A varied holiday
destination along the bank of the Elbe River

Hello and a warm welcome! Stretched out along the Elbe on the outskirts of Hamburg is a diverse holiday region that takes its name from the largest continuous fruit-producing region in North Europe, the Altes Land Orchard (Altes Land meaning ‘Old Land’). Each spring, more than 20 million fruit trees come into blossom along the Elbe until the end of May and produce a delicious harvest come autumn. Two charming Hanseatic towns - Stade and Buxtehude - also exude an attractive aura. Their Hanseatic heritage shapes the respective townscapes to this day, with the harbour and canals still very much at the heart of these two towns. The power of nature and the region’s maritime heritage are perceptible everywhere. Destinations for nature-enthusiasts include the fruit farms and conservation areas, the Elbe and its tributaries, the raised bogs, the Kehdingen landscape, the woodland of the Stader Geest and of course the beaches along the Elbe. The Altes Land region on the banks of the River Elbe is not just worth visiting to see the apple blossom in spring or the harvest in autumn. This area between the North Sea, Hamburg and Bremen lends itself to a wide range of day trips too.