I was recently on an extended trip to my home country, Germany, and I decided to start the new blog with a little praise of my roots. I never realised how beautiful it actually is.
Being away from home for some time now and with two weddings to attend I had to do quite some travelling to see all my loved ones. My route took me to the following destinations, each one worth a visit in my opinion:
Berlin – Hanover – Wendland – Leipzig – Mannheim – Bonn – Konstanz – Zürich (ok, not Germany, still beautiful). I will not focus on Berlin as there are tons of blogs and blog entries with better information about the city than I could possibly explain here.
Wendland
Starting with Wendland, one of my first destinations and place for my friend’s wedding. It made history due to the activists protesting against nuclear power, as Gorleben and its nuclear waste repository is not far. Thanks to the left-wing activists it is known for its relaxed and hippie-like atmosphere, with the locals being quite alternative and down to earth. There is not much going on in terms of party and nightlife, but if you want to enjoy a little of Germany’s nature and countryside with lots of forest and cute, historical farm houses you should hop on a bike or take your hiking boots out and discover the surrounding.
How to get there: With your own transport. Don’t rely on public transport and hitch hiking is not common in Germany, though you might be lucky. Best is to hire a car or go on an extended bike trip.
Where to stay: There are lots of small hotels around and a few youth hostels. I stayed in Lübeln with the wedding being at the “Deutsches Kartoffelhotel” (German potato hotel). It cannot get more German than this.
Hanover
My hometown does not have the best reputation, with its nickname being “Hangover” and a general conception of it being one of the ugliest cities in Germany. Known for its fairs and (recently) Eminem’s only concert in Germany, most people know little more than the way from the main train station to the fair grounds and maybe to the city center. Here are a few places to visit which might make you reconsider your opinion:
- Maschsee: It’s difficult to talk to someone from Hanover without hearing the word “Maschsee”. It’s Hanover’s big city lake and recreational area, all in walking distance to the city center and home to one of Hanover’s biggest open air fests, the “Maschseefest”. Each year for three weeks in August the lake becomes one big party area and meeting hub for almost all Hanoverians.
- Old city and Maschteich: If you decide to walk from the city center to the Maschsee, you will pass by the old city and the Maschteich where you see the new town hall. It is famous for its elevator that brings you to the top of the tower with a splendid view above the city. In the entrance hall, you can see how Hanover looked like in the past. On Sundays, there is a flea market around the riverside (Leineufer) of the old city.
- Herrenhausen Gardens: The old royal gardens and home to the yearly firework contests as well as the “Kleines Fest im großen Garten” where a lot of artists and cabaretists display their work. Close to the Great Garden is a smaller one called “Berggarten” which is worth a visit if you are in the area.
- Eilenriede: Hanover’s large city forest and recreational area. You can easily wander around there for a day without getting bored.
- Linden: Hanover’s quarter for the young and alternatives. It has a lot of cultural things to do and to offer and is generally well worth a stroll around on a sunny afternoon.
- List: Another one of Hanover’s beautiful quarters. Just stroll around the small streets with beautiful houses and enjoy the atmosphere or go people watching from one of the cafés.
- Beer Gardens: Of course, as every city in Germany, there are plenty of beer gardens to choose from. I will just list three:
- Beer garden at the north shore of the Maschsee. You will have a beautiful view of the lake while enjoying a cold beer.
- Waterloo beer garden: Probably Hanover’s most famous beer garden, maybe also due to the fact that it’s close to the city stadium. You will see a lot of soccer fans if you are there when Hannover 96 is playing that day.
- Lister Turm: Probably my favourite one. Located right at the Eilenriede in a quieter area of the List, it has a family like, relaxed atmosphere.
Leipzig
Another hidden gem in Germany, although it’s becoming more popular these days. To me it’s like a small and clean Berlin. Most of the locals are relaxed and the city in general is quite young and alternative. You have tons of green recreational areas and a few lakes right next door. Definitely worth to check out when you are in Germany.
Mannheim
According to my friend who lives in Mannheim for a while now, you will cry twice if you decide to visit or move there: The first time when you arrive, the second time when you leave. It’s definitely not a place you go crazy about at first glance. But if you give it a chance, you will notice how charming this little city is, whether you go for a walk at the river Rhine, or for a drink to the “Feuerwache”.
Bonn
If you decide to take the train from Mannheim to Bonn, make sure you get a seat on the right side of the train. That way, you can enjoy the view of the Rhine valley all the way to Bonn. Before reuniting Germany in 1991, it was Germany’s capital. You will not notice any of that though these days. It is still a beautiful little town with lots of beer gardens and recreational areas around the city.
Konstanz and Zürich
I only spent one day in Konstanz and two in Zürich, but I was quite surprised by their beauty and relaxed atmosphere. Probably the nicest thing I noticed was that rivers and lakes were full of people swimming around. Some people go for a quick swim even during lunch break. Technically, Zürich is not really Germany, but it’s just 26 Euros and a two-hour train ride from Konstanz so why not go for a little visit. Brace yourself though, it’s not going to be cheap.
How to travel in Germany
Using the Train in Germany
Trains in Germany can be expensive, but if you order your ticket online and in advance you can get good discounts on the normal price, with tickets usually starting at 30 Euros for a ride: Once you entered your search terms you will be directed to the “offer selection”. Now you have several options:
- Super Sparpreis: You are bound to the specific train you selected and you cannot use the public transport system of the cities of your choice. You cannot refund your ticket once bought.
- Sparpreis: You are bound to the specific train you selected, but you can use the public transport of the cities of your choice. You cannot refund your ticket once bought.
- Flexpreis: You can choose any train you want on the day of travel. If you bought an “ICE” ticket (fastest train in Germany) you can also choose the type of train. If you bought an “IC” ticket you can choose any train except “ICEs”. Public transport systems are included and you can refund your ticket up to one day in advance. On the day of travel it will cost you 19 Euros if you want to cancel your trip.
The “Deutsche Bahn” also offers to buy a “Bahncard trial”, a card which will give you an additional discount to all tickets for three months. If you follow the link, click on “order trial bahn card” and make sure you choose the “Probebahncard” subscription.
- Probebahncard 25: You get 25% on all prices
- Probebahncard 50: You get 50% on the Flexpreis and 25% on the (Super)Sparpreis
Remember to cancel your subscriptions early enough, which is easily done by sending them a message through their contact form. In the subject line, choose “Kündigung Ihrer BahnCard 50” if you chose the 50% one and “Kündigung Ihrer BahnCard 25” if you chose the 25% one.
Using Flixtrain in Germany
Flixtrains are usually cheapter than using the Deutsche Bahn, but they do not cover all of Germany and do not run as frequent. They are an awesome option to travel fast and cheap though. The Flixtrain website gives you all the info you need.
Using the Bus in Germany
Flixbus covers almost all destinations in Germany and it is steadily expanding in Europe. I paid less than 30 Euros for a ride from Zürich to Hanover. It was a long ride though.
