The most beautiful places in Germany – North Rhine-Westphalia

Why travel far when Germany has everything you need for an attractive holiday or an exciting day out? We often look far away for the best photo locations and destinations for our next holiday, without realising that we can find impressive landscapes, fascinating cities and a wide range of culture and leisure activities close by.

The 10 most beautiful places in North Rhine-Westphalia

Today we'd like to introduce you to Germany's fourth-largest federal state. Thanks to its industrial development, it not only offers lively cities but is also home to some of the most beautiful photo spots in Germany: from mystical rock formations and mega events in the Rhine metropolis to romantic landscapes, there's plenty to see in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW)! Here are the 10 most beautiful photo locations in NRW:

1. Cologne

For many years, the Rhine metropolis of Cologne has been one of the most attractive cities in Germany for tourists and locals alike, thanks to its many sights and activities – and not just at carnival time. One sight you can't miss as soon as you arrive in Cologne, and that's definitely worth a visit, is Cologne Cathedral. From below, this Gothic building is a mighty photo subject, and from the top it offers a view over the city and its surroundings with many other buildings and the Rhine. Check out our tips on different camera perspectives to play with different angles.

Insider tip: We recommend climbing Cologne Cathedral, as the view is one of the most beautiful photo spots in NRW. Also worth seeing are the "Domplatte", as the square around the cathedral is called, and the Hohenzollern Bridge, which is right next to it and offers impressive photo subjects from different perspectives. Maybe you'd like to take some photos of the "love locks" on the bridge?

2. Eifel

The Eifel is a low mountain range that stretches across NRW and Rhineland-Palatinate and merges into the Ardennes in Luxembourg and Belgium. In the NRW part of the Eifel there are some charming towns worth visiting, including Monschau and Dahlem. But Eifel National Park in particular can't be left off the list of the most beautiful photo locations in NRW. This national park has been returning to wilderness for some years and is still developing. Today, besides wilderness, water and forest, the park is even home to some wolves and offers visitors pure nature and adventure. Photographers will find countless photo spots and great subjects in this wild nature, including waterfalls, lakes, forests, viewpoints and more. Find out more about nature photography in our inspiration section.

Insider tip: Besides the nature in the national park, we recommend visiting the Monschau hedge landscape. This cultural landscape is a slightly different photo location. Monschau is a very idyllic town with a historic hedge landscape featuring structures from the 17th century, impressive not only for their shapes but also for their size. For astronomy and star fans, the Eifel dark sky park is also worth a visit. We'll give you the right tips for astrophotography so your images are truly unique.

3. Ruhr area: Industrial Heritage Trail

The Ruhr area is important not only for the industrial development of North Rhine-Westphalia, but for the whole of Germany. Over the years, a themed tourist route has been created that includes the most important industrial monuments, as well as panoramic viewpoints, museums and exhibitions. This "network" of industrial attractions is very well signposted and offers good tourist infrastructure with campsites, accommodation and restaurants, as well as a 700 km cycle path network. Find out how to showcase streets and buildings in our tips for street and architectural photography.

Insider tip: The many workers' housing estates, industrial buildings and huge structures offer countless stunning photo locations, such as the Garzweiler open-cast mine and the Rheinpreussen spoil tip. But be sure not to miss the Horizon Observatory with its two arches. It's located on the Hoheward spoil tip near Gelsenkirchen and is a spectacular photo subject.

4. Externsteine in the Teutoburg Forest

The Teutoburg Forest attracts not only nature lovers; mysticism fans and hobby photographers in particular love this place, which is one of the most beautiful photo locations in Germany. The rock formations, known as the Externsteine, are often compared to Stonehenge in England. They're up to 40 m high and can not only be photographed and admired from below, but can even be climbed in certain places, offering truly impressive views and panoramas worth capturing on camera. We've put together a step-by-step guide to panoramic images especially for you, so you can try out the technique. The surrounding area also has great hiking trails, a climbing park and various monuments that complete your visit and make for a full day out.

Insider tip: The steep stone bridge on the Externsteine offers not only adventure but also some great photo subjects. If you want to take some really impressive photos, visit this photo spot in NRW at sunrise or at dusk.

5. Münster

Münster is known above all as a cultural and historic city that has become an important university town in recent decades, bringing together many young people. In the city centre, the brick architecture stands out, offering architectural gems with a small-town feel, even though Münster is a large city. The most beautiful photo locations in Münster include the Botanical Garden, the town hall, the cathedral, the palace and several cultural photo spots, such as museums and monuments.

Insider tip: Even though Münster has many classic architectural and cultural photo subjects that are perfectly maintained and, thanks to their historical value, worth a visit and countless photos, we have an insider tip for you here too: the Hawerkamp cultural site. Culture, parties and art come together here, making it a really "cool" photo location with graffiti, rusty stairs and that typical "after-party" atmosphere. Photographers looking for something a little different are in exactly the right place. Get inspired by more unusual photo spots and discover abandoned places through urbex photography.

6. Winterberg

Winterberg may be a small town, but it has gained international fame, especially in winter sports, as it hosts World Cup races in bobsleigh and luge. It's also home to the St. Georg ski jump, which is used for ski jumping competitions and training. Thanks to the unique climate in the Rothaar Mountains, Winterberg has a long winter with lots of snow and welcomes winter sports enthusiasts with an interesting ski lift network and extensive tourist infrastructure. We've summarised what to keep in mind when photographing in the cold in an informative article.

Insider tip: In summer, Winterberg offers some great hiking trails and is very popular with Nordic walking fans. Photographers like to use the winter sports facilities in summer, such as the St. Georg ski jump, which is not only a great photo subject but also offers wide views and different perspectives.

7. Biggesee

The Biggesee lies in the Olpe district of NRW and can't be left off our list of the most beautiful places in Germany. It's a reservoir surrounded by a large nature experience area offering countless photo spots and a wide variety of sports and leisure activities. These include a lido, water sports such as sailing, surfing and rowing, a circular nature trail and a pavilion right on the lakeshore. Sports fans will find the right tips for impressive sports photography here. In fact, this place in NRW has become a real tourist magnet, attracting visitors from near and far.

Insider tip: If you're looking for one of the most beautiful places in Germany and always have your camera with you, we recommend the "Biggeblick". This viewpoint near the town of Attendorn is built as a "skywalk" with a view over the Biggesee at an altitude of 388.6 m. This steel structure is now one of the most popular photo spots in NRW.

8. Aachen

Aachen is another large city in NRW, but it's definitely one of the most beautiful places in Germany, charming visitors and residents with its small-town feel, narrow streets, beautiful architecture and many small restaurants and pubs. The baroque and historic buildings in particular are among the city's sights, including the cathedral with its imposing interior, the town hall and various fountains – all worth a visit near the Dutch and Belgian borders.

Insider tip: If you want to photograph more than the impressive buildings in the city centre, head to the city wall. Only parts of it remain, but they're an interesting photo location, with not only sections of wall but also gates that invite you to get creative.

9. Atta Cave

A true natural wonder in NRW, and clearly one of the most beautiful places in Germany, is the dripstone cave in Attendorn. The Atta Cave is one of the few accessible dripstone caves in Germany and impresses not only with its colours but also with its size: it's around 6,000 m long, although its full length still hasn't been explored. The temperature is 9°C all year round and a guided tour takes about 40 minutes. Unfortunately, photography isn't allowed inside the cave.

Insider tip: A very special cheese also matures in the Atta Cave: Atta cheese, which you can taste and buy there. As Attendorn is very close to the Biggesee, we recommend combining a visit to the Atta Cave with the impressive photo locations there, so you can enjoy several of the most beautiful places in NRW in a single day.

10. Xanten

Less well known but no less impressive is Xanten, a medium-sized town on the Lower Rhine. The town itself is attractive, but it stands out among the most beautiful places in Germany mainly because of the former Roman legionary camps in the area. The former legionary camp "Vetera" and the "Colonia Ulpia Traiana" have become an archaeological park where excavations are still taking place and some impressive buildings have already been uncovered. This has created an open-air museum that offers some of the most beautiful photo spots in Germany, where not only hobby archaeologists but especially photographers can really let loose. If you own a drone and know the applicable drone regulations, you can take great aerial shots here. Find more information about drone photography on our website.

Insider tip: Besides the archaeological park, Xanten has a photo location that's surely one of the most beautiful places in NRW: the "Xantener Nord- und Südsee", a spot near the town centre where two lakes meet, surrounded by a leisure centre. Besides countless leisure attractions, 1,000 m of sandy beach, a cable water-ski lift and a spa, it offers some beautiful landscapes that invite you to get your camera out.

The right camera equipment for a city trip and a hike in nature

At Kamera Express we have the right camera for you, whether you're a beginner or a pro, and whether you prefer to photograph nature or architecture, by night or by day, or even subjects in motion. We offer DSLRs, bridge cameras, compact cameras, mirrorless cameras, underwater cameras and even drones in different price ranges, with the right accessories.

Cameras

Mirrorless camera: Would you like to take a light camera on your trip that can take high-quality photos? Then we recommend a mirrorless camera, as it works completely digitally, with autofocus and without a separate AF sensor, and can capture images very quickly, as most models have built-in stabilisation. Some models, such as the Sony ZV-E10 vlog camera, are particularly suitable for vlogging and streaming.

DSLR: If you want to take professional pictures and personally adapt your camera to the circumstances, choose a DSLR. It lets you take high-quality images with optimal sharpness, as you can combine and use the right lenses, so you don't have to rely on the camera and its settings but can get creative yourself. We present the best DSLRs in our Top 10 DSLRs article.

Drones: How about visiting and photographing the most beautiful places in Germany from above? Photo locations usually become even more spectacular from a completely different perspective! We stock various drones to suit your purposes, in different price ranges. In our 10 tips for filming with drones, we reveal how even beginners can create impressive footage.

Lenses

Besides high-quality cameras from the best brands, we also have the right lens for your camera and your photo spot. From prime lenses and zoom lenses to mirror lenses, we stock every lens you need for your next photo project, as well as the right lens filters and various lens accessories.

Accessories

If you've invested in a good camera and are on your way to the best photo locations in NRW, don't forget the right accessories, including memory cards, camera batteries, a tripod and a suitable camera bag. For more information, we recommend our article on the best tripods for nature photography.

Why a trip to NRW with your camera is worth it

NRW has proven to be one of the most diverse federal states when it comes to photo locations, offering a wide choice of different photo spots. Here you can photograph not only impressive landscapes with forest, wilderness and water, but also find interesting industrial and architectural photo spots and urban settings. Thanks to well-developed infrastructure, all these beautiful places in NRW are easy to reach and offer restaurants, parking and, if needed, suitable accommodation.