After more than a decade of putting itself back together again, Germany and its visitors are reaping the rewards of unity. Huge investments in infrastructure and services are not only erasing the Cold War dividing lines, scars caused by World War II are also finally disappearing. A lot has changed, yet chances are that repeat visitors will still find the things they always liked - the restaurant serving huge helpings of sauerbraten or the biergarten with litre upon litre of lager and wheat beer.

Once you stop looking at Germany strictly in terms of east and west, you'll start to see it as the Germans do, as regions sharply defined by dialect, food, traditions and history. For the best perspective, sample as many regions as possible.
Germany wears its riches well: elegant big-city charm, small picture-postcard towns, pagan-inspired harvest festivals, a wealth of art and culture and the perennial pleasures of huge tracts of forest, delightful castles and fine wine and beer are all there for the savouring.

Deep in the heart of Europe, Germany has had a seminal impact on Continental history. From Charlemagne and 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.

	Location:	Central Europe
	Size:	137,849 sq miles
	Population:	82,443,000
	Capital City:	Berlin
	Language:	German
	Currency:	Euro (€)
	Country Code:	+ 49
	Time Zone:	GMT + 1
	Electricity:	230 volts AC, 50Hz, 2 pin plugs
	Ferry Ports:	Cuxhaven, Kiel, Rostock, Travemunde, Puttgarden
	Airports:	Berlin-Tegel, Cologne - Bonn, Düsseldorf International, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Hanover, Munich International, Stuttgart
	Size:	www.germany-tourism.de

By Car: German motorways, or Autobahnen, are the most extensive and efficient network in Europe, though those in the north can sometimes be only two lanes. Fuel stations, roadside restaurants and motels are located every 30-40km, and every city and virtually all the towns are within simple striking distance, using equally high-quality secondary roads to link them to the Autobahnen. There are no legally enforced speed limits on the Autobahnen although there is a recommended limit of 130kmph. The official speed limit on country roads is 100kmph, and in built-up areas 50kmph, unless a lower figure is indicated.

By Bus: Most buses are run in association with DB and are known as Bahnbusse. You're most likely to need buses in remote rural areas - or along designated scenic routes. On these routes, buses are luxury in class, often packed with tourists, and pause long enough by the major points of scenic or historic interest for passengers to hop out and take a couple of photographs.

By Rail: The German rail network operated by Deutsche Bahn is far denser than that of any other comparable country in the world, and also has the most frequent service levels. On all intercity routes, even from one end of the country to another, the minimum frequency of service from early morning till late evening is one per hour, and in many cases is several times that.

By Ferry: Germany has direct ferry connections with Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia and Lithuania as well as the island of Bornholm. From the UK Germany can be reached directly or through a number of indirect routes via France, Belgium, Holland and Denmark.

By Air: Domestic flights are numerous and quick between the major cities. Many international airlines serve Germany, including an increasing number of low-cost airlines.

Brandenburg Gate (Berlin)

This enduring symbol of Berlin, re-opened in ’89 after the destruction of the Berlin Wall.

Berlin Museums

Museums Island, Jewish Museum, Checkpoint Charlie Museum.

Cologne Cathedral

One of the best-known architectural monuments in Germany Cologne's most famous landmark.

Oktoberfest (Munich)

The Munich Oktoberfest - known by the locals as the "Wiesn" - is the biggest public festival in the world attended by around 6 million visitors annually, who drink more than 5 million litres of beer.

Nuremberg Christmas Market

The most famous and oldest of the German Christmas Markets runs from Early December to noon on Christmas Eve.

Booming Berlin, now the No. 1 tourist magnet is the clearest benefactor of reunification. Visitors to the cultural centres of Dresden, Leipzig and Weimar in eastern Germany will find improved amenities there as well. The north has the delightful old seafaring cities of Hamburg and Bremen. Along the Rhine and Moselle Rivers are picturesque castles and steep, terraced vineyards. The Grimm Brothers collected the tales they heard in a trail of villages from Hanau to Bremen. In the south are snow-capped Alps, the alluring Black Forest, Munich and Bavaria's boisterous beer halls and rococo palaces and churches.

Although it has plenty of fairy-tale sights and picturesque scenery that is reminiscent of medieval times, Germany is without a doubt a post-industrial, multicultural country with all the inherent advantages and conflicts. Reunification is a huge social and economic undertaking, and it comes on top of an already heavy and, at times, troubling history. Travellers to Germany will probably not be affected by much of this, but on the other hand, visitors shouldn't expect all parts of the country, at all times, to be an Oktoberfest.