Germany
Visa: Schengen Area Free Visa Check
Language: German. English is widely spoken in major cities and by younger generations. Less so in rural areas of the former East.
Currency: EUR, but cash is still common. Many restaurants, bars, and smaller shops are cash-only. Always carry some bills.
Transportation:
Train: Deutsche Bahn (DB) runs the national rail network. ICE high-speed trains connect major cities quickly. Book via the DB Navigator app.
Bus: FlixBus dominates intercity bus travel with an extensive network and low fares.
City transport: Most German cities have excellent U-Bahn, S-Bahn, tram, and bus networks. Buy a day pass from ticket machines at stations. Honor system: validate your ticket before boarding.
What To Expect
Germany is a country of substance over flash. It does not try to charm you at first glance. But spend a week here and you will notice the things that matter: trains that run on time, cities designed for people rather than cars, and a culture that takes its bread and beer with remarkable seriousness.
Berlin is the obvious gravitational center, and for good reason. It is messy, creative, and still carrying the weight of its divided past. The Brandenburg Gate, the Berlin Wall Memorial, and Museum Island pack centuries of history into a few square kilometers. But it is the unexpected moments that define Berlin: a techno club in a repurposed power plant, a Turkish breakfast in Kreuzberg, a Sunday flea market where East and West blur into irrelevance.
Beyond the capital, Germany splinters into distinct identities. Munich trades gritty for graceful, with beer gardens, the English Garden, and proximity to the fairytale castles of Neuschwanstein. The Romantic Road winds through medieval towns like Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Hamburg's harbor and Dresden's rebuilt baroque center each tell different chapters of the same story. And everywhere you go, a morning bakery will offer you a perfect brezel and a cup of coffee for pocket change.