These rest stops in Germany are worth a break
If you go on holiday by car, you should take a break from time to time. Many motorway rest stops offer little variety. If you don’t feel like drabness and standard snacks, you will find alternatives. We present eight interesting examples.
Status: 5:50 a.m
The rest area Illertal Ost on the A7 convinces with an imaginative design with turrets and curved walls
Quelle: picture alliance / Bildagentur-online/Forkel
Dhe holiday season begins, but there is a long drive before you can relax. If you want to arrive safely, you should plan enough stops.
We have identified the most attractive rest areas in Germany for this purpose: These motorway rest areas are not only there for refuelling, they are also worth staying at. Not only do they allow drivers to stretch their legs, they also score points with other amenities.
Autohof Gramschatzer Wald: Wellness for the feet
Stressed travelers can relax on the A7 near Würzburg at the Gramschatzer Wald car park: the facility has a three-kilometre barefoot path – wellness for exhausted feet.
But the facility also offers the complete range of restaurants in a quiet and green environment. By the way: Quiet contemplation is possible in the Autobahn Chapel, which opened in 2015, on the grounds of the truck stop.
Gruibingen Süd: Feng Shui an der A8
The first Feng Shui rest house on German autobahns (BAB 8) is between Stuttgart and Ulm. The system was built under aspects of the Asian theory of harmony and takes into account the “energy flows of the landscape environment”.
The Gruibingen service area in the Göppingen district was built according to the Feng Shui principle
Source: pa/dpa/Stefan Puchner
The food is varied and mostly certified organic, the atmosphere is pleasant and very green. For weary travelers there is a fountain intended to revive the spirits, as well as a “room of silence”.
Illertal Ost: Birds chirping in the quiet place
Anyone who doesn’t feel comfortable here is really ready for vacation! The art rest stop on the A7 Memmingen – Ulm impresses with its imaginative design with turrets and curved walls. It’s colorful here and your eyes wander during the break.
The facility was designed by the Austrian Herbert Maierhofer as a total work of art. The chirping of birds can be heard in the toilets, the sanitary facilities are clean. And the Swabian specialties also ensure well-being.
Rest area Taunusblick: Ancient Roman lookout tower
Frankfurt’s skyline is on one side and the Taunus on the other. A stop is worthwhile on the A5 between Bad Homburger Kreuz and Nordwest-Kreuz Frankfurt. Because the service area offers a lookout tower as a highlight, which is modeled on Roman fortifications.
A spiral staircase with 100 steps takes you 25 meters up. From there a wonderful view opens up, which is even more beautiful when the sun is just rising or setting. Oh yes: If you don’t feel like scrambling after sitting in the car for a long time, you can simply take the elevator.
Autohof Strohofer Geiselwind: Amazing offer
This facility on the A3 between Würzburg and Nuremberg regularly takes the top spots in elections and surveys. No wonder, because various restaurants, shops, a church, a hotel, a fitness center and an event hall, where trucker icon Johnny Cash has performed, are spread over 50 hectares.
The Autohof Strohofer Geiselwind offers a variety of opportunities to recover from strenuous journeys
Source: pa/obs VEDA – Association of German Autohöfe eV/Ruth Strohofer
There is also the adventure world of Strohofer with archery, GPS scavenger hunts, tepee overnight stays and a large climbing forest.
Service area Irschenberg Süd: Stop at the coffee roastery
Admittedly, most holidaymakers have mixed feelings about the Irschenberg when driving south. Extensive traffic jams often form there. But the journey to the mountains usually takes you via the A8 and the section between Holzkirchen and Rosenheim.
After all: There is definitely a holiday mood in Irschenberg, because Germany’s highest service area offers a great view towards the Alps. Tip: It’s only a few steps to Dinzler, a “pleasure oasis” – according to self-promotion – with a café, restaurant, own coffee roastery including sales and vinotheque.
Service area Am Fichtenplan Nord: Burger at the diner
If you fancy a burger, Cindy’s Diner on the A10 between Frankfurt/Oder and Potsdam (on the Ostring Berlin) is the place to be. The menu includes fresh fries as well as specialties such as a mustard pickle burger.
The Am Fichtenplan Nord service area makes USA fans in particular happy
Source: pa/dpa/Nestor Bachmann
But even more fun than the food is looking at the interior: The restaurant comes in the style of a real diner from the USA in the 50s. The desire for rock ‘n’ roll and for Cadillac and Plymouth grows…
Autohof Leipzig-Flughafen: graffiti at the exit
And art again. The 24 Group, which operates a whole series of truck stops on German autobahns, has developed a new design concept and has hired the graffiti artist Jace to create design highlights in the facility on the A9 (exit Großkugel).
A five-meter-long plane at the entrance and a swing for selfies are just two examples. In addition to the usual amenities – including a free fitness park – the Autohof offers travelers an integrated exhibition area for a wide variety of exhibits. The motto: “Culture on the Autobahn.”
