Rügen in the Baltic Sea is Germany's largest island and offers a variety of landscape features and things to see and do – from buzzing seaside resorts to sleepy fishing villages, from parks, gardens and tree-lined avenues to palaces and stately homes. A highlight is Jasmund National Park, part of a UNESCO World Heritage site and home to the famous Königsstuhl chalk cliffs. At the Königsstuhl National Park Centre, you can explore a world full of mysteries as you learn about the key message of leaving nature to its own devices. Various themed rooms take you on a journey back to the origins of Rügen as you discover for yourself what makes this beautiful island so unique.

The Old Town in Heidelberg, built in the baroque style on the foundations of the original medieval town that had burnt to the ground, is steeped in history. Its attractions include the Old University and students' prison, the university library, the New University, the towering old quarter churches, the market square and Hauptstrasse, one of the longest traffic-free streets in Europe.

The Old Bridge was built out of stone for Elector Carl Theodor between 1786 and 1788. As early as 1797 Johann Wolfgang von Goethe described this now famous attraction as having a beauty unrivalled by any other bridge in the world.

Wartburg Castle is one of the best-preserved medieval castles in Germany. First built in 1067, it developed into an extensive fortress complex over the course of the centuries.

The Holsten Gate, the most famous landmark in this Hanseatic town, is one of Germany's finest examples of a late medieval town gate. Nearly everyone in Germany has carried this little piece of Lübeck around in their pockets at some time or other, as it used to feature on the back of the old 50 Mark note. Erected between 1464 and 1478 by Lübeck architect Hinrich Helmstede on the banks of the river Trave, the late-Gothic gate once stood as a bridgehead on the perimeter of the town and formed part of the fortifications. Housed within the 3.5m thick walls, the interactive Holsten Gate Museum charts Lübeck's history as a major trading post and seafaring hub.

Sails on the horizon, palm trees on the lake shore. Behind all this, the majestic Alps, which on clear days seem close enough to touch. Lake Constance combines the dramatic landscape of the Alpine foothills with a maritime flair. It lies at the point where southern Germany, northern Switzerland and western Austria converge. And the choice of things to do and see is varied and cosmpolitan to match.

The Flower Island of Mainau is famous for its magnificent park and gardens surrounding the baroque family residence of Count Lennart Bernadotte af Wisborg, a former Swedish prince who died in 2004. In 1936, Count Bernadotte to transform the island into the floral paradise that we see today.

The Zugspitze near Garmisch-Patenkirchen is one of the most famous mountain peaks in the Alps. Measuring 2,962m, it is not only Germany's highest mountain, but also one of the most popular destinations for visitors from all over the world. There is a 360° panoramic view from the top and in good weather more than 400 peaks in surrounding Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy can be seen. Walks high among the Alps where the ice never melts, summer and winter toboggan rides on natural snow and the fact that is easily accessible by two cable cars and a rack-railway make the Zugspitze an ideal mountain destination.

The Pilgrimage Church of the Scourged Saviour at the foot of the Alps is considered one of the most perfect examples of Bavarian rococo architecture.

From 1961 to 1989 the Berlin Wall divided the city in two. Most of this concrete structure has since been torn down, but fragments do remain a feature of the city. The Berlin Wall Trail, a route for walkers and cyclists split into 14 sections, follows the path of the former wall. Information panels installed at 30 points tell the story of the Berlin Wall. The colourful and recently restored East Side Gallery in Friedrichshain is a piece of the hinterland wall that in 1990 was painted by artists from 21 countries. On Bernauer Strasse, where there is a replica section of the Berlin Wall, you can also visit a memorial site, a documentation centre and the Chapel of Reconciliation.

The Bauhaus, led by Walter Gropius, was founded in the rather sedate town of Weimar in 1919. This was the start of the design revolution …

The museum embankment is located on the southern bank of the river Main in Sachsenhausen, between the Eiserner Steg footbridge and the Peace Bridge. One of Frankfurt's main cultural attractions, it has 13 leading museums and is a popular destination for museum-goers from Germany and across Europe. Unmissable highlights include the Museum of Arts and Crafts, whose building alone is worth a visit, the Film Museum and the Museum of Ethnology. This is also the setting for the Museum Embankment Festival held here on the last weekend in August and the Museums Night held every year in spring.