Travel to Germany

Germany is a beautiful country teeming with a rich history and an even richer culture. Its landscape is filled with a variety of different atmospheres-- it has the charms of sophisticated big cities, the picturesque visage of small towns, the fascinating qualities of pagan-inspired harvest festivals, a vast array of truly interesting art, history and culture, the wild allure of huge tracts of forests, old and elegant castles, and of course, the German food culture of ever-flowing wine and beer.

Located in the very heart of Europe, Germany is known all over the world as its history is deeply ingrained in several nations world wide, not just in modern times (such as the world wars) but on continental history as well. Its wide berth of historical events include the great Charlemagne and the Holy Roman Empire, the Otto von Bismarck's German Reich, Nazism, the rise and fall of the Berlin Wall, has shaped Europe in a way no other nation has done-- whether for better or worse.

When traveling to Germany, most people make it a point to visit sites that hold much historical value. Germany is a good vacation destination all year round, though it would seem that most tourists tend to visit around the months of May to September, where there is much sun and more activities occuring outdoors. Some also stay til October to experience authentic German Oktoberfest, where every corner offers free-flowing beer up the wazoo. May to October are also the months with the most festivals, which explains why its the time of choice of many tourists. 

The flipside of going to Germany during the summer is really contending with the massive number of other tourists-- meaning larger crowds in attractions, more traffic, and possibilities of running out of accommodations-- though this is very rare. Months after October and before May, while having less tourists, enjoy other benefits, such as lowered accommodation prices, and more consistently pleasant weather.

For fun and excitement, tourists will have plenty to look forward to. There is no closing hours in plenty of Germany's food and drink establishments-- beer gardens and a variety of cafes are open 24/7. Festivals and other outdoor events bring much color to cities and villages, and offer precious sounds, smells and sights to delight even the hardiest of visitors. Athletic tourists will be delighted with the endless opportunities for physical activities-- hiking, swimming, cycling, rappeling, and even extreme sports such as bungee jumping. 

Ofcourse, most outdoor activities rely on weather, so pray that the weather forecast gives good news on the day of your plans. Germany is a place that can't be encapsulated in a series of paragraphs, so it is truly best to grab the chance to experience it in all its finery when the opportunity comes.

When preparing to go on vacation, remember to pack your manners. No matter where you end up travelling, the locals are going to base a lot on your behaviour, including how they perceive your culture in general, on how you behave.

It seems as though many who travel abroad forget to be polite to those that host them when they are away from home. Some suggest that behavior on vacation is directly related to whether or not you've visited before. The thinking is that, once you've had a taste of the culture, surely you'll be more sensitive the next time? Others argue that, regardless of how many times you've come around, tourists remain a painful necessity to any economy.

While it's not limited to one demographic or culture, there are some tourists that are notoriously worse than others. However, no matter where you're from, you're getting a bad rap for one thing or another. So, how does the bad behavior break down? We've got a quick overview of who's notorious for what when they're on vacation.

A recent survey has given Brits the top nod for bad behavior when they're travelling abroad. They've been labeled as noisy, rude, badly dressed and terrible tippers. In addition, recent research by the popular online travel agent Expedia shows that Britons are thought to be untidy. Maybe that is a direct result of their sometimes haphazard dress. While not as obvious as it used to be, for some reason, people are still able to tell a Brit from anyone else. Things are looking up though; seven years ago, a survey similar in nature labeled Brits the worst tourists overall, while they now place fifth.

Other badly behaving tourists include those that call Germany their native land. Considered the absolute worst tippers, one might think that they are stingy. If you consider the tipping system they are accustomed to, it may shed a new light on things. In Germany, wait staff do not work on a small hourly wage plus tip system, they work on an hourly wage, period. So, when you go out to dinner in Germany, you don't tip. Maybe their bad tipping behavior is not stinginess as much as it is a lack of knowledge.

Living in America and think you've packed a fashionable wardrobe? Think again. Americans are notoriously the worst dressed tourists around. Many also find the Americans to be lacking in manners and obnoxiously loud, albeit not as bad as the Brits, Russian and Danes. Those from the U.S. do score points though for at least attempting to learn and speak the native language of the countries they are going to visit.

Attempting to take the bull by the horns, the Chinese government has taken the liberty of posting the "do's" and "don'ts" of travel etiquette in train stations, bus stops and hotels across Beijing. Although many of the Chinese are angered by what they feel is degrading treatment by their own government, the government is not budging. They are trying to curb the Chinese bad behaviour before the Olympics next year. They've even gone so far as to issue pamphlets and make travel agencies and their tour guides responsible for correcting the tourists' behavior. Talk about uncomfortable.

So, who gets kudos for being the overall best behaved on their summer vacation? The Japanese. Considered both polite and tidy, they seem to ruffle no one's feathers. In Reuters's 2007 study, they scored a full 35% higher than the Americans who came in second.

Remember, when on vacation, do like the Romans do... or like the Japanese do. Be courteous and keep in mind that you are representing your entire nation when you are out and about. Figure out local customs and, if you're really brave, learn a little bit of the language before you go. You'll be pleasantly surprised at how well your efforts are received.