Best campsites in the Harz: from forest lake to wine barrel

Camping is booming in Bavaria, ranging from luxury resorts to basic tent sites. At Hopfensee in the Allgäu, a five-star facility offers over 350 pitches, a spa, and childcare, with nightly rates around 59 euros for two people. In Donauwörth, a canoe club's campsite provides minimalist amenities for 24 euros, banning motorhomes and caravans. Campers choose between comfort and convenience or spontaneity and nature.

The Holter Meeting festival will take place on August 28-29 in Schloß Holte-Stukenbrock. Several thousand visitors are expected. Due to pool repairs, campers can shower in the gym. Headliners: Soulbound and Hi Spencer.

Around 60 people live side by side on the Sinti site behind the Alt-Wulsdorf cemetery in Bremerhaven. On the occasion of the 70th anniversary, residents celebrate their site, their history and their cohesion. Caravans are now rare on the site; most residents live in flat mobile homes. In the 1950s, the Bremen parliament decided to give Sinti families a permanent place for their caravans. Today only one traditional caravan remains, inhabited by the oldest residents, Sofi and Arnold Krause. At the celebration, city representatives opened a new information board.

The Caravan Salon in Düsseldorf will showcase new camping accessories, but many are already on sale. Highlights include the foldable Camplife Kailua Relax sofa from Fritz Berger for 149 euros, Berger-2GO solar panels with 14 or 30 W output, a 16-piece Silenza dinnerware set for 64.99 euros, the modular X-Rack carrier for the Mercedes Sprinter, a matte version of the Uebler Heckbox B1 for 818 euros, the improved BilaBox 2.0 separating toilet for 140 euros, the Secure Drive Pro TX-388 traffic warning device for 80 euros, the Kathrein CAP 550M+ satellite antenna for 600 euros, and the Car Connect 5G eSIM router with new Premium Line TVs. Prices for the router and TVs are not yet announced.

At the Caravan Salon in Düsseldorf, 10 new campervans are presented with prices ranging from 48,900 to over 100,000 euros. Among the novelties are models with electric lift beds, transformable bathrooms, all-wheel drive, and even a roof terrace. Highlights include new models from Adria, Carado, Challenger, Etrusco, VanTourer, Forster, Laika, Pössl, Sunlight, and Westfalia.

A free motorhome site on the Stunzach river in Rosenfeld is popular with tourists from across Europe, but long stays by guests are causing discontent among locals.