Travel destinations

Discover the sheer variety of Niedersachsen

No other German state is as multifaceted as Niedersachsen. Here, you’ll find the sea and mountains, forests and moors, heathlands and river landscapes – with charming towns in between.

Whether you’re looking for active adventures in the mountains, peaceful countryside retreats, a sense of freedom by the sea, fascinating city discoveries, energy-boosting nature escapes or complete relaxation in spa towns and thermal resorts – Niedersachsen has it all. Get inspired and find out just how much you can do on a holiday here!

Nature, culture and adventure

Niedersachsen from north to south

As Germany’s second-largest state, Niedersachsen stretches from the North Sea coast to the Central Uplands in the south, offering an impressive variety of landscapes and attractions.

The north

Build sandcastles, go sailing, explore the tidal flats on a guided walk, cycle along the coast, try kitesurfing or simply count sheep on the dykes. The North Sea coast and the seven East Frisian Islands are all about enjoying the great outdoors. The sun is often shining and there’s nearly always a refreshing breeze. And fresh air stimulates the appetite! Luckily, there are plenty of local specialities to try, from fish rolls, matjes herring and Labskaus to salt marsh lamb, samphire and a refreshing sea buckthorn spritzer. A ferry trip to the East Frisian Islands takes you right through Niedersachsen’s Wadden Sea National Park, passing sandbanks where harbour seals and grey seals lounge in the sun – but please remember not to disturb them! If you’d like a closer look, the Seal Rescue Centre in Norddeich cares for orphaned pups. For a family-friendly North Sea holiday surrounded by dykes and tidal flats, head to Butjadingen in the Wesermarsch region. It’s ideal for families!

In East Frisia, you can really get the ball rolling – quite literally! The flat landscape is perfect for Boßeln (road bowling), a traditional local sport where players roll a ball as far as possible across fields and meadows. In the towns of Leer and Emden, you can explore the region by bike or paddle along the Fehn canals by canoe. Culinary delights include Snirtjebraten, a hearty pork roast, and Krüllkuchen, which are delicate waffle rolls traditionally eaten at New Year. And, of course, no visit is complete without East Frisian tea – a strong black tea served with cream and rock sugar. As a guest, you’ll be expected to enjoy at least three cups in a sitting!

Hafen — CC0 TourismusMarketing Niedersachsen GmbH, Dietmar Scherf

Drohnenbild von einem Apfelhof im Alten Land — CC0 TourismusMarketing Niedersachsen GmbH, Alexander Kaßner

What’s the Altes Land famous for exporting? Apples, cherries and other orchard fruits. Located west of Hamburg, this is the largest contiguous fruit-growing region in northern Europe. For small-town charm, visit Stade, while the wide sandy beaches around Cuxhaven in Cuxland are perfect for family getaways. The artists’ village of Worpswede, just north of Bremen, has become a cultural hotspot, surrounded by the atmospheric Devil’s Moor (Teufelsmoor). If you prefer open meadows and dense forests, the Nordpfade hiking trails in the Rotenburg (Wümme) district offer a fantastic way to explore the scenic flatlands.

The centre

The Mittelweser region is shaped by the river that gives it its name – the Weser – which meanders through fields, forests and meadows. The landscape is best explored from the water, whether on a Weser river cruise or by canoe. In the Riders’ town of Verden, where Hanoverian horses were once bred for the Royal House of Hanover, a rich equestrian tradition lives on through tournaments and the German Horse Museum. Nienburg is renowned far beyond the region for its asparagus, while at the Wolfcenter Dörverden, visitors can get up close to wolf families.

The holiday region of Hanover surrounding Niedersachsen’s state capital, offers more than just a fairytale castle with Marienburg: at Steinhude, there’s even an entire inland sea. The Royal Gardens of Herrenhausen in Hanover are considered a jewel of Baroque garden design, while the Sprengel Museum, which showcases 20th- and 21st-century art, is one of the most significant museums of its kind. In Hildesheim, two churches are UNESCO World Heritage sites, and the legendary Thousand-Year Rosebush bursts into delicate pink blossoms each spring.

Weserlandschaft — CC0 TourismusMarketing Niedersachsen GmbH, Alexander Kaßner

Verden an der Aller — CC0 DZT, Francesco Carovillano

Bronzestatue einer Spargelerntetruppe in Nienburg, die stolz den Nienburger Spargel präsentiert. — CC-BY Mittelweser-Touristik GmbH

Hafen am Steinhuder Meer — © DZT/Andrea Hitzemann, Andrea Hitzemann

Blick auf Schloss Marienburg — © Patrice Kunte Fotografie / P. Kunte

Herrenhäuser Gärten in Hannover — CC0 TourismusMarketing Niedersachsen GmbH, Francesco Carovillano

View of St. Mary's Cathedral in Hildesheim — CC-BY Max Wiesenbach, Hildesheim Marketing

The south

Mysterious, steeped in legend and reputedly full of witches – the Harz Mountains, Germany’s northernmost mountain range, attract visitors from far and wide, including Denmark and the Netherlands. In the Harz National Park, nature is left to flourish undisturbed, with former spruce monocultures gradually giving way to resilient mixed beech forests. Populations of wildcats and lynxes are on the rise again, and long-distance walking trails like the Harz Witches’ Trail (Harzer Hexen-Stieg) invite visitors to explore and unwind. Together with the historic Rammelsberg Mine, the half-timbered old town of Goslar is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as is the medieval water management system in the Harz Mountains.

Bordering Hesse and North Rhine-Westphalia lies Niedersachsen’s southernmost region, the Weser Uplands, stretching along the Weser river past Hamelin. This area isn’t just home to the Pied Piper – Cinderella and the infamous Baron Münchhausen also have their roots here. It’s no surprise that the German Fairy Tale Route follows the Weser river for much of its course. Architecturally, the region is famed for the distinctive Weser Renaissance style, with magnificent castles such as Hämelschenburg and Bückeburg.

The west

The County of Bentheim juts out into the neighbouring Netherlands like a peninsula, and the connection between the two regions is strong – not least in their shared love of cycling, or fietse as the Dutch call it. Sustainability is key here, particularly when exploring the open-air art installations of the ‘kunstwegen’. E-bikes, cargo bikes and special buses for bike transport make two-wheeled travel a true pleasure. Beyond the county’s borders, Bentheim pigs – an almost extinct heritage breed – are also enjoying a resurgence in popularity.

When people think of the Emsland region, the first thing that often comes to mind is Papenburg and its renowned shipyard. Here, ever-larger vessels are guided down the narrow River Ems towards the North Sea, drawing crowds of onlookers who gather at the riverbanks in awe. Water is a defining feature of the Emsland, with countless small canals weaving through its moorland landscape. Many areas have been drained and cultivated, giving way to magnificent parks and gardens. Scattered across the region are impressive megalithic tombs –ancient relics
from the Stone Age that line the Megalithic Culture Route.

Buchweizen-Pfannkuchen mit Blaubeeren — © Hazel - adobe.stock.com, Hazel / Adobe Stock

This historic route also runs through the Oldenburger Münsterland, showing that people have called this area home since prehistoric times. The Boxenstopp-Route, a long-distance cycling route, offers over a hundred inviting stops for visitors to rest and sample the local specialities. One dish not to be missed is the buckwheat pancake – buckwheat thrives in the region’s damp climate and has long been a culinary staple. Meanwhile, Lake Dümmer is not only a haven for birdlife but also a favourite family day-trip destination. At an average depth of just 1.4 metres, this lake (formed in an ancient Ice Age basin) is remarkably shallow.

Further south lies the Osnabrücker Land region, named after the city of Osnabrück, which has been the backdrop for two major historical events: the Peace of Westphalia and the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest. The peace treaty, announced at Osnabrück Town Hall in 1648, brought an end to the Thirty Years’ War. Much earlier, in 9 CE, Roman forces suffered a decisive defeat by Germanic tribes at the foot of the Teutoburg Forest, marking the end of Rome’s dominance in Germania. But the region’s history stretches even further back – fossilised dinosaur tracks, preserved in a quarry, offer a glimpse into prehistory. Visitors can explore these ancient footprints and great deal of geological history at the Nature and Geopark TERRA.vita.

The east

If every village has its own resident stork and the settlements are circular, then you must be in the Wendland. Nowhere else in Niedersachsen will you find so many well-preserved ‘Rundlingsdörfer’ – traditional villages built on a circular plan featuring picturesque half-timbered farmhouses. These villages have attracted artists and creative minds since the 1970s. In the Biosphere Reserve Niedersächsische Elbtalaue, sea eagles soar above the river and the Elbe beaver, once nearly extinct, has made a comeback. Meanwhile, the ‘Ark Region’ along the Elbe River – the first of its kind in Germany – has more than 30 farms dedicated to preserving endangered livestock breeds, such as the Bunte Bentheimer pig, the Vorwerk chicken and the Leine sheep.

In Lüneburg Heath, Heidschnucken sheep keep the landscape neatly trimmed, with only a few juniper bushes rising above the carpet of heather. At dusk, the heathland takes on a mystical, enchanting guise. But Lüneburg Heath isn’t just about nature – it’s also a hotspot for fun and adventure. Nowhere else in Germany will you find so many theme parks clustered together. There’s Heide Park, with its high-speed rollercoasters; Serengeti Park, home to exotic safari animals; and the Snow Dome, where visitors can go sledging and skiing – even in summer. In the historic Hanseatic town of Lüneburg, visitors can stroll through what feels like a living open-air museum, surrounded by elegant brick buildings, or discover the ‘white gold’ of the Hanseatic League at the German Salt Museum.

Lüneburg Hafen mit typischer Architektur — CC0 Francesco Carovillano

Colossos Heidepark Soltau — © Heide Park Resort, Julian Omonsky

The Braunschweiger Land region has a rich and eventful past. In an open-cast mine near Schöningen, archaeologists uncovered the world’s oldest known hunting weapons – Stone Age spears that reveal fascinating insights into early human life. The city of Brunswick itself, founded by Heinrich the Lion, is now a leader in aerospace technology and biotechnology. Just a few kilometres away lies Wolfenbüttel, home to the Herzog August Library, once hailed as the ‘Eighth Wonder of the World’. Its most treasured artefact is the Gospel Book of Heinrich the Lion and great thinkers such as Lessing and Leibniz once worked here as librarians. The town is also famous for its Jägermeister herbal liqueur. Meanwhile, in Wolfsburg (the Volkswagen city) visitors can explore the Autostadt automotive experience centre, the interactive phaeno Science Centre and an art museum showcasing modern and contemporary works.