History - Germany is Wunderbar

Germany holidays: the Iron Curtain Trail

A new long-distance cycle route follows the former dividing line between east and west, and passes some uncomfortable souvenirs on its way.

Germany Holidays: the return of the traffic light man

How Berlin’s Ampelmann was first ostracised, then Ossi-fied. Now he’s the city’s very own (slightly tubby) superhero.

Germany Holidays: Dresden’s paddlesteamers

A carefully preserved fleet of paddlesteamers work the Elbe from Dresden, on routes that provide the basis for several scenic day trips.

Germany Holidays: the Berlin S-Bahn

The elevated S-Bahn train route across central Berlin still has a frisson of history about it, a shadow of east/west hostility, of ghost stations and of spies coming in from the cold.

Trabi through wall Mural East Side Gallery Berlin

Germany Holidays: Cold War sites

Top secret no more: the Wall may be gone, but the Cold War bunkers and listening posts were built to last, and now accessible to all.

Germany Holidays: Martin Luther

A devout man, his 95 Theses, some nails, and a church door. The man was Martin Luther, the church door was in Wittenberg, and the consequences were of worldwide significance.