Germany is tops for City Breaks

Europe is teeming with fantastic cities, which can make it difficult to decide where to go on that well earned break. For long-weekends, it’s probably best sticking to one location given the time constraints, but for those looking to fill a couple of weeks, then it might be best taking in a few different cities.

To avoid extended periods of time on the road though, it’s probably best concentrating on one region and sampling several conurbations within a close proximity.

Germany is one such country that has plenty of cities to tick off on one visit, with the likes of Berlin and Munich among the more obvious cities to visit. However, in the north of the country, is Hamburg, which is a very underrated city but one that perhaps shouldn’t be dismissed so quickly.

Taking its name from a castle built by Emperor Charlemagne in the eighth century AD, Hamburg is now home to Germany’s principal port and it’s the largest non-capital city in the whole of the European Union. The great fire in the mid-nineteenth century, and mass destruction caused by the Second World War, mean that much of Hamburg’s ancient architecture was destroyed. However, this has led it to become one of the most modern cities in Europe.

Furthermore, miles upon mile of canals wind their way through Hamburg, which has resulted in the city now having more bridges than any other town or city on earth – in fact, it has more than Amsterdam and Venice combined.

A few hundred miles drive from Hamburg is Frankfurt, which is now one of the top two largest financial centres in Europe, and its position among the world’s economic elite has led to the city being nicknamed ‘the Manhattan of Europe’.

Indeed, the large number of banking institutions and other giants of the global business world has contributed to its impressive skyline, with the four tallest edifices in Europe situated in Frankfurt. The best place to observe the jagged cityscape is from the Eiserner Steg Bridge at night, which offers impressive views across the city.

A little over twenty miles further south from Frankfurt is Mainz, which is one of Germany’s hidden gems. Located on the banks of the River Rhine, Mainz has a settlement history stretching back 2,000 years when it was occupied by the Romans. Perhaps its biggest claim to fame is as the birthplace of Johannes Gutenberg, who designed and developed the printing press – heralded by Time Magazine as the greatest invention of the past thousand years.

With a splendid mix of cathedrals, squares, timbered houses and baroque churches, Mainz should feature highly on any German city ‘to do’ list.

Of course, with so many top cities to visit in Germany, it’s probably best planning a schedule in advance, taking into account the optimum routes between the various destinations. The internet is a great starting point in terms of carrying out research relating to the key locations, but it may also be helpful to call ahead and speak directly with any tour operators or hotels in advance.

English is spoken as a second language in most German cities and cheap calls to Germany are available via special UK-based access numbers, meaning planning ahead won’t cost the earth.