Germany
Federal Republic of Germany
Western Europe · DEU
Editorial Snapshot
Why Go To Germany
Germany works especially well for travelers who want an easy multi-city Europe trip with strong transport, good museums, varied regional identity, and enough depth to support repeat visits. You can build around Berlin, Bavaria, the Rhine, smaller historic cities, or Christmas market season without the logistics becoming complicated.
Popular For
Things To See
- Berlin
- Munich
- Rhine Valley
- Hamburg
- Cologne
- Neuschwanstein Castle
Best Months
Best Months For Winter Travel
Know Before You Go
- Late spring and early fall are the easiest all-round seasons for classic city-based itineraries, while December is the standout window for Christmas markets.
- Germany is one of the easiest countries in Europe to structure as a rail trip.
- Berlin, Bavaria, and the Rhine each support their own distinct itinerary, so repeat visits make more sense than trying to do everything at once.
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Flights
Hotels & Accommodations
Compare stays across major booking options
Open hotel and accommodation options for Germany.
Guidebooks
Rick Steves Germany
Rick Steves
Trusted guide with personal recommendations, strategic advice, and money-saving tips.
View on Amazon →
DK Eyewitness Germany
DK Eyewitness
Visually rich guide with illustrated maps, 3D cutaways, and practical information.
View on Amazon →
Fodor's Essential Germany
Fodor's Travel Guides
Full-color travel guide with expert recommendations on German cities, culture, and cuisine.
View on Amazon →Tours & Activities
Country Data
Stats At A Glance
Practical travel, safety, climate, and quality-of-life stats for Germany.
Quick Facts
- Capital
- Berlin
- Population
- 83,491,249
- Area
- 357,114 km²
- Region
- Western Europe
Languages
- German
Currency
euro (€)
EUR
1 USD = 0.85 EUR
Cost of Living (World Bank)
75.9
Price level index (US = 100)
- Groceries
- 64.9
- Restaurants
- 66.9
- Rent
- 24.6
Safety & Peace
higher score = safer everyday environment · derived from World Bank homicide data
lower score = more peaceful · 1.0–3.5 scale
Monthly Climate Averages
These weather averages are based on data for Berlin (52.52°N, 13.40°E).
LGBTQ+ Friendly
86/100
Traveler LGBTQ score
- Legal protections
- 95/100
- Lived safety
- 69/100
This traveler-facing score is lower than the legal protections score because lived-safety context is weaker, based on broader traveler safety and development conditions.
This score blends legal protections with lived-safety context so strong laws alone do not automatically push a country to the top of the ranking.
- Homosexuality legal✅
- Relationship recognitionMarriage
- Adoption recognition✅
- Anti-discrimination laws✅
- Employment protections✅
- Legal gender recognition✅
- Conversion therapy ban✅
Human Development Index (UNDP)
0.959
Very high human development
- 5-year change
- +0.007
- 10-year change
- +0.014
- Trend
- stable
- Data year
- 2023
- Gender Dev. Index (GDI)
- 0.975
- Gender Inequality Index (GII)
- 0.057
- Planetary-adjusted HDI (PHDI)
- 0.785
UNESCO World Heritage Sites (55)
- 🏛️
The Palaces of King Ludwig II of Bavaria: Neuschwanstein, Linderhof, Schachen and Herrenchiemsee
Inscribed 2025
- 🏛️
Schwerin Residence Ensemble
Inscribed 2024
- 🏛️
Jewish-Medieval Heritage of Erfurt
Inscribed 2023
- 🏛️
Frontiers of the Roman Empire – The Lower German Limes
Inscribed 2021
- 🏛️
Frontiers of the Roman Empire – The Danube Limes (Western Segment)
Inscribed 2021
- 🏛️
ShUM Sites of Speyer, Worms and Mainz
Inscribed 2021
- 🏛️
Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt
Inscribed 2021
- 🏛️
The Great Spa Towns of Europe
Inscribed 2021
- 🏛️
Erzgebirge/Krušnohoří Mining Region
Inscribed 2019
- 🏛️
Water Management System of Augsburg
Inscribed 2019
- 🏛️
Naumburg Cathedral
Inscribed 2018
- 🏛️
Archaeological Border complex of Hedeby and the Danevirke
Inscribed 2018
- 🏛️
Caves and Ice Age Art in the Swabian Jura
Inscribed 2017
- 🏛️
The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement
Inscribed 2016
- 🏛️
Speicherstadt and Kontorhaus District with Chilehaus
Inscribed 2015
- 🏛️
Moravian Church Settlements
Inscribed 2015
- 🏛️
Carolingian Westwork and Civitas Corvey
Inscribed 2014
- 🏛️
Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe
Inscribed 2013
- 🏛️
Margravial Opera House Bayreuth
Inscribed 2012
- 🏛️
Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps
Inscribed 2011
- 🏛️
Fagus Factory in Alfeld
Inscribed 2011
- 🌿
Wadden Sea
Inscribed 2009
- 🏛️
Berlin Modernism Housing Estates
Inscribed 2008
- 🌿
Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe
Inscribed 2007
- 🏛️
Old town of Regensburg with Stadtamhof
Inscribed 2006
- 🏛️
Muskauer Park / Park Mużakowski
Inscribed 2004
- 🏛️
Town Hall and Roland on the Marketplace of Bremen
Inscribed 2004
- 🏛️
Upper Middle Rhine Valley
Inscribed 2002
- 🏛️
Historic Centres of Stralsund and Wismar
Inscribed 2002
- 🏛️
Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex in Essen
Inscribed 2001
- 🏛️
Garden Kingdom of Dessau-Wörlitz
Inscribed 2000
- 🏛️
Monastic Island of Reichenau
Inscribed 2000
- 🏛️
Museumsinsel (Museum Island), Berlin
Inscribed 1999
- 🏛️
Wartburg Castle
Inscribed 1999
- 🏛️
Classical Weimar
Inscribed 1998
- 🏛️
Bauhaus and its Sites in Weimar, Dessau and Bernau
Inscribed 1996
- 🏛️
Cologne Cathedral
Inscribed 1996
- 🏛️
Luther Memorials in Eisleben and Wittenberg
Inscribed 1996
- 🌿
Messel Pit Fossil Site
Inscribed 1995
- 🏛️
Völklingen Ironworks
Inscribed 1994
- 🏛️
Collegiate Church, Castle and Old Town of Quedlinburg
Inscribed 1994
- 🏛️
Maulbronn Monastery Complex
Inscribed 1993
- 🏛️
Town of Bamberg
Inscribed 1993
- 🏛️
Mines of Rammelsberg, Historic Town of Goslar and Upper Harz Water Management System
Inscribed 1992
- 🏛️
Abbey and Altenmünster of Lorsch
Inscribed 1991
- 🏛️
Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin
Inscribed 1990
- 🏛️
Frontiers of the Roman Empire
Inscribed 1987
- 🏛️
Hanseatic City of Lübeck
Inscribed 1987
- 🏛️
Roman Monuments, Cathedral of St Peter and Church of Our Lady in Trier
Inscribed 1986
- 🏛️
St Mary's Cathedral and St Michael's Church at Hildesheim
Inscribed 1985
- 🏛️
Castles of Augustusburg and Falkenlust at Brühl
Inscribed 1984
- 🏛️
Pilgrimage Church of Wies
Inscribed 1983
- 🏛️
Speyer Cathedral
Inscribed 1981
- 🏛️
Würzburg Residence with the Court Gardens and Residence Square
Inscribed 1981
- 🏛️
Aachen Cathedral
Inscribed 1978
Natural Beauty (World Bank)
- Protected land area
- 39.3%
- Forest cover
- 32.7%
Source: World Bank.
Wildlife & Birdwatching
- Threatened mammal species (IUCN)
- 7
- Threatened bird species (IUCN)
- 12
Source: World Bank / IUCN Red List. Higher counts indicate richer biodiversity, typically in tropical rainforest, island, and savannah ecosystems.
Food & Cuisine
68/100
Food and dining score
Built from two layers: dining-scene breadth and open prestige signals. We combine restaurant density, cuisine diversity, distinguished restaurants, and gastronomy-city recognitions from open data sources.
Winter Sports
64/100
Ski infrastructure & alpine pedigree
Combines ski resort depth, ski resort density, and Winter Olympic skiing results. Separate from climate comfort.
Luxury Infrastructure
99/100
Luxury & premium accommodation score
Based on OpenStreetMap luxury hotel density and World Bank international tourism receipts.
US Travel Advisory
Exercise increased cautionin Germany due to terrorism. Terrorist groups and lone actors remain a constant threat in Germany and Europe, attacking people in public locations with knives, small arms, rudimentary explosive devices, and vehicles. Such attacks may occur with little or no warning and target: Tourist locations Transportation centers (airports, train, or bus stations) Markets and shopping malls Local government facilities Hotels, clubs, and restaurants Places of worship and educational institutions Parks Major sporting and cultural events Schools
Read full advisory →Data current as of May 2026 and subject to change. Travel advisory information is sourced from the U.S. State Department and reflects conditions at the time of data collection, not real-time conditions. Do not rely solely on this information for travel decisions. Always check current government advisories for your nationality. Terms of Use · About our data