When in Germany, get a taste of both the city and the countryside with its mountains and herds of cows. Enjoy linzertorte, leberkässemmel, currywurst, veal schnitzel, toffifee, käsespätzle, and plenty of coffee and cake.

Ravensburg

Eats

• Nubers Cafe – This charming oasis features a quaint farmhouse turned boutique home goods shop and a café. They offered lovely seasonal strawberry cake, iced coffee, apple pie, and the ambiance of an amazing garden with outdoor seating. Everything was delightful!
• Hopfendolde – A small local spot with solid schnitzel. However, I wouldn’t recommend their currywurst, as it was too sweet and lacked enough curry sauce.
• Metzgerei Fesslerhof – This butcher shop, dairy farm, and café greets you after a hike of under three miles. I enjoyed their Leberkässemmel, fresh sausage, sauerkraut, mustard, and bread.
• Gasthaus Riedstüble – Continuing on the trail, you’ll find another café offering a fantastic selection of desserts. Their raspberry and vanilla ice cream creation was incredible.
• ZUM HIRSCHEN – Hotel & Gasthaus beim Stöckeler – This place served the best veal schnitzel I had in Germany, with locals also praising the beer. I didn’t try it, but the tender white asparagus in butter was delicious.
• Fidelisbäck Bäckerei und Gastwirtschaft – Located in a lovely part of town, this bakery is surrounded by amazing shops. On Wednesdays, they host a farmers’ market where I had the best currywurst of my time in Germany.
• Pâtisserie de Pierre – Overpriced, in my opinion. We tried the strawberry pistachio, apricot tart, and a vanilla, chocolate, and raspberry dessert.

Sights

• Wildpark Sonnenhalde – A delightful spot with miniature ponies, llamas, and plenty of fun for the whole family!
• Lake Constance – A stunning lake, with scenic views from the German, Austrian, or Swiss side.
• Bauernhaus-Museum Allgäu-Oberschwaben Wolfegg – A remarkable open-air museum covering over 10 acres, featuring historical farmhouses furnished in their original condition, offering a true taste of the rural cultural history of Upper Swabia and the western Allgäu.
• Wangener Wochenmarkt – A weekly market held on Wednesdays, with at least 70 stalls offering a wide variety of food, drinks, flowers, decorations, and homemade and fresh produce from local farmers.

Berlin

Eats

• Sahara – My experience was underwhelming; I wouldn’t recommend it.
• Wurst 🙂 – Solid currywurst, not the best I’ve had, but true to form.
• Cô Chu – Amazing Vietnamese selection! The spring rolls and vermicelli noodle bowls were incredible.
• Rüyam Gemüse Kebab 2 – INSANE! I want to go back to Berlin just for this Döner Kebab. Truly an incredible flavor experience. Cash only!

Sights

• Brandenburg Gate – Very crowded architectural attraction, but fun to see the variety of people, with many stag parties around. The neoclassical arch, originally built by a Prussian king to commemorate victory, depicts the Greek goddess of peace, Eirene. It has a long history, having withstood the distress of WWII, with bullet holes and explosion scratches still visible.
• Marie-Elisabeth-Lüders-Haus – I really enjoyed viewing this building from across the river.
• Reichstag Building – Parliament building with a nice glass dome on top.
• Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe – You might miss it if you’re not looking, but there’s an entrance below the stone pillars with one of the most thoughtful and well-done displays of the Jews impacted by the terrors of the 1900s.
• Mall of Berlin – I’m not a big mall person, but there’s a metal slide inside that goes down three stories.
• Checkpoint Charlie – Known for the 16-hour standoff between Soviet and U.S. forces. Many incredible stories of people fleeing East Berlin, and if you don’t know, the fall of the Berlin Wall was partly due to an official’s slip-up at a live press conference, causing a large crowd to gather, and in an attempt to control the situation, they let some people through, which started a flow that could not be stopped.
• ICF Berlin – Wonderful church community. All the youth attend the evening service!
• Berlin Cathedral / Lustgarten – Fantastic area to walk around and admire some incredible architecture.
• Gemäldegalerie – One of my favorite art galleries ever. I saw a painting here that made me tear up. Rembrandt’s Baroque painting style is stunning.
• Memorial and Museum Sachsenhausen – A large site with a powerful story of the individuals impacted there. Very few buildings remain, and much of the content has been destroyed.
• Berlin Wall Memorial – Not something you need to see, but if you’re walking around, it’s worth stopping by.

Munich

Eats

• Hofbrauhaus – One of Munich’s most famous beer halls. You walk in, seat yourself, and are promptly met with some curt German service. Not because they don’t like you but because it’s a very busy tourist attraction.
• Viktualienmarkt – Metzgerei Friedl had the best Leberkässemmel. I also tried Schokokuss, a wafer with marshmallow and a chocolate coating, and I would absolutely not recommend it.
• Königlicher Hirschgarten Restaurant & Biergarten & Takeaway – A wonderful beer garden recommended by locals for its great value and quality, with beautiful deer nearby.

Sights

• Nymphenburg Palace Park – Beautiful, massive garden grounds that remind me of the Palace of Versailles, but with a more wooded atmosphere.
• Munich Cathedral – Lovely to visit inside with absolutely impressive architecture.
• Glockenspiel am Münchner Rathaus – It’s the Rathaus, where their government meets. Iconic, yet again.
• Heilig Geist – A beautiful white Gothic church.
• Court Garden – Lovely gardens for a peaceful walk.