Best nature parks in Germany

Ammergebirge Nature Reserve is the largest nature reserve in Bavaria and includes the six municipalities of Ettal, Oberammergau, Unterammergau, Saulgrub-Altenau, Bad Kohlgrub and Bad Bayersoien.Show more

The Hohes Venn-Eifel nature park runs along the German-Belgian state border. The German part is also called Nature Park North Eifel. North Rhine-Westphalia's only national park, the Eifel National Park, lies in the middle of the nature park. The natural diversity of the park ensures enthusiasm for visitors time and again. The bog in the Belgian "High Venn", rivers, streams and 15 lakes and dams, the colorful biodiversity in the Kalkeifel, wide and wooded mountain heights of the Hocheifel and the foothills of the volcanic Eifel are just a few highlights of the park.Show more

The nature park Siebengebirge was founded as the first nature park of North Rhine-Westphalia and lies in the south of the federal state. The nature park includes the natural areas of the Bay of Cologne, the Siebengebirge, the Leiser Hügelland, the Rheinwesterwälder volcanic ridge and the Asbach plateau. The Siebengebirge Nature Park offers a variety of natural and landscape spaces that can be discovered on many hikes. Everywhere the volcanic landscape is criss-crossed by quarries, vineyards and orchards.Show more

The Palatinate Forest Nature Park covers an area of 179,800 hectares in the south of Rhineland-Palatinate, where it borders on France. It is the German part of the cross-border Palatinate Forest-Northern Vosges biosphere reserve. The red sandstone rocks are particularly striking for the landscape of the nature park. In addition, 76% of the nature park is covered with forest, making it the largest contiguous forest area in Germany. Most of them are pines, which get along well with the nutrient-poor sandy soils. The nature park also has a lot to offer culturally. The many castles and castle ruins in the area suggest that this region was once one of the major strongholds of the Holy Roman Empire of German Nations. Particularly noteworthy are the Trifels imperial fortress, the Berwartstein visitor castle and the Hambach Castle.Show more

West of the A93, between the Fichtelgebirge and Oberpfälzer Wald, is the Steinwald Nature Park. The landscape is dominated by conifers that hide between bizarre rock formations. A well-known are the robber cliffs, bird cliffs and the Saubadfelsen.Show more

There is something unique to be found in the Schlichemtal: the Umlaufberg at the Butschhof and the deeply cut Schlichemklamm are impressive geological and landscape historical documents. The shell limestone of the gorge was formed 240 million years ago - at that time this area of Germany was still part of a subtropical sea. Numerous fossils of mussels, arm pods, echinoderms and ammonites can still be found in the deposited shell limestone. There are also the remains of the medieval castle of Urslingen, which was built almost 1000 years ago. The Schlichemtal is home to many animal and plant species that can hardly be found in the otherwise cleared agricultural landscape.Show more

The Lüneburg Heath Nature Park is located in northern Lower Saxony and is part of the Lüneburg Heath holiday region. Due to its ideal location between the three cities of Hamburg, Hanover and Bremen, it is a popular destination for day and weekend trips. The Lüneburg Heath Nature Park was one of the first nature parks in Germany and is now one of the largest and best known. It is 107,000 hectares in size; At its heart in the Lüneburg Heath nature reserve and around the Wilseder Berg, it encompasses the largest contiguous heather areas in Central Europe. Hikers can also discover heathland streams, moors, ancient forests, and picturesque villages with thatched houses.Show more

The Teutoburg Forest / Eggegebirge nature park is a 2736 square kilometer nature park founded in 1965 in the northeast of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is the sixth largest park in Germany and the second largest park in the state. The Teutoburg Forest is part of the nature park, but the area is much more extensive and includes other nature reserves and forest areas. Visitors can enjoy the varied landscape and the beautiful forest paths - relaxation for the whole family. In addition, impressive cultural landscapes and natural treasures such as the Externsteine or the Desenberg volcano await.Show more

The Märkische Schweiz nature park is characterized by streams, lakes, gorges, valleys, moors, fields, forests and meadows. In other words: There is a lot to see and a wide variety of landscapes to explore. Located 60 kilometers east of Berlin, this nature park is a popular destination for day and weekend tours. The "Schweizer Haus" visitor center will open again to visitors from 2021 and then come up with exciting exhibitions. It leads its visitors through the different times from the Ice Age past to the present to the sustainable future of the region.Show more

The Soonwald-Nahe Nature Park is located in the south-eastern part of the Hunsrück and in the middle of the Nahe region. It includes the Soonwaldes and Lützelsoons as well as the northern banks of the Nahe between Kirn and Bad Kreuznach and offers landscapes that couldn't be more different: from magnificent mountain ranges to gentle vineyards, semi-arid grasslands and extensive deciduous forest areas. The park was established in 2005 and covers an area of 736 km². More information can be obtained from the two information points at Wartenstein Castle and in the New Simmern Castle. The first also contains the exhibition "Forest and Nature".Show more