The most beautiful natural paradises in Germany

Load your own car or a rental car from Europcar with essential supplies and travel luggage, and head out into nature: don’t you agree that small and big everyday escapes like these make life truly worthwhile?

But where should the journey take you if you want to exchange the noise of the big city for cheerful birdsong? Which direction should you take when your inner compass points to relaxation?

With these recommendations, we aim to introduce you to Germany’s most beautiful natural paradises. Inspiration? Encouraged! Adventure spirit? Activated! Let the journey to your nature experience with Europcar begin.

the spreewald – jungle romance at the gates of the capital

Just about a 30-minute drive from the German capital, Brandenburg’s spreewald attracts visitors with unspoiled nature. The network of idyllic waterways and wild romantic forests and meadows is best explored by water. Whether with a chartered raft, a canoe, or a paddleboard, glide peacefully through the jungle-like idyll near Berlin.

Relaxing boat trips and exciting sightseeing can wonderfully be combined in the spreewald biosphere reserve. For example, you can visit the lübbener schlossinsel, where you’ll find a sound garden, a water playground, and the castle of the same name. The over 150-year-old holländermühle in straupitz is also worth seeing. However, the true highlight remains the dense deciduous forest with its lush greenery. Do you feel the jungle fever?

the black forest – dark firs and baden coziness

Whether in the northern black forest beyond freudenstadt or the southern black forest south of freiburg, the black forest ranks among Germany’s most beautiful natural paradises with its impressive hilly landscapes and dense fir forests. Fans of German TV history may recognize the picturesque glottertal from the popular ZDF evening series “Die Schwarzwaldklinik.” The heimatmuseum hüsli, featured as Dr. Brinkmann’s home, is nestled in the green idyll of grafenhausen-rothaus in the waldshut district.

At titisee, you can find delightful walking and circular hiking trails. Rent a paddleboat and explore the region’s most beautiful lake under your own power. Alongside the 1,284 m high schauinsland, the 1,493 m high feldberg offers breathtaking black forest panoramas. Directly on the schwarzwaldhochstraße, you’ll find the 4.5 km long wildnispfad, a unique hiking trail. Navigate over fallen trees and raised roots as you forge your way through the black forest. Afterward, reward yourself with an extra-large slice of black forest cake.

the sauerland – the green heart of north rhine-westphalia

How about a romantic trip through the numerous reservoirs and idyllic hilly landscapes of the sauerland between ruhr and lenne? Visit the spectacular listertalsperre with its 40-meter-high historic dam, offering magnificent views! True romantics will also appreciate the hönnetal, with its bizarre limestone formations bearing enchanting names like “seven maidens” or “owl rock.”

Be amazed by one of the numerous stalactite caves: whether it’s the fairytale-like reckenhöhle balve-binolen or the well-known balver höhle, prehistoric events come alive here. The therapeutic tunnels of the reckenhöhle also promote health with their exceptional healing climate.

Continue your tour to the sorpesee between langscheid and amecke. This attractively located reservoir features beautiful shores perfect for swimming or picnicking—ideally with sauerland specialties like hearty sauerland beef or bone sausage, alongside cool sauerland beer and pumpernickel.

Another highlight for nature lovers is the rothaarsteig, a legendary long-distance hiking trail. Spanning 8 stages and a total length of 156.8 km, it offers wild bison, wild boars, and deer as well as clear springs and romantic rocks, often crossed by hanging bridges and stairs.

east frisia – relaxation between dykes and polders

Vast landscapes between the north sea surf and green dykes: nothing clears the mind like a long beach walk in east frisia. While coastal towns like carolinensiel and esens are popular among tourists, the flat hinterlands feature tranquil villages and pristine sluice and polder landscapes. If you enjoy cycling in the flatlands, passing grazing cows and few people, this is the place for you.

The fehnroute, with its quaint moor landscapes, is a balm for the soul. Explore numerous locks, mills, drawbridges, and churches along seemingly endless country paths. Day trips to the north sea islands of borkum, juist, norderney, baltrum, langeoog, spiekeroog, and wangerooge make the coastal experience perfect. After extensive walks and hikes, indulge in a cozy tea break with freshly brewed east frisian tea or relax in a beach chair with a sea view.

harz national park – mystical experiences around the brocken

At the crossroads of three federal states—lower saxony, saxony-anhalt, and thuringia—the harz national park offers nature lovers true wilderness in the heart of Germany. One of the most famous spots in this legendary landscape is the 1,141 m high brocken. Feel the myths surrounding this often mist-shrouded peak, from brocken witches to brocken ghosts, echoed in Heinrich Heine’s “Harzreise” or Goethe’s “Faust I.”

For less mythical enjoyment, take a ride on the legendary brockenbahn, a narrow-gauge railway that thrills all train enthusiasts. History comes alive when you visit the 200,000-year-old barbarossa cave in the national kyffhäuser geopark—a true highlight for geology fans. Its bizarre limestone formations seem to belong to the mythical castle of king barbarossa, making it a geological rarity.

With your Europcar rental car, you can quickly reach the hohnstein castle ruins, perfect for stunning sunset photo sessions. Although this impressive building fell victim to the Thirty Years’ War, its remarkable tower still stands, offering spectacular views of the harz up to the kyffhäuser. A fitting conclusion to a legendary tour!