Central Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, between the Netherlands and Poland, south of Denmark...
The total length of the borders of the country is 3 621 kilometers, of which 784 kilometers is the common border with Austria, 167 kilometers is shared with the Belgium, 646 kilometers with Czech republic, 68 kilometers with Denmark, 451 kilometers with France, 138 kilometers with Luxembourg, 577 kilometers with Netherlands, 456 kilometers with Poland and the border with Switzerland stretches on 334 kilometers.
Basic information:
Geographical information
51´00'' N
09´00'' E
Population: 82 400 996
Density of population: 231 per sq kilometer
Capital city: Berlin (3 405 000 inhabitants)
Area: 357 021 square kilometers
Time: Central European Time / 1 hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.
Climate: The territory of Germany has a mild continental climate with four seasons.
Language: Official language is German. Other languages are English, Russian, French, Spanish
Currency: Euro (EUR) / (credit cards are useful)
How to get to Germany?
You can choose from followings:
A dense and modern traffic net of Germany allows a quick and comfortable traveling within the whole territory. The variability of chosen means of transport is also important - cars, buses, bikes, bicycles, trains or express trains, aeroplanes or ships.
By car
You can, of course, come to Germany by your own means of transport, i.e. by car, motorbike, or bicycle. Germany has a world-famous network of excellent roads and Autobahn (motorway) with no toll or fees for cars (trucks have to pay).
Germany's autobahns cover a distance of approx. 11,000km and form an ultra-modern and efficient transport network. More than 700 filling stations, service areas and hotels are open around the clock. There are no tolls on Germany's autobahns. In the event of an accident or breakdown, the German Automobile Association (ADAC) can provide assistance throughout the country. Members of an international partner organisation receive free assistance. Drivers are required to carry a valid driver's licence, the vehicle registration documents and proof of insurance. Vehicles from other countries which do not have a European registration plate incorporating the country code are required to display a sticker showing their country of origin. Leaded petrol is no longer available in Germany. Besides normal diesel, bio-diesel is also available. Germany also has an increasing number of gas filling stations.
Car rentals are available in most cities, and one-way rentals (within Germany) are generally permitted without an additional fee. When renting a car, be aware that most cars in Germany have manual gearbox (stick-shift), so you might want to ask for a car with an automatic gearbox if that's what you're used to. There is no constant general speed limit on the "Autobahn" or on "Kraftfahrstraßen" if there is any kind of barrier between two or more lanes of different direction. However , it is not an entirely unrestricted roadway as there are sections that are periodically or permanently assigned lower rates of speed. The recommended maximum speed on the Autobahn is 130 km/h and if you drive on the autobahn for your first time and are not yet used to the usual heavy traffic you should not exceed that speed. In addition, if you are legally travelling in excess of 130 km/h and are involved in an accident you can still be held liable for part or all of the damages, regardless of fault on your part.
By plane
The most important airports are Frankfurt (FRA), Munich (MUC) and Düsseldorf (DUS). Berlin (TXL), Cologne (CGN) and Hamburg (HAM) have some relevance to international travelers as well. Frankfurt is Germany's main hub and one of Europe's four major hubs, and the destination of most intercontinental flights. Munich is a secondary hub. Travelers can easily fly in from most places of the world and then connect with Germany's biggest and most respected airline Lufthansa .
Germany is one of Europe's budget airline capitals. There are budget flights to almost every city in Europe from Germany. Thus, a person seeking a budget flight, should first check with the nearest airport. Examples of budget airline hubs are Berlin Schönefeld and Dortmund for easyJet. Germanwings and tuifly (formerly Hapag-Lloyd-Express and HapagFly), Air_Berlin (including DBA) and WizzAir offer budget flights from many assorted airports across Germany and Europe Ryanair flights from London to Berlin Schoenefeld, Altenburg (Leipzig), Lübeck (near to Hamburg), Weeze (near Duesseldorf) and from some other European destinations to Frankfurt/Hahn.(Attention: Hahn is about 120km from Frankfuert!). Flying can be the cheapest way to get to Germany, especially if the flights are book well in advance.
By coach
There is a very dense network of regional and local bus lines. In rural areas though, many lines run only once per day. Regional and local express bus line designators usually contain the letter(s) CE (local), E (regional around Hamburg; in other areas, E is used for special runnings), S (regional), SB (regional and local) or X (local within Berlin), city bus line designators may contain the letter(s) BB ("Bürgerbus", not integrated within tariff unions), C or O.
By rail
Germany has an extensive rail network that covers almost every part of the country. The trains are reliable, safe and comfortable. Long-distance trains are meticulously coordinated with local services, offering excellent connections. A nationwide rail network enables visitors to reach even the smaller historical towns and the holiday regions with ease. InterCity (IC) and InterCity Express (ICE) trains run every hour, connecting more than 50 German towns. The high-speed ICE trains reach speeds of up to 300km/h. Regional trains connect the smaller towns. Many of these trains are also used by commuters, so it's best to avoid travelling in the early morning or late afternoon if possible. It is generally advisable to reserve seats on all trains, particularly at peak periods and at holiday times. Reservations can be made for a small charge until shortly before departure. All information, including timetables, is available online on Deutsche Bahn's website.
Tickets are often cheaper if purchased several days before travel. However, the tickets are then only valid for travel on one particular service i.e. the outward and return journeys are booked for a specific train. Children under 14 travelling with a parent or grandparent go free.
Germany has a dense railway system, which reaches almost every part of the country. Unless you travel by car, the train will be your major mode of transportation. Crossing Germany from Munich in the south to Hamburg in the north will take only 6 hours at best. Driving by car would take around 8 hours.
The majority of the trains are operated by Deutsche Bahn ("German Rail"), the national railway company. The trains are usually reliable (delays of more than 10 minutes are rather uncommon), and a comfortable and safe way of travel.
By boat
Germany’s important North Sea harbors are Bremen/Bremerhaven, Hamburg, Emden and Wilhelmshaven, those on the Baltic are Kiel, Rostock and Lübeck-Travemünde. There are some regular schedules.
… and now something about bath & spa in Germany…
Over 300 therapeutic bath spa and health resorts in Germany invite you to recuperate with them. Discover the unique combination of centuries-old bath spa culture and the delightful beauty of the countryside in pleasant social and cultural surroundings. The Romans already recognised the health-giving properties of thermal bath spa, and cultivated the development of spas in Germany. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the therapeutic bath spa developed into luxurious social meeting places for aristocrats and the wealthy who enjoyed the soothing preventative and natural curative effects of the earth, sea and climate. Sebastian Kneipp’s world-famous physiotherapy drew thousands to Germany from all over the world looking for relief. “Made in Germany” also stands for the epitome of quality when it comes to bath spas, both as to the quality of the typical local cures and the associated medical or therapeutic specialist expertise. Be treated like royalty while enjoying a traditional cure, a special wellness package, an individual preventative health care special, or simply during a convalescent stay. Discover the flair of past times in the bath spa architecture, and relax in ultra-modern thermal baths and spa surroundings. Nature gives each season its own charm, and encourages popular sports activities. Expanded hiking and cycle paths, private walking parks, terrain treatment paths, lovingly designed curative parks and fascinating winter sports landscapes lure beginners as well as professionals. Above and beyond relaxation and movement, good and healthy nutrition also contribute to the harmonious integration of body, mind and soul.
In the balneologic bath spas it's possible to treat cardiovascular system diseases, gastrointestinal system diseases, gyneacological diseases, locomotive apparatus diseases, metabolic system diseases, neurological diseases, oncological diseases, psychological diseases, rheumatological diseases, skin diseases, urinary tract diseases. The climatic bath spa are very crowded, since due to the climate influences of the mountains, illnesses that cause respiratory and allergic problems, both in the children and in the adults, can be treated. The thermal bath spas are situated in all of the territory. Germann bath spas are quite equipped and offer high quality services.
There is a lot of bath spa resorts all over Germany, so we have decided to divided it according to the regional areas as follows:
BALNEOLOGIC BATH & SPAS:
Baden-Württemberg
Health and Spa Association Baden-Württemberg
Address: Esslinger Straße 8, 70182 Stuttgart
Telephone: +49 711 218 457 6
e-mail: info@heilbaeder-bw.de
Web: www.heilbaeder-bw.de