Page 540 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Europe

538  GERM AN Y , A USTRIA , AND SWITZERLAND

Practical Information Police
German police uniforms and
Germany is renowned as a safe, clean, and efficient country to signs are mostly blue (they
visit. Travelers will find that every town has a helpful tourist are green in Bavaria and the
information center offering advice on restaurants, attractions, Saarland, but otherwise blue).
and activities. Larger cities also have Internet websites which Look out for motorized police
units, the Verkehrspolizei, which
give up-to-the-minute information. Hotels are plentiful but are concerned with safety on
may be busy during the festivals and fairs which occur the streets, roads, and highways,
throughout the year in different parts of the country. and are distinguished by their
white caps. Certain town police
have navy-blue uniforms and
When to Visit Australia, and New Zealand, do their job is to catch motorists
The climate in Germany is not need a visa to visit Germany, for parking offences for which
pleasantly temperate. Cities so long as their stay does not they can impose an on-the-spot
and historic monuments are exceed three months. Visitors fine. Remember that you should
best visited in spring or early fall, from South Africa must have a carry ID such as a passport,
particularly in the south of the visa. Visitors from EU countries driving license or student
country where it can be very do not require a passport to card with you at all times.
warm. July and August are ideal enter Germany, as long as they
months for a restful holiday by have a national ID card.
the sea, in the lake districts or in Drugs, animals, animal Pharmacies
the mountains. In Bavaria during products, such as cured meats, Look out for the stylized letter
the second half of September and exotic plants under special “A” (Apotheke), which indicates
and early October, the protection are totally prohibited a pharmacy. They are usually
Oktoberfest takes place. This is an from importation into Germany. open from 8am to 6pm; in
annual beer-drinking event which Regulations also restrict the small towns, they close
is open to all visitors. In import of cigarettes and wine. between 1 and 3pm. In larger
December, everybody is pre- towns, there is always a rota and
occupied with Christmas Personal Security this is displayed in the window
shopping, while during winter, of each pharmacy with a note
skiing is a popular pursuit in the As in other countries, visitors are of addresses. Information on
Black Forest, the Alps, and the far safer in small towns and rota pharmacies may also be
Harz Mountains. The roads are villages than in big cities, where obtained from tourist offices.
busiest during the school extra care must be taken against
holidays, dates of which vary street theft – particularly when Accidents and
from state to state, and during traveling on public transport
the “long weekends” at Easter, during the rush hour. Pickpockets Emergencies
Whitsun, and other national tend to frequent popular tourist If you have an accident or a
public holidays. sights and any events where large serious breakdown on the
groups of people gather. It is motorway, it is best to use one
worth using a money belt to of the special telephones that
Visa Requirements conceal your money and doc- are situated at regular intervals
and Customs
uments. Also keep cameras and along the hard shoulder.
Citizens of countries that are audio equipment out of sight. Throughout the country, a
members of the EU, as well as Better still, leave valuable items special emergency number, 110,
citizens from the US, Canada, in the hotel safe. is answered by an operator who
The Climate of Germany
BERLIN MUNICH
Germany lies in a temperate
climatic zone. In the north, with
marine influences predominating, °C/ºF °C/ºF
summers tend to be quite cool 23/73 23/73
and winters mild, with relatively 14/57 14/57
high rainfall. In the eastern part 13/56 12/54 11/53 13/56
1/34
of the country, however, the 3/37 3/37 -5/23 3/37 3/37 2/36
-5/23
climate is more continental and 6 8 4 2 5 8 5 2
this produces harsher winters hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs
and hotter summers. Germany’s 24 60 41 31 56 99 48 46
highest rainfall and lowest mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm
temperatures are recorded
in the Alps. month Apr Jul Oct Jan month Apr Jul Oct Jan

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