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All children under 18 are free. www.insureandgo.com Get Cheap Travel Insurance Online Cheap travel insurance - so cheap that if you can find the same cover cheaper we'll insure you for free. www.travel-insurance-web.com Cheap Travel Insurance Save pounds on our range of travel insurance products. Easy to follow steps make obtaining cover fast, reliable, secure and inexpensive. Obtain an instant quote now. www.gotravelinsurance.co.uk Cheap Travel Insurance Deals Choose from a variety of the UK's favourite travel insurance specialists. Great deals and the latest offers. www.thehighstreetweb.com Under 40s Cheap Travel Insurance OUTBACKER travel insurance is designed for travellers under 40 going away on both long & short stay trips. We aim to reduce travel insurance prices without cutting down on cover. www.Outbackerinsurance.com Cheap Travel Insurance Online from Simple Cheap single-trip, backpacker and annual travel insurance policies online for UK individuals and families. Choose Simple for all your travel insurance needs. www.simpletravelinsurance.co.uk Buy Cheap Travel Insurance Here Travel Insurance Online offer low-cost, comprehensive insurance from 5.88. Book online for instant cover. Policies underwritten by AXA. www.travel-insurance-online.com Great Deals on Travel Insurance at Kelkoo Compare travel insurance prices on Kelkoo, the unbiased UK shopping search engine. www.kelkoo.co.uk Get Cheap Travel Insurance at Find.co.uk Compare travel insurance using our easy A-Z list of online travel insurers. Make an informed choice on the best cover for you. www.find.co.uk Compare UK Travel Insurance Plans Looking for a travel insurance? 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Argentina Travel

Argentina Forum Topics - Argentina Travel Advice ARGENTINA FORUM by Travelsur.net Argentina Travel Vacations Contact Travelsur | Log Out | Argentina Forums | Search Travelsur Home | Moderators | Register | Edit Profile Preparing yourself for your next trip to Argentina... Topic Posts Pages Last Post Last Poster Destinations in Argentina Discuss Bariloche, Iguazu, Patagonia, Peninsula Valdez, Mendoza, Cordoba, Salta, Humauaca ravine, El Calafate, Ushuaia, Buenos Aires... 313 42 12-28-05 5:15 pm Roberto Argentine Culture Arts, food, tango, yerba mate, architecture, history, gauchos, habits... 73 16 12-14-05 8:00 am julia smith Travel tips Customs, immigration, what to do, where to go, how to dress and more... 124 18 12-28-05 1:15 pm Janice Edwards Lodging and Accomodations Discuss hotels, hostels, beds and breakfasts, short stay rental places, time sharing... 36 8 12-18-05 2:46 pm Filip Negro Tours and Attractions Theaters, must do's, learning spanish, flea markets, Buenos Aires nightlife, tango lessons... 58 9 12-21-05 5:33 pm Roberto Outdoor activities Mountain bike tours, fly fishing in Patagonia, horse riding, rafting in Mendoza, whale watching vacations, south america travel etc... 39 12 12-12-05 11:05 am Roberto Testimonials Share your recent trip. Anything that might be worth others knowing? 43 37 12-15-05 2:46 pm Dina Investment opportunities in Argentina Food business in Buenos Aires, investing in argentine turism, IT outsourcing, exports and more... 116 7 12-23-05 3:43 pm Chreisben Living in Argentina Finances, medical treatments, daily living, rentals and expenses, transportation, banking system, utilities, work, groceries, etc 15 4 12-06-05 3:45 pm Santiago Bengolea Pics, Pics, Pics... Pictures of family and friends, pics of passengers, pics of trips, pics of destinations... 8 7 12-21-05 11:22 am Riyad Anabtawi Argentina Forum | Last Day | Last Week | Tree View | Search | Help/Instructions | Guidelines | Travel Directory | Argentina Vacation Administration

Germany travel, these are

Germany - Wikitravel Germany From Wikitravel Europe : Central Europe : Germany Flag Quick Facts Capital Berlin Government federal republic Currency euro (EUR) Area total: 357,021 sq km water: 7,798 sq km land: 349,223 sq km Population 83,251,851 (July 2002 est.) Language German Country calling code +49 Internet TLD .de Time Zone UTC +1 Germany ( Deutschland in German ) is a country in Central Europe and a founding member of the European Union . It is bordered to the north by Denmark , to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic , to the south by Austria and Switzerland , and to the west by France , Luxembourg , Belgium and the Netherlands . Table of contents 1 Regions 1.1 North 1.2 West 1.3 Middle 1.4 East 1.5 South 2 Cities 3 Other destinations 4 Understand 4.1 History 4.2 Politics 5 Culture 6 Get in 6.1 By plane 6.2 By train 6.3 By Boat 6.3.1 Scandinavia 6.3.2 Poland 6.3.3 Russia 6.3.4 Baltic States 6.3.5 Switzerland 7 Get around 7.1 By car 7.1.1 Using the Autobahn 7.2 By train 7.2.1 Long distance 7.2.2 Regional travel 7.2.3 Online information and bookings 7.2.4 Fares 7.2.5 Informations for railway freaks 7.3 By plane 7.4 By recreational vehicle and campervans 7.5 Hitching a ride 8 Talk 9 Buy 9.1 Currency 9.2 Tipping 10 Eat 10.1 Imbiss 10.2 Bakeries and butchers 10.3 Biergarten 10.4 Brauhaus 10.5 Gasthof/Gasthaus 10.6 Restaurant 10.7 Typical dishes 10.8 Local specialities 10.9 Seasonal specialities 10.10 Miscellaneous 10.11 Vegetarian 11 Drink 11.1 Beer 11.2 Cider 11.3 Coffee 11.4 Glühwein 11.5 Spirits 11.6 Tea 11.7 Wine 12 Sleep 12.1 Hotels 12.2 B&B's 12.3 Hostels 12.4 Camping 13 Learn 14 Work 15 Stay safe 15.1 Emergencies 15.1.1 Medical emergencies 15.2 Racism 15.3 Gay and lesbian travellers 15.4 Papers, please! 16 Stay healthy 17 Respect 17.1 Photography 18 Contact 18.1 Telephone 18.2 Internet 18.3 Postal Service 19 External links [ edit ] Regions Germany is a federal republic consisting of 16 states (so-called "Bundesländer" or short "Länder"). Grouped roughly by geography, these are: [ edit ] North Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania ( Mecklenburg-Vorpommern ) Lower Saxony ( Niedersachsen ) Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein Bremen [ edit ] West North Rhine-Westfalia ( Nordrhein-Westfalen ) Rhineland-Palatinate ( Rheinland-Pfalz ) Saarland [ edit ] Middle Hesse ( Hessen ) Thuringia ( Thüringen ) [ edit ] East Brandenburg Berlin Saxony ( Sachsen ) Saxony-Anhalt ( Sachsen-Anhalt ) [ edit ] South Baden-Württemberg Bavaria ( Bayern ) Map of Germany [ edit ] Cities Germany has numerous cities of interest to tourists; these are the top five travel destinations. Berlin - the reunified and reinvigorated capital of Germany; known for its division during the Cold War - and the Berlin Wall Hamburg - Germany's second city, famous for its harbour as well as its liberal and tolerant culture Munich ( München ) - Bavaria's beautiful capital city and Southern Germany's leading city, site of the famous Oktoberfest and the gateway to the Alps. Cologne (Köln) - Germany's fourth largest city, 2000 years old with its huge cathedral, romanic churches and archeological sites also well known for its carneval and its Christopher-Street-Day parade. Frankfurt - Germany's leading financial center, transportation hub, seat of the European Central Bank (ECB), international trade fair center (Book Fair, Motor Show), hub of multicultural activity (30% Immigrants), and site of numerous world-class museums and theaters. [ edit ] Other destinations Other popular tourist destinations in Germany from north to south: North Sea coast ( Nordseeküste ) Baltic Sea coast ( Ostseeküste ) North Frisian Islands ( Nordfriesische Inseln ) Rügen Lueneburg Heath ( Lüneburger Heide ) Weserbergland Harz Spreewald Rhine Valley ( Rheinland ) Ore Mountains ( Erzgebirge ) Black Forest ( Schwarzwald ) Lake Constance ( Bodensee ) Bavarian Alps ( Bayrische Alpen ) ( Berchtesgaden , Garmisch-Partenkirchen , Mittenwald , Neuschwanstein castle) Königsee nearby Berchtesgaden, Bavaria St. Bartolomä Bad Reichenhall Bergisch-Gladbach [ edit ] Understand While relatively small by world standards, Germany's attractions tend to be bigger than in the surrounding European neighbour countries, which is no surprise as Germany is the biggest country in Central Europe , runs Europe’s biggest economy, and has the largest population on the continent (excluding Russia). The country's financial capital ( Frankfurt ) features an unusual skyline for Europe with its many high-rise buildings, including the continent's tallest office tower. Berlin , though not as dominant in Germany as London in England or Paris in France , has been touted as one of the world's coolest big cities since the early 90s. The world's most famous beer culture is centered around Southern Germany's leading city ( Munich ), where beer is traditionally served in 1 liter mugs; Munich is also the site of the annual Oktoberfest , Europe 's most visited festival. German cars such as Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Porsche and Volkswagen (VW) are famous internationally for their quality. This quality is matched by Germany's excellent network of roadways including the famous Autobahn network, which has many sections without speed limits and lots of speed hungry drivers on it. Germany also features an extensive network of high speed trains - the InterCityExpress ( ICE ). [ edit ] History The roots of German history and culture date back to the Germanic tribes and posterior to the Holy Roman Empire. Indeed, Germany as a single state has existed only since 1871, when a large number of previously independent German kingdoms united under Prussian leadership to form the German Empire (Deutsches Kaiserreich). The empire ended in 1918 when Emperor (Kaiser) Wilhelm II was forced to abdicate after Germany's defeat in World War I (1914-1918). The Empire was followed by the short-lived Weimar republic, which tried to establish a liberal, democratic regime. However, the young republic was plagued with massive economic problems, strong antidemocratic forces and inherent organizational problems of the Weimar constitution. 1933 witnessed the final rise to power of the nationalistic and racist National Socialist German Workers' (Nazi) Party and its charismatic leader ( Führer ), Adolf Hitler, to power. Under the Nazi dictatorship, democratic institutions were dismantled and a police state installed. Jews, Gypsies, homosexuals, handicapped people, socialists, communists and other groups not fitting into the Nazi ideology faced persecution, and ultimately murder in concentration camps. Hitler's militaristic ambitions to create a new German Empire in central and eastern Europe led to war, successively, with Poland, France, Great Britain, the Soviet Union and the United States - despite initial dazzling successes, Germany was unable to withstand the combined attacks of the Allies. After devastating defeat in World War II (1939-1945), Berlin was divided into four sectors, controlled by the French, British, US and Soviet forces. With the beginning of the Cold War, the entire country was divided into an eastern part under Soviet control, and a western part which was controlled by the Western Allies. The western part was transformed into the Federal Republic of Germany, with Bonn as the capital. The Soviet-controlled zone became the communist German Democratic Republic (GDR). Berlin had a special status, with the eastern part featuring as the capital of the GDR. The western sectors of Berlin were de facto an enclave of the Federal Republic. On August 13, 1961 the Berlin Wall was erected, and hundreds of Germans trying to escape from the communist regime were killed here in the following years. In the late 1960s a desire to confront the Nazi past came into being. Mass protests beginning in 1968 successfully clamoured for a new Germany. Democracy, human rights and anti-fascism became fundamental values of The Federal Republic of Germany. Post-war education had helped put Germany among countries in Europe with the least number of people subscribing to Nazi ideas. Willy Brandt became chancellor in 1969. He made an important contribution towards reconciliation between Germany and the communist states Germany was reunited in 1990 after the fall of the GDR's communist regime in 1989. The reestablished eastern states joined the Federal Republic on the 3rd of October, a day which is since celebrated as the German National Holiday ( Tag der Deutschen Einheit ). Together with the reunification the last post-war limitations to Germany's sovereignty were removed. [ edit ] Politics Germany is a federal republic, consisting of 16 states ('Bundesländer'). The federal parliament ('Bundestag') is elected every four years in a fairly complicated system, involving direct and proportional representation. A party will be represented in Parliament if it can gather at least 5% of all votes or at least 3 directly won seats. The parliament elects the Chancellor ('Bundeskanzler' - Angela Merkel) on its first session, which will serve as the head of government. Formal head of state is the President ('Bundespräsident' - Horst Köhler), who has only ceremonial and representative duties. Nevertheless every decision made by the paliament has to be signed by the president. He can also suspend the parliament (Bundestag). But all executive power lies with the chancellor. The 'Bundesländer' are represented at the federal level through the Federal Council ('Bundesrat'). Many federal laws have to be approved by the council. This can lead to a situation where Council and Parliament are blocking each other if they are dominated by different parties. The two most important parties are the Christian Democrats ('Christlich Demokratische Union (CDU)') and the Social Democrats ('Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands (SPD)'). Due to the proportional voting system, smaller parties can also be represented in parliament. The only "smaller" parties of any importance are the Liberals ('Freiheitlich-Demokratische Partei (FDP)'), the Green party ('Bündnis 90/Die Grünen') and the 'PDS', successor of the GDR's communist party, which still has a strong backing in the east. There have been some attempts by right-wing parties to get into parliaments, but they have failed at the 5% requirement. [ edit ] Culture Unlike the citizens of virtually all surrounding countries, most Germans are insecure and uneasy about their cultural heritage. They feel that German culture has been deeply compromised, even tainted by the Nazis who abused it to demonstrate German superiority. As a result, in Germany it´s frequent to find people - especially young people - openly declaring that they´d rather be not German and that there are many foreign places they´d prefer to live in. Part of this attitude comes from the German self perception as being fiercely individualistic. Identifying oneself as part of a group, an idea or a religion is often seen as uncool. This said, Germans have a strong sense of German culture and civilization as such. There´s a couple of names that you will come across over and over again: Goethe, Schiller, Beethoven, Wagner, Nietzsche, Kant, Mann, Brecht, Klee and many more are authors, composers and philosophers of the 19th and 20th century who are profoundly admired, though only a minority will actually be familiar with their works. Germans like to think that in the 19th century, Germany was the one "Land der Dichter und Denker" - the land of poets and thinkers - in the world. And to an extent there´s truth to that. Obviously, there have been significant German artists for many centuries - just think of Albrecht Dürer in the 15th and the towering figure of Johann Sebastian Bach in the 17th century. But most notably in the short timespan between the foundation of the German Empire in 1871 and its end in 1918, prolonged until 1933, Germany experienced something like a cultural outburst. It created a treasure of modern philosophy and science, understanding of the world, artistical expression in painting, sculpturing and music, literature and architecture, world-conquering products and Nobel prize-winning innovations that had no rival in its time. While you will find that a large part of German museum buildings and its contents come from that period - an era when politicians sought to symbolically create a culturally united Germany by commissioning monumental "temples" of culture -, it´s this ideal that Germans hold the present against. And obviously, the present doesn´t fare too well with that. When asked for their favourite authors or artists, a majority of Germans will put forward names from the past, while contemporary authors and artists are often perceived as lightweight and insignificant by comparison. Not only in this respect Germans are deeply nostalgic. Another reason for many Germans perceiving that culturally the good times are long gone might be the love/hate relationship with post-war US-American anglicized culture. You will notice how many billboards, shop windows and media spaces carry English phrases and expressions though they´re clearly not directed at foreigners. In public communications, advertising and media, English many times is preferred from German. Profoundly German companies like mobile network operator T-Mobile, part of telecommunications giant Deutsche Telekom, carry English claims (currently "For a better world for you"). Until recently, virtually all German pop musicians sang in English which is felt to be more modern and precise - only recently there has been a revival of German pop and rock music. Generally, many Germans feel touched by these subjects, and addressing them will make for a lot of interesting conversation. The existence of world-class opera, theater, concert halls, museums and galleries even in smaller cities is important even to those who never attend them. Entrance to these places is often heavily subsidized and thus cheap to students, unemployed and retired persons, underlining that access to high culture is a German national concern. When meeting Germans abroad, particularly in rather tropical countries or the USA, there´s two things most of them will admit to miss, no matter if they identify with being German or not. One is the bread (see further below), and two is the ubiquitousness of refined culture. While you´re in Germany, do become part of it. Talk to people, hear their opinions, and make up your mind for yourself! [ edit ] Get in Germany is a member of the European Union and the Schengen Agreement . European visa policy will be covered in the article about the EU. In brief, a visa to any other signatory state of the Schengen Agreement is valid in Germany too. No visa is required for citizens of other EU member states, and those of some selected nations with whom the European Union or Germany have special treaties. Inquire at your travel agent or call the local consulate or embassy of Germany. As of May 2004 only the citizens of the following countries do not need a visa for entry into Germany. Note that citizens of these countries (except EU nationals) must not stay longer than three months in half a year and must not work in Germany: Andorra , Argentina , Australia , Austria , Belgium , Bermuda , Bolivia , Brazil , Brunei , Bulgaria , Canada , Chile , Costa Rica , Croatia , Cyprus , Czech Republic , Denmark , El Salvador , Estonia , Finland , France , Greece , Guatemala , Honduras , Hong Kong , Hungary , Iceland , Ireland , Israel , Italy , Japan , Latvia , Liechtenstein , Lithuania , Luxembourg , Macau , Malaysia , Malta , Mexico , Monaco , New Zealand , Nicaragua , Netherlands , Norway , Panama , Paraguay , Poland , Portugal , Romania , San Marino , Sweden , Switzerland , Singapore , Slovakia , Slovenia , Spain , South Korea , United Kingdom , United States , Uruguay , Vatican City , Venezuela Also, there are no border controls between Germany and other Schengen Agreement nations, making travel less complicated. There are a number of ways to get into Germany. From neighboring European countries, a drive with the car or a train ride are feasible; visitors from further away will probably be using air travel. [ edit ] By plane The most important airports are Frankfurt (FRA), Munich (MUC) and Düsseldorf (DUS). Berlin (TXL) and Hamburg (HAM) have some relevance to international travellers as well. Low-cost airlines mostly use smaller, out of the way airports, like Hahn , Baden-Baden , Dortmund , Paderborn or Lübeck . The airport of Cologne has grown to the biggest hub for discount airlines like German Wings, Hapag Lloyd Express, EasyJet or Deutsche BA. Connections to the nearest cities is more cumbersome than for larger, more established airports - but the details vary greatly with the location, of course. [ edit ] By train Regular train services connect Germany with neighboring countries.The downside with train travel is that due to incompatible systems, you will not be able to use any of the European high speed trains to cross into or get out of Germany; you have to use the more conventional "intercity" trains. There are exceptions, however. The Thalys brings you from Cologne ( Köln ) to Paris in approximately four hours. (See http://www.thalys.de/ ) Or you could take the ICE to Amsterdam from Frankfurt (3h 15), Cologne (2h 30) or Düsseldorf (2h 15). The train journey from Frankfurt to Paris using the ICE will take about six hours; going from Hamburg to Paris can take eight and a half hours. see http://www.bahn.de/ - website of the German railway corporation. Click on "Int. Guests" to see the site in English. [ edit ] By Boat Some international ferry services exist, notably to Scandinavia and Great Britain . An incomplete list of connections follows: [ edit ] Scandinavia From Rodby , Denmark to Putgarden From Gedser , Denmark to Rostock From Trelleborg , Sweden to Rostock , Travemuende and Sassnitz From Malmo , Sweden to Travemuende From Gothenburg , Sweden to Kiel From Oslo , Norway to Kiel From Helsinki , Finland to Rostock and Travemuende From Hanko , Finland to Rostock [ edit ] Poland From Swinoujscie (passenger ferries only) [ edit ] Russia From Kaliningrad , Russia to Sassnitz and Luebeck From St. Petersburg , Russia to Kiel , Sassnitz and Luebeck [ edit ] Baltic States From Klaipeda , Lithuania to Kiel From Liepaja , Latvia to Rostock From Riga , Latvia to Luebeck [ edit ] Switzerland From Basel by Rhein-Schifffahrt down the Rhein river. [ edit ] Get around [ edit ] By car Germany has a world-famous network of excellent roads and highways ( Autobahn ), but gasoline prices are kept high by taxation; in 2005 prices float around 1,25 € per litre. At gas stations you'll have the choice between Diesel, "Benzin" (unleaded gasoline), Super and SuperPlus (high octane ). Here and there you might find "Erdgas", too, this is compressed natural gas , not gasoline. In Germany, you may first fill up your tank and pay afterwards. Car rentals are available in most cities. When renting a car, be aware that most cars in Germany have manual gearbox (stick-shift), so you might want to ask for a car with an automatic gearbox if you're used to. The police will show blinking signs reading "Polizei Halt" (police, stop) if they want to stop you. [ edit ] Using the Autobahn German drivers tend to drive faster and more aggressively than you might be used to, especially on the parts of the highway system without speed limit, which is taken to be literally. Always have a look over your shoulder when changing lanes. Especially motorbikes at 200 km/h (125 mph) and more may seem to appear out of nowhere within a second. Use the right side if it's free, even if everybody seems to like the middle (if exist) and the left track. But be careful if you overtake another car left to you, it is allowed only within cities, in traffic jams or at low speed. Never ever reverse on a highway when you missed an exit. Go to next exit and make a U-turn. Autobahnen have an emergency lane where you're allowed to stop only in case of a breakdown; for everything else, always use the frequent service areas. Note that it is dangerous to stay in the car on the emergency lane, especially trucks may run off their line and crash into your car's back or side. Arrows on the small posts along the Autobahn guide you to the next orange emergency phone. These will automatically connect you free of charge with an emergency call center which will help you get the police, an ambulance or just a mechanic. These phones should be the preferred choice over using your mobile since they transmit your exact location. In some areas emergency tracks are used as extra lanes in times of heavy traffic. But this is always announced by electronic light signs. In case of a breakdown you may also call the ADAC, by members the world's largest automobile club. The number is +49 180 2222222 from fixed lines and 22 22 22 from mobile phones regardless of network. On the Autobahn, the ADAC must come to you free of charge. In other situations, there may be costs involved if you're not a member. If you're a member of a foreign AA or automobile club, you may want to check if the ADAC honours your membership. [ edit ] By train Germany has a dense railway system, which reaches almost every part of the country. Unless you travel by car, the train will be your major mode of transportation. Crossing Germany from Munich in the south to Hamburg in the north will take only 6 hours at best. The majority of the trains are operated by Deutsche Bahn ("German Rail"), the formerly state-owned railway company privatized a few years ago. The trains are usually reliable, and a comfortable and safe way of travel. If not otherwise indicated, the information in this section is about DB-run trains. There are some independent railway companies which run regional trains or aim at specific target markets, like business travellers. http://www.bahn.de/ - German railway corporation [ edit ] Long distance All major cities are linked by ICE (InterCity Express) and regular InterCity trains. The ICE are high speed trains, reaching top speeds of 300km/h; and even though they rarely cruise at such high speeds travel is faster than by car and quite comfortable. Be sure to get a reservation - it's not mandatory, but you may end up standing or sitting on the floor without one. The high speed ICE is the most expensive option, of course. On the major lines, an ICE or IC train will run each hour or so during the day. There are also EuroCity (EC) trains, which connect the larger European cities. For inner-Germany travel, these are virtually identical to the regular ICs. German Rail Passes provide unlimited transportation on all German Bahn trains and are easy to use for foreign visitors. In the off season reservations even on ICE trains are ususually not necessary, particularly in first class. This allows travelers to simply show up at the train station and take the next train. [ edit ] Regional travel Apart from the long-distance trains, there is a vast network of regional trains ("Regionalbahn"). The service will take you almost everywhere the intercity trains won't go or stop. Trains include 40 year old cars as well as brand-new carriages. Many are used by commuters - if you wish to have a relaxed travel, avoid the early mornings or later afternoons. Don't hesitate to inquire at the ticket counter at what times the trains are usually packed. On most trains, the cars may be marked with numbers one or two. This refers to the class of the rail car, "one" is first class, "two" is second class, etc. Do not board a first-class car if you do not have a first-class ticket. If you are unsure what type of ticket you have, it's probably second class. [ edit ] Online information and bookings All information and an online timetable for the Deutsche Bahn (as well as for a large number of other public transport providers incl. buses) are available from the Deutsche Bahn homepage. The page is in German, but timetable inquiries can be made in English http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/e . You may also book your tickets online with a credit card. The most comfortable option is to take an "online ticket", which you can print out at home. Note that these tickets are non-transferable and that you'll be required to show your BahnCard or credit card as an ID. (Note that you do have to print them on paper - a PDF export or something similar is invalid.) [ edit ] Fares There are some special promotions and prices the rail company offers at various times. Your best course of action is to check their website, or to ask at a train station or their telephone hotline for current details. However, some general points to keep in mind are: If you buy a return ticket at least three days in advance you can get discounts of 25% and even 50% if your trip includes the night from Saturday to Sunday. Unlike standard fare tickets you must use the trains you booked the ticket for and cannot choose an earlier or later ones. Children up to fourteen years travel free when accompanied by at least one of their parents or grandparents. If you plan to travel by train a lot, you may consider getting a BahnCard , which gives you discounts on all ticket purchases. The BahnCard 25 costs €50 (€100 for first class) and gives you a 25% discount on all further ticket purchases. Spouses and kids of BahnCard 25-owners can get additional cards for €5. The BahnCard 50 is €200 (€400 for first class) and gives you a 50% discount on all tickets. You can get this card for half the price if you're a pupil or student (up to 26 years of age), a pensioner of more than 60 years or disabled. The German Rail Pass and the Eurail Pass allow for unlimited travel throughout Germany and Europe on a selectable number of days. These tickets are only available from travel agencies outside Germany. See Special offers for travelers from outside Europe ( http://www.bahn.de/p/view/international/englisch/travelservice/offers_non-europeans.shtml ) for more information. [ edit ] Informations for railway freaks There are several railways of special interests in Germany. These are e.g. the Rasender Roland on Rügen the Molli in Bad Doberan the Harzquerbahn the Wuppertaler Schwebebahn in Wuppertal the H-Bahn in Dortmund the Schwebebahn Dresden Cog railways are in Stuttgart, up Drachenfels, up the Zugspitze Mountain and up the Wendelstein Mountain. [ edit ] By plane Airlines like Deutsche Lufthansa connect major cities in Germany to each other and foreign destinations. Due to the comparatively short distances and relatively high hassle of air travel - especially when you travel with luggage - domestic air travel is used mostly for business purposes. Recently (2003-2004) many airlines have been offering very low prices due to the high competition in the industry, so it makes sense to compare the prices for plane tickets to those of the railway tickets if you want to go to some major cities. Make sure though, that you get where you want to! Low-cost airlines are known for naming small airports in the middle of nowhere by cities 200 km away (e.g. Frankfurt-Hahn is not Germany's major international airport Frankfurt/Main). [ edit ] By recreational vehicle and campervans Recreational Vehicle (RV) is a broad term used to describe a large enclosed piece of equipment with wheels designed to be moved from place to place for people to temporarily live in and be protected from the elements while away from their permanent domicile. Campervans are vans that have been fitted out for use as accommodation. They are considered as an alternative to the purpose-built recreational vehicle or motorhome because they are smaller and handle like most vans. Many RVers in Germany stay at RV parks, most of which feature electrical, water and sewer service (full hookups). If you are interested in a list of RV parks in Germany try Camper-Tour ( http://www.camper-tour.de/ ) or Michael's Reisemobil Seite ( http://www.reisemobil.online.cx/ ). Some nice RV parks are listed with fotos in http://www.womo4u.de/womo_stellplaetze.htm . Promobil is Europe's biggest print-magazine for RV's and also provides a list of RV parks in Germany online ( http://www.promobil.de/ ). RVers need supply and disposal units to get fresh water and dispose sewage water. If you are looking for a complete list of supply and disposal units in Germany check http://www.womo4u.de/womo_vunde.htm . [ edit ] Hitching a ride It is possible to hitchhike in Germany and most Germans speak (broken) English, so talk slowly. Drivers rarely expect you to give them any money for the ride. However, it is usually a good idea to stand near a gas station close to an 'Autobahn' connection and ask drivers politely where they're going and if they have a free seat, rather than write your destination on a sign and stand next to a slip road (motorway access, "Autobahnauffahrt" in German) since most cars drive fast and it takes a long time until someone stops. The usual hitchhiking guidelines apply (stand where cars tend to drive relatively slow and so on). It is also quite common to arrange a ride in advance through the Internet. See for example http://www.mitfahrzentrale.de [ edit ] Talk The official language of Germany is German . The standard form of German is called "Hochdeutsch" (High German). This is accent-free German, the "official" form of the language. It is understood by all and spoken by many Germans. However, most regions have their own dialects, which might pose a challenge to those who speak even good German - and sometimes to native speakers as well. Most Germans learn English at school, so you should be able to get by with English in most places. Many people in the tourist industry also speak French or Spanish, but if you can't speak German, English remains your best bet. Even if the staff doesn't speak English, you are likely to find someone who does and is more than willing to help you. If you are speaking English with Germans, you should be aware of the following points: Learn at least a few common German phrases like greetings, how much something costs and so on. The most important question is probably "Entschuldigung, sprechen Sie Englisch?" ("Excuse me, do you speak English?"). Never ever start a conversation in English! Like other Europeans, most Germans tend to be picky about foreigners expecting them to speak the foreigner's language, but on the other hand will happily try to squeeze out even the most broken English if you first ask them to in the local language, i.e. German. Germans less fluent in the English language often say "become" instead of "get" because the German word "bekommen" ("get") is phonetically so close to "become". Since it's polite to reply "Bitte" if someone thanks you, Germans may literally translate this with "please" instead of "here you are" or "you're welcome". Another source of confusion is that Germans call mobile phones "Handy" and regard this as an English word. While Germany uses the 24 hour format for times, people often use 12 hour times in conversations. There is no real suffix like "AM/PM", though you can add "vormittags" (before noon) and "nachmittags" (after noon) when it's not clear from the context. Expressing "fractional hours" differs slightly among various regions of Germany. The "normal" way of doing it is: Quarter past one - Viertel nach eins also Viertel zwei Half past one - Halb zwei (half two) A quarter to two - Viertel vor zwei also Dreiviertel zwei In addition, Germans say two-digit numbers "backwards": instead of "twenty-two" they say "two and twenty". Numbers below 20 are said the same way as in English. This becomes especially important when you inquire for prices, although most who speak English with you should use the correct form. For more German, consult the German phrasebook . [ edit ] Buy [ edit ] Currency Germany is part of the European Union and the Eurozone; as such it replaced German marks with the euro (symbol: €) in the year 2002. Since it has been only a few years since the introduction of euro cash, a few people will still use the old national currency names. For example, it is entirely possible that a German would still refer to "Mark" and "Pfennig". They mean euros and cents, so just mentally substitute the two. Do not expect anybody to accept other types of currency, or to be willing to exchange currency. An exception are shops and restaurants at airports and also - more rarely - fast-food restaurants at major train stations. These will generally accept at least US dollars at a slightly worse exchange rate. If you wish to exchange money, you can do so at any bank, where you can also cash in your traveller's cheques. Currency exchanges, once a common sight, have all but disappeared since the introduction of the euro. Again, international airports are an exception to this rule. Do not accept German marks from anybody. While you can still exchange them for euros at central bank offices in bigger cities, this will mean a lot of hassle for you. German banks have agreed on a standard debit card called "EC card" this is far more accepted as plastic payment methods than credit cards from American Express, VISA and others. Nevertheless, credit cards are often accepted, but to a lower extent than in other European countries or the United States . If you want to pay by credit card, it is best to check in advance if your card will be accepted. Most ATMs will allow you to withdraw money with your credit card, but you'll need to know your card's PIN for that. [ edit ] Tipping It's common in Germany to round up the bill in restaurants or pubs. Since the introduction of the Euro, a tip of about 10% is customary if you were satisfied with the service. Of course you can tip more, if the service was really good. However, there is no obligation to tip, especially if the service was bad. Unlike in some other countries, service staff is always paid by the hour (albeit not always that well). A tip is a matter of politeness, and shows your appreciation. [ edit ] Eat German food sticks pretty much to its roots and a typical dish will consist of meat with some form of potatoes and gravy, accompanied by vegetables or salad. However, the modern German cuisine has been influenced by other European countries such as Italy and France and gets a bit lighter. Dishes show a great local diversity and it might be interesting to discover those. Since most bigger employers have a canteen for their employees, you will find fewer sandwich shops and takeaways than in the Anglo American world and therefore the eating out culture in Germany is dominated by the Gasthaus/Gasthof and Restaurants to have proper food. Putting places to eat in 6 categories gives you a hint about the budget/taste. Starting from the lower end, these are: [ edit ] Imbiss 'Schnellimbiss' means quick snack, and is what you will see on the sign of German stalls and small shops that sell primarily sausage (Wurst) and fries (Pommes Frites). Sausages will include Bratwurst, which is fried and usually a boiled pork sausage. A very German variant is Currywurst: sausage chopped up and covered in spiced ketchup, dusted with curry powder. Beer and often harder liquor are available in most.'Döner Kebab' is Turkish lamb or chicken stuffed into bread, similar to Greek Gyros and Arab Schawarma. The American junk food giants like McDonalds, Burger King and Pizza Hut are in most towns. Nordsee is a German seafood chain, they offer 'Rollmops' - pickled herrings - and many other fish and seafood snacks. [ edit ] Bakeries and butchers Germans have no tradition for sandwich shops, but you will find that bakeries / butchers sell quite nice take away food and are serious competition for the fast food chains. Even the smallest bakeries will sell many sorts of bread or rolls, most of them darker (for example, using more rye flour) than the white bread popular around the world and definitely worth a try. [ edit ] Biergarten Here you will get the obvious drink and in Bavaria you can bring your own food. Most places will cater simple meals. [ edit ] Brauhaus Microbreweries sell their products straight to the customer and you will find some nice food there as well. [ edit ] Gasthof/Gasthaus Probably 50% of all eating out places falls into this group. They are mainly family run businesses and are often owned since generations. You can go there to have a drink only, but if you want you can eat German food often with a local taste. [ edit ] Restaurant Place to have dinner in many flavours (German, Chinese, Italian, Greek, Turkish …). Do not wait to be seated, simply choose a free table. [ edit ] Typical dishes Rinderroulade mit Rotkraut und Knödeln: this dish is quite unique to Germany. Very thin sliced beef rolled around a "pickled gherkin" until it looks like a mini barrel (5cm diameter) flavoured with tiny pieces of onion, German mustard, ground black pepper and salt. The meat is quick-fried and is then left to cook slowly for an hour, meanwhile red cabbage and potato dumplings are prepared and then the meat is removed from the frying pan and gravy is prepared in the frying pan. Knödel, Rotkraut and Rouladen are served together with the gravy in one dish. Schnitzel mit Pommes frites: there are probably as many different variations of Schnitzel as there are restaurants in Germany. They have in common a thin slice of pork often covered in egg and bread crumbs that is fried for a short period of time and it is often served with fries (that's the Pommes frites part). Variations of this are usually served with different types of gravy: such as Zigeunerschnitzel, Zwiebelschnitzel, Holzfäller Schnitzel and Wiener Schnitzel. In the south you can often get Spätzle (pasta that Swabia is famous for) instead of fries with it. Spätzle are egg noodles typical of south Germany – most restaurants make them fresh. It is very common to find Schnitzel on the menu of a German restaurant, it might even be the most common dish in German restaurants. Rehrücken mit Spätzle: Germany has maintained huge forests such as the famous Black Forest, Bayrischer Wald and Odenwald. In and around these areas you can enjoy the best game in Germany. Rehrücken means venison tenderloin and it is often served with freshly made noodles such as Spätzle and a very nice gravy based on a dry red wine. Bratwurst “fried sausage”: there is no country in the world with a greater variety of sausages than Germany and it would take a while to mention them all. Here is the shortlist version: “Rote” beef sausage, “Frankfurter Bratwurst” pork sausage made in the Frankfurt style, “Pfälzer Bratwurst” sausage made in palatinum style , “Nürnberger Bratwurst” Nuremberg sausage – the smallest of all of them, but a serious contender for the best tasting German sausage, ”grobe Bratwurst”, Feldjäger, Thüringer Bratwurst, Currywurst, Weißwurst…….. this could go on till tomorrow. If you spot a sausage on a menu this is often a good choice. Often served with mashed potato, fries or potato salad. Pfälzer Saumagen : known for a long time in Palatinate, but difficult to find outside of this area. The dish became well known to the general public in Germany as then-Chancellor Helmut Kohl’s favorite dish, especially when this was enjoyed by him and the Russian president Mikhail Gorbatchev on a State visit in Germany in Deidesheim . Pictures of the feast are shown in the restaurant “ Deidesheimer Hof” in Deidesheim. Literally this is pig stomach filled with a mash of potato and meat, cooked for 2-3 hours and then cut in thick slices often served with sauerkraut. [ edit ] Local specialities Starting from the north of Germany going south you will find a tremendous variety of food and each region sticks to it origins.The coastal regions are fond of seafood and famous dishes include “Finkenwerder Scholle”, going south to the region of Cologne you will find Sauerbraten (a roast marinated in vinegar). Labskaus is a dish from the north and the opinions about this dish are divided, some love it, others hate it. It is a mash of potato and meat decorated with rollmops and a fried egg and gurken on top. The Pfalzer area has Saumagen (stuffed pork's stomach), Swabia is famous for Spätzle (a kind of noodle), "Maultaschen" (noodles stuffed with spinach and mince meat, but lots of variations, even veggie ones, exist) and at the coast there's a variety of fish dishes. In Bavaria this may be Schweinshaxe mit Knödeln (pork's leg with knödel, a form of potato dumplings), "Fleischkäse mit Kartoffelsalat" (kind of meat pie and potato salad), "Nürnberger Bratwurst" (probably smallest sausage in Germany), Weißwurst (white sausages). The south is also famous for its nice tarts such as the "Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte" (tart with lots of cream and spirit made from cherries). A delicacy in Saxony is Eierschecke , a slices with a covering of eggs and cream. [ edit ] Seasonal specialities White “Spargel” asparagus floods the restaurants in April/June all over Germany and it is delicious especially in and around Baden-Baden and the small town of Schwetzingen ("The Spargel Capital"), near Heidelberg, as well as in the area southwest of Berlin, especially in the town Beelitz. Many vegetables can be found all around the year and the are often imported from far away. Whereas asparagus can be found only for 2 months from mid April to mid June and is best enjoyed freshly after harvest it stays nice for a couple of hours or till next day. The asparagus is treated very carefully and it is harvested before it ever is exposed to daylight and only then it remains white. When exposed to daylight it changes its color to blue and it might taste bitter. Therefore, white asparagus is considered to be better by most Germans. The standard Spargel meal is the spargel stalks, hollandaise sauce, boiled potatoes, and some form of meat. The most common meat is ham, smoked prefered; however you will find it teamed with schnitzel (fried breaded pork), turkey, beef, or whatever is available in the kitchen. White asparagus soup: one of the hundreds of different recipes that can be found with white asparagus is soup. Often it is made with cream and has some of the thiner asparagus peaces. Lebkuchen : Germany has many nice Christmas biscuits and gingerbread. The best known are produced in and around Nuremberg . Stollen is a kind of plaited bun during the Advent season and yuletide. Original Stollen is produced only in Dresden , Saxony , however you can buy Stollen everywhere in Germany. [ edit ] Miscellaneous Germans are very fond of their bread , which they make in many variations. This is the food that Germans tend to miss most when away from home. Most people like their bread relatively dark and dense and scorn the soft loaves sold in other countries. Bakeries will rarely provide less than twenty different sorts of bread and it's worth trying a few of them. In fact, many Germans buy their lunch or small snacks in bakeries instead of takeaways or the like. Prices for a loaf of bread will range from 0.50 € to 4 €, depending on the size (real specialities might cost more). [ edit ] Vegetarian Vegetarian cooking hasn't caught on in Germany, but in general you will be respected and get some food. Most restaurants have one or two vegetarian dishes, or will prepare something without meat; but there aren't many places which are particularly aimed at vegetarian or vegan customers. Sometimes, restaurant owners will make fun of your food preferences and attempt to give you something you asked them to leave out. There are a number of pure vegetarian and even some vegan restaurants- to find them consult for example http://www.vegan.de/guide/restaurants/ (german) or www.fleischlos-geniessen.de (VEBU restaurant list, the restaurants are not necessarily vegetarian in general.However, there are usually organic food shops ("Bioladen" or "Naturkostladen") in every city, providing veg(etari)an bread, breadspreads, cheese, icecream, vegan cream topping, tofu and saitan. The diversity and quality of the products is great and you will find shop assistants that can answer special nutritional questions profoundly. [ edit ] Drink Legal drinking age is 16 for beer and wine and 18 for anything stronger. [ edit ] Beer Germans consider their beer to be the best in the world. And although other nations may disagree, the brew is usually very good and far superior to the bland stuff from the "international" brands. For centuries, beer-making was governed by the Reinheitsgebot (purity law), which states that German beer may only be made from certain ingredients. The Reinheitsgebot has come down with the European integration, but traditional breweries continue to stick with it. Specialities include Weizenbier , a refreshing wheat beer which is popular in the south, Alt , a kind of dark ale and Kölsch , another kind of beer from the city of Cologne . There are also seasonal beers, which are only made at different times of the year. Beer is usually served in 200 or 300ml glasses (in the northern part) or 500ml in the South. In Bavaria, 500ml is a small beer and a litre is a large one. Except for Irish pubs, Pints are unusual. For Germans, lots of foam is a sign of freshness, thus, beer is always served with a lot of head. Additionally, Germans are not afraid to mix their pure beer with other drinks. Beer is commonly mixed with Sprite and called Radler ; "Cocktails" of pils/Altbier and soft drinks like Fanta, Coke and so on are also very common but seem to have a different name in every town. Pubs are open in Germany until 2 in the morning or later. Food is generally available until midnight. Germans typically go out after 8pm. Note also, that in Germany the legal drinking age is different than in most other countries. Beverage containing natural concentration of alcohol, wine and beer for example, may be drunk in public by children from the age of 14 if they're with their parents, if not from the age of 16. Spirits are allowed from the age of 18. [ edit ] Cider Undisputed capital of "Apfelwein" cider in Germany is Frankfurt . Locals love their cider and it is very popular around here. It is often served in a special jug called "Bembel". The taste is slightly different from Ciders in other countries and it tends to be quiet refreshing. In autumn when apples are turned into cider you might find "Frischer Most" or "Süßer" signposted at some places. That means this is first product in the chain of "Apfelwein" production and one glass of it is nice. Two or three glasses and you will have a problem. In Trier "Apfelwein" is called "Viez" and very sour. [ edit ] Coffee Germans drink coffee . Lots of it. Coffee is always freshly made from ground coffee or beans - no instant. However, persons coming from countries with a great coffee tradition (like Italy , Portugal , Turkey , Greece or Austria ) might find the coffee that is served in normal restaurants a bit boring. Usually children in Germany don't drink coffee because it's not healthy for them. [ edit ] Glühwein Visiting Germany in December? Then go and see one of the famous Christmas markets (the most famous taking place in Nuremberg , Dresden and Aachen ) and this is the place where you find Glühwein (English: Mulled Wine), a spiced wine served very hot. Just to comfort you in the cold winter. [ edit ] Spirits “Kirschwasser” literally means cherry water, it certainly tastes of cherry but on the other hand it is not regular drinking water. There is a long lasting tradition in making spirits in Baden and “Kirschwasser” is probably the flagship product and it might encourage you to taste other specialities such as Himbeergeist, Schlehenfeuer, Williamchrist and Apfelkorn. “Enzian” Bavarians like their beer as well their Enzian. A spirit high in alcohol that is best as a digestive after a hefty meal . [ edit ] Tea Tea is also very popular, and a large choice is readily available. Especially the region of East Frisia has a long tea tradition. [ edit ] Wine In the same that German think that their beer is the best in the world they are passionate about their wines. The similarities don't stop here, both products are often produced by small companies and the best wines are consumed locally and only the remaining ones are exported. The production of wine has a 2000 year old history in Germany as learned from the Rheinisches Landesmuseum Trier , but of course this was a roman settlement at this time. Sunshine is the limiting factor for the production of wines in Germany and therefore the wine production is limited to the south. White wine plays a main role in the wine production, but some areas produce red wines (Ahr, Baden Württemberg). White wines are produced from Riesling, Kerner and Müller-Thurgau grapes (there are a lot more, but to name them all would be too much), and produce generally fresh and fruity wines. German wines can be rich in acid and are quit refreshing. It is generally accepted that Riesling grapes produce the best German wines, but they demand a lot of sunshine and they grow best in very exposed areas such the Mosel, Rheingau, Bergstrasse, Kaiserstuhl and Pfalz. The best way to learn about wines is go to the place where they are grown and taste them on the spot. This is called "Weinprobe" and is generally free of charge though in touristic areas you have to pay a small fee. Good wines usually go together with good food and therefore it is well worth it to visit some of those places. Wine producing areas are: Ahr Ahr is the paradise of German red wines. Half of the production is dedicated to red wines and it is densely populated with “Gaststätten” and “Strausswirten”. A saying goes: Who visited the Ahr and remembers that he was there, hasn’t actually been there. Baden Franken : don't think Bavarians make only beer. In the northern part of Bavaria you can find a very nice wine. Some wines produced in Franken are sold in a special bottle called "Bocksbeutel". Hessische Bergstrasse : located on the slopes of the Rhine valley it is a quiet small wine producing area and wines are usually consumed within the area in and around Heppenheim . Mosel : the steepest vineyards in Germany can be seen when driving in the Mosel valley from Koblenz to Trier . Rheinpfalz : biggest wine producing area in Germany. Has some excellent wines to taste and a lot of nice villages embedded in vineyards. Tasting wine in Deidesheim is a good idea and several prime producer of German wine are all located on the main road. Want to see the biggest wine barrel in the world then go to Bad Dürkheim . Rheingau : is the smallest wine producing area, but it produces the highest rated Riesling wines in Germany. Visit Wiesbaden and make a trip on the Rhine to Rüdesheim . Rheinhessen Sachsen : One of the smallest wine regions in Germany, nestled along the Elbe River near Dresden and Meissen . Württemberg As it was mentioned before, here the rule, that the wine production is consumed by the locals, strictly applies. The wine consumption is twice as high as in the rest of Germany, regardless of whether it's red or the white wine. The specialty of the region is the red wine called Trollinger and it can be quite nice by German standards. Saale-Unstrut : located in the state Saxonia-Anhalt at the banks of the rivers Saale and Unstrut it is most northern wine area in Europe. [ edit ] Sleep Germany provides a lot of options for accommodation, including hotels, B&B's, hostels, and camping. You might also consider staying with members of a hospitality exchange network. [ edit ] Hotels Many hotel chains have franchises in the major German cities, and a variety of local hotels exist. Be wary of absurdly expensive broadband connections. For example, the Hilton Berlin ( http://www.hilton.com/en/hi/hotels/index.jhtml?ctyhocn=BERHITW ) uses the awful EUROSPOT service, which is 30 EUROs a day, and limits bandwidth use. Ask before you book, and be careful about their definitions. "Broadband" sometimes means dialup. [ edit ] B&B's B&B's ("Pensionen" or "Fremdenzimmer") provide less comfort than hotels for cheaper prices. [ edit ] Hostels Hostels provide simple, budget accommodation primarily in shared rooms. They are good places to get to know other travellers. In Germany, as in many countries, two flavors exist: international youth hostels and independent hostels. International Youth Hostels ("Jugendherbergen") are owned and run by the association "Deutsches Jugendherbergswerk" (DJH), which is part of the Hostelling International (HI) network. Their more than 600 hostels are spread all over Germany in big and small cities as well as in the country side. Not only individual travellers are guests, but also by school classes and other youth groups. To sleep there, you have to be or become a member in a youth hostel organisation belonging the HI network ( http://www.hihostels.com ) . Detailed information about this and each of their hostels can be found on the DJH's Website ( http://www.jugendherberge.de/international/ ) . Privately run independent hostels are an attractive alternative for a similar price. More than 60 already exist in Germany, getting more and more every year. They are located in bigger cities, especially in Berlin , Munich , Dresden , and Hamburg . Only few are in the country side. Sometimes run by former travellers, hostels refrain from having strict rules. Especially small ones are frequently places where you can feel at home. There is no need to be a member in some organisation to sleep there. About half of the hostels have organized themselves in a "Backpacker Network" ( http://www.backpacker-network.de/ ) , which provides a list of their members hostels. A more complete list is Marcus's hostel list ( http://www.hostel-list.de/ ) . If you are interested in other traveller's opinions about hostels try www.hotelz.com ( http://www.hostelz.com/ ) . If you looking for a Free Fast and Easy way to find a hostel check www.hostelineurope.com . [ edit ] Camping There are many campsites in Germany. Some travellers just put up their tents somewhere in the country side. In Germany this is illegal, unless you have the landowner's permission. [ edit ] Learn German universities can compete with the best universities in the whole world. Since the vast majority of the universities are state-owned, studying in Germany is usually very cheap (50-500 Euros/semester). German Academic Exchange Service ( http://www.daad.de/ ) Goethe-Institut ( http://www.goethe-institut.de/ ) offers German language courses [ edit ] Work While unemployment in Germany is at a rate of more than 10 % at the moment, there are jobs for those with the right qualifications or connections. Non-EU foreigners wishing to work in Germany should make sure they secure the proper permits. Since this can mean extended acts of bureaucracy for non-EU citizens, it is likely not a good method to help your travelling budget. If you want to stay in Germany for an extended period of time, but do not speak German, your best bets are large multinational companies in the banking, tourism or high tech industries. Frankfurt , Stuttgart , Munich and of course Berlin are likely the best places to start looking. A good knowledge of German is usually expected, but not always a prerequisite. [ edit ] Stay safe Germany is a safe country, but there are some districts that you might avoid at night by the unwary, or by lone women. However recent statistics show a significant drop in major crimes like murder or robbery. Pick-pockets can be a problem in large cities or at events with large crowds. Big cities also have their share of beggars and punks, but these are hardly ever dangerous. You don't need to give beggars money. Germany has one of the world's best social systems that nobody has to beg. Those are often "professional beggars" who beg for a second income. Germany has a dense network of emergency services, check the next paragraph on how to call them. [ edit ] Emergencies The nationwide emergency number is 112 for medical emergencies and fires, while the police emergency number is 110 . Even if you call the "wrong" number, your call will be forwarded to the right emergency services. These numbers can by dialed toll-free from any phone booth or (mobile) phone. Mobile phones without a valid SIM card will still allow you to dial the 112 emergency number. If you're reporting an emergency, the usual guidelines apply: Stay calm and state your exact location, the type of emergency and the number of persons involved. Don't hang up immediately, the operator may have further questions. [ edit ] Medical emergencies The hospitals (Krankenhäuser) have emergency rooms which are open around the clock. They will deal with all kinds of medical problems, although you may have to wait if your problem is minor. In life-threatening situations do not try to get to the hospital yourself - call an ambulance via 112 or 19222 , the emergency number that connects you with the local ambulance service. Pharmacies are called "Apotheke" and are marked by a big, red "A" symbol. At least one pharmacy per city or suburb will be open at all times. Each pharmacy will post the name and address of the nearest open pharmacy in the window. There will also be a dentist on stand-by in each town. The number is usually available from the yellow pages. [ edit ] Racism Germany is often considered to be a rather racist country, primarily towards non-Europeans/non-whites/non-Christians. To some extent this might be true (especially in the East) but Germany's history combined with some dramatic television news in the 1990s have left a lasting impression with many people around the world. The real situation is far (!) less dramatic and of course much more complex. Note, for example, that there is no right wing party in the parliament. In reality, however, Germans are no more racist than people in other Western industrialized countries. Most large cities in Germany are extremely cosmopolitan and multi-ethnic with large communities of foreigners including non-whites and religious minorities. People in Germany are aware of the issue and will usually be tolerant or at least politically correct. Most foreign visitors never deal with issues of open discrimination or racism. The most common forms of racism against non-white visitors here include are queer looks (often caused by uneasiness or insecurity), some snubbing and at worst (very, very rarely) verbal insults. In some parts of the former East Germany, the situation is slightly different. Higher unemployment rates are a fertile ground for racist ideas. In addition, there has been an educational lack of peaceful, tolerant co-existence with foreigners in the GDR. Consequently, there are more incidences of racist behaviour than in the West with somewhat more frequent outbursts of physical violence, although such events remain rare and out of the ordinary even in eastern Germany. It is important to remember that Germany is in general an extremely safe country with a very low violent crime rate. When away from large crowds or tourist areas, Non-White tourists should be somewhat cautious, but a paranoid attitude would be overdoing it. [ edit ] Gay and lesbian travellers On the whole, attitudes are tolerant towards gays and lesbians particularly in the cities, most of which have vibrant scenes. In small towns and in the countryside kissing and holding hands may provoke stares. Many politicans and famous stars in Germany are homosexuals, and this is not generally held against them by most of the population. Germany allows gays or lesbians to adopt children like in the United States , which has recently been passed. [ edit ] Papers, please! In large cities the police is working to control illegal immigration. As a result, it's a very good idea always to carry your passport and visa papers, if applicable - especially if you happen to be visibly of non-European descent. And apart from that, it's the law. If you don't, you could at best face a considerable delay as your story gets checked, and at worst more serious consequences. Again, remember that German police are generally very helpful, but they have heard all the stories about "I forgot my papers" before and will likely be skeptical of your explanation. If you'd rather like to keep your papers at the hotel, take at least a photocopy with you. [ edit ] Stay healthy Sanitary and medical facilities in Germany are very good. The phone book lists telephone numbers for various medical services, many hotlines and services exist that are open during "off hours". The emergency ambulance (for serious accidents and so on) can be reached via the telephone number 112 (the fire brigade). Health care in Germany is a complicated issue, with several types of mandatory public and private health insurances involved. You may wish to check with your insurance about their co-operation with German health insurance companies. Tap water is usually safe for consumption, you may wish to employ caution with public sources of water (restrooms et cetera) but even these should not be harmful. Exceptions will be labeled ( "Kein Trinkwasser" , no drinking water). Many lakes and rivers, as well as both the North Sea and Baltic Sea are generally safe for swimming. This depends on the locale, however. And while there may be no life-threatening pollutants in most bodies of water, you would do very well to inform yourself about local regulations. Finally, if you intend to visit the North Sea, you should inform yourselves about the tide schedules. Getting caught in a tide can be fatal. There are no tides in the Baltic Sea. Finally, while there is really no dangerous wildlife in Germany, you should be aware of rabies ( Tollwut ) which has been a problem in some areas in the past. If you want to go to Germany for hiking or camping, you should inform yourself about the situation at your destination and take appropriate precautions. Normally, you won't have to worry about it however. You usually need a permit to camp or make a campfire and German authorities can be quite strict about this. In some parts of Germany there is a risk of contracting tick-borne encephalitis. Innoculation can be advisable. [ edit ] Respect There are no real taboos in Germany that don't apply in other Western countries. Northern Germany (Berlin especially) is a lot more relaxed about etiquette than the south. Drinking in public is frowned upon, for those so inclined, but no punishment will ensue (if you become aggressive, that's another matter of course). On German beaches, it's usually okay for women to bathe topless, however full nudity is uncommon and frowned upon - especially for men. Nudist areas on beaches, however are very common and are labeled "FKK" ( Freikörperkultur , literally free body culture). In most saunas nudity is compulsory. One should sit on a toilet even when urinating, and clean it after each use with the brush kept beside it. Rumors that it is illegal in Sachsen-Anhalt to use a toilet standing up are, however, unfounded. Feeding pigeons is prohibited in many cities. It is hard to imagine that you will get fined even if confronted about it by a policeman, but it is entirely possible. You don't feed rats in the street; and likewise, you shouldn't feed pigeons either. It is important to bear in mind that Germans at first glance seem to be, generally, somewhat less polite than folk in English speaking countries - but it is only the nature of the language: don't be offended by curt remarks, that's simply how you talk in German. Do not be afraid to approach Germans. They are a very direct and honest people: if they can or want to help you, they will, if not, they will tell you so. Note that technically it is against the law to insult others, so swearing at someone or "giving him the finger" in public is rare and could lead to unforeseen complications. Be very tactful with regards to the subject of the Second World War. The legacy of that war is well understood by Germans and it can be a very shameful burden shared even by people born forty years after its end. What might appear from an outsider's perspective to be "an innocent joke" might actually go down in a much more awkward way. It's also not very intelligent to say "Heil Hitler" or anything like that in public -- it can get you in really big trouble and possibly even arrested. Conversely, some foreign tourists and residents complain that Germans themselves bring up topics such as WWII or recent events (eg. the Iraq war). Other complaints revolve around Germans pushing and shoving in public and staring at strangers. Do not, under any circumstances show any swastikas or other symbols related to Nazis. It can land you in jail. Denial of the Holocaust is also a crime in Germany. However do note that symbols similar to Nazi symbols are used by rightwing groups, often in coded form. [ edit ] Photography In Germany it is illegal to film or photograph of a person without their permission if you want to publish the result. The exception are of course crowds or people just happen to stand in front of something else you take a photo of. When in doubt, ask for permission. For private use both is allowed. Please be aware that taking picture in special situations, like bathrooms, lockerrooms or swimmingareas are probably forbidden.There are some new laws in progress that will forbid taking pictures of people in intimate situations. [ edit ] Contact [ edit ] Telephone The international calling code for Germany is 49, and the prefix for international calls is 00; the area code prefix is 0. Some number blocks are reserved for special use: Number starting with 010 let you choose a different phone provider (see below), 0800 and 008000 are toll-free numbers, 0180 are service numbers (which may or may not be more expensive than a local call). Avoid 0190 and 0900 prefix numbers. These are for commercial services and often incredibly expensive. Germany has a highly advanced communications network; coverage for mobile phone is very good unless you go into really outlying areas between small villages. All mobile providers use GSM technology at the 900 and 1800 GHz frequency ranges. This is different to the GSM 1900 standard used in the United States, but modern "multi-band" handsets will usually work in all GSM networks. Non-GSM phones cannot be used in Germany. Germany is one of the few countries in the world that feature the UMTS technology in metropolitan areas. The vast majority of Germans own mobile phones; the disadvantage of this is that the once-common phone booths have started to disappear except at "strategical" locations such as train stations. If you stay for an extended period of time, consider buying a prepaid phone card from one of the mobile phone companies; you won't have trouble finding a T-Mobile (in a "T-Punkt"), Vodafone, E-Plus or O 2 store in any major shopping area. Mobile telephony is still comparatively expensive in Germany, depending on your contract you may be charged about €0.10 to €0.50 per minute (and more for international calls). Since the liberalization of Germany's phone market, there is a multitude of phone providers on the market which are all fake so don't buy them. If you're calling from a private fixed line, you can usually choose from the different providers (and thus from different pricing schemes) by using special prefix numbers (starting with 010-) with prices of 0,01 € or 0,02 €, sometimes below 0,01 € even for international calls. There's a calculator on the net ( http://www.billiger-telefonieren.de/ ) where you can compare the prices for different destinations. Hotels usually have contracts with a particular phone provider and won't let you use a different one as they can't afford to pay the bill. Alternatively, you can also buy prepaid phone cards you can use by calling a toll free number; this is especially a good deal if you intend to make international calls. Cards' quality and prices vary wildly, however, so a good recommendation cannot be made. Recently, phone shops have sprung up in the major cities, where you can make international calls at cheap rates. [ edit ] Internet Internet cafes are common, but usually small, local businesses. You probably won't have a problem finding at least one in even smaller towns or large villages. Phone shops will often offer internet access, too. Informationportal with many Internetcafes in Germany ( http://icafes.de/ ) - only German, but useful Most hotels offer internet access, but this usually takes the form of dialup lines. You should also be aware that many hotels have a contract with Deutsche Telekom which includes the blacklisting of call-by-call numbers. Inquire at your hotel before booking if this matter is important to you. In several cities, projects exist to provide free "community" hotspots for wireless networking. German Portal with several Hotspots sorted by Postalcode ( http://mobileaccess.de/wlan/ ) Passenger lounges at some airports and central railway stations also provide internet access to their customers. Public libraries often offer free internet access. However, entrance to the library itself may not be free. Always ask first. [ edit ] Postal Service The German postal service is pretty reliable. Some of their service can be testing the patience of the customer at times (but then again, all Germans like to complain about the bad service, not just at the post office...). Inquire for the rates to your destination country at the local post office. Air mail ( Luftpost ) doesn't really make sense if you want to send anything to a destination in the European Union. If you want to send packages, there are two options - Päckchen is a small packet. It's cheaper, but includes no insurance and no option for the postal service to track them, so choose wisely. Packets do not usually get lost, but it can happen. http://www.deutschepost.de/ [ edit ] External links Official German Information Portal ( http://deutschland.de/home.php?lang=2& ) - English, French, Spanish, German, others German Tourism Board Web site ( http://www.germany-tourism.de/ ) FlyHahn.com - The Travel Guide to Frankfurt-Hahn Airport(HHN)! ( http://www.flyhahn.com/ ) - Official tourist information to the state of Rhineland-Palatinate Schedules of public country-wide transportation ( http://www.delfi.de/html/50_fahrplanauskunft.htm ) - German only at this time, but should be useable Maps of Germany ( http://www.maps-of-germany.co.uk ) - Map of Germany and it's administrative regions Retrieved from " http://wikitravel.org/en/Germany " Views Article Discussion Edit History Personal tools My page My talk Preferences My watchlist My contributions Create an account or log in Navigation Main Page Today's Log Recent changes Random page Help Search Toolbox What links here Related changes Special pages Other sites/languages Deutsch Français 日本語 Română Wikipedia This page was last modified 13:52, 25 Dec 2005 by Wikitravel user Fabius . Based on work by Jeff Aiken , Evan Prodromou , Steffen Mokosch , Rob Payne , Eva A , Bjoern , Ian , Colin Jensen , Nils Hitze , Jan Slupski , Aidan Boreham , B. Koch , Mark Jaroski , Paul James Cowie , Jürgen A. Erhard , Marcus Venzke , ralf w. , Mary Gardiner , Peter Donaghy , Yann Forget and Zeno Gantner , Wikitravel user(s) Aleron235 , MMKK , PierreAbbat , Jpatokal , Bletch , InterLangBot , TransUtopian , Gorgo , Miknon , Nzpcmad , Averell23 , Huttite , Marcschulz , Wojsyl , Marcika , EricS , Bijee , JensANDMarian , Erauch , EBB , Nils , Veit , Seangustafson , Ronline , Tiles , Langec , Hansm , TomK32 , Tocotronic , Karen Johnson , Bittergirldotcom and CIAWorldFactbook2002 and Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel. Content is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 1.0 . About Wikitravel Disclaimers

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Travel.3Yen.com - Travel in Japan - Japanese Travel Try our toolbar . It's free. travel .3yen.com Traveling to Japan, from Japan, and around Japan Find: with Bookmark 3Yen - Free Toolbar Sections Chubu Kanazawa Mt. Fuji Nagano Nagoya Chugoku Hiroshima Matsue Miyajima Okayama Yamaguchi General Hokkaido Sapporo Kansai Himeji Ise Kobe Kyoto Nara Osaka Kanto Hakone Kamakura Nikko Tokyo Yokohama Kyushu Beppu Fukuoka Kagoshima Nagasaki Okinawa Shikoku Takamatsu Tohoku Other Sites - News on Japan - Travel in Japan Lifestyle - Everyday in Japan - Learn Japanese - Japanese Food - Meet Friends Business - Business in Japan - Work in Japan - Teach in Japan - Japan Legal FAQ Tech and Gadgets - Japanese Gadgets - Keitai/Mobile Phones - Japanese Video Games Entertainment - Japanese Anime - Japanese Cinema - Japanese Commercials - Japanese Fashion - Japanese Manga - Japanese Music - Japanese Wallpapers Free Email User Name: Password: Sign up here: izi.jp Tell your friends You like this page? Send it to a friend! Newsletters Subscribe now to receive FREE news on Japan. Enter your email below. Powered by Yahoo! WE DO NOT SPAM. Contact 3yen Questions? Comments? Suggestions?... Contact us here 3Yen original T-shirts & goodies Join us Passionate about a Japanese topic? Write a column here. Contribute to 3Yen Thanks Domain Names Web Hosting Wordpress Links News on Japan Japan Blog Links Make your blog Link to us Legal Disclaimer Privacy policy -- As seen on: Answers.com Blue's News BNET Boing Boing CNET News.com digg Engadget Fark Fazed Gizmodo Iconfactory iPod Lounge Joystiq KFC Cinema Kotaku Near Near Future Popgadget Russell Beattie Notebook Slashdot Smart Mobs Textually.org Ubergizmo Waxy Wikipedia 8/22/2005 Aichi Expo 2005 review Posted by Yves Yuki went to Aichi Expo 2005 so you don’t have to. Well, I wish I was going, but since it appears I’m not going to, you might as well go read about it one the blog of someone who did. Read her Aichi Expo review at kissui.net . If you found some other good reviews, please let everyone enjoy them and share the links in the comments below. Via Gen Kanai Related entries: General | Comments (0) | Link me! -- 6/24/2005 Visit Japan from above with Google Maps Posted by Yves You live in Japan and you want to show your neighborhood to your family back home? Or you have never been in Japan before and you wish you could get a glimpse? Now you can. Google Maps have finally gone international! The image and the link above are the famous Shibuya crossing, with the world’s busiest Starbucks. If you find some good location or cool pictures, please post the URL in the comments so everyone can enjoy it. (To make the address shorter, you can use doiop ) Related entries: General Tokyo | Comments (3) | Link me! -- 1/1/2005 Travel Japan - Visit Tokyo Posted by Yves Tokyo (??) is the capital of Japan. At over 12 million people, Tokyo is one of the biggest cities in the world. It is also huge and varied in its geography, with over 2,000 square kilometers to explore. Tokyo brings the most modern wonders of technology, commerce and architecture side by side with the old, and has something for everyone. The Tokyo Metropolitan District (??? Tokyo-to) includes 23 central wards (? ku) near the bay and several outlying cities and towns (? shi) to the west. There are even a couple of Pacific islands that are officially part of Tokyo. You will find the biggest crowded high-rise districts, but also shambling old wooden low-rise neighborhoods, and even mountainous parks. The geography of Tokyo is defined by the JR Yamanote Line (see Get around). The center of Tokyo — the former area reserved for the Shogun and his samurai — lies within the loop, while the Edo-era downtown (?? shitamachi) is to the north and east. Sprawling around in all directions and blending seamlessly into Yokohama, Kawasaki and Chiba are Tokyo’s suburbs. Central Tokyo Chiyoda, the seat of Japanese power that includes the Imperial Palace, the electronics mecca of Akihabara and the business center of Akasaka Chuo, including the famed department stores of the Ginza and the fish markets of Tsukiji Minato, the port district (at least in name) which includes the artificial island of Odaiba and the fleshpots of Roppongi Shibuya, the fashionable shopping district which also encompasses the teenybopper haven of Harajuku (also home to the Meiji Shrine) and the nightlife of Ebisu Shinjuku, home to luxury hotels, giant camera stores and Tokyo’s wildest red-light district Downtown Sumida by the river of the same name, including Ryogoku, home of the Edo-Tokyo Museum and Tokyo’s sumo arena Taito and Bunkyo, the heart of downtown Tokyo featuring the temples of Asakusa and the many museums of Ueno Toshima including Ikebukuro, another giant train hub Koto, between the two rivers Sumida and Arakawa, located on just the south of Sumida. It is famous for the former woodland in Kiba, and Kameido Tenjin the shrine worshipping Michizane Sugawara known as a father of study in Kameido. Suburban wards Meguro, a residential area with a few nice parks and museums Nakano Setagaya, an upscale residential area that houses the student drinking spot of Shimokitazawa Shinagawa, a major train hub Suginami Western cities Outside the 23 wards, some cities of (relatively minor) interest include Chofu Fuchu Hachioji Koganei Machida Musashino including Kichijoji Tama Generalities History Over 400 years old, the city of Tokyo grew from the modest fishing village of Edo (??). The former seat of the Tokugawa Shogunate, the Imperial family moved to the city after the Meiji Restoration in 1868. The metropolitan center of the country, Tokyo is the modern destination for business, education, culture, and government. (That’s not to say that rivals such as Osaka won’t dispute those claims.) Language It’s easier than ever for English speakers to navigate their way around Tokyo without speaking any Japanese. Signs at subway and train stations include the station names in romaji (Romanized characters). There are also many districts of Tokyo (such as Roppongi) with establishments that cater specifically to gaijin (foreigners). Once you’ve decided to venture beyond the gaijin scene, however, the language barrier is more likely to become a problem, so it can be helpful to know some tips for ordering in restaurants, shopping in stores, and asking for directions. Cost of Life The cost of living in Tokyo is not as astronomical as it once was. Deflation and market pressures have helped to make costs in Tokyo comparable to most other large cities. Visitors from San Francisco, New York or London will not be at all surprised. Travelers should budget a similar amount of money for their stay in Tokyo as they would for any other great city in Europe or North America. Locals will know the bargains, but experienced cheapskates from anywhere in the world can get by with a little ingenuity. Getting there Send your bags into town before you arrive - Tokyo is crowded. Lugging even a moderately sized suitcase through the subways and up and down stairs can be a nightmare. So, what can you do? Use the ubiquitous delivery services (takkyuubin) which give cheap, dependable, fast service to anywhere. How does it work? At any airport or major station, look for a sign that says “Baggage Delivery” or something similar. The most common company is called Kuroneko. Their black-on-yellow logo of a mother cat carrying a baby cat is easy to spot anywhere. Write your hotel address, pay a small fee based on size and distance, and simply collect your bag the next day at your hotel. This works the same way on departure. Most hotels and even many convenience stores will take care of this for you. The service is extremely dependable. You can send almost any shape or size of bags (even a bicycle) to the airport ahead of time. They are never late and always in good condition. Just pick up your stuff in the airport lobby. It sure makes getting to the airport a breeze. It even makes intercity travel easy if you have a lot of stuff. By plane Narita Airport Tokyo’s main international gateway is Narita Airport (???? NRT), located in the town of Narita nearly 70 kilometers northeast of Tokyo and covered in a separate article. Haneda Airport Most domestic services, as well as the shuttle service to Seoul, fly into Haneda Airport (???? HND). The easiest way from Haneda to the city is the Tokyo Monorail to Hamamatsucho, from where you can connect to almost anywhere in Tokyo on the JR Yamanote line. The other, slightly cheaper alternative is the private Keikyu (??) line to Shinagawa and Yokohama. On December 1st 2004, ANA and Air Do moved to the new Terminal 2, while JAL, Skymark and Skynet will stay in Terminal 1. The Keikyu station is between the two, while the monorail has now has separate stops at both terminals. Services to Seoul use the small separate International Terminal, which is connected to the main domestic terminals by a free shuttle bus that runs every 5 minutes. By train There is a frequent intercity Shinkansen service to and from Tokyo Station (??? Tokyo-eki) in Chiyoda, from where you can easily connect pretty much anywhere in the city on the JR Yamanote or Metro Marunouchi lines. For all northbound trains, you can also hop on at Ueno, while most (but not all) westbound trains stop at Shinagawa. For non-Shinkansen services, Shibuya and Shinjuku stations offer local connections to the west. Ueno and Ikebukuro stations connect you to the northern suburbs and neighboring prefectures. By car While you can drive into the city, it’s really not recommended as the city can be congested, signs may be confusing and parking fees are astronomical. Hitchhiking into Tokyo is pretty easy, but hitchhiking out is considerably more difficult. It’s definitely possible for determined cheapskates though, see Hitchhiking in Japan for a detailed list of tested escape routes from the city. By bus Highway bus services link Tokyo to other cities, resort areas and the surrounding prefectures. There are JR and private bus companies. Bus service may be cheaper, but the train is probably more convenient. If you have a JR pass, then stick with the trains. By boat One of the great ports of the world, Tokyo also has domestic ferry services to other points in Japan. Get around By train and subway Railway service within Tokyo is provided by JR, the two subway networks, and various private lines. If you are planning to do any train travel in Tokyo, the first thing you should do is familiarize yourself with the JR Yamanote Line (???). The Yamanote is a commuter line that runs in a loop around central Tokyo, and effectively defines the geography of the city. Almost all inter-regional JR lines and private lines start at a station on the Yamanote. All of JR’s commuter lines are color-coded, and the Yamanote is green. The JR Chuo (???, orange) and Sobu (???, yellow) lines run side-by-side, bisecting the Yamanote loop from Shinjuku on the west to Tokyo on the east. As they are mainly designed to carry commuters from the suburbs into and across town, they are not very useful for travelers. JR’s other commuter lines, the Saikyo and Keihin-Tohoku, run off the rim of the Yamanote loop to the north and south. Tokyo has an extensive subway network. It is inexpensive (¥160-¥300), frequent, and sometimes practically the only choice for a place like Roppongi (far from nearby JR station). Two companies operate a subway service - the Tokyo Metro, which has a larger network, and Toei, which runs primarily commuter lines. Unfortunately a change of lines between Metro and Toei will require a special transfer ticket (or a fare card). A number of private commuter lines radiate from the Yamanote loop far out into the outlying wards and suburbs, and almost all connect through to subway lines within the loop. The private lines are useful for day trips outside the city, and are slightly cheaper than the JR. Fares and hours All train stations are equipped with automated vending machines. Fares are based on distance, and the minimum fare (1-3 stations) ranges from ¥110-¥170 depending on the line. If you can’t figure out how much it is to the destination, you can buy the cheapest ticket and pay the difference at the end. Most vending machines will let you buy a single ticket that covers a transfer between JR, subway and private lines, all the way to your destination. Prepaid fare cards are extremely convenient, allowing you to slip in and slip out without having to know how much the fare is. Passnet cards can be used on all the subways and private lines in Tokyo. JR has its own fare card system, called IO-Card. Both are sold in denominations of ¥1,000, ¥3,000, and ¥5,000. JR also has a rechargeable contact-less smart card called Suica. As it requires a ¥500 deposit and is designed to be combined with a commuter pass, it is not especially advantageous for travelers. Many of the private lines interoperate with the subways, which can occasionally make a single ride seem unreasonably expensive as you are in essence transferring to another line and fare system, even though you’re still on the same train. It pays to check your route beforehand. All train lines in Tokyo run from around 05:00 to 01:00. During peak hours they run about once every three minutes; even during off-peak hours it’s less than ten minutes between trains. By taxi Taxis are pricey, but may be a value for groups of three compared to the subway. Fares generally start at about ¥600 and can mount rapidly. Do not count on your taxi driver knowing more than the best-known locations. If possible, get a business card, or print out the address in Japanese of any specific places you wish to go. By bus The few areas within Tokyo that aren’t easily accessible by train are served by various bus companies. Buses have a fixed fare regardless of distance (typically ¥200), and fares are not transferrable. Compared to the trains, the buses run much less frequently, carry fewer passengers, and are much slower. This makes them amenable to the elderly residents of Tokyo, but rather inconvenient for travelers, who will also have to deal with complicated routes and lack of information in English. See Tokyo has a vast array of sights, but the first items on the agenda of most visitors are the temples of Asakusa, the gardens of the Imperial Palace (in Chiyoda) and the Meiji Shrine (in Harajuku). If you’re looking for a viewing platform, the Tokyo Tower is the best known choice. It costs money to go up, however. A much better choice - while not quite as high - is the Tokyo City Hall in Shinjuku. Its twin towers have viewing platforms that are absolutely free, and still offer a great view over Tokyo. A recent addition to the viewing platforms around Tokyo is Tokyo City View in Roppongi Hills, Roppongi. The city is dotted with museums, large and small, which center on every possible interest from pens to antique clocks to traditional and modern arts. At ¥500 to ¥1,000 or more, entrance fees can add up quickly. Many of the largest museums are clustered around Ueno. Do Take a boat ride on the Sumida River. Enjoy a soak in a local “sento” or public bath. Go to an amusement park such as Tokyo Disneyland or the more Japanese Sanrio Puroland (in Tama), home to more Hello Kittys than you can imagine. Learn The curious can study traditional culture such as tea ceremony, calligraphy, or martial arts such as Karate, Judo, Aikido and Kendo. There are also many language schools to help you work on your Japanese. Several universities in Tokyo cater to international students at the undergraduate or graduate level. Work Teaching English (or to a lesser extent, other foreign languages) is perhaps the easiest way to work in Japan. Tokyo also offers more work options than other areas: everything from restaurant work to IT. Work permits can be hard to come by and will take time. Consult your local Japanese consulate/embassy as far in advance as possible. Buy If it is for sale anywhere in the world, you can probably also buy it in Tokyo - at a price. Items to look for include electronics, funky fashions, antique furniture and kimono, and specialty items like Hello Kitty goods, anime and comics, and their associated paraphernalia. Cameras and electronics Ever since Sony and Nikon became synonymous with high-tech quality, Tokyo has been a favored place for buying electronics and cameras. Though the lines have blurred since the PC revolution, each has its own territory and stores: Akihabara has the electronics stores and Shinjuku has the camera stores, and both now sell mostly computers. There are branches in other major areas, but each side stays out of the other’s traditional territory and products. The discount chains have better prices than small local retailers, but prices basically don’t vary from one to the other. So if you know what you want, don’t waste your time comparison shopping. Selection can vary, though, and one brand might be cheaper than a similar item at a different store. Bargaining for major items is expected, but the salespeople probably have prepared scripts for a week’s worth of “this is normally as low as we can go, but hey, just for you…” Street fashion Shibuya and neighboring Harajuku are the best-known shopping areas for funky, youthful clothes and accessories. Note that, almost without exception, clothes are sized for the petite Japanese frame. Eat Tokyo has more restaurants than you can possibly imagine. Menus are often posted outside, so you can check the prices. Some shops have the famous plastic food in their front windows. Don’t hesitate to drag the waiting staff out to the front to point at what you want. Lunch is generally a great deal. If you want to try some fancy food, or you hear of a really top notch restaurant, try lunchtime. This is one of the best ways to try the same dishes without emptying your wallet. The food is still good, there is plenty of it, but it is cheaper than dinner. Usually lunch sets are 1,000 to 1,500 Yen, even in excellent restaurants. Always carry cash. Many restaurants will not accept plastic. In a city with literally tens of thousands of restaurants representing more or less every cuisine in the world, there aren’t all that many uniquely Tokyo specialities, but the nigirizushi (fish pressed onto rice) known the world around simply as “sushi” in fact originates from Tokyo. Tokyo’s best sushi can be found in Tsukiji, fresh from the famous fish market. Cheap Go to the convenience store. Really, the options may surprise you. Also, look for bento shops. These sell take-out lunch boxes. They range in quality and cost, but most offer good, basic food at a reasonable price. This is what students and office workers often eat. Noodle shops and curry shops are often the best option for people eating on the cheap. They are everywhere. Mid-range Good options for better food that won’t break the bank include okonomiyaki, tempura, and chain “family restaurants” such as Royal Host or Gusto. There are also a myriad of cheap Italian places such as the “To The Herbs” chain. Also, the basement of almost any department store will have a huge array of small shops selling all kinds of prepared take-out food. Go to Mitsukoshi, Matsuzakaya, or Isetan for a delicious picnic that may fall a bit on the pricy side. On the other hand, we’re talking sushi, not ham sandwiches. Drink Hit Roppongi for establishments which specialize in serving foreigners. Visit Shibuya for cool nightclubs, dancing, and live music. Shimokitawaza is full of good bars and restaurants and is popular with students and 20/30-somethings. The Kabukicho red light district in Shinjuku is worth a visit and has some good music in “live houses". You will find good little bars and restaurants everywhere. You will also find that you are never far from a beer vending machine in Tokyo. Most drinking is done in restaurants. Cheaper bar and grill type places are called izakaya (???). You can get all kinds of food and drink. The cheaper chain izakaya usually have picture menus, so ordering is simple. Some popular izakaya chains include Tsubohachi and Shirakiya. If you want a Western-style bar that serves drinks but is not a restaurant, try any of the higher end hotels. This will cost you, though, and you may want to dress up a bit. Sleep There are thousands of hotels in the Tokyo area, ranging from cheap to very expensive. They are distributed throughout the city, with some of the high end and the low end almost everywhere. Cheap Capsule hotels are generally the cheapest option. They may reluctant to play host to foreigners as there are quite a few rules of behavior which may be difficult to explain. 24-hour comic book library/internet cafes have become common around Tokyo. This is one of the cheapest ways to crash if you miss your last train and need to wait for the early morning transit service to get started. No bed, but you have a comfy chair and a PC and/or DVDs if you can’t sleep. Mid-range Keep an eye out for what is called a business hotel. Staff may speak minimal English, but it’s not too hard to figure out. The Tokyu Stay chain is one of the best values for money. Rooms start at around 80USD per night. Internet access and breakfast are included at no additional fee. All have a washer/dryer in the room. Kitchenettes are also available. Another option is staying at a ryokan (Japanese inn), which are inexpensive and give you a taste of Japanese culture. The Japanese-style rooms are typically covered by tatami mats with futons to sleep on and a Japanese low table, and the owners can be very friendly. If you are traveling solo, you are out of luck, but Japan’s infamous love hotels can be a reasonable (and interesting) option for couples in Tokyo. Shibuya’s “Love Hotel Hill” offers the widest selection in the city. If you’re really going to spend the night, be sure to check in for a “stay” rather than a “rest". Top End You can spend a fortune on accommodation in Tokyo. Most of the high-end international chains are well represented. Particular concentrations of luxury hotels can be found in western Shinjuku (including the Park Hyatt Tokyo, star of Lost in Translation) and in Akasaka. Internet Good connections are available at Internet cafes everywhere. Expect to pay ¥400-¥500 per hour. “Gera Gera” is a popular chain. Paid WiFi service is also taking off in Tokyo with reasonable coverage - at a price. WiFi services are probably not convenient for those just visiting. Stay safe Tokyo is probably one of the safest cities you will ever visit. Violent crime is rare - even late at night. The police really are a resource you can turn to for help. You will rarely find yourself far from a a local police substation (koban). These are typically staffed by one or two police officers. Don’t hesitate to go to the koban if you are lost, they have great local maps (in Japanese). Some police officers will also speak basic English. Give them a try. Also, if you carry travel insurance, report any thefts or lost items at the koban. They may have forms in English as well as Japanese. Still in a jam? Call Tokyo English Life Line. tel. 03-5774-0992, daily 09:00 - 23:00. Dial 110 for police, 119 for fire and ambulance service. Get out From Tokyo, the entire surrounding Kanto region is your oyster. Particularly popular destinations nearby include: Hakone — for hot springs and views of Mount Fuji Kamakura — home to dozens of small temples and one Big Buddha Nikko — grandiose shrine and burial site of Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu Tokyo Disneyland — just like the ones everywhere else Yokohama — Japan’s second-largest city Related entries: Kanto Tokyo | Comments (1) | Link me! -- 12/30/2004 Travel Japan - Visit Osaka Posted by Yves If Tokyo is Japan’s capital, Osaka (??) might be called its anti-capital. Osaka is the main metropolis of the Kansai region, and its inhabitants exhibit a strong rivalry towards the Kanto region, from baseball, food, popular culture, even to which side they ride escalators (on the left in Tokyo, but on the right in Osaka). Districts Like Tokyo, Osaka is best thought of as a group of cities that have grown together. History Back in the days of the Tokugawa shogunate, Edo (now Tokyo) was the austere seat of military power and Kyoto was the home to the Imperial court and its effete courties, but Osaka was where the merchants made and lost their fortunes. To this day, while unappealing and gruff on the surface, Osaka remains Japan’s best place to eat, drink and party, and Osakans still greet each other with mokarimakka?, “are you making money?". Getting there By plane The main international gateway to Osaka is Kansai International Airport, covered in a separate article. Domestic flights, however, mostly arrive at Osaka’s northern Itami Airport (ITM), connected to the city by the Osaka Monorail. By train Shinkansen trains arrive at Shin-Osaka station to the north of the city center. Connect to the center with the Midosuji subway line. Local trains from Kobe, Kyoto and Nara arrive mostly at the Umeda and Namba stations. By bus Overnight highway buses from Tokyo and other areas can get you to Osaka for significantly less than a Shinkansen ticket. Get around The convenient Kansai Thru Card can be used on just about anything that moves in Osaka (as well as the rest of the Kansai region), with the notable exception of JR trains. By subway Osaka has Japan’s second-most extensive subway network after Tokyo, which makes the underground the natural way to get around. The Midosuji Line is Osaka’s main artery, linking up the massive train stations and shopping complexes of Shin-Osaka, Umeda, Shinsaibashi, Namba and Tennoji. By train True to its name, the JR Osaka Loop Line (??? Kanjo-sen) runs in a loop around Osaka. It’s not quite as convenient or heavily-used as Tokyo’s Yamanote line though. See Osaka Castle is Osaka’s best known sight, although it’s a concrete reconstruction that pales in comparison with, say, Himeji. Still, it’s pretty enough from the outside, especially in the cherry blossom season when Osakans flock to the castle park to picnic and make merry. Open 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily, adult admission ¥600. The park can be accessed on a number of lines, but the castle is closest to Osaka-jo Koen station on the JR Osaka Loop Line. Eat In a nation of obsessive gourmands Osaka is known as an excellent place to eat, exemplified by the Osakan maxim kuidaore, “eat until you burst". The best place for this is Dotonbori (???), a street that contains nearly nothing but one restaurant after another. Some of the more famous establishments here include: Kuidaore (????), featuring a mechanical clown beating a drum, is one of the contenders for the title of the largest restaurant in the world. Each floor specializes in a type of food. Affordable, but more fun in a group. Kani Doraku (????), easily identifiable by the giant mechanical crab waving its pincers about, specializes in crab. Good but moderately expensive. Sleep The cheapest option is capsule hotels, found near the major train stations . Capsule Inn Osaka. 9-5 Doyamamachi, Kita-ku (in the Higashi-Hankyu shopping arcade off Namba station). Tel. 06-6314-2100, Fax 06-6314-1281. Japan’s first capsule hotel (opened 1977) is still open for business, happy to accommodate foreigners with some semblance of a clue and a steal at ¥1600 for a night. Typical Japanese business hotels are step up from a capsule and can be found everywhere. Examples include: Hotel Nankai Namba , 17-11 Namba-naka 1-chome, Naniwa-ku (Exit 5 from the Midosuji subway line, walk south, and turn right at the McDonald’s), TEL 06-6649-1521 ( namba@hotel-nankai.co.jp , FAX 06-6632-5061). This is a clean and well-run hotel convenient to transport: 20 minutes from Shin-Osaka, good access to Nara on the Kintetsu Line. Rooms have LAN access at no additional cost- some rooms with WiFi, so ask when making a reservation or checking in. 8,400 JPY-18,375 JPY (single-triple). Stay safe The base for Japan’s yakuza gangsters, Osaka has a dangerous reputation (by Japanese standards), but is still remarkably safe for a city of its size. Unless you’re dealing drugs you’re unlikely to get involved with the local mafia, but some districts, particularly Shinsekai, may be a little dodgy at night. Get out The temples and lush greenery of Mount Koya, 90 minutes away by train, are an entirely different world and the perfect getaway when all the concrete starts to get to you. (Source: Wikitravel ) Related entries: Kansai Osaka | Comments (0) | Link me! -- 12/28/2004 Travel Japan - Visit Chubu Posted by Yves Chubu (??) is the central region of Japan’s Honshu island. The region is often further divided into three more areas, namely Tokai (??) for the southern Pacific coast, Koshin’etsu (???) for the northern Sea of Japan coast and Hokuriku (??) for the rest. Prefectures Tokai Aichi — mostly urban sprawl around Nagoya Gifu — home to the northern Japan Alps and many hot springs Shizuoka Koshin’etsu Nagano Niigata Yamanashi Hokuriku Fukui Ishikawa Toyama Cities Hida-Takayama — attractively preserved town and a good starting point for trips to the Japan Alps Nagano — Japan’s winter sports capital Nagoya — Chubu’s largest city by far Niigata — Major port city on the northern coast Toyama Other destinations Gero Onsen — one of Japan’s Three Famous Hot Springs Japan Alps — the largest and tallest mountain chain in Japan Mount Fuji — the iconic Japanese mountain Oku-Hida Onsen Villages — 5 remote hamlets full of stunning scenery and some of Japan’s best hot springs Sado Island — place of exile home to gold mines and the yearly Earth Celebration Sekigahara — the site of the famous battle that ushered in the Tokugawa Shogunate Generalities Chubu means “middle region", accurately reflecting its position straddling the two Japanese poles of Kansai and Kanto. Often ignored by tourists, with de facto capital Nagoya being a byword for boredom, Chubu’s best attractions are in the mountains, particularly the (only slightly hyperbolic) Japan Alps. Talk There are many people who speak in dialect in this area. In Shirone in Niigata prefecture, people speak in a dialect. For example, they use the word “Ra, Ri, Ru, Re and Ro ” at the ending. So they speak like this, “~raro!". Getting there By plane Nagoya’s airport is one of the largest in Japan, with many domestic and international connections. By train The Tokaido Shinkansen bisects Chubu, connecting to Tokyo in the east and Osaka and Kyoto in the west. See In the Oku-Hida region around Takayama, check out the traditional gassho-zukuri houses, with a roof shaped like hands in prayer to protect against snow from accumulating. There are many famous temples in Nagano, notably Zenkoji, considered an official national treasure. In Nagoya, there is Nagoya castle, although it’s just a modern concrete reconstruction. Mount Fuji’s view is great. Do Winter sports. The Koshin’etsu district is also known as Snow Country (?? Yukiguni), since it receives some of the heaviest snowfall in the world. This makes Chubu Japan’s undisputed winter sports capital with attractions like Nagano, site of the 1998 Winter Olympics. Hiking. The Japan Alps have some great hiking. Mount Fuji in Shizuoka is a symbol of Japan and a popular tourist attraction, both for viewing and climbing. Eat Chubu’s regions all have their local specialities. Some include: Hotaru ika (lit. “firefly squid") in Toyama Tempura shrimp in Nagoya Drink Chubu is sake country and Niigata, renowned for its koshihikari rice, produces some of the best in the country including famous labels like Kubota (???), Koshinokanbai (????) and Hakkaisan (???). Shizuoka is famous for green tea and Aichi specializes in, oddly enough, oranges. (Source: Wikitravel ) Related entries: Chubu | Comments (0) | Link me! -- 12/26/2004 Travel Japan - Visit Tohoku Posted by Yves Tohoku (??, literally “East-North") is the northeastern region of Japan’s Honshu island. Generalities Traditionally a poor rural backwater with a harsh climate, today’s Tohoku offers the traveller some of the best scenery in Japan. In winter, the Snow Country (Yukiguni) of the western Japan Sea coast racks up some of the highest snowfall figures in the world, which also means great skiing and lots of hot springs to warm up in. Prefectures and Regions Akita Aomori Fukushima Iwate Miyagi Yamagata Cities Aomori Hiraizumi — historical site with several large temples Hirosaki — the cultural capital of the North Morioka Sendai — capital of Miyagi and the largest city in Tohoku. It enjoys the epithet Mori no Miyako, “The Forest City", due to its dense tree lined thoroughfares and forested public areas. Yamagata Other destinations Dewa Sanzan — three mountains holy to the ascetic cult of Shugendo Lake Towada Kinkazan — small island with a shrine and hiking trails Matsushima — one of Japan’s Three Great Views Mount Bandai Naruko — famous for its hot springs Oirase River Valley Shimokita Peninsula — featuring the scenic Yagen Valley as well as Mount Osore, the mythical entrance to Hell Talk Information in English tends to sparse in rural Tohoku, since foreign travellers are few in these parts; the positive side to this is that people will go out of their way to help you. The rural Tohoku accent, known as zuzu-ben for its characteristic feature of turning all “s” sounds into “z", can be difficult to comprehend at times even if you do understand Japanese. Younger people are, however, universally versed in school-standard hyojungo. Getting there By plane There are no major airports in Tohoku and most travellers arrive via Tokyo. Sendai and Akita airports do field some international flights, mostly to China and Korea. By train The Tohoku Shinkansen connects Tokyo to Mito, Sendai, Morioka and Hachinohe, with spur lines to Akita and Yamagata. It will take 2 hours from Tokyo to Sendai. The line remains under construction and is inching towards Aomori, from where it will eventually tunnel under the sea to Hokkaido. By ferry Ferry services connect ports in northern Tohoku to Hokkaido. Get around Tohoku is large and mountainous and getting around in the boondocks can be time-consuming. By train Rural train services in Tohoku, known as donko, are slow and infrequent — it’s not unusual to have waits of 2 or even 4 hours between trains. The scenery along the twisty mountain routes can be stunning though. See & Do Most visitors come to Tohoku for hiking, history and hot springs, not necessarily in that order. Highlights include the temples of Hiraizumi, the holy mountains of Dewa Sanzan and the secluded hot springs of the Shimokita Peninsula. Eat & Drink Tohoku has not made very many contributions to the Japanese culinary scene, although (as always in Japan) even the smallest hamlet will boast something it claims to be famous for. But in mountain regions you will certainly have a chance to sample sansai-ryori, prepared from herbs and plants harvested from the forests and hillsides. Unlike the shochu-swilling south, Tohoku is sake country and manufactures some fine rice wines. (Source: Wikitravel ) Related entries: Tohoku | Comments (0) | Link me! -- 12/24/2004 Travel Japan - Visit Kyoto Posted by Yves Nestled among mountains in Western Honshu, Kyoto (??) has a reputation worldwide as Japan’s most beautiful city, boasting more World Heritage Sites per square inch than any other city. However, visitors will be surprised how much work they will have to do to see its beautiful side. Most visitors’ first impressions will be of the urban sprawl of central Kyoto, around the ultra-modern glass-and-steel train station. Nonetheless, the persistent tourist will soon discover Kyoto’s hidden beauty in the temples and parks which ring the city center, and find that the city has even more than meets the eye. Generalities Kyoto was the capital of Japan and the residence of the Emperor from 794 until the Meiji Restoration of 1868, when the capital was moved to Tokyo. During its millennium at the center of Japanese power, culture, tradition, and religion, it accumulated an unparalleled collection of palaces, temples and shrines, built for emperors, shoguns, geishas and monks. Almost alone among Japanese cities, Kyoto escaped the Allied bombings of World War II, although it could be argued that the concrete redevelopment that turned 95% of Kyoto into an ordinary Japanese city did just as thorough a job. Getting there By plane Kyoto does not have its own airport. The nearest international gateway is Kansai International Airport, 73 minutes away by the fastest train. Most domestic flights land at Osaka’s Itami Airport, one hour away by bus. By train Most visitors arrive at JR Kyoto station by Shinkansen (bullet train) from Tokyo, 2 hours and 14 minutes away. For connections to nearby cities, you can also take the private Hankyu or Keihan lines to Osaka, or the Kintetsu line to Nara. By bus The cheapest way of traveling from Tokyo or other distant points to Kyoto is by night bus, which terminate at Kyoto station. Get around The sheer size of the city of Kyoto, and the distribution of tourist attractions around the periphery of the city, make the city’s public transport system invaluable. The Kansai Thru Pass (Surutto Kansai) stored-value card can be used on all means of transportation in Kyoto (and the rest of the Kansai region), with the notable exception of JR trains. You can purchase the cards in denominations starting at ¥1000 at any train or subway station. By train The Keihan train line can be useful for traveling in eastern Kyoto, while the two Keifuku tram lines are an attractive way of traveling in the northwest. By subway Kyoto’s subway network has two subway lines, the north-south Karasuma Line and the west-east Tozai Line. Both are useful for travel in the city center but not really suitable for temple-hopping. By bus The bus network is the only practical way of reaching many attractions. City buses have a fixed fare of ¥220. See Kyoto offers an incredible number of attractions for tourists, and visitors will probably need to plan an itinerary in advance in order to visit as many as possible. North-western Kyoto Visiting the vast temple complexes of north-western Kyoto can take the better part of a day. A suggested itinerary is to take the subway (Karasuma line) to Kitaoji station, and walk west along Kitaoji-dori. Daitokuji, Kinkakuji, Ryoanji and Ninnaji Temples are all on Kitaoji-dori, and about 15-30 minutes’ walk apart. En route, you will see the giant “dai” (?) symbol burned on the hill overlooking the city. Hirano Shrine is a short walk south along Nishioji-dori from Kinkakuji. If you still have time left at the end of the day, take the pleasant electric railway (Keifuku Kitano line) from Omuro to Katabiranotsuji, then take the JR Sagano line from nearby Uzumasa station back to central Kyoto. Daitokuji Temple is a small and understated temple complex, boasting several small, secluded subtemples. Daitokuji is the quietest of the temples in north-western Kyoto, and if you visit it at the start of the day, you could virtually have it to yourself. Eight of the twenty-four subtemples open to the public (most days 9am-5pm), and each charges an admission fee (around ¥400). The highlight of the subtemples is Daisen-in, located on the northern side of the temple complex, which has a beautiful Zen garden without the crowds of Ryoanji Temple. Koto-in is particularly noted for its maple trees, which are beautiful in autumn. Nearest bus stop: Daitokuji-mae. Kinkakuji Temple (the Golden Pavilion ) is the most popular tourist attraction in Kyoto, and the crowds that constantly surround it reflect this. The pavilion was originally built as a retirement villa for Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu in the late 12th century, and converted into a temple by his son. However, the pavilion was burnt down in 1950, by a young monk who had become obsessed with it. The pavilion was rebuilt in the Fifties to look even more tacky than before - extending the gold leaf covering it to the lower floor. Visitors follow a path through the moss garden surrounding the pavilion, before emerging into a square crowded with gift shops. Open daily 9am-5pm, admission ¥400. Nearest bus stop: Kinkakuji-michi. Hirano Shrine is a small shrine, which goes into overdrive during the cherry blossom viewing season, setting up amusement and food stalls. A small park of cherry trees next to the shrine is hung with lanterns and drawings by local schoolchildren. Sufficiently far off the tourist trail to be worth a look. Admission is free. Nearest bus stop: Waratenjin-mae. Ryoanji Temple is notable for its large Zen garden, which is considered to be one of the most notable examples of the “dry-landscape” style. The raked gravel is permanently surrounded by vast numbers of tourists contemplating their existence. The rest of the grounds are worth a look too - particularly the large pond. Open daily 8am-5pm (Mar-Nov), 8.30am-4.30pm (Dec-Feb). Admission ¥500. Nearest bus stop: Ryoanji-mae. Ninnaji Temple is another large temple complex which is often overlooked by tourists. Admission to the grounds is free, allowing visitors to view the 17th century five-storey pagoda, and the plantation of dwarf cherry trees (which are always the last to bloom in Kyoto, in early-mid April). However, visitors shouldn’t miss the temple itself, which demands an admission fee of ¥500, and features some beautifully painted screen walls, and a beautiful walled garden. In the hills behind the temple, there is a delightful miniature version of the renowned 88-temple walk in Shikoku, which takes an hour or two (rather than a month or two). This can provide a delightful end to a day of looking at tourist attractions. Open daily 9am-4.30pm. Nearest bus stop: Omuro Ninnaji. Western Kyoto The Arashiyama area to the west of the city is dismissed in most Western guidebooks in a brief paragraph suggesting “other attractions". However, the area is rightfully very popular with Japanese tourists, and is well worth a visit. To get here, take the JR Sagano line from Kyoto station to Saga Arashiyama. The walk through a forest of bamboo to Nonomiya Shrine and Okochi Sanso (a traditional house, previously occupied by a Japanese silent screen legend), is a real highlight of a visit to Kyoto. No admission fee for the shrine, ¥1000 for Okochi Sanso (price includes a cup of matcha (traditional Japanese tea, in the tea garden). Feeding the macaque monkeys atop the mountain in Iwatayama Monkey Park, to the south of the river, is worth the entrance fee (and the demanding climb!). ¥500 admission fee to enter the park. Just outside Saga Arashiyama station is the 19th Century Hall - a museum covering the unlikely combination of steam locomotives and pianos. Probably best to look at it from the outside, and listen to the amusing tinny music it blasts out. Central Kyoto Nijo Castle is certainly one of the highlights of Kyoto. The series of ornately-decorated reception rooms within the Ninomaru complex is particularly impressive, and known for its “nightingale floors” - wooden flooring which makes bird-like squeaking sounds when stepped on. From the donjon of the inner castle, you can get good views over the castle layout, and the rest of the city. Open daily, 8.45am-5pm, with last admission at 4pm. Admission ¥600. Nearest bus stop: Nijojo-mae. Nearest subway station: Nijojo-mae. The Imperial Park is a large, peaceful area in the centre of Kyoto, centred around the Imperial Palace. The Palace itself is only open to visitors on pre-booked guided tours - English tours take place at 10am and 2pm Monday-Friday, and bookings must be made at the Imperial Household Agency, located to the west of the palace complex. The park is home to 50,000 trees, including cherry, plum and peach tree orchards. The Museum of Kyoto is particularly worthwhile if you have a burning interest in ancient pottery, otherwise not really worth a visit. Open daily 10am-8.30pm. Admission ¥500. Located on Takakura-dori. Nearest bus stop: Shijo Karasuma. Nearest subway station: Karasuma Oike. Nishi Honganji Temple Toji Temple , an oasis of calm near central Kyoto, its pagoda is the tallest wooden structure in Japan. Kyoto Tower Pontocho Alley Eastern Kyoto Some of the most picturesque parts of Kyoto, and the older areas of the city, are located in the eastern region of the city, across the Kamo River. Visiting the main tourist attractions of eastern Kyoto will fill a full day - a suggested itinerary is to work north from Kiyomizu Temple to Ginkakuji Temple, passing through Gion, and visiting Yasaka Shrine and Nanzenji Temple before following the Philosopher’s Walk to Ginkakuji. Kiyomizu Temple . This temple complex, built overlooking the city is a deservedly popular attraction in the city, approached by either of two tourist-filled souvenir-shop-lined streets, Kiyomizu-zaka or Chawan-zaka. Admission ¥300. Open daily, 6am-6pm. Nearest bus stop: Kiyomizu-michi or Gojo-zaka. Highlights of the temple complex include; The main hall ’s wooden veranda, supported by hundreds of pillars and offering incredible views over the city, Jishu-jinja , the love-themed shrine selling countless charms to help you snag the one you love, and featuring two “love stones” positioned around 18m apart which the lovelorn must walk between with eyes closed to confirm their loved one’s affection, and Otowa-no-taki the temple’s waterfall, which gives it its name (Kiyomizu literally means ‘pure water’). Visitors stand beneath the waterfall, and collect water to drink by holding out little tin cups. Gion district . The flagstone-paved streets and traditional buildings of the Gion district, located to the north-west of Kiyomizu Temple, are where you’re most likely to see geisha in Kyoto, scurrying between buildings. The area just to the north of Shijo-dori, to the west of Yasaka Shrine, is particularly photogenic - particularly around Shinbashi-dori and Hanami-koji. Sannen-zaka ("three-year-slope") and Ninen-zaka ("two-year-slope"), two stepped streets leading off from Kiyomizu-zaka, are also very picturesque - but watch your step, slipping over on these streets brings three or two years’ bad luck respectively. At the northern end of Ninen-zaka is Ryozen Kannon, a memorial to the unknown Japanese soldiers who died in World War II, with a 24-meter-tall statue of Kannon. Admission is ¥200, including a lit incense stick to place in front of the shrine. Yasaka Shrine at the eastern end of Shijo-dori, at the edge of Gion, is the shrine responsible for Kyoto’s main festival - the Gion Matsuri, which takes place in July. The shrine is small, in comparison with many in Kyoto, but it boasts an impressive display of lanterns. Admission is free. Nearest bus stop: Gion. Maruyama Park is the main center for cherry blossom viewing in Kyoto, and can get extremely crowded at that time of year. The park’s star attraction is a weeping cherry tree (shidarezakura). Main entrance to the park is through Yasaka Shrine. Admission is free. Nanzenji Temple , with its distinctive two-storey entrance gate (sanmon) and aqueduct, is another popular temple in Kyoto, but its larger size means that it doesn’t seem as crowded as many of the others. Nearest bus stop: Nanzenji, Eikando-michi. Nearest subway station: Keage. Open daily, 8.30am-5pm. Walking around the temple complex and along the aqueduct is free, but there are three regions of Nanzenji that you can pay to enter; Sanmon - the two-storey main gate to Nanzenji Temple charges ¥500 for admission, and offers pleasant views over the surrounding area of the city. Nanzen-in Zen Temple - a small, but relaxing temple and moss garden behind the aqueduct, dating back to the 13th century, charges ¥300 for admission, and is probably only worth it if you have a particular interest in Zen buddhism. Hojo - the abbot’s quarters, is a more interesting building, with a small raked gravel garden and some impressive paintings on the sliding doors of the buildings. Admission is ¥500. The Philosopher’s Walk is the name given to a 2km-long path through north-eastern Kyoto, along which a philosophy professor, Kitaro Nishida, used to frequently walk. It is a surprisingly pleasant and relaxing walk even today, though you will undoubtedly share it with more tourists than Kitaro did. The walk runs south from Ginkakuji Temple beside a river to Nyakuoji Shrine, many guidebooks suggest that the walk continues further south from there to Nanzenji Temple, but this southerly section of the walk is less insistently signposted. The route passes several temples en route, notably Honen-in, a beautiful secluded temple with a thatched gate. Ginkakuji Temple (the Silver Pavilion ), at the northern end of the Philosopher’s Walk, is approached along a street lined with shops selling tacky souvenirs. Much like its gold