From Freiburg to Freiburg: 10 Beautiful Regions to Explore in Germany
Interested in Exploring Germany? Hereâs the Itinerary from our Van Tour
In 2021, we decided to take our van for a tour through Germany. We spent the entire summer exploring different regions, cuisines, and sights, travelling and working from either our van or airbnbs.
Our hometown is Stuttgart, Thus, our first stop was in the south of Germany, near Freiburg im Breisgau, where we have family. Little did we know that after several weeks, we would end up in Freiburg again. Only this time, it would be in the north of Germany near Hamburg â a small town called Freiburg an der Elbe.
The trip was absolutely gorgeous, and we now know how many different regions and landscapes Germany has to offer. The north has a completely different feeling to the south. The accents are different, the houses look different, the climate changes, the mentality of the people seems to be different. You kind of feel like you are in a different country. When does it hit you? Probably after youâve passed Hannover, thatâs where the north started for us.
â ïž Warning for digital nomads: Unfortunately, the internet connectivity in rural and remote areas in Germany is very poor. We often had to drive around and look for spots where we could get some 3G/4G signal.
Travelling with our van, we spent most of our time in nature, and since we took it slowly, we could really explore some regions. Here is a list of (sometimes under-appreciated) regions in Germany we really loved:
(The list is numbered based on our itinerary and not any particular ranking. Each region has itâs unique allure and is worth exploring)
#1 Breisgau:
A region that always seems to be warmer and sunnier than the rest of Germany, with beautiful vineyards and cool StrauĂenwirtschaften (local pubs where they serve their own wine). Itâs a stoneâs throw away from France, so try Flammkuchen, the Alsatian pizza.
#2 Black Forest (southern part):
Here, you can cool down in summer, and enjoy great trails through the woods. We stopped at two famous lakes on our way to Bavaria: Titisee (a bit touristy) and Schluchsee.
#3 Bodensee (Lake of Constance):
The âSwabian Seaâ is great for swimming and water sports. We found beautiful walks along the water fronts and took ferry rides to Austria, and Switzerland. One of the most beautiful towns is Meersburg from where you can take a ferry to the flower island of Mainau.
#4 AllgÀu (western and southern part):
This is the beginning of the Alps. The high mountains are perfect for hiking. We walked through lush green meadows with free roaming cows, had excellent cheese, cooled down in cold streams and rivers, and swam with some hippies naked under waterfalls (e.g. the Eibele waterfall (you can swim in the upper pools). Also worth a visit are the GroĂe Alpsee, the Alpenfreibad Scheidegg, a beautiful outdoor swimming pool, and the Buchenegger waterfalls).
#5 The Neckar Route:
We rode along the river Neckar from Bad Wimpfen towards Heidelberg and realised: This is one of the most beautiful routes in Germany. On one side of the road the Neckar nestles up against the street and on the other side you have steep vineyards dotted with stunning castles. We loved our stops at the beautiful old town Bad Wimpfen, the Hornberg Castle (famous for Götz von Berlichingen) and the small town Hirschhorn.
#6 Odenwald:
Admittedly, we didnât have the best weather while staying in this low mountain range, but we went on many hikes in the woods, spying deer on a regular basis. Our accommodation was surrounded by farms, and we woke up to the mooing of cows every morning. Some highlights were the Draisine in Wald-Mittelbach, the Castle Ruin Lindenfels, and Michelstadt im Odenwald.
#7 The Valley of Werra
On the way to the Werra Tal, where we visited family again, we loved the following towns: WĂŒrzburg, Bad Kissingen, Fulda, Bad Hersfeld, and Kassel (do not miss the Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe, famous for its trick fountains and part of the UNESCO world heritage).
In the Werra Valley, the river Werra connects beautiful towns, famous for their timbered houses, such as Hannoversch-MĂŒnden, Witzenhausen, or Bad Sooden-Allendorf with its still working graduation house. It is the land of Frau Holle (Mother Hulda) and other famous fairy tales. In this region, the Brothers Grimm believed to have found the origin of many famous German fairy tales.
We made our way up further north on the German Fairy Tale Route along the river Weser. Bewitched by Rapunzelâs Trendelburg, and the Huguenot town Bad Karlshaven, we relaxed a week near Bodenwerder on a pony ranch.
Bodenwerder is famous for the Baron von MĂŒnchhausen and the entire town aims at promoting his popular tall tales (LĂŒgengeschichten). Hameln, with its celebrated character of the Pied Piper, and the pretty spa town Bad Pyrmont are in the vicinity.
#8 Hannover and Hildesheim
We spent one weekend in Hildesheim and Hannover and found great parking spots for our camping van for free. For all you van travellers, there is a great spot in Hildesheim, near a lake: Wohnmobilparkplatz Hohnsensee. The market square of Hildesheim is worth a visit, with beautiful facades of old timbered houses as well as the Romanesque Cathedral, dating back to 872 AD.
In Hannover, we enjoyed a lazy day in the Herrenhausen Palace Gardens and the park adjoining them.
#9 Bremen and Bremerhaven
Our fairy route ended in Bremen with a photo of the surprisingly small statue of the Bremer Stadtmusikanten (The Bremen Town Musicians). Being in the centre, we walked down the famous BöttcherstraĂe and relaxed at the Wallanlagen, a nice park, where there was some free music festival. The entire city had a mellow summer vibe. Bremen definitely has a big town feeling with people chilling in parks, cafĂ©s, and street bars.
To top it off, we woke up to a lake with warm water, where we swam with geese before breakfast. In our opinion, Bremen was the coolest city on our trip, and weâll be back for a longer stay.
Bremenâs smaller sister is Bremerhaven, by far not the most beautiful city, but with a few highlights we wouldnât want to miss. Around the Alter Hafen, several awesome museums have opened. We visited the Klimahaus Bremerhaven 8 ° Ost and were blown away by it. The interactive museum leads you on the meridian 8 ° east of Greenwich around the world, presenting you various countries on this longitude. In one day, you will have travelled the world! Also really refreshing was the Blue Bay lake with its golden beach and beach bars in the suburb Spaden.
#10 Freiburg an der Elbe and its Surrounding Regions
Finally, we arrived at our destination furthest up in the north: Freiburg an der Elbe.
We stayed near that small town and were able to get to know this area bordering the Northern Sea.
Our favourite places were:
Cuxhaven and its beaches. The sea in August was so warm that it almost felt tropical.
Stade has many pretty corners, such as the Hansehafen or the Open-Air Museum Stade. It is also a good starting point to venture into the Alte Land, an agriculture region known for its apple plantations.
Otterndorf, especially the beach and the beach complex with its wakeboard park were fun.
The natural swimming pool in Krummendeich, where you can do SUP for 30 cents.
We had an awesome summer in Germany travelling from the south to the north. As already mentioned, the only hiccups on our trip were the constant search for good internet signals in rural regions. We really hope Germany will remedy these blank internet areas in the near future.
What do you think? Would you consider exploring these regions on your next trip? Let us know in the comments âșïž.
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