Titel 2017 18 · The Rose Monday in Cologne is the highlight of every carnival season ©Festkomitee...

Welcome to GermanyWinter 2018/2019The Magazine for Independent Travellers

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Dear Reader, Welcome to a new release of WELCOME TO GERMANY – this time it is the winter issue2018/2019! As usual, WELCOME TO GERMANY informs about selected holiday regions andinteresting small towns throughout the country. For those who enjoy outdoor activitiesthere is a wealth of information on hiking trails or also wellness paradises. WELCOME TO GERMANY also provides information on events and exhibitions starting in the winter season. Furthermore readers will find details on Germany’s most popular winter events and information about art and culture.We wish you a pleasant reading!

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One of Germany’s newest attractions:the delightful and imposing Elbphilharmonie in the harbour of Hamburg

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CONTENTS

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Town Charm in GermanyModern and Nostalgic Atmosphere in Cities and Towns 2

100 Years of BauhausGermany Celebrates 100 Years of Bauhaus 6

Weimar 2019 –

Celebrating the Bauhaus Centenary Year with a New Bauhaus Museum 7

Cycling and Hiking in Germany With Motion into the Future! 8

Active Holidays and Wellness Perfect Relaxation Moments in Spa Paradises 10

Bad Füssing – a Perfect Rendezvous of Health and Wellbeing 13

Small Towns with Big Charm 15

Ellwangen / Gengenbach

Enjoy the Fascination of Timber Frame Construction

(Limburg / Grünberg / Meersburg)

Christmas MarketsThe Taste of Christmas in Golden Lights 18

Advent in Münster – A Winter Fairytale 20

Carnival in Germany A Colourful Celebration for Visitors from All over the World 22

Information for Visitors 26

Welcome to GermanyWinter 2018/2019The Magazine for Independent Travellers

welcome-to-germany.info

ISSN

094

1-85

8X

COVERThe Rose Monday in Cologne is the highlight of every carnival season©Festkomitee Kölner Karneval

Production & EditorsProduction: Orschel Verlag GmbH, Malvenweg 4, 51061 Köln, Tel.: +49 (0)221 – 96 35 64-0Editors: Orschel Verlag GmbH, Responsible: Mathias Orschel, Editorship: Frank Schöneck, Layout: Michael KempAdvertising: Orschel Verlag GmbHPrinting: Dierichs Druck + Media GmbH & Co. KG, Kasselwww.welcome-to-germany.info

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TOWN CHARM IN GERMANY

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Modern and Nostalgic Atmosphere in Cities and Towns

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A peaceful relaxation zone at the Rhine in Cologne with a view to the crane houses and the Cologne Cathedral


Germany’s fascinatingtowns and cities continue

to be very popular with visitorsfrom all over the world. Therecan be no doubt that Berlinhas changed more and fasterin recent years than any otherGerman city – changes set inmotion by the German reunifi-cation and the restoration ofBerlin’s status as the nation’scapital. It is now one of themost lively, varied and excitingcities in Europe, and the ener-gy generated by the changescertainly has much to do withthis. Berlin’s trademarks are itslifestyle, its unique atmos-phere and its incomparablyrich arts, entertainment andleisure scenes. You can sensethe vibrant atmosphere every-

where: on the broad boule-vards, at the art markets andflea markets and in the count-less bars, pubs and restaurants– many of which are openround the clock (Berlin has noclosing time). Opera houses,theatres, concert halls, varietyshows, musicals and revuetheatres and over 170 muse-ums give lovers of the arts arare abundance of choice. Frankfurt am Main, whosestriking modern skyscraperskyline has earned it the nick-name “Mainhattan”, also of-fers an exciting mix of the tra-ditional and the modern, com-merce and culture, urban buzzand timeless tranquillity. Youcan enjoy both the latest inmodern metropolitan architec-

ture and beautiful old worldcharm standing shoulder toshoulder, for example on astroll through the lavishly-restored Römerberg quarter,along the unique MuseumMile on the bank of the Mainand through the Sachsenhau-sen quarter with its many tra-ditional old cider pubs. DespiteFrankfurt’s size, everything iswithin easy reach. Munich combines big city ex-citement and rural charm, theAlpine and the Mediterranean,fine art treasures and the bois-terous Oktoberfest beer festi-val, traditional customs andhigh-tech, beer gardens andhaute cuisine, operas andtrendy bars. It is this uniquemixture that makes the

Bavarian state capital so end-lessly fascinating, and so pop-ular with visitors from all overthe world. Germany’s long, rich andcolourful history has formedits cities and given them a richand very varied heritage ofbuildings and other sights.Almost at every turn one en-counters relics of the past andfascinating examples of thearchitecture of earlier epochs.For example in the thirteentowns and cities in the His-toric Highlights of Germanygroup: Augsburg, Bonn, Bre-men, Erfurt, Freiburg, Heidel-berg, Lübeck, Münster, Pots-dam, Regensburg, Rostock,Trier and Würzburg. The oldwalls of their buildings havecountless stories to tell, and anumber of the buildings arenow UNESCO World Heritagesites.Other towns and cities gettheir fascination from thecombination of rich historicalheritage with beautiful naturalscenery, for example in the riv-er valleys of the Moselle,Rhine, Main, Neckar and Elbe.These include Cochem on theMoselle with its towering oldlate Gothic Reichsburg Castle,the Old Town with its medievalsquares and lovingly-restoredhalf-timbered buildings – allof them gems of Moselle ar-chitecture. In the course of its2,000-year history Cochem hasalso developed a rich heritageof folklore and wine-makingtraditions, which are still verymuch alive today.

Famous Tourist RoutesA large number of Germany’smost enchanting towns andcities are connected by famoustourist routes like the Roman-tic Route, which runs fromWürzburg to Füssen. The high-lights on this route are likeprecious pearls and gems on a


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This is a real romantic place in Germany – Heidelberg at the Neckar

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necklace winding through thelandscape – magnificent cas-tles and royal capitals, idylliclittle towns, courtly splendourand romantic medieval half-timbered houses and muchmore besides. The definition ofromantic here is a past that isstill alive, history that you canexperience at first hand.Churches and abbeys, castlesand stately homes, mighty oldtown walls and charming mar-ket squares – a living school ofGerman architecture spanningmore than an entire millenni-um. Many of the towns on theRomantic Route are famousand popular tourist attrac-

tions, such as Rothenburg obder Tauber, which is rightlyknown as the very epitome ofa medieval German town; idyl-lic Dinkelsbühl, which still re-flects the glory of its impor-tant role as trading centre inthe Middle Ages; and alsoNördlingen with its well-pre-served and almost perfectlycircular town centre, which isalso one of the more famousmedieval towns on the oldImperial Road from Würzburgto Augsburg. In addition to theold “Free Imperial Cities” ofthe Holy Roman Empire thestations on the RomanticRoute also include a number

of the former royal capitals es-tablished by the local princesand dukes, like Ansbach, Bay-reuth, Kulmbach and Coburg.In these towns, which repre-sent yet another chapter in

Franconia’s great diversity, you can see many magnificentbuildings that bring the char-ming noblesse of the royalepochs of the past back to life.


The romantic Hohenlohe (right)

The “town musicans of Bremen” is a popular fairy tale of theBrothers Grimm – the statue inBremen was created by GerhardMarcks and erected in 1953

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The Hanseatic city of Rostock boastshuge Brick Gothic buildings and villas intraditional spa-town style, cutters andcruise ships, superb beaches and a brac-

ing seaside climate. The tradition-steepedSteigenberger Hotel Sonne is at the heartof the old harbour metropolis, next doorto the town hall. Guests immediately feelat ease in the 119 stylishly furnishedHanseatic rooms and suites. TheWeinwirtschaft bistro offers a plethora ofculinary surprises while internationalcocktails and cold draught beer can besavoured in the bar. 15 meeting rooms of-fer the perfect setting for all kinds ofevents. One of the highlights is the fullyair-conditioned hall “Apollosaal” boasting330 m2 of space suffused with light and amagnificent domed rooflight. The wellness

area with sauna, massage and cosmeticsarea provides the perfect opportunity to re-cuperate and unwind.

Facts and figures • situated in the heart of the city • 111 rooms, 8 suites • WLAN throughout the hotel (for free)• Weinwirtschaft bistro with summer

terrace• Bar with sky-TV• 15 meeting rooms with 1100 m2

event space • Fitness and wellness area with steam

bath, sauna and Maria Galland beauty center

• Underground garage

Neuer Markt 218055 Rostock

[email protected]

Tel. +49 381 4973-0Fax +49 381 4973-351


The 100th anniversary ofthe Bauhaus is one of thegreat cultural events of

2019, with major exhibitions,programmes, projects - andthree new Bauhaus museums.The anniversary year will getunderway with an opening fe-stival in Berlin. The celebrationwill be in the best Bauhaustradition with contemporary,international performances,

music by teachers and stu-dents of the Bauhaus and itssuccessor institutions, Bau-haus films and a host of con-temporary events.But during the centenary theopportunity to discover theBauhaus movement won't berestricted to Berlin and the sites in Dessau and Weimar.There are also a host of exhibi-tions, art projects, events and

initiatives throughout Ger-many illustrating how theBauhaus movement has shaped architecture, townplanning, design, photography,dance and much more besides.In addition, there will be a“Grand Tour of Modernism”,offering a nationwide itinerarythat reflects a century of Bau-haus influence.The centenary programme will

take place under the motto"Re-considering the world".The aim is not only to high-light the multifaceted and am-bivalent history of the impactof the Bauhaus but also to sti-mulate a lively discussion ofcontemporary issues.The 2019 Bauhaus Centenaryis intended to have a lastingimpact, an ambition which isreflected in the opening of

Germany Celebrates 100 years of Bauhaus

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three brand new museums inBerlin, Dessau and Weimar.These new museums not onlycreate the urgently neededspace to present the uniquecollections of the Bauhaus in-stitutions in Berlin, Dessau andWeimar in an appropriate con-temporary setting but also ser-ve as meeting places, culturalcentres, educational laborato-ries and event venues.www.bauhaus100.de

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Weimar 2019

Celebrating the Bauhaus Centenary Year with a New Bauhaus Museum

Weimar is a lovely littletown on the river Ilm. It is

one of the great cultural citiesof Europe, known for the era ofthe Weimar Classics. It alwayshad a particular worldly charm –not only did Goethe and Schillerstroll along the winding lanes,across the inviting squares andthrough the expansive parks, butso did many other "beautifuland cosmopolitan spirits":Cranach and Bach, Wieland andHerder, Liszt and Strauss, lateralso Nietzsche and Feiningerand many more. The Goethe andSchiller monument in front ofthe German National Theatre isreminiscent of the two poetswho lived in the city. Goethe'sresidence, a baroque style buil-ding, is now a museum and partof the Goethe National Museum.

Weimar will be celebratingthe 100th birthday of the Bau-haus, founded in 1919, withparties, theatre performancesand exhibitions.

On 6 April 2019, the new bau-haus museum weimar will open

its doors, marking the 100thbirthday of the most prominentdesign school of the 20th centu-ry. The new bauhaus museumwill give the world's oldest Bau-haus collection a contemporarygallery in the city in which theschool was founded. It will be amodern museum focused on in-teraction, openness and discus-sion, forming the central hub ofa completely new museum dis-trict emerging at the crossroadsof classic Weimar and the for-mer Nazi “Gauforum”. TheKlassik Stiftung Weimar willreinterpret the history of theBauhaus at the bauhaus muse-um, showing that the Bauhausis not, in fact, a style or method,but rather the catalyst for pro-cesses that brought about criti-cal changes, striving towards anew society, new coexistenceand, consequently, new techno-logies, material testing andmuch more in the early 20thcentury.

The same year, the “House ofthe Weimar Republic” will be

opened to commemorate the100th birthday of the ratificati-on of the Weimar Republic'sConstitution, and a new perma-nent exhibition on the Weimarmodernism will be opened atthe Neues Museum, both ofwhich will certainly attract great interest.

These anniversaries will be ac-companied by a number of high-lights in 2019: It all kicks offwith a Festival of Democracyfrom 2 to 10 February. The open-ing of the Bauhaus museum on6 April will then coincide with afour-day festival run by theBauhaus University Weimar inconjunction with the Franz LisztUniversity of Music Weimar.

April 2019 will be filled with de-but performances at the GermanNational Theatre, including aballet production and a Bauhausmarathon, while Weimar’s otherrenowned festivals such as thefacade projection festival GeniusLoci and the art festival Kunst-fest will offer further highlightsthroughout the year.

Tourist Information WeimarMarkt 10, 99423 WeimarTel. +49 (0)36 43 / 745 [email protected]

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The Board of Trustees of theBauhaus 2019 Association infront of the Bauhaus-Archivbuilding, 2016 (photo left)

Bauhaus building from south-west, Walter Gropius, Dessau,1926 (photo right)

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More than 200 long-distance cycle routescovering over 70,000

kilometres and countlesssmaller, well-marked routescriss-cross Germany, linkingmetropolitan regions, uniquenatural landscapes and roman-tic small towns far away frommain roads. Whether throughverdant riverscapes, gently un-dulating low mountains, alpinepastures or expansive coastallandscapes: exploring Germany

by bicycle is a varied and richlyrewarding experience.

From the Bike Mountains to the Ruhr MetropolisThe 230 kilometre long RuhrtalCycle Route runs from thesource of the Ruhr inWinterberg down to its con-fluence with the Rhine atDuisburg. It connects two re-gions which could not be moredifferent from each other: onthe one side lies the Sauerland

with its green hills, which inwinter become the largest skiresort north of the Alps, whileon the other lies the agglom-eration of the Ruhr metropoli-tan area, with its vibrant majorcities. Along the way, you willwatch the scenery changefrom forests and meadows,through to castles, timberframed buildings and re-minders of the industrial era:winding towers, blast furnacesand gas tanks – today, these

are settings for sports and cul-tural events.Starting at the source of theRuhr at Winterberg, you willfind an extremely varied rangeof experiences lined up beforeyou like a daisy chain - theSauerland Bike Arena with itsdownhills of all degrees of dif-ficulty to entice sports cyclists,through to the RamsbeckVisitors’ Mine and the historiccity centre of Arnsberg, to thenumerous reminders of the in-

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dustrial era along the Ruhr,which provide an interestingnarration of the history of thearea. In this way, you will passthe birthplace of mining inWitten, disused mining facili-ties in Hattingen and Essen,and the Aquarius WaterMuseum in Mülheim until theRoute ends in the modern in-ner harbour of Duisburg withits promenade and gastronom-ic delights. Along the way, theNachtigall Colliery in Witten,the Henrichshütte Ironworks inHattingen and the Villa Hügelhigh above Lake Baldeney inEssen stand as reminders ofthe Ruhr region’s industrialheyday, long before the riverbecame its present, extremelylively leisure and recreationarea.www.ruhrtalradweg.de

A First-class Trip along the MainThe „Mainradweg” is an excel-lent route from the source ofthe Main to its confluencewith the Rhine. Forests andvineyards, fields and meadows,historic cities and culturaltreasures continuously vie forposition along the route.You can start the route eitherat the source of the Red Mainin Creußen in Swiss Franconia,with a stopover in theWagnerian town of Bayreuth,or on the White Main, whichpasses from the Fichtelgebirgeto Kulmbach to the Franken-wald forest.At the confluence of the Redand White Main rivers standsone particular highlight, theUpper Main town of Bambergwith its UNESCO WorldHeritage Old Town. Numerousbeer halls and breweries invitevisitors to take a leisurelybreak.The route then passes throughthe Steigerwald and theHaßberge mountains towards

Schweinfurt and onwards intoFranconian wine country. Ahighlight of the baroque cityof Würzburg is the EpiscopalResidence, also a UNESCOWorld Heritage Site. Vineyards,rolling hills and countless viti-cultural sites dominate theroute as it passes through thestunning Taubertal into theSpessart-Mainland region andthen onward towardsAschaffenburg, before the sky-line of Frankfurt soon takesover. After passing through theHochheim vineyards, the routefinally ends in Mainz, wherethe Main flows into the Rhine.www.mainradweg.com

A Romantic Tour throughTime along Green RoutesMore than 100 castles, palacesand manor houses strung likea pearl necklace evoke longgone eras in Münsterland. Thisis not simply because the “100Castles Route” is known as oneof the Queens of Germany’scycle routes. Four interconnected loopingtrails meander through thefertile expanses of theMünsterland. Start and endpoints can be chosen at ran-dom along any of the fourroutes, as the “100 CastlesRoute” is also characterised byits shorter tours. The individ-ual looping trails in the north,south, east and west of theMünsterland are each between210 and 310 kilometres long.The architectural attractionsare often only a few kilometresaway from each other: mightycastles and moated castleswith thick surrounding walls,modes and drawbridges aswell as palaces with their rich-ly decorated facades, chapels,proud towers or magnificentgardens in the style ofVersailles. Some of these arenow museums or hotels, andcan be visited, while others are

still inhabited. This is not tosay that bicycle services are inany way lacking – from repairsthrough to bike rentals, theMünsterland has everything tooffer.www.100schloesserroute.dewww.muensterland-tourismus.de

From Natural Idyll to BizarreLunar LandscapesThe Eastern German Fürst-Pückler Route offers land-scapes that reinvented them-selves as well as century oldparks and castles, some ofwhich count among the finestin Germany. At approximately500 km in length, it coversmany of the region's attrac-tions. The Route has beennamed after Herrmann Fürstvon Pückler-Muskau, the 19thcentury landscape artist andbon vivant, and creator of thefascinating parks and castlesin Bad Muskau and Branitz(Cottbus), the first incidentallyalso a UNESCO World HeritageSite. A very different landscapeshaped by human hands canalso be seen in the formerLusatia lignite mining area.Entire mountains were re-moved during this gigantic ex-ercise in landscape gardening,and today, instead of lignitemines, visitors can find one ofthe largest artificial lakechains in Europe – some of theapproximately 30 lakes are al-ready complete and offertempting opportunities forswimming, surfing and diving.The idyllic Spreewald with itscountless canals and quaintvillages offers yet a furtherdifferent scenery. www.iba-see.dewww.reiseland-brandenburg.de

Paradisiac Conditions for Passionate HikersHiking – long considered amoderately exciting leisurepursuit for the older person –

has experienced a real boom inrecent years. Recreational ath-letes of all ages are lacing uptheir hiking boots in order tocombine physical activity withan intense appreciation oflandscape and nature.In Germany hiking aficionadoswill find an extensive networkof trails that is being con-stantly expanded. Routes thatcombine an especially impres-sive natural experience withcultural attractions by thewayside are accorded "QualityHiking Trail". Germany now boasts 65 suchtrails that fulfil the stringentcriteria of the judges, for ex-ample the Kammweg (RidgeTrail), which extends fromAltenberg-Geising in Saxonyto Blankenstein in the state ofThuringia. On this 289-kmroute the hiker discovers theholiday regions of the Erzge-birge Mountains, Vogtland re-gion and the FranconianForest. Drawing inspiration forits name from the historicalBlauer Kammweg (Blue RidgeTrail) established in 1904, thevisitor can expect a challeng-ing walk over the highestpeaks in the Erzgebirge Moun-tains and Vogtland in-cluding the Auersberg (1019Meter), the Fichtelberg (1215Meter) and the topaz rock”Schnek-kenstein” (857Meter). The Saxon-Bohemiansection of the trail rewards the hiker with pristine natureand wonderful views of an exceptionally beautiful land-scape. Wayside attractions include one of Europe's mostup-to-date ski jump hills, more than 23 museums,demonstration workshops for Erzgebirge folk art andcountless relics of the miningindustry such as galleries andshow mines. www.tourismus-erzgebirge.dewww.wandern-vogtland.de

CYCLING AND HIKING IN GERMANY

Cycling in the vineyard is justone of so many opportunitieswhere you can cycle through theland – Baden-Württemberg has a lot of special dream routes!

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Perfect Relaxation Momentsin Spa Paradises

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A wellness break in one ofGermany’s health resorts andspas brings true relaxation –these institutions have medicalcompetence and a proud tradition of natural health treatments – and also thermalfun like here pictured in BadFüssing


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What could be more pleas-ant than a delightful

wellness holiday as a breakfrom the stress of our hecticmodern life? Wellness holiday-makers in Germany are spoiltfor choice. The country hasover 50 climatic health resorts,plus seaside health resorts, re-sorts focusing on the systemof hydrotherapy and naturaltherapy developed by Rev.Sebastian Kneipp and over 160spas using the health-givingproperties of thermal springs,mineral springs and natural

deposits of peat mud. All ofthese resorts and spas now of-fer much more than just treat-ment of specific complaints,although they are still verypopular for this, particularamong people suffering fromchronic conditions. Today, the staid spas and bathsof yesteryear have been trans-formed into modern healthand wellness centres withstate-of-the-art facilitiescatering to the latest trendsand offering delightful andentertaining experiences in

stylish, exotic settings. Youcan relax in an Andalucianambience, recharge your innerbatteries in a grotto of purecrystalline rock salt from theHimalayas or enjoy beautytreatments with natural sub-stances including the fine,heady red wines of the AhrValley – Germany’s wellnessoases are a world full of de-lightful aromas, sounds,colours and essences.In our fast-paced world moreand more people long for re-laxation, want to wind down,get away from it all and treatthemselves to a little luxuryand pampering. Often thestresses and strains of modernlife impair our natural balance,with negative consequencesfor our relationships and ourhealth. We feel off colour, be-low par and may even start todevelop unpleasant physicalsymptoms. Our bodies andminds are calling out forhealth and healing, for the op-portunity to rest, recuperateand recover their lost equilib-rium, rhythm and vitality.There’s a magic formula withwhich all this is possible: awellness break at one of

Germany’s health resorts andspas. These officially certifiedinstitutions have medicalcompetence born of long ex-perience, and a proud traditionof natural health treatmentsbased on the gentle healingpowers of the soil, the water,the sea and the climatic con-ditions. They are the country’s“healthiest addresses”, with abroad spectrum of offeringsthat restore our sensitivity,sensuality and body awareness– facilities that are in dangerof being lost in our modernworld. The wellness pro-grammes offered by Germany’shealth resorts are synonymouswith a positive attitude andlifestyle, well-being and theability to enjoy the goodthings in life.Unspoilt natural surroundingsand fresh, pure air also make avaluable contribution to thepositive effect. Almost all theresorts are set in beautiful, of-ten wooded countryside, in ornear to towns and villagesthat have preserved all theirtraditional charm. With theircomprehensive health centreinfrastructure the resorts areable to provide optimum well-

Water fun in Bad Füssing, one of the most popular spa resorts in Europe

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THE AHLBECK HOTEL & SPA****S is in a prime beachfront lo-cation on Europe’s longest promenade – which stretchesover 12.5 kilometres and is ideal for a stroll – in the seasideresort of Ahlbeck. The endless sandy beach is just a stone’sthrow away. This four-star superior hotel is the ideal basefor exploring the island and enjoying the cultural pro-gramme of the three “Imperial Spas”. The Island of Usedomis among Germany’s sunniest holiday regions and offers un-interrupted glorious sandy beaches for 45 remarkable kilo-metres from its northern tip to the River Swine. Fine andwhite and in places 70 metres wide, the sand snakes its way

along beside the sea. The AHLBECK – which was certifiedserval times from the German Wellness Organization as“©Premium Excellent” – offers 18 double rooms and 32apartments of the very highest standard in terms of comfortand design. From an architectural standpoint, the blend ofthe old and new means every room is unique in terms of lo-cation and layout. Rooms range in size from 25 to 82 squaremetres and all feature a minibar, gas fire, balcony, writingdesk, flatscreen TV inc. docking station and free internet access. The one- to three-bed apartments and the twopenthouse suites feature a mini kitchen, at least one bal-cony with teak furniture and an island or sea view, diningarea for up to six people and separate toilet for supremecomfort. The restaurant in the Hotel AHLBECK accommo-dates up to 120 people and opens onto the terrace. A sepa-rate entrance attracts many guests from outside the hotel toenjoy coffee and homemade cakes and the finest pastriesfrom the hotel’s own bakery DER AHLBÄCKER – the perfectplace for gourmets, themed evenings and exquisite à lacarte dining. The heart of the hotel is the SPA. Extendingover 1,250 square metres, facilities include a Finnish sauna,sanarium, steam bath, tepidarium, rest room, swimmingpool, Private SPA and lots more besides.

Excellent Wellness on the Island of Usedom, the Sunshine Isle


ness programmes with every-thing you need for a really en-joyable stay. You will findmodern baths centres fed byancient thermal springs, idyllicstreets and alleys lined by his-torical buildings, traditionalold pubs and inns, attractivesports and recreation opportu-nities, entertainment, amuse-ment and a wealth of new ex-periences – plus full freedomto plan your own time as youwant.

Medical Therapies andWellness Experiences Form aUnified Whole The spa towns and health re-sorts of Schleswig-Holstein

are also exploring new av-enues in order to make themost of their potential to meetthe demand for high qualityand to be able to attract aninternational clientele. This issomething to which the newCompetence Centre HealthTourism Schleswig-Holstein isparticularly committed. TheCompetence Centre has beensuccessful, with close cooper-ation between experts intourism and in medicine, indeveloping completely unri-valled health and travel offerswhich are mutually comple-mentary. All the options offeran obvious plus: a medicalpreventative analysis of the

individual's state of health byqualified personnel, staff dedi-cated to the individualthroughout the stay and con-stant care in connection withthe stay. Three health resortsare on hand to offer especiallyhigh quality: the North Seaspa town of St Peter-Ording,with its beneficial, health-giv-ing climate, the Baltic Sea spatown of Damp, which spe-cialises in Thalasso treatment,and the mud and saltwaterspa town of Bad Bramstedt. St. Peter-Ording and BadBramstedt have very long andsuccessful medical health tra-ditions and together withDamp they all have a very

large competence of medicalprevention. The locations ofthe health resorts are excel-lent examples for high-qualityhealth tourism in Germany:even though mainland StPeter-Ording has a climatesimilar to the islands in thesurroundings, Bad Bramstedtis a mud health resort with ametropolis nearby and Damphas got a special touristic con-cept for its clinics”. In the North Sea health resortand sulphur spa of St. Peter-Ording in the TidelandNational Park the healingpower of the North Sea withits sea water, mud and sul-phuric brine remedies, togeth-

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Bad Füssing – A Perfect Rendezvous of Health and WellbeingSituated in Lower Bavaria, in the beautiful Inn valley close to the borderwith Upper Austria in the Passau region, Bad Füssing is a spa town andholiday destination of the highest order.It owes its reputation to its legendary spa water, which is up to 56 de-grees warm. Discovered by chance in the 1930’s, the mineral-rich water

bubbles up from a depthof 1,000 metres, fillingtherapeutic relaxationpools of an overall wa-ter surface of 12,000 m2.There are three modernspas here, exclusivesauna landscapes withthermal waterfalls, heal-ing spa-water pools,well-being attractions,

several specialised clinics, and the German Centre for Traditional ChineseMedicine (TCM). The incomparable effect of the sulphurous spa-water –particularly in the treatment of rheumatic complaints and problems withthe back and musculoskeletal system – have made Bad Füssing the mostpopular spa resort in Europe. The healthcare provision in Bad Füssing is,therefore, extensive: classic spa treatments including preventive medi-cines, rehabilitation, eastern and western relaxation therapies and high-quality beauty treatments all ensure ever-increasing numbers of visitorseach year. Not far from Bad Füssing, the extensive Nordic Walking coursethat stretches over 160 kilometres is a must for lovers of this popularsport that is gentle on the limbs. Bad Füssing also has many cultural andleisure activities to offer: a spa orchestra, an 18-hole golf course, a well-maintained spa park that passes gently into the surrounding woods andmeadows, a leisure park, two cinemas and much more.www.badfuessing.de

tourist office KdöR · 94072 Bad Füssing · [email protected] · www.badfuessing.com


er with the singularly bracingclimate is exploited to the fulland the visitor is pamperedwith thalasso treatments suchas seawater inhalation,jacuzzi, seaweed purificationtreatments and aqua fitness inseawater. In the Dünentherme(Dune Thermal Springs) situat-ed in the heart of the dunesbehind the dike with its recre-ational and experience spa, arange of saunas including piledwelling and log cabin saunasand a dune garden, and withits newly-appointed healthand wellness centre and at-tached hotel the visitor can al-so enjoy the authenticseashore and North Sea at-mosphere indoors. The town

has invested heavily in its image. At a cost of some 30million Euros the pier andseafront have been renovated,and in the next few years afurther 10 million Euros will bespent on modernising therecreational and experiencespa. In addition, walkers, jog-gers and Nordic walkers willbe enchanted by the 66 kilo-metres of trails through theNorth Sea Fitness Park.

Selected Spa Towns and HealthResortsTherefore the spa towns andhealth resorts in Lower Sax-ony have developed new con-cepts in the last few years andcommitted considerable sums

of money to the constructionand modernisation of their fa-cilities as well as to the train-ing of their staff. Not a few ofthe spa towns and health re-sorts between the North Seaand the Harz mountains sellthemselves today as predicat-ed expert health centres,which sensibly combine anarrow spa tradition withmodern concepts of preventa-tive care. The State spa ofNordeney comes up with aclear focus on the healthtourism theme as well as acommitment to sustainableecology. The extraordinarynatural environment, thehealthy climate on this EastFrisian island and the special

healing power of the NorthSea are giving new life to anold tradition: the thalasso. Inthe heart of the unique land-scape of the UNESCO WorldHeritage Tideland and builtclose to the water and farfrom the madding crowd, sur-rounded by dunes and saltmarshes, the bade:hausnorderney (Norderney bath-house) - Germany’s largestthalasso house - stands for aholistic and one hundred percent health-based solutionfrom the sea. Norderney set it-self the challenging target ofbecoming Europe's NumberOne Thalasso Island by 2020.www.baederland-niedersachsen.de

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They belong together like the air and breathing – water and wellness. No matter if you refresh yourself in a wellness oasis, on a beach or a sea in yourhometown: water is the sourcefor vitality and well-being, like here in Baden-Württemberg


Hamburg

Bremen

B a l t i c S e a

N o r t h S e a

East Frisean Islands

RügenFehmarn

Helgoland

DENMARK

NETHERLANDS

CZECH REPUBLIC

AUSTRIASWITZERLAND

FRANCE

North Frisean Islands

Schwerin

Hannover

Magdeburg

Cologne

Ruhr

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Leipzig

Frankfurt/M.

Mainz

SaarbrückenHeidelberg Nuremberg

Munich

Dresden

BerlinPotsdam

Frankfurt/O.

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Elbe

Stuttgart

The vibrant larger cities – from Berlinto Munich and from Hamburg toCologne – may be more popular withvisitors in terms of absolute numbers,but nonetheless, the country’s count-less smaller towns are no less attrac-tive, each in its own way. Most ofthem are set in beautiful countrysideand have a rich historical and cultur-al heritage, with old town centres,historical market squares, windingstreets and alleyways and beautifulold houses – and all of them havetheir own individual character andatmosphere. On the following pagesyou will find introductions to some of the interesting towns located inattractive holiday regions.

Small towns with big charm presented on the following pages

Deutsche Fachwerkstraße (German Half-Timbered House Road)

LimburgGrünberg

Meersburg

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Towers, boldly rising into the air,curved gables, artfully constructed portals and latticework – nearly 1250 years of history have made a distinctive mark upon the townscape of Ellwangen.This impressive townscape gets its special flair from the romanesque Basilica St. Vitus on the market square, the towering castle with its elegant arcade court yard, da-ting back to the Renaissance andthe well visited Pilgrimage Church on the Schönenberg.

The Ecclesiastic History of the Town is still existent: Strolling through the lanes you get to see many prettythings and the figurines of St. Mary,

created with ample fall of the folds, aregreeting from the niches of many of theCanonic Houses („Stiftsherrenhäuser“).

Sights and CultureHistorical town centerThe Basilica St. Vitus and the Market Square – the center of town The Protestant town Church – Frescoes of chief quality The Baroque church of Schönenberg – a popular Pilgrimage Destination

The Artist-Priest Sieger Köder –Glowing Colours, Floating Figures The Castle of Ellwangen – where the Prince Provosts resided

Treasures of the Past – the Museums – Ellwangen Castle Museum – The Alamanni Museum– Sieger Köder Museum

EventsEllwanger Heimattage – a regional festival, staged at the castle (July)

Summer in the City – Ambitious cultural program (July – September)Hornblower Day (August)Crib Way Ellwangen – Rosenberg(Dec 24 – Feb 02)

Getting ThereEllwangen ist located between Ulm and Würzburg, directly at Autobahn A7. Railway station.Next Airports: Stuttgart (90 km) and Nuremberg (100 km)

Tourist-InformationSpitalstraße 4, 73479 EllwangenTel. 07961 [email protected]

Historical, Impressive, yet Modern

www.ellwangen.de

Romantic Jewel in the Black ForestGengenbach is a beautiful, romantic town situated on the banks of the River Kinzig in thecentral Black Forest. The former towers and gatesof the town stand out in the distance, inviting toexplore the narrow alleys and enchanting corners.Here past meets present and traditions and customs are kept alive. A walk around Gengen-bach takes you back to the past where you willsee the half-timbered buildings, the impressivetown hall and the picturesque alleys. Gengenbachis a paradise for active holidaymakers as well. Itoffers the ideal setting for all kinds of sportsranging from hiking, cycling, Nordic walking,swimming, inline skating… Welcome toGengenbach – take a deep breath and relax intranquility and our unique flair.

Sights• Historic Town Centre• Town hall• Engelgasse (Angel Alley)• St. Marien Town Church• Carnival Museum in the Niggel Tower• Kinzig Tower Museum• Rafting Museum• Changing exhibitions in the Museum

Haus Löwenberg

Annual Events• February: Gengenbacher Fasend –

we celebrate our carnival• May – Oct: tours with our night watchman• 15 Aug: Kräuterbüschelweihe-ceremony

celebrating the Ascension of the Virgin Mary• September: Wine Festival• 30 Nov – 06 Jan: World´s biggest

house advent Calendar• In summer: the Town Culture series and a lot

of town festivals• In winter: Concerts in the churches

of Gengenbach and Town Concert series

Tips & SuggestionsThe Gengenbach Advent Calendar is the world’s biggest house advent calendar. Christmas mar-ket: 30 Nov – 23 Dec from 1 p.m. (Sat + Sun 12 p.m.). Window opening at 6 p.m. Live musicevery day. The works of internationally reputed

artists, such as Otmar Alt, Marc Chagall and TomiUngerer have annually transformed Gengenbach’stown hall into a winter wonderland. This year, the“treasure chest of fantasy” will be opened again. Tocelebrate the calendar’s anniversary, and in honourof the collector and museum founder Frieder Burda,who was born in Gengenbach, there lies a very speci-al treasure therein: pictures from Andy Warhol, oneof the most famous artists in the world. A strollthrough Gengenbach’s inviting streets with theirevocative Advent illuminations will bring you to itsChristmas Market and the amazing exhibits in theHaus Löwenberg Museum.

GengenbachGengenbach Kultur-und Tourismus GmbH Im Winzerhof, 77723 GengenbachTel: +49 (0)7803-930143, Fax: +49 (0)[email protected]

Gengenbach www.gengenbach.info

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The German Half-Timbered House Road,funded in 1990, runs for 2800 kmfrom the river Elbe to the Black Forest

through six federal states (Lower Saxony,Saxony-Anhalt, Hesse, Thuringia, Bavariaand Baden Wuerttemberg) and is dividedinto six regional routes. Since 1990 nearly100 timber frame towns have joined upunder the slogan ”Half-Timbered unites“ in

order to coordinate their marketing. TheGerman Half-Timbered House Road doesnot only unite unique landscapes, historicsites and carefully restored monuments butabove all the people who live and workthere. Health resorts and festival locationsalternate with nature parks and romanticnooks. Cider and Bock beer were inventedhere and hardly any other tourist route can

offer its guests such a variety of culinarydelights. Germany’s northern most vine-yard, the biggest Christmas candle in theworld and Germany’s only Ivory Museumare all located on the German Half-Timbered House Road. Moreover, manyevents, festivals and markets offer the visi-tor variety and entertainment throughoutthe whole year.Whether you travel by car, by bicycle, bytrain or in a motorhome – discover the oldcraft and living traditional customs on thishistorical trail.

Half-timbered Towns Bathed in an Enchanting Christmas GlowThe towns on Germany’s Half-TimberedHouse Road are also well worth a visit inwinter and are especially appealing overthe Christmas period. Visitors to the townof Schlitz in eastern Hessen, for example,can marvel at the world's largest“Christmas candle“, when the 36-metreBurgtum tower is wrapped in red cloth andan approximately six-metre high flame cre-ated from some 140 bulbs is mounted onthe top. Visitors can take a lift to the top ofthe tower to enjoy a fine view of the fes-tively illuminated half-timbered buildingsin the town square. One of the largestChristmas pyramids in Germany is to befound at the Christmas market in Roten-burg an der Fulda, while the Christmasexperience tours in the town of Geln-hausen, founded by Emperor FrederickBarbarossa, in Hessen's Main-Kinzig districtare always a big hit with visitors. Also wellworth a visit are the fairytale Christmasmarket in Calw, a palace Christmas with amanger exhibition in Hadamar, the me-dieval Christmas markets in Schmalkalden,Stolberg and Treffurt and the Descent ofthe Angel from the St Jakobus tower inPfullendorf.

The half-timberd town Meersburg

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Limburg on the Lahn riverVisible for miles around, the seven-towered cathedral perchedon a steep rock above the riverLahn and the historic old towndominates this old commercialcity.The almost completely intact andremarkably well-preserved oldtown is perfect for exploring at aleisurely pace: tall, multi-storey and protruding,half-timbered buildings withornately decorated gables huddlein rows and form narrow, windingalleys that unexpectedly open outinto welcoming squares. The buildings date from the 13th

to the 19th century. The Römerhouses 2-4-6 (built in 1289) andnr. 1 (built in 1296) are evenamong the oldest preserved half-timbered constructions inGermany.Nestling in the fabulous LahnValley, Limburg can be reachedquickly and easily from the A3motorway or by inter-city express.

Tourist-InfoBarfüßerstraße 6 65549 Limburg a. d. Lahn Tel: +49 (0)6431-6166 or [email protected]

Grünberg – An enchanting smalltown with a historiccentre crammed withhalf-timbered buildingsWith their lovely shops, cafés and restaurants, the alleyways ofthe old town are perfect for a leisurely stroll. Savour the uniqueambience on the medieval marketsquare, which is fringed by brightand ornate half-timbered houses.A tour of the old town is anopportunity to immerse yourselfin Grünberg's centuries-old his-tory. And as a spa resort Grünbergis also the ideal destination forthose seeking to relax and re-charge their batteries. Why notfind out for yourself?

Stadt GrünbergRabegasse 1 35305 Grünberg Tel: +49 (0)6401-804-0 [email protected]/gruenberg

MeersburgHistorical half-timbered townby the lake

Cosy little houses, masterly half-tim-bering, stately castle. The astonishinglittle town in its charming settingalready attracted travellers duringthe Merovingian period. Even todaythe mediaeval castle dominates thetownscape. In addition, the roomwhere Annette von Droste-Hülshoffworked and passed away in Meers-burg Castle and the idyllically situated“Fürstenhäusle” provide insights intothe life of Germany’s greatest womanpoet. The Neue Schloss palace and theformer seminary form a wonderfulbackdrop. vineum bodensee opensits doors to the public as a “House ofwine, culture and history” with apermanent exhibition on the topic ofwine. Romantic little lanes, dreamysquares and outstanding views overLake Constance and the Alps can befound here. Right on the shore lie thethermal baths with their outdoorpooljust by the lake. A further attraction:the lavish sauna complex with itsMediterranean atmosphere and echoes from the Arabian Nights.

Stadt MeersburgAbt. Tourismus und VeranstaltungenKirchstraße 4, 88709 MeersburgTel: +49 (0)7532-440400Fax: +49 (0)[email protected], www.meersburg.de

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CHRISTMAS MARKETS

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The Taste of Christmas in Golden Lights

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Welcome to Münster – a hotspiced wine on a cold evening at the christmas market in frontof the “Lichtermarkt” – what doyou need more on frozen days inDecember?

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Christmas markets, or“Christ Child” markets as

they are often known in thesouth of the country, havebeen held in Germany for al-most 600 years. Originally themarkets provided people withthe opportunity to buy winterprovisions at the start of thecold season. Over the course oftime, however, they became anestablished part of the prepa-rations for Christmas.Christmas decorations, toys,cakes and biscuits were alsosold by market traders. The oldest Christmas market inGermany is probably Dresden’sStriezelmarkt, which was firstmentioned in writing in 1434.This market owes its name tothe famous Christmas Stollencake, which is called Strietzelor Strutzel in Middle HighGerman. Originally a one-dayfish market, the Striezelmarktgradually expanded over thecourse of the years. Along witha host of traditional craftsfrom the Erzgebirge moun-tains, the original DresdenChristmas Stollen remains oneof the most popular purchasesfrom the market.In Augsburg the first written

mention of a ”Lebzelter Markt”(gingerbread market) aroundChristmas time was made in1498. ”Lebzelter” were ginger-bread bakers who sold theirwares at the market. This mar-ket developed into the presentday Christkindlmarkt, famousfor its Angel Play during which24 children in angel costumesplay instruments in front ofthe town hall several times perweek.Nuremberg’s famous Christmasmarket was first held in 1628while a pre-Christmas fair canbe traced back to the middleof the 16th century. TodayNuremberg’s Christkindlmarktattracts some two million visitors every year, making itone of the largest in Germany.

A Symphony of Aromas, Melodies and Beautiful ItemsAll Germany’s Christmas mar-kets boast a uniquely enchan-ting atmosphere amid beauti-fully decorated and festively il-luminated wooden cabins. Afabulously decorated tree crea-tes a sense of anticipation ofthe approaching festive period.The air is permeated with thefragrance of Christmas specia-

lities such as gingerbread, mar-zipan, chestnuts, spiced bis-cuits and, of course, Glühwein(hot mulled wine). The offeringincludes Christmas tree decora-tions, toys, decorations andpractical items – often madefrom natural materials – spices,leather goods, writing utensilsand lots more besides. Worth aparticular mention are handi-crafts from the Erzgebirgemountains, which have helpedthe highland area gain a repu-tation as a “Christmas region”.Typical Erzgebirge Christmasdecorations such as smokingmen, Christmas pyramids,candle arches and miner andangel figures are available atthe region’s most famousChristmas markets in Anna-berg-Buchholz, Chemnitz,Freiberg, Seiffen, Schneeberg,Schwarzenberg and Zwickau.Other regions famous for beau-tiful crafts include theBerchtesgadener Land in theBavarian Alps, whose traditionof spoon- and barrel-making,turning, whistle- and box-ma-king and wood carving goesback as far as the 16th century.At the Christmas market in thehistoric town centre of Berch-tesgaden visitors can find outabout this tradition and seecraftspeople working at closequarters.A Christmas market also in-cludes a supporting culturalprogramme. The Christ child or Father Christmas comes for little ones and there areChristmas cribs, sometimeswith live animals, fairytale scenes and bakeries and work-shops. Bands, choirs, soloists,magicians and lots more besi-des delight children and adultsalike.Some Christmas markets arecompletely dedicated to theMiddle Ages and only offergoods and culinary delightsfrom this era. Many also show-

case medieval crafts. Thelargest medieval Christmasmarket takes place in Telgtewhile others are held inCologne and Siegburg. Livingadvent calendars are also at-mospheric and involve thetransformation of attractive fa-cades – mainly town halls – in-to an advent calendar. At a cer-tain time each day a window isopened to reveal splendidChristmas or fairytale motifs.The world’s largest advent ca-lendar house is the town hall inGengenbach, which also at-tracts visitors to the town’sChristmas market. There arealso ”living advent calendars”in the historic city centre ofRottweil and on theSchlossberg in Quedlinburg,where a window or door isopened every day on a festivelydecorated house to reveal aChristmas surprise. A number of Christmas marketsalso boast landmark achieve-ments: the Striezelmarkt, forexample, has the largestChristmas pyramid in the worldwhile at Osnabrück’s Christmasmarket the world’s largest mu-sic box plays 25 differentChristmas carols.www.christmas-markets-germany.de

Advent in Münster – a Winter Fairytale 26 Nov – 23 Dec 2018When the Prinzipalmarkt is asea of golden lights, the ar-cades are decorated with ad-vent garlands, the aroma ofmulled wine and sugar-roastedalmonds drifts through thestreets and the shops are fes-tively adorned, it is clear thatmany people’s favourite time ofyear has come round onceagain: the time when Münster’sfive Christmas markets opentheir doors, transforming theOld Town into a winter fairy-tale.With each one a few minutes’

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Romantic mood on winterevenings at the beautifulPrinzipalmarkt in Münster –a real sea of golden lights!

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walk from the next, the mar-kets are strung through the OldTown like pearls on a necklace,offering an irresistible invita-tion for an agreeable Christmasstroll filled with regional culi-nary delights. From crispy pota-to pancakes, elderberry glüh-wein and homemade punch,oven-fresh stuffed bread andpumpernickel to kale, smokedsausage and sweetcorn.Beneath a romantic roof oflights, the oldest and largest ofthe Christmas markets can befound in the town hall innercourtyard and all around thebuilding itself, with stands sell-ing jewellery and traditionalcraft items as well as a widevariety of delicious fare.At the foot of the mighty St.Lamberti church, ringed by his-toric arcaded houses, the St.Lamberti “Christmas Lights”market presents a dazzling pic-ture with its blue, pointed-roofed booths and 20-metrelight-bedecked Christmas tree.In the cosy Christmas Villagecentred around the Kiepenkerl,the monument to the peddlerswho once traded their wares inand around Münster, the standscreate a quaint atmosphere,combining culinary enjoymentwith craft traditions.The Aegidii Christmas market isdesigned to appeal to familiesin particular. With its beautifulnativity scene and richly-deco-rated wooden pyramid, risingto a height of 6 metres, it issure to make every child’s eyeslight up.Set against the mediaeval wallsof the Überwasser church andwith a wonderful view of theilluminated towers of thecathedral, the Giebelhüskes(Gable House) market offers awide array of craft items plusall manner of gastronomic de-lights.An opportunity for a quiet,meditative moment can be

found in the city's manychurches. Concerts of all kindsand top-notch exhibitions inMünster’s museums provide thecultural accompaniment.Guided advent tours, full offascinating facts and anec-dotes, provide insights intoMünster’s history and tradi-tions.

Particular Highlights• Opening celebration, Monday, 26 November, withlive music from the a-capellagroup 6-Zylinder by theChristmas tree in front of theLambertikirche from 5pm• Communal Christmas carolsinging with Team Rauterbergon Prinzipalmarkt, Sunday, 9 December, 4.30 to 5.30pm

Special Service:• Childcare in the Maxi Towerat Prinzipalmarkt 15 offers analternative to Christmas shop-ping with their parents for chil-dren aged from 3 to 10:Monday to Friday, 2pm

to 6pm; Saturday, 10am to 6pm• Over the Christmas periodshopping can be stored free ofcharge from 11am to 9pm onSaturdays in the bag depot atthe Münster tourist office.• Park & ride every Saturday inDecember at the Mensa 2Coesfelder Kreuz multi-storeycar park, over 1,000 parkingspaces, 9 mins to the city cen-tre, special price: all-day park-ing and bus tickets for 5 peoplefor just EUR 6

Opening Times of theChristmas Markets:Sunday to Thursday: 11am to 8pmFriday and Saturday: 11am to [email protected]

Westphalian Christmas Market in the MühlenhofOpen-air MuseumEvery weekend over theChristmas period

Fri: 4pm to 9pm / Sat and Sun:10am to 7pmThe historic Mühlenhof open-airmuseum is the venue for a veryspecial Christmas market thatbrings memories of yesteryearflooding back. On this approxi-mately five hectare site visitorswill find festively decoratedwooden huts in addition to theattraction's approximately 30buildings dating from the 17thto the 19th century. Inside thesehuts traditional Westphalianwares, decorations and a host oflovely Christmas gift ideas canbe found. There are also traditionalWestphalian dishes and drinksto sample. A vibrant supportingprogramme includes concertsand participatory activities forchildren. Craftspeople will bedisplaying their handicrafts inthe museum's historic buildingsand workshops.www.muehlenhof-muenster.org

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Golden Christmas market flair at the “Giebelhüüskesmarkt”right by the Überwasserkirche in Münster – a winter highlightin this charming city!

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CARNIVAL IN GERMANY – THE FIFTH SEASON

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A Colourful Celebration for Visitors from All over the World

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The Rose Monday is the high-light of every carnival season (like here pictured in Cologne) –especially in Cologne it’s one ofthe most important days of theyear, tourists from all over theworld come to see this colourfulcelebration


Carnival is one of the oldestcelebrations in the world.

It developed in ancient Eu-rope, then travelled to theCaribbean, South-America andAfrica in colonial times and fi-nally – centuries later – sentback impulses to a culturally,socially and demographi-cally changed Europe. Thesechanged circumstances heavily

influenced many contemporaryurban carnivals today, makinga strong point of the culturalexpressions and aesthetic vi-sions of migrants.Carnival is a popular eventthat questions everyday lifeand politics. It stands for aninversion of hierarchy as wellas for the proud presentationof a people's identity. Carnivalis a combined art form thatembraces many aspects ofartistic expression. Due to theglobal migration currents,many contemporary carnivalsare multifacetted and of mixedstyles.Today's carnivals all over theworld attract millions of par-ticipants and spectators thushaving a positive impact on lo-cal economies.As in the past, Carnival todayis a time for fun, merriment

and carousing, for a boisterousescape from humdrum every-day life. If you visit Germanyduring the Carnival period –for example, the legendaryRose Monday on March 42018 – you can experience awonderful mixture of colourfultraditional customs and exu-berant partying. In all the ar-eas where Carnival is celebrat-ed the streets are full of merryrevellers dressed up in creativecostumes. You can watch theenactment of ancient customs,enjoy parades, listen to therousing music at concerts andgalas and join in the fun your-self at the many public parties.

Carnival in CologneCologne is one of the maincentres of the German carnival– every year Cologne’s fifthseason begins at 11 minutes

past 11 on the 11th November– 11:11 on 11/11. The streetcarnival is officially openedwith Weiberfastnacht, theWomen’s Carnival, which takesplace on the Thursday ofCarnival week. Three days lateron Carnival Sunday hundredsof thousands of spectators linethe streets throughout the cityto watch the local paradesstaged by the districts andschools – the Schull- undVeedelzög. The highpoint ofthe Carnival season is RoseMonday or Rosenmontag. Thisis when millions of jubilantCarnival revellers, known asJecke and Narren (fools), cheeron and participate in the tri-umphal Rose Monday Parade,which is presided over by thetraditional Cologne Triumvi-rate. It is made up of theCarnival Prince, the Farmer


Every year the new “Dreigestirn”will be proclaimed at theGürzenich hall in Cologne

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A huge variety of traditions, moods andcostumes are associ-ated with the carnivalin Germany – it is oneof the most celebrat-ed events here sincethe Middle Ages, withopen end!


and the Virgin, who is also al-ways played by a man. Everyyear everyone does their bestto make the costumes andfloats even better and morebeautiful, witty and colourfulthan the previous year’s.Countless sumptuously deco-rated floats with giant figurespoking fun at politicians andtopical issues, dozens of bands,hundreds of horses and thou-sands of marchers in colourfuland creative costumes create a wonderful atmosphere anddelight the revellers along theway.

„Fastnacht” Carnival in Mainz In Mainz Carnival is calledFastnacht and here too it has avery prominent place on thecity’s cultural calendar. Theseason is officially openedwith the reading of the 11Fastnacht Laws by the LordMayor from the balcony of theOsteiner Hof building on theSchillerplatz, which tradition-ally takes place at 11 minutespast 11 on the 11th November.The carnival galas begin withthe Parade of Fools on NewYear’s Day, continuing withgrowing intensity and fre-quency until Rose Monday. The roots of Mainz’ Fastnachttraditions are very old; thereare documented records ofCarnival parades in the citydating back as far as the 16thcentury. In its present form theMainz Carnival developed dur-ing the Vormärz period in themid 19th century, when con-servative forces were trying torestrict freedom of speech andthe press to stem the growingpower of the new bourgeoisie.Carnival provided an outlet formore unrestricted expressionand many clubs and associa-tions were formed during thisperiod, including the Ranzen-garde (whose pot bellies orRanzen parodied the Tall

Guards of King Friedrich Wil-helm of Prussia), the MainzCarnival Association, theMainz Carnival Club and manyothers.

The Carnival of Cultures in BerlinLuxurious costumes, brightmake-up, fanciful masks anddecorated cars – Berlin, themulti-cultural capital alsostages its carnival. However, it has little in common withthe carnival or Fastnet tradi-tions in the Rhineland or inSouthern Germany, nor is itheld during the carnival sea-son. Every year at Whitsun atthe Carnival of Cultures in thearea around Blücherplatz inBerlin-Kreuzberg a colourful,stirring street festival takesplace with music from variousparts of the world, culinarytreats and art and craftworkfrom all over the world, lots ofparties and an extensive chil-dren's programme. The climax

is the procession through thestreets with some 4,700 par-ticipants from 80 nations, whovociferously celebrate Berlin'scultural diversity with tradi-tional costumes and ritualdances.The idea of a carnival present-ing the cultural and ethnic di-versity of Berlin was developedin 1995, and one year later50,000 visitors had alreadycome to see the first Carnivalof Cultures parade consistingof 2,200 performers accompa-nied by about 50 colourful,decorated floats.The enthusiastic reaction ofthe public and the media madeclear that the carnival was agreat success. This event cre-ated a new awareness forBerlins cultural richness withan emphasis on the strong im-pact made by its ethnic com-munities.Over the last fifteen years, thenumbers of participants andvisitors have risen – more than

a million visitors celebrated atthe street festival and the pa-rade in the last years. TheCarnival of Cultures is open toeverybody and all forms ofcultural expression. It is re-garded as a platform for aproud expression of hybridcultural identities, containingtraditional and contemporaryelements. It includes and at-tracts all age groups, profes-sional artists and amateurs,people from all walks of life.Berlins Carnival has been in-spired by modern Europeancarnivals like the Notting HillCarnival in London. It has tak-en in elements of many tradi-tional carnivals and celebra-tions from all over the world.By being open to cultural rites,customs and traditions it at-tracts performers from coun-tries without carnival tradi-tions. The inclusion of all theseelements makes the Carnivalof Cultures in Berlin quiteunique!


Dancing couples of the Cologne traditional corpsduring a carnival session

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SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT/ECONOMYThe Federal Republic of Germany isa democracy with a social marketeconomy, religious freedom andfreedom of the press. Germany is amember of the European Union (EU).It has a population of around 80,4million.

GEOGRAPHYGermany is located at the heart ofEurope. It forms the link betweenmaritime western Europe and thecontinental east, between thewarmer south and the cool north.Germany is a triad of lowlandplains, upland hills and mountains.From the Alps in the south,Germany stretches via the forestedcentral highlands to the North andBaltic Seas.

LANGUAGEIt is generally easy to get by inEnglish in Germany. However, theGerman language's reputation forbeing difficult to learn is often ex-aggerated. The Goethe Institutes inyour home country would bepleased to help you. www.goethe.de

PASSPORTS AND VISASForeign nationals require a validpassport or other identification doc-ument to enter Germany. For citi-

zens of most western Europeancountries a valid identity card issufficient. Children must be includ-ed in the passport of their parentsor carry their own children's pass-port. Citizens of certain countriesrequire a visa to enter Germany. Forfurther information please contactthe German embassy in your coun-try.

TRAVELLING BY PLANEGermany is served by more than100 international airlines.Germany's Lufthansa, together withits Star Alliance partners, offers themost frequent and extensive servic-es. Thanks to the Star Alliance glob-al route network and coordinatedtimetabling, Germany has connec-tions with a total of more than 800destinations worldwide (forLufthansa information and reserva-tions telephone +49 (0) 1805 805 805). Germany's international airports areBerlin, Bremen, Dresden, Düsseldorf,Erfurt, Frankfurt am Main,Frankfurt-Hahn, Hamburg, Hanover,Cologne/Bonn, Leipzig/Halle,Munich, Münster/Osnabrück,Nuremberg, Saarbrücken andStuttgart. There are also smaller air-ports in Augsburg, Bayreuth, Berlin-Tempelhof, Bielefeld, Braunschweig,Dortmund, Friedrichshafen, Hof,

Kiel, Magdeburg, Rostock-Laage,Siegerland and Westerland (Sylt). Allairports have good connectionswith the nearby city transport net-works.

FRANKFURT AIRPORT (FRA)Frankfurt Airport (FRA) is the thirdlargest airport by passenger traffic incontinental Europe. FRA is the num-ber 2 in Europe (after London-Heathrow and Paris) for the passen-gers, around 1,300 planes are start-ing and landing here every day. Twotrain stations right at the airportguarantee seamless connections be-tween train and plane. The regionalrailway station linking the airport tothe public transportation systemgives easy access to the Rhein-Mainregion. The long-distance train sta-tion offers around 180 ICE trainseach day as part of the network of

Deutsche Bahn (DB) with comfort-able and fast connections to themost important cities in Germanyand in neighbouring countries.

TRAVELLING BY TRAINThe extensive rail network enablespassengers to reach their destinationin comfort. Long-distance trains arecoordinated with local services andoffer good connections. Germany hasmore than 60 daily train connectionswith neighbouring European coun-tries. Information is available from allDeutsche Bahn AG ticket offices,from travel agents and from the hot-line on +49 (0) 1805 996 633. The service ofthe coach operator Deutsche Touringis closely coordinated with the railservice, including special bus con-nections for tourists on routes ofparticular interest. Information is

INFORMATION

Lindau

Brussels/Paris

PragueViennaBudapest

Copenhagen

ViennaBudapest

ViennaBudapest KlagenfurtLjubljanaZagreb

InnsbruckVeronaMilanoVeniceRoma

Paris

WarsawAmsterdam

ÅrhusFredericia

Luxem-bourg

StrasbourgParis

Duisburg

Solingen

Cologne

Recklinghausen

Gelsenkirchen

Münster

Hamm

EssenDüsseldorf airport

Osnabrück

Bonn

Koblenz

Mainz

GießenFulda

Kassel

BerlinMagdeburgBraunschweig

Halle (Saale)

Bebra Jena

Leipzig

Leipzig/Halle airport

Potsdam

Hof

Würzburg

Regensburg

Ingol-stadt

Hildesheim

Hanover

Westerland(Sylt)

Bremen

Oldenburg

Lübeck

Hamburg

Schwerin

Rostock

Trier

Kaisers-lautern

Constance

Stuttgart

Kempten

Mittenwald

Munich

Ulm

Augsburg

Passau

Kufstein

Mannheim

Wiesbaden

Emden

Bitterfeld

Dessau

Bielefeld

Paderborn

Bamberg

Singen

Mem-mingen

Boc

hum Cottbus

Wolfsburg Stendal

Aalen

Eise

nach

Erfurt

Darmstadt

Aschaf-fenburg

Basel

Amsterdam

Stralsund

Düsseldorf

Plattling

Dresden

Flensburg

KielPuttgarden Ostseebad Binz

Frankfurt(Oder)

Oberstdorf

Freiburg

Offenburg

Karlsruhe

Berchtesgaden

Heidelberg

Ffmairport

Frankfurt

Wuppertal

Hagen

Dortmund Göttingen

Neu-münster

Rheine

Oberhausen

Bad Bentheim

Emmerich

Weimar

ZurichMilano

Pasewalk

Baden-Baden

Saalfeld

Lichtenfels

MesseBf Laatzen

Ansbach

Bayreuth

Erlangen

Nuremberg

Kraków

ZurichInterlaken

BernChur

Seebad Heringsdorf

Wittenberge

Plauen

Marktredwitz

Garmisch-Partenkirchen

Saarbrücken

Aachen

Kehl

Salzburg

Zwickau

Chemnitz

Limburg

Montabaur

Warne-münde

Cologne/Bonn airport

Ludwigslust

Riesa

Uelzen

BregenzZurichInnsbruck

Szczecin

Norddeich Mole

Treucht-lingen

The long distance traffic network Airport with rail connection

Important note:

This map shows only the

important stations.

Information on further railway-

stations and timetables is

available at all ticket counters and

on the internet: www.bahn.de.

Status: February 2010

Innsbruck

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Information for Visitors

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available from travel agencies andfrom the service centre on +49 (0) 1805 236 723.

TRAVELLING BY SHIPThere are international ferry con-nections to Germany from the UK,Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland,Poland, Russia, Latvia and Estonia.There are also scheduled services onall large rivers and lakes and alongthe German coast. Informationabout passenger services on theRhine, Main and Moselle rivers isavailable from: Köln-Düsseldorfer (KD) shippingcompany50667 Köln, GermanyTel.: +49 (0) 221 258 30 11, Fax:+49 (0) 221 420 78 12www.k-d.de, [email protected] about passenger servic-es on the River Elbe is availablefrom:Sächsische Dampfschiffahrt GmbHHertha-Lindner-Strasse 1001067 Dresden, GermanyFor information and bookings:Tel.: +49 (0) 351 866 090, Fax: +49(0) 351 866 0988www.saechsische-dampfschiffahrt.de

TRAVELLING BY CARMotorists in Germany enjoy an ul-tra-modern, efficient system of mo-torways. Over 700 service areas, fill-ing stations, motels and kiosks areopen day and night on the 12,800km of autobahn.The following speed limits must beobserved:Autobahn 130 km/h (recommend-ed), non built-up areas 100 km/hand built-up areas 50 km/h.The motoring organisations canprovide information for touriststravelling by car which you shouldacquire before the start of yourjourney. Use the emergency tele-phones on the motorway to call outthe road patrol service in the eventof a breakdown.

ADAC: Information service Tel.: +49 (0)1805 101 112

Breakdown service Tel.: +49 (0)1802 222 222www.adac.de

AvD: 60528 Frankfurt am Main,GermanyInformation service:Tel.: +49 (0)69 66 060In an emergency, Tel.: 0800 990 9909www.avd.de

ACE: 70374 Stuttgart, GermanyInformation service:Tel.: +49 (0)1802 336 677In an emergency, Tel.: +49 (0)1802 343 536www.ace-online.de

Also important to know: the law re-quires seatbelts to be worn in bothfront and rear seats. The blood alco-hol limit is currently 50mg per100ml blood (0.05 per cent).

ACCOMMODATIONAccommodation in Germany isavailable in every category, fromprivate rooms to holiday apart-ments to luxury hotels. Standardsare set and maintained even in thelower price categories, so you canbe assured of a guaranteed level ofcomfort wherever you stay. Hotelassociations,regional tourism associations andlocal tourist offices publish theirown accommodation lists. You canbook rooms directly via the reserva-tion systems of the various hotelchains and associations, throughairline companies and also throughthe tourist offices. Travel agenciesalso work closely with hotels.

YOUTH HOSTELSThere are more than 500 youthhostels in Germany, which are opento members of every youthhostelling association affiliated tothe International Youth HostelFederation. An international ID cardis available for a charge.Deutsches JugendherbergswerkTel. service: +49 (0)5231 99 36-0Fax: +49 (0)5231 99 36-66www.djh.de


TAX-FREE SHOPPINGLook out for stores displaying theTax Free sticker when you are shop-

ping. These stores will give you atax-free voucher when you make apurchase. Before checking in your

luggage on departure, have thevoucher stamped by German cus-toms to confirm that the goodshave been duly exported. EuropeTax Free Shopping has paymentpoints at all the major border cross-ings, airports, ferry ports and rail-way stations where you can redeemthe vouchers. Exemption from cus-tomsduty depends on the quantity ofgoods being carried in the trav-eller's personal luggage.

IN EMERGENCIESThe most important numbers tocontact in an emergency:110 for the police, 112 for fire andambulance service.For medical emergencies after 6pm, contact the local emergency doctor.

TIME ZONEIn Germany, clocks are set toCentral European Time (CET). Theyare put forward one hour betweenthe end of March and the end ofOctober (summer time).

TIPPINGTipping is optional in Germany (up to approx. 10% of the totalamount) and shows that you wereparticularly pleased with the service you received.

ELECTRICITYThe voltage is 230V.

INFORMATION

28

DZT German National Tourist Board - Deutsche Zentrale für Tourismus e.V. Tel.: (+49) (0)69 97464-0Fax: (+49) (0)69 751903www.germany-tourism.de

German Tourist Association -Deutscher Tourismusverband e.V.Schillstraße 9 10785 BerlinTel.: (+49) (0)30 856215-0Fax: (+49) (0)30 856215-119www.deutschertourismusverband.de

Baden-WürttembergTourismus-Marketing GmbHBaden-WürttembergEsslinger Straße 8 70182 StuttgartTel.: (+49) (0)711 238580Fax: (+49) (0)711 23858 99www.tourismus-bw.de

BavariaBayern Tourismus Marketing GmbH Arabellastraße 17 80925 MünchenTel.: (+49) (0)89 2123970Fax: (+49) (0)89 21239799www.bayern.by

BerlinBerlin Tourismus & Kongress GmbH,Am Karlsbad 11,10785 BerlinTel.: (+49) (0) 30 25002333Fax: (+49) (0) 30 25002424www.visit-berlin.de

BrandenburgTMB Tourismus-Marketing BrandenburgGmbHAm Neuen Markt 114467 PotsdamTel.: (+49) (0)331 298730Fax: (+49) (0)331 2987373www.reiseland-brandenburg.de

BremenBremer Touristik Zentrale Gesellschaft für Marketing und ServicembHFindorffstraße 10528215 BremenTel.: (+49) 0421 30 800 10Fax: (+49) 0421 30 800 30www.bremen-tourism.de

HamburgHamburg Tourismus GmbHSteinstraße 720095 HamburgTel.: (+49) (0) 40 300 51 701Fax: (+49) (0) 40 300 51 333www.hamburg-tourismus.de

HesseHA Hessen Agentur GmbHTourismus- und KongressmarketingAbraham-Lincoln-Straße 38-4265189 WiesbadenTel.: (+49) (0)611 95017-80Fax: (+49) (0)611 95017-8140www.hessen-tourismus.de

Lower SaxonyTourismus Marketing NiedersachsenGmbH (TMN)Essener Str. 1, 30173 HannoverTel.: (+49) (0)511 270 4880Fax: (+49) (0)511 270 48888www.reiseland-niedersachsen.de

Mecklenburg-Western PomeraniaTourismusverbandMecklenburg-Vorpommern e.V.Platz der Freundschaft 1 18059 RostockTel.: (+49) (0)381 4030500Fax: (+49) (0)381 4030555www.auf-nach-mv.de

North Rhine-WestphaliaTourismus NRW e.V.Völklinger Str. 4, 40219 DüsseldorfTel.: (+49) (0)211 91320-500Fax: (+49) (0)211 91320-555www.nrw-tourismus.de

Rhineland-PalatinateRheinland-Pfalz Tourismus GmbHLöhrstraße 103-105 , 56068 KoblenzTel.: (+49) (0)261 915200Fax: (+49) (0)261 9152040www.rlp-info.de

SaarlandTourismus Zentrale Saarland GmbHFranz-Josef-Röder-Straße 1766119 SaarbrückenTel.: (+49) (0)681 927200Fax: (+49) (0)681 9272040www.tourismus.saarland.de

SaxonyTourismus Marketing GesellschaftSachsen mbH (TMGS)Bautzner Straße 45-4701099 DresdenTel.: (49) (0)351 491700Fax: (49) (0)351 4969306www.sachsen-tour.de

Saxony-AnhaltInvestitions- und Marketinggesellschaft Sachsen-Anhalt mbHAm Alten Theater 639104 MagdeburgTel.: (+49) (0)391 56899-0Fax: (+49) (0)391 56899-50www.sachsen-anhalt-tourismus.de

Schleswig-HolsteinTourismus Agentur Schleswig-Holstein GmbHWall 55, 24103 KielTel.: (+49) (0) 431 60058-3Fax: (+49) (0) 431 60058-44www.sh-tourismus.de

ThuringiaThüringer Tourismus GmbH Willy-Brandt-Platz 199084 ErfurtTel.: (+49) (0)361 37420Fax: (+49) (0)361 3742299www.thueringen-tourismus.de

Useful Addresses – General Information about Vacation Regions in Germany

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...The Next Summer Will surely ComeFinally … summer! And as every year there will be released the SUMMER ISSUE of WELCOME TO GERMANY.As usual, the magazine will inform about various regions and events that you can enjoy in Germany. Places like the North and Baltic sea, the Black Forest or Bavaria, as well as information about activities likecycling or hiking, or selected wellness paradises from north to south. You plan a trip to one of the manysmall towns with big charm? No problem, in WELCOME TO GERMANY you can discover these fine cities! For all culture lovers you can find interesting exhibitions in museums and galleries, and for all families there will be listed fine places and exciting entertainment parcs for the most beautiful days in the summerseason … the family vacation.

All in all – we wish you a pleasant reading!

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Summer in the city – like here in Hamburg in the harbour atmosphere, you can enjoy relaxing hours in the cities

3.US 18.10.2018 11:59 Uhr Seite 1

Straubing

Burghausen

Neumarkt/OPf.

Villingen-Schwenningen.

Jüterbog

Eckernförde

Lahr

Bad Wimpfen

Landsberg/LechAmmersee

Starnberger See

Wertheim

Deutschlandkarte neu 21.05.2015 14:57 Uhr Seite 1

Miltenberg

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