Outdoor adventures in Germany: five places to spend time in nature

Germany has plenty of both. Whether it's a short train ride from Berlin to spend a day by a lake or a week hiking in Bavaria, these five places are easy to add to a city trip.

Schlachtensee, Berlin

Just a 30- minute ride on the S-Bahn from the center of Berlin, Schlachtensee provides the easiest of city escapes. This deep lake is good for cooling off on hot summer days, with plenty of handy beaches along its banks for lazy picnics and an unhurried afternoon.

The paths through the woodland which surrounds also suit a short hike, with red squirrels darting through the elm trees. When the weather cools off, fewer visitors make the trip south west of the city, all the better to enjoy the forest’s autumn colors in peace and quiet.

Finnair flies from Helsinki to Berlin several times a day

Hiddensee

The island of Hiddensee has been closed to motor traffic since 1927, which makes it a quiet place to spend a day. It lies just west of Rügen, Germany's largest island, and is best explored on two wheels. Hire a bike and take a slow ride along its paths and lanes. Life here is lived largely outdoors, and the island still carries traces of the artists and writers who settled here in the mid-20th century, among them Gerhart Hauptmann, who is buried at Kloster. A tent cinema at Vitte harbour, reopened in 2012, is a good place to end a day on the beach or on the island's signposted trails.

Finnair flies from Helsinki to Hamburg several times a day.

Ammergau Alps

This corner of southern Bavaria is best known for Neuschwanstein Castle, which was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in July 2025. Around it rise the Ammergau Alps: valleys, ridges, marked hiking routes and a number of spa hotels. In summer the walking runs along the valley floors and up to the ridges; in winter the snow draws skiers and other winter sports. There are climbing huts for more experienced hikers, and a spa in Bad Bayersoien for afterwards.

Finnair flies from Helsinki to Munich twice a day.

Thuringian Forest

The rural heart of Germany, the Thuringian Forest is home to sleepy villages, winding back roads and hills covered in conifer forest and meadows. This is a place to come and slow down, whether by foot along the 169-kilometer Rennsteig Trail, which runs from Hörschel to Blankenstein, or simply driving the back roads. Come during the warmer months to maximize time spent outdoors, with the nearest major city a long way off.

Finnair flies from Helsinki to Frankfurt several times daily.

Eifel National Park

Close to the Belgian border, Eifel National Park was founded in 2004, and since then most of it has been left to develop on its own, after timber felling and farming came to an end. More than 2,000 of the 10,000-plus species recorded in the park are on North Rhine-Westphalia's red list of threatened species, among them black storks, Eurasian eagle owls and wild cats. The park is just 65 kilometers from Cologne, making it an easy day trip for those on a city break keen to spend time in nature. Take to the walking trails, spend time bird watching or breathe in the clean air while looking out across the region’s lakes and rivers.

Finnair flies from Helsinki to Düsseldorf several times a day.