Germany
Germany is a great travel destination, not only for its historic importance, but also for its cultural significance. Located on the mainland of Europe, Germany was reunified in 1989 after the demolition of the Berlin Wall, which until then had separated East and West Germany. Today, the unified country is again one of the largest countries in Europe, and home to more than 82 million people.
Germany can be easily broken into its cultural regions: Bavaria, Black Forest, North and Baltic Sea, the Rhine Valley, Ruhr Valley, and Germany’s East. Each of these regions boasts cities and towns with unique foods, architecture, festivals, landscape, and more, making them unique destinations in and of themselves. Whether you are interested in visiting the German highlands of Schwarzwald or towering Alps of Bavaria, the country’s varied regions are sure to delight.
As you travel throughout Germany’s regions, you will encounter a culture that is as varied as the landscape. The country’s long music and literary history has given the world the works of Bach, Handel, Goerte, Kafka, and Nietzsche. The architecture of the country showcases castles, cathedrals, and splendid halls in balance with modern creations. But, what the country is perhaps best known for worldwide is Munich’s Oktoberfest, the largest festival in the world.
No trip to Germany is complete without examining the historical significance of the country’s most infamous places from World War II: the concentration camps. Though a horrific time in Germany’s history, WWII left an indelible mark on the country and its culture that is still examined today.
