DRESDEN Where opera never ends. www.germany.travel Culture and contrasts, lifestyle and leisure 2014 / Vibrant Towns Vibrant Towns & Cities! 2013 Towns Vibrant & Cities! www.germany.travel • Richard Wagner Bicentennial Festivities in 2013 • Reopening of the Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon • 36th Dresden Music Festival, 11th May – 2nd June 2013 • 43rd International Dixieland Festival, 12th–19th May 2013 86 towns and cities, more than 120 sightseeing attractions, information on lots of events www.facebook.com/Dresden.Marketing Follow us on Google+ @DD_Marketing www.dresden.de/highlights 2013/2014 edition Pictures: Dresden © F. Schrader · Wagner © iStockphoto.com / HultonArchive · Globe © Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon, Dresden State Art Collections, Karpinski · Dixieland © S. Dittrich DDM12-103_AZ_Kampagne-2013_dt_210x297_BD_RZ_editierbar.indd 1 29.01.13 10:08 Image 4c 175 270 VKI DZT englisch 01.13_Image 4c 175 270 VKI DZT 01.13 04.02.13 14:47 Seite 1 The World at Home in Germany... ...welcome to M Adventure trip. Experience Germany's most exciting cities at their best in one of the 37 M Hotels across the country. We look forward to your visit Discovery tour. • always in the city centre, close to the railway station or the airport • in comfortable and elegant hotels • with warm hospitality and first-class service Journey into the future. • with delicious German and international cuisine We look forward to welcoming you to M in these locations: Welcome to the Audi Forum Ingolstadt. Berlin · Bonn · Braunlage (Harz Mountains) · Bremen · Darmstadt Dresden · Düsseldorf · Frankfurt · Fulda · Gelsenkirchen · Halle Where the heart of the brand beats. Where tradition and innovation meet – in the Audi Forum Ingolstadt: Hamburg · Hanover · Heringsdorf (Usedom) · Bad Homburg · Kiel new car collection, production, mobile museum, shops, concerts, programme cinema, restaurants and conference rooms. Enjoy moving moments, for example on a guided tour. For reservations and further information about Cologne · Königswinter · Magdeburg · Mannheim · Munich · Nuremberg dates and events, call: +49 841 893 7575, email address: [email protected]; www.audi.com/forums, Bad Salzuflen · Bad Sassendorf · Schma l lenberg · Stuttgart www.facebook.com/audiforumingolstadt Timmendorfer Strand (Baltic coast) · Titisee-Neustadt (Black Forest) Lübeck-Travemünde (Baltic coast) · Ulm · Bad Wildungen · Würzburg M International Sales Office · Kuelpstrasse 2 · 64293 Darmstadt · Germany Phone +49 (0) 6151 905-710 · Fax + 49 (0) 6151 905-717 [email protected] · www.maritim.com 210x297_AudiForumIng_LebendigeStädte_13188.indd 1 07.12.12 11:28 FOREWORD The results are in: our Top 100 Welcome to A whole host of tourist attractions in towns, cities Destination Germany! and regions across Germany are high on the hit list of our international visitors. In 2012, guests from More people are travelling to Germany than ever overseas were invited to nominate their favourite before. On the back of two highly successful years in sights as part of a GNTB poll to find Germany’s Top 2010 and 2011, we achieved another set of record 100 sights. Topping the charts were Heidelberg results in 2012, with well over 60 million overnight Castle, Neuschwanstein Castle and the World stays by visitors from abroad – making Germany one Heritage site of Cologne Cathedral. of the world’s most popular travel destinations. Youth travel: our theme for 2013 In 2013, under the banner ‘Germany for young people – vibrant, fashionable, innovative’, the GNTB is promoting Germany as a destination for young travellers. Teenagers and young people are particular- Petra Hedorfer, ly drawn to the creativity and diversity on offer in Chief Executive Officer of the GNTB Germany’s towns and cities: from shopping and the arts to nightlife and active holidays, everything is covered. A major factor in Germany’s international appeal is its wealth of vibrant, exciting towns and cities. These This new edition of ‘Vibrant Towns and Cities’, which are the places that make Germany the no. 2 destinati- features the very best of Germany’s towns, cities and on in the world for trade fairs and conferences and a regional capitals, will give you plenty of ideas and leader in cultural tourism. People also come from inspiration on where to go and what to see if you’re abroad for the shopping, art and design as well as the interested in culture and city breaks in our beautiful natural beauty and the food and drink. All this country. combined with a well-developed infrastructure, We hope you have a memorable stay in Destination outstanding value for money and guaranteed top Germany! quality in all forms of accommodation – from youth hostels to five-star hotels – means a city break in Germany is always a special experience. 3 Getconnected DISCOVER THE THRILL OF ANTICIPATION WITH PERFECT PLANNING Don’t search for your holiday, discover it. Your personalised itinerary to take away With our online planning tools, preparing for your trip becomes part of the fun. Found something you like the look of? Then Whether you browse our dedicated travel simply add that city, event or whatever it website, download the nifty apps for may be to your travel planner – and it is smartphones and tablets, or follow us via saved. An interesting exhibition here? Click. social media, you won’t miss a thing. A scenic walking trail there? Click. Customise your trip as if you were filling a shopping If you’re looking for a quaint chocolate-box trolley – save it, and your travel planner will town or a cosmopolitan city, particular show you your exact route, detailing every events, activities or themes, it’s all at your distance and even the weather forecast. You fingertips. Germany is also a fantastic can even share your plans on Facebook, destination for walking and cycling, health where you can discuss them with friends, and wellness, castles, parks and gardens, update them or add to them... and if you UNESCO World Heritage sites and scenic print out your itinerary or transfer it to your routes, festivals and celebrations, trade fairs smartphone or tablet, you’ll have your own Museums and business. This is where your journey personalised travel guide in your pocket. takes shape – make it interactive, make it Germany’s best destinations are always to individual. hand with our Top 100 app. More and more visitors from all over the world are sharing Simply can’t wait? their personal favourites with us, and the latest results are always available for you to Explore Germany using our interactive map browse. In 2012, first place went to at www.germany.travel and you’ll feel like Heidelberg Castle, closely followed by 99 you’re already there. If you’re interested in a other major attractions. Walking region or a particular town, if you want to find out what’s on where and when, the Looking for a hotel in Frankfurt? A car rental Scenic routes interactive map has all the answers. Where in Hamburg? A hot ticket in Berlin? Or a spa are the best spa breaks? What cultural mini-break in the Bavarian Forest? In the entertainment is currently on? What does ‘Special offers’ section of our website you’ll this city offer that others don’t? There is no find a range of attractive travel deals from need to miss out on anything in your chosen our tourism partners that you can book right region. What’s more, you can tailor the there and then and with the minimum of Famous people results to your exact travel dates and your fuss. Of course, we also provide all the interests and preferences. That way you’ll information you’ll need for your journey know what you can look forward to before – whether you’re travelling by car, train, ferry you’ve even arrived. And because our or plane. website is optimised for mobile devices, you can still get the latest tips on your Discovering Germany has never been easier. destination once you’re there. www.germany.travel Cycling Restaurants 4 www.germany.travel Medical tourism Home of the car Creative Germany Deutsches Küstenland Germany’s islands Music Christmas Made in Germany UNESCO World Heritage Luther Towns and cities Wine country Walking Food & drink Spas and health resorts Wellness Hotels Palaces, parks and gardens Theme parks Events National parks & nature parks Business travel 5 6 C0ntents Germany from A to Z Regional capitals Aachen – Jumping for joy 56 Leipzig – City of heroes 92 Augsburg – Success story 58 Leverkusen – City of enterprise 95 Berlin – Cosmopolitan flair 8 Lübeck – Old town charm 96 Bremen/Bremerhaven – Bielefeld – Mercantile heritage 61 Ludwigshafen – Winning formula 98 Gateway to distant lands 12 Bonn – Past and present 62 Braunschweig – Lion-hearted 64 Mannheim – Spirit of invention 100 Dresden – Opera diva 16 Mönchengladbach – Düsseldorf – Rhine glamour 20 Chemnitz – City of contrasts 66 Leafy city on the Lower Rhine 102 Düsseldorf / Neuss / Ratingen 23 Münster – Cycling capital 104 Darmstadt – A culture of colour 68 Erfurt – Gateway to the East 24 Nuremberg – Frankfurt – Art appreciation 70 A journey through time 106 Hamburg – Water worlds 26 Frankfurt / Offenbach 73 Nuremberg / Erlangen / Fürth 108 Hannover – World’s Fair 30 Freiburg – Living the good life 74 Osnabrück – City of peace 110 Kiel – Harbour of dreams 34 Göttingen – Fountain of ideas 76 Regensburg – A historical gem 112 Magdeburg – City of the old and the new 36 Heidelberg – Pure romance 78 Rostock – Northern star 114 Mainz – A strong impression 38 Ruhr region – Metamorphoses 116 Munich – Fountain of youth 40 Ingolstadt – Retail therapy 80 Trier – Ancient appeal 120 Potsdam – Prussian prestige 44 Jena – Bright lights 81 Ulm – Reaching for the heavens 122 Saarbrücken – Joie de vivre 46 Karlsruhe – Fan-shaped city 82 Schwerin – Land of lakes 48 Kassel – City of culture 84 Weimar – Intellectual endeavour 124 Stuttgart – Driving force 50 Koblenz – A Rhine romance 86 Wolfsburg – Design perfection 126 Stuttgart / Sindelfingen 53 Köln (Cologne) – Zest for life 88 Wuppertal – City on the move 128 Krefeld – Fashion centre 91 Würzburg – Baroque splendour 130 Wiesbaden – City of sophistication 54 7 Berlin 8 Cosmopolitan flair Berlin: a world city of distinction.