Take the Family holiday rating 
| Capital City | Berlin |
|---|---|
| Flying Time | 1.50 hours  |
| Carbon Footprint | 0.90 tonnes CO2 |
| Timezone | GMT +1 |
| Local Currency | Euro |
Germany is a good choice for parents and kids alike. The natural beauty of the country, from the sandy beaches of the North, through the rolling farmland and low mountains of the centre of the country to the craggy peaks of the Alps in the South, offers a huge range of outdoor activities, with authentic wilderness in nature reserves, national parks and game parks. The majestic cities, fairy tale black and white towns and dramatic castles and palaces offer plenty places to discover and hands-on museums.
The public transport network is one of the best in Europe with excellent value family tickets and free travel for children with adults. Restaurants are usually well equipped with high chairs and children’s menus and children’s play areas can be found everywhere.
Germany has a continental climate, with hotter summers and colder winters than the UK. Summer holidays can best be enjoyed between May and October, while the snowy mountain regions offer a range of winter sports, with many village resorts geared to family groups rather than bright lights and frantic apres ski. Temperatures vary from 20-25°C in summer to below freezing in winter.
Take the plane
From major cities in the UK to one of 24 airports in Germany. The airports are well served by public transport, taxis and car rental offices. Check deals with Expedia.
Take the ferry
For those who prefer to travel in their own car, there are a number of efficient ferry services linking the UK to Germany, either directly (Harwich – Cuxhaven) or via other countries. Find great deals on our Ferry page.
Take the train
There are up to 8 connections per day and it is possible to reach destinations such as Cologne, Frankfurt, Berlin or even Munich on the same day from London and the South East. Connections on to smaller towns and rural regions are also good and many can also be reached on the same day as leaving the UK. Find great deals on our Trains page.
Visit a theme park:
• Imagine lying on the beach, relaxing or taking a dip in the tropical sea just one hour outside of Berlin – all this is possible in the 24hour entertainment water park Tropical Islands.
• The thrilling Europa Park in the Black Forest hosts
Europe’s fastest and highest roller coaster Silver Star and features more than one hundred attractions on the 68-hectare site
• Not to mention all the other ones like Phantasialand, Autostadt Wolfsburg, Legoland, Heide-Park Soltau in Niedersachsen, or Movie Park Babelsberg, as well as the Motor Museum at Sinsheim.
Experience child – friendly cities:
• Germany’s towns and cities invite families to experience a fabulous range of activities and adventures. Children love the Chocolate Museum in Cologne and the Miniature Wonderland (the world’s largest model railway) in Hamburg, to say nothing of the Adventure Zoo in Hanover.
Be king for a day:
• Germany is worth a family trip just for its castles and palaces.
Step into a fairytale:
• Follow the footsteps of the Brothers Grimm, visiting the homes of the sleeping Beauty, the Bremen Town Musicians and the Pied Piper on the German Fairytale Route.
Be enchanted in a Winter Wonderland:
• Discover the romantic Christmas Markets which are held in cities, towns and villages throughout Germany. From here you can buy all kinds of Christmas merchandise and gifts. Youngsters especially will be attracted to the gingerbread biscuits known as Lebkuchen, marzipan figures and other sweets.
Discover new Activities:
• Try the many sporting activities available in and on the forests, mountains and rivers of Germany or have a go at winter sports in family friendly resorts at bargain prices.
Germany’s culinary landscape varies dramatically while you travel the country from North to South and from East to West. Germany is especially famous for its sausages and bread. Each German region is proud of its own special sausage, e.g. the curry sausage from Berlin, the finger-size grilled sausage from Nuremberg, the grilled sausage spiced with marjoram from Thruringia, and the white sausage of Bavaria.
Salads are often served instead of cooked vegetables. A huge range of salamis and hams served with traditional bread and gherkins make an alternative supper or ‘Brotzeit’. And try some of the many cakes and desserts, from fruit filled dumplings to a wide variety of strudels and pancakes to cream filled gateaux and nutty pastries.
Germany is the home of a bewildering variety of different beers and German wines, dry or fruity whites and full bodied reds, are a world away from the cloying sweetness of Blue Nun!
Germany is an affordable destination and offers very good value for money. Great discounts for families are available in museums, theme parks and other attractions, as well as on public transport. Accommodation, especially in country areas, is vastly cheaper than the Mediterranean and eating out is a bargain.
by Eyewitness
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The essential guide to Germany
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