Hanseatic Heritage And Capital Charm

Berlin is the capital of the Federal Republic of Germany. Due to its great historical and current importance, the city has many sights to offer. First of all, some well-known landmarks should be mentioned here: the Brandenburg Gate, the TV tower and the Victory Column. All important government buildings are also located here: For example, the Reichstag with the famous Reichstag dome is definitely worth a visit. You can also see the locations of some important historical events, such as « Checkpoint Charlie » or the « East Side Gallery », a remnant of the Berlin Wall. There is also no lack of shopping opportunities, for example the « Kurfürstendamm » is very well known.

The Brandenburg capital is the most populous city in Brandenburg with around 180,000 inhabitants. However, Potsdam primarily convinces with a number of worthwhile sights that are even UNESCO World Heritage Sites. After all, the city was already included in the so-called List of World Cultural and Natural Heritage of Humanity in 1990, as the largest German collection of World Heritage sites is located there. The Brandenburg city has also been able to call itself a UNESCO film city since 2019. The famous Sanssouci Palace with its beautiful park as well as the Potsdam Film Museum and the Mill Museum in the historic mill are certainly among the most famous and important sights.

Szczecin is a Hanseatic city in Poland, on the Baltic Sea with a beautiful harbor and a unique old town. The landmark of Szczecin is the famous castle, plastered in white and with an onion dome. But the hook terrace with a view over the city is also worth a visit. Jacobs Cathedral was rebuilt in 1693 and is now part of the old town with its 110 m high tower. A special destination is the Dammscher See, at the mouth of the Oder. Here you can go sailing or swimming in summer.

Greifswald-Wieck is an old, listed fishing village, which was built five kilometers east of the Hanseatic city of Greifswald on the river Ryck. Its history goes back to the 13th century. The main attraction of Greifswald-Wieck is the wooden bascule bridge built in 1887: It is still in operation, connects Wieck and Eldena and is opened every hour using a crank handle. Also worth seeing are the fishermens houses with their typical thatched roofs and the picturesque harbor where the sailing training ship “Greif” is anchored.

The city of Stralsund, located in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, is a Hanseatic city in northeastern Germany and is considered the gateway to Rügen. This is where the Rügen Bridge begins over the Baltic Sea strait, the Strelasund. In the port, the modern Ozeaneum should be visited, which the locals call a toilet roll because of its shape. The sailing ship Gorch Fock I is also located here as a floating museum. The Old Market is located in the historic old town, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2002 and is considered the center.

The island of Rügen and especially the place Lauterbach have a lot to offer. Wonderful beaches, unique landscapes, the chalk cliffs and the racing Roland, a nostalgic train that goes all the way to the mainland, can be experienced here. Of course there are also seaside resorts such as Binz and Sellin. Since the island is not very big, you can visit and get to know all the places in one day. One has wonderful views from the cliffs. Lauterbach is a small, dreamy place.

Strasbourg is a major city in France and is also the capital of the Alsace-Champagne-Ardenne-Lorraine region. The Rhine forms a natural border with Germany. The Maas and Aar also flow through the city. The district « La Petite France » is very popular with tourists and shows old half-timbered houses on the canal. With a typical boat with a glass roof, a so-called bateau-mouche, tourists can cruise the canal and learn interesting facts about the city. The Strasbourg cathedral is the citys landmark.