Germany can be divided into three major geographic regions. The low-lying north has many crops and livestock, despite its relatively unsuitable soil. In the middle of Germany there is a plateau consisting of the Rhine valley, the mountains of the Harz and Thuringia Forest. Here the Rhine has carved a gorge. This is a beautiful landscape with vineyards and castles. To the west lies the Ruhr [area] with its many cities. Near the border with the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg lies the highlands of the Sauerland, Hunsrueck and the Eifel. The valley of the Moselle contains beautiful vineyards. Through the southern part of Germany flows the Danube, Isar, Necker and Main. There are a number of forested plateaus here including the Black Forest, Bohemian Forest and the Swabian Alb. Furthermore, in southern Germany you can find the Alps, the highest point in Germany being Zugspitze (2963m) situated near the Austrian border. The climate of Germany is generally temperate, but varies somewhat by region. Two thirds of the forests in Germany are pine, the rest are mostly beech.
Germany is not known for being a holiday destination for the Dutch. Yet it is a country that makes a suitable holiday destination for everyone. Germany has beaches, lakes, mountains, forests, rivers and beautiful cities to visit. In winter you can also go cross-country skiing (in certain areas).
In northern Germany there is the North Sea coast on the border with Denmark. This is a great place to enjoy the beach. The coastline and islands (eg Sylt and Helgoland) are famous for the many birds which arrive each year. The area is also ideal for cyclists. Schleswig-Holstein is the northernmost of the 16 states of Germany. It borders Denmark to the north and the Baltic to the east. The beautiful islands of Ruegen and Usedom lie off the coast. Birdwatchers and cyclists are in the right place here.
Germany is a country with several low mountain ranges. These are characterized by hills, valleys, rivers, reservoirs and forests. These areas are ideal for summer hiking, biking, enjoying nature and the pursuit of water sports. In these areas you will also find many spas that are identified by a place name that begins with "Bath". In winter there are opportunities for skiing here as well. The famous German low mountain area include: the Sauerland, the Harz Mountains, the Black Forest, the Eifel, the Hunsrueck and the Ore Mountains.
The German Alpine region is located in southern Germany near the border with Switzerland and Austria. Here you can find mountains with the highest peaks ascending to over 1500 meters. This area is an ideal holiday destination in both winter and summer. In summer you can hike through woods, mountains and meadows past lakes and rivers. You can also visit one of the many idyllic villages and castles in the area. Innsbruck and Salzburg are not far away and are certainly worthwhile. In winter the Alps are famous for their winter sports. In winter, the area is always blanketed in snow. Garmisch Partenkirchen is one of the most famous ski resorts. Here lies the Zugspitze, with its 2966m peak - the highest in Germany.
Germany has lots of natural beauty as well as cities with cultural beauty. Culture lovers are certainly at the right place in Germany. The cities often have a historical center where there is lots to see. Berlin is the capital of Germany. Even though many of its buildings were destroyed during the second world war, the city still has numerous attractions including: Charlottenburg Palace, Kurfuerstendamm (shopping boulevard with the partially destroyed Memorial Church) and remains of the Berlin Wall. In addition to Berlin, there many other cities in Germany that are worth a visit. These include: Cologne with its beautiful Gothic cathedral; Duesseldorf with a beautiful old city; Bonn; Frankfurt; Koblenz; Munich; Hamburg; Wuerzburg; Leipzig; Dresden; Weimar; Wittenberg; Nurnberg; Hannover; Rothenburg ob der Tauber and Muenster.



The climate of Germany is mostly a temperate climate. Along the coast the temperatures in summer and winter is moderate with year round rainfall. In the south and east of Germany, you can have extreme temperatures.
You can get around well in Germany by car, train or plane.
Germany consists of many federal states.
Niedersachsen
This federation is known for its nature, the Harz and numerous cities including Hanover, Brunswick, Osnabruck and Luneburg.
The Federal State of Bremen includes the port city of Bremen. This Hanseatic city is also known by the famous fairy tale The Town Musicians.
The main port in Germany is Hamburg. This independent city-state is worth visiting for its impressive port.
Sleswick-Holstein
from the capital city of Kiel you can take a ferry to Scandinavia.
Saxony-Anhalt
it's capital city is Magdeburg which has a long history and is a very nice place to visit. In the nature of the Harz you can ski in winter. Well-known holiday destinations here include: Bad Harzburg, Goslar, Hahnenklee, Braunlage and Bad Lauterberg.
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
This federation is known for its beaches of nearly two hundred kilometers. Rostock has an interesting historic center.
Brandenburg
The main attractions here are the old Potsdam and Sachsenhausen concentration camps.
Berlin
This city offers tourists numerous options. The city has plenty of museums, good shopping facilities, restaurants, entertainment venues and parks.
In the hills of central Germany you will find the federal states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Hessen, Saarland, Thuringia and Saxony.
Nordrhein-Westfalen
Attractive cities here are Bonn, Cologne, Dusseldorf and Duisburg.
Rheinland-Pfalz
Visit Rudesheim, Assmannshausen, Lahnstein and Boppard. Here you can take a pleasant boat trip down the Mosel River. The city of Trier is situated on the Mosel. The old city gate and the Porta Nigra in this beautiful city are from the period of the Romans.

< br> Hessen Kassel
is known for its large international art exhibitions. Frankfurt am Main is the largest airport in Germany. Other tourist destinations include Waldeck, Frankenau and Ulrichstein.
Thuringen
This is the green heart of Germany. Jena is a nice city to visit.
In the southern part of Germany there are the federal states of Baden-Wurttemberg and Bavaria.
Baden-Wurttemberg
A major resort area because of the impressive scenery of the Black Forest. Here lie the tourist destinations of Baden-Baden, Titisee, Todtmoos and Waldachtal. Another popular destination is the Bodensee. In Lake Constance lies the island of Mainau. This island is known for its flowers.
The Bavarian capital of Munich
has the beer festival in October and some nice museums. A nice city to visit. You can take trips to the famous castles of Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangen located in Hohenschwangau. For water sports you can go to the lakes of Chiemsee and Tegnersee. A famous ski resort is Inzell.