Gems of Germany

After a fifty-year lull, Berlin is back – back as the capital of a reunified Germany and back as one of Europe’s greatest cities. After World War II, Berlin was a crippled pawn, sandwiched between East and West, with a literal and metaphoric wall deeply dividing the two halves. The northeastern German city even suffered the ignominy of losing its capital status, as the West German government fled to Bonn. Today, the Cold War and the iconic events of November 1989, which saw the Berlin Wall torn to pieces by those whom it had oppressed for so long, are starting to seem like a distant memory and all the talk in Berlin is of the future.

In the biggest construction project in Europe since World War II, a new Berlin has emerged from the forest of cranes dotting the no-man’s land that was the divided city’s dead heart. Potsdamer Platz is the most voluminous project but the most symbolic recent construction is at the Reichstag. British architect Lord Foster has rejuvenated the German parliament with an impressive glass dome that symbolises the new transparency in German politics – that of a nation with nothing to hide, which is attempting to distance itself from the ghosts of its past.

Coupled with this wave of new construction is a city laden with historical charm – from the old streets of East Berlin, which are slowly being restored after remaining unchanged for 50 years, through to the grand architecture of Museumsinsel and Unter den Linden, and the green lung of the Tiergarten Park. Tourism is on the rise, as visitors come to savour the intoxicating mix of old and new. Big business, too, is booming, as government bodies flock back from Bonn and relocate in the capital, along with investment from many other parts of the country and from all over Europe. Key industries such as electronics, manufacturing and information technology reflect the hopes for a brighter future for Berlin.

Contrary to the usual clichés about Germany, Berlin is a city with a laid-back attitude and some of the liveliest nightlife in Europe. In Berlin today, there is everything from authentic beer halls and old Soviet era haunts right through to buzzing style bars and Latino nightclubs. Berlin’s climate is equally eclectic, with hot summer days giving way to occasionally freezing temperatures during the long grey winter. Today’s quintessential Berlin experience is to laze through a summer day in the Tiergarten with the rabble of construction just out of earshot, sipping on a chilled Pilsner beer, while witnessing a city reinventing itself as one of Europe’s finest capitals.

Düsseldorf - Cosmopolitan charm and Rhenish lust for life are the distinguishing characteristics of Düsseldorf. The city is world famous for the flair of the elegant Königsallee (the “Kö”) shopping and strolling boulevard, its vibrant Old Town with 260 pubs, clubs and restaurants, and its many-faceted arts and culture scene with spectacular events and worldclass exhibitions. Europe’s biggest river plays a key role in the life of Düsseldorf’s people, more so perhaps than in any other city. The Rhine Promenade is unchallenged as the most beautiful around and the perfect place for a strolling, relaxing and seeing and being seen.

Cologne (Köln) is one of Germany’s most original cities, with its own dialect, its own style of beerbrewing and an inimitably witty and fun-loving character that is particularly boisterous during the city’s famous Carnival. Cologne is world-famous for its twin-spired cathedral, its romantic Rhine panorama and the Eau de Cologne to which it gave its name. Today the city’s character is a rich combination of modern lifestyle with 2,000 years of historical and cultural heritage, from Roman and medieval to the present day. And there is never a shortage of things to do and see, including countless events, live music, theatre, busy shopping streets and modern glass shopping centres and malls.

Dresden - Centre of the German Baroque par excellence, Dresden’s highlights include the magnificent palatial buildings around the Theaterplatz and the Brühl Terraces, and the many art treasures in the state museums. Today, Dresden offers a unique blend of stunning architecture, world-famous art collections and living traditions in both music and the fine arts – plus the great natural beauty of the countryside along the Elbe river, dotted with wonderful castles and villas.

Dresden is a city for gourmets – the art of dining has a long and proud tradition here, dating all the way back to the days of August the Strong. You will be surprised by the great variety and creativity of Dresden’s cooks and chefs! While here you should also try some of Dresden’s tasty traditional specialities, including Christstollen Christmas cake and the fine Meissner wine.

Hamburg - The "Free and Hanseatic City” of Hamburg is Germany’s second-largest metropolis with one of Europe’s biggest ports. Elegant and cosmopolitan, Hamburg is now a city of palatial office buildings, magnificent promenades, international musicals, extravagant shopping malls – and the famous Reeperbahn and St. Pauli. The magical aura of faraway places is still alive in the old warehouse quarter and the little canals. Hamburg is also Germany’s greenest city, with many spacious lawns and lovely parks.

Downtown Hamburg is a paradise for shoppers. Traditional old counting houses, glass-roofed malls and exclusive little shops and boutiques make every shopping spree a really special experience. In the mall quarter between the Colonnaden and Neuer Wall you can visit one exclusive shopping mall after another. The shops in the elegant shopping streets like the Mönckebergstraße also leave no wish unsatisfied.