Schierke - Braunlage - Wernigerode

In the eastern part of the Harz mountains, the town of Schierke was a popular ski resort from the 1920s to the 1940s. The small, cozy mountain town is not far from the towns of Braunlage and Wernigerode, directly at the foot of the Brocken. Visitors can climb the Brockenberg from there on foot -- but also on skis, in a horse drawn carriage, or with the Brocken train.

The birthplace of skiing in Harz mountains is in neighboring Braunlage. In 1890, Germany’s first ski classes were taught here, and in 1892, the first winter-sports club was founded. Braunlage has a ski area, an illuminated ski run, an ice rink, cross country trails, and a ski school. There are some 7,500 beds for tourists in the 5,000 person town.

Other towns to visit in the region are Wernigerode, with its many half-timbered houses, Bad Lauterberg, which has the leading health spa in northern Germany based on the unusual "Kneipp" method, and Goslar, whose medieval old town is so well preserved that it was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.