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Understand

An economically, politically, and culturally influential nation, Germany is the richest and most populous European Union member state.

Get in

There are a number of ways to get into Germany. From neighbouring European countries, a drive with the car or a train or bus ride are perhaps the easiest and most comfortable options; visitors from further away will probably be using air travel.

Get around

On the whole transportation is efficient and fast, though last minute tickets can be a bit on the expensive side. All modes of transportation are up to a high modern standard, including a dense network of airports, high speed rail services connecting most major cities and regional trains, one of the densest highway networks on earth (with stretches where the speed limit is shrug emoji), and intercity bus services.

Do

Germany offers a wide variety of activities of both a cultural and sporting nature. Many Germans are members of a sports club.

Drink

Pubs are open in Germany until 02:00 or later. Food is generally available until midnight. Germans typically go out after 20:00 (popular places are already full by 18:00).

The legal drinking ages are: 14 - minors are allowed to buy undistilled (fermented) alcoholic beverages in a restaurant, such as beer and wine, as long as they are in the company of their parents or a legal guardian. 16 - minors are allowed to buy undistilled (fermented) alcoholic beverages, such as beer and wine without their parents or a legal guardian. Any drink that contains distilled alcohol (even if the overall alcohol content is lower than for a typical beer) is not allowed 18 - having become adults, people are allowed unrestricted access to alcohol.

Sleep

Germany provides almost all options for accommodation, including hotels, B&Bs, hostels, and camping. You might also consider staying with members of a hospitality exchange network.

German mattresses tend to take a middle ground for firmness, compared to plush American ones and hard Japanese ones. The bedding tends to be simple: a sheet to cover the mattress, one duvet per person (Decke, very nice if you sleep with someone who tends to hog the blankets, but sometimes a little breezy around the toes for tall people) and an enormous square feather pillow, which you can mold into any shape that pleases you. Making the bed in the morning takes mere seconds: fold the Decke in thirds with a quick flick of the wrists, as if it were going to sleep in your place while you are out, and toss the pillow at the top of the bed.