JAPAN Travel Guide Overview

VirtualTourist.com - Japan Travel Guide - Pictures, Tips and Reviews Japan Travel Guide. Tips, Reviews & Photos plus Hotels, Restaurants, Activities & More in Japan member log in | join for free! | help Home Travel Guides Hotels Flights Deals NEW! Members Meetings & Events Do It Yourself Guides Forums JAPAN Travel Guide Overview | Hotels | Forum | Things To Do | Top Member Pages | Deals | Members | Meetings & Events Home » Travel Guides » Asia » Japan Destinations Members Keywords Sponsored Links for Japan Low fares at AA.com. Find our lowest fares at AA.com and pay no online booking fee. Marriott Hotels Enjoy stylish luxury hotels with Marriott's new rooms. Book now. Hotels Compare Prices, View Photos & More! Low Rates Guaranteed - Book Now Hotels Find Great Deals on Hotels for Winter Travel from Travelocity! Cheap Hotels at Expedia Expedia Special Rates Means We Guarantee Our Low Rates on Rooms. Japan Hotel Rates City: Check-In Date: Check-Out Date: Guests: 1 2 3 4 Hotels by OneTime.com Japan Forum Join a Discussion detail of japan (2 replies, 2:19 PM Dec. 26, 2005) 1 year, 1 bike, 1 country - JAPAN ! ! tips please. (2 replies, 12:06 PM Dec. 21, 2005) Nyotaimori (2 replies, 5:26 PM Dec. 21, 2005) Be the first to reply to these questions japan ... (no replies yet) about japan fahsion............ (no replies yet) Ryokan in Kyoto (no replies yet) » All Japan Discussions » Post a Japan Discussion Travel Resources Car Rental Cruises Vacations Luggage NEW! Japan Deals Memoirs of a Geisha Tour - 7 day Kyoto (0 comments, 9:12 PM Nov. 16, 2005) » All Japan Deals » Post a Japan Deal FREE VT Deals Newsletter great deals, inside tips & no spam Popular Japan Hotels In: Tokyo Kyoto Osaka Nagoya Hiroshima Nikko Japan Flight Rates From: To: Departure Date: Anytime Morning Afternoon Evening Midnight 01:00 AM 02:00 AM 03:00 AM 04:00 AM 05:00 AM 06:00 AM 07:00 AM 08:00 AM 09:00 AM 10:00 AM 11:00 AM Noon 01:00 PM 02:00 PM 03:00 PM 04:00 PM 05:00 PM 06:00 PM 07:00 PM 08:00 PM 09:00 PM 10:00 PM 11:00 PM Return Date: Anytime Morning Afternoon Evening Midnight 01:00 AM 02:00 AM 03:00 AM 04:00 AM 05:00 AM 06:00 AM 07:00 AM 08:00 AM 09:00 AM 10:00 AM 11:00 AM Noon 01:00 PM 02:00 PM 03:00 PM 04:00 PM 05:00 PM 06:00 PM 07:00 PM 08:00 PM 09:00 PM 10:00 PM 11:00 PM Passengers: 1 2 3 4 Flights by OneTime.com Japan Local time: 7:42 am Thursday, December 29, 2005. TravelPro Sale - LuggageGuru.com Hotels in Japan Flights to Japan Map NEW! Members living here: 1,942 Member tips: 14,854 Member pictures: 26,547 Popular Destinations in Japan Tokyo Kyoto Osaka Nagoya Hiroshima Nikko Kobe Yokohama Nara Sapporo Tsukuba Kamakura Himeji Yokohama Yaizu Takayama Niigata Sasebo Hakone Shizuoka Chiba Hamamatsu Nagano Sendai Miyajima » More Destinations in Japan Regions in Japan Aichi-ken Akita-ken Aomori-ken Chiba-ken Ehime-ken Fukui-ken Fukuoka-ken Fukushima-ken Gifu-ken Gumma-ken Hiroshima-ken Hokkaido Hyogo-ken Ibaraki-ken Ishikawa-ken Iwate-ken Kagawa-ken Kagoshima-ken Kanagawa-ken Kochi-ken Kumamoto-ken Kyoto-fu Mie-ken Miyagi-ken Miyazaki-ken Nagano-ken Nagasaki-ken Nara-ken Niigata-ken Oita-ken Okayama-ken Okinawa Osaka-fu Saga-ken Saitama-ken Shiga-ken Shimane-ken Shizuoka-ken Tochigi-ken Tokushima-ken Tokyo-to Tottori-ken Toyama-ken Wakayama-ken Yamagata-ken Yamaguchi-ken Yamanashi-ken Top Pages About Japan 1. Land And Nature Of Japan by cheesecake17 148 Tips 174 Pictures 2. Tadaima!! (i Came Back!!) by Maline 51 Tips 46 Pictures 3. Japan, My Friends, Our Trip.... by PolishChick 44 Tips 85 Pictures 4. Bringing The Tropic To Japan by manuelEB 34 Tips 42 Pictures 5. An Art Teacher Visits Japan by nicolettart 45 Tips 39 Pictures » View all rated pages (183) » View newest pages » Build your own Japan page Tips and Photos about Japan in General Overview General Tips Tips: 360 - Pictures: 259 Restaurants Tips: 246 - Pictures: 159 Hotels and Accommodations Tips: 186 - Pictures: 97 Things To Do Tips: 610 - Pictures: 523 Nightlife Tips: 71 - Pictures: 44 Off the Beaten Path Tips: 170 - Pictures: 146 Tourist Traps Tips: 51 - Pictures: 28 Warnings or Dangers Tips: 114 - Pictures: 65 Transportation Tips: 240 - Pictures: 158 Local Customs Tips: 407 - Pictures: 320 Packing Lists Tips: 61 - Pictures: 26 Shopping Tips: 66 - Pictures: 50 Sports Travel Tips: 11 - Pictures: 9 » See tips about a specific place in Japan More Sponsored Links for Japan Hot Airfares to Japan Amazing one-way, round trip savings Buy unused seats on major airlines. Flights - Cheap Tickets Book Your Flight Online & Save. CheapTickets Makes It Simple! Japan Flights SuperSearch Across Multiple Sites And Find Low Fares To Japan Find: Destinations Members Keywords Matching: Advanced About VT | Contact Us | Site Tour | Advertising | Local Merchant Login | Travel Tools | VT Chat | VT Gear | Help User Agreement | Privacy Statement Virtual Tourist® ©1994-2005 VirtualTourist.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

vacation packages. Inclusive Adult

Club Med: the All-Inclusive Vacation Resorts Adventure Travel Packages, All Inclusive Resorts : Club Med, the Family and Single Vacations specialist. You need to have Javascript enabled to enter on the website. Clic here to enter Club Med Punta Cana in Dominican Republic. ClubMed Columbus Isle , Bahamas - San Salvador Archipelago Club Med Sandpiper : the best tennis and golf club for family vacations in Florida. Spring Break Vacation : Sandpiper in Florida ClubMed Phuket , Thailand - Kata Bay, in the heart of the Kingdom of Siam Vittel Ermitage , France - Vosges Club Med Cancun boasts a vibrant social atmosphere and lively evening entertaiment. Ibiza , Spain, The Balearics: Relaxation, sports or fiesta? Ski Vacations : on the Club Med Website, you will find the best vacations destinations, France and Switzerland, where you can practise your favourite snow sports . Ski Resort : the most beautiful ski resorts are found on the Club Med Website Club Med GM : short for gentils membres or gracious members. Club Med News : Club Med actuality and events are on the website. Air Inclusive Vacation : with more than 120 destinations all around the world, Club Med offers Air and vacation packages. Inclusive Adult Resorts : Inclusive Adult Resorts with Club Med. Crested Butte Ski : one of the first destination for skiing, Crested Butte in Colorado. Active Vacation : with more than 40 activities, you will enjoy the Active Vacation. Cancun Vacation : one of the most popular destination in the world. Florida Vacations : Experience American style holiday with Club Med Florida Village Family Resorts : Club Med, the Family Resorts specialist. Spring Break Vacations : Club Med equal Spring Break Vacations too. Club Med France Club Med UK Club Med Switzerland Club Med BE Club Med Italia Club Med Nederland

South America Travel

South American Explorers.org - Home to everything for South American Travel! Best Info Sheets, Trip Reports, Clubhouses, Volunteer options, and more! Home | About SAE | Help Out | Site Map | Search | Contact Us TRAVEL INFO | COUNTRIES | CLUBHOUSES | MAGAZINE | VOLUNTEER | JOBS | DISCOUNTS | TRAVEL STORE | MEMBER SERVICES Member's Area Login Username & Password New Issue of SAE! Subscribe Back Issues of Magazine Updates about S.A. Receive our eNews - Free! View eNewsletter Archives Recommended pages Store Items on Sale Holiday Gift Ideas Discounts page, Save $ Events Calendar SAE Wishlist Top 10 reasons to join SAE: 1. Clubhouses in key countries 2. Trip planning advice 3. Discounts on lodging, trips, etc 4. 64 page quarterly Magazine 5. Member-written trip reports 6. Free Internet, Mail & Fax 7. Knowlegeable Staff 8. Up-to-date, hard-to-find Info 9. Libraries, databases 10. Free storage in Clubhouses Not a member? click here. Join SAE today and receive a FREE Lonely Planet Phrasebook Headlines Headline full story... Welcome to South American Explorers.org Planning to study Spanish? Raft the Amazon? Hike the Inca Trail? Work on an archaeological dig? Find volunteer work? Explore the Galapagos? Scuba dive? Climb Aconcagua? Kayak the Apurima? Soak up sun on the beach? Drive or bicycle around the continent? Join an expedition? Or look for birds? Whatever you want to do, South American Explorers can help with trip planning, member recommended guides and outfitters, discounts on lodging, schools, travel...and much more. We are not a travel agency or a tour opperator, rather, we specialize in assisting independent travelers and groups make the most of their experiences. We provide personal help and attention to details backed up with nearly 30 years of experience. That’s how long we’ve been assisting scientists, researchers, students and others heading to South America . So, take some time to explore all our website has to offer and contact us today to see how we can help you ! Choose a Destination... Fresh web pages... Discounts in Cusco, Peru and More! . NEW Travel Store! BA Clubhouse page Bulletin Boards What the Guidebooks are saying... “For many long-term travelers, journalists, scientists and expat residents, this club has become almost legendary since it was founded in 1977. An information center for travelers, adventurers, and scientific expeditions, providing excellent advice about Latin American travel. A relaxing place to do research or just chat with the friendly staff in Lima or Cusco.” Lonely Planet, Peru “ The non-profit South American Explorers is widely recognized as the best place to go for information on South America. Highly recommended as a source for specialized information, member written trip reports, maps, lectures, and library resources. SAE publishes a 64-page quarterly journal, helps members plan trips and expeditions, stores gear, holds post, provides expert travel advice, etc. The SAE membership card is good for many discounts. Clubhouses are attractive and friendly.” South American Handbook 2006 “…an information network for South America. Since 1977, researchers, explorers, students, and long-term travelers from all over the world have used the SAE as a base…a leading source of information on Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Latin America as a whole. Services include trip reports, storage, discounts, use of library and map room, extensive volunteer database, South American Explorer magazine. Excellent for all information and advice.” The Bradt Trekking Guide, Peru and Bolivia “A gold mine of information about Peru and the rest of South America and the number one spot in the country to meet people.” Moon Guide, Peru "This outfit is well respected and is the ultimate resource for information about outdoor experiences. If you only make one call—or surf one website—this should be it." Let’s Go Story Title Lorem About Us | Site Map | Contact Us | Advertising | e-Newsletters | Magazine | Maps | Guidebooks | Discounts | Jobs | Volunteer | Store | Travel Insurance | Bulletin Boards | Travel Advisories | Trip Reports | Info Sheets | Donate | Clubhouses | Countries | Staff Only ©2005 South American Explorers

Cruise Vacations Your Cruise

Atlas Tours: Globus tours, Trafalgar tours, Tauck, Cosmos, Insight, Collette, maupintour Escorted Tours - Travel Tour operators and cruise lines such as Globus, Trafalgar, Tauck, Carnival, Princessand more. Escorted tour headquarters! Tours and Travel to alldestinations. Talk to an experienced travel agent to help you find the best tour and travel deals. ESCORTED TOUR SPECIALS All tour operators Globus Tours, Trafalgar Tours, Tauck Tours, Contiki, Insight, Collette, Maupintour and more. - Save $300 per Couple on Globus 2006 European Vacations - American Orient Express Exclusive Offers Copper Canyon & Colonial Mexico : February 11, 2006 Departure Save up to $500 ; National Parks of the West Train Tour: August 15, 2006 Departure Save up to $500 per person - AARP Members receive $100 per couple Discount with Globus Tours $25 per person with Cosmos . - Save up to 25% off regular season prices on winter tours Globus, Trafalgar, and Insight. Winter Tour season November-April - Group Tours if you have 8 or more touring together get special deals AtlasTravelWeb.com is one of the largest tour web sites on the internet, with unmatched service and exclusive tour offers. Featured Tour Operators Globus Tauck Trafalgar Collette Insight Contiki Most requested tour operators - Atlas is a "Top Producer" in the world for Globus , Cosmos , Insight , Trafalgar , Tauck , Contiki and other Tour Companies. - Specialty Tours: LuxuryTour.com | ChristmasMarketTours.com - We Are Your Escorted Tour Headquarters! Globus Tours Trafalgar Tours Tauck Tours Collette Tours Europe River Cruises Winter Australia Europe Winter Australia USA Europe Australia Family Events Europe Australia Asia Tour Destinations Special tour section for Italy Tours . With Tuscany & Sicily - US National Parks Tours - All budgets from 8-15 day tours - Tours of Hawai i - All budgets from 8-13 day tours - Fall Foliage Tours of the Northeastern USA - Explore the very popular region of Antarctica. - Site Map - Destination Tour Websites: give you the best selection of tours! Africa | Alaska | Antarctica | Asia | Australia | Britain | Canada | Europe | Fall Foliage | France | Hawaii | Ireland | Italy | National Parks | Russia | Scandinavia | South America | Spain River Cruises most requested River Cruise destinations River Cruise Specials - River Cruises: Save 5% off 3 prime summer departures MUST SEE! - Russia River Cruise - European River Cruises Rhine & Moselle River - Danube River Italy River Cruises - France River Cruise Multi-Country River Cruises - Egypt Cruises North America Rivers : Alaska , Great Lakes , Hudson River , East Coast , West Coast Sports Travel Packages most requested sporting events - College Bowl Games National Championship - Super Bowl Packages many packages - ProBowl - Kentucky Derby - NHL All Star - Nascar - Indy - Formula One - Tournament of Roses Package - Albuquerque Balloon Festival - Find your favorite sports package. Cruise Vacations Your Cruise Headquarters! most requested cruise lines Last Minute Cruise Specials C ruising Close to Home: Drive to your cruise! 23 departure ports in the United States and Canada East Coast: Baltimore | Boston | Charleston | Ft Lauderdale | Jacksonville | Miami | New York City | Norfolk | Philadelphia | Port Canaveral | Tampa West Coast: Los Angeles | San Diego | San Francisco Gulf Coast: Galveston | Houston | New Orleans Alaska: Seward Hawaii : Honolulu | Maui Canada: Montreal | Vancouver - Australia & South Pacific - Canada & New England - Hawaii - Mediterranean Cruise & CruiseTours - South America - Groups - book 8 cabins together get special deals SEARCH FOR A CRUISE Destination: Select a destination... Africa Alaska Alaska - Gulf Northbound Alaska - Gulf Southbound Alaska - Inside Passage Australia Bahamas Bermuda Canada Canada/New England Caribbean Caribbean - Eastern Caribbean - Southern Caribbean - Western Coastal Costa Rica Cruise To Nowhere Europe Northern Europe Europe - Western Far East Hawaii Mediterranean Mediterranean - Eastern Mexico New Zealand Pacific Coastal Panama Canal South America South Pacific Southeast Asia Tahiti Transatlantic Transcanal Transpacific World Cruise Sailing Date: All months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2005 2006 Duration: Any cruise length 1-2 Nights 3-6 Nights 7-9 Nights 10-14 Nights Over 14 Nights Cruise Line: Select a cruise line... Carnival Celebrity Costa Cruise West Crystal Cunard Delta Queen Discovery World Disney Holland America MSC Italian Norwegian Oceania Orient Princess Radisson Royal Caribbean Seabourn Silversea Viking River Windjammer Windstar More Search Options Book Your Flights Search for a Round-Trip Flight Round-Trip One-Way Multi-City 1 2 3 4 5 6 Passenger(s) Departure City or Airport Arrival City or Airport Departure Date and Time: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1:00 AM 2:00 AM 3:00 AM 4:00 AM 5:00 AM 6:00 AM 7:00 AM 8:00 AM 9:00 AM 10:00 AM 11:00 AM Noon 1:00 PM 2:00 PM 3:00 PM 4:00 PM 5:00 PM 6:00 PM 7:00 PM 8:00 PM 9:00 PM 10:00 PM 11:00 PM Midnight Return Date and Time: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1:00 AM 2:00 AM 3:00 AM 4:00 AM 5:00 AM 6:00 AM 7:00 AM 8:00 AM 9:00 AM 10:00 AM 11:00 AM Noon 1:00 PM 2:00 PM 3:00 PM 4:00 PM 5:00 PM 6:00 PM 7:00 PM 8:00 PM 9:00 PM 10:00 PM 11:00 PM Midnight More search options Vacation Specials - Book your Vacation Online - Caribbean, Bahamas, Mexico, and Hawaii. - Atlantis Paradise Island Bahamas - 1 4 acre waterscape, 3 million gallon saltwater habitat has over 100 species of tropical fish, lagoons, waterfalls, 5 pools, miles of sandy beaches & more. - Hawaii Vacation - 4 islands to choose from. - Walt Disney World Resort Florida - Enjoy over 47 square miles of Disney Theme Parks, world class recreation and themed resort hotels to suit every taste & budget. - Disney's Vero Beach Resort - Magic of Disney Meets the Beauty of the Beach. 2 hours southeast of the Disney Resorts. - Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort - Beauty of Hilton Head Island meets the magic of Disney. Web www.atlastravelweb.com AtlasTravelWeb.com - Contact Atlas: 1-800-942-3301 561-687-3301 5114 Okeechobee Blvd Suite 201 West Palm Beach, Fl 33417 - About Atlas: Click Here - Email: tours@atlastravelweb.com - Active M embers of Our other tour websites. EscortedTourOperators.com | LuxuryTour.com | ChristmasMarketTours.com Home | Marketplace | Newsletter | About Us | Privacy Policy | Site Agreement

Germany Travel Guides ,

Germany Sight-Seeing, Tours and Travel GERMANY Places to Stay in Germany Germany Tours & Travel Attractions, Culture, and more... GERMANY HOME GERMANY TOURS AND TRAVEL GERMANY TOURS AND TRAVEL 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. GERMANY TOURS: Berlin Tours , Bonn Tours , Cologne Tours , Dusseldorf Tours , Frankfurt Tours , Koblenz Tours , Mainz Tours , Frankfurt Tours , Koblenz Tours , Mainz Tours , Munich Tours , GERMANY TOURS & TRAVEL Berlin Tours and Travel Even though Berlin does have a number of impressive buildings from earlier centuries, the city's appearance today is mainly shaped by the key role it played in Germany's history in the 20th century. Each of the national governments which had their seat in Berlin initiated ambitious construction programs, each with its own character ... BERLIN TOURS: Berlin Sight-Seeing Tours , Day Trips from Berlin , Cologne Tours and Travel Cologne is one German city that has a very distinctive flavor to it. Most inhabitants take an exorbitant amount of pride in their city and the local language, resulting in sayings like Wo mir sin, is Koelle (Cologne is where we are). Cologne is a very friendly place, and the people are in general very friendly and open ... COLOGNE TOURS: Cologne Cruises , Cologne Transfers , Munich Tours and Travel Munich is a popular tourist destination and has been described as Germany's secret capital. Center of the city is the Marienplatz with the Old and the New Townhall, its tower contains as attraction the Rathaus-Glockenspiel, an ornate clock with almost life-sized moving figures that show scenes from a medieval jousting tournament ... MUNICH TOURS: Sight-Seeing Tours , Night Tours , Day Tours , TOURS & TRAVEL IN OTHER AREAS OF GERMANY BONN, GERMANY, TOURS & TRAVEL KD Rhine Pass - Bonn 1 day - An easy way to start your romantic day on the Rhine: Present your KD ticket onboard any KD ship and enjoy all scheduled day cruises on the Rhine and Moselle rivers for one whole day. The extensive and reliable timetable enables you to disembark as often as you like at the many interesting stops... DUSSELDORF, GERMANY, TOURS & TRAVEL Advent Afternoon Cruise - Dusseldorf 2 hours - A wonderful way to see pre-Christmas Dusseldorf! Enjoy afternoon tea onboard MS Warsteiner as you listen to music and watch the world go by! An easy way to start your romantic day on the Rhine: Present your KD ticket onboard any KD ship and enjoy all scheduled day cruises on the Rhine and Moselle rivers ... Christmas Lunch Time Cruise - Dusseldorf 2 hours - Sail through the city with the sounds of music in your ears and the aroma of a festive lunch floating through the air! Take the opportunity of this fantastic cruise onboard the MS Warsteiner, to take panoramic photographs of beautiful Dusseldorf. Dusseldorf is the bustling Rhine metropolis right in the heart of Europe... Romantic Evening Cruise - Dusseldorf 3 hours - Sail the beautiful Rhine around Christmas-time Dusseldorf as you enjoy live music and dancing! A wonderful way to see the city of Dusseldorf, from it's most attractive angle!A festive and romantic atmosphere with live music and dancing. Relax against the backdrop of Dusseldorf's Christmas-time panorama... FRANKFURT, GERMANY, TOURS & TRAVEL Christmas Delight 4 days / 3 nights - Enjoy the festive feeling of German Christmas as you travel through the Christmas Markets of this wonderful region! Enjoy a trip to the Erzgebirge region, to the ancient miner villages of Annaberg and Scheenberg, the home of the German tradition of woodcarving and Christmas Pyramids ... Private Frankfurt Arrival Transfer Varies, subject to traffic - Pre-organising transfers is now the norm for many travellers. Secure not only a great rate by locking in today's price, but secure peace of mind also. Leave the worrying for the birds and travel knowing your transfer is waiting for you at the airport! Why worry about catching a taxi ... Private Frankfurt Departure Transfer Varies, subject to traffic - Prebook your transfer from the comfort of your computer desk! Let your fingers do the hard work - all you do is click away! Print your voucher and present it at your hotel upon pickup, and the rest is history! Why worry about the inconvenience of calling and waiting for a cab? Don't go to the discomfort ... KOBLENZ, GERMANY, TOURS & TRAVEL KD Rhine Pass - Nostalgic Route 1 Day - The good old days of steamship travel are back! Take advantage of this unique nostalgic highlight and experience the best known sights on the steamship GOETHE on the romantic Middle Rhine. This fabulous boat-trip invites you to dream of castles, fairy tales and the good old days. Book now to experience this ... KD Rhine Pass - Koblenz 1 Day - An easy way to start your romantic day on the Rhine: Present your KD ticket onboard any KD ship and enjoy all scheduled day cruises on the Rhine and Moselle rivers for one whole day. The extensive and reliable timetable enables you to disembark as often as you like at the many interesting stops ... MAINZ, GERMANY, TOURS & TRAVEL KD Rhine Pass - Koblenz 1 Day - An easy way to start your romantic day on the Rhine: Present your KD ticket onboard any KD ship and enjoy all scheduled day cruises on the Rhine and Moselle rivers for one whole day. The extensive and reliable timetable enables you to disembark as often as you like at the many interesting stops ... GERMANY HOTELS AND ACCOMMODATION GERMANY HOME GERMANY TOURS AND TRAVEL SEE ALSO FOR GERMANY: PLACES TO STAY: ALL HOTELS , Berlin , Bonn , Cologne , Dresden , Dusseldorf , Frankfurt , Hamburg , Hanover , Heidelberg , Leipzig , Munich , Niedersachsen , Stuttgart , TOURS & TRAVEL: ALL TOURS , Berlin Tours , Bonn , Cologne Tours , Dusseldorf , Frankfurt , Koblenz , Mainz , Munich Tours , ATTRACTIONS, CULTURE & MORE: BERLIN: Brandenburg Gate , Potsdamer Platz , FESTIVALS & EVENTS: Christmas Markets , Oktoberfest , World Cup 2006 , SHOP: Germany Posters and Prints , Germany Travel Guides , Images of Germany CULTURE OF GERMANY: 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 its frequent to find people - especially young people - openly declaring that theyd rather be not German and that there are many foreign places theyd 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. Theres 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 theres truth to that. Obviously, there have been significant German artists for many centuries - just think of Albrecht Drer 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 -, its this ideal that Germans hold the present against. And obviously, the present doesnt 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 theyre 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. Top of Page | Places to Stay in Germany | Things to Do in Germany | Links , Site Map | Contact Us GERMANY Places to Stay in Germany Germany Tours & Travel Attractions, Culture, and more... Germany Travel Guides Germany Posters See Also: Austria Netherlands Switzerland