Fall for this TEUTONIC treasure
Baroque castles, lakeside hikes, sausages galore (and enviable efficiency) . . .there’s never been a better time to explore Europe’s powerhouse
REGULAR visitors to Germany have long been familiar with Berlin’s monuments, the raucous nightlife of Hamburg, the annual ritual (in normal times) that is Munich’s Oktoberfest. It’s just that not too many of us are regulars. And that’s plainly absurd because Germany is not just a great place to visit. In my view it’s a beacon for a troubled world.
I have been coming and going for the best part of three years and I’ve become ever more of an enthusiast. It’s not just that the place works well (we’ve always known that) but it’s also welcoming and open-minded.
What I particularly admire is the Germans’ emphasis on art and science, the modesty and seriousness of the political debate and the way they never take their freedoms for granted.
That’s why I decided to write a book called Why The Germans Do It Better — and to my delight (and a certain surprise) its popularity suggests that many Britons seem to agree with me.
This autumn — with much of Europe outof-bounds for British visitors — city breaks, road trips or rural strolls in Germany provide an enjoyable and safe break. Not
least because the country has fared well ll during the pandemic with a far lower mortality y rate than its European counterparts.
Yes, you can still find stodgy food and d indifferent service, but most of the time you u will receive a warm welcome, find excellent nt restaurants and reliable accommodation — amid beguiling castles, forests, lakes and d hiking opportunities.
the destinations chosen here could be e combined in a single journey or visited d individually — or perhaps a few at a time on n a road trip. However you choose to go, a visit it to Germany at this time of year could be e perfect to keep autumn blues at bay.
ART, BEER AND WUNDERBAR FOOD: Munich
‘tRADItIONALLY different’ is the motto the Bavarians use to describe the Free State. Fiercely independent, this is Germany unvarnished and exuberant.
Bavarians love to party. Eating and drinking is what they do, dressing up in their customary outfits. Stop off at the Pfistermühle restaurant just off the Marienplatz for breakfast. Expect hipster beards, tattoos, lederhosen, tankards of beer and white sausage. Wunderbar food.
then it’s time for some fine art. Munich’s three Pinakothek museums contain some of the world’s most impressive collections, split between the 14th and 21st centuries, including works by Leonardo da Vinci, Albrecht Dürer and Raphael. Afterwards, amble through the huge English Garden, a cross between Hyde Park and New York’s Central Park, where intrepid surfers ride the Eisbach River.
WHERE TO STAY?
BUDGET: Doubles at the slick, modern Motel One Munich- Olympia Gate from £63 ( motel-one.com). LUXURY: B&B doubles at Hotel Platzl, a comfortable modern hotel near Marienplatz, from £118 ( platzl.de). GETTING THERE: Gatwick-to-Munich returns from £65 ( easyjet.com).
BAROQUE BRAVADO: Rothenburg ob der Tauber
RENt a car in Munich for a road trip north to Rothenburg ob der tauber. Stop off at Schloss Nymphenburg: a superb baroque palace and gardens that locals compare to Versailles.
Nothing, however, prepares you for the delights of the town of Rothenburg ob der tauber in the Franconia region of northern Bavaria. this is picture-postcard Germany, dating from the tenth century, with more than 40 towers, impressive churches, and half-timbered merchants’ homes.
One of the highlights i s the Night Watchman tour by a certain Hans Georg Baumgartner.
WHERE TO STAY?
BUDGET: Doubles from £90 at Mittermeiers Alter Ego, a smart little design hotel in the centre ( mittermeiersalterego.de). LUXURY: B& B doubles at the cosy Romantik Hotel Markustrum from £128 ( romantikhotels.com). GETTING THERE: Munich to Rothenburg is a two-hour 45-minute drive. Or fly to Stuttgart from Heathrow from £64 return ( eurowings.com) in one hour 45 minutes.
CITY OF THINKERS: Heidelberg
StUDENtS and professors pootle by on rickety bicycles along narrow cobbled streets passing churches, palaces and museums in Heidelberg, one of Germany’s most renowned seats of learning.
Walking, though, is the only way to see it, and the higher you go, the more you see. On one side of the city is the beautiful Renaissance castle, one of Germany’s most visited tourist sites. You can reach it by foot or by funicular railway.
the city is split down the middle by the Neckar River, where cruise boats vie for space with rowers and paddleboarders. the other side of the bank is even more enchanting. take an hour walk along the Philosophers Way footpath halfway up the hill.
Behind the walk is Heiligenberg, a steep hill studded with look-out towers, Celtic fortifications and monasteries. Hidden away in the forest is a 10,000- seater amphitheatre called the thingstätte, a folly built by the Nazis in 1935.
WHERE TO STAY?
BUDGET: Doubles at Gasthaus Backmulde from £105 ( gasthaus-backmulde.de). LUXURY: Doubles from £228 at Europaischer Hof hotel ( europaeischerhof.com). GETTING THERE: From Rothenburg to Heidelberg is a one-hour 45-minute drive. Or fly to Stuttgart from Heathrow from £64 return ( eurowings.com) and it’s a 90-minute drive north.
PARTY CENTRAL: Berlin
FIRSt-tIME visitors will walk through the Brandenburg Gate, trace the Wall or wander down the great boulevards of Unter den Linden and Friedrichstrasse. Or they
’It’s welcoming, open-minded and Germans never take their freedoms for granted’