A castle, a park, a lake – this romantic combination is more common in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern than in any other European region. Between green hills, dense forests and colourful meadows, around 2,000 castles and manor houses are picturesquely nestled in romantic parks and the vast landscape between the Baltic Sea coast and the Mecklenburg Lake District.
“A man had a donkey,” begins the famous fairy tale of the Bremen Town Musicians. The fairy tale does not say whether the unlikely foursome – donkey, dog, cat and rooster – ever made it to Bremen. What matters is the message: “We’re going to Bremen, you’ll find something better than death anywhere”, an allusion to the free thinking and aspirations of the people of Bremen. Even today, the bronze statue by Gerhard Marcks in the centre of Bremen is a reminder of the popular fairy tale.
Right in the harbour, Hamburg’s unique landmark sparkles in the sun. The dazzling glass structure of the Elbphilharmonie rises 110 metres above the brick body of a former cocoa warehouse. The centrepiece of the building, designed by Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron, is a world-class concert hall at a height of 50 metres with 2,100 seats, providing a spectacular stage for Hamburg’s vibrant classical music scene and stars from all over the world. Between the old quayside warehouse and the new glass building, visitors can enjoy a unique 360° panorama of the port and city from a height of 37 metres on the viewing platform known as the PLAZA. There is no better view of Hamburg!
The best place to experience the most beautiful city in the world and its maritime side is on one of the many harbour launches that invite you to take a harbour cruise in Hamburg Harbour. Here you can directly experience the maritime lifestyle and learn about the origins and future of this fascinating world harbour. The popular canal and canal cruises take you to the oldest bridges, the imposing Hamburg City Hall and the UNESCO World Heritage Site Speicherstadt.
Wolfsburg is home to the Autostadt, a Volkswagen theme park. In the themed worlds, everything revolves around mobility, the history of the automobile and its design. Directly opposite, the city offers another highlight with the phæno: the building was designed by star architect Zaha Hadid. Inside, visitors can discover 300 interactive experiment stations.
Usedom is famous for its piers and rightly so. With the oldest pier in Germany in Ahlbeck and the longest pier in continental Europe in Heringsdorf, the island attracts thousands of tourists all year round. Take a walk out to sea and enjoy the Baltic Sea breeze and the marvellous view of the vast sea. Another highlight is the diving gondola at the Zinnowitz pier, which allows you to dive below the surface of the water. During the summer months, passenger boats dock at all the piers, taking you out onto the Baltic Sea or to the neighbouring seaside resort.
The historic towns in Niedersachsen are characterised by their many well-preserved half-timbered houses. In the old town centres of various towns, such as Celle, Wolfenbüttel and Hann. Münden, the half-timbered jewels are lined up close together. Many rural regions of Niedersachsen are also home to half-timbered buildings with their characteristic wooden beams. A large part of the 3,000 km long German Half-Timbered House Road also runs through Niedersachsen. On the regional route “From the Elbe to the Harz – the most beautiful in the north”, half-timbered towns such as Stade and Einbeck and many others invite you to linger.
Schleswig-Holstein is famous for its gardens: whether typical farm gardens, baroque and landscape gardens, artists’ and theme gardens or market gardens – the green paradises are popular excursion destinations and inspire holidaymakers and locals alike. They often attract visitors in conjunction with historic castles or imposing manor houses that have been lavishly restored and can be visited. Here you feel like you are in your own personal fairytale.
