A “country” has come in from the cold. Since the Iron Curtain came down, the icy grip of Communism on the former East Germany has rapidly melted, and now a free people greet visitors from the West with a heartfelt “Willkommen”.

Mass tourism has not yet arrived, however. The region still lacks a number of facilities that holidaymakers take for granted in the West – less English is spoken here too. But this is more than compensated for by beautiful landscapes and historic towns unspoilt by tourism, and the warmth of the welcome offered to visitors. So, for adventurous holidaymakers, the eastern region of reunited Germany is an ideal destination.

Moswin has been offering holidays here for over ten years, and “thank-you” letters from our clients convey a real sense of adventure and discovery, of encountering the unpredictable, and of a society in a fascinating state of flux. Many roads are not up to western standards. There are “Umleitungen” (diversions) after “Umleitungen”, but which often allow you to see cameos of local life that would otherwise be missed. Side roads are often poorly signposted. Street maps are still occasionally out of date, as Karl Marx-Strasse and Lenin Allee revert to their old names. Though still much is under repair, the welcome is there, and the roads are improving fast – and for many the still current ‘undeveloped’ aspect is a big plus.