Facts of Germany

Below you will find practical information in connection with trips to Germany

• Language: German
• Capital: Berlin
• Population: 80, 5 million.
• Religion: Roman Catholic and Protestant
• Currency: Euro
• Surface: 357 022 km2

Worth knowing

Time difference

There is no time difference between Germany and Sweden.

Transport in Germany

The buses in Germany are of a good standard and are usually equipped with air conditioning. The public transport system is well developed and efficient.

Price level in Germany

The price level does not differ significantly between Germany and Sweden, if one disregards taxable goods such as alcohol and cigarettes. It is somewhat cheaper to eat at a restaurant in Germany than in Sweden.

Tip

In Germany, tipping is voluntary. If you are happy with the service at the bar or restaurant, you can round the bill up by 5-10 percent. Taxi drivers expect tips of up to 10 percent of the price.

Currency and credit cards

Germany’s currency is the euro (EUR). International credit cards mostly work as a means of payment, but it can still be good to have some contacts in your pocket.

You will find ATMs where you can withdraw cash in all cities.

Electricity

Germany, just like Sweden, has 230 volts, but Swedish sockets do not always fit in the socket. Feel free to bring an adapter.

Telephone and internet

According to allcitycodes, Germany’s international country code is +49. Feel free to ask your Swedish operator about call prices in Germany and how much it costs to connect via mobile.

Most hotels, restaurants, cafes and the like have wireless internet that you can use for free or for a fee.

Smoking

In Germany, smoking is prohibited at public transport, railway stations and airports. Each state sets its own rules on smoking, but most have introduced smoking bans in cafes and restaurants. In many places there are special smoking areas. In areas of less than 75 m2, it is the owner who decides regarding smoking.

Tact and tone

The form of interaction in Germany is more polite than in Sweden. Especially in the linguistic field.

Climate and weather Germany

Here you can read about the climate and weather in Germany – see temperatures for Berlin, Munich, Cologne and Nuremberg.

	JAN	FEB	MAR	APR	MAY	JUN	CHRISTMAS	AUG	SEP	OCT	NOV	DEC
Berlin
Daytime temperature	3	4	9	13	19	22	24	24	19	13	7	4
Night temperature	-2	-2	1	4	9	12	14	14	11	6	2	0
Precipitation (mm)	42	33	41	37	54	69	56	58	45	37	44	55
Munich
Daytime temperature	3	4	9	13	18	21	23	23	19	13	7	4
Night temperature	-4	-3	0	3	7	10	13	12	9	5	0	-2
Precipitation (mm)	48	45	58	70	94	128	132	111	86	65	71	61
Cologne
Daytime temperature	5	7	11	14	19	21	24	24	20	15	9	6
Night temperature	-1	-1	2	4	8	11	13	12	10	6	3	1
Precipitation (mm)	60	47	63	51	72	88	86	65	69	62	63	71
Nuremberg
Daytime temperature	3	5	9	14	19	22	24	24	19	13	7	4
Night temperature	-3	-3	0	3	8	11	13	13	9	5	1	-2
Precipitation (mm)	43	34	44	41	59	74	75	60	51	51	45	52

The whole of Germany is located in the temperate climate zone except for the area in the German Alps where there is a mountain climate with much colder and rainier weather than in the rest of Germany. The western part of the country is dominated by the Atlantic Current. In the east, the climate is reminiscent of the continental with cold and wet winters and hot and dry summers.

Berlin

From a cultural perspective, there is no city that beats Berlin on the fingers. The large old museums are gathered on the museum island, or Museum Island at the cathedral Berliner Dom and Lustgarten. Here you will find, among other things, the Altes Museum with great German art and Pergamon with fantastic ancient treasures. All this is just a stone ‘s throw from Alexanderplatz and Berlin’s pride, the Fernsehturm, or the TV tower. In the restaurant at the top you can enjoy the view of the city in the constantly spinning tower. Also take a trip to Unter den Linden to the Brandenburg Gate, which was one of the border crossings between the old GDR and West Germany, and get lost in the stone labyrinth – the great memorial to the Holocaust. You can experience Jewish history and culture in several places in Berlin, not least at Daniel Liebeskind’s large Jewish museum. The Berlin traveler will also experience the vibrant European cultural center with the progressive galleries on Auguststrasse and Linienstrasse in Mitte, not far from the famous shopping district Hackesche Höfe. Also go on a journey of discovery in the old working-class neighborhood Prenzlauer Berg, which has had a proper facelift and today is very hip. Or in Friedrichshain where there are still occupied houses, in Kreuzberg which is characterized by a wonderful mix of immigrant culture and big city bohemians, or in the nobler part of West Berlin around Charlottenburg with beautiful shopping streets, expensive department stores and prominent exhibition spaces such as the Helmuth Newton Foundation. Also go on a journey of discovery in the old working-class neighborhood Prenzlauer Berg, which has had a proper facelift and today is very hip. Or in Friedrichshain where there are still occupied houses, in Kreuzberg which is characterized by a wonderful mix of immigrant culture and big city bohemians, or in the nobler part of West Berlin around Charlottenburg with beautiful shopping streets, expensive department stores and prominent exhibition spaces such as the Helmuth Newton Foundation. Also go on a journey of discovery in the old working-class neighborhood Prenzlauer Berg, which has had a proper facelift and today is very hip. Or in Friedrichshain where there are still occupied houses, in Kreuzberg which is characterized by a wonderful mix of immigrant culture and big city bohemians, or in the nobler part of West Berlin around Charlottenburg with beautiful shopping streets, expensive department stores and prominent exhibition spaces such as the Helmuth Newton Foundation.