When the days are long and warm, there's nothing better than being outdoors after work or on weekends. In Germany, there are plenty of opportunities for this even in big cities. Our picture gallery tells how Germans combine their excursion in nature with a workout.
The game enhances coordination, responsiveness and stamina. The German language distinguishes between the terms “Federball” and “badminton”. The goal of the latter is to beat the opponent as fast as possible. In contrast, Federball players usually see themselves as a team and like above all a good long rally.
In the English Garten, a park in Munich, jugglers attract attention with flower sticks. The juggling device got this name from its ruffles, which are a bit reminiscent of a flower. Juggling requires a lot of patience and practice.
Adventure, physical challenges and, above all, fear of heights await children and adults in the high ropes course. Climbing high, daring a Tarzan-jump, or walking on a rope are real tests of nerve. The climbing activities differ in the level of difficulty and everyone can choose the tasks according to his or her own strength.
Familiar regions can be rediscovered by water. Some people want to relax while canoeing and let themselves drift along with the current for a few hours. Others paddle hard for two or three days, sleeping in a tent at a campsite.
A short wait, then it’s your turn! How long you can enjoy the wave depends on you; if you fall into the water, the next in line is already riding the wave. Surfing on the Eisbach Wave in the English Garden in Munich is now also known abroad and is one of the attractions popular with tourists.
There is no more accessible sport than running. Appropriate clothes and a pair of good shoes – that’s all you need. Various companies and city runs raise the motivation. We’re talking about not only the marathon or half marathon. The 5 or 10 kilometer runs are just as much fun.
Unlike tightrope walking, which has a long tradition in the circus, slacklining is a relatively new sport. It comes from the USA and was developed by climbers in the early 1980s as a training method. Since 2010, people have also been balancing themselves on a taut rope in German parks.
Stand-up paddling (or SUP) was developed in Hawaii. In the 1950s surf instructors paddled there standing on a longboard in the waves and photographed surfing tourists. With the development of waterproof cameras, SUP lost its importance. It was only later, in 2000, that SUP established itself as a water sport in its own right.
