The German National Tourist Office is promoting the proposition that you can immerse yourself in its major cities for a mere $100 per day. Here’s how:
Berlin: One of the best ways to get by in Berlin is by booking one of the city’s eight Motel Ones. Clean, consistent comfort is yours for about $70 per night. Looking for an alternative to guided tours? $3 buys you passage on Berlin’s public busses. Lines 100 and 200 are affordable ways to get about, taking in major sights between Bahnhoff Zoo and Alexanderplatz. Hungry? Stop by one of the city’s sausage stalls and fork over $3.50 for a Currywurst, a signature specialty. Perhaps the city’s best-kept cultural secret is Tuesday afternoon’s performances of the Berlin Philharmoniker. To close out the day, visit one of the world-class Berlin State Museums. Admission is free. After saving all that money you should have enough ($20) for a good meal on the banks of the River Spree at the Berliner Republik.
Cologne: This is the oldest of Germany’s big cities, a lovely, livable metropolis arrayed along the River Rhine. Art galleries, the carnival, and the famous Cologne Cathedral – they’re all here. Start your trip by orienting yourself atop the cathedral tower. Admission is $4. Descend to the city below and follow your heart to the Chocolate Museum, where $11 gets you in. In search of modern art? The Museum Ludwig has an impressive collection. Admission is $14.50. After a reasonable dinner ($18.50) at the Sion brewery and restaurant, head to your hotel for the night. A good choice is Hotel Berg, where $52 buys bargain accommodations.
Dresden: Once the royal residence of Saxon kings, Dresden is a historic gem. Book a private room for $30 per night in the hostel Mondpalast, located in the trendy Neustadt area. Breakfast at one of the many local bakeries is a bargain: $5. Tour Dresden on foot and via public transit. The former costs just a bit of shoe leather, the latter $7.30. Some of the city’s best sights are free: the Church of Our Lady, the Zwinger Palace, Pillnitz Castle. Break the day for a leisurely lunch at Restaurant Max. The bill is as low a $10. Revel in the riches of long-gone Saxon monarchs at Tuerckische Kammer museum. Admission is $17. Finish off the day with a beer and dinner at one of the many small restaurants around Alnaustrasse for about $11.
Frankfurt: Frankfurt is best known as Germany’s business bastion. And so it is. But as this Cheapflights’ writer discovered, there’s far more to this fascinating city that finance. Do your finances a favor by booking a $70 room at the Savoy Hotel in the city center. The next thing you do is ante up $12 for the Frankfurt Card. It buys free public transport, as well as special deals around town – including cut-rate entry into many attractions. After sightseeing head to the Sachsenhausen district and enjoy sausage and Sauerkraut in the apple wine pub Fichtekraenzi for $6. Walk off that heavy meal with a stroll through the 19th Century Palm Garden. Admission is $4.
Legendary Lufthansa and other airlines offer deals from time to time to these and other German cities. Remember to compare cheap flights to Germany before you book
Story by Jerry Chandler
(Image: Nigel Swales)
