Sailawaze UK | Germany - Sailawaze UK

Travel guide

Germany holidays offer something for everyone, whether you’re looking for big-city beats, rural idyll or fairytale-worthy castles and villages.

Located in central Europe, Germany is a year-round destination with warm summers and relatively cold winters – think fun in the sun in the hotter months and magical Christmas markets in the cooler ones.

Between May and September is the most popular time for tourists to holiday in Germany so if you’re eager to avoid the crowds, consider travelling in April and October for mild weather with fewer holidaymakers.

After all-inclusive holidays to Germany? Cultural city breaks? Or maybe activity holidays in Germany? The country has something to please couples, families, solo travellers and more.

Castles, vineyards & rivers

Among the major cities to discover on Germany holidays are Berlin, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Cologne and Munich – all offering a rich history and fascinating culture – plus brilliant festive markets come the end of the year.

Gorgeous hotspots can be found throughout the country. The Mosel Valley is home to traditional German taverns, medieval villages and steep vineyards; Bavaria is brimming with idyllic villages, striking churches and Alpine lakes; and Saxony has majestic mountains and beautiful towns (Görlitz was featured in Hollywood films Inglourious Basterds, The Reader, The Grand Budapest Hotel and more).

Germany also boasts one of the most popular castles in all of Europe – Neuschwanstein. Built in 1886, the German castle was the inspiration for the Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland!

As for cuisine, there’s much more to Germany than sausages and beer. The nation produces world-class wines (with Riesling the most famous) and popular dishes include sauerbraten (‘sour’ or ‘pickled’ roast), königsberger klopse (meatballs in a creamy white sauce), käsespätzle (noodles often spiced up with cheese), spargel (white asparagus) and so many more.

River cruises

Germany holidays offer the full range – culture, food, history, scenery… and a country of people who speak way better English than you do German.

Whether you’re after a romantic break, a family getaway or a holiday with friends, Germany delivers.

One of the best ways to explore Germany is by cruise, with river ships taking travellers through ancient towns, verdant vineyards and beautiful scenery on Germany cruises.

The three largest rivers in Germany are the Danube, Rhine and Elbe, although the country is home to many more including the Main, Oder and Moselle to name just a few.

All major river cruise lines operate in Germany, from TUI River Cruises, Viking River Cruises and Riviera Travel to Emerald Cruises, A-Rosa Cruises, CroisiEurope and more.

A Germany cruise with Viking on the Rhine, for instance, takes in Cologne, with its mix of ancient Roman ruins and modern architecture, medieval Koblenz, and Breisach next to the famous wine region of Alsace.

Riviera Travel Germany cruises on the Main River visit Mainz (the birthplace of Johannes Gutenberg, the father of modern printing, and an important Roman centre), Nuremberg (bursting with historical landmarks and hoem to tasty gingerbread), Würzburg (boasting a magnificent Baroque palace and UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Residenz), and Miltenberg (one of Germany’s best-preserved medieval village).

Meanwhile CroisiEurope Elbe river cruises in Germany call at Berlin, the Hanseatic towns of Magdeburg and Hamburg, and Bremen, the oldest maritime city in Germany.