The best sport spots and adventures in Germany – travel tips, packing lists and first-hand experience from DOMISPORTS.
Brandenburg · Skating, Cycling, Bouldering · Best time: May–Oct
Flat, sprawling and paved — Berlin is a playground for anything on wheels: a decommissioned airfield for skates and longboards, a dense bike network across the city and bouldering gyms in nearly every neighbourhood. Perfect for smuggling training into everyday life. Tempelhofer Feld — huge free skate area.
Hansestadt · Running, SUP · Best time: May–Oct
A water city built for training: half of Hamburg runs its home loop around the Alster, and you can SUP the canals right through the city centre. Need more kilometres? Extend along the Elbe beach towards Blankenese. Alster loop (7 km) is Hamburg's running classic.
Bayern · Eisbach river surfing, Bouldering, Cycling · Best time: May–Oct
An Alpine-foothills base camp with big-city comfort: a standing river wave in the English Garden, Isar bike paths that carry you all the way into the mountains, and bouldering gyms galore. The river wave demands clear progression — practise on the easier wave first, then the Eisbach. Eisbach for experts only — beginners to Floßlände!
Bayern · Hiking, Skiing, Via Ferrata · Best time: Year-round
Germany's mountain-sport hub beneath the Zugspitze massif: the Höllental gorge and Alpspitze via ferrata in summer, the Kandahar downhill and glacier pistes in winter. Two seasons, one base camp — and the cable car spots you the first 2,000 metres. Zugspitze ticket ~€10 cheaper online.
Alpen · MTB, Hiking, Climbing · Best time: May–Oct
An Alpine border playground between Bavaria and Tyrol: long Karwendel valleys for MTB tours, hut-to-hut hikes and solid rock for climbing. Cable cars buy you altitude — the descents and approaches stay plenty long anyway. Cable car tickets often cheaper as combos.
Baden-Württemberg · Hiking, MTB · Best time: May–Oct
Endless ridge trails, dark firs and proper elevation gain: the Black Forest is classic endurance country for long-distance hikes and big MTB loops. From mellow panorama paths to full Westweg stages, you pick your own dose. Westweg (285 km) — long-distance trail from Pforzheim to Basel.
Norddeutschland · Surfing, Windsurfing, SUP · Best time: May–Oct
Germany's rugged board-sports outpost in the North Sea: beach-break waves off Westerland, reliable wind for windsurfing and sheltered corners for SUP. The water stays fresh even at the height of summer — in return, the line-ups are pleasantly empty. Wetsuit is mandatory — even in summer.
Bayern / Berchtesgadener Land · Hiking, Mountaineering
Germany's only Alpine national park, protected since 1978: 210 km² reaching from 413 m at the bed of the Koenigssee up to 2,713 m at the Watzmann summit, opened up by 260 km of trails and alpine routes. Before any tour into the high country, open the park administration's "Begehbarkeit" page for current trail closures; the pools at the Koenigsbach waterfall have been closed since 1 July 2021.
Bayern / Allgäu · Hiking, Climbing, Skiing · Best time: May–Nov
The Nebelhorn cable car climbs in stages from Oberstdorf via Seealpe (1,280 m) and Hoefatsblick (1,932 m) to the summit station at 2,224 m. The Nordwandsteig and the Hindelanger via ferrata start up there; in winter, a 7.5 km valley run does. In summer 2026 the lift runs 23 May to 8 November, first ascent 08:30, last descent from the summit 16:20 — anyone doing the full Hindelanger via ferrata needs the first cabin.
Sachsen / Sächsische Schweiz · Climbing, Hiking
1,135 free-standing sandstone towers are approved as climbing summits, protected by the Saxon climbing rules. For hiking, the Malerweg (116 km) and the Forststeig Elbsandstein (105 km) cross the same ground; the national park itself covers 93.5 km². Chalk is prohibited, top-roping is meant to stay an absolute exception, and jamming devices must consist entirely of textile sling material — climb only on dry rock: climbing on wet stone is forbidden because sandstone breaks away.
Bayern / Fränkische Schweiz · Climbing, Hiking
Around 12,000 climbing routes on some 800 separate limestone crags with cracks, chimneys, faces, aretes, overhangs and pockets. Sautanz, Magnet, Stone Love, Wallstreet and Action Directe were all first climbed here. A small share of the crags is closed for limited periods to protect rare bird species — check the current DAV and IG Klettern closures before you drive out, not once you are at the base of the wall.
Rheinland-Pfalz / Pfälzerwald · Climbing, Hiking
Red sandstone towers around Dahn in the Pfaelzerwald nature park: Buettelfels 40 m, Laemmerfelsen up to 44 m, Kuckucksfelsen 17 m, with routes from grade 2 to 9+, plus 12 signposted premium hiking trails. If you want a walk alongside the climbing, take the 12.5 km Dahner Felsenpfad — the Felsenland Sagenweg next to it runs 86.4 km and is a multi-day route, not an afternoon loop.
Nordrhein-Westfalen / Sauerland · Skiing, MTB, Hiking · Best time: Dec–Mar
46 lifts and more than 65 runs across 45 km of piste, with floodlights on up to 14 runs. The Kahler Asten next door stands 842 m; in summer the same area runs the Winterberg bike park and trail park. Floodlit skiing runs on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays only — check the weekday before buying an evening pass if you are coming after work.
Hessen / Upland · MTB, Hiking, Cycling
250 km of signposted mountain bike routes plus downhill and freeride trails served by two modern lifts, alongside road and e-bike touring and 300 km of hiking trails. Above the village stands the Muehlenkopf ski jump with a hill size of 147 m, and on the Ettelsberg the Hochheideturm with its viewing platform at 875 m. The 250 km of signposted MTB routes start in the village itself; for downhill and freeride you take the two lifts. The highest viewpoint is the Hochheideturm platform on the Ettelsberg at 875 m — that is the tower, not the mountain.
Niedersachsen / Harz · Skiing, MTB
The Wurmberg cable car runs 2,800 m and serves 16 pistes across five lifts in total. In summer the same cabins carry bikes to the top station at about 971 m, where four trails start: Freeride, Snakebite, Evil Rock's and Enduro. Open the Wurmberg cable car's overview page before you set off: it shows day by day which of the 16 pistes and which of the five lifts are actually running.
Thüringen / Thüringer Wald · Cross-country skiing, Hiking, Skiing · Best time: Dec–Mar
Oberhof sits at 825 m on the Rennsteig ridge. 160 km of cross-country trails are groomed fresh every day for classic and skating, from the 1.9 km Alte Rollerbahn I via the 16.1 km Wachsenrasen to the 48.7 km Grosse Runde "R". Start at Grenzadler, not in the village centre — from there you can set off on cross-country skis in every direction. The 48.7 km Grosse Runde "R" is a full day out; the 1.9 km Alte Rollerbahn I is the loop to ease in on.
Bayern / Bayerischer Wald · Skiing, MTB, Hiking
At 1,456 m, the highest summit of the Bavarian-Bohemian massif. A six-seat gondola (964 m long, 342 m of rise) and the Nordhang chairlift (944 m, 320 m) reach the upper slopes. In summer the bike park's trails drop 400 m from the same base station. The 2025/26 winter season ended on 6 April — late in the season take the north-facing Nordhang lift with its 320 m of rise rather than the Sonnenhang with 153 m. In the bike park a full-face helmet is mandatory throughout, the green family trail included.
Sachsen / Erzgebirge · MTB, Cross-country skiing · Best time: Apr–Oct
Six loops leave the trailhead at Sportpark Rabenberg near Breitenbrunn: Taster Loop 6.1 km / 110 m of climbing, Woodpeckers Track 7.7 km, Peak Orbiter 10.5 km, 2Mountain 14.6 km, Border Trail 19.5 km and Black Raven 25.5 km / 880 m. The cross-country trail starts right at the building and is groomed for classic. Open 1 April to 31 October, day ticket 12 euros, children up to and including age 12 free — warm up on the Taster Loop before taking on the Black Raven.
Sachsen / Erzgebirge · Skiing, Hiking, MTB
The Fichtelberg rises to 1,215 m, the highest mountain in Saxony. Six lifts with a combined capacity of 7,840 people per hour serve 15.5 km of piste; the aerial tramway has run since 1924 and climbs 303 m. In summer there are 75 km of hiking trails. The 1215 Pass covers the Czech side of the linked Fichtelberg-Klinovec area as well; in summer the same tramway is the way into the 75 km of hiking trails.
Bayern / Bayerischer Wald · MTB, Skiing
16 trails, from a children's course through the Flow Country Trail to Downhill and Evil Eye 2.0, lifts running 09:00-16:45. In winter the same hill (Geisskopf 1,097 m, Einoedriegel 1,121 m) has nine runs served by a six-seat chairlift, four drag lifts and three beginner lifts. A bike day ticket costs 46 euros and a single up-and-down ride 15 — for two or three descents the single ride is the cheaper maths.
Bayern / Chiemgau · Cross-country skiing, Skiing · Best time: Dec–Mar
Over 200 km of classic and skating tracks, groomed daily and free of charge: valley loops at 800 m, Hemmersuppenalm and Winklmoos-Alm above 1,200 m. The Nordic Plus loop runs up to 50 km with short-cuts along the way, the beginners' Baerenloipe 300 m. If there is too little snow in the valley at 800 m, move up to Hemmersuppenalm and Winklmoos-Alm above 1,200 m; the Nordic Park is floodlit Tuesdays and Thursdays from 18:00 to 20:00.
Ostsee, Schleswig-Holstein · Kitesurfing, Windsurfing, SUP, Cycling
A Baltic island with 18 marked surf spots around its coast: Gold, Gollendorf, Grüner Brink, Wulfen, Strukkamp, Burgtiefe and Fehmarnsund sit on different sides, so most wind directions have a beach that works. Windsurfing, kiting, wing foiling, wakeboarding and stand-up paddling all run here, and the Gelbe Planke signposting leads to the spots at Gold, Gollendorf, Lemkenhafen and Grüner Brink. Nature reserves and closed zones without water sports lie between the spots. On land, 300 kilometres of signposted cycle paths cross the flat island. Check the island spot map before you rig — nature reserves and closed zones where no water sports are allowed sit between the 18 marked surf spots.
Kieler Förde, Schleswig-Holstein · Sailing, Kitesurfing, Windsurfing
A sailing city and a kite area in one: Kiel Week brings sailing to the fjord from 20 to 28 June 2026. Seven spots are marked for kiting and windsurfing — Falckensteiner Strand, Strande, Stein, Heidkate, Brasilien near Schönberg, Laboer Strand and Aukrog. Which one works is decided by the day's wind direction. If you want to be on the water yourself in June, plan around Kiel Week: from 20 to 28 June 2026 the fjord is a regatta course for nine days.
Rügen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern · Kitesurfing, Windsurfing, SUP
Flat-water terrain on the west side of Rügen: at Suhrendorf you can stand for 12 kilometres of shoreline and up to 500 metres out into the lagoon — ground for practising water starts and first jibes without wave pressure. Rügen lists 14 surf spots in total; alongside Suhrendorf, Schaprode, Wiek and Zudar are among those marked as flat-water spots with a seagrass bottom. For waves, switch to the east side at Mukran: a steep beach only around 10 m wide, with 3 to 4 m waves on good days. Off Suhrendorf the standing area runs 12 km along the shore and up to 500 m out into the lagoon — bring booties, much of the bottom is covered in seagrass.
Region Hannover, Niedersachsen · Sailing, Windsurfing, SUP, Kayaking · Best time: Mar–Oct
A shallow inland lake with a fixed calendar: boating is allowed only from 20 March to 31 October, and water sports pause over the cold season. Combustion engines are not permitted, privately only electric motors are — so it stays quiet on the water. The main spot for surfers and kiters is Mardorf with its particularly shallow water; pedal, rowing and electric boats are available in Steinhude and Mardorf, with cranes and slipways at several points. Water sports are permitted only from 20 March to 31 October, after which boating is banned to protect nature — the shallow beginner water is off Mardorf on the north shore.
Landkreis Cuxhaven, Niedersachsen · Scuba Diving, Cycling, Fishing
A flooded chalk quarry, 40 hectares in size and 60 metres deep: old industrial plant, sunken cars and drowned woodland lie underwater, with visibility of up to 25 metres. Two training platforms at three and six metres make it a teaching water, angling is permitted too, swimming is not. On land, the Osteradweg and the Deutsche Fährstraße run through Hemmoor. Leave the swimsuit packed — the Kreidesee is a diving and angling water only, swimming is not permitted; two training platforms sit at three and six metres depth.
Ruhrgebiet, Nordrhein-Westfalen · Scuba Diving, Climbing · Best time: Year-round
A decommissioned ironworks turned sports ground: the gasometer holds 21 million litres of fresh water, 45 m across and 13 m deep, with visibility of up to 25 metres. Day pass for certified divers €26, rental gear €38, intro dive without a certificate €79; from OWD upwards you dive independently. Next door the DAV Duisburg section runs a climbing garden in the ore bunkers: around 800 routes from grade 2 to 9, walls about 10 m high with individual lines of 20 to 22 m, lead climbing only. The gasometer is warmed by sun alone — around 7 °C in winter, up to 26 °C in summer — and public diving runs on Saturdays, Sundays and announced extra days; book at the dive base at least a week ahead.
Brandenburg · Kayaking, SUP, Cycling
A branching network of channels rather than open water: more than 1,000 kilometres of waterways run through the Spreewald, over 200 of them navigable by canoe, Canadian or SUP. Because the area is a UNESCO biosphere reserve, put-ins are designated rather than free choice; bring your own boat and you use the marked access points, otherwise rental is available locally. Numerous paddler rest stops line the route, and on land the 260-kilometre Gurkenradweg runs in five stages through the same landscape and past Lübbenau. Fix your route and put-in beforehand — of more than 1,000 km of waterways in the Spreewald, over 200 km are navigable, and inside the UNESCO biosphere reserve you start at designated access points rather than anywhere on the bank.
Sachsen · Kayaking, SUP, Scuba Diving · Best time: Apr–Oct
A paddling city with a lake connection: it is 10 kilometres from the city harbour along canals and the Weiße Elster to Cospudener See, while the 6 km industrial-architecture loop stays entirely inside town. The Leipzig Lake District adds up to around 250 kilometres of water network usable for tourism; the Weiße Elster from Pegau to Leipzig runs 27 kilometres. Diving happens at Kulkwitzer, Zwenkauer and Cospudener See, each with its own base. At Kanupark Markkleeberg, artificial whitewater channels and two standing waves operate from mid-May to late September, most offerings from age 12, power and duo rafting from 16. The Connewitz and Cospuden locks run 10:00-18:00 in April and October and until 20:00 from May to September — plan the 10 km to Cospudener See so you are back before they close.
Bayern · Kayaking, Cycling
A slow river and a long cycle path: just under 120 kilometres of the Altmühl between Gunzenhausen and Dietfurt/Töging are navigable by boat, and the gentle current makes it a family river, whether for a short section or across several days. Alongside it, the Altmühltal cycle route covers 161 kilometres from Gunzenhausen to Kelheim, split into 15 stages and rated easy. Check the water level and navigability on the nature park site before setting off — the paddling stretch runs just under 120 km from Gunzenhausen to Dietfurt/Töging with barely any gradient.
Bayern · Sailing, Windsurfing, SUP · Best time: Apr–Oct
A sailing area without engine noise: apart from the large passenger steamers, no motorboats are allowed on the lake. The sailing season runs 1 April to 31 October, from age 18 and with no licence needed — permits only kick in for auxiliary engines above 4 kW, cabin boats and boats over 9.20 m. For surfing, Bernau am Chiemsee and Gstadt in the north are the entry points. White buoys mark the start of a nature reserve zone, entering the reed zones along the shore is prohibited, and 12 rotating beacons on the shore warn of storms. Watch the rotating beacons on the shore: 40 flashes per minute signal a possible storm, 90 mean acute storm danger — head for shore.
Bayern · Windsurfing, SUP, Sailing · Best time: May–Sep
A mountain lake with surf and SUP stations on several shores: courses and rental are available at Urfeld, at Niedernach and in the village of Walchensee itself, plus wing surfing and wing foiling; sailing boats can be hired at Urfeld from March to November. The schedule is tight — the SUKI windsurf centre runs daily from June to August, weekends only in May and September, and not at all in bad weather. The local windsurf centre opens daily only in June, July and August, and in May and September at weekends only — and in bad weather it stays shut altogether. Sailing boats, by contrast, can be hired from March to November.
Nordhessen · Sailing, Windsurfing, Kayaking, Cycling
A reservoir 27 kilometres long covering some 12 km² and holding 199.55 million m³: combustion engines are banned, electric boats are allowed. Surfing is permitted across the whole lake, closed zones are marked with orange buoys, and the water-ski lane is off limits to swimmers. Sailors factor in the evening lull — it is known here and can be planned around. For paddling, the river Eder offers a decent current and natural banks; on land the Edersee circular cycle route rings the lake and can be shortened by ferry. Check the level before a day on the water — in autumn the reservoir drops far enough for the ruins of the old Eder valley to surface; full supply level is 244.97 m above sea level.
Teutoburger Wald, Nordrhein-Westfalen · Yoga, Meditation, Ayurveda · Best time: Year-round
The Yoga Vidya ashram at Yogaweg 1 runs yoga classes for all levels twice a day plus meditations throughout the day, along with seminars, trainings and festivals. Teaching is Sivananda Yoga; the site also holds the integrated Shanti seminar house for seminars, workshops, congresses and conferences. You can come as an individual guest without booking a seminar — the two daily yoga classes, the meditations and the supporting programme are open to all levels.