Germany– A Quick & Quirky Guide
Official name: Federal Republic of Germany (Bundesrepublik Deutschland)
Area: ~357,600 km² – not huge, but it fits a lot of sausages
Population: ~84 million (2024)
Location: Central Europe, bordered by 9 countries (more neighbors than anyone else in Europe)
Form of government: Federal parliamentary republic
Head of State: Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier
Head of Government: Chancellor Olaf Scholz (since 2021)
Capital city: Berlin (~3.7 million in city, ~6 million metro)
Time zone: Central European Time (UTC+1 / +2 in summer)
Official language: German (though you’ll also hear plenty of Turkish, English, and dialects nobody understands)
Currency: Euro (€)
EU member: Founding member (1957)
Schengen area: Yes, since 1995
Top 10 Largest Cities (population approx.)
- Berlin – ~3.7 million
- Hamburg – ~1.8 million
- Munich (München) – ~1.5 million
- Cologne (Köln) – ~1.1 million
- Frankfurt am Main – ~0.8 million
- Stuttgart – ~0.6 million
- Düsseldorf – ~0.6 million
- Leipzig – ~0.6 million
- Dortmund – ~0.6 million
- Essen – ~0.6 million
Popular Tourist Cities & Regions
• Berlin – Hipster capital, full of history, graffiti, and clubs that never close.
• Munich – Oktoberfest, beer gardens, and lederhosen galore.
• Hamburg – Port city with a famous red-light district and lots of bridges (more than Venice!).
• Cologne – A massive Gothic cathedral and carnival season that gets wild.
• Frankfurt – Europe’s financial hub, skyscrapers + sausages.
• Black Forest – Fairy-tale landscapes, cuckoo clocks, and lots of cake.
• Bavarian Alps – Castles (hello, Neuschwanstein) and ski resorts.
Climate
Moderate but moody. Summers can be pleasantly warm (20–30 °C), winters chilly with some snow (–5 to 5 °C). Rain shows up uninvited year-round, and in autumn, gray skies are practically a national accessory.
Culture & Daily Life
• Efficiency: Germans love punctual trains… except when they’re late (which is often).
• Beer & bread: Over 300 kinds of bread and 1,500+ types of beer — breakfast is serious business.
• Rules: If there’s a sign, follow it. If there’s no sign, someone will still tell you the rule.
• Football (soccer): Borderline religion, especially if Bayern Munich is playing.
Food & Drink
• Classics: Bratwurst, schnitzel, sauerkraut, pretzels.
• Regional stars: Currywurst (Berlin), Weißwurst (Munich), Döner kebab (adopted but beloved).
• Drinks: Beer (served in liters, not glasses), Riesling wine, schnapps.
• Sweets: Black Forest cake, apple strudel, Christmas gingerbread.
Summary
Germany is Europe’s powerhouse — engineering, cars, beer, and Beethoven. It balances high-tech industry with fairy-tale castles, loves order but throws wild festivals, and somehow makes efficiency look cool. Whether you’re here for history, sausages, or techno raves, Germany has it all — and probably a train to take you there.