It can come as a surprise that Bremen is its own German state. It’s small—just the city of Bremen and the port town of Bremerhaven—but its influence historically has far surpassed its borders. If you spend enough time here, you’ll be able to identify how that legacy is still a part of the day-to-day. As…
If you were to ask a local what Lower Saxony is like, they may have to pause for a moment. Not because there isn’t anything to say, but because it’s difficult to explain the heart of such a quiet place. As we’ve discussed, most states outside of Bavaria aren’t the Germany most travelers imagine first….
Hamburg is a beautiful city, revealing itself in reflections on the waters of its harbor and the glass facades of many cultural institutions. Here you’ll find brick warehouses in calm canals, church spires rising above the Elbe River, and events that commemorate over 800 years of traceable relevance to maritime trade. Centuries of arrivals and…
If you think Germany is all timber-framed cities and fairytale castles, then Mecklenburg-Vorpommern will surprise you. This northeastern state is a breath of salt air with lakes stretching toward the horizon and Baltic waves breaking upon sandy shores. It’s a place meant for slow mornings, long walks, and days measured by light on the water…
If you’re anything like me, the state/provinces/regions of other countries aren’t often on your mind. Let alone German ones, unless you have a special tie to the country. I mean, it’s hard enough remembering all 50 of our states! As I encourage you to dig deeper into Germany, we’re going to approach the country’s ‘states’…
The German Reputation You Are Anticipating If you only associate Germany with beer, sausage, and war crimes, you’re missing the humor and creativity that has blossomed in this country’s culture — particularly from the 20th century onward. For many travelers, Germany exists as a soundbite: efficient, serious, brusk, and historically heavy. And while its past…
Northern Germany feels expansive — geographically and culturally. Here, more than anywhere else in the country, water becomes a defining presence. Centuries of trade, maritime life, and political transformation shaped a region that today values clarity, resilience, and forward-thinking. This final chapter explores four northern states that represent Germany’s outward-facing identity: Berlin, Hamburg, Mecklenburg–Western Pomerania,…
Eastern Germany can be perceived as catching up to the rest of the country, due to the years these states spent behind the Iron Curtain. Shaped by forests, rivers, reform movements, and artistic legacy, however, this region is a place of ideas — where philosophy, music, craftsmanship, and political change took root. Though often quieter…
While southern Germany is defined by mountains, forests, and mystery, western Germany has been shaped by rivers, borders, industry, and exchange. For centuries, this part of the country has been Germany’s entry point to the wider world, where ideas, goods, and people traversed continents and cultures overlapped. This article explores four states whose identities are…
The longer you look at Germany, the more details begin to emerge, rewarding your efforts in sitting with it for a little while. As you’ll see, Germany’s federal states have been shaped by geography, history, and centuries of political change. In the country’s southern and western heartlands, these factors shaped traditions that still define daily…