{"id":3862,"date":"2018-08-03T14:43:50","date_gmt":"2018-08-03T18:43:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/?p=3862"},"modified":"2018-08-03T14:43:50","modified_gmt":"2018-08-03T18:43:50","slug":"go-germany","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/go-germany","title":{"rendered":"What to know before you go: Germany"},"content":{"rendered":"

From the remains of the Berlin Wall, to the castles of Bavaria, to the famous bratwurst, there\u2019s so much to see and explore when you <\/span>travel to Germany<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

In order to truly make the most of your trip, though, it\u2019s best to be prepared. Knowing what to expect in Germany can help you avoid some of the little stresses that go along with travel and spend more time on what you came for: life-changing experiences.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here are some tips for making sure you\u2019re ready for your trip to Germany:<\/span><\/p>\n

What do I need to know about Germany?<\/b><\/h3>\n

President:<\/b> Frank-Walter Steinmeier<\/span><\/p>\n

Chancellor:<\/b> Angela Merkel<\/span><\/p>\n

Religion:<\/b> Christianity (59.3%), No religion (34.4%), Other (6.3%)<\/span><\/p>\n

Date format: <\/b>DD\/MM\/YYYY<\/span><\/p>\n

Time zone: <\/b>Central European Time (EST+6)<\/span><\/p>\n

What do I need to know about German culture?<\/b><\/h3>\n

Language: <\/b>The official language of Germany is \u2014 you guessed it \u2014 German. If you\u2019re learning German, then this is a golden opportunity to practice.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s okay, though, if you have no knowledge of the language \u2014 people will mostly speak English in more touristy areas, and tour guides will help you navigate. Here are some <\/span>German phrases<\/span><\/a> that might be helpful for you to learn before you go.<\/span><\/p>\n

Etiquette: <\/b>Etiquette in Germany is pretty similar to what you\u2019ll see in Canada: They like to shake hands as a matter of greeting. If you speak German, be sure to use <\/span>du and sie <\/span><\/a>correctly: the former should only be used for friends.<\/span><\/p>\n

You may also notice a fun German quirk: Germans tend to greet everyone in the room when they walk into a small shop or a waiting room. <\/span><\/p>\n

Holidays: <\/b>If your trip happens to fall during a holiday, this can be an excellent way to interact with locals during your free time, though it may affect business hours for shops and sites. Check out a <\/span>calendar of German holidays<\/span><\/a> to see if any of them overlap with your trip dates. If you\u2019re anywhere in Germany during the fall, be sure to check out the dates for Oktoberfest and see how the holiday is celebrated in the areas you\u2019ll be visiting.<\/span><\/p>\n

What about health and safety?<\/b><\/h3>\n

Safety: <\/b>As of this post, the Government of Canada has\u00a0listed<\/a>\u00a0Germany as a country where you should \u201ctake normal security precautions.\u201d Be sure to keep an eye on your luggage and wallet, and stay with your group if you\u2019re with a tour.<\/p>\n

Germans drive on the right, so you don\u2019t have to worry about looking the wrong way before crossing the street.<\/span><\/p>\n

Health:<\/b> You do not need to have any vaccines to travel to Germany, and the tap water is <\/span>safe to drink<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Weather: <\/b>Germany has a <\/span>temperate climate<\/span><\/a>, meaning you probably won\u2019t find it to be too hot or too cold. However, you should still check out the <\/span>weather<\/span><\/a> for the areas you\u2019ll be visiting before you go, and pack accordingly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Food: <\/b>Germany is known for its heavy, meaty foods like Bratwurst. Other well-known dishes include fermented cabbage, known as sauerkraut, and soft pretzels. You\u2019ll find a variety of foods when you head to Germany, though, and vegetarians shouldn\u2019t have trouble finding a meal in bigger cities like Berlin and Munich.<\/span><\/p>\n

How do I use my phone in Germany?<\/b><\/h3>\n

International calling and WiFi: <\/b>The number to call for emergency services is 112. To call Canada from Germany, dial 001 and then the number, starting with the area code. Most hotels will offer WiFi.<\/span><\/p>\n

For information on how international calling works for your cellular provider, contact them directly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adaptors: <\/b>Germany uses a different plug than Canada, so you will need an <\/span>adaptor<\/span><\/a>. Be sure to purchase one so you are able to charge your phone abroad.<\/span><\/p>\n

What do I need to get in, out, and around Germany?<\/b><\/h3>\n

Passport and visa: <\/b>Your passport must be <\/span>valid<\/span><\/a> for six months following your date of departure from Germany. Visas are not required if you are staying in the country for less than 90 days.<\/span><\/p>\n

Customs: <\/b>Don\u2019t try to bring any raw beans, or fruits or vegetables back into Canada.<\/span><\/p>\n

Money: <\/b>Germany uses the Euro (\u20ac), the official currency of the European Union. Other types of paper currency won\u2019t be accepted, though credit cards from Canada are fine. Check with your bank to see if you\u2019ll be charged a fee for using your card abroad, and definitely notify them of your tour dates.<\/span><\/p>\n

Check out the\u00a0exchange rate<\/a>\u00a0for Canadian dollars to Euros before you go, and if you decide to change money, make sure the rate is favourable. Usually, the airport currency exchange will not offer you the best rate, and you\u2019re best off using a debit card at an ATM during your trip, but be aware of any international fees.<\/p>\n

Also, be sure to check out our <\/span>tips and guidelines for spending money<\/span><\/a> abroad.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Are you a teacher who is interested in taking students along for the ride? Explorica takes care of all of the little details so you can focus on making your trip to Germany educational and fun. <\/span>Plan a trip to Germany<\/span><\/a> today!<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From the remains of the Berlin Wall, to the castles of Bavaria, to the famous bratwurst, there\u2019s so much to see and explore when you travel to Germany. In order to truly make the most of your trip, though, it\u2019s best to be prepared. Knowing what to expect in Germany can help you avoid some Read More …<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3863,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[173,63,172],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3862","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-parents","category-students","category-teachers"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3862","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3862"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3862\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3864,"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3862\/revisions\/3864"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3863"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3862"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3862"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3862"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}