Holidays on a Farm

Farms provide the perfect setting for idyllic holidays. Instead of the hectic pace and anonymity of city life, guests are treated to a personal level of service and hospitality. A farm holiday is a particularly welcome alternative to a hotel for families with children. The farms often have a range of pets which the children can handle and feed, and many also organise activities. Helping with the cows or the harvest, walking, angling, cycling or riding all offer visitors the chance to experience something new. And many farms sell their own produce, so you can try specialities such as homemade sausages and cheese, wine and fruit juices. The farms are subject to strict quality control. Depending on type, they may be classified as "Landurlaub" (country holiday) or "Urlaub auf dem Bauernhof" (farm holiday).  Those bearing the "Urlaub auf dem Bauernhof" designation still actively work their farms. Those classified as "Landurlaub"  are no longer actively involved in agriculture. These are generally former farms, country hotels, country houses or guesthouses with typical regional charm.

A detailed guide to German farms (in German language) which are open to holidaymakers is also available from the following organisation:

DLG-Verlags-GMBH
Eschborner Landstrasse 122
60489 Frankfurt
Tel: 00 49 69 24788-451
Price EUR 9,90  inc. postage (2003)

For even more information you may want to try searching the internet for Bauernhofurlaub, Ferienwohnung or Ferienwohnungen, the key word in German for holidays on a farm and self-catering.