Germany

Ancient and modern lie side-by-side in Germany, a country where cutting-edge contemporary buildings bisect centuries-old streets, and throbbing nightclubs share a building with chamber music ensembles. Whatever your tastes, there’s something for every traveller here, all wrapped up in chocolate-box-pretty streets and picturesque, tumbling wilderness.

Vibrant capital Berlin is a hotspot for bohemian culture, contemporary art and architecture, the majestic Brandenberg Gate, and war memorials such as the sobering, immersive Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. Frankfurt is a modern city, full of high-tech transport, corporate offices, and gleaming skyscrapers. The Bavarian city of Munich is known for imposing beer halls, including the 16th-century Hofbräuhaus, and some of the best breweries in the country. It’s home to Oktoberfest, a riotous annual celebration of all things beer. Germany’s nature is no less spectacular and includes the twisting, deeply cut stream of the Rhine river, which wanders romantically through dramatic, craggy landscapes sprinkled with vineyards, villages, and fairytale castles. The Black Forest’s thick canopy of evergreens covers miles of hiking trails, which wend their way through lush meadows, over trickling streams, and through deep, craggy valleys. Head to Füssen for Schloss Neuschwanstein, the model for Disney’s Sleeping Beauty castle.