Germany
Frankfurt is sometimes nicknamed "Bankfurt" or "Mainhattan" (a word-play with the local River Main and Manhattan).
Berlin is now once more the capital of a reunified Germany and one of Europe's great cities. Located in the north-east of Germany and with a population of around 3.5million, one third of the city's area is covered by woodland, parks and waterways.
Alongside its efforts to become a city of the future, Berlin has also made every effort to preserve its history. Berlin is home to the largest construction site and reconstruction site that Europe has seen since World War II, the city is redefining itself.
Berlin boasts a vibrant nightlife and many cultural hotspots which attract many visitors from all over the world. The Brandenburg Gate, the Checkpoint Charlie Museum, the Kaiser - Wilhelm - Gedächtnis - Kirche, the remnants of Berlin wall and the new Reichstag building are some of the major sightseeing highlights available.
Germany has established a polycentric network of high-speed trains. The InterCityExpress or ICE is predominantly serving major German cities and destinations in neighbouring countries. The train speed varies from 160 km/h to 300 km/h and is the most advanced service category of the Deutsche Bahn. Connections are offered in either 30-minute, hourly or bi-hourly intervals.
Dresden is home to many other impressive sights: the Semperoper, renowned for its excellent acoustics, the baroque 'Zwinger', cathedral, and royal castle are just some of the highlights. Dresden's equivalent to San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge is called the Blue Wonder. The impressive bridge is an atypical example of 19th century fascination with steel and engineering.
The "Free and Hanseatic City" of Hamburg is Germany's second-largest metropolis with one of Europe's biggest ports. One of the major sights of Hamburg is its harbour. Shopping is always an excellent alternative in this city renowned for trading.
Officially founded in 1158, the city of Munich has been the capital of Bavaria since 1503. The charming old town embraces many fine examples of Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and neo-classical architecture. Munich is famous for its food and favourite beverage - Beer.
Best known as the home of Porsche and Mercedes-Benz, Stuttgart is also one of Germany's major wine-growing regions and possibly Germany's greenest city with 20% of its acreage protected by a preservation order.
