Fruehlingsanfang, the beginning of Spring, evenings are lighter, days warmer, and travelling by road, rail or river through Germany can
be especially beautiful. Wild flowers cover meadows and skirt bases of still snow capped mountains, pink and white almond, cherry and apple blossoms appear alongside the historic road, river and canal scenic routes with their castles, palaces, half timbered buildings, old fashioned windmills and medieval towns. Springtime's arrival means seats and tables appear outside cafe's, bistros and ice cream parlours, and the beer gardens begin to open. Although the wearing layers is definitely advisable for anyone touring Germany, regardless of any cold breezes or spring showers the traditional warm weather culture has now officially considered to have begun, and 'spring tiredness', Fruehjahrsmuedigkeit, has no chance of success.
Because, in addition to the Easter traditions and markets that take place throughout the country at the beginning of the season, the spring months mean there will be a festival or event in almost every town.
One trend has spread throughout Germany's cities and towns and begins each spring, continuing until autumn. The 'Long Night' events when for a cut rate fee, often including special public transportation, for the whole evening until the early hours of next morning culture in one or all of its forms on offer.
A 'Long Night of Museums', sees the all night opening of museums, galleries and cultural institutes covering everything from the more conventional themes, such as a Long Night of Sciences when a city's teaching and research facilities are open, to wood carving and the care of a forest's wildlife, while even for someone with no intention of keeping bees the beekeeper's open nights are fascinating.
Berlin holds an annual spring 'Night of Theatres and Operas' in April with 60 stages showing back to back 30 minute productions, and in May a 'Long Night of the families', with 101 activities including treasure hunts, torch lit tours, robber's feasts and an invitation to the world of chocolate. While Munich offers a live and diverse 'Long Night of Music' with over one hundred musical stages ranging from concerts halls and city bars to ballet schools and museums.
Hamburg also has a Long Night of Museums in April, with amongst others the Beatlemania centre, the Children's 'hands on' Museum, and an Astronomical Observatory open, but for three days in May a water spectacle takes place in the harbour, The Hamburg Port Festival. The three and half kilometer promenade is filled by fairground rides, over 500 stands with music, food, beverages, stage performances and museum exhibitions, while simultaneously on land, water and in the air, all types of events are taking place.
For the largest port festival in the world this includes a Tug Boat Ballet, when eight tugboats perform choreographed movements for about an hour to waltzes and other dance music, parades of some of the world's most beautiful and historic sailing ships, frigates, steam boats and cruise ships and an extravagant late night waterside firework display that silhouettes everything anchored in and around the harbour.
Another spectacular firework show begins in May, on the River
Rhine, just south of former capital Bonn, the annual 'Rhine in Flames' festival. A pyrotechnics show, boat and street 'party' which continues to travel down the river during the summer and early autumn months. The spring opening display is known as the 'Night of the Bengal Lights' and more than 2000 Bengal lights are used to lead the way for the 60 ships, festooned with coloured lights and filled with spectators, that sail by historic illuminated towns, each holding their individual firework displays and celebrations.Stuttgart in Baden-Wuerttenberg is the centre of both Europe's leading high-tech region and a wine growing area but during April and May it also becomes the middle point of end of the winter festivities, the largest, and most popular, Spring Festival in Europe, the Stuttgarter Fruehlingsfest. For three weeks eleven acres are taken over by ultra modern and old fashioned fairground rides, side shows, tents and stalls, a Chandler's Market, live music, musical firework displays, balloon glows and one and a half million guests from far and wide, all celebrating the arrival of Fruehling, the spring.
Still partly in Baden Wuerttenberg is Lake Constance, Bodensee in German, which shares its shoreline not only with that state but also Bavaria and parts of Austria and Switzerland, and one of the islands on the lake is Mainau, close to Baden Wuerttenberg's city of Konstanz.
Called the Flowering island it consists entirely of stunningly beautiful flower filled parks, gardens and pergolas, with waterfalls, sculptures, fountains and a historic castle. In springtime the scent and colors of millions of spring flowers, starting with snowdrops followed by crocus, narcissi, tulips, hyacinths and ending with peonies, together with the thousands of different multicolored butterflies, all against a backdrop of the lake's clear blue waters and snow covered peaks of the Alps, are a glorious experience for the sight and the senses.
Germany has its lively cities with their wonderful architecture, shopping and nightlife, the country is dotted with romantic castles, palaces, abbeys, medieval villages and stunning countryside, but tourism in Germany is constantly increasing, and it is thanks to the German people who hold dear and keep to their traditional seasonal festivals, events and traditions, inventing new ones when they feel like it and all of them something for we as visitors to also enjoy.
Fruehjahrsmuedigkeit? No chance of that during a spring spent in Germany.
Springtime in East Friesland, courtesy Ostfriesland Tourist Office - Rhine River Firework Display in Koblenz, Public Domain
