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Stay away from touristy small towns like Rothenburg, Rüdesheim, Neuschwanstein (even Heidelberg). They are bit of "fake Germany". There are plenty of beautiful and internationally less known cities all over Germany, though the real Germany is made up of many ugly cities too.
Big cities in Western Germany have more immigrants than the countryside but they are still representing modern day Germany imho.
The extreme southern, northern etc. regions differ from each other quite strongly but that doesn't make them less German. However, the more central parts might give you a bettter image of the average Germany.
I've found Frankfurt to be rather interesting... A lot of the old and the new... I actually like more than Berlin. I have friends from Germany, and one of their favorite places in Deutschland is Köln (Cologne).
Location: God's Gift to Mankind for flying anything
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When this thread started, the OP wanted to know where the *real Germany* was.
I think from all the answers that were given, the real Germany in many cases is in the small towns *near* a large city.
Nothing wrong with visiting all those tourist rated Cities.
There is a lot of history and nice things to see and experience there.
But to live and work there, one needs to be a bit away from those same cities mentioned.
Then you get the feel of the real Germany.
The Germany where a local hangs around in a local small Gasthaus.
The Germany where there are often more cows than people.
One can call such a place *off the beaten path*.
Once the OP decides to settle down somewhere,
it does have to be *off the beaten path* !
At least, that is what I think the OP is looking for !
Come to think of it, having lived there for so many years,
nothing is really more than an hour away at the most,
to get all the amenities one may need.
15 minutes form the nearest town (where the job was) where
we could get anything we needed for our daily needs.
50 km away from Munich !
Coming home from work, and having the opportunity
to sit down on a bench somewhere (see pic) between the train
or bus station and home, or using a car (that was me),
then just enjoying looking around and hearing nothing more than birds chirping,
and maybe an occasional cow *mooing*,
or a farmer on his tractor turning the hay,
that was for me the real Germany, wherever that may be.
On the pic, the Bauernhof, on the top
in the upper right hand corner, is where we lived.
The pic is taken in Niklasreuth, Bayern.
Location: God's Gift to Mankind for flying anything
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The last few years we lived in Germany we lived here.
second house from the left.
Dang, we miss it !!
So ... , you want the real Germany ?
Anywhere outside a big city !!!
The last few years we lived in Germany we lived here.
second house from the left.
Dang, we miss it !!
So ... , you want the real Germany ?
Anywhere outside a big city !!!
Nice, where is that? I lived in a small village in the Vulkan Eifel for 4 years then in a small village on the Mosel. I miss both thoese places but it was hard to find work there.
The last few years we lived in Germany we lived here.
second house from the left.
Dang, we miss it !!
So ... , you want the real Germany ?
Anywhere outside a big city !!!
That looks just like the area where I lived. Beautiful!
I lived in a village a few km NE of Kaiserslautern, in SW Germany. Every day was like living in a post card.
Last edited by denverian; 10-09-2014 at 10:13 AM..
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