По ходу своей деятельности я сейчас обрабатываю большой массив информации, связанной с путешествиями по Европе в условиях "tight budget".
Лично мне таких данных не хватало, денег из-за незнания элементарных вещей было перетрачено порядочно - поэтому по мере продвижения работы буду выкладывать информацию. Искренне надеюсь, что это окажется кому то полезно и интересно. Мнения и дополнения стандартно приветствуются.

No-one can ignore Germany. The country that bequeathed the world some of its most glorious works of literature, philosophy and music was also a key architect of the 20th century's most horrifying tragedies. This central European powerhouse sits on a fascinating, complicated past that has shaped events around the globe, fashioning a national history that attracts visitors in droves. Not to be forgotten, though, is that Germany is a country of sheer physical beauty, both natural and created. Outdoor activity is a way of life, and cities boast a huge variety of museums, architecture and cultural draws. And the worldwide fame of Germany's frothy beer, heady wine and hearty food is well deserved.
Germany's reunification in 1990 - still at the forefront of many Germans' minds - began another intriguing chapter. Today, visitors can continue to experience the cultural, social and economic differences of the formerly separate Germanys, enjoying their individual charms.
GEOGRAPHY
Germany covers 356,866 sq km and can be divided from north to south into several geographical regions, including the Northern Lowlands, the Central Uplands (Germany's heartland), the Alpine Foothills and the Alps.
CLIMATE
German weather can be variable. The most reliable weather is from May to October. Shoulder periods (late March to May and September to October) can bring fewer tourists and surprisingly pleasant weather. Camping season is May to September.
GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
Germany is a bicameral parliamentary democracy. The Bundeslander (states) exert influence through the Bundesrat (upper house), while the Bundestag (lower house) is elected by direct universal suffrage.
In the 2002 elections, Social Democrat Gerhard Schroder, in coalition with the Greens, narrowly retained power in the closest election since WWII.
POPULATION & PEOPLE
With 83 million people, Germany is the most populous country in Europe after Russia. In effect, immigration compensates for the very low birth rate among the established German population. Over seven million foreigners now live in Germany, most in the west.
SOCIETY & CONDUCT
Far from the common strict and humourless reputation, Germans are on the whole relaxed, personable and interested in enjoying life. But manners remain important. When making a phone call, you'll find people more helpful if you first introduce yourself by name. Germans sometimes shake hands when greeting or leaving. Hugging and cheek kissing is common between males and females who know one another.
The Holocaust and WWII should be discussed with tact and understanding in Germany. The Germans understandably take great offence at the presumption that fascist ideas are somehow part of or even compatible with their national culture.
LANGUAGE
The official language, Hochdeutsch (High German), is universally understood. English is widely understood by young or educated Germans, but not out of the big cities, especially in eastern Germany. See the Language chapter at the back of the book for pronunciation guidelines and useful words and phrases.
HIGHLIGHTS
Munich and Frankfurt boast enough museums for any addict. The galleries of Berlin, Dresden and Nuremberg house cultural treasures. If you're into castles, make sure you hit Heidelberg, Meissen, Neuschwanstein, BurgRheinfels on the Rhine River, Burg Eltz on the Moselle, the medieval Konigstein and Wart-burg Castles, Renaissance Wittenberg Castle, baroque Schloss Moritzburg and romantic Wernigerode Castle. Captivating historical towns include Goslar and Regensburg. Ltibeck is one of Europe's true gems.
Oh - you wanted to party? The Big Three towns in which to burn the midnight oil, and beyond, are Berlin, Munich and Hamburg.
PLANNING
Germany is best visited from April to October. If you don't mind slushy, bitterly cold and bleak weather, a winter visit has its charms; large cities and the Baltic coast can be blessedly free of tourists. Central Uplands regions, like the Harz Mountains and Black Forest, are good places to hike and relax year-round, especially at higher altitudes.
MONEY
In 2002 the euro replaced the beloved Deutschmark. See under Money in the Facts for the Visitor chapter for information about currency exchange rates.
Exchanging Money
The easiest places to change cash in Germany are banks or foreign-exchange counters at airports and train stations, particularly those of the Reisebank. Main banks in larger cities generally have money-changing machines for after-hours use, though they don't often give good rates. The Reisebank charges a flat €2.50 to change cash. Some local Sparkasse banks have good rates and low charges.
There are ATMs virtually everywhere in Germany; most accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express (AmEx), Eurocard and bankcards linked to the Plus and Cirrus networks. Typically, withdrawals over the counter against cards at major banks cost a flat €5 per transaction.
Travellers cheques can be cashed at any bank; the most widely accepted are AmEx, Thomas Cook and Barclays. A percentage commission (usually a minimum of €5) is charged by most banks on any travellers cheque, even those issued in euros. The Reisebank charges 1 % or a minimum of €5 (€2.50 on amounts below €50) and €3.75 for AmEx. AmEx charges no commission on its own cheques.
Credit cards are especially useful for emergencies, although they are often not accepted by budget hotels and restaurants outside major cities. Most widely accepted are Euro-card (linked to Access and MasterCard), Visa and AmEx.
For emergencies, the Reisebank (Western Union) and Thomas Cook (MoneyGram) offer ready and fast international cash transfers through agent banks, but commissions are costly.
Costs
A tight budget can easily blow out in Germany. Minimise costs by staying in hostels or private rooms, eat midday restaurant specials or self-cater, and visit museums on free days. Campers can expect to pay around €7.50 per night, less if there are two of you. Add another €10 for self-catering expenses and a beer or two from the supermarket, and your food, drinks and accommodation costs will be around €17.50 per day. If travelling on a rail pass, but allowing for public transport costs and occasional expenses such as toiletries, €22.50 per day should be sufficient. Local public transit passes for tourists often offer discounts to museums and attractions.
Tipping & Bargaining
Apart from restaurants and taxis, tipping is not widespread in Germany. In restaurants, tip when you pay by stating a rounded-up figure or saying es stimmt so (that's the right amount). A tip of 10% is more than sufficient. Bargaining is usual only at flea markets.
POST & COMMUNICATIONS
Standard post office hours are Sam to 6pm Monday to Friday and to noon on Saturday. Many train station post offices stay open later or offer limited services outside these hours. Mail can be sent Postlagernde (poste restante) to the main post office in your city. There's no fee for collection, but German post offices will hold mail for two weeks only.
Most pay phones in Germany accept only phonecards, available for €6 and €25 at post offices and some news kiosks, tourist offices and banks.
To ring abroad from Germany, dial 00 followed by the country code, area code and number. Germany's country code is 49.
WOMEN TRAVELLERS
Women should not encounter particular difficulties, and most large cities have women-only organisations. If you are a victim of either harassment or violence, contact Frauenhaus Munchen (089-3548377, 24-hour service, 089-354830, Munich) or LARA - Krisen und Beratungszentrum fur vergewaltigte Frauen (Crisis and Counselling Centre for Raped Women; 030-2168888), in Berlin.
GAY & LESBIAN TRAVELLERS
Germans are generally fairly tolerant of homosexuality, but gays (who call themselves Schwule) and lesbians (Lesben) still don't enjoy quite the same social acceptance as in certain other northern European countries. Most progressive are the large cities, particularly Berlin and Frankfurt. The age of consent is 18 years. Larger cities have many gay and lesbian bars as well as other meeting places for homosexuals. The Berlin Pride festival is held in June. Other Pride festivals are held in Bielefeld, Bochum, Hamburg, Mannheim and Wurzburg in June, and in July in Cologne.
DISABLED TRAVELLERS
Germany caters reasonably well to the needs of Behinderte (disabled) travellers, with access ramps for wheelchairs or lifts where necessary in most public buildings, including toilets, train stations, museums, theatres and cinemas. Assistance is usually required when boarding public transport. On Deutsche Bahn distance services, you can arrange this when buying your ticket.
DANGERS & ANNOYANCES
Although the usual cautions should be taken, theft and other crimes against travellers are relatively rare in Germany. In the event of problems, the police are helpful and efficient.
Nationwide emergency numbers are 110 for police and 112 for fire brigade and ambulance.
LEGAL MATTERS
Police in Germany are well trained and usually treat tourists with respect. You are required by law to prove your identity if asked by the police, so always carry your passport, or an identity card if you're an EU citizen.
BUSINESS HOURS
Shops are generally open from 8am or 9am to 6pm Monday to Friday and possibly a few hours on weekends. Banking hours are generally 8.30am to 1pm and 2.30pm to 4pm Monday to Friday, but many banks remain open all day, and until 5.30pm on Thursday. Government offices close for the weekend at 1pm or 3pm on Friday. Museums are generally closed on Monday. Restaurants usually open 11am to midnight (the kitchen often closes at 10pm), often closing from 3pm to 6pm. All shops and banks are closed on public holidays.