Browse Apartments:  Germany  >  Holstein Switzerland
Explore Germany Travel Guides:  Germany  >  Holstein Switzerland
'

Select Vacation Rentals and detailed Travel Guides
Explore Germany: Holstein Switzerland

Holstein Switzerland

Holstein Switzerland lies in eastern Schleswig-Holstein. This picturesque region in the historical county of Wagrien has no precise political or geographic boundaries. Most of the area falls within the districts of Ostholstein and Plön, roughly between the cities of Lübeck and Kiel and extends as far north as the Baltic coast. Its major towns include Bad Malente-Gremsmühlen, Lütjenburg, Oldenburg in Holstein, Preetz and the old Residenz seats of Eutin and Plön.

The charm of this region is its ever-changing landscape of the Young Drift moraines of the Schleswig-Holstein Uplands which were formed during the last ice age. Small woods alternate rapidly with hedged, arable fields and the terrain is characterised by its many lakes nestling amonsgt low hills. Amongst the more well-known lakes are the Großer Plöner See, the Dieksee and the Kellersee. Rivers and water meadows abound, such as the Schwentine, which flows into Kiel Fjord or the Kossau, which discharges into the Großer Binnensee. The highest elevation is the Bungsberg near Schönwalde. With the only ski lift in Schleswig-Holstein and a height of 168 metres (551 ft) above NN it is also the highest 'mountain' in the state.

The rural landscape is still characterised by large, aristocratic estates and historic forms of farming that are mainly tied into large farm estates and their associated manor houses. These include Panker, Testorf, Rantzau and Hagen in Probsteierhagen. Several of the castles, such as Eutin and Plön may be visited and many of the estate farms are open to the public during the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival or other events. Salzau Estate houses the state cultural centre.

For walkers, the nature park trail (Naturparkweg) links the five nature parks in Schleswig-Holstein. There is an extensive network of cycle paths and quiet lanes and tracks for cyclists. Some of the large lakes are plied by pleasure boats and canoeing and other water pursuits are also possible. There are several seaside resorts close by on the Baltic coast.

[ source: wikipedia ]

Popular Destinations - Holstein Switzerland

Eutin

Eutin

Eutin is the district capital of Eastern Holstein (German: Ostholstein) located in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein. Eutin is the birthplace of composer Carl Maria von Weber. To honor him, an open air theater (Freilichtbühne) was built…

Related: Eutin travel guide

Browse our comprehensive collection of Germany vacation rentals and travel guides organized by destination, with detailed, personal destination guides for many different locations. Each of vacation rentals and holiday apartments are hand picked to meet our stringent quality requirements. You can book those all conveniently online. In addition, we work very closely with each of our property owners so that we can offer you special discounts, as well as last minute availability offers with substantial savings! The combination of our vacation rentals and travel guides will let you truly 'Live like a German' during your Germany vacation.

Most Popular Destinations in Germany

Germany has numerous cities of interest to tourists; these are the top nine travel destinations:

  • Berlin - the reunified and reinvigorated capital of Germany; known for its division during the Cold War - and the Berlin Wall. Today its a metropolis of diversity with elegant clubs, galleries and traditional restaurants. It is also a haven for shoppers.
  • Bremen - one of the most important cities in northern Germany, its old town will be of interest to travelers who want a slice of history.
  • Cologne - Germany's fourth-largest city. Cologne was founded by the Romans and is 2000 years old with its huge cathedral, Romanesque churches, and archaeological sites. Cologne also well known for its carnival and its Christopher-Street-Day parade. Don't forget to try the local cuisine and of course the local beer, called "Kölsch".
  • Dresden - once called Florence on the Elbe, and world-famous for its Frauenkirche and historic center which was destroyed during the war, the city offers more than what the average traveller can expect: Great festivals, all kinds of cultural entertainment, vibrant night life, and surrounded by beautiful natural vistas. Dresden hosts the Staatlichen Kunstsammlungen Dresden (Dresden State Art Collections) which is one of the world's most impressive museums and collections. The art collections consist of eleven museums, of which the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister and the Grünes Gewölbe are the most well-known.
  • Dusseldorf - Germany's capital of fashion, the capital city of North Rhine-Westphalia offers a wide scale of fascinating new architecture. Right along the shores of river Rhine, the "Altstadt" and the "Medienhafen" are among the best places in Germany to enjoy a vibrant nightlife. Being one of the country's wealthiest cities, the atmosphere is very pleasant. Germans call it "the only metropolis ending with -dorf (German for village)".
  • Frankfurt - Germany's leading financial center, transportation hub, seat of the European Central Bank (ECB), international trade fair center (Book Fair, Motor Show), hub of multicultural activity (30% Immigrants), and site of numerous world-class museums and theaters. It is also Germany's only city with enough skyscrapers to have a skyline.
  • Hamburg - Germany's second-largest city, famous for its harbour as well as its liberal and tolerant culture. Don't miss the Reeperbahn with its night clubs and casinos. Hamburg is also popular for its many musicals.
  • Hannover - One of Germany's newer tourist cities, having hosted various international events in recent times.
  • Munich - Bavaria's beautiful capital city and Southern Germany's primate city. Third largest city in Germany, Munich is the site of the famous Oktoberfest and the gateway to the Alps.
  • Nuremberg - Second largest city in Bavaria, after WW2 over 90% of the old-town was destroyed. Today it has already been reconstructed, including the Gothic Kaiserburg Castle (Emperor's Castle of the Holy Roman Empire of German Nation). You can also visit the Nazi party rally grounds, the Documentation Centre and Courtroom 600 - venue of the Nuremberg Trails.

[ source: Wikitravel ]