Where to Stay in the Harz: Goslar, Wernigerode, Schierke or Quedlinburg
This loop from Hannover sleeps twice: in Goslar, on the northern edge of the Harz, and in Wernigerode after the Brocken. Goslar is the obvious first night; for the second you can also stay right at the Brocken railway in Schierke, or push on to Quedlinburg. These are the towns to choose from, in the order you meet them.
| Town | Hannover | Schierke (Brocken railway) | Thale | Quedlinburg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goslar | 92 km | 46 km | 60 km | 62 km |
| Schierke | 132 km | 0 km | 35 km | 43 km |
| Wernigerode | 126 km | 17 km | 29 km | 30 km |
| Quedlinburg | 152 km | 44 km | 13 km | 0 km |
Goslar
Night 1 — the old mining town, the route's choice
Why stay here
- An old town of more than 1,500 half-timbered houses, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with the Rammelsberg mine
- Day 2 starts straight up the Oker valley towards Torfhaus
Keep in mind
- On the northern edge of the Harz: the Brocken railway at Schierke is 46 km away
Schierke
Night 2 — the village at the foot of the Brocken, for an early train or a walk up
Why stay here
- The car park, the Brocken railway station and the marked paths to the summit are all here
- You can be on the first train or the path before the day visitors arrive
Keep in mind
- A small mountain village, with fewer places to eat than Wernigerode
Wernigerode
Night 2 — the route's choice, a half-timbered town under its castle
Why stay here
- A through train of the Harzer Schmalspurbahnen runs from Wernigerode to the Brocken, so you can go up by train without driving to Schierke
- The castle and the market square with its half-timbered town hall are on your doorstep
Keep in mind
- Day 3 is still the longest: Thale, Quedlinburg and back to Hannover, 193 km in all
Quedlinburg
Night 2 — if you would rather wake up in the old town than drive to it
Why stay here
- More than 2,000 half-timbered houses, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, at its quietest in the evening
- 13 km from Thale, so the Bode gorge and the Hexentanzplatz start your day 3
Keep in mind
- 44 km from Schierke after the Brocken, so day 2 ends with a longer drive
Before you book
- The Brocken train. You cannot drive to the summit. Trains of the Harzer Schmalspurbahnen go up from Schierke and, without changing, from Wernigerode. Tickets can be booked online a few weeks ahead; book them before you fix where you sleep on night 2.
- Parking. In Schierke you leave the car in the car park for the day. In the old towns of Goslar, Wernigerode and Quedlinburg, ask your host where to park before you arrive.
- Thale out of season. The cable car to the Hexentanzplatz and the chairlift to the Rosstrappe close for several weeks in November and December. If they matter to you, check the dates before you choose Quedlinburg for night 2.
- No tolls. German motorways are free for cars, so the only road costs are fuel and parking.
Distances are by road, from OpenStreetMap routing, from each town to the places in the table.
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