15 Best Cities to Visit in Germany (2023)
You have a days off and want to use them for a holiday in Germany. How about a vacation in one of the best cities in Germany?
In addition to the well-known cities of Berlin, Hamburg and Munich, there are also the smaller cities that are worth a visit.
The most beautiful cities in Germany include the old Hanseatic city of Lübeck in the far north or the beer city of Bamberg, which enchants with its beautiful old town.
Görlitz in the very east of the republic is also worth a visit, which is often used as a backdrop for Hollywood films.
I love exploring cities in Germany and sharing my love for them. And so I have put together a list of the most beautiful cities in Germany for you.
1. Leipzig
The trade fair city in Saxony led through its eventful history and is one of the most worth seeing cities in Germany.
Leipzig’s city center is characterized by its beautiful buildings, such as the old and new town hall and its many arcades, which were built at the beginning of the 20th century.
The Monument to the Battle of the Nations in Leipzig is also worth seeing.
It commemorates the great battle that heralded the downfall of Napoleon Bonaparte.
You can also explore the city by water. A trip by canoe over the canals in the west of Leipzig is worthwhile here.
Insider tips:
Visit to the Grassi Museum in Leipzig
Pub crawl along Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse
A day in the Leipzig Neuseenland
2. Bremen
Who doesn’t know them – the Bremen Town Musicians. But not only them make Bremen a coveted travel destination and a German city worth seeing.
Winding alleys and small houses in Schnoor, Bremen’s operational district, take you back to the Middle Ages.
The impressive market square with the Bremen town hall also bears witness to the long history of the city. Right next to it you will also find the four famous people from Bremen: The Town Musicians – immortalized in a bronze statue.
Insider tips:
Stroll through Böttcherstrasse
Visit the Bremen Roland in front of the town hall
Make a detour in the Bremen district
3. Freiburg
Nice weather guarantee you determined during your trip to this beautiful city of Germany. With the most hours of sunshine in Germany, Freiburg im Breisgau, is one of the republic’s vitamin D filling stations.
The symbol of the city is the Freiburg Minster with its 116 meter high tower. It is said to be the most beautiful tower in the world. The impressive building is embedded in Münsterplatz. Here on weekdays locals and tourists cavort on the market.
On your trip to this beautiful city, be careful not to accidentally step into the “Bächle”. According to legend, the visitors who enter there later marry a native of Freiburg.
A network of small watercourses runs through the city for a total of 15 kilometers.
Insider tips:
Old and New Town Hall
A ride with Germany’s longest cable car on the local mountain Schauinsland
A day trip to Europapark Rust
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4. Gorlitz
A great insider tip among the most beautiful cities in Germany is Görlitz. The easternmost city in Germany was almost completely spared from destruction in World War II and today boasts one of the most beautiful old towns.
Whether late Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque or Gründerzeit – every epoch is represented in the cityscape. This makes Görlitz not only a varied travel destination, but also a popular location for major film productions.
The old town has already served as a backdrop for “Inglourious Basterds”, “The Monuments Men” or “The Young Marx”.
Insider tips:
A long walk through the historic old town
A short detour to Poland
Take an organ tour in the St. Peter and Paul Stadtkirche
5. Speyer
Located in Rhineland-Palatinate, Speyer is one of the most beautiful historic cities in Germany.
The highlight of this city on the Rhine is of course the Speyer Cathedral. It is considered the largest preserved Romanesque church and shapes the cityscape like no other building.
The city center of Speyer is characterized by many small cobblestone streets and winding alleys.
On the main shopping street in the city center you will find other historical buildings, such as the town hall or the Altpörtel, one of the medieval main gates of the city.
Insider tips:
A visit to the Technikmuseum Speyer
A tower ascent of the cathedral
A day trip to the Hockenheimring
6. Berlin
Of course, the capital should not be missing from the list of the most beautiful cities in Germany.
With more than three million inhabitants, the city is the largest city in the country and accordingly has a lot to offer.
Potsdamer Platz, the Brandenburg Gate and the German Bundestag are some of the city’s best-known sights.
Also worth a visit are the Nikolaiviertel, the Gendarmenmarkt and the Museum Island.
However other historical sites that vividly tell the history of Germany are also absolutely impressive. These include, for example, Checkpoint Charlie or the East Side Gallery on the remains of the Berlin Wall.
Insider tips:
A visit to the DDR Museum
A boat tour on the Spree
A walk through the Hackesche Höfe
7. Munich
Most people know the Bavarian capital mainly because of the world-famous Oktoberfest. However the metropolis also has a lot to offer during the rest of the year. The English Garden, the Munich Frauenkirche and the unmistakable lifestyle of the people of Munich ensure that the city is one of the most beautiful cities in Germany.
Thanks to its location, Munich is also a great destination for winter sports enthusiasts.
Insider tips:
A walk through the English Garden
A visit to the Munich Hofbräuhaus
A trip to BMW World
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8. Lueneburg
The small town in Lower Saxony should not be missing from the list of the most beautiful cities in Germany.
It enchants its visitors with a great old town, the Lüne monastery and many imposing churches.
You can feel the venerable history of the city on every corner of the Hanseatic city.
Thanks to the salt trade, Lüneburg became a wealthy city with a strong bourgeoisie in the Middle Ages and was one of the first members of the Hanseatic League.
Insider tips:
Walk through the historic city center
A visit to the German Salt Museum
A day trip to the adjacent Lüneburg Heath Nature Park and the Heide Park Resort
9. Dresden
Baroque pomp, one of the most famous opera houses in the country, the largest porcelain painting in the world, international art and cultural treasures such as the largest porcelain painting in the world or the oldest Christmas market in Germany – there are only a few large cities in Germany that have such a high density of sights like Dresden.
The Saxon state capital is an ideal destination for a city trip, as the old town can be easily explored on foot. The Elbe Castles can be discovered particularly comfortably on a boat trip on the Elbe.
Insider tips:
Dresden Zwinger with picture gallery and gardens
Walk through the old town u. a. with procession of princes & Frauenkirche
Boat tour with the Elbe steamer and visit to the castles
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10. Bamberg
With its buildings and its history as a Franconian imperial and episcopal city, Bamberg is clearly one of the most beautiful historic cities in Germany.
The old town core is considered to be the largest intact historical town core.
The people of Bamberg are particularly proud of their beer and brewery culture. Eleven breweries are still active in the city today. This is served in quaint pubs.
The historic town hall is also impressive. It stands on an artificial island in the middle of the Regnitz River.
Insider tips:
Bamberg Cathedral with the Bamberg Horseman
A visit to the oldest natural history museum in Germany
New residence and rose garden
11. Erfurt
A beautiful German city is also the state capital of Thuringia. Erfurt combines a long history as a rich commercial city with impressive nature.
A visit to the city, which is well worth seeing, is definitely worthwhile.
The old town captivates with its small, winding streets and romantic flair.
A visit to the city’s zoo park is worthwhile for families.
The Augustinian monastery is also worth seeing. The reformer Martin Luther lived and worked here.
Insider tips:
A walk along the Krämerbrücke
A tour of discovery of the many Erfurt churches
Visit the 900 year old synagogue
12. Marburg
The venerable university town of Marburg should not be missing from the list of the most beautiful cities in Germany.
The city in Hesse nestles on both banks of the Lahn in the adjacent Gladenbacher Bergland and the Lahnberge.
If you are traveling in this must-see city, you have to be prepared for many levels. But again and again you will find the perfect view over the picturesque landscape.
The city lies below the impressive Landgrave Castle, which is now one of the city’s main attractions.
You also have a beautiful view of the castle from the roof terrace of the AquaMar Marburg. The leisure pool is one of the best adventure pools in Hesse.
Insider tips:
A city tour through the old town of Marburg
A visit to the old university
Enjoy the view of the city from the Spiegellust Tower
13. Heidelberg
Three million tourists flock to one of the most beautiful cities in Germany every year:
Heidelberg in Baden-Wurttemberg.
Located on the Neckar, with its picturesque old town, the impressive castle ruins and the oldest university in Germany, it is one of the most unusual cities in Germany.
The former residential city not only offers you a wonderful old town, but also a nature worth seeing in the immediate vicinity.
There you can enjoy a great panorama of Heidelberg by walking over the Old Bridge to reach the Philosophenweg.
Insider tips:
Hike through the Königsstuhl
Visit to the marketplace
Visit to the student prison
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14. Hamburg
In the list of the most beautiful cities in Germany, the “pearl” Hamburg should not be missing.
In addition to the well-known sights, such as the impressive harbor or the unique Reeperbahn, there are many other attractions.
These include the historic warehouse district or an extensive day of shopping in the city center.
Those who love musicals will find what they are looking for in this city.
In recent years, the Hanseatic city has been able to develop an international reputation as a musical city.
As a nature lover, you will also feel at home in Hamburg. For example, a visit to Hagenbeck’s zoo or the Planten un Blomen park is worthwhile.
Insider tips:
A visit to the warehouse district and the miniature wonderland
By bike through the Alster Valley
A trip to the Blankenese district
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15. Stralsund
The old Hanseatic city of Stralsund is also called “the gateway to the island of Rügen”.
Two bridges connect them to the Baltic Sea island.
The old town of Stralsund is an impressive testimony to the city’s history and its importance in the Hanseatic League.
The architectural style, for example of the town hall or Nikolaikirche, is attributed to the brick Gothic, a special type of construction in northern Germany.
Thanks to its location by the sea, the beautiful German city is also a great destination for a city trip in summer.
You have the choice between an impressive city with many churches and historical buildings or the water and a day trip in the area.
Insider tips:
A visit to the German Maritime Museum in Stralsund
A tour of the Old Market
Visit to the last surviving city gates Kütertor and Kniepertor
