Gap Year in Germany

Lederhosen aside, backpackers love Germany for one thing: the beer. But get past the country’s brewery achievements and you’ll find a rich history, friendly people, sweeps of medieval-feeling forest and an economy that puts most of its European neighbours in the shade.

Germany Gap Year Programs

Germany Facts

• Capital City: Berlin
• Currency: Euro, EUR
• Language: German
• Time Zone: +1 GMT
• Dialling Code: +49
• Religions Practised: Christianity (Protestant and Catholic)
• Total Area: 357,021 square kilometres
• Population Size: 82400996

Practical Information

Voltage and Plug Info:
230 V. European plug with two round metal pins.

Visas:
EU citizens need only a passport or identification card to travel or work in Germany. Americans, Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders and Japanese visitors can enter without a visa as tourists, as long as they have a valid passport. Other nationalities can apply for a Schengen visa through the embassy, which is valid for 90 days.

Safety:
Germany is a very safe country to visit; if in doubt, just look at its cars. As a people, the Germans take safety very seriously, which you’ll discover if you try and cross the road on a red light (the locals will shout at you, be warned). Crime is low, but that doesn’t mean that pickpocketing doesn’t happen, especially in big cities.

Vaccinations and Health:
Healthcare in Germany is of a very high standard. Tick-borne encephalitis is present in some German forests, so if you’re planning on extended hiking trips, it may be worthwhile getting the vaccination.

Germany Travel Tips

Best Time to Visit?
As with most northern European countries, the hottest (and therefore the busiest) time to visit is between June and August. Spring and autumn are lovely, with fewer tourists and milder weather. If you’re planning a winter visit be sure to pack lots of warm clothing and a rain jacket.

Getting There and Away
If you’re travelling within the EU, you’ll find loads of cheap flights to and from Germany via its major cities: Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, Dusseldorf and others. These city airports also serve international flights. There’s an excellent train and bus network that connects Germany and its neighbours, while those famous autobahns are a must for speed demons (ahem, careful drivers).

Getting Around
An excellent road, train and bus network makes travelling through Germany as easy as downing a pint of Pilsner. The cheapest form of transport is generally bus, though trains are faster and more comfortable. Bicycles are a really popular way of getting around the cities, and Berlin in particular has an excellent network of cycle lanes; even if you’re a nervous cyclist, it’s well worth hiring a bike here.

Germany Gap Year Ideas

Why not take the perfect opportunity during your gap year to learn a new language? You could combine it with your travelling, volunteering or even working in Germany. Here at Go Find Progams we’ve put together a guide for you to learn German in Germany during your gap year.

Don’t leave Germany without…

Going big in Berlin
Edgy, artistic, home to a banging nightlife and heavy with history – what’s not to love about Germany’s capital? Browse independent shops and drink in the trendy bars of East Central’s Friedrichshain and Prenzlauer Berg or cross the old Cold War frontline at Checkpoint Charlie.

Feasting on a traditional German breakfast
Fruhstuck wie ein Kaiser (that’s ‘breakfast like an emperor’, although you probably knew that). In Germany, breakfast isn’t just the first meal of the day, it’s the meal of the day. Knock back bread with jam and honey, cold sausages, cheese and boiled eggs. If that doesn’t fill you up, you really need to diet.

Seeing Bavaria by bike
Meadows, mountains, castles and cycle paths – Bavaria is like a 3D watercolour. Glide through forests, toil into the Alps or check out historic cities such as Nuremberg and Wurzburg, all on two wheels. Then go to a Munich beer hall and down a giant vat of lager.

Swimming in the Baltic
Yes, really. Germany’s Baltic Sea shoreline might not be high on anyone’s list of beach-resort must-dos, but that just means you won’t be sharing expansive coastal views and pretty harbour towns like Wismar with masses of sun-seeking hordes.

Highbrowing in Hamburg
Hamburg was the birthplace of Mendelssohn and is home to world-class gallery The Hamburger Kunsthalle, where you can eye up the work of artists such as Max Liebermann and Philipp Otto Runge.