Germany

Although Germany is the country where I grew up I haven't traveled inside the country that much. I hope that I can travel more inside Germany in the future.

Some places I have been to:

Berlin is a very historic city. You can spend 1 or 2 days in Berlin. Places to visit in Berlin:

• Alexanderplatz and Fernsehturm: The Fernsehturm is a big tower from which you can see the entire city)
• the remains of the Berlin Wall: I think it’s a very impressive place because you can really feel how the city must have looked like before the Wall fell in 1989
• Checkpoint Charlie: this was a crossing point between East and West Berlin during the separation of Germany. Nowadays people like to “cross” it as a symbol of unity and freedom
• the Bundestag (German Parliament): if you want you can visit the dome (made of glass) of the parliament. It’s completely free but you have to register online before going.
• the Holocaust Memorial: this Memorial was built in remembrance of the Holocaust victims. It’s a Memorial with emotional value, so it’s not well-regarded to take any “funny” pictures
• the Brandenburger Tor, which is a very good spot to take some pictures (but usually very crowded)

In Berlin, there are also a lot of museums on German history and amazing Techno parties.

My city Leipzig is famous for its book fair in March, but also for its history. It’s located 2 hours from Berlin by bus or train. If you are in Leipzig you can visit:

• Auerbachs Keller: This place was the inspiration for one scene in Goethe’s “Faust” (Goethe studied law in Leipzig)
• The Thomaskirche, a church where Johann Sebastian Bach used to play
• the Nikolaikirche, the church where the “Friedliche Revolution” (peaceful revolution) in 1989 began. This was the place where thousands of people started protesting against the government each Monday and at the end of the year the Wall of Berlin fell
• the big tower (MDR) in the city center from which you can see the entire city. To get up you have to pay 2€
• the Völkerschlachtdenkmal: a monument in commemoration of the Battle of Nations of 1813 where Napoleon was defeated.

All the sights except for the Völkerschlachtdenkmal are in the city center and you can easily visit them in one day.

If you go to Leipzig in summer, you can go to one of our lakes, like the Cospudener See or the Markkleeberger See. You have little beaches there, restaurants, etc.

Dresden is another historical city only 2 hours from Leipzig. Dresden was one of the most destroyed cities during the Second World War – it had to be rebuilt almost entirely. In Dresden, you can spend one day walking around in the city center and visiting the famous sights: Zwinger, Frauenkirche, etc.

Elbsandsteingebirge (also called Sächsische Schweiz = Saxon Switzerland) offers stunning nature, unusual rock formations, and great hiking possibilities. It’s only 1 hour away from Dresden. One of the most recommendable sights is the Bastei. You can drive there or do a very easy and beautiful hiking trail (which takes about 2-3 hours): You start the tour in Rathen, where you take the ferry to cross the river Elbe and then hike to the Amselfall (little waterfall). From there the trail continues to the Schwedenlöcher (800 stairs) which leads you to the Bastei. 

The Erzgebirge is also very near to Leipzig and Dresden. This place is especially beautiful during Christmas time due to the festive decorations and the traditional Christmas markets. But there are also some amazing forests to enjoy the entire year. One of our family’s traditions is to spend a weekend here once a year before Christmas. Some recommendable cities: are Schneeberg, Annaberg Buchholz, Johanngeorgenstadt, and Eibenstock.

Schloss Neuschwanstein was the inspiration for the world-famous Disney Castle, that’s why many tourists come here every year. It’s located in the South of Germany. You can get there by bus (Flixbus) from Munich which takes about 3 hours. The bus leaves you in a small village where you can buy the entrance to the castle, get some food and look for some souvenirs. To get to the castle you can walk or book a horse carriage. We walked and really enjoyed nature. Inside the castle, there are tours in different languages.

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