Travel Topics
The Franconian Beer Festival Nuremberg (Fränkisches Bierfest) turns Nuremberg’s castle moat into a huge open-air beer garden showcasing Franconian brewing. Taking place from 3–7 June 2026, the festival is set…
Erlangen’s Bergkirchweih is one of Franconia’s classic beer events, centred on the city’s historic beer cellars and outdoor seating under trees. This year it marks its 271st year. Running from…
Leipzig Beer Exchange (Leipziger Bierbörse) Germany brings a travelling ‘beer exchange’ style festival to Leipzig, with stalls offering a wide range of beers alongside street food and live atmosphere. Leipzig…
It’s unsurprising to learn that Munich residents drink more beer than anywhere else in the world, after all the Oktoberfest is the world’s biggest annual beer festival, and their beer…
Stuttgart Spring Festival brings beer-tent culture to the Cannstatter Wasen as the city launches into festival season. Held from 18 April–10 May 2026, Stuttgarter Frühlingsfest combines classic marquees with a…
Bodensee? Bet you’ve never heard of it. And neither had I until I stepped off a train from Munich to find myself on lovely Lindau Island and gazing out over…
Wheelchair user Debbie North visits Oberammergau Germany to discover a very accessible town and region. Some places make an impression quietly. Others announce themselves with colour, history and mountains in…
Could there be a better city anywhere in the world to stage a Freedom Week, dedicated to defending democracy around the world, than the German capital of Berlin? Under the…
A Capital Celebrating Berlin Christmas Markets Its Own Way Berlin never approaches Christmas in just one way. With more than 90 Berlin Christmas markets taking shape across the capital in…
Germany is world-renowned for its Christmas markets, which date back to the late Middle Ages. Each market is a winter wonderland of twinkling lights, wooden chalets, Glühwein, festive music and…
Set around the grand Domplatz and through the medieval core, Erfurt’s market is famed for its nativity scene with life‑sized figures, a giant pyramid and cosy wooden stalls. Thuringian bratwurst…
Rothenburg’s walled medieval town becomes a Christmas postcard during the Reiterlesmarkt. Chalets cluster around the Town Hall and Green Market, selling Franconian delicacies, ornaments and handicrafts. The market honours a…
Leipzig’s centuries‑old market fills the compact old town with around 300 stalls offering Saxon crafts, toys and hearty street food. The Marktplatz hosts the tree and stage, while Augustusplatz adds…
Berlin’s WeihnachtsZauber brings a refined touch to the festive season with artisanal crafts and gourmet kitchens set beneath the domes of the French and German Cathedrals. After a temporary move…
Frankfurt’s market strings together Römerberg, Paulsplatz and the Main riverfront with a sea of lights and wooden huts for the Frankfurt Christmas Market. Try local confections like Bethmännchen and Brenten…
Stuttgart’s historic core turns festive with hundreds of elaborately decorated stall roofs around Schillerplatz and Schlossplatz for the Stuttgart Christmas Market. The Old Castle and Baroque facades provide a regal…
Munich’s Christkindlmarkt spreads from the Glockenspiel‑topped Neues Rathaus across Marienplatz and into the pedestrian zone. Expect alpine décor, nativity figures at the Kripperlmarkt, and steaming mugs of feuerzangenbowle. Choirs often…
Cologne’s best‑known market unfolds on Roncalliplatz, directly under the twin spires of the Dom. Rows of chalets sell crafts, regional food and sweet treats beneath a canopy of lights and…
Nuremberg’s Christkindlesmarkt is the archetypal German Christmas market, set across the historic Hauptmarkt beneath the gothic spires of St Sebaldus. The season opens with the appearance of the Christkind at…
From the original December market to the city that created stollen, the source of mulled wine and the first Christmas tree, let Travel Begins at 40 guide you through some…
Germany is one of Europe’s most naturist-friendly nations, with a long tradition of nudism known as Freikörperkultur (FKK) Germany, or “free body culture.” From the Baltic coast to lakes around…
If you’re looking for a festival that combines high-octane fun, centuries-old tradition and a hearty dose of northern German hospitality, the Freimarkt Bremen should be on your travel calendar. Often…
Travel Begins at 40 rounds up the best festivals in February 2025 across the Globe, from Mongolia to Easter Island, so wherever you are you just can’t help celebrating the…
Travel Begins at 40’s newly appointed accessibility correspondent Debbie North examines accessible tourism in Berlin. This year, I had the privilege of visiting the German capital to delve into both…
Germany is much more than the sum of all its clichés. It’s a real paradise for hikers and lovers of nature and mountains, as well as a home of vibrant cities with rich histories and thriving urban cultures.
In this surprisingly versatile country, mountains, valleys and lakes combine with quant villages and romantic castles. Ski in the Alps or visit one of its many Christmas markets in winter, while in summer follow the wine trail in the Moselle valley, hike through the Black Forest or cycle alongside the famous Danube River.
Having become once again capital after the country’s reunification in 1990, Berlin has grown into one of Europe’s most trendy and vibrant capitals where a thriving modern culture mix with centuries-old history. Kreuzberg is a great district to discover. But there are many other cities worth visiting, from Munich and Frankfurt to Leipzig and Dresden.
One of the most important art and architectural movements in the 20th century was Bauhaus, which had an influence on the country’s industrial landscape at places such as Zeche Zollverein.
Unsurprisingly for such a large country, the weather is unpredictable. Always check the latest forecasts for the region you plan to visit.
In addition to the Berlinale or Berlin Film Festival, there are a great number of festivals in Germany. One of the most fun is the Cologne Carnival or Fastelovend. Really there is so much to discover in Germany.
