Beyond Berlin – Exploring Traditional Rural Germany

Whilst the usual destinations for breaks in Germany tend to be locations such as Berlin for the art and culture, Munich for the beer festival, or the port city of Hamburg, as a country Germany has a lot more to offer. Outside of the urban centres are areas of stunning natural beauty, offering fascinating insights into German history and traditions and an opportunity to see another side of Europe’s largest national economy. Whether you’re looking to wile away the hours on a boat on the Danube, or hike in the German Alps, heading out beyond Berlin and the other more popular cities will allow you to see another side of life here.

Germany Alps by Francisco Antunes

If you’re looking to explore rural Germany then using the country’s rivers as a guide is a great idea. The Rhine, Elbe and Danube are just three of Germany’s many waterways that snake through the 130,000 or so square miles within its borders. Whether you want to explore the rivers aboard a cruise boat, or simply follow them in the car, Germany’s waterways will take you through many of the countries most traditional rural areas.

The Elbe, for example, crosses the eastern corner of the country and the Elbe Valley is home to traditional castles such as Albrechtsberg Castle, Lingner Castle and Eckberg Castle, as well as a plethora of charming German villages such as Loschwitz and Pillnitz, and a large number of the country’s vineyards. If you were to choose to explore using the Danube river in the south of the country as your guide, this would take you through the Danube river valley with the steep white cliffs around Thiergarten, rural castles such as Burg Wildenstein and Schloss Werenwag, and the Obermarchtal, or the Upper March Valley.

Somewhere near St. Goar along the Rhine by ilovebutter

In the west of the country, the area around the Rhine is filled with castles, fortresses and ruins constructed along what was once one of the country’s major trade routes. The Upper Middle Rhine Valley is now a World Heritage site and a visit here is just not complete without a stop off at the traditional markets of the area, the knight tournaments and festivals.

Another great way to explore the German countryside is to take the Alps as your reference point. The Alps touch Germany in the very south of the country and exploring this area will take you into some of the country’s most famous rural areas. The Bodensee, an area of three lakes, is located just at the northern foot of the Alps and is also known as Lake Constance. The lake is actually situated in three countries – Austria, Switzerland and Germany – and here you can climb up the wooden staircase of the Marienschlucht ravine, visit the bronze age settlement of the Pfahlbauten and wander around the impressive estate of Schloss Salem.

Oberammergau in Bavaria, Germany by heatheronhertravels

The state of Bavaria also touches the Alps, which is home to the Franconia wine region, numerous beer gardens serving the local brews and well-known monuments, such as the Castle of Coburg and Linderhof Palace. Finally, an exploration of the area isn’t complete without checking out the Black Forest, where you can visit some of the best-known waterfalls in Germany – the All Saints Waterfalls and the Triberg Waterfalls – and the famous spa town of Baden Baden that sits at the foot of the Black Forest, as well as tucking into some of that infamous gateau, which is named after the cherry liqueur brewed in the region.

Whatever your idea of adventures, Germany has much more to offer than just its cities. Get out and explore the rural areas and broaden your knowledge of this traditional and fascinating country.

John is a travel writer based in the UK who writes for Alamo Germany – providing car hire across Germany to help you get out and really explore the country.

Tags: beer festival, burg wildenstein, car germany, city of hamburg, country germany, cruise boat, danube river, eckberg, elbe valley, fortresses, german alps, german history, german villages, middle rhine valley, national economy, pillnitz, stunning natural beauty, traditional markets, white cliffs, world heritage site

Category: Germany, Travel Tips