Germany is one of Europe's most diverse and rewarding travel destinations. From the reunified energy of Berlin to the baroque grandeur of Munich, the fairy-tale castles of Bavaria, the medieval towns of the Romantic Road, and the dramatic river landscapes of the Rhine and Mosel, Germany offers an extraordinary range of experiences. This guide covers the best things to do in Germany in 2026.
Best Things to Do in Berlin
Berlin is one of the most compelling cities in Europe — a city still visibly shaped by its extraordinary 20th-century history, yet also one of the most creative, forward-looking, and culturally vibrant capitals on the continent.
Brandenburg Gate — The most iconic symbol of Berlin and of German reunification. The neoclassical gate, built in 1791, stands at the heart of the city and is the starting point for exploring the government quarter, the Holocaust Memorial, and the Tiergarten park.
Holocaust Memorial (Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe) — A profoundly moving installation of 2,711 concrete slabs of varying heights, designed by Peter Eisenman. The underground information centre provides historical context. One of the most important memorials in the world.
East Side Gallery — A 1.3km stretch of the Berlin Wall, preserved and painted by artists from around the world in 1990. The most famous section of the wall still standing, and one of the largest open-air galleries in the world.
Museum Island (Museumsinsel) — A UNESCO World Heritage Site in the heart of Berlin, containing five world-class museums including the Pergamon Museum (with its extraordinary ancient Greek altar and Babylonian Ishtar Gate) and the Neues Museum (home to the bust of Nefertiti). Allow a full day.
Checkpoint Charlie — The most famous crossing point between East and West Berlin during the Cold War. The original booth is now in a museum, but the replica and the surrounding exhibitions tell the story of the divided city compellingly.
Berlin nightlife — Berlin has the most celebrated nightlife scene in Europe. Berghain (techno), Watergate (electronic), and the clubs of Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg are world-famous. The city's bars and clubs typically don't get busy until after midnight and often run until Monday morning.
Best Things to Do in Munich
Munich is Germany's most visited city — a prosperous, beautiful Bavarian capital with world-class museums, magnificent baroque architecture, and the finest beer culture in the world.
Marienplatz and the Neues Rathaus — The heart of Munich, dominated by the neo-Gothic New Town Hall with its famous Glockenspiel carillon (which performs at 11am and noon daily). The Viktualienmarkt food market nearby is one of the best in Germany.
English Garden (Englischer Garten) — One of the largest urban parks in the world — larger than New York's Central Park. The park has beer gardens, a Japanese tea house, a Chinese tower, and the extraordinary Eisbach wave, where surfers ride a standing wave in the middle of the city year-round.
Deutsches Museum — The world's largest science and technology museum, covering everything from mining and aviation to musical instruments and nanotechnology. Allow a full day — you won't see everything.
Nymphenburg Palace — A magnificent baroque palace on the western edge of Munich, built as a summer residence for the Bavarian royal family. The palace, its formal gardens, and the surrounding park are all open to visitors.
Neuschwanstein Castle and Bavaria
Neuschwanstein Castle is the most visited tourist attraction in Germany and one of the most recognisable buildings in the world — the inspiration for Disney's Sleeping Beauty Castle. Built by the eccentric King Ludwig II of Bavaria in the 1870s and 1880s, it sits on a rocky outcrop above the village of Hohenschwangau in the Bavarian Alps.
The interior is as extraordinary as the exterior — every room is a theatrical fantasy of medieval romance, Wagnerian opera, and Byzantine splendour. Book tickets well in advance (tickets.hohenschwangau.de) — the castle sells out weeks ahead in summer.
The surrounding area offers excellent hiking, the nearby Alpsee lake, and the equally impressive Hohenschwangau Castle (Ludwig's childhood home) just below.
The Rhine Valley and Romantic Road
Rhine Valley — The Middle Rhine between Bingen and Koblenz is a UNESCO World Heritage Site of extraordinary beauty — steep vineyard-covered slopes, medieval castles on every hilltop, and the river traffic of one of Europe's busiest waterways. The Loreley rock, the Marksburg Castle (the best-preserved medieval castle on the Rhine), and the wine towns of Rüdesheim and Bacharach are the highlights. River cruises are the best way to see the valley.
Romantic Road (Romantische Straße) — A 460km tourist route through Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, connecting a string of beautifully preserved medieval towns. Rothenburg ob der Tauber (the most perfectly preserved medieval town in Germany), Dinkelsbühl, Nördlingen (a town built inside a meteor crater), and Füssen (the gateway to Neuschwanstein) are the highlights.
German Food and Beer Culture
German cuisine is far more varied and sophisticated than its international reputation suggests. Beyond the sausages and pretzels (which are genuinely excellent), Germany has a rich regional food culture.
Bavarian food — Weisswurst (white veal sausage, eaten before noon with sweet mustard and a pretzel), Schweinshaxe (roasted pork knuckle), Obatzda (a spiced cheese spread), and Kaiserschmarrn (a shredded pancake dessert) are the classics.
Beer culture — Germany has over 1,300 breweries producing more than 5,000 different beers. The Reinheitsgebot (German Beer Purity Law of 1516) still governs brewing. Munich's beer halls (Hofbräuhaus, Augustiner, Löwenbräu) are the most famous, but every region has its own brewing traditions — Cologne's Kölsch, Düsseldorf's Altbier, and the smoked beers of Bamberg are all worth seeking out.
Christmas market food — Glühwein (mulled wine), Lebkuchen (gingerbread), Bratwurst, and Stollen (fruit cake) are the essential Christmas market foods. Nuremberg's Lebkuchen are particularly famous.
