Here are some of Germany's most beautiful national parks, where you can wander across seabeds, observe natural predators and wild birds, and climb snow-capped mountains from the Alps in southern Germany to its northern islands.

There are a total of 16 national parks in Germany, their protected natural oases.

Here are our top picks.

We begin with the Wadden Sea in the north of Germany.

Wadden Sea National Park is the largest of its kind in Germany.

It covers a vast area of 8,005 square kilometers and includes gorgeous North Sea islands like

Sult and Borkum, as well as large stretches of coastline along the mainland.

With low tide, be sure to take a walk across the seabed, where you'll be able to spot various sea-dwellers on the mudflats.

The Wadden Sea is a unique landscape, characterized by the ebb and flow of the tides, during which the sea retreats up to 40 kilometers.

Germany's Wadden Sea was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2009.

Next up is the wonderful Western Pomeranian Lagoon Area National Park on Germany's Baltic coast in the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

It covers parts of the Baltic Sea, Lagoon, and some areas of Fischland-Daß, Zingst Peninsula and Rügen Island.

At 786 square kilometers, it's Germany's third largest national park.

The Baltic Sea and Lagoon are ideal for many activities like hiking, swimming and water sports.

This unique landscape is also home to rare animals and plant species.

Treat yourself to a lovely walk along the beach.

For the next nature park, we recommend bringing binoculars for birding and wildlife observation.

Müritz National Park is one of our favorites and has been a protected area since 1990.

Much of the 322-square-kilometer park is covered in forests and lakes.

From the eastern shore of the Müritz, the largest inland lake in Germany, to the Feldberg

Lakes.

Plenty of hiking and cycling trails zigzag across the sparsely populated region, making it ideal for a quiet getaway.

Be sure to visit one of its many lakes in summer.

This brings us to the Harz National Park, located in the middle of Germany.

It's the largest forested natural park in the country.

Almost 100 percent of its total area is covered in spruce and beech forests.

Harz National Park was established in 2006 after two national parks were merged.

Here you should definitely climb Brocken Mountain or get the Brockenbahn railway to the top.

Its 1,141-meter summit offers fantastic views of the 250-square-kilometer national park.

Climate change presents a major challenge for this region, however, as acid rain and bark beetles do much damage to the natural environment.

On to Saxon Switzerland National Park, which at 94 square kilometers ranks among Germany's smallest.

It features some of the most impressive sandstone rock formations along the river Elbe, making it one of Saxony's visitor magnets.

Ample hiking trails and the stunning 19th-century Bastai Bridge are huge draws.

This area of Germany is ideal for hiking, and the sandstone cliffs are very popular with climbers.

You'll find Eifel National Park in Germany's far west.

It's one of the country's newer national parks, founded in 2004.

With an area of 108 square kilometers, it's also on the smallish side.

This region is characterized by countless forests, rivers and lakes.

There's also little to no light pollution.

Ideal conditions for night-time stargazing.

And this brings us to our final recommendation.

208 square kilometer Bechtesgaden National Park, the only one in the German Alps.

It's located in the country's southeast.

Our tip?

Visit the park, including the stunning 2,713-meter-high Watzmann Mountain and Königsee Lake, during winter.

You'll get more out of it as a hiker because the region can get very crowded in summer.

Anyone can visit Germany's wonderful nature parks, provided they're respectful of the environment.