Germany Blog

Stories, tips, and reflections about life, travel, and culture in Germany.

  • 2010 German Summer Travel Trends

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    The other week, I talked about airport currency exchange rates. This has an impact on tourist traffic that tourism and travel agency monitor closely. I’ve had a look at their predictions and wanted to share some of them with you!

    First, you will want to book early for your summer travel. According to industry reports for the initial quarter of 2010, travel bookings to Germany have already exceeded their 2009 levels. This means to ensure you have a train seat or a hotel room in August you should make reservations NOW.

    Second, you will want to be mindful of specials. Cruises, for example, have been dropping in price over the last few years, and German River Cruises are in line with the trend. It is becoming more and more affordable to do a Rhine Valley cruise, and this year the falling euro and the cruise ships specials make a German cruise a great value.

    Third, you should be aware that you will be facing stiff competition from locals. Germans took 86.6 million domestic trips in 2009, which was up 2% from 2008 and is expected to go up again in 2010. Yes, we love to travel and we love our own country, so expect festivals, trails, and scenic spots to be well populated with natives as you travel.

    Fourth, you will want to be mindful of the most popular travel destinations. If you want to avoid crowds, stay away from Bavaria and Lower Saxony, Germany’s most visited areas. You will be able to find more space for reflection and perhaps more open hotel rooms in other regions.

    Finally, be sure to check low cost airfares. Discount air travel has been rising in Germany, and now accounts for nearly 40% of all travel. With a robust market, there are multiple carriers serving the German market, and by shopping carefully you can really snatch up some cheap flights.

    Happy travels! :-)

    —Marcus

  • Germans Are Candidates For Being Original Fools

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    After the last blog post about the Porsche Test Track, I thought I would share something a bit lighter now in honor of today.

    Today is not merely the first of April. Today is also April Fool’s Day, so be on guard against pranksters and tricksters roaming around looking for gullible types. April Fool’s Day is quite popular throughout Germany, so you can’t relax anywhere!

    Part of the reason that April Fool’s Day is so popular in Germany is that according to some, the holiday originated here. However, there are multiple stories about its birth.

    One of the oldest stories traces the holiday back to Augsburg in 1530. There, a group of lawmakers was supposed to be meeting on April 1st to discuss a number of financial projects. However, the meeting didn’t happen. As a result, many speculators lost money, earning them the title of “April Fools.”

    According to another story, April Fool’s Day was started in Darmstadt by Gabriel Hoffman. No one is sure of his motivation, but there is no doubt that the holiday has certainly caught on around the country.

    You can’t even trust the news on April 1st. Many of the national and local papers put out a special April Fool’s Day edition. This has caused some international sensations as multi-national syndicates pick up the stories without realizing they’re fake.

    Some of the 2009 national hoaxes included the announcement of women’s only parking spaces, magnetic towing on BMW cars, and the banning of lederhosen sales.

    For 2010, the pranks are anyone’s guess. . . keep your eyes and ears open! ;-)

    To see some of the great April Fool’s Day hoaxes from Germany’s history, you can look at the archives at the Museum of Hoaxes. Also, don’t be shy about sharing the hoaxes you think should have been included in the list!

    Traditionally, pranks are supposed to be played before noon, although the national pranks tend to go on all day or even for a couple of days.

    However long your April Fool’s Day experience lasts, enjoy!

    —Marcus

  • Come Play On The Porsche Test Track

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    It’s no secret that German cars are some of the best vehicles in the world. I may seem biased because I’m German, but you can ask anyone. ;-)

    Combining speed, elegance, and the latest innovations from German engineering geniuses, driving a German car is a real pleasure.

    You can take that pleasure to the next level by making a trip to one of the test tracks in Germany. For those who love speed, the Porsche test track is a must-visit destination. The company builds nearly 200 cars each year for premium racing events, and their test track is where the rubber meets the road–literally!

    Located in Leipzig, the test track event package includes a tour of the factory grounds and the chance to take the latest models out for a spin with a professional co-pilot. The on-road track is FIA certified, and there is an off-road track experience available as well, complete with hills, canals, and mud pits.

    Currently, the event package features the Cayenne, Boxster, Cayman, 911, 911 Turbo or Panamera models for test driving on-road, and the Cayenne for driving the off-road track. The Panamera isn’t available in the North American market, so if you’re interested you have to come and see it in its native environment.

    The co-pilots come from the BMW Driver Training facilities in Munich, so you are in good hands for coaching as you take the wheel.

    Pushing the top speeds, doing spins, and shalom racing are all encouraged. You can even do skid pad slides and re-enact driving stunts seen in popular commercials.

    The overall cost of the experience is less that you might imagine for hours on a top track and coaching from world class drivers. Four hours with some of the best cars in the world will cost between €650 and €940 (approximately between US$910 and US$1,316), with expansion packages available and group events also on offer.

    It will certainly be a one-in-a-lifetime experience — don’t you think? :-)

    —Marcus

  • Can You Handle 14 Puppet Shows In One Week?

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    As you know, Germany is full of unique festivals and celebrations. Many of these celebrations are based on our rich history and legends. Nowhere is this illustrated better than in the Schwarzwald a.k.a. Black Forest, where many of Germany’s best stories have been born.

    If you are up to an exceptional dose of culture, you will want to head to the Black Forest town of Gernsbach this next week. Each year just before Easter, the town hosts one of Europe’s premier puppet festivals.

    The Gernsbacher Puppentheaterwoche (Gernsbach Puppet Theater Week) attracts the top puppeteers from Germany and Austria. For one week straight they stage performances for adults and children. Some are light-hearted and funny, while others are darker artistic pieces.

    No matter the subject, the visual experience is superb. Many of the puppets are made by hand especially for the event. With intricate costumes and sets, the stories really come to life in ways that can make you forget there are any human performers involved!

    For 2010, there will be more than 14 puppet performances. Some will be traditional stories for children, while others, like Caravaggio, are original works design specifically for the festival. There are performances each day of the festival, which is being held March 20 – 27 this year.

    Even if you can’t make a performance, you will still want to head to Gernsbach for the workshops and exhibitions. You can see museum displays of historical puppets made in Germany at both the town hall and the main library.

    If you’ve ever thought of trying your own hand at being a puppet master, then you will want to attend some of the workshops. There are workshops for children’s entertainment, but there are also in-depth teaching events for those with an interest in being on stage.

    Tickets for the day and evening shows are available from the town culture and tourist office at +49-7224-644-44 or by email through touristinfo@gernsbach.de.

    It’s a novel festival with a lot of culture packed into just seven short days, so try to find at least one day where you can visit!

    —Marcus

  • Beware Of Airport Currency Exchange Rates

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    My friend, beware of airport currency exchange rates!

    You’ll get the best exchange rates on your travels when paying with your plastic card(s). However, if you’ve got some cash to exchange I always recommend doing this at the airport as I found the most reasonable exchange rates there (rather than at a local bank).

    However, do check out the various exchange desks available at the airport and do NOT stop your journey at the very first!

    Short ‘n sweet, here’s my experience from last weekend, on which we exchanged R$ 370 (three-hundred seventy Brazilian Reais) into euros:

    Currency Exchange Counter #1 (I don’t recall their name): € 97
    Course: 3.81

    Currency Exchange Counter #2 — Reise-Bank: € 117
    Course: 3.16

    Currency Exchange Counter #3 — Euro Change: € 130
    Course: 2.85

    See? Noticeable differences! The third desk gave us 33 euros more than the first one.

    So make sure you ask at least three. They’re usually pretty close to each other, by the way. ;-)

    —Marcus