Planning a trip to Germany will mean that a valid passport is required for non European union members and a valid visa will be required for U.S. citizens if they are staying for longer than 90 days due to business.

The majority of people in Germany speak German but English is spoken by many as well. Learning German is a great idea before you go, at least enough to order your meal or ask for directions if you get lost. You will find that a town that is not used to many tourists will have less English speaking locals.

Europe travel means you should pack light. The trains in Germany and all over Europe will not give you much space for luggage, a good rule of thumb is if it fits in the over head compartment of the airplane then the trains will have enough room for your bags. Take only what is necessary.

The beautiful countryside of Germany is a delight to see but on a short trip you will be unable to take it all in. You should make a list of the more important places you would like to see and what you would like to do while there to make your trip go smoother and not to exhaust yourself. Central Germany will be more for the athletic ones who would like to ski or hike on their trip and for the more historic interests southern Germany will offer some gorgeous castle tours.

When visiting Germany try to stay in one location. One part of Germany has enough to offer without you trying to travel long distances to get from place to place.

By staying in one area you will get to familiarize yourself with the locals and become a part of the charming town you are staying in. The vacation will feel more like a visit to home and will have you yearning for your return visit.

If you plan your trip with a travel agents help you will be able to join some of the group tours. Group tours are a great way to see the most famous areas of Germany for first time visitors or people travelling alone.

When you walk into a restaurant you will find the best table and seat yourself, and do not be surprised if you are charged for the glass of water you order. The waitresses make more in Germany than they do in the states so you can tip a bit less than you are used to. One or two EUR is considered a good tip for good service.

The grocery stores may seem a bit odd to the Americans visiting as they will be forced to leave a deposit to unlock their cart and use it, you get the deposit back only by returning the cart to location in which it was taken. You will bag your own groceries and pay for the bags you use as well. This does cut down on cost to the store and the prices are lower on the items they sell.

Your cell phone will come in handy while in Germany if you are planning on making any calls. Public phones are hard to find unless you are lucky enough to run into an internet cafe.

Graham McKenzie is the content coordinator for the leading UK Flight Comparison website, which offers detailed information on Booking a Flight.

[tags]Travel, Tourism, Airlines, Flights, Aviation, Leisure, Europe, UK, Flight Comparison[/tags]