Tourism in Germany

Tourism in Germany is a big part of the country's life and money. In 2023, Germany was the world's third-largest place for travel and tourism, adding about $487.6 billion to the country's money from jobs and things people buy. Many people from all over the world visit Germany every year.

Some of the most popular places to see in Germany are its big cities and beautiful natural areas like the Bavarian Alps, the Black Forest, the Rhine Valley, and the coasts along the Baltic and North Sea. Germany has many special spots chosen by UNESCO, lots of museums, old castles, and churches that people love to explore.

Germany is also famous for fun events like the Munich Oktoberfest and the bright Christmas markets that happen in towns and cities during the Advent season. The country has great ways to travel, including many trains, big roads, and big airports, helping visitors get around easily.

History

The history of tourism in Germany began with people visiting cities and beautiful landscapes for learning and fun. From the late 1700s, places like Dresden, Munich, Weimar, and Berlin were popular stops for travelers on a grand journey across Europe.

Spas and seaside resorts, such as those on the North and Baltic Sea like Rugia and Usedom, grew in the 1800s and early 1900s as train routes made it easier for people to visit. Many places for relaxation and fun were built near rivers and natural areas, including the Middle Rhine valley.

After World War II, tourism in Germany grew a lot. People come to see its history and enjoy its many beautiful landscapes. Germany has 14 national parks, such as the Jasmund National Park and the Wadden Sea National Parks, as well as many nature parks and biosphere reserves. Small towns often still have their old, historic centers, called Altstadt in German.

Statistics

Germany is a very popular place for people to visit. In 2017, there were 459 million nights that visitors stayed in Germany, and 83 million of those nights were spent by people from other countries. The area known as Bavaria had the most visitors, with 94.3 million nights spent in hotels, hostels, or clinics. Another area, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, had the most visitors compared to how many people live there, with 18.4 nights per person.

People choose to visit Germany for many reasons, such as its culture, outdoor spaces, cities, cleanliness, and safety. Other reasons include modern places, good hotels, tasty food, easy ways to get around, friendly places, good shopping, fun nightlife, and good value for money. The German National Tourist Board helps share information about Germany with people all over the world.

Countryside

See also: List of spa towns in Germany and List of seaside resorts in Germany

Many people in Germany enjoy visiting spa towns and seaside places for relaxation and health. About two-thirds of all hotel stays in Germany happen in spa towns, where people can relax using mineral water and other special treatments. These towns often have special names like "Mineral and mud spas" or "Healthy climate resorts." Some of the most famous spa towns include Bad Wiessee, Baden-Baden, Wiesbaden, Aachen, Travemünde, and Westerland.

Germany has many beautiful places to visit, like the East Frisian and North Frisian Islands, the Baltic Sea coasts, the Rhine Valley, the Bavarian and Black Forest areas, and the Bavarian Alps. Other popular spots include Usedom, Holstein Switzerland, the Lüneburg Heath, Harz, Mecklenburg Lake District, Teutoburg Forest, Sauerland, Eifel, the Moselle Valley, Saxon Switzerland, Thuringian Forest, Ore Mountains, the Elbe Valley, Taunus, Spessart, Rhön, Odenwald, and Allgäu.

During winter, people can enjoy activities like skiing and snowboarding in places such as the Bavarian Alps and Northern Limestone Alps, as well as in the Ore Mountains, Harz Mountains, Fichtel Mountains, and Bavarian Forest. Many towns also have Christmas markets during the Advent season.

See also: Geography of Germany and List of national parks in Germany

In addition to spa towns, Germany has many wonderful countryside areas to explore. Some of the most visited tourist regions include the East Frisian and North Frisian Islands, the Baltic Sea coasts of Holstein, Mecklenburg and Vorpommern, the Rhine Valley, the Bavarian and Black Forest, and the Bavarian Alps.

Other popular countryside regions include:

• in the north: Usedom, Holstein Switzerland, the Lüneburg Heath, Harz and Mecklenburg Lake District
• in the west: Teutoburg Forest, Sauerland, Eifel and the Moselle Valley
• in the east: Saxon Switzerland, Thuringian Forest, Ore Mountains and the Elbe Valley
• in the south: Taunus, Spessart, Rhön, Odenwald and Allgäu

Since the 1930s, local and regional governments have created special theme routes to help visitors discover different areas and their unique culture and scenery. Some well-known theme routes include parts of the European Route of Brick Gothic and European Route of Industrial Heritage, the Harz-Heide Road, Bertha Benz Memorial Route and Bergstrasse.

See also: List of ski resorts in the German Alps and List of ski resorts in the German Central Uplands

Germany’s main winter sport areas are in the Bavarian Alps and Northern Limestone Alps, as well as the Ore Mountains, Harz Mountains, Fichtel Mountains and Bavarian Forest. These regions offer excellent facilities for alpine skiing, snowboarding, bobsledding and cross-country skiing. Most winter sports take place between November and February. During the Advent season, many German towns and cities host lively Christmas markets.

Cities

See also: Metropolitan regions in Germany

Many of Germany's largest cities have become very popular travel spots. Between 1995 and 2005, the number of visitors staying overnight in these cities more than doubled, showing strong growth in travel. This rise is linked to cultural tourism, often combined with learning or business trips. As cities improve their cultural, entertainment, hotel, food, and shopping options, they attract even more international visitors.

Some of the most visited cities in Germany include Berlin, known for its many sights and being the largest city in the country. Munich, the capital of Bavaria, is famous for its history, culture, and beautiful buildings like the Marienplatz square and its clock tower show. Hamburg is a busy port city with many tourists each year, enjoying visits to its city hall, churches, old warehouses, and harbor tours. Other popular cities with many visitors each year include Rostock, Hannover, Bremen, Cuxhaven, Bonn, Freiburg, Münster, Lübeck, Wiesbaden, Essen, and Regensburg.

Most visited

Protected areas

Some of the most visited protected places in Germany include:

• Bavarian Forest National Park
• Lower Saxon Wadden Sea National Park
• Berchtesgaden National Park
• Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park
• View from Mt. Lusen in the Bavarian Forest over the Alpine Foreland
• Swabian Jura
• Mainau
• The Kölpinsee, Jabelscher See and Fleesensee in the Mecklenburg Lake Plateau
• View over the Moselle and past the village of Dorf Bremm to the Calmont in the Eifel
• Wilseder Berg in the Lüneburg Heath
• Lilienstein at Saxon Switzerland
• The Western Pomerania Lagoon Area National Park

Landmarks

Germany has many famous places that people visit often. The Cathedral of Cologne is the most visited landmark in the country, with over six million visitors each year. Other popular spots include the Reichstag building in Berlin and Neuschwanstein Castle, which inspired Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty's Castle. Visitors also enjoy the Zwinger in Dresden, the old towns of Rothenburg ob der Tauber and Regensburg, and famous gates like the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin and the Holsten Gate in Lübeck.

Theme parks

Germany is also home to many popular theme parks and related facilities, though this list only includes some of the largest ones and may not be complete.