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Holiday homes at North and Baltic Sea 90 percent full as Germans choose staycations

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, many more Germans are holidaying at home. Now tourist bosses say popular destinations are almost fully booked already.

Published: 19 June 2020 08:48 CEST
Updated: 19 June 2020 17:15 CEST
Holiday homes at North and Baltic Sea 90 percent full as Germans choose staycations
People enjoying the sunshine at the Baltic Sea coast at Warnemünde on June 15th. Photo: DPA

Holiday homes and apartments are in demand among Germans, according to industry figures.

In the holiday resorts on the North and Baltic Seas, the accommodation for the summer holidays is booked to 90 percent capacity, the German Holiday Home Association (Deutsche Ferienhaus-Verband) said.

Regions in southern Germany, such as the Allgäu and the Lake Constance region, are also very popular at the moment.

The association recommended that anyone who wants to book a spot this summer should be flexible since demand is so high.

On June 15th, the government partially lifted  a travel warning put in place to stem the spread of coronavirus, allowing people to visit EU countries. However, the travel warning for non-EU countries remains in place until August 31st.

“This year, Germans are focusing very strongly on holidays close to nature that allow for the necessary distance,” explained Michelle Schwefel, the association's branch manager, referencing the requirement for people in Germany to keep 1.5 metre distance to others.

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The North Sea and Baltic coasts are in particularly high demand, especially the islands such as Rügen. Holidaymakers are also attracted to the Mecklenburg Lake District.

But there are still places that can be booked.

“There is still free accommodation in the low mountain ranges such as the Black Forest or the Hochsauerland and in the big cities such as Berlin and Munich,” said Schwefel.

READ ALSO: Travel in Germany – the best secluded hangouts to visit this summer

This year, bookings are being made at shorter notice than usual due to the uncertainty in the pandemic, added Schwefel. Holidaymakers are paying more attention to Germany or destinations that can be easily reached by car.

Since the coronavirus restrictions began being eased, bookings for holiday homes in Germany increased.

Vocabulary

North and Baltic Sea – (der) Nord- und Ostsee

Popular regions – (die) beliebte Regionen

Mecklenburg Lake District – (die) Mecklenburgische Seenplatte

Free accommodation – (die) Freie Unterkünfte

We're aiming to help our readers improve their German by translating vocabulary from some of our news stories. Did you find this article useful? Let us know.

 

 

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TRAVEL

Explore Austria: Mauer, a charming wine-hiking spot on Vienna’s outskirts

Catch the very tail-end of the wine season and autumn foliage in one of the lesser-explored corners of the Austrian capital: Mauer.

Published: 12 November 2021 17:03 CET
Updated: 24 September 2023 08:20 CEST
Explore Austria: Mauer, a charming wine-hiking spot on Vienna’s outskirts
Beautiful views and cosy taverns await you on the edge of Vienna. Photo: Catherine Edwards

Wine-hiking is an autumn must-do in Austria. There’s the official Wine Hiking Day (Weinwandertag) that usually draws in big crowds, but it’s also possible to follow the routes through beautiful scenery and wine taverns on your own.

Mauer in the southwest of Vienna is one of the routes that is mostly frequented by locals.


The footpath takes you through scenic vineyards. Photo: Catherine Edwards

You can reach this part of the 23rd district using Vienna’s public transport, and you have a few options. From the Hietzing station on the U4 line, you can take the tramline 60 or bus 56A. The former will take you either to Mauer’s central square or you can get off earlier at Franz-Asenbauer-Gasse to start the hike. If it’s too early in the day for wine just yet, you could start your day at the small and charming Designo cafe (Geßlgasse 6).

Otherwise, the residential area itself doesn’t have much to see, but keep an eye out as you wander between the taverns later — there are some beautiful buildings.

To start the hike, head west along Franz-Asenbauer Gasse, which will take you up into the vineyards, growing some red wine and Vienna’s specialty Gemischter Satz or ‘field blend’, which as the name suggests is a mixture of different types of grapes.

Photo: Catherine Edwards

The paved road takes a left turn, but the hiking route follows a smaller path further upwards. Here you’ll have magnificent views over the whole of Vienna.

If you stick to the official hiking route (see a map from Weinwandern here) you can keep the whole route under 5 kilometres. But more adventurous types don’t need to feel limited.

You can also follow the Stadtwanderweg 6 route (see a map here) either in full, which will add on a hefty 13 kilometres, or just in part, and venture further into the Mauerwald. If you do this, one spot to aim for is the Schießstätte, a former hunting lodge offering hearty Austrian meals.

EXPLORE AUSTRIA

In any case, you should definitely take a small detour to see the Wotrubakirche, an example of brutalist architecture from the mid-1970s built on a site that was used as a barracks during the Second World War.

Not far from the church is the Pappelteich, a small pond that is not only an important habitat for local flora and fauna, but a popular picnic spot for hikers. Its only water supply is from the rain, and due to climate change the pond has almost dried out in recent years, prompting the city to take action to boost its water supply by adding a permanent pipe.


The church is made up of over 150 concrete blocks. Photo: Catherine Edwards

What you really come to Mauer for, though, are the Heuriger or Viennese wine taverns. 

The most well-known is Edlmoser (Maurer Lange Gasse 123) which has previously been named as the best in Vienna. Note that it’s not open all year so check the website, but in 2021 it should be open between November 5th and 21st, and is also serving the goose that is a popular feature on Viennese menus this time of year.

Tip for translating Heuriger opening times: look for the word ausg’steckt, which is used by those taverns which aren’t open year round. They will also often show that they’re open by attaching a bunch of green twigs to the sign or front door.


Buschenschank Grausenburger. Photo: Catherine Edwards

Also worth visiting are cosy Buschenschank Grausenburger (Maurer Lange Gasse 101a), Heuriger Wiltschko (Wittgensteinstrasse 143 — located near the start of the hiking route, this is a good place to begin your tour) and Heuriger Fuchs-Steinklammer (Jesuitensteig 28).

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