Germany Half-Timbered Towns Itinerary

Explore three of the most beautiful towns in the country in the Germany Half-Timbered Towns Itinerary

A fairytale town, timber-framed houses huddled together – it’s an old, and very popular, idealized view of Germany. Seeing it for yourself is a wonderful experience, and in this Germany half-timbered towns itinerary you’ll get to see the very best of them, and without the crowds.

You can see half-timbered houses in villages, towns and cities all over Germany. In some places they have survived better than in others. And each area has subtle differences and distinctive styles of half-timbered houses. Even in this itinerary, a 50-mile (80 km) route covering three towns, there are noticeable differences in styles.

This half-timbered itinerary covers three towns, all on the northern edge of the Harz Mountains – Quedlinburg, Wernigerode and Goslar. All of them are stunning, each with hundreds (in Quedlinburg’s case, thousands) of timber-framed houses. And each has something different to offer. One is often called the ‘cradle of Germany’, another is the starting point for one of the best steam train rides in Europe, and the other is home to a mountain mined for over a millennium.

I’ve written this itinerary allowing for two days in each town, and you can alter the time you need at each as you see fit. In this guide I’ll point you in the direction of the best places to see, where to stay and where to eat. I’ll also advise on getting to the Harz Mountains region from the nearest major cities in Germany.

I hope it gives you some inspiration!

Germany Half-Timbered Towns Itinerary – Planning Tips

image of red half-timbered house in quedlinburg germany — A stunning red half-timbered house in Quedlinburg

In this article

All three towns on this itinerary require roughly a three-hour journey from Germany’s major international airports. This applies for Berlin, Hamburg and Frankfurt.

We started out with an extended stay in Quedlinburg, and made trips to Wernigerode and Goslar from there. Goslar may make a better starting point, particularly if you’re travelling there from Hamburg or Frankfurt.

If you aim to start in Quedlinburg and work your way west to the other two towns, it’s reachable from Leipzig in two hours.

These towns are all popular with German tourists, and relatively few English-speaking visitors tend to explore them. But English is widely spoken in hotels, tourist offices and most places you’re likely to go. A few words and phrases in German always go a long way.

You can easily do this itinerary by public transport, including the Harz Steam Railway, which is wonderfully scenic but quite slow! You’d only need a car if you were heading way off the beaten track.

Day 1 – Quedlinburg

image of half-timbered house and st benedikti church quedlinburg germany — The Boulevard Cafe building and St Benedikti Church

image of the marktplatz main square in quedlinburg germany — The Marktplatz in Quedlinburg

Quedlinburg has more half-timbered (fachwerk) houses than anywhere else in Germany. And if you’ve travelled a lot around Germany, you’ll know that that means it has a serious number of half-timbered buildings. I’ve read figures between 2,000 and 4,000 regularly quoted. And all I can say is that when I first visited Quedlinburg, I was staggered by the sheer number of these houses. Every street, every corner, everywhere.

You could quite easily spend your first day walking the streets of Quedlinburg, It’s not a large town, but you soon clock up the kilometres, especially on the cobbled streets.

There are three distinct are as of Quedlinburg – the Altstadt (Old Town), Neustadt (New Town) and Schlossberg (Castle Hill). The Schlossberg and Altstadt are the older parts of town, with the Neustadt founded in the 13^th century.

image of houses on castle hill or schlossberg quedlinburg germany — Houses on the Schlossberg (Castle Hill)

image of brigfhtly painred half-timbered house quedlinburg germany — A brightly-painted house near the main square in Quedlinburg

However, there’s very little discernible difference in the architecture between the three areas, as the vast majority of the half-timbered houses in the town date from the 16^th and 17^th centuries.

I recommend starting at the Markt, the main square with the Rathaus (Town Hall), next to one of the most photographed houses in Quedlinburg, the ground floor of which is home to the busy Boulevard Café.

From there, head north up Marktstrasse, stopping at the Marktkirche St Benedikti along the way. Continue to the Kornmarkt square, and up Schmale Strasse, slightly to the right, where you’ll find the vivid, brightly painted red house, one of the most beautiful timber-framed houses in Quedlinburg. Turn left when you reach Goldstrasse, then right to Ägidienstrasse, passing the Schreckerturm (Horror Tower, pictured). Then turn right onto Grabengasse, which soon becomes Breite Strasse (Broad Street), one of the town’s main streets.

image of the schreckerturm or horror tower quedlinburg germany — The Horror Tower, part of the town walls, above Goldstrasse

This soon takes you back to the Marktplatz. Several of the most beautiful streets in Quedlinburg either run off the square or are close by. Schuhhof is a tiny narrow alleyway that was once the home of cobblers, and is now one of the prettiest streets in the town with bright painted houses and a gorgeous bookshop.

Just to the south of the square, Word (pronounced ‘Vord’) is another stunning street, running alongside the Muhlgraben stream, then crossing it and emerging into open space, with one of the most picturesque rows of late medieval houses in the town.

From Word., it’s a ten-minute walk to the Neustadt district of Quedlinburg, which looks very similar to the rest of the town. Just keep walking and wandering. Wherever you go you’ll find more and more half-timbered houses, and one of the best places to see is the Neustadter Kirchhof, the square around the fine 14^th century Gothic church of St Nikolai.

Day 2 – Quedlinburg

image of houses on word street in quedlinburg germany — Houses on Word, one of the most beautiful streets in Quedlinburg

image of st servatius church quedlinburg germany — St Servatius Church

Start your second day in Quedlinburg by taking an early morning walk up the Schlossberg (Castle Hill). You’ll soon reach Finkenherd, where according to tradition, Heinrich I (known in English as Henry the Fowler), was offered the throne of the Kingdom of the East Franks – the forerunner of modern Germany – while hunting for birds.

Henry, who died in 936, was later buried in the Collegiate Church of St Servatius (Stiftskirche St Servatii), which dominates the Quedlinburg skyline. Completed in 1021, it’s the oldest of the churches in Quedlinburg, and one of the most impressive churches in Germany. It also houses the small Domschatzmuseum, the Cathedral Treasury. The collection includes some saints’ reliquaries and a jewelled comb believed to belong to Henry the Fowler.

The Castle Museum a few steps from the Church is currently closed for renovation – it’s due to reopen in 2026.

image of street in quedlinburg germany — Half-timbered houses galore in Quedlinburg

image of crypt painting in st wqiperti church quiedlinburg germany — The thousand-year-old painting in the crypt of St Wiperti

There are other things to do in Quedlinburg besides seeing hundreds of half-timbered houses (not that I’m complaining, but I was seeing them in my sleep after my first two days there). If you’re visiting during the summer months, it’s well worth the short walk to the simple Romanesque church of St Wiperti, which has a beautiful thousand-year-old crypt.

Quedlinburg is also one of the branch termini of the Harzer Schmalspurbahnen, known in English as the Harz Steam Railway. Much loved by train aficionados, the Harz Steam Railway was set up during the GDR (Communist East German) era and it runs on a narrower gauge than the main German network. The trains are pulled either by steam or diesel locomotives.

image of locomotive on the harz steam railway germany — Another steam train lower down on the Harz Railway

Quedlinburg is the northern terminus of the Selketalbahn, the line which runs through the lovely Selke Valley to the south of the town. We took a short journey to Gernrode, a village a few miles from Quedlinburg with a stunning 10^th-century Romanesque church, St Cyriakus. The Selketalbahn line continues to Alexisbad, with onward options including Stiege, Hasselfelde and Eisfelder Talmuhle. You could also continue to Wernigerode from there, a journey which would take you around six hours.

Hotels In Quedlinburg

image of hotel romantik am bruhl quedlinburg germany — Hotel Romantik am Bruhl

**** – Romantik Hotel am Brühl – one of the best Quedlinburg hotels, in a quiet spot 5-10 minutes’ walk from the main sights

**** – Schlosshotel zum Markgrafen – wonderful setting in 19^th-century mansion a few steps up the hill from the Old Town

*** – Hotel Zum Bär – impeccable hotel with outstanding service on Quedlinburg’s main square

*** – Hotel Zum Brauhaus – popular half-timbered hotel next to the old town walls, close to both the centre and Castle Hill

Day 3 – Wernigerode

image of wernigerode town hall or rathaus saxony-anhalt germany — Wernigerode Rathaus

image of crooked house museum wernigerode germany — The exterior of the Crooked House Museum

Wernigerode is less than an hour’s journey from Quedlinburg. The 230 bus from the station takes around 50 minutes, and stops at the end of Breite Strasse, close to many of the Wernigerode sights, before terminating at the bus station. Alternatively, you can catch the mainline train from Quedlinburg to Wernigerode, which requires a change at Halberstadt, and takes an hour.

Wernigerode is a larger town than Quedlinburg, but the area you’d explore is considerably smaller. That said, Wernigerode has more of a ‘holiday’ feel about it than Quedlinburg, where so many of the sights are houses where people still live.

image of cafe wien wernigerode germany — A full-length view of the facade of Cafe Wien

image of front of cafe wien building wernigerode germany — Detail of Wernigerode’s Cafe Wien

image of interior of crooked house museum wernigerode germany — A disconbobulating interior view at the Crooked House

image of wernigerode castle above half-timbered houses wernigerode germany — Wernigerode Castle

Breite Strasse is the town’s main street, with several popular cafes and bars, including the delightful Café Wien near the town square. This has one of the most beautiful facades in the town, beautifully and brightly painted patterns on the wooden beams of a house built in 1583.

Continue around the corner to Wernigerode Marktplatz, where you’ll be greeted by the sight of one of the most extraordinary buildings in Germany. Wernigerode Rathaus – the Town Hall – is an orange half-timbered building with two tall, thin spires rising above the bay windows either side. My son immediately likened it to a stern-looking owl, and I can see where he’s coming from! Also look closer at the details, including the many carved figures and heads decorating the wooden beams.

image of sculptures above dorrway wernigerode town hall or rathaus Germany — The figures above the Town Hall doorway

image of half-timbered house kochstrasse wernigerode germany — Sunset on a half-timbered house in Wernigerode Germany

Follow the road to the right of the Rathaus and take the next left turn, where you’ll come to the Crooked House Museum. We loved visiting this 17^th-century house, which improbably leans all over the place. It looks crazily crooked from outside, but within, it’s even more outlandish, with some amazing sloping floors. The house hosts exhibitions on local history and has a permanent exhibition of 19^th-century dolls.

Turn right off the square below and head along Kochstrasse, where you soon pass the Kleinstes Haus (Smallest House) , a tiny house which supposedlywas once home to eleven people. It’s open as a museum from May to October. One of the most popular things to do in Wernigerode is visiting its fairytale Castle, on a hillside overlooking the town. It was largely rebuilt in the 19^th century, a classic historical revival building with one earlier feature, the 16^th-century Renaissance-period tower. The Castle now hosts a Museum dedicated to 19^th-century German and European art and history.

Day 4 – Wernigerode and the Brockenbahn

image of half-timbered house on breite strasse wernigerode germany — One of the most beautifully decorated houses in Wernigerode

image of people at the half-timbered schlemmer cafe wernigerode germany — The Schlemmer Cafe on Breite Strasse

Like many off-the-beaten-path places in Germany, several Wernigerode attractions only open during the summer months – usually April or May to October. In Wernigerode, this means that you can only visit the Hasseröder Holiday Park, with a lido and water slides, and the Bürger und Miniaturen Park (Citizens and Miniatures Park).

The latter is just north of the centre and a great place for families to visit for an hour or so. It’s a walk around a series of 1:25 scale models of Harz region landmarks, including the Wernigerode Town Hall, St Servatius Church in Quedlinburg, and many more. It’s a great taster if you’re exploring more of the area.

image of steam train on the brockenbahn railway in snow near wernigerode germany — Approaching the summit on the wondrous wintry Brockenbahn

image of teddy bear sitting on harz steam railway train germany — Gilbert the Bear enjoying a free ride on the Harz Steam Railway

The steam train up the Brocken (Brockenbahn) usually departs Wernigerode in the afternoon. It runs year-round, even in the snow, and is one of the most magical train journeys in Europe. The journey takes around two hours each way. Trains depart Wernigerode Hauptnbahnhof and also call at Werrnigerode Westertor before running up to Drei Annen Hohne. You change trains there for the Brockenbahn, which runs to just below the summit of the mountain, at 1141 metres above sea level the highest in northern Germany.

During the Cold War Wernigerode and the Brocken were just inside East Germany, so the mountain became an invaluable strategic asset, used by the Communist regime as a spying and listening post to keep close tabs on their neighbours across the Iron Curtain.

Where To Stay In Wernigerode

**** – A-ROSA Gothisches Haus Wernigerode – beautiful 4-star superior Gothic half-timbered hotel on the Marktplatz

**** – Ringhotel Weisser Hirsch – another classic German half-timbered hotel, also on the Marktplatz with superb views

*** – Hotel Erbprinzenpalais – beautiful old house in gardens a few minutes’ walk from the town centre, on the lower slopes of the Brocken mountain

Day 5 – Goslar

image of old town goslar and the marktkirche or market church germany — The view along Bergstrasse to the Market Church

image of carving of man on house in goslar germany — A carving of a man on a house front in Goslar

It’s a short journey – half an hour – by direct train from Wernigerode to Goslar, the final stop on our Germany half-timbered towns itinerary.

Goslar, the final stop on this half-timbered itinerary, is the first place across the border in the former West Germany. The town grew very wealthy during the Middle Ages thanks to revenue form the ore-rich Rammelsberg Mine, whose resources had been exploited since 968 AD. This wealth is reflected in the decoration of many of its half-timbered houses, which is among the most intricate and detailed in all Germany.

Goslar Old Town (Altstadt) can easily be seen in a full day. The tourist train is a great introduction, as it gives you a quick overview of many of the streets, but to really get to appreciate the town, you need to walk the streets on foot.

image of a street of half-timbered houses in goslar germany — A half-timbered street in Goslar

image of doorway on half-timbered house in goslar germany — An upstairs doorway on a house in Goslar

The half-timbered houses in Goslar differ from those in Wernigerode and Quedlinburg because of the availability of building materials, most notably slate. It’s used to roof some houses in Goslar, and also used on some facades. Many of the houses in Goslar also follow a black and white colour scheme – though there are a few exceptions.

The timber-framed houses in Goslar are also notable for their extraordinary decoration, particularly the intricate carvings. Some of them are bawdy and ribald, including the naked woman riding on the back of a goat on the Brusttuch Hotel across the street from the Market Church. Another female figure on the same building contemptuously ignores the advances of the Devil, stirring butter in a churn with one hand, with the other up her skirt pleasuring herself!

Nearby, the Siemens Haus, built in 1693, was home to Hans Siemens, an ancestor of the Siemens family that went on to develop one of the biggest technology companies in the world. It can only be organized as part of a group guided tour.

image of half-timbered house in goslar germany — One of the more ornate half-timbered houses in Goslar

image of goslar glockenspirel figures goslar germany — The parade of miner figures on the Goslar Glockenspiel

image of dukatenkacker or dukastenscheisser coin-pooping figure in goslar germany — The ducat pooper on the inner arcade wall of the Hotel Kaiserworth

The Marktkirche (Market Church) of SS Cosmas and Damian is well worth half an hour of your time, with some exceptional medieval stained glass panels to see. I also recommend the climb up the church tower (though it’s a bit of a tight squeeze at the very top). You’ll be rewarded with a superb view of the rooftops of the Old Town, and its numerous church towers and spires.

And don’t miss the wonderful Marktplatz, where you’ll find the Town Hall, the 800-year-old Eagle Fountain and the three-hourly Goslar Glockenspiel. Year-round, a group of worker figures parade beneath the clock for five minutes or so. It always draws a small crowd!

Also take a look at the red building on the square, the Hotel Kaiserworth, for the hilarious ‘ducat pooper’ figures. We’re not quite sure what the message behind them is, but there’s no doubt about it, two figures are holding open their posteriors and quite clearly pooping out coins. One theory is that the figures are a reminder to pay one’s debts. Another is that they are a symbol of the wealth and prosperity of Goslar. We’ll probably never know for sure.

Day 6 – Goslar and the Rammelsberg Mine

image of half-timbered houses and market church goslar lower saxony germany — SS Cosmas and Damian church towering above the timber-framed houses of the Old Town

image of half-timbered cottages next to the river gose goslar ghermany — Half-timbered cottages overlooking the River Gose

image of the kaiserpfalz or imperial palace goslar germany — The 11th-centrury Kaiserpfalz (Imperial Palace)

Before heading off on the 803 bus to the Rammelsberg Mine, I recommend seeing the rest of Goslar’s Old Town.

The Holy Roman Empire was governed by an itinerant monarch who travelled around his domain, moving from palace to palace. The Kaiserpfalz, built around 1050, was the favoured residence of Heinrich III, but it gradually fell out of use from the 13^th century onwards.

Much of the Palace complex has survived remarkably well, including the Kaisersaal (Imperial Hall) and the Chapel of St Ulrich.

image of the krodo altar in the goslar museum goslar germany — The astounding Krodo Altar Image: Rabanus Flavus / Wikipedia

image of intricate carvings on timber house in goslar germany — Intricate carvings were a sign of wealth in Goslar in the Middle Ages

It’s also well worth stopping by at the Goslar Museum, whose star exhibit is the astonishing 12^th-century Krodo Altar. It’s an extremely rare 900-year-old metal altar which once stood in the former Goslar Cathedral, the ruins of which were demolished in the 19^th century.

From there, it’s a short walk to the River Gose, where many of the best half-timbered houses in Goslar can be found.

Afternoon – Rammelsberg Mine

image olf rammelsberg mine goslar germany — Rammelsberg Mine in snow

The World Heritage-listed Rammelsberg Mine and Museum is open year-round, but English-language guided tours are only available between April and October.

The Mine was open for over a thousand years, from 968 to 1988, extracting silver, copper and lead from the mountainside. Its Museum consists of the central power station, the storehouse and ore dressing plant, but to really bring it to life you need to take the underground Mine Train Tour.

See Also: 16 Best Things To Do In Goslar

Where To Stay In Goslar

image of room window at atstadthotel zur biorse goslar germany — Altstadthotel zur Borse

**** – Altstadt Hotel zur Börse – my favourite Goslar hotel, in a stunning half-timbered house close to the Market Square

**** – Romantik Hotel Alte Münze – another half-timbered gem in the heart of the old Town

**** – Schiefer Hotel & Apartments – great central option, right on the beautiful Marktplatz, Goslar’s main square

Where Are The Harz Mountains

image of wernigerode castle germany — Looking up one of the side streets to Wernigerode Castle

The Harz Mountains region covered in this article is in Central Germany, straddling the states of Saxony-Anhalt, Lower Saxony and Thuringia.

If you’re travelling there from Berlin, you’re looking at a three- or four-hour journey with a change of train along the way. Goslar is 264 km from Berlin, and Quedlinburg is 213 km away.

The region is a similar distance from other major gateways to Germany including Hamburg and Frankfurt.

How To Get To The Harz Mountains

image of editor faye haines and her son on board train to quedlinburg germany — Faye and Our Little Man on board the train to Quedlinburg

The easiest way to get to the Harz region is by train. However, from all the major entrance points to Germany, you’re looking at a minimum of one, possibly two, changes of train to reach your destination.

If travelling from Berlin, look to get to Magdeburg, from where there are trains to Quedlinburg (the RE11), Wernigerode and Goslar (the RE21).

If you’re travelling from Leipzig, Quedlinburg is only two hours away, with two changes of train – one at Halle (Saale), and the other at Halberstadt. You can also catch an intercity train (for which the Deutschland ticket isn’t valid) to Braunschweig, and connect with the Goslar train there.

More Half-Timbered Towns In Germany To Visit

image of bacharach germany — Bacharach is one of the most beautiful Rhine river towns

image of half-timbered houses in the malerwinkel quarter bacharach germany — The postcard-pretty Malerwinkel quarter of Bacharach

There are hundreds of half-timbered towns in Germany to visit – far too many to list here. You’ll also find them right across the country – from the Mosel Valley in the far west of the country to Lusatia in the far east, close to the Czech and Polish borders.

I’ve written about several half-timbered towns and villages in western Germany. For the Mosel Valley, check out my guides to the gorgeous village of Beilstein and the best things to do in Cochem, a few miles downriver from there. Bernkastel-Kues, an amalgamation of two villages either side of the river, is also stunning.

Image of the gatehouse at Schloss Philippsburg Braubach Germany — Schloss Philippsburg in Braubach

rhine river towns image of st severus church boppard germany — St Severus Church in Boppard

Just to the east, there are some wondrous half-timbered River towns to explore. Of these, I suggest browsing my articles on Braubach (which is just below the mighty Marksburg Castle), Boppard, Oberwesel, Bacharach and Rüdesheim. All of these are well worth a visit, as well as the Castles along the scenic Upper Middle Rhine Valley.

The German Half-Timbered Route (Deutsche Fachwerkstrasse) is a great way to discover half-timbered towns in Germany. They have eight different routes, most of which are in central Germany, several of which are in the provinces of Hesse and Lower Saxony. I also recommend the concentration of half-timbered towns around Stuttgart (on the Neckar-Black Forest route), with some real hidden gems including Altensteig and Kirchheim-unter-Teck.

The Romantic Road is also well-endowed with half-timbered wonders, including the likes of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Feuchtwangen, Dinkelsbühl and Nördlingen.

Germany Half-Timbered Towns Itinerary – Final Thoughts

image of facade of cafe wiern building wernigerode germany — The stunning facade of Cafe Wien in Wernigerode

I hope you have enjoyed this itinerary and that it inspires you to see some or all of these wonders for yourself.

Quedlinburg, Wernigerode and Goslar make an easy itinerary as they’re all quite small towns and are all within a short distance of each other. Yet they each offer something a little different. Saxony-Anhalt is one of the most fascinating regions of Germany to explore, but remains well off the beaten track. I also rate it one of the best unexplored regions in Europe, somewhere well worth seeking out.

I’ve written many more articles about Germany. Take a look at some of these for further inspiration:

17 Best Places To Visit In Eastern Germany

30 Best Places To Visit On The River Elbe

15 Best Day Trips From Leipzig

14 Famous Leipzig Landmarks To Explore

One Day In Leipzig

Visiting Nikolaikirche Leipzig – the church where the 1989 Revolution began

Frauenkirche Dresden – one of the most beautiful churches in Germany

One Day in Dresden – 24 hours in the Florence on the Elbe

14 Best Day Trips From Dresden

How To Visit The Bastei Bridge – one of the most spectacular landmarks in Germany

Things To Do In Görlitz – the gorgeous border city much loved by filmmakers