Bad Segeberg is small town all the way in northern Germany, 60 kilometres (37 miles) from Hamburg The cave was discovered in 1913 and has since fascinated visitors from across the world But tourists are not the only ones who feel drawn to the underground world – more than 25,000 bats use the sheltered system to hibernate each winter import PrebidBidService from "/v1/js/PrebidBidService.js"; import AmazonBidService from "/v1/js/AmazonBidService.js"; window.addEventListener('intersecting',async (e) => { const element = document.querySelector('[data-id="in_article_1"]'); const slot = element.getAttribute('id'); if(e.detail.slotName !== slot) { return; } let promises = []; if(window.canRunPrebid) { const prebidService = new PrebidBidService(); promises.push(prebidService.requestPrebidBids(null [slot])); } if(window.canRunAmazon) { const amazonService = new AmazonBidService(); promises.push(amazonService.fetchBids(null [slot])); } if(promises?.length) { await Promise.all(promises).then(() => { googletag.pubads().refresh([window.addSlot[slot]]); }); } else { googletag.pubads().refresh([window.addSlot[slot]]); } }); Devil's Cave The Teufelshöhle, or Devil’s Cave, is found in Pottenstein, a good one-hour drive north of Nuremberg Over a period of nearly three million years faults and rainwater have created a 3 kilometre (1.9 mile)-long maze of delicate and vast dripstone caves the underground attraction draws tourists to the site but the unearthed skeletons of the now-extinct cave bears proves that the large mammals inhabited the caved some 25,000 years ago © Jens Pommerenke Underground lakes, bizarre rock formations and a maze of 380 tunnels traverse the Kluterhöhle cave system. Fossilised remains of shells, corals and sponges plaster the rocky walls and bear witness to the time when a reef covered the region near Dortmund Themed tours highlight various aspects of the cave Adventurers should look into the ‘XX-Treme tour’ which guides guests through narrow passageways and pitch-black caverns Sign up to our newsletter to save up to $800 on our unique trips See privacy policy Schellenberg Ice Cave I Courtesy of Berchtesgadener Land Tourismus At the southwestern tip of Germany, near the Austrian border, the Schellenberg ice cave grants views into the permanently frozen underground of the Berchtesgaden Alps The fascinating cave is open to the public though visiting is reserved for those who undertake several hours of hiking up to an altitude of 1,000 metres (3,281 feet) but with the warming temperatures in spring the meltwater runs off and congeals to bizarre ice formations The cave can only be explored as part of a guided tour between May and October Kubach Crystal Cave I Courtesy of GEOPARK Westerwald-Lahn-Taunus This cave is the only one of its kind in Germany and wows walls adorned with glistening crystals that shine in myriad colours Tours take visitors underground and into the 30 metre (98 feet)-high cave that has been carved into the 350 million-year-old limestone by natural processes import PrebidBidService from "/v1/js/PrebidBidService.js"; import AmazonBidService from "/v1/js/AmazonBidService.js"; window.addEventListener('intersecting',async (e) => { const element = document.querySelector('[data-id="in_article_2"]'); const slot = element.getAttribute('id'); if(e.detail.slotName !== slot) { return; } let promises = []; if(window.canRunPrebid) { const prebidService = new PrebidBidService(); promises.push(prebidService.requestPrebidBids(null [slot])); } if(promises?.length) { await Promise.all(promises).then(() => { googletag.pubads().refresh([window.addSlot[slot]]); }); } else { googletag.pubads().refresh([window.addSlot[slot]]); } }); Syrau Dragon's Cave Syrau Dragon's Cave I Courtesy of Drachenhöhle / Andreas Wetzel Drachenhöhle translates to ‘dragon’s cave’ – this cave is made up of mystical rock formations and crystal-clear underground lakes that gleam in a green colour Construction workers discovered the cave by chance in 1928 and it was made accessible to the public a few months later including laser shows which illuminate the spectacular ‘Walhalla’ cavern in the summer months Baumann’s Cave I Courtesy of Tourismusbetrieb der Stadt Oberharz am Brocken / Jan Reichel In the midst of the Harz mountains Baumann’s Cave was opened as Germany’s first show cave in 1646 and has since welcomed millions of visitprs Fascinating forms of stalactites and stalagmites decorate the many caverns and the largest hall has been named after the cave’s most famous visitor the room sees occasional concerts and plays and a stage and seating have been installed for that purpose import PrebidBidService from "/v1/js/PrebidBidService.js"; import AmazonBidService from "/v1/js/AmazonBidService.js"; window.addEventListener('intersecting',async (e) => { const element = document.querySelector('[data-id="in_article_3"]'); const slot = element.getAttribute('id'); if(e.detail.slotName !== slot) { return; } let promises = []; if(window.canRunPrebid) { const prebidService = new PrebidBidService(); promises.push(prebidService.requestPrebidBids(null [slot])); } if(promises?.length) { await Promise.all(promises).then(() => { googletag.pubads().refresh([window.addSlot[slot]]); }); } else { googletag.pubads().refresh([window.addSlot[slot]]); } }); Laichinger Tiefenhöhle Architectural Landmark Laichinger Tiefenhöhle I Courtesy of Höhlen- und Heimatverein Laichingen e.V Visitors have to climb several flights of stairs to descend 55 metres (180 feet) deep into the ground to explore the world of the Laichinger Tiefenhöhle It’s Germany’s only pit cave open to visitors and is made of a complex system of tunnels tours take visitors on a discovery of fossilised reefs and bizarre limestone deposits along the way © Keng666 / Shutterstock Between the 16th and 19th centuries an alum mine drilled into the rock in Saalfeld The mine was eventually abandoned and forgot about until the chambers were rediscovered in 1910 the Saalfeld Fairy Grottoes are known as some of the world’s most colourful caverns and grottos The mineral components of the rock have resulted in formations in all shades of beige red and grey that are reflected by the underground pools of water Art 10 Masterpieces You Can Only See in Munich See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in July See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in October See & Do A Guide to River Cruises in Germany: What to Know Design The Most Beautiful Churches in Berlin See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in September See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in Autumn See & Do Germany's Most Beautiful Abbeys and Monasteries See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in Summer Guides & Tips The Best European Cities to Visit in November See & Do The Best Weekend Trips From Heidelberg Guides & Tips The Best European Cities to Visit in December US: +1 (678) 967 4965 | UK: +44 (0)1630 35000 tripssupport@theculturetrip.com © Copyright 2025 The Culture Trip Ltd This distinctive destination in southeastern Germany carries an ominous name but absolutely exquisite natural beauty in addition to ancient artifacts and a plethora of outdoor activities The Devil’s Cave – or Teufelshöhle in German – is one of several important historic sites located near the northern Bavarian town of Pottenstein Devil’s Cave is the longest show cave in Germany and one of the largest in the entire country The term “show cave” refers to caves that are open to the public with the services of a guide The cave’s origin dates back millions of years to the Mesozoic Era a period that includes the age of dinosaurs and extreme tectonic plate movements around the globe – it’s old the cave boasts enormous stalagmites and stalactites Limestone formations hanging from the cave’s ceiling are called stalactites; those emanating from the ground are called stalagmites the first three limestone formations are the Pope’s Crown All are between 30,000 to 40,000 years old “One finds mass piles of animal bones and the skulls of many cave bears The animals had lived here during the ice age and also died here,” according to the town official “It is generally believed that the cave bears were locked in from the outside world through the sudden cave-ins and starved to death.” Visitors will see a complete skeleton of a cave bear during the tour The bear stood approximately 12 feet high and weighed 900 pounds Barbarossa Dome is one of the more impressive sections of the cave Here you will find stalagmites called Emperor Barbarossa – a rock formation that is 500,000 years old – and Barbarossa’s Beard a fine waterfall that formed a stalagmite shape that resembles an Asian pagoda “If the visitor looks downwards in the Barbarossa Dome he can see the deepest location of the cave: it is situated 230 feet below the upper surface of the cavern,” Bernard explained Devil’s Cave earned its ominous name and reputation from local lore the cave was unknowingly the final resting place for local livestock; the animals were falling in the cave and dying Because the animals were disappearing in the vicinity of the cave local farmers aptly named it Devil’s Cave because they believed an evil force was responsible for the disappearances the bones of livestock and wildlife were found in the cave