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Detours

A selfie at the Brandenburg Gate, a tour of Neuschwanstein Castle – all great. But which cities, landscapes and special places in Germany are also worth seeing? Once a month, we take you to a place in Germany that you absolutely must discover!

Detours © Goethe-Institut e. V., Tobias Schrank

Detours | Cave houses in the Harz region

Carved out of rock

What’s the solution when housing is in short supply? Once upon a time in the village of Langenstein in Germany’s Harz region, people decided simply to carve themselves caves in the sandstone rock. Some of these homes can still be visited to this day – and actually look pretty cosy.

They look like they have jumped right out of the pages of a fairy tale, idyllic and mystical at once: the historic cave houses in the Harz region. Photo (detail): © Adobe Photo (detail): © Adobe

Detours | Zollverein Coal Mine

The Eiffel Tower of Industrial Culture

Can a disused coal mine be beautiful? Zollverein coal mine in Essen can! The Zollverein industrial complex combines architecture and nature, culture and leisure activities, the past and the future. Anyone into ice skating or swimming will definitely have a great time here.

The iconic red twin pithead winding tower is also dubbed the “Eiffel Tower of the Ruhr”. Photo (detail): © Adobe Photo (detail): © Adobe

Detours | Wadden Sea

A Safari Through the Mud

Germany’s northern coast has been shaped by the wind, the currents and the tides, creating the Wadden Sea. It provides a habitat for some unique wildlife and offers an opportunity to head out in pursuit of the “small five”.

Off on a mudflat safari! Photo (detail): © Adobe Photo (detail): © Adobe

Detours | Magdeburg

Brightly coloured beats drab and grey

Bauhaus meets East German prefabs and Hundertwasser meets Gothic: Magdeburg is a truly “colourful city”. With two superstars who grew up nearby.

Lustrous facades, colourful embellishments and windows adorned with decorations: expressionist facades of buildings in Magdeburg’s Otto-Richter-Strasse. Photo (detail): © Adobe Photo (detail): © Adobe

Detours | Slinky Springs to Fame

A Bridge of Many Colours

There’s no need to travel to London or Venice to cross one of Europe’s most impressive bridge constructions. Simply go to Oberhausen instead, where the “Slinky Springs to Fame” is suspended across the Rhine-HerneCanal.

Let there be light! The Slinky bridge illuminated at night. Photo (detail): © Adobe Photo (detail): © Adobe

Detours | Augsburg

Outstanding Water Culture

It’s hard to believe, but Augsburg has more bridges than Venice, not to mention wonderful fountains and countless small streams running through the city! The Romans built the first aqueduct and the Augsburgers later perfected the water system – a prime example of Swabian engineering skill in Bavaria’s oldest city.

Venice? No, Augsburg! Incidentally, there are more bridges here than in the Italian city of gondolas. Photo (detail): © Adobe Photo (detail): © Adobe

The Siren Song of Lorelei

Anyone who comes here – whether by mountain bike or on foot – will quickly fall in love with this region of culture, nature and wine on the River Rhine: it’s a very easy place to spend time.

A beautiful water sprite distracted sailors, causing vessels to capsize – according to the legend of Lorelei. Photo (detail): © Adobe Photo (detail): © Adobe

Steampunk galore in a leafy wilderness

A conglomeration of pipes, tanks, steps and plants: a visit to Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord is a fascinating adventure. There can hardly be a more enjoyable way to experience the history of the Ruhr region.

Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord is also impressive by night. Photo (detail): © Adobe Photo (detail): © Adobe

Romans and other famous individuals

A holy robe, a black gate, Roman apple wine and some celebrity family history that hardly anyone knows about: do you need any more reasons to visit Trier?  

The Romans left behind a whole series of architectural monuments in Trier that are now listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites: the Porta Nigra city gate is also Trier’s landmark. Photo (detail): © Adobe Photo (detail): © Adobe

City of Iron

When the coal mines were shut down, little remained in the village of Gremmin but an immense hole and some abandoned construction equipment. Yet out of the desolate landscape grew something new: Ferropolis, the city of iron.

The days of coal mining are over: the former pit has become Ferropolis, the city of iron. Photo (detail): © Adobe Photo (detail): © Adobe

In Störtebeker’s Footsteps

Untamed nature, fascinating vistas: Germany’s smallest national park on the Baltic Sea island of Rügen offers some great views – not only for Instagram. And with a bit of luck, you might even discover some pirate treasure here.

Untamed nature, fascinating vistas: Germany’s smallest national park on the island of Rügen. Photo (detail): © Adobe Photo (detail): © Adobe

Germany from all sides

The name alone is puzzling: what on earth is meant by the word “Zipfelbund”? And what might a Zipfel Passport, Zipfel Prize and Zipfel Pact refer to? But be warned: you will need quite a bit of time if you want to see everything.

Where in Germany will you get to if you want to visit the Zipfelbund? Photo (detail): © Adobe Photo (detail): © Adobe

Sunshine Reggae in the Alps

A Caribbean panorama in the Alps, how is that possible? It can hardly be thanks to the weather, and is definitely not because of the easy ocean access. And yet it is not without good reason that Lake Walchensee is dubbed the “Bavarian Caribbean”. So why not pop on your flip flops and your shades – and let’s take a look at what our local Caribbean has to offer.

A slice of the Caribbean in the Alps: Lake Walchensee in Bavaria with its brilliantly green and blue coloured water. Photo (detail): © Adobe Photo (detail): © Adobe

Quentin Tarantino on the Market Square

Görlitz. Never heard of the place? Well, it’s true that it isn’t exactly the first town recommended to people visiting Germany. And yet it has something to offer that no other town in Germany can match – not even Berlin, which is said to have it all.

The Untermarkt square in Görlitz during the shooting of “Grand Budapest Hotel”. Photo (detail): © picture alliance / ZB / Jens Trenkler Photo (detail): © picture alliance / ZB / Jens Trenkler

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