Frankfurt, a central German city on the river Main, is a major financial hub that's home to the European Central Bank. It's the birthplace of famed writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, whose former home is now the Goethe House Museum. Like much of the city, it was damaged during World War II and later rebuilt. The reconstructed Altstadt (Old Town) is the site of Römerberg, a square that hosts an annual Christmas market.

The Altstadt features a row of traditional half-timbered houses and Gothic Frankfurt Cathedral. The Römer, a trio of medieval patricians' homes, has served as city hall since the early 1400s. The Bankenviertel district is filled with towering skyscrapers. The Zeil, lined with department stores, is the city’s main shopping street. The Sachsenhausen district on the south side of the river is connected to the Altstadt by a pedestrian bridge. It features the Goethe Tower and the Museum Embankment, site of many museums, including the Städel fine art museum and the Deutsches Film museum, dedicated to cinema history.

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BEST TIME TO VISIT FRANKFURT:

Many people visit Frankfurt in the spring and early summer (Mar-Jun) and in the fall when it’s sunny and mild (Sep-Oct). Summer can be hot, and winter can bring snow, rain, and sleet. Popular events include the Museum Embankment Festival (Aug), with arts and crafts stalls, music and culinary highlights from around the world; the Frankfurt Book Fair (Oct); the Apple Wine Festival (Aug), celebrating folklore and and the city’s most famous beverage; and the Christmas Market (Nov–Dec).

Baden-Baden is a spa town in southwestern Germany’s Black Forest region, near the border with France. Its thermal baths led to fame as a fashionable 19th-century resort. Alongside the Oos River, park-lined Lichtentaler Allee is the town’s central promenade. The Kurhaus complex (1824) houses the elegant, Versailles-inspired Spielbank (casino). Its Trinkhalle has a loggia decorated with frescoes and a mineral-water fountain.

Baden-Baden’s Festspielhaus is a 2,500-capacity concert hall in the converted neo-baroque railway station. Pedestrian mall Sophienstrasse is home to high-end boutiques and the Fabergé Museum, which displays the trademark jeweled eggs. Designed by architect Richard Meier, the Museum Frieder Burda exhibits 20th-century artists including Pablo Picasso and Gerhard Richter. A funicular train climbs to the observation tower atop 668m-high Mount Merkur. The Altes Schloss (Old Castle) is a 12th-century mountainside ruin with views over the Rhine Valley. The mountains also provide opportunities for hiking, climbing, and skiing in winter.

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BEST TIME TO VISIT BADEN-BADEN:

Peak travel is Apr-Oct during the warmer months of the year. Winter (Nov–Mar) is cold, with frequent rain and snow. Year-round, there are opera and classical concerts at the Festspielhaus. Three annual horse races (May, Aug/Sep and Oct) at nearby Iffezheim draw a chic, international crowd.

Munich, Bavaria’s capital, is home to centuries-old buildings and numerous museums. The city is known for its annual Oktoberfest celebration and its beer halls, including the famed Hofbräuhaus, founded in 1589. In the Altstadt (Old Town), central Marienplatz square contains landmarks such as Neo-Gothic Neues Rathaus (town hall), with a popular glockenspiel show that chimes and reenacts stories from the 16th century.

Other notable sites include the 12th-century St. Peter’s Church and iconic 15th-century Frauenkirche cathedral, with its twin bell towers. The neoclassical National Theater and the rococo Cuvilliés Theater (in the opulent Residenz palace and museum) host performances by the State Opera and the State Ballet. Highlights of the Museum Quarter include Pinakothek museums exhibiting everything from Old Masters to modern art. Maximilianstrasse offers fashion boutiques and restaurants, and the bustling Viktualienmarkt sells produce cheese and sausages. The Englischer Garten is a large park popular for sunbathing.

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BEST TIME TO VISIT MUNICH:

Common times to visit are May-Oct when the weather is warm. Winters (Dec–Feb) can be cold and snowy and are a popular time for winter-sport visitors to the surrounding Alps. Oktoberfest (Sep-Oct) is a huge celebration of local beer, brass-band music, and folk customs also featuring carnival rides and more. Other popular events include the Christmas Market and the Tollwood Festival (both in Dec) and the Fasching carnival (Jan–Mar) when locals dress up for the city’s countless balls and parties.