Experience new things, have fun and relax.Vibrant cities with amazing architecture, fabulous shopping and pulsating nightlife. Enchanting medieval villages and traditional wine villages with friendly festivals and regional specialities.

Millions of visitors to Germany have already discovered that exploring the country by bike can be both relaxing and exci ting. Here, you can find a selection of the most beautiful long-distance bicycle routes and regions including route descriptions, maps, sightseeing attractions and tips. Therefore, the federal states of Germany present themselves by means of their long-distance bicycle routes.

Germany's natural landscapes offer a wealth of options for an unforgettable holiday: long sandy beaches on the coasts and lake shores, enchanting lowland plains, extensive ranges of hills and the high peaks of the Alps. Whether you choose leisurely exploration, a spa or wellness break, or a sports activity on land, on water or in the air, you'll be amazed at what Germany has to offer.

Berlin - The most challenging city you’ll ever love. While the name Berlin might still carry echoes of its tumultuous past, the city itself is a spectacular place to visit.

Cologne - Koelsch, Carnival & the River Rhine. Cologne is at once four things: a shopping center, a media capital, an artistic hub, and a traffic junction near Holland.

Nuremberg - Vibrant medieval town, A fascinating symbiosis of modern metropolis with a population of half a million, and medieval centre, dominated by the majestic medieval Kaiserburg Castle. Nuremberg is a vibrant city with a warm, welcoming atmosphere.

Hannover - Trade fair venue and garden city. Hannover is the world's foremost trade fair venue and always has plenty going on, whatever the time of year. The Royal Gardens (Königliche Gärten) are the jewel in Hannover's crown, and provide a magnificent setting for firework displays, theatre, cabaret and concerts every summer.

Düsseldorf - Fashion capital and centre of culture on the Rhine. Düsseldorf is a vibrant, modern city on the Rhine – elegant, welcoming and cosmopolitan with a typically light-hearted Rhenish attitude. Fashion, culture and lifestyle are its signatures.

Stuttgart - Multifaceted city. Surrounded by rolling hills, forests and vineyards at the heart of the Neckar valley, this regional capital has an unforgettable setting and a wealth of architectural styles that give it a charm of its own.

Saarland - the smallest of Germany's federal states, borders on France and Luxembourg. Its Völklingen Ironworks UNESCO world heritage site is its most popular cultural attraction.

Saxony - Apart from the well-known cities, Dresden, Chemnitz and Leipzig, Saxony also has delightful smaller towns like Meissen, Seiffen or Annaberg that are well worth a visit. The Elbe Sandstone Massif in Saxon Switzerland and the Erzgebirge mountains never fail to enchant visitors.

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania - The region is shaped by water, be it the fascinating coastline or the varied countryside inland. The Hanseatic towns hold impressive reminders of the region's former power, and its seaside health resorts still reflect their history as leading spa destinations. Palaces, stately homes, parks, gardens and lakes are characteristic features of the state.

Hessen - People with charm and joie de vivre, friendly and sincere. Whether you are looking for culture, activities or a family holiday – Hessen has countless attractions to offer. Frankfurt am Main is Europe's financial services capital and Frankfurt Airport is the largest aviation hub in continental Europe.

Hamburg - One of the most exciting parts of northern Germany. From high to alternative culture, from historical to modern, from the urban to the countryside, excitement by day, by night, on land or on water: Hamburg is open to all sorts of influences.

Bremen - The dynamic heart of north-west Germany and the traditional home of the Bremen Town Musicians. A modern federal state that's a perfect blend of traditional values and a cosmopolitan outlook.

German cuisine varies greatly from region to region. The southern regions of Germany, Bavaria and Swabia share many dishes. The same dished may be found in their neighbouring countries, south of Germany, Switzerland and Austria.

Typical German cuisine varies according to each German state's culinary tradition, to its regional agriculture, and to the new tastes of new Germans who have settled in the reunited Germany. Nordrhein Westfalen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Saarland and Baden-Wuertenburg's traditional specialties, for example, include ingredients typified in the agriculture around the Black Forest and the Rhein river, and by a wine tradition influenced by the proximity to Belgium, France and Switzerland. They include dishes like the "Badener Schneckensuepple" (a snail chowder flavored with herbs), "Schwarzwalder Kirschtorte" (Black Forest cake), and "Rheinischer Sauerbraten" (beef roast stewed with wine).

Although located mostly at latitudes north of the United States-Canadian border and thus closer to the Arctic Circle than to the equator, Germany's climate is moderate and is generally without sustained periods of cold or heat. Northwestern and coastal Germany have a maritime climate caused by warm westerly winds from the North Sea; the climate is characterized by warm summers and mild cloudy winters.

Farther inland, the climate is continental, marked by greater diurnal and seasonal variations in temperature, with warmer summers and colder winters.