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Regions of Germany Zugspitze region  The Zugspitze region is a pure delight for any nature enthusiast with its four valley landscapes, the Ammergau Alps, the "blue region", the Karwendel Alpine region and the area around the Zugspitze. On Germany's highest mountain - the Zugspitze (2,963 m) - it feels like you could reach out and touch the stars.
Westerwald  The Westerwald is a highland region between Frankfurt and Cologne, bordered by the Lahn, Sieg, Rhine and Dill rivers. This is a verdant walkers' paradise with wave after wave of forested peaks, as far as the eye can see. Farming, and the mining of iron ore, slate, basalt and clay, have helped to shape the Westerwald over the centuries.
Weserbergland hills and Solling region  The River Weser flows from Hannoversch Münden, where the Fulda and Werra rivers come together, to Minden, where the Porta Westfalica opens up into the North German Plain. On its way it passes through a charming stretch of countryside that can certainly tell a tale or two - the Weserbergland hills.
Waldecker Land region  The Waldecker Land region - a dreamlike destination - is situated between Diemelstadt in the north and Frankenberg in the south, just under 60km from Kassel. It is dominated by dense areas of woodland, mountains of up to 843 metres in altitude, deeply indented valleys with picturesque villages and small medieval towns, an extensive area of lakes and numerous leisure facilities.
Vogelsberg hills and the Wetterau region  The fascinating Vogelsberg hills and the Upper Vogelsberg nature reserve both lie in the heart of Hessen between Frankfurt, Giessen and Fulda. This is one of the most beautiful and interesting of Germany's central highlands and Europe's largest contiguous basaltic massif.
Upper Bavaria  Upper Bavaria, Germany's southernmost region, extends between the river Lech, the river Salzach, the Altmühl valley and the Bavarian Alps. It has a number of mountain ranges, from the rocky Wetterstein mountains in the west - which include Germany's highest peak, the Zugspitze (2,963 metres) - to the Karwendel mountains and the Berchtesgaden Alps in the east.
Thuringian Forest  The Thuringian Forest – the "green heart" of Germany much lauded by poets and philosophers – lies between the river Werra and the Thuringian Basin. Around two thirds of this upland region - which is approx. 135 km long, up to 35 km wide and whose highest peak, the Grosse Beerenberg, reaches up to 982 metres in altitude - is covered with emerald green forest.
The Saale Region  The River Saale, one of the Elbe's main tributaries, rises in the Fichtelgebirge mountains. The Saale region stretches along this river and its tributary valleys, and includes the middle Saale valley, Thuringia's Holzland, Weimarer Land, the Saale bow, and the Thuringian Slate Mountains-Upper Saale region.
The Mecklenburg Lakes and "Mecklenburg's Switzerland"  The Mecklenburg lakeland region is Germany's largest contiguous area of lakes. More than one thousand lakes, both large and small, are connected to each other by rivers and canals. Covering an area of 117 square kilometres in the heart of this water sports paradise, Lake Müritz is the largest lake within Germany.
The Harz and Harz foothills  The Harz Mountains rise like an island above the North German Plain, at the borders of Saxony-Anhalt, Lower Saxony and Thuringia. Not only is this a very ancient mountain range; it is also the highest in Germany north of the River Main, the tallest peak being Mount Brocken (1,142 metres).
Teutoburg Forest  The Teutoburg Forest, the "green backbone" of eastern Westphalia, includes the areas around Höxter, Paderborn, Gütersloh, Lippe, Bielefeld, Herford and the mills region of Minden-Lübbecke. It extends across the north-east corner of North Rhine-Westphalia, between Minden in the north and the Sauerland region in the south, the Münsterland region in the west and the river Weser to the east.
Sylt  Sylt, whose maritime climate is influenced by the gulf stream, covers an area of approx. 100 km², making it the largest and most northerly of Germany's North Sea islands. Geographically, it is on the same latitude as the southernmost point of Alaska. Around eight thousand years ago, it became separated from the mainland to which it is now linked via the Hindenburg causeway.
Swabian Alb  The Swabian Alb - a striking highland region that rose up out of the Jurassic sea millions of years ago - features a combination of bizarre rock formations and gently rolling slopes, is around 220 km long and 50 km wide, and runs right across Baden-Württemberg, from the west of Lake Constance up into the Nördlinger Ries.
Spree Forest  The Spree Forest, situated in Brandenburg around 100 km south-east of Berlin, is a unique landscape unmatched elsewhere in Europe. At around 75 km long and up to 15 km wide, it forms a long stretch of marshland. Countless waterways criss-cross this glacial valley covered with forests and meadows where the river Spree becomes a sort of inland delta.
Saxony's castle and heathland region  Saxony's castle and heathland region can look back on a 1,000-year legacy of architecture and art, technical monuments, traditional crafts and established customs. Here, the Zwickauer Mulde and Freiberger Mulde rivers flow through romantic valleys and the Düben Heath and Dahlen Heath nature reserves form an extensive area of woodland.
Sauerland and Siegerland-Wittgenstein  Sauerland is North Rhine-Westphalia's largest leisure and holiday region. It is bordered by the Bergisches Land region in the west, Siegerland in the south, and the Ruhr area and Westphalia in the north. To the east, the Sauerland region includes the plateaus around Winterberg as well as the Lenne and Rothaargebirge hills.
Rügen and Hiddensee
Ruhr region  The Ruhr valley is the biggest conurbation, the most densely populated area and the largest industrial region in Europe. It is bounded by the river Lippe to the north, the Rhine to the west, the Ruhr to the south and in the east it extends as far as the towns of Schwerte, Unna and Kamen.
Rhön  The Rhön is a region reunited. For more than 40 years the border between the two Germanies ran straight through this landscape of bare-topped hills. Watchtowers, trip wires, minefields and galvanised screen fencing used to divide the western Rhön from the Vorderrhön, a part of Thuringia.
Rheingau
Rennsteig  The Rennsteig was a messenger route even back in the Middle Ages. In the days of the German Empire it was the most travelled long-distance hiking trail and a symbol of German unity. The Rennsteig ridgeway trail has more popular associations than any other hiking trail and has certainly crossed more borders than any other.
Palatinate  The Palatinate lies to the left of the Rhine between Alsace, the Saarland and Rheinhessen, forming part of the Upper Rhine plain and western hinterland. The Haardt and Wasgau hills, now known collectively as the Palatinate Forest, are the link between the Eifel and Hunsrück hills to the north and the Vosges mountains to the south.
Osnabrück region  The Osnabrück region is in the south-west of Lower Saxony. At its heart is one of Germany's largest nature reserves, more than 70 per cent of which is forest, with Lake Alfsee, a water sports paradise. The peaks of the Teutoburg Forest and the Wiehen hills characterise the south and east of the region. The north has attractive riverbank meadows and areas of gentle parkland.
Odenwald-Bergstrasse  This region is bordered by the Neckar valley to the south and the Bergstrasse to the west. At its heart are the Odenwald hills and their highest elevation Mount Katzenbuckel (628 metres). After the Rhineland plain comes the Lower Odenwald with its deciduous forests, gentle valleys and hilly formations of granite and other crystalline rocks.
North Frisian islands
Neckarland-Swabia
Münsterland  The verdant Münsterland region lies in the triangle between Teutoburg Forest, the Ruhr area and the Netherlands. Consisting of partly flat landscaped countryside featuring some hilly sections, moors, heathland, pastures and fields, the region is dotted with farmhouses surrounded by oak trees, picturesque, fortified moated castles and moated palaces.
Main-Taunus region  The Taunus hills stretch for more than 75 kilometres from the area known as the Wetterau as far as the Rhine, dropping steeply down into the valleys of the Rhine and the Main. The surrounding countryside is impressive and diverse, featuring broad swathes of forest interspersed with meadow valleys and open fields. Known for its hills, castles, palaces and spa resorts, the Main-Taunus region is a lush green gem.
Allgäu and Bavarian Swabia  This is the Allgäu and Bavarian Swabia holiday region, one of Germany's finest. What is really fascinating about the Allgäu is its variety. The landscape offers everything from lovely alpine meadows to soft hills to steep slopes and summits, deep green forests, romantic valleys and crystal-clear lakes.
Baltic Coast  Schleswig-Holstein's Baltic coast runs for 385 kilometres. It has gently shelving sandy beaches, dramatic cliffs, bays and narrow inlets cut deep into the land - Flensburg Firth, the Schlei, Eckernförde Bay, the Bay of Kiel and the Bay of Lübeck.
Black Forest  The Black Forest, or Schwarzwald to give it its German name, is famous the world over. Deeply rooted in its traditional culture and possibly best known as the home of the cuckoo clock, the Black Forest is an area of mountains and forest 200 kilometres long and up to 60 kilometres wide, which borders France in the west, Switzerland in the south, the Swabian Alb and Lake Constance in the east, and the Kraichgau region in the north.
Berchtesgadener Land  The Berchtesgadener Land is beautifully situated in the southeastern corner of Bavaria, with the alpine foothills and the idyllic Abtsdorfer See to the north and imposing mountain peaks to the south. The region encompasses such familiar names as Berchtesgaden, Schönau am Königssee and Bad Reichenhall as well as practically undiscovered villages and towns such as Anger, Marktschellenberg and Laufen.
Baltic Sea  The Baltic Sea - a shallow, semi-enclosed, intracontinental marginal sea of the North Atlantic Ocean - takes its name from the area of land which extends from Szczecin in Poland to Reval on the Gulf of Finland. The Baltic Sea covers around 440,000 square kilometres. It has a salt content of just 1.5 per cent, and its average depth is around 52 metres.Bavarian Forest  In the wooded landscape that stretches from the Danube to the Bohemian Forest and the Austrian border, the Bavarian Forest national park enjoys special protection. Nature takes priority in this, Germany's first national park, founded in 1970. The Bavarian Forest upland area rises to the north of the Danube between Regensburg and Passau and follows the wide curve of the river from north-west to south-east.
Bergisches Land  The Bergisches Land, and the 18,000-hectare nature reserve of the same name, lie between the rivers Rhine, Ruhr and Sieg. This region is part of the Rhenish-Westphalian slate mountains to the east of the Rhine and has extensive beech, oak and pine woods, lush meadows and colourful orchards. The region's settlements are charmingly tucked away in the landscape, but once discovered will seduce you with their architectural beauty.
Chiemgau and Lake Chiemsee  Bavaria's biggest lake, Lake Chiemsee, is also known as the "Bavarian Sea", although it is actually the remains of a glacier. It is 18 kilometres long, 14 kilometres wide and covers an area of 85 square kilometres. The Tyrolean river Ache and the Prien feed Lake Chiemsee, and the Alz drains it, running from near Seebruck, where the Roman fort of Bedaium once stood.
Cuxhaven coast  In Germany's largest North Sea spa resort of Cuxhaven, on the southern North Sea coast where the Elbe and Weser meet the sea, ships and harbours have a long tradition. The coastal region, with the largest continuous stretch of tidal mud flats, is part of the Lower Saxony Wattenmeer national park. It provides a unique habitat. This region stands alongside the high mountain ranges as one of Europe's last unspoilt natural landscapes.
East Friesland and the East Frisian coast  East Friesland is the region between the Dollart inlet and Jadebusen bay. It is an extensive, very varied area that comprises the Emsland, Ammerland, Oldenburg Münsterland, Bremen (city and federal state) and the Lower Elbe. Seafaring, fishing, farming and town life have all influenced the North Sea coastal region in the north-west of Germany. Traditional customs are kept up even today.
Eastern Bavaria  The mountains running down the edge of Eastern Bavaria extend around 300 kilometres from the Steinwald Forest to the south-east corner of the Bavarian Forest on the border with Austria. Eastern Bavaria meets Franconia in the west and the north, Upper Bavaria in the south-west, Upper Austria in the south and the Czech Republic in the north-east.
Eifel and Ahr  The Eifel has a host of rare treats in store for the visitor. These central highlands between Aachen, Cologne, Koblenz and Trier have retained the fresh beauty of their landscape, and that is exactly why they are so attractive. The region was shaped by volcanic activity in the Cenozoic period. When the mysterious and violent forces within the Earth pushed their way to the surface all those years ago, they emerged just where the Volcanic Eifel lies, leaving a dense network of maars (crater lakes), the Eifel's "blue eyes".
Erzgebirge mountains  The Erzgebirge mountains – where are they? Well, first things first. Naturally, this is a region full of surprises and experiences in all seasons. Now we're getting somewhere – down south! The Erzgebirge mountains are one of Saxony's major holiday areas. They are attractive, densely wooded highlands on the border with the Czech Republic. Their highest peak at more than 1,200 metres is the Fichtelberg near Oberwiesenthal, Germany's highest town.
East Frisian islands  The North Sea really is remarkable. At times it isn't there at all. It comes and goes to the rhythm of the tides. At low tide the sea bed is exposed to reveal slimy mudflats with a few water channels running here and there. This North Sea coastal area - Wattenmeer - is a national park, the only one of its kind in the world. You can do something rather unusual here - you can walk on the sea bed.
Franconia  This evergreen upland area in northern Bavaria is made up of 15 regions, spread across around 30,000 square kilometres. Many visitors consider it to be a miniature replica of the country as a whole. Over half of this area is given over to nature reserves – there are nine in all. But nature is not the only area in which Franconia is spoilt for choice. The area also has towns and cities with the weight of history behind them.
Hunsrück, Nahe and Glan  The highland scenery of the Hunsrück region provides a stunning backdrop to the enchanting countryside along the Moselle, Nahe, Saar and Rhine rivers. The Hunsrück is a walkers' paradise, a wonderful place to experience the romantic, unspoilt countryside at first hand.
Lower Rhine  Few other areas in Germany can look back on such a long history as this region on the Rhine. At 1,320 km, the Rhine is Germany's longest river. The Lower Rhine region covers not only the lower reaches of the Rhine after it emerges from the Rhenish Slate Mountains, but also the countryside on either side of the river as far as the Dutch border.
Lüneburg Heath  Lüneburg Heath is a rich natural and cultivated landscape between the Elbe, Aller and Weser rivers and the cities of Bremen, Braunschweig, Hamburg and Hannover. The varied countryside features glacial valleys, moraines, morainic plains, heathland, moors and wooded areas. "Lüneburg Heath has four high seasons: it blooms but once a year" - wrote the famous heathland poet Herman Löns, who is buried in the Tietlingen juniper grove between Walsrode and Fallingbostel.
Lake Constance, Upper Swabia  Lake Constance, called Bodensee in German, was named after Bodman, an 8th-century Carolingian palatinate, and is a 538 square kilometre basin between the Alps and the Jura mountains. Three countries share the lake: Germany, Austria and Switzerland. A total of 236 rivers and streams feed into the lake. The Rhine is the main source of water, with its delta moving ever further into the lake at the eastern end of the basin.
Rhine Valley  Following the 1,320-km course of the Rhine from its source in Switzerland to the river's mouth in the North Sea, the most interesting section is without doubt the Middle Rhine and the Rhine Valley between Mainz and Bonn. This area where the Rhine cuts through the Slate Mountains between Bingen and Koblenz is also part of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley UNESCO world heritage site. Saxony's castle and heathland region  Saxony's castle and heathland region can look back on a 1,000-year legacy of architecture and art, technical monuments, traditional crafts and established customs. Here, the Zwickauer Mulde and Freiberger Mulde rivers flow through romantic valleys and the Düben Heath and Dahlen Heath nature reserves form an extensive area of woodland.
Moselle and Saar  The Moselle Valley between Koblenz and Trier is a romantic river landscape, known throughout the world for its wine, which has also lent the valley its unique character. You'll find idyllic winegrowing villages and vineyards with familiar names, taverns and cultural history at every turn.
North Sea  The North Sea is a shallow marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean. It is around 100 metres deep and forms the western border of Schleswig-Holstein. The mere words call to mind fresh wind and weather, wonderful waves, amazing tides, mudflats, boat trips on the sea, water sports and holidays in one of Germany's most invigorating climates.
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Rügen is Germany's largest island (976 square kilometres). More precisely, it is an archipelago of around 30 small islands and peninsulas in the Baltic Sea off the coast of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Take a stroll round the newly resplendent, former imperial spa resorts and you will definitely sense the noblesse of the Belle Epoque.
Rheinhessen and the Rheingau are long-established wine-growing regions in the Mainz Basin. Rheinhessen is to the left of the Rhine and the Rheingau is to the right. The Rheingau is an area of idyllic scenery where the Rhine leaves its north-south course and swings round to the west between Mainz/Wiesbaden and Rüdesheim.
Sylt is the largest and most northerly of the North Sea islands. Geographically, it is on the same latitude as the southernmost point of Alaska. Around eight thousand years ago, it became separated from the mainland to which it is now linked via the Hindenburg causeway.
With their wealth of natural and cultural attractions, both regions offer plenty of things for visitors to see and do. Hidden ponds, crystal-clear streams and dense mature forests are all typical features of the countryside in the Neckar-Hohenlohe-Swabian Forest area. The picturesque scenery encouraged knights and princes to leave their mark here in the shape of many castles and palaces.
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