Berlin is also laid out on an epic scale - western Berlin alone， is four times the size of the city of Paris. Of its 23 boroughs， the five of most interest to visitors are Charlottenburg in the west， Tiergarten and Kreuzberg in the downtowndowntown adv.在市区， 往市区 adj.市区的 western area， the historic eastern part of town in Mitte and Prenzlauer Berg in the northeast. Southwest Berlin has lovely parks， secluded forests and lakes in the Grunewald area.
Popular with overseas visitors， Berlin is one city you can，t really get lost in as one is nearly always within sight of the brooding Fernsehturm (TV Tower). Too large to be explored on foot， Berlin has one of the most efficient publictransportation systems in Europe， making every part of the city easily accessibleaccessible adj.易接近的， 可到达的， 易受影响的， 可理解的.
Visitor，s to this historic city can bask in it，s magnificent architecture and monument，s from the Reichstag to the Brandenburg Gate. This city，s tortured history is evident in the remains of the Berlin Wall and the famous Checkpoint Charlie which was once the gateway between the divided city.
Cultural attractions in Berlin inlcude the city，s many theatres such as the Grips theatre and the Berlin Theatre Des Westens. Museums in Berlin are among the best in Germany and if you enjoy eating out， the restaurants in Berlin offer some of the best European cuisine there is. Shopperholics too won，t be disappointed with the shopping on offer here. Hotels in Berlin range from the elegantelegant adj.文雅的， 端庄的， 雅致的， 〈口〉上品的， 第一流的 five star hotel to more simple accommodation； which are well suited to travellers from all walks of life.
Contrary to the usual clichés about Germany， Berlin is a city with a laidback attitude and some of the liveliest nightlife in Europe. In Berlin today， there is everything from authentic beer halls and old Soviet era haunts right through to buzzing style bars and Latino nightclubs. Sporting facilities and activities for children are good too. Thus Berlin makes for a sensible starting point to any discovery tour of the country.
Hamburg
汉堡
汉堡位于易北河河口，人口约220万，是德国第二大城市，也称作“北方的威尼斯”。汉堡已有1000多年的历史，是北欧海运的总站，交通繁忙。汉堡是德国第一大港，也是欧洲最大的港口之一，被人们称为“两海三河之港”，兼有海港和河港之利。
汉堡城绿树成荫，风光美丽，吸引了国内外数以万计的游客，为德国重要旅游城市之一。市内有美丽的阿尔斯特湖和纵横交错的河道。拥有2125座桥梁，是世界上桥梁最多的水上城市。易北河以北主要是住宅区和商业区，以南则为工业区和港口区。全城最繁华的商业区是约弗尔斯蒂克大街向湖滨延伸的一带。
为了吸引游客，汉堡发展了“城中之城”，即独具一格的室内商业街，整个街道都在钢架玻璃拱顶的遮盖之下，防雨淋日晒和汽车噪音。1980年陆续建成6条室内商业街，总长1公里，营业面积达3万平方米，其中最精彩的是“汉撤走廊”。汉堡最热闹的“处女街”不仅是供人散步的林阴道，而且也是人们进入汉堡内城购物的起点。
汉堡的科尔布朗德大桥，连接易北河隧道和高速公路，气势宏大，完全可以同美国旧金山的金门大桥媲美。此桥全长3464米，桥塔高98米，巍巍长虹，成为现代汉堡的象征。在易北河的两岸，是气势磅礴的汉堡港，巨型海轮进进出出，一派繁忙景象。市内过半面积是公园、草地、水面、树林，郊区的森林一望无边。紧挨着市中心的“植物与鲜花”公园里林木葱葱。
富丽堂皇的市政厅是汉堡最吸引人的一处名胜。加拿大太平洋汉堡广场饭店和海团里希·赫友电视塔是现代建筑的代表。此外，工艺美术博物馆、俾斯麦纪念塔。历史博物馆及欢乐街等也十分着名。
汉堡是德国北部的文化中心。有始建于1678年的州立歌剧院以及德国话剧院、塔莱亚剧场和6座博物馆。艺术博物馆内收藏有从欧洲古罗马时代至今的雕塑、绘画等艺术品，也藏有埃及、朝鲜和中国的文物。汉堡民俗博物馆收藏有世界各国民俗方面的文物，如埃及的木乃伊，中国的送子观音画像、皇帝语书、王奎、麻将、纸牌等。汉堡有悠久的音乐传统，有3个大型的交响乐团。这里是音乐家门德尔松和勃拉姆斯的故乡。
汉堡还是国际着名的新闻中心之一，书报出版业很发达，德国有影响的（时代）周报、（明镜）周刊等等，都是在汉堡出版的，德新社总部也设在这里。市内有世界第一流的大学和科研机关，其中最着名的是德国同步加速器研究所，为世界最先进的高能物理研究中心之一，拥有最先进的仪器设备，所内一半物理学家来自世界各国。有1919年建立的原联邦德国最大的大学——汉堡大学，还有音乐、美术学院和工程、航海等专业学校。
汉堡是德国主要经济中心之一，素以工商业发达而着称于世，港口也带动了城市商业的发展。汉堡是德国最重要的外贸中心，世界各国的大贸易公司、航空公司。金融机构等也都在这里设有分支机构。汉堡已成为德国最大银行保险业中心之一。汉堡是德国的重要交通枢纽，交通十分便利，是德国陆空交通总汇、重要的航空港之一。汉堡国际机场平均每3分钟有一架飞机起落，日运旅客4万多人。汉堡海底隧道长448．5米，深入海底6米，从岸边坐电梯下到海底就是圆形的巨型双线通道。随着城市的发展，又新建了一条易北河隧道。现在有3条隧道穿过易北河，每天汽车流量达8～9万辆。
汉堡最热闹的购物街，是火车总站到市政府的Monckeberg路，大街两侧有很多专卖店。
刀具、光学仪器、钢笔、皮革制品、魏拍制品等是德国传统特产，汉堡作为世界性港口，世界各国的珍品均可购到。
Hamburg， Germany，s second largest city is often considered a canal city like AmsterdamAmsterdam n.阿姆斯特丹(荷兰首都) or Venice due to its vast amount of picturesquepicturesque adj.独特的 waterways lakes. Hamburg is the principal seaport and largest overseas trade and transshipment centre in the country， despite the fact that it lies 120km inland.
The state and administrative city cover 750 km2； with 1.8 million inhabitants， while another 750，000 live in neighbouringneighbouring adj.附近的， 毗邻的 urban areas. The Greater Hamburg Metropolitan Region (Metropolregion Hamburg) including nearby districts of SchleswigHolstein and Lower Saxony covers 18，100 km； with a population of 4 million.
The city of Hamburg is situated at three rivers， the Alster， the Bille and the Elbe， at 53°33′ N 10°0′ E. The citycenter is beautifully situated around two artificial lakes， the Auenalster and the Binnenalster， which are formed by the river Alster.
100 km to the NorthWest， three islands in the North Sea also belong to the citystate of Hamburg： Neuwerk， Scharhrn and Nigehrn.
The burg part of the city，s name is cognate to the English word boroughborough n.自治的市镇， 区 as well as words and place names in virtually every IndoEuropean and Semitic language along with others. For a fuller explanation， see under borough.
Tourism
Hamburg is best visited for a few days in spring or summer - and with a plan of things to do. For historical reasons Hamburg is not the typical sightseeingsightseeing n.观光 city， partly due to its old civic and trade tradition which didn，t leave grand palaces (except the city hall， the home of senatesenate n.参议院， 上院 and parliament)， partly due to severe air raids during World War II which flattened complete districts.
A typical Hamburg visit includes a tour of the city hall and the grand church St. Michaelis (called the Michel)， and visiting the old warehouse district (Speicherstadt) and the harbourharbour n.(=harbor) 海港 promenadepromenade n.散步 v.散步 adj.散步的 (Landungsbrücken). Sightseeing busses connect these points of interest. Of course， a visit in one of the world，s largest harbours would definitely be incomplete without having taken one of the harbour and/or channel boat tours (Groe Hafenrundfahrt， Fleetfahrt) which start from the Landungsbrücken. Many visitors take a walk in the evening around the area of Reeperbahn， considered Europe，s second largest red light district and home of many theatres， bars and night clubs.