7-Day Germany Road Trip to Famous Cultural Cities

Precise attention to detail and dedication to craftsmanship are hallmarks of German design. And with artisans and architects creating some of the world’s most distinctive designs—functionally and fashionably—Germany’s reputation as a creative powerhouse is well-deserved. Travelers may be surprised at just how design-forward the country is as they explore some of the most innovative architecture and design of the 20th century, alongside artistry that dates back centuries.

Perhaps most celebrated for its Bauhaus movement, which gave rise to figures such as Mies van der Rohe and Walter Gropius, Germany has dozens of museums dedicated to design, including the Bauhaus Archive in Berlin and the UNESCO-honored Bauhaus Bernau near Berlin. Dessau in Saxony-Anhalt is the city with the world’s largest number of original Bauhaus buildings. Whether you’re a fan of their function-over-form practical aesthetics or fascinating porcelain craftsmanship, you’ll find inspiration on this itinerary through Germany’s design capitals.

Covering the country on a road trip moving clockwise, this journey will take you from Frankfurt, with its New Frankfurt School style (celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2026), to nearby Wiesbaden, which features an incredible array of art nouveau architecture. The Frankfurt Rhine-Main metropolitan region has been named the 2026 World Design Capital. After your next stop in Dessau, the heart of Bauhaus country, consider extending your stay with a side trip to Berlin, the epicenter of modern art and design.

From there, head south via Leipzig to Dresden, and stay in nearby Meissen, the home of European porcelain. The tour concludes in the motor city of Stuttgart, home to the world’s first TV tower (celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2026), a postcard-worthy library, and museums dedicated to automotive innovation and design. It’s an adventure into creative thinking that will leave you in awe.

Itinerary

PLAN YOUR TRIP

Trip Highlight

MEISSEN Theme World

Ever since Johann Friedrich Böttger invented European porcelain in 1708 in the vaults below Dresden's Brühl Terrace, MEISSEN porcelain has been at the forefront of quality craftsmanship. Take the behind-the-scenes tour, following the path from raw kaolin to contemporary creations, and see artisans at work. Marvel at centuries-old techniques alongside today’s innovations.

Trip Designer

German National Tourist Board

A rich resource for all of Germany's cultural offerings, the German National Tourist Board helps travelers from around the world create their dream trip. Whether you're a fan of the classics or the avant-garde or prefer wine to design, you'll find a wealth of information on their website.

A display case in the Museum of Applied Arts in Frankfurt — The Museum of Applied Arts in Frankfurt pays homage to design of decades past

Day 1Visit the Museum of Applied Arts in Frankfurt

As a central hub, it’s easy to fly into Frankfurt, leaving you plenty of time to tour the riverside city. Kick off your design tour with a visit to Frankfurt’s Architecture Museum to gain a historical perspective on the influence of building design and urban planning in the country. Then, head to the Museum of Applied Arts (MAKu) to see design in action. Grab a bite to eat at the museum’s gourmet restaurant, Emma Metzler, and consider lining up your trip to coincide with one of the many events held at the MAKu and other museums in 2026 in honor of the 100th anniversary of the New Frankfurt (Bauhaus) movement.

A rewarding side trip from Frankfurt for culture enthusiasts begins with a 1.5-hour train ride to Duisburg to see the open-air, walkable sculpture, Tiger & Turtle – Magic Mountain, located at one of the city’s several former industrial sites that have been creatively repurposed for new uses. Climb the roller coaster–like artwork for views of the region that stretch for miles on a cloudless day.

You can continue exploring industrial design at the nearby UNESCO World Heritage Site of Zollverein in Essen Zollverein, and stay overnight at the onsite hotel. From there, consider making the two-hour journey to Herford, a furniture and home furnishings production hub, where you can visit the Marta Herford Museum for Art, Architecture, Design, designed by Frank Gehry.

Inside Museum Wiesbaden's art nouveau collection — Inside Museum Wiesbaden’s art nouveau collection

Day 2See Art Nouveau Architecture in Wiesbaden

With its extraordinary collection of art nouveau buildings, Wiesbaden is a delight to stroll through and well worth the 30-minute train ride from Frankfurt. Explore the city by following the Culture Route 65 and discover theaters, museums, and literary salons. Or visit the Museum Wiesbaden, which has a wing dedicated to Jugendstil, the Art Nouveau style that considered every aspect of life a part of a larger artwork.

Stop by the Museum Reinhard Ernst, featuring a renowned collection of abstract art, including numerous works by Helen Frankenthaler, as well as works by Frank Stella, Lee Krasner, Friedel Dzubas, Morris Louis, Kenneth Noland, Adolph Gottlieb and many others. Wind down your day with dinner paired with regional wines from the nearby Rheingau region.

Pro tip: Named a World Design Capital 2026, Wiesbaden will feature numerous impressive events in 2026, so check the calendar to see what’s on while you’re visiting.

Exterior of Bauhaus Dessau — Bauhaus Dessau

Day 3Explore the Bauhaus Movement in Dessau

Zip over to Dessau-Roßlau, which is honoring the 100th anniversary of Bauhaus with events from September 2025 through December 2026. A modern style known for its simplicity and practicality, Bauhaus architecture features clean lines, elegant shapes, and a functional use of space. Eschewing ornate decoration, the approach uses materials like steel, glass, and concrete to create hallmarks such as large windows, flat roofs, and open floor plans. A focus on usefulness and efficiency established Bauhaus as a foundation for much of modern design, defined by the phrase “form follows function.” Although you can find Bauhaus inspiration and archives throughout the country, Dessau boasts the greatest number of original Bauhaus buildings in the world, with several recognized as UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Compare the style to earlier eras when you take a walk through the expansive Garden Kingdom of Dessau-Wörlitz, renowned for its landscape designs that seamlessly unite art, culture, and nature. With several houses on the grounds representing rococo, neoclassical, and neo-Gothic architecture, the Garden Kingdom traces its design principles back to the Enlightenment, with a focus on harmonizing disparate elements.

Leipzig's Baumwollspinnerei — Leipzig’s Baumwollspinnerei

Day 4Discover Leipzig's Grassi Museum

Make a day of it in Leipzig to check out the street art and outdoor installations scattered around Dresden the city before carrying on to Dresden, 90 minutes away. While in Leipzig, learn about the history of design as part of your visit to the Grassi Museum complex, which includes several museums, including the leading Museum of Applied Arts. Renowned exhibitions on architecture, arts and crafts, and design tie together history and modernity. Or pop into the Baumwollspinnerei, an arts collective housed in a former cotton spinning factory that frequently has events.

Dresden's Schloss Pillnitz — Dresden’s Schloss Pillnitz

Day 5Explore Dresden's Frauenkirche

Get to know the designs of the past in Dresden, filled with lovingly rebuilt baroque buildings—marvel at the Semperoper, with its imposing, ornate facade. Or tour the townhouses at Neumarkt and the magnificent Frauenkirche with its stunning organ and carefully detailed ceiling murals.

Wander the streets to follow the Procession of Princes, a master tilework of MEISSEN porcelain leading to the Residenzschloss, and you’ll see what the city has become perhaps best known for—porcelain. Explore Dresden’s Royal Palace, where you’ll find an extraordinary collection of historic treasures—including masterpieces of design—and the opulent jewelries and precious objects of the Green Vault, or spend a few hours in the Albertinum, where you’ll find contemporary art by Gerhard Richter, among others.

Long celebrated as the birthplace of European porcelain, Dresden also features design-forward hotels and galleries with a modern aesthetic today. Wander through the Kraftwerk Mitte district, which pulses with creativity, featuring contemporary art galleries and a dynamic music and lifestyle scene.

Woman underglaze painting at the MEISSEN Porcelain Manufactory — Underglaze painting at the MEISSEN Porcelain Manufactory

Day 6Check Out MEISSEN Theme World

Before leaving Dresden, take in some of its distinctive architecture, like Daniel Libeskind’s extension to the Museum of Military History, or visit the Kunsthalle im Lipsiusbau to learn more about post-war German design history. Then, make your way through wine country by slow steamboat up the Elbe River to the charming town of Meissen, 15 miles upstream.

The cozy, medieval old town is most renowned for its fine porcelain, produced at the MEISSEN Porcelain Manufactory. Explore MEISSEN with a behind-the-scenes tour of the production areas, where you can see experienced craftspeople at work on new artisan masterpieces. You’ll trace the process, which starts with kaolin from Meissen’s mines, and visit the mold archive (preserving 315 years of history) and the kiln hall. You can also participate in a demonstration workshop to observe skilled artisans at work or try your hand at decorating your own mug through the DIY program and bring home a souvenir that’s uniquely yours.

Exterior of the Porsche museum — Porsche (seen here) and Mercedes-Benz have superbly designed museums in Stuttgart.

Day 7Go to the Porsche and Mercedes-Benz Museums in Stuttgart

Famous for its fast cars and limitless highways, Germany is perfect for a road trip. Take a few hours to head south to Stuttgart, where you can wrap up your design tour with a visit to InfoTurm Stuttgart and learn about the railway’s expansion project, one of the largest in Europe and a model of modern design and architecture, before touring the city’s automotive museums.

It’s a chance to peek under the hood of the racecars that have made this a motor city. Whether you’re a fan of Porsche or Mercedes-Benz, there’s a museum to get your engines revving. Even the architecture of the Mercedes-Benz Museum is worth seeing, with the building resembling a trefoil and a triangular atrium at its center surrounded by galleries in the form of a twisted helix.

More incredible architecture awaits on a walking tour of the city. You can choose between the postmodernist designs of James Stirling at the National State Gallery, the multistory public library, and the communal living concepts of the Weissenhof Estates. Celebrating its centennial in 2027, the UNESCO-recognized Weissenhof Estates is a textbook example of the Neues Bauen movement undertaken by Walter Gropius and Le Corbusier. Also in 2027, Stuttgart will host the IBA’27, an international exhibition of architecture and urban engineering.