Germany's most beautiful campsites

Summer, sun, sand and sea ― what more could you want? Well, ideally, a place to stay near the coast. Campingpark Kühlungsborn offers just that and is located on a 12-hectare (30-acre) nature reserve by the Baltic Sea. Here you'll find sunny and shaded sites, some only 50 meters (55 yards) from the beach. Plus, the seaside resort of Kühlungsborn is nearby.

Wulfener Hals is also located close to the sea, on the island of Fehmarn, between Burger Binnensee and the Baltic Sea. It's a paradise for surfers and water sports enthusiasts. You'll find campsites, holiday apartments, hotels and restaurants here. Fehmarn is Germany's third-largest island, with sandy beaches, small villages and an average 2,000 hours of sunshine per year.

Let's continue south, to the Mecklenburg Lake District. Here you'll find the Havelberge campsite on Woblitzsee lake, featuring a beach and large lawn for sunbathing. This place is perfect for a relaxed holiday. You can chill out by the lake, or rent canoes, kayaks, motorboats and even dragon boats.

You'll find the impressive LuxOase campsite in Saxon Switzerland, western Germany, making it ideal for exploring the region's stunning rock formations. If you fancy staying on-site, you won't get bored, either, as LuxOase offers sports and spa facilities, including a sauna. Children can enjoy the campsite playgrounds. There is also a golf course nearby.

You will find Südsee-Camp in the middle of spacious Lüneburg Heath, much of which is a nature reserve. The campsite is near Wietzendorf, on a lake with a sandy beach, making it perfect for long and short stays alike. Amusement parks like Heide-Park Soltau or Serengeti-Park are also easy to reach from here.

The Mosel River flows through a picturesque part of western Germany, passing vineyards, quaint villages and numerous castles. You’ll find Sonnenwerth campsite right here, on an island in the middle of the river, near the village of Hatzenport. The views are nothing short of sensational.

Five-star Münstertal campground nestles amid the meadows of southern Germany's Black Forest. It boasts a swimming pool, sauna facilities and sports grounds. The Black Forest itself is a popular spot for skiing and summer hiking. If you just feel like chilling out, the mountain panorama from Münstertal campground is quite spectacular, too.

Moving on, we reach Strandcamping Waging am See in Bavaria. There are plenty of things to do here. You can swim, play sports, enjoy the spa facilities and even catch a movie at the open-air cinema. In the surrounding area, Herrenchiemsee Castle, Salzburg and other destinations make for fantastic day trips.

Bannwaldsee campsite, in southern Germany's mountainous Allgäu region, sits on a gorgeous lake. That means it's ideal for nature lovers who get a kick out of hiking, swimming and the like. What's more, the campsite is just a few kilometers from the famous Neuschwanstein Castle.

The camping resort Zugspitze is located in the very south of Germany. You'll find it at the foot of Zugspitze, which, at 2,962 meters (9,717.8 feet), is the country's tallest mountain. Here you can go hiking, mountaineering and cycling. If you come without a tent or caravan, you can also spend a night in Bavarian mountain huts.