Germany in summer is a treat for the senses, with long, sunny days, food and beer festivals galore and blossoming trees dotting the landscapes. With the snowy mountains becoming verdant alpine meadows, there’s no better time to get out into the Alps to enjoy some hiking and biking through the undulating trails.

Some of the best places to visit in Germany in summer include cities such as Munich, Dresden, Dusseldorf and Frankfurt which are all filled with markets, museums, festivals and outdoor entertainment throughout the summer months.

Germany is also an ideal summer destination for those that don’t like the extreme temperatures of the southern Mediterranean. Beach spots such as Rugen Island and the island of Sylt in the north of Germany and the natural beauty of the Black Forest allow travellers to enjoy the great outdoors without the oppressing heat and possibility of burning!

Sylt

List’s charming little harbour unites a vibrant atmosphere and maritime flair. The famous fish sandwich is still eaten on the go – but nowadays it’s savoured against the backdrop of the newly designed harbour area with views across to Denmark. How fast do shifting sand dunes move? How do seabirds survive in a storm? Answers to these and many more questions can be found at the adjacent Erlebniszentrum Naturgewalten (Forces of Nature Exhibition). If, after the buzz of the harbour, you crave the tranquillity of deserted beaches, all you have to do is follow the beacons of the two lighthouses which will guide you to the beach at the Lister Ellenbogen.

List is not only the northernmost tip of the island. It is in fact the northernmost point of Germany itself. And that’s not the only superlative offered by List. You’ll find Germany’s only shifting sand dune here, and nowhere will you find fresher oysters: in Germany’s only oyster farm between two and three million of these delicious molluscs are harvested every year.

Small but exquisite. Select yet open. Stylish yet charming. This is Kampen, probably Germany’s most famous village, made popular over the past decades by its numerous well-known visitors who come here for the unique natural scenery: fragrant heather and the tidal mudflats of the Wattenmeer to the east, and the wild waves of the North Sea and fine sandy beaches to the west. Kampen gracefully combines tradition and the modern age.

It is a place to explore music and literature and to be seduced by sublime nature: the incomparable golden glow of the Red Cliff at sunset. The legendary “Whisky Mile” with its famous clubs is an eye-catcher. Life moves to a unique rhythm here at any time of day or night, whether it’s for a romantic dinner or a party till sunrise. Germany’s northernmost golf course is an unmissable treat: tee off within view of the Kampen lighthouse and the tidal mudflats.

ATTRACTION

• Westerland
• List
• Kampen
• Keitum
• Hörnum

Weimar

Weimar is famous as the center of classical literature in Germany. Luther, Cranach, and Bach all lived and worked in the town, but Weimar’s greatest period began in the 18th century, when it became home to the likes of Goethe, Schiller, and Nietzsche. In the 19th century, it was the turn of Germany’s great composers, while its Art School – birthplace of the Bauhaus movement – attracted many now famous painters and designers. It was also in Weimer’s National Theatre that the German National Assembly met after WWI and adopted the constitution of the Weimar Republic, and in 1920, the city became capital of the Land of Thuringia.

In 1998, UNESCO designated Classical Weimar a World Heritage Site, and the town remains one of Germany’s most important historic cities and consistently ranks among the country’s top tourism and cultural destinations. Popular cultural activities include attending an operatic or classical music performance put on by the city’s German National Theater company (Deutsche Nationaltheater and Staatskapelle Weimar).

Given its manageable size – the city’s population is around 65,000 – a fun thing to do is pick up a tourist map and wander its fine old streets on foot, as the majority of its top attractions and points of interest are relatively close together. This approach will also enable you to scout out the best cafes and restaurants, as well as the best shops and boutique stores, many of which can be found in and around the city’s old marketplace (Marktplatz). Discover more great places to visit with our list of the top attractions in Weimar.

ATTRACTION

• Buchenwald Memorial
• Duchess Anna Amalia Library
• Goethe–Schiller Monument
• Goethe’s House
• Bauhaus Museum Weimar
• Schloss Belvedere
• Park an der Ilm
• Schillerhaus Weimar
• Goethe-Nationalmuseum

Tierpark Hagenbeck

What can we all do to contribute to the preservation of wild bees? What do flora and fauna have to offer? In the Tierpark Hagenbeck zoo you can learn a lot about the environment and species protection. The zoo’s school provides children and adults with an abundance of information and gives them the opportunity to find out everything about the different species and their current threats. Tierpark Hagenbeck has taken it upon itself to preserve the flora and fauna for future generations. Many endangered species are kept from extinction through conservation programmes. They also support and promote research programmes and projects in the animals’ native countries. The zoo also pays attention to the efficient use of resources, for example, only using service water, and was the first zoo in Germany to receive the international ecolabel.

Arctic Ocean and Tropical Aquarium Hagenbeck

The Arctic Ocean is Hamburg’s coolest place. On more than 8,000 square metres you will experience breathtaking views over and under the water. Discover polar bears, king penguins, sea bears and walruses with Germany’s first walrus offspring. A 750 metre long circular trail leads through the middle of an impressive seabird aviary. In the Arctic Ocean, every visitor becomes a polar explorer.

You shouldn’t miss a visit to the tropical aquarium, which covers more than 8,000 m². There you will experience more than 14,300 exotic animals on land, in the water and in caves.

ATTRACTION

• Tierpark Hagenbeck
• Tropen-Aquarium Hagenbeck
• JUMP House Trampolinpark Hamburg-Stellingen
• Volksparkstadion
• Thailand Sala
• Planten un Blomen
• Hayns Park