Travel Tips

Bavaria and Southern Germany

For some reason southern Germany is not near the top destinations for a lot of people. It is unclear why that is because it is unbelievably beautiful, the people are friendly, and the atmosphere is amazing. Here are some tips to help you on your tour of this region with Great Explorations Tours.

[If you haven't read our general Europe Tips yet, that would probably be the best place to start.]

The Germans - Germans are often characterized as harsh and cold, but that is deceiving. It is true that they can seem that way sometimes, but we prefer to consider it their loyalty to efficiency. The Germans do not like to waste time, because of this they are extremely punctual and organized.

A side effect of this efficiency is that Germans will very rarely participate in small talk while they are working. This is misunderstood as coldness in the eyes of some, but just because your waiter doesn’t stay to chat after taking your order does not mean that he’s not friendly, just that he wants you to receive service in a timely manner. You will find that if you meet the same waiter in a social situation they will gladly talk to you at length.

Weather - Southern Germany gets more mountainous the further south you travel, and the higher elevation usually means slightly lower temperatures. Overall, the weather in this region is very nice. There is not a lot of rain and there is a lot of sunshine. It can get hot (90s) in the summer, but at higher elevations it feels cooler. The winter is cold and snowy, but so charming that you probably wouldn’t mind.

How to Dress - Germans usually dress casually, yet smart. They will wear sneakers, jeans, and tee shirts, but all of which tend to be a little more fashion conscious. You won’t feel out of place wearing any style of clothing here.

If you plan on going into higher elevations, and if you’re traveling with Great Explorations Tours you will, you should always keep a sweater or light coat handy because the temperature can drop and the wind can pick up at any time.

Food - When you hear “German food” you probably think of sausages and sauerkraut, and you are dead on with that assessment. Germans love their wurst (sausages) and you will find them everywhere and anywhere. That’s not to say that sausage is the only thing you’ll find, but it is prevalent. Overall German food is very good because it is fresh and homemade.

Beer - The Germans are perfectionists and a long time ago they figured out exactly what beer should be made of. They wanted to be sure that no German beer could be of a lesser quality, so they passed a law in 1516 called the Reinheitsgabot (commonly called the German Purity Law) that says that no beer could be made with anything but water, yeast, barley, and hops. That law is still in effect and any German beer you find will be top quality, and you will find a lot of German beer.

Like other European countries, Germany serves mostly local beers and in many beer gardens and halls only one brand is served. You won’t find any Beck’s here because it’s made in Bremen in the north, but you will find dozens of delicious Bavarian lagers.

Language

The language issue gets its own special section because it is one of the primary concerns for travelers that don’t speak German. In the cities we visit on this tour the language will very rarely be a problem. Many Germans speak good to great English, especially the younger generation. This does not mean that you should rely on that though. For one thing, many people consider it rude for you to walk up to them assuming that they speak English. You do not need much German to make it seem like you are trying. Often saying hello and asking if they speak English in German is enough to get them on your side, but if you would like to try more they are usually very patient while you try and will even help you along.

Here are some words and phrases that you may find useful:

• Yes - Ja (ya)
• No - Nein (nine)
• Good Day - Guten Tag (GOO-ten tahg)
• Good Bye - Auf Wiedershen (ouf VEE-der-sayn)
• Please - Bitte (BIT-tuh)
• Thank You - Danke (DAHN-kuh)
• Do You Speak English? - Sprechen Sie Englisch? (SHPREK-en zee EHN-glish)

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