If you like picturesque towns, Germany is the place for you. Germany is full of charming small towns with half-timbered houses and canals. In collaboration with the German Tourist Board, we recommend 6 picturesque towns along some of Germany's famous holiday routes.
Innehållsförteckning
Picturesque towns in Germany
Don't make the mistake of just speeding through Germany on the Autobahn to get down to southern Europe! We did that for many years, but it meant we missed all the picturesque towns in Germany.
There are still quantities of cities that we haven't visited, but the ones we've stumbled upon have really given us a taste for it. Some great German cities we can recommend include Greifswald, Stralsund, Wismar, Goods and Trier. Here are six picturesque towns in Germany along the German holiday routes.
1. Papenburg on the Marsh and bog road
The charming city of Papenburg is located on the river Ems in the federal state of Lower Saxony. The cityscape is made up of many historic buildings, and there are also constant reminders of maritime life in the form of both historic ships and modern boat building. The town also has a popular open-air museum.
Papenberg is located on the 170 kilometre long German Fehn Route, which begins and ends in Papenburg. The name 'fehn' refers to a method of cultivation used in the 16th and 17th centuries, when channels were dug up and drained.
Today, 40 kilometres of canals run through the area, with locks and romantic little bridges adorning the canals. All around is an environment of meadows and windmills, where cycling is very popular.
- Federal Republic of Germany: Lower Saxony
- Camping: Ems Marina Camping (Marinastrasse 14-16, Leer)
- Parking space: Papenburg car park (Rathausstrasse, Papenburg)
- Read more about Papenburg: Discover Papenburg
- Read more about the Marsh and bog road: German Fen Route
- See more in the neighbourhood: Bremen
2. Magdeburg on the Romantic Road
Magdeburg is one of the oldest cities in Germany's eastern federal states, dating back 1200 years. Located on the Elbe River, the city is filled with various historical buildings and memorials. Emperor Otto I is buried here and is depicted on the Alter Markt square.
The main attraction of the city is Magdeburg Cathedral, a Gothic masterpiece with its impressive towers. Other points of interest include the Monastery of Our Lady and the very special building known as the "The Green Citadel”.
Magdeburg lies along the Romantic Road (Romantische Strasse), perhaps one of Germany's most popular holiday routes. Along the route you can experience both nature and culture, and nowhere else can you find so many examples of the Romantic era as here.
- Federal Republic of Germany: Saxony-Anhalt
- Camping: Camping Barleber See (Wiedersdorfer Strasse 30, Magdeburg)
- Parking space: Am Yachthafen (Am Winterhafen 1, Magdeburg) or Stellplatz Petriförder (Petriförder 1, Magdeburg).
- Read more about Magdeburg: Magdeburg: City of Otto the Great on the Elbe
- Read more about the Romantic Road: Romanesque Route
- See more in the neighbourhood: Hanover
3. Fulda at Allévägen
Fulda is a quiet little town located next to a river of the same name. The most iconic building in the town is Fulda Cathedral, which has ten bells hanging from its two towers.
There are also many other interesting sights in this small town. For example, there is a castle built in the early 18th century. The castle now serves as both a town hall and a museum. Other attractions include the castle garden, the baroque quarters and the charming old town. Part of the old city wall is still intact and within it you will find charming neighbourhoods with old half-timbered houses.
Fulda is located along the German Avenue, which is a 3000-kilometre-long road that runs through Germany, from Rügen to the monastery island of Reichenau in Lake Constance. The area offers beautiful nature and various cultural attractions and can be explored by car, bike or on foot.
- Federal Republic of Germany: Hesse
- Camping: KNAUS Campingpark Hünfeld (Dr.-Detlev-Rudelsdorff-Allee 6, Hünfeld)
- Parking space: Reisemobilplatz (Weimarer Strasse, Fulda) or Wohnmobilpark Johannisau (Johannisstrasse, Fulda).
- Read more about Fulda: Welcome to Fulda
- Read more about Allévägen: German Avenues Route
- See more in the neighbourhood: Frankfurt
4. Kassel at Sagovägen
Kassel, the third largest city in the federal state of Hesse, is perhaps best known for being the home of the Brothers Grimm 200 years ago. The brothers' memory is commemorated through the GRIMM WORLD museum, but also through annual exhibitions and events.
Another attraction that draws visitors to Kassel is documenta, one of the world's largest exhibitions of contemporary art. It is also popular to visit the city's very special baroque park Wilhelmshöhe, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Kassel is located along the so-called Fairy Tale Route, a 600-kilometre holiday route that runs from Hanau to Bremen. The route revolves around the story of the Brothers Grimm and takes you to various places connected to the fairy tales. You can also visit the Grimm World Museum in Kassel.
- Federal Republic of Germany: Hesse
- Camping: KasselCamping (Giesenallee 9, Kassel)
- Parking space: Caravan park (Giesenallee 9, Kassel)
- Read more about Kassel: Kassel: a city of fairytales and works of art
- Read more about Sagovägen: German Fairytale Route
- See more in the neighbourhood: Leipzig
5. Bamberg at Porslinsvägen
Bamberg, located in Bavaria, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993 due to its historical value. The Old Town is densely packed with historic buildings and offers a medieval atmosphere with baroque architecture and alleyways filled with cafes and pubs.
The most important buildings in the city include the magnificent cathedral and the old town hall. Other attractions include Altenburg Castle, the Old Court and St Michael's Abbey.
Bamberg lies along the holiday route known as the Porcelain Route. This is a 550-kilometre-long road that leads to the Czech Republic and offers the history of porcelain. Here you can learn all sorts of things about the so-called 'white gold' and visit museums, outlets, shops and manufacturers.
- Federal Republic of Germany: Bavaria
- Camping: Camping Insel (Am Campingplatz 1, Bamberg)
- Parking space: Motorhome site Heinrichsdamm (Rhein-Main-Donau-Damm, Bamberg)
- Read more about Bamberg: Bamberg's sights
- Read more about Porslinsvägen: The Porcelain Route
- See more in the neighbourhood: Würzburg
6. Hillesheim at Vulkanvägen
Hillesheim is the third largest town in the Vulkaneifel region. Here you will find, among other things, a beautiful old square and a surrounding city wall, which is largely preserved.
As the name Vulkaneifel suggests, the region was largely created by volcanic activity. Most of the volcanoes in the area are no longer active, but there is still some geothermal activity, such as gas intrusion and cold water geysers. The Volcano Road is a 280-kilometre route, which takes you through the volcanic area, which can showcase many special landforms including bubbling springs.
- Federal Republic of Germany: Rhineland-Palatinate
- Camping: Campingpark Dockweiler-Mühle (54552 Dockweiler)
- Parking space: Am Viehmarkt (Trierer Strasse 1, Hillesheim) or Birkenhof (54576, Hillesheim)
- Read more about Vulkanvägen: German Volcanoes Route
- See more in the neighbourhood: Koblenz
Which picturesque towns in Germany have you visited?
Which picturesque towns in Germany have you visited? Which ones can you recommend?
Oranienburg, Germany - and Oranienburg Castle
We have travelled by motorhome to Oranienburg and Oranienburg Castle, just north of Berlin. Here...
Adventure with a motorhome in Schleswig-Holstein
Our motorhome adventure with a total of seven motorhomes, the 'Beach Basket Challenge', has started with a first day in the German...
Festung Königstein - mighty fortress in Germany
Festung Königstein in Germany is Europe's largest existing mountain fortress, rising mightily above the River Elbe....
Fairytale castle in Germany - Neuschwanstein in Bavaria
Fairytale castle in Germany - Neuschwanstein in Germany is located in south-west Bavaria on the border with Austria. Disney designed...
Wine festivals in Germany - experience autumn wine festivals
Wine festivals are currently taking place in Germany and will continue throughout October and November. If you are...
Holiday routes in northern Germany - 6 great themed roads
There are plenty of holiday routes in northern Germany. When the borders reopen, it might be easiest to...
Facts about Germany - 30 things you (might) not have known
Facts about Germany and Germany is the second largest country in Europe with 82 per cent of the...
Schwedenfest in Wismar, Germany
Every year on the penultimate weekend of August, the town of Wismar celebrates, with much fanfare, the...
Excursions among Germany's lakes
The 'Beach Basket Challenge' campervan trip continues, and it was time for the seven campervans on the trip/competition to...
What to do in Hannover - 15 sights and experiences
What to do in Hannover? We visited the capital city of the German state of Lower Saxony because we...
The Roman Empire in Germany - 6 sites from the Roman period
The Roman Empire in Germany? Yes, indeed! Ancient Rome was a powerful empire that originated in Rome, but...
Things to do in Celle, Germany - 12 tips for the half-timbered village
What to do in Celle, Germany? This historic little town offers a fantastic range of...
Bad Segeberg - Karl May Spiele and bat cave
Bad Segeberg inland, where we travelled to visit the "Karl May Spiele" ...
Lübeck, Germany - Queen of the Hanseatic League
The old Hanseatic city of Lübeck is a harbour city located in Schleswig-Holstein in northern Germany. Here you can...
Camping and Moselle wines in Traben-Trarbach, Germany
Traben-Trarbach in Germany's Moselle Valley is beautiful and has world-famous Moselle wines. This is a cosy...
Things to do in Dessau - 14 tips for the Bauhaus city
What to do in Dessau, Germany? Dessau is best known for the Bauhaus (and...
What to do in Bremen - 17 tips for the city of musicians
What to do in Bremen? This northern German city is perhaps best known for its fairytale...
Beautiful roads in Germany - themed holiday routes
There are more than 150 beautiful roads in Germany, each with its own theme and packed with...
Things to do in Hamburg - 23 sights and experiences
What to do in Hamburg? This northern German city offers harbour life, boat trips, culture and the world's...
Things to see and do in the Hanseatic City of Wismar
There is much to see and do in the Hanseatic city of Wismar in Germany. We've been here...
Things to do in Saxony-Anhalt - 9 great experiences in Germany
What to see and do in Saxony-Anhalt? This German federal state offers everything from picturesque...
10 amazing natural areas in Germany
Today we dream of travelling to beautiful natural areas in Germany. One day we can travel again,...
Eagle's Nest - Hitler's 50th birthday present among the mountains
We have visited the Eagle's Nest, or Kehlsteinhaus as the house is actually called in German. This extremely high...
Things to do in Miltenberg - 11 tips for a gem on the river Main
What to do in Miltenberg, Germany? This city is beautifully situated on the River Main...
Things to do in Hann. Münden - 10 tips for a crochet dream
What to do in Hann. Münden in Germany? This small town is a fantastic place to...
Regenstein Castle in Blankenburg - and sandstone caves
Regenstein Castle in Blankenburg is a historic ruined castle in the German Harz region. Here you can...
What to do in Quedlinburg - 12 tips for a cute half-timbered town
What to do in Quedlinburg, Germany? This city is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for...
Guided Beatles tour in Hamburg - join us at the Reeperbahn
We have done a guided Beatles tour in Hamburg, and we highly recommend it. Very interesting...
10 magical castles in Germany you won't want to miss
Today we're sharing 10 magical castles and palaces in Germany that feel like they are...
The island of Usedom - cycling between Poland and Germany
The island of Usedom is located on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea and is shared by Poland and Germany. We are on a sailing trip...
Top image in post: Bamberg, "Little Venice" © FrankenTourismus /Bamberg TKS H. Leue
Amanda (Swedish Passport) says:
But then oh my! That I still have never been to Germany is a bit of a mystery! May definitely write down these cities on the bucket list and make a proper tour of Germany one day 😉.
08 December 2020 - 8:44
Helena says:
Then you still have a lot to discover, up close and personal, too.
09 December 2020 - 6:32
Bara brittiskt says:
I recommend the little-known World Heritage town of Quedlinburg and the beautiful but better-known Goslar and Wernigerode nearby, with steam trains up to the Harz mountains. Along the Rhine, Bacharach is a gem. Where the Danube meets the Inn is the baroque gem of Passar and the over-touristy Rothenburg-ob-der-Tauber is sugar-sweet. Also love Trier as you already mentioned.
08 December 2020 - 8:45
Helena says:
Very interesting tips, thank you! 🙂
09 December 2020 - 6:33
bmlarsreseblogg says:
Now we have six new reasons to go to Germany. We totally agree with 'Just British', as we also love the half-timbered towns of Quedlinburg, Goslar, Celle and Wernigerode. Then there are plenty of gems along the Rhine and Moselle rivers, and along the Baltic Sea coast.
Hope, hope it is ok to travel again in 2021!
08 December 2020 - 9:00
Helena says:
Very interesting tips, thank you! We have heard about some of the cities you mention, but we haven't visited them. After this post, we will have a long list I realise 🙂 And yes, you hope that you will be able to travel! Maybe not at the beginning of the year, but hopefully it will be easier in the spring!
09 December 2020 - 6:34
Hasse says:
There are several nice towns in Northwest Germany, such as Friedrichstadt. Not so far to go, if you live in southern Sweden, or stop in on the way home. Regensburg was fun, not very picturesque, but wonderfully German. Above Rostock is Warnemünde, along the harbour entrance. Somewhat touristy but nice to spend some time in when you have landed or are leaving on the ferry. There is so much to see and do, the list could be long.
08 December 2020 - 10:11
Helena says:
Thanks for the great tips! We will have to make a list I think 🙂
09 December 2020 - 6:35
mässing tvålpump says:
I found nice posts here. I like the way you write. Perfect!
08 December 2020 - 10:30
Helena says:
Thank you very much!
09 December 2020 - 6:36
Marias memoarer says:
I have also visited Bamberg, great city! 😊 Regensburg and Freiburg are also nice cities.
08 December 2020 - 11:33
Helena says:
Thanks for the tips! There is really sooo much to discover in Germany! 🙂
09 December 2020 - 6:36
Arne Lindh says:
The list of cosy German cities never ends. We haven't stayed in any of the six you list and yet we are usually in no hurry in Germany. We have been to Greifswald and Stralsund. And in Wismar with you. How lovely. Other favourites are Rothenburg ob der Tauber and Regensburg. Hitzacker is a tiny cosy town on the Elbe. Free parking and nice restaurants. We drove into Nördlingen with a motorhome and did not get out again. Crowded! But nice. Ahrweiler in the Ahr wine district and Cochem in the Moselle. In that valley, all the cities and small towns are nice to stay in. This summer we hope to do other wine regions like Rheingau, Franconia, Pfalz and maybe a detour down to Alsace, which is almost German (Elsass).
08 December 2020 - 12:13
Helena says:
We have seen pictures of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, but we have not been there. Thanks also for all the other tips! Now you really get the urge to travel again. so much we have left to discover in Germany!
09 December 2020 - 6:38
BP says:
So these pictures are just what I needed in the grey and dark winter weather today. I see that 6 years in Munich was not enough to get to know Germany. Many of the cities I have never heard of. I have to blame that I mostly moved in Bavaria and in the Alps to ski during the winter.
08 December 2020 - 17:57
Helena says:
Germany is big and there is certainly a lot to discover. We have plenty left. And just by reading the comments on this post, we can find many tips 🙂.
09 December 2020 - 6:40
Jessica says:
Stade, a few kilometres outside Hamburg, is a small gem dating back to Swedish times.
08 December 2020 - 20:04
Helena says:
Thanks for the tips! Interesting history from the Swedish era!
09 December 2020 - 6:40
Lena+i+Wales+och+Spanien says:
A lot of it is recognisable.
Have visited Magdenburg and travelled much of the Romantische Strasse as well as Kassel and much of the Märchen Strasse. I have been to Fulda, but only once, so don't remember much. Hildesheim I have visited a few times and stayed in a nice and pleasant hotel in the centre. Had a great room with a nice fruit platter and got a small backpack as a gift on the first visit and more stuff other times. Often tour guides get the worst rooms, but not here. Bamberg was also long since I visited.
I have not visited Papenburg, seems to have many Dutch influences, perhaps not so strange considering where the city is located.
Thanks for nice post and nostalgia for me!
09 December 2020 - 10:22
Lena - gott för själen says:
Oh how cosy it looks. In the future, when life is a bit more normal, we will take a trip "down". There is so much we want to see. Andreas hasn't even seen these small towns that you recommend, so it will be put on the wish list!
Hug Lena
15 December 2020 - 5:49
Robbie65 says:
A tip is to drive the Romantic Road (Romantische Straße in German) and visit the towns of Rothenburg ob der Tauber with its very worthwhile old defence wall and Dinkelsbühl with the beautiful St. George's Church. Very beautiful and picturesque little towns well worth a visit.
02 August 2021 - 14:37
Irene Johansson says:
Don't forget Luneburg, incredibly beautiful with half-timbered houses and the river Ilmenau flowing there.
A visit on the way to Goslar and Celle. Absolutely marvellous!
10 July 2022 - 18:02
Irene says:
Don't forget Luneburg, incredibly beautiful with half-timbered houses and the river Ilmenau flowing there.
A visit on the way to Goslar and Celle. Absolutely marvellous!
10 July 2022 - 18:07