On this page, we have compiled general information for you on the Federal State of Brandenburg from "breakdown service" to "youth hostels".
Our "A-Z of Brandenburg" will provide you with further information regarding your stay in Brandenburg Holiday Destination. You may assemble and print or save all information on regions, travel subjects or places to your personal "digital travel guide".

You can reach the ADAC, the German automobile club, on the telephone number (0049) 1802-222222. You may obtain further information by clicking on www.adac.de.

You may obtain information on the subject of camping from:
Association of the camping site owners in the Federal State of Brandenburg
President: Jens Kowald

Verband der Campingplatzunternehmer im Land Brandenburg
Finowfurter Ring 10A
D-16244 Finowfurt
Tel:  (0049) 3335-326717
Fax: (0049) 3335-4519064
E-mail: vcb@camping-net.de
http://www.camping-in-brandenburg.de/  

In principle, there are no “regulations regarding how to dress” in Brandenburg. Nature determines the only rule to be observed: from spring, legions of midges appear, especially at many of the Brandenburg lakes. Here, anti-midge remedies for midges and “ruhig Blut” (Keep your shirt on!) help above all.

The diplomatic missions are mainly located in Berlin:

Botschaft der Republik Österreich (Embassy of the Austrian Republic)
"Atrium" - Quartier 203
Friedrichstraße 60
D-10117 Berlin
Tel:  (0049) 30-202870
Fax: (0049) 30-2290569

Botschaft der Italienischen Republik  (Embassy of the Italian Republic)
Dessauer Straße 28-29
D-10963 Berlin 
Tel:  (0049) 30-254400
Fax: (0049) 30-2544100

Botschaft des Königreiches der Niederlande (Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Klosterstraße 50
D-10179 Berlin
Tel:  (0049) 30-209560
Fax: (0049) 30-20956441

Botschaft der Französischen Republik  (Embassy of the French Republic)
Pariser Platz 5
D-10117 Berlin
Tel:  (0049) 30-590039000
Fax: (0049) 30-590039110

Botschaft der Republik Polen (Embassy of the Republic of Poland)
Lassenstraße 19-21
D-14193 Berlin
Tel:  (0049) 30-223130
Fax: (0049) 30-22313155

Botschaft des Vereinigten Königreichs Großbritannien und Nordirland (Embassy of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)
Wilhelmstraße 70
D-10117 Berlin
Tel:  (0049) 30-204570
Fax: (0040) 30-20457578

Brandenburg is a state shaped by agriculture. The fruit and wine-growing in Havelland (the river Havel area) and the gherkin production in the Spreewald area are known beyond the borders. Just ten years ago, the south of the country was strongly characterised by lignite mining and the steel and chemical industries. A multitude of jobs have been lost in these sectors. Service industries and other new lines of business have taken their place.

You can reach the fire brigade on the telephone number 112 and the police on the telephone number 110.

Health care is good in all parts of the state. There may be bottlenecks in the thinly populated parts of the state at weekends only. But, as a general rule, the nearest larger town with a doctor and also a chemists’ emergency Sunday service is only a few kilometres away. There are hospitals in Berlin and the surroundings.

You may obtain information regarding tourist matters from more than 100 information sites in the Federal State of Brandenburg. Your first point of contact is Tourismus-Marketing Brandenburg GmbH:

TMB Tourismus-Marketing Brandenburg GmbH
Am Neuen Markt 1
D-14467 Potsdam
Tel:  (0049) 331-2004747
Fax: (0049) 331-2987328
E-mail: hotline@reiseland-brandenburg.de
www.brandenburg-tourism.com

The statutory opening hours apply in Brandenburg. In the rural area in particular, most shops are closed for 1-2 hours at lunchtime. In Potsdam, many shops are also open at the weekend. Museums are often closed on Monday. The same applies for restaurants.

Brandenburg is governed by a coalition of the SPD (German Social Democratic Party, the largest party in Germany) and the CDU (Christian Democratic Party). The second-strongest party is the PDS (Party of Democratic Socialism), which also provides the mayor in some local authorities.

With 28,000 sq km, Brandenburg is the fifth largest federal state. Its 2.6 million inhabitants, however, put it in 11th position in the federal comparison. The regions in the north in particular are partly very thinly populated. The largest town of the federal state is Potsdam State Capital with 142,000 inhabitants, followed by Cottbus with 130,000, Brandenburg on the Havel with 93,000 and Frankfurt on the Oder with 85,000 inhabitants.

The following public holidays apply in Brandenburg: New Year, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Labour Day (May 1st), Ascension Day, Whit Monday, German Unification Day (October 3rd), Reformation Day (October 31st) as well as Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Please note, that all public institutions are closed on these days. Hotels and most restaurants are open.

You can reach Brandenburg from most foreign countries using the 0049 dialling code. To telephone from Brandenburg, you use the following dialling codes: Austria 0043, United Kingdom 0044, France 0033, Netherlands 0031, Italy 0039 and Poland 0048. You can telephone via all the normal mobile networks within the state.

There is no regulation with regard to tips. People are not used to getting tips in abundance, particularly in the rural areas, but they are pleased all the more if they get some.

By German conditions, Brandenburg is characterised by a continental climate, which means that the winters are relatively severe and the summers are very warm. At the same time, there is low rainfall. In the south of the country, there are the lowest rainfalls in the whole of Germany.

There are 20 youth hostels in Brandenburg and Berlin, which you can use provided that you are in possession of a valid membership card  from the Deutsche Jugendherbergswerk (DJH) (German Youth Hostel Association). You may obtain more detailed information at the Berlin-Brandenburg DJH Federal Association:

DJH - Landesverband Berlin-Brandenburg
Schulstraße 9
D-14482 Potsdam
Tel:  (0049) 331-58130
Fax: (0049) 331-5813444
E-mail: info@jugendherberge.de
www.djh-berlin-brandenburg.de/index.php/djh/Index/lang/en