The South Ural State University

The paper work:

TOURISM IN GERMANY

Written by:

Shamanova Nadejda Andreevna

Group: S-151

Checked by:

Kovaleva Olga Ivanovna

Chelyabinsk

2004

Contents

Introduction. 4

1. Germany 5

2. Getting there 7

3. Accommodation in Germany. 10

4. Where to go. 13

4.1.Festivals 13

4.2. National Parks 15

4.3. Routs in Germany. 20

5. A Journey to Berlin 24

5.1. Accommodation in Berlin 24

5.2. Sightseeing in Berlin 28

5.3. Eat, Drink, Nightlife 32

Conclusion. 34

Literature 35

Sites 35

Introduction.

Germany is rich by its tourist recourses. Each land has a lot of various places of interest. «Come and be enchanted by the HISTORIC HIGHLIGHTS OF GERMANY!» - This is the motto chosen by thirteen historic German cities that have joined together to offer you some truly incomparable travel experiences. They will all fascinate and delight you - Augsburg, Bonn and Bremen; Erfurt, Freiburg, Heidelberg and Lübeck; Münster and Potsdam; Regensburg and Rostock; Trier and Würzburg.

Each of these many-faceted cities is steeped in history. At every turn you will encounter the great names of the past and enjoy the architectural and artistic heritage of great eras. Deep in the heart of Europe, Germany has had a seminal impact on Continental history. From the Holy Roman Empire to Otto Von Bismarck's German Reich, Nazism and the rise and fall of the Berlin Wall, no other nation has moulded Europe the way Germany has - for better or worse.

Here, history really comes to life. And life comes to life too- in every season the calendars are jam-packed with events for every taste: Top quality concert series, art exhibitions, outstanding theatre, major international sporting events, colourful street festivals and traditional Christmas Markets sparkle with lights. This rich, interwoven tapestry of the past and the modern is also the key to the charm and dynamism of the historic highlights.

Fairy-tale castles, medieval towns, boisterous beer halls, breathtaking landscapes and a cutting-edge arts scene - the land of Beethoven and Bratwurst delights, excites and inspires.

1. Germany

Environment

The lowlands in the north of Germany stretch from the Netherlands to Poland, skimming southern Denmark where it bridges the North and Baltic seas. The industrialised central belt cinches Belgium and Luxembourg to the Czech Republic's western prong. The Rhine and Main Rivers, long crucial for inland shipping, power through the troughs and gorges which cut through the Central Uplands. To the south, the Danube River drains the Bavarian highlands from the Black Forest, near the French and Swiss borders, to Munich. The southern reaches of the Bavarian Alps give way to Austria.

Germany is not prey to dramatic climatic extremes, although there are regional differences. The most reliably good weather is from May to October, with high summer a good bet for shorts and T-shirt, even in the north. Autumn is a good time to visit Germany. As the tourist scrum disperses and the forests turn golden, it's not too stifling to be active but still thirsty enough to end the day with a few well-deserved steins. Winter is wet, especially in the south, with snow rarely settling for long except in the high country.

Facts for the Traveler

Visas: EU citizens can enter on an official identity card. Americans, Australians, Canadians, New Zealanders and Japanese just need a valid passport (no visa). Unless you're a citizen of a developing country, you can probably stay up to three months.
Time Zone: GMT/UTC +1 (Central European Time)
Dialling Code: 49
Electricity: 230V, 50Hz
Weights & measures: Metric

When to Go

The German climate is variable so it's best to be prepared for all types of weather throughout the year. That said, the most reliable weather is from May to October. This coincides, naturally enough, with the standard tourist season (except for skiing). The shoulder periods can bring fewer tourists and surprisingly pleasant weather. There is no special rainy season.

Events

Germans love to party, and kick up their heels at everything from pagan harvest romps to black tie opera galas. The Winter Carnival (Fasching) season occurs throughout Germany, with big cities such as Cologne (Köln), Munich and Mainz erupting into commotion just before Ash Wednesday. Germany's rich musical heritage is showcased in a plethora of festivals. Some towns concentrate on a particular composer, such as the Thuringian Bach Festival in March or the Richard Wagner Festival in Bayreuth each July, whereas others focus on a particular style. The jazz festivals in Stuttgart (April) and Berlin (November) are lively and popular. Autumn is a great time for harvest-inspired mayhem, especially in the Rhineland, where the Rhine in Flames frolics feature barges laden with fireworks. Mention must be made of Oktoberfest, Munich's annual lager frenzy, but it's a bit like being stuck in a nightmarish soccer crowd and is more an example of tourism at its lowest ebb than a display of German culture. Christmas fairs are embraced wholeheartedly by German families; they occur in Munich, Nuremberg, Lübeck, Berlin, Münster and Heidelberg, amongst other places.

2. Getting there

Getting There & Away

The main arrival/departure points for flights in Germany are Frankfurt-am-Main, Munich and Düsseldorf. Frankfurt is Europe's busiest airport after Heathrow. An airport departure tax of around US$5 is included in ticket prices. If you're already in Europe, it's generally cheaper to get to and from Germany by train or bus. While train travel is often more expensive than catching a bus, it's generally faster, more comfortable (particularly for overnight travel) and more efficient. Germany is served by an excellent highway system connected to the rest of Western Europe. Roads from Eastern Europe are being upgraded but some border crossings are a little slow, especially from Poland. To enter Germany with a car or motorbike, you must have third-party insurance. Ferries run between Germany's northern coast and Scandinavia and the UK.

Getting Around

By train. Getting around Germany is easy. Domestic air travel is extensive but unless you're in an awful hurry, you might as well save your money - the German train network is wonderful. The railway system enables everyone to travel comfortably to their destination. There are good connections to both distant and local areas. Airports (Berlin Schönefeld, Düsseldorf, Munich and Stuttgart) are also merged into this system. There are 60 different connections to the neighboring European countries that originate daily in Germany. The customs clearance usually takes place on the train once it has left the station.

The eastern and western train systems have now been fully merged, although fares in the east are still cheaper. Numerous fares and ticket passes are available. There is usually a surcharge for the InterCity Express (ICE) trains but it's worth it to travel 250km/h (155mph) through the German countryside. Forget about buses until you're in train-unfriendly terrain.

By bus. A European bus service completes the railway system. It offers special connections on particularly interesting routes to tourists. Information regarding the bus system is also available in each travel agency.

A journey by bus will guarantee comfortable travelling. Enjoy and experience towns and landscapes in a relaxing way. Lean back and enjoy the view of diverse landscapes from large bus windows or visit one of Germany´s famous towns.Get on and relax - once you are comfortably seated, your well-earned holidays will begin. Besides, you have chosen an environmentally friendly way of travelling.

Internationaler Bustouristik Verband e.V. (RDA), the international federation of bus tour operators, has set up a list of operators offering bus journeys. The list is set up according to the Lands of the Federal Republic of Germany and is available. Here you will find numerous journeys based on particular themes, sightseeing tours and club tours. It is also possible to set up your own journey in co-operation with the operator. Deutsche Touring GmbH offers attractive journeys on public service buses along Germany´s touristic holiday routes. Today Deutsche Touring is one of the most important bus companies in Europe. In cooperation with foreign partners, it provides regular international services linking over 700 cities throughout Europe. Regional and urban public transportation operators and associations offer a rich network of short distance bus trips.

By car. If you are travelling by car, an ultra-modern and efficient freeway network awaits you. Over 700 restaurants, gas stations, motels and kiosks are open day and night to travellers driving across the approximately 11,000 km freeway network of the Federal Republic.

German roads are excellent, and motorised transport can be a great way to tour the country, although most towns have problems with car-parking. The national and famous motorway network known as autobahn can be wonderful and nightmare.

Bicycle touring in Germany is very popular. There are often separate cycling routes in the cities, towns and in the countryside, but cycling on the autobahn is strictly not allowed.

3. Accommodation in Germany.

There is a wide variety of accommodation possibilities in Germany ranging from a private room to a vacation home up to a luxury hotel. There are also lower priced lodgings available. Either way, standards are set and checked so that you can expect a comfortable place to stay in every case. Hotel corporations and regional and local tourism organisations publish their own accommodation directories. You can make room reservations directly through the hotel chain reservation systems, hotel corporations, the airports and tourism organisations. Travel agencies also work closely with hotels.

More and more hotels and hotel chains in Germany are including youth specials into their programs. Special youth hostels and youth hotels have dedicated and specialised themselves to tourists needs. They can even be accommodated close to the city centers. Vacation villages and vacation apartments are a good idea for spending more than one night somewhere. Tourists can also spend the night at one of more than 2000 camping sites or in one of over 600 youth hostels. Bed & Breakfast is not just a British speciality. Almost all tourist information points can find you a private room on arrival and can sometimes even make advance reservations.
Hotel rooms in Germany have a wide selection of price ranges. You can stay overnight in luxury suites, rooms in middle class hotels or very inexpensive accommodation in smaller hotels. From Flensburg to Munich, from Aachen to Dresden, you can find hotels to fit your needs according to German hotel classification standards. Hotels are classified based on a uniform criteria and are categorised by a certain number of stars (i.e. **** = luxurious). Some of Germanys` finer hotels are Accor, ArabellaSheraton and Maritim

Camping & Caravaning

Whether staying in an RV trailer, motorhome or within the four walls of your tent, you can be right at home in any beautiful setting. For a few days or several weeks, delightful landscapes can be directly outside your front door. Relax in nature and recover from the hectic pace of everyday life. Germany offers an abundance of camp sites in areas chosen for the incredible scenery they possess, and their gates are open to everyone. For your vacation, you can choose from sites located in more tourist areas or, for longer stays, get away to more remote locations in the middle of the most gorgeous surroundings.

Guesthouses & inns

Besides hotels in all categories, there is naturally also a variety of guesthouses and inns which can be found almost everywhere in Germany. They offer a good opportunity for enjoying a low-priced vacation in a family atmosphere.

Youth hostels

The youth hostels in Germany are open to all people, whether young or old. Suitable for short visits or longer stays, hostels are ideal for many different types of people and activities. Guests can include single people, families, tour groups, sport teams and youth groups. They come for everything from vacation camps to ski trips as well as conferences and seminars. The only requirement is that one must be a member of the German Youth Hostel Association.

Vacation on a farm