Situated in the southeast of the region of Germany, Bavaria is one of the largest states within the country of Germany. Bavaria is the economic capital of Germany, with many of the major businesses such as BMW, Audi and Adidas holding their headquarters there.

Neuschwanstein, Bavaria © Julia Hoefer-von Seelen

Bavaria is a very traditional state but is very independent in its religion. They wear a traditional national costume known as the Tracht on special occasions and there is a tradition of folk music often related to the Celtic masses. Food and drink is very important in the Bavarian culture and they have many festivals to celebrate, such as the beer festival. Here beer is served by the litre and it only has three ingredient in it, namely water, hops and barley. They also hold wine festivals where their locally produced wine is celebrated.

There are beautiful forests in Bavaria, showing a natural paradise and haven for wild flowers and creatures. One particular forest is in the deep valley of Wolfsteiner Ohe, this amazing forest is great to bring children and nature close together and to encourage their love of all things different and natural. The Bavarian castles are worth visiting and are very informative when taken as part of a tour. Bavaria is a mixture of old and new with the cosmopolitan business centres and the old towns with historic statues and traditional culture.

There are many fabulous hotels available in Bavaria and all at a price that is affordable to everyone, If you are travelling throughout Germany then following the famous River Rhine will give you many fabulous places to visit and many historic places to see.

River Rhine © roger4336/flickr.com

The river Rhine is situated in the Swiss Alps and flows to the north sea. It is one of the most important and longest rivers in Europe. It was vital in the past for carrying trade and food along the river allowing local people to trade and diversify. It was also used as a major defence for the neighbouring towns and the number of fortifications and castles situated along the river proves just how important it was and that control was vital. The Rhine flows from the Switzerland, through to Liechtenstein, Austria and Germany, it also flows through France and finally the Netherlands.

A cruise along the River Rhine is an awesome experience, there are tours that last from eight days to eight hours, catering for everyone`s. Most of the stops on the tour are at Germany ports so there is plenty to see and experience. Taking in the wonderful sights of the River and the historic buildings is something that you will remember for a very long time. Accommodation along the Rhine river is comfortable and affordable, but if you wish to be a little bit more extravagant then there are some luxury hotels near by.

Whether you are travelling around Germany and sampling the wonders of the Rhine river and Bavaria or staying in one of the many secret rooms London has to offer there is something for every ones budget and personality to enjoy.

Especially for those who are seeking peace and quiet and love the nature the East Frisian Islands are a great travel destination, as in winter there are far less tourists than in summer.

And on the isle of Borkum you can do guided mud flat walking-tours in winter as well as in summer. You can also fly to the isle of Juist one of the car free islands.

Juist©flickr/gerriet

Here you can have an island tour by horse carriage. In winter it is much easier than in summer to get to know the local people and maybe you can even try the local like “Bosseln”, some sort of ball game combined with a walk across the island. And can you imagine anything better than having a nice cup of East Frisian Tea after a long walk on beautifully empty beaches. They for sure have their own special beauty in summer as well as in winter. The East Frisian Islands are located in the North Sea on the German coast.

Borkum©flickr/froutes

Under the official name of “Ruhr.2010” for the first time a whole region has become European Capital of Culture.

It is a region in the west of Germany close to the border to the Netherlands. Here you find 53 towns and cities in a region in past times famous for its coal mines and steelworks. This part of Germany, home to more than 5 Million people from many different countries, is now being transferred into an area with lots of recreational and cultural attractions. And of course this year there will be even more events of all sorts. It is a region of Germany worth paying a visit, a region formed by hard work and football, formed by people of different religions and cultures and last but not least formed by the times of the “black gold” from the Industrial Revolution to the 1960s. You do not only find brand stores in the bigger cities but also Germany’s biggest supermarket with the size of a football/soccer field. In Duisburg Zoo you can even find a part of Australia, the only Koalas in Germany. Starlight Express is a musical understood by everybody and has been played in Bochum for almost 22 years.

Why another page about Germany?

Because there are so many meaningless pages about this really complex country.
We will have up-to-date information about the beauty of the landscape like the Black Forest, about culture and events like Ruhr.2010, and about regional German eating & drinking specialties like a wine tasting tour on the rivers Rhine and Mosel.