Germany isa country full of wonderfulplaces to visit! But aside from its oceans, mountains and forests, thereare a ton of beautifulcities in Germany you should visit besides the sought-after metropoles.
Whether youare looking for towns straight out of a medieval fairy tale or admire streetslined with pastel-colored buildings from Baroque times, here are my top picksfor gorgeous German citiesand towns.
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Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Definitelyone of the most beautiful townsin Germany, Rothenburg ob der Tauber draws the crowds like crazy. Cobblestonestreets, half-timbered houses, a romantic fountain in front a street fork,that’s what pops up when you do a quick google image search.
And it’s somuch prettier in real life! Plus, it’s rather small, which means you can easilywalk around town in an afternoon, sit in a rustic restaurant and gaze out overthe city wall over the surrounding landscapes.
To top itall off, the town is gorgeous all-year-round with fairs, markets and events,such as the weekly market and the spring or fall fairs. In December, it alsoboasts one of the most charming Christmas markets inGermany.
Heidelberg
I oftenhear that Heidelberg is the most beautiful city in Germany. For some reason I haven’t visited yetbut it’s high on my Germanybucketlist. Just browsing through image galleries online, you can tellwhy.
It’s verypromising when a historic city is situated by a river but with deep hillyforests and a towering castle to boot, you have the perfect package. Plus,Heidelberg isn’t so big as to beoverwhelming.
The moststriking buildings include Heidelberg Castle, the corn market, the old stonebridge and gate as well as the Heiliggeistkirche (“Holy Ghost Church”).
Furthermore,you can easily squeeze in some hiking with the mountain Königstuhl being rightthere. Also, it’s close enough that you can also plan day trips from Stuttgart here if you want to and explore theregion further.
Bamberg
One of myfavorite cities to visitin Germany! Bamberg’s Old Town is incredibly charming and two-layered. Roamthe small cobblestone streets and gaze up at the colorful half-timbered,historic houses.
But don’tjust step into the delightful vintage and décor shops inside but look up forthe many religious details like figures of saints. Bamberg has always been animportant religious seat and to this day is an archdiocese.
No wonderthe grand cathedral high above the city center is so dominant. And shoulddefinitely be on your list of must sees in town as is the nearby rose gardenand the Old Court. Afterwards, plan in a stroll around the river and spotBamberg’s “Little Venice”.
Weimar
Anotherextremely beautiful Germancity is Weimar. Once a major cultural hub for Europe, drawing artists,humanists, philosophers and writers from near and far to its concert halls and grand castles, it still has retained its charm.
The centermerges modern shopping facilities with classic buildings, such as the houses ofGoethe and Schiller. There’s a castle near the historic market place and a harmoniouscountry park sprinkled by Romantic art installations, such as fake ruins andRoman buildings.
One of thebest times to visit is for the onion market (yes, all fare is made from onions:candy, soup and home décor) or the Weimar Christmas market.
Schwerin
If just forits fairy tale castle inspired by the gorgeous chateaus in France, Schwerin iswell worth a visit. But that’s really not all! If you ask me in person, I couldgo on and on about the charms of things to see in Schwerin. I have spent many a summer in townand I love it dearly.
Come forthe Dragon boat race on the central pond, which may be small but has its ownferry service!
Next, paradethrough the gorgeous gardens and parks of the castle (it’s free and hostedGermany’s annual garden show in 2009), climb the castle roofs (there arespecial tours), sip a co*cktail at a beach bar or chat with locals over bear atthe Goat Market.
In summerespecially, you can go on cruises around the many lakes, do island hopping orride bikes around the extensive bike network, which is also conveniently verylevel as North Germany is rather flat.
Jork & Stade
Close to Hamburg, and a weekend getaway for many Hamburgers (yes, that’s the correct name), lies the region of Altes Land (“old country Picture apple orchards stretching as far as the eye can see and you cycling along grassy damns next to cute farm houses and quiet streams.
Base yourself in Stade and you’ll most likely have the most romantic experience in Germany. The town was created with heavy Dutch influence and you can tell – from the canals, to the brick houses. Go on an exploration tour in the day and also check out nearby York.
Then, sitoutside a cozy restaurant at night to get that extra special feeling. Sittingunderneath an inkjet-black sky with orange street lamps lighting up thecobblestone streets and boats bobbing on the water, you won’t want to head tobed to soon.
Hamburg
Hamburg isone of the main hotspots in Germany for tourists. No wonder, it boasts gorgeousarchitecture, be it the old town hall, the warehouse district by the harbor orthe concert hall Elbphilharmonie.
The fishmarkets are a must for fresh fish bread on the go or – if you are into pasties– the Franzbrötchen. Foodies willfind plenty of restaurants for different tastes and budgets, with local andinternational cuisine.
And don’teven get me started on the many events, such as huge concerts and games goingon year-round.
Görlitz
Görlitzisn’t just one of the prettiesttowns in Germany, it may as well be the town with the prettiest doors.(Yes, I even saw a calender filled with just Görlitz doors.) The Old Town comes with a citywall tower you can climb and many restored houses that feature stunning doordesigns.
Each houseis different, the details change and the colors are vibrant. But don’t forgetto look for other details like Baroque stuccos or flower boxes as well.
A main mustsee is the old town square with town hall and nearby cathedral. Step in andthen cross the bridge into Poland. The towns used to be connected but weresplit by the border and got separated.
Fritzlar
For a smalltown, it sure knows how to impress. Stand on the market square and do a fullturn to take in the historic half-timbered houses in their various styles.These aren’t the often black/brown and white houses, they come in colors ofgreen and red around here too.
Notablehouses are the Hochzeitshaus (“wedding house”) and the town hall. But that’snot all since you can go on a little hunt for remains of the original city wall,fortifications and look-outs.
There are quitea few towers around town, such as the “old tower”, Grebenturm, Rosenturm, Bleichentorturmor Frauenturm.
Fulda
Fulda isthe largest town in East Hesse and really quite charming with itswell-preserved medieval buildings. Start with a stroll around the city castle,which used to be the residency of the local prince-bishop and prince-abbots.
Tworeligious buildings that should be on your list for this very pretty city in Germanyare the Cathedral and the St Michael Church. The former dates back to the 18thcentury and the latter to the 9th century. Looking at them, youreally can see the significant change in architecture styles over time.
With allthese historic buildings, it’s hard to pick the most striking. However, if Ihad to choose I’d pick the townhall of Fulda from 1500. It’s dramatichalf-timbered front is contrasted by the color red, making it look all the moreeye catching.
Stuttgart
Stuttgartis the capital of the state Baden-Wuerttemberg and as such has a lot to offer.There are many things to do in Stuttgart in one day, such as art galleries or thequirky Pig Museum. Plus, the food scene is very diverse. But do try thelocal foods.
The focalpoint In Stuttgart is the New Palace, right in the heart of the city center.It’s where locals love to meet and mingle, or hang out while listening tostreet performers. From here, you get a pretty good idea of the fact thatStuttgart is nestled in a valley with vinyards all around.
To get aneagle-eye view, head up the train station tower (it’s free) or climb the hillknown as Karlshöhe. It harbors a wonderful parkscape with romantic ruins andsweeping panoramic views. At its foot, you can also find the lapidarium withits many artful statues.
Regensburg
Regensburgis another cute German town with pastel colored houses, tiny cobblestone alleysand an imposing bridge, all found in a compact Old Town. It’s very walkable andyou can easily wander around in an afternoon.
Have someafternoon coffee and cake by the riverside and don’t miss the local hatmaker, HutkönigManufaktur. The designs are quintessentially Bavarian, super high quality andtherefore come with a price tag. But they last. And they also fashioned theiconic Mad Hatter hat that Johnny Depp wore in Alice in Wonderland!
Munich
Munich isone of the most popular destinations for tourists in Germany. No wonder, oneminute you can walk around the Old Town and the next go on an extensiveshopping spree. Plus, there’s the gorgeous Nymphenburg Palace in town.
And if youwant to escape into nature, check out the English Garden and the surroundingmuseums or plan a walk around Olympia Stadium. (Pro tip: walk around the oddlyshaped apartment blocks from the 70s and look at the colorful murals on thecompact student blocks.)
Dresden
One of myfavorite towns is Dresden. Whether you visit for the Dresden Christmas market or any other time of the year, thecity will keep you busy.
If are newin town and want to engage in some Dresden sightseeing, pick a topic of interest. Is itmuseums, historic buildings, or even castles in Dresden? (The city has 19!! Andthere are many more castles around!) You might get overwhelmed if youwant to see everything at once.
My tip isto do a tour around the historic center and the coveted Semper Oper. (Get in here.*) This way, you get a pretty goodoverview of its iconic sights, its main castles and how all the best spots areanicely interconnected (also historically).
Leipzig
Only a shorttrain ride away, making for a great day trip from Dresden, lies Leipzig. It’sthe location of one of the most biodiverse zoos in Europe, Germany’s second largest book fairand ComicCon and atown center that blends old and new.
While theuniversity building is all shiny with a glass façade, historic buildings suchas the old town hall. It’s said to be one of the best examples of German Renaissancearchitecture and you can climb the tower on a guided tour.
What I loveabout the center are the many arcades and hidden passageways. Do keep a lookoutfor those. One that’s highly recommended by Leipzig city guides – for a goodreason – is the Mädlerpassage.
It houseshigh-class shops and cafes but is great for window shopping. In Decemberespecially, it gets decked out in Christmas lights!
Erfurt
The capitalof the state of Thuringia is packed with historic buildings. The city center isa fairy tale setting beaming with half timbered houses, intricate details onmerchants houses, an imposing town hall and an even more awe-inspiringcathedral towering over the main market place.
The go-toattraction in Erfurt is the merchants bridge called Krämerbrücke. It’s whereselect artists reside and exhibit their creations, ranging from paintings topottery and more, in the shops on the river. During Christmas market time in Erfurt it’s the most charming!
Erfurt isalso a great spot to check out for dining out and trying local food, such asThuringian sausage and dumplings. The dumpling museum isn’t too far away from Erfurteither, in case you want to learn more about their history and production.
Jena
My hometownmakes a horrendous first impression when coming from the autobahn. (If you comefrom Weimar, it’s much better.) You’ll be greeted by ugly Soviet buildingblocks, but never mind that.
Thisdefinitely means it isn’t THE prettiest city in Germany but you’ll see why I included it onceyou get to the city center. You’ll see an interesting mix of modern andhistoric buildings.
The centerwas heavily bombed during WWII and the gaps were filled with modern designs.Step into the tourism information and you can still see original parts of theformer building.
Thetownhall is pretty too. Do take a closer look at the Schnapphans, the jokerhead atop the clock. He’s one of the Seven Wonders of Jena. (If you want tolearn more about those, check out my article on what to see in Jena.)
The bestviews over the city can be had from the Intershop Tower and the surroundinghills, which also offer great hikes around Jena. Especially in spring, you canadmire patches of wild orchids next to certain trails.
Berlin
Many peopleabsolutely love Berlin and think it’s the most beautiful city in Germany. I disagree butthat’s of course also subjective. And Berlin certainly has its charms, beinghome to castles, the museum island and parks winding around canals.
But it’smostly known for its edgy character, as is very obvious with the street art indistricts like Kreuzberg and the many underground bars. My favorite and a veryunusual one at that is the former airport-turned-park Berlin-Tempelhof. Peoplewalk their dogs on the meadows between the runways, where kids fly their kites.
There’sdefinitely a lot to discover in the capital of Germany and you’d need at leasta week to really get a good head start.
Cologne
Cologne isthe German capital of carnival. The city goes bananas in February with partiesand parades, people dressing in silly costumes and women cutting off men’s ties(Women’s Carnival Day).
But asidefrom that, the main focal point for first time visitors is the grand cathedral.It’s one of the largest Baroque cathedrals and it took centuries to complete.Even though its construction officially commenced in 1248, it wasn’t completeduntil 1880.
You get apretty gorgeous view from the foot of the bridge Hohenzollernbrücke at theshore opposite the cathedral. In total, Cologne has seven bridges and you caneasily go on a sightseeing tour in a boat to take in the skyline.
Potsdam
Anotherpretty state capital is Potsdam. It feels rather small but walk around thecenter and you’ll quickly appreciate the quiet of the streets compared to thebusiness of Berlin, which is only an hour drive away.
In thecenter, you can enjoy shopping in former town houses, their ornamental facadesstill well preserved. However, you need to schedule in ample time to exploreSanssouci and its widespread park landscape and lakes. It’s one of the best castles in Germany.
Besidesthis, the former Russian colony Alexandrowka is another great point ofinterest. It was erected in memory of the King’s late friend, the Russian Czar.People still live in the 12 original farmsteads with their large orchards andthere’s a small museum and Russian restaurant you can visit.
Which of these cities in Germany is the best in your opinion? Which have you been to?
More Germany trip tips
- Did you know that there’s an authentic Japanese Garden in central Germany? Find out where.
- Why not check out the Chinese garden and tea parlour in a nearby city, too?
- There are three Lobdeburg Castles in Jena – Here’s why
- You gotta see the creepy art village in Plinz
- Visiting the Dornburg Castles during the rose festival
- Shamefully underrated but full of art – Gera in Thuringia
- Cool ideas for activities in the Harz mountains
