Camping in summer is quite popular but camping in winter is very special too and there are not only special accommodations available but also a variety of sporty activities.

At Lake Hopfensee, Allgäu, Bavaria you can not only go skiing in Winter but also have a spa with oriental flair to relax. There are a Cleopatra Bath, Gem Sauna and Thalassotheraries on offer.
There are downhill pistes, cross-country ski runs and toboggan runs offering entertainment for all the family.

Hopfensee © dorena-wm/flickr.com

The Teutoburg Forest (Teutoburger Wald) is ideal especially for weekend trips. In the Camphotel Rothenfelde there are saunas, gyms and a beauty parlour. A special place especially for couples.

The Südseecamp (South Sea Camp) isn’t located in the South Sea but in the Lüneburg Heath. There you can even find colourful Nordic holiday homes. The place got its name from the tropical swimming bath with slides and a white water canyon. But of course there is a sauna too get warm again after a long day out hiking in the snow.

People who like indoor-skiing should go to the Münstertal valley in the Black Forest. There you can go downhill skiing in two arenas. On offer are also an indoor swimming pool, saunas, a gym and massage for the campers.

Those who prefer to go skiing in the beautiful landscape of the Black Forest can do so in Seelbach. You can stay in log houses and there are also a swimming bath and saunas. Fun for all the family.

Helgoland or Heligoland as it is called in English is located in the southeastern corner of the North Sea and about three hours’ sailing time from Cuxhaven at the mouth of the River Elbe. It is Germany’s only high-sea island.

Helgoland consists of red sandstone standing out against the North Sea and has a very healthy offshore climate ideal for people with allergies as it is almost free of pollen. And because of Helgoland being an almost car free island it is free of air pollution too.

Lange Anna © flickr/Timo Kamph

Helgoland is very popular with day-trippers as you can easily get there by plane from Cuxhaven, Hamburg or other places as well as by boot from Cuxhaven (summer and winter) and numerous other places in summer. And because of Helgoland being a duty-free zone it is ideal for shopping tours. You can purchase tobacco, alcohol, electronics and many more.

But Helgoland has of course more to offer. You can stroll around on the main island, which is divided up in Oberland, Mittleland and Unterland on three different levels, connected with stairs and an elevator,  and enjoy the tranquility go on a guided tour in the old bunker. On Oberland you can also see the old lighthouse with a height of 35 metres which is the only building that survived British bombings during WW2.

At the north end of Helgoland you can see Helgolands landmark ‘Lang Anna’ a stack of red sandstone with a height of 47 metres. Nearby you can also find the ‘Lummenfelsen’, the world’s smallest wildlife preserve with thousands of guillmots and other seabirds.

Or you visit the small sand island Düne (Dune) that was separated from the main island in 1720. There you can enjoy a day on one of the beaches or simply stroll around.

And after a having explored the island you should enjoy a good meal in one of the island’s restaurants. Helgoland is famous for its fresh lobster and the ‘Knieper’, pincers of the great crab. But you can of course also get all kinds of fresh fish and meat.

Extending across parts of Lower-Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia, the Harz is the highest mountain range in northern Germany.

The name derives from the Middle High German word ‘Hardt’ or ‘Hart’ meaning mountain forest. With a height of 1,142 metres the Brocken is the highest peak.

Wernigerode Town Hall-Rathaus © flickr/dirk-bongardt

The magnificent landscape of the Harz with wide plateaus of 600 metres and more in altitude, mountain lakes, high moorlands, a central highland region with rocky peaks forming bizarre shapes, deep ravine-like valleys, waterfalls and large water reservoirs has a lot to offer not only for walkers.

Especially the Oker valley is famous for its fascinating rock formations and the Romkerhall waterfalls cascading from a great height and being one of the most photographed attractions in the Oker valley.

Walkers will find an extensive network of walking trails and in recent years the Harz has also developed into a very good mountain bike region with many routes suitable for every level. On several reservoirs a variety of water sports is permitted and the rivers offer opportunities for canoeing or kayaking.

Even famous people such as Martin Luther, Heine and Goethe were fond of the Harz Mountains.

Explore the nature with its fir and beech woods and lots of animals such as wild cat, lynx, black stork, pygmy owl, black woodpecker and many more and walk along the ‘Harzer Hexenstieg’ (Witches’ Way), located in the centre of the Harz. It runs from Osterode in the West over the Brocken, which is rich in local legends, to Thale in the East.

Brockenbahn © flickr/chop1n

But you should also visit the UNESCO world heritage cities of Quedlinburg and Goslar, see the cathedral treasure in Halberstadt, Wernigerode with its castle and city hall and Lutherstadt Eisleben, the place to commemorate Martin Luther. Walking through the narrow lanes of these medieval cities is like stepping back in time and you can discover countless reminders of the past.

Steam railway enthusiasts will certainly enjoy a ride on the Harz Narrow Gauge Railways operating on over 132 kilometres of track.

You can easily get to the Harz by rail or road, the nearest airport is Hanover. The Harz offers a wide range of accommodation styles with something for every taste.

Rügen, or Rugia is Germany’s largest island and located in the Baltic Sea off the coast of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

It is one of Germany’s most visited holiday destination and is connected by the Rügendamm bridge with the mainland.

Rügen does not only offer former imperial spa resorts, where you can still find the noblesse of the Belle Epoque, but also little fishing villages, long sandy beaches, 100-year-old lighthouses and ancient megalithic graves.

Binz © flickr/froutes

Caspar David Friedrich, the great Romantic painter born in Greifswald, brought fame to the majestic white chalk cliffs of Rügen.

A great way to explore Rügen is with the ‘Racing Roland’ steam train. You get around many sights and seaside resorts such as Lauterbach, Göhren, Putbus and Binz.

And on Rügen you can even find Jasmund National Park which is the smallest National Park in Germany and famous for its chalk cliffs. The highest with about 118 metres is called Königsstuhl (king’s chair). There is a beautiful hiking trail leading from Sassnitz to the Königsstuhl and the walk will take about 3.5 hours. If you don’t want to walk such a long distance you can go by car to the large car park at Hagen and take the shuttle bus from there.

Sassnitz is a seaside resort with a beautiful historical town centre with houses typical for the region. Also of interest of to the visitors are the Submarine Museum, the Harbour Museum and the Butterfly Park. From Sassnitz you can also get to many other countries such as Sweden or Lithuania by ferry.

Kap Arkona © flickr/elbfoto

Another seaside resort and not far from Sassnitz is Binz. It might be the most visited place of the isle of Rügen and offers many shops, cafés, restaurants and a large sandy beach. The Jagdschloss Granitz not far from Binz is a palace open to the public. There you have a great view over the area from the tower.

Another place worth seeing is Kap Arkona, a cape and the northernmost point of Rügen with two old lighthouses. One of them, the old Schinkelturm, is housing a museum, the other one is still in use but is also open to the public Another tower used to be a navy bearing tower and also is open to the public. You can also take a guided tour of the old bunker at the cape.

The North Frisian Islands lie off the western coast of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.

Did you know that Sylt the most northern and probably most popular of the North Frisian Island lies on the same latitude as Southern Alaska? About 8000 years ago Sylt was separated from the mainland and can now be reached via the Hindenburgdamm causeway which is only accessible to trains. But of course you can take your car on the train.

Sylt © flickr/micha 1968

Sylt also is the largest of the North Frisian Islands and the fourth largest German island. Sylt is well known for its 40 kilometres of sandy beaches, coastal mudflats, unspoiled dunes, flowering heath and its thatched Frisian cottages and beautiful gardens. Sylt also offers a variety of walking and cycling trains as well as great water sports facilities. The lively centre of Sylt is Westerland but there are of course many other villages to see: Keitum and Morsum with the historical churches, the Morsum Cliff which shows geological history of five million years on a height of only 21 metres. The family resort Wenningstedt and Kampen with the Kampen lighthouse located between Kampen and Wenningstedt.
Tinnum Castle (Tinnumburg)was possibly built as a pagan holy site in the 1st century BC.  The island of Sylt still has its own dialect called Söl’ring with elements of Danish, Dutch and English.

Föhr is the second largest German North Sea island and lies in the heart of the Wattenmeer (Wadden Sea) National Park. With more than half of the island being marshland it has a lot to offer for bird watchers, hikers and cyclists. Wyk on the south eastern shore is the island’s main town.

Föhr © flickr/elbfoto

Amrum has wide sandy beaches and magnificent sand dunes which are up to 30 meters high. But in the heart of Amrum you also find dark forests and heathland. The island’s villages are located on the eastern shore with the health resort of Wittdün being the most important. In the village of Nebel visitors can see richly decorated 18th century tombstones. But there are also Bronze Age tombs and an excavated Viking cemetery that can be seen on the island.

Pellworm is an island full of unspoiled nature with marshland, meadows and fields. In spring and autumn visitors can watch migratory birds. By night visitors can not only sea the beams from the lighthouse but also the stars in the sky which is remarkably clear.

Nordstrand peninsula is connected to the mainland by a causeway and is surrounded by a dyke.  Nordstrand is perfect for cycling tours and you can also go on horse-drawn cart trips along the sea bed.

And last but not least there are the North Frisian Hallig islands. The marshy islands are a result of tides and storm floods. There used to be hundreds of Hallig islands but now only 10 still exist. On the small islands in the ocean visitors can find peace and relaxation but also get an impression of how powerful nature can be.

One thing visitors should experience when visiting the North Frisian Islands is a walk in the mudflats. But make sure you are accompanied by an expert tour guide because descending fogs and rapidly rising tides are always a great danger.

The Schlei is an inlet of the Baltic Sea in Schleswig-Holstein between Kiel and Flensburg which stretches for about 26 miles from Schleimünde (the mouth of the Schlei) to Schleswig.

The important Viking settlement of Hedeby (Haithabu) was located at the head of the Schlei near Schleswig. Now there is a museum on the site of the settlement.

Schleimünde © flickr/sky#walker

The region is a popular travel destination not only for lovers of the German television’s “Country Doctor” (Der Landarzt). For about 20 years the small harbour town of Kappeln has been one of the filming locations for the Country Doctor but it has of course a lot more to offer. The romantic old town is more than 650 years old and the herring fences in the Schlei date back to the 16th century. They are the town’s landmark.

St. Nicolas Church in Kappeln was built in the 18th century and inside you can see a wooden crucifix from the 13th century which might have been in the chapel Kappeln derives its name from. The flap bridge across the Schlei is very modern and was built in 2002. Worth a visit in Kappeln also is the Museum Harbour with about 20 old boats. And enthusiasts of old steam railways can go on a trip with the Angeln Steam Train. Or how about a boat trip on the Schlei, a visit to the old windmill or the old sawmill?

Along the Schlei there are many picturesque villages with the typical thatched roof houses and the landscape with its beech woods, flowering meadows and yellow rape fields is just magnificent. Here visitors can go on cycling tours or Nordic trekking excursions, go on a trip along the Garden Route to discover the magic of the Schlei gardens or simply go fishing.

Dom/Cathedral Schleswig © flickr/sky#walker

In Schleswig you can not only discover the world of the Vikings but also visit the princely residence of the Gottorf Dukes. Schleswig once used to be the cultural centre of northern Europe and some of the spirit of those frourishing times is still there. There you can see the Gottorf Globe which is a replica of the wonder of the world dating back to the 17th century and go for a walk in the restored Baroque Gardens of the castle. On the Holm Island you can see old picturesque fishermen’s houses. The most impressive building in Schleswig certainly is St. Peter’s Cathedral. From the Neo-Gothic spire with a height of 112 metres you have a great view of the town.

And being in Schleswig you should also pay the Haithabu Viking Museum a visit. Here you can travel back in time and discover a Viking settlement. The original town of Hedeby was destroyed in a raid in 1066.

Last but not least the Geltinger Birk nature reserve should be mentioned. There you can even see wild horses.

The cuisine of the region is just splendid. Everywhere you get fresh fish and other delicious regional products. And especially for families who want to spend their holidays in one of the many holiday homes the Schlei region is more than suitable. But of course there are lots of good hotels too.

Rostock is an old Hanseatic town in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and about 800 years old.

Rostock is a university and port town with typical north German brick architecture in the historical centre.

City Hall © flickr/radzfoto

During the Middle Ages the town hall also was a merchant’s hall were traders would sell their goods. It has been the seat of the town council for almost 800 years and the baroque banqueting hall on the upper floor is also used for concerts.

St. Mary’s Church (Marienkirche) was built in the 13th century and is an imposing Gothic brick church. Inside there is an astronomical clock built by Hans Düringer in 1472.

St. Nicolas Church is the oldest church in Rostock and was built in the mid 13th century. It too is a Gothic brick church and was heavily destroyed during WW2. It was restored and is now used as an exhibition centre and concert hall. The acoustics are outstanding.

Rostock also is home to one of the oldest universities in the world. The University of Rostock was founded in 1419.

If you are interested in cultural history, you shouldn’t miss out the Cultural History Museum. Besides medieval arts and arts from the 16th to 19th century it also shows crafts from the Ahrenshoop and Schwaan artistic colonies.
In the nearby seaside resort of Warnemünde you can visit the Local History Museum which is located in an old fishermen’s cottage built in 1767.

Town Centre © flickr/az1172

Warnemünde welcomes visitors with a 100-metre wide sandy beach, a light house, old fishermen’s cottages and a fish market. You can enjoy a meal in one of the traditional fish restaurants before you visit the harbour with the fishing and sailing boats.

Visitors of Rostock who like to go walking or cycling can very well do so in the beautiful Rostock Heath. There you find a network of walking and cycling trails.

And if you want to see more of the region you should go on a trip to Bad Doberan and Heiligendamm. The Gothic minster certainly is worth a visit. From there you can go on a trip on the “Molli” narrow-gauge railway to Germany’s oldest seaside resort Heiligendamm founded in 1793. Heiligendamm is also known as “White Town by the Sea” due to the classicist white buildings lining the beach promenade.

Now in spring while the the rape is blooming and the herrings are coming up the Schlei Fjord the Herring Days are held in Kappeln, Schleswig-Holstein again from 13-16 May, 2010.

With the Herring Days the town is celebrating the old tradition of herring fishing in Kappeln. The herring fences in the Schlei Fjord date back to the 15th century and the one in Kappeln is the last existing in Europe or even the world.

Herring Fence©Julia Höfer-von Seelen

The fences are made of poles with wickerwork made of brushwood. They set up funnel-shaped and lead the fish into the fishing nets like a large fish trap. In former times there used to be many herring fences in the Schlei Fjord between the mouth and the town of Arnis. Most of them were owned by the lords of the manors and they often paid the day labourers with herrings.

The most important event during the Herring Days it the herring bet. You can bet on the amount of herrings being caught at that very day and the person who wins will be Herring Queen or Herring King for one year. The money will be used for the preservation of the herring fence.

Kappeln©Julia Höfer-von Seelen

During the 4 days of the event bands will be playing, you can see the old ships in of the Museum Harbour of Kappeln, go on a ride on a boat or the old steam train of the Angelner Dampfeisenbahn and have a lot of fun and enjoy yourself.

But of course Kappeln is not only worth a visit during the Herring Days. Located in the beautiful region called Angeln on the Schlei Fjord it is worth a visit all year. The town is picturesque with an old windmill and beautiful small houses. The region also is perfect for hiking and cycling and if ratehr go swimming, the beaches of the Baltic Sea are not far.

Kappeln also is a good starting point if you want to visit Schleswig, Flensburg, Kiel, Denmark or the North Sea. Even Hamburg isn’t far away.

Wilhelmshaven didn’t get its name before 1869. It is located on the western side of the Jadebusen, a bay of the North Sea in Lower Saxony.

In Wilhelmshaven you can do lots of things like swimming, cycling or enjoying the cultural facilities of the city. And especially this year in June and July many sailing ships can be seen.

Sailing ship©flickr/Stefan Friedle

One of the city’s landmarks is the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Brücke (Emperor William Bridge), the largest swing-bridge in Europe. It was built from 1905 to 1907 and has a length of 159 metres and a width of 8 metres.  In 2007 the Deutsche Post released a 1.45 Euro stamp to celebrate the 110th anniversary of the bridge.

In 1983 the last steam-powered ship that had been laying buoys, the “Kapitän Meyer” shut down its service. But now being anchored it is a popular place for marriage ceremonies.

If you want to see windmills, you don’t have to travel as far as the Netherlands. The Kopperhörner Mill was built in 1839 on a site where mills used to be since 1547. If the weather is good you can see it in action. It is open to the public ever first Sunday of the month from May to October.

In the Wattenmeerhaus you can get lots of information about the Wadden Sea National Park of Lower Saxony. Here you can really experience the wadden sea and find out about the lives of lugworms or cockels and experiment with salt.

You can see many historical buildings in Wilhelmshaven. There is the beautiful brick building of “Werfttor 1” (Shipyard Gate 1). Its round arch double gate once used to be the main gate of the Kaiserliche Werft (Imperial Shipyard). There still is an old letter box with the label “Kaiserliche Werft” which is still in use today.

The Robert-Koch-Haus is a three-storey building with sand stone ornaments and a magnificent carillon in the upper gable. You can here it every day at 8 am, noon and 6 pm.

The city hall also is worth a visit with its very unique architecture. The clinker construction was built in 77 weeks from 1928 to 1929. Even today the tower with a height of 49 metres is still used as a water reservoir. From there you have a great view of Wilhelmshaven and the Jadebusen. Open to public from Monday to Friday.

The south side of the city is most suitable for a nice stroll. The Wind Watchers of the local artist Klaus Evenburg can be found at the Fliegerdeich. They are symbols of the forces of nature, wind and sea.

Of course there is even more to discover in Wilhelmshaven. There are the Aquarium Wilhelmshaven, the German Naval Museum, the Kurpark, and the NordseePassage with its shopping facilities and the Piratenmüseum, the Pirate Museum. In the old industrial building of the Pumpwerk (pumping station) many artists perform.

In the whale.worlds exhibition in the Costal Museum you can see a whale that was washed up the East Frisian island of Baltrum in 1984. Its skeleton and the plasticised organs are very impressive.

The Lüneburg Heath (or in English also Lunenburg Heath) is not only the largest heath area in middle Europe, but also about 3000 years old.

A very special landscape in Lower Saxony especially from August to September when the scotch heather is in full bloom.

Heather©flickr/foxypar4

You can get to the Lüneburg Heath by plane via Bremen, Hamburg, Hannover or by train. If you travel by car you shold take the motorway A7.

And at every time during the year the Lüneburg Heath abundant with water and wood has its special charm.

This spacious area really is suited for hiking, cycling or Nordic-Walking tours. And even for horse riding enthusiasts it is perfect. About 2000 Kilometres of cycling trails, hiking trails provided with signs and stables allow you to a variety of different tours. In the Elbtalau and on various rivers you can also go canoeing.

In the heart of the Lüneburg Heath you find the Wilseder Mountain. With it height of 169.2 Metres it is the highest peak in the North-West German Plains. From there you have a great view and when the weather is good you can look as far as Lüneburg or even Hamburg.

Lüneburg Heath©flickr/tramani_sagrens

Lüneburg is the most famous town in the Lüneburg Heath but Celle to is worth a visit. And of course it is not far to Bremen, Hannover or Hamburg.

There are 6 medieval abbeys in the Lüneburg Heath, all of them well preserved and built in the redbrick Gothic that is typical for the North of Germany but also Renaissance, and Baroque. There are the abbeys of Ebstorf, Isenhagen, Lüne, Medingen, Wienhausen and Walsrode.

The cuisine of the region is famous for its lamb (of the special moorland sheep (Heidschnucken) of the region), the potatoes, buckwheat pancakes with blueberries and the regional honey. Especially in spring you should try the local asparagus. And after a good meal you might even like Heideküsschen Schnapps.

Special places of interest in the region certainly are the International Wind and Water Mill Museum in Gifhorn, the Serengeti Park in Hodenhagen, with more than 1,500 exotic animals, the Heide Park in Soltau, with lots of entertainment for the whole family and of course Walsrode Bird Park with more than 4,500 birds.