Berlin Schmerlin – You Need To Visit These German Cities

We’re barely out of all the Christmas madness, and I’m already thinking of places to go on my travels in 2020. If you’re an avid researcher and love planning your trips to a tee, then city breaks have to be on the agenda. Now if you’re circling the likes of Barcelona, Amsterdam etc., when it comes to Germany, everyone and their dog will tell you Berlin is so trendy right now.

While it is a great city to visit, if you’re looking for a unique city break in Germany, there are a lot of other options out there. Don’t believe me? Here are just four cities where you’d be guaranteed an amazing German city break.

Frankfurt

It’s best to think of Frankfurt like the Glasgow of Germany. It used to be a major industrial port city, but as that industry has died down, the city has evolved into a financial city with an artistic heart. People often do a tossup between visiting here or Munich, and I think it’s a little less touristy and quaint, especially in the Sachsenhausen area with all its old buildings still intact.

Where to stay: I recommend staying in serviced accommodation in Frankfurt. It’s more like living in a fancy studio apartment as opposed to a cramped hotel bedroom, with your own kitchen and separate living area (i.e. not having to watch TV on the edge of the bed) and it’s usually the same price as a hotel.

Cologne

The only city that is also something you want to smell (there’s nowhere called perfume is there?) Cologne is the fourth biggest city in Germany but flies well under the radar in terms of a city break destination. I think it’s a fantastic little place, the kind of city where you can get caught up in some retail therapy.

And what’s better than shopping all day? Getting a beer afterwards. Cologne is where Kölsch beer comes from. If you’ve ever had a bottle of Fruh from the supermarket, it’s that kind of beer. 

Oh, one thing though; never mention Düsseldorf. Apparently the two cities are rivals and hate each other.

Where to stay: Gallery Loft, an old factory/ film studio that’s been converted into uber-trendy lofts. It’s a little out of town but it looks so nice.

Hamburg

The Venice of the North, Hamburg is a river city with more bridges than you can care to count. If you’ve been to Berlin, you’ll know that attractions and trendy spots are scattered all over the place. That’s now the case in Hamburg. It has a condensed city centre which makes it very walkable, and with the majority of bars and clubs in the Reeperbahn, you never have to stray too far on a night out.

Where to stay: Ever stay in a hotel with its own library? Treat yourself with a suite at Fraser Suites Hamburg, a recently opened hotel that sits inside an old financial building. Because they’ve only just opened, they have advanced offers on their site that can you save on a suite, especially if you’re booking a midweek trip.

Leipzig

Lastly, I’m throwing in a bit of a wildcard in the mix to give you somewhere you’d have never thought of going in Germany but could prove to be just as fun as Berlin.

Leipzig is one of the most central cities in Germany; in fact, most of those I’ve mentioned and other big cities tend to be near the borders rather than so far inland. Leipzig is a beautiful and quite quaint city to visit. It used to be an industrial hub, but in recent years has turned tides as a destination city for young people who find Berlin to be too expensive. 

Where to stay: Wherever you want, and there’s a great reason why. Leipzig Airport is only 30 minutes out of town and has a direct train route. With Ryanair being the only airline that flies there frequently from the UK, you can snap flights up at an unbeatable bargain if you play it right and then spend a little more on a room.

Thinking about taking a European city break?

If you need inspiration for your next break to mainland Europe, take a look at all the Europe posts from the blog here.