According to neovideogames, Germany (German: Deutschland) is a country in Europe bordering France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, Poland, Czech Republic, Austria and Switzerland. The capital of Germany is Berlin. A number of major cities in Germany are: Cologne, Hamburg, Munich, Dortmund, Düsseldorf and Bremen. There are several islands around Germany that are also counted under German territory. This includes the North and East Frisian Wadden Islands, Rügen,Usedom (shared with Poland) and Fehmarn.
Germany, thanks to its size in Europe, largely controls economic, political and military matters. Germany is also known for the Berlin Wall that separated West and East Berlin until 1989. It is also very popular as a holiday destination among the Dutch. The many old towns, vineyards, lakes, Christmas markets and vast plains attract many tourists every year. Every year in Germany there is the traditional carnival that you can compare with the carnival from under the rivers in the Netherlands. See sunglassestracker for Germany interesting cities and central European idyll.
Federal states of Germany:
Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria (Bayern), Berlin (Berlin), Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hesse, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern), Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen), North Rhine-Westphalia (Nordrhein-Westfalen), Rhineland-Palatinate (Rheinland-Pfalz), Saarland, Saxony (Saxony), Saxony-Anhalt (Saxony-Anhalt), Schleswig-Holstein (Schleswig-Holstein) and Thuringia.
Where is Germany?
Travel information of Germany
Official name: Federal Republic of Germany
Continent: Europe
Area: 357,022 km²
Capital: Berlin (Berlin)
Country code: DE, DEU
Population: 80,159,662 inhabitants (2020)
Form of government: Parliamentary democracy
Highest point: 2,962 m (Zugspitze)
Distance (Amsterdam – Berlin): 577 km
Flight time: approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes
Travel advice
Current status: No special security risks.
Current color code: Green.
Corona
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), (temporary) measures may apply in Germany that you as a tourist may have to deal with. For the most up-to-date corona travel advice, please refer to our special coronavirus travel advice page. For the number of current corona infections, number of deaths and various corona-related graphs in Germany, please visit Countryaah.
Travel offer
On our travel offer page you will find an overview of reliable travel organizations that offer complete trips and holidays to Germany. In addition, you will find an overview of separate travel components (car rental, hotels and airline tickets) with which you can compose your ideal trip yourself.
Travel guides and maps
Are you looking for a travel guide, map, hiking map, cycling map, book or DVD about Germany?
Excursions, activities and day trips
With the help of Countryaah you can reserve an excursion, activity, guided tour, entrance ticket and/or day trip for your stay in Germany at a discount. This way you are assured of a place, in some cases you can skip the queue and you can already plan your travel program.
Weather and climate
Germany has a temperate climate. In the summer the temperatures are around 20 to 25 degrees and in the winter around 0 to 5 degrees.
The current weather (weather forecast) and a weather forecast for Germany can be found on our extensive weather page.
Extensive information about the climate of Germany can be found at Climate info.
Current snow depths in Germany can be found at Winter sports enthusiasts.
Best time
May, June, July, August and September are the best months to travel to Germany. In these months you have the best chance of good weather. If you want to avoid mass tourism, avoid the months of July and August.
Language
German is the official language in Germany.
Would you like to translate from or into German for free? Use the Google translator for this.
Travel documents
You must have a valid identity card or passport.
A visa is not necessary.
Embassies and consulates
Below is an overview of relevant diplomatic representations, including addresses and contact details.
Netherlands Embassy in Germany: netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Dutch consulates in Germany: netherlandsworldwide.nl.
German Embassy in the Netherlands: rijksoverheid.nl.
German consulates in the Netherlands: rijksoverheid.nl.
For urgent assistance, you can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24/7 on +31247247247.
Vaccination (inoculation)
You do not need any vaccinations for a visit to Germany.
Money and Currency
In Germany, payments are made with the euro (EUR).
An overview of all ATMs in Germany can be found on our ATMs page.
Price level
Prices in Germany are slightly lower than in the Netherlands. The price difference with the Netherlands is -9% on average. Some examples are: restaurants (23% cheaper), food (9% cheaper), imported beer in catering (14% cheaper), cigarettes (4% cheaper) and public transport (6% cheaper). Please note that the price difference in tourist areas, especially during high season, may vary.
Tipping
In Germany it is customary to give a tip. It is certainly not obligatory, but if the service is good, you will tip approximately 5-10%.
Time difference
There is no time difference with the Netherlands.
Summer time in Germany is the same as in the Netherlands.
The local time, date and time zone for Germany can be found on our time difference page.
Traffic and route
In Germany you must drive on the right.
You do not need an international driver’s license to drive and/or rent a motor vehicle in Germany.
With the Google route planner you can compile a route description from, to or within Germany.
In Germany it is mandatory in designated environmental zones to have an environmental badge for your vehicle.
You can apply for this environmental vignette online via Duitslandmilieusticker.nl.
Electricity
In Germany the same plugs and sockets are used as in the Netherlands.
More information about electricity in Germany can be found on our electricity page.
Emergency services
If you need help from the police, fire brigade and/or ambulance in an emergency, you can use the emergency numbers below.
– Police: 110 or 112
– Fire: 112
– Ambulance: 112
Tap water
Tap water is safe to drink.
News and newspapers
The latest news regarding Germany can be found on google news.
An overview of the newspapers from Germany can be found on Abyznewslinks.
Internet
Websites from Germany end in.de.
Official websites of Germany: germany.travel and deutschland.de.
Telephony
The country code (international access number) to call someone in Germany is 0049 or +49.
Do you want to call the Netherlands from Germany? Then use the Dutch country code 0031 or +31.
(If using a country code, omit the leading 0 of the number to be called.)
All area codes for Germany can be found on Wikipedia.
Telephone numbers can be found in the telephone directory of Germany.
Company details can be found in the Yellow Pages of Germany.
Photos and videos
On Flickr you will find a nice collection of photos from Germany.
On Youtube you will find a nice collection of videos from Germany.
Holidays and school holidays
Germany’s national holiday falls on October 3 (German Unity Day).
An overview of all other public holidays in Germany can be found on Beleven.org.
You will find an overview of all school holidays in Germany in the Eurydice school guide.
Places of interest
When thinking of Germany, people quickly think of the Berlin Wall and the Brandenburger Tor, but Germany has much more to offer. On our sights page you will find an extensive overview of the most beautiful and best-known sights in Germany. Here you will find general information, opening times and entrance fees.
Reviews and travel experiences
On Zoover and TripAdvisor you will find reviews from travelers about accommodations (eg hotels and holiday homes), restaurants and destinations in Germany, supplemented with photos, videos and points of interest.
Travelogues
Are you looking for a travelogue about Germany?
Here you will find travel reports and experiences of travelers who have previously visited Germany. It is also possible to keep a free diary of your trip for family and/or friends.
Nature and World Heritage
An overview of the protected nature areas (including national parks, reserves and wildlife parks) in Germany can be found on Protected Planet.
An overview of the world heritage sites in Germany can be found on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Customs rules
Do you want to know how much you are allowed to import and export when traveling to Germany? On the IATA website you will find an overview with the maximum quantities of cigarettes, alcohol, money and perfume, among other things. If you stick to these quantities, you don’t have to declare anything to customs. You will also find the laws and regulations regarding the entry of pets on this website.
Entrepreneurship and doing business
If you intend to do business in or do business with Germany, it is wise to prepare well. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency can help you with this. On PaulSourcing.com you will find a large amount of information about Germany, including: opportunities, import and export regulations, trade figures, do’s and don’ts, product requirements, business partners and subsidies.
Studying and internship
Are you considering a study, internship or gap year in Germany? You are by no means the only one and certainly not the first. To help you on your way, Nuffic (the Dutch organization for internationalization in education) has set up the WilWeg.nl website. On this website you will find all the information that can help you on your way, such as admission requirements, forms of education, accommodation, scholarships, internships, health insurance, study costs and of course experiences.
Relevant legislation
Below you will find relevant legislation and regulations that you may encounter during your visit to Germany.
– Alcohol: Spirits from the age of 18, beer and wine from the age of 16.
– Alcohol and traffic: Maximum allowed blood alcohol content is 0.5 (0 for novice drivers under 21 or 2 years of experience).
– Tobacco: Buying and/or smoking from the age of 18.
– Smoking ban: In public places.
– Homosexuality: Allowed
Did you know that…
…Germany has the most inhabitants in the European Union?
…Until 1990 consisted of East and West Germany, separated by a wall?
…There are more than 25,000 castles in Germany?
…There are more than 1,300 beer breweries in Germany?
…The highest church in the world is located in the German city of Ulm?
…At German schools a 1 is excellent?
