Scenic landscapes in Germany

When you think of scenic landscapes in Germany, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? Is it the snow-covered peaks of the Alps, or the dark green Schwarzwald low mountain range, is it a hiking trail along the Rhine or Mosel? Whatever it is, it is very likely to be somewhere in the southern half of Germany, and even restricted to Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. No doubt there are numerous beautiful landscapes and scenic hiking trails or driving routes there and I will not discourage you from visiting them!

But while these are the regions best known by overseas tourists, they are easily matched (perhaps even surpassed – but that is a matter of personal taste, of course) by countless hiking trails and landscapes throughout the country. So let me show you what you will miss out on if you just stick to the main destinations of overseas tourists. Enjoy the following pictures and find out which places Germans actually like to visit themselves! The list is by no means complete, of course.

Above: Sächsische Schweiz (“Saxonian Switzerland”) near the Chech border; the closest German towns are Bad Schandau and Sebnitz.

Baltic Sea and North Sea coast and islands

Just one example from the Baltic Sea: Fischland-Darss-Zingst

The Fischland-Darss-Zingst region in the very northeast of Germany has endless, lonely beaches like this one:

dreamy cottages, farmhouses and old family homes with thatched roofs like this one:

And at the same time endless woods to walk and cycle (unless you get lost in a swamp), like this one:

Even though there would be so much more to see on the eastern part of Germany (the part that was formerly the German Democratic Republic – Bavaria stretches much further to the east but is still counted as “west” by Germans), let me move over to the western part and contrast the Baltic Sea with the North Sea where the climate is much rougher. You still get beautiful beaches where you can swim, but you must respect the tides. On the other hand, you get the full experience of salty air, refreshing sea wind and crabs, fish, seashells etc. left behind by the receding sea water and the multiple birds feasting on them. (In case you have not guessed, I prefer the North Sea to the Baltic Sea. But that´s just me – the Baltic Sea is an equally popular destination and does provide a more satisfying experience to people who expect to swim a lot on their summer vacation).

North Sea coast and islands

So this is Neuharlingersiel, one of the many harbours along the North Sea coast:

During low tide, the beaches are endless – perfect for horseriding. By the way, if you love horses, you will feel at home in East Frisia (and if, like me, you love cows and sheep, you will feel at home, too).

Helgoland is the only German Island that is not based on sand, but rock – and you should only attempt to visit it if you are not prone to seasickness:

I find it hard to stop myself when I write about the German coast. But let me leave the rest to later posts and move a little southward.

Of all the scenic landscapes in Germany, possibly the most dramatic and romantic

This is the Lüneburger Heide, a popular setting for novels around 1900:

I wanted to write about landscapes only in this post and will dedicate later ones to German small towns that are worth visiting. But I cannot write about Lüneburger Heide (Luneburg Heath) without showing you at least a bit of the town of Luneburg. It is special in that there are many gothic brick buildings in it – and they are gothic. Not neo-gothic. Original 14th century – saved from tearing down in the 1970s when they were supposed to make way for “modern traffic”. More on Lüneburg´s architecture here (in German)!

Low mountain ranges of central Germany

Fairytale country: Deister, Reinhardswald…

North from where I live, there begins the Northern German Plain, stretching all the way to the coast. But I live in one of the many low mountain ranges that are scattered all over Germany from this place soutward. There is the Wesergebirge with its different parts like Ith, Deister, Bramwald, Reinhardswald… Let me just show you one example, the ancient oak trees of the Deister:

Another example would be the primeval forest of the Reinhardswald where some oak trees are known to be at least 500 years old. Within the Reinhardswald is a building I bet you did not expect even existed: Sleeping Beauty´s real castle, the Sababurg. If you want to take a really good nap, too, you can sleep at the hotel that is now there, and afterwards visit the wildlife park right next to it.

Or you can travel on eastward to the Harz mountains. There is so much to tell and to show, as this mountain region just overflows with gorgeous nature and historic sites such as monasteries, churches and castles, enchanting (or enchanted?) small towns with countless original mediaeval buildings and colorful half-timbered houses, but also with summer and winter sports and fun activities.

… and the Harz mountains

Some examples of Harz landscapes and sights:

And finally, the Harz mountains seen from a distance.

This is just a very brief introduction to some German landscapes you may not have heard about, that are much visited by German tourists. We are not that keen on Oktoberfest or Neuschwanstein, both being from the 19th century – there are so many historic sites and landscapes that have been much more meaningful in German history. The Harz mountains, for example, were the political as well as industrial heart of medieval Germany. There was so much excavating for coal, silver and iron going on that this once huge forest (“Harz” in fact means “forest”) lost all of its trees and got completely barren from over-exploitation. Originally a beech forest, it was later re-planted with spruce.

I will go into more detail in later posts. Please let me know which of the above scenic landscapes in Germany interests you most! (Personally, I am very fond of the Harz mountains and its neighboring towns like Braunschweig, Hildesheim etc. and of the Weser mountains.)

If you are considering a visit to Germany but don´t know yet what time of year to choose, you may find it helpful to read about Christmas time in Germany, especially German Christmas markets.