My favorite place in Germany? – Part 1

I have been so lucky to have the opportunity to visit several cities in Germany; still, there are a lot of places I want to explore, Germany is big. Below I recommend some routes that I have traveled to and loved. In most of my trips, I combined different cities or places together because:

1. It helps you save a lot of money. You can buy regional ticket and travel around using all kinds of public transportation. Of course, you have to read the terms and conditions carefully because it can be different from time to time. I remember, for example, express trains might not be included. To buy regional tickets, you can check DB app (regionale Angebote) and literally “the more, the cheaper.” I usally travel with just one or two of my friends but if you have a group of four or five, definitely it’s the best option for you.
2. It’s convenient. There were trips that we visited two or three cities in one day – yeah yeah, I know this could be rush but if you have traveled within Germany quite a lot, at one point everything will become a bit similar to you so visiting different places gives you the chances to see them briefly and if you like the place, just come back later. For some of your first trips, I would recommend seeing things slowly.

I will not write about all the places I list below because it would be too long so only places which have special places in my heart will be featured (hahahaha)

Trip #1 – Sachsen and Niedersachsen

From Leipzig, I have visited Dresden, Weimar, Torgau, Harz (Herzberg am Harz and Hattorf am Harz), and Halle. I love Weimar for its artistic vibes and Harz for its nature. Dresden is very beautiful, especially at night but be prepared that you might see a lot of constructions around, which is understandable because the city was heavily damaged during WWII. You can read more about it here (in German) or here (in English). When you are in Dresden, don’t forget to plan a trip to Saxon Switzerland (German: Sächsische Schweiz) – it’s beautiful in all seasons but could be a bit slippery to climb up during winter. I want to come back here and explore a more off-the-beaten route and maybe do overnight camping.

Trip #2 – Nordrhein-Westfalen and Rheinland-Pfalz: Köln, Düsseldorf, Essen, Aachen, Trier, Cochem, Mosel and some small villages

I traveled here in April – already spring, but it was still cold and snowing. Some highlights:

Köln / Cologne – I quoted “Cologne is a beautiful town (of which unfortunately most part of the medieval city was destroyed by the bombing during WWII.” Make sure you visit the Dom, splendid and huge. I attended the Holy Mass also, a very interesting experience. So if you want to do it, make sure you check the schedule in advance. In my opinion, Köln is more beautiful at night. We went to the other side of the bridge and observe the city from different angles. The photos below are from the other side of the bridge.

Aachen is spring is super lovely and the city itself is cute too. People who love small places like me would love Aachen. I visited Aachen on the last day of my trip in this area so I did not expect much; I was thinking “Well, just another city.” But when I arrived, I was surprised by the vintage vibes, the scenery, cute alleyways, and extremely unique coffee shops – talking about this, you have to go here!!! Aachen is also known for being one of the most innovative cities in Germany. Good schools like RWTH Aachen are here.

Kettwig – I LOVE THIS PLACE. Well, people say the most beautiful things that come into your life are usually the most unexpected ones and yeah, Kettwig is one of the gifts that life has surprised me. I remember it was a snowy day and after visiting Essen (really really short time in Essen), we arrived here. When we stepped out of the train, it was like a scene in a fairy tale – perhaps the snow helped a lot in making the scene so romantic. Kettwig is a very small yet authentic town and it has THE BEST WAFFLE that I have ever tried in Germany. The owner of the waffle shop has a sister-in-law who is Vietnamese.

Trier and Cochem along the Mosel. These are my top three recommended places in Germany and I LOVE THEM SO MUCH. If you love nature, biking, good wines, and want to do a romantic trip with your beloved one (or like me with my best friend in Germany 😉 ), you have to go here. Also, if you are tired of city life and want to have some slow time, these places are perfect for wellness. Besides biking, you can do hiking – Mosel hike, where you can explore vineyard trails and mountain trails. If these activities are too adventurous for you, a relaxing wine tasting experience is worth trying or simply sitting on a train and appreciating the landscape is already a worthwhile experience. I don’t want to combine everything here in one blog because these places need their own blog where I can share more tips and photos. 😉

See you next time in part 2. 😉