Holiday rentals and lettings in Germany

Germany has the best North Sea beaches to enjoy and a spectacular countryside with so much beauty to offer and mountain ranges to explore. On the eastern side of the country, Berlin, its capital, is the hub for nightlife, art scenes, the Berlin Wall or the Brandenburg gate. Frankfurt, to the west, is not only known for the Goethe house but for being a financial district as well as the base of the European Central Bank. The Hofbräuhaus in Munich is the cradle of Bavarian tavern culture with a special currency and the traditional regulars’ tables and then, Weihenstephaner is a must for beer true fans. Many beer festivals are held during the year besides the big one! So if you can’t make it in October, other big Volkfests (folk festivals) happen from April to September.

Talking about drinks, we cannot forget about food. German cuisine must not be the lightest but it is really good. Do not just stick to any of the endless wurst choices (sausages) but sample many other dishes that will satisfy all your cravings. Have a hearty meal of veal schnitzel with kartoffelsalat or kartoffelpuffers as a side. Meat lovers will be very pleased with the rindsrouladen and if you adore spargel (asparagus), you will find them in most menus from April to late June and remember to ask for a piece of the delicious black bread. A pretzel is always a great savoury snack to have and if you have a sweet tooth, apple strudel, rote grütze and kaiserschmarrn are a must! From North to South or East to West, in every corner of the country, a culinary recipe will meet your needs.

Germany is not just a country with multicultural and cosmopolitan cities. It is also a secret Winter Wonderland! When the snow starts to fall it is that time of year to think about a unique skiing break. An hour from Munich there is Garmisch-Partenkirchen, the largest German ski resort consisting of 3 mountains and about 60 km of good quality slopes. Next to the Austrian border, Ruhpolding, which is made up of the 3 small skiing areas of Unternberg, the Westernberg and the Maiergschwendt is ideal for families and beginners.

At this point, the Oktoberfest needs no introduction as it is the world’s largest beer festival celebrated in Munich. With more than 2000 years of brewing tradition, Germans are very proud of their local tipples! In Cologne, any kneipe (traditional pub) can offer you a Kölsch, which literally means made in Köln or you can sip an Altbier in Düsseldorf. On the east side of the country, Berlin is the place to enjoy a Berliner Wasser and Leipzig is where you will find the Gose. And do not forget about Bavaria, where half of the country’s breweries sit. Order a Hefeweizen and sip the real flavours!

From the 3 checkpoints ordered by J.F. Kennedy shortly after the wall was created, Checkpoint Charlie, whose name comes from the phonetic alphabet, became the most famous one. This one was the only point at which foreigners visiting Berlin, diplomatic corps and allied forces could enter and cross from west to east and back again. Where once stood a wall dividing a city in two, now there is just a lane of bricks and a replica of the booth since the original one is kept at the Allied Museum in Zehlendorf. Not far from the booth original location you can also visit the Haus am Checkpoint Charlie (also known as Mauermuseum) that tells the story of the wall.

Black Forest or Schwarzwald in German, is a dense forest well known for its hills, rivers, valleys. But it is not just nature that made it famous. Since 1700 the region produces the best cuckoo clocks and the mouthwatering black forest gâteau (or Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte), named after a specialty liquor from the region. A visit to the clocks museum in Furtwangen is a must but the biggest cuckoo clock you will ever see is the size of a house in Eble Uhren-Park in Triberg. You will not believe your eyes! Relax in a spa in the elegant town of Baden-Baden and from there, drive down the scenic Schwarzwaldhochstrasse and take in the scenery of the stunning landscape.

Visit the third tallest cathedral in the world! This Gothic masterpiece took nearly 600 years to be finished and it’s a survivor since it withstanded the bombings during WWII. A miracle perhaps? Or was it just allowed to stand as a reference for the pilots? For whatever reason it was is still there to draw in visitors from all over the globe.

The Christmas spirit and the lightning decorations invade the country in November and December to get ready for the most wonderful time of the year. The embodiment of the holiday season are the German Christmas markets with decorated Christmas trees and carol singers intoning seasonal melodies. Pick up handcrafted gifts from the many wooden stalls and sip some local Glühwein. You can find the best market in Nuremberg, starting in November where there is also a special market just for kids with a steam train and carousels. The highlight is when the little ones parade up the hill towards the castle.

This is a very special monument and a national symbol of unity and peace, built on orders of Prussian King Frederick II, that reflects the reunification of a country once divided by the wall. It was meant to mark the end of the boulevard that led to the royal City Palace, now a boulevard of linden trees, Unter den Linden. The winged goddess of victory crowns the monument, once stolen by Napoleon as a trophy but returned after he was defeated. Years of history of Europe and Germany surround every piece of these big columns.