Germany - Alemanha

THE Germany (in German: Deutschland) is one of the largest countries in the Europe.

Understand

Germany is located in Central Europe. It borders the Denmark, a Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Austria, Czech republic and Poland. The country has the third largest GDP (Gross Domestic Product) on the planet.

Although the country contains some very interesting landscapes, cities are the main attraction of the country. Even small towns offer considerable cultural life and all have their local characteristics. Even the language is very varied, but all dialects (except in some Sorbian enclaves in the east, which are in danger of extinction) are variants of German, a German from the far north does not understand what a Bavarian resident says. As for nature, the main attractions are the Alps in the south, with its lakes and valleys, the central highlands (Mittelgebirge) and the North Sea and Baltic coast, where there are numerous spas. In these places the visitor can find, above all, local tourists and foreign visitors prefer the main attractions and all the big cities.

Climate

In Germany the climate is moderate and you should be prepared for all the weather almost all year round. In summer, the maximum averages between 20°C on the coast and 27°C in the Upper Rhine Valley, with cool nights around 15°C and occasional rain and thunderstorms, with hail. In the southwest and generally there are heat waves with temperatures above 35 ° C. In winter, temperatures vary around 0 ° C with the cold more frequent in the eastern plateaus and especially in the South West, which are frequent nights of -20 ° C or less. Snowfall is rare in the West and frequent in the eastern and mountainous regions. In general, summer semesters (April to October) are very welcome to visit the country. The winter weather is relatively complicated, as there is little sun and frequent rain and fog. But even in summer, rain and cloudy days are possible, but it is much more likely that the weather is good. In spring and autumn, there are sudden changes in temperature between occasional cold and heat above 30 ° C. In autumn and winter there can also be very strong winds like the Orkan, especially in the coastal region.

The North Sea in summer are between 17° and 21°C, while the Baltic States, whose climate is sunny, are between 20° and 24°C.

Holidays

• January, 1st: New Year.

• January 6th: Epiphany.

• March or April:

• Good friday.
• Easter.

• May 1: Labor Day.

• May or June:

• Ascension of Christ.
• Father's Day.
• Pentecost.
• body of God.

• October 3rd: German Unity Day.

• October 31st: Reform Party.

• November 1st: All Saints' Day.

• December 25-26: 1st and 2nd day of Christmas.

Regions

THE Germany has 16 federated states (in German: Bundeslander, in the singular: Bundesland):

North (Bremen, Hamburg, Lower Saxony, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Schleswig-Holstein)

West (North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saar)

center (Hessen, Thuringia)

East (Berlin, Brandenburg, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt)

South (Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria)

Cities

• Berlin(Berlin)
• Cologne(Koln)
• Hamburg(Hamburg)
• Dresden
• Frankfurt
• Munich(München)
• Nuremberg(Nürnberg)
• Tubingen

Other destinations

To arrive

By airplane

Germany has a very good airport infrastructure, which allows thousands of connections all over the world. The main airports are located in: Frankfurt, Düsseldorf, Berlin, Munich and Hamburg. Frankfurt Airport is the biggest and most complete of all, being the second biggest in Europe. These airports have connections to the main European cities, Frankfurt and to big cities around the world, being used as a connecting node for all of Europe .Currently, there are other secondary airports, such as Frankfurt Hahn, which are used by budget airlines. They have less equipment, fewer train connections and are generally farther away from major cities. Frankfurt airport has its own train station that connects with local trains and high-speed trains that can take you to any city in Germany, with relative ease.

By car

THE Germany it is a country with a highly well-developed road system with "autobahn" highways linking north, south, east and west. All highways have no toll and are in excellent condition. On the autobahns there is no speed limit, but on the other highways you should note the signs indicating the limit. Speed ​​control is carried out by the police using mobile radars. All highways are very well signposted. Through the road system you can easily reach all bordering countries such as: Denmark, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Austria, Czech republic and Poland.

By train

The German rail system is highly developed and connects with major European cities. The trains stand out for their quality and punctuality.

By bus

Buses in Germany generally cover routes to local destinations where there is no rail connection, as the train is guaranteed by law a monopoly on long-distance transport. However, some routes where there is no direct train connection are operated by bus lines, whose fares are cheaper than the train.

circle

By car

In Germany, getting around with a car is easy, as there are very good roads throughout the country, they do not have speed limits and Germans only use the left lane to overtake, circling the other lanes, these roads are free. A popular method is Mitfahrzentrale, which are private car agencies. Most of them are accessible via the Internet.

By train

The train is a good means of transport in Germany, which is equipped with a rail network that connects almost anywhere in the country. A wide range of high-speed ICE (Inter City Express) trains, which communicate with the main European capitals, as well as between the main German cities. It is a timely and competitive shipping.

Speak

The official language is the German, which has several different dialects and accents, but is spoken throughout the country. O English predominates as a second language and is spoken by a large part of the population.

Look

The past has left many architectural treasures. Castles, cathedrals and public buildings is a must. Unfortunately, the bombing of wars destroyed some of the centers of big cities, some of the reasons are the most picturesque places, which do not arouse the interest of the military.

Knife

Events

Germans are a very festive people - while the word Fest (festival) has been exported into several other languages. Globally popular festivals known as the Oktoberfest, similar festivals on a smaller scale, in every town or village, often called "Messe" (although this also means "Convention"), "Volksfest" or "Strassenfest", which are much less commercial and more authentic. Beer is never lacking - although there are regions like the Southwest that are more closely linked to wine. Oktoberfest in Munich in autumn (September/October) Cannstatter Volksfest Stuttgart, similar to Oktoberfest. Carnival in Cologne (Kölner Karneval) in February. Carnival is also celebrated throughout the Catholic area (south and west), Cologne and Mainz and is known as Villingen-Schwenningen, and has a different name: Karneval, Fastnacht, Fasching or Fasnet. Carnival of Cultures in Berlin (June), one of the biggest multicultural festivals on the continent, which demonstrates the ethnic and cultural diversity of today. Berlin's Love Parade originally, now in changing locations. The meeting of electronic music in the world. Berlinale, the Berlin Film Festival, considered the second most important after Cannes. Bayreuth opera festival Festspiele in a small picturesque town in northern Bavaria. Wave Gothic Treffen, in Leipzig, the world's biggest gathering of dark culture. Christmas markets across the country, the best known is that of Nuremberg.

Buy

The currency of Germany since 2002 is the Euro. Despite some complaints from consumers, its introduction changed the price level. Typical gifts from Germany, mainly handicrafts (wood and pottery) and sugary foods. Each region has its traditional style, not everything is the cuckoo clock and poplars! The only problem is that the craftsman profession is lost and most specialty shops exist only in a few cities and resorts, and industrially produced copies are plentiful (paradoxically, many come from China). Thank God she did the same with the candy craft. The marzapan, chocolate and sweets are very high quality and you get a good price.

Germany is a good country to buy resources such as music books, CDs or DVDs. The level of availability of even lesser known artists is excellent, and there is more experienced specialist company that also matters, so it's almost impossible not to get what they're looking for.

As for the general level of prices in Germany, together with Spain it is one of the cheapest countries in Western Europe. Supermarkets "Discount stores (Aldi, Lidl, Penny Markt) are the best choice for travelers with little money you must cook their food. Hypermarkets (Einkaufszentrum") are less known because their price level is higher, but they exist in all The cities. Besides, there are few shopping centers "shopping", but the Germans prefer the "Multirubro Kaufhaus", the big companies, where you can buy everything you need, from clothes to furniture, electronic media (CDs, DVDs, Blueray), etc... Many of them also have a section with food stalls.

With the

German cuisine varies from region to region. The southern regions of Bavaria and Swabia, for example, share a culinary culture with Switzerland and Austria. Pork, beef and poultry are the main meat varieties consumed in Germany, with pork being the most popular. In all regions, meat is often eaten in sausage form. More than 1500 types of sausage are produced in Germany. Organic foods have gained a market share of around 3.0%, and are set to increase further. A popular German saying has the meaning: "I eat breakfast like an emperor, lunch like a king, and dine like a beggar ". Breakfast is usually a selection of breads and baguettes with jam and honey or cold meats and cheese, sometimes accompanied by a boiled egg. Cereal or granola with milk or yogurt is less common but widespread. More than 300 types of bread are sold in bakeries across the country. A typical cheese and cold meat buffet served at private parties. As a country with many immigrants, Germany has adopted many dishes from international cuisine in its kitchen and daily eating habits. Italian dishes like pizza and pasta, Turkish and Arab dishes like Döner Kebab and Falafel are well established, especially in big cities. International hamburger chains, as well as Chinese and Greek restaurants, are common. Indian, Thai, Japanese, and other Asian cuisines have gained popularity in recent decades. The Michelin guide awarded nine top-notch restaurants in Germany with three stars, the highest designation, while another 15 received two stars. German restaurants have become the second most established in the world, after restaurants in France. Although wine is becoming more popular in many parts of Germany, the national alcoholic beverage is beer. German beer consumption per person is declining, but at 116 liters a year it is still among the highest in the world. Beer varieties include Alt, Bock, Dunkel, Kölsch, Lager, Malzbier, Pils and Weizenbier. Among the 18 Western countries surveyed, Germany was ranked 14th in the list of per capita consumption of soft drinks in general, while the country ranks third in the consumption of fruit juices. Also, carbonated mineral water and Schorle (this one mixed with fruit juice) are very popular in Germany

drink and go out

The excellence in Germany is Beer. There are different types of beer. The most common are "Pils", "Lager", "Weizenbier" wheat beer, or "Hefeweizen" wheat beer with a strong yeast taste, "Kristallweizen" wheat but softer and lighter, "Dunkelbier color" more dark. There are many local beers, such as the "Kölsch" beer, which only occurs in the Cologne region. The Biergarten, beer gardens are ideal places to sample beer. There are some good wines (Riesling, Kerner, Trollinger, Müller-Thurgau), most from the south. In the Rhine and Moselle valleys, they are even more popular than beer. "Schnaps" is the generic name for any alcoholic beverage, usually taken after meals. There are pear, plum, apple and raspberry. In restaurants, the "Mineralwasser" is usually mineral water or gas. To order mineral water you should ask for "Wasser Kohlensäure ohne", although generally more expensive. An alternative is the stilles "Wasser, just carbonated mineral water. The winter specialty Glühwein, a hot and sweet wine, taken en masse in the typical Christmas markets to combat the cold.

Learn

Universities in the country are among the oldest and most traditional on the continent. They are well equipped and offer a good academic quality, although some look with envy at countries like England or America. Since mid 2000 university fees are here in some states, especially those with conservative governments. These are relatively low (between 300 and 800 € per semester and may change). Note: In some states where there are no taxes, a tax is payable by all persons outside of this state, including foreign nationals.

Work

Safety

THE Germany it is a highly safe country with low crime rates. In the main cities, preventive care should only be taken in large metropolises. The police are very participative and easily found in different places and times.

Health

To enter the entire European Union is only possible if you have travel insurance must cover at least 40,000 €. These insurances must be purchased before entry. Medical service is very good, hospitals across the country.

There are only a few local diseases. The most dangerous are the FSME Borreolosis and which are transmitted by ticks, common in southern Iraq between May and August. Especially in forests, we have to be careful and check the body after outdoor activities.

respect

Contrary to what many people think, the Germans are not a totally cold or arrogant people, on the contrary, they are hospitable, festive and to some extent shy, easy to deal with, they can be as extroverted as the Brazilians and ironic as the French, as long as they are respected as national and cultural unity. If you can't understand what a German says, don't start speaking English to him. Try asking, in German, if he knows how to speak English and then talk to him in English.

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