We didnt visit it ourselves, butNaturkost-Hotel Harzis anall-vegan bed and breakfastlocated in the mountains near Bad Grund southwest of Goslar that also serves food for non-guests. The hotel is designed in a charming style and we loved our stay. Prior to visiting Rammelsberg, we hadnt, and we must say we found the experience to befascinating! for all your future hikes, click on the link below. This time of the year is called Advent in den Hfen and is organized annually. Once, the Oderteich was the largest dam in Germany. Unfortunately, it was in the middle of some renovations while we stayed in town, but walking up the hill and catching themagnificent viewsof the city and surrounding landscapes was nevertheless totally worth it. The journey will take place with an old steam train and take some 1.5 hours one way. To minimise your impact during your visit in the Harz Mountains, follow these guidelines: Thanks for getting all the way to the end! I spent an afternoon here and hiked up to the Wernigerode Castle, towering out above the city. Thank you for subscribing to my weekly hiking newsletter. Lutherstadt Eisleben, where Luther was born in 1483, prides itself on being the original birthplace and source of inspiration for the first waves of the Protestant Reformation. We parked our carnear Thale and walked to the Mittelstein and Knigsstein using the parking called Parkplatz Teufelsmauer on Google Maps located on Quedlinburger Str. From the German-Dutch border its about a 4 hour drive. A once in a lifetime experience. Whether you want to visit the typical German half-timbered houses, pump up your adrenaline level or enjoy amazing meals: the Harz Mountains will definitely not disappoint you. To receive the free and inspiring we12travel day hike packing list. I was incredible nervous just before take off but OMG it was so cool! Did you check out the video posted above yet? From here I continued my walk on towards Agnesberg and from the Erfgrabenweg I passed many great see-throughs, offering me views of Brocken in the distance. Alternatively, if you want to enjoy some time outdoors, take a stroll through the beautiful gardens of the Drubeck Monastery, once a nunnery. Fly into either Berlin, Hamburg, Hannover, Leipzig or Frankfurt and catch a local train or hire a car to get to the Harz Mountains. Tip: make sure to visit Quedlinburg just before Christmas. Stunningchurchesabound in Goslar with more than a handful located very close to each other in the city centre. You will find more than 2.000 half timbered houses in Quedlinburg, most of them in near-perfect condition. Be aware that people drivevery faston the sections of the autobahn that dont have speed limits. When Im not traveling, I live in a cabin in the woods in The Netherlands. Even if you are not doing any of the activities they offer, its still worth to see the views over the Rappbodetalsperre and surrounding mountains. Make your way straight to the top for a chance to Instagram the spooky optical illusions created by your shadow being cast onto the fog. Wernigerode is also worth your consideration. Eighteen years later, the Upper Harz Water Management System was added to the UNESCO ensemble, stretching it across an area of over 200 square kilometres. It has become a combination of culture, nature and adventure, making it a very diverse destination. Fans of cross-country skiing can experience the beauty of the winter landscape, making use of 500 kilometres of trails. More about this swingbridge can be found in this blog about Titan RT. Less daring bikers will also find plenty of nicely marked trails. free and inspiring we12travel day hike packing list, Best places to visit in the Harz Mountains, Culture: the prettiest places in the Harz Mountains, Nature in the Harz Mountains and Harz National Park, A ride with the Brockenbahn the famous Harz railway, Aventure in the Harz at the Harzdrenalin Center, More things to do in the Harz National Park, Harzer Schnitzelstubchen in Hotel Alte Brennerei, Titan RT the longest swingbridge in Germany, Geierlay Bridge: a must-do in the German Hunsrck, Micro adventure in Germany: 5 adventurous things to do, Mega Zipline in the Harz Mountains: must-do for adventurers. var s = d.createElement(sc), p = d.getElementsByTagName(sc)[0]; Winteris a popular time to visit for winter sports. I spend my time hiking The Veluwe, the largest natural area in our country, which also happens to be my back yard. Since its closure, the site has transformed into a monument celebrating manual labourers and mans ingenuity, offering tours above and below ground. , Dont you just love it when hikes reward you wit, Sunset dip on a hot summer day Cooling off i, Would you pet a giant tortoise? In the towns and near attractions, you may have to pay a small fee if you park centrally. You dont have to only like mountain climbing to visit the Harz Mountains. The Brockenbahn is a 19 kilometer narrow gauge railway between Wernigerode and Brocken, the highest mountain in the Harz. This masterpiece of Romanesque architecture is home to some of the most valuable trinkets of the Middle Ages. If youre ahistorybuff, dont miss Lutherstadt Eisleben the home ofMartin Luther. This trip was made in collaboration with the German Tourism Board and Harz Tourismus. As an added bonus, the restaurant at Hotel Alte Mnze serves vegan meals. The Harz National Park is made up up dense forests, steep cliffs and rock formations. But before you continue reading, I hope youll take a moment to check out this video that I made of my visit to the Harz Mountains. The road network in the Harz is well-developed and itsfast to go pretty much anywherein the region. Why You Should Go on a Canyoning Tour From Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Everything you need to know including the best attractions, when to visit, where to stay and how to get around, Everything you need to know including the 12 best things to do, when to visit, where to eat and where to stay, What to expect from visiting the stunning Partnach Gorge in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bavaria, What to expect from visiting gorgeous Eibsee in the Bavarian Alps, Everything you need to know about finding the most delicious vegan and vegetarian places in Munich, Germany, What camera, drone and accessories we use to capture life on the road, All you need to know about going on a day trip with adrenaline and fun down a steep mountain river. This article was first written in February 2019 and updated in 2022. Heres our list of things to see and do in this spectacular part of the world. Required fields are marked *. This tucked-away region of Northern Germany is home to morecobblestone streetsandtimber-framed housesthan we had room for on our cameras memory card, and even though there are more cultural and historic attractions here than can fit on most peoples itineraries, the real draw of the Harz is themountains. This is surely one of (if notthe) best hotels in Quedlinburg. With the combination of Grnderzeit and Art Nouveau villas, the Old Town of Quedlinburg makes for a highly Instagrammable destination. thuringia germany Technically, the Harz Mountains are located in the three states of Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia. If medieval religious relics are your thing, then the Collegiate Church St. Servatii on the castle hill is a must-see. To run a mine, you need energy. Often heralded as one of Germanys prettiest towns, Quedlinburg is the epitome of a fairytale countryside town. During this time of the year, plenty of privately owned gardens in the city center open up for visitors and have their own small Christmas markets. The fare for a one way journey in 2022 is 33 and for a return ticket it was 49. The people of the Harz Mountains were ingenious in their ways of using water to drive the water wheels of the mines, and the systems are still clearly on display today. The Harz Mountains havecaptured the imaginationsof poets, writers and artists alike for centuries, and we can easily understand why. In the national park youll find countless hiking trails, one of them being the Harzer Hexenstieg, one of the Top Trails of Germany. On We12travel you will find everything you want to know about outdoor travelling, nature and hiking. Check prices and availability at Hotel Der Achtermann. In various locations you will find nature park houses where you can find all kinds of information about the national park. For those looking for impressive nature: you will not be disappointed. All other accommodations in the Harz can be found here. The Rammelsberg Mine (described below) is located just a few kilometres south of town, having made Goslar famous and wealthy. Your email address will not be published. Another suggestion is to walk around the old town with a local guide who can tell you all about Quedlinburgs history. Please share your best tips and tricks in the comments thank you! Central to this significant period is the Rammelsberg Mine in Goslar, which operated continuously for more than 1,000 years. The Brockenbahn has several departures each day but also has a summer and winter schedule. Given its remote geographical location and relative isolation, masses of spooky, dark forest mean that local folklore in the area is all about witches, warlocks, fire, brimstone. With more than2,000 timber-framed houses, some dating back hundreds and hundreds of years, theres an almost endless array of cute atmospheric cobblestone streets, perfect for slow strolls (and a soon-to-be-filled photo library). Located inside the Harz National Park, nature here is protected and wild. We stayed at the lovelyRomantik Hotel am Brhl, perfectly located super close to the old town. The Harz is situated directly in the middle of Germanywith easy autobahn access from several big cities, but its far away enough to make its visitors feel completely at ease and give that special far-away-from-urban-life atmosphere that city-dwellers often so desperately need. Especially so during Christmas and New Years. If youre looking for anadrenaline rush,you wont be disappointed by the Harz Mountains, either. If this photo doesnt, Experience the historic city centre of Goslar, Walk across the Titan-RT Suspension Bridge, Learn about the Upper Harz Water Management System, Go on short and long hikes in the Harz Mountains, Hike around the Oderteich Lake in the national park, Visit the rock formations of the Teufelsmauer (Devils Wall), Follow in Luthers footsteps in Lutherstadt Eisleben. For the most romantic stay, look no further than the 4-starred Hotel am Brhl. Arrival in Wernigerode, afternoon walk in the city center and to the castle We were invited by the Harz Tourism Association and spent4 full daysin the Harz Mountains in the middle of November. We visited the Harz Mountains in the middle of November where we were lucky to still see some colourful leaves on the trees. Its also home to various stone houses, known as bowers, that were built in the 12th century. Please try again. We were happy to see that theres not only one buttwo completely vegetarianplaces to eat in Goslar. We used Goslar as a basefor our adventures in the Harz Mountains. To allow us to provide a better and more tailored experience please click "OK". s.async = true; Youd be hard-pressed to find trips inside the Harz Mountains that take more than an hour of driving. If learning about the Iron Curtain and the Cold War wasnt enough, the Harz Mountains were also home to one of the most famous figures of the Protestant Revolution, Martin Luther. Now its a listedUNESCO-World Heritage sitein the Harz National Park where the previously planted spruce forest is turning intowild naturecomplete with dead wood and lots of biodiversity. Alternatively, enjoy a scenic train journey. They were historically used as batteries and are now mostly used forswimming in summer. Timber framing houses Quedlinburg old town, Germany, Wernigerode Castle in the Harz mountains, Germany, Mines of Rammelsberg, Goslar, Harz, Germany, Aerial view of the Brocken mountain, Germany, Harz Narrow Gauge Steam Train in clouds of smoke in the Harz, Germany, Hiking to the top of the mountain, Brocken, Germany, Monument of Martin Luther in the Town Square of Eisleben, Germany. Join in, if you dare. The hotel is huge with more than 100 rooms. We and our partners use cookies to better understand your needs, improve performance and provide you with personalised content and advertisements.

Since a couple of years the Harz has some fun attractions for the thrill seekers at the Harzdrenalin Center. Day 4. Goslar is just big enough tohave what you needin terms of supermarkets, restaurants and the like while still retaining thatsmalltown charmthat makes you lower your shoulders a bit and commit to a slower pace of life. From here you can walk right into the mountains. Morning visit to Titan RT and optional the Mega Zipline, afternoon departure. The most famous celebrations are the ones held in Schierke, the last stop on the Brocken train before the summit, and in Thale with the legendary Witches Dance Floor. Mountain bike fans will fall in love with the mountains surrounding landscape; over 2,200 kilometres of narrow trails, forest track and rocky passages with jumping opportunities, as well as five bike parks, put your technical abilities on trial. })(document, 'script', '//aff.bstatic.com/static/affiliate_base/js/flexiproduct.js'); 4-starred Hotel Alte Mnze has theperfect locationin Goslar right next to the central Market Square. I visited both towns during my most recent trip and will tell you all about them below. 13 in Thale. The longest swing bridge in Germany is located right here in the Harz Mountains. At least itll give you an idea of what a weekend in the Harz could look like: You can take the cable car up to Hexentanzplatz (dancing place of the witches of the Harz) on the top of the mountain. The service at the reception was also top-notch. Train enthusiasts can enjoy the thrill of riding a unique steam engine, while also taking the opportunity to snap some stunning photographs, as the train circles the mountain one and a half times before stopping at the top almost 50 minutes later. The Harz Mountains is a mining area and quite mountainous. Dont miss thesteam trainsthat are still very much in use! I overnighted in the central located Hotel Am Anger from where I could stroll directly into the heart of the city. ), but youll also easily find hikes in the Harz with moredemanding terrain and elevation gains. A ticket costs 39 and a car will take you back to the starting point. Autumnis a wonderful time to visit. We walked along a few of thehundreds of kilometres of ditchesthat were dug to divert water. Its around 100 meters above the Rappbodetalsperre and almost 500 meters long. Theres no bad time to visit the Harz Mountains, but as with most other holiday destinations,avoiding the main holiday seasonsis a good idea if you want to avoid crowds and enjoy cheaper accommodation. Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. The zipline is about a kilometer long and the flight takes about a minute. I have to say that the number of tourists here was quite low and not nearly as high as in other historical towns in Germany. The below is ofcourse just a suggestion and depends on how active youd like to be. The tree line is located at some 1.100 meters, meaning that the top of Brocken is just above the tree line. Unfortunately,Soup & Soul Kitchenwere closed for renovations during our stay, but we did visit the all-vegetarian cafSchneeweiss & Rosenrottwice. To this day, it still does exemplified by theRappbode Dam(Rappbode-Talsperre) the largest dam in the Harz region and the highest dam in Germany. Day 2. Before closing in 1988, the Rammelsberg Mine had more than1,100 years of consecutive mining history and archaeological finds date mining activity here a mind-blowingly 3,000 years back in time! Three churches you cant miss on your visit: Parking tip: Parkplatz Siebenhitze is free all day long and very close to the city centre. Have you ever beeninside a mine? Most tourists know about the Berlin Wall, but few have any idea what the division throughout the rest of the country looked like. Since meeting each other in 2010 weve travelled all over the world. Another historical town worth visiting is Wernigerode. As we arrived here after the sun had set on our first day in the Harz, we felttransported back in timeon the cobbled streets (almost like we were in an old film!). These last attractions looked a little touristy but if you venture off the main area you will soon leave everyone else behind. Tip:Its cool inside the mine (even in summer) so remember to bring a jacket or an extra layer. Today, visitors can explore this unique site through guided hiking tours across the 107 lakes and 310 km of water-ditches. Alex also dreams of mountain biking here. Springis a beautiful time to visit with warming weather, rushing water and blooming flowers. With a bit of luck theres some wind making it an even more exciting experience. ilanatravels wilsnack ilana travels difference TIP: take the first train from Wernigerode (departure at 08.55 am in 2021) as this will be the most quiet ride. The summer holidays in Germany are spread out between the middle of June and the middle of September. A good lunch can be eaten at the mountain hut on Hexentanzplatz or any of the other restaurants around it. The old town center is the perfect place to stroll around for a couple of hours. Mount Brocken, the highest peak in northern Germany, is covered in mist for roughly 300 days out of the year. Finally Id like to help you to plan your weekend getaway to the Harz Mountains in four days.

Its pretty amazing to dangle right above the ground. Good food can be found at Harzer Schnitzelstubchen in Hotel Alte Brennerei and a perfect Kaffee mit Kuchen was made for me at Louisen Cafe. Or for those who are rather looking for mellow (mostly) ice-free hikes inbeautifully forested and hilly landscapesfull of myths and tales. Quedlinburg is listed on the UNESCO World Heritage list for its amazing half timbered houses and its phenomenal architecture. Parkingis generally free in many places. Once on the top you have an amazing view of the whole Harz area and beyond. Either way, the Harz Mountains offer aneasy getawaythat will surely have you longing for more. What do you think about the northernmost mountains in Germany and all of the lovely historic towns? At the base of the hill there are plenty of small shops, cafes and restaurants for a snack or a meal. Explore unspoilt forests, deep valleys and lush meadows by choosing from over 9,000 kilometres of hiking trails, many of which have inspired poets in the past. Are you looking for more fun things to do in the Harz National Park or region? You will read all my tips for the Harz Mountains in this blog.

Dont miss a truly authentic experience tobogganing using a traditional wooden sledge. Thats what the Upper Harz Water Management System is all about. The hotel almost feels like a small town; a mix of buildings old and new tucked away on a quiet side street. The Teufelsmauer the Devils Wall is the name of the rock formations (and the trail connecting them) laid out over about35 kilometresbetween Blankenburg and Ballenstedt in the eastern part of the Harz. We stayed at two different hotels in Goslar: Romantik Hotel Alte Mnze and Hotel Der Achtermann. All you need to know about Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands including what to do, best beaches, when to visit and where to stay, All you need to know about visiting Lobos Island from Fuerteventura or Lanzarote, A travel guide with tips to visit the sand dunes in Corralejo Natural Park, All you need to know about visiting Playa de Cofete - one of the best beaches in Fuerteventura, All you need to know about hiking the Calderon Hondo volcano, What to expect from hiking to the beautiful natural stone arch in Fuerteventura, Don't you also feel at peace in nature?

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