Readers’ favorite journeys in Germany: ‘We wandered each cobbled road and climbed each gothic tower’

Literary Lübeck

Lübeck – Queen of the Hanseatic League – has a fading allure and vulnerability absent from the likes of Berlin, Munich and Hamburg … and most of Germany. I cherished my journey there, wandering the cobbled streets, climbing each brick gothic church tower – usually alone! Thomas Mann wrote the unbearably unhappy novel Buddenbrooks there, then fled to the US from nazism in 1939. The Tin Drum creator Günter Grass lived and labored in Lübeck in later life. Go to their former homes, now museums, the Grass-Haus and the Buddenbrook Haus. A singular German metropolis, stuffed with historical past and significance.
Martin Charlesworth

Gothic marvel of Marburg, Hesse

Marburg, the small, historical college city about an hour by prepare north of Frankfurt, is a fairytale vacation spot, not least as a result of it was as soon as home to the Brothers Grimm. Each cobbled lane leads uphill to the fort, which looms above Marburg’s timber-framed Oberstadt. The fort was host to Martin Luther in 1529, and the Elisabethkirche, one in every of Germany’s earliest gothic church buildings, was an necessary medieval pilgrimage website. One of many fundamental points of interest is on the city corridor, the place, at noon, locals and guests congregate to witness a brass cockerel (the Gockelhahn) flap its mechanical wings to mark the hour.
Anna

Sensible viewing tower, Stuttgart

For a fernsehturm (viewing tower) that outdoes Berlin, take one of many little yellow trams, which then turn out to be a funicular, up Stuttgart’s spiralling streets. The views from the tower in direction of the Black Forest are gorgeous, and the exterior viewing platform could have you questioning whether or not it’s gently swaying, or if it’s simply your knees wobbling. Stuttgart is a leafy metropolis with nice artwork on the Kunstmuseum and archaeological finds at Landesmuseum Württemberg, and the Swabian delicacies and wines within the native Weinstuben are lighter and tastier than in lots of different main cities.
Tim Proctor

Monastic day journey from Munich

About 25 miles south-west of Munich is Andechs Monastery – Bavaria at its most idyllic and genuine. Sitting atop Ammersee (Lake Ammer), this Benedicitine monastery and pilgrimage church is common for its brewery, restaurant and beer backyard. It makes the right day trip: take the S-Bahn from Munich to Herrsching, then hike 40 minutes gently uphill by means of pretty forest. On arrival, reward your self with steins of nice beer and Bavarian fare. Name into the attractive St Martin’s church in your manner again right down to Herrsching, the place you’ll be able to have an ice-cream by the shores of the lake (or take a dip) and watch the boats earlier than returning to Munich.
Sonutschka

Tradition and artwork in Nuremberg

In the event you can, spend time within the lovely metropolis of Nuremberg, with its superb museums: the Germanische Nationalmuseum is the equal of the British Museum and is the most important German cultural historical past assortment. The Neues Museum has a powerful assortment of work by famend visible artist Gerhard Richter and the Zukunftsmuseum is a good science museum. Keep on the Karl August hotel (doubles from €159 room solely) with its gorgeous trendy design, spectacular spa space, pleasant workers and scrumptious breakfast (€28, served – as a substitute of buffet – to minimise meals waste).
Until

A motorbike trip by the Baltic through Rostock

I had an excellent time in Germany final summer time biking the Baltic Sea Cycle Route. I put my very own two-wheeler on the prepare at Birmingham and obtained off in Wismar, northern Germany, then adopted the well-signposted route across the charming seaside village of Kühlungsborn. I finished for a little bit of seashore time at Warnemünde and had some sardine sandwiches and scrumptious smooth Baltic Berry ice-cream from easy seaside cafes. Rostock is a stunning Hanseatic metropolis with some stern previous stone buildings. From right here I put my bike on a ferry to car-free and calm Hiddensee island for a few quiet nights. Going again to the mainland, Sellin welcomed me with grand elegant villas and an artwork deco-style Nineteen Twenties pier and a terrific footpath below the hanging chalk cliffs of the Jasmund nationwide park. I completed my journey by sitting on the white chalk “King’s Chair” (Königsstuhl) cliff, gazing out to sea – feeling like a king.
Invoice

Touring Reformation nation south of Berlin

In 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Schlosskirche in Wittenberg, perpetually altering the western world by kicking off the Reformation. Exploring this nook of japanese Germany will reveal lovely cities and vibrant cities hardly ever visited by western vacationers. Wittenberg, 60 miles south-west of Berlin, itself is a medieval marvel on the River Elbe. Off the overwhelmed observe is Eisleben, a half-timbered city the place you’ll be able to go to Luther’s birthplace. The Wartburg is an imposing fort towering over Eisenach. End your journey in Halle (additionally referred to as Saale), a vibrant college metropolis close to Leipzig. Luther’s dying masks will be seen within the Market Church, the place he additionally gave some sermons. Right here, one other nice German, composer George Frederick Handel, was baptised and performed the church’s organ when finding out. Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, eldest son of Johann Sebastian, was organist right here from 1764 to 1764.
Nick

Punk ethos and Turkish delights, Kreuzberg, Berlin

Berlin’s massive Turkish group has left an indelible mark on the culinary and inventive tradition of town as a complete, and it’s within the neighbourhood of Kreuzberg the place this distinctive fusion is greatest skilled. Begin with a meal at Mardin restaurant, which serves the very best kebabs I’ve had outdoors Turkey, together with completely frothy ayran – a salty yoghurt-based drink. Afterwards, discover a live performance at one in every of many characterful venues. SO36, named for the realm’s chilly conflict period postcode, started life as a punk venue, however has now additionally turn out to be a centre for Turkish and queer tradition – I used to be lucky sufficient to see the psychedelic pop singer Melike Şahin right here. The venue has retained its punk ethos and remained firmly rooted in the area people whereas additionally taking part in host to Turkish and different worldwide stars in a splendidly intimate, hole-in-the-wall setting, which wears its historical past of inventive and political radicalism with nice pleasure, epitomising the multicultural Berlin with which I fell in love.
Bruno

Cologne past the cathedral

I actually loved Cologne whereas visiting my daughter. It’s such a relaxed metropolis, with a big scholar inhabitants. Away from the unimaginable gothic cathedral – Germany’s hottest attraction – there’s historical past to be found in all types of locations which can be greatest explored by bike on cycle lanes and routes by means of quite a few parks. The city museum, Kölnisches Stadtmuseum, which not too long ago moved to Minoritenstraße, is an efficient begin. Some locations are lovely, such because the botanical garden with its French baroque, English panorama and Italian renaissance areas. Others are much less so, such because the brutalist Kirche Christi Auferstehung (Church of the Resurrection) till you step inside. It’s very thought-provoking, typical of a metropolis shaping its future from a tough previous. And there are the artwork museums, live performance corridor, the Rhine and two parkruns.
Mark Anstee

Successful tip: oompah bands and lager on Königssee, Bavaria

Final summer time my companion and I camped and railed round Germany, utilising the €49 Deutschland-Ticket providing limitless public transport, countrywide, for a month. A spotlight was exploring Königssee within the Berchtesgadener nationwide park, Bavaria. This small resort affords implausible mountain climbing and biking routes of various problem ranges. In summer time, whether or not you may have climbed on foot or taken the Jennerbahn cable car, beer backyard season is in full swing so you’ll be able to toast atop the mountain with an oompah band taking part in and a chilly stein in hand. Königssee lake is fed by icy-clear glacier water, superb for an invigorating swim, and you’ll discover additional into the park by boat. Campsite Mühlleiten is 40 minutes by bus from Salzburg and related by rail to Munich (Berchtesgaden station is a 40-minute stroll away, or 10 minutes on the bus). Take pleasure in, and take a look at the Berchtesgadener hell!
Becky