Sightseeing Beautiful monuments and castles, spectacular scenery, excellent museums in all major cities; Neuschwanstein Castle; Düsseldorf’s Rhine promenade and Old Town and Cologne Cathedral.
Accommodation
Traditional, luxury hotels and excellent modern properties.
Family activities
Europa Park – just a two-hour drive from Frankfurt, Movie Park Germany – only 40 kilometres from Düsseldorf; cruising on the Rhine and Danube Rivers.
Shopping
What you can buy – High street fashion, designer goods, china and tableware, cuckoo clocks and hand-made Christmas decorations. Where you can buy – Maximilianstrasse in Munich, Königsallee and Old Town in Düsseldorf, Goethestrasse in Frankfurt as well Jungfernstieg and Moenckebergstrasse in Hamburg.
Entertainment
Art galleries, opera, ballet, theatres, fashionable street cafés, traditional German pubs, gourmet restaurants, nightclubs, casinos and dinner cruises.
Sports and leisure
Cycling, horse riding, trekking, golfing and canoeing. There are numerous spa towns and retreats, including the famed Baden-Baden, Bad Reichenhall and the sporting town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
Exploring by road
The excellent network of highways makes travelling by car quick and easy.
Hamburger DOM Fun fair (April and July – August); Oktoberfest, Munich (September – October); German Unification Day (03 October); Christmas Markets in Nuremberg, Munich, Düsseldorf and many other cities (December); Carnival in Düsseldorf and Cologne (February).
Visas:
Nationals of the following countries do not require a visa for a stay of up to three months:
American Samoa, Andorra, Argentina, Australia (including Australian external territories), Austria, Belgium, Bermuda, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France (including French Guyane, French Polynesia, Guadeloupe, Martinique, New Caledonia, Réunion, St Pierre and Miquelon), Greece, Guam, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland Republic, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand (including Tokelau Islands), Nicaragua, Niue, Norfolk Island, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, United States of America, Uruguay, US Virgin Islands, Vatican City and Venezuela.
British citizens holding passports in the following categories do not require a visa for a stay of up to three months:
• Holders of British passports with the endorsement ‘British Citizen’ or ‘European Union’ on page one and holders of British passports endorsed ‘British Dependent Territories Citizen’ issued in Bermuda.
• Holders of British passports with the endorsement ‘Holder has the right of abode in the United Kingdom’ on page five.
• Holders of British travel documents issued according to the Convention of 28th July 1951 and 28th September 1954 provided the documents are valid for at least four months at the time of entry.
• Holders of diplomatic and service passports issued to nationals of Chad, Ghana, Philippines, Senegal, Thailand and Turkey.
• Holders of diplomatic passports issued to nationals of India, Jamaica, Kenya, Macedonia, Malawi, Morocco, Namibia, Pakistan, Peru, South Africa and Tunisia.
Nationals of all other countries require a ‘Schengen’ visa to enter Germany.
Health requirements:
No compulsory vaccinations are required. However, you are advised to ensure that your polio and tetanus immunisations are valid.
Travel insurance:
Adequate holiday and travel insurance is vital. Emirates Holidays offers a comprehensive insurance package to enable you and your family to travel with peace of mind. Please contact your nearest Emirates Holidays office or your travel agent for details of our HolidayGuard Travel Insurance cover.
Currency:
Euro (EUR) divided into 100 cents.
Notes in denominations of EUR500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5.
Coins in denominations of EUR2 and 1 and 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cent.
Approximate exchange rate:
AED1 = EUR0.21
USD1 = EUR0.76
Please check the rate of exchange prior to travel.
Banking hours -
0830 to 1300 hours and 1430 to 1600 hours, Monday - Friday,
0830 to 1300 hours and 1430 to 1730 hours, Thursday.
Banks remain closed on Saturdays and Sundays.
There is no restriction on the import and export of local and foreign currency. Payment in foreign currency is not accepted in Germany.
Currency exchange is offered by all banks, at major airports, railway stations and at most hotels. All major credit and charge cards are accepted in most large shops, hotels and restaurants. Automated teller machines (ATMs) can be accessed 24 hours a day in most cities. Travellers cheques can be encashed at all banks.
Clothing:
Lightweight or mediumweight clothing is advisable for the summer and woollen clothing for the winter. Rainwear is required all year round.
Airport information:
Munich - Munich International Airport (MUC) is approximately 29 kilometres north-east of the city centre. The airport telephone number is 089 975 00.
Düsseldorf - Düsseldorf International Airport (DUS) is approximately eight kilometres north of the city centre. The airport telephone number is 0211 4210.
Frankfurt - Frankfurt International Airport (FRA) is approximately 15 kilometres south-west of Frankfurt am Main. The airport telephone number is 069 69 001.
Hamburg - Hamburg International Airport is eight-and-a-half kilometres north-west of the centre of Hamburg. The airport telephone number is 040 507 50.
Berlin - Berlin’s Tegel International Airport (TXL) is approximately eight kilometres north-west of the city centre. The airport telephone number is 0180 500 0186.
Customs:
Duty free allowance for goods bought anywhere outside the European Union, by persons aged 17 years and above: 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 250 grams of tobacco; two litres of still table wine; one litre of spirits of more than 22 per cent volume or two litres of spirits of less than 22 per cent volume or two more litres of table wine; 60 millilitres of perfume; 250 millilitres of eau de toilette and other goods to the value of EUR179.
Value Added Tax (VAT) Refund Scheme:
In Germany, Value Added Tax (VAT) of 16 per cent is charged on goods and services. Prices of all goods are all-inclusive and contain the VAT element. In order to claim VAT refund, you will need to shop in stores displaying the ‘Tax-Free’ sign.
How to claim your VAT refund:
On making your purchase you will receive a tax free voucher from the store. Before checking in your luggage at the time of departure, have the voucher stamped by German customs to confirm that the goods have been duly exported. You can redeem the vouchers at any of the Europe Tax Free Shopping payment offices located at all the major border crossings, airports, ferry ports and railroad stations.
Driving licence:
Driving is on the right-hand side of the road. An International Driving Permit and a driving licence from your country of residence is required. Please adhere to speed limits while driving. Wearing of seat belts in both front and back seats is compulsory.
Emergency telephone numbers:
Ambulance - 115
Fire - 112
Police - 110
Hours of work:
Business: 0900 to 1700 hours, Monday - Friday.
Shopping: 0900 to 2000 hours (depending on the store), Monday to Friday.
0900 to 1600 hours, Saturday.
Some shops are open until 2000 hours on Saturday. Shops are closed on Sundays and public holidays.
Public holidays (fixed):
1st January - New Year’s Day
6th January - Epiphany Day
1st May - Workers’ Day
15th August - Assumption Day
3rd October - German Unity Day
1st November - All Saints’ Day
24th - 26th December - Christmas
Public holidays (moveable):
Ascension Day
Corpus Christi
Good Friday
Easter Monday
Pentecost Sunday
Time zone:
Winter - GMT + 2 hours.
Summer - GMT + 3 hours.
Language:
German is the official language. English is also widely spoken.
Tipping:
Tipping is voluntary. You can pay a tip of up to 10 per cent of the total bill.
Electricity:
220 volts, 50 cycles AC.
Safety tips:
Remember to lock your car at all times. It is advisable to carry minimum cash on you, in smaller denomination bills. Please keep a photocopy of your identification papers handy.