10 reasons to go to Germany right now

                                                     Saxon Switzerland Photo From Shutterstock
               Bridge named Bastei in Saxon Switzerland, at sunrise and the mist over the river Elbe
                             
Just like something out of a fairytale, Germany is a fantastic place to spend any time of the year with so much to see, do and to enjoy.With more than 700,000 tourists and 46% repeated Indian Tourists who come back again, let’s take a closer look at what makes Germany the top 3 travel destinations among 140 countries worldwide according to the survey recently and why we must venture into Germany just right now (before the rest of the world gets to know!!!):

1)Beer

                                              Oktoberfest Photo from Shutterstock 
            Three friends in beer tent at Dult or Oktoberfest holding giant pretzels up in the air          
          
 I had a brief encounter with Frankfurt as a transit airport during my travel to Canada. The first thing that ever came to my mind was I am in Germany, I got to get some beer and next thing I knew was I had this large pint of German Beer to enjoy. I have heard about Oktoberfest and the craziness and celebrations which are part of the festival.

Apart from Oktoberfest in Munich, the smaller towns like Stuttgart also has its own Beer Fest. In a place around Munich you would find a Brewery which monks started in the 1600’s and also the first Brewery where German Purity law came from! Every single region has a local beer and Germany has about 1200 Breweries and 5000 Beer Brands. Keeping in mind the varied interests travelers have, there are about 100 routes like Beer routes that takes you to Beer regions, Wine routes, Fairytale Route(to castles) and Romantic Route etc etc.

2)Breathtaking Fairytale Castles

Neuschwanstein Castle Photo from Shutterstock

 There are more than 20,000 castles in Germany in an area which is roughly equal to the area of Rajasthan.

Neuschwanstein Castle and Lichtenstein are some of the popular ones. Neuschwanstein Castle is a nineteenth-century Romanesque Revival palace on a rugged hill above the village of Hohenschwangau near Füssen in southwest Bavaria, Germany. If you take a cruise from Frankfurt, every 1 km is a castle and these are hop on hop off cruises.

3)Cuisine

Potato Dumplings Germany Photo from Shutterstock

Like in India, every region in Germany has its own cuisine. So next time you are in a restaurant ask them what is the local cuisine of the region. For example, in Franconia of Southern Bavaria, we have dumplings of potatoes also called Franconian Potato Dumplings or "Fränkische Kartoffelknödel” . Franconia wine, traditional potatoes, asparagus are some of the popular ingredients in Franconia. Whereas in Southwest Germany, pasta is more popular. This is a complete list of what regions has what special and what to eat:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_German_dishes

4)It is abundant in nature and is pure

 Germany has got about 16 national parks, 100 nature reserves and 50 UNESCO biosphere reserves. 70% or about 1/3 of the country is covered in woods and meadows. Art of Free Climbing was also invented here. Wonderful Rock Formations can be observed in Saxon Switzerland, Germany. As much as we love to do popular big cities, a breakaway to a smaller picturesque city would give a completely different perspective to your experience. For example, how about eating in a restaurant on Lake Constance and then right after jumping into the lake from the terrace. You can swim in all of the rivers in Germany without any infection. Germany is pure air and pure water.

5)Many Spa Gardens

The concept of Spa Garden is very unique in Lake Constance area of Southwest Germany. You also have a Chinese Garden in Frankfurt!

6)Unique Experiences and Adventure

Imagine having breakfast in the medieval restaurant of a city market, then listening to world class orchestra in the opera, then the Grünes Gewölbe - the unique historic museum (that was destroyed during world war II) and is now restored that contains the largest collection of treasures in Europe. Founded by Augustus the Strong in 1723, it features a rich variety of exhibits from the Baroque to Classicism, then taking the boat ride in the Elbe river to vineyards where wine is manufactured. Next day we take a tour to Saxon Switzerland, where going for an extended walk feels like forever. Mountain Biking is also very popular in the Black forest region of Bavaria where there is a tradition of biking in specialized lanes and programs are organized such that your luggage is transported to your next hotel. Apart from Mountain biking, we have sports such as Skydiving, Paragliding, Bungee Jumping and Snowboarding.

Berlin has more bridges than Venice so Boat ride in Berlin is an experience it itself.

7)Unrivaled Infrastructure and Safe

No where else is traveling as easy and comfortable as it is in Germany. Everything is very in tune for your experience as a traveler. Germany is a place to unwind and not to worry about safety or security whether you come home at night in a small town or whether you are in the mountains or the forests. Foreign tourists are absolutely welcomed in Germany it is a very open minded society. Language also has not become such an issue anymore.

8)Affordable

Affordability gives Germany a competitive edge over other countries in Europe. It’s not just the hotels but the transport too is affordable here with rates ranging from an average of 122 euros / night in Munich and 90 euros / night in Berlin. Whether its entrance tickets or rail tickets, things that you look for in a holiday are mostly affordable. Europa park in Germany is half the price than Disney land Paris for similar experience.

Also, do remember to get city cards in the cities such as Frankfurt and Stuttgart. Due to this factor, Germany today is not just restricted to seasonal traveller but traveller from year around no matter whether its December or January. And lucky part is, since most weddings in India happens during winter time which is the off season for Germany, the prices are comparatively cheaper and what better than to celebrate your destination wedding in a castle which also is one of the primary reasons for the tourists to come here, you can actually stay in a castle!

The peak time to visit Germany is July august due to Summer Vacations both in India and in Germany. The Average spending by Indians in Europe is 1850 euros whereas in Germany itself is 2400 euros, the reason being they see it a lot more affordable and tend to spend more on unique experiences that would build memory and forget counting! For shopping buffs, we have outlet malls with 50% offs in Germany that also attracts tons of tourists.

9)It’s abundant in Cultural Resources,Museums and Celebrations

Germany has got some incredible art, magnificent architecture, amazing depth of its tradition and culture miraculously thriving in the modern Germany. Its the blend of Old with New that makes Germany so appealing. Museums of art and culture are everywhere and you can easily spend the entire day enjoying the masterpieces on display.

Oktoberfest is the world's largest Volksfest. Held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, it is a 16- to 18-day folk festival running from mid or late September to the first weekend in October.The Cologne Carnival (German: Kölner Karneval) is a carnival that takes place every year in Cologne, Germany. You’ll find Christmas markets – quaint little stalls selling seasonal gifts, foodstuffs and spiced wine – Germany likely has the most (Berlin alone has 50) and also some of the best, making it one of the most magical places at Christmas time.

10)Its popular with Indians!

Indians usually do start with Cologne and Blackforest Area. Home of the cuckoo clock, the Schwarzwald (Black Forest) gets its name from its dark, slightly sinister canopy of evergreens. The popular places in this region and around are Freiburg(an excellent base to explore), Baden Baden(fashionable spa town), Stuttgart etc. Second they explore Bavaria like Munich, Neuschwanstein Castle(one of the most visited castles in the world), Zugspitze(highest mountain in the German Alps) followed by Berlin ( for those curious about world war II) and Dresden.

Zugspitze, Photo by Andre (Flickr)

Also, a lot of Indians love the fact that they can self drive with an Indian license that’s valid for 6 months. Indian food also is easy to get in Germany.

Talking on the occasion of their annual press conference , held at German Embassy in New Delhi, Mr. Rmit Theophilus, Director of India(Destination Germany) said “What makes Germany one of the most lucrative choices is the sheer variety of activities, attractions and experiences all available at great value for money. Elaborating on the theme for 2017, Theophilus added” With over 20,000 castles dotting the immaculately splendid German landscape the country boasts of opulence and scenic beauty fit for a fairytale. Add to this spectacular gardens and you can transport yourself to paradise.”

As a front runner in pioneering innovative media campaigns, GNTO, India setup its Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/Germany-Tourism) in 2016 and has already organically accrued a fanbase of over 860000 Indian consumers in under a year. The page which actively engages the fans with contest, interesting trivia and updates on the destination is a melting pot for anything and everything related to travel to Germany.