The currency used in Koblenz and all of Germany is the euro (€), US dollars are not accepted. ATMs and banks can be located all throughout town.

We recommend that you exchange a small amount of cash prior to your trip, enough for a cab ride or basic spending on arrival. It is also useful to remind your bank and credit card company that you will be travelling to make sure your cards will work while in Germany. We recommend you record all your credit card numbers, as well as the phone numbers to call if your cards are lost or stolen.

Under the euro system, there are seven notes: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, and 500 euros. Notes are the same for all countries. There are eight coins: 1 and 2 euros, plus 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 cents.

Banks and other government agencies are working on weekdays, from 8:00 - 8:30 am to 5:00 - 6:00 pm. During the day, small lunch break is possible. Some large banks can operate on Saturdays, but the time will be reduced significantly.

Almost all major shopping centers, restaurants and hotels accept service payment with credit cards. They deal with cards of international standard. Large amounts of cash are necessary to those only, who hope to make purchases in markets or in small retail pavilions.

You can exchange money not only in banks and private exchange offices, but also in the department of the General Post Office. It operates seven days a week and around the clock, but the exchange rate at the post office is not the most profitable.

In Germany, American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard, and Visa are commonly accepted, with the latter two cards predominating. Note that many banks now assess a 1% to 3% `transaction fee` on all charges you incur abroad (whether you`re using the local currency or your native currency).

The climate of Koblenz is classified as warm and temperate. Weather can be cool at times, but will not be freezing even during the peak winter times. There is no specific rainy season and so, you can expect showers any moment.

Summer (June - August): The summers are warm and the temperatures vary from 68°F to 75°F on a maximum and 52°F to 57°F on a minimum. This is the peak season to visit Koblenz when the Rhine-Valley is at its best, make sure to book ahead.

Winter (December - February): Winters are mild and slightly cold. The maximum temperature is around 40°F while the minimum is 30°F to 34°F on an average. This is basically off-season for tourists in Koblenz, a great time to go if you are looking to save money.

Spring (March - May): Spring sees a temperature between 50°F to 66°F max and 35°F to 48°F min. This is also a good season to visit Koblenz.

Autumn (September - November): Like spring, even autumn has large variations in the temperature. They average high and lows range around 46°F to 50°F and 37°F to 52°F respectively.

German is the official language spoken in Koblenz. Hotel and restaurant staff in Koblenz likely speak enough that you can communicate your order or check into your hotel, but it`s always polite to at least try the local language. Younger people will more likely be able to speak English opposed to the older population, but general rule is hit and miss - depending on what type of school they went to. We suggest you get a good English-German guidebook and familiarize yourself with common phrases such as hello, goodbye, excuse me and numbers 1-10.

In addition to numerous restaurants serving regional German cuisine, Koblenz offers its guests a variety of international cuisine and interesting gastronomic restaurants.

Being that Koblenz is located in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate (the south-western part of Germany) the specialties of the area are identified as such, a very hearty cuisine. A list of foods and dishes in Rhineland-Palatinate are listed below

Leberknodel: Liver Dumplings

Sauerbraten: a roast (usually beef or venison) that has been marinated for 3 to 4 days in a marinade of vinegar, wine, vegetables, and various spices. Marinating the meat acts as a tenderizer, resulting in tender, juicy meat.

Dampfnudel: Made from yeast dough and formed into balls, the balls are cooked in a pot with a little liquid. As the liquid boils, it both cooks and steams the Dampfnudel. The result is a Dampfnudel with a crispy bottom and soft top.

Bratkartoffeln: Pan Fried Potatoes that are typically served with a number of dishes, such as Schnitzel, any sausage (such as Bratwurst, Weisswurst, etc.).

Zwetschgenkuchen: Plum Cake

Zweibelkuchen: Onion Cake

Bratwurst: Most often refers to a sausage made from pork in a natural casing and is grilled or fried in a pan.

Handkäse: A sour curd cheese that belongs to the oldest kind of cheeses. Traditionally, it was produced in home kitchens - when milk curdled and got thick, the curds were removed and formed into small rolls by hand. This is where the name `Hand Cheese` came from. Once formed, they were then placed next to a warm stove to dry and ripen.

What to drink? Koblenz is located in the wine area of the Rhine and Mosel Rivers, mostly known for dry white wines, but also producing dry red wines, and in Germany, trying the beer is also a must. Southern and northern German beers differ in the proportion of hops and malt. More hops makes the beer more bitter, and this region is known for a higher percentage of hops. `Königsbacher` and `Koblenzer` are made by a local brewery.

Performing Arts: The Rheinische Philharmonie Orchestra performs in the Rhein-Mosel-Halle, Schlossstrasse 35 (www.rheinische-philharmonie.de), which also hosts other performances. Check for listings, dates, and prices of other performances. The Stadttheater (City Theater), housed in the Grossehaus, Dinehartplatz (www.theater-koblenz.de), stages dramas, comedies, and musicals (in German) September to June. The box office is open daily 9am to noon. Tickets cost around €20 to €55, but can increase depending on the event.