There's enough variety within all but the smallest Läander to
fill several weeks of travel, and you may prefer to confine your
trip to just one or two regions. Among the scenic highlights
are the Bavarian Alps, the Bodensee, the Black Forest, the valleys
of the Rhine and Mosel, the Baltic island of Rügen, the Harz, and
Saxon Switzerland. However, you may prefer one of the many less
spectacular areas of natural beauty, which can be found in every
province - these are the places the Germans themselves love the
most, and where they spend their holidays and weekends. Several of
the cities have the air of capitals, though Bann has lost
therole it "temporarily" carried for fifty years. Nearby
Cologne , on the other hand, is one of the most characterful
cities in the country, and the richest in historic monuments.
Bavaria's capital, Munich , is another obvious star and
boasts of having the best the country has to offer - whether in
museums, beer, fashion or sport. Nürnberg reflects on its
bygone years of glory, while Frankfurt looks on itself as
the "real" capital of the country, and Stuttgart and
Düsseldorf compete for the title of champion of German
postwar success. In the east, Dresden is making a comeback
as one of the world's great cultural centres, while Leipzig
is returning to its role as one of the continent's main trading
centres, while as all these cities have suffered to a considerable
extent from bomb damage and ugly postwar redevelopment, the smaller
places in many respects offer a more satisfying experience. Chief
among these is the university city of Heidelberg , star and
guiding light of the Romantic movement. Tier, Bamberg, Regensburg,
Rothenburg and Marburg in the west, and Potsdam, Meissen and
Quedlinburg in the east, are some of the many towns which deserve
to be regarded among the most outstanding in Europe.
The best times to go are between of Britain or New
England. Summers are usually warm, but not overpoweringly so: good
weather may come at an unexpected time, while it's not uncommon to
have several abrupt changes in temperature within a single day.
Rain occurs fairly regularly throughout the year. Unless you're
intending to go skiing, winter travel can't really be recommended,
other than for seeing the cities stripped of tourist hordes.
Otherwise, there's a chance of snow at any time from November
onwards. In the really popular areas, the claustrophobic effect of
masses of organized tour groups is a factor to be taken into
account between mid-June and mid-September: best avoid such places
altogether then, and head for the many less spoiled alternatives.
All things considered, however, the ideal times for visiting
Germany are late spring and early autumn.