Germany

Germany has been at the centre of the European stage ever since Neanderthal Man wandered the valleys outside modern-day Düsseldorf, and today's reunified nation proves not only the economic - but also the physical heart of the continent.

While this guarantees her a place in European history and economics books, Germany also pops up in most other parts of the curriculum, from physics (Einstein), through philosophy (Nietzsche and Kant) to music (Beethoven and Bach) and art (Caspar David Friedrich and Beuys)... to name but a few.

Germanys' historical ups and downs are reflected in a rich architectural legacy that spans the breadth of the country, from the fairytale castles lining the banks of the Rhine to medieval towns such as Lübeck, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The spectacular saw-tooth peaks of the Bavarian Alps and the Hansel and Grettel cottages that hide deep in the Black Forest all help to bolster Germany's romantic image, but a quick trip down the autobahn and you enter a different world. The slick cosmopolitan cities of Munich, Frankfurt, Düsseldorf, Hamburg and Berlin have enough galleries, museums, restaurants and nightlife to turn most European capitals green with envy.

It's said that if you ask a German why there is so little crime in their country - they'll answer 'because it's against the law', but for a country with such a sober stereotype they certainly know how to party. The reaping of the harvest in the autumn sets the Rhineland alight for The Rhine in Flames, while to the north the population of Munich explodes for the annual Oktoberfest. A short pause to recover from the hangover and the whole country is ready to join in again with the Winter Carnival (Fasching).