What You're Getting Yourself Into

Before you decide to embark on a journey to what is considered as a trip of a lifetime, you must understand what type of area you are entering. Luckily, your savior is here to inform you on what to expect when you first step foot onto the rich German land.

Climate:
The general climate of Germany follows the pattern of the Tropic of Cancer: winters are cold and summers are warm, with fall and spring in the middle. The weather depends on where and when you visit. The ideal time to tour Germany is in between May and October. During these months, the weather is neither too hot and humid nor too chilly and brutal; it is normally in perfect moderation. Some areas are subject to minor digression from this weather pattern due to latitude and altitude.

Population:
Unlike countries like the United States and Japan, Germany has a sustainable population. Germany ranks as the sixteenth largest population with approximately eighty-one million (80,716,000) people, but has a higher density of two hundred thirty-three people per square kilometer. The demographics show that a significant portion of the population is between the ages of 25-54, which is common for most developed countries.

Currency:
Over time, Germany has switched their currencies. Currently, Germany's primary form of currency is the Euro ever since the Euro Zone was first established in 1999. It is recommended that you research exchange rates of different foreign currency agencies for whatever currency you use daily to avoid foreign transaction fees from ATMs in Germany. MasterCard, Visa, and American Express credit cards are accepted in Germany, but many shops prefer cash and will refuse to accept credit payment.

Languages Spoken:
Germany is home to people of many languages. The official language of Germany is Standard German, which is spoken by 95% of the population. First and second generation settlers have also brought over many ethnically diverse languages, such as Turkish, Kurdish, Russian, Arabic, Greek, Igbo, Dutch, Polish, Serbo-Croatian, and Spanish. If you are coming from an English-speaking background, there is no need to worry because English is taught as a second language in Germany. Rest assured, you will find an English speaking person on your trip.

Religious Makeup: 
When you go to Germany, one aspect of the culture you will not see is religious diversity. 62% of the nation follow Christianity and the runner up is Islam which only 5% of the nation follows. This has been the case for centuries; ever since the Protestant Reformation in 1517, which accused the Catholic Churches of corrupting Christian faith, the majority of the nation switched to Christianity.

Political Makeup:
Germany implements a federal parliamentary republic. The executive branch is made up of a Chief of State, Head of Government, and a Cabinet. The Chief of State, Chancellor Angela Merkel, deals with foreign affairs while the Head of Government, President Joachim Gauck, works with laws and government decisions. In the German parliament,  The legislative branch consists of two parts: the Bundestag, which is the parliament of Germany, and the Bundesrat, which is a representative group of the states. There are two political parties in Germany: the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD). Both groups are fairly conservative with the CDU possessing more conservative views than the SPD. In terms of voting, due to the fact that Germany follows a parliament political system, the Bundestag conduct elections every four years among the members to elect a new Chief of State and Head of Government.

Customs:
-When entering a room, shake hands with everybody, including children.
-In general, wait for your host or hostess to introduce you to a group.
-Titles are very formal and denote respect.

Warnings:
-Recently, Germany showed support towards Russia with regards to the Ukrainian Crisis presently occurring. This stirred up disputes and chaos throughout the country which will not ease down too soon based off of Germany's position in this issue. Travelers should be alarmed that at any given moment, changes in the environment may occur, whether they are protests, military placement throughout the country, etc.
-Additionally, Germany is facing rapid tick growth. Summer is the ideal time for ticks to begin breeding due to its warm weather, which is leading to the exponential increase in population of ticks. Ticks are known to attach to humans and pierce their skin, causing humans to contract Lyme's disease. Essentially, Lyme's disease is more prevalent in Germany and people who go/live there are at a higher risk.

You've reached the point where you decide whether or not you are up to take this trip to Germany. These are the basics to what you will face while you spend your time over there; does Germany still sound as appealing as it did before?

The Trip

Congratulations! If you are still reading this trip advisor, you are continuing to invest interest into a trip to Germany. Now I will present to you you're vacation all set up. The main objective is to enjoy your stay in Germany without returning home bankrupt. To do so, a vacation is set up so that you do not have to worry about spending your life savings for a week's trip.

Transportation:
The best way to reach Germany is by flying to Frankfurt because tickets to Frankfurt are competitively lower when compared to directly flights to Berlin or Munich (unless you wish to take a boat or even swim; that is your call). If you decided to fly over to Frankfurt hypothetically from Newark, the eight hour trip to Frankfurt and eight hour trip back to Newark would cost $1,150.00. Once you reach to Germany, it is recommended that you rent a car over there. A car rental from companies like Avis and Hertz at Frankfurt Airport charge a rate of $11 per day of rental for a car. In order to calculate your total transportation expenses (TTP), you can use the formula TTP = 11x + 1,150, where x equals the number of days you rent the car.

Lodging:
In Germany, there are many hotels to choose from, but when someone is out of the country, it is necessary to stay in a high end hotel to prevent any issues outside of your own country. The top hotel to stay at for the sake of your safety is the Waldorf Astoria Berlin, where you will go directly after your flight reaches Frankfurt. At a rate of one hundred sixty-two euros per night, you are housed in a luxurious room located in the main downtown area of Berlin. Everyday, you will wake up to the brilliant sounds of Berlin and come home to a five star customer service that Hilton is known for.

Dining:
Just like many main stream cities, Berlin offers a wide variety of food to its people. If you're in the mood for some Italian food, you're in luck because Berlin itself has over nineteen restaurants dedicated to Italian food. If you want to taste exquisite German food, over a hundred restaurants specialize in cultural cuisine to show visitors why Germans are huge fans of eating. Say you do not wish to eat in a fancy restaurant. Many fast food franchises are located all over the city, such as McDonalds, Chipotle, etc. You name what you want to eat and nine times out of ten you will find it.

Five Attractions:
Obviously you are not there just to eat and sleep; you want to see attractions as well! Without doubt Berlin has more than enough to offer. Theres a chance that you may not finish all of the excursions due to the fact that summer only lasts three months when in reality you need at least six to cover Germany in its entirety. For starters, a map of where you will be visiting has been prepared.

Here are the five main attractions that I encourage you to see.

1. Berlin Wall: The Berlin Wall was set up in 1961 to divide East Berlin, which was controlled by Hitler's Nazi Germany, and West Berlin, which was controlled by the United States and allies. The remains of this wall after being taken down in 1989 serves as the main icon of the end of Hitler's dictatorship and more importantly birth of a new Germany.

2. The Brandenburg Gate: This gloriously sculpted, neoclassical triumphal arch was once the entrance to Germany in the 18th century and is located on the western part of Berlin. After being marred by World War II, the Brandenburg Gate was rebuilt from 2000 to 2002.

3. Reichstag Building: Only one block north from the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag Building was constructed in 1883 to house the German Imperial Diet, but had to be evacuated due to a major fire in 1933. The building was restored in the 1990s by architect Norman Foster.

4. Museum Island: This island is dedicated to numerous museums regarding the old city of Colin. It depicts the centuries of German culture with ancient buildings from the city itself.

5. Allianz Arena: Throughout Europe, there is one thing that brings everybody together: soccer. Germany, like many European countries, is very passionate towards soccer. They have multiple soccer (considered as football in Europe) leagues, one of which contains the one of the best soccer clubs in the world. Additionally, Germany excels at soccer as a country during the FIFA World Cup, winning multiple championships in the past. Due to the importance of soccer in Germany, it is necessary to take a tour of the stadium of the premier soccer team in Germany: Bayern Munich's Allianz Arena. 

Major Cities: 

Germany is more than just Berlin and Munich. There are many cities to visit, so once you complete Berlin, the other cities you can visit are:

-Munich

-Hamburg 

-Frankfurt 

-Cologne. 

Well there you have it. After reading all this, you know what Germany has to offer. It's time to pack your bags and get ready for one hell of a trip! Enjoy!