Here, in the open air, the joy of discovery is boundless. Being outside. Learning. Discover. Marvel. Everywhere in North Rhine-Westphalia there are natural and cultural treasures that are not just pretty to look at. Sometimes you'll come across them on a cycle tour through nature reserves. Sometimes from high above. Sometimes in NRW's largest green classroom. Pay close attention and look forward to meeting little celebrities, real veterans and cool animal encounters. We'll set off together and you'll come back with shared moments that will stay in your memories. FamilYeah!
Of treetops and starry hours
It goes up high. At eye level with curious forest dwellers. Very close to the treetops. Climbing to the top was yesterday. This hiking trail on stilts will turn you into true treetop climbers. The setting: the Panarbora nature adventure park in Waldbröl with its spectacular treetop walk. The only and longest in the whole of North Rhine-Westphalia. Walking along wooden planks, nature fans can enjoy unique and novel views of the Bergisches Land landscape. And back there - is that Cologne? That's right. If you reach the 40 metre high observation tower first, you can even see Cologne Cathedral and the Siebengebirge mountains near Bonn on a clear day. If the P in Panarbora doesn't stand for panoramic view. But the family photo at lofty heights will have to wait a little longer. The most inquisitive members of the hiking group will have to spend some time at one of the six interactive adventure stations. Of course, the Bergisches Land can be discovered from more than just dizzying heights. While numerous attractions such as the hedge maze and the cave labyrinth await down in the park alone, Europe's region with the most reservoirs can be explored on over 20 trails. On six of them, hiking fans young and old will meet the famous WDR mouse. I wonder what he has to say about the flora and fauna of the Bergisch region?
Wellies on, hat on, binoculars always to hand. In the Eifel National Park, there is no mouse to encourage you to explore, but you will meet people who have made their love of nature their profession. In NRW's only national park, rangers take you on unforgettable expeditions through the nature reserve. Sometimes you will walk through flowering meadows and idyllic valleys, sometimes through picturesque rock formations or mysterious moor and heathland landscapes. And if you are particularly observant, you may spot one or two exotic animals in the jungle-like thickets. Have you ever seen a black stork? A national park excursion is often like a visit to a - particularly - green classroom. Being outside. Learning. Discover. Marvelling. And one thing is for sure: when you leave, your hiking rucksack will definitely contain holiday memories that will stay with the whole family for a long time to come. But don't be in a hurry on the way home - stay calm until after sunset and experience magical starry moments. The observatory at Vogelsang International Place will show you the night sky as you've never seen it before. The nocturnal oasis around Vogelsang is one of the few places in Germany where the Milky Way can be seen with the naked eye.
Simply reach for the stars and then trudge through the wilderness alongside a ranger.
When the time machine turns
Many roads lead to Rome - fortunately, some also lead to Xanten. And that's a good thing, because the spirit of antiquity is also alive and well in Germany's only city with an X. Whether amphitheatre, temple or thermal baths - here, in what was once one of the most important Roman settlements in the country, the time machine turns back over 2,000 years. Please get out - next stop: the Xanten Archaeological Park. Roman history at your fingertips. At the latest when you enter the amphitheatre, your imagination is given free rein. The tension rises. Cheering from the stands, only hot sand underfoot. In the middle of the arena, visitors feel like gladiators before their big fight. Fortunately, there is no more fighting in the open-air museum these days, but there is still dining. Hungry time travellers head to the tavern for refreshments. This ancient family meal will be a topic of conversation for a long time to come. But before the time machine takes travellers even further back in time - how about a break with a coastal feeling? Then off to the beach! The Roman town of Xanten has its own North and South Seas. Perfect for reflecting on the impressions of antiquity on one of the many sun loungers. But there is also plenty of action to be had here. Canoeing, diving, pedal boating or venturing out on water skis. Why go to the coast?
Next stop: Stone Age.
Just under 80 kilometres from Xanten, the Neanderthal Museum turns back time even further - over four million years. Everything here revolves around the origins of human history. And what exactly do the Neanderthals have to do with it? The multimedia exhibition in one of Europe's most modern museums will tell you. It's so realistic that visitors may even be frightened by a sabre-toothed cat. But the fright doesn't last long. Because there is also the baby mammoth Tinka. So cute. Packed with new impressions about ancient times and more knowledge about the Neanderthals, their lives, the animals and the landscape of the time, we continue outside in a glacial style. But not before you have taken a souvenir photo at the photo station. The prominent inhabitants still have room on their couch. Ready for another family photo of a special kind? As soon as the photo has been taken, a unique hiking trail awaits outside the door. The circular trail winds its way around the Ice Age game reserve. Pssst, time travellers! Now and again, sneaking is the order of the day. The varied landscape of wide meadows, wooded slopes, rocks and the small river Düssel is home to prehistoric animals such as bison, tarpans and aurochs. With a bit of luck, they will come close to you. What impressive contemporaries.
About exotics and those in love with their homeland
Take off your walking boots and get on your bike! Because there's plenty to discover in Münsterland too. The Hohe Mark cycle route runs through the Dülmen Wildlife Park. And the name says it all: wild animals such as fallow deer and sheep roam freely here and can be observed in their natural habitat. Would you like something a little wilder? Snorting and neighing in the heathland. These are the Dülmen wild horses that make their home in the Merfelder Bruch. Observing the dynamics of such a large herd is a special experience, and not just for horse lovers. After all, when do you get to see around 400 animals in one place? Be there when they graze together, snorting peacefully, nibbling each other's fur or setting off at a wild gallop, stirring up sand and only coming to a halt again at the watering hole.
Only the northernmost flamingo breeding colony in the world can beat this sight. A truly exotic adventure. And best reached by bike. From two viewing platforms and a lookout tower, you can get very close to the pink-feathered stars of the area and, with a bit of luck, watch them breed. And even when the flamingos move to their wintering grounds in the Netherlands in late summer, the nature reserve invites you to discover it all year round. The Zwillbrocker Venn is characterised by wet meadows, moorland and heathland as well as shallow lakes. Around 10,000 black-headed gulls make themselves heard all year round. Moorland sheep graze the heathland. Something is blooming here, we promise!
Travelling begins in the mind with Merian
Already bitten by the travel bug? Then we'll increase your anticipation a little more - in the MERIAN podcast, the name says it all. In "Travelling begins in the mind", Inka Schmeling and Kathrin Sander take you to the places where you can track down treasures of knowledge together in North Rhine-Westphalia.
