Ah, most of Europe was happy to see Germany’s power limited, by being a country divided after World War II. But that all ended in 1990, and now there’s just one big, beautiful Germany.

Since Roman times Europe’s relationship with the Germans has been equal parts admiration and fear. While the Romans managed to conquer most of the known world, they never quite came to grips with the tribes east of the Rhine and north of the Danube. Roman culture had minimal impact on the region’s history and development.

Today Germany is one of the largest countries in Europe, has the largest population (by far), and is the economic engine currently keeping the entire European Union afloat. But for all its history, power and prestige, it gets relatively few visitors. Maybe it’s the lack of warm, sunny beaches. Maybe it’s old wounds and animosity related to 20th century history. Maybe it’s that nobody has written a best-selling book about the trials and tribulations of restoring an old house in Germany, and all the quirky locals they met along the way – of course, everything would be done right the first time, be finished on time, and be under budget – and where’s the humor in that?

Whatever the reason, Germany is relatively unappreciated as a tourist destination. And there’s no good reason for it.