Germany for adrenaline junkies

Frankfurt's skyline is unique in Germany. No other city in this country has so many and such tall skyscrapers. To just let yourself tip over the edge of the roof at a height of 100 meters (328 feet) and stroll down the facade safely strapped in — that takes some nerve. But if you can overcome this challenge, you can probably face anything the rest of your lives together throws at you.

The Plexiglas roof of the Olympic Stadium in Munich has attained cult status. The "Flying Fox" zip line takes visitors to see the unusual roof construction at eye level. After a leisurely climb up the roof to the abseil station, the zip line takes you down again at high speed. At a height of 200 meters, you whiz right across the stadium, and on days with a clear view, you can even see the Alps.

Want to feel like Sebastian Vettel? That's possible at the Nürburgring in the Eifel region. You can drive yourself or co-pilot with an experienced racing driver around the Formula One circuit and through the legendary Nordschleife (northern loop). Or wait until Easter: then the Nürburgring traditionally opens the Grand Prix circuit to all amateur racers, as seen here.

Adventure-loving kayakers delight at the sound of a thundering rush of water. So they like to head for the Alps. If the water levels are right, the streams and rivers there swell into challenging arenas. Waterfalls, gorges and steps have to be overcome, as on the Rissbach near Garmisch-Partenkirchen, which has an almost Canadian flair.

When staying in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, grab the mountain railway up to one of the Alps' most beautiful launch sites for paragliders on Mount Wank — a name which English speakers might find a bit funny. Starting from an altitude of 1,750 meters (about 5,740 feet), perfect updrafts develop on its flanks. Thermal flights lasting for hours are possible. The icing on the cake is this majestic view.

Conquering Mount Kanzelwand involves climbing the last 550 meters up a vertical wall. After strenuous uphill climbs, traverses and ascents on the Kanzelwand peak route, this rope bridge must also be negotiated. It's breathtaking, in the truest sense of the word. The Kanzelwand is a 2,058-meter high mountain in the Allgau Alps near Oberstdorf.

For this adventure, you also need a head for heights. The visitors on the Titan RT Bridge gently sway 100 meters (328 feet) above the Rappboden Valley. At 485.5 meters, it's the longest suspension rope bridge in Germany. You can also get across on a zip line right next to the bridge. Or, if you like it vertical, you can walk 43 meters down the wall of the nearby Wendefurth Dam.

On a narrow staircase that follows the curve of the 100-meter-high steel structure of the Müngsten Bridge, you climb up step by step. Once at the top, the fearless climbers can enjoy a sweeping view over the Wupper River into the Bergisches Land region. The bridge climbing route is unique in Europe. The bridge itself is an industrial monument and may soon be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

You can only enter this cave with a wetsuit. Falkenstein Cave is the only water track cave in Germany that offers guided tours. These lead deep down into the mountain without electric lighting and without paved paths like in show caves. In some places it gets very narrow and you have to dive. The hardest tour lasts up to 14 hours and leads to a depth of 3,500 meters (about 11,480 feet).

You don't always have to be in motion to get a rush of adrenaline. On the Alpspix viewing platform near Garmisch-Partenkirchen, which juts into the landscape like crossed swords, visitors stand 1,000 meters (more than 3,200 meters) above the abyss, the Höllental (Hell Valley). The name says it all: the steel platform is lined with grating, and the view into the depths can make your knees tremble.