From Munich's Marienplatz to Cologne Cathedral and the Brandenburg Gate: Germany's most famous highlights sit right in the middle of its big cities. Germany has 36 Umweltzones, including Berlin, Munich, Stuttgart, Hamburg and Cologne, and all of them require the green Umweltplakette, the only valid emission sticker since 2014. In a few cities, notably Munich, Stuttgart, Hamburg and Berlin, additional diesel driving bans even apply to older Euro 4/5 vehicles.
From Munich's Marienplatz to Cologne Cathedral and the Brandenburg Gate, these are general highlights of each city that happen to also sit in or right next to a German Umweltzone.
The bustling heart of Munich, with the neo-Gothic Neues Rathaus (complete with glockenspiel) and, in the background, the distinctive towers with their "welse hauben" domes of the Frauenkirche, the city's symbol.
Travel tip: the glockenspiel plays daily at 11:00 (and also at 12:00 and 17:00 in summer). Arrive a little early to secure a good spot on the square.
The former summer residence of the Bavarian prince-electors, with a baroque façade almost 700 metres wide and an extensive park with canals, pavilions and swans.
Travel tip: the palace garden itself is free to enter (main gate open from 6:00); you only pay separate admission for the palace and pavilions such as the Amalienburg.
A spiral-shaped museum with over 1,500 exhibits tracing the history of the automobile, from the very first Benz Patent-Motorwagen to the latest models. It's a fitting stop for anyone travelling by car.
Travel tip: free audio tour in 5 languages at the entrance; open Tuesday to Sunday 9:00–18:00 (ticket office closes at 17:00), closed Mondays.
The largest Gothic cathedral in Northern Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with towers 157 metres tall. Climb the 533 steps to the south tower and you're rewarded with a panorama over the city and the Rhine.
Travel tip: arrive early (before 8:00) or late in the afternoon for the fewest crowds; the cathedral sits right next to Köln Hauptbahnhof, so public transport is often easier than parking in the city centre.
Germany's best-known symbol of unity, on the stately Pariser Platz, surrounded by landmarks including Hotel Adlon and the Akademie der Künste. The gate is freely accessible 24 hours a day.
Travel tip: for the best light (and the fewest tour groups) come early in the morning or around sunset; reachable by U-Bahn U2/U5 or S-Bahn S1/S2, Brandenburger Tor stop.
Photos · Wikimedia Commons
Marienplatz: Ronit Goel · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Schloss Nymphenburg: Richard Bartz · CC BY-SA 2.5 · Mercedes-Benz Museum: Julian Herzog · CC BY 4.0 · Cologne Cathedral: Thomas Wolf, www.foto-tw.de · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Brandenburg Gate: Pierre-Selim Huard · CC BY 4.0
