Hi from Rick: Totally Yodel-y Germany
It's mid-September, and thousands of Germans and tourists alike are about to strap on their lederhosen, lace up their dirndls, and head for Munich and the planet's biggest kegger: Oktoberfest.
Everyone knows Oktoberfest — and rightfully so. It's a frothy, oompah-serenaded, pretzel-powered, quintessentially Bavarian blast. But Oktoberfest is just a boisterous springboard into the many wonders of Germany. (And, if you know where to venture, you can enjoy that frothy beer-hall fun in Munich any day of the year.)
Just 90 minutes south of Munich, the jagged peaks and flower-filled meadows of the Bavarian Alps can have anyone dancing among the cows and singing, "The hills are alive…" Drive a couple of hours north to half-timbered Rothenburg and you can ramble the ramparts, time-traveling back to the Middle Ages. Make your way west to the Black Forest, where local experts teach you the finer points of the good life: walking sticks, chocolate cake, and mineral spas. Head north to Berlin to be wowed by a heady mix of sobering 20th-century war memorials and a youthful, 21st-century passion for peace. Or venture farther north to Hamburg, where a hardworking harbor, salty maritime heritage, and pickled herring for breakfast give Germany a distinctly Scandinavian twist.
If this has you itching to explore Germany's many colors, we'd love to take you there on a Rick Steves tour. Our 13-day Best of Germany tour is the perfect introduction to this country's rich variety, and we have two other itineraries that combine parts of Germany with its friendly neighbors, Austria and Switzerland.
We explore more of this Germanic slice of Europe in this month's Tour News with a colorful day-by-day slideshow of our Best of Germany tour, travelers' raves about touring in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, an interview with Germany guide Jim McDonough, and a peek inside Munich's ultimate beer hall.
Whether you prefer hoisting beer tankards in raucous tents or pondering the hard lessons history can teach — or conquering castles, enjoying Beethoven in his homeland, ogling churches, hiking the Alps, soaking in spas, or wandering world-class museums — Germany has something for every travel palate, preference, and personality.
So share a big pretzel with a new friend, put a feather in your felt hat, raise a stein to gemütlichkeit, and have yourself a gummy-bear good time. Germany just may put the joy in your yodel.
Gute Reise!
Rick