We’re gearing up for what will likely be another long, hot dry summer here in Rheinhessen, and I’m planning on spending as much of it as possible submerged in cold water. I may be a good 450km from the coast, but the Germans take their aquatic activities very seriously, and I’m very lucky to have an excellent outdoor pool and two swimming lakes within cycling distance of where I live.

If you’re not planning to be near a beach this summer either, the next two newsletters will offer you some inland inspiration for staying cool. Today’s features suggestions for destinations and events in which water plays a starring role; in two weeks, a selection of waterside accommodations will land in your inbox, from sleek modern chalets with extraordinary river views to wicker beds on the beach.

Paid subscribers can expect a second newsletter this month as I play catch up on the ones I’ve missed. (I was hoping to squeeze both in before July, but I’m going to have to split them between this month and next instead.) In it, I’ll be sharing bits and pieces from a recent five-day trip to Bavaria, including some brewery and restaurant recommendations as well as notes from a delightful chair lift/cable car ride and a visit to an artist who paints with cow dung.

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Destination picks: swimming and boating and hiking galore

From its beautiful white beaches in the north to its glistening mountain lakes in the south, with an abundance of lake districts, reservoirs, rivers and waterfalls in between, Germany offers some genuinely spectacular spots to hop into your bathing suit (or not) and go for a swim. There’s plenty of opportunity for watersports too, whether you’re into leisurely boat rides and stand-up padding or prefer the thrills of kite-surfing and sailing. The following three destinations offer a variety of ways to experience Germany’s watery wonders, but they all have one thing in common: dramatic backdrops the likes of which you won’t find anywhere else.

For hikers: the Eifel Trail

For those who’d rather look at water than get into it, the 313km Eifel Trail, which connects the historic cities of Aachen and Trier, takes in some impressive natural sights along the way. (Plenty of non water-related ones too, from castles, mills and medieval towns to the Genoveva Cave.) Wending its way through seemingly endless forests, Europe’s largest highland moor and the Eifel National Park, the trail’s aquatic highlights include the Urft reservoir, Dreimühlen waterfall, a Roman aqueduct and the Dauner Maare, three of the region’s 12 volcanic lakes, which are known, somewhat creepily, as “the eyes of the Eifel”. If you do fancy a dip in some eerily still dark water, swimming is permitted at two of these three lakes - just try not to think about the fact that the smallest, Gemündener Maar, is around 38m deep.

Further information at eifelsteig.de

For canoeists: the River Lahn

If canoeing’s more your thing, make a beeline for the River Lahn, a 245km-long tributary of the Rhine that’s well known for both its popularity with canoeists and kayakers and the gentle, unspoilt countryside through which it courses. As it winds its way through quaint half-timber villages and historic cities including Marburg and Wetzlar, it passes sights such as the seven-towered Limburg Cathedral and 13th century Braunfels Castle and offers the opportunity to float through Weilburg Shipping Tunnel, the oldest and longest shipping tunnel still navigable in Germany today.

There are canoe rental businesses aplenty in the region. Well-established tour operator Lahntours operates over an 160km stretch of the river: their canoeing and kayaking offers include individual rental by the hour and longer group tours that incorporate overnight stays at one of their well-equipped campsites.

Further information at lahntours.de

For swimmers: Lake Freiberg

Close to Germany’s border with Austria, surrounded by thick beech and fir forests, shimmering green Lake Freiberg in the Allgäu Alps is one of Bavaria’s warmest. Its water level fluctuates, meaning the shore is not always easily accessible, but you can get into the water at the natural swimming pool by the restaurant, which also has a sunbathing area and a kiosk for ice creams, snacks and drinks. The natural pool has an enclosed area for children (with an entrance fee); the lake itself has a diving tower and raft, and rowing and pedalos can be rented at the jetty. If you don’t fancy getting wet, there’s a hiking trail that’ll take you all the way around the lake’s perimeter, and it’s even possible to take the lift up the nearby Heini Klopfer Ski Jump - at 70m, Germany’s highest - to admire magnificent views of the lake from above.

Access to the lake is closed to public traffic. It can also be reached via number of hiking and mountain bike trails, but the nearest car park is a 25-minute walk away. Further information at freiburgsee.com

Event picks: fireworks and floating processions

Fireworks over the Rhine

Pyrotechnics and light displays don’t get much more spectacular than the Middle Rhine Valley’s annual Rhine in Flames. On five nights between May and September, an illuminated convoy of boats travels along various sections of the river against a backdrop of steeply sloping vineyards and floodlight hilltop castles. Buy a boat ticket to experience the spectacle from the water or enjoy the spectacle from land, where a variety of accompanying festivities take place before each event concludes with a lavish display of fireworks.

Remaining dates for this year: Bingen/Rüdesheim July 1; Spay-Koblenz August 12; Oberwesel September 9; St. Goar/St. Goarshausen September 16. Further information at rhein-in-flammen.com

Kiele Woche (Kiel Regatta)

Europe’s largest sailing event also happens to be Germany’s second largest public festival after Oktoberfest, attracting some three million visitors from Germany and beyond during the course of the 10-day event. Athletes from all over the world come to take part in a variety of sailing competitions; other highlights include the tall ships parade, which features some 100 old ships and yachts, and the fireworks display that marks the end of the regatta. On land, there’s a programme of cultural events including concerts, theatre and cabaret performances and kids’ activities, and of course there’s also plenty of good food and drink.

June 17-25. Further information at kieler-woche.de

Chaos on the Danube

If you prefer your festivities a little more chaotic, head to Ulm on the penultimate Monday in July for the city’s annual celebration of its 1397 constitution. A traditional oath-swearing ceremony in the morning is followed by a lively river procession later in the afternoon. A whole host of vessels make their way down the Danube, from the elaborately-decorated, topically-themed boats of the city’s various clubs and societies to precarious floating contraptions constructed by locals - and lots of revellers bobbing about on rafts and inflatables in between. Music is provided by a series of bands, also on boats, vying to win a public vote. Celebrations continue back on land late into the night.

July 24, Ulm. Further information at tourismus.ulm.de

If you enjoyed this, you might also enjoy…

From Berlin to Brussels, the night train renaissance gathers speed with the new European Sleeper • Bavaria beyond Oktoberfest: Why you should visit Germany’s ‘trad’ region outside of its famous festival • Germany’s 49€ travel pass explained • Photo story: a journey through the craft heritage of Germany's Black Forest • The last days of Berlin’s gas streetlamps • How Dusseldorf became one of the best Asian food spots in Germany •

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Articles about Berlin’s food scene that don’t mention some or all of the words ‘vibrant’, ‘creative’ and ‘dynamic’ are far and few between. Accurate though these descriptions may be, what such pieces usually fail to acknowledge (my own included: travel features tend to focus on reasons to visit a city, after all) that it’s a relatively young food scene in a vast, sprawling city, which means that to find the really good places to eat, you have to root through an awful lot of very average ones. Randomly popping into a café whilst exploring a neighbourhood might well yield a truly great coffee and pastry experience, but the chances are you’ll end up having a very mediocre one instead.

If food plays an important role in your travels, then a few personal recommendations for cafés, bars and restaurants will go a long way. So, as well as this list of places I’ve thoroughly enjoyed eating and drinking at myself, I’m also sharing here a selection of Berlin restaurants I’ve been (highly) recommended but am yet to go to, and a quick roundup of some of the places that regularly crop up on ‘best of’ lists compiled by trusted food-focused Berlin locals. Consider yourself well equipped with ideas for your next trip to the German capital.

Seasoned Berlin visitors and local residents, please feel free to weigh in with your favourites in the comments - or of course voice objections to my endorsements.

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Welcome to Germany Travel Picks! This collection of travel tips, inspiration, news and events will (usually) land in your inbox every other Tuesday. Paid subscribers will receive the very first monthly special next Friday, in which I answer one of the questions I’m asked most: where to eat in Berlin. If you don’t want to miss out…

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In the meantime, here’s some springtime travel inspiration - and you can find find some more seasonal tips in last year’s spring newsletter, too.

Destination picks: Germany’s best blooms

It doesn’t officially begin until March 20, but for those who’ve been sitting through a seemingly endless grey winter, spring won’t come a moment too soon. And when it does arrive in Germany, all bright blue skies, dazzling sunshine and an abundance of bright green leaves and pretty flowers, it’s truly a glorious thing.

There’s no way to predict exactly when the first spring blossoms will appear, but the southwestern areas of Germany (Baden-Württemberg, Hessen and Rheinland-Pfalz) being the warmest, you’re likely to find them there first. Head out into the country’s fruit- or wine-growing regions to wander along lanes lined with almond, apple or peach trees covered in delicate pink and white blooms. There are some spectacular spring sights to be found in urban areas, too, in part thanks to a gift of 9,000 ornamental cherry trees sent to Germany by a Japanese television station in 1990 in celebration of German reunification. The streets of cities such as Hamburg, Magdeburg and Berlin are transformed at this time of year, embellished with weighty canopies of flowers. The gardens of Germany’s palaces and castles are a good bet for impressive floral displays, too: Schwetzingen Palace is particularly popular for it’s blush pink blossoms.

Almond blossoms in the Palatinate

Some of Germany’s earliest blossoms emerge along the German Wine Route, a winding road that runs 85km between the towns of Bockenheim and Schweigen-Rechtenbach in the Palatinate wine region. The area is known for its warm climate (and excellent food and wines), and it’s claimed that spring arrives here two to three weeks earlier than anywhere else.

Outdoors enthusiasts should make a beeline for the 100km, seven-stage Palatinate Almond Trail, which quickly transforms into a veritable pink and white ribbon running through the vineyards. There’s a particularly large concentration of almond trees - 2,000 or so - around the village of Gimmeldingen on the edge of the Haardt Mountains: here, the annual Almond Blossom Festival has been celebrated with local wines, regional specialties and the crowning of the Almond Blossom Queen since 1934. Other regional highlights include the Palatinate Almond Festival, which runs from the beginning of March to mid-April and offers a programme of culinary events as well as excursions on foot, by bike, or even in a vintage bus. Further south in Edenkoben, the so-called Almond Mile festival (18-19 and 25-26 March) sees the town’s winegrowers and restaurateurs setting up stalls beneath the blossoming trees with a magnificent panoramic view. And if you’ve not seen enough pink during the daytime, a number of historic buildings in the region including Wachtenburg, Hambach and Trifels castles are, until April 15, illuminated with bright pink light at night.

Crocuses by the North Sea

The largest crocus population in northern Europe is to be found in the landscaped gardens of 16th-century Husum Castle in the charming seaside town of Husum on the North Sea coast. Four million of the low-growing flowers open their pretty purple petals here each spring and are celebrated at the annual Husum Crocus Blossom Festival (18-19 March). The festival opens with the coronation of the incoming Crocus Blossom Royalty on the steps of the Old Town Hall on Husum’s Market Square and continues with events including an arts and crafts market in the castle courtyard, a culinary mile in the Husum’s centre, a marching brass band, and a variety of guided tours.

Bonn’s Insta-famous blooms

Bonn’s ornamental cherry trees were planted at the end of the 1980s as part of an urban redevelopment plan to improve the city’s then dreary-looking old town. And boy, did it work: today, visitors flock here from far and wide each spring for a glimpse of what have become two of Germany’s most-Instagrammed streets.

Several varieties of cherry were planted in Bonn’s old town, and their differing flowering periods usually overlap between the end of March and mid- to late April. The first, very pale and delicate blossoms appear on Maxstraße before spreading through the surrounding streets and coming to a dramatic climax in Heerstraße and Breite Straße, where 60 trees of a variety known for its luscious, deep pink flowers, turn the streets into magnificent pink tunnels. These two streets can get rather packed with visitors taking photos, so try heading there early morning or evening if you want to beat the crowds.

Opulent floral displays in Dresden

After three years on hold, Germany's most prominent spring flower show has returned. The Dresdner Frühling im Palais (Dresden Spring in the Palais) takes place in the impressive baroque palace at the Grand Garden of Dresden. Continuing a long tradition of extravagant flower shows in the Saxon capital, the slogan for this year’s show is “Picture-perfect: flowers by the artist’s hand”. Some of Saxony’s best known florists, gardeners, calligraphers, light and sound designers have recreated famous artworks using over 40,000 plants, from tulips, daffodils and hyacinths to anemones, hellebores and ornamental apples - all of which they’ve somehow managed to get to flower at the same time. Until 12 March.

Cherry blossoms in Berlin

Largely thanks to the generous Japanese gift of cherry trees 30 years ago, pockets of the German capital are positively flooded with pink blossom each spring. The city’s tourism board has even published a handy blossom guide (.pdf ) that pinpoints some of the best locations to enjoy them.

If you fancy combining your search for spring bloomcore with some schooling on Berlin’s history, pick yourself a section of the Berlin Wall Trail to wander. The 160km hiking and cycling route traces the course of the former GDR border fortifications encircling West Berlin and offers some of the best places to enjoy cherry blossoms in the city. Highlights include Glienicke Bridge (the Bridge of Spies), where the first Japanese cherry trees were planted; TV-Asahi-Kirschblütenallee, on the former border strip between Teltow and Berlin-Lichterfelde, where an annual Japanese Hanami Cherry Blossom Festival takes place; the Oberbaum Bridge (pictured top); and the sprawling Gardens of the World, which also hosts an annual cherry blossom festival, featuring stage performances and a cosplay competition.

Travel news: Get ready for the 49€ ticket

The new monthly 49€ subscription ticket from Deutsche Bahn, which allows ticket holders unlimited travel on all forms of local public transport (excluding ICE and IC/EC trains), will be valid from 1 May. You can now register to be notified when it becomes available.

If you enjoyed this, you might also like…

Rail route of the month: a steam-hauled climb through Germany’s Harz mountains • 23 Most Beautiful Small Towns Around the World — From Popular Spots to Hidden Gems (Rothenburg ob der Tauber, #16) • The 20 Best Places In Europe To Visit In 2023 (Essen, #6) • I Visited Some of Europe's Most Charming Spa Towns by Train — Here's What It Was Like

I’ll also be introducing a new monthly issue, which will feature stories from my travels around Germany (currently scheduled: Mannheim, Berlin and some more of my home turf, the Rheinhessen wine region) including behind the scenes action and personal recommendations. This extra issue will be available to paid subscribers only, and I’ll give you a bit of a warning before I send the first one out.

Thank you for your patience during Germany Travel Picks’ absence last year. If you have any travel questions, future newsletter requests or hot tips for events 2023, please do share them with your fellow Germany fans in the comments.

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Germany in 2023: Major anniversaries and events

Whether you’ve already arranged travel to Germany for this year or you’re sitting at your desk dreaming about it, there are some one-off events and celebrations taking place that you might want to squeeze into your itinerary. From the horticultural to the historical, these five experiences will make for unforgettable holiday highlights - or a very good excuse to book a trip.

Please check individual sites and destinations for up-to-date COVID-19 regulations.

The Special Olympics World Games, Berlin

This summer, the Special Olympics World Games will take place in Germany for the very first time. Berlin’s Olympiastadion, originally built for the 1936 Summer Olympics, will be hosting the world's largest sporting event for athletes with intellectual disabilities, which is held every two years. Some 7,000 athletes in 190 international delegations will compete in 26 different sports, from horse riding, basketball and powerlifting to table tennis and rhythmic gymnastics. The opening ceremony will take place on June 17 - artists to be confirmed. June 17-25.

Berlin 2023 Official Website | Accessibility | Instagram

150 Years of the Völklinger Hütte, Völklingen

Germany's former largest producer of iron girders might not sound like the most compelling of tourist destinations, but as the world’s only fully preserved ironworks from the industrial era, it’s well worth a visit. The first monument from the height of the Industrial Revolution to be inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, the Völklinger Hütte (Völkingen Ironworks) is today also a unique location for international exhibitions, festivals and concerts. Follow the visitor walkways past historic constructions such as the inclined ore lift, enjoy panoramas of the industrial landscape from the 45-metre-high viewing platforms, and stroll through the wilderness of the former coking plant, which has been reclaimed by local flora and fauna and is filled with birch trees, butterflies and a 10-metre-high sculpture of King Kong.

Völklinger Hütte Website | Accessibility | Instagram

300th Anniversary of the Historisches Grünes Gewölbe, Dresden

2023 sees the start of a six-year celebration of the Historisches Grünes Gewölbe (Historic Green Vault) at Dresden’s Residenzschloss (Royal Palace). If such lengthy celebrations seem over the top, wait till you see the vault itself: built in the 18th century by August II, the series of increasingly opulent, mirror-walled rooms are bursting with magnificent jewellery, precious objects and statuettes - as well as the largest green diamond ever found. The highlight is arguably the Pretiosensaal (Hall of Precious Objects), where rock crystals and ostrich eggs are displayed alongside bejewelled gilded vessels. Daily visitor intake is limited, so booking in advance is recommended.

Historisches Grünes Gewölbe Website | Accessibility

BUGA 23: Bundesgartenschau Mannheim

First held in 1951, Germany’s biennial national garden show, the Bundesgartenschau, this year takes place in the city of Mannheim. The show will extend across SPINELLI, a residential area and parkland that was once a US military base, to the Luisenpark municipal park, which sits on the bank of the river Neckar, and you’ll be able to see all of it from above on a brand new 2km-long funicular cable car ride. Over 5,000 events are scheduled to take place during the course of the show, from flower shows and lectures on the environment, sustainable agriculture and food security, to cultural exhibitions and sporting activities. April-October 2023.

Bundesgartenschau Mannheim Website | Instagram

500th Anniversary of the Bayerische Staatsorchester, Munich

During its 500-year history, the Bayerische Staatsorchester (Bavarian State Orchestra) has staged several world premieres, won numerous awards, and been led by eminent musical directors such as the 19th century German composer Richard Strauss. As the house orchestra of the Bayerische Staatsoper (Bavarian State Opera House) in Munich, its 144 members perform both the pit for ballet and operas and on stage for chamber and symphony concerts. Celebrate the orchestra’s half-millennium by attending one of the many concerts and events planned throughout 2023.

500th Anniversary Website | Bavarian State Opera House Website | Accessibility | Instagram

If you enjoyed this, you might also like…

How to Explore German History, Architecture, and Delicious Food on a Green Vacation • Testing the waters on a journey through Germany's prettiest spa towns, from Aachen to Baden-Baden • Where to go in 2023 (Leipzig, #14) • Incredible experiences for 2023 (Paragliding in the Bavarian Alps, #15) •

I begin with an apology for having vanished without a trace earlier this year, however Germany Travel Picks will now (hopefully) be returning to its regularly scheduled programming. If you have any recommendations for things to do or see in Germany at this time of year, I’d love you to share them with everyone in the comments at the end of the newsletter.

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In this edition…

The world’s largest pumpkin exhibition • Halloween at Frankenstein Castle • a Bavarian hotel with an in-house brewery • a cosy off-grid cabin with a wood stove • Joan Jonas in Munich • and much more…

Please check individual sites and destinations for up-to-date COVID-19 regulations.

Destination picks: Autumnal outings

Ludwigsburg Pumpkin Festival

Ludwigsburg Palace is currently playing host to the world’s largest pumpkin festival, its beautifully-kept grounds home to hundreds of thousands of pumpkins arranged into elaborate sculptures and ornamental displays, this year on a jungle theme. (Keep your eyes peeled for Mowgli and Baloo.) There are pumpkin carving sessions to take part in and, from 19 October onwards, illuminated pumpkin displays to admire after sunset. Hungry pumpkin fans will be pleased to find culinary offerings that include pumpkin soup, pumpkin cheese Spätzle and freshly-baked pumpkin bread.

Until 4 December. Further information: travel.ludwigsburg.de

Halloween Events at Frankenstein Castle

If you’re searching for something a little spookier, make your way to the thousand-year-old Frankenstein Castle in the Odenwald Forest. Thought by some to have been the inspiration for Mary Shelley’s classic novel, at this time of year the ruins are home to one of Germany’s biggest Halloween parties. Wandering the castle’s crypts and battlements after dark isn’t for the faint-hearted: from Freddy Krueger to Michael Myers and all sorts of ghouls and gremlins in between, there’s a hundred or so very unpleasant characters lurking around the grounds.

Halloween events take place from 21 October-6 November. Further information: www.frankenstein-restaurant.de

Usedom Game Festival

Each October, the (German half of the) island of Usedom celebrates its forestry, nature conservation, hunting and game season with a three-week festival. Events and activities include culinary tours, island safaris, and a family-friendly day out involving a hunting dog show and the crowning of the Usedom Honey King. For the duration of the festival, restaurants all over the island are offering special menus showcasing local game such as venison and wild boar.

Until 6 November. Further information: wildwochen-auf-usedom.de. I’ll be visiting Usedom later this week as a guest of Usedom Tourismus GmbH to experience the festival for myself.

Follow my trip to Usedom on Instagram

Accommodation Picks: Snug, sustainable stays

Bavarian hotel with an in-house brewery

Built in 1898, hotel and brewery Garmischer Hof is a quiet haven in the heart of Bavarian tourist hotspot Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Certified organic and sustainably built, its rooms are furnished with European cherry wood, beauty treatments at the in-house spa involve 100% natural cosmetics, and green electricity runs throughout. In addition to its eco credentials - and its gorgeous mountain views - the hotel’s restaurant serves beers tapped directly from its own organic brewery. Enjoy a glass or two alongside one of their vegan or vegetarian dishes, or a meaty Bavarian classic.

Save 10% with the Goldener Herbst offer, from 448€ per person including breakfast for stays of 7-14 nights in a Doppelzimmer Bio Komfort room. Offer valid for travel until 06.11.2022. Book direct on the Hotel & Bierbrauerei Garmischer Hof website or via booking.com

Off-grid cabin near Brandenburg

Halfway between Hamburg and Berlin, this two-person cabin sits proudly in the corner of a field otherwise occupied only by a horse and a couple of cows. Enjoy a bracing hike through the surrounding countryside - all picturesque pastures and heathlands, forests and lakes - before coming home to put your feet up in front of the wood stove. The stylish off-grid property is solar powered, insulated, has wifi and is connected to the local water supply.

157,50€ per night for a maximum of two people; stay 3 or more nights and save 10%. Book at raus.de.

Food and drink picks: Enjoy Rheinhessen

I was invited to eat at the restaurants below by RheinhessenWein e.V. under no obligation to write about them.

The Rheinhessen wine region tends to be overlooked as a tourist destination in favour of its famous northerly neighbour, the Rheingau. Yet Germany’s largest winemaking region has a great deal to offer visitors, from its excellent hiking and biking trails and impressive historic sights to its cosy wine taverns, cheerful hospitality, and a new generation of winemakers shaking things up in the vineyards. Select restaurants around the region are currently offering a specially-created seasonal dish as part of the annual Rheinhessen Genießen (“Enjoy Rheinhessen”) campaign, which makes for an excellent excuse to come and enjoy the spoils of autumn in this part of the country. The following three restaurants all offer delicious food, very good local wines and a warm, friendly welcome to boot.

Laurenz, Mainz

A firm favourite amongst local lovers of good food and wine, hip neighbourhood wine bar and restaurant Laurenz is offering saddle of venison with celery, porcini mushrooms, elderflower and parsnip. Enjoy with a glass of 2019 Spätburgunder from VDP winery Gutzler. www.laurenz-mainz.de

Weedenhof, Jugenheim

Think you can’t find creative, clever cooking in rural Germany? Weedenhof’s exceptionally pretty, bright yellow beetroot carpaccio with baked goat's cheese and pumpkin pesto is here to prove you (very) wrong. Pair with the 2021 Weißburgunder Kabinett from Schick - the winery’s just a couple of minutes’ walk down the road. www.weedenhof.de

mayers art, Flonheim

Located above the Klosterhof winery’s shop on Flonheim’s market square, mayers art serves refined versions of German classics. Their wild boar fillet tip stew is served with peppered mashed potatoes and pickled beetroot - try a glass of Klosterhof’s 2018 Lifeblood alongside. www.mayersart.de

Further details at www.rheinhessen.de. The special Rheinhessen Geniessen dishes are available at participating restaurants until 6 November.

Exhibitions and event picks

Queerness in Photography

Three complementary exhibitions together explore and examine the representation of identity, gender and sexuality in photography through both historical and contemporary images. C/O Berlin, until 23 January 2023

Ernst Wilhelm Nay Retrospective

Around 120 paintings, watercolours and drawings comprise the first comprehensive retrospective of the German classical modernist painter and graphic designer in 30 years. The Museum Wiesbaden, until 23 February 2023

Joan Jonas

Germany’s most comprehensive Joan Jonas exhibition to date brings together the American visual artist’s key works, showcasing the breadth of her performance, video and installation art. Haus der Kunst, Munich, until 26 February 2023.

You might also be interested in...

How to spend a weekend in Sylt • An interrailer’s guide to Düsseldorf • Fantasy island: a hidden idyll on Germany’s North Sea coast • The world’s weirdest border? • A local’s guide to Leipzig • What To Do, See & Visit In Germany This Autumn • Beautiful, decadent, damaged: a walk back in time through roaring 20s Berlin…

…and Wunderkammer, an excellent new German history, travel and culture newsletter from Australian writer and broadcaster Mike Stuchbery.

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Welcome to Germany Travel Picks! This collection of travel tips, inspiration, news and events will (usually) land in your inbox every other Tuesday. If you have any suggestions for places to go and things to do in Germany at this time of year, please do share them in the comments.

Leave a comment

In this edition…

Where to find the last of the fruit blossoms • Exploring wine country • Organic hotel by the Wadden Sea • Boutique hotel on a white asparagus farm • Würzburg Mozart festival • Tobias Rehberger exhibition in Stuttgart • and much more…

Destination Picks: Spring explorations

Please check individual sites and destinations for up-to-date COVID-19 regulations.

Enjoy Germany’s spring bounty

At this time of year, you’ll find it hard to avoid Spargel (white asparagus) in Germany. If you’re new to the fat white spears, you might like to try them at their simplest, served with boiled potatoes and butter or Hollandaise - just don’t expect them to taste like the green stuff. In southern Germany, white asparagus is popular with pancakes; head to North Rhine Westphalia to enjoy it with local Westphalian acorn-fed ham. The states of North Rhine Westphalia and Lower Saxony both offer scenic Asparagus Routes, along which you can walk, drive and cycle through picturesque asparagus-growing country and take the opportunity to visit festivals, markets, and various special events. Be sure to make a pit stop at a white asparagus farm for lunch.

Hunt for blossoms

It’s impossible to accurately predict when fruit trees will blossom, but though some parts of Germany have already seen spring blossoms come and go, you can still find a few areas to enjoy them. Some local tourism boards and popular spring destinations offer the current flowering status of their fruit trees on their websites: the Altes Land region, Northern Europe's largest fruit-growing region, which is home to literally millions of fruit trees, offers cherry and apple blossom barometers on theirs. Cycle at your own pace right between the fruit trees, wind through orchards and idyllic villages on a double decker bus, or time your visit to coincide with the Altland Blossom Festival, which this year takes place on 7-8 May.

The start of wine season

The best time to visit any of Germany’s 13 winemaking regions is arguably during the summer months, when the vineyards are lush and green and you can’t move for wine festivals. However, wine season runs from early May through till early autumn, during which time there are countless other ways experience German wine culture. Hop on the back of a covered trailer and enjoy a glass or two as you’re driven around the vineyards; join tastings of the new 2021 vintages (check individual wineries or wine region websites for details); or hike one of Germany’s wine trails, stopping for refreshment at a seasonal pop-up winery restaurant along the way. Take a look at the German Wine Institute website for more inspiration.

Accommodation Picks: Spring vibes

Active holiday on the North Sea coast

The BE BIO Hotel be active is a certified organic hotel in the picturesque harbour town of Tönning on Germany’s North Sea coast. Located just 400m from the Eider River, it’s close to both the Katinger Watt nature reserve and UNESCO World Heritage Wadden Sea and offers plentiful opportunities for fishing, hiking, horseback riding and cycling. Rooms are bright and friendly doubles, some with seating area and balcony or terrace. The Frühlingsvergnügen (Springtime Treat) package includes a breakfast buffet, full-body relaxation massage, a ticket for the Multimar-Wattforum (the main visitor centre for the Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park) and afternoon coffee and cake. The property is dog friendly and also offers a charging station for electric cars.

From 393€ per person from 5 nights, not including spa tax (1-2€ per person). Offer valid until 15 May 2022. Further information and booking (in German) at be-bio-hotels.de, or reserve your room via booking.com.

Boutique hotel on a white asparagus farm

There’s surely no better place to stay during white asparagus season than on a white asparagus farm. Some 20km southwest of Münster, the rurally-located Hof Grothues-Potthoff* (Grothues-Potthoff Farm) is also home to boutique hotel plus a farm shop, bakery and café. The hotel, which has a small spa area, two restaurants for enjoying the farm’s produce (in season), and a stylish bar, has 71 elegantly-furnished rooms include several family rooms, two accessible rooms and a total of seven suites. The region is extremely flat, so perfect for leisurely bicycle rides to nearby castles and manor houses, of which there are many. Back at base, you’ll find a giant chess set, Pétanque terrain and even a miniature golf course.

Double rooms from 118€. Further information and booking at hof-grothues-potthoff.de or make your reservation via booking.com.

Tranquil Allgäu escape

The charming family-run Biohotel Vogter Adler occupies a listed half-timbered house built in 1777. Located in the green and peaceful Allgäu region, some 30km north of Lake Constance, the property is climate-neutral and offers ten rooms furnished with sustainably-sourced wood and bedding made from natural materials. The hotel is also home to one of Germany’s very few Demeter-certified (biodynamic) restaurants, paying extremely close attention to the sourcing of its ingredients and serving the likes of Allgäu cheese rösti with mushrooms, and spinach and ricotta Maultaschen. Wander off and enjoy the surrounding Alpine scenery on hikes, bike rides or boat trips; back at the hotel, wellness offerings include yoga, massages and personalised Nordic walking tours. The hotel also provides a charging station for electric cars.

Double rooms from 140€ including breakfast, dogs 10€ a night on request. For further information and booking, visit vogter-adler.de.

Spring festivals and events

• Across the Rheingau wine region, some 100 winegrowers, wine taverns and restaurants are currently opening their cellars and courtyards for musical events, special menus and tastings of their 2021 vintages. Rheingauer Schlemmerwochen, various locations until 8 May

• For its 101st annual Mozart Festival, the baroque city of Würzburg will play host to some 80 or so classical concerts featuring symphonic, vocal and chamber music. 20 May-19 June

• Between 1933 and 1945, the National Socialist regime controlled artistic work in Germany. ART FOR NO ONE. 1933–1945 sheds light on the diversity of sculptures, drawings, and photographs that existed outside of the official regime art, without an audience. Schirn Kunsthalle, Frankfurt, until 6 June

• Tobias Rehberger »I do if I donʼt« features the German sculptor’s central work groups from the last three decades, from 3D-printed sculptures to the colourful light installation on museum’s façade. Kunstmuseum Stuttgart, until 8 August.

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You may also be interested in…

Föhr: The German island obsessed with Manhattan • Things to do in Görlitz, Germany’s most easterly city • A Bavarian village gears up for its once-a-decade moment of fame • JS Bach’s 18th century guide to Leipzig

Entries marked with an asterisk indicate that the site was previously visited on a complementary basis for work purposes unrelated to this newsletter. All editorial is the author’s own and any sponsored entries, collaborations or advertisements will be clearly marked as such.

Germany Travel Picks is a free newsletter that may include affiliate links, which means the author will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase - at no extra cost to you.

Links are provided to English-language websites wherever possible. All details and offers are correct at the time of publishing.

Welcome to Germany Travel Picks! This collection of travel tips, inspiration, news and events will land in your inbox every other Tuesday. The last edition had to be put on hold thanks to me coming down with covid, but I don’t want to let that one go to waste, so it’ll be published next week as a special edition. Keep your eyes peeled in your inbox for some springtime delights!

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In this edition…

Hunt for rats in Hamelin • Optics and mechanics in charming Wetzlar • Five-star Flensburg hotel with both adults-only and family-friendly spas • Eco-friendly stay on an alpaca farm • Some of Germany’s best medieval offerings • A gourmet hike through the vineyards • and much more…

Destination Picks: relaxed small city visits

If you’re planning to travel Germany with young children, you might be wondering how to keep them happy whilst the grown ups see some of the sights. These three towns and cities are great destinations regardless of whether or not you’re travelling with kids, but they also offer something special to keep young ones entertained whilst the adults soak up some charming small town atmosphere.

Please check individual sites and destinations for up-to-date COVID-19 regulations.

Hunt for rats in Hamelin

A 40-minute train ride from the city of Hanover, pretty Hamelin is best known for its role in the legend of the Pied Piper. In the story, which dates back to the Middle Ages and may or may not be rooted in one or more various truths, a rat catcher is called to Hamelin to rid the town of an infestation, but is not paid his fee. In revenge, he lures children out of the town by playing his flute, and the children are never seen again.

Hamelin itself is full of beautifully restored timber-framed and Renaissance period buildings, and a wander through the cobbled streets with small children is made considerably more manageable by the excitement of spotting rat-related sights. Golden cobbles etched with the long-tailed rodents lead the way to the town’s main attractions, including the Hochzeitshaus, whose clockwork figures tells the story of the Pied Piper every time the Glockenspiel chimes, and the fountains on Osterstrasse and outside the Town Hall. There are also Pied Pipers to spot on various building façades, and the stained glass window of the Church of St Nicolas.

If growling stomachs become an issue, pop into a bakery and ask for a Brotratte (bread rat); and depending on how challenging the day’s been for the grown-ups, consider rounding off lunch or dinner with a shot of Rattenkiller (rat poison), a 50% alcohol herbal liqueur that’s served either ice cold or on fire.

Further information: hameln.de (.pdf)

Follow the optics trail in Wetzlar

Home to an impressive cathedral and some beautiful baroque buildings, Wetzlar, 70km north of Frankfurt has become a popular stop on the German Timber-Frame Road thanks to its collection of beautifully-preserved and restored half-timber buildings. The small city’s oldest half-timbered house, which dates back to 1356, may not be much cause for excitement for younger visitors, but if you’re keen to explore Wetzlar’s historical old town, which is home to the city’s main sights, get the kids hooked on following the Optics Trail. The city was made internationally famous in the early 20th century by the optics industry, and the marvels of optics and mechanics can be explored along the Optikparcours, an outdoor science trail comprising 24 historical sights and installations such as an optokinetic balance and a night vision device.

Further information: wetzlar.de

Splash about in Freiburg’s Bächle

The pretty cobbled streets of the southwestern city of Freiburg are a gorgeous place for a wander, with sights such as the medieval Schwabentor (Swabian Gate), historic merchants hall and Freiburg Minster to take in along the way. To keep children occupied, introduce them to the Freiburg Bächle, narrow paved water runnels that run through many of the city’s streets, fed by the clear waters of the Dreisam River. The Bächle have provided residents with water for drinking and fighting fires since the 12th century; today, you can buy a little wooden boat from the REHA toy shop on Moltkestrasse and sail it around town, or if it’s hot, let the kids take their shoes off and have a good splash. Just be careful not to stumble in yourself - according to local legend, any single person who stumbles into the running water has to marry one of the locals.

Further information: visit.freiburg.de

Accommodation Picks: gorgeous hotels that (really!) welcome kids

Germany Travel Picks supports sustainable overnight accommodation and independent and family-run businesses. Please check individual websites for up-to-date COVID-19 regulations.

Child-friendly accommodation in Germany ranges from modest bed and breakfasts with optional high chairs and cots to all-inclusive resorts with every imaginable kid-related bell and whistle on offer. For those who are looking for somewhere grown-up and gorgeous that just so happens to be (very!) welcoming to kids, one of these two properties might fit the bill.

Waterfront north German boutique hotel and spa

This five-star boutique hotel is located directly on Flensburg harbour, less than 10km from the Danish border. The stylishly-furnished rooms - some split level or with a balcony - offer marina, garden or fjord views; eating and drinking options comprise no fewer than three on-site restaurants and a bar. The lavish, three-level spa is home to various saunas, steam baths, treatment rooms and a 20m indoor-outdoor rooftop pool with a panoramic view stretching as far as the Ox Islands and the Danish coast beyond. There’s an adult-sonly spa area as well a family spa with kids’ pool, lounge area and kitchen, and an imaginative children’s programme that changes weekly. If you can persuade yourself to leave, the team at Das James will organise everything from sailing and picnic trips to kids’ photography classes and visits to the hotel’s own farm.

Doubles from 170€ per night and family suites from 230€ including breakfast and use of the spa. Minimum 2-night stay. For further information and booking visit dasjames.com or book via booking.com.

Sustainable stay in remote Bavaria

Surrounded by meadows, fields and grazing animals, the AmVieh Theater hotel is a sustainable property in a wonderfully isolated location some 65km northeast of Munich. The whole property is supplied with 100% green electricity, most of which is generated in-house, and the kitchen uses organic produce from their own farm. Rooms are furnished with natural materials: wood comes from the neighbouring forest, and duvets and pillows are filled with the fleece of the hotel’s own alpacas and llamas. Families can choose from a holiday apartment or two rooms connected by a door; there are also double rooms, a tiny house and, next door to the hotel, a pop-up camp site.

Doubles and family room (sleeps up to five) from 65€ per person including vegetarian breakfast. Further information and booking (in German) at amvieh-theater.de or in English at biohotels.info.

A Local’s Picks: must-visits for medieval history

Erin McGann is a writer and editor from Canada who has lived in Heidelberg since 2016. These are some of her favourite places and events in Germany for experiencing life in the Middle Ages:

• One of the best-preserved castles in Germany, Eltz Castle has been in the same family for over 800 years. With beautiful interior wall paintings lovingly restored, and original castle rooms from the 12th, 15th and 16th centuries, it truly feels like stepping into history. As you descend from the car park by bus or on foot, prepare yourself for your first glimpse of the castle - it’s genuinely breathtaking. Eltz Castle is closed in the winter months, reopening on 31 March this year. 

• If you prefer your Middle Ages fix with more swords and live fighting, Germany has a vibrant Middle Ages market and event scene. For instance, there’s the Spectaculum medieval festival in Worms in May with large-scale demonstrations of dancing and sports, the Cake and Fountain Festival in Schwäbisch Hall in June for listening to strolling minstrels against a gorgeous half-timbered town backdrop, and the Medieval Christmas Market in Esslingen for experiencing a holiday market full of flaming torches and musical performances. Each one has its own character, with some featuring more fighting events, and others focusing on market stalls and food. Lots of folks come in period clothing!

• Want to join in wearing medieval dress? Medieval clothing shop Ritterladen, in Gründau, Hesse, can provide appropriate clothes for the Viking age all the way up to the 14th century, including headgear, shoes, and even armour. Shop in person at their warehouse (closed Mondays and Tuesdays), or order online.

• Since 2013, a dedicated group of people have been building a Carolingian-era monastery complex near Meßkirch in Baden-Württemberg, following architectural plans from the era. You can visit Campus Galli and watch them at work in period clothing, using period tools. You can even get your hands dirty by volunteering to work on the site for a few days. Campus Galli reopens on 1 April. 

For more Germany travel tips relating to history, museums and culture, follow Erin on Twitter, Instagram or her blog, Erin at Large.

Events and exhibitions for (big and little) kids

• The family-friendly Oppenheim Gourmet Walk follows a 7km section of the Rheinterrassenweg hiking trail between Oppenheim and Dienheim, with stands offering food and local wine along the way - including on the grounds of Landskron castle ruins. Oppenheim, Rheinland-Palatinate, 10 April

• Join the Easter bunny in the grounds of an 18th century palace for a small Easter market featuring Easter crafts for children, homemade food from the servants’ kitchen, and a discovery tour through the palace gardens. Barockschloss Rammegau, Saxony, 16-17 April

• The VENI VIDI PLAYMOBIL® exhibition displays 50 scenes of Roman life depicted with PLAYMOBIL® figures. Museum Römerhalle, Bad Kreuznach, Rheinland-Palatinate, until 4 September.

You might also be interested in...

Germany has more Michelin-rated restaurants than ever before • Europe’s new train routes • Short breaks from the UK: Art and culture on the Rhine, Düsseldorf, Germany

Next week’s special edition will feature some of the most beautiful spots to see Germany blossoming into spring. Don’t miss out!

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Germany Travel Picks is a free newsletter that may include affiliate links, which means the author may earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase - at no extra cost to you. Links are provided to English-language websites wherever possible. All details and offers are correct at the time of publishing.

Welcome to Germany Travel Picks! This collection of travel tips, inspiration, news and events will land in your inbox every other Tuesday. If you'd like a specific theme or destination covered in a future edition or have feedback on this particular newsletter, please let me know.

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In this issue…

Hot waffles with cherries and cream • a plant-based stay in Frankfurt • craft beer hotel surrounded by vineyards • where to eat in Nuremburg • brewery hiking trail • historical Meissen porcelain exhibition…

Destination Picks: Where to eat regional winter specialties

German food may have a reputation for being all pork and potatoes, but look past the sausage options on a restaurant menu and you’ll find all sorts of local specialties that reflect the complex history, landscape, culture and traditions of the region you’re in. You might not expect there to be much variety amongst Germany’s robust winter dishes, but there are plenty of seasonal treats on offer - both savoury and sweet - if you know where to look. Here are three places to try winter specialties to warm yourself up with during the colder months.

Please check individual sites and destinations for up-to-date COVID-19 regulations.

Flädlesuppe in Freiburg

This flavoursome meat or vegetable broth from the southwestern region of Swabia contains thin strips of rolled-up pancake and is garnished with chopped chives. The winter menu at Hotel Restaurant Oberkirch* on Freiburg’s market square offers a nourishing beef version with herby pancakes, which makes for a restorative starter. For a warming winter feast, follow your soup with a venison ragout with lingonberries and homemade Spätzle (egg noodles), and be sure to accompany it all with a glass or two of local wine.

Stewed kale and sausages in the north

Eaten between the first frost in November and the end of February, kale has been one of northwest Germany’s culinary staples for centuries. Locals celebrate kale season throughout the winter with so-called cabbage walks - long, bracing hikes through the countryside accompanied by a wagon filled with booze, which end with a feast of kale and all the trimmings at a restaurant or pub. The hardy, curly leaves are traditionally stewed for hours, usually with onions, schmalz, stock and a little mustard, and served with potatoes and one or more types of regional sausage. At the Bümmensteder Krug, a farmhouse restaurant in the Lower Saxon city of Oldenburg, where some 2000 tons of the green stuff are grown each year, stewed kale comes with Pinkel (pork sausage made with groats), boiled sausage, bacon, Kassler (cured and smoked pork) and fried potatoes.

Hot waffles and cherry sauce close to Kiel

Dat Ole Hus is a small local history museum in the municipality of Aukrug, 35km southwest of Kiel. The main focus of the museum is a half-timbered thatched cottage originally constructed around 1700, the interior of which today portrays the region’s rural living culture from the 1700-1900s. The museum’s cosy café is situated in the cottage’s historically-furnished rooms. Here, you can order waffles prepared in the same way they have been for the last 150 years, cooked in a waffle iron over an open fire and served with hot cherry sauce, freshly whipped cream and a cup of coffee.

Accommodation Picks: Hotels for foodies

Germany Travel Picks supports sustainable overnight accommodation and independent and family-run businesses. Please check individual websites for up-to-date COVID-19 regulations.

Plant-based city stay

The Lindley Lindenberg* hotel-cum-shared-living-space in Frankfurt’s Osthafen neighbourhood offers stylish rooms decorated with locally- and sustainably-made artworks and furnishings, and gorgeous communal spaces for both short- and long-term guests. Its bakery and restaurant serve vegan and vegetarian dishes made with organic herbs and vegetables sourced from Lindenberg’s own permaculture garden in the nearby Taunus mountains. There are also communal kitchens stocked with regional ingredients for self catering, and you can garnish your homemade dishes with herbs from the hotel’s indoor farm. To visit the permaculture garden, book a guided tour with chef Matthias Holfelder (69€), which also includes a vegetarian picnic.

Doubles from From 79€ per night. Further information and booking at thelindenberg.com or book via booking.com.

Sleep under a sausage-filled sky

The BRATWURSTHotel, a converted barn in the village of Rittersbach, Bavaria, is owned by butcher Claus Böbel. There’s a choice of seven individually-decorated bratwurst-themed rooms, the restaurant serves only dishes involving sausages (including dessert - anyone for sausage ice cream?), and you can even book a sausage-making class at Böbel’s butchers shop next door. If you want to write home about your stay here, just ask at reception, and they’ll post off a heart-shaped smoked sausage with a handwritten greeting card for you.

Double rooms from 108€ for two people per night including a sausage breakfast. Further information and booking at umdiewurst.de, or book via booking.com.

A craft beer hotel in wine country

Germany’s oldest wine-growing region may seem like an unlikely spot for a craft brewery hotel, but the family-run Blesius Garten* in the city of Trier doesn’t feel out of place at all. All country house flair, with a small wellness area and easy access to hiking and biking routes around the Mosel, the hotel’s also a ten minute-walk from a 2nd-century Roman amphitheatre. The Kraft Braü’s rustic pub and the hotel’s stylish restaurant, Tonkas, are currently offering a combined menu due to Covid 19-regulation limited seating: choose a three-course menu or hearty main (vegan and vegetarian options available) with a beer pairing, or order a flight of freshly-tapped beers and some bread and pickles served alongside a platter of cold meats from the local butcher.

Doubles from 114€ per night including breakfast. Further information and booking at blesius-garten.de, or book via booking.com.

A Local’s Picks: Where to eat in Nuremberg

Summer Rylander is a freelance food and travel writer from the United States who has lived in Nuremberg since 2015. These are some of her favourite spots to eat and drink in and around (and slightly out of) town.

• If you eat meat, Nuremberg’s famous little sausages are a must-try. Spiced with marjoram and strictly regulated in size — each must be between 7-9cm in length and 20-25g in weight — Nürnberger Bratwürste are an important part of the city’s lengthy history. Learn all about them at the recently opened Bratwurst Museum, then order drei im Weggla (“three in a bun”) from one of the many sausage stands around the city. For a sit-down experience, I’m partial to a plate of eight with potato salad at Bratwursthäusle. 

• My favorite spot for Franconian fare is Zeltner Bierhaus. Located in the neighborhood of St. Johannis, Zeltner serves a superlative Schäufele (an on-the-bone pork shoulder with a marvellous crust of rind) and their Helles Vollbier is excellent, as is their schnitzel, which I consider to be the best in town.

• While you’re in Johannis, visit the grave of Nuremberg’s famed painter, printmaker and theorist Albrecht Dürer, then cross the street to Café Dampfudel-Bäck for a plate of their delightful Kaiserschmarrn (sweet fluffy pancakes).

• Gostenhof is Nuremberg’s “cool” neighborhood, where you’ll find vintage shops, sidewalk cafes, and lots of great places to eat. Check out 4/20 Chili Lounge for juicy pastrami and salt beef sandwiches to which you can add as much (or as little) housemade hot sauce as you please; have a Rotbier (red beer) and Käsespätzle (cheesy noodles) from Schanzenbräu Schankwirtschaft; or enjoy Georgian food at MER.

• If you feel like combining a bit of physical activity with your culinary tour, hop on a local train for a 40-minute journey to Franconian Switzerland. On the Five-Seidla-Trail beer hike, you can hit all five breweries along the one-way route of 10km, or make it a round trip of 19km. You’ll not go thirsty or hungry on this adventure — each brewery has a kitchen that will make you wonder if you should eat now or wait for the next stop —  and it’s across gentle terrain that is suitable for nearly all skill levels.

Follow Summer on Twitter and Instagram for more food and travel musings.

Exhibitions for food nerds

The Elementary Parts: From the Collections exhibition features a complete and lovingly restored Frankfurt Kitchen, the iconic precursor to the modern fitted kitchen designed by Viennese architect Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, from 1929. Museum Angewandte Kunst, Frankfurt. Permanent exhibition.

In 2021, the Meissen Porcelain Collection Ernst Schneider Foundation at Lustheim Palace celebrated its 50th anniversary. The Lust for Lustheim exhibition was created in celebration, and features historical Meissen porcelain alongside contemporary ceramics from all over the world. Lustheim Palace, Oberschleißheim, until 6 June, 2022.

Through multimedia art and interactive scientific displays, Food for the World of Tomorrow addresses what the future of food looks like, focusing not just on politics, but our own personal choices, too. Museum der Brotkultur, Ulm, until 27 February 2022.

You might also be interested in...

British Airways launching direct flights from London Heathrow to Nuremberg • 12 small towns in Germany, from medieval villages to idyllic mountain escapes • The incredible forests of Lipperland •

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* Entries marked with an asterisk denote that the site was previously visited on a complementary basis for unrelated work purposes, however all editorial is the author’s own. Any sponsored entries, collaborations or advertisements will be clearly marked as such.

Germany Travel Picks is a free newsletter that may include affiliate links, which means the author may earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase - at no extra cost to you.

Links are provided to English-language websites wherever possible. All details and offers are correct at the time of publishing.

Welcome to Germany Travel Picks! This collection of travel tips, inspiration, news and events will land in your inbox every other Tuesday. If you'd like a specific theme or destination covered in a future edition, please let me know.

Leave a comment

In this issue…

Sites with spectacular views • An eco-friendly treehouse • Dog-friendly luxury hotel in Berlin • What to do in winter on the island of Sylt • Gerhard Richter exhibition in Dresden • Berlin International Film Festival…

It’s tricky to compose a newsletter full of seasonally-appropriate travel suggestions without addressing the great big February 14th elephant in the room. What follows, however, are ideas to fit all sorts of bills: a solo Sunday stroll, a place to gather for a weekend with friends, or the perfect spot for a wild romantic gesture. Here's a selection of ideas for day trips and getaways whether you’re embracing Valentine’s and/or Galentine’s or ignoring them both altogether.

Please check individual sites and destinations for up-to-date COVID-19 regulations.

Destination Picks: Impressive sites with spectacular views

The Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg

Those who love a good city view should make a beeline for Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie (Elbe Philharmonic Hall), which just turned five last month. The Elphi, as it’s affectionately known, is home not just to three concert halls, but also restaurants, bars, a five-star hotel and 45 private apartments, and it’s topped by a public viewing platform that affords a 360° view of the city. Travelling up to the plaza via the 82-metre-long, curved escalator decorated with shining discs is an experience in itself. (It’s also fully accessible via lifts.) There’s a huge window on the 6th floor that offers a view down the Elbe River towards the docks and harbour; another, shorter escalator ride takes visitors up to the 8th floor, where you can walk around the outer plaza and take in magnificent views of the city. You’ll need to book a ticket (2€ per person) and a timeslot in advance.

How to get there: Information on how to reach the Elbphilharmonie using public transport can be found at elbphilharmonie.de.

Bastei Bridge, Saxon Switzerland

The Bastei Bridge and the 194-metre-high rock formation on which it’s built (pictured top) have been drawing tourists to the Saxon Switzerland National Park, on Germany’s border with the Czech Republic, for more than 200 years. The towering rocks, which were formed by water erosion around a million years ago, are connected by a sandstone bridge that offers far-reaching views of the surrounding mountains, the Elbe River and Koenigstein Fortress. As you might expect, things do get busy here, but the bridge has no opening or closing times, so to avoid the crowds, head there first thing or towards the end of the day.

How to get there: Take the S1 train from Dresden in the direction of Bad Schandau, alighting at Kurort Rathen railway station, hop on the ferry to cross the river and follow the well-marked trail to Bastei.

Niederwald Monument, Rheingau

The circular Germania hiking trail leads walkers on a gentle 5km loop from charming (and in summer, very touristy) Rüdesheim to the 38-metre-high Niederwald monument, which commemorates the foundation of the German empire in 1871 after the end of the Franco-Prussian war. Standing next to the imposing statue of Germania with her sword and crown, you can enjoy panoramic views of Rüdesheim’s vineyards sloping down to the Rhine River - and far beyond.

How to get there: A cable car also runs to the monument from March-October. Trains to Rüdesheim am Rhein railway station run regularly between Frankfurt and Neuwied. Visit rheingaulinie.de for details.

Accommodation Picks: Splashing out for Valentine’s (or Galentine’s)(or just for yourself)

Germany Travel Picks supports sustainable overnight accommodation and independent and family-run businesses. Please check individual websites for up-to-date COVID-19 regulations.

If you’re looking to go away over the second weekend in February, whether to spend time with friends, spoil a partner or simply celebrate your own fabulous self, these three stylish places to stay will make for a very special treat.

Remote Eco Treehouse

The minimalistic treehouses at Resort Baumgeflüster in Ammerland, a very flat region 70km from the North Sea cost known for its large number of charming windmills, are surrounded by forest prime both for hiking and spotting wildlife such as pheasants, rabbits and deer. The treehouses feature beds equipped with Egyptian cotton sheets, designer bathrooms with underfloor heating, and a well-stocked pantry for self-catered meals. You can also order a breakfast picnic to be delivered - think filter coffee or East Frisian tea with sugar and cream, freshly-baked bread rolls and homemade jams (from 7,50€ per person).

Treehouses from 255€ per night for one or two people; up to two additional guests can be added at an extra cost (see website for details). For further information and to book visit baumgefluester.com.

Romantic Alpine Hideaway

The Klosterhof Alpine Hideaway & Spa is a 4-star, family-run wellness hotel in a secluded location just outside the spa town of Bad Reichenhall in the Bavarian Alps. There are endless hiking options right on the hotel’s doorstep, as well as the possibility to go rock climbing or skiing on nearby Predigtstuhl Mountain (easily reachable via the world’s oldest cable car). After a bracing day out, head to the spa for a full body massage (pregnancy massages also available), a turn in the Finnish panorama sauna or a dip in the year-round heated outdoor pool. Some of the stylish lofts and suites have private whirlpools and balconies with gorgeous valley views.

How to get there: Trains run every hour from Munich to Bayerisch Gmain train station, to/from where the hotel is happy to arrange a transfer.

Double rooms from 286€ per night. The Romantic Weekend package, which includes a candlelit dinner and a private couples floating session in the saltwater pool, starts at € 505 per person for three nights. Further information and booking at klosterhof.de or book your stay via booking.com.

Sumptuous City Stay

The Orania.Berlin hotel is located in a very grand historic building surrounded by the buzzing restaurants, clubs and bars of the German capital’s Kreuzberg district. The hotel’s understated luxury, contemporary style and relaxed atmosphere, however, are in stark contrast with the busy, lively streets outside. Rooms are stylish and dog friendly, their furnishings sumptuous, enormous windows soundproofed and en-suite bathrooms stocked with organic bath products. If you don’t want to head out for dinner, you’re in luck: the restaurant here is excellent, and the lounge - complete with open fire and Steinway piano for live jazz sessions - is a cosy spot for a nightcap.

How to get there: The Orania.Berlin is a five-minute walk from Kottbusser Tor train station. From there, it’s less than a 20-minute journey to Berlin Hauptbahnhof (main train station). Plan your route at bvg.de.

Double rooms from 170€ per night. Dog fee 50€ (no fee for service dogs); pet beds, food/water bowls, toys and waste bags available. Further information and booking at orania.berlin, or book your stay at booking.com.

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A Local’s Picks: Winter on the island of Sylt

Jordan Wagner has lived in Germany - first Heidelberg, then Hamburg and now Kiel - for eight years. Having grown up by Lake Michigan in the USA, she feels right at home on the Baltic Sea.

Known for its thatched homes, quaint villages, delicious seafood and scenic views, Sylt is Germany’s chicest island and a veritable piece of paradise in the North Sea. Unfortunately, the island is endangered due to land loss and shifting dunes, but there are efforts in place to combat this including continual dredging and depositing of sand. It’s easy to reach the island by train and there is an extensive bus system throughout the island connecting the various villages.

❈ Pick up the best coffee on the island from Kaffeerösterei Sylt. The fine aroma of espresso is intense and delectable the minute you walk into the cafe in the village of Rantum, and the roastery prides itself on its green coffees, sustainable measures and variety of roasting profiles.

❈ If you’re feeling brave, take a winter plunge into the North Sea! There are many health benefits to a cold-water plunge and an abundance of beaches across the entire island to partake in one. In the summer months, there are also a plethora of water sports and lessons available including kitesurfing, surfing, and standup paddle boarding.

❈ Enjoy an afternoon tea at the family-run Kleine Teestube. While the inside of the tea room is a bit kitschy, it perfectly embodies the spirit of this brick building in the village of Keitum. They offer a large assortment of loose leaf teas to which their Frisian waffles make for a wonderful accompaniment on a cold day.

❈ To the east of Sylt is the Wadden Sea, which is not only a national park that spans the coast from Denmark to the Netherlands, but was also designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009 due to its unique biodiversity. It’s highly recommended that you use a guide when exploring the Wadden Sea - the tides are unpredictable and change quickly. Local company Watt & Meer organises public and private tours.

❈ Head to the Ellenbogen (pictured), the northernmost point of Sylt - and Germany! -to watch the sun set over the sand dunes, beaches, and two lighthouses. Make sure to only walk on marked pathways - walking on the dunes can quickly damage them.

❈ After spending the day outside in the cold, warm up with a meal made with regional ingredients at the Fährhaus Sylt Hotel’s Käpt’n Selmer Stube. This 5-star hotel and restaurant used to be the starting or ending point of journeys to and from Sylt when it was only possible to travel by ferry.

For a detailed itinerary, check out Jordan's weekend guide to Sylt. You can follow Jordan’s adventures on her Northern Germany blog Hamburg and Beyond, European travel blog Wayfaring With Wagner, or her Instagram account. 

Exhibitions and events: Opening in February!

• 120 works from Berlin painter and graphic artist Max Liebermann will be displayed alongside those by some of his colleagues in the I. MAX LIEBERMANN. A EUROPEAN ARTIST exhibition. Kunstpalast Düsseldorf, 03 February - 08 May 2022

• Gerhard Richter. Portraits. Glass. Abstractions is an exhibition to mark the Dresden-born artist’s 90th birthday. Focusing on the themes named in the title, the 40 works have been selected by Richter himself. Albertinum, Dresden, 05 February - 01 May 2022

• The 72nd Berlin International Film Festival is taking place from 10 - 20 February. The programme, including screenings, events, venues and times, is being published online today (01 February); advance ticket sales begin on 07 February at 10:00.

You might also be interested in...

The bathtub of Berlin: soaking it up on Germany’s sunniest island • Rick Steves gets naked in Baden Baden • From the Pergamon to the Bode, Berlin's best museums tell the story of Germany's history

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Welcome to Germany Travel Picks! This collection of travel tips, inspiration, news and events will land in your inbox every other Tuesday. If you'd like a specific theme or destination covered in a future edition, please let me know!

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In this issue…

Tobogganing in the Taunus • Alpine cross-country skiing • Cosy winter cabin retreat outside Berlin • Stay in a half-timbered house • Lakeside sauna in Bavaria • Sylvester Stallone retrospective •

Destination Picks: In search of snow

Depending where you are in Germany, the weather in January can fall anywhere on the spectrum between magical winter wonderland and endlessly grey and grim. Snow’s not guaranteed across most of the country, but if you fancy a spot of tobogganing or skiing, or simply fancy making a snow angel, here are some of the best spots to hunt it down.

Please check individual sites and destinations for up-to-date COVID-19 regulations.

The Eibsee

Tucked beneath the Zugspitze, the highest peak in the Wetterstein Mountains, around 13km southwest of Garmisch-Patenkirchen, is the crystal clear Lake Eibsee (pictured top). There are winter sports and challenging trails aplenty on the nearby snow-sure pistes, but for a rather less hair-raising afternoon, enjoy views of the mountain from below as you follow the Eibsee Loop hiking trail around the deep blue lake. At this time of year, the alpine water is often frozen over.

The EIBSEE bus and the historic cogwheel Bavarian Zugspitzbahn BZB both have stops close to the lake (100m and 300m respectively) and are free to travel on with the Zugspitz Arena Bavaria Tyrol CARD.

Further information at grainau.de and eibsee-hotel.de (Lake Eibsee’s private owners).

The Harz Mountains

Winter-in-Germany listicles that don’t feature an image of a steam locomotive puffing along the narrow gauge railway between snow-covered spruce trees are far and few between, but for good reason. The scenic train ride up to the summit of Brocken mountain is truly magical, however it’s not the only reason to head to the Harz, Germany’s northernmost mountain range, at this time of year. Winter sports fans can choose between the likes of cross-country skiing and tobogganing, ice skating and curling; but if you prefer to take things at a more leisurely pace, a ride on a horse-drawn sleigh through the snowy forest from Schierke might be more your cup of tea.

Further information: harzinfo.de.

Großer Feldberg, Taunus

The highest peak in not just the Taunus mountains, but of the entire Rhenish Massif, the slopes of the Großer Feldberg are a very popular day trip destination for local skiers, winter hikers and tobogganists. Ambitious skiers and snowboarders should make a beeline for the Siegfriedschuss descent, which begins on the Großer Feldberg’s plateau and drops an altitude of 170m in around 1.5km; cross-country skiers should head to Schmitten and Weilrod, where they’ll find over 50km of well-maintained trails. The Taunus can easily be reached by train from both Wiesbaden and Frankfurt am Main - a Hessenticket is great value for groups.

Further information: taunus.info

Winklmoosalm Ski Resort, Chiemgau

Winklmoosalm in Bavaria's Chiemgau Alps is one of the few ski resorts in Germany where snow is pretty much guaranteed. There are pistes here for skiers and snowboarders of all ages and abilities, though those in search of steep slopes might be disappointed. However, there’s seemingly endless cross-country ski trails as well as a toboggan run and guided snowshoe tours, and with the correct day ticket, you can even cross over the border into Austria’s Steinplatte resort. Open until 3 April 2022.

Further information: winklmoosalm.de

Accommodation Picks: Winter Retreats

Germany Travel Picks supports sustainable overnight accommodation and independent and family-run businesses. Please check individual websites for up-to-date COVID-19 regulations.

Remote cabin outside Berlin

Tucked amongst the fruit trees in a meadow that’s also home to a horse and and a small flock of sheep, The Orchard is one of Raus’s three water tank and solar-powered boutique cabins situated in remote locations outside Berlin. Located on the edge of a national park in the middle of the Mecklenburg Lake Plateau, also known as the land of a thousand lakes, the cabin is reachable by train and a 10-minute cab ride from Berlin. (You can explore the region by train starting in Berlin using Deutsche Bahn’s Stadt-Land-Meer-Ticket.) If the weather’s too unpleasant for hiking or cycling, it’s the perfect place to hole up and read (or write!) a book.

The Orchard costs from 170€ per night with a two night minimum. Further information and booking: raus.life.

Organic luxury in the Bavarian forest

Located in the former monastery town of St Oswald in the heart of the Bavarian Forest, the Pausnhof hotel is organic from its 2x2m beds (all of the hand-crafted furniture here is made using local wood) to its breakfasts (the land here has been farmed for 600 years and the restaurant uses both homegrown and regional products). The light-filled wellness area offers, amongst other things, a Finnish sauna, a herbal steam bath and a heated outdoor brine pool, but if you can drag yourself away from the spa, there’s the opportunity to ski, snowshoe or visit all manner of cultural museums close by. Pick up a National Park Guest Card on arrival and regional bus and train travel is free.

Double rooms from 150€ per person for a 2-3 night stay; packages and last-minute offers available. Further information and booking: pausnhof.de or book your stay with booking.com.

300-year-old half-timbered cottage

This gorgeous, bright red medieval property is located in the peaceful outskirts of Windeck-Langenberg, some 75km northeast of Dortmund. The rather eccentric holiday apartment is a one-room setup with a separate kitchen, very low ceilings, plenty of antique decor, and views across the Sieg valley. Situated in the beautiful Bergisches Land region, the house is ideally located for hiking, cycling and various other activities, after a day of which you can come home and warm up by the roaring fire. Easily accessible by train, your host will happily collect you from Windeck-Schladern/Sieg station.

Three-night minimum stay for two people, 249€. No under 10s because of all the antiques, though you can ask about babies; and as this is a 300-year-old property with an unusual layout and narrow spaces, please check with the owner if you have specific accessibility requirements. Plentiful further information and to book: rotesfachwerkhaus.de or book your stay at booking.com.

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A Local’s Picks: Winter day trips from Munich

Rachel Preece is a British writer, editor and local producer who has lived in Munich since 2008. Here are her recommendations for winter day trips from the Bavarian capital.

❈ The monte mare Seesauna is one of my favourite places to relax in winter, and just an hour's train ride from Munich. Set on the edge of Lake Tegernsee, I love to lie back in the sauna while staring at the Alps. There are plenty of spa activities, including a Finnish sauna on a boat, plus a pretty decent café/restaurant and the option to dip your toes in the lake.

❈ You can reach Lake Wörthsee by local train then bus, which takes around an hour, and spend the morning hiking up an appetite on the 12km walk around the lake. There are some gorgeous boathouses here, and it's more peaceful than some of the other lakes in the area. 

❈ If you have a car, pop a sledge in the back of it and drive the one and a half hour journey from Munich to Marquartstein. Ride the Hochplattenbahn chairlifts up to the top of Hochplatte mountain and break for lunch at the Staffn-Alm, with its panoramic views over Lake Chiemsee, before sledging back down the fast toboggan run.

❈ The romantic boat trips across Lake Königssee are full of tourists in the summer, but during winter, things are slower and more peaceful. The boats continue to run (unless the Königssee freezes over), and you can head to the pilgrimage church of St. Bartholomä, which is one of the prettiest winter sights you will ever behold. It's possible to get to Lake Königssee via public transport, but it's a three-hour trip that involves a couple of changes.

❈ In less than an hour on the train from Munich, you'll find yourself at Lake Schliersee, and from there, it's a 20-minute bus ride to Lake Spitzingsee. It always feels to me like it snows more in this gorgeous corner of Bavaria than anywhere else, and the short walk to the Albert-Link-Hütte is a pretty one. It's an ideal place to pull along young children on sledges, the playground is huge, and the mountain hut makes their own hams, cheeses, and breads.

For more food and travel tips for Munich and beyond, follow Rachel on Twitter and Instagram.

Exhibition Picks: Catch them before they’re gone

• Rembrandt in Amsterdam traces the painter's rise from young artist to renowned master through 60 of his paintings, which are displayed alongside artworks by some of his contemporaries. Staedel Museum Frankfurt, until January 30

• Curated in close collaboration with the renowned contemporary photographer himself, this retrospective of Düsseldorf-based Andreas Gursky features new work as well as well-known photographs and early work from around the region. MKM Museum Küppersmühle for Modern Art, Duisburg until January 30

• Sylvester Stallone's 75th birthday retrospective comprises some 50 paintings including self-portraits and a number of early works that are being shown for the first time. Osthaus Museum Hagen until February 20

You might also be interested in...

​Deutsche Bahn are finally offering a plant-based milk alternative on board their ICE and Intercity trains (even if it is the much-critisised Oatly) • How Berlin is blazing a trail in zero-waste, sustainable food • Bavaria: The German region home to beer, brats and the Romantic Road • Four ways to travel responsibly through Germany • Podcast: What to do in Wiesbaden •

In the next issue…

A hiking trail with love seats • Overnight at a historic winery • An eco treehouse retreat • Extraordinary landmarks with remarkable views • and much more…

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This is Germany Travel Picks, a twice-monthly newsletter chock full of carefully-chosen ideas for exploring Germany, from its mountainous south to its white beach-lined north and all of its forests, vineyards, valleys, cities and villages - and heaths, lake districts, conservation areas and UNESCO sites - in between.

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