Nature & Outdoor Activities
German Half-Timbered Houses Route: breath-taking old German craftsmanship
The German Half-Timbered Houses Route showcases the various styles of half-timbered architecture in some 100 quaint towns along almost 3,000 kilometres from Stade on the River Elbe to Meersburg by Lake Constance.
On the journey along the German Half-Timbered Houses Route through idyllic countryside and romantic little towns, visitors can explore German half-timbered architecture in all its glorious manifestations. Houses are built all over the world but no other country on the planet is home to such a wealth of half-timbered buildings as Germany, where there are around 2.5 million of them in total. Visitors who embark upon this route are taken on a journey through 1,000 years of history, with every region boasting its own distinctive style of half-timbered architecture. But this cultural route has so much more to offer than just stunning architecture.
Baroque and Romantic religious buildings and treasures from the Weser Renaissance fit just as beautifully into the landscape as the Medieval witches' towers, Germany's northernmost vineyard, lovingly restored monuments, the home town of Apfelwein, a local cider, and the birthplace of bock beer. Half-timbered buildings are a common thread, with no end of festivals, markets and events providing plenty of entertainment for visitors to enjoy all year round.