Overview: As Germany moves forward into the 21st century, leaving behind a
history of division and tyranny, it is a nation embracing its
newfound liberalism and redefining a modern cultural identity. Yet
even today, visitors to the country can't escape feeling profoundly
moved by this country's past and the effects it still has on its
people. Situated in the heart of Europe and bordering nine other
countries, Germany provides an ideal gateway to any tour of the
subcontinent. Its land is wide and varied with turreted castles
nestled below snow-capped mountains, lush river valleys, dark and
mysterious forests and bustling medieval villages. This is the land
of fairy tales, where farmland minstrels headed to Bremen to become
musicians, where Sleeping Beauty was woken and Little Red Riding
Hood ventured into the woods. Germany's cities each have something unique to offer the
visitor. Each year millions of litres of beer are consumed in
Munich during the city's Oktoberfest, where locals and visitors
discover true German revelry and 'gemutlichkeit' (a word the locals
use to describe a comfortable, sociable environment). Berlin, while
still recovering from some of the scars of division, contains many
sights from the iconic Brandenburg Gate, to the path of the old
Berlin Wall. The city's vibrant nightlife is still evocative of its
height in the 1920s and 30s, as characterised by the songs of
Marlene Dietrich, the theatre of Brecht and the Film
. Discover the country that gave us Beethoven and Bauhaus, Goethe
and Glühwein, Lager and Lederhosen - you won't be disappointed.
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