| Germany is surprisingly affordable compared to other Euro-zone countries. Hostels range from $15-25 USD per night for a dorm room. A private room costs around $60 USD per night and budget hotel prices begin in the same price range. Also, food in Germany is very cheap. You can eat out from outdoor vendors for around $3-4 USD (great sausages and bratwurst). Pre-made sandwiches cost around $5 USD. Fast food will cost around $8 USD. Beer usually costs $5 USD for a nice pint. If you eat in the beer halls, a traditional German meal plus a beer will cost around $15 USD. Turkish, middle eastern, and Asian food can be found for as little as $5 USD. A week’s worth of groceries will cost around $40-55 USD. I love it here!
Some Generic German Travel Tips
Check the internet yourself before just handing everything over to an agent. I can't even tell you how many times I've scored a great discount simply by calling the carriers and asking "Hey, what's the best price you have for the dates I have in mind?", and these were not, to my knowledge, published on the internet. To avoid the expense of airport parking, you can arrange a hotel and parking package which can typically save about half. I prefer to use Stay123 for these. I also prefer to use Skype, Vyber or similar apps to make free phone calls via ubiquitously free wifi all over Europe. Do you know how much hotels charge you to call your mother?
Once in Germany, High speed trains are very expensive . Berlin to Munich costs over $135 USD. Most of the other intercity trains cost between $40 to $67 USD for a second class ticket. It’s cheaper to take a slow regional train or overnight bus. City transit systems cost around $2 USD per single ticket.
I am a real museum hound, and I hit them right away. A good idea is to purchase the Berlin Pass, which gives acces to 50 museums and a travelcard for public transport. The card also includes a tour, which we did not take. Museums ususally cost between $1-13 USD, so this can really add up.. Bike tours and river cruises can cost $27-40 USD. Most city tours are between $13-27 USD. Renting a bike costs $12 USD per day.
Throughout Germany you’ll find cheap outdoor sausage vendors. These will cost a couple of Euros. Moreover, meals at many of the beer halls around the country cost only $11 USD. Some of the best and cheapest food in Germany is the Turkish and middle-eastern food. You can get a lot of meals for under five euros. It’s delicious, filling, and cheap and what I eat mostly while in Germany. Also, German beer is very strong and very cheap. Drink the local beer and you’ll save yourself a lot of money. After all, Germany is synonymous with beer drinking.
Be sure to book your train early - trains in Germany are expensive but you can get a saver ticket that is around 40-50% off the standard fare if you book at least a week in advance. These tickets have limited availability though so be flexible with your travel plans.
Top Things to Do
Berlin - Germany’s hip capital has world class museums, history, little neighborhoods and one of the best nightlife’s in Europe. I didn’t like this city at first but after visiting a second time, I saw the amazing city everyone told me about. From the museums to the art and music scene to the great bars, and cheap food, Berlin is is amazing. and one of the cheapest European capitals.
Munich - Berlin’s quiet, more upscale cousin, Munich is a city steeped in history with small streets, great beer halls, amazing food, a beautiful park, surfers, and a royal palace. It’s one of Germany’s more expensive cities but it’s beautiful and there are a lot of great nearby Bavarian towns that make for good day trips.
Oktoberfest! Of Course - The world’s largest 2 week beer festival filled with huge steins and giant pretzels. I went there for 5 days and had the time of my life. Buy some lederhosen, raise a class, and sing some German beer songs. Maybe nevermind the lederhosen.
Trier - This is the oldest German town in the country. With a 2000-year-old history, Trier was home to six Roman emperors and has number of impressive ancient ruins. The most outstanding example is by far the Black Gate) a monumental structure that was once part of the city walls. Nested in the Moselle river valley, picturesque Trier is crowned with myriad vineyards and pastoral villages. It is very much an off the beaten path destination, and fascinating.
Schloss Colditz - Originally built to be a Renaissance palace, this interesting structure has a long, bizarre history. At times it went from being a hunting lodge to a poorhouse, and even a mental hospital. It is most famous for being a prison during WWII. There is a museum within the palace too.
* Formal vs. the informal pronoun ('du' and 'Sie'). Use the formal pronoun when talking to people older than you. At universities however, 'du' is used fairly frequently even with teaching staff. Watch German students to be sure
* Title and last name: A person's title is important, though more so in business communication rather than in private meetings
* Shaking hands is the established form of greeting. Take the other hand out of your pocket and look into the person's eyes
* Punctuality: This cliché is true, try to be punctual or apologise if you are not
* Reserve vs. directness: Germans can be both reserved and direct at the smae time. They will take their time to warm towards you, whilst speaking their mind almost immediately. Do not be offended! It is not meant to be a personal insult.
* Dinner-invitations: try to be punctual and bring a small gift (flowers or a bottle of wine)
* Table manners: Say 'Mahlzeit' or 'Guten Appetit' before eating. Keep your hands but not your elbows on the table.
Generally, people will understand if you make a mistake. Don't worry, they have been abroad and made such mistakes themselves. If you are in Germany for business purposes it might be sensible to do some extra research.
10/05/2017 |
