Berlin
Germany's beating heart

In Berlin you can see imposing new construction right next to centuries-old historic buildings There are trendy entertainment areas such as Oranienburgerstrasse, with its many galleries, the friendly Prenzlauer Berg district, the Häckeschen Höfe and the thriving Friedrichstrasse. With pieces of the Wall to be seen here and there, Berlin is working on a new future, and that is certainly worth seeing.

Places to be

Food and drink

• Try a Berlin 'Eisbein' (knuckle of pork) in a typical German 'Kneipe'
• Convivial: the streets around the Kollwitzplatz in Prenzlauer Berg, the Oranienburger Strasse, the area around Bleibtreustrasse and Savignyplatz and the Häckeschen Höfe. There are also many restaurants, cafés and cinemas on the Potsdammer Platz

Culture

• Prime archaeological exhibits and art both classical and modern can be seen in countless museums, such as the Dahlem and Pergamon museums
• The Jüdisches Museum, with one of the most interesting collections in the city
• The Haus am Checkpoint Charlie, with everything about the Wall

Shopping

• The famous Kurfürstendamm, with the nearby Kaufhaus des Westens (KaDeWe). Visit the top floor, where you can taste and buy delicacies from all over the world. You can also drink a glass of champagne in chic surroundings here!
• Bric-a-brac shops in the Bleibtreustrasse, off the Ku'damm
• Large modern shopping centres in the Friedrichstrasse. These include a branch of Galeries Lafayette

Cologne
The city of the Dom

Cologne breathes art and culture As you leave the station, you encounter the beautiful Dom, the largest cathedral in Europe. The dozens of other churches and museums are also worth visiting. But Cologne has even more to offer. Take a look in the Rheinpark and let the city work its magic on you from the riverbank. Visit the outdoor cafés and shops along the old market, or the many Christmas Markets, carnival (Mardi Gras) celebrations, or flea markets. Cologne is an outstanding combination of culture and pleasure.

Places to be

Food and drink

• Küppers Brauhaus: for a 'Kölsch', the top-fermenting light Cologne beer, and a tasty meal
• Früh am Dom: a busy and historical café with a view of the cathedral
• The Altstadt and the Rheingarten are popular leisure spots for the residents of Cologne. You can always find a pleasant outdoor café there.

Culture

• Cologne has more than thirty museums. Recommended: Museum Ludwig, the Wallraf-Richartz-museum and the Köln Stadtmuseum
• The Dom

Shopping

• Attractive covered shopping arcades in Hohe Straße and boulevard-like Rheingarten Frankenwerft

Dresden

The capital of the Free State of Saxony is Dresden. With Renaissance, baroque and 19th century architecture, the splendid cupola of the Church of Our Lady and the sweeping Elbe panorama, Dresden has often been referred to as the "Florence on the Elbe". The blend of attractive architecture, internationally famous museum collections and lively traditions in music and the fine arts is what shapes Dresden's cultural life today. Added to this is the scenic beauty along the River Elbe, with the magnificent palaces and villas.

Frankfurt
Financial capital of Europe

Frankfurt is a city of contrasts. On the one hand it is a metropolis, on the other hand a village. Frankfurt is also the economic heart of Germany and the European community, with Europe's central bank being situated there. The Book Fair is just one of the many events that take place every year in this city of over a million inhabitants. But Frankfurt is also: the friendly Markt, the square to be at.

Places to be

Food and drink

• To get an impression of Frankfurt and its typical food and drink: go to the Sachsenhausen district. This is where 'Stöffche', the local apple wine, is drunk.
• A recommendation for a pleasant night out: 'Pulse' (Bleichstraße 38a). This is a bistro, bar and lounge all in one, providing delicious food in a stylish ambience, with good music.

Culture

• Visit the Rosso Bianco car museum, the Chaplin-Archiv and the Deutsches Filmmuseum (German Film Museum)
• Recommended: the Schirn Kunsthalle [Schirn Art Hall]

Shopping

• In the centre of the city: Zeil, with the Zeilgalerie (various department sores)
• Designer shops in Goethestrasse
• Cosy boutiques, cafés and second hand shops in Auf der Berger Straße, Leipziger Straße and Schweizer Straße
  

Hamburg
Germany's cultural metropolis

Hamburg is one of the most culturally multifaceted cities in Germany. Musicals, theatres, concerts, museums, cabaret performances, sports and music events and folk festivals ensure a varied programme the whole year round. There's enough to do as well. The banks of the Elbe and the Alster are inviting places for a walk, and a sightseeing trip around the harbour lets you see a special side of Hamburg. There are also boat trips on the Alster, the lake in the middle of the town, and these terminate in the heart of the city: ideal for shopping or a pleasant stop at an outdoor café.

Places to be

Food and drink

• Hamburg has a bustling nightlife. Clubs, cosy bars, discos with international DJs; there's something for everyone.
• Recommended: St. Pauli in the Kiez district
• You can find friendly outdoor cafés, delicious cappucinos and Asian restaurants in the Schanze district

Culture

• Visit the Museum Ships in the harbour, offering something interesting for young and old.
• Eye-catching: the famous church of St. Michaelis, also known as Michel

Shopping

• Hamburg is a shoppers' paradise. Popular shops can be found in Spitalerstrasse and Mönckebergstrasse.
• For art and antiques: the Landesbank-Galerie
• Designer shops such as Armani, Versace, Joop and Jil Sander can be found on Neuer Wall

Leipzig

Today, the confident merchant town of Leipzig is livelier than ever - a buzzing destination for trade fairs, conferences and trade, it is also a centre for culture, nightlife and shopping. Its remarkable Renaissance and baroque buildings, historical commercial buildings and arcades stand resplendent once again and provide the ideal setting for sightseeing or shopping. Leipzig also offers a wealth of art and culture at venues such as the Gewandhaus concert hall and the opera house, with the St. Thomas's choir as well as numerous cabaret shows, theatres and jazz bars. Leipzig's music tradition is founded on such names as Bach, Mendelssohn and Schumann.

Munich
City of Gemütlichkeit

Munich: that means beer, the Oktoberfest and the carillon in the Rathausturm, the tower of the Town Hall. There is plenty going on in the fields of culture, nightlife and shopping, especially in the pedestrian paradise between Munich Hauptbahnhof (Central Station) and Karlstor and between Marienplatz and Odeonsplatz.Or in Schwabing, Munich's entertainment area, where you can find fun and enjoyment 24 hours a day. Munich is also the gateway to the Alps. Tirol and Salzburgerland, including Garmisch Partenkirchen's famous ski jump, are within easy reach.

Places to be

Food and drink

• Good food can often be found in the many Biergärten
• This is also true of the countless breweries, the most famous of which is the Münchner Hofbräuhaus

Culture

• The Frauenkirche, the city's distinguishing feature
• The Deutsches Museum, situated on an island in the Isar
• The Münchner Stadtmuseum
• Bavaria Filmstudios

Shopping

• Between Maximilianstrasse and Briennerstrasse
• In the pedestrian zone between Karlsplatz and Marienplatz
• The Viktualienmarkt. A large market with an unexpectedly wide range of wares

Tips

• Go for a walk in the Englischer Garten, Munich's 'green lung', with an area of 3.7 square kilometres.
• Visit the zoo in the Hellabrunn district

Munster

Münster
The lively centre of Westphalia

Münster is the city of the "Peace of Westphalia", with a long tradition of European culture and learning. The city is bursting with life: fascinating museums, exciting events, modern architecture and contemporary sculptures set the tone. This is where the Treaty of Westphalia was signed, bringing an end to the Thirty Years War in 1648. Today, Münster is a modern university city with 55,000 students and the unofficial "bike capital" of Germany. This unique ambience is what makes a visit to this city an unforgettable experience.

Places of interest

Münster's historic old quarter is packed with cultural history – at the beautiful Prinzipalmarkt square, St. Paul's Cathedral with its astronomical clock dating back to 1543, Salzstrasse with its reminders of Hanseatic tradition and buildings by baroque architect Johann Conrad Schlaun. Schlaun is also responsible for the Stadtschloss palace, the Rüschhaus , Erbdrostenhof Palace and the Church of St. Clement's.

Stuttgart

A vibrant city with top-class art and culture, appealing leisure activities and fantastic shops, Stuttgart is at the centre of one of Germany's foremost economic regions. What's more, the people of Stuttgart really do know how to throw a party - the lively Stuttgart Beer Festival, the traditional Wine Festival and the atmospheric Stuttgart Christmas market are just three of its popular events.