Cities like Dusseldorf, Essen and Dortmund are the highlights of this region. In the western part are the famous valleys of the Rhine, Moselle and Neckar, where you can find the medieval charm of Germany at its best. There are plenty of possibilities to go on a boat ride on one of the rivers or to taste the excellent wine of this region. Heidelberg is a must see city in this region with the majestic castle and attractive old quarters.
In the central part, the Harz Mountains is an area of great beauty and with many charming, small cities and towns. Although the Harz Mountains do not have peaks and valleys so pronounced as the Alps, they offer several sport activities throughout the year without the tourist overpopulation of the Alps. Among cities worth visiting in the central part are Rothenburg, Heidelberg, Wurzburg and Goslar. Southern Germany spots highlights such as the Black Forest with magnificent landscapes of lakes and deep wood. Very famous and scenic are also the Bavarian Alps with inviting places like Garmisch-Partenkirchen and the Zugspitze as Germany's highest peak.
The most important international airports in Germany are Frankfurt (FRA), Munich (MUC) and Dusseldorf (DUS), as well as a few other but smaller airports. Infra structure in Germany is very well developed, with a polycentric network of high-speed trains. The InterCityExpress or ICE the most advanced service category of trains, and serves major Germain cities as well as destinations in neighbouring countries. The train maximum speed varies between 160 km/h and 300 km/h. The extensive motorway (Autoban) network ranks worldwide third in its total length, and is without speed limits on the majority of routes.
There is a wealth of accommodation in Germany to suit all travellers including budget lodging, travel lodges, bed and breakfast, ordinary hotels and luxury hotels and resorts. All hotels in Germany are ranked by stars (1 to 5 stars). The rankings are made independently and are therefore reliable. The rate always includes VAT, is usually per room and includes breakfast in most places.
