Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Work Hours
Monday to Friday: 7AM - 7PM
Weekend: 10AM - 5PM
As Europe’s largest economy and second most populous nation (after Russia), Germany is a key member of the continent’s economic, political, and defense organizations. European power struggles immersed Germany in two devastating World Wars in the first half of the 20th century and left the country occupied by the victorious Allied powers of the US, UK, France, and the Soviet Union in 1945. With the advent of the Cold War, two German states were formed in 1949: the western Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and the eastern German Democratic Republic (GDR). The democratic FRG embedded itself in key western economic and security organizations, the EC, which became the EU, and NATO, while the communist GDR was on the front line of the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact. The decline of the USSR and the end of the Cold War allowed for German unification in 1990. Since then, Germany has expended considerable funds to bring eastern productivity and wages up to western standards. In January 1999, Germany and 10 other EU countries introduced a common European exchange currency, the euro.
Here is a brake down of some of the most interesting and visited places by region. Cities or areas listed will always have more than just one thing see and do. With the popular cities or areas we list some of the best known, which should go on everyone’s, must see list when they visit.
For more detailed information go to our ➾ Berlin page.
Capital:
Berlin
Largest City:
Berlin
Government:
Federal Parliamentary Constitutional Republic
Currency:
Euro (€)
Area:
Total: 357,022 km ranked 63rd water: 8,350 km land: 348,672 km
Climate:
Temperate, and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers; occasionally warm mountain (foehn) wind
Population:
80,722,792 (July 2016 est.) ranked 19th
Language:
German (official): note Danish, Frisian, Sorbian, and Romany are official minority languages; Low German, Danish, North Frisian, Sater Frisian, Lower Sorbian, Upper Sorbian, and Romany are recognized as regional languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages
Ethnic Groups:
German 91.5%, Turkish 2.4%, other 6.1% (made up largely of Greek, Italian, Polish, Russian, Serbo-Croatian, Spanish)
Religion:
Protestant 34%, Roman Catholic 34%, Muslim 3.7%, unaffiliated or other 28.3%
Electricity:
230V, 50Hz (European plug C,F)
Telephone Code:
+49
Local Emergency Phone Number:
Ambulance & Fire 112; Police: 110
Internet TLD:
.de
Time Zone:
CET (UTC+1) / Summer CEST (UTC+2) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March, ends last Sunday in October
Road DrivingSide:
Right
Anthem:
“Das Lied der Deutschen” (Song of the Germans)
Motto:
“Einigkeit ind Recht ind Freheit” (Unity and Justice and Freedom)
Chancellor:
Angela Merkel
Prime Minister:
Frank-Walter Steinmeier
Date | Name | Type | Details | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Jan 1 | Friday | New Year’s Day | National holiday | |
Jan 6 | Wednesday | Epiphany | Observance, Christian | NDS*, SN, TH |
Jan 6 | Wednesday | Epiphany | Common local holiday | BW, BY, ST |
Jan 22 | Friday | Franco-German Day | Observance | |
Jan 27 | Wednesday | Remembrance Day for the Victims of National Socialism | Observance | |
Jan 28 | Thursday | European Privacy Day | Observance | |
Feb 10 | Wednesday | Children’s Hospice Day | Observance | |
Feb 14 | Sunday | Valentine’s Day | Observance | |
Feb 15 | Monday | Shrove Monday | Observance | |
Feb 16 | Tuesday | Carnival / Shrove Tuesday | Observance | |
Feb 16 | Tuesday | Hizir Fast | Observance | Bremen, Hamburg |
Feb 17 | Wednesday | Carnival / Ash Wednesday | Silent Day | |
Mar 8 | Monday | International Women’s Day | Observance | All except B |
Mar 8 | Monday | International Women’s Day | Common local holiday | Berlin |
Mar 17 | Wednesday | St. Patrick’s Day | Observance, Christian | |
Mar 18 | Thursday | Anniversary of the March Revolution | Observance | Berlin |
Mar 20 | Saturday | March Equinox | Season | |
Mar 21 | Sunday | Alevitic New Year | Observance | Bremen, Hamburg |
Mar 28 | Sunday | Palm Sunday | Observance, Christian | |
Mar 28 | Sunday | First Day of Passover | Observance, Hebrew | BY, HB, SL |
Mar 28 | Sunday | Daylight Saving Time starts | Clock change/Daylight Saving Time | |
Mar 29 | Monday | Second Day of Passover | Observance, Hebrew | BY, HB, SL |
Apr 1 | Thursday | Maundy Thursday | Observance, Christian | All except BY, HE, NRW, RLP, SL |
Apr 1 | Thursday | Maundy Thursday | Silent Day | BY, HE, NRW, RLP, SL |
Apr 2 | Friday | Good Friday | National holiday, Christian | |
Apr 2 | Friday | Sixth Day of Passover | Observance, Hebrew | BY, HB, SL |
Apr 3 | Saturday | Holy Saturday | Silent Day | BY, HE, NDS, RLP |
Apr 3 | Saturday | Seventh Day of Passover | Observance, Hebrew | BY, HB, SL |
Apr 4 | Sunday | Easter Sunday | Observance, Christian | All except BB |
Apr 4 | Sunday | Easter Sunday | Christian, Common local holiday | Brandenburg |
Apr 5 | Monday | Easter Monday | National holiday, Christian | |
Apr 22 | Thursday | Girls’ Day / Boys’ Day | Observance | |
Apr 23 | Friday | German Beer Day | Observance | |
Apr 30 | Friday | Walpurgis Night | Observance | |
May 1 | Saturday | May Day | National holiday | |
May 5 | Wednesday | Europe Day (Council of Europe) | Observance | |
May 8 | Saturday | Anniversary of the End of World War II | Observance | B, BB, HB, MVP, TH |
May 9 | Sunday | Mother’s Day | Observance | |
May 9 | Sunday | Europe Day (European Union) | Observance | |
May 13 | Thursday | Father’s Day | Observance | |
May 13 | Thursday | Ascension Day | National holiday, Christian | |
May 13 | Thursday | Eid ul Fitr | Observance, Muslim | Bremen, Hamburg |
May 17 | Monday | First Day of Shavuot | Observance, Hebrew | BY, HB, SL |
May 18 | Tuesday | Second Day of Shavuot | Observance, Hebrew | BY, HB, SL |
May 23 | Sunday | Whit Sunday | Christian, Common local holiday | Brandenburg |
May 23 | Sunday | Whit Sunday | Observance, Christian | All except BB |
May 23 | Sunday | Constitution Day | Observance | |
May 24 | Monday | Whit Monday | National holiday, Christian | |
Jun 1 | Tuesday | International Childrens’ Day | Observance | |
Jun 3 | Thursday | Corpus Christi | Christian, Common local holiday | BW, BY, HE, NRW, RLP, SL, SN*, TH* |
Jun 3 | Thursday | European Bicycle Day | Observance | |
Jun 6 | Sunday | Visually Impaired People Day | Observance | |
Jun 17 | Thursday | Remembrance of the Victims of SED Injustice | Observance | Thuringia |
Jun 17 | Thursday | Anniversary of the Popular Uprising in the GDR | Observance | Berlin |
Jun 20 | Sunday | Car-free Sunday | Observance | |
Jun 21 | Monday | June Solstice | Season | |
Jun 24 | Thursday | St. John | Observance, Christian | Saxony |
Jun 26 | Saturday | Architecture Day | Observance | |
Jun 29 | Tuesday | St Peter and Paul | Observance, Christian | Saxony |
Jul 20 | Tuesday | Eid ul Adha | Observance, Muslim | Bremen, Hamburg |
Aug 8 | Sunday | Peace Festival in Augsburg | Local holiday | Bavaria** |
Aug 15 | Sunday | Assumption of Mary | Observance, Christian | Saxony, Thuringia |
Aug 15 | Sunday | Assumption of Mary | Christian, Common local holiday | Bavaria*, Saarland |
Aug 19 | Thursday | Ashura | Observance, Muslim | Bremen, Hamburg |
Sep 1 | Wednesday | Anti War Day | Observance | |
Sep 7 | Tuesday | Rosh Hashana | Observance, Hebrew | BY, HB, NRW, SL |
Sep 8 | Wednesday | Second Day of Rosh Hashana | Observance, Hebrew | BY, HB, NRW, SL |
Sep 11 | Saturday | German Language Day | Observance | |
Sep 12 | Sunday | European Heritage Days | Observance | |
Sep 16 | Thursday | Yom Kippur | Observance, Hebrew | BY, HB, NRW, SL |
Sep 20 | Monday | German World Children’s Day | Observance | |
Sep 20 | Monday | German World Children’s Day | Common local holiday | Thuringia |
Sep 21 | Tuesday | First day of Sukkot | Observance, Hebrew | BY, HB, SL |
Sep 22 | Wednesday | Second Day of Sukkot | Observance, Hebrew | BY, HB, SL |
Sep 22 | Wednesday | September Equinox | Season | |
Sep 26 | Sunday | Sixth Day of Sukkot | Observance, Hebrew | Bavaria |
Sep 27 | Monday | Seventh Day of Sukkot | Observance, Hebrew | Bavaria |
Sep 28 | Tuesday | Shemini Atzeret | Observance, Hebrew | Bremen, Saarland |
Sep 29 | Wednesday | Simchat Torah | Observance, Hebrew | Bremen |
Oct 2 | Saturday | German Food Bank Day | Observance | |
Oct 3 | Sunday | Day of German Unity | National holiday | |
Oct 3 | Sunday | Harvest Festival | Observance | |
Oct 10 | Sunday | Grandparents’ Day | Observance | Bavaria |
Oct 24 | Sunday | Day of the Libraries | Observance | |
Oct 29 | Friday | World Thrift Day | Observance | |
Oct 31 | Sunday | Reformation Day | Common local holiday | BB, HB, HH, MVP, NDS, SH, SN, ST, TH |
Oct 31 | Sunday | Reformation Day | Observance, Christian | Bremen, BW |
Oct 31 | Sunday | Halloween | Observance | |
Oct 31 | Sunday | Daylight Saving Time ends | Clock change/Daylight Saving Time | |
Nov 1 | Monday | All Saints’ Day | Silent Day, public holiday | BW, BY, NRW, RLP, SL |
Nov 1 | Monday | All Saints’ Day | Observance, Christian | HB, NDS*, SN, TH |
Nov 2 | Tuesday | All Souls’ Day | Silent Day | Lower Saxony* |
Nov 9 | Tuesday | Night of Broken Glass Remembrance Day | Observance | |
Nov 9 | Tuesday | 9th of November | Observance | Berlin |
Nov 9 | Tuesday | Fall of the Berlin Wall | Observance | |
Nov 11 | Thursday | St. Martin’s Day | Observance, Christian | |
Nov 14 | Sunday | National Day of Mourning | Silent Day | |
Nov 17 | Wednesday | Repentance Day | Christian, Common local holiday | Saxony |
Nov 17 | Wednesday | Repentance Day | Silent Day | BY, SL, SN |
Nov 17 | Wednesday | Repentance Day | Observance, Christian | BW, HE, NDS, RLP, TH |
Nov 21 | Sunday | Sunday of the Dead | Silent Day | |
Nov 28 | Sunday | First Advent Sunday | Observance, Christian | |
Dec 5 | Sunday | Second Advent Sunday | Observance, Christian | |
Dec 6 | Monday | Saint Nicholas Day | Observance, Christian | |
Dec 8 | Wednesday | Feast of the Immaculate Conception | Observance, Christian | Saxony |
Dec 12 | Sunday | Third Advent Sunday | Observance, Christian | |
Dec 19 | Sunday | Fourth Advent Sunday | Observance, Christian | |
Dec 19 | Sunday | Remembrance Day for Roma and Sinti killed by Genocide | Observance | |
Dec 21 | Tuesday | December Solstice | Season | |
Dec 24 | Friday | Christmas Eve | Silent Day | |
Dec 25 | Saturday | Christmas Day | National holiday, Christian | |
Dec 26 | Sunday | Boxing Day | National holiday, Christian | |
Dec 31 | Friday | New Year’s Eve | Bank holiday |
US State Dept. Travel Advisory:
The US Department of State currently recommends US citizens DO NOT TRAVEL to the United Kingdom due to COVID-19. Exercise increased caution due to terrorism. Consult its website via the link below for updates to travel advisories and statements on safety, security, local laws and special circumstances in this country.
Passport/Visa Requirements:
US citizens should make sure their passport is valid at the date of their entering the country and during the length of their entire visit. They should also make sure they have at least 1 blank page in their passport for any entry stamp that will be required. A visa is not required as long as you do not stay in the country more than 6 months.
US Embassy/ Consulate:
[44] 20 7499-9000; Embassy of the United States of America, 33 Nine Elms Lane, London, SW11 7US (mailing postcode), SW8 5DB (driving/GPS postcode), United Kingdom; SCSLondon@state.gov; https://uk.usembassy.gov/
Telephone Code:
44
Local Emergency Phone:
112, 999
Internet TLD:
.uk
Vaccinations:
See WHO recommendations at http://www.who.int
Climate
Temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over the North Atlantic Current; more than one half of the days are overcast
Currency (Code)
British pounds (GBP)
Electricity/Voltage/Plug Type(s):
230 V / 50 Hz / plug type(s): G
Major Languages:
English, Scots, Scottish Gaelic, Welsh, Irish, Cornish
Religions:
Christian (includes Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist) 59.5%, Muslim 4.4%, Hindu 1.3%, none 25.7%
Time Zone
UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time); daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March, ends last Sunday in October; note: applies to the United Kingdom proper, not to its crown dependencies or overseas territories
Potable Water
Yes
International Driving Permit
Suggested
Road Driving Side
Left
Tourist Destinations
London (includes the Tower of London, British Museum, Parliament, Trafalgar Square); Windsor Castle; Stonehenge; Roman Baths & Georgian City of Bath; York Minster & historic Yorkshire; Chester Zoo; Cotswolds & Lake District; Hadrian’s Wall; Edinburgh; Cardiff
Major Sports
Soccer, cricket, rugby, badminton, tennis, netball, field hockey
Cultural Practices
It is considered rude to wave one’s hand or to call when summoning a waiter at a restaurant.
Tipping Guidelines
It is customary to leave 10-15% of the total bill as a tip when eating out, although some restaurants add on a service charge instead. Tip bartenders 1 pound. It is polite to tip 10-15% of the taxi fare, or round up to the nearest pound as a convenience. Tip porters 2 pounds to bring luggage to your room.
Chief of State:
Queen ELIZABETH II
Government:
Parliamentary Constitutional Monarchy
Capital:
London
Largest City:
London
Legislature:
London
Judiciary:
London
Ambassador to US:
Ambassador (vacant); Charge d’Affaires Michael Tatham
US Ambassador:
Ambassador Robert Wood “Woody” Johnson IV
Area:
Total: 243,61km world rank 80th, land: 241,930km, water: 1,680km
Natural Resources:
Coal, petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, lead, zinc, gold, tin, limestone, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, potash, silica sand, slate, arable land
Population:
64,430,428 (July 2016 est.) world rank 23rd England 84%, Scotland 8%, Wales 5%, Northern Ireland 3%
Population Growth:
0.51% (2018 est.)
Ethnic Groups:
White 87.2%, black/African/Caribbean/black British 3%, Asian/Asian British: Indian 2.3%, Asian/Asian British: Pakistani 1.9%, mixed 2%, other 3.7% (2011 est.)
Urbanization:
Urban population: 83.7% of total population (2019)
rate of urbanization: 0.89% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Economic Overview:
Leading trading power and financial center; third-largest economy in Europe after Germany and France; large coal, natural gas, and oil resources; banking, insurance, and business services, drive GDP growth
GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)
$2.92 trillion (2017 est.)
GDP per capita
$44,300 (2017 est.)
Exports:
$441.2 billion (2017 est.)
partners: US 13.2%, Germany 10.5%, France 7.4%, Netherlands 6.2%, Ireland 5.6%, China 4.8%, Switzerland 4.5% (2017)
US State Dept. Travel Advisory:
The US Department of State currently recommends US citizens DO NOT TRAVEL to the United Kingdom due to COVID-19. Exercise increased caution due to terrorism. Consult its website via the link below for updates to travel advisories and statements on safety, security, local laws and special circumstances in this country.
Passport/Visa Requirements:
US citizens should make sure their passport is valid at the date of their entering the country and during the length of their entire visit. They should also make sure they have at least 1 blank page in their passport for any entry stamp that will be required. A visa is not required as long as you do not stay in the country more than 6 months.
US Embassy/ Consulate:
[44] 20 7499-9000; Embassy of the United States of America, 33 Nine Elms Lane, London, SW11 7US (mailing postcode), SW8 5DB (driving/GPS postcode), United Kingdom; SCSLondon@state.gov; https://uk.usembassy.gov/
Telephone Code:
44
Local Emergency Phone:
112, 999
Internet TLD:
.uk
Vaccinations:
See WHO recommendations at http://www.who.int
Climate
Temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over the North Atlantic Current; more than one half of the days are overcast
Currency (Code)
British pounds (GBP)
Electricity/Voltage/Plug Type(s):
230 V / 50 Hz / plug type(s): G
Major Languages:
English, Scots, Scottish Gaelic, Welsh, Irish, Cornish
Religions:
Christian (includes Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist) 59.5%, Muslim 4.4%, Hindu 1.3%, none 25.7%
Time Zone
UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time); daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March, ends last Sunday in October; note: applies to the United Kingdom proper, not to its crown dependencies or overseas territories
Potable Water
Yes
International Driving Permit
Suggested
Road Driving Side
Left
Tourist Destinations
London (includes the Tower of London, British Museum, Parliament, Trafalgar Square); Windsor Castle; Stonehenge; Roman Baths & Georgian City of Bath; York Minster & historic Yorkshire; Chester Zoo; Cotswolds & Lake District; Hadrian’s Wall; Edinburgh; Cardiff
Major Sports
Soccer, cricket, rugby, badminton, tennis, netball, field hockey
Cultural Practices
It is considered rude to wave one’s hand or to call when summoning a waiter at a restaurant.
Tipping Guidelines
It is customary to leave 10-15% of the total bill as a tip when eating out, although some restaurants add on a service charge instead. Tip bartenders 1 pound. It is polite to tip 10-15% of the taxi fare, or round up to the nearest pound as a convenience. Tip porters 2 pounds to bring luggage to your room.
Chief of State:
Queen ELIZABETH II
Government:
Parliamentary Constitutional Monarchy
Capital:
London
Largest City:
London
Legislature:
London
Judiciary:
London
Ambassador to US:
Ambassador (vacant); Charge d’Affaires Michael Tatham
US Ambassador:
Ambassador Robert Wood “Woody” Johnson IV
Area:
Total: 243,61km world rank 80th, land: 241,930km, water: 1,680km
Natural Resources:
Coal, petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, lead, zinc, gold, tin, limestone, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, potash, silica sand, slate, arable land
Population:
64,430,428 (July 2016 est.) world rank 23rd England 84%, Scotland 8%, Wales 5%, Northern Ireland 3%
Population Growth:
0.51% (2018 est.)
Ethnic Groups:
White 87.2%, black/African/Caribbean/black British 3%, Asian/Asian British: Indian 2.3%, Asian/Asian British: Pakistani 1.9%, mixed 2%, other 3.7% (2011 est.)
Urbanization:
Urban population: 83.7% of total population (2019)
rate of urbanization: 0.89% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Economic Overview:
Leading trading power and financial center; third-largest economy in Europe after Germany and France; large coal, natural gas, and oil resources; banking, insurance, and business services, drive GDP growth
GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)
$2.92 trillion (2017 est.)
GDP per capita
$44,300 (2017 est.)
Exports:
$441.2 billion (2017 est.)
partners: US 13.2%, Germany 10.5%, France 7.4%, Netherlands 6.2%, Ireland 5.6%, China 4.8%, Switzerland 4.5% (2017)
Imports:
$615.9 billion (2017 est.)
partners: Germany 13.7%, US 9.5%, China 9.3%, Netherlands 8%, France 5.4%, Belgium 5% (2017)