Andrea Schulte-Peevers - Lonely Planet Germany

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Prepare for a roller coaster of feasts, treats and temptations as you take in Germanys soul-stirring scenery, spirit-lifting culture, big-city beauties, romantic palaces and half-timbered towns.

Autumn in the majestic Bavarian Alps
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Few countries have had as much impact on the world as Germany, which has given us the printing press, the automobile, aspirin and MP3 technology. This is the birthplace of Martin Luther, Albert Einstein and Karl Marx, of Goethe, Beethoven, the Brothers Grimm and other heavyweights who, each in their own way, have left their mark on human history. As you travel the country, youll have plenty of brushes with genius, but Germanys storybook landscapes will likely leave an even bigger imprint on your memories. Theres something undeniably artistic in the way the scenery unfolds the corrugated, dune-fringed coasts of the north, the moody forests, romantic river valleys and vast vineyards of central Germanys backbone, and the off-the-charts splendour of the Alps, carved into rugged glory by glaciers and the elements. All are integral parts of a magical natural matrix thats bound to give your camera a workout. As much fun as it may be to rev up the engine on the autobahn, getting off the highway lets you soak up the epic scenery that makes each delicious, slow, winding kilometre so precious.

Youll encounter history in towns where streets were laid out long before Columbus set sail and in castles that loom above prim, half-timbered villages where flower boxes billow with crimson geraniums. The great cities Berlin, Munich, Hamburg and Leipzig among them come in more flavours than a jar of jelly beans but will all wow you with a cultural kaleidoscope that spans the arc from art museums and high-brow opera to naughty cabaret and underground clubs. And wherever you go, Romanesque, Gothic and baroque classics rub rafters with architectural creations from modern masters like Daniel Libeskind, David Chipperfield and Frank Gehry.

Berlin's bars; part of Germany's cultural kaleidoscope
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Eating well is as important to a memorable journey as captivating scenery and great architecture. And youll quickly discover that German food is so much more than sausages and pretzels, schnitzel and roast pork accompanied by big mugs of foamy beer. Beyond the clichs awaits a cornucopia of regional and seasonal palate teasers. Share the German peoples obsession with white asparagus in spring, chanterelle mushrooms in summer and game in autumn. Indulge in black forest gateau, doner kebab, Sptzle or Michelin-starred haute cuisine. Sample not just famous beer but also world-class wines, most notably the noble riesling, while exploring ancient cellars. Experiencing the country through its food and drink will add a rich layer to your memories (and possibly your belly!).

Berlin Wall

Few events in history have the power to move the entire world. The Kennedy assassination; landing on the moon; 9/11... And, of course, the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. If you were alive back then and old enough, you will probably remember the crowds of euphoric revellers cheering and dancing at the Brandenburg Gate (), with its colourful murals.

Berlin Wall street art at Mauerpark
DAVID PEEVERS / GETTY IMAGES

Schloss Neuschwanstein

Commissioned by Bavarias most celebrated (and loopiest) 19th-century monarch, King Ludwig II, Neuschwanstein Palace () rises from the mysterious Alpine forests like a bedtime storybook illustration. Inside the make-believe continues, with chambers and halls reflecting Ludwigs obsession with the mythical Teutonic past and his admiration for composer Wagner, in a composition that puts even the flashiest oligarchs palazzo in the shade. This sugary folly is said to have inspired Walts castle at Disney World; now it inspires the tourist masses to make the pilgrimage along the Romantic Road, which culminates at its gates.

INGMAR WESEMANN / GETTY IMAGES

Oktoberfest

Anyone with a taste for hop-scented froth knows that the daddy of all beer festivals, Oktoberfest (), takes place annually in Munich. The worlds favourite sud fest actually begins mid-September and runs for 16 ethanol-fuelled days on the Theresienwiese (Theresas Meadow), with troops of crimson-faced oompah bands entertaining revellers; armies of traditionally garbed locals and foreigners guzzling their way through seven million litres of lager; and entire farms of chickens hitting the grill. So find your favourite tent and raise your 1L stein. Ozapft ist! (It is tapped!).

The Ochsenbraterei tent at Theresienwiese fairgrounds
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The Black Forest

Mist, snow or shine, this sylvan slice of southwest Germany is just beautiful. If its back-to-nature moments youre after, the deep, dark Black Forest () is the place to linger. Every valley reveals new surprises: half-timbered villages looking every inch the fairy-tale fantasy, thunderous waterfalls and cuckoo clocks the size of houses. Breathe in the cold sappy air, drive roller-coaster roads to middle-of-nowhere lakes, have your cake, walk it off on trail after gorgeously wooded trail, then hide away in a heavy-lidded farmhouse. Hear that? Silence. What a wonderful thing.

DANIEL SCHOENEN / GETTY IMAGES

The Romantic Rhine

As the mighty Rhine () and the modern (in the 19th-century sense were talking barges, ferries, passenger steamers and trains). From every riverside village, trails take you through vineyards and forests, up to panoramic viewpoints and massive stone fortresses.