Germans Snap Up Inflation-Busting Public Transit Tickets

Travelers in Germany will be able to crisscross the country for under $10 a month this summer as part of a government program intended to help combat rampant inflation, high fuel prices and climate change.

The hitch: the new “9-euro-tickets” that went on sale Wednesday only apply to local and public transportation, so getting from the Baltic Sea to the Black Forest will take a while.

While travelers can expect to arrive eventually, many will have to put up with delays and crowds as bus and train operators struggle with the influx of new passengers.

Still, Germans have already snapped up more than 7 million of the tickets, the association representing Germany’s byzantine patchwork of regional transportation companies, VDV, said this week.

It expects up to 30 million monthly users from June to August in the country of 83 million. The first big test is expected this weekend, when much of the country enjoys a long Pentecost weekend.

Mobility expert Katja Diehl said the tickets would particularly benefit people on low incomes and families that want to travel across Germany on the cheap. She expressed doubt the summer program would have much impact on the way commuters behave, though packed trains could boost arguments for more public transportation funding by highlighting demand.

“We need a massive expansion of what’s on offer,” Diehl said.

“Germany wants to double the number of passengers on public transport,” she said. “That’s only possible with reliable alternatives (to cars) and good pricing that doesn’t end after three months.”

Some of Germany’s neighbors have taken a more comprehensive, longer-term approach to encourging people to use public transport.

Austria launched a ’ climate ticket ’ drive last year that covers all forms of transport. It costs 1,095 euros ($1,175) annually, but there are discounts for families and ,ow-income earners.

Tiny Luxembourg, meanwhile, made all public transport free in 2020.

German environmentalists have criticized the government for introducing the cut-rate tickets simultaneously with lowering the tax on fuel, arguing the subsidy would aid oil companies while undermining efforts to get people to switch to climate-friendly forms of transport.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz dismissed those concerns. Speaking a day before both measures took effect, Scholz said he was convinced they would be a “really, really big success.”

Germany Wipes Its List Of COVID ‘High-Risk Areas’ Clean

BERLIN (AP) — Germany is removing all countries currently on its list of “high-risk areas” as part of a rethink of its coronavirus travel rules that took effect on March 3rd.

The country’s disease control center, the Robert Koch Institute, said that from now on Germany’s list will only include places where high infection rates are linked to variants of COVID-19 that are more virulent than the currently dominant omicron variant, which in many cases leads to relatively mild illness.

That change will result in the current list of “high-risk areas,” which contains dozens of countries and territories, being wiped clean from Thursday on. Health Ministry spokesman Andreas Deffner said Wednesday, however, that Germany will still require people to show proof of vaccination, recent recovery or a negative test to enter the country.

People arriving from “high-risk areas” who either haven’t recovered recently or been fully vaccinated have to self-isolate for 10 days, which can be cut to five with a negative test. Everyone arriving from those areas has to register online before arrival.

For countries that do end up on the list, quarantine requirements will be relaxed for under-12s — who will be able to avoid self-isolating with a negative test — and dropped for children under 6.

Germany’s coronavirus infection rate is drifting downward slowly after a wave of infections with omicron peaked last month. Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the country’s 16 state governors agreed in mid-February on a three-step plan to end most restrictions by March 20.

Fas’Nacht Traditions Held Dear But Not Celebrated this Year In SouthWest Germany

In SouthWest Germany, many towns particularly in the mostly southern Catholic regions from the Black Forest to Lake Constance, remember their annual celebrations of Fas’nacht: the time between Maundy Thursday and Shrove Tuesday when fools take to the streets and hilarity reigns.

Sometimes referred to as the end of the “Fifth Season,” from November 11 to Ash Wednesday, the five days before Lent from Maundy Thursday to Schrove Tuesday are a time of frivolity, hilarity, parades and foolery. In many parts of the mostly southern Catholic regions of SouthWest Germany, including Lake Constance and the Black Forest, the Fas’net traditions offer local color, costumes, parades, dialects and special recipes that go back hundreds of years. For planning purposes, here are some highlights that you can look forward to next year.

Just below the Hohenzollern Palace in the town Sigmaringen in the area of the Swabian Alb, Nauf auf d' Stang, nauf auf d' Stang cries on Shrove Tuesday mark the time of 10:00 a.m., when at the market fountain, the traditional marriage place for couples, all newly married men are carried around the fountain on a platform. In the town of Buchen, the highlight of the numerous events is the "Gänsmarsch," which takes place every carnival Sunday from 2:11 p.m. Masked foot groups come from all parts of the city and turn the parade into a fool's court, poking fun at current affairs and people from the region. Numerous "Huddelbätze," or jesters, dressed in colorful patchwork clothes made of hundreds of scraps of fabric, characterize the image of the "Carnival Night."

With 4,000 fools and 20,000 spectators in the town of Rottweil between Swabia and the Black Forest, the Rottweiler Narrensprung or Fool’s Jump, is one of the most famous events of the Swabian-Alemannic carnival year after year. On Monday morning at 8:00 a.m. and again on Shrove Tuesday at 2:00 p.m., the colorful dance of Rottweiler fools streams out of the Black Gate for a procession lasting several hours through the historic old town. Federahannes and Guller, Gschell and Schantle populate the town with their wooden masks and tease visitors along the roadside.

In the Black Forest town of Schiltach on Shrove Monday from 1:00 p.m., numerous imaginatively decorated wooden tubs roll in the ice-cold water "da Bach na." Forty teams are allowed to start every year. Anyone who makes it to the finish line with dry feet will be greeted with the call "Pforz trocke". If you fall "batsch wet" into the water, you certainly have the loud mockery of the spectators on your side.

Also in the Black Forest town of Elzach, the Schuttig is a jester figure with a red shaggy robe, an eerie wooden mask and a snail hat which is said to go back to the "wild men," who were considered winter demons in the Middle Ages. During the Great Schuttig Parade on Carnival Sunday and Tuesday (each at 3:00 p.m.) you can marvel at the numerous variations of the masks, which date back to the Baroque period. They have a particularly demonic effect during the torchlight parade on Sunday evening, when the entire old town is bathed in torchlight from 8:00 p.m.

Ho Narro!, Narri Narro!, Juhu! and Huhuhu! are cries from the fools who take to the streets in the towns around Lake Constance. Carnival marching bands, masquerade parties, balls and general revelry dominate the time before Ash Wednesday. Some towns and villages celebrate the Wecken, or Fool’s Rousing, when the fools prance through the streets in the early morning with fanfare and drums. Another tradition is Hemdglonker on Fat Thursday when everyone wears white night shirts and hats and parades through town. This stems from a time when students would reproach their teachers for their mistakes and weaknesses.

The children get their own fun on Monday in Constance during the Wurstschnappen, or sausage grab, after the children’s parade. And, in the spa town of Überlingen, a special parade, Hänselejuck, takes place on Saturday night when the Hänsele Fools are lit by Bengali flames and accompanied by Carnival musicians and hop and dance through the town snapping their whips and heckling the crowds on their way to the shores of Lake Constance.

Last but not least, if you are not able to visit SouthWest Germany during the carnival and Fas’net time, the towns are still very charming and there are at least four museums (websites in German) dedicated to the Fas’net traditions. Also, we are including links to Fas'nacht recipes and the making of the wooden masks and these pages are in English.

Fasnachtsmuseum Schloss Langenstein, Orsingen-Nenzingen fasnachtsmuseum.de

Fasnachtsmuseum Narrenschopf, Bad Dürrheim narrenschopf.de
Narrenmuseum Niggelturm, Gengenbach narrenmuseum-niggelturm.de
Fastnachtsmusem Narrenburg, Hettingen fastnachtsmuseum-narrenburg.de

Traditional Recipes: https://www.tourism-bw.com/things-to-do/wine-dine/traditional-doughnuts

Traditional Costumes and Masks: https://www.tourism-bw.com/things-to-do/culture/narri-narro

Berlin is Back! Five Reasons to Visit the German Capital in 2022

. With new daily nonstop flights on United Airlines from Washington DC and Newark to Berlin, the new Humboldt Forum, a focus on Modernism and the city's legendary local vibe, Berlin is ready to again welcome North Americans. Certain COVID-19 protocols apply.

Here are five reasons why Berlin should be on your travel list for 2022:

1. Ease of Travel Starting on March 4, 2022, United will again be flying daily from Newark to Berlin on their Boeing 767-300 aircraft, followed by a new daily connection from Washington DC to Berlin, launching on May 6, 2022, using Boeing 767-400 equipment. The IAD-BER flight is the only U.S. service connecting the two capitals.

In Berlin, passengers are landing at Berlin's new BER airport Berlin Brandenburg Willy Brandt, a large, modern airport which started operation in October 2020. It is conveniently connected to the city by public transportation and to the German rail system, from underneath the main terminal.

2. New Landmark Building: The Humboldt Forum Europe's most significant cultural project is now open to the public. Located adjacent to Museum Island in Berlin's historic center, the Franco Stella-designed full-size reproduction of a former 16th century Hohenzollern palace, replicates three of the original baroque facades, with a minimalist fourth façade, a massive, covered courtyard and a state-of-the-art interior. The Humboldt Forum is Berlin's new top highlight and is designed as a unique venue for the dialogue between world cultures.

The Humboldt Forum features almost 323,000 square feet of exhibition space, including the Ethnological Museum, the Museum for Asian Art and the Berlin Global exhibition. Workshop spaces for cultural education, and the Lustgarten outdoor space are complemented by eventually seven restaurants ranging from bistro-style to gourmet dining. Some 1000 events per year will take place at the Humboldt Forum in the future, underscoring the institution's purpose of being a space for discourse and culture.

3. For Architecture Buffs: Spotlight on Modernism
From Schinkel to Foster, from romantic palaces and classical buildings to industrial heritage sites and the stunning contemporary structures of post-Wall Berlin, the city's architectural styles are diverse and noteworthy.

In 2022, Berlin will put a special focus on Modernism. Highlights include the Mies van der Rohe-designed New National Gallery, an iconic steel and glass landmark of modern architecture, which completed a six-year renovation in 2021, and features 20th-century masterpieces by various artists from Europe and North America.

Kicking off on September 30, 2022**, the Triennial of Modernism 2022 is a cooperation of the cities Berlin, Weimar and Dessau and will focus on the Bauhaus movement and modernist architecture. Starting with Berlin's UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Modernist Housing Estates, an extensive program of architectural tours, exhibitions, public events is planned throughout the city, designed to take an in-depth look at the architectural and social heritage of modernism.

4. Berlin for Foodies
In recent years, Berlin has become the place to be for young, creative chefs from around the world … and for those who want to sample a creative and diverse menu. Berlin's cuisine is influenced by culinary traditions from around the world, but also sees contemporary, lighter interpretations of traditional German cooking. The 23 Michelin star-rated restaurants – including the 3-star Rutz, CODA, a 2-star-rated dessert only restaurant and Cookies Cream, a vegetarian star-rated restaurant – offer refined culinary choices. Berlin is also the vegan/vegetarian capital of Europe, featuring the highest density of vegan/vegetarian options, as well as sustainable restaurants. Street food like the Turkish Döner and the traditional currywurst offer great mid-day or late nigh snacks, and food halls are a gathering place for Berliners and mainly feature local delicacies.
Seems overwhelming? There are several food tours which take visitors on culinary journeys and are well worth the (reasonable) cost.

5. Active and Independent: Exploration made Easy

Off on your own? The new subway line U5 now connects major cultural highlights. In operation since December 2021 with three stunning new metro stations, the extended U5 subway stops at Berlin's top sights, including Brandenburg Gate, City Hall, Unter den Linden, Alexanderplatz, and Museum Island.

The new U5 extension not only makes sightseeing even easier, but also leads visitors off the beaten path and discover the hidden gems along the way.

Exploration by bicycle had long been a popular way to see the city. Berlin is mainly flat and offers about 390 miles of bike paths, many of which are separated from the main traffic flow. Bike rentals are about Euro 12/day. For those preferring guided tours, there are many options, ranging from history, to tours along the trail of the Berlin Wall or food rides.

Information on travel to Berlin at http://www.visitberlin.com

Germany Proposing To Ban The Unvaccinated From Nearly Everywhere

Germany’s health ministry is preparing sweeping measures next month that could exclude unvaccinated people from many areas of public life if Covid-19 infection rates continue to rise.

What is being proposed?

The measures, which would be among the strictest in Europe, would ensure that only those who have been vaccinated against the virus, have recovered from an infection, or those who can demonstrate a negative test result would be able to access many facilities.

The Health Ministry indicated that the government was considering the idea of imposing restrictions that they called the “2G rule,” on unvaccinated people in the event that infections and hospitalizations continue to rise. This would only allow vaccinated or recovered people to attend certain facilities while unvaccinated people would be excluded.

This could ban the unvaccinated from going to restaurants, gyms or hairdressers,, indoor sports and large outdoor events or participated in other activities.

“Tests are therefore becoming a prerequisite, for example, for access to hospitals, old people’s and nursing homes, indoor catering, events and celebrations, but also for visits to the hairdresser or the cosmetic studio. The same applies to indoor sports or accommodation, for example in hotels and guest houses,” the government said on Tuesday.

“I say to all those of you who are still unsure: A vaccination doesn’t just protect you, it protects the people you care about, the people who mean a lot to you, your loved ones,” Merkel said.

Source: https://www.politicsvideochannel.com/

Berlin’s Neue Nationalgalerie Reopens After 6-Year Overhaul

BERLIN (AP) — Berlin’s Neue Nationalgalerie, an iconic modern art museum designed by Bauhaus pioneer Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, reopened to the public Sunday after a six-year refurbishment of the glass-fronted building.

Germany’s culture minister, Monika Gruetters, said during a celebration ceremony held Saturday that the occasion marked the museum’s “brilliant comeback as a pilgrimage site for lovers of modern art and as a stage for contemporary artists.”

British architect David Chipperfield oversaw the extensive refurbishment of the steel-and-glass structure, a project that cost 140 million euros ($164 million).

Mies van der Rohe was the last of three directors of the Bauhaus school of art and design, which started work in 1919 and was forced to shut down shortly after the Nazis came to power in 1933. He later emigrated to the United States.

The Neue Nationalgalerie was Mies van der Rohe’s only post-World War II building in Germany. It was built in then-West Berlin, not far from the Berlin Wall that divided the city for much of the Cold War. The museum opened in 1968, the year before the architect’s death.

Berlin Mayor Michael Mueller said that, shortly after the Wall was built, the building, with its transparent facade, stood for “progress, the avant-garde and modern, openness and internationality,” news agency dpa reported.

The museum is reopening with three exhibitions: a selection of key works from its collection, a show of works by sculptor Alexander Calder, and another dedicated to film and media artist Rosa Barbra.

Berlin is creating more space to show its contemporary art collection by building a new “Museum of the 20th Century” next door to the Neue Nationalgalerie.

Germany Requiring COVID Tests For Unvaccinated Travelers

BERLIN (AP) — Germany will require people entering the country who haven’t been vaccinated or recently recovered from COVID-19 to show a negative test result starting Sunday.

The change approved by the Cabinet on Friday applies to people 12 years old and above. It comes amid increasing concern about infections brought back from summer vacations pushing up Germany’s relatively low case rate. School holidays in some German states will end in about a week.

At present, unvaccinated people traveling by air are required to test negative before they get on a plane to Germany, regardless of where they are coming from. People crossing into Germany by other means of transport will now also have to prove their status. Authorities are expected to conduct spot checks at land borders rather than impose blanket controls.

People arriving from countries listed in Germany’s highest risk category as “virus variant areas” will also have to present a test if they are vaccinated or have recently recovered. That list currently includes Brazil and South Africa but no European countries.

Germany’s disease control center said this week that more than four-fifths of the infections in Germany are still domestic, but there has been an increase in infected people who were probably exposed to the virus abroad -- particularly in Spain and Turkey, two popular vacation destinations.

Germany’s infection rate remains much lower than several other European countries, but it has been creeping higher since hitting a low of 4.9 new weekly cases per 100,000 residents on July 6. On Friday, the figure stood at 16.5 new cases per 100,000 residents over the past week.

That is worrying officials at a time when the more contagious delta variant has become dominant in Germany and elsewhere in Europe, while vaccinations have slowed. By Thursday, 51.5% of Germany’s population was fully vaccinated and 61.5% had received at least one vaccine dose.

Authorities are trying to come up with creative ways to whet more skeptical Germans’ appetite for vaccination. On Friday, a vaccination center in the eastern town of Sonnenberg offered a free bratwurst to all comers — which, according to regional public broadcaster MDR, was met with a bigger uptake than usual in the first few hours.

Health Minister Jens Spahn noted that “in general terms, travel is easier with a vaccination — the vaccinated spare themselves testing and, in principle, don’t have to go into quarantine.” He added that “the offer of vaccinations for everyone in the summer stands. We have enough vaccine.”

As well as tweaking the entry rules, the Cabinet decided Friday to simplify Germany’s risk category system. It is cutting the number of categories from three to two — eliminating the lowest tier, for which barely any practical restrictions applied anyway.

German Museums Tentatively Reopen As Virus Restrictions Ease

COLOGNE, Germany (AP) — More than 100 Andy Warhol originals have been hanging on the walls of Cologne’s Museum Ludwig since mid-December with nobody to view them after coronavirus restrictions shut down galleries across the country.

That changed on Tuesday as the doors were opened to limited numbers of guests, after authorities eased restrictions to allow some museums, galleries and certain other cultural venues to begin receiving visitors again.

“We’ve been working on this exhibit for three and a half years and for the last few weeks it was ready, but couldn’t be shown,” curator and museum director Yilmaz Dziewior told The Associated Press.

“You can imagine how happy we all are here at that house that finally the audience for whom we created the exhibition can also see it.”

Museums throughout Germany closed at the beginning of November as coronavirus cases increased. Under new regulations, museums in areas with fewer than 50 new infections weekly per 100,000 residents can open without major restrictions, other than standard mask, hygiene and distancing rules.

When the rate is between 50 to 100 as in Cologne, tickets are being limited to online purchase and restricted in numbers. For the Warhol exhibit they quickly sold out through Sunday. A new batch will go on sale Monday so long as the coronavirus numbers don’t change dramatically.

The ex­hi­bi­tion was organized by the museum in concert with London’s Tate Mod­ern in col­lab­o­ra­tion with the Art Gallery of On­tario, Toron­to and the As­pen Art Mu­se­um, Col­o­ra­do.

It seeks to illuminate the influence of Warhol’s immigrant background and his own homosexuality through his works, as well as how he dealt with death and religion, the museum said.

“Just as his celebri­ty por­traits and Co­ca-Co­la bot­tles held a mir­ror up to Amer­i­can so­ci­e­ty, Warhol stands for a di­verse, queer coun­ter­cul­ture that found its ex­pres­sion not least in his New York stu­dio, the Fac­to­ry,” the museum said in its description of the exhibition.

Cologne resident Karl Eiband was one of the lucky ones who got tickets to Tuesday’s opening of the exhibit, and said that for him it restored a little piece of one of the many things he has been missing during the pandemic lockdown.

“Like my evening beer, I miss art,” the 44-year-old said. “And since I don’t have the resources to hang a tiny Warhol in my living room, I visit the Museum Ludwig because it’s my living room for culture and art.”

The exhibit, “Andy Warhol Now,” runs through June 13.

The 8 Best Coffee Shops In Berlin. The German Capital Has Officially Transformed Into A Coffee Mecca. #Coffee #Berlin #Germany

by ELIOT STEIN

Berliners are known for feasting on life's great pleasures, yet until recently, world-class coffee has been one vice that's been notoriously hard to find here. But in the last few years, a swell of chic caffeine chapels has sprouted up faster than you can say "cold-drip brew" and transformed the German capital into a legit, third-wave coffee mecca—wander around the trendy neighborhoods of Neukölln, Kreuzberg, Prenzlauer Berg, or Mitte, and you'll find more specialty roasters than you can shake a syphon at. From Viennese-inspired coffeehouses to industrial caffeine haunts, here's our list of Berlin's very best coffee shops.

Courtesy The Barn Coffee Roasters

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The Barn Roastery

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The Barn which opened in 2010 in hopes of reestablishing a serious coffee culture in Berlin, serves some of the best espresso we’ve had in the city—or anywhere in Germany, for that matter. Beans come from places like Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Costa Rica; the espressos are bitter and bold; and the macchiatos, with their frothy fleur-de-lis, are as pretty as they are painstaking. Don’t expect to find sugar or milk easily here, though—these guys are purists.

Courtesy Bonanza Coffee Heroes

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Bonanza Coffee Heroes

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Located smack-dab in the middle of the elegant Oderberger Strasse in the Prenzlauer Berg neighborhood, just a few streets south of popular Mauerpark, Bonanza Coffee opened in 2006—a lifetime ago, in Berlin years—and has something of a religious following among third-wave coffee aficionados. The site-roasted beans have a fruity note to them, and that cherry flavor seeps into everything from the cortado to the flat white (said to be among Berlin’s very best), and double shots come standard with each espresso order. Whether you stop in for a goosebump-inducing jolt before scouring Mauerpark’s flea market or just to meet friends before a day out, you'll be struck with how intimate the small space feels.

Refugio Café

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At first glance, Refugio looks like so many other achingly hip Berlin coffee joints: comfy golden couches, dangling plants, and local art for sale. But what makes it so unique is the fact that it’s staffed entirely by newly arrived migrants and asylum seekers. In fact, what you see is just one of five floors where 40 refugees from Syria, Somalia, Afghanistan, and Eritrea live and work as a large family. Weekly language courses, free exhibitions, great craft coffee, and a delicious Syrian brunch make this a local favorite.

Courtesy Hallesches Haus

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Hallesches Haus

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As you veer off the canal-lined Tempelofer Ufer and push past the dangling ivy sails and draped lights of outdoor tables, the interior of Hallesches Haus hits you like a hyper-curated design catalog. Raw brick walls, soaring ceilings, blooming succulents, wooden communal tables, and industrial chandeliers give this formerly vacant 1902 post office building a generous dose of cool and cozy. The result is a stunning multi-use cafe, event space, and kitschy-chic general store where you’ll want to drink, work on your laptop, or meet friends.

Bernd Brundert/Courtesy Cafe Einstein Stammhaus

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Café Einstein Stammhaus

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You may want to tuck in your shirt as you enter the tony Tiergarten neighborhood and into the Italian neoclassical villa that houses one of Europe’s great old coffeehouses. Inside, parquet floors, waiters in black and white suits, and marble-topped tables with leather banquettes make the Viennese-inspired cafe feel like a relic of pre-war Berlin. Film buffs may even recognize the place, as it’s where Tarantino shot the tense cafe scene in Inglourious Basterds.

RESTAURANT

Prinzessinnengärten Café

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Nine years ago, a group of volunteers set out to transform a 60-year-old abandoned wasteland in the middle of Kreuzberg’s busy Moritzplatz into a green oasis. Today, these tranquil "princess gardens" produce more than 500 types of vegetables and hide a delightful organic cafe. Courses are offered in everything from composting to beekeeping here, but it’s the idyllic tree-shaded cafe that’s the main draw for those walking, biking, or otherwise passing by. Come here to sip a strong espresso or herbal mate while communing with nature.

Philipp Dera/Courtesy Five Elephant

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Five Elephant

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Sat on a leafy side street a block from Görlitzer Park in the oh-so-trendy Kreuzkölln ‘hood, Five Elephant helped pioneer the third-wave coffee trend in Berlin. Vintage maps sprawled across the white walls show the journey of the beans from countries like Brazil, Ethiopia, El Salvador, and Colombia to the minimal stool-studded cafe where they’re roasted onsite. Wooden tables, outdoor seating on Reichenberger Strasse, and an open-back kitchen make this one of our favorite places to start our day.

Courtesy Districkt Coffee

RESTAURANT

Distrikt Coffee

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Cafes in Mitte can sometimes feel like they're catering to business clientele or tourists, but Distrikt is a locals-only gem, and its free Wi-Fi makes it a good place to catch up on emails and fuel up before exploring. If you like your espresso bitter, this is the place for you. The espresso beans come courtesy of Berlin’s Fjord Coffee Roasters and make their way into any number of frothy or straight black options, all served in elegant porcelain cups.

Source: https://www.cntraveler.com/gallery/best-coffee-shops-in-berlin

Highlights Of What To Do In FrankfurtRhineMain Germany During 2019

Do you really know Germany? Do you know which highlights and events would be attractive to write about? We would like to present a few of the exclusive events and highlights in the FrankfurtRhineMain region in 2019. It’s time to discover the true gems of Germany, many of which are situated just one or two hours away from Frankfurt. This is where four different states, and indeed four distinct cultures, come together, making for a true German experience. The Rhine in Flames, a Bavarian Volksfest, international food and wine festivals - it’s all you could expect and that little bit more!

The Rhine in Flames

If you think the Rhine Valley couldn’t possibly be more magical and fascinating than it already is, then you haven’t yet seen the Rhine in Flames. This famous festival, which starts in Bingen and Rüdesheim among others, illuminates the banks of the Rhine and it’s “flaming castles”. You can experience it from the river banks or aboard a ship in Europe’s largest procession. The boat trip could also include food, wine and live music, making the experience of gliding along the illuminated Rhine even more magical. The event in Bingen and Rüdesheim will be held on July 6, 2019. Make sure to book event tickets and hotels early enough, as this event is very popular with visitors from all over the world.

Click here for more information. 

The Rheingau Wine Festival

The city of Wiesbaden and the surrounding Rheingau region are one of the top winegrowing regions in Germany, producing the finest Riesling you could imagine. Once a year, the winegrowers come together to present their vintages at the Rheingau Wine Festival in Wiesbaden, which comprises more than 120 wine and food stalls. This is a unique experience for food lovers and a great opportunity to combine an event with a round trip in the beautiful FrankfurtRhineMain region. Wiesbaden is situated no more than a half hour’s drive from Frankfurt, meaning that it’s perfect for when you fly to Frankfurt International Airport. The event will take place on August 9 to 18, 2019. Visit the Wiesbaden website for other events.

Click here for more information. 

The Apple Wine Festival

Did you know that the most popular beverage in Frankfurt is apple wine, which is similar to cider? It is an important part of the city’s identity and visiting one of the traditional apple wine restaurants in Sachsenhausen is a true Frankfurt experience. Frankfurt is proud of its delicious apple creation and celebrates it with a yearly festival called the Apple Wine Festival, taking place on August 9 to 18, 2019. August is a good month to visit the FrankfurtRhineMain region for anyone interested in wine and food festivals. Why not combine the Apple Wine Festival and the Rheingau Wine Festival? A further event in Frankfurt also well worth a visit is the Museum Embankment Festival on August 23 to 25, 2019! 

Please click here for more information about events in Frankfurt.

European Elvis Festival

Elvis Presley called Bad Nauheim home during his military service back in the 1950s, and, needless to say, left many traces. In commemoration of the King of Rock and Roll, the city organizes an annual European Elvis Festival with concerts, exhibitions, interviews with people who knew him then, and impressive classic car parades. A visit to his former residence will round off your trip nicely.

Please click here for more information about Elvis in Bad Nauheim.

Bavarian Volksfest

The half-timbered town of Miltenberg in Bavaria, situated little more than an hour away from Frankfurt, is the perfect choice for a real Bavarian experience. The largest folk festival on the Bavarian Lower Main, the Michaelismesse goes back 650 years and is a perfect combination of amusement park, modern exhibition, and traditional booths. A visit to the beer tents with live music completes the festive atmosphere.

PLease click here for more information about Miltenberg. 

Medieval Castle Festival

Drive less than half an hour south of Frankfurt and you will find a little gem called Dreieichenhain, a little, charming, half-timbered town where the medieval Hayner Castle Festival takes place every year. In 2019, this will be on September 6 to 8. The concerts, cuisine, jousting tournaments, and traditional medieval handcrafts will certainly take you back to this historic time.

Click here to see the highlights of the festival (in German).

Other events in the FrankfurtRhineMain region

Have you ever heard of Germany’s oldest street festival? It’s called Theatrium and is held in Wiesbaden on June 14 to 15. The neighboring city, Mainz, hosts one of the absolute top events for all carnival fans, “Fasching”, which is considered the “fifth season” due to its popularity with the Germans. From February 28 to March 6, 2019, the city is transformed into a vibrant party with parades and a wonderful atmosphere. Bingen Swingt - held in Bingen, the gateway to the Upper Middle Rhine Valley, on the last weekend of June - is equivalent to a cool summer breeze in the blistering heat for music lovers. This annual international jazz festival attracts thousands of visitors to listen to the funky beats of numerous jazz artists on six open-air stages in the town and on the river banks. Every year on the last weekend in October, the Fairytale and Saga Days in Reichelsheim (Odenwald) is a great opportunity for fantasy and mythology fans, particularly children, to explore the world of fairy tales.

For more information on exciting events in the FrankfurtRhineMain region, please visit our website or contact us directly. We wish everyone a wonderful Christmas time and Happy New year 2019! 

What's New In The Frankfurt Rhine-Main Region For 2018

Cultural events and jubilees not to miss out on, the new old town of Frankfurt and one of the top culinary destinations in Bavaria - 

Historic cultural events in Dreieich

The beautiful half-timbered old town of Dreieichenhain, the historical Hayn Fortress, and several other cultural gems worth discovering are all distinctive features of the city of Dreieich, just a 25 minutes’ drive from Frankfurt. Although it is small, the cultural events on offer throughout the year are flourishing. The “Burgfestspiele Dreieichenhain” (Dreieichenhain Fortress Festival) is held in the historic ambience of the fortress from July 5 to August 19. Furthermore, the “Hayner Burgfest 2018” will enchant visitors with its theme, “The Celts – swords of steel and cult of fire”, from September 7–9. This festival is all about the Middle Ages and the period’s fascinating arts, with live fire artists, jugglers, and knights giving visitors the feeling of traveling in time. The main features include real medieval jousting as well as a handcrafts market with numerous stalls. And let’s not forget the culinary delights! Read more about Dreieich and its highlights here.

 The culinary delights of Miltenberg in Bavaria

The city of Miltenberg has received a major award for its culture and cuisine: the “100 Genussorte Bayern” award. This award means that Miltenberg is not only one of the top 100 cultural and historic destinations in Bavaria, but also one of the major culinary cities in the country. And the best thing about it is that visitors to Miltenberg can participate in the culinary traditions and experience them very interactively. Why not join a creative beer tour and brew your own beer? Or learn how to bake traditional bread made with beer and wine from a professional bread sommelier? Or even participate in coffee and espresso workshops with a coffee sommelier? Does it sound like fun? It definitely is! The city has various offers on for families and visitors from all over the world. Take a look at the city’s promotional video for more inspiration, and read more about the city’s features here.

Celebrating the 800-year jubilee of Goldbach in Spessart

This month, something very special is going on in the region of Spessart: The city of Goldbach (meaning “the golden stream”) has planned a grand celebration for its 800-year jubilee on June 8–17, 2018. Musicians and artists, including Paul Pott, Max Giesinger, and Beatrice Egli, will make this an event that should not to be missed. The musical activities will be complemented with culinary temptations and smaller, more local events. Goldbach is situated close to tourist magnets like Aschaffenburg, not far from Frankfurt and Darmstadt, and famous for its Schloss Johannisburg, one of the most significant Renaissance castles in Germany. There are several other recommendable attractions in the Spessart region, including the previously mentioned city of Miltenberg and the beautiful moated castle of Mespelbrunn, located only a half-hour drive away, to mention but a few. This area is also perfect for outdoor activities. Don’t hesitate to contact us for more information about the Spessart region and its highlights.

New museum in the art city of Aschaffenburg

The city of Aschaffenburg has a lot to offer in terms of cultural highlights: Schloss Johannisburg Castle and the Pompejanum, for instance. It is an important city for art in the region. A major addition to the museum district in Aschaffenburg will be a brand new museum showing the works of the famous German artist Christian Schad, opening at the end of this year. Schad was an important proponent of Verism, a period at the beginning of the 20th century. Anther exhibition highlight in Aschaffenburg is the “Divine X Design. Das Kleid der Antike” exhibition, held at the Pompejanum, a replica of a Roman villa. This exhibition illustrates the dialog between ancient works of art and fashion of the same period. The fashion designs were created by fashion undergraduates to demonstrate the power of fashion even back in the day: Already then, people chose suitable clothing for the various occasions, with hair, make-up, and accessories being an important part of the look. The exhibition will be open until October 31, 2018. The entrance fee to the Pompejanum is €5.50 (€4.50 for visitors under 18) or, combined with entrance to Schloss Johannisburg, €7.00 (€5.00 for visitors under 18). Please click here for further information about the Pompejanum, and here for general information about Aschaffenburg.

Get a new perspective on things at RESTAURANT 360° in Limburg

Not only is the city of Limburg situated an hour’s drive north of Frankfurt a great place for outdoor activities like hiking, biking, or canoeing on the idyllic Lahn River, it is also a great place for historic and culinary discoveries. Apart from the beautiful half-timbered houses of the old town, Limburg Cathedral, sitting on top of a hill just like a king, is a top city and regional attraction. It dates back to 1235, making it a major historic treasure. An insider tip: View the city of Limburg from Alexander Hohlwein’s RESTAURANT 360°. Situated on the third floor of the “WERKStadt” shopping mall, it provides a magnificent view of the city and its treasures. It’s terrace can seat up to 35 guests (or events of up to 100 guests) and includes the restaurant’s own herb garden. Alexander and his restaurant received a Michelin star for their great work. His partner and sommelier Rebekka Weickert will guide you in pairing the best wines on your culinary journey. Take a virtual tour of beautiful Limburg here.

The new Frankfurt old town is now open

The old town of Frankfurt, which has been embellished with 15 buildings based on original plans and a further 20 new constructions, including shops, restaurants, and apartments, is now ready and open for guests. The grand opening will take place on September 28–30, 2018. This will be one of the most spectacular inaugurations in Europe and an absolute must-see, along with the many other features of this beautiful city on the Main. New guided tours are available in English. Take a virtual tour through the beautiful new heart of the city here. The “Safe Cities Index 2017”, a report by The Economist Intelligence Unit, lists Frankfurt, the only German city in the ranking, 11th. This means that Frankfurt is currently considered one of the safest of 60 cities in the world to visit, with Tokyo being number one. This is just one of many reasons to visit Frankfurt and the surrounding region, where several historic and culinary delights await you.

The Best City Breaks In Germany: Readers’ Travel Tips

Best of the ’burgs … Augsburg city skyline. Photograph: Alamy

Riesling and Romans, baroque and bratwurst … our tipsters point to alluring cities from Bavaria to the Hanseatic northern ports – but sidestepping Berlin – taking in great food, museums, spas and bars 

Winning tip: Augsburg

One of Bavaria’s oldest cities, Augsburg is a delightful base for a cycling journey on the “Romantic road” or a relaxed city break. Visit the Fuggerei, Europe’s most venerable social housing project, founded by the Fugger banking dynasty in the 16th century. Residents are charged only a nominal rent provided they attend mass daily – just as in the 1500s. The Brechthaus in the old artisan quarter of Lechviertel is the birthplace of Bertolt Brecht and offers insights into the great playwright, poet and director’s Augsburg youth, US exile and uneasy relationship with the GDR after eventually taking up residence in East Berlin. Enjoy hearty portions of knödel (dumplings) and spätzle (soft egg noodles) at Bauerntanz on Bauerntanzgasschen for around €25 a head. The Hotel Riegele, opposite the railway station, is comfortable, moderately priced (doubles €92 B&B) and a short stroll from the city centre.
Brian Weston

EAST

Leipzig

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 Café Luise, Leipzig

A few years ago Leipzig suddenly became home to lots of creative and tech companies priced out of Berlin. If you add that to the fact it’s also a university town it’s no surprise it has fantastic bars (try the sour Gose beer on draft but you should drink it with Allasch, a sweet caraway liqueur, or it tastes awful) and coffee shops (Café Luise) is a favourite). But don’t overlook the stuff that’s been here years; visit the romantic and atmospheric Südfriedhof cemetery and if you’re here on a Friday at 6pm try to catch the Motette Thomaskirche (€2), an evening service and concert involving the superb boys choir at St Thomas church. It ends with a piece by Johann Sebastian Bach in recognition that he was the church’s cantor between 1723 and 1750.
Will K

Dresden

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 Photograph: Getty Images

A wurst’s throw from the Czech border, Dresden isn’t the easiest city to get to but it’s one of Germany’s most rewarding. The old town, with its baroque skyline resurrected after the firebombing of 1945, is a dazzling cultural scene. You can roam for hours through the Dürers, Rubens and Raphaels in the Zwinger Palace(€10, daily) but for most bling for your buck visit the Grünes Gewölbe or Green Vault (€12, closed Tues), a treasury of gold, diamonds and crystals created by August the Strong in the 18th century. Then cross the Elbe for a walk through Neustadt, Dresden’s cool, grungier quarter, where Louisenstraße is full of eccentric bars, organic cafes and epic graffiti.
manofmode

NORTH

Lübeck

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 Photograph: Alamy

Lübeck was last a big name German city in the 16th century – and it’s all the better for it. It’s a gorgeous Hanseatic city concocted from red brick, like Wigan but built by the Brothers Grimm. We spent our stay there swooning over the medieval warehouses, merchants’ residences and Gothic churches – fastidiously reconstructed after a wartime bashing. As literature fans we visited the homes of former residents Thomas Mann and Günter Grass. But most memorable for us was the famous Niederegger marzipan shop, where you can puzzle over the historical marzipan tableaux in the bizarre upstairs museum and try esoteric flavours such as plum and pineapple.
Morag Reavley

Hamburg

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 Beach Club Strand Pauli. Photograph: Alamy

We had a wonderful trip to Hamburg earlier this year. If you want to see the city like a local I suggest you contact Hamburg Greeters who are members of the Global Greeter Network. They will arrange for a local to guide you on a tour of the city. This service is free, although you can make a donation to the organisation if you wish. You are asked to fill in a short questionnaire and are matched to a suitable volunteer guide. We spent an enjoyable four hours with Ulrich, who spoke perfect English and had a great sense of humour.
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Brandenburg an der Havel

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 Brandenburg City Hall. Photograph: Alamy

A short train ride from Berlin, Brandenburg is a different world. Dirty and industrial during the GDR period, it has now been cleaned up and is a beautiful low-key city full of history. There are medieval churches, a wonderful 12th-century Romanesque cathedral, humorous sculptures, a memorial to the victims of the Nazi era, and the opportunity for boat trips on the beautiful and extensive river and lakes nearby. The Werft restaurant (on the site of a former shipyard) overlooks the river and serves excellent food (Sunday brunch €20), including delicious vegetarian dishes.
BarbaraEF

SOUTH

Tübingen

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 Photograph: Getty Images

The convivial university city of Tübingen enjoys a pretty location on the banks of the river Neckar. Half-timbered gorgeousness is everywhere, particularly along the river and around the Rathaus (town hall). In summer, the riverside Neckar campsite is the perfect place to stay: it’s leafy and quiet with good facilities and connected to the old town by a riverbank cycle path. One of the best places we found was the Neckarmüller Biergarten right by the river, where various beers are brewed that you can sample at long trestles under the trees, great with their giant pretzels. On the opposite bank of the Neckar from the campsite is a brilliant open air pool complex with slides and lots of grassy space for sunbathing.
Marthah

Speyer

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 Photograph: Alamy

It was the sight of a Boeing 747 and a Concorde appearing to take off from the banks of the Rhine that caught our attention, just two of more than 2,000 exhibits in Speyer’s outstanding Technik Museum (from €8, daily). Not only did we climb aboard the Boeing, we were able to venture into the belly of a U-boat, explore a Russian Buran space shuttle and gawp at an impressive array of mechanical instruments and classic road, sea and air machines. We’d actually come to Speyer to see its 11th-century Romanesque cathedral! What a bonus this secular find was, superbly complementing the city’s ecclesiastical wonders.
fionachaillier

Bamberg

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 Photograph: Getty Images

Just over 30 minutes north of the historic city of Nuremberg by train lies the picture-postcard Bavarian town of Bamberg. It’s packed with half-timbered buildings and cobbled streets filled with artisan shops and bustling beer houses selling local, hearty fare. There are so many listed structures that Bamberg is a Unesco world heritage site. The former fishermen’s district in the island centre is known as Little Venice and you can even take a gondola ride (30-minute trip €60 for up to six people). But the Italian connection doesn’t stop there: like Rome, Bamberg was built on seven hills. Founded in 1787, Hotel Residenzschloss is on the banks of the river Regnitz and has doubles B&B from €94.
TxikiStu

WEST

Trier

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 Porta Nigra Roman gate. Photograph: Getty Images

Germany’s oldest city, in the picturesque Moselle valley, claims to have more Roman remains than Rome! When you’ve explored the Porta Nigra Roman city gates, the baths, amphitheatre and bridge, there’s still plenty to do. The city centre, with its mix of medieval and renaissance architecture, is a delight. Pop into Kesselstatt wine bar (easily recognisable by its replica Roman wine ship outside) opposite the cathedral to try a selection of local rieslings. Then, to counter such decadence, visit the Karl Marx Museum for a no-holds-barred history of communism. It’s in the house where he was born in 1818 and is a big hit with Chinese tourists in particular. It is closed for renovation until May 2018, however.
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Düsseldorf

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 Pepella restaurant

Twenty minutes’ walk away from the bustle and party vibe of Alstadt’s narrow streets is a superb eatery, one of Dusseldorf’s trendiest. Pepella is an amazing Georgian restaurant that was opened in 2016 by three friends from Tbilisi. It has places for about 30 people, despite recently expanding into the cocktail bar next door. Try any of the aubergine dishes and the khachapuri (a cheese-filled bread) with a glass of Georgian wine. Afterwards go for a beer at nearby Suli’s or Loffelbar.
• Mains from €8.50, 30 Augustastrasse, pepella-duesseldorf.deleggkenny

Wiesbaden and Mainz

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 Kaiser Friedrich Therme, Wiesbaden. Photograph: Alamy

Turn-of-the century spa architecture, hot springs, theatre and parks. Throw in a casino and lovely local rieslings and it’s easy to understand what brought the Kaiser, Fyodor Dostoyevsky and many artists and nobles to Wiesbaden and its surroundings. Take a ride in the Nerobergbahn 19th-century water-powered funicular, soak in the art nouveau thermal baths (Kaiser Friedrich Therme) and take walks in the hills around the city. Across the Rhine is Mainz, with its Roman history and medieval cathedral – as well as some excellent modern bistros – try Laurenz in the Neustadt district (mains from €16). Or hop on a train and explore the Rheingau wineries and monasteries just a few kilometres away. By the way, all of this is just half an hour away from Frankfurt airport.
motobu2003

By Guardian readers