A guide to Germany, accommodation and travel

Lovers of the urban life will find Germany well-suited to their tastes. Germany is more like the United States than most countries in Europe in the sense that no one city looms over the rest, in the way that Paris, Rome or London dominate France, Italy and Britain respectively. In addition to being the nation's capital, Berlin has developed a reputation as one of the world's hippest cities since reunification in the early 1990s. However, Munich with its 1 litre steins of beer and famed October festival is at least as interesting to many tourists. In the east is the rebuilt grandeur of Dresden, sometimes referred to as "Florence on the Elbe." In the northwest, Hamburg has a reputation of tolerance and nightlife that runs a close second to Amsterdam. Germany is the kind of country where every major city makes a weighty and substantial claim to be the best at something important, and each of these cities has its own distinctive character.

Of course, Germany is not all about urban living, but many are surprised to discover that Germany has beaches. They aren't the warm and brilliantly sunny affairs of the Mediterranean, but the North and Black Sea coasts of Germany have been popular getaway resorts for Germans since the 19th century, and are worth taking a look at if you are in northern Germany. Germany is also home to most of the run of the Rhine, with its lush green scenery, quaint medieval townships and fine white wines. In southwest Germany is the famed Black Forest, the best preserved woodland in Western Europe. Beyond that towers the heights of the Bavarian Alps.

Although much of Germany was devastated during the Second World War, history lovers will find there is still plenty of interest in Germany. Mirroring the wine roads that are present in so many countries around the world, Germany has its special Castle Road. This is a 1,000 km route running from Mannheim to Prague, in the Czech Republic, spanning the southern German states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg and encompassing most of Germany's best castles. Further north is the city of Cologne, with its foundations dating back to a Roman legionary camp. It boasts a huge old cathedral, Romanesque churches, and ancient archaeology.

Less authentic, but perhaps more famous is Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria. This fantasy castle was built as the private playground for Bavaria's King Ludwig in 1886. Ludwig himself never got to enjoy the castle, since he was declared insane before it was completed. Neuschwanstein has since become a major tourist attraction, as well as being the model for virtually every modern fantasy castle that has followed it (Disney's castles all being good examples).

While they are not as famous as their neighbours in France for their cooking, Germany cuisine has its own special treats to offer visitors. Germans love their meats, with everything from beef to rabbit and venison being available throughout the year. In traditional German cooking, these are served as roasts or as sausages (Germany is home to over 1,500 different varieties of sausage). While there are dishes that call for frying, such as schnitzel, these are imported recipes (although some dishes, like schnitzel, may be of such antique origin they are therefore now seen as thoroughly German). Trout is widely available as well, as are the pasta-like noodles called spaetzle and a variety of vegetable soups and stews. There is also a vast number of breads and cheese, with each of these foods having literally hundreds of regional varieties in Germany. Whether it be a humble meal of sausages with mustard and black bread or a night of fine dining, Germany is a country of good eating.

Germans are better known for their beer, however. Pilsner is the most common kind of beer, with the wheat beer (Weissbier) that has become an increasingly popular export being found mostly in southern Germany. For darker beers, there is the Altbeir of the lower Rhine or the Schwarzbier of eastern Germany. Like the Czech Republic or England, Germany is one of those countries that devoted fans of beer can visit and hit the "beer trail," going from town to town to sample the rich diversities in local brews.

Among seasoned travellers, Germany is more often thought of as a place where tourists come from rather than a place where they go to. That oddity leaves this large country, packed with places and points of interest, wide open. With so much to see and do, Germany could be the destination, not just for your next vacation, but of trips for years to come