Served by efficient modern airports, steeped in history and culture and set in beautiful natural landscapes, Germany’s exciting cities make for perfect escapes at any time of year. Each has a unique personality, reflected in their town centres and food, and, unlike other parts of Europe, they remain relatively uncrowded.
Click through this gallery to discover amazing weekends away in Europe's most underrated city break destination...
Once part of the mighty Hanseatic League – an alliance of medieval merchant cities that dominated the Baltic and North Sea – Germany’s second largest city has always been the country’s gateway to the world. This bustling port is connected to the sea via the Elbe River, and life here revolves around the harbour. Art, commerce and culture flourish on the waterfront, with the stunningly modern Elbphilharmonie Hamburg (a concert venue, pictured) set against cranes unloading shipping containers and lively bars interspersed with sophisticated restaurants. All this hustle and bustle lends the city an irresistible energy, best experienced in February with its colourfully chaotic carnival.
One of Hamburg’s famous harbour tours is the best way to experience the scale of the city's shipping industry and see its boldest new architecture. Or take a stroll through the Old Town to step back several centuries, with restaurants and bars set in atmospheric Gothic buildings. The Speicherstadt district is the world’s largest warehouse district and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, while the lively Reeperbahn neighbourhood is where The Beatles honed their craft, performing gigs in the pubs of St Pauli. The area remains a great destination for theatre and live music.
Locals love Hanover in Lower Saxony, and if you scratch beneath the surface it’s easy to see why. The chocolate-box Old Town is compact and beautiful, and bursting with gorgeous cafes, restaurants and boutique shops. There are more than 50 theatres, museums and galleries here, featuring world-class performances and international exhibitions. The city is also surrounded by vast green spaces including Steinhuder Meer Lake, the wooded hills of Deister and the rolling meadows of Calenberger Land.
You’ll want to start your visit in Kropcke, a square with a big green clock in the heart of the city, named after a cafe built here in 1869 but destroyed in the Second World War. Take a wander through the narrow lanes and half-timbered houses that radiate off the square before ambling along Georgstrasse for shopping and a restorative coffee. Elsewhere in the city you can dip your toes in Maschsee Lake, admire both the new and old town halls and lose yourself in the wonderfully baroque Royal Gardens of Herrenhausen (pictured).
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Things happen in Berlin. The German capital is more than 775 years old and each epoch it has witnessed has left its mark – in architecture, in culture, in history itself. Famously divided into east and west after the Second World War, today it stands reunited and is a driving force in German politics, art, music and food. Indeed, there is so much to see and do in Berlin that one city break surely won’t be enough.
The densest collection of sights lies east of the Brandenburg Gate, Berlin’s most famous landmark. Here you’ll find the Reichstag, Germany's glass-domed parliament building; Museum Island, which houses five museums, most famously the Pergamon; and the beautiful Gendarmenmarkt square. Checkpoint Charlie, the Stasi Museum and the East Side Gallery, a section of the former Berlin Wall covered in street art (pictured), are reminders of the city's divided past. Head to Kreuzberg for bars, nightclubs and eateries, and don’t forget to take time to relax in one of the city’s sprawling parks – vast expanses of green where the city seems a million miles away.
Munich considers itself Germany’s lifestyle capital – and not just because locals and visitors guzzle around seven million litres of beer during the annual Oktoberfest (pictured). Marienplatz is thought by many to be the most beautiful town square in Germany, while the daily food market Viktualienmarkt is a feast for all the senses. The designer shops of Ludwigstrasse and Maximilianstrasse cater to those that appreciate life's finer things, and the vast English Garden public park is a verdant slice of paradise.
As a visitor you’ll want to experience all that and more (Oktoberfest is held for two weeks starting near the end of September, just so you know). Munich's trendy Glockenbachviertel district offers a relaxed shopping experience, the Deutsches Museum is the world's largest science and technology museum, and the BMW Museum has the city's automotive heritage covered. And while you’re at the English Garden, you can try your hand at the unusual sport of river surfing (pictured).
Stuttgart is the capital of southwest Germany’s Baden-Wurttemberg state, and a city renowned for culture and cars. Both Porsche and Mercedes-Benz have museums here, while the atmospheric Stuttgart-Mitte, the historic heart of the city, boasts an old castle that dates back to 950 AD as well as the Stuttgart Art Museum, which is housed in a glass cube. There’s a strong wine culture here too: Stuttgart sits nestled in the Neckar Valley surrounded by vineyards, some of which come right up to the city.
The best place to start exploring Stuttgart is the imposing Schlossplatz square. All the sights of the historic centre are within easy reach from here, including Stuttgart’s Art-Nouveau Market Hall, a cornucopia of fresh produce and a great place to sample the city’s famous sausages. A little further out, the city's famous wine tour starts at the Mercedes-Benz Museum and ends at the romantic Royal Burial Chapel on Wurttemberg Hill (pictured), with ample sampling stops and a trip to the Stuttgart Museum of Viniculture along the way.
Whatever way you arrive in Cologne, you can’t miss its famous cathedral. This hulking Gothic pile, with its towering twin spires, dominates the city and was the tallest building in the world when it was finally completed in 1880. It’s perhaps surprising, then, that Cologne is known in Germany for its positive attitude and party spirit, particularly during the famous Cologne Carnival, which really kicks into gear every year during the week preceding Ash Wednesday. This lively city on the Rhine also boasts a thriving music and art scene, making it a fun place to visit during any month of the year.
Once you’ve ticked off the cathedral, muse at the art pieces in the impressive Wallraf-Richartz and Ludwig Museums, before sipping a Kolsch, the city’s signature beer, in a rustic bar in the rebuilt Old Town. Drop by the Farina Fragrance Museum, home of the world-famous Eau de Cologne, and finish at Lindt’s fabulously indulgent Schokoladen Museum (pictured), a deep dive into the world of chocolate. Finally, burn off those extra calories dancing and singing in pubs and bars around the Alter Markt and Heumarkt squares, or head out to the lively Kwartier Latang student district to really let your hair down.
Located at the confluence of the Danube and two other major rivers, the beautiful Bavarian city of Regensburg has been an important trading centre since the 9th century. Indeed, the city’s Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is considered one of Europe's best-preserved city centres from the Middle Ages. Regensburg has 1,500 listed buildings altogether – 984 of them in the Old Town alone. The city is also famous for its sweet Handlmaier mustard and equally sought-after sausages, and claims to have the highest concentration of bars in Germany.
Regensburg’s medieval centre sits on an island in the Danube River, reached by crossing a 12th-century stone bridge – the oldest surviving bridge of its kind in Germany. Here you’ll find many of the city’s medieval gems, which include St Peter's Cathedral, Krauterermarkt square, the Collegiate Church of St John, the Cathedral Treasury Museum and the historic Adler Pharmacy. It’s where you’ll find the city’s liveliest bars and restaurants too. Wandering through the small squares and narrow streets here really is like stepping back in time – and it's a good time at that.
One of the most important cities in what was once East Germany, Leipzig has an experimental edge. Legendary German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe called it 'a little Paris, one that cultivates its people', and for a time it was the centre of the musical world. Bach, Mendelssohn, the Schumanns, Mahler and Wagner all were born or created masterpieces here. Enormous demonstrations in Leipzig also played a vital role in the Peaceful Revolution of 1989, which reunited East and West Germany, and it continues to be a creative hub.
Leipzig is a city of water, and the tourist waterway network (pictured) is a great way to explore by canoe. Augustusplatz is the hub of the city, and it is here you’ll find its most important buildings, including the opera house and the towering City-Hochhaus skyscraper. Plagwitz, in the formerly industrial western part of the city, is now a creative hotspot, with many of the former warehouses and factories turned into exhibition spaces, boutiques, cafes and artist communes.
The historic city of Lubeck was founded in 1143 and became known as the Queen of the Hanseatic League. Ringed by rivers, the Old Town is a time capsule of 1,000 years of history, jam-packed with Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Classical buildings, narrow lanes and streets, churches, monasteries, merchant houses and fortifications. The city’s famous twin-towered gate (pictured) so entranced Andy Warhol that he made a print of it, now proudly on display in the St Annen Art Gallery.
Lubeck is particularly known for its Gothic brick architecture, showcased beautifully by the European Hansemuseum, a brilliant introduction to the story of the Hanseatic League opened in 2015. A visit here contextualises the architectural gems you’ll encounter in the city's atmospheric medieval streets, such as the breathtaking Rathaus (Town Hall), the castle monastery, Koberg square and the Salzspeicher salt storehouses on the banks of the Trave River. Look out for marvellously crafted marzipan arrangements in shop windows, another speciality of the city.
Dresden was all but wiped off the map by Allied bombings in 1945, but look across from the Elbe’s northern bank today and the city skyline is a dreamy silhouette of spires, towers and domes belonging to magnificent palaces, churches and buildings of state. The city was rebuilt over the course of many years using old photos and original stones found in the rubble. The wealth of art and culture found here now has seen the city dubbed 'Florence on the Elbe'.
Dresden is famed for its three major landmarks – the Baroque Zwinger Palace, the grand Semperoper opera house and the reconstructed Church of Our Lady – but there is plenty more for visitors to uncover. Bruhl's Terrace, for example – a high terrace with river views nicknamed 'the balcony of Europe' – and the three magnificent castles adorning a hillside above the city. Alternatively, peruse the 15 (yes, 15) museums of the Dresden State Art Collections. The city also boasts Germany's oldest Christmas market, first documented in 1434, and is the birthplace of German yuletide favourites like the Christmas stollen and Dominostein, a sweet made of gingerbread, jelly and dark chocolate.
Founded by the Romans in the late 1st century BC, the pretty town of Trier is thought to be the oldest city in Germany. Tucked up against the Luxembourg border in southwest Germany, it's packed with well-preserved Roman structures like the Porta Nigra gate (pictured), a set of ruined Roman baths, an amphitheatre and a stone bridge over the Moselle River. The city has a medieval heart too, with Germany’s oldest church, St Peter's Cathedral, at its very centre. And if that’s not enough, legendary philosopher and theorist Karl Marx was born here in 1818.
Trier's Roman past and medieval centre make for excellent exploring, but make sure to soak up the city’s extraordinary natural setting as well. Three major hiking trails pass through or nearby – the Saar-Hunsruck-Steig, the Eifelsteig and the Moselsteig – spanning forest glens, babbling streams and panoramic valley views. If culture is your thing, the Old Town Festival in June is a raucous celebration of live music and food.
A little way from the Dutch border, Dusseldorf is a dazzling mix of high fashion and contemporary art, arresting modern architecture and quaint cobbled enclaves. It’s the fashion capital of Germany, with more than 800 designer showrooms, and the party capital too. There are 260 pubs, restaurants and bars located in less than a quarter of a square mile in the Old Town, earning the area the moniker 'the longest bar in the world'. It's also a trendsetting city that was the birthplace of musical genre Krautrock, and the band Kraftwerk came together here in the late 1960s.
When visiting Dusseldorf, make sure you venture beyond the Old Town. Take time to stroll along the riverside Rheinuferpromenade, especially in the summer, or browse the designer stores and exclusive boutiques of Konigsallee (‘the King’s alley’). Next, marvel at the work of modernist masters like Picasso, Matisse and Jackson Pollock at the North Rhine-Westphalia Art Collection. The Rhine Tower offers breathtaking views across the city and beyond, while the vibrant Little Tokyo district serves up some of Europe's best Japanese food.
Another of the great Hanseatic cities between the 13th and 15th centuries, today life in Bremen is much more relaxed. City life centres around the Schlachte harbour (pictured), which stretches along the beautiful Weser River. Once one of the busiest ports in the Hanseatic League, these days excursion boats gently bob past the stately harbour buildings that once bustled with trade. They now house restaurants and bars.
There’s more to Bremen than the harbour, of course, and because the city is delightfully compact it's easily explored by bike or on foot. The historic Marktplatz square and its surrounding streets are a reminder of the incredible wealth that trade brought to the city. The quirky Bremen Town Musicians statue (pictured) always brings a smile, as does Universum, a science museum shaped like a whale. The atmospheric cobbled streets of Schnoor are delightful too, but at the end of the day all paths lead back to the Schlachte for a meal and a drink as the sun sets.
Ever since Emperor Konrad III built a mighty fortress here in 1140 (pictured), the history of Nuremberg has mirrored the history of Germany. It was once the seat of the Holy Roman Empire, and several German kings have called it home. During the dark days of Nazism, huge rallies were held at a gigantic stadium out on Bayernstrasse. And after the Second World War it was here that the most evil perpetrators were put on trial. Like most of Germany, it has since recovered and boomed, and offers visitors an exciting mix of history, culture and food.
To soak up Nuremberg’s medieval past, take a stroll along the city’s historical mile that starts at the castle and passes ornately decorated churches, elaborate fountains and the Tucherschloss Museum, set in a 16th-century mansion. A visit to the Documentation Centre (pictured) – a museum set in the monumental unfinished Nazi rally grounds – is sobering and educational. In December Nuremberg’s famous Christmas Market lights up the city, while foodies should find a street vendor to try local speciality 'drei im weggla' – three tasty Nuremberg sausages crammed into a crusty bun.
Frankfurt is arguably Germany’s most modern city. Bristling with glass towers, it's one of Europe’s most important financial centres, but it's also the home of Goethe and a city of art and culture. There’s a postcard-perfect 'new' Old Town, lovingly reconstructed after the war, with a range of bustling bars, restaurants and cafes to choose from. And that's not to mention the traditional inns serving local Apfelwein cider.
Culture vultures will be spoiled at Frankfurt’s extraordinary Museum Embankment. Here, stretching along the banks of the mighty River Main, you’ll find no fewer than 39 world-class museums. There's the Senckenberg, the city’s natural history museum; the Stadel, stuffed with masterpieces by Botticelli, Rembrandt, Monet and more; two poignant Jewish museums; a children's museum; and the Museum of Modern Art (pictured). To recover, the bars and cafes of the reconstructed Old Town await, as does the tranquillity of the Palmengarten Botanical Gardens.