 35, www.mallofberlin.de). Nearby, Potsdamer Platz and Sony Center have additional shops.

City West: Several swanky shops line the area’s main boulevard, Kurfürstendamm—especially between Knesebeckstrasse and Leibnizstrasse.

The trendy Bikini Berlin shopping center faces the Europa Center on one side and the Berlin Zoo on the other. This concept mall has a mix of international chains, artisan boutiques, temporary art exhibits, food stalls, and “pop-up boxes” highlighting Berlin vendors (plus a free glimpse of the zoo’s monkeys; Mon-Sat 10:00-20:00, closed Sun, Budapester Strasse 38, www.bikiniberlin.de).

City West’s most venerable shopping is a couple blocks east (near the Wittenbergplatz U-Bahn), at KaDeWe—one of Europe’s fanciest department stores, in business since 1907 and a worthwhile sight in itself (for more, see here).

Sleeping in Berlin

Choosing the right neighborhood in Berlin is as important as choosing the right hotel. In northern Berlin, Prenzlauer Berg—my favorite area to sleep—offers a local neighborhood vibe, easy transit connections, and an excellent selection of eateries; the old Jewish quarter, also with good restaurants, is closer to the sights but more impersonal than Prenzlauer Berg. Farther out, City West—the heart of the former West Berlin—is an upscale, residential neighborhood. A few notes about hotels in Berlin:

• Berlin charges a daily tourist tax (5 percent of the room rate). This may be included in the room price or may appear as an extra charge on your bill.

• Most hotels offer an optional breakfast buffet for about €15-20 per person (you can choose whether to add breakfast when booking). Light eaters and budget travelers can opt out of the hotel breakfast and get coffee and a pastry at a neighborhood café for less.

• Air-conditioning is relatively rare (I’ve noted hotels that have it in all rooms). If it’s important to you, ask about it when you book.

Book well in advance for peak season or if your trip coincides with a major holiday or festival (see RickSteves.com/festivals). Rooms can be in especially short supply when big trade shows are in town (including Green Week in mid-January and the ITB travel show in mid-March). For details on reservations, short-term rentals, and more, see the “Sleeping” section in the Practicalities chapter.

PRENZLAUER BERG

My favorite Berlin neighborhood to call home, Prenzlauer Berg offers easy transit connections to sightseeing; diverse eateries, coffeehouses, and nightspots; and a welcoming personality. A onetime hipster mecca, this area is now gentrified and more sedate—yet it still retains a bit of its alternative edge (think of all that graffiti as just some people’s way of saying they care).

Most of my recommended hotels are between Kastanienallee and Prenzlauer Allee. The area’s transit hub is the Eberswalder Strasse U-Bahn station (U2 line). Trams also serve this neighborhood: The #M1 and #12 run up and down Kastanienallee, connecting to the Rosenthaler Platz U-Bahn (#M1 continues all the way to the Hackescher Markt S-Bahn station), while the #M10 heads west from Eberswalder Strasse along Bernauer Strasse to the Berlin Wall Memorial and eventually to the Hauptbahnhof.

€€€€ Hotel Oderberger has 70 modern rooms filling part of a Neo-Renaissance bathhouse complex (from the reception, you can peek into the elegant old swimming pool area). It’s a fine choice for its understated elegance and good location, tucked away on a quiet side street near the most happening stretch of Kastanienallee (elevator, guest discount for swimming pool, Oderberger Strasse 57, +49 30 780 089 760, www.hotel-oderberger.de, info@hotel-oderberger.de).

€€€€ Myer’s Hotel rents 56 comfortable rooms decorated with lots of bold colors and gold accents. Located on a tranquil, tree-lined street, and overlooking a sleepy courtyard, you’ll find it hard to believe you’re in the heart of a capital city. The gorgeous public spaces, including an art-filled patio and garden, host frequent cultural events (air-con, elevator, sauna, Metzer Strasse 26—midway between U2: Senefelderplatz and #M2 tram: Prenzlauer Allee/Metzer Strasse, #M2 goes to/from Alexanderplatz, +49 30 440 140, www.myershotel.de, info@myershotel.de).

€€€ Linnen rents five rooms in a boho-chic modern space with spiral stairs and comfortable common areas. While it sits along a busy street between the Eberswalder Strasse U-Bahn station and Mauerpark, there’s plenty of charm inside, and the spacious, stylishly decorated rooms feel homey (Eberswalder Strasse 35, +49 30 4737 2440, www.linnenberlin.com, booking@linnenberlin.com).

€€ Hotel Birgit, with 53 rooms, is a pleasant, colorfully floral place on a peaceful street. The rooms are snug but comfortable, and the friendly staff and back garden add to the charm (breakfast extra, elevator, pay parking, Schwedter Strasse 15, 5-minute walk to #M1: Zionskirchplatz or U2: Senefelderplatz, +49 30 443 2990, https://berlin.hotelbirgit.com, berlin@hotelbirgit.com).

€€ Hotel Kastanienhof feels less urban-classy and more like a traditional small-town German hotel. It’s wonderfully located on the Kastanienallee #M1 tram line, with easy access to the Prenzlauer Berg bustle (but since trams run all night, ask for a room in the back). Its 44 rooms come with helpful service (breakfast extra, deluxe top-floor rooms offer air-con and/or balcony, elevator, wheelchair-accessible room, pay parking, 20 yards from #M1: Zionskirchplatz at Kastanienallee 65, +49 30 443 050, www.kastanienhof.berlin, info@kastanienhof.berlin). The hotel’s recommended Ausspanne restaurant serves excellent German dishes with a modern twist.

¢ EastSeven Hostel rents 100 of the best cheap beds in Prenzlauer Berg. Modern and conscientiously run, it offers all the hostel services plus an inviting lounge, guest kitchen, and backyard terrace. Easygoing people of any age are comfortable here (female-only dorms and private rooms available, no curfew, 100 yards from U2: Senefelderplatz at Schwedter Strasse 7, +49 30 9362 2240, www.eastseven.de, info@eastseven.de).

OLD JEWISH QUARTER

The old Jewish quarter, south of Prenzlauer Berg, makes for a fine home base thanks to its good location (close to public transportation and easy walking distance to the center) and traveler-friendly offerings, including cozy restaurants, independent shops, the delightful Monbijoupark, and a few interesting sights. It’s closer to the historic core than Prenzlauer Berg but feels less residential, and the hotels here are bigger and less personable.

Near Rosenthaler Platz

Rosenthaler Platz is halfway between Hackescher Markt and the heart of the Prenzlauer Berg scene (on Kastanienallee). Though bustling and congested, it makes a good base for getting around the city thanks to its U-Bahn stop (U8: Rosenthaler Platz) and tram service (#M1 heads north to Kastanienallee/Eberswalder Strasse and south to the Hackescher Markt S-Bahn hub; #M8 connects to the Hauptbahnhof).

€€€ The Circus Hotel is fun, comfortable, and a good value. The achingly hip lobby has a café serving delicious (optional) breakfasts, and the 60 rooms are straightforward and colorful. Run by the same folks who manage the popular Circus Hostel (listed below), it’s service oriented, with a friendly and “green” vibe, and special events for guests. As the hotel overlooks a busy intersection, ask for a quieter back room (breakfast extra, elevator, Rosenthaler Strasse 1, +49 30 2000 3939, www.circus-berlin.de, info@circus-berlin.de). The Circus also offers spacious, modern €€€ apartments within the hotel and two blocks away at Choriner Strasse 84.

€€ Amano Hotel, while big (164 rooms) and impersonal, is well priced for what you get: contemporary design and all the little amenities you don’t need but appreciate nonetheless. The rooftop terrace and chic lobby bar are usually hopping (breakfast extra, air-con, elevator, pay parking, Auguststrasse 43, +49 30 809 4150, www.amanogroup.com, amano@amanogroup.com).

€ EasyHotel Berlin Hackescher Markt is part of an unapologetically cheap, Europe-wide chain where you pay for exactly what you use—nothing more, nothing less. You’re charged a low base rate, then pay à la carte for each service you add (early check-in, housekeeping, etc.). The 125 orange-and-gray rooms are very small, basic, and feel popped out of a plastic mold (no breakfast, elevator, email to request a quieter back room after booking online, Rosenthaler Strasse 69, +49 30 4000 6550, www.easyhotelberlin.com, enquiries@berlinhm.easyhotel.com).

¢ The Circus Hostel is a brightly colored, well-run place with 280 beds, plenty of social networking, and a trendy lounge and microbrewery. It has typical hostel dorms as well as some hotel-like private rooms (no curfew, elevator, Weinbergsweg 1A, +49 30 2000 3939, www.circus-berlin.de, info@circus-berlin.de).

By Hackescher Markt

Lively Hackescher Markt, just north of the river, is brimming with people, eateries, and, on some days, an open-air market. It’s also home to an S-Bahn station, is connected to Prenzlauer Berg by tram #M1, and is a short walk to Museum Island. Unfortunately, there’s a dearth of recommendable hotels in this area; the three listed here are bigger than they are charming. Apartment sites such as Airbnb may be a better bet.

€€€ Adina Apartment Hotel Berlin Hackescher Markt has 134 studio and one-bedroom apartments with kitchenettes, though breakfast is available for an extra fee (air-con, elevator, pay parking, good option for families, An der Spandauer Brücke 11, +49 30 209 6980, www.adinahotels.com, berlinhm@adina.eu).

€€€ Classik Hotel Alexander Plaza offers 94 brightly appointed, contemporary business-style rooms (breakfast extra, elevator, pay parking, Rosenstrasse 1, +49 30 240 010, https://classik-hotel-collection.com, reception.bap@classik-hotel-collection.com).

€€ Hotel Zoe by Amano, with 108 rooms and a pleasant rooftop bar, is a trendy and slightly more upscale branch of the Amano Hotel listed earlier. It has a geometric design with terrarium vibes (breakfast extra, air-con, elevator, Grosse Präsidentenstrasse 6, +49 30 2130 0150, www.amanogroup.com, zoe@amanogroup.com).

On or near Auguststrasse

These good-value hotels are close to fun, art-gallery-lined Auguststrasse, in an area that feels more characteristic than my other listings in the old Jewish quarter. They’re located near the Oranienburger Strasse S-Bahn (S1/S2) and Oranienburger Tor U-Bahn (U6), and tram #M1 is nearby.

€€€ Adelante is an unpretentious boutique hotel with 30 rooms accented in earth tones, creating a cozy, relaxed atmosphere. Because it’s close to the action on Torstrasse, light sleepers may prefer an “oasis” room facing the courtyard (breakfast extra, air-con, elevator, small gym, Borsigstrasse 1, +49 30 2009 5060, www.adelanteboutiquehotel.de, hello@adelanteboutiquehotel.de).

€€ Calma Berlin Mitte, part of a small local chain, has 46 straightforward but comfortable, modern rooms tucked away on a tranquil courtyard, just steps from the lively Oranienburger Strasse scene (family rooms, breakfast extra, elevator, Linienstrasse 139, +49 30 9153 9333, www.littlebighotels.com, stay@littlebighotels.com).

Near Friedrichstrasse Station

Straddling the Spree River, this area—between the transit stations Oranienburger Tor (U6) and Friedrichstrasse (U6 and several S-Bahn lines)—feels big and sterile, with little personality. But hotels here have plenty of beds and are easy walking distance to both Unter den Linden and the old Jewish quarter. Plush, high-end NH Collection and Eurostars are south of the river and closer to Friedrichstrasse station. Leonardo and Albrechtshof are north of the river and a bit simpler, but still comfortable.

€€€ NH Collection Berlin Mitte Friedrichstrasse is upscale and professional. Its 268 rooms come with sleek hardwood floors, high ceilings, and red accents (breakfast extra, air-con, elevator, gym, sauna, Friedrichstrasse 96, +49 30 206 2660, www.nh-collection.com, nhcollectionberlinfriedrich@nh-hotels.com).

€€€ Hotel Eurostars Berlin is a classy hotel with 221 spacious, rich wood rooms towering over the everyday hustle and bustle. As it faces train tracks, ask for a quieter room—several face into the lobby atrium (breakfast extra, air-con, elevator, gym, spa, Friedrichstrasse 99, +49 307 017 360, www.eurostarsberlin.com, info@eurostarsberlin.com).

€€ Leonardo Hotel Berlin Mitte occupies a modern building set back on a little park overlooking the river. It features retro, circus-themed public spaces and a mazelike floor plan leading to 309 tight, tidy, stylish rooms (breakfast extra, air-con, elevator, gym, sauna, limited pay parking, Bertolt-Brecht-Platz 4, +49 30 374 405 000, www.leonardo-hotels.com, info.berlinmitte@leonardo-hotels.com).

€€ Hotel Albrechtshof is a bit basic but does the trick if all you want is a place to lay your head. The 98 rooms come with a similar design, friendly staff, a peaceful courtyard, and a dose of history: Martin Luther King Jr. once stayed here (breakfast extra, elevator, Albrechtstrasse 8, +49 30 308 860, https://martas.org, hotel-albrechtshof@martas.org).

CITY WEST

City West—the heart of the former West Berlin—is a pleasant, upscale, low-impact residential neighborhood. If you’re looking for funky places in a happening neighborhood, stay elsewhere (such as Prenzlauer Berg). But if your style is more posh and sedate, and you don’t mind a longer commute to sightseeing, City West makes a good home base. Many of my listings are traditional, good-value places that fill the mid-price range that eastern Berlin tends to lack. From City West you have several transit options: Bus #100 is slow but scenic, while the S-Bahn from Savignyplatz or the U-Bahn from Zoologischer Garten zip much faster to the center.

Near Europa Center

€€€ 25hours Hotel Bikini Berlin is your trendy hotel option overlooking Europa Center in the busiest and buzziest part of City West. Filling a high-rise adjacent to the Berlin Zoo and the Bikini Berlin shopping mall, it has 149 plywood-and-concrete rooms and public spaces with an industrial-zoo ambience. This is where trendsetters sleep in City West (breakfast extra, air-con, elevator, Budapester Strasse 40, +49 30 120 2210, www.25hours-hotels.com, bikini@25hours-hotels.com).

Around Savignyplatz

These listings huddle around the delightful, tree-lined Savignyplatz, which has a neighborhood charm and an abundance of simple, small, friendly places to sleep and eat. Hommage à Magritte, Hotel Q!, and Pension Peters are located between Savignyplatz and Ku’damm: Ride the S-Bahn directly to Savignyplatz, or get off at Zoologischer Garten (with more connections) and walk about 10 minutes. The others are close to the Uhlandstrasse U-Bahn station (U1).

€€€ Hotel Augusta, run by mother-and-daughter team Julia and Danuta—and their staff—fills an early 20th-century building with 45 slightly sumptuous rooms that hint at the building’s Jugendstil origins. Superior rooms come with coffee makers and air-con, while others have balconies overlooking Ku’damm (breakfast extra, elevator, Fasanenstrasse 22, +49 30 883 5028, www.hotel-augusta.de, info@hotel-augusta.de).

€€ Hommage à Magritte is a spiffy, tidy B&B in a classic old apartment building on a quiet street, overseen by raconteur Roman. Its 17 good-value rooms have high ceilings and a minimalist design, with artistic touches inspired by its namesake, the Belgian Surrealist painter René Magritte (Grolmanstrasse 32, +49 30 8956 7087, www.hommage-a-magritte.com, info@hommage-a-magritte.com).

€€ Hotel Q! is decidedly more design-forward than my other listings in the neighborhood. Its 77 mostly smallish rooms are all futuristic curvy lines, with sharp, open-concept bathrooms; some have bathtubs integrated into the sleeping area (breakfast extra, air-con, elevator, sauna, gym, Knesebeckstrasse 67, +49 30 810 0660, www.hotel-q.com, contact@hotel-q.com).

€€ Henri Hotel, with 72 spacious, light-filled rooms and a friendly, outgoing staff, is a particularly good value. The building’s 1920s Jugendstil design comes through in the original stucco ceilings, crown molding, parquet floors, and lavish salons (breakfast extra, elevator, Meinekestrasse 9, +49 30 884 430, www.henri-hotels.com/berlin, hello@henri-berlin.com).

€€ Hotel-Pension Funk, the former home of a 1920s silent-movie star, is a special, only-in-Berlin time warp. Kind manager Herr Michael Pfundt offers 15 old-fashioned rooms with rich Art Nouveau furnishings and hardly any modern trappings. Most guests adore it; some are put off by the lack of amenities and the dollhouse feel. Figure out which you’ll be before you book (cheaper rooms with shared bath, cash preferred, no TVs, a long block south of Ku’damm at Fasanenstrasse 69, +49 30 882 7193, www.hotel-pensionfunk.de, berlin@hotel-pensionfunk.de).

€ Pension Peters is sunny and central, with a cheery breakfast room and super-friendly staff who go out of their way to help guests. With modest Scandinavian decor and 33 rooms, it’s a good, affordable choice. Some ground floor rooms facing the back courtyard are a bit dark and cheaper. Sisters Johanna and Olga run the show, after taking over from their parents—this family has been welcoming my readers for decades (breakfast extra, RS%, family rooms, 10 yards off Savignyplatz at Kantstrasse 146, +49 30 312 2278, www.pension-peters-berlin.de, info@pension-peters-berlin.de).

OTHER SLEEPING OPTIONS

Business Hotels in the Historic Core

Berlin’s historic core is handy to sightseeing, but pretty dull. Locals who don’t work in this area rarely venture here, making it sleepy at night. But these large, business-oriented hotels are worth considering if you’re looking to sleep in the very center of town and can score a deal. Breakfasts here are expensive add-ons. For locations, see the map on here.

€€€€ Hotel de Rome, holding court on Frederick the Great’s showpiece Bebelplatz and facing Unter den Linden, is the Berlin splurge, with 146 rooms and all the luxurious little extras. If money is no object, this is a tempting choice for your Berlin address (air-con, elevator, Behrenstrasse 37, +49 30 460 6090, www.roccofortehotels.com [URL inactive], info.derome@roccofortehotels.com).

€€€ NH Collection Berlin Mitte am Checkpoint Charlie is an elegant chain hotel on a busy street a short walk from Gendarmenmarkt, with nearly 400 fresh, interchangeable rooms at reasonable rates (air-con, elevator, Leipziger Strasse 106, U2: Stadtmitte, +49 30 203 760, www.nh-hotels.com, nhcollectionberlinmitte@nh-hotels.com).

In Eastern Berlin’s Friedrichshain

€€ Michelberger Hotel, right across from the Warschauer Strasse U-Bahn station, is a good choice if you want to be close to the trendy Friedrichshain neighborhood. The hotel is so artsy and self-consciously hip that it’d all be just too much...if it weren’t for its helpful staff. Its 134 bright rooms are reasonably priced, and its common spaces—a bar/lounge and a breezy all-organic courtyard restaurant—are welcoming (breakfast extra, family rooms, elevator; Warschauer Strasse 39—for location, see map on here; +49 30 2977 8590, www.michelbergerhotel.com, reservations@michelbergerhotel.com).

Good-Value Chain Hotels

€€ Motel One has multiple locations across Berlin; all have the same aqua-and-brown decor and posh-feeling but small rooms (www.motel-one.com/en/hotels/berlin). The four most convenient branches are Hackescher Markt (Dircksenstrasse 36—see the “Old Jewish Quarter Hotels and Restaurants” map, +49 30 2005 4080, berlin-hackeschermarkt@motel-one.com), Ku’damm (near the Zoologischer Garten station at Kantstrasse 10—see the “City West Hotels and Restaurants” map, +49 30 3151 7360, berlin-kudamm@motel-one.com), Hauptbahnhof (just behind the train station at Invalidenstrasse 54, +49 30 3641 0050, berlin-hauptbahnhof@motel-one.com), and Spittelmarkt (a few blocks east of Gendarmenmarkt at Leipziger Strasse 50, U2: Spittelmarkt, +49 30 2014 3630, berlin-spittelmarkt@motel-one.com). For the last two, see the “Historic Core Hotels and Restaurants” map.

Meininger is a Europe-wide budget-hotel chain with several Berlin locations. With both ¢ cheap dorm beds and €€ comfortable, hotelesque private rooms, Meininger is basic but lively, modern, and generally a solid budget option, even for nonhostelers (all locations have elevator and 24-hour reception, pay parking at some, www.meininger-hostels.com). Three of their branches are centrally located: in Prenzlauer Berg (Alexanderplatz branch, actually at Schönhauser Allee 19 on Senefelderplatz—see the “Prenzlauer Berg Hotels and Restaurants” map), in the old Jewish quarter (Mitte Humboldthaus branch at Oranienburger Strasse 67—see the “Old Jewish Quarter Hotels and Restaurants” map), and near the Hauptbahnhof at Ella-Trebe-Strasse 9—see the “Historic Core Hotels and Restaurants” map.

Eating in Berlin

Berlin has far more quality restaurants than could fit in any guidebook—and the scene changes so fast, anything in print is already dated. It’s hard to go wrong by just browsing a neighborhood until you find something that strikes your fancy.

Berlin is a place to venture beyond German cuisine. As one of Europe’s primary melting pots, it offers Turkish, Italian, Peruvian, Cuban, Thai, Georgian, Indian, Argentinian, and lots of Vietnamese—usually done quite well. Michelin-star restaurants and fancy steak houses attract attention from celebrities and travelers who appreciate finer dining. The result: From simple to sophisticated, Berlin’s cuisine scene has something for every taste bud—and budget.

EATING TIPS

Berlin Specialties: Don’t be too determined to eat “Berlin-style.” The city is best known for its street food—Currywurst and kebabs (see the “Berliner Street Food” sidebar).

But if you do eat German food in Berlin, popular dishes include Buletten and Königsberger Klopse (both meatball dishes), plus other meaty plates, such as Schnitzel Holstein (veal cutlet with egg), Eisbein (boiled ham hock), Leber Berliner Art (veal liver), Kassler (or Kasseler; smoked pork), and Mett (or Hackepeter; minced pork). Also popular are Aal grün (boiled eel), Rollmops (pickled herring), and Senfeier (hard-boiled eggs with potatoes). As for sweets, Berliner Pfannkuchen is the local jelly doughnut, and Berliner Luft is a popular dessert. These dishes are described in more detail in the Practicalities chapter (under “Traditional German Fare,” starting on here).

Grocery Stores: If you want to eat on the quick and cheap, or just stock up with snacks, check out a neighborhood grocery store. The Edeka chain, with good delis and cafés, has locations in the old Jewish quarter (near Hackescher Markt, Rosenthaler Strasse 45), Prenzlauer Berg (just off Schwedter Strasse at Fürstenberger Strasse 8), and City West (Knesebeskstrasse 56). In City West, locals flock to REWE at lunchtime for their takeaway salad bar (Uhlandstrasse 30). These places have long hours Mon-Sat and are closed on Sunday.

HISTORIC CORE

While this government/commercial area is hardly a hotspot for eateries, it is busy with hungry visitors. On Museum Island, the Altes, Neues, and Bode museums all have simple cafés. Along Unter den Linden there are solid museum restaurants at the Humboldt Forum and the Drive Volkswagen Group Forum. And the streets around Hackescher Markt, a 10-minute walk away in the old Jewish quarter, hold plenty of options (see that neighborhood description, later in this chapter). See the “Historic Core Hotels and Restaurants” map on here for locations.

On and Near Unter den Linden

€€ Bistro Lebenswelten, at the Humboldt Forum, is a fresh, efficient, and inviting eatery with modern tables inside and on the courtyard outside. You’ll find a good range of options, from schnitzel to vegan curry, and from breakfast to a fine salad bar. It’s also good for smoothies, coffee, and cakes (daily until 19:00, off Schlossplatz on the ground floor at Humboldt Forum, +49 30 555 705 881).

€€ Daily by Dallmayr, the Drive Volkswagen Group Forum’s cafeteria, is a healthy, bright, and modern place for a quick lunch (daily until 19:00, at the corner of Friedrichstrasse and Unter den Linden, +49 30 2844 9960).

Berliner Street Food

In Berlin, it’s easy to eat cheap, with a glut of Imbiss snack stands, bakeries (for sandwiches), and falafel/kebab counters. Train stations have grocery stores (most with inexpensive salad bars), as well as bright and modern fruit-and-sandwich bars. Sausage stands are everywhere—including the reigning local favorites, Konnopke’s Imbiss and Curry 36. You may even see portable human hot-dog stands—cooks in clever harnesses from which they grill and sell hot dogs.

Most sausage stands specialize in Currywurst, created in Berlin after World War II, when a fast-food cook got her hands on some curry and Worcestershire sauce from British troops stationed here. It’s basically a grilled pork sausage smothered with curry sauce. Currywurst comes either mit Darm (with casing) or ohne Darm (without casing). If the casing is left on to grill, it gives the sausage a smokier flavor. (Berliner Art—“Berlin-style”—means that the sausage is boiled ohne Darm, then grilled.)

Either way, the grilled sausage is then chopped into small pieces or cut in half (East Berlin style) and topped with sauce. While some places simply use ketchup and sprinkle on some curry powder, real Currywurst joints use a proper Currysauce: tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and curry. With your wurst comes either a toothpick or small wooden fork; you’ll usually get a plate of fries as well, but rarely a roll.

The other big Berlin street food is fast Turkish and Middle Eastern food. Shawarma and falafel joints are cheap and tasty. And the kebab—either döner kebab (Turkish-style skewered meat slow-roasted and served in pita bread) or the healthier, vegetarian alternative, Gemüse kebab (with lots of veggies, and sometimes falafel)—is a quick way to fill up for a couple of euros. Other variations include the döner teller (on a plate) and döner dürüm (in a thin flatbread wrap, also called dürüm kebab or yufka).

€€€€ Lutter & Wegner Restaurant, on a corner facing Gendarmenmarkt, is a Berlin institution respected for its Austrian cuisine (Schnitzel and Sauerbraten). Popular with businesspeople, it’s dressy, with fun sidewalk seating or a dark and elegant interior. (daily until late, Charlottenstrasse 56, +49 30 202 9515).

Near the TV Tower

The first two listings here are run by Lemke craft brewery, and both serve a six-beer sampler board.

€€€ Biermeisterei Lemke is a big, lively beer hall (modern but still in its 1970s DDR shell) that boasts grill and barbecue items, as well as one or two vegetarian options (dinner only, tucked a bit back from the street at Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse 13, +49 30 3087 8989).

€€€ Das Lemke offers a menu of Berliner specialties and Bavarian dishes, and has a lovely outdoor garden (daily, just off Hackescher Markt, under the S-Bahn arch at Dircksenstrasse 143, +49 30 2472 8727).

€€ Spreegold Mitte is a good bet for a healthy and relaxing meal near the TV tower and Alexanderplatz. In a spacious, air-conditioned dining area, they serve an enticing array of daily specials, salads, bowls, and vegetarian plates (long hours daily, on corner across from tracks at Rosa-Luxemburg-Strasse 2, +49 30 3758 7980, www.spreegold.com).

Nikolai Quarter

A short walk from Museum Island and Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse, Berlin’s rebuilt “old town” (the Nikolai Quarter) feels pretty soulless by day but is a popular restaurant zone at night.

€€ Brauhaus Georgbräu, a thriving beer hall teeming with German tourists, serves homemade suds on a picturesque courtyard overlooking the Spree River. Eat in the lively and woody hops-infused interior, or outdoors with fun riverside seating. It’s a good place to try Eisbein (boiled ham hock) with sauerkraut and mashed peas with bacon, a typical Berlin dish. Their statue of St. George once stood in the courtyard of Berlin’s old castle—until the Nazis deemed it not “German” enough (daily, 2 blocks south of Berlin Cathedral and across the river at Spreeufer 4, +49 30 242 4244).

PRENZLAUER BERG

Prenzlauer Berg is bursting with excellent restaurants, serving up every cuisine imaginable. Even if you’re not staying in this area, it’s worth venturing here for dinner. Spend a half-hour browsing the creative eateries of this bohemian wonderland before choosing a restaurant (you should be fine without a reservation). Or consider one of my recommendations (for locations, see the “Prenzlauer Berg Hotels and Restaurants” map on here).

The epicenter of this neighborhood is Kastanienallee (between the Eberswalder Strasse U-Bahn station and Zionskirche), and surrounding streets. It’s a youthful and trendy neighborhood to eat and drink. I’ve organized my recommendations in four categories: German cuisine, international options, places for a drink or snack, and options in the more gentrified Kollwitzkiez area, near a pleasant park.

German Food

€ Prater Biergarten—with 600 seats under chestnut trees—has been in business since 1837—back when Prenzlauer Berg was a forested hill—and is Berlin’s oldest beer garden. It’s a classic Gemütlichkeit (cozy and convivial) scene—mellow, shaded, and super-cheap—with a family-friendly outdoor area, including a playground (no table service, order food at one counter, beer at the other). It proudly pours its own microbrew and serves basic pub grub with a few Berliner twists (try something new). The price is right and there’s a wide range of beers (open daily in good weather until late, closed in winter; Kastanienallee 7, +49 30 448 5688). Prater also has a rustic indoor restaurant with dinner service, but the point of coming here is to experience the garden.

€€ Zum Schusterjungen (“The Cobbler’s Apprentice”) is a classic, old-school, German-with-attitude pub that retains its circa-1986 DDR decor. Famous for its filling meals (including various types of schnitzel and Berlin specialties such as pork knuckle), it’s a no-frills Kneipe with quality ingredients and a strong local following. It serves the needs of those Berliners lamenting the disappearance of solid, traditional German cooking amid the flood of ethnic eateries (old-time 40-seat dining hall plus outdoor tables, daily until late, cash only, corner of Lychener Strasse and Danziger Strasse 9, +49 30 442 7654).

€ Konnopke’s Imbiss, a super-cheap German-style sausage stand with a small section of covered picnic tables underneath the ever-rumbling U2 train tracks, has been a Berlin institution since 1930. It was family-owned even during DDR times. Loyal Berliners say Konnopke’s cooks up some of the city’s best Currywurst; they also serve a wide variety of other wurst specialties (Tue-Fri until 18:00, Sat until 19:00, closed Sun-Mon; Schönhauser Allee 44A—underneath elevated train tracks where Kastanienallee dead-ends, +49 30 442 7765).

€€€€ Otto is the place to go for nouveau German cuisine in Prenzlauer Berg. Their small menu of meant-to-share dishes changes with the season and features ingredients grown, sourced, or foraged locally—including plenty of vegetables, potatoes, and slow-cooked meats. Inside, an open kitchen provides front-row action and conversations swirl across tightly packed tables, while out front the small patio is prime for people-watching (reservations required, dinner only, closed Tue-Wed, Oderberger Strasse 56, +49 30 5870 5176, www.otto-berlin.net).

€€€ Ausspanne looks like a traditional, uninspired hotel restaurant. But the small, always fresh menu boldly elevates German classics with surprising, modern flourishes—such as a puff of habanero foam with duck breast and red cabbage (dinner only, closed Sun-Mon, in recommended Hotel Kastanienhof at Kastanienallee 65, +49 30 4430 5199).

€€€ Der Hahn Ist Tot! (“The Rooster Is Dead!”) has whimsical style and cozy outdoor tables facing the Zionskirche, on a quiet Prenzlauer Berg square. They serve only four-course, €40 dinners. The small menu is a thoughtful combination of rustic German and French dishes (always a fish, meat, and vegetarian option). It’s as tiny as it is popular, so consider reservations required (dinner only, on Fridays and Saturdays they turn the tables by offering two seatings, closed Sun, cash only, Zionskirchstrasse 40, +49 30 6570 6756, https://der-hahn-ist-tot.de).

Food Tours

Berlin culinary tours tend to focus either on a particular neighborhood (such as Kreuzberg or Prenzlauer Berg) or a cuisine or theme (street food, gourmet, etc.). Tours generally last around 3.5 hours, cost €80-100, and make a handful of stops that include samples (usually enough to be considered a light lunch or dinner). Along the way, your guide will stoke your appetite with history, jokes, and cultural insights as you walk (or bike) between stops.

It’s a quickly evolving scene, but for starters consider the following: Fat Tire Bike Tours has added a street food tour to their biking lineup (www.fattiretours.com/berlin). Fork and Walk Tours, led by Dov and his eclectic group of globe-trotting guides, offers higher-end experiences combining sightseeing with food stops (www.forkandwalktoursberlin.com). Elements of Food is run by Itay Novik, who has crafted four-hour food tours that explore neighborhoods in depth (www.foodelements.net mailto:info@foodelements.net). Check their websites (and online reviews) to find a tour that suits your interests and travel philosophy.

International Eateries

€€€ Osmans Töchter (“Ottoman Daughters”), run by sisters from Istanbul, is a fun mash-up of an industrial-mod interior and modern Turkish cuisine. Although the service can be a bit full of itself, this popular restaurant is the best Turkish place in Prenzlauer Berg. Reservations are smart (dinner only, Pappelallee 15, +49 172 274 4662, www.osmanstoechter.de).

€€ Lemongrass Scent is a hardworking little spot on a quiet street serving fresh and tasty Asian dishes for a good price. It’s fast, friendly, and has a comfy interior and tables with benches on the street (daily, Schwedter Strasse 12, +49 30 4057 6985).

€ W-Der Imbiss, like Berlin, is eclectic. It dishes out “Indian-Mexican-Japanese street food fusion” (think naan pizzas and roti burgers), crammed into a loud, crowded, little tiki-themed space or at rickety tables on the sidewalk (vegetarian and vegan options, daily, cash only, Kastanienallee 49, +49 30 4435 2206).

€€ Babel is a Lebanese restaurant popular with locals for its generous portions of shawarma, falafel, and kafta served at flower-bedecked sidewalk tables. Their mix-and-match lunch plates and the Babel Platte for two or more (€45) are especially good values (vegan plates, daily until late, Kastanienallee 33, +49 30 4403 1318).

Browsing Kastanienallee: For more international options, simply wander down Kastanienallee from the Eberswalder Strasse trestle. In just a few blocks, you’ll see Italian, Vietnamese, falafel, and Gemüse kebab, along with burgers, funky cafés, colorful Kneipen, and much more.

Snacks and a Bar in the Center of Prenzlauer Berg

The following places are good for lingering over a drink or snack, ideally at an outdoor table where you can soak up the Prenzlauer Berg atmosphere.

Kauf Dich Glücklich makes a great capper to a Prenzlauer Berg dinner. It serves an enticing array of sweet Belgian waffles and homemade ice cream in an inviting candy-sprinkled, bohemian lounge and a garden-like front terrace on a great street (or get your dessert to go, daily until 20:00, Oderberger Strasse 44, +49 30 4862 3292).

Hokey Pokey is an old-fashioned ice cream parlor that draws locals on warm evenings with its range of rich, delectable seasonal flavors (daily, Oderberger Strasse 38, +49 176 5788 4143).

Café Morgenrot (“Red Dawn”) is actually a grunge bar. This Prenzlauer Berg classic, a holdover from the neighborhood’s squatter days, brings together the community—gay, straight, local, foreign—and is still run by an artists’ collective. They serve vegan bar food (hummus, nachos) to go with the drinks (Tue-Sun until late, closed Mon, Kastanienallee 85, +49 30 4431 7844).

French, Georgian, Jewish, Russian, and Middle Eastern in Kollwitzkiez

This small neighborhood, a few blocks east of Kastanienallee, is Prenzlauer Berg’s gentrified heart—quieter and more residential. Hip parents bring their hip kids to the hip leafy playground parks at its center, Kollwitzplatz and the Wasserturm (water tower) square a block away. There are dozens of good eateries within a stone’s throw; some offer takeaway, if you want to grab a bite and then sit and people-watch on these prime squares. These four restaurants, serving French-Alsatian, Georgian, Russian-Jewish, and Jewish cuisine, each make for delightful dining with romantic interiors and great sidewalk tables:

€€€ Gugelhof is famous for its French-Alsatian cuisine. It has a kids’ menu, a selection of Flammkuchen (Alsatian pizzas), rösti, and raclette, fun fixed-price meals, and professional service. A smart local clientele fills its minimalist yet classy interior; in good weather, outdoor seating sprawls along its sidewalk (dinner only, closed Tue, reservations smart, where Knaackstrasse meets Kollwitzplatz, +49 30 442 9229, https://gugelhof.eatbu.com).

€€€ Der Blaue Fuchs is a popular Georgian restaurant. The murals of nature’s bounty on the walls reflect the abundance of this increasingly popular cuisine. Be sure to try some classic dishes like nigvziani badrijani (grilled eggplants filled with walnut paste), khinkali dumplings, and khachapuri cheese bread (dinner only, closed Mon, Knaackstrasse 43, +49 30 2607 4244).

On the Wasserturm square are several €€€ restaurants that mix charm, class, and good food well, including Restaurant Masel Topf for Jewish dishes (with mezze, salads, and set menus, daily until late, +49 30 4431 7525, Rykestrasse 2) and Restaurant Pasternak for Russian-Jewish fare (daily, breakfast served, Knaackstrasse 22, +49 30 441 3399).

€ Zula has an inviting menu of Middle Eastern cuisine (with vegetarian and vegan options), including cheap hummus wraps. While the inside is boring, the outside tables, on one of Prenzlauer Berg’s finest streets, are charming (daily, Husemannstrasse 10, +49 30 4171 5100).

Pubs near Senefelderplatz

Two options—a few blocks south of Kollwitzplatz, handy to the Senefelderplatz U-Bahn—are good choices for beer with grub.

€ Metzer Eck is a time-warp Kneipe with cozy charm, loyal locals, and a family tradition dating to 1913. It serves cheap, basic, old-fashioned Berlin grub with five beers on tap (Mon-Sat evenings until late, closed Sun, Metzer Strasse 33, on the corner with Strassburger Strasse, +49 30 442 7656).

€€ Leibhaftig is the modern yin to Metzer’s yang, serving their own brews and Bavarian tapas—small plates of nouveau German cuisine, with plenty of vegetarian options (Tue-Sat evenings until late, closed Sun-Mon, Metzer Strasse 30, +49 30 5481 5039).

OLD JEWISH QUARTER

Of Berlin’s trendy dining zones, this is the closest to the main sightseeing core. Most of these places are a reasonable walk from Unter den Linden and within 10 minutes of the Hackescher Markt S-Bahn station. For locations, see the “Old Jewish Quarter Hotels and Restaurants” map on here.

Near Auguststrasse

You can find good eateries in the old Jewish quarter along or near Auguststrasse, Berlin’s “art gallery row” (close to the New Synagogue). Though the Hackescher Markt places are easier to reach, the Auguststrasse area is worth a short detour.

€€€ Night Kitchen, buried deep in a courtyard next to the New Synagogue, is a convivial food festival/romantic restaurant with a smart local clientele. The philosophy is small plates to share (“no waste”), mostly Israeli but not kosher, and heavily reliant on the waiter interviewing you to create your meal. While you can go à la carte with the short menu, for the full experience, I’d opt for the “Dinner with Friends” (€56/person, or €70 with “2.5 hours of wine”). It’s a tight and high-energy place whether you sit inside, in the jungle-like garden out back, or at the very cool bar (dinner only, closed Mon, reservations wise, Oranienburgerstrasse 32, +49 30 2357 5075, https://nightkitchenberlin.com).

€€€ Strandbad Mitte serves creative German dishes and a three-course, seasonal “surprise” menu (€40). It has an intimate woodsy interior and a few tables outside by a park (lunch menu €15, daily, no dinner Sun, Kleine Hamburger Strasse 16, +49 30 2462 8963, www.strandbad-mitte.de [URL inactive]).

€€€ Altes Europa is an authentic old-school pub serving Berliner/European dishes, lots of meatballs, and nice drinks. There’s a candlelit vibe inside, and rickety little tables filling a leafy corner of a park (dinner only, closed Sun-Mon, Gipsstrasse 11, +49 30 2809 3840).

€€€€ Lokal presides over a lively corner, with breezy tables outside, a rustic-chic candlelit interior, and friendly servers who welcome you to the neighborhood. The menu changes daily and features fresh vegetable, pasta, meat, and seafood dishes that emphasize traditional German flavors. While the portions aren’t enormous, you’ll walk away satisfied (€53 three-course menu, dinner only, closed Mon, Linienstrasse 160, +49 30 2844 9500).

€€€ Schwarzwaldstuben is a cozy Black Forest-themed pub—which explains the antlers and cuckoo clocks. This friendly neighborhood hangout comes with good service, traditional Bavarian food (plus Flammkuchen), and fair prices. The staff chooses the music (often rock or jazz), and the ambience is warm and welcoming. If the tables are all taken, you can eat at the long bar (closed Mon, Tucholskystrasse 48, +49 30 5001 6266).

€€€ Sophieneck upholds its Kneipe roots as the neighborhood’s rustic, romantic living room, serving hearty Berliner specialties like Buletten and Eisbein, plus good beers on tap, on a breezy corner to a happy mix of locals and tourists (daily, Grosse Hamburger Strasse 37, +49 30 283 4065).

Dessert: For your afternoon Kaffee und Kuchen, stop at Princess Cheesecake, beloved by locals and selling several varieties of cheesecake—both creative and classic (daily until 19:00, Tucholskystrasse 37, +49 30 2809 2760).

Rosenthaler Platz Area

This busy neighborhood thrives with millennials and the youth hostel crowd and has some enticing options. It’s roughly between the old Jewish quarter and Prenzlauer Berg, near the U8: Rosenthaler Platz station, and on the tram #M1 line that runs between Kastanienallee and the Hackescher Markt S-Bahn station.

Eclectic Eats on Weinbergsweg: Peruse the first block of Weinbergsweg, the narrower, tram track-lined lane that heads north to Prenzlauer Berg. In just one block, you’ll find cafés, bakeries, superfoods and organic juice, Gemüse kebab, döner kebab, an Italian deli, Mexican street food, Russian, Korean barbecue, a French bistro, Chinese dumplings, and gelato.

If nothing there floats your boat, drop your hook at € Yumcha Heroes for dumplings (daily, at the top of the lane, Weinbergsweg 8, +49 30 7621 3035) or sail on over to € The Butterfly Lovers. It’s a Chinese vegan-only place with a light and cheery garden vibe inside and tables facing a park outside (closed Mon, Veteranenstrasse 10, two blocks off Weinbergsweg, +49 30 9148 8336).

€€€€ Katz Orange, a mecca for foodies, feels regal from the moment you enter its intimate courtyard. It’s surprisingly affordable and yet delightfully cozy-chic. The menu is small and sharp, known for its “candy on the bone” slow-cooked meat, and changes with the season (daily, dinner only, Bergstrasse 22, +49 30 9832 08430, www.katzorange.com).

Hackescher Markt Area

€€€ Weihenstephaner Bavarian Restaurant serves traditional Bavarian food in a traditional yet sleek interior, down in an atmospheric cellar, on an inner courtyard, or on a busy people-watching terrace facing the delightful Hackescher Markt square; and, of course, it has excellent beer. If you’re going to eat right on touristy Hackescher Markt, this is your best bet (daily until late, Neue Promenade 5 at Hackescher Markt, +49 30 8471 0760).

€ Curry 61 serves up what is for many the best Currywurst in Berlin; vegetarians and vegans appreciate good options too. Eat in or grab a €6 meal to eat on a bench at the fine Monbijoupark nearby (long hours daily, Oranienburger Strasse 6).

KREUZBERG

To dig into Berlin’s up-and-coming food scene, head to Kreuzberg. This Berlin neighborhood—historically known for its large immigrant community and counterculture squatters—has taken off as the place where upwardly mobile young Berliners eat out. As this is a very trendy destination, it’s smart to reserve ahead at most of my listings—especially on weekends.

Markthalle Neun

Kreuzberg’s best foodie destination is this refurbished 19th-century market hall, filled with local producers and fun food stalls. You’ll find gourmet butchers, wine shops, tapas, Berlin meatballs (Buletten), tofu sandwiches, fair-trade spices, Turkish dishes, and a supermarket. It’s most worthwhile on “Street Food Thursdays,” when extra eateries open from 17:00 to 22:00 (most vendors open Mon-Fri 12:00-18:00, Sat from 10:00, closed Sun; Eisenbahnstrasse 42, U1: Görlitzer Bahnhof, www.markthalleneun.de). Note: The Görlitzer Bahnhof area can feel seedy, especially at night.

€€€€ Marktlokal restaurant, attached to the market, serves upscale German fare in a posh Kneipe setting, with its own beer brewed in the market cellar (Tue-Fri dinner only, Sat lunch and dinner, closed Sun-Mon; Pücklerstrasse 34, +49 30 2866 5121, www.marktlokal.berlin).

Near Kottbusser Tor U-Bahn Station and Oranienstrasse

€€€ Hasir is a big, clean, and unstressful place tourists appreciate for high-quality Turkish cuisine at high prices. It’s well run, dressy, and spacious, with great energy and a big open kitchen (daily until late, Adalbertstrasse 12 at corner of Oranienstrasse, +49 30 6165 9222, www.hasir.de).

€€ Lasan Kurdish-Iraqi Restaurant is a favorite with local Kurds and Iraqis. It has comfy tables inside and out, and an easy menu with big, splitable plates and great prices, all hiding behind a horrible staircase (daily, by the Kreuzberg arch at Adalbertstrasse 96, +49 30 6981 4098).

€ Südblock, Kreuzberg’s take on a beer garden, brings together all walks of local life: Turk, Berliner, gay, straight, and tourist. It’s a convivial vibe, best when balmy, with shared tables filling a corner plaza under trees and umbrellas or inside with cramped seating under disco balls. The menu includes German party food (Frusta means Flammkuchen) and grub (lots of sauces for your fries)—but you go here for the drinks and scene, not the food (dinner only, where Admiralstrasse hits Kottbusser Tor, +49 30 6094 1853, www.suedblock.org).

€€€ Max und Moritz is an old-time Wirtshaus, touristy but with a stark candlelit 1920s atmosphere, half a block from Oranienplatz. They pride themselves on doing traditional Berlin food the right way (dinner only, closed Tue, cash only, reservations smart, Oranienstrasse 162, +49 30 6951 5911, www.maxundmoritzberlin.de).

Cheap Turkish-Style Eats: Two doors down from Hasir, € Hasir Kebap Restaurant is a bit more casual and has more kebab options (daily until late, Adalbertstrasse 10). The Kılıçoğlu Baklavaci bakery sells honey-soaked sweets by weight (daily, Adalbertstrasse 9).

Ramen and Pizza near Landwehr Canal

€€ Cocolo Ramen X-berg, a wildly popular outpost of a high-end Japanese restaurant, ladles out slurpy noodle bowls (closed Sun, reservations not accepted, Graefestrasse 11, +49 30 9833 9073).

€ Zola Pizza, lodged amid fancy restaurants on a canalside lane with fine tables on its terrace, serves Naples-style pizzas to a smart clientele (daily, Paul-Lincke-Ufer 39, +49 30 2769 5938).

CITY WEST

I’ve listed these eateries primarily for travelers sleeping here. (In other words, they are not worth traveling across Berlin to enjoy.) For locations, see the “City West Hotels and Restaurants” map on here.

Fine Dining near Savignyplatz

Many good restaurants are on or within 100 yards of Savignyplatz, near my recommended hotels. Savignyplatz is lined with attractive, relaxed, mostly Mediterranean-style places.

€€€ Restaurant Marjellchen is a trip to East Prussia, with big portions of hearty, delicious German/Polish cuisine. Dine in cozily cluttered elegance in one of two six-table rooms or at quiet sidewalk tables. Plan to go the whole nine yards here, as this can be a great experience, with caring service. The menu is inviting, and the place family-run—all the recipes were brought to Berlin by the owner’s East Prussian mother after World War II. Reservations are smart (daily, lunch specials, Mommsenstrasse 9, +49 30 883 2676, www.restaurant-marjellchen-berlin.de).

€€€€ Restaurant Lubitsch is a dressy and elegant place with great seating inside and out and an inviting, if serious, German menu with daily specials (daily, Bleibtreustrasse 47, +49 30 8862 6660).

€€€ Weyers Restaurant offers modern German cuisine (including salads and vegetarian dishes) with some Italian in a simple, elegant setting, with dining tables spilling out into the idyllic neighborhood park facing a church and playground (daily until late, Pariser Strasse 16—facing Ludwigkirchplatz at intersection with Pfalzburger Strasse, +49 30 881 9378).

Kneipe and Budget Places near Savignyplatz

€€ Dicke Wirtin (“Fat Landlady”) has a traditional old-Berlin Kneipe atmosphere, several good beers on tap (including Andechs from Bavaria), and solid home cooking at reasonable prices—such as their famously cheap Gulaschsuppe. Their interior is fun and pubby, with soccer on the TV; their streetside tables are also inviting. Pickled eggs are on the bar—ask about how these can help you avoid a hangover (Wed-Mon until late, closed Tue, just off Savignyplatz at Carmerstrasse 9, +49 30 312 4952).

€ Diener Tattersall is a neighborhood favorite Kneipe with a complicated history. The building started as a horse-riding school, later became a casino, and was eventually bought by a German heavyweight champion, who attracted an eclectic clientele of boxers and artists to his Kneipe. Today it’s known for the affordable menu, specializing in homemade liver sausage (dinner only, closed Sat-Sun, Grolmanstrasse 47, +49 30 881 5329).

€ Schwarzes Café is a student hangout, with a bohemian-chic, gay-friendly, 1978 time-warp vibe. They have a simple, fun menu with an all-day breakfast (long hours daily, Kantstrasse 148, +49 30 313 8038).

€ Koshary Lux serves refined (hence “lux”) street food dishes from around the Arab world. Prices are good, service is friendly, and their takes on classics from Egypt (such as koshary, made of lentils, pasta, rice, and tomato sauce), Morocco, Lebanon, and elsewhere have won them fans (dinner only, closed Sun, Grolmanstrasse 27, +49 30 8140 6190).

On Bleibtreustrasse: On the stretch just south of the Savignyplatz S-Bahn tracks, Bleibtreustrasse is lined with an eclectic array of dining choices, including cheap, cheerful, and charming € Repke Spätzlerei (Flamkuchen, spaetzle, and buttery dumplings, daily, #46), and Nibs Cacao (churros and chocolate, daily, also at #46).

Near Zoologischer Garten Station

In addition to a beer garden and department-store cafeteria, there’s plenty of fast food near the Zoologischer Garten station and on Ku’damm.

€€€ Die Schildkröte (The Turtle), open since 1936, is a Berlin institution serving hearty, traditional German cuisine in a half-timbered Stube where steins and old-time photos from West Berlin’s heyday line the walls (daily, Ku’damm 212, +49 30 881 6770, www.restaurant-schildkroete.de).

€ Curry 36—the locally beloved Currywurst vendor from Kreuzberg—has a handy outpost just outside the Zoologischer Garten station. Watch your sausage; crows are notoriously ready to swoop in and steal your meal (long hours daily).

€€ Schleusenkrug beer garden is hidden in the park overlooking a canal between the Zoologischer Garten and Tiergarten stations. It has a party vibe ideal for young-at-heart conviviality under the stars. Choose from an ever-changing self-service menu of huge salads, pasta, vegan, vegetarian, and some German dishes (daily until 21:00, shorter hours and more basic menu off-season; from Zoologischer Garten station it’s a 5-minute walk following the path into the park between the zoo and train tracks; +49 30 313 9909).

KaDeWe: The top floor of this famous department store holds the €€ Winter Garden Buffet cafeteria and a deli/food department that’s a picnicker’s nirvana. Its arterials are clogged with more than 1,000 kinds of sausage and 1,500 types of cheese (Mon-Thu 10:00-20:00, Fri-Sat until 21:00, closed Sun, U1/U2/U3: Wittenbergplatz, +49 30 1681 8408).

Berlin Connections

BY PLANE

Berlin Brandenburg International Airport

The state-of-the-art Berlin Brandenberg Airport (code: BER, www.berlin-airport.de) is 11 miles south of central Berlin. It has two terminals: T1 and T2. You’ll find a TI outside baggage claim in Terminal 1, level E0.

Connecting the Airport and Downtown Berlin: Follow signs to the airport’s train station (Flughafen BER), which sits directly under Terminal 1 on level U2. From here, S-Bahn, regional trains (RE and RB), and the Airport Express train (FEX) connect to Berlin’s Hauptbahnhof and other central stops.

The S9 S-Bahn line is handy for Prenzlauer Berg and old Jewish-quarter hotels. Ride it about 45 minutes to the Hackescher Markt station; from there, tram #M1 runs north along Kastanienallee for Prenzlauer Berg, and tram #M5 runs west along Oranienburger Strasse for the old Jewish quarter.

If you’re headed to City West, take the RE8 or RB23 to Zoologischer Garten (2/hour, 45 minutes) where you can walk or connect with the S-Bahn or U-Bahn to your final destination.

For all other neighborhoods, regional trains and the Airport Express run to the Hauptbahnhof, stopping at key stations along the way (2/hour, 35-40 minutes, see schedule and stops at www.vbb.de). From there, buses, trains, and trams fan out across the city (see the “By Train—Getting into Town” section later for specifics). All trains are covered by an ABC transit ticket (€4.40, buy at machine and validate before boarding). Check connections when you arrive to get the most current information.

A taxi to the city center costs about €65.

BY TRAIN

Berlin Hauptbahnhof

Virtually all long-distance trains pass through the Berlin Hauptbahnhof (“Berlin Hbf” on schedules)—a massive, state-of-the-art temple of railroad travel in the heart of the city. This mostly underground train station is where the national train system meets Berlin’s S-Bahn—unique for the way its major lines come in at right angles. Note that many arriving trains (especially regional ones) stop at multiple Berlin stations, one of which may be more convenient to your hotel than the Hauptbahnhof. Before you arrive, figure out which station is best for you.

Orientation: The gigantic station has five floors, but its open layout makes it easy to navigate...once you understand the signage. The main floor, at street level, is labeled “EG” (for Erdgeschoss), or level 0. Below that are UG1 (level -1) and UG2 (level -2), while above it are OG1 (level +1) and OG2 (level +2). Tracks 1-8 are on UG2, while tracks 11-16 and the S-Bahn are on OG2. Shops and services are on the three middle levels. Enter and exit the station on level EG: The Washingtonplatz entrance faces south (toward the Reichstag and downtown); the north entrance is marked Europaplatz.

Services: On the main floor (EG), you’ll find the TI (just inside the north/Europaplatz entrance) and the Rail & Fresh WC facility (public pay toilets, near the food court, follow signs). Up one level (OG1) are a pharmacy (long hours daily) and lockers (directly under track 14 on the east side). Car-rental offices are down one level (UG1) on the north (Europaplatz) end, near platforms 7-8.

Train Information and Tickets: The Deutsche Bahn Reisezentrum information center is up one level (OG1), between tracks 12 and 13 (on the west side; open long hours daily).

Shopping: The Hauptbahnhof is home to 80 shops with long hours (many open Sun). The REWE City supermarket (UG1, follow signs for tracks 1-2) is handy for assembling a picnic for your train ride.

Getting into Town: Taxis and buses wait outside the station on both sides, but the S-Bahn is probably your best bet for connecting to most hotels. It’s simple: S-Bahn trains are on tracks 15 and 16 at the top of the station (level OG2). Trains on track 15 go east, stopping at Friedrichstrasse, Hackescher Markt, Alexanderplatz, Ostbahnhof, and the airport; trains on track 16 go west, toward Zoologischer Garten and Savignyplatz (for City West hotels). Your train ticket to Berlin covers any connecting S-Bahn ride (but for the U-Bahn, trams, or buses, you’ll need an additional ticket).

To reach most hotels in northern Berlin’s Prenzlauer Berg neighborhood, it’s fastest to take any train on track 15 two stops to Hackescher Markt. Once there, follow signs to Hackescher Markt down the stairs, then exit to Spandauer Strasse and cross the tracks to the tram stop. Here you’ll catch tram #M1 north (direction: Schillerstrasse), which trundles north through Rosenthaler Platz and up Kastanienallee to Eberswalder Strasse. (For Rosenthaler Platz hotels, it’s even more direct to hop on tram #M8, which leaves from in front of the Hauptbahnhof’s Europaplatz entrance.)

For old Jewish quarter hotels, you’ll also take the S-Bahn from track 15. Some of these hotels are closer to the Friedrichstrasse station (first stop), while others are closer to Hackescher Markt (second stop).

To reach City West hotels, catch any train on track 16 to Zoologischer Garten (where you can transfer to the U-bahn for hotels near Ku’damm) or Savignyplatz (a five-minute walk from most of my recommended hotels).

The U5 U-Bahn line connects the Hauptbahnhof, Reichstag, and strategic stops along the city’s main sightseeing spine: Brandenburger Tor, Unter den Linden (near Bebelplatz), Museumsinsel (Museum Island), Rotes Rathaus (City Hall, near the Nikolai Quarter), and Alexanderplatz.

Destinations

Train info: www.bahn.com.

From Berlin by Train to: Potsdam (1-2/hour, 20-30 minutes on RE1/RB23 trains; or take more frequent S-Bahn S7 direct, S1 with a change at Wannsee, at least 4/hour, 30-50 minutes—see next chapter), Oranienburg and Sachsenhausen Memorial and Museum (hourly, 30 minutes on the RE5; or take the S1 line from Friedrichstrasse or other stops in town, 3/hour, 50 minutes), Wittenberg (a.k.a. Lutherstadt Wittenberg, hourly on ICE, 40 minutes), Dresden (hourly direct, 2 hours), Leipzig (hourly, 2 hours), Erfurt (3/hour, 3 hours), Eisenach and Wartburg Castle (every 2 hours direct, 2.5 hours, more with transfer in Erfurt), Hamburg (hourly, 2.5 hours), Frankfurt (hourly direct, 4 hours, more with a transfer in Hannover), Bacharach (1-2/hour with transfer in Frankfurt or Koblenz, 6 hours, more with 2-3 changes), Würzburg (1-2/hour, 4 hours, transfer in Bamberg or Nürnberg), Rothenburg (hourly, 5 hours, 3 changes), Nürnberg 2/hour, 3.5 hours), Munich (1-2/hour, 4-4.5 hours, longer night train possible), Cologne (hourly, 4.5 hours), Amsterdam (every 2 hours direct, 6 hours, more with change in Duisberg; wise to reserve in advance), Brussels (4/day, 6.5-7.5 hours with transfer in Amsterdam or Cologne, some require reservations), Budapest (2/day direct, including 1 direct night train, more with transfer in Prague, 11 hours), Copenhagen (4/day, 8 hours, reservation required in summer, change in Hamburg; 1 direct night train), London (5/day, 10 hours, 2 changes, reservations required), Paris (8/day, 8.5 hours with 1 transfer, reservations required in France), Zürich (5/day direct, 8.5 hours, or 1 direct 13-hour night train), Prague (7/day direct, 4 hours, wise to reserve in advance), Warsaw (6/day, 5 hours, reservations required), Kraków (2/day direct, 7 hours, more with transfer in Poznan or Warsaw), Vienna (3/day direct 7.5-8.5 hours, more with transfer in Nürnberg or Prague, night train possible).

Night trains run from Berlin to multiple destinations. A berth (called a Liegeplatz) is available on many routes and can be a great deal. Beds generally cost the same whether you have a first- or second-class ticket or rail pass. Trains are often full, so reserve your berth a few days in advance.

BY BUS

The city’s long-distance bus station, ZOB (Zentraler Omnibusbahnhof), is west of Zoologischer Garten (Berlin Zoo), in Charlottenburg (Masurenallee 4, U2: Kaiserdamm or S41/S42: Messe Nord, www.zob.berlin). FlixBus and RegioJet operate from here to locations around Germany and Europe.

NEAR BERLIN

Potsdam • Sachsenhausen Memorial and Museum

Potsdam

Map: Near Berlin

Orientation to Potsdam

Tours in Potsdam

Map: Potsdam

Sights in Potsdam

Sachsenhausen Memorial and Museum

Map: Sachsenhausen

While you could spend days in Berlin and not run out of things to do, two worthwhile side trips are within an hour of downtown. Frederick the Great’s opulent playground at Potsdam is a hit for its mix of Prussian history and ornate palaces surrounded by pretty parks; the town also has a fun-to-explore center and some interesting Cold War sights. On the opposite side of Berlin—and the sightseeing spectrum—the Sachsenhausen Memorial and Museum commemorates the tens of thousands of prisoners who died at this concentration camp under the Nazis.

Other Berlin day-trip possibilities are covered elsewhere in this book: Wittenberg, with excellent Martin Luther-related sights (45 minutes by train), is covered in the Luther Trail chapter. Dresden and Leipzig also work as day trips from Berlin.

Potsdam

It’s often said that Potsdam is to Berlin as Versailles is to Paris—and if you spend a day exploring Potsdam’s fairy-tale landscape, you’ll understand why.

For more than two centuries, the house of Hohenzollern ruled the mighty kingdom of Prussia (1701-1918) and the German empire (1871-1918). Over that time, nine Hohenzollern kings (all named Friedrich, Wilhelm, or for variety, Friedrich-Wilhelm) showed off their importance and power by transforming the royal city of Potsdam with stunning architecture, beautifully designed gardens, and impressive palaces. Of all those Friedrichs and Wilhelms, one stands out: Frederick the Great (Friedrich der Grosse), who ruled for 46 years in the mid-1700s. He molded Potsdam into something suitable for a king, and inspired the awe-inspiring architecture that still stops us in our tracks today.

In more recent history, the city hosted the 1945 Potsdam Conference, where a British prime minister, a Soviet dictator, and an American president met to reshape postwar Europe. For the next 40 years, Potsdam fell within the boundaries of communist East Germany. Cold War buffs can visit Cecilienhof Palace, where the “Big Three” held their summit, the nearby KGB Prison Memorial, and the famous Glienicke Bridge, nicknamed the “Bridge of Spies,” where Cold War spies were swapped.

GETTING TO POTSDAM

Potsdam, 20 miles southwest of Berlin’s city center, is easy to reach by train. You have two options for zipping to Potsdam’s main station (Potsdam Hauptbahnhof): Regional Express/RE trains and the S-Bahn. Both are covered by a Berlin transit day pass that covers zones ABC (€11.40); if you have a pass for just zones AB, buy a 24-hour extension ticket (Anschlussfahrausweis—€4.90) to cover Potsdam’s zone C.

Two Regional Express/RE trains—RE1 and RB23—go directly to Potsdam (usually hourly, 20-30 minutes). Catch either at any of Berlin’s major stations, such as Alexanderplatz, Friedrichstrasse, Hauptbahnhof, or Zoologischer Garten. These trains continue one stop beyond Potsdam’s main station to the Sanssouci Park station (closer to the New Palace).

The S-Bahn is slightly slower (30-50 minutes), but more frequent (usually every 10 minutes) and runs from many more stations. The S7 line goes from downtown Berlin directly to the Potsdam Hauptbahnhof and Sanssouci Park stations. Another option is to ride the S1 to the end of the line at Wannsee, cross the platform, and ride the S7 train three more stops to Potsdam.

Avid cyclists can rent a bike in Berlin, take it on the train (small extra fee), and combine a visit to Potsdam with an enjoyable ride along skinny lakes and through green parklands.

PLANNING YOUR TIME

To see all of Potsdam is a very long day with long walks, lots of biking, or plenty of bus rides, but it can be done if you get an early start. From Potsdam’s Hauptbahnhof, it’s a couple of blocks to the town’s delightful main square, Alter Markt. The Potsdam Museum (on the square) is worth an hour for history buffs who want context for the rest of the sights.

Then head to vast Sanssouci Park to see the famous and popular Sanssouci Palace (long lines, requires timed entry) and/or the New Palace (no lines, smart to buy your Sanssouci timed-entry ticket here). Each takes about an hour to tour. The two palaces are connected by a pleasant 30-minute walk or a five-minute bus ride and a short walk.

Choosing between the palaces? Exquisite little Sanssouci (closed Monday) has 12 lavish rooms open to visitors; the New Palace (closed Tuesday), with pleasantly plush state rooms, is much bigger and more historic. If one palace is plenty, you could happily tour the interior of the New Palace and enjoy the views and gardens around Sanssouci without bothering to go inside.

Orientation to Potsdam

Sights in Potsdam (pop. 180,000) cluster in three areas, each a long walk or a short bus ride apart. The historic old town is just across the bridge from the train station. Potsdam’s main draw is Sanssouci Park, a vast royal park at the western edge of town, peppered with grand Hohenzollern palaces. To the north is the park called Neuer Garten, where Cecilienhof Palace looks out over the Jungfernsee while a former KGB prison lurks nearby.

TOURIST INFORMATION

Potsdam has a TI inside the main train station (near the escalators toward the Friedrich-Engels-Strasse exit, Mon-Fri 9:00-18:00, shorter hours on weekends, +49 331 2755 8899, www.potsdamtourismus.de). Another TI is near the main square, Alter Markt, across the bridge from the station (same hours, Humboldtstrasse 1).

ARRIVAL IN POTSDAM

Potsdam Hauptbahnhof: The station has ample shops and services, including a large Kaufland grocery store for picnic supplies (closed Sun). To take the bus or tram to the palaces, head out the exit past track 4, labeled Friedrich-Engels-Strasse; here you’ll find the tram stops, then the bus stops.

To walk into town—or rent a bike—go past track 7 to the exit labeled Babelsberger Strasse and head down the escalator (clean and convenient pay WC behind the escalator at the bottom). Leave the station, turn left, and walk straight ahead to find the bike-rental office on your left. To walk into town, keep going a good 300 yards, turn right at the traffic light, and cross the bridge to head to the Alter Markt (with the huge dome).

Sanssouci Park Station: From this smaller station, simply walk straight out (or hop on either bus #605 or #697 for one stop) and head up Am Neuen Palais boulevard, with the big park on your right. In about 10 minutes, you’ll reach the New Palace.

GETTING AROUND POTSDAM

By Bike: Flat Potsdam is ideal by bike, and from the main train station it’s a pleasant and well-signed 20-minute ride to Sanssouci Palace. At the station, Pedales rents bikes and provides a map showing recommended routes (Mon-Fri 8:00-19:00, Sat-Sun 9:30-18:00, €16/day, €35/day for e-bike, out the Babelsberg Strasse exit and on the left, +49 331 8871 9917, www.potsdam-per-pedales.de). Within Sanssouci Park, bikes are restricted to a single path between the palaces; be sure to pay attention to all bike signs (normally located a foot or so above the ground). You can’t even walk with a bike on all other paths in the park.

By Bus or Tram: Potsdam’s public transit efficiently connects most points of interest. Potsdam is covered by a Berlin ticket with zones ABC (with just zones AB, buy an Anschlussfahrausweis extension ticket, €4.90, valid 24 hours), or by individual tickets covering Potsdam transit: €2.60/ride, €5.50 all day (buy tickets from machine on board).

These are the buses and trams you’re most likely to take from the main train station:

Bus #695—most handy for tourists—goes through the town center to Sanssouci Palace and then continues toward the New Palace (3/hour, departs from lane 4).

Bus #605 goes directly to the New Palace (3/hour, lane 4).

Bus #X15 runs only on summer weekends and makes a beeline to Sanssouci Palace (3/hour, from lane 4).

Bus #603 runs from Platz der Einheit (Platz der Einheit/West stop; a 5-minute walk past the Alter Markt) to Cecilienhof Palace, then loops back down past the KGB Prison Memorial (Persiusstrasse stop) before returning to the square (3/hour).

Tram #91 (as well as buses #695 and #605) gets you to the starting point for a scenic walk through the terraced palace gardens: Get off at Luisenplatz-Süd/Park Sanssouci, then walk 20 minutes through the park for a classic view of Sanssouci Palace (3/hour from lane 2, direction: Bahnhof Pirscheide).

Tram #93 makes the trip out to the Bridge of Spies (Glienicke Bridge).

By Foot: It’s a long (but scenic) 45-minute walk from the station to Sanssouci Palace. Tram #91, described above, shaves off the least interesting part of this hike.

By Taxi or Uber: A taxi can help link up otherwise difficult-to-connect sights (for example, €20 between the New Palace and Cecilienhof—avoiding a time-consuming bus connection).

Tours in Potsdam

Bus and Group Tours

Potsdam City Tour runs a hop-on, hop-off bus that hits all the main sights with a recorded tour. Buses leave from Potsdam’s main train station (use the Babelsberg Strasse exit, cross the street, and you’ll see the ticket booth off to your left). The open-topped, double decker bus runs from here every hour, usually at 40 minutes past the hour (€20, daily April-Oct 10:40-15:40, www.city-sightseeing.com/8/potsdam).

Insider Tour Berlin offers an all-day tour from Berlin to Potsdam relying on public transit. They focus on the park and palace exteriors, and don’t actually go inside the palaces—but the tour generally ends at Sanssouci Palace, giving you the choice to stay and explore the park, visit a palace on your own, or just head back to Berlin (€28.90, about 6 hours including travel time, April-Oct; departs Wed, Fri, and Sun at 10:00 from Berlin’s Friedrichstrasse train station; +49 306 923 149, www.insidertour.com/tours/potsdam).

Local Guides

These two highly experienced guides do a great job telling Potsdam’s story and will customize a tour to your interests and preferred mode of transport. Rates generally run about €75-85/hour: Jim McDonough has researched and written extensively on the Potsdam Conference and the former royal family (+49 179 486 1604, berlin2potsdam@gmail.com); Matt Robinson is a particular expert on Potsdam’s Cold War history (+49 176 299 13011, info@berlinexperiences.com).

Sights in Potsdam

TOWN CENTER

Potsdam’s easy-to-stroll town center has a pedestrianized shopping street (Brandenburger Strasse) lined with boutiques and eateries. For a small town, this was once a very cosmopolitan place: Frederick the Great encouraged immigrants from around Europe to settle in his kingdom. French Huguenots, Jewish families, Catholics, Protestants, Dutch craftsmen, and military experts would all eventually make their way to Potsdam to contribute to the city’s growth.

▲Alter Markt

Once the heartbeat of the historic old town, Potsdam’s “Old Market Square” is marked by the massive dome of the Nikolaikirche—visible from all over town. Let’s do a clockwise spin-tour starting at the church to get oriented.

Stand in the middle of the square, facing the giant church. Frederick the Great intended for this square to look like a piazza straight out of Italy, then WWII Allied bombs destroyed much of it. Almost everything you see on the square has been rebuilt in the spirit of its former Italianate grandeur.

The obelisk in the center dates from 1753 and today is decorated with medallions celebrating the architects from the late 1700s and early 1800s who helped turn Potsdam into a royal city.

The Nikolaikirche is an icon of Potsdam. If you step inside, you’ll see an austere, very Protestant, Neoclassical interior—a well-ordered world of perfectly formed domes and Corinthian columns. This beautiful example of German classicism was designed by northern Germany’s most famous architect, Karl Friedrich Schinkel, who contributed to the architectural growth of Potsdam and Berlin as royal seats in the first half of the 1800s. The church, severely damaged in 1945 and rebuilt in 1981, was restored once more in recent years (€2 donation encouraged, €5 to visit the dome, Mon-Sat 9:30-18:00, Sun from 12:00).

To the right sits the Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall), with its frilly cupola topped by a “Goldfinger” Atlas supporting the world.

Next door is the Potsdam Museum (rated ▲▲). This surprisingly interesting museum displays lots of well-described artifacts that give context to the town, its palaces, and its history. It begins with the town’s origins and then takes off with the arrival of the Hohenzollern dynasty in 1660, covering everyday life under the dynasty and the contributions of Potsdam’s various rulers. Exhibits also look at the city’s tumultuous 20th-century history (free, Tue-Sun 12:00-18:00, closed Mon, audioguide-€2, +49 331 289 6868, www.potsdam-museum.de).

To its right, the newly rebuilt, Italianate Museum Barberini showcases an extensive permanent collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings, including pieces by Monet, Picasso, and Van Gogh (€16, Wed-Mon 10:00-19:00, closed Tue, www.museum-barberini.com [URL inactive]).

Next is the striking, salmon-colored Stadtschloss, a replica of the first Hohenzollern palace built here in the second half of the 1600s. Several kings—including Frederick the Great—chose to live here during the winter months. Today it houses the Brandenburg state parliament (Landtag). The war-damaged columns at the front are from the original palace.

Finally, spinning back toward the church, new buildings are taking shape on the site where an ugly, concrete building from the DDR once stood. Following German reunification in 1990, unsightly communist-era architecture in this area has been gradually replaced by modern buildings designed to fit the historic tone of the city center.

Other Town Center Sights

Film buffs might get a kick out of the Potsdam Film Museum (Filmmuseum Potsdam). You’ll see the evolution of film posters, costumes, props, and cameras, then meet big names like Marlene Dietrich and learn about Germany’s productions of big-time films, from old (Metropolis, 1927) to new (Inglourious Basterds, 2009). It’s located just off Alter Markt, next to the Stadtschloss (€6, Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon, www.filmmuseum-potsdam.de).

SANSSOUCI PARK AND PALACES

The dynamic Frederick the Great put Prussia on the map in the 18th century with his merciless military prowess. Yet he also had an affection for the finer things in life: art, architecture, gardens, literature, and other distinguished pursuits. During his reign, Frederick built an impressive ensemble of grand buildings around his kingdom. In Potsdam, Frederick’s beloved Sanssouci Park is dotted with frilly palaces. The two most worth a visit are the modest, one-story, yet dazzling Sanssouci Palace and the massive and majestic New Palace.

Combo-Ticket: The €22 Sanssouci+ combo-ticket is valid for same-day single visits to all open palaces in Potsdam on a given day, and includes a timed entry for Sanssouci. It’s worth getting if you plan to see both Sanssouci and the New Palace (for most visitors, those two are more than enough). Buy at the New Palace to avoid ticket-buying lines at Sanssouci Palace (also available online; for more visit advice see “Crowd-Beating Tips,” below).

Tours: All tickets include an audioguide.

Information: +49 331 969 4200, www.spsg.de.

Getting Between the Palaces: It’s an enjoyable 30-minute walk (10 minutes by bike) between Sanssouci and the New Palace, or a five-minute bus ride and a short walk. From Sanssouci, hop on bus #695 and ride it three stops to the Abzweig nach Eiche stop, just north of the New Palace (€1.80 Kurzstreck—short-journey ticket). If you walk or bike, you’ll find the park interestingly wilder, more forested, and less carefully manicured than those in other big-league European palace complexes (such as Versailles or Vienna’s Schönbrunn).

▲▲Sanssouci Palace

Sans souci means “without a care,” and this was the carefree summer home of Frederick the Great (built 1745-1747). Of all the palatial buildings scattered around Potsdam, this was his favorite residence. While the palace is small and the audioguide does little to capture the personality of its former resident, Sanssouci is certainly worth seeing for its interior opulence.

Cost and Hours: €14, covered by combo-ticket, Tue-Sun 10:00-17:30, Nov-March until 16:30, closed Mon year-round.

Crowd-Beating Tips: If you arrive when Sanssouci’s ticket office opens, at 9:30, you can generally get right into the palace at 10:00. As the day wears on, though, you’ll wait longer for an open time slot (and tickets eventually sell out). Buying a combo-ticket in advance is the best way to assure entering Sanssouci without a wait (see “Combo-Ticket,” earlier). Without an advance ticket, go first to the New Palace, buy a combo-ticket there (with a Sanssouci entry time for later that day), then tour the New Palace and explore the garden until your Sanssouci appointment. If you need to kill time, the palace kitchen and the nearby windmill are both interesting to check out, as is the gift shop on the backside of Sanssouci.

Visiting the Palace: This cute little palace was where Frederick the Great spent his summers. You’ll stroll through the classic Rococo interior, where golden grapevines climb the walls and frame the windows (Rococo, an extension of Baroque architecture, is lighter and more playful than the grand ole dramatic Baroque that the Catholics used to combat the Reformation). First explore the Royal Apartments, containing one of Frederick’s three libraries (he found it easier to buy extra copies of books rather than move them around), the “study bedroom” where he lived and worked, and the chair where he died. The domed, central Marble Hall resembles the Pantheon in Rome (on a smaller scale), with an oblong oculus, inlaid marble floors, and Corinthian columns made of Carrara marble.

Finally, you’ll visit the guest rooms, most of which empty straight out onto the delightful terrace. Each room is decorated differently: Chinese, Italian, and so on; the niche at the back was for a bed. The happiest is the yellow Voltaire Room, where realistic animals and flowers dangle from the walls and ceiling. As you exit (through the servants’ quarters), keep an eye out for the giant portrait of Frederick by Andy Warhol.

Nearby: The palace kitchen (Schlossküche) gives a peek at a well-preserved and fully equipped mid-19th-century royal kitchen. Hike down the tight spiral staircase to the wine cellar, with an exhibit that includes the grapes that were grown on the terraced vineyards out front (€4, covered by combo-ticket, Tue-Sun 10:00-17:30, closed Mon and Nov-March). The historic windmill was busy from 1791 on grinding grain for the royals. Today it’s filled with a very vertical six-floor exhibit. When the wind turns the sails, you can see the miller at work and feel the entire mill tremble (€4, covered by combo-ticket, daily 10:00-18:00, shorter hours off-season).

▲▲New Palace (Neues Palais)

This gigantic showpiece palace (with more than 200 rooms) is far grander than the intimate Sanssouci. Frederick the Great built the New Palace (1763-1769) as a symbol of Prussian strength and wealth after the Seven Years’ War—a war in which he fought off the French, Austrians, and Russians all at the same time. He rarely stayed here—it was mostly used to host guests and dazzle visiting dignitaries. But other Prussian kings—and later German emperors—called it home. Among the roughly 20 rooms that can be seen, the highlights are the lavishly decorated Grotto Hall and Marble Hall, and several other fine apartments, each a stunning example of the exuberant Rococo style.

Cost and Hours: €12, covered by combo-ticket, Wed-Mon 10:00-17:30, Nov-March until 16:30, closed Tue year-round.

Getting In: The only way to visit the interior is with a guided tour that’s offered only in German—you’ll be given an audioguide in English. Tours are offered every 20 minutes, and you can’t wander off on your own. Buy your ticket (which comes with an entry time—generally within 10 or 20 minutes) at the New Palace visitors center (If using a combo-ticket, you’ll need to pick up a tour ticket too.) Take advantage of the pay WCs in the back of the visitors center, and then head to the palace at the appointed time to pick up your audioguide and meet the German group you’ll tag along with.

Visiting the Palace: Your audioguide tour takes you through the palace’s ornate halls and state rooms. On the main floor, the highlight is the Grotto Hall, whose marble walls are encrusted with a quarter-million seashells, semiprecious stones, and fossils. From there, you’ll continue through the eight suites of the Lower Princes’ Apartments, which accommodated guests and royal family members. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, German emperors Frederick III and Wilhelm II (the last kaiser) resided here. The Gentlemen’s Bedchamber holds the red-canopy bed where Kaiser Frederick III died in 1888. The Ladies’ Bedchamber is a reminder that noblemen and their wives slept separately.

Upstairs, the Upper Princes’ Quarters include a small, blue-tiled bathroom that was installed for Kaiser Wilhelm II (he lived here until 1918) and a bedchamber shared by a married couple—my, how times have changed. You’ll also find Wilhelm’s bedroom, as well as a small painting gallery with portraits of Frederick the Great and Russia’s Catherine the Great (who was born a German princess). The grand finale is the sumptuous, 52-foot-high Marble Hall, with its dramatic ceiling painting and floors inlaid with Silesian marble. Through the windows, enjoy views of the gardens.

Other Palaces

The two main palaces, Sanssouci and the New Palace, are just the beginning. Expansive Sanssouci Park contains a variety of other palaces and royal buildings, many of which you can enter: the sprawling Italianate Orangery, the New Chambers (a royal guesthouse), the Chinese Tea House, and the Norman Tower viewpoint.

Cost and Hours: Each has its own entry fee (€4-10; all covered by the combo-ticket). Some are open weekends and/or in peak season only (get details at Potsdam TI, palace ticket offices, or www.spsg.de).

COLD WAR SIGHTS

At the north end of town, a much more modest park, called Neuer Garten, is delightfully set around two idyllic lakes. This is where those interested in Cold War history will find several stirring sights. A stop here pairs well with a drink or meal at the charming Meierei beer garden.

Getting There: While getting to these sights by public transit is possible, you’ll do better with a bike or taxi. The Neuer Garten area is connected to the center by bus #603 (see “Getting Around Potsdam,” earlier). Tram #93 takes you from the Platz der Einheit to the Bridge of Spies (Glienicker Brücke stop). It’s about a 20-minute walk between the Neuer Garten sights and the bridge.

▲Cecilienhof

This early 20th-century palace was the site of the historic Potsdam Conference for two weeks in the summer of 1945. For Cold War buffs, it’s worth ▲▲. The palace itself is closed for renovation until late 2027 (for the latest, see www.spsg.de), but you can still visit the grounds and take in the site’s history. It was here that the three most powerful men of their time—US President Harry S. Truman, UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill (and his later replacement, Clement Attlee), and the Soviet Union’s Joseph Stalin—met to negotiate the fate of a defeated Germany and the postwar world. The new map of Europe they drew set the stage for the protracted Cold War that would drag on for more than four decades. It’s chilling to think that, just 15 years after the anti-Hitler Coalition had formed to fight and defeat fascism, the Berlin Wall would run right in front of the palace where the Cold War could have been prevented, had Western and communist ideologies not disastrously clashed right here in 1945.

Eating: The € Meierei Biergarten, a former 19th-century creamery and now a brewery, is a 10-minute stroll north of Cecilienhof. Delightfully set on the lake under an evocative industrial-age chimney, it has two zones: a cheery, self-service beer garden (basic beerhall food and drink, open only in summer and good weather) and a more serious, pricier restaurant (with seating under vaults where cows were once milked and outside overlooking the lake). The setting is tranquil and romantic, but don’t expect a menu in English. It’s a short, thought-provoking walk from Cecilienhof as you pass through what was once the death strip of the Berlin Wall (beer garden closed Mon and off-season, restaurant closed Mon-Tue; from Cecilienhof, follow Meierei signs to Im Neuen Garten 10; +49 331 704 3211, www.meierei-potsdam.de).

▲KGB Prison Memorial at Leistikowstrasse (Gedenkstätte Leistikowstrasse Potsdam)

Standing in stark contrast to all of Potsdam’s pretty palaces and Hohenzollern bombast, this crumbling concrete prison has been turned into a memorial and documentation center to the Cold War victims of Soviet counterintelligence.

Cost and Hours: Free, Tue-Sun 14:00-18:00, Nov-March 13:00-17:00, closed Mon year-round, Leistikowstrasse 1, +49 331 201 1540, www.leistikowstrasse-sbg.de.

Visiting the Memorial: A short walk from the lakeside park, the KGB established a base here in August 1945 (mere days after the Potsdam Conference), which remained active until the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. The centerpiece of their “secret city” was this transit prison in which enemies of the Soviet regime were held and punished in horrible conditions before entering the USSR “justice” system—to be tried, executed, or shipped off to notorious gulag labor camps. While most prisoners were Russian citizens, until 1955 the prison also held Germans who were essentially kidnapped by the USSR in retribution for their wartime activities.

From the blocky modern reception building at the corner, you’ll enter the complex. In the yard find a model illustrating how this was the inner core of a walled secret city that (until 1991) was technically Soviet territory run by the KGB. Then head inside the prison, where the hallways and cells are an eerie world of peeling paint, faded linoleum, and rusted hinges. The two floors host a well-presented exhibit explaining the history of the building (which was a vicarage before being seized by the Soviets) and profiling several individuals who were held here.

Bridge of Spies (Glienicker Brücke)

A 20-minute walk from the Cecilienhof Palace, this bridge over the Havel River was historically part of a key transportation route between the royal residences in Potsdam and Berlin. After World War II, the bridge marked the division between the American sector and the Soviet Occupation Zone. But after the Berlin Wall was built in 1961, the bridge became off-limits to civilians, with checkpoints set up for the Soviets and members of the military missions in Berlin (the US, France, and Britain).

During the Cold War, spies and dissidents—most famously American Gary Powers (who piloted the U-2 spy plane shot down over the USSR in 1960) and Soviet activist Natan Sharansky—were traded on this bridge. The 1962 exchange of KGB agent Rudolf Abel for Powers inspired the Steven Spielberg film Bridge of Spies (2015).

Sachsenhausen Memorial and Museum

About 20 miles north of downtown Berlin, the small town of Oranienburg was the site of one of the most notorious Nazi concentration camps, which became the nerve center for the entire camp system. Sachsenhausen’s proximity to the capital gave it special status as the place to train camp guards and test new procedures. It was also the site of the Third Reich’s massive counterfeiting operation to destabilize Great Britain by flooding the monetary system with forged pound notes. Today the Sachsenhausen Memorial and Museum (Gedenkstätte und Museum Sachsenhausen), worth ▲▲, honors the camp’s victims and survivors, and teaches visitors about the atrocities that took place here.

GETTING TO SACHSENHAUSEN

Take a train to the town of Oranienburg (30-50 minutes, covered by zone ABC ticket; if you have a pass for just zones AB, buy a €4.90 24-hour Anschlussfahrausweis extension ticket to cover your round-trip to Oranienburg; from there, it’s a quick trip by bus or taxi to the memorial, or a 20-minute walk).

From Berlin Hauptbahnhof, the Regional Express/RE5 train speeds to Oranienburg (hourly, 30 minutes). Or you can take the S-Bahn (S1 line) from various stops in downtown Berlin, including Potsdamer Platz, Brandenburger Tor, Rosenthaler Platz, Friedrichstrasse, and Oranienburger Strasse (3/hour, 50 minutes).

At Oranienburg, the bus to the memorial departs right in front of the train station (on weekdays, hourly bus #804 is timed to meet most regional trains; on weekends it runs only every 2 hours and doesn’t sync with S-Bahn arrivals; direction: Malz or Anker; bus #821 also possible, runs 4/day, no buses Sat-Sun, direction: Tiergarten; €2.10, covered by Berlin transit 24-hour pass for zones ABC or buy an Anschlussfahrausweis, get off at Gedenkstätte stop). You can also take a taxi (€8, ask for the Gedenkstätte—geh-DENK-shteh-teh).

To walk 20 minutes to the memorial, turn right from the train station and head up Stralsunder Strasse for about two blocks. Turn right under the railroad trestle onto Bernauer Strasse, following signs for Gedenkstätte Sachsenhausen. At the traffic light, turn left onto Strasse der Einheit. After two blocks, turn right on Strasse der Nationen, which leads to the memorial.

PLANNING YOUR TIME

You’ll need at least three hours to appreciate the many worthwhile exhibits here. Factoring in transit time, give yourself at least five hours round-trip from central Berlin.

ORIENTATION TO SACHSENHAUSEN

Cost and Hours: Free, daily 8:30-18:00, on Mon in winter typically only the grounds and visitors center are open (not the museums; check ahead), Strasse der Nationen 22.

Information: +49 3301 200 200, www.sachsenhausen-sbg.de.

Tours and Visitor Information: The map in this book is sufficient, but the map sold at the visitors center is worthwhile for its extra background information. Skip the overlong audioguide and instead use this chapter’s self-guided tour in conjunction with the ample posted information. Guided two-hour tours (€3) are offered on Sat at 11:00.

Services: The visitors center has WCs, a bookshop, and a helpful information desk where visitors can fill out a registry request to learn more about former inmates (or email in advance, archiv@gedenkstaette-sachsenhausen.de).

Virtually all walking-tour companies in Berlin offer day trips to Sachsenhausen (meet in the city, then ride together by train to Oranienburg). The round-trip takes about six hours, much of which is spent in transit—but your time at the memorial is made very meaningful by your guide’s commentary.

Compare walking-tour companies to find an itinerary that fits your schedule (typically €25-30, April-Oct daily, less frequent off-season). Options include Original Berlin Walks (www.berlinwalks.de) and Insider Tour (www.insidertour.com).

Eating: Pack a lunch or buy one en route, as dining choices are minimal. The little “Info Café” inside the camp offers small snacks, and Bistro To Go, just outside the visitors center, serves basic fare (wurst, soup) but is often closed.

BACKGROUND

Completed in July 1936, Sachsenhausen was the first concentration camp built under SS chief Heinrich Himmler. The triangle-shaped grounds, contained by three walls, enabled observation of the entire camp from a single point, the main guard tower. The design was intended to be a model for other camps, but it had a critical flaw that prevented its widespread adoption: It was very difficult to expand without interfering with sight lines.

Sachsenhausen was not, strictly speaking, a “death camp” for mass murder (like Auschwitz); it was a labor camp, intended to wring hard work out of the prisoners. Many toiled in a brickworks, producing materials to be used in architect Albert Speer’s grandiose plans for erecting new buildings all over Berlin.

Between 1936 and 1945, about 200,000 prisoners (mostly men) did time at Sachsenhausen; tens of thousands died here, while numerous others were transported elsewhere to be killed (in 1942, many of Sachsenhausen’s Jews were taken to Auschwitz). Though it was designed to hold 10,000 prisoners, the camp had almost 70,000 prisoners at one point. In the spring of 1945, knowing that the Red Army was approaching, guards took about 35,000 able-bodied prisoners on a death march, leading them into the forest for seven days and nights with no rations. Rather than “wasting” bullets to kill them, SS troops hoped that the prisoners would expire from exhaustion. On the eighth day, after 6,000 had died, the guards abandoned the group in the wilderness. When Soviet troops liberated Sachsenhausen on April 22, 1945, they discovered more than 3,000 prisoners who had been too weak to walk and were left there to die (all but 300 survived).

Just three months after the end of the war in Europe, Sachsenhausen was converted into Soviet Special Camp No. 7 for the USSR’s own prisoners. It was a notorious “silent camp,” where prisoners would disappear—allowed no contact with the outside world and their imprisonment officially unacknowledged. The prisoners included Nazis, anti-Stalin Russians, and Germans who were deemed a threat to the Soviet occupation authorities. By the time the camp closed in 1950, 12,000 more people had died here.

In 1961, Sachsenhausen became the first former concentration camp to be turned into a memorial. The East German government created the memorial mostly for propaganda purposes, to deflect attention from the controversial construction of the Berlin Wall and to exalt the USSR as the valiant antifascist liberators of the camp and all of Germany.

Since the end of the DDR, Sachsenhausen has been redeveloped into a true memorial, with updated museum exhibits and an emphasis on preservation—documenting and sharing the story of what happened here. While it’s difficult to take in, as with all concentration camp memorials, the intention of Sachsenhausen is to share its story and lessons—and prevent this type of brutality from ever happening again.

SELF-GUIDED TOUR

The memorial’s exhibits are scattered throughout the grounds in various buildings and offer more information than you probably have time to absorb. This outline covers the key parts of your visit.

Entrance

In the courtyard next to the visitors center, a model of the camp illustrates its unique triangular layout. Guards stationed in tower A (at the main gate) could see everything going on inside those three walls. Along the left (west) side of the triangle is the crematorium, called Station Z. Outside the main triangle are the workshops, factories, and extra barracks that were added when the camp ran out of room.

Walk up the lane called Camp Street. On the right is the SS officers’ R&R building, nicknamed the “Green Monster,” where prisoners dressed in nice clothes were forced to wait on their keepers. Officials mostly chose Jehovah’s Witnesses for this duty, because they had a strong pacifist code and could be trusted not to attempt to harm their captors.

A left turn through the fence takes you into the courtyard in front of guard tower A. The clock on the tower is frozen at 11:07—the exact time that the Red Army liberated the camp. The building on the right—the New Museum—has an interesting DDR-era stained-glass window inside, as well as thoughtful temporary exhibits and a small café.

Go through the gate cruelly marked Arbeit Macht Frei—“Work will set you free.”

Main Grounds

Entering the triangular field, you can see that almost none of the original buildings still stand. Following the war, locals salvaged the barracks here for much-needed building materials. Tracing the perimeter, notice the electric fence and barbed wire. A few feet in front of the wall is a gravel track called the neutral zone—any prisoner setting foot here would be shot. This became a common way for prisoners to attempt suicide. Guards quickly caught on: If they sensed a suicide attempt, they’d shoot to maim instead of kill. It was typical upside-down Nazi logic: Those who wanted to live would die, and those who wanted to die would live.

Every morning, after a 4:15 wake-up call, prisoners would scramble to eat, bathe, and dress in time to assemble in the roll-call grounds in front of the guard tower by 5:00. Dressed in their thin, striped pajama-like uniforms and wooden clogs, prisoners would line up while guards, in long coats and accompanied by angry dogs, barked orders and accounted for each person, including those who had died in the barracks overnight. It could take hours, in any weather. A single misbehaving prisoner would bring about punishment for all others. One day, after a prisoner escaped, SS officer Rudolf Höss (who later went on to run Auschwitz-Birkenau) forced the entire population of the camp to stand here for 15 hours in a foot of snow and subzero temperatures. Hundreds of people died.

To the far right from the entrance, the wooden barracks (with good museum displays) are reconstructed from original timbers. Barrack 38 focuses on the Jewish experience at Sachsenhausen, as well as the general mistreatment of German Jews under the Nazis (including anti-Semitic propaganda). Barrack 39 explains everyday life, with stories following 20 individual internees. You’ll see how prisoners lived: long rows of bunks, benches for taking paltry meals, latrines crammed wall-to-wall with toilets, and communal fountains for washing. Inmates would jockey for access to these facilities. The SS controlled inmates by psychological (along with physical) means, such as establishing a hierarchy among the prisoners. Senior prisoners were forced to instill discipline on fellow inmates and would be rewarded with privileges (and given greater chances of survival). Like at many other camps, the leaders at Sachsenhausen ran a system of organized rape, whereby they brought in inmates from the women’s-only Ravensbrück concentration camp and forced them to “reward good prisoners” at Sachsenhausen.

Next to the barracks, behind the brick wall, is the camp prison, where political prisoners or out-of-line inmates were sent. It was run not by the SS but by the Gestapo (secret police), who would torture captives to extract information. Other prisoners didn’t know exactly what went on in this facility, but they could hear screams from inside and knew they did not want to be sent here. The cells contain exhibits about the prisoners and the methods used by their captors.

Just outside the back of the building stand two posts (out of an original 15) with iron pegs near the top. Guards tortured people by tying their hands behind their backs, then hanging them on these pegs by their wrists until they died—a medieval method called strappado.

Walk around the inner stone-paved semicircle toward the buildings in the middle of the camp. On this “shoe-testing ground,” prisoners were forced to put on boots two sizes too small and walk in a circle on uneven ground all day, supposedly to “test” the shoes for fighting at Stalingrad.

The rectangles of stones show where each of the original barrack buildings once stood. At the center, a marker represents the location of the gallows, where prisoners would be publicly executed as a deterrent to others.

In the middle of the triangle, on the right, is the kitchen building, with exhibits that trace the history of the camp. You’ll learn how Sachsenhausen was built by prisoners and see original artifacts, including the gallows, a bunk from the barracks, uniforms, and so on. Photos, quotes, and a 30-minute film tell stories in vivid detail.

Memorial and Crematorium

Head back to the far end of the grounds, which is dominated by the towering, 130-foot-tall, 1961 communist DDR memorial to the victims of Sachsenhausen. The 18 triangles at the top are red, the color designated for political prisoners (to the communists, they were more worthy of honor than the other victims who died here). At the base of the monument, two prisoners are being liberated by a noble Soviet soldier. The prisoners are unrealistically robust, healthy, and optimistic (they will survive and become part of the proud proletariat!). The podium in front was used by the East German authorities for speeches and rallies—exploiting Sachsenhausen as a backdrop for their propaganda.

From here, head left and go through the gap in the fence to find the execution trench, used for mass shootings. When this system proved too inefficient, the Nazis built “Station Z,” the nearby gas chamber and crematorium, where they could execute and dispose of prisoners more systematically. Its ruins are inside the white building (prior to the camp’s liberation by Soviet troops, Nazi guards destroyed the crematorium to remove evidence of their crimes).

Victims reported here and, after a “dental check” to find out if they had gold or silver teeth that could be taken, undressed, then were led either directly to their death in the gas chamber or to the adjoining antechamber. From the antechamber, one by one they entered a “doctor’s office” (the room with the double row of bricks for soundproofing; the Nazis also blasted classical music to mask noise), where they would stand against the wall to have their height measured—and a guard would shoot them through a small hole in the wall with a single bullet to the back of the skull. (The Nazis found it was easier for guards to carry out their duties if they didn’t have to see their victims face-to-face.) At this point the coveted teeth would be removed and added to the camp’s storehouse.

Finally, bodies were taken to be incinerated in the ovens (which still stand). Notice the statue of the emaciated prisoner—a much more accurate depiction than the one at the DDR monument. Outside, a burial ground is filled with ashes from the crematorium.

The Rest of the Memorial

Back inside the main part of the site you can head left, up to the tip of the triangle (behind the big monument) to find a museum about the postwar era, when Sachsenhausen served as a Soviet Special Camp. Inside you’ll find books listing the names of inmates who died here between 1945 and 1950. Nearby is a burial ground for victims of that camp. At the corner, tower E holds a small exhibit about the relationship between the camp and the town of Oranienburg—and makes you wonder what it’s like living within sight of the memorial today.

Heading back toward the main guard tower, along the wall toward the front corner you’ll see the long, green barracks of the infirmary, used for medical experiments on inmates (as explained by the exhibits inside). This was where Soviet soldiers found the 3,000 remaining survivors when they liberated the camp. The small building in back was the morgue—Nazis used the long ramp to bring in the day’s bodies via wheelbarrows. Behind that is a field with six stones, each marking 50 bodies for the 300 prisoners who died after the camp was liberated.

Leaving the memorial, a short walk brings you to the “T-building,” the former Concentration Camps Inspectorate office, which was the administrative center for the entire camp network starting in 1938. By 1945, the SS managed over 1,100 camps, coordinating labor and organizing heinous plans for mass extermination from this building. The early establishment of this office, and its proximity to Berlin, underscore how the concentration camps were not merely an afterthought but instead a deliberate part of the Nazis’ master plan.

HAMBURG

Hamburg at a Glance

PLANNING YOUR TIME

Orientation to Hamburg

TOURIST INFORMATION

ARRIVAL IN HAMBURG

HELPFUL HINTS

GETTING AROUND HAMBURG

Map: Hamburg

Tours in Hamburg

Sights in Hamburg

Map: St. Pauli Landungsbrücken

Map: Reeperbahn & Harbor

Sleeping in Hamburg

NEAR THE TRAIN STATION, IN ST. GEORG

ELSEWHERE IN HAMBURG

Eating in Hamburg

NEAR THE TRAIN STATION, IN ST. GEORG

CITY CENTER AND HARBOR

SCHULTERBLATT (“SHOULDER BLADE”) NEIGHBORHOOD

Hamburg Connections

Although it’s Germany’s second-biggest city, Hamburg has no historic palace, no cutesy old town, no transatlantic flights...and no overtourism. This is much appreciated by the many German tourists who consider Hamburg their most beautiful big city. They flock here to eat fish, watch soccer games, enjoy live theater, marvel at the mighty port and rejuvenated docklands, and experience the fabled nightlife of the Reeperbahn—the German answer to “Sin City,” famous for launching the Beatles. On weekends year-round, and just about any time the weather is nice, the city comes alive.

The name “Hamburg” (HAHM-boork) very loosely derives from “castle on wet ground”—and the city, with over a thousand bridges, is built to accommodate a 13-foot tide. A century ago, Hamburg’s seaport on the Elbe River was the world’s third largest. If you have German ancestors, there’s a good chance they left for America from here: Between 1850 and 1930, more than five million Germans emigrated through Hamburg.

After the Iron Curtain cut Germany in two, port traffic—and the city’s influence—dwindled. But since reunification in 1990, Hamburg has redirected attention to its former industrial waterfront, including the burgeoning HafenCity district and Elbphilharmonie concert hall. Like many port towns, Hamburg has its rough edges, but that only adds to its earthy appeal. Today, the city’s salty maritime atmosphere—with a constant breeze and the evocative cries of seagulls—gives it an almost Scandinavian, Dutch, or English feel that’s worlds away from the sunny, Baroque joviality of Bavaria.

No longer content to be famous merely for its lusty sailors’ quarter, the new Hamburg expects to be seen as a cultural capital rivaling other great European cities. And yet, Americans and other foreign tourists remain scarce—giving you the sensation of being in on a well-kept secret. Enjoy it.

PLANNING YOUR TIME

If you’re passing through on your way between Germany and Denmark, Hamburg is certainly worth a quick stop. At the very least, toss your bag in a train-station locker and enjoy a 1.5-hour hop-on, hop-off bus tour and a harbor cruise before taking an evening train out.

But with its variety of attractions, Hamburg can easily fill a rewarding day (or more) of sightseeing. While you could see the sights in any order, consider this busy all-day plan using public transit (leave by 9:30 if you want to take the worthwhile noon harbor tour):

In the morning, visit the sights in the city center, starting at the City Hall (Rathaus). Have a look at the posh shops around Jungfernstieg and the Binnenalster lakefront. The St. Nikolai Memorial is a short walk in the opposite direction; from there make your way to the distinctive architecture of the Kontorhausviertel neighborhood. From the Mönckebergstrasse U-Bahn stop a few blocks north, the U-3 line will take you to the Landungsbrücken stop, just above the waterfront where the harbor cruise starts.

After the cruise, decide how to spend your afternoon. To visit sights in the Speicherstadt warehouse district and go up to the Elbphilharmonie’s Plaza viewing platform, take the #72 public ferry from the Landungsbrücken harborfront. Alternatively, you could walk from the harbor to the Hamburg History Museum (if it’s open), then return from the adjacent St. Pauli U-Bahn stop to the train station or your hotel via the U-3 line.

The U-3 will also take you to the Sternschanze stop, perfect for an evening stroll and dinner in the happening Schulterblatt neighborhood. Cap off your full day with the self-guided “Reeperbahn Walk” (see here) to see this nightlife area at full tilt.

Orientation to Hamburg

Hamburg is big (1.8 million people, sprawling to 5 million in the surrounding metropolitan area). You can walk between some of its sights, but you’ll need to use public transit to reach the top ones. The city center sits between the Elbe River to the south and a lake called the Binnenalster to the north, and is surrounded by a ring road that follows the route of the old city walls. Away from the City Hall and the pleasant pedestrian streets of Spitalerstrasse and Mönckebergstrasse, the center is fairly workaday. Most places of interest are just outside this downtown core: The train station and the St. Georg neighborhood (with good hotels and restaurants) are east of the center; the harbor, old Speicherstadt warehouse district, and new HafenCity zone are to the south along the Elbe; the St. Pauli waterfront district and the red light/entertainment zone along the Reeperbahn lie to the west; and to the northwest is the lively Schulterblatt Schanzenviertel (a.k.a. Sternschanze quarter), with its Schulterblatt (“Shoulder Blade”) neighborhood.

Hamburg: Germany’s Trendsetter

Hamburg is Germany’s second-largest city, its richest judged by per-capita income, and its most important port (though it sits about 60 miles from the North Sea). And, like other “second cities”—such as Chicago, Marseille, or Antwerp—Hamburg has a special pride. With no aspirations to be the capital, Hamburg is comfortable in its own skin.

Hamburg lacks a quaint medieval center. While the city was once fortified with a 17th-century wall, all that survives is a lush greenbelt circling the old center (easily seen on the map) and streets that still have “Wall” in their names. Within that former wall, Ye Olde Hamburg was long since flattened by a one-two punch: a devastating fire in 1842, and then firebombing by Allied forces in 1943.

Today the rebuilt city center features wide streets and angular office buildings, and bustles with the lively commerce of outdoor cafés and busy shops—not unlike the downtown cores of many American cities. The most charming parts of Hamburg are neighborhoods outside the center that show off Germany’s 19th- and early 20th-century prosperity.

Woven deeply into the city’s DNA is business: Just as it has no historic castle, its only king has long been trade. And Hamburg’s favorite deity is Mercury, the god of commerce, whom you’ll see depicted all over town.

Long an imperial “free city,” then a city-state, Hamburg joined the reunited Germany as one of its 16 states. Its mayor has the power of a governor, and its government is nimble. The Green and socialist parties generally create a coalition, with plenty of votes between them to run the famously content city. They have learned to lead moderately and pragmatically but with bold, visionary strokes.

The city puts that political muscle to good use: for example, in new approaches to public transport. The Fehmarn Belt Link, expected to open in 2029, will cut train travel time between Hamburg and Copenhagen from 4.5 hours to 2.5 hours, replacing a 45-minute ferry with a seven-minute train that zips 12 miles through the world’s longest underwater rail-and-road tunnel. There’s even a proposal for Hamburg and Copenhagen to jointly host the 2040 Olympics.

In recent years, the city’s population has swelled with over 100,000 immigrants—mainly escaping war zones in Syria and Ukraine—which the people of Hamburg believe diversify and strengthen, rather than threaten, the fabric of their society.

And Hamburg is at the vanguard of sustainability, generating 70 percent of its energy using wind and solar. Hamburg spearheaded a green movement that has led Germany to shut down its nuclear power.

While it doesn’t appear on many bucket lists, Hamburg provides an impactful look at a unique, influential, and fascinating city that’s leading Germany through the 21st century.

TOURIST INFORMATION

Hamburg’s main TI is in the train station. It’s a great place to review your plans and pick up a good city map (daily 9:00-19:00, above the north end of tracks 3-4, +49 40 3005 1300, www.hamburg-travel.com). Their website has a free Hamburg tourism app with tips and an offline map. Other places that call themselves “Tourist Info” can be helpful but are really most interested in selling tickets for a commission.

Hamburg Card: If you plan to use public transit and see at least two or three museums, especially with a travel partner (or two), this card is a sound investment. Sold at TIs and public transit ticket machines, it covers a full day of public transit plus reduced-priced entry to many sights. While the discounts are modest (generally 5-25 percent, with a few up to 50 percent), the card costs only a little more than a transit pass (€11.90/day, €20.90/day for up to 5 people; 2- to 5-day cards available).

ARRIVAL IN HAMBURG

By Train: Hamburg’s main train station (the Hauptbahnhof) has a handsome interior with a classic steel-arch design. It’s thriving with shops, services, and eateries, and while much of the city closes down on Sunday, the train station businesses stay open. The station is within walking distance of Hamburg’s City Hall and recommended hotels in the St. Georg neighborhood (exit direction: Kirchenallee). For other destinations, use the subway and buses.

From the platforms, escalators lead up to bridges that span the tracks at the north and south ends of the building; at each end of each bridge is an exit (four exits in all). The northern bridge—look for the giant Wandelhalle sign in the middle—has most services, including ticket counters in the Reisezentrum (long hours daily). You’ll also find the TI (above tracks 3-4), WCs, a left-luggage desk (next to the Reisezentrum, daily 8:30-19:30), and several banks of lockers (accessible 24/7, one is above tracks 5-6).

By Bus: Long-distance buses come and go from the large, covered bus terminal (ZOB) located just around the corner from the southern end of the main train station (across from the Arts and Crafts Museum).

By Plane: Hamburg’s airport (code: HAM, www.hamburg-airport.de) is a simple ride from the train station on the S-1 subway line. The journey takes only 30 minutes (6/hour, runs 4:30-0:30). A Hamburg Grossbereich ticket (€3.80) will cover your journey, but consider getting a transit day pass or a Hamburg Card if you’ll be doing more travel that day. Note that S-1 trains from the city divide at Ohlsdorf, one stop before the airport. Be sure your railcar is going to the airport.

HELPFUL HINTS

Book Ahead: If Miniatur Wonderland is on your must-see list, buy tickets online at least a few days in advance or risk a long wait in line. That, a local guide, and a fancy dinner are all you need to concern yourself with in advance.

Fischmarkt: If you’re here on a Sunday, it’s worth getting out of bed for this venerable market (about 5:00-9:30). It’s a rich sensory experience: Smell the fresh flowers (and even fresher fish), wander among colorful baskets of produce, hear the stallkeepers shout out closing-time deals, enjoy the fun music-festival vibe, and marvel at the Germans drinking beer this early in the morning (many are wrapping up a night out in St. Pauli).

To reach the market from the St. Georg neighborhood, catch bus #112 and ride it to the Hafentreppe stop (leaves from other side of train station, across the street from the end of Spitalerstrasse; 4-5/hour on Sunday mornings, 15 minutes). Otherwise, take the S-1 or S-3 to the Reeperbahn stop, or the U-3 to Landungsbrücken, and walk a few blocks to the market.

Laundry: Near the train station and convenient to St. Georg hotels, Express Waschcenter offers both self-service and full service (Mon-Sat 9:00-18:00, closed Sun, facing Hansaplatz at Zimmerpforte 6—from Lange Reihe, walk down Baumeisterstrasse until you reach Hansaplatz, then continue left along the north side of the square to the next street, +49 40 280 4655).

Bike Lanes and Pedestrians: The city is a delight to explore on two wheels (see rental info, next). But be alert: Red-brick pavement on the sidewalk means it’s a bike lane. Pedestrians should stay on the gray part of the sidewalk. Bicyclists show little patience for tourists who stray onto the brick.

Bike Rental: Hamburg is more and more a city for bikers. It’s level, and the bike paths make rolling through downtown on two wheels easier than on four. Most hotels rent bikes for around €16/day. Lock your bike well, as pesky thieves abound.

Hamburg City Cycles rents regular bikes and e-bikes near Landdungsbrücken (daily 9:30-18:30, Hopfenstrasse 15B, +49 40 8195 5985, www.hhcitycycles.de).

StadtRAD stocks distinctive red bikes at stations scattered across town. Once you download the app and pay €5 to register, access is almost free (+49 40 822 188 100, www.stadtrad.hamburg.de).

Taxi: Try Hansa-Taxi (+49 40 211 211). Uber works fine but just gets you a taxi.

GETTING AROUND HAMBURG

Public transport makes sightseeing efficient in this spread-out city. Hamburg’s subway system includes both the U-Bahn (with four lines, U-1 to U-4) and S-Bahn (commuter rail lines). Buses and public ferries, which are both covered by the various transit passes, round out the system.

The Hamburg transport association—known as HVV—has an information office next to the TI in the train station (long hours daily, +49 40 19449, www.hvv.de). Buy tickets from machines marked HVV at any U-Bahn or S-Bahn stop or the ferry dock (use coins and small bills). Buses are cashless, so you’ll need to buy your ticket ahead of time, or use the HVV prepaid card or app. Tickets purchased from machines or drivers are already validated; you don’t need to stamp them again.

Single ticket prices vary with ride length; the shortest trips cost €2, longer trips cost €2.70, and the longest trips (within the Grossbereich—greater city limits, including the airport) cost €3.80. Key your destination into a ticket machine or the website, and it will tell you the price.

Day passes pay for themselves quickly and give you the run of the whole system, including ferry rides on the Elbe River. Options include the 9-Uhr-Tageskarte day pass (€7.50) or the 9-Uhr-Gruppenkarte for groups of up to five people (€14.10, neither valid Mon-Fri 6:00-9:00 in order to give priority to working commuters). If you need to use the system before 9:00 on weekdays, buy the full-day pass (Ganztageskarte, €8.80). Many hotels include a three-day pass good for the entire network, so check with your hotel before purchasing any passes.

Tours in Hamburg

Free Walking Tours

As in most big German cities, you’ll find a variety of “free” walking tours (but guides hope for at least a €5/person tip). They all offer once-over-lightly walks through town with commentary that’s more entertainment than history. Look for brochures or ask at the TI for information.

Do-It-Yourself Orientation Tour: U-3 Subway

For a brief orientation to the city, enjoy a short ride from the train station to the harborfront at Landungsbrücken. Starting at the Hauptbahnhof Süd U-Bahn stop, take the U-3 in the direction of Schlump/Barmbek. The first two stops are underground; then, at the Rödingsmarkt stop, you’ll emerge onto elevated tracks that run past downtown office buildings (at this stop, look right to see the St. Michael’s Church tower, and left to see the St. Nikolai Memorial tower). At the next stop, Baumwall, you can see Speicherstadt (“Warehouse City”), Hamburg’s warehouse district, and the striking Elbphilharmonie concert hall. On the way to the next stop (Landungsbrücken), enjoy the view of the harbor, with its massive port and thriving riverfront.

▲▲Hop-On, Hop-Off Bus Tours

With its most interesting sights scattered on the perimeter, Hamburg is well suited to a hop-on, hop-off bus tour. Several companies run circular city bus tours (about €21, 1.5 hour loop), and are so competitive that they give Hamburg Card or other discounts loosely. If you are buying your ticket at the bus on the street behind the station, a little banter may get you a discount. The double-decker buses (which go topless when it’s sunny) offer a smooth, high ride with a steady flow of sights and brief multilingual recorded narration, allowing you barely enough time to identify what you’re seeing.

The most logical starting points are at the train station (the double-decker buses park along Kirchenallee) and near the Landungsbrücken pier. Before boarding, make sure that you’re on a bus with English commentary. One company with frequent departures and good English audio is Die Roten Doppeldecker; look for red buses with white Stadtrundfahrt lettering (€21 all-day ticket, 20 stops, departs every half-hour 9:30-17:00, less frequent Nov-March, +49 40 7961 3310, www.die-roten-doppeldecker.de). A €41 combo-ticket adds a one-hour harbor boat tour.

Boat Tours

To get out on the river, you can take a boat tour (a few are in English using an app); a hop-on, hop-off boat with English narration; or one of the cheaper and more frequent public ferries using my self-guided tour; see here for more details.

Within the city center, canal boats take a leisurely cruise around the Binnenalster and Aussenalster lakes, with a few routes also swinging through the Speicherstadt/HafenCity development. Alster-Touristik offers a pleasant “Alsterrundfahrt” tour—a one-hour spin around the Aussenalster (€22, 2/hour, daily 10:30-17:30, less frequent Oct-March). Their two-hour “Kanalfahrt” takes you through the romantic residential canals—unique in Germany (€28, daily every 1-2 hours 9:45-17:30, Fri-Sat in summer additional sunset tour at 19:30, less frequent Oct-March, guided commentary only in German, audioguide in English for your phone, +49 40 357 4240, www.alstertouristik.de).

Local Guides

Hamburg has fine guides and plenty of good reasons for hiring one (rates, while flexible, are about €200/2 hours and €370/half-day). Consider Hamburg native Tomas Kaiser (+49 170 232 7749, info@tomaskaiser.de) or longtime resident Ian Shulman (+49 174 904 9612, ishulman1991@gmail.com—both love their work and are great at it. The professionals in the Hamburg guide association can also cover everything from Hamburg highlights and historical sights to urban districts and boat trips. The association’s website has a list of guides and their contact info (www.hamburger-gaestefuehrer.de, info@hamburger-gaestefuehrer.de).

Bike Tours

Hamburg City Cycles offers city tours from their shop near Landdungsbrücken. Their 3.5-hour, English-language bike tours covering the historic center of town go daily at 14:30 (€34, €49 for e-bike, Hopfenstrasse 15B, +49 40 8195 5985, www.hhcitycycles.de).

Sights in Hamburg

IN THE CITY CENTER

City Hall (Rathaus)

City Hall Square (Rathausmarkt)

Hamburg’s Lakes

▲▲St. Nikolai Memorial (Mahnmal St. Nikolai)

▲Hamburger Kunsthalle (Hamburg Art Gallery)

▲Arts and Crafts Museum (Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe)

Museum of Photography and Contemporary Art (Deichtorhallen)

Kontorhausviertel Neighborhood and Chilehaus

Chocoversum Chocolate Museum

BETWEEN DOWNTOWN AND THE REEPERBAHN

St. Michael’s Church

▲▲Hamburg History Museum (Museum für Hamburgische Geschichte)

Planten un Blomen

Composers Quarter (KomponistenQuartier)

ST. PAULI LANDUNGSBRÜCKEN HARBORFRONT

Map: St. Pauli Landungsbrücken

Cruising the Harbor

▲Harbor and Port Guided Boat Tour

Harbor Tour by Public Ferry

Other Landungsbrücken Sights

St. Pauli Elbtunnel

SS Rickmer Rickmers

HAFENCITY AND SPEICHERSTADT

HafenCity

▲▲Elbphilharmonie Concert Hall

Speicherstadt

▲Miniatur Wunderland

Speicherstadt Museum

▲▲International Maritime Museum (Internationales Maritimes Museum)

REEPERBAHN NEIGHBORHOOD

Map: Reeperbahn & Harbor

▲▲Reeperbahn Walk

NORTH OF THE REEPERBAHN

Schulterblatt (“Shoulder Blade”) Neighborhood

St. Pauli Bunker

OUTSIDE THE CITY CENTER

▲BallinStadt Emigration Museum

Day Trips from Hamburg

IN THE CITY CENTER

City Hall (Rathaus)

Hamburg’s impressive City Hall, a mix of Historicist styles (from 1897), was designed to showcase the wealth and grandeur of turn-of-the-20th-century imperial Germany. While the building is called a “City Hall,” Hamburg actually forms its own Land (state) within the Federal Republic of Germany, and the council that meets in the City Hall chambers is more like a state legislature.

Cost and Hours: Free to enter entrance hall and inner courtyard; Mon-Fri 7:00-19:00, Sat 8:00-18:00, Sun until 17:00; €7 English-language tours generally run every 2 hours 11:15-15:15 (45 minutes, canceled for special events, more frequent German-language tours); on Rathausmarkt, +49 40 428 312 064, www.hamburg.de/rathausfuehrung.

Getting There: The U-3 subway line stops at the City Hall (Rathaus); it’s also very near the Jungfernstieg stop on the U-1, U-2, and U-4 lines. Enter under the archway into the lobby, where you’ll find a desk with free info sheets and tour tickets.

City Hall Square (Rathausmarkt)

The square, with arcades inspired by those circling the main square in Venice, fronts the City Hall and is on the Alster River, which connects the sea to the lake. While today the river is tamed by locks, once upon a Hamburg time, the lake (created in the Middle Ages by a dam here) powered many mills along its banks. The towering memorial to World War I, built in 1931, features not soldiers, but a war widow and her fatherless child. As that was not in tune with Hitler’s message, it was taken down by the Nazis but reinstated after World War II.

Steps lead under the square to a delightful cultural and community resource, the Rathauspassage (Mon-Sat 10:00-19:00, closed Sun). Staffed (in part) by hard-to-employ people, it’s a nonprofit social project with a cafeteria, foosball, tourist information, souvenirs, and used books.

Hamburg’s Lakes

Hamburg’s delightful lakes started as one big lake that formed when townsfolk built a mill that dammed the Alster River. During the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648), the city fortified itself behind a defensive wall that split the millpond in two (inner and outer).

To reach the first of these lakes from the square in front of City Hall, simply walk to the adjacent canal and turn right. From anywhere else in the city, ride the S-Bahn or U-Bahn to the Jungfernstieg stop.

Binnenalster: The smaller and (as its name suggests) inner of the two lakes, the Binnenalster lies a long block from the plaza in front of City Hall. It’s marked by its geyser fountain. For a good look, head to the little viewpoint at the south corner of the lake (near the canal boat dock). Look left along the waterside Jungfernstieg, once the city’s most elegant promenade and home to its top-of-the-line shops, including a huge Apple Store (at #12) and the flagship showroom of Nivea (established in Hamburg in 1911, at #51). Along the shore to the right, you can see the headquarters of Hamburg’s most important shipping company, Hapag-Lloyd. This area gives you a good look at how the city rebuilt after a fire in the mid-19th century, when it turned its back on the Elbe to face this lake.

Hamburg at a Glance

▲▲Hop-On, Hop-Off Bus Tour Convenient way to see the city’s main sights. Hours: Departs every 30 minutes 9:30-17:00, less frequently Nov-March.

▲▲St. Nikolai Memorial Bombed-out church memorializing the destruction of World War II, with excellent museum and view tower. Hours: Museum and tower open daily 10:00-18:00, tower open until 22:00 Thu-Sat.

▲▲Hamburg History Museum Sprawling exhibit of the city’s history since its founding in AD 800. Hours: May be closed for renovation. When open, likely Mon and Wed-Fri 10:00-17:00, Sat-Sun until 18:00, closed Tue.

▲▲St. Pauli Landungsbrücken Harborfront Atmospheric people zone with boardwalk ambience, ferry docks, and views of the port.

▲▲HafenCity and Speicherstadt Major urban development featuring striking Elbphilharmonie concert hall and historic, repurposed warehouses. Hours: Elbphilharmonie Plaza level open daily 10:00-24:00.

▲▲International Maritime Museum Huge former warehouse filled with exhibits on nautical history, both military and civilian. Hours: Daily 10:00-18:00.

▲▲Reeperbahn Walk A stroll through Hamburg’s famous Red Light District, sizzling with nightclubs and street life. Hours: Best at night.

▲Hamburger Kunsthalle Expansive art gallery with works by Old, New, and Modern Masters. Hours: Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, Thu until 21:00, closed Mon.

▲Arts and Crafts Museum Three floors filled with decorative arts. Hours: Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, Thu until 21:00, closed Mon.

▲Harbor and Port Guided Boat Tour Excellent chance to marvel at the city’s mighty container port and burgeoning HafenCity. Hours: Frequent departures daily approximately 10:00-18:00, shorter hours off-season.

▲Miniatur Wunderland Hugely popular display of tiny worlds and a model railway with nearly 10 miles of track. Hours: Daily 9:30-18:00, longer in peak season.

▲BallinStadt Emigration Museum Germany’s version of Ellis Island, housing history exhibits. Hours: Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon.

Red-and-white Alster-Touristik canal boats leave from the dock on Jungfernstieg (see “Tours,” earlier).

Aussenalster: The “outer Alster” (beyond the three-arched bridge) is the bigger, more parklike and residential of Hamburg’s lakes. In the past, when private gardens tumbled down from mansions lining the lake, much of the Aussenalster was off-limits to regular citizens. But a 1953 law guaranteed public lake access for everyone, and today delightful walking and biking paths trace its nearly five-mile-long shore, providing Hamburg—one of Germany’s greenest cities—with sprawling parkland. On a nice day, the lake is jam-packed with sailboats. With extra time, you could take a bike ride (see “Helpful Hints,” earlier), rent a rowboat or sailboat at the small marina, or take a boat tour. Tiny arms of the lake stretch scenically into fancy residential neighborhoods at the north end.

▲▲St. Nikolai Memorial (Mahnmal St. Nikolai)

GOOGLE MAP

Before the mid-20th century, downtown Hamburg’s skyline had five main churches, each with a bold tower. Today there are still five towers...but only four churches. The missing church is St. Nikolai. It was designed in the Neo-Gothic style by British architect George Gilbert Scott, and for a brief time after its completion in 1874, it was the world’s tallest building (at 483 feet, its spire is still the fifth tallest in the world). The nave was destroyed by the Operation Gomorrah firebombing in 1943. Its tower (open to visitors) and a few charred walls have been left as a ruin to commemorate those lost, and powerful museum exhibits in the church cellar detail Hamburg’s wartime destruction. As with similarly ruined churches in Berlin and Coventry (England), a stroll here, between the half-destroyed walls of a once-stunning church, is an evocative reminder of the horrors of war.

Operation Gomorrah: The Firebombing of Hamburg

With its port, munitions factories, and transportation links, Hamburg was a prime target for Allied bombers during World War II. After studying what the Luftwaffe did to Coventry in 1940, the British decided to use the same techniques against Hamburg on July 27, 1943. They hit targets first with explosive bombs to open roofs, break water mains, and tear up streets (making it hard for firefighters to respond), then followed up with incendiary bombs. Designed to destroy a city known for its licentious ways, the attack was given the code name Operation Gomorrah.

It had been a hot, dry summer, and when 700 RAF bombers concentrated their attack on a relatively small area, the result was an exceptionally intense firestorm. A tornado of flames raged at up to 150 miles per hour, reaching temperatures of 1500°F. Many inhabitants were baked to death huddling inside their air-raid shelters. Some who went outside were sucked off their feet, disappearing up into the super-heated vortex. Roads and sidewalks caught on fire—the shoes of those who tried to run across the roadways became mired in boiling asphalt.

In three hours, the inferno killed an estimated 35,000 people, left hundreds of thousands homeless, and reduced eight square miles of Hamburg to rubble and ashes. At the end of the eight-day bombing campaign, which included US raids, about one million survivors had fled the city and over 40,000 were dead. The firebombing of Dresden two years later is better known, but far more people died in Hamburg. And while the earlier Nazi bombings of London, Rotterdam, and Coventry were deadly, some historians say the firebombing of Hamburg was World War II’s first widespread destruction of a major city.

Cost and Hours: Ruins—free to explore and always viewable; tower and museum—€6, daily 10:00-18:00, tower stays open until 22:00 Thu-Sat, Willy-Brandt-Strasse 60, +49 40 371 125, www.mahnmal-st-nikolai.de. It’s a five-minute walk from the Rödingsmarkt U-Bahn station—just follow busy Willy-Brandt-Strasse toward the tower—or a 10-minute walk from the Speicherstadt district or City Hall.

Visiting the Memorial: The footprint of the church has a few information posts as well as some modern memorials. Where the original altar once stood is now a simple concrete altar; behind it is a 1972 mosaic (Ecce Homo) based on a drawing by Expressionist artist Oskar Kokoschka, showing Jesus on the cross being offered a vinegar-soaked sponge. To the right of the fresco, notice the sculpture (Ordeal) honoring people who died in the Nazi-era concentration camp Sandbostel, west of Hamburg. The bricks at the sculpture’s base came from the camp barracks, and the plaque with the words of the theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer are an important reminder for troubled political times: “No man in the whole world can change the truth. One can only look for the truth, find it and serve it.” The tower’s 51-bell carillon, funded with local donations in 1993, plays music daily at 9:00, 12:00, 15:00, and 18:00. A live carillonneur plays free 30-minute concerts every Thursday at noon.

The tower still stands tall above the shell of the former church, and you can ride a speedy elevator 250 feet up to its observation platform. This vantage point provides a good visual orientation to Hamburg, with views of City Hall and lakes in one direction and the Speicherstadt warehouse district in the other (supplemented by a half-dozen informational panels).

The museum offers an emotional experience, depicting the humanity of the destruction World War II wrought on this church and its city. It fills one big underground room, the former crypt, with a gripping exhibit (powerfully translated into English) meant to be toured in a counterclockwise loop. Photos show the church’s interior in all its pre-WWII glory alongside bits salvaged after the bombing (including some original stained-glass windows).

Start in the hallway with a timeline of the church’s history (beginning in 1195) and a close-up look at some fine Neo-Gothic stained glass. Next, consider the horrors of aerial warfare with graphics of cities bombed by Germany (Rotterdam, Warsaw, London, and Coventry).

Germans, expecting similar aerial bombardments, employed propaganda to normalize this and prepare the populace for the inevitable. Then came the reality of Operation Gomorrah—the intense bombing and resulting firestorm that devastated Hamburg in 1943.

The exhibit finishes with a thoughtful examination of the aftermath—how the city came to grips with the bombing logistically, culturally, and morally. How Hamburg was scared...and how it recovered.

The people of Hamburg experienced the firebombing firsthand—and yet the museum does not paint the Allied forces as bad guys, and reminds visitors that Hitler had done much the same to other cities (see the photos of a destroyed Warsaw) long before the bombs fell here.

Nearby: Across the busy street and block southwest of this church is Deichstrasse, a rare lane that somehow survived the destruction and today gives a glimpse of the cobbled and half-timbered Amsterdam-like charm of the city before 1943. (It’s lined with cute restaurants; see “Eating in Hamburg,” later.)

▲Hamburger Kunsthalle (Hamburg Art Gallery)

GOOGLE MAP

Though not as renowned as art museums in Berlin or Munich, this sprawling and high-quality collection is worthwhile, especially for its many excellent paintings by German artists. The museum spreads over several buildings just north of the train station, showcasing Old Masters, New Masters, 19th-century artists, and Modern Masters.

Cost and Hours: €16, €8 on Thu after 17:00; Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, Thu until 21:00, closed Mon; audioguide-€6 or download free app, café, Glockengiesserwall, +49 40 428 131 200, www.hamburger-kunsthalle.de.

Visiting the Museum: In the spacious, light-filled foyer, notice the terrazzo floor from 1869, which had been hidden for many decades under linoleum. The core of the collection is displayed in the Lichtwark Gallery building, where visitors will find fine examples by 20th-century German Expressionists (Max Beckmann, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner) and 19th-century Romantics (Caspar David Friedrich, Philipp Otto Runge). Come appreciate one of the towering masterpieces of German painting, Friedrich’s Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog, dating from 1818. The Galerie der Gegenwart (Gallery of the Present—covering 1960 until today, across the square and connected by an underground passage) is the contemporary art annex, featuring German heavyweights like Gerhard Richter. The museum also presents excellent special exhibits, which can be reason enough to visit.

▲Arts and Crafts Museum (Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe)

South of the train station, this museum has three floors filled by a massive collection of decorative and applied arts. The focus is on historical European items (ground floor), with more than 30,000 objects from the Middle Ages and on. The upper floors feature items from other periods and places, including Buddhist and Islamic pieces. Pick and choose your collections: Art Nouveau, Art Deco, ceramics, fashion, furniture, jewelry, poster art, and musical instruments—it’s all displayed in a celebration of human creativity and inventiveness. The temporary exhibits are often excellent.

Cost and Hours: €14, €8 on Thu after 17:00; Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, Thu until 21:00, closed Mon; café, Steintorplatz, +49 40 428 134 880, www.mkg-hamburg.de.

Nearby: Just past the Arts and Crafts Museum, facing a greenspace nicknamed Drob Park (behind the train station, at Besenbinderhof 71), is the Drob Inn addiction treatment center. You may see the GoBanyo Duschbus, a mobile “shower bus” for people living on the streets. The “needle park” look of the area in front of the center is a poignant reminder that opioid addiction is a serious challenge at home and abroad. While the US suffers over 100,000 overdose deaths a year, Germany (with its more compassionate, progressive, and effective approach, including safe injection rooms) has closer to 1,500—that’s about 30 fewer overdose deaths per 100,000 people.

Museum of Photography and Contemporary Art (Deichtorhallen)

Farther south from the Arts and Crafts Museum, at the end of Hamburg’s Kunstmeile (“art mile”), you’ll find one of the largest centers in Europe for contemporary art. Art fans will enjoy the often high-profile, changing exhibits, but the exhibition space itself is worth a look. Originally built around 1914 as market halls, the steel-and-glass structure is a rare surviving example of industrial architecture transitioning between 19th-century Art Nouveau and 20th-century styles. Just across from the museum are the offices of Germany’s leading newsmagazine (Der Spiegel), testifying to Hamburg’s status as a media capital.

Cost and Hours: €16, Tue-Sun 11:00-18:00, closed Mon; café, Deichtorstrasse 1, +49 40 321 030, www.deichtorhallen.de.

Kontorhausviertel Neighborhood and Chilehaus

The German name for this small neighborhood (which translates roughly as “office building quarter”) undersells its architectural importance. The area is made up of unique buildings constructed in the “Brick Expressionist” school, mostly between 1920 and 1930. The finest example is the Chilehaus, an immense flatiron-style building (north of Willy-Brandt-Strasse across the street from the Messberg U-Bahn station). Designed by Henry Sloman in 1922-1924, it’s shaped like a ship, down to the railing-lined balconies on the upper floors that resemble decks, and comes to a razor-sharp point at the corner. The facade is especially impressive when it’s illuminated at night. At the nearby Sprinkenhof building, study the exterior decoration all done in brick, including dozens of individual images of ships, castles, hands, and wheels. While there’s no museum here, you can poke around the buildings’ courtyards (with unpretentious cafés and shops that seem oblivious to the area’s significance) and step into the entrance lobbies, still decorated with the Art Deco-style directories of the original tenants.

Chocoversum Chocolate Museum

This delightfully decadent chocolate universe is the sweet to Hamburg’s salty. Most people find the museum’s free shop—itself a tempting tribute to cocoa—enough of a treat. The museum is an expensive interactive experience: A mandatory 1.5-hour guided tour wraps history, tasting, and creation into one. You’ll leave with your own handmade chocolate bar.

Cost and Hours: Shop free and open daily 10:00-18:00; €25 tours run throughout the day in German (ask for English handout), English tours usually offered once a day—check website for times; Messberg 1—enter on Pumpen street, across from Chilehaus; +49 40 4191 2300, www.chocoversum.de.

BETWEEN DOWNTOWN AND THE REEPERBAHN

St. Michael’s Church

While unexceptional by European standards, Hamburg’s most famous church, known simply as “der Michel,” is worth a look if you have time. It’s the third Lutheran church to stand here—the original was built in the mid-1600s. The interior is bright and wide; the decoration, unusually ornate for a Protestant church, recalls its Baroque origins (it opened in 1768). A total rebuild after a 1906 fire—started by workers repairing the roof—lent the church an Art Nouveau flair. The church hosts many concerts and has fine acoustics. A special channel brings the organ’s sound through a latticed grate in the ceiling. It also has a rich musical heritage: The Baroque composer Georg Philipp Telemann inaugurated it (and its organ), J. S. Bach’s son Carl Philipp Emanuel is buried here, and Johannes Brahms was baptized here in 1833. You can ascend its 350-foot-high, lantern-shaped tower (452 steps, or 52 steps plus an elevator) to see the clock and bell mechanics. While the views are fine, they’re not spectacular—revealing how dull and modern Hamburg’s urban core is.

Cost and Hours: Free but donation requested, tower-€8, skippable crypt-€6, combo-ticket-€10; daily 9:00-19:30, shorter hours in fall and winter, closed to visitors during services; Englische Planke 1, +49 40 376 780, www.st-michaelis.de. Several U- and S-Bahn stops are about a 10-minute walk away, including Baumwall, Rödingsmarkt, and Stadthausbrücke.

Nearby: At Krayenkamp 10, about 50 yards behind the church, duck through the archway for a glimpse of the Krameramtswohnungen—a few half-timbered buildings along a narrow lane that form a rare surviving bit of the 17th-century city. Though today lined with kitschy souvenir shops, these were originally houses built for widows of Hamburg’s guild members.

▲▲Hamburg History Museum (Museum für Hamburgische Geschichte)

GOOGLE MAP

Like the history of the city it covers, this museum is long, complex, and multilayered. Filling a giant old building with a staggering variety of artifacts and historical re-creations, the modern, thoughtful exhibits work together to illuminate the full story of Hamburg (with an emphasis on its status as one of the world’s biggest shipping ports). You’ll learn about the city’s industrial growth, devastating 1842 fire, and WWII firebombing, as well as the development of its excellent infrastructure, and the environmental conditions of the Elbe River. A highlight is the preserved bridge of an old steamship showing what life was like for the officers on board. Multiple large models of the city show how it changed over time.

The core of the exhibit is on the first floor; the ground floor has exhibits on the 20th century and a delightful Jugendstil (Art Nouveau) café with seating in the glassed-in courtyard; and the top floor has large exhibits on Hamburg’s Jewish community and beautifully re-created Baroque-era rooms. As the museum is close to the St. Pauli U-Bahn stop, it’s easy to combine with a visit to the Reeperbahn (described later) for a day of contrasts.

Cost and Hours: May be closed for renovation when you visit; when open likely €9.50; Mon and Wed-Fri 10:00-17:00, Sat-Sun until 18:00, closed Tue; Holstenwall 24, +49 40 428 132 100, https://shmh.de/de/museum-fuer-hamburgische-geschichte.

Nearby: The museum sits within the inviting park around the Grosse Wallanlagen rampart in the Planten un Blomen gardens (described next), which curls around the route of the former moat, through the heart of town to the Binnenalster and Aussenalster lakes.

Planten un Blomen

The wide strip of parkland called Planten un Blomen (“plants and flowers”) was voted the number one park in all of Germany, and I’d agree. It stretches all the way from the harbor to the Binnenalster lake on the site of Hamburg’s old city wall. Of the park’s varied sections, the most worthwhile is the northern stretch, near the Stephansplatz U-Bahn and Dammtor S-Bahn stops. It’s an oasis of calm ponds, playful fountains, happy bunny rabbits, and colorful gardens (including a rose garden and a Japanese garden). Dotted with cafés, it’s an ideal place to stroll with an ice-cream cone after a day of sightseeing—or sit back in an Adirondack chair under the shadow of the TV tower.

Cost and Hours: Free; daily 7:00-23:00 in summer, best before dark, shorter hours off-season; S-11, S-21, or S-31 to Dammtor or U-1 to Stephansplatz; www.plantenunblomen.hamburg.de.

Composers Quarter (KomponistenQuartier)

Hamburg has an impressive musical heritage: Georg Philipp Telemann, C. P. E. Bach (son of Johann Sebastian), Johann Adolf Hasse, Felix Mendelssohn and his talented sister Fanny, Johannes Brahms, and Gustav Mahler all resided for a time in this city. A series of exhibition spaces along a quiet pedestrian street (a 5-minute walk from either St. Michael’s Church or the Hamburg History Museum) features artifacts, musical scores, instruments, and multimedia displays that illuminate these composers’ lives and works (€11; Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00, closed Mon; Peterstrasse 29-39, +49 40 3406 8650, www.komponistenquartier.de).

ST. PAULI LANDUNGSBRÜCKEN HARBORFRONT

Once Hamburg’s passenger ship terminal, this half-mile-long floating dock, which parallels the waterfront, is now a thriving, touristy, borderline-tacky wharf that locals call “the Balcony of Hamburg.” A visit is worth ▲▲. From here you can inhale the inviting aroma of herring and french fries while surveying the harbor and the city’s vast port.

From the Landungsbrücken S- and U-Bahn stop (or from Davidstrasse, if you’re walking down from the Reeperbahn), head toward the water. As you walk down, you’ll be assailed by employees of the many tour-boat companies, each pitching their trips. You’ll see the venerable light-brown stone former terminal building (now filled with shops and a Hard Rock Café).

From the landing you can catch a public ferry, hop a guided boat tour, walk a short way to hike under the river, or tour a historic ship. Consider a lunch break at the harbor’s own brewery, the recommended Blockbräu.

Cruising the Harbor

Facing the water behind the terminal building, nine numbered docks—a.k.a. the Landungsbrücken (“landing bridges”)—stretch along the harbor. Bridge 1 (with the SS Rickmer Rickmers museum ship and ferry #72) is to the far left, and the Landungsbrücken S- and U-Bahn pedestrian overpass and ferry #62 are at bridge 3. Notice how this area, like the rest of Hamburg’s waterfront, is designed to accommodate the Elbe’s 13-foot tides.

On sunny days and most weekends the harbor swells with tourists eager to get on the water. Public ferries are crowded, and riders scrum at the gangway to fight their way on board.

▲Harbor and Port Guided Boat Tour

A boat tour of Hamburg’s harbor—one of the biggest in the world—is fun. A commotion of tour companies all clamor for your business at the Landungsbrücken wharf, offering many options. There are big and small boats, one- and two-hour tours, and departures constantly. Some go to the new harbor (Speicherstadt and HafenCity—you’ll see this by foot easily just as well), others to the industrial container port (really interesting), and others to both. Some have live narrations (none in English), and others have recorded ones (only a few in English, some via an app). Most charge about the same price (€25/hour) and toss around Hamburg Card and other discounts easily. Have some fun comparison shopping, see what feels good and fits your schedule, and take the leap.

The industrial port should be a major focus of the trip, and getting up close to all those massive container ships, cranes, and dry and wet docks is breathtaking. You can order a drink to sip as you take it all in from the deck (bring a sandwich for a discreet picnic).

Another option is the hop-on, hop-off boat, which is not really workable for hopping on and off—because it only goes three times a day—but does offer a 1.5-hour tour with a recorded spiel. Unless you get a boat with English narration (or speak German), you might find the public ferry (described next) a good choice.

Harbor Tour by Public Ferry

Hamburg’s ferries give you a fine look at the harbor and a lot of the port action but won’t actually take you into the industrial port area—for that, you’ll need to take one of the privately operated tour boats listed earlier. There’s no point in riding this ferry if you’re already taking a privately operated tour. Take ferry line #62 (4-5/hour 7:00-19:00, 2-4/hour 19:00-23:00). You can use your transit-system day pass (see here, ticket machines on the docks) or Hamburg Card; the day pass is cheaper than a round-trip boat ticket. The ride described below takes about one hour. Only bigger ferries have WCs and snack booths—but you’re welcome to munch your own picnic on board.

Self-Guided Tour: From the Landungsbrücken terminal building, go to bridge 3 and find the signs for ferry line #62 to Finkenwerder. With stops, it’s a 28-minute trip downstream and another 28 minutes back—if you like, you can stay on the same ferry, but boats leave often enough for easy hopping on and off.

Riding toward Finkenwerder, the first stop is Fischmarkt, which hosts a popular Sunday morning market (produce, fish, flea market; see here).

The second stop is Dockland, also the name of the enormous office building designed to look like a gigantic yacht. Its “stern” is a series of climbable terraces that lead to a viewpoint rooftop.

Soon after Dockland, watch on the right for the Schlepper (tugboat) station, with a row of tugs lined up and ready to schlep. Because Hamburg sits about 60 miles inland from the sea, arriving ships have to traverse a long stretch of river—and at the regulated low speeds, very large ships can’t gain the momentum necessary to steer, forcing them to rely on this fleet of plucky tugboats. Behind them, notice the red line on the quay. This was the high-water mark of the 1962 flood, which killed more than 300 people and destroyed about 6,000 buildings within the city.

As you pull into Neumühlen, the third stop, consider that you’re cruising right over the eight lanes of autobahn traffic that speed through a tunnel (built in 1975). You could break your journey here, below hillside villas in the posh neighborhood of Övelgönne. You can see the modest “museum harbor” (Museumshafen) of retired boats bobbing near the ferry dock, eat lunch at one of the two reasonably priced cafés nearby (Elbterrassen and Museumshafen Café), or enjoy Hamburg’s beach (a short walk downstream, visible from the ferry pier). Bus #113, which terminates at the Neumühlen pier, runs every 10-20 minutes and is an alternative way to get from Övelgönne back to St. Pauli and the train station (via the suburban Altona train station, where you’d catch the S-Bahn to St. Pauli). Or, ride the boat all the way to Finkenwerder, then turn around to sail back to Landungsbrücken.

The Finkenwerder stop, where the ferry turns around, is on an island that’s home to Airbus’ test runway (not visible from the ferry), which was used to help develop the superjumbo A380.

Quickie Option: For a shorter ferry ride, try this: At Landungsbrücken, go to bridge 1 and catch line #72 toward the city center to HafenCity and the Elbphilharmonie concert hall (7-minute trip, 2-4/hour, Mon-Sat 6:00-23:00, Sat-Sun from 9:00).

Other Landungsbrücken Sights

St. Pauli Elbtunnel

Continental Europe’s oldest underwater tunnel, completed in 1911, is marked by a green-domed entry hall designed to resemble the Pantheon in Rome (just past the Hard Rock Café at the right end of the terminal building, close to bridge 6). To take a memorable look at some century-old technology, walk down the stairs or ride an elevator—ogling the big wooden industrial elevators that horse carriages once used (free entrance, tunnel open 24/7, elevators close at 20:00). At the bottom, look down the full quarter-mile length of the tunnel and wonder how it can safely lie just 40 feet under the surface of the Elbe (meaning big ships cannot go upstream past here). Inside, it’s 15 feet high—just high enough for a coachman to hold his horse whip upright. For a little exercise, and a great view of Hamburg from across the river, walk or bike through the tunnel to the other side. Once across, ride the elevator or huff up the stairs to the surface, then walk to the riverfront to find a terrace with a great panoramic view of Hamburg and a helpful orientation board that identifies the major landmarks.

SS Rickmer Rickmers

This three-masted, steel-hulled ship (moored near bridge 1) was built in Bremerhaven in 1896. It sailed the globe with its crew of 25 for 27 years as a German freighter. Abandoned and destined for a briny graveyard, it was rescued and lovingly restored by a group of volunteers and opened to the public here in 1987. The “Friends of Rickmer Rickmers” have enabled a fascinating peek at a hardworking ship from a bygone age. You can explore the ship’s four decks, including the crew quarters, engine room, and a handful of exhibits—all well explained in English.

Cost and Hours: €7, daily 10:00-18:00, +49 40 319 5959, www.rickmer-rickmers.de.

Nearby: In front of the ship is a small restaurant that’s a little quieter than the others along the Landungsbrücken—it’s a pleasant place to eat lunch while watching the ferries come and go.

HAFENCITY AND SPEICHERSTADT

Together, the neighboring port districts of HafenCity and Speicherstadt—with the dazzling Elbphilharmonie concert hall—are worth ▲▲. Before World War I, Hamburg’s port was the world’s third largest, and in Europe it’s still number three (after Rotterdam and Antwerp). The port was built right up next to the city center, as the small city-state of Hamburg couldn’t defend a remote harbor. But with the advent of modern container ships in the 1970s, most maritime business shifted to a larger, modern port nearby (you’ll see these big container ships docking under the huge cranes after their North Sea voyage). This vacated a broad swath of prime real estate, just a half-mile from City Hall, which has now been redeveloped.

Getting There: Take the U-3 subway line to Baumwall, walk across either of the Niederbaumbrücke bridges, and turn left onto Kehrwieder street and into the Speicherstadt district. For an atmospheric approach, from the Landungsbrücken S- and U-Bahn stop take public ferry #72 one stop upstream (see “Harbor Tour by Public Ferry,” earlier). You’ll disembark by HafenCity’s landmark Elbphilharmonie concert hall.

HafenCity

A formerly derelict industrial zone has given way to HafenCity, one of Europe’s biggest urban development projects. Downtown Hamburg is now 40 percent bigger, and the city once again faces the Elbe River. Developers promise that some 45,000 people will work here and 15,000 will call it home. The area—with about six miles of canal-front promenades, and a mix of subsidized and luxury housing in creatively designed apartments and condos—feels like a city in itself, with a maritime touch. A good way to see HafenCity is to walk from the Elbphilharmonie concert hall to the Maritime Museum via Überseeboulevard. As you stroll, you’ll find interesting modern architecture and a mix of business, culture, and leisure. The latest development is the massive Westfield Übersee Quarter, which includes a cruise ship terminal. On weekends, locals flock to HafenCity to take a stroll, bask in the sun, and enjoy a break from the city. But in the evening, it’s quiet; so far, this new multiuse district hasn’t quite taken off as envisioned.

▲▲Elbphilharmonie Concert Hall

The centerpiece of the HafenCity development is the jaw-dropping Elbphilharmonie—a combination concert hall, hotel, and apartment complex, all contained in a towering and wildly beautiful piece of architecture. Its daring design caps a massive seven-story brick warehouse with a dazzling just-as-big glass structure. Its huge size (360 feet tall and 360 feet long) fits in well with the massive scale of the port around it—and when approached by water, it calls to mind the looming prows of the steamer ships that first put Hamburg on the world map.

The concert hall was built on condition that its viewing platform (the “Plaza”) be available for free to the public...and it is. While an entire classy world opens up inside for concertgoers, for the casual visitor, seeing the Elbphilharmonie involves riding a 270-foot-long, curved escalator (dubbed the “Tube”), followed by a second, shorter escalator, up to a vast lobby with cafés, shops, and an outside viewing deck. This outdoor promenade wraps around the entire level—famously showing four landscapes in four directions.

Cost and Hours: Entry to the Plaza is free, but you need a ticket; open daily 10:00-24:00.

Avoiding Lines: If there’s a long line for tickets, try the visitors center 50 yards away at Am Kaiserkai 60, which generally has no line. Or, buy a €3 skip-the-line ticket online or at the ground-floor ticket office (+49 40 3576 6660, www.elbphilharmonie.de).

Tours: Occasional English-language tours of the Plaza and of the concert halls are offered (details on the website).

Concerts: Tickets for events and concerts at the Elbphilharmonie can be booked by telephone, online, or by email (+49 40 3576 6666, www.elbphilharmonie.de, tickets@elbphilharmonie.de), or in person at the box office.

Speicherstadt

Literally “Storage City,” Germany’s world trade center of uniform red-brick warehouses was built between 1890 and 1910 to spearhead the newly united country’s import and export industries. As a feisty newcomer on the European map, powerful and ambitious Germany needed a mighty port—and this was it.

Bismarck gave Speicherstadt (with a population of 20,000) a privileged status: It had its own administration as a kind of protected duty-free trading zone. It thrived until World War II. It was half destroyed in 1943 and 1944 bombings, and the advent of container shipping in the 1970s (when the port moved farther out to accommodate the bigger ships) finally silenced it. Today the district, while delightfully intact, is essentially a collection of museums and tourist attractions. The huge Maritime Museum (filling one of the grandest of the surviving warehouse buildings) and the much smaller and more intimate Speicherstadt Museum tell the story.

Wandering through this canyon of warehouses, under statues symbolizing world trade, you’ll cross over circa-1888 iron bridges (dating from the same decade as the Eiffel Tower and seemingly built with the same Erector Set). Think of how these were red-brick palaces of trade, functional and impressive, giving united Germany one unified port. Imagine this industrial area when it was busy with barges and dockworkers. You can see where the ships literally tied up, and the pulleys up top that were used to hoist goods—from carpets to coffee—into the warehouses. Cranes, standing as if awaiting the next shipment on original old rails, amp up the postindustrial charm. Each of the older Speicherstadt warehouses is labeled with a letter—such as Block D, home to Miniatur Wunderland (described next).

▲Miniatur Wunderland

The most fun sight within the big Block D complex—and worth its high entry fee—Miniatur Wunderland claims to have the world’s largest model railway, covering over 16,000 square feet with more than 9.5 miles of track and 500,000 LEDs shining when the sun goes down. Marvel at the tiny airport (with model planes taking off), and watch night fall every 15 minutes. Start in America (complete with a shootout) on the fourth floor. Then work your way down via Scandinavia, Hamburg, central Germany, the Alps, all the way downstairs to Italy. Little slices of life spring to action with a press of a button—bungee jumpers leap, the drive-in plays a movie, and tiny Bavarians hoist teeny beer mugs to their mini mouths. Hamburg’s harbor is lovingly rendered—including the building you’re standing in—with a model of the Elbphilharmonie that lets you peek inside. And a mini chocolate factory produces tiny chocolate bars for enthralled kids of all ages.

Cost and Hours: €20, daily 9:30-18:00, longer hours in peak season, Kehrwieder 2, Block D, +49 40 300 6800, www.miniatur-wunderland.com.

Reservations Recommended: The model railway is wildly popular, so it’s a good idea to reserve online at least a few days in advance. If you haven’t reserved, expect as much as a two-hour wait to get in. Check their website for estimated wait times and recommended arrival times for the day you want to visit. Visit early or late to avoid the worst crowds; it’s also swamped on school holidays and weekends.

Speicherstadt Museum

This small but fascinating museum, across the small Kehrwiederfleet canal from Miniatur Wunderland, fills one big room in a warehouse dating from 1888. With old photos and lots of artifacts, it offers a peek at old warehousing and importing work. The primary cargo: coffee, tea, spices, and tobacco.

Cost and Hours: €5, daily 10:00-17:00, Am Sandtorkai 36, +49 40 321 191, www.speicherstadtmuseum.de.

Nearby: Spicy’s Gewürz Museum (next door at #34, same hours) offers a fragrant look at the spice trade a century ago.

▲▲International Maritime Museum (Internationales Maritimes Museum)

GOOGLE MAP

This state-of-the-art exhibit fills nine floors of a towering brick ex-warehouse with thousands of maritime artifacts—while reminding visitors that “the sail came before the wheel” and “rowing came before the saddle.” Despite its name, its perspective is more German than international, but that’s part of what makes it interesting (and nearly everything is well described in English).

Ride the lift to the ninth “deck” (floor) to start with the world’s biggest collection of miniature ship models, and then work your way down—each floor has a different military or civilian maritime theme: paintings and ship models; deep-sea research; the history of merchant shipping and cruise ships; exploration, colonization, and warfare (with good exhibits on the naval warfare of World Wars I and II); uniforms, medals, and insignias from around the world; the history of shipbuilding; global seafaring history; and navigation. Between the first and second decks is an enormous model of the RMS Queen Mary 2 (which often sails from Hamburg)...made entirely of Legos.

Cost and Hours: €17, daily 10:00-18:00, Koreastrasse 1—closest U-Bahn station is Überseequartier, Kaispeicher B, +49 40 3009 2300, www.imm-hamburg.de.

REEPERBAHN NEIGHBORHOOD

Take New Orleans’ Bourbon Street, Las Vegas’ Strip, and Amsterdam’s Red Light District, mix them up in a cocktail shaker, and you’ve got a tall glass of Reeperbahn (“roper’s path”—pronounced RAY-pehr-bahn). It’s named after the legions of rope makers who once labored here to supply Hamburg’s shipping industry. Now it’s Germany’s most famous nightlife district, home to some of Hamburg’s musical theaters and, until recently, a thriving sex work scene. These days sailors in town are Filipino rather than German, truckers have their brothels farther from the center, and the internet has ruined the porn market. The city is promoting the area as a club zone (a hit with hen and stag parties) and a place for musical entertainment. Each September the Reeperbahn Festival puts on 400 concerts in 100 venues over four nights.

Many tourists are understandably put off by the area’s sleaziness—but consider that by concentrating it here, the rest of the city is that much classier. The Reeperbahn may be less of a big sexy deal these days, but the street remains a huge destination for Germans. Don’t fear the Reeper...it’s a fascinating look at a facet of German society.

▲▲Reeperbahn Walk

You can do the 30-minute walk described here at any time of day, but you’ll find it much livelier after dark—the later the livelier. The area is generally safe (as long as you don’t go looking for trouble), with a prominently located police station in the middle of the Reeperbahn.

Self-Guided Walk: Start at the St. Pauli U-Bahn station (after-hours, the stop announcement on the loudspeaker says, “Nächster Halt: St. Pauli...viel Spass!”—Have fun!). Exit the platform following signs to Reeperbahn.

St. Pauli U-Bahn Station down Reeperbahn to Davidstrasse: Towering above the U-Bahn station is a landmark skyscraper nicknamed “The Dancing Tower” for the way one half of it leans romantically into the other. (The Mojo Jazz Café—with a jazz club downstairs, at the base of the Dancing Tower—is a local favorite.)

Keep the Dancing Tower on your left, and begin walking down the busy Reeperbahn. It’s a broad avenue with heavy car traffic that runs between the St. Pauli U-Bahn stop and the Reeperbahn S-Bahn stop. It has a split personality: The south (left) side is less of a mob scene, with more theater and clean entertainment, while the north (right) side has more sex joints.

If you stroll down the Reeperbahn’s north side, you’ll see nightclubs, casinos, restaurants, fast-food joints, erotic theaters, and sex shops displaying toys and gadgets for every persuasion. On weekend evenings, and into the wee hours, this place is hopping with thousands of young partiers from all over north Germany, who’ve converged on Hamburg to dance the weekend away. Dance clubs coordinate in a kind of throbbing relay to keep the beat going from Friday evening straight through to Monday morning.

Daylight makes the area feel seedy—the buildings look bleary-eyed, and the sidewalks, littered with broken glass and puke, need a shower. Nighttime is when it comes to life.

Davidstrasse: After a couple of blocks, on the left, you’ll see the most famous police station in Germany: a cute red-brick building (“Davidwache”) that keeps an eye on things (it’s where the Reeperbahn meets the street called Davidstrasse, to the left, and Hein-Hoyer-Strasse, to the right). Turn left here and follow Davidstrasse a couple of blocks.

Sex workers are allowed to solicit on the streets in a few specific places here (such as the west side of Davidstrasse), and only after 20:00. If you’re a guy, expect aggressive flirtation after dark on the right side of the street. If one of the streetwalkers figures out your language, they’ll whisper it to the next one so they’ll know how to engage you. If you walk on the left side of the street, you won’t be hassled at all.

Except for the sex workers and a few brothels nearby, Hamburg’s Red Light District (with women in windows) is limited to Herbertstrasse, one small lane set apart by two Nazi-era metal barriers (two blocks up Davidstrasse, on the right). The fascist ideal was a Germany with no sex work, but the Third Reich pragmatically allowed it in Hamburg to accommodate the sailors who’d come ashore here after many lonely weeks at sea. The rest of society, however, was meant to be oblivious to the city’s sex trade, so up went the barricades. Any man who wants to can scoot around them and stroll down the street, which is lined with glass-doored cabins where sex workers try to entice prospective customers. Women, however, are by custom not allowed on Herbertstrasse (except the ones working here, of course), but I’ve seen female tourists walk around the barriers to gaze at the scene. Don’t take photos here. The sex workers are self-employed and run their businesses without pimps. Compared to the sex workers on the streets and in the brothels, these charge more for their services and are considered top-end.

From here you’re a short walk from the St. Pauli Landungsbrücken harborfront (described on here); to visit it now, follow Davidstrasse—and the sound of seagulls—downhill as it curves and empties onto St. Pauli Hafenstrasse (landing you just across from the green-domed St. Pauli Elbtunnel entrance).

Davidstrasse to Grosse Freiheit: To finish this walk, return up Davidstrasse to the Reeperbahn, cross the boulevard, and turn left. A couple of blocks along, the brothel called Paradise Point of Sex is free to enter, open 24 hours—and staffed with security guards. In front you’ll see an old, tall, iron lamppost in the sidewalk that looks like it might be a portal to another dimension; this border post marks the historical border between Denmark and Germany (the long entry corridor leading to the brothel actually traces the old border). Go a few more paces to the next corner, with the round vinyl record-shaped pattern in the pavement and the cheap tin statues of a certain four English rock-n-rollers. This cross street is...

Das Beatlemania

For music lovers, the Reeperbahn’s greatest significance is the role it played as the launching pad for the Beatles, who were unknowns when they arrived in Hamburg from Liverpool to play a season’s worth of gigs in 1960. The group consisted of John, Paul, and George, plus drummer Pete Best (later replaced by Ringo Starr) and bassist Stuart Sutcliffe (who gave up music for art school in 1961, and died shortly thereafter). They famously said they were born in Liverpool…but grew up in Hamburg.

Unpolished amateurs when they arrived, the band members became tight, hard-driving musicians by playing to a tough crowd night after night—they played 98 days straight at one point. Performing here was raw—at first, they filled sex show intermissions with rock and roll…and were shocked to be expected to play after midnight. Hamburg was the last place they played a particular club for weeks in a row. While they were here, Ringo joined the band, and Sutcliffe’s German girlfriend gave them their signature haircuts. By the time they left Hamburg for good in 1962, the Beatles had released several hit singles, had made their first TV appearance back in England, and were just months away from international stardom.

Grosse Freiheit: The street’s name means “Great Freedom”—a reference not to sexual liberation but to the religious and economic freedom of this formerly Danish border zone. For most of the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, Denmark was particularly powerful, with borders that extended farther south than they do today (and much, much farther north). What’s now the Altona district (the area just west of the Reeperbahn S-Bahn stop) was, until 1864, the Danish city of Altona. In its heyday, it was Denmark’s second city, a leading port, the southern terminus of the Danish railway system, and a magnet for Germans seeking free trade (unconstrained by the regulations of guilds) and religious tolerance.

Today, Grosse Freiheit is lined with noisy dance clubs and table-dancing bars. After midnight it’s jam-packed with a young crowd. It’s a stag party favorite, and with the “Men Strip Club” (on the right, about halfway down), it’s also a magnet for hen parties.

A nearby monument memorializes the long-gone Star Club, where the Beatles played a number of gigs (in a courtyard 30 yards before the church—behind the bar at #35—go down the brick passage, follow Kiez Alm Hamburg signs, and look left). By the way, that bar features the famous German drag queen Olivia Jones (6'6" without heels, now very outspoken on political issues of interest to her crowd).

Walk down Grosse Freiheit toward a church buried in all this sex and booze. Hamburg was an officially Protestant city, and, as elsewhere in Germany, any Christian denominations other than the locally established one were strongly discouraged. Danes, though also mostly Protestant, had a more tolerant attitude, and the street of “Great Freedom” was home to St. Joseph’s Church, the first Catholic church built in northern Europe after the Reformation (in 1660). A fire destroyed that structure in 1713, so the current Baroque church dates from 1723. Hamburg’s Catholics could sneak over the border to worship here at Grosse Freiheit 41.

The Reeperbahn S-Bahn and St. Pauli U-Bahn stops are nearby, and it’s a quick and easy (around €12) taxi ride back to your hotel any time of day or night. You’re also a short walk north to the youthful Schulterblatt (“Shoulder Blade”) area, described next.

NORTH OF THE REEPERBAHN

Schulterblatt (“Shoulder Blade”) Neighborhood

For a colorful slice of today’s Hamburg and a breath of cultural fresh air (especially after walking the Reeperbahn), walk or ride the U- or S-Bahn to Sternschanze and explore a gentrifying but still funky neighborhood with so many cafés it’s nicknamed “Latte Macchiato Boulevard.” The broader area is known as the Sternschanze quarter, or Schanzenviertel (for its main drag); the liveliest subsection is at the triangle formed by Susannenstrasse, Schulterblatt, and Schanzenstrasse. This trendy little area has piles of character, unique boutiques, and great places for a meal (for suggestions, see “Eating in Hamburg,” later).

Join the cool young things for a leisurely, people-watching stroll; you’ll find the streets filled with fun eateries and a clientele of hipsters and media/software/publicity types. At the center of the neighborhood, roughly at the intersection of Schulterblatt and Susannenstrasse, sits Rote Flora, a combination squatter hangout/arts venue/progressive political center. Despite the red (Rote) in its name, the building’s exterior is a changing kaleidoscope of graffiti and street art. Behind Rote Flora is an edgy-yet-charming park with a WWII-era bunker-turned-climbing wall also covered with street art. Look for the archway at Schulterblatt 58, where you’ll see the sign Pianoforte Fabrik. Pop in for a look at the atmospheric courtyards of several well-preserved buildings from Hamburg’s industrial past (including, as the name suggests, a piano factory).

St. Pauli Bunker

On the southeastern edge of the Schanzenviertel, right next to the Feldstrasse U-Bahn stop, you’ll see a monstrosity of gray concrete topped with five floors of greenery. This is one of the largest surviving urban bunkers of the Nazi era and one of the very few you can freely access. It was built in 1942 by forced laborers, and was designed to resist Allied air raids, with a roof that’s over 15 feet thick. While it’s not a tourist sight per se, you can climb about 200 steps that circle the exterior at a gentle incline for nice views and a closer look at the building’s new lease on life. The top five floors have been converted into an urban garden that also houses a Hard Rock Hotel, a café, a convenient WC, and a couple of bars. These new spaces aren’t a reason to visit; however, it’s a rare chance for WWII buffs to peek inside this kind of relic.

OUTSIDE THE CITY CENTER

▲BallinStadt Emigration Museum

GOOGLE MAP

This engaging museum, a German counterpart to Ellis Island, tells the story of emigration to America through Hamburg from the mid-19th century up through World War II. Especially after 1890, many emigrants from the Austro-Hungarian and Russian empires—today’s Central and Eastern Europe—went first to Hamburg, by train or even on foot, before boarding a ship to cross the ocean. The museum has less in the way of actual artifacts and more in the way of big, colorful re-creations of living conditions and interactive exhibits. It offers a dynamic and kid-friendly look at a powerful topic, and can be a moving experience for travelers with emigrant roots.

The museum complex is named after Albert Ballin, who was director of the Hamburg-America Line at the time the former emigration halls were built. Considered the father of the modern cruise industry, Ballin started his career working in his family’s small emigration agency. He committed suicide in November 1918, worried (rightly, as it turned out) that his company’s ships would be confiscated as reparations after World War I.

Cost and Hours: €13.90, includes audioguide for your phone (but all displays include English translations); Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon, last entry one hour before closing; +49 40 3197 9160, www.ballinstadt.de.

Getting There: South of the center, BallinStadt is near the Veddel S-Bahn station, three stops from the train station on the S-3 or S-31 (direction: Neugraben, Stade, Buxtehude, or Harburg Rathaus; about a 7-minute ride). From the S-Bahn platforms, follow the large poster signs for BallinStadt past a green roundabout to the museum.

Visiting the Museum: The museum occupies three restored dormitory buildings that opened in 1901 to house and quarantine sick emigrants until they were healthy enough to ship out. Buy your ticket in Haus 1, “Port of Dreams,” where you’ll find the personal history of Albert Ballin on display (there may also be special exhibits).

The core of the museum is in Haus 2, “World in Transit.” Creative themed exhibits give a look at the origins of the five million German emigrants who passed through here, the reasons they chose to leave (from poverty to pogroms), their experiences on the transatlantic ships, their arrival in New York City, and their challenges forging a new life in the new land. Haus 3, “Biographies,” showcases the stories, fates, and personal memories of BallinStadt emigrants. The visit ends with a room where you can search genealogy databases (basically just Ancestry.com).

Eating: The museum’s reasonably priced restaurant, in Haus 3, is a good place to try Labskaus, a Hamburg specialty similar to corned beef hash; see the “Eating in Hamburg” section, later.

Day Trips from Hamburg

Visitors disappointed by Hamburg’s lack of a cute medieval old town could consider an outing to Lübeck, almost on the Baltic, 45 minutes northeast of Hamburg by train; or Lüneburg, a small university town that got rich off local salt mines, 35 minutes to the south. Both have classic, well-preserved old centers with typical North German/Hanseatic brick architecture.

Sleeping in Hamburg

Hamburg has plenty of reasonably priced places to stay and only a few of the special events that send prices skyrocketing in Frankfurt or Cologne. As the city is a popular musical theater destination, Friday and Saturday nights can be more expensive. Staying somewhere with good public transit links is helpful in this well-connected city. Many hotels rent bikes for around €16 per day. (On my last visit, that was my primary mode of transportation.) If you’ll have a car in Hamburg, ask about parking rates and availability when reserving your room—many hotels in the city have dedicated garages. Unless otherwise noted, listed hotels have elevators but don’t have air-conditioning. For hotel locations, see the map on here.

NEAR THE TRAIN STATION, IN ST. GEORG

The St. Georg neighborhood is a convenient place to sleep, thanks to its comfortable midrange hotels, proximity to the train station and walking paths around the Aussenalster, good restaurants, and lively street life. Some European train station neighborhoods are seedy at best; somehow St. Georg defies the stereotype. Its main thoroughfare, Lange Reihe, is gay and trendy—busy with inviting eateries (lots of sidewalk dining), cafés, and shops (reach it via the station’s north exit by track 3 onto Kirchenallee). As you walk off Lange Reihe toward the water (the Aussenalster), the buildings become increasingly elegant, with an upper-class, diamonds-and-poodles feel. Just a few streets in the other direction is Steindamm, St. Georg’s other major avenue (reached from the station’s south exit); it’s a raucous immigrant boulevard that feels like Queens compared with Lange Reihe’s Manhattan.

€€€€ Hotel Wedina—hip, full of character, and design-conscious—has 54 rooms in four renovated townhouses in a people-friendly neighborhood that’s a 10-minute walk from the station. Each building has a different theme (such as literature, architecture, or Nordic style). Three of the buildings are connected; the fourth, with reception, breakfast room, and a tranquil garden oasis in back, is across the street (family rooms with kitchen, pricey but delicious breakfast extra, lots of stairs, bike rental, pay parking; Gurlittstrasse 23, +49 40 280 8900, www.hotelwedina.de, info@hotelwedina.de). From the station, walk up Lange Reihe, then go left on Gurlittstrasse. Or ride bus #6 one stop to Gurlittstrasse (stop is across the street from the station, just right of Hotel Fürst Bismarck, direction: U Borgweg, leaves every 5-10 minutes). From the top of Gurlittstrasse, the hotel is just down the street on the right.

€€€€ Hotel Europäischer Hof is an upscale, business-class German chain with 275 rooms, a multifloor wellness center (complete with a 500-foot waterslide), and a striking resemblance to a casino (includes 3-day transit ticket, Kirchenallee 45, +49 40 248 248, www.europaeischer-hof.de, info@europaeischer-hof.de).

€€€ Hotel Aussen Alster, in a handsome lakeside townhouse, has 27 pleasant, cozy rooms. The hotel has loaner bikes for guests, as well as a sailboat that you can take out on the Aussenalster, just a block away (reserve ahead). The garden in back is a fine place to relax, as is the sauna (pay parking, Schmilinskystrasse 11, +49 40 241 557, www.aussenalsterhotel.de, info@aussen-alster.de). It’s a 10-minute walk from the station up Lange Reihe, then left on Schmilinskystrasse. Or take bus #6 to the AK St. Georg stop, then backtrack a half-block to Schmilinskystrasse and turn right.

€€€ Hotel Senator, on Lange Reihe just down from the station, is a dated but quiet oasis with pastoral decor in each of its 56 airy rooms. Rooms on the fourth and fifth floors come with air-conditioning and a higher price; these “wellness rooms” also have waterbeds (the first I’ve seen in Europe) and some have balconies—though the views aren’t worth the extra money (Lange Reihe 18, +49 40 241 930, www.hotel-senator-hamburg.de, info@hotel-senator-hamburg.de).

€€€ Ibis Hotel Hamburg Alster Centrum has 165 reliable rooms right by the station. Ask for a front-side, street-facing room—they’re quieter than those in back overlooking the tracks (air-con, bike rental, pay parking; Holzdamm 4, +49 40 248 290, www.accorhotels.com, h1395@accor.com). Exit the station at the north end of track 3 to Kirchenallee, then turn left on Ernst-Merck-Strasse and then right onto Holzdamm (a 10-minute walk).

€€ Hotel Fürst Bismarck is old-fashioned and Old World, with regally carpeted halls and a marble lobby. Its 102 bright, contemporary rooms reflect the friendly staff’s care and attention. You’ll find yourself searching for Prince Bismarck himself checking in, as he once did 150 years ago (breakfast extra, Kirchenallee 49, +49 40 790 251 640, www.fuerstbismarck.de, hotel@fuerstbismarck.de).

€ Motel One Hamburg-Alster, a monstrous, 460-room, inexpensive hotel with cookie-cutter but surprisingly stylish rooms and a friendly staff, is a good-value option especially if cozier places are booked (breakfast extra, air-con, pay parking; Steindamm 102, +49 40 4192 4970, www.motel-one.com, hamburg-alster@motel-one.com). The hotel is right at the Lohmühlenstrasse U-Bahn stop (one stop from the train station) or a 10-minute walk down a humbler stretch of Steindamm.

€ Hotel-Pension Alpha, a decent budget choice, has 19 rooms almost in sight of the station. The rooms are basic but more than adequate, and everything is well kept by kindly Georg (breakfast extra, Koppel 4, +49 40 245 365, www.alphahotel.biz, info@alphahotel.biz). From the station, exit by track 3 north onto Kirchenallee and look for the red-brick church (St. Georg); the hotel is across the street on the right side of the church. Confirm your arrival time in advance (if staff won’t be there, they’ll give you a code for the door).

ELSEWHERE IN HAMBURG

These budget options are easy to reach from the train station by U-Bahn.

Near the Hamburg Museum: Part of the stylish and affordable chain, €€ Motel One Hamburg am Michel is on a busy street but right next to the Planten un Blomen gardens, steps from the Hamburg Museum, Composers Quarter, St. Pauli, and St. Michael’s Church (breakfast extra, air-con, limited pay parking; Ludwig-Erhard-Strasse 26, U-Bahn: St. Pauli, +49 40 3571 8900, www.motel-one.com, hamburg-am-michel@motel-one.com).

Near City Hall: True to its name, € Pension am Rathaus is a long block from City Hall, in an appealing downtown neighborhood. The 15 rooms are simple and bright, and many share bathrooms (family room available, no breakfast, no elevator, reception open 9:00-15:00 & 16:00-19:00, Rathausstrasse 14, U-Bahn: Rathaus, +49 40 337 489, www.pension-am-rathaus.de, info@pension-am-hamburg.de).

Near the Binnenalster: Just off the lake with its famous jet-spray fountain, €€€ Kleinhuis Hotel Baseler Hof offers easy access to downtown sights. Its 168 rooms are comfortable, with a touch of business style, and the rooftop terrace has wonderful views of the city center (includes 3-day transit ticket, breakfast extra; Esplanade 11, +49 40 359 060, www.baselerhof.de, info@baselerhof.de). Exit right from the station on Glockengiesserwall and walk 15 minutes, crossing the Lombardsbrücke bridge, or take the U-Bahn to Stephansplatz.

Near the Landungsbrücken: Located atop a hill right behind the Landungsbrücken S- and U-Bahn station, the ¢ Jugendherberge Hamburg “Auf dem Stintfang” hostel has a super location and a commanding view of the Elbe. It’s big, bright, modern, and well run. Choose from bunks in a dorm room or a private room with bath—but note that all the doubles are bunk beds (lunch and dinner available, Alfred-Wegener-Weg 5, +49 40 570 1590, www.hamburg-stintfang.jugendherberge.de, stintfang@jugendherberge.de). From the train station, take the S-1 or S-3 three stops to Landungsbrücken, then follow the signs up the steep stairway, or—if you have wheeled luggage—take the long way, circling around back.

In the Schulterblatt Neighborhood: Though it has a hostel vibe, € Superbude St. Pauli is a funky budget hotel, and a good choice for this hip part of town. Its 89 rooms all have bathrooms and minimalist but creative decorative touches; ask for a room facing the courtyard to avoid street noise (breakfast extra, Juliusstrasse 1, U-Bahn: Sternschanze, +49 40 807 915 820, www.superbude.de, stpauli@superbude.de).

Eating in Hamburg

Hamburg’s food traditions have much in common with Scandinavia’s. Locals are hooked on fish, even if little of it is actually caught in the nearby North Sea. Herring is common in sandwiches, as a main dish, and at breakfast (often rolled up with pickled vegetables inside and secured with a toothpick, called Rollmops). Labskaus, a traditional northern German dish, is not unlike corned beef hash; it’s typically served with pickles, red beets, a fried egg, and sometimes a herring filet. For eatery locations, see the map on here.

NEAR THE TRAIN STATION, IN ST. GEORG

The main street through the St. Georg area, Lange Reihe, is lined with a great variety of shops and eateries. It’s stylish and has a wonderful energy with lots of sidewalk dining. Eat here if you’re sleeping at one of the nearby recommended hotels. For more edge and pleasure-seeking crowds, dive into the scene in the Schulterblatt (“Shoulder Blade”) neighborhood.

€€€ Schifferbörse is right across the street from the train station. It’s touristy and the service is surly, but it cooks up solid northern German food at fair prices. With dreamy spotlights on your plates, you’ll eat in a fun dining room elaborately decked out like a Cubist take on a ship’s galley (daily until late, Kirchenallee 46 between Bremer Reihe and Ellmenreichstrasse, +49 40 245 240).

€€ Mutterland Stammhaus Café Bar is a big, elegant, classic-style-yet-modern diner, great for salads, sandwiches, bakery goods, breakfast, and coffee (daily 7:00-20:00, kitchen open 9:00-17:00, corner of Ernst-Merck-Strasse and Kirchenallee one block from station at Kirchenallee 19, +49 40 471 135 011).

€€ Max & Consorten Kneipe, a mellow neighborhood hangout with a characteristic interior and an entertaining view from sidewalk tables, is popular for its traditional dishes, salads, pasta, burgers, and vegetarian plates (daily until late, Spadenteich 1, +49 40 280 2228).

€€€ Restaurant Cox is a well-regarded bistro with an understated classiness. Its menu leans toward culinary fusion, with influences from South Asia, North Africa, and the Mediterranean. Prices are reasonable for the quality (open Tue-Fri for lunch and dinner, Sat dinner only, closed Sun-Mon, Lange Reihe 68, +49 40 249 422).

€ Frau Möller is a popular neighborhood hangout—a rollicking pub with good beer on tap—serving up very affordable, hearty Alsatian and Hamburg classics (sandwiches, huge salads, vegan plates, and daily specials that usually include one or two local specialties). The interior can be jammed and the service overwhelmed; try for one of the sidewalk tables, ideal for taking your time while people-watching (long hours daily, Lange Reihe 96, +49 40 2532 8817, Fionn).

€ Café Koppel, a bright, inexpensive vegetarian and vegan café, occupies an art center just off Lange Reihe: through an archway and across a courtyard. Choose between two indoor floors or quiet garden seating; there are a couple of main courses available every day, as well as soups and big salads (Wed-Sun 10:00-19:00, closed Mon-Tue, Lange Reihe 75, +49 40 249 235).

Dessert: Luicella’s is a step above other local ice-cream joints, with generous samples, a delightful vibe, their own homemade flavors produced with milk from local dairies, and vegan options (daily, Lange Reihe 113; another branch is a block off the Reeperbahn at Detlev Bremer Strasse 46).

Supermarkets: The Galeria Karstadt department store, a 10-minute walk from the train station, has a popular Asian supermarket in the basement (Mon-Sat 10:00-20:00, closed Sun; exit the south bridge of the train station by track 14 toward Mönckebergstrasse and look for the entrance to your right). REWE, inside the Europa Passage shopping mall, has a good selection of prepared foods at affordable prices (Mon-Sat 6:00-23:00, closed Sun). There is also an Edeka supermarket inside the train station, on the upper level of the north bridge over the tracks (daily 7:00-23:00).

CITY CENTER AND HARBOR

Near City Hall

€€ Daniel Wischer am Rathaus, a modern fish restaurant facing the City Hall, has three sections: to go, bistro self-serve, and classier dining. It has a fun menu and a hundred-year heritage (closed Sun, Grosse Johannisstrasse 3, +49 40 3609 1988).

€€ Goldbach Restaurant feels classic with its German Expressionism decor, dressy dining room, and outdoor tables facing the City Hall. The inviting menu includes fish and chips, burgers, salads, vegan/vegetarian dishes, and pastries (closed Sun, Rathausmarkt 17, +49 40 3750 3917).

€€€ Café Paris boasts a gorgeous, white-tile Art Nouveau interior from 1882 that’s worth a look even if you’re not eating here—though the très français menu with good options for breakfast, lunch, or dinner may entice you to settle in. The high energy here can be loud (long hours daily, Rathausstrasse 4, +49 40 3252 7777).

€ Imbiss bei Schorsch, in the Schlemmer Markt Passage food court, is a great option for Currywurst with fries (€8 meals on barstools or to go, Mon-Sat 11:00-20:00, closed Sun, Rathausmarkt 7, +49 40 4309 1925).

Deichstrasse

Perhaps the oldest street in Hamburg, predating the big fire of 1842, this lane of 18th-century merchant houses now hosts a line of restaurants serving some dishes those merchants might enjoy—and some they might not even recognize. Pause and look up to appreciate this little Amsterdam-like street, and then consider these eateries (reservations are smart for dinner, as outdoor seating is limited).

€€€ Restaurant zum Brandanfang prepares classic Hamburg traditional dishes (€20 plates, Wed-Sun 17:00-22:00, closed Mon-Tue, Deichstrasse 25, +49 40 365 520).

€€ Ti Breizh Crêperie, offering delightfully crepey dining inside and out, is the only place here with tables on a pier in the canal (daily, Deichstrasse 39, +49 40 3751 7815, www.tibreizh.de).

€ Fisch & Co, serving fish and chips and more, is a Hamburg favorite with a tight 19th-century interior and simple seating on the cobbles (daily, Deichstrasse 41, +49 40 3609 3480).

Landungsbrücken

Lining the harborfront is a long row of marginal fast-food booths, selling big glasses of beer, paper cones of french fries, gut-bomb Currywurst, and fried fish—to go, to munch standing up, or to eat sitting down. The Brücke #10 fishwich diner is the best I found, with inviting seating.

€€ Blockbräu, a huge, modern beer hall, features local cuisine and its own beer in the Landungsbrücken terminal building. It has a thousand seats, including a great rooftop terrace with harbor views (daily until late, Landungsbrücken 3, +49 40 4440 5000).

SCHULTERBLATT (“SHOULDER BLADE”) NEIGHBORHOOD

The “Shoulder Blade” district is edgy, thriving, and trendy. You won’t find anyplace for a peaceful conversation. But if you want to be surrounded by a crowded cauldron of youthful good times, this is it. Fun restaurants with great people-watching fill the streets near the Sternschanze U-Bahn stop. There’s a world of options here: German, Asian, Turkish/Middle Eastern, Italian, Greek, French, Spanish, and more. Many places serve tapas or pizza and have generous outdoor seating. The highest concentration of good eateries is in the cross section between Schulterblatt, Schanzenstrasse, and Susannenstrasse. I’d just wander and browse. But if you’re having a hard time deciding, here are some suggestions.

€€ Altes Mädchen Beerhall, a modern space in a repurposed brick warehouse, has a fun, accessible menu of German dishes with a twist—with names like Granny’s Goulash, Old Girl Burgers, and Brauhaus Curry—alongside seemingly unlimited varieties of craft beer, much of it brewed right here at the Ratsherrn microbrewery (consider a flight for tasting). Dishes are made with locally sourced ingredients, and the bread’s baked fresh in their wood oven. Many come just for the beer and the fun vibe (table service inside, order at the bar for outside seating, daily until late, Lagerstrasse 28, +49 40 800 077 750).

€€ Oma’s Apotheke is a cozy café-bar-restaurant. The decor is vintage, the mood is relaxed, and it’s a good place to connect with locals. Their tasty, mostly German food comes in huge portions for a good price (weekday lunch specials, long hours daily, Schanzenstrasse 87, +49 40 436 620).

€€ Pamukkale serves big portions of fresh, tasty, authentic Turkish food. It’s a good choice for satisfying your craving for döner kebab or pide (Turkish pizza). Enjoy the cozy atmosphere and attentive service inside or out, or order to go (long hours daily, Susannenstrasse 34, +49 40 430 2411).

Hamburg Connections

From Hamburg by Train to: Berlin (2/hour, 2 hours), Dresden (hourly, some with transfer, 4 hours), Erfurt (3/hour, 4-5 hours), Leipzig (2/hour, 4 hours, some with transfer), Cologne (hourly direct, 4 hours), Frankfurt (2-3/hour, some with transfer, 4 hours), Munich (hourly, most direct, 6 hours), Copenhagen (direct trains every 2 hours, 5 hours, requires reservation in summer), Amsterdam (about hourly, at least 1 transfer, 6 hours). Train info: Bahn.com.

GERMANY: PAST & PRESENT

ROMANS (AD 1-500)

CHARLEMAGNE AND THE FRANKS (AD 500-1000)

Map: German History & Art Timeline

THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE (1000-1500)

MEDIEVAL GROWTH

RELIGIOUS STRUGGLES AND THE THIRTY YEARS’ WAR (1500-1700)

AUSTRIA AND PRUSSIA (1700s)

GERMAN UNIFICATION (1800s)

Map: Germany in the Early 1800s

WORLD WAR I AND HITLER’S RISE (1914-1939)

TWO GERMANYS...AND REUNIFICATION (1945-2000)

Map: Cold War Berlin

GERMANY TODAY (2000-Present)

A united Germany has only existed since 1871, but the cultural heritage of the German-speaking people stretches back 2,000 years.

ROMANS (AD 1-500)

German history begins in AD 9, when Roman troops were ambushed and driven back by the German chief Arminius. For the next 250 years, the Rhine and Danube rivers marked the border between civilized Roman Europe (to the southwest) and “barbarian” German lands (to the northeast). While the rest of Western Europe’s future would be Roman, Christian, and Latin, most of Germany followed a separate, pagan path.

In AD 476, Rome fell to the Germanic chief Theodoric the Great (a.k.a. Dietrich of Bern). After that, Germanic Franks controlled northern Europe, ruling a mixed population of Romanized Christians and tree-worshipping pagans. Rome’s imprint on Germany remains in place names like Cologne (“Colonia” was an important Roman city) and great monuments like Trier’s Porta Nigra.

CHARLEMAGNE AND THE FRANKS (AD 500-1000)

For Christmas in AD 800, the pope gave Charlemagne the title of Holy Roman Emperor. Charlemagne, the king of the Franks, was the first of many German kings to be called Kaiser (“emperor,” from “Caesar”) over the next thousand years. Allied with the pope, Charlemagne ruled an empire that included Germany, Austria, France, the Low Countries, and northern Italy.

Germany Almanac

Official Name: Bundesrepublik Deutschland

Locals Call It: Deutschland

Size: 138,000 square miles (about half the size of Texas); population is 84 million people (almost three times the population of Texas)

Geography: The terrain gradually rises—from flat land in the north to the rugged Alps in the south, culminating in the 9,700-foot Zugspitze mountain. The climate is temperate.

Latitude and Longitude: 51˚N and 9˚E (similar latitude to Alberta, Canada)

Major Cities: Berlin (the capital, 3.6 million people), Hamburg (1.8 million), Munich (1.6 million)

Economy: The gross domestic product is $4.5 trillion, Europe’s largest; the GDP per capita is approximately $61,900. Germany’s strength is in technology and manufacturing, producing steel, cars, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, consumer electronics, and more. Germany also has around 1,300 breweries (Bavaria boasts about half of them), but much of the production is consumed domestically. Germany trades almost equally with a half-dozen neighboring countries and the United States.

Government: Germany’s chancellor, similar to a prime minister, is not elected by the people but is the head of the lead party in parliament. The less-powerful president is elected by parliament. The legislative branch includes the Bundestag (currently 736 seats, elected by both direct and proportional representation) and Bundesrat (69 votes by officials of Germany’s 16 states).

Flag: Three horizontal bands of (from top to bottom) black, red, and gold

The Average Deutscher: The average German is 46 years old, has 1.5 kids, will live to be 81, is of Teutonic extraction (about 85 percent), lives in a household with two other people, watches 3.75 hours of TV a day, and drinks 23 gallons of beer a year.

Charlemagne (Karl der Grosse, or Charles the Great, r. 768-814) stood a head taller than his subjects, and his foot became a standard unit of measurement. The stuff of legend, Charlemagne had five wives and four concubines, producing descendants with names like Charles the Bald, Louis the Pious, and Henry the Quarrelsome. His eldest son, Pippin the Hunchback, led a failed coup against Charlemagne and was exiled to a monastery. When Charlemagne died of pneumonia (814), he lacked a clear heir. His united empire was divided into (what would become) Germany, France, and the lands in between (Treaty of Verdun, 843). As this treaty was signed not in Latin, but in the local languages, many mark 843 as the year Europe was born.

THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE (1000-1500)

Chaotic medieval Germany (about the size of Montana) was made up of more than 300 small, quarreling dukedoms ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. The title was pretty bogus, implying that the German king ruled the same huge European empire as the ancient Romans. In fact, he was “Holy” because he was blessed by the pope, “Roman” to recall ancient grandeur, and the figurehead “Emperor” of what was an empire in name only.

Holy Roman Emperors had less hands-on power than other kings around Europe. Because of the custom of electing emperors by nobles and archbishops, rather than by bestowing the title through inheritance, they couldn’t pass the crown from father to son. In addition, there were no empire-wide taxes and no national capital. This system gave nobles great power: Peasants had to huddle close to their local noble’s castle for protection from attack by the noble next door.

When Emperor Henry IV (r. 1054-1105) tried to assert his power by appointing bishops, he was slapped down by the nobles and forced to repent to the pope by standing barefoot in the alpine snow for three days at Canossa (in northern Italy, 1077). Ever since, the phrase “going to Canossa” has meant “to humble oneself.”

Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa (r. 1152-1190), blue-eyed and red-bearded (hence barba rossa), gained an international reputation as a valiant knight, gentleman, bon vivant, and lover of poetry and women. Still, his great victories were away in Italy and Asia (on the Third Crusade, where he drowned in a river), while back home, nobles wielded the real power.

This was the era of Germany’s troubadours (Meistersinger), who traveled from castle to castle singing love songs (Minnesang) and telling the epic tales of chivalrous knights (Tristan and Isolde, Parsifal, and the Nibelungen) that would later inspire German nationalism and Wagnerian operas.

While France, England, and Spain were centralizing power around a single ruling family to create nation-states, Germany lagged behind as a decentralized, backward, feudal battleground. It would remain so until the 19th century (and neighboring European powers preferred it that way).

MEDIEVAL GROWTH

Nevertheless, Germany was strategically located at the center of Europe, and trading towns prospered. Berlin was born when inhabitants of the region of Brandenburg settled on a marshy island in the Spree River. Several northern towns (especially Hamburg and Lübeck) banded together into the Hanseatic League, promoting open trade around the Baltic Sea. To curry favor at election time, emperors granted powers and privileges to certain towns, which were designated “free imperial cities.” Some towns, such as Cologne, Mainz, Dresden, and Trier, held higher status than many nobles, as hosts of one of the seven “electors” of the emperor. To this day, every German town keeps careful track of whether it was “free” during the Middle Ages—or answered to a duke, king, archbishop, or elector in another place.

Textiles, mining, and the colonization of lands to the east made German states relatively wealthy and enabled the growth of a thriving middle class. In towns, middle-class folks (burghers), not aristocrats, began running things. In about 1450, Johann Gutenberg of Mainz figured out how to use moveable type for printing, an innovation that would allow the export of a new commodity: ideas. Around this time, Berlin came under the rule of the powerful Hohenzollern family, who began a palace complex on what is now that city’s “Museum Island.” The Hohenzollern’s influence soon spread throughout northern Germany (Prussia).

RELIGIOUS STRUGGLES AND THE THIRTY YEARS’ WAR (1500-1700)

Martin Luther—German monk, fiery orator, and religious whistle-blower—sparked a century of European wars by speaking out against the Catholic Church. Luther’s protests (“Protestantism”) threw Germany into a century of turmoil, as each local prince took a side between Catholics and Protestants. In the 1525 Peasant Revolt, peasants attacked their feudal masters with hoes and pitchforks, fighting for more food, political say-so, and respect. The revolt was brutally put down.

Typical Church Architecture

History comes to life when you visit a centuries-old church. Even if you wouldn’t know your apse from a hole in the ground, learning a few simple terms will enrich your experience. Note that not every church has every feature, and a “cathedral” isn’t a type of church architecture, but rather a designation for a church that’s a governing center for a local bishop.

Aisles: Long, generally low-ceilinged arcades that flank the nave

Altar: Raised area with a ceremonial table (often adorned with candles or a crucifix), where the priest prepares and serves the bread and wine for Communion

Apse: Space behind the altar, sometimes bordered with small chapels

Barrel Vault: Continuous round-arched ceiling that resembles an extended upside-down U

Choir: Intimate space reserved for clergy and choir, located within the nave near the high altar and often screened off

Cloister: Covered hallways bordering a square or rectangular open-air courtyard, traditionally where monks and nuns got fresh air

Facade: Exterior of the church’s main (west) entrance, usually highly decorated

Groin Vault: Arched ceiling formed where two equal barrel vaults meet at right angles

Narthex: Area (portico or foyer) between the main entry and the nave

Nave: Long central section of the church (running west to east, from the entrance to the altar) where the congregation sits or stands during the service

Transept: One of the two parts forming the “arms” of the cross in a traditional cross-shaped floor plan; runs north-south, perpendicularly crossing the east-west nave

West Portal: Main entry to the church (on the west end, opposite the main altar)

Typical Castle Architecture

Castles were fortified residences for medieval nobles. Castles come in all shapes and sizes, but knowing a few general terms will help you understand them.

Barbican: Fortifed gatehouse, sometimes a standalone building located outside the main walls

Crenellation: Gap-toothed pattern of stones atop the parapet Drawbridge: Bridge that could be raised or lowered using counterweights or a chain and winch

Great Hall: Largest room in the castle, serving as throne room, conference center, and dining hall

Hoardings (or Gallery or Brattice): Wooden huts built onto the upper parts of the stone walls; served as watchtowers, living quarters, and fighting platforms

Keep (or Donjon): High, strong stone tower in the center of the complex; the lord’s home and refuge of last resort

Loopholes (or Embrasures): Narrow wall slits through which soldiers could shoot arrows

Machicolation: Stone ledge jutting out from the wall, with holes through which soldiers could drop rocks or boiling oil onto wall-scaling enemies below

Moat: Ditch encircling the wall, sometimes filled with water

Parapet: Outer railing of the wall walk

Portcullis: Iron grille that could be lowered across the entrance

Postern Gate: Small, unfortified side or rear entrance; in wartime, became a sally port used to launch surprise attacks or as an escape route

Towers: Square or round structures with crenellated tops or conical roofs serving as lookouts, chapels, living quarters, or the dungeon

Turret: Small lookout tower rising from the top of the wall

Wall Walk (or Allure): Pathway atop the wall where guards could patrol and where soldiers stood to fire at the enemy

Yard (or Bailey): Open courtyard inside the castle walls

The Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V (r. 1519-1556), sided with the pope. Charles was the most powerful man in Europe, having inherited an empire that included Germany and Austria, plus the Low Countries, much of Italy, Spain, and Spain’s New World possessions. But many local German nobles took the opportunity to go Protestant—some for religious reasons, but also as an excuse to seize Church assets and powers.

The 1555 Peace of Augsburg allowed each local noble to decide the religion of his realm. In general, the northern and eastern lands became Protestant, while the south (today’s Bavaria, along with Austria) and west remained Catholic.

Unresolved religious and political differences eventually expanded into the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648). This Europe-wide war, fought mainly on German soil, involved Denmark, Sweden, France, and Bohemia (in today’s Czech Republic), among others. It was one of history’s bloodiest wars, fueled by religious extremism and political opportunism, and fought by armies of brutal mercenaries who worked on commission and were paid in loot and pillage.

By the war’s end (Treaty of Westphalia, 1648), a third of all Germans had died, France was the rising European power, and the Holy Roman Empire was a medieval mess of scattered feudal states. In 1689, France’s Louis XIV swept down the Rhine, gutting and leveling its once-great castles, and Germany ceased to be a major player in European politics until the modern era.

(For an entertaining one-hour education on Luther, the Reformation, and the wars of religion, see my public-television special produced in 2017 to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. You can stream it on YouTube or at RickSteves.com.)

AUSTRIA AND PRUSSIA (1700s)

The German-speaking lands now consisted of three “Germanys”: Austria in the south, Prussia in the north, and the rest in between.

Prussia—originally a largely Slavic region colonized by celibate ex-Crusaders called Teutonic Knights—was forged into a unified state by two strong kings. Frederick William I (the “Soldier King,” r. 1713-1740) built a modern state around a highly disciplined army, a centralized government (with Berlin as its capital), and national pride.

His son, Frederick II “The Great” (r. 1740-1786), added French culture and worldliness, preparing militaristic Prussia to enter the world stage. A well-read, flute-playing lover of the arts and liberal ideals, Frederick also ruled with an iron fist—the very model of the “enlightened despot.” Meanwhile, Austria thrived under the laid-back rule of the Habsburg family. The Habsburgs gained power in Europe by marrying into it. They acquired the Netherlands, Spain, and Bohemia that way (a strategy that didn’t work so well for Marie-Antoinette, who wed the doomed king of France).

Why We Call Deutschland “Germany”

Our English name “Germany” comes from the Latin Germania, the Roman name for the lands north of the Alps where “barbarian” tribes lived. The French and Spanish call it Allemagne and Alemania, respectively, after the Alemanni tribe. Italians call the country Germania, but in Italy the German language is known as tedesco. The Slavic peoples of Eastern Europe have a perhaps simpler approach, calling Germany Německo (Czech), Niemcy (Polish), and other variations of a word that basically means “people who can’t speak right.” The Hungarians borrowed this word from the Slavs and call anything German német.

To Germans, their country is Deutschland, their language is Deutsch, and they themselves are Deutsche. A few hundred years ago, this word was spelled Teutsch (later, the “t” changed to a “d”). The English word Teutonic, the Italian tedesco, and the Scandinavian tysk all come from this earlier form. Alles klar?

In the 1700s, the Germanic lands became a cultural powerhouse, producing musicians (Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven), writers (Goethe, Schiller), and thinkers (Kant, Leibniz). Sophisticated Berlin became the epicenter of Prussian culture. But politically, fragmented Germany was no match for the modern powers.

After the French Revolution (1789), Napoleon swept through Germany with his armies, deposing feudal lords, emancipating Jews, confiscating church lands, and forcing the Holy Roman Emperor to hand over his crown (1806). After a thousand years, the Holy Roman Empire was dead.

GERMAN UNIFICATION (1800s)

Napoleon’s invasion helped unify the German-speaking peoples by rallying them against a common foreign enemy. After Napoleon’s defeat, the Congress of Vienna (1815), presided over by the Austrian Prince Metternich, realigned Europe’s borders. The idea of unifying the three Germanic nations—Prussia, Austria, and the German Confederation, a loose collection of small states in between—began to grow. By mid-century, most German-speaking people favored forming a modern nation-state; the only question was whether the confederation would be under Prussian or Austrian dominance.

Economically, Germany was becoming increasingly efficient and modern, with a unified trade organization (1834), railroads (1835), mechanical-engineering prowess, and booming factories benefiting from a surplus of labor. Berlin was changing into a world-class city graced by Neoclassical buildings designed by architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel (including many of today’s museums). By 1850, with its Unter den Linden boulevard and the Brandenburg Gate, Berlin rivaled Paris for Europe’s most elegant promenade.

Energetic Prussia took the lead in unifying the country. Otto von Bismarck (served 1862-1890), the strong minister of Prussia’s weak king, used cunning politics to engineer a unified Germany under Prussian dominance. First, he started a war with Austria, ensuring that any united Germany would be under Prussian control. (Austria remains a separate country to this day.) Next, Bismarck provoked a war with France (the Franco-Prussian War, 1870-1871), which united Prussia and the German Confederation against their common enemy, France.

Fueled by hysterical patriotism, German armies swept through France and, in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles, crowned Prussia’s Wilhelm I as Emperor (Kaiser) of a new German Empire, uniting Prussia and the German Confederation (but excluding Austria). Berlin was the obvious choice as the new imperial capital. This Second Reich (1871-1918) featured elements of democracy (an elected Reichstag—parliament), offset by a strong military and an emperor with veto powers.

A united and resurgent Germany was suddenly flexing its muscles in European politics. Berlin’s population boomed, prompting the construction of Prenzlauer Berg, Kreuzberg, and other outlying districts. With strong industry, war spoils, overseas colonies, and a large and disciplined military, Germany sought its rightful place at the global table.

Fueled by nationalistic fervor, patriotic Volk art flourished (Wagner’s operas, Nietzsche’s essays), reviving medieval German myths and Nordic gods. The rest of Europe saw Germany’s rapid rise—and began arming themselves to the teeth. The old order was scrambled and peace was reliant upon a tenuous and confused web of bilateral treaties. In Berlin, the imposing Berlin Cathedral was built, announcing the über-nationalism of Kaiser Wilhelm II that would lead Europe into World War I.

WORLD WAR I AND HITLER’S RISE (1914-1939)

When Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, was assassinated in 1914, all of Europe took sides as the political squabble quickly escalated into World War I. Germany and Austria-Hungary attacked British and French troops in France but were stalled at the Battle of the Marne. Both sides dug defensive trenches, then settled in for four brutal years of bloodshed, boredom, mud, machine-gun fire, disease, and mustard gas.

More than four years later, at 11:00 in the morning of November 11, 1918, the fighting finally ceased. Germany surrendered, signing the Treaty of Versailles in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles. The war cost the defeated German nation 1.7 million men, precious territory, military rights, reparations money, and national pride.

A new democratic government called the Weimar Republic (1919) dutifully abided by the Treaty of Versailles and tried to maintain order among Germany’s many divided political parties. But after the humiliating defeat, the country was in ruins, its economy was a shambles, and the war’s victors demanded heavy reparations. Berlin attracted the disillusioned as the center of decadent cabaret nightlife—especially near today’s Ku’damm and along Friedrichstrasse. Elsewhere, communists rioted in the streets, fascists plotted coups, and inflation drove the price of a loaf of bread to a billion marks. War vets grumbled in their beer about how their leaders had sold them out. All Germans, regardless of their political affiliations, were fervently united in their apathy toward the new democracy. When the worldwide depression of 1929 hit Germany with brutal force, the nation was desperate for a strong leader with answers.

Nazi Terminology

Many Nazi military terms are familiar to English speakers. “Nazi” is an abbreviation for Nationalsozialismus (National Socialism), Hitler’s political party. Other terms you’ll probably recognize are SS (short for Schutzstaffel, or “protective unit”), Luftwaffe (air force), and Blitzkrieg (“lightning war”). Nazis also devised the Endlösung (“final solution”) for doing away with Jewish and other “undesirable” people, by interning and killing them in Konzentrationslager (KZ, concentration camps). The Widerstand (resistance) stood up against the Nazis. Vergangenheitsbewaltigung (coming to terms with the past) continues to be a major issue in Germany. Many concentration camps and other wartime symbols have been turned into Gedenkstätte (memorials). At a Dokumentationszentrum (documentation center), locals and visitors can learn about Nazi atrocities. The message of these sites is Vergesst es nie—“Never forget.”

Adolf Hitler (1889-1945) was a disgruntled vet who had spent the post-World War I years homeless, wandering the streets of Vienna with sketchpad in hand, hoping to become an artist. In Munich, he joined other disaffected Germans to form the National Socialist German Workers’ Party—the Nazis. In stirring speeches, Hitler promised to restore Germany to its rightful glory, blaming the country’s current problems on communists, foreigners, and Jews. After an unsuccessful coup attempt (the Beer Hall Putsch in Munich, 1923), Hitler was sent to jail, where he wrote an influential book of his political ideas, titled Mein Kampf (My Struggle).

By 1930, the Nazis—now wearing power suits and working within the system—had become a formidable political party in Germany’s democracy. They won 38 percent of the seats in the Reichstag in 1932, and Hitler was appointed chancellor (1933). Two months later, the Reichstag building was mysteriously set on fire—an apparent act of terrorism with a September 11-sized impact—and a terrified Germany gave Chancellor Hitler sweeping powers to preserve national security.

Hitler wasted no time in using this Enabling Act to jail opponents, terrorize the citizenry, and organize every aspect of German life under the watchful eye of the Nazi Party. Plumbers’ unions, choral societies, schoolteachers, church pastors, filmmakers, and artists all had to account to a Nazi Party official about how their work furthered the Third Reich.

For the next decade, an all-powerful Hitler revived Germany’s economy, building the autobahns and rebuilding the military. Defying the Treaty of Versailles and world opinion, Hitler proceeded with his Four-Year Plan to rearm Germany: He occupied the Saar region (1935) and the Rhineland (1936), annexed Austria and the Sudetenland (1938), and invaded Czechoslovakia (March 1939). The rest of Europe finally reached its appeasement limit—and World War II began—when Germany invaded Poland in September 1939 (see sidebar). When the war was over (1945), countless millions were dead and most German cities had been bombed beyond recognition. The Third Reich was over.

(For a one-hour program on this topic, see my public-television special, “The Story of Fascism in Europe,” produced in 2018. You can stream it on YouTube and at RickSteves.com.)

TWO GERMANYS…AND REUNIFICATION (1945-2000)

After World War II, the Allies divided occupied Germany into two halves, split down the middle by an 855-mile border that Winston Churchill called an “Iron Curtain.” By 1949, Germany was officially two separate countries. West Germany (the Federal Republic of Germany) was democratic and capitalist, allied with the powerful United States. East Germany (the German Democratic Republic, or DDR) was a communist state under Soviet control. The former capital, Berlin, sitting in East German territory, was itself split into two parts, allowing a tiny pocket of Western life in the Soviet-controlled East. In 1961, the East German government erected a 12-foot-high concrete wall through the heart of Berlin—physically dividing the city in two, isolating West Berlin, and preventing East German citizens from fleeing to the West. Over the next decades, more than a hundred East Germans would die or be arrested trying to cross that Wall. The Berlin Wall came to symbolize a divided Germany.

Germany During World War II (1939-1945)

1939: Soldiers singing “Muss i denn, Muss i denn zum Städtele hinaus” (“Must I, must I leave my city”) march off to war. On September 1, Germany invades Poland to seize the free city of Danzig (Gdańsk), sparking World War II. Germany, Italy, and Japan (the Axis) would eventually square off against the Allies—which included Britain, France, the United States, and the USSR.

1940: The Nazi Blitzkrieg (lightning war) quickly sweeps through Denmark, Norway, the Low Countries, and France; later it also conquers Yugoslavia and Greece. With fellow fascists ruling Italy (Mussolini), Spain (Franco), and Portugal (Salazar), the Continent is now dominated by fascists, creating a “fortress Europe.”

1941: Hitler invades his former ally, the USSR. Bombastic victory parades in Berlin celebrate the triumph of the Aryan race over the “lesser” peoples of the world.

1942: Allied bombs begin falling on German cities. That autumn and winter, German families receive death notices from the horrific Battle of Stalingrad. The German army suffers around 850,000 casualties (by comparison, the US had roughly 214,000 casualties for the entire Vietnam War). Back home, Nazi officials begin their plan for the “final solution to the Jewish problem”—systematic execution of Europe’s Jews in specially built death camps.

1943: Germany fights a two-front war: against tenacious Soviets on the bitter Eastern Front, and against Brits and Yanks advancing north through Italy on the Western Front. Germany’s industrial output tries desperately to keep up with that of the Allies. The average German suffers through shortages, rationing, and frequent trips to the bomb shelter.

1944: Hitler’s no-surrender policy is increasingly unpopular, and he narrowly survives an assassination attempt by members of his own military. After the Allies reach France on D-Day, Germany counterattacks with a last-gasp offensive (the Battle of the Bulge) that slows but doesn’t stop the Allies.

1945: Soviet soldiers approach Berlin from the east, and Americans and Brits advance from the west. Adolf Hitler commits suicide, and families lock up their daughters hoping to protect them from rapacious Soviet soldiers. When Germany finally surrenders on May 8, the country is in ruins, occupied by several foreign powers, divided into occupation zones, and viewed by the world as an immoral monster.

War’s Aftermath: German citizens are faced with the scope of the mass killings and atrocities committed by their leaders and accomplices. Over 11 million people have been systemically murdered—6 million Jews, as well as people with disabilities, gay people, prisoners of war, political dissidents, and ethnic minorities.

In West Germany, Chancellor Konrad Adenauer (who had been imprisoned under the Nazis) tried to restore Germany’s good name, paying war reparations and joining international organizations of nations. Thanks to US aid from the Marshall Plan, West Germany was rebuilt, democracy was established, and its “economic miracle” quickly exceeded pre-WWII levels. Adenauer was eventually succeeded in 1969 by the US-friendly Willy Brandt.

Meanwhile, East Germany was a repressive communist state ruled with an iron fist by Walter Ulbricht (who had been exiled by the Nazis). In 1953, demonstrations and anti-government protests were brutally put down by Soviet—not German—troops. Erich Honecker (a kinder, gentler tyrant who had endured a decade of Nazi imprisonment) succeeded Ulbricht as ruler of the East in 1971.

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, both the US and the Soviet Union used divided Germany as a military base. West Germans debated whether US missiles aimed at the Soviets should be placed in their country. Economically, West Germany just got stronger while East Germany stagnated.

As the Soviet Union collapsed, so did its client nation, East Germany. On November 9, 1989, East Germany unexpectedly opened the Berlin Wall. Astonished Germans from both sides climbed the Wall, hugged each other, shared bottles of beer, sang songs, and chiseled off souvenirs. At first, most Germans—West and East—simply looked forward to free travel and better relations between two distinct nations. But before the month was out, negotiations and elections to reunite the two Germanys had begun. October 3, 1990, was proclaimed German Unity Day, and Berlin reassumed its status as the German capital in 1991.

In the decade that followed, in reunified Berlin, Potsdamer Platz, formerly part of the Berlin Wall’s “death strip,” was redeveloped into a forest of skyscrapers. The glittering new dome atop the Reichstag—which had been damaged in World War II and sat unused for decades—formally opened, giving the German people a bird’s-eye view of their government at work. Formerly dilapidated neighborhoods (first Prenzlauer Berg, then Kreuzberg, now Friedrichshain) rapidly gentrified, and the city erected several monuments to the victims of both the Nazis and the Cold War divide. Germany was ready to set its painful past behind.

GERMANY TODAY (2000-present)

Today, Germany is a progressive, cutting-edge, and influential nation. It’s the European Union’s largest population, economic powerhouse, and de facto leader.

Germany’s 21st-century rise has been astonishing. During Angela Merkel’s 16-year reign as chancellor from 2005 to 2021, the economy soared, along with national pride. The 2006 World Cup was a turning point—the first time since World War II that a new generation could patriotically embrace their flag without fear it would be confused with Nazi sentiment. In 2015, the nation graciously welcomed a million Middle-East refugees, then added another million from the Ukraine War in 2022.

As the world’s fourth largest economy, Germany has a highly skilled work force manufacturing quality products—from VW cars to Adidas shoes and Siemens machinery. High-speed trains and fast-lane autobahns make Germany Europe’s transportation hub.

Germans are highly educated. Their two-track system routes some kids toward university (which is free) and others to vocational training, so both classes thrive. Everyone has access to universal health care (and optional private insurance).

Unlike other nations that promise a green economy “someday,” Germany has banned nuclear power, period, and launched ambitious solar and wind projects. On a personal level, Germans can be downright obsessive about their household recycling.

Politically, Germany has been long dominated by the center-right Christian Democrat party and the center-left Social Democrats. But third parties are crashing the two-party system, from the far-left Greens to the far-right Alternative for Deutschland (AfD). In local politics, Germany’s 16 states (Landen) enjoy an unusual level of autonomy and cultural uniqueness.

On the global stage, Germany—with its shameful Nazi history—has been reluctant to assert itself, but this is changing. It’s at the center of numerous multilateral organizations, from NATO to the G7 and World Bank. Ironically, Germany has become the heart and soul of the European Union—the very organization whose original aim was to defang Germany by embracing it.

Steeped in literature, philosophy, and classical music, Germany remains a cultural force. Unlike smaller European nations who get swallowed up in the global art scene, Germany has its own market.

Germans are big book readers, and German TV programs and films are popular across Europe. Musically, it’s more than oompah. The home of Beethoven is still among the classical world’s elite. In the rock scene, German bands have put their umlaut stamp on the heavy metal and goth genres. Long at the forefront of modernism, German painters and architects are still among the global avant-garde.

If the stereotypes are to be believed, Germans have a reputation for being hard-working, thrifty, direct in their speech, socially progressive, and punctual. They follow the rules—not because they’re uptight, but because if we all do, we all benefit. In religion, a quarter of Germans are Catholic, a fifth Protestant, and the rest are Muslim or other religions, or unchurched.

Despite their industriousness, Germans enjoy a healthy work-life balance—traveling abroad, hiking in nature, gardening, and spending quality time with friends and family. Germans love sports—mainly soccer—but also hockey, handball, Olympic sports, and Formula One racing. And, yes, they do drink beer, usually in convivial surroundings like beer halls, pubs, and beer gardens.

Germany has its challenges. Economically, the aging population has brought labor shortages. Germany’s energy supply is entangled with volatile Russia, and their exports face competition from China. Internally, German society remains polarized between the richer, global-facing former West Germany and the poorer, insular East. The West resents subsidizing the East, while Easterners feel exploited.

There are undercurrents of discontent against the prevailing global order. Though few want an outright German Brexit from the EU, many resent being ruled from Brussels, especially when Germany carries more than its share of the load. Discontent is especially focused on one issue—immigration—particularly from Muslim countries. German nationalists and populists want their leaders to put German interests first. Others fear that these sentiments might snowball into the kind of xenophobia and violence experienced during the Nazi era.

All in all, despite its challenges, Germany today is a vibrant and prosperous country—an exporter of fine goods and importer of happy tourists. The German people are fully modern, yet they embrace the centuries-old traditions that make them uniquely German. At Christmas, they throng the holiday markets. In spring, maypoles rise in village squares. And in summer, even software engineers don their lederhosen and dirndls to share a beer with friends under a spreading chestnut tree.

For more on German history, consider Europe 101: History and Art for the Traveler, written by Rick Steves and Gene Openshaw (available at Ricksteves.com). And for all the latest, travel to Germany, buy someone a beer, and ask, “So, what’s going on here in Germany?”

PRACTICALITIES

Travel Tips

Money

BEFORE YOU GO

IN EUROPE

TIPPING

GETTING A VAT REFUND

CUSTOMS FOR AMERICAN SHOPPERS

Sightseeing

MAPS AND NAVIGATION TOOLS

PLAN AHEAD

RESERVATIONS, ADVANCE TICKETS, AND PASSES

AT SIGHTS

Sleeping

FINDING AND RESERVING ROOMS

RATES AND DEALS

TYPES OF ACCOMMODATIONS

Eating

RESTAURANT PRICING AND HOURS

BREAKFAST

LUNCH AND DINNER

TRADITIONAL GERMAN FARE

BEVERAGES

Staying Connected

USING YOUR PHONE IN EUROPE

MAIL

Transportation

TRAINS

Map: Germany’s Public Transportation

LONG-DISTANCE BUSES

TAXIS AND RIDE-BOOKING SERVICES

RENTING A CAR

Map: Driving in Germany

FLIGHTS

Resources from Rick Steves

This chapter covers the practical skills of European travel: how to pay for things, sightsee efficiently, find good-value accommodations, eat affordably but well, use technology wisely, and get between destinations smoothly. For more information on these topics, see RickSteves.com/travel-tips.

Travel Tips

Travel Advisories: Before traveling, check updated health and safety conditions, including restrictions for your destination, at Travel.State.gov (US State Department travel pages) and CDC.gov (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). The US embassy website for Germany is another good source of information (see later).

Entry Requirements: US and Canadian citizens may need to register with the European Travel Info and Authorization System (ETIAS) before entering Germany (https://travel-europe.europa.eu/etias). If you travel via the UK you need an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA). Apply at www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-an-electronic-travel-authorisation-eta.

Tourist Information: Germany’s national tourist office in the US is a wealth of information. Before your trip, scan their website (www.germany.travel) for information on festivals, castles, and biking, as well as regional and thematic itineraries.

Local tourist information offices (abbreviated TI in this book) can be hit or miss. Their advice can be influenced by partnerships with local businesses, but they’re still a handy place to pick up a town map, browse brochures, and ask basic questions. If the TI falls short, you can also get local information from your hotelier, or even staff at sights and other businesses.

Holidays and Festivals: For a list of festivals and national holidays observed throughout Germany, see RickSteves.com/festivals. Before planning a trip around a festival, verify the dates with the festival website or the national tourist office.

Austria’s Salzburg has music festivals nearly every month (see the Salzburg chapter for more details).

Emergency and Medical Help: For any emergency service—ambulance, police, or fire—call 112 (operators typically speak English). If you get sick, do as the locals do and go to a pharmacist for advice. Or ask at your hotel for help—they’ll know the nearest medical and emergency services. The US Embassy and Consulates website for Germany has a list of English-speaking doctors (+49 30 83050, https://de.usembassy.gov, search for “Medical Assistance”).

Theft or Loss: To replace a passport, you’ll need to go in person to an embassy (see next). If your credit and debit cards disappear, cancel and replace them (see “Damage Control for Lost Cards,” on here). File a police report, either on the spot or within a day or two; you’ll need it to submit an insurance claim, and it can help with replacing your passport or credit and debit cards. For help with a lost phone, see “Damage Control for Lost Phones” on here. For more information, see RickSteves.com/help.

Embassies: US Embassy in Berlin, passport replacement by appointment only, sign up online (Clayallee 170, +49 30 83050, https://de.usembassy.gov). Canadian Embassy in Berlin, consular services by appointment only, Mon-Fri 9:00-12:00, closed Sat-Sun (Leipziger Platz 17, +49 30 2031 2470, www.germany.gc.ca [URL inactive]).

Time Zones: Germany, like most of continental Europe, is generally six/nine hours ahead of the East/West Coasts of the US. If you have cell service, your phone should update to the local time zone when you arrive in Europe (if not, look under “Settings” and “Date and Time” or “Clock” to do it manually). For a handy time converter, use the world clock app on your phone.

Watt’s up? Europe’s electrical system is 220 volts, instead of North America’s 110 volts. All electronics and most appliances (hair dryers, CPAP machines) convert automatically, so you won’t need a converter, but you will need an adapter plug with two round prongs, sold inexpensively at travel stores in the US.

Rip up this book! Turn chapters into mini guidebooks: Break the book’s spine and use a utility knife to slice apart chapters. Reinforce the chapter spines with clear, wide tape; use a heavy-duty stapler; or make or buy a cheap cover (see the Travel Store at RickSteves.com), swapping out chapters as you travel.

Discounts: Discounts for sights are generally not listed in this book. However, seniors (age 65 and over), youths under 18, and students and teachers with proper identification cards (obtain from www.isic.org) can get discounts at many sights—always ask. Some discounts are available only to European citizens.

Online Translation Tips: Google’s Chrome browser instantly translates websites. The Google Translate app converts spoken or typed English into most European languages (and vice versa) and can also translate text it “reads” with your phone’s camera. Before your trip, it’s a good idea to download the German dictionary in the app so it can translate even if you’re offline.

Going Green: There’s plenty you can do to reduce your environmental footprint while traveling. When practical, take a train instead of a flight within Europe, and use public transportation within cities. In hotels, use the “Do Not Disturb” sign to avoid daily linen and towel changes (or hang up your towels to signal you’ll reuse them). Bring a reusable shopping tote and refillable water bottle (Europe’s tap water is safe to drink). Skip printed materials that you don’t plan to keep—get your info online instead. To find out how Rick Steves’ Europe is offsetting carbon emissions with a self-imposed carbon tax, see RickSteves.com/about-us/climate-smart.

Money

Here’s my basic strategy for using money wisely in Europe. I pack the following:

Credit Card: You’ll use your credit card for purchases both big and small. Some European businesses have gone cashless, making a card your only payment option. A “tap-to-pay” or “contactless” card is widely accepted and simple to use.

Debit Card: Use this at ATMs to withdraw a small amount of local cash. Wait until you arrive to get euros (European cities have plenty of ATMs); if you buy euros before your trip, you’ll likely pay bad stateside exchange rates. While many transactions are by card these days, some German beer gardens, small museums, and other vendors remain cash-only. Cash can also help you out of a jam if your card randomly doesn’t work, and can be useful to pay for things like tips and local guides.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance can minimize the considerable financial risks of traveling: accidents, illness, missed flights, canceled tours, lost baggage, theft, terrorism, travel-company bankruptcies, natural disasters, emergency evacuation, and getting your body home if you die. The decision to buy travel insurance (and how much) depends on your situation. First determine the coverage you already have; many premium credit cards include generous coverage, and other expenses may be covered through your health, homeowners, or renters insurance. Then consider how likely it is that you’ll need to change or cancel (for example, if you or a loved one is in frail health), how much of your prepaid trip costs are nonrefundable, and your risk tolerance.

It costs money to buy away the financial risk of travel. But if insurance costs 10 percent of your total trip cost, that may be a small price to pay—and worth the peace of mind—compared to the potential loss in the event of something catastrophic. You can compare insurance policies and costs at InsureMyTrip.com.

Backup Card: Some travelers carry a third card (debit or credit; ideally from a different bank) in case one gets lost or simply doesn’t work.

Stash of Cash: I carry $100-200 in US dollars as a cash backup, which comes in handy in an emergency.

BEFORE YOU GO

Know your cards. In Europe, Visa and Mastercard credit cards are universal, while American Express and Discover are less common. Debit cards with a Visa or Mastercard logo will work in any European ATM.

Go “contactless.” Contactless pay options are now standard in much of Europe. Check if you already have—or can get—a tap-to-pay version of your credit card (look on the card for the tap-to-pay symbol—four curvy lines) and consider setting up your smartphone for contactless payment (see next section).

Know your PIN. Make sure you know the numeric PIN for each of your cards, both debit and credit. Request it if you don’t have one, as it may be required for some purchases. Allow time to receive the information by mail—it’s not always possible to obtain your PIN online or by phone.

Exchange Rate

1 euro (€) = about $1.10

To convert prices in euros to dollars, add about 10 percent: €20 = about $22, €50 = about $55. Like the dollar, one euro is broken into 100 cents. Coins range from €0.01 to €2, and bills from €5 to €200 (bills over €50 are rarely used).

Check XE.com for the latest exchange rates.

Report your travel dates. Some banks want to know that you’ll be using your cards overseas, specifically when and where you’re headed. Depending on your bank, you can do this either online or over the phone.

Check your ATM withdrawal limit. Find out how much you can withdraw daily and ask for a higher limit if you want to get more cash at once. Note that European ATMs will withdraw funds only from checking accounts, not from savings accounts.

Find out about fees. For any purchase or withdrawal made with a card, you may be charged a foreign transaction fee (1-3 percent). Shop around; you can compare credit cards on Bankrate.com. Some cards offer lower international fees than others—and some don’t charge any at all. Most credit unions and some airline loyalty cards have low or no foreign transaction fees.

IN EUROPE

Using Credit Cards and Payment Apps

Tap-to-Pay or Contactless Cards: If your card has a contactless symbol, you can simply tap it against a contactless reader to make a purchase. A PIN or signature is generally required only as a security measure for larger purchases. This is by far the easiest way to pay and is available in much of Europe.

Payment Apps: Just like at home, you can tap-to-pay with your smartphone or smartwatch by linking a credit card to an app such as Apple Pay or Google Pay. If you’ve arrived in Europe without a tap-to-pay card, you can easily set up your phone with a payment app.

Will my US card work? Usually, yes. Rarely, a vendor or self-service payment machine (such as a transit-ticket kiosk, tollbooth, or fuel pump) may not accept older chip-and-PIN or swipe cards. Have some cash handy or look for a cashier who can process your payment manually. In some countries, gas stations sell prepaid gas cards, which you can purchase with any US card. When approaching a toll plaza or ferry ticket line, use the “cash” lane.

Always choose to pay in the local currency. During a credit-card transaction, the payment terminal will sometimes ask whether you want to pay in US dollars or in the local currency. Always refuse the conversion and choose the local currency. While this “service”—called Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC)—offers the illusion of convenience, it comes with a poor exchange rate and/or higher fees, and you’ll wind up losing money.

Using Cash

Cash Machines: European cash machines work just like they do at home—except they spit out local currency instead of dollars. In Europe, the universal term for an ATM is “bankomat”; in Germany, ask for a Geldautomat.

Look for an ATM operated by a local bank, ideally one just outside a brick-and-mortar bank (in the rare event that you have any issues).

Beware of cash machines run by exchange or money-transfer companies, which have less favorable rates and higher fees than banks. These can be marked Euronet, Travelex, Your Cash, or Cashzone—or simply marked generically, as “bankomat” or “ATM.” Rip-off exchange ATMs are often the only option at airports and train stations. On arrival, consider using a cashless payment option to get downtown, then find a real bank’s ATM near your hotel.

If your debit card doesn’t work, try a lower amount—your request may have exceeded your withdrawal limit or the ATM’s limit. If you still have a problem, try a different ATM or come back later. When offered the choice to process your transaction in US dollars or the local currency, always choose the local currency.

Exchanging Cash: Minimize exchanging money in Europe; it’s expensive (you’ll generally lose 5 to 10 percent). In a pinch, you can find exchange desks at major train stations or airports. Banks generally do not exchange money unless you have an account with them.

Security Tips

Pickpockets target tourists. Keep your passport and backup cash and cards secure in your money belt (or your hotel-room safe) and carry only a day’s spending money and one card in your wallet.

Before inserting your card into an ATM, inspect the front of the machine. If anything looks crooked, loose, or damaged, it could be a sign of a card-skimming device.

Don’t use a debit card for purchases. Because a debit card pulls funds directly from your bank account, potential charges incurred by a thief will stay on your account while your bank investigates.

If accessing your accounts online while traveling, be sure to use a secure connection (see the “Tips on Internet Security” sidebar, later).

Damage Control for Lost Cards

If you lose your credit or debit card, report the loss immediately to your bank (using a secure app) or the following global customer-assistance centers: Visa (+1 303 967 1096), Mastercard (+1 636 722 7111), and American Express (+1 336 393 1111).

You’ll need to provide the primary cardholder’s identification-verification details (such as birth date, mother’s maiden name, or Social Security number). You can generally receive a temporary card within two or three business days in Europe (see RickSteves.com/help for more).

If you report your loss within two days, you typically won’t be responsible for unauthorized transactions on your account, although many banks charge a liability fee.

TIPPING

Tipping in Germany isn’t as automatic and generous as it is in the US. However, tips are appreciated and expected. In general, if someone in the tourism or service industry does a good job for you, a small tip of a euro or two is appropriate.

Restaurants: You don’t need to tip if you order your food at a counter. At German restaurants that have a wait staff, it’s common to tip by rounding up (about 10 percent) after a good meal. European credit card receipts typically do not have a tip line—request to add a tip before they run your card or leave a tip in cash. For details on tipping in restaurants, see here.

Taxis: For a typical ride, round up your fare a bit (for instance, if your fare is €4.70, pay €5). If the cabbie hauls your bags and zips you to the airport to help you catch your flight, you might want to toss in a little more.

Services: For local guides, private drivers, or others who spend several hours with you—and significantly improve the quality of your trip—a healthy tip (of around 10 percent) is not extravagant. In hotel rooms, leaving a tip of €1-3 per night is standard. If you’re not sure whether (or how much) to tip, ask a local for advice.

GETTING A VAT REFUND

Wrapped into the purchase price of your German souvenirs is a value-added tax (VAT) of 19 percent. You’re entitled to get most of that tax back if you purchase more than €25 worth of goods at a store that participates in the VAT-refund scheme. Typically, you must ring up the minimum at a single retailer—you can’t add up your purchases from various shops to reach the required amount. (If the store ships the goods to your US home, VAT is not assessed on your purchase.)

Getting your refund is usually straightforward...and worthwhile if you spend a significant amount.

At the Merchant: Have the merchant completely fill out the refund document (they’ll ask for your passport; a photo of your passport usually works). Keep track of the paperwork and your original sales receipt. Note that you’re not supposed to use your purchased goods before you leave Europe.

At the Border or Airport: Process your VAT document at your last stop in the European Union (such as the airport) with the customs agent who deals with VAT refunds (allow plenty of extra time for this process and have your purchased items easily accessible for inspection). At some airports, you’ll go to a customs office to get your documents stamped and then to a separate VAT-refund service (such as Global Blue or Planet) to process the refund. Elsewhere, a single VAT desk handles the whole thing, or you may be able to do it at a self-validation kiosk. (Note that refund services typically extract a 4 percent fee, but you’re paying for the convenience of receiving your money in cash immediately or as a credit to your card.) Otherwise, you’ll need to mail the stamped refund documents to the address given by the merchant.

CUSTOMS FOR AMERICAN SHOPPERS

You can take home $800 worth of items per person duty-free, once every 31 days. Many processed and packaged foods are allowed, including cheeses, dried herbs, jams, baked goods, candy, chocolate, oil, vinegar, condiments, and honey. Fresh fruits and vegetables and most meats are not allowed, with exceptions for some canned items. As for alcohol, you can bring in one liter duty-free (it can be packed securely in your checked luggage, along with any other liquid-containing items).

To bring alcohol (or liquid-packed foods) in your carry-on bag on your flight home, buy it at a duty-free shop at the airport. You’ll increase your odds of getting it onto a connecting flight if it’s packaged in a “STEB”—a secure, tamper-evident bag. But stay away from liquids in opaque, ceramic, or metallic containers, which usually cannot be successfully screened (STEB or no STEB).

For details on allowable goods, customs rules, and duty rates, visit Help.cbp.gov.

Sightseeing

Sightseeing can be hard work. Use these tips to make your visits to Germany’s finest sights meaningful, fun, efficient, and painless.

MAPS AND NAVIGATION TOOLS

Your best navigation tool is on your phone. Google Maps (and similar mapping apps) offers turn-by-turn directions for walking and driving, as well as detailed public transit instructions in most big cities. Simply plug in a destination and instantly get detailed directions for reaching it on foot or by subway, bus, or tram—including where to catch it, how long it takes, where to get off, and how far you’ll walk at the other end.

To conserve data, most mapping apps let you download maps in advance (do this when you’re on strong Wi-Fi). However, offline maps may not include every feature, such as real-time traffic updates (most in-city public transit navigation doesn’t work offline). For more on using your phone during your trip, see here.

The maps in this book are concise and simple, designed to help you locate recommended destinations, sights, hotels, and restaurants. In Europe, simple paper maps are generally free at TIs and hotels; maps with more detail are sold at newsstands and bookstores.

PLAN AHEAD

Set up an itinerary that allows you to fit in all your must-see sights. For a one-stop look at opening hours, see this book’s “At a Glance” sidebars for Munich, the Bavarian Alps, Salzburg, Dresden, Berlin, and Hamburg.

Don’t put off visiting a must-see sight—you never know when a place will close unexpectedly for a holiday, strike, or restoration. Opening days and hours can fluctuate; confirm the latest at the sight’s official website (listed throughout this book).

Many museums are closed or have reduced hours at least a few days a year, especially on major holidays (see RickSteves.com/festivals for a list of European holidays). In summer, some sights may stay open late. Off-season hours may be shorter.

Going at the right time helps avoid crowds. This book offers tips on the best times to see specific sights. Try visiting popular sights very early or very late. Evening visits (when possible) are usually more peaceful, with fewer crowds. Late morning is usually the worst time to visit a popular sight.

If you plan to hire a local guide, reserve ahead by email. Popular guides can get booked up.

Study up. To get the most out of the self-guided tours and sight descriptions in this book, read them before you visit.

RESERVATIONS, ADVANCE TICKETS, AND PASSES

Many popular sights in Europe come with long ticket-buying lines. Visitors who buy tickets online in advance (or who have a museum pass covering key sights) can skip the line and waltz right in. Advance tickets are generally timed-entry, meaning you’re guaranteed admission on a certain date and time.

For some sights, buying ahead is required (tickets aren’t sold at the sight and it’s the only way to get in). At other sights, buying ahead is recommended to skip the line and save time. And for many sights, advance tickets are available but unnecessary: At these uncrowded sights you can simply arrive, buy a ticket, and go in.

Don’t confuse the reservation options: available, recommended, and required. Use my advice in this book as a guide. Note any must-see sights that sell out long in advance and be prepared to buy tickets early. If you do your research, you’ll know the smart strategy.

Given how precious your vacation time is, I’d book in advance both where it’s required (as soon as your dates are firm) and where it will save time in a long line (in some cases, you can do this even on the day you plan to visit).

You’ll generally be emailed a digital ticket that you’ll store on your phone to scan at the entrance (if you prefer, you can print it out). At the sight, look for the ticket-holders line rather than the ticket-buying line; you may still have to wait in a security line.

Sightseeing passes can be money savers and often let you skip the generally long ticket-buying lines at sights. In Berlin, for example, the Museum Pass Berlin is great for serious museumgoers, gaining you admission to more than 30 museums over a three-day period.

AT SIGHTS

Every sight or museum offers more than what is covered in this book. Use the information I provide as an introduction—not the final word.

Here’s what you can typically expect at sights:

Entering: You may not be allowed to enter if you arrive too close to closing time. And guards start ushering people out well before the actual closing time, so don’t save the best for last.

Security Check: Many sights have a security check. You may need to pass through a metal detector and put your bag through a scanner. Allow extra time for these lines. Most museums in Germany require you to check any bag bigger than a purse, and sometimes even purses. Museum lockers are free, but be prepared to pay a €1-2 deposit.

Photography: If the museum’s photo policy isn’t clearly posted, ask a guard. Generally, taking photos without a flash or tripod is allowed. Some sights ban selfie sticks; others ban photos altogether.

Audioguides and Apps: I’ve produced free, downloadable audio tours for my Munich City Walk, Salzburg Town Walk, Rothenburg Town Walk, Best of the Rhine Tour, and Berlin City Walk; look for the in this book. For more on my audio tours, see here.

Some sights offer audioguides with useful descriptions in English. Most of Berlin’s top museums are run by the government and include excellent audioguides with admission. Often you’ll use free Wi-Fi to scan a QR code and access the tour on your phone (A+ students can check ahead and download audioguides before your trip). Less frequently you’ll borrow or rent a device preloaded with the audio content.

Expect Changes: Artwork can be on tour, on loan, out sick, or shifted at the whim of the curator. Pick up a floor plan as you enter and ask museum staff if you can’t find a particular item.

Services: Important sights usually have a reasonably priced on-site café or cafeteria (handy and air-conditioned places to rejuvenate during a long visit). In Berlin, state-run museums offer free loaner stools, inviting you to camp out and really ponder your favorite work of art. The WCs at sights are free and generally clean.

Sleeping

One of my joys as a guidebook writer is connecting my readers with the small-hotel owners I’ve come to know over the years. Even if you’re willing to spend more, you’ll have a far richer trip if you stay in places with a strong sense of local character.

My best tips for booking rooms: Book direct, and book early. While third-party sites and room-booking services may seem convenient, booking directly with my recommended hotels puts you in contact with your host and can sometimes save you money.

Reserve accommodations as soon as your itinerary is set, especially if you want to stay at one of my top listings or if you’ll be traveling during busy times, such as Easter weekend, the first weekend in May, Ascension weekend later in May, or German Unity Day on October 3. See RickSteves.com/festivals for a list of major holidays and festivals in Germany.

Sleep Code

Hotels in this book are categorized according to the average price of a standard double room with breakfast in high season.

€€€€ | Splurge: Most rooms over €200
€€€ | Pricier: €150-200
€€ | Moderate: €100-150
€ | Budget: €50-100
¢ | Backpacker: Under €50
RS% | Ask about Rick Steves discount

Unless otherwise noted, credit cards are accepted and hotel staff speak basic English. For the best deal, book directly with the hotel.

Good-value accommodations in Germany are generally easy to find, comfortable, and often include a hearty breakfast (typically an all-you-can-eat buffet). Choose from hotels; smaller, cheaper hotels and bed-and-breakfasts (called Gasthof, Gasthaus, or Pension); rooms in private homes (Privatzimmer); self-catering apartments rented by the week (Ferienwohnung); and hostels (Jugendherberge).

FINDING AND RESERVING ROOMS

Curated and opinionated listings of good-value rooms are a major feature of this book’s Sleeping sections. Rather than list accommodations scattered throughout a town, I choose hotels in my favorite neighborhoods that are convenient to sights.

My recommendations run the gamut, from dorm beds to luxurious rooms with all the comforts. I like places that are clean, central, relatively quiet at night, reasonably priced, friendly, small enough to have a hands-on owner or manager, and run with a respect for German traditions. I’m more impressed by a handy location and fun-loving philosophy than oversized TVs and a fancy gym. Most of my recommendations fall short of perfection. But if I can find a place with most of these features, it’s a keeper.

RATES AND DEALS

I’ve categorized my recommended accommodations based on price, indicated with a euro-sign rating (see sidebar). Room prices can fluctuate significantly with demand and amenities (size, views, and so on), but these relative price categories remain constant.

City taxes, which can vary from place to place, are generally insignificant (a few dollars per person, per night; in Berlin, it’s 5 percent of the room rate). This may be included in the room price or may appear as an extra charge on your bill. In resort towns such as Baden-Baden and Staufen, visitors pay a small spa tax (per person and per night) that’s added to their bill.

Rates depend on the season and the day of the week, but peak times vary from one town to the next. Low season in Rothenburg is January-March, in Füssen it’s October-May, and in Nürnberg it’s July and August. While weekends are cheaper in Frankfurt and Nürnberg, weekdays are cheaper in Trier, Dresden, and Füssen. Munich hotels generally keep the same prices all week.

Booking Direct: Once your dates are set, compare features and prices at several hotels. Start with the recommendations in this book, then use hotel websites, booking sites such as Hotels.com or Booking.com, and user-review sites such as TripAdvisor to narrow your options. After you’ve zeroed in on your choice, book directly with the hotel itself—on the hotel’s website, or by email or phone.

While big booking sites are convenient for travelers, they’re both a blessing and a curse for small, independent, family-run hotels. Without a presence on these sites, small hotels become almost invisible. But to be listed, they must pay a big commission...and promise that their own website won’t undercut the price on the booking-service site.

When you book directly with the hotel, the price may be the same as via a booking site, but more of your money goes to the hotel, not agency commissions. In exchange, ask if they can give you a nicer room or a free breakfast (if it’s not already included). Booking direct also increases the chances that your hotelier will be able to accommodate special needs or requests (such as shifting your reservation).

Getting a Discount: Some hotels extend a discount to those who pay cash or stay longer than three nights. And some accommodations offer a special discount for Rick Steves readers, indicated in this book by the abbreviation “RS%.” Discounts vary: Ask for details when you reserve. Generally, to qualify for this discount, you must book direct (not through a booking site), mention this book when you reserve and show it upon arrival, and sometimes pay cash or stay a certain number of nights. In some cases, you may need to enter a discount code (which I’ve provided in the listing) in the booking form on the hotel’s website. Understandably, discounts do not apply to promotional rates.

Most hostels and some hotels and B&Bs offer half-board (Halb-pension), which means that dinner is included in the room price. This is often a good deal and gets you a hassle-free, value-priced three-course meal, but limits your choices. Many hotels (including the Ibis chain) give you the option of skipping breakfast and paying less. Although German hotel breakfasts are usually excellent, you can buy breakfast items easily and cheaply at a bakery or supermarket—the savings add up, especially for families.

Making Hotel Reservations

Reserve your rooms as soon as you’ve pinned down your travel dates. For busy national holidays, it’s wise to reserve far in advance (see RickSteves.com/festivals).

Requesting a Reservation: Book directly with the hotel (not through a booking website). Even small, family-run places typically have websites that offer online bookings. If not, book your room directly via email or phone.

Here’s what the hotelier wants to know:

• Type(s) of room(s) you want and number of guests

• Number of nights you’ll stay

• Arrival and departure dates, written European-style as day/month (18/06 or 18 June)

• Special requests (en suite bathroom, cheapest room, twin beds vs. double bed, quiet room)

• Applicable discounts (such as a Rick Steves discount, cash discount, or promotional rate)

Confirming a Reservation: Most places will request a credit-card number to hold your room. If the hotel’s website doesn’t have a secure form where you can enter the number directly, share this info by phone.

Canceling a Reservation: If you must cancel, it’s courteous—and smart—to do so with as much notice as possible, especially for smaller family-run places. Cancellation policies can be strict; read the fine print before you book. Many discount deals require prepayment and can be expensive to change or cancel.

From: | rick@ricksteves.com
Sent: | Today
To: | info@hotelcentral.com
Subject: | Reservation request for 19-22 July

Dear Hotel Central,

I would like to stay at your hotel. Please let me know if you have a room available and the price for:

• 2 people

• Double bed and en suite bathroom in a quiet room

• Arriving 19 July, departing 22 July (3 nights)

Thank you!

Rick Steves

Reconfirming a Reservation: Always call or email to reconfirm your reservation a few days in advance. For B&Bs or very small hotels, I call again on my arrival day to tell my host what time to expect me (especially important if arriving after 17:00).

Phoning: For tips on calling hotels overseas, see here.

TYPES OF ACCOMMODATIONS

Hotels

In this book, the price for a double room in a hotel ranges from under €100 (very simple, toilet and shower may be down the hall) to €400-plus (maximum plumbing and the works). In small towns, such as Bacharach or Rothenburg, you can find a good double with a private bath for around €80; in more expensive cities like Munich or Baden-Baden, you’ll usually pay €100 or more. Breakfast is often included in the quoted rate (except in Berlin), but you can usually add or remove a breakfast option when booking (sometimes continental, but often buffet; see “Eating,” later in this chapter).

Some hotels can add an extra bed (for a small charge) to a double; some offer larger rooms for four or more people (I call these “family rooms” in the listings). If there’s space for an extra cot, they’ll cram it in for you. In general, a family room is cheaper than the cost of a double and a single.

While I favor smaller, family-run hotels, some chain hotels can be a good value; the Europe-wide Ibis/Mercure chain has many options (www.accorhotels.com). I’m also impressed with the homegrown, Hamburg-based German chain called Motel One, which specializes in affordable style and has branches in Berlin, Munich, Nürnberg, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Cologne, Leipzig, Dresden, and other cities (www.motel-one.com). Hotel chains tend to have multiple branches scattered across a city, so be sure you’re booking the location you want.

Because the train system in Germany is convenient and popular, both locals and foreigners have discovered that staying near the station saves hauling luggage. The concept of the train-station hotel, which went out of favor during the 20th century, is making a big comeback in Germany. Munich, Füssen, Baden-Baden, Frankfurt, Würzburg, Cologne, Nürnberg, Leipzig, and Dresden are among the destinations in this book that have good-value lodgings within steps of the train station.

Arrival and Check-In: Hotels and B&Bs are sometimes located on the higher floors of a multipurpose building with a secured door. In that case, look for your hotel’s name on the buttons by the main entrance and ring the bell.

Hotel elevators are common, though small, and some older buildings still lack them. If stairs are unavoidable, ask the front desk for help carrying your bags up.

Most European countries require hotels to collect your name, nationality, and passport number. At check-in, the receptionist might ask for your passport and may keep it for a few hours. If you’re not comfortable leaving your passport at the desk, bring a copy to hand over instead.

If you’re arriving in the morning, your room probably won’t be ready. Check your bag safely at the hotel and dive right into sightseeing.

Some hotels now offer self-check-in. You’ll receive instructions before you arrive with a code for your room (and sometimes for the building’s front door).

In Your Room: In Germany, beds usually come with a bottom sheet and a thick comforter. A double bed comes with two comforters—rather than one bigger one. It also frequently has two separate mattresses and sometimes two separate (but adjacent) frames—even if the bed is intended for couples. (A “real” double bed with a single mattress is called a Französisches Bett—a French bed.) Rooms with truly separate twin beds are less common in German hotels. When Americans request separate beds, German hotels sometimes give them normal doubles with complete sincerity—reasoning that the mattresses, though adjacent, are separate.

Checking Out: While it’s customary to pay for your room upon departure, it’s smart to settle your bill the day before, when you’re not in a hurry.

Hotelier Help: Hoteliers can be a good source of advice. Most know their city well and can assist you with everything from public transit and airport connections to finding a good restaurant, the nearest launderette, or a late-night pharmacy.

Hotel Hassles: Even at the best places, mechanical breakdowns occur: Sinks leak, hot water turns cold, toilets may gurgle or smell, the Wi-Fi goes out, or the air-conditioning dies when you need it most. Report your concerns clearly and calmly at the front desk.

If you find that night noise is a problem (if, for instance, your room is over a nightclub or facing a busy street), ask for a quieter room in the back or on an upper floor. To guard against theft in your room, keep valuables out of sight. Some rooms come with a safe, and other hotels have safes at the front desk. I rarely bother to use one and, in a lifetime of travel, I’ve never had anything stolen from my room.

The Pros and Cons of Short-Term Rentals

Short-term rental services like Airbnb are having a big impact in Europe. With hotels becoming more expensive and less personal postpandemic—especially in big cities—short-term rentals are filling the gap.

Short-term rentals can provide more space and amenities than a cookie-cutter hotel (and are an especially good value for stays longer than a few days). Having your own kitchen can save on restaurant costs, a washer-dryer can spare you a trip to the launderette, and families who want to spread out get better value renting an apartment rather than multiple hotel rooms. Airbnb fans appreciate feeling part of a neighborhood and getting into a daily routine as “temporary Europeans.” Some places are run by thoughtful hosts, allowing you to get to know a local and keep your money in the community. But others are impersonally managed by large, absentee agencies, with self-check-in and minimal contact.

Critics of Airbnb see it as a threat to “traditional Europe.” Landlords can make more money renting to short-stay travelers, driving rents up—and local residents out. Traditional businesses are replaced by ones that cater to tourists. And the character and charm that made those neighborhoods desirable to tourists in the first place goes too. Some cities have cracked down, requiring owners to obtain a license and to occupy rental properties part of the year (and staging disruptive “inspections” that inconvenience guests).

As a lover of Europe, I share the worry of those who see residents nudged aside by tourists. I’ve witnessed some of my favorite charming old neighborhoods sell out to the tourist dollar. Locals are left feeling like strangers, no longer able to identify with their temporary neighbors.

As an advocate for travelers, I appreciate the value short-term rentals provide in offering the chance to stay in a local building or neighborhood with potentially fewer tourists, and the convenience for families. But before searching on a short-term rental site, consider staying in a small, family-run hotel to help preserve the culture you are traveling so far to see.

For more complicated problems, don’t expect instant results. Above all, keep a positive attitude. Remember, you’re on vacation. If your hotel is a disappointment, spend more time out enjoying the place you came to see.

Guesthouses

Guesthouses—the German equivalent to B&Bs—are small, warm, family-run accommodations. Known as Pensionen, Gasthäuser, or Gasthöfe in German, they are very common in areas popular with travelers (such as Germany’s Rhine, Romantic Road region, and southern Bavaria, and Austria’s Tirol and Salzburg). Compared to hotels, guesthouses give you double the cultural intimacy for half the price. While you may lose some of the conveniences of a hotel—such as in-room phones, frequent bed-sheet changes, and the ease of paying with a credit card—I happily make the trade-off for the lower rates and personal touches. If you have a reasonable but limited budget, skip hotels and look for smaller, family-run places.

A typical guesthouse has less than a dozen rooms and serves up a hearty breakfast. The smallest establishments are private homes with rooms (Zimmer) rented out to travelers. In general, you can expect rooms in guesthouses to be clean, comfortable, and simple, though usually homey. Germans, especially in the south, are enthusiastic builders who like showing off their carpentry and decorating skills.

Rooms can run the gamut. Some are suite-like, with multiple rooms, separate entrances, and private baths. Others are spare bedrooms in family homes, with no in-room plumbing (but you have access to the bathroom and shower in the home).

Germans depend heavily on expensive imported fuel and are very aware of their energy use. You’ll endear yourself to your hosts if you turn off lights when you leave and avoid excessively long showers.

Finding and booking a guesthouse is no different than reserving a hotel. Even most smaller places are listed on hotel-booking websites—but a direct booking is especially appreciated at mom-and-pop places, and will likely net you a better price. Private rooms are also available through Airbnb-type services (described next). If you haven’t booked ahead, look for signs that say Zimmer frei, which means rooms are available; Zimmer belegt means no vacancy. TIs often have a list of guesthouses.

Short-Term Rentals

Short-term vacation rentals offered through Airbnb and other services can be cost-effective, especially if you plan to settle in one location for several nights or are traveling as a group. Keep in mind that European apartments, like hotel rooms, tend to be small by US standards. But they often come with laundry facilities and small, equipped kitchens, making it easier and cheaper to dine in.

Many places require a minimum stay and have strict cancellation policies. And you’re generally on your own: There’s no reception desk, breakfast, or daily cleaning service.

Finding Accommodations: Websites such as Airbnb, FlipKey, Booking.com, and Vrbo let you browse a wide range of properties. Alternatively, rental agencies such as InterhomeUSA.com and RentaVilla.com can provide a more personalized service (their curated listings are also more expensive).

Before you commit, be clear on the location. I like to virtually “explore” the neighborhood using Google Street View. Consider the proximity to public transportation, and amenities that are important to you (elevator, air-con, laundry, Wi-Fi, parking, etc.). Reviews from previous guests can help identify trouble spots.

Think about the kind of experience you want: just a key and an affordable bed...or a chance to get to know a local? Some hosts offer self-check-in and minimal contact; others enjoy interacting with you. Read the description and reviews to help shape your decision.

Confirming and Paying: Many places require payment in full before your trip, usually through the listing site. Be wary of owners who want to take your transaction offline; this gives you no recourse if things go awry. Never agree to wire money (a key indicator of a fraudulent transaction).

Other Options: Swapping homes with a local works for people with an appealing place to offer (don’t assume where you live is not interesting to Europeans). A good place to start is HomeExchange.com.

Hostels

A hostel (Jugendherberge) provides cheap beds in dorms where you sleep alongside strangers for around €35 per night. Travelers of any age are welcome, and family and private rooms are often available. Most hostels offer kitchen facilities, guest computers, Wi-Fi, and a self-service laundry. Hostels almost always provide bedding, but the towel’s up to you (though you can usually rent one).

Independent hostels tend to be easygoing, colorful, and informal (no membership required; www.hostelworld.com). You may pay slightly less by booking directly with the hostel. Official hostels are part of Hostelling International (HI) and share a booking site (www.hihostels.com). HI hostels typically require that you be a member or else pay a bit more per night.

Eating

Germanic cuisine is heavy, hearty, meaty, tasty, and—by European standards—inexpensive. Each region has its specialties, which are often good values. Order house specials whenever possible. Look beyond the schnitzel and wurst and seek out lighter, innovative menu options. German chefs—especially in big cities—have picked up many international influences, using previously unknown spices and ingredients to jazz up their offerings. Be adventurous.

Restaurant Code

Eateries in this book are categorized according to the average cost of a typical main course. Drinks, desserts, and splurge items can raise the price considerably.

€€€€ | Splurge: Most main courses over €25
€€€ | Pricier: €20-25
€€ | Moderate: €15-20
€ | Budget: Under €15

In Germany, a wurst stand or other takeout spot is €; a beer hall, Biergarten, or basic sit-down eatery is €€; a casual but more upscale restaurant is €€€; and a swanky splurge is €€€€.

For listings in this book, I look for restaurants that are convenient to your hotel and sightseeing. When restaurant hunting, choose a spot filled with locals, not tourists. Venturing even a block or two off the main drag leads to higher-quality food for a better price.

RESTAURANT PRICING AND HOURS

I’ve categorized my recommended eateries based on the average price of a typical main course, indicated with a euro-sign rating (see sidebar). Obviously, expensive specialties, fine wine, appetizers, and dessert can significantly increase your final bill.

The categories also indicate the personality of a place: Budget eateries include street food, takeaway, order-at-the-counter shops, basic cafeterias, and bakeries selling sandwiches. Moderate eateries are nice (but not fancy) sit-down restaurants, ideal for a pleasant meal with good-quality food. Most of my listings fall in this category—great for a taste of the local cuisine at a reasonable price.

Pricier eateries are a notch up, with more attention paid to the setting, presentation, and (often inventive) cuisine. Splurge eateries are dress-up-for-a-special-occasion-swanky—typically with an elegant setting, polished service, and pricey and refined cuisine.

Most of my restaurant listings are open daily for lunch and dinner; I’ve noted exceptions.

BREAKFAST

Many German hotels and pensions include breakfast in the room price and pride themselves on laying out an attractive buffet spread. (However, some hotels, especially in cities, let you choose whether to pay extra for breakfast.) Even if you’re not a big breakfast eater, take advantage of the buffet to fortify yourself for a day of sightseeing.

Expect sliced bread, rolls, pastries, cereal, yogurt (both plain and with fruit), eggs, cold cuts, cheese, and fruit. You’ll always find coffee, tea, and some sort of Saft (juice). Along with orange and apple, blended and fortified “multivitamin” juice is popular. This sweet, smooth blend of various fruits is less acidic than a citrus juice. A bottle of mineral water is standing by to mix with any juice to turn it into a Schorle (spritzer).

For breakfast, most Germans like bread or rolls topped with cheese or cold cuts, or a bowl of Müsli (an oaty cereal like granola, but less sweet), sometimes mixed with corn flakes. Instead of pouring milk over cereal, Germans often begin with a dollop of yogurt (or Quark—sweet curds that resemble yogurt), then sprinkle the cereal on top. If it’s not sweet enough, drizzle on some Honig (honey). Bircher Müsli is a healthy mix of oats, nuts, yogurt, and fruit. To make a German-style open-faced sandwich for breakfast, layer toppings such as Schinken (ham), Streichwurst (meat spread, often Leberwurst—liver pate), and Käse (cheese) on a slice of bread or a roll.

If a buffet has eggs, they’re most likely boiled (gekochte Eier). To eat one as the Germans do, set the egg in its stand, gently crack the shell around its perimeter and remove the top half, salt it, and eat it as if from a tiny bowl. Buffets in larger hotels might have Rühreier (scrambled eggs) or Spiegeleier (fried eggs—literally “mirror eggs”—typically sunny-side up).

In some hotels, a small garbage can is set on the table for you to dispose of trash as you eat.

LUNCH AND DINNER

German mealtimes align well with American stomachs; lunch is generally served from 12:00-14:00 and dinner from 18:00-21:00.

Traditional restaurants go by many names. For basic, stick-to-the-ribs meals—and plenty of beer—look for a beer hall (Brauhaus) or beer garden (Biergarten). Gasthaus, Gasthof, Gaststätte, and Gaststube all loosely describe an informal, inn-type eatery. A Kneipe is a bar, and a Keller (or Ratskeller) is a restaurant or tavern located in a cellar. A Weinstube serves wine and usually traditional food as well.

Many Germans are health-conscious and quite passionate about choosing organic (Bio) products: Bio fruits and vegetables, and even Bio bread, ice cream, and schnitzel. You’ll often see footnotes on restaurant menus marking which dishes have artificial ingredients. However, despite these healthy ways, many starchy, high-fat, high-calorie traditional foods remain staples of the national diet. (For a rundown of common German foods, see “Traditional German Fare,” later.)

Most eateries have menus tacked onto their front doors, with an English menu inside. If you see a Stammtisch sign hanging over a table at a restaurant or pub, it means that it’s reserved for regulars—don’t sit here unless invited. Once you’re seated, take your time—only a rude server will rush you. Good service is relaxed (slow to an American).

To wish others “Happy eating!” offer a cheery “Guten Appetit!” When you want the bill, say, “Die Rechnung, bitte” (dee REHKH-noong, BIT-teh).

Tipping: You only need to tip at restaurants that have table service. If you order your food at a counter, don’t tip. At restaurants with wait staff, it’s common to tip after a good meal by rounding up (roughly 10 percent). Rather than leaving coins behind on the table (considered slightly rude), Germans usually pay directly: When the server comes by with the bill, simply hand over paper money, stating the total you’d like to pay. For example, if paying for a €10 meal with a €20 bill, while handing your money to the server, say “Eleven, please” (or “Elf, bitte” if you’ve got your German numbers down). The server will keep a €1 tip and give you €9 in change. If paying with a card, note that European credit card receipts typically don’t have a tip line—request to add a tip before they run your card.

Budget Tips

It’s easy to eat a meal for €10 or less here. At lunchtime, locals grab a sandwich (around €3) and perhaps a pastry (€1.50-2) from one of the ubiquitous bakeries, which often have tables to sit at (but not table service). If there aren’t any sandwiches on display at the bakery counter, ask to have one made.

Department-store cafeterias (usually on the top floor with a view) are common and handy, and they bridge the language barrier by letting you see your options. A Schnellimbiss—or simply Imbiss—is a small fast-food takeaway stand where you can get a bratwurst or other grilled sausage (usually less than €2, including a roll); for a rundown of common sausages, see “Best of the Wurst,” later.

All schnitzeled out? International restaurants provide a welcome break from Germanic fare. Italian, Turkish, and Asian food are generally a good value. A freshly baked pizza, a Turkish sandwich, or a rice or noodle dish will cost you €4-7 and can be packed up to enjoy on a park bench or in your room.

Stands and shops selling Turkish-style döner kebab—gyro-like, pita-wrapped rotisserie meat—are common (€4 at any time of day). Turkish cafés abound, selling not only the basic döner kebab, but also several variations, plus falafel (chickpea croquettes), “Turkish pizzas,” and much more.

Some restaurants offer inexpensive €7-10 weekday hot-lunch specials that aren’t listed on the regular menu (look for the Tageskarte or Tagesangebot, or just ask—sometimes available at dinner, too). For smaller portions, order from the kleine Hunger (small hunger) section of the menu. Simple dishes of wurst with sauerkraut and bread tend to run €7-9.

TRADITIONAL GERMAN FARE

Here are some typical dishes you’ll see at German eateries.

Specialties

Traditional German dishes tend to be meat-heavy. The classic dish is sausage—hundreds of varieties of bratwurst, Weisswurst, and other types of wurst are served with sauerkraut as an excuse for a vegetable (for a list of common types of wurst, see the “Best of the Wurst” section, later).

Many traditional eateries serve some kind of meat on the bone, such as pork knuckle (called Schweinshaxe or Eisbein on menus) or shoulder, which has been boiled or roasted until tender. It goes down well with a big mug of beer. The fish and venison here are also good.

Another ubiquitous meat dish is schnitzel (a meat cutlet that’s been pounded flat, breaded, and fried). Though traditionally made with veal, pork schnitzel is cheaper and more common. At the beginning and end of menu items, you’ll often see a form of the word Braten (which can mean “roasted,” “grilled,” or “fried”)—as in Bratkartoffeln (roasted potatoes), Schweinebraten (roasted pork), or Bratwurst (grilled sausage).

Here are a few other specialties—both regional and nationwide—to look for:

Aal Grün: Boiled eel served with Spreewaldsauce (parsley, dill, and cream sauce)

Bratkartoffeln: Fried potatoes

Dampfnudeln: Steamed bread roll with various toppings (also available sweet)

Eisbein (or Hachse, Haxe, Schweinshaxe): Pork knuckle, a.k.a. ham hock

Flammkuchen (or Dünnele): German version of white pizza, on a thin, yeastless dough; the classic version is topped with bacon and onions

Frikadellen (also called Klopse; in Berlin, Buletten; and in Bavaria, Fleischpflanzerl): Giant pan-fried meatball, sometimes flattened like a hamburger

Geschnetzeltes: Diced meat (usually chicken or veal) in a rich, creamy sauce, often with mushrooms

Kassler (or Kasseler): Salted, slightly smoked pork

Kohlrouladen: Cabbage rolls stuffed with minced meat

Königsberger Klopse (or Sossklopse): Meatball with capers and potatoes in a white sauce (a staple of eastern Germany)

Kümmelbraten: Crispy roast pork with caraway

Labskaus: Mushy mix of salted meat, potatoes, and often beets, and sometimes topped with herring, pickles, or a fried egg

Leber Berliner Art: Pan-fried veal liver served with sautéed apple rings and onions

Maultaschen (“mouth pockets”): Large ravioli with various fillings, such as veal, cheese, and spinach

Mett (or Hackepeter): Raw, minced pork spread, eaten on bread

Ratsherrentopf: Stew of roasted meat with potatoes

Rollmops: Marinated pickled herring fillets wrapped around a filling of pickled cucumber or onion (a popular hangover cure)

Rostbrätel: Marinated and grilled pork neck

Rouladen (or Rinderrouladen): Strip of beef rolled up with bacon, onion, and pickles, then braised

Sauerbraten: “Sour”-marinated and roasted cut of beef (sometimes pork), typically served with red cabbage, potato dumplings, and gravy

Saure Zipfel: Bratwurst cooked in broth with vinegar and onions

Schäufele: Oven-roasted pork shoulder with gravy

Schlachtplatte (or Schlachtschüssel): “Butcher’s plate”—usually blood sausage, Leberwurst, and other meat over hot sauerkraut

Schnitzel Holstein: Schnitzel topped with a fried egg, capers, croutons, and smoked fish

Schweinebraten (or Schweinsbraten): Roasted pork with gravy

Senfeier: Hard-boiled eggs in mustard sauce served with potatoes (classic eastern German dish)

Spargel: Big white or green asparagus in season in May and June

Speckpfannkuchen: Large, savory crêpe with bacon

Stolzer Heinrich: Grilled sausage in beer sauce (Berlin)

Stulle (or Butterbrot): Simple open-faced sandwich with butter and one topping

Best of the Wurst

Sausage (wurst) is a fast, tasty staple of the Germanic diet. Most restaurants offer it (often as the cheapest thing on the menu), but it’s more commonly eaten at takeout fast-food stands (called Würstchenbude in Germany or Würstelstand in Austria). Options go far beyond the hometown hot dog. Most are pork-based. Generally, the darker the weenie, the spicier it is.

Sausages can be boiled or grilled. The generic term Bratwurst (or Rostbratwurst) simply means “sausage for grilling or frying.” Brühwurst means boiled. Kochwurst describes sausage made of precooked ingredients, then lightly steamed. While some types of wurst can be found all over, others are unique to a particular area (as noted here).

When surveying your options at a sidewalk sausage stand or butcher (Metzgerei), these terms may help:

Blutwurst (or Blunzen): Made with congealed blood. Variations include Schwarzwurst, Rotwurst, and Beutelwurst.

Bockwurst: Medium-thick pork-and-veal sausage with a mild, grassy flavor and a toothsome, smoky casing

Bosna: Spicy sausage with onions and sometimes curry (Austrian)

Cervelat: Smoky, mild, chewy sausage that’s butterflied at each end before grilling (mostly Swiss)

Currywurst: Grilled pork sausage with curry-flavored ketchup, often chopped into small pieces. It’s served mit or ohne Darm (with or without skin; with skin tastes smokier)

Debreziner: Long, lightly smoked sausage flavored with paprika

Frankfurter: A skinny, pink, boiled sausage—the ancestor of our hot dog (also called Wienerwurst, Wienerwürstchen, or simply Wiener)

Jagdwurst: Baloney-like “hunter’s sausage”—smoked pork with garlic and mustard

Käsekrainer: Boiled, with melted cheese inside (Austrian)

Knackwurst (or Knockwurst): Short, stubby, garlicky beef or pork sausage with a casing that “cracks” (knackt) when you bite into it

Krakauer: Type of Polish sausage (kiełbasa)

Landjäger: Skinny, spicy, air-dried (almost withered and sometimes flattened, not round) salami. Ahle Wurst is similar.

Leberkäse: Finely ground, mildly flavored pork meat baked into a loaf shape. A Leberkäsesemmel is a thick slice off the loaf served sandwich-like in a split roll.

Leberwurst: Usually made from pig or calf livers and customarily served as a spread on open-face sandwiches, often with mustard or pickled cucumber

Mettwurst: Cured and smoked pork sausage that ranges from fine to coarse in texture

Milzwurst: Made of pig spleen (Milzstückchen)

Nürnberger: Short and spicy grilled pork sausage from Nürnberg (also available throughout Bavaria), usually eaten three or six (or more) at a time, often lined up in a bun (Drei im Weggla means “three in bun”)

Saumagen: “Sow’s stomach” stuffed with meat, vegetables, and spices

Teewurst: Air-dried, often smoked pork sausage similar to prosciutto, traditionally spread on bread and eaten at teatime (hence the name). It can also be grilled.

Thüringer: Long, skinny, peppery, and wedged into a much shorter roll. Thüringer Rotwurst is a blood-sausage variation.

Weisswurst: White sausage from Munich, boiled and speckled green with parsley; made formerly from veal, though now often pork. Peel off the casing before you eat it. Traditionally served in the morning with sweet mustard and a pretzel, but now eaten at any time of day (and all over Bavaria).

Accompaniments: Sauces and sides include Senf (mustard; ask for süss—sweet or scharf—spicy), ketchup, curry-ketchup, or Currysauce (a tasty curry-infused ketchup), Kraut (sauerkraut), and sometimes horseradish (called Meerrettich in the north, Kren in the south and Austria). Grüne Sosse, a green sauce made of sour cream blended with herbs, is a Frankfurt specialty.

At sausage stands, wurst usually comes with a roll (Semmel—not your typical hot-dog bun). The sausage might be inside the roll, or it may come on a plate with the roll to the side. You might be given the choice of a slice of bread (Brot), a pretzel (Brezel), or, in restaurants, potato salad.

Starches

Besides bread (Brot) and potatoes (Kartoffeln; boiled, fried, or grilled), other typical starches include:

Kartoffelsalat: Potato salad

Knödel (Klösse in the north): Large dumplings, made from potatoes but also from wheat, sourdough, semolina, or breadcrumbs, sometimes with liver or spinach added

Pommes: French fries

Schupfnudeln: Dense, stubby, diamond-shaped potato noodles

Spaetzle: Little noodles made from egg dough scraped through a wide-holed sieve; often served with melted cheese and fried onions as a standalone meal (Käsespätzle)

Salads

Germans make excellent salads; for a meal-sized one, order a Salatteller. Besides grüner Salat (mostly lettuce), you’ll likely come across these options:

Bauernsalat: Greek salad, sometimes with sausage

Bohnensalat: Bean salad

Fleischsalat: Chopped cold cuts mixed with pickles and mayonnaise

Gemischter Salat (or Bunter Salat): A mixed salad of lettuce, fresh and (often) pickled veggies, and a tasty dressing

Gurkensalat: Cucumber salad—usually just cukes in vinegar

Krautsalat: Cabbage salad, similar to coleslaw

Nudelsalat: Pasta salad

Ochsenmaulsalat: “Ox mouth salad” with vinegar, onion, and herbs

Oliviersalat: Russian-style salad—potatoes, eggs, vegetables, and mayonnaise

Wurstsalat: Chopped sausage in onion and vinegar

Snacks

Pretzels (Brezeln), either plain or buttered, make for an inexpensive snack. The brown crust comes from dunking them in water boiled with baking soda or lye.

Brotzeit (“bread time”) is the all-purpose word for a light between-meals snack that’s served cold. Brotzeit involves cold cuts, cheeses, breads, and other cold snacks, such as salads and some sausages. Other snack items include:

Kartoffelkäse: “Potato cheese” spread made of mashed potatoes, onion, and sour cream (but no cheese)

Matjesfilet: Raw herring in yogurt

Obatzda: Pungent, orange Bavarian cheese spread with paprika and onions

Schmalzbrot: Bread smeared with lard

Schnittlauchbrot: Bread with cream cheese and diced chives

Sweets

Make sure to visit a German bakery (Bäckerei) or pastry shop (Konditorei) to browse the selection of fresh pastries (Feingebäck) and cakes (Kuchen). You’ll see pastries in all kinds of shapes: Schnecken (spiral “snails”), strudel (filled pastry cut into slices), croissants (sometimes called Gipfel or Kipferl, “peak”), and Taschen (“pockets”). Fillings include jam (Marmelade or Konfitüre), apple (Apfel), cherry (Kirsche), raisins (Rosinen), nut (Nuss), almond (Mandel), poppy seeds (Mohn), or cheese curds (Quark, usually sweetened). Don’t mistake Mohn (which is black) for cinnamon (Zimt).

Here are some other sweets you might see:

Amerikaner: A big, round, spongy cookie with a thick layer of glaze frosting on top

Berliner: A jelly-filled doughnut (also called Krapfen in Bavaria, or Berliner Pfannkuchen in Berlin).

Berliner Luft: An airy dessert made of cream, eggs, and gelatin, and served with raspberry sauce

Nussecke: Triangular “nut corner,” with a hazelnut layer over a cookie base, with sides dipped in chocolate

Rohrnudel: Roll-like sweet dumpling with raisins

Schnecken: “Snail”-shaped pastry roll with raisins and nuts

Gummi Bears from the German candy company Haribo are everywhere and taste better here close to the source. Ice-cream stores abound (often run by Italian immigrants). While you can always get a cone to go (ask for eine Kugel, a scoop—literally “ball”), many Germans sit down to enjoy their ice cream, ordering fancy sundaes in big glass bowls.

BEVERAGES

Water, Juice, and Soft Drinks

At restaurants, servers aren’t exactly eager to bring you Leitungswasser (tap water), preferring that you buy Mineralwasser (mit/ohne Gas—with/without carbonation). Half-liter mineral-water bottles are available everywhere for about €1. (I refill my water bottle with tap water.)

Popular soft drinks include Apfelschorle (half apple juice, half sparkling water) and Spezi (cola and orange soda). Menus list drink sizes by the tenth of a liter, or deciliter (dl): 0.2 liters is a small glass, and 0.4 or 0.5 is a larger one. Buy juice at a grocery store in cheap liter boxes, then drink some and store the extra in your water bottle.

At stores, most bottled water and soft drinks require a deposit (Pfand; usually €0.15 or €0.25—listed in small print on the shelf’s price label), which is refunded if you return the bottle for recycling. You can generally return bottles to any supermarket, provided the bottle is a type they sell. Larger supermarkets have vending machine-like bottle-return stations (marked Leergutrückgabe or Leergutannahme) that issue a coupon after you insert your bottles (redeem when you pay for your groceries). If you don’t want to bother getting your deposit back but do care about recycling, set the bottle on top of or right next to any trash can, whether on the street or in your hotel room. Chances are someone will collect it for the extra cash.

Beer

The average German drinks 25 gallons of beer a year and has a tremendous variety to choose from. Flaschenbier is bottled, and vom Fass is on tap. A typical bottle size is 33 centiliters (cl; about 12 ounces), and beer from the tap comes in 30 cl or 50 cl pours (10 or 17 ounces). When ordering beer in Bavaria, the standard order is eine Mass (a whole liter, or about a quart); for something smaller, ask for eine Halbe (a half-liter, not always available). For tips on visiting a Biergarten, see here.

Broadly speaking, most German beers fall into four main categories:

Helles Bier: Closest to American-style beer, this is the generic name for pale lager. Light-colored (but not “lite” as in low-calorie), a helles Bier is similar to a Pilsner, but with more malt. Helles Bier is usually served in either a straight glass (Stange, meaning “rod,” which its shape resembles) or a mug. Unfiltered lager (like cask ale) is Kellerbier or Zwickelbier.

Dunkles Bier: This is a general term for dark beer. Munich-style dunkles is sweet and malty, while farther north it’s drier and hoppier. Variations include Schwarzbier (a “black” lager with a chocolaty flavor), Rauchbier (with a “smoky” flavor, from Bamberg), and Weihnachsbier (or Festbier—a seasonal Christmas beer). Dunkles Bier, like helles Bier, is typically served in a straight glass or mug.

Weissbier or Weizenbier: “White” or “wheat” beer (better known in North America as Hefeweizen) is a yeasty, highly caloric beer. It is poured slowly to build a frothy head in a tall, rounded-top glass and served with a lemon wedge. Unfiltered Weissbier, especially common in the south, is cloudy (and usually called Hefeweizen). Kristallweizen is a clear, filtered, yeast-free wheat beer. Roggenbier is darker-colored and made with rye.

Pilsner (a.k.a. Pilsener or simply Pils): This is a barley-based, bottom-fermented, flavorful, hoppy, light-colored beer. Particularly common in the north, a Pilsner is usually served in a tall, slender, tapered, and sometimes stemmed glass. If it takes a while for the beer to arrive, it’s because they’re waiting for the head to die down.

Regional Specialties and Variations: Kölsch is Cologne’s mild brew, served in trays of small, straight glasses. Berliner Weisse is a fizzy, slightly sour brew, often sweetened with a shot of syrup. The same approach helps sweeten Leipziger Gose, a very sour wheat beer. And Bavaria (Munich especially) has a wide array of special beers. Most famous are Bockbier, a high-alcohol, high-calorie, hoppy, bittersweet amber traditionally consumed during Lent (when monks were fasting and needed liquid nourishment); and Märzenbier, a light, malty, and highly alcoholic lager brewed in March (März) to be ready for Oktoberfest.

Other Beer Drinks: Radler (literally “bicyclist”—thought of as refreshing and not too intoxicating for a biker on a hot day) is half lager and half lemon soda. Wheat beer and lemon soda is Russ (or Russ’n). Cola-beer mixes are also common: Diesel (a.k.a. Schmutziges or Krefelder) is cola and lager, and Colaweizen is cola and wheat beer. The closest thing to our “lite” beer is leichtes Bier—a low-calorie, low-alcohol wheat beer.

Nonalcoholic Beer: While virtually all nonalcoholic brews in the US are watery, bitter lagers, Germany produces some excellent alcohol-free white/wheat beers (Weisses), which have a somewhat sweeter flavor—very smooth drinking on a hot day. Teetotalers, or anyone who wants a refreshing beer at lunch without being tipsy all afternoon, can look for “alkoholfreies Bier.” There’s also the drink called Malztrunk (or Malzbier)—the dark, sweet, malted beverage (resembling dark beer) that children quaff before they start drinking the real thing.

Wine

Though famous for its beer, Germany also has excellent wine. The best-known white wines are from the Rhine and Mosel, and there are some good reds (usually from the south). (For more on wine and Germany’s wine-growing regions, see the Mosel Valley chapter.)

Wein is commonly sold by the deciliter, with prices listed per 1 dl (sometimes written as 0.1 L on menus; 1 dl is about 3.5 ounces). You can order by the glass simply by asking for ein Glas, or to clarify that you don’t want much, eine Dezi (one deciliter). For a mini-pitcher of wine, ask for ein Viertel (quarter-liter, about two glasses’ worth). For a half-liter pitcher (about four glasses), request ein Halber. For white wine, ask for Weisswein; red wine is Rotwein. Order your wine lieblich (sweet), halbtrocken (medium), or trocken (dry). A Weinschorle is a spritzer of white wine pepped up with a little sparkling water.

Here are some of the white wines you may see:

Eiswein: Ultra-sweet dessert white made from frozen shriveled grapes

Gewürztraminer: Aromatic, intense, and “spicy”

Grauburgunder: German for “pinot gris”—a soft, full-bodied white

Liebfraumilch: Semisweet “beloved maiden’s milk” blending Riesling with Silvaner and Müller-Thurgau

Hurdling the Language Barrier

German—like English, Dutch, Swedish, and Norwegian—is a Germanic language, making it easier on most American ears than Romance languages (such as Italian and French). These tips will help you pronounce German words: The letter w is always pronounced as “v” (e.g., the word for “wonderful” is wunderbar, pronounced VOON-der-bar). The vowel combinations ie and ei are pronounced like the name of the second letter—so ie sounds like a long e (as in hier and Bier, the German words for “here” and “beer”), while ei sounds like a long i (as in nein and Stein, the German words for “no” and “stone”). The vowel combination au is pronounced “ow” (as in Frau). The vowel combinations eu and äu are pronounced “oy” (as in neu, Deutsch, and Bräu, the words for “new,” “German,” and “brew”). To pronounce ö and ü, purse your lips when you say the vowel; the other vowel with an umlaut, ä, is pronounced the same as e in “men.” (In written German, these can be depicted as the vowel followed by an e—oe, ue, and ae, respectively.) The letter Eszett (ß) represents ss. Written German capitalizes all nouns.

Though most young or well-educated Germans—especially those in the tourist trade and in big cities—speak at least some English, you’ll get more smiles if you learn and use German pleasantries. Study the German survival phrases in the appendix. Give it your best shot. The locals will appreciate your efforts.

For more tips on hurdling the language barrier, consider the Rick Steves German Phrase Book (available at RickSteves.com).

Müller-Thurgau: Light and flowery, best when young, smooth, and semisweet

Riesling: Fruity, fragrant, elegant

Silvaner (or Grüner Silvaner): Acidic, fruity white from Franconia, comes in jug-shaped bottle

Many hotels serve the inexpensive Sekt, or German champagne, at breakfast. Also keep an eye out for Apfelwein (“apple wine”—hard cider, especially popular in Frankfurt). In winter, Glühwein (hot mulled wine) is popular.

Staying Connected

Your mobile phone is an indispensable tool for efficient travel. Fortunately, staying connected in Europe gets easier (and less expensive) each year. You can use your devices much like you do at home, by either getting an international plan or connecting to free Wi-Fi whenever possible. Another option is to buy a European SIM card for your mobile phone. More details are at RickSteves.com/phoning.

USING YOUR PHONE IN EUROPE

Here are some budget tips and options.

Prepare your phone. Before your trip, stock your device with any content or apps you’ll want on the road. Helpful tools include Google Translate, Google Maps, your airline’s app, public transit apps for your destinations, and sight-specific apps (such as museum audioguides). Also download maps if you plan to use offline navigation, and TV shows or movies to watch on the plane or during downtime.

Sign up for an international plan. To stay connected at an affordable cost, sign up for an international service plan through your carrier. Most providers offer a simple bundle that includes calling, messaging, and data. Your normal plan may already include international coverage (for example, T-Mobile’s covers unlimited text and low-speed data, plus reasonable per-minute voice calls).

Use free Wi-Fi whenever possible. In Europe, look for and use Wi-Fi for most online tasks. Most accommodations in Europe offer free Wi-Fi. Many cafés (including Starbucks and McDonald’s) offer hotspots for customers; ask for the password when you buy something. You may also find Wi-Fi at TIs, city squares, major museums, public-transit hubs, and airports, and aboard trains and buses.

Minimize the use of your cellular network. The best way to make sure you’re not accidentally burning through data is to put your device in “airplane” mode (which also disables phone calls and texts) and connect to Wi-Fi as needed. Turn on your cellular network (or turn off airplane mode) only when you can’t find Wi-Fi.

Save large-data tasks for Wi-Fi. If your included data is slow or metered, wait until you’re on Wi-Fi to make video calls, download audio tours or apps, stream videos, or do other megabyte-greedy tasks. Navigation apps such as Google Maps can require lots of data; download maps when you’re on Wi-Fi, then use the app offline.

Limit automatic updates. By default, your device constantly checks for a data connection and updates app content. Check your device’s settings menu for ways to turn this off.

How to Dial

Here’s how to dial from anywhere in the US or Europe, using the phone number of one of my recommended Berlin hotels as an example (030 443 2990). If a number starts with 0, drop it when dialing internationally (except when calling Italy).

From a US Mobile Phone

Phone numbers in this book are presented exactly as you would dial them from a US mobile phone. For international access, press and hold 0 (zero) to get a + sign, then dial the country code (49 for Germany) and phone number.

To call the Berlin hotel from any location, dial +49 30 443 2990.

From a US Landline

Replace + with 011 (US/Canada access code), then dial the country code (49 for Germany) and phone number.

To call the Berlin hotel from your home landline, dial 011 49 30 443 2990.

From a European Landline

Replace + with 00 (Europe access code), then dial the country code (49 for Germany, 1 for the US) and phone number.

To call the Berlin hotel from a French landline, dial 00 49 30 443 2990.

To call my US office from a German landline, dial 00 1 425 771 8303.

From One German Phone to Another

To place a domestic call (from a German landline or mobile), drop +49 and dial the phone number (including the initial 0).

To call the Berlin hotel from Munich, dial 030 443 2990.

More Dialing Tips

Local Numbers: European phone numbers and area codes can vary in length and spacing, even within the same country. Mobile phones use separate prefixes (for instance, in Germany, mobile numbers begin with 015, 016, or 017).

Toll and Toll-Free Calls: It’s generally not possible to dial European toll or toll-free numbers from a US mobile or landline (although you can sometimes get through using Skype). Look for a direct-dial number instead.

Calling the US from a US Mobile Phone, While Abroad: Dial +1, area code, and number.

More Phoning Help: See HowToCallAbroad.com.

Use Wi-Fi calling and messaging apps. FaceTime, Skype, and Google Meet are great for making free or low-cost calls or sending texts over Wi-Fi worldwide. WhatsApp is especially popular throughout Europe and is often the easiest way to communicate with guides, drivers, or other local contacts.

Consider buying a European SIM or eSIM card. Both give you a European phone number and access to local calling and data rates; if you’re traveling to other countries within the EU, there are no additional roaming fees. Physical SIM cards can be purchased at mobile-phone shops and inserted into your (unlocked) phone; electronic SIM cards (or eSIMs) can be purchased online and downloaded.

Tips on Internet Security

Whether using a laptop or phone on the road, make sure it’s running the latest versions of its operating system, security software, and apps. Ensure that your device and apps are password-protected (enable facial recognition where possible). If two-factor authentication is an option, activate it.

Use only secure, password-protected Wi-Fi. Ask the hotel or café staff for the specific name of their network, and make sure you log on to that exact one.

To access sensitive information (such as bank accounts), use a dedicated app, and ideally a cellular connection, which is more secure than a shared Wi-Fi network. Or consider subscribing to a VPN (virtual private network). If you’re using the Safari browser on an Apple device, an encryption feature called “Private Relay” works in a similar way.

Damage Control for Lost Phones: Losing your phone can be a significant inconvenience. Before you leave home, make sure your device is set up for automatic cloud backups, and enable the “find my phone” feature (make sure you have access to it from another device, like your travel partner’s phone or a laptop). Familiarize yourself with your phone’s “lost and lock” mode, which you can enable from another device if your phone goes missing. Report the loss to your mobile carrier; if your phone remains lost, use the “wipe” feature to erase its data.

MAIL

For details on sending packages to your own home or to others, visit CBP.gov, then select “Travel” and “Know Before You Go.” The German postal service works fine, but for quick transatlantic delivery (in either direction), consider services such as DHL (www.dhl.com).

Transportation

Figuring out how to get around in Europe is one of your biggest trip decisions. Cars work well for two or more traveling together (especially families with small kids), those packing heavy, and those delving into the countryside. Trains and buses are best for solo travelers, blitz tourists, city-to-city travelers and those who want to leave the driving to others. Short-hop flights within Europe can creatively connect the dots. Be aware of the potential downside of each option: A car is an expensive headache in any major city; with trains and buses, you’re at the mercy of a timetable; flying entails a trek to and from a usually distant airport and leaves a larger carbon footprint.

If your itinerary mixes cities and countryside, my advice is to connect cities by train (or bus) and to explore rural areas by rental car. Arrange to pick up your car in the last big city you’ll visit, then use it to lace together small towns and explore the countryside. For more detailed information on transportation throughout Europe, see RickSteves.com/transportation.

TRAINS

German trains—most operated by Deutsche Bahn (DB, Bahn.com), Germany’s national railway—are speedy, comfortable, and nonsmoking. They cover cities and small towns well, but a few out-of-the-way places (such as Bavaria’s Wieskirche) are only reachable by bus. Unfortunately, a lack of investment in the rail system has caused delays and cancellations to be more commonplace. German trains are still fairly punctual, but very tight connections are a gamble.

Once the obvious choice for long-distance travel within Germany, DB trains now face competition from private trains and buses. Green FlixTrains (www.flixtrain.com) run between big cities in (mostly) northern Germany, while Westbahn (https://westbahn.at) runs trains from Munich to Salzburg, Linz, and Vienna. Their tickets and schedules are independent from the DB system. FlixTrains don’t accept rail passes, but Eurail passes are valid on Westbahn.

If you have a rail pass, you can hop on any DB train without much forethought (though for a small fee, you can reserve a seat on a fast train—especially recommended for holiday weekends and in summer). Without a rail pass, you can save a lot of money by understanding the difference between fast trains and cheaper “regional” trains. The following sections relate only to DB trains.

Types of Trains

The three levels of DB trains differ in price, speed, and comfort. ICE trains (white with red trim and streamlined noses) are the fastest, zipping from city to city in air-conditioned comfort, and costing proportionately more. Midlevel IC and EC trains are also white with red trim but look older than the ICEs. Regional trains (mostly red and labeled RB, RE, IRE, or S on schedules) are slowest but cost much less. Milk-run S and RB trains stop at every station.

If you have a rail pass, take the fastest train available; rail-pass holders don’t pay a supplement for the fast ICE trains. If you’re buying point-to-point tickets, taking a slower train can save a lot of money. You also save with day-pass deals valid only on slower trains.

Schedules

Schedules vary by season, weekday, and weekend. Verify train times listed in this book at Bahn.com. This website also includes public transport in cities (buses, trams, and subways). The handy DB Navigator app is also a useful tool for schedules and updates as you travel.

You can print out a step-by-step itinerary at Bahn.com or by using the trackside machines marked Fahrkarten (usually silver, red, and blue). The touch-screen display gives you an English option; choose “Timetable Information,” indicate your point of departure and destination, and then hit “Print” for a personalized schedule, including transfers and track numbers. At staffed train stations, attendants will print out a step-by-step itinerary for you, free of charge.

If you’re changing trains en route and have a tight connection, note the numbers of the platforms (Bahnsteig or Gleis) where you will arrive and depart (listed on itineraries). This will save you precious time hunting for your connecting train.

To reach Germany’s train information number, dial +49 30 311 682904 and ask for an English speaker.

Rail Passes

The Eurail Germany Pass is sold only online, and can be a great value, often saving money while allowing you to hop on trains at your convenience (most daytime routes in Germany, including fast ICE trains, do not require seat reservations). Rail passes are an even better deal if you’re under 28 (you qualify for a youth pass) or traveling with a companion (you can save 15 percent with the “twin”-rate German Rail Pass, sold only at major train stations in Germany). If you plan to use a pass to cover a few longer trips, extra days are cheap to add at the time of purchase (about $20-30 per person). But for shorter hops only, a rail pass probably isn’t worth it, especially if you get discounts on point-to-point tickets and day passes (explained later).

If you’re traveling beyond Germany (and beyond the international train coverage of the Eurail Germany Pass), consider the Eurail Global Pass, covering most of Europe. If you buy separate passes for neighboring countries, note that you’ll use a travel day on each when crossing the border.

Your rail pass covers certain extras, including travel on city S-Bahn systems (except in Berlin, where it’s only good on S-Bahn lines between major train stations) and rail replacement buses marked “Deutsche Bahn” or “DB” (run by the train company). Rail passes also get you a 20 percent discount on K-D Line boats on the Rhine and Mosel Rivers and the Romantic Road bus. Flexipass holders should note that fully covered (“free”) trips start the use of a travel day, while discounted trips do not.

Because Salzburg, Austria, is so close to the German border, traveling to or from the city on the main line from Munich counts as traveling within Germany, as far as your rail pass is concerned (Salzburg is the official border station on that line).

For more detailed advice on figuring out the smartest rail-pass options for your train trip, visit RickSteves.com/rail.

Point-to-Point Tickets

Ticket fares are shown at Bahn.com and on the DB Navigator app (for trains to or from Germany, Austria, or Switzerland). Deutsche Bahn can charge a wide variety of fares for the same journey, depending on the type of train, whether changes are permitted, the time of day, how far ahead you purchase the ticket, and other considerations. Bahn.com and the DB Navigator app may ask you to choose between several types of fares as you book. Understand your options to get the best deal.

Kids: Up to four kids ages 6-14 travel free with anyone 15 or older, but the ticket needs to list the number of children (unless purchased from a regional-train ticket machine). Kids under age 6 don’t need tickets.

First Class vs. Second Class: First-class tickets usually cost 50 percent more than second-class tickets. While first-class cars are a bit more spacious and quieter than second class, the main advantage of a first-class ticket is the lower chance that the cars will fill up. Riding in second class gets you there at the same time, and with the same scenery. As second-class seating is still comfortable and quiet, most of my readers find the extra cost of first class isn’t worth it. Germans tell me they never ride in first class unless someone else is paying for it.

Reservations: In Germany, seat assignments for faster trains are included only with full-fare, first-class tickets. They’re an optional extra charge (€5.20 for second class or €6.50 for first) for most ticket-buyers and rail-pass holders.

Rail Pass or Point-to-Point Tickets?

Will you be better off buying a rail pass or point-to-point tickets? It pays to know your options and choose what’s best for your itinerary.

Rail Passes

A German Rail Pass lets you travel by train in Germany for three to fifteen days (consecutively or not) within a one-month period. Discounted “Twin” rates are offered for two people traveling together. Germany is also covered (along with most of Europe) by the classic Eurail Global Pass.

Discounted rates are offered for youths (ages 12-27). Up to two kids (ages 4-11) can travel free with each adult-rate pass (including the German Twin pass, but not with Eurail senior rates for ages 60 and up). All passes offer a choice of first or second class for all ages.

While most rail passes are delivered electronically, it’s smart to get your pass sorted before leaving home. The German Rail Pass is also sold at main train stations and airports in Germany. For more on rail passes, including current prices and purchasing details, visit RickSteves.com/rail.

Point-to-Point Tickets

If you’re taking just a couple of train rides, buying individual point-to-point tickets may save you money over a pass. Use this map to add up approximate pay-as-you-go fares for your itinerary, and compare that to the price of a rail pass. Keep in mind that significant discounts on point-to-point tickets may be available with advance purchase.

Map shows approximate costs, in US dollars, for one-way, second-class tickets on faster trains.

Full-Fare Tickets (Normalpreis or Flexpreis): The most you’ll ever have to pay for a journey is this unrestricted fare (the term Normalpreis is used for regional trains, and Flexpreis for fast trains). These fares allow you to easily change your plans and switch to an earlier or later train without paying a penalty. (If you buy a Normalpreis ticket for a slower train, though, you can’t use it on a fast one without paying extra.)

Discount Fares (Sparpreis): If you purchase a ticket on a fast train at least a day in advance and are comfortable committing to specific departure times, you can usually save 15-75 percent over the Flexpreis. These tickets are more restrictive; you must take the train listed on the ticket (or pay a €10 fee to cancel at least one day ahead in exchange for a voucher, not a cash refund). The cheapest (Super Sparpreis) are not refundable or changeable. Discounted fares go on sale six to nine months in advance and remain available until one day before departure, though the cheap seats often sell out earlier.

Savings on Slow Trains: You can usually save money on point-to-point tickets if you’re willing to skip Germany’s high-speed trains (IC, EC, and ICE) and limit yourself to regional trains (most commonly labeled RB, RE, IRE, or S, but also a range of region-specific names). For example, Freiburg to Baden-Baden might cost €34 by ICE, €26 on some IC trains, or €18 by RE train. To limit your search to these slower, cheaper trains, select “only local transport” on the Deutsche Bahn website or at ticket machines.

Day Passes

You may save even more with two types of extremely popular day passes valid only on slow trains: the various Länder-Tickets and the Quer-durchs-Land-Ticket. They are most cost-effective for groups of two to five people, but single travelers can benefit from them, too.

Länder-Ticket (Regional Day Pass): In English, Länder-Tickets are sometimes called “regional day tickets” or listed under “regional offers.” With a Länder-Ticket, up to five people traveling together get unlimited travel in second class on regional trains for one day at a very cheap price (generally €24-30 for the first person plus €6-10 for each additional person). There are a few restrictions: A Länder-Ticket only covers travel within a certain “Land” (Germany’s version of a US state, such as Brandenburg, where Berlin is), doesn’t work for the fastest classes of trains (ICE, IC, EC), and doesn’t cover travel on weekdays before 9:00. Still, Länder-Tickets offer big savings, don’t require advance purchase, and are also valid on local transit. For example, a Brandenburg-Berlin-Ticket covers five people traveling between Berlin and Wittenberg or Berlin and Potsdam for €33.

Some scenarios: From Munich to Nürnberg, ICE express trains take one hour and 10 minutes and cost €55 at full fare; RE regional trains take at least 35 minutes longer and cost €58 at full fare; RE regional trains take at least 35 minutes longer and cost €47. However, a Bayern-Ticket lets one person ride the RE trains in Bavaria for only €29 (plus €10 for each additional person), provided you leave after 9:00. Plus, if you return that same day, there’s no additional cost. The Baden-Ticket offers similar deals on the run from Freiburg to Baden-Baden, and the Rhineland-Pfalz-Ticket makes sense for longer day trips around the Rhine and the Mosel (for example, from Bacharach or Trier to Burg Eltz). Sometimes several smaller Länder are covered by a single ticket. For example, the Sachsen-Ticket covers trips in Saxony (including Dresden and Leipzig) as well as the neighboring Länder of Sachsen-Anhalt (Wittenberg) and Thuringia (Erfurt and Eisenach).

Quer-durchs-Land-Ticket (Country-Wide Day Pass): This ticket works like a Länder-Ticket but gives you the run of the whole country. It’s valid on any regional train anywhere in Germany but doesn’t include city transit (first person-€46, each additional passenger-€9, maximum of 5 travelers, only valid weekdays after 9:00, but on a Saturday or Sunday it starts at midnight). Two people could make the four-hour trip from Frankfurt to Trier on regional trains for €55 with a Quer-durchs-Land ticket. This trip would otherwise cost €106 for two people. For even larger groups, these tickets save serious money.

Buying Tickets

Online: You can buy train tickets online (www.bahn.com) and print them or save them to your phone as etickets. If you print out your ticket, the conductor may also ask to see your passport. You can also book seat reservations (optional) with a rail pass for trips within Germany—start to buy a regular ticket, then check the box for “book seat only.” Another option is to use the DB Navigator app.

At the Station: Major German stations have a handy Reisezentrum (travel center) where you can ask questions and buy tickets (sometimes with a small markup for the personal service). You can also buy tickets from machines, which come in two types.

The silver, red, and blue touch-screen machines (marked with the Deutsche Bahn logo and Fahrkarten, which means “tickets”) are user-friendly. They sell both short- and long-distance train tickets and print schedules for free. Touch the flag to switch to English (some rare screens are German-only). You can pay with bills, coins, or credit cards—but US credit cards may not work. There’s one exception: Any trip that is entirely within the bounds of a city’s metropolitan transport network (e.g., Frankfurt-Bacharach or Nürnberg-Rothenburg) is considered local: Tickets can only be bought on the day of travel, and you must pay cash.

Each German city transport network also has its own machines that sell local public transit tickets as well as same-day tickets to nearby destinations (usually including Länder-Ticket day passes). At some smaller, unstaffed stations, these machines are the only ticket-buying option. You’ll see the logo of the city or regional transport network on the machine. Increasingly, these machines are multilingual, with touch screens, and take American cards with contactless pay or chip-and-PIN options (though others take only cash and German cards).

On the Train: If you boarded without a ticket, you can purchase one from the DB website (www.bahn.com) or with the DB Navigator app up to 10 minutes after entering the train. Conductors no longer sell tickets, and you can get fined without one. Note that ticket checkers on local trains aren’t necessarily in uniform.

Getting a Seat

On the faster ICE, IC, and EC trains, it costs €5.20 extra per person to reserve a second-class seat, which you can do at a station ticket desk, at a touch-screen machine, or online (especially useful with a rail pass or a second-class ticket). If buying a first-class ticket on these trains, you can add a seat assignment for €6.50 (free at the time of purchase if you pay full fare). German trains generally offer ample seating, but popular routes do fill up, especially on holiday weekends. If your itinerary is set, seat reservations can be worth it for peace of mind. They’re especially smart for small groups and families (€10.40 reservation cap for families) and for anyone traveling at peak times.

On ICE trains, families with small children can book special compartments called Kleinkindabteil, which have extra room for strollers and diaper changing, for the regular seat-reservation price.

With rare exceptions, there’s no need to go through a US agent to make a seat reservation in advance of your trip; just do it online or at a German station. Reservations may be required on international trains (specified in schedule). Slower regional trains don’t even accept them.

If you have a seat reservation, while waiting for your train to arrive, note the departure time and Wagen (car) number and look along the train platform for the diagram (Wagenstandanzeiger) showing the sector of the platform where the car will arrive (usually A through F). Stand in that sector to avoid a last-minute dash to the right car or a long walk through the train to your seat. This is especially important for ICE trains, which are often divided into two unconnected parts.

If you’re traveling without a reservation and are looking for an open seat, check the displays (or, in older trains, the slips of paper) that mark reserved seats. If you have a hard time finding an unreserved seat, take a closer look at the reservations—if you find a seat that’s reserved for a leg of the journey that doesn’t overlap with yours, you’re free to take the seat. For example, if you’re traveling from Frankfurt to Würzburg on a Munich-bound train, and you find a seat reserved only from Würzburg to Munich, it’s all yours—you’ll be getting off the train as the reservation holder boards in Würzburg.

In stations without elevators, you can take advantage of the luggage belts along the stairs to each platform. They start automatically when you put your bag on the bottom or top of the belt.

Bikes on Board

Your bike can travel with you for €5 per day on regional trains or €7-15 per trip on fast trains. Bahnhof.de/en/discover has a list of bike-rental shops that are in or near train stations. Rentals usually run about €10-15 a day, and some rental outfits offer easy “pick up here and drop off there” plans.

LONG-DISTANCE BUSES

While most American travelers still find the train to be the better option (mainly because rail passes make German train travel affordable and no-hassle), ultra-low-fare long-distance buses are worth considering. For example, a full-fare (second-class) train ticket from Munich to Freiburg can cost €100, while a bus ticket for this route can cost €50 or less (it helps if you’re willing to buy a few days ahead and aren’t picky about departure times).

While buses don’t offer as extensive a network as trains, they do cover the most popular cities for travelers, often with a direct connection. The primary disadvantage to buses is limited capacity: Buses are far less likely than trains to have a seat available for those who show up sans ticket (especially on either end of a weekend). And compared to trains, buses also offer fewer departures per day, though your options probably aren’t too shabby on major routes served by multiple operators. Trains also beat buses in travel time and convenience, although often not by much. For the Munich-Freiburg trip, bus travelers will spend about an hour or two longer en route than they would on the train (more if stuck in traffic—though train delays can happen, too).

Bus tickets are sold on the spot (on board and/or at kiosks at some bus terminals), but because the cheapest fares often sell out, it’s best to book online as soon as you’re sure of your plans (at a minimum, book a few days ahead to nab the best prices). The main bus operator is FlixBus (www.flixbus.de). Though not as comfortable as trains, their brightly colored buses are surprisingly well outfitted and make for a more pleasant ride than your average Greyhound trip. Most offer free Wi-Fi and onboard snack bars and WCs.

Bus terminals vary; you may find a true depot with ticket kiosks and overhead shelter, or just a stretch of street with a cluster of bus stops. Serious bus stations are labeled across Germany as “ZOB” (for Zentraler Omnibusbahnhof—central bus station). While most cities’ bus terminals are usually a block or two from the train station, in some bigger cities (such as Munich and Berlin), bus travelers have to go a little farther afield to catch their ride.

TAXIS AND RIDE-BOOKING SERVICES

Most European taxis are reliable and cheap. Often, two people can travel short distances by cab for little more than the cost of bus or subway tickets. In many cities, you can use an app called FreeNow to hail a taxi. This can be a convenient alternative to calling a dispatcher or finding a taxi stand; prices are fixed up-front, and you can pay with a credit card (through the app).

Uber and other ride-booking apps operate in some parts of Europe, and rides can be cheaper than taxis. However, the details may differ from location to location. In some places, Uber works just like back home; in others, the app looks the same, but it hails a regular taxi rather than a private car. Uber is banned in some cities and countries, though sometimes similar companies operate where Uber cannot.

RENTING A CAR

It’s cheaper to arrange most car rentals from the US, so research and compare rates before you go. Most of the major US rental agencies (including Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz, and Thrifty) have offices throughout Europe. Also consider the two major Europe-based agencies, Europcar and Sixt. Consolidators such as Auto Europe (www.autoeurope.com—or the sometimes-cheaper www.autoeurope.eu) compare rates at several companies to get you the best deal.

Wherever you book, always read the fine print. Check for add-on charges—such as one-way drop-off fees, airport surcharges, or mandatory insurance policies—that aren’t included in the “total price.”

Rental Costs and Considerations

If you book well in advance, expect to pay $350-500 for a one-week rental for a basic compact car. Allow extra for supplemental insurance, fuel, tolls, and parking. Diesel cars are more common in Europe than back home and can save you on fuel costs.

Manual vs. Automatic: Cars with manual transmission are more common in Europe and generally cheaper than automatic. If you need an automatic, it’s wise to book well in advance. When selecting a car, don’t be tempted by a larger model, as it won’t be as maneuverable on narrow, winding roads or when squeezing into tight parking lots.

Age Restrictions: Some rental companies impose minimum and maximum age limits. Young drivers (25 and under) and seniors (69 and up) should check the rental policies and rules section of car-rental websites.

Choosing Pick-up/Drop-off Locations: Always check the hours of the location you choose: Many rental offices close from midday Saturday until Monday morning and, in smaller towns, at lunchtime. When selecting an office, confirm the location on a map. A downtown site might seem more convenient than the airport but could actually be in the suburbs or buried deep in big-city streets.

Pedestrianized and one-way streets can make navigation tricky when returning a car at a big-city office or urban train station. Wherever you select, get precise details on the location and allow ample time to find it.

Crossing Borders in a Rental Car: Be aware that international trips—say, picking up in Berlin and dropping off in Prague—can be expensive if the rental company assesses a drop-off fee for crossing a border.

Always tell your car-rental company which countries you’ll be entering. Some companies levy extra insurance fees for trips taken in certain countries with certain cars (such as BMWs, Mercedes, and convertibles). Double-check with your rental agent that you have all the documentation you need before you drive off (especially if you’re crossing borders into non-Schengen countries, where you might need to present proof of insurance).

Picking Up Your Car: Before driving off in your rental car, check it thoroughly and make sure any dents or scratches are noted on your rental agreement (or take a photo of the damage). Rental agencies in Europe tend to charge for even minor damage, so be sure to mark everything. Find out how your car’s gearshift, lights, turn signals, wipers, GPS, and fuel cap function, and know what kind of fuel the car takes (diesel or unleaded). When you return the car, make sure the agent verifies its condition with you.

Car Insurance Options

When you rent a car in Europe, the price typically includes liability insurance, which covers harm to other cars or motorists—but not the rental car itself. To limit your financial risk in case of damage to the rental, choose one of these options: Buy a Collision Damage Waiver (CDW; also called “loss damage waiver” or LDW by some firms) with a low or zero deductible from the car-rental company (roughly 30-40 percent extra), get coverage through your credit card (essentially “free,” but more complicated if you need to use it), or get collision insurance as part of a larger travel-insurance policy.

Basic CDW costs $15–30 a day and typically comes with a $1,000-2,000 deductible, reducing but not eliminating your financial responsibility. When you reserve or pick up the car, you’ll be offered the chance to “buy down” the deductible to zero (for an additional $10–30/day; this is sometimes called “super CDW” or “zero-deductible coverage”).

If you opt for credit-card coverage, you must decline all coverage offered by the car-rental company—which means they can place a hold on your card to cover the deductible. In case of damage, it can be time-consuming to resolve the charges. Before relying on this option, quiz your card company about how it works. If you’re already purchasing a travel-insurance policy for your trip, adding collision coverage can be an economical choice. Both of these options are typically valid everywhere in Europe except the Republic of Ireland and Italy.

For more on car-rental insurance, see RickSteves.com/cdw.

Navigation

Using Your Phone: The mapping app on your phone works fine for navigating Europe’s roads. Remember to bring your phone’s car charger. In newer rental cars, you can plug your phone directly into a USB port (or connect to Bluetooth) and display GPS directions on the car’s dashboard screen.

To save on data, most mapping apps allow you to download maps for offline use (do this before you need them, when you have a strong Wi-Fi signal). Some apps—including Google Maps—provide offline route directions, but you’ll need data access for current traffic.

Dashboard GPS: Some rental cars come with their own dashboard GPS system. Ask about enabling this in advance; it’s sometimes an add-on cost (usually about $15-20/day).

Paper Maps and Atlases: Even when navigating primarily with GPS, I always have a paper map, ideally a big, detailed regional road map. It’s invaluable for getting the big picture, understanding alternate routes, and filling in if my phone’s GPS stops working. It’s smart to buy a good map before you go, or pick one up at a local TI, gas station, bookshop, newsstand, or tourist shop.

Driving

Road Rules: Be aware of typical European road rules; for example, many countries require headlights to be on at all times, and nearly all forbid handheld phone use. In Germany, kids under age 12 (or less than about 5 feet tall) must ride in an appropriate child-safety seat. Seat belts are mandatory for all, and two beers under those belts are enough to land you in jail. You’re required to use low-beam headlights if it’s overcast, raining, or snowing. In Europe, you’re not allowed to turn right on a red light, unless a sign or signal specifically authorizes it, and on expressways it’s illegal to pass drivers on the right. Ask your car-rental company about these rules, or check the “International Travel” section at Travel.State.gov (enter Germany in the “Learn About Your Destination” box, then click “Travel & Transportation”).

Fuel: Unleaded gasoline comes in “Super” (95 octane) and “Super Plus” (98 octane). Pumps marked “E10” or “Super E10” mean the gas contains 10 percent ethanol—make sure your rental can run on this mix. You don’t have to worry about learning the German word for diesel (it’s Diesel). Some pumps are color-coded: Unleaded pumps are green and labeled “E,” while diesel pumps (often yellow or black) are labeled “B.”

Navigation: Every long drive between my recommended destinations is via the autobahn (super-freeway). Learn the universal road signs (see illustration). To get to the center of a city, follow signs for Zentrum or Stadtmitte. Ring roads go around a city.

Key Phrases for Drivers

English | German
Exit | Ausfahrt
Gas station | Tankstelle
Traffic jam (ahead) | Stau
Detour | Umleitung
Toll | Gebühr
City center | Zentrum/Stadtmitte
Slow down | Langsam
Yield | Vorfahrt beachten
One-way street | Einbahnstrasse
No entry | kein Einfahrt
Pedestrian-only zone | Füssgängerzone
No parking | Parken verboten
(You’re headed) out of town | alle Richtungen

The Autobahn: Blue signs direct you to the autobahn, which generally provides the shortest trip between any two points (no speed limit in many sections, toll-free within Germany). To understand this complex but super-efficient freeway, look for the Autobahn Service booklet at any autobahn rest stop (free, lists all stops, services, road symbols, and more). Learn the signs: Dreieck (“three corners”) means a Y-intersection; Autobahnkreuz is where two expressways cross. Rest stops are spaced about every 20 miles and often have a gas station, a restaurant, a minimarket, and sometimes a tourist information desk. Peruse the map and anticipate which town names to look out for. Know what you’re looking for—miss it, and you’re long autobahn-gone. When navigating, you’ll see Nord, Süd, Ost, and West. Electronic signs warning of dangerous conditions may include one of these words: Unfall (accident), Nebel (fog), or Stau (congestion).

Autobahns in Germany are famous for having no speed limit, but many sections do have a limit, particularly in urban areas and near complicated interchanges. Sometimes there are signs with “dynamic” limits that change depending on traffic conditions. There are also cameras that take pictures of the speeder’s license plate—so obey the law or be prepared to pay.

It’s important to stay alert on the autobahn: Everything happens much more quickly, and the speed differential between lanes can be dangerous for unaccustomed drivers. Watch for potential lane changers, whether from your right or from behind—a roaring Mercedes can appear out of thin air in your rearview mirror.

Even if you’re obeying posted limits, don’t cruise in the passing lane; stay right (it’s the law). Since it’s illegal to pass on the right on the autobahn, drivers will angrily flash their lights, and possibly tailgate, if you drive in a passing lane. Obstructing traffic on the autobahn is against the law—so running out of fuel, or even cruising in the far-left lane—is not only dangerous, it can earn you a big ticket. In fast-driving Germany, the backed-up line caused by an insensitive slow driver is called an Autoschlange, or “car snake.” What’s the difference between a car snake and a real snake? According to locals, “On a real snake, the ass is in the back.”

Umweltplakette for Driving in German Cities: To drive into specially designated “environmental zones” (Umweltzone) in the centers of many German cities—including Munich, Freiburg, Frankfurt, Cologne, Dresden, Leipzig, and Berlin—you are required to display an Umweltplakette sticker. Literally “environmental sticker,” these come standard with most German rental cars (ask when you pick up your car). If you’re renting a car outside of Germany and plan to enter one of these cities, be sure you have one (sold cheap—around €10—at the border and at gas stations; you’ll need the registration and legal paperwork that came with your rental; see www.umwelt-plakette.de).

Parking: To park on the street, pick up a blue parking clock (Parkscheibe, available free at gas stations, police stations, and Tabak shops). Display your arrival time on the clock and put it on the dashboard, so parking attendants can see you’ve been there less than the posted maximum stay. Your US credit and debit cards may not work at automated parking garages—bring cash.

Theft: Thieves easily recognize rental cars and assume they are filled with a tourist’s gear. Be sure all your valuables are out of sight and locked in the trunk, or even better, with you or in your room.

Driving in Austria: If you side-trip by car into Austria, bring your US driver’s license and get an International Driving Permit (for details, go to RickSteves.com and search for “IDP”). Austria charges drivers who use their expressways. You’ll need to have a vignette sticker stuck to the inside of your rental car’s windshield (€11.50 for 10 days, buy at border crossing, big gas stations near borders, or a rental-car agency—or go online for digital versions at https://shop.asfinag.at/en [URL inactive]). A one-day vignette is available in digital form only for €8.60. Place it on your windshield exactly as shown on the back of the sticker, and keep the lower tear-off portion—it’s your receipt. A few short expressway stretches are conveniently exempt from the sticker requirement (see the Salzburg chapter for details). Dipping into Austria on regular roads—such as around Reutte in Tirol, or the less-direct route between the German border and Salzburg—requires no special payment. In Austria, green signs direct you to the autobahn, and autobahn speed limits are enforced.

FLIGHTS

To compare flights, begin with a search engine: Easy-to-use Google Flights is the top site for flights to and within Europe, Kayak has price alerts, and Skyscanner includes many inexpensive flights within Europe. Before you book, be sure to read the small print about change or cancellation policies and the costs for “extras” such as reserving a seat, checking a bag, or printing a boarding pass.

Flights to Europe: Start looking for international flights about four to six months before your trip, especially for peak-season travel. Depending on your itinerary, it can be efficient and no more expensive to fly into one city and out of another.

Flights within Europe: Flying between European cities is surprisingly affordable, though it leaves a larger carbon footprint than a train or bus. Before buying a long-distance train or bus ticket, check the cost of a flight on one of Europe’s airlines, whether a major carrier or a no-frills outfit like EasyJet or Ryanair. Others with a strong presence in Germany are Eurowings, Condor, WizzAir, and TUIfly. Be aware that flying with a discount airline can have drawbacks, such as minimal customer service, carry-on size or weight limits, hidden fees (read the fine print carefully), and time-consuming treks to secondary airports.

EU Air Passenger Rights: Tourists are covered by Europe’s generous consumer protections for airline passengers. For any flight within the EU—and for flights into and out of the EU operated by European airlines—you’re entitled to compensation for delays of three or more hours (or if your flight is canceled or rescheduled, or a connection is missed). The service FlightRight.com walks you through the steps to apply for compensation.

Resources from Rick Steves

Begin Your Trip at RickSteves.com

My expansive website is the place to explore Europe in preparation for your trip. You’ll find thousands of fun articles, beautiful photos, videos, and radio interviews; a wealth of money-saving tips for planning your dream trip; travel news dispatches; a video library of travel talks; our latest guidebook updates (RickSteves.com/update); and the free Rick Steves Audio Europe app. You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and other social media channels.

To add context to your trip, we’ve compiled a list of recommended books, films, and TV shows that feature Germany. See RickSteves.com/europe/books-movies.

Our Travel Forum is a well-groomed collection of message boards where our travel-savvy community answers questions and shares their personal travel experiences—and our well-traveled staff chimes in when they can be helpful (RickSteves.com/forums).

Our online Travel Store offers bags and accessories that I’ve designed to help you travel smarter and lighter. These include my popular carry-on bags (which I live out of four months a year), money belts, totes, toiletries kits, adapters, guidebooks, and planning maps (RickSteves.com/shop).

Our website can also help you find the perfect rail pass for your itinerary and your budget, with easy, one-stop shopping for rail passes, seat reservations, and point-to-point tickets (RickSteves.com/rail).

Rick Steves’ Tours, Guidebooks, TV Shows, and More

Small-Group Tours: Want to travel with greater efficiency and less stress? We offer more than 40 itineraries reaching the best destinations in this book...and beyond. Each year more than 30,000 travelers join us on about 1,000 Rick Steves bus tours. You’ll enjoy great guides and a fun bunch of travel partners (with small groups of 24 to 28 travelers). You’ll find European adventures to fit every vacation length. For all the details, and to book a tour, visit RickSteves.com/tours or call us at +1 425 771 8303.

Books: This book is just one of many in my series on European travel, which includes country and city guidebooks, Snapshots (excerpted chapters from bigger guides), Pocket guides (full-color little books on big cities), “Best Of” guidebooks (condensed, full-color country guides), and my budget-travel skills handbook, Rick Steves Europe Through the Back Door. A complete list of my titles—including phrase books, cruising guides, and travelogues on European art, history, and culture—appears near the end of this book.

TV Shows and Video Library: My public television series, Rick Steves’ Europe, covers Europe from top to bottom with more than 100 half-hour episodes—and we’re working on new shows every year. Watch full episodes for free (RickSteves.com/tv). In particular, two Rick Steves’ Europe TV shows worth viewing are my Berlin episode and my one-hour special on The Story of Fascism in Europe. My free online video library, Rick Steves Classroom Europe, offers a searchable database of short video clips on European history, culture, and geography (Classroom.RickSteves.com).

Monday Night Travel Talks: To raise your travel IQ, join our virtual travel party every Monday, featuring travel experts discussing European destinations, art, culture, food, travel tips, and more. Stream the live events or check out the video recordings (RickSteves.com/mnt).

Audio Tours on My Free App: I’ve produced 60 free, self-guided audio tours of the top sights in Europe. For those tours and other audio content, get my free Rick Steves Audio Europe app, an extensive online library organized by destination. For more on my app, visit RickSteves.com/audioeurope.

Radio: My weekly public radio show, Travel with Rick Steves, features interviews with travel experts from around the world. It airs on 500 public radio stations across the US. An archive of programs is available at RickSteves.com/radio.

Podcasts: You can enjoy my travel content via several free podcasts. The podcast version of my radio show brings you a weekly, hour-long travel conversation. My other podcasts include a selection of video clips from my public television show and video recordings of my travel classes (RickSteves.com/podcasts).

APPENDIX

Conversions

Numbers and Stumblers

Metric Conversions

Clothing Sizes

Packing Checklist

German Survival Phrases

Conversions

Numbers and Stumblers

• Europeans write a few of their numbers differently than we do. 1 = , 4 = , 7 = .

• In Europe, dates appear as day/month, so Christmas is 25/12.

• Commas are decimal points and decimals are commas. A dollar and a half is 1,50, one thousand is 1.000, and there are 5.280 feet in a mile.

• When counting with fingers, start with your thumb. If you hold up your first finger to request one item, you’ll probably get two.

• What Americans call the second floor of a building is the first floor in Europe.

• On escalators and moving sidewalks, Europeans keep the left “lane” open for passing. Keep to the right.

Metric Conversions

A kilogram equals 1,000 grams (about 2.2 pounds). One hundred grams (a common unit at markets) is about a quarter-pound. One liter is about a quart, or almost four to a gallon.

A kilometer is six-tenths of a mile. To convert kilometers to miles, cut the kilometers in half and add back 10 percent of the original (120 km: 60 + 12 = 72 miles). One meter is 39 inches—just over a yard.

1 foot = 0.3 meter | 1 square yard = 0.8 square meter
1 yard = 0.9 meter | 1 square mile = 2.6 square kilometers
1 mile = 1.6 kilometers | 1 ounce = 28 grams
1 centimeter = 0.4 inch | 1 quart = 0.95 liter
1 meter = 39.4 inches | 1 kilogram = 2.2 pounds
1 kilometer = 0.62 mile | 32°F = 0°C

Clothing Sizes

When shopping for clothing, use these US-to-European comparisons as general guidelines (but note that no conversion is perfect).

Women: For pants and dresses, add 30 in Germany (US 10 = German 40). For blouses and sweaters, add 32 for most of Europe (US 8 = European 40). For shoes, add 30-31 (US 7 = European 37/38).

Men: For dress shirts, multiply by 2 and add about 8 (US 15 = European 38). For jackets and suits, add 10. For shoes, add 32-34.

Children: Clothing is sized by height—in centimeters (2.5 cm = 1 inch), so a US size 8 roughly equates to 132-140. For shoes up to size 13, add 16-18, and for sizes 1 and up, add 30-32.

Packing Checklist

Whether you’re traveling for five days or five weeks, you won’t need more than this. Pack light to enjoy the sweet freedom of true mobility.

Clothing

5 shirts: long- & short-sleeve

2 pairs pants (or skirts/capris)

1 pair shorts

5 pairs underwear & socks

1 pair walking shoes

Sweater or warm layer

Rainproof jacket with hood

Tie, scarf, belt, and/or hat

Swimsuit

Sleepwear/loungewear

Money

Debit card(s)

Credit card(s)

Hard cash (US $100-200)

Money belt

Documents

Passport

Driver’s license, student ID, hostel card, etc.

Tickets & confirmations: flights, hotels, trains, rail pass, car rental, sight entries

Photocopies of important documents

Insurance details

Guidebooks & maps

Electronics

Mobile phone

Camera & related gear

Tablet/ebook reader/laptop

Headphones/earbuds

Chargers & batteries

Phone car charger & mount (or GPS device)

Plug adapters

Toiletries

Basics: soap, shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, deodorant, sunscreen, brush/comb, etc.

Medicines & vitamins

First-aid kit

Glasses/contacts/sunglasses

Face masks & hand sanitizer

Sewing kit

Packet of tissues (for WC)

Earplugs

Miscellaneous

Day pack

Sealable plastic baggies

Laundry supplies: soap, laundry bag, clothesline, spot remover

Small umbrella

Travel alarm/watch

Notepad & pen

Journal

Optional Extras

Second pair of shoes (flip-flops, sandals, tennis shoes, boots)

Travel hairdryer

Picnic supplies

Disinfecting wipes

Water bottle

Fold-up tote bag

Small flashlight

Mini binoculars

Small towel or washcloth

Inflatable pillow/neck rest

Tiny lock

Extra passport photos

German Survival Phrases

In the phonetics, ī sounds like the long i in “light,” and bolded syllables are stressed.

Hello. | Hallo.   hah-loh
Good day. | Guten Tag.   goo-tehn tahg
Do you speak English? | Sprechen Sie Englisch?   shprehkh-ehn zee ehng-lish
Yes. / No. | Ja. / Nein.   yah / nīn
I (don’t) understand. | Ich verstehe (nicht).   ikh fehr-shtay-heh (nikht)
Please. | Bitte.   bit-teh
Thank you. | Danke.   dahng-keh
I’m sorry. | Es tut mir leid.   ehs toot meer līt
Excuse me. | Entschuldigung.   ehnt-shool-dig-oong
No problem. | Kein Problem.   kīn proh-blaym
(Very) good. | (Sehr) gut.   (zehr) goot
Goodbye. | Auf Wiedersehen.   owf vee-der-zayn
one / two / three | eins / zwei / drei   īns / tsvī / drī
four / five / six | vier / fünf / sechs   feer /fewnf / zehkhs
seven / eight | sieben / acht   zee-behn / ahkht
nine / ten | neun / zehn   noyn / tsayn
How much is it? | Wieviel kostet das?   vee-feel kohs-teht dahs
Write it down? | Aufschreiben?   owf-shrī-behn
Is it free? | Ist es umsonst?   ist ehs oom-zohnst
Included? | Inklusive?   in-kloo-zee-veh
Where can I buy / find…? | Wo kann ich kaufen / finden...?   voh kahn ikh kow-fehn / fin-dehn
I’d like / We’d like... | Ich hätte gern / Wir hätten gern…   ikh heh-teh gehrn / veer heh-tehn gehrn
...a room. | ...ein Zimmer.   īn tsim-mer
...a ticket to ____. | ...eine Fahrkarte nach ____.   ī-neh far-kar-teh nahkh ____
Is it possible? | Ist es möglich?   ist ehs mur-glikh
Where is...? | Wo ist…?   voh ist
...the train station | ...der Bahnhof   dehr bahn-hohf
…the bus station | ...der Busbahnhof   dehr boos-bahn-hohf
...tourist information | ...das Touristen-informations-büro   dahs too-ris-tehn-in-for-maht-see-ohns-bew-roh
...the toilet | ...die Toilette   dee toh-leh-teh
men / women | Herren / Damen   hehr-rehn / dah-mehn
left / right | links / rechts   links / rehkhts
straight | geradeaus   geh-rah-deh-ows
What time does this open / close? | Um wieviel Uhr wird hier geöffnet / geschlossen?   oom vee-feel oor veerd heer geh-urf-neht / geh-shloh-sehn
At what time? | Um wieviel Uhr?   oom vee-feel oor
Just a moment. | Moment.   moh-mehnt
now / soon / later | jetzt / bald / später   yehtst / bahld / shpay-ter
today / tomorrow | heute / morgen   hoy-teh / mor-gehn

In a German Restaurant

I’d like / We’d like... | Ich hätte gern / Wir hätten gern…   ikh heh-teh gehrn / veer heh-tehn gehrn
…a reservation for… | ...eine Reservierung für...   ī-neh reh-zer-feer-oong fewr
…a table for one / two. | ...einen Tisch für eine Person / zwei Personen.   ī-nehn tish fewr ī-neh pehr-zohn / tsvī pehr-zoh-nehn
...the menu (in English), please. | ...die Speisekarte (auf Englisch), bitte.   dee shpī-zeh-kar-teh (owf ehng-lish) bit-teh
Non-smoking. | Nichtraucher.   nikht-rowkh-er
Is this seat free? | Ist hier frei?   ist heer frī
service (not) included | Trinkgeld (nicht) inklusive   trink-gehlt (nikht) in-kloo-zee-veh
cover charge | Eintritt   īn-trit
to go | zum Mitnehmen   tsoom mit-nay-mehn
with / without | mit / ohne   mit / oh-neh
and / or | und / oder   oont / oh-der
menu (of the day) | (Tages-) Karte   (tah-gehs-) kar-teh
set meal for tourists | Touristenmenü   too-ris-tehn-meh-new
specialty of the house | Spezialität des Hauses   shpayt-see-ah-lee-tayt dehs how-zehs
breakfast / lunch / dinner | Frühstück / Mittagessen / Abendessen   frew-shtuhk / mit-ah-geh-sehn / ah-behn-deh-sehn
appetizers | Vorspeise   for-shpī-zeh
bread / cheese | Brot / Käse   broht / kay-zeh
sandwich | Sandwich   zahnd-vich
soup / salad | Suppe / Salat   zup-peh / zah-laht
meat / poultry | Fleisch / Geflügel   flīsh / geh-flew-gehl
fish / seafood | Fisch / Meeresfrüchte   fish / mee-rehs-froysh-teh
fruit / vegetables | Obst / Gemüse   ohpst / geh-mew-zeh
dessert | Nachspeise   nahkh-shpī-zeh
tap water | Leitungswasser   lī-toongs-vah-ser
mineral water | Mineralwasser   meen-eh-rahl-vah-ser
milk | Milch   milsh
(orange) juice | (Orangen-) Saft   (oh-rahn-zhehn-) zahft
coffee / tea | Kaffee / Tee   kah-fay / tay
wine / beer | Wein / Bier   vīn / beer
red / white | rot / weiss   roht / vīs
glass / bottle | Glas / Flasche   glahs / flah-sheh
Cheers! | Prost!   prohst
More. / Another. | Mehr. / Noch eins.   mehr / nohkh īns
The same. | Das gleiche.   dahs glīkh-eh
The bill, please. | Rechnung, bitte.   rehkh-noong bit-teh
tip | Trinkgeld   trink-gehlt
Delicious! | Lecker!   lehk-er

For more user-friendly German phrases, check out Rick Steves German Phrase Book.

INDEX

A | B | C | D
E | F | G | H
I | J | K | L
M | N | O | P
Q | R | S | T
U | V | W | Z

A

Aachen: 601

Abbeys and Monasteries: Andechs Monastery 131–132; Benedictine Abbey (St. Peter) 361; Erfurt Augustinian Monastery 657–658; Ettal Monastery 183–186; Füssen Franciscan Monastery 145; Lichtentaler Abbey 314; St. Magnus Monastery 145, 148; St. Peter’s Abbey and Church 232–233

Academy of Arts (Berlin): 799

Academy of Fine Arts (Dresden): 743

Accommodations: See Sleeping; specific locations

Admiralspalast Theater (Berlin): 858

Airbnb: 24, 997, 998–999

Airlines (airfares): 22, 23, 1033

Airports: Bacharach 507; Baden-Baden 299; Berlin 893; Dresden 729; Frankfurt 436, 467–468, 469; Freiburg 334; Hamburg 924; Munich 123–124; Nürnberg 604; Rothenburg 403; Salzburg 214; VAT refunds 988; Würzburg 434

Albertinum (Dresden): 733, 743, 757–759

Albertplatz (Dresden): 733, 734, 747, 767

Albrecht Dürer House (Nürnberg): 620

Alexanderplatz (Berlin): 809–810, 840

Almanac: 963

Almbach Gorge: 293–294

Alm River Canal: 231, 249

Alm River Canal Exhibit (Salzburg): 249

Alois Dallmayr Delicatessen (Munich): 60–61

Alpentherme Ehrenberg (Reutte): 200

Alpine Coaster (Oberammergau): 178

Alps: See Bavarian Alps

Alpsee Lake: 159

Alster River: 930, 932

Altag in der DDR (Berlin): 827

Altar of the Holy Blood (Riemenschneider): 377–378

Altdorfer, Albrecht: 78–79

Alte Börse (Leipzig): 700

Alte Gutsschänke (Cochem): 539

Alte Mainbrücke (Würzburg): 421–422

Alte Nationalgalerie (Berlin): 789, 806, 819–820

Alte Oper (Frankfurt): 447

Alte Pinakothek (Munich): 42

Alter Friedhof (Füssen): 145

Alter Hof (Munich): 61

Alter Markt (Cologne): 585

Alter Markt (Potsdam): 904–905

Alter Markt (Salzburg): 236–237

Altes Haus (Bacharach): 498–499

Altes Museum (Berlin): 806, 820

Altes Rathaus (Leipzig): 700

Altes Rathaus (Potsdam): 904

Alte Synagogue (Erfurt): 653, 659–661

Alt-Rothenburger Handwerkerhaus (Rothenburg): 389

Altstadt (Frankfurt): 450–451

Altstadt (Koblenz): 525

Amalienburg (Munich): 98–99

Ammer River: 174

Ampelmännchen (Berlin): 808

Amphitheater (Trier): 571–572

Ancient Spa Museum (Baden-Baden): 305

Andechs Monastery (Munich): 43, 131–132

Andreasstrasse (Erfurt): 656

Anger (Erfurt): 650–651

Anger Museum (Erfurt): 651, 661

Antiquarium (Munich): 72

Apartment rentals: 997, 998

Apple-wine, in Frankfurt: 464–465

Apps: 26, 28; booking 1025; messaging 1013; navigation 1010; payment 985–986; Rick Steves Audio Europe 370, 1035; sightseeing 991; translation 983; user reviews 993

Aquarium, in Berlin: 851

Archaeological Museum (Trier): 569–570

Architecture: Castle 969; church 968

Art: Timeline 964–965; See also specific artist; locations

Art Bunker (Nürnberg): 619–620

Art Nouveau (Jugendstil): 88, 144–145, 222, 278, 313, 935, 936, 938

Arts and Crafts Museum (Hamburg): 931, 935–936

Asam Church (Munich): 42, 54–55

ATMs: 983–985, 986

Audio Europe, Rick Steves: 26, 370, 1035

Augsburg: 410

Augustaplatz (Baden-Baden): 306–307

Augustiner Beer Garden (Munich): 117

Augustiner Museum (Freiburg): 342, 344–345

Augustinian Monastery and Church (Erfurt): 657–658

Augustus Bridge (Dresden): 744–746

Augustus II (the Strong): 727, 735, 738, 739, 742, 746, 750, 751, 752, 753–754, 755; biography of 740

Augustusplatz (Leipzig): 704–705

Aussenalster Lake (Hamburg): 932

Austria: Driving in 214, 280, 1032–1033; Zugspitze 141, 186–189; See also Reutte; Salzburg

Autobahn: 1031–1032

Aviation Museum (Munich): 101–102

B

Bacharach: 484, 492–507; activities 501; eating 498, 501, 503–506; helpful hints 493; map 496–497; nightlife 506; orientation 492–493; sleeping 502–503; tourist information 492–493; transportation 506–507; walks 493–501

Bacharach Protestant Church: 498

Bacharach Town Wall: 495–496

Bach, Johann Sebastian: 647, 651, 673, 700, 702, 711–715; biography of 714–715; Museum (Leipzig) 713–715

Bächle (Freiburg): 337

Bachstrasse (Beilstein): 552

Baden-Baden: 15, 297–320; baths 304–305, 307–310; eating 318–319; helpful hints 299; maps 299, 302; nightlife 319; orientation 298–300; Russians in 312; shopping 300; sights 307–311, 313–315; sleeping 315–317; tourist information 298; transportation 298–299, 300, 320; walks 301, 303–307, 315

Baden-Baden Casino: 301, 310–311

Baden-Baden Catholic Church: 304

Baden-Baden City Museum: 313

Baden-Baden in Bloom: 300, 313

Baden-Baden Opera House: 312, 317

Bad Frankenhausen: 666

Bad Mergentheim: 405–406

Bad Windsheim: 363, 393

Baglione, Giovanni: 848

Bahnhofsviertel (Frankfurt): 444

Bahnhofsvorplatz (Cologne): 582–583

Ballet, in Munich: 104

Ballin, Albert: 953–954

BallinStadt Emigration Museum (Hamburg): 931, 953–954

Banks (banking), alerting to travel: 26, 985

Barbarossa, Frederick, Holy Roman Emperor: 426

BarJeder Vernunft (Berlin): 858

Barocci, Federico: 237

Basilica/Imperial Throne Room (Trier): 568–569

Baths: Baden-Baden 304–305, 307–310; Füssen 151; Salzburg 215; Trier 571, 573

Baths of Caracalla (Baden-Baden): 305, 309–310

Battle of the Nations, Monument to (Leipzig): 717–719

Bauernkriegspanorama (Bad Frankenhausen): 666

Baumeister Haus (Rothenburg): 373, 384

Baumgarten (Füssen): 150

Baumkronenweg Ziegelwies (Füssen): 152

Bavarian Alps: 12, 135–207; at a glance 140–141; day trips 140–141; helpful hints 141–142; home base for 135–136; itineraries 136–137; map 138–139; planning tips 136; transportation 136–137, 140–141, 173–174

Bavarian crafts: 174–175, 176

Bavarian National Museum (Munich): 43, 88

Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra: 103

Bavarian Terrace (Zugspitze): 189

Bayenturm (Cologne): 594

Bayerische Staatsoper (Munich): 104

Beatles, in Hamburg: 951

Beautiful Fountain (Nürnberg): 615

Bebelplatz (Berlin): 803–804

Beckmann, Max: 458, 592, 704, 935

Beer: 7, 1009–1010; Füssen 156; guided tour (Munich) 41; Munich 41, 44, 104, 116–117; Oberammergau 179; Oktoberfest 41, 64–65; Rothenburg 386; Salzburg 236; Schwangau 170; See also Beer gardens/halls

Beer and Oktoberfest Museum (Munich): 65

Beer gardens/halls: 7–8; Bacharach 504; Baden-Baden 306, 318, 319; Berchtesgaden 293; Berlin 852, 859–860, 880, 882, 886; Cologne 582, 594, 598–599; Dresden 744, 766–767, 772–773; Erfurt 668; Freiburg 347, 349, 350; Hamburg 960, 961; Hofbräuhaus 42, 62–63, 113; Leipzig 722, 724–725; Munich 42, 51–52, 62–63, 112–113, 116–118; Nürnberg 639; Oberammergau 179; Potsdam 909–910; Rothenburg 400; Salzburg 250, 251, 272, 277–278; Wittenberg 692; Würzburg 433, 434

Beer Hall Putsch of 1923: 57, 65, 85, 128, 411, 974

Beer steins, shopping for: 515

Beethoven, Ludwig van: 703; Birthplace (Bonn) 600

Behaim, Martin: 623

Beilstein: 539, 544, 549–556; activities 554; eating 555–556; planning tips 549; sleeping 554–555; transportation 549–550; walks 550–554

Beilstein Castle: 553–554

Bellotto, Bernardo (“Canaletto”): 746, 749

Bell towers: See Glockenspiels

Benedict XVI, Pope: 59, 658

Benediktsplatz (Erfurt): 653

Berchtesgaden: 281–294; eating 294; maps 282, 286; orientation 283–284; planning tips 283; sights 285–294; tours 284–285; transportation 281–283, 287, 291–292, 293–294

Berlin: 14, 775–896; at a glance 788–789; eating 877–893; entertainment 856–860; food tours 884; helpful hints 780–781; history of 782–783; maps 777, 778–779, 794–795; neighborhoods 776–779; orientation 776–786; planning tips 776; shopping 860–864; sights 810–855; sightseeing passes 780–781; sleeping 864–877; tourist information 780; tours 787, 790–792; transportation 780, 781–786, 893–896; walks 790, 792–810; See also specific neighborhoods

Berlin Brandenburg International Airport (BER): 893

Berlin Cathedral: 806, 821, 857

Berliner Ensemble: 858

Berliner Festpiele: 859

Berlin Hauptbahnhof: 894–895

Berlinische Galerie (Berlin): 838

Berlin Philharmonic: 856

Berlin region: 897–919; map 898; See also Potsdam; Sachsenhausen

Berlin State Opera: 803

Berlin Wall: 830–831; about 797; Checkpoint Charlie 833–835; chunks of, shopping for 861; East Side Gallery 841–842; guided tours 791; Memorial 788, 827-833; map 829; Victims Memorial 796

Berlin Zoological Garden and Aquarium: 851

“Bermuda Triangle” (Freiburg): 350

Bernstrasse (Cochem): 533

Berthold the Black: 336

Beuys, Joseph: 84

Beverages: 1008–1011; See also Beer; Wine and vineyards

Biberwier Luge Course (Reutte): 141, 201–202

Biergartens: See Beer gardens/halls

Biking (bike rentals): Bacharach 493; Baden-Baden 300; Bavaria 137, 141; Beilstein 550, 554; Berlin 786, 791–792, 807, 884; Cochem 531; Cologne 581–582, 584; Dresden 734, 766; Freiburg 334; Füssen 143, 151–152; Hamburg 292, 925, 932; Isar River 102; Mosel Valley 529; Munich 36, 40–41, 44, 87, 102, 133; Oberwesel 511; Potsdam 899, 900–901; Reutte 191–192; Rhine Valley 476, 491; Rothenburg 369; Salzburg 216, 222, 223, 257, 259–260; St. Goar 515; on trains 1024; Trier 559; Würzburg 413, 416

Bikini Berlin: 864, 873

Binnenalster Lake (Hamburg): 930, 932

Black Forest: 15, 320–362; eating 327; heart of 321–331; itineraries 322; map 296; planning tips 321, 322; sights 322–331; sleeping 324; transportation 321; walks 323–324; See also Baden-Baden; Freiburg; Staufen

Black Forest cake: 319

Black Forest clocks: 328–329

Black Forest Highlands: 359–362

Black Forest Highlands Drive: 361–362

Black Forest High Road Drive: 322–324

Black Forest Museum (Triberg): 327–328

Black Forest Open-Air Museum (Wolfach): 324–327

Bleckenau: 169

Blue Rider School: 83

Blue Wonder bridge (Dresden): 766

Blüher, Gebhard: 483–484

BMW-Welt and Museum (Munich): 43, 67, 99–100

Boating: 151–152, 159, 163, 222; Berchtesgaden 292–293; Cochem 539; Frankfurt 442; Füssen 151–152; King’s Castles 159, 163; Salzburg 217, 222

Boat travel and cruises: Beilstein 550, 554; Berlin 787; Cologne 579; Hamburg 929, 932, 940–942; Mosel Valley 527; Rhine Valley 474–475, 476–485; See also Ferries

Bode Museum (Berlin): 806, 820

Bonn: 600

Botticelli, Sandro: 79

Boucher, François: 237

Brandenburger Tor S-Bahn Station (Berlin): 801–802

Brandenburg Gate (Berlin): 788, 796–798, 815

Brandstetter’s Stehcafé (Würzburg): 420

Bratwursthäusle (Nürnberg): 616, 638

Bratwurststand am Markt (Würzburg): 420–421

Bread Market (Füssen): 148

Breakfast, German: 1000–1001

Breitenwang: 197, 203

Bridge of Spies (Potsdam): 911

Brienner Strasse (Munich): 66

British Embassy (Berlin): 800–801

Bröhan Museum (Berlin): 855

Brot Schwarz delicatessen (Nürnberg): 615, 637

Brühlsche Terrasse (Dresden): 744

Budgeting and budget tips: 23–24, 983, 992–994, 1002–1003

Bundesbank Bunker (Cochem): 539–540

Burg Eltz: 473, 543–549; background 547; eating 547; map 545; orientation 547; tours 547; transportation 544, 546

Burgenhagen, Johannes: 684

Bürgerhaus (Beilstein): 552

Burggarten (Rothenburg): 381–382

Burg Rheinfels: 516–521; map 517

Burgtor Gate (Rothenburg): 382

Bus travel (buses): 22, 1024–1025; Romantic Road 405; See also specific locations

C

Cabinet of Curiosities (Salzburg): 238

Cable cars: See Funiculars (gondolas)

Cabs: See Taxis

Cafés, in Leipzig: 706

Campgrounds: 495, 501, 550, 554

Canaletto: 746, 749

Caracalla Therme (Baden-Baden): 305, 309–310

Caravaggio: 847–848

Carnival (Cologne): 581

Carriages: 162

Car travel: 22; in Austria 214, 280, 1032–1033; Autobahn 1031–1032; best three-week trip 20–21; driving 1030–1033; environmental zones (Umweltzone) 1032; insurance 1027; map 1028–1029; navigation 1027, 1030; phrases 1031; rental cars 22, 23, 1025–1033; signs and rules 1030

Cash payments: 986

Casino, in Baden-Baden: 301, 310–311

Castle Church (Wittenberg): 679–681

Castle Garden (Rothenburg): 381–382

Castles: architecture 969; Beilstein 553–554; Burg Eltz 473, 543–549; Ehrenberg Castle World 192–193, 196–199; Ehrenbreitstein 473; Ehrenfels Castle 484; Gutenfels Castle 483–484; Harburg 410; Hohensalzburg Fortress 243–249; Hohenschwangau Castle 164–165; Imperial Castle 617–619; Katz Castle 481–482; Lahneck Castle 478; Liebenstein Castle 480; Linderhof Castle 180–183; Marksburg Castle 473, 478, 485–489; Maus Castle 480–481; Mosel Valley 472–473; Neuschwanstein Castle 165–167; Pfalz Castle 483–484; Reichenstein Castle 484; Reichsburg Cochem 473, 534–537; Rheinfels Castle 473, 481, 516–521; Rheinstein Castle 473, 484; Rhine Valley 472–473; Schönburg Castle 512; Sooneck Castle 484; Stahleck Castle 484; Staufen 357–358; Sterrenberg Castle 480; Toppler Castle 391–392; Wartburg Castle 670–673; See also Ludwig II castles

Cathedral Excavations Museum (Salzburg): 229–230

Cathedral Museum (Salzburg): 229, 238

Cathedral Museum (Trier): 567–568

Cathedral Museum (Würzburg): 419

Cathedral of St. Mary (Erfurt): 656, 662–663

Cathedral Square (Erfurt): 656–657

Catholic Church of the Royal Court (Dresden): 733, 741, 761–762

Catholics and Protestants, differences between: 659

Cecilienhof (Potsdam): 909–910

Cell (mobile) phones: 1012, 1013, 1014; See also Apps

Cemetery (Friedhof) (Staufen): 357

Cézanne, Paul: 593

Chain Bridge (Nürnberg): 621

Chamäleon (Berlin): 858

Chapel of Reconciliation (Berlin): 832–833

Chapel of the Three Magi (Cologne Cathedral): 589–590

Chapel of the Virgin (Cologne Cathedral): 590

Charlottenburg Palace (Berlin): 853–854

Charlottenburg Palace area (Berlin): Map 853; sights 852–855

Checkpoint Charlie (Berlin): 802, 833–835

Chilehaus (Hamburg): 936–937

Chinese Tea House (Potsdam): 909

Chocolate: 60–61, 303, 401, 595, 863–864, 937; Berlin 863–864; museums 595, 937

Chocoversum Chocolate Museum (Hamburg): 937

Christmas markets: 21; Aachen 601; Dresden 733; Freiburg 334; Munich 33; Nürnberg 605, 615; Rothenburg 368–369, 375; Salzburg 214

Christmas Museum (Rothenburg): 394

Christmas Museum (Salzburg): 239–240

Christmas Village (Rothenburg): 393

Churches: Architecture 968; See also specific churches

Church of Our Lady (Dresden): 733, 743–744, 759–761

Church of Our Lady (Trier): 567

Church of St. Gangolf (Trier): 564

Church of St. Severus (Erfurt): 656, 663–664

Church of the Holy Spirit (Füssen): 148

Church Spire (Cologne Cathedral): 591

City West (Berlin): Eating 891–893; map 874–875; sights 849–852; sleeping 873–876

Clara Church (Nürnberg): 609

Clärchens Ballhhaus (Berlin): 860

Classroom Europe, Rick Steves: 26, 1034

Climate: 21

Climbing: 201

Clocks: See Cuckoo clocks

Clothing sizes: 1038

Cochem: 529–537, 539–543; eating 536, 542–543; festivals 531; helpful hints 531; map 532; orientation 530–531; sights 535–537, 539–540; sleeping 540–542; tourist information 530; transportation 530–531, 543; walks 531, 533–535

Coffee, in Leipzig: 706

Coin Cabinet (Dresden): 756

Cold War/Cold War sites: 9, 975–978; Berlin 778, 790, 797, 814, 826, 833–837, 839; Cochem 531; Leipzig 705, 707–708, 709, 710–711; Potsdam 909–911; terminology 781; Wittenberg 690–691

Cologne: 17, 577–600; eating 597–599; festivals 581; helpful hints 579, 581–582; map 580; orientation 578–579, 581–582; planning tips 578; sights 586–595; sleeping 595–597; tourist information 579; tours 582; transportation 579, 599–600; walks 582–586

Cologne Cathedral: 586–590; map 587

Cologne City Hall: 585

Cologne Opera House: 585

Cologne Pride: 581

Commerzbank building (Frankfurt): 446

Composers Quarter (Hamburg): 939

Concentration camps: Dachau 125–131; Sachsenhausen 911–919

Contemporary History Forum (Leipzig): 707–708

Conversions, metric: 1037–1038

Cooking classes: 217

Costs of trip: 23–24

Court Chapel (Würzburg): 427–428

Covent Garden (Rothenburg): 380–381

Craftsman’s House (Rothenburg): 389

Craftsmen’s Courtyard (Nürnberg): 608

Cranach Courtyard (Wittenberg): 682–683

Cranach, Lucas: 623, 643, 644, 645, 672, 678, 682–683, 684, 687–688, 700, 749, 845–846

Crane Tower (Bacharach): 495

Credit cards: 26, 982, 983, 985–986, 987

Creek Street (Beilstein): 552

Creglingen: 406–407

Cross of Nails (Dresden): 761

Crowds, avoiding: 989

Crown Gate (Dresden): 739

Cruises: See Boat travel and cruises

Cuckoo clocks: 327, 328–329, 362, 515; museums 330–331, 362

Cuisine: 1003–1008; Bavarian 112–113, 116–118, 155, 207, 318; Berlin 879; Cologne 597; Dresden 773; Erfurt 651; Frankfurt 464–465; Hamburg 958; Munich 112–113; Nürnberg 637, 638; Rhine 504; Tirolean 193, 206

Culture, connecting with: 28

Culture Days (Salzburg): 264

Currency: 985, 986

Customs regulations: 988

Cuvilliés, François de: 73, 76, 98

Cuvilliés Theater (Munich): 68, 76

Cycling: See Biking

D

Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial (Munich): 43, 125–131; map 126; self-guided tour 127–131

Dallmayr Delicatessen (Munich): 60–61, 122

Dance/dancing: Berlin 860; Munich 103–104

Davidstrasse (Hamburg): 950

Da Vinci, Leonardo: 79

DB Railway Museum (Nürnberg): 623–624

DDR Museum (Berlin): 789, 823–824

Debit cards: 26, 982, 983–984, 987

Deichstrasse (Hamburg): 960

Deichtorhallen (Hamburg): 936

Delaroche, Paul: 703

Der Senfladen (Nürnberg): 619

Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam: 337

Destinations, top: 11–18

Deutsche Oper (Berlin): 857

Deutsches Eck (Koblenz): 524–525

Deutsches Hygiene-Museum (Dresden): 763–764

Deutsches Museum (Munich): 43, 89

Deutsches Theater (Munich): 104

Deutsches Uhrenmuseum (Triberg): 330–331

Deutsches Weihnachtsmuseum (Rothenburg): 389

Dietrich, Wolf, Prince-Archbishop: 226, 239, 245–246, 256, 260–261

Dinglinger, Johann Melchior: 754

Dining: See Eating; specific locations

Dinkelsbühl: 407–408

Dinkelsbühl City History Museum: 408

Dirndis, shopping for: 102

Discounts: 23–24, 983, 993–994, 1002–1003

Distilleries: 236, 326, 357, 385

Dix, Otto: 758

Dockland (Hamburg): 941–942

Documentation Center for Displacement, Expulsion, Reconciliation (Berlin): 789, 831–832, 837

Dokumentationszentrum (Nürnberg): 625–627, 628, 629–630

Domforum (Cologne Cathedral): 591

Domplatz (Erfurt): 656–657, 661–664

DomQuartier Museums (Salzburg): 218, 237–238

DomRömer Quarter (Frankfurt): 450–451

Domschatzkammer (Cologne Cathedral): 591

Dom-Turm (Cologne Cathedral): 591

Dragon Fly Zip Line (Reutte): 199

Dreikönigenhaus (Trier): 563

Dresden: 18, 727–774; at a glance 732–733; day trips near 766–767; eating 771–774; helpful hints 729, 732–734; maps 730–731, 737, 770; nightlife and entertainment 732–733, 767–768; orientation 728–729, 732–734; planning tips 728; sights 747–767; sleeping 768–771; tourist information 728–729; tours 734–735; transportation 729, 734, 774; walks 734–747

Dresden Airport (DRS): 729

Dresden Opera House: 736

Drinks: 1008–1011; See also Beer; Wine and vineyards

Driving: See Car travel

Dufthaus 4711 (Cologne): 585–586

Dürer, Albrecht: 78, 79, 593, 608, 612, 622–623, 628, 749, 845; House 620

Dwarf Garden (Salzburg): 251

Dyck, Anthony van: 749

DZ Bank Building (Berlin): 799

E

Eagle’s Nest: 284–285, 287–289; self-guided tour 284–285

Easter Music Festival (Salzburg): 264

Eastern Berlin: Map 840; sights 839–842

East Side Gallery (Berlin): 841–842

Eataly (Munich): 119–120

Eating: 999–1011; budgeting 24, 1002–1003; phrases 1012; pricing 24, 1000, 1002–1003; restaurant codes 1000; restaurant phrases 1012; tipping 987, 1002; See also Cuisine; specific location

Eau de cologne: 585–586, 593

Echelsbacher Bridge (Bavaria): 173

Economy: 963

Edelweiss Cooking School (Salzburg): 217

Egapark (Erfurt): 665

Egyptian Collection (Berlin): 818

Egyptian Museum (Munich): 42, 82

Ehenbichl: 203–205

Ehrenberg Castle: 192–193, 196–199; sleeping 205; tour 196

Ehrenberg Museum (Reutte): 193, 196

Ehrenbreitstein Fortress (Koblenz): 473, 525

Ehrenfels Castle: 484

Ehrwald: 187, 188, 207

Eibsee: 186–187, 189

Eis Café Italia (Bacharach): 498

Eisenach: 673; transportation 669; Wartburg Castle 670–673

Eiserner Steg Bridge (Frankfurt): 452

Eisleben: 665–666

Elbe River: 727, 728, 735, 744, 746, 767, 923, 925, 940–942

Elbphilharmonie Concert Hall (Hamburg): 944–945

Electricity: 983

Ellenz Ferry: 550

Embassies (Berlin): British 800–801; Canadian 982; Russian 802; United States 799, 982

Emergency and medical help: 982

Emigration Museum (Hamburg): 931, 953–954

Endertplatz (Cochem): 531

Enderttor (Cochem): 533

Engels, Friedrich: 807–808

English Garden (Munich): 43, 86–87; eating 117–118

English Theatre Frankfurt: 440

Environmental footprint: 983

Epiphany: 185

Erasmus: 337

Erfurt: 646–669; eating 668–669; map 648–649; orientation 647; planning tips 646; shopping 652–653; sights 657–666; sleeping 667; tourist information 647; tours 647; transportation 647, 650, 669; walks 650–657

Erfurt Augustinian Monastery and Church: 657–658

Erfurt City Museum: 665

Erfurt Old Synagogue: 653, 659–661

Erfurt Town Hall: 655

Ethnological Museum (Berlin): 821, 822

ETIAS (European Travel and Authorization System): 25, 981

Ettal Monastery: 183–186; information 184; orientation 184; transportation 184

EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg: 334

Euro currency: 985, 986

Europa Center (Berlin): 873

European Central Bank (Frankfurt): 447

European Travel and Authorization System (ETIAS): 25, 981

European Union Information Center (Berlin): 798

Everyday Life in the DDR (Berlin): 827

F

Fabergé Museum (Baden-Baden): 306, 311, 313

Falkenhof (Wolfach): 327

Farina Fragrance Museum (Cologne): 585, 593

Farina, Giovanni Battista: 593

Felsenburg Neurathen: 767

Felsenreitschule (Salzburg): 234, 264

Fernsehturm (Berlin): 809

Ferries: Hamburg 925, 929, 940, 941–942; Mosel Valley 529, 550; Rhine Valley 476, 513

Festival Hall (Munich): 113

Festival Hall (Salzburg): 219, 234, 264

Festival Nights (Salzburg): 264

Festivals: 982; See also specific festival; location

Festung (Salzburg): See Hohensalzburg Fortress

Festung Marienberg (Würzburg): 428–429

Fettquelle (Baden-Baden): 304–305

Film Museum (Munich): 104

Fingerhut Museum (Creglingen): 407

Finkenwerder (Hamburg): 942

Fischmarkt (Cologne): 584–585

Fischmarkt (Erfurt): 654–655

Fischmarkt (Hamburg): 924, 941

Flexibility, and traveling: 28

Flughafen München Airport (MUC): 123–124

Flugwerft Schlessheim (Munich): 101–102

Folk evenings, in Reutte: 141, 199–200

Folk museums: Erfurt 664–665; Rothenburg 393

Food: See Cuisine; Markets; specific locations

Food tours: See specific locations

Forggensee Lake: 151–152

Fortress Museum (Salzburg): 248

Forum Baths (Trier): 573

Forum Confluentes (Koblenz): 525

Foster, Norman: 446

Fountain of Franconia (Würzburg): 417

Fountain of the Seven Virtues (Nürnberg): 613–614

Franciscan Church (Rothenburg): 382

Franciscan Church (Salzburg): 263

Franconian Museum (Würzburg): 429

Franconian Open-Air Museum (Rothenburg): 393

Frankenwerft (Cologne): 534, 599

Frankfurt: 17, 435–469; eating 460–461, 463–467; festivals and events 440; helpful hints 440; maps 438–439, 460–461; orientation 436–437, 440–441; planning tips 435–436; shopping 448; sights 452–458; sleeping 458–463, 469; tours 441–442; transportation 437, 440–441, 467–469; walks 441, 442–443, 445–452

Frankfurt Airport (FRA): 403, 434, 436, 467–468, 507

Frankfurt Banking District: 445

Frankfurt City Model: 456

Frankfurt Fair: 446

Frankfurt Hahn Airport (HHN): 469, 529

Frankfurt Historical Museum: 452–453

Frankfurt Opera House: 446, 447

Frankfurt Town Hall: 450

Frankfurt train station: 442–443; eating near 466; sleeping near 458–459, 462

Franziskanergasse (Freiburg): 336

Frauenkirche (Dresden): 733, 743–744, 759–761

Frauenkirche (Munich): 58–60; eating 116–117

Frauenkirche (Nürnberg): 615

Frederick the Great: 782, 801, 803–804, 816, 853, 898, 904, 905, 906–908

Frederick the Wise: 643, 644, 678, 680, 681, 683, 686

Freiburg: 331–351; eating 347, 349–350; festivals 334; helpful hints 334; maps 332–333, 336; orientation 331–335; sights 342–347; sleeping 347–349; tourist information 331–332; tours 334; transportation 332–334, 335, 351; walks 335–342

Freiburg Bächle: 337, 340, 341

Freiburg Canalside Industrial Quarter: 341–342

Freiburg Cathedral: 342–344

Freiburg City History Museum: 339, 345

Freihofgasse (Staufen): 336

Freisaalweg: 260

French Cathedral (Berlin): 857

Fressgass’ (Frankfurt): 447–448

Friedrich, Caspar David: 819–820, 935

Friedrichsbad (Baden-Baden): 305, 307–309

Friedrichshain (Berlin): 862, 876

Friedrichstadtpalast (Berlin): 858

Friedrichstrasse (Berlin): 802–803

Friedrichstrasse Station (Berlin): 826

Friese (Rothenburg): 394

Funf Höfe (Munich): 103

Funiculars (gondolas): Alpine Coaster 178; Baden-Baden 314–315; Berchtesgaden 293; Cochem 533, 537; Freiburg 347; Hahnenkammbahn 201; Höfen 200; Koblenz 525; Laber Bergbahn 178; Rhine Valley 478; Salzburg 216, 230, 242–244, 249; Seilbahn Cable Car 187–188; Tegelberg Cable Car 168–169; Tiroler Zugspitzbahn Cable Car 187–188

Fürstenzug (Dresden): 741–742

Furtwangen: 295, 297, 322, 329–330, 362

Füssen: 136, 137, 140, 142–157; activities 151–152; eating 155–156; helpful hints 143–144; information 143; maps 138–139, 146–147; nightlife 156; orientation 143–144; sleeping 153–155; tours 144; transportation 143, 156–157; walk 144–145, 148–150

Füssen Franciscan Monastery: 145

Füssen Heritage Museum: 149

Füssen High Castle: 149–150

G

Gasthaus Die Krone (Staufen): 354

Gasthaus zum Löwen (Freiburg): 354

Gasthof Glocke (Rothenburg): 385

Gasthof Goldener Greifen (Rothenburg): 384

Gazebos: 259

Geburtshaus (Mozart’s Birthplace, Salzburg): 218, 240–241

Gedenkstätte Leistikowstrasse Potsdam: 910

Gemäldegalerie (Berlin): 789, 844–845

Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister (Dresden): 732, 740, 748–749

Gendarmenmarkt (Berlin): 815–816; shopping 863–864

Geography: 963

Gera River: 647, 652

German Christmas Museum (Rothenburg): 389

German Clock Museum (St. Märgen): 362

German Clock Museum (Triberg): 330–331

German History Museum (Berlin): 805, 822–823

German Hunting and Fishing Museum (Munich): 58

German Hygiene Museum (Dresden): 763–764

Germanic National Museum (Nürnberg): 621–623

German Order Museum (Bad Mergentheim): 405

German Parliament (Reichstag, Berlin): 788, 792–793, 810–814

German Resistance Memorial (Berlin): 849

German Sport & Olympia Museum (Cologne): 594

German Stadium (Nürnberg): 629

German Unity Day: 977, 992

Germany, name origins: 971

Gernsbacher Strasse (Baden-Baden): 305, 306

Gero-Crucifix (Cologne Cathedral): 588–589

Geroldsauer Mühle (Black Forest): 323

Getreidegasse (Salzburg): 218, 235–236

Gewandhaus (Leipzig): 704, 719

Giorgione: 748–749

Gläserne Manufaktur (Dresden): 764–765

Glockenspielpavillon (Dresden): 739

Glockenspiels: Cochem 531; Dresden 739; Munich 48; Salzburg 226–227

Glyptothek (Munich): 84

Goethe (paddlewheeler): 475

Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von: 422, 447, 453, 700, 702; House (Frankfurt) 453–454

Golden Hat (Berlin): 818

Golden Reiter (Dresden): 744–745, 746–747

Golden statue (Munich): 49

Goldhelm Schokolade shop (Erfurt): 652

“Gold of the World” collection (Baden-Baden): 311

Government: 963

Graefekiez (Berlin): 839

Greater Munich: 90–102; map 91

Greater Salzburg: 256–261; eating 277–278; map 258

Great Road (Nürnberg): 629

Green Market (Rothenburg): 375

Green Party: 87

Green Vault (Dresden): 732, 741, 752–754

Gregory VII, Pope: 245

Grosse Freiheit (Hamburg): 951–952

Grosses Festspielhaus (Salzburg): 234, 264

Gross, Konrad: 614

Grundig, Hans: 758–759

Guesthouse and Platterhof bunker system (Berchtesgaden): 291

Guesthouses: 998; See also specific locations

Gutach River: 328–329

Gutenberg, Johann: 658

Gutenfels Castle: 483–484

H

HafenCity (Hamburg): 931, 943, 945–947

Hafenterrasse beer garden (Cologne): 594

Hahnenkammbahn (Reutte): 201

Hallein Salt Mine: 260–261

Hals, Frans: 593, 703, 846–847

Hamburg: 18, 920–961; at a glance 931; eating 958–961; helpful hints 924–925; maps 926–927, 940, 948–949; orientation 921, 923–925, 928; planning tips 921; sights 929–930, 932–954; significance of 922; sleeping 955–958; tourist information 923; tours 928–929; transportation 923–924, 925, 928, 961; walks 928, 932, 948–952

Hamburg Airport (HAM): 924

Hamburg City Hall: 929–930

Hamburger Kunsthalle: 931, 935

Hamburg History Museum: 931, 938

Handwerkerhof (Nürnberg): 608

Hangar-7 (Salzburg): 260–261

Hang gliding, in Bavaria: 168–169

Harburg: 410

Hatzenport: 544

Haubrich, Josef: 592

Hauptbahnhof Train Station (Berlin): 894–895

Hauptmarkt: See Market Square/Marktplatz

Hauptstrasse (Dresden): 746–747

Hauptstrasse (Staufen): 354–355, 356

Hauptwache (Frankfurt): 448

Haus der Kunst (Munich): 87

Haus der Natur (Salzburg): 242, 264

Haus für Mozart (Salzburg): 234

Haus Lipmann (Beilstein): 552

Hausmannsturm (Dresden): 741, 757

Haus zum Sonneborn (Erfurt): 656

Havel River: 911

Haydn, Michael: 232

Heckel, Erich: 661

Heilig-Geist-Spital (Nürnberg): 614

Heine, Heinrich: 450, 482

Heinrich Heine Viewpoint (Bacharach): 494

Helaba Bank (Frankfurt): 447

Hellbrunn Palace (Salzburg): 218, 256–259

Henry IV, Emperor: 245

Herbertstrasse (Hamburg): 950

Hermann Schilli House (Wolfach): 326

Herrgottskirche Church (Creglingen): 406–407

Herrngasse (Rothenburg): 374, 382–383

High Castle (Füssen): 149–150

Highline 179 Suspension Bridge (Ehrneberg): 198–199

Hiking: Bacharach 494; Baden-Baden 346–347; Bavarian Alps 137, 158–159, 169, 178; Berchtesgaden 281, 288, 293, 294; Black Forest 359–361; Burg Eltz 543, 544, 546; Cochem 533, 536, 537; Dresden 767; Freiburg 347; Hamburg 940; Mosel Valley 543, 544, 546, 553; Nürnberg 616, 617, 633; Oberammergau 178; Potsdam 901, 907; Reutte 196, 201; Rhine Valley 470, 490, 507, 518; Rothenburg 389–390, 392, 397, 400; Salzburg 208, 242, 249

Hippenseppenhof (Wolfach): 325

Historical Merchant House (Freiburg): 339

Historic Art Bunker (Nürnberg): 619–620

Historic Cemetery of St. Sebastian (Füssen): 145

Historic Core (Berlin): Eating 878–882; maps 812–813, 874–875; sights 810–824; sleeping 876

Historic Green Vault (Dresden): 732, 741, 752–754

Historische Senfmühle (Cochem): 533, 537

Historisches Museum Frankfurt: 452–453

History: 5–6, 9–10, 962–980; timeline 964–965; See also specific locations

History Mural (Cochem): 533

Hitler, Adolf: 65–66, 285–291, 411, 626, 628, 629, 794–795, 974–975; bunker complex site (Berlin) 800; Eagle’s Nest 284–285

Hochschule für Musik Hanns (Berlin): 857

Hofbräuhaus (Munich): 42, 62–63, 113

Höfen: 200–201; sleeping 205

Hofgarten (Munich): 67–68

Hofkirche (Dresden): 733, 741, 761–762

Hofkirche (Würzburg): 427–428

Hohe Domkirche St. Marien (Erfurt): 656, 662–663

Hohensalzburg Fortress (Salzburg): 218, 230, 243–244, 262; eating 244; map 246–247; self-guided tour 244–249

Hohenschwangau Castle: 140, 164–165

Hohenschwangau Village: 163

Hohenzollern Bridge (Cologne): 583–584

Hohe Strasse (Cologne): 585

Holbein, Hans (the Younger): 845

Holidays and festivals: 982; See also specific event; location

Höllental: 361

Holocaust memorial (Leipzig): 713

Holy Ghost Hospital (Nürnberg): 614

Homann, Johann Baptist: 617

Hornwerk (Ehrenberg Castle): 196–197

Horse races, in Baden-Baden: 299, 313

Hospitalgassenturm (Oberwesel): 510

Hostels: 999; See also secific location

Hotel Adlon (Berlin): 799

Hotel de Rome (Berlin): 803

Hotel Hirsch (Füssen): 144–145

Hotels: 994–997; reservations 994–995; See also specific location

Hot springs: See Baths

Hotzenwaldhaus (Wolfach): 327

House of History (Wittenberg): 690–691

House of the Three Magi (Trier): 563

House of the Whale (Freiburg): 337

Humboldt Forum (Berlin): 789, 805–806, 821–822

Humboldt University (Berlin): 803

Hunding’s Hut (Linderhof Castle): 183

I

Immigration (immigrants): 10, 435; BallinStadt Emigration Museum (Hamburg) 953–954

Imperial Baths (Trier): 571

Imperial Castle (Nürnberg): 617–619

Imperial Castle of Cochem: 473, 534–537

Imperial Chapel: See Hofkirche

Imperial Throne Room (Trier): 568–569

InfoPoint (Salzburg): 245–247

Insurance: Car 1027; travel 26, 984

International Maritime Museum (Hamburg): 931, 947

International Youth Camp Kapuzinerhölzl (Munich): 111

Internet: 1012–1013, 1014

Isar River: 102

Itineraries: 19–24

J

Jackson, Michael: 410

Jazz: Berlin 857–858; Munich 104; Salzburg 264

Jennerbahn Mountain Lift (Königssee): 292, 293

Jesuitenplatz (Baden-Baden): 319

Jewish Cemetery (Beilstein): 553

Jewish Cemetery (Frankfurt): 455–456

Jewish Ghetto (Frankfurt): 455–456

Jewish History Museum (Munich): 54

Jewish Holocaust Memorial (Frankfurt): 455–456

Jewish Museum (Frankfurt): 454–455

Jewish Museum Berlin: 789, 837–838

Jewish Quarter, Old (Berlin): See Old Jewish Quarter

Jewish Synagogues: Beilstein 551–552; Erfurt 653, 659–661; Munich 53–54; New Synagogue (Berlin) 825–826

Joest, Wilhelm: 594

Jogging/running: 96, 215, 459, 807, 842

John Paul II, Pope: 228, 229

Jugendstil: See Art Nouveau

Jungfernstieg (Hamburg): 932

“The Jungle” (Black Forest): 323

K

Kachelwand (Cochem): 533

Kaiserburg (Nürnberg): 617–619

Kaiserdom (Frankfurt): 451–452

Kaiser-Joseph-Strasse (Freiburg): 338

Kaiser-Maximilian-Platz (Füssen): 144

Kaiserstrasse (Frankfurt): 443; eating near 466

Kaiserstrasse (Nürnberg): 614

Kaiserthermen (Trier): 571

Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church (Berlin): 850–851, 857

Kaiviertel Quarter (Salzburg): 273, 276

Kandinsky, Wassily: 83, 84

Kapfenkapelle (St. Peter): 360

Kapitelplatz (Salzburg): 230–231

Kapuzinerberg (Salzburg): 256

Karli District (Leipzig): 715–717, 723–725; map 716

Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse (Berlin): 808, 840, 841

Käthe Wohlfahrt Christmas Headquarters/Shop (Rothenburg): 383, 393–394

Katholische Hofkirche (Dresden): 733, 741, 761–762

Katz Castle: 481–482

Kaufhaus des Westens (Berlin): 851

Kaufingerstrasse (Munich): 55–56

Kehisteinhaus: See Eagle’s Nest

Kettensteg (Nürnberg): 621

KGB Prison Memorial at Leistikowstrasse (Potsdam): 910

KiKA (Erfurt): 650, 654

King’s castles: See Ludwig II castles

King’s Cottage (Linderhof Castle): 183

King’s Gate and Tower (Nürnberg): 607–608

Kirchner, Ernst Ludwig: 592, 935

Klee, Paul: 83, 84

Kleinmarkthalle (Frankfurt): 446, 448–449

Klimt, Gustav: 703

Klingentor (Rothenburg): 378–379

Klinger, Max: 702–703, 704

Klostergarten (Oberwesel): 513

Klosterkirche (Wittenberg): 691

Koblenz: 478, 523–525; sights 524–525; transportation 523–524

Koblenz Cable Car: 525

Koblenz City Center: 525

Kolbensattel (Oberammergau): 178

Kollwitz, Käthe: 804; Museum (Berlin) 854; Museum (Cologne) 594

Kollwitzkiez (Berlin): 883–886

Köln: See Cologne

Kölner Lichter (Cologne): 581

Kolumba Diocesan Museum (Cologne): 585, 591–592

Komische Oper (Berlin): 857

KomponistenQuartier (Hamburg): 939

Königliche Kristall-Therme (Füssen): 151

Königsrunde: 169

Königssee (Berchtesgaden): 292–293

Königstor (Nürnberg): 607–608

Königstorturm (Nürnberg): 607–608

Königstrasse (Nürnberg): 608–609

Konstantin Basilika (Trier): 568–569

Kontorhausviertel (Hamburg): 936–937

Konviktstrasse (Freiburg): 340

Konzerthaus Berlin: 856

Kookaburra (Berlin): 859

Kottbusser Tor (Berlin): 839, 890

Kraft, Adam: 612–613

Krameramtswohmungen (Hamburg): 938

Krämerbrücke (Erfurt): 652–653

Kress, Samuel and Rush: 613

Kreuzberg (Berlin): 789; eating 888–891; map 889; shopping 862; sights 839

Kuenburg Bastion (Salzburg): 248

Kuhhirtenturm (Oberwesel): 512

Kulturbrauerei (Berlin): 826–827; shopping 862

Kulturforum (Berlin): 844–849

Kulturhaus (Oberwesel): 509–510

Kulturpalast (Dresden): 741

Kunstareal (Munich): 76–86; map 77

Kunsthofpassage (Dresden): 768, 774

Kurfürstendamm (Berlin): 849–850

Kurhaus/Casino (Baden-Baden): 301, 310–311

KZ-Gedenkstätte Dachau: 43, 125–131; map 126

L

Laber Bergbahn (Oberammergau): 178

Lahneck Castle: 478

Lahn River: 478

Landestheater (Salzburg): 264

Landsberg am Lech: 411

Landungsbrücken (Hamburg): 960

Language: 28; barriers 1011; driving phrases 1031; luge terms 202; restaurant phrases 1042; survival phrases 1041; translation apps 983

Laundry: See specific locations

Lechfall weir (Füssen): 150

Lech River: 142, 143, 148, 150, 152, 190, 193, 197, 200, 201, 410, 411

Lederhosen, shopping for: 102

Leipzig: 18, 694–726; eating 721–725; events 699; helpful hints 699; history of 702–703; maps 696–697, 716; nightlife 719–720; orientation 695, 698–699; passages 701; planning tips 694–695; sights 699–705, 707–708, 710–719; sleeping 720–721; tourist information 695; tours 699; transportation 695, 698, 725–726

Leipzig City History Museum: 700

Leipzig Old Town Hall: 700

Leipzig Opera House: 705, 719

Leipzig University: 704

Lenbach, Franz von: 83, 84

Lenbachhaus (Munich): 42–43, 83–84

Leopoldsplatz (Baden-Baden): 306

Lichtentaler Abbey (Baden-Baden): 314

Lichtentaler Allee (Baden-Baden): 306–307, 313–314

Liebenstein Castle: 480

Linderhof Castle: 141, 180–183; eating 181; information 181; orientation 181; transportation 180

Lindt Chocolate Museum (Cologne): 595

Linzer Gasse (Salzburg): 255, 278–279; sleeping 265, 268

Lorch: 484

The Loreley: 482, 490

Loreley luge ride: 490

Lorenzenhof (Wolfach): 326

Lorenzkirche (Nürnberg): 610–613

Lothar Trail (Black Forest): 323–324

Lübeck: 954

Ludwig II (“Mad King”): 56, 58, 63, 70, 73, 75–76, 91, 96, 97, 182–183; biographical sketch 166

Ludwig II (“Mad King”) castles: 132–134, 157–171; eating near 163, 170–171; information 159; map 160–161; orientation 159–161, 163; planning tips 158–159; sights 163–169; sleeping near 170; tours 159; transportation 158, 162

Ludwigstrasse (Munich): 67

Lüftimalerei (Oberammergau): 178

Luges: 169, 201–202, 327, 490; about 202

Lüneburg: 954

Lustgarten (Berlin): 806

Lutemaking: 148

Luther Garden (Wittenberg): 690

Luther, Martin: 49, 56, 78, 79, 611, 623, 700, 702, 711, 742–743, 967, 970; Birth House (Eisleben) 666; Erfurt 646, 651, 657–659; House (Wittenberg) 686–688, 690; legacy of 689; life of 642–645; statue (Berlin) 808–809; tomb of (Wittenberg) 680; Wartburg Castle 670–673; Wittenberg 679–690

Luther Trail: 18, 640–693; map 641; planning tips 641

M

Mädler Passage (Leipzig): 701

Mahnmal St. Nikolai (Hamburg): 931, 932–935

Mail: 1014; See also specific locations

Main River: 413, 421–422, 433–434, 437, 442, 446, 447, 452, 454–455, 457–458

Main Square (Bacharach): 496–498

Main Tower (Frankfurt): 445–447

Makart, Hans: 237

Marc, Franz: 83, 458

Marienberg Fortress (Würzburg): 428–429

Marienhof (Munich): 60

Marienkapelle (Würzburg): 420

Marienplatz (Munich): 42, 45, 48–50; eating 113, 116, 118–119

Marionette Exhibit (Salzburg): 249

Marionettes: See Puppets

Marionette Theater (Salzburg): 263

Markets: Baden-Baden 304; Berlin 839, 861–862; Frankfurt 448–449, 457, 466; Freiburg 334, 338–339; Hamburg 924, 941; Leipzig 699; Munich 42, 51–53, 119–121; Rothenburg 368–369, 375; Salzburg 214, 215, 234–235, 236–237, 277; Staufen 352, 355–356; See also Christmas markets

Market Square/Marktplatz: Baden-Baden 304; Beilstein 552–553; Cochem 534; Leipzig 699; Nürnberg 615–616; Oberwesel 508–509; Rothenburg 371, 373–374, 384, 387–389; Staufen 355–356; Trier 563–565, 574–575; Wittenberg 681–682; Würzburg 420–421

Marksburg Castle: 473, 478, 485–489

Marktstrasse (Erfurt): 655–656

Markt Tower (Bacharach): 496

Marstallmuseum (Munich): 96–98

Marx, Karl: 563; House (Trier) 572–573; Statue (Berlin) 807–808

Mary’s Bridge (Neuschwanstein): 140, 158, 167

Mateschitz, Dietrich: 260–261

Mathematics-Physics Salon (Dresden): 732, 739, 749–750

Maus Castle: 480–481

Mauthalle (Nürnberg): 610

Maximilian I, statue of (Munich): 63

Maximilianstrasse (Munich): 63

Max-Joseph-Platz (Munich): 63–65

Maypoles: 52, 409, 980

MDR building (Leipzig): 704

“Meat Bridge” (Nürnberg): 614

Medieval Crime and Punishment Museum (Rothenburg): 387–389

Medieval Monuments (Cochem): 534

Medieval Towers (Füssen): 144–145

Meistertrunk (Rothenburg): 369, 373

Melanchthon, Philipp: 643, 678, 680–681, 682, 685, 688, 690; House (Wittenberg) 688

Memorial to March 16, 1945 at City Hall (Würzburg): 421

Memorial to Politicians Who Opposed Hitler (Berlin): 794–795

Memorial to the Homosexuals Persecuted Under the National Socialist Regime (Berlin): 814

Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe (Berlin): 788, 799–800, 815

Memorial to the Victims of Nazi “Euthanasia” (Berlin): 814

Memorium Nürnberger Prozesse: 628, 630–631

Mendelssohn, Felix: 713

Merchants’ Bridge (Erfurt): 652–653

Merkur (Baden-Baden): 314–315

Messe (Frankfurt): 446

Metric system: 1038

Metten, Liesel: 494

Michaelisstrasse (Erfurt): 653–654

Michaelskirche (Munich): 56–58

Michelfeldturm I (Oberwesel): 512

Military History Museum (Dresden): 733, 765–766

Miller, Daniel: 239

Miniatur Wunderland (Hamburg): 931, 946

Mirabell Gardens and Palace (Salzburg): 218, 251–252, 262, 263

Mobile phones: 1012, 1013, 1014; See also Apps

Modern of Modern Art (Salzburg): 250

Mohr, Joseph: 254

Monbijoupark (Berlin): 860

Mönchsberg (Salzburg): 235, 242–250; eating 243; funiculars 242–244; hiking 242

Mönchsberg Walk (Salzburg): 218, 249–250

Monet, Claude: 593

Money: 23–24, 983–988, 992–994, 1002–1003

Monument to German WWII Refugees (Nürnberg): 610

Monument to the Battle of the Nations (Leipzig): 717–719

Monument to the Murdered Sinti and Roma of Europe (Berlin): 814

Moorish Kiosk (Linderhof Castle): 183

Moosstrasse (Salzburg): 270–272

Moritzbastei (Leipzig): 704, 719

Moroccan House (Linderhof Castle): 183

Moselbad Swimming Pool (Cochem): 540

Moselkern: 543, 544, 546

Mosel River: 478, 535, 550

Mosel Valley: 17, 526–556; festivals 529; helpful hints 529; map 528; planning tips 526–527; transportation 527, 529; See also Beilstein; Burg Eltz; Cochem

Mount Kandel: 362

Mozart Dinner Concert (Salzburg): 262

Mozartplatz (Salzburg): 223, 225

Mozartsteg (Salzburg): 222–223

Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus: 76, 225–226, 229, 232, 236, 262, 416, 447; biography 241; Birthplace (Salzburg) 218, 240–241; concerts 262, 263, 264; Residence (Salzburg) 218, 253–254

Mülhens, Wilhelm: 585

Mummelsee (Black Forest): 323

Munch, Edvard: 593

Münchner Kindl (Munich): 48

Munich: 12, 29–134; at a glance 42–43; best views 36; day trips from 124–134; eating 112–122; festivals 33; helpful hints 33, 36; history of 56–57; maps 31, 34–35, 38–39, 46–47, 77, 106–107, 114–115, 125; nightlife 103–105; orientation 30–41; planning tips 30; shopping 102–103; sights 68–102; sleeping 105–111; tourist information 31–32; tours 41, 44–45; transportation 32, 36–41, 122–134; walks 41, 42, 44

Munich Airport (MUC): 123–124

Munich City Center: 68–76; sleeping 109–111

Munich City Walk: 45–68; map 46–47

Munich New Town Hall: 48–49

Munich Old Town Hall: 49

Münstermaifeld: 544

Münsterplatz (Freiburg): 338–340

Müntzer, Thomas: 644

Münze (Bacharach): 499

Münzkabinett (Dresden): 756

Museum am Dom (Trier): 567–568

Museum am Dom (Würzburg): 419

Museum Barberini (Potsdam): 905

Museum Berggruen (Berlin): 855

Museum Brandhorst (Munich): 84

Museum Embankment (Frankfurt): 446, 457

Museum für Hamburgische Geschichte (Hamburg): 931, 938

Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe (Hamburg): 931, 935–936

Museum für Thüringer Volkskunde (Erfurt): 664–665

Museum im Grünen Haus (Reutte): 199

Museum Island (Berlin): 805–807, 816–822, 835; map 817

Museum Judengasse (Frankfurt): 455–456

Museum Ludwig (Cologne): 583, 592

Museum of Decorative Arts (Berlin): 848

Museum of Fine Arts (Leipzig): 701–704

Museum of Natural History and Technology (Salzburg): 242

Museum of Photography and Contemporary Art (Hamburg): 936

Museum of St Peter’s Abbey (Salzburg): 238

Museum of the Bavarian Kings (near Hohenschwangau): 168

Museum of the Wall at Checkpoint Charlie (Berlin): 789, 835

Museum of Transportation (Munich): 43, 89–90

Museum Quarter (Munich): 76–86; map 77

Museums, visiting: 989, 991; See also specific museums; specific locations

Music: Berlin 856–858; Dresden 732–733; Erfurt 647; Freiburg 342; Hamburg 944–945, 947, 948; Leipzig 711, 719; Munich 33, 103–104; Nürnberg 605; Reutte 207; Salzburg 214, 244, 252, 261–264; Wittenberg 679; Würzburg 416; See also Opera; Sound of Music; specific locations

Musical Instruments Museum (Berlin): 848

Mustard Mill (Cochem): 533, 537

Mustard Store (Nürnberg): 619

N

National Theater (Munich): 64

Nazi Documentation Center (Cologne): 593

Nazi Documentation Center (Munich): 42, 84–86

Nazi Documentation Center and Rally Grounds (Nürnberg): 625–627, 628, 629–630; map 627

Nazis (Nazism): 9, 974–975; Berchtesgaden 285, 287–291; Berlin 788, 789, 794–795, 799–800, 814, 815, 833–837; Cologne 593; Dachau 128–131; Munich 43, 57, 65–66, 84–86, 87; Nazi Documentation Center and Rally Grounds (Nürnberg) 625–627, 628, 629–630; Nürnberg 625–631; terminology 974; See also Concentration camps; Hitler, Adolf

Neptune statue (Salzburg): 230

Neue Pinakothek (Munich): 81

Neue Residenz (Salzburg): 226–227

Neues Museum (Berlin): 788, 806, 818

Neues Museum (Nürnberg): 624

Neue Wache (Berlin): 804–805

Neugasse (Rothenburg): 386

Neumann, Johann Balthasar: 427–428

Neumarkt (Dresden): 742–743

Neumühlen (Hamburg): 942

Neumünster Basilica (Würzburg): 419

Neuschwanstein Castle: 140, 165–167

Neustadt (Koblenz): 525

New Green Vault (Dresden): 732, 754–755

New National Gallery (Berlin): 848–849

New Old Town (Frankfurt): 450–451

New Palace (Potsdam): 907–908

New Synagogue (Berlin): 825–826

New Town Dresden: 733, 734–747, 765; eating 772–773; map 737; sleeping 770–771

New Town Salzburg: 250–256; sleeping 265, 268

Niederwald Monument (Bingen): 484

Nightlife: See Music; specific locations

Night Watchman (Rothenburg): 370

Nikolaikirche (Berlin): 857

Nikolaikirche (Leipzig): 705, 707, 709

Nikolaikirche (Potsdam): 904

Nikolai Quarter (Berlin): 824, 882

Nördlingen: 134, 408–410

Nördlingen City Wall Museum: 410

Norman Tower (Potsdam): 909

Northern Berlin: Map 825; sights 824–833; See also Old Jewish Quarter; Prenzlauer Berg

NS-Dokumentationszentrum Köln, NS-DOK (Cologne): 593

Numbers, German format of: 1037

Nürnberg: 17, 134, 602–639; eating 622, 635–639; festivals 605; helpful hints 605; maps 606, 632, 636; orientation 603–605; planning tips 602–603; shopping 614; sights 621–631; sleeping 631–635; tourist information 603; tours 605, 607; transportation 603–605, 639; walks 605, 607–621

Nürnberg Airport (NUE): 604

Nürnberg City Museum: 616–617

Nürnberg Town Hall: 616

Nürnberg Trials Courtroom: 628, 630–631

Nymphenburg Palace (Munich): 43, 90–98; map 93

Nymphenburg porcelain: 74, 97–98

Nymphs’ Bath (Dresden): 739

O

Oberammergau: 136, 137, 141, 173–180; eating 179–180; information 174; map 175; orientation 174; sights 174–178; sleeping 179; transportation 173–174, 180

Oberammergau Carving School: 176

Oberammergau Church: 177

Oberammergau Museum: 175–176

Oberer Markt (Würzburg): 420

Oberlindenhock (Freiburg): 334

Obersalzberg Documentation Center and Bunkers (Berchtesgaden): 289–291

Oberwesel: 483, 507–513; map 509; transportation 508; walks 508–519

Odeonsplatz (Munich): 66–67

Ohel Jakob Synagogue (Munich): 53–54

Oktoberfest (Munich): 33, 41, 64–65

Old Exchange (Leipzig): 700

Old Granary (Nürnberg): 610

Old Jewish Quarter (Berlin): 824–826; courtyards 789, 824–825; eating 886–888; map 870–871; shopping 861; sleeping 868–873

Old Main Bridge (Würzburg): 421–422

Old Market Square (Cologne): 585

Old Masters Gallery (Dresden): 732, 740, 748–749

Old Mint (Bacharach): 499

Old National Gallery (Berlin): 789, 806, 819–820

Old Synagogue Square and Memorial (Freiburg): 346

Old Town Cologne: 584–585

Old Town Dresden: 734–762; eating 772; maps 737, 770; sleeping 769

Old Town Rothenburg: 370; sleeping 394–397

Old Town Salzburg: 237–242; eating 272–273, 276–277; sleeping 268–269

Old Town Walls (Bacharach): 501

Olympic Park (Munich): 100–101

Olympic Stadium (Berlin): 859

Oosbach River: 303, 313

Opera: Berlin 857; Cologne 585; Frankfurt 447; Leipzig 719; Munich 104

Operation Gomorrah: 933

Oranienburg: 911–912, 919

Oranienstrasse (Berlin): 839

Ortenauhaus (Wolfach): 326

Outer New Town Dresden: 733, 765; eating 773–774; nightlife 767–768; sleeping 771

Övelgönne (Hamburg): 942

P

Packing tips and checklist: 26, 1039

Painted houses (Oberammergau): 178

Painters’ Corner (Bacharach): 501

Palace of Culture (Dresden): 741

Palace of Tears (Berlin): 826

Palace Square (Dresden): 741

Panorama Exhibition (Salzburg): 245–247

Panorama Museum (Salzburg): 218, 252–253

Panoramapunkt (Berlin): 844

Parade of Princes (Dresden): 741–742

Paraderäume (Dresden): 733, 756–757

Paradise Point of Sex (Hamburg): 951

Parasailing, in Salzburg: 223

Pariser Platz (Berlin): 798–799

Parks and gardens: Bacharach 494; Baden-Baden 306–307; Berlin 798, 806, 807, 842–843; Cochem 535; Cologne 584; Erfurt 665; Frankfurt 443, 445; Füssen 152; Hamburg 930, 932, 939, 953; Munich 86–87, 100–101; Oberwesel 512–513; Potsdam 905–909; Romantic Road 406; Rothenburg 380–382, 391; Salzburg 251–252, 256–259; St. Goar 515; Wittenberg 690; Würzburg 428

Pascal, Blaise: 750

Passion Play Theater (Oberammergau): 176–177

Passports: 25, 27, 982

Paulskirche (Frankfurt): 449–450

Payment apps: 985–986

Peaceful Revolution: 709

Peace Museum (Remagen): 601

Peasants’ Revolt: 644

Peasants’ War Panorama (Eisleben): 665, 666

Peffenhauser, Anton: 755

Pegasus statue (Salzburg): 251

Pegnitz River: 603, 614, 621, 637

Pergamon Museum (Berlin): 788, 806, 816–817

Pergamon Museum das Panorama (Berlin): 806, 817, 822

Petel, Georg: 70

Petersberg Citadel (Erfurt): 656, 664

Petersfriedhof (Salzburg): 231–232

Pfalz Castle: 483–484

Philharmonic Concert Hall (Berlin): 848

Phones: 26, 1012–1014

Photography, at museums: 991

Phrases: See Language

Picasso, Pablo: 592

Pickpockets: 986

Picnics: See specific locations

Pierre Boulez Saal (Berlin): 857

Pinakothek (Munich): 77–81

Pinakothek der Moderne (Munich): 42, 82

Pinnerkreuz (Cochem): 537

Pinocchio: 386

Pinswang: 205–206

Pius II, Pope: 484

Planning tips: 19–24, 984–985, 989

Planten un Blomen (Hamburg): 939

Plattenbau (Berlin): 808

Platz der Alten Synagogue (Freiburg): 346

Platzl Square (Munich): 61–62; beer hall 62

Plönlein (Rothenburg): 385–386

Politics: 963

Pöllat Gorge: 167–168

Porcelain: 74, 97–98, 741, 750; Porcelain Collection (Dresden) 732, 739, 750–751; See also Nymphenburg porcelain

Porta Nigra (Trier): 562; sleeping near 573–574

Postal service: 1014; See also specific locations

Posten Tower (Bacharach): 499

Posthof (Bacharach): 498

Potsdam: 897–911; eating 909–910; map 902–903; orientation 900–901; planning tips 899; sights 904–911; tourist information 900; tours 901–904; transportation 898–899, 900–901

Potsdamer Platz (Berlin): 843–844

Potsdam Film Museum: 905

Potsdam Museum: 904–905

Potsdam Old Town Hall: 904

Prager Strasse (Dresden): 762–763

Preachers’ Church (Erfurt): 658–659

Prenzlauer Berg (Berlin): 789; eating 882–886; map 866–867; shopping 861, 862; sights 826–833; sleeping 865–868

Protestant Church (Bacharach): 498

Puppets: Erfurt 653, 656; Salzburg 249, 263

Q

Quaglio, Dominic, tomb of (Füssen): 145

Queen Nefertiti, bust of (Berlin): 818

R

Radialsystem (Berlin): 859

“Raft Busters:” 484

Rafters/raft-making: 148–149

Rail passes: 22, 1018–1019, 1020

Rail travel: See Tourist trains; Train travel

Rainer Regiment exhibit (Salzburg): 249

Rally Grounds (Nürnberg): 625, 626–627, 629–630

Rampart Pavilion (Dresden): 739

Raphael: 79–80, 748

Rathaus (Hamburg): 929–930

Rathausmarkt (Hamburg): 930

Rathauspassage (Hamburg): 930

Rathausplatz (Freiburg): 335–336

Rautenstrauch-Joest Museum (Cologne): 594

Recturm (Salzburg): 245–247

Red Bull: 261

Red Light District (Frankfurt): 444

Red Light District (Hamburg): 950–951

Reeperbahn (Hamburg): 947–952; map 948–949

Reeperbahn Festival (Hamburg): 947

Reeperbahn Walk (Hamburg): 931, 948–952

Reformation Day (Wittenberg): 677

Reichenstein Castle: 484

Reichsburg Cochem: 473, 534–537

Reichsparteitagsgelände (Nürnberg): 625, 626–627, 629–630

Reichsstadt festival (Rothenburg): 369

Reichstag (Berlin): 788, 792–793, 810–814

Remagen: 601

Rembrandt van Rijn: 81, 237, 458, 593, 623, 703, 749, 847

Renoir, Pierre-Auguste: 593

Rental cars: 22, 23, 1025–1033

Rentals, short-term: 997, 998–999

Reservations: 25, 990–991, 992, 994–995

Residenz (Munich): 42, 63, 68–76

Residenz (Salzburg): 226, 237–238

Residenz (Würzburg): 422–428

Residenz Garden (Würzburg): 428

Residenzkonzerte (Salzburg): 262

Residenz Museum (Munich): 68, 71–75

Residenz Palace (Würzburg): 423–427

Residenzplatz (Salzburg): 225–226

Resources from Rick Steves: 1033–1035

Restaurants: See Eating; specific locations

Reutte: 136, 137, 140–141, 189–207; eating 193, 206–207; helpful hints 191–192; maps 194–195, 204; nightlife 207; orientation 190–192; sights 192–193, 196–202; sleeping 202–206; tourist information 190–191, 193; transportation 191, 192, 193, 202, 207

Reutte Museum: 199

Rheinauhafen (Cologne): 594–595

Rheinfels Castle: 473, 481, 516–521; map 517

Rhein in Flammen festival: 488, 581

Rheinisches Landesmuseum (Trier): 569–570

Rheinstein Castle: 473, 484, 490–492

Rhine River: 421, 435, 493–494, 499–500, 578, 579, 584, 600–601; barge-watching 480–481; map 600

Rhine Valley: 17, 470–525; best of 471–492; home base for 471; maps 477, 496–497; planning tips 470–471; sights 485–492; sleeping 480; tours 476–485; transportation 474–476, 491

Richter, Gerhard: 590, 935

Ride-booking services: 1025

Riefenstahl, Leni: 628, 629

Riemenschneider, Tilman: 377–378, 406–407, 418–419, 429, 623

Ries Crater Museum (Nördlingen): 410

Riverside Park (Bacharach): 494

Riverside Promenade (Frankfurt): 455

Riverwalk (Cochem): 535

Rock Riding School (Salzburg): 234

Rodendorf House (Burg Eltz): 548

Roman-Irish Baths (Baden-Baden): 305, 307–309

Romano-Germanic Museum (Cologne): 583, 592, 594

Romans, ancient (Roman sites): 962; Bavarian Alps 169; Cologne 583, 585, 592; Füssen 142; Oberammergau 175; Oberwesel 507; Reutte 192, 197; Rhine Valley 471, 478–479; Trier 557–558, 562, 565–567, 568–572, 573

Romantic Road: 15, 134, 403–411, 435; map 404; sights 405–411; sleeping 408, 410

Römerberg (Frankfurt): 450, 452–454

Room and board: See Sleeping

Rose Garden (Baden-Baden): 313

Rosenthaler Strasse (Berlin): 863

Rothenburg City Territory, Map of: 375

Rothenburg Historical Town Hall Vaults: 374–375

Rothenburg Museum: 379–380

Rothenburg ob der Tauber: 15, 134, 364–403; eating 397–402; festivals 369; helpful hints 368–370; maps 366–367, 372; orientation 365, 368–370; planning tips 364–365; shopping 383–386, 393–394; sights 387–393; sleeping 394–397; tourist information 368; tours 370–371; transportation 368, 402–403; walks 371–387, 389–393

Rothenburg Town Hall and Tower: 371, 373, 374–375, 387

Rothenburg Town Wall: 381, 389–391

Rothschild family: 445, 455

Rottenbuch: 411

Royal Armory (Dresden): 732, 755–756

Royal Crystal Baths (Füssen): 140, 151

Royal Palace (Dresden): 732–733, 741, 751–754

Royal Stables Museum (Munich): 96–98

Rübenach House (Burg Eltz): 548

Rubens, Peter Paul: 70, 80–81, 237, 593, 749, 846

Running/jogging: 96, 215, 459, 807, 842

Rupertgasse (Salzburg): 268

Rupert, St.: 229, 233

Russian Embassy (Berlin): 802

Russian Orthodox church (Baden-Baden): 313–314

Russians, in Baden-Baden: 312

S

Sachsenhausen (Frankfurt), apple-wine pubs: 464–465

Sachsenhausen Memorial and Museum: 911–919; background 914–915; eating 913; map 913; orientation 912–913; planning tips 912; tours 912–913, 915–919; transportation 911–912

Salt mines: 260–261, 291–292

Salzbach River: 210, 222–223, 248, 250–251, 256, 259–260, 268, 278–279

Salzbergwerk Berchtesgaden (Berchtesgaden): 291–292

Salzburg: 12, 14, 134, 208–281; at a glance 218; eating 243, 244, 261, 272–279; festivals 214; helpful hints 214–215; maps 212–213, 224, 246–247, 258, 266–267, 274–275; music 261–264; orientation 210–211, 214–216; planning tips 208–209; Salzburg Card 210; sights 237–261; sleeping 265–272; tourist information 210; tours 216–217, 219–222; transportation 210–211, 214, 279–281; walks 216

Salzburg Airport (SZG): 214

Salzburg Cathedral: 218, 227–230, 263

“Salzburger Bull”: 247

Salzburg Festival: 214, 234, 242, 264

Salzburg Museum: 218, 238–239

Salzburg Myth: 238

Salzburg Town Walk: 218, 222–237; map 224

Sanssouci Palace (Potsdam): 906–907

Sanssouci Park (Potsdam): 905–909

Sattler, Johann Michael: 252

Saunas: See Baths

Sausage (wurst): 338, 420–421, 615, 616, 637, 638, 1005–1006

Savignyplatz (Berlin): 873–876

Saxon Switzerland National Park: 767

Saxony: See Dresden

Scamozzi, Vincenzo: 239

Scenic drives: Bavarian Alps 167–168, 180; Black Forest 322–324, 361–362; Mosel Valley 526, 529, 536; Rhine Valley 470–471, 474, 476, 507; Romantic Road 363, 403, 405

Scenic flights: 200–201

Scharf-Gerstenberg Collection (Berlin): 854–855

Schatzkammer (Munich): 42, 68, 69–71

Schauinsland: 347

Schauinslandhaus (Wolfach): 327

Schaumainkal (Frankfurt): 457

Scherenberg, Rudolf von: 418–419

Schiller, Friedrich: 443

Schinkel, Karl Friedrich: 736, 819, 904

Schiosskopf: 198

Schirn Art Center (Frankfurt): 454

Schleissheim Palace (Munich): 43, 101

Schliemann, Heinrich: 818–819

Schlossberg (Freiburg): 341, 346–347

Schloss Burg Rheinstein: 473, 484, 490–492

Schlosskirche (Wittenberg): 679–681

Schmiedgasse (Rothenburg): 383–384

Schokoladenmuseum (Cologne): 595

Schönburg Castle: 512

Schrannenhalle (Munich): 53

Schulterblatt (Hamburg): 952–953, 960–961

Schusterstrasse (Freiburg): 340

Schwangau: 170

Schwarzwald (Black Forest): See Black Forest

Schwarzwälder Freilichtmuseum Vogtsbauernhof (Wolfach): 324–327

Schwarzwaldmuseum (Triberg): 327–328

Scott, George Gilbert: 932

Seasons: 21

Security tips: 986–987

Seilbahn Cable Car (Zugspitze): 187

Seilbahn Koblenz: 525

Semper Gallery (Dresden): 739

Semper, Gottfried: 739–740

Semperoper (Dresden): 736

Senefelderplatz (Berlin): 886

Sesselbahn (Cochem): 533, 537

Seven Maidens: 482–483

Severikirche (Erfurt): 656, 663–664

Sex workers: 444, 950–951

Shell Grotto (Munich): 71–72

Shopping: clothing sizes 1038; customs regulations 988; VAT refunds 987–988; See also specific locations

Shrine of the Magi (Cologne Cathedral): 589

Sieberstor Tower (Rothenburg): 386

Sightseeing: 989–991; advance tickets 990–991; apps 991; audioguides 991; best three-week trip 20–21; budget tips 23–24; designing your own itinerary 19–24; maps 989; must-see destinations 12–14; navigation tools 989; passes 990; planning for 989; reservations 25, 990–991; security checks 990; worth-it destinations 15–18; See also specific locations; sights

Sigurdsson, Sigrid: 453

“Silent Night” song: 254

SIM cards: 1013–1014

Simeonstrasse (Trier): 562–563

Sittikus, Markus, Prince-Archbishop: 256–257, 259

Skiing/snowboarding: 188–189, 281

Sleeping: 991–999; accommodation types 994–995; Airbnb 997, 998–999; discounts 24, 992–994; reservations 992; short-term rentals 997, 998–999; sleep code 992; See also specific locations

Sloman, Henry: 936

Smartphones: 26, 1012–1014

Sommerrodelbahn Gutach (Triberg): 327

Sooneck Castle: 484

Sophienstrasse (Baden-Baden): 305–306

The Sound of Music: 218, 232, 242, 251, 257, 259, 263, 270; fact and fiction 220–221; tours 208, 219–222

Southern Berlin: Map 834; sights 833–839; See also Kreuzberg

Soviet War Memorial (Berlin): 814

Spas: See Baths

Speck’s Hof (Leipzig): 701

Speer, Albert: 626, 628, 630, 914

Speicherstadt (Hamburg): 931, 943–945

Speicherstadt Museum (Hamburg): 946

Spielzeugmuseum (Nürnberg): 624–625

Spinnerei (Leipzig): 719

Spitagasse (Rothenburg): 383–384

Spitalhof (Rothenburg): 383, 386–387

Spree River: 776, 805, 807; cruises 787

Spring Festival (Munich): 33

SS Rickmer Rickmers (Hamburg): 943

Staatliches Museum (Munich): 42, 82

Staatliches Museum Ägyptischer Kunst (Munich): 82

Staatsoper (Berlin): 857

Städel, Johann Friedrich: 458

Städel Museum (Frankfurt): 457–458

Stadkirche St. Marien (Wittenberg): 683–686

Stadtgeschichtliches Museum (Leipzig): 700

Stadtmauergarten (Oberwesel): 512–513

Stadtmuseum (Erfurt): 665

Stadtmuseum Fembohaus (Nürnberg): 616–617

Stadtmuseum Oberwesel: 509–510

Stadtmuseum Simeonstift (Trier): 562

Stadtschloss (Potsdam): 905

Stahleck Castle: 484

Stasi Museum (Berlin): 842

Stasi Museum (Erfurt): 664

Stasi Museum (Leipzig): 708, 710–711

State Apartments (Dresden): 733, 756–757

Staufen: 351–359; back streets 356–357; eating 358–359; map 353; orientation 351–352; sights 357–358; sleeping 358; tourist information 351–352; tours 352; transportation 352, 359; walks 352, 354–357

Staufen Town Hall: 355

St. Bartholomä (Berchtesgaden): 293

St. Bartholomew’s Cathedral (Frankfurt): 451–452

Steen, Jan: 593

Steingasse (Salzburg): 218, 254–255, 279

Steingassenturm (Oberwesel): 510–511

Sterrenberg Castle: 480

St. Georg (Hamburg): 955–957, 958–959

St. George’s Fountain (Rothenburg): 373

St. Georg’s Cathedral (Dinkelsbühl): 408

St. Georg’s Church (Nördlingen): 409

St. Goar: 481, 513–523; eating 516, 518, 522–523; helpful hints 515; map 514; orientation 513, 515; shopping 515; sights 516–521; sleeping 521–522; tourist information 515

St. Hedwig’s Church (Berlin): 803

Stieler, Joseph: 95

St. Jakob’s Church (Rothenburg): 375–378

St. Joseph’s Church (Hamburg): 952

St. Kilian’s Cathedral (Würzburg): 417–419

St. Lawrence Church (Nürnberg): 610–613

St. Magnus Basilica (Füssen): 149

St. Märgen: 359–361

St. Martin Church (Cochem): 534

St. Martin’s Church (Oberwesel): 511–512

St. Martin’s Tower (Freiburg): 338

St. Mary’s Church (Berlin): 808–809, 857

St. Michael’s Church (Hamburg): 937–938

St. Michael’s Church (Munich): 56–58

St. Nicholas Church (Leipzig): 705, 707, 709

St. Nikolai Memorial (Hamburg): 931, 932–935

Stolpersteine: 340, 417, 804

Stoss, Veit: 612

St. Pauli Bunker (Hamburg): 953

St. Pauli Elbtunnel (Hamburg): 942–943

St. Pauli Landungsbrücken (Hamburg): 931, 939–943, 959–960; maps 940, 948–949

St. Pauli U-Bahn Station (Hamburg): 948–949

St. Paul’s Church (Frankfurt): 449–450

St. Paul’s Church (Leipzig): 705

St. Peter: 359–361

St. Peter’s Abbey and Church (Salzburg): 232–233, 263

St. Peter’s Cathedral (Trier): 565–567

St. Peter’s Cemetery (Salzburg): 231–232

St. Peter’s Church (Munich): 50–51

St. Peter’s Fountain (Trier): 565

Streicher, Julius: 628

Strozzi, Bernardo: 237

St. Sebald (Nürnberg): 616

St. Sebastian Cemetery (Salzburg): 255–256

St. Thomas Church (Leipzig): 711

Stuck, Franz von: 88

St. Wolfgang’s Church (Rothenburg): 391

Surfing: 86

Swabian Gate (Freiburg): 340–341

Swimming: 100–101, 200, 215, 369–370, 501, 540

T

Tabernacle of the Holy Eucharist (Rothenburg): 377–378

Taschenberg Palace (Dresden): 741

Tauber River: 381

Taxes, and VAT refunds: 987–988

Taxis: 1025; tipping 987; See also specific locations

Tegelberg Cable Car: 140, 168–169

Tegelberg Luge: 140, 169

Telemann, Georg Philipp: 937

Telephones: 26, 1012–1014

Tent, The (Munich): 111

Theater: 858–859; See also specific location

Theaterplatz (Dresden): 736

Theater RambaZamba (Berlin): 858

Theatrum Mundi (Erfurt): 653

Theft alerts: 27, 982, 986–987

Thermen am Viehmarkt (Trier): 573

Thirty Years War: 967, 970

Thomaskirche (Leipzig): 711

Thuringian Folk Museum (Erfurt): 664–665

Tickets, advance: 990–991

Tiepolo, Giovanni Battista: 422, 423, 424–425, 428

Tiergarten (Berlin): 798, 842–843

Tiergärtnertorplatz (Nürnberg): 619

Time zones: 982–983

Tipping: 987, 1002

Tirol: 12, 14, 135–137, 187–207; itineraries 136–137; map 138–139; planning tips 136; transportation 136–137, 140–141; See also Bavarian Alps; specific locations

Tirolean Folk Evenings (Reutte): 141, 199–200

Tirolean Terrace (Zugspitze): 188–189

Tiroler Zugspitzbahn Cable Car: 187–188

Titian: 81

Titisee: 361

Tobin, Christian: 144

Tollwood (Munich): 33

Top of the High Road (Black Forest): 323

Topography of Terror (Berlin): 789, 835–837

Toppler Castle: 391–392

Toscanini, Arturo: 233

Toscaninihof (Salzburg): 233–234

Tour guides, tipping: 987; See also specific locations

Tourist information: 982; See also specific locations

Tourist trains: Bacharach 506–507; Cochem 531; Cologne 582; Nürnberg 607; Rhine Valley 475, 476–485; Trier 559

Tours: Rick Steves 1034; See also specific locations

Tower House (Nürnberg): 613–614

Town Church of St. Mary (Wittenberg): 683–686

Town Wall (Oberwesel): 510

Toy Museum (Nürnberg): 624–625

Train travel: 22, 1015–1024; best three-week trip 20–21; bicycles 1024; day passes 1021–1022; point-to-point tickets 1019, 1020, 1021; Rail passes 22, 1018–1019, 1020; schedules 1018; seating 1023–1024; ticketing 1022–1023; types of trains 1015, 1018; See also Tourist trains; specific locations

Transportation: 1014–1033; budgeting 23; connections 22; maps 1016–1017, 1020, 1028–1029; See also specific locations; modes of transportation

Travel advisories: 981

Travel insurance: 26, 984

Travel smarts: 27–28

Travel tips: 981–983

Treasury (Cologne Cathedral): 591

Treasury (Munich): 42, 68, 69–71

Treetop Walkway (Füssen): 152

Triberg: 327–329

Triberg Waterfall: 328–329

Trier: 17, 557–576; eating 575–576; helpful hints 559; map 560–561; orientation 558–559; sights 572–573; sleeping 573–575; tourist information 558; transportation 558, 576; walks 559, 562–572

Trier City Museum: 562

Trier Town Hall: 564

Trinkhalle (Baden-Baden): 301, 303

Trip costs: 23–24

Tübke, Werner: 666

Turkish Chamber (Dresden): 733, 755

Turkish Market (Berlin): 839, 862

TV Tower (Berlin): 809, 841, 880–882

20 + C + M + B + 25: 185

Twombly, Cy: 84

Two Towers (Oberwesel): 511

U

Uber: 1025

Uber Arena (Berlin): 859

Unity Day: 977, 992

Universitätsplatz (Salzburg): 234–235

University of Erfurt: 654

University of Leipzig: 704

Unter den Linden (Berlin): 788, 801, 815–816; eating 878–879

Upper Market Square (Würzburg): 420

US Embassy (Berlin): 799

V

Van Gogh, Vincent: 81, 593

VAT refunds: 987–988

Venus Grotto (Linderhof Castle): 182

Verkehrszentrum (Munich): 43, 89–90

Vermeer, Johannes: 749, 847

Via Claudia (Reutte): 192, 198, 199

Victory Column (Berlin): 798

Viehmarkt Baths Museum (Trier): 573

Viehmarktplatz (Trier): 572–573

Viktualienmarkt (Munich): 42, 51–53; eating 119–121

Villa Stuck (Munich): 43, 88

Vineyards: See Wine and vineyards

Virgil, St.: 229

Viscardigasse (Munich): 65–66

Vogesenkapelle (St. Peter): 360

Vogtsbauernhof (Wolfach): 325–326

Völkerschlachtdenkmal (Leipzig): 717–719

Volkswagen’s Transparent Factory (Dresden): 764–765

Vonnegut, Kurt: 745

Von Trapp family: See Sound of Music

W

Wagner, Richard: 64, 75, 166, 672, 820

Walch, Armin: 199

Waldbühne (Berlin): 859

Waldmüller, F. G.: 237

Wallraf-Richartz Museum (Cologne): 585, 593

Walther, Wilhelm: 741

Warhol, Andy: 84

Wartburg Castle: 670–673

Wasse, Arthur: 380

Watchman’s Tower (Dresden): 741, 757

Waterfalls: Baden-Baden 309; Bavaria 168, 183; Berchtesgaden 281, 294; Dresden 739; Triberg 328–329

Waterwheel (Salzburg): 231

Weather: 21

Weihnachtsmuseum (Salzburg): 239–240

Weikersheim: 406

Weindorf festival (Rothenburg): 369

Weinfest (Freiburg): 334

Weinhaus Hieronimi (Cochem): 539

Weinstube Zum Domstein (Trier): 565, 575

Weissgerbergasse (Nürnberg): 620–621

Weisswurst: 52, 112, 116, 1003, 1006

Wenigemarkt (Erfurt): 651–652

Wernerkapelle (Oberwesel): 510

West End Frankfurt: 446–447

Western Berlin: Map 843; sights 842–855

Weyden, Rogier van der: 846

Whitsunday Baroque concerts (Salzburg): 264

Wierschem: 544

Wieskirche: 141, 171–173, 411

Wi-Fi: 1012–1013, 1014

Wilhelmstrasse (Berlin): 800–801

Windstrasse (Trier): 567

Wine and vineyards: 1010–1011; Bacharach 499, 505–506; Beilstein 552, 556; Cochem 531, 533–534, 537, 539; Frankfurt 464–465; Mosel Valley 529, 538; Oberwesel 508–509; Rhine Valley 482, 484, 538; Rothenburg 385, 401–402; Trier 575; Würzburg 420, 421–422, 432

“Wine Fountain” (Staufen): 352, 354

“Wine Witch” (Oberwesel): 508, 510

Wittenberg: 674–693; eating 692–693; festivals 677–678; helpful hints 677–679; history of 678; map 676–677; orientation 675–679; planning tips 675; sights 679–688, 690–691; sleeping 691–692; tourist information 675–676; tours 678; transportation 675, 676–677, 693

Wittenberg Historical Town Information Center: 691

Wittenbergplatz (Berlin): 851

Wittenberg 360 Panorama: Luther 1517: 690

Wohnhaus (Salzburg): 253–254

Wolfach: 324

Women’s Protest Memorial (Berlin): 809

Woodcarving: 174–175, 176

Wood Market Tower (Bacharach): 500

World Time Clock (Berlin): 810

World War I: 9, 83, 145, 494, 758, 973–974

World War II: 975, 976–977; Art Bunker 619–620; Bavaria 165; Berchtesgaden 285, 287; Dachau 125–131; Dresden 745; Monument to German WWII Refugees (Nürnberg) 610; Munich 57; Remagen 601; Würzburg 421; See also Concentration camps; Hitler, Adolf; Nazis

Würzburg: 15, 412–434; eating 431–434; festivals 416; helpful hints 416; history of 413; maps 414–415, 418; orientation 413–416; planning tips 412; sights 422–429; sleeping 430–431; tourist information 413; transportation 414–416, 434; walks 417–422

Würzburg Residenz: 422–428

Z

Zehnthauskeller (Beilstein): 552

Zeil (Frankfurt): 448

Zeitgeschichtliches Forum (Leipzig): 707–708

Zell: 529, 539, 554

Zentralplatz (Koblenz): 525

Zeppelin Field (Nürnberg): 629–630

Zeughaus (Wittenberg): 691

Zick, Johann: 424

Zimmermann, Dominikus: 172, 411

Zimmermann, Johann Baptist: 98, 172

Zip lines: 192, 196, 199

Zitadelle Petersberg (Erfurt): 656, 664

Zoological Garden, in Berlin: 851

Zugspitzbahn Cogwheel Train: 186–187

Zugspitze: 141, 186–189; transportation 188

Zwinger (Dresden): 732, 738–739; Museums 732, 747–751

Zwinger Courtyard (Dresden): 739–741

MAP INDEX

Front Color Maps

Germany’s Top Destinations: 11

Germany’s Best Three-Week Trip by Car and Train: 21

Back Color Maps

Germany

Munich

Bavarian Alps

Berlin

Berlin Public Transportation

Munich

Munich’s Neighborhoods: 31

Munich: 34–35

Munich Transportation: 38–39

Munich City Walk: 46–47

Museum Quarter: 77

Greater Munich: 91

Nymphenburg: 93

Munich Hotels: 106–107

Munich Restaurants: 114–115

Near Munich: 125

Dachau: 126

Bavarian Alps

Füssen & Reutte Area: 138–139

Füssen: 146–147

King’s Castles Area: 160–161

Oberammergau: 175

Greater Reutte: 194–195

Reutte Hotels & Restaurants: 204

Salzburg & Berchtesgaden

Salzburg: 212–213

Salzburg Town Walk: 224

Hohensalzburg Fortress: 246–247

Greater Salzburg: 258

Salzburg Hotels: 266–267

Salzburg Restaurants: 274–275

Berchtesgaden & Greater Salzburg: 282

Berchtesgaden Area: 286

Baden-Baden & the Black Forest

The Black Forest: 296

Baden-Baden: 299

Central Baden-Baden: 302

Freiburg: 332–333

Freiburg Walk: 336

Staufen: 353

Rothenburg & the Romantic Road

Rothenburg: 366–367

Walks in Rothenburg: 372

The Romantic Road: 404

Würzburg

Würzburg: 414–415

Würzburg Walk: 418

Frankfurt

Frankfurt: 438–439

Frankfurt Hotels & Restaurants: 460–461

Rhine Valley

Rhine Overview: 474

The Best of the Rhine: 477

Bacharach: 496–497

Oberwesel: 509

St. Goar: 514

St. Goar’s Rheinfels Castle: 517

Mosel Valley

Mosel Valley: 528

Cochem: 532

Burg Eltz Area: 545

Trier

Trier: 560–561

Cologne & the Unromantic Rhine

Cologne: 580–581

Cologne Cathedral: 587

The Unromantic Rhine: 600

Nürnberg

Nürnberg: 606

Nazi Documentation Center & Rally Grounds: 627

Central Nürnberg Hotels: 632

Central Nürnberg Restaurants: 636

The Luther Trail

The Luther Trail: 641

Erfurt: 648–649

Wittenberg: 676–677

Leipzig

Leipzig: 696–697

Karli District: 716

Dresden

Dresden: 730–731

Old & New Dresden Walk: 737

Old Town Hotels & Restaurants: 770

Berlin

Berlin Neighborhoods: 777

Berlin Overview: 778–779

Berlin City Walk: 794-795

Historic Core: 812–813

Museum Island: 817

Northern Berlin: 825

Berlin Wall Memorial: 829

Southern Berlin: 834

Eastern Berlin: 840

Western Berlin: 843

Charlottenburg Palace Area: 853

Prenzlauer Berg Hotels & Restaurants: 866–867

Old Jewish Quarter Hotels & Restaurants: 870–871

City West Hotels & Restaurants: 874–875

Historic Core Hotels & Restaurants: 880–881

Kreuzberg Restaurants: 889

Near Berlin

Near Berlin: 898

Potsdam: 902–903

Sachsenhausen: 913

Hamburg

Hamburg: 926–927

St. Pauli Landungsbrücken: 940

Reeperbahn & Harbor: 948–949

Germany: Past & Present

German History & Art Timeline: 964–965

Germany in the Early 1800s: 972

Cold War Berlin: 978

Practicalities

Germany’s Public Transportation: 1016–1017

Driving in Germany: 1028–1029

Credits

RESEARCHERS

For help with this edition, Rick relied on...

Ben Curtis

Ben is a native of the Pacific Northwest, but he’s lived in the UK, Germany, Spain, Norway, and Hungary, too. He’s worked as a university professor, a tour guide, and an adviser to the British government, and has written several books on history and politics. Nowadays home is Prague, where you might run into him at a classical concert or out wandering through the Czech mountains.

Cameron Hewitt

Cameron Hewitt was born in Denver, grew up in Central Ohio, and moved to Seattle in 2000 to work for Rick Steves’ Europe. Since then, he has spent about 100 days each year in Europe—researching and writing guidebooks, blogging, tour guiding, and making travel TV (described in his memoir, The Temporary European). Cameron married his high school sweetheart, Shawna, and enjoys taking pictures, trying new restaurants, and planning his next trip.

Sandra Hundacker

Born and raised in Germany, Sandra developed a passion for travel when her parents took her to numerous countries throughout Europe. She later earned degrees in tourism and graphic design. Now living in Seattle, she works as a creative director for Rick Steves’ Europe and is happiest when she can share her travel experiences.

Cathy Lu

A researcher and editor at Rick Steves’ Europe, Cathy feels very fortunate that she gets to travel and nitpick for a living. Originally from New Jersey, she now lives in Seattle with her husband and daughter, and enjoys playing tennis, watching musicals, and sitting in the car listening to a good podcast.

Robyn Stencil

Robyn’s adventurous spirit sprouted from childhood explorations of the Pacific Northwest and the competitive sports circuit. After studying in Rome, she joined Rick Steves’ Europe, where she’s become devoted to Europe’s friendly locals, lived-in cities, and vibrant cultures. When she’s not researching, climbing mountains, or running marathons, Robyn calls Everett, Washington, home and works as the tour department’s program manager at Rick Steves’ Europe.

Gretchen Strauch

Before Gretchen became the online-content editor and an occasional tour guide for Rick Steves’ Europe, she lived in Europe for four years: studying philosophy in Scotland, then teaching English in southern Germany—meanwhile exploring the rest of Europe at every opportunity and accruing stories of misadventure that she’s been happily retelling ever since.

Ian Watson

Ian has worked with Rick Steves on his guidebooks since 1993, after starting out with Let’s Go and Frommer’s guides. Originally from western New York, Ian has lived in Europe for many years now, first in Iceland and more recently in southern Germany.

Robert Wright

Raised in Memphis, Robert funded his first dream trip to Europe in 1998 by selling his entire Star Wars collection—proof that where there’s a will, there’s a way. He fell in love with Spain and Portugal and constantly returned, all while living for 14 years in Argentina. In the end, Robert married a sevillano and moved to Spain. He enjoys exploring small-town Iberia and uncovering long-lost connections between Spain and Portugal’s intertwined history.

CONTRIBUTOR

Gene Openshaw

Gene has co-authored more than a dozen books with Rick, specializing in Europe’s art, history, and culture. In particular, their Europe 101: History and Art for the Traveler and Europe’s Top 100 Masterpieces have helped bring European art to life. Gene also writes for Rick’s television shows, produces the audio tours, and is a regular guest on Rick’s radio show. For public TV, Gene has co-authored two television specials with Rick: Fascism in Europe and the ambitious six-hour series Art of Europe. Outside of the travel world, Gene has composed an opera called Matter, a violin sonata, and dozens of songs. Gene lives near Seattle, where he roots for the Mariners in good times and bad. Check out his latest book on art, travel, and love: Michelangelo at Midlife.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thanks to Ian Watson for writing the original version of the Hamburg chapter. And thank you to Risa Laib for her 25-plus years of dedication to the Rick Steves guidebook series.

PHOTO CREDITS

Front Cover: Swabian Gate, Freiburg © Sergey Dzyuba, Alamy Stock Photo

Back Cover (Dreamstime.com, left to right): beer and pretzels © Stononame; Brandenburg Gate, Berlin © minnystock; Neuschwanstein Castle, Bavarian Alps © Yasonya

Alamy: here Hemis; here (bottom) American Photo Archive; here Gacro74; here Artefact; here (bottom) public domain sourced, access rights from ART Collection

Dreamstime.com: here © Biserko; here © Rjcvanhees; here (top and bottom) © Nkm999; here, here © Saiko3p; here © Claudiodivizia; here © Diegograndi; here © Ralukatudor; here (bottom) © Giorgio65; here © Dragan Jovanovic; here © Oscity; here (top) © Grafvision; here © Areg43

Additional Credits: here, here © 2015 Everett Collection, Shutterstock; here © 2023 Mo Photography Berlin, Shutterstock

Additional Photography: Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli, Ben Cameron, Glenn Eriksen, Lee Evans, Trish Feaster, Tim Frakes, Lisa Friend, Cameron Hewitt, David C. Hoerlein, Sandra Hundacker, Cathy Lu, Gene Openshaw, Carrie Shepherd, Robyn Stencil, Rick Steves, Gretchen Strauch, Ian Watson. Photos are used by permission and are the property of the original copyright owners.

Photos are used by permission and are the property of the original copyright owners.

Avalon Travel

Hachette Book Group

555 12th Street, Suite 1850

Oakland, CA 94607 USA

Text © 2025 by Rick Steves’ Europe, Inc. All rights reserved.

Maps © 2025 by Rick Steves’ Europe, Inc. All rights reserved.

15th Edition. First printing July 2025

ISBN 978-1-64171-649-9

eISBN: 978-1-64171-650-5

For the latest on Rick’s talks, guidebooks, tours, public television series, and public radio show, contact Rick Steves’ Europe, 130 Fourth Avenue North, Edmonds, WA 98020, +1 425 771 8303, RickSteves.com, rick@ricksteves.com.

Hachette Book Group supports the right to free expression and the value of copyright. The purpose of copyright is to encourage writers and artists to produce the creative works that enrich our culture. The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book without permission is a theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like permission to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), please contact permissions@hbgusa.com. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.

The publisher is not responsible for websites (or their content) that are not owned by the publisher.

Rick Steves’ Europe

Managing Editor: Jennifer Madison Davis

Editorial Group Manager: Cathy Lu

Editors: Kim Eckart, Glenn Eriksen, Tom Griffin, Ellen Hurst, Suzanne Kotz, Rosie Leutzinger, Matthew Lombardi, Teresa Nemeth, Jessica Shaw, Carrie Shepherd, Chelsea Wing

Researchers: Ben Curtis, Cameron Hewitt, Sandra Hundacker, Cathy Lu, Robyn Stencil, Gretchen Strauch, Ian Watson, Robert Wright

Contributor: Gene Openshaw

Creative Director: Sandra Hundacker

Maps & Graphics: Claire Conway, Orin Dubrow, David C. Hoerlein, Lauren Mills, Mary Rostad

Avalon Travel

Managing Editor: Madhu Prasher

Associate Managing Editors: Jamie Andrade, Sierra Machado

Copy Editor: Maggie Ryan

Proofreader: Elizabeth Jang

Indexer: Greg Jewett

Production & Typesetting: Lisi Baldwin, Rue Flaherty, Jane Musser, Ravina Schneider

Cover Design: Kimberly Glyder Design

Maps & Graphics: Kat Bennett

Although every effort was made to ensure that the information was correct at the time of going to press, the author and publisher do not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for any loss or damage caused by errors, omissions, lederhosen chafing, or any potential travel disruption due to labor or financial difficulty, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause.

COLOR MAPS

Germany • Munich • Bavarian Alps • Berlin • Berlin Public Transportation