From A(achen) to Z(wickau)
Germany is a popular tourist destination - for Germans and for an increasing number of tourists from abroad. Here some facts and figures:
The Federal Republic of Germany covers an area of 357,020 km². About 82 million people live in this land of "poets and thinkers". The capital city, Berlin, symbolises German unity as it was itself divided into East and West Berlin. The city's partition was overcome on 3 October 1990 when the communist GDR collapsed and Germany was reunified.
From Goethe and Bach to Fatih Akim and Pina Bausch. German culture means both, traditional grandeur and exciting contemporary forms of art
Central Berlin on a Saturday night: Art lovers stroll through the narrow streets, moving from one gallery to the next, visiting only few of the capital's numerous art venues. Over a glass of sparkling or red wine, they discuss the latest in art, pausing every now and again to study a painting or to converse with fellow connoisseurs.
German culture - enriched by diversity of contemporary Germany
German cinema is no longer linked exclusively to names, such as Rainer Werner Fassbinder and Volker Schlöndorff. New stars, such as the Turkish film-maker Fatih Akim, have become a permanent feature of German culture. More than 7 million non-German nationals live in Germany, who make a significant contribution to society at large. In today's Germany East European dramatists and musicians from Japan are just as much part of German culture as Goethe, Schiller and Bach.
Mobility is the order of the day
Germans like to keep on the move. A dense road and rail network covers the whole country. From Hamburg to Munich or from Cologne to Berlin - virtually the whole country is easily accessible by car, rail, bus, plane or bike. And even on the waterways: From Lübeck, Kiel and Rostock ships set sail for Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia and Lithuania. Many rivers are tried and tested transport routes, such as Rivers Rhine, Donau and Main.
Plenty of nature
Germany is an attractive destination for tourists. If you travel to the north, you can combine a seaside holiday with an exploration of the "Watt" (mud-flats), and if you head south, you can pit your climbing skills against those of mountain goats.
