Castles and cars: expats offer travel tips
People who are new to Germany are curious to find out more about the country. We asked three expats about their favourite places and travel recommendations.
Castles and cars
Khaled Elbarbary gained his first experience in the hotel industry in the Egyptian coastal resorts of Hurghada and Marsa Alam. He then travelled from the Red Sea to Germany, to the Black Forest, to train as a hotel manager in the climatic health spa of Bad Teinach in Baden-Württemberg. When Khaled isn’t looking after travellers and holidaymakers in his job, he enjoys travelling in Germany himself and exploring his new home. Since he comes from Alexandria with a population of five million, Heidelberg is currently his favourite destination – a more tranquil place than any of Germany’s big cities. “There’s a beautiful castle there. The city looks good and it’s so clean.” He’s also fond of the Schlossberg in Freiburg. “From the very top you have a view of the whole city.” In terms of his favourite German metropolis, the young Egyptian opts for Stuttgart: “It’s a cool city and there are lots of sights, including the Mercedes-Benz Museum and for sports enthusiasts the MHPArena. You definitely shouldn’t miss those.”
The best trips on a limited budget
A content creator who works in the tech industry, Waleochronicles lives in Berlin. Originally from Nigeria, she has previously lived in Indonesia, Switzerland and Kenya. So she certainly knows a thing or two about travelling. She arrived in Germany five years ago. On her social media channels, she talks about her life as an expat and offers tips on how to travel cheaply or for free. In Munich, she recommends the Alter Peter, a tower where you have a view over the entire city, or BMW Welt, a showroom housing the car manufacturer’s famous models. For a visit to Potsdam, her advice is to go to the Chinese Tea House in Sanssouci Park, or the Cecilienhof not far from Lake Jungfernsee – a site of international historical significance: it was in this modest ensemble of buildings that the Potsdam Conference took place in 1945, where the Allies talked about plans for Europe after the Second World War.
Insider travel tip for all the family
When Spomenka Vukojicic moved from Serbia to Germany in 2016, she had a young daughter and was newly pregnant again. So arriving in Germany was a challenge, but the family managed to find a new home in Munich. At the weekend they set off to explore the surrounding area, not only visiting well-known destinations such as Neuschwanstein Castle but also following up on insider tips. “Partnach Gorge is a hidden gem that I’m reluctant to reveal.” It is located near Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Bavaria. “In winter we loved the cliffs, the turquoise-coloured river and the ice sculptures. It’s a perfect place for the family.” Spomenka shares tips for settling into life in Germany on Instagram.
