Lusatia includes on the German side the regions in the south of Brandenburg and east of Saxony as well as Lower Silesia and Lubusz in Poland. Today, the Lusatian Neisse River forms the border between the German and Polish territories. The picturesque landscapes range from the Spree Forest to the Dresden Heath and the Zittau Mountains. The latter is also a designated Lusatian Nature Park, as is the Niederlausitzer Heidelandschaft and Niederlausitzer Landrücken Nature Park. Hiking and cycling enthusiasts get their money’s worth in the Lusatian Lakeland. Quiet lakes or historic landscapes characterize the region and offer varied tours. One or the other rare animal or plant species can also be discovered here.

Hotels in the region

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The Franconians have never reconciled themselves with the fact that, politically speaking, they largely belong to Bavaria. The Franconian empire arose from the tribe of Franconians in the 5th century, and later comprised half of Europe. In the Middle Ages, it was an imperial domain with numerous palatinates and imperial castles in which the Hohenzollern asserted their power base. The Franconians have retained many special features in addition to their dialect: they brew delicious beer, press the famous Franconian wine and cultivate Franconian cuisine with a lot of love.

Romantic Franconia will enchant you in the truest sense of the word with its medieval flair, half-timbered houses and innumerable country houses, castles and palaces. Nature lovers will also have plenty of choice in Franconia. The karst landscape of Franconian Switzerland and the Altmühl valley offer unique mountain walks and climbing tours, whereas the wine-growing regions and Franconian Lakes are more pleasant to wander through on foot or by bike. In Franconia, everyone can enjoy their holiday as they see fit!

Cycling and walking in Franconia

During a cycling or mountain bike tour in Franconia, you travel through magnificent landscapes and a unique cultural landscape. The diversity in Franconia is impressive, ranging from the sunlit vineyards and delightful river valleys in Mainfranken, Tauberfranken and Altmühltal to the Franconian Lakes, right up to the richly wooded upland formations of Franconian Switzerland, Frankenwald and the Fichtel Mountains. Franconia was dominated by Celts, Romans and the imperial period in the Middle Ages, which are still alive and kicking in old imperial towns such as Nuremberg, Dinkelsbühl, Bad Windsheim, Rothenburg ob der Tauber and Weißenburg.

Cycling in Franconia: the best-known cycle paths in Franconia are the Altmühltal Radweg, Aischtalradweg, Karpfenradweg, Tauber-Altmühlradweg, Main-Radweg or the Radfernweg Romantische Straße. Walking in Franconia: Steigerwald Panoramaweg, Altmühltal Panoramaweg, Baumwipfelpfad Steigerwald, Panoramaweg Taubertal, Frankenalb Panoramaweg, Fränkisches Steinreich as well as the Castles and Palaces hiking trail are the most important long-distance hiking routes and foot paths in Franconia. Your local Flair host will be happy to recommend a local brewery hike, a beer walking trail, a vineyard path or a walk through the vineyards.

Franconian cuisine, wine and beer

Walking and cycling in Franconia can be wonderfully combined with Franconian cuisine. On the Bocksbeutelstraße, Aischtalradweg, Karpfenradweg, MainRadweg or one of the beer walking trails, you will be enticed by the menus of numerous country inns and smart restaurants with fresh Franconian specialities such as carp, asparagus and horseradish as well as Franconian wine and beer. Müller-Thurgau, Silvaner, Bacchus, Riesling and Kerner are grown in small, fine vineyards for the Franconian wine in Mainfranken, in Steigerwald, in the Tauber valley and in Churfranken. In summer and early autumn, innumerable wine lovers go on a pilgrimage to the wine festivals and Heckenwirtschaft inns selling home-produced wine in the sunny vineyards and Franconian wine-growing estates.

Wine reigns supreme in the south and west of Franconia, whereas beer is most popular of course in the rest of Franconia. The areas around Kulmbach, Bamberg, Bayreuth and Nuremberg have the largest density of breweries in the world, with a total of 300 brewing companies in Franconia. Don’t forget to visit one of the rural house breweries and traditional rock cellars during your holiday in Franconia. A crispy Schäufele, shoulder of pork with dumplings, is a must.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=“22px“][vc_column_text css=“.vc_custom_1548337406033{background-color: #75b81d !important;}“]

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In the Middle Ages, there was lots going on in today’s tranquil Oberpfalz, the Upper Palatinate. On one of the most important trading routes, the “Golden Route” between Nuremberg and Prague, merchants transported cloth, spices, wool, wine and grain and Emperor Charles IV used the Golden Route for travelling within his kingdom of Bohemia. This naturally brought fame and fortune to the towns along the famous trading route. The cities of Sulzbach-Rosenberg and Hirschau still bear witness to the medieval splendour: the Gothic town halls and Sulzbach Castle in particular, one of the earliest medieval fortresses that was extended by the Wittelsbachs to their residence. Amberg with one of the best-maintained medieval city complexes and, of course, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Regensburg, are also worth a day trip.

Today, the Upper Palatinate is primarily a recreational area. Jurasteig, the 5 Rivers cycle path, canoe trips on the Vils, Naab and Regen rivers or even walks tracing the mining history along the Erzweg and the Bavarian Iron Way attract lovers of nature and culture. Ever fancied skiing in your swimming trunks? You can on a holiday to the Upper Palatinate: sandboarders and sand skiers from all over the world regularly meet up at Hirschau on Monte Kaolino, Europe’s largest sand skiing slope with a 220 metre long descent and its own lift system. The leisure paradise of Monte Kaolino also offers a dune-based pool, a roller coaster, a high rope course and an adventure golf park.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=“22px“][vc_column_text css=“.vc_custom_1548337658883{background-color: #75b81d !important;}“]

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Holstein Switzerland has plenty of open meadows, soft hills and clear lakes. The nature park hiking trail connects the five nature parks in Schleswig-Holstein and invites you to go hiking. Whereas over 150 dreamy lakes entice you to go bathing, canoeing, sailing or simply to relax, it’s worth looking for the best spots for a picnic in other places too. The manors, stately homes and palaces in Eutin or Plön in the middle of the splendid cultural landscape, rich in soft meadows and brilliant-coloured fields, provide a cultural balance.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=“22px“][vc_column_text css=“.vc_custom_1548337913164{background-color: #75b81d !important;}“]

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200 years ago, the characteristic heathlands stretched far over large parts of northern Germany. The cultural landscape that was formed by overgrazing in the Neolithic age is today kept open for grazing for heathland sheep – a traditional, native breed of sheep. In the heathland nature parks, a unique world of flora and fauna has developed which can be preserved and seen at its best in August and September in particular. Wonderful cycling and hiking trails take you to and through Lüneburg Heath. With 14 leisure parks, the comprehensive activity programme in the region is also interesting for families.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=“22px“][vc_column_text css=“.vc_custom_1548338099744{background-color: #75b81d !important;}“]

Hotels in the region

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Holidaying in the North Sea is as varied and changeable as the surface of the sea itself. The beach is attractive in bright sunshine. During a long walk through the dunes, the wind, clouds and salty sea breeze all demonstrate the unique, raw charm of the North Sea. If the weather is raining, abundant wellness offers provide restoration and relaxation. When the tide is out, a walk in the Wadden Sea is a unique experience. The nearby hinterland that is shaped by the ocean climate with its extensive pastoral landscapes invites you to actively discover them and relax.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=“22px“][vc_column_text css=“.vc_custom_1548338260949{background-color: #75b81d !important;}“]

Hotels in the region

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Altmark lies in the northern part of Saxony-Anhalt, between the Drawehn region in Lower Saxony, the Elbe in the east as well as the Wendland region and the Magdeburger Börde. As part of the Margraviate of Brandenburg, the ancient cultural landscape obtained its historical significance in the Middle Ages when the Margraves of Brandenburg were given the right to the electoral vote. This area is also known as the birthplace of Brandenburg or Prussia, from where the Hohenzollern dynasty from Brandenburg built up its power base. A holiday in the idyllic Altmark region is always a holiday where you can discover numerous cultural treasures. Towns and villages are shaped by innumerable brick churches, cathedrals, castles, palaces, stately homes and monasteries. An excellent way to explore them is along the Romanesque Road or along the 700 kilometre-long signposted hiking trails.

Holiday on Lake Arend

Lake Arend is one of the largest and deepest lakes in northern Germany. In the town of Arendsee, on the southern shore of Lake Arend, is a large lido with lake platforms. Sandy beaches that stretch out for kilometres along an idyllic lake provide a holiday on the water’s edge offering pure relaxation – without any hustle and bustle, crowds or noise. In addition to windsurfing, sailing and fishing, Lake Arend offers trips on the Queen Arendsee paddle steamer.

Hanseatic towns in the Altmark region

The Elbe, with its unspoiled flood plains and wetlands, shapes not just the landscape but the culture as well; indeed as an important waterway, it created a gateway to the entire world. Eight Hanseatic towns have joined forces in the Altmark region in the Altmark Hanseatic League and take guests back to the past of merchants and cog ships. A visit to the Hanseatic and imperial city of Tangermünde is an absolute must during any holiday to the Altmark. Wonderfully preserved half-timbered houses, the city walls with their striking towers along the Elbe, the Baroque Tangermünde Castle and Tangermünde Town Hall with its late Gothic display wall, one of the most important brick Gothic buildings in North Germany, bring the Middle Ages to life. Stendal, the largest town in the Altmark, has also retained its medieval character to this day. You can also find examples of brick Gothic architecture in Stendal. Other Hanseatic towns in the Altmark region are Salzwedel, Gardelegen, Havelberg, Seehausen, Werben and Osterburg.

Cycling in the Altmark

The flat landscape of the Altmark is perfect for a cycling holiday. Over the most important intermediate stages of Salzwedel, Arendsee, Havelberg, Tangermünde and Gardelegen, the 500 kilometre long Altmark circuit offers a top-class sightseeing tour through the Altmark’s magnificent cultural landscape. The Elberadweg, one of Germany’s most important long-distance cycle paths, goes past Altmark, inviting you to discover the lesser-known Hanseatic towns of northern Germany.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=“22px“][vc_column_text css=“.vc_custom_1548338432037{background-color: #75b81d !important;}“]

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As far as Brandenburg – so extensive are its worlds of experience. Its palaces and castles bear witness to the Margrave’s Electorate of Brandenburg and Prussia’s illustrious past. Its large-scale protected areas, rich in woodlands and waterways such as the Dahme-Heideseen Nature Park or the Unteres Oderland Nature Park enable visitors to feel nature’s heartbeat. Potsdam, Oranienburg, Templin or Angermunde – the historical old town centres of Brandenburg take you back to a different time, invite you to explore a little and set the perfect stage for Brandenburg’s cultural diversity.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=“22px“][vc_column_text css=“.vc_custom_1548338951487{background-color: #75b81d !important;}“]

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The Moselle and Rhein meet at the famous “German Corner” in Koblenz, whilst Koblenz’s old town invites you to take a stroll through it. The Moselle and Rhein rivers quietly wind through picturesque landscapes, past countless castles and palaces, wonderful vine-covered hills and romantic wine-growing villages offering excellent cuisine, and entice you to go on a leisurely boat trip. Walks on the Rheinburgenweg hiking trail take you across country in an idyllic landscape to the legendary Loreley rock from castle to castle. On the banks of the Moselle sits Reichsburg Castle, surrounded by steep vine terraces and gazing far into the distance.

Pure tradition: Moselle wine region

The Moselle is Germany’s oldest wine-growing region. A holiday on the Moselle is therefore predestined for a wine tasting session at a vineyard or on a romantic Moselle boat trip. Explore the graceful Moselle valley on the Moselle cycle path, the Moselsteig and lots of designated theme trails. An inside tip is the peach blossom between Cochem and Bremm in March and April. The ancient Romans originally brought the vineyard peach to the Moselle; today the trees grow between the vines and provide the fruit for home-made vineyard peach jam and delicious Kir Moselle.

The Middle Rhine: Loreley, culture and cuisine

Rhine Romanticism began in the 18th century, when Clemens von Brentano composed his famous ballad of the singing siren, Loreley. Poets and painters discovered the beauty of the Middle Rhine and were enraptured by its pristine landscape, picturesque villages and the majestic castles and palaces that soared high above the Rhine valley. Of course, they also paid homage to the local wine, which was also served in taverns in those days with dishes from Rhineland cuisine such as sauerbraten, the traditional dish of Himmel und Erde made of potatoes and apples, dippekuchen (grated potatoes, onion and meat) or doughnuts. The upper Middle Rhine Valley has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2002, which can be explored on hiking trails such as the Rheinsteig, the Rheinburgenweg or Jacobsweg, as well as on cycling tours or on a boat trip along the Rhein.

Attend the following events as a guest in our Flair Hotels on the Moselle and Rhein: Rhine in Flames firework displays, Federweisser wine festival, peach blossom, grape harvest and much more.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=“22px“][vc_column_text css=“.vc_custom_1548339411061{background-color: #75b81d !important;}“]

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The Sauerland is the first region to be crowned a “Quality Hiking Region” and with the Sauerland Hiking Villages or the Sauerland-Höhenflug offers first-class hiking routes with wonderful panoramic views. To be accurate, the total of 2,711 mountains over 400 m high provide a unique backdrop. In summer, cycling enthusiasts enjoy themselves on the Sauerland-Radring just as much as the water sports enthusiasts on the large reservoirs. In winter, the Sauerland with its winter sports arena is the largest ski area to the north of the Alps. Top quality sporting events on the ski jumping hill Willingen as well as the bob, luge and skeleton track in Winterberg are major attractions.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=“22px“][vc_column_text css=“.vc_custom_1548339665606{background-color: #75b81d !important;}“]

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Historic towns such as Hameln or Höxter with their half-timbered houses and buildings from the Weser Renaissance style take visitors back to a different time. Fragrant tours or culinary guided tours speak equally to all senses. The present-day Corvey Castle and the UNESCO world Heritage Site in Höxter was a free estate Benedictine abbey up to 1792 and a dominant cultural centre with its valuable library in the Middle Ages. An excellent way to discover the wild nature is by bike along the Weser-Radweg, by foot on the Weserbergland-Weg or by boat on the Weser.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=“22px“][vc_column_text css=“.vc_custom_1548339830935{background-color: #75b81d !important;}“]

Hotels in the region

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The Brocken at 1,141 m high is without a doubt the most impressive natural monument in the Harz mountain range. Northern Germany’s highest mountain offers a fantastic view of the countryside and on good days, you can see as far as Thüringan, the Weser mountains, the Rothaar Mountains or the Rhön Mountains. The Brocken is also known for its enchanted walking paths. Heinrich Heine with his “Harzreise” wrote one of the most famous German-speaking travelogues. Follow the footsteps of the “last Romantic poet” and be enchanted by the picturesque landscape or Goslar’s medieval old town.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=“22px“][vc_column_text css=“.vc_custom_1548340096015{background-color: #75b81d !important;}“]

Hotels in the region

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The Kellerwald-Edersee UNESCO World Heritage Site is located in the Waldecker Land region. The expansive beech forests are no longer managed, thus creating Europe’s “primitive forests of the future”. The largest largest coherent complex of Luzulo-Fagetum beech grove in Central Europe is protected over an area of 6,000 hectares and you can experience it first hand on the Kellerwaldsteig or the Urwaldsteig Edersee hiking paths. The Edersee reservoir is a real paradise for water sports: surfing, sailing, water skiing, canoeing, kayaking, rowing boats, pedalos and electric boats or special diving zones. The Edersee offers all that an athlete’s heart could wish for. Collect magical holiday experiences in the Grimm locations or on the German Fairytale Route.

Holiday in the Hessian mountains

The women and girls in the Schwälmer region wear a red cap as their traditional costume, so it’s reasonable to assume that Red Riding Hood also came from the birthplace of the Brothers Grimm. On a holiday in the Hessian mountains, you encounter the famous Bothers Grimm at various locations where they worked and researched. Collect magical holiday experiences in the Grimm locations in Kassel, the picturesque locations in the Red Riding Hood district, or on the German Fairytale Route. By the way, one of the oldest – if not the oldest – artists’ colony in Europe is located in Willingshausen. In the 19th century, the village with lots of half-timbered houses became a meeting place for artists who put their romantic ideas of the idyllic landscape and traditional way of life onto canvas. The younger of the Brothers Grimm was one of the founders of the artists’ colony in Willingshausen, so the Grimm fairytale collectors were regular guests there.

Through the fairytale forests of the Hessian mountains

During your holiday in the Hessian mountains, the Habichtswald Nature Park offers a completely different atmosphere with its prominent basalt hills, expansive beech forests and megalithic tombs, providing a mix of magnificent nature and ancient culture. Without a doubt, the highlights are Löwenburg Castle, Schloss Wilhelmshöhe and the Hercules statue in the Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe park in Kassel, a landscape that has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2013, as well as numerous palaces and castle ruins such as Weidelsburg. Also recommended for hiking in Hessen: the Lochbachklamm and wild animal enclosure in Knüllwald, the Wildbahn X3 hiking trail through the Reinhardswald hills, Kaufungen Forest, the Riedforst Stölzing mountain range, the Ars Natura art trail and the Fuldasteig from Rotenburg in central Fuldatal.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=“22px“][vc_column_text css=“.vc_custom_1548340440371{background-color: #75b81d !important;}“]

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The Münsterland region is Germany’s horse country and offers the Münsterland riding trail consisting of 1,000 km of signposted bridleways. On this trail you can explore the region’s soft landscape by saddle. The 100 Castles Route – the pinnacle of German cycling tracks – combines culture with an active holiday. Without a doubt, one of the high points is the Baroque moated castle Nordkirchen – also known as the Westphalian Versailles – with its magnificent avenues and the picturesque Venus Island. Historical old towns such as that in Münster are a romantic setting for the popular Christmas markets in the Münsterland region.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=“22px“][vc_column_text css=“.vc_custom_1548341131855{background-color: #75b81d !important;}“]

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You can experience the history of the Ore Mountains as a flourishing mining region in over 20 visitors’ mines. The Ore Mountains are world-famous for their wide variety of traditional crafts with fabrics such as embroidery, felting, weaving, lace-making and ornamental trimmings, crafts using wood such as the typical wood shaving trees or toy manufacture using wood turning techniques, as well as glass blowing and the creation of aromatic candles and hand-made paper. All these are cultivated as ancient handicrafts and kept alive in a unique way. In winter, the Ore Mountains are a wonderful region for winter sports and in summer, ambitious hikers can embark on exciting expeditions to the 14 eight thousand meter high mountains near Altenberg to add their names to the summit register of the bivouak camp.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=“22px“][vc_column_text css=“.vc_custom_1548341634610{background-color: #75b81d !important;}“]

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This little corner of the earth is also known as the Tuscany of the North. Rightly so. After all, a lust for life, unique medieval cultural assets and excellent wines are all at home here in the birthplace of German royalty. The sun shines brightly in the region, which is still an inside tip – ideal for cycling and hiking through the river valleys of the Saale and the Unstrut, along vineyards and picturesque little villages.
On the Romanesque Road

The high Middle Ages left behind impressive cultural aspects. Memleben with its monastery and imperial palace, Naumburg Cathedral with its famous Markgravine Uta, Merseburg Cathedral, Querfurt Castle, Rudelsburg Castle and Saaleck Castle – nowhere else will you find so many important cathedrals, castles, convents and palaces with Romanesque structures so closely together as here in the scenic Saale-Unstrut region. The Romanesque Road runs right through Saxony-Anhalt and takes you to the Saale-Unstrut region, back to the times of kings and emperors when Central Germany was Christianised by the religious orders.

The Saale-Unstrut wine region

Cistercian monks in Monastery Pforta were substantially involved in growing wine in the Saale-Unstrut region. Today, the province’s winery is based here, managing 50 hectares of areas under vine on the Saale river. The Saale-Unstrut region, Germany’s most northerly wine-growing region, is famous for its pinot blanc (Weißburgunder) and pinot gris (Grauburgunder) varieties, but Silvaner, Riesling and Müller-Thurgau grape varieties are also grown here.

Walking and cycling in the Saale-Unstrut region

The idyllic river valleys of the Saale and Unstrut run through wine-producing countryside, past picturesque towns and up wooded hills with castles that are over a thousand years old. Of course, cultural enjoyment is also an important aspect of the Saale-Unstrut region, and vineyards, country inns, taverns and wineries everywhere entice you to try the Saale-Unstrut wine and specialities of the regional cuisine. Well-known cycling tracks and hiking trails include the Saale-Radwanderweg, Elstertalweg, Ilmtalradweg, Feengrotten-Kyffhäuser-Weg, Bad Sulza Weinwanderweg, Himmelreichweg, Saale Weinwanderweg and Unstrut Weinwanderweg.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=“22px“][vc_column_text css=“.vc_custom_1548341718863{background-color: #75b81d !important;}“]

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As a hiker on the Rennsteig hiking trail, as a visitor to the famous Wartburg Castle near Eisenach, or as a sports fan at an exciting event (biathlon, bob, cross-country or Nordic combined) in the winter sports complex at Oberhof: the Thüringian Forest has a wide variety of activities on offer to suit every interest and taste! You can follow the footsteps of Goethe and Schiller in Weimar and Jena. The path of Reformer Luther follows his school days in Eisenach, his theological studies in Erfurt and the translation of the New Testament in Wartburg Castle right through Thüringen.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=“22px“][vc_column_text css=“.vc_custom_1548342070296{background-color: #75b81d !important;}“]

Hotels in the region

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