DON’T MISS
IamExpat FairIamExpat Job BoardIamExpat Webinars
Newsletters
EXPAT INFO
CAREER
HOUSING
EDUCATION
LIFESTYLE
EXPAT SERVICES
NEWS & ARTICLES
Home
Lifestyle
German news & articles
German city in top 10 Lonely Planet destinations for 2020
Never miss a thing!Sign up for our weekly newsletters with important news stories, expat events and special offers.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy

German city in top 10 Lonely Planet destinations for 2020

Never miss a thing!Sign up for our weekly newsletters with important news stories, expat events and special offers.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy
or
follow us for regular updates:



Related Stories

Three German cities named in “Top 100 City Destinations” listThree German cities named in “Top 100 City Destinations” list
Germany to return Benin statues to NigeriaGermany to return Benin statues to Nigeria
Germany ranked as the best country for road trips in EuropeGermany ranked as the best country for road trips in Europe
Which cities in Germany offer the cheapest rooms for rent?Which cities in Germany offer the cheapest rooms for rent?
Drivers in Hamburg and Wiesbaden face worst traffic jams in GermanyDrivers in Hamburg and Wiesbaden face worst traffic jams in Germany
Coronavirus has pushed people to leave big cities in GermanyCoronavirus has pushed people to leave big cities in Germany
The cities where you don't need to speak German to get a jobThe cities where you don't need to speak German to get a job
Göttingen found to have best air quality of all German citiesGöttingen found to have best air quality of all German cities
For expats of all colours, shapes and sizes

Explore
Expat infoCareerHousingEducationLifestyleExpat servicesNews & articles
About us
IamExpat MediaAdvertisePost a jobContact usImpressumSitemap
More IamExpat
IamExpat Job BoardIamExpat HousingIamExpat FairWebinarsNewsletters
Privacy
Terms of usePrivacy policyCookiesAvoiding scams

Never miss a thing!Sign up for expat events, news & offers, delivered once a week.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy


© 2025 IamExpat Media B.V.
© 2025 IamExpat Media B.V.
Oct 24, 2019
William Nehra
William studied a masters in Classics at the University of Amsterdam. He is a big fan of Ancient History and football, particularly his beloved Watford FC. Read more

The German city of Bonn has nabbed a top 10 spot in the prestigious Best in Travel 2020: Top Cities list, published by the famous travel guide Lonely Planet. The city's somewhat unexpected achievement is owed to a certain legendary composer: Ludwig van Beethoven.

Bonn: One of Lonely Planet’s “Top Cities”

This year Bonn made its way onto Lonely Planet’s “Best in Travel 2020” recommendations for the top cities to visit in 2020, placing fifth on the list. The travel guide primarily features Bonn due to its significance as the birthplace of Beethoven.

As the travel guide describes, as the erstwhile capital of West Germany, Bonn fell into relative obscurity after the Reunification of Germany in 1990. This year, however, Bonn “is back in the spotlight” as it prepares to host a years' worth of festivities in tribute to its most famous son. 2020 will see the city orchestrate a year-round lineup of musical events in honour of Beethoven's 250th birthday. 

Aside from the festivities that make it an exciting place to be this year, Lonely Planet is keen to stress that Bonn has so much more to offer. From its beautiful location on the banks of the River Rhine, Bonn proudly exhibits a myriad of stunningly picturesque buildings, including its famous university, the Rococo-style Altes Rathaus and a plethora of museums, including the house where Beethoven was born.

German-speaking Salzburg takes top spot

Salzburg, another German-speaking city, secures the top spot in this year's Best Cities list. This is largely down to the fact that the Salzburg Festival marks its centenary this year. As the home of another musical heavyweight - Mozart - the Austrian city hosts one of the world’s biggest classical music festivals.

The last German city to be featured on the list was Hamburg in 2018, shortly after the opening of the Elbphilharmonie concert hall, one of the largest and most acoustically-advanced concert halls in the world. Germany itself featured in the Top Countries 2019, when it hosted a number of events marking the hundredth anniversary of the Bauhaus art school and 30 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2020

Every year, Lonely Planet publishes its Best in Travel guide, featuring a list for Top Cities, Top Countries, Top Regions and Top Value Destinations. The travel guide compiles the list from suggestions by hundreds of contributors, which are eventually whittled down to ten places for each list. The Best in Travel 2020 list is now in its 15th year.

The 10 cities that made it to the Best in Travel 2020 list were as follows: 

  • 1. Salzburg, Austria
  • 2.  Washington DC, USA
  • 3. Cairo, Egypt
  • 4. Galway, Ireland
  • 5. Bonn, Germany
  • 6. La Paz, Bolivia
  • 7. Kochi, India
  • 8. Vancouver, Canada
  • 9. Dubai, UAE
  • 10. Denver, Colorado
By William Nehra