The Lüneburg Heath is one of Europe's most beautiful natural environments - a violet spectacle of heather - that blooms from August to September. Located between Hamburg, Hannover and Bremen, the Lüneburg Heath is a unique spot in Germany. It is home to wonderful moorland sheep, fields of heather and other wildflowers, and boasts a peaceful countryside lifestyle, which attracts millions of people every year. 

Large stretches of the heath are protected, including a rolling valley called "Totengrund" - or "Valley of the Dead". A pastor bought the land in 1910 to save it from being developed.  He turned it into one of Germany's first nature reserves. Cars are banned from the area, so the best way to explore the park is on foot, by bike or in a horse-drawn carriage. And a good starting point for a trek across the heath is the place that gave it its name: Lüneburg. It's a picturesque town whose half-timbered houses give it a rustic charm.

From Visit Germany
Editor: Zulfikar Abbany