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Against a solemn backdrop of austerity and industriousness, Germany can be surprising in its often radical politics of acceptance. For starters, there is Berlin: long Europe's pleasure-dome, it is truly a playground for any queer techno enthusiast or gay-rights idealist who longs for a community where sex, however one wants to have it, isn't a shame-fueled affair. There is also the burly port-town Hamburg, posh Munich, sullen Frankfurt, and idyllic Cologne. Though each can pull off convincing poker faces during the day, stay out long enough (past twelve) and they morph into vibrant, hedonistic landscapes, each with distinctive music, art, and party scenes that all have post-industrial-wasteland flavor.

And this is not to mention the more touristic side of the country, where smaller towns such as Heidelberg and the incredible Schloss Neuschwanstein feel almost as crowded as theme parks and have very sentimental effects. Though suffering significant damage after the war, Germany has rebuilt many of its famous cities and restored most of its older cathedrals to their former glories (like the Freiburger Münster). But there is also a not so stage-designed Germany among the regions that once straddled the divide between the western and Soviet territories, where a less familiar eastern European influence is palpable.

It is clear Germany is undergoing a significant self-reckoning and transformation, cashing in all of its bleak chips with the hopes of playing a decidedly different role in history than the racist villain bent on world-domination. For of all the countries in Europe, none is opening its arms wider to the immigrants fleeing persecution in the troubled Near-East. It's an astounding move of both ethical reasoning and Realpolitik that makes Germany seem more accepting and fearlessly welcoming than ever, and more forward-facing than most of the rest of the western world.

Be inspired

Berghain / Panorama Bar, Berlin

Berghain / Panorama Bar

Berlin - Nightclub

Berghain, and its upstairs sibling, Panorama Bar, comprise one of Berlin's greatest, queerest spectacles. With monumental lighting, world-class sound system, and a...
  • 4.7
  • 1
Englischer Garten, Munich

Englischer Garten

Munich - Activity

In sprawling, 18th-century informal "English" style, the Englischer Garten world's most impressive public parks. Running the length of the city center to its...
  • 5
  • 1
Schwules Museum, Berlin

Schwules Museum

Berlin - Activity

The first gay museum in the world. The permanent exhibit focuses on the history of the Gay Rights struggle, while the museum plays host to numerous rotating exhibitions...
Cologne Cathedral, Cologne

Cologne Cathedral

Cologne - Activity

There is no cathedral in Germany more famous or imposing than Cologne's, built in lacy and airy French Gothic style with its impressive twin-spires, a long line of...
Neuschwanstein Castle, Munich

Neuschwanstein Castle

Munich - Activity

Although perhaps best known for inspiring the Disneyland castle, there is much, much more to the story of this 19th-century yet-unfinished Romanesque Revival palace....
Berlin Wall bike tour, Berlin

Berlin Wall bike tour

Berlin - Activity

If one has a bike and the necessary physical prowess, it would be a shame to miss the opportunity to bike along the route where the Berlin Wall once divided the city....
Museuminsel, Berlin

Museuminsel

Berlin - Activity

One of Berlin's signatures is its half-mile-wide cluster of some of Europe's most famous museums. The best deal will always be the museum-card (especially at the reduced...
Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp, Berlin

Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp

Berlin - Activity

Unfortunately, it is hard to avoid Germany's tragic history even as a tourist, and a truly well-rounded experience of the country requires a tough visit to the ghostly...
Schwarzwald, Freiburg

Schwarzwald

Freiburg - Activity

Germany, forlornly landlocked and sharing only a smidgen of the Alps, receives more character from its forests than any other geographic landmark. The country's dark,...
John Cage's ASLSP in Halberstadt, Halberstadt

John Cage's ASLSP in Halberstadt

Halberstadt - Activity

One of the stranger artistic events on German soil is the currently running performance of John Cage's "Organ²/ASLSP (As SLow aS Possible)" in the St. Burchardi...

35 community reviews / Germany

General impression
Excellent
LGBT-friendly
Good
zig-zag has been to and rated Germany

Added 2 years ago