Five ideas for guided tours in Germany

• Rugen Island

  Located in the Baltic Sea, Rügen is the largest island in Germany. Its bridge connects it to the mainland, to the city of Stralsund. You will be drawn to its charm with its beautiful seaside resorts, such as Sellin and Göhren in the south, its magnificent beaches and chalk cliffs overlooking the sea in the Jasmund National Park. The northern tip of the island is known as Cape Arkona where you can visit the old lighthouse and a charming fishing village.

• Neuschwanstein

  Nestled in the Bavarian Alps, Germany’s most photographed building is Neuschwanstein Castle. It stands on a hill 200 metres above sea level near the town of Füssen. It was built in the late 1800s on the site of two medieval fortresses. It was intended as a retirement home for King Ludwig II of Bavaria, but he died before it was opened. The castle with its high white towers and its enchanting natural setting inspired Walt Disney’s famous “Sleeping Beauty” castle.

• Lübeck

  Lübeck, one of the great Baltic ports, is located in the northernmost state of Schleswig-Holstein. The city dates back to the late 12th century, and although it was heavily bombed during the Second World War, its medieval town centre, which is nestled at the junction of two rivers and forms a kind of island, has retained its splendour. You can walk through the streets, courtyards, secret passages and small squares. You can admire the old city gates, the superb cathedral or the town hall dating from the 12th century.

• Lake Constance

  Located on the border of three countries, Germany, Switzerland and Austria, Lake Constance offers many excursions.
  – The island of Reichenau with its abbey, Meersburg with its castle and vineyards producing white (Müller Thurgau), rosé (Weissherbst) and red (Spätburgunder) wines.
  – Mainau, the 45-hectare flower island on the north-western side of the lake, has a special flora of palm trees and tropical plants. The impressive cedars, tulip trees and giant redwoods near the castle will delight you.
  – The island of Lindau, with its lighthouse, is very popular with tourists for its walks, especially the Green Route (Grüne Straße), which connects it to Contrexéville via Meersburg.
  – The city of Constance, of course, which gave its name to the lake, Bodensee in German. It was founded by the Romans in the 4th century and named after the emperor Constance Chlore.

• Cologne

  Located on the banks of the Rhine in western Germany in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Cologne is one of the most visited places in the country. Despite the bombings, its historic centre has remained in very good condition and the fabulous cathedral with its two spires rising to over 150 metres was spared as well as twelve Romanesque basilicas. It is a very pleasant city to explore, especially by bicycle as there are many cycle paths. There is a magnificent botanical garden with over 10,000 species of plants. From the Deutzer Bridge you can enjoy the view over the whole city.