A first journey through Germany becomes easier once each stop has a different purpose. Berlin and Munich create a useful contrast: layered 20th-century history and nightlife in the capital, then Bavarian tradition, beer culture and Alpine day trips in the south. Dresden or Cologne can serve as a shorter third stop, since both are a manageable rail hop from an anchor city. Choose two anchors and one deliberate contrast instead of trying to represent every region in a single week.
A Germany itinerary for 7 to 10 days by train works best with two or three bases. One efficient plan is Berlin for three or four nights, then Munich for three, with a Nuremberg or Dresden stop if the timetable allows. High-speed ICE trains link the major cities directly: Berlin-Munich takes roughly four hours, Berlin-Hamburg about ninety minutes, and Cologne-Frankfurt around an hour. Regional trains and the Deutschlandticket flat-rate pass fill in shorter and local connections, so a rental car is unnecessary for this classic city route.
The best time to visit Germany to avoid the biggest crowds is usually late April to June or September, once the Oktoberfest crowds thin out. These months are warm enough for outdoor beer gardens and long walks but calmer than the July-August peak. Late November through December brings a different, deliberately busy season: Christmas markets in Nuremberg, Dresden and Cologne are genuinely worth the crowds, running roughly from November 24 to December 24. Winter outside the market season suits museums, Berlin's indoor sights and lower hotel prices.
Food and drink change by region, so a single "German restaurant" idea misses the point. Try currywurst and doner kebab in Berlin, weisswurst and pretzels in a Munich beer hall, fish sandwiches around Hamburg's harbor, and Rhineland specialties with a glass of Kolsch in Cologne. A simple bakery or supermarket lunch often costs 10-15 euros, a beer-hall meal 15-25 euros, and a comfortable sit-down dinner with drinks 25-45 euros per person outside the most touristic addresses.
How much does a trip to Germany cost? Excluding international flights, a careful traveler can often plan around 70-90 euros per person per day using hostels, self-catering and the Deutschlandticket, while a comfortable mid-range trip is more realistically 150-220 euros once hotels, ICE trains and paid sights are included. Landmark costs add up: Neuschwanstein Castle's guided tour, the Museum Island area ticket in Berlin and the Cologne Cathedral tower climb are all worth booking directly through their official sites rather than a marked-up reseller.
A few cultural habits change how a Germany trip actually runs. Sundays close almost all shops, supermarkets and many pharmacies nationwide, though train-station shops stay open, so plan grocery runs for Saturday. Cash is still expected at many bakeries, markets and smaller restaurants even as card acceptance improves, so carry at least 30 to 50 euros in small notes. Crossing a street against a red pedestrian signal, even with no traffic, draws real disapproval and can carry a fine, and residential buildings often enforce quiet hours in the evening and on Sundays. None of this is difficult once you expect it; it only becomes a problem when a trip is planned as if Germany worked exactly like the traveler's home country.
Beyond the five anchor cities, Germany rewards a route that adds one region rather than a second checklist of cities. The Rhine Valley between Cologne and Frankfurt strings together castle towns, vineyards and river cruises that work well as a half-day or overnight extension from Cologne. The Bavarian Alps and the Romantic Road are the natural extension from Munich, reachable by regional train or a short rental-car loop, and reward travelers who want half-timbered towns and mountain scenery alongside city time. The Black Forest, further west, is better suited to a car-based extension and pairs awkwardly with a purely rail-based city itinerary, so treat it as a reason to add days rather than squeeze it into an existing route. Each of these additions changes the trip's rhythm: a rail-only week stays efficient and predictable, while adding a rural region trades some of that ease for scenery and a slower pace.
Berlin
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