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.

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.

Lower Saxony

Brunswick:

Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB)

The PTB is he national metrology institute and stands for reliability in metrology. It was founded in 1887. www.ptb.de

Bückeburg:

Hubschraubermuseum

In the Helicopter Museum more than 40 helicopters are shown as well as engines and gear mechanisms. www.hubschraubermuseum.de

Clausthal-Zellerfeld:

Oberharzer Bergwerkmuseum

Here you can learn about ore mining from mediaeval times to the end of the 19th century. www.oberharzerbergwerksmuseum.de

Gifhorn:

Internationales Wind- und Wassermühlen-Museum

In the museum you find more than 15 wind- and water-mills from 12 different countries. It is unique in Europe. www.muehlenmuseum.de

Goslar:

Rammelsberg Museum & Besucherbergwerk

The old ore mines, with a tradition of more than 1000 years of ore mining, now are a museum. The Rammelsberg mines and the historic town of Goslar were placed on the World Heritage List by UNESCO in 1992. They are a cultural heritage for all humanity. www.rammelsberg.de

Lüneburg:

Deutsches Salzmuseum

After the salt-mine was closed in 1980 it was transformed into a museum. www.salzmuseum.de

Wolfsburg:

Autostadt Wolfsburg

In the largest car delivery centre in the world you find lots of interesting information for adults and children. www.autostadt.de

Braunschweig (the English name is Brunswick) is located north of the Harz Mountains and east of Hanover on the Oker River in the federal–state of Lower Saxony.

Burgplatz©flickr/m.prinke

The St. Blasii Cathedral and the Dankwarderode Castle remind us even today of how closely the history of Braunschweig was linked to the Guelph Henry the Lion and his son Otto IV who was the only Guelph emperor. Henry the Lion turned  Braunschweig into his residence in the middle of the 12th century. His lion has been standing on the Burgplatz (castle square) for many centuries in form of a bronze statue. It was cast in bronze in 1166. The original you can see in the museum of the Dankwarderode Castle. The lion statue on the Burgplatz is a copy that was made to protect the original from getting corroded by air pollution. The lion is not only the city’s landmark but also the heraldic sign.

The Guelph Palace built from 1833 to 1841 was destroyed during WW2 and was recently rebuilt with its impressive façade. On top of the palace you can see Europe’s biggest quadriga which can be reached via a visitor’s platform. From there you have a good view over the old parts of the city.

In the area around St. Magni Church you can find many picturesque and well preserved half-timbered buildings. This area also is very lively at night with its many pubs. Braunschweig is pretty famous for its good beer and food.
Another sight inBraunschweig is the Happy RIZZI House which is both a building and a sculpture.

Klosterkirche Riddagshausen©flickr/m.prinke

There are many cultural events taking place in Braunschweig every year like for example the Braunschweig Classix Festival, the medieval market, the culture night, the CityJazzNight, the festival ‘Kultur im Zelt’, the international film festival and the open-air opera of the Staatstheater Braunschweig.

The Oker River allows visitors and of course residents to circle almost the whole city centre by boat. Braunschweig also has many parks and the European bird reserve with numerous fish ponds in Riddagshausen. This area is perfect if you want to escape the city and enjoy the nature.

With its closeness to the Harz Mountains and the Lüneburger Heide (heather reserve) Braunschweig is a good starting point for day trips.
Here you can find interesting city tours for tourists in Braunschweig: http://www.braunschweig.de/english/touristservice/tours/city_tours.html