Camping in the Rhön

The Rhön is located almost in the centre of Germany. Thanks to its location in the almost 2,433 km² biosphere reserve of the same name, the low mountain range offers space for numerous campsites in beautiful natural surroundings. In addition to some ski resorts, the region also appeals to active holidaymakers camping with dogs or families, who can discover the region on hikes or long forest walks.

Camping facilities such as Rhöncamping am Schwimmbad in Bischofsheim, Camping Rhönperle, Campingplatz Kreuzberg, Camping- und Wohnmobilstellplatz Hochrhön near Gersfeld, Schönsee-Camping near Bad Salzungen and Camping Ulstertal are recommended destinations for campers in the Rhön Mountains with idyllic pitches in the heart of nature. For the high season, it is helpful to book early on the pitches so as not to miss out.

Special features of camping in the Rhön

The region's location on the border with Bavaria, Hesse and Thuringia adds to its versatility. Active hiking holidaymakers seek out the areas around the East Hessian Highlands or the Hohe Rhön in the north-west, where the Wasserkuppe is the highest peak.

While geologists enjoy the red sandstone and shell limestone formations, families with children can splash around in the south of the Rhön on the Rhine-Weser watershed or at the lake. Visitors can discover the flora and fauna while cycling through the Haune, Ulster and Felda valleys.

Skiers and cross-country skiers love winter camping around Bischofsheim an der Rhön, on the Kreuzberg ski jump or on the Black Moor. In addition to experiencing nature between mountain and valley, you can discover castles, monuments and ruins between the towns of Bad Kissingen and Meiningen.

Getting there

Within Germany, visitors can reach their destination quickly from many cities via the motorways. Motorhome drivers travelling from Frankfurt to the Rhön are relatively flexible in terms of time, as they don't have to cover more than 136 km to get there.

Depending on their driving speed, visitors can reach their destination in under two hours via the A66 motorway. With this route, you stay on the same motorway and leave in the direction of Fulda, depending on the campsite in the Rhön. Although guests are then already close to their destination, it is worth making a detour into the town.

Campers travelling from the south of Bavaria - from Munich, for example - do not have too long a journey ahead of them at just under 360 km. The motorhome journey takes visitors via the A9 motorway towards Nuremberg. There, drivers change to the A3 towards Frankfurt before changing to the A73 at the Fürth/Erlangen junction. For the rest of the journey, holidaymakers drive the motorhome towards Schweinfurt. At the Werntal junction, turn off onto the A71 and perhaps stop off in Bad Neustadt or take a tour of the town before continuing for the remaining kilometres towards the campsite in the Rhön Mountains.

Destinations in the Rhön

Between Hesse, Bavaria and Thuringia lie historic landscapes such as Fulda, picturesque spa towns such as Bad Kissingen and idyllic villages such as Meiningen by the water, which characterise the Rhön region:

Fulda: regional centre in Upper Hesse

Baroque and Renaissance buildings as well as castle culture characterise the city of Fulda, which was once a bishop's town. Today, the landmark of St Salvator's Cathedral, which houses the tomb of St Boniface, is a fascinating sight. Also worth seeing are the pre-Romanesque St Michael's Church dating from 1,000 AD and the orangery with its floral vase from 1721 with its baroque rooms as the former summer residence of the prince abbots in Fulda.

Golfing and cures in Bad Kissingen

Several superlatives accompany the town of Bad Kissingen in Lower Franconia on the edge of the Vorrhön: the oldest graduation centre in Europe, a Bavarian state spa and a large town with the oldest golf course in Bavaria. Worth seeing are the Old Town Hall from 1577 and the arcade building by Friedrich von Gärtner, which adorns the spa garden together with the magnificent Wandelhalle with its integrated fountain hall. High above Bad Kissingen in the Reiterswiesen district, the ruins of Botenlauben Castle dating back to 1180 immediately catch the eye.

Built on the water: Meiningen

A historic old town, extensive parks and gardens and the medieval moats characterise the district town of Meiningen in the south of Thuringia. Today's landscaped castle park, which visitors can reach from Elisabethenburg Castle via the Georgsbrücke bridge, is ideal for long walks. The garden was laid out as a Renaissance park at the end of the 17th century, modelled on French and Dutch designs.

Activities and excursions

Hiking takes on a new meaning in the Rhön thanks to the extensive, well-developed network of paths. While lakes beckon in summer, skiing is the order of the day in winter.

Organised hikes by the Rhön Club

The Rhön-Höhen-Weg from Burgsinn in Main-Spessart to Bad Salzungen on the Werra river is just the thing for the more demanding hiker: 137 kilometres long. Of course, partial stages are also possible, for example through the Red and Black Moor. For children and geologists, the Auersberg nature trail near Hilders or the hiking trail on the Wasserkuppe up to 950 metres are ideal. While in summer you can do a lot of walking, in winter the Ellenbogen ski and toboggan park offers cross-country trails, a tyre slide for children and a snow tubing facility.

Excursions to the lakes

If you are camping in the Rhön with your own children, you can also take a trip for a swim. Lake Guckaisee, south of the Wasserkuppe, is a natural body of water and the largest in Hesse. With its bathing jetty and floating raft island, it is ideal for splashing around and swimming. The Frickenhäuser See lake in the village of the same name on the border with the Franconian Vorrhön is idyllic, not least because of its small circumference of just 380 metres.

Gastronomy

Fresh on the table, restaurateurs and chefs rely on local produce from organic farming, from their own abattoir or from the Rhön's regional fish farm. The locals' favourite dishes are Rhön trout, Rhön sheep and game dishes: the Zwibbelsploatz is baked in a stone oven and the schnitzel is rolled in breadcrumbs.

A classic snack plate is sometimes enough for a larger travelling party: cheese, knuckle of pork and the tasty Rhön homemade sausage are very popular. For vegetarians too, wild garlic or mushrooms on fresh farmhouse bread make a great snack, especially when camping in the Rhön.

Culinary action weeks such as dishes from grandma's kitchen in spring or the game weeks in autumn taste even better with a freshly tapped beer or a Franconian Federweißer.

Best time to visit

The climate in the Rhön depends on the altitude. The influence of the continental climate should not be underestimated: On the high plateau of the Hohe Rhön, you can expect low average annual temperatures of around five to seven degrees, while the southern Rhön is warmer and sunnier.

While temperatures in summer hover around a fresh 17 degrees, autumn is also ideal for camping in the Rhön with hardly any lower temperatures.

In winter, temperatures barely climb above zero degrees, making the region extremely snow-sure during the cold months of December and January and making the Rhön an attractive holiday destination for skiers.