Sustainable city-tripping in Leipzig: here's how

Leipzig offers more than its renowned historical architecture, thriving art scene, and vibrant shopping streets. For those who love active outings, the surrounding regions of Sächsisches Heideland, Sächsisches Burgenland, and Neuseenland provide diverse opportunities for hiking, cycling, and paddling. Explore orchards, parks, rivers, stunning heathlands, and forests. From castles in Sächsisches Burgenland to newly created lakes in Neuseenland, the views are as varied as they are breathtaking. Here are the 11 best active experiences in these regions near Leipzig.

An old cotton factory repurposed as an art center, a former gasometer adorned with panoramic artworks, vintage neon signs from the DDR era, and street art with stories to tell—Leipzig's industrial heritage has been transformed into vibrant cultural and artistic hubs. The Plagwitz district, once Germany's first major industrial area, is now an industrial monument. Its Wilhelminian-style buildings (from 1888 to 1918) have been repurposed into museums, cultural centers, and accommodations. Here are seven tips for an unforgettable visit to Leipzig's industrial heritage sites.

Around a reservoir, over wooded slopes or along a green promenade. In the province of North Rhine-Westphalia, just across the border with the southern half of the Netherlands, there is a route for every hiker. With 50,000 kilometres of hiking trails, you can hike every day for a whole year without having to walk a path twice. Whether you want to stroll leisurely through a lime tree avenue or burn your calves on the Eifelsteig, one of the most challenging hiking trails in North Rhine-Westphalia. For history buffs, there is a route through the medieval centre of the cloth-making town of Lennep and for nature lovers there are routes through the Naturpark Schwalm-Nette. We have made a varied selection of hiking trails in North Rhine-Westphalia, which are within driving distance of the Netherlands.

Just across the border from Gelderland and Limburg lies the nature-rich province of North Rhine-Westphalia. The landscape in the north is somewhat similar to that in the Netherlands, but less densely populated. Here, large grazers mow wet fields and beavers build their castles in the enormous floodplains of the Lower Rhine. Further south lie green city parks and Germany's largest arboretum. To the east, you can climb rugged rock formations and in the south you can wander through vast forests. Bones of early humans were found in the Neanderthal and deep caves lie in Sauerland. The nature parks in North Rhine-Westphalia each have something unique to offer. We share six locations for your bucket list.

Everyone has heard of Cologne, Düsseldorf or Aachen or has perhaps been there. But NRW has many more historical places to offer that are more than worth a visit. Half-timbered houses with white facades or monumental houses with slate facades. Imposing castles high on hills or medieval churches. Culinary enjoyment on a sunny terrace or shopping in buildings that are hundreds of years old. There is plenty to see and do in the old centres of the villages and towns of North Rhine-Westphalia. The German region is located on the Dutch border and therefore within driving distance of the Netherlands. The old streets and squares are photogenic and cosy, but less touristy than in other German regions. We share our 6 favourite old city centres for a historical, cultural and culinary outing.

Christmas music, decorated stalls and mulled wine: from mid-November, the cities of Rhineland-Palatinate are bathed in Christmas spirit again. The Christmas markets in this south-west German state attract visitors from home and abroad. We recommend five Christmas markets where you can experience the ultimate Christmas (market) feeling.