A two-week trip to Germany revealed plenty of surprises—some practical, some cultural, and a few guidebooks never seem to mention.
My husband and I just got home from a two-week trip to Europe, spending most of our time in Germany—and while guidebooks cover the big stuff, they don’t always prepare you for the little things.
The kind that don’t ruin your trip… but can definitely catch you off guard.
We had been to Germany once before, back in December of 2019. It wasn’t a “typical” vacation for us, because our main concern at the time was Christmas markets and nothing else. This most recent vacation was all about touristy goodness, which added several other layers to the trip. In fact, there were a few things we encountered that will probably never make it into the most well-researched guidebook.
I mean, everyone will tell you about the Autobahn (which is not nearly as terrifying as you’d think), or that, at least in places that serve tourists, virtually everyone in Germany speaks some degree of English (which makes visiting there very easy). But there are several other things the guidebooks don’t tell you about visiting Germany.
No washcloths in hotels
If you’re a fan of using a washcloth during your shower/bath, heads up that they generally don’t offer them in German hotels. Bring your own – preferably not a white one, so housekeeping inadvertently doesn’t pick it up with the towels (was years ago but yep, been there, done that).
Smoking is still pretty common
According to a 2024 study, roughly 9.9% to 11.6% of Americans smoke. Germans? About 24% of them.
There was a huge smoking room at Frankfurt Airport, and while I don’t even remember the last time I saw a cigarette machine in the U.S., I saw a good half dozen of them during our week and change in Germany.
Doors don’t always work the way you expect
In the U.S., many doors require you to push them to exit. That’s because of fire-related laws (Doors must swing in the direction of exit travel [outward] if the room or building has an occupant load of 50 or more people).
In Germany, many doors require you to push to enter and pull to exit—basically the opposite of what many Americans are used to.
Yes, you’ll need money for toilets
This bit of advice is pretty well-documented but it’s still worth repeating – bring money for toilets.
Many public toilets – in gas stations, parks, etc., require payment for use. It could be €0.50. Could be €1.00. Regardless, have toilet money ready.
By the way, those public toilets are typically super clean.
Cash is still king
And while you’re getting your toilet euros, get cash for everything else, too.
Although the tides for electronic payments are slowly turning, Germany still prefers cash payments over card. This is said to be because of a strong, cultural aversion to surveillance, most likely influenced by Germany’s history of surveillance (Stasi/Gestapo), along with modern concern over data mining.
Many small businesses still prefer cash, often to avoid transaction fees and the cost of card systems. In fact, we found more than one restaurant that said they were “cash only.”
Apple Pay is widely accepted (when cards are)
Also, for those who partake, virtually all businesses in Germany that accept electronic payments do indeed take Apple Pay.
Air conditioning might not be what you expect
Because we know some establishments in Europe tend to keep things warmer than we’re usually used to in the U.S., we always look for hotels that advertise air conditioning. Of course, that was less of a concern when we went in December for the Christmas markets – but for a trip that would be in April, we made sure that A/C was available wherever we went.
The one issue? It was still “only April,” with highs in the 60s and lows ranging from the 30s to the 50s. There was no air conditioning needed at all, so at one of our hotels, they just didn’t have the service turned on. Which meant not only was there no A/C, the fan wasn’t even on to circulate the air. Although the temperature of the room was OK, the lack of circulation made the room pretty darn stuffy.
Fortunately, the windows could be opened. So we experimented with cracking them open so the air could move but it didn’t get too cold in the room.
None of these things are dealbreakers—in fact, they’re just part of what makes traveling to Germany interesting.
But knowing about them ahead of time can make your trip a whole lot smoother… and maybe save you from having to learn the hard way.
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