Germany Trip Plan:
The European Route of Brick Gothic: from Berlin to the North of Germany, Hamburg

Schloss Sanssouci, Potsdam
[ source: Flickr]

Day 1: Berlin, the capital city of Germany, and Potsdam

Berlin is an exciting city of contrasts. Forever evolving it can be explored in a countless variety of historical and modern attractions. The city has over 170 museums, making Berlin one of the world's prime locations for first-rate historical art collections, cultural exhibitions as well as museums of science and technology. A vibrant cultural scene has a lot to offer – no matter what your preference is, you're guaranteed to find something to suit your taste and interests. There are also countless places for shopping sprees: wickedly expensive temples of consumption, flea markets, and antique markets. Potsdam, the neighbor city of Berlin, is also worth a visit, as it is the city of Prussian palaces and gardens. Potsdam offers not only a historical heritage, a source of pride known well beyond our state, but also a richly diverse selection of modern culture and art; each year thousands enjoy the "Potsdam Night of the Palaces", Sanssouci Palace and Potsdam’s park landscape belong to the world cultural heritage.

Beach of Koserow, Usedom Island
[ source: Flickr]

Day 2: Berlin to Usedom Island

Experts value the unique fine, white, beach sand of Usedom Island; those more interested in the cultural side of things enjoy swimming in the shade of the many piers, whilst some like to watch what’s going on on the beach from a bird’s eye view whilst parasailing.

Usedom Island is also well-known for its unique Seaside Resort Architecture, as the island already became in the early 19th century the preferred summer residence of the Prussian emperors, and of the financial, economic and cultural establishment of the German Reich. The village of Zinnowitz you will stay in perfectly reflects this history, as it was founded in 1851 by permission of the king, but became a sea resort in a modern sense not before the early 20th century. Today the “Three Imperial Spas“ (in German called “Kaiserbäder” because the German emperors of the 19th and 20th century used to spend their holidays here, and because most of the buildings on the isalnd were built during this period) give you the opportunity to discover this period of time. While visiting here, take advantage of the many excursions available to you like the excursion to Peenemuende or Greifswald along with many others. Ask your tour guide which would be the best for you!

Wassertor (Water Gate) in Wismar, Germany
[ source: Wikipedia]

Day 3: Usedom via Wismar and Lübeck to Hamburg

After leaving Usedom Island you will soon enter the new coast motorway, and arrive quickly at the marvelous hanseatic cities of Wismar, and later at Lübeck.

Wismar is a nice town in Mecklenburg Western Pomerania with a port on the Baltic Sea, and was a powerful member of the Hanseatic Trading League in the 14th and 15th century. Later there was an occupation of Wismar by the Swedes for about 200 years until 1903 that had strong influences on architecture and the style of the city. From lovely buildings in hanseatic gothic brick style to Swedish gable houses - nowadays the traces of the Swedish control can be found everywhere in the historical old town center. Four wonderful churches are the landmarks of Wismar; remarkable is the large red brick cathedral of St. Nikolai, one of the biggest churches in Europe. Enjoy the charm of the town of Wismar which was added onto the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites for its brick constructions and churches. Highlights are the huge market sqare with the Dutch Renaissance-style pavilion called “Wasserkunst” and the buildings surrounding it like the neoclassical Town Hall and the restaurant Old Swede (Alter Schwede) built in 1380. From there it's a nice walk through the twisting streets of the historic center which once was the backdrop for the vampire film "Nosferatu". The seafront area with old buildings and a fish market, give the flair of the olden days of seafaring and is absolutely worth seeing.

Hamburg at Dusk
[ source: Wikipedia]

Day 4: Hamburg, major port and trading point of Germany

Hamburg is the second-largest city in Germany (after Berlin), and the seventh-largest city in the European Union. The city is home to approximately 1.8 million people, while the Hamburg Metropolitan Region (including parts of the neighboring Federal States of Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein) has more than 4.3 million inhabitants. The port of Hamburg is the second-largest port in Europe (after that of Rotterdam), and the ninth-largest in the world. Hamburg's official name is the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg. It makes reference to Hamburg's history as a member of the medieval Hanseatic League, as a free imperial city of the Holy Roman Empire, and also to the fact that Hamburg is a city-state (like Berlin and Bremen), and thus one of the sixteen Federal States of Germany.

Hamburg is a major transportation hub in Northern Germany. It has become a media and industrial center, with factories such as Airbus, Blohm + Voss and Aurubis. The radio and television broadcaster Norddeutscher Rundfunk and publishers such as Gruner + Jahr and Spiegel-Verlag represent the important media industry in Hamburg. In total there are more than 120,000 enterprises. The city is a major tourist destination both for domestic and overseas visitors, receiving about 7.5 million overnight stays in 2008.

Hamburg boasts 31 theatres, 6 music halls, 10 cabarets and 50 state and private museums. Of the 4,000 restaurants in Hamburg, 2,400 offer foreign cuisine. The Alster lake in the heart of Hamburg's city is one of the main attractions of Hamburg. The banks of the Elbe and the Alster rivers are perfect for a stroll. The port sight-seeing trips are impressive and they offer a special perspective on the panorama of Hamburg.

Right in the heart of the city, there is a large lake: the Alster. A boat tour on the Alster ends up in the city centre, where you can go shopping or relax in a street café. And Hamburg's modern underground trains and busses will take you anywhere fast and for a small fare. Try taking a trip to the fruit-garden “Altes Land”; a fruit-growing region with old farmhouses that is especially suited for excursions by car, bus or on bicycle.

Aerial photograph of the south of the town centre
[ source: Wikipedia]

Day 5: From Hamburg via Lüneburg and Gifhorn back to Berlin

Your way from Hamburg back to Berlin will lead you again through the beautiful cities and landscapes of northern Germany.

Soon after having left the outskirts of Hamburg you will arrive at the holiday region of Lüneburg, which is poised idyllically between the river Elbe and the Heath - a nice break on your trip. You can discover Lüneburg - the historical Hanseatic city of salt and the manifold landscapes contained in the "Elbtalaue" (Elbe river floodplain) and the Lüneburg Heath, with numerous excursion opportunities and exclusive offers to fulfil your holiday dreams. Whether you're interested in culture, cycling or shopping: everything is here. Lueneburg looks forward to your visit! On your way back to Berlin you should have a stop at Helmstedt, in former times also a Hanseatic city, and thus part of the Hanseatic network. Shortly after Helmstedt, on the motorway to Berlin, you arrive at the former border-crossing checkpoint which today is a memorial site with a museum.

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