Germany's most beautiful tourist destinations less crowded than ever

King Ludwig II of Bavaria was shy and sought solitude in Neuschwanstein Castle. After his death in 1886, life entered his refuge when it was opened to visitors. In previous years, 6,000 people a day walked through the castle of the "fairy-tale king" in the Allgäu region during the high season. In times of COVID-19, the daily figure is only 1,080. Ludwig would have approved of the peace and quiet.

Only 300 visitors at a time are allowed into the cathedral until further notice. This leads to long queues, especially on weekends. Once inside, the experience is all the more impressive. Visitors have much of one of Germany's largest cathedrals nearly to themselves. Although tourists must also be prepared for longer waiting times when climbing the tower, it is worth it.

This summer it is also quieter than usual on the romantic ruins high above the Neckar River. Instead of 4,000 visitors a day, only half of that amount visit the Emperor's Hall, the Great Barrel or the castle garden this year. "You can enjoy a more individual experience of the castle," says Michael Bös, head of the castle administration.

From the public viewing platform at a height of 37 meters (121 feet), guests can enjoy a sensational view of Hamburg and its harbor. Currently, there are even tickets available for last-minute visitors. Nevertheless, the Elbphilharmonie Concert Hall recommends booking tickets in advance online. Due to social distancing rules, not as many people as usual are allowed in at the same time.

Seeing the Brandenburg Gate or the government quarter from the roof terrace of the Reichstag building and looking through the glass roof into the Bundestag plenary chamber is currently only available to registered individuals. The Reichstag dome, designed by architect Norman Foster, will not be accessible to groups until the end of September. There are also no guided tours of the building.

Access to the State Museums in Berlin is also limited and only possible with reserved time slot tickets, for example for the Panorama of the Pergamon Museum and the Neues Museum. You can finally enjoy attractions like the bust of Nefertiti in peace and quiet! In 2019, a total of 4.2 million people visited the State Museums in Berlin. Currently, the figure is expected to be 30 percent of that.

With its seasonal flower arrangements, the island is a tourist hotspot. Well, normally. Usually up to 8,000 daily guests populate Mainau Island on Lake Constance. This year the visitors from abroad are missing as well as most bus trip tourists. For those visitors who manage to get here, it is a privilege to enjoy the beautiful garden in peace and quiet.

The world-famous 18th-century church, which was destroyed at the end of the Second World War and rebuilt true to the original after 1990, is a magnet for visitors. But at the moment, only 50 people are allowed into the dome of the Dresden Frauenkirche at the same time, and only 40 visitors inside the church. At concerts, only about 350 of the approximately 1,660 seats are available.

This small, medieval town in Bavaria with a population of just over 10,000 usually attracts some 1.9 million visitors every year. A large part of them come from Asia and the US. These guests are missing this year, but local visitors finally have the chance to explore their town with its timber-framed houses. As Goethe once wrote: "Why wander off into the distance? Look, good things lie so near!"