Att göra i Wernigerode - 12 tips till en tysk pärla

What to do in Wernigerode, Germany? This town is a fantastic little gem that you'll find along the German 'Crossroads'. Here are our top tips for things to see and do!

Wernigerode in Germany

Wernigerode offers a lovely half-timbered idyll, as well as a fine castle and many other attractions. If you're travelling by motorhome, you'll find a good spot close to the centre. This is a city we fell in love with!

Wernigerode is located in the federal state of Saxony-Anhalt in Germany, about 50 miles south-west of Magdeburg.

What to do in Wernigerode?

So what can you see and do in Wernigerode? First and foremost, you can stroll through the charming half-timbered houses, but there is also much more to see and discover. We've put together a list of our top tips here.

1. Stroll among half-timbered houses

Wernigerode, located along the Korsvirkesvägen, is crowded of charming half-timbered houses in bright colours. Here you can see cute houses, beautiful houses, irregular houses and surprising houses. You can easily get a overdose of half-timbered idyll.

Don't forget to look for details! Here you'll find beautiful doors, creative signs and exciting decorations that will make the most curious of minds go wild.

2. See the beautiful town hall and the Wohltäter Fountain

One thing you won't want to miss in Wernigerode is the beautiful peach-coloured town hall. This building has tall round towers and is reminiscent of something out of a fairy tale. Today you will find the tourist office here, with information and brochures about the local area.

The square is also very beautiful. Here you can see the beautiful Wohltäter fountain (Wohltäterbrunnen), and there are also plenty of restaurants and cafés with inviting outdoor seating.

3. Peek inside the smallest house

One of the houses in Wernigerode worth checking out is the 'smallest house' (Kleinstes Haus). The house was built in the middle of the 18th century, in the baroque half-timbered style and its dimensions are as follows:

Height: 4.20 metres to the eaves
Width: 2.95 metres
Door height: 1.70 metres

The house served as a residential building until 1976 and is said to have been inhabited by up to eleven people. Today it is owned by the town of Wernigerode, and there is a small museum that tells the story of the former living conditions in the house.

4th Spana in Krummel's house

Krummelsche Haus is a listed building at Breite Strasse 72. This three-storey baroque half-timbered house was built in 1674 and commissioned by the corn merchant Henricus Krummel. The house is very special and the facade includes illustrations of the different continents and the different elements.

The picture next to it has nothing to do with the Krummelsche Haus, but shows a sculpture nearby that caught our eye.

5. visit musuem Schiefes Haus

The Schiefes Haus (crooked house) is a house in the centre of Wernigerode that is very... crooked. The house leans seven degrees, which is almost twice the slope of the world-famous Tower of Pisa. The house was built in 1680, and today it serves as a museum and gallery.

6th Beundra Liebfrauenkirche

In the centre of the city rises the mighty Liebfrauenkirche. When we were here, the church was being renovated and you couldn't go inside, but concerts are usually held here.

7. See the city walls and towers

The city walls around historic Wernigerode are very well preserved, and you can see them in many places. There are also a bunch of towers to check out. Below you can see the towers and walls on the way to the castle. You can also see the Westerntorturm, for example.

8. take a horse and carriage ride

The cityscape of Wernigerode is reminiscent of times gone by, and if you want to enhance the feeling, you can take a horse and carriage ride.

9. Experience Wernigerode Castle

One thing you won't want to miss doing in Wernigerode is checking out the castle. Originally, this was a medieval fortress where German emperors stayed during their hunting trips in the Harz.

In the 16th century the castle was rebuilt as a Renaissance fortress and in the late 17th century, after the destruction of the 30 Years War, Count Otto of Stolberg-Wernigerode reconstructed the castle in the Baroque style. Today it is open to the public.

You can, as we did, walk up to the castle. If the (rather long) climb feels too tough, you can choose the "little train" or a horse and carriage ride. Once up, you can, if you want, enjoy food and drink on the Castle Terrace. Here we chose fish fillet with rösti, horseradish and salad. This tasted good, while giving us a wonderful view!

You can also visit the interior of the castle for a fee. Here you can see a castle church and a number of beautiful rooms. Unfortunately, photography was not allowed inside the rooms, so you will have to make do with some photos from the courtyard. If you come here, we also recommend seeing the inside of the castle!

10. Walk in the Lustgarten

Not far from the castle you will find the "Lustgarten". This park was originally laid out in the 16th century, and was transformed first into a French Baroque garden and then into an English park. Today, it is a beautiful green space with trees, flowers, a playground and viewpoints.

11. Take the "Harzer Schmalspuhrbahnen" to the Brocken

One of the coolest things to do in Wernigerode is to take the "Harzer Schmalspurbahnen" all the way to the top of the Brocken at 1141 metres, which is a journey of just under two hours. This is one of the most popular adventures in the Harz, and one that is on our wish list.

We didn't have time to squeeze this into our schedule this time, but we are thinking of coming back to Wernigerode to make this trip. That's how long we watched the chugging steam locomotive before it left. So delicious!

12. Try potato dishes at Kartoffelhaus

We had dinner at "Kartoffelhaus" one evening, and we can highly recommend this restaurant. The premises were nice, the staff responsive and the food good. We also liked the concept! After all, potatoes are so delicious and can be varied in a thousand ways.

We started with a small and delicious potato soup. Then we each had a baked potato with different accessories - one with cold-smoked salmon and fried vegetables and another with oven-baked salmon and boiled vegetables. Delicious and fresh!

To finish, we decided to try a dessert that we see on the menus sometimes - "Schwedeneisbecher" (Swedish ice cream!). This dessert consists of vanilla ice cream, cream, applesauce and egg liqueur. And yes, it was really good!

More things to do in Wernigerode for culture and history lovers?

Want to experience even more in this beautiful city? Here you will find more suggestions for things to do in Wernigerode, for those interested in culture and history.

Harz Museum is a natural history and cultural history museum. (Klint 10)
Wernigerode Aviation Museumor Museum für Luftfahrt und Technik, is an aviation museum. (Giesserweg 1)
Rapunzel's thornor Kaiserturm as it is actually called, is a fairytale-like observation tower (10 minutes outside the city centre by car).
Church of St Johnor Neue Evangelische Kirchengemeinde, is an evangelical church (Pfarrstrasse 24).
St Sylvester's Church is an evangelical church (Oberpfarrkirchhof).
Westertor Tower is a 40 metre high tower that has been part of the city walls since 1250. (Westernstrasse)

More to do in Wernigerode for those travelling with kids or teens

Travelling with children or teenagers? Then you'll find some more tips for things to do in Wernigerode here.

Fire brigade museum is a historical museum on firefighting techniques (Steingrube 4a).
Hasseröder holiday park (Hasseröder Holiday Park) offers water activities for children and adults (Nesseltal 11).
Little train walks around the city and up to the castle.
Miniature Park "Little Harz" in Wernigerode Bürgerpark. shows the Harz in miniature (Dornbergsweg 27).
Christianentahl Game Park is a zoo with animals from the Harz region (Dornbergsweg 27).

Things to do in Wernigerode - on film

Where can you live or stay with your campervan?

There are of course many different hotels and other accommodation options in Wernigerode to choose from. We visited the town by motorhome and stayed at the caravan park Cat pond (Am Katzenteich 10). A very good place we thought!

This site is quiet and peaceful, and within walking distance of the city centre. You also have access to most of the services you need, including electricity and grey water drainage. There is no shower, and rubbish disposal is somewhat limited.

More to see and do near Wernigerode

There is of course more to see and do in the neighbourhood of Wernigerode. We can recommend nice places like Quedlinburg, Blankenburg and Goslar. You also have the opportunity to experience fantastic nature in the Harz region, for example in Thale or at Germany's longest suspension bridge. The interesting city of Magdeburg is not too far away either.

READ MORE: What to do in Quedlinburg - 12 tips for a cute half-timbered town
READ MORE: Regenstein Castle in Blankenburg
READ MORE: Thale in the Harz - among witches and devil walls
READ MORE: Germany's longest suspension bridge - Titan RT in the Harz Mountains
READ MORE: Things to do in Magdeburg - 12 tips for the Ottostadt in Germany

More tips for things to do in Wernigerode?

Have you been to Wernigerode? Tell us about your experiences and your relationship with the city! Do you have any other tips for things to see and do in Wernigerode?

Facts about Wernigerode

Country: Germany
Federal Republic of Germany: Saxony-Anhalt
Circle: Landkreis Harz
Residents: just over 32 000 (2019)

Travelling to Wernigerode

Flight: Fly to Leipzig, Hannover or Berlin and continue by train or car hire.
Car: You can take the Öresund Bridge and drive to Wernigerode (less than 8 hours from Malmö). Other options are to take a ferry, such as Finnlines Malmö-Travemünde, Nynäshamn-Rostock, Göteborg-Kiel or Rödby-Puttgarden.

READ MORE: What to do in Saxony-Anhalt - 9 wonderful experiences

9 Comments

Add yours →

Mr Nils-Åke Hansson says:

You can really call it a half-timbered idyll so beautiful to look at. We have some of that here in Skåne! So many interesting things you show us.

04 June 2022 - 7:36

- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Yes, there are nice half-timbered houses in Skåne too! We like Ystad among other things! But that there are so many half-timbered houses in Germany that we have seen now, we did not really understand that before.
  
  06 June 2022 - 15:25
  
Helena+from+Finland says:

Another little gem. Thanks for all the tips!

04 June 2022 - 8:56

- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Truly a gem! Glad the tips are appreciated!
  
  06 June 2022 - 15:26
  
BP says:

All these buildings on the half-timbered road are like something out of a fairy tale. Yes, the snail too. The German food also seems to have evolved from dumplings and schnitzel to a more "international" appearance. The only thing that is the same is the large portions;-)

04 June 2022 - 20:09

- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Many German small towns really feel like fairy tale towns! So fantastically cosy! When it comes to the food, I think there is both, both traditional sturdy German dishes and a slightly more modern international cuisine. But yes, the portions are almost always large!
  
  06 June 2022 - 15:28
  
bmlarstravellingblog says:

We have probably done about what you thought; the first time in Wernigerode we visited the castle and looked around pretty well in the city so when we went there last autumn it was basically to go by train up the Brocken, a nice experience with steam locomotives on the narrow gauge railway.

04 June 2022 - 22:41

- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  It seems so cosy to take that train ride! We hope to do that on occasion! 👍
  
  06 June 2022 - 15:29
  
Lena - good for the soul says:

This certainly seems to be worth seeing! So many nice and cute things to see!

Hug Lena

15 September 2022 - 5:59

Things to do in Wernigerode - 12 tips for a German gem

Wernigerode in Germany

What to do in Wernigerode?

1. Stroll among half-timbered houses

2. See the beautiful town hall and the Wohltäter Fountain

3. Peek inside the smallest house

4th Spana in Krummel's house

5. visit musuem Schiefes Haus

6th Beundra Liebfrauenkirche

7. See the city walls and towers

8. take a horse and carriage ride

9. Experience Wernigerode Castle

10. Walk in the Lustgarten

11. Take the "Harzer Schmalspuhrbahnen" to the Brocken

12. Try potato dishes at Kartoffelhaus

More things to do in Wernigerode for culture and history lovers?

More to do in Wernigerode for those travelling with kids or teens

Things to do in Wernigerode - on film

Where can you live or stay with your campervan?

More to see and do near Wernigerode

More tips for things to do in Wernigerode?

Facts about Wernigerode

Travelling to Wernigerode

You might also like:

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9 Comments

Mr Nils-Åke Hansson says:

Helena says:

Helena+from+Finland says:

Helena says:

BP says:

Helena says:

bmlarstravellingblog says:

Helena says:

Lena - good for the soul says:

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