Germany's water map

Germany's diving story splits three ways: the Baltic Sea for shore and wreck-style days, the tide-driven North Sea fringe for weather and planning, and a dense inland network of lakes, flooded quarries, and a few specialty overhead sites.

Coastlines that matter to divers

• Baltic Sea (Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern): Often the easiest saltwater logistics. Build a trip around the island coastlines and sheltered bays near Campingplatz Wallnau Fehmarn and scouting dives like Am alten Hotel.
• North Sea fringe (German Bight access): More tide and weather dependent. Many visitors treat it as a bonus day around a city base, pairing it with inland dives like Hohendeicher See, Hamburg.

Inland Germany is where the dive calendar fills up

• Alpine and pre-Alpine lakes (Bavaria): Clear water days, steep drop-offs, and strong thermoclines. Walchensee is a classic, including novelty wrecks like the VW Beetle at Walchensee, Am Hackl (VW Kaefer) around 10 m.
• Big border lakes (southwest): Lake Constance has easy logistics, macro-friendly slopes, and sites like Meersburg, Krebsgarten.
• Quarries and training lakes: These are Germany's reliable, planable dives when the coasts are windy. Start with purpose-built attractions like Car Wrecks Hemmoor.

Specialty, for the properly trained

If you want an overhead environment, Germany also has guided mine diving experiences like Bergwerk Nuttlar (Mine Diving). Treat these as technical dives with strict procedures, redundant lights, and no-silt discipline.

Conditions you can plan around

Germany is seasonal, but you can dive all year with the right exposure protection.

• Water temperature range (big picture): expect roughly 1°C to 21°C across coasts and lakes, with deep lake layers often sitting near 4°C even in midsummer.
• Visibility: anywhere from 2 m in wind-stirred coastal water to 20 m in well-managed quarries. Lakes often look best outside peak algae season.

Rules, access, and conservation culture

Germany's best practice is simple: stay off the bottom, do not take anything, and treat wrecks as heritage. Access is often the bigger constraint than skill.

• Protected coasts: large stretches of the North Sea coast sit inside tightly managed protected areas. Expect zoning, seasonal closures for birds, and rules against disturbing wildlife.
• Lakes and quarries: many are private or municipally managed with entry fees, opening hours, and strict "leave it better" etiquette. Follow local briefings on lines, platforms, and silt zones.

Easy itinerary building blocks

A long weekend, north

Base in Hamburg, do a quarry-style day at Hohendeicher See, Hamburg, then swap to Baltic shore dives around Campingplatz Wallnau Fehmarn when winds cooperate.

A long weekend, south

Base in Munich for alpine-lake dives like Walchensee, Am Hackl (VW Kaefer), then add a day trip toward Lake Constance sites such as Meersburg, Krebsgarten if you want variety.

A skills and confidence trip

If you want repeatable conditions for buoyancy, navigation, and drysuit practice, build the whole trip around structured inland sites like Car Wrecks Hemmoor.