Harz Mountains

With stunning rolling hills, cliffs and moors, deep gorges and thick forested mountains, the scenery of this region, now a national park, makes it a fabulous coach tour destination.

With a history stretching back 400 million years, ancient folklore says the highest peak, the Brockenberg, has a reputation for witches and goblins.

Taking its name from the middle-high German ‘Hart’ meaning ‘wooded area’, the original forests were beech as opposed to the spruce of today.

The many picturesque towns include Wernigerode, with its elaborately decorated half-timbered houses, Bad Lauterberg, the leading health spa in Northern Germany and Goslar, with its medieval old town, now a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Fairytales are embedded in the heritage of the Harz Mountains with its landmarks inspiring some of the most-cherished stories of all time, including Everstein’s Castle, home of Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty’s castle in Sababurg, Hoxter, the famous setting for Hansel and Gretal, not forgetting Hamlyn where the Pied Piper waltzed through the streets.

One of the best ways to enjoy the scenery is on the Selketal heritage Narrow Gauge Railway which travels from Eisfelder Talmuehle to the town of Quedlinburg, with its well-preserved red-roofed houses and Romanesque church adding to its model village feel.

With breath-taking views at every turn, this wonderful region has been the inspiration for artists, students and poets for centuries which you can discover with National Holidays