As Germany moves forward into the 21st century, leaving behind a history of division and tyranny, it is a nation embracing its newfound liberalism and redefining a modern cultural identity. Yet even today, visitors to the country can't escape feeling profoundly moved by this country's past and the effects it still has on its people.

Situated in the heart of Europe and bordering nine other countries, Germany provides an ideal gateway to any tour of the subcontinent. Its land is wide and varied with turreted castles nestled below snow-capped mountains, lush river valleys, dark and mysterious forests and bustling medieval villages. This is the land of fairy tales, where farmland minstrels headed to Bremen to become musicians, where Sleeping Beauty was woken and Little Red Riding Hood ventured into the woods.

Germany's cities each have something unique to offer the visitor. Each year millions of litres of beer are consumed in Munich during the city's Oktoberfest, where locals and visitors discover true German revelry and 'gemutlichkeit' (a word the locals use to describe a comfortable, sociable environment). Berlin, while still recovering from some of the scars of division, contains many sights from the iconic Brandenburg Gate, to the path of the old Berlin Wall. The city's vibrant nightlife is still evocative of its height in the 1920s and 30s, as characterised by the songs of Marlene Dietrich, the theatre of Brecht and the Film .

Discover the country that gave us Beethoven and Bauhaus, Goethe and Glühwein, Lager and Lederhosen - you won't be disappointed.

Well of Justice (Gerechtigkeitsbrunnen)

Address: Römerberg, Frankfurt Frankfurt

Eschenheimer Turm

Address: Eschenheimer Tor 1 Frankfurt

Telephone: (069) 292 244

Brandenburg Gate

Address: Berlin

Checkpoint Charlie

Address: Friedrichstraße 43-45 Berlin

Admission: EUR12.50 (adults), EUR5.50 (under 10s) Daily 9am-10pm; documentary films are screened throughout the day, with showings of the historically significant feature films 'Mit dem Wind nach Westen' daily every two hours and 'Mein Kampf' daily at 7:30pm

Telephone: (030) 253 725-0

Berlin Wall Eastside Gallery

Address: Mühlenstraße Berlin

Admission: Free

Berlin Jewish Museum

Address: Lindenstraße 9-14 Berlin

Admission: EUR5 (adults), children under six free; concessions available Monday 10am-10pm, Tuesday to Sunday 10am-8pm.

Telephone: (0)30 2599 3300

Hamburger Bahnhof

Address: Invalidenstraße 50- 51 Berlin

Admission: EUR12; children under 16 free. Concessions available. Tuesday to Friday 10am-6pm; Saturday 11am-8pm; Sunday 11am-6pm. Guided tours are conducted on Sundays at 4pm.

Telephone: (0)30 397834-11

Potsdamer Platz

Address: Berlin

Admission: Panorama platform: EUR6.50; concessions available The panorama platform is usually open daily, 10am to 8pm.

Marienplatz

Address: Munich

Olympia Park

Address: Spiridon-Louis-Ring 21 Munich

Admission: Tower: EUR4.50 (adults), EUR2.80 (children 6-16); other concessions available Open daily 9am-midnight.

Telephone: (0)89 30 67-0

Nymphenburg Palace

Address: Eingang 19 Munich

Admission: EUR6; Combination ticket: EUR11.50. Concessions available. Daily 10am-4pm (mid-October to March), and 9am-6pm (April to mid-October).

Alte Pinakothek

Address: Barerstrasse 27 Munich

Admission: EUR7 (Sundays EUR1). Concessions available. Wednesday to Sunday 10am-6pm, open Tuesdays to 8pm.

Telephone: (0)89 23805 216

Neuschwanstein

Address: Neuschwanstein Castle is near the Forggensee in the Allgäu, very close to Schwangau. Ticket Centre: Alpseestrasse 12, Hohenschwangau The Romantic Road

Admission: Entrance tickets can only be bought at the ticket centre in the village of Hohenschwangau below the castle. EUR12 (adults), EUR8 (concessions). Daily 9am-5pm (April to September), 10am-3pm (October to March)

Telephone: (0)83 629 3988-0

Berchtesgaden

Address: Munich

Dachau Memorial Site

Address: Alte Römerstraße 75, Dachau Munich

Admission: Free Tuesday to Sunday 9am-5pm. An English version of a documentary film, 'KZ-Dachau' is screened at 11:30am, 2pm and 3:30pm.

Telephone: (0)8131 66 99 70

Chiemsee

Address: Munich

Admission: The 'Neues Schloss' is open daily 9am-5pm (April to September), and 10am-4pm (off-season).

Romantic Road

Address: Munich

Goethe-Haus

Address: Großer Hirschgraben 23-25 Frankfurt

Admission: EUR5 (adults); EUR1.50 (children 7-18) Monday to Saturday 10am-6pm, Sunday 10am-5:30pm

Telephone: (0)69 138 80-0

Frankfurt Botanical Gardens

Address: Siesmayerstrasse 61 Frankfurt

Admission: EUR5 (adults), EUR2 (children 14 and under); EUR9.50 for special events including festivals and certain exhibitions. Concessions available Daily 9am-6pm between February and October, 9am-4pm from November to January.

Telephone: (0)69 2123 3939

St Bartholomeus Cathedral

Address: Domplatz 14 Frankfurt

Admission: Free Open Tuesday to Friday 10am-5pm, and Saturday to Sunday 11am-5pm.

Telephone: 0 69 29 70 32 0

Trier

Address: The Rhineland

Telephone: Tourist Information: (0)651 978080

Heidelberg

Address: Frankfurt

Altona Fish Market

Address: The market is between Hexenberg and Grosse Elbstrasse Hamburg

Admission: Daily 5am-12pm; from 7am in winter.

Telephone: (0)40 38012-0

Hamburg Warehouse Complex

Address: Hamburg

Hamburger Kunsthalle

Address: Glockengießerwall Hamburg

Admission: General admission: EUR10 (adults); guided tours EUR3. Concessions available, children under 18 are free. Tuesday to Sunday 10am-6pm; closes 9pm on Thursdays. Closed Mondays.

Telephone: (0)40 428 131 200

Blankenese

Address: Hamburg

Museum of Hamburg History

Address: Holstenwall 24 Hamburg

Admission: EUR8 (adults); concessions available Tuesday to Saturday 10am-5pm, Sundays 10am-6pm.

Telephone: (0)40 428 132 2380

Reeperbahn

Address: Hamburg

Sylt

Address: Hamburg

Hameln

Address: Hamburg

Lübeck

Address: Hamburg

Legoland Discovery Centre

Address: Sony Centre, 4 Potsdamer Platz Berlin

Admission: EUR15.95 (adults), EUR12.95 (children 3-11); concessions available. Discounted tickets available via the website. Daily 10am-5pm; closed 25 December.

Telephone: (0)30 30 1040-10

Freiburg

Address: The Black Forest

The Story of Berlin

Address: Kurfürstendamm 207-208 Berlin

Admission: EUR10 (adults), EUR5 (children aged 6-13). Other concessions available. Daily 10am-8pm. Last guided tour at 6pm.

Telephone: (0)30 887 20 100

Pforzheim

Address: The Black Forest

Triberg

Address: The Black Forest

Gendarmenmarkt

Address: Berlin

Charlottenburg Palace

Address: Spandauer Damm 10-22 Berlin

Admission: Old palace: EUR12; new wing: EUR6 including audio guide. Photo permission is EUR3. 10am-6pm (April to October) and 10am-5pm (November to March); closed Mondays.

Telephone: (0)3 319 694 200

Berliner Dom

Address: Am Lustgarten, Museum Island Berlin

Admission: EUR7, or EUR10 with audio guide; concessions available. Guided tours: Monday to Saturday 9am-8pm, Sunday 12pm-8pm. (Closes 7pm October through March.)

Telephone: (0)30 20269 119

Pergamon Museum

Address: Am Kupfergraben 5, Museum Island Berlin

Admission: EUR10 (adults), free for children under 16. Daily 10am to 6pm, until 10pm on Thursday.

Telephone: (0)30 2090 5577

Liebieghaus

Address: Schaumainkai 71 Frankfurt

Admission: EUR7 (adults); EUR5 (concessions). Children under 12 are free. Tuesday and Friday to Sunday 10am-6pm; Wednesday, Thursday 10am-9pm. Free tours every Wednesday at 7pm and Sunday at 11am.

Telephone: (0)69 650049-0

German Film Museum (Deutsches Filmmuseum)

Address: Schaumainkai 41 Frankfurt

Admission: EUR5 (adults), EUR2.50 (children); Film screenings EUR7 (adults), EUR5 (children). Additional charges may apply to temporary exhibits. Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday 10am to 5pm; Wednesday 10am to 7pm; Saturday 2pm to 7pm

Telephone: (0)69 961 220 220

Historical Museum (Historisches Museum)

Address: Saalgasse 19 Frankfurt

Admission: EUR4 (adults), EUR2 (children over 6 years). Concessions available Tuesday to Sunday 10am-6pm, Wednesday 10am-9pm, closed Mondays.

Telephone: (0)69 212 355 99

Städel Gallery

Address: Schaumainkai 63 Frankfurt

Admission: EUR7 (adults); EUR5 (children 12-16). Concessions available Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday 10am to 6pm; Wednesday, Thursday 10am to 9pm; closed Mondays

Telephone: (0)69 605 0980

Frankfurt Zoo

Address: Alfred-Brehm-Platz 16 Frankfurt

Admission: EUR8 (adults), EUR4 (children 6-17). Concessions available. Last Saturday of the month: EUR6 (adults), EUR3 (children). Open daily 9am-7pm in summer and 9am-5pm in winter.

Telephone: (0)69 212 33735

Palace Square (Schlossplatz)

Address: Stuttgart

Old and New State Gallery

Address: 30-32 Konrad-Adenauer Street Stuttgart

Admission: EUR5.50 (adults), free for children under 12; special exhibitions EUR10. Concessions available. Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday 10am-6pm; Tuesday and Thursday 10am-8pm; closed Monday.

Telephone: 711 470 40250

Kunstmuseum Stuttgart

Address: Kleiner Schlossplatz 1 Stuttgart

Admission: EUR5 (adults), EUR3.50 (concessions). Free for children under 12. Tuesday to Sunday 10am-6pm, Wednesday and Friday 10am-9pm. Closed Mondays.

Telephone: 711 216 2188

Mercedes-Benz Museum

Address: Mercedesstrasse 100 Stuttgart

Admission: EUR8 adults, EUR4 concessions. Tuesday to Sunday 9am-6pm. Closed Mondays.

Telephone: 711 173 0000

Wilhelma Zoo

Address: Neckartalstrasse Road Stuttgart

Admission: EUR12 (adults), EUR6 (children). Daily 8:15am-4pm or 6pm, depending on the season.

Telephone: 711 54020

Mineral Baths

Address: Stuttgart

Porsche Museum

Address: Porscheplatz 1 Stuttgart

Admission: EUR8 adults; free for children up to 14 years old. Tuesday to Sunday 9am-6pm.

Telephone: (0)711 911 20911

Tiergarten

Address: Berlin

Museum fuer Naturkunde (Nature Museum)

Address: Invalidenstr. 43 Berlin

Admission: EUR6 (adults); EUR3.50 (children); concessions available. Tuesday to Friday 9:30am–6pm; Saturday, Sunday, Public Holidays 10am-6pm. Last admission 30 minutes before the museum closes. Closed Monday.

Telephone: (0)30 209 38591

Domaene Dahlem

Address: Königin-Luise-Straße 49 Berlin

Admission: Museum: EUR3 (adults); EUR1.50 (children) Open daily 10am-6pm. Closed Tuesdays.

Telephone: (0)30 666 3000

Berlin Zoo-Aquarium

Address: 32 Budapester Street Berlin

Admission: Aquarium: EUR13 (adults); EUR6.50 (children). Zoo and Aquarium: EUR20 (adults); EUR10 (children). Concessions available. Open daily from 9am to 6pm

Telephone: (0)30 254 010

Grips-Theater

Address: Altonaerstrasse 22 Berlin

Admission: EUR4-18, depending on the show. Most shows start at 7:30pm, but there are some matinees from time to time. Theatre closes from late June to mid-August.

Telephone: (0)30 397 474 77

Palmengarten

Address: Siesmayerstraße 63 Frankfurt

Admission: EUR6 (adults); EUR2 (children) November to January: 9am–4pm; March to October: 9am–6pm.

Telephone: 069 212 33391

Children's Museum of Frankfurt

Address: An der Hauptwache 15 – Mezzanine Frankfurt

Admission: EUR4 (adults); EUR2(children) Open Tuesday to Sunday 10am-6pm.

Telephone: 069 2123 5154

Senckenberg Museum of Natural History

Address: Senckenberganlage 25 Frankfurt

Admission: EUR6 (adults); EUR3 (children). Concessions available. Open daily 9am–5pm; closes 8pm on Wednesdays, and 6pm on weekends and public holidays.

Telephone: 069 7542 0

Struwwelpeter Museum

Address: Schubertstr. 20 Frankfurt

Admission: EUR3 (adults); EUR2 (children) Open Tuesday to Sunday 10am–5pm.

Telephone: 069 747 969

Rebstock Bath

Address: BäderBetriebe Frankfurt GmbH Frankfurt

Telephone: 069 271 089 1111

Mainz

Address: The Rhineland

Bonn

Address: The Rhineland

Cologne

Address: The Rhineland

Düsseldorf

Address: The Rhineland

Deutsches Museum

Address: Museumsinsel 1, Munich Munich

Admission: EUR8.50 adults; EUR3 children under 16; other concessions available. Daily 9am-5pm, closed some holidays.

Telephone: +49 (0)89 / 2179-1

Allied Museum

Address: Clayallee 135 - Outpost Berlin

Admission: Free Daily 10am-6pm, closed Wednesdays

Telephone: +49 / (0)30 / 81 81 99 -0

Reichstag

Address: Platz der Republik 1 Berlin

Admission: Free Daily 8am to midnight.

Telephone: 030 22 73 21 52

Hohenzollern Castle

Address: Verwaltung Burg Hohenzollern The Black Forest

Admission: EUR10 for castle and grounds, concessions available. 9am-5:30pm mid-March through October, 10am-4:30pm November through mid-March, closed December 24th.

Telephone: +49 (0) 7471-920 787

German Clock Museum

Address: Robert-Gerwig-Platz 1 D-78120 Furtwangen, Baden-Wurttemberg The Black Forest

Admission: EUR4 adults, EUR3 children Daily 9am-6pm April through October; 10am-5pm November through March.

Telephone: +49 7723 920 117

Planten un Blomen

Address: Hamburg

Admission: Free May to September 7am-11pm; October to March 7am-8pm; April 7am-10pm.

Telephone: Park Information 040 42823-2150; Events 040 42854-4723

St Michaelis Church

Address: Englische Planke 1a Hamburg

Admission: November to April 10am-5:30pm; May to October 9am-7:30pm.

Telephone: (040) 376 78-0

Miniature Wonderland

Address: Kehrwieder 4 Block D Hamburg

Admission: EUR10 adults, EUR6 children under 16. Concessions available. Open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 9:30am-6pm; Tuesday 9:30am-9pm; Friday 9:30am-7pm; Saturday 8am-9pm; Sunday 8:30am-8pm.

Herrenhausen Gardens

Address: Herrenhäuser Strasse 4 Hanover

Admission: EUR3.50 Open 9am-8pm from May to August, closes at dusk the rest of the year.

Telephone: +49 (0)511 1684 4543

European Cheese Centre

Address: Hägenstrasse 13 Hanover

Admission: Closed October 11-15 and December 23 through January 7.

Telephone: +49 - 511 58666 26

Freudenstadt

Address: The Black Forest

The Fairy Tale Road

Address: Frankfurt

Würzburg

Address: The Romantic Road

Rothenburg

Address: The Romantic Road

Dinkelsbühl

Address: The Romantic Road

Augsburg

Address: The Romantic Road

Nocti Vagus Dark Restaurant

Address: Saarbrücker Str. 36-38 Berlin

Food Type: Modern Eclectic

Dachgarten

Address: Platz de Republik 1 Berlin

Food Type: Local

Bamberger Reiter

Address: Regensburgerstrasse 7, Schöneberg Berlin

Food Type: Local

Grossbeerenkeller

Address: Grossbeerenstrasse 90, Kreuzberg Berlin

Food Type: Local

Diekmann im Weinhaus Huth

Address: Alte Potsdamer Strasse 5, Tiergarten Berlin

Food Type: French

XII Apostel

Address: Bleibtreustrasse 49 Berlin

Food Type: Italian

Zur Letzten Instanz

Address: Waisenstrase 14-16, Mitte Berlin

Food Type: Local

Florian

Address: Grolmanstrasse 52 Berlin

Food Type: Local

East

Address: Simon-von-Utrecht-Strasse 31 Hamburg

Food Type: Fusion

Ganymed

Address: Schiffbauerdamm 5, Berlin-Mitte Berlin

Food Type: Local

Apfelwein Wagner

Address: Schweizer Strasse 71 (Sachsenhausen) Frankfurt

Food Type: Local

Erno's Bistro

Address: Liebigstrasse 15 (Westend) Frankfurt

Food Type: French

Maingau Stuben

Address: Schifferstrasse 38-40 (Sachsenhausen) Frankfurt

Food Type: French

Restaurant Français

Address: Frankfurter Hof Hotel, Am Kaiserplatz (City Centre) Frankfurt

Food Type: French

Silk

Address: Hordend Strasse 30B, the Westend Frankfurt

Food Type: Modern Eclectic

Jacobs Restaurant

Address: Elbchaussee 401-403 Hamburg

Food Type: International

Alte Kanzlei

Address: Nidenau 50 Frankfurt

Food Type: Italian

Opéra

Address: Opernplatz 1 Frankfurt

Food Type: International

Jewel of India

Address: Wilhelm-Hauff-Str. 5 Frankfurt

Food Type: Indian

Mirador

Address: Bergerstraße 65 Frankfurt

Food Type: Spanish

Café Glockenspiel

Address: Marienplatz 28 Munich

Food Type: International

Hirschgarten

Address: Hirschgarten 1, Nymphenburg Munich

Food Type: German

Tantris

Address: Johann Fichte Straße 7, Schwabing Munich

Food Type: Mediterranean

Hofbrauhaus

Address: Platzl 9, behind Marienplatz Munich

Food Type: German

Gasthof Weichandhof

Address: Betzenweg 81 Munich

Food Type: German

Vlet Restaurant

Address: Am Sandtorkai 23/24 Hamburg

Food Type: German

Schauermann

Address: 136-138 Hafenstrasse Hamburg

Food Type: German