Spa hotels in the Harz
The Harz combines the brine spa of Bad Harzburg and climatic health resorts such as Bad Sachsa with the national park around the Brocken and the UNESCO World Heritage town of Goslar — forest, brine and history.
Holidays & wellness in the Harz
The Harz is the northernmost upland range in Germany — an island of forests, heights and bogs above the North German plain, crowned by the legendary Brocken. On its Lower Saxon side the health resorts rich in tradition line up: the brine spa of Bad Harzburg, the climatic health resorts of Bad Sachsa and Bad Lauterberg. Here wellness is carried by an old healing tradition — by brine from the depths and by the mild gentle climate of the forests. Add nature: the Harz National Park, one of the largest forest national parks in Germany, surrounds the Brocken (1,141 m) with a dense network of hiking trails, and the Harz narrow-gauge railways steam right up to the summit. With the UNESCO World Heritage town of Goslar one of the most beautiful old towns in Germany also lies on the edge of the range. Forest, brine and history make the Harz a wellness landscape of its own character.
What this region stands for
- Brine spa (Bad Harzburg)
- Climatic health resorts & gentle climate
- Hiking in the Harz National Park
- Brocken & Harz narrow-gauge railways
- UNESCO World Heritage Goslar
- Forest wellness and closeness to nature
Why wellness here?
The wellness tradition of the Harz rests on two old pillars. First, brine: in Bad Harzburg a brine spring was discovered in 1569, and since the 18th century its healing power has been used deliberately. Today natural brine rich in sodium and calcium flows from 840 metres deep — soothing for the musculoskeletal system and the airways. The Sole-Therme with indoor and outdoor pools (29–32 °C), a sauna landscape and the special brine-gabbro grotto is the centre of this brine spa. Second, the healing climate: Bad Harzburg, Bad Sachsa and Bad Lauterberg are recognised as climatic health resorts (Bad Lauterberg also as a Kneipp spa) — the mild, low-stimulus “gentle climate” of the wooded slopes is considered soothing for the airways and circulation. All of this is embedded in the Harz National Park with the Brocken, up which the historic Harz narrow-gauge railways steam, and in a landscape full of legends — from Walpurgis Night to Goethe's Faust. The UNESCO World Heritage town of Goslar with its old town, the Rammelsberg mine and the Upper Harz water management sets the cultural full stop.
When to travel here
All year: the Sole-Therme and the health resorts work the whole year; the gentle climate of the forests is attractive in every season. Spring to autumn (May to October) is the main time for hiking in the national park, for the Brocken and the narrow-gauge railways. Winter: the Harz becomes a small winter-sports region with cross-country trails and pistes; the Brocken often carries deep snow. Walpurgis Night (30 April to 1 May) is the folkloric high point of the year — it is celebrated everywhere in the Harz with witches' fires.
Sights and anchors for the spa-free day
Bad Harzburg Sole-Therme
The centre of the brine spa of Bad Harzburg: indoor and outdoor pools with natural brine from 840 metres deep (29–32 °C), a sauna landscape and the special brine-gabbro grotto. The brine rich in sodium and calcium is considered soothing for the musculoskeletal system and the airways.
Harz National Park & the Brocken
One of the largest forest national parks in Germany, around the Brocken (1,141 m), the highest mountain in northern Germany. Dense hiking and touring trails, rare flora and fauna and the rough summit climate — a natural space that carries the gentle climate of the health resorts.
Harz narrow-gauge railways & the Brocken railway
The largest contiguous narrow-gauge network in Europe with steam operation — the Brocken railway steams up to the summit of the Brocken, the Harzquerbahn and the Selketalbahn through the range. A technical and nostalgic experience right across the Harz.
UNESCO World Heritage Goslar
UNESCO World Heritage since 1992 — the old town of Goslar with the Imperial Palace and more than 1,500 half-timbered houses, the Rammelsberg mine and the Upper Harz water management. One of the best-preserved medieval towns in Germany on the northern edge of the Harz.
Bad Sachsa — climatic health resort
A climatic health resort on the sunny southern edge of the Harz, near the Thuringian border, with a mild gentle climate, the Schmelzteich pond and a dense network of hiking trails. Quieter and sunnier than the northern Harz, a classic wellness and cure address.
Walpurgis & the Harz world of legends
The Harz is the land of witches and legends: on Walpurgis Night (30 April) the witches are said to gather on the Brocken — a motif Goethe already took up in Faust. To this day Walpurgis Night is celebrated everywhere in the Harz with fires and festivals.
Official tourism portals
Up-to-date information on getting there, events, opening hours and visitor's tax is available directly from the destinations.
Frequently asked questions about the region
What makes Bad Harzburg a brine spa?
In Bad Harzburg a brine spring was discovered as early as 1569; since the 18th century its healing power has been used deliberately. Today natural brine rich in sodium and calcium flows from 840 metres deep — it is considered soothing for the musculoskeletal system and the airways. The Sole-Therme with indoor and outdoor pools, a sauna landscape and the brine-gabbro grotto is the centre of this brine spa.
What does “climatic health resort” mean?
Climatic health resorts such as Bad Harzburg and Bad Sachsa are distinguished by a special, low-stimulus gentle climate: the wooded slopes of the Harz produce mild, clean air considered soothing for the airways and circulation. Bad Lauterberg is additionally recognised as a Kneipp spa. Here the climate is itself part of the therapy.
What can you do in the Harz National Park?
The Harz National Park is one of the largest forest national parks in Germany, around the Brocken (1,141 m). Hiking and touring trails run through the range, and the Harz narrow-gauge railways steam right up to the summit of the Brocken. In winter cross-country trails and pistes tempt. Nature and the gentle climate are the basis of the region's wellness tradition.
Is a detour to Goslar worth it?
Very much — Goslar has been UNESCO World Heritage since 1992, with one of the best-preserved medieval old towns in Germany (the Imperial Palace, more than 1,500 half-timbered houses), the Rammelsberg mine and the Upper Harz water management. The town lies on the northern edge of the Harz and combines a wellness stay with culture and history.
When is the best time to travel to the Harz?
The Sole-Therme and the health resorts work all year; the gentle climate is attractive in every season. May to October is the best time for hiking in the national park, for the Brocken and the narrow-gauge railways.
In winter the Harz becomes a small winter-sports region with cross-country trails and pistes. A special date is Walpurgis Night (30 April to 1 May), celebrated everywhere in the Harz with witches' fires.
Harz — spa hotels & holidays
Brine and gentle climate — the healing tradition of the Harz
The Lower Saxon side of the Harz carries an old spa and cure tradition. In Bad Harzburg brine has bubbled for centuries; today natural brine rich in sodium and calcium flows from 840 metres deep and feeds the Sole-Therme with its brine-gabbro grotto. Bad Harzburg, Bad Sachsa and Bad Lauterberg are recognised as climatic health resorts — the mild gentle climate of the wooded slopes is considered soothing for the airways and circulation. Here the landscape itself is part of the therapy.
Brocken, forest and narrow-gauge railways
Above it all sits the Brocken (1,141 m), the highest mountain in northern Germany, surrounded by the Harz National Park — one of the largest forest national parks in the country. Hiking and touring trails run through the range, and the historic Harz narrow-gauge railways steam right up to the summit. The Harz is at the same time the land of legends: on Walpurgis Night the witches are said to gather on the Brocken — a motif Goethe already took up in Faust and which is celebrated to this day with fires and festivals.
UNESCO World Heritage Goslar on the edge of the range
On the northern edge of the Harz lies, with Goslar, one of the most beautiful old towns in Germany — UNESCO World Heritage since 1992, together with the Rammelsberg mine and the Upper Harz water management. The Imperial Palace, more than 1,500 half-timbered houses and a centuries-old mining heritage make the town the cultural counterpart to the nature and cure wellness of the range. Whoever wants to combine wellness with history finds both in the Harz in a small space.