Situated in Germany’s southwest corner is the Black Forest – or Schwarzwald – renowned for its dark conifer…
Times visited: Too many to count!
Cities visited: Hamburg, Berlin, Flensburg, Kiel, Stralsund, Lübeck, Wismar, Munich, Konstanz, Donaueschingen, Speyer, Heidelberg, Würzburg, Bamberg, Weimar, Naumburg, Halle, Goslar, Magdeburg, Leipzig, Potsdam, Aachen, Marburg and Rostock
Towns and villages visited: Friedrichstadt, Heide, Tönning, Husum, Waren, Malchow, Albersdorf, Putgarten, Vitt, Bergen auf Rügen, Binz, Sellin, Prora, Altefähr, Sassnitz, Kloster, Puttgarden, Gammendorf, Ammerland, Walchensee, Wies, Hohenschwangau, Eisenberg, Unteruhldingen, Büsingen am Hochrhein, Triberg, Schiltach, Maulbronn, Lorsch, Messel, Langenhain, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Baunach, Eisleben, Quedlinburg, Hahnenklee, Biesenthal, Dannewerk, Haddeby, town of Helgoland, Königstein, Kurort Rathen, Burg auf Fehmarn, Argenstein, Niederweimar, Waren (Müritz)) and Warnemünde
Islands visited: Rügen, Dänholm, Hiddensee, Fehmarn, Poel, Reichenau, Helgoland and Düne
UNESCO sites visited: 23/54
Germany has always been just around the corner for me – literally. Growing up just 1,5 hours from the border, going to Germany never truly felt like going abroad. My family and I visited countless times, often just for quick border runs to stock up on cheap sodas or to drive through on our way to other destinations. But we also made proper trips: cozy December weekends spent at Christmas markets in Schleswig-Holstein, two memorable holidays by Lake Fleesensee, and a trip to Berlin.
But despite all that, I never felt like I’d really seen Germany. So when my summer 2020 plans to return to Greenland were cancelled due to the pandemic, I seized the opportunity to explore Germany properly. I ended up spending five weeks exploring the north, south, and central parts of the country. My adventure began in Albersdorf, where I attended a Stone Age gathering – a unique experience in a town I quickly grew to love. Afterwards, my family joined me for eight wonderful days based in Stralsund, from where we explored the islands of Rügen, Dänholm, and Hiddensee. On their return journey, they dropped me off in Lübeck, where I spent five days taking day trips to Fehmarn, Poel, and the UNESCO-listed city of Wismar.
From Lübeck, I embarked on a long train journey to Munich, where my two-week solo roadtrip began. I drove over 2,000 kilometers through the German and Austrian Alps, visiting castles, ruins, and alpine lakes. I made my way to Lake Constance, the German exclave of Büsingen am Hochrhein, and crossed briefly into Switzerland. After that, I ventured north through the Black Forest, hiked above Schiltach, and chased UNESCO World Heritage Sites all the way up to Langenhain, where I visited the Bahá’í House of Worship. I circled back to Bavaria to explore Rothenburg ob der Tauber and Bamberg, then headed north to see more UNESCO sites and a bucket-list item: the Nebra Sky Disk at the State Museum of Prehistory in Halle. My journey continued into the Harz Mountains, where I hiked around Quedlinburg and Goslar, before detouring to Biesenthal to visit a friend. I finally dropped off the rental car in Magdeburg.
Although that summer journey ended there, I wasn’t done with Germany. A month later, I returned for a one-day roadtrip through Schleswig-Holstein and a four-day stay on Helgoland, Germany’s only offshore island, which is tiny but full of natural beauty and fascinating wildlife. In summer 2021, I returned to Albersdorf for another Stone Age gathering. Later that year, I met my former partner in Georgia – he was based in Berlin, which became a frequent stop for me over the next year. I spent many weeks exploring the city, falling completely in love with it. Together, we also visited Leipzig, Potsdam, Aachen, and went hiking in Saxon Switzerland – one of the most beautiful places I’ve seen in Germany. I also made a return to Fehmarn for a day trip to explore Burg, its medieval town.
In summer 2022, we discovered the charming city of Marburg and the nearby villages of Argenstein and Niederweimar, where that year’s Stone Age gathering took place. We ended our summer with a peaceful hike along Lake Feisnecksee in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern’s lake district. A few months later, we visited the city of Rostock – raw, gritty, and full of character. In August 2024, I finally returned to Berlin with some family members. It was amazing to be back in my favourite city, though two days simply weren’t enough.
Germany is a country I’ll never stop exploring. It’s so close to home, and so rich in culture, nature, history, and hidden gems. I’ve seen a lot – but there’s still so much more to discover.