German Cities

You have probably heard lots of fairy tales and fables as a kid. Among them is the story of the Bremen Musicians. This well-loved fable is about four animal friends-- the rooster, the dog, the horse, and the cat-- who were mistreated by their owners and decided they wanted to be musicians. Their adventure ended in Bremen (hence the name) where they lived happily ever after like all the other in fairytale land.

Anyway, Bremen in Germany is a port city that lies along the Weser river, and is among the oldest cities founded by Charlemagne in 787 (consult your detailed Germany map). With an area of 326.72 square kilometers, the city has a population of 545, 869 as of 2005. Although a hesitant member of the Hanseatic League (which is the most prominent German trade organization), it had been the front runner of the organization in 1358.

In Bremen city, you can go see tha Marktplatz where the town hall stands. The building, was erected in Gothic style while its facade was constructed two centuries afterwards in Renaissance style. It also has two remarkable statues-- Roland (the city's protector) and Gerhard Marcks' bronze sculpture of the Grimm brothers' famous town musicians. Another edifice worth seeing is the Liebfrauenkirche which is the oldest church in town.

Dusseldorf is considered a nice city in Germany. Why not? Its handsome and luxurious city sits right next to Rhine river. From there, if you are in yacht, you will be able to behold the panoramic vista of Dusseldorf. What is best at Dusseldorf is the fact that everything seemed to sit very near each other. You can just imagine the closeness of the people here. Everyone knows everybody. The closeness also applies to the establishments. The shopping stores, for example, are located in alignment with pubs, parlors, food chains, and even hotels. Just walk past the main road, and you will not get lost of the famous hang-outs in the city.

The northern part of Dusseldorf features the tracks taken by Barbarossa. The castles are still there, though they are mere ruins, the architectural feats of medieval times could still be traced. This part is called the lower Rhine. Although it is a countryside, the simple life managed to preserve the ancestral houses. But what sets apart Dusseldorf from all other German cities is that it houses Buddhist sacred temples. Records reveal that Dusseldorf is home to immigrants, probably the biggest Japanese populace among other European countries. Here, Buddhist will find home in the shops and restaurants.

If you want to see the real Mercedes Benz company, and I mean the place where these precious cars are produced, the Stuttgart is the perfect place to visit in Germany. I learned of this just last week, when a friend of mine compelled me to accompany him in Stuttgart to visit a business colleague with whom he has to discuss about right car dealing. I thought that was a silly ride, since he can actually call the person and discuss the matter. But, the moment we entered the city, I was amazed by the sophisticated elegance of Stuttgart.

The city is in the southern part of Germany. Basically, you will know that you are finally there once you get to pass by the valley beside the river Neckar. Also, there are vineyards just on the other side of the road. By the way, while driving, I also saw steeps or stair-like landscapes that lead to the hills in Stuttgart, and would you believe that houses are built on the hillside. The people actually had to climb hundreds of feet from the highway to reach their houses. But, what is inviting about Stuttgart is its pleasant weather. This supported the vast vineyards in Stuttgart.

The whole city is perfect for a relaxing drive. Only a portion of its 207 square kilometers land area is dedicated to vineyards. The rest are parks, while most of the residential areas are located near the hills. There are no significant high peaks in Stuttgart, but the roads are well engineered. Although trucks do not pass this way, the Mercedes Benz are regularly driving along the highway. I just wish I had the chance to see Mercedes test drives.

The strictest laws with regards to food are found in Hannover. I do not know, maybe the people here had already been fed up with flu virus, that is why the local government imposed restrictions on imported and locally prepared food. Following these ordinances are the best medical services ever found in Germany. By the way, the medical services also have for their scope tourists in Hannover. I think that would be useful for me when I get there.

Hannover occupies 204 square miles of land area. Most of these are dedicated to business facilities. It is situated in the lower part of Saxony, north of Germany. The topography of Hannover is made up of distinctive elevated plains and Alps. The whole city is being surrounded by rivers Elbe, Rhine, and Danube. Generally, fair weather prevails in Hannover all throughout the year.

With a demography of 519,000, Hannover is home to different groups such as the Turks, and other European countries. However, although it is easy to enter into Hannover, the city has never reported any incidents with regards to illegal immigration in Europe. While most Hannoverans are Christians, the city is open to receive other religious sects. By the way, should you like to go to Hannover, be ready with a lot of euros for tips. The tipping tradition in Hannover extends from cabs to restaurants and even side walk stalls.

I feel hungry whenever I hear of the German city, Hamburg. You know what reminds me of this place? It is my favorite gourmet hamburger. No, not really. I just made a fuss out of it. The burger has got nothing to do with Hamburg. Actually, it is the second, when it comes to land area, largest among all German cities. The place is more like a paradise, embraced by the great Elbe river.

Travelers who have already gone to Hamburg said that the city welcomed them with a breathe of fresh air. This is not an exaggeration. The whole city is surrounded by parks with stunning landscapes. In other words, Hamburg is the most verdant land in Germany. While, amidst the hustle and bustle of the busy life in Hamburg, the city is boasting with ancient churches and century-old domes that still bear the rich heritage of Hamburg. Although most of the establishments were burned in 1842, the houses were painstakingly rebuilt. But, the most outstanding structure in Hamburg is its municipal hall that is said to have been built hundreds of years ago. Hey, do not mistake it for an Indian temple although it has many pillars. Lastly, Hamburg has the most number of beer halls in France. Not that it encouraged everyone to drink, but beer has become a regular drink in the city.

What I like about German cities is that they sound good to the ear and pronouncing them is very smooth in the tongue. Today, I turned to Leipzig. You can read it however you like. I recently received a travel brochure inviting me to go to Leipzig. As much as I wanted, I cannot take advantage of the discount being offered to first 100 bookings. Still got more work to do here, so I am just writing my frustrations. Poor me.

Anyway, Leipzig is among the oldest in all German cities. It could be reached a couple of miles from Berlin. Established in the 12th century, Leipzig has managed to preserve its beauty. I admire its magnificent Renaissance architectures. These include government buildings and churches. It would be nice if I could stay there for several days. Leipzig will be a perfect trading spot. Maybe, there I will meet potential business partners. Also, if ever I will get there, I will not let myself miss the chance to shop at the various fairs. On the other hand, I could imagine the Leipzig museums feature the famous artworks, while the classical music hover above. I forgot to mention that Leipzig witnessed the fall of the Berlin wall. Truly, Leipzig played a major role in German history. Lastly, Leipzig will be among the hosts of the Football World Cup come June 9.

This area covering the length of Elbe River in Saxony, Germany was one severe casualty of World War II. Since then, Dresden has strongly recovered and efforts have been made to restore the city back to its glory days. Inhabited by about half a million people, Dresden is now accessible via plane, ferry, or tram service.

Tourists will be glad to know that there are many nice spots to go about in Dresden. The city is home to the Altmarkt, which is located in the central district, and the Garten Park, which features botanical sights and a zoo. If you desire to explore the river, just avail of a steamer trip that will tag you along the beauty of Elbe.

One of the ways for tourists to be totally immersed in the rich history of Germany is to visit the city of Bonn. Situated in the lovely Rhine valley and flanked by the Eifel and Seibengebirge hills, the city of famous musical composer Ludwig Van Beethoven is home to two thousand years of culture and arts.

This is evident in the majestic churches, palaces, museums, gardens and other buildings surrounding the quaint area. Two of the famous attractions in Bonn are Beethoven's house and Schwarzrheindorf twin chapel.

One of the English-speaking cities in Germany is Nuremberg. Situated in the country's southern area of Bavaria, Nuremberg is quite easy to reach through plane or train.

Food is good in Nuremberg, as the city is perceived to boast the best sausages and best beer in entire Germany. Aside from the Christkindlesmarkt, there are many other tourist spots in Nuremberg such as the Nazi Party grounds, which I am curious to visit, the Kunstbunker art shelter, Nuremberg castle, and the house of artist Albrecht Dürer.

There are numerous ancient cities in Germany, but the oldest one is Trier City. This city is located at the borders of the country. It is easy to travel to, in only a little more than a couple of hours, if you are coming from Strasbourg City in France.

Trier is rich in Roman influence. The city's attractions such as Porta Nigra, the huge city gate, Roman baths, the Basilica, and the Amphitheater, where various artistic and cultural performances are held. Most of them are on the UNESCO world heritage list.

No, it is not the perfume that we use to smell good. One of this country's ancient cities, Cologne ranks fourth in size with a population of more than one million people. Cologne is situated beside the long Rhine River, which gives the German area a charming appearance especially when viewed from the sky.

Accessibility to the aforementioned city is pretty easy; from the Cologne airport, which also services Bonn, travelers could choose between a taxi and a bus ride that would take you to the central train. It is ideal to visit Cologne because of its moderate weather, not too cold during winters and not too hot in the summer. One of Cologne's main attractions is the Gothic Cathedral, which can be reached by train.

No, we're not talking about the scented liquid; we're talking about one of Germany's oldest cities. Cologne is the fourth largest city in Germany with a population of about 1.8 million people. This city's main attraction is the Cologne Cathedral, a structure that took about 600 years to build and is considered by UNESCO as a world heritage site.

Tourists wanting to see this building need not worry about the travel because the Cologne Train Station is located conviniently right next to the cathedral.

Frankfurt is perhaps the busiest and most commercially active city in the country of Germany. Why? Well, it is clear from the large railway transits and looming skyscrapers in the area that Frankfurt is like New York's counterpart in this side of the planet.

Aside from its more than four million dwellers and historic trade significance, Frankfurt is also home to the world's biggest financial institutions, including top corporations and known banks, making the city the financial hub of the whole European continent.

Berlin is not just the capital of Germany and it's not just the German shopping capital. It's also becoming the capital of sports. Last May of 2005, Berlin hosted the International German Gymnastics Festival. It is indeed the world's largest competition because of its 100,000 competitors and participants. The sports festival includes the world beach volleyball, which was held in June of 2005. The FIFA WM 2006 will also be held in Berlin. People from around the world are already anticipating this football event, the games will start on the month of July.

Residenz, Munich is just rich with culture, from Bavarian to renaissance, baroque and rococo, Munich is a mix of all the most beautiful cultures. If I were to build my house, I would most definitely get ideas from Munich's Residenz designs and structures.

Munich's treasury has the most extensive collection of jewels in the whole world, from crowns to aristocratic golden treasures, and the theaters, which looked like a photograph> or a painting

Munich is Germany's pride when it comes to historical events. Munich was very much popular, especially during World War II, when almost the entire city was blown up by the Allies.

Today, the third largest city in the country has a population of over a million people, and houses forty five museums. Traveling to Munich is not such a hassle, especially for the American tourist because many of the dwellers are familiar with English. Moreover, buses and trains are common modes of transportation in Munich so getting lost is not such a terrible experience when you are in the area.

Munich is the third largest city in Germany, next to Berlin and Hamburg and almost 1.5 million people resides in the city. It is a popular destination for tourist and its people call Munich as the secret capital of germany. One of the tourist attraction in Munich is the Marienplatz that has a clock tower called Rathaus-Glockenspiel.

Other than the Marienplatz, Frauenkirche is another place that usually attracts tourist to Munich. It is the most popular building in Munich because of its brass onion domes and two towers. The domes do not match the style of the building that gave it the unique appeal.