It’s the country’s urban highlights that tend to draw the attention first. Berlin is the very definition of a dynamic city, having forged a goodtime reputation for ground-breaking creativity while still keeping sight of it’s past. Elsewhere, the likes of Cologne, Munich and Hamburg are rich in historical buildings, eyes-to-the-future nightlife and excellent gastronomy.

River basins extend over a large percentage of the region, and some of Europe’s most prominent rivers flow through the country. These include the Elbe, the Danube and the Rhine.

The highest point in the country is the 2,962m (9,718ft) peak of Zugspitze Mountain in the Bavarian Alps. Cable cars run to the summit – it can also be climbed.

Currency

Euro (EUR; symbol €) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of €500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of €2 and 1, and 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cents.

Electricity

230 volts AC, 50Hz. European-style round two-pin plugs are in use.

General business opening hours

Mon-Fri 0800-1600 (many close earlier on Fridays).

2018

New Year’s Day: 1 January 2018
Epiphany: 6 January 2018
Good Friday: 30 March 2018
Easter Sunday: 1 April 2018
Easter Monday: 2 April 2018
Labour Day: 1 May 2018
Ascension Day: 10 May 2018
Whit Sunday: 20 May 2018
Whit Monday: 21 May 2018
Corpus Christi: 31 May 2018
Assumption: 15 August 2018
Day of German Unity: 3 October 2018
Day of Reformation: 31 October 2018
All Saints’ Day: 1 November 2018
Repentance Day: 21 November 2018
Christmas: 25 and 26 December 2018

One of the biggest events on the calendar, carnival sweeps across the city each year as a vibrant display of how to have a good time. Expect lots of fancy dress, plenty of parties, parades and not an awful lot of sobriety. There’s ceremonial burning of straw figures, bouquets of flowers and cries of “Kölle Alaaf”. (‘Long Live Cologne!’).

Cologne has some of the finest Romanesque churches in the world and every couple of years they gather together to produce a summer festival of music performed at a variety of different churches. Expect a range of classical music, from string quartets to organ concertos and both solo and choral singing events. Piano recitals also feature, as do explorations of Chinese music.

For three days revellers can get down to the bass-heavy sounds of reggae music at the largest event of its kind in the country. Performances take place on different stages at the festival site on an island on Fuhlinger lake on the outskirts of Cologne. This fun event attracts some of the biggest names in reggae – past performers have included Asian Dub Foundation, Gregory Isaacs, Toots and the Maytals, Jimmy Cliff and Ziggy Marley.

Hundreds of thousands of revellers pack the city streets for the annual Cologne Pride/Christopher Street Day parade. One of the largest gay and lesbian events in Germany, the celebration aims to raise awareness and social acceptance of lesbians, gays, bi- and transsexuals. The main event is the huge parade consisting of dancers, floats and sounds systems that makes its way through the city’s streets. Other events take place throughout the city during the weekend. The event now attracts about a million visitors each year.

For a bit of razzle-dazzle, head to Cologne in the summer to witness its extravagant firework display called Kölner Lichter. Watch from the river banks or from the river itself as the sky over Cologne’s Old Town lights up to the sound of music as the evening progresses.

Like any self-respecting city these days, Cologne has its own marathon route. Over 27,000 participants pound the streets each year as they rack up their self-inflicted quota of 41.9 kilometres (26.22 miles.) It’s the third most popular marathon in Germany (the other two taking place in Hamburg and Berlin) so there’s something of an atmosphere in the air. Plus, as a spectator, there’s a good chance of catching sight some world-class athletes in action.

Lange Nacht der Kölner Museen, (Long Night of the Cologne Museums), takes place each November and involves a coordinated throwing open of doors of the city’s museums. Between 7pm and 3am, up to 45 different museums welcome in every kind of night owl while putting on a show that involves live music, tours, readings and films. Even better: you only need a single ticket to access all that’s on offer.

This cool music festival takes its inspiration from a simple yet effective formula: to let private hosts provide platforms for young and emerging artists to express themselves by performing in private venues. Coordinated across Cologne, Hamburg, Bonn, Mannheim and beyond, the annual festival creates an intimate atmosphere for appreciating new music as well as drawing the cities together.

Six markets offering food, drink and crafts plus events and Advent boat trips.