Germany, being one of the bigger countries in Europe, has so much to offer to any traveler. From world-class cities like Berlin, Munich and Hamburg, to the mountain peaks of the Alps and medieval villages that look straight out of a fairy tale, such as Quedlinburg and Rothenburg ob der Tauber. And let’s not forget the countless castles that dot the landscape.
Rhine valley and medieval castles
As I live in the neighboring Netherlands, it was only a quick drive over to Germany to start my road trip. As the country is so big, it’s hard to cover it all, but I think I managed to already see a good chunk of it. In the west of Germany, the mountains start forming and you can drive along the Rhein river. This area, called the Mosel region, is known for its wines, historic towns such as Cochem, and impressive medieval castles like the Eltz castle.
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Rothenburg ob der Tauber: perhaps Germany’s most beautiful village
If it’s authentic half-timbered villages you’re after, you should stop at Rothenburg ob der Tauber. This village inspired numerous Disney movies and features a completely intact medieval city center with cobblestone streets and colorful houses. It’s one of the prettiest towns in Europe if you ask me, as the entire city center is kept intact and oozes charm. The village is surrounded by a fortified wall and every entrance has a watch tower through which you enter the village.
Neuschwanstein castle and the Bavaria region
From Rothenburg there it’s only a short drive over to Germany’s most iconic castle, Neuschwanstein. This relatively young castle, built in the 1900’s, is set on top of a hill in the middle of the woods and has impressive views all around, looking out over the Alps and is the picture perfect castle. As I continued my trip further into Germany, I decided to spend some time around the Eibsee and Zugspitze, Germany’s tallest mountain for some hiking in the area. At the crack of dawn I hiked around the Eibsee lake, which was covered in fog, slowly revealing the beautiful mountains that serve as the backdrop of this lake. Another beautiful hike that should be on your list of places to see in Germany has to be the Schrecksee hike. This hike takes you to some beautiful alpine lakes and meadows right on the border with Austria. In the summer, the meadows are bright green and full of alpine flowers, giving the landscape a nice color.
Berchtesgaden National Park
As I continued my road trip through Germany, I drove further east to a small region, tucked away in a small corner of Germany bordering Austria: the Berchtesgaden National Park. It’s only a short drive from Salzburg, making it a great park to combine with a visit to Austria. The main draw here are the two lakes of Königssee and Obersee, which are full of pristine forests and unspoilt nature. The hiking here is great! Walking around the Obersee lake makes you feel like you are amidst the fjords in Norway, rather than being in Germany. The village of Ramsau in Berchtesgaden is a good spot to base yourself, and the views from this town are equally stunning. It’s worth spending a couple of days in this area if you are into nature.
Saxon Switzerland National Park
In the east of Germany, the landscape is very different, with the highlight of the area being the Bastion bridge and the sandstone mountain formations of Saxon Switzerland National Park on the border with the Czech Republic and not too far from Dresden and Leipzig. This National Park offers some great hikes and stunning views over the green valleys below and you forget you are in Germany as you cannot compare it to anything you’ve already seen in the country.
