The Harz offers you a diversity like hardly any other German low mountain range. Picturesque villages and small towns, lovely valleys or steeply rising rock faces with rivers rushing and bubbling in the depths that invite you to marvel and relax. Dense mountain forests, bizarre rocky gorges, mysterious caves and gushing waterfalls amidst an impressive natural backdrop.

The Harz is Germany's northernmost low mountain range. While it rises steeply from the surrounding countryside in the northwest, it slopes gently towards the southeast. Its longest extent is about 100 km, its greatest width about 40 km. With the granite peak of the Brocken, the Harz reaches a height of 1142m. Two national parks lie within its territory. At higher altitudes, the landscape is characterised by spruce forests, rocky outcrops and moors; at lower altitudes, mixed and deciduous forests and colourful mountain meadows dominate the landscape.

Due to its special location, the Harz is extremely popular with winter sports enthusiasts. Over 500 km of cross-country ski trails criss-cross the landscape, and there are also numerous opportunities for alpine skiing. But also during the rest of the year you will find a wide range of leisure activities in the "Adventure Harz". The Harz offers much more than "just" 8000 km of marked hiking trails.

The natural Harz has many faces. Here you will find rare animals and plants that you will search in vain for elsewhere. The shy wildcat, for example, the capercaillie, eagle owl, kingfisher and black stork are still native here. The hundred-year-old Brocken Garden with mountain plants from all over the world is worth an extra visit. From the highest peak you have a view of the Harz Nature Park with its two national parks.


Location

The Harz is located in the middle of northern Germany. Only 80 kilometres from Hanover, 50 kilometres from Braunschweig, 250 kilometres from Berlin and 300 kilometres from Hamburg or the Ruhr area.
If you want to know how to get to us quickly and conveniently, please click here for a map.

And if you want to plan your journey to us in the Harz region very precisely, then we recommend you use our online route calculator