When I clicked the link to the ranking, however, the top five were not what I had anticipated.
To make sure I was not the only one with a distorted idea of what Germany had to offer, I asked my coworkers what they thought were the top sights and attractions in the country. Their responses mostly mirrored mine, except for a few; many also suggested Berlin’s nightlife, the Black Forest, the Bavarian Alps, Frankfurt’s Old Town, and the Cologne Cathedral, among others.
In reality, after the German National Tourist Board asked international visitors, as well as more than 25,000 people from around the world, their favorite sights and attractions in Germany, this is what the top five looked like:
The city of Berlin, the capital of the country, doesn’t even crack the top five, Neuschwanstein Castle ranks as #11, and Oktoberfest is found at the 37th spot.
If you’ve never heard of most of the entries on this top-five list, you’re not alone. Neither have I and neither have my travel expert colleagues. But these are the German sights and attractions that the public chose, so let’s dive a little deeper to see what they are all about.
Holder of the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest model railroad system, Miniatur Wunderland is a cross between a museum and a theme park. Like its name indicates, it is a miniature representation of parts of the world, including Italy, the US, and Switzerland, as well as airports, train stations, train lines, and events like the Monaco Grand Prix, among many others. Miniatur Wunderland covers a total of 107,639 square foot in the center of Hamburg’s Speicherstadt District and is home to 292,110 Wunderländer, the mini inhabitants of this fantastic world. Miniatur Wunderland keeps expanding to include more and more geographic locations and details; a Rainforest section, as well as as an miniature Atacama Desert should be added at the end of 2025.
Photo: Preisler /Shutterstock
Europa-Park, located in the city of Rust in Southwest Germany, is the country’s largest theme park. There are over 100 rides and shows on offer at Europa-Park, including dozens of rollercoasters, magic shows, dance shows, train rides, carrousels, boat rides, water slides, and many more. There are on-site hotels and restaurants to cater for the more than 6 million people who visits the park every year. Most of the attractions are named and designed after European countries, cities, sights, or geographical features, hence the name of the park. The mascot of the park is an anthropomorphized mouse named Ed Euromaus but, rest assured, it looks nothing like Mickey.
Photo: D. Pfleiderer/Shutterstock
Also a theme park filled with thrilling and family-friendly rides and shows, Phantasialand is located in the city of Brühl in Western Germany, near Cologne. While Europa-Park focuses on Europe’s attributes and attractions, Phantasialand is all about magic, fantasy, and the realm of dreams. Phantasialand is a record-breaking theme park: it is home to Taron, the longest multi-launch rollercoaster in the world, and River Quest, a river rapids ride with the world’s biggest splash.
Photo: Roel Ramaekers/Shutterstock
Germany being home to the autobahn, a highway with no speed limit, and being the birthplace of iconic car markers like Porsche, Mercedes, and BMW, it’s not overly surprising that a race circuit features as the fourth most-loved tourist attraction in the country. Probably the most famous and the most challenging race circuit in the entire world, the Nürburgring, opened since 1927, is a very popular place for gearheads to visit. There are races of all kinds (classic cars, motorbikes, etc.), drifting events, motor shows, and more throughout the year, but more frequently in the summer months. The Nürburgring is located in Western Germany, just 25 miles from the border with Belgium.
Photo: Kirk Fisher/Shutterstock
Rothenburg ob der Tauber is one the prettiest places in all of Germany and, as such, it attracts a lot of tourists. Rothenburg ob der Tauber is a medieval city with exceptionally well-preserved historic architecture, including cobblestoned streets, half-timbered colorful buildings, a magnificent market square and town hall, towers, and fortifications. Rothenburg ob der Tauber, often referred to as a storybook town, is located in Northern Bavaria, just one hour east of the city of Nuremberg. 