Travel Documents: Foreign nationals require a valid passport or other identification document to enter Germany. The passport must be valid for at least another four months after entry into Germany or the Schengen area. European Community passport holders do not need a visa to visit Germany. For citizens of EU countries a valid identity card is sufficient. Children must be included in their parent's passport or carry their own children's passport. Citizens of certain countries require a visa to enter Germany. Health: Very good. EU citizens are entitled to free or subsidised primary care in the event of sudden illness or an accident in Germany. In many European countries the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) has replaced the E111 form. Presentation of the European Card guarantees that the holder will not have to pay for, or will be reimbursed for, the costs of their medical treatment. Citizens of other states are advised to take out travel insurance. No vaccinations are required for entry into Germany. The pharmacies have a service that covers nights and Sundays. The address of the nearest out-of-hours branch is listed on the door of every pharmacy. Doctors' surgery times are usually 9am - 12pm and 3pm to 6pm or by appointment. Many doctors' practices are closed on Wednesdays.

Telephones: Country Dialing Code 0049.

Local and long distance calls can be made from all post offices and public telephone booths. Telephone cards are required for most telephone booths. These are available at all post offices in denominations of five and ten euros.

Mobile Telephones: Germany operates on a GSM network, so if you're coming from Europe and many other countries, your current mobile will probably work in Germany. If you are coming from North America or parts of Asia, you will probably have a CDMA phone which will not work.

There are four main mobile phone providers in Germany: T-Mobil, Vodafone, E-Plus, O2.

Internet: Internet cafes are located in all German cities.

Money and Banks: Money is Euro.

Banking Hours: Opening hours are determined by the individual banks, and can vary greatly although no branches stay open later than 6pm and on Saturdays and Sundays all banks are closed. Many banks have a foyer with ATMs which can be accessed 24 hours a day.  

Modern cash machines accept a variety of German and international debit and credit cards. The airports and major railway stations have electronic currency changing machines which can be used to exchange foreign currency for euros.

Credit cards are width accepted.  

Electricity: 230 V, 50 Hz. The Continental two-round-pin plug is standard.

Shopping hours: The greater part of the shops, in the week days, are opened from 9,00 am to 7,00 pm. Shops are closed on Sunday, with the exception of bakeries which generally open on Sunday mornings. Cafés and cake shops are open on Sunday afternoons. Germany has a huge range of different places to shop, from the traditional atmosphere of its town centres to more than 400 shopping malls, each like a world of its own. The one thing they all have in common is a colourful mix of shops, boutiques, restaurants and cafés. And nearly all Germany's towns and cities have pedestrianised areas with large department stores and shopping arcades.

Post Offices: Post offices in larger towns and cities are generally open Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm, and on Saturdays until midday. At larger railway stations and airports they often stay open for longer and also open on Sundays.

Museums are generally closed on Mondays.  

Typical Products: Popular souvenirs from Germany include the Black Forest cuckoo clock, beer tankards from Bavaria, Meissen porcelain, wood carvings from the Erzgebirge mountains and Steiff teddy bears.  

Cusine: In Germany, every region has its own local cuisine with typical specialities. The typical German breakfast consists of bread or rolls with sausage, cheese, jam or honey and muesli, served with coffee or tea. Lunch is the main meal of the day and is usually a hot, cooked meal, usually of generous proportions. Dinner is usually eaten between 6pm and 7pm, and consists of bread and rolls with sausage or cheese. GERMAN CUISINE RECIPES.