Shop like a local

Do you really dig shopping? Nowadays most German cities have plenty of great modern complexes where you’ll find all the top-name retailers, brands and designers in one convenient location. Your host can make sure you also discover some of the smaller boutiques and markets as well as the popular shopping spots.

Throughout Germany you’ll find many fantastic specialty stores (Fachgeschäfte) where the staff knows all about the products they’re selling — anything from clothing, to specialty meats, or a huge array of cheeses. Whatever your preferences and interests, a local can guide you to hidden gems much quicker and reduce all that aimless wandering. Go out there for the best local produce! You’ll definitely find these kind of shopping experiences among the best things to do in Germany and the best things to do in Berlin, if that’s where you’re going to first.

Eat a homemade meal with a local

“Hearty” is a fairly frequently used description of German food; meats, and root vegetables like potatoes, being key ingredients. Germany is, however, made up of differing states that all have their own diversity as far as cuisine goes.

The best way to experience this diversity is less through main street restaurants, and more through enjoying a meal with locals. German people are actually pretty hospitable and enjoy seeing foreigners try their favorite regional dishes. Kartoffelsalat? Fleischkuekle anyone? Out of all the things to do in Germany this will be one of the most rewarding. Plus there’s another benefit. Look over their shoulder and get some traditional cooking tips yourself!

Uncook a raw food meal in Munich

Ever wondered what raw food tastes like? You can taste it in Germany. Although well known for using meat a lot, there seem to be 9% vegetarians in Germany. And raw food takes this even a step further. It’s all about food that has not been heated over 49 degrees Celsius. All food! And not only salads or the odd carrot.

Join one of our hosts for some fun cooking classes like a Munich’s smoothies & raw food workshop! They’ll show how you can make delectable items such as smoothies, pizza, wraps and (gasp) raw cake! Of all the things to do in Munich, this one may surprise you the most. You may never look at a carrot or mushroom the same way again.

Visit Germany’s wine countryside

Beer, as we all know is pretty big in Germany, so your host will be able to show you the best breweries out there easily! What’s not quite so well-known is Germany’s wine is awesome too. There are several wine growing regions — the southernmost (and third-largest) is Baden and the different soil types there make it the most diverse for wine.

You can visit picturesque villages with your private guide, where they’ll show you some local winery outlets or wine retailers.

If beer really is your thing though, then Munich and Berlin offer authentic beer tours by locals who can take you to great micro-breweries where you’ll the kind of pure local brands Germany’s so famous for — that you’d struggle to discover alone!

Walk in the footsteps of Germany royalty

There are plenty of wonderful castles to see throughout Europe, but Neuschwanstein is definitely the best castle to visit. Even Disney was inspired by it, when creating the Sleeping Beauty Castle. It should be high on every ones list of things to do in Germany. It was commissioned by the “Mad King” Ludwig II of Bavaria in honor of Richard Wagner, to compliment such a fairy-tale building and breathtaking scenery. Your host can tell you the story of the place and show you the hidden beautiful spots around it.

There was even more to Ludwig II’s legacy than just one castle. For example, take a private tour to Herreninsel, an island in the Chiemsee, Bavaria’s largest lake and here you find the King’s royal palace. Go with your local guide there, so they’ll be able to fill you in on the local history and knowledge!

Go to the Island of Sylt

What comes to mind when you first think: Germany? Probably not sand, sunshine, surf, and a laid-back atmosphere, but your host can prove you wrong! These are exactly the kind of things to do in Germany on this island in the Northern state of Schleswig-Holstein.

Your private guide will take you to places where you can play golf, hike through the island’s natural beauty or enjoy an evening meal in a one of the Michelin-starred restaurants. They’ll make sure you also enjoy a walk along the beach. You’ll find everything you look for and get some wonderful local stories of the island. Poets, artists, lovers and dreamers, you’ll all fit in here.

Visit a real war memorial

Nowhere does the maxim that we must remember our history so we don’t repeat it ring more true than Germany. Not far from Munich, the Dachau camp can be one of the most sobering things to do in Germany, yet also a moving experience. Let you host share with you the obscure insights about it and all the historical facts. It was the first Nazi work camps to be built, it served as a model for extermination camps like Auschwitz. Although it’s impossible for modern-day visitors to completely grasp what occurred here, your private guide will provide all that you need so you can best understand this dark period of human history.

Historical monuments are also prominent across the capital, and you can take tours guided by locals who can provide their own homegrown insight into the events of the past. Whether you’re interested in the DDR, socialism, or the Third Reich they’ll create tours tailored to your needs and wishes.

Explore Bavaria’s Nature with a local

Want to experience some of the most breathtaking things to do in Germany? Berchtesgaden is a haven of beautiful forests and quaint villages, crystal clear streams running from the Alps, majestic views from the “Eagle’s Nest” and the pristine Königssee Lake. Take a boat ride. Take a hike. Take a photo. Every single one will look like a postcard. Guaranteed.

If you’re wanting to see other stunning places in the region, with a few less tourists around, then maybe a South Bavarian Outdoor Tour is for you. Guided by locals you’ll see some fantastic (and empty) wilderness spots. What could be better? A break to enjoy a beautiful view with a real Bavarian beer and snack? Well that can be arranged too!

Experience street art

When you’ve had enough Rembrandt and Picasso… you can always experience urban art with a local guide. Berlin in particular, but Germany in general has made a huge contribution to world art, in every conceivable field — painting, design, architecture, classical and rock music. So you’re not limited to quiet museum corridors, there’s much more to see and in this case it’s outside.

Berlin, with a wall dividing it as a canvas became the place where graffiti met art, and became a valid form of political protest. You can take a tour with locals and see the most popular example — the East Side Galley, but also more personal art, hidden down side streets, under bridges. Take a walk on the wild side!

Running tours

Walking is a great way to explore an unknown place, but if you feel like combining tourism with fitness, why not try a running tour? It’s certainly one of the healthier things to do in Germany. Tours can be customized by your host so you don’t need to be a marathon runner. You might not want to run too fast anyway as you could miss something!

Nothing makes you feel better than a morning (or evening) run plus you’ll get to see some hidden places only a local runner who’s regularly navigating the city would know. If you’re going to be staying a while it’s a super way to find safe, close areas for running, without getting lost.