As the New Year finally approached , I now feel closer than ever to travelling the world and I am slowly planning my future trips. It brings me so much joy and hope these days! My next desired destination is Germany, a country so close to where I come from ,that I’ve never had a chance to explore.
Frankly, after not planning trips for so long, I struggled where to start! Thankfully I found out about German information skill capsule on Alexa from the German National Tourist Board! It’s a great source of travel inspiration and information.
When asking Alexa about Germany Travel tips, you’re being asked two questions : if you prefer nature or culture and action or relaxation. Based on your answers Alexa suggests the perfect travel programme for you. Normally when travelling, I like the mix of both – couple of days of pure relaxation in the nature followed by some exciting and fun outdoor activities. However after a stressful year, I go for relaxation this time. This travel guide is perfect for relaxation and nature fans. I hope it will make you put Germany on your 2021 bucket list!
For those who seek the total relaxation and the beauty of the nature, Alexa will offer many incredible walks and hiking trails such as a walk along the magical Wilhelmshöhe hillside park in Kassel. It’s located only two hours drive from Frankfurt. You can also get there by train using the Hanover–Würzburg high-speed railway. It’s the largest hillside park in Europe, famous for its cascading waters. During the walk you can admire the incredible water features : fountains, waterfalls and get to them top of the hill to see the Hercules- the most famous landmark. It looks absolutely stunning! Would absolutely love to visit!
Next recommendation I was given by Alexa is a visit to Tropical Islands Resort. Yes, you heard that right! There is a tropical paradise located only 50 kilometres away from Berlin! 100 000 square meters of rainforests, blue lagoons and lovely warm temperatures. Sounds like a dream? You can get there easily either by car or by train. You need to get off at Brand Tropical Islands train station. From there you will be collected by a free shuttle bus and taken directly to Tropical Islands. When arriving you’ll be blown away by how huge and amazing this place is! You can either head there for a day of relaxation in their incredible heated pools and spa or even book an overnight in the Tropical Islands dome, from tents in the rainforest camp to premium lodges. You can also choose to have your overnight-stay experience outside the dome in a gorgeous holiday apartment. Let’s add the
most awesome news ( at least for me, haha!) Apparently you can even find
flamingos inside! Say what? Count me in!
Another tailor-made tip was a Riverboat cruise on the Rhine– Germany’s Most Romantic River. Turns out the best way to see the castles in South-West Germany is by boat! Rüdesheim is one of the best departure ports for day-trip excursion riverboat cruises to see the Rhine Valley, castles and Loreley Rock. Imagine relaxing on the water with a glass of wine and admiring the most gorgeous views over astonishing castles, charming small towns and peaceful vineyards. A dream right now!
Next activity suggested for nature and relaxation lovers is a visit to The
Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park, which is a part of the Wadden Sea UNESCO World Heritage Site. I’ve seen so many magical photos of this place and it’s been on my bucket list ever since! It will make you fall in love at first sight with its sand dunes, sandbanks, beaches and incredibly rich flora and fauna. Just visualise yourself stepping on the sand, feeling the breeze in your hair and connecting with nature. You can either walk around or admire the views on the bike ride. You can also visit the small inhabited Halligen islands in the middle of the mudflats by boat. With a bit of luck (and a great guide) you can spot starfish, snails, mussels and lugworms. How wonderful is that? I would absolutely love to stay there overnight and spent a day relaxing on a beach!
Alexa also told me about the famous Garden Kingdom of Dessau-Wörlitz located in Saxony-Anhalt, between the city of Dessau and the town of Wörlitz in Central Germany. What makes this place so special? It is one of the first and largest English landscape garden in Germany and continental Europe, constructed between 1769 and 1773. It became a UNESCO world heritage site in 2000. It’s perfect for cycle tours, walks, horse-riding as well as boat trips. The main attractions to visit are : Georgium Palace, the Luisium Palace, Wörlitz park and many more. The space is huge- about 140km2. You can spend days exploring yourself or book a special tour. Just looking at the photos of this place makes me feel so relaxed and inspired. I would love to visit it in spring when the garden is at its full bloom! That must be magical!
I hope you enjoyed my Germany Travel Guide with a help of the new “Germany Travel Tips” Alexa Skill from the German National Tourist Board. I had a lot of fun planning my future trip and chatting about the ideas with Alexa! I am amazed how much Germany has to offer and I hope to make this bucket list trip happen as soon as possible! Have you been to Germany before?
Post in collaboration with German National Tourist Office