Russia Travel to Russia

VisitRussia.com: Travel Russia, tours, hotels, airline and train tickets, visa services Package Tours Custom Tours River Cruises Trans-Siberian Hotels Transfers Russian Visa Airline Tickets Train Tickets Theater Tickets Restaurants Incentive Travel Brochure Request For Travel Agents Time to Visit Russia Travel to Russia is a unique opportunity to get acquainted with Russian history and culture. Russia spans eleven time zones and two continents and is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. This is a great country with an array of rivers, forests and towering mountains. Now you have a chance to explore its land of striking beauty and diversity, from magnificent capitals, Moscow and St. Petersburg, to the measured life of Siberian cities. The whole new world is waiting for you to be discovered. Tours of Russia Our company offers you a wide selection of tours to different Russian cities. We provide both short and long tours for different budgets. You may choose any tour you like from our list of popular tours on the website or create your own tour (see our custom tours). Package Tours River Cruises Custom Tours Trans-Siberian more Tickets Airline Tickets In our company you can reserve airline tickets for domestic or international flights. We will provide you with tickets at the best possible rates and at the shortest time. more Train Tickets Traveling by train is the most stirring way to see real Russia. We offer you a great opportunity to purchase train tickets to any destination within Russia or Europe. more Theater Tickets Our company, in addition to airline and train tickets, offers a high-quality service for those who want to visit theatres, concerts or folklore shows in Russia. more Russia Hotels Enjoy modern comfort and Russian hospitality while staying in the biggest and one of the most beautiful countries in the world. Moscow Hotels Petersburg Hotels Arkhangelsk Hotels Novosibirsk Hotels Kazan Hotels Volgograd Hotels Murmansk Hotels Yaroslavl Hotels more Russia Visa Nationals of most foreign countries need a visa to enter Russia. We are pleased to offer Full Visa Services for US tourists. We will make a visa application process, which is usually quite complicated, easy and quick. You are welcome to fill out a Russia visa application form online. more Trans-Sib Trans-Siberian travel is a good chance to get acquainted with true Russia's life and views. Trans-Siberian Railroad, which is the longest railway in the world (over 9,000 kilometers long), is perfectly equipped. Trans-Sib will take you through several time zones. more Cities Guide The Cities Guide provides the most comprehensive information on various Russian cities, from Russias two capitals, Moscow and St. Petersburg, to smaller cities and towns. The guide features information on a citys historical background, major attractions, climate, hotels, and more. more Brochure Request We are glad to present the booklet our company has published this year. The booklet content features information on itineraries and tours around Russia we are going to offer throughout 2004. This showy edition will help you to plan your trip to Russia most effectively. more CITIES GUIDE Moscow Saint Petersburg Arkhangelsk Chelyabinsk Irkutsk Kaliningrad Kazan Khabarovsk Krasnodar Krasnoyarsk Murmansk Nizhni Novgorod Novgorod Veliky Novosibirsk Omsk Perm Petrozavodsk Pskov Samara Saratov Smolensk Sochi Suzdal Ulan-Ude Vladivostok Volgograd Yaroslavl Yekaterinburg

Travel Guide

Time Out - City travel guides to hotels, restaurants, shops and events Time Out Home Cities A-Z Shop Your Account SEARCH: monday theatre sydney art film amsterdam tuesday tokyo clubs festivals moscow restaurant wednesday london comedy chicago thursday hong kong soho dubai friday hotels bars fashion west end new york gigs saturday paris dance barcelona gay rome sunday cafes venice sport CITIES A-Z » London Chaotic, confusing, bloody-minded – bloody lovely; London's a multi-faceted metropolis you can't help but love. TIME OUT LONDON » New York Go beyond bagels, Broadway and Brooklyn with our critics' picks of the best to see and do in the culture capital of the world. TIME OUT NEW YORK » Chicago A quintessentially American city with smoky juke joints, cutting-edge architecture and world-class museums. TIME OUT CHICAGO » City guides From Amsterdam to Zürich: more than 140 of the world's most exciting, beautiful and culturally rich cities. TIME OUT CITIES A-Z » flights huge hotel savings city breaks hotels, B&B & apts hotels big discounts More top destination guides Amsterdam Europe's most charming and notorious city; world-renowned museums, idyllic canals, a red-light district and legal cannabis. Barcelona What may indeed be Europe's coolest city; fantastical architecture, sweeping beaches and idiosyncratic museums. Beijing Beijing is getting the mother of all makeovers; today it has become an elusive blend of dynamism and antiquity. Berlin Top-flight attractions and a thriving underground arts and music scene mark Berlin as a major cultural centre. Dubai A tourist paradise boasting opulent hotels and restaurants, tax-free shopping, pristine beaches and year-round sunshine. Istanbul Gaze at the mosques of Sultanahmet or bargain-hunt at the Grand Bazaar in this ancient, continent-straddling metropolis. Los Angeles From the crème-de-la-crème of Hollywood hipsters to the cool celeb factor, Tinseltown oozes chic charisma. Moscow Europe’s maddest capital has transformed from staid, Stalinist monolith to modern cosmopolitan metropolis. Paris From hidden historic treasures to cutting-edge creations in fashion and the arts, Paris always has something to offer everyone. Rome A wealth of ancient wonders - Renaissance, baroque and modern - as well as stylish drinking dens and gourmet eateries. Magazines LONDON » NEW YORK » CHICAGO » DUBAI » More Time Out magazines -- Other Time Out magazines Abu Dhabi Chicago Cyprus Dubai Istanbul London Mumbai New York Tel Aviv Guides £3 OFF! London Eating & Drinking Guide 1,500 independent and impartial reviews, plus 15% discount at a selection of great venues. VIEW GUIDE » Ski & Snowboard Europe From your first schuss to your last schnapps. This is the definitive guide to Europe's best resorts. VIEW GUIDE » More Time Out guides © 2005 Time Out Group Ltd. All rights reserved. All material on this site is © Time Out. About the site | Contact Us | Privacy policy | Jobs at Time Out | Advertising

Europe Travel Planning >

Off Season Travel In Europe - Tips and Tools for Off-Season Vacations  You are here: About > Travel > Europe for Visitors > Europe Travel Planning > Off Season Travel In Europe - Tips and Tools for Off-Season Vacations Travel Go Europe Essentials European Vacation Planning Map Europe Travel 101 - Before you Go European Distances The Best of Europe European Photo Gallery Articles & Resources Europe Travel Planning What to do In Europe Lodging - Hotels and More European Travel Maps Sex and Nudism Travel Photography Transportation Benelux Countries France Germany Austria Switzerland Greece Italy and Malta Travel Info Scandinavian Travel Spain and Portugal United Kingdom and Ireland Buyer's Guide Before You Buy Top Picks Italy Travel Guidebooks Europe Travel Guidebooks German Travel Guidebooks Product Reviews Forums Help FREE Newsletter Sign Up Now for the Europe for Visitors newsletter! See Online Courses   Search Europe for Visitors Off-Season Rain in Vienna - Time to duck into a cafe for some Sacher Torte! James Martin Stay up to date! Off-Season Rain in Vienna - Time to duck into a cafe for some Sacher Torte! James Martin Email to a friend Print this page Off Season Travel Tools Historic European Climate - Cities Hours of Daylight Winter Travel to Europe Off Season Things to Do Chrismas Markets in Europe Oktoberfest Fall Tours and Trips Recent Discussions Need Help Planning a Trip Accomodation in london Mediteranean Feries Most Popular Europe Map - Distances Between Cities in Western Europe Europe's Best Nudist Beaches Europe Picture Galleries Italy Pictures Europe Travel 101 - Before You Travel to Europe for the Firs... What's Hot Power Adapters Noord-Holland - Delights of North Holland Travel Visiting Pompeii Italy Guidebooks Naples - Getting There Related Topics France for Visitors Greece for Visitors United Kingdom / Ireland for Visitors Eastern Europe for Visitors Italy for Visitors Off Season Travel In Europe - Tips and Tools for Off-Season Vacations From James Martin , Your Guide to Europe for Visitors . FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! Travel Cheap - Enjoy Europe's Culture - Go in the Off-Season You'll hear seasoned travelers extolling the virtues of September-May off-season travel so often you probably know them by heart: fewer tourists, greater cultural options and mingling opportunities with the locals, more relaxed atmosphere, cheaper airfares and hotel rates, and the lack of that summer swelter. But there's a reason folks travel in high season in Europe: it seldom rains, there's maximum daylight, it's easy packing light, and there are abundant tourist resources. But off-season travel still aces out high-season travel in my book, because all those problems with off-season travel can be overcome with a few tricks seasoned travelers call upon to make their vacations meaningful and fun. Read on. Places to Go - Choosing an Off-Season Destination Seasoned travelers base their destinations on seasonal considerations. For example, I don't particularly fancy eating the traditional tourist favorites of Germany, Switzerland or Austria in summer; the food is too heavy for the heat. But give me a crisp fall day to walk the black forest or cruise the Rhine, then let me return to my hotel, take a hot bath, and go downstairs to a medieval wood-beamed room with roaring fire and I'll happily eat mounds of sausages and spaetzle while drinking lustily from a flask of homemade reisling. For Mediterranean countries, fall starts the rainy season. Over the ages, many cities have found ways to deal with the inconvenience of a daylight rain. The Italian city of Bologna features a huge network of arcaded streets. You can walk from one side of town to the other without getting wet. Medieval Europe featured houses with overhangs, it's one of the ways you can tell the older parts of a city. Old towns also offer seductive cafes. Pop in and nurse a coffee, soda, or warming snifter of brandy while waiting for the rain to taper off. Or use your railpass to take a scenic train ride . Hours of Sunlight - Off-Season's "Shorter" Days Yep, the off-season in Europe is marked by fewer hours of sunlight. This doesn't bother me at all, because I find moonlight strolls more seductive than daylight ones. If you shudder at the thought of walking "downtown" in a city after dark, consider that European city centers are quite a bit safer than most American ones at these hours, because European culture favors convivial meetings in public places along with moderate alcohol consumption. Filling the streets with good, honest people is probably the best defense against street crime there ever was. But how can you figure out how much daylight there'll be? Here's a handy site, The Sun and Moon Ephemerides . Pick your destination and the date, and the tool will return the hours of daylight to expect. Climate - What's the Off-Season Like? Here is a directory of historic climate for Europe's major cities . Packing Tips for the Off-Season in Europe Packing light is easy to accomplish when your daily wear is shorts and a shirt. Things get tricky when the weather cools. The key is layering. Everything in my suitcase goes with everything else. I wear a light undershirt, long sleeved shirt, sweater if it's going to be cold, light windbreaker/rain jacket for the rainy days. I pack two fashionable sweaters of varying warmth instead of lugging around a coat. On the beautiful days I don't end up with a coat slung over my arm that's too big for my suitcase. When it rains I simply get out my rain jacket. I can also wear a sweater into a fancy restaurant and look pretty presentable. (Europeans tend to dress more formally, especially in the off-season. You might consider throwing a tie or scarf into your suitcase.) But sweaters are big and bulky. True, but there's a fix. A sweater keeps you warm by trapping air between thin fibers, much like house insulation. Take the air out and sweaters compress to a fraction of their size. If you're stuck in the 50's, you have dad sit on your suitcase while you latch it. Today you can purchase clothes compressor bags. Eagle Creek makes some I use and recommend ( review ) ( check prices ). You'll find that you can squeeze 40-50 percent of bulk out of a sweater with these bags. The downside is that sweaters don't work as efficiently in the wind, and you may need that rain jacket as a windbreak on blustery days. The Bottom Line - What's good about Off-Season Travel in Europe Europe takes advantage of the cultural activities that enjoy a winter season. Sure, in summer you can hear short chamber music in Vienna structured for a tourist's short attention span, but you'll have to wait until the real symphony and opera season to hear the best European orchestras playing serious music for hours on end. And who cares if it's raining outside when you intend to spend your day at the Louvre? Bottom line: if you like meeting folks on their own turf, have a hankering for high culture, or just like to lounge around a roaring fire listening to a foreign language and dreaming of learning it--off-season travel is something you should try.        Topic Index | Email to a Friend Our Story | Be a Guide | Advertising Info | Work at About | Site Map | Icons | Help User Agreement | Ethics Policy | Patent Info. | Privacy Policy | Kids' Privacy Policy ©2005 About, Inc., A part of the New York Times Company . 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france Travel for Kids

Travel for Kids: France fun things to do with kids in France France, famous for painters, food, medieval cathedrals and much more. You may have been to Paris before, but exploring Paris with your kids will be new and exciting, as they uncover unexpected delights like a boulangerie with the Eiffel tower as bread sculpture. (It was delicious!) As you travel into into the countryside, kids can see for themselves the landscapes immortalized by the Impressionists, and let your children soak up the French joie de vivre. Tip: Don't miss our top picks for children's books on France, recommended by the staff of Travel for Kids, see below. Paris Central Ile-de-France The Loire – Orleans, Amboise, Loire chateaux North Normandy West Brittany Southwest The Dordogne – Lascaux, Rocamadour Languedoc-Roussillon – Carcassonne Southeast Provence Marseilles Cote D'Azur Nice The Cat Who Walked Across France Kate Banks, Georg Hallensleben Irresistible journey of a cat through France, past chateaux and shaded canals, dodging cars in Paris, roaming across lavender fields, to return to his home – a stone house by the edge of the sea. Fabulous double-page illustrations. (Picture book) Katie's Sunday Afternoon James Mayhew Little Katie gets in the picture when she climbs into a Pointillist painting, and joins the swimmers in the cool river. When water pours back into the gallery, Katie fetches a rowboat from another painting to rescue the elegant people in Sunday clothes. A delightful book for summer and fun for little kids. (Picture book) Katie's other adventures with French paintings: Katie Meets the Impressionists Paris Renzo Rossi Illustrated history of Paris, from Roman times when it was called Lutetita Parisiorum, down through Middle Ages with its glorious Gothic cathedrals, 17th century reign of Louis XIV, revolutionary times, Napoleon and the transformation of Paris into the one of the most beautiful cities in the world. (Picture book, fun facts) Eleanor: Crown Jewel of Aquitaine, France, 1136 Kristiana Gregory Fictional diary of 13 year old Eleanor – in just one year, she became Duchess of Aquitaine, then she married Louis Capet, and one week later she was Queen of France! (Chapter book) The Three Musketeers Alexandre Dumas, Deborah Felder Classic swashbuckling, swords-flashing adventure of d'Artagnan and the musketeers, sworn to protect King Louis. The musketeers uncover a plot by the scheming Milady de Winter and Cardinal Richelieu to betray the queen. Fun for new readers. (Easy reader) Kids will also enjoy reading the illustrated abridged version for themselves and listening to the audio CD . Or read the complete version out loud (fun for everyone in the family). The Orange Trees of Versailles Annie Pietri A fabulous tale of intrigue at Versailles. Marion Dutilleul, the gardener's daughter, makes exquisite perfumes for the Marquise de Montespan, favorite of Louis XIV, but Marion discovers the beautiful marquise harbors a dark secret. (Chapter book) Stone Soup Marcia Brown Coming into a French village, three hungry soldiers, returning from the wars, cleverly trick the stingy peasants into sharing their food in a delicious "stone soup." (Picture book) Betsy and the Emperor Staton Rabin Captivating novel of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, in exile on St. Helena. Now a prisoner, living with a local family, Boney finds a kindred spirit in teenage Betsy Balcombe, an uncommon young lady, who plots his escape from the remote island. (Chapter book) The Magical Garden of Claude Monet Laurence Anholt Endearing story of a girl who thinks Monet is the gardener. Anholt's illustrations are seamlessly interwoven with Monet's paintings – you feel as if you're in the water garden, "where lilies sparkle bright as stars." (Picture book) The Impressionist Art Game Wenda O'Reilly Before you go to the museums, "Go Fish" for the Impressionists. The game is simple, but you really look at the paintings on the cards. The accompanying book is a readable, fun introduction to Manet, Pissarro, Degas, Morisot, Monet, Renoir, Cassatt and Caillebotte. Or, you can buy The Impressionist Art Book separately. Fun for all ages. (Activity pack) Sunday with Seurat Julie Merberg, Suzanne Bober "On a sunny Sunday in the park, families play until it's dark." Toddlers can touch Seurat's paintings in this charming board book, French family fun from the seaside to the circus. (Board book) And there's more in this delightful series: Sharing with Renoir , Dancing with Degas , A Picnic with Monet , A Magical Day with Matisse . The Truffle Hunter Inga Moore Adorable story of Martine, a truffle hunting pig who can't find truffles (a French delicacy), until she meets a wild boar in the forest. Charming illustrations. (Picture book) Monsieur Saguette and his Baguette Frank Asch Monsieur Saguette's trip to the bakery is full of adventure, in this whimsical tale of a delicious baguette. With the baguette, Monsieur rescues at cat in a tree, wedges it into an alligator's jaws, disarms a robber and saves himself from a flooding sewer. Playfully illustrated. (Picture book) Hot Air Marjorie Priceman It's September, 1783, and everyone's gathered at Versailles to see a new hot-air balloon with three passengers on board – a duck, a sheep, and a rooster. Hilarious and unexpected adventures of the animals on their flight over the French countryside. Exuberant illustrations, a delight for little ones. (Picture book) The House from Morning to Night Daniele Bour Peek inside a French apartment building, like a doll house. Each page is a different time of day – the baker bakes bread early in the morning, the family comes home for lunch, in the afternoon the concierge sweeps the sidewalk, the mother puts the baby to bed at night. (Picture book, reinforced pages) Let's Learn French Coloring Book Anne-Francoise Pattis Loads of fun pictures to color – from les animaux to le bateau (boat), le chat (cat), la fleu r (flower), seasons of the year, days of the week, animals and food. (Coloring book) (More children's books on other France pages) travel for kids | france Travel for Kids Your best choice for family travel 2000-2005 Globetracks, Inc. disclaimers and limitation of liability

Germany Travel Guide, climate:

Germany Travel Guide - Information and Advice Germany Travel Guide Information and Advice Germany Map | Map of Europe Berlin Travel Guide | Heidelberg Travel Guide Germany Travel Guide, climate: Best: May-Sept. Worst: Nov-March . Short daylight hours, cold and grey, but snow helps the ambience and Christmas fairs in December are light and lively, especially in Munich, Berlin, Heidelberg, Lübek and Munster. Length of stay: Minimum worthwhile stay, not including flights: Berlin for a wild weekend. Recommended: 2 weeks to have a reasonable look at this huge country. Germany Festivals Guide: early December - late January, Lübek Ice Sculpture Festival . Glittering ice art in a gorgeous town. end of January, International Dog-Sled Racing in Todtmoos, two days . Thousands of dogs and many more spectators enjoy this event, particularly the torchlit night races. Feb/March Heidelberg Fasching - this elegant town's answer to Mardi Gras, with local festivities and parades. Feb/March Carnivals in many cities but the three best are in Dusseldorf, Cologne and Mainz. massive, colourful and vigorous. E aster week, Berlin Opera Festival . end of March, Munich Ballet Week. Top performances from international stars. early April, International Dance Theatre Days in Weimar. Wild dance in east Germany . early May, The Rhine in Flames [1st Saturday of May]. Towns south of Bonn, on the river Rhine, explode with celebrations and massive firework displays. end of June, Christopher Street day, Berlin. A monster Gay Pride parade and street party. mid July, Love Parade, Berlin - the wackiest of local festivals, a weekend of ecstatic body-baring by 1.5 million techno- ravers. most of August, Wagner Festival at Bayreuth - very expensive and elitist, held in the unusual theatre that Wagner built. most of August, Berlin International Dance - a wide range of innovative, international dances. l ate September for 2 weeks, Oktoberfest, Munich, mainly about downing vast quantities of beer and bratwurst then behaving badly with your neighbours. All December, Christmas Markets and Fairs in many cities and towns, especially Munich, Berlin, Heidelberg, Lübek and Munster. For some precise dates see: European Festivals or Arts Festiva ls . Activities Guide: Hiking: Germany's favourite outdoor pastime so trails are well developed and supported . They are also in some superb locations including the Alps, the Hartz Mountains, the Rhine Valley and the Black Forest. Biking: German efficiency and politically correct attitude combine to produce a mass of excellent city and rural cycle paths, well-posted, little used yet in awesome surroundings. During April- September many rail stations rent bikes which can be returned to other stations in the 'Fahrrad am Banhof' scheme. Canoeing and windsurfing: There is no shortage of rivers and lakes for strong-arm travel. Lake Constance down south in Bavaria is especially popular. Skiing: As with hiking and biking, there're plenty of places for gorgeous downhill and cross-country skiing, well-organised too, as you would expect. Germany Star Guide: Monuments *** Shopping and souvenirs *** Walkability **** Food Quality and Variety *** Value for Money *** Hotel Prices and Value ** Beaches * Wildlife *** Landscape *** Local People *** Architecture *** Safety **** Nightlife and Clubbing **** Health Problems none Museums ***** Accommodation guide: Hotels are plentiful and not necessarily pricey. Guesthouses and pension are also common and even better value. The only problem - apart from festival time when you should book way ahead - is in the east where you might have to take a room in a private house. Campsites are always well set-up but popular in the summer so plan to check in early in the afternoon. Why Travel to Germany? Apart from any interest in the huge historical and industrial impact of Germany on the world and especially on Europe, the country offers tourists many attractions: lovely rustic towns with well-preserved traditions; sophisticated cities sporting avant-garde art; spectacular castles; vast forests and mountains , and plenty of classic art and culture to fill in the cracks. With native sons such as Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Handel and Wagner, music is big in Germany, and not all of it classical. Berlin in particular is a breeding ground for youth-led musical outrage. Other artistic and intellectual spheres also embrace outstanding names. e.g. Goethe, Brecht, Einstein, Nietzsche, Karl Marx, Kant, Beuys, Ernst... the list goes on and on. This is a country with a HUGE past and a pretty enormous present. The future? Hmmm... Downside: - It may be surprising how many Germans speak no English. - Outside sophisticated towns eating often means meat and two veg, filling but not thrilling. Where to travel in Germany: East: - *** Berlin , a wild and exciting capital city, if not particularly sympathetic or staggeringly beautiful. See Berlin Travel Guide . - ***Leipzig. This laid back, pretty old town, is a musical pot of gold, the home of Wagner, Mendelssohn and Bach. All sorts of fine music is available in relaxed environments, from club to classical. - **Weimar is a minor city but a major tourist attraction for Germans, the place that launched a thousand quips - Nietzsche, Goethe, Klee, Kandinsky, Liszt and Bach [Bach again? How many homes did he have?!] all considered this home. More sobering, Buchenwald concentration camp is also here. W e st: - ***Lübek , a charming medieval town and UNESO World Heritage site, it's in the far north of Germany, not far from less attractive but very lively Hamburg. - **Cologne, beside the Rhine, is notable for its sights, including the massive cathedral, its colourful Christmas market and its outrageous Carnival. - *Frankfurt. A transport nexus and business centre, Frankfurt is cosmopolitan and offers the culture vulture a trove of superb galleries and museums. It's convenient for Heidelberg and the Rhine Valley. - ***Heidelberg. A small, relaxed, charming university city, with river, castle and old town. Near the Rhine Valley. See Heidelberg Travel Guide . Bavaria: - ***Munich - capital of Bavaria - is Berlin's main rival, deservedly so as it's relaxed yet sophisticated, spacious yet compact, with grand old buildings galore and the Alps only an hour away. - ***Füssen [or nearby Schwangau] in Bavaria is for lovers of fantasy castles, with mad King Ludwig's three spectacular offerings clustered around here, including Neuschwanstein. But the town is also attractive, as are the Alps nearby. The Great Outdoors: - ***The Rhine Valley is Germany's Top of the Hops, the best outdoor experience in the country. Hills, river, castles, vineyards combine to overpowering effect. And in May there's the epitome of river fever, The Rhine in Flames festival [see left]. Cruises through the spectacular Rhine Gorge are a favourite tourist experience. - **Hartz Mountains. Another excellent destination for all season outdoor sports freaks, and closer to most tourist destinations than the overblown Alps. Cuisine Guide: This is not a good destination for dieters. Traditional German food is heavy, fatty and sweet - or both - and tasty too if you have a simple palate. Meat, as you would expect, is a key ingredient, with sausages heading the menu, while potatoes, dumplings and chunky bread are the carbohydrate support act. This style is especially prevalent in east Germany. In the more sophisticated towns less disastrous foodstuffs are available, even vegetarian, and ethnic restaurants pop up everywhere, particularly Italian, Turkish and Chinese . A wonderful selection of beers and sweetish wines are also no help to modern tastes and waists. Few menus outside tourist-targeted restaurants show English translations, and German is not an easy language to guess, so consider bringing a phrase book along, or learn food vocabulary in advance. Germany Tours Tour operators offering travel in Germany can be found in our listings here: Germany Tours For links to Tourist Offices, Embassies, Cheap Air Tickets, Currency Converter, Climate, Language advice, other online Travel Guides and more, visit Bugbog Travel Directory Visas: EU citizens are free to travel wherever, whenever in Germany, while nationals of USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Japan do not need a visa for up to 3 months, though you should carry your passport. Electricity Guide: Electric sockets are 230v and take 2 round pin or 2 flat pin plugs. Safety Guide: Germany is safe - though less so the east half - and locals are unlikely to dip their hands in your pockets, but new East Europeans are not so restrained, so take the usual precautions. Language: When you meet Germans abroad they always seem to speak excellent English - albeit with a harsh accent. Not so at home! It's worth learning a few key phrases to lube your travels, particularly food words as menus are rarely translated into English and guessing doesn't work well in German. Intercity Travel Guide: Trains are excellent in Germany, particularly ICE [Intercity Express]. Buses, though cheaper are a lot less comfortable and slower. Self drive is a great way to travel distances apart from the occasional jam and some intimidating driving on the autobahn [motorways]. Local Transport: Generally trains are the way to go, if they are available - which they are in urban areas. Buses are less ubiquitous while taxis are expensive. The S-Bahn is overground rail, the U-Bahn undergound. i.e. the metro. Money: The Euro is used in Germany. Costs are a little high though consuming fast food is one way to keep expenses [along with your lifespan] down. Tipping is not necessary in restaurants, but taxi drivers expect about 10%. Pictures are courtesy of the German Tourist Board. If you plan to travel Germany you may find these other Bugbog guides useful: Austria Travel Guide Czech Republic Travel Guide Hungary Travel Guide Belgium Travel Guide France Travel Guide UK Travel Guide Italy Travel Guide Travel Pictures | Destination Finder | Exotic Places | World Festivals | World Wonders | Safari Wildlife | Beaches | Top of Page European Places | Walking Tours | Travel Health | Travel Safety | Travel Directory | English Speaking Places | Tours Gap Year | Site Map | Travel Guide Homepage | Contact | Press | Advertising | Legal | Maps | Travelogue © 2000-2005 Bugbog