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Mini-Guide To Germany

Bordered by two seas and various other European countries including France, Poland, Denmark and Belgium to name just some, Germany is in West-Central Europe and is the largest economy in Europe. The capital city, Berlin, boasts a wide variety of architecture, from neoclassical dating back to the Napoleonic occupation, to modern, state-of-the-art buildings which provide a glittering skyline. If the urban is not to your tastes, Germany also has a wide ranging countryside, ideal for quiet get-aways.

Or view the list of airports in Germany.

Germany is a popular tourist destination, with beautiful rural areas and cities and towns which display the varied history of the country, dating from the Roman occupation right up to the present day. Along with this, the beautiful Black Forest, the Rhine River along which you can cruise and various mountains which offer both hiking and winter sports, make Germany ideal for people of all interests. Plus, if you time it right, you can find yourself enjoying the various wine festivals, art exhibitions or even the famous Oktoberfest celebrations. Eating out in Germany, you will find it easy to shop around as restaurants are legally required to post a copy of the menu outside the restaurant. Each item you order is paid for separately on the bill, and you are required to tell the waiter or waitress how much you wish to pay after your meal, rather than leaving the money on the table. As a nation of car lovers, Germany has an excellent road network, although parking is usually expensive and scarce. The public transport, however, is extremely high quality, with a highly recommended rail network. All the major cities also have a combination of tube, tram and bus services to give reliable transportation, as well as night busses to offer cheap alternatives to taxis. The national currency is the Euro, and German is spoken all through the country although most Germans learn English at school. Most supermarkets are open from 8-9am until 8pm, shopping centres from 10am to 8pm, depending on the size of the city, restaurants from 11:30am to Midnight. Petrol stations in cities and along the Autobahn are generally 24hr.