Locate Oktoberfest-inspired travel spots to round out your dream Eurotrip.
Each year, over six million lovers of culture, food, crisp fall weather, and beer are drawn to Germany to celebrate Oktoberfest. If you’re inspired to travel across the Atlantic to experience this fall festival for yourself, plan a visit to one or more of these hearing-loss-friendly destinations in Germany:
- Berlin
- Düsseldorf
- Bavarian Alps
- Erfurt
- German nature parks
Below, we’ll explain what makes these destinations so much fun, and provide some travel tips for hearing loss accommodations while you’re there.
Berlin
How much more classically German can it get than Berlin? The country’s capital offers many accessible opportunities for visitors with hearing loss. History, art, and film buffs can hop between some of Berlin’s many museums—many of which offer guided tours in sign language or provide assistive listening devices. If you love music, spend an evening at the Berlin Philharmonic, which has special receivers to enhance the listening experience for guests with hearing aids. And then, of course, there’s Oktoberfest Berlin complete with a party tent, original Oktoberfest beer, and carnival rides.
Düsseldorf
This city is one of Germany’s most dedicated to barrier-free travel. They even wrote a 72-page guide about it! The guide covers a wide variety of the city’s accommodations, including guided sign language tours around the city and museums like the Stadtmuseum. Several theaters and events also provide hearing support. We especially loved this blog post straight from the source. In it, a traveler with hearing loss describes his experiences navigating the city. He has tips for getting around, where to stay, and a few spots to see in this hearing loss-friendly destination in Germany.
Bavarian Alps
You won’t need anything but your eyes to gaze on the splendor of the Alps! Pick a hike or two to do, photograph beautiful old castles, and wander whatever cute towns you find along the way. Bringing a hearing companion or a notebook for written communication are just a couple of travel tips for hearing loss to keep in mind here. Since the Alps are about two hours south of Munich, you might want to combine your Alps trip with Munich’s enormous Oktoberfest.
Erfurt
While it’s not one of the country’s most famous cities, Erfurt is one of the hearing loss-friendly destinations in Germany that has plenty to offer. They put together an iGuide, which is a multimedia city guide for visitors with hearing loss or low vision. Borrow one of these handheld video devices to experience Erfurt in words and pictures. Learn about Napoleon’s famous Congress of Erfurt and see St. Mary’s Cathedral or the monastery where Martin Luther lived. You may also consider booking one of the city’s highlighted barrier-free hotels for a smooth stay.
German nature parks
Just about anywhere you visit in Germany, you’ll probably find a nature park. For a hearing loss-friendly experience, walk in the treetops at Hainich National Park, hike in the popular Lüneburger Heide Nature Park, enjoy the sensory garden at Naturpark Stechlin, or take a tour of Eifel National Park (where you can borrow mobile amplifiers or media guides as needed).
If you’re a nature lover, you may also enjoy this article on hearing loss-friendly national parks here in the USA.
With just about any German destination, you can also use a travel guidebook to plan your own tour. Whether you like to have a paper copy in your hands or a helpful website like Rick Steves’ Europe online version, you can read your way through all the sightseeing. Of course, if you’re motivated by Oktoberfest, keep an eye on festival dates and places, so you’ll be in the right place at the right time.
Before you visit any new country, it’s helpful to brush up on some words and phrases that will help you navigate. While many Germans speak English, not all do! Hearing loss-related terms to learn include gehörlos for a deaf person and schwehörig for a person with hearing loss.
For more hearing loss-friendly destinations and travel tips for hearing loss, peruse our collection of hearing loss articles on the blog.
To learn how a CapTel captioned telephone can help you stay connected to family and friends, visit our website or call 800.233.9130 today.
