These are the Spectacular Natural Wonders in East Germany

Nature has created incredible places that we can still marvel at today. Join us on a tour through the most beautiful natural wonders in Eastern Germany and find out what you shouldn't miss.

Germany boasts an incredible variety of nature. While the north is characterized by coastal landscapes and the south by mountain panoramas, the west and east are slightly more diverse.

In Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia, you can find a bit of everything in a smaller, more easily explorative format. Let us introduce you to the most beautiful and spectacular natural wonders in the east of the country.

Here, water has done extensive work over the millennia: We're talking about the Dragon Gorge near Eisenach in Thuringia. Millennia is an understatement, as the rock gorge is a proud 250 million years old. The rock walls are covered with moss, and you can even find rare plants like devils' claw and toothwort here. If you are looking for a cool, quiet place with the gentle sound of trickling water, the Dragon Gorge is ideal.

There are guided hikes, but you can also explore the Dragon Gorge on your own, for example on a varied circular hike: Start in the Mariental, through the Dragon Gorge to the Hohe Sonne. From there, you could make a detour to the Wartburg; it's not a natural wonder but certainly a man-made marvel. From the Hohe Sonne, you can take a bus back to Eisenach or continue hiking via the Weinstraße, Große Drachenstein, and Landgrafenschlucht back to Mariental. The circular route without Wartburg is about eleven kilometers long.

Between Halle and Bernburg, the Lower Saale Valley in Saxony-Anhalt showcases its primeval floodplain landscapes at their most beautiful. The rocky slopes even provide nesting opportunities for special birds like the colorful bee-eater. With a bit of luck, you can observe it in summer on the Muschelkalk slope near Köllme. Spring is also a feast for the eyes in the Lower Saale Valley, with blooming anemones forming white-green carpets.

Here, millions of years ago, the Saale broke through the Halle-Hettenstedt mountain range, creating a valley with steep cliffs, narrow valleys, and impressive slopes. You can see the geological evolution with your own eyes and hike through deciduous forests, dry habitats, and along river courses. There are also five different educational trails providing information on flora, fauna, mining, and the cultural history of the region.

Saxon Switzerland in Saxony is perhaps one of the most famous natural wonders in Eastern Germany. Nature here is undoubtedly wild, featuring impressive gorges and extraordinary rock formations. One of the most famous spots in Saxon Switzerland, however, is man-made: the Bastei Bridge. If you want more nature, you should aim for a hike up to Lilienstein or across the Rauensteine.

The sandstone formations were created millions of years ago, but due to their soft rock, they continue to change to this day. Arches also formed back then, which you can see at the so-called Kuhstall. Also worth seeing are the Langhennersdorf rock labyrinth, the Lichterhöhle, and the Barbarine from Pfaffenstein.

Brandenburg is mostly flat, but not every natural wonder has to consist of mountain landscapes. One here even holds the status of a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site: the Grumsin Beech Forest. Listed by UNESCO since 2011, this exceptional forest in the Schorfheide-Chorin biosphere reserve is home to endangered species, as unlike almost all other forests in Germany, it has never been logged. It remains one of the last primeval forests in the country.

The beech trees are partly almost 200 years old, and a mountain created during the Ice Age might still be familiar from childhood stories: the Blocksberg. At 139 meters, it may not shine in comparison with other mountains in Germany, but it is still the highest point in the Grumsin Beech Forest. Meanwhile, the Schwarze See at 109 meters above sea level is the highest lake in Brandenburg - records can be set quickly in the flatlands.

In Meiningen, Thuringia, there lies a natural wonder beneath the ground: the Goetz Cave. Located directly under the Meininger Dietrichsberg, the cave offers a great view over the city even from the entrance before you venture inside. The cave was discovered in 1915 by merchant Reinhold Goetz, and it is named after him. After 19 years of preparation for visitors, it finally opened to the public in April 1934.

Today, you can breathe healthy, dust- and pollen-free air here, and even in summer, you should bring a jacket for your visit as it's cool inside the Goetz Cave. A tour lasts about 40 minutes, with tours available on Thursdays and Fridays at 4 and 5 PM, and on weekends at 11 AM, 12:30 PM, 2 PM, and 3:30 PM. The cave is closed from November to the end of March.

The Upper Lusatian Heath should definitely not be missing from the list of natural wonders in Eastern Germany. Officially named the 'Upper Lusatian Heath and Pond Landscape Biosphere Reserve,' the region is even listed with UNESCO. It's one of the largest pond areas in Germany and home to numerous animal and plant species. Early in the morning, you can watch swans waking up and listen to the geese flying in flocks over the water.

Soft sandy paths lead through pine forests, and if you're cycling, you'll also pass by some majestic avenues of oaks. By the way, the signs here are almost all bilingual, in German and Sorbian. There are several observation points suitable for bird and wildlife watching, and several nature trails offering information about the flora and fauna of the region northeast of Bautzen.

Here you will find Thuringia's blue gold: Slate, which is the star of the Slate Mountains Nature Park. In the region, as well as in many other parts of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Brandenburg, you'll find houses with facades covered in slate. The extraction of this material, along with various ores, has sustained Thuringia for centuries. To this day, alongside the idyllic slate villages, there are craft businesses that have preserved the art of slate roofing.

Today, the Slate Mountains are crisscrossed with pond landscapes that the monks once created for fish farming. They have returned to nature and are home to numerous animal and plant species. The Thuringian Slate Mountains even harbor an entire sea: At least, that's what the locals call the massive reservoir landscape that dams several rivers. With some luck, you can spot kingfishers, water ouzels, and fire salamanders here.

The South Harz karst landscape in Saxony-Anhalt regularly amazes visitors: In spring, you are greeted by endless carpets of blooming anemones, combined with the intense scent of wild garlic forests, blossoming fruit trees, and rugged rocks. The area stretches between Stolberg in the west and the rose city of Sangerhausen in the east. The gypsum karst landscape here is among the most significant in Europe.

A crazy thought: More than 250 million years ago, the region was once a tropical seabed. The water has disappeared, but the Permian salt deposits that weathered into gypsum remain. Water sinks quickly here, caves form and collapse again, creating an extraordinary landscape where alongside adders and fire salamanders, black storks and eagle owls feel right at home.

If you want to sink your feet in the sand, you don't need to head to the sea. In the middle of Brandenburg, there's a wandering dune, one of the last of its kind. Due to former military training operations near the Zinna Forest, the dune was reactivated and continues to shift. It may not compare to huge wandering dunes like the Dune of Pilat in France, but it is a true gem in Brandenburg.

You'll find this natural wonder near the Zinna Monastery in the middle of the Zinna Forest nature reserve. The sand area is about nine hectares and gradually moves northward. There are marked hiking trails, such as to the Wurzelberg, which you should not leave. After all, it's a former military training area, and munitions remnants might still be lurking underground.

Brandenburg is mostly flat, but not every natural wonder has to consist of mountain landscapes. One here even holds the status of a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site: the Grumsin Beech Forest. Listed by UNESCO since 2011, this exceptional forest in the Schorfheide-Chorin biosphere reserve is home to endangered species, as unlike almost all other forests in Germany, it has never been logged. It remains one of the last primeval forests in the country.

If you don't want to paddle yourself, you can join a guided canoe tour and just drift along. Keep your eyes open, perhaps you might catch a glimpse of the magnificent kingfisher. The best starting point for canoe tours is Lübbenau. Incidentally, UNESCO officially recognized the Spreewald as a biosphere reserve in 1991.

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