Responsible tourism in Germany
Our Germany Vacations
Bavaria vacations, self catering apartments
Luxury village apartments by Bavarian Forest National Park
Germany and Austria hiking vacation, self guided
Circular trek around Mount Hochkönig and Königssee
Germany and Austria self guided walking tours
Circumnavigate Germany's highest mountain!
Danube cycling vacation, Germany and Austria
Follow the winding route of the Danube
Prague to Meissen cycling vacation
Cycle along attractive riverside paths
Walking vactation in the German Alps
Enjoy sparkling winter walking in the German Alps
Christmas markets vacation, Central Europe
Indulge the senses by exploring the best of the festive market scene
Holland to Denmark cycling vacation
11 day cycling vacation from the Netherlands to Denmark.
Germany walking vacation
Walk the Rhine Trail and discover Germany on foot
Scandinavia small group tour
Soak up a little Scandinavian minimalism
European rail tour, 29 days
Tour Europe's best cities on this 29-day adventure!
The Baltic experience tour
Experience the diverse delights of the Baltic states
Eifel hiking and culinary tour in Germany
Combine hiking and delicious regional dishes in the Eifel
Eastern Europe tour by rail
Cities, scenery & coasts: Travel from Berlin to the Balkans!
Two tall ship sailing festivals, Delfzijl to Kiel
Delf Sail festival and Kiel’s Week 2021
Berlin to Oslo small group vacation
Discover stylish Scandinavia and bohemian Germany
Danube cycling vacation, self guided
Discove the compelling history of the Danube
London to St Petersburg sailing tour
Classic sailing from London to St Petersburg via Gdansk
Berlin to Venice small group vacation
Adventure-filled Central Europe tour from Germany to Italy.
Eastern europe by train, the Iron Curtain tour
Whizz around Europe's lesser-visited cities by rail!
Cycling vacation in the Netherlands, Germany & Austria
European cycling at its best
Central Europe rail tour, 15 days
An exciting trip around the continent's fairytale cities
People & culture
You can see for yourself – go to the German Tourist Board website and you’ll spot ‘Barrier Free Tourism’ right up there on the homepage, alongside city, corporate and cultural trips. First of all the actual website page is accessible, and secondly it gives clear, concise information on many of the things that people traveling with special needs need to know. They’ll find out about the national rail network, Deutsche Bahn’s dedicated mobility hotline, barrier free cities and regional champions in creating tourism that works for everyone. Just a few of many highlights include: the “Feeling Frankfurt” guided tour that is both visual and vibrant, stepless but sense-rich for the visually impaired; the fact that most towns in Lower Saxony have beach mobiles or beach wheelchairs available to explore the Wadden Sea UNESCO World Heritage Site, a wetland covering over 13,000km2; the barrier free lakeside paths in the Franconian Lake District; accessible and sensory walks in the Eifel National Park; the Filu High Ropes Park in Leck (Schleswig-Holstein), which takes just about everyone up into its canopies and barrier free houseboats in the Ruppiner Lakes region.
Wildlife & environment
Brandenburg is the state that envelops Berlin, and there are many cycling tours that take you from Berlin straight out into the countryside. There are, in fact, over 7,000km of cycle trails stretching out into the rural areas, along river banks and through small towns and villages. The city’s ‘S-Bahn’ trains stretch out into the country, and you can put your bike on it, so there is an option to do one leg of the journey by train.
Munich
You can reach mountains, lakes and gorges easily from Munich, so pack your hiking boots with your suit, and stick an extra couple of days on a business trip. The shoreline hike around Ammersee, just a 50-minute S-Bahn ride from the city, is 42 km. Take the train to Berchtesgaden to hike in the Wimbach valley and gorge, or the hourly Bayerische Oberlandbahn (BOB) train out to Lenggries, then an RVO bus to the Brauneck cable railway station and up into another world. Goodbye city, hello hiking heaven.
Hamburg
All about water, you can explore by canoe, kayak and paddleboard. They are to rent everywhere, taking you the low carbon way along its network of channels, out as far as the artificial lake, Aussenalster. Here you can swap paddle for saddle and cycle around it too.
Cologne
London has the M25, Cologne has the Kölnpfad, a 171km hiking trail all around the city. Highlights include the Königsforst woodland and the Wahner Heide heath, the Roman aqueduct in Klettenberg, as well as riverside meadows and villages (it crosses the Rhine twice), with some urban areas scattered in between to wade through. Clearly marked by a series of white circles on a black background, you can access it at various points across the city.
Frankfurt
Home to Germany’s largest urban forest (Stadtwald), this is 80km2 of hiking, horse riding and cycling perfection, all accessible on the S7 line or Tram 14. Another world awaits, just an hour away too. Because Mainz, the capital of the Rhineland-Palatinate region, known as the romantic heart of Germany, is just over an hour by bus from Frankfurt Hahn airport. From here you can take boat trips down the Rhine, visit vineyards and stunning castles, and forget the city altogether.
Responsible tourism tips
Sustainable Travel in Germany
To read more about sustainable travel in Germany visit the German tourist board site.
Responsible Travel would like to thank the German National Tourist Board for their sponsorship of this guide.