Berlin is a phoenix rising from the ashes and reinventing itself. Decades of war and oppression are being replaced by trendy boutiques, sidewalk cafes, retail shopping areas, and renovated historical monuments and museums.

While many Americans are familiar with the German cities of Munich, Hamburg and Frankfurt, most have probably never heard of the cities I visited on my latest trip to Germany. Pity too because these are …

Like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, emerging from a world of black and white, East Germany has been transformed into a Technicolor version of its former self. While relatively unknown to those outside of the country, the cities of Erfurt, Potsdam and Rostock have been transformed into vibrant tourist hot spots that rival many of their big city cousins.

Located in the East German state of Saxony, at the confluence of three rivers, Leipzig has always been a historically important city. Many notable figures of history have lived here and its citizens were instrumental in bringing about the fall of communism in Eastern Europe. Today, while honoring its past, Leipzig is steering a clear course for the future with a vibrancy for and love of the arts, architecture and tourism.

If you’ve never experienced European Christmas markets, you have missed out on some of the most fun and festive places to visit during the holiday season. Here are six German cities that should be on your must see wish list to make your Christmas dreams come true.

Story and Photos by James C. Weaver
If architecture is the art of giving a city a face, the new face of Dusseldorf, Germany, is indeed something to behold. Located on the Rhine River in …

Story and photos by Alf B. Mejer

In 1901, an exhibition in Germany sent ripples of excitement throughout the art world. Although it had the bland title “A Document of German Art,” its contents …

Story and photos by Roberta Beach Jacobson
Everyone, it seems, loves the Rhine River. In 1960, Heinrich Boell wrote he could believe anything about the river — except its “summer serenity.” Serenity? Having been …

Story by Roberta Beach Jacobson
To the uninitiated, the excitement about something comprised of 94 percent water might seem baffling.
The undeniable mystique of Germany‘s white asparagus …

Story by Phyllis Steinberg and Photos by Phyllis Steinberg
and Berlin Tourism
As an American Jew, the murder of six million Jews by Hitler during World War II in Germany kept me far away from this …

By Nadia, age 11
My family and I always come to Zell, because some members of our family live there and we have our own little house in Zell.
We mostly ride our bikes. In the …

By Alina, student
Ulm is situated in southern Germany at the river Donau, at the border of Baden-Württemberg to Bavaria. The region is also called Swabian Alb. Today Ulm has a population of 120,000 people.
Ulmer …

Text and photos by Ron Stern
Santa comes but once a year and so do Germany’s Christmas markets, a centuries old tradition. Now is when to start planning your December visit as you will want to …

By Kyra, age 11
Teltow-Flaeming is a district in Brandenburg that was formed in December 1993 by the merging of several districts. Potzdam is the capital of Brandenburg, the federal state that surrounds, but excludes, …