Put some oom-pah in your holiday - 18/05/2010

Jeannine Williamson explores Germany.

With its exciting and diverse cities, scenic themed driving routes and beautiful rivers meandering through wine growing regions, Germany offers a wide variety of attractions for groups.

Berlin, Germany’s capital, is the top city destination. Nine times bigger than Paris, it caters for all tastes with everything from iconic landmarks and magnificent museums to legendary music halls. Munich may be famous for beer, but its 300 churches have led to it being dubbed the German Rome and it’s high on cultural appeal. Cologne is Germany’s oldest major city, and one of its most picturesque, and Hamburg has a lively maritime tradition. Cologne and Frankfurt are both ideal bases to explore the picturesque Rhine Valley.

Whether you plan to take a walk in the Black Forest or visit the rebuilt Frauenkirche church (pictured) that has become a symbol of Dresden, Germany’s efficient transport system and road infrastructure makes the country easy to explore. Gute Reise - have a good trip!

Ruhr 2010

Germany is celebrating a first this year with the Ruhr region, once Europe’s biggest industrial area, becoming a groundbreaking European Capital of Culture. Previously the title has always gone to a single city and it is the first time a metropolitan area has earned the distinction.

A fascinating destination for fans of industrial heritage, the sites of former coal mines, steel plants and coke ovens have been transformed into venues embracing art, culture and entertainment. A host of themed events are taking place throughout the rest of the year to raise the profile of the Ruhr as an offbeat destination. Bochum is being showcased for its festivals and theatre, Dortmund as the creative city, Duisburg the port of culture, Essen for arts, and Oberhausen as a spectacular city

New museum at Potsdam

Potsdam, south west of Berlin, is famous for Sanssouci, the former summer palace of Frederick the Great, King of Prussia. Surrounded by follies and temples, the Rococo building is part of Germany’s largest World Heritage Site and is often described as the German Versailles.

The city’s latest attraction is a new museum at Villa Schoningen near the Glienicker Bridge. It tells the poignant story of the bridge that became known as ‘Bridge of Spies’ as it was the preferred location for exchanging captured spies and prisoners between 1962 and 1986. With the border between east and west running through its centre, the bridge became an internationally famous symbol of German division and the Cold War.