Are you stuck in your state?
We do not know how long the Corona Pandemic will keep us in check for. That is why we want to be prepared in case we cannot travel abroad or are not allowed to leave our state. What is the best way to do this? Right, we have looked at 3 of the largest federal states in Germany and cool activities in Baden-Wuerttemberg, Rhineland-Pfalz and Lower Saxony.
Baden-Wuerttemberg
Heidelberg
Our first stop is Heidelberg, known for its famous university. The most famous sights are the Heidelberg Castle and the old bridge. The castle is one of the most famous ruins in Germany. It is not exactly known when the castle was built exactly, but it is first mentioned in documents in 1225.
From one of the many viewpoints in the city, you will be able to get the best first impression. Opposite the Heidelberg Castle, you will find the Heiligenberg, which not only houses a theater from the time of National Socialism but also offers the best views. Make sure to visit this one if you don’t have all the time in the world but you still want to see as much of the city as possible.
The university buildings are spread all over the city, so you can feel the student atmosphere everywhere. There are so many small cafés and unusual shops around so it’s a great place for a lovely walk.
Ulm
Once you arrive in Ulm, you will immediately notice one thing, the cathedral. It actually has the tallest church tower in the world! The cathedral was built around 1377 and back then it had room for 20,000 people.
The contrast between new and old is especially beautiful in this city. The south of Germany has many historical sites and architecture and so does Ulm. But on the other hand, there are cool innovative facilities, such as the Weishaupt Art Gallery. Here you can view modern and contemporary art and be impressed by the open architecture.
If you feel more drawn to the past, you should make a detour to the fishing quarters. Here you will find traditional half-timbered houses, gurgling water mill wheels and narrow streets that lead up to the city walls.
Constance
Constance is simply beautiful. But we won’t leave it at that, because there are many wonderful places to explore. Every season is beautiful here. In autumn, you can catch the last warm rays of the sun and enjoy them by the lakeside. If you have never been to Lake Constance, you will be surprised, because the lake is absolutely huge! And therefore you will find many activities to do, on and off the water. You can best admire the lake from the Ferris wheel in the city. From here you can also look across the rest of the city and check out which parts of the city you really want to see.
Until the end of October, there is also something for culinarians who want to support the local suppliers: the after-work market. This takes place on Fridays from 4 pm to 8 pm on St. Stephen’s Square. There are numerous market stalls where you can buy fresh produce if you are staying in a vacation apartment with your Travel Buddies, for example.
But one of the most famous squares of Constance is the island of Mainau. You can reach the island via a bridge and once you’re here, you will find a castle and numerous fields with beautifully planted flowers. If this hasn’t been added to your list of places to visit already, then Constance is a must-see when visiting one of the largest federal states in Germany.
Freiburg in Breisgau
You will be enchanted by this city from the very beginning, especially because it will most likely be sunny when you arrive because Freiburg is the sunniest city in Germany.
Once you have arrived, many historical buildings await you, starting with the Freiburg Cathedral. The construction of the cathedral took 300 years, from 1200 to 1513, and from the cathedral, you can go on to the St. Martin’s Gate and the Historical Department Store, which are among the top sights in Freiburg. In order to get to know the city and its citizens, you should also make a detour to the cathedral market. This weekly market is open during the week in the morning and offers numerous stands of local suppliers.
Finally, you should grab your Travel Buddies and go to the beer garden on the Schlossberg for a drink (or three). This is easily done using the mountain railroad. The Schlossberg got its name from the Burghaldenschloss, built almost 1,000 years ago. Today you can enjoy the sunset and listen to concerts here.
Rheinland-Pfalz
Trier
In Rhineland-Pfalz, one of the largest federal states in Germany has the oldest city in Germany; Trier. Trier was founded in 17 B.C. by the Romans. Therefore you will find less baroque chic and instead more traces from the Roman times. This includes the probably most famous gate of Germany, the Porta Nigra. The gate was built in 170 A.D. and is a UNESCO world cultural site today. Some of these sites can be found all over the city. “The living room” of the city is for the people of Trier the main market with the market fountain. All important streets converge here, so you can easily explore the city in any direction. From the main market, you can also reach the Römerbrücke, the oldest bridge in Germany. The first version of this bridge was built when the city was founded.
The best view of the city and even of the Mosel is from the Markusberg and the Mariensäule. From the Markusberg you have a view of all nine UNESCO world heritage sites, which is not possible to see from anywhere else.
Coblence
After 1.5 hours you have arrived in this beautiful city. The best place to start is the Deutsches Eck, the place where the Rhine and the Mosel meet. This is where the name of the city originated, because the original name “Castellum apud Confluentes” means “the fort at the confluence”.
One activity that you definitely have to do is take a ride with the cable car. The ride takes you across the Rhine to Ehrenbreitstein Fortress and across the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Upper Middle Rhine Valley”. From the fortress Ehrenbreitstein you have a unique view over the whole city. The origin of the fortress dates back to the year 1000 and today you will find several museums and exhibitions in and around the fortress.
Pfalzgrafenstein
On a 250 meter narrow part of the Rhine, you will find the castle Pfalzgrafenstein, which stands in the middle of the water and is enthroned on a rocky reef. It was built in the 14th century for the collection of the Rhine toll and today you can reach the stone island by a small ferry. You can reach the castle with the mentioned ferry from the small town Kaub, which is also worth a visit. Here you will also find a castle, the Burg Gutenfels. Built in 1220, it has already accommodated many rulers and today belongs to a private person which means that you can only admire the castle from the outside.
In general, the Upper Middle Rhine Valley region is beautiful. It is also the first German cultural landscape to be included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. In this landscape, you can go hiking and enjoy the wide nature with your travel partner in one of the largest federal states in Germany.
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is not one of the three largest federal states in Germany, but we think there is still a lot to discover here, which you might not know about yet.
East Frisian Islands
East Frisia is especially known by travelers who love the wide landscapes of the North Sea coast. You can look to the horizon and beyond, only interrupted by sheep. On the coast of East Frisia, you will find small islands that shine with East Frisian serenity and are simply beautiful to relax. The Corona Pandemic has been very stressful for many people, so the East Frisian Islands are just the right place for that. Especially popular are Norderney and Borkum, but also in between, there are beautiful places like Langeoog and Juist. Juist is only 500 meters wide, but 17 km long. Something important for you, if you are on the road with your road trip partner: Cars are not allowed here!
On Langeoog you can really dive into wellness because the island is a Thalasso spa. For cyclists, it is a real paradise, especially the Ostend. Langeoog is always a good idea for every season, so don’t wait and plan your trip to Langeoog now with the Trip Planner from JoinMyTrip.
Oldenburg
Oldenburg is a beautiful student city located southeast of East Frisia. Here you can find beautiful old buildings, which are not as magnificent as in the south of Germany. Nevertheless, they are worth a look and convince you of their history. One of them is the old city hall in the city center, which was built in 1886. What is special about this house is its shape: it is triangular. Inside you will find elaborate wall paintings, which were restored in 2005. In the middle of the city, you will find a natural oasis of peace, which exists since 1882. It is the botanical garden of Oldenburg. Today it is a scientific institution of the Carl-Ossietzky University of Biology and Environmental Sciences.
In this city, as in so many other cities on our Germany tour where you will also find a castle. Today it is part of the State Museum of Art and Cultural History and houses numerous works of art and exhibitions.
Göttingen
Göttingen, or rather the region around Göttingen, can look back on centuries of history. First signs of a settlement in the village of Gutingi date back to the 7th century. Unfortunately, the buildings in the town are not quite as old but still carry a long tradition. One of them is the Junkernschänke, the prettiest half-timbered house in all of Göttingen. Built in 1446, it was renovated in 1548 in the Renaissance style and you can still admire this architecture today. Also very interesting is the Albanikirche, whose predecessor is in fact the oldest church in the city still from the times of Gutingi.
Something very special which you definitely have to visit is the university auditorium at Wilhelmsplatz. Here you will also find the sparsely furnished rooms of the Karzer, the university prison. This is where student evildoers came to immortalized themselves with charcoal and chalk drawings on the walls.
The largest federal states in Germany may not be on your bucket list right now, but we think this should change immediately! For more travel inspiration have a look at our other blogs:
