“To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries,” said the English writer Aldous Huxley. And who is more resilient, resourceful, ready to leave home and explore than young travelers? Germany is a great destination for youth travel offering cool cities and captivating landscapes to be discovered. Shopping, the arts, nightlife and active pursuits – Germany has it all while being safe and affordable at the same time!

Stay young at heart and happy travels!

Cheering fans © GNTB

Germany’s creative, diverse and fun cities

Germany is cool and creative and a favored hotspot for young travelers. Some cities have carved out reputations for themselves. For example, visitors like to go to Düsseldorf for fashion, Berlin for music, Hamburg for art, and Munich for a great night out. Typical of today’s Germany is the up-and-coming music scene. It covers the full spectrum of genres from rock, pop and dance to hip-hop and classical. Highlights in the festival calendar include Rock am Ring and Nature One – Germany’s biggest festival of electronic music. Young people find that travelling in Germany is simple, safe and affordable. Getting around is easy thanks to the excellent roads and the superb infrastructure for coach and train travel. » More information

BMW World in Munich © BMW AG

Paradise for car enthusiasts

With Karl Benz generally being acknowledged as the inventor of the modern automobile and the mythical autobahn in the backyard, Germany is a paradise for car enthusiasts. From Porsche and Mercedes to BMW and Volkswagen, many manufacturers have opened exhibitions and museums to showcase their innovations. In Stuttgart , the Porsche Museum has become one of the city’s architectural highlights and includes 80 of the famous road and racing cars from the legendary brand. A combined venue for new car handovers, interactive museum exhibitions and events, BMW Welt in Munich is designed to be experienced with all five senses. The (VW) Autostadt in Wolfsburg is famous for its landmark CarTowers which visitors can tour. Each of the glass towers holds up to 400 brand new vehicles waiting for delivery. » More information

Youth HotSpots – Share the moment

The brandnew Youth HotSpots in Germany App allows visitors to surf the net for free wherever they go and to find the best music, the coolest cafés and the hippest hangouts in Germany’s towns and cities.

The App shows what young Germans most like to do, and where they go. Visitors can find out about these HotSpots and explore them by way of a virtual tour before they even leave home. The interactive map is enhanced by links to YouTube clips, comments made on Twitter and Facebook, and Qype reviews.

Youth Hostel Nürnberg Rendering © DJH Landesverband Bayern

Nuremberg Youth Hostel opens

In March 2013 a new ultra-modern youth hostel will open its doors high above the rooftops of Nuremberg . Located inside the castle, the completely modernized accommodation in the 500-year-old Kaiserstallung offers 93 rooms as well as meeting and conference rooms. Because almost every floor is fully accessible, it is possible for all types of visitors to enjoy the unique atmosphere of the castle which sits right in the heart of the medieval city. As Nuremberg is located on several cycling trails such as theRegnitz Cycle Route , the youth hostel also offers special services for cyclists. » More information (German only)

Saxon Switzerland Basteibrücke © GNTB

Rock climbing in Saxon Switzerland

Famous for its bizarre eroded rock formations, Saxon Switzerland National Park offers a fascinating landscape that is the only one of its kind in central Europe. The park is characterized by sandstone cliffs, deeply carved valleys, table mountains and gorges, making it a favored destination for rock climbers worldwide. There are some 14,000 climbing routes on over 1,100 rock pinnacles as well as various steep paths, over which hikers can climb, in some places with the aid of steps, ladders, metal rungs and railings at various points. Many young people travel to Saxon Switzerland on the weekends in order to boofen at around 60 designated sites. A Boofe is local slang for sleeping overnight in the open under a rock overhang and is a long tradition in Saxon Switzerland. » More information

Frankfurt Main Flößerbrücke and Skyline © Jochen Keute

Germany’s top cities

City breaks are a driving force in inbound travel. Growth in international overnight stays in destinations with more than 100,000 residents was particularly encouraging at 10 per cent in 2012. Germany’s eleven largest cities, which have joined forces under the Magic Cities brand, are especially popular with visitors from abroad. The most popular German cities with American travelers last year were Berlin (757,000 visitors), Munich (702,000 visitors) and Frankfurt (463,000 visitors).

To learn more about the top 100 attractions in Germany, download the TOP 100 app or visitwww.germany.travel/top100 

For more information about the travel destination Germany please visit the GNTO press center .

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German National Tourist Office

Wibke Carter

Public Relations Manager North America

122 East 42nd Street, Suite 2000

New York, New York 10168-0072

wibke.carter@germany.travel

Fax: +1 212 661 7174Phone: +1 212 661 7175

www.germany.travel

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