Witzenhausen is a little town on the lower Werra river in North Hesse. It is widely known for its extended cherry gardens which surround the town and will give you a favourable view when visiting Witzenhausen during the blossom of cherries. Despite its small size, this town includes several smaller villages which are quite picturesque and worth a visit by bicycle or foot.

Understand

The University of Kassel maintains a satellite campus in Witzenhausen, which offers an ecological agricultural sciences programme, putting Witzenhausen among Germany's smallest university towns.

In 2022, Witzenhausen had a population of about 15,000 people.

Local information

• Witzenhausen Town Council website

Get in

The easiest way of getting to Witzenhausen is by taking a regional train either from Kassel or Göttingen. These trains run twice per hour from Kassel, including both major railway stations Kassel Hbf and Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe. From Göttingen there is one train per hour. Both stations have access to domestic and international high-speed trains.

The closest airports are Hanover airport, Frankfurt airport and the newer Kassel airport, which receives some flights from Sylt on Rhein-Neckar Air, and from the Mediterranean offered by Sundair (as of Mar 2019).

See

• Tropengewächshaus der Universität Kassel,, Steinstraße 19. W F-Su holidays: 14:00-16:00. Greenhouse for domesticated tropical plants. (updated Dec 2024)
• Half-timbered old town with market square: the old town consists of a well-preserved, almost closed half-timbered ensemble.
• Remains of the former city fortifications with the Shell Tower, Thieves Tower and Owl Tower.
• Thieves' Tower, Oberburgstrasse (on the southwestern edge of the old town). Apr-Oct: daily 08:00-20:00. Climb up the tower for a nice view over Witzenhausen. (updated Dec 2024)
• 1 Witzenhausen Museum, ☏ 6. Apr – Oct: W 15:00-17:00, or by appointment. The museum displays objects from everyday life in agriculture and the home. The exhibits come from Africa, South America and Oceania. (updated Dec 2024)

Do

• A visit to Witzenhausen is particularly worthwhile during the cherry blossom season. The plantations with 150,000 cherry trees around Witzenhausen are then transformed into seas of white blossoms.
• The highlight of Witzenhausen's cherry culture is the annual Witzenhausen Kesperkirmes at the beginning of July with the German championships in cherry stone spitting.

Sleep

• Campingplatz Werratal (next to Werra cycle path). 
• Robins Nest (near Schloss Berlepsch). Tree house accommodation. 

Go next

• Hann. Münden
• Göttingen
• Kassel