Winter Germany in five words: a rich "excursion" plus a good "mountain skiing" . The local snow resorts offer a ride along ideally groomed trails, thoroughly dine with all sorts of "nuts" with potatoes or "clones" with rice, after which you have fun in the framework of decency in bars or at the disco . Another thing that professionals skiing here is unlikely to be interesting: there are hardly any difficult trails, as well as an entertaining entertaining - so it's better to have fun for the happy youths for the winter pastime of the other neighbor th in the Alps . As for the excursions, Germany does not have any problems with this: ancient castles, picturesque lakes and cities "with a history" are represented in the assortment .
But even in the summer, when the skiers and boards of conquerors of every possible " Spitz "languish in dark closets, Germany does not have to complain about the shortage of tourists . There are several reasons: an extensive sightseeing program is ayn, neat hotels for every taste und fortune are zway, many shops and shopping centers where you can make profitable shopping - this is a drive . Finally, a beach holiday on Baltic seaside with its soft, mild climate, rural relaxation on the lakes of Bavaria and health-improving procedures in Baden-Baden are firs, fünf and zex, respectively . We also mention the traditionally high-quality education in Germany .
Capital - Berlin (Berlin). Popular in the city's tour plan: Dusseldorf, Munich, Hamburg, Dresden
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How to get there
Regular flights of Aeroflot and Lufthansa fly to Berlin (2, 5 hour), Hamburg, Munich (3 hours), Dusseldorf (3 hours) and Frankfurt (3 hours), Hanover (2, 5 hours). In addition, there are direct flights to Berlin from Moscow by Miat Mongolian Airlines and Germanwings and Air Berlin. The last two airlines are the most profitable, buying tickets on their website in advance, you can fly almost to all major cities in Germany for 100 EUR round trip with all fees. The quality of service, at the same time, remains on top: German is neat and tidy.
To Germany from Moscow you can also arrive by international bus or train. The Moscow-Berlin train runs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays (departure from the Belorussky railway station, the train follows Minsk, Smolensk, on the way 27 hours). Composition Moscow - Cologne departs daily from Belorussky railway station and goes through Smolensk, Warsaw, Magdeburg, Hanover, Dortmund and Dusseldorf (38 hours on the way)
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Road from the countries of the CIS
Belarusians can get from Minsk to Frankfurt in about 2, 5 hours, using the services of Lufthansa. Belavia flies to Berlin, Hanover and Frankfurt. Plus, of course, buses and trains run from Germany to the country.
Citizens of Ukraine can fly from Kiev to Frankfurt, Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Cologne and Munich. By train to Berlin - from Kiev, Simferopol and Kharkov. Also the bus service is popular, but due to customs procedures such a trip can last up to 10 hours. Air Astana flies from Astana to Frankfurt and Hanover.
German visa
Germany is one of the member states of the Schengen agreement. Citizens of Russia and the CIS need a visa to Germany.
Customs
Import and export of national and foreign currency is not limited. Cash amounts over 15 000 EUR must be declared. Restrictions on importation (for persons over 17 years of age): 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 grams of tobacco, 2 liters of table wine, 1 liter of spirits or 2 liters of spirits up to 22 ° or 2 additional liters of table wine, 60 ml of perfume or 250 ml of toilet water, other goods - for a total of 175 EUR.
It is forbidden to import meat and meat products, drugs, poisons, psychotropic substances, weapons. The export of fuel is forbidden: when traveling by car in a spare canister should not be more than 10 liters.
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Useful phone numbers
Embassy of Germany in Moscow: st. Mosfilmovskaya, 56; tel .: (495) 937-95-00; Web site
Consular Section of the German Embassy in Moscow (visa department): Leninsky Prospect, 95A; tel .: (495) 933-43-12
The German Visa Application Center in Moscow: Shabolovka, 31, page 5; tel .: (499) 681-13-65, 426-03-25; Web site
Consulate General in Yekaterinburg: st. Kuibyshev, 44; tel .: (343) 351-13-30, fax: 359-63-80
Consulate General in Kaliningrad: st. Leningradskaya, 4; tel: (4012) 920-219, fax: 920-229
Consulate General in Novosibirsk: Krasny Prospekt, 28; tel .: (383) 231-00-52, 231-00-20, fax: 231-00-55
Consulate General in St. Petersburg: st. Furshtatskaya, 39; tel .: (812) 320-21-40, fax: 327-31-13
The Russian Embassy in Berlin: Unter den Linden, 63-65. D-10117; tel .: (30) 229-11-10, 229-11-29; Web site
The General Consulate of the Russian Federation in Hamburg: Am Freenteich, 20; tel .: (40) 229-53-01, 229-52-01; Web site
Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Munich: Maria-Theresia-Strasse 17; tel .: (89) 592-503, 595-715; Web site
Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Leipzig: Turmgutstrasse 1; tel .: (341) 585-18-76, 590-29-23; Web site
Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Bonn: Waldstrasse, 42; tel .: (228) 386-79-30; Web site
The Consulate-General of the Russian Federation in Frankfurt am Main: Eschenheimer Anlage 33-34; tel .: (69) 596-745-03; Web site
Police - 110, firefighters and ambulance - 112
Codes of some cities: Berlin - 30, Munich - 89, Frankfurt - 69, Dusseldorf - 211, Bremen - 421, Bonn - 228, Cologne - 221.
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Transport Germany
Traveling by plane only makes sense between large cities - in such areas, local "low-cost" (AirBerln, German Wings, flight from 20 euros) offer very favorable fares, comparable to the cost of a train ride .It is better to cover other distances on trains, the good in Germany is one of the most efficient railway communication systems in Europe .High-speed trains ICE (InterCity Express, speed up to 330 km / h) connect the main cities, but travel to them is not cheap .More democratic ICs (InterCity) go between small towns and small settlements, and EC (EuroCity) runs between European megacities .Timetables for long-distance (DB) and suburban trains (Regionalbahn) in Germany are integrated into a single system, which makes it easy to plan trips around the country .
There are bus routes between most German cities. Buses are comfortable and run exactly according to the schedule, thanks to excellent roads quickly delivering to the destination.
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| Neuschwanstein Castle |
Public transport
The public transport system in Germany is one of the most effective in Europe .There is a metro (U-bahn), city electric trains (S-bahn), buses and trams .If you use public transport, it is more profitable to purchase a ticket for a month for 40 EUR .One-time tickets (2 EUR) are valid for all modes of transport within two hours after purchase without limiting the number of transfers .The ticket "Kurzstreckentarif" (one - 1, 5 EUR, four tickets - 4, 5 EUR) entitles you to drive six stops by bus or three by subway or suburban train .For 7, 5 EUR you can buy a ticket for one day, a group ticket for one day (travel of two adults and three children) - 12 EUR, for a week - 20 EUR, for a month 40 EUR .
The metro starts working from 4 am and ends between midnight and one o'clock in the morning. All tickets can be purchased in special vending machines at metro stations and suburban trains. Tickets must be composted in red machines on platforms. On the WelcomeCard card for one or two days (depending on the price), one adult and three children can travel on all modes of transport, as well as free or at a 50% discount to visit museums, theaters and excursions. The card costs EUR 8 for one day (and its EUR 15 option is valid for two days).
Taxis are widespread, prices vary according to a complex system of calculation. On average, the trip costs from 7 EUR, and for trips less than 2 km or shorter than 5 minutes. there is a special tariff. One kilometer costs an average of 1 EUR plus 1, 5 EUR for the inclusion of the meter. You can hire a taxi in the street or in the parking lot, or call by phone.
Car rental in Germany
You can rent a car in most cities of the country. Some firms offer a weekly payment and do not take into account the kilometers traveled. To a Russian tourist to rent a car, you must be at least 21 years old, have a credit card and show an international driving license. In any city in Germany, you can rent a bicycle (except for rental fee while taking a pledge). Most German roads are equipped with bicycle paths, so it is quite safe to travel around the country on two wheels. Especially convenient is a bicycle in small towns and resorts.
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Climate
The climate in the country is moderate, in the north of the sea, in the rest of the territory - transitional from sea to continental .The weather is often changeable, in the middle of the summer there may be sudden cold snaps, and in January - almost spring thaws .Due to low winter pressure, the temperature is between -4 ° C and 0 ° C, but in some places it can drop to -20 ° C .The average temperature of the coldest month, January -3 .+2 ° C, colder is only high in the mountains on the southern border: -6 .-10 ° C .The average temperature in July is +16 .+20 ° C .Rains are mainly in the autumn-winter period .In summer it is not very hot in Germany, so visiting the country will be ideal for those who do not tolerate high temperatures .It is necessary to take an umbrella with you - it is possible to drizzle .
In Berlin, in winter, usually holds a plus temperature in the region of +2 ... +3 ° C. Snow falls rarely and does not last long. A snowy Christmas here is a rarity. See also: weather forecast in the main cities of Germany for the coming days.
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Hotels in Germany
German hotels, as a rule, fully correspond to their "star". Under the "excursion" usually used city hotels level 3-4 "stars": standard rooms and good food. Even hotels in two "stars" will pleasantly impress with accuracy, cleanliness and service. Breakfasts are everywhere - "buffet", even in "dvushkah."
At the ski resorts in Germany, there are few hotels 5 *, mostly 3-4 *. There are practically no hotels near the lifts (you need to use the "ski bass"). Many institutions - family (behind the reception desk are the owners themselves, everything is home-cozy). "On the waters" hotels of a sanatorium type with dietary fractional food are distributed; in addition to the "treshkas" and "foursome" there are luxurious "five" in all respects.
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Banks and exchange offices
Banks are open from Monday to Friday from 8:30 to 13:00 (sometimes until 14:00 or 15:00), on Thursday - until 17:00 or 18:00 with an hour-long lunch break. Branch offices at airports and major stations work from 6:30 to 22:30, including on weekends. Currency exchange is possible in banks and specialized exchange offices, as well as in hotels and in the main post office (in big cities they work daily and around the clock). Credit cards are accepted in almost all major stores, gas stations, restaurants, cafes and hotels. You can withdraw cash from the card at ATMs (geldautomat).
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Shopping and shopping in Germany
In Germany, it makes sense to buy goods of local manufacturers of clothing, shoes, kitchen utensils, textiles and household items: all of this is traditionally of high quality and at an affordable price .Shopaholics will be pleasantly surprised by the abundance of factory outlets - there are more than a thousand in the country! Another local "chip" - organic products, from tomatoes to wines, produced without the use of any fertilizers and chemicals .They can be found in stores under the sign "Biolaned" or "Biosupermarkt" .Other edible souvenirs: aromatic honey, smoked eel (in coastal areas), German marzipan .A separate line is German beer and everything that is snapped is connected: every possible "souvenir", glasses and bonfires .
From Monday to Friday, department stores open between 9:00 and 10:00, and close at 18:00 or 20:00. There is a so-called "long Thursday", when all large supermarkets are open until 20:00. On Saturdays, stores are open until 16:00, and for four weeks before Christmas, usually until 18:00. Grocery stores can start work from 7:00.
Most large stores and many medium-sized ones have a "tax-free" system that gives tourists the opportunity to return value-added tax (up to 10% of the purchase price) when leaving the country.
In Berlin is the largest in Europe supermarket KaDeWe (Kaufhaus des Westens - "Department store of the West"). This is neither much nor little of 43,000 sq. M. m. of retail space, seven floors, more than a quarter of a million items. On the sixth floor of KaDeWe there is a unique department of delicacies, in which about 500 varieties of bread are sold and almost 1800 names of cheeses.
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Kitchen and restaurants
The basis of German cuisine - potatoes plus meat and gravy in the company of fresh or cooked vegetables .Variations are great: from roast pork with potato dumplings to schnitzel with French fries .Another popular dish is dozens of varieties of "wurst," that is sausages: beef and pork, grilled and boiled, giant and tiny .Serve them with ketchup or mustard, in a roll like hot dog or all with the same potatoes .It is also worth trying "Koenigsberg bugs" - pork meatballs in sour cream sauce with capers garnished with rice .
Of the beverages, the country's championship is firmly held by beer (who would doubt). Popular varieties: Augustinnerbrau, Hacker-Pshorr, Hofbrau, Levenbrau, Paulaner and Spaten. Beer is served with roast pork with potato dumplings or Nürnberg fried sausages. Also popular are the wines of the Rhine and Main valleys, moderately tart and very fragrant. Fans of low-alcohol drinks will be pleased with the variety of ciders ("apfelvine"), in winter it is possible to warm up well with hot mulled wine.
In Germany, as, indeed, throughout Europe, sandwiches are widespread - huge sandwiches with a variety of fillings, the cost of which is small, and portions of the size will go down for a good dinner. True, eating them longer than two days in a row is a dubious joy for the stomach.
Prices in cafes with German and foreign cuisine are approximately the same (in the latter, maybe, a little cheaper). But "German" portions are usually larger.
German beer
German beer is a highly collectible concept: in order to properly test all its varieties, even the most famous, one tour, even the longest one, is clearly not enough. Perhaps, it will be possible to carry out such a feat in two ways: the first round to devote entirely to varieties of horse fermentation, and the second, respectively, to the lower one. In order not to get lost under the humbug, here is an approximate "roadmap" for fermenting the German beer.
Route of horse fermentation: Altbir ("Beer in the old way") - Berlin white - Weizenbock - Kölsch - Sturdy wheat.
Route of bottom fermentation: Bockbir - Dietary Pils (low-calorie, but very strong) - Doppel Bok - Maltzrunk - Merzen - Munich - Pils - Raukhbir - Special - Export.
The most popular are Bavarian light varieties: Augustinnerbrau, Hacker-Pschorr, Hofbroe, Levenbrau, Paulaner and Spaten.
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Treatment in Germany
The most famous thermal spas in Germany - Baden-Baden, Bad Kissingen and Bad Krozingen - are rich in mineral springs with thermal water of various composition.
The thermal water of Baden-Baden comes from the sources of Mount Florintinerberg. There are about 12 different sodium-chlorine-containing springs, whose waters reach a temperature of +56 .. + 68 ° C and are beaten from an artesian well with a depth of 1200-1800 m.
The last 200 years Bad Kissingen is one of the most popular resorts in Germany. The water of local mineral springs is used to treat gastrointestinal and cardiovascular diseases, musculoskeletal disorders, and for rejuvenating procedures.
The spa resort Bad Krozingen is located in the very south of the country, between the Rhine Valley and the Black Forest mountains. The mineral water of its thermal springs contains the largest amount of carbon dioxide in Europe.
Entertainment, excursions and attractions of Germany
The sights of Germany are mostly remarkable museum collections, majestic old castles and well-groomed national parks.
The state art collections of Dresden are Germany's oldest and second largest museum complex. The world-famous are the collections of the so-called "Gallery of Old Masters" (Dresden Picture Gallery) and the "Grunez Gevoelbe" Museum, represented exclusively by a rich collection of jewelry.
In Hamburg you can visit the Museum of Local Lore in the north of Germany, the Museum-bomb shelter, the Museum of Spices (with the opportunity to taste many artifacts), Panoptikum (more than one hundred wax figures of celebrities and historical figures), the Wine Museum.
In Munich, interesting are the castle of Nymphenburg, the Old Pinakothek (European art from the 14th to the 17th century), the Bavarian National Museum, the State Collection of Ancient Art, the BMW Museum, the Ludwig Maximilian University, the Bavaria Film Studio.
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Popular excursions
Sightseeing tour of Berlin (3, 5 hours) - about 50 EUR, Potsdam (5-6 hours) - 60 EUR, Dresden with a visit to the Dresden Gallery - around 70 EUR, excursions to Bonn and Dusseldorf - 35 EUR, excursions to Ghent and Brugge, Amsterdam, Brussels and Antwerp.
From Frankfurt excursion to Bad Homburg, the famous German resort with mineral and thermal springs. And also trips to fascinating amusement parks in Germany.
Photo of Germany (1730)