Germany

▲▲▲ Berlin Germany's vibrant capital, featuring world-class museums, striking modern architecture, and trendy nightlife, along with evocative monuments and reminders of the Wall that once divided the city and country.

▲▲▲ Munich Thriving city with a traffic-free center, excellent museums, Baroque palaces, stately churches, rowdy beer halls, convivial beer gardens, and beautiful parks (such as the English Garden) — plus the sobering concentration camp memorial at nearby Dachau.

▲▲▲ Bavarian Alps Bucolic southern end of Bavaria, boasting the fairy-tale castles of Neuschwanstein, Hohenschwangau, and Linderhof; inviting villages such as the handy home base Füssen and adorable Oberammergau; the towering Zugspitze and its high-altitude lifts; Berchtesgaden, soaked in alpine scenery and Nazi history; and hiking, luge rides, and Biergartens galore.

▲▲ Rothenburg and the Romantic Road Well-preserved medieval city full of half-timbered buildings and cobbled lanes surrounded by walkable medieval walls; jumping-off point for the "Romantic Road" scenic route through lovely countryside and time-passed towns, including Dinkelsbühl and Nördlingen.

▲▲ Rhine Valley Region of a mighty river steeped in legend, where storybook villages (including charming home-base towns Bacharach and St. Goar) cluster under imposing castles, such as Rheinfels and Marksburg.

▲▲ Mosel Valley Sleepy area along a meandering river lined with wine-loving cobbled towns, such as handy Cochem and tiny, quaint Beilstein, plus my favorite European castle, Burg Eltz.

▲▲ Nürnberg City with old-fashioned sandstone core, great museums, and reminders of Nazi past thoughtfully presented on the outskirts of town.

▲▲ Dresden Art-filled city offering exquisite museums, Baroque palaces, a pleasant riverside promenade, and hard memories of its notorious WWII firebombing.

▲ Baden-Baden and the Black Forest High-class resort/spa town of Baden-Baden, with decadent bath experiences, a peaceful riverside stroll, and a grand casino; lively university city of Freiburg and cozy village of Staufen; and a thickly forested countryside rife with healthy hikes, folk museums, cute hamlets, and cream cakes.

▲ Würzburg Home to the impressive Residenz palace (with manicured gardens and dazzling Rococo chapel) and lively wine bars.

▲ Frankfurt Europe's bustling banking center, offering a stunning skyscraper skyline and a look at today's Germany.

▲ Trier Germany's oldest city, with a fun market square and massive Roman monuments, including the Porta Nigra gate.

▲ Cologne Spectacular Gothic cathedral looming above a busy, museum-packed city on the Rhine River.

▲ Lutherland Charming university town of Erfurt, where Martin Luther spent his youth; Wartburg Castle, where he hid out from the pope's goons; and Wittenberg, where he taught, preached, and revolutionized Christianity.

▲ Leipzig Formerly derelict "second city" of East Germany, now rejuvenated (if architecturally drab) with excellent Bach and Cold War sights.

▲ Hamburg Big port city with emigration, World War II, and Beatles history — and Las Vegas-style nightlife.

• Germany: Recommended Itinerary
• When to Go to Germany
• Upcoming Holidays and Festivals in Germany
• Guidebook Updates for Germany
• Germany Rail Passes and Train Tips
• Germany: Recommended Books and Movies