Germany Guidebook

In Rick Steves Germany you'll find in-depth Rick-tested information on:

• Munich
• Bavarian Alps
  • Füssen, Reutte (Austria), the King's Castles, and sights nearby
  • Zugspitze, Oberammergau, and sights nearby
  • Berchtesgaden
• Salzburg (Austria)
• Nürnberg
• Rothenburg ob der Tauber and the Romantic Road
• Black Forest
  • Baden-Baden
  • Freiburg
  • Staufen
• Würzburg
• Frankfurt
• Rhine Valley
  • Bacharach
  • St. Goar
  • Oberwesel, Koblenz, and self-guided "Best of the Rhine" tour
  • Cologne
• Mosel Valley
  • Trier
  • Cochem
  • Burg Eltz
  • Beilstein
• Berlin and nearby
  • Potsdam
  • Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp Memorial
• Dresden and Leipzig
• The "Luther Trail"
  • Wittenberg
  • ​Erfurt
  • Wartburg Castle
• Hamburg
• Practicalities
  • Self-guided walks
  • Easy-to-follow maps (including color maps of Germany, central Munich, central Berlin, Berlin transit, and the Bavarian Alps)
  • ​Trip planning: When to go, pre-trip checklist, festivals and holidays, recommended books and movies
  • Recommended three-week itinerary and advice on planning your time and avoiding lines
  • Transportation: Trains, buses, city transit, and driving
  • German history, culture, language, and cuisine
  • Handy German survival phrases
  • Detailed advice on managing money, communicating, reserving rooms, handling emergencies, and other helpful hints

Also included: a 14½" x 19½" full-color foldout Planning Map with a regional map of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, plus handy close-ups (with major sights) on the back: Berlin, Munich, Salzburg, and Vienna. (Note: This is a slightly smaller version of Rick's stand-alone Germany, Austria & Switzerland Planning Map).

What's the difference between this Germany book and Rick's Best of Germany guidebook?

Rick Steves Germany, the complete guide, offers more coverage of more destinations in a mostly black-and-white format.

The shorter Rick Steves Best of Germany guidebook focuses on Germany's top destinations and sights, is in full color, and is updated a little less frequently than the complete guide.

Both books are packed with hand-picked recommendations and Rick's travel advice and tips for saving time, money, and hassle.

Should I get Rick's Berlin guidebook in addition to this Germany guidebook?

If you're spending only a few days in Berlin, Rick Steves Germany is all you're likely to need.

If, however, you're spending four days or more in Berlin, the extra information in Rick Steves Berlin can be worthwhile. It offers more in-depth sightseeing information, several additional self-guided city walks and museum/sight tours, and more specifics on shopping and entertainment. Other information is generally the same — the Berlin chapter of Rick Steves Germany has nearly all the hotels, restaurants, and nitty-gritty practical advice for Berlin and its day trips that you'll find in the Rick Steves Berlin guidebook.

Should I get Rick's Munich Pocket guide in addition to this Germany guidebook?

Nope! The Munich and Salzburg chapters of the the Germany guidebook already include all the information that's in Rick Steves Pocket Munich & Salzburg — and then some.

Should I get Rick's Snapshot: Rothenburg & the Rhine guide in addition to this Germany guidebook?

No, because the Snapshot guide for Rothenburg, the Rhine, and nearby areas is simply several excerpted chapters taken directly from the complete Rick Steves Germany guidebook.

Latest updates: When we learn of critical changes to the information in our guidebooks on Germany, we post them. (Of course, it's still smart to reconfirm critical transportation and sightseeing details locally.) Armed with a Rick Steves guidebook and these late-breaking updates, you're set for a great trip!

Submit feedback: Once you've used this book in Europe, we'd love to hear your feedback — good or bad — about our advice on sights, hotels, restaurants, and travel tips. We're also interested in any tips or discoveries you made while in Europe. Your comments help us improve our guidebooks for future travelers.