Germany : Practical information
Official languages: German
National currency: Euro (€)
Voltage: 220-230* | Frequency: 50
Socket type: C, F
Time zone: UTC/GMT + 1h
Telephone country code: + 00 49
Emergency numbers: Police: 110 | Fire brigade & ambulance: 112
The "land of poets and thinkers", Germany has always been a hub of arts and culture, stuffed with poets, philosphers and composers. Einstein, Beethoven, Mozart, and Nietzsche are just some of the geniuses to have contributed to this country's cultural reputation throughout the ages.
The capital,
Berlin is a buzzing modern city of contemporary arts and media, creative industries and research. Well known for its liberal nature and vibrant nightlife, Berlin is the European focal point for electronic music.
Hamburg is a dynamic port city with a thriving performance art scene: you'll find a plethora of theatres, museums and clubs and music venues.
Munich is also particularly renowned for its museums and culture, and is the location for the famous
Oktoberfest each autumn.
Germany is of course well known for its beer, with a national consumption of 116 litres per person annually it is very much a part of German culture. German cuisine is full of regional specialities of which meat is a prime ingredient, with over 1,500 German varieties of
wurst or sausages. Cheese also appears on the menu, particularly at berakfast time. A German saying goes "breakfast like an Emperor, lunch like a King, dine like a beggar", and indeed breakfast is usually a feast.
A supremely well organised transport system conforms to the German stereotype, while the German people are, above all, known to be extremely welcoming: you are sure to feel at home wherever you are in Germany.