Vacation in the Sauerland

On this page, you’ll find information about vacations in the Sauerland.

All information is presented in simple language.

This is the Sauerland

Im Vordergrund spazieren zwei Männer. Einer davon benutzt einen Rollator. Im Huntergrund spazieren noch eine Frau und ein Mann.

Hiking and Walking

Hiking and walking are especially enjoyable in the Sauerland.
There are many different trails through the beautiful countryside.
We take good care of the trails.
For example, we maintain the signs,
so you can find your way easily.
And we work together with restaurants and cafés.
So you can find something to eat and drink wherever you go.

Here are 3 special hiking tips:

The Sauerland-Wanderdörfer.
These are 11 towns that go the extra mile for hikers.
They’ve even received an award for it:
“Wanderbares Deutschland” Quality Region.
The Sauerland “Seelen·orte” (Places of the Soul).
These are special places in the Sauerland.
At these spots, you can find peace and quiet especially well.
And feel nature.
Just like many people before you, for a very long time.
For example, majestic trees, mountain peaks, or chapels in the forest.
3 very long hiking trails.
You can hike these trails for several days.
There are great places to stay overnight and stop for a bite to eat.
The trails are called:
Rot·haar·steig, Sauerland-Höhen·flug, and Sauerland-Wald·route.

Where is the Sauerland?

The Sauerland is located in western Germany.
Most of the Sauerland is part of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
A small part belongs to the state of Hessen.

Well-known cities in the Sauerland are:

Brilon
Iserlohn
Olpe
Schmallenberg
Soest
Winterberg
Willingen

Things to Do in the Sauerland

Hiking and Walking

Hiking and walking are especially enjoyable in the Sauerland.
There are many different trails through the beautiful countryside.
We take good care of the trails.
For example, we maintain the signs,
so you can find your way easily.
And we work together with restaurants and cafés.
So you can find something to eat and drink everywhere.

Here are 3 special hiking tips:

The Sauerland-Wanderdörfer.
These are 11 towns that go the extra mile for hikers.
They’ve even received an award for it:
“Quality Region: Wanderbares Deutschland.”
The Sauerland “Seelen·orte” (Spiritual Places).
These are special places in the Sauerland.
At these spots, you can find peace and quiet especially well.
And feel nature.
Just as many people before you have done for a very long time.
For example, old, thick trees, mountain peaks, or chapels in the forest.
3 very long hiking trails.
You can hike these trails for several days.
There are plenty of good options for lodging, Essen, and drinks.
The trails are called:
Rot·haar·steig, Sauerland-Höhen·flug, and Sauerland-Wald·route.

Ein älteres Paar fährt auf E-Bikes durch die grüne Natur. Im Hintergrund liegt Schmallenberg.

Cycling

The Sauerland is a great place to go cycling.
It doesn’t matter how fit you are or what kind of bike you have.

Maybe you prefer a more leisurely ride.
Then ride along a river.
Or on a route where a train used to run.
These paths are flat.
But we also have great routes for road bikes.
Uphill, downhill, on good roads.
Or do you have a mountain bike?
It’s pronounced “mountain bike.”
It’s a bike for rugged trails through the mountains and forests.
That’s great fun here, too!

Junge Frau mit Down-Syndrom steht bis zu den Knien im Wasser eines Sees und strahlt über das ganze Gesicht.

The Sauerland-Seen

Many people come to the Sauerland just for the lakes.
There are 5 large lakes offering great opportunities.

Here, you can:

swim or dive
sail, row, or ride a pedal boat
go fishing
hike around the lake and enjoy the beautiful nature
or just relax on the shore.

Trips to Exciting Places

There’s also plenty to discover in the Sauerland!

For example:

The cable car up to Ettelsberg.
You can also ride it in a wheelchair.
At the top, there’s an observation tower with an elevator.
Burg Altena.
The castle is located on a hill high above the town of Altena.
You can take an elevator from downtown to the castle.
Peters Schokowelt.
It’s a theme park all about chocolate.
An amusement park.
It’s called Fort Fun Abenteuerland.
It’s pronounced “Fort Fann.”
Maybe you’d like something even more exciting.
Then come to Asten-Kick!
There, you’ll fly down into the valley on a thin rope.
You’ll wear a safety harness, just like when rock climbing.
Because you’ll go as fast as a car: 70 kilometers per hour!

A cheerful group of winter sports enthusiasts is sitting in the chairlift.

The Sauerland in Winter

There are plenty of great things to do in the Sauerland in winter, too.

There are many ski resorts where you can go skiing.
One of our ski schools
offers courses for people with disabilities.
If there’s no snow , we make artificial snow.
You can go cross-country skiing.
Or go sledding.
Hiking is also possible in winter.
We clear some of the trails.
That way, you can safely stroll through the snow-covered landscape.

Feel Good and Relax

Go to the sauna.
Take a dip in warm, healthy water.
Get a massage.
That sounds great!
And you can do all that in the Sauerland, too!

We have many swimming pools and thermal baths.
Thermal baths are baths with healing water.
And hotels with saunas, pools, and massage services.
Come and relax in the Sauerland!

The Sauerland for People with Disabilities

Our goal is:
Everyone should be able to take a vacation in the Sauerland.
No matter where they’re from or how old they are.
And no matter whether they have a disability or not.

There’s currently a project in the Sauerland.
The project is called SOFA.
It stands for: