Recharge in Autumn: The Best Activities in Germany

Colorful leaves, golden light, and the shortening days mark the fall season. Many are drawn out into the transforming colorful nature, and the urge for inner reflection grows. At special places and through special activities, you can enjoy peace and recharge your strength.

Depending on your needs, impressive autumn landscapes, quiet paths, or contact with very special creatures offer a chance to recharge and gain new energy. The travel bettercities.net presents you with seven power spots and activities in Germany to suit every need.

In Germany, there are numerous moors equipped with trails inviting you to take a deep breath. During a fall walk in the mystically beautiful surroundings, you can recharge and let your soul dangle. On well-manageable routes up to seven kilometers long, you can stroll through the Pietzmoor near Schneverdingen in the Lüneburg Heath. Boardwalks and bridges lead through the more than 8,000-year-old raised bog landscape. The scenery of sunken birch stumps and glowing mosses, barren soils, and heathlands are shared with residents like cranes or moor frogs.

The Murnauer Moos in Bavaria also serves as an animal and plant refuge open to hikers. It is considered the largest contiguous moor in Central Europe, and on a roughly twelve-kilometer round trail, you can discover rare flora and fauna. The so-called moor educational trail, which leads on wooden planks right through the moor, is particularly idyllic and brings you into close contact with nature - panoramic views of the surrounding mountain world included.

Germany's Rheinhessen region is often called the Tuscany of Germany for a reason. In the fall, when the leaves of the vines change color, a walk in this area holds a special charm. Gazing at the red-orange-colored vineyards reveals the relaxing mutability of nature. You can experience this on sections of the 45-kilometer-long Zellertal trail, which passes through significant wine-growing areas.

A pretty route is from Albisheim to the hamlet of Heyerhof. The nine-kilometer circular path also passes the Wartturm, which dates back to the 15th century and offers a view of the Zellertal. The path from Monsheim via Mölsheim to Wachenheim does not skimp on vineyard romance, and in Mölsheim, you can take a break in the wine tavern 'Weinstube Weinrast mit Weitblick.' The tour is just under ten kilometers long and is considered easy.

Autumn is also a time for pause and reflection. Secluded from external influences, you can pursue this need in many monasteries in Germany. On the Find Silence website, you can explore monasteries based on criteria like seminar offerings, non-believers welcome, accessibility, or catering options.

The Benedictushof Holzkirchen also offers numerous opportunities to find yourself in the silence behind walls. The monastery understands itself as an interfaith center for meditation and mindfulness and has a plethora of seminars in its repertoire. In an idyllic location, you can, for example, take an introductory course in archery, attend mindfulness courses, or practice Buddhist silent meditation.

In the fall, when most tourists leave Sylt, the North Sea island reveals itself as an idyllic retreat destination. Thanks to stored summer warmth, a swim in the North Sea is possible in calm weather, and for walks, the heath landscapes and the endless sandy beach, now partially deserted, are ideal.

Regionally, it can also be windy in the fall, and the surf accordingly stormy. But Sylt also has a solution for this. If the weather doesn't permit any outdoor activity, the beach sauna in List, open until early November, is an option to combine cozy warmth with a view of sugar sand dunes.

Yes, they are cute. But they are also stubborn and certainly don't let themselves get stressed. We're talking about fluffy alpacas, whose cute demeanor puts a smile on everyone's face. A walk with these comical animals teaches you patience, and during the walk, where the journey is the destination, you can relieve stress and recharge.

Hikes with these masters of calm are offered throughout Germany, for example, at the Alpakahof Kaut in Baden-Württemberg or with the Alpakas vom Roten Berg in Thuringia. Besides walks, the farms often offer additional experiences with the Andean camels.

No, forest bathing isn't about water; it refers to a conscious and mindful stay in the forest. The senses should be stimulated by close contact with nature. In Japan, forest bathing, known as Shinrin-Yoku, is a field of study at universities, as regular forest bathing strengthens the cardiovascular system, improves the immune system, and benefits mental health.

Listening to the rustling undergrowth, observing the colors of the leaves, mushrooms on the ground, or the shape of tree trunks, inspecting their bark, and letting your gaze wander into the treetops, all bring calm to the stressed mind. You can embark on a sensory journey, for example, in the primeval natural reserve Hainich in Thuringia or the Saxon Switzerland National Park in Saxony. For guided walks on forest bathing and mindfulness, there are numerous offers from the Black Forest to the Harz Mountains with different focuses.

When it gets colder and the wind whips, the longing for a warm place is programmed. Wellness facilities by the sea or directly in the forest now uplift the soul. The Schindelbruch Nature Resort in Saxony-Anhalt offers wellness areas whose windows look directly into the forest. And the Grandhotel Heiligendamm in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern invites you to beach walks with its location right by the Baltic Sea.

More immersion in nature can be found floating above the ground in top-equipped treehouse hotels. One of them is Tree Inn in Dörverden in Lower Saxony. The treehouses are located directly at a wolf enclosure, and two of the accommodations are equipped with a whirlpool with an outdoor view. It's a special experience to enjoy a relaxing bubble bath five meters above ground with the sound of wolves howling.

Looking for more inspiration? Find tips for top travel destinations with the travel bettercities.net.