Things to do in Wernigerode - 12 tips for a German gem

Writer: Helena Bergström

Updated: August 2026 | What to do in Wernigerode, Germany? This town is a fantastic little gem that you will find along the German ”Cross-timbered road”. Here are our top tips for things to see and do!

Wernigerode in Germany

Wernigerode offers a lovely half-timbered idyll, as well as a fine castle and many other attractions. If you're travelling by motorhome, you'll find a good spot close to the centre. This is a city we fell in love with!

Wernigerode is located in the federal state Saxony-Anhalt in Germany, about 80 kilometers southwest of Magdeburg.

What to do in Wernigerode?

So what can you see and do in Wernigerode? First and foremost, you can stroll through the charming half-timbered houses, but there is also much more to see and discover. We've put together a list of our top tips here.

1. Stroll among half-timbered houses

Wernigerode, located along the Korsvirkesvägen, is crowded of charming half-timbered houses in bright colours. Here you can see cute houses, beautiful houses, irregular houses and surprising houses. You can easily get a overdose of half-timbered idyll.

Don't forget to look for details! Here you'll find beautiful doors, creative signs and exciting decorations that will make the most curious of minds go wild.

2. See the beautiful town hall and the Wohltäter Fountain

One thing you won't want to miss in Wernigerode is the beautiful peach-coloured town hall. This building has tall round towers and is reminiscent of something out of a fairy tale. Today you will find the tourist office here, with information and brochures about the local area.

The square is also very beautiful. Here you can see the beautiful Wohltäter fountain (Wohltäterbrunnen), and there are also plenty of restaurants and cafés with inviting outdoor seating.

3. Peek inside the smallest house

One of the houses in Wernigerode worth checking out is the 'smallest house' (Kleinstes Haus). The house was built in the middle of the 18th century, in the baroque half-timbered style and its dimensions are as follows:

• Height: 4.20 metres to the eaves
• Width: 2.95 metres
• Door height: 1.70 metres

The house served as a residential building until 1976 and is said to have been inhabited by up to eleven people. Today it is owned by the town of Wernigerode, and there is a small museum that tells the story of the former living conditions in the house. 

4th Spana in Krummel's house

Krummelsche Haus is a listed building at Breite Strasse 72. This three-storey baroque half-timbered house was built in 1674 and commissioned by the corn merchant Henricus Krummel. The house is very special and the facade includes illustrations of the different continents and the different elements.

The picture next to it has nothing to do with the Krummelsche Haus, but shows a sculpture nearby that caught our eye.

5. visit musuem Schiefes Haus

The Schiefes Haus (crooked house) is a house in the centre of Wernigerode that is very... crooked. The house leans seven degrees, which is almost twice the slope of the world-famous Tower of Pisa. The house was built in 1680, and today it serves as a museum and gallery.

6. Discover Konzerthaus Liebfrauen

In the middle of town stands the mighty former Liebfrauenkirche. When we visited Wernigerode, the church was being renovated and we were therefore unable to go inside. Since then, the building has been given new life as the Konzerthaus Liebfrauen, where concerts, theatre, comedy, jazz and other cultural events are held.

7. See the city walls and towers

The city walls around historic Wernigerode are very well preserved, and you can see them in many places. There are also a bunch of towers to check out. Below you can see the towers and walls on the way to the castle. You can also see the Westerntorturm, for example.

8. take a horse and carriage ride

The cityscape of Wernigerode is reminiscent of times gone by, and if you want to enhance the feeling, you can take a horse and carriage ride.

9. Experience Wernigerode Castle

One thing you won't want to miss doing in Wernigerode is checking out the castle. Originally, this was a medieval fortress where German emperors stayed during their hunting trips in the Harz.

In the 16th century the castle was rebuilt as a Renaissance fortress and in the late 17th century, after the destruction of the 30 Years War, Count Otto of Stolberg-Wernigerode reconstructed the castle in the Baroque style. Today it is open to the public.

You can, as we did, walk up to the castle. If the (rather long) climb feels too tough, you can choose the "little train" or a horse and carriage ride. Once up, you can, if you want, enjoy food and drink on the Castle Terrace. Here we chose fish fillet with rösti, horseradish and salad. This tasted good, while giving us a wonderful view!

You can also visit the interior of the castle for a fee. Here you can see a castle church and a number of beautiful rooms. Unfortunately, photography was not allowed inside the rooms, so you will have to make do with some photos from the courtyard. If you come here, we also recommend seeing the inside of the castle!

10. Walk in the Lustgarten

Not far from the castle you will find the "Lustgarten". This park was originally laid out in the 16th century, and was transformed first into a French Baroque garden and then into an English park. Today, it is a beautiful green space with trees, flowers, a playground and viewpoints.

11. Take the "Harzer" Narrow gauge railways”"to the Brocken"

One of the coolest things to do in Wernigerode is to take the "Harzer Schmalspurbahnen" all the way to the top of the Brocken at 1141 metres, which is a journey of just under two hours. This is one of the most popular adventures in the Harz, and one that is on our wish list.

We didn't have time to squeeze this into our schedule this time, but we are thinking of coming back to Wernigerode to make this trip. That's how long we watched the chugging steam locomotive before it left. So delicious!

12. Try potato dishes at Kartoffelhaus

We had dinner at "Kartoffelhaus" one evening, and we can highly recommend this restaurant. The premises were nice, the staff responsive and the food good. We also liked the concept! After all, potatoes are so delicious and can be varied in a thousand ways.

We started with a small and delicious potato soup. Then we each had a baked potato with different accessories - one with cold-smoked salmon and fried vegetables and another with oven-baked salmon and boiled vegetables. Delicious and fresh!

To finish, we decided to try a dessert that we see on the menus sometimes - "Schwedeneisbecher" (Swedish ice cream!). This dessert consists of vanilla ice cream, cream, applesauce and egg liqueur. And yes, it was really good!

More things to do in Wernigerode

If you have more time in Wernigerode, there is of course even more to discover. Here are some more attractions and experiences that may be worth adding to your visit.

Visit the Harz Museum

At the Harzmuseum you can learn more about the history of both Wernigerode and the Harz. There are exhibitions on half-timbered construction, crafts, mining, geology, and the flora and fauna of the Harz, among other things.

Check out airplanes at the Luftfahrtmuseum

The Museum für Luftfahrt und Technik is a large aviation museum with around fifty aircraft and helicopters. It houses everything from historic aircraft to modern jets, along with engines, instruments and other aviation technology.

Go up to the Kaiserturm

On the Armeleuteberg just outside the center of Wernigerode stands the Kaiserturm, a lookout tower that almost looks like it came straight out of a fairy tale. You can hike up here and be rewarded with views of Wernigerode and the surrounding area.

Discover the Harz in miniature

In the Bürgerpark is the Miniaturenpark Kleiner Harz, where famous buildings and sights from all over the Harz have been recreated in miniature. Here you can recognize castles, churches and other well-known places from the region.

Visit the Christianental Wildlife Park

In Christianental, not far from the castle, there is a zoo with animal species native to or associated with the region. A nice excursion destination, not least for those visiting Wernigerode with children.

Things to do in Wernigerode - on film

Where can you live or stay with your campervan?

There are of course many different hotels and other accommodation options in Wernigerode to choose from. We visited the town by motorhome and stayed at the caravan park Cat pond (Am Katzenteich 10). A very good place we thought!

This site is quiet and peaceful, and within walking distance of the city centre. You also have access to most of the services you need, including electricity and grey water drainage. There is no shower, and rubbish disposal is somewhat limited.

More to see and do near Wernigerode

There is of course more to see and do near Wernigerode. We can recommend several nice and interesting places such as:

• Quedlinburg
• Regenstein Castle
• GoslarThale
• Suspension bridge Titan RT
• Magdeburg