Harburg: Heath, nature and special discoveries

Explore the landscape and trails actively

A dense network of tourist cycling routes runs through Harburg district. A total of 1,000 kilometres of tourist cycling routes are signposted. This figure highlights the importance of cycling when planning a trip: you can organise your holiday days around rides and make the landscape itself a central theme. Specific routes or distances between individual places to visit are not described here; the key points for orientation are the extensive network of signposted routes and the district’s varied landscapes.

The Heidschnuckenweg also offers the prospect of a long-distance hike. Opened in 2012, the trail is 223 kilometres long and runs from Hamburg through the districts of Harburg, Heidekreis and Celle, as well as through more than 30 large and small heathland areas in the Northern and Southern Heath. The hiking experience is divided into 13 stages. In addition, there are twelve heathland loops ranging from 1.4 to 20.9 kilometres in length. This gives you a choice of different distances when planning your own route. At 1.4 to 20.9 kilometres, the loops are considerably shorter than the 223-kilometre trail.

Wildlife, nature and special discoveries

Wildlife parks offer a different focus. The Schwarze Berge Wildlife Park features a 45-metre-high Elbe View Tower in a 50-hectare park with hills, valleys and lakes. The Lüneburg Heath Wildlife Park, meanwhile, is home to more than 1,200 animals, including Siberian tigers, wolves and snow leopards. The specific figures and species show how the two nature experiences differ: one is a large park with a striking tower, the other a diverse array of wildlife. If you are travelling with children, you can choose between these destinations according to your interests, for example whether you want to focus on landscapes or wildlife watching.

The Lüneburg Heath Barefoot Park offers another way to experience nature first-hand. Visitors walk barefoot over various natural surfaces and can stop at activity stations such as scent boxes and a tree telephone. This experience engages different senses than the view from the Elbe View Tower or a hike along the Heidschnuckenweg. When planning your holiday, you can consider these different experiences as separate ideas for day trips, without combining them into one shared path or fixed route.

Art and getting around

The Bossard Art Site Museum offers a cultural highlight. It preserves Expressionist murals and interior furnishings in their original context. This turns the focus to art and designed interiors, while cycling and hiking trails and nature experiences cater to other interests. At the Kiekeberg Open-Air Museum, the “Museum Kiekeberg” bus stop is right outside the museum; it is served by several HVV bus routes. This information about the bus stop is useful when planning how to get there by bus.

In the wider region, the Lüneburg Heath Nature Park includes 27 protected areas spread across the districts of Harburg, Heidekreis and Lüneburg. These protected areas underscore the region’s connection with nature, while the historical and artistic collections reveal another side of a visit. When choosing a holiday apartment in Harburg, this variety can be a starting point: decide whether you want your holiday days to focus mainly on hiking, cycling, wildlife watching or cultural discoveries, and tailor your search to your personal priorities.

Discover more places

More places to explore: Hollenstedt, Hittfeld, Heidenau, Egestorf, Buchholz in der Nordheide, Otter, Drage, Jesteburg, Handeloh, Eversen, Scharmbeck, Rosengarten, Marxen, Stelle, Wulfsen, Königsmoor, Hanstedt, Eyendorf, Marschacht, Tespe, Gödenstorf, Brackel, Wenzendorf, Vierhöfen, Garlstorf, Appel, Toppenstedt, Winsen an der Luhe, Bendestorf, Undeloh, Tostedt, Sottorf, Sieversen, Seevetal, Salzhausen and Neu Wulmstorf.

For the regional travel overview: Lower Saxony.