Holiday routes in northern Germany - 6 great themed roads

Writer: Helena Bergström

Updated: August 2026 | There are plenty of holiday routes in northern Germany. Without having to travel too far from Sweden, you can experience wonderful nature and beautiful coasts. We recommend six holiday routes in the northern part of Germany, which you will find shortly after crossing from Sweden.

Discover holiday routes in northern Germany

Germany knows this when it comes to holiday routes. Around the country you will find around 150 beautiful routes with different themes, everything from wine routes and castle routes to romantic routes and porcelain routes. Just pick and choose based on your interests!

We've touched on many of the theme roads, but never followed any of them from A to Z. If we wanted to? Yes, we really do! We really like this concept. Here you'll find tips for six holiday routes in the north.

1. The marsh and bog road in Lower Saxony

The Lower Saxony Marsh and Bog Route (Deutsche Fehnroute) is located in the west, not far from the Dutch border. Beginning and ending in Papenburg, the road offers a beautiful route through a green plain landscape filled with canals. For most of the way, you follow the canals with their bridges, while looking out over meadows, moors, streams, traditional farmhouses, brick churches and windmills.

Highlights along the way

• Germany's largest bog in Papenburg
• Veenhusen nature reserve in Moormerland
• Windmill in Westgrossefehn

• Length: 170 km
• Theme: Nature and culture in the marshland
• Start: Papenburg
• Region: Lower Saxony
• Read more: German Fen Route

2. The asparagus road in Lower Saxony

The 750 kilometre long Asparagus Route in Lower Saxony takes the traveller on a gourmet tour through the asparagus regions of Braunschweig, Hannover and Umland, Lüneburgheden, Mittelweser and Oldenburg Münsterland. In fact, every fifth asparagus in Germany grows in the German federal state of Lower Saxony.

The German asparagus can be seen as early as March, and are harvested from late April to late June, depending on the weather. The best time to visit the region is of course during harvest time, when the asparagus is served in all sorts of ways in the local restaurants, but the region is great to visit in autumn as well.

Highlights along the way

• Asparagus Museum in Nienburg
• The asparagus and half-timber town of Burgdorf
• Open air museum in Cloppenburg

• Length: 750 km
• Theme: Asparagus
• Start: Burgdorf
• Region: Lower Saxony
• Read more: Lower Saxony Asparagus Route

3: Ostvägen in Schleswig-Holstein

If you like cheese, don't miss the East Road in Schleswig-Holstein. The journey starts in Lauenburg and passes through Lübeck, Kiel, Flensburg, the island of Föhr and Hamburg, before returning to Lauenburg. Passing both the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, as well as the River Elbe, you will encounter a varied landscape with beaches and islands of different sizes. Here you can also expect to see windswept trees, lighthouses, farms, goats and Frisian cows.

Schleswig-Holstein has a long tradition of cheese making and there are many speciality cheeses to try. The cheeses can be made from cow's milk, goat's milk or sheep's milk. You can buy cheese directly from many dairies, but if you want to look around the dairy you may need to book in advance.

Highlights along the way

• Museums and UNESCO world heritage sites in Lübeck
• Farms with cheese production in Bendorf, Cismar, Dannau and many more
• Open air museum in Molfsee

• Length: 500 km
• Theme: East and coast
• Start: Lauenburg
• Region: Schleswig-Holstein
• Read more: Schleswig-Holstein

4. The ferry route in Schleswig-Holstein

The Schleswig-Holstein Ferry Route is a 250 kilometre long 'museum' showcasing ferries, barges, bridges and tunnels from different eras along the rivers Oste and Elbe and the Kiel Canal. The road's slogan advertises '17 ferries to travel on and 13 bridges to cross'.

All around is a landscape of moors, lighthouses, harbours, cranes and cruise ships. Sometimes you also drive past small villages with their old church in the centre. In this part of Germany, recreational activities such as cycling and water sports are common. Many people also rent kayaks or houseboats on the river Oste.

Highlights along the way

• Northeastern Sea Canal in Brunsbüttel
• Maritime museum and bascule bridge in Kiel
• Sports harbour in Bremervörde

• Length: 250 km
• Theme: Ferries, nature, piers and culture
• Start: Bremervörde
• Region: Schleswig-Holstein
• Read more: German Ferries Route

5. Sverigevägen in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

The Sweden Road in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania takes you through places that were important during the Swedish period between 1630 and 1815. Along the way, you can experience the island of Rügen in the Baltic Sea, Grossbeeren east of Berlin and the island of Usedom in eastern Germany.

The route covers important historical events such as the 30 Years' War, the rise and fall of Sweden as a major power, the rise of Prussia, the social changes of the 18th century and the upheavals of the Napoleonic Wars. It all started when Gustav Adolf brought his troops to the island of Usedom in eastern Germany in 1630. Today, there are plenty of historical relics and memories of the Swedish era, such as the Lucia celebrations that can still be found in the area.

Highlights along the way

• Otto-Lilienthal Museum in Anklam
• Chalk cliffs on Rügen
• Swedish Museum in Schlatkow
• UNESCO World Heritage in Stralsund
• Bathroom architecture in Usedom

• Length: 700 km
• Theme: Swedish period in Germany
• Start: Rügen
• Federal Republic of Germany: Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
• Read more: Swedish Heritage Route

6. Vorpommern byway - Amazon in the north 

The Vorpommern byway is a 90-kilometre road from Anklam to Loitz, in the eastern part of Germany. Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The route includes the Peene Valley Nature Reserve and the special river landscape of the River Peene.

The region is known as the 'Amazon of the North' because of its special flora and fauna. Here you can go bird watching, beaver watching, kayaking, cycling or perhaps visit the Viking graves in Menzlin. The area is also home to several castles, mansions, historic villages and monastery ruins.

Highlights along the way

• Farms in Gützkow
• Monastery ruin in Stolpe
• The water castle in Quilow
• Vinkin grave in Ziethen/ Menzlin

• Length: 90 km
• Theme: Nature, river landscape
• Start: Anklavä
• Federal Republic of Germany: Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
• Read more: The Vorpommern Village Route

Have you driven any holiday routes in northern Germany?

Have you driven any of these holiday routes in northern Germany? Let us know!

More inspiration about Germany

Would you like more tips and inspiration for your trip to Germany? Here you will find more reading:

• Tour of Northern Germany
• Magical castles in Germany
• Holidays in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

Top image in post: Ostvägen - lighthouse in Westerhever © Majer Media / Kuczynski Lukasz