Focus on Germany

Continuing in the Poland-Ukraine travel series, today’s quarter-final sees the winner of Group B (Germany) meet the runner-up of Group A (Greece).

► Castles on The Rhine by Michel ► Photos.TravelNotes.org

I could probably write a book about all the places I’ve been to in Germany, so to keep it brief; if you’re planning a visit to Germany, or would like to find more about the country, here’s a quick tour of the country with the help of a regional map I made earlier and some links to further information you might find useful.

 Around Germany

Known in German as Bundesländer, the Länder der Bundesrepublik Deutschland can be translated as States of the Federal Republic of Germany.

► Stuttgart ► Capital of Baden-Württemberg

Baden-Württemberg: (Capital: Stuttgart)
The State of Baden-Württemberg, in southwest Germany, ranks second only to Bavaria in its importance as a German tourist destination.

Bayern: (Capital: Munich)
Bavaria is Germany’s largest and oldest state. Its perception of itself and its sovereignty have evolved from a history spanning over one thousand years.

Berlin:
In the middle of the Brandenburg region, the city of Berlin occupies the flatlands on the banks of the Havel and Spree rivers and is criss-crossed with numerous canals.

Brandenburg: (Capital: Potsdam)
Tourist regions in the state include the Spree Forest (Spreewald), Frankfurt (Oder), and Brandenburg an der Havel. Cottbus is another citiy of note.

Regional Map of Germany – 1800-Germany.com

Bremen:
Bremen’s status as the smallest of Germany’s 16 states gives it indisputable advantages as far as communication and making contacts are concerned.

Hamburg:
Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, one of the 16 states of the federation, is the second largest city in Germany with its 1.7 million inhabitants. In this sense it is a city as well as a state.

Hessen: (Capital: Wiesbaden)
Life between the Rhine and the Werra often means a glass of local cider, Rheingau Riesling or wine from the Bergstrasse, while savoury sausage and Handkäs cheese are simple introductions to some of the culinary delights available in the heart of the German Fairy Tale Road.

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern: (Capital: Schwerin)
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, in northeastern Germany, has the longest coastline in the country and the Baltic Coast is often overlooked by many visitors.

Niedersachsen: (Capital: Hannover)
Lower Saxony is a beautiful region. From the North Sea coast to the hilly country of the Weserbergland it offers up interesting and varied scenery, historic cities with a distinguished cultural tradition, and a rich history.

Nordrhein-Westfalen: (Capital: Düsseldorf)
North Rhine-Westphalia is the state ‘deep in the West’ of Germany.

► Cruising on The Rhine ► Photos.TravelNotes.org

Rheinland-Pfalz: (Capital: Mainz)
The state of Rheinland-Pfalz (Rhineland-Palatinate) was formed after the end of World War II, with parts of the Prussian Rhine provinces, the territory of Hesse on the left bank of the Rhine, and the strongly Bavarian-influenced Palatinate being joined together.

Saarland: (Capital: Saarbrücken)
In the heart of Europe lies Saarland, a German state that has France and Luxembourg as its neighbours, in a triangle of nations also known as ‘Saar-Lor-Lux’.

Sachsen: (Capital: Dresden)
Saxony has everything that makes a holiday special: metropolitan flair and small towns romanticism, river valleys and mountain ranges, meadows and woods, castles and fortresses, art and crafts, music and bar scene.

Sachsen-Anhalt: (Capital: Magdeburg)
Saxony-Anhalt (Saxony-Anhalt) offers its visitors a wide variety of memorable attractions. Follow the ‘Straße der Romanik’ (Romanesque Road), one of the most popular tourist roads in Germany.

Schleswig-Holstein: (Capital: Kiel)
The land between the seas, lying north of the Elbe and south of Scandinavia, brings together open air, nature, culture and all sorts of activities. It is a land of seafarers and watersports. Sea or lakes are never far away.

Thüringen: (Capital: Erfurt)
Thuringia – the green heart of Germany, known for its inviting countryside, vast forests, and world-class cultural centers. But Thüringen is so much more.

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